Dec 7, 2010 | The Miami Student

The Miami Student VOLUME 138 NO. 27

Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

In 1945, The Miami Student reported because of the large amount of students sick with the flu, the Wells Hall recreation room was turned into an infirmary for flu patients. Campus was not closed, but Navy training classes were cancelled.

CHAMPIONS!

MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student

Head Coach Michael Haywood and the RedHawks hoist the MAC championship trophy after their win at Ford Field.

RedHawks win first MAC championship since 2003

By JM Rieger Staff Writer

With the Mid-American Conference (MAC) title on the line, redshirt freshman quarterback Austin Boucher completed the biggest pass of his career to redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Givens, keeping the final drive alive for the Miami University RedHawks.

The fourth and 20 conversion from their own 38 yardline set up the game-winning score two plays later when Boucher connected with senior wide out Armand Robinson with only 33 seconds remaining in regulation. The 33-yard touchdown pass marked Robinson’s 14th reception of the game, tying the Miami school record.

“They started to blitz a lot in the fourth quarter,” Robinson said.

“The guy that was on me blitzed, so I changed it to a slant route and Austin put it right where it needed it to be. It was an unbelievable play and I still can’t believe it happened.”

The win marked Miami’s first MAC title since the 2003 season and only the third time in MAC history a school has gone from “worst to first.” The Red and White have now won their fifth straight game dating

back to their Oct. 30 win at The University at Buffalo and improved to 9-4 on the season, while the Northern Illinois University (NIU) Huskies fell to 10-3.

“What an outstanding accomplishment by these young men to overcome the adversity in which they were involved from going 1-11 to being 9-4 and winning a MAC championship,” Head Coach Michael Haywood said. “I’m so happy for them and all the adversity they

Miami led by six entering the fourth quarter due to a failed fake field goal attempt from the five yardline with just more than seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Had the RedHawks attempted the field goal, they could have gone up by nine even though an extra point attempt and a field goal had already been blocked earlier in the game.

A 39-yard touchdown pass gave the Huskies the 21-20 lead on the

The win marked ... only the third time in MAC history a school has gone from ‘worst to first.’ have overcome and all the hard work they have done.”

After trailing 14-13 at the half, the RedHawks responded in the third quarter when senior running back Thomas Merriweather pounded his way into the endzone for his second touchdown of the game. Merriweather had another outstanding game, carrying the ball 11 times for 85 yards. Much of the senior tailback’s recent success can be attributed to a healthy offensive line, which has been impressive over the past few games for the ’Hawks.

first play of the fourth quarter, and the score would remain that way until Miami’s final drive of the game.

NIU had one more chance to down the RedHawks with 26 seconds remaining in the game, but sophomore defensive lineman Austin Brown sacked Husky

MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student

Running back Thomas Merriweather scores his second touchdown of the night. quarterback Chandler Harnish on the final play of the game to seal the victory for Miami.

Boucher had a career game, going 29-46 for 333 yards and a touchdown. Haywood said he managed the game extremely well in only his third start for the RedHawks.

“Austin did a really good job,” Haywood said. “Anytime you run an offense and you don’t turn the football over, I think you do a tremendous job as a quarterback.”

Meanwhile, the ’Hawks’ defense shut down a Husky squad that had

been averaging 279 rushing yards per game, limiting them to just 92 yards in the biggest game of the season. Redshirt junior linebacker Jerrell Wedge led the team with nine tackles, while sophomore safety Pat Hinkel had eight, including seven solo tackles.

Up next for the Red and White will be the GoDaddy.com Bowl Jan. 6 in Mobile, Ala. The RedHawks will take on Middle Tennessee State University from the Sun Belt Conference. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

SCOTT ALLISON The Miami Student

Miami students make the trip to Detroit to support the football team on its way to its first MAC title in seven years.

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Campus

Tuesday

December 7, 2010

Editors Stephen Bell Amelia Carpenter Amanda Seitz campus@miamistudent.net

Admission office gets facelift NEWS BRIEFS

By Amelia Carpenter Campus Editor

FYI National publication features ecology study A study by Miami University faculty was featured as the November cover article of Ecological Monographs, a quarterly journal published by the Ecological Society of America.

Assistant Professor of Geology Ellen Currano and colleagues studied long-term effects of temperature change on plants and insect herbivores in the fossil record of Bighorn Basin, Wyo. Ancient insects migrated north and grew in diversity and numbers 60 million years ago when temperatures slowly warmed.

They predict, based upon their results, that present-day warming will alter the insect herbivore populations and cause an increase in herbivore damage at middle latitudes.

The full article, “Fossil Insect folivory tracks paleotemperature for six million years,” can be read online at esajournals.org/toc/emon/80/4.

CAC to host night of salsa dancing lessons Campus Activities Council will host Bailamos: Tonight We Dance.

The night will be filled with salsa dance lessons from professional instructors and live performances from Orquesta Kandela, an all-female salsa band.

Latin American food and nonalcoholic mojitos and pina coladas will be available.

The dancing and eating will take place in the Shriver Heritage Room from 8 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9. The event is free to Miami University students.

Prospective Miami University students and their families are expected to walk into a newly renovated admissions office in the new year.

The Office of Admission lobby, reception, auditorium and living room areas will be repainted and new artwork featuring different aspects of Miami will hang on the walls, according to Assistant Director of Admissions Meredith Smith. New furniture, carpeting, lighting fixtures and auditorium chairs will also be a part of the update, Smith said.

“It’s been a number of years since (the office) has been updated,” she said. “We’re making sure we do everything we can to enhance the campus visit.”

Smith said because of the relatively low registration numbers for campus tours during the winter months due to cold weather, holidays and lack of travel, winter break is an optimal time for the changes.

Campus tours are 90 minutes long every weekday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

For the week of Dec. 6, approximately 20 to 25 people registered for morning tours, Smith said.

That week, tours will be given Monday, Tuesday and Friday mornings, with no afternoon tours offered to allow for

SCOTT ALLISON The Miami Student

The outside of the Office of Admission is undergoing construction as well as the inside. the renovations.

Tour guides will be available to answer questions and tour campus in the mornings those days, and admission counselors will be available during the day, according to Smith.

Tours are never held during final exam week so tour guides have adequate time to prepare.

Smith said because the semester is finished and students are not in session, the

five-week period that is winter break allows renovations to happen smoothly and to be finished by the first day of spring semester 2011.

Financial information, design details and whether the renovation will be done through the university or by an outside contractor was unknown at the time of publication.

Additional reporting by Molly Dobbins

Project frenzy

SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student

Senior Nick Meeker converses with a visitor while presenting his senior capstone for Zoology 400.

Miami joins with Wright State for social work program

By Adam Giffi Senior Staff Writer

For Miami University’s graduate school, it’s out with the old, in with the replacement. The university senate met Dec. 6 to hear the proposal for a new graduate major, master of arts in social work.

Bruce Cochrane, dean of the graduate school, said this proposed program will require the phasing out of the existing master’s degree in family studies. The new program will be a joint one with Wright State University, according to Cochrane’s address.

“I think to have a social work program that has a presence in Dayton as well as in Oxford is one that makes quite a bit of sense,” Cochrane said.

Gary Peterson, chair of family

By Gabi Madden For The Miami Student

New fund helps business students study abroad Business students at Miami University may have more incentive to study abroad, with the creation of a new Schneider Electric International Scholars Endowment Fund.

Miami announced the receipt of a $200,000 gift from Schneider Electric, which will provide assistance to business students looking to study abroad.

The fund was spearheaded by Christopher B. Curtis, CEO and president of Schneider Electric in North America, and a member of Miami’s Business Advisory Council.

Specializing in energy management, Schneider Electric is a global entity that is currently working with Miami to develop a campus-wide green enterprise plan.

The fund will provide immediate financial assistance to students until the gift has been received in its full amount.

Greek life gets new leadership

studies and social work, explained through support circuit television the proposed benefits of a joint pro- and also using the Voice of Amerigram of this nature. ca program. It will He said the two be very accessible “It’s unforunate that for students from universities will share the resources, we need more social both campuses.” easily allowing the Mark Smith, workers, that’s the program to meet professor of mathnature of the society ematics, raised the requirements necof our times, so we concern that the essary for national accreditation. Accreation of a new need to prepare cording to Peterson, program seems to professionals be going against the students will access for this.” recommendations these joint resourcof the Strategic Pries not by attending STEVE DELUE orities Task Force classes on both camINTERIM CHAIR (SPT). Cochrane puses, but through POLITICAL SCIENCE said the program technology. is actually in line “Students will with the SPT’s probably live closer recommendations. to one or the other campus,” Pe“This is a replacement proterson said. “We will provide joint programs either online, or say, gram, so it will not call for a net

increasing in the number of programs,” Cochrane said. “Also, this program is designed to attract feepaying students. We are talking about a program that is anticipated to be revenue generating.”

Peterson said this change is being proposed not because of any deficiency in the current program, but as a way to update.

“We’re not terminating our current program because it is doing poorly,” Peterson said. “We’ve always had a number of students in the program, we graduated them regularly, it was evaluated in a positive way in the last graduate evaluation in June.

We’ve decided, in the interest in our students, that this is a better way to training our students for the kinds of careers and occupations they seek.”

wSee USENATE, page 5

A fresh face was welcomed to the Miami University Greek community Dec. 2 after former Director of Greek life April Robles stepped down after a nine-year term.

Robles said in an e-mail to the Greek community that she accepted reassignment as assistant director of Career Services in July 2010.

Jenny Levering, originally from Sacramento, Calif., will be the new director.

Levering spent two years as assistant director of Greek Life at the University of North Carolina and five years as the assistant dean of students for fraternity and sorority life during her seven years at the school.

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs Scott Walter, who started working at Miami three months ago, said there was a national search to fill the position.

“When I started in August, they had narrowed it down to four,” Walter said, adding that on-campus interviews were conducted for the four remaining candidates.

Levering said she plans to spend her term making the Greek community at Miami stronger.

She said she wants to strengthen the fraternal values throughout all of Greek life.

“The number one thing I will be working on is with the students, alumni and university to work collectively to improve the community,” Levering said.

President of Alpha Chi Omega Jordan Masarek said she is excited about the new director and hopes to see some changes within the system.

“I would love to see some more involvement (such as) more interaction with fraternities and sororities on campus,” Masarek said.

Masarek said sororities and fraternities are still learning the new guidelines implemented in fall 2010 and she hopes Levering will keep that in mind.

“We need to work hard to improve our reputations,” Masarek said.

Levering was positive about her position.

“I’m extremely excited about this professional opportunity,” Levering said. “We are going to be able to do a lot of great things in the next few years.”

THE MIAMI STUDENT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2010 ♦ 3

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Tuesday

December 7, 2010

Community

Editor Bethany Bruner community@miamistudent.net

Jobless locals lose benefits

By Melissa Tacchi

Senior Staff Writer

Junior passes out in drive thru At around 1:40 a.m. Friday, Oxford Police Department officers were dispatched to McDonald’s in response to a male who had passed out in a silver SUV. Officers reportedly found the male asleep behind the wheel of the vehicle near the drive thru window. The car was reportedly still running and in gear.

An officer reportedly was able to reach through an open window and turn off the vehicle before waking the driver, later identified as Miami University junior Robert Miller.

Miller was reportedly confused and unsure how he had gotten there.

He was also reportedly under the impression that he should have a passenger in the car. Miller reportedly had the odor of alcohol on his breath and slurred speech. According to police reports, when Miller was asked for identification he pointed to the windshield and said, “You can have my GPS.” Officers reportedly did not see a GPS on the windshield.

Miller reportedly performed poorly on field sobriety tests. Miller was reportedly taken into custody and given the opportunity to take a breath test, which he refused before being charged and released. Miller was cited for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

More than 5,000 Butler County residents were forced to face the demise of their federally funded unemployment benefits Dec. 1.

Many of these benefit cuts are pending the U.S. Congress’ response to Gov. Ted Strickland’s letter encouraging the extension of such benefits, according to Ohio Department of Job and Family Services spokesman Ben Johnson. However, if Congress takes no further action on the matter, the expiration process will continue throughout the next five months.

“Because the benefits come from federal money, there isn’t much we can do to stop this process,” Johnson said. “It is Congress’ decision.”

Currently, the extended federal benefits amount to more than $300 a week on average, Johnson said. However, those who filed for unemployment as early as possible may have lost their checks as early as Nov. 20.

According to Johnson, more than 108,000 Ohioans will have exhausted their unemployment

compensation and will lose their benefits in December. As a result, programs such as Workforce One and The Job Center are anticipating a drastic increase in the number of new customers.

“As people exhaust their compensation before their next job is found they will begin to turn to other programs that the county provides, so we are expecting to see a number of additional applicants,” Johnson said.

For Don Kell, manager of Workforce One of Butler County, this raises concern for current customers.

“We have regular customers come in unemployed for weeks or even months who use the job center to look for work,” Kell said. “This will affect them and create more competition for jobs.

If benefits are cut off, there may be an increase in desperation, so people will begin to look at all possibilities to find work.”

For Miami University junior Victoria Minette, the increased competition for work is more than alarming.

“To hear the number of people who are unemployed due to no fault of their own is

really discouraging,” Minette said. “The job market is currently competitive enough, so I can’t imagine how difficult it will be once these benefits expire.”

According to Kell, the faculty of Workforce One should be concerned about the change as well.

“This is going to make it very difficult to do an adequate job with customer service,” Kell said. “We have a fairly limited staff to provide assistance already.”

Kell also expressed his greater concern for the state’s economy.

“For every dollar given, two go back into the economy,” Kell said. “For this reason, many Democrats and Republicans have reached a general consensus to try and extend these federal benefits.”

Due to uncertainties of Congress’ final decision on the matter, Johnson’s agency is encouraging jobless residents to continue filing weekly claims.

Should Congress extend the benefits, Johnson said it would be easier for the agency to restart payments for those who adhere to this request.

Metroparks schedule renovations

A look back in time

By Jack Nelson For The Miami Student

Male receives four citations At around 1:10 a.m. Saturday, Oxford Police Department (OPD) officers were dispatched to the intersection of Poplar Street and Central Avenue in reference to a disorderly male wearing jeans and a gray sweatshirt. Officers reportedly found a male matching the description in the yard of 100 E. Chestnut St. Officers reportedly stopped the male, later identified as Miami University firstyear Carl Weigel, 19, and noticed his clothes were wet. Weigel also reportedly had the odor of alcohol on his breath and could barely stand.

When officers asked Weigel what he was doing, he reportedly pointed to the house and said he was “going home.” Weigel also reportedly said he could not be arrested because he “got a code one three years ago.”

Weigel reportedly provided officers with a Texas driver’s license belonging to a 23-year-old. Weigel reportedly said he did not have a student ID. Weigel also reportedly told officers his name was Kyle and said he was “of legal drinking age.”

Weigel reportedly told officers several birthdays, none of which matched the Texas driver’s license.

According to police reports, Weigel also said he was from Colorado before saying he was from Kentucky.

Weigel was arrested and taken to OPD, where a search reportedly led to Weigel’s valid student ID. While being processed, Weigel reportedly fell asleep in the booking room and officers could barely wake him. He also reportedly vomited on himself, and the life squad was called to transport him to McCulloughHyde Memorial Hospital.

Weigel was cited for underage intoxication, possession of a fake ID, obstructing official business and disorderly conduct.

Student reports off-campus sexual assault At around 8 p.m. Saturday, a 21-year-old female Miami University student reported she was sexually assaulted by an acquaintance.

According to police reports, the female had been socializing with a family friend uptown when they decided to go back to his house after the bar closed. The female reported she was sexually assaulted at the male’s house.

SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student

The Minnis building was the first four-story building in uptown Oxford.

Few changes uptown since 2000

By Anna Hartman For The Miami Student

At the beginning of this decade, the residents of Oxford discovered a collection of Miami University catalogues, church bulletins, an Oxford phone book and an American flag in a time capsule.

A Fourth of July celebration held by Oxford citizens in 1976 included the burial of a time capsule intended for those living in Oxford in 2076. Residents in the year 2000, however, discovered the collection of momentos when renovating the uptown parks, and fearful of water damage and decay to the capsule’s contents, opted to open it.

This year, in celebration of the city’s bicentennial, a time capsule was sealed into a sculpture at Oxford Community Park. This capsule includes relics from the current decade, including recent newspapers, menus from uptown restaurants and Silly Bandz.

The 2000s mark an important decade in the history of Oxford as uptown started to become what it is today.

According to Valerie Ellott, head of the Smith Library of Regional History, Oxford saw the appearance of the Minnis building, the first four-story building above Steinkeller on High Street, in 2000. The fourth floor of this building was disguised to look like a roof, as many Oxford residents were apprehensive of the idea of taller buildings.

Amos Heller, who graduated from Miami in 2000, recalls the addition of

four-story buildings being an issue of concern amongst Miami students.

“One of the things that we loved about uptown was its small town feel, and there was concern that some of that would be lost,” Heller said. “I mean, they were never going to put in a skyscraper, but I think people were concerned that it might lose the open, airy feel we’d come to love.”

After Minnis received approval to build a fourth story, other businesses uptown decided to expand as well. Today, the buildings housing Chipotle and Kona Bistro and Coffee Bar are amongst the uptown structures that reach the height of a fourth story.

Another change seen in Oxford in 2000 was the renovation of the uptown parks. The parks were divided into East Park and West Park until 2000 when they were remodeled and renamed as Memorial Park and Martin Luther King Jr. Park respectively. Also, the additions of a water feature and concrete animals were made to the parks in 2000.

“Both uptown parks had some very old trees,” Eilliot said. “They got a new urban design in the early 2000s. It used to be kind of small town, like an old town square.”

Miami University first-year Carli Williams appreciates the renovated atmosphere of the uptown parks.

“I’ve gotten coffee and taken it to the uptown parks before, and it’s great that the parks have a different feel than the rest of Miami,” Williams said. “It’s nice to be exposed

to a more urban setting.”

According to Elliott, the renovations have altered the presence of music in the parks because more green space is available due to a reduction in parking on High and Main streets.

“They narrowed Main Street, which made it feel more like one big park rather than two,” Elliott said. “The sloping area allows people to sit on blankets and chairs in the summer and watch a performance on the pavillion” Heller, who belonged to an improvisation theatre troupe called The Tower Players and is now the bass player in Taylor Swift’s band, performed in the uptown parks both before and after the renovations.

While the tearing down of the water tower, which occurred shortly before the 2000s in 1998 was a loss for Heller, he finds the renovations serve their intended purpose of creating an enhanced atmosphere for performances.

“The new look of the park made it a better place to perform,” Heller said.

According to Miami University archives, the enrollment of Miami has changed since the 2000-01 school year, when 14,830 students were in attendance at Miami’s main campus. Current enrollment at Miami is 14,671.

Uptown Oxford will undoubtedly continue to change throughout future decades, but the memories of current Miami students will not be weathered because they are conserved safely in an impermeable container.

Extensive renovations for five Butler County MetroParks are set to get underway in the near future.

Four of the five parks that are currently closed are scheduled to be re-opened in spring and early summer 2011.

The parks set to be renovated and re-opened are Indian Creek Pioneer Church, Antenen Nature Preserve, Woodsdale Regional Park, Gilmore Ponds and Upper Indian Creek Preserve.

However, residents of Butler County and Miami University students should not expect the parks to open any earlier.

“We don’t have very much money right now, and most of the money from the levy won’t come in until March or April,” said Susan Stretch, marketing director for Butler County MetroParks. “Nothing will happen any sooner than then, and the renovations may take longer if the funds are delayed.”

Part of this is because the parks are mainly staffed by volunteers who cannot make a full-time commitment to cleaning up the parks.

“Our people are working as fast as they can, and we think the deadline is realistic for the moment,” Stretch said.

Another change being made to the parks is the fee that formerly had to be paid by everyone who visited the parks will now be required only for those who live outside Butler County.

The fee will be collected through a $10 parking permit, which noncounty residents, including students from out of state who do not pay Butler County taxes, have to buy.

“We didn’t want the people that are already paying taxes for the parks to have to pay twice,” Stretch said.

Many Miami students support the re-opening of the parks.

“I think that it’s very good thing on the whole,” first-year Carissa Fry said. “It will create jobs and be good for the community, not just for students but for families with little kids.”

She said she would probably go running and biking in the park.

Miami students are divided on how often they will visit MetroParks due to their distance from campus.

Junior Joe Fondriest said while it is a good thing the parks are going to be open again, he will not go to the parks if he has to pay for a parking pass.

“I wasn’t planning on driving there myself, but if I had to pay I probably wouldn’t go,” Fry said.

THE MIAMI STUDENT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2010 ♦ 5

System makes university purchasing easier Art department puts

By Shane Corcoran For The Miami Student

Miami University recently integrated a new technology into its interdepartmental purchasing services, making the ordering process easier for faculty and staff.

Deemed Miami Buyway, the installment is a comprehensive electronic procurement system that will allow staff to place orders for virtually any good or service online, according to Bill Shawver, senior director of purchasing and central services.

“Though we’ve named it Miami Buyway, (the system) is a third party product from SciQuest, Inc., and we’re one of seven Ohio schools using it,” Shawver said. “It enables us to collectively analyze our spending patterns for the entire group of Ohio schools.”

Shawver said the system gives Miami significant information to work with vendors and increase ordering efficiency.

The Buyway system, the first of its kind at Miami, is essential-

ly a paperless intuitive tool that processes orders, payments and reimbursements from any department on campus, according to Shawver.

He said departments run the gamut in terms of goods and services purchases, and orders typically include scientific supplies, computers, repair parts and equipment as well as services like consulting and maintenance agreements.

Shawver expects the university will only benefit from Miami Buyway.

“The initial investment was $350,000 to acquire the product and have it installed,” he said. “(The Buyway system) includes features that go beyond order placement …

The pricing is significantly better than what we used to do on paper, and the savings that we are going to gain is going to offset the costs of the product.”

According to Shawver, the staff is already seeing improvement. He said those who use the system on a day-to-day basis have been impressed. The ordering process has been simplified, which has sped up order placement and reduced waste.

Ultimately, Buyway has enhanced the user and purchaser’s experience and generated savings with low costs, according to Shawver.

Shawver said students will also see improvement in their overall academic experience.

“Students will benefit to the degree that we are running our program more efficiently, so students are receiving better services from their academic experience,” he said. “They’ll have to pay less money and will get better results.”

Although students indirectly benefit from the new system, many look forward to seeing the results.

“I think it’s great that Miami is always looking for ways to improve itself,” first-year Anne Gardner said. “This kind of technology will make things easier for staff and will eventually save students money, which is always a good thing.”

Overall, Miami can look to a more efficient future with the new Buyway system, according to Shawver.

“In the end, everyone will benefit,” he said.

Mane points

SAMANTHA LUDINGTON The Miami Student

Miami senior Rebecca Bracken tells interested students about her senior capstone, Lameness in Horses: Analyzing Motion.

USENATE continued from page 2

Peterson said the job market for social workers is demanding and tailoring the degree toward this will be advantageous.

Senate member Steve DeLue, interim chair of the political science department, supported the plan.

“I think the idea of creating programs that will attract fee-paying students is very

important as a new source of revenue generating activity at this time,” DeLue said. “It’s unfortunate that we need more social workers, that’s the nature of the society of our times, so we need to prepare professionals for this.”

The proposal gained permission of the senate to move forward, but the program has not been entirely approved. The Interdisciplinary Advisory Council will have six weeks to comment on the proposed program. Cochrane hopes the proposed program gains approval for the fall 2012 start date.

work up for sale

By Mandi Cardosi

Robert Wicks, director of the Miami University Art Museum, said the project is a unique The School of Fine Arts at endeavor for Miami.

Miami University has created “The project is a great inia new scholarship fundraising tiative by faculty, current and project, allowing students fac- previous, to work together ulty to showcase their work for to produce a work of art,” a profit.

Wicks said.

The MIAMI Portfolio: past Wicks said he is not con+ present = future put 30 stu- cerned about the future of fine dent and faculty portfolios up arts at Miami and believes it for sale. The portfolios con- will remain a worthy major for tain 15 original works of art Miami students. in a limited edition cloth book.

“Miami as a liberal arts unThere were only dergraduate ed30 printed, and ucation wants “The project is a to be able to according to Art great initiative by provide stuProfessor Ellen Price, once faculty, current and dents a range they’re gone, opportuniprevious, to work of they’re gone. ties,” Wicks The books are together to produce said.

“There a work of art.” available to anywill always be one who wishes a certain perto purchase centage of stuROBERT WICKS DIRECTOR one for $2,500. dents who find Some images MIAMI UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM their calling are available for is performing.” viewing on the He said the art department’s website. project is a great way for the Price said the project is university to attract students. meant to raise money for stuAccording to Wicks, some dent scholarships, and 100 faculty members had to shy percent of the proceeds will go away from their comfort zone toward a scholarship fund that in creating the artwork. is currently unnamed.

“Several artists involved “The portfolios contain are not in the print medium,” hand-printed, hand-drawn art Wicks said. “This means some (that) bridges generations, as of the faculty members were we have faculty members of all able to create art that they ages involved,” Price said. aren’t used to doing in order to From recent Miami gradu- help the cause.” ates to retired professors in Senior Katelyn Hawthorne their 80s, Miami community is no stranger to receiving members of all ages have work scholarships. Hawthorne was up for sale, she said. awarded the 2009 David GalPrice is in charge of selling lagher Playwriting Award. portfolios and does so by per- Hawthorne is a theatre and sonally contacting interested creative writing major who buyers around campus. was recognized for her “(The portfolio) is a wonder- artistic abilities. ful statement on our faculty to “The scholarship was nice work together as a common to receive as an indication that cause,” she said.

I’m a good playwright,” HawPrice said the revenue the thorne said. “It’s always nice portfolios are expected to when people can get help to go bring is also exciting, and to college.” she believes the effort is a For more information great opportunity for art stu- or to purchase a portfolio, dents to understand the work visit www.arts.muohio.edu faculty members put in for art or contact Ellen Price at (513) 529-7128. their benefit.

Staff Writer

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December 7, 2010

itz a Se d n Ama r dito

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Features

Tuesday

e r o m s ’ t “I

” m r e t a t s u j ht a n

The locker room isn’t just a place to hang up sweaty jerseys and hit the showers after a rigorous workout for members of Miami University’s men’s ice hockey team. Instead, the locker room also serves as a daily reminder. Everyday there is a promise, a promise that every member of the team passes by before walking out to play on the ice.

Fans whisper about it and the team lives by it.

It’s The Brotherhood.

But what is so scary about a phrase that sits tucked behind the closed doors of the much talked about locker room?

Well, first, it’s copyrighted and trademarked, owned solely by the RedHawk hockey team.

It’s a document so sacred that only a few lines are permitted to print in this article.

That’s the least important fact that comes to anyone’s mind when talking about the legacy of The Brotherhood.

“It’s a culture of committed, honest brothers who can rely on each other in all situations — on the ice, at school, pretty much any situation — you can call someone if you need anything,” alumnus of the program and San Jose Sharks player Tommy Wingels said of the program.

“I will not allow the reputation to be tainted” There wasn’t always a trademark pledge that players abided by for this nationally-recognized team. It was Head Coach Enrico Blasi who worked with players to establish The Brotherhood creed, but the idea was decades in the making.

One of the men who helped establish hockey as a varsity sport at Miami claims that genuinely good men were always recruited. 1982 graduate Bill Bok watched as the team evolved from a club team to a varsity sport when then Head Coach Steve Cady helped lay the groundwork for what would become The Brotherhood.

“I don’t know if there was a point in time during Miami hockey where they were just brining in thugs, just trying to win a game. (Cady) went for character guys,” Bok said. “We all bonded together pretty tightly with a common goal: covering each other’s back and taking care of each other.”

Bok, who has seen the program from its beginnings and actively participates in the team’s success now, has been impressed with the team’s dedication to The Brotherhood.

“I think Rico has taken it completely to the next level as to defining what brotherhood is,” Bok said.

Blasi spent years plotting when he would establish a pledge that his hockey team would play, work and live by.

After he had the right fit for a team, passionate, talented and successful, he took an old saying that the players used back when he played for Miami’s team. Although it held what Blasi says is a simpler meaning of working together during his time, he knew The Brotherhood would shape the future of Miami hockey.

“It was something we used back when I was a player, back then it meant something different,” Blasi said. “When I came back as coach, it was something I had planned. We didn’t want to unveil it until it was the right time.”

“I build unity within the program” No one can pinpoint the exact day The Brotherhood started. Blasi said the team started to implement the plan in 2004 or 2005 and it became noticeable in 2006, but maybe it’s best that there is uncertainty to the moment of conception. The Brotherhood isn’t an exclusive, snobbish club, however, a potential recruit must embody the pledge’s values.

Blasi said he’s so serious about The Brotherhood that if a recruit isn’t committed to the pledge, he won’t be playing at Miami.

“It’s something that they have to buy into,” Blasi said.

Once they’re in the club, every Miami man who steps foot on the ice wearing a coveted red and white jersey is part of The Brotherhood, Blasi explained. Bok said he still feels this

PHOTOS: SAMANTHA LUDINGTON

Editor Hunter Stenback features@miamistudent.net

unity. His favorite moments with the program now are gathering with old friends from the team and members from other decades to compete in the annual alumni hockey game. “The Brotherhood, once you’re a hockey alum, you’re always a hockey alum,” Bok said.

This sense of inclusion became even more evident to the world after the team suffered a painful loss to The Brotherhood. Wingels said he saw the true power of The Brotherhood at work during the 2009-10 season when hockey team manager Brendan Burke passed away. The team quickly bonded together, stitching patches of “BB” encapsulated by a three-leaf clover on every jersey, attending Brendan’s funeral mass in Boston and playing in his memory.

“He was a part of it,” Wingels explained. “When you lose a part of your family like that, you have to rely on each other.”

“I build bridges … not walls” The hockey team and staff aren’t the only ones who hold a stake in The Brotherhood.

Senior Captain Carter Camper said all Miamians are a part of The Brotherhood.

When the hockey team plays a game, they don’t just win for each other. They win for all the support systems that surround them, too.

“It’s everyone. It’s not just the players, it’s the staff, it’s the training staff, the fans, anyone that’s around here,” Camper said. “When you lose, a lot of people are affected. You’re upset at yourself, you let your teammates down, the program down, all of your friends.”

This inclusive environment is just how Blasi wanted it, but creating the desired effect from The Brotherhood took time even after he decided to integrate the pledge into the program.

“There’s a lot that went on to make sure that you’re seeing what you’re seeing today. The atmosphere is great, but it’s not just because of the building,” Blasi said. “There were days where we did all of the music to the games, we were buying pizzas for sororities or fraternities of the day, we were doing lots of stuff behind the scenes that all led to what we were going to do on the ice. There was a lot of sacrifice involved, there was a bigger plan.”

This established promise between player and player, fan and player, Miami and the team is something Camper values in The Brotherhood.

“It’s more than just a term,” Camper said. “It’s how we respect each other, we respect others across campus and we hold each other accountable for it.”

“I will leave this program better than I found it” Bok said he’s seen the program get better and better year after year, and he attributes part of that to the team’s commitment to The Brotherhood.

“When I was there, we were the foundation, we knew we were building something,” Bok said. “The players now, they’re doing a heck of a lot more on the ice than we did. These guys, you’re proud of them on the ice and proud of them off the ice.”

The men on the ice don’t just feel an allegiance to the guys that surround them today, Camper explained. They make a promise to be accountable to The Brotherhood of the past, present and future.

“I love my older guys, they taught me. It’s a revolving door. Guys are leaving, guys are coming in. It’s a close-knit team,” Camper said.

While the influx of men coming on and off the Miami ice is never-ending, Blasi said the upkeep needed to maintain the concept of The Brotherhood is also constant.

“It’s something that our team believes in,” he said. “It’s a responsibility on our part now to make sure that we play at a high level, conduct ourselves at a high level, which is essentially what The Brotherhood is: try to be the best you can be every day.”

The responsibility The Brotherhood presents to players, coaches, staff and fans will hold a sacred spot in their memories for years to come, Wingels said.

“Once you’re a part of it, it’s always a part of you.”

HANNAH MILLER The Miami Student

THE MIAMI STUDENT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2010 ♦ 7

8

Opinion

Tuesday December 7, 2010

Editors John Luckoski Jessica Sink editorial@miamistudent.net

➤ EDITORIAL

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

Continuation of policy is favorable M

onday, the university senate executive committee reviewed the proposal to alter the exam schedule after examining the “four in 24 hours” rule and recommended the policy remain.

The suggested proposal was to eliminate the policy, in place since April 2008, which states that if students have more than three exams in a 24-hour period, they can request an exam schedule change. According to data gathered by university officials, 1,500 to 2,500 students have three exams in a 24-hour period and attempting to drastically alter the current policy would affect too many students and faculty. In addition, after evaluating mental health records, the committee does not see a larger level of student stress during finals week and therefore recommends the four in 24 hours rule continue to be the policy.

The committee made no mention of final projects or papers.

The editorial board of The Miami Student applauds the fact that the committee does not recommend removing the four in 24 hours rule. It is necessary to regulate the number of exams in a certain period and offer options to students. Exam schedules can be com-

plicated and this policy can help with student burden.

However, the board feels it is unfair to attempt to judge the stress levels of the student body. Mental health records do not provide adequate evidence to justify a claim that encompasses the entire student population. For many students, doing well on exams is the priority and making an appointment to visit with a counselor about their stress level usually does not take precedence. To suggest the student body is not stressed is a large claim and one that many students at Miami would contest.

In the final recommendation, the committee also did not consider the amount of final projects and papers students have in addition to exams. Final projects have become a large part of finals week, and university officials must recognize this when considering any exam schedule change. It is necessary that revisions in the schedule be beneficial not only to faculty, but most importantly, students.

Miami University students strive to do well in their classes, and although it may not appear so to some members of the administration, stress certainly exists.

Rule of thumb Miami football Congratulations on winning the Mid-American Conference championship. Love and Honor!

Icy walkways Slippery sidewalks make for a perilous walk to class.

Snow and holiday parties Decorations, egg nog and holiday sweaters.

‘Tis the season!

Car mirror theives Now at least you can look in the mirror and see how wrong you were.

JINGHANG HUANG The Miami Student

➤ LETTERS

Curious economics of hiring the best faculty Recently disclosed business school plans to impose impressive new fees on students in order to better compete in attracting the best faculty highlights the curious economics of the cost of undergraduate education these days.

The best new faculty from the best graduate schools command the highest starting salaries, but they aren’t much interested in teaching. The coin of their realm is research, not teaching, and certainly not teaching lowly undergrads, and certainly not in lower level introductory courses. So, not only do these best new faculty command higher salaries, they also teach less (this is the case in all fields, not just in the business school).

So, our students pay higher fees to enable us to hire the best new faculty who will do less teaching.

Unfortunately, our undergraduates and their families persist in expecting an education in return for the many tens of thousands of dollars they spend here over four years.

In order to actually be taught, undergraduate students must pay more again to hire visiting faculty to teach them because the best new faculty we hire don’t want to do much of it.

The result is that undergraduates and their families pay twice for teaching, first to hire highly-paid new faculty to teach less, and then to hire additional visiting faculty to teach because the best new faculty don’t.

“Curious” is one word to describe this. You might think of others.

James Brock

Professor of Economics brockj@muohio.edu

Hanukkah Bringing reverence and celebrations.

to

Jewish

traditions

Alabama bowl game The team is so close to our hearts, yet so far away.

Travel safe!

Last week of classes and break Wrapping up the semester never felt so good.

King Library’s busy study rooms Group projects, finals, papers. When will it end??

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

EDITORIAL BOARD Erin Fischesser Editor in Chief Thomasina Johnson News Editor Erin Maher Managing Editor Scott Allison Online Editor John Luckoski Editorial Editor Jessica Sink Editorial Editor Stephen Bell Campus Editor

Amelia Carpenter Campus Editor Amanda Seitz Campus Editor Bethany Bruner Community Editor Michael Solomon Sports Editor Hunter Stenback Features Editor Samantha Ludington Photo Editor Hannah Miller Art Director

‘Collateral damage’ is fair game If agencies of the U.S. government get to read my electronic mail that their search engines suggest is of interest, then it’s fair play that I, and Americans in general, get to read some of their mail. If “collateral damage” is acceptable from zealous U.S.

government security efforts — damage to privacy, to dignity, to the lives of people caught at check points carrying contraband that has nothing to do with terrorism — then some collateral damage is acceptable if WikiLeaks occasionally slips in protecting identities that deserve protection.

Richard Erlich

Professor Emeritus erlichrd@muohio.edu

Miami students conduct survey about drug controversy I am currently doing a project for my Educational Leadership 334 class (Youth Subculture, Popular Culture and Non-formal Education) regarding the legalization of marijuana. I wanted to investigate how Miami University students felt about this sensitive and highly debated subject. I conducted an anonymous poll on Survey Monkey’s website and invited all of my friends on Facebook who are associated with Miami. They were invited via an event page where I had listed popular arguments for the legalization of marijuana and against its legalization. A link on the event page redirected the participants to the survey website, where they were asked to answer nine multiplechoice questions.

Part of my project is to release these results to the public, and I wanted to do so through The Miami Student because this newspaper is able to relate to the students directly. Below are the results of the study with only the answers of the first 100 participants shown. The survey would not configure to this input space. However, I have included the last question, which I believe to be the most relevant.

Do you think marijuana should become legalized throughout the United States, or should buying and selling be restricted to people with medical marijuana licenses?

Marijuana should be legalized throughout the United States (75.8 percent) The buying/selling should be restricted to people with medical marijuana licenses (24.2 percent) Kathryn Curry

curryke@muohio.edu

➤ GUEST ESSAY

No accountability for Notre Dame I would like to aware you of an outrageous, ongoing affair in the University of Notre Dame football program. I will provide a quick summary of “Notre Dame silent on teen’s death” printed in the Nov. 21 edition of the Chicago Tribune. Aug. 31, 2010 - St. Mary’s College (located across the road from Notre Dame) student, Elizabeth Seeburg, was allegedly the victim of sexual battery. The alleged attacker was a Notre Dame football player. Seeburg reported the attack to Notre Dame campus police, gave them a handwritten statement, went to a local hospital, consented to a DNA evidence kit and received counseling.

Notre Dame chose to allow their campus cops to investigate the alleged sexual assault rather than seek assistance from South Bend police or special victims unit.

Seeburg attempted to keep a stiff upper lip. She feared going public and wearing the sexual assault as a “scarlet letter” during her upcoming four years of college.

Seeburg received counseling from Belles Against Violence. Seeburg gave two additional written statements to the campus cops as well as identified the football player in a photo lineup. Seeburg was found dead from an overdose of Effexor nine days after the alleged sexual battery. The Chicago Tribune reported county law enforcement authorities investigated Lizzy Seeburg’s death, but they were not informed in their death investigation about a critical piece of information: she had filed a formal complaint of sexual assault against a specific individual.

On or around Nov. 14, the Chicago Tribune notified Notre Dame

officials it would be running a story about the Lizzy Seeburg case. After Nov. 14, Notre Dame officials finally reported the alleged crime to the county prosecutor. The alleged sexual attacker will be suited up against Miami University Dec. 31.

The article also mentions the cover up surrounding the death of one of the team videographers. He was asked to film practice while in a basket at the top of a scissor lift in 55 mile per hour winds. The scissor lift tipped over and the young man died. This incident occurred Oct. 27 and there has been no suspensions or accountability assigned as of yet. I believe a show of public outrage Dec. 31 would be appropriate.

William Bychowski

wbychowski@gmail.com

THE MIAMI STUDENT

➤ LIBERTY AND JUSTICE

FIFA selects Qatar, forgets fans Soccer fans worldwide are confused, surprised and angry at the International Federation of Association Football’s (FIFA) selection of Russia as the host country for the 2018 World Cup and Qatar as the host for the 2022 World Cup. Qatar, pronounced “katar” or “kuh-tar” (people apparently can’t agree on a pronunciation) is a tiny country on the north coast Ty of the Arabian Peninsula Gilligan bordering Saudi Arabia.

The country is an absolute monarchy ruled by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, political parties are illegal and no federal elections are held in the country.

Qatar has a population of 840,000 (about the same as the Dayton metropolitan area as a comparison) and thanks to massive oil and gas reserves has the second highest gross domestic product per capita in the world.

Basically, it’s a small, undemocratic country with a small population and a lot of money.

Typical World Cup host country? Definitely not. International sporting events have a more direct impact on citizens’ interaction and cultural exchanges with one another than any government initiated negotiations or conferences ever will.

It seems FIFA’s advisory council has robbed potential fans of this one-of-a-kind experience in the name of being “progressive” and “revolutionary” in selecting Qatar.

The truth is there are three major reasons why Qatar is unsuitable to host the World Cup; it would be an expensive, boring experience for visitors to the games, it is geographically too small to provide a positive World Cup experience and it is an unsafe location for players.

First, attendees to the 2022 games are definitely in for a culture shock. Qatar is a Muslim country utilizing the Shariah Islamic form of law.

Due to this, there are many behavior restrictions in the country such as no kissing in public, women must dress “modestly” (99 percent of Qatari women wear abayas, fullbody black robes), no homosexual activity and no using obscene language.

Either the Qatari police will not be enforcing their laws, or a lot of soccer fans (who admittedly have an affinity for drinking and swearing) will be filling up Qatari prisons.

Visitors also will likely avoid any outdoor activities considering the average summer temperature in Qatar is between 84 and 110 degrees. The 2006 World Cup in Germany was famous for its massive outdoor fan zones and visitor areas. This will be absent in Qatar simply due to its heat.

Second, Qatar is also too physically small to handle the games. It is a country of 840,000 citizens hosting an estimated 400,000 guests.

Qatar was ranked as one of the candidate countries with the “least favorable facilities for football fans” according to FIFA’s own operational safety report. The country currently lacks remotely enough hotel rooms for visitors and doesn’t even have enough stadiums.

Qatar is planning on spending $29 billion to build new stadiums and infrastructure, apparently operating on the mentality of “if you build it, they will come.”

I wouldn’t be so sure. This seems a bit unnecessary when almost all of the other candidate countries, including the U.S., currently have the capabilities to host the World Cup. Last, are the potential health risks for players in Qatar. As earlier mentioned, summer temperatures in Qatar can reach more than 110 degrees. Qatar has responded by saying it will be air-conditioning all of the stadiums (which are open air) to lower the temperature.

FIFA guidelines state temperatures more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit are unsafe to players. Qatar’s heat was the main reason it lost its bid for the 2016 Olympics. Fans will essentially be going from air-conditioned hotel rooms to air-conditioned trains to airconditioned stadiums.

Does anyone else think this is a little ridiculous when no other candidate countries had this problem?

Soccer is nothing without its fans. FIFA should choose locations for its World Cups that allow fans an accessible and enjoyable experience, not which country can spend the most money. The football diplomacy the FIFA committee is trying to achieve will be ineffective if nobody attends the games.

The World Cup, just like the Olympics, is an excellent chance for peaceful social interactions among countries and the opportunity seems a bit wasted on Qatar.

Opinion

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2010 ♦ 9

➤ ESSAY

Female success necessitates shift in male attitude

Nov. 30, The New York Times published an article titled “Keeping Romance Alive in the Age of Female Empowerment” as a part of the series The Female Factor published under The International Herald Tribune.

This is a series of articles that “examine the most recent shifts in women’s power, prominence and impact on societies around the world, and try to measure the influence of women on early 21st century development.”

However, this article does not seem to be examining much except what men want.

The article begins by referencing Sex and the City (S.A.T.C.), a show that does little to empower women, despite the careers of the female leads.

Sure, they’re women who live by themselves in the big city, but their main concerns are the men in their lives and how they’re relating to them.

For a show that is supposedly focused on women, the focus of the characters lives seems to consistently be men.

According to this article, one of the characters goes speed dating and “wastes her eightminute pitch three times by giving away that she is a corporate lawyer. The fourth time she says she is a stewardess and gets asked out by a doctor.”

The author of the article, Katrin Bennhold, then calls this episode “poignant” because the doctor turns out to be a shoe salesman.

This does nothing other than suggest both sexes are willing to pretend to be either more or less successful in order to get a date. It’s a desperate move.

According to this article,

women are increasingly desperate to get a man.

Bennhold says, “There is a growing army of successful women in their 30s who have trouble finding a mate and have been immortalized in S.A.T.C. and the Bridget Jones novels.

There are the alpha-women who end up with alpha-men but then decide to put career second when the babies come.

Yes, men, we women are smart and capable and can do the things that you can in the work world. It is time for you to come to terms with it.

But there is also a third group: a small but growing number of women who outearn their partners, giving rise to an assortment of behavioral contortions aimed at keeping the appearance of traditional gender roles in tact.”

I really only have a problem with the first category of Bridget Joneses and the third category of gender role contortionists.

These descriptions paint the women in these categories as hopeless spinsters having to hide their success, bend over backwards and be a regular Houdini in order to “promote (their partner’s) sense of masculinity.”

What I’m getting at here is this is not exclusively a problem in the hands of women. This is an issue that is mainly the responsibility of men to come

to terms with.

Yes, men, we women are smart and capable and can do the things that you can in the work world. It is time for you to come to terms with it. It is ridiculous to be asked not to succeed academically or in your career because you are a woman.

Gesine Haag, who used to run Match.com in Germany, is quoted in this article saying, “Men don’t want successful women, men want to be admired. It’s important to them that the woman is full of energy at night and not playing with her BlackBerry in bed.”

Is that not also important to women? Do we not also want to be admired for our accomplishments and success and not just because of our physical bodies or how our hair looks?

Is it not annoying to us when a man is checking his email on his phone in bed?

Women are becoming more successful in the workplace and academia and not being able to find relationships is not a matter of something wrong with these women or their lifestyles.

It’s a problem of men holding on to antiquated ideas about gender roles and not being able to cope with the fact that being male does not automatically place you in a position superior to that of women.

In order for successful women to have successful relationships, men all over the world are going to have to make changes in the way that they think about gender roles or even be more successful themselves.

Alice Ladrick

ladricae@muohio.edu

➤ ESSAY

North Korean actions have consequences North Korea has done it again. It has captured on the other side of the 38th parallel there are the attention of the world with the blood of in- artillery canons that range all the way down to nocent civilians and servicemen. half of the country’s capitol Seoul and there are The South Korean government vows punish- silos armed with long-range missiles that can ment for this unruly act, but there are no real hit anywhere. constructive actions against North Korea, only All it takes is one wrong decision, and both emotional uproar and blaming government and countries will be engulfed in flames. military officials when this was the result of a Clearly it is the South that will lose the most. It collective misjudgment. is not important to determine who has the bigger For far too long the people of South Korea gun, but it is, in fact, more important that North have forgotten the fact that it is in a stalemate Korea does have a gun. and been tricked into thinking that the Korean By using this gun it will be able to turn the War has ended since the armistice agreement tables around and gain more leverage in the in 1954. diplomatic negotiations.

The peaceful times and the explosive economThis incident is worrisome, especially for ic growth since the war have given so many ben- South Korean males in their early 20s. The South efits and amenities to its citizens that the counter- Korean military is a conscripted organization. part North Korea does not have.

It is mandatory for all male citizens of the These amenities have led country to serve in the military people to forget the simple fact they reach a certain age.

North Korea has when that everything could be lost in It has been enshrined into been in an an instant. the culture for a long time that It is no lie that South Koeconomic sanction people commonly say women rea has become a developed for a long time. Its suffer the pain of child labor country both economically and and men suffer the pain during ability to fund politically. According to the military service. the lavish lives of World Bank, its gross domesAs a result, with the exception tic product per capita is ranked dictators while its of the Marine Corps, the bulk of 30th and shoulders other strong the military is composed of concitizens suffer economic countries. scripted men serving a defined starvation is Although there has been some period of time. coming to an end. trouble at times, it has had a conThese recent attacks have left tinuous democratic institution for the military and intelligence oralmost three decades. ganizations open to critics saying There is an Eastern proverb, “A cornered rat its preliminary response was weak. will bite a cat.” North Korea has been in an ecoThis leaves the military accountable to connomic sanction for a long time. Its ability to fund siderable change to ensure strict discipline. For the lavish lives of dictators while its citizens suf- those men who are getting ready to enter service, fer starvation is coming to an end. they are going to have a harder time.

The country has completely isolated itself from While the South Korean public should get over the world with its irresponsible actions by endan- the mistakes of its government, it should also ungering the security of other East Asian nations. derstand there are certain sacrifices accountable Its continuous attachment to the nuclear and mis- in this conflict. sile development program has led people to think Government should instill in Kim Jong Il and of it as one of the most hostile nations. his son that the North’s infringement of South This recent attack on the remote island of Yeo- Korean sovereignty and putting citizens in dannpyeong can be seen as a message. It is a mes- ger is not an option for its baby tantrums and will sage reminding the South Koreans that while it come with serious repercussions. may be weakening from diplomatic and economic pressure, it is still politically intact.

Charles Lee The shelling reminded the South Koreans that Leec2@muohio.edu

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➤ STRATEGICALLY SPEAKING

In praise of doofus Have you ever seen someone do something really dumb and thought to yourself “what a doofus?”

Even the word makes me smile.

According to the Dictionary of American Slang, the word doofus Jessica originated in Sink the 1960s and was meant to represent someone who was “a dolt, an idiot or a nerd.”

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a doofus as “a stupid, incompetent or foolish person.” This definition does seem to fit our everyday use for and understanding of the term.

A doofus is the person who locks themselves out of their car, the person who walks into tree and the person who attempts to text, change clothes, put on makeup, send e-mails and prepare a five-course meal all while speeding down the interstate.

However, while these people may give us all a good laugh, they aren’t necessarily inherent doofuses. They are just having what I call a doofus moment.

A doofus moment might be something simple like tripping up the stairs or something more serious like turning the wrong way on a one-way street.

Anything embarrassing, painful or downright silly could be considered a doofus moment.

Everyone has had one.

We all have dumb moments.

President George W. Bush, President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Queen Elizabeth I. Some of the most influential people in history have had doofus moments. This does not mean they are innately foolish individuals. They are merely imperfect, just like the rest of us.

Everyone occasionally is thoughtless, foolish and irresponsible. However, idiotic moments do not define a person. Whether a high-profile celebrity, businessperson, famous author or politician, every human being sometimes has a blunder.

Regardless of education, status or wealth, doofus moments happen, but they do not have to shatter your spirit.

No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. Life is not easy and there are always going to be things we wish we could change.

Although the mistakes we make may seem colossal, they are just doofus moments, bumps along the way. They can be overcome.

It takes an understanding and acceptance of our mistakes to lift the burden of regret and achieve happiness.

Attempting to live a flawless life is impossible and only leads to disappointment. Recognizing the many failings we have allows for the possibility of growth and an awareness of who we are as individuals, faults and all.

The word doofus may not be as prevalent today as it was in the 1960s, but its meaning remains the same. Although we may apply the word to many different people and situations, we should recognize the fact that we all are sometimes doofuses, but that’s what makes us human.

The key is to snap out of it, pick yourself up and go on.

Learn to laugh. Throw up your hands and just laugh at the silliness and ridiculousness of the world, the workplace and even the college campus because otherwise you can drive yourself crazy.

Smile at your doofus moments, chuckle at the absurdity of life. It’s the only way to truly be happy. So, I’m in praise of doofus, because frankly, we all are in need of a good laugh.

m m th

al c

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10

December 7, 2010

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2010 ♦ 11

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12

Sports

Tuesday December 7, 2010

A change in Miami’s sports culture

Editor Michael Solomon sports@miamistudent.net

JM Rieger

Rieger’s Report

W

ith Miami’s University’s spectacular victory over Northern Illinois University to win the MidAmerican Conference (MAC) championship Dec. 3, marking the best turnaround in college football this season, now is the time for students to change the athletic culture here at Miami.

Traditionally, Miami students have struggled to make it out to football and basketball games, but have had no problem packing Steve Cady Arena for hockey. Granted, the hockey team has finished in the top three in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association since the 2005-06 season and has made it to the Frozen Four each of the last two seasons, but poor attendance at sporting events has been a tradition for some time at Miami.

It is about as long of a tradition as the Cleveland Browns having losing seasons, but back to Miami…

Miami’s average attendance at home football games this season was 15,518, which is a slight improvement from the 11,810 from last year, but is still nowhere close to selling out the 24,286 seats at Yager Stadium.

Meanwhile, MAC and in-state rival Ohio University, with a stadium that holds a similar 24,000, averaged 17,947 fans in 2009 and 19,046 fans this year even though they did not win the MAC either season.

Why all of these football statistics, though when Miami has 17 other Division I sports teams?

Because not only has Miami traditionally been known for its football, but also because getting support for football and basketball games has traditionally been the easiest, not to mention that those two sports usually bring the most national attention and recognition to universities.

Hence, it is imperative we begin to support these teams as much as possible, and it all starts with sports such as football, basketball and hockey.

Hockey gets remarkable support from the student body. Now is the time to begin to support the other teams.

You don’t see Chicago Cubs fans failing to sell out Wrigley every game just because they know they have no shot of winning the World Series and likely will miss the playoffs altogether.

You don’t see Cincinnati Bengals fans not showing up despite another terrible season … OK, actually they couldn’t even sell out their game against the New Orleans Saints, but you get my point.

It is imperative students show their support for Miami athletics. Considering there are more than 14,000 undergraduates in Oxford, it should not be too much to ask to fill up the student section for a home basketball or football game, much less to fill up the stands at a field hockey, soccer or softball game.

Heck, many times there are more band members at these games than there are other students in the cheering section.

Some claim Miami has no good teams other than the hockey team, which is an excuse for not going to the games. Not only is that a terrible excuse, but the RedHawks have performed very well this year.

In addition to the hockey and football teams having winning seasons this year, the women’s soccer team won the regular season MAC East title, the field hockey team won the regular season MAC title and were runners up in the conference tournament and the softball team is coming off of its second straight 33-win season, tied for the fourth most in school history while graduating the winningest senior class in school history last year.

So, no more excuses Miami … I mean, we don’t want to turn into the Boston Red Sox.

MICHAEL GRIGGS The Miami Student

Sophomore Garrett Kennedy fires a shot on net Dec. 4 against the University of Notre Dame. Kennedy scored his first career goal for Miami Saturday.

HOCKEY

FRIDAY: 5-4 (Notre Dame), SATURDAY: 5-2 (Miami)

RedHawks split with Irish

By Hannah R. Miller Staff Writer

As the first half of the season draws to a close, weekend splits seem to be in style.

The Miami University RedHawks (10-5-3 overall, 8-4-2 CCHA) took on the visiting University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-5-2, 8-3-1 CCHA) this weekend at the Goggin Ice Center, with the Irish taking Friday’s game 5-4 and the ’Hawks rebounding Saturday to win 5-2.

With Saturday’s win, Miami remains in first place in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) standings.

In Saturday’s game, Miami junior Alden Hirschfeld netted his first career hat trick, scoring three consecutive goals in the second period, including the game-winner. After splitting three of their last four series, Hirschfeld said his team needs to start winning on both nights.

“It’s going to be something we’re going to have to change,” Hirschfeld said. “We can’t keep splitting games and weekends. We have to show up both nights. We know that and we’re going to make some changes in our focus Friday night

BASKETBALL

and hopefully get things turned around and play a full 60 minutes and get some sweeps.”

In Friday’s contest, Notre Dame overcame 2-0 and 3-1 deficits, scoring three goals in the third period, including the game-winner by freshman T.J. Tynan, the CCHA’s rookie of the month for November, with 2:36 to play. Tynan’s goal came on a turnover deep in the Miami end just 40 seconds after RedHawk Matt Tomassoni had tied the game at four apiece.

“Our decision-making at times tonight was very poor, and it cost us the game,” Miami Head Coach Enrico Blasi said after Friday’s game.

Saturday night’s game brought an improved effort from the RedHawks.

“I thought we came out with a lot more energy and focus,” Blasi said. “I thought Connor (Knapp) played well for us early, we had timely goals and we kept putting pressure on.”

Regardless of being outshot 29-23, Miami was backstopped by Knapp and seemed to have no problem finding the net against Irish goaltender Steven Summerhays.

Garrett Kennedy started the scoring for the ’Hawks, tallying his first career point

after redirecting a shot from Steven Spinell past Summerhays. Knapp recorded 13 saves in the first period alone, finishing the night with 27 total.

In the second period, an unstoppable Hirschfeld added three goals in just more than seven minutes to put the ’Hawks up 4-1 on the Irish heading into the final frame. In the third, junior Trent Vogelhuber scored his second goal of the series and fourth of the season to give Miami a four goal lead.

Seniors Carter Camper, Andy Miele and Pat Cannone continue to put up points for the RedHawks. Cannone and Miele notched four assists each on the weekend, and Camper added a goal and two assists of his own. Camper and Miele remain atop the national leader board for scoring with 35 and 31 points respectively.

“We were definitely more prepared Saturday,” Hirschfeld said. “We played a better game.

We knew it was a big game for us. We wanted to end the first half of the season with a win and go on this long break ending on a positive note.”

The next RedHawk hockey game will be against the University of Maine in the Florida College Classic Dec. 29.

NEXT GAME: 7 p.m. Thursday at Indiana University

’Hawks triumph over Wright State Raiders, look forward to Indiana

By Melissa Maykut Staff Writer

Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa and redshirt freshman Kristen Judson both agree the Miami University RedHawks had a sold defensive game and played well together against the Wright State University Raiders Wednesday night.

Last season, the RedHawks came head-to-head with the Raiders at the

second annual “Class of the Court” game at Millet Hall. In front of more than 1,000 elementary school students, Miami fell to the Raiders 75-68. However, after cruising to a 77-60 victory against the Stetson University Hatters, the Miami University women’s basketball team had another strong defensive performance, improving its record to 4-3 with a 62-57 victory.

Rather than having a

SCOTT ALLISON The Miami Student

Sophomore guard Courtney Osborn looks for a way around a Wildcat defender Nov. 14 against the University of Kentucky.

challenging night on the defensive end, the women’s team shot 25.7 percent in the first half with the lead bouncing back and forth until the end of the second half.

At the start of the game, Miami took an 11-5 lead, but the Raiders quickly tied it up at 13. Miami was able to take the lead again thanks to a free throw from sophomore Courtney Osborn and a threepoint shot by redshirt freshman Kristen Judson. By the end of the first half, the Raiders were down 28-27, trailing the RedHawks by a single point.

“Our defense was very solid,” Fantanarosa said. “The players played well together, we made a lot of scout adjustments, the girls were very focused and they executed well. On the offensive side, there was good ball movement, the execution was good and we got high percentage shots, but they just didn’t fall.”

Fantanarosa looked at this offensive struggle positively, though, saying that it was a good test on the team’s patience.

“When your shots don’t go in, you get frustrated, and they did not get frustrated,” Fantanarosa said.

“Instead, especially with the leadership of Maggie Boyer and Courtney

Osborn, they kept us together and very focused on the defensive end, and that kept us in the game.”

In the second half, different players at different times would come off the bench and step up for the RedHawks. Every time the Raiders took the lead, a Miami player would hit a three-point shot and steal the lead right back.

Up 40-43, the Red and White held the lead with lay-ups and free throws contributed by sophomore Kristen Olowinski and won the game 62-57. Judson had 10 points in the game, a career high, while Olowinski had 13 rebounds and seven points. The RedHawks tied the Raiders at 46 rebounds and had 17 turnovers and 15 personal fouls throughout the entire contest.

“I think we played well together as a team,” Judson said. “We could have communicated a bit better on the defensive end, but overall I think we pushed the ball well. I think our defense was a lot better.

We were a lot more aggressive, and I think that got us excited on the offensive end.”

The women’s basketball team will return to action Dec. 9 when they travel to Bloomington, Ind. to play the Indiana University Hoosiers.