Fairfield Mirror 12/3/2014

Fairfield Mirror @FairfieldMirror fairfieldmirror

Independent student newspaper

Week of December 3, 2014

Vol. 40, Iss. 12

FairfieldMirror.com

Students barred by admin. from distributing condoms

Contributed by Riley Barrett

Students express their thoughts on Fairfield administration’s refusal to distribute condoms at “Let’s Talk Sex.”

By Catherine Veschi Assistant News Editor According to a survey conducted by the Guttmacher Institute, more than half of young men and more than a quarter of young women aged 18-29 have little knowledge of contraceptive services.

In addition, 60 percent of the young men and women surveyed underestimated the effectiveness of oral contraceptives like birth control pills.

To further educate students on contraceptives and other aspects of sex, the College Democrats hosted an event called “Let’s Talk Sex” with the help of funding from the politics department.

The event, which took place in the Lower Level Barone Campus Center, brought together numerous clubs on campus, as well

as Planned Parenthood representatives.

Co-President of the College Democrats Riley Barrett ’17 thought of the idea for the event after she, along with other students, was angered by the Students for Life’s “classist, racist, homophobic” display in October that targeted Planned Parenthood.

According to Youth Development and Planned Parenthood Coordinator Jennifer Gaines, “Our goal here is to raise awareness and increase knowledge among students on topics such as birth control and STDs … We also want to dispel rumors that are around not only about our organization, but the other services that we offer.”

Alliance representative Brigid Callahan ’16 explained that the event, which took place on Nov. READ ‘LET’S TALK SEX’ ON PAGE 2

Contributed by Riley Barrett

A student representative from Fairfield Alliance shares information about safe sex.

UNICEF President Caryl M. Stern speaks about her mission

By Riley Barrett Contributing Writer The president and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Caryl M. Stern, shared her passion for social justice in a lecture at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts.

In the annual Jacoby-Lunin Humanitarian Lectureship on Wednesday, Nov. 19, Stern challenged attendees to think beyond their own Western luxury and consider the challenges faced by children in developing countries.

Stern called attention to UNICEF’s historical origins. The nonprofit was created in the wake of World War II with goals to make Europe safer for children. Decades later, it has become the world’s largest organization for children. UNICEF is not funded by the United Nations, which Stern viewed as positive, because it leaves the organization free from politics and is thus seen as neutral territory.

Stern’s passion for justice took root in her childhood; her family always “inherently implied that if you can do something,

that’s what you should do.” When Stern first signed on with UNICEF, she hadn’t slept in a tent for 25 years. Now, she has visited 30 countries, war zones, disaster zones and refugee camps.

Often, her task in the field is completing malnutrition checks for young babies.

“It is the best job because I get to hold every baby in the village,” she said.

Prior to taking UNICEF’s helm in 2007, Stern spent 27 years in nonprofit and education work. She has been publicly recognized for her work, including being named as one of “25 Moms We Love” by Working Mother Magazine and a “Role MOMel” by the New York Daily News.

Stern revealed how on her first journey to Mozambique, she was shocked to discover there was only one doctor for every 70,000 people. She contrasted the poverty and patience displayed in the developing nation with Westerners’ frequent exasperation with medical clinics.

Further, Stern discussed her luxurious experience of giving birth, surrounded by

extravagant champagne, baby books and a white nightgown neatly tucked into a designer suitcase.

In stark contrast, Stern met a woman who was working in a field, and walked four hours in 106 degree weather to the nearest clinic — where she gave birth with assistance from someone with a sixth grade education.

Despite societal differences, Stern said she has noticed three similarities between children globally.

First, “wherever there are kids, there will be a ball; kids love to play,” she said.

Secondly, “No matter where you are in the world, if you sit down on the ground, your lap will be filled by a child,” Stern added. “They will just sit there for a while, until they have decided they have had enough and they are done. Then they always turn around, give you a big hug and walk away.”

Lastly, all parents want the same things for the children, Stern said.

They all want health, safety, education and love; they all want their children to

dream and to help them achieve their goals.

These similarities are not defined by economies, but by being a caring adult, she said.

Stern broached the global issue of Ebola, saying that it is a transnational issue requiring a global response. From the beginning, UNICEF has been on the frontlines in Ebola-affected countries, delivering supplies, helping families protect themselves and preparing at-risk countries, she explained.

Stern also stressed the importance of staying informed on the latest Ebola news, as well as distinguishing fact from fiction.

In concluding the evening, Stern reiterated UNICEF’s mission of aiding at-risk children.

“Every day, more than 18,000 children die from things we can prevent,” she said.

Referencing her book “I Believe in Zero,” she added, “We won’t stop until that number is zero.”

Interested in pitching in? Text Ebola to 864233 to donate $10 to UNICEF US.

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

News

Page 2

‘Let’s Talk Sex’ educates about contraceptives Continued from page 1 24, was attended by clubs such as GSS, Alliance and Service for Social Justice. It aimed to teach students about different topics about sex that are often overlooked or misunderstood.

The GSS table, for example, “discussed all the types of sex that can be had, not just heteronormative sex but homosexual sex, the ways you can protect yourself, and the truth behind HIV,” Callahan said.

Barrett hopes that through the event, the College Democrats were able to “create a sex positive atmosphere for students in a sex negative America” through their discussions on STDs, safe sex and the expectations for both men and women regarding sex.

Freshman Erin Monahan found Planned Parenthood to be a beneficial addition to the event, saying she felt it was the most “interactive station,” and they “seemed to be the most enthusiastic ones there.”

However, according to Barrett, the event led to conflict with Fairfield administration over College Democrats’ request to distribute condoms.

“We were hoping to give out condoms so that students could further their safety and to bring awareness to the fact that you can’t get condoms on campus,” Barrett

Contributed by Riley Barrett

Planned Parenthood added an interactive element to “Let’s Talk Sex” with trivia contests and prizes. said.

Fairfield administration refused the request to distribute condoms, saying it went against university policy, according to Barrett.

Historically, the Catholic church has spoken out against the use of contraception.

This refusal by the administration spurred a slew of deroga-

tory comments from students displayed on a board at the event, such as “FU too, FU,” “Georgetown, a Jesuit campus, can. Why can’t we?” and “Grow up! We are!”

According to Kaitlyn Godberson ‘18, condoms “should have been provided because they help to prevent teen pregnancy, which is something all universities should focus on.”

While Monahan agreed with Godberson that condoms would have been a “reasonable addition” to the event, she did acknowledge the administration’s view.

“As a Catholic campus, Fairfield University does have a right to choose whether or not to supply birth control because it does go against the Catholic theological doctrine,” Monahan said.

Barrett, however, explained that while she is aware of the clash with Catholic beliefs, “The [Catholic] Church has changed its views and that Pope Benedict has said that condoms are OK if they help prevent AIDS and death.”

Despite the controversy around condoms, Barrett hopes that “Let’s Talk Sex” can “open the school up to real diversity.”

Informational panel draws attention to Syria conflict

By Enxhi Myslymi Managing Editor

By Elizabeth McDonagh Contributing Writer Sophomore Iman Jebara, who spoke at last year’s Syria panel, returned this year to share her family’s firsthand account of the tragedies in Syria.

“This is my family. They’re my blood,” Jebara said. “You can’t just not think about it … It’s something that affects me every day.”

Similar to her talk at last year’s panel, Jebara told the story of how her uncle was “taken … in front of his wife and kids” and was forced to say that he was affiliated with a terrorist organization. Her family’s hometown, Elepo, has also been destroyed as a result of the Syrian crisis, forcing her family to flee the country.

According to Jebara, the situation in Syria is a humanitarian issue where “human beings are being treated as if they’re nothing.”

“How can we just sit here and not do anything,” Jebara asked. “It’s up to us now. We have to demand action.”

The panel, titled “Syria: Past, Present and Personal,” was organized

by Nicole Davidow ‘15 and Deirdre McElroy ‘17. It took place on Thursday, Nov. 20 in the Lower Level Barone Campus Center in an effort to raise awareness about the current situation in Syria.

As Catholic Relief Services student ambassadors, Davidow and McElroy teamed up with Jesuit Universities Humanitarian Action Network and Muslim Students Associa-

tion to organize the panel discussion.

Following last year’s model, Davidow and McElroy set up a panel with Politics Professor Dr. Marcie J. Patton, History Professor Dr. David W. McFadden and Jebara.

Patton opened up the discussion with a brief description of the history and politics of Syria.

Syria is half the size of Iraq and has two major social cleavages that historically created conflicts of power: ethnicity and religion, Patton explained. An expert on Turkey, she also discussed Turkey’s involvement in Syria’s refugee situation.

These conflicts have led to more than three million Syrians fleeing to bordering countries, according to U.S. Aid’s website.

According to Patton, Turkey “opened its borders right away” to Syria in 2011.

The nation is now host to more than one million Syrian refugees.

Providing housing and adequate health care to these refugees has been a major point of contention for the Turkish government.

Following Patton’s lecture, McFadden advocated for the involvement of Russia and Iran in solving the Syrian crisis, especially considering that Russia is Syria’s “largest patron.”

He also discussed the “negligent” role of the United States in Syria, saying that the U.S. needs to pay more attention to the Syrian crisis and the “root causes of ISIS.” “It’s as if [Syria] doesn’t exist for the American people,” McFadden said. “Let’s put our money where we say our values are and try to deal with it in a humanitarian way.”

Contributed by Riley Barrett

Dr. Marcie J. Patton, Dr. David W. McFadden and Iman Jebara ‘17 all shared their views on the Syria conflict at the informational panel.

Focusing on the Fairfield community, Davidow said, “We should take action and find out how to get involved.”

According to Patton, the community can start by “donating to reputable organizations or NGOs, and as students, a main priority should be spreading awareness.”

Regarding student attendance during the event, Patton said, “I

thought there was a tremendous turnout.”

For Elizabeth Sheehan ‘17 who attended the panel, “It was illuminating to see Iman speaking about her personal experience. I think that it’s important to hear a firsthand account, especially when there’s not enough attention shed on this subject as a humanitarian issue.”

After she spoke last year, Jebara

said, “People came up to me the week after telling me how shocked they were.”

She added, “I’m hoping that it did today as well and from what I’m hearing, I think it did.”

For more information on donating or how to get more involved, students can contact Iman Jebara at iman.jebara@student.fairfield.edu.

Page 3

THE MIRROR |Week of December 3, 2014

News

Professor Profile: Steve Yavner

By Jesse Erickson Assistant Sports Editor Whether he’s the face of the camera, behind the camera or writing the script, professor of communication Steve Yavner has certainly established himself as a journalist.

Now, he uses his experience to better the aspiring journalists and students of Fairfield.

“I graduated from Brookline High and if you asked me what I wanted to do, I would have told you I wanted to direct Monday Night Football,” said Yavner. “We used to take apart our little TV studio and set it up for the football games, and I was the director, and I loved that, but I was always afraid I was going to change my mind.”

Yavner had no idea how much of an impact his dreams to direct Monday Night Football would have on the rest of his life.

He went on to graduate Williams College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

After landing a job on the production crew for a news broadcast station in West Palm Beach, Yavner was able to experience something that showed him what he wanted to do with the next couple of years in his life.

“While I was there, we got hired out by NBC to work the launch of the very first space shuttle and spring training camps,” said Yavner.

“After that I thought, ‘oh, I want to check out this news and sports thing.’”

After quitting his job in West Palm Beach, Yavner headed back up the east coast and landed the position of weekend anchor for news and sports for a station in New York where he was the face of the camera, rather than behind the camera, something he had never really thought about doing before.

“You know, people want to be on TV because they want to be on TV and I don’t know

if that was ever the case with me,” said Yavner.

“It was just that I liked doing it, I think I was good at it.”

When he was finally settled down in New York, Yavner said, “A sports job back in West Palm Beach fell into [his] lap,” and just like that, Yavner was back down the coast where he was involved with sports journalism for 12 years.

“All the time I was in sports, I wanted to tell good stories, I wanted to be an entertainer, and I looked at sports as a chance to be the entertainment,” added Yavner. “I wanted to take your mind off of your troubles and maybe put a smile on your face at the end of your work day.”

However, after more than a decade in West Palm Beach where he married and had children, Yavner made the decision to move back to his hometown to pursue freelance writing and reporting, and then got a full-time job as a news writer and producer.

From there, Yavner moved to Philadelphia where he was 6 o’clock producer.

Then, he moved to Miami as an executive producer, and after that, to Miami Channel 4 where he became news manager.

After teaching at the University of Miami for a brief period, Yavner decided that all that he had done and accomplished wasn’t enough and currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. at New York University while teaching courses at Fairfield University.

Yavner, who has been teaching at Fairfield for about three and a half years, teaches courses including sports broadcasting, mass media and society, American media and U.S. history.

Yavner told stories of those that found classes like his to be helpful in other disciplines like accounting, and stressed that the life of a journalist often parallels the life of a student.

Like journalists, students are often forced to exist in a world revolving around technology.

Contributed by Fairfield

Communication professor Steve Yavner inspires students to think like journalists.

“A lot of what I do, in terms of media and things like that, I think they’re really important skills that your generation needs to be able to navigate and there’s a part of me that thinks journalism should be a core requirement,” said Yavner. “The skills that journalists have are the skills that everyone should have because journalists decode media and in this mediasaturated world, we need to think about what is going on in media.”

Yavner, who has seen large success in the journalism sector of the career world while others struggled, added that he doesn’t see journalism as a dying art, but a changing art.

“Everything is changing, it’s not dying. My best piece of advice is what I try to build into my classes is that you don’t know what the future

is going to look like,” he said. “When I look at all my classes, I think the most important thing you can learn is that all areas of learning are all about gathering data, analyzing data and reinterpreting data.”

He stressed that in no matter what area one chooses to involve themselves with, they are always going to be looking at the data, understanding the data and then changing as a result of what one has gathered whether that is in the field of journalism, business or even medicine.

“When you don’t know what you want to do in the future, that skill set of gathering, analyzing and reinterpreting is key,” said Yavner.

“It’s all about how you put the reinterpretation back out there in a different way.”

Club Profile: Proactive Investment Club

By Alisia LoSardo Contributing Writer Often, the little things that go unnoticed are what make the biggest difference.

For example, it is unlikely that you, along with a majority of Fairfield’s student body, have noticed that this semester nearly all of the light bulbs in the Dolan School of Business have been replaced with LED lights, a more environmentally efficient alternative.

This task was accomplished by members of Fairfield’s Proactive Investment Club who, like the very light bulbs they have just installed, are quietly facilitating huge changes in order to benefit Fairfield’s campus.

“PIC is all about making investments that not only produce a social good, but also make profit,” said Caroline Kiezulas ’17, an economics major and the club’s co-president. In addition to discussing the methods of proactive investment, Kiezulas explained that the club takes the initiative to apply their ideas to the campus community.

PIC, a relatively new club on campus, has been working on several large-scale projects over the past semester. Founder of PIC, Arturo Jaras Watts ’14, helped the club earn $15,000 last year through student-written grants.

This year, the club put that money towards replacing the compact fluorescent lamp bulbs with LEDs in both the DSB as well as the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola.

Contributed by Caroline Kiezulas

The Proactive Investment Club held a Sustainability Panel on Nov. 19, where students and professors discussed various sustainability issues.

“The bulbs are going to significantly increase efficiency,” said Kiezulas. “They won’t need to be changed for another 10 years.” She explained that the installment of the LED lights will not only be saving Fairfield money, but the lights are significantly benefiting the environment.

In addition, the club has also been working on spreading environmental awareness on campus. On Nov. 19, PIC held a Sustainability Panel where professors were able to discuss issues as well as answer student questions regarding sustainability. The event drew in nearly 50 students.

“It was a bigger turnout than we expected, and I think that everyone really learned a lot,” Kiezulas said.

PIC also has aspirations of installing solar powered charging stations on campus. They recently applied for a grant from the Campus Sustainability Committee in order to make this happen.

“It would provide a hands-on experience,” Kiezulas said. “It would be more of an educational thing – students could actually watch the sun charge their phone.”

If awarded the money, the stations would be accompanied by

benches and tables so that students would be able to hang out with friends while charging their devices.

“Our main focus has been on the environment, but we’re looking to do other things,” she said. Currently, PIC is working with Students for Social Justice and the Diversity Club in order to get involved next semester with the Korea International Volunteer Association.

KIVA is a nonprofit organization that uses the Internet in order to allow people to invest money in entrepreneurs in developing countries.

“What we’re doing is valid and

important and we want to get our name out there,” said Kiezulas. She also mentioned that the eight person club is always looking to attract new and dedicated members. They would also like to gain more recognition and support from students for their projects.

“Making changes sometimes isn’t as hard as you think it will be,” Kiezulas said. “You can use your time at Fairfield and do what you need to; you can take classes and spend time with friends. Or you can do more, you can make changes. And once you leave you can see the mark you’ve left.”

Page 4

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

Crime Beat

News

Compiled by Austin Wesolowski Information contributed by the Department of Public Safety.

Wednesday, 11/19 4:48 p.m. – An anonymous tip led DPS officers to a room in Dolan Hall, where officers found a small amount of what could be cocaine.

The student was arrested by Fairfield Police and was referred to student conduct.

Thursday, 11/20 2:43 p.m. – Five vehicles were found parked in the Regis Hall parking lot with fraudulent Fairfield parking stickers. The owners of the cars were identified and referred to student conduct.

11:17 p.m. – Two white males entered a Townhouse on 6 block and damaged hanging items that were on the wall. The matter is under investigation by DPS. Saturday, 11/22 11:23 p.m. – A sink in Jogues Hall was removed from the wall maliciously. Three individuals are suspected to be involved; the matter is under investigation by DPS. Sunday, 11/23 12:20 a.m. – DPS officers found a male parking illegally on the grass off of Lynch Road.

The individual was found to be under the influence of alcohol while operating the vehicle and was issued a DUI.

NEWS BRIEF: Tickets required to attend Midnight Breakfast

By Jessica Delahunt Assistant News Editor For the past 13 years, Fairfield’s annual Midnight Breakfast has served as both the climax of the University’s holiday celebrations, and as the ultimate stress-reliever for students in the midst of finals.

However, this year, the hotly-anticipated feast will be receiving a makeover, according to University Activities Programmer Reece Painter-Payne.

“It is never easy to change the process of a traditional event like Midnight Breakfast,” said Painter-Payne. “Our intentions are simply to improve the safety and environment of the event.”

Although the breakfast traditionally begins at 10 p.m., this year’s attendees will be divided between two seating times, the first beginning at 8:30 p.m., and the second at 10:30 p.m.

To reserve a place at one of the seating times, students are asked to pick up a free “Polar Pass” ticket in the Barone Campus

Center.

Yet, students need not worry about getting shut out of both seatings according to Painter-Payne. “It should be noted that we are offering a total of more Polar Passes this year than people who attended last year,” said Painter-Payne.

“It is our expectation that everyone who wants to go to Midnight Breakfast should be able to attend,” Painter-Payne assured.

According to Painter-Payne, this new procedure will be implemented partially as a safety measure to accommodate the customary hordes of students clamoring to enter the Breakfast.

While the winding line outside of Barone has become a staple of the breakfast, Painter-Payne explained that “in years past there was a safety concern with so many students lining up all at the same time on the stairs of the BCC.” “There will be fewer people waiting or cutting in line,” predicted Painter-Payne of the new procedure, saying that this was

a major source of frustration for students who completed online surveys reviewing the event in the past.

This year students will be asked to begin lining up in the Oak Room, entering the feast through the back door of the Dining Room and exiting out of the main entrance in the front, eliminating the typical traffic-jam on the BCC stairs.

Slowing the stream of students entering the breakfast will also make it easier for the Sodexo workers tasked with supplying enough pancakes, bacon and eggs to satisfy students, according to Painter-Payne.

“There was a concern for the ability of Sodexo to handle the demand for serving so many students all at the same time, especially given the growth of the first year class this year,” Painter-Payne said.

Multiple seating times are not the only change that students can expect to see at this year’s Breakfast. According to Painter-Payne students waiting in line can expect a “festive environment, with entertainment, passed snacks and holiday tunes.”

Contribute to The Mirror.

3:01 a.m. – A scooter in Campion Hall was found vandalized; the matter is under investigation by DPS. 2:31 – An anonymous tip alerted DPS that a Christmas tree in Jogues had been stolen. The matter is under investigation by DPS. Tuesday, 12/2 9:03 a.m. – A student reported that an unknown male was seen with what looked like a firearm in his waistband. The firearm was reportedly not used in a threatening way; the matter is under investigation by DPS.

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Page 5

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

Opinion

Editor Meaghan Conlon» opinion@fairfieldmirror.com

Contributed by Irene Mulvey

Professors and students demonstrate outside Barone Campus Center in May 2013 protesting the treatment of Fairfield University staff members.

Letter to the Editor: Fairfield lacks transparency To the Editor: A key principle of academic work is a commitment to shared governance.

This principle stems from the inescapable interdependence among all the components of a University and requires that faculty members and administrators collaborate on decisions that affect them both or that contribute to the well-being of the University.

Fairfield University has excellent structures in place for robust shared governance.

But governance structures are only as good as the individuals employing them and, despite a long and storied tradition of generally good shared governance, we are deeply concerned about recent actions by our administration, which have violated those structures.

Fairfield faculty members, like workers all over America, pay a portion of their health insurance premiums.

In May 2013, in a gesture of generosity and good faith, the faculty agreed to more than double their share of premiums beginning in 2014, in exchange for an increase in salary designed to cover about 80 percent of our higher cost.

But when the actual 2014 premiums were

Editorial Board Let's Talk Sex Shauna Mitchell Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Calhoun Executive Editor Enxhi Myslymi Managing Editor

announced by the administration’s new consultant, they were much higher than had been projected by the administration’s old consultant, and as a result, the increase in salary needed to be augmented.

The administration set the 2014 rates as projected by the old consultant, and the faculty considered this a fair and appropriate solution for 2014.

Moreover, last May, the administration and faculty worked collaboratively to set up extra checks and balances that would allow the faculty and administration to work together in a meaningful way to address the growth in health care costs and to understand the premium calculations that the administration gets from its paid consultant.

Now, for 2015, the administration is imposing the higher rates without the needed increase in salary – jacking up our rates by 15 percent in a year when our actual health care costs have gone down.

This is a classic bait and switch.

The faculty agreed to more than double their share of the cost as part of an agreement, and that agreement is not being honored.

That is one way to look at the problem, but the real problem is with governance.

If you were walking through the Barone Campus Center on Nov. 24, you might have come across the “Let's Talk Sex” event in the Lower Level Barone Campus Center.

The event organized by the College Democrats invited oncampus clubs and Planned Parenthood to attend in an effort to educate Fairfield students about safe sex practices and create an open dialogue about sex.

The organization, which is known as a “Health Center,” was not allowed to bring condoms to the event. College Democrats was also not allowed to distribute condoms as Fairfield administration

threatened to rescind their funding if they did.

This is a Jesuit University and as such there is a moral code which is expected to be followed by the students who go here. One of these codes is abstinence, and because of this, contraceptives are not distributed by the University.

However, the University extended the umbrella to Planned Parenthood and prevented them, an independent party, from bringing condoms to an educational event.

For an event in which the topic of discussion is safe sex, secondary groups should be allowed to bring

There are processes in place to be followed, some set up only last May, and these processes were, in effect, ignored.

Our concern in this matter and going forward is with the administration’s lack of transparency, the lack of meaningful dialogue and the bypassing of our agreed-upon processes and structures.

We are compelled to communicate with the University community through The Mirror because these attempts to avoid governance are the most egregious we’ve seen in decades.

We’ve got scores of people working on multiple task forces as part of Fairfield 2020, our strategic plan refresh, but what kind of a strategic vision does our administration have in mind when they ignore governance and do not honor agreements?

We cannot share in a vision that does not include transparency and respect for our longstanding tradition of open and shared governance.

We want to see a Fairfield University that stands for fairness and integrity.

Executive Committee of the Faculty Welfare Committee, Fairfield’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

condoms in order to keep students safe by encouraging safe sex. Students, especially, should not be barred from distributing condoms.

Although we agreed to attend a Jesuit University, it's naive to think that all students are practicing abstinence. As such, educating students on safe sex was a great first step.

However, when in a bind, the mere knowledge of safe sex is not going to be as helpful as physically having a condom. It just doesn’t work that way.

We aren’t saying that the University should be the one to hand out the contraception, especially if

it goes against religious beliefs.

But on-campus clubs and outside organizations that advocate being healthy and safe should be allowed to provide students with condoms, especially if they are not in direct violation of university policy.

College is the place students come to begin their lives, so it's the role of the University to do everything it can to educate its students.

Although condoms are not readily accessible on campus, Fairfield does have several health resources for students, such as the Health Center that provides STD testing.

Page 6

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

Opinion

Why I'm cashing out on the new feature

By Meaghan Conlon Opinion Editor One of the most entertaining parts of my day is seeing all of the people making odd faces in public. Are they making really odd faces for the purpose of Snapchatting or sending cash?

Perhaps they are doing both, now that the multimillion-dollar company released the application’s newest feature: the ability to send money through the chat aspect of the app, called Snapcash.

Of course, I think this is a brilliant idea. It’s not like Snapchat has ever been hacked twice in this past year alone. I have never had more confidence in an application to store my bank and credit card information.

If you’re buying what I’m selling, then you might be a perfect candidate for Snapcash. Nothing says best friends like sending a picture of yourself with six chins, along with that $10 you owe. Snapcash is now giving people the ability to personalize payback. Trust me, your friend will appreciate a picture of you making a rude gesture with an attached $15 and a message that says “I love you,” much more than a check with a cute Disney picture.

Snapcash’s bank information is managed through Square a banking application that allows people to send money electronically. Like Snapchat, it has had problems with hackers in the past. A simple Google search can link you with steps on how to hack into their system; I know this amazing security makes me feel safe as to where I input my bank information.

To sound even more cynical, I see this feature spiraling downward quickly. As I’m sure you’re aware, Snapchat is not solely used to send your roommate Snapchats of your face in class, or anything else of a similarly innocent nature. Not everyone is going to use this feature to send their friend lunch money. With an app that is infamously used to send nudes, the option of paying for suggestive pictures is at the fingertips of everyone using this app.

People send naked pictures of themselves, whether it be to significant others or someone else. For an application that only lets someone see a picture for a few seconds, now with the added feature that allows one to pay a Snapchat friend, I foresee this app being misused to imitate pornography, in which users send money in exchange for indecent pictures.

I’m sure many of you think I’m making a huge leap to that conclusion, or maybe that I have a pessimistic outlook on life. You may be right, but take a look at the facts: Pornography involves paying to view pictures of naked men/women. The chat feature allows one to send money and recieve pictures simultaneously. The ease at which one can fall into pornographic behavior is simply a chat away.

While this is not the intended result of this new feature, there is a likely chance of this occurring. People have been given access to a legal and easy way to send pictures and receive money in return.

Perhaps there are no better options to repay the money a friend loaned you; maybe you neither have trusted banking applications nor the cash on hand. Either way, if this was Snapchat’s way of breaking into a new market, it was a pretty dumb idea.

Money and pictures should be kept separate, minimizing the potential for this supposed innovation to turn into a legal form of pornography. Snapchat is not a trusted way to send money; rather, it’s an application to amuse oneself when one is bored.

Snapcash is a balloon ready to pop, as there will be problems, and I doubt Snapchat will be prepared to deal with them properly. If you choose to use Snapcash, don’t complain when your nudes and bank account information are released accidentally for everyone to see.

Humans are not meant to play God

By Ariana Puzzo Contributing Writer

On Nov. 1, Brittany Maynard, a 29-yearold who was diagnosed with brain cancer at the beginning of the year, ended her life after taking a lethal dose of medication prescribed by her doctor. Her decision to support the organization Compassion and Choices, as well as her subsequent choice to end her life with the dignity she believed she deserved, has rightfully sparked controversy amongst many people, especially pro-life campaigners.

Currently, assisted suicide is legal in Vermont, Washington and Oregon.

Maynard, a native of California, relocated with her family to Oregon in order to fulfill her wish legally. Maynard’s tragic story is both compelling and heartbreaking, but I still believe that it is unethical for a medic to assist in ending the life of a patient under any circumstance.

Most states remain steadfast in their decision to outlaw assisted suicide. In New Mexico, the state attorney general is appealing a recent judge’s ruling that allows residents to obtain life-ending drugs. In Montana, physicians who write prescriptions for lethal drugs at the request of terminally ill patients are legally protected. Almost two weeks ago, the New Jersey Assembly passed a bill that

allows physicians to prescribe life-ending drugs to patients who are terminally ill.

Despite the bill being passed, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie stated that he will veto the bill once it is brought to his desk.

Although Christie’s decision to veto the bill

and uphold. It is clear that by assisting in a patient’s suicide, the practitioner is breaking a fundamental principle of the oath.

The oath states, “Nor shall any man's entreaty prevail upon me [the physician] to administer poison to anyone; neither will I

will be a point of contention for many, I find myself in agreement with his decision.

As the ethics of the practice are called into question, I find myself primarily considering the nature of the Hippocratic Oath that all physicians must swear to follow

[the physician] counsel any man to do so.”

The ancient oath defends the belief held by many: assisted suicide is unethical.

As more states consider the possibility of adopting the practice, I think that medical professionals should re-evaluate the decision

to take part in assisted suicide, given that they would be breaking the oath they swore to uphold when becoming a physician.

Despite the unethical nature of the practice, I realize that many people suffer daily from incurable and unbearable diseases that gradually diminish their quality of life.

However, the belief that giving someone the ability to choose when his or her life ends is morally questionable.

Although the argument can be made that the lethal dose of medication is only accessible to patients of full mental capacity, who are capable of making medical decisions independently, the doubt remains as to whether giving patients this power, will create the risk of them potentially abusing it.

Additionally, there is the concern that terminally ill patients may be pressured to end their lives, in an effort to reduce the cost and effort involved in their families caring for individuals suffering from life-ending illnesses.

By enabling patients who are suffering to choose when they die, we are essentially allowing these patients to “play God” and determine their time to pass. I find the concept of having such control to be extremely unsettling, and I find myself growing increasingly troubled by the potential growth of this practice.

The Mirror welcomes the opinions and contributions of its readers: Letters to the editor must be timely and submitted by email to info@fairfieldmirror.com or Box AA. All letters to the editor that are appropriate will be published either in print or online. The Mirror reserves the right to edit letters and articles for content, length and grammatical error. Letters should be free of obscenities and personal attacks and should contain correct and factual information not exceeding 500 words.

The Vine

arts, entertainment, features Editor Charles DeFilippo vine@fairfieldmirror.com

Tennessee's roots blow north

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

The Vine

Tennessee's Roots Blow North

By Charles DeFilippo Vine Editor

R

oots in Tennessee’s music scene blow freely like the wind on an open road. Soothing and limitless, The Black Lillies mirror the journey ahead.

The band exemplifies Americana at its finest, mixed with grass roots, country and a modern sentiment.

Frontman and founder Cruz Contreras is no stranger to the twists and turns of the open road.

After a 10-year stint with Robinella and the CCstringband, Contreras broke from the music scene and became a truck driver for a stone company.

Contreras acquired a Commercial Driver License, which he used to drive his tour bus from coast to coast. It allowed him to operate the bobcats, flatbeds and various machinery he used to work with as a truck driver.

Life as a driver became something “different” for Contreras, allowing him to regroup personally and musically.

As each day passed, the music of the road resonated with Contreras and became his inspiration for The Black Lillies, which formed in 2008.

Music had never taken a backseat while driving the roads of east Tennessee, and, as it turns out, Contreras wouldn't be surprised if he carried his guitar in the passenger seat of the 18-wheeler a few times.

“I write what is on my mind at any moment,” said Contreras.

Contreras and The Black Lillies keep on rolling with three studio albums, an extensive tour schedule of 200-odd performances and taking on the hectic life of independent musicians.

The Black Lillies’ authentic, down-to-earth tone has earned them a seat at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, allowing them to establish a hearty relationship that spans more than 30 performances. Notably, the band’s 2013 performance of “Smokestack Lady” (live at the Opry) has swept up a wide demographic of loyal fans and new listeners.

Furthermore, The Black Lillies’ self-acclacmed success has attracted the attention of Country Music Television (CMT); four of their tunes appeared on CMT’s top 12 requested videos and also secured spots on Billboard and American Music Association’s (AMA) charts.

In their latest effort, “Runaway Freeway Blues” (2013), The Black Lillies have continued restlessly to push forward along their musical highway. According to the band, the beauties of this album are heavily rooted in the “mud-rutted switchbacks of Appalachia” and allow listeners to travel the musical peaks and valleys or the road ahead with its creator.

“Runaway Freeway Blues” debuted at number 43 on Billboard’s Country chart and number 21 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums.

The album begins with an earnest sentiment in “The Fall,” as Contreras and female vocalist Trisha Gene Brady share an intimate conversation of love, sorrow and dreams.

Contreras sings “I am not a rich man, I have no fortune to bear” to Brady’s “I am not a rich girl, I have no diamond to share,” behind the locomotive, strumming acoustic guitar and somber motion of the kick drum.

When Brady and Contreras join in harmony singing, “I am but a dreamer and I've seen you in between / The shadows and the sunshine falling down on me,” a sense of beauty, imagery and the open air fills our hearts with sounds of The Black Lillies.

The band’s roots become present in tunes like “Ramblin’ Boy,” where the band turns up with twangy country guitar (Tom Pryor), driving drums (Jamie Cook) and a wholesome bass (Robert Richards), supporting the effortless melody and harmony of Contreras and Brady.

By the time you reach “Smokestack Lady,” it is apparent that The Black Lillies cannot be overly defined.

The upbeat Americana and rockabilly-style guitar licks paired with tasteful harmonica licks (Ian Thomas) make “Smokestack Lady” an instant favorite among fans.

“Smokestack Lady” pumps through the veins of its listeners like the gasoline from Contreras’ 18-wheeler, “running these roads up and down, L.A. to New Or-

leans.” Furthermore, the tune serves as inspiration for grandpa play that,” said Contreras, so people think it is the title of the album “Runaway Freeway Blues,” because not big deal. it captures the diverse palate that the audiences of The Contreras’ need to have a hand in all musical outBlack Lillies crave. lets opened his mind to the vast genres of music, which “The Black Lillies are the type of band that prefers in turn helped to shape The Black Lillies. a 90-minute set, opposed Music has been an integral to features, because the part of Contreras’ life, going back band is so dynamic,” said With one foot planted to his childhood where he began Contreras. playing classical piano, bluegrass firmly in Appalachian Pedal steel, harmobanjo and then jazz piano in colnies, duets and all the music and the other lege. potent flavors in the mix always expanding and He vividly recalls playing make The Black Lillies a evolving, The Black everything from gypsy jazz to must see for any live per- Lillies have created a Civil War reenactments with his formance. They remain brother. humble, whether they are unique sound embraced This sense of family and playing a small hometown by fans old and young. loyalty has kept The Black Lillies gig in Knoxville Tenn., humble, and could explain why - Vanity Fair or exciting festivals like they have been so committed to Bonnaroo or South by their roots, family and fans.

Southwest.

Likewise, The Black Lillies have trusted Scott Mi“The music you perform becomes less familiar,” nor of Sparklehorse with the production of all three stusaid Contreras and over time “lots of different cultures dio albums. come through.”

Working as an independent label, The Black Lillies On Dec. 14, The Black Lillies with guest artist Ian plan on entering pre-production for a fourth album this Thomas will bring the sounds of the open Tennessee month. According to the band’s “timeline,” “to keep us road to Fairfield Theatre Company’s StageOne at 7:45 musicians on track,” laughed Contreras, The Black Lillies p.m. will enter the studio sometime in February.

Performing in New England is a special treat for Contreras hopes to incorporate more of The Black The Black Lillies because of “its tie to Appalachian mu- Lillies live sound into the new album; more keys, pedals, sic,” said Contreras. solo material and more brilliant male/female harmonies.

“The Mountain chain goes north,” said Contreras.

But don't worry - Contreras assures that each live In Tennessee, Contreras explains how everyone is performance, including FTC’s StageOne, will be a balrooted in bluegrass and country: “My aunt, cousin and ance of new, old and unheard material.

Quick Look: The Black Lillies on StageOne Americana Sunday, Dec. 14 Doors @ 7:00 p.m.

Show @ 7:45 p.m.

Tickets: Non-members: $22 Members: $19

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THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

The Vine

Album Spoilers:

Unknown Component and The Killing Lights

By Andrew DaRosa WVOF Music Team “Arbitrary Ambiguity” is the 11th studio album released by alternative artist Keith Lynch, whose stage name is Unknown Component.

This recent album delves into his strong electronic and independent roots, with a healthy mixture of instrumental work that allows the music to flow naturally.

The album follows suit of his 2012 release “Blood v. Electricity,” in the sense that the focus has shifted to a heavier electronic emphasis.

This change pays off as the new material pushes his career forward, while paying homage to his roots.

Various elements of this album remind me of a mixture somewhere between Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails.

What is impressive is that Lynch is credited with mixing and recording all the instrumentals for the album.

This effort shines through the album with the meticulous attention to detail in the music and even the subtlety of the lyrics, which intertwine perfectly with the background music.

However, at certain times I lost focus of the lyrics and instead analyzed the complex rhythm that Lynch has concocted.

This is especially evident in “Draw the Line,” which allows the song to flow almost like a wave with

complexity at certain parts of the song that eventually recede out to a melancholic beat.

“Arbitrary Ambiguity” is especially fantastic at providing an apocalyptic edge to the construct of his music in the presentation of the savvy drumming and solid piano work.

Despite all the powerful pieces in Lynch’s latest piece of work, the album falls short of creative genius with a relatively similar beat that flows through the music and the same monotonous singing that is exuded.

Lynch seems to not deviate from this formula throughout the album, which almost leaves it stale and bitter by the end.

It is saddening because it falls in the pit of typical indie music of which is usually generic in rhythm.

With that being said, “Arbitrary Ambiguity” is nowhere near being a bad album, it just falls short of its true potential.

What I must commend Lynch on is establishing a really unique sound that is evident of his talent.

Lynch has established himself by now as an extraordinary audio engineer and a crafter of solid beats.

Now, Lynch must focus on strengthening his songwriting abilities, while also plotting new beats that will be able to hook in listeners for more aural pleasure.

By Sean Thomas Contributing Writer 2014 is yet another prime year to be in a met- ing Lights' EP is not completely homogenous.

Songs such as “Crashing Down” and “Conversaalcore band. Decide on your name, make sure you have an image, record a few songs and watch the fans tions” offer a slightly more radio-friendly sound, one that would fit perfectly on your favorite rock radio flock to you.

What about a complex, carefully crafted and station The song features the catchiest hooks out of the nuanced sound?

Never fear, the musical formula is tried and entire release, delivering emotional intensity withtrue, utilized by whatever band is currently adorning out having to rely on screams or a breakdown.

Ultimately, the debut EP from The Killing those black T-shirts of fledgling metal fans: chugging riffs, electronic interludes, good cop/bad cop Lights will surely satisfy the legions of fans who having been following Orlando. vocals and plenty of guitar squeals.

The Killing Lights certainly have the ability to Newcomers The Killing Lights offer very little to push the boundaries of metalcore, instead forcing push their scene in a newer, more interesting direction, but will they? their own sound through that classic formula.

With just a debut EP, it's difficult to predict; The Killing Lights arose from the group Vampires Everywhere! who already had an established regardless, their massive following will continue to career, with stints on Warped Tour and opening for grow as they enter the mainstream. other notable metalcore bands.

The transition into The Killing Lights came after a concerning number of lineup changes, the only constant member being vocalist Michael Orlando.

After listening to The Killing Lights’ debut self-titled EP, it's clear that his vocals are the centerpiece of their sound.

Orlando alternates between polished hooks and a raspy, but not entirely, atonal vocal style.

Throw in the flashy leads of guitarist DJ Black plus the inevitable “headbanging in unison” breakdowns, Chad Michael Ward / The Killing Lights and you've deciphered the blueprints The Killing Lights released their debut self-titled EP Dec. 2, 2014, prothat are sure to attract droves of fans. duced and engineered by Michael Vampire and DJ Black.

The overall offering of The Kill-

Nutrition 101: Q & A with Sodexo dietitian

By Stephanie Piccolo Nutrition Columnist

R

ight before Thanksgiving break, I was able to attend an event on health and nutrition with Sodexo Campus Services Regional Dietitian, Karen Jew. Jew has visited our dining hall multiple times and was impressed by the various arrays of fruits and vegetables available. Compared to the 24 other schools she visits, we are the only school that has fresh berries every day. I was able to speak with her afterwards about health and nutrition regarding college students. Here is some advice she shared about eating healthy on campus.

SP: What are your main suggestions for students struggling to eat healthy on campus?

KJ: I would suggest planning ahead and utilizing the resources available. For example, using the Sodexo nutritional value app. This will allow you to plan what you will be eating for the day and how many calories you are consuming so that you are not wasting time searching for a healthy meal.

Contributed Photo

SP: Are there certain ideas you have regarding health and nutrition for underclassmen students that are unable to cook for themselves?

KJ: Some ideas for healthy snacks and foods you can store in your dorm are oatmeal, rice cakes, celery, carrots, peanut butter, hummus, whole wheat pitas, cereal, skim milk and whole fruit. These items are healthy options that have a long shelf life and will not spoil quickly.

SP: What do you feel are the most helpful services Sodexo provides for promoting health and nutrition?

KJ: I think MyFitnessPal is a very helpful app that promotes health and nutrition. It does this by taking the first step of bringing your awareness to what you are eating and continuing on to the second step, which is making you realize what positive changes to your eating you can make.

SP: Do you have any suggestions for students with food allergies?

KJ: My biggest advice is to be an advocate. If you have another food allergy outside of the top eight, talk to the chef. Sodexo wants to make sure you are being provided with the foods you need regarding your food allergy. Simple servings is available, which caters to those with food allergies.

SP: What are some main things students should steer clear of to stay healthy?

KJ: Make mindful choices, consider bounds, and have normal portion sizes. MyPlate can be your guideline: Try to incorporate at least half of your plate with fruits and vegetables.

C

ardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the United States, and it can be avoided through proper exercise and diet. What you eat is a main factor in your health, and it can be difficult to eat healthy on a college campus.

As Jew emphasizes, it is all about the choice. We are fortunate enough to have fresh fruit provided daily and a stir fry station to let us get creative with our meals. I hope this interview helped students to realize what healthy options are available in the dining hall and that if you have questions, there are resources available to help you.

Jew can be reached at karen.jew@sodexo.com to help students with any other questions.

Contributed Under Creative Commons

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THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

The Vine

Let Dre Dress You

By Andrea Butler Fashion Columnist

Hey, Stags!

If you’re anything like me, now is the point in the semester when your ability to care about anything has shrunk down to zero. Unfortunately, it’s also the point in the semester where your to-do list seems to be a mile long. This combination often yields in a fashion disaster — no one’s ever looked their best after 10 hours straight in the library. Luckily, there are some easy fixes to keep you cute and comfortable.

Wear an oversized sweatshirt with your favorite workout leggings. Since the sweatshirt will cover your butt, you don’t have to worry about panty lines and you can wear your lazy day undies. The bulkiness of the sweatshirt also means you can go braless. (Extra-long arms are perfect for adorable sweater paws too!) You can feel like you’re in your pajamas, but look like you’re just super cozy and cute.

Drop-crotch sweatpants have been all the rage for a few seasons now, and they don’t seem to be going anywhere soon. Pair them with your trusty low-top white Converses and your favorite hoodie for a fashion-forward look.

If you’ve given up on everything (which is completely OK) and sweatpants are all that you can manage to put on, everything looks a lot better when it’s part of an all-black ensemble.

No one will be expecting you to be in top form during finals week, and there are way more other important things than how you look.

Nonetheless, if you feel confident in what you’re wearing, you’ll be more confident in your assignments, which is a win-win situation.

Have an amazing Christmas break, lovelies, and see you in 2015!

Love,

Dre Contributed Under Creative Commons

'Big Hero 6' brings Marvel comic to life

By Juliana Sansonetti Contributing Writer Around this time last year, there was a lot of talk about Disney’s newest movie, a musical extravaganza called “Frozen.” This year, Walt Disney Animation Studios has released its next movie, “Big Hero 6.”

While this film did not receive nearly as much hype as “Frozen” did, it is certainly every bit as good as its predecessor.

Making use of their contract with Marvel Comics, Disney has made “Big Hero 6” based on the comics of the same name that were first released in 1998.

The Big Hero 6 comics were unpopular compared to Marvel’s other work, and received little attention. They were short lived and widely forgotten, until Disney took the story and made it their own in this exciting animated masterpiece.

While there are so many wonderful things about this movie, the first that has to be addressed is the animation. In 2005, Walt Disney Animation Studios released their first 3-D computer animated feature, “Chicken

Little,” following the success that Pixar Animation Studios had with this style. “Chicken Little” received very little praise.

It was not until “Tangled” was released in 2010 that the animation of Walt Disney Animation Studios came close to comparing with Pixar, and it has been getting better ever since.

“Big Hero 6” is a testament to this. The entire film is like eyecandy, with beautiful colors and backgrounds that will stun even the most die-hard Pixar fan.

At the heart of the film is the story of Hiro Hamada, a 14-yearold genius, his older brother Tadashi, also a genius, who makes a puffy white robot called Baymax.

Baymax who is essentially a portable nurse that helps you when you are injured.

Baymax and Hiro must join four others to solve the mystery of Hiro’s stolen invention that becomes deadly as they become more and more involved.

The main characters offer a wide range of diversity, both in their personalities and their ethnic backgrounds. Each one is completely different, yet they are

all extremely loveable. Watching them interact is a joy.

The humor in the film, provided mostly by Baymax, comic nerd Fred and neurotic Wasabi, is well-balanced with the emotional moments.

If you are anything like me, you will cry more than once while watching this movie, both from laughing too hard at the comedy and from reacting to the genuinely heartfelt emotional scenes.

With jaw-dropping animation, an exciting story and loveable characters, there is a lot to love about “Big Hero 6.” Marvel and Disney lovers alike will relish this jewel of a film.

And to top it all off, the soundtrack includes an original Fall Out Boy song, “Immortals,” that was written and performed for the film.

It doesn’t get much better than this.

“Big Hero 6” is the best movie I’ve seen this year. It is most definitely worth the time. Go see it.

Oh, and, a helpful hint to Marvel fans, wait until after the end credits to leave. You most definitely won’t regret it.

Contributed Under Creative Commons

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

The Vine

Halo reissue fuels nostalgic gamers The Master Chief Collection

I

By Matthew Schneider Assistant Sports Editor

f you grew up in the late 1990s to mid-2000s and owned an Xbox and/or Xbox 360, there’s a very good chance that you played at least one game from the “Halo” series of video games.

Well, for all you nostalgic gamers out there, here comes a major treat: 343 Industries, the company that replaced Bungie, Inc. as the developer of the “Halo” franchise after “Halo 3,” has recently released “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” for Xbox One. The collection comes on a single disc and contains “Halo: Combat Evolved,” “Halo 2,” “Halo 3” and “Halo 4,” as well as access to the “Halo 5” multiplayer beta in December.

One of the main reasons that the collection is of interest is that it contains the remastered ver-

sions of “Halo: Combat Evolved” and “Halo 2.”

“Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary” came out in 2011, but a remake of “Halo 2” is included only in the collection.

Considering the fact that “Halo 2” is thought by many to be the initial great first-personshooter game, it is understandable that people would buy the collection for the sole purpose of playing the “Halo 2” remake.

What makes the remake amazing is the fact that all of the cutscenes are completely redone and in full HD quality. This makes playing the campaign all over again seem like something brand new, as you don’t know what to expect anymore.

Adding to the allure of the collection is the ability to cycle back and forth between the old and new versions of the game at the push of a button, showing off

the advanced graphics and exhibiting the difference that a decade can make (the remake was released 10 years and two days after the release of “Halo 2”).

This adds an interesting component to the game, making it fun to cycle between the two to see certain differences.

“Halo: The Master Chief Collection” also contains the online multiplayer from all four games, making it a must-have for fans of the series that want to relive their glory days of fighting in matchmaking.

This is probably the ultimate reason that people will buy the game, and who can blame them?

Having the ability to play any of four versions of online games at the press of a button is nothing to sniff at.

The game retails at $60, which may seem like a steep price to pay for a college student on a

budget. However, if it makes you feel any better, you are getting four (and eventually five) games for the price of one.

I am genuinely shocked that the collection is not more expensive considering how much content it has, but I am not complaining.

All in all, “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” is an excellent game, despite a few bugs that were reported at launch.

Whether you feel like discovering the terrifying, parasitic Flood in “Halo: Combat Evolved,” learning of the

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Prophets’ betrayal in “Halo 2,” finding the Ark in “Halo 3,” or fighting the Didact in “Halo 4,” “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” has it all.

Contributed Under Creative Commons

Taylor Swift throws it back to '1989' Mid-season finale leaves fans with a loaded gun

Contributed Under Creative Commons

By Katherine Falzon Contributing Writer

Taylor Swift really shakes things up in her newest album, “1989,” with an 80s pop twist, something far different from her previous country twang.

It is a drastic change from the old curly-haired, countrified Swift she started off as. But, fans seem to embrace this new retro side of Swift. “1989” was rated number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart for three consecutive weeks after its release on Oct. 27, and sold 1,287,000 copies in its first week.

The album had the highest sales week since 2002, and made Swift the first artist to have three albums sell a million or more copies in a week, as well as becoming the best-selling album released in 2014. Many fans wonder what inspired Swift to write “1989.”

Swift expresses her admiration of how the 80s culture evokes inspiration: “The idea that you can do what you want, be who you want, wear what you want, love what you want — bright colors, bold chances, rebellion.

The idea of that was so inspiring to me.” Say goodbye to her old signature curls, as she now tackles on a new sophisticated 80s look with a straight bob and bold red lips. Combine this rebirth of a past generation with her birth year, and you’ve got the title “1989”.

Compared to Swift’s previous albums centered on love and heartbreak, “1989” marks the first change in her musical theme. Although a few songs are centered on her most recent breakup with One Direction singer Harry Styles, the songs mostly have to do with facing new experiences in the world and discovering who you are.

Given that Swift is in her 20s, it is no surprise that most songs have to do with figuring out your purpose in life and who you want to become. Her life mainly consists of prioritizing friends, making music, playing shows and traveling the world. She makes it clear in “1989” that she is no longer smitten with romance and the idea of falling in love.

The album marks a turning point where she wants to define her life on her own terms, not by who will be her next heartbreak.

This theme of change and new experiences will most definitely be felt as fans listen and sing along to her clever and unique lyrics.

“1989” consists of fresh hip-hop beats and fun 80s bass lines that will make fans want to get up and “shake it off.” The throwback in time is a celebration of pop domination and marks the first official genre change for Swift.

Swift describes the perspective on “1989” as being all about “when you go out into the world and make changes in your life on your own terms,” which is exactly what she does. With yet another successful album release, it is safe to say that Swift has changed for the better.

S

By Matthew Lazicky Contributing Writer

unday was the mid-season finale of “The Walking Dead” and it ended in quite a shock.

This season focused on rescuing Beth, who was captured by the group in Grady Memorial Hospital, as well as the strengthening of her character as she tries to survive by herself, a feat that only a few of Rick’s group have done.

There was a lot of action in this episode, but the biggest surprise was Beth’s death at the end. As the exchange was happening in the hospital, Dawn, the leader of the hospital group, demands to have Noah, a recent hospital escapee, back since she will be losing Beth.

Right as Beth is saying goodbye to Dawn, she taunts Beth with an idea that she had mentioned earlier in the episode: Everyone that leaves always comes back. Beth is angered with this notion and stabs Dawn, but not fatally. Dawn retaliates by shooting Beth in the head. Although everyone is in disarray at this moment, Daryl still shoots Dawn in a fit of rage.

The big question is, why did Beth do this? She was in the clear and could finally rejoin her group, and then she turns around and stabs the leader, in a nonlethal fashion no less.

It is speculated that, by stabbing Dawn, Beth was doing what no one else in the hospital could do: challenge Dawn’s authority. She also did not want to end up there again; and, if everyone who leaves comes back, then clearly there was only one way to end the cycle. This is just speculation and hopefully the reason for Beth’s apparent suicide comes to light.

Many viewers are still shocked that the writers would kill Beth. But on the bright side, at least it wasn’t Daryl.

Another character who had some of the limelight in this finale was Gabriel.

Gabriel escaped the church in the last episode

and headed to the school. He still believes that everything will go back to the way it was, and that the massacre of the cannibals in his church was immoral.

Once he gets there, he sees the Bible that once belonged to his friend Mary and the rotted foot of Bob. He falls to his knees, knowing that everything that Rick’s group says is true and there is no going back to the way things were.

Rick is also viewed differently in this episode.

Earlier in the season, he murdered the cannibal group led by Gareth as they begged for mercy.

He now knows that he has to do immoral things in order to keep his group alive, such as when he confronts Officer Lamson after hitting him with a car.

As Lamson begs to go back to the others, Rick says, “You can’t go back Bob,” a line that Gareth says to Bob Stookey, a former member of Rick’s group that Gareth tortured.

Rick is becoming a darker person to keep his people alive. However, this changes when he witnesses Beth’s death.

He leaves the hospital peacefully and even offers to take anyone that is willing to go, something that Rick hasn’t done since the prison (with the exception of Gabriel).

Finally, in the finale we learn that Morgan knows that Rick is alive.

Morgan has been a step behind Rick and his gang this whole season and this episode finally showed Morgan that Rick is alive and close.

When Rick saw her at last, Morgan had gone insane after the death of his son, but this season it seems that Morgan is calmer.

Hopefully he doesn’t follow the map, or else Morgan will be headed to Washington.

Overall, this was a great cliffhanger to end the mid-season, and it will be exciting to see how it plays out when the series comes back in February.

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

Coffee Break

Page 12

COFFEE BREAK

Editor: Meaghan Kirby

... As Overheard in Barone Compiled By Allison White Contributing Writer

From @BrittaGunneson: “I won’t smell your leggings, that’s weird.”

Scan the QR code below with a smartphone to read the rest of this week’s overheard quotes!

“I cannot wait for shave yourself December.”

“Gobble gobble … I’m trying to attract the turkeys.”

“I would totally bring a girl on a date here.”

“Lucky Charms make me feel like a magician.”

“You know it’s going to be a good day when there’s tater tots.”

“My roommate fell asleep in the hallway right in front of our door … he was so close.”

“I asked my parents for a stag for Christmas.”

Overhear something funny in Barone? Tweet @FairfieldMirror with #OverheardInBarone to be featured!

Do

n’t

Ask Meg

Need horrible advice?

Submit a question to info@fairfieldmirror.com

Dear Meg, Christmas is in a couple weeks and I’m so excited. However, I’m really nervous about what I’m going to get.

As usual, I told my mother exactly what I want, a new Rolex watch to replace the outdated one she bought me last year, but I’m afraid she’s taking creative liberties by buying me a Cartier watch.

I’m so scared because the Rolex I want complements my Burberry vest in a way that I just don’t think the Cartier will. What should I do?

Signed, Ready for Rolex Dear Rolex, Life is all about making difficult decisions and I’m so glad you reached out to me to help solve it. You definitely have a problem on your hands, and I think the best way to break it down is to look at whether the Rolex is something you want or need.

While Cartier is a beautiful brand, you need this Rolex. What else are you going to wear with your Burberry vest?

Stand up to your mom and tell her exactly what you need because the whole Fairfield community needs to see the vest and the Rolex together.

Always keeping it real,

Meg

Play some...

Sudoku

How to play: Complete the puzzle by filling in numbers one through nine (with no repeats or missing numbers) in each column, row and 3x3 square.

Sports

Page 13

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

Weekly 4x5

Because we have witty things to say ...

Patrick Kiernan Sports Editor

Patrick Kiernan, Jennifer Calhoun, Matthew Schneider and Jesse Erickson

How was your Thanksgiving holiday weekend?

Thoughts on the new Eminem/ Shady album?

Best highlight of college football rivalry weekend?

Last issue of The Mirror of the semester? Thoughts?

What are you looking forward to at the end of the semester?

Very good. So much food. I gained at least 10 pounds and will gain many more because my mom sent me back with so many leftovers.

Nothing beats the cypher with Slaughterhouse. I scream and yell in awe everytime I hear it. That's not weird, right?

The serious showmanship by Devin Gardner when J.T. Barrett went down with the season-ending injury. I was never a Michigan fan, but Gardner instilled some faith in the Wolverines from me.

Honestly, I will gladly go without making the sports section every week for a solid month. So much extra free time. There, I said it.

Doing nothing with my life for a month.

Delicious and nutritious ... lol not nutritious.

Literally no opinions.

Boston College wrecking Syracuse.

I mean, I love BC ... so much.

... you don't want to hear my thoughts.

Sleeping in a queen size bed.

Jennifer Calhoun Executive Editor PIE, MAN.

But that new One Direction album that got NO PUBLICITY in this paper is really good.

One thought: My apologies for being very unfunny this year.

I drank. A lot.

If it's anywhere as good as "The Eminem Show" was, it should be amazing.

Fordham beating up on Sacred Heart to advance to the next round. Shout out to my boy Roman, lead the Rams to victory!

Like Ariana Grande said, Bang, Bang, let's go out with one.

The Midnight Breakfast and Santa Con, two of the best parts of senior year.

I worked ... But I did bring a beer to Andy Brickley.

It's shady.

Why would they name a tournament Egg Bowl?

This is the first I'm hearing of this; Such relief, such happy, as long as I finish Robby's article. Maybe Pat's too.

The end of the semester.

Matthew Schneider Assistant Sports Editor

Jesse Erickson Assistant Sports Editor

Your 2014-2015 4x5 Columnists:

Stag Spotlight: Swimming and Diving's Jay Cook '15 and Kevin Kett '15 What made you want to pursue swimming in college?

Cook: I’ve always had fun swimming. I knew if I went to college, I would have fun swimming.

Kett: Coming into school, I just wanted to be with a group of people with a common interest, and swim teams always bond in the same way, and we have the same interests.

Do you have a favorite swim moment in your life?

Senior swimmer Jay Cook.

Cook: I made it to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Finals last year in one of my events and that was pretty cool. That was a pretty big moment for me.

Kett: Back when I really didn’t want to swim but my parents were making me swim. One time my mom came onto the deck and she picked me up and went to throw me in the pool, but I pulled her right in with me.

As seniors, how has the overall experience been?

What got you first interested in swimming?

Cook: It’s been hard. We’ve had different coaches. This year is especially hard because we have a brand new coach this year.

We’ve just been working.

Cook: My parents made me do it. I stayed with it because of friends.

Kett: It’s been a lot of hard work. There’s been a lot of changes since freshmen year.

There have been coach changes, both assistant and head coach.

How have you adjusted to having a new coach?

Cook: We’re swimming very fast this year which is awesome. Practice is supposed to be hard. It’s supposed to be challenging. We’re definitely fighting that challenge this year.

Kett: I think the team is a lot more motivated as a whole. It’s definitely changed the goals of the team because in the past, we’ve had five or six freshmen quit, and their reason is “This isn’t what we signed up for” and I think that’s what we need. Practice is supposed to be hard.

Kett: My parents made me do it. I have an older sister who’s also in the sport.

What are you looking forward to at Christmastime?

Cook: Not Christmas itself, but what’s after Christmas. We go on our trip to Hawaii and it’s pretty good and exciting.

Kett: More resting, I guess. I don’t know what else I’ll do over break.

See even more answers at FairfieldMirror.com.

Inside the Sports section this week:

Senior swimmer Kevin Kett.

Photos contributed by Sports Information Desk

-Volleyball falls in three-peat attempt (Page 14) -Women's basketball stopped in second home game (Page 14) -Club Frisbee: creating a larger presence (Page 14) -Ray Rice gets reinstated into the NFL (Page 15) -Stags fall to Bucknell in overtime (Page 16)

Sports

Page 14

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

Club Frisbee: creating a larger presence

By Matthew Schneider Assistant Sports Editor

Contributed by Sports Information Desk The women of the Fairfield volleyball team lost to Marist 3-1, ending their chances at a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship three-peat.

Volleyball falls in three-peat attempt

By Patrick Kiernan Sports Editor Last week, the Fairfield women’s volleyball team began their adventure toward a third consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship.

However, it ended in defeat as the Stags fell to Marist 3-1 in the Tournament Semifinals.

Though a three-peat did not seem probable for a Fairfield team that had lost perennial All-MAAC athlete Rachel Romansky ‘14 and taken in new Head Coach Todd Kress, the rest of the team rose to the occasion to post a 17-11 regular season record.

The girls also went 11-4 in their conference games.

In the prior two years where they took home the MAAC crown, the Stags went a combined 41-22 and received seven All-MAAC selections.

In a season filled with the discovering of many new talents and new leadership by Kress, the Stags saw four players receive accolades for their performance throughout the season.

Freshman Megan Theiller was named the MAAC Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Stapleton ‘15 was named to the All-MAAC First Team and Carsen Mata ‘15 and Hadley Orr ‘16 were named to the All-MAAC Second Team.

Additionally, seven players were named to the MAAC All-Academic team.

Entering the MAAC Tournament, the fourthseeded Fairfield team headed to Lake Buena Vista, Fla. to face the fifth-seeded Rider University volleyball team at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Thursday, Nov. 20. The Stags dealt with the Broncs with ease, sweeping the match by winning the first three sets. Four Fairfield players reached double figures as the team defeated Rider for the 12th consecutive time.

The Stags kept it close in the first and last sets, winning them 25-23 and 25-22, respectively. In the second set, Fairfield caught fire with a 25-14 victory in which they recorded a .342 hitting percentage.

Theiller led all players with 14 kills, Stapleton finished with 12, Orr recorded 11 and Megan O’Sullivan ‘17 had 10 with a .471 hitting percentage.

Mata also recorded 45 assists across the three sets.

After securing the victory over Rider, Fairfield went on to face the first-seeded Marist Red Foxes in the Tournament Semifinal match the next day.

The Red Foxes came out firing on all cylinders, ultimately winning the match 3-1 (22-25, 23-25, 25-17, 20-25). Senior Camille Coffey finished with a program-record 36 digs.

Over the course of the match, Theiller had 21 digs and 12 kills, while Orr also had a double-double with 11 kills and 21 digs. Stapleton ultimately led the team with 16 kills.

This loss to Marist ended Fairfield’s chance at winning three consecutive MAAC Championships and going to the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament for the third straight year.

However, the Stags did have a chance to play one more game before their season ultimately ended.

In the game for third place the next day, Fairfield faced the third-seeded Manhattan Jaspers in a game where they quickly fell 2-0. Yet, the Stags rallied to win the last three sets and ultimately win the match, securing third place in the MAAC Tournament.

After totaling 21 attack errors in the first two sets, Fairfield hit just eight in the final three sets, starting with a .368 performance in the third set.

This was the first time Fairfield has beaten Manhattan all season long, and a fine way for the six seniors on the team to walk away with their heads held high. Also, with the win, Kress tied the program coaching record with his 113th career win at Fairfield. The Stags will look to contend for their third MAAC Championship in four years next season, their second under Kress.

Ray Rice gets reinstated into the NFL

By Matthew Schneider Assistant Sports Editor Disgraced former NFL running back Ray Rice won the appeal of his suspension last Friday, allowing him to return to the game and sign with any team that wants him.

The question is, will any NFL team sign him?

Is it worth the risk to sign an aging veteran who has lost a step and become a pariah in all football circles?

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported that four teams are interested in acquiring Rice's services, though there is a general feeling that they will not attempt to sign him until after this season.

ESPN, along with many other news sources, has speculated that the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints are two of the four teams, though Saints' bench boss Sean Payton denies any interest in signing the 29 year old.

The Colts would probably be the best fit for Rice, as their best running back, Ahmad Bradshaw, has a fractured fibula and is done for the year, and Trent Richardson, their other option, has shown himself to be a bust of all busts, with little chance for success in Indy.

Perhaps a stint with the Colts is what Rice needs to rehabilitate his image, as Indianapolis isn’t a huge-market team like the Giants or Cowboys, so there would likely be less media attention on him.

The fact that any team is interested in Rice har-

kens back to the days when former Atlanta Falcons superstar quarterback Michael Vick, now with the New York Jets, was also trying to resurrect his image and play in the NFL again.

Vick, who was in prison for participating in a dog fighting ring, signed with the Philadelphia Eagles upon his release and did everything in his power to show that he had turned over a new leaf.

He became a good teammate (indeed, he even was content with being benched for Nick Foles last year if it was in the team’s best interests), and participated in numerous charitable activities in order to show his repentance.

Now, these aren’t exactly interchangeable circumstances, as Vick was more of a superstar before his suspension than Rice will ever be. But, Rice still has a Super Bowl win on his resume, and was considered a very good player until the end of last year, when he started to slow.

Perhaps Rice needs to take a page out of Vick’s book and go somewhere where he can take the backup role, quietly working his way up the team’s depth chart rather than coming in and demanding to start.

Wherever he goes, Rice will carry the shame of his actions with him forever, so he should try to participate in some charitable work in order to show that he is sorry for his actions.

It may not make people forgive him, but it may reduce their anger toward him if he helps people in need.

Is there any NFL team out there in desperate need of a good running back that is willing to take a flyer on Rice, hoping that he can resurrect his career like Vick? Only time will tell.

Contributed under Creative Commons

Ultimate Frisbee is an up-and-coming club sport at Fairfield. It is played by throwing a Frisbee disc to teammates in order to score points with defenders in your face, not unlike football.

It takes some skill, but can be picked up in no time as long as you can throw a Frisbee.

Ultimate Frisbee is a club sport that doesn’t require a tremendous time commitment, making it ideal for somebody with a busy schedule.

Seniors Mike Reilly and Nate Hoey are two of the four captains on the team.

“We usually practice twice a week; if we don’t have a game, we will practice on the weekend also,” Reilly said.

Games are played on weekends, so they do not conflict with classes.

Despite these positives, the team is lacking in large numbers, as it is not as wellknown as the other clubs sports on campus, such as rugby, baseball and lacrosse.

This is exacerbated by the fact that many of the team’s games aren’t easily accessible to underclassmen that would potentially join the team.

“It would be nice to become better known,” Hoey said. “I don’t know if it would be easy to advertise since most of our games are away, and most of our games that are on campus are set up last minute.”

The team is hoping to improve themselves over the winter break, so that they can be ready for the spring season, when the majority of their games occur.

“We’re trying to do an official workout over the winter, get stronger, get more stamina,” Reilly said.

Unfortunately, since it is a relatively new club team without much exposure, the team isn’t given the conveniences that many others get, such as transportation to and from games.

“Usually captains or other seniors will drive; sometimes we get the University vans and we will use them,” Hoey said.

Hoey and Reilly are hoping that the team will be able to join a league during the spring, so that they will get a satisfactory amount of games in.

“Hopefully, in March we will be able to join a league and join some sort of playoff format,” Hoey said.

“We’re hoping to do two playoffs this year in April,” Reilly added.

Considering the captains will be graduating May 2015, the team is looking for young talent to join and possibly take a leadership role once the four graduate.

“We’re trying to find people to step up since all four seniors are captains, and we have some specific people in mind,” Hoey said.

The cost to join the team will be around $100, according to Reilly, which isn’t too steep compared to dues for some other club sports.

As of now, the team has only 21 members, so there are openings for new players to join.

Sports

Page 15

THE MIRROR | Week of December 3, 2014

Women's basketball stopped in second home game

By Jesse Erickson Assistant Sports Editor Although the Fairfield women’s basketball team played neck and neck with Cornell last Monday, the game came to a disappointing ending as the Big Red defeated the Stags 58-47.

Heading into the game, expectations were high. The Stags were looking to get their 250th win in Alumni Hall, but unfortunately, Cornell was able to play the game the Stags usually play the best, just a little better.

After a quick four points by Casey Smith ‘16 and Helena Orts ‘18, Cornell was able to hold the Stags and score the next four points, putting them ahead 11-4 in the first 10 minutes of the first half.

“Cornell’s intensity level in the first 10 minutes got us back on our heels and they set the tone,” said Head Coach Joe Frager. “We scrambled after that to get back in the game and we were never able to get back in the flow after that. We were never able to get back into the rhythm.”

Junior Kristin Schatzlein played a huge role in the first half, making a majority of points for the team. She was able to make a huge

play for the team, posting a threepointer with three minutes remaining in the first half that nearly split Cornell’s lead over Fairfield in half. However, despite Schatzlein’s efforts, along with the rest of her team, the Stags headed back to the locker room behind Cornell 33-24.

In the second half of the game, Cornell dominated and Fairfield was forced to come back from their biggest point deficit in the game.

Now behind by 14 points, Kristine Miller ‘17 stepped up and was able to change the tone of the game for the Stags. Within two minutes, Miller posted two points, one assist resulting from a steal at midcourt and two rebounds.

“Kristine really battled tonight and played a really strong game for us tonight,” said Frager.

The sophomore was determined to get her team ahead after a slow first half.

“I wanted to be a spark off the bench. I wanted to get our team some energy to fight back as hard as we could and I just wanted to make the biggest impact that I could,” said Miller.

Unfortunately, the Stags struggled to get past Cornell. In the second half, Fairfield was only able to make four points off of turnovers,

Contributed by Sports Information Desk Junior Kristin Schatzlein (above) led all socrers in the game against Cornell with 15 points in her 31 minutes played.

while Cornell made 10. Despite constant subbing and multiple timeouts in the remaining 10 minutes of the game, Fairfield failed to execute the plays to get the victory against Cornell.

The Stags fell to Cornell 5847, and although it was an out-ofconference game, the team was extremely disappointed with the loss.

Frager added that Cornell plays a very similar game to theirs and when it came to the end, Cornell

was playing the better game.

“It’s just us. It’s not what they did right, it’s all on us,” said Miller.

“We all have to grow on an individual level and work harder to improve our own personal game and reduce our own mistakes.”

Now 1-5 in out-of-conference play, the Stags are hoping that these extremely difficult games have helped prepare them for upcoming Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play. This season, the Stags

have been chosen to finish fourth in the MAAC, according to the pre-season poll. However, the team is looking to finish in the top three and they are hoping that losses like teams to Cornell will work to their advantage in the future.

“As long as we buy into Coach Frager’s philosophy, we will be a successful team,” said Miller. “As long as we fight and do what we are supposed to do, we’ll be ready going into MAAC play.”

What's happening in sports over winter break: Wednesday, Dec. 3

Sunday, Dec.28

Women's Basketball at Siena, 7 p.m.

Women's Basketball at La Salle, 2 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 5

Men's Basketball at Loyola (Md.), 5 p.m.

Men's Basketball vs. Manhattan, 7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 2

Sunday, Dec. 7

Men's Basketball vs. Siena, 7 p.m.

Men's Basketball at Quinnipiac, 1 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 4

Women's Basketball vs. Quinnipiac, 2 p.m.

Women's Basketball vs. Niagara, 2 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 18

Monday, Jan. 5

Women's Basketball at Seton Hall, 7 p.m.

Men's Basketball vs. Rider, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 20

Tuesday, Jan. 6

Men's Basketball vs. Belmont, 1:30 p.m.

Women's Basketball at Marist, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 21

Friday, Jan. 9

Women's Basketball at Iowa State, 1 p.m.

Women's Basketball at Rider, 2 p.m.

Monday, Dec. 22

Sunday, Jan. 11

Men's Basketball at Albany, 7 p.m.

Men's Basketball at Siena, 2 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 13 Men's Basketball at Iona, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 15 Women's Basketball at Quinnipiac, 5 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 16 Men's Basketball vs. Marist, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 18 Men's Swimming and Diving vs. St. Francis Brooklyn, 1 p.m.

Women's Swimming and Diving vs. St. Francis Brooklyn, 1 p.m.

Men's Basketball at Monmouth, 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 20 Women's Basketball at Saint Peter's, 7 p.m.

Contributed under Creative Commons

@MirrorSports Fairfield Mirror Sports Week of December 3, 2014

fairfieldmirror.com

SPORTS 16 Sports Editor: Patrick Kiernan » sports@fairfieldmirror.com

Patrick Kiernan/The Mirror Senior Malcolm Gilbert (center) goes in for the slam dunk attempt during Monday's contest against the Bucknell Bisons. He had a team-high five blocks to go along with a bucket and four rebounds.

Stags fall to Bucknell in overtime

By Alfredo Torres Contributing Writer

Silence traveled throughout Webster Bank Arena as the Bisons of Bucknell University took the Fairfield Stags to overtime and left with a victory.

Bucknell defeated Fairfield 72-66, led by guard Chris Haas who had 18 points, six of which came in overtime.

In this game, Bucknell had three separate scorers who scored in double digits. Sophomore K.J. Rose broke out with 26 points, and was perfect from beyond the arc.

“We definitely need a couple of guys to step up, and K.J. was aggressive,” said Head Coach Sydney Johnson. “We need more of a balanced attack. We’re really just trying to get the right core guys.”

The Bisons came out hot, shooting the ball well. They were fighting to the basket through heavy defense, getting to the free throw line easily. Bucknell led Fairfield by seven, with a score of 13-6 in the opening minutes.

Bucknell held the lead until Rose started knocking down shots, as he scored seven straight to bring the game to a one-point margin. After patient offense and great defense by the Stags, they gained the lead and finished the

half leading 24-18. The Stags were able to knock down open shots.

By the end of the half, the Bisons had committed eight fouls. The Stags did a great job of contesting shots as the Bisons were struggling from the field.

The Stags were aggressive on the defensive end having eight blocks, five from Malcolm Gilbert ‘15 in the first half.

Rose ended the half leading all scorers with 13.

The Stags came out the second half with the same mentality as in the first.

Defense was the main focus, as they made it their duty to be near the ball wherever it went. Malcolm Gilbert and Coleman Johnson ‘16 led the defense for the Stags as they manned the paint, preventing the opposing team to get close to the rim.

The offense continued to move the ball, as everybody was contributing by knocking down shots. Johnson, along with Rose and Malcolm Gilbert, were big for the offense as they each added points for the Stags. Slowly, the Bisons were making their way back into the game, driving their way to the freethrow line.

The Stags began to slow down and had a change in tempo, leaving them

struggling and vulnerable to be taken advantage of by Bucknell.

With less than two minutes left in the game, Haas knocked down a tough contested three-pointer to tie the game at 47. With 1:21 remaining in the game, both teams turned up the intensity on defense. No team was able to score and the game needed extra time.

“Everything went down defensively, we gave open shots,” said Rose. “It went to our offense and we started struggling and getting frustrated on defense, but those are small things we can fix.”

Overtime belonged to Bucknell as they continued to knock down jumpers. They took the lead and never looked back after consecutive clutch shots. The Stags were forced to foul, but Bucknell was able to knock down all of their free throws.

After many attempts in the closing minutes to succeed on a foul and shoot strategy, the Stags had been defeated.

Bucknell fought back to win in overtime and gave the Stags their fifth loss.

“There’s a lot of basketball to be played and I think we learned from this one,” said Johnson. “No one’s going to bail us out. We’ve got to bail ourselves out.”

Patrick Kiernan/The Mirror Top: Junior Marcus Gilbert had 17 points, including this leaping jump shot.

Bottom Left: Sophomore K.J. Rose led all scorers with a career-high 26 points.

Bottom Right: Junior captain Amadou Sidibe was held scoreless against Bucknell.