A brief interview with BGSU alumni, Katelyn Murtha, about life post-graduation: audio clip
Tags: alumni, bgsu, bgsualumni, college, education, jobs, postgraduation, students
A brief audio story that demonstrates a students expectations for life after graduation and the harsh reality of the difficulties many post-graduate students face looking for jobs: audio project
Tags: bgsu, education, jobs, postgraduation
Economy has left many BG students with no job
By: Emily Loss
A downturn in economy has led to many college students reporting having a hard time finding a part-time job.
Recently there was a jump in the number of people who aren’t working and who aren’t actively looking, but who would like to find a good job, according to a story in The New York Times.
While the region’s unemployment figures reached 13 percent in 2009, they are now down to 9.3 percent – still above the state unemployment rate of 7.6 percent, and the national rate of 8.3 percent, according to a story in the Sentinel-Tribune.
Students in Bowling Green say they are feeling this pressure as they hunt for jobs.
Lack of free time, a car and experience are all common problems, students say, when it comes to job-hunting in a college town, and most students say they have experienced at least one of these setbacks during their searches.
When applying to part-time jobs, students suggest that knowing someone in the field plays a large role in who gets the job.
“I got a great job through a family friend,” said Sarah Robarge, a junior from Toledo studying to be an intervention specialist.
Robarge has to travel to Toledo three times a week for her financial secretary job at Mercy College. She is paid well, but the downside, she says, is the 30-minute drive. She took the job for fear of not finding anything in Bowling Green.
Lindsey Gedert, a sophomore from Lima, Ohio, studying psychology, has heard that to find a job you need to apply to many places, but she disagrees.
“I applied to many on-campus jobs because I do not have a car, but only found one when my mom’s friend in admissions contacted me and said she had a spot for me,” said Gedert.
Many students do not have jobs, or have lost their jobs for various reasons.
Brett Yungmann, a freshman from Deshler, Ohio, studying mathematics said that his friend was upset because he had been promised his job when he returned for school, only to come back and find they had no spot for him.
Yungmann said his friend has been looking for a new job for the entire school year only to be constantly let down because of conflicts with classes, or lack of job experience.
Rusty Hafner, a junior from Columbus, Ohio, studying psychology, also can’t find a job and has had to turn to his parents for money.
“I hate having to ask my parents for money. I’ve had a job since I was 16 so it doesn’t make any sense why I can’t find a job here at school,” Hafner said.
Some students say their class schedules are just too busy for them to be able to fully commit to a job.
“Take all your classes in the morning so your evening is open to work. Or do the opposite, work in the morning and take your classes in the afternoon or evening,” suggests Nick Lishewski, a senior, from Sylvania Ohio, studying sports management.
Bryan Taylor, a sophomore from Columbus, Ohio, studying accounting, seems to have a positive outlook on the job situation in Bowling Green. He said that students should not give up yet.
“Don’t stop trying. A lot of people get discouraged and just fall back on their parents for money, but if you apply yourself you should be able to find something,” Taylor said.
By Tori Simmons
Students at Bowling Green State University can mostly agree that privacy on the Internet no longer exists.
Students use the World Wide Web daily for various tasks that include social media sites, online periodicals, or researching information on search engines. What most students don’t know is what they search on the Internet is monitored and shared among multiple services to view, according to an article in The New York Times.
Private companies have developed sophisticated technology to monitor and track online users, and sell their personal information to other services, according to Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.
BGSU students were quick to demand more privacy from companies while they use the Internet. Some students thought that a company’s ability to access online user data as invasive and unethical.
“Just because companies have the ability to access it, doesn’t mean they have the right to,” Stephan Haluska said a senior music composition major from Strongsville, Ohio.
Jessica Stephens, a junior middle-childhood education major from Lyndhurst, Ohio, said that there is no reason for private companies to compile information about online users.
“It is a complete invasion of privacy for companies to have this information about people who use the Internet,” she said.
Some students refrain from using social media sites, such as Facebook, because of their fear of their personal information being exploited on the Internet.
“Personally, I wouldn’t like to be on Facebook. It’s annoying because everyone can see your personal information,” said Allie McHugh, sophomore gerontology major from Centerville, Ohio.
Another issue that some students have with social media sites is the overflow of advertisements on the website. McHugh said that the constant advertisement on social networking sites is annoying, and they invade the privacy of people who are just trying to enjoy social media websites.
Some students are divided over the idea of potential employers using social networking sites for more information on students.
Kathryn Sprague, a sophomore marine biology major of Hebron, Ohio, said that employers need to know what kind of person they are hiring. Sprague believes that employers have the right to search social media sites when looking for employees.
“If I was an employer, I would do it to all of my employees,” Sprague said.
Ryan Evarts, a junior middle-childhood education major of Rossford, Ohio, disagreed with the idea of employers using social networking sites to gather information on potential employees.
“Social networking sites are private, and it should not be used against a future employee,” Evarts said.
Some employers are even asking for potential employees’ usernames and passwords for social media sites according to a story in The Huffington Post. Although, some students believe that having the user names and passwords for social media sites aren’t necessary for employers to find information online.
“It’s too easy for people to access information online, but I think users should be more careful about what they post online,” said Sprague.
Waiting for a Family
By Kendra Caudill
Most BGSU students feel that it is important to wait until they are older and financially stable to get married and have children.
According to an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution the rate of teenage mothers is dropping. In 1990, 13 percent of births were to teens and 9 percent were to women over 35. In 2008, 14 percent of newborns were born to mothers age 35 and older, and 10 percent were born to teenage mothers.
Many students feel that it is important to get an education and have a solid foundation before starting a family. An article from Fosters.com features the opinions of Gretchen Livingston and D’vera Cohn, authors of the PRC’s report, believe that more women are waiting to have children so they can focus on their education and career goals.
Some students feel that waiting is a great choice. Most of them know someone who has a child or someone that is already married. The students feel that the people with children have a hard time with finishing their education or reaching their financial goal.
Emily Meece, 19, of Pemberville, Ohio, an undeclared major, said her sister has a child. She said that since her sister has a child her sister’s life seems to be much harder, and that money is tight for her sister.
“I think it’s better to wait because you’re more responsible and more mature,” said Ashley Birch, 21, of Bryan, an international study major.
There are also the students who agree with waiting because they feel kids are a lot of work.
Mallary Means, 20, of Cincinnati, an education major, “I don’t plan on ever having kids!” she said “That is why I’m an education major, because I can send them home.”
Some students said they would date people who had different viewpoints as them or who had children already. They said that it just depends on the person and their connection.
Bruce Rader, 21, of McComb, a construction management major said, “I just wouldn’t put myself in that situation.”
Steven Malloy, 19, of Toledo, majoring in Psychology, “It all comes down to personal preference and the goals we set for ourselves,” he said.
BGSU students overwhelmingly agree that sweatshop labor is a problem and the subjugation of people to create cheap goods is wrong.
A sweatshop is defined by Merriam Webster as a shop or factory in which employees work for long hours at low wages and under unhealthy conditions.
According to the New York Times, a Chinese company called Foxconn has come under fire in the past few months for the alleged poor treatment of its workers.
Foxconn is a major electronic supplier for companies including Apple, Dell, HP and many others. At the company’s Apple factories, there have been multiple explosions which have killed four and injured hundreds. There have also been 17 worker suicides at the factories, leading the company to install anti-suicide nets.
“It’s a really sad situation that as a capitalist society we’ve put ourselves into,” said Chelsea Burden, a social studies education major from Sidney, Ohio. “Most people don’t want to pay more for a good, so they would sacrifice strangers they don’t know.”
Many students recognized the issue at hand as well their involvement.
“We’re buying their products, so we’re contributing to the problem,” said Sarah Weaver, a junior from Cincinnati studying sports management.
A few students had heard a little about the Apple factories, while others had not heard anything at all. This led some to say that the media has a role to play and is partly to blame.
Ashley Drachenberg, a senior sociology major from Cleveland, and Stevie Brown, a freshman visual communications major from Centerburg, Ohio, both said that these types of issues are important and the media does not give them the attention or coverage that they deserve.
One student said that while conditions are bad in some places, they are bound to improve. Citing The United States as evidence, Drachenberg said that sweatshop labor and poor working conditions were widespread, but over time conditions have improved.
However, one student was less optimistic.
“It won’t change, corporate businesses will find the cheapest way to make something,” said Francisco Cardenas, a senior visual communications technology major from Genoa, Ohio. “They don’t care about human life.”
Luke Stoll, a sophomore studying environmental health from Orville, Ohio, brought the materialism of modern society into question. “Unemployment is high, and when human rights are being degraded, people need to ask themselves ‘why do we need these things?”
Most students expressed concern and a desire to change something, but either felt unsure or unable.
Many said that they would consider changing what and where they buy with some more knowledge about how things were produced.
“If I knew more about the process of the way a product was made and there was an alternative, I would change my purchasing habits,” Burden said.
But there are other factors that weigh on some peoples decision, like style and appearance.
Tony DiMartini, a sophomore studying to become a physician’s assistant, admitted that he wears a lot of Nike despite knowing the company’s reputation for sweatshop labor. DiMartini said that he does not agree with sweatshop labor, and it is up to the companies to change.
“If more people knew about this, then Wal-Mart’s sales would go definitely go down, but there are still people who would save an extra few dollars and wouldn’t care,” Cardenas said. “I would rather pay the extra money for a product made in any place with better labor rights.”
By: Aimee Hancock
When it comes to birth control, many Bowling Green State University students agree that it is an important option for women and that they should have easy access. Yet there are disagreements regarding the payment.
This debate has become a hot issue in Washington after the Obama administration’s decision to require insurance plans to cover the cost of birth control. According to an article on MSNBC.com, women who are insured will be able to receive contraceptives with no required copayment.
While some students support this mandate, others have a different opinion. For instance, Senior Emily Fairbanks, 23, believes that mandated full coverage is simply “unnecessary” and that if women want the product they should have to purchase it themselves.
Sophomore, Bailey Bloch, 19, pointed out that many insurance companies cover the cost of Viagra for men, so the coverage of birth control can be considered just as necessary.
The mandate does not make an exception for religiously affiliated employers, according to the Huffington Post. This has generated much disagreement from religious communities. Republican John Boehner has been quoted as calling this mandate an “attack on religious freedom,” according to an article on ABCNews.com.
Yet many students see this accusation as a bit extreme. BGSU freshman Kevin Storer, 19, said, “The government concedes to religion all the time”.
Twenty-year-old sophomore Rachel Schirra, a friend of Storer, agrees. She said, “What happened to separation of church and state?”
There are also disagreements in whether or not this topic should be of such magnitude in regards to politics. Rachel Schirra, 20 and a sophomore, said that politicians, specifically the GOP candidates, should be focusing on more important issues. Storer said that the opinions of candidates on this issue would not affect whom he voted for.
Furthermore, given that this has been a big subject in politics, many students believe that there must be understanding and compromise from both sides. Sophomore Brice Tarbox, 19, said that within the “arena of politics” there needs to be “give and take”.
The NCAA profits from the billion-dollar industry of college sports. However, college athletes do not receive any money from the sports they play.
People around the country are questioning whether or not college athletes should be paid and it is no different in Bowling Green.
Bowling Green State University students were divided in determining whether paying college athletes is a good idea. Some students said college athletes should not be paid due to scholarships and free schooling. Others said athletes should be paid because of the time commitment it takes to be a college athlete.
According to a story on ESPN, the NCAA and CBS/Turner Sports have a deal worth $10.8 billion for broadcasting the NCAA March Madness tournament from 2011 to 2024.This contract is to cover three weekends of basketball per year. The NCAA also has a deal with ESPN worth $500 million for the coverage of BCS football bowl games.
On top of that, the value of scholarships for college athletes falls $3,500 short of the average annual cost to attend college, according to a story in The New York Times.
Mixed feelings surfaced among University students and questions were quickly asked about the fairness of the NCAA profiting from college athletes.
“It is unfair the athletes are not getting what they deserve,” said Ben Hackworth, a sophomore human development and family studies major from Defiance, Ohio. He believes that athletes should be getting some sort of compensation for their efforts and time commitment into college athletics.
However, Ethan Byrum, a junior marketing major from Cincinnati, thinks the NCAA is fine in what it is doing.
“It’s all about the money. If the NCAA makes money off of the athletes, good for them,” Byrum said.
Byrum believes that the NCAA has all the power and should be the ones who determine whether or not the athletes get paid. There are rules and regulations for this sort of thing and it has nothing to do with the fairness of profiting from athletes.
Many students did not know how the payment of athletes should be broken down. They questioned if only the best athletes should get paid or if only the athletes in the money-making sports of football and basketball should get paid. However, most students did not believe either proposition to be the solution.
Caitlin Buelsing, a sophomore business major from Cincinnati, thinks all athletes should receive payment, even if only a few athletes are performing well or getting recognition from sports fans.
“It should be split evenly because it takes a team to do anything, not just one person,” Buelsing said.
Some students believed that paying college athletes could change the face of college sports forever. Students had many ideas on the changes that paying college athletes would bring to sports and what athletes might do if they began receiving payments.
Matt Pence, a sophomore early childhood education major from Centerville, Ohio, thinks paying athletes would bring negative results. He believes that paying athletes would be keeping them from experiencing the college atmosphere and college life.
“It would be like a job for them and not a college experience. It wouldn’t be any different from the NFL or NBA,” Pence said.
Some students made suggestions on how to solve the debate and how to fairly pay athletes. The students wanted a resolution to the issue.
“Universities should pay the athletes by the amount a regular student would make working on campus,” said Kenny Rodgers a senior biology major from Grand Rapids, Ohio. “Create a minimum wage and pay the athletes by the amount of hours they spend on the field practicing. Like a job.”
Tags: bgsu, college athletes, college athletics, NCAA
BGSU student’s opinions on same sex marriage
Amber Hage-Ali
BGSU students expressed the need for a reformation of the traditional, one man and one woman, definition of marriage, to include all people-gay and straight.
Currently, there are only six states that grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples-Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont-and just recently both Maryland and Washington passed bills to begin the process of legalizing same-sex marriages.
There is a great divide between people for and against the issue. However, the majority of BGSU students expressed pro-same sex marriage attitudes.
”I think same sex marriage should be legal. I believe each individual church can have the right not to marry anyone, but at the same time I feel like everyone should have access to equal rights and equal ceremonies,” said Patti Boring, a women studies major from Perrysburg, Ohio.
Students are not the only people expressing pro-same sex marriage attitudes. Just recently the Starbucks in Seattle released a statement advocating the company’s support for the legalization of same-sex marriage, outraging many people who are opposed to the issue. In response to the company’s statement the National Organization for Marriage launched a website to promote a boycott against Starbucks; dumpstarbucks.org.
BGSU students identified religion as one of the main concerns raised by those opposed to the legalization of same sex marriage arguing that biblical scriptures state marriage should be between one man and one woman.
Mackenzie Bryant, a graphic design student from Sylvania, Ohio said her religious beliefs do not interfere with her political decisions.
In efforts to protect the traditional definition of marriage but still offer same sex couples its legal benefits, some states grant civil unions as an alternative. However, according to the National Organization of Women, civil unions provide only a fraction of the benefits as marriage, none of which are recognized at a federal level.
“Everyone should have equal access to marriage. I don’t think the state should be offering marriage nor should it be allowed in a church if it is not going to be accessible to everyone. A civil union is not a fair replacement” said Anjelica Armendriz, a grad student majoring in literature and textual studies from Detroit, Mich.
Marriage offers more than just financial benefits and legal protections; it legitimatizes a relationship and demonstrates a higher level of commitment. The social implications marriage has on one’s mental well-being can be detrimental to one’s health said BGSU students.
Student’s said civil unions only reinforced marginality in society by treating same-sex couples as second class citizens.
“I don’t think anyone has the right to deny people. Civil Unions are the same separate but equal thing we went through with the Jim Crow laws. It’s not really equal it’s just separate,” said Patti Boring.
Kelley O’Brien, a creative writing and women studies major from Fremont, Ohio expresses a similar opinion. O’Brien doesn’t think a civil union is fair. If same-sex couples want to have a church ceremony they should be able to. Denying someone the right to marry is ridiculous.
Tags: 2012 election, bowling green state university, college students, LGBTQ issues, same sex marriage, starbucks
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