ESTABLISHED 1826 — OLDEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES
Volume 151 No. 4
Miami university — Oxford, Ohio
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2022
Title IX turns 50:
How the law has changed Miami’s sports
City Council’s dissent against Roe v. Wade overturning draws crowd
THE COURT HOUSE'S SEATS WERE NEARLY FILLED FOR CITY COUNCIL'S SEPT. 20 MEETING. PHOTO BY LUKE MACY.
LUKE MACY
SENIOR MIAMI GOALIE ISABELLE PERESE BLOCKS A SHOT AGAINST OHIO STATE PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY MIAMI ATHLETICS
REAGAN RUDE
ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR When Jennie Gilbert played volleyball for Miami University in 1982, the women’s team played at Withrow Court — a building so old it no longer exists — because Millett was reserved for men’s sports. While the men’s basketball team traveled on charter buses to away games, Gilbert and her teammates drove themselves in vans to their competitions. If she signed up for a course, the professor was allowed to decline her enrollment solely because of her gender. Title IX, the landmark legislation that outlawed sex-based discrimination in educational programs and activities, was signed into law in 1972, but it took decades of slow yet steady progress to create the more level playing field that exists now.
In this issue
The successes of Title IX Gilbert, now the associate athletic director and Title IX coordinator at Miami, is glad about the improvements that have been made in the bill’s 50 years. “Compare that to where we are now, [there’s] significant differences,” Gilbert said. “In fact, if you talk to our current women athletes, they have no idea that such inequities even existed.” Gilbert said although great strides have been made, much of the still present inequality stems from differences in market and television value, largely driven by football. “The top football programs are paying their coaches exorbitant amounts of money because of what success [in football] brings to the university,” Gilbert said. At Miami, the average annual head coach salary for a men’s sport is $212,792, while the salary for a wom-
REAGAN RUDE
RAQUEL HIRSCH
THE MIAMI STUDENT
FOOD To bagel...Or Not to Bagel - page 7
ENTERTAINMENT 'Don't Worry Darling' Dirties the window - page 9
The Student Counseling Service (SCS) at Miami University offers a variety of therapeutic approaches to their students — from cognitive behavioral therapy to group sessions to rubbing canine bellies. Dog therapy has risen in popularity across the country and continues to grow at Miami as well. Specially trained and certified, these fourlegged therapists have more to offer than being cute and good at cuddling. Miami began offering dog therapy in 2008. Mary O’Leary, now the lead dog handler for the program, worked in the athletic department at the time. After seeing student reactions when she brought her dog to work with her, approached SCS with a proposal. “In the first few years, it was Mary visiting a few meetings, going to a few
META HOGE
STYLE Fashion 101: Developing Personal Style - page 14
PHOTO The Leaves, They Are A-Changin' - page 16
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different residence halls,” Melanie Uy, the dog therapy coordinator for SCS, said. “We then started to grow into weekly drop-in sessions [at SCS] which over the past year and a half, we’ve now doubled that, so we have it twice a week now.” In her first year as a handler at Miami, O’Leary brought her dog, Sugar, to a sexual assault counseling clinic, where she noticed that one girl appeared especially impacted by trauma. “She sat with her back against the wall, knees to her chest, she didn’t want to interact with anybody,” O’Leary said. “She kept pushing the dog away, but Sugar’s the type of dog that doesn’t allow people to ignore her.” Despite the girl’s evasions, Sugar kept coming back to her. After a few attempts, the dog playfully placed her nose on the girl’s water bottle, and turned her head sideways. “She looked up into her eyes and made her smile,” O’Leary said. “The counselor and I both looked at each
STUDENTS ENJOY FRESH AIR AND DOG THERAPY WITH RENATE CRAWFORD AND NEWTON. PHOTO BY REAGAN RUDE
other and started laughing … she was gonna get to her one way or another.” That girl ended up returning to dog therapy every Monday until she graduated. O’Leary said as soon as the girl entered the building, not even in the room yet, Sugar’s tail would begin wagging. “‘I’m always gonna be here for you,’ that was basically what she was saying,” O’Leary said. “You never
know how your dogs are gonna affect [others], and I don’t even try to guess anymore.” In addition to bi-weekly sessions, the program also holds events in Armstrong for midterms and finals, as well as by-request visits to residence halls, faculty groups, classrooms and student organizations. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
Student band celebrates one year since first performance and looks to put out album SENIOR STAFF WRITER
SPORTS Aveon Smith’s Journey: From Backup to Delivering Miami’s First Big Ten Victory Since Ben Roethlisberger - page 11
expect bigger crowds for women’s sports if we’re not telling people when we play?” Karli Spaid, a junior on Miami’s softball team, also took notice of how men’s and women’s athletics are promoted unequally at Miami. “[On the Miami athletic page] I’m always seeing football or basketball or baseball being promoted, and a lot less softball, field hockey, soccer, skating,” Spaid said. “We have one of the best skating teams in the county, and they’re not shown, and then a football game is promoted 15 times back to back.” Spaid said she’s also noticed differences in gear and equipment for male and female athletes. “I’ll see male athletes with cooler shirts, backpacks when we haven’t got ours yet, nicer shoes … just pretty much more and better quality gear,” Spaid said. “Facilities are the same
Don’t get your wallet out, these shrinks are paid with treats ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR
CAMPUS & COMMUNITY 'Dirty Dodds' Gets a Makeover - page 4
en’s sport is $79,282, although the disparity is skewed by football. Men’s sports are still paid more for broadcasting rights, but Gilbert said viewership has been rising for women’s, especially for softball and basketball. “[Sports networks] are really paying attention and starting to pay more for the privilege of broadcasting these sports which now is increasing salaries for those women coaches,” Gilbert said. Where Miami still falls short Gilbert said the value differences are hard for universities to address, but more efforts can be made to shorten the gap through equal marketing and promotions of men’s and women’s sports. “If you’re marketing and promoting a football program for 100 men, you should be doing close to that for 100 women and investing that same amount,” Gilbert said. “How can we
ASST. CAMPUS & COMMUNITY EDITOR Nearly every seat was filled in Oxford’s Court House during city council’s meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 20. “There’s all kinds of an audience,” Mayor William Snavely said as he walked in. Resolution for reproductive freedom sparks controversy Many people attended to share their opinions about a resolution of dissent against the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June. The resolution was drafted by Councilors Amber Franklin and Alex French. French was absent from the meeting due to a family loss, but Franklin shared her reasoning for drafting the resolution. “We have had three months to witness the havoc, chaos and harm being inflicted on the lives of people who are pregnant as a result of bans and severe restrictions on access to abortion care across this nation,” Franklin said. “A resolution is symbolic. It is not an ordinance or a law and cannot change the current state of affairs regarding access to abortion care in Ohio. However, resolutions can be statements of resistance, which also become historical documents.”
It’s around 9:30 p.m. on a Thursday night. Miami University students begin to fill The Oxford Pub, ready to see the band taking over Oxford’s music scene – Under High Street. After spending a few minutes tuning instruments and warming up, the band began to play while Under High Street is composed of Miami students Jonah Simpson, Dylan Brackis and Evan Flagel, plus alumnus Beau Hartrum. Simpson, one of the band’s guitarists, and Flagel, the drummer, met
because they are both members of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi). The two talked music and had a couple jam sessions together before starting to play in public settings. Brackis, also a member of AEPi, was then brought on as bassist. Hartrum, who knew Simpson from their first year, joined as the second guitarist. On Sept. 21, Under High Street reached a milestone. The day marked one year since the band’s first performance at Bar 1868. Flagel said they got the gig through a fraternity brother who worked there after he saw them play at a bonfire at the AEPi house. “[He] was telling us that his manager really wanted to have live music there,” Flagel said. “So he got us in contact with her and that’s how we got a setup for our first show.” Since then, Under High Street has played in multiple settings, including house parties, battle of the bands competitions and a weekly show at The Oxford Pub.
“I JUST GOTTA GO OUT THERE AND BE MYSELF,”. PHOTO BY GRACE AXLUND
Simpson said the band has become more cohesive in the past year. “Music is kind of like sports,” Simpson said. “You build chemistry. The more you play with someone, the tighter you get and the better everything starts to “I JUST GOTTA GO OUT THERE AND BE MYSELF,” PHOTO BY GRACE sound.” AXLUND The band has also developed some The band also plans to put out a original songs and are in the process full album, which will most likely inof recording and putting out an Ex- clude some songs from the EP. They tended Play record (EP). The EP is are hoping to have the full album out still in the works, but they are hoping by the end of the year. to have it out this semester. Simpson and Flagel are seniors They have started to play originals this year, so the future plans for Unat their shows in addition to covers. der High Street are unclear post-gradBrackis said he has the most fun uation. Hartrum said leaving Oxford playing their originals because it feels makes performing together difficult, good when people like something the but they will continue to play together band made. if possible. “I know [playing originals] might “We enjoy playing together,” Harnot get the best reaction, but when trum said, “And if we can, we will.” you do get a good reaction, it feels amazing,” Brackis said. @meta__hoge hogemh@miamioh.edu