The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
TUESday, NOVEMBER 27, 2012
VOLUME 140 NO. 25 TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
In 1933, The Miami Student reported that hypnosis experiments conducted over the previous five years on campus had been included in a section of Dr. Clark L. Hull’s new book, Hypnosis and Suggestibility; An Experimental Approach. Among the colleges that had contributed material to the book were Yale University, Wisconsin University, Purdue University, Illinois University and Miami University.
LAUREN OLSON THE MIAMI STUDENT
FEASTING AND DANCING
Top: Miami University students Siddhant Sharma and Sayali Sakhardande celebrate the Indian holiday Diwalli with a show called “My Big Fat Indian Wedding.” The show took place Nov. 16 and 17 in Hall Auditorium. Bottom: A group of Diwalli dancers enjoy theirshow.
University Senate backs new pre-med co-major By Allison McGillivray Campus Editor
Miami University Senate approved the creation of a pre-medicine co-major at its meeting Monday Nov.19. The major will allow students who plan to apply to medical school to major in pre-medicine in addition to their chosen major. The new co-major will require students take all courses that are required by medical schools and that will be covered on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), which recently added to the material that test-takers are required to know, according to Dave Pennock, professor of zoology. In addition, pre-medicine co-majors must take a course in their firstyear where they plan their studies at Miami. Students must also take a medical school application preparation class in their third year. The Senate’s approval of the
major makes Miami the first school in Ohio to have a pre-medicine comajor, according to Pennock. Senator and Professor of political science Philip Russo said the co-major should be approved since it institutionalizes a program that Miami already has and will make a difference in recruiting pre-medicine students. “You can bet that there are several university senates around the state discussing this right now, given the political economy for competing for these types of students in the state of Ohio, there will be several coming down the pike,” Russo said. “So we might as well get out in front on this and institutionalize what we already have.” Senate also heard reports concerning academic integrity and Greek life. Miami has seen a 35 percent increase in the number of students reported for academic integrity violations, according to Brenda Quaye coordinator of the Academic Integrity Initiative.
Quaye said she does not believe this increase is in part due to an increase in reporting as opposed to an increase in actual violations. Quaye said many of the reports involve students collaborating on work where collaboration is not allowed. “This issue of unauthorized collaboration or working together is one that I think is also a national trend and lots of folks on lots of campuses are looking at ‘how do we address this and how do we make it more clear about what is appropriate collaboration for our classes,’” Quaye said. Senate received an update on Greek life from Jenny Levering, director of the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Leadership. Levering discussed the new Community Advancement Program, which lays out guidelines for fraternities and sororities to follow in order to maintain their status as official fraternities or sorority on Miami’s campus. Senate also approved changes to the Graduate Handbook.
Thanksgiving dinner with a helping of heartbreak BY Amanda Hancock
Senior Staff Writer
As most students spent Thanksgiving carving into a festive meal, others were cutting ties with their high school flames. That’s right, for many undergrads, and especially first-years, the holiday season is “Turkey Drop” time; a trend in which students return home
After a few months go by and the student is feeling adjusted to college life the need to lean on people from his or her past is not as strong.” NATALIE WINTERS
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI THERAPIST
from their first few months at college and decide it’s time to leave their high school boyfriend or girlfriend behind. Although being miles away is a strain to these long-distance
relationships, Leslie Haxby McNeill, assistant director of health education in Miami University’s Office of Student Wellness, said the Turkey Drop phenomenon happens for a variety of reasons. “Meeting someone else, adjusting to a new environment, the disconnect for the person who is at home not understanding how different your world has become, getting involved with activities, and just being busy,” McNeill said, noting a handful of causes for the late-November split up. Because they have recently moved away from home, Dr. Natalie Winters, a therapist at University of Cincinnati’s Counseling Center, said first-years are most likely to be in this position. “The relationship can provide a sense of security and comfort knowing that [they have] someone to lean on when feeling anxious about entering college,” she said. How common is this
TURKEY, SEE PAGE 8
The man behind the music: Miami’s carillonneur makes PulleyTower sing BY Jenn Smola Campus Editor
Anyone who drives into Oxford, Ohio from the East knows the Verlin L. Pulley Tower all too well. The towering carillon is the first sign of Miami University red brick to returning students, parents, professors and visitors as they arrive. On a nice day, drivers with their windows down may be lucky enough to catch a few chimes coming from the Pulley Tower, maybe a few notes of the alma mater. But students walking past the Pulley Tower’s melodies on Patterson Avenue may not realize there is a man behind the music. Professor Randy Runyon has
taught in the French department at Miami for 35 years—long before the Pulley Tower even existed. But when the Pulley Tower was built in 2001, he claimed the role of University Carillonneur, and took on the task of making the bells of the tower sing. The Pulley Tower was a gift from Miami alumnus William W. Pulley, in tribute to his father, Verlin L. Pulley, who was 1925 graduate from Miami, a former mayor of Oxford, founder of one of the largest drycleaning companies in the United States and a member of Miami’s board of trustees. The 65-year old took the job because he had background in music—playing the piano and organ in church—but he didn’t have to fight
off many other applicants. “I got the job, such as it is, because no one else wanted to do it,” Runyon said. Nevertheless James Lentini, dean of the School of Creative Arts, said Runyon has played an important role in the Pulley Tower’s success. “He’s been a tireless advocate for the music played there and with the carillon, and really cares about the instrument and the programming of the music,” Lentini said. The Pulley Tower plays for 10 minutes about eight times per day, but many of the songs that are heard were recorded by Runyon 10 years ago, programmed on old memory cards to play automatically, and Runyon has to change the memory card
every couple weeks or so. But while many of the recordings were done a decade ago, Runyon will still find new or popular songs, and either play them live or record them for the tower. Take for example, the pop sensation song of the summer, “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson. Runyon said he transcribed the music himself after listening for several hours on YouTube. Students also have the ability to go online and request songs they wish to hear played from the Pulley Tower. “Call Me Maybe” was one Runyon transcribed before it was even requested, expecting the popular song to be one of demand. But the carillonneur can’t meet
every request, he said. “I get a lot of requests that I cannot fulfill because it’s too strange,” he said, laughing. “Like a rap song, because there really is not enough melodic content.” But those strange requests haven’t stopped Runyon from tackling other popular songs of the times, noting “I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry, “Friday” by Rebecca Black and even the autotuned YouTube sensation “Bed Intruder Song” as some of his favorites to play. While Runyon said he doubts many students realize there is a person behind the music they hear on
PULLEY,
SEE PAGE 8