DAILY KENT STATERWednesday, March 30, 2011 • The independent student newspaper of Kent State University • Weather: Flurries, HI 37, LO 28

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First practice relieves his first-day jitters

Lance Lysowskillsowsk@kent.edu

Daily Kent Stater

Kent State coach Darrell Hazell’s first morning of spring football practice began differently than the mellow tempered coach is accustomed to.

The Flashes’ first-year head coach woke up at 4:09 a.m. Tues-day, feeling both nervous and anx-ious for his first day of practice.

Hazell rolled back and forth in bed until he gave up on sleeping. A rush of thoughts overcame him.

What does he have to tell his football team that lost 11 players on the defensive side of the ball? What was his plan for his first day con-ducting a team that lost three of its last four games to end last season?

“I don’t know what was going on…It was a bit of excitement,” Hazell said. “There are just so many things going through your head. That was a little unusual.”

Once the Flashes lined up for practice in the Kent State Fieldhouse, Hazell looked anything but anxious.

He paced around the field as the team practiced non-contact drills, observing his new coaching staff working with every position.

Hazell, who primarily coached Ohio State’s wide receiving corps for the past five seasons, was not used to coaching every player on

the football field.But it did not show.As the voices of assistant

coaches reverberated throughout the building, Hazell was quiet through half of Tuesday’s session. The coach simply walked around to get to know his players. He observed his coaching staff and how his new team played.

“Early in practice, I wanted to see the (assistant coaches) coach-ing them and seeing how the guys responded,” Hazell said. “It was good to be able to roam around and see how every position moved.”

While the drills were non-contact, Kent State’s experienced offense was on display. Junior quarterback Spencer Keith and his likely top competitor for the starting job, senior Giorgio Mor-gan, struggled on their first day running Hazell’s offense.

Balls sailed behind or ahead of receivers who were running their routes. Both showed veteran poise in the pocket, but Hazell said the competition is wide open as spring practices are underway.

“It’s going to be an interest-ing process to watch those guys,” Hazell said. “It’s not only physi-cal, but it’s how much they can understand and implement.”

The first day was as casual as can be expected. Players were wearing helmets and ran around on the turf with shorts and prac-tice jerseys, but Hazell did not need pads to stress his first lesson to the team-tempo.

Maura Zurickmzurick@kent.edu

Daily Kent Stater

Brady Ruffer, Delta Sigma Phi president, said he is hoping the first Sexual Assault Awareness Week will eliminate the negative associations with fraternities.

“My head, Greg Jarvie, the vice president for Enrollment Manage-ment and Student Affairs, talked to me about doing something for sexual assault awareness,” Ruffer said. “It is a really important issue in a campus setting. It’s a chance for fraternity men to stand up and try and change something.”

In a letter to Kent State frater-nity members, Jarvie said women have a one in six chance of being sexually assaulted, and college women are four times as likely to be assaulted. Jarvie wrote he is hoping that people will participate in this week’s events and make a stand against sexual assault.

Michquel Penn, community resource officer for the Kent State Police Department, said sexual assault victims don’t often speak out.

“I can only speak for KSUPD, and we do not handle very many incidents that have occurred here on campus, which is great,” Penn said. “However, sexual assault and similar offenses are common-ly under-reported.”

Ruffer, senior integrated social studies major, is the creator and organizer for the week’s events. Delta Sigma Phi brothers, other Greek organizations and the gen-eral public can attend.

The first event, called Turn-ing Boys into Men, is Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Michael Schwartz Center auditorium. Ruffer said the organization Men Can Stop Rape is instructing the event. He said it is an interactive workshop that will train and strengthen members to help fight and prevent sexual assault. The event is free and open to all students.

Brad Tanseybtansey@kent.edu

Daily Kent Stater

Quinton Rainey had a headache when he lined up in his position last season against Toledo.

The previous play, Rainey, a for-mer defensive lineman for Kent State, was playfully hit on the helmet by one of his linebacker teammates who was trying to get amped up for the upcoming play.

“When he hit me, I didn’t feel all there,” Rainey recalled. The hit gave Rainey a funny feeling. His head didn’t hurt too badly, but something inside him said he wasn’t right.

As the offense broke the huddle, Rainey lined up in his three-point stance. As Toledo’s quarterback hand-ed the ball off to the running back, Rainey pursued the ball carrier. Rain-ey and his teammates conjoined on the tackle, smashing into each other on the play. Rainey’s head instantly hurt.

“The next thing I know, the play started,” Rainey said. “I didn’t even remember the play starting.”

That’s when the nightmare began. Rainey, a 5-foot-10 235-pound Virginia Beach, Va., native, had an ordinary head-ache. On a scale of one to 10, Rainey rated the initial headache at about a four.

He had a concussion. A concus-sion is typically an acceleration-

ROBERT GAUTHIER | MCT CAMPUS

USG ANNOUNCES FLASHFEST LINEUP:BRUNO MARS HEADLINES

Former defensive lineman discusses effects of concussion

Week dedicated to raising awareness about sexual assault

Anthony Dominicadomini1@kent.edu

Daily Kent Stater

Bruno Mars will headline FlashFest, Kent State’s annual music festival, the week before finals. The Grammy award-winning singer will be joined by powerpop band We The Kings and British rapper Plan B.

Jeff Hammond, director of Undergradu-ate Student Government Programming, made the announcement on a TV2 broad-cast Tuesday. Students had mixed reactions.

“I would like to see a little more diversi-ty,” said Michael Zickefoose, freshman geol-ogy major. “All the bands are sort of poppy.”

Dylan Sonderman, sophomore Eng-lish major, said he couldn’t be less excited about the lineup.

“We The Kings are for middle school girls,” Sonderman said. “I want good rock.”

On the other end of the spectrum, Steph-anie Taylor, freshman public relations major, said she likes this year’s artists and expects they will draw a lot of attention.

“Many people listen to Bruno Mars because he is featured on the radio, but not as many people know We The Kings,” Taylor said. “It will attract those in the student body who don’t listen to mainstream music.”

Taylor said she plans on attending if she can afford a ticket, as students will have to pay to attend this year’s festival — a first for FlashFest. Hammond said the charge is because the main part of the concert will be held in the M.A.C. Center, which will require tickets. Hammond also noted that MTV set

up its own stage for last year’s festival, which was held entirely on Manchester Field.

“We know it’s a student concert, but the charge will only be $5,” Hammond said. “It’s just because it’s indoors, and we’ll have to monitor tickets.”

Hammond said before the main concerts begin, there will be games and activities in Manchester Field. Local bands, including the runner-up of USG’s battle of the bands, will also perform in the field. The winner of the battle of the bands will be opening the show in the M.A.C. Center.

Hammond said the same booking agent who helped USG land Kid Cudi and Drake approached Kent State about Mars.

“He said Bruno wanted to start playing colleges and fortunately he ended up being available for the date we had set for Flash-Fest,” Hammond said. “He’s a big and up-and-coming name, and we were able to get him right before he won his Grammy.”

Mars received seven Grammy nominations this year and one win for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Just the Way You Are.”

Hammond said he anticipates a large turnout for Mars.

“I’m hoping since we have a really big name, it’s going to be good,” Hammond said. “And We The Kings will bring a different style into the mix like we were looking for.”

Student tickets are $5 and go on sale April 5, and tickets for the general public are $25 and go on sale April 8. The festival will be held April 28.

Anthony Dominic is the on-campus entertainment reporter.

New coach Hazell optimistic for fall

JACKIE FRIEDMAN | DAILY KENT STATER JACKIE FRIEDMAN | DAILY KENT STATERSenior Quinton Rainey, former defensive lineman for the Kent State football team, suffered a concussion last season against Toledo. The concussion was caused by a playful hit on the helmet by one of his teammates.

See HAZELL, Page 2

See AWARENESS, Page 2

Dennis Van Tine | MCT CAMPUS Bruno Mars will perform as this year’s headliner for FlashFest on April 28, with We The Kings and Plan B opening the show.

MAIN ACT CHOSEN FOR FLASHFEST

deceleration injury. According to the NCAA, an estimated 1.6 to 1.8 million athletes suffer concussions each year.

The brain is inside spinal fluid, and when the body’s momentum is carried forward and stopped, the brain keeps moving forward and hits the front of the skull, resulting in a concussion.

Throughout the course of the game, the headaches worsened. As the pain grew, Rainey’s main concern was helping his teammates despite the apparent injury.

Rainey kept playing. He attributed his ability to keep playing to his unde-terred ambition to win.

“I think it was my competitive drive and muscle memory,” Rainey said. “The whole game we set up in situations, and I think my muscles and competitive drive just took me to my spot and put me in my position.”

At Kent State, athletes who suffer a concussion must sit out at least one week, no matter what. Trent Stratton, Kent State director of sports medicine, estimated the number of concussions at Kent State to be about 13 in the 2010 season, which is an increase from the estimated 10 concussions last season.

Dr. Nilesh Shah, a Kent State team doctor, said he doesn’t think concus-sions are any more prevalent than in previous years.

“I think we’re recognizing them more,” Shah said. “I think we’re treat-

ing them more aggressively.” The treatment includes extensive

memory and balance testing along with rest. Once a player passes the tests, he or she can return to action.

After the game was over and the Flashes lost, Rainey couldn’t remem-ber where he was. When his team-mates found out, they rushed to tell team doctors.

Rainey remembered his name, but that was it. He didn’t remember who the team played.

“As a senior, you don’t want to come out of the game for any reason,” Rainey said. “But honestly, I didn’t come out because I didn’t want (doc-tors) to tell me I had a concussion. I just wanted to finish the game, and hopefully my headache will go away.”

Shah said athletes who suffer one concussion usually don’t have any long-term side effects.

Looking back on the situation, Rainey said he felt like he should have told someone sooner because of the risks be put himself in by playing. Most people do not see long-term effects after one con-cussion, but if they experience additional concussions, athletes may experience second impact syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, the risks include epilepsy and multiple brain injuries.

See CONCUSSION, Page 2

Page 2 | Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Daily Kent Stater

TODAY’S EVENTS

Have an event you want to see here? Send it to lcoutre@kent.edu by Thursday the week before.

Go to KentWired.com to see the interactive entertainment calendar. the calendar covers entertainment events on campus and in the city of Kent.Kent Wired.com

n usG meetingWhen: 8 a.m.Where: Student Center Governance Chambers

n Ksu pre-law club meetingWhen: 5:15 p.m.Where: Student Center Room 309

n men empowerment networkWhen: 6 p.m.Where: Student Center Room 206

n Greek president meetingWhen: 6 p.m.Where: Student Center Room 319

n election forum for n.a.a.c.p.When: 6 p.m.Where: Oscar Ritchie Hall Room 250

n speaker max edelmanWhen: 7 p.m.Where: Kiva

n Let’s DanceWhen: 7 p.m.Where: Oscar Ritchie Hall Room 340

CORRECTIONS

NEwSAssigning editorsLydia Coutré lcoutre@kent.edu

Emily Inverso einverso@kent.edu

Kelly Petryszyn kpetrysz@kent.edu

Taylor Rogers trogers@kent.edu

Nicole Stempak nstempak@kent.edu

Jessica Whitejwhite83@kent.edu

city editorAllison Smithasmith75@kent.edu

copy desk chief Jennifer Shore jshore2@kent.edu

Kentwired editorFrank Yonkof fyonkof@kent.edu

FEATurESFeatures/A.L.L. editor Laura Lofgren llofgren@kent.edu

Assistant features/A.L.L. editor Nicole Aikens naikens@kent.edu

SPOrTSSports editor Cody Erbachercerbache@kent.eduAssistant sports editorLance Lysowskillysowsk@kent.edu

OPINIONopinion editorRabab Al-Sharifralshari@kent.edu

VISuAlSPhoto editor Rachel Kilroy rkilroy@kent.edu

Assistant photo editorHannah Poteshpotes@kent.edu

design directorStefanie Romba sromba@kent.edu

A.L.L. design editorKate Penrod kpenrod1@kent.eduLead page designerSara Scanes sscanes@kent.edu

DAILY KENT STATER240 Franklin Hall

Kent State UniversityKent, Ohio 44242

neWSroom 330-672-2584Editor Regina Garcia Cano rgarcia1@kent.eduManaging editor Josh Johnston jjohns64@kent.eduManaging editor Kelly Byer kbyer@kent.edu

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Classifieds ad manager Kelly Pickerel330-672-0883 kpickere@kent.eduStater adviser Carl Schierhorn330-672-8286cschierh@kent.eduNewsroom Adviser Susan Kirkman Zake330-329-5852 szake@kent.edu

AdvertIsIng 330-672-2586Sales Manager Rachel Polchek 330-672-0888

student medIA 330-672-2586

Account executive Michelle Bair 330-672-2697 Account executive Korie Culleiton 330-672-2697 Account executive Bethany English 330-672-2590Account executive Katie Kuczek330-672-2590

Account executiveNicole Lade330-672-2585Broadcast and magazine representative Paul Gimmel330-672-2585Online representative Kevin Collins330-672-3251

The Daily Kent Stater recognizes the responsibility to correct errors that occur in the newspaper. When errors occur in the newspaper, corrections will appear in this space as promptly as possible.

KSUlibrary2U helps with research, paper writing

Cassandra BeckDaily Kent Stater

cbeck6@kent.edu

Students no longer have to make a trip to the library for research and paper writing help. A new library service pro-gram called KSUlibrary2U is available to students from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday in Tri-Towers.

“For students who live in the dorms, it’s easier to go to Tri-Towers rather than having to truck down to the library,” said Rebecca Kleinhaut, library and information science graduate student. “We help with citation issues, reference questions and can even help with proof-reading a paper.”

Kleinhaut and Leslie Whiteford, library and information science graduate student, started KSUlibrary2U to help bring library services to students living on campus.

“A lot of students don’t know where to start with reference help or proj-ects,” Whiteford said. “We make it easy to get started.”

They expect the program to become more popular and useful to students when it gets closer to finals.

“We’re hoping that it will speed up,” Whiteford said. “Students will be able to walk up with a quick question about something.”

Emily Horwatt, junior pre-account-ing major, said she could see herself using the services.

“If I still lived in Tri-Towers, I would use it for proofreading since you don’t need to make an appointment like in the library’s writing center,” Horwatt said.

The KSUlibrary2U program takes place next to ResNet services in the Tri-Towers rotunda.

Cassandra Beck is the library reporter.

Tri-Towers now home to new library service

Residence halls to bring together international and American students

Caitlin Restellicrestell@kent.edu

Daily Kent Stater

The Office of International Affairs is collaborating with Residence Services to bring students from different cultures together by helping international and domestic students interact more. A new program called the International Village Experience will launch in Fall 2011.

“It’s an opportunity where people can expand their views of culture,” said David Di Maria, director of international students. “I think it can be a transforma-tive experience for students.”

IVE is a learning community designed to allow students who want to share their culture and background to other students from across the globe. An international student will be paired with a domestic student to room together.

First-year students will be housed in

Van Campen Hall, and upperclassmen will be housed on the second floor of Beall Hall.

“It’s a great place to start, but we want (IVE) to be bigger than that,” said Joel Bynum, member of the planning committee.

If students are interested, they should request the residence hall that correlates with what year they are in at Kent State. They can then request to be a part of the IVE learning community.

Bynum said the program is an immer-sive experience with students from mul-tiple cultures and backgrounds.

The program is still in the planning stages, but the committee is thinking of activities and leadership roles for the stu-dents to interact.

The planning committee recently devised a leadership role called the ambassador. Students who hold this role will have to meet a certain GPA require-ment, and they must show an interest in being part of the community. The ambas-sadors will be international and Ameri-can students.

“Ambassadors will be expected to be a positive role model influence on the com-munity,” Bynum said. “We want American students to reach out to international stu-dents, and we also want international stu-dents to reach out to American students.”

Some ideas to help interaction in the halls include field trips to Amish Coun-try, West Side Market in Cleveland and HOME Markets in Acorn Alley.

The community will invite interna-tional students to showcase some of their culture to students living in the commu-nity, Bynum said. It will also allow Amer-ican students to show their ways of life.

“It’s one thing to learn about it in the classroom, which is very good, or to read about it in a book,” Di Maria said. “It’s another thing if you’re living in it every day.”

Resident assistants will be chosen from a pool of RA applications. Bynum said they look for students who have an interest in studying abroad, have a language major or can bring something additional to the community.

Once RAs are selected, they will go through special training, which Di Maria said is more of an intercultural focus on what culture is.

The training will help RAs under-stand if a roommate conflict is because of personality or cultural differences. It will also help raise sensitivity to international students’ ways of life.

Bynum said this program would help international students have a better tran-sition experience into the United States.

“It is a relatively inexpensive way (for domestic students) to get some firsthand knowledge of what it’s like to interact with students or people from other coun-tries and develop those sensibilities that come along with that,” Bynum said.

Di Maria said he was saddened by a conversation with an international student who had been at Kent State for four years and returned home after graduation.

“They tell me they’ve never been inside an American home; they don’t have any American friends,” Di Maria said. “I think that means in the U.S. we’re not doing a very good job hosting our visitors from all over the world. I’m hop-ing we can change some of that.”

Di Maria said he hopes this program will help international students make American friends and gain friendship that goes beyond the university.

“It’s a big world, and it’s a lot of fun to get to know about it, but I think a lot of people just live in one little bubble,” Di Maria said. “You’re alive for so long, so go ahead and get to know about the world and enjoy it.”

Caitlin Restelli is the student politics reporter.

New living community to launch in fall

College will require incoming undergrads to expand their education

Taylor Titusttitus3@kent.edu

Daily Kent Stater

Future College of Communication and Information students will have to take one course from each of CCI’s four schools starting this fall.

“The idea was to bring the schools together for a common ground,” said Gregory Blase, associate director for the School of Journalism and Mass Commu-nication. “The intent is we are all linked together in the College of Communica-tion and Information.”

The college is made up of the School of Visual Communication Design, School of Communication Studies, School of Library Information Sci-ence and School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Students are now required to take one introductory course from each school.

“We realized all of the things that journalism and mass communication, communication studies, visual commu-nication design, library and information science were all talking about, and we’re really all in this together,” said LuEtt Hanson, CCI associate dean.

The idea for the requirement came about when the college was founded

in 2002, Hanson said. The requirement was approved by every school’s cur-riculum committee, the college’s cur-riculum committee and the Educational Policy Council.

“I think that it’s a good idea because when you get into the profession they are all linked together, so you have to have knowledge of the different pro-grams,” said Gabrielle Ryczek, fresh-man VCD major.

Students will not have more gradua-tion hours because of the new require-ment. The classes will fit into the stu-dents’ existing programs because they are counted as either Kent Core courses or electives, Hanson said.

“The main thing is that we just want to make sure that all of the CCI majors have an understanding not just of their own field but of each other ’s fields so they can see how they work together,” Hanson said. “It’s really an enrichment program.”

Taylor Titus is the reporter for the College of Communication and Information.

Requirements added for new CCI students

CCI COrE ClASSES:

n Comm Studies Course: Introduction to Human Communication

n JMC Course: Media, Power, Culture

n VCD Course: Visual Design Literacy

n SLIS Course: Information Fluency in the Workplace and Beyond

The Center for Student Involvement is covering the cost of the event.

The second event, Pizza Wars, is March 31 at 7 p.m. in the second floor cafeteria of the Student Center. Ruffer said it is a philanthropy event that will raise money for Townhall II. Partici-

pants can pay $5 to eat pizza from each place and vote on the best pizza shop.

Townhall II in Kent is a center that provides services for substance abuse and domestic violence, and it helps ensure wellness and recovery for individuals.

“Townhall II is a great resource for the community, and with state budget cuts they’re struggling with funding, and we’re hoping this will help them out,” Ruffer said.

Maura Zurick is the safety reporter.

Hazell wanted to watch players sprint from the huddle to the line of scrimmage, and he wanted enthusiasm from his new team. They responded.

The Flashes were nonstop on the field, as players were urged by assistant coaches to hustle when they checked in and out of the play.

“We only stayed in one personne l grouping , and we’ll install more personnel groups,” Hazell said. “We wanted to see how fast we can get in and out of the huddle, and that’s something we want to thrive on.”

While the Flashes have 13 practices until the Spring Game on April 16, Hazell said that it’s not enough time for the team to take a breather. With new systems on both offense and defense, he wants Kent State to have 80 percent of the plays known by the time they dress for the Blue and Gold game.

“Each day we’re going to try to implement a few more plays and for-

mations,” Hazell said. “We have to be able to progress every single practice. It’s a quick three weeks so we don’t have a chance to step back at all.”

Expectations for Hazell’s team are up in the air. With not one known start-er on the Flashes, many do not know what to expect when the season opens at Alabama on Sept. 3.

Hazell did not mention a single player that stood out Tuesday or guarantee a starting spot for anyone, but he’s confident in the group of

players he has.“I think we’ll have a good football

team,” Hazell said. “I like the way they run around. Their attention to detail is good right now. This team excites me a lot.”

Lance Lysowski is the assistant sports editor.

From Page 1

AWAreneSSWeek dedicated to raising aware-ness about sexual assault

From Page 1

HAZeLLCoach Hazell optimistic for fall

The Kent State softball team has its home opener Wednesday against the Pitts-burgh (23-7) in a doubleheader match-up.

The Flashes (9-16) will be looking to continue their winning ways after sweep-ing Bethune-Cookman last Thursday.

In a match-up earlier this season at the Kick-Off Classic at Florida Atlantic, the Flashes fell to the Panthers 8-0. Weak bats affected the team’s performance as

the Flashes were held to just four hits.The game will be the team’s last tune

up before conference play begins April 1 against Bowling Green.

Game one is scheduled to start at 3 p.m., with the second game sched-uled to start at 5 p.m. at the Kent State softball field.

— Matt Lofgren. sports reporter

SOFTBALL DOUBLEHEADER

FILE PHOTO BY HANNAH POTES | DAILY KENT STATER

Flashes face doubleheader against Pitt for home opener

I think we’ll have a good football team...This team excites me a lot.

DARELL HAZELL | COACH Shah said it’s tough sometimes to test players who are so anxious to get back onto the field.

“That’s where our other testing comes into play,” he said. “All right, you’re telling me, let’s test you and find out.” The tests include a memory and balance test.

While adhering to NCAA policy, Kent State also follows the 2009 Zurich Consensus Statement. Every two years, a team of phy-sicians get together to discuss concussions and come to a general outlook on the injury.

“There is no cookbook way (to view concussions) because there is no cook-book way,” Shah said. “It’s not like an ACL tear. Concussions don’t present themselves the same way.”

In a survey conducted by the NCAA from 2004 to 2009, the rate of concus-sions in games per 1,000 football play-ers was a mere 3.1.

Although the number is low, Rainey said he thinks the NCAA should better protect athletes from concussions.

“I think the tests should be a little bit harder,” he says. “They need questions that make you think a little bit more.”

Brad Tansey is the managing editor of KentWired.com.

From Page 1

concUSSionFormer defensive lineman dis-cusses effects of concussion

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Daily Kent Stater Wednesday, March 30, 2011 | Page 3

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DKS EDITORIAL BOARD

ABOUT THE OPINION PAGEThe Stater hopes to encourage lively debate about the issues of the day on the Opinion Page. Opinions on this page are the authors’ and not necessarily en dorsed by the Stater or its editors. Readers are encouraged to participate through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submis-sions become pro perty of the Stater and may be edited for mechanics, Associated Press style and length without notice. Letters should not exceed 350 words, and guest columns should not exceed 550 words.

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Regina Garcia CanoEditor Kelly ByerManaging editor Rabab Al-Sharif Opinion editor

Laura LofgrenFeatures/A.L.L. editorLydia CoutréAssigning editorLance LysowskiAssistant sports editor

VIEWour

DID YOU KNOW?

A recent study conducted by Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa of more than 2,300 undergraduates found that

45 percent of college students do not show improvement in critical thinking skills.

The study covered in their book “Aca-demically Adrift,” which was published in January, gathered results of the Collegiate Learning Assessments from 24 unidenti-fied schools Fall 2005 and Spring 2007. The CLAs measure a student’s critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving and written communication, according to the test’s institutional report.

The results troubled the university’s administration and a reconstruction of Kent

Core classes is in the works. Administrators are working to ensure that students at Kent State don’t become academically adrift. The university is shifting to assessments based more on writing and expressing.

Over the past year, the university has been administering CLAs to collect data about what specific areas of critical think-ing faculty need to focus on. By doing this, the university administrators hope to better prepare students through experience.

It is important to enforce critical thinking skills in students. How often in our future careers will we be asked to take a test? It’s much more likely that we will be asked to solve problems, write proposals and ana-

lyze. For example, at a business meeting your boss might ask you to come up with a pro-posal to solve a company issue. You’ll prob-ably never be given a quiz on it though.

Motivation is an issue. You can change the curriculum as much as you want, but some students will just do the minimum to get by. Moving toward more expressive forms of assessments is a step in the right direction. It forces students to think rather than just remembering facts for a test.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board whose

members are listed to the left.

Putting problem solving skills to the test

“A man who won’t die for something is not fit to live.”

— Martin Luther King Jr.

On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Rea-gan was shot in the chest outside a Washing-ton, D.C., hotel by a deranged drifter named John Hinckley Jr.

— History.com

The lost legacy of Kent State

SUMMARY: With college students’ critical thinking skills lacking, Kent State assessments are changing. These efforts to focus on writing and expression are a

step in the right direction.

NATE BEELER’S VIEW

Tianjun Shen

Guest Columnist

Coming back from an alterna-tive spring break trip to Chicago, I couldn’t stop thinking about one question: Where is student activism at Kent State? For those of you who don’t know what an alternative spring break trip is, to put it simply, instead of traveling, we did 60 hours of community service for a week. A group of 14 volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul Daycare Cen-ter, City Farm, Chinese American Service League and REST homeless shelter. We talked to people working in the Night Ministry, Hull House, Access to Opportunity Movement, Chicago Public Schools and The Point. We learned about the popula-tion that we hadn’t thought much about: homeless people, immigrants struggling to apply for citizenships and children whose parents can’t afford quality daycare.

Kent State has a legacy of student activism. It is the student protests at Kent State in 1970 that sparked the national demonstrations for the Vietnam War, according to an official at Chicago Public Schools whom we talked to. The starting point is here, at Kent State. However, today, how many of us still care about gender and inequality issues and want to do something to change it? How many of us know what a “food desert” is? How many of us have thought about how to survive with $3 for a week? How many of us have volun-teered for the local community? The issue is whether we care about our local community or merely about ourselves and what we can do to improve the lives of the underprivi-leged population.

Take a minute to think about what the social activists in our his-tory have done. Mohandas Gandhi called for nonviolence action during the Indian Independence Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. advocated for civil rights by raising public aware-ness and other nonviolent means. Barack Obama was once a com-munity organizer in Chicago. There are different approaches to address social issues and create social change. The Social Change Wheel, adopted by the College of St. Benedict Cam-

pus Ministry from a publication by Minnesota Campus Compact, encompasses direct service, community or economic devel-opment, voting, direct action strategies, grassroots political activity or public policy work, community building, advocacy through community education and socially responsible daily behavior.

Do you remember how many times you have said that you wanted to make a difference? But have you ever thought of how? Start by volunteering and getting engaged in the local com-munity. Sparing some time over the weekend to take part in Super Service Saturday, organized by the university, or searching for vol-unteer opportunities in your own community might be a good start-ing point. To take a step further, you can organize events to fight for social injustice. Thepoint.com and carrotmob.org — the name is taken from flashmob — provide us with wonderful channels to disseminate information.

And, of course, many of us use Facebook and Twitter. These are excellent tools for organizing social change. It all depends on how we use them. Even if you don’t want to devote your life to civic engagement, as one of the members of Access to Opportu-nity Movement at Northwestern University said, you can still have your own career and live your life in a socially responsible way. Being a responsible citizen means being aware of the social injustices and the privileges that we have and devoting some of our time and energy to commu-nity development.

Students, go get engaged!

Tianjun Shen is a higher educa-tion administration and student per-sonnel major and guest columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact him at

tshen@kent.edu.

Congress needs to address career colleges’ toxic choicesThe Seattle Times

Guest Columnist

For-profit colleges have successfully mar-keted a compelling story in which they star front and center as benevolent purveyors of the American dream through education and gainful employment.

The reality is the complete opposite. Former students testified before a U.S. Sen-ate oversight committee this month about exorbitant tuition costs and unfulfilled promises of good jobs. One student spoke of completing a program in video game design and ending up in the video games section of a Toys R Us.

Solutions include tougher gainful-employment rules crafted by the U.S. Department of Education. The long-awaited standards would ensure career and voca-tional programs adequately prepare students for employment.

A key part of the rules requires colleges to consider whether students will actually earn

enough to repay their loans. For-profit col-leges enroll about 10 percent of all students but account for 25 percent of federal student aid and 48 percent of all federal student loan defaults. Huge profits are made on federal aid; student success is secondary.

The new rules have run into trouble. The House passed a bill preventing the Depart-ment of Education from enforcing the rules. Similar legislation is in the Senate.

Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell must be part of the effort blocking the legislation, an unabashed end run around accountability measures.

Federal rules already require career edu-cation programs receiving federal student aid to prepare students for “gainful employ-

ment in a recognized occupation.” But enforcement was based on an honor system, in which institutions checked a box.

The new rules add clarity and structure, but they aren’t as tough as career colleges are proclaiming. They would deem a career program ineligible for federal student aid only if less than 35 percent of students are repaying their loans. Plus, students would have to have a debt burden of at least 12 percent of their total income. Programs fall-ing on the wrong side of these rules deserve to be dinged.

For-profit institutions have dispatched scores of lobbyists to Congress to gin up sympathy for their argument that tougher rules decrease educational choices. No, just the toxic ones.

This editorial appeared in The Seattle Times on Monday, March 28.

To mirror our beloved

Sarahbeth Caplin

Gandhi had it right when he instructed mankind to “be the change you wish to see in the world.” That philosophy can also be used to help women who are having trouble finding the right man to marry. Too often, we compromise our values for the sake of finding love. We act like the exact opposite of the kind of man we wish to attract because we are willing to settle for less than what we deserve.

I recently had to say goodbye to a person I loved in order to fully understand the dam-age of compromising who you are for the gratification of someone else. The underlying cause for this can be loneliness or falsely believ-ing that having a boyfriend is what produces confidence. Many women have been guilty of settling for “Mr. Right Now” in hopes that even-tually the right one will come along. Unfortu-nately, the destructive habits we engage in now won’t immediately disappear the moment we meet someone new.

The unpopular truth is that relationship habits can evolve into life habits. If we are will-ing to compromise ourselves for love, we will inevitably compromise ourselves in all aspects of our lives. This is not a quality that will

attract a man of true moral integrity. I am making a commitment to myself to

become the kind of woman who is worthy of the kind of man I’d like to marry someday. That kind of man will possess compassion, strong commitment to God and respect for physical boundaries. Ultimately, he will desire what is best for me, even if it means sacrificing his own opportunities for pleasure. I hope to be able to do the same for him. The mistakes we might have made in previous relationships don’t have to define our future, but repeating them won’t bring about the kind of changes we are looking for.

A genuine relationship that eventually leads to marriage doesn’t begin with a seduc-tive stare in a crowded bar. It doesn’t begin

with a one-night stand. It doesn’t begin engaging in a “friends with benefits” situ-ation where that “friend” is dropped the moment someone with more potential comes along. I don’t doubt that some genuine rela-tionships might begin this way, but I would consider those to be the exception, not the rule. If we desire successful relationships, we must first conduct ourselves in ways that are loving. Real love is not self-seeking.

By developing the kind of character I desire in my future husband, I hope that any man who gets to know me won’t consider my behavior to be indicative of someone who would make a good casual hook up. I hope that my character will cause a man to think, “What a great potential wife.”

Ladies, I encourage you to become the kind of person you deserve to end up with. Never settle for someone who values your body over your heart. A real man – and they are out there – will never demand such a sacrifice.

Sarahbeth Caplin is a senior English major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at

scaplin@kent.edu.

Page 4 | Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Daily Kent Stater

Classified ads can be placed by FAX at (330) 672-4880, over the phone at (330) 672-2586 or by e-mail at ksuads@yahoo.com. If you fax or e-mail an ad, please be sure to include run dates, payment info and a way for us to contact you.

For information about placing a Display ad please call our offices at 330-672-2586 or visit us at 205 Franklin Hall, Kent State University. Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

By Linda Black Today’s Birthday (03/30/11) Even with Mercury going into retro-grade today, there’s nothing you can’t handle. You’re a problem-solver (even if you don’t know it). Plan ahead, but be open to spontaneity. Wonderful things develop from seeming breakdowns.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 6. There’s no mountain too tall for you today, as long as you use your imagination and reserve some time to care of yourself. Meditation provides answers. Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 6. A sense of humor and wit can lighten even the most frustrating moments. Mercury goes into retro-grade today, so stay close to home and just take care of business.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 6. Your common sense and clever wit entertain those around you, even as you may prefer to hide out. Watch out for mechanical difficulties, and let your love out.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 6. If you’re planning a trip, double confirm the tickets and be sure the car’s in good repair. Address any breakdowns with humor, and avoid them with multiple options.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 5. Today’s a good day for laying low, taking it easy and handling routine chores. Give extra time for deliveries and travel. Nurture yourself and others.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 6. Keep your wits about you and your sense of humor at hand. The unexpected may show up today. Allow extra time in your schedule for it.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 6. Your common sense and entertaining attitude make light of technical breakdowns or unexpected outcomes. This outlook turns out to be really helpful to others.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 7. Your friends and family ap-preciate your witty common sense. It’s not a great day for travel or mechanical equipment. Stay close to home, and take time for yourself.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 6. You come from strong stock, and know how to dance with cir-cumstances. Add time to your schedule for the unexpected, and double-check travel arrangements.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 5. Retrograde Mercury could cause confusion regarding home reno-vation, purchase or paperwork for the next three weeks. Keep all receipts, and hold off on signing, if possible.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is an 8. Use your time wisely. If you don’t feel your best, let others jump in the game and sit this one out. It’s a good day for increasing your income.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 5. Sometimes you just have to pray and hope for the best. Sometimes it takes action and effort, despite the circumstances. Which is going to be? Balance both.

horoscopeCOMEDY CLUB IN THE RATTCOME AND LAUGH...Thursdays 8pmFree to KSU studentsSponsored by USG Programming

Pregnant? Need to talk? Call Pregnancy Center of Kent 330-839-9919

Love Vintage? Check out:www.etsy.com/shop/

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PLAY SPORTS! HAVE FUN! SAVE MONEY!Maine camp needs fun-loving counselors to teach All land, adventure & water sports. Great Summer! Call 888-844-8080, apply: campcedar.com

Parasson’s Italian Restaurant Hiring All Positions, All Shifts, Starting at $8-$10/hr. Apply in person 11AM-9PM, no phone calls please. 3983 Darrow Rd., Stow

SUMMER EMPLOYMENT. Summit County Health District Mosquito Control Program. $10.30/hr M-F 8am-4pm. Mid-May through August. Primarily outdoor work. Biology/health/science majors preferred. msmith@schd.org / 330-926-5602 EOE

Lawn Fertilization Company seeks employee. Must have valid Ohio drivers license 4 points or less, please call 330-688-3389

Line cooks, Servers & Hostess AM&PM shifts, exp required. Seasonal help need not apply. Apply at Hudson’s Restaurant 80 N. Main St, Hudson & Hudson’s Restaurant 3900 Medina Rd, Akron, between 2-4PM or email resume apply@3foodies.com

Jobs for Students!Simply Color Industries, a photographic printing business, wants your help! We are looking for creative and hardworking individuals to join our production team. 12-24 hours per weekFlexible scheduling (4 hour shifts) Light Assembly. No Experience Necessary.Email your interest and resume to harold@simplycanvas.com

Barrington Golf ClubSeasonal summer servers/cooks/bartenders, meals and uniforms provided, competitive wages, apply in person.350 N Aurora Rd Aurora EOE

HELP WANTED!!

Golf course- Raccoon Hill now hiring snack bar/beverage cart waitresses. 5 minutes from campus, 21 & over please. Call Jason or Jen at 330-673-2111.

Kent State student needs tutor for basic math course. 440-231-6466

Dietary AidesThe Campus of Anna Maria of Aurora, a nursing care facility, is taking applications for dietary aides to work day and afternoon shifts. Day shift positions are 6am-2pm, 7am-3pm, 11am-7pm. Afternoon shifts are 3pm-7:30pm and 4:30pm-8:30pm. These positions include dishwashing, dinning room servers, meal prep, and tray line. Statring wage is $7.75 an hour. Apply @ 889 N. Aurora Rd. Aurora, OH 44204 or aberry@annamariaofaurora.com. We are located about 14 miles from main KSU campus. For more information call 330-562-6171

FT/PT Enthusiastic retail sales position available! Apply within, Stow Sports, 3774 Fishcreek Road, Stow. or Office.underwood@gmail.com.

TUTORS/SI LEADERS NEEDED!

The Academic Success Center is accepting SI Leader, Peer Mentor, and Tutor applications until Thursday, April 14th for Fall Semester 2011.

Tutors are needed for Accounting, Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Finance, French, Geology, Italian, Nursing, Philosophy, Psychology, Seven Ideas, Spanish, Study Skills, and Writing.

Tutors must have a 3.0 GPA and be available to work 8-12 hours per week. Starting Pay: $8.50

To apply or for more information, visit 207 Schwartz Center or www.

kent.edu/asc/jobs

Buyer Beware!We make every effort to screen for fraudulent advertising, however, we

cannot guarantee the veracity of the advertisers and their messages

in this section. It is important for consumers to respond to any advertisement with the utmost

caution.

Network and Telecom Services is seeking student workers for the

spring/summer and fall semesters. Starting pay is $8.50/hour. Flexible

schedule. Call 330-672-3747.

Whitehall East Town HomesAKA “The New Town Homes”Whitehall Blvd. off SummitNow taking apps for Fall 2011*5b/3ba*All Appliances Included*Dishwasher, Washer, Dryer*Lighted Parking*Many units with all newer flooringRent plans starting at $290/person/monthAsk about the all-inclusive plansCall or text 330-990-4019www.whitehall-east.com NO WATER BILL! NO GAS BILL!4&5 bedroom duplex available for Fall 2011Near campus and bus routeStarting at $350/month per bedroomCall Sweeney: 330-267-9336

All real estate advertised herin is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” State and local laws forbid discrimination based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. If you feel you have been wrongfully denied housing or discriminated against, call the FHAA at 330-253-2450 for more information.

Efficiency and 1 bdrm apartments available now. Heat included! Call 330-678-0746

Hurry!!! Efficiency apartments still left. Call 330-678-0123

$100 OFF 1ST MONTH’S RENTKent: 2-3 bdrm spacious apt. move in nowCall 330-678-0823

NOW LEASING FOR FALL5,4,2,1 bedroom Houses.Efficiency. Good Location Near KSU.Call 330-554-8353

KENT RENTALS 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses. Call Rich 330-221-0030.

Spacious 4&5 bedrooms houses with 2 full baths. Great condition, great location, A/C, W/D, dishwasher, deck, garage.

Several units available:-Deluxe 4/5 bedroom units. $360 per room. -All inclusive, $350 per room.

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Hurry In 2BR Apts available for FallFree Heat and Water, Pets Welcome, Outdoor Pool330-673-5364

1 & 2 bed apartments. All utilities included except electric. Call to schedule your tour today (330)678-0972 Large 2 bedroom 1.5 bath apartment $585/month + deposit & electric. Heat, water and trash included. 330-312-0066 or 330-968-4930

Apartments for Rent:1 bedroom apartment in a house. Kitchen, living room, bath. Separate entrance. No pets. One year lease. Available in August. 330-673-8505 or 330-221-8218

1&3 Bedroom Apartments Close to Campus Joe (330)310-1494.

Kent- Quiet 1, 2&3 bedroom. $525, $590, $780. 330-677-5577

HIDDEN PINES Town homes 4 bedrooms 2 bath. W/D.

ALL utilities included. $365/mo/bdrm

www.hidden-pines.com 440-708-2372

Kent near downtown and campus 2 bedroom apartment, all utilities paid except electric, $350/bedroom + security deposit. (330) 676-9440

5 bedroom / 2.5 bath town homesStart at $300/month/residentCall 330-990-4019tahays-management.com

Available For Fall. 4 bedroom units in great condition. Deck, garage, large yard, washer/dryer hook up. $1160 includes water and trash. Why pay more? 330-612-4057

Fall: Near KSU. 2 bedroom condo, 3 blocks from campus. Living room, dining room, 1.5 bath, central air, balcony, laundry facilities in building, call Drew 330-328-1084.

4-5 bedroom house for rent. 319 East Summit. 1-block to campus. $350/month. 1-year lease starting in July. 330-212-0992. Call for open house details. Open house on 03/31 at 6pm.

FALL: 3 BEDROOM APARTMENT, WATER AND WASTE PAID, $285/BEDROOM, 330-221-5540.

NO UTL INC UNIVERSITY TOWNHOME. 5 BDS, 2.5 BATHS, STOVE, REFRIG, W/D, A/C. $345.00 PER PERSON; WWW.JLCASTO.COM CALL 330-688-7040.

$495.00 FIRST 3 MONTHS. 2BD 1BTH TOWNHOME. LAUNDRY, CARPORT. jlcasto.com 330-688-7040

Buckeye Parks Mgmt.Serving Kent for over 30 years2011-2012 Leases2,3,4 bdrm aptsSome include utilitiesPrices starting at $375 per room330-678-3047BuckeyeParksMgmt.com

Close to KSU. 2 bedroom condo available fall. Park at door. $640/month 440-487-2193 or johnwirsing@gmail.com. Agent-Owner

KENT/BRIMFIELD. Newer 3 & 4 Bdrm duplexes. 1 car garage. $900-$1200 per month. 330-338-5841 or 330-329-1118 kentarearentals.com

Fall: Akron U area large 6 bedroom house, near au campus, 2 full baths, 2 kitchens, full basement, off-street parking, $380/month, utilities paid. Call Kevin 330-328-1084.

UNIVERSITY TOWNHOMES, 4/5 bedroom, 2.5 bath, A/C, W/D, $290 per bedroom.440-552-5840. djerina@blmrentalproperties.com Kent—Nice House Close to Campus and Downtown, 6/7 people, Available Fall 330-297-6539

KENT- Large 5/7 bedroom 2.5 bath, new kitchen, baths, windows. Clean and quiet, large fenced yard. $410 per, includes utilities, washer/dryer. 5 minutes to KSU 330-906-2525

University Townhomes: 4-5 bedrooms. Available August. $290/month, AirConditioning, Washer/Dryer, clean. On bus route. Remodeled. 330-760-0451 www.vargorealty1.com

VERY CLEAN 2 bedroom house, 2-car garage, no pets, private yard, $750/month + utilties&deposit. Call after 6pm 330-673-3224

For Summer or Fall: 2 bedroom starting at $325 per bedroom including utilities. 330-626-7157

Fall: Free Heat 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath condo. No Pets. $700. 330-678-3557

Now leasing for Fall: a beautiful newly redecorated 2 bedroom duplex, washer/dryer hookup, 3 blocks from downtown and KSU, $300/student. 330-687-6122.

Now leasing for Fall: a beautiful newly redecorated 2-bedroom 1.5-bath, townhouse with washer/dryer hookup, central air, free water and garbage pickup, $350/person. 1 block from KSU. 330-687-6122

Kent 1 bedroom cottage. Water and gas included. Pets negotiable. $550 plus deposit. 330-677-5031

Available in Fall! 3 bedroom units close to campus. Well-maintained starting at $800/month. Call today 330-329-2535 Great campus condo. 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath. Available August. Call Dr. Miller at (330) 618-7764

4 bedroom House. Clean, close to campus, Sherman St.Call 216-533-5770 or 330-687-3449

1 or 2 bedroom, Kent. 927 S. Water. $500 includes trash & water. Near campus & on bus route. Parking, big yard, & porch. Chris 330-221-4411

3 Bedroom House, Kent - 927 South Water $750 includes trash & water. Near campus & on bus route. Parking, big yard & porch. Chris 330-221-4411

2 bedroom apartment, free utilities. $550/month + security deposit. No pets. 330-673-8271

3 bedroom house. $690/ month + security deposit and utilites. No pets. 330-673-8271

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Page 6 | Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Daily Kent Stater

6666

SPORTSSports editor: Cody Erbacher • cerbache@kent.edu

Cody Erbachercerbache@kent.edu

Daily Kent Stater

Sometimes Andrew Chafin can’t help but chuckle after watching a batter swing at his slider.

It’s a crippling pitch. His coach calls it a major league pitch.It’s a pitch that looks to enter the

strike zone. Then it bottoms out into the dirt leaving no chance for the batter to make contact.

“I’ve played catch with Andrew enough to know (the slider) is a devastat-ing pitch,” said pitching coach Mike Birk-beck. “Poor hitters start to swing at what he thinks is a fastball, and the next thing you know it’s got some tilt on it and the hitter is way out in front.”

The slider makes the starter one of Kent State’s best pitchers. Opposing batters have trouble hitting the lefty. His slider, paired with a 93 mph fastball is a rough combo.

Chafin has added a changeup to his pitching game, too. The changeup was a product of a yearlong recovery jour-ney. Chafin was forced into rehab from Tommy John surgery after experiencing an injury he suffered on May 8, 2009 when the Flashes were playing confer-ence rival Akron.

In the first inning of the game, Chafin’s arm wasn’t right.

“I figured it would get stretched out and loosen up before the second inning,” Chafin had hoped.

Unfortunately, it didn’t.Kent State coach Scott Stricklin said

something didn’t look right after Chafin threw two pitches.

“On the second pitch he grimaced a little bit,” Stricklin said.

“I had no feeling from my middle fin-ger to my pinky finger,” Chafin exclaimed.

Chafin, a freshman at the time, wanted to stay in the game and continue pitching.

“I’m not one to give up on anything no matter how bad it hurts,” he said. “If I’ve got something I need to do, I do whatever I can to get it done.”

“In typical Andrew fashion he said, ‘I

can get this guy coach,’” Stricklin said.There was no way that Stricklin could

leave his star pitcher out on the mound. It could risk further injury, which could have kept the pitcher from ever throwing again. The coach, as well as the pitcher, knew this injury was not going to fix itself.

Tommy John surgery was needed. The procedure involved replacing a ligament in the elbow with a tendon from his wrist.

This was tough news for the freshman, who was having a great season.

Chafin had a 4-1 record, eight saves, 1.26 earned run average and 55 strikeouts.

Following his freshman season, Chafin earned an extensive list of accomplishments.

He was named to the Louisville Slug-ger Freshmen All-American Team, the ABCA Second Team All-Mideast Region and the First Team All-MAC.

He was just the third Kent State player, and first since 1992, to be named MAC Freshman of the Year.

Instead of sulking after learning surgery was needed, Chafin looked at it as a great opportunity. He had the chance to get stron-ger and learn a new pitch: a changeup.

Rehab, though, was boring. It’s the same routine everyday. Using

bands to workout the arm. Chafin said he didn’t feel any pain

throughout the process, except for the first couple of days following the surgery. At times there was discomfort, but it would never hinder his goal of returning stronger than he was prior to the surgery.

“I never had any doubt that I would come back stronger than before,” Chafin said. “If I want to accomplish something, I can accomplish it.”

This type of mindset helps Chafin com-pete at an elite level.

Accomplishing effective pitching sequences is easy for Chafin during games.

The southpaw can be effective by over-powering a batter, hitting the corners with pin-point accuracy or using his demoral-izing breaking balls.

“It depends on the day,” Chafin said.“He’s truly a blend of a power pitch-

er and a commanding control pitcher,” Birkbeck said.

When Chafin’s pitches are on, and he’s striking out batters, it’s an emo-tional rollercoaster.

“It’s a phenomenal feeling,” the tech-nology major said. “Your motor gets going, and you just want to throw harder on your next pitch.”

Recently, Chafin has been experiencing this phenomenal feeling quite often. He’s stronger and is pitching at an elite level. All thanks to Tommy John surgery.

“He’s better now than he was before the injury,” Stricklin said. “That’s a testa-ment to how hard he worked.”

It’s evident in his pitching.After 22 months away from live pitching

at Schoonover Stadium, Chafin returned with a complete game shutout performance against Toledo on March 25. It was Kent State’s first shutout in two years.

Chafin threw 88 strikes out of 113 total pitches. He struck out a career-high 15 batters, while giving up just four hits and walking no batters.

He’s had success against nationally ranked teams, too.

Against No. 23 Louisville on March 4, Chafin saw great success from his favorite pitch: the slider.

“There were multiple occasions where I would strike people out bounc-ing the ball two feet in front of the plate,” Chafin said. “They would just look like complete fools out there.”

Chafin threw seven scoreless innings, with a no-hitter running through five innings against the nationally ranked team. Louisville won the 11-inning game with a 3-2 victory.

Chafin allowed just one hit and struck out 10 batters.

Performances like this give the red-shirt sophomore a great stat line this season. His ERA is just 0.53 over a 33.2 inning span. Chafin leads the Flashes with a 3-1 record.

“He’s as good as anyone we’ve had in a long time,” Stricklin said. “It hasn’t mattered who he’s faced. He’s been dominating.”

Cody Erbacher is the sports editor.

MEGANN GALEHOUSE | DAILY KENT STATERStarting pitcher Andrew Chafin said he will enter the 2011 MLB Draft, but if he’s not drafted in the first or second round, he’ll be suited with a Kent State jersey once again next season.

A.J. Atkinsonaatkins2@kent.edu

Daily Kent Stater

The Kent State baseball team’s pitching staff will be put to the test on Wednesday against Penn State.

Kent State pitcher Ryan Mace, 2-1 with a 2.08 earned run average in 21.2 innings, has the task of controlling the fastball-hitting Nittany Lion batters. Except for the No. 5 batter, the lowest batting average of the first six Penn State batters is .322. As a team, they have a combined .296 batting average (Kent State has a combined .278 batting average).

Mike Birkbeck, Kent State’s pitching coach, said his pitchers’ goal is to get ahead in the count in order to avoid fastball counts, which are when there are more balls than strikes and must rely on a fastball to get a strike.

“We’re going to try and get ahead in the count, and if we aren’t ahead in the count, we’re going to try and pitch a little bit backwards with breaking balls and changeups in fastball counts,” Birkbeck said. “Mace is going to start, and he can throw multiple ways. He can pitch backwards if we need him to.”

Penn State comes in winning three of its four games. The Nittany Lions won two out of their three game series against Le Moyne and defeated Albany 6-4 Sunday.

The Flashes (12-10) look to carry on their strong performance from Sunday’s game against Toledo into Wednesday. The Flashes committed no errors, scored eight runs on 13 hits and the three Kent State pitchers used in Sunday’s game held Toledo to just two runs.

Penn State’s pitchers have more than just senior Ben Klafczynski to fear (.430 batting average, six home runs, 22 runs batted in and 25 runs scored). Catcher David Lyon led the offense this past series, reaching base on seven base hits in nine at bats with two doubles, one homerun, six runs batted in and one run scored. He enters the Penn State matchup with a .317 batting average and 21 runs batted in, one behind team leader Klafczynski.

Penn State has yet to announce its starting pitcher.Wednesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.

at Schoonover Stadium.

A.J. Atkinson is a sports reporter.

Baseball team welcomes Penn State Wednesday

Pitcher returns ‘stronger than before’