THE BG NEWS ESTABLISHED 1920 | An independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
VOLUME 94, ISSUE 88
WWW.BGNEWS.COM
a Legacy of Acceptance
ERIC BURGASSER | THE BG NEWS
PANELISTS SPEAK to the audience during an open forum at the premier of “A Bowling Green Legacy,” a film documenting Not in Our Town efforts in Bowling Green. From left to right is Vicky Kulicki, Luke Grabski, Heather Jayler, Adrianna Darris, Chief Monica Moll, Tobias Spears, Chief Brad Connor, Kevin Lewis and Sandy Rowland.
Premier of “A Bowling Green Legacy” hosted at Cla-Zel, panelists discuss NIOT efforts in Wood county By Michele Mathis Copy Chief
Two years ago, a group of Bowling Green high school teenagers wrote racist comments on then-University Men’s Basketball coach Louis Orr’s driveway. A year later, a group of college students sent a series of racist tweets targeting the Black Student Union, a University organization. The city of Bowling Green and Bowling Green State University knew that they needed to take action to create a more inclusive and safe community. After two years of Bowling Green implementing the project Not In Our Town, a national movement to stop hate and address relevant issues within communities like bullying and racism, the official NIOT organization made a film for the community titled, “A Bowling Green Legacy.” The film recognized Bowling Green as a “gold star city” and showcased its’ efforts to build and sustain a growing community. The event began with opening remarks from NIOT Bowling
Green Co-Chairs Gary Saunders and Ray Plaza, Bowling Green City Mayor Richard Edwards, University President Mary Ellen Mazey and CEO of Not In Our Town, Patrice O’Neill. President Mazey began by speaking about how strong the community and campus have gotten since NIOT began. “There’s more that we can do if we continue to work together [to] solve our issues and any problems that we may have [so] we can communicate and build this town,” she said. Patrice O’Neill followed Mazey’s remarks with her own experience surrounding NIOT and how strongly she felt about the importance of the program. “I’m here with so much hope tonight about what’s possible in our communities,” said O’Neill. “I think we all need this in this moment. I haven’t felt the need for this work so strongly as I have than this year. I think it is a signal that the racism in our county that persists is something that we cannot ignore.” O’Neil urged the audience to stay dedicated to the work that is hap-
pening. “I don’t know what forces are here. But they are powerful, they are positive. The only thing I would ask you… be persistent,” she said. After the video premiere, Plaza came forward to recognize all the work that NIOT has done during the academic fall semester. These works include: Attending the national gathering for NIOT in Montana, creating and distributing NIOT Weekly Digest, outreach efforts in residence halls, participating in campus events like Campus Fest, monthly meetings between campus and community members, two discussions on post-Ferguson and post-Garner incidents and creating a NIOT night at a BGSU Hockey Game where Plaza and Saunders dropped the hockey puck. Arpan Yagnik, a graduate assistant in the School of Media and Communications, began an open forum and asked students Luke Grabski, Adrianna Darris and Kevin Lewis, Chief Brad Connor and Monica Moll, City Council member Sandy Rowland, senior coordinator of the LGBT Resource Center Tobias
April serves as National Autism Awareness Month
Spears, planning director Heather Sayler and the Univeristy’s Title IX Deputy Coordinator Vicky Kulicke. When asked about how NIOT is working within both the campus and city communities, the response from the panelists were positive and reassuring. There was mentioned growth of inclusion within student organizations like Undergraduate Student Government and the campus community by respectively fighting against campus preachers. Rowland said that NIOT has created huge strides for the community. She said, “Look at us. Men and women. Black and white. Latino. We’re representing the LGBT community, people of color, city government, The University, two police departments. This wouldn’t have happened two years ago.” When the student panelists were asked how NIOT could keep growing on campus, the three spoke about more education and new voices to carry on NIOT. Grabski said, “[We need to]
See NIOT | Page 5
Researchers participate in water workshop By Kathryne Rubright City Editor
An algal bloom on Lake Erie last summer prevented some northwest Ohio residents from being able to drink their water, but that problem is not unique to local water supplies. Researchers from 15 states and five countries came together for the Global Solutions to Regional Problems workshop at the George University. The workshop Bullerjahn was sponsored by Professor the National Science of Foundation and the Biological National Oceanic Science and Atmospheric Association [NOAA]. George Bullerjahn and Mike McKay, both professors of biological science, organized it along with NOAA scientist Timothy Davis. The two-day workshop culminated in an open forum summarizing the discussions throughout the workshop. Scientists have made “great strides” in understanding Cyanobacteria, the bacteria responsible for producing tox-
See WATER | Page 2
CAMPUS BRIEF
Football player cited for assault
Nick Johnson, a freshman cornerback on the Bowling Green State University football team, was cited for assault on April 6, 2015. Johnson, who led the Falcons with five interceptions in his first season and earned All-Mid-American Conference second team honors, has been suspended indefinitely from the football team said University Spokesperson Dave Kielmeyer. The incident occurred in a vehicle parked in Lot A at 10:37 p.m. In that vehicle Johnson allegedly struck the girl he was dating with a closed fist and choked her. Johnson was charged by the University Police Department with misdemeanor assault. He will also be held accountable by the student code of conduct. Both the University’s and UPD’s investigations are currently on-going, Kielmeyer said.
LITERACY IN TWO LANGUAGES
Alpha Xi Delta spreads knowledge of disease with events, fund raising By Kelly Savela Reporter
A University organization is taking strides to raise awareness for autism and responsible drinking throughout the month of April. Alpha Xi Delta Sorority supports the organization Autism Speaks as their national philanthropy. With April being National Autism Awareness Month, the women of Alpha Xi Delta are taking extra steps to spread awareness throughout the University and to its students and provide education on this topic. Throughout the course of the school year, Alpha Xi Delta hosted numerous fundraisers directly benefiting Autism Speaks. These events include Fuzzie Football, Xi Man and the Rose Benefit. While Xi Man
and Fuzzie Football are open to all, the Rose Benefit is limited to chapter members and their families. “Most people don’t realize how prevalent it is. 1 in 68 children have autism; that’s more than childhood cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined,” said Alpha Xi Delta Philanthropy Chair Audrey Holston. Xi Man was their most recent fundraiser, which occurred on March 26 to raise funds for Autism Speaks. This fundraiser invites men throughout campus to compete for the title of their chapter’s Xi Man. Xi Man is male pageant including talent, formal wear, pick up lines and facts about the chapter and autism. Helping the campus “Go Blue” for Autism, the chapter handed out blue kiss candies
BG STRUGGLES ON THE ROAD After losing two in a row, the softball team struggles on both sides of the ball against nationally ranked Notre Dame. With the loss they drop to 13-20 for the season. | PAGE 3
that had facts regarding autism to students this year. “Last year we put blue light-up straws in Starbucks drinks, but in general we try to light places up with blue lights,” said chapter member Allison Brenner. The chapter encouraged the entire Panhellenic community to also wear blue with them for National Autism Awareness Day, which was April 2. They strive to provide education to the campus on this topic and help other students to “Light It Up Blue” for Autism. Bringing awareness to another important topic, the Center for Recreation and Wellness at Bowling Green State University has a campaign occurring throughout this month titled
See AUTISM | Page 5
ALYSSA N. BENES | THE BG NEWS
AUSTRIAN WRITER Clemens Berger reads his short story “Ins Herz der Zeit” at Grounds for Thought Tuesday night. He read the story in both English and German.
CRITICIZING DEMOCRACY Columnist Bryan Eberly says that there are better ways to run a government than with Democracy. He says we need to keep thinking of ways to better run society. | PAGE 4
IF YOU COULD DONATE TO ANY DISEASE-FIGHTING ORGANIZATION, WHAT WOULD IT BE ? “St. Jude’s Hospital for kids with cancer.” Kirolos Iskander Freshman, Management Information Systems