The Sigma Chi flag. Photo courtesy of Sigma Chi’s website.
This story updated on 11/12/15
Late Wednesday, Nov. 11, the Ohio Wesleyan University community was alerted that the Sigma Chi fraternity is being closed immediately.
According to the email sent to students and faculty, the international headquarters of the fraternity were the ones to make the decision, due to âdeclining membership and commitment to the fraternityâs historic mission.â
The press release sent by Sig Chiâs headquarters said, âThe Fraternity looks forward to maintaining a positive relationship with administrators at Ohio Wesleyan University and returning to campus after its current members have graduated.â
Dana Behum, the assistant director of student involvement for fraternity and sorority life, said OWU was alerted of the fraternityâs suspension Nov. 5. After a discussion with the fraternityâs international headquarters, they decided to tell the members on Nov. 11. The Executive Director of the fraternity, Michael Church, made the announcement to the members in person.
Directly after the announcement, the administrators had time to discuss staff resources and housing accommodations.
Behum said Residential Life is working with each member to identify his next step in housing. 30 Williams Drive, the Sig Chi house, will likely be closed for the remainder of the 2015-2016 academic year. Currently, there has been no discussion to the future use of the building. The current members are now considered to be Alumni members of the organization.
Kimberlie Goldsberry, the interim vice president for student affairs, said, âI do believe and have observed that in times of challenge, sadness and change there can be great demonstrations of empathy, strength and defining opportunity.â
Behum said, âOur Greek communityâŚare surprised and heartbroken. I believe that the students in the OWU Greek community will continue to include our new Alumni Members of Sigma Chi in their campus interactions, social opportunities and identity group.â
We have attempted to reach out to current members of Sigma Chi. We have either received no response or a decline to comment.
The cast of the first season of the popular Netflix show “Orange is the New Black.”
On my news feed yesterday, I saw a headline that confused me. It read, “Netflix Binge Watching Negatively Affecting College Students.” Seriously? We get one thing that makes us happy, and there are negative affects from it? No way!
Here are some stats for you:Â “Nine out of ten college students admit to using Netflix.”
“After watching three or more episodes in a row, it is considered binge-Âwatching.”
Are you guilty of being a “binge-Âwatcher”?
The answer is, probably.
Since Netflix was founded in 1997, more than 30 million people worldwide have registered for the online streaming website, and it’s no secret that college students like you and I occupy a rather large percentage of those people.
But, to call myself a “bingeÂ-watcher?” Ouch.
It’s simple. People subscribe to Netflix because they like the ability to watch as much of a show as they would like in one sitting. They like the ability to watch a whole season of âThe Officeâ when they’re laid up in their beds on winter break (or on a Thursday). They like to take study breaks with quick seasons of âBob’s Burgers.â It’s okay. Weâre obviously not alone.
The cast of The Office, which has been on Netflix for years.
In a world like ours, waiting on that new blockbuster to come out in theaters or a TV show to air next week is a struggle, so we resort to Netflix, where we don’t have to have the patience it takes to wait for the new âGrey’s Anatomy.â Want it now? Here it is!
But, as college students, should we have Netflix at all?
Of course we should.
Netflix’s target crowd is us, with their wide variety of young adultÂ-oriented programs; they’re trying to suck us into their extremely long list of subscribers, and it’s working.
In actuality, Netflix shouldn’t be a “concern.” If binging on Netflix is of public concern, our public needs new concerns. Let’s be honest, we could all be doing something significantly worse than Netflix. Being a couch potato isn’t all that bad, especially when you have a whole world of shows and movies at your fingertips.
Professor Heidi Wendt. Photo courtesy of the OWU website.
A triple threat comes to Ohio Wesleyan: religion, philosophy and classics professor Heidi Wendt spoke to students Nov. 2 about religion in the Roman Empire.
Wendt, from Wright State University, delivered her lecture, âJudaism and Christianity as Religion in the Roman Empire: The Case of the Apostle Paul,â to a packed room in Slocum Hall.
She received an A.B. in religious studies from Brown University. She returned to Brown to complete a PhD in religious studies and an A.M. in classics.
Senior Ashley Vassar, a classics major, was glad to hear an interdisciplinary perspective.
âThis talk was one that married a religious topic with a classical one,â Vassar said. âThis means that students from both the classics and the religion department were able to learn more about their particular areas of interest. The topic was also particularly fascinating because Christianity is so widespread.â
Wendtâs visit was made possible by classics professor Lee Fratantuono. Fratantuono said having a speaker like Wendt âexposes students to other areas of specialties within classics. In the classics department, we have a small number of faculty and a large number of students and the speakers help mitigate the number of faculty.â
Every year, the classics department has a speaker series, which brings four to six speakers to campus. When selecting speakers, the department aims to choose people whose studies connect to the material discussed in class.
Wendt researched topics focused on the Roman Empire and the activities of freelance religious experts and their significance for the emergence of Christianity. She has worked throughout Turkey, Greece and Italy.
Throughout her presentation, Wendt discussed the evolution of both Christianity and Judaism.
She also pulled passages from the bible to support her research.
Senior Rachael Nicholas, another classics major, said that she learned a lot from Wendt.
âI gained a fuller knowledge of early Christianity in Rome,â Nicholas said. âBefore this point, I knew very little of that particular subject. Now I understand how early Jews and Christians interacted with the Roman Empire.â
Wendt is in the process of completing a book titled âThe Religion of Freelance Experts in the Early Roman Empire.â According to Wendtâs web page, the book âexamines evidence from the imperial period for selfÂauthorized religious experts, including Judean and Christian actors.â
The Ohio Machine, Ohio’s only major league lacrosse (MLL) team has called OWU’s Selby Stadium home for the past four years. Starting this year, they are moving on to another venue.
On Oct. 27, the Ohio Machine announced their new host will be Panther Stadium, home of the Ohio Dominican University athletics teams.
Although the organization is moving on, Gregg Klein, Machineâs vice president of business operations, has nothing but great things to say about Selby Stadium and the OWU family.
“Let me start by saying how lucky we were to have such great partners in Ohio Wesleyan University the last four years,â Klein said. âFrom an expansion club in 2012, to hosting a MLL semi-final game at Selby Stadium, our team grew up at Selby.â
The move was part of a plan for the organization to grow, and according to Klein, Ohio Dominican is the perfect place to initiate the growth the Machine is looking for.
“As we grew over the years, our front office analyzed our season ticket member demographic and asked for feedback from our fan base,â Klein explained. âWe discovered that finding a location central to the downtown Columbus area was an important next step in the teamâs growth.â
Despite Kleinâs helpful explanation, news of the move has not been widespread.
Junior Doug Sanders considers himself a “pretty informed” sports fan and said he had not heard about the move.
“I never even knew they were moving to Ohio Dominican,” Sanders said. “But I can see why the Machine would want to move closer to downtown Columbus. More people, more attendance, it seems smart.â
“I personally never went to a game and don’t know anyone who did, so honestly, I don’t think the OWU student body will miss the Machine too much,” said junior David Pugh.
In their new stadium, the Machine will add extra seats for the 2016 MLL season, planning to expand their seating capacity in Panther Stadium to over 3,000, which is 6,000 less than Selby Stadium.
At the Nov. 9 Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs (WCSA) meeting, student representatives were encouraged to invite their classmates to run for student government.
By the start of the full senate, over ten positions remained unapplied for. The application to join WCSA for the next term can be found on their website and is due Nov. 13.
After some brief introductory remarks, senator Jessica Choate, a junior and chair of the residential affairs committee, introduced her “Let There Be Lights” project to the assembly.
In response to concerns about student safety, Chotae organized an early morning walk-through of the Williams Drive area to determine where street lighting could be improved upon or added to.
Choate proposed that lamp assemblies for existing lights be upgraded, LED lighting be added around Williams Drive, LED porch lighting be installed outside fraternity houses and a wall pack be mounted outside the Haycock art building.
Choate also proposed that the $6200 project be funded by WCSA’s rollover funds.
When Choate had finished making her report to the senate, WCSA’s vice president, senior Emma Drongowski, called for a vote.
Julia Stone ’16 of The OWtsiders, OWU’s only co-ed a cappella group, performs at the 3rd annual A Cappelloza hosted by CPB. Photo by Spenser Hickey.
On Nov. 7, members of the Delaware and Ohio Wesleyan community came together to enjoy song and laughter at the third annual A Cappellooza.
The event was held in Gray Chapel, with music fans filling the orchestra and balconies.
Organized by the Campus Programing Board (CPB), A Cappellooza brought together groups from OWU, Wittenberg University, Denison University and Akron University.
CPB also hosted a professional guest for the night, a cappella group Street Corner Symphony.
Street Corner Symphony sang Johnny Cash to open their set, a choice that reflected their southern heritage. The groupâs band members are all from Nashville, Tennessee.
Senior Miranda Dean said âthey sounded pretty Southern.â
Street Corner Symphony went on to invite volunteers from the audience to join them on stage as they sang the theme song from âFresh Prince of BelÂ-Air.â
Oberlin’s all-female a cappella group, Just Eve, begins their set. Photo by Spenser Hickey.
Compared to last yearâs group, sophomore Maddy Bonfield believed that Street Corner Symphony âtried to get the crowd more into it.â
Senior Julia Stone, member of both OWU a capella groups, the OWTsiders and Pitch Black, mentioned that âall the groups are really supportive of each other.â
Bonfield noted that it was âcool to see the other schools…and their fan base.â
After the event, all the groups were invited for an A Cappella mixer at the Peace and Justice small living unit.
Stone said âquite a few [from Denison] showed up and we just sort of improvised music together.â
It shows to the unifying effect that A Cappellooza had on the community.
Students at Ohio Wesleyan almost missed donating blood this semester. But Circle K, a community service club at OWU, collaborated with the American Red Cross to bring the bloodmobile, a donation center on wheels, to campus.
âThe American Red Cross, comes to Ohio Wesleyan three times a year, twice in spring semester and once in fall. This semester the blood drive almost didnât happen,” said Circle K president NâToia Hawkins, a senior. âIt usually takes place in the Benes Rooms, but this semester it was booked. I contacted Fred Moses, the representative for OWU at Red Cross, and he suggested the bloodmobile.â
It was the first time the bloodmobile had come to OWU. Even though âit was easier to set up and very successful,â Hawkins feels that âthere might have been a loss of donors due to lack of space.â
âIt was my first time giving blood in a bloodmobile,” said sophomore Haley Jacobson.
âIt felt strange and claustrophobic at first, being in such a tight space. But the nurses, doctors and volunteers comforted me throughout the experience.â
âOnce I was at the table, I forgot I was in the parking lot of our student center. Overall it was a great experience and I would donate blood in a bloodmobile again,” Jacobson continued.
Sophomore Kimberly Liang said, âIâve always donated blood at a center but this was a completely different experience. It was comfortable but the space was just too tight, but it didnât matter because it all goes to a good cause.â
âA lot of people are unable to donate due to whatever reason, and there are other ways they could help, by providing their time and volunteering at these blood drives,â said a nurse on the mobile, who requested to be anonymous.
The bloodmobile will not be returning for next semester, as the Benes Room has already been booked for the spring semester blood drive.
A search committee has been created to find a new leader of student affairs at Ohio Wesleyan University.
The committee to hire a new dean of students is chaired by psychology professor Vicki DiLillo and will soon begin to engage the campus to determine the needs of the position.
Other faculty members on the committee include professor of fine arts Kristina Bogdanov, professor of zoology Shala Hankison, professor of mathematics Craig Jackson and professor of theatre and dance Ed Kahn.
The committee has not yet met to go over strategies for the search, but plan to convene at the end of this month.
Vicki DiLillo shared her thoughts on the committeeâs current situation.
âThe search committee has been appointed but has not yet met,â DiLillo said. âThis means that we still need to collaboratively develop a position description, discuss the primary characteristics we’re looking for in our future student affairs leader and develop a more specific time frame for this search.â
Rock Jonesâs predicted what the committee would be looking for in a recent campus wide email.
âI anticipate there will be a strong focus on student success and engagement, with measurable outcomes related to retention and graduation rates, in addition to traditional services associated with student affairs,â Jones said. âThe title of the position may change as an outcome of the conversation about the most pressing needs for support of students at this time in Ohio Wesleyan’s history.â
The committee hopes there will be a person selected for the position by spring break.
Ares Harper, Hilary Quinn and Jeremy Griffin-Jackson practice for this year’s Orchesis performance. Photo by Trent Williams.
This yearâs Orchesis is unlike past performances. For the first time in several years, Ohio Wesleyanâs theatre and dance department joined forces with the music department to devise the annual contemporary dance concert.
Orchesis features 24 dancers performing eight pieces created by students, faculty and a guest choreographer. The theatre and dance department at OWU will present âOrchesis 15/16â on Nov. 13, 14 and 15 in Chappelear Drama Center.
The choreographers of the show are primarily students who have taken a dance composition class, Rashana Smith, the artistic director of Orchesis and a professor in the theatre and dance department, said.
âIt seems like the thread thatâs going through all of our pieces is inter-connectivity,â Smith said.
The concert will conclude with the 24 dancers performing Smithâs piece, titled âEffort of Interface.â
The piece examines how much effort people put into being connected with one another, especially through technological devices and personal interactions. Smithâs inspiration stemmed from wanting to understand what the point of interface is.
Through dance, she explored the extent to which technology, besides making life easier, has improved the quality of life. The performance will feature original music by Jennifer Jolley, assistant music professor at OWU.
â[The collaboration with the music department] has been really nice because of how we all compose similarly, differently and trying to make all those things come together has been an interesting challenge,â Smith said.
All student pieces have varied musical elements. Junior Jeremy GriffinÂ-Jacksonâs piece explores breaking the traditional lines of dance and features original music composed by his cousin.
âItâs much different than what people would hear at Orchesis,â GriffinÂ-Jackson said. âItâs piano- heavy, itâs violinÂheavy and it kind of has a cyclical nature, so it sounds like it repeats itself, but itâs just a lot of the same instruments used in different ways throughout the piece.â
Griffin-ÂJackson said that one of the most memorable moments from the rehearsal process was watching the dancers in his piece perform to the music for the first time. Their excitement gave him energy and they picked up the routine fast.
Griffin-Jacksonâs piece was born out of his distaste for the more refined lines in dance such as the ballet line, which is the outline of a dancerâs complete body while performing steps or poses.
âTo me thatâs not pretty. Thatâs just mechanical,â he said. âSo the idea [for this piece] just came from my own body and movement patterns.â
Each choreographer drew inspiration from something that resonated with them. Sophomore Alexia Mintonâs piece, titled âSolitude of the Soul,â is an adaptation of a statue by the same name that she saw in the Chicago Institute of Art.
Mintonâs piece explores the idea that no matter how closely people are connected, no one truly knows each other.
âWhen I went to Chicago and saw the statue, it was the one thing that really stood out to me,â Minton said. âWhen I got back to the university setting and had the opportunity, I thought it would be really beautiful to place movement into it.â
Some, like junior Diana Muzina, chose to express societal issues through dance.
The piece she choreographed deals with a specific thematic question involving societyâs impact on women and the potential for messages to make them feel less human, she said.
âIâm really trying to comment on the socialization process, and allow the audience to place themselves in the piece.â
Over the last few years, Muzina encountered several physical and health problems that prompted her to modify her movements. One of the challenges she faced during the rehearsal process was choreographing for bodies that could do more than hers could, she said. Communicating certain movements to dancers that she could not demonstrate was also tough.
Rehearsals for the show have been underway since the second week of classes, Smith said.
Though the dancers have faced their share of challenges during the rehearsal process, they are excited to share their complex ideas with the audience.
âA lot of the work you will see will really make you think, and I believe it will have a huge impact on the audience,â Muzina said. âThere is something for everyone to find a connection to in the overall performance.â
Tickets are free for OWU students with a valid student ID. Orchesis will be performed on the Main Stage in the drama center at 8 p.m. on Nov. 13 and Nov. 14 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15.
