The Miami Student | April 6, 2021

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Miami university — Oxford, Ohio

Sexual assaults disproportionately reported in North Quad LAURA GIAQUINTO THE MIAMI STUDENT lice Department (MUPD) safety bulletins have been reported sexual assaults from North Quad. The rise in this area of campus has led some students to wonder what caused the increase and if they are safe on North Quad.

Sophomores Makayla Washington and Olivia Kelly have lived in North Quad for two years and recall last year when sexual assault reports weren’t solely from North Quad.

“I know last year, a lot of the safety bulletins were coming from South Quad, Central Quad, East Quad and North Quad kind of felt like a haven more or less, we didn’t really get any of

PHOTO EDITOR ZACH REICHMAN

violations.

All citations were given between March 24 and 26, which included GBD on March 25 as well as the days before and after.

Leading up to the event, Miami University warned students that police presence in the city would be increased with six agencies represented in Oxford. The university also cautioned students against participating tions, particularly if they are underage.

“This year, Green Beer Day was

HANNAH HORSINGTON ASST. MAGAZINE EDITOR This year, just more than 30 total citations — including one for mass gatherings and zero for mask violations — were issued by the Oxford Police Department (OPD) over the course of Green Beer Day (GBD) events. Despite this low number of citations in comparison to years past, students reported both seeing and attending large gatherings with more than 60 people in attendance.

In addition to the mass gathering derage-drinking/possession citations, four prohibited acts citations and four disorderly conduct citations.

Three open container citations and seven noise violations were issued, as well as citations for marijuana possession, operating a vehicle under the

said Jessica Greene, Oxford’s assistant city manager. “And over the past several years, we’ve been working very

One senior media and culture major, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said he and his friends saw large numbers of students out and about on Wednesday night and Thursday.

While he and his friends attended also attended a large block party at Gaslight Townhouses early Thursday morning and a house party Thursday evening that both had at least 60 people in attendance.

He also said that when he and his friends drove through Uptown around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, they saw long lines of students waiting outside of both New and Side Bar. “It kind of felt like we were going out later in the nighttime, because we

Greene attributed the lack of citations to the pandemic and also an increased cooperation between Miami and the city in recent years which she said has led to less extreme partying when it comes to GBD events.

“I would say it’s been low key for several years now, so it’s not just this it’s a combination of factors with the creased enforcement and also just continued planning and coordination OPD citation numbers given during GBD events have decreased in recent years. In 2017, OPD issued 34 possessions for underage drinking/ possession, followed by 14 in 2018, two in 2019 and four in 2021.

Although relatively few citations many students were still participating in GBD events, and large parties still took place.

Greene said that with GBD falling on a wellness day this year, the city wasn’t sure to expect, but that none of the events exceeded what the local community could handle.

Washington said. “It’s not just disappointing, but it’s also kind of concerning because it’s just like, “Is it gonna be Kelly takes precautions living in North Quad.

“When I’m walking home as soon as it gets dark, I’ll be on the phone with Lauren Doepke, executive advocacy director for Sexual Assault Survivor Support (SASS), said in every year when the majority of sexual assaults occur from August until October.

Doepke said she thinks those months are more likely to have occurrences of sexual assault because that’s when students come back to campus for the school year.

“The freshmen that come to camon their own, most likely, [and] it’s

Miami University went fully remote and sent students home in March 2020, just before GBD, so hardly any events were held and no citation numbers are available for that year.

erally being able to do things and make decisions completely on their own as an adult, and that transition

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Vigil for victims of Atlanta shootings raises awareness and shows community solidarity only problem I see is [that] its toward the end

COSETTE GUNTER ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR In an email sent to the Miami University community on Monday, April 5, Miami

in Chicago and California and couldn’t stay to get both doses of the vaccine.

“If they don’t sign up quick enough, then said. “[They] can’t wait here for the addition-

10. and second doses of the vaccine. Eligible students received invitation emails to the vaccine clinic, which is being held in the Dolibois Room of the Shriver Center.

The eligibility for vaccines will open up PHOTO EDITOR ZACH REICHMAN

SHR-HUA MOORE STAFF WRITER Members of the Miami University and Oxford community gathered Saturday, April 3 to mourn the deaths of those killed in the Atlanta spa shootings, an action widely regarded as a racially motivated attack against the Asian AmeriThe vigil was organized by the Asian American Association (AAA), a student organization that focuses on making Asian American students feel welcome on campus as well as giving others in the community a chance to engage and learn about Asian culture.

Janna Maddox, a sophomore human capital management and leadership major, serves as the secretary of AAA. She explained that the organization was going to have

This Issue

some sort of vigil even before the shootings; the Atlanta tragedy only heightened the need for a vigil.

“We had a member come to us a day after the shooting, and she was distraught and unhappy that Miami wasn’t really saying anything dox said. “Afterward, talking to our members more and the rest of our [executive board] really fueled the need to hold the vigil sooner rather The vigil took place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Seal on Miami’s Oxford campus. The geometric center of the university, it has been a location for past vigils held by the Miami community. the center of campus, [the Seal] serves as the

ami to get the vaccine. If you have an opporvaccine to on-campus students had to do with the population density of students on campus.

“This decision was made to prioritize student populations living in close proximity with a large number of people, such as our

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 accounting major, said it’s a good thing that Miami got the vaccines.

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

STYLE

Two Miami alumni survive a swim with The Sharks

Check out this student's new sustainable fashion brand

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who take in-person or hybrid classes. If there are available appointments, they will then be opened up to the rest of the Miami community.

Carole Johnson, associate director of university news and communications, wrote in an email to The Miami Student that the Inter-University Council, which represents Ohio’s public institutions, worked closely with Gov. Mike DeWine on the decision.

Jenna Kriegel, a sophomore international studies and economics double major, got her one sent information about Butler County vaccine appointments in the Miami parents Facebook group.

Kriegel said she was excited to hear that weren’t going to get it in time from what was said about the Johnson & Johnson [vacKriegel said she already knows two friends who signed up to go to the clinics.

Johnson wrote that the university anticipates receiving doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, but is unsure when they would be available. Additionally, the university does not know if there will be enough doses

wrote, “assuming we will have access to doses Additional reporting by Senior Campus & Community Editor David Kwiatkowski. @cosettegunter guntercr@miamioh.edu

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Under new management, we're still committed to you page 12

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Green Beer Day had relatively low citations, follows trend of recent years CONTINUED FROM FRONT Overall, more than 90 citations were issued by OPD in 2017 for GBD-related events, with that number shrinking to less than 30 in 2018 and 2021. Only nine GBD-related citations were given in 2019.

Throughout her three years at Miami, Ann James, director of community standards said none of the GBDs she’s experienced have been the huge events that she was expecting.

She was surprised at how underwhelming the Miami.

“From my understanding, it had already sort of lost its luster, if you will,” James said.

“It wasn’t the kind of big event that it had been in previous years.”

This year, James compared the event to a typical weekend, with no more citation reports coming in than an average Saturday. She believes increased communication from the university and city about COVID restrictions and increased police presence encouraged students to keep their celebrations more low-key.

“In the days leading up to March 25, there was a lot of communication from the university to the campus community and the Oxford community about the partnership with Oxford police and local police agencies, and how enforcement was going to be really high that day,” James said. “And so ... if I was a student, I might listen to that and be like, ‘Wow, I don’t really want to get a citation. So I’m going to maybe not do those things.’ So I think that could be a deterrent for this year.”

Senior Ben Siefke, who worked at Skipper’s from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on GBD, said that Uptown was relatively calm during his shift,

although many of the people he saw had already been partying for hours at that point.

“Most of the people that were out at that time had been out just all night,” Siefke said, “So everyone was pretty much dead. Uptown was pretty much dead.”

“This year, Green Beer Day was really nothing, which is over the past several years, we’ve been working very hard to make it a non-event” - Jessica Greene

Siefke also said that Uptown was less crowded than in past GBDs, likely due to the fact that undercover cops were present and students who are underage know to avoid the bars on GBD. He also pointed out that this cluding the one held at Gaslight Townhouses.

“I saw a bunch of snapchats posts of that,” Siefke said, “and I was like, ‘That [is] going to be a trainwreck.’”

• • photographer • designer • or illustrator?

Miami Seal

@hannahorsington horsinhp@miamoh.edu

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MADELINE PHABY CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR At its March 30 meeting, two members of Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) presented a resolution to reduce the number of mail deliveries residence halls receive each week.

According to the resolution, authored by Academic Senators Alia Agee and Cameron Tiefenthaler, mail is currently delivered to residence halls every weekday. Despite this, Miami has seen a steady decline in mail delivery – in a survey conducted by Agee and Tiefenthaler, 55% of students reportedly rarely or never received mail.

The resolution proposed limiting letter mail deliveries to Mondays and Tuesdays, which would reduce Miami’s carbon footprint by using less mail trucks. The frequency of package The authors also said students who are expecting time-sensitive mail, such as a voter registration form, would be able to contact the arrives. Mail could also be delivered more frequently during high-volume periods.

“We would make sure the Mail & Package ularly during election cycles, because we know that’s when absentee ballots and things [are arriving],” Agee said. “Because making sure students have access to those is very important.”

Some members of ASG raised concerns about the resolution for a variety of reasons, including whether it would disproportionately On-Campus Senator Jake Kravitz discussed concerns about homeless and international students, who may not be able to receive mail anywhere other than their residence halls.

3:00 p.m.5:00 p.m.

All Day

“I would be surprised if we don’t have any students who are technically homeless and don’t have an address other than their residence hall [address],” Kravitz said. “Another group be international students, who probably don’t have any other U.S. address.”

Allison South, secretary for infrastructure and sustainability, sponsored the resolution and spoke in favor of it during the meeting because it correlates to Miami’s goal of eventually switching to renewable energy sources.

“This may seem like a small change, but it duce the number of vehicles [on campus] and eventually get electric cars,” South said. “It’s a drop in the bucket, but changes like this are necessary to have a low enough electricity generation so we can easily switch over to renewable power.”

Though more than 90% of respondents on the survey said they would be in favor of the resolution, Academic Senator Vada Stephens pointed out the demographics of the respondents are not known. He also raised concerns about the legal implications of reducing mail distribution.

“If we were to pass a bill like this, I think it is necessary to make sure we do our due diligence,” Stephens said. “I urge the authors to look into some of these concerns and take proactive steps to tighten up some of these loose ends.”

After a lengthy discussion, ASG opted to table the resolution until the authors can resolve some of the concerns senators raised. It will be resolution.

ASG’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 6 at 6 p.m. @madphabes phabymr@miamioh.edu

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CAMPUS & COMMUNITY 3 TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

Vigil for victims of Atlanta shootings raises awareness and shows community solidarity

happen based on the past year of anti-Asian rhetoric, so I think it’s a tragedy and a disgrace that place,” Wu said. “However, I am glad that we had such an outpour of support for the Miami and Oxford community. I’m glad that we had so many passionate students and community members willing to speak out for these events.”

Wu was also disappointed in the low amount of administrators that showed up to the vigil.

Besides a speech from Anthony James, the interim vice president versity and Inclusion, no adminthe university.

“I thought certain administrators could have had more impactful and more empathetic speechlessness — we’ll leave it at that,” Wu said. “Miami will often tout diversity and inclusion, but in instances like these it would be nice to see more faculty attend.”

MUNITY. PHOTOS BY

CONTINUED FROM FRONT The vigil opened with a moment of silence for the victims followed by several speeches by interspersed with introductions by AAA President Adam Vuth.

Maddox said the turnout was expected to be somewhere between 20 and 50 people, but

more than 100 showed up to mourn and stand in solidarity with the AAPI community.

One of the speakers at the vigil was junior Jakin Wu, the former vice president of AAA and a senator in ASG. He lamented that it took a shooting for issues in the AAPI community to get exposure but was grateful for the people that attended the vigil.

“We saw events like this were going to

opened for any students at the vigil to speak their minds on the issue and grieve.

One student who stepped forward was Sara Lu, a senior business economics major who gave an emotional speech mourning the victims and the status of Asian Americans in America. She said the vigil helped her express her grief surrounding the shooting.

“I just didn’t know how to mourn after the shooting, so I was so glad that Miami was doing a vigil,” Lu said. “It’s local and my friends could be there to support me; I thought it was an amazing opportunity.”

Lu went on to explain that the vigil gave her a chance to talk about issues involving Asian Americans on campus, something that she felt wasn’t available to her in past years.

“I feel like Asian Americans on this campus are often overlooked; [Miami administrators] often lump us into a group with the internadiscriminated against, so I thought the vigil was an amazing opportunity for us to speak out on those issues and for once to be able to have a voice.” @hua_shr moorese6@miamioh.edu

Sexual assaults disproportionately reported in North Quad CONTINUED FROM FRONT leaves people extremely vulnerable. You’re trying to make new friends, you’re trying to get are big indicators for a predator to say, ‘Okay, this is easy prey.’” epke said the delay of bringing students back on campus could have been a factor in the time “I feel like that same general tendency could be a little bit of what we’re seeing right now, is just that timeframe has been shifted, because of North Quad only has one bus route partialCampus has four and parts of Western Campus Jayne Brownell, vice president for student affairs, said transportation is an unlikely reason for the disproportionate amount of sexual assaults on North Quad.

“Our issue is not the stranger jumping out of the bushes, our issue is not a stranger attacking someone on campus.” Brownell said. “Just like the national statistics about sexual assault, particularly for college students, it is almost always people who are known to each other.” consent.

“I think that we have to understand that, especially in America, we do not have comprehenfor students staying safe.

“I think just being aware of your surroundings, being hyper aware of your surroundings is extremely important,” Bechtolt said. ke said, is something that everyone must work together to learn.

“I think Miami students as a community can do better to really hold each other accountable,” aspect is invaluable, and then [students can] educate each other.” giaquiln@miamioh.edu

Miami distributes more than $5 million to students for COVID relief FINANCIAL AID ABBY BAMMERLIN CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Miami University gave eligible students up to $1,500 in federal aid beginning Monday, March 29. Funds came from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). Miami was allocated just less than 6.5 million dollars in total. dent Financial Assistance, helped distribute the funds. She said students became eligible based on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Johnson said the university has awarded funds to more than 5,000 students so far. for funding by an email sent from Miami’s One Stop.

“These funds are intended to help students with emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus such as: tuition, food, housing, health care, and child care,” the email read.

According to the email, the money will be directly deposited into the student’s bank account in 7-10 days, or a paper check will be mailed, depending on if students have their RedHawks Refunds set up.

Sophomore Liz Browning, a creative and professional writing double major, was a recipient of the funding.

She said she didn’t know the funding was coming until she happened to look at her One

Stop account just a few days before the email was sent and saw she had been credited $1,500.

“It said on there, ‘CRRSSA grant,’ but I didn’t know what that was or what it meant, so I just kind of ignored it,” Browning said. “But either way, I didn’t know that I was getting it. I didn’t apply for it, and I didn’t even know it was a thing that Miami was doing for students.”

Johnson said students were awarded benancial need. Pell Grant recipients, who made up about 13% of Miami students admitted in the 2018-2019 school year, were automatically awarded $1,500.

Browning hopes to put the money into her savings account for future use.

“Most of my tuition is covered by university scholarships and grants,” Browning said, “but and also just have something in my savings as a cushion in general.”

So far, Johnson said the university has given out $5.6 million and will be giving out the rest in the next few weeks.

“We do give [students] information, so that if they want to use that funding to pay down their student loans, they have that option,” Johnson said. “And with summer just right around the corner, we have given them information if they would like to utilize the funds for summer education as well.”

Brent Shock, vice president of enrollment management and student success echoed John-

Miami extends test-optional policy for fall 2022 and spring 2023 ADMISSION

cy for admission, scholarships, and honors programs,” according to its website.

THE MIAMI STUDENT

approach to reviewing applications enabled a

Miami University announced Thursday, April 1 that it has extended its test-optional policy to the fall 2022 and spring 2023 ad-

little needed to be done to alter how the university admits its students.

“A test score has never been the only factor Miami’s admission committee considers in application evaluation, and it certainly isn’t the most important factor,” said Bethany Per-

“We recognize changes to test availability and testing environments due to the the Miami University website states. “The scope of the pandemic’s impact is yet to be determined, and academic performance (GPA and the rigor of a student’s curriculum) is the strongest predictor of success.”

The test-optional policy means students SAT and/or ACT when applying for admission. Merit scholarships and honors selection will be considered on a test-optional basis as well.

Students may still submit scores if they want to. Miami stresses, though, that “If provided, test scores can only help your candida-

Miami, in a press release from the university.

“There are much better predictors of college success such as the strength of a student’s curriculum and achievements in high school courses.”

The release notes that the university’s fall ted through a test-optional application, is “the most academically accomplished in Miami’s history, meeting or exceeding all academic measures of applicants compared to the previous year and holding an average GPA of 3.93.”

The number of applicants received by the university also rose, increasing by about 10% from the year before. rudere@miamioh.edu

ABBY BAMMERLIN

nancially in the end.

“If a student pays down even $1,000 of their loan debt now, that exponentially over time saves them a lot of money,” Shock said.

Johnson said the CRRSSA funding might not be the only money students receive. The American Rescue Plan Act was passed into law on March 11, which Johnson said uses the same higher education emergency relief fund model established in previous legislation.

“At the moment, it’s unknown when institutions are going to receive the funding,” Johnson use the funds to prioritize students with excepallocation.”

Shock said it’s likely students won’t receive that funding until the fall.

Federal funding isn’t the only way students spring, University Advancement began asking for donations from alumni to create the Emergency Needs Fund to help students struggling during the pandemic.

The fund has raised over $1 million. Shock said the university has spent about $850,000 of the fund. @abby_bammerlin bammeraj@miamioh.edu

4 CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

BAMMERAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

GBD rumors spark discussion about drone use in Oxford chase of the drones because of their potential “It is a tool,” Southard said. “It’s just one more thing that can be used to help people.”

The service and engineering and police departments have used drones to search for missing persons, document a crime scene and train derailment, update construction programs and However, the drones are not used on a regular basis.

Although the drones are operated by these two departments, Greene said the use of drones is up to the discretion of the designated pilot and their supervisor.

“Our pilots will help anyone in the city who needs them,” Greene said. “If it’s needed for a ment.”

According to 911 security, there is little legislation to cover the use of drones in Ohio. Unlike regarding privacy and search warrants, but it did create the aerospace and aviation technology committee in order to promote research and development in the industry.

However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides a standard for guidance and operations. Greene said the city’s drones are

DESIGNER MACEY CHAMBERLIN

CITY OF OXFORD MEGAN MCCONNELL SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR In the weeks leading up to Green Beer Day (GBD), students reserved their tables at Uptown bars and decorated with green shamrocks. They also prepared hats, masks and sunglasses to hide their faces from police body cameras and, possibly, drones, as rumors spread throughout the city.

However, despite alleged drone sightings, Assistant City Manager Jessica Greene said the Oxford Police Department (OPD) did not use drones for GBD enforcement on Thursday, March 25.

Rumored use of aerial surveillance led some to wonder whether Oxford even has access to this equipment.

The city does own two main drone units and two small training units which are used for public works, public safety and rescue. Two departments have access to drones: the service and engineering department and OPD. The service and engineering department received its main drone in 2019 followed by the small trainer in 2020. In addition to public works purposes, Greene said the service and engineering department assisted with public safety before OPD acquired its drones in November 2020.

Funding for the service and engineering department’s main drone came from the engineering division’s 2018 budget, and the smaller trainer was purchased with operating funds.

OPD’s drones were included in the city’s annual capital budget, which was reviewed and approved by the city council.

According to Oxford’s 2020 budget, the city allocated $489,004 for equipment purchases

Miami Alumni earn big on ‘Shark Tank’

like police cruisers, playground repairs, computer upgrades, an unmanned aerial system (UAS) – which includes both the drone and equipment to control it – and more. The proposed cost and budget for the UAS alone was $26,700, along with $697 for drone insurance.

Service director Mike Dreisbach wrote in an email to The Miami Student that each small training unit cost $599.

The main units were more expensive: the service and engineering department’s main drone unit cost $7,594 and OPD’s cost $11,349.

In addition to the airframes, the mechanical structure of the drones, $10,536 was spent on equipment like camera systems, lighting, extra Before approving the purchase, Oxford City Council discussed the expense, how the city would use the drone and how it would be shared with various parts of the city.

Councilor Edna Southard favored the pur-

by the FAA. “As an FAA licensed pilot, they have to operate in the national airspace under the guidance and authority of the FAA, and they have to follow all of the rules under that license,” Greene said.

According to an article from The New York Times, the police’s use of new drone technology poses civil liberty concerns.

The use of drone surveillance by police forces angered one Miami student, who spoke under the condition of anonymity.

“I really don’t necessarily agree with the use of drones by police forces just in general because it can easily become a way to increase surveillance and intrude on the privacy of everyday citizens,” he said.

Although Southard acknowledged that there are limits to what each department can do, she “There is no question that they can be abused [and] that they are expensive, but if they save lives, isn’t that worth it?” Southard said.

As of now, there are no new proposals or funds allocated for future drone purchases. @meggy_nicole mcconnmn@miamioh.edu

“Our club is in crisis”: Two more College Dems SBP endorsement incident IZZY OWEN THE MIAMI STUDENT

TWO RECENT MIAMI GRADS RECEIVED A $500,000 INVESTMENT ON SHARK TANK. PROVIDED BY FARMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

ALUMNI JAKE RUFFER ASST. MAGAZINE EDITOR “Mark Cuban, you’ve got a deal,” 2019 Miami University alumnus Oliver Zak said to the billionaire angel investor and star of the ABC show “Shark Tank.”

Zak and his business partner Selom Agbitor, both alumni from Miami’s class of 2019, earned themselves a $500,000 investment in their company, Mad Rabbit Tattoo, which they started with just $600 as a side-hustle at Miami a few months before graduating.

Mad Rabbit specializes in tattoo aftercare, tomers’ tattoos from fading.

Their deal with Cuban, which aired on March “Shark Tank,” and with a 12% stake it values the company at around $4.16 million. Before settling for Cuban’s deal, they sought a $500,000 investment for a 5% stake in the company, contheir business’s third year.

At Miami, Zak and Agbitor met in the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity during the spring into e-commerce together in their junior year, selling swimsuits that they had shipped from China in a business they sold before launching Mad Rabbit in January 2019.

At the time, they had no clue what would become of the startup.

“I honestly couldn’t predict that we’d be on ‘Shark Tank,’” Agbitor said. “I thought that it then before graduation things started to pick up, and I was like, ‘This is becoming real, and this has a chance of replacing our full-time jobs and becoming the next big thing.’”

Zak said the lack of an on-brand solution for tattoo care brought them into the market, but something else made them stay.

“What we’ve found to be far more compelling is actually the tattoo community,” Zak said.

He said Mad Rabbit aims to be a “storytelling brand” for the community, and the Sharks referred to it as “the cool tattoo brand.”

The two young co-founders give credit to their time at Miami’s Farmer School of Busiand minored in integrated media studies. They said FSB prepared them to start and manage a quickly-growing company. ly with people,” Zak said. “I think it’s a really important skill set that you can’t learn unless you’re working under pressure.”

The Sharks were impressed by the skills Zak and Agbitor showcased, lauding them for their business model and the results they had produced.

“I have a lot of respect for you dudes,” Kevin O’Leary told them.

O’Leary was the only other Shark to make else was interested. Barbara Corcoran and Daymond John both backed out, saying they didn’t see how they could help make Mad Rabbit any more successful.

For Tim Holcomb, FSB’s chair of entrepreneurship and director of the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship, Mad Rabbit’s success is a wind in his sails.

“I’m excited,” Holcomb said. “I think it’s a great microcosm of the experience that undergraduates get at Miami.”

Holcomb has been working with Mad Rabbit on their business model since January 2020.

The company’s team also includes 2019 alumnus Drew Fallon as its CFO. “We feel a lot of pride in the success that our graduates have in the real world,” Holcomb said.

Mad Rabbit continues to grow, releasing new products and watching the ticker on its website count up “tattoos preserved.”

Following the resignation of three executive positions in the Miami University College Democrats (Dems), two more executive members have chosen to resign.

Former Events Coordinator chair, Sidra Capriolo, and the former Vice President, Nav Chima, chose to resign following the Student Body President endorsement incident that involved a member of the Black Student Action Association (BSAA).

The incident happened at a March 10 Dems meeting in which members of the Dems organization asked Gina Rindeour, BSAA’s Social Cultural Co-Chair, to prove that Vada Stephens was the only candidate to ask for BSAA’s input on his campaign platform.

Rindeour recounted feeling as though she was met with “hostility” and that members demanded that she have proof to back up everything that she had said.

After the incident three members of Dems’ executive board, President Omar Elghazawi, Membership Director Wes Payne and Treasurer Ian Chenkus stepped down. After the initial resignations, Capriolo and Chima also chose to resign.

Capriolo declined to comment about her resignation, but said she hopes the organization is able to make a change. Chima did not respond to requests for a comment.

“I am looking forward to seeing the organization hopefully elect a new board that will prioritize equitable change and inclusion, which is something MUCD has struggled with,” Capriolo wrote in an email to The Miami Student.

Though two executive board members did not resign in the wake of the incident, Dems is holding special elections for all its executive positions on April 7.

Communications Chair and sophomore political science major Jett Young, along with Dems Secretary and first-year political science major Terius Madrigal have decided to remain in the organization and run for different executive positions in the upcoming special election.

Young is currently running unopposed for president and Madrigal is running for vice president.

Madrigal said the executive members who resigned faced harsh criticism from

other members of the organization who wanted to see an all new executive board after what happened, although no one was voted out by no confidence votes.

Madrigal said he believes many executive members felt as though leaving their positions on the executive board would be best for their mental health.

Madrigal also said there has been a drop off in meeting attendance after the March 10 incident.

“Our club is in crisis,” Madrigal said. “A lot of our members have backed away because the environment has become chaos.”

Eli Davies, first-year political science major and urban and regional planning double-major, is one of the general members who has stepped away from Dems.

“Honestly, when most of the drama started, I distanced myself from the orga-

“Honestly, when most of the drama started, I distanced myself from the organization.”

- Eli Davies nization,” Davies wrote in an email to The Student.

Other members are unsure of what the future holds for the Dems.

“They’re in trouble unless they really shake up the leadership plan,” said a Dems member who spoke under the condition of anonymity. “I think there is potential for it, but I don’t know right now.”

Madrigal has hope for the future of the organization. He isn’t leaving Dems because he believes that the organization is important and that trying to lead it in the right direction is what’s needed right now.

“I really want to see the club restored, and it’ll depend on what happens in the next few months and how we handle things,” Madrigal said. “But regardless, the goal is to rebuild.” owenip@miamioh.edu

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY 5

PHABYMR@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

Women of Excellence Awards AWARDS CEREMONY CLAIRE LORDAN STAFF WRITER Seven women received recognition at Miami University’s Women of Excellence Virtual Celebration on Wednesday, March 31 for their leadership and dedication to the Miami community. The recipients, including three faculty members and four undergraduate students, were nominated for recognition by their classmates and colleagues.

The recipients included sophomores Nav Chima and Harper Sutton and seniors Jannie Kamara and Kyndal Fletcher. gional Director of New Student Programs and Engagement Bethany Carr, associate professor of history and global and intercultural studies Kimberly Hamlin, and Dean of Students Kimberly Moore, were also recognized.

The celebration, co-hosted by the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion, the Panhellenic Association and the National Pan-Hellenic Council, hoped to conclude Women’s History Month with a nod towards some of Miami’s female leaders.

Emily Sanford, a junior strategic communications and English literature co-major, assisted in hosting the event and recognizing the recipients.

“Our vision was to recognize the women trailblazers for their contributions to our campus community,” Sanford said. “We’re so excited to have the opportunity to celebrate Women’s History Month with this program.”

The event’s keynote speaker Yvette Simpson, a Miami alumna and chief executive director of Democracy for America, spoke about the importance of recognizing women for their accomplishments.

“I want people to understand that women need to be recognized for their achievements not just during the month of March, but every single day,” Simpson said. “Women need to be recognized for the amazing things they are doing every single day.”

Simpson’s sentiments on the everyday accomplishments of women.

“I don’t think any one of us gets up in the morning and thinks, ‘Today’s the day I’m going to do something to get an award,’” Carr said. “But we wake up and say, ‘Today’s the

Chima, a sophomore political science and international studies double major, acknowledged the women who have impacted her personally throughout her life.

“Anybody who has been on this journey with me, and has shaped me and helped me grow into the woman I am today, thank you so much,” Chima said. “I hope I can continue to make you proud.”

Fletcher, a public health and premedical studies double major, recited pieces of Simpson’s speech as she accepted her award.

“I really just want to reiterate what Ms. Simpson said, that all women on this call should know that they are enough,” Fletcher said. “And you should continue to be yourself, and to stand your ground and overcome obstacles.”

Hamlin said as a historian, it’s important to note women’s impact on history.

“I believe the stories we tell about our past shape what is possible in the present,” Hamlin said. “I want people to know that women don’t contribute to women’s history, women contribute to history.”

Sutton, a sophomore nutrition major and psychology double major, thanked the women who nominated her for the award.

“I was so surprised to get this award, because I never really think about myself, that’s not something I strive to do,” Sutton said. “I like to help others. That’s my bread and butter.”

Moore also spoke to the importance of working to help others.

“I’m one of those people who puts my head down and does the work and doesn’t really think about the impact,” Moore said. “So to have the opportunity to recognize that it means something, and that it matters is super Kamara, student body president and senior individualized studies and Black world studies night.

Kamara reminded the women in attendance of the power they have to incite change.

“Never forget the power that you hold, and the power you have to drive change and healing in our society,” Kamara said. “I do my research in advocacy because I’ve been taught by the strongest women in my life to never let go of the opportunities I have.” lordance@miamioh.edu

Miami alumni earn high

DESIGN EDITOR OWEN BERG

CAREERS JULIA ARWINE MANAGING EDITOR-AT-LARGE Miami University ranks second-best among Ohio universities for the salaries of alumni with ation, according to a recent list released by GradReports, which analyzes data collected by the U.S. Department of Education.

The University of Dayton landed in the top spot overall, but Miami ranked better than any other Ohio schools in nationwide comparisons lor’s degrees in marketing, business, public relations and journalism.

“This past year has created an atmosphere Sung Rhee, CEO of GradReports’ parent organization Optimal, said in a press release. “And now more than ever, students and their families are in need of data that demonstrates earnings outcomes, giving them the ability to plan for the GradReports calculated the rankings with data collected from the class of 2016-2017. It compared the median – rather than the mean, ries of alumni from each program to the same programs at other schools.

“While other well-known college ranking services tend to have the same few colleges sit at the top of their rankings year after year, our rankings made space for a few fresh faces,” Sarah Glass, communications and outreach specialist for GradReports, wrote in an email to The Miami Student.

“Where other rankings rely on subjective data points such as ‘prestige,’ our Salary Score some smaller, lesser-known colleges who produce extremely successful alumni can get the recognition they deserve,” she added.

In addition to placing second for a general bachelor’s degree, GradReports ranked Miami of public relations majors, tenth best for mar-

THIS YEAR, MIAMI HONORED THEIR FIRST SLATE OF FEMALE STUDENTS AND FACULTY AT THE MIAMI WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE AWARDS. PHOTO FROM INSTAGRAM: @MU_CSDI

journalism majors.

The median salaries for recent alumni in these areas are, respectively, about $48,000, $53,500, $67,000 and $37,000.

Allie Pearson, a 2015 graduate who triple majored in marketing, interdisciplinary business management and interactive media studies (IMS) during her time at Miami, is a prime she graduated, she took a job at Procter & Gamble (P&G) where she got a salary that she was happy with and that increased as she continued to work at the company.

Pearson attributed her success in the job search to the experiences and connections she gathered at Miami, especially at Career Fair, a workshop with P&G her sophomore year and a semester in San Francisco through the IMS program.

“I always felt super empowered, like there was a plethora of opportunity to at least do projects with companies and clients,” Pearson said.

“I felt like the top of the funnel was really big, where I was being exposed to a lot of things, and then as I funneled down I was able to determine what kind of cultures I liked and what kind of projects I liked.”

Pearson said most of her friends and peers they wanted with good pay, and that her relationships with her professors and peers helped her to build the network that jump-started her career.

“I directly attribute my ability to get a job after school to the work that I had done at Miami and the experiences and opportunities that I was able to engage in while I was there,” Pearson said.

GradReports’ information on Miami also infor bachelor’s, master’s and associate degrees, so they can be easily compared to the same programs at other schools.

“While salary information might not be the only data a prospective student cares about in choosing their college, we believe it’s a big factor to consider in the middle of a student debt crisis,” Glass wrote. “A degree that leads to higher salary potential will likely be appealing for many students.” arwinejk@miamioh.edu

Finding a roommate in a pandemic

for the upcoming school year. He currently lives in Stonebridge Hall in a double room by himself.

“I went random for this year, and things were good,” Cole said. “I sent [my roommate] an email a couple months ago before moving in and never got a response until a couple months later. He just disappeared.”

Cole said he doesn’t mind the space and privacy living by himself, but next school year Facebook post up about a week ago and got a response.

“I did get a response, but it ended up not working out,” Cole said. “They were close to signing, and I still needed some time to think about it.”

Cole said he wished Miami did more for stues, but not having a roommate matcher system

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR ABBY BAMMERLIN

STUDENT LIFE

pus for the 2021-2022 school year, but the big-

feel better when they asked about habits and ev-

TAJ SIMMONS

to live with.

Roell posted a message saying he was looking for a roommate in the Miami University Class of 2023 Facebook page on March 25, and within a couple of days, he got three messages back.

“I got one within 12-14 hours, and that’s where I plan on living currently,” Roell said. “It was really a kind of relief that I didn’t have to worry about anything.”

While Roell said he was a little distressed about rooming with students he’s never talked to before, he felt at home after discussing the situation with them.

“They added me to a group chat, and we started talking about the things that we like, what things we are OK with and what we aren’t,” Roell said. “The best thing is they were the ones

nication major, said she made a Facebook post looking for housing after her current roommate told her she plans to live with her sorority.

“I was kind of nervous; I didn’t know what pictures to choose [to post], and I didn’t really know what to say,” Duke said. “But I got a bunch of replies.”

Duke said she thought the pandemic hindered students’ opportunities to meet potential roommates and could be a reason why so many students headed to Facebook to make a post.

“Being a freshman with everything going on, it’s hard to meet new people — most of the people I interact with are in my dorm,” Duke said. “I would have met a lot more people if we weren’t in a pandemic.”

Evan Cole, a junior art and architecture history major, said he also put out a Facebook post

ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR With Miami University announcing a mostly in-person fall semester, some students are rethe 2021-2022 school year.

Alex Roell, a sophomore accountancy major, recently found his roommate through Facebook.

This year, Roell has been commuting from his home in Harrison, Ohio, which is about a 40 minute drive.

“Freshman year was a lot better I thought,” Roell said. “Being on campus was nice and havwhere I went. I enjoyed being in the community, and it’s hard to get that now by commuting.”

When COVID-19 cases started to decrease, Roell decided he wanted to come back to cam-

“I understand they can’t on behalf of the busition.”

While Vicka Bell-Robinson, Miami’s direc-

out who is looking for a roommate,” Bell-Robinson said. “If folks are struggling, they can email facilitate that.”

Bell-Robinson also gave a tip she says students rooming with others should utilize throughout the school year.

“Good roommate pairings start with mutual respect and good communication,” Bell-Robinson said. “It’s a major component whether you’re best friends with your roommate, or if @simmons_taj simmontp@miamioh.edu

6 CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

BAMMERAJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

Armenian news media thanks Oxford City Council councilors, including David Prytherch, felt Oxford did not have the power to recognize the sovereignty of an international region.

“I would be happy to stand in solidarity against the violence and recognize that there are politics, but I am just not in a position to make a decision one way or the other about recognizing [Artsakh],” Prytherch said.

An amendment was requested by councilor Prytherch to remove the recognition of Artsakh’s sovereignty from the resolution, which was passed by council members with four yeas, two nays and one abstention.

Instead, the resolution aimed to stand with Artsakh community members facing human

DESIGNER ALESSANDRA MANUKIAN

CITY OF OXFORD

there’s just one problem: City Council didn’t of-

TAJ SIMMONS

No United Nation member state has recognized Artsakh’s sovereignty, which is currently recognized as a district of Azerbaijan, but that did not stop Miami University seniors Teresa Aniev and Andrew Devedjian from presenting a resolution to recognize Artsakh’s sovereignty to City Council.

Before the resolution was passed, some

ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Armenian news outlets have thanked Oxford City Council for recognizing Artsakh, a small disputed region in Eastern Europe between the countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan. But

“Oxford City Council honors the Republic of Artsakh and its citizens,” and “recognizes the adversity the Armenians of our community are facing and strongly condemns human rights violations.”

However, many international news organizations such as the Public Radio of Armenia, the Armenian Weekly and Asbarez News have nized the region.

Requests for comment from each news organization were not responded to by press time.

Oxford Mayor Mike Smith said while he felt the proposal was unusual from a city council perspective, it was a worthy discussion to have.

“I wanted to keep an open mind about it, with the proximity Oxford is to Miami, a lot more issues get attention from a town our size, and we consider them all,” Smith said. “It’s always good to help educate people when something like this is going on.”

Smith said while the news reports do go against what Oxford City Council voted for in the proposal, he doesn’t think council members were frustrated about it.

“I don’t think there’s really a downside, it’s getting the publicity,” Smith said. “I haven’t gotten any calls from the State Department saying, ‘Hey what are you guys doing down there?’ or anything.” the resolution during a Student/Community Relations Committee meeting, for which he is a council representative. After a presentation from Aniev and Devedjian, Ellerbe said he felt compelled to help the students bring the resolution before council.

“When you hear a situation where people are treated in an inconceivable way, you want to help,” Ellerbe said. “No matter how small of a gesture, if you make it, even if it’s tiny, it’s going to start rippling out in a positive fashion.”

Ellerbe said the media reports did not bother him either.

“Everyone understood the intent, it’s why I didn’t make a stink about it,” Ellerbe said.

Aniev, a senior political science major at Miami, is one half of the duo who brought the resolution to City Council. As an Armenian-American, Aniev said a major part of the resolution aims to raise awareness of the situation.

“A vote to make Artsakh independent had over 99% of the local support, and our motive behind the idea is that if they’re independent, they can choose for themselves,” Aniev said.

“There are Armenians living in our community, and to give them a voice was our goal.”

Aniev said she was glad to see the international media shed light on the situation, but there is still work to be done.

“For a tiny city like Oxford, Ohio to even stand in solidarity, to recognize all that is going on, is huge,” Aniev said. “I think it’s been a success so far, but complete success would be getting the resolution passed on a national level.” @simmons_taj simmontp@miamioh.edu

Humanities Center lecture series highlights transformative objects LECTURE LEXI WHITEHEAD ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Concrete, the photograph and white noise are some of the individual objects being highlighted at Miami University Humanities Center’s lecture series titled “Objects that Changed the World.” the Humanities Center, said the virtual lecture series was created with two goals in mind: to reconnect with Miami alumni and to showcase the importance of the humanities.

“We wanted to do a series for our alumni and invite them back to Oxford, virtually, to come back to the classroom,” Melley said, “and we thought a really good way to do that would be human creations.” from Pepper Stetler, associate director of the Humanities Center.

“We just thought objects were things that were very accessible to an audience — they could be clearly explained, and it would be something that a broader audience might be interested in engaging with,” Stetler said.

After coming up with the concept, Stetler

said the individual events were easy to plan because they’re all virtual. She approached humanities faculty members to ask them to participate, as well as the Alumni Association to connect with their established alumni audience.

“There was a lot of enthusiasm,” Stetler said. “I think faculty are really enthusiastic about the opportunity to show how relevant humanities research is to our world today and the challenges that we face, but also to show their abilities to translate their academic work to a non-academic audience.”

Kimberly Hamlin, associate professor of history and global and intercultural studies, presented a lecture on Wednesday, March 31 on the birth control pill.

She thought doing a series focused on these transformative objects was a great idea, and she chose the birth control pill because it’s something that changed nearly every aspect of women’s lives when it was invented.

“It tells us about politics, gender, medicine and the way in which women’s political autonomy is often linked to our reproductive autonomy and vice versa,” Hamlin said.

Other objects in the series have included icons, blues music, concrete and the photograph. Upcoming lectures are about porcelain, the Model T, earthworks and white noise.

THE HUMANITIES CENTER’S NEW LECTURE SERIES, “OBJECTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD,” HAS ALUMNI TALKING ABOUT OBJECTS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS TO BIRTH CONTROL PILLS. COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Melley said talking about these objects that we sometimes take for granted in detail can remind people of why the humanities are an important subject.

“One of the goals here is just to remind our alumni of why the humanities matter and what our humanities faculty do,” Melley said. “And we want to remind them that these are amazing teachers and scholars who have incredibly deep knowledge of the human experience, and just taking a single object and explaining that can really demonstrate and put that on display for them.”

Melley said that between 100 and 200 alumni usually attend these lectures, which have been occurring every Wednesday since Feb. 24.

He and Stetler hope that alumni who attend will get more involved in the Humanities Center, whether through attending more events or donating.

“This is a way of connecting to people that might want to support the Humanities Center and be involved in it in some capacity,” Stetler said.

The next lecture in the “Objects that Changed the World” series will occur on Wednesday, April 7. Assistant professor of art and architecture history Michael Hatch will present on porcelain. @nwlexi whitehan@miamioh.edu

Things are chill (and chilled):

what it’s like to work at Emporium STUDENT EMPLOYEES SHR-HUA MOORE STAFF WRITER

Emporium is a great place for students to walk in, get the snacks and drinks that they need, utes.

It’s convenient, but nothing really changes.

The selection of products typically stays the same from day to day, and it takes a matter of seconds to walk around the whole store.

Now imagine being in Emporium for four hours multiple days a week.

Sunmbo Olorunfemi is a graduate student who works the night shift at the convenience of working a job where the only employee duties are to man the cash register, restock items and clean the store.

“I really like [the job]— it takes away the stress of studying,” he said. “I see it as a break time to get to engage and meet new people on the job.”

The opportunity for Olorunfemi to meet new people frequently often comes up in the few minutes before Emporium closes.

“A few minutes before closing time [midnight], a ton of people always rush in,” Olorunfemi said. “It’s probably because at 11:45 the announcement for Armstrong is blaring, so we expect the rush around that time.”

In order to stay awake throughout the downtime during his shift, Olorunfemi employs a productive strategy.

“I’ve printed out some GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) vocab words,” he said. “And it can get very boring, so after checking the store

THE WORKERS AT EMPORIUM PASS THEIR TIME BY BALANCING PENS AND WRITING SONGS, AMIDST THEIR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES. PHOTOGRAPHER CAROLINE BARTOSZEK

all the words.”

While Emporium can be boring at times, for some it’s been the exact opposite.

Elizabeth Short is a junior psychology major who has been working at Emporium for around

a year and a half. Since Miami transitioned to a “cashless” campus where students pay using IDs and credit cards only, she has had to awkwardly inform them of the change.

“A dude comes in, grabs a thing of sushi, and he goes to tap his card, but he doesn’t have enough money on it,” Short said. “He sighs and puts the sushi back and he’s like, ‘I’ll be back in a second.’ He comes back with cash and I tell him we don’t accept cash. He sighs, puts the sushi back and doesn’t come back.”

“One strategy I have to combat boredom is if the radio is on, I’ll take tally of how many times I’ve heard a certain song in an hour,” Short said.

“If we have enough pens around, we’ll also try to balance them [on the counter].”

General employees aren’t the only Emporium workers who come up with creative ways to keep themselves occupied after the real work of the job is over.

Bryan Afadzi is a junior majoring in engineering who serves as a student manager at Emporium. When there’s no food to stock or paperwork to do, he makes beats.

“When I’m alone, I tap on the surfaces and sort of make stories for myself,” Afadzi said.

“One time a customer tried to use three payment methods that all didn’t work, and I made a song about the incident afterward as well as a beat for it.”

Afadzi said that at the end of the day, the experience working at Emporium was determined by the person themselves.

“This kind of job is really what you make of it,” he said. “You run out of things to do quickly, and what you do next is really up to you and your attitude about it.” @hua_shr moorese6@miamioh.edu

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY 7

PHABYMR@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

Social workers increasingly serve as behindthe-scenes heroes during the pandemic LAURA GIAQUINTO THE MIAMI STUDENT Sherrill Sellers, associate dean for undergraduate education in Miami University’s Department of Family Science and Social Work originally wanted to be a lawyer. But she was soon attracted to social work after reading a report on racism at the University of Chicago by Social Worker Dodie Norton.

“I remember reading that report and saying, ‘This woman is brilliant, and whatever she’s got, I want it,’” Sellers said. “Literally because Dr. Dodie Norton was a social worker, I ended up with social work. Because the skills that she brought to the table, being inclusive, seeing big picture, but also understanding that it has to come down to the individual. Those were things that I just felt like if we can have we can get those skills, we can change the world.”

Over the past year, social workers have been workers, an often unseen labor force, are involved with individuals and families behind the scenes in all aspects of life, from schools to child welfare to work and global studies double major.

“Social workers work with communities like the homeless population, the foster care system [and] those in hospice or emergency situations in hospice,” Brunton said, “and a lot of times [have]

close ties with the criminal justice system.”

With the onset of COVID-19, School Social Worker for Talawanda Middle and High School Madison Wetzel said social workers have been extremely important and adaptable this past year.

“We focused a ton on getting families the resources that they needed to attend school, from home.” Wetzel said. “We provide food weekly to families that are remote. We did that at a much higher level even back in the fall, now we still do it but there are far less students that are remote.”

The pandemic has taken social workers more directly to the doors of students as opposed to just meeting them at school, Wetzel said.

“I call my car a mobile food pantry, because you can always count on there being food, clothing, hygiene items, just various items in my car, which is something that I don’t think would typically happen if we were here in school.” Wetzel said. “There were a lot of times, you know, we would be asked to go check on a family, we haven’t heard from the student in a while. So probably we did a lot more students are a lot easier to get a hold of when they come to school every day. And so if we’re missing someone or someone hasn’t attended school, they would send us out to do a well check to see how we can help the family.”

Wetzel said she also worked a lot more on conschool remotely.

“We did a lot of connecting to services for paying internet bills, which is not necessarily some-

thing we would usually do. Because that isn’t usually a priority.” Wetzel said. “However, when your student is remote learning [it] becomes one.”

Social work emphasizes the importance of individual choice and bringing resources to people so they can better themselves, Sellers said.

“Most mental health services are provided by social workers,” she said. “Most of us don’t know that. And yet, that’s a big chunk of their practice.”

Wetzel said her increased presence over the past year was something the Talawanda School District community appreciated and is something she plans to continue doing even after the pandemic.

“Now, a lot of the people in town or like at these various housing complexes, know who we are.”

Wetzel said. “And the more connection [and] the more community folks feel, the more comfortable they are coming to us. And honestly, the more invested in their child’s success they become.”

Sellers said social work has always been about making personal connections and impact.

“Social workers are trained to help people address personal and systemic barriers, and to help them to optimize their living,” Sellers said. “As we are employed, we’re trying to make positive change, or to help individuals to make positive change, as well as change for families, groups, and entire communities. Historically and now contemporarily, [we are] trying to advance the rights, particularly of our most vulnerable in society.” giaquiln@miamioh.edu

Scholarship and Service: SCHOLARSHIP TAJ SIMMONS ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR As early as their senior year in high school, incoming Miami University students particiCorps (ROTC) programs have the option to compete for scholarships to help pay for university costs.

Maya Smith, a sophomore psychology and sustainability double major, is enrolled in Miami’s Navy-Marine Corps ROTC program.

“To be in the Navy ROTC, the goal is to pick up a scholarship,” Smith said. “You want the program to say, ‘We think you will be a valuable addition.’”

Students seeking a Navy or a Navy-Marine Corps ROTC scholarship undergo an application process consisting of sending resumes to administrators, attending interviews and undergoing physical and academic testing.

Smith said having what the Navy deems a Tier 1 or Tier 2 major also helps for Navy ROTC

students, as 85% of scholarships are given to candidates who fall under the two.

After undergoing the application process in her senior year of high school, Smith received a four-year scholarship from the Navy-Marine Corps, the highest tier scholarship available.

According to rotcconsulting.com, about 2,500 reviewed each year, and about 336 receive scholarships of any kind.

Upon signing her contract, Smith agreed to rine Corps, a requirement of all scholarship winners.

She must also keep a minimum 2.5 GPA as well as maintain a score of 265 on Marine pull-ups, push-ups and a three mile run, each individual event is scored out of 100 based on com, 17-20 year old females like Smith can score a 300, a maximum score, by performing seven pull-ups, 100 crunches in two minutes and by running at least a 21 minute three-mile run.

Other requirements include signing up for Navy ROTC required classes and attending two physical training (PT) sessions from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“With college life, you get people asking why you can’t go out all the time,” Smith said. “And I’ll respond with something like, ‘I haven’t worked out today, I have to do that.’ I just feel like you have to be accountable with the United States military – it risks losing your scholarship, which is the reason I’m at college.”

Joe Wright, a sophomore political science and sports leadership & management double major, is in Miami’s Army ROTC program.

ABOUT 2,500 ROTC APPLICATIONS ARE REVIEWED EACH YEAR, AND ABOUT 336 RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS OF ANY KIND. PHOTO EDITOR ZACH REICHMAN

Wright signed up for the program during his senior

year of high school and was awarded a threeyear scholarship after undergoing a similar application process. Upon signing his contract, he will be required to serve four years of active duty or eight of reserve duty.

Wright came to Miami from Waunakee, more expensive tuition as an out-of-state student was one of the factors why Wright said he joined the ROTC. “Going out-of-state [for college] was expensaid. “Anything to help out my parents.”

Army ROTC at Miami requires military science classes along with three PT sessions from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. throughout the week. Among one of the harder exercises for Army ROTC members is a six mile run while wearing a 35-lb. backpack.

“I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone, but it’s not as hard as everyone thinks,” Wright said. “It re-

also in the Army ROTC program under a threeyear scholarship. Burns said he dreamed of joining the military as a child, and as a senior in high school, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a scholarship.

“I always wanted to serve,” Burns said. “I feel like a lot of boys and girls at one point think about it. I just thought it would be cool.”

After his application process was over, Burns said transitioning to college and ROTC lifestyle was tricky. to having the free time you thought you had is be disciplined, focusing on when you have free time and when not to procrastinate is part of the job.”

Burns said after the process was done, he felt at home with ROTC, especially given the pandemic.

“It’s helped me meet another group of people and friends that [I] can hang out with outside of ROTC,” Burns said. “It’s a really friendly environment, and I think that’s why a lot of people do it.” @simmons_taj simmontp@miamioh.edu

Outdoor Pursuit Center receives grant for new Destination Wellness program RECREATION META HOGE THE MIAMI STUDENT The Miami University Outdoor Pursuit Center new program this spring called Destination Wellness.

The program will consist of two overnight trips April 10 and 11, and the second will be a bikepacking trip on April 17 and 18. Both the backpacking and bikepacking trips will begin at the OPC, and trails in the Miami Natural Areas.

The deadline to register for either trip of the Destination Wellness program is April 6 at 7 p.m.

Students can register online on the OPC website.

The grant for Destination Wellness came from the Miami Initiative for Advancing, Mentoring and Investing in Women (M.I.A.M.I. WOMEN) Giving Circle. The Giving Circle has alumni and money to about 12 grant applicants per year.

Heidi Bortel, the director of development for M.I.A.M.I. WOMEN, said a grant was awarded to Destination Wellness because of its focus on well-being and it’s a one-of-a-kind program.

“Typically, we have a lot of support on our committee and in our giving circle membership for healthy options and programs,” Bortel said.

“We would like to also make sure that it’s not a program that’s being duplicated, that’s already be-

thing that’s expanding.”

Destination Wellness focuses on relieving stress by being in nature.

Jen Siliko, the director of the OPC and leader for Destination Wellness, said that even though the idea came to her before COVID-19, the pandemic has made student mental health struggles more common.

“This is an opportunity for them to unplug from that cell phone, to step outside and just be fully immersed in nature,” Siliko said.

Madison Rose, a senior math and statistics major, is one of the peer leaders for the program.

Rose said she wanted to help lead Destination Wellness to increase engagement among younger Miami students. it’s been really hard for underclassmen especially pus,” Rose said. “I thought it would be a really fun experience to get to meet some younger Miami students and help them out.”

Participants will be camping in single-person tents and taking part in activities geared towards wellness.

“We are planning activities that are focused around mental health and well-being, so things like journaling, meditation, group discussion,” Siliko said. “It’s all based on people’s comfort level, what they want to participate in.”

Rose said she thinks the program is good at supporting wellness because being outdoors can

Miami University’s regional campuses introduce Fusion for fall 2021 REGIONAL CAMPUSES ALICE MOMANY THE MIAMI STUDENT Miami University’s Student Disability Services (SDS) is implementing a new program for students with learning disabilities and neurological disorders, called Fusion, at the regional campuses beginning fall 2021.

Fusion is an intensive one-on-one program that will provide additional services to students that SDS can’t supply, such as time management and organization resources.

Leslie Omaites, coordinator of SDS at Miami University Middletown, and Karen Yates, coordinator of SDS at Hamilton, have been developing Fusion for seven years. Now, they are excited to see what students accomplish with the resources they need.

“We noticed that a lot of students who are college-capable are not succeeding, and these are students with ADHD, on the autism spectrum, etc.,” Yates said. “But we can’t always devote the time needed to Fusion will operate by using a mentor who specializes in neurological disorders.

The academic advisor will split their time between both Hamilton and Middletown, and will sit down with students twice a week to establish an individualized plan to help them succeed. The advisor will also teach a UNV 101 course that dives deeper into topics which might be harder for students with learning disabilities to grasp.

To apply for Fusion, students need to qualify for SDS resources and provide documentation of a neurological disorder.

Applications are still open through the Regionals’ Student-Life website.

The program is currently accepting cause it is a pilot program and SDS in Oxtions for students’ needs such as extended time on tests, note taking services and course substitutions, the Oxford campus will not be implementing the program in the fall.

While Yates is unsure if the Oxford campus will employ the program in the future, she hopes its success will encourage SDS in Oxford to consider it’s potential.

According to Yates, Fusion is a feebased program, but a price is still being now, but SDS plans to open the program to more students as it continues to grow.

Yates believes Fusion will help set Mifor students with learning disabilities.

“There are a lot of universities that are not providing [these services], and there are a lot of universities providing it but at a much higher cost,” Yates said.

Yates compares the program to other ADHD coaches that can cost up to $500 per month but assures that Fusion will only be a fraction of that. sity’s Learning Disabilities Program costs $2,900 per semester, and comparably, Auburn University’s SKILL Program costs $1,200 per semester.

Even though the program will only Yates said 20% of students across the three campuses utilize SDS. nication design major at Miami’s Oxford campus, has been diagnosed with ADHD. She received testing accommodations in high school and registered with SDS before she started at Miami. She receives She said she would like to see Fusion on the Oxford campus, but she understands the size may make it harder to implement individualized sessions.

“I feel like it would be a really good resource on campus, but I understand the puses, so I’m kind of torn,” Pakulski said. and Eastern European studies double major at the Oxford campus, was recently diagnosed with ADHD. While the accommodations from the Oxford campus helped, he found himself struggling his

THE MIAMI UNIVERSITY OUTDOOR PURSUIT CENTER’S NEW PROGRAM IS OFFERING STUDENTS A CHANCE TO BACKPACK AND BIKE. PHOTO EDITOR ZACH REICHMAN

be calming.

“Personally, I just feel so much more peaceful when I’m outside and in nature, and I just think it’s such a nice break from being on Zoom all day,” Rose said.

Siliko said anyone can participate because all the hiking will be at a beginning level.

“I think people might be hesitant to register if they’re unfamiliar with the activity,” Siliko said.

“We’re not expecting anyone to have any experience backpacking or bikepacking to be able to do the trip. It’s more about using that as a way to get them outside and away from campus.” @meta__hoge hogemh@miamioh.edu

Fusion,” Hall said. “I was reading it over, and I know that all the accommodations would help me personally.”

Hall currently meets one-on-one with his professors almost every week, but he with just one person who specializes in neurological disorders.

Oxford, but it seems very helpful,” Hall said.

Though it’s uncertain whether the Oxford campus will ever enlist the Fusion program, Yates said she is excited to see where the program goes.

“I would love to get beyond Student Disability Services for students who may not qualify for SDS,” Yates said, “but still may need that extra support.” @alicemomany momanyaj@miamioh.edu

style

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BERGOE@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

Meet sustainable fashion brand, Sunmi.co ALICE MOMANY THE MIAMI STUDENT

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“I have a real vision for things ... I can see something, and then I can take it apart in my brain and put it back together into something different.”

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BERGOE@MIAMIOH.EDU

STYLE 9

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

For You Page Fashion MOLLY MONSON THE MIAMI STUDENT In fashion, you want to look different, and to stand out from the crowd with your own unique style.

Rejecting mainstream fashion and Formerly known as musical.ly, TikTok has evolved into a completely unique platform of lifestyle, comedy, fashion, music, and many other genres of videos, tailored just for you by an eerily accurate algorithm on their explore feature, called the For You page (FYP). utes on TikTok, you’re likely to stumble across a fashion video, whether it be a clothing haul, review or styling tip clip.

You might even be surprised to shown, because of the diverse range ment with on the app.

Here’s the question: is TikTok style basic? Or do we all just want to hate it, because TikTok is the app we all love to hate and hate to love?

The 90’s and early 2000s are making a huge comeback in the fashion world, partially thanks to the social media platform, as we welcome and oversized silhouettes.

TikTok has undeniably started some pretty cool trends in the last few years. Thrifting is at an all time high, which is bad for your own personal shopping motives at the Goodwill bins, but great for the environment. According to thriftworld. com, secondhand clothing reduces approximately 26 billion pounds of each year, and gives clothing a second life.

ment for a fraction of the price of new clothing, and even cheaper than fast fashion go-tos like SHEIN or Forever 21 (which come with their own ethical conundrums).

TikTok has also showcased men’s fashion in a volume which hasn’t been seen before on any other platform.

Whether you love or hate TikTok, the inclusivity and representation on the app matters and has encouraged personal style expression for Gen Z in a revolutionary way.

Fashion magazines have been and still are dominated by female models, women’s clothing, and are built to serve a mostly female audience. But TikTok has popularized more androgynous styles of dressing for all and provided men with more styling options beyond t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers.

Quarantine TikTok gave us all the athleisure trends our hearts could desire, as we sat in our rooms already wearing our athleisure and scrolling through set after set of matching hoodies and sweatpants, biker shorts (hey Princess Di), cropped crewnecks, bra tops and sneakers.

Looking good and feeling good while stuck in the house inspired many people to get more into fashion and styling, moving away from ‘basic’ styles of skinny jeans and plain t-shirts – the things of everyday dress. Because we were all at home and on our phones, thrifting, athleisure and other 90s and 2000s nostalgia trends became the new mainstream.

TikTok, love it or hate it, has become a compass for trends and a stylebook for everyone who wants to spice up their wardrobe. It encourages millions of people to experiment with their self expression and allows users to be a part of the fashion world in a completely new and interactive way.

pieces at a thrift or consignment shop that are on-trend at the mo-

DESIGN EDITOR OWEN BERG

monsonma@miamioh.edu

The Vivienne Learning to Westwood Influence dress for me According to Britannica, in 1965, Westwood fell in love with Malcolm McLaren, the future manager of the Sex Pistols, and opened up a second-hand store called “Let rock and roll records.

At the time, as 1950s rock and roll was dying down, hippy culture gained a more mainstream audience.

And Westwood rebelled against it.

From bondage trousers to ripped shirts, the couple created designs that aligned with the mid70s punk movement. As Westwood was inspired by McLaren’s punk inreported by Britannica. The pair split up in 1981 and Westwood later designed independently, making her brand one of London’s fashion landmarks and the front runner of Rebellion in fashion wasn’t the only thing that was on Westwood’s mind. Politics have played a major environmental change to advocating against Brexit.

According to Vogue, during the end of her spring/summer 2013 ready-to-wear show, a banner that WHATEVER THE REASON, WESTWOOD’S REIGN IN FASHION DOESN’T SEEM TO STOP. PHOTO FROM INSTAGRAM: @VIVIENNEWESTWOOD

MIHAELA MANOVA THE MIAMI STUDENT Punk, checkered prints and Anglomania. A fashion revolution tailored to express freedom and rebellion. The punks that parents warned their kids about, covered from head to toe in safety pins and checkers, wearing ripped band shirts. This was what Vivienne Westwood cultivated in the mid70s.

And even today, Westwood is still popular. Current fashion trends circulating on TikTok have been reintroduced, giving the brand another youthful generation to wear its designs.

One of the most popular items on the platform was Vivienne Westwood’s Saturn pearl necklace, which gained momentum after being seen on musicians like Madison Beer and Dua Lipa. As the craze spread on TikTok, many users turned to cheap duplicates sold on Amazon and Etsy.

Now, TikTok has a new Westwood obsession, the $310 Armored Ring.

The ring itself is listed on the sex, with three “armadillo inspired overlapping sections that encapsu-

The accessory comes in silver, and can also be purchased in a smaller Westwood continues to play a major part in clothing trends as well. According to the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), the seemingly recent trend of wearing corsets as outerwear was actually done by her and Jean Paul Gaultier in the 1980s.

The scoop neck corsets from her 1990 Spring/Summer Portrait Collection have made a return since their debut. One of these corsets was worn by singer FKA Twigs to the Sundance Film Festival while another corset from the collection was styled by supermodel Bella Hadid in a street style look.

“I tried to prove by example that the past is as relevant today as

was held up by models as a form of advocacy for environmental change. Under the same name as the banner read, Westwood has her own website dedicated to the movement.

What’s next Visible through the rebellious attitudes of Westwood’s customers and admirers, the brand not of punk culture but the bands that As McLaren was the Sex Pistols’ showcased designs from the pair, a mutual relationship that caused punk attire to gain popularity.

After this success, Westwood went on to make the “Pirate Collecto baggy trousers and corsets taken from historical inspirations. West-

As Westwood’s goal manifested, the origins of her brand prove her decades.

tion from that kind of dress.

Now, as the present youth puts her most notable designs into their wardrobe, some have become fans of the designer while others claim

The history – a shortened take “I’ve always had a political

them.

Whatever the reason, Westwood’s reign in fashion doesn’t seem to stop.

fashion to challenge the status

@ManovaMihaela manovamd@miamioh.edu

LEXI WHITEHEAD ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Around this time last year, like many people, I began experimenting with my self-expression — tryhair and makeup. Stuck in my house with nowhere to go, it was safe and easy to try something new within the walls of my bedroom.

Whether I liked them or not, it no judgement. No one could see me, and if I didn’t like something, happened.

I learned how to do winged eyeliner and tried out many other new makeup looks. I tried accessorizing more with sunglasses, hats, belts and jewelry. I discovered I like a looser silhouette with large t-shirts and baggy pants. I bought a pair of Doc Martens, which I have been after since middle school.

I started dressing how I wanted dent in doing so.

In the summer, when I started to venture out into the world again (mainly to the grocery store), I started to test out my style in public.

Walking around Kroger or Walmart dressed up wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I thought it might be. It strangely made me feel But that was in my hometown of Toledo, Ohio. Those stores were full of people I didn’t know and likely wouldn’t see again. Toledo also is home to many eccentric characters, so dressing a little different isn’t that weird.

When I came back on campus in September, I continued dressing how I wanted to dress, but didn’t before. In fact, I often felt insecure I kept trying out new things with my clothes, although slightly less often.

On Valentine’s Day this year, I thought it would be fun to dress in a Valentine’s Day theme.

I had just bought a pair of bright red corduroy pants from Goodwill, so it was the perfect time to break them out. After I got dressed, I looked at myself in the mirror and felt good about the ensemble I had put together. I even took a few diminish.

My red pants that I loved inside sign that demanded attention. All of a sudden I felt as though every-

one was staring at me, and I felt like they were judging me for my fashion choices.

In all reality, probably no one was looking at me, and if they were, they probably weren’t judging me.

But it can be hard not to feel a little self-conscious when I look around and see mostly the same kind of clothes on everyone else.

There’s nothing wrong with dressing a certain way. I think that everyone should be able wear the about it. Looking around campus, however, there does seem to be a kind of fashion bubble here that into that bubble, you might feel excluded, inferior or insecure.

It was always easier to dress how I wanted in the safety of my own bedroom and even in my hometown. At Miami, it feels more it feels like there’s an image you’re

“My red pants that I loved inside my room now felt like a flashing sign that demanded attention.”

around me are my peers, not just strangers.

I don’t want to say this is a Miami problem — I think it’s just another insecurity I have to deal with.

I had in my hometown Kroger and trying to apply it to being on campus.

Even though I know most people probably aren’t actively judging the way I dress, I still feel out of place sometimes. I try to keep in mind that everyone is dealing with their own insecurities.

And if other people can dress the way they want to, I can too. @nwlexi whitehan@miamioh.edu

Sports

10

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

SPORTS EDITOR

NELSO156@MIAMIOH.EDU

SCOUTING The Game

Game time: 4:00 p.m. ball Stadium MIAMI REDHAWKS

@LukasTheDream nelso156@miamioh.edu

MIAMI IS ON AN 11-GAME WINNING STEAK AND REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN THE MAC. PHOTO EDITOR ZACH REICHMAN

It’s time for a JACK SCHMELZINGER STAFF WRITER

WITH A GROUP OF FIVE PLAYOFF, TEAMS LIKE MIAMI AND CINCINNATI WOULD HAVE A SHOT AT CHAMPIONSHIP GLORY. PHOTO EDITOR ZACH REICHMAN

STAFF WRITER

@jacksmerz schmelj2@miamioh.edu

Play-In Round MIAMI REMAINS UNDEFEATED IN THE MAC WITH A 6-0 CONFERENCE RECORD. PHOTO BY MACY WHITAKER

@VesteyTMS vesteymj@miamioh.edu

SPORTS 11

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

NELSO156@MIAMIOH.EDU

Live streams and zoom meetings:

How college recruiting changed during the pandemic

CHLOE PRICE

Fearon revealed that most of the scouting actually takes place during the travel and AAU season rather than high school games.

THE MIAMI STUDENT Game rescheduling and having to sit out tending through the school year and interrupting the normal recruiting practices, the collegiate future for some athletes seems uncertain.

Arcanum High School athletic director Abbey Moore says her athletes have had to While athletes still play in Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) leagues and other travel leagues during the spring and summer months, there is still a limited number of fans allowed, meaning college coaches may not be in attendance.

However, Moore said that hasn’t been as much of a problem as anticipated.

“A lot of the AAU [basketball] tournaments broadcast the games virtually, allowing coaches to watch. Personally, I attended some of these games and college coaches were there. It all depended on where you went and how you did.”

This allows college scouts to potentially be able to recruit more athletes by watching multiple games remotely rather than focusing on only one game in person.

Moore, also the varsity women’s basketnior shooting guard Madelyn Fearon, who is currently being scouted.

Fearon is playing up to her best potential this season. For as long as she can remember, she has dreamed of playing basketball at the college level.

a player gets attention by scouts. If they are hooked, scouts will appear at their high school games.

During the pandemic, Fearon has had very little face to face conversation with rethrough the recruitment process, as athletes normally go on campus visits and get plenty of facetime with coaches and potential future teammates.

“I have only been allowed to go on one said. “You are not allowed to go on any during your freshman or sophomore year.” during this time, making it hard for student athletes to make important decisions about what school they would like to play for.

Miami University’s women’s basketball fard, agreed that a lot of the recruiting proothers would go to tournaments where hundreds of teams would be playing against each other. There, they would be able to not only watch the few kids they had gone in to watch, but also get to see kids play who were not on their list.

As many gyms have had a limited number networks [more often] to see if [she] missed any kids.”

Although many recruiters scout players at AAU tournaments, they would also visit ath-

Christian University and Kentucky Christian

prevented recruiters from stopping in to view practice.

Wesleyan University, a program she has had her eye on for a while.

help during the pandemic.

“High school coaches uploaded their practice their games so we can still watch them,” Swoffard said.

She also stated that Zoom has been a very helpful tool in order to talk to athletes and their families. Miami University has been on a recruiting shutdown for nearly a year, meaning scouts and recruiters are not able to go to tournaments or into prospective student athletes’ homes.

Because of the recruithas also not been able to make home visits since last March. Home visits allow recruiters to go into athletes’ homes and see who they truly are, as they get to talk to prospective student athletes’ parents, grandparents, and close friends. says the biggest recruiting challenge is not being able to have kids on campus. Future RedHawks are not able to visit facilities and meet with coaches during the pandemic.

Moore’s Arcanum

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ASSISTANT COACH TIFFANY SWOFFARD HAS HAD TO ADAPT HER RECRUITING EFFORTS DURING THE PANDEMC. PHOTO EDITOR ZACH REICHMAN

their season as Section Runner-Ups. With the high school basketball season over, Arcanum and Miami University head into a new territory: spring sports. With many sports being played outside, this gives

Miami sweeps its four-game series with Eastern Michigan University

fans and athletes a better opportunity to watch games while maintaining social distance. This is one more step on the path to getting life and sports back to normal. pricecm3@miamioh.edu

SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY SOFTBALL Eastern Kentucky……...13 Miami…..………………...5

THURSDAY Ohio……………………. 2 Miami………………….. 1

FRIDAY The RedHawks take game two The team had enough energy to pull out another win for the second game on Saturday. early lead and put two runs on the scoreboard.

Brokemond and Vogelgesang singled, and Brokemond later scored on a wild pitch. Andrews then hit an RBI single.

After two strikeouts from Stone and Andrews, it looked like the Eagles were going to have it easy in the fourth inning. Miami Wardwell hit an RBI single. one more run. Vogelgesang was hit by a pitch, Back singled and Stone hit an RBI double.

Eastern Michigan was able to get one run on the scoreboard in the seventh inning with a double and an RBI single.

An Easter Sunday sweep The RedHawks took an early lead again bunt. Vogelgesang hit an RBI double and later scored on another RBI double from Back.

Eastern Michigan put one run on the scoreboard with a single, a walk, an advancement from a throwing error and an RBI single.

MIAMI EARNED ITS FIRST SERIES SWEEP OF THE SEASON, BEATING EASTERN MICHIGAN FOUR TIMES IN FOUR GAMES. PHOTO EDITOR ZACH REICHMAN

LILY FREIBERG THE MIAMI STUDENT There’s no fooling the RedHawks in the beginning of April, as Miami’s baseball team swept its series with Eastern Michigan University this past weekend. both games in Saturday’s doubleheader, 5-0 The RedHawks went out with a bang with a A home run secures a win In Friday’s series opener, Miami scored three of its four runs in the second inning.

Designated hitter Cole Andrews singled, Then, third baseman Brian Zapp hit a threerun bomb to put the RedHawks in the lead, ning.

Second baseman Will Vogelgesang reached gan’s third baseman and advanced to second.

home with an RBI single.

The Eagles slowly tried to catch up throughout the game. They scored one run

Eastern Michigan scored its third run in and a score on a wild pitch.

Miami shuts out again The RedHawks shut the Eagles out and Brokemond doubled but was later called out at home. Back was hit by a pitch and stole secthen advanced to third and later scored on an error made by the Eagles’ catcher. by a pitch which loaded the bases. Shortstop Tyler Wardwell hit a three-run single, as the RedHawks were able to score on a bad throw.

In the second inning, Morissette hit a solo 5-0.

inning. Stone walked and Andrews was hit by a pitch. Wardwell singled and Stone scored on a throw.

The Eagles caught up and took the lead in the third and fourth innings. In the third inning, they tied the score with a walk, a double, single.

In the fourth inning, Eastern Michigan wild pitch, a walk and score on another wild pitch. ning, as Stone tripled and Andrews hit an RBI single and advanced to second base on a wild pitch.

FIELD HOCKEY Kent State…....……….. 0 Miami……….………..... 3 VOLLEYBALL Miami …………..…...… 2 Bowling Green ..…....... 3 BASEBALL Miami………..…….…... 4 Eastern Michigan.….... 3

SATURDAY BASEBALL Miami………….…..…... 4 Eastern Michigan......... 1 BASEBALL Miami………….………..5 Eastern Michigan...……0 FIELD HOCKEY

Morissette singled to load the bases. Zapp

Kent State……...…..….2

out at home. Brokemond walked to bring in

Miami…………………..4

With the sweep, Miami’s overall record is The ’Hawks take on Western Michigan University this weekend. Their four-game series starts this Friday at 5 p.m. @lilyfreiberg freibell@miamioh.edu

SUNDAY BASEBALL Miami………..….......... 5 Eastern Michigan.…… 4

Opinion

12

WOLFFRG@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021

TIM CARLIN

I recently read a quote from journalist Ann Curry: “Journalism is an act of faith in the future.”

Her words stuck with me. They perfectly describe why

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hi there, If you’re reading this page of the print newspaper, I’m week. And if you’re reading online, well, this is your ander to write directly to you all. Partly to introduce myself, but partly because I just missed writing.

My name is Tim Carlin, and I was recently elected Editor-in-Chief of The Miami Student. I’m a journalism and American studies double major, and I’ve been writing for Over the past three years, I have poured countless hours and even some tears into this newspaper. Needless to say, working for The Student has been a labor of love.

I say all that to say that I truly care about both this newspaper and this community as a whole. Delivering fair, hard-hitting journalism to the Miami and Oxford community has been, and will continue to be, one of the most important facets of my Miami experience.

newspaper every week.

We work around the clock delivering news to this community because we care enough about this university – a place we all call home – to point out both its successes and its failures.

The reality is that while our community can be amazing in so many ways that we seek to highlight in this publication, this community also has an ugly underbelly.

One that meets at the intersections of racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia.

But at The Student, we don’t point out this ugliness for personal gain. We report on such darkness in hopes of driving it out of our community once and for all.

Because in order to build a better community, we need to know where we are failing.

Here at The Student, we are deeply invested in the future of this university. If we did not care about it, we would have given up our work a long time ago.

But in spite of the hardships, the late nights and the

Leave the credit/no credit deadline where it is DEVIN ANKENEY THE MIAMI STUDENT Two weeks ago, I changed my majors.

Yes, plural, I changed both of my majors.

Political Science and International Studies just didn’t cut it for me. I wanted to write more, and the journalism class I took this ed to do. Strategic Communications is what I landed on.

But, I’m still wrapped up in classes for the two majors in which I am no longer interested. I have two classes, neither need to be taken, that I’m left to sit through for the rest of the semester.

So, I changed the one that I’m doing poorly in to credit/no credit, because I don’t want to have a GPA hit just a year in because to pursue.

After this semester, no one will have the option to make the same decision I did.

Last Thursday was the credit/no credit deadline under the COVID-19 rule changes.

It had originally been scheduled for the old timeframe, which feels like 15 minutes into the semester, but after protest and petition, we got a measly one extra semester with the delayed deadline.

As a freshman, I’ve not yet known a seple weeks in. I have no concept of the need to decide whether or not to put my all into a class just after a handful of class sessions.

“That’s right. Not only will we no longer be allowed to take an ounce of the stress off with a later credit/no credit deadline, but we also are seeing a heightened standard to graduate with Latin honors.”

Being forced to decide if a class is worth taking for a grade without taking even the We can only change non-major courses anyway, they don’t go directly toward our these Miami Plan courses that will do noth-

ing but further our college anxieties, hurt our GPAs, and disrupt our pursuit of knowledge within our majors?

The Global Miami plan seeks to “help you develop mental agility” yet perpetuates a system in which students develop anxiety beyond compare.

A clear pattern has emerged where Miami tries to be a school it is not. We are not Harvard, nor Cornell, nor Yale, yet we are being pushed to appear to the outside world as though the student body is the pinnacle of academic perfection.

This reversion to the old policy is being done in the same year that the bar to graduate with Latin honors is being raised.

That’s right. Not only will we no longer with a later credit/no credit deadline, but we also are seeing a heightened standard to graduate with Latin honors.

Every single honor except for cum laude for the School of Engineering and Computing is going to be higher than it was before.

With both of these policies in place next year, the expectation is clear that the students are being forced to raise Miami’s reputation. goal in itself, but raising standards for students while simultaneously preaching that our success is their top priority is morally reprehensible.

Where is the choice? Where are the students’ freedoms in liberal education that allow them to learn more than just their major without letting it negatively affect the rest of their education?

I’m sick of the national trend of those in positions of power boasting values that look great in a speech or on a website, then expecting the average person to make the changes for them.

I’m sick of those in power taking credit for statistical of the masses.

I’m sick of it.

Leave the credit/no credit deadline where it is. Let us have that freedom, that stress relief that comes from losing that Cfrom our GPA while still being able to learn about the history of jazz as a business major.

Stop with the cosmetic sound bites, Miami. Prove to us that you value our progression and growth throughout our college careers.

Prove to us that our success is your top priority and not your reputation. @devin_ankeney ankenedw@miamioh.edu

strains placed upon us by the COVID-19 pandemic, my just important to us personally, but it’s necessary for our community.

Oxford, along with much of southwest Ohio, functions in a news desert. The Student is the only weekly print publication in the city of Oxford. There is no newspaper The work produced at this publication is a vital line of information to our community.

I want my tenure as Editor-in-Chief to be marked by proof of this vitality. The next year will be full of important, local journalism for the Miami and Oxford community, just as previous years have been.

The Miami Student is an institution. We’ve been a part of this community for nearly 200 years, and I plan on setting this newspaper up for 200 more.

Thank you for sticking with us thus far, and I hope we can continue on this journey together. @timcarlin_ eic@miamistudent.net

Why is everyone at Miami so pretty?

AMES RADWAN THE MIAMI STUDENT It’s no secret — Miami University has some very hot students.

Miami is ranked #3 on College Magazine’s “Top 10 Colleges with the Hottest Girls” list.

We made #14 on Business Insider’s selection of “25 Colleges Where Students are Both Hot and Smart,” too, citing the fact that our campus nickname is “J. Crew U” and Miami students are stereotypically considered to be both handsome and well-dressed.

According to Bloomberg.com, in a joint ranking of the U.S.’ hottest schools with College Prowler, only “eight schools received A+ grades for either guys or girls, and two — Miami University and Villanova — won top honors for both.”

Long story short, we’ve got a reputation for being rich, preppy, and cute to boot. stereotype, life can be a little rough here. There’s something about accepting admission into a college, only to sidered to be one of the prettiest in the nation, and looking into that bathroom mirror, wondering if you’ll be enough.

That was the case for me. This is not a cry for attention — I won’t deny that I think I’m pretty, and I know my friends and partner would agree.

But I’ve never been the kind of person that gets stared at in a public space, the person whose Instagram beach posts rack up thousands of likes, gym mirror.

Beauty standards are real, and boy, they are harsh.

Even sometimes today, I’ll look at my round face in the mirror and wish that it was more angular, that my cheekbones and jawline were into anymore thanks to last year’s “First-Year Fifteen” and begrudgingly go online to order new ones.

I’ll try to cover the dark purple eye-bags under my eyes with concealer, knowing that they’ll peek through anyway, the product of far too little sleep. I’ll roll my eyes at the freckles that have begun to appear all over my face with the recent coming of a springtime sun.

I love my hair, which is curly on a good day and frizzy on the rest, but I distinctly remember some words of a friend of mine from last year.

She was going through the sorority recruitment process, and after a particularly long Saturday of meeting sorority members and talking to organizations, she came back to our residence hall, knocked on my door, and said, “Have you ever noticed that almost all the sorority girls on campus have straight hair? I was the only curlyhaired girl in my group today.”

(And that’s not a dig at sororities, but something I’ve noticed all across campus in general, too. Even I’ve straightened my hair before a night at Brick in the past, because here, straight hair is the “pretty” stereotype. (Or hair-eotype.)

I’m not skinny. I’m not muscular. I’m not tan or well-rested and my hair is certainly not straight.

But that does not mean that I’m not pretty.

It does mean, though, that I’ll stare at people in my classes, wondering how in the world

“There’s something about accepting admission into that its student body is considered to be one of the prettiest in the nation, and looking into that bathroom mirror, wondering if you’ll be enough.”

they got their hair to be so shiny or how many hours of exercise a week they have to do in order to keep their physique so trim. I’ll feel inferior, even though everyone on campus serves their own kind of beauty, and we shouldn’t consider the Miami stereotype to be the only kind of beautiful.

Honestly, I think we deserve those rankings by College Magazine, Business Insider and Bloomberg.com. Miami students are hot. I see it every day, on Zoom calls and High Street, in Academic Quad and on Miami social media.

It’s not a lie that we’re all gorgeous here.

The issue, though, lies in representation.

Because as a not-skinny, not-muscular, not-tan person who came into Miami in the fall of 2019, a quick Google search of Miami students would really only show the slender blonde girls with straight hair and the muscular guys who looked like they stepped straight out of the pages of GQ Magazine. Sure, these people are incredibly handsome, but I don’t look like that. And I know plenty of students who don’t, either.

Seeing my frizzy, curly hair on an Instagram post with thousands of likes would have helped my self-image considerably. And don’t even get me started on how students of color are severely underrepresented among the self-proclaimed “hot people” of Miami, too. That’s an article for another day.

In short, we’re a hot school. We should own it.

But we should own it together. Curly hair and all. radwanat@miamioh.edu