Beat Development

Crafting a Beat

2007-12-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

This semester I have learned more about journalism than I ever have before. Most significantly, I realized the importance of reporting. Journalism is not simply about how well a reporter writes. That’s only half of it. The other, more challenging half, in my opinion at least, is the reporting itself. Without sources or information, a journalist’s writing skills will give him or her little standing in a real, working newsroom. This semester I crafted a beat covering Miami University Associated Student Government (ASG). I covered issues such as faculty changes, local political elections, campus development, and even found time to write a personality profile on the student body president. Through my work on these articles, I found that writing was easy once I gathered the necessary information. Sure, creativity and colorful writing can make a good story great, but without a solid foundation of facts and information laid by good reporting, the story will never be good to begin with. Good journalism starts with reporting.

Some of the challenges I faced this semester gave me insight as to what to expect when working as a paid journalist. Talking to the right people is not always easy. Many public figures mistrust journalists; therefore, gathering the right information can prove difficult. Good journalism is not going to please everybody, especially those whose negative actions are exposed in the ink between the covers. Getting sources to trust you and give you inside information is not always easy, but I’ve realized that by developing professional, personable relationships with sources, a journalist can elicit the information that he or she needs and that the public deserves.

In some ways, my beat development class was more challenging than an internship. Sources can be very helpful when they find out that they might get published in a newspaper, but when a source find outs that the article is primarily for a class he or she isn’t always as eager to talk. Through my ASG beat, I’ve learned how to get interviews with key sources, even if it’s not his or her first priority to talk to me. Although the beat development class was not quite the same as an internship, it has provided me with the insight, experience, and knowledge to understand what it takes to be a good journalist. I feel more confident, more qualified and more excited to be a journalist than ever before.

--Patrick Deignan
Dec. 6, 2007

ASG senate set to resume

2007-12-05T09:43:00.000-08:00

BY PATRICK DEIGNAN
SEPT. 8, 2007

Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) is looking to revamp its funding procedures and simplify government proceedings as Senate meetings reconvene tonight for the 2007-08 school year.

ASG will work to repair its reputation after former Vice President of Management John Woods was impeached last year for allocating $77,000 of funds to three student organizations, including $50,000 for a fashion show for the Miami Fashion and Merchandising Club in which Woods was a member.

This year, Student Body President Jens Sutmöller and his executive cabinet hope to tackle the funding issue right from the start. Sutmöller says he will encourage the Senate to pass legislation to make funding “more equitable with definite hard rules.”

One of the funding changes proposed is a move to a semester-based, two-cycle system. Each student organization will submit its funding requests twice each school year. In addition, a maximum funding request of $9,000 per cycle will be enforced. This would make it impossible for some organizations to receive $50,000 for a fashion show while other organizations only receive a few hundred dollars. Under the new plan, an established appeals process will be put into place so that student organizations which are not happy with their funding can understand how to appeal before the Funding Committee.

“Finally people will understand how the funding process works,” Sutmöller said. “Right now only those who truly understand it can get money.”

Vice President of Student Affairs Dennis Roberts, who serves as an adviser to ASG, pointed out that last year’s funding mishap is only a part of a larger, overarching problem.

“One issue that will be in the background this year is making ASG a more responsible and engaged government,” Roberts said. “We need to find ways of holding ASG accountable to students.”

Simplifying student government will help, Sutmöller explained. To do this, Sutmöller plans on cutting out some of the unnecessary formalities at Senate meetings that have tied up ASG in the past.

For example, calling each other “Mr. Senator” and “Ms. Senator” is unnecessary and is not what Miami students are looking for in their government, Sutmöller said.

“If you’re friends with someone named John, just call him John.” Sutmöller said.

Sutmöller hopes that fewer formalities and a simpler government will increase student participation and senator-to-senator communication in the upcoming year.

“ASG needs to be the easiest organization to understand,” Sutmöller said.

Funding and organization are not the only issues that ASG will tackle this year. Off-campus Senator Seema Choudhary believes ASG will also be more in touch with the city of Oxford.

“This year we’ll get everything in gear with students picking up their trash, the beer pong table issue, and getting more lights on campus. Security is always an issue,” Choudhary said.

As an off-campus senator, Choudhary deals firsthand with landlords and neighbors, trying to establish respect between students and the surrounding community.

Many of the conflicts that arise each year stem from alcohol abuse. Roberts believes that this year ASG will look into alcohol’s role on campus as well as in the surrounding community.

Sutmöller also wants to focus on parking during 2007-08. With more and more Miami students bringing cars to school, parking is an inconvenience that often stresses relations between students and the city.

“My goal is to overturn all first tickets,” Sutmöller said. “I also want to overturn any parking ticket given outside of the health center. Sick students shouldn’t need to worry about finding a parking spot.”

Sutmöller will work with the Parking and Appeals Committee to help students resolve disputed parking tickets and reconcile some of the parking issues affecting students.

Of course, if Miami students aren’t aware of ASG’s efforts they might not appeal their parking tickets, Sutmöller explained. In the past, poor student participation and communication have plagued ASG’s influence on campus. This year, Sutmöller hopes to use student media to reach out to students who otherwise might not be aware of ASG’s efforts.

Sutmöller hopes that will soon change as ASG Senate meetings begin tonight and run every Tuesday night at 6 p.m. in 111 Harrison Hall. Meetings are open to all.

ASG makes suggestions for student union

2007-12-04T11:59:00.000-08:00

BY PATRICK DEIGNAN
SEPT. 20, 2007

Members of Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG) want Miami’s new student union to cater primarily to students.

ASG offered that advice at its Tuesday meeting as architects Doug Shuck and Doug Lieb of WTW Architecture, the firm selected to design the student union, fielded questions and took notes about what needs to be included in the building.

Interestingly, Doug Lieb is a graduate of Miami’s architecture program. He said his experiences at Miami have given him insight on what the university needs in its student union.

“The university needs a place where students can come and be involved,” Lieb said.

ASG’s main suggestion was that the union be built for students rather than administrative offices and banquet events, its current focus.

“Almost half of the Shriver Center is not meant for students,” said senator John McNabb. “It’d be important for the new student center to be focused on students.”

Shriver contains a food court, food store, medium-sized lounges and a pool room. However, other areas of the building include administrative offices, catering services, and meeting rooms.

“The student union needs to be a place where students can go on Saturday night instead of the bars uptown,” said ASG Treasurer Brenden Buholzer.

Sen. Mike Scott agreed that more entertainment will be necessary for the new student union.

“I’d love to see a bowling alley,” Scott said.

Other concerns included Miami’s need for a medium-sized auditorium.

“Right now we only have the 400-person Hall Auditorium and the 10,000-person Millett Arena,” said Vice President of Campus Activities Laura Walaszek. “It would look silly to have a 600-person event in Millett. A 1,500- to 2,000-person auditorium would be ideal.”

Shuck and Lieb agreed, noting that they are capable of building auditoriums that are flexible and dividable to accommodate students’ needs.

One of the most important features of the new student union still up for debate is its location. WTW and the university have not yet discussed where the building will be located.

“There’s no better place for a student center than where all students walk through every day,” Shuck said.

WTW designed Penn State University’s student union which, according to Shuck, used to be in a low foot-traffic area of campus.

“Only about 9,000 students passed through it every day,” Shuck said. “People didn’t want to be there.”

Now, nearly 40,000 Penn State students make use of the university’s new student union on a daily basis. This is the hope for Miami’s new student union.

Secretary for Off Campus Affairs Jen House pointed out that the location must have parking facilities nearby.

“Parking around our student center is outrageous,” House said. “Students need to have a place to park, especially at night for safety reasons.”

While convenient parking is something to be desired, Lieb pointed out that Miami wants to preserve its lush, green campus.

“Miami is very good at maintaining green space,” Lieb said. “Integrating the building into that environment is going to be essential.”

Besides keeping the land green, Shuck insisted that the building must also help keep the air clean.

“We need to be good stewards of our planet,” Shuck said. “We need to make sure that the building materials and the running of the building are as energy efficient as possible.”

One of ASG’s key concerns is that a new student union be well-organized with the student organization offices in plain sight. They believe this will keep students more connected with their student government.

Secretary for Diversity Affairs Rachel Cahn proposed that similar organizations should be grouped together.

“Miami has over 50 diversity organizations,” Cahn said. “We need a place where we can centralize them.”

Sen. Mike Scott added that Greek government offices and ASG should be centrally located so students can take advantage of what they have to offer.

Shuck quickly pointed out that this style of organization has worked for some of WTW’s other clients.

“At the University of Colorado, the ASG offices are located on the first floor right in sight of the students,” Shuck said.

Secretary for Academic Affairs Coalition Bethany Bowyer added that other student services could be located in the new student center.

“It makes sense to have the career center and student advising in the center,” Bowyer said.

As Miami moves forward with a new student union, advances in technology will also be necessary. Right now, Shriver is not equipped with a computer lab, though a few computers do line the upper-level hallway.

“Technology will be a key piece in this building,” Shuck said. “We want as much technology as possible.”

Certainly the idea of a new student union with the latest technology has created some buzz among students.

“I think it’s something they want to talk about,” said Student Body President Jens Sutmöller. “It’s exciting and the designs look gorgeous.”

But some members of ASG are concerned that a new student center could send future tuition costs skyrocketing.

“We are one of the most expensive public schools, so we want it to be cost effective,” Wood said.

According to Lieb, the budget is still unknown because the project is in its preliminary stages.

“First we need to determine the size of the building and then we’ll decide what the budget will look like,” Lieb said.

Some methods other schools have used to fight costs are allowing retailers to rent space in their student unions. Shuck said he has seen everything from convenience stores to optical stores bringing in revenue for the schools.

“I can imagine Miami students having a Louis Vuitton,” said junior Sen. Isaac Reynolds.

Shuck pointed out that Miami students still have a chance to give their input on the project through an online survey.

“It’s an opportunity for students who are not involved in focus groups to get involved,” Shuck said.

WTW, which is based in Pittsburgh, has designed student unions for Penn State University, DePaul University, Ohio University and many others.

Miami’s student union is not expected to be completed until at least 2011, long after most current ASG members will have left Miami.

That does not mean today’s students shouldn’t get involved, Sutmöller said.

“I think it’s important that all students have input because without it how will they know how to accommodate students’ needs?”

Roberts to resign as ASG adviser

2007-12-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

BY PATRICK DEIGNAN
OCT. 6, 2007

October marks Vice President of Student Affairs Denny Roberts’ last month at Miami University after serving 12 years as adviser to Associated Student Government (ASG).

Director of Student Affairs Gary Manka and Dean of Students Richard Nault will share Roberts’ duties when he departs. Nault will focus on advising ASG’s executive cabinet while Manka will assist Vice President of Management Brian Wood and Treasurer Brenden Buholzer with funding issues.

Both Nault and Manka have regularly attended ASG Senate meetings this semester to help prepare themselves for their new responsibilities.

Roberts is confident that the transition will be smooth for both Nault and Manka as well as for ASG.

“I think they are already handling it well,” Roberts said. “We have a great cabinet this year. I think they’ll do great.”

Manka hopes to work with Wood and Buholzer right from the start to clear up funding issues.

“Right now there are lots of gray areas in funding,” said Manka.

Manka pointed out that ASG recently decided not to fund students who want to participate in alternative spring breaks.

“If we funded every student who wanted to go on an alternative spring break we’d have no money left,” Manka said.

However, these alternative spring breaks are central to the goals of certain student organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. Will funding be cut off for these groups? This is one of the gray areas that Manka hopes to clarify.

Nault, on the other hand, looks to improve ASG’s reputation on campus.

“I really want to support the current cabinet and Senate as being a respected organization,” Nault said.

He also wants to help ASG undergo a structural clean-up.

“I really believe that ASG should spend more time dealing with issues that deal with students rather than internal issues,” Nault said.

Having served as ASG adviser for six years before Roberts took over his responsibilities, Nault said that the transition should be easy for him.

Student Body President Jens Sutmöller believes that Roberts’ replacements are very capable of helping ASG achieve its goals.

“Both are great guys filled with integrity and responsibility,” Sutmöller said.

However, Sutmöller believes that no one will ever be able to fill Roberts’ shoes entirely.

“They’re different shoes,” said Sutmöller. “We kind of have to roll with it.”

Roberts’ ability to lead by example has helped Sutmöller with his role as student body president.

“He gives very good advice,” said Sutmöller. “He makes you as an individual pull it out of yourself.”

Roberts hopes that Manka and Nault are effective in keeping ASG on task as the school year progresses.

“I remind them that it’s a learning experience,” Roberts said. “But student government is a real organization and it has real impact.”

Students also need to become more involved in student government this year to help make a difference, Roberts said.

“Students need to actively communicate with ASG to say what their needs and interests are,” Roberts said.

As for Roberts, he is leaving the comforts of rural Oxford to take a position in the quickly developing Arabian Gulf nation of Qatar where he will fulfill a three-year contract with the Education City Qatar Foundation.

There, he will help universities such as Northwestern University, Cornell University, Georgetown University, and Texas A&M to establish culture and a commitment to deep and holistic learning on Education City Qatar’s 2,500 acre campus.

“What this represents is using everything I’ve learned in my career thus far and packing it all up to make a difference to this institution,” Roberts said. “This is really going to stretch me.”

Nevertheless, Roberts is excited at the opportunity to live in and learn about a different part of the world,

“I want to help bring the message back in terms of what’s really going on in the Arabian Gulf area,” Roberts said.

While Roberts will be thousands of miles away from Miami’s sprawling green campus, he still plans on being in contact with ASG and other Miami organizations he’s been a part of.

“He’s moving to the Middle East but I’m not losing a friend,” Sutmöller said.

Manka wants to make sure that part of Roberts’ legacy lives on at Miami through ASG.

“His fingerprint has been left here. It’s up to us to make sure it’s not lost.”

ASG hopes to influence Oxford development

2007-12-04T11:57:00.000-08:00

BY PATRICK DEIGNAN
OCT. 23, 2007

Oxford business districts could look very different a few years from now. At least, that’s the hope of Miami University’s Associated Student Government (ASG).

Several vacant storefronts, including a fire-damaged Wendy’s, currently inhabit Oxford’s uptown area. There is also an abandoned Wal-Mart and a former Big Lots store collecting dust on Locust Street.

ASG Secretary for Off-Campus Affairs Jen House is working with the Student Alcohol Task Force to transform these unused buildings into entertainment options for students.

“Right now we’re working on a proposal to decrease the drinking culture at Miami,” House said.

House said that the empty Wal-Mart is wasting valuable space. She hopes the large lot can be transformed into a community center for students and Oxford residents.

House explained that Vanderbilt University encountered a similar situation with a vacant warehouse near its campus.

“They turned an empty warehouse into a sort of community center,” House said. “They built a skate park, a coffee shop, and concert venue.”

She explained that a similar community center would be beneficial for Oxford.
There are no definite plans for the lot yet, but House is optimistic that a plan could be formed by Thanksgiving.

“Right now, we’re doing the legwork,” House said.

ASG has also voiced concern about the burnt-out Wendy’s on the corner of High and Main streets. Off-Campus Sen. Mike Scott and Andrew Ferguson co-wrote legislation encouraging the City of Oxford and High and Main Development LLC to take action to redevelop the unused real estate.

“We thought we should turn up the heat a little bit,” Scott said, “put pressure on all parties involved.”

While the legislation has no direct impact on the former Wendy’s site, Scott still believes the bill will be useful.

“It’s another tool that can be used by the city to make a change,” Scott said. “The worst case scenario is that public attention is raised and a conversation begins. The best case scenario is that we see a change by the time the school year is ended.”

House and Scott recently brought the legislation to the City Council to make students’ voices heard.

“It went well,” House said. “For once, we’re all on the same page.”

Miami’s Coordinator of Off-Campus Affairs, Bobbe Burke, said students’ voices need to be heard for progress to be made on the Wendy’s building.

“They covered up the blue tarp with a brown one,” Burke said. “That’s progress.”

Another facility that ASG would like to see occupied is Stewart Square located on Spring and College streets. Construction of the buildings is complete but many of the units remain empty. Burke says that this is because of Oxford zoning laws.

“Right now spaces are too small to attract some retailers,” Burke said. “That’s
why we’re getting a lot of small sub shops and places like that.”

Burke explained that a Charter Amendment on the Nov. 6 ballot could solve that problem. If the amendment passes, businesses would be allowed more square feet for retail space in ground-level units while smaller apartment units could inhabit upper floors.

Under the current zoning laws, Oxford allows a maximum of three dwellings per building no matter how big the building might be.

Oxford City Community Development Director Jung-Han Chen explained that under the new zoning laws, large buildings could accommodate many more apartments while first floor space could be split into bigger parcels for businesses.

“We’re trying to accommodate a vibrant uptown atmosphere,” Chen said. “There will be a flexibility to accommodate a variety of businesses.”

House is optimistic the amendment will improve Oxford’s economic state.

“It could bring bigger businesses,” House said. “A lot of developers are waiting to see what happens.”

Until the amendment is voted on, House sees her role as representing student interests.

“We’re hoping to communicate what students would like to see there in the future,” House said.

House believes that ASG’s job is to make students aware of what is happening in the Oxford community.

“We are trying to inform students about ballot issues,” House said. “Everyone, even students, can vote on the Charter Amendment on Nov. 6.”

ASG endorses city council candidates

2007-12-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

BY PATRICK DEIGNAN
OCT. 30, 2007

They may not even know it, but Miami University students indirectly participated in Oxford politics Tuesday night. The university’s Associated Student Government (ASG) unanimously voted to endorse Betty Quantz and Greig Rutherford for Oxford City Council.

Quantz and Rutherford are competing against each other as well as against Kate Currie and Richard Keebler to fill three City Council seats in the Nov. 6 election.

Off-Campus Senators from the Oxford Tenants Organization (OTO) evaluated candidates for the election to help the ASG Senate decide who to endorse. Sen. Thaddeus Boggs evaluated each candidate by attending local debates. He believes that ASG should support candidates who will listen to student voices.

“We evaluated who might be most receptive to students,” Boggs said. “We’re not trying to be adversarial; we just want to have a voice.”

ASG Secretary for Off-Campus Affairs, Jen House, works with City Council and knows how important a student voice can be.

“This is something OTO should be doing every election,” House said. “Every decision City Council makes affects students.”

House said Quantz will be particularly interested in hearing students’ opinions because she now has a daughter enrolled in her first year at Miami. She said Quantz is also the creator of the Student Community Relations Committee.

“That was the committee that helped give us a voice on the beer pong table issue,” House said. “She wants to know what students think.”

Sen. Isaac Reynolds experienced Quantz’s interest in students firsthand. He puts Quantz high on his list after she purchased dozens of pumpkins for a recent Clawson Hall community event.

“Just by doing that for our hall she’s up there,” Reynolds said.

Sen. Mike Scott says that with the departure of a key student advocate, Oxford Mayor Jerome Conley, City Council will become even more important in representing student opinions.

“It’s going to be very important for us to have smiling faces up on that board,” Scott said.

OTO believes that Rutherford would also be “a smiling face.” He is also most interested in furthering Oxford’s economic development.

“He’s the only candidate running on an economic platform,” House said. “He wants to bring unique things uptown that will bring people from outside of Oxford in.”

While there are three open slots out of seven total City Council seats, ASG only endorsed two candidates. Boggs wanted ASG to fully support any candidate that it endorsed.

“We didn’t see a point in having a lukewarm endorsement,” Boggs said.

In addition to giving Quantz and Rutherford a leg up in the election, ASG also felt this legislation would help some residents recognize students’ role in the community.

“They just don’t think students vote,” House said. “They don’t campaign on campus. This bill is a step to make them think students’ opinions are important.”

Off-Campus Sen. Andrew Ferguson believes the legislation will also help students become more involved.

“Not only will it make the community aware that we’re involved in the community, but it will also make the students aware,” Ferguson said. “We have to show students that they are also members of the community.”

Sen. John McNabb said because students make up such a large portion of the community, a collective vote would have real impact.

“This could pave the way to elect a student in the future,” McNabb said.

ASG Secretary to the Executive Cabinet Melonia Bennett said this is not the first time ASG has endorsed candidates in Oxford elections.

“It is part of ASG’s role and we have done it in the past,” Bennett said.

Registered students and Oxford residents can vote in the upcoming election on Nov. 6.

Jens Sutmoller: skier turned ASG president

2007-12-03T09:54:00.000-08:00

BY PATRICK DEIGNAN
NOV. 18, 2007

Jens Sutmöller’s high school experience was drastically different than most teens. Instead of waking up early each day to catch the school bus, Sutmöller climbed out of bed and into his snow skis to navigate the winding slopes of mountainous Vermont. After school he didn’t return to his parents’ house, but instead slept on a mattress on the floor of his ski coach’s attic. His weekends were not spent chilling—but they were sometimes spent in Chile competing in international junior ski races. Since then, Sutmöller has moved back to Ohio, trading his skis for a suit and tie which he regularly wears as Miami University’s student body president.

A native of Westerville, Ohio, Sutmöller was certainly not born adjacent to any ski resorts. But when he was only 2 years old, Sutmöller and his family moved to upstate New York, a more skier-friendly region.

His father, Nico, has 45 years or skiing experience while his mother, Beckie, worked as a ski instructor. They were both members of the Columbus Ski Club where his father served as the club’s president.

“From the time he was conceived we knew he was going to be a skier,” said Mrs. Sutmöller. “It was inherent that he skied.”

And ski he did. Sutmöller soon became an avid skier, eventually enrolling in Okemo Mountain School in Ludlow, Vt., at the age of 14.

Okemo is a boarding school where competitive child skiers can go to perfect their skills on the slopes. Not only do Okemo students practice their skills, but they also compete in state, national, and even international competitions. But the school is not all fun and games.

“Academics are still a priority during the intense full time training and competing,” according to the Okemo Mountain School website.

From 8th grade through his sophomore year in high school, Sutmöller spent a month away from home each winter skiing and learning at Okemo.

“It was hard having him away from home, but he had been away to a ski camp in Oregon before so I was used to it,” Mrs. Sutmöller said.

To cut costs, Sutmöller took up residence in the attic of his ski coach, Mark Stuart.

“It wasn’t much but it gave me the opportunity to get a good education and work on my ski techniques,” Sutmöller said.

As a student at Okemo, Sutmöller had the opportunity to travel and compete around the world, skiing in junior events in the United States, Canada and Chile. But earning a spot skiing in these events was not easy, as Okemo students keep a very rigorous training and academic schedule.

Sutmöller spent almost every day for three years following the same routine. He and the other Okemo students would wake up before dawn for a 6 a.m. breakfast. Soon after, they would hit the slopes, spending the remainder of the morning skiing. After a noontime lunch and a vigorous workout, the students would attend school from about 2 p.m. until almost 8. After each exhausting day, Sutmöller would climb the narrow steps lined with old wooden skis to his attic bedroom. Settling down onto his floor mattress, he would sleep and then start the cycle over again.

“That’s where I get a lot of my values…from the hard work I put in there,” Sutmöller said.

His last competitive race was at Perfect North, a Cincinnati area ski hill located in Lawrenceburg, Ind. He went out in style, winning the race and earning the title of “King of the Hill.” But since then, Sutmöller has given up competitive skiing, at least for the time being.

“The skis went on eBay as soon as I came to Ohio,” Sutmöller said. “But the average age of professional skiers is around 25 or 30, so there’s still some semblance of an opportunity in the future.”

At the age of 22, skiing is no longer a major part of Sutmöller’s life. Instead, he fills his time representing Miami’s 14,000-plus undergraduate students as president of Associated Student Government (ASG).

Often dressed in a dark-colored suit, Sutmöller is just shy of 6 feet tall with a head of thick blond hair and eyes the color of the ice and snow he used to ski on. But how does one go from competitive skiing to college politics? Oddly enough, the answer lies in a dentist’s office.

“Coming to Miami, I adamantly wanted to become a dentist,” Sutmöller said. “I enrolled as a microbiology major.”

But after securing an internship at a nearby dentist’s office, Sutmöller found himself more interested in world events than dental health, as he methodically read each and every news magazine in the dentist’s waiting room.

“I read Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report cover to cover,” he said.

Sutmöller dropped his internship at the dentist’s office and instead landed an internship with Ohio State Sen. Mark Mallory who is now mayor of Cincinnati.

“I went to many different events with him,” Sutmöller said. “It wasn’t just making copies.”

Sutmöller soon realized his real interest lay in politics and world affairs, not dentistry. Soon after, he changed his major from microbiology to political science with minors in both history and economics.

“Jens saw that people need leadership,” Mrs. Sutmöller said. “They need people to listen to them and to guide them.”

By 2004, it was time for Sutmöller to play the role of politician. After reading ASG’s bylaws, Sutmöller decided to become involved, earning a spot as a senator representing Miami’s largest residence hall, Morris Hall.

Sutmöller regards his first year as his hardest and busiest at Miami. It was also the year where he feels he had his greatest accomplishment. Sutmöller worked closely with Miami’s IT department to revamp the student information directory popularly referred to by Miami students as “stalker net.” The directory allows users to seek out personal information such as phone numbers, home addresses, and email addresses of Miami students.

“Before, anyone could go on and find student information like campus and home address without even being a student here,” Sutmöller said. “Now it makes you log on to find certain information. It really safeguards a lot of students.”

Sutmöller’s work earned him the “Senator of the Year” award. Considering he was only a first-year student, Sutmöller believes the hard work that earned him the award is his greatest accomplishment.

But his political thirst was still not quenched and the following year he signed up to be ASG’s Secretary of Academic Affairs where he worked on issues such as academic advising. During his junior year, Sutmöller again served as an ASG senator, only this time he represented students living off-campus. But his largest role was still yet to come.

“I wanted to be a senator all the way through,” Sutmöller said. “I never planned to be president.”

Planned or not, he ran for student body president in the spring of his junior year, beating out candidates Benjamin Alexander, Alex Cox, and Desmond Sumiya for the position.

Besides representing Miami’s undergraduates, Sutmöller must also manage ASG’s 12 Executive Cabinet members, which he sees as his greatest challenge.

“Never have I had to manage a group of 12 people, and a tough group of 12 people at that,” Sutmöller said. “I’ve had to step back a few times and analyze my approach toward the people that I work with.”

The responsibilities and commitments that come with the position wear him down from time to time.

“The only time I don’t wear the hat of student body president is when I walk into a classroom,” Sutmöller said.

Because he is a senior, Sutmöller has only one year to accomplish his many goals as president.

“There’s just not enough time,” Sutmöller said. “I’d give my right arm for another six hours most days. The fruits of labor are also way out there and the process is very slow.”

Regardless, Sutmöller doesn’t regret running for president.

“I love the position, but more importantly I love what I do more than I love the position,” Sutmöller said.

Despite his hectic schedule, Sutmöller’s close friend and ASG’s Secretary to the Executive Cabinet, Melonia Bennett, said that he doesn’t let the job run his life.

“He makes sure to make time for himself every day,” Bennett said. “He’s very schedule oriented.”

Sutmöller’s friend and ASG senator Seema Choudhary said that much of this personal time is spent exercising, whether it is hiking at Hueston Woods State Park or rock climbing at the university’s Recreation Center. He can even be seen riding his beat-up yellow mountain bike to and from class.

“He rides that bike everywhere,” said Choudhary.

His remaining time is largely spent with his girlfriend of more than one year, Jenni Kim. The two have known each other since their first year at Miami.

“We both lived in Morris Hall but we weren’t really friends, we were more like acquaintances,” Kim said.

But the two rekindled when Sutmöller’s roommate began dating Kim’s roommate. Now they are practically inseparable. Because both students are very busy during the day, they spend most of their time together during the evening.

“We don’t see each other much during the day,” Kim said. “He’s busy but I’m busy too.”

Like Sutmöller, Kim is a Miami senior set to graduate in May. She is a Spanish and psychology double major and plans on either moving to Spain to teach English or working for a collegiate study abroad program in the United States. But neither of the pair knows exactly what lies ahead in the future.

“It’s hard because we don’t know what we’ll be doing yet,” Kim said. “But right now we’re planning on making it work and staying together.”

It might seem impossible that one could find time to be student body president of a large university, spend time with a girlfriend, be a full time college student, a recreational rock climber and a mountain biker all at once, but a busy schedule suits Sutmöller just fine.

“I work best under pressure,” Sutmöller said. “When I was at ski school I always got my best grades during the winter season when I was skiing and didn’t have time to slack off.”

Pressure is something Sutmöller has plenty of these days. Filling any remaining spare time in his schedule is the monumental and often intimidating task of finding a job. While he is most interested in a job in communications, Sutmöller said he is “completely open to any opportunities.”

He has applied for jobs at the Clinton Foundation, the American Heart Association, Google, and others. However, because Sutmöller has family living on five continents, his job hunt is not bound by any nation’s borders. He has applied for jobs in Qatar, Singapore, London, Africa, and the United States.

“I’ve applied for jobs on four continents so far,” he said.

While there is not a specific job that Sutmöller is looking for, he wants a job where he can utilize his experiences in ASG.

“I’m looking for a job where I can work with a team generating collective ideas, both creative and innovative,” he said.

Sutmöller sees himself as a global citizen, much like his father who was born in Holland, lived in the Caribbean and Brazil, and attended boarding school in Switzerland. Similarly, he hopes to take advantage of the many global opportunities that are sure to arise, knowing that wherever he lives he will likely have family living in the same region.

Former Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Denny Roberts, worked with Sutmöller as adviser to ASG. He has seen Sutmöller in action and believes he has the unique qualities to make a great leader.

“Jens is a terrific young leader. He is humble, sincere, and can be trusted. These are traits that we would all hope we’d see in all leaders but, sadly, they are rare.”