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Breaking down OU’s financial future P8 Hillel holds vigil for shooting victims P11 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2018
Their own justice The sexual assault investigation process can be grueling. Meet the teams and individuals dedicated to empowering survivors
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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Your time here won’t last forever. Savor every moment.
LAUREN FISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
This past weekend, I made a much-needed trip home to see family, decompress for a bit and catch up on sleep in the comfort of my own home. Blame it on the changing of the season, a week full of gloomy headlines or midterm stress, but Athens felt like it was in rare form — and I needed an escape. Anybody who knows me well can tell you that I suffer from near-chronic bouts of homesickness. After a month in Athens (which, I know, doesn’t sound like much), it was clearly time for a break. But something about this trip felt different. Not bad, necessarily. Just different. On a drive with my mom, we talked about the stock market. The stock market. I asked questions about things like buying a house and getting a good credit score. And in that moment, it felt like a switch had been flipped, suddenly reminding me that internship applications are due soon, and that I better start thinking about things like money and apartments and what kind of retirement plan I should sign up for if I want to live a comfortable life. Of course, those are all normal thoughts
to have. They’re the same thoughts that keep plenty of people up night after night. But at 21 years old? Wasn’t I supposed to be busy thinking about my Saturday night plans or worrying about finals? When I first started writing this column in August, I talked a little bit about how college years are often accompanied by a nagging feeling of being wedged between childhood and adulthood. And although I might have assumed that senior year would feel like a step toward the “adulthood” end of that spectrum, I’ve noticed that so many of us begin to long for the comforts of our youth instead, all the while itching for graduation day. Last week, I was in class, preparing to sit down for a lively lecture on a subject I’m opting not to name (I’ve been made very aware that my professors actually read this column), and once again, something just didn’t quite feel right. I’ve always been the type of person who gets excited about class — the person who takes handwritten notes with pastel-colored highlighters. But for whatever reason, a strange sense
of apathy began to set in. Was it dreaded “senioritis?” I flicked through my calendar and made a mental note of graduation day. It seemed far enough away. Not to sound like a broken record (or maybe your parents) here, but these four years pass you by extraordinarily fast. Before you know it, you’ll be walking in your last Homecoming Parade with a confusing feeling of “Wait, wasn’t I just doing this yesterday?” You’ll be sitting at your favorite table at Union Street Diner, laughing with friends over milkshakes and french fries, and it’ll hit you like a proverbial ton of Athens bricks. Your time here is limited, and you might be tempted to take it for granted. I, for one, hope you don’t. Enjoy every second of it and remember — it doesn’t last forever. Lauren Fisher is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editorin-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Lauren at lf966614@ohio.edu or tweet her @Lauren__Fisher. Cover Illustration by Riley Scott
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF LAUREN FISHER MANAGING EDITOR Maddie Capron DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Alex McCann ASST. MANAGING EDITOR Jessica Hill CREATIVE DIRECTOR Abby Gordon EDITORIAL NEWS EDITORS Sarah M. Penix, Ellen Wagner INVESTIGATIVE EDITOR Bailey Gallion SPORTS EDITOR Spencer Holbrook CULTURE EDITOR Alexis Eichelberger OPINION EDITOR Chuck Greenlee COPY CHIEF Laila Riaz ART ART DIRECTOR Abbey Phillips GRAPHICS EDITOR Riley Scott DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Meagan Hall DIGITAL DIGITAL PRODUCTION EDITOR Megan Knapp SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Kate Ansel BLOGS EDITOR Georgia Davis DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA Alex Penrose DIRECTOR OF PODCASTS Madeleine Peck
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Comparing MAC sexual assault ELLEN WAGNER NEWS EDITOR Ohio University had the third highest number of reports of sexual assault during the “red zone” compared to other Ohio Mid-American Conference universities, based on data from 2016-2018. The red zone refers to the first six weeks of the academic year, when sexual assault reports increase on university campuses, according to a Journal of American College Health study. This time period could also extend to the first holiday break, such as fall or Thanksgiving break. According to a study by the U.S. Department of Justice, September and October had the highest percentage of sexual assault victims that reported the incident. The numbers for the Ohio MAC universities reflect the incidents that occurred and were reported to OU, the University of Akron, Miami University, University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University and Kent State University police departments during the time period of Aug. 25 to Oct. 6 in 2016, 2017 and 2018. These incidents include rape, sexual imposition, gross sexual imposition, sexual offense, sexual battery and fondling. During that time period in 2018, the Miami University Police Department received the most reports of sexual assaults this year with 12 reports of sex offenses, according to the Miami University Police Department Clery Act Public Crime Log. In contrast, the University of Akron Police Department has no reports of sexual assault. Miami had the most sexual assault reports with 25 sexual offense incidents since 2016, and the Akron and University of Toledo police departments have the least amount of reports of sexual assault. MIAMI UNIVERSITY According to the Miami University Police Department crime and fire log, there have been 25 reports of sexual assault over the past three years between Aug. 25 and Oct. 6, with the number of reports increasing each year. In August and September 2016, MUPD
received five reports of sex offense reports, including one report of rape and one report of sexual imposition. In September and October 2017, there were eight reports of sex offense. During August and September 2018, there were 12 reports of sex offenses, which include one report of fondling, one report of sexual imposition and one report of gross sexual imposition. BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY The Bowling Green State University Police Department has received a total of 12 reports of sexual assault since 2016, with four reports each year. In 2018, BGSU Police received four Campus Safety Act, or CSA, reports. In 2017, there were three CSA reports and one report of rape. In 2016, BGSU Police received two reports of rape and two CSA reports. OHIO UNIVERSITY The Ohio University Police Department has received nine reports of sexual assault during the red zone time periods since 2016. Overall, the number of reports to OUPD have increased over the past three years. In 2016, OUPD received three reports of rape, two in September and one in October. In 2017, OUPD received one report of gross sexual imposition. Between Aug. 25 and Oct. 6, 2018, OUPD had five reports of sexual assault — three reports of rape, one report of rape and kidnapping, and one report of gross sexual imposition. KENT STATE UNIVERSITY Since 2016, the Kent State University Police Department has received four reports of sexual assault. In 2016, there were two reports of sexual assault — one report of sexual battery and one report of rape — both reported in September. There were no reports of sexual assault to KSU Police during the red zone period in 2017. In 2018, KSU Police received two reports of sexual assault — one report of rape and one report of sexual battery. According to the KSU Police reports, the rape case was reported in August, and the sexual battery incident was reported in September.
Ohio University Police Department
9 Miami University Police Department
25 University of Akron Police Department
3 Bowling Green State University Police Department
12 Kent State University Police Department
4 University of Toledo Police Department
3 INFOGRAPHIC BY ABBEY PHILLIPS
UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO The University of Toledo Police Department received three reports of sexual assault this year during the red zone period, an increase over the past three years. Between Aug. 25 and Oct. 6, 2016, the department did not receive any reports of sexual assault. In 2017, there was one report of rape, which was reported in September. According to the UTPD crime and fire log, there were two reported sex offenses in September 2018, both of which were reports of rape.
UNIVERSITY OF AKRON The University of Akron Police Department has received three reports of sexual assault since 2016, which is a decrease in reports of sexual assault during the red zone period, according to UAPD reports. So far in 2018, UAPD has not received any reports of sexual assault.
@EWAGNER19 EW047615@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 3
ENDORSEMENTS
‘Post’ Editorial Board endorses Issue 3
‘Yes’ to Issue 1 THE POST EDITORIAL BOARD This November, Ohio voters have the chance to change the way the state addresses the relationship between drug offenses in the criminal justice system. And in the midst of an overcrowded prison system and a statewide opioid crisis, it is clear that changes must be made. The Post editorial board, recognizing that need for change, endorses Issue 1, which would amend the Ohio Constitution to reduce criminal penalties for obtaining, possessing and using illegal drugs while redirecting funds saved from the reduced number of incarcerations to rehabilitation and addiction treatment. If the issue passes, it will effectively change low-level drug possession felony charges into misdemeanors, which would have a palpable impact on our state’s probation-to-prison pipeline. This issue is not one that can be taken lightly. And we do understand the vehement opposition to amending the state’s constitution and lessening penalties. Some believe that the best way to address addiction is to place harsher penalties on those who violate drug laws. However, fear-mongering rhetoric of “cartels in our neighborhoods” will only distract us from
the rehabilitation efforts necessary to placing Ohioans on the path toward recovery. Addiction is complex. It cannot simply be solved with lengthy prison sentences and felony charges that will follow a person for the rest of their life. We must realize that addiction is a healthcare issue, rather than a criminal one. Those experiencing addiction suffer tremendous consequences that are only compounded through years of incarceration. For years, our reporters have chronicled Ohioans’ battles with opioid addiction. Often times, it may seem like the easier option to turn to the criminal justice system to solve uncomfortable problems. But we know this doesn’t work. It’s no secret that the prison systems in Ohio face overcrowding. Even in our own backyards, facilities have taken the step towards a rehabilitation facility to solve the opioid crisis. The Hocking Correctional Unit, for example, is undergoing renovations to turn the building into a treatment facility that will help combat drug addiction. It’s time we turn away from the system that tears families apart, stymies progress and places punishment above rehabilitation. Issue 1 may not be perfect, but it’s a step we need to take to change the way we address addiction.
THE POST EDITORIAL BOARD In a nation that doesn’t seem to find much common ground, we can take some solace in knowing that the importance of education is something we tend to agree on. Our local students deserve to spend their formative years in an environment where they feel safe and comfortable — an environment that is conducive to learning. That’s why the editorial board of The Post, recognizing the need for improved facilities, endorses Issue 3, which would approve the Athens City School District’s $60.5 million capital improvement levy. If the issue passes, the building plan calls for the construction of two new pre-K to third-grade schools at the current sites of Morrison-Gordon and East Elementary schools. The Plains Elementary would be completely renovated for grades 4-6, Athens Middle School would be renovated for grades 7-8, and a new high school would be constructed for grades 9-12. The new plan would also address the socioeconomic segregation that has long been subject to scrutiny within the district. We understand the opposition to Issue 3, because frankly, the concerns raised by many local residents are valid. Some local
residents are concerned not only about increased property taxes, but question whether or not new buildings are the best option for the future of the district. But the targeting of student voters with anonymously placed signs warning of higher rent prices ignores the reality of the issue at hand, focusing on penny pinching rather than on educational benefits. To compare the price of a few cases of beer with the price of rebuilding our city’s schools is downright offensive. One Post reader, who is a member of the ABC Committee, shared just a few of the problems the schools have faced due to deteriorating facilities. The middle school, he said, was almost unable to open at the beginning of the school year because of a water pump that needed replacing. He also noted that several tests have revealed unhealthy levels of carbon dioxide in the air due to inadequate ventilation in several Morrison-Gordon Elementary classrooms. Ultimately, the longer we put off these renovations, the more it’s likely to cost down the road. By voting to repair and rebuild sooner rather than later, we play our part in securing a better educational outlook for our local students, and therefore, a better outcome for all of us.
ALL SHOOK UP
America’s political divide wedges further Last week I wrote about the divide between the two U.S. political parties that is threatening their abilities and performance, which NICK became vindicated this SHOOK week after a series of 13 is a senior bombs were mailed to studying 11 different prominent political democratic voices. science preThe prestigious law at Ohio University. list of targets ranged from former President Barack Obama, to former Vice President Joe Biden, to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Prominent political speakers like Robert De Niro
4 / NOV. 1, 2018
and George Soros also received packages that were determined to have potentially dangerous devices in them. A package was sent to former Director of the CIA John Brennan and delivered by courier to CNN’s offices at the Time Warner Center in New York. The entire building had to be evacuated while the newsroom was live on-air. On Friday, authorities arrested and charged Cesar Sayoc, a registered Republican who has a history of arrests that includes a previous bomb threat in Miami-Dade County in 2002. This type of activity, less than two weeks prior to the midterm elections, begs the question of an emerging trend. With the two-party system more polarized than
ever, the rising trend of frustrated constituents and radical outbursts of danger by extremists like Cesar Sayoc may come to fruition. We are playing a very dangerous game in Congress that is starting to purvey unto civilians’ lives and well-being. Acts such as these ought to demand the utmost gravity from our justice department, and justice must fall swift as an axe. For when behavior like this begins, the blame game is only exacerbated. This policy has been employed this past week when prominent high-profile conservatives deemed the bomb threats as a “false flag” attack coming from members of the democratic party seeking to gain solicitude and support in the coming midterm elections. Several Fox
News guest analysts suggested that the threats were “false flag” attempts as well. While in this political state of uncertainty, one thing we can be certain of is the continued incoherence of our political system and the perpetuation of “fake news.” The ability, or inherent lack, of political parties to combat “fake news” claims is only a continuance of the blame game that is exhausting our ability to respectfully debate, as well as crippling the gleam of hope that so many constituents have lost sight of due to inadequacy and political ruin. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Let Nick know by emailing him at ns258814@ohio.edu.
MISCHIEF MANAGED
It’s time for a ‘Harry Potter’ television series GEORGIA DAVIS is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University.
Late last week, there was speculation that the entire Harry Potter series was going to be available to stream on Netflix. Unfortunately, that’s not entirely true because the franchise will be available on the streaming platform in countries outside the U.S. The news comes as a major blow to Harry Potter fans in the U.S., but there is an upside: if Netflix is temporarily getting the rights to the movies, it could then strike up a deal to make a full-fledged TV series. Potterheads have wanted this for years, and Netflix even hinted at the possibility of a series set for late 2020. Now, if Netflix would have announced a Harry Potter series a few years ago, it would have been a disaster. There would have been upsides to it, but HBO would have been a better platform for the show, as it would have fit in better with its online content. At the time, Netflix Original Series were hit-or-miss, and the platform wouldn’t have done
the book series justice. But Netflix has moved in a more serious direction with its adult streaming content. It has moved to darker, more sophisticated approaches, especially with the release of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and The Haunting of Hill House. Even Stranger Things can be scary but comical. Harry Potter heading to Netflix would not be a bad decision now. It has been only seven years since Deathly Hallows: Part 2 came out in theaters, but it’s not too early to start. Feature-length films are restricted by time. Not many people want to sit through a three-hour movie, so liberties have to be taken when adapting a book. Different plot points are left out and characters are completely removed. In Goblet of Fire, the events and backstory of the book series were completely altered to make it a seamless movie that
made sense. But if you ask Harry Potter fans about the poltergeist Peeves being left out, you should be ready for an hour long rant about how that was a stupid decision. A Harry Potter TV series could only exist on a streaming platform. There are too many guidelines on primetime TV and ideas would flow more freely at Netflix. Although it might be hard to imagine any actors other than Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in the roles of the “Golden Trio,“ it would be nice to see a darker, truer version of the beloved book series. And Netflix would be the platform to do it. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you think a Harry Potter television series is a good idea? Tell Georgia by tweeting her at @georgiadee35.
THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5
POLICE BLOTTER
Student tumbles down Jeff Hill; drugs found in dorm JACKIE OSBORNE SLOT EDITOR
and was transported to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, pending his sobriety.
the man “may have a rodent in the ceiling.” No further action was taken.
Walking up or down Jefferson Hill is always a struggle, but it’s even worse if you fall down it. While on patrol on Jefferson Hill at about 2 a.m. on Sunday, an Ohio University Police officer saw a man fall forward while trying to walk down the steps, almost hitting his face on the steps. The student was slurring his speech, smelled of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet, according to the report. He was arrested for disorderly conduct by intoxication and taken to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, pending his sobriety.
A POT OF TROUBLE On Friday at about 11 p.m., OUPD responded to a report of a resident assistant locating a bag of drugs in the lobby of Gamertsfelder Hall. Upon investigation, a student was located outside of the front lobby. He was unsure of his whereabouts, had bloodshot eyes and was unsteady on his feet. According to the report, the student was arrested for disorderly conduct by intoxication and cited for possession of marijuana. He was taken to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, pending his sobriety.
WHERE AM I? On Sunday at about 2 a.m., an 18-yearold man was “found intoxicated” on Rufus Drive, according to an OUPD report. He smelled of alcohol, had watery eyes, was slurring his speech and was unsteady on his feet. He also had vomit on him. The student did not know where he was or how to get where he was going. He was also incapable of contacting someone to take responsibility for him. He was arrested for underage alcohol consumption and taken to Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail, pending his sobriety.
UNWANTED GUEST While on patrol near Bromley Hall, an OUPD officer was flagged down by a woman on Friday at about 10 p.m. The woman said an intoxicated man was on her porch on High Street. The 19-year-old OU student had bloodshot eyes, smelled of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet, according to the report. He was arrested for underage consumption
RATS! Deputies responded to a complaint of prowlers on Shelby Road on Oct. 24. The man said he heard someone on his roof. Deputies checked the residence and found no evidence of someone being outside the residence or on the roof. There were also no marks or imprints in the frost. According to the report, it is believed
CHOPPED ‘N’ SHOPPED The Athens County Sheriff’s Office took a report of vehicle vandalism Friday. A man said he had dropped his vehicle off at a friend’s house for maintenance Thursday. When he drove by on Friday, he saw the vehicle had been stripped for parts. Deputies located the vehicle and confirmed it had been cut up and stripped for parts, according to the report. The case
was determined to be a civil issue. HAPPY HOLIDAYS On Oct. 24, the sheriff’s office responded to an alarm activation at Dollar General on United Lane. The business was checked and found to be secure. According to the report, holiday decorations were being moved, causing the alarm. BATHROOM BOY On Friday at about 11 p.m., an OUPD officer responded to a report of an intoxicated man in the fourth-floor men’s restroom in Ewing House. The 19-year-old student had bloodshot eyes, was slurring his speech and smelled of alcohol. When Athens County EMS arrived, the student was brought to his feet and was unable to stand without assistance, according to the report. He was transported to OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital for treatment and charged with underage consumption.
@JACKIEOU_OHYEAH JO019315@OHIO.EDU
NEWS BRIEFS
Priest charged with sexual battery; candidates debate SARAH M. PENIX NEWS EDITOR CATHOLIC PRIEST CHARGED WITH EIGHT COUNTS OF SEXUAL BATTERY A Catholic priest was charged Tuesday in Athens County Municipal court with eight counts of sexual battery. Henry Christopher Foxhoven, 45, of Glouster, was accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a minor between Aug. 17, 2018, to Oct. 25, 2018, according to a news release from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office. The minor is a member of Holy Cross in Glouster, Ohio; one of Foxhoven’s two parishes. The Diocese of Steubenville reported the allegations on Oct. 27 when it became aware of the matter. Detective Ryan Gillette ordered a search warrant of Foxhoven’s residence on Monday and was joined by the Athens County Prosecutor’s office, Athens County sheriff Rodney Smith said in a news release. Authorities found several used 6 / NOV. 1, 2018
condoms and a used pregnancy test with a positive indication. Foxhoven is scheduled to appear before the Athens County Municipal Court for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 29. On Tuesday, Bishop George Murry, of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, announced a list of names of those who have been accused of sexual abuse of a minor and have been reported to civil authorities dating back to 1943. The Diocese of Steubenville plans to release a list of priests by the end of October who have been accused of sexual crimes, dating back decades. THE FIGHT FOR THE 15TH: NEAL AND STIVERS DEBATE IN ATHENS Steve Stivers, R-Upper Arlington, and Democratic challenger Rick Neal got into a contentious debate Tuesday at Ohio University and took jabs at each other over issues like health care, LGBT rights and civility. Neal, a Columbus native will try and un-
seat Stivers to represent Ohio’s 15th Congressional District on Nov. 6. Athens County is one of 12 counties in the district that Stivers has held for four consecutive terms since beating Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy in 2011. The first question asked was whether the candidates supported President Donald Trump’s proposal that would end to the constitutional right to citizenship for babies born in the United States to non-citizen immigrants. Neal said that Trump is just trying to rile up the Republican base before the elections and said the U.S. needs to work towards giving aid to the countries where these immigrants are from to help reduce uncontrolled migration. Stivers agreed that changing birthright citizenship is not the right way to fix immigration in the U.S., and said making an executive order to change a constitutional amendment is wrong. Stivers said he wants to see policies that secure the border, stop family separation, give legal status to De-
ferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and fix the legal immigration system. Despite what seemed like an agreeable start to the debate, things quickly took a turn. The candidates disagreed or had an argument for every question that followed. Stivers was asked about his job as the chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC), and how it promotes and funds campaign advertisements that are divisive. Joe Hallett, the moderator of the debate, also asked Stivers about a recent advertisement used in a Minnesota Republican campaign that is said to have used anti-semitic imagery. Stivers said he asks that all ads that are funded by the NRCC are truthful and fair, but his role in the NRCC does not involve making the ads. Stivers quoted an article from The Columbus Dispatch which says that Neal’s claims are “dubious.”
@SARAHMPENIX SP936115@OHIO.EDU
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Forecasting OU’s financial future LOGAN MOORE ASST. NEWS EDITOR As Ohio University’s fall financial review meetings come to an end, the Budget Planning Council prepares to undertake discussions regarding projections for the 2020 fiscal year and forecasts for the 2019 fiscal year. RESULTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018 Final assumptions regarding fiscal year 2020 will be made in December as more data becomes known throughout the year, Katie Hensel, OU budget director, said. Budget changes in revenue and expenses are dependent on the upcoming elections. “If in November we get an indication that our state (financial) support might be changing positively or negatively, we could change our planning assumption in December,” Hensel said. “The same thing is true for our tuition. If we get an indication that there may be some ability to raise tuition, we would make that decision in December.” The university performed better in both budgeted revenues and expenses for 2018, Vice President for Finance and Administration Deb Shaffer said at October’s Board of Trustees meeting. Revenues include net graduate and undergraduate tuitions, state appropriations, room and board, grants, private support and internal and external sales, according to the university budget book. Results for Fall 2018 enrollment decreased 3.9 percent. Approximately 4,000 freshmen enrolled in the university, a 1.6 percent decrease from last year. Regional campuses had a student enrollment decrease of 6.8 percent. Tuition revenue was also influenced by tuition caps that slow revenue by limiting the amount an institution can increase tuition from year to year. Fiscal year 2019 is the fourth year of a zero percent tuition cap for state universities in Ohio and the second year of zero percent statewide appropriation growth to universities, according to the university budget book. Net graduate tuition revenue for 2018 totaled $10,000, and net undergraduate tuition revenue totaled $30.3 million. Results for auxiliary revenues for room and board in 2018 were $92.2 million total, $700,000 away from the projected revenue of $92.9 million. 8 / NOV. 1, 2018
“Revenues and expenses align closely with the budget. (While) external sales and grants also align, they happen in the academic sphere,” Shaffer said. “Auxiliaries did slightly better on revenues, driven by additional gifts of $2 million.” FORECASTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2019 Results for fiscal year 2019 are not yet concrete, but first quarter results indicate that the numbers will be better than what’s been budgeted, Shaffer said. The Board of Trustees also approved budget and revenue net transfers for 2019 operating activity. This includes net transfers and draws on reserves. For example, data for various colleges within OU suggests that there will be a contribution budget of $4.6 million to a $2.2 million surplus, Shaffer said. Though
the budgets and forecasts are consolidated into all colleges within the university, it is likely there will be different results for each college. Additionally, another meeting will take place in which updates will be provided by the Benefits Advisory Council, Hensel said. The council will give an update on the status of benefit OU provides as a university in addition to the anticipated incremental costs for things like health insurance and benefit position for the upcoming fiscal year. PLANNING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 “Going into November is when we start looking at possible rate increases from both our auxiliary units as well as what we want to start planning for tuition increases as we head into fiscal year
2020,” Hensel said. Net undergraduate enrollment assumptions suggest that 16,688 students will enroll, compared to the Fall 2019 projected number of 16,992. Changes will be made to budget planning, however, depending on the actual amount of students that enroll, Shaffer said. Projected net tuition for fiscal year 2020 is $170.1 million with financial aid projected at $58.3 million. Colleges within OU are in the process of submitting fiscal year 2020 initial budget planning. The initial plans will be reviewed and sent back to the college planning units for further review.
@LOGANR_MOORE LM849615@OHIO.EDU
Testing technology The law school aptitude test will be offered in a digital format HARDIKA SINGH FOR THE POST Students who plan to take the Law School Aptitude Test, or LSAT, in July 2019 do not know if they will be taking a digital or pencil-and-paper-based exam. For the July 2019 test, the Law School Admission Council, or LSAC, said some test takers will take the exam with pencil and paper, while others will take the digital test, which is referred to as the “best practice under educational testing standards for moving to a new testing method,” in a news release. “I would imagine that would bring a lot of anxiety to the students,” Larry Hayman, a pre-law adviser and specialist at the Center for Law, Justice & Culture, said. The Law School Admission Council announced the changes through a news release on its website on Oct. 3. “The LSAT will be fully digital in North America starting in September 2019. We’ve planned this transition carefully to ensure candidates have all the information they need to decide their preferred testing schedule,” Kellye Testy, president and CEO of the Law School Admission Council, said in the news release. The LSAT’s content will remain the same, but will be administered nine times in 2019-2020 instead of six. Hayman warned the students who plan to take the LSAT to be aware of the recent changes. The July takers of the LSAT will have the option to see their scores, regardless of the format, before they decide if they want to cancel it. Those who decide to cancel can choose to retake the test again through April 2020, free of charge, according to the news release. The exam will be administered on tablets, which have patented software, developed by LSAC and includes features that will benefit test takers, test takers with disabilities and schools, including faster reporting of scores starting in July, according to LSAC. The Center for Law, Justice & Culture has mock exams that are administered to give practice to the students. The cen-
LSAT prep books in Alden Library. (MIDGE MAZUR / FOR THE POST)
ter still has to make changes to the way it administers the LSAT mock exam from pencil and paper to tablets, Hayman said. “We need to be thinking about how we’re going to be able to try to best take that in a practice setting,” Hayman said. “The answer is we don’t know what we’re going to do to adjust to the new format.” The LSAT being administered on a tablet is not a common practice, Hayman said. He thinks the LSAC is using tablets because it was not comfortable with the level of security that other tests have. Hayman thinks the changes are good because it makes it accessible to more students. He added that most testing formats are digital these days and students will also be able to receive their scores back faster. It will be a better experience for students as they are more used to digital devices rather than pencil and paper, he said. Kaitlyn Newmann, a senior studying economics and pre-law, however, prefers pencil and paper test method because she feels like she gets distracted by tablets. Newmann thinks the books for LSAT preparation will now be produced less, as
“
The world is becoming more digital so they have to keep up with it, and we have to be adaptable to those changes, and it saves trees.”
- Kaitlyn Newmann, a senior studying economics and pre-law most of the study material is available online. “The world is becoming more digital so they have to keep up with it,” Newmann said. “And we have to be adaptable to those changes, and it saves trees.” Olivia Gemarro, who is pursuing a certificate in law, justice and culture, is not too happy about the transition, as she said she can type faster on a computer or a phone than on a tablet. “You can’t hold it in your hands and use your thumbs to type,” Gemarro, a soph-
omore studying English creative writing, said. “I hope it doesn’t affect my speed when taking the exam because ultimately, speed is everything.” Gemarro, who plans to take the LSAT in September 2019, said getting all the questions done in a timely manner is equally important as getting the right answers. In a perfect world everyone would have a tablet, but we don’t, Gemarro said. In June, the LSAC launched a completely free LSAT preparatory course in collaboration with Khan Academy. Despite changes to the test format, Gemarro is excited about all the resources available on Khan Academy for LSAT preparation. “I think it will definitely be really helpful because those books are so expensive,” she said. “And, you’re only going to use them for maybe a few months when you’re studying for the exam. I think it’s great that everyone will have equal access to these resources now.”
@HARDIKASINGH28 HS152416@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9
Rep. Jay Edwards during a debate against Taylor Sappington on Monday. (BLAKE NISSEN / PHOTO EDITOR)
Ohio House of Representatives candidate Taylor Sappington during a debate against Rep. Jay Edwards on Monday. (BLAKE NISSEN / PHOTO EDITOR)
Jay Edwards and Taylor Sappington spar over state funding, abortion and Issue 1 in debate GEORGE SHILLCOCK FOR THE POST Jay Edwards and Taylor Sappington participated in a civil and rarely contentious debate at Ohio University on Monday. The debate focused on who will best represent southeast Ohioans. The questions posed by moderator DeLysa Burnier, a professor of political science at Ohio University, spotlighted major issues such as campaign finance, abortion, poverty, State Issue 1 and infrastructure. Sappington, the Democratic candidate, spent much of the debate directing criticism not towards Edwards, the Republican incumbent, but instead at the Ohio Statehouse, which is currently held by a Republican supermajority. Ohio Republicans also hold every state office and hold a majority on the Ohio Supreme Court based on the state party nominations of justices prior to the nonpartisan general elections. When both candidates were asked about what policies they would support to help impoverished people from Southeast Ohio, Sappington said he would support various initiatives such as hiking the minimum wage, reforming education and reducing college tuition by putting surplus tax dollars to work. “The Statehouse can do that and a supermajority statehouse can do that today … but they haven’t,” Sappington said. “This is one of the reasons I am running, because we can 10 / NOV. 1, 2018
see what they care about in Columbus and I’d like to inject new ideas.” Edwards said they have to look at ways to increase opportunity by combating the opioid epidemic and get more people into higher education by making it affordable. He said that being a member of the Appalachian Caucus in the Statehouse sets him apart from the rest of the Republicans because he has to work to represent the interests of this region rather than big cities like Columbus, Cleveland or Cincinnati. “We are working on many projects right here in this region both across the aisle and with fellow Republicans to figure out poverty issues and address them,” Edwards said. The candidates were asked multiple times how they would seek funds for infrastructure projects, improvement of rural broadband and providing funding to local governments. Sappington was in favor of using the rainy day fund for these projects, while Edwards was against it. Sappington said he believes rural broadband should be a public utility rather than something regulated by private corporations. He said the $2.7 billion in Ohio’s rainy day fund should be used to projects like these in addition to other things. “Everyone just wants these damn potholes to go away,” Sappington said. Edwards said that it is OK to save money
and have a rainy day fund, and the money saved up in this fund should only be used in the case of an economic crisis. Edwards agreed that they should find other ways to fund it, but cautioned restraint on spending. “I know many of you probably go out on a Saturday night. I don’t think you’ll want to spend all the funds in your bank and max out your credit card right before you went Uptown,” Edwards said. “It’d make for a pretty boring Saturday night.” Both candidates are graduates of OU, and the conversation eventually turned to the issue of college affordability. Burnier asked the candidates how they would reduce the cost of attending a public university. Edwards said that he wants to see an increase in need-based grants and scholarships among colleges and universities. He said that even though Ohio is ranked 45 out of 50 among states for college affordability, he is proud that tuition growth has remained stagnant due to programs such as the OHIO Guarantee at OU. Sappington took a different approach and said that those increases are rooted in how the state government has reduced funding to state colleges. “As they have cut taxes in the Statehouse over the last 8 years and they have cut the budget for higher education, they have the nerve to say they don’t know what to do,” Sappington said. “We have to talk about what changed in Columbus and how
to change it back.” The candidates were asked how they would work across the aisle and promote bipartisanship within the state legislature and if they have views on issues that they are not in line with their party on. Sappington did not give any specific examples of right-leaning positions he may have, but he said there are a variety of issues that will receive bipartisan support. “You have to work on issues like infrastructure, like broadband expansion where there is broad agreement,” Sappington said. “We can work on these things together.” Edwards said he is very supportive of workers unions, something that is seen as traditionally Democratic. He talked about how numerous local and statewide labor unions have endorsed his campaign over Sappington’s. “I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about bills and whether they are Democrat or Republican,” Edwards said. “I like to base my views on right or wrong rather than right or left.” Through the rest of the debate the candidates disagreed on party lines about abortion, campaign finance, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) and State Issue 1.
@SHILLCOCKGEORGE GS261815@OHIO.EDU
Stronger Together Hillel organized a vigil to remember the 11 people killed during the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting HARDIKA SINGH FOR THE POST “Stronger Together,” a candlelight vigil against anti-Semitism, took place Monday evening as a collaborative effort to combat hate and violence, and to spread love. The vigil was organized from 5:306:30 p.m. by Jordyn Zimmerman, who is involved with Hillel as part of the international student cabinet, with the help and sponsorship of others in connection with the Pittsburgh shooting that killed 11 people on Saturday. The vigil began with remarks from Zimmerman, a junior studying education policy, who talked about the importance of spreading love during a time of hate. She also has personal connections with Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue, where the shooting took place. Alec Charron, a sophomore studying strategic communication, thought it was moving to see hundreds of people at the event. “It’s amazing to see people partake in the Jewish traditions even if they aren’t Jewish, in support,” Charron. Ohio University President Duane Nellis spoke about how the vigil displayed the heart and soul of what the university believes in. “It’s important to show support for our people that are of Jewish faith in our community,” Nellis said. “Also, particularly, our Jewish students that we have at Ohio University, and on a tragic time as we reflect on those that were lost in Pittsburgh.” Zachary Reizes, a senior studying global studies war and peace, helped organize the event with Zimmerman. The event took him a day-and-a-half to plan. “I realized as soon as she asked that it was something I needed to have done for my own healing,” Reizes, said. Jackie Levine, a senior studying communications, liked the candlelight vigil, but was upset that Reizes was distributing brochures about early voting toward the end of the vigil.
“
It’s important to show support for our people that are of Jewish faith in our community. Also, particularly, our Jewish students that we have at Ohio University, and on a tragic time as we reflect on those that were lost in Pittsburgh.” - Duane Nellis, Ohio University President
Junior Jordyn Zimmerman lights a candle for President Duane Nellis during a candlelight vigil on Monday held in honor of the victims of the shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue. (HANNAH RUHOFF / PHOTO EDITOR)
Levine, who is president of Chabad, said people she knew were concerned about coming to the candlelight vigil because they were afraid the topic would shift to the upcoming election. “I wish politics wasn’t brought up in it,” Levine said. “We’re here to come as a community, and to deter from that, to express your own political concerns is not what we came for. And for you to organize this event and to turn to that is just very inappropriate.” Levi Raichik, rabbi at Chabad, was impressed by the amount of people who showed up for the event. He wants Jewish students to continue to show their Jewish pride and to not be intimidated by the events that took place Saturday in Pittsburgh. “It doesn’t matter what my religious beliefs are or what race I am.” Brandi Baker, an Athens resident, said. “At the end of the day, these are still my brothers and sisters in Christ.” Ian McKenzie and Mikayla Rochelle contributed to this report.
@HARDIKASINGH28 HS152416@OHIO.EDU
People light candles at the Stronger Together vigil hosted by Hillel on Monday for the victims of the mass shooting that took place at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. (HARLEY WINCE / FOR THE POST)
THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 11
Honey for the Heart Take a look back at how Athens rang in its favorite holiday with the vibrant sights and sounds of the Honey for the Heart parade
Participants smile as they walk down Court Street during Passion Works’ Honey for the Heart parade. (BLAKE NISSEN / PHOTO EDITOR)
Athens Mayor Steve Patterson smiles while marching down Court Street during Passion Works’ Honey for The Heart parade at the start of the Athens Halloween Block Party. (BLAKE NISSEN / PHOTO EDITOR)
Participants march down Court Street during Passion Works’ Honey for The Heart parade at the start of the Athens Halloween Block Party. (BLAKE NISSEN / PHOTO EDITOR)
12 / NOV. 1, 2018
Participants play drums as they march down Court Street during Passion Works’ Honey for the Heart parade. (GEORGIA DAVIS / BLOGS EDITOR)
Children dressed as members of the OU Marching 110 parade down Court Street under Passion Works’ Honey for The Heart banner at the start of the Athens Halloween Block Party. (BLAKE NISSEN / PHOTO EDITOR)
ILLUSTRATION BY JASMIN GONCALO
Traditions of their own ESTHER AULIS-CABRERA FOR THE POST Día de los Muertos, an annual party for the dead, is being celebrated differently by the up-and-coming Lantinx generation. Although families may be celebrating the dead, they’re also celebrating the visit of their passed family members. Día de los Muertos goes a lot deeper and may be more cross-cultural than other holidays. But some have begun to wonder if the time-honored tradition can survive with the new wave of Latinx. Día de los Muertos has deep roots in indigenous culture, but is now more closely associated with Christianity. Although the holiday is closely associated with the religion, mostly due to the col-
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Día de Los Muertos, I feel like, is more centered around the passing of your family members and people you have loved that have moved on to a better life.” - Analee Davis, a freshman studying English and Spanish
onization of the Americas by Spain, it began as an Aztec tradition about 3,000 years ago. When the Spaniards came to the Americas in the 16th century, the holiday, originally celebrated in the summer, was moved to coincide with the Catholic All Saints Day and All Souls Day. That’s how the celebration spread around the Americas, and that’s why the holiday is celebrated by many countries but called different names by each. Día de los Muertos is its Mexican name. In Mexico, people gather in the cemeteries and collectively clean the graves, party and honor their dead. Such an old traditional holiday can lose its value with each generation, and it seems that some young Latinx are disassociating more and more with the religious aspect. Although the holiday has spread, Día
de los Muertos is a Mexican tradition and shouldn’t be generalized as part of all traditions in Latin America. That’s how Guatemalan Analee Davis, a freshman studying English and Spanish, knows the holiday. To Davis, the holiday is not foreign to her, but she celebrates Día de todos los Santos, not Día de Los Muertos. “We also celebrate the fact [people] have gone, and they’re hopefully in heaven and all that good stuff,” Davis said. “It’s not as centered around death as Día de los Muertos is.” Davis said that in some ways, Día de los Muertos and Día de todos los Santos are similar, but there are bigger differences between the holidays. “Día de Los Muertos, I feel like, is more centered around the passing of your family members and people you have loved that have moved on to a better life,” Davis said. “Whereas, with Día de los Santos, it’s not anything regarding your loved ones or their passing. It’s about being together and celebrating your religion.” Día de los Muertos is traditionally celebrated in southern Mexico in places like Oaxaca, a Mexican state, which hold a lot of the tradition and importance around the holiday. Rosa Aviña, a junior studying marketing, is from Oaxaca, Mexico. Aviña is closely tied to the holiday, having celebrated it her whole life. “I’m agnostic,” she said. “My mom is very, very Catholic, but (Día de los Muertos) is something that I absolutely love.” Aviña said even though the holiday may be closely related to Catholicism now, she embraces it more as a cultural tradition. For Aviña, it’s a lot less religious and more about celebrating a culture that has always been a part of her. Aviña will celebrate this year differently rather than practicing the tradition with which she grew up. “While my mom will pray, I will just light a candle and leave the food out,” she said. Both Aviña and Davis feel the strong connections to their cultures, and these celebrations amplify those connections. Whether it’s making fiambre, a Guatemalan traditional dish made on Día de los Santos, or an ofrenda, a traditional Mexican altar made for the dead, both women will continue to celebrate parts of their culture. “I might go to Nelson Court and make a fiambre on the fly and maybe text my friends ‘¡Feliz Dia!’” Davis said. Although traditions may change and evolve generation by generation, Dia de los Muertos will continue to be celebrated and connect families — both living and dead — together.
@EST_AIRMAR_E EA000417@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13
Rusty Fields, a sophomore studying screen writing, (right) tenses in a sword fight in between sections of his English 2100 class, a Live Action Role Playing class, on Monday. (BLAKE NISSEN / PHOTO EDITOR)
DJ Wilkins, a junior studying strategic communications, listens to instructions before the start of her English 2100 class, a Live Action Role Playing class, on Monday. (BLAKE NISSEN / PHOTO EDITOR)
Fantasy literature is applicable to real world with help of LARPing BAYLEE DEMUTH STAFF WRITER Edmond Chang has always considered himself as a fantasy freak. Once he was given the opportunity to do a focus group on LARPing (live-action role playing) in graduate school, his love for introducing people to the practice blew up from then on. “Live action games are really interesting,” Chang, an assistant professor of English, said. “There are very few times you get to do the thing or be the thing, and in my class, students get to experience just that.” Chang teaches English 2100: Critical Approaches to Reading, Writing, and Playing Fantasy. This is the first semester the class has ever been offered. Chang’s students are challenged to think about the ways that U.S. culture doesn’t fully embrace fantasy. The course uses fantasy literature and popular culture to think, talk and write about the real world. “This is another way for us to explore identities,” Chang said. “In this class we’re talking about race, gender, sexuality, class and ability, all in the context of fantasy novels and literature, but also in LARP.” The class began the semester by reading early fantasy primarily written by straight, white men. Students are challenged to think about who gets to be the hero, who tells the story and who sur14 / NOV. 1, 2018
vives, Chang said. “Near the end we’ll read only recent fantasy written by people of color and think about if the genre has changed,” Chang said. “Do the conventions get shifted? What does it look like to have characters that aren’t stock characters? These are all questions students are asked.” The students apply those questions through the LARP game Archaea, which was created by Chang himself. He has had previous experience running the game, so he figured it would be the easiest way to teach his class. “I think it’s pretty easy to make a character. It’s harder to start interfacing with the world, but the students are already getting used to what they need to do,” Chang said. “So hopefully as they do that, they won’t think about the rules or second guess themselves and just play.” In Archaea, all of the characters are human, but there is no end goal the students must reach because it’s about what they experience along the way. The students focus mainly on the culture and politics of the game, Chang said. “The LARP part is a time to see if these issues come up in the game as well,” Chang said. “Does the game make room for things like different representations of gender and race? Do we want to go there and think about what they mean?”
Chang could teach this as a straight reading course, but there is something about experiential learning he thinks is valuable enough to put these ideas and practices into motion. “It lets students practice other skills than just reading and writing,” Chang said. “Also, there are ways we can look at literature that will help us think through the choices we would actually make.” In the short time Chang has taught his students, he has seen a significant change in their perspectives of their everyday lives. “One of the things they’ve gained a lot of is being aware of the world around them,” Chang said. “With LARPing, even though it’s fun and interesting, a lot of students have built confidence within themselves.” Fantasy and LARPing have been large parts of Chang’s life, and he’s grateful he gets to share his love for fantasy in an experiential environment with students. “In a lot of ways, I’m blending English with a gym class and a theater class, so that’s awesome,” Chang said. “It’s a lot of fun, and I wouldn’t do it otherwise.” Julian Shepherd, a senior studying creative writing, was looking for a fun class to take and decided on English 2100. “I really like it. I’m a pretty shy person, but it’s still a lot of fun,” Shepherd said. “I’ve never tried LARPing before because it’s kind of weird to walk in to a really male-domi-
nated space, but it’s more structured here, so I feel a lot better about it.” Shepherd has thoroughly enjoyed the class thus far and encourages other people to take it as well. “It’s more fun than I thought it’d be, so I would definitely do it again. I’ve learned a lot about diplomatic teamwork, too,” Shepherd said. “I would encourage other people to take it if they’re ready to really do it. They need to be prepared coming in that this is a thing that’s happening.” Dominique Edwards, a junior studying creative writing, had no idea the class would be the way it is. “It was a very different experience, and it’s nothing like I expected it to be. I love it though,” Edwards said. “It’s a lot more hands-on. We do a lot of stuff geared toward being in fantasy and what it means to us.” Edwards has learned a lot from Chang regarding real world application, and Edwards thinks that’s really cool. “Fantasy is a lot deeper than what we make it out to be, especially on gender, race and sexuality,” Edwards said. “I really like how my eyes are open to those kinds of things because I used to not really care for it. Now, I look for it in everything, and it’s really cool to apply fantasy to my real life.”
@BAYLEEDEMUTH BD575016@OHIO.EDU
Albany artist uses the land to inspire his work RILEY RUNNELLS FOR THE POST Albany is home to many acres of land and a strong emphasis on agriculture. For most people, this simply means a sustainable lifestyle. But for artist Matt Wedel, the agriculture of Albany is a work of art. When Wedel moved to Albany, he was very interested in the local and sustainable agriculture movement, which started to influence his work. Agriculture, landscape and culture became the springboard for his practice. His artwork is created in Albany, but most of it is shown at a gallery in Los Angeles called the L.A. Louver. “As a young artist, it’s nice to have a studio and live in this area because it allows me to function and have a big space and make the work that I’m really excited about in terms of scale,” Wedel said. “It’s the type of work that I would be really restricted from if I was living in L.A.” Wedel has always had a rich background in art. His father was a potter. As a young boy, Wedel would work with him. Through this work, he was exposed to ceramic history and was inspired to go to art school. He attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for his undergraduate degree, and he attended California State University, Long Beach, for his master’s degree. After school, he and his wife Coral got married and decided to move back to her hometown of Albany. His studies proved that ceramics were truly his medium. During his undergraduate coursework, he started working with metal but switched to clay because it felt like a more personal foundation that connected him to his father. Ceramics seemed far removed from the traditional art form and were a great way for him to pursue something he loved while also being able to absorb some of the culture of the artistic hierarchies. “I didn’t feel like I had to participate in the traditional dialogue,” Wedel said. “There was some type of independence with ceramics,
like I could make my own rules.” As for his creative process, Wedel never does drawings. He isn’t interested in a translation of an idea, he is more interested in forming the idea as it comes. He begins by seeing an object in a space and then starts to work on it. This work will inspire ideas for multiple other pieces, which then will cultivate ideas for even more pieces, and soon his studio is full. That makes him stop, slow down and complete the initial idea that sparked the other works. “I work by uncovering through action and finding the balance between the work teaching you where to go versus you imposing the idea on the work,” Wedel said. In addition to his artistic skills, the size of Wedel’s ceramic pieces made it necessary for him to build his own crates to ship them off. Some of his pieces have broken, but as Wedel said, that just comes with the arena of working with large-scale ceramics. He argues that for any artist, being constantly worried about ruining the piece of work makes the creator become frozen and unable to function or act. After going through so many traumatic happenings with his art, he has built up a resistance. Most of his practice is an accumulation of knowledge through failure. Though Wedel is dedicated to his craft, most of his time is spent with his family. He and his wife Coral alternate homeschooling their two children, Abner and Eleanor. Their curriculum is literature-based, supplemented with math, art, jujitsu, travel, self-directed play and their personal interests. The duo took a while to find the perfect balance of sharing the homeschooling duties, but they finally built a healthy work schedule to where they both teach and still have time to focus on their individual mediums. “We try to set our goals as a family unit and then work to achieve them together,” Coral said. “We each have our own goals, interests, strengths and weaknesses, and we try to build a way of living those out together and supporting each other individually.” Wedel’s passion for art and
Matt Wedel poses for a portrait in his art studio located in Albany. (MCKINLEY LAW / PHOTO EDITOR)
Matt Wedel’s art studio, where he spends most of his time creating various sculptures from hand. (MCKINLEY LAW / PHOTO EDITOR)
for his family inspire him to give back to the people of Albany. He is beginning to naturalize the hillside and curate his nine acres of land to hopefully build a sculpture garden where people can walk through and admire nature and his artwork. Wedel is also planning to build another studio space where he can teach art workshops to local Albany kids, in hopes to connect more with the area and share his
wealth of artistic knowledge. Arguably, the most important part of artwork is the impression meant to be left on the viewer. For Wedel, this is the most complex part of his art. Each piece is so different, so his hope is to use those differences to show the use of the traditional framework as the foundation. He wans to urge people to rethink the possibility of actions and to push the balance between playful and serious.
Wedel recognizes the irony in making art – the sad, poetic nature of trying to articulate the state of humanity during its own collapse, be it psychological or literal, or the idea of beauty at the expense of exploitation and economic disparity. When an artist makes a sculpture of a tree or a part of nature, they are inevitably destroying the very thing they’re trying to create. Wedel’s main purpose of his art is to get people to dig deep and really get in touch with their thoughts. “I’m still trying to understand the actual function of my pieces and what they’re actually doing,” Wedel said. “It’s easy for me to build this theoretical framework for the work that’s really disconnected from society, this idea of the importance of art, but how much do people actually get from artwork? It’s hard to pinpoint the actual effect of artwork. Maybe my work can push people to be fully engaged and fully alive. When people are fully alive, they have something to lose, and inherently something to fight for.”
@RILEYR44 RR855317@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 15
FOOTBALL
Ohio’s Dylan Conner (#35) recovers a fumble against Ball State during the two teams’ Oct. 25 matchup at Peden Stadium. (COLIN MAYR / FILE)
Ohio’s defense continues to improve SPENCER HOLBROOK SPORTS EDITOR Jared Dorsa mentioned it in his postgame interview. Frank Solich echoed it when he sat at the same table a few minutes later and fielded questions. It didn’t matter who was answering questions, the answer remained the same. Early in the season, Ohio’s defense had some “growing pains” to work through. Blown assignments, missed tackles and poor play paralyzed the Bobcats in the first half of the season. But on Thursday night, the Bobcats outgrew those pains and dominated for nearly the entire game in their win over Ball State at Peden Stadium. “We did have some growing pains early, but guys have responded in a very positive way,” Solich said. “We’ve gotten better and better as we’ve matured as a defense.” After six games, the Bobcats were ranked in the bottom 10 nationally for yards allowed per game. They gave up at least 400 yards in each of those games, and 16 / NOV. 1, 2018
they were 3-3. Since then, Ohio has allowed 279.5 yards per game and has given up just 14 points in its last two contests. More importantly, the Bobcats are 2-0. Ohio appeared to have a hard time overcoming the loss of nearly its entire defensive line, not to mention Chad Moore and Quentin Poling, two All-Mid-American Conference caliber players who graduated. But against Bowling Green and Ball State, the Bobcats had their way. “Beginning of the season, there were obviously a lot of growing pains,” Dorsa said. “Got off to a pretty slow start. But we work really well together as a whole defense. We’re a pretty close group. When it comes to practice time, a lot of the times, we’re really good about correcting each other the right way and really helping each other out. We’re growing together.” Growth is apparent. Bowling Green didn’t score in the final 43 minutes last week. Ball State scored on its third drive early in the first half — and didn’t score again un-
til its last drive. By that time, the Bobcats had scored 52 unanswered points and put their backups in. Ball State’s drive chart between its two touchdown drives was nearly made for satire, featuring six punts, an interception and two fumbles. Ohio’s defense allowed one first down — one — to Ball State during the second and third quarters. The Cardinals didn’t eclipse the 200 total-yard mark until well into the fourth quarter. The Bobcats swarmed around the ball, forced turnovers and made plays, particularly in stopping the run. “We pride ourselves on being run stoppers,” Dorsa said. “At the beginning of the year, we were struggling in the pass game. We identify as run stoppers, but we realize that our weakness is pass game, so we really have worked on not just being a one-trick pony, working on everything.” For Dorsa, working on pass coverage paid dividends. In the middle of the third quarter, Ball State quarterback Drew Plitt looked and threw to his left. The pass was tipped by Javon Hagan,
and it landed into the hands of Dorsa, who came up with his first career interception. His was one of three forced turnovers by Ohio. The Bobcats also had six tackles for loss and two sacks. Ball State only had the ball for a little more than 21 minutes. Ohio forced seven three-and-outs. “We’re moving more,” Solich said. “I think that’s really helped us. We’ve got good team speed. We’re utilizing that team speed.” While Solich is thrilled to see a competent defensive effort in consecutive games, he understands to put games into context. Bowling Green is one of the weakest opponents on Ohio’s schedule. Ball State has only scored more than 24 points twice this season. Solich knows this twogame stretch was important for Ohio’s defense to earn some much-needed confidence. But with two road trips coming up at Western Michigan and Miami, the Bobcats defense can’t get complacent and fall back into the “growing pains“ stage. Western Michigan will test the Bobcats more than Bowling Green
OHIO’S DEFENSE IN LAST TWO GAMES Bowling Green
14
Points Allowed
317
Yards Allowed
Ball State
14
Points Allowed
242
Yards Allowed
and Ball State did the last two games. The Bobcats’ defense will have a chance to prove it has improved on the road Thursday night. “We’ll see,” Solich said. “We’ll get tested here more so than what we did these last two games. We’ll get tested.”
@SPENCERHOLBROOK SH690914@OHIO.EDU
FOOTBALL
Revisiting the 2016 MAC Championship Game PETE NAKOS ASST. SPORTS EDITOR On Thursday, Ohio will play Western Michigan for the first time since the 2016 Mid-American Conference Championship Game. Ohio fell 29-23 to then-No. 17 WMU. Quarterback Greg Windham came off the bench and went 14 of 30 for 214 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receiver and running back Papi White had two receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. Ohio almost knocked off WMU but lost in the final minute when Windham was intercepted by Robert Spillane. That was the last time the Bobcats reached Ford Field in Detroit. P.J. Fleck won’t be found on the Broncos’ sidelines Thursday; he’s now the coach at Minnesota. Corey Davis, now a wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans, had eight receptions for 144 yards and a touchdown. The only key player from that game who is still on the Broncos’ roster is Jamauri Bogan, who rushed for 86 yards on 26 carries in the game. While Thursday won’t be for the MAC title — many of the key characters from that game have departed their respective schools — it will be a final chance at redemption for some Ohio players from two seasons ago. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and the game can be watched on ESPNU. I talked to several players and coach Frank Solich about the game and how they’re viewing it. SAFETY KYLAN NELSON: “Honestly that word (redemption) came up the other day. It may not even be redemption, but just finishing out the game. I think we played a heck of a game, offensively and defensively, to put us back in a position to come back and win the game. I would use the word finish. “I’m like, man, we held the 17th-ranked team in the nation to 6 points in the second half. Their record-setting quarterback and wide receiver combo, we shut that down to virtually no touchdowns in the second half. “I was crouched down on that sideline on the 35-yard line and watching Greg (Windham) throw that interception. I’m on the line of scrimmage. I can see the linebacker (Robert Spillane) just hanging
out, just hanging out, then he breaks. He was just sitting there. “I anticipate having a good, solid win. I anticipate playing a full four quarters of football, have a nice flight home.” SAFETY JAVON HAGAN: “We discussed it as a defense, just talking about how we can win the game. I can definitely say it’s a similar offense to what we saw in 2016. It’s not a Corey Davis out there. “That was one of my favorite games. Out there, playing on the field, in the MAC Championship Game, it was a blessing to be there. I remember most probably is just being there, being in the atmosphere, walking on to the field for the first time, walking down the tunnel. My favorite part was all of it. “I want to get back and win it.” COACH FRANK SOLICH: “This year is a year in itself, and that game was a really good football game, we had our chances. There were two really good football teams. That was really in the past. These guys have a tendency to look forward. That game was a heartbreaking loss against Cincinnati and we certainly had a huge chance there for a win, and those guys didn’t hold onto that. They moved forward. “There were a couple others, many games have been decided by really close margins. I don’t think that has any impact on that football team at all.” RUNNING BACK MALEEK IRONS: “Excited for what this game holds. Traveling up there with a two-game win streak. Starting to try and get on a roll here. “The exact play I can think about from the MAC Championship (Game) is when Greg (Windham) threw the interception (on the final drive). I kind of went down in a squat position. Not a good feeling. I didn’t cry, but I was very, very disappointed. I have never won a championship. That would’ve been it. I would’ve gotten a big pinky ring. Hopefully we can get one this year.”
Kylan Nelson (#23) holds the ball up after picking it off against Western Michigan on Ford Field in Detroit during the 2016 MAC Championship Game. (MATT STARKEY / FILE)
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Ohio will face Ball State in MAC tournament opener ERIC WALKER FOR THE POST
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The Ohio players believe they should have beaten Ball State when they played Oct. 5. Now, they’re even more confident that they will be able to do so when the the Bobcats and the Cardinals meet Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. In a game in which both teams had more than 10 shots and were over their season average for penalty corners, Ball State won 3-2 in double overtime. All five goals were scored off penalty corners; both teams struggled to finish in front of the goal. “We just failed to finish, so it’s not a matter of us not being strong enough to make opportunities. It was us just on the other side and just not being really diligent with finishing,” Ohio coach Ali Johnstone said. Ohio (4-11, 2-4 MAC) comes into the game having lost seven straight games. It’s struggling defensively, allowing 28 combined goals in those losses. Part of that dilemma is the Bobcats are still fine-tuning the high-pressure system that Johnstone has introduced in her first year. They also struggle to pass, leaving the backfield under more pressure. This season is the first time in three years that Ohio is in the conference tournament. Before this season, only the top four teams in the MAC went to the tournament. Now, each team in conference makes it to a seeded tournament. Ohio is the fifth seed this year; the Bobcats wouldn’t have made the tournament in previous seasons. Only three players on the Ohio roster have played in a MAC Tournament — the Bobcats made it in 2015 — and only two of them, Emma Eggleston and Alex Pennington, will play this year. The third, Kendall Ballard, has not played this season. Ball State (2-13, 2-4 MAC) has only scored 12 goals all season. No player has more than three goals, and the Cardinals have only scored more than one
goal twice. They have struggled to create shots, averaging seven per game. But last time they played the Bobcats, they had 16. The Cardinals have also struggled defensively, allowing 62 goals on 279 shots and 128 penalty corners. The Bobcats took 12 shots the last time the two teams played, but only five of them were on goal. Despite having almost 50 more shots than last season, Ohio has scored the same number of goals as last season: 21. “I think the key of the tournament is just going to be finishing off the goals so that we can win games that we should win,” Eggleston said. Jillian Shive will be the key finisher for Ohio. She leads the team with nine goals and has been solid in front of the net — 24 of her 27 shots have been on goal. The Bobcats will need to create opportunities for Shive, who has taken fewer than two shots a game. Most of those opportunities have been created by Eggleston, a midfielder, and forward Karynne Baker. That duo has combined for nine assists. Awaiting the winner in the semifinal is No. 25 Miami (13-6, 6-0 MAC), the clear tournament favorite. The RedHawks have the best attack and defense in the MAC, and they thrashed Ohio 5-0 on Sunday. Kent State (7-11, 5-1 MAC) is the closest challenger to Miami. The Golden Flashes are the second seed, but they were dominated 3-0 by the RedHawks on Sept. 22. Ohio can’t think past the quarterfinal game against Ball State, though. The conference tournament is a mental challenge in which the team’s focus can’t waver. “We should’ve won (against Ball State the first time),” junior Brittany Keen said. “It’s definitely redemption round when we play them in the MAC (Tournament). I think it’s going to be a different score line.”
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The calm in the storm BAILEY GALLION | INVESTIGATIVE EDITOR
Sexual assault cases rarely end in convictions. Advocates and officials must find their own way to restore power to survivors
F
or most of the trial, the woman was nearly invisible. Friends, family and advocates packed the benches around her. Advocate Andrew Norris called it a physical wall of support — it shielded her from the eyes of the rest of the courtroom and Notay Jackson, the man who raped her. Throughout the four-day trial, the people around her did what they could. They passed tissues up to her when she cried on the witness stand. Jackson’s Feb. 22 rape conviction at that trial was a rarity. Police officials, prosecutors and journalists crowded the courtroom to watch it. The Ohio University and Athens police departments field dozens of sexual assault reports each year but have seen few
convictions in recent years. One of those convictions was Jackson’s. The survivor of that case has never been named publicly. The other survivor is Brie Sivy, an OU junior, whose assailant was sentenced to a year in jail after a year-and-ahalf-long legal process. She has become an advocate for sexual assault survivors, helping organize events for the Start By Believing campaign on campus. Sivy’s case was both a disappointment to her and one of local law enforcement’s greatest successes in recent years. Because the legal outcomes of sexual assault investigations are rarely favorable, survivors, advocates and police must find justice and closure in other ways. THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 19
“
It’s heartbreaking to have so many people close to me who have been assaulted or (assaulted multiple times) and then having these people come up to me who I don’t even know who are disclosing to me. I love that they feel that they can trust me enough for that ... but it’s just so heartbreaking how prevalent it is.” - Brie Sivy, junior studying social work
From Brie Sivy’s assault to her attacker’s conviction, the legal process lasted longer than the prison sentence would. Sivy spent nearly a year and three months describing the night of Oct. 2, 2016, to police and the prosecutor’s office. Devon Bowling, then an OU freshman and someone Sivy considered a friend, walked her home to her dorm room that night and sexually assaulted her in her bed. She reported it to police as rape, but Bowling took a plea deal and was sentenced to a year in prison for gross sexual imposition. Bowling is incarcerated at Southeastern Correctional Institute in Lancaster. His term expires Dec. 17. The length and breadth of a sexual assault investigation can vary. Most take at least three months, OUPD Detective Mathew Austin said. The process is time-consuming and forces survivors to relive their experiences again and again. The process lasted for Sivy’s first three semesters, taking a toll on her grades and mental health. “The first two semesters were terrible,” she said. “I pretty much hid in my room all the time and really focused on my mental health, which meant that my grades and schoolwork and social life kind of suffered.” Sivy attended more hearings, meetings and interviews than she can count. During the early stages of the investigation, she said she spoke to police almost every other day. Sometimes she would leave class and rush down Court Street to meet with the prosecutor, then hurry back to campus. For every 1,000 people raped, only 310 report their rape to the police, according to statistics from the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. Of those 310 people, only six will see their rapists go to jail. Some sexual assault survivors end the 20 / NOV. 1, 2018
Brie Sivy, a junior studying social work, is an outspoken survivor of sexual assault who helps others who have also survived sexual crimes. (HARLEY WINCE / FOR THE POST)
process themselves when they learn what a trial might look like. Other times, the prosecutor’s office chooses not to prosecute the perpetrator. Austin estimates that sexual assault cases make up half his caseload, though it varies. Since the start of Fall Semester, OUPD has received five reports of rape. The Athens Police Department has received 10 in that period. Out of dozens of cases Austin has investigated, Sivy’s is the only to result in a conviction. He investigates reports of sexual assault and sends them to the prosecutor’s office, but he has no control over whether or not that office chooses to press charges. To deal with the low conviction rate, Austin has had to change his definition of a successful investigation. Instead of focusing on a conviction that likely won’t happen, he tries to restore as much control as possible to the survivor. “Because how do you do the next (case) when you’ve spent six months interviewing the victim repeatedly, all of their friends, looking at all kinds of evidence, feeling like you have a strong case, and then…” he said, trailing off. “It makes it hard the next day to start (a new case).” One of the first steps in the investigation is what’s sometimes called “the long interview.” Austin calls it by its official name: the Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview. The technique bases questions on sensory details of the incident, which trauma survivors sometimes remember better than a chronological, linear narrative. It also allows detectives to ask ques-
tions in ways that don’t sound as accusatory. Instead of asking, “Well, why didn’t you fight back?” a detective might ask, “What were you feeling when the attacker was on top of you?” prompting the same information without putting the survivor on the defensive. Austin received training in those techniques within a month of interviewing Sivy. Before that, he said he likely had to ask the questions directly while trying to be as gentle as possible: “I’m sorry, I have to ask this because the jury will want to know — why didn’t you fight back?” The long interview might last 2 1/2 hours. Austin tells the survivor that they can take breaks at any point or decide to continue the interview on another day. He’s also careful not to predict the outcome of the process or advise survivors whether or not to move forward. It’s impossible to know whether they will regret the process. “I wish I had a crystal ball, because if in a month (they) feel this was more trouble than it was worth, I wish I could have told (them) that and just saved (them) the work,” he said. “But I don’t know. I don’t know that. Because maybe they’re glad they did it because yeah, it sucked, but it helped them move along better.” SEEKING SUPPORT The Survivor Advocacy Program, or SAP, offices are in the basement level of Lindley Hall at the end of a silent, twisting hallway. Director Kim Castor said that’s by design. It allows people to enter discreetly, without being afraid anyone will see them. Castor works with two advocates and two graduate assistants. Everyone who works in the office is an OU alumnus or current student. Some of them have experiences at OU that motivated them to do their work. As an undergraduate student, advocate Andrew Norris had male friends who were assaulted and didn’t know how to come forward or to get help. He wanted to be in a position to help people like them. Graduate assistant Maeve Hinze saw the impact of sexual violence as an undergraduate and said she felt “powerless” to try to do anything to help. She learned about SAP when she came back for graduate school. SAP provides many services, including confidential counseling for survivors and advocacy through both legal proceedings and the Office of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance process. Castor served as Sivy’s advocate through the legal process. She briefed her before hearings, accompanied her and stepped in when Sivy needed to take breaks. She also acted as a buffer between Sivy and the system, communicating with the prosecutors when Sivy wasn’t up for it.
“She was really there … every step of the way,” Sivy said. “She was there when I needed, like, someone to go and talk to you about ... different feelings that I was having about my assault.” Sometimes, the advocates help in small ways. Castor likes to put lavender essential oil on tissues for a soothing smell, and Norris provides Kinetic Sand for survivors to fidget with. The office stocks weighted blankets for anxiety relief. Survivors can participate in university Title IX proceedings in the SAP office by phone. They don’t have to be physically present at hearings; they can participate remotely in the company of their advocate. SAP never contacts survivors — survivors always initiate services themselves. That allows them to maintain control over their recovery and only receive the services they want. SAP advocates were not involved in the Notay Jackson trial, for example. And for the same reason, the advocates don’t ask questions during sessions, just listen. They never ask survivors to describe their assaults. They might hear the full story for the first time at a hearing or sexual assault exam. Working with survivors is an emotionally draining experience that can cause secondary traumatic stress, a condition that mimics the post-traumatic stress disorder that firsthand trauma survivors experience. To reduce the effects of their work, advocates set boundaries. They don’t answer emails after work, and when they talk to each other after hours they stick to topics unrelated to their jobs. “We’re naturally empathic people, and for us to say, ‘We’re setting a boundary to turn our empathy off, I’m not really sure it works that way,’ ” Norris said. “But you can set boundaries and put things into practice about the emails, about the text messages, about the days off.” THE ROAD AHEAD Though Sivy knows she was lucky to see any conviction at all, she wishes she fought harder for the Athens County Prosecutor to prosecute Bowling for rape instead of sexual assault. If Bowling had been convicted of rape, he could have faced up to 11 years in prison. When Sivy’s sexual assault evidence kit was tested, it showed DNA from an additional unknown male. The kit turned out to have been handled improperly at the hospital. That complicated the case, and she said the prosecutor’s office decided the case wasn’t strong enough to convict Bowling of rape. It was hard for Sivy to hear. “It kind of makes you think, like, ‘Oh, well, these people who literally do this for a living don’t believe me. Why would anyone believe me?’ ” she said. “That’s something that a lot of people don’t really understand about sexual assault, is you really
Sexual Assault Resources Survivor Advocacy Program 24/7 Hotline 740-597-7233 Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program 888-597-7267 Ohio University Police Department 740-593-1911 Athens Police Department 740-593-6606
Artwork in the Survivor Advocacy Program office. (KEVIN PAN / SLOT EDITOR)
From left to right, Maeve Hinze, Nikhita Shah, Kimberly Castor, KC Waltz and Andrew Norris pose for a photo outside of Lindley Hall. (KEVIN PAN / SLOT EDITOR)
“
THE PROCESS AFTER A RAPE Someone commits rape
I wish I had a crystal ball, because if in a month (they) feel this was more trouble than it was worth, I wish I could have told (them) that and just saved (them) the work. But I don’t know. I don’t know that. Because maybe they’re glad they did it because yeah, it sucked, but it helped them move along better.” - Mathew Austin, Ohio University Police Department detective
Reported to police
Not reported
Police investigate
Survivor doesn’t go forward
Several months of investigation Case sent to prosecutors
Detective Mathew Austin of the Ohio University Police Department, who has worked on many sexual assault cases on campus. (HARLEY WINCE / FOR THE POST)
do doubt yourself a lot.” As the case was winding down, Sivy started finding ways to better balance the legal proceedings with her school work. She also switched her major from nursing to social work. Having experience with trauma herself, she hopes to work in trauma rehabilitation. “I got linked up with all these social workers who were absolutely amazing
people and I was like, ‘Well, I want to be one of these amazing people one day and help people the way that they do,’ ” she said. “(Castor) was a lot of my influence, I won’t lie. It’s going to go straight to her head when she hears it ... but she is an amazing person.” Recent current events, such as the numerous reports of sexual assaults on OU’s campus or the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, have hardened Sivy’s resolve to speak up for survivors who aren’t yet comfortable speaking up for themselves. Since her sexual assault, Sivy has had friends tell her about their own experiences. She talks them through it and tries to relieve some of the shame they feel —
when they blame themselves for the assaults, she asks if they would blame her for hers, which tends to snap them out of it. People also tend to approach Sivy after campus events and share their own sexual assault experiences. “It’s heartbreaking to have so many people close to me who have been assaulted or (assaulted multiple times) and then having these people come up to me who I don’t even know who are disclosing to me,” she said. “I love that they feel that they can trust me enough for that ... but it’s just so heartbreaking how prevalent it is.”
Prosecutor More doesn’t months of investigation take case
Survivor doesn’t go forward
Charges filed Trial
Guilty
Plea deal
Not guilty
@BAILEYGALLION BG272614@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21
the weekender Dads Weekend to feature zip lining, Alden mini golf HANNAH BURKHART FOR THE POST It is no secret that Ohio University is a school that supports and encourages family relationships. Four weekends out of the academic year, family members are invited to visit and reconnect with their students. These weekends are dedicated to mothers, fathers, siblings and parents. The next family weekend is Dads Weekend, which will be held Friday through Sunday. Dads from all around come to visit and see what their college students are up to. “I think all special family weekends are super important because they give each students extended family a chance to come back and spend some time with them, and also the students can kind of show off their campus and share things they do day-to-day,” Liz Pahl, associate director of event management, said. OU Outdoor Pursuits will be hosting three different events this weekend, including stargazing and a campfire at The Ridges both Friday and Saturday night. An astronomy professor will be there to give an interpretation in the new observatory. There will also be a day hike on Saturday and Sunday, which goes to Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve in Hocking Hills State Park. The third event that Outdoor Pursuits will host its zip lining on Saturday and Sunday at The Ridges. Participants will climb a 40-foot tower and glide down 300 feet of zip line. “I think that it is a very memorable way to spend every family weekend,” Judd Walker, assistant director of Outdoor Pursuits, said. “Athens is a great place to
22 / NOV. 1, 2018
IF YOU GO WHAT: ZIP LINING WHEN: 10 A.M.-4 P.M. (ONE-HOUR SESSIONS), SATURDAY WHERE: THE RIDGES ADMISSION: $25 WHAT: ALDEN OPEN MINI GOLF WHEN: 10 A.M.-4 P.M., SATURDAY WHERE: ALDEN LIBRARY ADMISSION: $5 FOR 9 HOLES; $10 FOR 18 HOLES Jeff Weaver catches a pancake on his plate during BobcaThon’s Dads Weekend pancake breakfast on Nov. 5, 2017. (ABIGAIL DEAN / FILE)
visit any time of year. These activities are things that we don’t offer all the time, so if you’re looking to add a special event when one of your family members is visiting, this is a great way. If you climb a 40-foot tower and ride down 300 feet of zip line with your dad, you’re going to remember that.” Walker has been working in the Outdoor Pursuits organization for four years, and he said these activities have been, and will continue to be, offered during every family weekend. In addition, Alden Library will host mini golf this weekend. An outside company that travels all over the country and turns libraries into mini golf courses
will assemble the course. The course will cover the first, third and fourth floors of Alden and consist obstacles. The library staff created its own teams, and each team will decorate its hole with a different theme. At the end of the course, golfers will be asked to vote on which hole they liked the best, and whichever group’s hole has the most votes will receive the “golden putter” award. Snacks will be provided, including breakfast foods in the morning, treats throughout the day and popcorn in the afternoon. Proceeds will go to the Ohio University Student Research and Creative Activity Expo, which takes place in the spring.
The mini golf course has come to Alden on Dads Weekend for the past several years. However, Jen Harvey, who recently was named the library events coordinator, will be experiencing her first year of putting on this event. “I find this event to be a great opportunity for students to show their dads where they spend their time studying, but in a fun way,” Harvey said. “Students spend long hours here, so they should be able to show their dads around the place without just walking through and pointing at their usual study areas.”
@HANNAHNOELBURK HB239417@OHIO.EDU
WHAT’S GOING ON? MORRIS WEIN FOR THE POST
FRIDAY BareFuzz at 9 p.m. at The Union Bar
and Grill, 18 W. Union St. Come see BareFuzz rock out. Since it’s Dads Weekend and all, this psychedelic rock band from Columbus is sure to bring back some memories to Ohio University’s free-spirited fathers who grew up during the ‘60s. Admission: $5 ‘90s Night with DJ Barticus at 10 p.m. at Jackie O’s Brewpub and Public House, 22-24 W. Union St. Kowabunga, bro! Local legend DJ Barticus is here to caress your ears with some sweet ‘90s jams. Come relive that good old ‘90s nostalgia with your dad over at Jackie O’s. Admission: Free
SATURDAY Dads Weekend 4K Pancake Fundraiser at 8 a.m. at Applebee’s Grill and
Bar, 547 E. State St. Who doesn’t want to get up early and go on a run with their dad this weekend? In all seriousness, you don’t have to do any running — you can just eat pancakes. For just $5 each, you and your old man can have three pancakes and a drink, all while supporting a student’s “4k for cancer.” 100 percent of the proceeds will support a Bobcat’s 4,000-mile journey with the Ulman Cancer Fund next summer. Admission: $5
Dads Weekend Pancake Breakfast at 10 a.m. at Walter Hall. For just $10, you and your dad can eat some pancakes while raising money through BobcaThon for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. Admission: $10
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SUNDAY Come Out to Vote at 1 p.m. at the Athens County Board of Elections, 15 S Court St. Come join Equality Ohio for early voting in a celebration of LGBTQ identities and the importance of voting. Come flex your right to vote by taking full advantage of your rights. Admission: Free The Goldsberrys Live from WOUB at 1
p.m. at the Radio Television Building. Come listen to The Goldsberrys perform live on WOUB Public Radio in the listening room. If you can’t make it in person, no need to worry. You can tune it to 91.3 FM to catch their hour-long live set. Admission: Free November Sunday Funday at 3 p.m. at Jackie O’s Taproom, 25 Campbell St. Why do Sundays have to be boring? Jackie O’s doesn’t think they do. Come finish Dads Weekend strong with a Sunday concert at Jackie O’s Taproom, featuring music by guru babies, Natural Sway and Smizmar, as well as art by Charlie Haggard. Admission: Free
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