March 29, 2013 | The Miami Student

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

FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2013

VOLUME 140 NO. 47

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1942, The Miami Student reported the start of the Recensio’s picture drive, asking students to have their photo taken for the school year book, despite an increase in price from the previous year due to increased labor and material cost. The article states, “Let’s have that Ipana smile, that radiant personality, and that irresistible charm you possess. Now, hold it! Click!”

Grade changing scandal results in charges BY HANNAH STEIN EDITOR IN CHIEF

Two former Miami University students were charged with firstdegree misdemeanors Monday for unauthorized use of a computer system, according to Miami University Police Lieutenant Ben Spilman. The issue was brought to Miami University Police Department’s (MUPD) attention in October 2012, when a faculty member alerted an MUPD officer when she noticed a discrepancy in what grades she had entered in Niihka with what was being displayed, according to Spilman. After investigation, MUPD determined the grades had been changed using a key logger, a device that is plugged into the USB port of a keyboard and records the keystrokes, allowing the students to record usernames and passwords, Miami communications director Claire Wagner said. According to the MUPD police report, 21-year-old Beckley Parker admitted he changed his grades in 17 classes and changed other students’ grades to cover his tracks. Over the course of four academic semesters, it was reported Parker changed over 70 grades. The report did not specify how many of those

grades were his own. The second student was identified as 21-year-old David Callahan, who also admitted to changing one of his grades in the fall of 2012, along with two of his classmates to make it difficult for police to determine which student changed the grades, according to the police report.

bank” to receive better grades. It was also reported that 28 of the changed grades belonged to members of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. The university is still reviewing evidence regarding the test bank, and Wagner said she does not know when or what will happen in the future. The university is still in the

I’m not accepting the fact it gives Miami a bad name. Miami had two students who behaved very badly and we’re going to hold those accountable and move on...The message we want to give [is] integrity really matters. It’s important to every institution and every individual.”

DAVID HODGE

MIAMI UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT

Both Callahan and Parker were found with copies of tests and exams on multiple electronic devices, which had been downloaded from Niihka without authorization of the professor, along with log.txt files containing professors’ usernames and passwords, according to the police report. Callahan and Parker both belonged to the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and according to the police report, Callahan acknowledged the fraternity members used a “test

process of investigating each changed grade. “A lot of them didn’t know it was done,” Wagner said. “They’re not quite done going through the list of the students [with changed grades] and notifying and asking those students if they knew what was going on…there may be other repercussions.” According to Spilman, as of now no charges have been pressed about the test bank in the fraternity. “There are no criminal charges

resulting from this case at this time,” he said. “I suppose if the investigation were to reveal some reason for criminal charges that that would be a possibility.” This is the first time this has happened at Miami, Wagner said, and she said she thinks this should be an example of what happens when there is a violation of academic integrity. “…Any student who pays attention to the code of conduct…they will see there are severe consequences,” Wagner said. President David Hodge said he does not believe Callahan and Parker’s actions give Miami a bad image, and there is a message the community can take away from this. “I’m not accepting the fact it gives Miami a bad name,” he said. “Miami had two students who behaved very badly and we’re going to hold those accountable and move on…The message we want to give [is] integrity really matters. It’s important to every institution and every individual.” According to Wagner, the university is advising faculty on how to protect against another incident. “It certainly raises awareness,” Wagner said. “We’ve done a lot of communication with

faculty and we’ll do more. There are some technological changes, some visual changes…we’re taking steps to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” The IT Department is implementing several changes to decrease the probability of another breach of computer security, according to Wagner, such as a two-step email notification process when professors change grades, weekly email reports to professors detailing grade changes from the previous week and putting tamper proof tape over USB ports. Spilman said Callahan and Parker face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine on each charge. According to the police report, Callahan was charged with three misdemeanors and Parker charged with six. It has not yet been determined how long it will take until the former students are prosecuted. “[Both students] accepted responsibility for their actions and accepted dismissal from the university,” Wagner said. “They’re last day of enrollment was March 8.” The case is now in the criminal system, according to Spilman, and their first appearance in court will be April 4. Spilman said it is possible it could be continued to another date.

Secretary of State meets with College Republicans BY KATIE SALLACH FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University’s chapter of College Republicans hosted a discussion Wednesday night with Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted. Husted met with a group of College Republican members to discuss a variety of topics concerning elections including voter fraud, plans for the Republican Party and the future of the state as well as the nation. Before opening up the discussion to questions from the audience, Husted conducted a brief introductory lecture on his thoughts about the future of both the Republican Party and nation. He began with a brief statement about some of the biggest challenges he faces as the Ohio

Secretary of State. Because Ohio is such an important swing state, Husted said he faces some of the most pre-election scrutiny of all the states. He said the biggest challenge he faces is trying to find a balance between making voting easy and secure for voters. He went on to discuss ways he thinks Republicans can get more votes in future elections and become the dominant party and get the country back on track. “Sometimes we [The Republican Party] come across as a little angry and intolerant,” he said. He suggested that Republicans take a more compassionate and optimistic tone when discussing their

SEC. OF STATE, SEE PAGE 5

ELECTION VIOLATION According to the Associated Student Government Elections Committee, it is issuing the McGuire/ Kwarteng ticket with a “major violation.” According to the Elections Committee, there were reports that campaign volunteers pressured students to vote for their ticket on electronic devices while standing in front of them. This continued even after initial warnings, according to the committee. The Elections Committee has also investigated volunteers for the McGuire/Kwarteng ticket for entering resident halls without permission from either the Resident Directors or Resident Assistants or without an escort. This is against Miami’s guidelines, and the Elections Committee deemed the reports credible. The penalty for this violation will be a reduction in campaign spending of $100 per individual slate, according to the Elections Committee.

ELECTION RESULTS This year’s election for Student Body President had a total of 4,553 votes, but the results are not yet final. There will be a run-off election between the Forrest McGuire/Lot Kwarteng ticket and the Charlie Schreiber/Courtney Bernard ticket. Students can vote 3 p.m. April 3 to 7 p.m. April 4 on The Hub.

RUN FOR KIDS

LAUREN OLSON PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Juniors Alan Bergman, Bryan Watson and Kyle Asperger (L-R) run the Color for Kids 5k, which benefitted the Miami University chapter of the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association.

GLBTQ Services provides a unique graduation ceremony for students BY KATIE CAPREZ

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

This spring, Miami University’s Sesquicentennial Chapel will host the university’s 12th annual Lavender Graduation, an event coordinated by GLBTQ Services, part of the Office of Diversity Affairs, for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning graduates and their allies. This special gathering to celebrate GLBTQ students’ valediction began at the University of Michigan in 1995. Miami’s May 5 ceremony celebrates the culmination of the graduates’ academic journeys at Miami just as the university’s official commencement will later on the same week. The difference, according to GLBTQ Services Coordinator Demere Woolway, is a much more intimate atmosphere celebrating the unique challenges the GLBTQ graduates have faced. This is because GLBTQ students are less likely than their heterosexual classmates to graduate in four years, Woolway said.

She attributes this phenomenon to the emotional distress and rejection that sometimes characterize GLBTQ students’ college experiences. “Because of the challenges [GLBTQ] students face, Lavender Graduation represents a big deal, ” Woolway said. Woolway’s office windowsill is adorned with photos of the last three years of graduates. They wear no red stoles or graduation caps, only business-casual outfits of their own choosing and relaxed smiles. The typical “class size” for a Miami Lavender Graduation is between 11 and 15 students, according to Woolway. “The smaller size helps keep it on that really personal level,” Woolway said. Another aspect of personalization comes in the way each graduate is introduced. Each student chooses a friend, mentor or other person of significance to say a few words about them and their journey. The students are free to choose whomever they wish, but a favorite faculty member is a

popular choice, Woolway said. Those sitting in the small, bright, pale-walled chapel will be members of Miami’s 1809 LGBT Alumni group. Each year these alumni host a retreat to plan group activities, and they schedule it around Lavender Graduation to support the Lavender graduates and announce the winner of a group-funded scholarship. The award goes to an outstanding contributor to the GLBTQ community on Miami’s campus. Members of Miami’s undergraduate gay-straight alliance, Spectrum, will also attend, and has become customary. Spectrum Education Chair first-year Connor Wilkinson, will present an award to the member of the GLBTQ community who has been most involved in the group’s “pride panels,” question-and-answer sessions which promote understanding of the GLBTQ community. Wilkinson said he believes the Lavender Graduation is a sign

LAVENDER, SEE PAGE 5


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March 29, 2013 | The Miami Student by The Miami Student - Issuu