I read with great interest and gratitude The Miami Student's excellent article on sexual assault reports and sanctions at Miami University. I wanted to respond to a couple of the troubling comments made by the administrators in your piece.
Maddie's Matters
The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.
Andrew's Assessments
I studied abroad in Luxembourg from January to May 2014, and it was by far the greatest experience of my life. I grew into a self-sufficient and independent woman, made lifelong friends, and saw so many amazing and beautiful things in over 10 different countries; however, the most important part of my study abroad experience was the opportunity to experience cultures different from my own.
Following the April Fools' piece on the Miami Wire about parking tickets, I am deeply troubled by President David Hodge's disrespectful and troubling actions. Thus, I write this letter to President Hodge,
Yesterday afternoon, moments before my English 320 professor kindly suggested that I put my phone away during class and at least pretend to be interested in the ins and outs of Flash Fiction, I watched a video produced by the Dove Beauty campaign (the one that does a really good job of both spamming every major media outlet while also hardcore pulling at the heartstrings of millions of women, children and men nationwide).
There has been major effort towards building on campus and I understand why this is necessary and desirable. I do not understand why some university officials decided to destroy Bishop Woods. Bishop Woods has been around since the start of the university in 1809 and contributes to Miami's unique charm. There used to be signs throughout the wildlife area saying, "Please … Help us maintain this area in a natural state by staying on the paths. Thank you!" We cannot keep the woods in its natural state if a lot of it is destroyed and the university kills many of its trees. As I was sitting in class in Upham Hall, I heard the piercing sound of numerous trees going through the wood chipper. All I could think in my head was, "Why?"
Amanda's Approach
The following piece, written by the editorial editors, reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.
Milam's Musings
Today I walked into Upham Hall. I took the entrance near Bishop Woods. I saw the throngs bustling along. I saw people focused on their cell phones and engrossed in their conversations. I saw an empty bench facing the Upham Arch looking solemnly across the large manicured lawn. It reminds me of an empty pew in an old church. I find it ironic that the Bishop Woods sit behind this pew.
I am writing to express my concern about the March 17th article, "Breaking open La Piñata: Mexican restaurant a hit in Oxford" by Juanita Gonzalez Valencia. The article praises La Piñata and its employee, Giovani Febus Rodriguez for the delicious food and warm atmosphere. However, the strongest message I got from the article was not about the restaurant, but about the writer's and editor's casual racism and gross lack of thought. In the first sentence of the article, Gonzalez Valencia stating that 'many' people describe Rodriguez as "the friendliest Mexican in town."
In response to the letter by Anna Lucia Feldman, I feel compelled to point out, as the story itself did, that Giovani Febus Rodriguez is actually Mexican. Just because the writer referred to him as "Mexican," does not mean it's racist. It's not like he's from Venezuela and we called him Mexican. He's actually from Mexico.
By A.J. Newberry For The Miami Student
Without a doubt Miami University's classes are taught by some of the most brilliant minds in the country. However, when you go to sites such as www.ratemyprofessor.com, all too often the site is flooded with comments from students who feel that their professors are brilliant and great people, but the professor hindered their student's experience due to a lack of knowledge about education. As a senior in The College of Education, Health, and Society, we are taught and given many chances to experience that in order to get students to really learn and be able to think critically about information, it takes more than just a "professor" of knowledge and a student to sit there and soak it all up.