Embracing accolades
State of the University address focuses on strategic plan implementation
By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor
President Nancy Niemi delivered her second annual State of the University address on Monday, Sept. 30.
Niemi’s address focused on the AY 2024-25 Strategic Plan as well as enrollment and retention.
Niemi also introduced new members of the Board of Trustees and Robert Totino, executive vice president of finance, technology, and administration.
T. Stores, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, gave a presentation about a new committee focused on changes in AI.
Niemi began her speech by an-
By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Arts & Features Editor
On Sept. 30, Arts & Ideas hosted “Contemporary Monuments to the Slave Past” in the McCarthy Center’s Alumni Room.
The speaker was Renée Ater, a visiting associate professor from Brown University. She coordinates the “Contemporary Monuments to the Slave Past” database, which is a digital humanities project. She said it’s a “digital repository and archive.”
At the beginning of the lecture, she said that she recently “lost about a third of the data in the database.” She added she had uninstalled something
nouncing that on Friday, Sept. 27 the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) officially re-accredited Framingham State.
NECHE is a “non-governmental membership organization. It relies on its members’ self-regulation, voluntary compliance with the Standards for Accreditation and a system of ongoing evaluation by peers. The Commission’s goal is to promote institutional improvement and public assurance of quality,” according to the NECHE website.
Niemi said NECHE “started every couple of years asking institutions to just check in, in our case particularly about enrollment and about strategic planning, since at the time the visiting committee came, that plan wasn’t
improperly.
“It was amazing how one plugin could actually impact a project on that level,” she said.
Ater said she started the research for this project in 2010, and the database was put together in 2018. But the COVID-19 pandemic put the project on hold, she added.
She said, “The project really was stopped, and we’ve restarted it with the team at Brown, and with hiring.”
She used to be an assistant curator at Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., before it went defunct and closed, she said. She used to “walk by culture every day,” she added.
After finishing her dissertation she
ready yet.”
Niemi then outlined the University’s “First-year Strategic Priorities 2024-2025.”
According to Niemi, the priorities include adapting programs to meet the needs of students and the MetroWest community and workforce, creating a framework to coordinate and assess diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on campus, improving enrollment through services and peda gogical practices, and diversifying and investing in strategic priorities.
She said, “We have been through two out of three Board of Higher Education touchpoints. We presented our plan to the Board of Trustees last Wednesday. They approved it as well.”
See SOTU Page 4
left the job and decided to focus more on scholarly work, Ater said.
The dissertation was on Meta Mark Fuller, she added. She couldn’t figure out one of Fuller’s sculptures, “Ethiopia,” she said. It was unclear why Fuller made the sculpture, she said.
During her research she found an old source that discussed what public monuments do, she added. “This book was written in 1916 but it is clear that [the author] really had the long view about public space and public monuments,” she said.
The author contemplates how Black people had been represented since emancipation, especially in sculptures,
Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST
The women’s soccer team celebrates a 2-1 win after their game against Salem State Sept. 30.
E ditorial Board
Editor-in-Chief
Sophia Harris
Associate Editors
Maddison Behringer
Ryan O’Connell
Copy Editor
Emma Lyons
News Editor
Dylan Pichnarcik
Asst. News Editors
Kaitlin Carman
Adam Harrison
Opinions Editor
Izayah Morgan
Sports Editor
Sophia Oppedisano
Asst. Sports Editors
Riley Crowell
Izabela Gage
Arts & Features Editors
Raena Hunter Doty
Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez
Asst. Arts & Features Editors
Owen Glancy
Bella Omar
Photos & Design Editors
Adrien Gobin
Alexis Schlesinger
Asst. Photos & Design Editor
Meghan Spargo
Illustrations Editor
Ben Hurney
Asst. Illustrations Editors
David Abe
Emily Monaco
Staff Writers
Jesse Burchill
Sarah Daponde
Liv Dunleavy
Kristel Erguiza
Bella Grimaldi
Paul Harrington
Taylor Kimmell
Dan Lima
Antonio Machado
Travis Plummer
Kyra Tolley
Michael Trueswell
Staff Illustrators
Ronnie Chiu-Lin
Charlotte Fabrizi
Marcus Falcão
Advisor
Desmond McCarthy
Asst. Advisor
Elizabeth Banks
Gatepost Interview Greg Dawson
Access Services Librarian of the Henry Whittemore Library
By Kaitlin Carman Asst. News Editor
What is your educational and professional background?
I grew up in the Dallas-area suburbs. For my undergraduate [degree], I went to a small liberal arts college in North Texas called Austin College - that’s not in Austin. And then I got my graduate degree in library science at the University of North Texas. I’m currently pursuing a film and media studies master’s at Arizona State University online. It is something that I just had a personal interest in, and I thought it would be fun to pursue it academically. I just started that this past year. Arizona State has pretty robust online graduate programs. So far, so good. I have been in libraries for about 17 years. Most of that has been in higher education - at public and private universities and colleges before Framingham State. I lived in Austin for about four years, and I worked at Austin Community College as a librarian.
What made you want to venture into the field of library science?
During my undergrad, I had an interest in history and I volunteered for an internship at a history museum in town. I gave tours and also created metadata and records for historical photos and those kinds of things. I really liked information and helping people learn about other things and finding information. I also really like books. So libraries kind of seemed like the common marriage there - where I would get to work with books, information, and also be able to help people in their research.
What are some challenges that you face in this field?
sure that people are aware, and in this case here, that students are aware of all the resources and services that we provide.
What are some hobbies you enjoy in your free time?
I like hiking and I like the outdoors, so being a new transplant to New England, there is a lot to explore. I have been taking advantage of that. There’s tons of state parks and things that we didn’t have in Texas, like apple-picking season and apple cider donuts - that I’ve actually recently taken advantage of this past weekend. The four seasons are definitely new, and being in close proximity to beaches. For us living in Texas, we could go to the Gulf Coast, but it was always a trip to go to the beach. But being here this summer, it was like, ‘Oh, we can just go for the day.’ We would have to plan a vacation around this activity, but it was nice being able to access the beach.
portunities when I was a student.” That’s the advice I’d give - just to encourage them. Even if it is kind of outside their comfort zone, go participate in things, and you will end up meeting interesting people and maybe learning a little bit about yourself - something you did not know - and getting involved in groups, activities, and causes that you maybe wouldn’t necessarily if you did not take that step.
What are some goals you would like to achieve at FSU?
So, I mentioned that I like books, and that is why I got into libraries, but things have definitely, even 20 years ago when I started, moved to a lot of electronic resources. And so some of the challenges, I think, are educating users, patrons, students, about all of the resources available to them. A lot of students think, “You’ve got the library and you’ve got books and you’ve got space to use,” but they do not necessarily think about the many electronic databases that we provide them access to where they can find online articles, electronic books, and a couple of our databases are streaming videos. So I think the challenge, and I think that’s always kind of been a challenge for libraries, is promoting ourselves and making
Phone:
Fax: (508) 626-4097
gatepost@framingham.edu
What advice would you give to students?
Be active, engaged, and involved in your college experience. When I was in college, I was not. And now that I have worked in higher education for many years, I see all these students with interesting interests. There’s tons of campus groups, internships, and activities on campus to participate in. Learn, grow, and figure out where your space is. Because even now, I am like, “Man, I wish I would have taken advantage of those op-
Police Logs
Sunday, Sept. 29 21:30 Alarm/Trouble Signal, O’Connor Hall Report Taken
Monday, Sept. 30 08:20 Trespass Tow, Maynard Rd Parking Lot Vehicle Removed/Tow
Tuesday, Oct. 1 21:24 Disturbance, McCarthy Center Officer Advised
Again, kind of going back to working to promote the library and try to get our services and resources out there so that more people know about them and can utilize them. My title is the access services librarian, so I oversee the circulation desk and also the course reserves and Interlibrary Loan. So, just kind of improving student access to those resources and all library resources. My main thing is that I really work to try to eliminate as many barriers as possible, whether that is clicks on the website or just questions you need to ask. Hopefully, we just make it as easy as possible for students and faculty to access the resources that they need - as easy as possible.
CONNECT WITH KAITLIN CARMAN kcarman@student.framingham.edu
Wednesday, Oct. 2 00:42
Suspicious Motor Vehicle, Athletic Parking Lot 1 Call/Assignment Complete
Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST
Framingham State recognized as a top-performing university
By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief
Framingham State University has risen in the ranks as a top Regional University in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its “Best Colleges” category.
FSU advanced six spots to 74th in the ranking of all public and private regional universities in New England, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Framingham State also qualified as a Top Regional Public University in the North Region, coming in at number 28. This has not changed from the previous year.
In addition, Framingham State was recognized as a “Best College for Veterans” (33rd in the North Region) and a “Top Performer for Social Mobility” (76th in the North Region).
U.S. News & World Report uses 17 weighted categories of ranking to determine an institution’s score. These factors include graduation and retention rates, Pell graduation rates, faculty salaries, student-faculty ratio, and college graduates who are earning more than high school graduates.
In order to participate in the U.S. News & World Report ranking, universities must submit data from a range of sources.
Ann Caso, associate director of institutional effectiveness, and Iris Godes, vice president of enrollment management, oversaw data collection for the survey and collaborated with departments across campus in order to collect the information needed for the survey.
Every year, presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions rate the academic quality of peer institutions on a 5-point scale. The categories are outstanding (5), strong (4), good (3), adequate (2), or marginal (1). U.S. News and World Report takes a two-year weighted average of these ratings. Those who don’t know enough about a school to evaluate it fairly are asked to mark “don’t know,” according to U.S News and World Report’s website.
U.S. News and World Report collected the most recent data by administering peer assessment surveys to schools in the spring and summer of 2024.
Every spring, FSU must complete a comprehensive survey that contains over 250 questions.
Publicly available data from the Department of Education through the
College Scorecard and IPEDS is also used for the ranking.
According to a press release from Framingham State, U.S. News & World Report is the largest college search site in the U.S. and is widely considered the most trusted college-ranking publication in the country.
President Nancy Niemi said Framingham State has continued to improve across the board, although the U.S. News & World Report ranking is not an accurate depiction of how Framingham State performs compared to other schools.
U.S. News & World Report is used by
sults in U.S. News & World Report can be included among many data points that demonstrate what a tremendous value Framingham State offers to students and families.”
During her time as president, Niemi has been repeatedly impressed by “the passion, expertise, and commitment to student success of our faculty and staff,” she said.
Niemi added that everyone at Framingham State - from the staff to the administration - “cares deeply” about the University and its students.
She said that dedication is reflected “not only in these rankings, but every-
many families across the United States to help determine their college choice, said Niemi, but the ranking itself has a lack of “methodology.”
Niemi said despite the flaws of the ranking system, “We are going to share these results with our wider community. I also think it’s appropriate to take a moment to celebrate these rankings while recognizing there is much more work to be done.”
She added, “I think our positive re-
Sunday night Oct. 6
A chance of showers after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southeast wind around 5mph.
Monday Oct. 7
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. South winds 5 to 10mph.
Monday night Oct. 7
Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. Northwest wind around 5mph.
Tuesday Oct. 8
Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
where around us - in the beauty of our campus thanks to our facilities staff, in the individual mentorship our faculty provide to their students, and in the efforts that have gone into turning around enrollment.”
Niemi said she is proud of FSU and added the university “continues to be, I believe, one of the best values in higher education, dedicated to serving the public and our regional economy.”
Provost and Vice President of Ac-
ademic Affairs Kristen Porter-Utley echoed Niemi’s concerns about the ranking’s methodology and addressed the commitment faculty and staff have to the students of the University.
Porter-Utley said it was rewarding to see Framingham State receive recognition for the “tremendous value and outstanding education we offer to students and families.”
She added this is especially important during a time when many universities across the country are strug gling. “It feels like FSU has so much energy and momentum right now.”
She reiterated Niemi’s sentiment that the University is “lucky to have a dedicated group of faculty and staff who care deeply about student success.”
She added, “While I wouldn’t put too much stock in any single ranking, I do think it speaks to the quality of our academic programs, support services, and our overall sense of community.”
Sophomore Cali Leger said she believes Framingham State is deserving of the ranking. “I think it’s a very good teaching school. I came here for that reason. I think all the professors here in my opinion, in my major, are very good - pretty helpful.”
She added, “It makes sense at least for my major and from what I’ve seen.”
Sophomore Lexie Carlucci said she is not surprised because Framingham State is a “great” school.
“All of the professors here are great and they genuinely care about your success and your classes,” she said.
Senior Austian Shia said his experience at FSU has been “pretty good,” and he has enjoyed his undergraduate experience.
Sophomore Gertrude Opoku said although Framingham State has a lot of critics, she chose the University “because it’s not too small for a campus, but it’s not too big, either, which allows for more intimate classroom” discussions.
She added she believes Framingham State is a great school.
Sophomore Vory Boatema said FSU is always improving and the University definitely earned its improvement in the ranking.
CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu
Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov
Tuesday night Oct. 8
Mostly clear, with a low around 45. West wind around 5mph.
Wednesday Oct. 9 Sunny, with a high near 60. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday night Oct. 9
Mostly clear, with a low around 40. West wind around 5 mph.
Thursday Oct. 10
Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Northwest wind 5 to 10mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph
Ben Hurney / THE GATEPOST
State of the University
Continued from Page 1
Niemi said she will appear before the Board of Higher Education on Oct. 27 to present the final strategic plan.
She said it is necessary for the University to invest in these initiatives in order to see positive outcomes.
“You have to spend money to make money sometimes, and you have to spend energy. You have to spend time. You have to spend in order to return on an investment,” Niemi said.
She added, “Public universities too often exist in financial straits. ‘Oh we’re poor, we can’t afford that…’ We’re not in that frame - our finances are good.”
Niemi announced that first-year undergraduate enrollment is up 11% for FY 2024-25 - the University’s goal for enrollment was a 7% increase.
First-year graduate enrollment is up 6%, according to Niemi.
Niemi said the most recent first to second-year retention rate is 71%.
She said, “When you think about that in terms of people, that means we’re still not helping 25% of the students who aren’t retained or who don’t graduate.”
Niemi then discussed another initiative in the strategic plan regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on campus.
Niemi said Framingham State is now a “majority-minority institution.”
She added there are about 15 more students in each category under the BIPOC umbrella than in last year’s incoming class.
According to Niemi, 24.1% of the faculty identify as BIPOC.
She said, “The reason why that’s important, I know many of you already know, is because if you see yourself, somebody who looks like you, somebody who’s had your experience in your classroom, in and around the campus, in an office, in a mentorship, that you know that you, too, can succeed, that people like you can do something that perhaps you want to do.”Niemi then
introduced the six new members of the Board of Trustees: Cherie Comeau, Dennis Giombetti, Bonnie Mitchell, Susan Puryear, and Antonia Soares Thompson.
Niemi also introduced Jeremy McDonald, a senior political science major, as the new student trustee.
Niemi said the new trustees “want to see us succeed. Their commitment to public education being excellent for all students and all of us is palpable.”
Niemi introduced Totino as the new executive vice president of finance, technology, and administration.
Totino said he is excited for the beginning of a new academic year and “a transformational moment in the history of this great university as many campus-wide endeavors have come to fruition.”
Totino added, “The primary goal of our division [finance, technology, and administration] is to provide exceptional service to our customers.”
Totino then discussed FSU’s finances. “Financially, as President Niemi alluded to, FSU is strong and that’s a testament to everyone at FSU.”
Totino added higher education has experienced certain challenges over the past few years, which include “lower enrollment due to a shift in demographics around the country, and of course, COVID[-19.]”
“Families are also questioning the return on investment when it comes to enrolling in college,” he said.
Totino said that in addition to focusing on enrollment, the University’s strategic plan will also “be striving to diversify revenue streams when possible,” in an effort to improve FSU’s resources.
Totino said, “Prudent allocation of those resources will be crucial to meet multiple years of spending such as operational and capital needs and also strategic plan endeavors.”
Totino said he has begun meeting with “constituents on campus to listen and understand what might be viewed as what’s working at FSU and what
might need some attention.”
“If we don’t know what needs to be fixed, I can’t help unless everyone can be honest and forthright,” he added.
Dean Stores introduced themself as the leader of the “FSU team” that will be attending a conference about AI at the American Association of Colleges and Universities.
Stores said the team is “looking ahead to the big cultural changes, worldwide changes, of AI permeating the workforce.”
Stores said the team has goals, including working to create resources for faculty. The team is “hoping to develop some plans for how to help our students work alongside AI.”
Stores said they need to “start by collecting information from you [faculty and staff] about what you’re doing, what you need to know, and what you think our priorities should be.”
Stores provided a QR code to participants that linked them to a survey to answer questions about what the team should do moving forward.
Stores said that the team is “asking each department to identify one faculty member to be the liaison to our committee so that we can share out and get information back from you.”
Niemi opened the floor to questions from the attendees.
Aline Davis, professor of biology, said, “There’s a lot of concern going on with what’s going to happen to our populations given the addition of free community college to the state of Massachusetts. … I was wondering if you could address that for a few minutes.”
Niemi said, “We have seen no impact at the moment,” but most community colleges in Massachusetts have seen an increase in enrollment.
Niemi added Vice President of Enrollment Management Iris Godes and her division have created a transfer
student task force.
The purpose of the task force is “looking very specifically at how we get a whole lot better at making trans fers possible,” Niemi said.
Joseph Adleman, professor of history, asked Totino, “Why has the [finance, technology, and administration] division chosen to adopt the language of students as customers? Which is a significant departure from long-standing practice and from the description of student development in our mission statement.”
Totino said he was “not familiar with the language in the mission statement.”
He added, “I treat students as our patrons, as our customers. If we’re serving them well, I hope that they see they are at the forefront. A mantra I’ve always had is that students are first. We’re here for them. Their success is a shining example of all of our success.”
Totino apologized for the “departure from how we’ve currently described them in some literature.” He added, “But they [students] are number one in my mind.”
Halcyon Mancuso, director of the Mancuso Humanities Workforce Preparation Center, asked Niemi, “Can you speak about what is planned to develop a University-wide internship structure? When will partial credit for professional experiences be rolled out?”
The University is planning to require that every student complete an internship or workforce experience as a part of earning their degree with no extra time to completion, according to Niemi.
Niemi said she hopes to achieve this within five years.
Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST
President Nancy Niemi at the State of the University Address on Sept. 30.
Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST
Robert Totino at the State of the University Address on Sept. 30.
Voices Against Violence hosts annual Purple Passion 5K
By Kaitlin Carman Asst. News Editor
Voices Against Violence hosted its thirteenth annual Purple Passion 5K in Framingham on Saturday, Sept. 28.
Voices Against Violence, which is a division of Southwest Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), provides free and confidential services in English, Spanish, and Portuguese to victims and survivors of sexual and domestic violence in the MetroWest area regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation.
SMOC President and CEO Susan Gentili said, “The prevalence is so widespread, and the tragedies of year over year have increased, especially in Massachusetts, and so we’re really wanting to raise awareness so that we can support how to get the word out that help is available.”
Gentili asked for a moment of silence to honor the 90 victims of domestic violence who were killed in Massachusetts this past year.
Sexual and domestic violence are “really scary things to go through, and we want them to reach out when they can and when it’s safe to do so - so that we can offer them some options,” said Gentili.
Framingham State has had a long-standing partnership with Voices Against Violence and has had a memorandum agreement with the organization since 2016, according to Kim Dexter, assistant vice president of Human Resources.
The Purple Passion 5K is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year. The proceeds will help continue to support victims of sexual assault and domestic violence through funding services within the communi-
Larned
By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor
ty.
According to their website, these services include “a 24-hour hotline, crisis intervention, confidential shortterm emergency shelter, counseling and support groups, information and referrals, and medical, legal, and criminal justice advocacy.
“In addition … outreach and education to community groups and professionals, as well as primary prevention activities to address the root causes of violence and prevent the development of perpetration,” the website stated.
to our students, and also to allow us to provide them information about the University, our programs, or policies for them to be involved.”
Dexter said, “In terms of the college population, we tend to really focus a lot of our prevention awareness efforts around things like sexual assault and rape, but we know from research and surveys that domestic and dating violence is happening in our community - red-flag relationship behaviors are happening.
“So even if they’re not rising to
Kaitlin Carman / THE GATEPOST
FSUPD and administration members with participants in the Purple Passion 5K Sept. 28.
Dexter, who has previously volunteered on the Purple Passion Planning Committee, said the University’s partnership with Voices Against Violence serves as a way to “ensure more effective services for our community, to bring the Voices Against Violence team to our campus, to make them available
what we would kind of call the official definition of intimate partner violence, we’re recognizing that some of the kinds of warning signs there are, and so it’s critical that we have folks who can help,” added Dexter.
FSU Communications Dispatcher and alumna Kianna Bauer said, “I was
Hall loses power Monday
night
On Monday, Sept. 30, Larned Hall experienced a power outage due to the generator powering the building being too large, according to Robert Totino, vice president of finance, technology and administration.
Larned has been running on generated power since Saturday, Sept. 21 after a switchgear failed, causing a power outage on upper campus.
[Editor’s Note: For more information, see “Equipment failure results in Saturday “power outage” in the Sept. 27 issue of The Gatepost.]
The Sept. 30 outage was caused by the generator in Larned shutting off.
Dan Giard, director of facilities, said, “They said the generator was too big, and to make everything emission friendly, if it’s too big, it’s not idling high enough, so it carbons up and then shuts off.”
According to Giard, Larned lost power at 10:30 p.m. and power was restored at 1:00 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1. There was no FSU Alert or official statement from any University official during the power outage.
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, a planned power shutdown occurred in order to replace
the generator in Larned with a smaller unit, according to Giard.
The Office of Facilities and Capital Planning contracted with ABB - ESSCO to repair the switchgear in Larned Hall on Sept. 27. ABB was unable to fix the switchgear, Giard said.
The switchgear was partially rebuilt and tested to determine if the repair worked. “The test equipment arched so they knew what they were doing was not working,” Giard said.
According to Totino, the timeline for the final repair to the Larned switchgear has not been determined. He said many parties, including “ABB, internal Framingham State employees, and other groups, [are] looking for that potential new switch[gear].
“As soon as we know, we will work aggressively with Eversource, which will have to be brought back in, and other groups will have to be brought back in to move the correction forward.”
Notification from the University first came from Christopher Addario, residence director of Larned Hall, on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 10:39 a.m., according to Meg Nowak Boreggo, vice president of student affairs and dean of students.
“Last night, the power went out due to an issue with the generator that has been powering Larned Hall,” Addario said in an email.
working with Voices Against Violence, with the SHAPE organization that we have on campus. … They mentioned this 5K, so naturally, the whole department wanted to do it and get involved.
“We’re excited to support everybody. And one thing about this race is some people who have experienced domestic violence may be driving by when they watch everybody run, and they can see all the support that they have,” added Bauer.
Mayor Charlie Sisitsky said domestic violence “is a big problem in the country, and we need to recognize that, and we need to do all we can to raise funds and help people to stop domestic violence - support people who support … victims of domestic violence.
“They shouldn’t suffer in silence. They should reach out for help,” added Sisitsky.
Carmen Rivera, a 5K participant and advocate for domestic violence survivors, said her advice for victims is “to love themselves. To choose themselves. To feel secure within themselves and to not be afraid, to reach out for help, because they’re not alone.
“It’s not an impossible situation to get out of. It is possible. They’re not alone in this process. Reach out for help, don’t be afraid, and don’t think that their voice doesn’t matter. Their voice matters always, even when everything is happening,” added Rivera. If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual and or domestic violence reach out to the Voices Against Violence hotline at 1-800-593-1125.
CONNECT WITH KAITLIN CARMAN kcarman@student.framingham.edu
“It has been decided that the generator will be swapped out today for a new one. This swap will take around 30 minutes and will occur between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. today,” the email stated.
According to Giard, the power was shut down for approximately ten minutes on Tuesday when the generator was replaced.
Finley Hogan, a freshman Larned resident, said she was surprised that Larned was still running on a generator.
“They already said they were going to [complete repairs] and it didn’t work. They said we were going to be back on normal supply but that obviously didn’t happen,” she said.
At the time of the outage, Hogan was in her room and “immediately started sweating because my room is so hot and my fans turned off, so I went and sat on my friend’s floor because they have a cooler room on the opposite side of the dorm.”
Rowan Whittaker, a freshman Larned resident, said she was “taken off guard” by the power outage.
She said she was sitting in her room at the time of the outage. “Everything went black and people started screaming and running around in the hallways.”
Whittaker said she did “not feel good” knowing Larned was still run-
ning on generated power. “I would say if they could finally [finish the repairs], that would be great.”
She added, “Maybe a notification up front so we can plan our schedules around that because you need power to do a lot of things.”
Alyssa MacDougall, a junior Larned resident, was doing homework at the time of the outage. She said a lot of people were upset by the outage.
She added, “People were doing homework in the hallways in front of the emergency lights.”
MacDougall said she is concerned because “the WiFi in the building also shuts down when the power does. So even if you had your devices charged, you don’t have any WiFi and it’s kind of annoying.
“Especially if it’s later in the night for you to leave your dorm and go to a different building like McCarthy.”
Ava Murray, a freshman resident of Larned, said, “I had a friend come up from Florida because she had to evacuate her school. But then the power went out so she had to sleep on the floor due to us not being able to blow up her air mattress.”
[Editor’s Note: Staff Writer Taylor Kimmell contributed to this article.]
CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu
Remembering JJ Facey
Photos provided to The Gatepost by Jason and Melissa Facey
SGA elects new senators and reviews fund proposals
By Adam Harrison Asst. News Editor
SGA approved two club funding requests and appointed six new senators during their meeting on Oct. 1.
Vice President Cesar Matos outlined the time commitments of two office hours per week for senators.
He said one hour must be completed by participating in a governance committee, and one hour by doing a task in the office or participating in an outreach event led by Liv West, outreach and events coordinator.
All senators are required to take part in at least one governance committee and one subcommittee, he said.
President Evelyn Campbell said, “You don’t need to be a senator to serve on subcommittees.” She encouraged all interested students to attend University subcommittee meetings.
Junior Alyssa MacDougall said they want to be a senator to help with relations on campus. “I see no greater pleasure than being a symbol for my community.”
Sophomore Khao Bui said he wants to be a senator because “I really love the school, and I want to be able to do more and to be a connection - to raise opinions about problems the students have, and also to be able to have more of a say in change, and hopefully, make the school a better place.”
Sophomore Alix Ayoub said, “If you’re going to complain about things, then you have to be part of the change, too. And I complain a lot.” She said her friends also encouraged her to join SGA.
Freshman Anna Julia Ribeiro said, “English is a second language for me. I’m originally from another country, so the American school opportunity for me was something that I really loved.
“I really believe that I can bring a voice to students - second-language students - and really bring diversity and a voice to everyone to be equally respected and included.”
Senior Tony Sims said, “I was on SGA last year, but forgot to reapply. So, I’d like to join SGA again, because I forgot to reapply. That’s my case.”
Sophomore AJ Vazquez said, “I was a part of a few meetings last semester toward the end, so I got a little bit of a sneak peek before … and I wanted to join then, but time had run out to join, unfortunately.”
She said she was happy to be back, and is “really excited to see what this year and the semester brings. I just feel really passionate about people - as I’m a psych major - so I find myself to be a huge people person, and acts of service and community are very important to me.”
All newly elected senators recited the oath after Campbell, and were officially sworn in.
Treasurer Aimee Takouda said the Menorah Club presented a funding request for $999 for the construction of a sukkah, a temporary hut built for the Jewish festival of Sukkot, a harvest holiday.
Sims asked how long the structure would remain up.
President of Menorah Club Yehoshua Winter, a junior, said, “About a week and a half.”
Elkhoury said, “This is a decent chunk of money, and I think it’s a really cool event that students would be interested in. I just want to make sure that there’s going to be a promotion of the event.
“One thing I’m wondering about is the visibility of this, because it’s a physical structure, right? So it’s something students would be able to see and interact with. So I’m wondering, did you have the location where this was going to be?”
Winter said there are several options at this point, but it will be outside, on campus, and visible to students.
Takouda said Menorah Club will meet with Facilities and decide on a location after receiving funding.
She said it can be constructed easily, and students are welcome to help build it.
There are plans for Menorah Club to collaborate with other clubs, such as Gaming Club and Chess Club, she said.
Winter said, “It is open for almost exactly the same use for anyone else who just wants to sit, and do anything.”
MacDougall motioned for approval, Elkhoury seconded, and the motion passed with six in favor and three opposed.
Takouda said Psychology Club requested $590 for an educational movie night. “They have questions for after the movie about how they viewed the movie, and what they think about it.”
In a point of information, Vazquez said the movie is “Girl, Interrupted.”
Elkhoury asked, “Did they talk about any way they’d promote the event?”
Takouda said the club will be printing flyers and posting them around campus, and their advisor “will be
talking about it in all her classes. … And they might be sending emails to psych majors, too.”
Ayoub motioned to approve an amount not to exceed $590 for Psychology Club’s funding request, MacDougall seconded, and the motion was passed with all in favor.
Matos introduced Meg Nowak-Borrego, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, to the Senate.
She said she works with SGA to help identify how to advocate for student needs, and seeks student voices.
“For example, I put a call out to students to help with the group that is making a decision about the new bookstore - because the bookstore contract is up this year. … So people will come up to me and I’ll go to Evelyn … or just reach out to faculty directly, so that we have student voices on search committees or governance committees,” she said.
Nowak-Borrego said she is a breast cancer survivor, and appreciated the SGA eBoard wearing pink for breast cancer awareness.
“They are making strides with the research, but it is your generation that I pray will find the cure. So I encourage you, if you have a chance to learn more about the different cancers, including breast cancer … support the research and education around it,” she said.
“And for the people in the room that should be getting mammograms, please go get your mammograms. … I wouldn’t have found it if I hadn’t had a mammogram.”
In open forum, Senior Raena Doty said when her suitemate put in a maintenance request to fix an issue in the suite, “They didn’t tell us they were
going to come into the suite to fix it. And more important than that, we only knew [they came] because there was a footprint on my suitemate’s bedding.” She said they emailed Residence Life and did not receive a response. They also attempted to email facilities, but the email did not go through.
“I would like to talk about improving communication between ResLife, facilities, and people who have issues,” Doty said.
West said she should email Area Director David Case because he is the director for that building and CC facilities.
Junior Thomas O’Leary said he was concerned about Hurricane Helene. “I have friends who go to school down there. … It was already an impoverished region beforehand, and this hurricane just wiped a lot of stuff out.
“So I’m wondering how I could go about fundraising to try to send money down there to help affected people,” he said.
Elkhoury said his first thought when researching the hurricane was to collect and donate items, but he was concerned about the logistics of shipping.
“So something that I’d be interested in doing is trying to set up a table and doing a bake sale or something, maybe a raffle or giveaway. … But I think it’d be awesome to do that as SGA - kind of put that table together and run that,” he said.
[Editor’s Note: Raena Doty is an Arts & Features Editor for the Gatepost]
CONNECT WITH ADAM HARRISON aharrison3@student.framingham.edu
Fransisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez / THE GATEPOST New SGA senators (left to right) Anna Julia Ribeiro, Alix Ayoub, Khao Bui, Alyssa MacDougall, AJ Vazquez, and Tony Sims during the SGA meeting Oct. 1.
THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL
Boston Alpha Omega does not belong at Framingham State
For many students at FSU, religion is an important part of their identity.
Organizations such as the Muslim Students Association, Menorah Club, Christian Fellowship, Growing in Faith, and New Creations are excellent student-run groups on campus where students can practice their religion with their peers at Framingham State University.
These student groups have been approved by the Framingham State administration and are affiliated with the University.
However, some students have been approached by members of a group not listed on EXP’s roster of student-run organizations: Boston Alpha Omega (Boston AO), also known as the Boston Church of Christ.
Boston AO represents itself as a Christian religious organization offering Bible studies and religious retreats.
Boston AO, which recruits university-age students as “disciples” and “Bible study leaders,” has a presence at a number of public and private universities in Massachusetts.
The organization has also been banned from a number of private universities, including Northeastern University, for violations of their university policies.
The Northeastern Center for Spirituality, Dialog, and Service’s website states, “Unfortunately, outside groups often violate Northeastern’s policies on ‘Purpose of Campus Religious Activity’ and ‘Behavior of Religious Groups,’ as well university policies around solicitation and harassment. These groups’ recruiters operate without university appointment letters or contracts, and have not been trained in Title IX reporting or other university policies.”
As Framingham State is a public university, our campus is more susceptible to non-affiliated groups attempting to recruit our students. State Street is the property of the city of Framingham, so non-affiliated groups are allowed to interact with students on public roads and sidewalks.
However, Boston AO recruiters have been approaching students off State Street in the McCarthy Center, Sandella’s, and Larned Beach - which is in violation of the RAMS Student Handbook solicitation policy.
“No student, student organization, employee, outside agency, or outside person shall solicit sales or offer anything for sale or free-of-charge to any employee or student on the campus of Framingham State University, unless approved in advance by an authorized member of the University’s administration,” the RAMS Student Handbook states.
Non-student members of Boston AO are allowed to gather on campus in places such as Sandella’s and the Rams Den Grille for non-recruitment purposes, if invited by a current FSU student.
And although their Bible studies, which regularly take place in these locations, seem innocuous, Boston AO has a reputation for employing predatory recruitment practices.
Simmons University’s student-run newspaper, The Simmons Voice, published a three-part investigative series on Boston AO in 2021.
They described the organization’s predatory recruitment tactics. “Recruitment often begins as an innocuous interaction. A friendly, enthusiastic face approaching you in the library, dining hall, or while walking to classes. Within minutes, the random kindness of a stranger and fellow student results in an invitation to study the Bible. A vague offer for what former members and experts alike say is a codified process.”
These recruitment tactics have been taking place on our campus as recruiters often pose as Framingham State students, wearing FSU merchandise and using campus venues such as the library and the McCarthy Dining Commons.
They have also approached first-year students during orientation - when new students are introduced to many University organizations and offices and would have a harder time distinguishing this group from official campus groups.
Non-student members of Boston AO’s Framingham chapter also attended the Student Organization Fair Sept. 19 without prior approval from EXP - even setting up a table to recruit students.
The Gatepost Editorial Board asks our administrator to look into this event to prevent anything similar from happening again.
The Instagram page for the Framingham chapter of Boston AO has several posts from locations on campus, adding to the facade that they are affiliated with our campus.
The Boston Church of Christ website also claims that Boston AO is a campus ministry, with a location marker placed on State Street in front of O’Connor Hall. This is highly misleading and seems to suggest Boston AO is affiliated with our campus - which it is not.
This organization, though seeming to simply provide a space for college-age individuals to congregate and practice their religion together, can be defined as a cult. The Simmons Voice states, “Former members of the Church and experts
on destructive faith groups claim that nearly all of the potential members’ free time is spent with those associated with the Church. The time commitment sometimes removes them from prior friendships, extracurriculars, academics, and even their families.”
Watchman.org, a website that outlines religious cults and their practices, stated that former members and critics of the Boston AO allege the organization uses practices such as “mind control” and “shepherding.” The article stated that the organization teaches “baptismal regeneration, and claims to be the only true church.”
The statement reads that the organization “Aggressively recruits on college and university campuses throughout America and internationally.”
Boston AO attempts to isolate those they approach from their current support groups in order to baptize them under the Boston Church of Christ, indoctrinating those individuals as “disciples.”
As a student at an accredited university, you are encouraged and expected to make your own judgments and decisions.
Nevertheless, The Gatepost Editorial Board asks you to be careful when engaging with Boston AO and other high-pressure religious organizations you may encounter - both on campus and beyond it.
What seems completely normal one day may quickly get away from you, and high-pressure organizations make it difficult to leave once you’re involved by threatening any newly made friendships or invalidating feelings of caution.
Warning signs of a high-pressure organization include constant communication or pressure to interact with them, demands for significant amounts of your time or money, the discouragement of individuality, or stated/implied threats of consequences for leaving.
If you have any doubts about the authenticity of a religious organization on campus, please research the organization, approach Framingham State administrators about the organization, and especially reach out to Campus Ministries with your concerns.
Though students need to remain vigilant, The Gatepost Editorial Board also urges our administrators to look into this issue in order to protect our entire campus community from Boston AO and organizations similar to it.
While we all look out for our own protection, we should also protect those around us.
This protection should start with our administration in the form of information on these groups being given to all students, clear distinctions of what religious groups are affiliated with our campus and/or Campus Ministries, and resources for students to seek out if they feel targeted by this type of organization.
Students on campus are free to practice their religion openly and connect with others of their faith. The Gatepost Editorial Board is, of course, not in any way implying that these practices should cease.
We do, however, believe that the recruitment of Framingham State students by Boston AO and their presence on campus should cease.
Students should feel safe where they live and work. Safe to practice their religion. Safe from predators. The recruitment of students by high-pressure religious groups should not be happening on our campus and we should learn from other universities about how they keep their students safe.
If you or someone you know has been recruited into this organization or one like it, please reach out to the Dean of Students, Campus Ministry, or the Counseling Center. Students have to come together and advocate for each other.
If you see any concerning recruitment or behavior occurring on campus, speak up!
Have an opinion?
Feel free to email it to: gatepost@framingham.edu
Opinions should be about 500 words. Anyone can submit.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Gatepost Editorial reflects the opinions of the newspaper’s Editorial Board. Signed Op/Eds reflect the opinions of individual writers.
Campus Conversations
By Izayah Morgan, Opinions Editor, Emily Monaco and Emma Lyons, Editorial Staff
What is your favorite fall activity?
“I love getting apple cider donuts and cozying up and watching a movie.”
- Bella Raseside, senior
“Staying inside and watching various spooky movies, and lots of pumpkinflavored things.”
- Amy Bickford, junior
“I would say shopping downtown is my favorite.”
- Desire Morris, freshman
The lingering pandemic
By Emily Monaco Editorial Staff
So far it seems that COVID-19 has been going around early this semester. According to Anne Lyons, the director of the Health and Wellness Center, a similar increase in cases from midsummer through early fall happened last year.
Somehow this year feels much different - the spread of it seems much faster, and experiences with symptoms vary from person to person.
The CDC recently updated its COVID-19 guidelines, and now is treating it like other respiratory illnesses. It may be a respiratory illness, however, there are still many things we do not know about the long-term effects post-infection.
According to The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, there have been neurological symptoms reported such as brain fog, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. This also includes basic motor functions, such as decreased coordination and even loss of movement.
Unfortunately, I was one of many people who have contracted COVID-19. It completely threw me off, as I had taken proper precautions in and out of class. Though the mask mandate on campus was lifted in the fall of 2022, it is still a very good idea to wear one to keep yourself and others safe from stopping the spread of illness.
But to my understanding, many peo-
ple don’t seem to care about COVID-19 or about being sick anymore because they are more worried about paying for their education, and cannot afford to miss class time.
I contracted COVID-19 last week and was completely unaware of it - I wrote it off as a simple cold. I had been masking in class as I was concerned about growing numbers of people coming in with coughs, sneezes, or sore throats. I didn’t want to fall behind in my classes and I’m sure that my peers don’t want to either.
But those choices have repercussions on other people. This was my second time contracting COVID and it hurt so much more than the first. My family is at high risk for severe complications if they were to contract COVID, so I couldn’t go home.
I was stuck on campus forced to endure alone. It is a very ableist perspective for people who assume COVID is just another common cold when many people could still face hospitalization or even death because of the virus.
Should the CDC re-evaluate its COVID guidelines? Seeing as how a common cold can be very different from COVID, it can be a bit lenient to categorize these two different illnesses together.
Have we moved on too quickly from the pandemic? How long will it take for us - or have we already forgotten what happened?
It seems that there’s a common lack of compassion and a trend in this hard-
and then going
ened skeptical view of being kind toward others and thinking about how we affect others with our physical health.
To me, it seems like people want to forget that it happened and they brush it under the rug. The pandemic was traumatizing.
I remember coming to Framingham State in the fall of 2020 and my college experience was completely warped because of pandemic restrictions. Now it seems like everything is back to normal, but what happens to people who still get COVID? The newer variants are just as harmful as the older ones, and we still don’t know the long-term effects of the RNA virus.
A common concern amongst the student body based on my interactions with my peers is missing class and being penalized for it. I’ve been told a lot that some professors aren’t as forgiving when it comes to contracting illness and not being able to come into class to complete work.
There is a set absence policy in all classes. However, when it comes to ailment and extreme circumstances there should be no reason to punish students for something that is completely out of their control. Not only is it dangerous for a student to go to class sick, but it is also dangerous for everyone in the class.
The Health Center encourages students to stay home when they are sick to avoid infecting others and keep upto-date on vaccinations. They hold vaccine clinics every year, and this week
they held them in Dwight Hall’s small gymnasium on both Wednesday and Thursday.
We’re lacking in compassion and community especially right now. Have we lost our sense of self because of the way that our society has been structured over the last five years? Instead of focusing on moving forward and getting things done fast, maybe we need to take a step back, analyze ourselves, and take care of each other.
This lack of compassion and humanity is disheartening and now it is more important than ever to have a sense of community. Something that we all learned during the lockdown was to get back in touch with our humanity, but it seems people are so quick to forget.
We shouldn’t ignore that the pandemic happened and we shouldn’t be moving on from it so soon.
Because regardless of who you are, it affects you and everyone you know.
“Getting pumpkin coffee
pumpkin picking.”
- Ella Reddin, senior
“Making stuff, especially baking stuff with apples.”
- Olivia Ainsworth, freshman
“That’s a tough one. I am going to have to go with apple picking.”
- Kaylen Lyons, freshman
Emily Monaco
SPORTS
Women’s soccer splits home stand, defeats Nichols in nail-biter
By Kyra Tolley Staff Writer
Framingham State women’s soccer defeated the Nichols College Bison 2-1 in a non-conference home game Sept. 30.
The win brought their overall record to 2-6-1.
The Rams started the attack early
when junior Grayson Tellier landed a shot on goal within the first 30 seconds of the game.
Play quieted down for the next 9 minutes until the Bison responded on offense with four shots and two corner kicks.
Eighteen minutes in, freshman Hailey Ring scored unassisted on a shot that brought the Rams to an early lead.
Framingham had two more shots for the rest of the half, but gave up eight more shots to Nichols.
Despite the Bison outshooting the Rams by nine shots in the first half, the Rams maintained their one goal lead at halftime.
Ten minutes into the second half, a free kick for the Bison hit the back of the net to tie the game 1-1.
With 24 minutes left, the Bison were awarded a penalty kick and a chance to take the lead. The shot missed high above the net and kept the score even. Nichols kept up the pressure with two shots on goal 3 minutes later. Goalkeeper Madison Magone continued to defend the net and saved both shots from the Bison.
In the 69th minute, the Rams offense turned the tide with a forward push that resulted in two corner kicks. With numbers in the box, sopho-
more Melissa Romeiro went for a header that was blocked, followed by a wide shot from freshman Isabella Fischer.
Heading into the last 15 minutes of the game, the Rams and the Bison exchanged scoring opportunities for their respective teams. Framingham had two shots on goal while Nichols had three.
With less than a minute to play, freshman Beyonce Gray scored the game-winning goal unassisted, bringing the final score to 2-1.
Captain Megan McAuliffe said, “[The freshmen’s] energy is everything we’ve ever needed. I love that they’re the ones who fuel us and they’re the ones who make us want to work even harder.”
Magone came up big with 13 saves - five in the first half and eight in the second.
Head Coach Michael La Francesca said, “[Magone] was absolutely amazing positioning herself correctly, controlling the back line, talking, communicating - just being the quarterback of the team from the back.”
Framingham hosted Curry College for a non-conference matchup Oct. 2.
Curry took the lead 1-0 in the first 5 minutes with a shot that was nearly saved by Magone.
Cross country breaks through in Buzzards Bay
By Izabela Gage Asst. Sports Editor
Men’s and women’s cross country dominated the Mass. Maritime Academy Travis Fuller Invitational Sept. 28.
Men’s cross country set energy levels high, with four runners placing in the top 10 of the 8K course. The Rams totaled 23 points, winning first place overall.
Freshman Vincent Gauthier earned first place in the 8K course with a 27:25 finish time. Graduate student Patrick Walsh finished third with a time of 28:06, just 6 seconds behind the second-place finisher.
Freshman Aaron Corlette crossed the finish line in 28:51, earning a sixth-place finish. Sophomore Robert Perruzzi finished a minute later in eighth place at 29:58.
Juniors Logan Crow and Parker Winters placed 12th and 13th with finish times of 30:25 and 31:17, respectively.
Gauthier’s first-place finish helped him receive MASCAC Rookie of the Week for the third consecutive week.
Gauthier said earning Rookie of the Week for the third week was “pretty cool.
“I want to keep that streak going because I’m a perfectionist, but I’m dialed into doing well at the big meets coming up,” he added.
When asked about what has been contributing to their recent success, Perruzzi said, “Our consistency and willingness to show up is a huge fac-
tor. … I think it’s clear everyone enjoys coming to practice every day.”
Gauthier said, “Running is a mind game. If your mind believes something, your body will adapt to do it. We all know this and coach knows this. So, we capitalize on this idea and try our best to dream big and stay positive.”
Gauthier also said the team is “staying confident, staying positive, and keeping the dream big.”
Women’s cross country took home first place with 23 points and six runners in the top 10.
Junior Meghan Johnston took first place in the 5K with a 20:06 finish. Sophomore Kate Buban earned second place and finished in 20:23.
Natalie Grimaldo, a sophomore running cross country for her first season, was not far behind Buban and took fourth place with a 21:06 finish time.
Freshman Grace Avery crossed the finish line in seventh at 21:42, and sophomores Camille Graffeo and Justinne Quinanola closed out the top ten places in ninth and tenth, with times of 22:19 and 22:23, respectively.
Johnston’s and Grimaldo’s impressive finish times contributed to them earning Runner of the Week and Rookie of the Week Oct. 1, respectively.
Johnston said earning the Runner of the Week accolade “is a reminder that all the hard work I am putting in is paying off, and I need to keep working hard as the season continues.”
When asked about what has been factoring into their motivation this
The Rams tried to make a mark with long passes over Curry’s back line, but couldn’t find the net.
Framingham saw more attacking opportunities toward the end of the first half with a corner kick and two shots. Gray put up the Rams’ first shot on goal in the 36th minute.
With 1 minute left in the first half, Curry capitalized on a loose ball and scored to bring their lead to 2-0.
Curry dominated the second half with nine shots compared to Framingham’s two, but couldn’t put another in the net. Ring earned the Rams their second and final shot on goal in the last 7 minutes of the game.
The game ended in a 2-0 win for Curry College and brought the Rams’ overall record to 2-7-1.
Framingham women’s soccer travels to Bridgewater State for a conference game Oct. 5.
The Rams conference record currently stands at 1-0-1.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH KYRA TOLLEY ktolley@student.framingham.edu
Ben Hurney / FSU365
Kate Buban getting ready to run in the Travis Fuller Invitational Meet Sept. 28.
season, Buban said, “We’re realizing that our training is showing in our races.”
Grimaldo talked about how the team’s dynamic has contributed to their recent success. “We’re always motivating each other, and that makes us want to improve and work harder.”
Graffeo said, “We’re such a great team because we all have this similar joy for running. We all have that passion for it.”
Johnston said, “We are always there to pick each other up and remind one another what we are capable of.’’
Buban said Head Coach Mark Johnson and Assistant Coach Glenn O’Connor offer the team a lot of support. “We can swing by Mark’s office anytime we
need someone to talk to. They both really go above and beyond to be our support and be there at practice, motivate us, and create training plans.”
Perruzzi said, “Both Coach Mark and Coach Glenn deserve a lot of credit. They’re always pushing us and holding us accountable.”
Both teams will compete at the James Earley Invitational hosted by Westfield State University Oct. 12.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu
Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST
Abigail Pratt during game against Nichols Sept. 30.
Field hockey bests Salem St. in double-overtime thriller
Team dedicates game to mental health awareness
By Sophia Oppedisano Sports Editor
The Framingham State field hockey team defeated the Salem State Vikings in an electric double-overtime win Sept. 28 with a final score of 4-3.
Aside from the conference win, the Rams played in honor of student-athletes and members of the Framingham State community who are struggling with their mental health. The game is a tradition they started just last year.
Co-Head Coach Allie Lucenta said the team chose to dedicate one game on their schedule to mental health awareness because it “hit so close to home for our own battles as coaches and as student-athletes.”
Captain Angelina Serra said, “As women, we all support each other, and we all go through [struggles] at one time or another. … It was really important to us to just make sure everyone around us knows that they’re supported. Whether they’re in sports or not, everyone on campus is supported, and the field hockey team supports them as well.”
The team adorned the fences of the field with positive posters and messaging and hosted a family potluck after their win.
The win evens Framingham’s conference record to 1-1 and their overall record stands at 2-4.
The action started early with a Salem goal 6 minutes into the first quarter on a penalty corner. Even though the Vikings struck first, the momentum
belonged to the Rams as they managed three shots in 3 minutes.
Salem’s goal was quickly matched by Framingham Captain Emma Bailey 4 minutes later.
The goal was Bailey’s first of the season.
The second quarter was scoreless for both the Rams and Vikings with goaltender Rowan Whittaker and midfielder Kaitlin Loughlin making big defensive stops for Framingham.
Framingham continued trying to capitalize on penalty corners and find the back of the net, but the score remained knotted at 1-1.
The Rams took the lead 2-1 6 minutes into the third period on a goal scored by Serra. The goal was her first of the season.
Serra was given the team’s hard hat award at the end of the game, a recognition from both coaches and teammates that she embodied the athletic principles and sportsmanship the team values.
The Rams fell quiet after Serra’s goal but continued to create opportunities to try to score on penalty corners.
The fourth quarter began at 2-1, but Salem quickly evened the score to 2-2.
Both teams volleyed across the field with momentum shifting between the Rams and Vikings as they matched each other almost shot for shot before Natalia Roehr scored for the Rams to make the contest 3-2.
Roehr’s goal came with only a minute and 40 seconds left to play, but the Vikings capitalized on a corner penal-
ty and scored to tie the game 3-3 with only 30 seconds left.
The first overtime period was all Rams from the start as they connected with seven shots on goal and were given eight opportunities to score on corner penalties. However, the score remained tied at 3-3.
The Rams remained dominant for the entirety of the second overtime period before Bailey scored the goahead goal, assisted by Serra, with only 20 seconds remaining in the period.
“It’s the most rewarding feeling just knowing that you’re leading your teammates, and they’re putting in their best effort. Just to be able to end the game with a win was really meaningful.
“I think this win will definitely carry us to be better, and it’ll bring us momentum in the next couple games,” Bailey said.
Bailey’s effort earned her MASCAC Player of the Week Sept. 30.
“That’s how Rams play, with heart like that, and grit - playing every single ball to the last second,” Roehr said.
The Rams beat conference opponent Bridgewater State 2-1 Oct. 1 and earned another overtime win against UMass Dartmouth Oct. 3 with a score of 3-2.
As of press time, their conference record stands at 2-1 and their overall record is 4-4.
The team will be back in action at home against conference opponent Worcester State Oct. 5.
Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST Angelina Serra dribbing during game against Salem State Sept. 28.
CONNECT WITH SOPHIA OPPEDISANO soppedisano@student.framingham.edu Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
SPORTS
Volleyball stumbles in conference opener
By Izabela Gage Asst. Sports Editor
The Framingham State Rams hosted the Bridgewater State Bears Oct. 1 for their conference opener.
The Rams unfortunately lost 3-0 with scores of 25-18, 25-24, and 25-18. They now hold a 4-11 overall record and a 0-1 conference record.
The Bears started the game with the first point, which sophomore Natalie Reynolds met with a kill, assisted by junior Captain Stella Bailey.
Framingham kept the momentum and tallied two more points, bringing the score to 3-1.
With the Rams leading 9-8, sopho-
more Anneli DiVirgilio tallied four service aces, gaining the lead 13-8.
BSU responded with two kills, but freshman Sarah Medeiros stayed on top of defense with a kill, assisted by Reynolds.
Bridgewater evened the score, bringing the score to 14-14.
The Rams were in the lead 17-16, but could not keep up with the Bears, who tallied eight straight points.
FSU could only gain one more point before BSU finished the set 25-18.
Framingham started the second set strong, putting the first two points on the board. Bridgewater only tallied one before Reynolds struck another kill.
The Bears once again gained the lead 9-8, until the Rams took control
going up for a set during game against Bridgewater Oct. 1.
tallying four points, including a kill by sophomore Emma Dobbins.
BSU then scored one point before FSU earned four more points with kills from Medeiros, Dobbins, and Reynolds, and an attack error.
The set was tied 23-23 and FSU struggled to gain back the lead before BSU tallied two points, ending the set 25-23.
The Rams put the first point on the board in the third set, but the Bears scored three of their own soon after.
The teams fought for the lead until the game was tied 6-6, and Bridgewater tallied four straight points.
Framingham bounced back and was able to score five points, which Bridgewater could only meet with three, once again tying the game 11-11.
The lead kept switching off, with the score coming to 16-16. BSU earned another six points before FSU could respond with only one.
The Rams scored two more points before the end of the game, with the Bears winning the match 25-18.
Bailey persisted during the loss, totaling 19 set assists and 15 digs in the match.
Reynolds finished the game with 10 kills in 37 attempts, as well as two digs and an assist. Dobbins helped out defensively with six kills.
“As a team, we are looking to take this loss as motivation for Friday’s game. We are looking to improve our overall consistency and take this loss as a learning curve,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds added, “We are a relatively young team this year consisting of mostly underclassmen, so strength-
ening our connection on the court is something we always look to improve on.”
Captain Carly Beaulieu contributed 10 digs and four service aces.
DiVirgilio stayed on top of defense with six digs. She also created opportunities on offense with two assists.
Freshman Madysen Cedrone added eight digs, an ace, and a kill to the team’s efforts. Medeiros helped out defensively with three kills and two digs.
“We are working toward our goal of being more aggressive and intentional on the court in the front row and as a team overall,” Cedrone said.
Cedrone also said that last year’s team was dominant in their conference, and it has set expectations for the 2024 season. She said, “With our talent and high potential on this team, we are expecting to perform just as aggressively as last year.”
Reynolds said, “We are determined and working hard to get to the MASCAC Championship. We know how it feels to win and we are craving that feeling again.”
The Rams travel to Plymouth State University for a non-conference matchup Oct. 4.
[Editor’s Note: News Editor Dylan Pichnarcik contributed to this article.]
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu
Men’s soccer falls to Wentworth in non-conference matchup
By Riley Crowell Asst. Sports Editor
The Framingham State Rams were defeated by the Wentworth Leopards 4-2 in a non-conference home game Oct. 1.
Following this loss, Framingham now holds an overall record of 0-7-2 and a conference record of 0-2.
The Rams fell behind from the getgo, conceding a free kick goal in the 4th minute scored by Wentworth’s Vinny Dentrone.
In the following minutes, Framingham sophomore Jack Holt and Wentworth’s Alex Burnham both fired shots off the post, keeping the score at 1-0 Wentworth.
The Rams mustered 10 shots in the first half, all of which were unable to find the back of the net.
Wentworth collected eight shots of their own in the first half, but four saves by Framingham’s freshman goalkeeper Michael Walker kept the game within striking distance.
The teams entered halftime with Wentworth leading 1-0.
The second half started uneventfully for both the Rams and the Leopards.
That would change in the 58th minute, when a shot by Holt that was saved by Wentworth goalkeeper Noah Lawless fell directly to Framingham’s Michael Jokic, who slotted it in the net to tie the game 1-1.
This was the second goal of the sea-
FSU gatepost.com
son for Jokic, a freshman forward, who has started all but one game for the Rams.
Framingham Head Coach Adam Gabbard had high praise for Jokic. He said, “He’s a physical player, he’s got some pace to him, and he can play the tactical side of the game. … I’m really happy with what he’s done so far with a very limited time with the group.
“We didn’t really know what to expect from him, but he’s done a phenomenal job,” he added.
In the 63rd minute, the short-lived stalemate ended when Wentworth’s Carlos Jimenez curled a shot into the top corner over the outstretched hand of Walker, putting the Leopards back in front 2-1.
Wentworth’s lead extended to 3-1 in the 73rd minute when Kingston McGee scored a header that was assisted by Dentrone.
The Rams answered in the 86th minute with an impressive volley goal scored by junior Gustav Hemmingsen, assisted by sophomore Kaio Santos Da Silva.
Framingham battled to find an equalizer. The Rams relentlessly pressured Wentworth, resulting in a scoring chance for Da Silva that was ultimately turned away by Lawless, preserving the Leopards’ 3-2 lead.
The Rams’ pressure was broken in the 89th minute by a pass from Burnham that snuck through the Framingham defense, allowing Wentworth’s
Sam Wong to tuck away the game-sealing goal for the Leopards.
The game concluded with a final score of Wentworth 4, Framingham State 2.
Gabbard said, “They played exactly how we expected them to. I think it was just the stuff that we could control that we struggled with.
“I think we just made too many mistakes, and they did a good job punishing us,” he added.
Senior Captain Bryce Borletto-McCray said, “I’m encouraged by our attacking play, keeping the ball, our build up and press, and competitiveness, but we definitely have to work on keeping the ball out of our net.”
The Rams host Bridgewater State in a MASCAC matchup Oct. 5, providing an opportunity for Framingham to get a conference win on the board.
Gabbard said, “We’re definitely eager to get our first win. It’s something that our guys are really focusing on.”
Borletto-McCray said, “It’s going to be a tough matchup, for sure. They’ve beaten us the past three years in the playoffs, so we’re definitely hungry for a win.
“We’re just going to have to come out here and play,” he added.
[Editor’s Note: Staff Writer Taylor Kimmell contributed to this article.]
Oct. 1.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH RILEY CROWELL rcrowell@student.framingham.edu
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Stella Bailey (back)
Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST Michael Jokic dribbling during game against Wentworth
Athletic department installs new scoreboard at Maple Street fields
By Sophia Oppedisano Sports Editor
The Framingham State athletic department installed a new scoreboard at Maple Street fields in August.
The scoreboard’s features surpass those of the previous model. Larry Miller, assistant athletic director and head softball coach, said, “It’s more than just a scoreboard. It’s basically a blank canvas - we can pretty much put in any kind of digital content, video, image, graphics, and it displays out.”
Athletic Director Thomas Kelley said the department researched different options as far as sponsors for the updated scoreboard but ultimately decided to allocate money from a sizable donation given by the Moynihan family.
Joseph F. Moynihan, an alumnus of Framingham State and a state trooper, passed away in a helicopter accident in 1990. The Moynihan family, in conjunction with other families, started a golf tournament to raise money for the state police.
According to Kelley, there was also money raised and set aside for academic scholarships. When those scholarships did not go to use, Kelley said Framingham State athletics was given one of those scholarships as a donation from the Moynihan’s before the pandemic.
The money was set aside for the eventual scoreboard.
Carey Eggen, deputy director of athletics, said the scoreboard cost $113,235.30. There was an additional $9,276 cost for prep work on the installation site.
Kelley said the previous scoreboard was installed in the early 1980s and was sponsored by Coca-Cola. The board had more rudimentary features including simple counters for the score, penalties, fouls, and time.
Operators of the new scoreboard have the ability to cater to each individual sport and game.
The board graphics will specify the
visiting team by name, and statistics such as corner kicks and shots, and the number of attempted shots. There are also different graphics to emphasize visitor goals and celebrate Ram goals. There are also countdown graphics between periods.
“We’re just touching the tip of the iceberg with some of the stuff we can do with it - what we’d like to do is put some advertising on it, sponsors and stuff like that. We’ll be able to do graphics for students and their accomplishments,” Kelley said.
The women’s soccer team played against the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Sept. 21 and won 3-0, marking their first win of the season and Head Coach Michael La Francesca’s first career win with Framingham State.
To celebrate the accomplishment, Miller said, “We had the foresight to make a little graphic ahead of time, knowing the [win] was going to come eventually. So, after the game, we were able to throw up a little first career win [graphic].”
The graphic featured La Francesca’s headshot as well as the athletic department’s Ram logo and a “first career win” banner.
La Francesca said, “It means a lot to both me and the team. [The scoreboard] is more than just a tool for tracking the score; it adds a sense of professionalism and pride. The athletes can see their hard work reflected up there. It also motivates them to give their best each game, knowing they have that kind of visible support.”
Along with the technological advancements, the scoreboard will elevate the experience for Rams fans.
“For the home crowd, it elevates the overall game-day experience. The clarity and visibility of the scoreboard engage the fans in a way that keeps them more connected to the action. Whether it’s tracking the time left or celebrating a goal, it adds a new level of excitement and involvement,” La Francesca said.
Olivia Cuccia plays for the women’s soccer team and agrees with La Francesca that the scoreboard marks an improvement for the athletic program.
“I think that it shows that the school is ready to invest in their women’s soccer team again and really care for us and help us put our best foot forward,” Cuccia said.
Rose Pagnoni also plays for the women’s soccer team and said, “It gives us the energy so we can give them the energy. … It really gives us hope.”
Bryce Borletto-McCray, a captain on the men’s soccer team, said,“The new scoreboard definitely elevates our game-day experience with all the new special effects and pictures on the screen. It provides a professional atmosphere when playing at home.
“After being here for three years, it’s great to see our playing field getting upgraded. It definitely helps during games. I can tell how much time is left or what the score is without having to strain my eyes. I just hope we can see a win [for men’s soccer] on that scoreboard soon,” he said.
Molly Lanier, a member of the women’s lacrosse team, said the team is excited to experience the scoreboard when their season starts in the spring.
“I think it’s going to be pretty cool being able to see what the athletic staff does with the new technology,” she added.
Brooke Drass also plays for the women’s lacrosse team.
“After watching some soccer games and how they use the scoreboard, I’m interested to see what they’ll project for our lacrosse games,” she said.
Bella DiMare, a goalie for the women’s lacrosse team, said the scoreboard is easier to read and is more “visually appealing.”
She said the level of professionalism it adds to the field “shows we aren’t here to mess around. We are here to compete.”
Angelina Serra, a captain on the field hockey team, said the team “loves the new scoreboard!
“Just having a picture of our team up there before the game even starts gets us ready to go as well as the goal animation after we score.
“Something we’d maybe want to see is during the game when we do score, maybe [a picture] of the players that score. … Maybe goal highlights from previous games!” Serra added.
Miller said the department plans to keep the graphic and content design “in house” and has implemented an internship program with a sports information intern who will be tasked with coming up with content ideas for the department’s social media as well as the scoreboard.
The sports information intern this year is Adrien Gobin.
“My internship was just created this year. Some things I have been tasked with is elevating the content for the athletic social media page … and creating graphic ideas for the new scoreboard at the field,” she said.
“Larry and I are learning together how the scoreboard works and what graphics look the best. It’s a lot of aesthetic choices - finding what colors and patterns look best and are readable for the audience. I’ve started coming up with some new ideas for a ‘goal’ graphic so hopefully, that can be up and running in a few weeks,”
Miller said he would like to build relationships with academic departments, including sports management, to grow the internship program.
“I think [they] are all great opportunities to help our students get practical, hands-on, real world experience,” he said.
[Editor’s Note: Adrien Gobin is a Photos & Design Editor for The Gatepost.]
Stats sourced from fsurams.com, MASCAC.com, and NCAA.com
CONNECT WITH SOPHIA OPPEDISANO soppedisano@student.framingham.edu
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Damion Thomas presents on Jesse Owens and the 1936 Olympics ARTS & FEATURES
By Raena Hunter Doty Arts & Features Editor
Damion Thomas, sports curator at Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, delivered a lecture called “Jesse Owens and the Complicated Legacies of the 1936 Olympics” Oct. 3.
The lecture was one event in a series of events accompanying the Smithsonian exhibition on display in the Henry Whittemore Library called “Americans and the Holocaust.”
Thomas began the lecture by telling the audience the process it took to build the National Museum of African American History and Culture and a brief explanation of what the museum itself looks like.
He said the first attempt to build a museum for African American history was in 1915, 50 years after the end of the American Civil War and slavery, but they were unsuccessful.
Thomas added every event after that was stopped by some unprecedented circumstance - momentum in the ’20s came to a halt during the Great Depression, momentum during the Civil Rights Era stopped after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., and it took until Congressman John Lewis devoted years of campaigning for the museum starting in 1988 for the museum to get built in 2016.
Thomas said since the museum opened, it has seen approximately 12 million visitors, and the staff was not prepared for the volume of people coming through the museum - they expected visitors would stay for 75 minutes, as in the Smithsonian Museum, but most people in the National African American History Museum were staying about 5.5 hours.
Thomas then explained why he chose to become a historian. He said he was a first-generation college student who didn’t understand why other students rushed to go to orientation before their first semester at school.
Because he waited until one of the last orientation periods, he “ended up with the schedule of death, which included colonial U.S. history at 8 o’clock in the morning on Monday.
“Fifteen minutes into being a college student, my life changed,” Thomas added.
He said when he walked into this history class, Professor Gary Nash said, “‘Whoever controls the present will use their power to change the past in hopes of controlling the future,’ and in that one sentence, I learned two life-changing lessons.
“The first is that history is not about memorizing a bunch of facts and figures,” Thomas said. “History is about power. It’s about the power to define what matters and why it matters, and the way we typically tell his-
tory in the United States is as a narrative of progress - things are always getting better.”
He said this form of teaching history “normalizes and naturalizes our present inequalities,” and discourages people from trying to change the present for the better.
“The second lesson is that history is not actually about the past - it is about the future, because if you can influence what people believe is right, what people believe is possible, what people believe is fair, you can potentially influence how much they can push back against the system and the social order,” Thomas said.
He added with this context, the fights many states are waging against
Thomas said his outstanding performance in the U.S. contributed greatly to the pressure Owens faced in his decision to go to the 1936 Olympics, which were hosted in Germany after the 1916 Olympics were moved out of the country during WWI.
He added Hitler took over power in 1933 and began using the Olympics as a way to promote supremacy of the Aryan race, causing a lot of people to boycott the entire event.
“We got to back up and think about why someone like Jesse Owens and other African Americans want to go and participate,” Thomas said.
He added sports are tied to education in the U.S. in ways not seen in other countries, and at the time of
“History is about power. It’s about the power to define what matters and why it matters, and the way we typically tell history in the United States is as a narrative of progressthings are always getting better.”
- Damion Thomas
Sports Curator at Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
fair teaching of history make a lot of sense.
“One of the fundamental lessons of the African American History and Culture Museum is that change - profound change - is possible,” Thomas said.
He began the discussion of Jesse Owens by explaining where Owens came from, which was a sharecropping family in Alabama.
Thomas explained sharecropping was a system put into place after the end of slavery, and it kept primarily Black Americans dependent on rich white landowners, often the very same ones who had owned slaves before the Civil War.
After the end of World War I, many Black Americans left the South to the North and Midwest during the Great Migration, which is when Owens’ family went to Ohio, Thomas said.
There, Owens attended Ohio State University, and Thomas said it was still “pretty rare for African Americans to go to universities.”
While there, Owens had what Thomas called “arguably the greatest performance in sports - certainly in track and field history,” where he set three world records and tied another within an hour.
these events, there was a prevailing belief that physical ability was linked to intellect - that people who were smarter would be better physically, and vice versa - so a Black American competing in the Olympics would do a lot to tear down stereotypes.
“African Americans have a lot of incentive to compete at the Olympics because it has all this cultural meaning,” Thomas said.
He said Owens made the decision to compete in the Olympics, and when he did, his performance impressed America like no other.
“Owens wins four gold medals, sets four records,” Thomas said. “We’re still talking about it almost 100 years later,” and added when he did interviews after the recent Paris Olympics, he got asked about Owens more than any other topic.
Thomas said that upon returning home, Owens was made the first Black national “hero” - which he put in quotes, because the U.S. did not treat Owens like a hero. Rather, he was banned from amateur athletics because he didn’t want to tour through Europe on a grueling schedule where he had to compete every few days.
Instead, he had to become a professional athlete, Thomas said, which
he noted was looked down upon compared to amateur athletics at the time.
To make ends meet, Owens had to put on running performances during basketball games and racing horses, Thomas said.
He said the dominant narrative about Jesse Owens today is that his performance in the 1936 Olympics disproved the growing sentiments about Aryan supremacy, but in fact, Germany won more gold medals that year than any other country, and their torch lighting ceremony - the very first one, which brought the flame all the way from Athens to Berlin - symbolized the passing of the dominant culture from Greece to Germany.
Thomas said after the Olympics, the narrative about how people of color could compete with white - Aryan - people shifted to biological determinism and biological supremacy, the theory that certain races are better at certain actions than others.
“If you buy into this biological supremacy notion, it comes at a costand the cost is that if that’s biologically determined, other things are biologically determined. And it is going to be argued that if you are physically superior, you are intellectually inferior,” Thomas said.
He added this was reflected in the way that racial integration happened in sports - oftentimes, people of color could join sports, but not in positions that involved decision making.
Thomas said the legacy of Jesse Owens was incredibly complicated. “On one hand, we have still the most talked about, the most important, the most powerful sporting moment arguably in world history, juxtaposed with his reality as being an African American man in a segregated America.”
He said during the 1968 Olympics, Owens was asked to - and did - speak to Tommie Smith and John Carlos, 200-meter dash athletes, to try to convince them to accept their medals without protesting the Olympics, adding to Owens’ conflicting legacy.
Thomas said people have to understand that Jesse Owens is not the only Black American athlete of his time, but there were few others, and he had to strike a balance that would improve society for Black people while also not causing white society to close their doors to Black people further.
“It’s only because of Jesse Owens in his generation and their ability to tolerate some of the abuses that the later generation will not be able to tolerate … that creates that narrative of progress,” Thomas said.
CONNECT WITH RAENA HUNTER DOTY rdoty@student.framingham.edu
Monuments
Continued from Page 1
she added. She said he also asks and tries to answer an important question, “What is the meaning of monuments in the public space?”
She said his answer is statues usually have more purpose than mere portraiture, and “these commemorative and speaking groups generally stand in the open at the intersections of the highways, in the most conspicuous places.”
The quote led Ater to thinking about how monuments do take on their own lives once they’re made. After the dedication ceremony people interact with the statue and come to their own understanding in the public sphere, she said.
Images of the Harriet Tubman Memorial were shown, focusing on the statue “Step on Board” by Fern Cunningham. But there is another statue in the square, “Emancipation” by Fuller, pictures of which were also shown.
Ater was interested in what she saw as an awkward relationship between the two pieces. “What do we do with kind of semi-nude bodies on the left [‘Emancipation’], as opposed to this kind of fully-clothed freedom seekers on the right? [‘Step on Board’]” she asked.
“Step on Board” is about what Harriet Tubman was doing, leading people to freedom, while Fuller’s work is focused on the concept of emancipation, she said. They’re both part of reclaiming Black history in Boston, she added.
She frequently thinks about what we see and don’t see when it comes to sculptures. When you’re passing by a monument in a roundabout again, we’re usually not paying attention to the statue, she explained.
“So there’s this notion that monuments both can do work, or also sometimes they fail tremendously, or that we kind of forget them in that space,” she said.
Ater said a colleague once asked her “Are there other monuments to slavery in the United States?” To find out, she started collecting information on these monuments, she added. Before going digital, she used a folder for each state and made a new paper entry every time she found one.
An important question she said she asked while researching was “How are we supposed to deal with what I perceive as an unreconciled past, the harshness of slavery, the horror of it, the trauma of it?” she asked.
There was an eight-year gap between when she got the idea and when she decided it would be a digital humanities project, she said. She wanted to start a digital repository to see how many monuments were there, she added.
They came up with about 166 monuments, she said. Then she decided to make the project a global database, instead of focusing on the United
States, Ater added.
“We have monuments from Europe, monuments from West Africa, from Brazil, and the Caribbean … and actually Mexico,” she said.
The project is on its third iteration, Ater said. The first version was “a hot mess,” where they didn’t use organization standards and couldn’t find anything in the database, she said. This version was eventually deleted and “completely destroyed,” Ater added.
The second iteration ran into copyright problems with the University of Maryland, she said. Any digital con-
come groupings, or thematic groupings, and items will become monuments,” she added.
Something at the core of the project is geolocation data, she said. Every monument is geolocated and shown on a global map. This data is especially important to Ater because it shows where the monuments exist in space and time.
Many of the monuments are about emancipation, she said. Many are focused on the Underground Railroad, while others are about the history from slavery to civil rights, she added.
Universities are attempting to use
“So there’s this notion that monuments both can do work, or also sometimes they fail tremendously, or that we kind of forget them in that space.”
- Renée Ater
Associate Professor, Brown University
tent she owned was copyrighted by the university because it was on their servers, she added.
“It meant that they could go in there and edit the content to their power, and there were literally all these disclaimers,” she said.
monuments to address that legacy, Ater said.
“Brown has, quite frankly, an unsuccessful monument on campus. And I say that because students really dislike it. And so in my mind, if people can’t identify with what that mon-
“It is an acknowledgment that this is indeed part of American history, but also part of the American landscape.”
- Renée Ater Associate Professor, Brown University
She took it off the servers and now hosts her own site, she added. “It was the easiest thing to do. It costs me 50 bucks a year, and I can manage all of the files myself.”
In May, they held two focus groups, she said. They focused on both the usability and the content of the site, she added. Ater has already rearranged the website based on the findings of the focus groups.
Not everything is up-to-date though, she admitted, and said they’re in the process of changing several names to work better. “Exhibits will become stories. Collections will be-
more of a myth through monument making in the landscape,” she said. Ater wants the database to function as a “public history education site,” so there is a section that explains related terminology and ideas. The focus groups showed her that people spend a lot of time in that section, she added.
“It turns out lots of us don’t have sculpture vocabulary. You’ve never taken a sculpture class, you don’t know what the terminology is,” she said.
When documenting a monument for the database, they collect photos of the site, of the statue, and of any signage on the monument or on the ground, she said.
Instead of having someone else build the database for her, she decided to get training on how to use digital tools, she said. It’s important to know how these systems work, she added. For the metadata she uses Omeka and Scalar, she added.
She spent a couple years getting trained, and she feels the need to go back because of how much everything’s changed already, Ater said.
From 2015 to 2018, she worked in a department that fully embraced “digital art history and public humanities,” she added.
One of the challenges she faces in her project is hypertext links dying constantly, she said. They might stop hypertext linking entirely because of how much of an issue it is, she added.
Another problem is the Library of Congress’ subject headings when it comes to race, she said. It’s difficult to work around them, and they’re still using terms such as “negro” which is problematic in our day and age, she explained.
She keeps data outside of the system too, she added. There are “expansive files of written text,” and every single monument is in an Excel spreadsheet, she said.
During the Black Lives Matter movement, there was a shift from lowercase “black” to uppercase “Black,” she said. They’re currently updating that language in the database, she added. It’s also been changed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, she added.
ument is doing, then it’s not doing its work very well,” she said.
In the database, there’s only one exhibit left after the data loss, she said. It’s heavily focused on Harriet Tubman, who is also the most represented person in the database and the third most represented woman in the United States, she added.
Ater said there’s a difficult issue when it comes to Harriet Tubman, “about who she really was as a woman.
“‘Oh she led 500 people out of slavery!’ No, she did not. She led about 60 family members, right? … She is made
One aspect she’s learned is that “failure is part of doing digital public humanities,” she said. She learned a modeling software that doesn’t exist anymore, meaning she had to learn another platform, she added.
Ater said the reason why monuments to the slave past are and need to be made is because it is part of an “unreconciled past.
“It is an acknowledgment that this is indeed part of American history, but also part of the American landscape,” she said.
CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ ffernandezrodriguez@ student.framingham.edu
Henry Whittemore Library collection highlights life at FSU during WWII
By Ryan O’Connell Associate Editor
As part of its series on Americans and the Holocaust, the Henry Whittemore Library’s Archivist and Special Collections Librarian Colleen Previte has arranged a collection of articles from The Gatepost and other FSU records to illustrate what life was like before and during the Second World War.
While the main Americans and the Holocaust exhibit focuses on years 1941 to 1945, Previte said her collection begins in 1939 and goes until around Victory in Europe DayMay 8, 1945.
She added while there was published material regarding the war and the state of the world, for the most part things were “business as usual” for Framingham State, which continued to hold regular events, dances, and their yearly “May Day” celebration.
This may have been because Framingham State College - as it was known at the time - was an all-girls school until the 1960s, she said.
Previte said after the United States joined the war, there was a lot more published about students selling war stamps, sewing for the Red Cross, and even joining the U.S. Army and Marine Corps as dieticians after graduation.
By Owen Glancy Asst. Arts & Features Editor
The early 1940s was undoubtedly one of the most tumultuous times not just in film history, but in world history in general.
As World War II continued to ravage the world, many countries lost decades of film history to Nazi censorship, and many more countries were forced to make propaganda films. Even Hollywood was not completely free from this as American studios began to lean heavily into the escapist genres of romance and horror so as to offer a brief reprieve from the horrors of WWII.
One of the genres born in this desire for escapism was the film noir. While its roots existed in movies like “M” and “Daybreak,” it wasn’t until the 1940s that we’d see the true emergence of the genre with early classics like “Out of the Past” and “The Maltese Falcon.” However, among these early film noirs, “Dou-
“It was interesting to see,” she said. “We happened to be lucky to have a few scrapbooks that [belonged to] people who went during that time, so we have some actual artifacts.”
The display cases in the Henry Whittemore Library showcase these artifacts, as well as clippings from The
and had excerpts of her wartime correspondence as a nutritionist in North Africa included in at least one edition of The Gatepost.
While all of Cummings’ correspondence offers insight into how Framingham State students perceived the world during WWII, only the begin-
Gatepost which illustrate how WWII affected the campus.
Previte said she enjoyed putting the collection together, and that it’s “such a worthwhile topic,” but picking and choosing what was included was difficult.
She specifically mentioned Lt. Doris Cummings, who enlisted in 1943
ble Indemnity” stands out.
Unlike many noirs, this film features no detective, instead following an insurance agent who is convinced by his client Phyllis Dietrichson to commit insurance fraud by killing her husband after he buys accident insurance. Admittedly, this doesn’t initially sound like the most engaging story, but it very quickly reels you in with its stylish filmmaking and iconic performances.
Barbara Stanwyck owns this movie and is perhaps the biggest reason for its continued reverence. As one of the first ever femme fatales in film, Stanwyck had a lot riding on this performance, yet she delivered in spades. Her subtle seduction and manipulation of the men around her, while nothing new now, was revolutionary and became the standard for the genre.
ning of one article featuring her letters was included in the dis- play case, due to the space constraints.
Previte said students at FSU were trying to support American troops during the war “as much as they could.” She added options were limited for women, but many still did enlist or fundraise.
see why this has become so beloved when taking these all into account.
While Wilder has made films that are similar to “Double Indemnity” in either tone or subject matter“Sunset Boulevard” and “The Apartment” come to mindneither lean as heavily into the noir elements. This film is defined by its moody atmosphere and dark tone that is perfectly set up by the opening scene. The audience is immediately drawn in as Walter Neff stumbles his way into his office, bleeding from a gunshot wound, as he picks up an audio recorder and begins to recount the events that led him to that moment. Right off the bat you’re left wondering what happened to get him into this predicament, as well as if he will eventually get out of it.
She said FSU students learned about the state of the world in a number of ways - from guest speakers like the war hero and future president John F. Kennedy who visited in 1944, to letters from loved ones in service.
Some male FSU professors also enlisted in service - she added students were also sharing where to write in order to get into contact with some of the professors, who would share information from the war.
Previte said she didn’t find anything mentioning the Holocaust in her research.
“It’s sad that the story is that maybe the world didn’t fully know the extent of the horrors going on. Sometimes the story appears here that it was a little bit business as usual, and that’s sad,” she said.
Previte added, “But I also see - I was doing up a list, and I have not completed it, but after this I asked, ‘Well, how many did go into service?’ and so I was starting this list, and there were quite a few.
“So obviously there were some that wanted to do something to help the world and help with what was going on in the best way that they could.”
CONNECT WITH RYAN O’CONNELL roconnell1@student.framingham.edu
employee. However, with the introduction of Phyllis Dietrichson, their relationship becomes strained as Neff attempts to hide his plan for murder from his boss, essentially stealing money from him in the form of insurance fraud.
It isn’t until the very end of the film, where Neff is at the end of his rope with nowhere else to go, that we finally see the two come face to face. Neff knows he will die soon, and Keyes knows all of Neff’s schemes as he heard much of the audio recording. Despite this, we feel as if there’s very little animosity felt between the men. This isn’t an interaction of spite and hatred, but rather regret and melancholic disappointment.
As the two men sit in the lobby, they share a smoke together, something often emblematic of a close relationship between partners during a time where anything remotely sexual was considered taboo to show in film. Despite everything Neff has done, we still can feel that Keyes cannot bring himself to hate him.
Another big reason as to why this film soars so high above its competitors is Billy Wilder’s direction. The dramatic lighting, the Dutch angles, the perfect blocking - it’s not hard to
A rarely discussed aspect of this film is the homoerotic undertones of a couple of its main characters. Neff and his boss Barton Keyes share an incredibly close bond, undeniably one beyond that of simple boss and
This is undoubtedly the most underrated of Wilder’s works as it often doesn’t get the same mainstream attention as “Some Like it Hot,” “The Seven Year Itch,” or “Sunset Boulevard,” but its memory lives on in the minds of film noir fans and movie scholars alike as an undisputed classic.
Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez / THE GATEPOST
Colleen Previte’s display on FSU’s response to WWII, as told by The Gatepost.
‘Double Indemnity’
David Abe / THE GATEPOST
By Liv Dunleavy Staff Writer
It has been nine years since the world found out what goes on inside our heads, and I don’t think any of us were prepared for the slap in the face from reality that was “Inside Out 2.”
At 13 we all reminisced our youth with Joy and Sadness, finding solace in the fact we all do in fact have emotions. Now we get to relive the trauma of our teen years with the addition of Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, Ennui (also known as boredom), and a brief (and much too early) introduction to Nostalgia.
Again the story is focused on our girl Riley, now 13 and riddled with puberty, dealing with, or well in this case, being controlled by our lovely friend Anxiety. Similar to the original, the core emotions get kicked out of headquarters just in time for everything to become really messy.
It feels like a slap in the face honestly, with the movie’s introduction of the “belief system” or what memories in Riley’s life have shaped her
‘The
ARTS & FEATURES
into the core of her being. We all have one, and from the start, Riley
ining her plans, she suppresses Riley’s core emotions to the locked up
seems to have it “under con trol.”
But do we ever have anything under control when we’re anxious?
To keep Joy and the crew from ru-
her hockey fu ture at stake and the news her friends will be separated from her in the coming school year.
Yeah, how could this go wrong!?
It seems being a teenager running on completely unregulated emotions is not the most healthy way to live. It shows that we all weren’t alone though.
Staying up late, thinking of all the worst case scenarios we could muster, feeding into our own horrible imaginations that kept us up at night and ruined our sleep schedule, at least this way the movie validates our teenage angst.
It all blows up eventually though, we all know that.
Anxiety stews, it boils and builds. You push it down and you shove it away. It grows and grows until you simply cannot contain the strength of its clutching claws on your heart and your lungs - this movie does exactly that until the moment the dam breaks and you are sitting there crying while unlocking a part of you that you thought you’d grown out of.
There is a lot to learn from this movie. Anxiety is a serious emotion, and also a valid emotion that everyone feels. This movie takes its time. It builds on Anxiety’s character, it shows the progression of her complexity and the slow building of an inevitable attack.
Anxiety is not something that just goes away, nor is it something that defines you. But anxiety may be a part of you, and that’s OK.
You are good enough and you are a good person.
Take a deep breath, find something to ground yourself. You’ve come so far.
CONNECT WITH LIV DUNLEAVY odunleavy@student.framingham.edu
Ghostkeeper’ makes a bland exterior lovely
By Kate Norrish Staff Writer
On the surface, it seems like this graphic novel is an interesting concept delivered in a preachy way, and while that is true, said concept is delivered in such a unique and heartwarming way, that I couldn’t help but fall in love with it. In a community where the ghosts of the dead are treated like vermin and exterminated by specialists, Dorian, using his ability to see ghosts, advertises himself as a more humane option. Instead of using force, he acts as a therapist for the dead - helping them with their problems so they can move onto the next world.
Admittedly, the themes of this story are on the nose. Even though it’s a children’s story, I feel there should have been more under the surface for audiences to talk about. However, that does not mean that unique ideas were not utilized.
The strong emotions that the ghosts experience manifest as their forms decaying, and plants growing out of their bodies. When Dorian helps them, their appearance grows more human-like, and the plants are shown flowing into his body - an interesting way to portray putting others’ needs in front of one’s own.
While I’ve seen a similar artstyle in a wide variety of graphic novels and webcomics, the visual format is fully utilized. The im agery of decay has a mystical, glowing feel that adds an intriguing aes thetic, and a sub tle sketchy quality appears in the art in the more intense moments.
The characters, how ever, are the real heart of the story. Dorian is sim ple, but extremely likable, acting as an emotional detective figure. The ghosts he helps, such as his grandmother, with whom he has a com plicated relationship, and a young girl coping with being dead while her father is alive and grieving, feel hu man, more so than the living charac ters, in fact.
There is also a way of portraying such themes as depression in a way that the target audience of preteens may have never seen before, for ex-
ample, Dorian literally taking the ghosts’ struggles leading to anxiety,
casual readers would pick up on them. The way the characters are portrayed is nice. There are many scenes
where we get to know the characters by simply watching how they behave in domestic spaces, such as Dorian baking scones with his boyfriend, or caring for the ghost of a cat. I find this trope to be less common in this type of story than I’d like it to be, and considering it is a staple amongst many of my favorite authors, it was nice to see it here. They also included a recipe for scones in the back of the book, which is always fun to see.
Overall, “The Ghostkeeper” is a standard comfort read that is well worth its many flaws.
Fabrizi /THE GATEPOST
Liv Dunleavy / THE GATEPOST
‘Delicious in Dungeon’ - definitely delightful
By Raena Hunter Doty Arts & Features Editor
For fans of anime, “Delicious in Dungeon” was one of the big events of the first half of 2024. The Netflix original, usually referred to by the Japanese name “Dungeon Meshi” among fans, tells the story of a rather unconventional party of travelers in a Medieval-esque fantasy world.
The story follows a group of characters exploring deep into a dungeon to save one of their friends from death by dragon after they get separated - and because of the time-sensitive nature of their task, they decide to forgo buying food and instead scavenge and hunt within the dungeon.
Essentially, they eat monsters. If this sounds gross to you, you aren’t alone.
Given the emphasis on food, it’s no wonder worldbuilding is such a standout aspect of this anime. Most stories aren’t written for people who want to know about the socioeconomic landscape of medieval fantasy environments and how these conditions ultimately spring from the natural environment - so if that’s your thing, you’re definitely in for a treat with “Delicious in Dungeon.”
But it goes further than that. The story never feels like it’s dwelling on the worldbuilding unnecessarily, because the spectacular characters are so deeply linked to the environments
from which they came and in which they live.
The diverse range of characters allows viewers to explore the worldbuilding in full. Most prominently, there’s a diversity in how they feel about eating monsters - from Senshi, who does it as an act of respect for the dungeon, to Laios, who’s incredibly curious about a world that he’s not been part of, to Marcille, whose some what conservative view of monsters lead her to complain about basi cally any development in the party’s diet.
The diversity exists on sev eral axes, as well.
The char acters are all different Tolkien-esque species - human, elf, half-foot, and dwarf, among othersand they all have different skills, from trap disarming to sword fighting to, of course, cooking.
ticated worldbuilding of the socioeconomic and geographic landscapes would create a world with wildly different cultures that may not always live in harmony with one another.
But just because the worldbuilding has serious elements, don’t think this anime is only for those who can stomach dark worldbuilding. At its core, “Delicious in Dungeon” is a story about a party of characters who could come straight from a “Dungeons & Dragons”
or someone’s kitch-
The story is funny.
Scratch that - the story is hilarious. Though it certainly has depth and at times becomes downright disturbing, the tone is balanced and reflects the events of the story well.
find someone to root for.
Aside from the story and worldbuilding, the art style is also incredible and perfectly complements the tone of the anime, and the voice actors - both the original Japanese actors and the English dub actors - deliver their performances with humor and emotional weight, when appropriate.
The designs are brilliant, the character backstories are perfectly balanced between serious and ridiculous (I’m thinking specifically of Chilchuck when I say that), and the food will make your mouth water - at least as long as you don’t get the ick from the idea of eating basilisks or giant frogs.
Fans of “Dungeons & Dragons,” food buffs, worldbuilding lovers, and basically anyone who likes a good story will love “Delicious in Dungeon.” If you fall into any of those categories, I can’t recommend this anime enough.
One axis of the anime’s diversity that I particularly like is that the existence of different species doesn’t replace racial diversity. “Delicious in Dungeon” confronts how its sophis-
And as flawed as the characters are, they’re loveable, as well. Whenever someone makes a mistake, it feels deeply rooted in who they are and where they came from, and though you may not like everyone, it’s easy to
Rating: A+
Chef’s kiss
Charlotte Fabrizi / THE GATEPOST
Puzzles
ACROSS
1. Bunny’s jump
4. Place to exchange vows
9. Millipede parts
13. Actress Mendes
14. Italian cheese city
15. Long (for)
16. *Turkey’s body in a kid’s art project, maybe ( eme hint: What can precede both words in each starred clue’s answer?)
18. Blacksmith’s block
19. “Or ___!”
20. Poet Edgar Allan
21. Played a role
22. Includes on an email
24. Maki or nigiri
26. “Star Trek” o cer with an earpiece
29. *Concern in a crowded stadium
33. Discussion group
34. Fairy-___ ending
35. Dan Levy, to Eugene Levy
36. Motorcycle attachment
38. Rorschach image
41. Squeeze (out)
42. Small sweater?
44. Name hidden in “dire need”
45. *What might go clockwise in board games
48. More sensible
49. Sign a er Pisces
50. “See what I ___ there?”
51. “Speed” music genre
53. Darjeeling, e.g.
55. Blows away
59. Treat that may be glazed
60. *Home o ce, for some
62. ___ the Giant (legendary wrestler)
63. Basic font
64. ___/her
65. Foundation
66. Oracles
67. Nespresso machine insert
DOWN
1. (Giggle)
2. 0 shape
3. Vessels for frying bacon
4. Dish before an entree, for short
5. Participates in an outdoor fantasy game, brie y
6. reesome
7. Memory loss
8. Chinese zodiac animal
9. Dal legume
10. Roof overhang
11. Live o the ___
12. “Weekend Update” show, for short
15. Luxurious boat
17. Edict
21. Colorless
23. AP math subject
25. More like some novelty Christmas sweaters
26. Unexpected win
27. Short Japanese poem
28. Down ___ (in Australia, say)
29. Walked con dently
30. Bits of land in the ocean
31. Nary a soul
32. Go in
37. Month whose birthstone is diamond
39. Fuzzy fruit
40. Type of gown
43. Bring back to its original condition
46. e outdoors
47. Give a speech
50. Senegal’s capital
51. “___ Lisa Smile” (2003 rom-com)
52. Concludes
54. Spookysounding Great Lake
56. Yellow jacket, e.g.
57. Canyon sound e ect
58. Black bit in a watermelon
59. Pat gently
60. Used to be
61. Text before “thx”
Puzzle solutions are now exclusively online.
Scan To Stream
Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST
(Back left) WDJM President Kyle Walker and Vice President Alexis Schlesinger presenting the new WDJM website during the WDJM Launch Party Oct. 2.
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
(Left) Iz Shields and Marlee Griffen performing during the WDJM Launch Party Oct. 2.
Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST
(Left) Sean McCormack and WDJM Treasurer Michael Trueswell performing during the WDJM Launch Party Oct. 2.
Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST Marian Awvah performing during the WDJM Launch Party Oct. 2.
[Editors Note: Alexis Schlesinger is the Photos & Design Editor and Michael Trueswell is a Staff Writer for The Gatepost.]