P3

OP: HB-2 discrimination

Take Back the Night

Senior Spotlight

P14

P13

CAULDRONTHE

CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper Index2

Staff»

Want your event featured on our calendar? Send the event name, date, time and location to cauldroneditors@gmail.com.

Submission deadline is every Saturday prior to the event by 5 p.m. For letter to the editor submission guidelines, visit www.csucauldron.com.

Contact The Cauldron at cauldroneditors@gmail.com

May 3, 2016

Editor-in-Chief

Elissa Tennant

Managing Editor

Sara Liptak

News Editor

Abby Burton

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Morgan Elswick

Sports Editor

Gregory Kula

Opinion Editor

Briana Contreras

Cover Designer

Steven Pitingolo

Web Editor

Francesca Gariano

Advertising Manager

Sarah George

Business Manager

Giorgiana Lascu

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Edward Horowitz

Distribution

Mark Heller

Staff Writers & Photographers

Amara Alberto, Johnny Cook, Timothy Cox, Matthew

Johns, Patrick Kaminowski, Roman Macharoni, Kevin

McGhee, Becky Raspe, Elisabeth Weems

»What’s brewing this week

Examining the results of the NFL draft, including surprises, good picks and stats on individual players. P6

Browns draft analysis Prince tributeCSU released an artist's rendering of the new Engineering Building, scheduled to open in Spring 2018. P4

Engineering buildingThe Cauldron remembers Prince Rogers Nelson, one of the most influential and creative artists of all time, in light of his passing April 21. P11

»

»Mon

Tues »

Wed »

Thurs »

Fri »

Sat »

Sun »

Viking Knit Clique Meeting, MC 105, 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Women's Soccer vs. Valparaiso @ Krenzler Field, 7 p.m.

Volleyball vs. Loyola @ Woodling Gym, 7 p.m.

Men's, Women's Swimming, Intrasquad/Alumni Splash Bash @ Robert

F. Busbey Natatorium, 9 a.m.

Volleyball vs. UIC @ Woodling Gym, 4 p.m.

Women's Cross Country, All-Ohio Championship @ Cedarville, TBA

Men's Tennis, Ball State Invitational @ Muncle, Ind., All day

Men's Golf, Telich Sun Life Financial/CSU Invitational, Cleveland,

All day through Tuesday

Sept. 25

Sept. 26

Sept. 27

Sept. 28

Sept. 29

Sept. 30

Oct. 1

Hip Hop Workshop, 2 p.m., MC 136

»May 3 to

May 9 Weekly Calendar

»Mon

Tues»

Wed »

Thurs»

Fri »

Sat

Sun »

CAB Spring Fest, 11 a.m., MU Lawn

GATHER event, 11:30 a.m., CIMP Atrium

Farewell Reception for Dean Boise, 4 p.m., LB Atrium

Latin Dance Lessons, 11 a.m., SC Bridge

Student Socialist Society Meeting, 11:30 a.m., MC 313

Dance Marathon Meeting, 2 p.m., SC 339

Tower City Observation Deck Trip with CAB, 12 p.m., Tower City

Softball Home Game, 1 p.m., SF Field

Four Seasons of Rhoyalty Fashion Show, MC Aud

Softball Home Game, 10 a.m., SF Field

Festival of Laughs with Mike Epps, 8 p.m., WO Arena

Stress Free Zones, 11 a.m., SC Atrium

CLASS Dean’s Diversity Council, 1:30 p.m., MC 148

May 3

May 4

May 5

May 6

May 7

May 8

May 9

End-of-the-Year-Bash. 12:30 p.m., SC 136

Sexual Violence Prevention Council, 1 p.m., PH 104

Faculty Senate Meeting, 3 p.m., FT 303

»

CAULDRONTHE

CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »News3May 3, 2016

CSU Greek Life holds Take Back the Night

Cleveland State University Greek organizations invited the campus community to join together in solidarity to Take Back the Night (TBTN) Thursday, April 28 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. This international event is devoted to ending sexual assault, relationship and domestic violence in all forms and speak out against the issue.

April marked Sexual Assault Awareness Month and as part of a student-leadership initiative at CSU, Parker Keating, chairman of TBTN on campus and member of the fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon, brought the event to campus for its first year in CSU history.

“The movement is to show the community that we should have the right to walk around our campus at night and not feel afraid,” Keating said.

After putting in work for a sexual assault awareness seminar last semester, he said it really opened his eyes to the issue of sexual violence and how it can occur on college campuses.

Keating spoke to Vanessa Sampsel, a victim specialist at the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center who was also in attendance on Thursday, and learned

more about TBTN. He thought this was something CSU needed to do to raise more awareness on its campus.

“I want Cleveland State to be seen as a university fighting against [sexual assault],” he said. “That’s why hosting this event here is necessary.”

Nearly 30 women, men, bystanders and supporters gathered together in a march voicing TBTN chants. The march began at the Student Center (SC), went down Euclid Avenue to the Urban Affairs building, down Chester Avenue to the Recreation Center and back up Euclid, ending at the SC.

One of the many chants included “The people united, will never be divided / We have the power, we have the right / We are here, to Take Back the Night / Out of our dorms, into the street / We won’t be raped, we won’t be beat.”

Individuals held signs that were made in the SC before going on the march. Car horns honked at the group as they walked around campus.

“I’m happy to see this type of turnout,” Keating said. “It shows that there’s people who do care and there’s people who are ready to fight and work at this to end sexual assault.”

After the march, the group gathered outside in the SC Courtyard for a candlelight vigil. For roughly two minutes, all stood in solidarity for a moment of silence to show respect for those who have been victimized by sexual assault. Two survivors then shared their assault stories to the group and offered advice in moving forward.

Samantha Savage, student, co-chair of TBTN at CSU and a survivor of sexual assault was one of the two students who shared her story. She sees herself as an "overcomer" of sexual assault and is graduating in May with her Bachelor's degree after facing a tough first few years at CSU.

“Sharing my story is a way for me to reclaim my voice and my strength, which is something I've noticed tends to be a struggle for survivors,” Savage said. “But by having survivors share their stories, these issues become more real and personal to the listeners. Suddenly you're putting faces to these issues, making it possible to realize that this really could happen to anyone.”

According to Keating, fraternities are seen as potential attackers in a

lot of sexual assault situations. But having fraternities and sororities come together to put on TBTN was vital.“It’s important that not one specific gender or one specific organization is making this push, instead, collectively, all of us doing this shows we’re all in the fight together.” Keating said.

In addition to TBTN, a “Safer U Survey” is available to all CSU students to give their input, perspectives and experiences related to sexual assault. The survey was initially supposed to close Friday, April 29, but has been extended according to Yulanda McCarty-Harris, Title IX coordinator at CSU, who also attended the event and took part in the march.

The survey is now available until May 15 at midnight. An additional iPad and two $250 Visa gift cards have been added to the giveaway, along with the chance to win a green parking hangtag for the fall.

To date, 30 countries have held TBTN event’s. These events help survivors know that they are not alone. Keating said he is hoping for a larger turnout next year.

An effort to raise awareness of sexual assault on campus

By Sara Liptak

Left: Students gather in the Student Center Courtyard for a candlelight vigil after the Take Back the Night march Thursday, April 28 to put an end to sexual assault on campus.

Right: From left to right: Title IX Coordinator,Yulanda McCarty-Harris, Greek Life students Samantha Savage and Parker Keating and Cleveland Rape Crisis Center employees

Vanessa Samsel and Chelsea Daniel, were the creators and supporters of this event.

Photos by Sara Liptak

CAULDRONTHE

CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »News4May 3, 2016

Starting in 2018, Cleveland State University Engineering students will have a new, high-tech work environment to continue their studies.

A proposed $46.2 million new building is scheduled to open in the spring of 2018. The estimated 100,000 square feet facility is designed by CLBH Design, a Cleveland-based architectural firm. Harvey Ellis Devereaux Gilbane Inc. has been selected to be the Construction Manager for the project.

CSU's Engineering program has doubled in enrollment in the past five years, vastly outgrowing the aging Fenn Hall, where engineering classes currently take place.

Dean of the Washkewicz College of Engineering, Anette Karlsson, says that Fenn Hall will still remain a key part of the College of Engineering’s plans.

“The new engineering building is actually an addition to the current Fenn Hall, and it will be built along Chester Avenue where the current Chester Building is located,” Karlsson said. “It will attach to Fenn Hall on the north side of Fenn Hall.”

Karlsson noted the rapid growth

of the engineering program made construction of this new facility a necessity.

“Fenn Hall was built in 1923. It was not designed as an academic building [so] it is basically impossible to build modern engineering teaching facilities,” Karlsson said. “The number of students in engineering has grown significantly during the last few years; we have more than twice as many students now as 10 years ago, so we have completely outgrown our current facilities.”

“Since we have grown so much, most of Fenn Hall will remain as a core space for Washkewicz College of Engineering, including faculty and staff offices and research labs,” Karlsson said.

Key features to the new facility include a Freshman Design Lab, where new engineering students will complete their Freshman Design classes — a common course for all engineering students. Another feature is the Dan T. Moore Maker Space, a large area where any CSU student

can come and build. It will include a large array of traditional tools, such as welding and painting booths. Modern tools such as 3D printers and computer-aided design stations will be available in the Maker Space as well.

“Few, if any classes, will be scheduled [in the Dan T. Moore Maker Space], and it will be open for anyone at CSU,” Karlsson said. “Users will have to go through training to safely use the equipment and typically pay for the material.”

This feature isn't the only part that CSU students should be looking forward to, according to Karlsson.

“There are a lot of things for the engineering students to be excited about in the new addition, since it will have a lot of spaces that don’t exist in Fenn Hall,” Karlsson said. “We will have modern and interactive classrooms and teaching labs and lots of collaborative spaces.”

The Chester Building is scheduled to be demolished in June 2016. Construction will begin on the new engineering facility in late summer.

Plans for new Engineering building releasedBy Kevin McGhee

After June, the Chester Building will no longer be part of Cleveland State University's campus. The Chester Building will soon be demolished and construction for a new engineering building will begin this summer.

Because of this recent change, former tenants of the Chester Building have or are in the process of relocating to new locations on campus. Three units from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Science (CLASS) and the Psychology Department have had to switch locations — the Advising Center, Social Work and Anthropology Departments.

Barbara Hoffman, Professor and Director of Anthropology expressed the department’s frustration with the entire process. Hoffman explained the decision to move began last summer after the merge of the Anthropology,

Criminology, and Sociology Departments. However, faculty members were not aware of when or where their departments would move until December.

“First, it was suggested we move over the Christmas break, but there was no place to move us to, then over Spring break, which would have completely disrupted the students' courses, and there was still no place to move us to," Hoffman said.

Before winter break, they were told the move would happen at the end of the Spring 2016 semester. Anthropology is moving to the ninth floor of Rhodes Tower and the rest of the department will be on the 17th floor, according to Hoffman.The 9th floor of Rhodes Tower has been renovated to accommodate for this move, but these departments

are losing roughly 54 percent of their space. “The offices in Rhodes Tower are half the size of offices in Chester Building and the tiny slit windows don't open. The labs are smaller too,” Hoffman said.

Hoffman is also frustrated because they are required to be out the last day of the semester which means they have to put packing their offices on top of their workload.

"Why it couldn't wait one more week to allow us to complete the semester, calculate and submit final grades, and then pack? I don't know," Hoffman said. "What I do know is that yesterday, the construction company posted signs indicating that our stairwells will be inaccessible as of May 16, the day before grades are due, because they want to start

preparations for the demolition of Chester Building that week.”

Gregory Sadlek, dean of CLASS, said that the university plans on opening the new building in the spring of 2018. He also said the decision to remove the Chester Building is not a new idea.

“Throughout the academic year, these plans have been taking shape,” Sadlek said.

Social Work and Anthropology have relocated to Rhodes Tower 14th floor and 9th floor, respectively. After finals, the Psychology Department will be moving to the Union Building with offices on the second and sixth floor and lab space on the seventh. The CLASS advising center can now be found in Main Classroom 221.

By Caitlin Behrens

Chester Building occupants forced to move

Architects released an artists rendering of the new engineering building. The $46.2 million building is expected to open in spring of 2018.

Photo courtesy CBLH Design

CAULDRON CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »News5THE

May 3, 2016

Interview with the new president of SGA

The Cauldron talked to the winning

Student Government Association

(SGA) president, Malek Khawam,

about Students Serving Students’

campaigning process and their plans

for next year.

The Cauldron: What was the best part about campaigning for SGA and what was the worst?

Malek Khawam: The best part about campaigning was interacting with students and hearing what they love [and] hate about [Cleveland State University]. Those kinds of conversations excite us because it gives us an idea of what matters to people and allows us to create a plan of action. The worst part is playing politician. We were very forward with students that we were not trying to sell them something. It was also unfortunate to hear from students that SGA only wants to engage with students during election season. This is a very reasonable concern that students have and I think, in some cases, their frustrations were well founded. We are going to work diligently on addressing those issues so that SGA no longer holds that stigma.

TC: Do you think that your party will represent the students well?

MK: The reason we signed up is so that we can represent students. My biggest frustration with government, whether it be local, state, federal or student government, is that representatives are not representing the voices of the communities that they serve. Our party does not make ideological decisions based on our own experience. We would like to take a larger perspective into account when we make decisions. Additionally, I think that the group that we have has a broad network that will allow us to reach out to students so they can be actively involved.

TC: How do you feel about the students’ concerns and the

postponement of the results?MK: I think that Student Life

handled the whole situation very well. Students have every right to be concerned. Several students were concerned by the actions of some candidates and I was glad to see that students were defending the principles of the democratic process. Elections ought to be held transparently and fairly. It is our job to hear those concerns and make positive action from them. The postponement was aggravating for the candidates and students who were following the election very closely. However, I appreciate that Student Life took the time to listen to students and address their concerns.

TC: If you could redo the campaign process would you do anything differently?

MK: There were a couple changes in the election process from last year that were made because of a “perceived issue” and in trying to eliminate that “perceived issue,” it opened up the floodgates to several unforeseen issues. I don’t think that students should be badgered to vote and I don’t think it’s necessarily fair for candidates to be required engage

students in the physical act of voting. I think that candidates’ time should be spent badgering students about what they would like to see differently, or how they can help them. We are currently taking the steps to ensure that the elections will be conducted in the fairest and most transparent manner in the future.

TC: How do you plan to remove the stigma from SGA next year?

MK: Prepare to witness an SGA that is engaging students in a way that it has not in the past. In the first week of the Fall semester students can expect a Town Hall [meeting] to speak with SGA members to learn the following: what is SGA and what we are capable of, why did our members join SGA and what is important to them, what matters to students and what would they like to see happen on campus and in their classes and what kind of leaders do they expect and what is expected of SGA.

TC: What do you want to pass down to students campaigning in the following years?

MK: Don’t forget why you signed up and what SGA is for. SGA is an organization of individuals who are committed not to themselves, but to the public and the students that they represent. We are representatives whose purpose is to make the student experience better through advocacy of all students. Never forget the purpose in anything you do.

TC: Do you have any final remarks to the students?

MK: Please see us as a friend in the community whom you can seek when there is an issue that needs to be resolved. Let SGA be a vehicle of unity that will allow students to boast about Cleveland State. Power to the students.

By Abby Burton

"Prepare to

witness an

SGA that is

engaging with

students in

a way that it

has not in the

past."

Talks campaigning strategy, frustrations and changes to come

Students Serving Students President Malek Khawam (left), Secretary Olga Grech (center-left), Vice President Tyler Wilson (center-right) and Treasurer Sajan Singh (right).

Photo courtesy Tyler Wilson

CAULDRONTHE

CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »Sports6May 3, 2016

In last week's issue of The Cauldron I was able to accurately predict the first five picks of the NFL Draft. However, I did not see Laremy Tunsil dropping as far as he did. Once Ronnie Stanley was picked over Tunsil my mock draft fell apart.

Tunsil tumbles

Once projected as a No. 1 pick, Tunsil ultimately fell to the Titans as the 13th pick. A video of the linemen with marijuana-related paraphernalia was posted on Twitter 10 minutes before the draft, causing teams to question his character. It is still unclear how the video was posted at this time, but Tunsil falling in the draft had a positive impact on other players. Jack Conklin leapfrogged Tunsil on draft boards to become a Top 10 pick. This pick could be the steal of the draft if Tunsil does not let off-field problems affect his on-field performance.

Myles Jack’s knee health scares

potential teams

Myles Jack has been touted as the most talented player in this draft class. Unfortunately his knee injury caused him to fall out of the first round. There have been conflicting reports from several doctors on whether or not he will require surgery. He was too high-risk for teams in the first round. The Jacksonville Jaguars were able to draft him early in the second round. This could be a huge steal if Jack lives up to his potential.

Basketball to football? Rico Gathers

tries to make transition

The Dallas Cowboys selected Baylor basketball player Rico Gathers in the sixth round. Rico Gathers hasn’t been to a football practice since middle school. However when a player is 6'6 and 273 pounds, it is worth taking a shot to see what he can become. Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Julius Thomas are all great tight ends who played college basketball. Gathers will try to follow in their footsteps, and he’ll get to learn behind 10-time Pro Bowler Jason Witten.

Cleveland Browns multiply their

picks

After multiple picks traded — including their eighth overall pick — the Browns drafted a slew of individuals. Executive Vice President Sashi Brown managed to trade his way into having 14 picks this year, as well as several extra over the next two seasons. The team has put itself in a great position to stockpile picks and rebuild itself over the next few years. The Browns went heavy in pass catchers, drafting six wide receivers this year. The team needs to surround quarterback Robert Griffin III with playmakers. With wide receiver Josh Gordon gone for the time being, they need

these draft picks to step up. The most notable to me is Ricardo Louis. Louis is extremely physical, but has a history of dropping passes. The hope is that Hue Jackson and Al Saunders can develop his raw talent into a productive wide receiver. Unfortunately this draft will not be judged on who the Browns drafted, but rather on who they didn’t draft. When the team traded away the second pick, they gave up the chance to draft Carson Wentz. They also traded pick No.100 which was used on Connor Cook. If either of these two quarterbacks becomes a star, they will be forever labeled “the ones who got away”. The Browns also made a trade to acquire veteran cornerback Jamar Taylor. Taylor was originally a highly touted second round pick for the Miami Dolphins in 2013. The cornerback did not earn a starting spot and was largely considered a bust. This was a low risk, high reward move for the Browns. Hopefully Taylor will bounce back and be a great player for this rebounding franchise looking for answers.

Examining the 2016 NFL Draft

By Sean McDonnell

Revisiting pre-draft picks, reviewing Browns

The Browns used their irst pick of the 2016 NFL Draft to select wide receiver Corey Coleman from Baylor University — where he won the 2015 Fred Biletnikoff Award.

Photo courtesy nextstories.com

2016 NFL Draft Recap

Last Week's Mock Draft

in parentheses

1 Rams -Jared Goff

(Rams -Jared Goff)

2 Eagles -Carson Wentz

(Eagles -Carson Wentz)

3 Chargers –Joey Bosa

(Chargers –Joey Bosa)

4 Cowboys –Ezekiel Elliott

(Cowboys –Ezekiel Elliott)

5 Jaguars –Jalen Ramsey

(Jaguars –Jalen Ramsey)

6 Ravens –Ronnie Stanley

(Ravens –Laremy Tunsil)

7 49ers –Deforest Buckner

(49ers –Myles Jack)

8 Titans –Jack Conklin

(Browns –Ronnie Stanley)

9 Bears –Leonard Floyd

(Bucs –Deforest Buckner)

Browns Draft Picks

Pick number in parentheses

Corey Coleman WR (15)

Emmanuel Ogbah DE (32)

Carl Nassib DE (65)

Shon Coleman OT (76)

Cody Kessler QB (93)

Joe Schobert OLB (99)

Ricardo Louis WR (114)

Derrick Kindred FS (129)

Seth DeValve TE/WR (138)

Jordan Payton WR (154)

Spencer Drango OG(168)

Rashard Higgins WR (172)

Trey Caldwell DB (173)

Scooby Wright III ILB (250)

CAULDRONTHE

CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »7May 3, 2016 Sports

Finding a group of guys to play volleyball may seem stereotypically tough, but that is not the case at Cleveland State University.

CSU's men’s club volleyball team is relatively small, but that hasn't stopped them from competing. For just a small time commitment, they offer a bunch of tournaments and a lot of competitive volleyball.

Mike Hanson of the men’s volleyball team spoke highly of the opportunity that the team allows.

“It is a fun sport and many schools do not have a men’s volleyball team," he said. "So we try to give everyone that opportunity.”

There are very rarely any men’s volleyball teams at any level, especially high school.

Although some club teams and intramural squads exist, it seems to be the one sport lacking for men. Most men have never gotten to play

volleyball on a team competitively, but college offers a new opportunity.

The team does not require any previous experience.

“We encourage all guys, regardless of experience, to come and try out and have fun,” Hanson said.

While the team does pride themselves on recreation and having fun, they believe that competitiveness is the key to the experience.

“Games are usually fairly competitive, but we try to keep a balance of fun and seriousness in practices,” Hanson said.

Another aspect of the team that plays well into a college schedule is that there is not much travel involved. College athletes tend to miss a lot of class, but the volleyball team only competes against local colleges. And, as with any other club sport, they only compete on weekends.

“We play schools like Case

Western [Reserve University], Kent [State University], Baldwin Wallace [University] and a couple others in the area," Hanson said.

The volleyball team also prides themselves on their team culture and diversity. The team has a member from many areas at CSU and this creates a community on the court and in the classroom.

“Someone could find another student either to help tutor or find someone to study with because we have someone in almost every college,” Hanson said.

The most competitive part of the season does not start until the spring, so new members will have the fall to get better prepared for the tougher games.

“We play all year round, but we go to the national tournament in the spring semester, so it is a little more competitive then,” Hanson said.

At the national competition, the team has some lofty goals. They would like to qualify for the silver bracket at the competition.

For a team with such a small group of guys, they have to be on the court a lot, but Hanson said they go all-out during games and love the chance to play against such high-level competition.

By Matthew Johns

Volleyball offers community on, off court

"We try

to keep a

balance

of fun and

seriousness."

April 5, 2016May 3, 2016CAULDRON CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »Feature8THE

Bringing autism awareness to Cleveland

According to the Office of Disabili-ties, there are currently 35 students who attend Cleveland State University who have been diagnosed with autism — now formally known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Students who are in grade-school or college affected with ASD usually get diagnosed early in their childhood.

The diagnosis can be one of three different forms of Autism, which are known as Autism Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome and Pervasive Develop-mental Disorder — Autism Disorder being the most crucial case and Perva-sive being the least.

Jason Saintz, a CSU senior Film and Digital Media student, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 10.

He said the diagnosis seriously af-fected his social skills and friendships, especially in middle school.

“As a child I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of two and was also known to be very quiet,” he said. “Things only started getting worse and more serious for me when I was in middle school. At that age it was very hard for me to make friends and talk to people with my autism. I al-ways felt uncomfortable and found it difficult to build up the confidence to speak to someone other than family or advisors in school.”

Many who are affected by ASD or any other disability are likely to face obstacles in their academic careers, but can utilize resources on and off campus to receive guidance and sup-port to better work with — instead of against — their ASD.

ASD diagnosis

According to the Centers for Dis-ease Control and Prevention (CDC), any form of autism is a general term of complex disorders of brain develop-ment. Each type is characterized and

measured based off one’s difficulties in social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, leisure, play activities, intellect or in repetitive be-haviors.From birth to five years of age, chil-dren reach milestones in how they learn, play, speak and act. If there is a delay in any of these areas, that could be a sign of ASD or any other develop-mental disabilities.

Each of the three forms of autism are similar and all can be solely clas-sified as ASD, but each has different symptoms and impacts. Most symp-toms are usually found between the ages of two and three and are carried with a person throughout their life.

According to the newest data re-leased by CDC in March 2014, one in 68 children are diagnosed with ASD.

Boys have a one in 42 chance of di-agnosis and girls with a one in 189 chance, meaning boys are 4.5 times more likely to have ASD.

Based off information from profes-sionals on AutismSpeaks.org, in order to treat or properly care for children early on, it is recommended that the family of the child participates in an early behavioral intervention.

As a person with ASD gets older, treatment is still recommended in-side or outside of their home in order to better improve social and learning skills. However, those who start treat-ment early are more likely to over-come childhood struggles and carry on independently with their life in adolescent stages.

The ability of a person with ASD to attend and succeed in college is case-by-case. No student with ASD learns or socializes at the same pace as any other ASD student.

Office of Disability Services

Director of Disability Services at CSU Linda Casalina said the office is a place where students on campus with ASD can find help and guidance.

“Our main goal for students with ASD is that they understand what they have, find a voice and [we] teach them about life before, during and after col-lege,” she said. “We want to help the students organize their education and college life as well as [teach them] how to work well with other students.”

When working with students who are affected by ASD, specialists per-form one-on-one role-playing in order for students to better understand how to work with others.

They act out moments such as mak-ing appointments, engaging in conver-sations, learning personal space, time management and success coaching.

Specialists encourage students to

get involved in organizations they may be interested in on campus so they can engage themselves in student life and have more student interaction.

Students with disabilities also have the option to take tests from their courses in the Office of Disability in-stead of in the classroom.

To qualify for this, class instructors must know why the student has elect-ed to take tests elsewhere, but it is ultimately the student’s choice to dis-close their disability with a professor.

If the student does not wish to be separated from other students while testing and does not feel comfortable

By Briana Contreras

Understanding the lives of college students with ASD

“We want to help the stu-dents organize their education and college life as well as [teach them] how to work well with other students.”

“As long as students with Autism Spec-trum Disorder are getting the support they need through-out their early years of ado-lescents, they will continue to improve and move forward.”

»Feature9CAULDRON CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper

THE

May 3, 2016

telling the professor about their dis-ability, they don’t have to.

Legally, instructors are not re-quired to know if a student in their class is affected by ASD. According to Autismspeaks.org, it is based on the student’s confidentiality and whether or not they want instructors to be in-formed.

Casalina said many students with ASD in general are at average intelli-gence or above average, depending on what form they have. Although some may be very intelligent, most take lon-ger to graduate than others because it is important that they take the least amount of credit hours in the full-time range, in order to minimize frustra-tion and maximize success.“As long as students with [ASD] are getting the support they need throughout their early years of ado-lescents, they will continue to im-prove and move forward,” she said.

Living with ASD

Jason Saintz said dealing with ASD in his childhood made it difficult in creating new relationships and com-municating with others, but once he hit high school, things started to change.

“It was hard as a child making friends and feeling comfortable around others, but with the support from my family and brothers espe-cially, it made it much easier to gain more friends,” he said. “The work of advising during high school and mid-dle school didn’t help much. Advisors only covered what I already knew and really didn’t push me to do anything.”

It was after graduating high school and meeting his best friend — who he said made a large impact on his life — that he felt more comfortable with people.

He now takes advantage of his free time hanging out with friends, stay-ing active and playing sports. He also works two jobs related to film and camera work for TimeWarner sports and CSU’s Athletic Department.

Coming to CSU, Saintz said he re-ceived a lot of support and guidance from advisors, but over time, he has felt the need to meet up with advisors a lot less.

“I’ve come a long way from where I was earlier on as a person and stu-dent,” he said. “I still deal with trying to stay balanced, focused and priori-

tized in school, but I do it all on my own. As time goes on I need less help.”

For any naysayers, Saintz is proof students with ASD can enjoy a suc-cessful campus life. And he is not an isolated case.

David Petrovic, a 22-year-old Notre Dame of Ohio graduate also has a form of ASD. He has teamed up with his mother, Sandy Petrovic, in order to share their journey with ASD from each viewpoint and help people — with or without the disability — to understand ASD.

“David was diagnosed before the age of three and began receiving speech therapy immediately,” Sandy said. “He had challenges with com-munication and social skills, and he later needed occupational therapy for writing and other fine motor tasks. I believe that his early intervention made a huge difference in his growth, development, and outcome.”

According to David, as a child he struggled with all things involving so-cialization, including forming friend-ships. He learned differently and re-quired extra tutoring to understand certain concepts.

But thanks to many years of social skills therapy and the support of fam-ily and teachers, he’s gone above and

beyond even that which he thought was possible.

David has been involved in musi-cal theater from the age of six, which he said helped him make friends and progress socially. It has helped his communication, empathy and confi-dence, and it made him comfortable in his own skin. Choreography also helped improve his coordination.

Above all, David says he does not get discouraged and has worked hard to get where he is today.

“Organization is the foundation for my success,” he said. “I always prepare for change and I never procrastinate. With hard work and guidance, I grad-uated cum laude from Notre Dame College with a B.A. in Middle Child-hood Education.”

He plans to become a teacher so he can act as a positive role model in the lives of his students.

David and his mother also used their journey to coauthor a book called “Expect a Miracle: A Mother/Son Asperger Journey of Determina-tion and Triumph.” The book is avail-able online at barnesandnoble.com, buybooksontheweb.com and in print or eBook from amazon.com.

Spreading awareness

In order to educate those interest-ed in autism education, CSU offers an ASD introduction course (ESE 423).

The course teaches students about the characteristics children or adults with ASD hold and the training that is needed to help improvement. Prereq-uisite courses in special education are required to enroll and upon comple-tion students will receive a graduate certificate in ASD.

Events from the College of Educa-tion and Human Services are also held at CSU in order to provide workshops that teach others how work with all ages and levels of ASD.The Office of Disability also holds presentations every February during Disabilities Week in order to share on the emerging population.

Not only do universities try to edu-cate students and adults on ASD, but organizations like the Autism Society of Greater Cleveland (ASGC) strive to bring a community together in order to inform all citizens.

According to the president/CEO of the non-profit local affiliate Eileen Hawkins, ASGC educates the city of

Cleveland and many surrounding communities on how to fully under-stand ASD and the young children and adults it affects.

ASGC offers Autism 101 courses to anyone who wishes to be educated on what ASD is, how someone can be af-fected and how to work with the indi-viduals who have it.

“We have had a variety of people take this course from teachers, police force [and] firemen to your everyday individual,” said Hawkins.

ASGC also holds events like the annual S.T.A.R Summer Camp which brings individuals affected by ASD from ages three to 22 together with others who are not affected by the dis-ability ― in order to educate them and become role models to ones affected by ASD.

The summer camp is a three week event and takes place this year throughout the month of July.

Another event that is hosted by ASGC every year is the annual Chili Cook-off for Autism, which has been running for 11 year. The event takes place every year during the month of April (Autism Awareness Month).

Although Autism Awareness Month was just this past April, the fight around the world to keep all aware, raise funds and advocate for the needs of autism is still important everyday, especially for Hawkins.

“We not only strive to keep the com-munity aware of ASD and bring many together, but mainly to educate people on anyone who is affected with a form of ASD is no different than any of us,” added Hawkins.

“I always pre-

pare for change,

and I never pro-

crastinate. With

hard work and

guidance, I grad-

uated cum laude

from Notre Dame

College with a

B.A. in Middle

Childhood Edu-

cation.”

Advisors only covered what I already knew and really didn’t push me to do anything.”

CAULDRON CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »A&E10THE

CAULDRON CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »A&E10THE

May 3, 2016CAULDRON CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »A&E10THE

CAULDRON CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »10THE

Lighthouse Reading Series event draws crowd

The Cleveland State University Poetry Center held its last event for the Lighthouse Reading Series for the Spring 2016 semester and academic year Friday, April 29. The guests for the event — Philip Metres and Lauren Shapiro — read selections from their work to attendees.

CSU’s Poetry Center is an educational resource to students that has assistantship and internship opportunities and involves students in the literary publishing process.

The Poetry Center also publishes between three and five collections of poetry a year from writers outside CSU and the Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Program.

The Lighthouse Reading Series is a

series of readings put on by the Poetry Center. Prominent, published poets and essayists in the area come to CSU and read selections of their work.

Other writers that have spoken this year include Erin Belieu ("Infanta," "One Above & One Below"), Shane McCrae ("Mule," "The Animal Too Big to Kill") and Hannah Sanghee Park ("The Same-Different").

Shapiro, the author of “Easy Math” and “Yo-Yo Logic,” has a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University and a Master’s degree from The University of Iowa.

For “Easy Math,” she was awarded the Kathryn A. Morton Prize and the Debut-litzer Prize for Poetry. She currently teaches at Carnegie Mellon

University in Pittsburgh, PA. Shapiro began the event by reading

two poems from "Easy Math" — "They Promised Me a Thousand Years of Peace" and "I've Always Wanted to Say This" — and some of her newer work — "Unspoken Bond," "In Context," "The Workshop" and "Cleanse" — along with other works.

Metres, the author of “Sand Opera,” “A Concordance of Leaves” and “To see the Earth,” is a professor of English at John Carroll University. He has won numerous awards for his work, including five Ohio Arts Council Grants, the Watson Fellowship, the Creative Workforce Fellowship and the Cleveland Arts Prize.

Metres read selections from "Sand

Opera," including "Cellphone" and parts of "Hung Lyres." He also read "Vodka Proverbs," which was about some of his time in Russia and the influence of alcohol on his time there, and "When You Meet the Roma at the River."

Both writers were available after the readings to talk with students and other attendees as well as sign books, which were available for purchase.

For more information on the

Lighthouse Reading Series and a

constantly updated list of poets and

essayists who are scheduled to read,

visit www.csupoetrycenter.com.

Lauren Shapiro (left), author of "Easy Math," and Phillip Metres, the author of "Sand Opera," read selections from their work at the last event for the Lighthouse Reading Series for the

Spring 2016 semester.

By Morgan Elswick

Photo courtesy phillipmetres.comPhoto courtesy poetrysociety.org

Writers Phillip Metres, Lauren Shapiro read selections of work

May 3, 2016 A&E

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CAULDRON CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »11 MusicTHE

Besnard Lakes influenced by supernatural

Inspired by the 1960s, The Besnard Lakes are a Canadian band that play psychedelic foul rock. The band is promoting their recently released album, “A Coliseum Complex,” and

are celebrating 15 years together as a band, bringing their unique groove to the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern (15711 Waterloo Rd.) Saturday, May 7.

Named after a group of lakes in the rural Saskatchewan province in Canada, The Besnard Lakes’ title appears to suit them well. Their songs hearken back to the sounds of Todd Rundgren and Iron Butterfly and are similar to the vocals and melodies of more current acts Foster the People, Nothing but Thieves and the Strumbellas. The Besnard Lakes consists of husband and wife team Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas. Their vocals are paired with glittering, bright guitars on “A Coliseum Complex.” The titles of the songs for the album, like “The Bray Road Beast,” are inspired by the couple’s interest in the cryptozoological and supernatural, which explains the album’s gloomy yet light-hearted tone. On the band’s website, www.thebesnardlakes.com, Lasek said the

band visits the aforementioned lakes every summer for musical inspiration and to escape from the outside world. They even bring recording equipment to the lakes to record ideas for future songs. For Lasek, the late artist Prince remains an inspiration for him, as Prince’s signature falsetto convinced Lasek it was okay to sing with a higher pitch. Lasek even sports the artist’s “Love Symbol” tattoo. On the band’s website, Lasek also cites Fleetwood Mac and My Bloody Valentine as musical inspirations. A music video of the band’s single “The Plain Moon” has been recently released, and their album is available on streaming services such as Spotify. Tickets start at $12 and are available at www.beachlandballroom.com.

Canadian foul rock band The Besnard Lakes to play at Beachland Ballroom and Tavern.

By Roman Macharoni

Photo courtesy jagjaguwar.com

Tribute to award-winning musical artist Prince

For many, the last few months have been filled with the sad news of several influential musicians passing away at an alarming rate.

After losing musical pioneers David Bowie in January and Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister just before New Year’s Eve, the world has been shaken to its core at the loss of another influential person in modern pop music — the legendary Prince.

The artist known as Prince Rogers Nelson was found dead April 21 in his home in Chanhassen, Minnesota, at the age of 57.

The world is mourning Prince in several ways. Even Niagara Falls lit up purple soon after the announcement of his death. The Cauldron would like to take a moment to celebrate the one and only Prince, perhaps the most influential musician in recent memory.Redefining funk in the ‘80s and ‘90s and continuing to blur the lines

of pop, Prince won seven Grammy Awards and even an Academy Award in his lifetime. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

Commonly recognized as Prince’s most successful work, the single “Purple Rain” has sold more than 13 million copies since its debut in 1984. Released in the same year was the song “When Doves Cry,” a number one hit in the United States, Australia and Canada.

Prince has always been known for his extreme experimentation and melding various styles of music into his unique voice.

Additionally, Prince had one of the strongest work ethics in the business — boasting 39 studio albums, 13 EPs and an archive of hundreds of songs that remain unreleased to this day. One hopes these songs will be released by his estate, as many fans have been yearning for more of his music.

Prince was in the middle of his latest tour titled “Piano and a Microphone” at the time of his death. The title is fitting as it took little more than those

two objects for Prince to become immortal in the hearts of his fans.

By Roman Macharoni

Photo courtesy torontosun.com

American singer and songwriter Prince, widely known for "Purple Rain" and "When Doves

Cry," left us April 21. He will be missed by many.

Canadian foul rock band to visit Beachland Ballroom and Tavern

May 3, 2016

CAULDRONTHE

CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper 12 Music»May 3, 2016

Album Review: 'Views'Drake

"Views"

OVO Sound

By Elissa Tennant Let’s all just acknowledge a universal truth: Drake’s still got it. And he probably always will. However, “it” might be played out by now, and getting more repetitive by the day. Remember when Drake’s mixtape, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” came out? He pretty much pulled a Beyoncé and dropped it with zero announcement and zero promotion, as one does with mixtapes. And yet, everyone you knew was listening to “If You’re Reading This.” Everyone put it on their Snapchat story, people screenshotted their favorite songs and tweeted them out and the word of mouth promotion was through the roof. The entire world became a 24-hour Drake network. As a Marketing major, I’m here to tell you that’s called user generated content. And 80 percent of the time it’s a marketer’s dream. No money, no work needed. Just get the people so amped up they promote your music for you. However, with Drake’s newest studio album —an album, not a mixtape — the promotion couldn’t possibly have been more different. This time, the 24 hours of Drake was so corporate it was painful. Drake — or should I say his marketing team — basically took over Snapchat. They had sponsored ads in the Snapchat Discover stories. He also had his own Snapchat filter and his own Snapchat story, both viewable worldwide. To put that in perspective, it costs about $15 to “rent,” so to speak, a Snapchat geographic filter for a day for a small area, like a building. (Keep that in mind next time you throw a killer party. Just one small payment can buy you a Snapchat filter that you can personalize however and wherever you want for 24 hours. I once went to a house party where the guy who owned the place made a filter that said “Jake’s Birthday Bash,” or something like that, for $15 for the night. You're welcome.) Now, multiply that $15 Snapchat filter by how much it costs to cover the geographic area of the Earth and add in an entire, three-minute Snapchat story viewable by every person with the app on their smartphone. That price tag doesn’t come cheap. There’s also something lackluster about dropping a mixtape that everyone loves and knows (and makes constant memes of) with little to no promotion, and then entering the studio to write a full album and spending millions on corporate promotion. To top it off, “Views” is currently only available

via digital download and can only be streamed through Apple Music. Don’t get me started on exclusive streaming deals. They’re corporate bullshit. They punish people who pay for streaming and basically say, “Thanks for paying, but we’re going to need more money from you for another service with the same song selection — except we have the one album you want. Sorry not sorry.” What’s the point in paying for three different streaming services to get every possible album when you can pay for one service and torrent the exclusive album for free? Streaming deals hurt both the artist and the audience. All this particular streaming deal did was give Drake extra monetary support for promotion from Apple Music. They now have a vested interest in making sure everyone knows “Views” can only be streamed on their service. Drake has always been big on authenticity and “being real.” So when his album is hidden behind a corporate shroud, it loses a huge part of what makes Drake great. Besides the bad promotion and overall icy release vibes, the content on “Views” leaves something to be desired. Like I said, Drake’s still got it, but “it” might just be a whole verse rhyming the same word, followed by a millennial-centric reference to something like Uber or Snapchat, followed by everyone losing their collective minds because Drake is clearly a lyrical master. And before you argue with me, remember Drake’s single off the album, “Pop Style” literally says “Got so many chains / they call me Chaining Tatum.” Come on. That being said, I still love Drake. Everyone loves Drake, especially millennials. I have no problem bashing the cheesy parts of “Pop Style,” but I secretly can’t wait to post an Instagram photo of me and my girlfriends on a night out with the caption “All I do is

hang with the young and heartless.” He also hits the nail on the head with the album’s latest single, “One Dance,” a club banger with Afrocentric beats with potential to resonate transnationally. This track could be played in an underground club in Brazil or in an bedroom in Siberia and still have everyone up and dancing. It’s also sort of nice to see Drake trying to veer back into the emotional music that made him famous (and meme-able) after two mixtapes that lovingly showcased how rich and successful he is and how he has a big team that needs big rings. However, the emotional parts in "Views" have some gems, but are overall a miss. Being kind of sad about a girl and being trapped in his lonely head are about as far as Drake ventures into revealing his true feelings on “Views.” It’s a far cry from old, “Take Care” Drake and even from “If You’re Reading This” Drake. Instead, it’s somewhere in between, toeing the line between baring it all and hiding behind chest-puffs and eccentric claims of success. Drake is arguably in a genre of his own. Every track Drake has ever made sounds like a Drake song. You can pick out a Drake song from any other song just by listening to it. So at what point does Drake stop being one of the best rappers alive and instead becomes a caricature of himself, putting out emotionally hollow lyrics about themes he knows people want to hear? It might be now. And that’s worrisome. It seems the days of Drake firing back at Meek Mill’s disses with great tracks and declaring himself king of the world are over right as they started. Instead he’s giving interviews where he awkwardly describes the album in a clearly scripted speech and calls everyone he’s ever met in the music industry a total sweetheart. Overall, “Views” isn’t so much a triumphant return to the studio album scene. Instead, it sparks concern Drake might actually finally be jaded by his emotions, his past songs and his success. Instead of riding high off the success of “Views,” Drake needs to do what he’s been doing — release a mixtape immediately. We need an authentic, well-done mixtape with iconic Drake beats and lines, clearly lovingly made without excessive corporate promotion and exclusive streaming deals. Drake’s still got it. But the world needs confirmation if he wants to keep his seat on the throne at the top of the rap game. This isn't the best album Drake has ever dropped, but it still has classic Drake vibes, which is enough to remind us why we love him in the first place.

CAULDRON CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper 13 A&E »THE

May 3, 2016

Senior spotlight: Josh Fern

When senior Music Performance major Josh Fern began to play “big kid instruments” in fifth grade, it was Lisa Simpson who helped him decide which one to pick. “I decided pretty early I wanted to play flute,” he said. “Then it just

so happens that the night before I had to officially tell my teacher what instrument I wanted in band my dad turned on ‘The Simpsons.’ I decided right away that I had to be like Lisa Simpson.” From that moment on, Fern

imitated the saxophone-playing Simpson, and for the next 13 years he practiced for countless hours and days. All this rehearsing led Fern to complete his senior recital Tuesday, April 26 in Drinko Recital Hall. For his recital, Fern played pieces by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Fisher Tull, William Schmidt and others. He played tenor, alto and soprano saxophone in the extremely diverse range of music. “I chose those particular pieces because I thoroughly enjoy them,” Fern said. “I also thought they would provide a nice variety and demonstrate that even though I specialize in contemporary and avant-garde, I can bring versatility to the industry.” One of the most intriguing parts of the recital was a piece by Jacob Ter Veldhuis where Fern played with a recording in the background. Fern said this type of performance brought new challenges but also different excitement. “I think that most music is difficult

to some extent, [but] this particular piece was challenging in ways that most people wouldn't think about,” Fern said. “You get issues that you don't have with something like a traditional sonata. How do you keep each performance from being rigid since the ‘accompanist’ is identical each time? How do you follow cues like an electronic drum or someone speaking?” Aside from these troubles, Fern said this piece was one of the best to play. “In some ways it was the most fun to perform and even for people outside of music school it's really accessible and enjoyable to hear,” he said. Fern will be taking a break from school after graduation to make some money and prepare for graduate school auditions, but he doesn’t think his journey will ever end. “I'm planning to be 92, still playing the saxophone and getting better and better,” he said.

Senior Music Performance major Josh Fern held his senior recital Tuesday, April 26.

By Gregory Kula

Photo courtesy Josh Fern

CAULDRONTHE »Opinion14CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper May 3, 2016CAULDRON

THE »Opinion14

By Chelsea Johnson

Oftentimes today it is seen as "abnormal" for one of our friends' parents to actually still be together. As sad as it sounds, there is no denying divorce has become a commonly used method of marital problem solving in our society.

As college students, we always hear remarks like “Wait until after college to get married,” or “This is your time to be selfish, focus on you.” Only problem is, oftentimes the people saying these remarks are divorced themselves or they are in unhappy marriages and coasting through life with their partner, falling more and more out of love each and every day.

As a 20-year-old college student happily engaged to my high school

boyfriend, I find negative remarks towards young marriage irritating to say the least, especially when they come from people who aren’t necessarily living the marital dream themselves.

Getting married young is amazing for so many reasons, starting with the fact you both are not set in your own personal ways yet. When you’re young and getting established to work on building your future while building a strong relationship with your partner, you both learn the importance of give and take and are more willing to compromise.

Unwillingness to compromise is what often times breaks marriages, and yes, even the marriages you wait for until you are 27.

Waiting to get married just leaves more room for the “set in your ways” mindset to form. In addition to this, getting married young is inspiring because you both are working on your goals together and you can relate to each other on so many levels. My fiancé is a full-time college student too and we both work full-time jobs. We can handle balancing school, work, the purchase of our first home, wedding planning and simply spending quality time together.

Our marriage is destined to work because as a team, we make things work and can handle anything that life throws at us.

Getting married young is growing up with your best friend and hitting

all of your important milestones together. It is study sessions in your brand new home, late night talks about where you futures might take you and the wonderful feeling you get when you realize you are the luckiest person in the world to have been able to find your soulmate so young in life.

Now, I am not saying everyone should go out and get married in college, but what I am saying is it's not as bad as society makes it out to be. Sometimes you just know and quite frankly, despite what people typically say, getting married young rocks.

Chelsea Johnson is a junior

Psychology major at CSU.

Despite what you hear, getting married young rocks

Having a great relationship and a plan are key components to a marriage

CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper

By Kevin McGhee

By now, I’m sure you have all heard of North Carolina’s controversial House Bill 2, otherwise known as the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act.

This bill bans individuals from using public bathrooms that do not correspond to their biological sex.

Most interestingly — or perhaps most disgustingly, depending on how you look at it — is the bill also contains language that strips North Carolina workers of the ability to sue their employers under a state anti-discrimination law. The right to fight against discrimination in the workplace has been soiled by this bill. The language in the bill states: “[No] person may bring any civil action based upon the public policy expressed herein.”

This puts workers who wish to seek redress for discrimination in a position where they have to take up their case within the federal system, where time constraints and certain guidelines put the squeeze on workers. Under federal law, fired

workers have just 180 days to file a claim, whereas they would have three years in North Carolina state court.

This bill is an anthology of discrimination. You can’t defend this, right? Especially after the enormous backlash it has received? Well, people have tried.

North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore defended the bill by saying, "One of the biggest issues was about privacy. The way the [anti-discrimination] ordinance was written by City Council in Charlotte, it would have allowed a man to go into a bathroom, locker or any changing facility, where women are — even if he was a man. We were concerned. Obviously there is the security risk of a sexual predator, but there is the issue of privacy."

Obviously, somebody was concerned. Businesses were concerned. Your bill has caused more than 400 businesses and organizations to come out against it, and several businesses and organizations, such as PayPal, have gone the extra mile and

boycotted your state. This has lost North Carolina millions of dollars.

Musicians and performers have canceled shows because of this bill. Other countries have had to put out travel warnings for those intending to travel to the United States because of this bill. Politicians have forbidden work travel for government employees in response to this bill.

One has to begin to question whether or not all of this was worth it, right? Gov. Pat McCrory has yet to question that, apparently. In an appearance on “The Kelly File” April 28, he found himself having to defend the bill on the spot.

“I don’t even know why we’re talking about this. This is not an issue that I started. This is an issue the left started, not the right,” McCrory said. “And it’s not just women’s bathrooms; it’s boys’ bathrooms.”

Oh, Pat. This was never about bathrooms for you. Even if it was, the facts are against you. Chris Sgro, the executive director of Equality NC, has come out and stated “There have

not been any public safety issues in those other communities [with LGBT-friendly laws].” Politifact rated his claim, rating it mostly true, saying “We haven’t found any instances of criminals convicted of using transgender protections as cover in the United States. "

I hope you keep this in mind in November, Pat. If you lose re-election, you know exactly who to blame —yourself. To give everyone equal opportunity and the freedom to live their life the way they want to live it is not a left or right issue. It is on all of us to make that a reality for one another.

Perhaps losing your seat as governor would open your eyes to this fact. Maybe then you’ll know exactly why we are all so up in arms about this.

Kevin McGhee is a freshman Political

Science and Journalism & Promotional

Communication double major at CSU.

North Carolina’s HB-2 is discrimination in a billThe Privacy and Security Act does more harm than good

May 3, 2016

CAULDRONTHE

CSU’s Alternative Student Newspaper »Opinion15

By Elisabeth Weems

Tamir Rice's family deserves betterCleveland Police Patrolmen remarks insensitive

For our society to flourish, powerful institutions must be monitored by the press on behalf of the public. Otherwise, dangerous consequences of their decisions will go unchallenged.

It is the duty of the journalist, who advocates for the exposure of truth, to hold these institutions accountable for their actions.

These powers that be include corporations, governments and higher education institutions. They at times don’t share the transparent truth with the public because the truth has the power to undermine reputations and compromise profits.

Rather than being spoken to directly by those whose input we seek, student journalists are often given prepared scripts by media relations managers and university spokespeople who answer on behalf of their employer.

Institutions of the higher education sector are now run like businesses, and they focus more on maximizing

profits than the cultivation of intellect. The average tuition rate for a full-time student attending a four-year, public university has nearly tripled in the last 25 years. Going to college has become a debt sentence.

Instead of supporting adjunct faculty and improving preexisting programs, universities invest in new buildings to publicly decree progress and attract donors. Instead of recognizing and trying to alleviate the financial burden that students face, universities contract private companies that sell overpriced food, housing and books.

The normalization of students’ expectations to graduate with exorbitant amounts of debt is outrageous. We pay tens of thousands of dollars for tuition costs and fees, and we deserve to know exactly where that money is going.

Institutions of higher education are not businesses and their loyalty

should be to the students, not to its own financial welfare. However, if our government prioritized spending more money on education and less on wars, perhaps universities wouldn’t be forced into operating like corporations.

So few students, if any, completely understanding the inner workings of the complex higher education system. The role of student journalists is particularly vital to our country because they function to unveil and report information on behalf of the student population.

In an ideal society, student journalists should be welcomed by these powerful institutions, which are intended to foster an enlightened atmosphere and cultivate curiosity. However, student journalists are commonly stonewalled when seeking information.

We are taught in rudimentary journalism classes to question

authority, but authority does not always answer our questions.

Students who pose these questions are often regarded as meddlesome, but we are simply expressing our constitutional freedoms to access and expose information.

Faculty and staff, who are also employees of the university, are reluctant to share the transparent truth due to potentially putting their jobs in jeopardy. The inability to share information freely is unhealthy for educational democracy and results in the stifling of the truth.

We must demand transparent answers to issues such as the high costs of meal plans, dorms, tuition allocations and the elimination and underfunding of programs. We students must refuse to be silent.

Elisabeth Weems is a junior

Journalism & Public Communication

major at CSU.

Recently, Tamir Rice has been making headlines. For those who do not remember, Rice was the child who was shot and killed by rookie patrolman Timothy Loehmann back in November 2014. The shooting happened outside of Cleveland Cudell Recreation Center for possession of an airsoft replica of a pistol. Though this was definitely a case of murder and police brutality, the officer was not convicted for any charge presented in court because he “had to bear a heavy burden and must live with what happened,” according to The Washington Post. While the family mourned, the police department sat back and enjoyed the fruits of their labor — getting away with killing another African-American citizen of Cleveland.

Surprisingly, he was not in the

media for being a “thug” or the various racial profiling mechanisms used in cases of police brutality, but rather for a $6 million settlement by the City of Cleveland. Though I believe no amount of money will ever be able to take away the pain his family faces nor will this ever amount to what this 12- year-old boy’s life was worth, it is a semi-positive step forward.

That is, until the president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen, Steve Loomis, opened his insensitive and privileged mouth. When the settlement was released, he stated that the money should be used toward educating the youth on the dangers of possessing a real or replica firearm.Though this would be a beneficial according to the City of Cleveland’s official website, Cleveland already has programs to this extent. This includes

the “Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program,” which Cleveland’s own police officers present a video and teach students about the dangers of firearms and what to do if they find one, which obviously is not good enough for Cleveland Police.

So why would someone suggest we should develop programs we already have and, honestly, could improve them? Because Cleveland Police do not want to take blame, not only for shooting a 12-year-old boy down within two seconds of exiting the vehicle, but waiting four minutes after shooting him to let an FBI agent trained as a paramedic begin to perform first-aid on the kid.

According to The Washington Post, in response to the comments made, Rice family attorney Subodh Chandra stated, “Loomis’ comments managed

to blame the victim, equate the loss of life of a 12-year-old child with officers facing public scrutiny for killing that child and demand money from the victim’s family.”

I am in full agreement with Chandra. When was it ever OK to keep antagonizing the family of a victim?

The City of Cleveland should just give the Rice family their generic settlement money, and Cleveland Police need to leave the family alone unless they are willing to apologize for their wrongdoings, serve justice or both.

Mary-Elizabeth is a freshman Social

Studies and History double major at

CSU.

By Mary-Elizabeth Nazimiec

The importance of transparency in universities

Students deserve to be included in the truth

May 3, 2016