With blood buckets and bat infestations being major topics, the 2014-15 school year certainly wasn’t boring for news on campus.
It was a year of student activism on Ohio University’s campus as individuals took a stand from issues ranging from tuition hikes to bats and university spending. The Post looks back at the year in campus news:
Student Senate and the ‘Blood Bucket’ Controversy
The controversy arose after Ohio University Student Senate President Megan Marzec poured fake “blood” on herself in a video demonstrating concern for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The video, where Marzec urged the university cut its ties with Israel, was in response to OU President Roderick McDavis’ ALS Ice bucket challenge.
Many students, student groups, faculty and alumni were outraged at the video, and others called for Marzec to resign. Student Senate publicly apologized for the video via Twitter. Students voiced their concerns at the following Student Senate meetings, and at the Sept. 11 meeting four students were arrested for disturbing a lawful meeting. Marzec claimed she received death threats and an unsuccessful petition for her to resign was circulated, but the controversy eventually simmered down.
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Ferguson Protests
Multiple protests were held on campus related to the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, where police officer Darren Wilson fatally shot unarmed, black teen Michael Brown. On Oct. 22, hundreds of students gathered on College Green for the “#HandsUpWalkOut” protest of the shooting. The protest was one of 77 that took place across the nation that day. And on *Nov. 25, after the decision not to indict Darren Wilson was announced, around 100 students occupied the fourth floor of Baker University Center to protest and discuss the decision. University officials chose to keep Baker open past midnight to allow the students to stay there. At these protests, students voiced their concerns with race relations and police brutality in the U.S.
Greg Emery
Greg Emery, former Director of the Global Leadership Center, was put on administrative leave on Oct. 14 and was investigated by the university for “alleged misconduct.” Emery’s contract was “non-renewed” in March, and The Post learned through a public records request the university investigated Emery for his conduct and handling of cash payments on a study abroad trip to Vietnam in May of 2014. However, the investigation found that Emery used funds for their intended use. As of now, it is unclear exactly why the university didn’t renew Emery’s contract. As a result, multiple donors who were skeptical of the university's decision rescinded $1.25 million in donations from the university.
Guaranteed tuition and protests
At January’s Board of Trustees meeting, the board decided to raise tuition again and set tuition at $11,548 for in-state students, a 5.1 percent increase from the 2014-15 rate. Tuition and fees for incoming freshmen will remain the same each year of college as part of the Ohio Guarantee Tuition program the Board of Trustees previously approved. The program locks in a four-year flat rate tuition that won’t rise with inflation. The trustees raised tuition for continuing students by 2 percent at the meeting as well.
While the Board of Trustees met Jan. 22, students marched through campus as part of the #RaiseHellNotTuition protest, calling on the Board to not raise tuition. A total of six students, including Student Senate President Megan Marzec, were charged with disorderly conduct following the protest. Marzec and two others were found guilty March 23 in the Athens County Municipal Court, but the three are expected to avoid jail time if they complete community service and remain “upstanding citizens” for a year.
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Bat Rally and the presidential
Since 1951, when the university purchased the property, 29 Park Place housed *seven Ohio University presidents. But after the university moved President McDavis and his wife out of the house due to a bat infestation, the university entered in a lease-to-buy agreement on a new off-campus property, 31 Coventry Lane, for the new presidential home. The agreement would’ve cost the university $1.2 million.
This decision angered many students, faculty and staff, who organized a “Bat Rally” in front of the house on 29 Park Place. Hundreds gathered *March 31 to protest the university’s decision. But on April 13, Stephen Golding, vice president for finance and administration, announced he would not recommend the OU Foundation and Board of Trustees to purchase the home. However, as of now, it is unclear whether the purchase agreement will be made and specifically how 29 Park Place will be used in the future.
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SOS Elected into Office
Before the year came to a close, Ohio University students voted for next year’s student senators, and on April 16 it was announced that the ticket SOS (Serving our Students) had won all but four of the total 34 seats. Gabby Bacha, an incoming senior studying political science, was elected president. Jared Ohnsman, an incoming senior studying political science pre-law and criminology, was elected vice president and Hannah Clouser, an incoming junior studying actuarial science, was elected treasurer. The newly elected senators were sworn in April 22 at the last Student Senate meeting of the year.
@AlxMeyer
am095013@ohio.edu
