The BG News 09.05.12

THE BG NEWS

O say can you sing?

More than 25 students auditioned to sing the national anthem for sporting events. Learn more about the process on Page 6

ESTABLISHED 1920 | An independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

VOLUME 92, ISSUE 9

WWW.BGNEWS.COM

Students can create, join groups Social media See CLUBS | Page 2

Squeals, smells fuel complaints for more than a decade

By Alissa Widman Senior Reporter

Browsing Internet reviews of The Enclave apartments this summer made German exchange student Yannick Kluch second-guess a decision that once seemed like a no-brainer from across the globe.

The graduate student committed early to living in the apartments this fall, attracted by alluring amenities and an

affordable price touted on The Enclave’s website.

Reviews from its westernmost tenants, however, painted a grimmer, grimy picture: shrill squeals, foul smells and bloody entrails visible from a neighboring pig slaughterhouse.

“I was scared,” Kluch said. “They made it seem like you see the pigs walk in on

See SQUEALS | Page 2

Pioneer Packing Company The Enclave Falcon’s Pointe Railroad XXXXXXXXXXXXX Fence

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*Map may not be to scale

CITY

BRIEF

Black Swamp Arts Festival prompts road closures City officials will impose parking restrictions and road closures downtown starting Friday.

The restrictions and closures will accommodate the 20th Black Swamp Arts Festival taking place Friday through Sunday.

The city will begin closing and clearing main street at 4 a.m. Friday, said John Fawcett, municipal administrator.

The city closes roads and lots so early to clear remaining cars, clean and escort artists into the area, Fawcett said.

ALWAYS A TENNIS PLAYER Nikki Chiricosta has played tennis her entire life and is now going into her junior year on the Falcon’s team. | PAGE 6

information analyzed

Big Data Day to take place at Wolfe Center on Friday

By Danae King Campus Editor

KLOTZ ROAD

EAST NAPOLEON ROAD

be about or do, said Lacey Squier, graduate assistant for student organization services.

HIGH STREET

Tenants troubled by proximity to pig packing company

Mike Freyaldenhoven | Assistant Dean

Organizations can focus on different topics, majors or even novels, Squier said.

“Even though we have so many organizations, I think there’s still a lot that can be created,” Miller said. “There are a lot of things that can be new to people.”

ELM STREET

On a campus with more than 300 student organizations, creating one that is unique may seem difficult, but new ones are created every year.

Chelsey Miller created a new organization this year, and it wasn’t hard for her to find some-

“Together they have more power than they do individually...”

thing to start a club about. She began the Deaf Culture Club to fulfill a need on campus.

“Last year when I was a freshman I was trying to find an organization for American Sign Language or deaf culture,” Miller, a sophomore, said. “I realized we didn’t have any on campus.”

There are many possibilities for what a campus organization could

MANVILLE AVENUE

By Danae King Campus Editor

When students send tweets, update Facebook statuses or search something on Google, someone may be studying their habits.

There is a new emphasis on data-driven research nationa lly a nd at t he Universit y.

Data-driven resea rch is t he study of “big data” or enormous amounts of data, which are being produced daily. An example of this data is realtime data being produced by social media sites.

This research will be explained and emphasized during Big Data Day, an event which will be hosted Friday from 1 to 5:30 p.m. in the Donnell Theatre in the Wolfe Center.

The event will feature eight speakers, said Michael Ogawa, vice president of research and economic development at the University.

“These people are here to inform the faculty and the graduate students what possibilities data research can have in their work,” Ogawa said. “Things are getting so digital now that a lot of different kinds of data are being produced.”

The data produced includes information from social media sites, online shopping websites and cellphones, he said.

Through the study of big data, students will realize it is relatable to some surprising subjects, said Craig Zirbel, University professor of math and statistics who will speak at the event. “[There are] areas where people never thought computers would be highly relevant, but all of a sudden they are highly relevant,” Zirbel said.

Not only does big data allow for the study of different things, but it can also be a source of jobs for students, Ogawa said.

“There has been a shortfall in talent with deep analytic skills,” Ogawa said. “Because [big data is] exploding, because it’s just so brand new, there are very few people who are trained to use this in the business world.”

The Un iversit y wa nts to change that.

“I think we’re going to be offering new types of courses,” Ogawa said. “[Maybe a] new master’s program in analytics.”

Zirbel said he sees faculty members helping students gain skills with data of all sizes and types.

See DATA | Page 2

John Fawcett

Municipal Administrator No through traffic will be permitted on Main Street, except for the intersection of Main Street and Wooster Street. Detour routes will be posted to redirect traffic, according to a press release from the city.

Along with Main Street and areas of on-street parking, City Lot 2 will also be closed for the festival, according to the press release.

All roads, lots and parking spots will reopen Sunday evening.

CAMPUS BRIEF

Enrollment down by 1.5 percent The University released its 15-day head count of students for fall semester Tuesday.

This fall, 19,697 students total are enrolled in classes at the University. This is down 1.5 percent from last year’s 19,994 students.

Overall, the number leaves the University’s fall-to-fall retention at about 72 percent, said Joe Frizado, vice president of Academic Operations and Assessment.

SWING, SWING Columnist Emily Gordon explains why Ohio is a swing state and why it will recieve a little special attention this election season. | PAGE 3

The ideal level of retention would be in the “high 70s,” Frizado said.

The last time the University reached such a retention level was around 2006 when retention was at 76 percent, said Gary Swegan, assistant vice president and director of enrollment.

The drop comes as “no surprise,” said Alberto Colom, vice president for Enrollment Management.

The effects of the economy and the decision to reenforce the University’s payment policy are the likely reasons for the drop, Colom said.

About 60 percent of the students who were originally dropped from classes this semester because of an unpaid bursar balance have now re-enrolled, said University spokesperson Dave Kielmeyer.

WHAT ORGANIZATION DO WE NEED ON CAMPUS? “Alcoholics Anonymous.”

Emilie Watson Freshman, Business Management

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

2 Wednesday, September 5, 2012

WWW.BGNEWS.COM

9S2S.5F M

LOCATION H LOCATION H LOCATION

FO R R E NT

The Clazel is simply the best place to hold your next special event or fundraiser

KI

SUN., SEPT. 2 12:03 A.M.

Disorderly conduct was reported at Lot D on campus.

3:20 A.M.

A drug violation was reported at Lot 5 on campus.

CLUBS From Page 1 If students want to create an organization on campus, they need more than just an idea. Student organizations must have a mission or a vision and a constitution, said Mike Freyaldenhoven, assistant dean of students in the Office of Campus Activities.

St udents who sta r t a n orga ni zat ion must have nine ot her people interested as well, Freyaldenhoven said.

Miller said she had no problem finding other students who were interested.

“That was probably the easiest part,” she said.

Both Freyaldenhoven and Squier are new to their positions, but they named some reasons for the requirement of 10.

“I think the 10 number probably helps to have enough members in that organization to establish

DATA From Page 1 “I’d love to see students come out of BGSU able to deal with data,” Zirbel said.

The University’s exploration into big data will also impact students outside of the master’s program, Ogawa said.

“Many faculty are doing data-intensive research,” he said. “They do it in classes, and add new dimensions to the educational experience.”

Another way to add dimension to students’ experience with big data is that the students themselves are often beneficiaries or users of the end products that big data can produce, such as electronic textbooks, said

MON., SEPT. 3 8:47 A.M.

Complainant reported that sometime after 2:30 a.m., her front door was kicked in and the door jamb was broken within the 500 block of Pike St. 11:14 A.M.

Lindsey Elise Cunningham,

20, of Bowling Green, was arrested for underage/under the influence of alcohol within the 500 block of E. Merry Ave. She was lodged in the Wood County Justice Center.

1:11 P.M.

Complainant reported that an air compressor was stolen

some leadership and enough folks to help share the load of running an organization,” Freyaldenhoven said.

Ten members can also help justify an organization’s existence, Squier said.

“I have been at three different institutions and all of them had the number 10,” she said. “My personal justification is that student organizations are receiving a lot of privileges as well as access to funding. We need to know there are at least 10 students interested in this.”

Students also need an adviser and voting procedures for officers, Freyaldenhoven said.

For Miller, the hardest part of starting the Deaf Culture Club was finding an adviser.

“They have to go through and make sure they are able to,” she said. “They have to think about the time commitment.”

For those starting an organization, a ll the requirements are listed

in the student handbook, and if students need more help with getting an organization started, they can contact the Office of Campus Activities, Freyaldenhoven said.

To help organizations get on their feet, campus activities offers a 30-day grace period where organizations who don’t have 10 members or don’t yet meet all the requirements can use campus meeting areas, hang posters and begin to form their organization, Freyaldenhoven said.

While he said it is good for students who have unique ideas to begin organizations, Freyaldenhoven also spoke of the benefits of collaborating with existing groups.

“If our student population ever realized that together they have more power than they do individually, I think it would be a different place to work — students would have a common voice,” Freyaldenhoven said.

Andrew Schocket, director of American Culture Studies who will also speak at the event.

Undergraduates often benefit from or use the end products that are made through big data, such as electronic textbooks, Schocket said. “[The University is] researching how to use the data, manage it and apply it to different areas of study,” Ogawa said.

Big data has become a big deal recently, as 90 percent of all data has been created in the past two years, according to a study by the McKinsey Global Institute that was done in 2011.

By beginning to facilitate working with big data at the University, it could begin to come to the forefront of big

data, Schocket said.

Big data has the capacity to be successful at the University because a lot of things are already in place for the study of it, Zirbel said.

“Interest has a lot to do with it,” he said. “[There are] plenty of researchers who deal with data.

We’ve got lots of depth in the traditional places you need to go when you deal with data.”

The University also has a lot of statisticians and others who work with data sets, Schocket said.

“I think our end goal is to create an environment at BGSU that nurtures this kind of research, and makes us a player in this kind of research across many disciplines,” Schocket said.

Explore the Possibilities!

Big Data Day Symposium Friday, September 7 | 1:00 – 5:30 PM The Wolfe Center for the Arts | Donnell Theatre Faculty and students in natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, business, education and more are invited to hear from national experts on the potential for data-driven research and funding arising from the surge in digital data.

10 pm til 2:30 am

BOOMER &

DJ MANNY

K I S S 18 & Up H 21 & over FREE C LU B clazel.net H facebook.com/clazel

For more information go to: clazel.net H facebook.com/clazel

BLOTTER

FRI & SAT NIGHTS

within the 800 block of S. Main St. It was valued at $50.

Thurstin Ave.

the Wood County Justice Center.

2:47 P.M.

TUES., SEPT. 4 2:51 P.M.

CORRECTION POLICY

Complainant reported that sometime during the night, an unknown person broke the passenger side mirror off of a vehicle within the 900 block of

SQUEALS From Page 1 one side and see the bacon come out the other.”

Five buildings — two belonging to The Enclave and three owned by Falcon’s Pointe — are situated nearest to Pioneer Packing Company. The only barriers that separate students and the slaughterhouse are a parking aisle, a 7-foot-tall wooden fence and shrubs and trees about a story tall.

Now that he’s moved in, Kluch says his room near the slaughterhouse and the occasional “whiff of pig feces” doesn’t bother him — but he knows many students disagree.

“It’s disgusting, it always smells terrible out here, but I think students are just sick of complaining,” junior Ashley Shaw said while walking into her apartment at The Enclave last week. “I complained, you can complain, but what can they really do about it?”

SWINE STORY

Siblings Brian Contris and Kristi Contris own Pioneer Packing, a family business dating three generations. It’s been in constant operation for more than 60 years, supplying pork-based products to the city and nationwide.

Contris sympathizes with his neighbors, but said the apartments’ original owners knew about his slaughterhouse since the beginning.

“Unfortunately, someone still decided 15 years ago it was a good idea to cut down trees and build a beautiful apartment complex right next to a slaughterhouse,” he said.

Pioneer Packing operates Monday through Friday and some weekends, Contris said.

He does his best to address concerns — for example, he’s cut down on late-night deliveries so squealing pigs don’t interrupt sleeping tenants — but sometimes it’s just part of the job.

“It’s not an envious job, but someone’s got to do it,”

Jonathan Christopher Harris, 26, of Bowling Green, was arrested for falsification of identification within the 500 block of Elm St. He was lodged in

Contris said. “We try to be a good neighbor, but not everyone likes what we do.”

LIVING CONDITIONS Activity at Pioneer Packing has troubled nearby tenants for more than a decade, but property owners at The Enclave and Falcon’s Pointe said complaints have dwindled in recent years.

Built in 2001, The Enclave consists of 10 buildings and is currently owned

by American Campus Communities, a Texas-based company that manages student housing.

Falcon’s Pointe, formerly known as Enclave 2, was added in 2005. As of last July, Colorado-based real estate company Corson Properties manages the eight buildings.

Tenants aren’t assigned apartments when they sign their leases, property owners said. They can request to live near friends or in particular buildings, but aren’t placed in apartments until after they’ve signed their lease contract.

Signing early ensures more preferences are met, but signing a lease in November still wasn’t enough to keep Shaw out of a west-side apartment.

“They said I’d get a great building, but I got the worst one here,” Shaw said. “I knew the slaughterhouse was nearby, but I didn’t think it would be that noticeable. I can hear squeals with my door and windows closed.”

DEALING WITH IT DJ Sandiford, The Enclave’s general manager since January, said the slaughterhouse “isn’t a huge concern” to his tenants.

Nearby Falcon’s Pointe receives the brunt of the foul smells, sights and sounds, he said.

Trent Goodwin, assistant manager at Falcon’s Pointe, said he hasn’t received a complaint this year, but acknowledged some tenants found the nearby slaughterhouse problematic in the past.

“When I got here [three

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years ago] it was quite a bother, with the noises and smells,” Goodwin said. “But people have either gotten used to it or they haven’t really noticed it this year.”

NO SOLUTION IN SIGHT Junior Breanna Sharpe, a tenant at Falcon’s Pointe, said it’s unfair for students to criticize Pioneer Packing.

Information about the business is available online and students should research an apartment’s location before signing a lease, she said.

“People always start rumors about them, like they’re spraying pig guts into the air, but come on, how would that even be legal?” Sharpe said. “I’ve had my windows open all week and it’s not bothersome to me, but I guess everyone’s different.”

But Stu Knight, a city resident living in the building, fears downplaying the problem will never lead to a solution.

He’s lived in Falcon’s Pointe for four years, unable to open his windows as he battles an awful stench and the sight of slaughtered pig parts plummeting off a conveyor belt and into a truck — something he said a larger fence, or even a soundproof barricade, could resolve.

“I’d even be willing to pay higher rent for a few years to help fund it,” Knight said.

“But the apartments keep changing owners so nothing can get done.”

Contris, Sandiford and Goodwin all said there are no plans to build a larger barricade anytime soon.

Contris can’t afford it, and Sandiford and Goodwin said the topic hasn’t been brought up since they took over the properties.

For Knight, that’s enough motivation to consider living elsewhere when his lease at Falcon’s Pointe expires next year.

“Both sides need to work together to fix the problem for those living there,” he said. “But I guess it’s become the elephant in the room — or the pig, rather — that no one wants to talk about.”

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Have you had a unique experience working in the service industry? If so, share your stories on Twitter with #BGSYOU or send your Letter to the Editor to thenews@bgnews.com.

PEOPLE ON THE STREET “Snowboarding and ski clubs.”

BRIAN KRULL Sophomore, Biology Pre-Med

Service jobs teach lifelong lessons ALISSA WIDMAN COLUMNIST

University students, rejoice — a national holiday landed us a free Monday this week!

I’m sure most of you celebrated your coveted long weekend accordingly. But did any of you consider its origin or importance before kicking back with a cold one or hightailing it home?

When half of my popular culture class couldn’t pinpoint, last Friday, what holiday we were celebrating Monday, I decided our student body could use a brief history lesson.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor website. It’s a tribute to the “average Joe” (or Joann) — the diligent, dependable American worker.

As a six-year employee of a local business called Klein’s Dairy Frost in my hometown, I appreciate our nation’s gesture. More than half a decade of serving soft serve ice cream to the populace of Sandusky, Ohio, has instilled within me a vast appreciation for America’s working class. In fact, I think every age-eligible person should work in food service for at least one year. Nationwide, that age is 14, as determined by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Although some may think this age is too young to enter the labor force, I wholeheartedly disagree.

A service job teaches people, especially teenagers, responsibility, people skills and the oldfashioned “value of a dollar.” It shows life is about balance; it isn’t all work and it isn’t all play, but instead, a delicate intertwining of both.

I remember carefully budgeting my time throughout high school, skillfully utilizing my planner to organize sports, work and social activities like a seasoned secretary.

I’d drudge through school, volleyball practice and a few hours at Dairy Frost on a Friday night and still make it to the high school football game before halftime, with the pungent smell of fryer foods wafting through the air behind me.

I didn’t mind. While most of my classmates pestered their parents for spare change to purchase a snack, I could reach into my pocket and

find enough cash to nab a Mountain Dew and cheesy fries with plenty to spare.

Before I even entered the “real world,” I began to grasp how its economy operated.

During summer vacation, working taught me valuable skills denied to my peers who spent their summers gallivanting around town, becoming immersed in MTV or sleeping for hours upon end.

My confidence and communication skills improved as I interacted with customers, preparing me for my full-time career as a journalist.

I learned the importance of teamwork, problem solving, networking and job references.

Plus, I can now make multiple soft serve ice cream cones at once! (So if you’re ever in need of an aesthetically pleasing dessert, come find me in a dining hall.)

But, as one can expect, having a job is by no means all fun and games. I’ve dealt with a lot of crap at work — both figuratively and literally.

Angry customers sometimes discover the food I serve makes an excellent projectile, which once resulted in my wearing a shredded chicken sandwich.

I’ve dropped typhoons of strawberry topping and chocolate syrup on the floor and spent several subsequent hours cleaning up the sticky messes.

And a few years ago, a customer thought it would be funny to literally crap in a sundae cup and leave it sitting on the counter for me when I returned — not kidding.

Do you now understand why I think everyone should enter this work environment for at least a year?

The people behind the counter at the next restaurant you visit are working hard to prepare your meal. If you’ve never worked in food service, you can’t quite relate to the pressure of trying to please every customer you encounter on your shift and realizing you probably won’t succeed.

So tip generously. Say “please” and “thank you.” Pay attention when the waiter or waitress tells you to “have a nice day.”

And if your meal isn’t exactly what you ordered, politely point out the mistake — don’t swear, shout or, God forbid, defecate in a cup to get your point across.

Trust me, us food service people appreciate it.

Respond to Alissa at thenews@bgnews.com

THE BG NEWS MAX FILBY, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 210 West Hall Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, Ohio 43403 | Phone: (419) 372-6966 Email: thenews@bgnews.com Website: http://www.bgnews.com Advertising: 204 West Hall | Phone: (419) 372-2606

3

What organization do we need on campus?

“Shopping Club.”

YVONNE JOHNSON Freshman, Business Marketing

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

“Herpetology Club.”

CHRIS LEWIS Senior, Philosophy

“A club for potheads.”

SETH LARCOMB Sophomore, Computer Science

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BGNEWS.COM Have your own take on today’s People On The Street? Or a suggestion for a question? Give us your feedback at bgnews.com.

Candidates look to win over Ohio EMILY GORDON COLUMNIST

Living in a swing state during an election year is exciting.

No matter what your politics are, it’s always cool to see big crowds gather just to get a glimpse of the powerful men and women visiting our humble towns.

Ohio sees frequent visits from the president, vice president and those running against them, especially in and around big cities like our neighbor to the north, Toledo.

On Monday, President Obama visited Scott High School in Toledo and spoke to over 3,000 audience members.

Obama has visited our

state more than 20 times since being elected.

In fact, his first stop on his re-election campaign this year was in Cleveland.

On the other side of the ballot, Gov. Romney visited Bowling Green over the summer and spoke in Cincinnati this week.

Both Republicans and Democrats know how important it is to clinch Ohio, and that’s why we see them in our hometowns every election year.

However, the point of these visits is not for us to be starstruck by the politician or grumble at the traffic jams he or she caused in town. The point of these visits is not to remind us how powerful the politicians are, either.

What we can get from these rallies and speeches in our hometowns is our own sense of power.

These visitors to our home state are here for one thing and one thing only: our vote this November.

And we have the power to elect, or not elect, them to office.

While sometimes it may feel like you are only one person with one voice in a country of over 314 million citizens, your vote truly does matter.

And, being a swing state voter, you can bet your vote will make a loud statement.

Ohio has been a decisive state in many presidential elections going as far back in history to the race of 1888 between Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison.

No Republican runner has won the presidency without winning Ohio since President Lincoln.

And, Ohio has gone to the

winner of the presidential election in every election but two since 1892.

Ohio is a very important battleground state, and Ohio residents wield great influence every time they host events, raise funds and canvass for the candidate they support.

But even if all you do is decide to go to the polls in November, you’re making a huge difference in our nation’s history.

No matter which candidate you favor for the presidency, I urge you to register to vote if you have not already and make your choice.

You have the power to pick our nation’s leader.

Don’t let that power go to waste.

Respond to Emily at thenews@bgnews.com

Romney is a step in the wrong direction MATTHEW THACKER ASSISTANT FORUM EDITOR

On Thursday night, Mitt Romney became the official presidential nominee of the Republican Party, finally reaching a goal he has been working toward since about 2006.

I support President Obama in his re-election bid, and plan to write about why you should vote for President Obama in November, but today I want to go the other way with it. I want to tell you why you should not vote for Mitt Romney.

First off, and I know that many of you will not like this one, you should not vote for Romney because he is a Mormon.

I know what you’re thinking: Religious freedom means that there should be no test of one’s religion before they are able to hold the presidency, or any other job for that matter.

Normally I would agree, and let me be clear that I am in no way suggesting that a person’s Mormon faith should lead to their being discriminated against. I know Mormons and ex-Mormons who are wonderful people whom I love dearly.

However, the thing that has been rarely discussed in the media is the fact that Mormons, during one of

DANAE KING, CAMPUS EDITOR ALEX ALUSHEFF, CITY EDITOR TYLER BUCHANAN, IN-FOCUS EDITOR ERIN COX, SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR MEAGAN SMITH, WEB EDITOR STEPHAN REED, FORUM EDITOR MICHELE WYSOCKI, SPORTS EDITOR TARA KELLER, PULSE EDITOR BRI HALLER, COPY CHIEF CHRISTINE KOHLER, DESIGN EDITOR MOLLY MCFADDIN, PHOTO EDITOR

the temple ceremonies (the ceremonies that Mormons go through to become endowed, meaning that they are eligible to one day enter what their faith considers to be the highest level of heaven), pledge themselves to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints above all other people and things.

I have been told by an exmember of the LDS church for approximately 15 years that those making this covenant take an oath to devote all of their time, talent and resources to the LDS church if ever the church requests that they do so.

Of course this all depends on just how devout to his faith Mitt Romney is. When Mormons take this covenant, it is considered sacred to the highest degree — to the point that the punishment for going against it was at one time, many years ago, death.

For the record, Romney held leadership positions in the LDS church including bishop of his ward in Massachusetts from 1981 to 1986, and mentioned his faith repeatedly in his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last week.

Again, I am not intolerant of anyone’s religious beliefs and feel like all religions are valid to those who believe in them, but what would happen if the LDS church requested that a President Romney turn over all of his

time, talent and resources to them? It’s at least something to consider.

Next, I think you should not vote for Romney because a lot of his foreign policy advisors are the same people that advised the Bush administration. That means a return to a foreign policy of preemptive strikes against other nations, and an imperialistic, macho-bravado attitude toward other countries that loses us respect as a nation around the world.

As president, George W. Bush sent our troops into two wars that he never planned funding for, which is a big part of the debt problem that we now face. In my opinion, a President Romney would replay the Iraq War, only this time the country would be Iran and the global stakes would be even higher.

Another reason to not vote for Romney in November is that he will try to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and the working class. What that means for you as young adults is huge.

It means eliminating (or at least greatly reducing) Pell Grants for people with low incomes to go to college.

I know that I myself receive Pell Grants and without them I could probably not afford to go to school here. If I were able to continue without them, it would mean taking out even more student loans that I will have to pay back after my college years are behind me.

Romney has often said that he will repeal President Obama’s Affordable Care Act on the first day of his presidency. What that means for you is that you will no longer be eligible to stay on you parents’ health insurance until the age of 26, like you can now. So you will have a greater likelihood of being uninsured, which means if you get sick or injured, you’re probably going to rack up a bunch of outrageously high bills that you cannot pay.

If you get enough of those bills it will also wreck your credit rating, preventing you from doing things like buying a car or leasing an apartment. And those doctor bills will haunt you like that until you can finally make enough money to afford to pay them off, or file for bankruptcy, further displacing you credit score and your good name.

If you look back on America’s policies from 2000 to 2008, and you think we did a lot of things right and the country was where it needed to be, then by all means vote for Mitt Romney.

But if you want a new direction — one toward pragmatism instead of ideology — vote to re-elect President Obama and vote for a Democratic House and Senate that will work with him to take our country in a new, better direction.

Respond to Matthew at thenews@bgnews.com

THE BG NEWS SUBMISSION POLICY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are generally to be fewer than 300 words.

These are usually in response to a current issue on the University’s campus or the Bowling Green area.

GUEST COLUMNS are generally longer pieces between 400 and 700 words.

These are usually also in response to a current issue on the University’s campus or the Bowling Green area. Two submissions per month maximum.

POLICIES: Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns are printed as space on the Opinion Page permits. Additional Letters to the Editor or Guest Columns may be published online. Name, year and phone number should be included for verification purposes. Personal attacks, unverified information or anonymous submissions will not be printed.

E-MAIL SUBMISSIONS as an attachment to thenews@bgnews.com with the subject line marked “Letter to

the Editor” or “Guest Column.” All submissions are subject to review and editing for length and clarity before printing.

The editor may change the headlines to submitted columns and letters at his or her discretion.

Opinion columns do not necessarily reflect the view of The BG News.

SPORTS

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

4

it runs in the

FAMILY

COMING UP!

Ohio State Muirfield Village Collegiate Championships Dublin, OH

Sept. 14, 15 & 16 Junior Nikki Chiricosta has played tennis her whole life, family influences

By Jacob Beverly Reporter

Nikki Chiricosta has been around the game of tennis all her life. She has grown up playing tennis and it is no surprise when she comes from the family she does.

Chiricosta comes from a long line of tennis players. Every member of her family has played tennis at the collegiate level, so Nikki did what she knew best: played tennis.

“As soon as I could walk, my mom had me at the tennis courts,” Chiricosta said.

Chiricosta’s parents, Rick and Sheila, both played tennis at the University of Toledo. Her brother, Matt, played tennis at Allegheny College and her sister, Christine, who holds the school record for career wins, was a senior on the 2010-11 BG tennis team.

Being the youngest isn’t always a bad thing though, because Chiricosta [Nikki] may be the best of the bunch.

In high school, at Avon Lake, Chiricosta was a three-time All-Ohio selection, multipletime Southwestern conference

and Lorain County player of the year, four-time Southwestern conference singles champion and two-time national open doubles champion.

Success on the tennis court has come natural for Chiricosta and she has been able to carry that success to the college level.

“She adjusted so much faster than other freshman and knew what to expect on a day in and day out basis,” said head coach Penny Dean.

Some of that may be attributed to having a sister on the team coming in as a freshman, but don’t take anything away from Chiricosta’s abilities.

As a sophomore last season, Chiricosta was awarded first team All-MAC honors, something she is very proud of.

“It mea nt a lot to me because as a freshman that was my goal to get all conference honors, but I didn’t get it, so I worked really hard,” Chiricosta said.”The fact that I was able to make first team was even better, achiev ing that was special.”

Separating yourself from the rest of the tennis players in the MAC is not an easy feat,

and coach Dean accredits her attitude as a big reason why she has.

“She has an expect-to-win attitude and goes out there and does it,” Dean said. “She is just a fighter. She fights for every single point and every single ball. There are no easy points against her for her opponent.”

After achieving first team All-MAC, Chiricosta is proving to be a very special tennis player and one of the best in school history.

Chiricosta has the potential to surpass her sister, Christine, as the school record holder for career wins, but Nikki doesn’t want to get caught up in that just yet.

“It’s a goal for me, but it’s not a priority because if I think about that I’ll just be too nervous out there,” Chiricosta said. “She [Christine] did say if she wanted anyone to break it, it would be me though.”

For now, Chiricosta is just focused on the upcoming season.

But her whole life has been focused on getting her here, tennis is all she has ever known, and for good reason: it runs in her blood.

PHOTO PROVIDED | THE BG NEWS

NIKKI CHIRICOSTA, BG tennis player, takes a backhand swing to a ball coming her way.

NOTES: Falcons fall short After their loss to nationally ranked Florida, Falcons evaluate performance, address errors, move forward

By Ethan Easterwood Assistant Sports Editor

Bowling Green held their own against then 23rd ranked Florida Gators in the swamp.

The Fa lcons got t he lead early and kept it the entire f irst quarter w it h a 1-yard push f rom Running Back John Pettigrew to conclude a 12-play 89-yard drive.

Florida would respond with t wo touchdow ns before t he half to lead 14-7.

Bowling Green missed a chip-shot field goal that would have cut the lead to four just before the halftime whistle.

The Fa lcon defense ha ndled the SEC powerhouse by keeping Florida quarterback to just 114 passing yards for one touchdow n on 16 pass attempts.

The Fa lcons shut dow n Florida’s opening drive of the second ha lf to immediately drive down the field for their second rushing touchdown of the game, this one credit to a 12-yard run from Running Back Anthon Samuel to tie the

game at 14-14.

Samuel would later draw a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty due to excessive celebration, which would shorten the Falcons kickoff field.

Florida would respond with a field goal to enter the fourth quarter.

“I think when you play a game like this, the big key is to tr y to stay in the game as long as you can,” said Head Coach Dave Clawson. “You get to the fourth quarter with a chance to win.”

The fourth quarter favored the Gators as they converted a 3rd and seven into a 50-yard pass touchdow n to stretch t heir lead to 24-14.

They would later add another field goal and the Falcons would miss another short field goal to finish the game at 27-14.

Fa lcons’ specia l tea ms almost blocked a punt early and punter Brian Schmiedebusch had severa l long pu nts.

See NOTES | Page 5

STEVEN ECHARD | THE BG NEWS

THE DOYT is home to the Falcons and houses 24,000 fans. BG will play its first home game against the Idaho Vandals this Saturday at 7 p.m.

Football season is here, first home game coming up, unbiased reporting coverage

BG played their first game against the Florida Gators, Idaho on Saturday MICHELE WYSOCKI SPORTS EDITOR

It’s that time of year again — it’s finally football season.

Pack the coolers, put on your orange and brown football gear, and head out to the stadium for the season home opener.

This Saturday the Fa lcons w ill play t heir second season game against the Idaho Vandals, but it will be their

first in front of a hometown crowd.

After their shocking performance against the nationally ranked Florida Gators last Saturday, I would be willing to

See COLUMN | Page 5

SPORTS

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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

P R E S E N T S — THE 3RD ANNUAL —

Volunteer and Community Partnership Fair Lenhart Grand Ballroom, Bowen-Thompson Student Union 11:00am-2:00pm Come and visit over 100 community agencies to find volunteer opportunities in the area.

– A G E N C I E S AT T E N D I N G I N C L U D E –

BYRON MACK | THE BG NEWS

JERRY “BOO BOO” GATES, BG defensive back, comes in contact with a Morgan State player and pulls him back to stop the run in a game this past season.

NOTES From Page 4

Schmiedebusch also had a botched punt from his ow n endzone for only 10-yards which lead to a Gator field goal after a defensive stop.

Content with the performance but disappointed with the result, Quarterback Matt Schilz threw for 204 yards and an interception to his

COLUMN From Page 4 bet the Vandals are less than smitten to be coming to the Doyt.

Wit h a tea m t hat is no longer considered “young,” BG went snapfor-snap aga i n st t he Gators, and even scored f irst.

I was pleasantly surprised to see us tie the game at halftime and us hold our own through the third quarter.

However, it comes to no surprise that we didn’t have a kicking game.

W hile camp was productive through the summer, there was no definitive answer to who was going to earn the kicking job — I’m not sure Stephen Stein earned anything after Saturday’s loss, but it’s an area of the game that BG knows they struggle with.

I just wish they would make more of an effort to try to correct the issue.

Come Saturday I think we are going to see a BG that even BG hasn’t seen for awhile.

After the effort they put up against Florida,

young receiving corps.

Three Falcons receivers recorded their first career receptions in the game including Michigan transfer Je’Ron Stokes. “ We’r e bu m m e d ,” said Schilz in the ESPN press conference. “We thought we had the game t here aga inst a rea lly good team, so ever yone is really bummed right now.”

Redshir ted f reshmen Chris Ga llon and Ryan

and the pace and caliber they had to play at, I think fans and I will be surprised with how they show up to play against Idaho.

While I am not allowed to pick one team over the other, let it be known that BG has a special place in my heart, and the pride I have for this school is undeniable.

If I had enough orange and brown, I would wear it ever y day, but that’s not my job.

My job is to provide fair and unbiased coverage to the campus and community for 18 varsity sports and that is what my staff and I plan to do.

Sure, I have to bite my tongue in the press box sometimes after a good play for the Falcons, but I uphold the integrity of this job first, and am a fan second — you can be both if you maintain the proper balance.

Know that I will always have an opinion, but you may or may not know what it is.

Today, my opinion is that BG is going to beat Idaho.

See you Saturday at the Doyt.

What are you doing Friday?

Check out our NEW BG News Sports Podcast on www.bgnews.com Our second episode goes live on Friday, you won’t want to miss it!

Burbrink led the Falcons in receiving with 6 receptions for 69 yards and 8 receptions for 45 yards respectively. Burbrink was named the Pizza Hut athlete of the week due to his ability to continue the drives and gain valuable first downs.

Stokes a nd Shau n Joplin each had 4 receptions for valuable yardage despite a few key dropped balls by Joplin, an a ll around impres-

sive haul for the young receiving corps.

Samuel and Pettigrew controlled the run game for a total of 77 yards between the pair, showing a nice improvement in t he run game from last season especia l ly against a strong defense.

Pettigrew was reigning M AC freshma n of t he year.

“We played t hem tough,” Schilz said. “But it’s still a loss.”

This is where you get your BG sports updates on the 18 varsity sports teams.

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5

CAMPUS

6 Wednesday, September 5, 2012

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DailyCrossword Crossword Fix Fix The The Daily 1 Harbor vessel 2 "Of course!"

3 Choreographer with nine Tonys 4 Sword holder 5 Unlikely protagonist 6 Peter Fonda role 7 Lab assistant in a 1939 film 8 Bit of beachwear 9 Conductor Seiji 10 Baby beef?

11 Leno's successor-to-be 12 One with pressing duties?

13 Hang loosely 21 Doctors' works 22 Mixed bag 23 Take from the top 24 O'Neill's daughter 28 River barrier 29 Love poetry Muse 30 "__ on me" 34 "Great" czar 36 Large container 38 Favorite

EMILY GORDON | THE BG NEWS

CAITLYN JOHNSON, freshman, sits patiently while getting her blood pressure taken at the blood drive in Olscamp 101.

Hollie Baker, freshman, is helping as a volunteer.

Local hospitals draw support from blood drive on campus

By Emily Gordon Reporter

Students and faculty can donate blood on campus this week for the Western Lake Erie Region of the American Red Cross.

The blood drive will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Olscamp 101 Wednesday and in the Union Multi purpose room Thursday.

T he t h ree-day blood d r ive w i l l benef it 24 loca l hospita ls i n 11 cou nt ies, sa id Heat her Hay nes, donor recr u itment representative.

Haynes has worked through the American Red Cross club to organize blood drives on campus

for the past five years.

“We need 300 units of blood a day to support the hospitals encompassed [in our region],” Haynes said.

The region has seen a 10 percent decrease over the summer months, so all donors are needed, Haynes said.

“BG students are fantastic when it comes to supporting t he blood d r ives on ca mpus,” Haynes said.

Senior Elliott Anderson III said he gives blood because his mom is a nurse, and he knows how important it is to donate.

“I have O+ blood, so I try to give as much as I can,” Anderson said.

Junior Amanda Pohlman said she was happy to give blood Tuesday since she is usually turned down due to low iron.

“It’s a good thing to do,” she said.

Students and faculty are encouraged to make appointments, but walk-ins are accepted, Haynes said.

Donors can sign up for an appointment at redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code ‘BGSU’.

Those who sign up for an appointment online will be entered to win a $100 gift card to Walmart, Haynes said.

All donors will receive food and juice from local businesses.

1 Features of some notebooks 5 Van __, Calif.

9 Like most acorns 14 Fumbling reaction 15 One of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" 16 Whinnying African 17 Kotter portrayer Kaplan 18 Inert gas 19 Winner over Alexander in 1804 20 Ralph McInerny's priest/ detective 23 Console 25 Pie-mode link 26 That's a moray 27 Place to order gefilte fish 30 Memo opener 31 Elected officials 32 Fly high 33 Back (out) 35 Irish author Binchy 37 It has a legend

39 "A literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything": Huxley 43 Horned viper 45 Try 47 "This __ stickup" 48 __ were 51 Scarlett's last words 54 Short change?

55 Burt's costar in "The Killers" 56 Port ENE of Cleveland, O. 57 Pressure to conform, and a hint to the hidden word found in 20-, 27- and 51-Across 61 First toothbrush to go to the moon 62 Diplomat's forte 63 Grab 66 Negro Leagues great Buck 67 Deco notable 68 Largest known dwarplanet 69 Clear up 70 Visionary 71 Nutritional stds.

40 Spot for a garden 41 "Pronto!"

42 "Divine Secrets of the __ Sisterhood" 44 Finish the road 46 Basic need 48 Blessing evokers 49 Canned heat 50 Sabra's home 52 1598 edict city 53 Cowboy singer Tex 55 Saunter 58 MDCLXII ÷ III 59 Container weight 60 __ de vente: bill of sale 64 Rio or Rondo 65 Shaky start?

bgnews.com visit us online at

Students compete to sing national anthem University Athletics seeks talented singers for 70 events throughout school year, including football, hockey, soccer, basketball

By Bridget Mendyuk Reporter

More t han 25 students auditioned for a chance to si ng “T he Sta rSpa ng led Ba nner” for sporting events this year at the Stroh Center on Tuesday night.

Alex Fuller, the promotions assistant for University Athletics, said the department has 70 events in need of singers from now until the first week of March.

“Out of 25 students, were not certain yet how many will get the opportunity, but we’re looking for the ones people would enjoy to watch,” Fuller said.

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The judges’ table consisted of three athletic c oord i nator s look i ng for the best sound and stage presence. Judges searched for singers for women’s soccer, basketball and volleyball and men’s basketball, hockey and soccer.

Performances took place in the Stroh Center’s volleyball court and the audition list ranged from solo singers to jazz quartets.

Many students were musical theater majors, dance minors, and had a lot of experience singing in front of thousands of people.

“If you’re not nervous, then you’re not going to do a good job,” said soph-

omore David Baker, who auditioned.

For some students, keeping calm and collected was the best way to prepare for their audition.

Junior Sam Martin said she “didn’t know what to expect” coming to the audition.

The University plans to work with music groups, such as surrounding school choirs, to provide families with tickets to see their children sing the national anthem at games and events later this year.

The first sporting event of the year is women’s soccer against Illinois DUSTIN DRUCKMAN | THE BG NEWS State on Sept. 14 at 7 p.m.

NATE SUMMERS, a senior theatre major, auditions at the Stroh Center on Tuesday night for a chance to sing the national anthem. at the Cochrane Field.

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