Wednesday October 30, 2013 year: 133 No. 97
the student voice of
The Ohio State University
www.thelantern.com
thelantern Alutto: Going Greek ‘a matter of choice’
sports
ERICA MAUDER Lantern reporter mauder.2@osu.edu
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Heuerman happy with role
Junior tight end Jeff Heuerman isn’t OSU’s top reciever, but he’s still a vital part of the Buckeye offense.
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With about 10 percent of Ohio State’s undergraduate population involved in Greek Life, OSU Interim President Joseph Alutto said he’s less concerned about growth than about ensuring students always have a choice about the matter. “This is a matter of choice and as long as we make sure it is always a matter of choice, I think (sororities and fraternities) add a great deal to the experience of individual students as long as students have the ability to choose that that’s what they want and that is the experience that they think is valuable for their time at a university,” Alutto said in an interview with The Lantern Sept. 23. Undergraduate Student Government President Taylor Stepp, a member of the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said students need to have the opportunity to shape their own college experiences. “Providing a plethora of options for students is key in providing students the individualized experiences that Ohio State offers,” Stepp said in an email. Other students who are part of the Greek community said having that choice is important because it’s key students who join sororities and fraternities value the commitment. “If a student decides on his or her own that Greek Life is what they want, then they will work harder to become a better brother (or) sister in the fraternity or sorority,” said Alec Singerman, a third-year in agribusiness and a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity. According to the U.S. News and World Report, 10 percent of undergraduate students at OSU are members of sororities and fraternities.
“(Sororities and fraternities) add a great deal to the experience of individual students as long as students have the ability to choose that that’s what they want and that is the experience that they think is valuable for their time at a university.” Joseph Alutto OSU Interim President
Photo illustration by KAYLA BYLER / Managing editor of design Photo by MICHAEL BURWELL / Lantern photographer
Some of that remaining portion of OSU students said they don’t see a particular value in joining Greek Life. “It’s good for finding connections for later in life for work opportunities, but that’s it,” said Henrieta White, a third-year in health sciences. “I don’t want my peers to set rules or standards for me.” Others said they’re too busy to add an additional commitment. “I don’t have enough time to be in a sorority,” said Cassie Kahr, a second-year in music education and voice performance. “I wouldn’t have time for the social events that the girls have to go to, and I would feel out of place because I wouldn’t be able to be as dedicated as someone with less classes than me.” Kahr said she’s part of organizations more specifically related to her interests. “In the music school, we all hang out and we all learn so much from each other about our futures,” Kahr said. “I think that connection within someone’s studies (is) a better idea.” Alutto said expanding the Greek community as
OSU’s second-year on-campus living requirement goes into place in 2016 could provide more opportunities for students to connect with their peers. “Their (fraternities and sororities’) ability to work with us on the first two years I think is going to be very important to us and to them as time goes on because the members of those Greek societies are going to have to meet the same requirements as any other freshmen or sophomores,” Alutto said. “That will do a number of things in terms of making sure that they stay integrated with the university even while they pursue their own interests later on.” At the beginning of the 2016-17 school year, a requirement for OSU students to live on campus for two years is set to go into effect. For those second-years who want to move off-campus after the requirement goes into effect, Greek housing will be one of the few approved options available. Matt Deptola, a fourth-year in public affairs and two-year Delta Sigma Phi fraternity Alpha Iota
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OSU women report feeling harassed by local man KATHLEEN MARTINI Lantern reporter martini.35@osu.edu
Paint it blue
4A
The Blue Man Group is slated to bring its theatrical performance to the Ohio Theatre starting Friday.
campus
2A
Seeking the heights
An OSU alumnus plans to move back to Ohio to start a company promoting joy after traveling the world.
weather high 67 low 59
African-American male graduation rate increases The graduation rates have increased to
67%
The freshman-to-sophomore year retention for those who participated in the Bell National Resource Center early arrival program is
67/53
showers
61/42
partly cloudy
53/34
showers
51/33
mostly sunny
97% source: reporting
www.weather.com
Ann Faris First-year in exploration said, “but then he realized that he had approached me before, and he tried to go in for a hug like he knew me, like he was my friend.” Mendoza said Larson attempted to block her path and hold her hand but she pushed passed him. Ann Faris, a first-year in exploration, said she had a similar experience. She said Larson approached her on the Oval before classes started this semester. Faris said Larson asked if she was from Los Angeles, adding that he had just transferred from University of California-Los Angeles. He said he needed directions to a nearby off-campus restaurant. “I figured people were still just trying to meet up with someone, because it (was) the first week of school,” Faris said. “I could tell he was weird, but I thought he was just trying to be friends.” The two exchanged numbers and planned to meet up later on. Faris said she planned to go with her friends the first time, but decided at the last minute to blow off the meeting. Later, though, she said she felt bad and decided to set up another meeting. That time, Faris went alone to meet Larson. The two went to his apartment on High Street before things became increasingly uncomfortable, Faris said. “He was really touchy-feely, always grabbing my hands and hugging me and stuff,” Faris said. Larson then told her he was a law student at OSU at the time, Faris said.
Faris said she started questioning Larson’s motives before she got uncomfortable and left. Larson said while he was a first-year at OSU three or four years ago, he is no longer enrolled. The reactions of the women he chooses to approach depend on who they’re with, Larson said. “They’re two-faced. When I’m actually meeting them, they’re all friendly and bubbly and give me their number,” he said. “Behind my back, when they go home, they’re talking s---.” He also runs a blog which seeks to help men learn how to win women over. In some cases, Larson said his posts are meant to “evoke rage,” including a post about how to pick up sorority women. University Police are aware of the allegations, but there are no reports of related crimes on campus so far, University Police Chief Paul Denton said in an email. “We are remaining alert given the nature of the conduct,” Denton said. “We would advise students if you see something suspicious, say something.” Mendoza said she has stepped in multiple times when she sees other girls talking to Larson. “I’ve tried to step in and pretend to be a girl’s friend, made up a name and pulled her to the side so she could get away from him,” Mendoza said. Larson said he is no longer allowed on campus per university warning, though there have been no official charges against him. “But I live near campus, so I can walk on High Street,” he said. Denton said in an email University Police could not confirm or deny that Larson was told he was not allowed on campus. Denton reiterated police were “aware of the concerns that have been raised and would emphasize if (students) see something suspicious, say something.”
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OSU center helps increase graduation rate of African-American men
from when the Bell National Resource Center started in 2005.
partly cloudy
TH F SA SU
Some female Ohio State students have recently expressed concerns about a local man who they say is harassing area women. While the man claimed he has been banned from OSU’s campus, Ohio State University Police representatives have simply said they are aware of the situation. Reports surfaced on social news-sharing site Reddit of a man in the OSU area approaching women in an unwelcome way. The 22-year-old man goes by the pseudonym “Sean Larson.” He said he uses the pseudonym to protect him from physical harm and stalking. “Campus is very tribal, so it’s like a tribal psychology place,” Larson said in an interview with The Lantern Oct. 26. “If you get found out for doing that kind of stuff (sleeping with many women), you can get extradited from the whole thing.” Victoria Mendoza, a fourth-year in women’s studies and sexuality studies, said Larson approached her twice in the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library. The first time he came up to her, which was during November 2012, she said he grabbed her hand and told her she had pretty hair. He claimed to need directions to the 18th Avenue Library and would not let go of her hand when she tried to walk away, despite her assertion that she had a boyfriend, she said. “This was in the big forum area of Thompson where people can obviously see what’s going on, and nobody stepped in,” Mendoza said. Five or six months later, Mendoza said Larson approached her again. “I don’t think he recognized me at first,” Mendoza
I could tell he was weird, but I thought he was just trying to be friends.
KAYLA ZAMARY / Design editor
JUSTIN CLINE Lantern reporter cline.322@osu.edu Graduation and retention rates of African-American male students have increased significantly since the time when an Ohio State center was started with the goal of helping the students succeed. OSU’s Todd A. Bell National Resource Center on the AfricanAmerican Male was opened in 2005 to help improve the retention and graduation rates of African-American male students. The center provides special services including workshops, lectures and mentorships to help develop and maintain a higher success rate in African-American men within the college community, said James Moore III, director of the Bell National Resource Center. Within the past several years, African-American male students have increasingly excelled, but this hasn’t always been the case, Moore said. “Many years ago, the retention and graduation rates for African-American males were dismal,” Moore said. The resource center was founded to enhance the success of these
students, said Dolan Evanovich, vice president of strategic enrollment planning. Since 2005, the retention rate in African-American men who participated in the early arrival program has steadily increased. Now it rests at about 97 percent for freshman-tosophomore retention, Moore said, one of the highest rates across the university. Moore said in an email about one-third of the OSU African-American male student enrollment is part of the early arrival program. OSU’s average freshman-tosophomore retention rate from Fall 2008 to Fall 2011 was 93 percent, according to U.S. News and World Report. Currently, about 84 percent of all OSU students graduate in six years or less, Evanovich said. “We want to become among the best public universities from a retention standpoint and graduation standpoint,” Evanovich said, “We’ve already exceeded our goal. I think our next plan, we probably want to get that (graduation rate) up to around 89 or 90 percent.” Sophomore-to-junior retention rates have decreased to roughly 85
percent over the last few years among African-American male students, though, while graduation rates have increased to 67 percent in the time since the center was founded, Moore said on the phone. Services including leadership institutes, early arrival programs, career advisement and academic support were designed to help the students, Moore said. Additionally, the center helps offer support and encouragement to African-American men for reaching their educational and career aspirations, he said. The early arrival program aims to help incoming undergraduate AfricanAmerican men make the transition into OSU by building solidarity among students and providing mentors and leadership, Moore said. Third-year in sociology Amari Ingram serves as the president of Band of Brothers, a student extension of the Bell National Resource Center. Ingram said the center helps provide support through scholarships, networking and mentorships. “I pretty much found my mentor there,” Ingram said. “He’s been my avenue for a lot of connections as far
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