Spring Break
'Playboy' project draws fire from university officials
Banner made by student in Janet Lee's women studies class recognizes Playboy achievement
Aleks Cherednichenko
Issue date: 6/8/07 Section: News
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Underwood's semi-nude profile was posted over the University Marketing achievement banner for Tim Leatherman - which hangs from a light pole located near Covell Hall. The banner was brought down by OSU facilities services just a few hours later.
This could have been a prank, but the entire affair was actually a class project for a women studies class taught by Janet Lee. Lee allowed her students to creatively respond to a news item of their choice. Alex Polvi, a senior in computer science, chose an article about Underwood's coronation as Playmate of the Year.
"He produced a banner and wrote an accompanying artistic statement," Lee said through an e-mail. "His point was that OSU has received recognition for the Beaver Playmate and they should be honest and recognize her as such in the same way they recognize other features OSU people."
"I was trying to get people to think of this is something we should recognize," Polvi said. After he explained his project to the students in his class, the majority were very supportive.
The banner was taken down and brought into the Office of University Advancement. "It was taken down because it was sufficiently provocative," said Todd Simmons, assistant vice president of university advancement. "It was an inappropriate use of university resources."
Two of Polvi's friends, Carly Stoughton and Heather Lonsdale, were also involved in the project.
"[Heather and I] came up with the concept of the poster, it was a pretty random idea, sort of started as a senior prank," Stoughton said. "It went perfectly with Alex's class assignment, and we all thought that Sara's accomplishment [as Playmate of the Year] was cool; we also thought she deserved recognition for it."
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 36
Shawn
posted 6/08/07 @ 9:30 AM PST
Ahh... Art.
Congratulations for making people think. If we can have a display of abortions and genocide in the quad for a week, why not have this posted up? I'd much rather see something like this than be forced to even glance at the genocide "awareness" program. (Continued…)
Carly Stoughton
posted 6/08/07 @ 10:15 AM PST
We all worked on the poster equally! Don't give Polvi all the credit. :)
Alicia
posted 6/08/07 @ 10:22 AM PST
Side note: Sara is NOT the first OSU student to be named Playmate of the Year. The first was Jodi Patterson who was the 2000 Playmate of the Year. Two out of 48, not too bad. (Continued…)
balexan
Bruce Alexander
posted 6/08/07 @ 10:56 AM PST
While Facilities Services may have had every right to remove the poster, since it had been hung without authorization, the reasoning behind its removal only serves to justify the motives of the authors. (Continued…)
thompcha
Charles Thompson
posted 6/08/07 @ 3:03 PM PST
So, since we're allowing big posters of porn on campus, can I expect more of this in the near future?
If so, can I be notified of when and in what fashion so I can be sure my family isn't down here visiting me? How about my cousins aged 7 and 12?
Will the City or State be pressing obscenity charges?
Clay Stephens
posted 6/08/07 @ 7:01 PM PST
Yes, she is the second PMOTY in OSU history, not the first. Also something notable to mention is that Jodi Ann Patterson is the only PMOTY to graduate from college, and Sara Underwood will be the second- Both from OSU! That's a reputation I sure don't mind OSU having-producing both smart and beautiful women. (Continued…)
Charles Thompson
posted 6/09/07 @ 5:41 PM PST
In response to Mark Hoody:
At your urging, I've read the article a fifth time. Here is what it has to say about the relative legitimacy of what was done:
"This could have been a prank, but the entire affair was actually a class project for a women studies class taught by Janet Lee. (Continued…)
OSU ALUM '96
posted 6/09/07 @ 9:32 PM PST
Hey Charles,
Step out the dark ages. This poster was only up for a couple of hours, but you make it sound as if the world has come to an end. I, for one, salute these kids for being creative in their approach to school projects. (Continued…)
John
posted 6/11/07 @ 1:36 PM PST
Clay Stephens said: "It's one thing to pose in Playboy, it is quite another to have a picture paraded around on campus of you half naked. Considering she is still a student here, I think he should have respected her privacy by asking for her approval first (which I do not know if he did or not). (Continued…)
Jill
posted 6/15/07 @ 4:28 PM PST
I thought the poster was completely distastefull. I don't think Underwood deserves recognition from the University, or the those living around it, becuase her achievement is not a scholastic one. (Continued…)
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