Latest news with #DenisonUniversity
CBS News
4 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Maryland doctor explains LET surgical procedure that can boost ACL recovery
A surgical procedure called lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) boosts the recovery for patients suffering from anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. LET is often performed at the same time as ACL repair, and it gives athletes added stability by reinforcing the outer side of the knee, which enhances stability. How does LET work? Doctors take a strip of tissue from the outer thigh and thread it through the knee in a way that limits unwanted twisting. This helps protect the new ACL as it heals. "You take a strip that's about eight centimeters long, pass it under the lateral ligament, then fix it back with a screw or staple," said Mercy Medical Center orthopedic surgeon Dr. Mark Slabaugh. Dr. Slabaugh said when he first started offering LET two years ago, only 10% of patients were getting it. Now, nearly half of his ACL surgeries include the added step. While not for everyone, LET is showing strong results in young athletes who play sports that involve cutting, jumping, and fast changes in direction, including track, soccer, and basketball. Doctors say LET leads to fewer reinjuries and more athletes getting back to their sport at a high level. "It's not just about the surgery," Dr. Slabaugh said. "It takes motivation and discipline. If someone's not willing to do the work, we don't recommend it." ACL surgery "is not a death sentence." Track and field athlete Norah O'Malley, who competes at Denison University in Ohio, tore her ACL nearly a year ago. The Baltimore County native didn't know if that meant the end of her college athletic career. She opted for the added LET procedure, and now she is back running. "I didn't expect to compete until a year after surgery," O'Malley said. "But I ended up sprinting just eight months later." O'Malley was cleared to run again just five months after her surgery. O'Malley was ready. Just five months after her surgery, she was cleared to run again. The typical timeline is six to 12 months for a full return to sports. "I was expecting it to be really painful," O'Malley said. "But I could get up and move around. The only difference now is the scar." For O'Malley, what started as a major setback became a powerful comeback. Though it may sound intimidating, Dr. Slabaugh reminds athletes that an ACL tear does not have to be a career-ender. "This is not a death sentence," Dr. Slabaugh said. "They can get back to the sports they love, and a lot of times they don't have that understanding." For now, O'Malley is focused on finishing strong and trusting her knee again.
New York Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Trump on the Constitution: ‘I Don't Know'
Immigration Questions Compassion for Seniors Image President Trump's comments came amid the many legal challenges to the administration's agenda, especially the president's aggressive deportation campaign. Credit... Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times To the Editor: Re 'Trump Wavers on Due Process Rights Under the Constitution' (news article, May 5): On Jan. 20, 2025, Donald Trump swore an oath to 'preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. So help me God.' On May 2, 2025, when asked whether he needed to 'uphold the Constitution of the United States,' the president answered, 'I don't know,' and referred to his 'brilliant lawyers.' If the president needs a lawyer to know that the oath he took requires him to uphold the Constitution, God help us all. Jonathan Maskit Granville, Ohio The writer teaches political philosophy at Denison University. To the Editor: What is unfolding before us is not hard to recognize. These are the tactics of authoritarian regimes: erasing due process, weaponizing immigration enforcement and outsourcing cruelty to foreign strongmen. That the Trump administration is proudly funding the detention of innocents in El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT — a place that meets every definition of a concentration camp — is a grotesque betrayal of American values and human decency. Worse still is the silence. Too many in our government and in the public seem more disturbed by fluctuations in the stock market than by the collapse of the rule of law or the torture of fellow human beings. Are we so numbed by spectacle and partisanship that we cannot see the peril right in front of us? Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio college presidents among signatories against Trump administration ‘overreach'
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — More than 150 colleges and universities signed a letter Tuesday condemning the Trump administration's attempts to control higher education institutions, including at least four in central Ohio. The presidents of Capital University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Denison University, Otterbein University and Kenyon College signed alongside leaders of large public universities and small liberal arts schools alike, including the University of Dayton. The letter, organized by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), condemns overreach and the use of public research funding as a means of coercion. 'We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,' the letter reads. 'However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses.' OSU investigating hidden cameras in Morrill Tower 'American higher education is the envy of the world, and that's because there has been a long and productive partnership between higher education and the U.S. government,' a spokesperson for Kenyon College said. So far, the Trump administration has paused or threatened to pause billions of dollars in federal funding for universities in an effort to 'root out' antisemitism and DEI on college campuses. The Trump administration has tried to get Harvard to shutter its diversity, equity and inclusion programs and successfully implemented a list of demands at Columbia last month. 'It's also because students across the nation have been free to explore their own academic and career interests and scholars have been free to pursue research that advances society,' Kenyon's spokesperson said. 'We believe both are worth preserving.' Ohio Wesleyan President Matt vandenBerg said challenges to higher education are threatening academic freedom and university missions. He said the letter emphasizes productive engagement between universities and government entities. 'The list of signatories is impressive and growing, and it reflects widespread concern from across the higher education landscape,' vandenBerg said. 'This is a rare and important moment of solidarity in higher education, and Ohio Wesleyan University has an important role to play in sharing this message.' Ohio State faculty to vote on joining Big Ten coalition against Trump's actions Ohio State, which did not sign the letter, was singled out by the Trump administration twice: once for alleged antisemitism and once for alleged discrimination for partnering with a nonprofit encouraging minority students to get their PhDs. A White House spokesperson told NBC News that the Trump administration is 'standing up for equality and fairness and will not be swayed by worthless letters by overpaid blowhards.' AAC&U said it will continue to accept signatures from current leaders of colleges, universities and scholarly societies. Denison University's president, for instance, signed after the letter's debut. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Guardian
13-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on Donald Trump's Congo deal: mineral riches for protection
'The vilest scramble for loot that has ever disfigured the history of human conscience' is how Joseph Conrad described colonial-era concessions granted to private companies for Congo's natural resources in Heart of Darkness. Under Donald Trump, that scramble may be back. If news reports are right, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is offering the US a blunt deal: minerals for military help – a slice of sovereignty traded for a shot at stability. The concern is this isn't a return, it's a sequel. For three decades, Washington supported Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, a cold war ally and brutal dictator who looted the Congo until his 1997 fall. That history of power politics still casts a long shadow. The Trump administration openly favours muscle over diplomacy. Fadhel Kaboub, an associate professor of economics at Denison University, notes that Biden-era talk of partnering for clean energy has been shelved, with the US driven less by green goals than by copper and cobalt for missiles and microchips. The logic is bleak but clear. Since 1996, the Congo's wars have drawn in foreign armies and proxies, leaving over 5.5 million dead. The DRC faces a worsening security crisis driven by armed groups like M23, allegedly backed by Rwanda and other regional powers. Western governments lament the violence, but focus on securing access to minerals vital to their industries. Kinshasa, seeing appeals to multilateral justice achieve little, has turned to dealmaking. If dependency is inevitable, it might as well be leveraged. The DRC's leadership is not naive. They know Mr Trump sees Africa not as a partner but as a warehouse of strategic materials, and Ukraine as proof that he will turn weakness into American gain. They know China won't send troops – citing non-interference – even as its firms dominate Congolese mining. With Russia and Gulf states offering assistance, Kinshasa pushes for US bases to guard 'strategic resources' – like cobalt, 70% of which comes from the DRC and is essential to smartphones and Nato's defence industry. Congo may want boots; Washington prefers business. The proposed deal with the US seems desperate and strategic: security support in exchange for mining rights. Don't call it protection money. After Mr Trump's Africa envoy signalled a deal was coming, the DRC repatriated three Americans tied to a failed coup, and a tin mine, which is controlled by US investors, began reopening as M23 rebels pulled back – a fragile win in a volatile landscape. Kinshasa hopes either to have Washington broker a peace that forces the rebels into retreat or to gain the firepower to crush them outright. It might also unlock IMF funding and widen access to western capital markets. But at what cost? The likeliest outcome is that the DRC will receive just enough to remain dependent. Its mineral sector will be dominated by foreign firms, its fiscal autonomy eroded by conditional loans and its economy locked into the old pattern of subservience – supplier of cheap inputs, consumer of expensive outputs. Calling this colonialism isn't quite right. Empires ruled by decree, with no pretence of consent. Today's coercion is more subtle: a sovereign state cornered, at a weak moment, into accepting colonial-style terms without soldiers or flags. The tools are different – security deals, trade exemptions, private investment. But the logic is familiar. The irony is that this is being pursued voluntarily by a government with few alternatives. What will history say about that?
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
2025 Election Questionnaire: Julie Aitken, Sterling School Board Member
Mar. 9—Name: Julie Aitken What office are you seeking? Sterling School Board Member What is your political party? Candidate did not respond. What is your current age? 53 Occupation and employer: National Account Executive for The Mail Group What offices, if any, have you previously held? I have been a member of the Sterling School Board since August 2020, and I am currently Treasurer. City: Sterling Education: Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Classics, Denison University, 1993. Community Involvement: Volunteer Girls Tennis Coach from 2014 through present. SHS Boosters from 2021 through present. PEO, Chapter JL from 2006 through present. Marital status/Immediate family: Happily married for 30 years this year! Two daughters, 23 and 17. One graduated from SHS in 2020 and the other is a senior this year. Questions: Sterling Public Schools' goals call for improving student proficiency rates across various subjects by 2027. SPS plans to raise the percentage of students scoring proficient or excellent on state English/language arts assessments from 26.3% in 2023 to 45% and on math assessments from 21.2% to 40%. Additionally, it aims to increase the percentage of kindergarten students demonstrating math readiness from 9% to 25%. What do you believe the board's role is in attaining those goals? As a board we support Dr. Tad Everett and his team to hire the best possible teachers and staff to motivate our students to achieve higher assessment scores. We also help implement the best curriculum possible for our students to promote their success. By maintaining our strong fiscal resources, we allow the district to retain the best talent and teach as effectively as possible. At the end of the day, we want each of our schools to have the necessary tools to reach the best educational outcomes for our students. Sterling's high school and middle school are undergoing major renovations and are developing a plan for future projects. Are there any specific facilities needs that you would like to see addressed as those plans are made? We are working to make all of our buildings as safe as possible. What is your stance on ICE agents accessing school grounds, and what policies would you advocate for regarding their presence on school property? Our District, under the leadership of Dr. Everett, is following all state and federal laws in regard to immigration. I support the leadership and direction provided by Dr. Everett. What is your position on allowing students to use cell phones during school hours? Following our school policy, cell phones can be used before and after school and during lunch. In some classes, they are a useful tool to help look up information, but that should be left to the discretion of the teacher. Do you think cell phone policies should allow exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes? If so, how would these exceptions be defined? Yes, I do think that cell phone policies should allow for exceptions for emergencies or specific educational purposes. The exceptions should be defined by building leadership and individual teachers for what is acceptable in their individual classrooms. What steps would you take to address concerns about cyberbullying and inappropriate content access through student cell phones? Using cell phones to enhance the educational experience can be advantageous. But parents need to monitor cell phone use and content searches to ensure that students are using their phones in an appropriate manner. It is never acceptable for students to use their cell phones to access inappropriate content or bully other students in or out of school hours. What is your plan for making district financial reports, including budgets and expenditures, publicly available and easy to understand? All of these documents are published on our District website. The public is always invited to attend our monthly board meetings. How would you involve parents and community members in the decision-making process for curriculum or policy changes? When it has been appropriate, the District has sent out surveys to parents and community members to get feedback on curriculum or policy changes. Prior to moving forward with a big change, we discuss the topic for several months in advance at our board meetings. The public is always encouraged to attend. What is your position on banning books in school libraries or classrooms, and how do you define the criteria for such decisions? I do not believe in the banning of books. Books should not be banned in public schools or public libraries. I do believe that content should be age appropriate in an educational environment, and our teachers do a great job in determining what is appropriate for their classrooms. How would you balance maintaining appropriate class sizes with the current teacher staffing levels? In our District, we work very hard to approve funds to maintain the best possible class sizes for all of our students. Our financial health has allowed us to add teachers where and when needed. Do you believe the district is allocating enough resources toward hiring and supporting teachers, and if not, what changes would you make? I do believe that we are allocating the proper funds to maintain our teaching excellence throughout the district. Dr. Dail has been instrumental in designing a program that attracts former SPS students to use their teaching degrees to teach within our District and as a result we are hiring the best candidates. We are also promoting growth from within our District by helping interested staff members get their teaching degrees. How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents? Any constituent is able to contact me at any time by emailing me through my SPS account. All board member emails are listed on our website. I am frequently approached by Sterling residents at SPS school functions or throughout the community.
