Rusted Root
Rugby
Should the Kentucky county clerk be incarcerated again?
The alternative rock band returns to their roots at the Fairfield Theatre Company.
Red Ruggers destroy the University of Albany 34-5.
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Kim Davis
Vine
Opinion
Sports
THE MIRROR Independent student newspaper
Week of September 16, 2015
Vol. 41 Iss. 3
@FairfieldMirror
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New majors introduced in the College of Arts and Sciences By Catherine Veschi News Editor
Catherine Veschi/The Mirror Construction on the Leslie C. Quick Jr., Recreation Complex continues this fall semester.
RecPlex renovations progressing through fall semester By Zachary Durso Contributing Writer
For any student that has taken a stroll up Loyola Drive or happened to hear the clamor of construction equipment from the Barone Campus Center, it is easily apparent that something is happening. That something is the renovation of the Leslie C. Quick Jr., Recreation Complex. The RecPlex has recently been subject to a major facelift with construction beginning at the end of the 2015 spring semester, and slated to be completed by August 2016. The 14-month project is a ground up renovation that will add 10,000 square feet to the RecPlex’s previous size, totaling to become a 61,000-square-foot facility. The renovated RecPlex will boast almost double the amount of workout equipment; there will
now be 20-25 treadmills, a substantial increase from the previous 11. Along with this we will see the addition of an indoor track and hotspots to improve Wi-Fi. There will also be an upgraded air ventilation system that will increase airflow and cooling, making for a more suitable environment that keeps students comfortable, while protecting the integrity of the machines from rust. Additionally, the electrical will be updated to accommodate the greater quantity of workout equipment and also provide convenient outlets for students. With all of these new changes, one would expect attendance to skyrocket next year. However, it appears that patrons of the RecPlex will be primarily underclassmen. When asked who uses the RecPlex, Katie Goodfellow ‘18 jokingly responded, “Mostly first years trying
to keep off the freshman 15; yeah its real, don’t let it creep up on you.” This would seem to be true, according to Director of the RecPlex Philip Palumbo, who notes that nearly 100 percent of the freshman class, along with over 90 percent of the sophomore class, use this facility. A recent survey of 30 random students revealed that most — 57 percent — were unsure how they felt about the construction. An additional 30 percent of students reported they were upset with the construction, while only 13 percent said they were excited. Freshman Rob Bertino replied when asked about the construction, “I am happy that it [the RecPlex] is being renovated, and I’m excited for it to be completed next year.” READ
RECPLEX ON PAGE 2
In order to better adapt with the ever-changing world of media and technology, the Fairfield administration has made some adjustments to its course offerings as a means of providing students with additional opportunities to study today’s digital culture. The College of Arts and Science is now home to two new majors, one being digital journalism, which lies in the English Department, and the other public relations, which falls in the Department of Communication. For Dr. David Gudelunas, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and associate professor of communication, the development of these two new majors is important because “the world of media and communication is changing very quickly.” “We know that in order for our students to be prepared when they leave Fairfield, we need to be constantly innovative with our curriculum,” he continued. The new digital journalism and public relations majors will offer students a variety of courses to take, internship opportunities and research experiences. In the digital journalism major, students will take classes such as news writing, digital journalism and big data storytelling, while those who take the public relations major can expect classes such as mass media and society, persuasion and argument and advocacy. Assistant Professor of English Tommy Xie commented on one of the digital journalism major’s newest course additions, big data storytelling, and its significance to the profession: “With the unprecedented amount of data available to the public nowadays, an ocean of stories are buried there. Without journalists who
have the skills to dig them out, those important stories would be buried forever.” Having varied skill sets appears to be a common theme in both new majors, and is an attraction to students both new and near graduation. Senior Amanda Healey commented on the new digital journalism major’s interdisciplinary components: “I think it’s a very interesting decision and it shows how Fairfield is really trying to keep up with today’s demand of new media in the digital age as well as intersect with film and communications.” According to Gudelunas, “Both of these new majors complement our already strong existing majors in film, television and media arts, as well as communication, that are extremely popular with students.” He expects students to gravitate towards these new majors, as they give students the opportunity to explore media and technology, as well as their impact on our world today. Gudelunas added that both majors were created as a response to the strong student demand for a major geared more specifically to their desired field of study. Had Healey had the opportunity to explore the major as a freshman, she said she would have considered it. Healey came to Fairfield as a film major, then changed to undeclared before settling as a communications major with a minor in journalism. Therefore, had the major been developed earlier, Healey said that she would have given thought to declaring it given that it incorporates all the departments she is interested in. Those students interested in pursuing a major in either digital journalism or public relations can visit the major of their choice’s website, or contact David Gudelunas for more information.
Emotional support dog unleashed at Fairfield By Britta Gunneson Assistant News Editor School of Nursing students have been greeted by a new, furry face this semester. Assistant Professor of Nursing Carole Pomarico, who is also the Adult Program Director for the School of Nursing, has welcomed an emotional support dog to the program named Dakota. “I was reading online that there are many schools that bring in comfort dogs for the students, but they only bring them in for events. So I decided, ‘I’m going to try Dakota,’” said Pomarico. Dakota quickly proved herself to be a great candidate for the job. According to the News@Fair-
field, Pomarico first brought Dakota in to the School of Nursing in July to see how she would react to spending time with students. After bringing Dakota to a nursing class that was held in July, Pomarico noticed that Dakota responded like a “seasoned veteran,” walking up and down the aisles of students to “greet” them. Pomarico said, “Her personality is so calm and sweet. She’s very smart. She was a perfect lady. She went to class, doesn’t jump, doesn’t bark. She’s just very calm.” The process of introducing Dakota to campus was relatively simple. “I registered her as an emotional support dog through the registry, and I got her certified, which took no
training. She’s going to dog therapy school, which does take training, but that’s next,” Pomarico said. Pomarico continued, “I asked permission from [Dean Meredith Kazer of the School of Nursing] and she said yes. I told Public Safety, and they had no problem with it; and I checked with Sue Birge, director of Counseling, and they have no trouble with it.” Students and staff have quickly responded to Dakota’s entrance to the program, often stopping by Dakota’s “office” (a dog bed underneath Pomarico’s desk) to spend time relaxing with her. READ
DAKOTA ON PAGE 2
Britta Gunneson/The Mirror
The new support dog, Dakota, snuggles up to Caroline Neubauer ‘18.