The Transcript

Standard health and safety inspections from the Delaware General Health District found routine violations in the five OWU off-campus food point locations.

Stephanie DeGenaro, program manager for the food protection and public safety unit of the DGHD, said the violations found in inspections are split evenly between critical and less serious violations.

She said critical violations have a “direct relationship to the transmission of foodborne illnesses,” including improper food handling, lack of proper hand-washing and other common offenses.

These violations are corrected with an inspector present or receive a follow-up visit three to five days later.
“Less serious violations such as a missing floor tile, burnt out light bulb or general cleaning will be given about two weeks, then (we) go back to see,” DeGenaro said.

She said a restaurant license period runs from March 1 until the end of February of the following year, with a minimum of two standard inspections in this period.

“If a restaurant is open and operating, we haven’t revoked their license or aren’t taking action against them,” DeGenaro said. “There may be circumstances where a license is in the process of being reviewed, but during this process the facilities are allowed to remain open.”

She also said written and oral complaints against businesses are logged and investigated within three business days.

“Sometimes it’s a phone call, followed by a site visit, but we do respond,” she said.

The results of standard investigations, as well as formal customer complaints, are documented in the public record at the DGHD office.

Violations are under the categories of Management and Personnel; Food; Equipment, Utensils and Linens; Water, Plumbing and Waste; Physical Facilities; Poisonous or Toxic Materials; Special Requirements; and Administrative.

Ohio Wesleyan University has partnerships with Amato’s Wood Fired Pizza To Go, Hamburger Inn, Mean Bean Caffeine Lounge, Subway Sandwiches & Salads and Vaquero’s to offer off-campus dining services to students through the food point program. The three most recent health and safety inspections were reviewed for each location.

Amato’s Woodfired Pizza To Go

Craig Johnson, partner at Amato’s restaurant, said once Amato’s got onto the off-campus food point program, they were not removed.

“The more you can get students eating food here the better,” he said. “It helps give them more dining opportunities.”

He said earlier in the semester, when students have more food points, they tend to frequent the off-campus locations more. Johnson said about 20 percent of Amato’s business comes from students–with and without their food points.

He also said Amato’s, similar to other establishments in town, is regularly inspected by the health department.

“We follow all the protocol with thermometers, washing hands and other regulations,” he said. “The county has a process in place for inspecting.”

A standard health and safety inspection on Aug. 22, 2011, found five violations at Amato’s.

The violations included equipment held together with duct tape, prepared salad dressing held at 44 degrees Fahrenheit instead of the required 41 degrees or below, and lights in the kitchen were not properly shielded, according to the inspection record.

An additional 13 violations were found in the inspection on Jan. 3.

Old food debris was on the interior cabinets; a prep employee was unable to demonstrate “knowledge in food safety properly;” and meatballs were reheated in a steam well at 96 degrees instead of the required 165 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the inspector’s record.

Amato’s had three violations in the most recent inspection on Jan. 24.

The inspection record said an indirect plumbing line was used for waste and water, the floor under the dishwasher wasn’t smooth and the kitchen walls were found in “disrepair,” according to the inspection sheet.

“You have to stay on top of code and correct violations,” Johnson said. “They’ll come back the next week and check if you don’t.”

Hamburger Inn

Bill Michailidis, owner of Hamburger Inn, said his restaurant provides a valuable service to the community and students.

“Being open as many hours as we are, it provides an alternative source for students to get away from the college life and their stressful schedules,” he said.

Michailidis said, through the off-campus food point program, Hamburger Inn is offering alternative food possibilities to students.

“We’re complimenting, not replacing the food that is available,” he said.
Michailidis said all employees go through a certification process to ensure proper health and safety codes are met.

In addition, he said general managers, shift managers and he as an owner inspect logs to implement these standards.

“We want to be current with all of the health code standards,” he said. “We enforce them and inspect constantly.”

On Aug. 15, 2011, the standard health and safety inspection yielded three different violations at Hamburger Inn.

According to this inspection sheet, raw meat was stored above ready-to-eat foods in a cooler; the restaurant floor, “especially in the hard-to-reach areas,” was not clean; and surfaces near the fryer and grill were not clean.

On Nov. 4, 2011, there was an inspection which resulted from an anonymous complaint. The complaint included bare hands touching baked goods, roaches at the bottom of the ice machine and roaches underneath the lottery machine.

The post-complaint inspection sheet noted employees wearing gloves and the restaurant showed no signs of roaches. According to the inspection sheet, the hole in the wall behind the lottery machine had been patched to prevent further insects from gaining access to the restaurant.

The most recent standard health and safety inspection on January 20, found eight violations. Raw eggs were found stored above ready-to-eat foods in the cooler; boxes of napkins were being stored on the floor instead of six inches off the ground; and mixers, the grill shelf and sections of the floor were found to be dirty, according to the inspection record.

Michailidis said seasonal pests such as roaches sometimes enter establishments in the summer or fall, seeking shelter as the temperature changes.

“To prevent any problems we try to stay ahead of the game,” he said. “When you have older buildings you have to stay on top of this and make sure there is constant oversight.”

Michailidis said the November infestation was an isolated incident and there are currently no problems at Hamburger Inn.

“We look for the source that causes the problem,” he said. “There was a crack in the wall that was repaired. Almost 90 percent of the time these pests come from warehouses, so we also always have to be vigilant in checking vegetables.”

He said overall, the restaurant is well-liked by the campus and community.
“We have a good amount of students and faculty who join us for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Michailidis said.

Mean Bean Caffeine Lounge

The Mean Bean underwent a change of ownership and a new restaurant license was issued during this process. Only the most recent inspection on Dec. 14, 2011 took place under the new ownership.

The standard inspection on July 8, 2011, found four violations at Mean Bean.

Among other notes, the health department found the following violations. A non-commercial microwave was being utilized, but according to health department standards, all equipment “shall be commercial grade;” a light shield was missing above a sink, but “lights shall be shielded in areas where food/equipment/utensils are exposed;” and a wall below the cash register was in “disrepair,” according to the inspection record.
The inspection on Sept. 23, 2011, was a consultation inspection and found several problem areas in the establishment. The recommendations included repainting storage area walls, resealing the edges of the sinks and moving the dryer and washer out of the “prep/bakery area,” according to the consultation record.

The most recent inspection on Dec. 14, 2011, found six violations at Mean Bean.

“Spillage” on the floor beneath the basement coolers, rust on the interior of the Arctic Air refrigeration unit, and a missing light shield in the front display cooler which had “exposed foods” in it, were among the violations noted on the inspection record.

Attempts to contact the owner were unsuccessful.

Subway Sandwiches & Salads

Located on S. Sandusky Street, Subway is two doors down from Amato’s, one of the other businesses which accepts off-campus food points.

The standard health and safety inspection on June 28, 2011, found eight health and safety issues.

The inside of the ice chute had mildew growing in it and according to the health department, equipment which contacts food should be “clean to sight and touch.” A mop was stored in a bucket with old mop water; this is a problem because mops are supposed to be “hung dry after use so that they can air dry,” according to the inspection record.

Additionally, one section of the floor had “old food residue and syrup spillage.” The health department mandates floors should be maintained in a clean fashion.

A follow-up inspection took place on July 5, 2011, to check the above violations. This inspection found the previous violations had been corrected and noted only one remaining violation.

Under the category of maintenance and operation of physical facilities, a corner joint was in disrepair and had been temporarily fixed with duct tape. According to the report, “physical facilities shall be in good repair,” so the broken wall was a violation of health and safety codes.

The most recent inspection on Dec. 14, 2011, found seven violations. Pickles and pickle residue found in the hand sink were in violation of the health department mandate that this type of sink should “be used for no purpose other than hand washing.”

Trays were found stored on the floor. The health department record said equipment should be stored at least six inches off the floor; this violation was corrected during the inspection. The health department also found dirty lids above the bread table during the inspection; this was a violation because according to the inspection record, “equipment should be clean to sight and touch.”

Attempts to contact the manager of Subway were unsuccessful.

Vaquero’s Restaurant

Servando Radilla, manager of Vaquero’s, said it’s important for the restaurant to be on the off-campus food point program because they provide a good service to students.

“We’re trying to maintain good a relationship with the students and the school through the program,” he said.
Radilla said the restaurant makes between $400-500 per day from OWU business.

“The daily amount of students depends on a lot of things,” he said. “Some people spend less or eat less, while others spend a lot more.”

Radilla said the most common health code problem Vaquero’s runs into is hair in the food.

“We don’t have many problems, but this is one,” he said. “It’s not because of my employees because they all wear hair nets. Sometimes customer hair or other hair just gets into the food accidentally.”

A standard health and safety inspection on Sept. 15, 2011, found 17 violations at Vaquero’s; three of these are listed below.

A leak on the iced tea line was spotted because “plumbing shall be maintained in a state of good repair;” an unlabeled chemical bottle was found and according to the health department, “chemicals shall be labeled with the common name to prevent contamination;” and wet dishes were stacked together instead of separated to allow for drying before being re-shelved.

A follow-up inspection on Oct. 5, 2011, found the previous violations had been addressed. One new violation was documented under the category of maintenance and operation. A second standard inspection on Feb. 6, documented 12 violations.

During this inspection, employees failed to wash hands before beginning food prep activities, but did so upon the request of the inspector. Raw chicken was found stored above a container of raw beef in the upright cooler and according to the inspection sheet, raw chicken should be stored below raw beef to prevent contamination. This was corrected during the inspection.

Also during this inspection, a section of wall was found missing in the archway to the kitchen; this was a problem because “physical facilities shall be maintained in a state of good repair,” according to the inspection report.

A follow-up inspection on Feb. 7, inspected the corrected violations from the previous day’s visit. Only three violations were noted at this time.

The most recent health and safety inspection on March 28, noted three violations at Vaquero’s. According to the inspection record, a wall cove was missing near the kitchen, a torn gasket was found on a 2-door upright cooler and several knives were incorrectly stored.

Radilla said any violations the health department documents are corrected right away. He said if a violation is minor, it will typically be corrected while the inspector is present.

“We’ve got a good reputation for our food,” he said. “Everything we use is new; nothing is left over.”

What about Chartwells?

Ohio Wesleyan University has 11 locations where students and faculty members may purchase food through the Chartwells company.

OWU’s Bishop Café was among 114 locations recently awarded a Clean Establishment Award for the 2011-2012 licensing year, according to a DGHD news release.

These were awarded for “excellent food safety and cleanliness practices” and “no critical food safety violations were noted” in the two most recent inspections of these locations, according to the news release.
Gene Castelli, resident district manager of Chartwells, said all of the on-campus locations have been awarded this designation at one time or another.

He said the most common violation results when a lazy employee doesn’t wear gloves.

“We stress this, along with proper hand washing, as the best way to be safe when handling food,” he said.

Castelli said “on the rare occasion” a violation occurs in a campus location, the problem is fixed right away. He said procedures are in place for purchasing products, receiving, handling, preparing and cooking the food in conjunction with health department standards.

“During our associate meetings we always present a small section on food or general safety,” he said.
Castelli also said all managers and supervisors recently completed ServSafe, an online food safety certification, and some hourly employees have also chosen to take the course.

“Our motto is not ‘Safety First,’ but rather it is ‘Safety Always,’” he said.

The off-campus food point locations are selected annually through WCSA and a student poll. Chartwells has no connection to this program.

While there had initially been plans to cancel all on-campus storage, a new policy will help simplify the student storage process.

Robert Wood, public safety director, said that the new policy was similar to the current official policy, but they “got away from (enforcing) that.”

The key change to the policy is that students will once again be required to use university-provided boxes to store belongings and the boxes will be organized within storage rooms.

Wood described the results of previously unenforced rules as “a mess.”

“You threw stuff in there,” he said. “Many storage rooms had items that couldn’t be identified or had been in there for four or five years.”

The question of cancelling storage came after two fraternities were broken into last summer, but concerns from international students led to creation of the new policy.

Under the new system, students will be allowed to keep boxes in storage rooms for up to one year, with some exceptions for students taking classes overseas.

Two types of boxes will be available this summer: large boxes, which will cost $10 and small boxes, which will cost $5. The boxes have already been distributed to their storage rooms and students have to pay for a packing label. The labels will help Public Safety know who owns the boxes and where they are stored.

The dorms with storage rooms include Hayes, Smith and Bashford Halls, according to Wood and Residential Life coordinator Jillian Auxter.

Residential Assistants will have access to the storage room and will help students retrieve their boxes at the beginning of next semester. In previous years, only Public Safety held this responsibility.

Additionally, the university will provide limited insurance on boxes if they are damaged. Up to $50 for small boxes and $100 for large ones, but no more than $500 total, according to an online copy of the new policy.
Carrie Miller, residential life coordinator for Hayes Hall and the SLUs, said several international students had already asked her about buying boxes.

OWU has made a deal with Delaware company LRE Properties/Two Sons, Inc. to offer pod storage to students at a discount rate.

4/17/12 1:15 a.m. – Public Safety and Delaware City Police were dispatched to the area of 20 Williams Drive after receiving a report of a person with a gun walking east on Park Avenue. A search of the area failed to locate the individual. The reporting party was not approached or threatened by the suspect.

4/17/12 11:51 a.m. – Public Safety responded to a motor vehicle accident in the Bashford Hall parking lot. No injuries were sustained in the accident with minor damage to both the involved vehicles.

4/17/12 1:59 p.m. – Bashford Hall housekeeping personnel reported spray paint on the ground floor of the northwest side of Bashford Hall. Investigation is ongoing.

4/17/12 9:30 a.m. – Aramark housekeeping reported that several fire extinguisher cabinets in Bashford Hall had been filled with trash and that the extinguishers had been tampered with. Investigation is ongoing.

4/18/12 12:40 p.m. – Aramark housekeeping reported graffiti on a Smith Hall West exit door. Evidence was gathered at the scene. Investigation is ongoing.

4/18/12 3:10 p.m. – An OWU student reported an assault by another OWU student, which had taken place off campus in late March. The reporting party did not wish to file charges against the assailant.

4/18/12 7:35 a.m. – Public Safety dispatched to Thomson Hall on a welfare concern. An ill student was transported to Grady Hospital ER for further evaluation.

4/19/12 2:40 a.m. – Public Safety responded to request for assistance from Bashford Hall. An allegedly intoxicated individual had thrown a chair down the stairwell, which resulted in damage to the hand railing. A search of the area failed to locate the perpetrator. Investigation is ongoing.

4/19/12 10:18 a.m. – Public Safety and the Delaware City Fire Department were dispatched to 19 Williams Drive on a full building fire alarm. Alarm was due to excessive smoke in the kitchen of the residence.

Two judges spoke about the realities of their tough jobs in the court system last Tuesday night during the Pre-Law Club’s first event.

The two judges taking part in the event were Judge Everett Krueger (Delaware) and Judge L. Alan Goldsberry (Athens), who is the father of Dean of Students Kimberlie Goldsberry.

Krueger is currently a judge in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, and Goldsberry is in the Athens County Court of Common Pleas.

Sophomore Jared Yee, president of the Pre-Law Club, said while the event did not have a formal title, it was commonly referred to as “2 Judges, 1 Night.”

Krueger discussed the challenges in being a judge, saying judges must be free from influence from external sources. He said these external sources can sometimes even be the police, as he said he has had a case where off-duty policemen have come into the courtroom with gun and uniform, as an intimidation factor to sway the outcome.

Goldsberry said it can be challenging to put aside personal thoughts about a case.

“You have sympathy for the litigants, but you must put that aside,” Goldsberry said. “Sometimes you have to make tough calls. We have higher courts to rule if we are right.”

Krueger said that being impartial is a balancing act.

“Judges have to be dispassionate,” Krueger said. “The difficult part is to be dispassionate, but not unfeeling.”

Goldsberry said his challenges are different than other judges because in most counties, the people in the community do not even know their judges. However, he said in smaller counties, such as Athens County, which he serves in, many people do know and recognize their judges.

“In a small county, a judge gets a lot of respect for doing well,” Goldsberry said.
Goldsberry went on to talk about the relationship between being a judge and politics. He said a judge cannot promise anything, as politicians do, except to be fair and abide by the law. He said judges do have to be partisan in some circumstances, but in his office, he said politics are not discussed.

“We don’t need to discuss politics because it will only make us mad and lose focus,” he said.
Krueger and Goldsberry said another challenge in recent years has been the decline in the amount of discretion and power judges.

“Over the course of time, judicial discretion has been taken away from judges,” Krueger said. “This is frightening.”

Goldsberry agreed that the loss of power was a problem.

“The roles of judges in American society are being eroded,” Goldsberry said. “Judges can’t rely on the amount of authority they’ve had in the past. Judges are needed to remind us of where we have been and where we are going with the law.”

Yee said the club advisor Michael Esler, professor of politics and government, came up with the idea because the university has brought in alumni speakers for students in specific fields in the past.

Esler said he gives credit to William Louthan, McKendree professor of politics and government, for his help financing the event. Both Esler and Yee said they thought the event went well and was influential for those who attended.

“Students were able to speak informally with two sitting judges, especially at the informal dinner,” Esler said.

“Highlights included learning about how one becomes a judge and what the life of a judge is like.I found much of what they had to say very informative, much of it information that you would not get out of textbooks,” Esler said.

“It was especially interesting to hear their views on sentencing reform and their concerns that judges are not given enough discretion under the new law. How local communities evaluate them on their competence as opposed to their political commitments; how they deal with political pressure; and their conception of the role of the judiciary in our government,” Esler said.

Yee said he found the lecture to be very informative.

“The most important thing I took from the talk was that in the field of law, it is important to leave personal bias out of the courtroom. We thought the event went very well for it being our first. We hope that this was just a sign of things to come.”

He said the club is planning to do more in the future, such as bringing an LSAT preparation course to campus.

Senior Nick Peranzi is defying national trends.

He and his girlfriend of nearly a year, senior Rachel King, plan to be married within the next few years.

“If you would have told me this would have happened three years ago,” said Peranzi. “I would have thought you were crazy.”

Peranzi lavaliered King, a practice carried out in the fraternity community in which a member presents his girlfriend with the letters of his fraternity, thus placing her on the same level as his fellow fraternity members and promising to marry her.

Peranzi, as a member and former president of Alpha Sigma Phi, said lavaliering is “not a throw away gesture.” He said he cares deeply for King.

“I’ve known for quite some time that she satisfies anything I’ve ever wanted and I love her,” he said.

Peranzi’s story, in accordance with national trends and research, is an outlier. Marriage rates, especially among young adults, have declined rapidly since the 1970s.

According to the 2011 Marital Status Survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, 49.3 percent of the population is married while 31.1 percent has never been married. These statistics, when broken down to examine age categories, would place Peranzi within a minority.

• Only 11.4 percent of the population between the ages of 20 and 24 was married in 2011. This statistic jumps to 62.2 percent of the population between the ages of 35 and 39 years.
• The statistic remains at around 50 percent of the population until Americans reach their mid 70s.
• In 2007, 14.7 percent of the population between the ages of 20 and 24 was married, as compared to 64.8 percent of the population between the ages of 35 and 39.
• These percentages jump sharply just 11 years previously. In 1998, 18.8 percent of the population between the ages of 20 and 24 was married.
• In 1994, 61 percent of the population was married, as compared to 72 percent in 1970.
Cohabitation, or the practice of living with a chosen life partner, is also on the rise while divorce rates, at 50 percent, have leveled off somewhat in the last decade.

While these statistics encourage some to shy away from marriage, Theodore Cohen, professor of sociology at Ohio Wesleyan University, is convinced attitudes toward marriage have stayed largely positive among college students, namely women.

Many of the students who take Cohen’s upper-level sociology class, the family, feel as though they would one day like to tie the knot, although probably not for quite some time.

This thought process stands true of much of the Ohio Wesleyan University student body, and of some other college students across Ohio.

Issues such as religion, sexual relations, economic stability and gender, however, largely dictate opinions and goals among students on the concept of marriage, and marriage at a younger age.

Sex

Peranzi says he and King are “absurdly compatible.” He doesn’t mind not being a part of the so-called “hook up culture” at OWU, although he said he does not look down on those who choose to spend their college years sleeping with as many people as possible.

“No question, there’s a huge number of people who think college is for having all the hook up fun you can. I don’t really feel that my status as being in a long-term committed relationship makes me feel negatively towards (these people), but it makes me not want to identify with that culture,” said Peranzi. “I would actually liken it to the drinking culture. I used to drink, but now I don’t much. Just because I choose not to partake, does not mean I judge other people for their decisions.”

A study obtained from Columbia University found perceptions of sexual activity among college students are actually higher than realities of sexual behavior.

While 80 percent of students polled at four American universities in 2002 reported to be sexually active, these students reported only having one or fewer sexual partners in the last year. Fifty-nine percent of these students reported not having any sexual partners in the last 30 days.

The study concluded perceptions of student sexual behaviors are far removed from reality. Only 22 percent of students polled were not surprised by the study’s findings.

Students do, however, value sexual experiences in their college years. Freshman Paige Pramic is dating one of her best friends. According to Pramic, the two did not intend to start dating.

“It just sort of happened,” she said.

Pramic does not feel the need to have multiple sexual partners at this time in her life, but unlike Peranzi, she finds the concept appealing.

“It would be pretty damn fun,” she said.

Sophomore Anthony Fisher said he agrees. He said he believes it may be healthy to have different types of sexual experiences.

“In a ‘non-manwhorish’ tone, I feel if you have a reasonable amount (of partners) that’s good (and) that means you’re ‘normal.’ By that, I mean you have an open mind,” said Fisher.

Senior Benjamin Andrews wishes to separate himself from the “hook up culture” at OWU. He proposed to his fiancé, Danielle Bonnert, ’11, in November.

The pair began dating their sophomore year with the intention of marrying someday.

“I know a lot of our generation is independent, but in my mind, I feel as though two is so much better than one,” said Andrews.

Bonnert and Andrews will marry in one month.Andrews wanted to be clear of his intentions with Bonnert.

Although he, like Peranzi, does not look down upon those students who choose to sleep with multiple people throughout their college years, he doesn’t agree with these students’ values.

“I think it’s silly when you talk about the college culture. A lot of people come out of high school directionless and come to college to party and take classes on the side,” said Andrews. “This is destructive (and leads to) terrible choices.”

Andrews and Bonnert chose to remove themselves from the college culture and focus upon their relationship and studies.

“People deserve to be respected and when you hook up with someone and the next morning don’t know (their) name, that’s wrong somehow,” said Bonnart. “Girls don’t need their hearts trampled on.”

Diana Muzina, a high school junior at Notre Dame Cathedral Latin School in Chardon, Ohio, said she sees part of the “hook-up culture” in her high school. She has never been on a date and never been in a relationship.

“So far, I have been disappointed by guys,” she said. “I’ve been toyed with and led on.”

These experiences have encouraged her to never sleep with “just anyone.”

“I’m not going to throw myself around,” said Muzina. “And, above all, I would have to have been in a long-time relationship to ever decide to (have sex).”

Muzina said she is afraid, however, that her values will never match up with a man she is interested in.

“As of now, never being in a relationship before, I feel as if I am sort of missing out on something,” said Muzina. “I wonder what I am doing wrong. But, it will happen eventually, at least that’s what everyone’s telling me.”

Religion

Peranzi said he sees the values he was raised with as a member of the United Church of Christ as a factor in his decision to marry.

Although he no longer identifies with organized religion, he said he sees his past in a stable faith tradition as part of his life and values today.

“I think that the values I was taught through the church helped to shape my current life values and my (desire to have) a stable family,” he said.

Peranzi thinks those without a stable faith background may have a higher tendency to engage in “more animalistic priorities.”

Thus, those college students may wish to not stay faithful to one individual, but sleep with as many as possible and not concern themselves at all with the possibilities of marriage.

Angie Hall, a junior at Bowling Green State University, said she feels sleeping with any person outside of marriage is “morally wrong.”

Yet, she said she still wishes to search for the person she will marry in college. Hall is a member of the Catholic Church.

“In college, you have the chance to constantly meet new people and any of these might be ‘the one,’” she said.

“I also feel like college allows you to see your potential spouse in a variety of different social settings, which helps in the evaluation process of whether he is potential marriage material or not.”

Hall said she would ensure the man she wishes to marry would attend premarital classes, practice natural family planning and engage in pragmatic evaluation of expenses and timing for having children.

“I think the purpose of dating is to find a future spouse,” said Hall. “I would never date anyone who I would not consider as the future father of my children.”

Andrews said he agrees.

He attributes much of his ideology on relationships to the Christian tradition.

“I’ve been a Christian for 10 years now,” said Andrews. “I grew up in a family that loves Jesus a lot.”

Andrews views marriage as a symbolic representation of the relationship Jesus has with humanity. His fiancé does as well.

He said he believes marriage to be sacred and thus has not engaged in any sexual activity with his future spouse.

The couple chose to not live together because, if they did, Andrews fears the temptation to sleep together would be too great.

Andrews does not agree with the life decisions of his peers but does not set himself apart from them either.
“I don’t agree with people’s decisions, but I can’t expect anyone to act the way I think they should act,” he said. “While I believe their actions are morally destructive, I am flawed. I am no better than they are.”

Economics

Robert Gitter, professor of economics at Ohio Wesleyan University, attributes decreasing marriage rates to trends in women’s empowerment in the workplace.

He cited the Equal Pay Act of 1963 as a means through which women are more motivated to work for their career success. This, in his opinion, has greatly changed marriage.

By waiting to marry, or perhaps even never marrying, women may find a greater reward in their careers, lifestyle and economic stability, according to Gitter.

Gitter said women now have higher rates of education and are thus able to maintain more high-income jobs in such fields as medicine and law.

As a result, Gitter said women on average in the United States now give birth to 2.1 children in their lifetimes, as opposed to 3.7 children, which was the average in 1960.

Women, and men, may be scared to have children or start a family due to economic instability and, thus, may refrain from marriage or may choose to marry a spouse who does not wish to have any children.

Senior Blair Connelly said she doesn’t think having children would be a “constricting factor” upon marriage but she personally does not wish to have any children.

She “would make sure before marrying that her partner did not want children either.”

Senior Anthony Harper said he places his economic stability before his decision to have children.

He said economic stability in the present and the future would be an important factor in any decision he might make to get married.

“Creating a family will limit my economic future,” he said. “At first, the idea of having children doesn’t seem that bad, but when you conduct research and find that you will spend one million on a kid until the age of 18, it doesn’t come across as appealing.”

Harper said he feels having children would limit his goals and the goals of his spouse.

“Economic stability is even more important with children,” he said. “Children are chains that limit a lot of possibilities economically and career-wise.”

According to national trends, women are not waiting for marriage to have children, but are instead waiting for a convenient time in their career. Since the 1980s, single parent families have been the most rapidly expanding family type in the United States. 12 percent of families were one parent in 1970 as opposed to 18 percent in 1980.

These trends question whether the concept of marriage itself is an institution in decline.

Women

Cohen doesn’t think so. According to him, college-educated women are the “one demographic in the United States that is most likely to get married.” In fact, marriage rates among college educated individuals are actually increasing.

“Those with college educations have increased marriage rates,” said Cohen. “But among those with less education, marriage rates have actually taken a downturn.”

This could be attributed, according to Cohen, to increases in couples living together outside of marriage, which has led to more children born out of wedlock and, eventually perhaps, into one parent homes.

Among college women in their 20s, in fact, the majority of births are actually outside of marriage.

Since the mid-1980s, Cohen asserts it has been “less taken for granted that people will get married. For women specifically, there’s a sense of how complicated (marriage) will be.”

Cohen has seen more students openly talk about living together first. There are seven million unmarried couples in America.

A large amount of these couples will get married, although living together may change their plans.

Twenty-year-old Dana Linden dropped out of Roanoke College after her freshman year. She now lives with her boyfriend of nearly two years, Bryan Koncar, in a condo in Brunswick, Ohio. She would like to marry within the next five years, but is happy with her current living situation.

“I personally think marriage is beautiful, from the ceremony to the fact that you’re so in love with someone that you commit to spending the rest of your life with them,” said Linden.

She said when she pictures her future, Koncar is a part of it.

“I didn’t intend at all to start dating him, but stuff happens,” she said. “We’ve talked about marriage casually (but) only time will tell and I need at least another year of dating to find out for sure, but I’d like for him to be the one.”

This dating, in Linden’s situation, involves living and working together with Koncar to create a lifestyle that allows for each of them to create their dreams.

Factors such as children and socio-economic status, according to Cohen, greatly affect the success a couple may have.

Policies and legislation in America make it hard for women to have children and return to work at a time that is more convenient for their family.

Most American employers allow limited time for maternity leave, as compared to employers in European countries.

“Kids require a different lifestyle,” Cohen said. “This society makes it hard to both work and support a family.”

This may place stress upon a relationship. According to Cohen, American society creates a gap between men and women in a relationship.

“Who is going to stay home becomes a women’s issue when it should be a people’s issue,” said Cohen.
Peranzi said he believes any issue may be overcome through the love he and King have for each other. They see marriage as the ultimate, beneficial relationship.

“It is difficult to be successful in aspects of life without marriage,” he said. “In addition to the obvious emotional benefits of marriage, a life mate provides someone with whom you can frankly discuss topics you might not be able to in another setting. A life mate provides the stability needed in your personal life for a successful professional life.”

He and King wish to have a family and home of their own and they wish to travel a great deal, together.
They are excited for the future ahead of them, not worried about the possible implications national trends may have upon their future.

Peranzi said he places the benefits of love and having a family above worries. To him, these things are much more important.

The group Common Texts held a special meeting on April 17 to focus on anti-Semitism and Islamophobia on Ohio Wesleyan’s campus and in the media as part of Anti-Hate week.

Sophomore Maria Jafri, president of Tauheed, said it was crucial for students to share their personal Islamophobia experiences to promote action and start a dialogue among OWU students.

“I think they are pressing things to talk about, because just with the way media justifies Islamophobia, and people talk about it, there seems to be a general lack of knowledge of what Islam is really about,” Jafri said. “And this is the time to discuss it, learn about other religions, learn why things are happening in the world and what we can do about it.

“People can’t discriminate on one race (or) one ethnicity. No one is like anybody else, only themselves.”
Chaplain Jon Powers said the discussion encompassed various subtopics within anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, including “concerns and shared stories,” of personal experiences with racial stereotypes, the media’s treatment of religious groups and dietary accommodations on campus.

Anti-Hate Week was created out of concern for the hate crimes and hate speech that OWU students have seen on both the news and OWU’s campus.

Sisters United, the Women’s House, the Women’s Resource Center, Citizens of the World House, College Democrats, the Student Union on Black Awareness, Tauheed, PRIDE, VIVA, Common Texts and the Chaplain’s Office all collaborated to organize a week of events like the Common Texts discussion to raise awareness on campus about issues regarding race, religion, sexual orientation and gender.

Sophomore Nola Johnson, president of Sisters United, said she hopes the discussion and Anti-Hate week can serve as a basis for future awareness.

“As the next year comes around and progresses, my club and I, along with many other clubs and Student Living Units and organizations, want to come together and keep this dialogue about tolerance and consciousness going with the OWU campus,” she said. “We really want to try to get the people that aren’t the most comfortable to talk about the issues and to realize that it doesn’t matter what skin color, faith or sexual orientation, or gender you do or don’t identify with.

“At the end of the day, it’s a ‘human rights’ problem because we’re all human.”
Common Texts is a weekly discussion held between students of various faith backgrounds.

Ohio Wesleyan University Chaplain Jon Powers likens the community of religious and spiritual organizations on campus to colored stones within a kaleidoscope. With just a simple tap the entire composition of the kaleidoscope changes.

“All stones are valuable, but not all know it,” he said.

He sees patterns and layers in the religious and spiritual experiences of students. This is the “joy of his job.”

Powers explains the “joys” he finds in his role on campus with an expression of utmost passion.

He realizes students’ needs as they explore the opportunities available to them at OWU are different. He said the Chaplain’s staff needs to “be sensitive to that.”

Religious and spiritual organizations on campus cater to these different needs, providing both structured religious celebrations and venues through which students may understand concepts of spirituality and the ways in which their own religion and spirituality may collide with activism, culture or even the outdoors.

Powers places the religious organizations on campus into a series of layers, which some students peel back as they progress through their campus journey.

THE FIRST LAYER

Organizations like the Newman Catholic Community and the Tauheed Muslim Community offer structure to students attending school after experiencing a consistent religious upbringing or religious-based high school.
Sophomore Maria Jafri, the president of Tauheed, was born a Muslim in Saudi Arabia.

“My whole life, my religion has played a big part of who I am,” she said. “Coming here, I knew it would make me more comfortable, so that’s why I got involved. I feel like I’m more a part of community discussion.”

Jafri said her experiences with Tauheed have been a venue through which she learned to conduct herself on campus.

Tauheed offers her the opportunity to attend Muslim prayer services every Friday in Peale Chapel at noon.
The group also makes periodic visits to a nearby mosque, along with their more cultural celebrations.

Jafri said she hopes these events educate members of the campus community about different religions other than their own, but she commonly sees the same attendees at every Tauheed event.

“There are very few people who come because they’re genuinely interested…but the few who do come are the best part,” she said. “I do feel that a lot of people think they can’t join if they’re not Muslim. Tauheed is very open to people of all faiths. That is something I would like to see more of.”

President of the Newman Catholic Community, Betsy Dible, was a member of a consistent Catholic community and youth group before attending OWU.

These experiences informed her decision to stay involved in her religion on campus. She wishes more students would do the same.

“A fairly large percentage of students identify themselves as Catholic (at least on applications and such) but don’t attend our events,” said Dible. “I personally feel like more and more students are losing their faith when they head away for college; their parents aren’t there making sure they go to church. That’s what saddens me the most. I know my own personal faith life has grown since I’ve been in college because I am making my own decisions when it comes to going to church…and I have become more invested in my choices.”

According to Powers, one third of the campus community—around 600 students—is Catholic. If all these students were to attend Newman events, organizing a place to meet would be problematic.

Powers said organizations like Newman are an ideal fit for some students, but other students have different needs to be met.

THE SECOND LAYER

These other students may find comfort and solace in such organizations as Jubilee, Spring Break Mission Trips, Freethinkers, Wilderness Treks and Common Texts.

Students involved in these groups may apply past religious experiences to the pursuit of learning about other religions, traditions or spiritual experiences.

“For students who have no religious experience or a negative religious experience growing up and want to sample or explore another faith, these organizations offer another way of looking at things,” Powers said.

He places these organizations within another layer of exploration of the religious and spiritual journey students may experience on campus.

Avery Winston, co-president of Freethinkers, hopes students may find “a deviation from the norm” within Freethinkers.

The group meets every Friday at 12 p.m. to discuss a variety of issues in an open format. He said the attendees come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

According to Winston, those who attend group discussions are “smart, open-minded students who aren’t able to have certain discussions.”

“We provide that,” he said.

Junior Hayley Figelstahler became involved in the Outdoor Ministry Team because she wanted a venue through which she could combine her love for faith and the outdoors.

She feels as though students come to college and “just let everything loose…and everything sort of slacks.” She feels, however, that some students actually find religion in college.

Outdoor Ministry Team plans weekly discussion and adventure events which alternate depending upon the week.

The group also hosts larger outdoor events, which tend to attract more students.

“I feel religion is a touchy subject and it’s not something a lot of students just flaunt…asking people to come out for a religious event is completely different than a philanthropy event,” said Figelstahler.

Powers sees the combination of religion and spirituality with activism as an impressive aspect of such organizations as the Small Living Units (SLUs) on campus. He commends students who apply their religious beliefs to causes they feel strongly about. He sees this application as another layer.

THE THIRD LAYER

Senior Gretchen Curry, a member of the House of Peace and Justice, grew up with religion as an immensely important aspect of her life.

“I grew up in the church. Almost literally. My dad was an Episcopal Priest in Connecticut for the first nine years of my life so I lived in the parish house right next door to our church,” she said. “For the past 11 or so years my dad has been one of three Episcopal Bishops in Connecticut. Though I no longer live next door to the church where I grew up, church itself remains an important part of my life when I go home.”

Curry is using this time in her life to sort out her feelings concerning religion. She in unsure of what role the church will play in her future.

“I’ve attended countless events throughout my life. I was in my youth group, have gone on many trips in and out of the country through the church, and still tag along with my dad to different events throughout Connecticut when I go home.”

But Curry is not directly involved with any religious organizations on campus.

Curry feels students should in no way be pressured to attend religious events or be involved in any religious or spiritual communities on campus.

She also feels there is not enough honest discussion about religious and spiritual issues on campus.

“I think (religious organizations) have to deal with a lot of crap sometimes,” she said. “That’s unfortunate. However, I find myself turned away from specific religious organizations on campus simply because my moral framework does not always align with those of the group. But will I respect their presence on campus as long as they respect the OWU population at large? Absolutely.”

Senior Abigail Docker is very involved in religious organizations on campus. She said is passionate and excited about her involvement, but doesn’t feel as though all students should be.

“I think faith and religion is like any other aspect of the college experience—it plays as small or large a role as you want it to,” she said.

“There are things we could do to make it easier for students to worship and lead religious lives, but overall I think there is a good network of students, faculty and staff that make living your faith possible in college.”

Docker said she is satisfied with the work done by religious organizations on campus to promote religious and spiritual events and the opportunities these events hold.

“There is some anti-religious sentiment on this campus, but for the most part discussions tend to be heated but not hostile,” she said.

“I think the faith-related organizations do a decent job of working together and providing a place for people to have these conversations.Preserving and improving this environment is going to take effort from students.”
According to Powers, any involvement in religious and spiritual life is positive, and it should be different for any student.

OWU offers the opportunity for students to apply their own religious and spiritual experiences with the “cafeteria options” of organizations and opportunities on campus.

The Chaplain’s Office, located on the third floor of Hamwill, strives to work with students to meet all of their needs, whatever they may be.