2 NEWS
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016
NEWS@MIAMISTUDENT.NET
FDA proposes banning minors from tanning beds HEALTH
TESS SOHNGEN
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a proposal restricting minors from sunlamp products like tanning beds on Dec. 22, 2015. The proposal comes in response to findings that early exposure to tanning beds results in higher risk of melanoma, a form of skin cancer. Melanoma especially affects users under 18 years old, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation. Another study published in JAVA Dermatology on Jan. 20 found that teenagers using indoor tanning are at higher risks of substance abuse. “What is really frightening, and that most people don’t realize, is that high intensity UVR [ultraviolet radiation], such as that from tanning beds, causes direct chemical modification of your DNA in your skin cells,” said Rick Page, an assistant professor at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Miami University. Whether the damaged DNA results in a minor or major problem, like melanoma, is up to chance, said Page. “There really isn’t such a thing as ‘safe’ UVR,” said Page. “Any
UVR exposure has the chance of causing DNA damage. The key is to limit your exposure.” Fifty-nine percent of college students and 17 percent of teens in the United States reported using a tanning bed at least once, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Caucasian teenagers and young women make up 70 percent of tanning salon customers, according to the AAD, and have increasing rates of melanoma. A study in Minnesota found that the number of first cases of melanoma for people 18 to 39 years old increased eight-fold for women — double the increase for males. “I tanned a lot more in high school, but I realize it’s bad for my health,” said junior Katie Tullis. “I try and limit it to a couple times a year.” Tullis has gone to Palm Beach Tan in Oxford for the past few months and has also gone to Attitudes Uptown for indoor tanning. She said she uses indoor tanning only before she travels somewhere warm to avoid burning from direct UV rays from the sun. Attitudes Uptown requires parent permission for minors before they can use an indoor tanning bed, which will become a legal
JENNIFER MILLS THE MIAMI STUDENT
Due to research that shows early exposure to tanning beds leads to high risk of melanoma, the FDA hopes to restrict minors from using sunlamp products. requirement in Ohio in March. “I personally wouldn’t want my child to [tan indoors],” said Kristi Abrams, a stylist who has worked at Attitudes Uptown for five years. “But I honestly think it should be up to the parent or guardian.” Attitudes Uptown follows the Ohio State Board of Cos-
Withrow Woes: Club Sports forced to move pending building demolition Students and community members struggle to find a replacement for the facility ATHLETICS
“Withrow Court was built back in the 1930s and needed millions SOPHIE WHORF THE MIAMI STUDENT of dollars worth of upgrades,” Cady said. “It was going to cost For senior Jake Cottingim, too much money to repair Withbeing president of Miami’s row, so the final decision was to Weightlifting Club has made tear it down.” his Miami experience. Cady says the varsity ten“I love it because, like any nis, golf and baseball teams, other club sport, you can which were originally connect with people with based out of Withrow, have similar interests.” found temporary homes. However, with the pending Although Miami’s club sports demolition of Withrow Court, programs will soon have a which currently serves as a prac- new place to call home as well, tice facility for approximately 25 many teams are disheartened of Miami’s 50 club sports teams, by the demolition, as it will demany organizations like the stroy much more than just an Weightlifting Club will be per- 85-year-old structure. manently displaced by the end of “Everyone is upset the gym is this school year. being torn down because it repre“I was really disappointed sents a culture and a home base,” that Miami isn’t building an- said Cottingim. “That gym holds other space like that,” said a lot of memories. There are reCottingim. “They’re giving cords and signatures written on us the Chestnut Field House, the walls by past members and but it’s not the same.” presidents. It has a lot of sentiSenior Lindsay Schweitzer mental value.” agrees. Schweitzer is the current The Weightlifting Club will president of the Gymnastics Club transition to the Chestnut Field and has been an active participant House, which is located near the since her freshman year. old Talawanda High School. The “We were fighting [the demoli- Gymnastics Club will move to tion of Withrow] from the start,” Sawyer Hall, an abandoned waresaid Schweitzer. house behind Peabody Hall on Steve Cady, senior associ- Western Campus. ate athletic director, said WithSchweitzer credits Mike Arnos, row — a building that lacks air senior director of programs & conditioning and needed heat- academic partnerships at the Recing and plumbing repairs — reation Center, with assisting the was beyond reconstruction. club sports in finding new homes
and making the adjustment as seamless as possible. Schweitzer says Arnos found homes for club sports in Phillips Hall, the Chestnut Field House and the new Dauch Indoor Sports Center near Yager Center. “Mike Arnos has been very communicative throughout the whole process,” said Schweitzer. “He’s been working with us for the past few years.” Cottingim, however, wasn’t as satisfied with the new displacements, noting how they aren’t as centrally located as Withrow Court. “A lot of students like Withrow because of its prime location,” said Cottingim. “It is very close to where the kids live on campus.” Schweitzer, on the other hand, displayed optimism about her team’s transition to Sawyer Hall. “They’re planning on starting renovations soon,” said Schweitzer. “It will be a little crammed, but we’ll make it ours.” Miami club sports teams haven’t officially been removed from Withrow quite yet. Both the Weightlifting Club and the Gymnastics Club will continue to hold practice in the historical gymnasium until the end of April. “We’ll definitely miss it,” said Schweitzer. “It’s been my home for four years. Thankfully, I don’t have to be there for the transition.”
TYLER PISTOR THE MIAMI STUDENT
Without Withrow Court, many club sports teams and community programs are lacking adequate space for their activities.
metology by requiring their patrons wear protective eyewear and sign a waiver before they use a tanning bed. The proposal from the FDA also includes new safety regulations for indoor tanning, such as requiring users’ signature of risk acknowledgment associated with indoor tanning.
“I know high schoolers I went to school with are already dealing with skin cancer, and that’s a huge issue that we actually need to look out for,” said Tullis. The public has until March 22 to comment on the proposal before the FDA decides whether to publish it as a rule in the Federal Register.
Super PAC educates, brings awareness of student debt POLITICS
TESS SOHNGEN
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The Student Debt Reform Political Action Committee (SDR PAC) from Chicago extended to Miami University last semester to raise awareness for student debt reform and super PACs. The bipartisan, non-profit PAC promotes legislation that allows students to refinance their student loans and advocates for officials who support making college more affordable. Such political figures include Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) from Massachusetts and presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (R) from Florida. Sophomore Colin Mackintosh from DePaul University founded the SDR PAC in January 2015 after his political science class inspired him to become more active in political and student affairs. “Our main goals are educating people and making students more aware,” said Mackintosh. “This year we’re going through more fundraising and advertising.” Mackintosh’s mother and uncles grew up poor and worked their way through college and into their careers. Today, his mother is a teacher who watches her own students try to do what she did. “Now, you can’t really do that … you have to take out student loans,” said Mackintosh. “That’s a huge weight around your ankles when you graduate.” Miami student James Guilfoyle is the financial consultant for SDR PAC, and hopes to start promoting the organization in the next month. Internet promotions will start at Miami as well as DePaul, and billboards will also go up in Chicago this semester. He said support for the super PAC has already exceeded expectations, and he expects the number of donations to SDR PAC to surpass $8,000 by the end of next month. Most small donations have come from students, but non-students have also contributed larger donations. Guilfoyle and junior Addison Caruso, the political consultant for SDR PAC, seek to expand the awareness of student loans and super PACs to Miami this semester primarily through
educating students. Fifty-three percent of Miami students graduated with student loans in 2014, and the average debt of graduates in 2015 was $28,887, said Brent Shock, director of Student Financial Services. The average debt at graduation at Miami increased 34.2 percent from 2004 to 2014, below the Ohio and national average debt increase of 53 percent and 56.1 percent respectively. “I think it is very possible we will see loan debt increase because of the winter term,” said Shock. He said that he and Miami’s staff have been working hard to keep costs as low as possible and
Being able to refinance student loans is an important issue collectively among college students ... it sets the stage for the future for myself and other students. BOBBY ROBAINA DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
increasing the number of scholarships provided to students. Bobby Robaina, a political science student at DePaul University and political consultant for SDR PAC, became involved in the organization through a professor’s recommendation, and said that he will continue to work with SDR PAC. “I’m now a senior at college, and I recognize that student debt is an issue for myself and all my classmates,” said Robaina. “Being able to refinance student loans is an important issue collectively among college students … it sets the stage for the future for myself and other students.” Guilfoyle said he would encourage a super PAC to students. “I would encourage more people to look into starting a super PAC because there’s something that can end in change,” said Guilfoyle.