The Miami Student | March 9. 2021

ESTABLISHED 1826 — OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES

Volume 149 No. 16

Miami university — Oxford, Ohio

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

Who’s running and what are their platforms?

MADELINE PHABY HENRI ROBBINS THE MIAMI STUDENT Three slates are running to be Miami University’s next Student Body President (SBP) and Vice President (VP). The Miami Student recently interviewed the candidates from all three tickets about their platforms and hopes for the future of the university. The election will take place March 15-17 on the Hub. Madelyn Jett (SBP) and Aidan McKeon (VP) Last December, Aidan McKeon friend since they were 8 years old, and asked if she’d consider running for Student Body President.

CONTRIBUTED BY SBP AND VP CANDIDATES

eventually agreed, under one condition – McKeon would be her Vice President.

“When I was trying to convince her to run, I really had no intention

of being her Vice President,” McKeon said.

more than anyone I know.”

McKeon and the extent to which they’d worked together made him her ideal running mate.

“I knew that there was no one else I would want to do this with other

keting and entrepreneurship who currently serves as a Farmer School of Business academic senator in ASG. She is also a member of the sorority Chi Omega, a member of the business

‘This is how we survive the university’:

fraternity Pi Sigma Epsilon and the workshop chair for Stage Left, among other campus involvements.

McKeon is a junior majoring in history and arts management and senator in ASG. He is also the music director for Soul2Soul A Cappella,

ABBY BAMMERLIN ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR After the killing of George Floyd and the rise of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests over the summer, universities across the U.S. began increasing diversity, equity and incluAt Miami University, Black women who have been at the forefront of on the amount of work they have

(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) TAMMY KERNODLE, AMBER FRANKLIN AND DENISE TALIAFERRO BASZILE. THE MIAMI STUDENT ZACH REICHMAN (LEFT & MIDDDLE) CONTRIBUTED BY DENISE TALIAFERRO BASZILE (RIGHT)

their personal and professional lives.

While some faculty have adjusted to the amount of work DEI initiatives require, some are still challenged by the workload.

Denise Taliaferro Baszile, associate dean for student services and diversity, explained that when faculty

the man behind the art house

a member of Pi Sigma Epsilon and Miami University Student Arts Advocacy Coalition.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

are evaluated, their responsibilities are expected to be 40% teaching, 40% research and 20% service.

“Without faculty service, the university could not function,” Taliaferro Baszile said. “It’s absolutely critical that faculty do service.”

But Taliaferro Baszile said balancing teaching, research and service can take on DEI work.

“That can very easily get out of way more service,” she said.

Tammy Kernodle, professor of musicology, has done DEI work both at the university and departmental level.

She said part of her wants to accept every diversity task force membership or initiative that comes her way.

“But that’s a catch-22,” Kernodle CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Distinguished professor award given to professors of music and biology LEXI WHITEHEAD ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Two Miami University professors will be awarded the title of university distinguished professor, an honor that recognizes excellence in teaching and scholarship.

The university selects up to two professors every other school year to receive the title. At its Feb. 19 meeting, the Board of Trustees granted the title to professor of musicology of color to receive this title at Miami — and professor of biology David Berg. Kernodle and Berg’s new titles of university distinguished professor To qualify for the title, nominees must hold the title of professor, have been a faculty member for at least eight years, demonstrate excellent teaching and be a recognized scholar

Because of his educational background and interest in “profound thought,” many of the pieces have a philosophical connotation. One collection of sculptures at the very front of the yard physically embodies the creation of history, the philosophical

MAGGIE PEÑA MULTIMEDIA EDITOR When Oxford residents drive past Rick Momeyer’s house, they may miss the intricate artwork that lies just beyond the bumpy driveway.

Momeyer, a former professor of philosophy at Miami University, has been building sculptures since he retired in 2012.

Across the yard, Momeyer displays more than 10 pieces. Some come in sets of three, some are interactive and some are intended to allow the viewer to search for meaning in their life.

This Issue

the reconstruction of history by human civility.

“Human beings aren’t happy with the intellectuals’ work, telling stories and deconstructing them,” Momeyer said. “So they aspire to more.”

In addition to philosophy, Momeyer is passionate about travel. His love for art blossomed when he and his wife, Sue, visited art museums and sculpture parks across the world.

After teaching for 44 years, Momey-

Nominations for the award begin each fall, when faculty can write nomination letters for their colleagues.

The Awards and Recognition Committee reviews the nominations and A RETIRED MIAMI PROFESSOR TRIES TO CONVEY PROFUND THOUGHT AND PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS THROUGH HIS ART. PHOTO EDITOR BO BRUECK

er retired and found himself in need of a way to pass the time.

“When I didn’t have [philosophy] to do anymore and didn’t have classes to prepare,” Rick said, “and I’d always admired sculpture, I thought I should give it a go, try my hand at a few things.”

Once the pandemic hit, Momeyer had a lot more free time to work on his art.

“You get locked up, and you can’t travel, you can’t see people … and I’m an energetic enough person that I can’t just sit and read all the time,” Rick said.

“So I’ve always liked working with my hands and constructing things.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

Alumni panel Zoom-bombed with racist imagery and audio page 6

and the president and provost make sors must submit several materials, including a personal statement and letters of recommendation.

Kernodle said when she found out in “utter shock.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

OPINION

Here's what's really happening to all the bees page 8

Men's hoops in the MAC tourney page 11

Why you should care about Oxford City Council page 12

This Week

2 FYI

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021 Named the Best College Newspaper (Non-daily) in Ohio by the Society of Professional Journalists.

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CORRECTIONS POLICY

The Miami Student is committed to providing the Miami University community with the most accurate information possible. Corrections may be submitted up to seven calendar days after publication.

CORRECTION:

In our editorial last week, we wrote that administrators took a “pay out” at the start of the pandemic. This was a typo. It should have said “pay cut.”

Fri 3/12

Sat 3/13

the man behind the art house CONTINUED FROM FRONT For the past 60 years, Rick’s main hobby has been swimming at the Miami Rec Center. In a miles. Because of the pandemic, though, both Sue and Rick have stayed inside for months. Sue said Rick’s artwork has been a relief for them both in the wake of COVID-19.

“He’s been so busy and occupied during this pandemic,” Sue said. “It’s been a lifesaver, actually.”

Though they’ve been married for more than 55 years, Sue said she was blindsided by this part of Rick.

“I’m a little astonished because I never saw this in Rick,” Sue said. “I never saw him as somebody who would be doing this sort of thing.”

For more than 30 years, Sue worked at of its regional chapter.

When Rick takes on a commission, he asks for the cost of materials and a charitable donation.

Customers have the option to donate to either Oxford Community Arts Center or Miami Oxford Organic Network (MOON co-op).

Tad Liechty, a 1973 Miami graduate and longtime Oxford resident, purchased one of Rick’s pieces in December.

As Liechty and her husband drove through town over the years, they frequently found the Momeyers’ yard a topic of discussion.

One day, the Liechtys noticed a box at the end

11:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m.

the art. After touring Momeyer’s mini-sculpture park and talking with him, Liechty discovered she knew Rick from her time as a student at Miami.

“He was kind of one of the young, socially-active, radical professors at the time,” Liechty said. ty appreciated the charitable donation aspect of Rick’s business plan. support, and I’ll be quite honest, I was looking for a place to donate the stimulus money that I’d gotten because I wanted to put that money back into the community,” Liechty said. “So I thought this would be a great place for it.”

Liechty purchased a piece for her husband’s 70th birthday. The colorful piece contains six concentric cubes nestled inside one another and sits mounted on a stump in the Liechtys’ yard.

“It’s just kind of a fun, whimsical, happy thing to see,” Liechty said.

While he has moved about half a dozen pieces of fame from Facebook, Rick still holds his title of “former philosopher, aspiring artist.”

“I don’t make much claim to be an artist,” Rick said. “What I like is building things, and these are people too sometimes.”

Despite his artistic denial, Momeyer acknowledges that his artwork can be a bright spot for the town.

“I’m glad to share them, add a little color to the drab season that this winter was,” Rick said. penaml@miamioh.edu

3:00 p.m.

Distinguished professor award given to professors of music and biology CONTINUED FROM FRONT “I would have never thought that I had a chance just simply because people in the sciences or people in the humanities, their work tends to be, in some ways, privileged over individuals in the arts,” she said.

As a professor of musicology, Kernodle teaches about viewing music through a historical lens. “[I try] to get students to understand that music does not exist in a vacuum,” of an artist, so I try to engage students on a deeper level, even if they don’t have musical experience.”

Kernodle started at Miami as a visiting professor in 1997 after receiving her doctorate in music history from Ohio State University.

“Hopefully the door has opened for other Black scholars’ work to be considered,” time I went to Roudebush … there was a wall with all the distinguished professors’ pictures up there … and they were all white males.”

To Kernodle, the award is special because it means her work has been recognized by her colleagues.

“It’s somewhat surreal just simply because you work and you work, and you’re not sure how your work is judged by your peers,” she said.

Berg also shares a similar sentiment toward the title. “[It’s] extremely gratifying,” Berg said.

“To be recognized by one’s colleagues for the work one has done is quite an honor.”

Berg has a doctorate in zoology from Ohio State University and started teaching at Miami in 1993. He mainly teaches biology to graduate and undergraduate students at the Hamilton campus.

“The student body on the Hamilton campus, which is a bit more diverse than the Oxford campus, has people with lots of that same opportunity that the students on the Oxford campus have is something I’ve sort of committed my life to.”

For Berg, providing opportunities to students extends beyond the classroom.

He also brings students to his research lab in Oxford to study biogeography, which involves spatial analysis of organisms and genetic variation across regions.

Berg enjoys working at the Hamilton unique teaching experience.

“I’ve had a really interesting set of opportunities because I’ve been able to teach on a campus that’s open to anyone,” he said, “but yet, I’ve also been able to be a part of a large research department.” @nwlexi whitehan@miamioh.edu

ASG holds Q&A with provost, passes two bills STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) hosted a Q&A session ing.

Many questions from senators centered around the controversial credit/no credit decision, which Osborne and Wanko said was made in an effort to return to normalcy.

“We were one of the few universities in the nation that provided the enhanced credit/no credit experience [in the fall semester],” Osborne said. “Because everyone was taking and teaching the classes they ex-

pected [in the spring], we decided to roll it back.”

Osborne also said 89% of classes for the be in person, provided students and faculty are vaccinated by then.

“Right now, we’re looking at a crystal ball and projecting about what the world will look like in August,” Osborne said. “But at this point, we’re communicating to departments that this should be a much more typical semester.”

Later in the meeting, ASG passed two bills.

The first, authored by Academic Senators Alia Agee and Danielle Barnes, proposed expanding the duties of ASG’s Secretary for Infrastructure and Sustainability. cy and programs related to … parking and

transportation, physical facility services, waste management and campus planning” as the responsibilities of the position. The bill added composting, recycling and accessibility to those duties.

Academic Senator Cameron Tiefenthaler spoke in support of the bill, specifically the designation of composting as the secretary’s responsibility.

“It’s going to be a hard-fought battle to get composting on campus, so actually writing that into the bylaws is a big change,” Tiefenthaler said. “So I am in full support of this addition.”

The second bill, authored by Off-Campus and On-Campus Senator Sidra Capriolo, makes a few bylaw changes in regards to the Oversight Committee.

ASG bylaws state all members of the

Oversight Committee must undergo a bias training before sitting on the committee.

This training was typically administered by the adviser of ASG and a staff member from the Office of Community Standards.

The bill proposed changing this section of the bylaws to indicate that this training will now be conducted by Senate Leadership in collaboration with the Office of Community Standards.

The bill also made a change to require approval from a majority of members of the Oversight Committee to launch an investigation against a member of ASG instead of the single motion and second that was previously required.

Both bills passed unanimously. @madphabes phabymr@miamioh.edu

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY 3

LUMPKIBM@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

2021 Student Body President elections:

Who’s running and what are their platforms?

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Jett and McKeon are running on three pillars: administrative accountability, diversity, equity and inclusion, and student wellness.

Under administrative accountability, the pair plans to push for free red parking passes for student workers and RAs, dining swipe usage along with declining balance at a la carte locations such as Pulley Diner and the Emporium, and plastic bag recycling receptacles in residence halls.

Policies under diversity, equity and inclusion include diversity training for all Undergraduate Associates (UAs), appointing a Director of Transgender Equity and Inclusion, increasing visibility for Black Greek Life at Miami and creating an ad hoc committee to respond to last summer’s Dear Miami Instagram account.

Student wellness initiatives include creating programs to enhance a sense of belonging among sororities have developed to the rest of campus and facilitating more in-person student organization meetings.

Jett and McKeon’s campaign has been endorsed by Brandon Small, ASG’s secretary for diversity & inclusion.

More information on Jett and McKeon’s platform can be found on their campaign website.

Trey Petrella (SBP) & Ruku Pal (VP) During their time at Miami, Trey Petrella and perspectives. While Petrella has been actively involved since his freshman year, Pal was elected to Petrella’s enthusiasm for ASG has been relenthe has served as the Farmer School of Business

many of her friends encouraged her to run after she worked with the University Honors Program es. spectives within the Miami community.

“It’s Aristotle’s theory,” Petrella said. “Our sum is greater than our individual parts. We can’t do every work we’ve done.”

Petrella is a junior majoring in human capital management & leadership and Italian studies.

Along with ASG, he is also involved in multiple university councils, including the University Vaccination Committee. majoring in business economics and entrepreneurship. Outside of ASG, she is also involved with multiple campus committees, including the Safe Return to Campus Committee.

Petrella and Pal’s platform is based on a set of Through this, they hope to give voices and platforms to diverse groups of Miami students and encourage conversations between them.

With these four E’s, they are running under three pillars: diversity, equity and inclusion, Access for All and Bridging the Gap. One of their initiatives, the “Find a Middle Ground” series, is meant to “create conversations between people diverse not only in gender iden-

SEAN SCOTT ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR City Council discussed two ordinances to move forward with new residential developments at its March 2 meeting.

15 detached condo-style houses in front of Sam Perry, community development director, said the Heron Pond development is not intended to become student housing. Instead, each house will be one story, making it more accessible to elderly residents. He said the small size may also attract young couples or small families that don’t need a lot of space.

The Heron Pond development would go ects are frequently designed with students in mind.

“The majority of housing projects procollege student-focused or purpose-built housing,” Perry said. “The city’s plans, codes and policies have very limited ability to insigned for.”

Council discussed several allowances the developer has requested for the plan, including reducing the front yard setback from 30 feet to 20 feet and the perimeter setback from 25 feet to 15 feet in certain areas.

Council spoke about whether the developers would be required to put a sidewalk on the west side of Kehr Road.

Mike Rudolph, president of the South Farm Homeowners Association (HOA), which the Heron Pond development would become part of, argued the sidewalk would be both dangerous and unnecessary. “[The sidewalk would be] putting an undue cost on the developer that would in fact make the subdivision potentially less appealing,” Rudolph said. “This sidewalk condition

Black women at Miami

[diverse in] ideology, beliefs and values to underment of ASG’s Judicial Branch, reviewing the university’s attendance policy for student health and wellness to accommodate students with disabilities, and working to make the campus more sustainable.

They also plan to appoint a Secretary for Stugroups with ASG and give them a direct line of communication.

More information can be found on Petrella and Pal’s campaign website.

Vada Stephens (SBP) & Lena Giang (VP) Vada Stephens and Lena Giang have a few things in common: They’re both RAs, they’ve both sat on ASG’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee and they’ve both had their fair share of rough patches during their time at Miami.

Stephens said being a Black student at Miami and stigmas he faces at the predominantly white institution.

“For me, this journey called being a student at Miami University has been no easy one at all,” Stephens said. “Having to come to a place where there may be a lack of representation, or others may not share in your cultural heritage or your community, can pose a number of challenges.”

Giang, who is an international student from Hanoi, Vietnam, said she has had a great support system since coming to Miami, but that many other international students don’t get as lucky.

“I see that a lot of friends of mine who are also international students did not have access to the same resources as I did,” Giang said, “so that is my Stephens is a junior majoring in professional writing and vocal performance who currently serves as a College of Creative Arts academic senator in ASG. He also has many other campus involvements, including being the public relations chairman for the National Black Student Law Association and the director of the Miami University Gospel Singers.

Giang is a sophomore majoring in business economics and psychology who serves as a College of Arts and Science academic senator in ASG. She is also the co-director of ambassadors for the ments.

Stephens and Giang’s initiatives fall under three main categories: diversity, equity and inclusion, student health and wellness, and community engagement.

One major initiative the pair wants to work on is eliminating hate speech on Miami’s campus.

They plan to do this by creating a “zero tolerance” policy, increasing accountability for anti-discrimination policies, and including anti-discrimination and student wellness information in class syllabi. improve mental health resources on campus. This campus in trauma-informed care.

Stephens and Giang’s campaign has been enMiddle Eastern Student Association.

More information on Stephens and Giang’s platform can be found on their campaign website. phabymr@miamioh.edu robbinha@miamioh.edu

Developers present neighborhood plans to Oxford City Council CITY OF OXFORD

the university’:

would add many more dollars per unit to the cost of the developer.”

Councilor David Prytherch argued the sidewalk should be built because there is currently no pedestrian path from Kehr Road to the city center. ultimately be part of a network to make the how we permitted development to have no pedestrian connectivity into the city at all.”

The ordinance to approve the development application with conditions will be revisited in two weeks for more discussion and approval.

Council also held a second reading for an ordinance to approve a new Lake Forest development plan with 36 detached one-story homes. Like the Heron Pond development, the Lake Forest neighborhood would primarnesters.

The developers presented the Lake Forest project as intended for single family occupants, but Prytherch questioned how the development would ensure it doesn’t become student housing. ”You’re talking about family [and] not cars parked in the driveway,” Prytherch said.

“But currently … you could have a development full of four unrelated persons [in each house] unless it’s limited somehow.”

After discussion, Council agreed on an amendment to the ordinance requiring the developer to pursue HOA restrictions or neighborhood conservation measures to maintain single family use.

The Lake Forest plan was unanimously approved by Council and will now move into streamed on YouTube at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 16. scottsr2@miamioh.edu

CONTINUED FROM FRONT not getting your work done, or you’re not getting Kernodle said it took some time for her to as a professor.

“That’s why I’m very deliberate and strategic now,” Kernodle said. “I learned that the hard way in my junior years as a faculty member and taking on too much service, and that meant that Amber Franklin, a professor of speech pathology, said she also avoided working on DEI task forces.

“I didn’t want to,” Franklin said. “I didn’t whenever there were opportunities, I tended not to volunteer myself.”

But this changed after George Floyd was murdered. Franklin decided to join President Crawford’s DEI Task Force.

Beyond the committees Taliaferro Baszile works on, she said she still accepts leadership roles to help students of color. mentoring and advising and supporting of students who may just feel more comfortable with me than they do with whoever their assigned advisory is,” Taliaferro Baszile said.

But Franklin said it’s not just the physical meetings that take up time in her day. Oftentimes, the “cognitive and emotional real estate” work creates a challenge.

“For me as a Black woman, I’m constantly thinking about it and because it’s now something that I’m doing actively in terms of service, I’m thinking about it even more,” Franklin said.

Similarly, Kernodle said her DEI work doesn’t end at the classroom doors.

“Any time I walk into a room, I’m a lesson in DEI,” Kernodle said.

Diversity and Inclusion, in 2019, about 4.5% of the university’s full-time faculty were Black. The which were all above 5.3%.

Taliaferro Baszile has participated in the diversity committee for strategic planning, among many other projects during her time at Miami.

She said sometimes taking on DEI work can burden.”

“I do think it’s tricky because we could also always say no,” Taliaferro Baszile said. “And I think it’s really, really hard for faculty of color a lot of times to say no.” with turning down these opportunities is fear of losing a diverse perspective.

“Oftentimes when we say ‘no,’ it doesn’t get done,” she said, “or we’re not at the table to advocate for students or other faculties [who] might not always be advocated for when there’s not a diverse perspective at the table. So it’s not easy to say no.” accepting roles in DEI initiatives is the end result of her work.

“In the past, these have been these glorious

COSETTE GUNTER SEAN SCOTT THE MIAMI STUDENT Miami University’s COVID-19 Dashboard lists an estimated 191 active student cases as of total active employee cases.

On March 4, Miami conducted 675 tests and received 22 positive results.

While the seven-day moving average for recovered cases is four, the seven-day moving

meetings where people throw out all of these ideas and then there’s no measurable goals; there’s no end game,” Kernodle said. “You don’t see many of these things put into action by the upper administration.”

But Taliaferro Baszile said the work she does can be impactful to faculty of color.

“For us, this is how we survive the university,” Taliaferro Baszile said. “It’s not just about, ‘Is it good for the university or not?’ I mean, I think it’s crucial to who we are in the university.”

Franklin said she doesn’t feel obligated to do DEI work, though she does take her own feelings into account before accepting the work.

“I try to lean into those opportunities,” Franklin said, “but I also am trying hard to check in with myself and recognize when I don’t really have the capacity to lean into that opportunity.”

Taliaferro Baszile said she’s been involved in conversations about diversity since she was in college. She said in her time working on diversity initiatives, she has seen similar patterns across the university.

“Miami has some challenges, but it’s not any Baszile said.

Franklin said she hopes conversations around diversity continue to be a commonality at the university.

“It can’t be just like this is going to die down Franklin said. “That needs to be like consistent engagement and traction and consistent recognition of this labor and emotional labor.”

Taliaferro Baszile agreed there should be no endpoint in sight for DEI initiatives in universities.

“It’s not a one-shot thing,” Taliaferro Baszile said. “It’s not a one-year thing; it’s not a one-committee thing; it’s not a one-program thing; it’s ongoing work that should be central to the way we do education period.”

But she says there are still things the university could do to support the faculty it has. Taliaferro said compensation and recognition could be very impactful for faculty.

“I feel like there’s always a lot of people who are on campus doing this work who do it without complaint, who do it without recognition, who do it without resources often,” Taliaferro Baszile said.

Taliaferro Baszile said Miami still has work to do when it comes to diversity, but she has hope for the future.

“We should not have to continue to say we’re diverse and we should not have to continue to put on performance around diversity,” Taliaferro Baszile said, “because it will be clear for anybody who walks on campus.”

Kernodle said while in her department there may not be as many faculty of color, she hopes her work is able to inspire her white colleagues to be able to do the work themselves. imity to my colleagues that are non-Black,” Kernodle said, “is enough to make them feel like this is important enough for them to serve and so they can be surrogates.” @abby_bammerlin bammeraj@miamioh.edu

average for daily new positive tests is just less than 19.

Estimated recovered student cases total 2,801, and cumulative positive cases total 2,992 since Aug. 17.

Four out of 35 residence halls are on a level 4 advisory, meaning at least 5% of residents on en days. Nine halls remain on level 1, meaning they have had no positive cases in the past week.

Additionally, 56 students are in isolation on-campus with 21 in quarantine. guntercr@miamioh.edu scottsr2@miamioh.edu

4 CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

CARLINTM@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

Oxford considers hiring social worker to respond to mental health calls ment, and they’re charged with thinking about new ways of making responses to crisis situations.”

The PCRRC has formed a working group to conduct this investigation and recommend a course of action for the city. The group includes Greene, OPD Chief John Jones and other community members.

“We’ve been listening to the social service providers that are already working with our police department, and hearing from them, ‘Where are our gaps? Where are we not doing well?’”

Greene said. “We’re going to do focus groups

responders [with the] same question.”

Amber Franklin, associate professor and chief departmental advisor for speech pathology and audiology at Miami University, is also involved in the PCRRC working group.

She said the group is still in a learning phase and is currently working to hear perspectives and thoughts munity.

“We’re learning and investigat-

THE PCRRC IS WORKING TO DEVELOP PLANS TO BETTER SUPPORT BOTH OPD AND THE OXFORD COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE ADDITION OF A SOCIAL WORKER TO THE OPD STAFF. ASST. MAGAZINE EDITOR JAKE RUFFER

CITY OF OXFORD HANNAH HORSINGTON ASST. MAGAZINE EDITOR In response to calls for change from Black Lives Matter (BLM) Oxford, City Council is now working toward improving its response to mental health crises.

On Nov. 17, City Council passed the Safe, Healthy and Equitable Society resolution, which was sent to the Police Community Relations and Review Commission (PCRRC) for further review and research, with the

ultimate goal of the PCRRC making recommendations to City Council on ways to develop new crisis response methods and support the Oxford Police Department (OPD).

The PCRRC is a group that was created several years ago in response to ongoing citizen activism, said Assistant City Manager Jessica Greene.

“As a result of that investigation, they are supposed to recommend proposals to City Council that will address the call for action from [BLM Oxford],” Greene said. “So we’re supposed to explore … how well our police department is doing, make suggestions for areas of improve-

Girl Scouts persevere during pandemic

needs – social needs, mental health needs – of the community, either in addition to policing or outside of policing,” Franklin said. “So that’s the

goal right now. We don’t have a set answer for what the best model will be for Oxford, but we’re investigating and learning.”

In addition to internal research, the PCRRC is working with two capstone classes in Miami’s School of Social Work and Family Studies. The classes have conducted surveys with both community members and police April.

PCRRC will then make a recommendation to City Council about what model will work best for the city.

Oxford resident Shana Rosenberg, a member of BLM Oxford, said while the organization would prefer to see the city create a separate agency dedicated solely to mental health, possibly adding a social worker to the police department is a step in the right direction.

“Just from listening to what some of the social workers that are already involved with collaborating with the police department and what Chief Jones has said himself about the kind of work that they do,” Rosenberg said, “I think a social worker would be a great addition.”

Rosenberg said she wants to see an increased focus on mental health from OPD because those who are having a mental health crisis often have nowhere else to turn.

She would also like to see someone in the community who is dedicated solely to helping people dealing with mental health crises or addiction, among other things.

Latricia Hillman, who is also a member of BLM Oxford and is on the PCRRC working group, agrees with Rosenberg. She said OPD is a community-based policing department, so adding someone like a social worker who could work with the community on mental health matters would

“I think [a social worker] would make OPD’s job a little easier because then they could actually focus on the law part of it and not just the mental health,” Hillman said. “Because they’re answering calls that … they don’t have the background or the knowledge to answer [or] to deal with it, because we do have people who have mental health issues in Oxford that need help.”

Hillman also stressed that while she would like to see change in the community, the goal is not to defund “We’re not coming in and going, ‘OK, and now you haven’t done your job correctly, so we’re doing it this way,’” Hillman said. “What we’re saying is, ‘Hey, how can we help you do your job better? Give us some advice.’

We’re not taking over, we’re not overstepping, we’re not doing any of that.

We are literally asking the community, ‘Hey, what would you guys like to see happen?’”

Rosenberg and Hillman are optimistic the community will take steps toward providing better mental health resources and responses.

Rosenberg also hopes the addition of a mental health professional into the police department will help not only mental health calls, but will also allow for someone to follow up on these concerns, which often doesn’t happen now.

“When the police are out on a call, they go there and they discover that someone is in crisis and they help that person to receive help that evening,” Rosenberg said. “But then after that, that problem may still remain. That follow-up that is lacking right now in some ways, that would be very much helped by a social worker in the police department.” @hannahorsington horsinhp@miamioh.edu

Diversity, equity and inclusion informs

GIRLS SCOUTS FACE COOKIE SELLING CHALLENGES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. CONTRIBUTED BY KATIE WILSON

COMMUNITY ABBY BAMMERLIN ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR As winter begins to disappear, many Girl Scout cookies. But this year, Girl Scouts have found new challenges in trying to meet the community’s craving for cookies.

KayAnn Rutter is the director of marketing and communications for Girl Scouts of Western Ohio (GSWO).

She said girls are using more digital tools than they had in the past.

“Girls are adapting their sales methods and [creating] socially distant and contact-free ways to keep themselves and their customers safe,” Rutter said.

The digital cookie platform started in 2014, and Rutter said it has continued to grow, especially after the pandemic began.

“The digital cookie platform … was very popular this year, so a lot of people were able to order and pay online and have cookies either shipped or delivered,” Rutter said.

Despite the rise in online use, Rutter said cookie sales have still been down. But she said cookie lovers have until March 14 to make their orders.

Emily Neal and her daughter Mackenzie have been part of Girl Scouts for Emily noticed the website required a four-box minimum for cookies ordered online. If customers wanted the boxes delivered, there was a subsequent delivery fee.

They said cookie selling has been slow this year.

“I’ve had less than we had last year, I know that for a fact,” Mackenzie said.

But Girl Scouts weren’t limited to just selling online.

Rutter said girls were still allowed to go door-to-door and have booths as long as girls wore masks and remained socially distant.

Abby Wilson and her mom Katie have been members of Girl Scouts for three years. They’ve found that after the

people who wanted cookies.

“Almost everyone was home,” Abby said.

Abby said she used door hangers with a link to her online website when people didn’t answer the door.

Abby sold about 400 boxes going door-to-door, and Katie said the girls hosted two booths in front of the Beta House.

“We sold a good amount of cookies that way,” Katie said. “It was really nice of them to let us do that.”

Katie said they also had a booth at a KDS gas station and were surprised at the turnout.

“I think it was a little easier because there were a lot more people because everyone’s trying to exercise and all that, so a lot of people walk around,” Abby said.

Abby said last year she sold about 600 boxes. This year, her goal is 1,000.

Devlin Smith, senior public health administration major, said he bought four boxes from Abby.

“It’s just kind of refreshing to just see that nothing’s really changed from the Girl Scout program,” Smith said.

“Nothing’s changed, and even through the pandemic, they’re doing the best they can to keep everything the way it was.”

While Rutter said the pandemic has created some challenges, GSWO has seen some innovative ideas when it comes to selling cookies.

“We have one very creative girl here in Cincinnati who set up a cookie vending machine on her front porch,” Rutter said. making, money management, people skills and business ethics.

Rutter said troops use cookie sales to pay for group trips and community projects.

“When you buy Girl Scout cookies, you’re supporting Girl Scouts and empowering amazing experiences and life-changing opportunities for them for the rest of the year,” Rutter said. @abby_bammerlin bammeraj@miamioh.edu

DESIGNER MACEY CHAMBERLIN

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION SEAN SCOTT ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Every Tuesday, Miami University’s EcoReps organization, a group dedicated to implementing sustainable practices on campus, shares stories about environmental justice in what it calls “Newsday Tuesday.”

On Feb. 23, the story was energy poverty. On March 2, how fracking nority communities.

Allison South, president of EcoReps, is a senior political science major with co-majors in energy and sustainability. For her, Newsday Tuesday shows how diversity is essential to the organization’s goal of environmental sustainability.

“Like everything, environmentalism is something that can always do better about being intersectional and being intentional about diversity, equity and inclusion [DEI],” South said. “EcoReps thinks that there needs to be more intentional DEI work in sustainability.”

Last semester, the EcoReps’ leadership team took part in DEI training. Now they’re applying those principles to their own organization.

South said the group is aiming to be more intentional about inclusion

with more accessible meetings and social media posts, as well as making room for people with diverse backgrounds to share their perspectives.

Harsha Sanaka is a sophomore biology major with a co-major in pre-medical studies, as well as an EcoRep. He said his mother’s childhood in India informs his approach to sustainability as he advocates for a more widespread composting program at Miami.

“When [my mom] came to America, and there wasn’t a big system for [composting], she would do it herself,” Sanaka said. “I could see that ideology growing up, and I could bring it into the discussion.”

While EcoReps has made strides to become a more diverse organization, Sanaka said there were few freshman year, I was surprised about the ratio,” Sanaka said. “I was ly a lot more than that.”

Sanaka thinks the trend has more to do with who forms an organization than the events themselves.

If an organization is founded by a group of women, they may be more successful in recruiting other women.

First-year biochemistry and environmental science double major

made progress in its DEI work, but it’s important to remember one person can’t be expected to represent an entire perspective. more diverse voices just because son said. “You don’t know how they want to be involved unless you’re asking them.”

South said the EcoReps are taking steps to highlight voices from a range of racial, ethnic, sexual and socioeconomic backgrounds.

“We have had intentional conversations about how we can increase the intentional diversity,” South said. “We have had unintentional diversity just because [the organization] is a very accepting and welcoming environment. But how can we be intentional about ensuring that all groups feel not only welcome but want to attend?”

Still, it isn’t easy to attract people from diverse backgrounds at a university historically known to EcoReps all the more important.

“I think my voice matters,” Jefferson said. “I am one of the few nitely think my voice has an impact.” scottsr2@miamioh.edu

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY 5

LUMPKIBM@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

Farmer to use virtual reality for diversity training

To use Campus Clear … or not LEXI WHITEHEAD ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Although Miami University’s Healthy Together Pledge calls for students to “conduct daily symptom monitoring for [COVID-19] symptoms and stay home from classes/activities if [they are] feeling ill,” the use of the symptom monitoring app recommended by Miami, Campus Clear, is not required.

While some students use the app for peace of mind, without the university’s requirement, some don’t see the point in doing so.

Campus Clear is an app that was created to aid universities in returning to campus during the pandemic.

The app is free and acts as a tool for students and faculty to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming to campus.

Jayne Brownell, vice president for student life, says that although the app is only a recommendation, she is trusting students to make the right choices.

“It is something that students committed to doing … but it’s on an honor system,” Brownell said. “We are Campus Clear app as a tool to do so.”

Some students do take advantage of this tool, like junior speech pathology major Marianna Gay. She uses it every day because the university recommended it at the beginning of the year, and she thought it was required.

“It takes like three seconds, so it’s not too bad,” Gay said. “It’s not bothering me. It’s not adding anything to my life, but it’s not taking anything away,

so I’m pretty neutral about it.”

Gay also said she used it to help the university gather any information about COVID-19 on campus that they needed.

Brownell said the administration is not tracking any analytical data from the app because it is not required.

Other students don’t use the app at all.

Junior education studies major Molly Smith doesn’t use it for multiple reasons: It’s not required, she can tell if she has symptoms without the app and she is wary of sharing medical information.

“It is extremely worrying how much information we are expected to disclose because of COVID,” Smith said.

The Campus Clear website says the company is “dedicated to protecting anonymity and privacy,” and that only authorized administrators can access protected data. leadership and management major had never heard of the app. Still, he uses other methods to protect himself from COVID. “I don’t necessarily track my symptoms, but I try my best to stay out of the way and take the same precautions I do every day,” Dent said. “Like, I’m not going to parties or anything like

Miami named top Fulbright-producing institution

CONTRIBUTED BY FULBRIGHT PROGRAM

ACADEMICS JAKE RUFFER ASST. MAGAZINE EDITOR Sometimes Camila Rodriguez takes the bus, and sometimes she walks to work through the streets of Aviles, a small, coastal Spanish city in the principality of Asturias.

During the week, she’s an English teaching assistant at two teachers and more than 100 students — and on weekends, she’s an explorer.

Rodriguez, a 2019 Miami alumna, is one of 10 Miami students who earned grants from the Fulbright Student Program for the 2020-2021 academic year. The Fulbright Program is a cultural exchange program that sends its grant recipients to study and work abroad in foreign countries.

Ten grants in a year is the most in university history, certifying Miami as a top-producing institution for the Fulbright Student Program. The 10 students were selected from 29 Miami applicants, giving Miami a grant rate above many other schools’.

Karla Guinigundo, Miami’s global partnerships director and Fulbright Program advisor, said earning the top-producing distinction was no easy feat.

“It’s a challenge,” Guinigundo said. “Fulbrights are very competitive, and so it really is a testament to the strength of our students who are applying … It’s something that we can be very, very proud of.”

The distinction, while cause for celebration, comes in a year when travel has been restricted.

The COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into the international nature of the Fulbright Program and some of its students.

Guinigundo said of the 10 Miami students who earned grants, six have begun their projects: Rodriguez in Spain, another alumna in Taiwan and four alumni in South Korea. The others have deferred or declined.

“The importance of being engaged internationally can’t be understated, so we are committed to making sure that Miami Univer-

sity is on the map,” Guinigundo said.

For Rodriguez, the process of helping put Miami “on the map” was unpredictable. She was informed of her Fulbright grant in April, one month after COVID-19 shutdowns.

“It was a lot of uncertainty, but [the Fulbright coordinators] ended up telling us maybe three weeks later that we were starting in January of 2021,” Rodriguez said.

She had to give it some thought, but not much. Rodriguez said travel is important to her.

With three study abroad trips under her belt from her time at Miami, she took the chance.

“I didn’t really know how I felt going with COVID and that situation, but it’s such a great extwo months in Spain.“The skills that I’m picking up here, connectfrom me, creating bridges and being able to teach these kids English is going to teach me a lot.”

Rodriguez saw silver linings in the travel restrictions, too. She had originally planned to visit a but instead found rewarding experiences closer to her placement.

Asturias is known as a “paraíso,” a natural paradise, and Rodriguez said she found a list of beautiful nature sites and plans to visit all of them.

“I feel happy that I can really immerse myself here and really know what it’s like to live in Spain,” she said.

Rodriguez said she owes the experience to Guinigundo, through whom she learned about the Fulbright Program.

“Without her, I would not have won the Fulbright, safe to say,” Rodriguez said. “It’s because of her that Miami is a top-producing Fulbright institution.”

For Guinigundo, a Fulbright Scholar herself, the Fulbright Program is a “tremendous privilege.”

“My own life was transformed by global experience,” Guinigundo said. “I spent three of my high school years in Malaysia, and I came back and knew that I me engaged internationally, and I’ve been drawn to the Fulbright completely focused on impacting global relations through people.”

She hopes the distinction means a bright future for the program at Miami.

“It’s just something that we’re very excited to celebrate,” Guinigundo said. “We’re really hopeful that this summer and fall we’ll be able to really re-engage in travel and help students get out again.”

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION REAGAN RUDE THE MIAMI STUDENT

ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR ABBY BAMMERLIN

everything going on.”

First-year university studies major Grace Sloane uses the app but not every day. to use, and then I realized, once I forgot, that nothing happens if you don’t use it, so I just haven’t been prioritizing it anymore,” Sloane said.

Sloane said it’s easy for the Campus up, so she can sometimes forget to use it. However, she is always cognizant of potential COVID symptoms.

“I’m already pretty aware of what to look for,” she said. “I think [it could be helpful] for other people who aren’t thinking about it as much, but I feel like I like to be pretty careful, so I’m already kind of looking out for those things.”

Because using the Campus Clear app is not required, and the only building that checks for COVID symp-

toms is the health center, this part of the Healthy Together Pledge is harder to enforce than others, like wearing a mask or participating in COVID testing. Even if the app was required, it wouldn’t guarantee that students are symptom-free.

“For a health check, there will always be an element of an honor sysdent has no symptoms if they say they don’t,” Brownell wrote in an email to The Miami Student.

Brownell, however, has faith that students are doing what’s necessary to protect the Miami and Oxford community.

“I am trusting that students are paying attention to how they feel and doing what they need to do to keep their community safe,” she said, “whether they are using the [Campus Clear] app or not.” @nwlexi whitehan@miamioh.edu

Recent incident raises safety concerns at Bogan Elementary

Miami University’s Farmer School of Business (FSB) is making strides to include virtual reality (VR) technology in its diversity and inclusion training.

Gillian Oakenfull, director of diversity and inclusion and a professor in FSB, recently received a $50,000 grant to incorporate VR into Beyond Ready CQ, the college’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program.

Virtual reality training is just one part of FSB’s initiative to revamp its DEI program. Starting this year, FSB began its Beyond Ready CQ program, which aims to improve its students’ “CQ,” or cultural intelligence IQ, through a series of skills credentials. take the CQ Pro online assessment of their cultural intelligence through the Cultural Intelligence Center.

They are then given a wide variety of opportunities to raise their CQ, including taking courses and thematic sequences, joining student organizations and pursuing minors that include a diverse perspective.

BUS 106, a business class aimed at helping students understand the concepts behind CQ and how they can develop their diversity skills.

FSB has worked with the company Equal Reality to develop virtual training simulations that allow participants to virtually experience discrimination and teach them how to identify biases, according to FSB’s website.

The simulations also allow parconversations and see how their choices impact others by experiencspectives.

Oakenfull said VR gives people a safe and private environment to identify their own biases.

“It’s a personal and immersive experience,” Oakenfull said. “All of a sudden, you are now in [another person’s] identity … That’s a very different experience than just talking to somebody.”

AN INVESTIGATION WAS LAUNCHED BY TSD AFTER A STUDENT WAS SENT OUT OF THE SCHOOL TO THE WRONG GUARDIAN. CONTRIBUTED BY TALAWANDA SCHOOL DISTRICT

TALAWANDA SCHOOL DISTRICT ALEX COX

they’re supposed to bring the kid out to you.”

Although Koch said the school

STAFF WRITER

her husband of the mix-up, Princi-

A Feb. 2 incident at Bogan Elementary has some parents worried about the safety of their children.

Shauna Koch, the parent of a kindergarten student at Bogan, said her child was sent outside unattended when none of the approved guardians for the child’s pickup were there.

The mix-up followed a possible COVID-19 exposure that caused several children, including Koch’s daughter, to be quarantined per the school’s pandemic plan, at around 10:25 a.m.

Koch said she got a message from her daughter’s teacher explaining that her daughter was being sent

an email she sent two weeks later after receiving no communication from the school about the incident. “[Winslow] said the mix-up came because they had a positive COVID student,” Koch said. “So they were doing contact tracing,

the school around 11:30 a.m. and picked her up about 10 minutes later.

Koch later found out from a at the time, that her daughter had originally been sent outside to the wrong parent.

The other parent, whose child daughter, had come to pick up his child when Koch’s daughter was sent outside by mistake. He then had to knock on the school winwrong child.

“I was just really upset because you never know who that other person could have been,” Koch said. “It could have been anybody … It’s a lot of what-ifs, but the what-ifs are what happen now. And since the incident, we found out that it happened the week before as well with another child. They sent another child out by himself to the wrong parent.”

Although the Elementary Student Parent Handbook doesn’t specify a district-wide pickup policy, allowed to pick up a child from the school, and that ID is required before a child is released to someone.

“If you go to pick up your kid early, they’re supposed to ID you, and you’re supposed to sign them out,” Koch said. “And, since COVID, nobody’s allowed in the building, so

name. So when the dad came to pick up his daughter, they sent my daughter out. But nobody was ever ID’ed.”

Winslow forwarded The Miami Student’s request for comment to the Talawanda School District Communications and Public Relations Director Holli Morrish, who said she could not comment due to an ongoing investigation into the incident.

Koch didn’t receive any further she wrote a social media post on Feb. 21, detailing the incident in the Oxford Talk (OHIO) Facebook group. The next day, Koch got a call from the school’s human resources director Dennis Malone and an email from school board member Rebecca Howard.

Many other parents expressed concern in the comments of Koch’s post, and she said many parents and teachers from other schools in the district reached out to her individually to discuss their concerns.

Koch and her husband said that as things stand, they don’t feel comfortable sending their kids back to Bogan. However, if they pull them, there aren’t many other options.

“There’s nowhere else to take them,” Koch said. “Schools are either full, or they don’t do open enrollment in the beginning of the year.”

Koch said her concerns with school safety are entirely related to the pickup problems and not to the teachers.

“When I say I don’t feel like my kids are safe at the school, it’s not the teachers by any means. I completely trust their teachers 110%,” Koch said. “I feel completely safe – it’s just letting [students] out of the building by themselves.” coxaj4@miamioh.edu

solutions to address the shortcomings of current diversity training methods was necessary.

“There’s been lots of data about how a lot of DEI workshops just don’t work,” Oakenfull said. “So I’m really trying to look at things that you can measure the impact on, and people are actively wanting to try.”

Oakenfull said this form of techworkshops.

“Bias is all about slowing down your thinking … taking what’s normally unconscious and making it conscious and mitigating it,” Oakenfull said.“That’s what [VR] allows you to do … so you can replicate it outside.”

At the end of their senior year, students will be re-examined using the same assessment to illustrate their CQ development during their time at Miami. While an improved score is not required for graduation, students are still incentivized to work toward raising it since they can include it on their resume after graduation. major who took the assessment last semester, said she hopes to get a lot out of the school’s DEI program over the next few years.

“The business world is constantly evolving, so it’s good to have that cultural awareness and know more about yourself as you’re moving into the business world,” Beck said.

FSB students will be able to use their scores to signal their understanding of diversity to future employers.

Oakenfull said the ability to showcase one’s growth in cultural knowledge may be especially important for students coming from FSB and Miami, which both have a reputation of lacking diversity.

“One of the things that we have to recognize is that our students need tangible evidence that they’ve done this work because people are not gonna expect it of Miami University, and they’re not gonna expect it from a student at Farmer,” Oakenfull said. credential has been delayed due to COVID-19.

To make the training more accessible, VR companies have adapted their simulation to a 2D format which can be used on a smartphone, but the full version will most likely be available in FSB by the fall. The training will be available to all students and faculty, and anyone may enroll in it through the website. rudere@miamioh.edu

6 CAMPUS & COMMUNITY

HEADLEDD@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

The unseen Intercultural studies career day warriors: Custodians alumni panel Zoom-bombed battle abnormal COVID-19 obstacles RESIDENCE LIFE MAKENZIE KNORE THE MIAMI STUDENT While residence hall custodians at Miami University love to see students back on ing have made their daily lives harder.

One drawback of having more students on campus is the greater possibility Philbeck, a custodian in Flower Hall, feels better with the vaccine rollout underway and the available resources provided by the university.

“With the vaccinations out now, I’m not too worried about it,” Philbeck said. “And with Miami, as good as they are, giving us weekly tests to let us know whether we are positive or negative is great, because we Because Philbeck lives with her elderly mother, this quick turnaround of results relieves some of the stress that comes with the uncertainty.

Philbeck also appreciates the updates the university sends out on the Miami bulletin board because it informs her about where she needs to be more cautious. “[It provides] updates about which areas are more problematic,” Phillbeck said.

“And, I think they have done a tremendous job considering what I’ve heard other places had to deal with.”

Some custodians at Miami, like Vaworking during the pandemic was somewhat lifted from her shoulders. said. “So, I’m not afraid of it. [However, I wear] a mask when I’m around other people, gloves, sanitize and disinfect.”

In addition to the higher risk of conline classes in their dorms.

One custodian, who preferred to remain anonymous, said completing certain duties has become more challenging since they need to be done without disturbing students. “[The students] are in the bathrooms more often, so it is harder to clean there,” she said. “It is harder to do vacuuming never know if they are in classes.” dents spending an abundant amount of time in their dorm is creating excess trash.

One custodian said with the dining halls now doing carry out, more trash is building up. Before the pandemic, students ate in a dining hall with plates and silverware, and returned their trays once they the option to take their food back to their residence hall because boxed containers have replaced dishes. This multiplies the amount of trash per person by a couple of meals per day.

To help her and her coworkers out, she suggested students throw away their garbage in their own trash can and take it down to the trash room periodically.

“All the extra food boxes have been a challenge, trying to keep up with that,” she said. “So, it would help if the [students] could just take the trash out a little more often.”

While the day-to-day struggles custodians face at work can be exhausting, Miami When students were sent home last spring, Miami gave custodians two opment and stay home for four-to-six weeks or continue working.

One custodian expressed her gratitude for the option to return home.

March and April, and still [got] paid,” she said.

However, Philbeck explained her decision to stay at the halls and continue working.

“I was very grateful to have [Miami] ment, but it took so long for them to get the unemployment [payment]. That would put me and my home life way behind.”

Now with school back in session, the university is giving the opportunity for people to work overtime. With these overtime hours, custodians can either take the extra income or take the equivalent comp time.

“I think it’s great,” Philbeck said. “With my mom not in good health, I am able to without having to use sick time. I can use my comp time and save that sick time in case something major happens to me.”

The demands of custodians have changed quite a bit during this pandemic

CRIME & SECURITY

DAVID KWIATKOWSKI CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR

those who thank me for doing what I’m doing.” knoreme@miamioh.edu

“I really am grateful to the panelists, the moderator and the participants for the grace and poise they showed dealing with really troubling disruptions.”

“When it [started], it was just like, ‘This is a really good event,’” Rodriguez said in reference to the GIC panel. “And it’s talking about [social

online technology for educational opportunities but said this incident shows the disadvantages as well.

“This is really an unfortunate event which we condemn, which does not represent what Miami stands for,” Godeanu-Kenworthy said.

After the attackers were removed, the event carried on.

“I was pleasantly surprised at how fast and just quickly they got back on track,” Rodriguez said. “And that was probably my favorite part.

Just the fact that it was like they acted as if it didn’t happen.”

The alumni panel included Katie Mey, the assistant director for gender-based violence protection at the Virginia Tech Women’s Center, Taylor Robinson, the internal communications manager for Dropbox, Kateryna Botsu, a strategy assistant for the International Monetary Fund and Kristen O’Connell, the coordinator of Governance and Partnerships for the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund.

“I really am grateful to the panelists, the moderator and the participants for the grace and poise they showed dealing with really troubling disruptions,” Godeanu-Kenworthy said.

Director of University News and Communications Jessica Rivinius said the Center for Career Exploration and Success reported the Zoom-bombing to the Information Security of-

that happen.”

The Center for Career Exploration and Success handled the technical portion of the call and was able to remove all the Zoom-bombers. Since the incident is currently under investigation, the

“The university condemns this behavior, and we also stress to follow the security protocols that are listed and recommended,” Rivinius said.

Rivinius also said that – after the completion of an internal investigation – if the university

This past Wednesday, the global and intercultural studies department (GIC) held a virtual alumni panel during its career fair that was Zoom-bombed by people displaying racist, anti-Semitic and pornographic images.

The event was organized to provide career training to GIC students with a focus on showcasing their interdisciplinary skills on the job market.

The incident occurred shortly after the event began.

Senior American studies major Emily Garimage showed up, but once pictures of Adolf Hitler and an audio loop of a racial slur were shown, it became clear to her what the Zoom-bombers’ motives were.

“It’s messed up that someone feels like it’s funny to do something like that,” Garforth said.

“But it’s so, I guess, par for the course that someone comes on and, of course, what they are drawn to do is something racist or something anti-Semitic. It’s just not surprising at this point.”

Last semester, one of Pi Sigma Epsilon’s recruiting events was also hacked with racist and anti-Semitic threats.

Carlos Rodriguez, a sophomore Western studies major, had heard of similar incidents happening in other Zoom calls but was shocked

- Oana GodeanuKenworthy

external law enforcement, it will do so.

At this time, the university does not know who is responsible for the attack.

Kimberly Hamlin, an associate professor of history and the panel’s moderator, believes it is ers originated from. no connection to Miami, then it’s just a matter of IT security tightening up Zoom protocols,” Hamlin said. “But if it’s someone on campus, then I think there needs to be follow up and, I would say, adjudication.”

Additional reporting was contributed by Asst. Campus & Community Editor Cosette Gunter. @kwiatkdm kwiatkdm@miamioh.edu

Donut worry, the Butler County Donut Trail is here to satisfy all of your sugary needs LOCAL BUSINESS HANNAH HORSINGTON ASST. MAGAZINE EDITOR One dreary J-term afternoon, I stumbled upon a TikTok that made me want to return to Oxford as soon as possible. It was advertising the Butler County Donut Trail, and I immediately knew I had to do it.

Completing the Donut Trail is simple — visit every doughnut shop in Butler County. After picking up a “passport” at one of the shops or printing out the online version, all you have to do is buy a doughnut at every shop and get your entire passport, you can turn it in to the Butler County Visitors Bureau for a free Donut Trail T-shirt.

There’s just one small issue — Butler County has more doughnut shops per capita than almost any other county in the country. there were nine doughnut shops on the passperfect baker’s dozen) with shops located in and Oxford.

“We developed the idea of the Donut Trail to highlight local, artisan mom-and-pop doughnut shops across Butler County,” said Tracy Kocher, vice president of marketing and communications for the Butler County Visitors Bureau and co-founder of the Donut Trail.

Ross Bakery, even has a map on the wall full of pushpins from visitors all around the world.

Between printed and online versions, the Butler County Visitors Bureau has distributed around “It attracts so many people from outside of the area to come and visit us, and that’s really the mission of the Visitors Bureau in general – to inspire people to travel and experience the wonderful things that we have in Butler County, and the Donut Trail does that very, very well,” Kocher said.

Kocher also said that while the Donut Trail place, they often stay to experience other attrac“The Donut Trail is a lot of times the way people are introduced to Butler County, but they experience other things inside the destination while they’re visiting us,” she said. ty has helped increase tourism and has also greatly strengthened the local economy.

“We actually did an economic impact study of [the trail],” Kocher said. “So based on that study, we kind of have a formula to determine how much economic impact it has brought into the county, and that is about $5 million so far to date.”

I recently completed the Donut Trail with my boyfriend, and the experience was more fun than either of us imagined. We started at the there, we proceeded to make our way across the

hardships, the custodians love interacting with students, and for some, it is the highlight of their day.

“I enjoy the students that stop me in the

Center could not comment.

Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy, associate professor of American stud-

Throughout the day, we ran into more Donut Trail participants than we could count. One group, complete with doughnut headbands and matching shirts, appeared to be completing the Donut Trail as a birthday celebration. There was a line out the door at every shop, and some nut shops, The Donut Dude and Holtman’s Do-

options. to lose steam but were soon rescued by Kelly’s Bakery in Hamilton and its new-

of the trail strong.

Although most of the doughnut shop workers had probably been up you’d never know it by how cheerful and friendly they were, often asking us about our experience on the trail and also spotted a previous year’s Donut Trail T-shirt at almost every shop we visited, proudly worn by shop employees. nitely isn’t an easy feat, however, and there are a few tips and tricks that are good to know beforehand.

First: Plan out your route before you go. We Oxford and ending in West Chester. The route you choose to take depends on where you plan to start and end, but planning it out beforehand makes the navigation process much easier.

Second: Start early. A lot of the doughnut shops sell out by late morning, so if you plan to do the entire trail in one day then you’ll likely take as much time as you like!

Third: Don’t try to eat all of the doughnuts if you’re completing the trail in one day. After the third donut of the morning, I was already full, so there’s no way that I could eat another

ASST. MAGAZINE EDITOR HANNAH HORSINGTON

car and brought them home to share with our friends. I would recommend bringing a marker to write the name of each shop on the bag, or keep a note in your phone listing the type of doughnut you bought at each shop to reference later, because it’s nice to know where each of them are from.

In the end, we arrived back to Oxford almost six hours after we started, exhausted and with a car full of doughnuts.

We now plan to complete the Donut Trail every year during the rest of our time at Miami, collecting T-shirts and bringing along our friends to introduce them to our new favorite Butler County tradition. @hannahorsington horsinhp@miamioh.edu

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY 7

KWIATKDM@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

Miami’s new age-friendly status still has growing to do ACADEMICS CHLOE MURDOCK MAGAZINE EDITOR-AT-LARGE Miami University entered the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Global Network just three weeks ago. The AFU Global Network ties Miami to a commitment – with about 69 other universities – to increase education and other services for older people outside the traditional college student age range.

Miami’s AFU workgroup, which includes representatives from Miami’s Scripps Gerontology Center, Institute for Learning in Retirement, Alumni Relations, Institutional Diversity, Student Disability Services and Oxford’s Age-Friendly Initiative, worked on the university’s application to join the global network.

The workgroup outlined a plan in its AFU application to develop webinars geared toward faculty on age-inclusive education that would cover topics like diversity.

Though the application did not detail a timeline for the plan, the learning modules will eventually be available for colleges and universities across Ohio.

But Miami’s AFU status has more to improve for its nontraditional students and for Oxford’s retired community.

Many of Miami’s initiatives are informed by Scripps Gerontology Center research, and the programs serve retirement-age residents of Oxford.

For example, Miami’s Recreation Center and various health program opportunities remain open to faculty after they retire.

One of these initiatives is Miami’s Institute post-career classes for retired people in the Oxford community. Attendance has dropped since the pandemic moved classes remote, but the AFU application recorded 720 students in the program in 2020.

Pam Mayberry is the director of academic program support for the Scripps Gerontology Center and was part of the AFU application workgroup.

is 41. He was inspired to retire from the Air Force and become a teacher after he and his wife adopted two kids. In 2017, he came to Miami to pursue a degree in middle childhood education. He drove 35 minutes to get to campus each day.

He struggled to connect with other students in his major classes. He said he was worried about overtaking conversation in class as an older man, and held back in class discussion or tried to bring people in for collaboration.

Wojcik said he worried about creeping female them for group work, and female students were not inclined to reach out to him as an older man, either. Three male students at most would be in an education class. When a professor gave the option to complete class work as a group or alone, he did it alone.

The commuter group on campus was mostly young people, and so was the campus veterans’ group. Small talk with professors would be his most impactful daily interaction.

Wojcik wishes for a student-to-student mentoring program that would pair younger students with older students. Older students could share life experiences while younger students would share what they know about campus. Like living learning communities that traditional students opt into when they live in dorms, information would be shared about where to eat on campus and where major classes are, but also pass on informal knowledge about classes.

Scripps runs intergenerational programs, including one that pairs nursing home residents traditional students.

Based on interactions that Wojcik had with some education professors, he sensed that they weren’t grading him well on the informal “Student havior inside and outside the classroom.

“I felt like perhaps some of the coldness I was experiencing was due to my age and gender, but I

“I felt really - Jaime Wojcik

She said the new AFU status has room to grow.

“We want to make sure that we’re not only said.

Jaime Wojcik is a student that Mayberry would include in the age-friendly status. Wojcik

When he reached out to education professors asking for additional advising as a nontraditional student, Wojcik said they ignored him.

Last semester, he withdrew from his classes. He considered sity. Instead, Wojcik switched to a regional Miami campus to pursue liberal studies after feeling unsupported by professors and advisers in his last major. He’s not sure what he’s going to do with his new major since it’s a general program, but as a remote student, he feels more supported by professors and is surrounded by more students his age.

“I feel like they’re rooting for

Suva Mendoza, a 30-year-old interior design major with two kids, is another non-traditional student. But she is returning to college for the second time.

Mendoza had been working in the New York fashion industry after graduating from a private fashion school in Chicago. She came to Miami two years ago to pivot her career into interior design, -

Miami to invest $20,000 in solar panel analysis for potential use on campus SUSTAINABILITY TAJ SIMMONS ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Miami University plans on funding a $20,000 research analysis with the possibilcampus in the near future.

“We wanted to perform a study analysis facilities planning and operations.

Miami currently uses a small 18-panel solar array at the Institute for Food farm, but Powell said Miami had a bigger picture in mind going forward.

“We’re looking at a much larger-scale utilpump, which is substantial, but we’re talking Location spots Miami is considering include the Ditmer parking lot and DeWitt Cabin greenspace.

Powell said the main reason Miami doesn’t have a major solar panel array is because the technology is costly to utilize. But Powell also said that doesn’t mean there can’t be optimism for the future of the renewable energy source.

“We’re seeing regulatory changes that make fossil fuel production more expensive, improvements in tech that reduce the cost of

els to Miami’s campus.

“I think, especially with the enhanced pecially solar panels, will become a lot more Doepke said she thought the decision had a lot to do with Miami’s utilities masterplan, which outlines Miami’s expected shift to renewable energy sources by 2026.

Jillian Gruber, a premedical studies and psychology double major and member of the Green Team, said she thinks it’s great Miami is looking into solar technology but doesn’t think it has to stop there.

“I think, ultimately, the best way to make sure that you’re being as renewable as possi-

Alongside Miami’s geothermal plant, Gruber said she would be interested in seeing wind power technology added to Miami’s electrical grid.

“I think there’s a lot of resources out here

Powell said the research project is currentchoose its candidate by the end of the month.

Going forward, Powell said the most important thing Miami can do right now is to stay informed on the topic.

“One of the things we are trying to get out Powell said. “We aren’t the most informed on

Lauren Doepke, environmental science and environmental Earth science double major, is a member of the Miami University Green Team. She supports adding solar pan-

@simmons_taj simmontp@miamioh.edu

JAIME WOJCIK IS A NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENT WHO TRANSFERRED FROM THE OXFORD CAMPUS TO A REGIONAL IN ORDER TO FEEL BETTER CONNECTED TO HIS PEERS AND PROFESSORS. CONTRIBUTED BY JAIME WOJCIK

sitions in places like New York City or the West coast. This didn’t align with her life as a military wife who had to move her family around.

Mendoza hasn’t needed accommodations before or during her time as a remote student. Her kids are able to handle remote learning on their own for the most part, especially in comparison to the start of the pandemic. Mendoza only needs to step in for the occasional tech issue for her 7-yearold.

“As the younger generation … they are very She said most professors, especially the ones she’s become most familiar with in the architecout she has two kids.

One thing that has frustrated her is when a few when her kids were sick and Mendoza couldn’t attend an in-person class.

This required her to go out of her way to take her kids, who were usually contagious, to the docwhen Mendoza already knew what they were sick with.

“When working professional jobs, I’ve never after I had a kid, I never needed an excuse or to Other than the occasional strict attendance requirement, she hasn’t had any issues or experienced age-based discrimination while attending courses at Miami. She’s even brought her 7-yearold to the studio and brainstormed project ideas with her.

As a nontraditional student, Mendoza noted how the age gap between professors and traditional students has played out.

For example, younger students attending college who may be receiving harsh critiques on their

Mendoza. Mendoza had developed a thick skin for criticism after watching fashion school professors in Chicago throw her peers’ work in the trash and tell them to start over.

But she said younger generations get a bad rap from older generations.

“I feel like the younger generations don’t get “Professors don’t necessarily do this, but there is a certain degree of like, ‘Oh these young generations,’ you know? And I’m saying this as a general statement, but I do feel that a lot of people shit on But ageism goes both ways. Another part of the bringing older people into the fold of the Oxford community.

Sarah Miller is 81 and has been a student teacher supervisor at Miami for 40 years. She has lived in Oxford since 1969. Miller’s church activities, volunteering and her daily Zoom meetings tem of friends in the area.

But Miller participates in activities put on by ing point for Miami’s AFU status, since Miami and its Scripps Gerontology Center played a part in its creation.

But in spite of the support system of friends these activities provide, Miller said restaurants and clothing stores Uptown are not geared for retirement-age seniors anymore.

Miller also said small Oxford apartments that seniors looking to downsize are not the target market for landlords, who direct their business to students. She also said senior citizens like her aren’t eager to live near students partying.

“Living here for seniors i murdocc3@miamioh.edu

Miami Hamilton ranked No. 1 public school in Ohio for return on investment REGIONALS TAJ SIMMONS ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Miami University’s Hamilton campus has the best 40-year return on investment among public schools who primarily issue bachelor’s degrees, according to a study from Georgetown University and Stacker.

The study utilizes net present value (NPV), a number that calculates future earnings based on earnings 10 and 40 years, respectively, after starting college.

Miami Hamilton students have an averof university. For comparison, students who graduated from Miami’s Oxford campus have a 40-year NPV of $967,000.

Out of the 17 criteria-eligible universities in the state of Ohio, Miami Hamilton placed ahead of schools such as Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati and Bowling Green State University.

Including private universities, trade schools and other programs, Miami Hamilton placed 23rd.

Ruth Orth, the interim regional director of Miami’s Regional Campuses, cited the low cost of Miami Hamilton programs in achieving the top spot.

“Part of our mission at the regionals has “Many of our regional students live within 30 miles of the campus, and it has been important -

semesters. Miami’s Hamilton campus costs $3,264.64 per semester.

“There were a lot of factors that were in play to that. While Oxford is an amazing Public Ivy based on long-term value and learning po$27,000, you know, that factors into it. It’s reIn a press release by the university, Cathy Bishop-Clark, dean of Miami regionals, said the ranking asserts the Hamilton campus as a lowcost option that gives opportunities to students.

“When selecting a major, it’s hard for prospective students to fully understand the cost of their education and how it impacts their

Theo Cox, a junior engineering technology and electrical & computer engineering technology double major at Miami’s Hamilton campus, said the low cost really helped him in “Paying tuition like this is far better over a few years compared to coming out of college supposed to make higher class adults in today’s world, but if the debt becomes a wall to success and stability down the road, can you say you Marielena Orozco, a junior nursing major at Miami’s Hamilton campus, said she hopes the low cost of the Miami Hamilton degree will help down the line.

“I have been able to pay out of pocket and

In comparing Miami’s Oxford campus to Miami’s Hamilton campus, Orth said it was a little tricky. According to Miami’s website,

“By the time I graduate, I should be debt free and I would not have been able to do that with-

residents in fall 2020 totaled $30,734 for two

@simmons_taj simmontp@miamioh.edu

Humor

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ROBIN119@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

Revamping Miami traditions RYAN C. HOCKING

not forget there will also be a group of ghost killers out there with crossbows to keep watch.

4. Go Greek We all know social frats and sororities have devolved from elite social clubs meant for the highest quality of students to million-dollar organizations that trick self-conscious kids into paying for friends. I recommend we take these funds and have all those in Greek life become Greek citizens.

Once the university converts all of them to being Greek citizens, they

THE MIAMI STUDENT The traditions at Miami confuse me. To make them better, I encourage His Highness, Mr. Greg Crawford, to read carefully through my suggested edits to current Miami traditions and decide which of these options to implement in his next agenda as his current agenda of creating a diverse and inclusive environment is failing.

1. Go ghost hunting in Peabody Hall According to Miami University’s website, ghost hunting is a fun activity on campus. It’s thrilling to consider. So, I propose that you and a group of highly trained friends take up arms and go ghost hunting. No, I am not condoning any gun violence; everyone knows a ghost can only be killed with a crossbow. Instead of buying my “Foundations of Biology’’ textbook, I will be buying a crossbow, and I recommend you do the same. It is time for us to take a stand against Helen Peabody and her spirit army.

Before you graduate, please join this 2. The Battle of the Bricks I am not a sports expert. I have no interest in watching Miami’s football team play Ohio University in what is guaranteed to be a snooze fest.

However, I like the name “Battle of the Bricks,” so here is an alternative option to the football game, which will cause less brain damage: Miami and a competing school recruit their 20 strongest individuals and they buy two pallets of bricks. Then, in a trench warfare style game, the two teams line up 10 yards apart, taking

FILE PHOTO THE MIAMI STUDENT

turns throwing bricks at one another. The game will last until one team forfeits or all players on a team have been struck. Though this may seem barbaric, I implore you to look at the number of injuries caused by football.

I am sure some good old fashioned

have had lunch on the seal yet still thrive, never failing a test. So, to make stepping on the seal have some real consequences, we should replace the seal with a seal. Not the critically acclaimed recording artists known for “Kiss from a Rose” but a carnivo-

3. Stepping on the Seal I know multiple students who

I think the student body would have more respect and reverence for this

Woman’s love-life ruined by quarantine, seeks advice on how to break up KEVIN J. WOESTE THE MIAMI STUDENT Dear readers, I’m sure you’ve all felt it. As we near a year of pandemic living, we’re feeling a little crazy. Even the most level-headed among us aren’t immune to this sentiment; case-inpoint, many newspapers have recently had to pull some of Jeanne “Dear Abby” Phillips’ columns for what they have called “frankly bonkers” advice.

But here at The Miami Student, we have managed to gain access to one of these pulled columns and published it

“What you need to do is make him want to break up with you.”

here for your entertainment.

Dear Abby, Back before the pandemic started, I met the man of my dreams, who I’ll call “Calvin.” We very quickly began dating, and things were going really well until the pandemic hit. Both of us decided to move back in with our parents, but his live in Oregon, and mine live in Georgia, so we didn’t see each other face-to-face for nearly a year. With things getting better recently, we both moved back into our apartments in Columbus, and we

DEIRDRE SPERRY As the honey bee population in the United States continues to decline, biologist Dr. Bob Anderson believes the answer to the mystery may lie in a well-loved childhood game. In a recent journal article, Dr. Anderson stated the most likely cause of the pollinator’s disappearance is a spirited game of hide-and-go-seek.

“Look, we’ve all seen Bee Movie, day,” Dr. Anderson told reporters during an interview this week, “so we should know that bees have the capability to understand, work with and learn from human beings. It’s not a

hockinrc@miamioh.edu

Do you see it, too? Mysterious statue kind of looks like a …

months last weekend. It was then that ent person in quarantine: He is now messy, apathetic, and I don’t mean to was strangely unsure of how to talk to the waiter, and in the end, the poor man had to get on a Zoom call to make “Calvin” feel more comfortable, despite the fact that he was standing right in front of him. Abby, am I crazy for wanting to break up with him? I don’t want to hurt his feelings, what should I do?

--Confused in Columbus Dear Confused, I don’t think you are wrong to want to break up with “Calvin,” but you are right that you can’t hurt his feelings — it seems he’s teetering on the edge as is. What you need to do is make him want to break up with you, and the easiest way to do this is to become a Cat Lady. Go out and get as many cats as your local shelter will allow you to have, and next time “Calvin” comes over, introduce him to each cat and tell him that you are raising them as your own children. This should be enough to convince him to break up with you, but just in case he needs more convincing, serve him a meal that has kitty litter baked into it. This will, without a doubt, give him no qualms about leaving you.

--Abby P.S. Once he’s broken up with you, would you mind giving me his number? “Calvin” sounds like my kind of man. woestekj@miamioh.edu

Scientist says missing bees are probably just playing hide-and-go-seek THE MIAMI STUDENT

version of the Miami seal. Imagine what some students have done to the metal piece. Now, replace that hunk of metal with a live animal. If someone went to the bathroom on the animal the same way they did with the seal: unimaginable. Also, those bad boys have some chompers on them. If the Fiji boys want to try to mess with it, the seal will defend itself. And do

Greek economy. If they really want to create men and women of value, force them to go back to the old country to learn some real value.

5. Cradle of Coaches Again, football is silly, dangerous, and there is too much money involved. Though Miami is an academic powerhouse, it chooses not to celebrate its scholarly achievements, instead focusing on the pride grown men have from telling other grown men how to play a children’s game.

So, to celebrate these esteemed coaches, have them dress as babies and do a calendar photoshoot to raise money for research. If we really want to emphasize the cradle narrative, then let them be in cradles. I think a cute calendar would be one heck of a gag and get plenty of publicity for the school, while celebrating these men we admire and respect.

stretch to believe they can learn our most ancient form of entertainment as well.”

Other bee experts are not so sure and have responded to Dr. Anderson’s claims with statements such pesticides,” and “Who is this guy?”

But Dr. Anderson remains certain that he is on the right track: “I am count to 10, and loudly proclaim, ‘Ready or not here we come,’ we will No bees could be reached for comment. sperrydc@miamioh.edu

A NEW STATUE IS LOCATED BEHIND BENTON HALL. HUMOR EDITOR JESS ROBINSON

CHLOE MURDOCK MAGAZINE EDITOR-AT-LARGE A blue and white patterned statue that kind of looks like a big ol’ ding-a-ling on Miami’s North Quad has sparked speculation about its meaning on Oxford campus.

“Is it a dick after all? Or a dildo? Is it actually a sex positive message?” A senior women and gender studies major said. “Or is it just a big “fuck you” from Miami?”

Miami’s administration refused to comment on the phallic-looking structure it has installed in the ground for the foreseeable future or why it paid the equivalent of one semester’s tuition and room and board to install it on North Quad.

Miami’s art and art history departments also have no idea what’s up with the statue.

“It certainly alludes to phallic

symbolism. I mean, just look at it,” an art professor said. “But that’s all we can tell.”

The artist, Hugh G. Rection, refused to be interviewed for this story.

His assistant responded via email that “Mr. Rection acknowledges that the statue could be interpreted as a phallic object, but trusts viewers of his art to interpret their own meaning.”

While Miami administrators did not comment on the statue, a Miami “Weekly Three” email asked fraternity members to stop drunkenly peeing on the statue and climbing it at night.

“Please refrain from this activity unless you are doing it in groups smaller than 10 people,” the email said.

The email did not describe how this new rule would be enforced, and failed to report that this is technically an act of public indecency that would normally

“It’s a baseball bat. Or a cricket bat. It kinda reminds the cob in central Ohio, but corn on the cob.”

be fined outside of Miami’s campus.

The purpose for placing the statue on North Quad, a popular area of dormitories for student athletes, Farmer School of Business (FSB) students and freshman living learning communities, is also unknown. One student athlete had a few theories about what the statue looked like.

“It’s a baseball bat,” he said.

“Or a cricket bat. It kinda reminds me of that field of corn on the cob in central Ohio, but it definitely doesn’t look like corn on the cob.”

A freshman in a living learning community also weighed in.

“Every time I pass it, it’s a reminder that capitalism fucks us over every day,” they said.

The business school refused to comment, though Miami specifically reached out to FSB alumni to donate to the project.

Students have also seen fraternity members try to climb up to the top and sit on it. One witness saw one frat brother succeed, though he smashed his gonads and caused irreparable damage to his ability to have children in the process.

“That’s one less future Kayleigh born to Miami Mergers,” the witness said. murdocc3@miamioh.edu

ROBIN119@MIAMIOH.EDU

HUMOR 9

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

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HUMOR EDITOR

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Real Miami Story Headlines DEIRDRE SPERRY

robin119@miamioh.edu

Got Hugs?

KENDALL PATTISON THE MIAMI STUDENT -

THE MIAMI STUDENT

Mother Nature’s retirement application denied (again) Syrian airstrikes Prince Harry’s move to the US Scientists reveal sorority girls a sign of ultimate victory in immune to virus during group Revolutionary War photoshoots

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ward the light

exorcism in Top Deck following possession of student Woman breaks up with boy- during Sunday scaries friend of four years after he waits 40 minutes in Starbucks line for water adds literacy requirement: enrollment drops to 12 Space aliens push world invasion timeline back a year Public health major says,

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door handles: This is what is and back on each Wellness wrong with our country Day says virus is a hoax Students in Hepburn Hall Nicholas Cage revealed to be leader of Q-Anon, hopes to get Declaration of Indepence soon Are men really trash? We ask 23 fraternity brothers to weigh in temps Hero conservative hides Mr. complain about … everything Potato Head from fascist regime

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pattiskj@miamioh.edu

Sports

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TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

LUKAS NELSON

NELSO156@MIAMIOH.EDU

appeared on SportsCenter the next day, rank-

SPORTS EDITOR On some losing teams, the season can’t end quickly enough. Players loaf up and down the court in the last few games, and at times, it looks like no one wants to be out there.

That was the opposite of what happened with the Miami women’s basketball team. expected blowout to the Ohio State Buckeyes, Little did the RedHawks know that it would be almost two months before the team would win another game, as the loss catastraight defeats in Mid-American Conference (MAC) play. ference victory against Western Michigan on Feb 3, the team was well out of contention for one of the top eight spots needed to make the conference tournament.

Still, the RedHawks didn’t quit. The team in a row before beating Toledo, 62-60 for its beat Kent State on a 3-point buzzer beater from sophomore guard Peyton Scott. The shot

Baseball loses two out of three games in South Carolina LILY FREIBERG THE MIAMI STUDENT

As the team continues its rebuilding phase, let’s take a look at the team’s roster this season and going forward.

ROSTER EVALUATIONS Key Departures Kelly McLaughlin 6’2” forward 12.6 ppg, 7 rpg, 53% fg 6’0” forward 6.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2 apg Kenzie Schmitz 5’10 guard 4.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1 spg In her last season in Oxford, McLaughlin took a huge step forward. The senior forward

She became a reliable scoring option this Laughlin also extended her outside range, tempting zero threes before this season. her combination of size, shooting and ability to guard the perimeter will make replacing her at the four a tough task.

Schmitz’s impact was never measured by her box score, but the young Miami squad will miss her defense and veteran presence.

Key Returners Peyton Scott 5’8 guard 21.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 5.2 apg, 2.7 spg, 37.5 mpg son after showing a lot of potential her freshman year, increasing her scoring output from She also became the emotional leader for

It looks like the Miami RedHawks are early birds.

The RedHawks lost, 5-0, against the University of Connecticut on Friday. They lost again, 5-3, against Coastal Carolina University on Saturday.

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year’s senior class.

Scott’s name is all over the MAC leader-

Miami gets shut out The University of Connecticut’s pitchers brought the heat, shutting the RedHawks out Friday evening.

Western Michigan.

last two, Miami was able to get runners aboard but couldn’t bring them home.

Meanwhile, the Huskies started scoring runs early in the game.

In the second inning, a UConn player doubled and later scored on a wild pitch from starting pitcher Kenten Egbert. The Huskies then loaded the bases and put two more runs on the scoreboard with an RBI walk and an RBI single.

UConn extended its lead to 5-0 with an RBI triple in the sixth inning and an RBI double in the seventh inning.

Saturday’s game was a game of home runs After three quick and hitless innings passed, second baseman Will Vogelgesang hit of the game.

The Chanticleers fought back with two solo homers to put them in the lead, 2-0. inning. After catcher Nate Stolze walked and third baseman Brian Zapp grounded out, shortstop Tyler Wardwell hit a two-run bomb to tie the score.

Coastal Carolina got its bats working again in the sixth inning. The Chanticleers took a 5-2 lead after two singles and a threerun home run.

In the seventh inning, Stolze hit a leadproduce any more runs and left two men stranded by the end of the inning.

Good morning, Miami baseball a.m. game on Sunday against the Wildcats.

Back doubled, Vogelgesang singled and a run for Miami.

Stolze later hit an RBI double to give the RedHawks an early 2-0 lead by the end of Miami put three more runs on the scoreboard in the second inning. Wardell singled

per game. She led the conference with 5.3 asWhile Scott shone all season, there was one stretch in particular that was really special. It started with her scoring a then-career points in a gut-wrenching loss to Ball State.

Not only did Scott score more than 30

games.

Scott should be a shoo-in for the All-MAC team this season and could easily win conference player of the year before she graduates.

Katie Davidson 5’10 guard 11.5 ppg, 4 rpg, 1.2 spg to Scott’s as the team’s third-leading scorer, from 3-point range, both of which should improve as she develops. but she should be a quality starter for the RedHawks going forward.

Tihanna Fulton 6’0” Forward 3.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg

The Game Fighting Hawks

MIAMI REDHAWKS

In the sixth inning, the Wildcats scored score on a passed ball. In the seventh inning, the RedHawks squeezed one more run in with an RBI double from Morissette.

The RedHawks travel to Tennessee this weekend to play against the University of Memphis. The three-game series against the Tigers starts Friday at 4 p.m. @lilyfreiberg freibell@miamioh.edu

Fulton’s role increased dramatically this season, as she started eight of 22 games and averaged more than 20 minutes per game.

With three starting spots open next year, Fulton is in the mix to take one of those spots.

Vanessa Garrelts 5’4” guard 1.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.2 apg the MAC’S best point guards. Now, she’s the backup for Peyton Scott, now also one of the MAC’s best point guards.

Garrelts played sparingly, as Scott rarely left the court. Still, the veteran guard could earn more playing time next season.

Armani Freeman 6’2” Forward 2.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 65% fg Freeman’s role increased a little bit as a attempts.

Freeman shared the backup center spot Laughlin gone, the two will likely be competing for a starting spot next year.

Jada Duckett 6’2” Forward 3.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg game in 224 minutes.

KEY ADDITIONS After sitting out this year for various reasons, Miami will have sophomore guard ter-Walker and freshmen guards Edyn Battle and Sydney Watkins on the team for next year. have a leg up with their experience. Foster-Walker, who stands at 6’2”, averaged 6.2 points and 5.6 rebounds her freshman year for the University of Missouri-Kansas City and could slide into the starting lineup as a power forward or center. @LukasTheDream nelso156@miamioh.edu

Hockey to play No. 1 North Dakota in conference JACK SCHMELZINGER

Senior forwards Jordan Kawaguchi and Collin Adams were also dangerous in the reg-

THE MIAMI STUDENT

in 23 games, and Adams — an Islanders prospect — put up 24 points in 24 games.

Player (position, class, key stats)

to play in the National Collegiate Hockey Con— that ranked sixth in the nation, giving up

Matthew Barbolini (forward, freshman, 24 gp,

goaltender Adam Scheel. The Lakewood, Ohio “Overall, [we’re] disappointed with the standings, disappointed with the record,” head coach Chris Bergeron said. “Lots of work to do.”

-

Brokemond hit an RBI double.

Back then grounded out, bringing in a runner, and Stone singled to extend the RedHawks’ lead to 5-0. more runs. Stolze was hit by a pitch, third baseman Brian Zapp walked and Wardell singled to load the bases.

Morisette walked and brought in a run and Brokemond hit a two-RBI single. Back -

THE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM HUDDLES BEFORE A GAME AGAINST WESTERN MICHIGAN IN EARLY FEBRUARY, WHICH ENDED THE REDHAWKS’ 13-GAME LOSING STREAK. THE MIAMI STUDENT ZACH REICHMAN

HAWKS

The RedHawks have a tough task ahead. both the NCHC and the country, and rosters -

Player (position, class, key stats)

season, 2-0 and 6-2. [the players] all you want about their depth and their strength at all three positions. But

Matt Kiersted (defenseman, senior, 24 gp, 3 g,

percentage.

Beyond that, Miami will have to wor-

tawa Senators.

For the RedHawks to have a chance to advance, they will have to lean on freshman goalie Ludvig Persson. Persson, arguably the age, and is a nominee for the Hobey Baker, the yearly award given to the best player in division I hockey.

If they win Friday, the RedHawks advance -

Players To Watch by the NCHC’s leading scorer, sophomore forward Shane Pinto. Pinto, an Ottawa Senators

nationally televised on CBS Sports Network. schmelj2@miamioh.edu

SPORTS 11

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

NELSO156@MIAMIOH.EDU

Miami women’s soccer wants to be “consistent threat” in 2021 J’NAI KNOX THE MIAMI STUDENT The Miami RedHawks women’s soccer team has not had a winning season since 2015. last out of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) preseason poll.

Head coach Courtney Sirmans has other plans.

Sirmans was hired in 2018, and the season before her arrival, the RedHawks won only two games. Going into her third season, she has lots of hopes for the team. third in the conference,” Sirmans said. “We want to be at the top of our division.”

This season, the RedHawks are playing only 10 games due to playing in the spring instead of fall. Another change that’s been implemented is the mask requirement during practice and on the sidelines at games.

Sirmans said the team has been very understanding when it comes to wearing masks because “they know the feeling of when we had our season ripped away from us. They to make it.”

Because this year has been so unpredictable, the team created a motto to keep them motivated.

“Consistent threat” The expression emphasizes the importance of being unwavering no matter where JUNIOR GOALTENDER IZZIE VACCARI HIGH FIVES HER TEAMMATES BEFORE A 5-0 LOSS TO BUFFALO MARCH 7.

THE MIAMI STUDENT ZACH REICHMAN

LUKAS NELSON SPORTS EDITOR It feels like it was a lifetime ago, but this time last year, the Miami RedHawks were six games under .500 and heading into the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament as the 12th seed.

The team was supposed to move on to the next round to play Northern Illinois, who it had beaten at home less than a month prior. down. The MAC tournament and March Madness were canceled, and college sports weren’t played again until the fall.

This season, after some internal improvement, Miami jumped from dead last in the standings a year ago to seventh this year, earning a second straight bid to Cleveland. year, who will be looking to avenge last year’s

loss. The Bulls have beaten Miami by at least 20 points in both matchups this year.

The RedHawks are on a hot streak, though, Bowling Green. winner of BG and Akron, whom the RedHawks were supposed to play last Friday before the safety protocols. last nine games.

On Thursday, there will be four games played in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, starting

the girls are, including on the pitch, during practice and even in the classroom.

“We want people to know that when Miami comes to town, they’re going to have to be ready for a battle,” Sirmans said.

Looking ahead to this season, Sirmans noted a few players she thinks will make a huge impact for the team. was placed on the Academic All-MAC Team last year, is the only senior on the team.

“She’s a fantastic leader,” Sirmans said.

“She has helped build this program the last three years and I expect her to have a great season. Even if she doesn’t get goals, she still makes an impact on the team because of her leadership.”

Sirmans also shouted out sophomore defenders Kennedy Gray and Bronwen Sears.

Both players were honored on the MAC All-Freshman Team last year, and Sirmans is interested in seeing their transition from freshmen to sophomores.

Above scoring goals and being consistent above all else: “Most important is to get through the season healthy.”

So far, the RedHawks are 1-1, with a win against Ohio University and a loss against The team’s next game is at home on Sunday against Kent State. The game will start at 1 p.m. knoxj@miamioh.edu

Players to Watch To advance to the next round, the RedHawks need strong performances from senior forward Dalonte Brown, junior guard Mekhi Lairy and sophomore guard Dae Dae Grant.

The team’s role players also need to step up. Redshirt sophomore guard Myja White has been more productive lately, shooting 40% from behind the arc and being very active on defense.

White has taken on the other team’s toughest assignment on defense at times, and he may have to do the same in this game.

A couple bench players — redshirt freshman forward Javin Etzler and redshirt junior forward James Beck — may also play key roles in Thursday’s game. Etzler’s combination of size

and shooting may come in handy playing a team with a bit more size than the RedHawks.

Beck, who is mostly a backup center, may need to shift down a position and play power forward. Either way, his hustle and activity on both ends is important in a game that may be decided by a possession or two.

The Bulls have multiple ways to beat teams, as they have four players averaging double-digit scoring for the year. Senior guard Jayvon Graves was named MAC Player of the Week on Monnine assists per game in two games last week. @LukasTheDream nelso156@miamioh.edu

after the previous game ends. Miami will play at approximately 4 p.m.

After being robbed of playing in Cleveland last year, the ’Hawks get another chance Thursday.

SCOREBOARD TUESDAY

The Game

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Mortgage Fieldhouse TV: ESPN+ Radio: Miami Radio Network

MIAMI REDHAWKS

Connecticut…...………...1 Miami………………….... 0

Miami……………………… 84

SATURDAY

Bowling Green…...…….… 79

BASEBALL

FIELD HOCKEY

Miami……………….….. 3

Ball State….…………….....1

Coastal Carolina…….... 5

Miami…………………....... 5

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Miami…..…………..… 58

Player (position, height, key stat) Mekhi Lairy (guard, 5’8”, 13.2 ppg) Myja White (guard, 6’1”, 40% 3-pt fg)

WEDNESDAY

Ohio………………...... 61

Precious Ayah (forward, 6’6”, 53.6% fg)

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

SOFTBALL

Miami …………...……...... 70

Bradley……………….. 0 Miami……………….…11 SOFTBALL

THURSDAY Player (position, height, key stat) Jayvon Graves (guard, 6’3”, 14.6 ppg) JUNIOR GUARD MEKHI LAIRY ATTEMPTS A LAYUP DURING A FEB. 12 LOSS TO AKRON. THE MIAMI STUDENT MACY WHITAKER

’Hawks Talk

Miami…………………….. 1

DePaul……………….. 1 Miami……………….... 5

Ohio…………….………... 0

SUNDAY

VOLLEYBALL

BASEBALL

Miami……………….…… 0

Davidson……....….... 3

Kent State……..……...… 3

Miami……………..… 11 SOFTBALL

FRIDAY VOLLEYBALL Miami …………….…...… 3 Kent State …..……......... 1 FIELD HOCKEY

DePaul.……………... 5 Miami…..….……...… 4 SOFTBALL Miami……………….. 4 Louisville…..……….. 0

Miami………..…….…….. 2

his team’s 84-79 overtime win over Bowling Green last Tuesday

Saint Louis………..…….. 0 BASEBALL

Miami……………….. 0

Opinion

12

WOLFFRG@MIAMIOH.EDU

TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2021

STAFF EDITORIAL

Let’s understand each other better Look, we know that sometimes we come across as a little harsh in our editorials. But we believe there’s a misconception on the way we go about things. editorial is an opinion piece that begins with a discussion by The Miami Student editors. The topic varies week to week and is often based on a big news story.

In our discussion, we aim for a clear stance, plenty of explanation and some action steps that can be gathered together and presented in a coherent and compelling article. Our goal is to spark change — or at least give people something to think about.

We’d like to reiterate that our editorials are completely separate from news stories.

This is why each of our editorials begin with the words, Board.” On the opinion page, we share our opinions, which we work diligently to support with evidence.

Much of that factual evidence can be found in the relevant news article, and to best obtain that evidence, we need to speak with individuals who are educated on the topic at hand.

People not wanting to talk to us because they’re afraid of what we might print isn’t what we want at all. We want solid relationships with decision makers so that we can report full and honest stories — something we strive for every day.

We don’t operate on gotcha journalism principles. Sure, we report on injustice and wrongdoing when we see it, but we’re not putting out media stunts to get readership.

We have our editorial discussion after the news story about the subject is written. Oftentimes, the writer who wrote the news piece isn’t even a contributor to the editorial.

We know how to separate fact from feeling.

That being said, we can’t always get the full story from every side if people won’t talk to us. We’re aware some members of the administration aren’t always keen on being interviewed for stories. And some prefer interviews done via email, but it’s and establish rapport through email than in person or over the phone.

Lack of proper communication between us and those who make decisions at this school will only hurt the community.

It’s our job to give our community the information it needs to stay informed. We are a necessary part of an important system that keeps the administration, students and other organizations on campus in check. Yes, we’ve called out the administration for a variety of things in the past, but we’ve also written multiple editorials calling our own student body to action. We are simply doing our job as journalists.

Because we can only do so much with the information we have, we need everyone in our community to be on board. The more people who can give us background information or be interviewed for a piece, the better it will be for everyone.

Miami phasing out forensic investigation major is disappointing KYLIE PURSIFULL THE MIAMI STUDENT I remember growing up with true crime shows like “Snapped” on the Oxygen Channel.

My mom tells me that, when I was a toddler, whenever the “Law and Order” theme song played, the DUN-DUN would cause me to quickly whip my head around and pay attention to the television.

Even though it may have taken me some time to get where I am today in my educational pathway, deep down I think I always knew I wanted to pursue criminal investigations and a career working with crime scenes. It was so great that the college around the corner from major.

What would have happened if I would have started at Miami University Hamilton too late, A lot of incoming Miami University students are now having to answer these questions.

John Forren, associate professor and chair of the justice and community studies department, sent out a letter to students who have declared forensic investigation as their major, including myself, at the end of February, statlonger be able to declare a major in that program. The forensic investigation major will be phased out, and all advertising and promotion for the program has also come to a halt.

Forren said in the letter that this was in light of departmental resource constraints and a lagging student demand, as well as consultations with faculty, community partners and university administrators in the fall of 2020.

But he assured all current students that the to them.

My question is, did they consider this “lag of How long has this been a topic of discussion, and how is student demand for the forensic science degree, the counterpart of the forensic A dear friend of mine decided to come to lier in 2020, we both discussed our majors and discovered we were both going for forensic investigation. However, when she started, she was told she would have to change her major, because forensic investigation was no longer will more than likely major in something that doesn’t satisfy her as much.

It’s upsetting to see this happen to someone so close to me, and it makes me upset for all of the other students who have been in this situation as well. I remember how excited I was to learn Miami Hamilton had a forensic investigation major, and that I wouldn’t have to go to some big college out of the state and leave my family behind.

Luckily, I was able to declare my major in time, a year before they decided to phase it out.

But I am not concerned about my own education as much as I am for incoming students and those close to me.

Imagine where I would be in my education journey if I hadn’t been able to declare my major. I would have spent so much money being an undecided student, because I double major in journalism and didn’t declare that until about a semester and a half in.

Miami is such a great school, and the regional campuses have tuition prices that are go to those big colleges out of state.

I wonder to myself if Miami’s rates will drop even more now that they have phased out the forensic investigation major.

President Greg Crawford sent an email March 4 about a return to in-person classes this upcoming fall. If the university had waited a little longer and COVID calmed down, maybe their numbers would have again increased and the forensics investigation major could’ve stuck around.

I wish they would have had a little more patience before making such a big decision during a pandemic.

“I remember how excited I was to learn Miami Hamilton had a forensic investigation major, and that I wouldn’t have to go to some big college out of the state and leave my family behind.”

@ky_keelee pursifkn@miamioh.edu

So, next time you don’t like something that we print, feel free to email the editor of that section and set up a line of communication with them. We accept letters to the editor, too.

It’s easy to think we’re not mature enough to understand real issues at this university. But we experience these issues for ourselves every day on campus, and we remain well-informed. We are all taught to understand our own biases, and we’re capable of executing hard, honest news.

Oxford is a news desert, and we report on local news and events around town, in addition to our Miami coverage, because there’s nobody else to take on that responsibility.

We do our best to be fair and honest journalists, but we are not a PR newsletter for this school. We love Miami, which is why we try to give student input and suggest solutions for potential mistakes as decisions are being made. We want to see change in areas that need it because we want to see our community thrive.

At the end of the day, we’re just a group of students bouncwe want good relationships with students and administration so we can continue to do what we love and what is important.

Maybe there is bad blood from the past in some cases — we’re not sure. The truth is, administrators stick around for a uate and new ones take over. We start every year and every

Small government matters … I swear ABBY BAMMERLIN ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR With all that’s going on with the national political stage, it’s easy to get swept up in theoretical debates about party lines and issues of international importance. But what happens in day lives.

In fact, the government body that actually impacts our lives as students and community members can barely draw more than a handful of spectators.

Oxford City Council is usually chalked up to being a board full of people that have too much time on their hands and way too much knowledge of the bureaucratic handbook: Robert’s rules.

But for the past year and a half, I’ve been one of just a few onlookers of city council. Every two weeks, when the council meets, I’ve tuned in to write a 500-word brief about the important events of the meeting.

For the most part, meetings consist of the seven council members debating about sidewalks, real estate developments and other things of little importance to the community at large.

But sometimes, the council can come together to make actual change.

In November 2020, council passed a resolution to create a cold shelter for community members experiencing homelessness.

In October 2020, it passed funding for public Wi-Fi for mobile home parks and community parks in Oxford. In July 2020, council passed a ban on police chokeholds and a mask mandate in the same meeting. islation that gets debated in the court of public opinion. These are things that are actually hap-

when it comes to city council.

So don’t let me be.

Take two hours out of your day and watch a meeting. If you can’t do that, pick up a newspaper and read about what happened. Or better yet, read all the briefs of the past year on The Miami Student’s website.

And it doesn’t just have to be city council.

Recently, the Police Community Relation and Review Commission (PCRRC) allowed community members to speak openly about how well they believed the commission was doing and what they wanted to see from them.

Many student leaders posted about this event on social media. None of them participated.

“The government body that actually impacts our lives as students and community members can barely draw more than a handful of spectators.”

For better or for worse, these seven people have a tremendous impact on Oxford, a town where students spend eight months out of the year. While this may not be your home for very long, the time you spend here makes you part of this community.

This November, more than half of our city council members have terms that are expiring, which means there will be an election. well-informed voter out of the student body

While Oxford may not be the place I was born and raised, it is a place that I want to see be better. It’s a place where students and community members can work together to create a progressive and accepting city.

But it’s not going to happen without students paying attention.

So hold your local leaders as accountable as you hold national ones. Let them know when they’ve done a good job and call them out when they aren’t doing the job they promised.

This is as much your town as it is townies’.

If you want to create change in the world, make it start here in Oxford.

And when you cast your vote in November, make sure it’s an informed one. @abby_bammerlin bammeraj@miamioh.edu