Wednesday May 23, 2012 year: 132 No. 74
the student voice of
The Ohio State University
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Gene Smith on OSU athletics’ ‘glory years’
sports
MICHAEL PERIATT Asst. sports editor periatt.1@osu.edu
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Big Ten quest begins
The OSU men’s baseball team begins its quest for the Big Ten Championship Wednesday against Penn State.
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As the scandal that eventually became known as “Tattoo-Gate” unfolded around the Ohio State football program, few people faced more criticism than OSU athletic director Gene Smith. Tuesday, in an exclusive interview with The Lantern, Smith said OSU’s athletic program was “glad to have (the scandal) behind us,” and was finally moving forward. “We’re truly in our glory years,” Smith said of the athletic department. And Smith said that means OSU has learned from previous issues, and has made changes to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Changes in compliance After more than 10 suspensions involving the OSU football program in the last year, many have questioned the job performance of OSU’s compliance staff. Smith said compliance has increased its monitoring of athletes, especially outside of the university. When OSU becomes aware of potential violations, Smith said OSU investigates the matter directly by sending an employee to the place in question. Barber shops, stores, restaurants — Smith said OSU employees will go to address potential issues wherever they might be. Smith said this was happening before, but not to the same scale. “We know some of the bouncers downtown,” Smith said. “We have someone on staff now, when we identify something we send them.” OSU has also changed how it monitors studentathletes with cars. “Our car program was under attack,” Smith said. “There was nothing there actually, but we said OK,
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CODY COUSINO / Photo editor
Gene Smith (left), OSU athletic director, stands next to OSU basketball coach Thad Matta (2nd from left) on the field of Ohio Stadium before the OSU football team plays the Michigan State Spartans on Oct. 1. OSU lost, 10-7.
Teachers react to cellphone use in class
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Tupperware queen
Kevin Farrell is scheduled to perform in “A Tupperware Evening with Dee W. Ieye” Wednesday at The Garden Theater.
campus
Short summer break affects plans
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Cellphone use can be a part of everyday life for Ohio State students. Whether students are talking, texting, emailing, tweeting, taking pictures, posting to Facebook, surfing the Internet or playing Angry Birds, phone use doesn’t always stop once they start class. Asli Arikan, assistant professor in management and human resources, said although she doesn’t have a specific policy against using cellphones in class, she does expect students to make the right decisions regarding when to use them. “I make general comments as to the fact that it is distracting and will hamper in-class learning and participation,” Arikan said. “Ultimately, it is the student’s responsibility (to) exercise sound judgment.” Larry Tomassini, professor of accounting and management information systems, said he also doesn’t have a specific policy for classroom cellphone use but is bothered by cellphone use in class when it disturbs others. However, some professors prohibit all cellphone use during their classes, and many make that clear on Day 1. Pasha Lyvers-Peffer, an associate professor of animal science, outlined
Photo Illustration by ANDREW HOLLERAN / Lantern reporter
While cellphone use might be prohibited in many classes, some students still continue to use their phone during class time. her cellphone policy in the class syllabus. “Technology Devices: Interruptions are distractive to learning. All cellphones and related devices must be turned OFF or placed in Etiquette Mode and stored out of sight during (the) class period. Text messaging during class is unacceptable. Students interested in using a tablet or similar device for note taking must seek permission of the instructor prior to doing so,” her syllabus reads.
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Lyvers-Peffer said she uses this policy because students using cellphones during class are distracting to herself and to others. “When I dedicate time to teach, I expect students to dedicate time to listening. I do not take attendance and it is my idea that if an individual is in class, they should be dedicating their attention to that class,” Lyvers-Peffer said. Despite warnings from professors like Lyvers-Peffer, many students still
use cellphones in classes. A study from the University of New Hampshire said about half of all students hide cellphone use while in class. The study also concluded that students who use their phones during class decreases concentration and the amount of information received. Emily Webster, a first-year in history and evolution and ecology, said the type of class determines whether she uses her cellphone. “I do think for the higher participation classes and classes with a small number of students, professors frown upon cellphone use. But for big lectures, the professors don’t really care if students use their phones, and I know people do,” Webster said. Webster said her professors have not outlined any cellphone policies in her classes but that she typically doesn’t use her cellphone unless it’s something important. “It’s a lot easier to concentrate on what the professor is talking about when you’re not worrying about what your friend texted you,” Webster said. Some students with classes that outline specific cellphone rules mandated by professors tend to follow them. Andrew Karmele, a second-year in civil engineering, said he has one class where the professor does not
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Petition aims to amend Ohio redistricting SARAH STEMEN Oller reporter stemen.66@osu.edu
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JENELLE COOPER Lantern reporter cooper.1995@osu.edu
Two Ohio State professors lead the initiative to reform Ohio’s congressional districts, after a Democratic district was lost in 2011. Republicans redrew congressional district lines, which were approved in September, and opponents of the change sa Richard Gunther, a political sciences professor, and Dan Tokaji, a law professor, created a petition in conjunction with Voters First Initiative, a coalition of nonpartisan groups and people across Ohio fighting for voters. The petition would allow an independent committee to remap Ohio’s congressional districts free of partisan bias. This independent committee would consist of 12 Ohio citizens: four Republicans, four Democrats and four from independent parties. If their petition gains 386,000 signatures by July 3, the issue will make it to the Nov. 6 Ohio election ballot. Gunther said if the proposal doesn’t make the ballot, Ohioans will be stuck with the 2011 districts until 2022. Gunther said the 2011 map is unfair because politicians are the ones who redrew districts, and did so in favor of their personal party. “The United States is the only democracy in
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Gerrymandering is the process of redrawing congressional district lines in favor of one political party over another. In 2011, the Republican party drew these new district lines, resulting in a loss of one Democratic seat. A petition was recently created that would allow an independent committee to redraw the congressional districts, free of bias.
2 source: reshapeohio.org
the world that allows politicians to draw their own district boundaries and in doing so, they can stack the deck in favor of protecting incumbents and in favor of their own party,” Gunther said. Gunther said none of the 16 congressional districts using the 2011 map would be competitive in an election. “There are only three districts where the margin
CHRIS POCHE / Design editor
of victory, if people vote the way they have over the past four elections, is 8 percentage points or less,” Gunther said. “In fact, one district has a margin of victory of over 60 percentage points.” Gunther said that means Ohio citizens cannot
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