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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWS ORGANIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI | WWW.NEWSRECORD.ORG

THE NEWS RECORD

131 YEARS IN PRINT VOL. CXXXI ISSUE IV

MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 26 | 2011

CHALK

MIDPOINT MUSIC FEST

entertainment | 5

IT UP

college living | 4

Diversity plan reaches completion JASMINE EVANS | STAFF REPORTER

The University of Cincinnati hopes to broaden its racial, ethnic and national horizons as its new five-year Diversity Plan has been completed and presented to UC President Gregory H. Williams. UC2019 is President Williams’ plan to accelerate the transformation of the university into one of the nation’s elite. The plan identifies six broad goals. Each goal has beneath it a series of identified strategies MITCHEL to be pursued to improve LIVINGSTON the culture of diversity and inclusion at UC. “Diversity is critical to our vision of excellence at the University of Cincinnati,” said Louis Bilionis, council chair and dean of the College of Law,. “It is essential to the completeness of the learning

experience we seek to create. The university also is a pathway for students to the world ahead — a world of work and leadership that depends upon diversity. That’s why UC’s mission statement embraces diversity, and why diversity is a key component of UC2019.” The diversity plan suggests five measurable priorities or immediate action steps for the current fiscal year (see priorities info box). “To make progress and transform the University, you need goals, measurable points of progress, clear assignment of responsibilities and accountability,” Bilionis said. “UC2019 does that, and this diversity plan coordinates with UC2019.” The subcommittee involved with the Diversity Plan included Terry Kershaw, chair of Africana Studies in the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences; Debra Merchant, associate vice SEE DIVERSITY | 2

Medication poisonings on the rise

Six broad goals for diversity

1 Attract, retain and graduate academically prepared students who reflect a wide range of diversity 2 Attract, retain, and promote an increased number of underrepresented and diverse faculty in tenure and clinical track positions

3 Recruit, retain, and promote underrepresented staff at professional, mid-level, and senior leadership positions 4 Create and support a learning and work environment that reflects the university’s mission which includes a commitment to excellence and diversity

5 Increase supplier diversity and strengthen its community partnerships with particular focus on the inclusion of underrepresented and other diverse constituents. 6 Develop and implement a comprehensive, integrated, universitywide system of accountability and assessment that will evaluate, quantify institutional performance.

PHOTOS BY EAMON QUEENEY | PHOTO EDITOR

GUEST OF HONOR President Barack Obama spoke to members of the press and public with the Brent Spence Bridge as a backdrop during a visit to Hilltop Concrete in downtown Cincinnati. Obama used the visit as an effort to push his American Jobs Act legislation.

BETHANY CIANCIOLO | STAFF REPORTER

Unintentional medication poisoning is becoming an increasing problem with young children, and it accounts for more than half of emergency hospital visits nationwide. “More children are exposed, more are seen in an emergency department, more are admitted and more are injured each year,” said Dr. Randall Bond, medical director of the Drug and Poison Information Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, in a medication poisoning study. “We conclude that the problem of pediatric medication poisoning is getting worse, not better,” Bond compiled records from the National Poison Data system — a database containing information about all phone calls made to poison centers across the country — to track the increase of poising incidences. The study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, analyzed information from 2001-08 involving 453,559 children aged five years and younger, and found that most children were self-ingesting high amounts of certain prescription pharmaceuticals, mainly opioids (pain-relievers), sedatives and cardiovascular medications. The study states that according to a 1998-99 survey, half of adults had taken at least one prescription medication in the week prior, and 7 percent had taken five or more. This give children a higher chance to ingest those medicines. In 2006, the same survey found that 55 percent had taken at least one prescription medication in the week prior, and 11 percent had taken five or more. Self-exposure cases accounted for more than half of emergency department visits and three-fourths of hospital admissions. Increased potency of medications could also factor in to the rising number of pediatric poisonings. “More people are on medicines where they take one pill a day,” Bond said, explaining that each dose of medication is much stronger and more harmful for young children. “This is happening and [cardiovascular pills, painkillers and tranquilizers] are the medicines it’s happening with,” SEE MEDICATION | 2 INSIDE

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College Living Entertainment Classifieds Sports

Obama touts new jobs JAMES SPRAGUE | CHIEF REPORTER With the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge overhead and the Brent Spence Bridge in the background, President Barack Obama visited Cincinnati Thursday at the Hilltop Concrete plant to stump for the benefits of his announced American Jobs Act while urging members of Congress to pass the bill. Speaking to a crowd consisting of union members, the unemployed and local politicians including Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Obama passionately gave spectators the ways his legislation — such as construction projects like the replacement of the Brent Spence Bridge mentioned by the president in his presentation to Congress Sept. 8 — will create more jobs and assist in the rebuilding of the nation’s infrastructure if passed. “We used to have the best infrastructure in the world here in America. We’re the country that built the intercontinental railroad and the Interstate highway system. We built the Hoover Dam; we built the Grand Central Station,” Obama said. “So how can we now sit back and let China build the best railroads, and let Europe build the best highways, and

RYAN HOFFMAN | STAFF REPORTER

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COULTER LOEB | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

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this bridge. Help us rebuild America. Help us put construction workers back to work. Pass this bill.” Boehner, who spoke at the University of Cincinnati last week regarding jobs and has compared the president’s plan to an act of “class warfare,” due to the proposed tax rate SEE OBAMA | 2

EAMON QUEENEY | PHOTO EDITOR

GET PUMPED UP Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory gets the crowd excited before Obama’s arrival in Downtown Thursday.

Campus housing near capacity

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have Singapore build a nicer airport at a time when we got millions of unemployed construction workers out there just ready to get on the job and ready to do the work of rebuilding America?” Obama further detailed the proposed legislation in his speech, telling spectators how the plan will create more jobs, slash taxes on small business owners and even the tax burden between the middle and upper-classes. He also implored spectators to contact their representatives and urge them to pass the legislation, which led to chants of “pass the bill,” from the crowd and for the president to question Congress’ stance on the plan. “What’s Congress waiting for?” Obama asked. “What’s taking so long?” The president also issued a challenge to Speaker of the House John Boehner of Ohio and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky — two of the president’s staunchest opponents in Congress — to approve the legislation as well. “There’s no reason for Republicans in Congress to stand in the way of more construction projects,” Obama said. “There’s no reason to stand in the way of more jobs. Mr. Boehner, Mr. McConnell, help us rebuild

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OUT OF ORDER Morgens and Scioto halls are in renovations after residents reported asbestos, mold and lead paint in the dorms.

In what has become almost an annual cliché, enrollment at the University of Cincinnati has grown for the seventh year in a row, resulting in a shortage of on-campus student housing. Due to the shortage, UC has rented out 100 beds from Sterling McMillan, located at 195 East McMillan St., to house students who weren’t able to get a space in the on-campus residence halls. The lease is said to be a “break-even investment” and the cost for the students living in Sterling McMillan is the same as those living in a residence halls such as Dabney, Daniels, Calhoun and Siddall on campus — $1,933 per quarter, said Todd Duncan, director of Housing and Food Services. UC’s 2011 overall enrollment of 42,750 students is 3.4 percent higher than the 2010 Fall quarter numbers and a sharp increase from the 33,823 total students enrolled in 2003. “It says we are increasingly a first-choice institution,” said Caroline Miller, senior

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associate vice president for enrollment management. “The enhancements in retention and graduation rates indicate that students are achieving success — that they are generally satisfied with UC.” The continual growth of student enrollment is creating a demand for more living options on and off campus. On campus, Morgens Hall is currently under renovation, while a decision on the future of Scioto Hall is still pending, Duncan said. The two halls were closed in 2008 after former tenants reported health concerns including mold, asbestos and lead paint issues in the two halls. Morgens Hall is scheduled to reopen for the 2013-14 academic year, which would provide apartment-style housing for approximately 500 students. Each unit will have a full-service kitchen, and the old balconies will be encased in a glass cover, adding 15 percent more space to each room, Duncan said. SEE HOUSING | 2


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