Author: TheTranscript

By Hayley Walls
Transcript Correspondent

Despite low student interest in the past, Ohio Wesleyan’s Student Health Services has a dietitian for the third consecutive year to help students learn ways to eat healthier on campus.

The university has offered the service to students since  director of Health Services Marsha Tilden proposed the idea.

“I go to a lot of conferences and I noticed that a lot of schools our size have a dietitian,” Tilden said.

The first year the university offered the service, registered and licensed dietitian Becki Nardin-Hardy worked through Chartwells and came to Smith Dining Hall once a month to answer students’ diet and nutrition questions. The service is now available to students by appointment through the Student Health Center.

The position is not full-time, as Nardin-Hardy is only on campus when she has an appointment scheduled with a student. It is unlikely to become permanent because there has not been enough interest in the service to keep a busy schedule.

“So far, we’ve only had three students call about the service this year,” Tilden said.

Nardin-Hardy attended the Division of Medical Dietetics at The Ohio State University after receiving her bachelor’s degree.

She works with dialysis patients in Columbus in addition to working in OWU Health Services. Her father, David Nardin, worked in the Student Health Center for 30 years before retiring in 1999.

During appointments, Nardin-Hardy is able to help students develop healthier eating habits on campus with regard to specific lifestyles, including vegans, vegetarians, athletes and gluten-free eaters.

She can also answer questions about nutritional habits for weight loss and weight gain.

For serious psychological dietary issues such as eating disorders, students should visit Counseling Services.

More than 90 percent of college students eat less than the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, according to a study conducted by the American College Health Association.

The study also found that more than one-third of college students also have a body mass index that is above or below the healthy weight.

Appointments with the dietitian cost $15 for 30 minutes and $30 for an hour and can be paid for by cash, check or student account.

By Maddie Oslejsek
Transcript Correspondent

President Barack Obama and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) recognized Ohio Wesleyan in September for its achievements in interfaith community service this year.

The university has been recognized on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll every year since 2008. The award is divided into four categories: Top Award, Finalist, Honor Roll With Distinction and Honor Roll.

Of the ninety-eight schools honored for their efforts, thirty-eight were recognized on the Honor Roll With Distinction. OWU was recognized in this category under Interfaith Community Service, a new distinction that was introduced this year.

All documentable community service completed during the year by OWU students is recorded and reported to the CNCS by the men and women involved. To qualify for recognition under the new distinction, they included information and personal narratives about specific people and projects that reflected the university’s interfaith involvement locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

“Interfaith for us means engaging, voicing and acting on our love and respect of other faiths,” said University Chaplain Jon Powers.

The OWU Charter of 1842, which states, “The University is forever to be conducted on the most liberal principals, accessible to all religious denominations, and designed for the benefit of our citizens in general,” drives the university to embody the ideas of interfaith throughout the campus community, according to Powers.

The honor roll annually recognizes institutions that achieve meaningful and measurable outcomes in the communities they serve by solving community problems and directing more students on a lifelong path of civic engagement, according to the CNCS website.

“This award affirms, at the highest national level, the exceptional quality of interfaith life at Ohio Wesleyan and lets others know that OWU is a superb place to live and learn,” Powers said.

By Leah Budde
Copy Editor

President Rock Jones posed three questions to members of the Small Living Unit (SLU) community during a forum on Oct. 21st, starting a conversation about the collective future of the residences.

Several of the themed houses have been deemed physically and economically beyond repair. Ohio Wesleyan Residential Life and administration are beginning to share their plans for the future of the residences, and gather student opinions about those propositions.

“What do we value most about the SLU community?” Jones asked the forum attendees, including SLU house members and other interested students.

Jones also inquired about what the group desired in terms of physical facilities, and where on campus SLU members would most like to be relocated in the event that their houses are torn down.

Students were forward—and unified—with their opinions, stating that what they most value about being SLU members is living with like-minded people who have common passions, having a sense of privacy and independence from the rest of the campus and being able to support each other’s house projects – a requirement of each SLU once per year.

Many of the historical houses hold a large amount of sentimental value for their respective members. But, Jones explained that the cost of repairing the House of Peace and Justice, for example, would be comparable to building two entirely new SLUs.

Despite house members’ feelings of attachment, starting fresh would be “short term loss for long term gain,” according to senior Citizens of the World house member Ben Danielson.

Now, Jones said the university’s tentative plan is to build a “SLU village” of duplex-style residences on the lawn beside the House of Black Culture.

Sufficient funds have not yet been raised for the project, but Jones said that the university would like to begin demolition of two SLUs by the fall semester of 2016.

The main concern of younger SLU members is what will happen to them in the transition period before new houses are built.

According to sophomore Emma Nuiry, a member of the House of Peace and Justic,  “what we heard was they would basically be putting us in whatever open rooms they have on campus, which is really annoying because they are essentially revoking our SLU status. But then again I understand…the administration is going to do whatever is the most economically savvy choice.”

By Maddie Oslejsek
Transcript Correspondent

The Assessment Committee and Provost’s Office at Ohio Wesleyan are offering $15 to 125 first-year students who complete an online test that measures critical thinking skills.

The Council on Aid to Education developed the test in 2000 and called it the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA). It has since been updated to CLA+, a version that provides students with their scores and an explanation of where those results place them academically at their own institution and nationwide.

The test is split up into two parts. In the first part, students are presented with a problem along with documents and data related to the question. They must choose a position and use the materials given to support their stance. The second part involves reading short sections and answering multiple-choice questions.

After completing the hour and a half long test, students receive $15. The cash payment for participation is the incentive the university is using to try to get students to take the test. So far, 115 of the needed 125 first year students took the test. The remaining ten students can sign up to take the CLA+ before the online portal closes Friday.

Barbara Andereck, the assistant provost for Assessment and Accreditation and an administrator on the Assessment Committee, said the goal for the test is to benefit students and their learning by allowing the university to determine where it is strong in educating students and where it needs to improve.

More than 700 institutions in the United States and internationally have used these assessments to keep track of the difference between growth in student learning at their college or university compared to other institutions, according to the Council’s website.

Though colleges have continually measured student learning within courses, Andereck said, there is an external push to assess student learning and outcomes outside of the classroom to demonstrate students’ improvements throughout college in skills such as problem solving, scientific reasoning, critical reading and critiquing an argument.

OWU plans to use the data from CLA+ to improve the curriculum and teaching at the university.

“Without a regular and systematic assessment program institutions are in danger of having negative reviews from their accrediting agencies,” Andereck said.

The Assessment Committee hopes to have general data related to last year’s CLA results to share with the campus later this academic year.

By Lexy Immerman
Transcript Correspondent

The Medieval and Renaissance Recreation Combat Association (MRRCA) is revamping their activities this year, teaching members to handle a variety of medieval weapons and spar with each other in the hopes of preparing members for competitions.

The MRRCA has been around for almost thirty years, according to captain and senior, Thomas Mueller, but this year is different.

“We’re getting it more formalized, and doing a lot of stuff that they just didn’t do before,” he said. “We want people to leave at the end of the year having rudimentary knowledge of how to use a sword. So far it’s working.”

The association strives to learn historically accurate techniques for medieval and Renaissance-style fighting, and to apply those techniques in various game scenarios to develop strategic thinking and enhance their abilities.

“There were six of us in beginning,” Mueller said. “It wasn’t very formal, and no one knew anything for real. [Mark] Wicker, the instructor this year, has done sword training since he was 14 or 15. We have just started sparring.”

According to Mueller, the club was previously against sparring and, as a result, “no one learned anything.”

Wicker is bringing new light into their practices.

“We’re learning more from someone who knows what he’s doing rather than using a small bit of knowledge passed down over the years or learning from books on our own,” said Christy Mendiola, a junior and co-captain.

The MRRCA has about 20 members who routinely attend practices, which are held at the grassy area outside Stuyvesant Hall on Thursdays and Fridays from 4:30-5:30.

“I’ve always been interested in medieval history and that stuff, and combat is something that is easier to practice than building things or farming, something that I can experience firsthand rather than reading a book,” freshman Colin McGarry said.

Sharing similar interests, freshman Evan Fitzpatrick, said that he used to be interested in medieval history, and enjoys learning the swordplay.

“Basically it’s beating […] each other with fancy plastic,” he said.

The “fancy plastic” described is hand-and-a-half swords or broadswords, daggers, spears, and shields, made from polypropylene. Although they are safer than real metal, but they still pack a hit, which is why anyone sparring wears armor.

The armor is comprised of thick, padded leather suits paired with fencing helmets and protective gloves like the kind construction workers wear. In addition to the plastic weapons, the association has bamboo and wooden swords, some of which are donated from alumni.

“You will get hurt if you take a clip to the hand,” said freshman Jonathan Bethiel. “But our armor is thick leather, so getting hit by a sword doesn’t hurt that bad.”

In addition to weaponry, the group will also be learning grappling and hand-to-hand combat. Bethiel used to fence and practice martial arts, but was interested in medieval combat because it was such a novel concept. 

“I mean, who will mess with you if you’re carrying a broadsword? That wins fights,” he said.

Senior Victoria Licata also used to do fencing and swordplay.

“I’m a medieval studies minor, so this is in my field of study, plus it’s fun and a good workout,” she said.

Typical practice activities include members sparring against each other using different weapons, doing drills, and practicing forms, slices, and blocks to form muscle memory. During sparring, opponents generally wield bamboo swords, exchanging a calculated flurry of blows designed to take down an opponent. Unlike in fencing, where a light touch to the body wins a point, medieval combatants put enough force behind their blows to knock their opponent to the ground. After sparring, combatants are red-faced, sweaty, and breathing heavily from the exertion, and nursing a few bruises.

“We will be trying to expand in a couple of years,” Mendiola said. “We know there’s a similar organization at Ohio State that we want to get in contact with.”

Until then, members of the MRRCA can be seen having rapid sparring matches on the lawn outside of Stuyvesant, honing their skills and practicing their passion.

By Shakira Braxton
Transcript Correspondent

Rock Jones announced a $75 thousand surprise gift in October, donated by an OWU alum’s family to serve as a space for meditation.

In late October, OWU students were informed that the university received a gift of a labyrinth. The labyrinth is a surprise gift donated by the husband of Kathe Rhinesmith, class of ‘64.

Rhinesmith not only graduated from OWU, but has also served on the Board of Trustees since 1999, and has acted as chair of both the Board of Trustees and the Alumni Board.

“This gift was Kathe’s husband’s idea and not one which we solicited.  He is making it to honor her long-standing commitment to OWU and the significance of labyrinths in her life,” said Colleen Garland, Vice President of University Advancement.

When asked about the gift and other areas of OWU the money could be contributed to Garland said money from donations can only be utilized for the donor’s vision.

“The gift is not one which could be redirected to other purposes and it will cover the entire construction costs so that no OWU funds will be used,” Garland said.

“However, it’s important to note that the family does support the OWU Fund every year which helps students directly.”

The Labyrinth is expected to be completed by May, just in time for Alumni Weekend and commencement.

The labyrinth is suspected to add a nice additional aesthetic to OWU’s 200 acre campus; but the right place has not yet been finalized. However, the north side of Merrick Hall along the Delaware run has been suggested as a promising location for the labyrinth.

Studies of labyrinths have show effectiveness in reducing anxiety, and have also have been referred to as a “prayer/meditation walk,” reported Dr. Hebert Benson, founder of Mind/Body Medical Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

A labyrinth is an innovative structure to use as a meditation area on a college campus. OWU will not be the first university to introduce a labyrinth on campus, but will be amongst a select few.

“We all benefit from quiet places where we can withdraw from the noise and activity of daily life for quiet reflection and renewal of the inner spirit,” said President Rock Jones.

“A labyrinth is such a place.”

By Haley Walls
Transcript Correspondent

Typhoon, a new Asian fusion restaurant, is coming to downtown Delaware in mid-November in place of Chandra’s Bistro at 10 N. Sandusky St.

The menu consists of mainly handcrafted Chinese, Thai, and Asian dishes, according to the restaurant’s website. All ingredients are MSG-free and are not pre-processed.

“We use a lot of fresh ingredients as local as possible,” said TJ Wellman, part-owner. “One thing you’ll notice is that we use fresh fish, whereas Chandra’s used frozen.”

The restaurant will serve local beers on tap as well as traditional Asian beverages like sake. Each entrée will be served with white or brown rice cooked fresh every order.

Typhoon will have various options for gluten-free and vegetarian eaters. All of their Asian entrées can also be made vegetarian-friendly by substituting meat for tofu or vegetables, Wellman said.

Wellman and his business partners Xue-gong and Xue-qin Chen also own Royal Ginger, a sister restaurant of Typhoon located in Polaris. The trio previously owned Ginger Asian Kitchen in Athens, Ohio before recently selling it to new management.

Renovations of the restaurant began on Oct. 16. The restrooms have been updated and only slight changes will be made to the dining space, such as changing paint colors and restoring the original wood, Wellman said.

The dining room will seat 40 to 50 people with an extra 12 to 15 seats at the bar. There will be an outdoor patio for use in warmer months.

In addition to traditional dining, Typhoon will offer online ordering for carryout. It will also be available for private parties and events.

The owners purchased the equipment left in the building from Chandra’s Bistro and took over the lease. They also acquired the previous restaurant’s liquor license.

Chandra’s Bistro opened in 2007 and closed near the beginning of October for family related reasons.

The owners of Typhoon are looking to hire 7 or 8 experienced servers. They are bringing in employees from Royal Ginger to help with the restaurant’s opening.

Wellman said they hope to have the restaurant open by Nov. 11. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thurday and open until 11 p.m. on weekends.