January 28, 2014 | The Miami Student

The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

VOLUME 141 NO. 27

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1982, The Miami Student reported that Miami University accepted a bid for construction of a new football stadium. The bid of $8.74 million resulted in the building of Yager Stadium.

NEW YEAR EDITION 2014

Descrimination lawsuit hits Miami University

BY VICTORIA SLATER CAMPUS EDITOR

A student who is blind is suing Miami University for alleged discrimination over her disability. In the lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, junior zoology major Aleeha Dudley claimed the university has not provided adequate accessibility to assist her in succeeding as a student.

According to the lawsuit filed Jan. 10, Dudley argued the technology at Miami is virtually unusable for blind students, who may require Braille, tactile graphics and text-to-speech software to keep up with coursework.

Additionally, Dudley said she has not been able to use touchscreen systems for food or laundry without assistance.

As a result, Dudley said her grades have suffered, and that she may not be accepted into veterinary school with her current grade point average.

“My dream of becoming a veterinarian has turned into a nightmare,” Dudley said in a Jan. 13 Fox News article. “I am pursuing this case not only for myself, but so that other blind students who matriculate at Miami University will not experience the same frustration, exhaustion and sadness that I feel today.”

Dudley added that specific programs Miami has incorporated into the curriculum were nearly impossible to use. The Degree Audit Report system (DARS) and Niihka she said, were extremely difficult to navigate

without the use of a human aide. She stressed that if she were treated equally, she would be able to utilize these necessary programs self-sufficiently, with the help of computer software the university could provide.

“The Degree Audit color coded ststem doesn’t lend itself well to a blind student,” she said. “I can’t navigate it independently. I should have the same chance to learn as all other students do.”

The lawsuit also said the university provided untrained or incompetent disability aids and denied Dudley her federal rights to equal access to programs and activities.

In response to the lawsuit, Director of University News and Communications Claire Wagner said the university denies all allegations, but declined further comment on the case.

However, she noted that Miami works to serve more than 300 disabled students and caters to each one specifically.

“The specific needs of each student and employee with a disability are different and we determine how to accommodate those unique needs by engaging in an interactive dialogue or process with each individual,” she said. “That process involves the individual making our Office of Disability Resources (ODR) aware of his or her needs, after which that office works him or her to provide an accommodation. That process is followed in every case.”

The director of the ODR at Miami,

Andrew Zeisler, declined to comment on the case, but said Miami works to provide equal opportunities for all students.

“Our staff is passionate about advancing and sustaining an environment of equal access, diversity and inclusiveness for all members of the university community,” he said.

In the lawsuit, Dudley’s attorney, Kerstin Sjoberg-Witt of Disability Rights Ohio, said the lack of accessibility for disabled students is a common vice on college campuses.

“Miami is not alone in this. It’s a very common problem in higher education,” she said.

Witt said this continues to be an issue at universities because they lack the resources and communication between departments to ensure that specific needs are met for disabled students in all aspects of college life.

In the lawsuit, Dudley said she is seeking to repeat the first three years of her college education and asks for reparations from the university in the forms of grade expunction, full undergraduate tuition and costs payment, attorney fees payment and any compensatory damages decided by the court.

Dudley said her ultimate goal is to make accessibility and accomodation for disabled students a prioirty on college capuses across the nation.

“I want to make material more accesible, so it works for everyone,” she said. “I want to educate. I want to help other students have a better experience.”

JUSTIN WOODS THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami faces sixth student death since January 2013 KATIE TAYLOR EDITOR IN CHIEF

Miami University sophomore Andrew Dalton Salsman died unexpectedly Dec. 16, according to a statement released by Interim Dean of Students Mike Curme.

His passing marks the sixth student death since January 2013.

Curme said Salsman’s mother informed Miami of her son’s death, which occurred off campus.

A physics and mathematics

major, Salsman worked as a research assistant at Miami after receiving a physics department scholarship.

His memorial was held on Dec. 28 at Life Church Cincy, 270 Northland Blvd., Springdale, Ohio.

Donations can be made to the Andrew Dalton Salsman Memorial Fund through any PNC bank branch. The money raised will be used to provide scholarships for high school students pursuing the sciences.

Morning classes cancelled The univeristy administration has cancelled all classes before 11:30 a.m. Today and called for all Miamians to bundle up and limit their outdoor exposure. The National Weather Service issued a wind chill warning for Butler County until 10 a.m. Tueday. For more information on how to stay safe from frostbite and hypothermia, check out page 2.

CONTRIBUTED BY ALLI RESTKO

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME KIM PARENT THE MIAMI STUDENT

AIN’T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH Students celebrate the end of a four-day hike to Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city in Peru.

Miami University alumna Alli Restko stopped to smell the roses on ABC’s reality television show, “The Bachelor.” Check upcoming issues for updates on Restko’s journey to find true love.

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CAMPUS

EDITORS REIS THEBAULT VICTORIA SLATER

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

CAMPUS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Jury still out on J-term

BY ALEXIS DEBRUNNER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

As students return from Miami’s first winter term, the success of the added term is up for debate.

“Everything was tracked,” University Registrar Dave Sauter said.

“With the term over, we will assess individual student success, as well as success via those in study abroad, online and onsite classes.”

Sauter said with grades due Tuesday, they are releasing a variety of surveys for students, faculty and staff. The survey will even reach out to the Oxford community.

“This inaugural term has many successes,” Sauter said. “And we will use surveys and data to make it even better in the future.

For example, we have 37 students

graduating and likely more in the days ahead.”

Marketing 291 Professor Don Hoffer said he found the winter to be a productive use of time, allowing for students to take core classes needed for their majors without having to find time during the fall and spring semesters.

“It was beneficial because there are more and more students that are scrambling to get these core courses done for their scheduling, while trying to pick up other things, such as second majors or minors,” Hoffer said. “[Principles of Marketing] is one of those courses that is in the core, that every FSB student needs to take. In the past, it is a class that has had trouble keeping it’s regular semester classes to their maximums.”

Hoffer’s class is offered online

and mostly in classrooms with between 12-14 sections in the spring and fall semesters, in addition to two sections in the summer. However this January, with 29 students, just one short of the maximum spots offered, Hoffer’s class seemed to benefit from the two winter sections offered this year, he said.

“I talked to the students and they all liked it,” Hoffer said.

“Class started at 8:30 a.m. and went until 11:40 a.m. for three weeks, four days each week.

Since they didn’t have to do a lot of other things, they were more focused and did better than students from other terms. All students were there everyday, not a single

J-TERM,

SEE PAGE 8

KIM PARENT THE MIAMI STUDENT

YOU’RE SO SEALY

Students oggle at the 3D seal in the newly-opened Armstrong Student Center (ASC). The seal is a real life representation of Miami’s insignia.

Miami University grads ride the road to success

BY LIBBY MUELLER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

JUSTIN WOODS THE MIAMI STUDENT

SNOW WAY! A POLAR VORTEX!

As cold temperatures take southwest Ohio by storm, Miami University students seek solace in their warm dorms, such as Scott Hall (pictured above).

Doctor’s orders: Don’t let the frost bite

BY EMILY CRANE NEWS EDITOR

With temperatures hovering close to zero all day Tuesday, the Office of Student Wellness is calling on students to take extra precautions against the cold.

Students are particularly at risk of frostbite, according to Erin Harris, director the McculloughHyde Memorial Hospital Emergency Room (ER).

“It really doesn’t take very long to get frostbite,” Harris said.

“The biggest thing is to make sure all skin is covered.”

A former Miami student came close to losing several limbs to frostbite earlier this month when he was found face-down in the snow on West Withrow St., suffering from hypothermia and non-responsive after a night of

drinking Uptown (read the full story in the Police Beat on pg.

3). He was transported to the Mcculough-Hyde Memorial Hospital before being transferred to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Thanks to the treatment he received at the trauma center, he escaped without any lasting damage to his limbs.

Alcohol consumption can increase the risk of hypothermia as it may decrease one’s sensation of cold, according to a statement by the Office of Student Wellness. The statement discouraged students from drinking alcohol before or during cold weather.

The statement also called on students to wear adequate clothing, including several layers of socks, a hat that covers the ears and a good pair of gloves or

mittens. Harris agreed that this is the single most important thing for preventing frostbite or hypothermia.

“Make sure they’re dressing appropriately,” Harris said. “That’s the most important thing.”

The Office of Student Wellness also encouraged students to keep moving while they are outside.

“Get moving. Increasing physical activity will help your body stay warm,” the statement reads.

“Wiggle fingers and toes if they start to feel numb.”

The university has called for all classes before 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday to be cancelled and for all Miamians to limit their outdoor exposure.

The administration will continue to monitor conditions throughout the day and will post updates to MyMiami.

Recent Miami graduates, upon shedding their caps and gowns, took on the world full-force. Over 91 percent of Miami University alumni who graduated between August 2012 and May 2013 were employed or in graduate school by 2013.

Of those individuals, 19 percent were enrolled in graduate school and 75 percent were employed or had received a job offer, alumni both working and attending school accounting for the percentage overlap, according to statistics from the Office of Institutional Research (OIR).

Miami alumni surpassed their peers across the nation when it came to post-graduation employment. According to the most recent National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey, 59 percent of 2011 graduates were employed as full or part-time employees six to eight months following graduation. NACE includes nearly 2,000 colleges and universities nationwide.

Director of University News and Communications Claire Wagner said this is the first year Miami has been able to gather reliable data on alumni employment and continued education.

“We haven’t been able to compare the previous years,” Wagner said. “Every school tries to do

surveys, but generally there’s not a lot of participation. This time we’ve got 100 percent covered of those who are in school and 56 percent participation of those who are employed, and that’s a really solid statistic.”

Wagner said Miami increased efforts to gather more data, which led to a better participation rate in alumni surveys.

“We put out extra effort,” Wagner said. “There’s now a National [Student] Clearinghouse database for enrolled students, so we could confirm people who are in graduate school. The Career Services office called 2,000 alumni just from this last year to confirm some things and follow up on LinkedIn as well.”

According to Director of Career Services Mike Goldman, Miami provides a number of resources to students through the Office of Career Services to help place them after graduation. He said Career Services is focusing on expanding networks for students beyond traditional career fairs.

“We’ve providing comprehensive services to students based on their career interests,” Goldman said. “Rather than just send students to a career fair or to Miami CareerLink, we recognize that students with different ca-

SUCCESS SEE PAGE 8

RedHawk Resolutions

What do you plan on doing to make 2014 a better year for Miami?

University President David Hodge “Build on the momentum to continually increase the academic success of Miami students, build new traditions around the Armstrong Student Center, especially creating more interaction among student groups in the SEAL, integrate the Code of Love and Honor in all aspects of student life and win the regular season title in broomball … OK, maybe just hope for a .500 record.”

ASG President Charlie Schreiber

Associate Professor of Geography Mary Henry

“To use the Armstrong Student Center to its fullest for the next five months. It has so much potential and so much to offer and I want to make sure I take advantage of it during the rest of my senior year. Also I want to make sure our campus embraces the Code of Love and Honor. I think we should all take a minute to make it meaningful to ourselves and our actions.”

“I’m planning on using more social media for class to bring in current events, so I set up a Tumblr for my geography classes and put tags for each specific class.”

Editor in Chief of The Miami Student Katie Taylor “I want to see The Miami Student become what I know it has the potential to be. To start, a new website that the university community can turn to for everything they need to know.”

EDITORS JANE BLAZER CHRIS CURME

COMMUNITY TUESDAY JANUARY 28, 2014

COMMUNITY@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

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POLICE Students retreat, robbers rejoice

BEAT The iceman cometh: a frozen man is saved

At 8 a.m. Jan. 6, OPD responded to a report of a frozen male found in the 0 block of W. Withrow St. The man was found by his neighbor, who dragged his rigid body into his house and called 911. The man had gone outside to scrape ice from his car when he found the body.

When police arrived, the man was unresponsive and “literally frozen,” according to OPD. He had apparently crossed his arms to keep warm, which had frozen across his chest. His legs were also “literally frozen solid.”

The man was wearing jeans, a t-shirt and a zip-up hoodie. OPD said the man may have been out there for hours.

OPD called the Medevac helicopter to rescue the man.

However, it was too cold for the helicopter to fly. An abmulance rushed him to a trauma hospital.

In the morning, after the thaw, the man still smelled like alcohol. According to OPD the man was lucky he did not lose any limbs. It was later discovered the man had been Uptown, and had passed out in the snow due to extreme intoxication.

BY CHRIS CURME COMMUNITY EDITOR

Nearly a dozen break-ins have been reported at off-campus student residences over Miami University’s winter term and the number is expected to rise as students return for second semester and find evidence of criminal activity.

Oxford Police Department (OPD) public information officer Sgt. Jon Varley attributed the unusually high number to the additional three weeks most students were out of Oxford.

According to OPD, from Dec. 6 to Jan. 23, there were 11 reported break-ins. However, with vacant homes in emptied neighborhoods like the Mile Square and North End, break-ins are hard to detect over break. Also, the lack of home security systems at many student-rental properties compounds the problem of detection, according to Varley.

Junior Stephanie Chaffin was one victim of a break-in, along with her four housemates. Chaffin said she returned to Oxford in early January and had been home a few weeks when she and another roommate left the house for a few hours. When they returned, Chaffin said their back window had been broken, dead-bolted doors had been kicked down and

Sunday morning, an OPD officer was traveling west in the 0 block of E. Church St. when he observed a parallel parked vehicle facing east. The vehicle’s exterior and interior lights were on and the windows were rolled up and significantly fogged.

The officer said he saw a woman slouched over in the driver’s seat. When the officer shined his light at the vehicle, the woman did not react.

She remained with her arms crossed, leaning against the lower console.

Vomit greeted the officer when he opened the door and found it covering the woman and the side of the door. The woman gradually opened her eyes and the officer identified himself. When asked what she was doing, she said she was waiting for a friend.

Her eyes were bloodshot and there was a strong odor of alcohol emitting from the vehicle, OPD said. She handed the officer her Ohio driver’s license.

Stepping into a pile of her own vomit as she exited the vehicle, she handed the officer her keys, according to OPD. The female then failed every field sobriety test. She was taken into custody and placed in the cruiser.

At OPD, her BAC was measured to be .104. While being fingerprinted, she began to vomit profusely. She was charged with OVI. She was released to a sober friend. Whether this was the friend for whom she was waiting is unclear.

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which the police use to track down the stolen items and trace them to a specific individual. However, Varley said most students are unable to be specific enough in their description of stolen items for police to identify them elsewhere.

Chaffin, who had no renters insurance, said she paid for replacement items completely out of pocket.

OPD is still working to track down the objects, but have yet to find anything. According to Chaffin, OPD was worried thieves may have taken the stolen objects across the nearby Indiana border, in which case there is little they can do. “[OPD] took serial numbers of everything that was stolen,” Chaffin said. “It was difficult; I had to look all of [the serial numbers] up from old receipts.”

Opportunists are well aware of when Miami students are on break, and the allure of vacant properties attracts criminals from all over the region, according to Varley. However, Varley said that is part of life in any college town, and that Oxford does not stand out in its crime statistics.

While some thieves break down doors and smash glass to enter a dwelling, often they are able to sneak in through an unlocked

window or door. Varley said he encourages every student to ensure their home is secure before leaving.

“Our landlord fixed the door and the window,” Chaffin said, adding that the tenants were not fined for the damage. “But it’s the same kind of door they kicked in before and the same window they smashed.”

Chaffin said she encourages people to register their electronics in the cloud, which allows them to be tracked if ever stolen.

In an effort to combat these events, OPD maintains a vacant house checklist. According to Varley, any Oxford resident, including renters, can report to OPD their address and dates over which their residence will be vacant.

“If you’re on the list, officers will come by and check your house several times during the period,” Varley said, adding that one can add his or her residence to the list through the city’s website.

As an increasing number of break-ins are discovered with the return of tenants, OPD has a difficult time finding suspects. According to Varley, since break-ins are usually discovered well after the fact, most evidence has been eroded by the elements, and any trails, like the weather, have gone cold.

My Big Fat Greek Renovation: Delta Chi modernizes

BY CHRIS CURME

Vomiting female found passed out in vehicle

they had been thoroughly robbed.

“Whoever broke in must have been watching us,” Chaffin said.

“And they knew when we left the house.”

In other instances, break-ins occur when a house is empty for an extended period of time. In these cases, tenants and OPD can be unaware for days that a house has been robbed.

“Sometimes [evidence of a break-in is] too subtle to spot, sometimes we’ll have students find it,” Varley said. “Maintenance crews will come and do work while students are on break and they’ll discover it, and sometimes an officer will discover it.”

Cameras, laptops and televisions top the list of valuables stolen, and Varley said these are the expensive items students should bring home over long breaks, or at least move out of clear view from windows.

“They didn’t make a mess of the house, they were really only after our belongings,” Chaffin said.

“They took what they could grab.

They took my purse and my laptop and all of my jewelry.”

In some cases, homeowners can provide serial and model numbers of the specific items stolen.

Pawn shops are required to keep a similar reference of what is sold,

COMMUNITY EDITOR

When Delta Chi fraternity brothers noticed the walls of their fraternity house at 131 E. Withrow St. were falling down, they knew it was time for a change. That was last March when the fraternity put in motion what became a $1.2 million renovation, rebuilding the structure from the inside.

“We decided to do the renovation last March, but after what happened to the FIJI house, we decided to install fire alarm systems, sprinkler systems and all new electrical wiring,” Taylor Freking, fraternity president, said.

The million-dollar renovation, which began in June, was the first time the house had been altered since the fraternity, brought to Oxford in 1932, bought the building in the early 1970s. Though the building was built as an apartment block, Freking said he sees that as an advantage, adding uniqueness to their organization.

“Our walls were coming down; the house was falling apart in general,” Freking said. “We had to do something quick.”

According to Freking, the donations came mostly from alumni, one anonymous donor in particular, and the rest from Delta Chi’s national organization.

“Our main goal with the renovation was basically fire safety, so we installed the sprinklers, and I don’t know of any other houses that have a sprinkler system,” Freking said. “I saw this place with the walls down, and it’s a miracle it didn’t burn.”

While their house was under construction, Delta Chi residents lived in the Kappa Sigma house, according to Freking.

When asked if the renovation was targeted to allure potential rush candidates, Freking repeated the renovation’s main purpose was fire safety and the general betterment of the house. However, he added that increased interest was certainly a desirable side-effect of

the project.

Sophomore Tau Kappa Epsilon member Brandon Champion said he believes more than the house itself, the attitudes of the fraternity members create a desirable environment.

“A good house definitely helps, but still, you can’t have a beautiful house filled with a bunch of guys you don’t like,” Champion said.

“We’re expecting more people to want to live in the house,” Freking said. “It’s usually sophomores in the house, who aren’t allowed to live off-campus unless it’s in a fraternity house. So we’re competing with the dorms.”

The building contains 14 apartment-style suites, four people to a room on the bottom floor and two on the top floor. According to Freking, of the roughly 360 fraternity members, 28 currently occupy the house.

“We included all the furniture in our renovation to make it easy when the kids come back, and to try to attract the out-of-state kids,”

Freking said, adding each room contained a couch, chair, table, TV, desk, bedframe and refrigerator.

“When kids come, all they need are their clothes.”

Before the internal overhaul, Delta Chi members paid $2,800 to live inside. Now, that price has been raised to $4,000 for the spacious double rooms, and $3,000 for the quads, all fully furnished, sans mattress. Each suite has a living room, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a storage room.

Champion said the semi-private bathrooms give Delta Chi an edge, citing the communal bathrooms in most fraternity houses, which he generally finds less than clean.

“That’s still pretty short compared to the university, who we’re trying to compete with on prices,” Freking said of the new price-tag.

Champion said competition certainly exists between university dorms and fraternity houses, but

RENOVATION, SEE PAGE 10

Wicked winter whiteout leads to tow truck blues

BY MARISSA STIPEK

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

As Oxford transforms into a winter wonderland, the roads become more and more dangerous.

Maintaining availability of an emergency snow route is necessary to ensure safety, but it is leading to more cars being towed.

In Oxford, cars are prohibited to be parked along the emergency snow route in any level of snow emergency. There are three levels of snow emergency, depending on the amount of snow and the potential risk to drivers.

Additionally, even if no official snow emergency is declared, vehicles may not be parked along the emergency routes if there are three or more inches of snow or ice.

Cars that violate this law are subject to towing.

Carstar Auto Body Shop employee Kendra McDaniel said the number of cars towed varies, but is usually around 15 per week. However, during the recent snow emergency, McDaniel estimates 15 cars were towed in one day.

Due to a bad snowfall at the end of finals week, Oxford Police Department (OPD) Chief Robert Holzworth said OPD issued 93 citations and towed 18 vehicles in one day.

“The weather emergency was announced around 5:30 or 6 in the morning, and we did not start towing until about 4 p.m.,” Holzworth

said. “We want to be reasonable and allow people the time to move their cars.”

When people fail to move their cars out of the emergency route in a timely fashion, cars are subject to towing.

McDaniel said Carstar does not go out looking for cars to tow, but waits until they are contacted by the owner or the police call, such as in the case of a snow emergency.

McDaniel said when a car is impounded, the owner must pick it up.

“There is a base fee of $100, but PHIL ARNDT THE MIAMI STUDENT it could be more depending on the cost of labor to move the car,” Mc- Snow covers the street on College Corner Pike. A scene that has quickly Daniel said. “It really depends on become all too familiar to many drivers in the region. the situation.”

Holzworth said the fee for the number of cars towed may be lack monitoring the spots should be parking citation is $25, and towing of knowledge by vehicle owners. more lenient during the winter,” charges can reach up to $200.00.

Miami sophomore Isabelle Pascarelli said.

Additionally, if the owner fails to Pascarelli keeps her car in Ox“I’m told this winter will be pick their car up right away, there ford, and while she said she has bad, so there may be more snow is a daily storage fee of $12.00. seen signs for snow routes, she emergencies than previous years,” Usually, the owner is able does not understand exactly what Holzworth said. to easily pick up the car. How- they mean.

However, he added that with ever, certain situations call for “I have seen the signs but today’s technology, it should different procedures. couldn’t tell you what streets they be easier for Oxford drivers to “If there is a police hold, that are on,” Pascarelli said. “I don’t stay informed and avoid getting has to be cleared up,” McDaniel know how to avoid them.” ticketed and towed. said. “For example, if it was taken She also said the bad weather Snow emergencies are declared during a DUI arrest, they need makes students more likely to park over the local news, or drivers can proper documentation for the car in spots closest to their destination sign up to receive email or text alerts at nixle.com. to be released.” for convenience.

“The nixle system is free and In conjunction with the worsen“I think the snow makes people ing weather conditions, another more likely to park in these il- takes less than sixty seconds to factor contributing to the increased legal spots, but that the people sign up for,” Holzworth said.

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ARTS & EVENTS

EDITOR LAUREN KIGGINS

ARTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 2014

BEN’S BOOMBOX

Bringing out Oxford’s undiscovered talent Have you ever pondered the question of how artists became successful? There are a lot of factors at play. Practicing until perfection, using your tools to the extreme and last, but most important, finding the right audience are important ingreBEN dients for MEINKING the recipe of success.

The City of Oxford has hosted names as big as Goo Goo Dolls, Lupe Fiasco, Luke Bryan and many others in the past five years.

In order to know how tall the top is, one must come to rest at the bottom. These musicians have all seen the darkest of days at one time or another. They have also started in towns just like Oxford.

They stand before a crowd, who does not care for their name, and try to put on a show: the constant struggle for any newcomer in the entertainment industry.

Oxford has a lot of potential. Being so spaciously small

compared to neighboring university cities like Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, word can spread quickly. There are many people who will argue that “any press is good press” because it gets your name out there. The power of this column is to give a voice to those who deserve it: positive in nature, constructive in attitude. Oxford is a learning community, mainly for its large student population. To be successful, you must recognize the success around you. The entertainment business is a tough one to get into. With all the bumps that are in the roads to success, wouldn’t it be

MUSICAL REVIEW

An atheist’s love letter to religion “The Book Of Mormon”

BY STEVEN BEYNON FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

“The Book of Mormon” manages to satirize, offend, evoke laughter, make powerful statements on religion and be heartwarming and irreverent simultaneously. The show brings in an average of $19.5 million every month, making it the most successful musical in four decades. The show also recently swept through last year’s Tony awards, winning virtually every major award including: Best Musical, Best Actress and Outstanding Music.

Written by Trey Parker and Matt Stone of “South Park,” and musical writer Robert Lopez, “The Book of Mormon” stems from Parker and Stone’s huge success in writing music for “South Park” along with their satirical take on American exceptionalism, “Team America: World Police” (2004).

The show is certainly much more crude than what most Broadway goers are accustomed to seeing. There are plenty of subtle (and not too subtle) sexual references and vulgar language, yet, like the past few years of “South Park,” the vulgarity isn’t there for shock value like “Family Guy.” The musical tells the story of two Mormons on a missionary trip to Uganda to convert locals. The pair tries to share their religious text that they believe is the third part of the

Bible, the Book of Mormon. Only one of the missionaries has actually read the book and the Uganda village is more concerned with the war, famine, AIDS and poverty that have always plagued them. The Mormons try to convince the villagers to seek help through Christ and slowly the pair question if faith is enough to combat serious problems.

“The Book of Mormon” certainly has the “South Park” flavor of sensibility and edge. The show argues for the absurdity of Mormonism, and that is arguably just a platform to lampoon against religion as a whole. On the surface, the entire musical satirizes organized religion and challenges the credibility of Mormonism.

“The Book of Mormon” manages to be gentle at the same time. Yes, it presents those of faith as cartoonish and gullible. For instance, in the song “I Believe,” the protagonist is recovering his faith and sings, “And I believe God lives on a planet called Kolob, and in 1978 God changed his mind about black people!”

Those two statements are official stances the Mormon church takes and the character sings these lines as genuine beliefs, but the writers present them with a wink and nod to how silly the established church can be.

The Mormons are still presented as great and optimistic people who are just out there in the world doing

their best. The ending is heartwarming and communicates that no matter how ridiculous or illogical religious doctrine might be, that doesn’t take away from its power.

“The Book of Mormon” has potential be offensive, but it managed to be one of the most harmonious pieces of entertainment I’ve seen.

Stone and Parker present religion far more endearing compared to Bill Maher. On the surface there are constant jabs at religion, AIDS jokes and the validity of Mormon prophet Joseph Smith.

The show also flirts with the idea that religion is in a vicious cycle of reinventing itself to gain control over people. Upon further examination, nothing in the play comes off as malicious. Instead, it feels as if it’s trying to communicate that while a lot of beliefs are silly, Mormons are still incredibly charming.

I laughed at every song and joke, and appreciated the smart score. I walked away from “The Book of Mormon” with greater appreciation for Mormons. It commands the audience to still respect the religion.

The musical is more of a friendly hazing than rude.

Stone and Parker continue to be the masters of crude humor while building a subtle and powerful punch line in the background.

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a good idea to be the marker that helps with direction?

This column will be one for recognizing success in the entertainment industry of Oxford. Too many times have the struggling performers been walked by and not been given an appreciated listen. Many of you might have walked Uptown during warmer weather this past semester and seen a young guitarist playing her heart out on a bench next to the Skyline Chili. She isn’t playing another cover of that Bob Dylan/ Old Crow Medicine Show/Darius Rucker song called “Wagon

Wheel.” It’s one of her own songs.

Pure creation. It’s the way an artist can hold onto their history, by expressing it through art.

This column will point you in the direction you can go to support local artists, be it writing, poetry, painting, theater, digital art, blues rock, country, hard rock, acoustic rock, jazz, maybe reggae (we’ll see). If you don’t like their brand, an appreciated head nod is better than a discomforting yell. Let’s do what is best for our learning community by recognizing those who have success hidden inside them.

It’s time to bring it out.

Steel Band to perform in Armstrong Student Center

CONTRIBUTED BY CHRIS TANNER

Ensemble member plays the pan at a Steel Band concert.

BY CHARLES BLADES FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

A small section of the Miami University Steel Band will play an intimate show at the Armstrong Student Center’s (ASC) Shade Family Room Thursday.

The Steel Band is offered as a Miami class, which affords students the opportunity to learn steel percussion instruments, originally developed from the Caribbean Islands.

The Steel Band is led by associate professor of music, Chris Tanner, who originally founded the group as a graduate student in 1994. It has upwards of 20 members each semester, who put on one concert, collectively, every term.

This performance, however, only features a handful of experienced members due to the early timing in the semester.

“This group of people is

small but it’s a little taste of the things the Steel Band can do,” Tanner said.

“I have been a percussionist for 11 years,” senior Anne Gotwald, President of the Steel Band, said.

“What drew me to Steel Band was the opportunity to try something completely different.”

Gotwald will be playing lead pan at the ASC performance.

“I never expected to gain such a sense of diversity and leadership, that I will carry with me for the rest of my life,” Gotwald said.

The Steel Band is not commonplace in every college.

“You can’t see a steel band in every town in America,” Tanner said. “It’s not like other musical ensembles; it’s something very special and diverse here at Miami.”

The Steel Band performance is at noon Jan. 30 in the ASC Shade Family Room.

UPCOMING ARMSTRONG EVENTS TUESDAY JAN. 28 Student Involvement Day Winter Mega Fair at 5 p.m. paired with open houses for the Center for Engagement and Student Leadership (SEAL) and Cliff Alexander office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, beginning at 11 a.m.

SUNDAY FEB. 2

WEDNESDAY JAN.29 RedHawk Spirit Day Miami Athletics will be celebrated at noon with free Miami swag and meet-and-greets at noon in the Commons, concurrent with the daylong promotion of the “I Am Miami” initiative.

MONDAY FEB. 3

THURSDAY JAN. 30

Community Day

’50s Night

Catch Miami musical group performances from noon to 4 p.m. as a prelude to the evening SnowBall, a VIP semi-formal event for all students at 8 p.m. Tickets are free and are available at the Shriver Center box office.

Complimentary tours of the ASC will be offered throughout the day, with 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. community showings of “Monsters University,” and a Sketched Out performance at 9 p.m., both in Harry T. Wilks Theatre

The 1950s-themed Bob and Doris Pulley ’52 Diner will host a night in homage to the era at 9 p.m., complete with milkshakes and Elvis.

TUESDAY FEB. 4

Miami Gives Back Day

Miami Gives Back Day

A day dedicated to relaxation, meditation workshops and pet therapy will be offered at 1 p.m.

Kick off Black History Month with a cultural cooking demonstration, diversity lecture and student performances, beginning at 1 p.m.

A 6 p.m. lecture by Miami alumnus General Joseph Ralston ’65, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, paired with a community service event by the Greek community.

Dedication Event At 2 p.m., join in the community-wide celebration and building dedication.

SATURDAY FEB. 1

Miami in the Arts Day

Mind, Body and Soul

FRIDAY FEB. 7

FRIDAY JAN. 31

WEDNESDAY FEB. 5 Academic Success and Wellness Day Highlights include a faculty coffee hour, fitness exposition, trivia competition and undergraduate research exhibit.

THURSDAY FEB. 6 Celebrating Miami’s Heritage Miami’s Myaamia Center presents the Wiikiaami Room, a tribute to the heritage of the Miami Tribe and students, at 4 p.m., followed by a 5:30 p.m. lecture by Bob Keller, university architect emeritus, on the story behind the student center.

www.miamistudent.net

TUESDAY JANUARY 28, 2014

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OPINION

EDITORS EMILY ELDRIDGE NICOLE THEODORE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

EDITORIAL

The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.

New year, new resolutions: 2014 goals from the editorial board It’s been almost a month since New Year’s eve, and even though all of us would really, really like to believe the resolutions we made are still intact, they were probably dumped on the side of a disappointed treadmill or thrown away during the most recent late-night shenanigans along with a McDonald’s cheeseburger and milkshake (we aren’t judging you, don’t worry).

At least there are not a lot of over-achievers when it comes to the R word — according to research by the University of Scranton, only 8 percent of people achieve their New Year’s goals. So the percentage of those who complete their resolutions isn’t exactly high — but c’mon, we are college students at Miami. Most of us have the most insane class and work schedules ever, somehow manage to go to the REC center or go for a run in between classes, have an amazing time on the weekends and still get good grades, so what’s another goal written in the planner?

The Miami Student Editorial Board has made resolutions this year as well, and we hope to become part of the coveted 8 percent by the end of the year (we are crossing all of our fingers, and maybe even toes).

For starters, our Sports Editor Tom Downey just wants something very simple that 61 percent of Americans already have — a smart phone.

“I have a Verizon LG Octane 2,” he said sadly as he put the ancient brick on a table. Better start saving those incredibly high Miami Student paychecks Downey — an iPhone 5s bought out of contract starts at $649.

Our Campus Editor Victoria Slater wants to become more worldly this year, especially when she goes to Kosovo this summer with Miami University.

“I want to challenge myself when I am there, and push the boundaries of what I would normally do,” she said. About 38 percent of Miami students study abroad by the time they graduate, so this is a goal all students should contemplate.

“To not check out mentally until the day I graduate from Miami,” News Editor Emily

Crane said when asked about her resolution. For those entering their last semester, this resolution probably sounds familiar, especially since Oxford seems like one of the most magical places in the world. Emily has some great advice though to achieving this sad, but needed resolution. “Make the most out of your last semester and don’t forget to live in the present,” she said.

Speaking of the grotesque word, “graduation,” Editorial Editor Nicole Theodore just wants to make it out of Miami within 10 years and not become the next female Van Wilder.

“Everyone says to me, ‘You are so lucky you are doing a fifth year,’ and I instantly think about the fact I have been perpetually doing school non-stop for four years without a break, and that I may never make it,” she said.

Community Editors Chris Curme and Jane Blazer are the truly inspiring ones of the bunch.

“My resolution is to embrace my flaws and resolve to stop changing,” Curme said quite simply.

Blazer wants to do more to help around the community, and she already started!

“A few days ago I got food for a homeless man,” she said.

Hopefully, we can all take a cue from these two.

Editorial Editor Emily Eldrige is also a senior with a common resolution.

“I want to find a job and start a career so I don’t have to move back home,” she said. Living at home has its perks, including free food and laundry service, but it’s not any senior’s dream to live with their parents for the next couple years.

Good luck seniors, may the job search be ever in your favor.

Becoming a vegetarian — that was Campus Editor Reis Thebault’s resolution. It lasted all of a few days.

“I just wanted to see if I could do it,” he said innocently.

For more resolutions, including that of our Editor in Chief Katie Taylor, check out today’s campus section.

Good luck to all who made lofty resolutions for 2014. It starts by believing in yourself — and let’s face it, if you can pass chemistry 141 and take on 3 majors, you can do it.

Rule of Thumb

PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT

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KATIE TAYLOR EDITOR IN CHIEF EMILY CRANE NEWS EDITOR EMILY ELDRIDGE EDITORIAL EDITOR NICOLE THEODORE EDITORIAL EDITOR LAUREN KIGGINS ARTS AND EVENTS

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014 OP ED

7

FROM THE NEWS EDITOR

NICOLE’S TWO CENTS

The bucket drummer of New York, New York Turn the spotlight on Tunisia A distant drumming vibrated off the stinking, wet walls of the underworld of New York City as locals, foreigners and the business class tried to beat the 5 p.m. rush, their eyes NICOLE distant and THEODORE transfixed on only their present goals, like getting to the first after-work cocktail of the evening.

The unrelenting music continued to fill the subway staircase, and soon those on it found its point of origin.

It began in the heart of the waiting station for the L train.

Off-white painters’ buckets gently moved back and forth across the floor, the labels peeled, leaving remnants of vintage vinyl. A lone drummer pushed away the sweat on his face, collecting under his New York Yankees baseball hat. He continued to drum on the buckets, laughing and shaking his head back and forth the harder the sticks hit. Coins he had earned throughout the day jingled each time the drumsticks made contact, sounding like a misguided tambourine, but still adding to the melody and pleasing the continually growing crowd.

“Aaaamen!” A man with an overflowing fur coat shouted, clapping his weathered hands and jumping next to the drummer.

He danced along in circles to the beat of the bucket drums, moving his Nikes in a sort of jig as fast as possible. The man gestured at a young woman who was moving her hips back and forth on a nearby bench, trying to encourage her to join in. “Get in here with me

girl,” he said, showcasing a hearty, toothless smile.

A crowd formed around the drummer and his dancing act. People 16, 8, 22, 75, female, male, successful, college-bound, with children, couples...every demographic, race and ethnicity melted together as the hard metal trains sped on behind them, never once dulling or silencing the powerful drumming of the bucket drums.

Onlookers shared laughs as the original dancing act earned a couple new partners. Couples held hands and took pictures. A young woman holding groceries tapped her foot to the beat. The lingering smells of the subway and the pressures of everyday life were put on the back burner in the minds of those watching.

“I am just trying to make ya’ll smile,” shouted the drummer to no one in particular, dropping his drumstick for half a second. No one seemed to notice.

A middle-aged dad waved his son’s hands in the air as he sat on his lap, both eager to enjoy a break from their day as they waited for their train. A French woman asked someone nearby for directions to Times Square and was greeted with helpful smiles and a compliment on her lipstick. Businessmen continued to watch nearby and sneak an occasional laugh.

A young man with wavy, brown hair leaned in, bringing with him a light smell of coconut and sandalwood. He smiled with distinct reason.

“It’s amazing you know? All these people are enjoying the same music, watching and engaging with this guy playing drums … on a bunch of buckets,” he stopped for a second and laughed as he watched the older man with the fur jacket shaking his hips wildly and fist

bumping the drummer.

“I mean, something as simple as this stopped everyone from wherever they were going,” he put his hands in his jean pockets, looking up back at the crowd. “For this short time, we are all the same. No matter where we come from, or what we think, this brought people together.

He continued to drum on the buckets, laughing and shaking his head back and forth the harder the sticks hit.

And it’s happening in the shadows of the subway.”

The one unused bucket next to the drummer was filled with twenties, coins and dollar bills. The father gave his son some change to drop off at the bucket as he got up to meet the train that just arrived.

The drummer kept banging the buckets, creating a beat that was everlasting and hard to ignore. The crowd began to dissipate into the departing train.

He kept playing for no one.

The drummer picked up his sticks and stood up as the subway doors began to close.

“Just trying to make ya’ll smile,” he said once again.

There were no smiles sweeping across his once beloved crowd.

Everyone faced forward, planning, typing and discussing what was to come after the subway opened its doors once again.

COMMENTARY

Friendly neighbors forbidden to Americans: Cuba Cuba in Transition. It caught my eye while perusing Miami University’s J-Term study abroad opportunities last summer. But how could this ITS/LAS 299 class offer immersion learning in Cuba when we’ve had a commercial, economic and financial embargo against Cuba since October 1960?

Born and raised in a predominantly Hispanic Miami, Florida, I was exposed early on to the U.S.Cuba political tension. I heard the hostility toward Cuba from older Cuban-Americans. I experienced the Elian Gonzalez fiasco and celebrative uproar when Fidel Castro stepped down in 2006.

Consequently, this anti-Castro environment gave me a negative view of Cuba. My CubanAmerican friends gave me mixed opinions before my Jan. 4 departure: “Most Cubans won’t go to Cuba;” “You should reconsider;” “I would love to go, but my grandmother would be against it.” I decided to seize the opportunity to experience the real Cuba and determine if Cuba deserved this taboo.

The course’s focus on contemporary Cuba, led by Miami professors Melanie Ziegler and Juan Carlos Albarran, began fall semester with monthly night classes. In this 20-person course, we read, discussed and wrote about Cuba’s history, politics, culture and economics based on our text, “Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know,” by Julia Sweig, who came to campus as a guest lecturer for the Grayson Kirk lecture series.

The field study began in Miami, Fla., where we went to Little Havana, a neighborhood where Miami’s heaviest Cuban influence permeates.

The Versaille Restaurant, “the world’s most famous Cuban restaurant,” is a local gathering spot where commentary by Cuban exiles can be heard regarding Cuban social and political issues, especially by the ventanita, a walk-up window to purchase Cuban coffee, or cafecito.

Here, the group was introduced to the cafecito. We had a colada, a Styrofoam cup containing six shots of cafecito with small demitasses, meant for sharing. For Java lovers, the Cuban coffee leaves an everlasting positive impact. And the secret to the Cuban coffee: sugar. As it’s brewed, the dark espresso roast is sweetened with sugar.

After a 35-minute bumpy flight in an unmarked plane and after receiving the rare Cuba entry stamp on my American passport, our charter bus left the José Marti Airport.

With one look out the window, something brought a smile to my face: classic cars from the 1950s.

Throughout the trip, everyone basked in the beauty of this distinctive feature of Cuba.

Time spent in Havana brought me eye-opening experiences.

Walking through Old Havana’s Four Plazas introduced us to the five centuries of historic, colorful architecture with one picturesque side street leading us to La Bodeguita del Medio, the birthplace of the mojito and Ernest Hemingway’s local favorite.

Walking through Cuba’s Chinatown, visiting Ernest Hemingway’s home, seeing the inspiration for “The Old Man and the Sea” and eating authentic, savory Cuban cuisine at paladares (restaurants in private homes) contributed to an understanding about Cuba I wouldn’t have fully grasped from a textbook or “The Miami Herald.”

Attending a baseball game with no replay screens or advertisements showed me “El Deporte, Conquista De La Revolucion” and a leisurely passion that unites Cubans for a mere 12-cent admission.

Driving toward centrally-located Trinidad and Cienfuegos and away from the cliché Havana tourism, led to breathtaking landscapes capturing my gaze for hours.

The highway’s backdrop included mountains, occasional

socialism and revolution signs and land filled with grazing oxen, horses and goats by royal palm trees. Thatched palm umbrella huts lined the beach on sand leading to turquoise water and gradually transitioning in the distance to the dark ocean blue hue.

Walking the cobblestone streets of a 500-year-old immaculately restored Trinidad showed me a more authentic Cuba Americans haven’t seen aside from the ubiquitous images of Havana’s dilapidated buildings.

As for excitement, an earthquake rattled Havana upon our return from Cienfuegos and Fidel Castro made an appearance at Havana’s National Museum of Fine Arts the day before we were scheduled to attend. And anyone can read about the Bay of Pigs, but we swam in it.

Safety in Cuba was never a problem. On our way to the Submarino Amarillo (Yellow Submarine), a lounge for listening to American 60s and 70s rock and roll, our taxi driver said severe punishments are elicited if a Cuban harms a tourist because of the economic dependence on tourism.

I noted the friendliness of the Cuban people and their curiosity about Americans. The people we spoke with, including University of Havana students, yielded an insight we might not read in a CNN article.

The students receive five megabytes of Internet per month, equivalent to two web pages.

Experiencing Cuba’s transition, albeit a slow one, helped me grow out of my negative perspective on Cuba and develop a fondness for the island only 90 miles south of us.

And while looking out the plane across the Straits of Florida, I could only hope for the day the U.S. government finally lifts the embargo and gives love and honor to our friendly neighbors.

KATIE MARK

SENIOR, ZOOLOGY MARKMK@MIAMIOH.EDU

I know everyone has been fixated on Egypt these last few days— and with good reason. Everyone should have a good idea of what is going on in Egypt because of its tremendous EMILY influence CRANE on the entire Middle East and North Africa region, and by extension, the world. What happens in Egypt affects us and we should know about it (for those looking to get a handle on everything going on there at the moment, I highly recommend a film that just came out on Netflix, called “The Square,” that follows several activists’ journeys over the past three years).

But I am not here to write about Egypt. I am here to write about a country just a few hundred miles to the west, a country that has been quietly accomplishing something pretty remarkable over the last three years, a country that deserves a moment or two in the spotlight: Tunisia. If you claim any sort of interest in Middle East politics or the establishing of democratic governments, you ought to care about Tunisia.

Tunisia had its brief moment in the spotlight in December 2010, when a man lit himself on fire as an act of protest and despair at the country’s state of affairs under former President Ben Ali. His self-immolation triggered weeks of relentless protests across Tunisia that spread like wildfire to the neighboring countries, giving us “the Arab Spring.” And then, everyone sort of lost track of Tunisia as the violence and drama in Egypt, Libya and Syria monopolized the media’s attention.

Very few people have bothered to check back in with Tunisia, as the situation in the above three countries has continued to escalate and evolve on center stage. But, hidden in the shadow of its neighbors, Tunisia has been slowly and quietly laying the foundations of its future. And now it’s time for the world to pay attention again.

Because what Tunisia is doing is nothing short of remarkable.

First, Tunisia’s “opposition” (composed primarily of young, secular leftists) has managed to form a unified front. They have selected people to represent them and negotiate for them. I compare this to Egypt or Syria where the “opposition” has splintered into factions and sub-factions that rarely coordinate with each other and have even turned on each other, and I am amazed.

Second, they have successfully pulled off a “national dialogue” between the Opposition Front and the three ruling parties (the main one being Ennahda, a moderate Islamist party). Now, if you ask a Tunisian about this “national dialogue,” they’ll groan and probably roll their eyes because it involved a lot of time spent bickering and not much forward motion.

But despite what they may say, the “national dialogue” was successful in eventually nominating the country’s next prime minister in December. The fact that a group of people with directly

opposing views was able to sit down and actually agree on something as monumental as the head of the government is nothing short of incredible.

Third, the National Constituent Assembly (the equivalent of parliament for the time-being) has succeeded in drafting and passing a new constitution. They debated and edited and voted on each of

If you claim any sort of interest in Middle East politics or the establishing of democratic governments, you ought to care about Tunisia. the 146 articles separately before voting on the entire constitution as a whole Sunday night. Each article needed a simple majority vote to pass and many articles took days or weeks to pass as the various parties negotiated and nit-picked over the wording of each. The process took months longer than promised but the result is something every Tunisian can be proud of.

This constitution protects the freedom of religion and expression, it grants women total and equal rights with men, it protects the independence of the judiciary. All in all, it’s a solid governing document. What remains to be seen of course, is how well it will be carried out by the government—but let’s not go there for now.

And finally, perhaps the most remarkable thing going on in Tunisia at the moment is the volume of information being made available to the public. While freedom of information and public records are taken for granted in the U.S., they were unheard of in Tunisia during the old regime. The government was accountable to no one; their business was their own.

But every day for the last year, as the National Constituent Assembly has been meeting to lay the foundations of this next chapter in Tunisia’s history, reporters have been allowed inside to witness and report on every speech, spat and vote. Every proposed amendment, every passed article has been chronicled on a fantastic website called “El Marsad” in two languages for everyone to see.

This kind of transparency on the part of the government is the most exciting and remarkable evolvement I’ve seen in Tunisia.

As someone who has worked as a journalist in the U.S. and Egypt as well as Tunisia, I understand the value of easily accessible information. Informed choices are the foundation of democracy. The U.S. models this, and now Tunisia is following in her footsteps.

With a new constitution, a new prime minister, popular elections on the horizon and never-beforeseen public access to information, Tunisia is well on its way toward becoming the first true democracy in North Africa.

Everyone should be watching.

EMILY CRANE

NEWS EDITOR CRANEES2@MIAMIOH.EDU

8

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014

J-TERM

FROM PAGE 2

person absent.”

The winter term only lasts three weeks but, because of the number of classes per week and the duration of each class, Hoffer said the amount of instruction time is similar to other semesters.

For students, opinions on the benefits of winter term were split between loving the experience and being thrown off by the high cost of attending Miami programs during that time, sophomore Emily Gibson said.

Gibson originally intended to participate in COM 499, a feature film production class that was only offered during the winter term, but was eventually deterred by the high cost of the class in addition to the price it would cost her to stay in her dorm.

“The class was a four-credit hour class, and I was going to be paying out of state tuition per credit hour, plus I would have

www.miamistudent.net

had to pay to stay in my room,” Gibson said. “It was only a 12-day class and was going to cost me around $5,000, there was no way I was going to be able to justify paying that.”

Gibson was disappointed with the opportunity she missed by being unable to afford the expensive class costs. She said that while in theory she liked the idea of the winter term, she thought the costs were unrealistic.

“I had lots of friends in the class who would tell me about how much fun they were having it, and I really wish I could have done it, especially since it’s not a class offered during the semester,” Gibson said. “I think if they are going to continue J-term, they have to lower the cost, especially for out-of-state students like myself.

We are already paying so much in tuition, it’s hard to sum up more tuition for the winter term.I don’t want to have to go home every single year for six weeks because I can’t afford to take the class.”

For students like Gibson,

8,000

financial aid is something that in the future might be able to be taken into consideration. Sauter said that for this winter term, financial aid was available, and used, by many students, though he didn’t have the exact data.

As with most new things, there were pros and cons to the addition of a winter term. Sauter said some of the values were that by surveying student interest twice, they were able to develop classes based on those results. The registrar reviewed best practices of other institutions, and the 3,500 student support that Miami experienced outnumbered the 400500 student support they saw at other institutions.

“The addition of a fourth academic term brings with it all the nuances of calendars, policies, financial aid, university-wide support services and monitoring student success, or in some unfortunate cases, not adequate success,” Sauter said. “We will be reviewing so much in the days and weeks ahead.”

SUCCESS FROM PAGE 2

career goals enter the labor market differently so for some students, the opportunities they’re looking for may be on Twitter, on LinkedIn, on a website, and we need to teach our students where to find these opportunities.”

Goldman said Career Services is working to improve career networks for students.

“We need to do a better job of surrounding every student with their own personal career community involving faculty, staff, alumni, parents, so every student has resources they can draw on to prepare themselves and confidently enter the labor market,” Goldman said.

Miami alumnus Colten Kidwell graduated in May 2013. Kidwell is now working in the consumer and market knowledge division of Procter and Gamble and also coowns video production company Openview Cinema.

“I think one of the biggest factors of [my success] had a lot to do with my major, studying Economics in the Farmer School of Business,” Kidwell said. “I learned how to learn, how to approach problems, do an analysis, have a point of view and get that across.”

Kidwell said experiences out of the classroom were an even stronger influence on his post-graduation success, including getting business experience in business fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon and running his own company.

However, Kidwell said Miami could improve upon counseling students on their choice in major.

“I think Miami could be a lot better about being realistic about majors,” he said. “I think it’s unfortunate that when freshmen come to Miami, they’re kind of told to do what they want.

I don’t think people shouldn’t pursue what they’re passionate about, but they should also be a little more practical, look at employment opportunities.”

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WOMEN’S BBALL, FROM PAGE 12

When opportunity knocks, it could knock here…

or here

or here

or here or here

or here

or here

or here

The high individual rebounding performance was by freshman forward Nicole Anderson, when she snagged 15 rebounds in a 76-61 loss at Long Beach State University (10-8, 2-2 Big West).

Senior center Kelsey Simon had a breakout game against Kent State University on Jan. 25, as she had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds in the 7262 win.

“It was all my teammates,” Simon said. “They were penetrating and kicking it to me, or hitting me down low. I credit all of my success to my teammates.”

In the seven losses during the winter break, the ’Hawks lost by an average of 12 points per game. On the year, the RedHawks are averaging six and a half less points than their opponents.

Despite the losing record, the ’Hawks are averaging 38 rebounds per game, two more per game than their opponents have averaged.

“I think we’re rebounding the ball well,” Wright said. “I also think we’re taking better care of the ball than we were in the earlier part of the year.”

At the beginning of the season, Wright said he wanted to use his bench, and play up to 10 players. After 18 games, the RedHawks have 10 players that average more than 13 minutes per game, and no player averages more than 29 minutes.

“I intend to play about 10 players,” Wright said. “That tends to be my style because I want them to play hard.”

The RedHawks have 11 MAC games remaining. The first of those 11 games is Thursday, when the ’Hawks travel to the University at Buffalo.

MEN’S BBALL,

Grow your own way. At PwC, opportunities are everywhere. We’ll help you find the career path that’s right for you. We’ll coach you, mentor you and refine your skills. We’ll offer you a variety of experiences so you can build relationships and grow your career — your own way. So whenever your next opportunity comes knocking here, you’ll be ready to answer. pwc.com/campus

© 2013 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership. All rights reserved. PwC refers to the United States member firm, and may sometimes refer to the PwC network. Each member firm is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details. We are proud to be an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer.

Miami University-Oxford_8x16_v1.indd 1

10/2/2013 5:57:10 PM

FROM PAGE 12

Miami’s next game is against the University of Toledo (172, 5-1 MAC) Wednesday. The Rockets currently sit atop the MAC. Cooper said the ’Hawks will need to be at their best if they are to keep up with the Rockets.

“Everyone’s bigger than we are,” Cooper said. “They’re a good team … we’re gonna have to play extremely well. They can really put a lot of points up on the board. We have our hands full.”

Felder said the team recognizes the importance of its matchup with Toledo.

“It’s not necessarily a different mindset but it’s kind of a different feeling,” Felder said.

“I think that with us knowing that they’re tied for first place … it’s a big game, it’s at home, students are back, we just got back from a break, we’re expecting a [big] turnout …

We’ve got a lot of things that we’re playing for in this game.”

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.

Wednesday and the game will feature a performance from the Firecrackers at halftime.

10

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more than quality of living space, he seeks the independence that comes with frat house living.

“The rooms are similar to dorms, but the quality is a little less. They’re a little older, less well-kept,” Champion said, adding he would rather live in an off-campus house. “The rooms in the dorms are better, but you have more independence in a fraternity house.”

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SPORTS

EDITOR TOM DOWNEY

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2014 JOE GIERINGER NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE

SHERMAN’S MARCH TO THE PLEA OF HUMILITY

It has been more than a week since Richard Sherman polarized millions of viewers in the wake of an 18-second rant that instantaneously produced headlines, headaches and hatred from just about every corner of the sports world. Despite a purposefully pedestrian press conference Sunday that quieted down some of the overzealous media hype, the self-proclaimed best cornerback in the NFL is still the center of attention heading into the Super Bowl.

But before we talk about what Sherman is, let’s clarify what he isn’t.

Richard Sherman isn’t an idiot. He graduated second in his class in high school. He is a Stanford alumnus and a student of the game, but we already knew that. What many people don’t realize is that his post-NFC Championship interview, however off-the-cuff it might have been, was most likely premeditated. In many ways, Sherman is like a modern day, football-playing P.T. Barnum. He understands the system and how to get maximum exposure. Whether it’s his shootout with loudmouth Skip Bayless in the spring of 2013, his Twitter feud with Darrelle Revis last year or his most recent bout with Michael Crabtree, Sherman is carefully crafting a loudmouth image.

Like Barnum, he wishes to “line his own coffers.” The only difference here is where Barnum was primarily concerned with money, Sherman deals in brand recognition.

Richard Sherman isn’t a thug. The racial and socioeconomic libel that was leaping off Twitter in the hours following the NFC Championship was embarrassing. A quick background check will reveal that Sherman grew up in Compton, escaping the gang scene by looking up to his parents, who helped guide neighborhood children. His upbringing paved the way for his eventual success later in life. Now, Sherman gives back to the community and, like many NFL players, donates money and time to those less fortunate, never forgetting where he comes from.

What then, is Sherman?

Richard Sherman is (probably) the best corner in the league. He rarely gets torched, and with eight interceptions and a pick six in each of the past two seasons, his dominance is startlingly clear. I could go on, but you get the idea. The stats don’t lie.

Richard Sherman is an arrogant, egotistical individual. If football stats provide a framing mechanism to back up his claim as the best, then his interviews can serve to do the same for his persona. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate trash talking as much as the next guy. If you haven’t played sports at a competitive level then it’s hard to comprehend, but as a hockey and lacrosse goalie, I had some of the worst insults I could imagine hurled at me… and I loved it. It’s an indelible part of the game that functions as a catalyst for some of today’s great performers. But what happens when trash talk is carried outside of the arena? Richard Sherman is one of the primary examples. Whether it was his quip about Crabtree and his “friendly” offering of a good game after his tip led to the NFC Championship-ending interception, Sherman’s media coverage hasn’t been too positive. Add in the “I’m

better than you at life” insults hurled at Skip Bayless (although if any sports “analyst” deserved that treatment, it was Bayless) and his Twitter tantrum, it’s apparent that Sherman has no qualms with being the villain.

Even the NFL agrees, as they fined him $7,875 for taunting.

So why is this such an issue? It seems like the past week has been dominated by a black and white situation, where two factions have dug in deep over a no-man’s land of modesty. My initial, post-game reaction to his comments were entirely dismissive. I didn’t know much about Sherman’s background, but I immediately condemned his actions and commentary about Crabtree being a subpar receiver, and telling the world that he’ll shut everyone’s mouths real quick.

You see, Sherman’s shameless self-promotion brought to light a larger issue for me. It has nothing to do with racism or any controversial topic that has spanned decades and still persists. It didn’t make me think of skill, and who’s who in the pecking order of the NFL. It made me question the spirit of the game, and the honor and integrity (or in this case, lack thereof) with which professionals play the sport they love.

While Americans were bitterly embattled, making wild accusations or feverishly defending a man they likely knew nothing about, I simply questioned why we as fans are so quick to condone behavior that’s unbecoming of a highly paid and even more highly regarded professional.

If I had kids, I would not want them emulating that kind of behavior. I’ll tell you right now, if I was in Sherman’s position and made those comments, my mom would have jumped out of her seat, sped down the stadium stairs to field level and kicked my ass in front of Erin Andrews.

I have no problem with Richard Sherman as a person. From all accounts, he seems like a decent man who loves what he does, and remembers where he came from. What I do have a problem with is how he players like him have seemingly forgotten that it is possible to win as a gracious and humble competitor. Maybe I’m in the minority, but I was always taught to let my actions on the field speak for themselves.

Sherman is probably the best corner in the business, but he doesn’t need to incite the ire of fans like myself by constantly reminding us of that after the final whistle blows. Is the media to blame for some of this situation? Sure, but I would hope Sherman isn’t so insecure as to believe that Skip Bayless and company are brainwashing the American public into thinking he isn’t a contender for best in the league.

Richard Sherman deserves to be lauded for his performance on the field, and he shouldn’t have to tolerate insensitive and ungrounded remarks about his race, intelligence or person. But let’s not forget those outliers don’t excuse the fact that his attitude over the last two seasons has been less than inspirational. C.S. Lewis once said “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” It’s up to us to decide if arrogance and chest pounding is a prerequisite for greatness.

SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

HOCKEY

RedHawks looking to snap recent cold streak

BEN TAYLOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami head coach Enrico Blasi watches the action as sophomore forward Kevin Morris (22) gets ready to skate onto the ice for a line change during a game against Denver University.

BY JOE GIERINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

It was 14 weeks ago that the Miami University hockey team entered the fall with a No. 2 preseason rank.

The RedHawks stormed out to an early sweep of rival Ohio State University, simultaneously claiming the top spot in the NCAA. Now, they’re on the outside looking in with just nine weeks to go until the national tournament.

In the past few weeks, the ’Hawks have hit a serious skid and have dropped out of the Top 20 picture entirely. Miami sports a 5-8-1 record since a Nov. 17-18 series split with the University of Wisconsin, and it currently sits second to last in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) standings with a 4-91-1 league record. The last time the RedHawks hit a skid like this was 2004-05, when they yielded seven straight games in October and November. More recently, in the 200809 campaign, the RedHawks lost five straight contests in Jan., only to fight their way into the school’s first-ever national championship berth.

“I think we’ve got to get better in a lot of areas right now, but we’ve got to work our plan and see what happens,” head coach Enrico Blasi said. “We can’t get caught up on outcomes right now, we’ve got to work our process and really not cheat the process. We’ve been focusing on that in practice and the guys seem to be in good spirits. They’re working hard in practice and doing what we ask them to do.”

That’s not coach-speak, either.

The mood in the locker room seems cautiously optimistic, and the highlytouted RedHawk roster knows any game now could be the start of a long string of victories that could put them right back in tournament contention.

Though a weekend series split with NCHC bottom dweller Colorado College wasn’t the spark the ’Hawks might have had in mind, the 6-1 Saturday contest provided what sophomore goalie Jay Williams described as a “shot in the arm.”

“It wasn’t how we planned it out,” Williams said of his team’s recent performance. “We had a tough weekend at Western [Michigan

University], not a great weekend against UNO [University of Nebraska-Omaha], and Friday night against CC [Colorado College] we struggled, but every game is something else we do well, another piece of the puzzle.

“What it comes down to for us is we’ve got to be playing our best hockey at the right time of the year, to try and string together some wins and build that confidence up. It’s something that every team goes through and when you get through it, you’re closer as a team and you have more confidence … you know what it takes to pull out of it.”

The “shot in the arm” Williams spoke of came specifically in the form of a 4-for-5 power play performance Saturday, as the team’s struggling special teams finally broke through after converting just one of its previous 26 chances, dating back to Jan. 10. Williams also put in a solid effort, turning in a career-high 38 saves.

Miami gets a breather heading into the weekend, and will be back in action Feb. 7-8 versus old Central Collegiate Hockey Conference foe Western Michigan.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Miami drops seven of last 10 games

BY JUSTIN MASKULINSKI SENIOR STAFF WRITER

While most students were taking a break, the Miami University women’s basketball team played 10 games.

During the break, the RedHawks posted a 3-7 record, including a 2-5 Mid-American Conference (MAC) record. The ’Hawks are 6-12 overall, with a 2-5 MAC record.

Although the RedHawks finished on the losing side more often than not, they were able to win rebound battles in seven

of the 10 games they played over break.

“We’re doing well on the boards,” head coach Cleve Wright said. “That gives us a chance to be in games.”

Senior guard Hannah Robertson led the way for the RedHawks for much of the 10-game stretch, as she was the leading scorer five times and leading rebounder four times.

Robertson dropped 18 points twice, in an 88-78 home loss to Western Michigan University (8-10, 4-3 MAC) Jan.

4 and a 79-76 home win against the University of Akron (10-8, 4-3 MAC) Jan. 15.

In the game against Western Michigan, Robertson sank a buzzer-beating three-pointer to tie the game at 76 and force overtime.

The high individual point total was 22, posted by freshman guard Jillian Spurlock in the overtime loss to Western Michigan.

WOMEN’S BBALL SEE PAGE 9

MEN’S BASKETBALL

RedHawks look to continue hot streak at home against Toledo

BY ZACH MACIASZEK FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

After a loss to the University of Missouri-Kansas City on Dec. 26 that dropped the Miami University men’s basketball team to 2-6, the RedHawks were arguably at their lowest point. Instead of giving in and folding, the ’Hawks have gone 6-3 and find themselves one game back in the race for the top spot in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) standings.

Head coach John Cooper believes Miami (8-9, 4-2 MAC) has begun to cement its identity during the recent hot stretch.

“I think our guys really understand how we have to win and who we are now,” Cooper said.

“More importantly, they’ve accepted and taken on [their] roles.

It’s a group that as you watch them interact with each other gets along, we have guys that are valuing their roles.”

Cooper said each night it has been a different player who has

emerged to play a key part in their victories.

“Any game it’s been a different guy,” Cooper said. “But everyone has been prepared and ready to step up. We’ve gotten production from guys when maybe someone else was struggling, and so it’s the sign of a team that’s coming together.”

Senior forward Will Felder credits the team’s hot stretch to an improved defense.

“For one just guarding the ball,” Felder said. “In general defense: I

think our defense has picked up a lot over the last stretch of games.

I think we understand that in order for us to win we’ve got to be solid throughout the game. And so I think that guarding the ball and defensive rebounding, boxing out, those types of things have led to winning games because it’s made it easier for us on the offensive side.”

Felder has been key to the ’Hawks recent improved play.

He was named the MAC East Division Co-Player of the Week

Monday. In two games, both Miami victories, Felder averaged 17 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 70 percent from the field.

Another key contributor to the RedHawks’ recent run has been junior guard Will Sullivan, who was relegated to the bench earlier in the season, is averaging 18 points over the team’s last two games.

MEN’S BBALL SEE PAGE 9