Monday December 3, 2012 year: 132 No. 141
the student voice of
The Ohio State University
www.thelantern.com
thelantern Blocks refund too little, too late for some
sports
kayla byler Lantern reporter byler.18@osu.edu
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Spiked with disappointment
The OSU women’s volleyball team lost to Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Friday.
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For some Ohio State students, the refund offer for unused blocks at the end of the semester came too late, leaving them with piles of unwanted Poptarts and Easy Mac. According to a Nov. 29 email from OSU Dining Services, “at the end of the semester, we will issue a $3 credit for each of your unused blocks and post it to your BuckID cash.” One block has a $5 value at campus dining locations. The refund will be credited to students’ BuckIDs by Dec. 18. The email said the change was in response to “questions about your unused blocks” that had come from many students. The Residence Hall Advisory Council (RHAC) realized there was an issue with students having an excess amount of blocks and worked with Zia Ahmed, senior director of Dining Services, to find a possible solution, resulting in the refund. Ahmed said in an email the $3 per block refund “represents the maximum amount after considering fixed (and) overhead costs,” of meal plan operations. He said the blocks refund will mark the first time that he is aware Dining Services will compensate students who didn’t utilize their
Courtesy of Devon Brown
Devon Brown, a 3rd-year in psychology and sexuality studies, bought about 150 blocks worth of food before receiving an email from OSU Dining Services that said she would be refunded for each unused block. purchased meal plan to the fullest “at least in recent history.” Jenna Mackey, president of RHAC, said she expects many students will receive some sort of refund and this will cause a financial blow to Dining Services. “There’s probably a significant number of students who have between 50 and 100 blocks left over,” she said.
For some students, the refund plan announcement didn’t come soon enough. Devon Brown, a third-year in psychology and sexuality studies, said she spent more than 150 blocks since returning to campus after Thanksgiving. “I spent all these blocks and then the next morning I get the email,” Brown
said. “I would have had almost $500 and now I get nothing.” Brown said she received an email from Dining Services before leaving for Thanksgiving break telling her the number of blocks she still had and this prompted her to spend them. She went to campus grocery stores
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Mirror Lake jump costs university $46K ben keith Lantern reporter keith.146@osu.edu
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Louie, Louie, Louie, Louie
Louis C.K. performed Saturday at the Mershon Auditorium on OSU’s campus.
campus
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Banish the beards
Buckeyes4PH used Movember as a way to raise awareness for testicular cancer.
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The 2012 Mirror Lake jump is estimated to cost Ohio State more than $46,335, according to figures given to The Lantern. Repairs to Mirror Lake and the surrounding areas will cost an estimated $24,600, said Student Life spokesman Dave Isaacs. The public safety presence will cost an estimated $21,735, said Administration and Planning spokeswoman Lindsay Komlanc. “This includes police and security personnel presence, including that of outside agencies such as Columbus Police Department, medical and EMS (emergency medical service) personnel and traffic control,” Komlanc said in an email. Komlanc also said that the total cost is only an estimate and is subject to change. “This is an estimate of the expected costs, it is not the final cost, which is still being tabulated,” she said. Damage was done when an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 people jumped in Mirror Lake days before the OSU football game against Michigan.
Daniel Chi / Asst. photo editor
People jump in Mirror Lake on Nov. 20, the week before the OSU football game against Michigan. The event will cost the university more than $46K. The participants left behind trampled grass, muddy sidewalks, discarded shoes and clothing, duct tape and trash. The Mirror Lake area was mostly cleaned before the next morning. OSU defeated Michigan, 26-21, to complete a undefeated season with a 12-0 record. Representatives of OSU Police, Columbus Division of Police, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Columbus Division of Fire, the Ohio Department
of Natural Resources and MedCorp Mobile Medical Services were present at the Nov. 20 jump. About 16 people were treated at the Wexner Medical Center emergency department, and 12 people were arrested in connection with the jump, said Deputy Chief Richard Morman of University Police. Cleanup after the 2011 jump cost about $25,000, with $19,000 worth of damage to the grass and landscaping. The remaining $6,000 in costs came
from the university compensation to employees who cleaned and restored the area, Paul Walsh, assistant director of landscape services, told The Lantern in a December 2011 article. The public safety cost of the 2011 jump was estimated around $23,500. Some students said they think the costs aren’t preventable. “If the university did sanction it, I don’t think that there’s any way they could make it cost less,” said Jennifer Pietsch, a first-year in animal sciences. “It would make more sense for the university to spend that money on something that they agree with more.” Isaac Folzenlogen, a second-year in computer science and engineering, thinks the money could be used to upgrade classroom materials. “There are plenty of other endeavors that are kinda struggling here. No matter what it is, there’s probably a better place the money could go.” To compare, the average tuition, room and board paid by an undergraduate student attending OSU’s Columbus campus is $20,429 for in-state students and $35,837 for out-of-state students, according to the OSU Undergraduate Admissions website.
When students die, OSU offers assistance emily tara Oller reporter tara.3@osu.edu When an Ohio State student dies, friends and family often don’t know what to do. That’s where representatives from the OSU Student Advocacy Center come in. Student Life’s Student Advocacy Center acts as the university liaison between OSU and the student’s family and friends when a student dies. So far during the 2012 academic year there have been three student deaths, said Karen Kyle, director of the OSU Student Advocacy Center. Eighteen deaths occurred during the 2008-2009 school year, a number that was matched in the 2010-2011 school year. There were 16 student deaths during the 2011-2012 academic year, Kyle said. Once Student Advocacy hears of a death, representatives wait a day or two before reaching out to relatives to ensure that authorities have contacted the family already, Kyle said. The center aims to ensure that any universityrelated questions are answered and the stress of academic finances is alleviated. It works with the University Bursar and Office of Student Financial Aid to close out any accrued debt and wipe out outstanding finances. “We apply university grants to those things,” Kyle said. The center also works with the U.S. government to close out any outstanding loans. “Anything families are worried about OSU-related, we are the one-stop shop,” Kyle said. Student Advocacy also works with friends and roommates during the time of crisis following a death. “We work to identify impacted students,” Kyle said.
This is done by looking at records and examining where the student lived, if they were in the Honors or Scholars programs or if they were an athlete. Once Student Advocacy identifies those who might have been impacted by the loss, representatives work with them individually or as a group to get the help that would be most beneficial. “(Student Advocacy will offer) definite immediate, urgent counseling if that is something that would be helpful to them,” Kyle said. Student Advocacy alerts the director of counseling to make room in the schedule for students in the office, or to schedule a meeting at a student’s dorm, house or apartment to accommodate groups if needed. Kyle said the counselors help students to process feelings and understand what resources exist. If a student who died lived with a roommate either off campus or in the residence halls, Kyle said the department makes sure to reach out to them. If a student is in a residence hall, Kyle said Student Advocacy will work with OSU Residences and Dining Services and the roommate in the event that the roommate wants to change rooms. If a student is off campus, Kyle said Student Advoacy works with landlords and tries to collaborate so another roommate isn’t left solely responsible for the entirety of the rent. Some students said they believe dealing with the death of a roommate should be discussed more so if the event happened, they would know where to turn. “They should advertise more,” said Lindsay McCarthy, a third-year in human resources. “If my roommate died, I wouldn’t know what to do.” McCarthy has heard that roommates in the dorms received help, but she doesn’t know about the help provided to off-campus students. She also said covering the student’s debt would be a big help.
The number of OSU student deaths peaked during the 2008-2009 and 2010-2011 school years.
Academic year
Number of student deaths
2008-2009
18
2009-2010
11
2010-2011
18
2011-2012
16
2012-2013*
3
*As of Fall Semester
source: reporting CHRISTOPHER BRAUN / Design editor
“Covering the debt is really good. If your kid dies, their parent isn’t going to want to pay their debt,” McCarthy said. Student Advocacy also helps individuals and groups plan memorial services for friends. Kyle said they don’t do this for every student, but if Student Advocacy is approached, this is an option. Kyle said the university holds an annual memorial service each spring to honor and remember all students who have died the year before. She said the event is multi-cultural and the community is invited. “We particularly seek out those we know were impacted (to attend),” Kyle said.
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