Aug. 31, 2017

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2017

The MAC’s rising star

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Breaking down OU’s budget P12 Safety Javon Hagan’s new role P16 Exploring the world of animation P20

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Elizabeth Backo MANAGING EDITOR Kaitlin Coward DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Hayley Harding SENIOR EDITOR Marisa Fernandez

EDITORIAL NEWS EDITORS Maddie Capron, Bailey Gallion SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Gillis CULTURE EDITORS Georgia Davis, Mae Yen Yap OPINION EDITOR Chuck Greenlee COPY CHIEF Alex McCann

ART ART DIRECTORS Abby Gordon, Sarah Olivieri PHOTO EDITORS Meagan Hall, McKinley Law, Blake Nissen, Hannah Schroeder, Matt Starkey SPECIAL PROJECTS DESIGNER Abby Day

DIGITAL DIGITAL PRODUCTION EDITOR Taylor Johnston SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Kate Ansel BLOGS EDITOR Alex Darus MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Andy Hamilton DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Jonny Palermo

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Tell us how ‘The Post’ can do better

A

s a new academic year begins, it is time to re-evaluate.

For many, that can mean reflecting on past years, adjusting schedules, figuring out how to best manage time and deciding how to make this year even better than the last. Some people will realize that 8 a.m. classes are just not going to work out, while others will say their schedules work perfectly. Each year is a time for some changes and a time to do better.

Each year at The Post, we also take time to re-evaluate. We ask ourselves what new skills we can learn while better serving our audience.

At this time last year, The Post was in the midst of a digital transition. We completely revamped our website and transitioned from a daily broadsheet to a weekly tabloid. Throughout the past year, we learned a lot about our readers and how to best utilize our website and tabloid. As we begin this year, we want to make The Post even better than before.

This year, we plan to focus even more ELIZABETH BACKO / on our digital medium, to produce more EDITOR-IN-CHIEF multimedia content and to look into topics that may not have received as much coverage in past years. Over all, as student journalists, it is a top priority for us to always learn and improve in any way we can.

So we need your help in answering a question: What can The Post be doing better?

Is there a particular topic you feel as if we do not cover? Is there something we could improve in our current coverage? How do you feel about our website and weekly tabloid? We want to do better.

And finally, we want to have new voices in our newsroom. Being able to work with people from varying backgrounds with different life experiences allows everyone in the newsroom to gain another perspective. It helps us tell stories from different lenses and to determine what makes something newsworthy to certain audience. Whether it is through reporting, an opinion column or a video, having a different voice helps us grow and connect to people who haven’t read The Post before.

If you are interested in helping us expand our lens or just want to share some information, stop by Baker 325 anytime or send me an email at eb823313@ohio. edu so we can start a conversation. If you want to become a Post staffer (or learn more about what that means), stop by Schoonover 145 at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31, for an informational meeting (and some ice cream).

Again, we are always open to new ideas, new opinions and new voices. So as the year begins, help us re-evaluate and become the best outlet we can be.

Elizabeth Backo is a senior studying journalism and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Want to talk to her? Email her at eb823313@ohio.edu or send her a tweet @liz_backo.

Cover photo by Carl Fonticella

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 3

AMPLIFIED OBSERVATIONS

Even an idiom could do it — the case for songs based around idioms If you wish to read about an idiot who writes using idioms as a basis for songs for 400 words or so, then look no further than this column, the first in the fourth year of Amplified Observations.

The effectiveness of using idioms in LUKE songwriting as a lyrical anchor of sorts FURMAN comes down to how genuine and inis a senior sightful the song feels. And there’s 1,000 studying instances from which to choose. journalism If an idiom is merely employed in at Ohio the place of some sort of deeper truth, University. it feels cliché. But if a musician crafts a song around a common phrase in a way that elaborates its meaning to cultural relevance or a newfound perspective, it offers continued interpretation.

One example that comes to mind comes from Kendrick Lamar’s album To Pimp A Butterfly. Late in the album, the song “You Don’t Have To Lie (Momma Said)”

expands on the classic adage “the loudest in the room is the weakest in the room.” It gives the idiom a more contemporary setting and foreshadows songs on his latest album, like “HUMBLE,” although the latter’s tone translates as more aggressive. I suppose he’s fed up with insincerity, which makes it feel even more genuine.

Other artists before Lamar explored this type of vocal meditation such as Bob Dylan with “Like A Rolling Stone” which goes off “a rolling stone gathers no moss” and Great White’s “Once Bitten, Twice Shy.” Johnny Cash wrote one of the funniest idiom-inspired songs called “You Can’t Have Your Kate and Edith, too.”

But an idiom doesn’t always guarantee a song’s cultural preservation. Some songwriters without the self-awareness of Kendrick Lamar use idioms as a crutch rather than a commentary. Take, for example, the song “Storm in a Teacup” from the second disc of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Stadium Arcadium.

Although instrumentally a successful funk song, Antho-

ny Kiedis’ lyrics provide little more than a description of a love interest as an embodiment of the title, but the nonsensical lyrics hardly expand past a visceral stream. “Storm in a Teacup” probably never reached single status because of this lack of depth or an original interpretation. Despite existing on an amazingly strong guitar album, the idiom overshadows the aspirations of Frusciante, Flea and Smith.

Idioms exist because they hint at some supposed unscientific law of the universe. They are no substitute for creativity, however, since everyone speaks them. A songwriter must add it on their own.

A genuine amount of attention to a song’s meaning can make the difference between a fan-favorite and filler.

Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What are your favorite idioms in songs? Let Luke know by tweeting him @LukeFurmanLog or emailing him at lf491413@ohio.edu.

CINEMA AND SYNTAX

Box office revenue contrary to quality of films Over the summer, I saw seven new movies. But I didn’t watch them snuggled up in my bed wearing a ratty T-shirt and sweatpants. I got in my car, drove to the nearest theater, paid for a ticket and sat in a cold building just to GEORGIA see the latest flick — and numbers sugDAVIS gest I’m in the minority. is a junior The summer box office starts the last studying week of May and officially ends Labor journalism Day weekend. Sales for the summer are at Ohio down more than 13 percent from last University. year, and it appears it will be the worst box office revenue since 2006 as it won’t cross the $4 billion mark.

Some cinephiles are baffled as to why the movie ticket sales are on a downward slope into an inescapable abyss.

There are critics who believe summer 2017 didn’t have

4 / AUG. 31, 2017

enough movies to carry the box office, but I disagree.

This summer gave way to some great movies. Sure, it was dominated by sequels and reboots — which isn’t a new phenomenon — but original movies like Dunkirk and Baby Driver were sprinkled in to stand out amongst the trite films.

And who can forget the highest grossing film of the summer, Wonder Woman? Wonder Woman isn’t just a regular superhero movie. It became the biggest live-action film directed by a woman in history, empowering women everywhere.

The top 10 movies of summer 2017 are more consistent than those of the previous summer. Movies that received some of the worst reviews in 2016, like Suicide Squad, forced their way into the top 10 because people went to the theater to see how bad they were, whereas the top 10 movies of this summer were some of the most well-reviewed movies of the year so far.

Studios are producing films that should drive ticket sales, but they’re not reaping the rewards. People are unwilling to spend money at an overpriced theater when they can wait a few months to watch it digitally or even pirate it online shortly after its release.

But people are missing out on the experience of going to see a film on the big screen with quality sound and clear images. For those who don’t want to spend much money, there are reasonably-priced theaters — people just have to take the time to do the research.

If you haven’t been to a theater in a while, you’re missing out on a worthwhile experience. Whether you go alone or with friends, seeing a movie on the big screen should be everyone’s first choice of cinematic entertainment.

Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Tell Georgia your favorite summer movie of 2017 by tweeting her at @georgiadee35.

Meet the editors HAYLEY HARDING Hello hello! My name is Hayley Harding, and I’m the digital managing editor for The Post this year. I’m wildly passionate about the internet, and this year I’m focusing on expanding our multimedia presence. This is my second year as an eddy — last year, I worked in a more projects-oriented role as the assistant managing editor.

Just like last year, I study journalism and political science with a minor in sociology. My journalistic passions are public affairs and data journalism, and I’m always a fan of a good interactive map. I like writing stories that humanize bigger political issues because I think the people affected are typically much more interesting than the politicians themselves. This summer, I worked as a data journalism/investigations intern with McClatchy’s DC bureau. I’ve also worked for The Denver Post and Mental Floss.

When I’m not working at The Post, I’m also deeply involved with the Society of Professional Journalists. At this point next week, I’ll be in California at SPJ’s national conference running for a position on the national board.

Outside journalism, I am trying to teach myself how to cook, which mostly just involves sauteing mushrooms because I’m not sure what the heck I’m doing in that realm. I’m excited for another great year at The Post — make sure you check out our website every day!

KAITLIN COWARD

The Post’s Informational Ice Cream Social

Thursday, Aug. 31 @ 7 p.m.

Schoonover 145

Hi. I’m Kaitlin, and I’m the managing editor this year. I edit all of the stories at the top of our website and ensure that everything is running smoothly with our stories and in our newsroom.

I was a news editor last year, and I’ve covered Ohio University administration, enrollment, OU’s medical school and research. I love a good science and health story, and I also have a soft spot for sports (chances are that when I’m not working, you’ll find me watching the U.S. Open in the newsroom for the next week and a half).

I’m from Findlay, which most people recognize because of Ben Roethlisberger. This summer, I interned on the enterprise copy desk at The New York Times through the Dow Jones News Fund and ate a lot of pasta in New York. I love grammar, colons and AP Style, and I will gladly talk your ear off about it.

If you’re a freshman on campus, welcome to OU! My main point of advice is to try a little bit of everything and don’t hesitate to step out of your comfort zone, but also make sure to find what you love and work toward it. That’s why I’m here and why I love going to work every day.

MARISA FERNANDEZ This is my fourth year at The Post. I spent one year as a culture editor and I’m now senior editor.

It’s an interesting and busy time to be a journalist to say the least. And today, students must dedicate time to not only read and watch the news, but understand it. A lot of that has to do with trusting us, the media. We’ll work hard this year to have you trust us in what’s going on in Athens — this includes those cute puppy videos and bar specials.

I recently finished up a summer internship at CBS This Morning in New York City, where I assisted producers with stories that aired each morning and worked in several departments within the show. A professional goal of mine is to write for a national TV network. As vice president of Scripps Hispanic Network, I try to rep my culture for my fellow Hispanic journalists and readers. When I’m not in the newsroom, I’m making my own pasta sauce and some other family Italian recipes.

Come talk to us about your concerns going on around the country, student to student. See what we have to offer you this year.

Ohio University is an equal access/equal opportunity affirmative action institution. For more information about Ohio University’s policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment, visit www.ohio.edu/equity. ©2017 Ohio University. All rights reserved.

Center for International Studies

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5

Mail centers cause stir among students; several Athens streets see improvements MADDIE CAPRON NEWS EDITOR

T

he first week of Fall Semester classes is always an exciting time.

Some of the biggest headlines this week included changes to the way Ohio University distributes mail to students living on-campus and an ordinance to depenalize marijuana in Athens. Here is a look back at the top stories of the week:

NEW MAILROOM SETUP CAUSES WORRY AMONG SOME STUDENTS Instead of simply walking downstairs to get their mail, students will now have to leave their residence halls. OU Housing and Residence Life, along with OU Mail Services, came up with the idea to have a single mail center on each residential green.

Some students worry the change from having mail

in their residence halls to having it in a mail center will be inconvenient.

“Sure, it may be inconvenient and take extra time to get there, but it won’t be super terrible,” Genna Heileman, a sophomore studying special education, said.

The mail rooms will be open from noon to 6 p.m.

Monday through Friday and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. They will be closed Sundays.

STIMSON AVENUE RECEIVES ROUNDABOUT; CHANGES TO EAST STATE STREET IN THE WORKS As part of a $2.2 million project, Stimson Avenue now includes a roundabout to help reduce traffic congestion.

The project included building the roundabout and improving McKinley Avenue and finished in July.

Funds for the project came from a series of grants along with payments from the City of Athens and OU. The university contributed $750,000 since the project was part of its Comprehensive Master Plan and established a “vehicular gateway” to campus.

Additionally, East State Street is set to see some improvements. To make the road safer for pedestrians and cyclists, city officials are hoping to narrow the lanes to add bike lanes and sidewalks. The improvements are projected to cost $6.1 million.

“A lot of studies out there have shown that narrower

lanes will make drivers slow down,” Athens City Planner Paul Logue said.

INITIATIVE TO DEPENALIZE RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA WILL BE ON ATHENS BALLOT The Athens Cannabis Ordinance (TACO) will now officially appear on the Nov. 7 ballot after being rejected once before.

The ordinance proposes to remove the fines and court costs for all misdemeanor-level marijuana-related offenses inside Athens, including possession of under 200 grams of marijuana, under 10 grams of hashish, cultivation of under 200 grams of marijuana, gifts of under 20 grams of marijuana and possession and sale of paraphernalia.

The group obtained 405 valid signatures to form an initiative petition and make it on the ballot.

“Initiative petitions are a really cool thing that we as citizens in Ohio have available to us,” Caleb Brown, one of the leaders of TACO, said. “It’s awesome because it’s a safety gap for democracy. ... We can, by petition, enact ordinances and laws as citizens, which is pretty cool.”

@MADDIECAPRON MC055914@OHIO.EDU

None left standing after welcome weekend BENNETT LECKRONE SLOT EDITOR The Ohio University Police Department didn’t have anyone to stand in their way during opening weekend.

In fact, many of the people they found around campus were lying down.

Here’s a breakdown of all the places OUPD found people lying down on over the past week: IN THE DORMS OUPD found passed-out partiers in Bromley and Tanaka halls on the 9th and 4th floors respectively, according to OUPD reports. Both incidents occurred on Sunday. One student was taken to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, while the other was taken to OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital.

IN THE STREETS A 19-year-old woman was found lying on East Green Drive near Biddle Hall after she fell off of the East Green retaining wall Thursday at about 2 a.m., according to an OUPD report. The officer found her to be intoxicated and transported her to OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital for treatment.

The woman was charged with underage drinking.

6 / AUG. 31, 2017

IN THE MULCH An OUPD officer found an 18-year-old woman lying in mulch on Stewart Street on Saturday. Three people were trying to help her when the officer approached. She was lethargic, unsteady and had vomit on the corner of her mouth.

She was taken to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail and charged with underage drinking and public intoxication.

STOLEN GOLF CART At about 3 a.m. Friday, someone told OUPD about a golf cart with a trash can mounted on the back sitting in the parking lot of The Convo with the keys still in it.

Later, OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital security contacted OUPD asking if they’d seen their golf cart. The cart was fully operational, and there are no suspects in the alleged theft.

IN FRONT OF UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS An officer found a 20-year-old man lying on the ground on Station Street in front of the Human Resource & Training Center on Sunday at about 1 a.m.

The officer charged him with underage drinking, and he was taken to OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital.

COLD CASE OUPD stopped a 43-year-old man who was stumbling shirtless around campus while carrying a case of beer on Aug. 22 at about 1 p.m.

The man, who the report states was unsteady on his feet and unsure of his whereabouts, was charged with disorderly conduct and taken to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail until he was sober.

LOST ON CAMPUS Opening weekend was especially hard for one student, who an OUPD officer caught trying to swipe into the wrong hall on Thursday.

According to a police report, an officer saw the man stumbling down Jefferson Hill. He told the officer he was trying to swipe into Gamertsfelder Hall but was actually attempting to swipe into Lincoln Hall.

After determining the student, who was unsteady on his feet and had bloodshot eyes, was drunk, police transported him to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail.

ESCAPEE HORSE On Tuesday, Athens County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report that an escaped horse was almost hit by a vehicle.

Deputies confirmed the identity of the horse’s owner and returned it.

@LECKRONEBENNETT BL646915@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 7

Self-defense brings safety, empowerment In an attempt to combat sexual assault, OUPD and a local jiujitsu academy are teaching women about the power of self-defense JACKIE OSBORNE FOR THE POST

W

ith the return of Ohio University’s student body there comes an increase in reports of sexual assault.

Last semester, the Ohio University Police Department fielded eight reports of rape, some of which happened within 24 hours of each other. One in five women are sexually assaulted while in college, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.

OUPD officer Brandon King said the unfortunate truth is that the threat is real on college campuses.

“The thing that I try to stress is that bad things happen to good people,” King said. “You could be doing ev-

University Rentals Now Renting 2018-2019

594-9098 www.ourentals.com 8 / AUG. 31, 2017

erything right and something can still happen to you.”

Though pepper spray and pocketknives exist for the purpose of warding off an attacker, sometimes the best weapon is yourself.

OUPD offers a six-week course called Rape Aggression Defense for female students to learn self-defense basics. Throughout the six sessions, students are taught to prepare for an attack both physically and mentally. Through scenario planning, it becomes easier for women to identify risky situations that might include dangerous people.

Rebekah and Carlos Mendez, owners of the Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy, 1002 E. State St., believe the mental aspects of learning self-defense are incredibly important.

“Everybody thinks it is not going to happen to them,” Rebekah said. “Everybody who is physically assaulted or sexually assaulted or anything, they thought it would never happen to them, and it did.”

Together, Rebekah and Carlos teach the art of Brazilian jiujitsu, a modified version of the traditional Japanese form, which focuses on strength and strategy rather than body size or weight. In many of their lessons — which last an hour to an hour and 15 minutes — students are instructed on how to get out of a hold similar to those often used by sexual offenders.

Self-defense is better to know and never need than to need it and not know it, Carlos said.

As a father, Carlos says teaching his daughter self-defense is a top priority.

“She needs to be safe even when I cannot be there for her,” he said.

Some students in the class have already experienced sexual assault.

When they find themselves in a similar position or hold they faced before, Rebekah and Carlos are able to teach students how to find their way out.

“We teach them, ‘here’s how you’re going to get (the attacker) off you, and then here is how you’re going to break (the attacker’s) arm,’ ” Rebekah said.

The academy offers women’s jiujitsu

and fundamentals of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for anyone who is willing to try it and learn the skill of self-defense.

Beyond learning that new skill, self-defense classes — and jiujitsu in particular — come with many added benefits. When a new member comes to the academy, Carlos takes before-and-after pictures of the student and compares them after a few weeks.

The change is evident and clear, Carlos said. Many people come in feeling shy

but leave confident and glowing after finding a new home on the mats.

“People think they’re going to come in here and get beat up. That’s not what we do,” Rebekah said. “We’re here to make people better.”

@JACKIEOU_OHYEAH JO019315@OHIO.EDU

Hania Al-Azm (bottom) and Molly Armstrong partner up to practice the escape technique at the Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu academy in Athens, Ohio on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017 (MCKINLEY LAW / PHOTO EDITOR)

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9

The four on the front lines With four players having graduated and two injured, Ohio’s defensive linemen are preparing for a demanding season

Cleon Aloese taunts the opposing offensive line during Ohio’s game against Buffalo at Peden Stadium on Nov. 3. The Bobcats won, 34-10. (MATT STARKEY / FILE)

JORDAN HORROBIN STAFF WRITER Ohio University defensive line coach Pete Germano knows depth is key to his group’s success.

Despite losing a quartet of talented pass rushers in the offseason, Germano is encouraged by how many experienced linemen remain as he aims to keep the unit strong.

“The first thing you think of is, ‘I lost four starters,’ ” he said. “But I got five (other) guys that played (last year).

So they’re battle-tested and ready to go. The challenge is, there’s a big group of young kids below them.”

In one offseason, Tarell Basham, Casey Sayles, Kurt Laseak and Tom Strobel graduated from Ohio’s defensive line.

That equates to four every-game players, the school’s all-time sack leader (Basham), nearly half of the last year’s sack production and a big chunk of the sixth-best run defense in the NCAA (105.8 yards allowed per game).

This year’s four-man front, however, will still feature several familiar faces — redshirt seniors Cleon Aloese, 10 / AUG. 31, 2017

Kevin Robbins and Tony Porter, as well as redshirt junior Kent Berger, each played in 11 or more games last year.

“I’m leaning on those guys to pick up where we left off,” Germano said. “My goal and my job is to get the younger guys caught up so we can continue to play eight guys.”

Using a rotation of eight or nine linemen last year served the dual purpose of keeping starters energized while giving players behind them an opportunity for game reps. Now that many of the top contributors are gone, it’ll be up to the younger players to fight for spots in the rotation on game day.

Germano won’t cycle players in solely to keep the starters fresh, he said. In his first year back with the Bobcats (he spent the past five seasons at Fresno State after he coached Ohio from 2001-12), he’s still learning which of the younger players will fit best.

Injuries in fall camp have already cut down his options.

Redshirt freshman Amir Miller is out for the year with a torn ACL, while Wyatt Shallman, a grad transfer who played fullback and special teams at Michigan, has a leg

injury that is expected to keep him out until November.

“We need some backups,” redshirt sophomore Chukwudi Chukwu said. “We’re all working hard because we realize we don’t have that much cushion, and we realize that we’re going to get a lot of reps as well this year.”

Saturday’s matchup against Hampton, a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) school, will be the first true chance for Germano to see who’s ready to join his defensive line rotation. By midseason, if all goes according to plan, he’ll have a group of eight or nine linemen that bring energy and results on every snap.

“Especially our young guys, they still need to learn,” Aloese said. “They need playing time. Practice is different from when it’s a game situation. When you’re in a game, everything moves fast. If we leave, someone’s gotta step up, and that’s gotta be our young guys.”

@JORDANHORROBIN JH950614@OHIO.EDU

Alden Library’s meditation room offers quiet place for students Opened in February, the room has received positive feedback from students who use it to pray, relax and declutter their brains JESSICA HILL FOR THE POST

D

eni Kurniawan first heard about the meditation room from his friends.

Kurniawan, a graduate student studying public health, was looking for a different place to pray closer to campus other than the Islamic Center of Athens.

As the semester begins, students may feel stressed and need to take a moment to relax and meditate.

For some busy religious students, they may find themselves looking for a quiet place to pray.

Near the end of February, a meditation room was opened on the fifth floor of Alden Library for students to pray or meditate throughout the day, according to a previous Post report. The room is open during normal library hours.

Hashim Pashtun, a graduate student studying civil engineering, was instrumental in creating the new meditation room.

“It was my job to provide a new social space for people from different religions, beliefs, ideologies or even if they don’t have any religion, just a common space for them to practice whatever beliefs they have,” Pashtun, who

was the president of the International Student Union last academic year, said.

On its website, Alden Library highlights do’s and don’ts for the meditation room, such as to be respectful to others and to remove shoes before entering.

The meditation room highlights inclusivity and shows the diversity of Ohio University and Athens, where people with different beliefs can have a safe space to meditate and practice their beliefs, Pashtun said.

“This place is not to prove who’s right or who’s wrong or which religion is better,” Pashtun said. “What I was aiming for was a safe place for all to come, get together, unite and meditate.”

Students are often stressed, and the meditation room can also act as a place where they can meditate, re-energize and calm down, Pashtun said.

The meditation room also offers a bookshelf that people can use to donate religious texts for those who want to learn more about different religions.

Since its opening, the meditation room has received some feedback, such as a suggestion to install a CCTV surveillance camera, which is being considered. Pashtun said in the event that trouble occurs, it would provide a record. It could, however, be consid-

Doctoral student Hashim Pashtun poses for a portrait on March 19. Pashtun is involved in the Scripps Innovation Challenge but was also instrumental in facilitating Alden Library’s new meditation room. (PATRICK CONNOLLY / FILE)

ered an invasion of privacy, as some students would feel uncomfortable being recorded.

Scott Seaman, the dean of OU Libraries, said the library has received a positive response from the university about the meditation room’s opening and that it was regularly used Spring Semester.

“I think it’s one part of making Alden Library — and our campus — more welcoming and open,” Seaman said in an email.

The library has recently completed a renovation of areas outside the meditation room, adding more student work spaces, Seaman said.

“We anticipate many more students using the fifth floor study spaces and that will bring additional visibility to the Meditation Room and could prompt even higher usage,” Seaman said in his email.

Md. Tahamid Ar Rabbi, a graduate student studying linguistics, said he visits the meditation room almost every day.

“It’s very calm and quiet, really suitable for meditation,” he said.

@JESS_HILLYEAH JH240314@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 11

Ohio University’s 2017-18 Budget ALL DATA VIA OU BUDGET BOOK

$795.7 million

$

Total revenue OU is budgeted to generate this fiscal year

$53 million Net increase in the value of OU’s long-term investment pool

$53.2 million What OU expects to pocket this year — revenues minus expenses

ILLUSTRATION PROVIDED BY FREEPIK

GRAPHIC BY ABBY DAY

UNCERTAINTY, DECLINE IN INCOME MARK UNIVERSITY’S BUDGET Questions about financial support from the state and uncertainty in enrollment numbers made budgeting for the 2018 fiscal year difficult, school officials said.

JEREMY HILL / SENIOR WRITER 12 / AUG. 31, 2017

I

UNCERTAINTY ABOUND Uncertainty stemming from the state budget process, which Gov. John Kasich signed in late June, in part clouded the university’s budget planning process for this fiscal year, Mitchell and Hensel said.

By the time OU had to submit its budget in June, Ohio’s budget was still slogging through the legislature, leaving public universities across the state guessing about how much state funding they would receive.

That uncertainty is not just an issue in Ohio — it’s happening around the country, one expert said.

NEW FRESHMEN AT OHIO UNIVERSITY-ATHENS Ohio University’s budget predicts a decline in the number new freshman on its Athens campus this fall compared to last.

5,000 NUMBER OF TUDENTS

f Ohio University kept its money in one big wallet, it would be thinner this fall than it was last year.

While most students were away from Athens in June, OU’s Board of Trustees approved a university budget that anticipates a decline in income as the school operates in an “environment of constrained resources,” officials said.

“It is a difficult environment,” said Chad Mitchell, special assistant to the vice president of Finance and Administration for OU. “It has required leadership across the university to be committed to taking a longer-term approach and be willing to think of different ways of doing business in an environment with less resources.”

The university has budgeted for operating results of $53.2 million for fiscal year 2018, close to a 50 percent decline in the same metric for the prior year, for which it forecast $101 million.

A decline in enrollment and no new net revenue made this year’s budget process difficult, said Katie Hensel, OU’s budget director.

In the process of tightening its belt, this year, the university slashed a raise pool for university employees that had been in place for the prior three years.

Mitchell recognizes the school will have to bring those raises back eventually and said it would be one of the first topics of discussion when the Budget Planning Commission meets in the coming weeks.

“That’s very much not going to be a sustainable model,” Mitchell said of cutting the raise pool. “But it has to be in balance with the financial models of how we can make that work.”

Faculty Senate Chair Joe McLaughlin said in an email he thinks “faculty are generally disappointed about the lack of raises,” but said they understand that flat financial support from the state of Ohio and a mandated tuition freeze have put a strain on resources.

4,500

4,244

4,377

4,423

4,309

Fall 2015

Fall 2016

Fall 2017 (budget)

4,109

4,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 Fall 2013

Fall 2014

resident

3,629

3,788

3,756

3,774

3,574

non-res.

615

589

667

535

535

“

DATA & GRAPHIC PROVIDED BY OU BUDGET BOOK

It is a difficult environment. It has required leadership across the university to be committed to taking a longer-term approach and be willing to think of different ways of doing business in an environment with less resources.”

-Chad Mitchell, assistant to the vice president of Finance and Administration at OU

“It is, unfortunately, becoming all too common, and it is an enormous problem,” said Barmak Nassirian, director of federal relations and policy analysis at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

“In the old days, we had much more predictable, much more stable governmental practices in this country,” Nassirian said, adding, “increasingly, government is acting like a reckless teenager … so it’s becoming difficult to run an orderly organization that has to provide services to its citizens.”

The university’s switch to the Com-

mon Application and changes to the FAFSA process last fall compounded the uncertainty for OU. Switching to the Common App led to a surge in applications, Hensel said.

Initially, budget planners projected a freshman class equal in size to that of last fall. But then that surge in applications led to planners projecting a class 152 students stronger than the prior year.

As housing deposits rolled in, though, the estimate was pushed downward, landing on an expected class 200 students weaker than the prior year, per the budget book. Some $3.8 million will like-

ly be shuffled out of a reserve account to make up for that lost revenue.

Hensel said difficulty projecting enrollment figures is not unusual when universities switch to the Common App. “It’s not uncommon, but I will say, trying to predict your enrollment can be one of the most important pieces of your budget process,” Hensel said.

MARKETS GO UP The university’s investment portfolio saw strong gains during the past year.

The value of OU’s long-term investment pool increased by $53 million on net, from $596.3 million at the beginning of the 2017 fiscal year to $649.3 million in March. The same fund sustained a $29.2 million loss during the year prior.

“These returns, when you look at them on a year-to-year basis, can really be pretty volatile,” Mitchell said, adding that the fund’s results are “primarily market-driven.”

The university pays a third-party firm, Hirtle, Callaghan and Co., to manage its long-term investment pool.

@JEREMYHTWEETS JH082913@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13

Cutting financial aid Trump’s proposed budget would trim spending to the U.S. Department of Education, including money from financial aid programs.

MAGGIE CAMPBELL FOR THE POST

P

resident Donald Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2018 suggested cuts to some aid for higher education and cuts that could negatively affect students.

Trump’s proposed budget included a $9 billion cut to the U.S. Department of Education, a cut that, if implemented, would be felt by new borrowers of Stafford Subsidized Loans, students in work study and those planning to use the public service loan forgiveness program.

“The budget request made some pretty severe cuts to federal student aid programs,” Clare McCann, deputy director for federal higher education policy for New America, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C., said. “I think, in terms of the targeting, they were targeted a lot more to graduate students than undergraduate students.”

The program forgives the debts of public service employees after they have been paying their debts for 10 years using an income-based repayment plan.

“Since only payments made after Oct. 1, 2007, can be counted toward (Public Service Loan Forgiveness), the earliest that any borrower will be eligible to apply for PSLF is fall 2017,” according to the Federal Student Aid office website, referring to loan program.

If the program is cut, graduates planning to apply to the PSLF program would have to finish paying their income-based repayment plan.

Preston Cooper, an education data analyst for the American Enterprise Institute, thinks the purpose of the public service loan forgiveness plans — an incentive to go into public service — isn’t necessary.

“If you have income-based repayment, then your payments are guaranteed to be affordable,” Cooper said. “There’s really no need to have extra enticement to go into low-waged public service jobs because your debt is going to be affordable.”

Trump proposed adjusting income-based repayment plans so undergraduate students would pay 12.5 percent of their incomes for 15 years, and gradu-

14 / AUG. 31, 2017

ate students would pay that for 30 years.

Students generally pay about 10 percent of their incomes for 20 years. “(Trump’s) changes to income-based repayment are far more severe for graduate students,” McCann said. “That actually provides an additional benefit for undergrads.”

More undergraduate students fail to pay their loans than graduate students, which is one way the proposed revision to income-based repayment plans would be beneficial for undergraduates, Cooper said.

Graduate students earn more money, so it is easier for them to pay their loans, Cooper said, which is why he thinks they should not be the group taxpayers are giving money to.

“I think it’s pretty clear undergraduate student borrowers are the ones who are more in distress, who are having more trouble paying back their loans,” Cooper said.

Another change that would affect undergraduates is the proposed cut of the Stafford Subsidized Loan, a loan that does not accrue interest until students leave school and enter repayment.

“When you leave, you leave with the amount you borrowed, not with more,” McCann said. “This proposal would eliminate that interest subsidy so you can expect to leave with more than you originally borrowed on those loans.”

Some students use work study and Pell Grants to offset cost. Under the proposed budget, the funding for work study would be cut in half, but the Pell Grant would be given out year-round.

Carrie Warick, the director of policy and advocacy at the National College Access Network, said cutting work study could cause students to work jobs without flexible hours.

“These factors make it harder for students to focus on their academic work, which could hurt their ability to graduate on time,” Warick said in an email.

The budget still has to be approved by Congress later this year, meaning that, at the moment, all cuts to higher education are still hypothetical.

@MAGGIESBYLINE MC987015@OHIO.EDU

Keeping up with the trends Boutiques around Athens are witnessing a sharp rise of social media to cater to the millennial crowd

BHARBI HAZARIKA FOR THE POST

S

ocial media seems to not only decide the most delectable burger in the neighborhood, but also what to wear to the most sought-after party on the weekend. Whether it’s the dependable loafers or the chic leather boots, as the proverbial fashion blogger’s Instagram changes shades, so do the avenues of humble Athens.

Over the past century, however, it seems that the medium of communication of what’s hot and what’s not has experienced a major alteration. With the Kardashians calling social media the new “focus group,” the eclectic blend of boutiques on campus have seen a surge in utilization of social media to keep a check on the couture displayed on the racks.

“We look at social media, as well as other boutiques, just to see what kind of clothes they are selling and what kind of clothing is successful for their store,” Julia Sweterlitsch, a sales associate at Bluetique, 19 W. State St., said. “Obviously, we think what’s on social media is cute too, and we think that’s what’s going to sell.”

Owners of local boutiques like Bluetique and Figleaf, 57 N. Court St., turn to staffers in deciding items for the stores. “(The owner of Figleaf) is really good at asking our opinions,” Lauren Osborn, a sales associate at Figleaf, said. “She’ll ask us, ‘What do you want in the store? What do you think other college people are going to want in the store?’ ” Osborn, a junior studying retail merchandising and fashion product development, said most of the sales associates are college students who are influenced by the trends on social media and indirectly bring the

online trends to the sales floor.

“My manager, Marissa, does most of that,” Sweterlitsch, a senior studying psychology, said. “But when she goes through the catalogue to pick the stuff that she wants the store to have, it’s usually based off of what we think about what the population of Athens would like and social media.”

Though some look at social media and staffers’ opinions in filling the racks, others rely on intuition to be in vogue.

“I just select them myself,” Amy Mangano, owner of Artifacts Gallery, 2 W. State St., said. “I go to trade shows. I go to the Javits center in New York City. They have different trade shows there, thousands of vendors come together to sell in one big large marketplace, and that’s where I pick out my clothes.”

Mangano said she attends the New York City-based Javits Fashion trade event twice a year to order clothing for her boutique. She added that social media does have an influence on the curation process, but more often than not, she relies on her own judgment.

“I have a good eye, I think,” Mangano said. “I don’t know when it will end for me, but, at some point, my eye will not be relevant to younger people. I think I am still pretty on top of things.”

Instead of relying on fashion bloggers to decide the next trend, Mangano said she trusts her instincts in finding inspiration from popular movies and TV shows.

Mangano believes reliance on social media is a trivial part of the entire curatorial ordeal, but students like Jordyn Bryant think different.

“I think (social media is) extremely important,” Bryant, a junior studying retail merchandising and fashion product development said. “I mean, it’s all connected. I see something on Instagram that I like and then I try to find it on Pinterest, which connects me to the website I can buy it from. It’s almost like a game of connect the dots.”

The Drugstore at OU is conveniently located on campus inside the lobby of the Hudson Health Center. We offer lower copays, automatic refills with text alerts, and the option to apply purchases to your Ohio University student account. We accept most insurances including CVS Caremark and TRICARE, and accept prescriptions from all physician offices.

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@BHARBI97 BH136715@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 15

JAVON HAGAN The making of a young leader JAVON HAGAN HAS WILLED HIMSELF TOWARD SUCCESS, AND NOW HE’S A TEAM CAPTAIN FOR OHIO AS A REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE. 16 / AUG. 31, 2017

CAMERON FIELDS FOR THE POST

E

very night before she goes to bed, Anjanette Madison Googles her son.

She reads countless stories about her son, Javon Hagan, because, at 20 years old, he has willed himself to success.

He’s done it, even after learning to be patient during his Pop Warner days and even after playing under four- and five-star recruits at Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, Florida. Hagan has cheered himself on.

Well, because he’s had to.

A team captain for Ohio this season, Hagan is the youngest of the five captains. Despite his youth, he’s earned his current position. Hagan, a safety, was awarded Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year last season.

The accolades Hagan has received are the result of a childhood that required him to be determined and mature. He has his mother to thank for that.

“She just taught me to always carry myself in a very mature manner,” Hagan said. “No one wants a guy that’s always playing around or not serious.”

Madison raised Hagan as a single mother in Jacksonville, with her late mother and sister helping, too. A father nonexistent in Hagan’s life, Madison knew she needed to instill tenacity in her son.

Hagan played Pop Warner football during middle school, later than most kids start. He didn’t receive much playing time and wanted to take a year off from football.

Madison wouldn’t let him.

“I told Javon, ‘Hey, you don’t want to just keep walking away from a team just because you’re not getting that playing time,’ ” Madison said. “You have to stick in there.”

He did.

From there, Hagan didn’t just continue to play for the team — he was also committed to the team. He went on a no-carb diet to make the weight requirement every Saturday before games. He went to practice every day, and his work ethic earned him the “Mr. Falcon” award, given to one of the leaders on the team.

After playing Pop Warner in middle school, Hagan ran into another obstacle: the competitive nature of elite high school football. Before attending Trinity Christian Academy, Hagan went to Edward White High School, a public school in Jacksonville.

But the headstrong nature he learned from his mom had taken over. Hagan told his mom that if she wanted him to have a chance at a college scholarship for football, he needed to go to Trinity.

Madison wanted the best for her son, so she said yes.

Even though he played with some of the nation’s best college recruits, Hagan put himself in a position to succeed.

While at Trinity, Hagan totaled 100 tackles, three interceptions and two forced fumbles. His play resulted in Ohio offering him a scholarship in 2014. Even after receiving offers from Ole Miss and Wake Forest, he chose Ohio.

The Bobcats made Hagan and Madison comfortable, even with Athens being more than 600 miles from Jacksonville.

“I’m comfortable with him being comfortable,” Madison said. “That’s what’s best for me, and what’s best for him.”

Hagan’s dedication to anything, whether football or his membership in the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, is no secret. As a mark of his dedication to Omega Psi Phi, also known as “the Ques,” he has the Greek letter Omega branded on both arms.

He is also the Ohio University chapter’s keeper of finance.

“If he’s in the Ques, and there’s tasks to be done, Javon’s going to jump in and lead by example,” said Shane Sander-

LEFT: Ohio redshirt sophomore safety Javon Hagan poses for a portrait at Peden Stadium. Hagan played in all of the Bobcats’ 14 games last season. He ended the season with a total of 53 tackles and three interceptions. His performance earned him the MAC Freshman of the Year award. (CARL FONTICELLA / FOR THE POST) BELOW: Javon Hagan stares down the Western Michigan offense during the 2016 MAC Championship game on Dec. 2 at Ford Field in Detroit. The Bobcats lost to the Broncos, 29-23. (CARL FONTICELLA / FILE) RIGHT: Javon Hagan tosses a football in Peden Stadium. As a redshirt sophomore, the 20-year-old native of Jacksonville, Florida, is the youngest of Ohio’s five captains this season. (CARL FONTICELLA / FOR THE POST)

son, Hagan’s old Pop Warner coach.

That dedication has extended to playing for the Bobcats, another endeavor Hagan has taken on with the utmost determination.

He redshirted during his first season with the Bobcats, as he sat out a year to learn and gain experience in practice. But even during that first season, Hagan showed signs of being ready to play, particularly at the halfway point of the season.

“At the time, we looked at him and just said, ‘Hey, just let him keep growing as a leader and as a player,’ ” said Jimmy Burrow, the Bobcats’ associate head coach and defensive coordinator.

Even after Hagan waited a year to play, he had to wait some more. In his redshirt freshman year, Hagan played in all 14 games, but he started only seven of them.

Since coming to Athens in 2015, Hagan hasn’t ignored the early success he’s had.

“When it comes to college football, not everyone can play college football,” Hagan said. “So you have to be mature enough to notice that.”

When he got on the field, Hagan showed his skills. He was the modern defensive back, able to rock opposing wide receivers and running backs on their heels while also capable of covering different areas on the field.

Hagan’s versatility as a defensive back is his best quality. But that versatility has allowed him to be something else as well: a game-breaker.

The Bobcats were playing Miami on Oct. 1, and, in a game in which both sides struggled to perform at the outset, Hagan performed.

With Ohio up 3-0 in the first quarter, Miami began a

drive with 11:45 left in the quarter. It was second-and-15, and the RedHawks were on the Bobcats’ 18-yard line. Billy Bahl, the RedHawks’ quarterback, threw a pass, and Hagan intercepted it, returning the ball for 60 yards.

The interception didn’t lead to a score for the Bobcats, but it did stop the RedHawks from taking a lead in a game that was filled with attrition. The Bobcats won, 17-7.

That play exemplifies the type of player Hagan is. While he’s dabbling in his new responsibilities, it has been his play on the field that has earned him those responsibilities.

“The more confidence he had as a player playing, that created more confidence in his ability to be a leader,” Burrow said.

Hagan is the type of player opposing offenses must plan for. With his ability to tackle as well as cover, he’s not one-dimensional, and teams must be mindful of his presence.

But even as opposing teams noticed him more last year, he gracefully took the attention. And now as a team captain, he carries himself with the same grace.

The same articles that Madison loves to read are ones that Hagan doesn’t want to hear about. He feels he’ll lose focus if his mom tells him what people are saying about him.

It’s what keeps him humble, because, even as a team captain, he is still a redshirt sophomore. He has more work to do.

“Anything he starts, he’s going to finish it,” Madison said.

“He’s the type of person like, ‘OK, I gotta do this.’ He wants to show you that ‘I can do it. I can do it.’ ”

@CAMERONFIELDS_ CF710614@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17

The Ohio ‘Flight School’ After numerous injuries, Ohio’s wide receivers corps, or ‘Flight School,’ will operate by committee this season CAMERON FIELDS FOR THE POST

T

he Ohio “Flight School” will be undergoing some changes this season.

Andrew Meyer, a redshirt junior wide receiver, said the receiving corps had the nickname when he came to Ohio.

“We take flight,” Meyer said with a smile.

The group has the nickname every year, but this year will be different.

With Sebastian Smith gone after graduation, the Bobcats won’t have their top statistical receiver of the past two seasons. Jordan Reid is gone as well.

But even so, the Bobcats are in position to be productive. Smith commanded double coverages with his big-play abilities.

Now, defenses will no longer be able to key in on one receiver.

Ohio doesn’t have anyone like Smith on the roster, but it does have something that is equally as good, or perhaps even better: an ensemble.

PHOTOS: Ohio wide receivers Cameron Odom (left) and Brendan Cope (right) pose for portraits at Peden Stadium on Aug. 28. The two will look to provide deep threats for quarterback Quinton Maxwell this season. (CARL FONTICELLA / FOR THE POST)

I love ensembles, and when you got ensembles like anybody can make the play, it makes it so much easier on the play caller.”

- Dwayne Dixon, Ohio’s wide receivers coach

“I love ensembles,” said Dwayne Dixon, Ohio’s wide receivers coach. “And when you got ensembles like anybody can make the play, it makes it so much easier on the play-caller.”

Last season, the Bobcats relied on Smith to not only be the top receiver, but to also be the No. 1 playmaker on the offense. The running backs were depleted with injuries, with A.J. Ouellette, Dorian Brown and Maleek Irons all out at some point during the season. Ouellette missed the entire year.

Smith led the receivers with 905 yards, averaging 69.6 per game. He caught four touchdowns, second behind redshirt junior Papi White and Reid.

Before, the Bobcats had to worry about who to throw to other than Smith. Now, they don’t.

“It makes it easier on me in substitutions,” Dixon said. “ ‘Well, I just called a post route. I want so and so to run the post

18 / AUG. 31, 2017

route. Hey, coach, this guy runs it just as good or better.’ ” With redshirt sophomore Elijah Ball out for the season with a torn ACL, a new starter will have to surface — Ball was going to start along with White and redshirt senior Brendan Cope. The new starter will likely be redshirt freshman Cameron Odom, but he has struggled with an injury, too.

Though Ball is out, the Bobcats still have other capable receivers. That’s the fortunate part of this group: If a player can’t play because of injury or needs a rest, another is prepared.

“The way we run our offense, we’re running a lot of (go routes), a lot of posts,” Cope said. “We physically can’t do it all game.”

Meyer, Keevon Harris, Willie Cherry and Jerrid Marhefka are just some of the receivers who could receive playing time this season. Coach Frank Solich said that Meyer would be out against Hampton because of disciplinary reasons.

Ohio hasn’t had the depth that it has this season in some time. Most of the receiving corps is young, with Cope and Marhefka being the lone seniors.

That doesn’t matter, though. Because even with the group’s youth, potential is present.

“Flight School” is back in session, and the Bobcats are ready to soar.

“Yes, we’re young, but our guys are confident they can handle their business,” Dixon said. “As a coach that coaches that group, I feel at ease if I can put any guy in there and not worry about well the ball needs to go to a certain guy because we know he’ll make a play.”

@CAMERONFIELDS_ CF710614@OHIO.EDU

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ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE HANNA

Animating Life MAE YEN YAP CULTURE EDITOR

A

nimator Katie Frasier was working at a bakery. It was a job she didn’t plan for after college.

For seven months, Frasier struggled for a job in her field. The competition within the animation industry was difficult, she said. But she worked on independent projects on her off hours while she applied for animation positions.

And then a phone call came.

South Park Studios asked Frasier to work as an animation generalist for the 20th season of the popular adult cartoon South Park.

“The hours were really long … so it was rough, but I learned so much in that short period of time,” Frasier said.

However, between working with talented people and producing new content every day, the experience was incredible, she said. Frasier has since left the job, but her art techniques and time management skills greatly improved due to her time at the studio.

When a person watches animated films or plays video games, they are often unaware of the amount of time, effort and technical skills poured into the product. It’s hard and competitive, but these creators bring life to the young and old.

20 / AUG. 31, 2017

The effort behind the magic

Animation programs are now more common in universities across the nation. Ohio University’s School of Media Arts and Studies’ games and animation program was recently announced as the second-best animation program in Ohio and one of the top 10 animation programs in the Midwest.

As of Fall Semester, the program has 826 undergraduate and graduate students, said Judy Wilson, the administrative service assistant for the School of Media Arts and Studies. The school is also expanding its program, offering a new three-year MFA in communication media arts.

When Emelia Douglas began pursuing her bachelor’s degree in games and animation, “it was like a reality check.”

“It would take hours and hours to do just two or three seconds of work,” Douglas, a 2017 OU alumna, said. “I finally understood why it took cartoon studios and various TV shows so long to come out: because it takes forever to animate.”

Creating an animation is more than just drawing or making a 3-D model move as different types of animation require specific skill sets.

Stop-motion animators learn about lighting on sets, camera angles and how to make armatures for clay characters. 3-D animators need to know how to build and paint a virtual world from scratch while designing and animating, Tyler Ayres, an assistant professor in the School of Media Arts and Studies at OU, said.

“It’s an enormous amount of work,” Ayres said.

“That (amount) is even doubled or quadrupled when you’re talking about all the (work) that goes into (pre-production).”

Sometimes, talent is not enough. Many young animators overcompensate their drawing by loading up on multiple projects, and eventually they face the problem of burnout.

Taylor Rohrig experienced that during her sophomore year. She broke down when the amount of time she was spending working on her animation began affecting her social life.

At that time, Rohrig — now a senior studying games and animation — reconsidered her path in the animation industry and questioned if creating art 24/7 was something she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

“If you’re not OK, you gotta be OK to step back,” Rohrig said.

Instead of animating, she now focuses on production, as she has found she works better with people than on her own.

“Taking care of yourself is the most important thing in this industry,” Rohrig said. “If you’re not taking care of yourself, you won’t be able to put 100 percent into your work.”

Determination pays off

Ayres had always been interested in animation as a career, but animation programs were still uncommon when he began pursuing his undergraduate degree at Ohio State University back in 1994.

Becoming an animator seemed impossible when he was younger, he said. The animated TV shows and films he grew up watching were made by larger animation

studios across the country. Even then, aspiring animators would have to compete with other artists for the same job at an animation studio.

Ayres continued to make short animated films focusing on children’s entertainment in his spare time after graduating with a degree in graphic design.

When a friend from OSU’s digital animation and interactive media program showed Ayres the work he was creating, he decided to quit his job and go back to graduate school.

“Really, all I wanted to do was to get my animation into a film festival,” Ayres said. “I wanted to be ‘the name,’ and if I could just try that, I just wanted to give it a shot.”

The leap paid off when Ayres’s graduate thesis film, RED & Blue, was screened at several film festivals and even shortlisted as a finalist at the Nicktoons Film Festivals.

“I was kind of taken back and also addicted from then on, because I knew I could do it,” he said.

After graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design, Frasier had a difficult time working as an animator. Even at South Park Studios, the job was demanding.

“Art can be so much tied to yourself,” she said. “It’s not a job where you do it and then, when you go home, you can forget about it. It can be kind of challenging to progress.”

“

I finally understood why it took cartoon studios and various TV shows so long to come out: because it takes forever to animate”

Advancements in technology

New innovations and animation programs are being created every day, and Aaron DiManna believes the quality of computer-generated animation is rapidly improving. “(James Cameron’s) Avatar was amazing (when it came out) but now it’s not as impressive,” DiManna, a senior studying animation, said. “But if you show (the film) to the people who made King Kong, they’ll be amazed.”

It’s possible for animation to get “really close to reality” to the point where it’ll become tougher to discern between a computer generated image and reality, Ayres said.

“That level of what’s the most realistic game this year is probably much better than the most realistic game two years ago, four years ago or, God forbid, 10 years ago,” Ayres said.

The rapid progression of technology is not limited to computer programs. The accessibility of the internet has also allowed aspiring animators to reach out to others in the industry and give independent creators the chance to show off their work without being tied to a larger studio.

More than 10 of Polygon’s list of 2017’s video games to look forward to were produced by indie studios, and

- Emelia Douglas, a 2017 OU alumna

some are the most highly anticipated independent games to come out this year.

The ability to self-publish content to the internet has allowed creators to tell a variety of stories and utilize different styles of animation, Frasier said. Although it can be difficult for an animator to stand out due to the overwhelming amount of content available on the internet, Frasier believes the internet has helped creators reach audiences across the globe.

“It’s a great thing that you can make something at your house and have it shown all over the world,” she said.

To aspiring animators

The animation industry can be stressful and may not provide a stable life to young animators, Frasier said.

“I do think if you choose animation you should be enjoying it,” she said. “You shouldn’t be so stressed out about trying to be technically perfect … it should still be enjoyable.”

The internet is a “boundless resource” for aspiring animators, DiManna said.

Free animation programs, YouTube tutorials and forums are all available online for anyone who has access to a computer. With so many options, “there’s almost no reason to not be using them,” DiManna said.

Frasier said the most important thing for an animator is the determination to constantly improve oneself.

“It’s a cliché, but the more you draw, the better you will get,” she said. “Just make stuff and put it out there.”

@SUMMERINMAE MY389715@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21

the weekender

Muslim students Folk musicians prepare for yearly to collaborate Eid al-Adha in show at Union JESSICA HILL FOR THE POST Ohio University students and Athens residents will have the opportunity to learn about sacrifice and one of the holiest Muslim celebrations.

The Muslim Students Association will host a celebration for Eid al-Adha, or the “feast of the sacrifice,” on Saturday at the Islamic Center of Athens to commemorate Ibrahim’s commitment to sacrifice his only son to show his devotion to God. Mohamed Amira, the president of the Muslim Students Association, said Eid al-Adha is connected to the fifth pillar of Islam, which is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and represents the importance of sacrifices.

“It’s a symbol for what sacrifices a human being might make to make the lives of others better and easier,” Amira, a graduate student studying teacher education, said.

During the first day of the celebration, which typically lasts four to five days, an animal is usually sacrificed and given to the poor.

At the event, however, no animal will be sacrificed, and instead a professor will give a short presentation about the meaning of sacrifice.

Food such as lamb, chicken and Middle Eastern desserts, like baklava, will be served at the event, Amira said.

Amira, who is from Egypt, said the best part about Eid al-Adha is spending time with family and giving gifts to children.

He and the Muslim Students Association invited OU students and Athens res-

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If you go What: Eid al-Adha Celebration When: 5 p.m., Saturday Where: Islamic Center of Athens, 13 Stewart St. Admission: Free

idents to celebrate with them. Amira said that, in the past, the association’s events tended to be unintentionally secluded.

“But here, I think of Athens as my family now, whether they’re my fellow Muslims or Athens residents or OU students in general,” Amira said. “I want to have a greater feeling of the larger community that we are living in.”

Waqar Sadiq, a senior studying mechanical engineering, said that, in his home country of Oman, he loves getting together with his family and having dinner.

“Back home, the whole family gets together,” Sadiq said. “We have more fun. At home, it can last maybe one or two weeks.”

Joe Godinez, a senior pursuing a degree in specialized studies, said he would go to the event.

“I work with the college Christian campus ministry, and I like learning about other religions,” he said.

@JESS_HILLYEAH JH240314@OHIO.EDU

BHARBI HAZARIKA FOR THE POST The Union Bar & Grill is kicking off the academic year with a few folk beats and a huge grin.

William Matheny, Adam Remnant and Gaptooth Grin will perform at The Union, 18 W. Union St., on Thursday. The show will begin at 9 p.m., and The Union will charge $5 to groove to the music.

Rourke Papania, the frontman for Gaptooth Grin, will open the show with tracks from his album Golden. Papania said he recently collaborated with the Yellow Springs-based band Speaking Suns, who will play with him at the venue.

“We’ll be playing a few songs from Golden, a couple full band versions of songs I recently put out on an acoustic (extended play) plus several new songs that have yet to be recorded,” Papania, an OU alumnus, said.

Papania, who has played at The Union several times, said he was excited to play with Remnant and Matheny.

“I have a huge respect for Adam Remnant, and I’m so glad to have been asked to play this show,” Papania said. “I’ve never played a show with William Matheny, but I’ve heard his album and I’m really excited to see what he brings.”

Gaptooth Grin will be followed by Remnant, who is an Athens-based artist. He describes his music as folk rock. Being an Athens resident, Remnant said he was particularly ecstatic about playing for the locals.

“I have lived here — it’s often a little surreal to play music for a crowd of people that I know personally,” Remnant said.

“You were in class with somebody or a co-

worker or a neighbor. So, it’s a bit strange to then go up on stage and sing in front of all these people that you know.”

The band Strange Constellations will collaborate with Matheny to close the night. Matheny said he and the band would perform songs from their album, which is named after the band. Matheny, who is out on a three-and-a-half-week music tour, praised Athens for being one of the most musically sound towns.

“It has been a little while since I have played there, but it’s a great town of music listeners,” Matheny said. “A lot of people there really know their stuff, and they are very enthusiastic as well.”

Matheny said he and Remnant previously played together in the band Southeast Engine and had previously performed in The Union together. Reminiscing the old times, Matheny expressed his excitement toward collaborating with Remnant again.

“I am most excited about seeing my friend Adam Remnant,” Matheny said. “We were in a band for a long time so (I) can’t wait to see him. It’s always a great hang.”

Papania said the music scene in town is indebted to venues, like The Union, that give a platform to the artists and quality performances for the residents to enjoy.

“Athens is sort of in the middle of nowhere and might not otherwise get all these amazing acts,” he said. “It’s really inspiring for musicians coming up here.

It’s the foundation of a rich and diverse musical culture, and it’s just great that you can go out and see a fantastic show at least once a week.”

@BHARBI97 BH136715@OHIO.EDU

WHAT’S GOING ON? Kevin Pan Slot Editor Friday Y2K Millennium Dance Party with DJ Barticus 9 p.m. at The Union Bar &

Grill, 18 W. Union St. DJ Barticus will spin your favorite 2000s tunes. The dance party costs $3 and $5 for people under 21.

Athens Harvest Festival & Bluegrass Jamboree 6 p.m. at Lake Snowden.

The festival will take place throughout Labor Day Weekend, beginning with Caleb Brown opening the festival Friday afternoon. The festival features many other musical acts during the three days and ends with fireworks Sunday night, followed by Desmond Jones, a five-piece funk, rock and jazz fusion band, from Michigan. The event is free on Friday, $10 on Saturday and $20 on Sunday.

Wanyama with Acrylic Grooves 10

p.m. at Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Funk and hip-hop band Wanyama from Cleveland will perform along with Acrylic Grooves, a psychedelic funk rock band. The event is $5 at the door.

Saturday

DJ Barticus will perform at The Union on Friday at 9 p.m. (KAITLIN OWENS / FILE)

Walk the Ridge 10 p.m. at the Smiling Skull Saloon, 108 W. Union St. Local Athens rock cover band Walk the Ridge will perform a four-hour set.

The cost is $3 at the door.

Sunday Yoga 11 a.m. at Little Fish Brewing

Company, 8675 Armitage Road. Little Fish will host a free yoga session, led by instructor Erin Pfahler. All skill levels are welcome, and patrons are asked to bring their own mats. Attendants are invited to stick around afterward and enjoy a brew.

of 100’s es ic o h C New

Where: Baker University Center Multi Purpose Room (240/242) When: Monday September 4 thru Friday September 8 Time: 9 A.M. - 6 P.M. Sponsor: Baker University Center

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...coffee, that is.

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