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OCTOBER 12, 2022
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vol. 108 no. 2
Fairgrounds parking lot makes some students feel unsafe Parking lot has no operating blue light emergency system despite numerous accounts of sexual harassment By OLIVIA SEAMAN GARRETT Contributing Writer While the Fairgrounds Gate 3 parking lot has been the required parking space for resident freshmen students for years, some female and female-presenting students told The Exponent they feel unsafe using the parking lot. Bel Gallagher, a sophomore, said she and her friends had experienced sexual harassment in the lot. One day, when Gallagher was at the Fairgrounds with her friends, a group of “grown men” who stood or sat around started asking them where they were going and what parties were going on. These men also catcalled at Gallagher and her friends. A female student, who asked not to be named by The Exponent, said she has experienced frequent sexual harassment from a fellow student
Austin Patterson, The Exponent Several students have told The Exponent of instances of alleged sexual harrasment at the Fairgrounds parking lot, the required lot for first-year students.
which only occurred in the Fairgrounds parking lot. The parking lot, which is dimly lit and surrounded by trees, becomes dark at night.
Campus Safety and Security said there is no functioning blue light emergency notification system located in the lot. Without blue lights, there is
no way for students to contact Safety and Security directly unless they make a call on their personal phone. Sophomore Alyssa Klau-
Student Rec Center employees receive police training on active shooter situations ‘The quicker people can recognize what’s going on and work through those three phases, they have a better chance of surviving the event,’ a police lieutenant said.
By GLORIA MIRELES-BARRERA Staff Writer
INSIDE
Many students nationwide have been trained in some fashion to deal with an active shooter situation. On Sept. 20 and Sept. 22, the Berea Police Department trained student workers at the Lou Higgins Recreation Center on how to recognize the signs of danger and fight when an active shooter situation happens. When people are exposed to dangerous situations, they can often become confused about what they should do, said Aaron Krouse, a lieutenant with the Berea Police Department. It takes longer for them to make decisions and even then, they likely will not make the best choice.
“So, the quicker people can recognize what’s going on and work through those three phases, they have a better chance of surviving the event,” Krouse said. The Berea Police Department uses a safety curriculum developed by Texas State University to teach civilians how to respond to a shooter event. The student workers separated themselves into three stations that went over three self-defense strategies: avoiding the attacker, denying access and defending themselves. The training started with a presentation going over the history of active shooting events and providing details of how people responded to them. The presentation identified three phases of how people respond in dangerous
situations: d e n i a l , deliberation and taking decisive action. The presentation showed a 911 emergency call from Austin Patterson, The Exponent a librarian A sign put up outside the Rec Center during the during the shooter drill. Columbine shooting, a video about a fire ing training to different small in a nightclub and a shooting businesses, community instiin a community meeting. tutions and schools in Berea Police explained what went gives them the tools to make wrong in each scenario and quick decisions. stressed that if the people in Vincent Merriner, a senior these videos better understood accounting major, and Emily the signs of danger, they would Torres, a sophomore pre-allied have been better prepared for health major, both said that the the situation. training felt like an extension Krouse said that providSEE DRILL >> PAGE 4
‘THIS IS HISTORY’
COUNTY EXECUTIVE DEBATE
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
The Department of Theatre & Dance staged the first production of a play written by a Black woman in the department’s history.
In a September debate, the major party nominees for Cuyahoga County executive hashed out their differences on fiscal policy.
As the Yellow Jacket football team returns home after a road-heavy start to the season, players reflect on BW’s game day atmosphere.
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minzer said she has only heard “negative and anxietyinducing” stories about the Fairgrounds. Therefore, she believes a blue light emergency notification system is needed. Despite the concerns among students, first-years are still required to pay to use the parking lot since this is their only option if they wish to use a car on campus. Pricing for a parking permit varies from $40-$80 for commuter students, and $70-$140 for resident students to obtain a parking permit. “If the University is so set on continuing to use this lot for the youngest, most vulnerable students, they need an actual blue light there,” Klauminzer said. Claire Johnson, a senior student who currently works at Campus Access Services, said she was too scared to use her car when she was a freshman for fear of “being in the Fairgrounds lot alone.”
Johnson said she carried pepper spray with her due to the parking lot’s safety concern. “I find it makes me feel safer and my family less worried because they know I have it always on me,” Johnson said. Klauminzer and Gallagher also told The Exponent that they had carried pepper spray with them under similar circumstances. In a recent email with the subject line “Stay Safe, know your resources,” University administrators provided a list of resources to students, which includes a list of locations of where blue light emergency phones can be found. However, there is no mention of the Fairgrounds parking lot in this email. Disclosure: Alyssa K l a u m i n z e r, w h o w a s interviewed for this article, also separately contributed an article to this issue of The Exponent on a freelance basis.
State representative speaks to College Republicans By CHRIS MORAN Staff Writer
State Representative Tom Patton, a Republican member of the Ohio legislature currently seeking re-election, came to campus to meet with the Baldwin Wallace University College Republicans on Oct. 6 to talk about his family, career, political positions and to answer student questions. Patton has visited campus before and spoken to classes held by Professor of Political Science Tom Sutton, who also attended the event. In introducing Patton, Sutton claimed that Patton is not like other Republicans. “Don’t pay attention to all that nasty stuff when it comes to Republicans, because [Patton] is a different type of Republican,” Sutton said, “I’m not going to say good or bad … I’ll let you be the judge.” Patton brought up abortion rights shortly after the event
began and said he is pro-life. However, Patton said he does not approve of the beleaguered heartbeat bill, which banned abortions either after six weeks or when a heartbeat is detected in the fetus, because the only exception to the ban is when the mother’s life or permanent physical health is in danger. (Hamilton County Judge Christian Jenkins issued a preliminary injunction against the law on Oct. 7 as a lawsuit proceeds.) “The right to life people aren’t thrilled with me,” Patton said. “I have a lot of exceptions. The heartbeat bill was a bill I didn’t vote for … Rape, incest, the health of the mother [and] the mental health of the mother are all factors I think should be considered.” (While Patton has voted in favor of prior versions of the heartbeat bill, including House Bill 258, he did not register a vote on Senate Bill 23, the more restrictive version that SEE PATTON >> PAGE 4
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THE EXPONENT | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2022 | BWEXPONENT.COM THE BEREA COMMUNIT Y’S PA P E R O F R E C O R D
STUDENT EDITORIAL STAFF Executive Editor Justin McMullen exponent@bw.edu Senior Editors Sunaina Kabadkar Managing Editors Autumn Allan Hannah Wetmore Simon Skoutas Austin Patterson Emily Muench Art Director Alexis Watkins Business Manager Zach Ottenweller exponentads@bw.edu Staff Photographers Paul Weber Annabelle Wilford Jayanti Uphadyay Staff Writers Adrianna Young Ursula Saadeh Alise Hansen Chris Moran Dina Dakdouk Ethan Fischer Gloria Mireles-Barrera Kathryn Raubolt Paul Weber FACULTY ADVISOR Huixin Deng hdeng@bw.edu
NEWSPAPER POLICIES The Exponent is the studentrun newspaper of Baldwin Wallace University, which is intended for the entire college community. The Exponent is funded by the Department of Communication Arts & Sciences as well as advertisements. The Exponent is produced by the student staff on a bi-weekly basis during the academic year. Questions or concerns about the content of articles or other materials published herein should be directed to student staff of The Exponent or the faculty advisor. The office of The Exponent is located in Loomis Hall Room 185. It is the right of The Exponent to print all material deemed newsworthy and gathered in a fair and unconditional manner. No advance copies of stories will be shown, and reporters' notes are considered confidential. No "off-the-record" information will be accepted. ADVERTISING POLICY Anyone wishing to advertise in The Exponent should email the advertising director at exponentads@bw.edu. Ads must not conflict with the university mission.
Articles and photographs in The Exponent, letters from readers, columns, cartoons and other elements within these pages do not necess ar ily reflect the position of Baldwin Wa l l a c e University.
Newly formed C.A.S.A. combines writing, reading, learning centers By GLORIA MIRELES-BARRERA Staff Writer
With midterms right around the corner, students in need of some extra academic support may benefit from utilizing the newly combined Center for Academic Success and Achievement. After two years of planning, the writing, reading and learning centers on the second floor of Ritter Library have merged into one service. Megan Garriga, director of C.A.S.A., said the discussion of making resources easy and available while expanding their presence to more students began in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We started identifying our main pain points, identifying areas where we really felt like we were not being successful,” Garriga said. “We also noticed that if we collaborate more, we can serve the students a lot more.” Garriga said that the merger helps staff identify when a
Austin Patterson, The Exponent The learning center is located on the second floor of the library.
student needs help in another area. For example, if a student is already getting help in writing and the faculty realizes they also need help in reading, the faculty can more quickly get the student in contact with a reading specialist. “We regularly introduce students to other staff in the office,” Garriga said. Members of C.A.S.A. have been attempting to raise student awareness of the new learning
Despite strides, sustainability efforts ‘nowhere near where we need to be’ By MEREDITH MCCORD Contributing Writer
Baldwin Wallace University has been making efforts in previous months to create a more environmentally friendly campus through increased recycling opportunities. Despite this, BW is “nowhere near where we need it to be,” David Krueger, co-director of the University’s sustainability program, said. Krueger said the sustainability program strives to communicate their pro-environmental efforts through increased opportunities for students to engage in environmental action. For example, with newly founded organizations, such as Students for Environmental Action, and groups like the Fair-Trade Campaign that are returning to campus soon students can now engage in environmental action more easily. Students also have the option to participate in environmental action with the new recycling stations that the University provides inside the dining hall and the dorms. However, there are concerns about the contamination of recycled materials due to the lack of signage at these designated recycling stations. “If anything in a bin is contaminated, the whole bin can be scrapped,” said Claire Fischer, a sophomore graphic design major and the president of S.E.A. “So, when people throw trash in a paper recycling bin, it may not get sorted out by whoever picks up the recycling, and all that paper goes in the trash.” There is also criticism of the recycling system in general. “Recycling isn’t a perfect solution,” Krueger said. “It is less ‘bad’ than just throwing plastics and other materials into the trash but is not really ‘good’ insofar as it does not decisively get
center. They have attended first-year experience classes to inform freshmen about the services offered and where to find them. Claudine Grunenwald Kirschner, the director of firstyear experience and sophomore experience, said some classes have recently visited the center and students were able to identify specific resources to address their struggles. They are not only targeting
first-year students with their presentations but also student athletes. They meet with each team and present their resources to them. As C.A.S.A. becomes familiar among current and new students, Kaleb Pierce, a senior computer science and psychology double major, said students should have patience with the C.A.S.A. staff. “Many, if not most, are students who have their own lives and struggles,” Pierce said. “So come in ready to be active and engaged in your learning.” C.A.S.A. offers individual services and group services throughout the semester and provides online resources on their website. For individual services, students need to book an appointment 24 hours in advance on their website. Group services have drop-in hours that students can find on the schedule in C.A.S.A.’s calendar. They also create different educational events and boot camps that can help students learn a new skill or get help with
a big project, like a thesis. And if the student is unable to attend an event or a boot camp, they can make an appointment with the presenter of that session. To le ar n more ab out C.A.S.A., or to schedule an appointment, visit www.bw.edu/ academics/academic-success.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor are encouraged as a method to bring issues of concern into the public eye. Letters should be typed, limited to no more than 300 words, include a full name and include a phone number for confirmation. Letters may be submitted via email to: exponent@bw.edu. All letters must be received by 5 p.m. the Friday the week before any publication week.
Students intern with Cleveland area non-profit organizations
By ALAINA HAYES us away from waste and carbon Contributing Writer emissions.” As classes shift toward using online methods to turn in Six Baldwin Wallace stuclasswork, the university is us- dents recently worked with ing less paper in the classroom. Cleveland-area non-profit This means that the need for organizations through Projprinting services has become ect Affinity, a community enless crucial. Regardless of the gagement internship program need for the printing services created by the David & Frances being reduced, the problem of Brain Center for Community paper waste endures; WEPA, Engagement. BW’s cloud printing service, deThe Brain Center is a volfaults individual print jobs to unteer and community serprint single-sided pages rather vice hub that encourages stuthan double-sided. dents to get involved on and Despite these criticisms, off campus. It hosts weekly there are certain actions that service programs, non-profit students can take to build a internship opportunities and more environmentally friendly Saturday service projects. campus. According to Krueger, As the Brain Center expands if students try to minimize their and creates more opportuniuse of plastics, then the campus ties through student directors will be a more environmentally and service groups, more profriendly place than it is now. grams are offering payment. One such program is Project “Recycling isn’t a perfect Affinity, which provides sersolution. It is less ‘bad’ vice opportunities that conthan just throwing plas- tribute to the learning of social tics and other materials justice issues, non-profit work, community living and immerinto the trash but ... it sion into the city of Cleveland does not decisively get through service and commuus away from waste and nity events. Mehraeel Saleh, a junior carbon emissions.” public health major, interned DAVID KRUEGER at the Malachi Center, which Co-director, sustainability program hosts youth programs for vulAdditionally, students can nerable families on the west check the bottoms of plastic side of Cleveland, during the containers to make sure they summer of 2022. can be properly recycled to be “I enjoyed getting to know effective on campus. They can [the children] because they also participate in environmen- taught me a lot,” Saleh said. tal action by going to student “There was something new government meetings and voic- every day.” ing concerns. In addition to working “I understand that it’s hard to with the youth daily, Saleh make large environmental steps also learned how to manage as an institution and university, the programs’ planning procebut there are many little things dures, money reimbursement, that they could do to reduce the development of educationtheir environmental footprint,” al engagement and building Fischer said. “BW could also relationships. Because of the stress more the importance of internship experience, Saleh recycling and recycling the right said she became more attuned items.” with herself and her values.
Saleh said she learned that leadership requires a balance between emotions and logistics. “Leadership takes both an emotional and a logistic side to it, and the key is to balance both because leadership can-
the community and other participants in the program. Kennedy expressed much gratitude to the living and learning aspect of the internship that the team experienced on Wednesdays as they volunteered weekly at Vel’s Purple
Photo Courtesy of the David & Francis Brain Center for Community Engagement
Interns learn about proper plant care at Vel’s Purple Oasis.
not solely be based on emotions.” Aidan Kennedy, a senior majoring in history with an Arabic minor, interned with the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking. The C.E.H.T. focuses on advocacy for sex and labor trafficking victims. Kennedy’s day-to-day routine involved researching cases, planning different informational sessions and hosting events/panels for the survivor advisory committee. “I gained new skills in communication between professionals,” Kennedy said. “I also gained new insights into human trafficking and how it affects women and, specifically, women of color.” As part of the community living aspect of the program, the participants live together in a shared space for two months while simultaneously finishing their internship programs. The interns live in BW campus dorms, which allows students to connect more with
Oasis, an urban farming experience. “The days off of work were terrific for me. It was nice to get out of the office and get sweaty and my hands dirty,” Kennedy said. “Growing vegetables and watching them bloom into fully edible produce was extraordinarily satisfying and fulfilling.” The student director of the 2022 program, senior sociology and psychology double major Morgan Ashley, ran every aspect of the program throughout the summer and said she recommended students get involved with the program. “The personal and professional growth I experienced during the semester-and-ahalf I worked on this program was incredible,” Ashley said. “I left with a better understanding of my leadership style, collaboration skills and career interests within a nonprofit sector.”
BWEXPONENT.COM | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2022 | THE EXPONENT
‘Detroit ‘67’ tells story created for – and by – Black voices By URSULA SAADEH Staff Writer
History met the present as Baldwin Wallace students staged “Detroit ‘67,” the first BW production of a play written by a Black female playwright and featuring a cast and crew comprised mostly of people of color, at the Mainstage Theatre in Kleist Center for Art & Drama from Oct. 5-9. Written by Dominique Morisseau, “Detroit ‘67” brought audiences into the basement-turned-speakeasy run by siblings Chelle and Lank amid the 1967 Detroit race riots, as tensions rise when Lank provides a safe haven for a white woman. “It’s about the struggle of the Black family and how no matter what we go through, we continue to push forward, and we continue to find ways to make things happen for us,” said senior Nelia Holley, who played Bonita Bunny. “Detroit ‘67” was directed by guest director and BW alumnus
Nathan Henry, recipient of the tion which highlights a “major2018 Cleveland Scene Theatre ity minority” cast. Award for best director. “It’s such an important story, Student director Laila Tyler and I’ve heard from [the cast] said that working on this show countless times how happy they with Henry was special to her are to finally put on a Black because they both hold Morisplaywright’s play,” Conkright seau’s work in high regard, callsaid. “Being in this safe space ing the playwright “an excellent with them is just really nice, storyteller and an excellent and we get to talk to each other bullhorn of Black about our experivoices.” ences.” “To be able to In 2020, America do a show that is saw a resurgence written by a womof the Black Lives an of color that Matter movement has such strong in response to highcharacters in it [is] profile incidents of a really refreshracism and police ing experience brutality targeted because I haven’t towards Black inAustin Patterson, The Exponent gotten to work with Baldwin Wallace’s production of Dominique Morriseau’s 2013 play “Detroit ‘67,” which dividuals, and Tyler a lot of material that ran from Oct. 5-9, made history for the Department of Theatre & Dance. said that these events is meant for people forced many Black like me,” Tyler said. “Knowing that this show could space created by Henry, both artists to rethink how they and “Detroit ‘67” is the first play make a difference, it just brings in allowing the students to ex- their stories have been porwritten by a Black woman pro- so much warmth and joy to my plore their characters as well as trayed on stage. duced within the Department heart because I feel like you talking through the sensitive “A lot of us in theater reof Theatre & Dance, Holley don’t always get these kinds of subject material. ally had to sit with ourselves said. The production was con- experiences.” Kyra Conkright, the produc- and think about the stories we ceived specifically to highlight BW students in the cast and tion’s stage manager, said that were telling,” Tyler said. “Now, Black stories and Black actors. production team received open being Puerto Rican herself, she it feels like the theater world is “This is history,” Holley said. communication in the rehearsal wanted to be part of a produc- giving us a lot more choice and
Cuyahoga County executive candidates spar over plans to handle finances By SIMON SKOUTAS Managing Editor In a debate hosted by the City Club of Cleveland on Sept. 20, the two candidates for Cuyahoga County executive, Democrat Chris Ronayne and Republican Lee Weingart, battled over questions received from the community prior to the event and highlighted their differing approaches to handling county finances. Starting the debate, each candidate gave a 90-second opening statement and put focus on the economy. Weingart said he plans to overhaul the county’s income tax whereas Ronayne addressed the problem of economic inequality in Cuyahoga County. “We know the disparities that face us,” Ronayne said. “Too often, our zip code is the determinant of our outcome and our longevity.” Both candidates received applause after giving varying accounts of how to handle the Cuyahoga County jail. Since 2018, county leaders have debated whether to renovate the existing facility or build a new jail. Ronayne said that he plans to renovate the jail while also considering sites for a new facility. However, Ronayne said he does not only want a jail, but a justice system. “My goal is to bring down the prison population,” Ronayne said. “My goal is to rehabilitate and stabilize communities.” Weingart said that he wants to build smaller jails and provide more diversion and treatment for non-violent inmates. Weingart said that he does not want to build a new jail and will try his hardest to follow through with that goal, referencing a recent County estimate that projects a jump from the previously-anticipated
construction costs for a potential new facility. “I opposed this new jail from the very beginning,” Weingart said. “It was $500 million and now it’s $750 million”. A cornerstone of Weingart’s campaign, his proposed tax plan includes a freeze on property taxes for senior citizens and a new countywide municipality that would collect a unified income tax, shutting down the Regional Income Tax Agency. Under the current system, all 57 municipalities can each set their own income tax rate. With the rise of remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic, R.I.T.A. has included requests for tax refunds on income earned out of homes located in a different municipality from their workplace. With a levied unified income tax, Weingart said some cities will not be losing money. “They’re losing money because of remote work,” Weingart said. “[The unified income tax] makes our county more competitive. No longer will cities be competing against each other to bring in jobs.” Ronayne proposed a Community Health Equity Fund that would be funded by a voluntary property tax on hospitals which currently do not pay property taxes. Ronayne said it would be a 35 percent rate that could bring in $38 million for infrastructure, parks and
schools. “There is $114 million of taxable land on the table that is not being taxed now,” Ronayne said. “As the industry grows, so grows our need to have some recaptured to support schools, to support parks and infrastructure.” Weingart said that while he believes it is important to close healthcare disparities, it should not be done through discretionary spending by the county, citing what he views as a poor track record related to discretionary spending of Covid-19 stimulus money. Weingart said he would rather work directly with the hospitals. “We saw what happened the last time we gave discretionary funds to the County Council,” Weingart said. “$66 million in illegal spending – what I see as illegal spending. It’s not a good idea.” While both candidates have spent the last several years working public-facing jobs in the private sector, they have both previously held positions within the county government. Weingart, who served as County Commissioner from 1995 until 1997, has been running a lobbying firm since 2002. Ronayne was in the County Planning Commission before becoming the City of Cleveland’s Planning Director, until most recently serving as the president of University Circle Inc.
a lot more opportunity to tell different stories from different people.” “Detroit ‘67” shed light on a Black experience that most students at Baldwin Wallace have never and will never experience and gave Black students the opportunity to share their stories and talents with the audience, Holley said. “I think that the people of color here should … be able to show their talent and their abilities just as much, and on as grand of a scale, as everyone, and I think this is the start of that,” Holley said. In a world where racism, sexism and protests against these injustices persist, “Detroit ‘67” challenges its audience to think about what they are doing to support those who are targeted by these acts of aggression. “If you didn’t know that this was called ‘Detroit ‘67’, it could be called ‘Detroit ‘22’ and still be relevant to today’s events,” Conkright said. Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article was posted on bwexponent.com on Sept. 30.
Developments in RussiaUkraine conflict raise alarm for nuclear war among experts By CHRIS MORAN Staff Writer
Austin Patterson, The Exponent Candidates Chris Ronayne (left) and Lee Weingart (right) took part in a debate moderated by Ideastream Public Media reporter Nick Castele (center).
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The Russia-Ukraine conflict is heating up. An exploded pipeline, an annexation ceremony and a massive mobilization of Russian reservists have led to President Joe Biden’s warning on Sept. 29 that the world faces the highest threat of nuclear war since the Cuban Missile Crisis. In a ceremony on Sept. 30, following months of conflict and a referendum process decried as fraudulent by the West, President Vladimir Putin of Russia annexed four regions in Eastern Ukraine. Two of the regions, Luhansk and Donetsk, have been largely controlled by Russian separatists since 2014, while the two others, Zaporizhia and Kherson, have only been under occupation since the invasion by the Russian Federation. In a promise to protect the newly annexed regions by any means necessary, Putin claimed its residents as his own people. “We will protect our land with all the forces and means at our disposal and will do everything to ensure the safe life of our people,” Putin said at a televised annexation ceremony. “This is the great liberation mission of our people.” Undertones of a nuclear threat have loomed since the
beginning of the conflict but show more real world potential following Russia’s annexation of the territory and Putin’s suggestion that he would use all means available in its defense. Javier Morales-Ortiz, an associate professor of political science and international relations in the Department of Politics & Global Citizenship, compared this situation to the Cuban Missile Crisis. “There’s a level of panic,” Morales-Ortiz said. “This is the second time in history that we have great powers with a nuclear capability where their foreign policy interests are clashing. The first time was the Cuban Missile Crisis.” The Cuban Missile Crisis, Morales-Ortiz said, was resolved when cooler heads prevailed and the breadth of the consequences of a nuclear situation was realized. However, he believes a similar sentiment will prevail in this conflict. “I believe that Putin has a pretty good idea of the Pandora’s box that he will open if he uses nuclear weapons,” Morales-Ortiz said. Following an attack whose blame is disputed by both Russia and the West, the Nord Stream Pipeline, an underwater pipeline carrying Russian natural gas to Europe, began leaking into the Baltic Sea. The European reliance on Russian natural
gas and the leverage it would give Russia has been a matter of controversy since even before the Nord Stream leaks. Predating this attack, Russia was cutting off its supply of natural gas to pressure Europe into relinquishing support for Ukraine. With the pipeline now being disabled, Russia will lose the leveraging power given to them by the pipeline, which caused Putin to blame the West for the attack. “But sanctions are not enough for [the West] – they switched to sabotage… having organized explosions on the international gas pipelines of the Nord Stream… they actually began to destroy the pan-European energy infrastructure,” Putin said at the televised annexation ceremony. “It is clear to everyone who benefits from this.” Prior to annexing the four territories in Southern and Eastern Ukraine, Putin began a mobilization of 300,000 reservists to help their efforts on the front. Morales-Ortiz said the mobilization is causing an unexpected problem within Russia. “Russians are fleeing; I think Putin is having a domestic problem that he did not foresee when he enacted that order calling for 300,000 reservists to join [the war effort],” MoralesOrtiz said.
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As football team returns to George Finnie Stadium, players hope to see continued fan support, fun game day atmosphere
By ALYSSA KLAUMINZER Contributing Writer
With the Baldwin Wallace football season past its halfway point, the Yellow Jackets have only played one game thus far within the familiar confines of George Finnie Stadium. But as the second half of the season kicks off at home against Muskingum on Saturday, they will hope to have the home crowd buzzing again. “The energy was something I’ve never experienced before,” junior quarterback Joey Marousek said following the team’s prior home game, a 35-31 win over Ohio Northern.
The home opener on Sept. 24 was the first time many first-year and transfer students, players, cheerleaders and band members had the chance to experience BW’s home atmosphere, including Marousek, who transferred from Division I Akron. “When the crowd is into it and being loud, it really gives us more motivation to keep playing our best until the final whistle,” Marousek said. Marousek’s teammates also acknowledged the part the home crowd played in the team’s success, including junior linebacker Devontae Jackson. “The connections between the players and fans is amazing.
You see people from all around campus enjoying themselves and cheering us on,” Jackson said. “I feel like the energy the fans bring is contagious to not only other fans but also to the players.” Students contribute to this positive energy in several different ways. Emily Shelton, junior student and football fan, said she loves how “everyone comes together” on game days and enjoys being part of a fanbase that “shows up and shows out” for the team. Cheer team captain Katie Colabianchi said she loves donning brown and gold and bringing team spirit to life every game.
“I love being a part of game days, chanting, dancing, cheering and stunting on the sidelines,” Colabianchi said. “I love knowing that I am supporting our football team while also being a part of the action, too.” Meredith McCord, a section leader in the marching band, said the energy displayed at home games is “uplifting” and she and the band enjoyed being able to be a part of the game day culture again. As the team looks forward to a second half of the season in which three of the Yellow Jacket’s five remaining games will take place at home, junior wide receiver Vinny Lomeo said what he would like to see from
fans to continue their positive impact on the team. “I expect the BW fans to do what they always do, which is pack the stadium and get loud throughout the game,” Lomeo said. “The fans don’t realize how big of a difference they could make throughout the game for us.” Jackson said he thinks there’s room to improve the game day atmosphere. “I expect fans to have our backs no matter what,” Jackson said. “I wish they would be more interactive at our home games with posters or other creative things to enhance our game day experience even more.” Senior offensive lineman
George Newcomb said that football games show the “positive environment and size of the BW community.” Newcomb said that everyone makes the energy at home games possible, from Director of Athletics Steve Thompson to coordinators of game day events and fans. Following this week’s Muskingum matchup on Oct. 15, the Jackets will play at home on Oct. 22 and Nov. 12. Editor’s note: Cheer team captain Katie Colabianchi, and marching band member Meredith McCord, who were interviewed for this article, also separately contributed an article to this issue of The Exponent on a freelance basis.
Baseball team reflects on last year’s success ahead of 2022-23 season By KATIE COLABIANCHI Contributing Writer Months removed from a deep post-season run which culminated in an appearance in last season’s NCAA Division III College World Series, the Baldwin Wallace baseball team is reflecting on their success while looking ahead to the upcoming season and preparing to make another run. For the first time since 2014, the BW baseball team secured their spots in the College Baseball World Series. The group received one of the 18 atlarge bids offered to get here, which advanced them into the 14-team Brockport Regional
bracket. They won three games before losing two and moved to the Super Regional Series in Beverly, Mass. Luke Vonderhaar, a fifthyear senior infielder, said the team finally did it. “We came together and put all the pieces together to make a winning team,” Vonderhaar said. In a best-of-three series, the team defeated Endicott College with a final score of sevento-four. The team then traveled to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to play in the Division III College World Series in June of 2022. Ryan Guggenheim, a senior second-baseman, said he still remembers the day they won the Super Regional.
“Winning the Super Regional was the best day, I remember the whole day clearly,” Guggenheim said. “We were all going crazy.” Despite falling short to Trinity University in the first round of the College Baseball World Series, the Baldwin Wallace baseball team finished the season with a 37-13 record, ranking seventh in Division III. Brian Harrison, BW’s head baseball coach, said he was proud of what the team had accomplished. “This winning team had great leadership. The team all worked together, were invested in the game, and played hard and with confidence,” Harri-
DRILL: No imminent threat to campus safety, safety director says Continued from page 1
to what they learned in high school. “We learned escape strategies like getting out from the windows on the second floor,” Merriner said. “It’s a universal thing. The target can be anyone and anywhere.” Both Torres and Merriner said that other student workers around campus should be trained and taught about handling active shooters as well. “The [trainers] try to keep it as less like a negative thing,” but instead focus on informing students on how to act in case of an attack, Torres said. Gary Black, director of Safety and Security, said stu-
dents should know there is no current threat to campus safety and that the training at the Rec Center was a precaution to help police and students gain familiarity with the building and the possible exits in the case of an active shooter or an emergency where they need to evacuate. “The whole point is to get people thinking about how to react in cases of a shooter or something like that,” Black said. “We remind people that if a case occurs – let’s hope it never does, but in the event that it happens – we, Safety and Security, won’t be the people actually coming there. It’s going to be the Berea police.”
Black is planning to have more staff trained around campus, such as members of the Physician Assistant program. For the moment, they are still finding a time that works for both the Berea Police and the staff at the P.A. building. “What’s great about the program is that [students] can apply [what they learned] when they’re out doing various things,” Krouse said. “If they’re at the grocery store, movie theater, wherever it is, they can take that with them and then use that somewhere else.”
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son added. Vonderhaar said strong leadership will follow them into next season. The season commences at the beginning of next year with games starting in late February. “We have a lot of older guys with a lot of experience and good leadership skills. There isn’t just one good leader. We have so many strong leaders,” Vonderhaar said. The team is planning for another successful season by working hard and, most importantly, remaining humble, Guggenheim said. “As nice as last year was, that’s last year,” Guggenheim said. “We got recognized, but we don’t have anything this
year yet. However, baseball is a funny game: you can have the most talented team but still be a losing team.” Vonderhaar said the Yellow Jackets have “an incredible amount of talent” and have all the pieces in place to replicate and improve on last year’s result. “We have to develop our team identity, which starts right now and continues into the winter and spring months,” Vonderhaar said. Guggenheim said hard work can allow the team to move farther. “It will take a lot of hard work and wanting more than anyone, and this team can go as far as we want,” Guggenheim said. “We weren’t
settled with just getting into the World Series; we wanted to win more and plan on winning more this year.” Anna Haberstro, the team photographer, said the team treats each other like family. “The number of times I have seen these boys treat each other like brothers is insane,” Habestro said. “Being around the buzz and cheerfulness makes my job so enjoyable.” Harrison said motivation must come with a good mindset. “If we have to motivate our guys, we don’t have the right guys. You have to have the right mindset to stay motivated and, most importantly, have fun,” Harrison said.
PATTON: Republican state rep touts support from labor unions
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was signed by Governor Mike DeWine in 2019.) In addition to Patton’s effort to differentiate himself from some other Republicans when it comes to abortion, he also claimed that unions are more favorable to him than they usually are toward Republican politicians. “One of the groups that always traditionally supports the Democrats is the labor unions … They always thought the Democrats were looking out for the little guy,” Patton said. “I am proud of this ethic; I support the little guy. I got every single labor union’s support in the state of Ohio.” Patton also talked about
working on a “firefighter presumptive cancer” law. Patton said firefighters get cancer at a far higher rate than the general population. This bill ensures that firefighters experiencing cancer have their treatments paid for. “Now they’re not worried about sick time,” Patton said. “They’re paid for, all the bills are paid for, and don’t we owe them that? These brave men and women are running into burning buildings when we’re running out.” For recent graduates, Patton mentioned a possible proposal to create a tax break aimed at encouraging recent graduates to stay in Ohio. “We want to create an en-
vironment that ... all you guys want to stay here in Ohio,” Patton said. “One of the things we’re thinking about doing is come up with, [is for] three years after you graduate, three years [of] no state income tax.” Following the meeting Carleigh Ludwig, a senior public health major and president of BW College Republicans, commented on the meeting. Ludwig said she was glad Patton talked about making assumptions on someone’s beliefs based off their political party. “You’d assume he is so prolife,” Ludwig said, “but he understands that there’s reasons and makes exceptions.”
Haven’t read the student handbook? Here are policies you should know By HANNAH WETMORE Managing Editor
The Baldwin Wallace University Student Handbook covers a variety of policies including housing rules, academic honesty, alcohol and drug policies, discrimination policies and the behavior and considerations of the University should these policies be violated. But how well do students – who are required to read the
handbook – really know the policies they are agreeing to?
Here are a few of those policies in the 2022-23 edition of the student handbook: Student Housing: There is a possible fine of $125 for failure to complete the housing checkin and check-out forms. This year, the University now permits students who live in non-air-conditioned housing to bring their own portable floor
air-conditioning unit if it falls within the requirements. In previous years, it was required that students who wished to have a personal air-conditioning unit needed a doctor’s note. Alcohol Restrictions: Firstyear students who have not yet signed-off on the required alcohol education program could face possible repercussions. Students who fail to do so may be subject to fines of up to $150 and be required to participate in supplemental education pro-
grams or counseling. The most significant punishments for alcohol offenses include a $200 fine and a one-year suspension or expulsion from BW. Guests in Rooms: Regarding overnight guests, the University has altered the language from “same-sex guests” to simply “guests,” removing any genderbased restrictions in this year’s handbook. The guest policy has remained the same: guests may stay overnight for no more than three consecutive nights or six
nights per month, barring approval from the hall director or area coordinator. Pets: With pets, the University narrowed the definition for the type of pets allowed in a room, concluding that a frog is not a “fish.” The handbook defines a fish as “an animal with a skull and backbone that has gills throughout life and whose limbs, if any, are in the shape of fins.” Kristen Brewer, the assistant director of resident life and
housing, said the definition was narrowed because, in past years, some students have tried to pass off amphibians for fish. Brewer said the handbook is updated frequently, sometimes in response to new situations and other times for expanding safety concerns. “Our policies are put in place for safety and the way you should live in a community,” Brewer said. “It is pretty consistent with other institutions I have worked at in the past.”