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A
s editor of The Post, my heart and soul first goes toward the product. Does that sound neurotic? It should. I am married to this newsroom, and we’re celebrating our four-year anniversary. You can send cake, if you want. But my unrequited love is a shared one. More than 100 Posties — photographers, copy editors, reporters, designers, videographers, coders, editors and so on — are kept from their significant others each day so we can create an online news cycle for our readers and then a weekly print product. To be fair, The Post has certainly resulted in its fair share of relationships (you can connect some dots on our masthead, if you’d like), but I’m sure it’s put a strain on others. Prior to serving as editor, I used to write a love advice column called BedPost. But here’s the best advice I can part if you plan on dating a journalist: we’re a serious, serious pain. So, for the second year, I’d like to give Posties an opportunity to use my column as a platform for admittances of affections and apologies to their loved ones. If it helps, you can blame me for their absence. Don’t blame them. Maybe blame the journalism school. I don’t know. HAYLEY HARDING, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR: Adam, remember the time I screamed “NEWS” and threw a full cup of soda at you while sprinting down Court Street? Yeah. Sorry about that. Also, sorry we never eat dinner together, and sorry for ignoring you when we do because I’m on my phone. You’re my best friend. Xoxo, Hayley EMILY LEBER, NEWS REPORTER: To my dad: I know I’m always dragging you to interviews and places you don’t want to go when you are here. I’m so sorry, The Post has me going everywhere for sources. One day, you’ll be happy you got to see me in action. Much love, Emily Leber SEAN WOLFE, CULTURE EDITOR: Alex, thank you for letting me Photoshop your face onto weird things. I’m glad we are able to work with each other every day and we still don’t hate each other! I’m looking forward to countless more viewings of Bee Movie and making waffles with you. Love, Barry the Bee (Sean)
ALEX DARUS, CULTURE EDITOR: Sean, thanks for somehow putting up with me yelling all day and still managing to not totally lose your mind when I ask if we can watch Bee Movie for the 50th time after work. Y’all know how to make to make a girl feel special. Love, Alex AUBREE DIX, NEWS REPORTER: Kurt, we started dating nearly two years ago after you flew from Georgia Tech for my prom. Since we met, you’ve always supported me. You read my articles from high school, and now you read them from The Post. Although you live 500 miles away most of the year, I’m grateful the distance has made us stronger. Love, Aubree ALEX DARUS, CULTURE EDITOR, AND HANNAH WINTUCKY, SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Maddie Peck, we feel like a triangle missing a side right now, so now we’re just two perpendicular lines. How boring is that? Come back so we can beat you up, then whip about it later. Love you lots, Alex and Hannah RACHEL DANNER, COPY CHIEF: Eric, thanks for setting 2 a.m. alarms so you can come over and snuggle after my late nights. Also, thanks for always knowing the difference between “apart” and “a part.” EMMA OCKERMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Michael John France. You finally got your name in The Post. Now that I’ve given you everything you’ve ever wanted, you should be content to listen to me rant about current events for the duration of our relationship. Here’s to you, me and the boat you will inevitably die on. Love, Emma. Emma Ockerman is a senior studying journalism and editor-in-chief of The Post. Want to talk to her? Tweet her at @eockerman or email her at eo300813@ohio.edu.
Cover illustration by Matt Ryan
Skipping class wastes more than $20 per class AUBREE DIX FOR THE POST
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o Ohio University student Alli Benedetti, a freshman studying athletic training, college is too expensive to miss classes. Benedetti, who takes 18 credit hours, said she skips class about once a month. When she does, it’s to study for another class. Although students don’t pay up when they miss class, they lose the money they pay for the class from their overall tuition costs. That amount per class varies depending on a range of factors: a student’s tuition, the number of classes per semester, credit hours taken and how many credit hours a class is worth. Skipping a three-credit-hour class that occurs three times a week — every Monday, Wednesday and Friday excluding holidays — at OU would cost approximately $25.37 for freshmen, $24.95 for sophomores, $22.63 for juniors and $22.25 for seniors. For a class that occurs twice a week — or Tuesday and Thursday — those prices would rise to $37.15, $36.53, $33.14 and $32.59, respectively. Those costs are based on in-state students taking 15 credit hours, or five classes of three credit hours each. Students can attend a total of 41 Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes and 28 Tuesday and Thursday classes during Spring Semester. Tuition from each semester includes the instructional fee but not the OU general fee. Of the six Mid-American Conference universities in Ohio, OU has the second-highest cost per class, and Miami University has the highest. Those two universities also had the highest tuition costs of MAC schools for the 2016-17 academic year. Arthur Trese, an associate professor of environmental and plant biology, taught a second-tier natural science class with about 250 students last semester. He said attendance in the class is good before the first test, but after that it begins to drop, and as many as 30 percent of students don’t attend on “a really bad day.” To hold students accountable for attendance, Trese randomly assigns eight in-class “pop-assignments” throughout the semester. “Education is the only product where people want the smallest amount for what they pay for,” Trese said. Terry Eiler is a professor emeritus who taught introduction to studies in visual communication, a class of “usually over
TuTh Classes
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Class of 2020 Graphic by Samantha Güt
200 students,” last semester. Students are allowed to miss six of the 27 days the class meets before automatically failing. “In my really large class, until we take the first test, there’s very good attendance. After (that), it goes down a little,” Eiler said. “In the second half of the semester, it goes down even more.” Eiler said four students failed the class for breaking attendance policy in fall 2016. “I give them a reasonable number of class misses in case something happens. People get colds, family emergencies come up, things happen,” Eiler said. “Class is like a job. You only get paid if you show up.” Megan Ryan, a senior studying marketing, said she skipped class as a fresh-
man but doesn’t anymore. “By the time you’re a senior or a junior, you probably shouldn’t be missing class too much. (It’s OK) for some of the (classes) that may be easier … or if you’re not feeling well,” Ryan said. “(As long as) you’re not doing it all the time. It’s definitely not a good habit.” Jennifer Howell, an assistant professor of psychology, taught a “mega-section” of introductory psychology with about 400 students in the fall. She allows students four absences. Howell uses clickers in class and has students report their seat numbers. She said she can’t prevent students from “gaming the system,” but knows of absences when two submissions include the same seat number or when a student
doesn’t submit both a seat number and answers to questions. Despite tracking attendance, Howell said she tries to maintain a fair policy. She said when Bill Clinton visited OU’s campus in the fall, she canceled a graduate class she was teaching — on the agreement the following class would be extended by 30 minutes. “If (students) have a really enriching opportunity, I want them to skip my class. I want them to feel like they can,” Howell said. “If they have a chance to go do something really awesome with their lives, great, go do it. Sometimes that’s more important than sitting through my lectures.”
@DIXAUBREE AD144815@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 3
AMPLIFIED OBSERVATIONS
Music might soon require us to become listeners, readers and viewers at the same time LUKE FURMAN is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University.
Stephen King has hypothesized his readers do not return to him for action but rather for a voice. Artists, whether musical, visual or literary, function like a font that surfaces from underground streams of individualized and undiluted ideas. The clearest examples of these distinct voices also happen to be the easiest to name: Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent Van Gogh, Shakespeare, Richard Wagner, Bob Dylan, Jane Austen and Langston Hughes. Despite some great artists focused solely only one type of artistic expression, others have expanded their voices into other mediums to present more comprehensive works that speak to the eyes, the ears and the psyche. In 1849, Richard Wagner popularized a German aesthetic term called “Gesamtkunstwerk,” which translates to “total work of art” or “comprehensive artwork.” The phrase looked to blur the lines between different mediums and artistic tasks into one conceptual statement made up of all its parts. The idea continues to float underneath the brim of pop culture, with jacks-of-all-trades like Phil Spector; Bob Dylan, who paired his music with his paintings; and David Bowie, whose final work, Blackstar, included an off-Broadway play titled Lazarus after one of the album’s songs. In every way, Bowie’s last release followed the carte blanche and combinative tradition Wagner pioneered in his operas.
In the present age of digital storage, more and more artists have released visual compositions about the creation of their albums as a companion piece, such as artists like Nothing, MGMT and, most recently, Flying Lotus. Musicians are no longer one-dimensional in their expression, and technology has facilitated their access to honing and mastering mediums other than their primary one. Perhaps the two releases that have most mirrored Wagner’s method are Frank Ocean’s Blonde and Beyoncé’s Lemonade. Both 2016 albums arrived with visual stories interlinked with the music, rather than added as an extra feature. At the same time, Ocean also published a magazine called Boys Don’t Cry, featuring an explanatory project details and a silly, witty poem by Kanye West. Regardless of the quality of the albums, their use of mixed media, including print, is unprecedented in their professionalism and personally crafted sheen. But full-length album films are not the only way to expand on an album’s meaning. Artists include things in releases that are often overlooked. On my wall hangs a poster that came with the vinyl for Archy Marshall’s moody hip-hop album A New Place 2 Drown. Although the poster is only made up of different patterns of black and white lines and the album’s name, it provides another object to contemplate the deeper feelings behind
abstract sounds. It gives the album a visual backdrop. Prior to dropping the group’s ninth album, A Moon Shaped Pool, Radiohead sent cryptic postcards to its mailing list, complete with appropriately paranoid lyrics and a painting related to the album. A gesture as simple as a poster or postcard that differs from the album’s mandatory cover artwork can give listeners a better idea of which stream of human emotion the artist filled his or her canteen in. An artistic concept should not be confined to one area of expertise but rather allowed to flourish in many different forms. Artists are moving forward in releasing more comprehensive works from the viewpoint of music rather than the traditional mixed medium of film. As long as the voice remains strong and present throughout the work, the listeners, readers and viewers will always return for more. And more and more, those three separate labels of consumption apply to one person engaged with one work of art. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What do you think about artists releasing more than just music with their albums? Let Luke know by tweeting him @LukeFurmanLog or emailing him at lf491413@ohio.edu.
TYLER’S BIT
Trump’s recent executive order is racism at its core TYLER CORBIT is a freshman studying journalism with a focus in strategic communication at Ohio University.
4 / FEB. 9, 2017
Remember when Dylann Roof committed an egregious act of violence against the black community by murdering members of a historically black parish in South Carolina, and we swiftly moved to racially profile the white race and banned anyone from historically Christian nations from coming into our country? Wait, that didn’t happen. Well, when Adam Lanza and James Holmes both committed mass shootings, we definitely supported racist stop-and-frisk methods to curb that violence. Hold on, that didn’t happen either. Yet, a few isolated incidents happen domestically, and our president calls for what has now been called the “Muslim ban.” I’m just slightly confused by this logic. I may be just some run-of-the-mill white kid trying to play, my much-hated phrase, “social justice warrior,” but this is one action of President Donald J. Trump that I cannot sit on the sidelines for. At its core, it is xenophobia and fear tactics disguised as security measurements. Furthermore, it
was an executive order and not something that went through the houses of Congress. While it is not as awful as Franklin Roosevelt’s internment of Japanese-Americans, it is a racist idea at its core and not what we as a country should ever stand for. The logic behind “ISIS practices Islam; therefore, all Muslims are bad” is the same thing as a foreign country banning American white males because they are statistically more likely to commit shootings. If you voted for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Vermin Supreme, Gary Johnson or whoever else you could’ve written in, that’s fine. If you think that it is fine to stay put while legal U.S. residents are stripped of their rights, that is not fine. Currently, people’s lives are being politicized. Too often we have rejected the desperate pleas of others and sent them back to slaughter under the guise of protecting our borders, and it has been done by both political parties. We always find our-
selves saying that if we were alive during slavery, the Holocaust or other egregious acts with gross disdain for human rights, we would have done the right thing. Well, now we find ourselves in one of those situation. Do the right thing: call your congressman or your senator and oppose this ban. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What do you think of Trump’s executive order? Let Tyler know by tweeting him @tylercorbit.
CORRECTION
An article under the headline “Funding to expire” in Feb. 2’s issue of ‘The Post’ incorrectly listed which schools would be affected by the grants. Federal Hocking and Miller school districts were previously at risk.
FEMINISTS ELABORATE
The importance of being a sanctuary campus HANNAH KOERNER is a senior studying English at Ohio University.
After the protests and arrests Wednesday night, Ohio University students have been hearing a lot about sanctuary campuses. Still, a good number might not know exactly what the term entails, even after the protest. The Wednesday night demonstration was aimed at administrators, who are already familiar with the idea of a sanctuary campus. This column is aimed at fellow students, who might want to learn and, I hope, recognize the importance of distinguishing our campus as a sanctuary. At its most basic level, a sanctuary campus is a campus whose policies are specifically structured to protect international and undocumented students. In doing so, a university might forbid officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement from being on campus without a warrant, refuse to share student information with ICE, not gather student information on immigration or citizenship status, provide tuition support for students without the documentation to work in the country, provide accommodations for students to finish their degrees remotely if they are deported or provide confidential legal
aid for students concerned with their immigration or citizenship status. Many, myself included, believe that at their best, universities have always been sanctuaries; they have been places that offer a retreat from the world — from the necessity to earn a wage — in order to provide a space for learning. That idealized image isn’t without purpose; in a democratic society, it is in all of our best interests that the voting public be educated. But of course, that image isn’t often the reality, as tuition costs soar above accessibility for many students and some university programs become more and more focused on job placement. Believing in a sanctuary campus is also a belief that education and opportunity should be available to all people — specifically, that education should not be barred from those most at risk, such as undocumented students who call the U.S. their home. The number of students at risk has grown with the recent immigration ban from the Trump administration, which targets some green card holders (In other words, international students who do have legal documentation.) Even students
not afraid for their own immigration status may be fearful for their family’s. With that in mind, it seems like high time the university follow through on its commitment to the “Bobcat family” and to “diversity” — both prominent concepts in its promotional materials. If the university truly wants to educate a diverse population of students who come together at the university as a family, administrators have to start looking out for that family with clear actions. Those actions should include establishing OU as a sanctuary campus, as well as not arresting students who are fighting for their fellow Bobcats’ safety. It is time for our university and its administrators to follow through on their ideals and I encourage anyone reading this to step up as well — either by calling university officials to voice your opinion or by joining in the next protest. Hopefully both. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to ask Hannah more about the importance of a sanctuary campus? Email her at hk489812@ohio.edu.
STREETVIEW
“Do you believe in love at first sight?”
“I’d say no. I feel like I’d fall in love with someone for their personality or humor. Unless they have blue eyes — then maybe.” Katie Moore, junior studying communication studies
“No, I don’t. The reason being is I think love is something so much deeper than the Hallmark meaning we have given it. Love comes from being with a person and knowing the person so well that when you experience anything that makes you happy, you wish they were there. I think it actually degrades love to think it can be achieved at first sight.” Sam Campbell, senior studying journalism
“I do believe in love at first sight. I’m one of those people who believe first impressions last — they are really important, and how you interact and treat someone really could have a lasting impression.”
“I do believe in love at first sight. It’s kind of like a little fairytale that is totally possible. My parents believe that they fell in love at first sight. I’m hopeful that it will happen to me eventually.”
Shariq Sherwani, doctoral student studying communication and a public speaking instructor
Amyrah Forte, freshman studying exercise physiology
“I guess it would depend, because I feel like love is better when you know someone really well and then you base a relationship off of that. I think friendship is a great foundation for love. That’s why it would depend, because it also could happen with very special circumstances.” Shannon Looney, junior studying communications and French
-photographs by Meagan Hall THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5
POLICE BLOTTER
Man runs into Hocking River to flee officers LAUREN FISHER FOR THE POST
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any people found themselves in compromising situations while searching for a latenight slice of pizza during Sibs Weekend. At least five physical altercations broke out Saturday — most at various North Court Street establishments, according to reports from the Athens Police Department. APD officers responded to several locations including Goodfella’s Pizza, Domino’s Pizza, Courtside Pizza and Stephen’s Bar over the course of the weekend, all in response to ongoing fights, or disorderly persons attempting to start them. HOME IMPROVEMENT On Feb. 1, deputies with the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were called to
the Family Dollar in Albany in response to a report of a male “laying in the aisle.” Upon arrival, the deputies found the male “highly disoriented” in the home improvement aisle, and ruled that he was unable to safely care for himself. Deputies called ACEMS to transport the man to OhioHealth O’Bleness Memorial Hospital, but not before discovering several items on his person “consistent with empty packaging on the shelf in front of him.” The man was also discovered to have an active arrest warrant out of Athens County, and was subsequently arrested and served a charge for theft after receiving medical treatment.
advised that suspects stole the hoop from the driveway and left a $10 bill in the back door of the house as supposed payment for the stolen property. The investigation is pending, as the caller informed deputies she was unaware of who stole the hoop. In another basketball-related call Monday, deputies responded to Rock Riffle Road in Athens for a glass breakage alarm at a residence. Contact was made with the owner, who stated she had “jumped up out of her chair” while watching a basketball game and “must have set the alarm off.” No further action was need in the case.
B-BALL BLUNDERS On Jan. 31, deputies received a report from The Plains alleging that a basketball hoop had been stolen from a local residence. According to the report, the caller
MOVIE MISHAPS On Jan. 31, deputies were called to the Movies 10 parking lot in reference to reports of a suspicious vehicle. Upon contacting the vehicle, however, the driver
informed law enforcement that she “was just hanging out” in the theater’s parking lot, “because she did not want to be home.” It was then discovered that her driver’s license was suspended, and a valid driver was called to pick her up. Three days later, deputies were called back to Movies 10 to assist the Nelsonville Police Department in response to an aggravated menacing charge in which a man had been threatening another person. Upon being approached by authorities, the man fled across the highway on foot, entering “waist deep” into the Hocking River before returning to shore and being apprehended. He was returned to custody of Nelsonville police.
@LAUREN__FISHER LF966614@OHIO.EDU
NEWS BRIEFS
McDavis faces criticism during penultimate week; new university president to be announced Feb. 22 JONNY PALMERO FOR THE POST
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n his penultimate week as president of Ohio University, Roderick McDavis has been in the spotlight for issues stemming from last week’s sitin at Baker Center MCDAVIS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATORS QUESTIONED DURING FACULTY SENATE MEETING; FAREWELL EVENT CANCELED During his final Faculty Senate meeting Monday, McDavis, along with Executive Vice President and Provost Pam Benoit and Assistant Dean of Students Jamie Patton, received criticism from attendees, some of whom were students arrested during last week’s sit-in at Baker Center. Attendees criticized administrators for not taking a strong enough stance on Pres6 / FEB. 9, 2017
Ohio University President Roderick McDavis speaks during a Faculty Senate meeting Sept. 12. President McDavis received criticism at a Faculty Senate meeting Monday regarding the administration’s approach to the sit-in last week. (LAILA RIAZ / FILE)
ident Donald Trump’s immigration policies and urged administrators to establish a sanctuary campus and have the charges against the demonstrators dropped. McDavis emphasized the concern of funding cuts if the university were to become a sanctuary campus, while also defending the university’s position on certain issues. “To say that we are oblivious is absolutely wrong,” McDavis said. “To say that this administration has not done anything on this issue is dead wrong. We have done a lot. We will continue to do a lot.” The following day, a presidential farewell event for McDavis was canceled after the Office of the President was informed of a group planning to stage a protest at the event. “We want to be sure that campus is not going to be open to more difficulties and stress at the expense of a farewell to us,” McDavis said in a news release. “We know so many of you respect and hold us in a high regard, and that itself is enough to let us know we have all their blessings and well wishes.”
CLASSIFIEDS BRESCIANI, BENOIT DROP OUT OF PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH; TRUSTEES TO ANNOUNCE NEW PRESIDENT ON FEB. 22 Dean Bresciani and Pam Benoit, two of the four candidates to replace McDavis as OU president, officially withdrew their names from consideration this week. University Spokesperson Carly Leatherwood confirmed Wednesday afternoon Benoit withdrew from the search. It is unclear why she withdrew from the search. Bresciani announced Tuesday in an email sent to NDSU that he intends to remain in his position as president of North Dakota State University. The OU Board of Trustees will announce the next president Feb. 22, five days after McDavis is scheduled to leave office. Board members will meet at OU’s Dublin campus to vote for the appointment of the new president prior to the announcement. The event will be live-streamed. FORMER OU STUDENT CHARGED WITH DRUGGING WOMEN’S DRINKS AT A BAR A 21-year-old Athens resident and former OU student has been arrested and charged with drugging three women’s drinks at an Athens bar. The Athens County Prosecutor’s Office has accused Robert Neal II of pouring white powder into three shots on the evening of Feb. 1, according to a prosecutor’s office news release. Neal is being held at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail on $500,000 bond. His charges, two counts of corrupting another with drugs, are both second-degree felonies and carry a maximum prison sentence of two to eight years and a maximum fine of $15,000 if convicted.
The name of the bar where the alleged crimes occurred was not named in the news release, but “local liquor establishments were very cooperative” during the investigation, the release stated. OU Spokesman Dan Pittman would not say when Neal’s enrollment at OU ended, citing privacy rights.
@HEEEEERES_JONNY JP351014@OHIO.EDU
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SAP offers vouchers to transport survivors MEGAN HENRY ASST. NEWS EDITOR The Survivor Advocacy Program at Ohio University, which reopened last fall, is trying to help transport survivors to and from OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital. SAP implemented SafeVoucher, a voucher program that helps transport sexual assault survivors to and from O’Bleness. SAP’s main purpose is to provide confidential support and counseling to survivors of sexual assault,stalking and relationship violence. “We don’t want anybody to have to pay transport fees to an ambulance if they’re not injured in a way that they need to have medical transport,” Kristin Waltz, SAP survivor advocate and case manager, said. After working to start the program for about a month, SAP officially established the program in October. A survivor can use the voucher program if he or she does not want to pay for a ride, but needs to go either to or from the hospital, SAP Director Kimberly Castor said.
TABS people know if we tell them it’s a SafeVoucher that it’s a prioritized pick-up.” - Kristen Waltz SAP survivor advocate and case manager “If they get to the hospital another way, but maybe don’t have a ride home, it doesn’t matter, we can still do it,” Waltz said. “We don’t have to be doing both ways.” TABS Taxi in Athens works with SAP and helped implement the voucher program. “We get a phone call from O’Bleness or from the patient, him or herself, and we just go,” TABS Taxi Manager Brandi Talley said. “They give us a voucher, and we just take the voucher and take them home.” SAP calls TABS Taxi and tells the dispatcher that it’s a SafeVoucher, Waltz said. “TABS people know if we tell them it’s a SafeVoucher that it’s a prioritized pickup,” Waltz said. The taxi driver does not know the exact reasoning behind the call, Talley said. “We don’t know anything about it, and that makes them feel good about it too,” Talley said. SAP worked with TABS Taxi to set up a system in which SAP received a flat rate for the survivor and a support person. SAP pays $7 for one rider and $2 for each additional rider out of SAP’s funding, Waltz said. “The flat rate makes it easier to manage because we do not have to deal with varying denominations of voucher cou-
The Survivor Advocacy Program has implemented a voucher program to help survivors of sexual assault get transportation to and from O’Bleness. (ALEX DRIEHAUS / FILE)
pons,” Waltz said in an email. “That covers locations in the Athens (area).” SAP orders 14 voucher coupons at a time. The program can also provide a voucher to the support person with the survivor.
“I would say that most people that I have met at the hospital have a friend with them or a support person,” Waltz said. The Ohio University Police Department has the vouchers in its station, and Lt. Tim Ryan said the voucher program is a great idea. Waltz has coordinated with Ohio University Transportation and Parking Services to transport students to and from the hospital. While O’Bleness does not have vouchers, hospital workers know to call SAP if they are treating a survivor, Waltz said. “You may not want to tell someone what’s just happened to you so you may not want to reach to someone you know,” Waltz said. “Maybe it’s easier to reach out to someone that you know is confidential.”
@MEGANKHENRY MH573113@OHIO.EDU 8 / FEB. 9, 2017
Ohio Inspector General requests meeting with McDavises, still investigating 2015 home purchase The office also raised questions about missing email files, records show ALEX MEYER SENIOR WRITER
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hio’s watchdog agency requested to meet with Ohio University President Roderick McDavis in the same month in which he is set to leave the university. The Ohio Office of the Inspector General sought to interview McDavis and his wife, Deborah, this month as part of a monthslong investigation into the university’s 2015 actions related to presidential housing. Deputy Inspector General Rebekeh Wolcott also asked the university about “emails of interest” that the office was unable to find in the university’s electronic record disclosures, according to email records obtained by The Post as part of a public records request. McDavis will finish his term as president on Feb. 17, and David Descutner will start as interim president the next day. McDavis announced his departure in March 2016. The Ohio Inspector General’s office first began collecting and reviewing email files of university officials as part of an “investigation involving the purchase of 31 Coventry Lane,” OU’s presidential residence, in January 2016, according to a previous Post report. In April 2015, OU decided to lease, not purchase, the home following the discovery of a “problematic” verbal agreement made between John Wharton, the home’s owner, and OU Director of Athletics Jim Schaus. The Inspector General’s office requested records related to OU’s presidential housing decisions three times in 2015 after faculty called for an independent investigation into the matter in April that year, according to another Post report. McDavis will finish his term as president Feb. 17, and David Descutner will start as interim president the next day. McDavis announced his departure in March 2016. On Jan. 18, Wolcott requested to meet with both McDavises separately, either in Athens or at the Inspector General’s offices in Columbus. Records did not indicate whether such a meeting has yet occurred or when it will occur. “We do not have any comment about the Ohio Inspector General’s investigation,” OU Spokeswoman Carly Leatherwood said in an email. 10 / FEB. 9, 2017
The office also corresponded with OU’s Office of Legal Affairs last month about electronic versions of certain emails that appeared to be missing in the university’s disclosures. “We have identified emails of interest that were contained in the PDF files of emails submitted to our office on a CD in response to the April 2015 and August 2015 records requests,” Wolcott said in a Jan. 19 email to legal affairs. “However, we are unable to locate the same emails in the electronic version of the email boxes received from OU.” Wolcott included examples of such emails in her communication with Legal Affairs. Several of the emails show communication from Donna Goss, OU’s former director of real estate development who left the university to become the City of Dublin’s director of development in June 2015. Goss worked to coordinate the president’s move to 31 Coventry Lane, email records show. Wolcott said some emails from Goss, as well as Deborah McDavis, were apparently missing from the university’s disclosure. Wolcott also asked whether OU had Goss’ computer “in the same state as when she left.” The Inspector General's office has consistently declined to comment on the existence of an investigation into OU. The office’s policy is to not discuss any open investigations until a report of such an investigation is issued, Deputy Inspector General Carl Enslen said. OU’s lease on 31 Coventry Lane expires June 30, Leatherwood said. “We anticipate that the president and Mrs. McDavis will move out before the lease expires,” Leatherwood said. The McDavises first moved into the property in March 2015, citing problems with a bat infestation after Deborah broke her foot because she was startled by bats. However, records later showed that the university had considered relocating the president’s residence as early as 2012, according to a previous Post report. It’s uncertain where OU’s next president will reside. Leatherwood added that the next president’s employment contract will cover “the terms of his or her housing.” @ALXMEYER AM095013@OHIO.EDU
DeVos receives mixed responses from local education leaders MAGGIE CAMPBELL FOR THE POST
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he confirmation process of Betsy DeVos for secretary of education has sparked a conversation about school choice programs and funding for public school programs throughout Athens and the country. DeVos, who was confirmed after Vice President Mike Pence broke a 50-50 tie in the Senate’s vote, has stances that mainly focus on funding and supporting school choice programs and vouchers. Her nomination and hearing led to most senators voting along party lines, with the exception of two Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who voted against confirming DeVos. School choice programs provide students who are attending public schools the option to enroll in private, public or charter schools. Families can apply for vouchers, or state-sponsored scholarships, to cover part or all of their tuition. Ohio’s five vouchers options have money from the Ohio state budget to pay for them. Athens County has no brick-andmortar charter or private schools, but Tom Gibbs, superintendent of Athens City School District, said the district loses 70 to 80 students a year to online charter schools. He is not concerned that DeVos’ stance on school choice will have a negative impact on the district. “We have a population within Athens County that appreciates their school districts,” Gibbs said. “While we do have some students going to online charter schools, it’s not nearly at the level that you see in our more urban counterparts.” School Choice Ohio, an organization that works closely with school selection, has helped families know their school and financial aid options. Kaleigh Lemaster, executive director of School Choice Ohio, said DeVos’ views on school choice is a reason she supports DeVos. “Betsy DeVos has spent many years fighting on behalf of families across the nation, including here in Ohio, to ensure
that every child has access to the quality education they deserve in the environment that is the best fit for their needs,” Lemaster said. For Courtney Koestler, director of the Ohio Center for Equity in Mathematics and Science, it is hard to judge DeVos’ policies and positions because of how little DeVos has shared. “We obviously don’t have the information to judge her positions and policies, but what I’m concerned about is that it is clear she just doesn’t understand some key fundamental ideas of education,” said Koestler. One of those ideas Koestler feels DeVos doesn’t understand is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act . “(She was asked about) what she thought about the regulations and DeVos basically said ‘well, it should be left up to the states,’ ” said Koestler. “Which is a clear misunderstanding of what the federal law is about and how that protects the civil rights of students with disabilities.” IDEA is an act that impacts both K-12 as well as college students who are as old as 21 years old. The fact she has not been able to fully explain IDEA is concerning to those in the Students for Education Reform group at Ohio University, as well. “We don’t believe that a secretary of education should be confused about policy. She should not be getting the IDEA confused with anything else,” Sarah Mikac, a junior studying creative writing and the president of Students for Education Reform, said. “She should know that like the back of her hand.” Past secretaries of education have helped implement different policies in the Appalachian portion of Ohio. Under former President Barack Obama, there were two secretaries of education, Arne Duncan and John King. Duncan was active in the implementation of the Ohio Appalachian Collaborative, a group of 27 rural school districts that worked to reform rural education in Ohio.
The History Department at Ohio University presents the 20th Annual Lazaroff Lecture: “Portugal, ‘Forced Paradise’: The Daily Lives and Feelings of Jewish Refugees in Nazi Europe” Professor Marion Kaplan, New York University
Baker Center 240/242 7 p.m. on February 27, 2017, with reception to follow, free and open to the public
Marion Kaplan is Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies as well as Skirball Professor of Modern Jewish History at New York University. She has received the National Jewish Book Award for three of her books: The Making of the Jewish Middle Class: Women, Family and Identity in Imperial Germany (Oxford University Press, 1991); Between Dignity and Despair: Jewish Life in Nazi Germany (Oxford University Press, 1998); and Gender and Jewish History, co-edited with Deborah Dash Moore (Indiana, 2011). She has published extensively on Jewish everyday life in Germany, Jewish feminism, women in Germany, and Jewish refugees in the Dominican Republic during World War II.
@MAGGIESBYLINE MC987015@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9
Protesters appear in first court date Fourteen of the 70 arrested appeared in court Monday and pleaded not guilty to charges ABBEY MARSHALL STAFF WRITER
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hio University students and Athens residents arrested during the sit-in at Baker Center on Feb. 1 were charged with criminal trespassing. They appeared in court on Feb. 6 and more will appear Feb. 9 for arraignments. Fourteen of the 70 arrested people pleaded not guilty at the first round of arraignments. All protesters arrested were charged for what the Ohio University Police Department called creating an “unsafe condition” in a news release on Twitter. Pat McGee, managing attorney of Student Legal Services and Athens city councilman, said he met with several students the weekend after the protest to discuss the legal process ahead of them. McGee said he has about 30 clients, and at least 28 have already filed the plea as not guilty. “Several clients are still trying to figure out if they want to attend the arraignment process and plead not guilty to the judge,” McGee said. Criminal trespassing is a fourthdegree misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $250 and a maximum jail sentence of 30 days. The demonstrators who pleaded not guilty are scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 16. Among the 14 who appeared in court Feb. 6 was a Post designer, who was waiting nearby on the fourth floor of Baker and not protesting during the sit-in. She pleaded not guilty. More than a dozen supporters entered the courtroom Feb. 6 at 8:30 a.m. when the arraignment was scheduled to begin but were then asked to leave due to overcrowding. An official then requested they exit the building. Hannah Koerner, a senior studying English, called the court’s request “bulls--t.” “It’s not standard court procedure,” she said. “It seemed to have an anti-protest sentiment.” The group of “court support”, as Claire Seid, a member of F--kRape Culture, called them, stood outside the courthouse and said they planned to remain until everyone is released from the building. “We are here to physically hold
“
Several clients are still trying to figure out if they want to attend the arraignment process and plead not guilty to the judge.” -Pat McGee, managing attorney of Student Legal Services and Athens City councilman
space and let them know they have support,” Bobby Walker, a senior studying African American studies and women's, gender and sexuality studies, said. Walker was arrested Wednesday for criminal trespassing, but she did not appear in court Feb. 6. She said she wants the university to drop the charges and apologize for arresting 70 protesters. “This is a meaningless farce put on by the OU administration to punish peaceful protests,” Seid said. The demonstrators were sitting in to call for OU officials to declare the university a “sanctuary campus,” a non-legal term designating the school as one that limits their cooperation with federal immigration services. After about two hours in Baker Center, OUPD issued a warning to demonstrators and then began arresting those who would not leave the fourth floor. “It is horrific the president would rather arrest students than have a dialogue with us about how to keep students on campus safe,” Koerner said. Walker said the arrests threatened students’ freedom of speech and the right to protest. “I would like to see the university apologize and address our demands for a sanctuary campus because that’s still our priority,” Walker said.
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@ABBEYMARSHALL AM877915@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 11
Bobcat love found on the bric
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Students and alumni reflect on balancing act of finding love REBEKAH BARNES / SENIOR WRITER
lthough some students prefer crazy nights in bars, hooking up with strangers or swiping for matches on Tinder, Sarah Vaughn and Alexander Mundziak would rather stay in together, order a pizza and watch a movie. // They admit they’re not the norm. // And they’re not the only ones wanting to spend life on the bricks — and beyond — with someone by their side. // There’s OU freshman Kayla McNeal, who is learning how relationships work long-distance and outside of the high school setting. There’s Vaughn and Mundziak, who are engaged and are planning their wedding as juniors in college. And there are the alumni, who have found ways to make their love last and hope to raise the next generation of OU students. // Couples have just found ways to make it work. // Because the thing is, when you’re in a long-term relationship in college, “you never have to go at anything alone,” Vaughn said.
ILLUSTRATION BY MARCUS PAVILONIS
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cks
e in college
THE TRANSITION SOME COMING TO OU STILL KEEP TIES TO HOME
Starting at OU as a freshman studying strategic communication, Kayla McNeal had at least one thing to keep her connected to home: her boyfriend. “I was terrified going into college, but it also helped knowing that I had him back home,” McNeal said. “I have my own family supporting me, and I have his, so that helped a lot.” McNeal and her boyfriend, 16-year-old Daniel Stewart, are both from Oak Hill, about an hour from Athens. They met at a “sweet sixteen” party for McNeal’s sister and have been dating for about a year. Now, they are balancing McNeal’s transition to college as well as a transition for their relationship. Kimberly Rios, an associate professor and director of experimental training in OU’s Department of Psychology, said relationships in general can be a source of security or certainty. “This is particularly pervasive among college students because students are dealing with a lot of sources of uncertainty,” Rios said. “There’s a lot of emotional uncertainty from moving away from your hometown. So I think … for people in various stages in life who are dealing with all of these external sources of uncertainty that attack the self, having a monogamous, committed relationship can help achieve certainty in a least one area.” McNeal and Stewart are getting used to finding different ways to communicate, since they no longer see each other every day in the hallways. To make up for that, McNeal said the couple typically spends their weekends together either in Oak Hill or in Athens. No matter how many times it happens, the goodbye never gets easier, McNeal said. “I just think that she is a loving person with a huge heart, and I can just see myself with her for the rest of my life,” Stewart said.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE BOBCAT COUPLE LOOKS TO MAINTAIN COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP THROUGHOUT COLLEGE AND BEYOND
Getting past the first year and now sitting in their upperclassmen seats, Sarah Vaughn and Alex Mundziak are involved in extracurriculars, working through their junior year coursework, getting used to living off-campus — and planning their wedding. Mundziak said Vaughn “has been driving the boat” when it comes to planning the wedding. “It’s a different kind of stress, but it’s a welcomed stress because it just keeps your mind off of schoolwork and stuff,” Vaughn, an education major and a former Post columnist, said. “There’s wedding planning time, and there’s school time — just finding that balance so I don’t fail school (while) planning a wedding.” The two, from Pataskala, met in second grade but started talking in high school after Mundziak asked Vaughn about where to get senior pictures taken (which he now admits he already scheduled “weeks” prior). Then, Vaughn, the extrovert of the couple, took matters into her own hands. “He would not ask me to homecoming, so I asked him,” Vaughn said. “He asked me out at homecoming, and we’ve been dating ever since.” Six months into their relationship, Mundziak’s mom, Carolyn, died. Vaughn described it as the most challenging moment of their relationship. It was also the moment that completely solidified their love for each other. “If we broke up at any point after that, no one was going to be able to connect with him on the way that we connected and built and grew through that situation,” Vaughn said. As Vaughn talks, the ring on her left hand glitters in the light. Carolyn’s stone sits in the middle of her engagement ring.
“That was an idea from my dad,” Mundziak said. “I think that alone was something big that showed me he kind of approved of it.” The fact Mundziak’s dad thought Vaughn was “worthy” to have the stone humbles her. They’re excited for the future — living together in an apartment as seniors, finding jobs (and compromising on their post-grad plans) and getting married on June 30, 2018. Although it can be difficult to explain why they are so serious in college, they’re in love. To Mundziak, love means “patience.” Vaughn’s definition goes back to the core of what her and Mundziak feel together: comfort. (And a bit of silliness.) “(Love is) when you burp around someone and they don’t get disgusted,” she said.
REFLECTING ON THE PAST ALUMNI KNOW FIRSTHAND WHAT LOVE ON THE BRICKS CAN BRING
Amy and Scott Barrah owe a lot to Ellis Hall and taking English 321 their junior year — enough to give their 12-yearold son, John, the middle name “Ellis.” As alumni from the class of 1990, the two graduated and decided to keep dating after college. What became challenging was leaving the isolation of Athens — where a significant other lived within walking distance — to commuting between Dayton and Cincinnati. Even though it was less than an hourlong drive, they wouldn’t do it again. Scott said they spent pretty much every weekend together. “I have no idea why we did that,” Amy said. “We were like, ‘Why didn’t we just (get) married? That was weird.’ ” The two remember trips to the Athena and soaking in the City of Athens. Valerie and Matt Horton share similar memories of their time together in Athens. Their “meet cute” happened after Valerie saw a “good-looking” boy in a picture on her resident assistant’s door. “That was in the day of instant messenger, so she was like ‘Why don’t I give you his information, and you guys can start talking?’ ” Valerie said. The two first met in Columbus in July and started dating in August. Matt graduated in 2004 and Valerie in 2007. One of their first pictures together shows Valerie in the Rufus mascot costume at the OU-Miami game in 2003. The two were married in 2006, while Valerie was still in school. They now have an 8-month-old son, Vinny, who is expecting a sibling soon — and, like Amy and Scott, the Hortons hope to raise children that go to OU . Amy and Adam Rubin can connect with Sarah and Matt, as the graduates from the class of 1994 were engaged on Amy’s 21st birthday. They met as freshmen at Hillel’s Rosh Hashanah services. She had to keep it quiet, though, when they went out for the night of her 21st birthday. She wanted to wait to tell her friends during a candle circle with her Sigma Kappa sorority sisters. “So I had to go on my 21st birthday to go the Pub and all of those places with this ring in my pocket and not being able to say a word,” Amy said. As they had to figure out life in the post-grad world, each couple echoed the same sentiment. “When you turn that corner on 33, and you can see all of campus — that’s really home,” Valerie said. “I think it did make it easier (graduating together), knowing we had this life ahead of us, but we can always go back to Athens.”
Dear Bobcats… In an attempt to crowdsource love stories of Bobcats past and present, ‘The Post’ created an online survey for people to submit their own. To view all of the stories submitted, check out ‘The Post’ online. But for now, here are some tidbits of advice from those who found love on the bricks: “My advice to other Bobcat couples would be to make sure that you are developing as individuals. Enjoy your time together, make friends, but more importantly make memories! Even with the popular "Super Senior Victory Lap," five years is just not enough time in Athens.” — Rachel (Getter) & Brian Birt, Class of 1998 “Be sure to maintain your own friends. Go out with them without your significant other occasionally, but set up a time and place to meet back up, be forgiving when the other messes up. College can be a wild and crazy time and to make it as a couple you have to be able to forgive and forget.” — Joe and Lauren (McDowell) Ouart, Class of 2004 and 2005 “The college couple MUST grow, adjust, change in order to make a relationship last beyond. College relationships are simpler and you've got to be ready when life after college makes relationships challenging and complicated. It will never be as easy as it was in college but it will only get better.” — Anna (Lubbers) and Chuck Milligan, Class of 2001 (undergraduate) and 2003 (graduate)
@REB_BARNES RB605712@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13
Jack Neal Floral gears up for valentines THE LOCAL BUSINESS IS POPULAR FOR HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCTS AND A SMALL BUSINESS TOUCH
ALEX DARUS CULTURE EDITOR Carnations, baby’s breath and lilies are scattered around Jack Neal Floral. In February, however, the stars are the roses. A bouquet of flowers is a Valentine’s Day staple for many people looking to give a gift to their significant other, but for Jack Neal, the classic gift is what keeps the business open all year. “Without Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day of course, you wouldn’t be able to keep a flower shop,” Natasha Neal, co-owner of Jack Neal Floral, said. Jack Neal Floral, 80 E. State St. has been in business for more than 40 years and has been owned by Natasha and Davey Neal since 2008. Davey’s parents founded the business, and Natasha and her husband worked at the shop before owning it. The shop used to be at 12 W. Union St., but it was forced to move after the Union Street fire. Natasha said the couple wanted to move the shop back Uptown, but the Ohio Univer14 / FEB. 9, 2017
sity Credit Union now occupies their old spot, and it’s hard for them to find a place big enough to fit their needs. April Williams-Schrader, a Logan resident, has purchased arrangements from Jack Neal multiple times, including corsages and boutonnieres. “(The value) was always above and beyond … for the product that you’re getting and the service,” Williams-Schrader said. Jack Neal has always been known as the biggest floral shop in Athens, Williams-Schrader said. She added she likes supporting a local business that provides quality products. On any given day, the business has at least 15 different types of flowers. The flowers come from all over the world, including countries in South America, and Jack Neal purchases them from a wholesale company. When it comes to making bouquets, the workers at Jack Neal like to work with the customer to find out what colors and flowers the receiver likes. Sometimes, the customer does not know what they want.
“I think sometimes people … would rather leave it to us, and of course we’re the experienced ones, and we’re perfectly fine with that,” Natasha said. The pricing of the flowers depends on each flower that goes into an arrangement and the different kinds of vases available to the customer. However, if a customer wants, they can come in and purchase a single flower wrapped in tissue paper for $2. Kelly Scurlock, a Chauncey resident, received flowers from Jack Neal Floral on Monday, but she said it was not her first time receiving flowers from the shop. “They’re absolutely gorgeous,” Scurlock said. “I think the quality of flowers that they get in are better than just the bulk in a grocery store.” Scurlock also said she likes supporting a small business with top-quality flowers. “The most fun or gratifying part of it would be the reaction you get on the receiving end,” Natasha said. “Sometimes when (people) receive their flowers, they
ABOVE: Natasha Neal, who co-owns Jack Neal Floral with her husband, stands among discarded petals, stems and leaves snipped from flowers she has arranged on Feb. 7. “It’s a dirty job, and no one will tell you that,” she said, especially when the shop gets busy around Valentine’s Day. BELOW: Kelly Wayand, a florist at Jack Neal Floral, selects flowers in a refrigerated walk-in cooler for an arrangement on Feb. 7. (EMMA HOWELLS / PHOTO EDITOR)
‘ooh’ or they ‘ahh,’ and you can tell you really made their day.” Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday this year, and Natasha said it will be “killer” because most of the orders will come in and be delivered on Monday and Tuesday. Natasha predicts the shop will receive about 200 orders for delivery on Monday and Tuesday. In the past, the shop has done nearly 350
deliveries on Valentine’s Day alone, which doesn’t include walk-ins or pick-up orders. “I think probably the hardest part for us is people don’t plan ahead,” Natasha said. “We’ll be getting a lot of phone calls on the 13th still wanting deliveries for that day of the 14th, so that makes it really hard on us.”
@_ALEXDARUS AD019914@OHIO.EDU
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Overlooking Ohio’s workhorse JIMMY WATKINS FOR THE POST
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n Dec. 3 against Duquesne, Hannah Boesinger was filling in as a starter for injured forward Kelly Karlis and was tasked with helping keep a pair of 6-foot-3 behemoths away from rebounds. She recorded just six points and two rebounds, but her teammates had nothing but praise for her effort afterwards. “(Boesinger) is our fighter,” guard Quiera Lampkins said. “She probably plays her role the best on this team.” This is who “Hannah Bo,” as her teammates call her for her tendency to throw elbows in the post, normally is. She is the hard working, red-faced, sweat-laden bench forward who enters the game when Ohio coach Bob Boldon thinks his team is looking sluggish and needs a fiery presence to rub off on his players. It wasn’t always that way, however, and since Jasmine Weatherspoon’s knee injury, Boesinger is proving she can prove her worth to her team on and off the stat sheet. As she admitted herself, Boesinger has never been exceptionally quick or athletic. At 5-foot-11, she’s just tall enough to be too tall to play guard in college, but undersized for a center. In high school, none of her physical disadvantages mattered. During that time, Boesinger’s unyielding determination was enough to dominate her competition. Through mostly bullying opponents on drives to the basket and getting put backs off of offensive rebounds, she scored 1,056 points in her varsity career. That number is good for sixth all time at Hudson High School outside Cleveland, and Boesinger won All-Northeast Ohio Player of the Year her senior season. “She just seemed to have a knack for scoring,” Boldon said. “It wasn’t necessarily the way you thought it would go in, but it was effective.” In college, Boesinger’s role has changed. Though she has shown flashes of her offensive capabilities, such as her career-high 25 points against Murray State in last season’s opener, her career average sits at 5.8 points per game. She also hasn’t averaged 20 minutes per game since her freshman year. Though her ability to push bigger bodies out of the way is valuable, her limited minutes have prevented her from reaching five rebounds
Ohio’s Hannah Boesinger looks for a pass around Toledo’s Janice Monakana during a game in The Convo on Feb. 4. (HANNAH RUHOFF / FOR THE POST)
per game in her career. Since Weatherspoon left the Western Michigan game after playing four minutes, however, Boesinger has seized her opportunity to show off her talents. After the leading rebounder and second leading scorer for the Bobcats gingerly walked off the court, Boesinger has averaged 12.8 points (including consecutive season-highs), 6.5 rebounds and has shot six percent higher than her season average. All the while, her attitude hasn’t changed — she still plays with the goal of out-working her opponents, whether the results follow or not. “(My approach) has always been the same,” Boesinger said. “No matter if I come off the bench or start, I just try to come in and bring energy to help my team win.” When her team has needed her most, Boesinger has proven her workhorse approach can affect the game in ways both measurable and not. She still doesn’t operate in the most flamboyant manner, but it’s been impossible to watch the Bobcats over the past 10 days without noticing her. “I’m happy you guys are finally starting to talk about her,” Boldon said.
@JAJIMBOJR JW331813@OHIO.EDU
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Located at Jefferson Hall on the corner of East Union and Stewart Street THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 15
Ohio’s turning point COACH BOB BOLDON HAS EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING COLLEGIATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAMS
Ohio women's basketball head coach Bob Boldon talks to Yamonie Jenkins during the second half of the game against Toledo on Feb. 4. During his first season as head coach, the Bobcats went 9-21 and 4-14 in MAC play, but are now perennial contenders to win the MAC. (CARL FONTICELLA / PHOTO EDITOR)
CAMERON FIELD FOR THE POST
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ob Boldon walked into the press conference, looking more disgruntled than he had all season. It was Jan. 14, and Ohio had just lost to Kent State 68-65. Before losing to the Golden Flashes, the Bobcats had won three of their last five games. Something was wrong. “Since the start of the new year, our defense has just been garbage,” Boldon said. Boldon, now in his fourth year coaching the Bobcats, needed improvement on the defensive end. He needed them to play better because they had 16 / FEB. 9, 2017
come too far — three season ago they were the worst team in the Mid-American Conference. He inherited a team that posted its worst record in program history the season before. By year two, he led the Bobcats to the NCAA Tournament. Boldon has brought an expectation of competitiveness to Ohio, but helping rebuild programs isn’t new for him. A coach who has worked under three different head coaches, Boldon has helped improve multiple women’s basketball programs during his career. “It’s taken us a while to really get to this point, but now we’re here,” assistant coach Tavares Jackson, who worked with Boldon at Youngstown State, said. “It’s business as usual with our team.”
Some of the best basketball minds have played point guard – or at least played as if they were a point guard. LeBron James, one of the smartest basketball players of all time, has made a career off zipping passes right to his teammates. Boldon isn’t James, but his basketball knowledge is extensive. He played point guard at Walsh University in North Canton, and he is the program’s all-time assists leader (775). His basketball acumen led to coaching opportunities, and his first job came at Walsh. He was an assistant un-
der Karl Smesko, who now coaches Florida Gulf Coast. Boldon helped Walsh win the NAIA Division II National Championship during the 1997-98 season. “He knows what’s getting you hurt or can do to exploit another team,” Smesko said. Boldon continued to use his ability to decipher defenses, traveling to Wilmington College to coach under Jerry Scheve. Scheve not only admired Boldon’s knowledge, but also his ability to simplify the game for players. “He does that better than anyone I’ve ever seen,” Scheve said. Though Boldon values preparation and looks at any advantage he can gain, he does not prepare extensive scouting reports for the Bobcats. His base offense, the motion offense, is perhaps one of the simplest offenses in basketball. Essentially, players pass the ball, then cut into open space. But assistant coach Mary Evans, who came with Boldon and Jackson from Youngstown State, would not say the Bobcats’ offense is as simple as it seems. “I think if you asked our upcoming freshmen, (they) would find it a lot more difficult than that because it does take time to learn our offense and defense,” Evans said. What she did acknowledge, though, is it takes a patient coach to run the system — a characteristic of Boldon, who also managed to turn around the program quickly. Although he's patient and soft spoken, he struggles to mask emotions, whether good or bad. “Instead of the delivery, it’s the intent of the delivery,” Jackson said. When Ohio was on a 10-game losing streak during his first season, he frequently reminded the media he coached a bad team; when Ohio had a 10-game winning streak in year two, he looked puzzled and joked how everything had changed so quickly. The one consistent trait beyond score lines, however, is his obsession with players showing effort. “Just going through the motions, that really makes him mad,” senior Quiera Lampkins said. “And then making the same mistake twice. But definitely not working hard." When players have listened, success followed, which explains Boldon's ability to rebuild struggling programs. Prior to Ohio, Boldon inherited a Youngstown State team that went 0-30 during the 2009-10 season. But Jodi Kest, Akron's women’s basketball coach, knew Boldon would turn things around. Boldon was Kest’s top assistant at Akron from 2006-08. She said that in three years, Boldon would lead the Penguins to the postseason. He did it, too. Boldon led the Penguins to a 23-10 record during the 2012-13 season as well as a first-round win against Indiana State in the WNIT.
Boldon must obtain trust with his players, and his laid-back personality lends itself to doing that. He interacts with each of his players differently. For example, he likes to make sarcastic jokes with senior Hannah Boesinger. During the end of one practice, Jasmine Weatherspoon and Boesinger took “about an hour and a half” to finish making their free throws. "(Boldon) goes ‘Oh, are you done already?’ ” Boesinger said. Boldon is someone who people are drawn to.
“It’s taken us a while to really get to this point, but now we’re here. It’s business as usual with our team.” - Tavares Jackson, assistant coach
Ohio head coach Bob Boldon talks to his players during an Ohio timeout at the Ohio vs ASU NCAA tournament game in Tempe, Arizona. Ohio lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament 74-55 to ASU on March 21, 2015. (LAUREN BACHO / FILE)
He did not recruit Lampkins, who planned to go to Ohio. She met him and the coaching staff during a home visit before he started in Athens. She said that if she didn’t like Boldon, then she would leave. She stayed. “We sucked freshman year, but he was still a good coach,” Lampkins said. “We just didn’t buy into what he was saying.” Lampkins was drawn to Boldon, and the same was the case for Taylor Agler. Originally at Indiana for two years, Agler was expected to transfer to Texas Tech. The school website had already published a press release about her arrival. But the possibility to be close to home and Boldon’s easygoing personality swayed her. “From the moment I got on campus he had the utmost confidence in me,” Agler said, who is now Ohio's starting shooting guard.
Boldon has had success everywhere, but the success he has had at Ohio is what has defined his coaching career so far. Beginning with a program that was in shambles – the Bobcats went 6-23 a season before Boldon’s first year – he has made Ohio into an elite program.
During his second stint as a Division I women’s basketball coach, Boldon has amassed his motion offense from Smesko, who he coached with for one year at Florida Gulf Coast. And he wants to model the Bobcats’ defensive effort after the Eagles’, too. “I wish at times we could play more like they do,” Boldon said. Though most of Boldon’s influences come from Florida Gulf Coast, he doesn’t force a style of play on his players. Rather, he uses a style that will work best for them. “He’s definitely taken a unique style that fits to his personnel,” Smesko said. That unique style has given the Bobcats two 25-plus win seasons since Boldon started in 2013. Along with that, the Bobcats won the MAC Tournament in 2014-15, going to their first NCAA Tournament since the 1994-95 season. He also won MAC Coach of the Year. The Bobcats have won the conference regular season title the past two years, and currently lead the MAC East with a 17-5 (8-3 MAC) record. The team is successful, but because of how quickly it has achieved success, there are higher expectations. Lampkins, who remembers a different Boldon three years ago, knows what it’s like to be on a bad team. “He’s got a little bit nicer,” Lampkins laughed. “Just slightly. I remember freshman year we were always getting cussed out, sophomore year, too.” Though Lampkins said Boldon wasn’t as nice three years ago, she believes he has changed. “I wouldn’t say lenient, but he’s more calm,” she said. After the Bobcats defeated Western Michigan 80-67 on Jan. 25, Boldon walked into the press conference a calm man. But he was not satisfied. Soon after, Ohio beat Miami, lost to Central Michigan, then beat Toledo. But there was still more to improve. “The first and third quarter (of the game) are going to haunt me all week,” Boldon said after the WMU win. “But we gotta have something to work on in practice. So now we do.”
@CAMERONFIELDS_ CF710614@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17
Impostor Syndrome: Tackling the feeling of being an ‘impostor’ MAE YEN YAP FOR THE POST The entire time Jenny HallJones worked on her Ph.D., she felt every one of her peers was smarter than her. “(I’m) sitting in a classroom and (I’m) like, everyone else understands it, I’m the only one that doesn’t, and I shouldn’t be here,” Hall-Jones, the dean of students, said. Coined in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes, ‘impostor syndrome’ is an experience in which individuals believe their achievements in life are undeserving and that they are “fooling people,” according to Valerie Young, author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It. “Even if there’s obvious evidence of (their) abilities, (they) have a hard time internalizing or owing their success,” Young said. “Either they dismiss it (as) ‘I was just lucky’ or ‘it’s because I worked harder than the other students.’” Although Hall-Jones has long graduated, she said she still feels “a little bit of uncertainty” when she gets a new position. As a freshman, Mira Cooper also had this experience when she had begun working in chemical engineering at a lab. The pressure Cooper, now a senior studying civil engineering, felt from her low self-esteem was accompanied by the high expectations her bosses expected from her. “I had the lack of confidence that a lot of freshman have (of) not knowing what you were doing and feeling like you need to know what you’re doing but you don’t,” Cooper said. “The whole time I was scared out of my mind that they would find out
that I’m not as good as I pretend to be.” Hall-Jones and Cooper are far from being the only ones who experience those feelings. Although it is important to note that women are more susceptible to impostor syndrome, Young emphasizes that “there are a lot of men who painfully experience these feelings.” M. Geneva Murray, the director of the Women’s Center, said she has also dealt with the feeling of questioning her own abilities and capabilities whenever she makes a mistake. “(I think) ‘surely other people don’t make the same kind of mistakes that I do,’ ” Murray said. “Which of course, is silly because other people make mistakes as well but because I’m a perfectionist, the smallest mistake becomes a snowball.” To Young, many individuals who experience impostor syndrome tend to avoid challenging their abilities because “they’re waiting until they’re confident.” However, she said “that’s not how it works.” “You have to do the thing that you don’t think you can do (and continue doing it) no matter how it turns out,” Young said. “Learn from it and then keep going regardless of how you feel. The more you do that over time, you (will) start to feel more confident.” Feelings of disappointment after failing or making a mistake is normal, Young said. “Nobody likes to fail or make mistakes or not be perfect,” she said. “But the difference is … to say ‘Well I’m disappointed but I’m going try harder next time … and I’m going to try again.’ ” That is one of the methods Carla Childers, an associate professor of marketing, uses to manage her feelings of feeling “like a fraud.” If the feeling still remains, Childers then tries to educate herself on the topic.
Illustration by: Marcus Pavilonis
“I’ll come back into my office and then I’ll look it up and try to get as much information as I can so that next time I understand (instead of) just letting that feeling stay,” Childers said. Both Young and Murray agree that normalizing the feelings that accompany impostor syndrome is an important step to help people overcome it. “We need to know that other people feel this way as well,” Murray said. “It’s not just us, we are good, qualified people but we’re not perfect. No one is.” Although she still feels the effects of impostor syndrome, talking to people around her has helped Cooper throughout the past few years.
INDICATIONS OF IMPOSTOR SYNDROME: Feeling like a fake: Individuals believe they do not deserve their successes and achievements and have a constant fear of being “found out” or discovered. Attributing success to luck: Individuals attribute their achievements to luck or other external reasons instead of their own abilities and say they “just got lucky” or that “it was a fluke.” Discounting success: Individuals have the tendency to downplay their achievements and say “it’s not a big deal” or “it’s not important. (Cited from California Institute of Technology Student Counseling Services)
“When you realize that everybody else is just as lost as you, it really helps,” Cooper said. “You don’t feel as much as a fake when you realize that
everybody else is just flopping around in the dark.”
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Creative Comfort Art therapy helps people with and without disabilities find purpose and comfort in a creative outlet
S
EMILY DOLL FOR THE POST
LAUREN MODLER PHOTOGRAPHER
cott Brooks touched a paintbrush for the first time three years ago. He came into Passion Works Studio with no art experience and no idea
of what to expect. What Brooks, who goes by the name “Scooter,” found was a supportive community that gave him a chance he never had before — the opportunity to be an artist. According to a February 2010 study published by the American Public Health Association, art therapy has been used by many cultures throughout history. Art therapy has many uses, but lacks the statistical data to back up the benefits people say they experience. Despite that lack of evidence, many Ohio University students and Athens community members utilize art therapy to improve their physical and mental states.
Scott Brooks works on a painting at Passion Works Studio on Feb. 7.
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A CREATIVE OUTLET Art therapy is a process in which individuals with disabilities practice art to express themselves in a way they may be unable to do with words, according to the American Art Therapy Association. Practices can help individuals cope with anxiety and depression, and it can give artists a sense of belonging. Passion Works, 20 E. State St., welcomes individuals with and
without disabilities to work in the studio. If someone comes in with no artistic experience, as was the case with Brooks, Passion Works has employees and volunteers available to help individuals and teach them different artistic techniques. Mallory Valentour, resident artist and production coordinator at Passion Works, has been producing art for much of her life. She’s been at Passion Works for about four years,
guiding individuals through the artistic process. She said it doesn’t matter what the artists make, just that they are taking an active role and working toward a goal. Valentour has been involved with the organization since long before she started working there. She started as a volunteer and eventually interned there in college before becoming a staff member. “I can remember walking into the first shop (Passion Works) had,” Valentour said. “The walls were decked out with flowers and I was like, ‘This is awesome. This is like Wonderland.’ ” OU offers a major in music therapy, but there is no specific art therapy program. In general, art therapy is only offered as a major at small schools with a strong focus on the arts, or as a graduate program. In Ohio, Ursuline College and Capital University offer art therapy majors, while the University of Cincinnati has a certificate program. Kayla Zehner, a freshman studying studio art, originally wanted to be an art therapy major. She was disappointed when she learned OU didn’t offer an art therapy program. Despite the option students have to create their own majors, Zehner believed that wasn’t the right choice for her. “You can create your own major, but it’s not the same as going to a place with that program,” she said. “I would love it if we had (an art therapy) major … and (I know) lots of people that would love that also.” DIFFERENT METHODS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE Art helps Brooks stay calm, he said. Some days, he comes in with a lot on his mind and feels overwhelmed. The routine of picking something to translate to canvas, sketching the design and beginning to paint helps him to relax. Similarly, Marissa Owens, a freshman studying recreation management, finds peace in creating art. She says college can get stressful, and art helps her focus. Owens has been painting since she was young. However, she recently started making bath bombs and, since coming to college, started knitting. She finds creating things, especially painting, relieves stress like nothing else can. “It’s like a cleansing thing,” she said. “I feel like it gets everything out. It’s like you’re putting your emotions on the paper.” Demetri Wolfe, an undecided
I would love it if we had (an art therapy) major … and (I know) lots of people that would love that also.” -Kayla Zehner, freshman studying studio art
sophomore, uses a different kind of art for therapy. He listens to, plays and writes music. “(Music) is just a way for me to focus all of my energy on to something else,” he said. Before coming to school, he mostly listened to music when social interactions became too stressful. Now, he said, he needs it to calm the stresses of classwork. “Playing is for the release of the intense stress when classes become unbearable,” he said. “One of my main releases … is playing on Court Street (on) Friday nights with my electric guitar.” ART IN ATHENS Places such as Passion Works are known as day rehabilitation centers, or “day-hab” for short. Facilities like it are located all over the area and can really make a difference for people. Brooks couldn’t imagine doing art anywhere else. He loves Passion Works and everyone who helps and works there. He has been coming to Passion Works every Monday and Tuesday for three years, and his friends at the studio say his abilities have improved tremendously since he started coming. He completes about one to two pieces a month, and that is not including the collaborative pieces he has worked on. David Dewey, another artist at Passion Works, has limited mobility in his hands. He mostly participates in group art pieces because his limited mobility prevents him from completing full pieces like the ones he made when originally started art therapy. Originally, he was a skilled drawer. Now, he
is unable to draw anything precise. His friends at Passion Works devised a way for him to still work on his art even with the his mobility problems. He has tools adapted specifically to fit into his hands to move with his body and help accommodate his dexterity. Painting requires less precise markings and allows Dewey to continue using art for therapy. Athens Photographic Project is another organization that utilizes art therapy. The organization differs from Passion Works in that its primary art form is photography rather than painting, drawing and sculpture. Athens Photographic Project focuses on using photography to help individuals that battle mental illnesses. They create a safe place for people to explore their creativity through photos. Nate Thomson, executive director of the Athens Photographic Project, said they focus on helping individuals diagnosed with mental illnesses cast their diagnosis aside. He said people can sometimes become fixated on their diagnosis, and it can lead people to have negative thoughts and isolate themselves. Athens Photographic Project brings community members together to help them rebuild a sense of community through photography. They can take 30-week classes, attending two days a week, with a group.
The group shares their art with each other, and at the end of the 30 weeks, artists can share their works in juried exhibitions. Thomson said sharing art and displaying photos differs from traditional art therapy in that it is less private, and being public is what helps the individuals throw off their diagnosis labels and embrace their differences. “Having public exhibitions, that’s where artists come out about their identity,” Thomson said. “They’re raising awareness of mental health and changing the culture of (it) ... they’re changing the stigma.”
TOP OF PAGE: John Coey works on a painting at Passion Works Studio on Jan. 31. ABOVE: Derek Boals paints at Passion Works Studio on Feb. 7.
ED836715@OHIO.EDU @EMILYY_DOLL THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21
the weekender
Indonesian Night to offer a glimpse of the unique culture ALEXIS EICHELBERGER FOR THE POST
What: Indonesian Night When: 6 p.m., Sunday Where: Baker Center Ballroom Admission: Adults: $8 Children (age 2-12): $5
T
he Indonesian Student Association will shed a bit of light on Ohio University’s international student body at its tenth annual celebration of Indonesian culture, music and food. This year’s Indonesian Night will be held Sunday at 6 p.m. in Baker University Center Ballroom and is themed “Mystical Java.” Java is the most densely populated island of Indonesia and home of the country’s capital city Jakarta. Moch Syifa, a graduate student studying communication and development studies and president of the Indonesian Student Association, said the organization chose Java as the focus of the evening in hopes of showing attendees the blend of cultures on the particular island. Syifa said another change to this year’s festival will be an additional focus on being a “green” event. “We try to reduce the waste during the event because we’re concerned about environmental issues,” he said. The night’s festivities will include traditional Indonesian food, a trivia contest as a small educational component and a performance of a traditional Indonesian dance. Syifa said although the dance does not originate from Java, it will be a popular attraction and will feature Indonesian and other international students as well as domes-
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Dancers perform at Indonesian Night, hosted by the Indonesian Student Association on Feb. 12 in the Baker Ballroom. (OLIVER HAMLIN / FILE)
We’ve been practicing for a month. We start from scratch. Even me, as Indonesian, I learned from scratch.” - Moch Syfia, president of the Indonesian Student Association
tic students. “We’ve been practicing for a month,” he said. “We start from scratch. Even me, as Indonesian, I learned from scratch. So that’s going to be very interesting.” Phoebe Parker, a sophomore studying political science and southeast Asian studies, is one of the domestic students taking part in the dance. She is studying Indonesian as a foreign language, which drew her to the Indonesian Student Association initially, and she participated in the festival
last year as a dancer and volunteer as well. “I never expected to learn traditional Indonesian dances, let alone actually be able to do them relatively well,” she said. Parker said Indonesian Night is a special opportunity for domestic students because there are few U.S. universities who offer Indonesian and southeast Asian programs. That, she said, is one factor that brings more Indonesian international students to OU. “You can become friends with people from really all over the world because the
international students here are really close and support each other in these events,” she said. “Not only is it fun but it makes the world feel smaller in a way.” Sudiman, a graduate student studying linguistics and a member of the Indonesian Student Association, will also be participating in the dance. In addition to preparing for the performance, he also helped coordinate the food for the event Sudiman arrived at Ohio University for the first time in August, so this Indonesian Night will be his first.
He said after being away from Indonesia for six months, he is looking forward to a taste of home. “I miss Indonesian food a lot,” he said. “This will be a good chance for me to get a taste of (it) again.” Other Indonesian students from other parts of the United States, including Chicago and Utah, will also be coming to perform and participate in the event, Sudiman said. It will be a very interesting and exciting evening,” he said. “People usually know our country by Bali, as a tourism place, or know a bit about the food and the culture. So this is a big opportunity to introduce other things that our country has.” Syifa said this year’s event will be especially meaningful in part because of the political environment of the United States. “International students have gotten some attention because of the political situation in the United States,” he said. “So this event will be (about diversity). We want to show that we are here … and we want to contribute to the community here in Athens.” @ADEICHELBERGER AE595714@OHIO.EDU
WHAT’S HAPPENING ALEX MCCANN / FOR THE POST
V
alentine’s Day is Tuesday, and love is in the air — or maybe it isn’t. On Sunday night, couples feeling unromantic, Valentine’s cynics or anyone just wanting to laugh can head to Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium for The Un-Valentine’s Show. The Un-Valentine’s Show features the talents of the Bottle Rocket Cabaret, a duo comprised of John Latini and Jamie-Sue Seal. The Bottle Rocket Cabaret combines music and comedy to create “a feel-good show disguised in backstabbing, love gone
wrong and dark little hearts,” according to the event’s Facebook page. The Bottle Rocket Cabaret is not the only musical act set to play in Athens this weekend. Four artists signed to the record label Oxide Shed are scheduled to play at The Union Bar & Grill on Friday. Qiet combines punk rock with 1920s jazz, creating “a balance of high-energy chaos and perfect order,” according to the band’s website. The High Definitions combines rock, blues and soul, while Urban Tropic blends numerous genres to create their
Friday
indie world music. Both bands are based in Columbus. Finally, singer Julia Martin will perform, backed by Athens-based rock band Water Witches. An array of electronic and indie musicians will be performing Saturday night at a house show at The Ranch, 87 1/2 W. State St. The artists set to perform include electronica duo Echo Mecca, Dayton-based indie rockers Goodnight Goodnight and Mild Movements, the solo electronic project of Ohio University student Tyler Blanck, a senior studying mu-
Saturday
What: Qiet, The High Definitions, Urban Tropic and Julia Martin with Water Witches When: 9 p.m. Where: The Union Bar & Grill, 18 W. Union St. Admission: $5 What: The Come On, Come Ons When: 6 p.m. Where: Tony’s Tavern, 7 W. State St. Admission: Free, drinks for sale What: Valentine’s Dance When: 6:30 p.m. Where: ATCO, 21 Campbell St. Admission: $2 What: The River Mason Band When: 10 p.m. Where: The Smiling Skull Saloon, 108 W. Union St. Admission: $3 What: Lioness with Crooked Spines and Salvadore Ross When: 10 p.m. Where: Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Admission: $4
sic production. Kashmerik, Comisar and ToyBaux are also on the bill. Finally, on Saturday afternoon, Little Fish Brewing Company will host a pop-up sale. A variety of locally made products will be for sale, including leatherwork, records, spoon jewelry, cosmetics, mustards and pretzels, and Little Fish’s diverse range of beers will be available as well.
Sunday What: Adyn’s Dream, Kids Art Carnival When: 12 p.m. Where: Templeton Blackburn Memorial Alumni Auditorium Admission: Donations accepted, no cover charge What: Shouts & Whispers When: 6 p.m. Where: Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Admission: Free, food and drinks for sale
Beau Nishimura, taproom manager at Little Fish Brewery, pours beer for a customer on Jan. 12. Little Fish will be holding a Hearts on Fire Pop-Up Sale on Saturday at 1 p.m. (PATRICK CONNOLLY / FILE)
What: Sequence at The Ranch, with music from Echo Mecca, Goodnight Goodnight, Mild Movements, Kashmerik, Cosimar and ToyBaux When: 9 p.m. Where: The Ranch, 87 1/2 W. State St. Admission: Donations accepted, no cover charge
What: Charles Goodwin When: 10 p.m. Where: The Smiling Skull Saloon, 108 W. Union St. Admission: $3 What: Druid with Caution Step When: 10 p.m. Where: Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Admission: $5
What: Hearts on Fire Pop-Up Sale When: 1 p.m. Where: Little Fish Brewing Company, 8675 Armitage Road Admission: Free; food, drinks and various goods for sale
@ALEXMCCANN21 AM622914@OHIO.EDU
What: Pokey LaFarge with Judy Chops When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Templeton Blackburn Memorial Alumni Auditorium Admission: $20 in advance, $25 at door What: Janice Paris When: 8 p.m. Where: Athens Uncorked, 14 Station St. Admission: Free, drinks for sale
What: Sunday Funday, with music from Word of Mouth Jazz Band and art from Passion Works Studio When: 4 p.m. Where: Jackie O’s Taproom, 25 Campbell St. Admission: Free, drinks and food for sale What: The Un-Valentine’s Show: Songs & Tales of Unforgiveness, Heartbreak, Dysfunction & Revenge When: 7 p.m. Where: Templeton Blackburn Memorial Alumni Auditorium Admission: $5 in advance, $7 at the door What: Trivia Night When: 5 p.m. Where: Little Fish Brewing Company, 8675 Armitage Road Admission: Free, drinks for sale
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