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WCSA debates internal workings

Areena Arora, Managing Editor

In just one hour on Feb. 1, members of WCSA went from debating about the internal workings of the institution to concluding the meeting with a group selfie.

The discussion from last week continued, as Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs (WCSA) voted again to appoint members to five new members positions, two senators and three ex officio non-voting members.

At the Jan. 25 meeting, a resolution to appoint new members was proposed through the Administrative Policy Committee (APC), and was opposed by Sen. Phub Dorji who questioned the role of the executive body. At issue was how special elections are conducted and who gets voting rights.

At the Feb. 1 meeting, WCSA President Jess Choate started off by addressing concerns raised last week.

Choate said, “Obviously there was some confusion last week. What has happened in the past in special elections is that exec (executive body) receives and reviews applications and then makes recommendations to full senate to vote on.”

However, since there was a confusion, in pursuant of Standing Order 126 (a) of WCSA’s governing documents, a new vote will be carried out, said Choate.

In his report, junior Andrew Stock, chair of APC said, “We are going to go over appointed senator positions and re vote because we did not follow the right procedure in the way we addressed these positions (calling them members at large). By standing orders members at large do have voting powers, but we are (now) appointing three members ex-officio with no voting powers.”

Sen. Chris Dobeck asked, “How are we able to go back on this after having voted?”

Choate said, “We will suspend rules momentarily, so we are able to make the change, to make sure we are all on the same page and we all agree on the decision being made and can move forward.”

Stock added, section 126 (a) of the standing orders allows WCSA to vote again in such situations.

The class of 2017 representative, Jo Meyer asked if the senators will be able to see applications of the candidates being voted on.

Choate said, “The applications we (executive body) have brought forward are very representative. We had six applications, and multiple people expressed concerns about one applicant, so we are bringing forward the other five.”

Dorji who had raised concerns about the application reviewing process initially suggested that to avoid misunderstandings in future, instead of exec having right to review applications, APC should have the right to do so.

Throwing an open invitation to attendees at the meeting, Stock said, “APC will certainly look into it. If something in standing order looks funny to you, attend our meeting on Tuesday (Feb. 2) and we will put suggestions into our docket.”

Stock added, “This is the way things have been done, APC is working to clarify it (the governing documents) more and make it more transparent.”

Choate said, “While I agree we (executive body) make recommendations, we have no real executive power. It is (special elections) done this way because we have representatives from each class year and all voices have a say. While I say that, we still want to make sure your (Dorji’s) concerns are addressed.”

In discussing old business, the senate moved to suspend rules to discuss the issue further and give chance to speakers to present their points.

At this point Dorji said, “I recommend heavy amendments in the constitution and forming an independent temporary committee to look into it or APC to look into this. At the end of this, I still do not agree how applications were reviewed, however in the spirit of pragmatism, I will be voting.”

Choate said Dorji’s comments will be taken into consideration and opened the floor to invite more speakers.

Before voting, Sen. Shareeque Sadiq motioned to have all candidates speak to the senate on their behalf, which was accepted.

Freshman Katie Kuckelheim in her speech said, “WCSA has the power to change things at OWU.

Concerns were raised about one candidate who was not present at the meeting, but Choate suggested that senators rank on the ballot according to whatever they believe is necessary and if need be, the full senate will discuss the outcome once results are out.

With only six minutes left before the meeting’s end, Choate said that results will be tallied and announced at the next meeting on Feb. 8.

After the meeting on Jan. 25, WCSA Vice President Sam Schurer said, “Those are the kinds of conversations that Jess (Choate) and I have been trying to get started since we decided to run. It is awesome to see someone with so much passion for WCSA and we think it is a really good sign.”

WCSA also voted to appoint junior Daud Baz as the new treasurer and approved two budgets.

An ongoing lighting project sponsored by WCSA was completed and announced at the meeting. Lights were added around The Hill on Williams Drive, 4 Williams and Haycock Hall.

Olmstead goes from print to screen

Ross Hickenbottom, Sports Editor

Ohio Wesleyan’s Robert Olmstead has teamed up with two Hollywood in-laws, Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck to create a film based on his novel “Far Bright Star.”

Olmstead is an “established writer of fiction,” with four novels under his belt, short stories as well as numerous articles published in magazines and journals.

He is a New Hampshire native, who grew up on a farm and enjoyed outdoor activities like fishing. He graduated with two degrees from Syracuse University.

Before becoming the director of Ohio Wesleyan’s creative writing program, he served as a senior writer at Dickinson College in PA as well as Boise State University.

“Far Bright Star” is the first part of a series, consisting of three novels.

“There are three books, and in my mind they are a trilogy. ‘Coal Black Horse,’ ‘Far Bright Star’ and ‘The Coldest Night’ are loosely connected,” Olmstead said.

“They are about these three generations of a family and has to do with the legacy and inheritance of war. It interests me how in some families, war passes down through them as a trade or occupation if you will,” he continued.

Professor Olmstead received his inspiration for the series from a trip he took back in 1997.

“It started back in probably ’97. I was down in Georgia hunting wild boar, and there were all of these guys I was hanging out with, and this goes back to the early 90s and these fathers, sons and grandsons were just waiting around for the next war, you know? It really got me thinking about this legacy of violence, inheritance of war,” he explained.

Olmstead feels as if it’s embedded into the American psychology that a son follows a father in a path of occupation, but making war is a “whole different story.”

The problem is, though, according to him, that in America, we don’t see ourselves as a nation of warriors, so it makes for a much more riveting and interesting topic.

Before the inspiration developed, moving Olmstead to write this certain series of novels, or anything else he has constructed, he was a kid who loved to read.

“At a very young age, novels, short stories, fiction, were very, very important to me,” he said.

“I just remember at a young age, just thinking; ‘wouldn’t it be great to do for some people, what some of these people have done for me?’ It’s like giving back, returning the favor,” Olmstead reminisced.

The story involves the visit of an aging cavalryman who leads a group of young men on a hunt for Pancho Villa. It takes place in 1916 and captured the attention of director Casey Affleck.

Affleck, who directed “I’m Still Here” and “The Book of Charles,” and acted in “Manchester by the Sea,” “Interstellar” and “Gone Baby Gone,” is the younger brother of Ben Affleck. He described it as a “beautifully written story on pain and loss in the drive and resilience one finds within themselves to continue through the day.”

Affleck, in the midst of starting a new production company, approached Olmstead in 2014 and gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Contracts were signed in November 2014, the screenwriter finished his sample and just this past October, Olmstead received the screenplay.

“It blew me away,” he said. “It was extremely powerful.”

It was announced that Joaquin Phoenix, known for his roles in “Gladiator” and “Walk the Line,” would play the lead role in November 2015.

Olmstead admitted that it was a strange coincidence, having Joaquin Phoenix star in his production because he starred in one of Olmstead’s colleague’s films, “Buffalo Soldiers.”

Olmstead looks forward to the release of “Far Bright Star,” and the positive impact the publicity will have on OWU, which has already started.

Chris Mondon, OWU graduate, is familiar with Olmstead’s work, and “can’t wait for the movie to be released.”

“I love Joaquin Phoenix and this whole storyline,” he said.

The production process is still in action, and release information will be communicated within the year.

The college love game

Olivia Lease, Online Editor

*Disclaimer: this article isn’t really about love, it’s about the various ways we, as college students, commit ourselves to someone we “caught the feels” for.

“Uncle Moe, are you going to keep Olivia forever?”

This was the question my boyfriend’s 6-year-old niece asked him when we visited last weekend. I almost choked on my gum.

But this is the question many college relationships are faced with, how serious should things get and how do we label that? Never mind the fact of wondering whether someone is “the one” (if you even believe in the idea).

Don’t worry, I’m not going to go all Carrie Bradshaw on you and pretend like I’m an expert on relationships.

I’m only 20 and I tend to think of serious relationships as a later emergence in adulthood. There are other things I need to accomplish first; that sort of thing.

Apparently I’m not alone in this thinking. Sociologists have even coined a new term for what our generation is doing. It’s called “emerging adulthood.” Members of our generation typically continue their education, get a place, travel, try a few relationships out and lastly get married.

A slow easing into adulthood.

It’s interesting to talk with my grandparents because then I hear about how marriage was the first step for them into adulthood. My grandpa Norm has mentioned to me a few times that he was first married when he was just 19 years old.

Things are different for our generation. I’m happy I go to a school where I am not expected to get an M.R.S. degree.

According to BusinessInsider.com, there are 50 colleges where you’re most likely to meet your future spouse. This list was published in 2015 and included a few of our neighbors, Oberlin College and University of Dayton (being numbers 42 and 29, respectively). OWU is nowhere to be seen, but maybe that’s a good thing.

I’m guessing the majority of us aren’t here to find a spouse.

What I have noticed, though, is a polarizing distinction for most relationships. Most couples are either refusing to label things or they’re all in.

Hook-up culture is prevalent here, but so is commitment culture. Promise rings, lavalier necklaces and even engagement rings are proudly worn by several of my friends.

In a world of Tinder, OKCupid and Grindr, companionship even seems to come in pixelated form. There are issues with that as well since you’re reducing a three-dimensional person to a two-dimensional profile.

What happened to just dating?

As college students, we are forced to constantly be forward thinking. Maybe this stems from being asked, “What do you want to do after graduation?” on a regular basis.

We are privileged to get to decide what to do with our lives, but the multitude of options can cause anxiety for some, me being one of them. This future-related anxiety may even transfer to relationships when pressured by outside forces.

My advice? Don’t let a fear of the future affect your relationship. Being with someone means enjoying the moment, not planning out your future.

Good luck out there.

Sincerely,
A former commitment phobe

Faculty reevaluate student population size at first meeting

Matt Cohen, Editor-in-Chief

On the evening of Jan. 25, the sun dove beneath Elliot Hall’s horizon and the remaining rays raced past the cold, naked trees and through Merrick Hall’s third floor windows, throwing their duplicates on the opposite wall.

The scene provided the backdrop for Ohio Wesleyan’s President Rock Jones to open the first official faculty meeting of 2016 by thanking faculty for “rolling up (their) sleeves and working together.”

After mentioning the struggles the university has faced with declining enrollment and number of applicants received, Jones posed a question.

“What is the appropriate size of OWU?”

He rhetorically asked if they were willing to take the time and put the appropriate money into the school to grow it back to where it once was. If not, OWU will become a smaller school.

Jones wants OWU to explore different programs and improve upon everything from parking to the process of applying for classes in order to reach potential students the school normally doesn’t reach.

Chris Wolverton, professor of botany-microbiology, addressed the room as a member of the university’s Governance Committee.

He echoed Jones’ push to put the OWU back in the right direction. He suggested leading marketing strategies based on the school’s academics.

When Mark Allison, an associate professor of English, confronted the faculty’s recent frustrations regarding new marketing techniques, he simply said, “What we dislike, the kids love.”

“They think Taylor Swift’s music is terrific.”

He also pointed out that faculty had input about the new marketing campaign at every level.

Additionally, a new computational neuroscience major was approved by a unanimous vote.

Presidential election update

Emily Feldmesser, Transcript Correspondent

Republicans:

Republican frontrunner Donald Trump decided not to participate in the upcoming debate. The debate will be hosted on Jan. 28 by Fox News and Google, just a few days before Monday’s Iowa Caucus. Trump demanded Fox News anchor, Megyn Kelly to step down from moderating. When the network didn’t adhere to Trump’s request, he chose not to participate. CNN said Trump decided to boycott the debate, especially at Kelly’s helm, because “he didn’t believe he would be treated fairly.” According to The New York Times, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, after being booted off the previous debate stage, will be taking Trump’s podium.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, currently Trump’s most intense rival, offered to debate Trump “mano a mano,” according to CNN. Trump said instead of participating in the debate, he will host a fundraiser for “Veterans and Wounded Warriors,” Reuters reported.

Democrats:

Speaking of debates, there might be another chance for the three Democrats to come together. MSNBC and the New Hampshire Union Leader newspaper proposed the seventh Democratic debate just a few days before New Hampshire’s Feb. 9 primary. However, the Democratic National Committee has no plans to sanction the debate, according to Reuters.

That means if any of the candidates participate, it could impact any future participation in the debates. So far, former Governor Martin O’Malley has been the first one to accept the invitation. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she would participate in the debate if it’s sanctioned and other candidates participate while Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said he wouldn’t participate in an unsanctioned debate, reported The New York Times.

Presidential election update

Emily Feldmesser, Transcript Correspondent

Reporter’s Note: The 2016 Presidential election is barreling toward us with increasing speed. Since this election is shaping to be a contentious one, I thought it would be helpful for Ohio Wesleyan students to have a brief, weekly rundown of the race.

The Republicans:

The sixth Republican debate took place on Jan 14 in South Carolina. Senator Rand Paul and Carly Fiorina were both kicked off the main stage due to their low poll numbers. Paul chose not to participate in the undercard debate, instead answering questions via Twitter and the video app Periscope.

However, the big news from the debate was the rancor between frontrunner Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz. After a few weeks of agreeing with each other, the candidates became combative over certain issues. Trump has questioned whether Cruz, who was born in Canada, is actually eligible to run for president. According to CNN, the change in the relationship was due to Cruz catching up to Trump in recent poll numbers. Cruz said Trump “embodies New York values,” which refers to the city’s “famous liberalism,” said Reuters. Trump responded with how New York recovered after the September 11 attacks, according to CNN.

According to Reuters, viewers believed Trump won the debate with 37.3 percent. Cruz came in second with 26.6 percent and Senator Marco Rubio came in a distant third with 12.1 percent.

The Iowa caucuses are Feb. 1 and it’s the first time voters will be at the polls.

The Democrats:

The fourth Democratic debate was Sunday, Jan. 17, also took place in South Carolina. With only three candidates: Senator Bernie Sanders, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Governor Martin O’Malley, there was more opportunity for the candidates to have the floor.

Surprisingly, the Democratic candidates stayed away from attacking their Republican rivals, rather, they focused on each other, said CNN.

Clinton heavily aligned herself with President Barack Obama and his record, especially on gun control, health care and financial regulation, according to CNN. A contentious issue was health care, because just two hours before the debate, Sanders released details of his health care plan, according to The Washington Post. Clinton challenged the plan, and again threw her support behind Obama’s Affordable Care Act.

However, Sanders challenged Clinton’s strong ties to firms on Wall Street. O’Malley also questioned Clinton’s ties, according to The New York Times. Clinton shot back with Sanders’ weak record on gun control, saying he voted with the National Rifle Association. Sanders had no response.

Public Safety Rumors

DJ Fradkin, Transcript Reporter

If you’ve heard rumors about Ohio Wesleyan students being seen driving OWU Public Safety (PS) vehicles and giving out parking tickets, your sources aren’t wrong.

At the beginning of the 2015-16 school year, PS opened a few positions to students, mainly for enforcement.

PS offered three positions in the fall semester and offered two positions during the spring semester, which have already been filled.

The students who are currently employed remain anonymous. Rumors that these students are working undercover arose, but these were found to be false.

“It is like any other job on campus. We obviously don’t put them in a public safety uniform, but they will have identification and a security vest,” said Robert Wood, the director of PS.

Students in duty can be seen driving a PS marked vehicle or an Acura, which is currently unmarked.

This position offers students around six hours of work each week. The responsibilities of this job primarily includes ticketing, but they could receive other tasks such as counting the number of cars parked in each lot or assisting with building lock up on the academic side of campus.

The information regarding wage was not disclosed, but “the pay is fairly decent because students are out in the cold and it probably pays better than some other jobs around campus,” Wood said.

Prior to this year, John Ciochetty, a PS officer, mainly handled ticketing. A few PS officers who worked full time were let go this year due to pay cuts.

But the new system works really well as it supplies students with employment and the students are less expensive to pay than full time employees, Wood said.

A different rumor also arose that the PS department is having students track down Yik Yak and other social media posts.

Junior Isabella Flibotte said, “The school needs to loosen the leash on the students and let them enjoy their college experience without feeling as if they’re constantly watched like high school students.”

Freshman Victoria Chavez said, “If a serious issue arose and became harmful then they should step in, but other than that, they should not be involved.”

The reactions from most students indicated they were not in favor of PS monitoring their social media.

Wood disproved the rumors and said they don’t track down student’s social media. “Jay does a Facebook thing, but we don’t do anything other than that and don’t plan to do that,” Wood said.

If students are interested in learning more about this job, they can speak to a representative at the PS office.

Ideas, insight and imagination in three minutes

Sara Hollabaugh, Arts &Entertainment Editor

If lectures were only three minutes, would phones be checked or the internet surfed?

Ohio Wesleyan will hold a three-minute lecture series event on Feb. 3 called I³ (I-cubed), which stands for ideas, insight and imagination.

At the event, 10 professors will give lectures for three minutes each.

The idea for I³ was developed by OWU’s communications office.

Will Kopp, chief communications officer, said there was a branding initiative to create a new event to market what OWU has to offer.

“We have the OWU Connection and [we were seeking] how to display that.”

Kopp added one-third of OWU students have double majors with interests across the academic spectrum.

“They are not always things that may seem to go together,” Kopp said. “It might be physics and art, but there’s a wide variety.”

The communications office considered student interests and what was most important about OWU in order to decide what really defines the campus.

Cubes hang in the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center to advertise the series. Photo courtesy of Sara Hollabaugh.

The office decided it was great teaching.

Kopp said the event then came all together and they searched for 10 of the student’s favorite faculty members.

“We have several students working in the communications office and had them survey students,” Kopp said. “Narrowing down to just 10 was difficult, [but] every single professor said yes.”

“If we keep it the length of a pop song and really interesting, I think [people] will watch them all,” Kopp said. “[Three minutes] really makes you focus.”

Kopp added that each topic needs to be interesting because even though each lecture is three minutes, the whole series will last 30 minutes.

According to the event’s online description, the lectures “will exemplify the power of combining the traditional liberal arts with practical experience, which is the hallmark of the OWU Connection.”

“Each person has to walk out of there learning something,” Kopp said. “[The faculty] must teach the audience something new. This event is strictly ours, unique to OWU. I hope it could become a tradition here.”

Melanie Henderson, assistant professor of psychology, is giving her lecture on interviewing.

“The title of my presentation is ‘Interviewing 101: Who is That Chameleon in the Mirror?’” Henderson said. “I will present research findings on the topic of “mirroring,” a process relevant to the psychology of interviewing and the role of self-presentation in interview outcomes.”

“My objective is to provide students in the audience with a simple insight on the interviewing process and a strategy for applying this knowledge to future interview experiences,” Henderson said.

Jennifer Jolley, assistant professor of music, will be teaching a music lecture.

Jolley admitted that her lecture will be a challenge because the audience will need time to hear the music.

“In other creative fields, time is not fixed (the amount of time it takes to look at a piece of art or read a short story varies),” Jolley said. “But in my field, you cannot speed-listen to a piece of music.”

“My lecture will have to include ridiculously short excerpts of music, but hopefully that will inspire my audience to listen to the featured works when the event is over,” Jolley added.

Other professors selected to participate in the lectures are Sally Livingston, Jenny Holland, Bob Harmon, David Eastman, Paul Dean, Laurie Anderson, Zack Long and Goran Skosples.

For more information, visit here.

WCSA debates democracy

Photo courtesy of the OWU website.

Areena Arora, Managing Editor

Democracy was debated by members of the Wesleyan Council of Student Affairs (WCSA) at its Jan. 25 meeting. How senators are appointed and who gets the right to vote was at issue.

A resolution to appoint new members was proposed through the Administrative Policy Committee, and was opposed by Senator Phub Dorji who questioned the process used to decide which candidates received voting rights.

WCSA President Jess Choate said there were five equally qualified applicants for two open positions and the executive committee made a decision after a long discussion.

“We appointed three students as members at large because we only had two vacant positions and we did not want to disregard the other three voices,” said Choate.

Dorji responded, “If all five candidates were equally qualified, wouldn’t it be better if full senate decided on who gets voting power and who gets to be a member at large?”

Dorji said, “The Executive has great powers, but their combined powers must always be smaller than that of the Legislative – if they appoint Senators like they did, then they can fill the Legislative with their friends who will vote along their lines.…If we want to call ourselves a democratic establishment, we need to start taking democracy seriously.”

Dorji also asked if it would’ve been better to have the applicants come to the meeting and talk to the full senate.

However, since all the applicants were not present at the time, Choate suggested it would be unfair to others and acknowledged Dorji’s concerns.

WCSA Vice President Sam Schurer said, “(The discussion) left me more excited than ever to move forward with improvements to WCSA’s internal workings that Jess (Choate) and I see as crucial to a successful term.”

Choate said, “At this point, we did what our current constitution requires us to do, but we will be working to create a more inclusive appointment process in the future.”

According to the WCSA constitution, “The Executive Committee shall appoint, with the consent of WCSA, at large representatives for the purpose of ensuring appropriate constituent balance on WCSA.”

However, according to WCSA’s Standing and Sessional Orders of the Council, adopted in April 2014, members at large do in fact occupy a voting seat. The Executive Committee may also appoint one member at large, with rights to attend its meetings but no voting rights.

Freshman Katie Kuckelheim, who was appointed as a member at large with no voting rights, said, “Being a member at large gives me a chance to learn what WCSA does….before I make my vote count. I feel it’s better that I do not have voting rights as of now so I can get to know WCSA better, and then I will be able to have a more informed choice.”

Kuckelheim added that when a spot for senator opens, she will be the first to apply.

Senator Ryan Bishop, while agreeing with Dorji’s concerns, expressed satisfaction with Choate and Schurer’s approach to the situation.

Bishop said, “Sam (Schurer) clarified that this is coming out of the constitution and they (Choate and Schurer) agreed that in future we should try restructuring the election processes, but it really made a great impression on me that [Schurer] took out the time to explain exec’s (Executive Committee) position.”

Choate said, “We contacted Senator Dorji and other senators who were raising concerns and are hoping to continue the conversation with them. Our Administrative Policy Committee has already begun to incorporate the concerns raised in Monday’s full senate into their ongoing efforts to improve our organization.”

Schurer said, “Those are the kinds of conversations that Jess (Choate) and I have been trying to get started since we decided to run. It is awesome to see someone with so much passion for WCSA and we think it is a really good sign.

Full senate also voted to appoint senator senior Andrew Stock the sergeant of arms and voted to adopt a resolution to change the names of the Residential Affairs Committee to Student Life Committee and the Campus Relations Committee to Public Relations Committee.

Two budget requests also were passed at the meeting.

Mixed results for OWU’s basketball teams

Leia Miza, Transcript Reporter

A bittersweet note was left at Branch Rickey Stadium on Jan. 24 as Ohio Wesleyan University’s women’s team was defeated and the men’s team triumphed over Denison University.

The women’s team went first against Denison and kept the score close throughout.

By the end of the game, the team faced challenges, which resulted in a loss.

“I was pleased with our rebounding effort in the first half, but they just wore us down in the fourth quarter,” said Stacey Lobdell, coach of the women’s team at OWU.

Rylie Pittard, a freshman on the women’s team, said, “throughout the game it was pretty even for both teams, we would score and then they would counter it.”

The players forced 21 turnovers and 13 steals, but the defensive effort still resulted in a 58-42 loss for the Battling Bishops.

Immediately after the women clashed, the OWU men’s basketball team came onto the court and began warming up. The stands filled with more fans and foot-stomping and chanting filled the stadium.

The scores between both teams remained close throughout the first half. But near the end of the game, there was a major turning point.

“The team went down by seven points with five minutes left in the game and we went on scoring run, took the lead and won the game,” said senior team captain Claude Gray.

This was a good test for the team as it gave it a chance to “show we have heart,” Gray said.

“I was just glad me and the team could pull together and do the things needed to be done to win the game. I’m looking forward to seeing the team keep improving.”