Ohio State News

Students hold second protest in response to public safety notice

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:13:47 +0000

Destiny Brown, a fourth-year in political science, addresses the demonstration outside Bricker Hall Thursday. Credit: Max Garrison | Assistant Campus Editor

More than 100 demonstrators gathered outside of Bricker Hall Thursday to protest the university’s handling of a public safety notice for the second time in two weeks.

The protesters met at 1:30 p.m. at Bricker Hall, home to University President Kristina M. Johnson’s office, and began marching around 1:45 p.m. The demonstrators moved to the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry Building, where Johnson was visiting engineering students, according to her Twitter account.

This is the second protest in response to a Sept. 3 public safety notice about a pair of aggravated assaults on white students by a Black man and woman near campus that were classified under federal law as hate crimes. The demonstrators said the notice and the subsequent handling of the situation was rushed and endangered Black students.

“I want to make it abundantly clear,” Amanya Paige, a second-year in strategic communication and sociology and vice chair of systems and operations of the Black Caucus, said through a megaphone. “We are upset, we are out here protesting because a target was put on our backs because of the public safety notice.”

Destiny Brown, a fourth-year in political science, said the protest was not organized by an individual or organization, but rather the larger Black community at Ohio State. Brown is also the director of governmental relations for the Undergraduate Student Government and was a key speaker at both the initial Sept. 8 protest and Thursday’s protest.

After the Sept. 8 protest, demonstrators emailed demands to Kristina M. Johnson, Senior Vice President of Administration and Planning Jay Kasey and Director of Public Safety Monica Moll.

The demands include calls for Kristina M. Johnson to produce an action plan to address racial injustice in public safety and for Ohio State to send out a university-wide email addressing its errors in the handling of the public safety notice and its aftermath.

University spokesperson Ben Johnson said in an email Wednesday that all three officials received the demands and that no email appeared to request a meeting with them.

Ohio State Chief of Police Kimberly Spears-McNatt and Moll have addressed the notice and said that the mistake was an “oversight” and that they remain committed to the safety of all students. Moll sent a follow-up email to the public safety notice Sept. 4 that provided additional information about the incidents.

Demonstrators write and draw messages with chalk on the sidewalk outside the chemical and biomolecular engineering and chemistry building Thursday. Credit: Max Garrison | Assistant Campus Editor

Brown said an official from the Department of Public Safety requested a meeting with her, but she declined.

“This is the meeting, this is the table,” Brown said of Thursday’s protest. “You are called to the table. This is the community talking to you.”

The protesters left chalk messages on the sidewalk outside of the CBEC building and moved back to Bricker Hall, where they left more messages. They then moved onto Annie and John Glenn Avenue and began to block traffic.

The protesters marched through campus before heading south on Neil Avenue.

Speakers reminded the protesters to maintain social distancing, use hand sanitizer and hydrate throughout the demonstration. COVID-19-related restrictions do not apply to gatherings for the purpose of expressing First Amendment speech, Kristina M. Johnson said in a universitywide email Aug. 11.

Letter from the editor: The Lantern’s coverage of protests and their participants

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:12:27 +0000

Dear readers:

We are living through momentous times, as our country wrestles with racial injustice amid a pandemic. Ohio State students joined the nation in protest for the Black Lives Matter Movement earlier this summer, and in recent days and weeks their protests have come to Bricker Hall.

Students there gathered in support of Black Buckeyes and to ask the university to take action that would make Black students feel supported and safe in light of the university’s handling of the Sept. 3 public safety notice. The Lantern has covered these protests to document history and publish truth.

The Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics states that the mission of journalists is to “boldly tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experience. Seek sources whose voices we seldom hear.” That is what we strive to do as the independent student voice of Ohio State.

To be clear, The Lantern fully and completely supports our Black students. This is not a two-sided issue; Black students and Black lives matter, here and everywhere. It is not — and never has been — the intention of our news organization to make anyone feel less than heard.

The Lantern has been asked to blur the faces of protesters. We understand protesters’ safety concerns in making such requests, but demonstrators are in a public space, and as such are subject to being recorded. Altering images also runs counter to journalistic ethics, because it brings into question the authenticity of our images. By granting anonymity in this form, it might lead other groups, anywhere, with any message to request the same.

Speakers have directly addressed Lantern reporters during protests asking for their names and photos to be excluded from our coverage. A person, however, who chooses to speak at a protest does so in public which means legally and ethically they may be recorded by journalists and others. Some of the speakers at protests have also been public officials who hold office in Ohio State’s Undergraduate Student Government. The very role of journalists, operating as the Fourth Estate, is to report upon government officials doing the people’s business.

A public official asking reporters to exclude their face and name at a public protest is a form of censorship of the free and independent press, and a violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. We would not blur the faces of administrators, mayors or police officers, nor would we blur the faces of those representing the student body.

We cover protests by any group, because it is news that happens on our campus. It is our charge and responsibility to cover movements that involve and impact the lives of students. We will report them accurately and fairly, and will uphold the same standard for every group that assembles on our campus.

We want the message of these groups to be heard, and we want Ohio State students, faculty, staff and alumni to look back at The Lantern archives 100 years from now and understand what these times were like. That has been the mission of The Lantern since its inception, and it will be our mission every day moving forward.

Sincerely,

Sam Raudins

Editor-in-chief

Football: Big Ten implements strict health guidelines for a smooth return to play

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:11:52 +0000

The Buckeyes run onto the field for practice before the game against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 28. Ohio State won 48-7. Credit: Amal Saeed | Former Photo Editor

It’ll be a game of red light, green light for Big Ten teams this season.

The Big Ten’s decision Wednesday to reinstate the football season, starting Oct. 23, comes with strict health and safety guidelines, including a color code to represent infection rates in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Among the most influential of the protocols is the introduction of rapid antigen testing, which aims to create a clean and safe playing field for student-athletes.

“The strategy, to be honest, is one where we’re trying to rapidly identify anyone that may have the virus and immediately remove them from their population, whether that be practice or competition,” James Borchers, Ohio State Department of Athletics head team physician, said Wednesday in a press conference.

The strategy requires all student-athletes, coaches and trainers to test six days a week — the exception being on days after games — and that results must be completed and recorded prior to the start of any games or practices.

The Big Ten will begin its daily testing campaign by Sept. 30. Borchers said that teams will continue with their current testing protocols until the Big Ten is able to provide the tests.

“That gives us over a three-week runway for this testing process,” Borchers said. “We know that, in discussions with our medical staffs, many of our institutions are going to obviously continue to follow their current testing recommendations.”

This daily antigen testing strategy played a key factor in overturning the initial postponement decision, Ohio State President Kristina M. Johnson said Wednesday.

“I think what put it over the top, and really the work over the last month, again, by the medical committee chaired by Dr. Borchers and (Penn State) athletic director Sandy Barbour, is the following, so it’s really the testing protocol,” Johnson said in a conference call. “You can guarantee a clean playing field and I think that’s our guiding principle.”

Among the other guidelines in place is a color-coded model that will indicate if it’s safe for a team to continue to practice and compete.

The color-coded model includes green, orange and red color denominations. A chief infection officer at each university will monitor data that comes from the team positivity rate based on the number of positive tests divided by total tests administered and population positivity rate, derived from the number of positive individuals out of the total at-risk population.

A team will receive a green team positivity designation if the positive test rate out of the total number of tests administered throughout a seven-day rolling average is below 2 percent, an orange designation if it is between 2 and 5 percent and a red determination if it exceeds 5 percent.

The population positivity rate thresholds are slightly higher, with a green designation of below 3.5 percent positive rate from individuals in the at-risk population based on a seven-day rolling average, orange between 3.5 and 7.5 percent and red exceeding 7.5 percent.

“For our population positivity rate, that’s the team population positivity rate,” Borchers said.

Teams will be allowed to continue normal practice and competition if they receive one green designation and a second designation of either green or orange.

Two orange rates or an orange paired with a red will force a team to proceed with caution, enhance COVID-19 protocols and consider the ability to continue with competition.

A double-red designation will force a team to stop practices and competition for at least seven days before a reassessment can occur.

On a Thursday appearance on the “Ryan Day Show” on 97.1 The Fan, Borchers said the idea behind the data-driven approach is to provide transparency.

“It’s yet to be determined, I think, how the Big Ten conference will look at that data weekly and provide reports, but the intention is certainly to be transparent and forward-facing about what each team’s situation is and to try and make certain that everyone understands what the safety parameters are about having competition in that week,” Borchers said.

Among the chief concerns of Big Ten presidents and chancellors when they decided to postpone the season was the link between COVID-19 and the heart condition myocarditis.

“When the decision was made Aug. 11 to postpone, there were concerns from the presidents and chancellors group about what they had been hearing about the potential for myocarditis,” Borchers said. “We presented a plan that out of an abundance of caution and safety, that would be how we would start with that evaluation knowing that we’ll continue to investigate it, study it and understand the best way forward.”

Myocarditis is the inflammation of the middle wall of the heart, which could lead to an irregular heartbeat and a reduction in the heart’s ability to pump blood.

The Big Ten is requiring all student-athletes to undergo a cardiac evaluation following a positive coronavirus test. Student-athletes will then need to receive clearance from a cardiologist to return to team activities. The earliest a player can return to action following a positive test is 21 days.

Along with the medical protocols, all 14 Big Ten universities will establish a cardiac registry in order to further evaluate the link between COVID-19 and myocarditis in young athletes.

With the strict guidelines in place, Borchers said that the Big Ten is ready for a return to play.

“I think for the Big Ten conference and what the questions were that we were asked to look at, we’ve charted a path forward to allow us to begin getting back to competition,” Borchers said.

Swimming and Diving: Ohio State looks to former Big Ten swimmers to act as volunteer coaches

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:11:44 +0000

Kyle Patnode swimming at the University of Iowa. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics

In order to help performances in the pool, the Buckeyes have turned to help from their former rivals.

On Sept. 4, Bill Dorenkott, director of swimming and diving at Ohio State, announced that former Iowa swimmer Kyle Patnode and former Wisconsin swimmer Mike Sullivan would join the coaching staff as volunteer assistants for this upcoming season.

Dorenkott said he is impressed by Patnode and Sullivan’s desire to become coaches, and his goal is to enhance their skill sets.

“I think it says a lot about someone that they are willing to step into a position that by definition is a volunteer position. Kyle and Mike are high-character guys and they have an ability to connect with young people,” Dorenkott said.

Patnode was a four-year letterwinner at Iowa and served as captain his senior year in 2017. He swam the 50-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter backstroke and butterfly, the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle, and the 200-meter individual medley.

“Being a part of the Big Ten has been really special, not only for me but for my teammates and my coaches. I know that it’s important to be a part of this conference because it’s the best in the country,” Patnode said.

Sullivan swam for Wisconsin from 2015-19 and was also a four-year letterwinner. He swam a wide range of freestyle distances as well as the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter backstroke.

He said he thinks his recent experience in the Big Ten will help him relate to the athletes.

“It’ll be easy for me to see where they are coming from with school and swimming and balancing it all, and I can help out with some wisdom I’ve learned over the years,” Sullivan said.

Patnode did his graduate studies at the University of Oakland, where he was also a graduate assistant for their swim team.

He said that all age groups have their pros and cons, but he is blessed to have gotten to work with and learn from a variety of them.

“You’re always a student of the sport, so it’s been cool to be part of that learning experience and share that with the student athletes. Whether it’s an 8-year-old learning how to blow bubbles or a college Division I athlete who needs work on their underwaters, it’s been really cool working through that,” Patnode said.

Patnode worked closely with Pete Hovland, head coach of Oakland University men’s and women’s swimming and diving program, and said he learned a lot from him and his staff.

“I have a great amount of respect for him and what his program has taught me. It’s been awesome learning from that and I am excited to take it further,” Patnode said.

Mike Sullivan swimming at the University of Wisconsin. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics

Sullivan started coaching immediately after his college swimming career. He coached the Badger Aquatic Club, a club team in Madison, Wisconsin, with mostly high school swimmers.

“It made me fall in love with it, outside of swimming. I knew I liked swimming, I knew I liked the technical pieces of it,” Sullivan said. “Being able to get to know and the interesting, funny young people who are just getting into the world. I can see a lot of myself in them. That’s what hooked me.”

Patnode and Sullivan have already been working with the team. The coaching staff has been meeting three times a week, and the student-athletes have also been meeting with their zone coach once a week, all over Zoom.

Dorenkott’s main focus is helping his athletes gain the skills needed to navigate this situation, he said.

“Victories for us are not necessarily beating other teams, victories for us are masking up or being socially distant or avoiding large gatherings or going through COVID testings with no positives,” Dorenkott said.

The team got a “victory” at their first COVID-19 test. Out of the 87 student-athletes tested, not a single result was positive.

“If you think I’m unbelievably proud of that, you’re right I am. That speaks a little bit to culture, our coaches and to our student athletes,” Dorenkott said. “That to me, what we’ve been doing, if we can’t be in there competing, we are going to find ways to have successes.”

The culture was a huge draw for both Patnode and Sullivan wanting to join the coaching staff. However, Sullivan said the team’s athletic success wasn’t what stood out most about Ohio State to the new coaches.

“What stood out more is that you could see that they’re doing that the right way,” Sullivan said. “Everyone on the team seems like a person who could contribute and has brought a lot to the team in a way that is fun and they’re having a good time at meets, but also really developing as swimmers.”

Patnode said he agrees that the relationships built in the swimming community at Ohio State make the program stand out.

“It’s a nice added benefit that you get to work with excellent athletes, but you get to work with excellent people,” Patnode said.

Movie Review: ‘The Devil All the Time’ is a dark tale set deep in the Buckeye state

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 02:10:51 +0000

“The Devil All the Time” released on Netflix Sept. 16. Credit: Courtesy of TNS

Fresh off the heels of international Spider-Man stardom, Tom Holland and a troop of blockbuster regulars bring us a grim new thriller set a little too close to home in “The Devil All the Time.”

Directed by Antonio Campos, “The Devil All the Time” is a tale about a twisted dark web of corrupt, violent and evil characters that spans from the islands of the South Pacific to the Catskill Mountains of West Virginia. The film released Wednesday on Netflix. At the center of this grim drama of ghouls and foul deeds lies a young man named Arvin Russell (Holland) who tries to protect his family from sinister forces at work in and around the very real backwoods town of Knockemstiff, Ohio.

The film is set between 1945 and 1965 and is based on the 2011 novel of the same title by Knockemstiff native Donald Ray Pollock. The dark narrative follows Russell’s tragic life and how it intersects with all manner of wicked folk — ranging from corrupt cops to deranged preachers — while exploring themes of guilt, loss, trauma and evil.

The film is acted brilliantly by a veteran cast including Robert Pattinson as Rev. Preston Teagardin, Sebastian Stan as Sheriff Lee Bodecker and Jason Clarke as Carl Henderson, to name a few. This formidable crew of actors is topped off by an endearing lead performance by Holland. Playing a tortured young man in the throes of evil and brutality, he convincingly sold the emotional investment to me and made me empathize with his battle against the cruel world he lives in.

Every performer carries their weight in what could be considered a masterclass of character acting. The creative and at times heart-wrenching performances of every actor on the screen is by far the film’s greatest strength.

The film is also cinematographically gorgeous, with a score of beautiful shots that highlight the woody backroads and vibrant scenery of little-explored but captivating Ohio and West Virginia woodlands.

The time period and setting is richly explored and is almost its own character, highlighted by the music, accents and set pieces of a county town forgotten by the rest of a bustling post-war America.

This film is not for the faint of heart. It is an unrelenting flood of gruesome violence and disturbing imagery. From the start of the film, the events are laced with tragedy and misanthropy, almost to the point of gratuity. This had a wearying and almost exhausting effect on me, as there is almost no break from misfortune and calamity.

The film falters in that it offers no shortage of evil acts but shows little desire to explore why they are done. The film is unflinching in its portrayal of the depths of human evil, but delves little into the psyche and motivation of the ghoulish players featured throughout. This left me feeling unsatisfied, especially after a hefty runtime of 2 hours and 38 minutes.

Overall, the film certainly leaves an impression. Soaked in darkly memorable and religiously motivated imagery, the new film “The Devil All the Time” is filled to the brim with unforgettable performances, haunting narratives and stunning shots and locales. Despite its sometimes excessive use of violence, Netflix’s newest thriller does not disappoint and is certainly worthy of a stream as cool autumn winds rise and Halloween approaches.

Rating: 4.1/5

Students hold second protest in response to public safety notice

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 01:34:47 +0000