Miami University - Recensio Yearbook (Oxford, OH)

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30 Hueston Woods Above: Scenic drives and walks through the park enticed students to kick back and enjoy a fall day. Sailing on Acton Lake lured others out for a day of recreation. Right: Relaxing on a sunny spring afternoon, students enjoyed Hues- ton Woods' variety of facilities. The park provided an easy place to escape from the pressures on cam- pus.

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The Yale Of The Midwest Described as one of Ameri- cais best public undergraduate colleges, Miami received na- tional recognition in Richard Mollis book, The Public Ivys. Miami ranked among the eight top public universities ac- cording to Moll, director of ad- missions at the University of California at Santa Cruz. The University kept a low profile with regard to the rating, distributing few copies of the book. Only 250 copies were sent to high schools and ad- ministrators at other schools. In light of the exposure, Mi- ami allowed its successes to speak for themselves. The ad- ministration felt the satisfaction and pride of inclusion among the top public universities was enough. I think people who con- stantly remind others how great they are can be boring, said Director of Admissions Charles Schuler. i'Likewise, universities that keep telling people how good they are can be boring, and sometimes that boredom can lead to resentment. This rationale seemed fitting for a university whose motto, Prodesse Quam Conspicimeans TiTo Accomplish Rather Than to be Conspicuous? Yet, exposure in The Public Ivys may prove to have a posi- tive impact on the number of applications to Miami in up- coming years, Schuler said. Iirn not sure it will have much effect on students from Ohio. However, it may have a great effect on those farther away, he added. Due to the high and rising costs of tuition in private insti- tutions in recent years, an en- rollment shift has begun - a shift away from the private and toward the public schools. This trend convinced Moll the time had come to recognize the na- tionTs top public universities, those in which academics and appearance most resembled their more expensive, private counterparts. Moll specifically based his determination on four criteria: admissions selectivity, quality undergraduate experience, funds and the resourcefulness to manage them wisely, and im- age or prestige. While the Chapter on Miami briefly suggests a few of its perceived drawbacksii e the no-car rule and the absence of a full engineering program e the emphasis focuses on the univer- sityis strong points with respect to the four criteria. The strong liberal arts tradi- tion and the two-thirds gradu- ation rate ihigh for a public universityi draw particular at- tention to Miami, along with the campus itself, described by Moll as having order and a manufactured kind of beauty. There is family at Miami, the old kind where people stick together, Moll said, adding that it is a closeness not only found among students but also among faculty. Moll depicted professors and administrators as friendly, polite and supportive of one another, and students as coming from the All-American mold, shar- ing values which tend to form common bonds. Thus, despite the administra- tion,s low profile policy, Miami received its share of deserved attention as one of the nations public ivys. A Steve Ross Public Ivys 29

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Getting Away From It All Located only five miles from campus, Hueston Woods State Park lured Miami students from Oxford to a place to get away from it all. It just seems like a long way from Oxford, senior Mark Witt said. Many people found the grounds well-kept and the staff very nice and helpful. Senior El- len Russo commented, Some- times the grass gets a little high, but therels never any garbage . . . and there's only a few bugg Acton Lake seemed to attract the most attention. Tree cov- ered bluffs contrasted with grassy beaches to surround the slate-blue water. The scenic lake provided a swimming spot for students during early fall and late spring, and beach areas enticed sun- bathers. Many students agreed on the popularity of the lake and thought it was a good place to meet. In addition to its' conducive setting for study and relaxation, the Sailing Team and Sailing Club both used the lake as their base. The Sailing Club gave classes every Saturday at noon, and anyone approved through the Club could take a boat out at any time. Club members spent one day a week cleaning up the park and in return the marina gave them dock space to keep their seven boats. Sophomore George Lucas found the lake a little shallow and slightly hard to sail on, but felt the staff was very nice and generally very helpful? After a long day at the lake, many people took advantage of another park facility, the picnic grounds. As one example, Russo said she loved to spend the day swimming and sunbathing and then have a cookout in the evening. Woods surrounding the pic- nic grounds go on for acre after acre within the park. This beau- tiful scenery, eSpecially spectac- ular in the autumn, lured many pe0ple into walking, driving or biking through the park to en- joy its splendors. Aside from the sightseers on bicycle, serious cyclists worked out on the steep and twisting roads throughout the park. Another facility the park of- fers includes an 18-hole golf Photos by GP. Rogers course. Carved out of the woods, the course presents lush, well-clipped greens studded with trees. Tony Sammarco and Mark Witt agreed on the caliber of the course. One of the best courses Ive ever played on, Sammarco said. TKIt isl main- tained very well, not too expen- sive, said Witt, and the six- teenth hole is fantastic. About 180 yards straight across the water . . But Sammarco also commented on drawbacks to the course: You have to lay on the fairway - its too difficult to get out of the woods. Other facilities within the park include a nature center, pioneer farm museum, lodge and camping sites. Although Miami students may not have taken full advan- tage of all the facilities, they certainly did use the lake, beach, marina, picnic grounds and golf course. Hueston Woods blessed stu- dents with a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. They could es- cape for a few hours to a less hurried existence. liIt's a whole different aspect, a whole different life, Lucas said. A Kimberly A. Zahller Hueston Woods 31