the student voice of
The Ohio State University
www.thelantern.com sports
thelantern Representation of blacks low at OSU
Statistics from 2010 Census
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Olympic contributions
2012 Olympian Berta Queralt is back playing field hockey for OSU.
61.5% 28.0%
source: osu.edu, 2010.census.gov
CHRISTOPHER BRAUN / Design editor
The Summit on 16th United Methodist Church is about 400 feet from OSU, but the many of African-American students enrolled in the church’s Freedom School program have never visited its campus.
ANNA DUEE Lantern reporter duee.1@osu.edu
images is creating the notion that the only way they can escape their condition is through athletics,” said Jusdanis, a second-year in geography. Although OSU is one of the largest universities in the country, with almost 57,000 students enrolled on the main Columbus campus in Fall 2011, OSU’s website listed the enrollment of African-Americans at 3,274 on the Columbus campus. This is only slightly more than the 3,033 Asian students, and significantly less than the enrollment of Caucasians students. Compared to Columbus’ population, the U.S. Census Bureau showed that in 2010, Columbus had an estimated 28 percent of African-Americans living in the city, which is seven times more than the 4.1 percent of Asians. Judson L. Jeffries, professor of African-American and African Studies and Community Extension Center director, said the number of black students on OSU’s campus is poorly represented but wasn’t surprised. He said there has always been a disconnect between the OSU community and Columbus’ African-American residents. In an email to The Lantern, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman said the critical issue is that young African-Americans are not well prepared for the college or working life after high school.
Be more aware when 5A Gee: walking around campus
Somebody to know
Gotye performed at Lifestyle Communities Pavilion Monday.
ALLISON SLONAKER Lantern reporter slonaker.15@osu.edu
campus
Semesters bring more gym traffic
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With recent accidents on and near Ohio State’s campus, it is becoming more important that students be aware of their surroundings. According to OSU President E. Gordon Gee, this does not just include using caution when crossing the street or watching for bikers. Students are becoming less aware of their surroundings because they are so concerned with what’s going on with their cellphones. At a Friday campus safety event, Gee acknowledged the issue and said he wants students to start paying more attention. “Look up, be aware. Don’t just walk along and talk on your cellphone,” Gee said. During a Sept. 10 meeting with The Lantern, Gee
joked about a ban of cellphones on campus, but said he would never actually consider it. “You know what they do in some places? They ban cellphones,” Gee said. “I’ve just heard today, Battelle, our neighbor right over here, the minute you walk onto that campus you cannot use a cellphone. If you do, you’re fired.” Some students on campus are aware of how their peers walk around campus, face down in their cellphones, and said they recognize it as a problem. “You have to always pay attention to what you are doing and what is going on around you,” said Nelleakqua Castlin, a first-year in nursing. Autumn Appis, a second-year in mathematics, said when she does text while walking on campus, she tries to remain aware. “I maybe send one text, but I usually listen to
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Burnt horse finds refuge, healing at OSU SARAH NIEKAMP Lantern reporter niekamp.37@osu.edu
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Some C-Bus youth don’t see OSU as option Ohio State fans walk on High Street and Lane Avenue wearing scarlet jerseys and cheer for their football team every gameday. For some Columbus African-American children, sports is all they associate with OSU. OSU student Adrian Jusdanis, who taught at an after-school program called Freedom School in Columbus, was shocked when he realized the majority of his African-American students had never been on campus. In fact, Jusdanis said some of them didn’t even know there is a campus across from High Street. The Children’s Defense Fund – Ohio Freedom Schools is a program that provides summer and after-school educational opportunities for children in the urban community. During his teaching, Jusdanis recognized these children don’t grow up with the thought of going to college one day like he did. “Most of the exposure that my students have had through Ohio State is the football and men’s basketball team, and I think them seeing those
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The Ohio State University
The ratio between the white and black student populations at Ohio State is disproportionate to the ratio between the white and black populations of Columbus.
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Wednesday September 19, 2012
A seriously injured Pennsylvania horse named Northstar might recover from his injuries with a little help from Ohio State. After being intentionally doused with flammable liquid and set on fire Aug. 27, Northstar was found in Crawford County, Pa., suffering from his injuries. He was moved from a hospital in Pennsylvania to OSU after a veterinarian realized how severe the burns were. Northstar has first-, second- and third-degree burns all over his body, primarily in the saddle area, said Jane Carroll, public relations manager at OSU’s Office of University Relations, in an email. “Northstar will need skin grafts,” Carroll said in the email. “He is a very strong horse and shows an incredible will to live but has a good deal of healing left to do before surgery can be scheduled. It’s expected that it will be several weeks more until graft surgery can take place. Future care is going to be determined based on how well he continues to do.” The website, helpnorthstar.com, was created to help raise money for Northstar’s medical bills after he was transferred to OSU’s Veterinary Medical Clinic. So far it has raised more than $30,000. On the website, visitors can donate $10, $20, $50 or $100, and buy T-shirts with the slogan “prayers for Northstar.” The website was created by Jayne May, a horse lover from Pennsylvania who heard about the incident on the news and wanted to help. “My reaction was dismal,” May said. “I didn’t think of all the responsibility that would come (with) this, I just did it.”
On top of the money raised by the website, one person donated money to cover his first OSU medical bill. “The help from everyone has been phenomenal,” May said. “I can’t believe it. I am floored.” Because of the support for Northstar, Carroll said OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine has set up a special fund, the Northstar Equine Emergency Critical Care Fund, where donations will be used to support critical care patients in the future that are in need of veterinary care and financial support at the Galbreath Equine Center. May said she does not take the work and support given by OSU for granted. “We are so indebted to OSU,” May said. “When OSU came up in discussion on where to bring Northstar, they were just like, ‘Bring him, we will work out the money stuff later.’” By creating the website and spreading his story, May hopes Northstar will stay in the forefront of peoples’ minds. Students think there are other ways to get the word out besides the website and Facebook groups. Barry Reames, a second-year in electrical engineering, said he thinks supporters of Northstar should take the incident and efforts to the student body. “They could have a fundraiser for the horse, or even hang things up on the bulletin boards all throughout the classrooms,” Reames said. For now, Carroll said the website is doing all it can to help Northstar and other victims of animal cruelty. “This site is empathetic of the love and support people, many (of) who are complete strangers, have for Northstar and is an amazing reminder that acts of kindness will prevail over acts of evil,” she said.
“Many of our schools must do a better job educating our kids and preparing them for college or the workforce,” Coleman said. “Many of our families need to do a better job intervening in their kids’ lives, especially as it pertains to their schoolwork and preparations for their future. And we as a community — including the private sector, nonprofits and the government — need to determine how we can play a significant role to address this issue that is so important to our young people and so important to our future as a city.” OSU’s Black Student Association president Sable Wallace said first-generation college students struggle more than others. Wallace said in those families, sometimes a high school degree seems like enough to students who don’t have the guidance to strive for more. “You see the T-shirts, you see all that stuff from Ohio State and it’s being put in their face, but having them actually step out, and actually elaborate on what that means and how education is the right choice is missing,” Wallace said. Jeffries said it is important to introduce OSU to children at an early age.
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Building inspectors to visit ParkStradley Wednesday KRISTEN MITCHELL Campus editor mitchell.935@osu.edu State building inspectors are scheduled to visit Ohio State’s Park-Stradley residence hall Wednesday to help determine if students can safely return to their rooms. Park-Stradley residents were still without a home Tuesday evening, two days after a building evacuation due to a water main break. About 2,000 total students were evacuated, including residents in Baker Halls, who were permitted to return to their rooms Monday at 7 a.m. The Ohio Union was also evacuated Sunday night, but reopened Monday at 7 a.m. Park-Stradley residents were allowed to return to their residence hall Monday, but only briefly to retrieve personal items, and according to a Monday morning email to faculty from Joseph Alutto, OSU executive vice president and provost, students were encouraged to bring enough clothes for at least two days. University officials have not yet announced when those 1,200 students will be allowed back in their dorms. A Tuesday email from Jim Lynch, OSU spokesman, said the university is working on clearing up the problem. “Crews have been working to address water damage underground in the mechanical rooms to restore electricity to Park-Stradley Hall,” he said. “State building inspectors are scheduled to visit the residence hall on Wednesday as the university fulfills all of the required steps to return the students back to their rooms safely.” Students were initially evacuated to the RPAC for the night Sunday, where Lynch said between 150 and 200 students spent the night. Others have found accommodations elsewhere with friends or family, and Lynch said as of Tuesday afternoon 37 students who had requested housing through the Office of Student Life had been accommodated. Lynch said the university will have more information available Wednesday afternoon.
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