Interactions with McDavis appreciated
Nov. 12, 2014Post editors have concluded that students are glad to have any opportunity to interact with President McDavis around campus
EDITORIALS
Editorial: Show support for veterans every day
Nov. 12, 2014We should be more cognizant of what veterans do for us all year long, not just on the day we’re told to.
Editorial: Ohio shoots down same-sex marriage
Nov. 10, 2014Much to our disdain, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld laws that ban same-sex marriage in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee in a 2-1 decision Thursday.
Editorial: Congratulations to Thomas Suddes, professor and mentor
Nov. 7, 2014Thomas Suddes, an assistant professor in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, a longtime Ohio political reporter, a dear friend and mentor to many of The Post staffers, will be inducted into The Press Club of Cleveland’s Hall of Fame on Friday.The selection could not go to a more deserving person.He’s established as arguably the most knowledgeable person on Ohio politics. He spent about 20 years covering Ohio legislation for The Plain Dealer and ran the newspaper’s Columbus bureau from 1988 to 1990.He’ll be the first to tell anyone he was nominated for The Press Club of Cleveland’s Hall of Fame because of how long he worked in the city, not because he was particularly special. But we beg to differ. He’s one of the most humble journalists we’ve encountered, and he sets an example for us that has been modeled by Posties for the past 15 years.Chances are, if you’ve worked in the Statehouse throughout the past three decades, you’ve had an interaction with Suddes. He is revered by those he writes alongside and by students he teaches here at Ohio University and is respected by those he covers.Suddes has critiqued our content since the beginning of the last decade and has been integral in helping Posties land internships and jobs throughout the country. We really can’t thank him enough for all he’s done to help us forward our publication and our careers.From all of us involved at The Post, we would like to wish Dr. Suddes a warm congratulations for a much-deserved induction and a continued thank you for everything he helps us with.Rock on, Suddes.Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors.
From the Editor's Desk: Help us at 'The Post' help you
By JIM RYAN | Nov. 7, 2014A common refrain I hear from students is that many don’t know what The Post is or where they can find one of its newspapers. That seems ludicrous to me — we drop off newspapers at 250 locations around Athens County — but it serves as a reminder that The Post staff has not done enough to promote its brand in recent years.And while we have taken steps to increase our visibility on campus this semester, we have not yet done nearly enough to show you, our readers, that we’re here every day as a resource.Our efforts begin with simple initiatives such as handing out newspapers at the top of Baker on Fridays during lunchtime. It’s a simple way for us to put newspapers in the hands of those who don’t normally pick them up themselves. They also include planning events that are helpful and fun for both our readers and staff.Earlier this year, we hosted a party at Casa Nueva to celebrate the launch of our new website. More than 100 people showed up, and we had a great time. We also hosted a reporting seminar last night for Scripps students who are interested in data reporting. More than 30 people showed up to listen to a pair of Columbus Dispatch reporters teach us some tricks of the trade. Not bad for our first try, I say. It was fun to see students get fired up about journalism, and we’re already on to planning our next event.We’re also working to outfit our newsstands with more colorful, eye-catching displays so you know where to find us on campus. Keep an eye out for those soon.Each of those separate initiatives — handing out papers, putting on events and making our newsstands more visible — serves the purpose of actively informing students of what we’re up to.What else should we be doing to spread the word about our work? I welcome your feedback, and — if you’re interested — your help. We’re always looking for students who are interested in helping our public relations and marketing operation.As always, thanks for reading.Jim Ryan is a senior studying journalism and political science and editor-in-chief of The Post. Think The Post is a relic? Having a hard time finding newspapers on campus? Contact him at jr992810@ohio.edu or on Twitter at @Jimryan015.
Editorial: Elections exciting for reporters
Nov. 5, 2014Around this time every year, a crop of local staff reporters and Post photographers gear up to report on the night’s election results.
Editorial: The Post highly encourages Ohio University students to vote during elections
Nov. 3, 2014Cast your ballots tomorrow, Bobcats.
Editorial: #ProjectIntern applicable to all Bobcats
Nov. 2, 2014Late Thursday night we published “#ProjectIntern,” a comprehensive look at the internship landscape for students in each of the eight colleges at Ohio University.The project was also the first time we published a project built exclusively for the website, with an interactive graphic displayed prominently on our homepage, that highlighted each college.If you haven’t checked it out yet, please take a look at some of the reporting a team of freshman journalists put into each of these stories. If you’re a student at OU, the content of at least one #ProjectIntern story applies directly to you.We’ll keep the project featured on our homepage for the foreseeable future as a result.We’re now past the halfway point of our first semester using The Post’s new website, www.thepostathens.com, and we fully plan on rolling out more web-friendly projects as the school year progresses.Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors.
The Post endorses Debbie Phillips for Ohio House of Representatives
Oct. 31, 2014State Representative: Debbie Phillips (D) Bipartisan Karaoke Night. That’s the phrase that grabbed our attention during our endorsement interview with Phillips earlier this week. That is in jest, of course, as Phillips brings more to the table than song and dance after three terms of representing Ohio’s 94th House District.Phillips, an Albany resident who previously served as an Athens City Councilwoman, currently serves as the Ohio General Assembly’s Assistant Minority Leader. She has a record of pushing for programs concerning access to education. Furthermore, she has been a regular presence at Ohio University, refers to Baker University Center as “Baker” like the rest of us and is an accessible resource for students.From our perspective, Phillips is the obvious alternative to challenger Yolan Dennis. When asked, Dennis could not produce exact examples of the issues facing students here at OU. Although Dennis has organized an impressive local following, we think Phillips would be the better representative of student interest at the Statehouse.The Post also endorsed Phillips in 2012, and we believe she has since been a good representative of Southeast Ohio.Endorsements represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors.
The Post endorses Jill Thompson for County Auditor
Oct. 31, 2014County Auditor: Jill Thompson (R)We think Jill Thompson is the best option for county auditor, given her 14 years of experience in the position and her ability to be aggressive and confident when holding county officials responsible for their uses of taxpayer money.Thompson has a firm knowledge of the county’s expenditure accounts, which allows her to patrol them correctly. Once Thompson was made aware of Sheriff Pat Kelly’s alleged misuse of funds, she asked for an audit of his expenses. It showed her willingness to respond to residents’ complaints of county officials and follow up with an audit when it was required.Her background in finance also lets us say with confidence that she’ll catch the county’s math “errors” and navigate the county’s finances to make sure officials’ expenses match their checkbooks.Thompson is (and has been) the financial watchdog we need for the county.Endorsements represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors.
From The Editor's Desk: Endorsements help inform students about candidates
By JIM RYAN | Oct. 31, 2014On the day of last spring’s Student Senate elections, I had a conversation with a classmate who said she cast her ballot based on The Post’s endorsements.I can’t quote her directly some six months later, but I remember her saying something to this effect: “I don’t know enough about the elections to know who I should vote for, but I trust that The Post has done its research.”The best part: My classmate didn’t know I’m a Postie.After skipping out on general election endorsements last year, we have decided to bring them back for this year’s midterm. Our goal is to inform students (our primary audience) about which candidates have our best interests in mind.We’re publishing them today, four days ahead of Election Day, so students can read up and do their own research before casting their ballots. At the very least, these endorsements serve as yet another reminder that students should read up and get ready to vote. Our votes are important. I would also like to thank the candidates who took the time to stop by our offices or contact our executive editors over the phone. Their cooperation was integral in putting this endorsement package together, and we’re glad we were able to speak with so many of the candidates on this year’s ballot (They also made time for us on a tight time schedule, which we greatly appreciate).These endorsements exemplify The Post’s fundamental mission of informing our readers about the world around them. I hope they’re helpful as you all prepare to head to the polls.As always, thanks for reading.Jim Ryan is a senior studying journalism and political science and editor-in-chief of The Post. Glad to read our election endorsements? Think we got it all wrong? Contact him at jr992810@ohio.edu or on Twitter at @Jimryan015.
The Post endorses Steve Stivers for Congress
Oct. 31, 2014U.S. Representative: Steve Stivers (R)Steve Stivers has demonstrated an ability to work across the aisle with House Democrats and has proven to be easily accessible throughout his years in the House of Representatives — even to a college newspaper on the outskirts of his roughly 5,000-square-mile congressional district.GovTrack.us, a website dedicated to providing in-depth information about Congress, lists Stivers in the top 5 percent of all congressmen in terms of writing bipartisan bills, as 75 percent of the bills he wrote in 2013 had a co-sponsor from both parties.The website also lists Stivers as one of the most productive members of Congress, having co-sponsored 278 bills — the fourth-highest total among House Republicans.Scott Wharton, Stivers’ challenger and a Democrat who is also a Delta Airlines pilot, provides interesting competition. He is prioritizing keeping the costs of higher education low and seems to be easily accessible, much like Stivers.However, in this case, we prefer to go with what we know rather than what could be. Stivers has done nothing to lose the confidence of his constituents, and as one of the most productive members of Congress, he deserves to be elected to another two-year term.Endorsements represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors.
The Post endorses George McCarthy for Common Pleas Court Judge
Oct. 31, 2014Common Pleas Court Judge: George McCarthyWhen Judge George McCarthy took the reins from retired Judge Michael Ward last year, he brought a slew of experiences with him. We would like to see his tenure continue after Tuesday’s election.Gov. John Kasich appointed McCarthy as judge after Ward retired.It’s important for the Common Pleas Court Judge to have a visible presence in a town flooded with college students, and we think McCarthy brings that to the table better than his competitor, Herman Carson.Though we think both candidates are well-qualified for the role, McCarthy’s numerous roles in the county lead us to believe he is the best candidate.McCarthy, who previously spent 12 years as a local prosecutor, would like to expand drug prevention and education and alcohol diversion programs with the intention of keeping students out of the criminal system. Because of his involvement in county affairs inside and outside the courthouse and his commitment to being involved with students, McCarthy has our vote as Common Pleas Court Judge.Endorsements represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors.
Editorial: Asexual Awareness Week is a chance for education
Oct. 29, 2014The Post published a story on Tuesday highlighting Asexual Awareness Week. Before reading the story, we admittedly didn’t know much about asexuality. We suspect many of you might be in the same boat.We urge you to track down the story and learn a thing or two about the small segment of our campus population that doesn’t experience sexual attraction. The student featured in our Tuesday story likened his attraction to viewing art or listening to music — he recognizes others for their beauty but doesn’t feel sexually attracted to it.Ohio University’s LGBT Center is welcoming of individuals who identify as asexual and is hosting a series of events about the sexual orientation this week. Wednesday’s event, a Consent in Ace and Aromantic Relationships workshop, begins at noon in the LGBT Center (354 Baker University Center.)We urge you to attend and learn a little bit more about asexuality and the people who identify with it.The phrase “Bobcat Family” is often tossed out to describe the close-knit community we pride ourselves in here. But we should take every available opportunity to learn more about each other.Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors.
Editorial: The college experience includes out-of-classroom settings also
Oct. 28, 2014The out-of-classroom setting is just as important as the classroom setting
Editorial: Gunshots provide sobering reminder
Oct. 27, 2014“Gunshots fired on Court Street” are words that we, as students of this university and temporary patrons of this city, never want to write.
From The Editor's Desk: We cover stories that reflect the interests of students
By JIM RYAN | Oct. 24, 2014Members of The Post’s editorial board meet to decide what will be featured on the next day’s front page every day at 4:30 p.m.Over the past several weeks, I’ve noticed a common question arise more and more often during those meetings: “How does this story relate to students?”Or a variation: “Why should students care?”With those questions in mind, Post staffers have worked to frame our stories in a manner that makes them of highest impact to students.Furthermore, we’re striving to fill our website and newspaper with not simply the top news of the day, but the news that best relates to students. There can, I’ve found, be a sizable difference between the two.This seems incredibly simplistic — The Post is, after all, a campus newspaper — but it has led to us being more choosy about what topics we cover. More about student life, less about the county’s road salt problems, for example.Thursday’s newspaper was a good display of that approach. Our top three stories were about Athens’ high gas prices, the Halloween Block Party and #HandsUpWalkOut rally. Others included a public-service piece about flu shots and a story about a new bar that is soon to open on Station Street.That, in my opinion, is a digest of student interest.Please let us know — by commenting on our social media posts or sending us an email — if you think there’s a topic or event we should be covering. We welcome your feedback.And as always, thanks for reading.
Editorial: ‘The Post’ gears up for nearing Halloween festivities
Oct. 24, 2014Athens’ annual Halloween Block Party is only a day away, and we’re excited to kick off the celebration.With that feeling in mind, we’ve focused much of today’s Post content on the annual end-of-October bash. While we realize the last thing you’re looking for before heading out the door is some required reading, today’s Post stories cover everything you need to know before making your way Uptown.Our stories cover how local law enforcement is keeping the uptown area safe, why your cell phone won’t be working Saturday night and the sanitation concerns resulting from the influx of visitors. That’s in addition to our performance schedule and annual rundown of how Ohio University deals with underage consumption violations.As we’ve said before, the party is a great time, but it’s important to take extra precautions to make sure you stay safe. We’ll be out Saturday night to chronicle the block party, uploading slices of Athens to our website and social media feeds for the world to see. Follow our live coverage on Twitter (@ThePost), Instagram (@ThePostPhoto) and Facebook (ThePostAthens).All the while, please consider that you don’t want to do something this weekend that will make the wrong kind of headlines. We don’t want to put you on our front page for doing something you’ll come to regret.And, no, we can’t remove the story from our website 10 years from now when you land that big job interview.Have a happy block party, Bobcats.Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors.
Editorial: Stay mindful about Halloween costumes
Oct. 22, 2014As you’re well aware, Athens’ infamous Halloween Block Party is on the horizon.
Editorial: Students should support top-notch volleyball team
Oct. 20, 2014Ohio’s volleyball team is really, really good.After starting the season 1-3, the team has won 14 of its past 15 games and is 8-0 in conference play for the first time since 2009.That year, the Bobcats made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after winning the Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament titles.Ohio has talent throughout its roster, as Abby Gilleland and Kelly Lamberti are back-to-back MAC players of the year. Others, such as Meredith Ashy and Chelsea Bilger, have received first-team all-conference honors.The team has the ability to go far — not only at the MAC Tournament later this season, but (potentially) at the NCAA Tournament as well.This upcoming weekend, Western Michigan and Northern Illinois come to compete in Athens, and The Convo is sure to host some epic action. Western Michigan is 6-2 in conference play and a contender in the MAC West. The match against Northern Illinois is bound to be the Bobcats’ most important contest so far this season. The Huskies, currently 8-0 in MAC play, occupy first place in the MAC West. Two teams undefeated in conference play facing off in Athens? That’s must-see action, and The Post hopes to see a large turnout from students.Be sure to head over to The Convo to support some of Ohio’s most impressive (and under-appreciated) student-athletes.Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post’s executive editors.
