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TRUMP WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2016
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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
‘Post’ strives to cover every aspect of election, even after final decision
T
he Post has been a witness to some of the more historic events on Ohio University’s campus in the past century — presidential visits, elections, protests and celebrations — and I’m prone to believe that both our readers and reporters have benefited from such coverage. When the campus’ opinion has shifted, we have followed that tide diligently. So, this election cycle has been an experience to say the least, and our reporters and photographers have had their eyes on every aspect of the ballot. As a result, they have followed each prominent political voice on campus and Uptown. Maybe one of our reporters even grabbed you in Front Room or on Court Street to ask for your opinion on either EMMA OCKERMAN / candidate, solely because we have tried EDITOR-IN-CHIEF to have our notepads out and ready for every turn of this election. After all, our readers determined the outcome of the race. We merely recorded it. Post reporters and photographers have been following this election for more than a year, with the dedication and attention our readers have required. In addition to that, Post staff members worked well into Wednesday morning to put out a special edition dedicated to the election. National news so rarely penetrates our OU-Athens bubble — presidential races are certainly the exception to that tradition. I hope our readers find value in this issue, and are able to reflect on it in the years to come to determine how the presidential race shaped our town and our campus. We have only a few hours to summarize the impact of an election’s outcome, but expect more political coverage to come in the following weeks. The presidential election’s outcome should not be considered an end to the national coverage The Post has pushed for this election cycle. Rather, it should be considered the beginning of The Post’s coverage of the policy issues that may affect students and faculty over the next four years. So we are not quite done yet, but we appreciate our readers sticking with us through this historic event. Emma Ockerman is a senior studying journalism and editor-in-chief of The Post. Want to talk to her? Tweet her at @eockerman or email her at eo300813@ohio.edu.
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WHAT WOULD YOU WEAR?
First lady most well-dressed woman in politics Here’s a look at the impact Michelle Obama has had on the fashion industry while in the White House In a last minute attempt to actually wear a costume, I spent my HallOUween dressed as the first lady of the United States. Michelle KAYLA Obama is one of the most BEARD well-liked people in poliis a senior tics and arguably one of studying the most well-dressed. journalism with While searching Gooa focus in gle Images for costume web design ideas, I was reminded of at Ohio how versatile and unUniversity conventional Obama’s style is. When it comes to fashion, Michelle Obama is the most iconic since Jackie Kennedy. Compared to first ladies before her, Obama’s fashion choices are unique, even risque. Conservative necklines, gentle
pastels and loose-fitting cuts seem to dominate the traditional FLOTUS wardrobe. Yet, some of Obama’s most famous ensembles include bold prints, sleeveless designs and hourglass silhouettes. Perhaps due to her youthfulness or to a changing political climate, the first lady of an administration filled with “firsts” could even be called “First in Fashion,” as implied by the title of a New York Times article from 2012. Though author Cathy Horyn seemed to suggest in the piece that Obama’s fashion choices make her appear more ornamental, in 2016, the first lady has established her place as both a role model and a trend-setter. Although she has certainly faced criticism for many of her fashion choices, the first lady has also driven many pieces she’s worn — from a bedazzled cardigan, to a bright woolen midi-dress — to sell out
in stores almost immediately after she’d been seen wearing them. One study even found that simply having Obama make a public appearance in a specific brand’s clothes could bring that company upwards of $14 million in revenue. David Yermack, who conducted the study, even concluded the latest FLOTUS has had the greatest effect on the fashion market of any first lady before her, and is perhaps one of the most influential fashion icons of our time. As one of the most impactful icons in the fashion industry today, Obama has one foot in the fashion industry and one in her personal closet: one that I imagine would be filled with mom jeans, crew neck t-shirts and an assortment of cardigans. Her high-end taste, however, seems to be primarily driven by her recent rise to celebrity with her husband, and her
desire to wear clothes on her own terms is evident in the way she mixes labels. The First Lady has worn clothes from a variety of price ranges, from high-end designs by Alexander McQueen to staple pieces from J. Crew and Target. It is clear Mrs. Obama loves to look good. She even told ABC news back in 2008, “I’m kind of a tomboy-jock at heart, but I like to look nice.” But it is also evident that her commitment to fashion does not hinge upon her status as a public figure. Obama is one of the most genuine people in the political sphere, right down to the clothes on her back. Please note the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you like Michelle Obama’s style? Let Kayla know by tweeting her @QKayK.
AMPLIFIED OBSERVATIONS
Professors might not like Wikipedia, but it certainly is useful Wikipedia is the illegitimate internet child of academia and the nature of anarchy. No professor will let you cite the free online LUKE encyclopedia as a legitiFURMAN mate source, but they all is a junior know it’s a student’s first studying destination for every rejournalism search paper. The site’s at Ohio function as a non-frightUniversity ening test into the waters of any given subject matter is the most streamlined route to knowledge. So why is it necessary to ostracize such available information? Are truths less true if they’re behind the banner of scholarship? Aside from its use for academic purposes, Wikipedia — free and accessible since its launch in 2001 — can also function as a great reference for topics like music and musical culture, my foci. In the past, lists of musical categories,
4 / NOV. 9, 2016
movements, musicians or releases could only be recorded and referenced through written material and memory. An online reference guide like Wikipedia makes learning about music and musicians incredibly expansive and instantaneously accessible to the everyman. The gripe many take with the validity of the site is that anyone can make changes to pages, supposedly tarnishing the usefulness of the entire site. I have been in the presence of someone writing an earnest entry onto a local topic and the process of editing for permanency is one that requires patience. Of course, accidental errors occur, but are often corrected to reflect the most accurate version of reality. And the intellectual vandalism that does occur tends to be on hot-button issues and controversial topics, far away from objective lists like notable bebop jazz musicians or areas like historical informations and science. If you recall, Wikipedia stood up well to Encyclopedia Britannica in the fa-
mous 2005 study by Nature. Although the non-traditional candidate wound up with slightly more errors per story, the study confirmed that Wikipedia’s model had been working as intended, according to founder Jimmy Wales. As with many areas of study, Wikipedia provides ample resources to learn about music including artist and album details and a helpful cloud of genre labels. A band’s popularity can also be easily gauged by the inclusion of an entry on the site, as well. Are they “Wikipedia official?” And for amateur musicians, full entries on technical music terms and explanations are a godsend. The Italian translations help, too. Furthermore, you can discover cool trivia and strange facts like the vocals for My Morning Jacket’s first album were recorded in an empty grain silo. These details are bound to emerge with enough time navigating entries, especially if the “random article” button is involved. If a professor mentions Wikipedia at all in class, it is usually to mention the aca-
demic or more official sources toward the bottom of each page. Sometimes, those links hold the chance of striking gold. But sometimes the gold is in plain view. With the heavy majority of pages on Wikipedia backed up by deeper sourcing, to not use and trust it in any particular quest for information comes off a bit paranoid. The truth might morph depending on our differing perspectives, but the general perspective of Wikipedia, based in goodwill and self-education, is one that has taught me a great deal about music and other subjects over the years. With a mindset of common sense and skepticism, Wikipedia offers only a net gain of knowledge and yet fear-driven stigmas remain. Please note the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. How do you feel about Wikipedia? Let Luke know by tweeting him @LukeFurmanLog or emailing him at lf491413@ohio.edu.
QUITE CONTRARY
Cute pets not loved by everybody
Why pets don’t do much for some people, despite how great they may be
Let me start this column by saying I’m sure your dog (or cat or capybara) is a very nice person. I’m sure if I sat down and had a good chat with it over some kibble, we could find some common ground. Maybe, for WILLIAM example, we both have a shared interest T. PERKINS in the Coen brothers films. I don’t know. is a senior But as it stands, I just don’t feel that studying much affection toward your pet. journalism I know that makes me a monster. I can at Ohio only apologize. University It doesn’t help I tend to get some pretty bad allergies around pets (and that applies to purportedly “hypoallergenic” pets too). So at the very least, no, I’m not going to pet your dog. But aside from that, what has he ever done for me? “He likes you,” you say. “Then why is he biting my leg?” I ask. I’m not always the easiest person to get along with, but
I try to make an effort never to bite the leg of a person that I just met. Now, to be clear, I don’t really blame the dog. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s a creature of instinct, and social cues are hard sometimes, even within the same species. I can only imagine how much harder it is for a dog. But for goodness sakes, human, don’t just stand there acting like I should be happy your 70-pound canine is tackling me. I understand the appeal that having a pet can have for some people, although you won’t find me inviting a member of another species to live with me anytime soon. I’m a messy enough animal as it is; I don’t want to have to take care of another creature that can’t clean up after itself. I mean, cats are kind of cool. They don’t really bother anyone. They seem pretty stoic and brooding. But you have to admit, our system of determining which animals we love and which animals we consider just beasts is illogical. We’ve all collectively determined that certain animals have more value than others just because we think they’re cute.
If cuteness were the only determining factor in deciding who should live and who should die, I’m not sure I would have made it past the age of seven. And that’s pushing it. Meanwhile, we’ve all decided pigs are gross and brutish, so we slaughter them and eat them for breakfast. Never mind the fact they’re actually smarter than dogs. If you eat pork, you have no right to feel a sense of moral indignation toward other cultures that eat dog. I’m not saying I want to eat your dog. Quite the contrary. I’m just saying we tend to normalize practices that are actually kinda weird when you really think about it. I just think pigs get a bum rap. I appreciate your pet, and I appreciate the joy it brings you. But I don’t necessarily love it with all my heart. I hope we can still be friends. Please note the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. How do you feel about pets? Let William know by emailing him at wp198712@ohio.edu.
STREETVIEW
“What do you think sets this election apart from previous ones?”
“Probably that neither of the candidates are really good to run our country. I think that they’re just both bad and the media only posts the bad about them.” Hannah Ogburn, freshman studying biology
“The candidates are more hated and more talked about with the media.” Aly Wolf, freshman studying biology
“I don’t quite think we’ve had this much negative energy in one election and I don’t think we’ve had this much of a separation in an election. Rebecca McNay, sophomore studying dance
“Both candidates aren’t what I would think of as a president” Sean McGovern, junior studying biochemistry
“The degree of difference between the two candidates and their opinions.” Jacob Diaz, freshman studying music production
-Photographs by Dawn Jacob
THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5
Students dedicate hours out of already busy schedules to election campaigning
O
MADDIE CAPRON
/ FOR THE POST
hio University College Democrats President Sam Miller prioritized campaigning for the Democratic party over her classes and other obligations in the weeks leading up to Election Day. She was involved with the Ohio Together campaign since she returned to Athens in August and spent at least 30 hours a week campaigning for the Democratic Party. “A lot of us were crying just because we have put so much on the line for this election,” Miller said after she found out Donald Trump had won in Ohio. “We’ve skipped classes, we’ve lost friendships, and we lost hours of sleep.” Miller thought the election was particularly important for students because the next president will be the one in charge when students enter “the real world.” “We’re going to be getting jobs, and we’re going to have to be worrying about buying our first houses and starting our families,” she said. “I think we really recognize that this election is really important for us.” When she campaigned, Miller said she tried to highlight the importance of the election by emphasizing races down-ballot from the presidential candidates. David Parkhill, president of OU College Republicans, said he campaigned for nearly every candidate he could during 2016. “I’ve been part of every single (campaign) in Ohio, and we’ve been involved a little bit in West Virginia,” Parkhill said. He said campaigning changed over the course of the year, and it became more difficult to get students involved as the election drew closer. “Early in the beginning and through the middle, our numbers were higher because people were excited and ready to go,” Parkhill said. “I think people are just sick of it now. They’re ready for this thing to be over.” Despite the difficulty trying to get students involved, Parkhill thought many students were truly invested in the election. “If they have any mindset like mine, it’s because they truly believe that these candidates are going to be able to make an impact on their futures,” he said. Hannah Borowski woke up before the crack of dawn because she hoped someday she could have said, “I helped elect the first woman president.” After she became a fellow for the Democratic Ohio Together campaign in late July, Borowski, a junior studying political science and global studies — war and peace, was one of many students at OU who dedicated their time to campaigning for candidates. During the past three weeks, she said her workload has at least quadrupled. In the days leading up to the election, that workload grew even larger. She worked between 20 and 30 hours every week on top of classes, meetings and other responsibilities.
6 / NOV. 9, 2016
Hannah Borowski, a junior studying political science and global studies - war and peace, and a community fellow for the Ohio Together campaign, talks to a fellow staffer the day before the election at the Athens County Democratic Party headquarters. Borowski worked 20 to 30 hours a week for the campaign. (EMMA HOWELLS / PHOTO EDITOR)
“
We’ve skipped classes, we’ve lost friendships and we lost hours of sleep.” - Sam Miller, president of OU College Democrats “I wake up at 6 in the morning to go to work,” Borowski said. “Then I have class, class, class, some meeting I try to squeeze in, and then (from) 5 to 10 p.m., I’m (at the campaign office). As of late, it’s honestly just (campaigning).” For Borowski, working on a political campaign lead-
ing up to Election Day was different than how she imagined it would be. “I thought there would be this big sense of urgency like, ‘oh my god, what we do now will make or break this election,’ ” she said. “Part of me still thinks that, but part of me thinks that make or break moment was a couple months ago.” A few months ago, Borowski was busy helping to recruit volunteers. The office had between 30 and 40 people who campaigned for the candidates. “You can only practice so much, and then when game day starts, you just have to remember what you’ve done,” she said. “These last days we have been preparing for, and they will go smoothly. It’s here, and it’s happening.”
@MADDIECAPRON MC055914@OHIO.EDU
NEWS BRIEFS
Political figures visit Athens before election
PRIME LOCATIONS
CLASSIFIEDS
JONNY PALERMO FOR THE POST
Frances Strickland and Wendy Davis traveled to Athens days before the election; Alden will have extended 24-hour access beginning Fall Semester 2017 FRANCES STRICKLAND COMES TO ATHENS
Over the weekend, Frances Strickland spoke to a group of canvassers in Athens on Saturday to campaign for her husband, Democratic senate candidate Ted Strickland. Despite her husband’s poor position in the polls, Frances was still optimistic that her husband would be elected. “I think when you’re (fighting for the average person), that’s the key to it,” she said before addressing the volunteers. “You always participate, you always stay in the fight, and you don’t look at whether you’re winning or losing.” During her speech, Frances also thanked the volunteers for their work in the campaign.
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FORMER TEXAS POLITICIAN CAMPAIGNS
Former Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis spoke to a group of more than 20 supporters in front of Ohio University’s Class Gateway on Friday to campaign for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. “(Clinton) has been fighting for women and families, and she has an agenda that is inclusive of the concerns of every American,” Davis said. Davis encouraged both OU students and Athens residents to vote, stressing the importance of voicing opinions. She also noted that Athens reminded her of Austin, Texas, which she referred to as a “bastion” of progressivism surrounded by conservative areas.
24-HOUR ACCESS IN ALDEN
Beginning next academic year, the fourth floor of Alden Library will remain open for 24 hours a day. “One of the most common requests students have of Alden Library is for more space to be open 24-hours,” Scott Seaman, dean of OU Libraries, said in an email. “We’ve been working with the University administration for several years to be able to get this done.” The second floor of Alden Library is available for 24hour use Monday through Thursday. To function as a 24-hour space, nearly $3 million of renovations would be completed by August 2017. Those renovations will include moving the Academic Advancement Center to the second floor and updating electrical, plumbing and air handling systems.
@HEEEEERES_JONNY JP351014@OHIO.EDU
THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 7
Republican Frank Hoagland defeats Democrat Lou Gentile for Ohio Senate’s 30th District LUKE TORRANCE FOR THE POST NORA JAARA FOR THE POST Republican candidate Frank Hoagland beat incumbent Lou Gentile, D-Steubenville, in the Ohio Senate race for the 30th District Tuesday. Hoagland received nearly 53 percent of the vote, while Gentile received 47 percent. “With this election, the people of eastern and southeastern Ohio have called for change,” Hoagland said after his victory. “I’m ready to answer that call.” Hoagland, a small business owner and retired Navy SEAL, has prided himself on not being a “career politician.” He said he is frustrated by the lack of progress in southeast Ohio, according to a previous Post report. In a brief statement following his victory, Hoagland took time to thank his supporters. “My wife Darla, my family, my dedicated staff and volunteers, we wouldn’t have won without them,” Hoagland said. “It’s not about me, it’s about them.” Gentile has served as a state senator since 2011, when he was appointed to the position by Democrats in the Ohio Senate. In the 2012 race for state senator representing District 30, Gentile won re-election with 66.08 percent of the votes in Athens County. Gentile received a degree in political science from West Virginia University. He previously served as assistant director for the Governor’s Office of Appalachia under former Democratic Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland. As of Oct. 31, Gentile raised $420,000 during the general election, while Hoagland raised $35,000. Gentile’s largest contributions came from the national Democratic Legislative Committee in Washington, D.C., the Ohio State Association of Plumbers, the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local Union 495 in Cambridge and the Columbus office of the Service Employees International Union. “Clearly this race is characterized by a surge in rural voter turnout,” Zach Reizes, a sophomore studying global studies — war and peace and a member of Clinton’s Athens campaign, said. “If that hurts Hillary Clinton, it also would have hurt down-ballot candidates.” Ohio University College Republicans President David Parkhill said he was sur8 / NOV. 9, 2016
53%
FRANK HOAGLAND
RESULTS
Information via Ohio Secretary of State / Results as of press time / Graphic by Abby Gordon
47% LOU GENTILE
From left to right, OU College Republicans members freshman Henry Pham, sophomore Nathan Horton, junior Nathan Brown, freshman Johnny Paszke and freshman Nick Boggess keep up with election results online at the Republican Headquarters during Election Night on West Union Street. (EMILY MATTHEWS / PHOTO EDITOR)
prised by the margin of victory, but he added Ohio voters were ready for a change. “People are sick of Democratic values,” Parkhill said. The Democratic candidate for the 94th District seat at the Ohio Statehouse, Sarah Grace, said support for president-elect Donald Trump at the top of the ticket in Ohio likely affected down-ballot races. “It’s been a really tough race all along eastern Ohio,” Grace said.
Grace also said she thought Gentile has been “a wonderful senator” and believed he should have won another term. “Lou has consistently fought for miners and workers right, and he cares about this district more than anyone,” Sam Miller, president of the Ohio University College Democrats, said. Miller said she could not wait to see what Gentile does next, and this race would not be the last voters would see of him. Miller
also criticized Hoagland for being “on record” as saying he would not campaign in Athens because it did not consist of his core constituents. In the past, Hoagland’s campaign has declined to speak with local media for such reasons. @TORRANTIAL LT688112@OHIO.EDU @NORAJAARA NJ342914@OHIO.EDU
Edwards beats Grace for Ohio House seat BENNETT LECKRONE FOR THE POST
RESULTS
LAUREN FISHER FOR THE POST Republican Jay Edwards won the race for the Ohio House of Representatives’ 94th district, beating Democrat Sarah Grace by about 58 percent. “I didn’t know what to expect,” Edwards said. “I’ve never ran for anything, but I’m just very honored, and I just can’t thank the voters enough for trusting in me and I’m really looking forward.” Edwards will succeed current representative Debbie Phillips, D-Albany. Edwards, who was raised in Nelsonville, ran a conservative campaign based on local job growth and Second Amendment rights. “We put blinders on and worked as hard as we can every single day to not just get votes but to also talk to voters and get information about what people are wanting or saying and talk to all people from all walks of life to know what’s going on,” he said. Edwards believes supporting local business will create job growth in Athens County, according to his campaign website. Edwards said his large margin of victory indicates the people of southeast Ohio are tired of “partisanship bickering.” “I think that was a common theme of my campaign. That’s how I actually feel. It’s a major problem across the country,” he said. “I think it’s a major problem in Ohio, and I think that people want the government to start working for them. They don’t want to hear about Republicans and Democrats; they just want things done.” Edwards’ opponent, Sarah Grace, gathered with members of Ohio University College Democrats and local politicians, including Athens Mayor Steve Patterson, to wait for election results at the Pigskin Bar and Grille at 38 N. Court St. Despite losing to Edwards, Grace said her foray into local politics has been an overall positive experience. “I hope that my opponent and other Republicans who are running and have spoken about bipartisanship will really follow through on that,” Grace said. “And I hope that we can work together to really make this area stronger and really focus on education.” Although discourse at local debates
Jay Edwards talks to Athens resident Rufus Dillon at the GOP Headquarters on West Union Street after learning that Edwards won State Representative (EMILY MATTHEWS / PHOTO EDITOR)
58%
JAY EDWARDS
I’ve never ran for anything, but I’m just very honored, and I just can’t thank the voters enough for trusting in me and I’m really looking forward. - Jay Edwards, Republican Ohio State Representative
revealed numerous commonalities between the two candidates, tensions between Grace and Edwards escalated in the weeks leading up to Election Day. Both candidates were criticized for negative attack ads sent to residents’ houses, portraying Grace as “godless” and Edwards as a “puppet” of state politicians. During their final public forum at the Nelsonville Public Library, however, both Grace and Edwards dismissed the ads, saying that they had little control over the messages that were distributed. In the past, Grace criticized Edwards for supposedly wanting to cut taxes in the
county, but he denied those allegations. “I never said I wanted to reduce taxes, I said that I never wanted to raise taxes,” Edwards said at an Oct. 25 debate. Edwards said he plans put on the “hard hat” and get to work in Columbus come January. “For far too long, southeast Ohio has been the low man on the totem pole, and I think it’s time for that to change,” Edwards said.
42%
SARAH GRACE
@LECKRONEBENNETT BL646915@OHIO.EDU @LAUREN__FISHER LF966614@OHIO.EDU
Illustration by Rilee Lockhart
THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9
Incumbent Rob Portman reclaims Ohio seat in Senate, defeats Ted Strickland MADDIE CAPRON FOR THE POST ABBEY MARSHALL FOR THE POST Sen. Rob Portman, the Republican incumbent, reclaimed his seat in the U.S. Senate after dominating the election Tuesday against former Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland. Portman took 82 counties out of the 88 counties in Ohio to win his spot in the Senate for the second time. The Republican candidate from Cincinnati held a comfortable lead in the polls months before the election. Portman edged out Strickland with 59.25 percent of the popular vote as of 10 p.m. The race was called minutes after Ohio polls closed at 7:30 p.m. “He’s done a good job, especially in this area and at least throughout the state of Ohio,” Ryan Evans, the vice president of Ohio University College Republicans, said. “Senator Portman has really
resonated and I think that’s why he was re-elected.” Portman, who won his first Senate race against Democratic Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher in 2010 by an 18-point margin, has been vocal on his stances to repeal the Affordable Care Act, reduce taxes and protect the Second Amendment. Despite partisan differences, Portman has worked closely with Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is up for re-election in 2018. The two have teamed up on issues such as attempting to penalize foreign steelmakers accused of dumping waste illegally in the United States. “In different ways, and clearly in both parties, so many people feel that things have gone wrong for our great country,” Portman said in his victory speech at The Vault in Columbus. “And whatever else might divide them, we can be absolutely certain of this: with a new president and a new Con-
Sen. Rob Portman calls constituents with Athens volunteers Oct. 25. Portman beat former Gov. Ted Strickland to reclaim his seat in the U.S. Senate. (NORA JAARA / FILE)
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INTERNATIONAL DINNER NOVEMBER 13, 2016 BAKER BALLROOM DOORS OPEN 5PM TICKET: $10
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gress, Americans don’t want to just rewind the tape and live through more years of the same tired and self-defeating routine.” Sam Miller, the president of OU College Republicans, said she thought the race was called too early. She said she hopes there will be a small gap between Strickland and Portman’s results. In Athens County, a spot that Strickland was favored to win, Portman received 40.29 percent of the vote. He made several stops in the county while campaigning this year and during his first term. Strickland, on the other hand, won 55.03 percent of
Strickland Portman
40.75% 59.25%
votes in Athens County. “Tonight’s results are not what I hoped for, but I am so grateful to those who have worked so hard to support our efforts,” Ted Strickland said in a news release. “I called Senator Portman to congratulate
INFORMATION VIA OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE / RESULTS AS OF PRESS TIME / GRAPHIC BY LAUREN SETTLEMYRE
him and I wish him well in representing the people of Ohio in the Senate.” @MADDIECAPRON MC055914@OHIO.EDU @ABBEYMARSHALL AM877915@OHIO.EDU
PEPPERONI FEAST PIZZA Wharton Stivers
35% 65%
INFORMATION VIA OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE / RESULTS AS OF PRESS TIME / GRAPHIC BY LAUREN SETTLEMYRE
Congressman Steve Stivers wins seat as 15 District House Rep., defeats Scott Wharton MADDIE CAPRON FOR THE POST ABBEY MARSHALL FOR THE POST
R
epublican Steve Stivers won approximately 65 percent of the vote as of 10 p.m. to reclaim his seat as Ohio’s 15th District House representative, defeating Democrat Scott Wharton and winning his fourth term. In Athens County, Wharton received 59.24 percent of the vote, while Stivers claimed 40.76 percent. Wharton is an Ohio University alumnus. Stivers became the representative for the 15th District in 2011, replacing Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy, who served from 2009 to 2011. He also defeated Wharton in 2014. “I'm extremely happy,” Ryan Evans, the vice president of the Ohio University College Republicans, said. “We had two (OU) College Republicans interns on his campaign. It's a testament to how much work they've done and how much work we have done." Stivers, an Ohio State University alumnus from Ripley, represents 12 counties in the 15th U.S. House District. The 15th District includes all of Athens, Clinton, Fairfield, Hocking, Madison, Morgan, Perry, Pickaway and Vinton counties along with parts of Fayette, Franklin and Ross counties. Stivers focused on programs during his career to create jobs and promote economic growth. Two of his bills, which called to rename postal facilities in Ohio’s 15th District after fallen veterans, made their way to the Oval Office for presidential approval. He served 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard. He holds the rank of Colonel.
I’m extremely happy. We had two (OU) College Republicans interns on his campaign. It’s a testament to how much work they’ve done and how much work we have done.” - Ryan Evans, vice president of the Ohio University College Republicans Stivers has served three terms on the Financial Services Committee in the House of Representatives. The committee is in charge of banking, insurance, real estate, public and assistant housing, and security industries. Before serving the public, Stivers also worked in finance in the private sector for the Ohio Company and Bank One. Additionally, Stivers has been part of the Committee on Rules, which determines what bills reach the House Floor for a vote. Stivers has been vocal about fighting the war against the opiate epidemic in the United States. He cosponsored a bill signed into action in November 2015 to ensure federal response to Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, a condition where a baby is born addicted to drugs. @MADDIECAPRON MC055914@OHIO.EDU @ABBEYMARSHALL AM877915@OHIO.EDU
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TRUMP EXPECT
Republicans reclaimed the White House on Tuesday as Donald Trump was elected president of the United States, defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in a neck-and-neck race that defied expectations on both sides of the political spectrum. // Trump’s path
For the 29th time since 1896, the Bu nation as Donald Trump was elected th
WILLIAM T. PERKIN DINA BERLINER
to the presidency became clearer after his victory in Ohio was confirmed around 10:45 p.m., closely followed by a win in Florida declared at approximately 11:30 p.m., propelling him comfortably ahead of Clinton in the Electoral College. // Trump had 279 electoral votes Wednesday morning as of 2:35 a.m., compared to Clinton’s 218, according to The New York Times. // In Ohio, Trump won 52.1 percent of the vote, compared to Clinton’s 43.5 percent. In Athens County, Trump received 38.7 percent of the vote while Clinton received 55.7 percent. //During his acceptance speech in New York City, Trump thanked his supporters and called for the country to “bind the wounds of division” after the contentious race. // “I’ve gotten to know our country so well, tremendous potential,” he said. “Every single American will have the opportunity to realize his or her potential. The forgotten men and women of our country will no longer be forgotten.”
Donald Trump poses for a photo for his 1964 New York Military Academy yearbook.
Donald Trump is greeted by President Ronald Reagan at a 1987 White House reception. Donald Trump talks to Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. during the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation’s 20th Annual Semper Fidelis Gala on April 22, 2015. Trump was a recipient of the Commandant’s Leadership award at the event.
218
ELECTORA HILLARY CLINTON
270 TO
Incomplete results on 41
12 / NOV. 9, 2016
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UPSETS TATIONS
I want to congratulate Donald Trump on his incredible victory. It marks a repudiation of the status quo of failed liberal progressive policies. We are eager to work hand-in-hand with the new administration to advance an agenda to improve the lives of the American people.
uckeye State’s vote aligned with the he 45th president of the United States.
NS NEWS EDITOR R FOR THE POST
1 votes
This is a historic night. The American people have spoken, and the American people have elected their new champion. … I’m deeply grateful to the American people for placing their confidence in this team and giving us the opportunity to serve.” - Mike Pence, Indiana Governor and Vice President-Elect
The candidate Ohio picked for the presidency also won the election overall, as the state has done for all but two of the last 31 presidential elections since 1896. Ohio has often been considered a bellwether for presidential elections, as no Republican has ever won the presidency without winning Ohio, Dan Birdsong, a political science professor at the University of Dayton who researches Ohio politics, said. No Democrat has won the White House without also winning Ohio since 1960. “We’re unique in the fact that we’re very competitive,” Birdsong said. “We have voted for both candidates’ parties over the last six elections, and it just happened to be that we voted for the winner in the last six.” Clinton conceded the election to Trump over the phone and did not address her supporters, who were waiting at an election night party in New York City. Though he lost the county, some Trump supporters in Athens see the win as a chance for change in the nation’s capital. “I think people are angry. They’re not happy with Washington, they want some changes and when he stays on message and hits on the issues like the economy, tax structures and illegal immigration, people are responding,” Pete Couladis, chair of the Athens County Republican Party, said.
A CONTENTIOUS ELECTION
AL VOTES
O WIN
“
- Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House
DONALD TRUMP
279
Clinton, who first ran for president in 2008, emphasized her gender and the possibility of a historic presidency throughout
her nearly 18-month campaign. “Gender was so central to this election,” Katherine Jellison, chair of OU’s history department and former president of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Athens County, said. “You had the Republican candidate who had this very hyper-masculine, macho persona and then the Democratic candidate who was a woman.” It may also have been gender, Jellison said, that caused greater scrutiny for Clinton, who was interviewed by the FBI this year after it was discovered she used a private email server while serving as Secretary of State under President Barack Obama from 2008 to 2012. Trump was not immune from scrutiny himself, as several news outlets uncovered potentially damaging information about the businessman in the last few months of the election. In October, The New York Times acquired copies of Trump’s 1995 tax returns after he refused to release his current forms — a first for a major presidential candidate. The investigation showed Trump could have legally avoided paying federal income tax for nearly two decades. Then, a week later, leaked audio from a 2005 appearance on Access Hollywood showed Trump bragging about kissing and groping women because of his fame. Following the leak, many prominent Republican leaders around the country, including Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, renounced their endorsement of their party’s nominee.
Information via ‘The New York Times’ // Results as of press time Graphics by Matt Ryan // Photos provided via WikiMedia Commons THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13
Ohio’s past 5 Presidential Election Results
2016 Ohio Presidential Results* GRAPHICS BY CHANCE BRINKMAN-SULL / GRAPHICS DIRECTOR
HOW IT PLAYED OUT IN OHIO The leak was just one factor that divided local and state leaders on Trump. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who won the state’s primary election, refused to support the Republican nominee and instead wrote in 2008 Republican presidential candidate, Arizona Sen. John McCain, on his ballot. National and state tensions trickled into Athens as well, as students and residents found themselves divided between the two presidential candidates. Much of the political tension on campus manifested itself onto the graffiti wall near Bentley Hall, where messages both for and against Trump started appearing in April. “I definitely think that no one was expecting this campaign to be as crazy as it was,” Sam Miller, president of the OU College Democrats, said. “We weren't expecting Donald Trump to make it this far, and a lot of people weren’t expecting Hillary to win the Democratic nomination. A lot of people in Athens wanted Bernie (Sanders).” The general dissatisfaction with this year’s election and the two major candidates has left many voters skeptical of what a Trump presidency may look like. “I think in order for him to have credibility and function as our next president, he would have to start surrounding himself with people who have more experience in governing,” Jellison said. In July, Trump alluded to the fact he would delegate domestic and foreign policy to his vice president, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. “I think Trump’s presidency would likely be like Richard Nixon’s. He has a penchant for drawing up 'enemies lists' and fantasizing about revenging people," Kevin Mattson, an OU history professor said in an email. "I think you’d see a presidency that evaded the press, was authoritarian, and likely scattered in its direction (like his 3 a.m. tweets).” Couladis said he was surprised to see Trump had won and advised that Trump needed to “pull everyone together.” “He can’t rant and rave like he did at the start of the campaign,” he said. “He’s got to reach out and put a team together, come up with an agenda, what the issues are. Congress has to be involved with this, because it’s a team effort. He has to work with them.”
@WTPERKINS WP198712@OHIO.EDU @DINABERLINER DB794812@OHIO.EDU 14 / NOV. 9, 2016
52.2%
43.4%
Donald Trump
Hillary Clinton
1996 Bill Clinton DEMOCRAT
2000 George W. Bush REPUBLICAN
2004 George W. Bush REPUBLICAN
2008 Barack Obama DEMOCRAT
Other results: Gary Johnson
2012
INDEPENDENT; 3.2%
Barack Obama
Jill Stein
Democratic Win
Republican Win
DEMOCRAT
GREEN; 0.8%
Richard Duncan NON-PARTY; 0.4%
Data via: http://maps.ohioelectionresults. com/internal
Information via ‘The New York Times’ // *Results as of press time. 1804 1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
As Ohio goes, so goes the nation? TIMELINE BY WESLEY RATKO Since Ohio became a state in 1803, there have been 55 presidential elections. In all but nine of them, Ohio’s electors have voted for the candidate who became the president.
1828
1832
1836
1840 1844 1848
1824
OHIO
WINNER
Henry Clay Democratic Republican John Quincy Adams Democratic Republican
1852
1856
1860 1864
1836
William H. Harrison Whig
Martin Van Buren Democrat
1868
1872
1876
1880 1884
1844
Henry Clay Democratic Republican
James Polk Democrat
TOP LEFT: Kayla Ventura, the Athens County Field Organizer for the Ohio Republican Party, reacts to a reported increase in Trump votes in Ohio at the Republican Headquarters on West Union Street on Nov. 8. (EMILY MATTHEWS / PHOTO EDITOR) LEFT: Ashley Fishwick, a sophomore studying English, pre-law and political science, reacts as election results come in at The Pigskin Bar and Grille on Tuesday night. (MATT STARKEY / FOR THE POST) ABOVE: Julia Nebbia, left, and Robie Young, right, share a kiss in Courtside Pizza as election results are released on Tuesday night. (LIZ MOUGHON / PHOTO EDITOR) 1888
1892
1896 1900 1904 1908
1848
1912
1916
1920
1924
1856
1928
1932
1936
1940 1944 1948
1884
1952
1956
1960 1964
1896
1968
1972
1976
1980 1984
1944
1988
1992
1996 2000
1960
Lewis Cass
John C. Fremont
James G. Blaine
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Dewey
Richard Nixon
Democrat
Republican
Republican
Republican
Republican
Republican
Zachary Taylor
James Buchanan
Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Franklin Roosevelt
John F. Kennedy
Whig
Democrat
Democrat
Democrat
Democrat
Democrat
Information via https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/votes/votes_by_state.html THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 15
Some local Democrats support the Clinton campaign half-heartedly TAYLOR MAPLE FOR THE POST Although some Hillary Clinton supporters eagerly cast votes in her favor, some lifelong Democrats found themselves underwhelmed or troubled by her ultimately unsuccessful candidacy this election cycle. Leslie Heskett, a lifelong Athens resident, said Sunday he is “disillusioned” by this year’s presidential election, even though he ultimately planned to vote for Clinton. “I was a Bernie (Sanders) supporter clear up to the very end,” Heskett, who has voted Democrat in every election he’s been eligible to participate in, said. Heskett said this summer’s leak of Democratic National Committee emails, which suggested the DNC privately sup16 / NOV. 9. 2016
ported Clinton’s campaign over Sanders’ in the primary, is one of the reasons he feels uncomfortable voting for Clinton. “When they tried to disenfranchise Bernie, that really upset me,” he said. Heskett said he considered voting for a third-party candidate like Green Party nominee Jill Stein, but he abandoned that idea. “After hearing (Libertarian nominee Gary) Johnson and Stein this election, I don’t think they’re good options either,” he said. “Even if they were viable options, I would still be uncomfortable voting for them.” Kirk Groeneveld, an Athens resident of more than 20 years, who has voted primarily for Democrats during his time in Athens, said there have been hard feelings on both sides of the aisle. While he was not particularly excited about Clinton as a
nominee, he said he would probably cast a vote in her favor. “I’m not terribly wedded to her, but Trump hasn’t convinced me he’s presidential at all,” Groeneveld said. “If he gets elected, we’re going to have a really rough four years.” Kelsey Lenahan, a preschool teacher at OU’s Child Development Center and a third-year graduate student in OU’s Critical Studies in Educational Foundations program, said she had been struggling with her choice of candidate prior to Election Day. Lenahan said she studied Clinton years ago for a book report and was originally a huge supporter in 2008. She said 2016 is different. “I’m disappointed because I’ve become more aware of the American political system, the influence of capitalism (and) the degradation of our biosphere,” she said in
an email Sunday. “To me, Hillary does not address these concerns.” For a while, Lenahan said, she was leaning toward voting for Stein. She said Stein shared some of her values and beliefs about addressing the disconnect between our society and the environment, but she had since moved on from that option. In the end, she chose to vote for Clinton. Although the Democratic nominee fell short in the end, Lenahan felt Clinton was the best choice for her. “The statistics and my personal observations about the real possibility of Trump as our president made me realize I had to let go of my dream of a new narrative for America and accept more of the same with Hillary,” she said.
@TAYMAPLE TM255312@OHIO.EDU
ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA GÜT
Trump campaign appeals to Athens Republicans, divides some Ohioans LUKE TORRANCE FOR THE POST As Donald Trump drew nearer to the 270 electoral votes needed to take the White House on Tuesday night, Athens County Republican Party Chair was sitting in a mostly empty headquarters. By then, every Republican on the ballot had won except Donald Trump, and Couladis was discussing what Trump needed to do to be an effective president. “He has to work with these people,” Couladis said. “As (President Ronald) Reagan used to say, ‘If you agree with me 80 percent of the time, you’re my ally.’ That’s the problem with these Tea Party groups, if you disagree with them on one issue, boom. You’re evil.” But as Couladis talked, he was challenged by another Republican volunteer
who said the establishment was to blame for fraud and abuse of power. It was an illustration of a possible division that Republicans would face going forward. That anger toward the establishment was evident in Jeannie Waddell, a resident of The Plains who describes herself as a lifelong Republican and ardent Trump supporter. If Ohio Gov. John Kasich ever runs for president, since he cannot be re-elected governor, he will not have Waddell’s support. “I will never vote for him,” Waddell said of Kasich. Kasich may have been one of the more outspoken critics of Trump within the Republican Party, but he was not alone in Ohio. Sen. Rob Portman, who was seeking re-election, also un-endorsed Trump in mid-October following Trump’s vulgar statements about women.
Ohio University College Republicans President David Parkhill said he was frustrated with Portman and Kasich following their lack of support. “I was going to talk to Portman about this, but I didn’t get the chance,” Parkhill said. “I’m still frustrated. They need to be held accountable if we lose.” Portman easily defeated his opponent, former Gov. Ted Strickland, as Portman’s refusal to back Trump did not cost him the election. Going into Election Day, he had the support of Waddell, Parkhill and Trump volunteer Rebecca Keller. “I already voted, and I voted for Portman,” Keller, an Athens resident, said. “We’re supporting (Republicans) down the ballot. If people have personal issues, they have to deal with that on their own.” Trump handily won Ohio — 52.1 per-
cent to 43.4 percent — although he did lose in Athens County. Despite losing Athens County, Trump did attract new voters in the area. About 400 people changed their party affiliation from Democrat to Republican since the beginning of Trump’s campaign, a migration that Couladis said was caused by Trump’s local appeal. But at the same time, Couladis acknowledged that some Trump supporters will hold a grudge against Republicans who did not support the presidential candidate. “They have to realize running a party is a team effort, you have to work with people you don’t agree with,” Couladis said. “Political parties are coalitions.”
@TORRANTIAL LT688112@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17
Romance tricky during elections
“
Couples with different political affiliations don’t let party divides end their relationships
... I would suggest to people not to let political differences get in the way of a relationship ...”
ABBEY MARSHALL FOR THE POST
D
uring the political turmoil of an election year, some couples are put to the test. Sami Morsink, who cast her ballot for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, has been dating Connor Lewis, a Donald Trump supporter, for three years. Their partisan differences cause rifts in their relationship at times, Morsink said. “I get very heated about (politics) very quickly,” Morsink, a freshman studying journalism, said. “I try to make a point, and it’ll blow up into a whole argument just because he’s (politically) so far right. … I can’t really get where he’s coming from on a lot of things.” Although the couple tries to avoid discussing politics, it becomes difficult during election season, Lewis, a junior studying computer science and film at the University of Texas, said. “Even just seeing news come up about one of the two (candidates) will spark conversation between us, and sometimes it’ll escalate and get heated,” Lewis said. “The closer it gets to the election, the harder it’s been to put those things past us.” Respect for the other person’s opinion is key to maintaining a healthy relationship, Morsink said. “If I don’t agree with it, I can still respect his opinion,” Morsink said. “If you are so far one way, and you can’t even understand or listen to what someone’s going to say, it’s probably not going to work.” Johnathen Sweeney, a freshman studying journalism, said he would not consider dating or even being friends with a Trump supporter. “I see some of the things Trump does and has said about people, and I just can’t,” Sweeney said. “When I hear about the things he’s said about women, minorities, (people with) disabilities, Muslims — that’s a degrading way to think about other people. To support that, even if you don’t support those specific things, you’re still supporting his aura.”
18 / NOV. 9, 2016
- Connor Lewis, junior at the University of Texas, dating an OU Clinton supporter
Personal relationships between people of different parties can be difficult at times during the election, Sweeney said. Political differences should not be a reason to end a friendship or relationship, Bailey Williams, a freshman studying political science, said. Williams, a member of Ohio University College Democrats and a Clinton supporter, has a close friendship with a Trump supporter. “It’s been hard because we butt heads a lot, but I’ve learned you’ve got to have patience because you don’t want to lose a friend over something like this,” Williams said. “Even though I’m very passionate about politics as a (political science) major, you have to be patient. The best you can do is try to articulate your viewpoint the best you can without being condescending.” The best way to maintain those relationships is to try to understand the other person’s side and reserve judgment, Williams said. “For Trump people, I know there’s a huge stereotype with them — that they’re racist, misogynist, whatever — but that’s not the case,” he said. “A lot of people are supporting Trump because they’re supporting the Republican (nominee). People voting for Trump should not be looked at as Trump themselves. I think Trump is a very disgusting person, but that doesn’t mean the people who are voting for him are.” Politics are not the most important thing in a relationship, Lewis said. “We’ve gotten through it, so I would suggest to people not to let political differences get in the way of a relationship you really care about, because there are much more important things,” he said. ILLUSTRATION BY MARCUS PAVILONIS
@ABBEYMARSHALL AM877915@OHIO.EDU
A lesson from the Electoral College
T
WESLEY RATKO FOR THE POST The Constitutionally mandated process at the heart of America’s presidential
elections, the Electoral College, has received a lot of attention lately. The Electoral College was at the center of the news in November and December of 2000, when Al Gore and George W. Bush fought a protracted legal battle over Florida’s 29 electoral college votes, which went all the way to the Supreme Court and delayed the outcome of the election for more than a month. But how well is the process understood by most Americans? A 2009 Intercollegiate Studies Institute Literacy survey showed that one out of five survey respondents thought the Electoral College “trained” those aspiring for higher office” or “was established to supervise the first televised presidential debates.” In the
55
interest of furthering civic literacy, here is a chart that explores the major elements of the Electoral College.
38 29 20
CA
TX
FL NY
IL PA
18
OH
16
GA MI
15
NC
14
NJ
13
VA
12 WA
11 AZ IN MA TN
10 MD MN MO WI
By the numbers Electoral College votes are not evenly distributed like senators are. States with more people have more electors. The largest, in the Electoral College California, has 55 electors. Seven states and the District of Columbia are granted only three electors, which is the minimum allowed. But a higher number of votes does not necessarily mean voters are equally represented in the Electoral College. 270 to win There are 538 electors in the Electoral College. Electors are assigned based on representation in Congress: One for each senator (every state has two), and one for each representative, which varies depending on the state’s population. Because half of 538 would be 269, resulting in a tie, 270 electoral votes are required to win. Therefore, it requires 270 Electoral College votes to win the presidency.
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
AL CO SC
KY LA
CT OK OR
AR IA KS MS NV UT
NE NM WV
HI ID ME NH RI
AK DE DC MT ND SD VT WY
Every Vote Counts Not every vote is equally weighted. Because every state gets a vote for each senator regardless of population, greater representation is given to states with smaller populations. Wyoming residents are proportionately overrepresented while Californians are the most underrepresented, according to the most recent census data.
The Nitty Gritty Why do we have the Electoral College? Because Article II of the Constitution says so: “Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress ... ” Why are some states more critical than others? So-called “red states” and “blue states” dependably vote for either the Republican or Democratic candidate. Such states can be counted on to vote along party lines. Swing states with significant numbers of electors (Michigan, Ohio, Florida) are up for grabs and garner a lot of attention from the campaigns. What happens to votes for the losing candidate? Most states have a system of “winner-takes-all,” meaning that the winner of the election in that state receives all of the state’s electoral votes. Maine and Nebraska however, assign their winning votes according to congressional district. For example, in 2008 Republican John McCain won the electoral votes in Nebraska’s 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts, but Barack Obama won the vote in the 2nd Congressional District. The majority winner also wins the two votes assigned for each senator, so McCain took four of the five votes, while Obama took one.
Wyoming: 195,369 people per electoral vote
National average: 592,750 people per electoral vote
California: 711, 724 people per electoral vote
CA TX FL NY IL PA OH GA MI NC NJ VA WA AZ IN MA TN MD MN MO WI AL CO SC KY LA CT OK OR AR IA KS MS NV UT NE NM WV HI ID ME NH RI AK DE DC MT ND SD VT WY
SOURCE: CENSUS.GOV GRAPHICS BY: WESLEY RATKO
THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 19
‘Post’ analysis finds majority of faculty registered Democrat More than 75 percent of faculty in Athens County registered Democrat during primaries JULIA FAIR FOR THE POST KAITLIN COWARD NEWS EDITOR Although Ohio University students remain politically divided, the majority of faculty members registered to vote in Athens County are registered as Democrats. More than 75 percent of Ohio University faculty members are registered as Democrats, according to a data analysis done by The Post of
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20 / NOV. 9, 2016
National higher education faculty registration
OU faculty registration
49% Identify as liberal 27% Lean “middle of the road” 13% Lean conservative 11% Lean “far left” 1% Lean “far right”
76% Democrat 23% Republican 1% Independent
voter registration records paired with public records provided by the Office of Legal Affairs. About a quarter of faculty members are registered as Republicans, and one faculty member is registered as an independent. The voter registration data only included faculty who voted in the March 2016 Ohio primary election in Athens County. A total of 675 faculty of the university’s 1,795 faculty registered to vote in the primaries. OU faculty’s party affiliations reflect similar patterns on a national level. University faculty across the country generally identify as liberal, according to a survey conducted by The Higher Education Institute at UCLA. More than 16,000 faculty members from 269 fouryear colleges and universities responded to the survey. In 2014, nearly 49 percent of all faculty from those institutions identified as liberal, and 11 percent said they leaned “far left.” About 13 percent of respondents listed themselves as conservative, and fewer than 1 percent of those surveyed said they leaned “far right.” The remaining 27 percent said they were more “middle of the road.” Katherine Jellison, a professor and the chair of OU’s history department, said she was not surprised by the percentage of the university’s faculty registered as Democrats.
Data via public records request. Graphic by Claire Hanna
“
It’s their right to say (their political views), but as long as they don’t pressure the kids to change their views, you have a freedom to say what your views are. As long as you’re not teaching them that it’s better than another view, I think it’s fine.” - Allison Giordano, freshman studying communication sciences and disorders “I think you’d probably see the same thing at other universities that are the dominant institutions in their communities,” Jellison said. “So I think it’s the outside nature of OU and not having other competitors to be the major cultural force for this institution to rub up against.” It is a personal choice whether a professor discloses his or her party affiliation, Sherrie Gradin, a professor and the department chair of the English department, said. “Some people are likely to talk about themselves and how they see things,” she said. “Others might keep tight lips about it.” In the English department, Gradin said classes constantly talk about the humanities and understanding how people relate, which is amplified during the election cycle.
“A lot of what we normally teach is magnified and highlighted with the fact that there’s such a contentious election cycle,” Gradin said. Allison Giordano, a freshman studying communication sciences and disorders, said considering the political leanings of Athens County as a whole, she was not surprised to see OU’s faculty have similar beliefs. “It’s their right to say (their political views), but as long as they don’t pressure the kids to change their views, you have a freedom to say what your views are,” she said. “As long as you’re not teaching them that it’s better than another view, I think it’s fine.”
@FAIR3JULIA JF311013@OHIO.EDU @KCOWARD02 KC769413@OHIO.EDU
FOOTBALL
Where Ohio might find itself come bowl season CHARLIE HATCH SPORTS EDITOR
W
ith the Bobcats resting on their bye week, it’s a good time to evaluate when and where they might play in an upcoming bowl game in December. Ohio (7-3, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) technically only has two games remaining on its schedule, but that number will grow in coming weeks. For starters, the program is bowl eligible — a team needs six wins to be eligible — for the eighth consecutive season. More importantly, the Bobcats are a win away from claiming the MAC East title and securing a berth in the MAC Championship Game in Detroit on Dec. 3. The Bobcats haven’t won the conference outright since 1968 and haven’t won the East since 2011. That said, the focus here is on potential bowl games, and any bowl eligible team in the MAC can play in a possible seven games. From there it becomes confusing. A MAC school is a secondary option in two
bowls, and some bowls are for teams that will finish lower in the conference than the Bobcats. So, the focus here is on realistic options and locations for Ohio’s 2016 bowl game. Famous Idaho Potato Bowl — Dec. 22, Boise, Idaho (MAC 2 vs. Mountain West Conference) The Potato Bowl isn’t the most geographically pleasing. Most college fans know this bowl for the blue field Boise State typically uses; Bobcat fans should feel much more sentimental toward the game. Ohio’s first bowl win in program history came in 2011 at the Potato Bowl, where the Bobcats beat Utah State 24-23. If Ohio was to make this bowl, it’d come in two options. One, No. 14 Western Michigan must go undefeated
and make a bowl better than the MAC was previously offered, which bumps Ohio up, even if it doesn’t play in the MAC Championship Game. Another bowl would have to have picked someone other than Ohio for the MAC spot. The other option is losing the conference title game to someone other than Western. As it stands now, Western Michigan is the highest Group of 5 team in the rankings. Meaning, the Broncos would go to the Cotton Bowl if they remain that way.
Ohio running back Papi White runs downfield during the first quarter of the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl against Appalachian State in Montgomery, Alabama, on Dec. 19. (CARL FONTICELLA / FILE)
Dollar General Bowl — Dec. 23, Mobile, Alabama (MAC 1 vs. Sun Belt 2) The Dollar General Bowl appears to be the most likely bowl for Ohio — at least at the moment. If the Bobcats win the MAC, they’ll play in Mobile; If they lose to Western in the conference title game, they’ll play here, too. Again, Western going undefeated has as much to do with Ohio’s event planning as its own program’s itinerary. Raycom Media Camellia Bowl — Dec. 17, Montgomery, Alabama (MAC 3 vs. Sun Belt 3) Does this bowl sound familiar? It should. Ohio played in the Camellia Bowl game last year and lost 31-29 to Appalachian State on a game-winning field goal. The Bobcats will only play here if they lose the next two games and fail to make the Championship Game. If that happened, which would be unlikely, at least they’d know their way around Montgomery again.
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ILLUSTRATION BY MARCUS PAVILONIS
JESSICA JOHNSTON FOR THE POST
W
henever the forecast calls for rain, Monica Downing knows she will not be able to put on her galaxy-themed Converse sneakers; their paint would
not hold up against the rain. Downing, a sophomore studying business economics, owns 27 pairs of Converse tennis shoes. “They’re the best type of shoe there is, quite honestly,” she said. “You can wear them for anything. You can dress them up, dress them down, wear them to gym class.” As the fad of “athleisure” wear — otherwise known as workout attire worn for everyday dress — sweeps over stock shelves, so does the influence of athletic footwear. With an influx of casual clothing, students are collecting sneakers as a hobby rather than just wearing them for exercise.
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SOME STUDENTS ARE CAPTIVATED BY AESTHETICALLY PLEASING FOOTWEAR EVOLUTION OF FASHIONABLE FOOTWEAR
In the past few decades, sneakers have evolved from having a reputation as street shoes to being incorporated into high-end fashion, according to a report published by CNN in 2015. Sneakers entered mainstream society in the ’50s with the youth movement, when young adults began to challenge society, Trina Gannon, an adjunct instructor at Ohio University with degrees in clothing and retail with a focus on history and anthropology, said. The movement sparked an interest in younger generations and played into James Dean’s character, Jim Stark, in Rebel Without a Cause, whose style was jeans, sneakers and a white T-shirt. “Sneakers were seen as your dirty shoe,” Gannon said. “You (did not) wear them to church — or you (were not) supposed to.” As sneakers became more prevalent in mainstream society, the style became a trademark of an everyday outfit. “It’s part of our society,” Gannon said. “It’s kind of like a little black dress; you can’t go wrong with a T-shirt, jeans and sneakers.” While Converse shoes are not exactly at the forefront of the athletic attire movement today, Nike — which owns Converse – is.
Nike has come a long way since it was founded in 1964 under the name “Blue Ribbon Sports,” and officially became Nike Inc. in 1971. Since the ’70s, the company has become the largest supplier and manufacturer of athletic shoes and apparel in the world, according to a 2016 Nike report on Statista. The company brings in about $32 billion in revenue worldwide. “At one point, (Nike) kind of became America’s coach, then they became this worldwide sportswear leader,” Daniel Dahlen, director of the Center for Consumer Research and a professor of marketing at OU, said. “They’re the biggest, the best, the first.” APPEALING FACTORS
Although a sneaker craze has been present for more than 60 years, the 2000s brought about a different dynamic to sneakers. It was not enough for the shoes to just be comfortable — they have to look captivating. Companies like Nike have the ability to reach a multitude of people, from children to older adults and everyone in between. Dahlen, an OU alumnus, has spent most of his career in advertising and said Nike is able to do that partially due to its “state-of-the-art” marketing. “Their advertising, when you see it, it stops you. … It
ideally causes you to grow closer to the brand, and the next time you want to buy a pair of sneakers … you’re going to give Nike some consideration,” Dahlen said. Many college students and professors alike have fixated on the shoes as more of a collector’s hobby, though, following the craze of fashionable footwear. The main draws are color and design. It is already assumed that sneakers are comfortable shoes, so it is all of the other components that set a stylish pair of sneakers apart from a pair that does not incorporate an appealing style, Gannon said. Max Herron, an undecided sophomore and the owner of about 20 pairs of sneakers, said he has dwindled down his collection since last year, but the sneakers he still owns are all color-heavy. Within the sneaker culture, red is a popular color. Kanye West’s “Red October” Nike Air Yeezy 2 sneakers reinforced the all-red color scheme for such shoes, Herron said. But not everyone is convinced that flashy colors and top-of-the-line designs are all they are cracked up to be. Some just like sticking to the basics. “I’m definitely a more tonal person. I’m not big into bright colors,” Craig Cochran, a junior studying retail merchandising and fashion production, and also an Adidas collector, said. “I like simplicity. Simplicity is key in everything. Because if you can’t get the basics down, you can’t get ahold of anything else.” Cochran said he wants to design sneakers and athletic apparel for a living. Although he is dedicated to his shoe collection now, his sneaker fascination did not manifest until his senior year of high school, when he realized his attire was lacking some key components which led to his infatuation. “I’m definitely always trying to design something that just looks new … something that’s unusual,” Cochran said. “Like shoes are kind of an important part of every outfit. It starts from the ground up.”
Sophomore Max Herron poses for a portrait with some of his shoes in his room in Adams Hall. Many of Herron’s shoes cost more than $200. (CARL FONTICELLA / PHOTO EDITOR)
INSPIRATIONS FOR COLLECTING
Shoes with style will more easily spread across social media platforms. People are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of sneakers because of the way the shoes look, but also because that person wants to display how he or she belongs to a type of “status” group, Gannon said. By posting a photo on social media platforms, there is the immediate gratification of knowing others are associating that person with a specific status while receiving hundreds of views or “likes,” which are translated into instant compliments. “It’s not necessarily that (people) are brand loyal,” Gannon said. “It’s that they’re design loyal, because they want something that looks aesthetically pleasing because they want to put it on their Instagram, they want to put it on their Snapchat.” Not all sneaker collectors are invested in shoes for likes and favorites. Dahlen admits that he owns at least 40 pairs of Nike sneakers himself, but his motive behind collecting so many pairs of shoes is to look trendy while he is running and staying healthy. “If I have to exercise … I’m going to look good doing it,” Dahlen said. He is more so invested in the idea of fashionable color coordination. He owns hundreds of Nike shirts and
It’s not necessarily that (people) are brand loyal. It’s that they’re design loyal, because they want something that looks aesthetically pleasing ... ” -Trina Gannon, OU adjunct instructor
shorts, which he then matches with the appropriate-colored shoes before heading to the gym. “(It has come) to the point that I’ve had people come up to me and go ‘are you sponsored by Nike?’ ” Dahlen said. Wes Lumpkin, a senior studying management and strategic leadership and marketing, is not the average
casual shoe collector. He owns about 300 pairs of shoes, with a large number of those being sneakers. His enthusiasm for shoes started at a young age, and it has not subsided as time has passed. “It honestly started with, like, my mom, because she really likes shoes. … (I was) always making sure I kept good care of them, because if I didn’t, I’d get in trouble,” Lumpkin said. “I’d have to take separate shoes to school to play, so that’s how picky she was on stuff.” His fascination with sneakers slowly developed into a hobby when he worked at a Finish Line athletic retail store while he was in high school and was able to receive an employee discount, which helped lower the cost of the shoes. Even with the discount, Lumpkin said he spent about $15,000 on shoes to acquire the collection he has now, with his most expensive purchase being a two-pack — the Air Jordan “Brazil Pack” — which he bought for $500. As students start to collect more shoes, their hobbies may develop into more than just a fun assortment of sneakers. While many collectors do not like to classify themselves as sneaker-obsessed, they might find that they are on a fast track to a sneaker frenzy. “I wouldn’t say it’s an obsession right now,” Cochran said. “But the first step to admitting you have a problem is denial.” @_JJOHNSTON JJ940914@OHIO.EDU
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