Opinion-Columns

OPINION

America’s education crisis: Why our schools and future are at risk

By Devin Beilenson | 3182 minutes ago

It’s no secret that literacy is the foundation of learning. It’s how children learn to think critically, solve problems and understand the world around them. Yet, national reading scores have dropped to levels not seen in decades. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, reading proficiency among 9-year-olds has declined significantly, with the most vulnerable students being hit the hardest.

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OPINION

Will the Miami I experienced disappear soon? From a senior who still cares

By Sam Norton | Yesterday

When I decided to attend Miami, it was nationally respected, recognized for undergraduate teaching and research, known as a Public Ivy brand and promoted an emphasis on interdisciplinary study. I have seen much of that begin to fade. Will I regret “Miami University” showing up next to my degree?

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OPINION

The ChatGPT surge began in your 8 a.m. lecture: How academia drove students into AI’s arms.

By Gabriel Slark | 6 days ago

Recently, I witnessed a student presenting to the class, empty eyes at the front of their face, and that distinct ChatGPT grey highlight glaring around the words on the board behind them. To make matters worse, the student struggled to pronounce all the long words, and they did so in such a way that when class ended, I left feeling deeply concerned.

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OPINION

Why university neutrality is controversial in itself

By Jamie Gowans | April 22, 2025

We have seen big companies and corporations like Tesla face public criticism because of Elon Musk’s political alliances he has shared publicly. We can see this drop mostly among younger generations, who tend to not separate the product from the company owner, just as we do not separate the art from the artist.

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OPINION

Dear Gov. DeWine, Senate Bill 1 betrays your alma mater

By Landon Morrison | April 21, 2025

To Mike DeWine, you have betrayed the community that built you. I am shocked that a Miamian would directly attempt to turn away a diversified group of people, ideas and experiences.

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OPINION

A new “Arena District” on Cook Field, but at what cost?

By David Prytherch | April 16, 2025

I therefore write – as an educator with two decades of experience at Miami, teaching geography and urban planning – to express profound concern about the proposal to build a new arena and corporate hotel on Cook Field, especially amidst a budget crisis. 

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OPINION

The Bait 'n Switch University

By Steven Conn | April 15, 2025

On behalf of the university, I’d like to thank you for your generous donations to Miami’s Capital Campaign. With your help, we are well on our way to hitting our $1 billion goal! What’s that? You say that you didn’t make a contribution?

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OPINION

An Open Letter to President Crawford

By John-Charles Duffy | April 14, 2025

When S.B. 1 was being debated in our state legislature, you made no public comment expressing opposition, or even concern, about a law that will now dismantle initiatives you have said are core to our university and to your own values. Why were you silent about something you spent several years claiming was so important to you?

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OPINION

I was accidentally canceled on social media: here’s what it taught me

By Parker Green | April 11, 2025

I had just dropped my little sister off at basketball practice when the first message on Instagram came through. “Are you that bitch who killed that little girl?”

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OPINION

MacCracken vs Scoreboard markets: MacCracken is just better

By Jamie Gowans | April 10, 2025

Author Jamie Gowans has frequented both Scoreboard and MacCracken Market and argues that MacCracken is better

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OPINION

Miami’s foreign language programs shine in the face of adversity

By Eliza Sullivan | April 9, 2025

Despite the threats to cut funding or programing entirely, author Eliza Sullivan write about how foreign language departments continue to provide quality education 

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OPINION

Finally, a career fair for the creatives

By Landon Morrison | April 8, 2025

Author Landon Morrison never felt represented at previous career fairs, until Miami University hosted a Creative Career Fair

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OPINION

My Miami story: ‘You can make a difference!’

By Kay Lockridge, ’61 (BA, Government) | April 7, 2025

Alum Kay Lockridge writes about her time at The Student and why she's chosen to establish a scholarship for journalism students

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OPINION

Sexy rethinking: OnlyFans and Instagram

By Gabriel Slark | April 6, 2025

Author Gabriel Slark writes about how society views someone posting for praise on their appearance and a sex worker doing the same for money, and how the two aren't that different.

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OPINION

Do weight loss drugs coincide with eating disorders?

By Taylor Stumbaugh | April 5, 2025

Author Taylor Stumbaugh sees a correlation between weight loss drugs and eating disorder behaviors, and uses her family's experience to explain why.

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OPINION

Letter from the editor: Greetings from your new editor-in-chief!

By Olivia Patel | April 4, 2025

My name is Olivia Patel, and I have taken over as The Miami Student’s new editor-in-chief. In other words, I will be working to lead a newspaper that best serves the student body, faculty, administration, alumni and other avid readers of our paper.

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OPINION

Green Beer Day blues

By Gina Roth | March 21, 2025

Author Gina Roth is a senior who has never participated in Green Beer Day and wonders if it's really worth it this year

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OPINION

Gratitude, not saditude

By Teddy Johnson | March 19, 2025

In the past three years as humor editor, I have had so much to be grateful for. I’m sad my time is nearing its end, but I want to end my tenure by spreading some gratitude to those who have made my time with The Miami Student what it is. 

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OPINION

I ended up exactly where I needed to be – with you guys

By Chloe McKinney | March 18, 2025

It’s been almost three years since I joined The Miami Student. When I walked into the newsroom for the first time, I was a scared sophomore with only a few journalism classes under my belt and no idea what working in a newsroom was like. 

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OPINION

What even is AP Style??

By Jessica Monahan | March 17, 2025

It was Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, and I had just finished my first ever week of college classes. I had “Mega Fair” in my Apple Calendar and decided it would be a good idea to go and see what kinds of clubs and activities are on campus.