The Anchor - January 28 2019

Volume 92/Issue 12

THE

January 28th, 2019

ANCHOR

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

New organism growth laboratory, additions to biology lab set to take place

Tim Caplan News Editor

A genus of cyanobacteria called Gloeocpasa, Photo courtesy ric.edu

T

he Biology Department at Rhode Island College is getting ready to build a brand new organism growth laboratory with funds donated by the Champlin Foundation.

According to a Jan. 10 press release from RIC Communications and Marketing, The Champlin Grant is worth just

over 250 thousand dollars and will provide the financial resources that will allow the RIC Biology Department to procure 48 new microscopes as well as additional renovations for the current lab at RIC. Over the past 12 years, The Champlin Foundation has donated over $2 million to RIC. The purpose of the new lab

will be to cultivate different life-forms like microorganisms, invertebrates, and plants throughout a series of tanks, each tailored to the natural environment of these life-forms.

RIC Chair and Professor of Biology, Rebeka Merson, is very pleased that her students will be able to study and conduct research on these life-forms year round, and because they are not being shipped from afar as the current system operates, they have less of a likelihood of dying before students can conduct their work.

Twenty-four of the new microscopes in the lab will be dissecting/stereo microscopes and 24 will be compound light microscopes. A dissecting/stereo microscope is a microscope that puts light on a specimen but the light doesn't pass through. A compound

light microscope has multiple lenses and provides its own source of light which is meant to allow the user to see inside of the specimen while the light passes through it.

The laboratory preparation room, which has been a staple of the RIC Biology Department since it was first built in the 1970s, will receive thorough renovations including a new floor, new

paint job, new storage space along with workbenches and new furniture. The lab will also receive a Milli-Q/Reverse Osmosis, a machine which is used for the distilling of water, and an autoclave, which is a sterilization machine.

As of now, the college has yet to announce when the construction and renovation process will begin.

Planaria flatworm commonly found in introductory Bio labs, Photo courtesy Owlcation

Raimondo announces food program geared towards assisting RI students Erica Clark Asistant News Editor

G

overnor Gina Raimondo set forth an initiative at the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Breakfast held in Cranston to honor recipients. Raimondo announced a program to end the streak of child hunger throughout Rhode Island. The program is referred to as “No Student Hungry,” and would use $300,000 in state money as part of her budget plan. This could bring in an estimate of $3 million more in federal money, Raimondo’s office said.

Raimondo is insisting on requiring public schools to serve breakfast before the school day starts so more students are able to eat be-

fore going into the classroom.

This would require certain public schools with high levels of students to receive free or reduced-priced lunches. Some public schools in low-income areas will even receive free breakfasts and lunches for all students.

This program would also make it easier for low-income college students to qualify for SNAP benefits, also referred to as food stamps.

“Right now, only about half of our kids in Rhode Island who are eligible for free or reduced breakfast actually get and eat that breakfast at school, and as many as half of all college students say they go to bed hungry,” Raimondo said.

SNAP recipients who are students of the Community College of Rhode Island can

also get help paying for transportation, books, and childcare. “I've spent a lot of time at CCRI and RIC and URI - these kids are working hard,” Raimondo said.

“You cannot expect them to

juggle jobs, to juggle family, to juggle course load, to do well if they're hungry.”

This was the 36th Monday that The Martin Luther King Jr. speech was celebrated.

Ten students were honored

for receiving Martin Luther King Jr. scholarships in an event organized by the Rhode Island Ministers Alliance.

Photo courtesy YouTube.com

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Organizational Information Editorial Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Samantha Scetta | editorinchief@anchorweb.org

MANAGING EDITOR

Jessica Gauthier | managing@anchorweb.org

BUSINESS MANAGER

Lucille DiNaro | business@anchorweb.org

ART DIRECTOR

Samantha Malley | artdirector@anchorweb.org

NEWS EDITOR

Tim Caplan | news@anchorweb.org

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Erica Clark | asst_news@anchorweb.org

A&L EDITOR

Alec Ematrudo | lifestyles@anchorweb.org

ASST. A&L EDITOR

Jonathan Weaver | asst_lifestyles@anchorweb.org

OPINIONS EDITOR

Catherine Enos | opinions@anchorweb.org

ASST. OPINIONS EDITOR

Alison Macbeth| asst_opinions@anchorweb.org

SPORTS EDITOR

Jake Elmslie | sports@anchorweb.org

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Joseph A. Griswold | asst_sports@anchorweb.org

PHOTO EDITOR

Britt Donahue | photo@anchorweb.org

ASST. PHOTO EDITOR

Thomas Crudale | asst_photo@anchorweb.org

GRAPHICS EDITOR

Wiley Sadowski | graphics@anchorweb.org

ASST. GRAPHICS EDITOR

Victoria Rose | asst_graphics@anchorweb.org

SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Charlotte Abotsi | senior_copy@anchorweb.org

ASST. COPY EDITOR

Angela DaSilva | copy@anchorweb.org

SENIOR LAYOUT EDITOR

Enrique Castaneda-Pineda | layout@anchorweb.org

ASST. LAYOUT EDITOR

Ralston Najarro | asst_layout@anchorweb.org

ADS MANAGER

Lily Gallo | ads@anchorweb.org

Anchor Staff Aaron Isaac Mike Dwyer Derek Sharlock Joshua Magnone Thomas Yakey Jr. Alison Darmetko Jake Deblois Sophia Guerrier Kaitlin Dobson Sean Richer Joshua Percy

Contact Us: Editor-in-Chief Samantha Scetta

(401)456-8790 editorinchief@anchorweb.org

Advertising Lily Gallo

(401)456-8544 ads@anchorweb.org

TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR Victor Martelle | technology@anchorweb.org ONLINE MEDIA MANAGER Marisa Lenardson | web@anchorweb.org CIRCULATION MANAGER Janelle Gomez | circulation@anchorweb.org

Professional Advisor Jim Hummel The Hummel Report

Faculty Advisor Michael Michaud mmichaud@ric.edu

The Anchor is student-run and published weekly during the academic year. Editorial decisions for The Anchor are made by a majority vote of its student editorial board. No form of censorship will be imposed by the college. Any material found to be unsuitable or unacceptable in the board’s opinion will not be published. The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island College’s faculty, administration or student body. The Anchor is not funded by and is independent from Rhode Island College. The first copy is free. Each additional copy is $2.25. Newspaper racks on the Rhode Island College campus are the property of The Anchor Newspaper. Only The Anchor Newspaper publication will be permitted on these racks. Any other publication or advertisement that is placed on the racks will be given one (1) warning for violating this policy. After two (2) violations, the business/publication will be billed at the rate of a full page advertisement.

Copyright © 2016 The Anchor. All rights reserved.

Legalities:

News

Brexit: deal or no deal?

Sean Richer Anchor Staff As the March 29 deadline for the United Kingdom’s secession from the European Union nears, tensions in the nation’s Parliament grow. Parties across the political spectrum are struggling to agree on the terms of separation.

Prime Minister Theresa May’s first proposal was rejected in Parliament by historic margins, failing by 230 votes on Jan. 15. In the aftermath, the Prime Minister’s leadership was contested in a vote of no-confidence, which May survived narrowly. With the deadline rapidly approaching, the danger of leaving the union with no deal grows more probable.

Last week, May outlined the next steps her administration plans to take to the House of Commons. This included assurances that a “no-deal” Brexit is the final and most undesirable outcome possible. Assurances were also made that no hard border between the UK and

the Irish Republic would be created, saying to the House, “We must not allow the creation of a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland...This government will not reopen the Belfast Deal.”

If a deal is not struck by the end of the transition period, Northern Ireland could be stuck in a “Backstop,” and remain in the EU’s customs zone indefinitely which could threaten the unity of the kingdom.

Another concern that remains is the status of British citizens in the EU. There are currently over 1.3 million UK nationals living and working in Europe, and 3.8 million EU citizens in Britain. The Prime Minister has promised that her administration would work to ensure that EU citizens living in Britain could remain and continue to receive benefits in, “Broadly the same terms as now.” The deal would also have to ensure that those same privileges would be available to UK citizens living abroad.

The Prime Minister also went

Courtesy of Ian Forsyth via Getty Images on to say that Article 50, the decision to leave the EU, will not be revoked and that a second referendum should not be held.

The future remains uncertain. Criticism of May’s cabinet continues to pour from all of the nation’s political parties. The leader of the opposition and Britain’s Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, has

been emphatically critical of May’s leadership and has even called for a new general election in order to form a new government. The Labour Party has stated that they will not participate in the negotiations unless the “No Deal” option is totally off the table.

If the UK cannot reach a deal, it could have serious

repercussions on the global market and Parliament would have to take full control of the negotiations away from May’s cabinet.

As Brexit draws closer, the future prosperity of the opposing entities and the global market hang in the air.

Migration and immigration: a new course Aaron Isaac Anchor Staff

Migration at the border is at the center of political debate in America today. It is an issue so polarizing that disagreements about solutions caused the government to shut down.

Here at Rhode Island College, a new course about that very topic will now be offered.

“Border Crossings: Migration and Immigration in the 21st Century” will be a Liberal Arts, pass or fail, class. The course runs ten classes throughout the semester and students must attend at least eight of them.

Enrolled students must write three 300 word papers related to the source materials.

The goal of the course

is to answer questions about migration regarding the United States. Why do people migrate and what are the impacts of migration? However, this class is unique because it pulls together different schools of thought and focuses them on this single topic.

Each class will have different professors from different departments, such as geography, philosophy, and psychology, who will talk about the topic through the lens of their own discipline.

Political Science Professor Thomas Schmeling, Sociology Chair Mikaila Arthur and Anthropology Professor Praveena Gullapalli are the

three faculty members who are coordinating the course.

The Anchor spoke to Dr. Schmeling, who emphasized the importance of introducing students to new disciplines when confronting a topic as complex as migration. He believes to understand migration fully students should explore, not just political science, but economics and history as well.

This one-credit course is an extension of Liberal Arts Studies which is a relatively new major with only a handful of students in it.

The major focus on multiple disciplines to complete a project that can tie those fields together. For instance

Dr. Schemling said that “geography, economics, and political science might be used to study the infrastructure crisis.”

The course begins Jan. 29 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. in Gaige 100. Even if you don’t enroll in the class you can show up to any class which interests you and won’t have to complete any

assignments.

If you are interested in the class you can go to ric.edu/ libs150 to get the schedule, syllabus, and other readings.

Also, contact Dr. Schmeling at tschmeling@ric.edu if you are interested in either the class or in becoming a Liberal Arts Major.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 | 3

News

United States recognizes Juan Gaido as Venezuelan President, Maduro calls back Tim Caplan News Editor

Opposition to the regime of Nicolas Maduro came to a boil this Wednesday when tens of thousands of protestors marched the streets of Caracas and witnessed Juan Guaido declare himself interim president.

Juan Guaido is a 35 year old National Assembly member from the state of Vargas who has served since 2011. Guaido was quickly recognized by a series of Latin American countries as well as the U.S. and Canada as the president of Venezuela. This all occurred as the result of an alleged series of human rights violations.

According to Amnesty International, 8,200 extrajudicial killings have occurred under the Maduro regime since 2015, with a homicide rate of 89 per 100,000 people in 2017. There has also been a crisis of mass starvation in

recent years. According to Reuters, the average Venezuelan citizen had lost 24 pounds from the beginning of 2017 to the beginning of 2018. The inflation rate in Venezuela has also skyrocketed 80,000% according to Forbes.

ly recognized the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela.”

Nicolas Maduro has served as President of Venezuela since 2013, when his predecessor Hugo Chavez

Times called it a “farce” and a “sham election.”

The Associated Press reported on Thursday that Maduro had called back all foreign diplomats from The United States, claiming that America doesn’t have a “colonial hold” on Venezuela, and

consequences.”

Guaido has stated that he needs the support of the citizens of Venezuela, the military, and other countries to take power back from “usurper” Maduro.

The Trump Administration was quick to recognize Guaido as interim president. President Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday “The citizens of Venezuela have suffered for too long at the hands of the illegitimate Maduro regime. Today, I have official-

passed away. Maduro is a member of The United Socialist Party of Venezuela.

In May of 2018 there was a presidential election in which Maduro announced himself victorious, but publications like The Atlantic Council and the Financial

with backing from the military, he does not seem to be willing to hand over power to Guaido.

The whereabouts of Guaido are unknown currently, when he declared his interim presidency he stated the he knew “There would be

As of now both sides have yet to budge on their convictions.

Street rally in Caracas, Photos courtesy of Channel News Asia & Time Magazine

4 | Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Health & Science

The elegantly named Super Blood Wolf Moon: What does it really mean?

Britt Donahue Photo Editor

If you happened to be outside and looking up last Monday night, you were lucky enough to witness a rare lunar phenomenon called a “Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse.”

But you also may have asked yourself: “Why the heck is it called a Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse?”

Let’s start with the question: what do wolves have to do with anything? For much of history, time was tracked using the lunar calendar, and different names were associated with different times of the year. The January moon is called Wolf Moon, named after hungry packs of wolves howling in the cold winter.

Next, what is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse occurs only during the full moon when the Earth, sun, and moon are all in perfect alignment. During this time, the Earth’s shadow is cast across the surface of the moon, leaving the moon cast in darkness.

Photo courtesy of Fotolia Okay, well why was the moon red? This is related to a similar question, why is the sky blue?

Sunlight appears white, but it is actually made up of all the colors of the rainbow.

These colors travel on different wavelengths, which become scattered by the various gas molecules that make up Earth’s atmosphere. Since

blue waves are the shortest, more scattering occurs and causes the sky to appear blue to the human eye. This is the same phenomenon that causes both sunsets and blood moons to appear red.

While the moon is in shadow, some sunlight still manages to sneak through and enter Earth’s atmosphere, but it has to travel farther through

the atmosphere, allowing the longer red waves more time to reach our eyes.

And finally: Super Moon.

What does that mean? A supermoon occurs when the moon appears significantly larger than normal, due to its being closer to Earth. The moon’s orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle, so during the month, its distance varies.

A supermoon occurs when its perigee (closest distance to Earth) coincides with the full moon! Supermoons usually happen about three or four times a year.

The next total lunar eclipse visible in North America will occur on May 16, 2022, so mark your calendars now!

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 | 5

Health & Science

A word on consuming food safely during the government shutdown of 2019

Samantha Scetta Editor-in-Chief In a few words, food is not considered “safe” to eat during the government shutdown.

Yes, you read that right.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is one of many governmental organizations that has not been operating since Dec. 22 due to the shutdown, and it is one that affects every American who does not consume entirely homegrown food.

On Tuesday, Jan. 15, some high risk inspections were continued-- by unpaid FDA workers. This is unethical in itself, as there are foods that will go uninspected by any FDA worker, and the food that does get inspected will be done by an individual not being compensated for it.

Catherine Donnelly, a professor at the University of Vermont and expert on the microbiological safety of food, stated that “Consumers should continue to have confidence in those brand names that they trust and the willingness of companies to do the right thing in providing them with safe food.” She adds that the responsibility mainly lies in the companies producing the food to ensure their safety.

Companies may be inspecting their food, but mistakes

Graphics courtesy of Food Safety Magazine are ever present, especially with the recent E. coli outbreaks in 2018 which affected approximately 290 people according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The FDA being shut down for an extended period of time will only potentially increase foodborne illnesses,

and perhaps be the start of an epidemic related to illnesses that result from contaminated food.

In short, the question of “So what can I eat?” poses a very long and complicated answer, entirely dependent on who you are asking. In situations such as these, common sense and being wary

when cooking and grocery shopping works best.

As always, thoroughly wash your vegetables, be wary when consuming undercooked meat, and don’t consume anything that smells/feels questionable.

Below is a list of the most high risk foods for consumers due to their tendency to become contaminated: - Raw sprouts - Raw/Unpasteurized milk and juices - Pre- Packaged salads, fruits, and vegetables - Leafy greens - Ground meat - Raw eggs

6 | Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Arts & Entertainment

Letterkenny: Canada’s comedic accomplishment

Enrique Castaneda-Pineda Senior Layout Editor Maple syrup, Steven Ogg and the incredible Ryan Reynolds––all great things gifted to the world from Canada.

Then there’s “Letterkenny,” a show created by Jared Keeso. Keeso combined his Canadian experiences from his childhood town of Listowel, Ontario with exaggerated Canadian stereotypes.

Comprised of three factions: the skids, the hicks and the

Graphic courtesy of Crave TV hockey players, “Letterkenny” makes sure to bounce between all factions providing a healthy balance of all the characters. The show is not only a hilarious interpretation of Canadian country living, but it has heart and soul when you least expect it.

Despite the constant joking and making fun of each other, the show hammers home that despite people's differences, in a small town

like Letterkenny, everyone has each others backs. Even after having fights with each other, they always invite each other to parties and hang out on special occasions. It’s reminiscent of being with your closest friends and making jokes about each other. It’s all in good fun.

The show does a great job with catchphrases and one liners that will get ingrained into your head and have

you eventually saying them.

Every episode starts off with a story told by the main character Wayne (played by Jared Keeso) which normally has little to nothing to do with the episode, but is hilarious on its own.

Wayne and his crew of hicks talk about several different things they find weird or funny, ranging from the grossness of the word moist to discussing different

colognes and perfumes that are appropriate for a man to wear.

As the show is now on its sixth season, with only 40 episodes, it is easily a binge-worthy show that will only leave you wanting more.

There is one thing that’s certain, there will be several more seasons to come, almost as sure as God’s got sandals.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 | 7

Arts & Entertainment

Theatre’s dynamic shows

Thomas Yakey Jr. Anchor Staff

“The Marriage of Bette & Boo” by Christopher Durang is Rhode Island College’s first theatre show of the spring semester.

Connie Crawford, a professor of theatre at Brown University, is signed on as the director of this show. The show

will run at the Helen Forman Theatre, RIC’s own black box theatre, from Feb. 20-24.

Despite the play starting with the marriage of Bette

and Boo, a seemingly great ceremony, time goes on and the marriage does not work out as planned. This show is both a funny and creative way to discuss marriage and family in America today.

Unlike most of the theatre shows at RIC, the next production of the company will take place in the Auditorium

classic, where lovers Brad and Janet stumble upon the creepy mansion of Dr. FrankN-Furter.

The sweethearts go inside to meet an assortment crazy characters including a creepy butler and rocking biker. Using powerful rock songs and great dance choreography, the doctor reveals his latest creation, Rocky. The head of RIC’s Theatre Department Bill Wilson is the director of this play, and it is choreographed by Angelica Vessella, with Anthony-Alexander Torelli as the musical director. The play will run from April 11-14.

The student-directed growing stage production this year is also an interesting one.

Written by Greg Allen, “Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind” will be directed by student Michael Greene. This in Roberts Hall. play is a collection of ninety RIC will put on Richard different two-minute plays of thirty plays, meaning sixO’Brien’s “The Rocky Hor- in which the audience has a ty will go unperformed each ror Show.” hand in the line-up, choos- night.

This show is truly a cult ing a different combination This makes every night a

different experience, so it could even be worth coming back for more. The show will run May 3-5.

Netflix’s The Punisher: a compelling return Alec Ematrudo A&E Editor

whole thirteen episode season to catch up. Let me just tell you now, the second season is well worth the crawl through the first season. The

Russo. You may recognise Ben Barnes from his memorable role as Logan in “Westworld” season one and two.

Even further back than that,

I have to be honest. When I first tried to watch the premier season of the ”The Punisher,” I gave up after an episode and a half.

The show just wasn’t all that interesting to me. I love Jon Bernthal and I think he’s the best Frank Castle we’ve gotten thus far. And while he stole the show during Daredevil’s second season, he wasn’t really given anything interesting to do for the first half the season of his own show.

That being said, I can happily say that I may have judged the show too soon.

Upon seeing the really kickass trailer for the second season, I decided to give the show another shot. Upon seeing that the second season was airing a week standout actor and character he played Prince Caspian in away, I quickly binged the from both seasons is without the “Narnia” films. a doubt, Ben Barnes as Billy For those who haven’t

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seen season one yet, I won’t spoil anything but Billy Russo as a character is definitely the most compelling character in the show. Not

to take anything away from Frank Castle, The Punisher himself, because he too, is

given a much better character arc in the second season.

The second season tackles the issue of whether Frank is actually a good guy at heart or actually a psychopathic murderer. This is a theme throughout the season and we even see Frank’s allies question whether being his ally is beneficial or not, due to his murderous nature.

After a shaky season one, Netflix’s “The Punisher” really finds its footing in the second season and delivers a pretty satisfying ride. In a time where Netflix is seemingly cancelling all of it’s Marvel shows, “The Punisher” needed a great season with higher viewership. If reviews are any indication, we’ll be treated to at least one more season.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Arts & Entertainment

“God of War’s” triumphant return reinvigorates the franchise Enrique Castaneda-Pineda Senior Layout Editor As “God of War’s” Kratos made his return to Playstation 4, the change in the franchise’s typical game formula blew fans away, resulting in capturing “The Game Awards” coveted award, Game of the Year. With games like “Red Dead Redemption 2,” “Celeste,” and “Marvel’s: Spiderman,” 2018’s Game of the Year category was a close race.

In this game, Kratos, along with his son Atreus, make a pact to spread the ashes of his wife, Faye, atop the highest peak of all the lands. Despite its simple overarching story, the pair meet incredible characters along the way that have their own stories to get invested in. Whether its a mother that has nothing left but the memory of her son, or the story of two brothers that no longer speak to each other, “God of War” creates

compelling stories that bring an experience like no other.

One of the pillars of a “God of War” game is the fun fighting, which is easily at its peak in this soft reboot. Wielding the Leviathan Axe, Kratos has one of the most fun and satisfying weapons I’ve seen in a video game in a long time.

Throwing the axe into an enemy’s legs to topple it, targeting multiple enemies and watching the axe fly around as you proceed to beat them up with your bare hands is nothing short of feeling like you are in complete control.

Atreus also contributes to the damage as he assists Kra-

tos with his bow and arrow, which the player controls.

The game provides an atmosphere like no other, especially as you explore the different worlds you can visit throughout the game. The game can be dark and foggy, and bright and vibrant, but every environment feels

unique. Combining this with the games incredible controls, beautiful, heartfelt story, and new formula for the franchise, “God of War” truly hits its stride with fans anxious for the next one.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

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Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

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Arts&Entertainment

Marisa Lenardson Online Media Manager

Thursday Jan. 31

January Jam! Watch musicians, poets, comedians and more at this variety show extravaganza.

Or participate yourself!

The Underground Coffee Co. FREE // 7:30-10 p.m.

NEON Synthwave Night: Freeplay Arcade Play arcade games while jamming to the sounds of 1980's inspired electronic music.

Freeplay Bar & Arcade $5 // 7-1 a.m.

WXIN: Emo Night Put on your black eyeliner and rock out to classic emo anthems.

News Cafe $3 // 9-1 a.m.

Late Afternoon Strolls in Roger Williams Park Explore the trails of Roger Williams Park in a late afternoon hike.

Museum of Natural History and Planetarium FREE // 4:30-5:30 p.m.

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Friday Feb. 1

Saturday Feb. 2

Macbeth

A People's History Tour of the John Brown House With

In this Shakespearean thriller, Macbeth is determined to claim the throne of Scotland, no matter the cost.

Learn about the history of 18th century Rhode Island, the slave trade, and popular events such as the Gaspee Affair.

Trinity Repertory Company $18-$54 // 7:30-10 p.m.

Rhode Island Historical Society FREE // 1-2:15 p.m.

Walk The Moon

First Saturdays at Roger Williams Park

Free admission (for Best known for their hit song Providence residents) to the "Shut Up and Dance." botanical center, museum of natural history, and zoo.

The Strand Ballroom & Theater Roger Williams Park $35 // 7-11 p.m.

FREE // 10-4 p.m.

Trivia Night

Guided Hike

Dress warm and head out for Make a group and play trivia a guided hike on Groundhog Day. to win prizes.

Student Union Cafe FREE // 8-10 p.m.

Neutaconkanut Hill Conservancy Inc. FREE // 10-12 p.m.

The Shadow Box AS220 Galleries: February Exhibits

This play tells a story about three terminally ill patients and their families who An opening reception for new participate in a art exhibits. psychological inquiry into their end-of-life experiences AS220 Galleries FREE // 5-7 p.m.

400 Benefit Street $15 // 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Sunday Feb. 3 Langston Hughes Community Poetry Reading Experience selected poems of a writer and voice of the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes.

Providence Career Technical FREE // 1-4 p.m.

Super Bowl 2019 at Skyline A Super Bowl part with a buffet and former Patriots players and cheerleaders.

Skyline at Waterplace $40 // 2 p.m.

Drag Brunch What could be better than brunch and drag queens?

134 Atwells Ave. FREE // 12 p.m.

Good Grief A multimedia dance experience about the mind and bodies of individuals after enduring trauma.

Everett FREE // 1-2 p.m.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Opinions

The case of the vanishing week: RIC schedules a 14-week semester Catherine Enos Opinions editor On the first day of classes as professors handed out syllabi, some people may have noticed that the semester has seemingly been shortened by one week.

This can be confirmed on the RIC calendar of the spring semester, which started Jan. 22 and ends April 30-- that’s 14 weeks, not 15.

As a student that enjoys

classes (and pays a great deal of money for these classes), I’m a little disappointed and a little annoyed. Apparently, this has occurred because of a scheduling conflict involving the date of graduation.

Ending classes a week early as a result of a scheduling snafu doesn’t seem like the appropriate choice to make.

Students sign up for a 15week semester expecting 15 weeks of classes.

It’s possible that some students like the idea of hav-

ing one less week of class.

However, for classes that are necessary to set a foundation for later learning in a field, it presents a great disservice to these students.

For example, a student taking an anatomy class has one less week to set a good base of knowledge for later courses, or even for post-graduate studies.

The administration has been touting their “transparency.” However, there have been no statements from any

official of the college explaining why there’s one less week of classes.

An option that could have been explored would be to present options in the first place -- do students want to end classes a week early?

Do they want classes to start a week early (to compensate for lost time)? For absolute radio silence to occur in a situation like this is disheartening.

How much does the school really care about our

incoming tuition dollars if they can’t even offer us a full semester? Before thinking “a week isn’t a huge difference,” it may help to break the cost of tuition into weeks.

A semester at RIC for an instate resident costs $4,465. If you divide this by 15 weeks, the cost of one week of school is approximately $297.

So, essentially, students are paying an extra $297 for a week of classes they aren’t receiving. That’s not chump change.

ourselves was fascinating.

So when we ended up taking the wrong subway and found that our hotel was located in the center of Chinatown, I chalked it up as a learning experience and moved on.

That trip kick-started my obsession with travelling and slowly I booked more trips: small day trips to Boston and other local places until I finally decided to move to Orlando, FL, completely on my own, for almost an entire year.

The biggest thing I learned while being in Orlando was that being comfortable alone can be your biggest strength.

That's why I decided that this summer, I’ll be embarking on a two-week long trip to Europe by myself with nothing except for a backpack and my iPhone.

Telling people this usually gets mixed reactions-- some tell me stories about the time they went to Europe, while others shoot me sympathetic looks and ask me if I want someone to come with me.

The last reaction is the most common and the answer is no, I don’t want someone to tag along.

Even in my small trips, I have found that travelling alone is arguably the most

immersive way to travel.

You’re forced to pull yourself away from your normal life and soak up the culture of the city you’re in.

Another one of the perks of travelling solo is that you have complete control over everything. From finances to deciding where to eat lunch, no one else’s opinion matters except yours.

There's really nothing more incredible than waking up in another city with no one to please but yourself. I choose to travel solo because it makes me feel free and has made me so much more sure of myself.

I believe that the ability to spend time with oneself is so essential to mental health, and solo travel can help build that. You learn how to become your own best friend and find that you’re never truly alone.

Even if you don’t know anyone, there are always opportunities to meet people and branch out.

The last reason I choose to solo travel is because of something I learned in Orlando: the single rider line at Disney World is ALWAYS shorter than the regular line, and honestly, that's all the convincing I need.

Why I chose to travel solo

Alexis Rapoza Anchor Contributor When I graduated high school, one of the first things I did was book a trip to a festival in NYC. At 18 years old, I had never really travelled anywhere except with my family and I was definitely not ready to go alone, so I begged my sister to come and she agreed. Quickly our NYC trip approached, we boarded our train and three hours later we were dumped into the center of The Big Apple. It was liberating.

I had been to NYC before, but something about being in the city with no supervision and no one to rely on except

The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island College’s faculty, administration or student body.

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Opinions

Tuition Free? Not for me. Not yet.

Lucille DiNaro Business Manager

Two years of undergraduate studies, nearly tuition free. I can hardly imagine a reality in which this is possible. Should the Rhode Island Promise Scholarship be extended to Rhode Island College, as was suggested in Governor Gina Raimondo’s State of the State Address on Jan. 15, the final two years of a four year degree at RIC may be covered by the state.

I have a sister who is in her sophomore year of high school. For my family, the possibility of achieving a Bachelor’s degree at half the cost is life changing. My mom has to bear the burden of supporting three children through college, and I have witnessed firsthand the financial and emotional toll it has taken on her. I would do anything to alleviate her stresses, and I’m sure that my experience is a shared one.

If the Promise Scholarship is extended to RIC, Rhode Islanders from every demographic will likely breathe an enormous sigh of relief.

Despite this, I am still wary of the Promise Scholarship.

I, like any other loved one, wish to see my family and friends enabled to succeed.

While the Promise Scholarship may achieve this at surface level, the implications of the scholarship and the means through which it will be carried out are a little too unpredictable for my liking.

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Governor Raimondo stated that an extension of the scholarship is but “a few million dollars in a $10 billion budget.” These numbers are absolutely correct, but this is still millions of dollars that need to be allocated to our higher education budget.

It’s quite easy to rationalize millions of dollars in spending when the Governor has framed it this way. However, when it comes time for scholarships to be dispersed, who is providing the dollars necessary to fund the scholarship? It feels very irresponsible to pass a legislative initiative with no real funding.

My mom has spent her life working hard to ensure that my sisters and I will have opportunities she never had access to. To this extent, I fear that the Promise Scholarship is severely limiting. To require that scholarship recipients seek employment in the state in return for tuition dollars is almost unreasonable. If you don’t understand why I see this as a problem, come back to me when you graduate and all of your peers are competing for the same positions you are. I absolutely admire the students in my department. They are all passionate, engaged learners and have become great friends of mine--I want nothing more than for them to succeed. You can understand why really, really don’t want to see them

in the lobby at my next interview.

By the time my sister graduates, I hope that the opportunities available to her reflect the degree she worked for, not just the vacant positions Rhode Island has available.

Unless the state of Rhode Island can promise to students that there will be a job climate capable of supporting every

scholarship recipient, I can’t say that I am comfortable in promising Rhode Island my perpetual employment.

As a loyal Rhode Islander, I would love to witness the success of this program.

Our residents deserve a platform to success, and Rhode Island deserves hard-working professionals to develop our economy and give back to the

beautiful state that made us who we are. The statement that RIC will offer the most affordable four year degree in America is a great thing to advertise on a website. But will the most affordable four year degree program truly enable the most successful graduates, or the least indebted graduates? I guess the debate lies in one’s values.

The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island College’s faculty, administration or student body.

Opinions

Discussion of religion should not be a taboo Victor Martelle Tech. director I have taken a hypocritical stance writing this piece as I don’t bring up religion in everyday conversations, let alone with close friends.

Lately, even with politics seemingly given the permission to enter everyday close conversation, you probably haven’t ventured that far out either. Religion is more taboo to converse about over most other major topics -heck, more so than even discussing that weird sex fetish you have. Nonetheless, what bothers me is not just why, but how has this become the status quo?

If respectful conversation could be had, and learning new things was a goal, I believe discussion of religion would take front seat. Respectful conversation can be had with some effort, so perhaps the lack of seeking truth and learning is the key problem. If “No, I love learning new things!” is a response of many (including myself), then I wonder, and will put forward: is religion so embedded with our identity that we are afraid of it shattering?

Is this hindering our ability to converse with one another? If we want to learn new things and be closer to truth, it shouldn’t be!

While a certain system may be your foundation, adjusting said foundation can lead to stronger self-building.

The path to truth is through respectful, thought-provoking discussion. Every day without challenging your encompassing belief system is a day of the mind wasted.

Religion itself hits on major

tenets of philosophy, and therefore will surely open new roads within.

However, new foundations and untrekked roads bring new fear. The fears of new truths and the unknown are difficult for many. But shouldn’t we welcome these things? If we always thought the moon was brightening our skies instead of the sun, and later learned it was the sun, shouldn’t this be a welcoming fact?

Moreover, if we learned that parts of our thinking could be wrong, our “tools in the mind-toolbox” being used incorrectly, should we not strive to use them correctly?

The fear of not knowing is a simpler case. Is there an ultimate truth?

Are we not just brains in a vat?

What’s the meaning of my life?

I don’t know--and that’s perfectly fine. I won’t sit here and try to defend an answer solely because it conflicts with one of my other held principles. Let go, and calmly take time to think about it, and better yet, discuss that idea with others.

The path to your truth is carved through years of sharpening your tools to build that foundation. It took years for believers and the inverse to reach their conclusions, and discussion of these diverse conclusions may lead to an overarching truth.

Once we get comfortable with saying “I don’t know,” not only will religious discussions become easier, but so will everyday conversations about politics, and perhaps even that weird fetish as well.

The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island College’s faculty, administration or student body.

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Sports

RIC athlete spotlight: Tamar Williams

Jake Elmslie Sports Editor It is fairly common for NBA teams who are trying to compete in the playoffs to trade for a player who provides them with that certain something they are missing.

Be it a big man to help out with rebounding, a secondary ball handler to help facilitate passing, some extra scoring off the bench or even just an extra body to provide some depth. These sorts of acquisitions do not tend to happen in the world of Division III Basketball; however, the Rhode Island College Anchormen

#3 - Tamar Williams, Photo by Thomas Crudale may have just lucked out with the midseason addition of freshman guard Tamar Williams.

Williams began the season as a red shirt freshman at Division II Post University, a small private institution in Waterbury, Connecticut. Williams never felt quite comfortable at the university and believed that the school’s size and lack of opportunities both athletically and academically were limiting his ability to succeed.

Williams, a New Haven native, desired a change and two key personal connections

helped him to settle on RIC. Firstly, he has a long-standing relationship with Anchormen captain and senior Justin Campbell, as both attended Hill Regional Career High School and according to Williams, the two are like brothers. Secondly, a Post University assistant coach, Garvin Mcalister has worked alongside RIC first-year head coach Tom Glynn, another connection that gave Williams a foot in the door with the RIC program.

Williams officially transferred to RIC on Jan. 1, and his impact was immediate-

ly felt by the Anchormen.

Williams recorded double digit scoring efforts in each of his first three games including a 16 point effort over Castleton. When asked how he feels about playing for the Anchormen, Williams explained “playing for RIC is great, everybody stays together everyone picks each other up, we’re like a family, we practice hard every day, coach pushes us hard but he’s also like a friend.”

With the spring semester having started up in the last week, Williams, a business administration major also has

nothing but good things to say about RIC academically: “RIC is fantastic, the professors are helpful, they make sure you get what you need.”

Williams has no plans to leave RIC anytime soon explaining that “I feel like this is home, we have a young team and I feel like I play a big part in that. Coach has me helping out with a lot of recruits, I feel like we have a big future and that I’m a key part of that future.” Williams also stressed that it was noted how thankful he is to Coach Glynn for the opportunity to play for RIC.

16 | Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Sports

Women’s Basketball loses steam in overtime Jake Elmslie Sports Editor Rhode Island College’s Women’s Basketball nearly overcame a plethora of their own inconsistencies Saturday afternoon, but the holes they had dug for themselves were too much for them to manage in a 63-58 conference loss to the University of Southern Maine Huskies.

The Anchorwomen opened the game on a strong note, claiming a 14-10 lead by the end of the first quarter. They were able to secure this early lead in part due to strong shooting, with RIC going 50 percent on field goals in the game’s initial frame.

From here, the Anchorwomen’s fortunes turned sour. The team played a dreadful second quarter, committing more turnovers than scored points. The only scoring for RIC came in the form of a Marie Gallagher three pointer and a single free throw made by Analeesia Fernandes. On the other

side of things, the Huskies managed to put up 16 points and went into the half with a 26-18 lead.

The Anchorwomen continued to play the same brand of sloppy basketball that had led to their deficit for the first chunk of the third quarter.

However, they were able to cut USM’s lead down to one with around four minutes left in the third quarter, before again falling behind by double digits.

RIC’s continued ineffectiveness made a comeback seem unlikely, and the team remained down 46-36 with six minutes left to play. From there, the Anchorwomen went on an explosive 18-8 scoring run in the games final minutes and managed to tie the game at 54 a piece by the end of regulation. The team was able to accomplish this with impressive offensive performances from both Jordyn Gauvin and Sophia Guerrier

who managed to score seven and eight points respectively in the game’s fourth quarter.

The Anchorwomen’s hopes were quickly dashed in overtime, however, with the RIC team being unable to keep pace with the Husky offense en route to the overtime defeat. The Anchorwomen only managed to convert on one field goal in extra time, going 1-8 shooting overall.

When asked about the game’s roller coaster finish, Gauvin explained that “Basketball is a game of runs, we went on ours and they went on theirs and theirs came at the right time.”

With this loss, RIC will fall to 12-7 on the season as well as 5-6 in the conference. The Anchorwomen’s next game will take them up north for a Wednesday evening Little East matchup against the Castleton University Spartans where tip off is scheduled for 5:30.

#13 - Sophia Guerrier, Photo by Britt Donahue

#12 - Analeesia Fernandes, #25 - Taylor Thompson, Photo by Britt Donahue

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 | 17

Sports

Oh Neaux: how the NFL can avoid future officiating gaffs Joseph A. Griswold Assistant Sports Editor It was the non-call heard round the world. With under two minutes left to play in a 20-20 tie game in the NFL’s NFC Championship game between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams, referees missed a blatant pass-interference call that would have virtually guaranteed a win for the Saints and sent them to Super Bowl LIII. On third-and-10 from the Rams 13, Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees dropped back and tossed a pass towards receiver Tommylee Lewis. Before the ball arrived, Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman dropped his head leveling Lewis in what the world saw as a clear and obvious pass interference.

However, no flags fell and the pass was called incomplete to the amazement of the 73,000 fans in attendance and the millions watching from home. Rather than a game-clinching score as time expired, the Saints

were forced to settle for a field goal, which allowed the Rams to manufacture a game-tying drive and then ultimately capture the victory in overtime.

It was not simply the call that left fans and players outraged, as many have become accustomed to missed calls as part of the game, but the

egregious nature of the noncall. “They blew the call,” Head coach Sean Payton stated, standing stunned and disgusted as he attempted to digest the non-call after the game. Payton was not the only outraged person as players and fans alike took to social media to discuss the missed call. Billboards

plastered the city citing, “We were robbed,” and “NFL bleaux it.” The fanbase even went as far as filing a lawsuit on behalf of the season-ticket-holders for the missed call.

Despite the billboards and the lawsuit, the outcome of the game cannot be changed even though the NFL has

come forward and admitted fault on the call. What can change, however, is how the NFL handles future clear and obvious missed calls, especially those that can have game-altering ramifications.

The non-call reignited the argument for the expansion of instant replay use and the use of more advanced technology in order to most accurately and efficiently officiate a game. Previous talks of more technological advancement and expansion of replay have stalled, but this error seems to be enough to force the NFL’s hand. In a sport that still relies so much on judgment calls made by old men from 20 yards away, it is clear the NFL needs adjusting.

Other major sports have shown the benefits of technology such as the use of it in tennis to determine if a ball is in or out of bounds.

In a corporation as large as the NFL, where money is no expense, the integrity of the game must be protected through the expansion of replay and the introduction of technology that allow for more accurate and efficient officiating.

Courtesy of USA Today

18 | Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Sports

Wrestling falls to New England College

Tim Caplan News Editor New England College (NEC) hosted Rhode Island College Wrestling on Saturday, Jan. 26 in a closely contested match won by the Pilgrims of NEC 28-12. This was the second match for RIC this weekend as their first match, played against Castleton University in Vermont, resulted in a failing

Courtesy of goanchormen.com effort.

The match began at 149 pounds with Sam Lindblom, a Junior from Waterford, Connecticut. He faced NEC sophomore Najee Hall, who wrestled a very close match, but ultimately lost to Lindblom 3-1 off a last minute takedown in the third period. At 157 pounds,

Mannash Carlson scored the win against RIC’s David Sheldon III, and then at 165 pounds, Gianni Oyadomari won a 13-8 decision against RIC’s Tim Caplan.

174 pounds was forfeited

by RIC, followed by a win

by NEC’s Mike Tanguay over RIC wrestler Nate Stemple at 184 pounds.

197 pounds featured Travis Manick for RIC, and Teyler Hiestand for NEC. Manick quickly scored a body lock takedown and a set of back points before pinning Hiestand in the first period. Junior RIC heavyweight Jordan Zanni followed Manick with a razor thin decision, scoring

a takedown and ride out in the last 30 seconds for an exciting 3-1 win.

Three wins in a row for the Pilgrims concluded the match at 125, 133 and 141 pounds to end the match with a score of 28-12. The final match at home for RIC will be against Roger Williams on Friday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 | 19

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