Established 1826 — Oldest College Newspaper West of the Alleghenies

Letters To The Editor


OPINION

Letter to the Editor: on Liberty and Amorous Relationships

The Miami University Senate is considering a policy to ban all amorous relationships between faculty and students and between graduate students and undergraduate students. Although well meaning, the proposal poses a threat to the liberty and associational rights of faculty, staff, and students; and it infantilizes students. 


OPINION

Open Letter to the Miami University Community: Viruses know no borders, have no nationalities

We write to register our alarm at hearing widespread national references to COVID-19, or the global coronavirus pandemic of 2019 and (now) 2020, as the “foreign virus,” the “Chinese virus,” or the “Wuhan virus.” Not only is such rhetoric false, it is also dangerous.  Loneliness and fear are intrinsic risks of any public health crisis under the best of circumstances. Medical nativism just escalates all the risk of isolation and anxiety our Chinese students might face.


NEWS

Letter to the Editor: Gov. Mike DeWine is a perfect example of Love and Honor

On Wednesday, Feb. 5, Miami University officials announced that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will serve as the spring 2020 commencement speaker. This news was met with varying opinions from the Miami community. Some current students, alumni and parents threatened to boycott the ceremony and faulted the university administration for being “too conservative" on Miami's Facebook page. Others believed that, in today’s divided climate, commencement speakers shouldn’t be political figures. A few praised the decision, citing DeWine’s long history of public service in Ohio and his exemplification of the Code of Love and Honor. I had the honor of interning for "Team DeWine" on his gubernatorial campaign in 2018, the summer following my freshman year. Before I started, I didn’t know what I believed nor who I wanted to become. I grew up in a conservative household, but I was hesitant to take a side when I arrived at Miami because I didn’t want anyone to label me as racist, misogynistic or anything that fits the typical (but false) Republican stereotype of today.


NEWS

Letter to the editor

As a former VAP and now-instructor at Miami University, I wholeheartedly agree with a designated midterm exam week leading into fall break.


NEWS

The Hateful Environment on This Campus Needs To Be Brought To Attention

A few weeks ago, a racist picture was sent by now-former ASG Senator, Maxwell Hessling.  The Miami Student, while doing good work with the original story and editorial they published, failed to note that the offensive meme that was posted by a member of the College Republicans.  It is important that things like this are stated and put to the forefront, and that groups on campus condemn this type of behavior in their own groups and to their friends exhibiting harmful behavior. When the article was published in The Student, I contacted a member of the College Republicans executive board to ask if they were aware of this and whether they would be doing anything about it. 


OPINION

From BAM: Not all demands met

On Friday, April 20, 2018, BAM 2.0 representatives met with members of the administration. Present at the meeting was Dean Mike Curme, Vice-President for Student Affairs Jayne Brownell, Dr. Kelley Kimple, Director of the Office of Diversity Affairs, and President Greg Crawford. We were pleased to hear positive updates on several of our demands, including the creation, and now implementation, of the bias reporting incident button, possible layouts for a new space to serve as a larger Office of Diversity Affairs and a new website in the works that will display all administrative updates related to the list of demands and will continue to serve as a source of updates for the Miami community in the future. However, one demand in particular has not been met appropriately in a timely fashion by administration. Even after its inadequate response was brought up in this meeting, we feel as though administration is not hearing us loud enough.


OPINION

A message from the President

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. In recent years, our Miami University community has been part of a national conversation. Many are speaking out against power imbalances between men and women, as well as abusive behavior in a variety of settings. From #MeToo to #TimesUp, women and men alike are rallying against these abuses.


OPINION

Black Action Movement 2.0: We demand more than recognition

Since its founding in 1809, Miami University has failed to cultivate a culture that is welcoming and receptive for its Black students. Historically, the actions taken by administration, while recognized, simply are not enough. We, the Black Action Movement 2.0 (BAM 2.0), on behalf of Miami University's Black community, are holding administration accountable for effectively combating the issues plaguing its Black students. Therefore, these are our demands.


OPINION

Letter to the Editor | Fulfilling the legacy of Thomas A. Dutton

We are writing today to sustain the legacy, intellectual contribution and community impact of the work of professor Thomas A. Dutton. We understand that you have already pledged to "carry the work forward" that Tom has developed over the past decades. Now we ask that you specifically commit to establishing institutional structural support to continue the spirit of his contribution to the university and beyond. This letter is written and signed to encourage Miami University to explicitly search for an architecture faculty member with the academic background, expertise, and experience to fulfill the role of Director of the Center for Community Engagement in Over-the Rhine (CCE) and honor the endowment the family is establishing to sustain his legacy.