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April 8, 2008
Sports
Vol. 80 Issue #25
AnchoR
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RIC Presidential Search Enters New Stage By Kameron Spaulding Anchor Editor The search committee to find the next president of Rhode Island College has named the four finalists. The finalists are: •Nancy Carriuolo, RIC’s interim vice president for academic affairs and deputy commissioner and chief academic officer at the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education. •John William Folkins, chief executive officer at the Bowling Green State University Research Institute in Bowling Green, Ohio. •Alfred J. Guillaume Jr., vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of French at Indiana University South Bend. •Nancy Kleniewski, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Bridgewater State College in Bridgewater, Mass. A total of 48 people applied to replace President Nazarian, and the search committee interviewed eight candidates before selecting the four finalists. The 14-member committee was made up of members from the Board of Governors, several RIC faculty and staff members, a RIC student, a representative of the RIC alumnus, a member of the RIC
Foundation board and community representatives. To begin the search, a job description was first written that stated that all candidates must have a doctorate, 10 years of senior administrative leadership in higher education, and strong interpersonal skills. They also needed to have experience networking with other colleges and k-12 institutions. Even in a tough budget year the new president will most likely get a raise over what President Nazarian currently makes. The president makes in the range of $185,000 a year. This is far below the national average of $212,800 for presidents of colleges that house master’s degree programs. It is expected that the final decision will be made at the May 12 meeting of the Board of Governors for Higher Education. The entire four finalists will be on campus for all students and faculty to meet later in the month. During the middle two weeks of April, each candidate will come for a full day of interviews, meetings and forums. The Anchor will provide more information on how to meet the possible leaders of our college as it becomes available.
RIC Frat Gives Back By Kameron Spaulding Anchor Editor This past winter, the Epsilon Upsilon chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. gave back to the Providence community. The initiative they took upon was the sponsorship of the boys 11-13 year old basketball team at the Olneyville Boys and Girls Club. Nicholas Lafreniere, co-founder of the fraternity’s chapter and boys basketball c o a c h , called upon his fraternity brothers to sponsor t h e t e a m when it w a s t h re a t e n e d with not having a basketball season due to lack of sponsorship. The fraternity, who holds the ideal of citizenship to be one of its highest ideals, not only gave monetary support but occasionally assisted in the team’s practices. The Olneyille 11-14 year old
boys basketball team wore the name of the fraternity on their tshirts and traveled throughout Rhode Island to compete with other Boys and Girls Clubs. Regardless of whether the team achieved a championship trophy, the fraternity and the Olneyville community feel honored for these young men representing their community. The Epsilon Ups i l o n c h a p t e r, which w a s founded on April 28, 2002 at Rhode Island College, is a part of the much larger Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. T h i s historic a l l y black fraternity was founded in 1963 at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Md. It is a 501 c(3) non-profit organization whose mission is the “development and perpetuation of scholarship, leadership, citizenship, fidelity, and brotherhood.”
A Silenced Community RIC Rainbow Alliance’s Advertising Campaign Vandalized for Third Time This Year By Barry Nickerson Anchor Editor On Thursday morning, Rhode Island College Rainbow Alliance President Jenn Vieira was woken up early by a phone call from her club’s treasurer, telling her to go to Donovan Dining Center and check on the club’s banner.
The banner, which was ordered by Rainbow Alliance to advertise the events of Queer Month, was vandalized for the second time. The first time, the banner was stolen from Donovan. This time, the graphic of two men kissing was neatly clipped out of the bottom-left corner. On the new banner, across
the two men’s figures was a Band-Aid, bearing the message: “Ouch! Being disrespectful hurts everyone!” Vieira, a transfer student to RIC, had to order a third copy of the banner from the Graphics department.
Continued on Center
RIC Rainbow Alliance member Aaron Buckley holds one of the vandalized banners. Photo courtesy of Barry Nickerson
F.Y.I @ RIC
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Chocolate Seder Tuesday, April 8, 2008 from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. in SU 307 It is a Passover seder using chocolate instead of the other symbolic food items
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Kevin Killavey
E D I T O R S Executive editor Managing editor News editor Editorial editor A & E editor Sports editor Photography editor Layout editors Copy editor Graphics editor Business editor Technology editor Public Relations Ads Manager Distribution Anchor Jr. Faculty advisor Professional advisors
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April 8, 2008
Ducey Student Media Center Student Union Plaza Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue Providence, R.I. 02908
Anchor Meetings Every Wednesday from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. in the Ducey Student Media Center Student Parliament Budget Meeting Wednesday, April 9, 2008 from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. in SU 307 Special Budget Meeting of Rhode Island College Student Parliament for organizations NOT satisfied with their budget recommendations from the Finance Commission. RIC Music: Trio Rhode Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. in Sapinsley Hall Annual Drag Show Friday, April 11, 2008 from 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. in SU Ballroom Come see amateur and professional Kings & Queens. contacts & fine print General ...............401.456.8280 Advertising...........401.456.8544 Fax.....................401.456.8792 Web ...........www.anchorweb.org General Info .info@anchorweb.org 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 first copy is free. Each additional copy is $2.25. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2007, The Anchor. If you are a student organization and would like to have an event covered, please contact The Anchor at managing@anchorweb.org.
News
April 8, 2008
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THE ANCHOR
RIC Climate Awareness Day By Kellye Martin Anchor Editor By Amanda Hooper Anchor Staff A man in Reading, Pa. crashed his van after climbing on the roof while driving 55 miles an hour. After crashing, he then stripped himself naked and led the Reading Police Department on a highway chase on foot. The police tried to Taser and pepper spray him but the only thing that stopped him was an officer tackling him. He is not being charged with anything and remains in the Reading Hospital with a deep gash in his side. A man in Long Island, N.Y. named Eric Stetz apparently boobytrapped his door. He used a crutch, an elastic chord and a large knife to set it up. He was charged with reckless endangerment. He supposedly left it for his superintendent and a person from the phone company. Neither was harmed. Stetz has been released on bail. In Durant, Okla., a man convicted of making and selling methamphetamine was sen-
tenced to 10 years in prison. Before he was led away to serve his time, however, he asked someone to marry him to his girlfriend. The police chief there was an ordained minister so he married the couple before the convict was led away. It was reportedly very emotional and many people in the courtroom left in tears afterward. In West Lafayette, Ind., a 17member team from Perdue Uni-
versity invented a machine that could make a hamburger. The machine itself takes 156 steps to create this sandwich. Originally, it only had 101 steps but after
What’s Special about Today? By Jessica Albaum Anchor Editor National Humor Month April is National Humor month. It was created in 1976 by Larry Wilde, director of The Carmel Institute of Humor. This month, use humor to lift your spirits. The weather may be dreary but as long as you’re laughing, you can feel like it’s beautiful outside.
April 10 National Sibling Day This special day is meant to honor the family members that are usually tortured the most, your siblings. Whether you were/are tortured by your sibling or were the one doing the torturing, on this day put aside your differences and spend some quality time together. April 12
April 8 Draw a Picture of a Bird Day This is the perfect day to get outside. Take a crayon or a pencil and a piece of paper and start drawing. April 9 Winston Churchill Day On this day in 1963, Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of Britain during WWII, became an honorary U.S. Citizen posthumously. This was the first time honorary citizenship was given.
Big Wind Day On this day in 1934, the biggest wind ever recorded occurred. It was recorded by the Mount Washington Observatory. It hit a speed of 231 miles per hour. April 13 Blame Someone Else Day Today, do not worry about any mistakes or think twice about doing something you probably shouldn’t. Instead, go for it. Do whatever you want but make sure to blame it on someone else.
winning the Rube Goldberg machine contest they added 55 more. This is their third win in a contest of this nature. The award was named after the cartoonist who drew complex machines to perform simple tasks. The contest itself is sponsored by the Phi Chapter of Theta Tau. The rules of the contest were to make a hamburger (a meat patty, two vegetables, two condiments, and two buns) with a machine that took 20 steps or more. Perdue came in first, Texas A&M University came in second, and The University of Buffalo came in third. In Stockholm, Sweden, an obese rat caused a three hour power outage in the central train station. He apparently snuck into a utility and got electrocuted, causing the outage. It caused many train delays and got some people stuck in the elevators. Now, the area where the rat was killed must be decontaminated. Check back next week for more weird news from the world over.
Rhode Island College’s first Global Awareness Day will take place on Wednesday, April 16. The event will last from noon until 8 p.m. and will be held in Gaige Hall. The event will be hosted by the Geography Program, the Rhode Island Geography Education Alliance, and the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs. Climate Awareness Day will play host to activities for all ages and will encompass a wide variety of fields of study. The event will showcase exhibits from local Eco-Businesses, job opportunities, teacher resources, and a demonstration of the Toyota Prius and Camry Hybrid from FOX Toyota of East Providence. Attendees can also have their pictures taken with a giant Earth. There will be several demonstrations including Google
Earth, CNN Classroom, and The Weather Channel’s Weather Classroom. The Political Science Club will also be holding voter registration. Besides photographs with the giant Earth and demonstrations, those who attend the event can also partake in a free raffle and a Jeopardy style Geography Bowl. Following the Geography Bowl will be a Coastal Geography lecture and, at 6 p.m., a showing of An Inconvenient Truth. The purpose of the event is to promote environmental awareness as well as to show how the field of geography can connect to many other fields such as art, literature, and science. The event is free to all and refreshments will be served.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Bonin at jbonin1@ric.edu
RIC Walks Circles Around Cancer By Jessica Albaum Anchor Editor Almost 100 people were walking in circles in the Recreation Center overnight on Friday March 28-29. Why were they walking in circles? It was to help raise money for the American Cancer Association to do research on cures for cancer. This was the first year Relay for Life came to Rhode Island College. $6,000 was raised for the cause. The event went from Friday at 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. Saturday. The reason the walk lasts all night is because “cancer never sleeps,” said one of committee members. Those thirteen hours were filled with bands, games and ceremonies. While it was a lot of fun walking with friends, listening to great music and playing games, the participants never lost sight of why they were there. The evening started off
with a survivor lap. There were two cancer survivors present and they proudly walked the first lap alone. They were then joined by the other participants. Later on, there was a Lumenaria ceremony. This ceremony was made possible by people purchasing bags in honor and memory of those who have survived and/or lost the battle to cancer. The bags are lit either by candles or glow sticks and decorated. The participants then take a walk of silence around the bags to reflect and remember. According to the Relay for Life website, which has not been updated yet, the team that raised the most money was Extinction. Members of the group ironed on a picture to the back of the t-shirt that said something similar to ‘make cancer ex-
tinct.’ Also, Tracey Fess was the individual who raised the most money. She raised more than $500 for cancer research. The plan is to make Relay for Life an annual event at Rhode Island College and to make it bigger and better with each succeeding year. For more information on Relay for Life, visit www.relayforlife.org.
Sports
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April 8, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Cup-O-Joe JOE CALLS THE WINNERS AND LOSERS: COLLEGE BASKETBALL, THE CANCHOR, AND EVERYTHING ELSE By Joe Robillard Anchor Editor Another April First has come and gone and for us and that means another Canchor issue, another NCAA tournament mostly finished, and another baseball season barely begun. So who are the winners and losers so far? The Canchor Winner, The Catholic Religion – For taking the joking Last Supper graphic featuring The Anchor’s editors in stride. We thought we’d be getting misplaced and frivolous complaints about it being sacrilegious or some garbage like that. We didn’t and we were shocked and impressed. Either the entire religion has learned to ignore us, or they learned how to take a joke in stride. Cheers, either way. Loser, RIC TV- For taking the two jokes concerning them
(calling them the jail square on the RICopoly board and saying they wash the radio station’s ..errr…. male genitalia) so incredibly ungracefully you’d think we said those things on their birthdays rather than on April Fools’ Day! They replied with personal attacks (not very funny ones). Way to take a joke worse than the Catholic Religion. Guys, that says something. Winner, Chris Buonanno - For looking damn good in a nightcap. Loser, Bananas in Pajamas – Despite the Canchor’s attempt to revive the Bananas in Pajamas’ career, we’ve seen very little positive progress for them. College Basketball Winner, Tom Crean - Lands $18 million and one of the five most illustrious college basketball coaching jobs in the coun-
try at Indiana (along with North Carolina, Duke, UCLA, and…maybe Kentucky?). Loser, Providence College For even going after George Mason Head Coach Jim Larranaga. I don’t see what the attraction was. He reminded me too much of Welsh. An older, not too fiery guy who had a fair amount of success in the Mid-Major conferences, so what? Larranaga was 207-31, so? I mean Welsh was 70-22 at Iona. There’s more to it than that. Do we think that old man was going to rejuvenate this club? And really, who cares if he graduated from PC in 1971, why does this matter so much? All this means is he’ll have buddies from college to play golf with. I’m glad he’s staying at George Mason, this isn’t the right fit. I guess you can call it a win that he decided not to come.
Knight- For proving that aside from being a Hall of Fame Head Coach, an amazing entertainer, and an all-around thug, he’s also a great commentator/analyst. I loved every moment he was talking, it was like you were in the locker room of the team and not at some desk in some studio in the middle of Connecticut.
Wisconsin “most boring team on the planet” Badgers in the Final Four. Thanks a lot… Winner, Stephan Curry – For making a fool out of me and the Badgers and simultaneously gaining the love of every non-Wisconsin/Georgetown fan in the country. I still love you, Stephan.
Loser, me- For getting cute and putting the
Winner, Bob
Rhode Island College Sports
LEC Rhode Island College 4-1 Southern Maine 3-1 UMass Boston 3-1 Keene State 2-1 Eastern Connecticut 3-2 Plymouth State 1-4 UMass Dartmouth 1-4 Western Connecticut 0-3
All 13-6 12-6 9-12 13-4 11-9-1 5-13 2-17 8-12
Plymouth State 1-1 Keene State 0-0 Rhode Island College 0-1 Western Connecticut 0-3
1-3 4-4 0-5 0-9
This Weeks Results
Men’s Tennis
Wednesday April 3rd Rhode Island College 8 Umass Dartmouth 14 Saturday April 5th Postponed until Monday April 7th vs. Keene State College @ 6:00 pm
This Weeks Results Wednesday April 2nd - Roger Williams University 13 - Rhode Island College 17 Thursday April 3rd - Rhode Island College 2 Umass Dartmouth 0 Sunday April 6th - Game 1 - University of Southern Maine 1 - Rhode Island College 3 Game 2- University of Southern Maine 7 - Rhode Island College 1
Women’s Lacrosse
Women’s Softball
All 5-4 3-1 2-5
LEC Western Connecticut 2-0 Salem State 2-0 UMass Boston 1-1 Southern Maine 1-2 Bridgewater State 0-0 UMass Dartmouth 0-1 Rhode Island College 0-2
All 3-0 4-2 1-5 1-4 2-2 1-2 2-3
Results This Week LEC Eastern Connecticut 4-0 Rhode Island College 2-0 Western Connecticut 2-0 Plymouth State 2-2 Keene State 0-2 Southern Maine 0-2 UMass Dartmouth 0-2 UMass Boston 0-2
All 14-4 16-4 14-6 14-4 11-3 6-10 2-10 2-13
This Weeks Results LEC Eastern Conn. State 3-0 UMass Dartmouth 1-0 Southern Maine 1-1
College 4- Rhode Island College 5 Saturday April 5th - Both games versus Keene State College were postponed until April 13th
Tuesday April 1st - Game 1- Bridgewater State College 0 - Rhode Island College 4 Game 2- Bridgewater State
Thursday April 3rd Western Connecticut 5 Rhode Island College 4
Sports
April 8, 2008
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THE ANCHOR
N a t i o n a l M e n ’s C o l l e g e B a s k e t b a l l C h a m p i o n s h i p To u r n a m e n t
Kansas
Classified Ads... The national rate for classified ads up to thirty words is $3.00. The rate for ads over thirty, but less than fifty words is $5.00. No classified ads over fifty words will be accepted. The on-campus rate for ads thirty words or less is $1.00. The rate for ads over thirty, but less than fifty words is $2.00. A valid college I.D. must be presented at time of payment to receive the on-campus rate. All classified ads must be paid for in advance. Tearsheets will be sent for classified ads only at the request of the advertiser.
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Student Organizations on campus will get their first ad free each academic year. After that they will pay the same rates as everybody else, without any discounts. RIC departments get a 50% discount.
The Anchor General Information The Anchor Circulation: 3,500 (on and off campus) Free newspaper is entirely studentrun and published every week, on Tuesday, during the academic year. Campus rack system distributes to 40 locations, including every campus building. Each rack is two tiered allowing for two week shelf-life. Rhode Island College • RIC is a public college located in Providence, the stateʼs capital. RIC serves approximately 9,000 students. • Over 1,000 students reside in campus resident halls.
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Fall 2007 Spring 2008
March 17, 2008
Pages 8-9
“The College is dedicated to ensuring that each student experience academic life in a caring community where education is informed by serious inquiry, civic engagement, and open discourse; and, its faculty continually strive to fulfill the promise of the liberal arts education: an open and inquiring mind.” ~excerpt from the RIC mission statement
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“I really hope it’s not going to get defaced again. It’s immature and ridiculous,” said Vieira. Vieira said that the vandalism could have been done by anyone. “It could’ve been done either through hatred of disgust,” said Vieira. “If it was two girls kissing, I doubt the picture would have been removed.” Director of College Dining Services Vincent Fleming said that Donovan is “not supportive of these acts of behavior.” He said that he has “no clue” who vandalized the banner. “We treat all organizations equally,” he said. The banner was the second of a series of two banners that listed events of Queer Month— the month of April. The two vandalisms of the Donovan banner, however, are not the first this academic year. Dr. Jan Park, psychologist at the Counseling Center, said this is the third reported “vandalism” done to Rainbow advertising campaigns. During the fall semester’s Diversity Week, on October 8, 2007, painted posters spelling
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out “Gay? Fine by RIC” were displayed on the bridge connecting Donovan to the main part of the Student Union building. The flyers were a play off the highly successful “Gay? Fine by me.” t-shirts passed out annually by the Rainbow Alliance. This year, all 300 t-shirts were given away in less than a week. By the next day, the “Gay” was torn off. Park replaced the letters spelling “Gay” that day, hanging a sign next to it that said “Somebody removed the ‘Gay’.” The whole sign was torn away by the morning of October 11. Park said she is worried that students may become afraid of personal attacks at RIC for being associated with the LGBTQ community. “There’s safety in numbers for people upset by this sort of censorship,” said Park. “I support dialogue over censorship.” Park said that she hopes the issue can be dealt with in a constructive action through dialogue with the LGBTQ community. “I think it’s great there’s an active group on campus with the courage to advertise their activities to the community for Pride Month,” said Park. Student Support Services counselor Bill DelGaudio said that there have been a lot of subtle things going on at RIC. DelGaudio hears reports of students being disrespected at many levels. “Unfortunately a lot of students don’t feel safe and comfortable on this campus, in terms of being themselves,” said DelGaudio. DelGaudio feels that the vandalisms constitute hate crimes, and are representative of a cultural shift. “People don’t want to take responsibility for their heterosexism or homophobia,” he said. He said that these people instead pretend that the LGBTQ community is invisible and that cutting the two men out of the banner is further marginalizing the community, rather than overtly attacking them. Del-
Gaudio said that the vandalism seemed “well thought-out.” “An indirect hate crime is more dangerous and harmful than a direct hate crime,” said DelGaudio. Assistant Director of Student Activities Marissa Weiss said that her department would never censor a banner because someone does not like what it says because it is illegal according to the first amendment, and it is disrespectful. “As a campus, we can do more to alert people to these incidents,” said Weiss. “Sometimes when we replace things or wash things away, we don’t really have a chance to reflect on what has happened.” When a banner was ordered to replace the stolen one, Weiss had another banner hung up to its right. This extra banner contains an excerpt from RIC’s mission statement, which culminates with the statement that “its faculty continually strive to fulfill the promise of the liberal arts education: an open and inquiring mind.” Weiss also had the Band-Aid imposed over the corner of the banner where the men were cropped out. The Band-Aid was a device used at Colorado State University, where big BandAids would be used to cover disrespectful vandalism and graffiti. “The bottom line is to not be afraid when these things happen,” said Weiss. She said the community should take advantage of these situations to open dialogue about feelings on controversial issues. Rainbow Alliance member Aaron Buckley, a sophomore, said that he thinks the action was “purposely discriminatory.” “I think that whether the offender thought the material was offensive or not, they had no right to violate mine or Rainbow’s First Amendment right to free speech,” said Buckley. According to Student Community Government, Inc. President Nicholas Lima, vandalism like this cannot be tolerated at RIC. “Every organization at RIC has an equal right to promote their mission, events and activities,” said Lima. “For a student club to be targeted by hate and vandalism is an egregious attack on the entire RIC community.” Sophomore Folake Ogundipe said that “the desecration of a gay pride poster on RIC property reaffirms my belief that RIC is just as homophobic today as it was 50 years ago. As a whole, we have not evolved.”
“I really hope it’s not going to get defaced again. It’s immature and ridiculous,” said Vieira. The original banner
Anchor Elections On Wednesday, April 23rd at 12:30pm The Anchor newspaper is holding elections for its editor positions for the 2008-09 school year.
Executive Editor Editor in Chief of the newspaper. This position holds executive power and legal responsibility for the newspaper. Managing Editor In charge of managing staff and being an effective liason between the editorial board, staff, and the Executive Editor. Business Manager In charge of the budget and all treasury responsibilities. Public Relations Manager In charge of public relations, events, recruitment, etc. News Editor Responsible for maintaining the news section, writing news stories, and encouraging staff to write news stories. Arts & Entertainment Editor Responsible for maintaining the A&E section, making sure that on and off campus events are covered, and encouraging staff to write reviews and previews.
Graphics Editor Responsible for the comics section of the newspaper, creation of newspaper’s graphic content, and encouraging staff to contribute comics. Experience in PhoSports Editor Responsible for maintaining toshop a must. Experience in the Sports section, making Illustrator a plus. sure that all major on and Ads Manager off campus sports events are covered, and encouraging Responsible for the management of ads, communistaff to write. cations with ad customers, and keeping track of payCopy Editor Responsible for making ments in conjunction with sure that all content is up to the Business Manager. the AP Style standards for Technology Editor grammar, syntax, and Responsible for maintaining spelling. the newspaper’s website, and maintenance of office Layout Editors Experience Two positions. Responsible technology. for the layout of the news- troubleshooting in hard paper. Experience in ware and software for both QuarkXPress or InDesign a PC and Mac a must. must. Distribution Manager Responsible for the distriPhotography Editor Responsible for the photo bution of the newspaper to content of the newspaper, the entire campus, as well as Roving Reporter, taking pic- maintaining the archives. tures of on and off campus events, and encouraging staff to take photos of events. Opinions Editor Responsible for maintaining the Opinions and Lifestyles sections, and encouraging staff to write.
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Opinions
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April 8, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Tonight In Donovan: When Ignorance Attacks By Andrew Massey Anchor Editor In Donovan, the Rainbow Alliance (aka, the LGBTQQ group on campus) hung up a poster advertising April as “Queer Month” and listed several events they were holding. On this poster, they had a picture of two men kissing. On Thursday morning, many RIC students woke up to find this picture cut out of the poster while the remainder of the poster was left hanging. This act of vandalism angered the Rainbow Alliance greatly; and rightly so. However, what upset me about this more was a phone call I received in The Anchor office. A member of the campus community, whose identity remains unknown, called up the Anchor in response to what had happened. They said they wanted to congratulate who ever cut out the picture because, while they had no problem with people being gay, they did not want to see it right in front of them every day. This struck me as odd because if you have no problem with someone being gay, should you not have an issue with them displaying it openly? After all,
ture. It displayed part of what being gay is and what people on campus are going to see anyways, providing they are the open, accepting, liberal community they claim they are. I wish the opinion of the caller was an isolated incident, but it is not. So many people are perfectly happy with people being gay so long as they do not have to deal with it. If they can pretend like it does not exist, it is not their problem. That is almost as bad as not accepting it at all. That is like me saying “I do not have a problem with people being black, so long as they are not
straight people display the fact they are straight in much the same way and yet I hardly hear anyone complain about that. Clearly this person does have an issue with homosexuality, whether it is with homosexuality itself, or their security in their own sexuality. As for myself, I am a straight male, and I do not want to see anyone making out in front of me, whether they are straight, gay, bi, or otherwise. I do not have a problem with a simple kiss, but after that, get a room. I do not have a problem with the poster the Rainbow Alliance posted, including the
Andrew Massey is a third year Psychology major. He is the Opinions and Lifestyles editor of the Anchor Newspaper. He respects the LGBTQQ community greatly but finds their acronym too hard to pronounce in public.
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US Death Toll in Iraq Reaches 4,000 By Kevin Killavey Anchor Staff It only took us five years to reach, but the death toll in Iraq has finally reached 4,000; a sad number that only makes us wonder how much more this war will cost us in American lives. Fixed Noise (or Fox News to some) didn’t seem to think this was an event worth covering, with it being the sixteenth of the lesser news items on foxnews.com. The announcement of 4,000 dead in Iraq was listed just under a story about an “elephant man” getting a full facelift. Perhaps they are viewing this story through rose colored lenses, or perhaps Fox is looking at this number in a strictly historical context. The war has yet to come close to the death tolls of Korea and Vietnam (36,516 and 58,209 respectively), so why feel the need to “embolden” the enemy by posting our casualty numbers? What purpose does it serve? I think the US Armed Service death toll needs to be engrained in our hearts and minds as a reminder that no matter how peaceful we may be over here, we are still
sending young men and women to die in a place many have called “hell on earth.” 2,998 lives were taken from us on 9/11, and as we see the number of casualties in Iraq grow to over a thousand more than the lives we lost that September morning, it becomes much harder to justify staying. Just two weeks ago a Pentagon report, Saddam and Terrorism: Emerging Insights from Captured Iraqi Documents, revealed that what many of us have known for a while, that there was no connection between Iraq and those who caused 9/11. So why does the President insist that there was a connection when even his own Pentagon denies it? Why does Dick Cheney feel the need to remind us (in an ABC World News interview) that “they (armed service personnel) volunteered?” Of course they did. For their first tour of Iraq, all of our Marines and Soldiers volunteered. Ask any solider if they expected to be deployed to Iraq for more than a year at a time. Ask any Marine if they expected a fourth tour. The chances are that they will tell you that that wasn’t what they signed
black around me.” Gay people cannot stop being gay any more than short people can stop being short. If you are going to accept people being gay, then you must accept all of it, not the parts you want. Gay people are no different than other people, with the exception of who they are attracted to. If you really have an issue with people being gay, you should spend a day with a gay person. You should even go and talk to the Rainbow Alliance, but go there with an open mind. Go down there and get to know the people there. You will be surprised to know they are not different than you. If at the end of the day you still have an issue, at least you will have more of an informed opinion. And in the end, should not everyone have an informed opinion?
on for. Then you must also factor in the very involuntary process of Stop-Loss, where Soldiers and Marines contracts are extended without their consent. They most certainly did not volunteer to have their lives put in jeopardy again, but they did sign a contract that permits it however devious a ploy it made seem. So as you see the reporting on the War in Iraq come to the forefront for now, remember that as things start to go well again it will again go underreported. As we continue our mission to bring Democracy to a police state in the midst of a foreign government funded civil-war, perhaps we will simply grow number to figures like the death toll in Iraq. Or perhaps the figures will open our eyes to see the futility of this war. In the end, we have lost so many friends and family members to this war but we cannot forget the terrible effect this war has had on the Iraqi people. The 2006 Lancet Study of Iraq civilian casualties placed the number at around 654,965, including violent and non-violent (starvation, malnutrition, disease) deaths deemed to be caused by the war.
“THIS IS AMERICA: WHEN ORDERING ‘PLEASE SPEAK ENGLISH’” By Kimberly Puleo Anchor Contributor On Saturday night I was watching CNN, or rather flipping through, when I saw this saying flash across the screen, “This is America: WHEN ORDERING ‘PLEASE SPEAK ENGLISH.’” When I saw this saying, I really started listening to the news segment. Joe Vento, owner of a famous Philly Cheesesteak venue, placed this sign in October of 2005 after increasing immigration reform resulted in an influx of people in the area who could not speak English. So here’s the thing, I have mixed feelings over this. I feel as though it was, and still is, Vento’s right to place this sign in his shop window. When a person comes into this country they should at least attempt to learn the English language. It is the language that is most predominant throughout the country hence why you have to know it in order to get your naturalization papers. However, the learning process of English stops there for some immigrants. Yet this country is the land of the free and a virtual melting pot of a myriad of cultures. Isn’t this how our country was first founded in the very beginning? This is where I am torn in my viewpoints. I be-
lieve that this country should be open to any person who wishes to emigrate here legally; however, I believe that these people should learn the English language well enough to communicate with those who do not know their native tongue. Furthermore, it drives me absolutely crazy to go into any establishment and hear people talking in a different language than I speak. I’m aware that that makes me sound arrogant and racist. Granted that there are times where I feel that because of all of these different cultures that inhabit the country of the United States of America, it makes us diverse and unique. On the other hand, shouldn’t this country of English-speaking people learn the languages, or attempt to, of those people immigrating to this country just as we wish for those to learn English to do? It goes both ways. Yet, in this country that is predominantly English speaking, the people who come here to seek a new way of life should be able to at least speak the language in way that is coherent. With that said, I do believe that the action of this man to post such a sign in his window is just and fair. If you come into this country, please do the other people around the service of speaking English.
Opinions
April 8, 2008
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THE ANCHOR
ROVING REPORTER By: Kellye Martin
:
State legislators have proposed a merger between Rhode Island College and The Community College of Rhode Island. If this merger were to take place, how do you feel that this would affect students of the two schools?
Nicole Hawes Elementary Education 2009 I think that this may limit options for high school students who may want to choose a two year school that is cheaper while they are deciding what they want their major to be. Meghan L. Palmer Secondary English Education 2011 I think that this would affect students of the two schools in various ways. First, students who are paying less to go to CCRI would pay more to go to RIC for two years or more. Second, I believe that this would cause the state to pay a lot of money. Third, on the contrary, I believe that students would be positively affected due to the fact that they would be attending a school that is not only for just commuters like CCRI.
Steven Lewis Communications 2010 I think that the school would become overpopulated. Parking would be more difficult, as it is. Mike Aspinwall Theatre 2008 I think this merger would be a good idea. Many CCRI students transfer to RIC, and have troubles transferring credits, so this would really help these students.
Do you have a question you want answered? Send your question to photography@anchorweb.org
Order Your Ring Now & Delivery before Gradation: At Grad Fest 4/9 107pm At RI College Book store 4/10 & 4/11 New: 6 Month pay ment plan available. Order online: www.herffjones.com\co llege\rings Questions: Jeff Quirk Herff Jones 401-7349963 jpquirk@herffjones.com
Lifestyles
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April 8, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Christianity-More Than A Religion By Tonya Do Rego Anchor Contributor What is religion? Why are there so many? Do people need a religion that requires them to engage in “religious� activities? Why would anyone want to burden him or herself with more things to do? Many people strongly be-
lieve that Christianity is just thatanother religion. It’s true that there are many denominations of Christianity. These denominations include Protestants, Catholics, Pentecostals, and etc. What if Christianity means more than a religion? Could being a Christian really just mean to follow “Christ?� Through personal experience, I have come to realize
the deeper meaning of what the Christian faith is all about. Whether or not one believes in the Bible, there is evidence that Christianity is about a relationship between man and God. According to the Bible, Jesus stated many times that people should follow him if they desire to. Jesus said follow “me.� He did not say follow a “religion.� He also did not say for people to perform rituals, traditions, or ceremonies, etc. His only command was for people to believe in him and spread the faith. To follow Christ, one must desire to take this step. Going to church, reading the Bible, and helping others should come as a desire within one’s heart and not as an obligation. It is written that Jesus told Peter (one of his followers) to build his Church. “I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail.� (Matthew 16:17 NIV Bible). What did Jesus mean by this? Some say that Jesus was talking about a church by means of a building or religion. However, a church really means a community of believers which believes and follows the same thing. People make up the church; not a building. The first followers of Christ
met in various places. Buildings were not yet built. Even to this day many Christians gather for prayer and worship in various places. Jesus wanted Peter to lead the community of believers. All believers are gathered together by faith and a relationship with Jesus. This idea of a relationship goes back to the first book of the Bible, Genesis. Many things can be learned whether or not one is a believer in the Bible. According to the biblical story of Genesis, God made Adam and Eve; the first two people on earth. If one was to study this story closely, he or she would understand the relationship God had with Adam and Eve. They had a close relationship with their creator. God did not require for them to perform rituals, ceremonies, or religious activities. God (being the creator) only asked them to obey him. However, as the story goes, Adam and Eve eventually disobeyed (sinned) against him. Their relationship with their creator was broken. The Jews, also known as Israelites, strongly believed in this separation from God. They knew that they must restore their relationship and be forgiven for their sins. They did this by offering animal sacrifices to God. They
sacrificed animals such as lambs. In this story, notice that it was only after man sinned and became disobedient to God that they had to “sacrifice� things in order to become accepted by him. Animals had to be slaughtered in order to become sacrifices to God because of human sin. After these “sacrifices� were made were men then able to restore their relationship with God. They believed that these sacrifices made them acceptable to God their creator. Christians believe that Jesus Christ became the ultimate sacrifice to God. They strongly believe that he restores one’s relationship with God if one would trust in his ability to do that. In summary, Christianity is about a personal relationship between man and God. It is different from religions in the world because it requires one to trust in what Jesus did. It does not require one to do “religious� activities. These activities should only be desired by the person once he or she makes a decision to follow Christ. Lastly being “religious� means to follow a “religion� while being a “Christian� means to follow “Christ.�
Tonya Do Rego is a Non-Denominational Christian.
Choose Your Own Religion: Islam Part 1 By Kevin Killavey Anchor Staff I’ve had enough of the ignorance, the blind leading the blind, and all the misconceptions about what it is to be a Muslim. Several events influenced me in deciding to begin this series, “Choose Your Own Religionâ€?, mainly because of the misconceptions of Islam. There is also a great deal in our generation of disillusionment with religion, and many college kids turn to alcohol and drugs as a way to deal with our own demons. Fewer and fewer Rhode Island teenagers and young adults are going to church, temple or to the mosque. In fact, in many circles when someone does admit to being a regular churchgoer (especially in this state), they are viewed as somehow “differentâ€? from everyone else, as if they are somehow less intelligent because they believe in a higher power. I don’t claim to have the answers to life’s religious and philosophical quandaries but I do have a great deal of experience in religion and philosophy. I am a Jew raised as a Catholic, who occasionally went to Temple and when I reached adulthood I began to study Islam with vested interest. Recently, I have been researching the Bahå’à faith (we will get to that later) and I am the brother of a Philosophy major as well as the son of a theologian/former monk. Add that together with my interest in all forms of religion and spirituality and you have can assume that I have a strong knowledge of the ideas I am about to share with you. Now that my introduction is over, I want to diffuse some of
the common myths about Islam. Islam is no more a faith of violence than Christianity is. In fact, I would argue that The Quran teaches non-violence much more than The New Testament does. Islam is the most misunderstood and misrepresented religion, by both Muslims and non-Muslims. To understand its message, scholars and religious leaders always return to the Koran (Muslims believe it contains the words of God) and the Hadith (the words and deeds of the prophet Mohammed), which are considered the most authentic and primary sources. Nonvi-
olence and peace are not alien to Islam as some Muslim and nonMuslim scholars and policy-makers have argued. The dominant and constantly repeated message in these religious sources is of peace, tolerance and respect for diversity. Over the next few weeks, I hope to explore more religions, opening up your eyes to the wonders of faith our world possesses. In the end, however, my goal is to clarify all the misconceptions we have all created on what it means to have faith, whether it is in Allah, Jesus or in Science.
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The Anchor Do you enjoy writing? Drawing? Design? Photography? Do you care about what is going on around campus? Sports? the arts? Have an opinion? Want friends? Looking to add to your resume? or get involved on campus? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you belong in The Anchor! anchorweb.org Meetings Wednesday @ 12:30pm in the Ducey Media Center 456-8280
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Arts + Entertainment
April 8, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Classifieds Vocal Competition Is your voice worth $5000? If you think it is contact BK Vocals to enter into a vocal competition. A $100 entry fee is applied contact for more information www.bkvocals.synthasite.c om or b_and_k@live.com or call 401-481-9069 Greenville neighborhood— great location Large 1 bedroom— walk in closet, bay window, very sunny, private entrance, new rug, lots of outlets. animals welcome- ***no smoking**** parking/yard – kitchen&bath are new. Perfect for 1 or 2 college students to share bedroom, quiet and easy going...no partiers...pay per month— 455. Contact Karen @KK65661@aol.com Attention Theater Majors Local Photographer available to provide headshots for your portfolio. Reasonable rates and student discounts! Call John Lovgren at 401-529-7037
RENTAL RAVES THE WALL By Adam D. Bram Anchor Staff This week, we will look at a deep and disturbing film which was a pioneer of the Music Television generation: the 1982 film adaptation of Pink Floyd’s massively popular concept album, The Wall. In the film, Pink Floyd (Bob Geldof, former frontman of the Boomtown Rats) is a successful rock singer, but he feels none of it. He hardly feels anything anymore. His father died in World War II and his mother became overbearing because of it. The school system tried to stifle his creativity. In response to all of this, he began building an emotional wall between himself and the outside world. He drugs himself out and ignores his wife until she leaves him. But by the time he realizes the harm his wall is doing to himself and others, it’s too high for him to escape it anymore. Outwardly desensitized, his music and attitude become that of a hate-mongering Neo-Nazi. Will
he be able to break down the wall before he self-destructs or will the very act of tearing it down be his doom? This film is really more of an opera. Roger Waters and David Gilmour, the real voices of the band Pink Floyd, sing out their album over the fictional Pink’s memories and actions. The imagery fits the songs to a tee and the effect is oftentimes disturbing or even downright scary. You realize how well you can understand the different troubles of Pink’s life and the chilling epiphany that Pink’s downward spiral could happen to anyone who’s not careful enough. It is an incredible and moving film
with fantastic music, but I would strongly advise against watching it in the dark. Also featuring Jenny Wright (St. Elmo’s Fire) and Bob Hoskins (Who Framed Roger Rabbit). R Rating: 5/5
REM’s Accelerate Hurries Back To The Good Old Days By Joe Robillard Anchor Editor Call it a comeback if you need to. I’m calling REM’s Accelerate a great REM record, which is another way of saying a great, great record. It’s all there; the twang of Peter Buck’s guitar playing coyly but naturally off of Michael Stipe’s voice, complete with that REM-specific reverb. The music doesn’t feel old, but it
still spurs a comforting Out of Time-Automatic For The People-Monster-esque mid-90s nostalgia. The lead track, “Living Well Is The Best Revenge,” kicks off the album with a memorable guitar lead and follows up with textbook Stipe-like pop-culture sprawling lyrics. It is a leadoff track that represents what you’re getting yourself into for the next 35 minutes perfectly. The third track and first single is the perfectly melancholic “Supernatural Superserious.” Typically clever lyrics layered on some of the better melodies they’ve written this decade make up the verses and the super simple “yeah you cried and you cried/ he’s alive he’s alive” chorus works in an effortless manner that perhaps only Stipe could get away with. A trio of slower-tempo
songs, “Hollow Man,” “Until The Day is Done,” and “Sing For The Submarine” give the frontman a chance to wax and wane vaguely political in front of memorable jangly guitar and tempered piano. The more upbeat tracks, highlighted by the title track “Accelerate” and “Man-Sized Wreath” sport similar REM themes with the charm of their 90s work, and even, in places, their (gasp!) 80s recordings. The closing track, “I’m Gonna DJ,” with a relatively coarse guitar lead and Stipe’s main lyric, “Death is pretty final, I’m collecting vinyl, I’m gonna DJ at the end of the world” works as a surprising, bloodpumping closer. For the first time in a long time, I’m excited about the next REM album and it’s all thanks to this gem of a record.
Arts + Entertainment
April 8, 2008
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THE ANCHOR
By Jason Charpentier Anchor Staff Is this review really necessary? When a film like Oldboy has received as much praise and awards as it has, including the Grand Prix award from Cannes, does it still really require a review to know that it’s good and quite possibly one of the greatest films in a long time? Personally I think so but I suppose this must be done… Oldboy is the tale of one Oh Dae-su, a Korean businessman whom is one day mysteriously kidnapped and imprisoned, for 15 years. During his imprisonment, his wife is murdered and Oh Dae-su, the “alcoholic abusive husband”, is blamed for the murder. One day Oh Dae-su is mysteriously set free and his quest for revenge on the one who impris-
oned him begins. Oldboy is epic to say the least. The cinematography of the fight scenes as well are near flawless. Need I mention the hammer scene? If you aren’t familiar with that scene, you’ll know it when it comes, and it will leave you with your jaw on the floor from the GARness. The fighting is also fairly realistic, with no crazy karate or fancy stuff; rather it is brutal street fighting you would expect to come from an individual whom has been trapped within a room for 15 years with nothing to do but a TV. One little comment though, Oldboy is fairly disturbing. Squeamish people, as with most of my reviews, generally need not apply. There is a particularly bad scene involving some dentistry work with a hammer as well as a few others. I of course do urge everyone however to
see Oldboy despite how squeamish they may be. It is a masterpiece of film. And if you happen to enjoy Oldboy, which really, why wouldn’t you, then there are two other films by the same director, Park Chan-wook, which are definitely worth seeing: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. All three of them create a revenge trilogy, with Oldboy being the 2nd of it. As has been said though, Oldboy is a masterpiece of film. The plot twists are especially twisted. Overall, I can’t say enough positive things about Oldboy so I’ll stop now. Bottom line is that you need to watch Oldboy. I don’t care if you don’t like subtitles or violence, watch it. Highest recommendation.
Stop-Loss Goes Over The Top By Kimberly Puleo Anchor Contributor Stop-Loss depicts three friends from a small Texas town who, out of high school, joined the Army to fight the War on Terror. Upon arriving back home, two of the three friends are being discharged from the Army. One of those two being discharged receives word that he is being stop-lossed. Being stoplossed is when the Army or other branch of the armed forces pushes personnel back to duty when they ordinarily were going to be discharged. It is a powerful movie if I do say so myself. Though the depth of each individual character could have been more developed than was seen on screen, it does not deter from the powerful action scenes, the overall narrative of the
movie, nor the overall premise behind what the move wished to depict. Brandon King, the main character, has haunting flashbacks throughout the movie as with his two other friends. Ryan Phillipe plays Brandon King. Ryan immerses himself in this character and brings to life the awful reality that some soldiers have to deal with once returning from war. The intense flashbacks are just one of many reasons why these soldiers, who may be stop-lossed, should not be! In my opinion, given the great depiction this movie displays and it being only one point of view, what happens to these soldiers is unforgivable. They are volunteering to join the Marines, Navy, or any other branch of military. When their time is up, it is up. Whether they reenlist is their choice and should be their choice. This movie depicts one man’s journey through a difficult choice of being forced back into battle against his wishes. Given what is seen through Brandon’s eyes, he does not wish to reenlist. His choices are limited and be makes a hard decision by the film’s conclusion. Throughout the movie, the use of a handheld camera gives a more realistic
view of what happens throughout the war scenes as with at home. This gives the viewer of Stop-Loss a sense of actually being there with the trio of friends. With this said, the use of video footage, that at times is grainy, also adds to the realism of this movie vs. other war movies. The awful reality of this movie is that Stop-Loss is a real aspect of the military. Over 81,000 of the troops that have served in Afghanistan and Iraq Wars have had their hands tied consequently forcing them back to war when they should have been discharged. This is a form of the draft, a back door draft, if you will. Here is a question for you all: who do you propose enforces and has the final say in Stop-Loss cases? The answer may or may not shock you; the answer, everyone, is: The President of the United States of America. The US is supposed to be a land of liberty and freedom. However, that is not the case with Stop-Loss. The choice to be honorably discharged from the military at the end of their service or tours is viciously taken away. These soldiers and perhaps much more than the mere, atrocious, 81,000 have been forced back to war via Stop-Loss. Overall, this movie is an amazing work of art aside from the lack of depth into each character. Even with this, the plot and narrative are really good. The message, despite the lack of with the characters, is really deep. It resonates with the viewers. A must see, overall, for anyone and everyone. A real eye-opener.
“Music Fridays” at The RISD Museum By Paula Richer Anchor Staff It was a curious feeling standing in an enormous room amid dozens of sixteenth century paintings hanging on cobalt blue walls. The shiny hardwood floor stretched out before me for what seemed like a mile but it would soon disappear beneath hundreds of people’s feet. My friends and I had arrived early to this enchanting cultural event. They had already been to the bar and were standing at the hors d’oeuvres table, ready to load up their cocktail plates. It smelled good in there, and the aroma was whetting my appetite. But the real treat was yet to come. This was Music Friday at the RISD Museum – a cocktail-hour gathering of friends, art and music lovers, and “foodies” who visit the famous cultural center after work on the second Friday of every month. Each of these special soirees features a different hors d’oeuvre buffet from a local restaurant, a signature cocktail, and live entertainment (or DJ, as they case will be come April 11). Yes, that’s right – all this while being surrounded by priceless art and artifacts from all over the world. And I have to say, it’s pretty cool. On this particular Friday evening, the museum hosted an easygoing affair with a wonderful spread from Whole Foods Catering and foot-stomping rhythm-and-blues by Superchief
Trio. The synergy of delicious food, upbeat live music, and intriguing art exhibits was exhilarating. Clusters of all kinds of folks gathered in the Main Gallery to eat, drink, and dance but many eventually wandered off to explore other exhibits displayed on several floors in the museum. I saw artsy-looking college students with multi-colored hair and backpacks, well-dressed men and women in business attire, a handsome grey-goateed man with a black beret, and several ladies in colorful Bohemian skirts who instantly turned their area into a dance floor the minute the music started. Before long, lots of couples joined in and entertained us with well-rehearsed swing and jitterbug moves from the forties. The thought occurred to me that while I’ve always loved great food, great music, history, and art, I’ve NEVER had the pleasure of enjoying them all at once. It was truly a treat for all the senses. I highly recommend it. To find out more information about Music Fridays at the RISD Museum, visit www.risdmuseum.org or to purchase tickets go to www.arttixri.com. The price is $5 for members and $8 for non-members. There is no student discount at this event and all attendees must be 21 or over.
Arts
Entertainment
RIC EVENTS RIC Music: Trio Rhode Thursday, April 10, 2008 8 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the John Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts RIC Music: Chamber Music at Rhode Island College Sunday, April 13, 2008 7:30 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the John Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts Peforming Arts Series: The Beaux Arts Trio Monday, April 14, 2008 8 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the John Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts RIC Theatre: No, No, Nanette by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel Thursday, April 17, 2008 8 p.m. The Auditorium in Roberts Hall
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Medea Marks an Ending for RIC Student By Jessica Albaum Anchor Editor Frank Borelli, a master’s student in the Theatre Department at Rhode Island College, is graduating. Before he can do this, he must complete one final project. Euripides’ Medea is being directed by Borelli and will be his final master’s project. The curtains open on Thurs. April 10 at 8 p.m. and will close on Sun. April 13 at 2 p.m. in the Helen Forman Theatre. This production is starring RIC’s very own talented actors. They will be portraying characters that are filled with jealousy, revenge and shadiness. It will take all of their skills and training to pull off the complexity of the different characters in this play. This play follows the story of Medea, a woman who was betrayed by her husband. She is filled with grief that she plots revenge. Creon wants to exile Medea
but she pleas with him to let her stay for just one more day. With the extra time she is given, she begins to plot the murder of her husband, Jason, and his new love interest, Glauce. Medea is then visited by the king and told of a prophecy that will lead to a birth of a child, Theseus. Medea finally decides on poisoning robes for Glauce and killing her children to
further hurt Jason. What happens after that? Who dies and who survives? One must go see the play to find out. Make plans to see Medea. It will be worth your time. I recommend that everyone that can come out and support Frank Borelli and his wonderful cast of RIC students. For more information, call the box office at 456-8144.
“Medea”, 1868 painting by Anthony Sandys.
Faculty Trio Concert By Morgan Santos Anchor Contributor This Thursday, April 10 at 8 p.m., there will be an incredible concert on campus. It is that of Rhode Island Colloege’s faculty trio, consisting of John Sumerlin on violin, Rebecca Thornblade on cello, and Philip Martorella on piano. The three musicians involved, all talented professors within the music department, will provide musical performances that will in no way disappoint. With degrees from the Julliard School, Oberlin Conservatory, Cincinnati Conservatory, and the Manhattan School of Music, such top-notch training can only result in exceptional output. As a student of Rebecca Thornblade, I can personally attest to her talent as both a musician and a teacher. Her musicality is utterly natural but has been well-supported by her extraordinary training at the Oberlin Conserva-
tory and the Julliard School. At one of Ms. Thornblade’s concerts which I attended, a fellow audience member commented that her playing was entirely un-selfconscious and heartfelt; this could not be truer. Watching and hearing Thornblade play is an experience not to be missed, and to be able to study with such an incredible performer is an indescribable privilege. Similarly, Professor Sumerlin’s sweet and expressive playing complements Ms. Thornblade’s, and the two added to Philip Martorella’s virtuosic piano abilities make an unbelievable musical ensemble. These three music faculty are world class musicians, available to us — the RIC community and all of Rhode Island – on campus and for absolutely no cost. Come Thursday to Sapinsley Hall in the Nazarian Center and enjoy a performance by some of the best musicians around!
Words and Music By Larry O’Brien Anchor Staff Dr. Kathryn Kalinak came to RIC twenty-six years ago and remains obviously passionate about her work. Born in Chicago and educated at the University of Illinois, (Champagne-Urbana campus), she earned a double major in Music and English as an undergraduate and became “the first person at the university to write a dissertation on film, and that was on film music.” Talking to Dr. Kalinak you cannot miss her enthusiasm for her subject and for teaching: “I love the students here, so many are first generation, first in their families to attend college. In general, I like the students here a lot.” She also confesses to actually liking her colleagues: “I love my colleagues—people I genuinely like and socialize with outside of work. Members of the faculty here are doing amazing things. There’s a first class education to be had in this English department” The first things you notice about Dr. Kathryn Kalinak’s books are the titles: Kalinak has written two books on film music, Settling the Score in 1992 and this year’s How the West Was Sung. Serious treatises on serious academic topics do not usually have groaner puns for titles. How does she get away with this? According to Joan Dagle, her colleague for over two decades, Kalinak “is one of the leading scholars in the world on the subject of film music. And that’s not just my opinion, that’s a fact.” Dr. Dagle adds
with the amusement, “she also know’s a hell of a lot about John Ford.” Knowing what she’s talking about must be how she gets away with the titles. Ford, film, music and the West always seem to have had a hold on Professor Kalinak. Her new book is on music in the films of the influential American director. Kalinak relates that her first thought for a doctoral thesis topic was to have been the influence of the sculptor Frederick Remington on Ford, but an advisor pointed her towards film music and her thesis grew into her first book, Settling the Score. “The first work I did on Ford,” she confesses, “was because someone asked me to and I said “O, I don’t know.” She relented and started a project that she would “live with for ten years.” In How the West Was Sung she argues that Ford “knew how to channel music to connect us to the films and to the values in the films. You do want to be a pioneer, to be on the frontier (every time they play “Gary Owen” you want to join the cavalry). All the values are tied up in the music He depends upon folk songs, hymnody, period music as opposed to big symphonic scores Ford knew that if you want your film to sound western, you had to get that big orchestra out of there.” After nine years of research, Kalinak sat and wrote every day for eight hours while on a sabbatical. She sums up her situation by saying, “I had a sabbatical and I had a contract.” For Maureen Reddy, the
Chair of the English Department, the work that Kay Kalinak is doing epitomizes the “scholar/teacher philosophy. One reason that faculty are expected to do research/scholarship in addition to teaching is that such work keeps our teaching current and alive; people who are deeply engaged in their fields bring that work into the classroom in myriad ways, whether through directly teaching the topic of their research or through teaching related materials or through bringing current debates, methods and materials into their courses—or, often, all three.” Dr. Reddy adds that whole RIC community benefits from the enhanced reputation such scholarship earns the college. Kalinak has written a very readable text that manages to seem more literary than academic. Even as you read this, she is at work on her next project, an investigation of global film music. According to professor Kalinak, when films were first sent around the world at the end of the nineteenth century, they were sent without musical accompaniment or the suggestion of any. In every country and culture she has looked at, within days weeks or
months, music was accompanying the performance. If the doctor is not careful, she may discover a universal. In addition to a career she enjoys and the friendships she has made here, Dr. Kalinak got a family out of her time here at RIC. The late Dr. Mark Estrin and his wife introduced Dr. Kalinak to her husband, Dr. Ralph Bravaco,
a professor of math and computer science at Stonehill College (Math and computer science? Go figure). She dedicates her book to her husband and their daughter, Emily. Words and Music by K. Kalinak.