The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
VOLUME 138 NO. 12
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
Friday, October 1, 2010
In 1940, The Miami Student reported the Beta Theta Pi fraternity was planning to build a 110-foot bell tower to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its founding. The tower was expected to cost $20,000.
Demand for peer tutoring increases By Jennifer Smola
According to Totty, the learning center has seen mostly first and second-year students utilizing their services, and those coming to the learning center seem to be proactive about getting assistance. “Many students recognize that they need assistance early, which is a good thing,” Totty said. “They see that they’re having issues early on.” Specifically, tutoring requests for mechanical engineering, computer science and computer programming courses have increased, Totty said. The Rinella Learning Center provides various types of academic assistance, which are included in students’ yearly fees.
For The Miami Student
THOMAS CALDWELL The Miami Student
Senior Abigail Wiwi tutors first-year Emily Eldridge in math Thursday afternoon at the Rinella Learning Center.
According to reports presented at the Sept. 24 board of trustees meeting, Miami University is experiencing an increased demand for individual tutoring services. Staff at the Rinella Learning Center have witnessed the increase, according to Cortney Totty, the tutorial assistance program coordinator at the center. “We’ve noticed a steady incline over the past three to four years,” Totty said. Last year, the Rinella Learning Center provided more than 25,000 hours of tutoring and other academic services to Miami students, and the staff is anticipating the number to grow this year.
wSee TUTORING, page 7
Group plans changes for MU, receives negative feedback Faculty members write letter to task force By Taylor Dolven Senior Staff Writer
The Strategic Priorities Task Force (SPT) has received opposition to some of its proposed cost-saving methods in the form of a letter with more than 60 faculty signatures. According to the SPT draft report, the task force has recommended cuts in academics in order to meet university budgetary needs. The recommendations are estimated to save the university more than $40 million by 2015. The faculty members, representing 27 different departments, presented a letter in disagreement with those recommendations at the board of trustees meeting Sept. 24. These Miami profes-
Female reports off-campus rape
female at Mc-Cullough Hyde Memorial Hospital regarding an alleged rape. At 12:26 p.m. Tuesday, of- The female reportedly told ficers met with a 19-year-old police she was sexually
THE
One type of engineering major will be eliminated next fall.
CAMPUS, page 2
By Lee Jones Staff Writer
Miami University’s Strategic Priorities Task Force (SPT) “Recommendation 16” suggests the current workload distribution among Miami educators needs to be reformed. The recommendation reads, “The faculty workload policy was designed to increase faculty productivity
wSee WORKLOAD, page 7 with 20 students or less. The task force has proposed eliminating 200 of those classes, which would generate a savings of $3.2 million, according to Hodge. “We have to be conscious of the fact that classes are underenrolled,” Hodge said. But some professors disagree. According to Lyons, language and humanities
assaulted by a male known to her at her off-campus residence Monday night. According to police reports, the female had friends at her
INSIDESCOOP
BYE, BYE, BYE!
SPT encourages faculty to share workload
students, Lyons said. “Classes under 20 are beneficial and necessary,” Lyons said. “The (SPT) report is onesize fits all.” Junior Grant Johnson, a theater major, takes classes with an average size of 12 to 14 students, which he believes is very beneficial to his academic career. “With (more than) 20 students, you don’t get the kind of coaching you need,” he said. “I think having smaller classes is a lot better. You get more hands-on and the environment is better too.” Lyons would like to see the task force take a harder look at the “very expensive athletic program” and the “bloated administration.” Hodge said he assures the Miami community the wording of the recommendation will change. As of now there are 2,000 courses offered every year
sors hope the SPT will reconsider its recommended budget cuts. “They were only looking at the academic budget and told to come up with enough to cover Miami’s financial shortfalls,” said Deborah Lyons, a classics associate professor. President David Hodge said this is “completely false.” According to Hodge, the university has already made cuts all across the board and academics has been the least affected thus far. “Academic quality is our bread and butter,” he said. “It’s our strength.” The group of faculty members who oppose the changes is urging the SPT to reconsider the recommendation. They are not comfortable with the university’s plan to cut classes with less than 20
Miami Football takes on Kent State University this weekend.
Read up on the social network that may be taking over your life.
FEATURES, page 6
BUSTED
One (former) sorority girl tells all about her life post-sorority suspension.
AMUSEMENT, page 9
MOVIN’ ON UP
SPORTS, page 14
Sat
ONLY
u
WWW.MIAMISTUDENT.NET COMMUNITY: MAP
SUBMIT YOUR THUMBS ONLINE!
Check out a map of uptown Oxford development over the past three years.
We like to print our favorites, so look out for yours in an upcoming issue of TMS!
CAMPUS: SLIDESHOW Check out King of Hearts, Game On! rehersal and other events that happened around campus this week.
CAMPUS: IT TIP
COMMUNITY, page 4
65 q 37
later, when she was reportedly sexually assaulted. According to police, neither the victim nor the suspect are Miami University students.
www.miamistudent.net/thumbs
Oxford Diner plans to move uptown. Find out which old storefront they plan to occupy.
p
wSee SPT, page 7
house early in the night and the group later went uptown for a few drinks. The female and the suspect reportedly returned to the home
WATCH THOSE FLASHES
I <3 FACEBOOKING
classes are most beneficial when taught with less than 20 students. Eliminating small classes and combining less popular majors will take away from Miami’s liberal education, according to the faculty letter. This group of faculty fears Miami will lose its
Sun
57 q 37 p
Mon
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October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. IT Services is hosting several related events this month.