April 26, 2013 | The Miami Student

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

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013

VOLUME 140 NO. 55

MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO

TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1981, The Miami Student covered author Lisa Birnbach’s visit to Miami on her nationwide tour after writing, “The Official Preppy Handbook.” Birn-

bach said the book, which poked fun at the ‘prep’ community, was a hit at Miami despite it being one of the ‘preppiest’ schools in the state. “They love it,” Birnbach said. “I did not think this group of people would be prepared to laugh at themselves.”

Administration attempts to curb student drinking

BY JANE STREETER

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Students who registered for classes on their assigned dates may have noticed both the times and days of the week that classes are normally offered have been altered. Students may attribute this to several factors, including the switch to the January term (J-Term), or the fact that 8 a.m. classes were unpopular. However, what students might be unaware of is that the Miami University administration is actively trying to keep them from drinking Thursday nights and sleeping in on other days.

According to university registrar Dave Sauter, an alcohol task force conducted in 2006 determined that, because less than 10 percent of classes were being offered Fridays, student drinking on Thursdays was becoming a problem.

“A driving factor we had when making the requirements was to get more Friday classes to avoid this [alcohol] problem,” Sauter said.

“Because we didn’t have many being offered or taken, we had students having four class-days and a three-day weekend.”

The requirements he mentioned involve the stipulations each department is expected to adhere to starting this coming fall. These adjustments include the new rule that there must be as many Friday classes offered as Monday classes. What this means is that MW classes are no longer a viable option to be offered, instead, students will see courses being taught MF, WF or MWF. Although Sauter said that through the Associated Student Government (ASG) and the Board of Regents, student and faculty were involved in every step of the decision making, students such as senior Taylor Fenech are skeptical about the benefits of the changes.

“I’m about to graduate, so it won’t directly affect me, but for most of my undergrad I only scheduled classes Monday through Thursday,” he said.

“I used a lot of the three day weekends to travel to Chicago and New York to make connections and do job interviews. It helped me land an internship and gave me a leg up in this tough job market.”

He’s not the only one with doubts.

Junior Nate Williams, a pitcher on Miami’s baseball team, is concerned the change will negatively affect all student athletes.

“Most games are scheduled on weekends, meaning that for away games, Fridays are often used for travel,” Williams said. “I try to avoid having classes then so I don’t have to miss them and fall behind.”

Students are not alone in their worries. cris cheek, creative writing chair in the English department, said he thinks the change will end up harming both teachers and students.

“This will essentially punish the research culture of faculty,” he said.

“Conferences where professors both present their work and hear from colleagues normally start on Thursday night, so the options the teachers are being given are to either cancel class or not be on the cutting edge of their discipline. Either way, students then won’t get to see the best of the professor.”

Also, cheek said he has issues with the reasoning behind registrar’s decision.

“Not everyone here drinks on Thursdays, and it’s not fair to label them as such,” cheek said. “I don’t think the university should be punishing all students and putting them in this category. It’s also important to note that if a student really wants to drink, they are going to drink. If they don’t do it Thursday they’ll do it another day, so we’re really just spreading out the drinking days. Or maybe they’ll still do it Thursday and I’ll have hungover or absent students Friday.” cheek noted that all students would suffer, stating that many students use their Fridays to work, volunteer or go home. None of those would be possible if a student has a full day of

instruction scheduled. Sauter, however, said students should accept Friday classes as reality.

“A work week is five days a week,” Sauter said. “I work Fridays.

Students should understand that that is what is expected of them in the real world.”

Conversely, cheek said he does not think it should be a reality.

“Students learn just as much outside of the classroom as they do in it,” cheek said. “That’s what great about the world of academia. It’s a protected environment where students have a chance to explore and try things they would not be able to otherwise. Attempting to homogenize the university to fit the mold that certain people in the administration have decided is best, one from 8-5 Mondays through Fridays, is not the way to go.”

Sauter said one of the other requirements of the new system has to do with the reworked time blocks.

Starting at 8:30 a.m. each day, there are now only twelve time blocks to choose from, and each department must offer at least one class in each time block. He said he wants this to force more classes out of the middle of the day and into the morning or evening slots, to avoid what he claims are issues with teachers all wanting to teach from ten to two, resulting in scheduling difficulties. He also wants to cap force adds to these ‘prime time’ classes.

“Often times, we were seeing classes at 8 a.m. with low enrollment, which results in them being cancelled,” Sauter said. “If there is a requirement that two classes fulfill, the teacher teaching the later class should not allow so many people to force add their class. Students would then have to sign up for the 8:30 section, creating a more equal distribution.”

This idea bothers students like junior Melissa Burke, who said

CLASSES, SEE PAGE 5

Red and White rewrite: Head Hockey Coach’s contract extended by 10 years

BY JOE GIERINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Following a Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) regular season championship, an NCAA playoff berth and a CCHA Coach of the Year award, Miami University has rewritten hockey Head Coach Enrico Blasi’s contract, extending his tenure for at least another 10 years.

“Miami holds a special place in my heart, having both played and coached here, and I am delighted and honored that President Hodge, Mr. Sayler and the entire University administration has placed faith in me to lead this program for the foreseeable future,” Blasi said in a press release. “We are excited to be heading into the National Collegiate Hockey Conference that will provide us new challenges and I am thankful for the opportunity to lead this great program going forward. We will continue to strive towards our ultimate goal of a national championship.”

Blasi, a 1994 Miami graduate, has completed 14 seasons at the helm of the RedHawks, going 311-196-53 in that span.

He’s Miami’s winningest coach, and is 16th all-time among

active coaches in Division I NCAA hockey. He won the Spencer Penrose National Coach of the Year Award for the 2005-06 season, and has won the CCHA Coach of the Year Award five times, which is second-most in CCHA history.

Under the conditions of the previous agreement, Blasi’s future with the RedHawks was guaranteed through the 2016-17 season. After being approached

by Athletic Director David Sayler towards the end of the year, the pair rewrote the contract with input from General Counselor Robin Parker and President Hodge, one that retains Blasi’s services through the 2022-2023 season.

“In essence, what we’ve done is ripped up the last four years and started over with a ten year contract for Rico, one that ensures stability for his family and also for our hockey program,” Saylor said. “When you think about the embodiment of what we want at Miami, which is our kids graduating and winning championships, hockey is certainly in the right place to signify that’s working here at Miami.”

As far as the team is concerned, the players are thrilled to hear their coach will be around

to mentor future editions of the Brotherhood. Sophomore forward Austin Czarnik and freshman forward Sean Kuraly provided vocal support for the leader of their program and his future.

“Everyone is happy about it, and obviously guys coming in later years will be happy about it, too,” Czarnik said. “He’s here for a reason. He’s done everything right, won championships, so it’s great for the program to have him back.”

Kuraly agreed and added his general attitude is another reason for the success the hockey team has found on and off the ice.

“He’s someone you can joke around with and have fun with, but when it’s time to work he’s going to expect you to work, and that’s the relationship he wants to have with the guys,” Kuraly said. “You know, it seems to work well.”

Next year will be an early test for the program as they head into this new era of hockey under Blasi. The eyes of the program are on the highest prize: a national championship. With this new contract inked, it appears that Miami has taken its first, necessary step towards the pinnacle of NCAA hockey greatness.

FIRE IT UP!

KIM PARENT THE MIAMI STUDENT

Junior Michael Mellott works the grill at the chilli cookoff event put on by Alpha Delta Phi and Kappa Kappa Gamma, Saturday, at Uptown park.

Students face fierce hussle to find off-campus housing

BY LIBBY MUELLER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

As first-year and sophomore Miami University students begin to think about leaving behind the world of bunk beds and community bathrooms in the residence halls, they may start searching for off-campus living in a highly competitive market.

Will Conroy, property manager at Cardinal Group Properties, a real estate company in Oxford, said the off-campus housing market has gotten more competitive among realtors because of a university policy change that came about three or four years ago. “[The off-campus housing market is] definitely competitive,” Conroy said. “It’s gotten more competitive since the university has instituted the sophomore living rule, so there’s less demand and a lot of product on the market which leads to more competition among the real estate agents and the local property management places to find people to live in their houses.”

Level 27 property manager Robert Brinkman said the main way Level 27 attracts students in this competitive market is by emphasizing its amenities, larger size and features, such as individual bathrooms.

Brinkman said price is typically an important factor for students searching for off-campus housing.

“It always depends on the student, obviously, but it’s always a big factor,” Brinkman said. “We’re usually the highest among our two competitors, Hawk’s Landing and Oxford Commons…but we don’t seem to have trouble beating them out in terms of leasing numbers, so price is definitely important to the majority, but it’s not a breaking point.”

According to Brinkman, prices in Oxford are on the lower end compared to Level 27’s management company, Peak Campus Management’s off-campus properties in Cincinnati.

“Our management company has apartments in Cincinnati,” Brinkman said. “Their rent is about a hundred dollars more per

month than ours.”

RE/MAX real estate agent Jason Reynolds said there is competition among students as well.

“It’s competitive in the hot locations,” Reynolds said. “It’s all about the locations, proximity to campus and Uptown.”

Property manager of Uptown N High Rentals April Myers said the two-year on-campus residency requirement has pushed back the time when students typically start looking for off-campus housing. She said sophomores usually look for housing options for their junior year in August and September.

“But now it’s starting to have freshmen looking for two years in advance, which is ridiculous,” Myers said.

Myers said she has seen roommate issues arise because of how early students decide upon offcampus living arrangements. Situations may change from students’ first year at Miami to the time they move off campus.

“People transfer to other schools or other people will study abroad and they don’t know what semester they’re going and they have to find someone to fill their place,” Myers said.

It is difficult to find someone who will fit into the group of students who are living together, according to Myers.

Myers agreed with Reynolds, saying the market is competitive among students.

“I would say that the trends that I see are people leaning more towards houses than apartments; more towards nicer, more well-kept houses and also going for locations,” Myers said. “Some people like to be closer to campus, some people like to be closer to Uptown.”

Senior Sean Crowe started Hutster.com with partner and senior Thomas Gorczynski last year. Hutster.com streamlines and simplifies the off-campus housing search process for students and connects them with Oxford realtors. Crowe said he

HOUSING, SEE PAGE 5

2

CAMPUS

EDITORS VICTORIA SLATER CATHERINE MONCEAUX

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013

CAMPUS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

Alcohol policy at athletic events remains in effect

BY MONICA KOMER FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

The sale of alcohol at Miami University athletic events has always been limited, but beginning in 2006, the sale of alcohol at athletic functions was banned altogether. Today, this policy remains just as strict.

According to Mark Rountree, Miami’s deputy athletic director, spectators can tailgate and consume alcohol before the game, but this alcohol cannot be brought into the athletic event. Rountree said he thinks Miami’s alcohol policy is important for everyone involved in the athletic function.

“From an athletic standpoint, we are trying to create a safe and healthy atmosphere for families and athletes,” he said.

The Ohio State University (OSU), known nationally for its strong athletic program, shares a similar view. However, the school’s policy is not as strict as Miami’s, according to Denny Hoobler, the associate

athletic director at OSU. OSU sells alcohol at men’s and women’s basketball games and men’s ice hockey games. However, the alcohol is restricted to the club level of the event center.

This level is separate from students and other spectators.

recommendation became policy in 2006, the only alcohol sales at athletic events were from a beer tent at the football games that was sponsored by the Miami Alumni Association and Intercollegiate Athletics program.

Wagner said the beer tent was a

Beer is a big money maker, but it’s a liability issue with college students.”

DENNY HOOBLER

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

“The intent is that we wanted to keep it off the main level with students,” Hoobler said. “Beer is a big money maker, but it’s a liability issue with college students.”

According to Claire Wagner, Miami director of university news and communications, Miami received a recommendation in 2006 to end all alcohol sales. Before this

small booth at the Miami football games that would sell beer to spectators of legal drinking age. However, with the majority of Miami undergraduate students unable to drink legally, the beer sales did not earn significant profits, according to Wagner.

ALCOHOL, SEE PAGE 9

Boston Marathon raises commencement security

BY KAILA FRISONE

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

In response to the recent bombings at the Boston Marathon, Miami University has decided to implement increased security measures for the commencement ceremonies to be held Saturday, May 11.

Graduating seniors were notified of the list of prohibited items and other security measures last week, via email. According to Claire Wagner, director of university news and communication, these measures are already in place for athletic events held at Yager Stadium.

According to the updated list, items that will not be permitted at the commencement ceremonies include alcohol, animals,

KIM PARENT THE MIAMI STUDENT

Miami University’s synchronized swimming team showed off its aquatic talents with an end-of-the-year performance Saturday, April 20.

GRADUATION, SEE PAGE 9

MUlaa refund not offered for graduating students

BY DOUG MILLER

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

‘SYNCH’ OR SWIM

backpacks and large bags, computers, iPads and tablets, confetti, containers, food, illegal drugs, laser pointers, permanent markers, paint, dry erase boards, noisemaking devices, sticks or poles, umbrellas and weapons, among numerous other items.

This year, guests should expect to have bags, parcels and clothing capable of hiding prohibited items checked prior to entry. While guests may refuse inspection, management reserves the right to refuse entry to the stadium.

Wagner said she has not received any negative feedback regarding the new security procedures.

By this time of the year, Miami University students’ meal plan finances may be running low, but for students who will be graduating it may not be worth it.

According to Miami’s Housing, Dining, Recreation, and Business Services (HDRBS), it might benefit students to put more money in.

Students or HDRBS can transfer any leftover meal plan money into their MUlaa accounts at the end of the year. This allows students to purchase items at the various bookstores and markets around campus. Students will not get a refund check, even if they do not want to transfer the remaining money to their MUlaa account.

Nancy Heidtman, director of culinary support and the food services headquarters, said she believes Miami’s meal plan was one of the first of its kind. Miami implemented the Diplomat Plan in the late 1990s, in order to provide students

with more flexibility in their meal plans. Before the Diplomat Plan, students were given block meal plans, meaning they were given the three standard meals a day, according to Heidtman.

“It really was a use it or lose it plan, and students would really only eat at their dining halls,” Heidtman said.

According to Heidtman, as dining operations became more complex, HDRBS decided to implement the Diplomat Plan, which allowed students to choose how much they wanted to put in their account at a given time. It also allowed students to transfer any remaining money in the meal plan into their MUlaa accounts.

“The transfer to MUlaa helps students manage their plans, and lets them use their unused balance,” Heidtman said.

Brian Woodruff, director of housing operations, meals and

MULAA,

SEE PAGE 9

Who is Ken Jennings? Jeopardy champion speaks with students

BY KATIE SALLACH

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Monday night, Miami University’s Department of Geography hosted the longest reigning Jeopardy winner, Ken Jennings, for a lecture entitled, “The Rewards of Geographic Curiosity.” Jennings stood in front of a crowded Hall Auditorium filled with Miami students, faculty members and Oxford residents and spoke about his experience being on Jeopardy and the importance of obtaining knowledge in a society that makes it easy to rely on technology for information.

He began the lecture with some insight into the process and

experience of filming episodes of Jeopardy saying it is very different from watching at home.

He also briefly described his practice techniques, which began when he was informed about being a contestant, three weeks before he began recording his first episode. He said his practice routine consisted mainly of watching 12 rerun episodes of Jeopard every day for the three weeks before he began filming.

After acknowledging that most people are suspicious of intellectual people and admitting that he sometimes gets weird looks from people because he knows so much, he argued that people should not be suspicious of intellect and

defended the stereotypical nerdfigure. While he said some people are still stuck in a mindset from the 1980s when the athletic jock-types were in control and the nerds and

Beck that the nerds had already won ten years ago,” Jennings said. “Kids today now aspire to be the Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg types.”

There are things out there that are more strange and wonderful than we might have suspected.”

KEN JENNINGS

LONGEST REIGNING JEOPARDY! CHAMPION

geeks were made fun of, he argued that it is actually the opposite in today’s society.

“I was surprised to find out that no one had told Glenn

He also argued that knowledge is still important today.

“You’re never going to regret learning something,” Jennings said. “There are things out there

that are more strange and wonderful than we might have suspected.”

Jennings cited four main reasons for his belief in the significance of learning and trivia in such a technology dependent era. First he explained that the things people know make it easier for them to learn new things. His second reason was that trivia can serve as bait because it is the fun and interesting part of learning.

Another reason he discussed was that all decisions people make are based on things that they know.

“All the important decisions we make are based on things we

JENNINGS, SEE PAGE 9

Oxford students may cross Three students receive Fulbright grant paths with regional students

BY ALLISON GNAEGY FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

BY ANNA SERIO

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Although Miami University is a school of students from across the nation, more locals may be seen around campus soon. By encouraging these future students from the Butler County area, the new Oxford Pathways Program aims to expand the demographic of students in Oxford to include a higher population of nearby Ohio natives.

Interim Associate Provost Carolyn Haynes helped develop the proposal for the program in its early stages. According to her, beginning fall semester of 2013, the new Oxford Pathways

Program (TOP) will accept students from Butler County and other surrounding counties into a regional campus for their first semester of college. The plan is to then bring these students to the Oxford campus the following semester.

Haynes addressed why integrating these students into regional campuses first is a standard part of the program.

“These students wish to enroll in the selective Oxford campus, but aren’t admitted immediately from high school,” Haynes said, remarking on struggling grades

PATHWAYS, SEE PAGE 9

Three Miami University students have been chosen to receive 20132014 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grants to help teach English in foreign countries.

The grantees are seniors Brian Cash, an architecture major and German minor, Jacob Hofstetter, a history major and Spanish minor and Ryan Martini, an integrated mathematics education major and American literature minor.

Cash said he found out about the opportunity while studying abroad in Germany and will be returning to Germany as an ETA. According to Cash, the application for the ETA grant consists of a grant purpose statement in which applicants describe why they would

be effective teachers who can promote cross-cultural understanding, as well as a personal statement, three letters of recommendation, a copy of their transcript and a foreign language evaluation if needed.

The final step of the application, Cash said, is the on-campus interview in September, approximately one year before the grant period starts.

“Since Germany recommended that I speak German, I not only had my German evaluated, but also had a bit of my on-campus interview in German,” Cash said.

According to Cash, Fulbright ETAs serve as native language “experts” in English classrooms, bringing English language mastery and a knowledge of American culture to the students. He said ETAs are also expected to participate in an

out-of-class project that promotes cross-cultural understanding.

Cash said he served at the Center on Halstead, Chicago’s GLBTQ center, in 2011, and would like to work with the GLBTQ community in Germany for his out-of-class project.

“I’d like to see how the GLBTQ community is both similar and different in Germany,” Cash said.

Cash said his ETA orientation will be in a city outside of Cologne, Germany, September 2. Hofstetter will be teaching in Spain and Martini will be teaching in Indonesia.

For information on how to apply for a Fulbright grant, students can visit their website at www.fulbrightonline.org. Cash also recommended a link to Fulbright’s application tips: http://us.fulbrightonline.org/application-tips/eta.

EDITORS JANE BLAZER CHRIS CURME

COMMUNITY

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013

COMMUNITY@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

3

POLICE Sluggish summers slow business

BEAT

Rum-drinking runner chases employee down Around 2:15 a.m. Wednesday, OPD was dispatched to the alley behind The Woods Bar, 17 N. Poplar St., in reference to a theft, OPD said.

21-year-old first-year Peter Mason had reached over the bar, snagged a bottle of rum and guzzled it, according to OPD. When approached by management, he shoved the bottle between the floor and the foot rail of the bar, unsuccessfully attempting to conceal it.

Employees escorted Mason oustide and attempted to flag down an officer, according to OPD. An employee ran down a cruiser, but was unable to hail it. Mason ran after the employee as he or she called OPD from a cell phone. When officers arrived, Mason and the employee were panting after Mason had attempted to snatch the phone, according to OPD. Mason was cited for theft and released, according to OPD.

BY JESSICA BARGA STAFF WRITER

With summer fast approaching, many local businesses are anticipating a drop in patronage as Miami University students leave town.

Alan Kyger, Oxford’s director of economic development, said Miami students make up a hefty percentage of the town during the academic year, comparing approximately 22,000 full-time residents to roughly 16,000 students. Consequently, students are often the main patrons of Oxford businesses during the school year, according to Kyger.

“It really depends on the type of business…some are less affected by student trade, but there definitely is a major impact on trade during the summer,” Kyger said.

Oxford experiences slowdowns when the students are not here, typically during the summer and

between first and second semester, according to Kyger.

Kyger said he was not aware of any Oxford shops or restaurants that completely shut down during the summer months, although business might be slower depending on the type of venue. For example, Oxford’s bars are generally emptier during the summer.

“Oxford is the opposite of a resort town,” Kyger said. “The summer months can be tough months [for businesses].”

However, with less studenttraffic when school is not in session, parking is more available and shops Uptown are less crowded.

“Some businesses, like B-Dubs, for example, can see more business from townspeople into the summer…it’s a totally different town in the summer,” Kyger said.

The slowest part of the year is often at the end of July and into early August as summer sessions wrap up and Oxford families leave

for end-of-summer vacations, according to Kyger.

Oxford’s recently-opened T.J. Maxx is another store that will likely see a reduction in numbers as students head home at the conclusion of the semester.

T.J. Maxx, located at 550 S. Locust St., had its grand opening April 14. According to store manager Antwan Isaac, the turnout was much larger than expected.

“It seemed like half of Oxford was there,” Isaac said. “We had a lot more [people] than we had planned.”

Since the opening, the store has been experiencing mostly continuous patronage, Isaac said.

The store also employs a number of Miami students, but the summer months are not expected to be too detrimental to the store’s operation.

“With students out, yes, it will be slower, but I think we’ll still do fine,” Isaac said.

Miami senior Anna Zwegat, who

Uptown changes seasonally

Bloody boy is found tucked in fetal position Around 3:12 a.m. Wednesday an OPD officer observed an unattended male lying in the fetal position on the side porch of the unlit residence at 126 E. Church St., OPD said.

As the officer crouched over the ball of a man, he noticed an abrasion on his nose and dried blood on his forehead. After several unsuccessful attempts, the officer roused first-year John Slomsky from his slumber, according to OPD. The officer could see Slomsky’s wallet bulging from his pocket and asked for identification, according to OPD. Slomsky raised his arms, indicating to the officer that he may retrieve it himself, which he did.

Inside were two driver’s licenses, one of which bore Slomsky’s name.

Slomsky informed the officer he was 18. After reading Slomsky’s license, the officer told him he was 19. “That’s right,” Slomsky said, according to OPD. Slomsky said he did not know where he was. When asked where he resided, he replied “19 Phi Tau,” OPD said.

As Slomsky attempted to stand multiple times, complaining he had to urinate, the officer noted an alcoholic odor and a vacancy behind his red, glassy eyes. After failing to enter the house, Slomsky proceeded to urinate on a bush directly before the officer, according to OPD. Slomsky was cited for underage offenses and disorderly conduct, public intoxication, according to OPD.

Late-night knocker lurks at DKE’s door Around 4:48 a.m. Wednesday, residents of Delta Kappa Epsilon, 325 E. Sycamore St., contacted OPD in reference to an unwanted person on their property, OPD said.

Residents informed OPD that sophomore Leon Seserman had been lurking around the property since 4:00 a.m. and was given several opportunities to leave and go home before police were called.

However, Seserman continued to bang on the entrance and eventually dislodged glass from the door, according to OPD. Seserman claimed to be 18 years old, but when asked for his date of birth he gave a date confirming his actual age of 20. Hearing Seserman claim that he lived across the street, officers soon believed Seserman thought he was at 320 Tallawanda St., according to OPD. Throughout their interaction, officers noticed Seserman was intoxicated. He was secured in the cruiser but soon became irritated, according to OPD. He was cited for underage intoxication and disorderly conduct.

returns several weeks early before the fall semester for marching band practices, agreed with Kyger’s sentiment that the town is much quieter during the summer months.

“There’s no one here, and it’s not crowded at all,” Zwegat said.

“You feel like you have the place to yourself. During the school year, [Uptown] is really busy, and during the summer it’s not.”

Senior Emily Mossler said she has experienced things like shorter business hours during the summer as well.

“I remember we went to SoHi once on a Thursday night around six, and it was closed,” Mossler said. “The town just sounds pretty dead. The bars are deserted…it can be fun, but it’s a lot emptier.”

Still, the slower months can be welcome to some businesses, Kyger said.

“A lot of Oxford businesses are family-run, and they need a break,” Kyger said.

BY VICTORIA POSMANTUR

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

BEN TAYLOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

KUMLER COMES TO LIFE AS CHOIRS PERFORM

8 p.m. Monday, Chamber Singers and Choraliers perform together in Kumler Chapel.

Transportation still available in summer

BY KATIE MARK

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Summer in Oxford elicits a massive reduction in the student population, but for those taking classes at Miami University over the summer, there are still a few transportation options in and around Oxford, despite the discontinuation of the Miami Metro.

The Butler County Regional Transit Authority (BCRTA) assistant general manager Matthew Dutkevicz said the BCRTA route one (R1) and route two (R2) will be some of the few transportation services running in Oxford over the summer, along with local taxis.

“The R1 is the Middletown-Hamilton bus and that’ll run it’s normal schedule over the summer,” Dutkevicz said. “The R2 is the Middletown-Oxford bus and that one will also continue its normal schedule over the summer.”

The route three (R3), which is the Oxford-Hamilton bus, will stop running May 10 and it will resume when school starts Aug. 18, according to Dutkevicz.

The R1 and R2 routes continue to run over the summer due to the assistance from the City of Middletown to keep them running.

Most transit systems receive a local tax funding from their county, but Butler County does not provide it.

The only funding it receives comes from federal grants, but money is not simply handed out from the government, Dutkevicz said.

“You have to have what they call local match,” Dutkevicz said. “So there is a grant available and I have to have 20 percent in the BCRTA bank account. Most other systems have some sort of tax levy that helps them get the 20 percent they need, but we don’t have that here.”

Dutkevicz said they receive

money through partnerships with Miami, the City of Middletown and other organizations.

“The university has made a commitment with public transit for next fall and the money they put in only pays for the service that’s running during the school year,” Dutkevicz said. “And unfortunately at this time, there is no more grant money available to run it over the summer, but our hope is that this is the only year that it doesn’t exist in some form. We would like to have the R3 service for over the summer, but we have to have some funding for it first.”

The BCRTA schedule is online and will remain the same for the rest of the year. They service approximately every two hours depending on the time of day, according to Dutkevicz.

Oxford Taxi owner Michael Sizemore said they maintain a 24-hour presence in Oxford during the summer, even though business slows down due to a lack of students.

“During the school season, we do about 500 to 600 runs a week and during the summer time, we’ll do anywhere from 100 to 150 per week,” Sizemore said. “The locals do use us, but they’re out more during the summer than they are during the school season, yet they still use us during the school year, just not as often.”

Sizemore said business at night depends on the weather, which is usually nice over the summer so most people prefer to walk. But they will provide runs around town for locals going to work early in the morning when it is chilly.

“We run into the surrounding area like College Corner and Hamilton,” Sizemore said. “We also do mall runs like Kenwood mall and we do run airports as well.”

Sizemore said many international

students are around which helps contribute to business and they will drive the students to surrounding hotels and airports just before they travel.

As for taxi fares, Sizemore said they have the lowest in Oxford, but it still perpetuates a problem for first-year international student Julieta Tijero.

Without a car in Oxford, she is not happy about the limited transportation while taking classes at Miami over the summer.

“Not having the Miami Metro over the summer will limit me because I won’t be able to go to Kroger or Walmart like I usually do during the school year,” Tijero said. “I will have to pay for a taxi and spend money I wasn’t expecting to spend.”

Sizemore said they are able to keep their fares so low because they do not accept credit cards.

“We charge inside one square mile we consider to be the town of Oxford, which is Locust to Patterson and Chestnut to Sycamore and regardless if you’re a student or a local, we only charge $5,” Sizemore said.

“Going out to Walmart we charge ten dollars and then the bus stations are $65 and airports are $75.”

Yet, a week to two weeks before school begins in August, business drastically picks up again especially from people calling for airport pickups, according to Sizemore.

“Students have been away from each other for three months or so and when they come back the first thing they want to do is go Uptown and party and have fun with their friends,” Sizemore said. “So our nighttime business starts to escalate.”

Despite limited transportation in Oxford, the Oxford Taxi will continue its services.

“We want everybody to know we’ll be here and we’ll be here for awhile,” Sizemore said.

Frequenters of Uptown may have noticed some changes to the High Street landscape.

Alan Kyger, Oxford’s director of economic development, discussed upcoming additions to the community.

Since the Great Escape Princess 4 Theater, 10 N. Beech St., closed in early November, there has been much speculation as to the property’s fate.

“The owner of Alliance Entertainment Group, Anne Ragains, sold all 26 of her 27 movie theaters to Regal Cinema, except for the Princess Theater in Oxford,” Kyger said. “There have been several individuals interested in this site. As of now, I think she is taking a step back and evaluating the offers she’s gotten for the property. Many of them want to keep it a theater, while some would like to redevelop it.”

Many Teppanyaki lovers have been awaiting the grand opening of Fuji House Express, 5 W. High St., according to Kyger.

“The Fuji Express is getting closer to opening,” Kyger said. “I believe they’re in their final steps and have all their kitchen equipment.

They’re just waiting for.... final approval from the city of occupancy.”

Oxford Self-Serve Yogurt shop, 26 W. High St., was transformed into La Comida Burritos on January 15 of this year and has recently and publically closed, according to Justin Elgie, owner of La Comida and Quiznos Sub, 32 W. High St. “Right now we’re in the process of a lot of changes and negotiations,” Elgie said. “We’re trying to re-open as soon as possible and the new edition will have a very cool concept.”

Elgie said much is still in the works.

“We haven’t completely solidified all of the plans but we will hopefully be opening in June or July,” Elgie said. “We do know that La Comida will be a delivery business.”

There are tentative plans to bring a new development to the 5 N. Beech St. property, according to Kyger, though not until August.

“When places change around here, it’s typically during the summer.,” Kyger said.

Miami University sophomore Brittany Lansky said she is excited for the new Uptown developments.

“As a rising junior I’m looking forward to spending the next two years living uptown,” Lansky said.

“I’m really excited that I’ll be so close to all of the action and that any new openings will keep my housemates and I busy and allow us to try something new.”

4

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TENNIS,

FROM PAGE 10 the moment and are mentally tough (in singles).”

Ball State (14-10, 5-3 MAC) finished off its season strong by posting consecutive wins over Western Michigan and Northern Illinois University. In the 4-3 decision against the Broncos, the Cardinals failed to pick up the doubles point, but took the singles matches they needed thanks to the help of sophomore Courtney Wild, freshmen Courtney Earnest and Bethany Moore and junior Kristel Sanders.

Ball State is 6-2 in matches played in Muncie this season.

Western Michigan (11-13, 4-4 MAC) is on a bit of a cold

TRACK & FIELD, 6200 Frank Ave. N.W. • North Canton

330-494-6170 • 1-800-797-STARK (797-8275) www.starkstate.edu 2013

FROM PAGE 10

The MAC allows each team to send up to 30 athletes to the conference championships, given that they qualify. Mandrell said a rough estimate of how many athletes he is decided on is 24.

The RedHawks have dealt with unfortunate weather almost all year long, and Mandrell said he hopes the weather cooperates and the Red and White can have a productive meet.

“I thought after the [Sea Ray Relays] the team was confident,” Mandrell said. “Hopefully we can get some good weather this weekend and have a good week.”

The women’s track and field team will have competitors in Oxford this Saturday, but some of the top performers will be travelling to Des Moines, Iowa to compete in the Drake Relays.

Head Coach Kelly Phillips said sophomores Melissa Girgis, Amanda Hancock and Anna Lamb will be competing in the 10,000 meter run in Iowa. Senior Layne Baggett will compete in the 100 meter hurdles and junior Tori Paterra will throw the javelin. Phillips also said redshirt senior Diona Graves, junior

5

streak as it has dropped four straight matches to close out the season. The Broncos take on Ball State Thursday.

“This week, we’re working on point play situations and getting adjusted to the different styles of play we may face,” Head Coach Anca Dumitrescu said. “We need to compete this weekend, regardless of who we play, and we need to play with determination, poise and just stay with the game plan.”

Miami will face the winner of Ball State and Western Michigan 10 a.m. Saturday, with the winner advancing to the finals noon Sunday to face either No. 2 seed Bowling Green State University, No. 3 seed the University of Akron or the No. 6 seed the University at Buffalo.

Erica Howes and sophomore Elisa Frazier will be travelling to Iowa.

With the exception of three throwers, the whole team took last weekend off from competition in order to rest.

“We were on a pretty good roll, the worst thing we could do is run them into the ground,” Phillips said. “Throwers get into a groove so they like to compete every week.”

Redshirt senior Katie Scannell said she has been satisfied with her performance thus far.

“I am pretty happy, I’d like to be a little faster but coming back from my injury has limited me,” Scannell said.

Phillips said she believes the team is where she wants it to be as they approach MAC Championships.

“We’re good where we’re at, we need to keep doing what we’re doing and fine tune for [the MAC Championships,” Phillips said.

Scannell agreed the RedHawks are happy where they are.

“I’m not really sure what we could change to improve because we’re doing really well,” Scannell said. “I’m not sure changes would be a good idea.”

The events are scheduled to begin 11:00 am.

SOCCER

RedHawks finish spring exhibition schedule, ready for title defense

BY ZACH MACIASZEK FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

Coming off of the success of a season which culminated in a second-round loss in the NCAA tournament, the Miami University women’s soccer team was eager to take to the practice field this spring.

Unfortunately, Head Coach Bobby Kramig said uncooperative weather has limited the team’s ability to practice.

“This spring has been very, very frustrating,” Kramig said. “It hasn’t been nearly as productive as we would have liked it to have been, and really it’s all just been weather related.”

The RedHawks do not have an indoor practice facility, so they are unable to practice

CLASSES, FROM PAGE 1

she chooses classes based more on her interest and hearsay about the professor, rather than on the times classes are offered.

“I don’t understand why I would be forced into a course I don’t want to take just because they want to fill class spots,” Burke said. “What happens if I am not taking the class because it doesn’t interest me as much or the professor isn’t as highly recommended?

I have force added several classes before, because I’m not just paying all this money for a degree, I’m here to take classes I want to take.”

Sauter said popular classes like wine tasting should be offered at earlier times so they do not fill up as fast.

“I’ve urged departments to put the classes that tend to be favorites in the early or late time slots, meaning they will hopefully be offered at 8:30 a.m. or 4 p.m.,” he said. “If students really want it, the time won’t affect the enrollment.

Students shouldn’t be deterred by getting up for an 8:30 class. It’s what will be expected in the working world, and

if it is raining heavily.

“We haven’t been able to get outside as much as we normally would,” Kramig said.

“When we have gone outside, the field’s been frozen and it’s been bitter cold.”

The RedHawks finished their spring season with a 1-2-2 record after tying the University of Dayton Wednesday. One of the RedHawks’ exhibition games was canceled due to inclement weather. Due to the shortened exhibition season, Kramig said he has some unanswered questions heading into the regular season next fall.

“I would have liked to have had some of our reserve players get a bit more time, both in terms of training and playing time,” Kramig said.

When the RedHawks have been able to practice, Kramig has seen a team that has steadily improved as the exhibition season has progressed.

“I think it’s been all right, you know?” Kramig said. “I think when we played against Butler, we played that game having practiced for four games in freezing cold, and we looked like a team that had practiced for four days. I think that as the spring has gone on, and the weather has improved a little bit. Our practices have gotten better, they’ve become more productive and we have played better.”

Kramig said he stressed during the practice season he is mostly concerned with individual improvement from the players and not necessarily the final result in

the win/loss column.

“Spring is different,” Kramig said. “If this were the fall I would say that we would be looking to win. Certainly we want to do well; we want to win the game.

But we’re focused more on individual players in these games, and on small groups and small tactics types of things.”

One player that the RedHawks will rely upon this upcoming season is rising junior captain Katy Dolesh. Dolesh said the goal of this spring season was increasing team chemistry, as several players will be asked to step into more prominent roles when the regular season starts.

“There’s new people that are stepping into each position that have maybe played [that position] their whole lives but haven’t had

the opportunity at Miami as much as they’d like to, and I think that they’re slowly starting to fit in,” Dolesh said.

One such player is rising freshman forward/midfielder Sydney Neal. Neal agreed with Dolesh’s assessment.

“I completely agree,” Neal said. “I’m one of the players that are trying to connect with everybody, so that’s kind of been a team goal [this spring].”

The RedHawks know they face high expectations for next season, and rising sophomore vice-captain Courtney Zanotti said they are ready to meet the challenge.

“We set the bar really high this season, and I think we can be just as good if not better if our heads are in the right place,” Zanotti said.

it’s not that early.”

He may think it’s a practical time to start, but it’s not for students like senior Sonam Tsomo, who said she works morning shifts at the university’s culinary support center from 4 a.m. until 10 a.m.

“I don’t take classes until after noon so I can get a decent amount of sleep in between work and school,” she said. “I think it’s unfair to assume all students are going to work at jobs that start at 8 or 9 a.m. There will be people who work all kinds of hours and it’s close minded of the university to decide we all need to get on their schedule.”

This viewpoint supports cheek’s argument that the university is using assumptions and generalizations to make changes that will create a more standardized university, one that may not be beneficial to the majority of the student body. However, the system is not set in stone. If student outcry is there, administrators will look to rework the requirements.

“This is a new model, and we’re still poking holes in it,” Sauter said. “As issues are raised, we will address them and make the necessary adjustments.”

HOUSING,

market is here and people are willing to pay it,” Crowe said.

According to Crowe, one of the reasons students sign so far in advance for off-campus housing for their junior year is because of the behavior of realtors and property managers. “[The off-campus housing market] is super competitive,” Crowe said. “The realtors are always trying to get the students faster than the other one. That’s kind of why the market is the way it is. You have to sign a lease a year, a year and a half in advance.”

Crowe also said realtors and property managers help to create competition among students.

“When we signed, the landlord showed us the house with another group, so it kind of made us sign faster,” Crowe said. “It gave us a sense of urgency.”

Sophomore Aly Gialamas said she started considering off-campus housing options for her junior year when she was a first-year, but put the most effort into the search process late September of this school year. She said she decided

upon Heritage Commons for her junior year.

According to Gialamas, living with someone she knew she would be comfortable living with was the biggest factor in choosing Heritage Commons.

“But also, it’s all-inclusive,” Gialamas said. “There’s someone who cleans the bathroom, laundry’s attached to the building, heating and cooling was included.

It was a little easier to figure out.

You also have Internet and cable and it’s furnished already, so that was a big factor.”

Gialamas said price was not a big factor for her when searching for off-campus housing options.

“From what I’ve heard from a lot of people around campus, it’s not a huge issue,” Gialamas said.

According to Gialamas, most of the off-campus housing options are expensive.

“When I was looking, there’s a common price point,” Gialamas said. “Everything’s super expensive and if it’s not super expensive, it’s not somewhere you’d really want to live.”

FROM PAGE 1

and Gorczynski conducted a survey and found students generally look at three main attributes when searching for off-campus housing.

“The main three or four things every student looks for at first is what year it’s [off-campus housing option] available, the number of residents and location,” Crowe said. “I’d say those are the top three things people look for. It’s funny, price for a lot of students is almost secondary. They look for those first and then sort through the price after that.”

However, according to Crowe, price is not secondary for many other Miami students. Crowe said for him and his housemates, price was an important factor in choosing their house because money was an issue. Crowe also said he believes off-campus housing prices in Oxford are higher than those at similar schools.

“From what I’ve heard, our market here’s pretty inflated just because the demand is here and the

6

OPINION

EDITORS EMILY ELDRIDGE NICOLE THEODORE

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013

EDITORIAL@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

EDITORIAL

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

Tweaks in next semester course offerings won’t stop the party The times and days classes will be offered will change next semester. The same amount of Friday classes will be offered as Monday and Wednesday classes. We’ll see many more Monday/Friday classes and Wednesday/Friday classes being offered, and 8 a.m. classes will be pushed a half-hour as well. One of the reasons? Miami University students are drinking too much. Interesting. Yes, we found this one hard to wrap our heads around, too.

The editorial board at The Miami Student agrees this is a step backward for Miami. There are many more students that will be put at a disadvantage by this change and there are plenty of reasons why we don’t support this tweak of course offerings.

To start, the option of a threeday weekend is vital to many students as well as faculty. Take the second-semester senior for example. This past semester he/ she didn’t have classes on Fridays and was able to travel to Chicago, Washington D.C., Cleveland and so on to interview with various companies. Since corporate offices are normally not open on the weekend, the student was able to make it to the interview on Friday without having to skip class. But now, Miami University is removing the regularity of the threeday weekend…do you see where we’re going with this one?

And it’s not just students; many professors travel to conferences and seminars on the weekends, and on top of that traveling on Thursday is simply much easier and more efficient.

Many students also enjoy the teaching style of a certain professor, for example, and want to take another class of theirs the following semester, but with the changes in scheduling options, many students will find this difficult or impossible to do. A lot of Miami students work part-time, and some at odd hours. They know they need a class schedule fitting to their student job, but next semester, some students may be forced to quit their jobs, simply because they won’t fit it into their schedules.

Taking away the option of a three-day weekend for many students and staff is extremely inconvenient, especially because the reasons for doing so are simply to stop students from drinking.

We say students who schedule their semester around drinking, partying and sleeping are not going to be responsible once these changes happen. They are

going to drink anyway, even if that means skipping class to do so. We thought of a more logical solution: what if professors were required to take class attendance? That seems like a more efficient way to make sure kids are in class.

Rather than spoon-feeding us responsibility, Miami should allow us to learn how to make responsible choices on our own. A student who says, “I know I’m not a morning person, so I’m not going to register for an 8 a.m. class because I know I’ll never make it,” is making an honest, responsible choice.

One argument the university might make is that they are trying to prepare us for the real world.

Today, you hardly ever see a corporate employee punch in at 9 a.m. and be forced to leave at 5 p.m.

Employers are becoming more flexible and workers are able to set their own hours or work from home. If an employee needs to come in at 6 a.m. because they have to leave the office by 2 p.m., that is their choice. Their boss is probably not going to set even more restrictions on them, but that seems to be what Miami is doing, adding another layer of reinforcement to the ‘Miami bubble.’

Lastly, try to find a college that doesn’t have a drinking atmosphere. There are other more severe issues that Miami should be concerned about like sexual assault and drug use. Typically, people drink heavily in college.

That has been going on for years.

But drug abuse and rape are much larger problems that usually don’t just stop after graduation. We need to learn how to balance our time at the bars and in the classroom. And college is where we are supposed to learn these skills. The only thing these changes are doing is taking people who are responsible and punishing them because the people who have a real drinking problem are going to continue to make the wrong decisions, no matter if they have class at 9 a.m. the next day.

We aren’t in high school anymore, we are adults who must take responsibility into our own hands and the university needs to know that these changes are simply making it more complicated for their students to be wellrounded and successful. We have lives outside of this university; we have work, family functions, interviews, volunteer opportunities and so much more on Fridays, and now this rules out many of those possibilities. We really don’t like this one, Miami.

Rule of Thumb Ken Jennings

PATRICK GEYSER THE MIAMI STUDENT

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Bragging rights should not be the Miami motive President David Hodge’s announcement of a “Great SealWriting Contest” for the new student center provides an opportunity to consider the motto on Miami’s seal, “Prodesse Quam Conspici.”

Translated, this means to achieve, to improve, to advance -- but to do so without boasting about it, without bragging about it, and without screaming “LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME! HEY EVERYBODY, LOOK AT ME! I’M THE BESTEST, MOST WONDERFULEST THING IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE EVER!” Instead, Miami’s traditional

seal is a succinct statement of quintessential Midwest values: Do your work, do it well, strive to learn, to do better and to achieve and advance -- but don’t make an asinine, self-promoting show of it.

Yet bombarded as we are from the university with constant hype about our most wonderful rankings in the history of the world ever, Mother Miami seems to have prostituted her noble ideal into its antithesis: “CONSPICI! CONSPICI! ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT -- NOTHING BUT CONSPICI! GIANT OCEAN CARGO SHIPS FULL OF CONSPICI!” “OUR CONSPICI

IS THE FIFTH BEST CONSPICI IN THE NATION!” HEY WE’RE CONSPICI ABOUT OUR CONSPICI!” So let us have a Seal-Writing Contest, but I’ll go President Hodge one better: In addition to a contest, let us also put back the grand old Miami seal on all university stationery, make its motto “Prodesse Quam Conspici” a prominent part of what President Hodge calls the Miami experience, and scrap the current “lamp of knowledge” image that has the profundity of a fool.

PROF. JAMES BROCK

BROCKJ@MIAMIOH.EDU

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Our favorite Jeopardy! winner visited Miami on Monday. p. 2

Fulbright Award winners A big congratulations to Brian Cash, Jacob Hofstetter and Ryan Martini for their huge accomplishment.

Safety at graduation An increase in security at graduation is good, but why haven’t we had this in the past? p. 2

Meal plan to MUlaa It would be nice to be reembursed instead of it transferring to MUlaa.

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7

ANDREW’S ASSESSMENTS

Media presents an unbalanced, problematic coverage of the gun control debate Turn on any mainstream political TV coverage over the last few weeks and you’ll hear a familiar refrain, 90 percent of Americans support background checks as a precondiANDREW tion to own GEISLER a gun. Any politician who disagrees is a cowardly fool pandering only to the National Rifle Association (NRA) afraid of their strong lobbying arm.

The mainstream media has been openly rooting for the passage of any form of new gun legislation in response to the tragedy in Newtown. This statistic clearly became their ticket to doing all they could to finally help get something through that do-nothing Congress.

The perfect pair of senators teamed up to push the background checks amendment in the Senate—former head of the

uber-conservative Club for Growth Pat Toomey, and the NRA A+ lifetime rating Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who actually shot the President’s health care law with a gun in a campaign ad back in 2010.

Yet still, even with the perfect team pushing for it, and a supposed 90 percent of the American public on their side, the ToomeyManchin background checks amendment failed 54-46. Five Democrats voted against the bill, including Majority Leader Harry Reid, whose no vote was the result of Senate procedure.

Walking off the Senate floor, Senator Max Baucus was asked to explain his no vote—he responded with one word “Montana.”

Senator Heidi Heitkamp, whose vote has turned her into a punching bag for the elites, told POLITICO the phone calls her office received on the issue went seven to one against. All while a group bankrolled by Michael Bloomberg dropped $180,000 worth of advertising into North Dakota’s media markets. So much for grassroots support.

The gun debate illustrates perfectly the open spaces vs. closed in spaces theory of American life— a concept that shows the need for a restrained federalism. Folks who live in the heartland don’t

common-sense and centrist conventional wisdom, seemingly has a new executive producer over the past few weeks. His name? New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

It’s the only explanation for their

The problem is that the mainstream press struggles to cover this divide, injecting their own closed-in-spaces bias since all of the major media markets are in urban areas.

need and don’t want the same kind of regulations this country’s urbanites need and desire. The problem is that the mainstream press struggles to cover this divide, injecting their own closedin-spaces bias since all of the major media markets are in urban areas. And while the elite bias is a highly irritating root cause of the coverage, their tactics have been equally as deplorable.

MSNBC’s Morning Joe, while usually the bastion of

ESSAY

public shaming of each and every Senator who voted against 90 percent of the American people and doesn’t care if terrorists have access to guns, an actual angle Joe Scarborough took on the vote.

News coverage should be better than a Maureen Dowd New York Times column, and when it relies so heavy on editorial content disguised as down the middle news analysis, or even reporting, that should scare an engaged citizen.

Here’s something important to

know: the context behind the 90 percent statistic is that, according to a Washington Post poll, only 47 percent of adults identified as disappointed or angry over the vote on Toomey-Manchin, and 39 percent were very happy or relieved,. and 13 percent had no opinion.

So much for that grand sweeping consensus that every member of Congress has been hit over the head with during every press hit for the last month.

In her interview with POLITICO, Senator Heitkamp put it the best when she said, “My frustration is nothing in that bill would have prevented any one of the three very high-profile shootings that we’ve had.”

In its nature, conservatism cools the heels of liberalisms excesses—the post-Newtown gun debate is the perfect example of this. If only the media, instead of castigating conservatives, was willing to respect and make an effort to understand this point of view instead of being an embarrassingly active cheerleader for the left.

ESSAY

A more practical free market Medicaid proposal Congress should embrace new bipartisan agenda this spring We so often hear about proposed reforms to entitlement programs such as Medicaid, but it seems clear that there are choices we can make now that would immediately improve the program.

One of these common-sense proposals is based on the prin-

deserving poor all we want, but we suggest focusing on reforms the American public can relate to and conceptualize.

The food stamp program incorporates this concept by allowing recipients to use their own cash to make up the difference in order to pay the market price.

The Medicaid program, however, does not allow such subsidization, thus pricing its users out of many health options that would reduce overall program costs and even improve participants’ health.

You may ask why users don’t do this already. The answer is that it is illegal for people on Medicaid to add to the government rate and pay the market price for care.

This makes finding a doctor who will take your set government reimbursement rate the biggest problem in finding healthcare.

While there are over 1,300 walk-in clinics in our country

The answer is that it is illegal for people on Medicaid to add to the government rate and pay the market price for care. ciples of the free market.

We can debate the legitimacy concepts of entitlement or

that provide high-quality care at a reasonable price, many do not accept Medicaid patients, forcing them to visit an emergency room or hospital at a higher cost.

This pattern of increased cost is leading to a higher burden, which is placed on the taxpayer. It also erodes the concept of ‘assistance’ from the Medicaid program and shifts towards ‘reliance’ and patients’ health becomes worse and requires additional attention.

According to John Goodman, “If we just allow low-income people to obtain health care in the same way we allow them to obtain food, we would make health care immediately accessible to millions of people.”

We urge others to realize the poor can be helped in other ways by allowing choice when it comes to matters of access and quality.

JOHN MYERS

MYERSJB2@MIAMIOH.EDU

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Congress began looking like Congress again these past few weeks, despite its pitfalls. Regardless, major progress could be seen not only on the gun debate, but on immigration and a budget. It was a style of legislating that has not been seen in some time within the halls of Congress. Something that was even more of a rarity, a sign of bipartisanship from Senators Joe Manchin (D- W. Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). Furthermore, an observer of Congress can see movement with these policy initiatives going through the steps of putting these measures to a vote.

It has been a long winter for members of both Houses of Congress. It started with a hotly contested debate on the fiscal cliff in December, then came sequester and a filibuster in early March. Needless to say, such events did nothing to thaw relations between either house or its members. Perhaps the arrival of spring will bring upon the thaw needed to pass bipartisan versions of each major bill on the legislative agenda.

This spring has brought upon a broad set of legislative issues that members of Congress will have to make a choice on, and that choice will have a consequence. For now, the focus has been on the Senate’s vote on the Toomey-Manchin gun bill. The bill itself is a broad solution to strengthen background checks and overall purchasing of guns in this country. The broad bill opened the door for senators to take a stance on the issue and not lose bipartisan support for the bill on its face.

Sadly, that was not the case.

While many commentators chastise the United States Senate for their shortcomings on the gun bill vote, it was an uphill battle to begin with. The Toomey-Manchin bill was the equivalent of a political buffet, a lone plate waiting to be filled with many amendments provided by other members. Such a weak construction could not pass the Senate and was sure to meet its demise in the House. Despite the failure of the bill, its character of bipartisan support is what the country is looking for when pitching a domestic agenda.

The same story can be said for the upcoming immigration bill being brought forth by the Senate’s Gang of 8. Bipartisan support for a broad policy initiative mirrors the same process as seen with the gun bill also originating in the Senate. A diverse company of legislators from different parties and demographics has the ability to push the smaller pockets of partisanship that may be apprehensive about passing immigration reform.

These are promising signs of hope for movement on the

legislation, but its passage through the Senate is a different story.

Even more foreboding for the Toomey-Manchin bill is its ability to move through the House of Representatives. The amendment process in the Senate will only do more to make the bill more contentious than it already is. The more the bill is amended to make restrictions more specific, the harder it will be to at least pass the Senate. The same can be said of any controversial bill that is put forth to a chamber of Congress.

A bill in the House of Representatives is a very different conundrum.

The opinions are more plural, and more partisan. There is also the issue of special interest and the consequences associated with a vote for or against the gun bill in the House.

Voters and special interest have a much shorter interval to remember how a member of Congress voted on the bill, and therefore a shorter interval to amass forces against a member who voted against the interests of the status quo in the member’s district.

The Toomey-Manchin bill has an uphill battle against the parliamentary procedure of Congress. Even with President Obama climbing the Hill, and parents of Newtown victims lobbying members of the House and Senate. The political and emotional strength behind this initiative may be strongest that any piece of legislation has seen President Obama pushed Obamacare through a democratically controlled Congress. As President Obama will soon remember, Congress is designed to stop legislation.

Something that is worth noting is that the age of the domestic agenda has returned to the forefront of American politics. In the past decade, American politics has been focused on our view on the global stage, dealing with the defense of the country. Slowly the country has moved toward nation building at home as President Obama had promised during his most recent state of the union address. It is encouraging that the American people are pushing lawmakers to make the country better and safer than it was a decade ago.

This spring is the awakening for a legislative agenda that has been dormant through the log-jammed winter of economic partisanship.

The time is upon the U.S. Congress to take control of a domestic agenda that can respect the process and opinion of democracy, while accomplishing goals that are paramount to the improvement of this country.

MICHAEL WOESTE

WOESTE.MF@GMAIL.COM

8

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9

Multiple CAS media departments merge MEGAN THOBE

FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

The way media, journalism and film studies courses are organized and offered to students at Miami University is changing dramatically.

University Senate adopted a resolution at their meeting April 8 that will allow for the combination of the communication, journalism and film studies programs into one new department called the Media, Journalism and Film (MJF) Department, according to meeting minutes.

According to Howard Kleiman, chair of the Department of Communication and member of the organization committee for the new department, the new department structure has been created after roughly four years of formal planning and results will be beneficial for students.

“It’s meant to encompass all of the different aspects of each of the included programs,” Kleiman said.

The existing strategic communication and journalism majors will keep their current names and will no longer have a pre-major status, according to Kleiman.

The new requirements will allow more open entry into any major or minor within the department.

“We wanted to be inclusive, it was always hard to turn people away from communication programs,” Kleiman said. “The reason for having closed [entry] in the past was pragmatic, it wasn’t kind to take everyone if they couldn’t get the classes they needed.”

According to Richard Campbell, the interim chair for the MJF Department and the only applicant for the new department chair position of the new program, removing the requirements may cause a rise in enrollment to media related majors, but it should not affect students’ ability to register for required classes.

“The Dean of the College of Arts

Innovation happens when people come together to share what they’re doing.”

RONALD BECKER

MIAMI UNIVERSITY COMPARATIVE MEDIA STUDIES PROFESSOR

The new MJF Department will encompass existing programs, as well as bring on curriculum changes according to Kleiman.

He said the MJF course book for the class of 2017 shows the new curriculum requires only COM 143 before taking other courses within a department major.

The current mass communication major will be referred to as Media and Culture under the new department and the new curriculum will remove the three formal focus areas of media production, media criticism and media industries.

and Sciences has ensured that our resources will grow with registration rates,” Campbell said. “Media majors have always been popular and will continue to be popular. That will never change.”

Under the MJF Department, students will need to have either a second major or two minors that are outside of the department and will also need to meet the Miami Plan requirements according to Campbell.

The MJF Department expects more changes to come. A Comparative Media Studies (CMS) Major is in future plans, according to

Kleiman. The co-major is not yet officially approved, but is nearing the final stagesoftheapprovalprocess,according to Ronald Becker, comparative media studies professor and a member on the planning committee.

This major would be an interdisciplinary approach to the study of media. Students would self-design their sequence of courses from departments across the university, according to Becker.

Becker said he feels the comparative media studies program will offer a great new opportunity for students.

“It will give people the opportunity to get involved with media and media technologies in a new way,” Becker said. “Students will be able to take advantage of many different courses that can be applied in different ways.”

Also in future plans is a film studies major. The current film studies program is offered only as a minor now because of the expense associated with film equipment, according to Becker. He said before offering a film studies major, the department will need to do more research about student interest and availability of faculty and equipment resources.

He said a significant benefit to the MJF Department will be communication and collaboration which will lead to an increase in innovation for student and faculty alike.

“Innovation happens when people come together to share what they’re doing,” Becker said. “It’s going to bring together the various media programs and will strengthen existing connections.”

Kleiman said during the shift to the new program, it will be important for students to pay attention to the coming changes.

“I don’t think it will be hard to for anyone,” Kleiman said. “The challenge is for us to get the word out and have students stay on top of their own requirements.”

JEANNE-MARIE DU TOIT THE MIAMI STUDENT

THESE HEELS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN’

Miami University men and women prepare for the Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event to increase awareness of sexual assault against women Friday, April 19.

ALCOHOL, FROM PAGE 2

Wagner explained that the university rarely receives complaints from spectators or athletes about the alcohol policy. “[The policy] reinforces the message that this is an academic, learning and healthy environment, and alcohol is not part of that equation,” Wagner said.

Wagner added that the university has seen little profit from alcohol sales in the past, and sees no reason for incurring the additional risk that alcohol brings to events. The sale of alcohol requires an increase in the number of security officers at games and increases the risk of fights and

MULAA, events, said he was here when the Diplomat Plan started. He said he believes this plan makes Miami unique because many schools do not give refunds for extra money in meal plans.

“Students are able to choose a level that fits their eating schedules, while also allowing them to buy things from the bookstores at the end of the year,” Woodruff said.

According to him, Miami will automatically transfer the remaining meal plan money into the MUlaa account for students who do not transfer their money on their own.

This includes seniors who would be graduating at the end of the year.

Seniors who want to come back and visit the school over the summer will also be able to use their frozen MUlaa accounts.

“Seniors who have graduated have asked me to unfreeze their accounts when they come back to visit,” Woodruff said.

For those graduating seniors who do not come back to visit and use their MUlaa, however, they will not get a refund check. MUlaa is a nonrefundable account, but the Diplomat Plan is more student-friendly than most schools. Instead of not giving any kind of refund, the remaining meal plan balance can be transferred to a MUlaa account, according to Woodruff.

Sophomore Nick Pryse said he likes that Miami transfers his remaining meal plan money into his MUlaa account.

“I use MUlaa at both the beginning and end of the year at the bookstores, and this makes it easier than putting money into separate accounts,” Pryse said.

Both Woodruff and Heidtman said they are always interested in hearing student’s opinions regarding better meal plans.

“We are both looking at benefits for students, and working with the eating facilities in Armstrong and the new dining halls on west and south campus,” Heidtman said.

“Traditionally, a lot of the stuff we do there is very much behind the scenes and that’s not going to change this year either,” Spilman said.

Directing traffic, working the divisional ceremonies and having a post at the stadium are a few of MUPD’s responsibilities, according to Spilman. He said the commencement ceremonies are being treated the same as any big event in an athletic facility and each divisional ceremony will receive the same level of security as the class-wide

commencement ceremony.

“It’s just good common sense to have the same kind of protocols in place for all the large-scale events that we handle on campus,” Spilman said.

Graduating senior Jose Arias said the increase in security is expected, as it is possible for violent acts of crime to occur. He said his main concern is the safety of his family and friends.

“I believe the heightened security for commencement is a great idea that should have been implemented in the past,” Arias said.

in the program,” she said. “Each year, about 100 to 200 first-year students don’t return to Miami after one semester, so the Oxford Pathways students will take the place of those students.”

This push to attract more local students to Miami may benefit them in many ways. Sophomore Lila Wengler is an Oxford resident and graduate of Talawanda High School (THS).

“About a third of my high school class came to Miami,” Wengler said. “A lot of people wanted to come here so that they could be close to home and get

financial aid more easily.”

Wengler’s former THS classmate, first-year Lindsay Crist said she agrees it will be a beneficial transition into the Oxford campus.

“It sounds like a good way to transition local students into college after being so used to a high school atmosphere,” Crist said. “It’s good that they can have a semester of adjustment before moving to the Oxford campus.”

Wengler said she looks forward to the effects the program may have.

“And I can’t wait to see some of my old classmates back here in Oxford,” Wengler said.

FROM PAGE 2

DON’T HAVE A HISSY FIT

JEANNE-MARIE DU TOIT THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Columbus Zoo shows off a caracal cat, a wild cat native to Africa, Asia and India, during their visit to Miami University put on by the Zoology Club Wednesday, April 24.

JENNINGS, FROM PAGE 2

already know,” Jennings said.

“When you’re asking yourself, ‘Do I want to live in this city or that one?’ or, ‘Should I vote for this candidate or that one?’ you pull on information that you have stored up to make an informed decision.”

He claimed that people now live in a world increasingly dependent on knowledge of other countries.

“Now we live in a world where people and events that take place halfway across the world can affect you in very real ways,” Jennings said.

He also said he thinks that the most important reason for learning trivia and facts is the connection it forms between people.

“For me, to only value knowing facts is when you can connect with someone over it,” Jennings said. “It makes it easier to get to know a lot of people.

And people are always flattered when you remember facts about them. It shows that you took an interest in them and creates and instant connection.”

He said the niches that people’s occupations and education put

them in tend to isolate them and that with the increasing amount of media today, there are fewer pieces of culture that link everyone all together than there used to be.

This particular reason stood out to junior Matt Dombrowski.

“I liked how Ken said the more knowledge you have, the more you can relate with other people,” Dombrowski said.

Jennings concluded the lecture by encouraging the audience to be inquisitive and curious about their surroundings.

“The secret to Jeopardy is being a curious person and spending a lifetime paying attention,” Jennings said.

He claimed that everyone can be learning every second of the day as long as they are paying attention and that most of his knowledge did not come from reading encyclopedias and almanacs, it came from paying attention to things like the flags during the Olympics when he would watch them as a kid.

Jennings encouraged the audience to be curious and to question and try to figure everything out.

“I think it would be great if we could live life as a question,” Jennings said.

GRADUATION, FROM PAGE 2

“I think people are used to it,” she said. “Now we’ll be in even better shape to have a commencement ceremony go off very well.”

Lieutenant Ben Spilman of the Miami University Police Department (MUPD) said MUPD always has a presence at events with large gatherings of people. Most members of MUPD will work commencement because it is one of the busiest days for the police force, according to Spilman.

PATHWAYS, FROM PAGE 2

as the primary reason. “Some academic programs at the Oxford campus may have more selective entrance requirements [than the regional campuses].”

Approved at the April 8 University Senate meeting, the program has already invited about 600 students to participate. As to concerns over whether this will make classes more crowded, Haynes said it would not be an issue.

“We anticipate approximately 20 to 50 students will participate

altercations, according to Hoobler.

Sophomore Katie Lincoln, a defensive player on the Miami women’s ice hockey team, agreed with this policy.

“You do not need alcohol to have a successful event,” she said. “ It just isn’t necessary.”

Miami is focused on fostering a safe academic environment both inside and outside the classroom, according to Wagner. She also noted that this policy, which has been in affect for seven years is not likely to change because the university does not consider the revenue potential from alcohol sales a sufficient justification to introduce the risks and liabilities associated with alcohol consumption.

10

SPORTS

EDITOR TOM DOWNEY

FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2013 ROSS SIMON SIMON SAYS

THE ‘COMEBACK CITY’ OF CLEVELAND DESERVES THE COMEBACK KID Tim Tebow is widely regarded across the National Football League (NFL) as a waste of time, resources and money. Tebow, as a Denver Bronco, took a 1-4 team and led them to a playoff victory over the heavily favored Pittsburgh Steelers, before eventually falling in the divisional round of the playoffs to future Hall of Famer Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Tebow is known for his long throwing motion, his left-handedness and his inability to throw an accurate ball a simple five yards, at least to scouts. What I know Tebow for is his leadership qualities, his ability to run the football and his inability to roll over and quit.

The Cleveland Browns were formed in 1946, at the height of the city of Cleveland’s history. In 1946, Cleveland was the fourth largest city in America in population and the third largest economic hub. Since the 1950 census, Cleveland’s population has steadily declined. PriceWaterhouseCoopers recently rated Cleveland as the third worst metropolitan area to invest in real estate as prices continue to drop. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River, the main river in the city of Cleveland, caught fire due to mass pollution. Cleveland, in the mid-1980s, was dubbed the “Comeback City” due to being known throughout the nation as a dud of a town. Cleveland continues to be a town that values humility, family values and, most importantly, leadership.

The Cleveland Browns, despite being one of the most storied NFL franchises, have never been to a Super Bowl, let alone won one. In 1995, Art Modell, the owner of the Browns since 1961, moved the team to Baltimore. Five years later, Modell would get his ring as the Ravens defeated the New York Giants. Browns fans have had to

endure “the Fumble,” “The Drive” and “Red Right 88.”

Since the Browns were reformed in 1999, they have been to the playoffs all of one time. They have never advanced beyond the Wild Card round.

Tim Tebow, while at the University of Florida, was part of two National Championship teams. He won a Heisman trophy and two SEC Championships. Throughout Tebow’s college career, he would lose a total of seven games. Tebow seemingly willed his team to victory against Oklahoma in the 2008 National Championship game.

Tied at halftime, Tebow delivered the most stirring halftime speech I have ever heard. Out of the half, the Gators would score a quick touchdown. The Sooners would respond with a score of their own, and then Tebow took over. The Gators would score 10 unanswered points and lift the crystal football for the second time in three years. Tebow would earn MVP honors.

Tebow has not earned the shot of playing time he has deserved while on the New York Jets.

Tebow saw all of 39 snaps last season. Why should a team like Cleveland not take a shot on a guy like Tebow?

The NFL draft has quickly approached us. This year has been almost universally declared as a year where if you pick a quarterback in the first round, you’re likely making a mistake. Cleveland has a lump of coal in Brandon Weeden as its current starting quarterback. The Browns shouldn’t even bother taking a chance on a quarterback in this draft early, when someone like Tebow is prime for the taking.

Cleveland is nowhere near playoff caliber, so why not give Tebow a shot? He took a Denver team to the playoffs, why not Cleveland?

SPORTS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET

BASEBALL

RedHawks split home and home with Dayton

RYAN HOLTZ THE MIAMI STUDENT

Sophomore outfielder Matt Honchel slides into home during Wednesday night’s home game.

BY JOE GIERINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Miami University baseball team remains one game below .500 (19-20) after splitting a two-game series with the Dayton Flyers.

The RedHawks had to fight their way back into Tuesday’s game, which took place at Time Warner Field in Dayton, Ohio. After going down 3-0 early in the contest, Miami added two in the sixth and another two in the eighth to move ahead 4-3. They couldn’t hang on, however, as the Flyers notched a double and a walk early in the inning, which set up the walk off double by redshirt freshman infielder Kevin Colburn to win the game, 5-4. Sophomore closer

Ryan Powers, who totaled three saves in his past three relief efforts, took the loss.

“We lost a tough game,” Head Coach Dan Simonds said. “We didn’t swing the bats all that well, but we battled back and took … a one-run lead in the ninth, and they executed. That’s baseball, that’s going to happen.”

Fortunes improved for the RedHawks Wednesday, as eight of the nine Miami batters recorded hits, six of which garnered two or more.

Senior first baseman Kevin Bower led the Red and White, going 4-for5 with four RBIs and three runs.

The senior’s final hit was a threerun shot down the right field line, his second home run of the season

and one that looked like it was never coming down.

“I’ve struggled the past couple games, so it was good to get a couple hits,” Bower, who is batting .311 this season, said. “[As a team], we improved our approach, hit it well, and it was good to get a win before we head to Northern Illinois.”

Miami’s pitching was on task Wednesday, as sophomore pitcher Nate Williams fanned 10 Flyers in the win, improving his record to 4-2 in the process. After allowing the first three batters on base by way of two walks and a single, Williams settled down and retired 20 of his next 21 opponents until giving up a solo home run in the top of the seventh. He finished with just three hits and three runs allowed, while senior Cory Klenke and freshman Shane Kriss provided relief from the bullpen.

When the dust settled, Miami walked away victorious, 13-5. Williams remarked that despite his early-game struggles, his team came out with a vengeance after being walked-off the night before. The California native went on to earn a career-high 10 strikeouts.

“It’s hard to count out there,” Williams said. “You don’t even really think about it that much. I was just trying to throw strikes, let my defense work, and good things happened.”

Freshman right fielder Jake Romano had the play of the day; a diving-catch that garnered national attention. The play was No. 4 in Sport Center’s Top Ten plays Thursday.

Miami returns to Mid-American Conference (MAC) action Friday against Northern Illinois University.

The Huskies are tied for first in the MAC with an 11-4 in-conference record and will provide a test for the RedHawks as they approach the final stretch of the season. The first game begins 4 p.m. Friday, and the first pitch will be thrown 2 p.m. at Saturday and Sunday’s games.

TRACK & FIELD

TENNIS

’Hawks prepare for postseason push Miami to host second home meet of season

BY JORDAN RINARD STAFF WRITER

After starting off Mid-American Conference (MAC) play with a 4-3 loss at Ball State University, the Miami University women’s tennis team reeled off seven straight wins to claim its fifth MAC regular season championship and will return to Muncie, Ind. to take on the winner of No. 4 seed Ball State and No. 5 seed Western Michigan University in the MAC Tournament.

The RedHawks (11-12, 7-1 MAC) downed the Broncos 5-2 on the road this season, and are looking to win their first tournament title since the 2010 season after sustaining losses to the University of Akron in the finals for consecutive seasons.

Miami is looking to maintain momentum in doubles play, as it has won the doubles point in three of its last four matches. Junior Nimisha Mohan and sophomore Alix Thurman have won seven straight matches in doubles, while the tandem of juniors Christiana Raymond and Ramona Costea has won six of their last eight matches. Junior Christine Guerrazzi and freshman Ana Rajkovic have been in a rut recently, dropping their last six |matches in doubles.

Thurman and Mohan were named to the All-MAC team this week. “[Guerrazzi and I] have had a rough patch of matches,” Rajkovic said. “We’re working at it and trying many things. This weekend, we will give our best and our

moment might finally come.”

The ’Hawks have been strong in singles action this season. Raymond has gone unbeaten in MAC play this season with only one of those matches going to three sets and Costea has a record of 6-2 in conference play. Mohan has won three out of her last four singles matches while Thurman has a MAC record of 5-3 this season, with two of those losses coming in three-set matches.

Guerrazzi has five wins in conference play and Rajkovic has won five straight matches.

“In singles, staying with the game plan and believing that I can win are really important,” Rajkovic said.

“But it’s a team effort and we stay in

TENNIS,

SEE PAGE 5

BY JUSTIN MASKULINSKI STAFF WRITER

Miami University will be hosting its second track meet of the year Saturday as schools head to Oxford to compete in the RedHawk Invitational.

Men’s track and field Head Coach Warren Mandrell said competing at home helps his throwers.

“It’s always good to be home, especially for the field athletes because they get to compete on their home surface,” Mandrell said. “Hopefully we can get some good marks, it hasn’t been a huge

meet the past few years but some events will be competitive.”

Mandrell has been trying athletes in different events all year to see where they are best fit and with two weeks remaining until the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championships, he said he thinks he is close to where he wants the team to be.

“We’re probably pretty sure what we’re going to do for the [MAC Championships],” Mandrell said. “We might mix it up this weekend to give some variety.”

TRACK & FIELD, SEE PAGE 5

SOFTBALL

Red and White ready for MAC battles against Michigan teams

BY ALYSSA ZEDIKER FOR THE MIAMI STUDENT

The Miami University softball team is set to face two Mid-American Conference (MAC) teams this weekend. The ’Hawks will play Eastern Michigan University Friday and Central Michigan University Saturday and Sunday.

“Definitely looking forward to this weekend, beating Central Michigan will be key wins for us and Eastern is also a team we need to beat,” sophomore centerfielder Tiyona Marshall said. “Obviously [these wins] will give us a good seed in the MAC tournament that is coming up soon.”

The RedHawks are 10-4 in the MAC, 17-24 overall, whereas the Eastern Michigan Eagles are 2-12 in the MAC and 12-29-1 overall. The Central Michigan Chippewas sit in second place in the MAC West with an 11-3 conference record and 2514 record overall. Miami is in first in the MAC East. “[The game] is not about Eastern or about Central, it’s really about are we improving as a team, from a pitching, defensive and hitting stand point,” Head Coach Clarisa Crowell said. “The biggest thing right now is that it is not a matter of reinventing the wheel, but continuing to get better.”

Marshall said she feels prepared

for the weekend and is excited and ready to go out and play.

“Personally I just want to continue to put the ball in play, and make the

We can’t take any team lightly and each game is of high significance. We have to get as many wins as we can.

CLARISA CROWELL

HEAD COACH

other team make a play,” Marshall said. “I feel I have been doing a pretty good job of that lately,

just moving the runners and getting on base.”

Crowell said while on paper the Eagles may not be the best team, the numbers have little effect on whether a team shows up to a game ready to play.

“Eastern may be last in their division, but that doesn’t matter, for us it is about just going out there and playing at our level,” Crowell said.

From past experiences with Eastern Michigan, Marshall said a couple of their players hit the ball well and feels Miami’s pitchers should look out for them.

The RedHawks also face Central Michigan following the Friday doubleheader against Eastern, but

the team is taking each game one at a time, so they have not been focusing their efforts on the games further into the weekend.

Last season Miami faced Central Michigan in the MAC Championship, and Marshall said they were a scrappy team, but for her having the experience with a team like Central Michigan helps eliminates the nerves because they know how the other team is going to play.

“Every game we play from here on out in conference, all of them are equally as important, we can’t take any team lightly and each game is of high significance,” Crowell said. “We have to get as many wins as we can.”