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tan cardinal
otterbein university wednesday, sept. 19, 2012 vol. 94, issue 4 www.otterbein360.com
Private university, private crimes Due to a new policy, Otterbein police will no longer release details of campus crimes 3
denied documents:
Otterbein will not release any details of campus crimes other than what is in the daily crime log.
photo by blythe malone
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editorial
Tan & Cardinal
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t&c editorial staff
Mike Cirelli Lindsay Paulsen Katie Taggart Dennison Sleeper
Editor-in-Chief News Editor Assistant News Editor
Opinion Editor Laina Thompson Arts & Entertainment Editor Ally Nagle Sports Editor Chelsea Coleman Copy Editor Josh Park Copy Editor Kristen Davis Photography Editor Blythe Malone Photography Editor Anna Schiffbauer Business Manager Danielle Lanning Assistant Business Manager Lindsey Hobbs Web Editor assistant editors Pat Basista contributing staff Carli Alaura Jordan Brown Olivia Delahunty Paul Griffin Susanna Harris Julia Robideau Kendra Schwarz Derek Self Graham Shippy Emmy Wells contact us 614-823-1159 TCeditor@otterbein360.com Tan & Cardinal Otterbein University Westerville, OH 43081 advertising For advertising information, contact Anna Schiffbauer at 614-823-1159 or by email at sales@otterbein360.com policies The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the faculty and administration of Otterbein University. Opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not of the newspaper staff. Positions in unsigned editorials represent a consensus of the editorial staff. The first copy of the Tan & Cardinal is free to the public. Each additional copy is $0.50, and payment can be made at the office at 33 Collegeview, Westerville, OH 43081. Offenders will be prosecuted. The T&C staff would love to hear from you. Write a letter to the editor and tell us what you’re thinking. Letters to the editor are letters responding to a writer or an article published in the Tan & Cardinal. Please keep your letter to 300 words or less. It is at the discretion of the Tan & Cardinal staff as to whether or not the letter will be published. Letters attacking an individual will not be accepted. Letters must include the author’s first and last name, signature, phone number, address and affiliation to Otterbein University.
wednesday, sept. 19, 2012
The stories you read in this paper will never be the same Due to an Otterbein police public information policy, we no longer have access to crime records, so we can’t follow up on alerts Please read the headline. Now, please read the line in italics below it. Now, let us explain: As you will read in the news section of this newspaper, the Otterbein Police Department has issued a public information policy to student media that cites case law from 2006 that, in its opinion, rules it ineligible for the Ohio Public Records and Open Meetings Laws. This means that the police report in the Tan & Cardinal has been reduced to one sentence or phrase explanations to the crimes that are reported around campus each week. This means that we can’t tell you if the sexual assault that was reported in Garst Hall Sept. 5 involved two Otterbein students or an outsider. We don’t know if the suspect was caught or if the case was dropped. We don’t know if the suspect was charged criminally and now has a record or if he or she was only given a misconduct violation through the university, which would not go on a record. We don’t know what it means
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that a “physical assault” was reported behind Garst Hall last week. Was it a fight? Did a student get jumped by the suspect, who was described as a “40-to50-year-old white male,” and then beat up? Did someone get shoved? All of the above could be reported as an assault. We don’t know if any future reports of disorderly conduct that will appear in the report mean a fight or simply an intoxicated student who can’t get back into his or her dorm. We don’t, and will not know, any of that. In any other situation, you would certainly be able to know. The federally mandated log that documents these crimes as they happen will still be available to everyone on the police’s section of the Otterbein website. This is not to say that we, as student media, will stop looking at that log and stop asking for information on campus crime. But as far as police reports go, the police say they aren’t public record because the police is a private entity of Otterbein. This isn’t exactly a surprise
Tan & Cardinal Sports Photography Exhibit
because Otterbein is a private school and says as a whole, it is not subject to public records laws. Most information here has always been protected. However, previously, the OPD was only a security department, and all crimes were documented by the Westerville Police Division, who hold public records. Now that the Otterbein Security Department underwent Ohio Peace Officer Training, it simply shares a dispatch line with the WPD and is handling crimes on its own. But what we don’t understand is how this 2006 case actually applies to OPD and therefore exempts it from the law that its campus law-enforcement predecessor, the WPD, had to abide by. The precedent set in this case, titled Oriana House Inc. v. Montgomery, says that a private organization is the functional equal of a public organization only if 1) the entity performs a government function, 2) is regulated by the government, 3) has a certain level of government funding, or 4) was created by the government or to avoid the requirements of the Ohio Public Records Act. By all means, no one on this staff thinks Otterbein cooked up a plan to have a police force to
avoid the Ohio Public Records Act. The department is partly staffed by former Columbus police and Highway Patrol officers — they have sworn to protect and serve in their lifetimes. However, they, as law officers, perform a governmental function. They, as an entity of Otterbein, receive federal funding because Otterbein receives thousands of dollars of it. They, as former security officers, received Peace Officer Training from Ohio to become certified police officers. How is this disputable? Larry Banaszak, chief of Otterbein police, said that his team will be willing to release some information, but it will be determined on a case-by-case basis. “The administration feels that it’s important to be sensitive to alleged victims and alleged suspects,” he said. “It’s really difficult to give you a 100 percent black and white answer on some of these issues.” Not only does the administration feel that way, but we as a newspaper do too. That’s why we never publish names, or even pronouns, in our articles until real charges are filed — and not even then, in the case of a sexual assault. But to us it is equally important to inform the public of information it can use in the case of crimes. Rave Alert messages are useful, but they don’t tell the whole story. Let us do that. That’s why we’re here; that’s why we’re studying to be members of the nonstudent media. Let us keep this campus informed. THIS EDITORIAL IS A GENERAL CONSENSUS OF THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS OF THE TAN & CARDINAL STAFF.
& What makes private, public
Join T&C alumni for a show of sports photos, from early football coverage to images from the first men’s lacrosse season.
1) The entity performs a governmental function.
Thursday, Sept. 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Becker Gallery (basement of the library).
4) The entity was created by the government or was created to avoid the Ohio Public Records Act.
Light refreshments will be served.
2) The entity is regulated by the government. 3) The entity has a certain level of government funding.
These rules were established in Oriana House Inc. v. Montgomery, 2006.
news Police reports made private
www.otterbein360.com
vol. 94, issue 4
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Otterbein police will no longer release details of crimes on campus Otterbein University has now eliminated any public disclosure of campus crime details beyond its daily report log. That is due to a public information policy issued by the Otterbein Police Department that says it will not abide by Ohio Public Records Laws because it and the Otterbein administration are using a 2006 court case to interpret the university’s status as a private, not public, entity. “This is primarily law, and our interpretation and the administration’s interpretation of the (public records) law,” said Larry Banaszak, chief of Otterbein police. Banaszak said this policy was written within the Otterbein Police Department and approved by Vice President of Student Affairs Bob Gatti. This policy covers all campus crime, including the sexual assault that was reported Sept. 5 in Garst Hall and the physical assault that was reported Sept. 14 behind Garst Hall, because the OPD says in the policy that “as a function of a private institution, the Otterbein Police Department is not subject to Ohio’s Sunshine Laws,” meaning they will not be issuing police reports upon inquiry or information about cases. A year ago, in a meeting with editors of the Tan & Cardinal and Gatti, OPD officials said they would release incident reports as public records, but beginning this school year, that is no longer the case.
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CRIME LOG
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“When we were formed (as police), we were under the impression that we were subject to Sunshine Laws,” Deputy Police Chief Doug Williard said. “Our background is highway patrol, Columbus police, so we’re used to that. We went to training on the Sunshine Law and lo and behold, we found out that … no, we’re not.”
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This is primarily law, and our interpretation and the administration’s interpretation of the (public records) law.
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Larry Banaszak chief of Otterbein police Sunshine Law is another name for open records and open-meeting laws in the state of Ohio. The court case that OPD is citing states that private entities can be public offices, but they have to meet certain criteria. This criteria includes that an entity performs a government function, is regulated by the government, has a certain level of government funding or was created by the government, or to avoid the requirements of the Ohio Public Records Act. This policy is different than the public information policy of the Westerville Division of Police, which handled campus crime before the OPD under-
went Ohio Peace Officer Training to become a police force. The WPD is subject to Ohio public information laws and therefore has an entire department dedicated to giving police records upon request. A log of all campus crimes is still maintained due to federal law and can be seen on the Otterbein Police page of the Otterbein website. This log does not include any information other than the type of crime reported; the date, place and time; and whether or not the crime is handled by Otterbein’s judicial council or the Westerville police and Mayor’s Court. According to this log, the alleged sexual assault on campus is still open to investigation by the Otterbein police. Banaszak said that sometimes his police team might give out some info if called and asked about certain crimes, but for the majority of cases, no information from the police reports will be provided. “There are rules that we already know … on these sexual assaults, the only information we are going to give out is the crime log,” he said. “There may be other reports and other entities that we may give out other information on a case-by-case basis. It’s really difficult to give you a 100 percent black and white answer on some of these issues.” He also said that in severe cases, the OPD might meet with the administration and the marketing department to discuss disclosure. “If we get a major incident on campus, we’re gonna meet with our marketing folks, we’re
According to the Otterbein University Police Daily Crime Log, the following has been reported from Sept. 11 to 15.
gonna meet with the Cabinet, and we’re gonna decide as a team what information to give out above and beyond the crime log, and I think that’s fair,” Banaszak said. Otterbein President Kathy Krendl was asked about this policy, but she responded that
2 baseball field Garst Hall
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9/11
Drug paraphernalia was reported at the Rike Center parking lot.
9/13
Physical assault was reported around the baseball field.
9/15
Underage drinking and consumption of alcohol was reported at Garst Hall.
inFoRmation compiled by Katie taGGaRt
1 Rike Center parking lot
until she researches the policy further, she does not feel comfortable giving her opinion. Due to this policy, the Tan & Cardinal police report will be drastically condensed from the size it was when WPD handled campus crime. t&c GRaphic by KRisten sapp
BY LINDSEY HOBBS Web Editor
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news
Tan & Cardinal
haRd hats ReQuiRed:
wednesday, sept. 19, 2012
photo by blythe malone
The new 108,000-square-foot Wal-Mart has been under construction since June 2012 and will be located at the intersection of State Street and Schrock Road.
New Westerville Wal-Mart leaves locals concerned
To be completed in 2013, a new Wal-Mart might be inviting to commerce, but also might threaten small businesses BY SUSANNA HARRIS AND DEREK SELF Staff Writers
Last summer, the Westerville City Council approved a plan to build a 108,000-square-foot Wal-Mart within the Westerville Square Shopping Center with an expected completion in 2013. With construction now underway, reality has set in for Westerville residents and business owners. In a community driven by small business, residents battled for years against efforts to build a Wal-Mart. When developers proposed a plan in 2000 to build
constRuction ahead:
a Wal-Mart in Westerville, the city council voted against it. City Council Chairman Mike Heyeck said that many of the business and traffic concerns raised by the community for years have been addressed in the city’s planning for a new WalMart. “You must place Wal-Mart in the context of the entire Westerville Shopping Center improvement and the improvements made along our Gateway on South State Street from I-270 through the Schrock and State intersection,” Heyeck said in an email. “The key is to be inviting to commerce to improve busi-
ness traffic all along the corridor.” This open invitation to commerce means the city will not discriminate against corporate businesses for the sake of protecting local businesses. Adel Shadi, the co-owner of Java Central, said, “It’s not going to affect us, but the small businesses here that sell the same things as Wal-Mart could be affected. ... I’ll be upset if their existence affects small business around here, but other than that, it’s fair game. They aren’t breaking any rules.” Lucas Karavolos, a Westerville resident, said, “I’m not a big
photo by blythe malone
Some Westerville residents welcome the new Wal-Mart while others oppose it.
current state of the economy or fan of Wal-Mart because their just a change in social behavior, allegiance is not necessarily to both Heyeck and Karavolos said the local community.” they have to adapt to business Otterbein freshman Maggie Lynch, an environmental science practices and social tendencies of the present time. major, said that the situation “Look at Westerville, it had a seems to be a matter of innovareputation of being a dry town, tion versus preservation. and look how it’s changed over While she occasionally shops time,” Karavolos said. “Change at Wal-Mart, Lynch believes that isn’t always it is necessary to bad, but I think keep those habits Wal-Mart is the in balance with I’ll be upset if their kind of busihabits of buying ness with a big local produce existence affects small footprint, and it and investing in local business. business around here, takes away from businesses all for Junior psythe betterment chology major but other than that, of Wal-Mart and Abby Forshey its shareholders. said, “I know I it’s fair game. I’d rather see will find myself small business at this new Walprosper, so the Mart once in a Adel Shadi money comes while, but I still co-owner, Java Central back to the town. feel like it will I happen to betake away from lieve that small is local businesses better.” and maybe Heyeck said he believes comeven the spirit of our cute, little merce that a corporation like Westerville.” Wal-Mart promotes is going to “I’m guilty of buying things help — not hurt — small busifrom Wal-Mart because it’s ness in Westerville. He said that cheap,” Lynch said. “But in realthe two business models can ity, if we only had local markets, coexist. then we’d figure out how to “If businesses prosper, our afford it.” Tendencies to shop for the citizens prosper,” Heyeck said. “I lowest price have encouraged believe all business will benefit many consumers to shop at Wal- from the increased commerce.” Mart, with its “Save Money. Live t&c Better.” slogan. Whether it is a sign of the
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news
vol. 94, issue 4
www.otterbein360.com
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Cardinal After Dark launches The grant program, intended to encourage student activity on campus during weekends, sponsored its first three events BY LAUREN EDMONDS Staff Writer
This year kicks off the launch of Cardinal After Dark, a grant program that has already cosponsored two weekend events, Greek Splash and Bash at the ’Bein, as well as a campuswide donut run. The program provided each of the three events with between $300 and $1,500. Cardinal After Dark offers up to $2,500 to a student organization that wishes to sponsor a weekend event, and up to $5,000 to organizations that team up as co-sponsors. It encourages collaboration between student groups with different missions in order to bring in different “types” of students to their event, and for unregistered organizations to register and get involved. The grant program has $20,000 available to fund events this year and an additional $5,000 to support student organizations. The money comes from Otterbein’s general fund and is the full amount the founders of the program originally requested. Stumpf said the Cardinal After Dark grant is intended both to encourage students to stay on campus during weekends and to get student organizations involved in the planning of these activities.
Greek Splash was co-sponsored with Kappa Phi Omega and Sigma Delta Phi (Sphinx). According to Veronica Mathias, the Kappa coordinator of Greek Splash, the Kappa/ Sphinx event was a success. With the grant money, they were able to rent an inflatable water slide, a Slip’N Slide, squirt guns and a dunk tank. Mathias said the turnout was really good. “I definitely think we accomplished getting our name out,” she said. Junior education major Molly Salser and sophomore theater major Kailee Morgan both said their favorite part of the Greek Splash was watching people get dunked. Lloyd Box, a freshman actuarial science major, said, “I thought (Greek Splash) was fun, but I thought more people should have been there.” Box said he saw 30 to 50 attendees at the event when he was there, but Mike Stumpf, the assistant director of the Center for Student Involvement, said 75 to 80 students attended the event. Box also said that most attendees appeared to be members of Kappa or Sphinx. Bash at the ’Bein, which featured a portable laser tag arena, was co-sponsored with Sigma Delta Phi.
Joel Donahue, the Sigma Delta Phi recruitment chair and event organizer, said he hoped the event would be an opportunity to show students what Greek Life is like. In an email following the event, he estimated that of the 200-plus attendees, about 75 to 80 percent were non-Greeks. Every campus sorority and most fraternities were represented. “I think that students were able to see a little of what Greek Life at Otterbein is about through the fun experience,” Donahue said. Both Greek Splash and laser tag were fully funded by the grant, though Kappa and Sphinx were responsible for advertising. Jennifer Bechtold, the director of the Center for Student Involvement, said the amount of funding any particular event receives really depends on the event. Because Greek Splash and Bash at the ’Bein were both co-sponsored by Cardinal After Dark, Kappa and Sphinx were not allowed to sell T-shirts with their Greek letters on them. Bechtold said in an email that this rule is in place because the purpose of Cardinal After Dark is to provide evening and weekend activities for
students, not to promote the organization directly. She said that Cardinal After Dark helped to fund wristbands that Sphinx distributed because they were not Sphinx wristbands. In an email interview, Stumpf said, “We want students to come and enjoy themselves at campus events without feeling like they have to buy something.” Bechtold said she hopes that having events run by students for students will encourage attendance. “Things in the past didn’t appeal to students so much,” she said. “We want things they want to do.” She also said she hopes the program will promote student leadership. The program is taking grant applications on a rolling basis. It is currently accepting proposals for events for fall semester and has received four applications for
events so far. The more time to plan the event, the better, and at least three to four weeks notice for programs that require contracts is requested, such as with the inflatables provided at Greek Splash. Bechtold sent out a campuswide email last week with information about funding and a list of registered student organizations. Individuals with ideas for programs are also invited to stop by the Center for Student Involvement, and Cardinal After Dark will connect those individuals to groups that might sponsor the program. As of now, one more Cardinal After Dark event is scheduled, a Jared Monahue concert co-sponsored with the Otterbein chapter of the Music & Entertainment Industry Association.
t&c
White Castle is now accepting applications for happy, smiling and energetic food Delivery Drivers to deliver our products to customers’ homes. We provide flexible scheduling, training and opportunity for future growth. Must be at least 18 years old, have a valid driver’s license, insurance and knowledge of safe operations of a motor vehicle. This is a part-time position (15-20 hours per week) with starting pay at $8.00/hour plus tips and commission. Must be available between the hours of 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Friday to Sunday. Will work around your class schedule. If interested, email your resume to adamsc@whitecastle.com or call Cathy at 614.294.3753 ext. 12 EOE www.whitecastle.com
top Guns:
photo by KRisten daVis
Dillon Limbaugh (left) and Matt Cole (right) prepare for a round of laser tag at Bash at the ’Bein.
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arts & ente
Tan & Cardinal
Kelsey Gorman Hometown: Mansfield, Ohio Major: psychology and public relations
Nominated by: Orientation Leaders
Michelle Dippold Hometown: Columbus, Ohio Major: environmental sociology (individualized major)
Nominated by: Gamma
Omicron Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity
Transferring from Ohio University, Kelsey Gorman believes her decision to come to Otterbein was “the best decision of my life.” With all the activities Homecoming has to offer, the parade is her favorite. “I love having apple cider on a fall day with the leaves all sorts of different colors, just watching or being in the parade.” She expressed her gratitude for the alumni and what they have given to Otterbein. With her nomination coming from Orientation Leaders, she said orientation can make or break a new student’s experience. Gorman said Otterbein will also be considered her home even after she leaves when she graduates in May. Michelle Dippold was surprised to be nominated for Homecoming queen but said that if she wins, it would be the capstone to her Otterbein experience. “My freshman year at Otterbein, I could never have dreamed that I would be on Homecoming court. It is very humbling to feel as though I have made enough impact on campus and within my involvements to have been nominated.” What Dippold likes about Homecoming is meeting alumni and seeing her friends who have graduated. She said she chose Otterbein because “the minute I stepped on campus, I felt like I was home.” When she moves on from Otterbein, she said the thing she will miss most is the people.
Kahla Johnson Hometown: Germantown,
Ohio
Major: broadcasting Nominated by: Otterbein.TV
Kahla Johnson’s main goal in life is to make a difference in the world. “If I can make someone smile or laugh, that is the greatest feeling in the world for me,” Johnson said. Johnson has a goal of becoming Ellen DeGeneres’ next intern by posting daily videos to YouTube so she can gain support and attention. She said she wishes everyone on court could win the title of king or queen. “We all come from different areas of campus and are super involved and are all deserving.” The hype and spirit around the Homecoming season is Johnson’s favorite part. She enjoys everyone coming together and showing school pride.
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Lindsay Wargelin Hometown: Chesterland, Ohio Major: biology Nominated by: Sigma Alpha Tau sorority
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Homecoming Court 2
The candidates on the Cardy Party ballot talk about their fa aspects of Homecoming and their experiences at Otterbein
BY KENDRA SCHWARZ AND PAUL GRIFFIN, St
Rose Powell
Hometown: Wadsworth, Ohio Major: nursing Nominated by: Theta Nu
Rose Powell said she has a great deal of respect for the Homecoming court and the crown, as well as a great love for Otterbein. She said her favorite part of Homecoming is the parade floats. “I always especially look forward to Pi Sig’s spin on the Homecoming theme each year.” Powell said that being on court might give her a competitive edge when applying for nursing jobs. “But in all honesty, being on court alone has been an honor, and I think everyone on court is deserving of a crown,” she said. Powell said she believes that she and Theta Nu can give back to Otterbein through community service. “We love helping out the community and getting everyone excited to be a part of something bigger.”
Cameron Change
Hometown: born in San Diego and raised in Dayton, Ohio Major: life science with a concentration in pre-professional health sciences. Nominated by: Men of Vision
Cameron Change’s favorite part of Homecoming is the football game. “The nervous excitement right before kickoff or as the ball is up for grabs between a receive and a defensive back is a feeling that I wouldn’t trade for all the contents in the U.S. Treasury.” Change said he thinks he should be the king “because of the support that I have for the people that encouraged me to. I know this sounds cheesy, but I’m not doing this for myself. I’m doing it for them.” Change chose Otterbein because it offered him financial assistance and had a welcoming environment. He said what he will miss most about Otterbein is the sense of community.
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Christopher Wood Hometown: Mendon, Ohio Major: speech communication Nominated by: Otterbein’s Chapter of the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society
O a w in
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ertainment
Becoming Homecoming queen would be a way to give back to Otterbein, Lindsay Wargelin said. She said Otterbein has had an incredible impact on her life and that being crowned would be an honor. “I love the small-campus feel because Otterbein is so full of opportunities.” Those opportunities all led her to join many student organizations on campus. Having a passion for people goes to show why her favorite part of Homecoming is talking to the alumni and hearing their stories. “The experiences and relationships that I have had here have helped shape me into who I am today.”
wednesday, sept. 19, 2012
Cody Parsons Hometown: Louisville, Ohio Major: nursing Nominated by: Sigma Delta Phi
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Cody Parsons’ experience at Otterbein has been life-changing. Freshman year, Parsons became a Christian and ever since, he has been thankful for Otterbein. Bringing people together is something Parsons strives to do. Something he wishes Otterbein would do is create something like Ohio State University’s “Oval.” “I have always wanted a place on campus where all students can go, hang out and there would always be tons of people.” Seeing the alumni surround the streets during the parade is one of Parsons’ favorite parts of Homecoming. Parsons will graduate this spring, and what he’ll miss from Otterbein the most is the people.
photos by blythe malone
2012
Chris Perin
Hometown: Chesterland, Ohio Major: nursing Nominated by: Red Zone
avorite
Chris Perin said his four years at Otterbein have made him grow “astronomically” as a person. Perin decided to come to Otterbein because of its “great nursing program” and to be a part of the first recruitment class for the new Otterbein lacrosse team. If he could change one thing about Otterbein, it would be the parking siutation. Besides nursing and helping others, Perin also has a love for sports. Perin believes getting more school spirit is what Otterbein needs. His favorite Homecomming activity is the parade.
WOBN will be holding its 12-hour Marathon this Friday from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. in front of the Campus Center!
taff Writers
Christopher Wood wants to be Homecoming king because he believes that it will be a great testament to the services he has done or the school he loves. The one thing that Wood said he would change would be the cost hat it takes to be a student at Otterbein. Wood said his experience at Otterbein has bettered him as person, showing him what he wanted to do with his life and givng him the experience to do it. “My favorite part of Homeoming is the football game,” Wood said. “I love the atmosphere of a football game on a beautiful all day.” When Wood graduates he said he s really going to miss his friends.
Thomas Martin
Hometown: Sidney, Ohio Major: political science Nominated by: The Center for Student Involvement
Thomas Martin chose to become part of the Otterbein family during his tour because he felt at home the instant he walked onto the campus. “I really would like to be king because I know if I was to be king, I would do my best to continue to represent Otterbein (as) the great university and home in which I have found it to be for the last four years,” he said. What Martin truly enjoys about Homecoming is that it brings the past and the present together. He believes that this is best seen in the Homecoming parade. Working as the student manager for the Center for Student Involvement helped Martin become a better person. He said it taught him leadership skills and how to work with people.
We’ll be playing the best tunes and giving out prizes, so make sure to come join us in celebration of Homecoming!
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Tan & Cardinal
arts & entertainment
Baby joins Zeta couple’s family
wednesday, sept. 19, 2012
Married last year at the Zeta house, the Coopers welcomed their new son, Gabe BY LAINA THOMPSON Arts & Entertainment Editor
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby for Otterbein student Patience Cooper and her husband, former Otterbein student Ben Cooper. Around 2 p.m. Sept. 17, Clarence Gabriel Cooper IV was born into the world. Proud father Ben was there to cut the umbilical cord. Clarence, who will be called Gabriel — Gabe for short — is named after his father, a third generation Clarence Cooper. To avoid confusion, the Clarence Coopers in the family all go by their middle names. “He looks just like his daddy,” Patience said. “Nothing like me.” Friends and family of the couple, as well as Patience’s sorority sisters from PAX, came out to welcome baby Gabe.
According to Patience, the support overwhelmed the nursing staff and filled up the waiting room. To prepare for the baby, Patience was thrown two different baby showers, one from friends and one from family. Her shower from her friends was thrown at Old Bag of Nails. Two of her good friends, junior environmental science major Loren Birdsall — Patience’s roommate before she got married — and junior psychology major Anne Moreland, threw the shower. “We got a lot of stuff like clothes and toys and diapers,” Patience said. The couple, who met at Otterbein, were married in an impromptu wedding at the Zeta house in April on an eight-hour notice. The two worked during those hours to piece together
happy Family:
photos by chelsea coleman
Patience and Ben Cooper named their son Clarence Gabriel, a traditional family name.
a last-minute wedding, which included getting a cake at WalMart, having a friend buy a dress that Patience never tried on and sending a mass text that said, “Getting married at the Zeta House. Who wants to come?” to all their friends. That night, the two were wed by T&C copy editor Chelsea
Coleman, a senior journalism and public relations major, who is a close friend of the couple and an ordained minister. They said their vows in front of a full house of their friends, family and extended Greek families. Since the marriage, Patience and Ben have moved to Granville. Ben was originally going to
t&c
Uptown Shops
Uptown) is a fantastic 50’s, 60’s and 70’s store which sells clothing, furniture, jewelry, housewares, pop culture items, records and CDs. There are hundreds of items melding the past with today. Need a gift for a friend or just want to get yourself something fun? Cinda Lou is the place. If you collect or are just curious come see us! We also have a terrific shop dogs (Henry and CeCe– cute Bostons) who will give you a kiss when you miss your own pet. In May of 2012, we opened a second shop on OSU’s campus (1898 N. High). So check Cinda Lou’s right next door to Bernie’s Bagels!
to check out:
A Gal Named Cinda Lou (20 N. State Street in
enlist in the Army, as reported back in March, but had a change of plans for his family. For their future, the plan is to have Patience finish school while Ben works, then switch roles. “We also want more babies,” Patience said. “But not for a while.”
opinion
vol. 94, issue 4
the stoRe neXt dooR:
www.otterbein360.com
A new Wal-Mart will be squeezing into Westerville on the corner of Schrock and State streets and will require a new turning lane.
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photo by Wal-maRt stoRes
Does Westerville need Wal-Mart? The infamous mega-store gets reviewed on its controversial business practices and impact on the local economy If there’s one thing about Westerville that bothers me, it’s that there just aren’t enough stores around. Thankfully, the city of Westerville agrees with me, and has confirmed the addition of a new Wal-Mart DENNISON store coming SLEEPER soon, which is predicted to be around 108,000 square feet. After all, it is just insane to think that I should be bothered to drive to one of the three grocery stores in the surrounding five miles of my home, then I’d have to walk literally tens of feet to the nearest hardware store, at which point I would have to go all the way back to my car, put away my things and walk another hundred feet back to one of Westerville’s many department stores. Seriously though, Easton, Polaris and Maxtown are home to hundreds of clothing and food stores. If I take a 10-minute drive in a loop, I will pass McDonald’s, Chipotle, Wendy’s, Tim Horton’s, Home Depot, Kroger, Giant Eagle, Target, Best Buy, Roush Hardware and the massive Polaris mall. What could Wal-Mart possibly provide to an affluent
suburb like Westerville other than the convenience of paying eight bucks for a copy of “Top Gun,” then driving your Rascal down the next aisle for a fat steak packaged next to 12 Hanes undershirts on sale? Not to mention how irritated I get when shoppers ride those little things around the store. Maybe it’s a sign that your store is a little too large if customers get winded after making it to the frozen pizza aisle and back. I won’t start the typical apocalyptic Wal-Mart rant that once it shows up, every other business will be cowed by the power of a big box store, but Wal-Mart isn’t exactly known for its fair business practices and kindness to local businesses. In fact, there is strong evidence that shows the jobs WalMart creates are far less beneficial than the jobs they destroy. A study of the corporation by the University of Berkeley showed that not only does Wal-Mart pay their employees around 12 percent less than regular retailers, but they also reduce health insurance coverage. The problem with Wal-Mart is that when it comes into an area, other stores will close. That’s basic economics. Unless customers continue buying from their usual stores and then spend more money to get the same
things at Wal-Mart, they are going to choose Wal-Mart over local stores because it is convenient and noticeably cheaper. Prices are so low because WalMart reduces wages and health insurance and because it outsources many jobs and manufacture overseas. This allows them to undercut other businesses to the point where there is no competition. Then when those workers have to go to Wal-Mart for a job, they find themselves earning less and with less benefits than before. When you go to Wal-Mart, you hurt local economies because they don’t buy food from local growers or products from local manufacturers. The produce is often shipped from all corners of the United States, which is harmful to ecosystems and relies heavily on the use of preservatives and pesticides. This is why it blows my mind that Wal-Mart is considered to be so American. In a country that assumes even the little guy can get by with hard work, WalMart demolishes the little guy by favoring the most powerful manufacturers and farming companies. A report by the National Employment Law Project showed that Wal-Mart’s famously low prices were caused in part by outsourcing jobs in its warehouses, where workers are often
employed through contracting companies instead of directly employed by Wal-Mart. This means the workers don’t enjoy the same benefits of a company and allows Wal-Mart to pay its workers ridiculously low wages. My other problem with Wal-Mart is the egregious level of consumerism they promote. At Wal-Mart, every problem has an in-store solution. In a country suffering from debt caused by shoppers who don’t know when
to stop, Wal-Mart is the paragon of capitalism. It isn’t American or smart to throw all your money to one store, especially when it supports underhanded and cheap business tactics. When Wal-Mart does arrive in Westerville, consider your options and remember that there’s already five malls within sneezing distance of every McDonald’s in Westerville. t&c DENNISON SLEEPER IS A JUNIOR JOURNALISM MAJOR AND THE OPINION EDITOR FOR t&c.
For a story about Cardinal Careers, visit Otterbein360.com. Tune into our live blog of the Homecoming football game on Saturday.
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opinion
Tan & Cardinal
wednesday, sept. 19, 2012
Hurrying up to get hitched in college
Two students examine the advantages and disadvantages of getting married in college or soon afterward
When Fox News indicates that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, it raises questions about the “right” age to marry. When college students or recent graduates rush to the altar, do they really know what they are signing up for? OLIVIA As an intern DELAHUNTY with a local wedding-planning company, you might be surprised that I have reservations when couples decide to get married while in college or shortly after graduating. Little girls’ dreams are composed of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue,” but are they being educated on what this means not only on their special day, but for the rest of their lives? Sophomore Katy Major, a creative writing and women’s, gender and sexuality studies major, said she doesn’t like the idea of marriage at a young age. “I believe that young people still need to fully mature and develop before making a lifelong commitment, as well as focus on achieving goals that aren’t romantic before the focus is on
the RinGeR:
such a serious partnership all the time.” The pressure to have a fairy tale relationship and bind yourself to another person has been in our society for quite some time, making men and women believe that they cannot be selfish and put their own dreams before anyone else’s. According to Marist College, the human brain is not fully developed until a person is 25 years old. If students can’t figure out who they are as individuals, how can they expect to figure out who they are with someone else? The way I see it, I am a student at an amazing university with the world at my fingertips. I have the opportunity to travel, live wherever I want to, experience different cultures, enjoy my time on this earth as an individual and choose any career I would like. I do not want my choices and decisions to be limited by anything, or anyone. It may sound selfish, but it seems that when you are married, you choose to put that person’s happiness and well-being before yours. And if you love someone enough to want to marry them, that’s not a bad thing. But marriage also means compromise and sacrifice. At our
age, why limit yourself ? You have your entire life to do that, why not be selfish for a while? Weddings are beautiful, and I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about my own, but I’m only 20. Please consider the statistics and your future and development as an individual before you jump into something you might regret down the road. It may be beneficial to experience more than one relationship to enable you to fully appreciate the person you decide to commit your life to. So enjoy being young, expand your horizons without limitations and experience and challenge life so that when you do meet the person you want to marry, you have life experience and a strong belief in self to bring to the table. Grasp the opportunity we have in this day and age to make your own decisions, cultivate your skills as an individual and rejoice in your accomplishments. If you give it up early you might end up resenting the person you marry and have a life of regret.
t&c
OLIVIA DELAHUNTY IS A JUNIOR JOURNALISM MAJOR AND A STAFF WRITER FOR THE T&C
photo by blythe malone
Regardless of age, choosing a ring is an integral first step in getting engaged and married.
& American marriage statistics The number of Americans over 18 who are married is dropping, from 72 percent in 1960 to around 50 percent in 2012.
Fifty percent of first marriages, 67 percent of second and 74 percent of third end in divorce, according to the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology.
Half of the states allow cousins to marry, whereas only five states allow gay marriage.
An average wedding costs $25,631.
A wedding planner can make anywhere between $700 and $1,500 a wedding
The average American bride spends $1,100 on her wedding dress.
The average age of marriage in the U.S. is 27 years old for men and 25 for women.
The average wedding ring cost in the nation is between $2,000 and $4,000.
Information compiled by Dennison Sleeper from the U.S. Census and costofwedding.com.
Remember being in elementary school and thinking that 20 was so old, thus, you’d have everything figured out by the time you were 25? Well, for some, including JULIA myself, that is not ROBIDEAU the case. Things change, people change and plans change. But for some people, that schedule is right on track. It seems to me that more and more people are getting engaged or married in, or right out of, college. Most of society and our peers look at these couples and think it is downright crazy, but I’ve come up with a few points that make for valid arguments. The first being that when you’re in a relationship with someone, you are one on one; no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. No one outside of those two can understand what goes on between them. That is why they know what is right for their relationship, regardless of age. Engaged senior Anna Gibb might be able to offer some insight. “You know it’s right when they are there to support you and your future plans, and all they
want to change is adding themselves to those plans.” This leads me to my second point. Wouldn’t it be great to meet someone early enough so he or she knows what you want to do with your life (and vice versa) and is on board to go wherever life takes you? It’d be unfortunate to meet someone you love, but you are in different places. At that point, you or your significant other might not be willing to change everything you’ve worked for. The third and perhaps the most important point is that you live one life, so do what makes you happy. I value marriage and think it’s a big step in life. If you think you’re ready and you’ve got it figured out by the time you’re 21, kudos! Happiness can sometimes be a hard thing to find in this life, so if you find someone who makes you happy enough, keep them. There are ways to fix marriages should they turn out sour or if regret comes in later. But in the meantime, let the couple figure it out and let them be happy.
t&c
JULIA ROBIDEAU IS A SENIOR JOURNALISM MAJOR AND A STAFF WRITER FOR THE t&c.
sports
vol. 94, issue 4
maKinG a statement:
www.otterbein360.com
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photo pRoVided by annie JuenGeR
The team shows school pride underneath the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch in St. Louis.
Lady Cards flying to the top
Volleyball defeated three top-ranked teams, moving up nationally BY GRAHAM SHIPPY Staff Writer
When looking at the Otterbein women’s volleyball schedule for 2012, one thing is sure to stand out: The number of nationally ranked opponents. In perhaps the team’s toughest schedule to date, the Lady Cards faced the last of their seven top-ranked opponents on Friday, Sept. 14, against undefeated and seventh-ranked Hope College. They ultimately dropped three sets against Hope, but put up a strong fight with the scores of 22-25, 19-25 and 18-25. After reaching the top 25 for the first time in program history earlier in the season, the Lady Cards traveled to partake in the St. Louis Invitational in hopes of putting together impressive performances against four topranked teams. “In order to reach the top 25, you have to play top teams and win,” head volleyball coach Monica McDonald said. “We’ve been good for a while now and are getting the recognition we deserve. Our new challenge is defending that. It’s exciting, but kind of a target on our backs as well.” Otterbein proved it is a force
to be reckoned with by defeating the 24th-, 12th- and 11th-ranked teams in the nation. The team finished off its St. Louis Invitational performance with a loss to the top-ranked program in the country, Washington University, making it 3-1 for the tournament and 6-3 for the season. The Cardinals’ inspiring weekend certainly made an impact, moving them up to 14th in the nation. “We absolutely could have gone 4-0, but we also could’ve gone 0-4 with the competition we faced,” McDonald said. “We played to the best of our abilities and showed that we have great leadership and maturity.” Junior Emily Caldwell is the team’s libero, or defensive specialist. She leads the team in digs and is also a co-captain. Caldwell is a nursing major and received Academic All-OAC Honors during her 2011 season. “We went into the match against Washington University with the intention to prove something, make a statement and have fun,” Caldwell said. “I believe that we definitely accomplished that.” Now that the Lady Cardinals have established themselves among the nation’s best programs, they’ve set their sights on
the Ohio Athletic Conference. “It felt great to beat such talented competition, but those games are in the past now and we have to keep getting better and beating teams,” Caldwell said. “I can’t wait for conference play. I want to beat every team in the OAC and be conference champions. That’s our No. 1 goal.” The Otterbein volleyball team has never won an OAC championship, but McDonald is very confident in her team and its depth and selflessness on the court. “We have a very balanced team, which is what makes us good,” McDonald said. “We have a phenomenal setter in Tabatha Piper, and she doesn’t have any favorite players to pass to. Kristen Bennett is a very fun player to watch because she hits hard and jumps high. We’ve also been able to play around with the lineup a bit this year, which helps us to be more versatile.” The Cardinals stand at 7-4 in the season and begin conference play at home against John Carroll Sept. 21. They look to continue their dominance over John Carroll, which they haven’t lost a set to in their last two meetings.
t&c
Sunday nights at 8 p.m. Church of the Master
All are welcome!
Starting Thursday, look for coverage of Homecoming on Otterbein360.com.
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sports
Tan & Cardinal
sisteRly loVe:
Rachel Denz (left) and older sister Patience Denz, her coach, share a love for soccer at Otterbein.
A different kind of coach
wednesday, sept. 19, 2012
photo by KRisten daVis
Senior Rachel Denz is being coached by her older sister, Patience BY JORDAN BROWN Staff Writer
A relationship between an athlete and his or her coach is one that can be considered unique to each individual. A relationship between siblings is a uniqueness of its own as well. Combining the two on the field could be a challenge. Senior psychology major Rachel Denz is no stranger to this relationship, as her older sister, Patience, is now one of the assistant women’s soccer coaches at Otterbein. Patience, an Otterbein alumna, returned to her alma mater this year to assist the women’s soccer team alongside head coach Brandon Koons. A fouryear letter winner at Otterbein, Patience hopes to drive the team to a victorious 2012 season with the help of her players, including sister Rachel. “I take her instructions just like I would any other coach,” Rachel said. “But it’s different because she’s not like other coaches. We communicate the same.”
While many players of the field might need further instructions from coaches, Rachel and Patience have a language of their own. “We are able to work off one another,” Rachel said. “I know how our relationship works, and when she tells me to do something, I already know exactly what she wants.” “We know each other so well,” Patience said. “We almost know what the other is thinking.” But a balance must be found to make the relationship on the field work off the field, too. “You want to be excited but at the same time unbiased,” Patience said of her ability to coach her sister. “I can’t downplay it or overplay it.” Countless siblings may disagree on certain issues at home, but Patience said though she and her sister do give each other grief, they leave any issues outside of soccer at the door. They try to keep their two relationships separate. Rachel, like Patience, plays midfield, and this aspect of the relationship brings them even
closer together. “I played midfield as well at Otterbein, and I work with the midfielders, so we spend a lot of time with one another working on the game,” Patience said. Rachel was always driven to play soccer after high school, but her sister’s experience at Otterbein sealed the deal. “All my siblings played soccer, but Patience was the only one to play in college, and her great experience made me want to continue to play even more.” The majority of athletes do not deal with the pressures of playing for a sibling, but Rachel finds ways to use her sister’s new job as an incentive. “Everybody wants to impress their older sibling, and I’m constantly motivated to impress Patience,” Rachel said. In the end, Patience hopes her knowledge of the game can help Rachel become the best soccer player she can be. “It’s her senior year, and that is supposed to be your most memorable,” Patience said. “I just want her to enjoy it as much as I did.” t&c
photo by blythe malone