TheTranscript – Page 14 – The Transcript

Tough loss brings experience for freshman goalie

By Jalen Daoust, Transcript Correspondent

The men’s lacrosse team lost 12-11 against the top-five ranked Tigers in a shootout that went into overtime while also giving one freshman some well needed experience.

The Ohio Wesleyan Lacrosse men’s team started the season Feb. 18. They would play their first game against Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) who are currently ranked #2 according to usila.org’s coaches poll.

Between performances by young freshmen talent, and leadership from the returners on the team put up a fight and set the tone for the rest of the season.

The Bishops went down 5-0 to RIT in the beginning minutes of the game. With the home field advantage, they didn’t give up and fought back to force the game into overtime.

“Going down 5 goal was nerve-wracking, but a senior came over and told me to calm down and I got comfortable and goal,” said freshman goalkeeper Joey Sichenzia.

Leadership by returning starters Max Tennant, who finished the game with three goals, and junior Trent Schulte, who had the first goal to start the Bishop’s came back, the team rallied and put up a fight. After a few big hits, and a couple goals, they found the back of the RIT net. It was time for the freshmen to show what they’ll be bringing to the table this year.

One of the biggest freshmen additions to the team this year is Sichenzia who has started all three games for the Bishops this season and his best game was his first ever collegiate match against RIT.

Although he let in five quick goals he then followed that up with nine saves. Which is tied for the most saves in an opening game since records have started being kept here at OWU.

There is high hopes from Sichenzia this season as he has been solid in goal since the first 12-11 overtime loss to RIT. Sichenzia has a lot of confidence going forward after the first loss.

“Even though we lost still had a lot fun and still made a statement that we are not a team to mess with. Although these big teams are definitely no joke…neither are we,” said Sichenzia.

The Bishops have a chance to do big things in both the NCAC and in the NCAA tournament this year if they can keep up their fierce play. As more freshmen continue to step up into roles on the team they will just become stronger.

The returners on the team will continue to bring leadership and teach the freshmen the winning culture of being a Bishop’s this season. They are currently at ranked #13 according to the week 2 coaches poll on usila.org.

Public safety sends alert to students to shelter in place

By Transcript Staff

Delaware Police Department (DPD) is searching for two possible suspects for a “reported crime involving a gun” in downtown Delaware.

Ohio Wesleyan’s Public Safety (PS) sent an alert at 11:47 a.m., Feb. 17, notifying the campus community to shelter in place while police search for the suspects.

“Police have two suspect descriptions: a bald white male with a red shoulder bag and white tennis shoes and a person wearing all black,” the alert from PS said.

The shelter was lifted at 11:55 a.m., when PS sent another alert saying, “Delaware Police say OWU is able to resume normal operations. You no longer need to shelter in place.”

To receive PS alerts, students can subscribe by visiting this link: https://www.owu.edu/student-life/campus-safety/owu-alert-system/.

Seniors Munir Qaddourah and Doug Sanders witnessed Delaware Police during the search and posted photos and videos to their Snapchat stories.

The Transcript has attempted to contact PS but has not been able to reach them yet.

In a press release, DPD stated they are investigating a bank robbery in connection to the shelter placed on campus.

“[The robbery] occurred around 11:18 a.m. today at the Chase Bank branch, (61 N. Sandusky Street, Delaware),” the press release stated. “A lone male robber entered the bank, threatened a patron with a knife, and demanded money. He left the bank on foot with an undisclosed amount of US currency.”

The suspect is Jose Angel Santiago Cintron, a 42 year old man from Delaware. According to the press release and later confirmed by DPD Captain Adam Moore via voicemail, the suspect is in custody.

Photo of Suspect Jose Angel Santiago Cintron

“He is being held on one count of robbery and one count of kidnapping related to today’s incident”, said Moore.

“[The suspect] was taken into custody without incident, several blocks from the bank, approximately 10 minutes after the initial call,” the release said.

Cole Hatcher, director of media and community relations, also sent an email to the campus community at 2:01 p.m., saying the man was arrested in the vicinity of the campus and no one was injured.

In his email, Hatcher outlined a set of protocols to follow in case of emergencies:

“Follow a run, hide, fight protocol – in that order.

Get to a safe place as quickly as possible and secure yourself there. Lock and/or barricade doors as much possible for your immediate area. (If you are in a classroom, or similar, do not leave a safe space to reach personal offices, residence hall rooms, etc.)

Assess your surroundings to identify potential secondary escape routes and possible ways to subdue/disarm an assailant in a life-threatening situation. (Could you break a window if needed? Do you have pepper spray with you? Do you have access to heavy objects that may be thrown or otherwise used to subdue/disarm an assailant?)

Stay sheltered until you receive an all-clear message. This message likely will be sent via the OWU ALERT emergency notification system.”

*This story will be updated as more information becomes available and was last updated at 5:07 p.m., February 17, 2017.

The benefits of diversity in academia

By Dr. Thomas Wolber, Modern Foreign Languages professor

Some people hold the view that diversity is incompatible with and antithetical to excellence. A woman can never be an effective president, they might say. The same people may believe that a black student can never become a top-notch STEM scientist or that a Hispanic-born “dreamer” become a loyal American citizen. They are mistaken. Diversity is not just about being fair, nice, or politically correct.

Let’s imagine, for a minute, that Hollywood makes movies only for, by, and of straight white men. Obviously, such products would not be particularly attractive to most women, Hispanics, Blacks, LGBT folks, or international audiences. To increase sales and profits, the film studios would have to produce movies that are more diverse and multicultural in terms of gender, race, national origin, language, sexual orientation, etc. The same is true of any company. If a board of directors consisted of nothing but a bunch of old white-haired men, chances are that the particular products of that company wouldn’t be bought by many millennials, women, or minorities. A company that wants to avoid entropy and to remain competitive has to make a concerted effort to understand the market and respond to its customers. Boards must be as diverse, inclusive, and heterogeneous as possible and create space for new viewpoints while considering alternatives. Not only do diverse and decentralized companies perform better, their long-term health and well-being depends on having a workforce that reflects the population.

The same principles apply to other institutions and organizations like schools, churches, hospitals, city councils, the police, political parties, etc. Recent studies outline multiple benefits of diversity for institutions of higher learning as well. Jeffrey Milem at the University of Arizona (2003) says that increased faculty diversity results in more student-centered approaches to teaching and learning; diverse curricular offerings; research focused on issues of race and ethnicity; and faculty-of-color involvement in community and volunteer service. Paul Umbach from the University of Iowa (2006) found that faculty of color were more likely to interact with students, to employ active and collaborative learning techniques, to create environments that increase diverse interactions; and to emphasize higher-order thinking in the classroom. Other studies likewise emphasize that diversity enhances more comprehensive approaches, collaborative learning, deeper knowledge, critical thinking, and cognitive development. We also know from K-12 schools that black students perform better academically when their schools have black teachers, and their graduation rate is higher. This is by no means an exhaustive list. There is much that is not yet known because the benefits of diversity has been a historically neglected area of inquiry. But from the research available so far it is clear that racial and ethnic diversity matters for optimal learning outcomes.

Academia is historically rooted in white and male authority and hegemony. Indeed, many colleges and universities were once funded through the practice of slavery. Ohio Wesleyan University, too, remains a predominantly white institution. But history is not destiny. There is much OWU could and should do to remove barriers to diversity. More faculty and administrators of color and/or other diverse backgrounds would make the institution more attractive to minority students and help with recruitment, retention, and student satisfaction. At the same time, it would allow OWU to fulfill its promise to provide a global education for everyone and prepare all students for a world that won’t look like the communities they hail from. OWU, a liberal-arts college, has a fine tradition of broadening students’ horizon. But there is more to be done. Currently, OWU is not preparing students to the extent that is necessary for a diverse world and future. For example, most graduates will have never had a person of color as their teacher, adviser, or mentor in their life. In the real world, it will be different. How will OWU students deal with a black, female, or LGBT superior later in life? Will they accept and support the person in authority, or will they reject and undermine the leader’s legitimacy? Is OWU equipping them with the requisite body of knowledge, skills, and character to navigate the unknown?

As the population of the U.S. becomes more multicultural, diversity and inclusion will play an increasingly integral role in every aspect of society. It is the next frontier.

Women’s basketball team falls against 15th ranked DePauw

By Aleksei Pavloff, Sports Editor

The Ohio Wesleyan University women’s basketball played the DePauw Tigers and lost by a large margin with the final score 74-46.

On Jan. 21, the women’s basketball team competed against the Tigers for the second time this season. The last time they played, DePauw won with the score 70-59. The Bishops hoped to correct the problems from the first game as they prepared for the second.

“We were pumped, motivated, excited, locked in on what we needed to do,” said OWU wing junior Hallie Sinko. “We knew they would come out strong. We were so close last time, we figured if we gave a little bit more, it would be a more matched up game, but that wasn’t the case.”

DePauw came into Branch Rickey Arena scoring 24 points in the first quarter, while OWU scored 7 points. At the half, the Tigers scored 42 points. Sinko said the team’s motivation to turn things around was apparent in the locker room at halftime. DePauw held onto their lead with the final score 74-46.

“Communication, consistency, every individual needs to be fully locked in the whole game and bring the same intensity for all 40 minutes,” Sinko said. “Just take it quarter by quarter.”

Sophomore point guard Lisa Zeller said, “We didn’t do our best but we are all we need. We just need to be consistent.”

Senior captain Megan Kuether reached her 1000th point in her college basketball career. Zeller said she was glad to see the senior pass a huge milestone that only few have reached.

“She inspires all of us,” Zeller said, adding that Kuether and the rest of the seniors will be missed because they contribute a lot to the team’s success. She also said that being consistent is what the team needs to do for in preparation for its next game.

The women’s team have a 7-12 overall recod and are 4-6 in the NCAC.

Men’s basketball finishes sweetly and strong

By Aleksei Pavloff, Sports Editor

Seth Clark and the Ohio Wesleyan University’s men’s basketball team stayed consistent with another conference win over the DePauw Tigers on Jan. 21.

Earlier in the week, the men’s team played Wittenberg at home with the final score 76-70.

After beating their conference foe, the team’s intentions were clear heading into the game versus DePauw.

“We knew that DePauw would be tough, but we knew that we had to stay focused,” said sophomore guard Chris Allocco. “We also knew we had to strike early to set the tone.”

The Bishops never seemed to pull away from the Tigers as they trailed by 9 points at the half.

However, the DePauw Tigers tried to claw their way back in the second half, but still fell short with the final score 79-72.

“They are a good team that plays hard,” said junior point guard Nate Axelrod, who contributed 13 points to the win. “They have improved a lot since last time we played them. Their shooting guard is the lead scoring in the league so we had to put pressure on him.”

Axelrod’s performance seemed to be the key in the close win over DePauw. He played for 33 minutes of the game.

Teammate wing Law Jones said Axelrod’s ability to control the offense helped set the team up for success.

“It’s also fun to watch him play,” Jones said.

However, Axelrod was not the only factor in the win. Junior guard Seth Clark scored 31 points.

“It’s not a surprise to see [Clark] play like that,” Jones said. “It was fun to watch him hit everything on offense and lockdown on defense. I hope he will keep it going for the rest of the season.”

As of now, the Bishops are 10-2 in the NCAC and have a 13-6 overall record.

The Beat: Migos release “Culture”

By John Bonus, Transcript Reporter

“Culture” has hit the shelves explosively and could potentially see a number one spot in its first week out.

Migos have released their highly anticipated album, “Culture” and whether you like the hip-hop trio or not, you can expect to continue hearing their music in the coming months.

Migos are an American hip-hop group from Georgia formed in 2009. It consists of rappers Quavo, Takeoff and Offset.

The group have been gaining popularity since 2013 when they released “Versace” and have since had big releases like “Fight Night” and “Look at My Dab.”

“Bad and Boujee” was the first single off the album and it is currently the number one song in the U.S. With such great success from this track and large circulation of the album on social media, the trio may see a number one album very soon.

According to projections from Hits Daily Double, the album is projected to move around 80,000 units in the first week, a huge amount of this from streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music. At that rate, “Culture” could soar to the top of the charts sooner than many would have expected.

Migos are a famous name in the world of hip-hop and the featuring artists on this album definitely show that. With big names like 2 Chainz, DJ Khaled, Travis Scott and Gucci Mane on the tracklist, the album will be pulling from a variety of fanbases.

Whether the album hits number one in its first week or not, it has solidified itself as one of the biggest album releases of 2017 less than a month into the year.

Press-ing Trump on the truth

By Evan Walsh, Chief Copy Editor

I’ve been called a lot of bad things, but it seems now, in this “post-truth” era, that the thing I should most want to avoid being called is a “journalist.”

While reporters such as Bob Woodward and Ida Tarbell were once celebrated for defending our democratic standards of transparency, the press is now suddenly an inconvenience.

That is a problem.

No individual or institution is as responsible for this as President Donald J. Trump and his new administration. From the beginning of his unlikely run for the presidency, Trump initiated the antagonistic relationship with the press that he has worked hard to maintain even now as sitting president.

Nobody expects the press and government to have a particularly cozy relationship, but that does not excuse the treatment reporters have been given. It also doesn’t excuse the gag rules which have been imposed on senior members of his cabinet—First Amendment be damned.

Relegated to White House basements where they are asked to make sense of 140 character tweets (about who knows what), reporters are feeling their president’s scorn. And they’re not taking it well.

The Columbia Journalism Review issued a statement on Jan. 12 that rather than compete with each other, the media are ready to work with each other to cover Trump’s administration and to hold it accountable.

Pete Vernon, writing for the Columbia Journalism Review, put forth that statement, saying, “Journalism is a competitive business, but it’s not a zero sum game.” That cohesiveness—grounded in a commitment to truth telling—is refreshing.

But with this particular administration there appears to be no limits … and the back and forth continues. In the words of Steve Bannon, senior adviser to Trump, “The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while … The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.”

It’s not entirely unreasonable to understand his criticisms when we consider the internal bleeding of credibility that has taken place as a consequence of publishing “fake news.”

Fake news delegitimizes the credibility of real news and makes Tomi Lahren, a pundit for TheBlaze, look informed. If, however, Trump continues to send news teams to their graves, then that’s who we’ll be left with.

In another telling example of the fight Trump has picked with the media, this time over “fake news,” Trump shot down CNN’s Jim Acosta as he was preparing to ask a question related to claims of Russian interference in last fall’s election. That question deserves a serious answer, but because BuzzFeed followed up the story that CNN had originally published with unsubstantiated reports of their own, Acosta never got the serious answer he deserved.

The Trump Administration and fake news are doing their best to sabotage truth. So if being a “journalist” is what it takes to get the truth, then everyone from Fox to MSNBC should want to be called that nasty name.

Ohio Wesleyan students attend Donald Trump’s inauguration

By Evan Walsh, Chief Copy Editor

Ohio Wesleyan students and faculty made the trip to the nation’s capital to watch the swearing in of Donald J. Trump as the 45th president of the United States.

The school provided transportation and supervision to and from the event for the 17 students who went.

Some chose to attend to observe and take part in the transition from one administration to the next, while others spent the whole weekend there as demonstrators.

Each student had different motivations for going, but the historical significance of the event remained critical to the experience.

Senior Sam Schurer did not originally plan on going to the inauguration and had planned instead to participate in the marches.

“I had a lot of discontent that I wanted to voice and I thought that this was the best platform for that,” Schurer said.

Schurer, a politics and goverment major at OWU, eventually changed his mind about the inauguration and made arrangements to attend that, as well.

Dwayne Todd, vice president for student engagement and success, along with Public Safety Officer Chris Mickens organized the trip.

Todd explained why he feels like Ohio Wesleyan has a responsibility to give students this opportunity.

“The idea is that we are fulfilling our institution’s mission of engaging in the world outside our university… we’re not doing our job if we don’t engage with these ideas and stand outside of the process,” Todd said.

A big reason why Todd thought the trip was a success was because the group going was so diverse and represented the political interests and demographic makeup of OWU.

He described it as a “good cross section of our student body”

Whether or not the university will make this a tradition remains to be determined.

According to Todd, the last time OWU sponsored an inaugural trip was in 2009 for the first of Barack Obama’s two terms.

The university made the decision not to go back in 2013 when Obama was re-elected.

“The idea is that we are fulfilling our institution’s mission of engaging in the world outside our university…we’re not doing our job if we don’t engage with these ideas and stand outside of the process.” Dwayne Todd, vice president for student engagement and success.

Todd said he has entertained the idea of bringing students to each inauguration, but thinks it is more likely that the trip will only be offered whenever someone new takes office.

When “punk” meets politics

By Evan Walsh, Chief Copy Editor

Ohio Wesleyan Professor Sean Kay presented his book “Rockin’ the Free World!: How the Rock & Roll Revolution Changed America and the World” at a reception held in the Ross Art Museum on Friday, Jan. 27.

The book explores the relationship between rock and roll and its influence on major political movements through the years. From Bob Dylan’s folksy charm to Rage Against the Machine’s less subtle sound, rock and roll has a long history of sending political messages that Americans can hear every time they turn on the radio.

Rockin’ the Free World” also considers the broader international context and implications of these politically impactful musicians.

Although Kay was unavailable for comment, several critics have already published reviews of their own.

One of them, Ronald Tiersky, spoke very highly of “Rockin’ the Free World” calling it “a declaration of faith, in the music and in America” in a Huffington Post article from January 23.

Kay is no stranger to either of these fields. Besides being a professor of politics and government and the chair of Ohio Wesleyan’s international studies program, Kay is a musician, too.

Included in the book are a number of interviews with high profile musicians.

Kay mentioned those interviews that helped shape his book during his address on Friday.

Before Kay spoke, fellow politics and government professor James Franklin introduced students, faculty members and other audience members to the author.

Franklin, who has performed with Kay in the past, shared his thoughts on the book’s subjects.

“Music has the potential to bring people together, and so often we see a song or an artist play an important symbolic role with political consequences” Franklin said.

For those interested in reading “Rockin’ the Free World!: How the Rock & Roll Revolution Changed America and the World,” copies are available in the campus bookstore and online.

What are Sanctuary Cities?

By Tom Wolber, Transcript Correspondent

Sanctuary cities and campuses are in the news these days.

During his campaign, Donald Trump routinely stated that he would deport the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

After his election, he reaffirmed that the immediate deportation of 2 to 3 million immigrants with criminal records
(a gross exaggeration) remains a top priority. And he has threatened to block federal funding for sanctuary cities, viewed by conservatives as “renegade localities” that disregard the law and order and harbor hordes of illegals, felons and rapists.

Trump has also routinely associated and even equated, in blatantly racist terms, Mexicans with lawbreakers and Muslims with terrorists.

Just a few days ago, he stated that flag-burning (a constitutionally protected form of free speech) should be punished by loss of citizenship. In Trump’s dystopian world, no one is safe and the need for sanctuary cities and campuses is great.

As a response, mayors in over 200 American cities have announced that in their municipalities police officers will decline full cooperation with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

They quoted many different reasons for refusing to cooperate, some of which have nothing to do with politics.

Some mayors worry that assigning additional tasks to police of cers would harm their ability to perform their regular duties of solving crimes, responding to crashes and keeping the community safe.

They also worry that fear of detainment and deportation would create distrust and discourage victims and witnesses from talking to and working with police.

Others have quoted federal judges, who ruled it would be an unconstitutional to hold someone in jail without an arrest warrant and probable cause, solely at the request of federal agents. And, let’s hope, there are also a number of decent people among the mayors who don’t see the need to disrupt the lives of hard-working residents who have families, jobs and contribute to the tax base of their cities.

Religious leaders have expressed their view that sheltering and protecting new Americans is part of their right to free exercise of religion that must not be abrogated. For example, the Catholic Church, the largest denomination in the nation, is committed to resettling refugees and keeping immigrant families together.

Colleges and universities, even more so than towns and cities, have lofty vision and mission statements that prohibit any and all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, origin, etc.

Many consider discrimination against undocumented immigrants a similarly grievous violation of natural law and human rights.

Countless colleges and university presidents have emerged in recent days and weeks to emphasize their commitment to the safety of all students, regardless of their immigration status. Even if they don’t use the “sanctuary” term (e.g., the University of California system), they will not cooperate with any new federal policies that target immigrant students unless a court order is produced as a result of an actual or suspected crime.

Only when undocumented immigrants do commit serious crimes and a valid warrant is produced will sanctuary cities and campuses cooperate with ICE.

Even Trump’s own alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, has renewed its pledge to block federal agents without a warrant from removing students. President Amy Gutmann has issued a statement that reads in part: “We are and remain resolute in our commitment to Penn’s undocumented students and will do all we can to ensure their continued safety and success here at Penn.”

What are some of the concrete things institutions of higher learning can do? In addition to providing need-based and merit-based financial aid for tuition, room and board, schools should immediately make available designated resources and personnel for those in need.

A free legal-aid and court-assistance program ensures due process and helps students stay in the country and pursue residency and citizenship status if desired. If money is tight, then perhaps a sympathetic donor can step in.

Schools and universities should also reevaluate what kind of data they collect and archive. Like any tool or weapon, knowledge is dialectical. It can either help or harm.

If a registry of foreign-born students falls into the wrong hands (e.g., by becoming ”evidence” through a court-ordered subpoena), it could in some cases lead to the detainment, internment and deportation of “dreamers” and other groups.

California is currently working on sweeping legislation to protect undocu- mented immigrants from deportation. The state already offers in-state tuition and driver’s licenses to undocumented residents.

It will now set up a public fund to help train public defenders in immigra- tion law and to protect the vulnerable.

All people are born equal, with basic natural rights, including those of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In the face of injustice, resistance becomes a moral imperative.

Just like California has resolved to shield its most vulnerable residents from governmental overreach, colleges and universities exist to serve the public, for the benefit of all.

In these challenging times, they have an ethical obligation to remain sanctuaries for the free pursuit of truth and the human spirit. They also must ful ll the practical task of ensuring the safety of the communities of students and teachers in search of knowledge, skills and character.