Dancing through the end of the semester
Women’s ice hockey lacks storage space
By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor
By Izabela Gage Editorial Staff
The Framingham State women’s ice hockey team has been without storage facilities at Loring Arena for their inaugural season, athletic officials say.
Athletic Director Thomas Kelley said the reason a storage room has not been provided is due to staffing shortages at Loring Arena.
“There’s a couple moving parts in this conversation. One is that there’s all new management at Loring right now,” Kelley said.
Loring Arena, located on Fountain Street in Framingham, is the home ice for both the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams. The rink is managed by the City of Framingham’s department of Parks & Recreation.
The men’s hockey team has its own storage room within Loring Arena. The women’s team, on the other hand, does not have any storage space at Loring Arena.
Unlike the men’s hockey team, the women’s team must travel to the Maple Street facility every morning before practice, which must then be unlocked by the head coach, Robert Lavin.
After the players pick up their equipment, they must then drive to Loring Arena and bring their equipment in-
El nuevo periódico
By Ryan O’Connell Associate Editor
Under bright fluorescent lights in the Henry Whittemore Library’s lower mezzanine, the six classmates are all able to fit around one table.
On Nov. 26, with only two weeks left in the semester, they are all hard at work. They lean over each other, looking at each other’s laptops, pointing out mistakes and aesthetic changes to make. None of them knew exactly what would be in store for them when they began the course 13 weeks ago.
Their professor stands beside them, orbiting the table. “Should we move this?” she asks, pointing to an element of their page layout, built in Microsoft Word, before another one of them calls her over to the other side.
It’s 8:30 in the morning on a Tuesday, but everyone is wide awake.
For most business students, building a theoretical business is enough for a final project. Without the trouble of actually creating one, they can still demonstrate all they’ve learned about the organizational, operational, and marketing requirements of a business.
side before getting ready to practice.
The Maple Street facility is roughly an 8-minute walk off campus and a 5-minute drive from Loring Arena.
Prior to the conclusion of the fall athletic season, players on the team were responsible for storing their equipment individually in their residence halls and vehicles, according to Lavin.
Students who were unable to store their equipment in their vehicles had to carry their equipment from campus to their vehicles in the Union Lot, which is about a 15-minute walk from campus.
But the students taking Business Communications in Spanish (SPAN 225) have spent the semester building - and learning to market - something more than theoretical - a 12-page issue of a Spanish-language newspaper they’ve all contributed to.
Its name - “La FRAMilia.”
Marlee Griffin, a senior liberal studies major with a concentration in communication arts and English and Spanish minor, said she wrote an article on a new exhibit at the Danforth Art Museum for the newspaper.
LIAM PAYNE pg. 10 TRUMP’S AMERICA pg.
Adrien Gobin /
(Left) Emma DePina, Ria Padayachee, Zophie Greenwald, Avery Slavin, and Kenzy El Sayed performing during Dance Team’s dress rehearsal Dec. 4.
E ditorial Board
Editor-in-Chief
Sophia Harris
Associate Editors
Maddison Behringer
Ryan O’Connell
Copy Editor
Emma Lyons
Interim Asst. Copy Editor
Allie Mosher
News Editor
Dylan Pichnarcik
Asst. News Editors
Kaitlin Carman
Adam Harrison
Interim Asst. News Editors
Bella Grimaldi
Opinions Editor
Izayah Morgan
Sports Editor
Sophia Oppedisano
Interim Sports Editor
Izabela Gage
Asst. Sports Editors
Riley Crowell
Interim Asst. Sports Editors
Taylor Kimmell
Kyra Tolley
Arts & Features Editors
Raena Hunter Doty
Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez
Interim Arts & Features Editor
Owen Glancy
Asst. Arts & Features Editors
Bella Omar
Interim Asst. Arts & Features
Editors
Sarah Daponde
Liv Dunleavy
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
Paul Harrington
Christy Howland
Dan Lima
Anna Loughlin
Antonio Machado
Erina Operach
Anthony Pintado
Alexandria Rose
Emma Schor
Anthony Sims
Michael Trueswell
Celia Williams
Staff Photographers
Meg Dame
Oné Green
Staff Illustrators
Ronnie Chiu-Lin
Charlotte Fabrizi
Marcus Falcão
Advisor
Desmond McCarthy
Asst. Advisor
Elizabeth Banks
Gatepost Interview Alex McMahon
Administrative manager, Center for Student Experience and Career Development
By Bella Grimaldi Interim Asst. News Editor
What is your academic and professional background?
I studied fashion design, and I think just the way life presents itself, I ended up working in many different fields that were not in the fashion field. I think one of the main influential past employments that I’ve had was in the mortgage field. I really liked that experience, and I feel like it helped prepare me for a job like this. I worked at doctor’s offices and a mortgage company as a loan processor, then office manager, and then loan officer. Then from that job, I went and I worked at a nonprofit, because I was working as a loan officer, providing all these loans, and I realized that there was a really big need in the Latin community. I’m from Columbia, so I went to a nonprofit where I was volunteering, and they were looking to hire an office admin counselor. I applied, and I got the job, and I went from working at the mortgage company to providing home buyer education. I did that for a while, and our program turned into home buyer education to closure prevention, and it was quite the experience. I studied, but outside of the U.S. I studied in Colombia. It’s called Taller 5 in Bogota, Colombia. Once I graduated university in Columbia, I realized that I wanted to come back to the U.S. I’m an immigrant. I came to the U.S. when I was 7 and I studied most of elementary and high school in the U.S. Then I went to Columbia, and then I graduated, and I realized that I needed to go back to the U.S. and the jobs at the doctor offices were the first jobs that I could get.
What brought you to Framingham State?
My family and I moved from out-ofstate to Massachusetts about a year ago. I first started working here as a temp, and I ended up in this wonderful office with this wonderful team. I really enjoy the group of people that I work with. The students seem to be very happy here and the environment is welcoming. And I love the diversity. So when they were looking to fill the position that I’m in right now, I was able to apply for it and I was able to get the job. So here I am.
What are some of your hobbies?
I have two kids and a husband, so we play a lot of board games in the summer. Right now, I’m trying to do as much as I can with my kids, because I think they’re going to get to that age where they don’t want to hang out with me, and I suddenly realized that, “Oh, I’ve got to spend time with them.” I like to paint. I like abstract. I like watercolors. [They] are just fantastic. I also paint with acrylics. I have a journal, a bullet journal. I don’t have that much time to paint because it’s a little time-consuming taking out all my paints, and what I do is I just draw.
What is something students wouldn’t expect about you?
I think most people don’t expect that I’m Colombian and English is my second language.
And I can be very silly at heart.
What do you like best about your role?
The interaction with everybodywith students, with coworkers. I really enjoy the people aspect of it. I also like the office support that I can provide the staff that I work with. Maybe I’m a people pleaser and it’s not a bad thing. If I can help and brighten somebody’s day and help whatever it is that they’re trying to do [go] more fluidly, then I’m
Police Logs
Monday, Dec. 2 7:47
Parking Enforcement, O’Connor Hall Citation Issued
Tuesday, Dec. 3 10:51 Alarm, Trouble Signal Hemenway Hall Referral Filed
happy and they’re happy.
What is one unique aspect of career services?
One unique aspect of this office, I think, is the willingness everybody has here to assist students and alumni in helping them find what they’re looking for. Whether it’s creating a resume or mock interviews, I feel like that open door is really valuable. … Here, I feel like it’s just an environment where you’re just supporting and providing information, where everybody at the end has a positive result.
What advice would you offer students at Framingham State?
Besides study, take advantage that your brain is still soft and can memorize so much. Take advantage of everything that the University offers. I love that they have this program [career services], that there are all the events that occur on RamLink that the clubs have and the trips that they organize. I think that there’s just so much for the students here to interact with other people, friends, cultures, clubs, and I think that’s really valuable in life.
CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu
Tuesday, Dec. 3 9:40 K9 Veterinarian, Slade Veterinary hospital Assignment Completed
Wednesday, Dec. 4 1:38
Parking Enforcement McCarthy Center Lot Assignment Complete
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
By Anna Loughlin Staff Writer
The parking committee has reassigned parking lot assignments for resident and commuter students this year, according to Deputy Chief Martin Laughlin and Chief of Police Joseph Cecchi.
The fee to park on campus for both commuters and residents has been lowered as well.
According to Laughlin, this year, Maynard and Union lots are designated for resident students. The Maple and Salem End lots are assigned to commuter students.
“We’re trying to give [Maynard lot] to the classes above - second, third, and fourth years,” said Cecchi.
A number of upperclassmen resident students seem to be happy with the convenience of Maynard lot being closer to residential buildings. However, some students are finding it difficult to actually find spots in which to park.
Michelle Andrade, a sophomore early education major, said she resides on campus and parks in Maynard. “I like that Maynard is close but I can never find parking, and I’m sure most people feel the same way because they really
Vehicles in the Maynard Road Lot.
Maynard lot as a resident. “I am concerned with the way they manage the parking lots and who they are assigning them to.
“It doesn’t seem like they’re taking a parking spot count and comparing it to the number of students who have a parking pass to make sure there’s enough spots for everyone.”
According to both Laughlin and
“We always recommend a student just get your parking permit and please just park in your assigned lot. If people need help signing up for their parking permit, they can always come down or make a phone call [to the University Police office],” said Laughlin.
There are 10 to 13 members on the Parking Committee, including Laugh-
“We’re trying to look at how we can make parking better for residents and commuters.”
- Martin Laughlin
Framingham State Police Department Deputy Chief
don’t regulate it.
“As someone who comes home from work late, after the RamTram leaves, I never can catch it, so I can’t park in Union when Maynard is full,” she added.
Minely Cardoso, a senior criminology major who lives on campus, also parks in Maynard. She said, “I think it’s more affordable [the permit price], but it’s still a small parking lot. It doesn’t fit all the students who have a car on campus.”
Jacob Mcintosh, a senior communication arts major, said he parks in
Framingham State University lowers parking permit prices Weather
Sunday night Dec. 8
Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday Dec. 9
Rain likely, mainly after 3 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Cecchi, the members of the Parking Committee have acknowledged that some students are not parking in their assigned lots, resulting in a lack of available spots.
Laughlin said, “We’re actively out there. We’re trying to educate students. We want to start with that first, in regards to where you should park.
“But a lot of people don’t listen, and we do enforce traffic. We try to start with warnings as an educational piece. We know that the finances can be difficult on students,” said Laughlin.
Monday night Dec. 9
Rain likely, mainly before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Dec. 10
A chance of rain before 10 a.m. then a chance of rain after 10 noon. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
lin and Cecchi.
“What’s good about the Parking Committee is you get a diverse perspective. It’s not just the police department making that decision. You get people at all different levels, and it’s good to have different perspectives on what we might think is good,” said Laughlin.
According to Cecchi, the vote for parking decisions “has to be more or less unanimous. It’s unfortunate because Framingham State has a lack of parking. It’s a challenge, and that’s
how the staff feels about it, too,” he said.
“We’re trying to look at how we can make parking better for residents and commuters, “ Laughlin said in reference to the change in parking assignments.
“We do get complaints within the University and we try to use our discretion and do what’s right for the students. … We bring these issues up in the Parking Committee meeting to try to figure out somewhat of a solid game plan,” Laughlin added.
Along with new parking assignments, prices for parking passes have been lowered to $200 per year for residents and $100 per year for commuters.
Last year’s prices for permits were $500 per year for residents and $200 per year for commuters.
This change was implemented over the summer, according to Laughlin.
“The good thing is, it got the students to get the pass. This is a big change from last year, where the prices were so high, but now we have a lot of students who actually got the passes,” said Laughlin.
Jeslie Da Veiga, a senior early education major, said she resides on campus. “Previously, I never paid for a parking pass, but I had to this year due to my tickets.
“The price drop is definitely very beneficial for anybody who paid $500 before and is now paying only $200. That’s a big difference in price,” she said.
CONNECT WITH ANNA LOUGHLIN aloughlin@student.framingham.edu
Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov
Tuesday night Dec, 10
Rain, mainly after 8 p.m.
Low around 40. South wind 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Wednesday Dec. 11
Rain. High near 55. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Wednesday night Dec. 11
Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Thursday Dec. 12
A chance of rain. Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Emma Lyons / THE GATEPOST
Storage space
Continued from Page 1
After the fall athletic season ended, players were given access to the Maple Street Athletic facility to store their equipment.
Members of the team were given clearance to park their vehicles in the Maple Athletic Lot for the rest of their season, according to Athletics Deputy Director Carey Eggen.
“Facilities graciously made some changes in one of the rooms to give them plenty of hanging storage to air out and store their equipment,” Eggen said.
Kelley said, “We explored a lot of different solutions - that was the best.”
Freshman Kalina Cochran, a member of the women’s ice hockey team, said having space to dry out their gear is an improvement over storing equipment in their vehicles. “However, it’s kind of embarrassing that we use the visiting team’s locker room.
“We were told that we couldn’t leave anything on the benches [in the Maple Street facility] one day because a visiting team had to use the space. At a college program, that’s kind of unacceptable.”
Cochran added, “Having our stuff at Maple is better than when we were keeping it in our cars at Union, but really not ideal. Because we are almost all freshmen, we have to park there. Often, we would have to leave for practice before the RamTram was running, which meant walking the mile to the Union Lot in the dark at 5:45 in the morning.”
During home games and practices, the women’s ice hockey team is “assigned a locker room at the rink to change, shower, and meet.” However, they are not allowed to store any equipment at the arena outside of
also our coach, who has to drive there every morning before 6:30 a.m. to unlock it for us.”
Junior Emma O’Regan, also a member of the women’s ice hockey team, said, “It’s hard because it just adds another stop before and after games and practice.”
Freshman Lily Wilson, another member of the women’s ice hockey team, said, “It is a bit of an inconvenience - especially for the coaches because they have to come unlock it every time.”
Kelley said, “I haven’t heard any complaints. We’re dealing with Facilities and keeping that building heated all winter. On the road trips, they leave right from there, and players are parking down there. We’re trying to make it as seamless as possible. Hopefully,
FSU men’s hockey program in 2018 are all being used by the men’s ice hockey team, according to Dale Hamel, former executive vice president of administration, finance, and technology.
Cochran said, “Not having a dedicated storage space or locker room at Loring is both inconvenient and unfair, considering that the men’s team has a storage room there.”
Freshman Finley Hogan, a member of the women’s ice hockey team, said, “The lack of team storage is definitely an annoyance because we then have to move our bags every day.”
Athletic Director Kelley said a storage room or locker room was not budgeted during planning for establishing a women’s ice hockey program. “We’re talking to different people and seeing what it’s going to take to make it a
“We were told that we couldn’t leave anything on the benches [in the Maple Street facility] one day because a visiting team had to use the space. At a college program, that’s kind of unacceptable.”
- Kalina Cochran Freshman
their ice time, said Eggen.
Due to security concerns, the Maple Street facilities are locked when students or staff are not using them. Because of this, Lavin has to unlock the storage room for the team to obtain or return their equipment and uniforms before and after every game and practice.
Eggen said, “I don’t believe there are any Title IX violations” because there are no rules regarding providing changing facilities at arenas for male and female athletes.
Freshman Petra Cernicek, a member of the women’s ice hockey team, said, “Having to pick up our stuff from the field house does become a little inconvenient - not only for us players, but
by [next season], we’ll have this thing squared away.”
Joe Frappier, Loring Arena manager, said, “We currently do not really have any extra or unused storage space in the arena.”
According to fsurams.com, Loring Arena underwent a $6 million renovation that was completed in the fall of 2018. The project added a “dedicated locker room and storage space for the FSU ice hockey program.”
According to Frappier, FSU does not pay annually for the men’s ice hockey team to store equipment at the arena. However, FSU gave the City of Framingham $250,000 to complete the 2018 upgrade to the arena.
The storage rooms renovated for the
suitable, better situation.”
He added there are many variables in figuring out a storage situation for the women’s team, including “seeing what the school can do and what the city can do for us.”
Freshman Brigid Milligan, a member of the women’s ice hockey team, said, “It’s a bit frustrating that it wasn’t dealt with sooner.”
Wilson said, “Realistically, we are a first-year team and these things just take time and need to be worked out.
“This season is a bit of a rush because this stuff takes planning, but it’s better to start thinking of ideas now rather than waiting,” she added.
Deputy Director Eggen said, “We will work with the Director of the Park
& Rec department as well as the Rink Manager. This will also involve the FSU VP for Finance, Technology, and Administration/CFO and the FSU VP for Student Affairs & Dean of Students.”
The 2018 Loring Arena renovation project addressed issues regarding health and safety, accessibility, and energy efficiency, according to the City of Framingham website.
However, the website also provides a statement regarding inadequacies pertaining to gender separation issues. “When the arena was originally constructed, the predominant use for team sports was male hockey. The arena was designed with common hallways to access locker rooms, gang showers, and restroom facilities.
“The extent of these original design deficiencies became apparent with the advent of women’s hockey at all levels. The current configuration of these spaces can often result in one gender having no access to appropriate shower/restroom facilities. Additionally, this configuration leaves the City exposed to potential liability issues. Completion of design development will provide the appropriately designed locker rooms, shower facilities, and restrooms to meet the community’s needs now and into the foreseeable future.”
Cernicek said, “Our coach is trying to find a better solution closer to or even at Loring Arena but we have not heard anything about it.”
Freshman Lila Chamoun, a member of the women’s ice hockey team, said, “We make it work with what we have and are grateful that we at least have somewhere to keep our stuff.”
Hogan said, “A lot of things can happen in a year, so I would say anything is a possibility, but it’s already better than it was at the beginning of the year.”
Kelley said, “We’re just happy to have a women’s ice hockey team. It was long time coming but finally we’re there - baby steps.”
CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu
Courtesy of the City of Framingham
FSU reaccreditated for 10 years
By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief
President Nancy Niemi said Framingham State’s accreditation for the next 10 years was approved through the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
NECHE decides the effectiveness of an institution as a whole using nine standards for accreditation, according to the NECHE accreditation handbook.
The standards are “aspirational expectations” that must be at least “minimally” met, according to the accreditation handbook.
These standards include missions and purposes; planning and evaluation; organization and governance; academic programs; students; teaching, learning, and scholarship; institutional resources; educational effectiveness; and integrity, transparency, and public disclosure, according to the NECHE website.
These standards outline that a university has a “clearly defined purpose that is appropriate to a higher-learning institution, has assembled and organized those resources to achieve its purpose, is achieving its purpose, and has the ability to achieve its purpose,” according to the handbook.
The accreditation initiative for Framingham State was led by Mark Nicholas, former assistant vice president for assessment, accreditation, and strategic planning, and co-chaired by Alexander Hartwiger, professor of English.
Niemi said at an All-University Meeting on Nov. 19 that one of the steps NECHE asked FSU to undertake is to submit a two-year and five-year update.
These updates will evaluate the effectiveness of FSU’s strategic plans, enrollment, and finances; evaluate academic programs, including international and distance education; improve the data management system; demonstrate that FSU is providing appropriate support services to ensure the success of its increasingly diverse student population; and submit an interim (fifth-year) report in 2029.
At the meeting, Niemi said, “The next time we will have this meeting will be in 2034, which feels like it’s light years away, but they want to hear from us between now and then.”
She added the Board of Higher Education approved the strategic plan for the next five years “unanimously, which was wonderful,” on Oct. 22.
The immediate strategic priorities for AY 2024-25 are to adapt and adopt programs to meet the evolving needs of students; create a strategic framework to coordinate, track, and assess DEl initiatives across campus; implement services and pedagogical practices to improve student enrollment, retention, and persistence; diversify, fortify, and invest in strategic priorities for the future; and intentionally grow university-community relationships.
She said the University will be looking at a holistic approach to both the strategic plan and NECHE priorities because most of the goals overlap.
In an interview with The Gatepost, Niemi said it feels “wonderful” to have completed the accreditation process, but “the work never stops” and she intends to continue the meaningful work
of the University.
She said the committee highlighted exactly what she expected. The standards “are part of our strategic plan, and they’re not surprising. It’s exactly what I would hope they would have asked us to pay attention to.”
According to the letter that NECHE sent to Framingham State, the University must submit a progress report by August 15, 2026, for consideration in Fall 2026, that gives emphasis on the institution’s success in the following areas:
1. Systematizing multi-year planning with evidence of achieving the enrollment and financial goals of its 2023-2027 Strategic Enrollment Plan and of implementing its 2024-2029 Strategic Plan.
2. Evaluating the University’s academic program portfolio, including its international and distance education offerings, to ensure it serves the institution’s mission and student
cellence.’ This is noteworthy, as is the good news that FSU realized an 11% enrollment increase in Fall 2024.”
To achieve these goals, NECHE highlighted some solutions FSU plans to implement that were put forward by the accreditation committee.
According to the letter, FSU plans to implement initiatives that include “reallocating faculty lines and hiring additional full-time faculty to support high-demand programs, enhancing student recruitment and branding efforts, and increasing retention and persistence rates.”
The letter also states that NECHE supports the initiatives underway that include “restructuring the Office of Assessment.”
The letter stated that FSU “would benefit from conducting an assessment of its international graduate programs and from tracking student success data for courses and grams offered cation and NECHE said ceiving an update on
The letter also stated the University must submit an interim (fifth-year) report by January 15, 2029, for consideration in Spring 2029.
ate support services to ensure the success of its increasingly diverse stu dent population as evidence that it ‘addresses its own goals for the achievement of diversity, equity, and inclusion among its students and provides a safe
“There were so many people involved in the process and it was amazing to see all facets of the University come together to perform this essential review.”
- Alexander Hartwiger
Co-Chair of the Accreditation Committee
The letter also commended Niemi, “who has ‘implemented numerous initiatives and organizational changes’ that align with the University’s mission and meet its ‘promise to support student success, elevate local community engagement, and support academic ex-
planning and evaluation’ and that FSU ‘systematically collects and uses data necessary to support its planning efforts and to enhance institutional effectiveness.’”
Niemi said accreditation is now being paid attention to at the federal level in a way that it hasn’t before. She added, “It could be used as a weapon, and we are aware of that.”
She said it is worrisome to think of accrediting bodies being threatened because accreditation is the underlying operating foundation of universities.
Niemi said going forward, this is something that “we need to watch carefully.”
Hartwiger, who co-chaired the accreditation initiative, said he is proud of the report that the University produced.
“There were so many people involved in the process and it was amazing to see all facets of the University come together to perform this essential review,” he said.
Hartwiger said he is “pleased to see that the report is being used as a reference for ongoing and future decisions about the institution.”
He said the report speaks to FSU’s “commitment to make data-driven decisions. Ultimately, I think this process has helped propel us into a new 10year cycle.”
When an institution is non-accredited, there is no way to verify the quality of a student’s education or the validity of their degree.
Freshman Amanda Roach said she plans to use her degree to help children and “teach future generations.”
Freshman Kate Bradzinski said her degree means that she is “educated and I can get a good qualifying job in the sports industry.”
Sophomore Charles Karp said his degree “ensures employment” and being able to “do what I want to do.”
Freshman Matthew Pailing said his degree gives him a “gateway to higher learning.” He said it would help him get a job in the career he wants, which is physical therapy.
Junior Abrianna Ouellette said her degree means “having a successful future, getting a good job and reaching my goals.”
Student Trustee Jeremy McDonald said, “Framingham State’s faculty and staff are dedicated to the success of each and every student. Under the leadership of President Niemi, Framingham State has continued to be a leader in the MetroWest Community and beyond.”
McDonald added that FSU “provides exceptional value and educational excellence, and I’m proud that NECHE recognized our program for its excellence! I’m incredibly proud to be a member of Framingham State’s Board of Trustees.”
[ Editor’s Note: News Editor Dylan Pichnarcik and Interim Asst. News Editor Bella Grimaldi contributed to this article. ]
environment that fosters the intellectual and personal development of its students.’”
The letter stated the NECHE team would like to see FSU’s continued progress in ensuring that “‘[i]nstitutional research is sufficient to support
Ben Hurney / THE GATEPOST
Ice rink coming to the Warren Conference Center
By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor
By Bella Grimaldi Interim Asst. News Editor
Framingham State University will partner with the town of Ashland to construct an ice rink and barn at the Warren Conference Center.
The project will cost FSU and Ashland $3.65 million, according to Robert Totino, vice president of finance, technology, and administration.
Totino announced the project at a meeting of the Board of Trustees Nov. 13. A motion to approve the project was passed unanimously.
The Warren Conference Center is located in Ashland and was acquired by the Massachusetts State College Building Authority on behalf of FSU in 2015.
Totino said the construction of the ice rink began on Nov. 18 and will continue into December.
The rink is expected to open for a soft launch later this month pending proper weather conditions.“It’s roughly six inches of ice, and it has to be a certain temperature to hold the ice for a period of time. So there’s a lot of conditions that go into this next few weeks for this temporary construction,” Totino said.
Accessing the rink will be free to members of the FSU community, including faculty, staff and students, according to Totino.
Free transportation to and from the Warren Center will be offered through the Student Transportation Center, ac-
cording to Director Kim Galvani.
“STC will provide transportation services to the Warren Center by implementing a dedicated shuttle service. This shuttle will run on a set schedule to ensure reliable and convenient transportation for the community. More details about the exact schedule and logistics will be provided once the plan is finalized,” Galvani said.
Galvani said providing free transportation should encourage students to visit the Warren Conference Center.
“It offers added convenience and removes any barriers related to transportation costs, making it more accessible for students to engage with the center.”
While the ice rink is expected to be operational by mid-December, the barn built on the property is expected to be completed between the fall of 2025 and winter of 2026.
A barn on the Warren Center property was razed a few years ago. Totino said the site of the barn “was given back to the town of Ashland.”
Totino said the barn will also serve as a recreational facility with room for ice-skate rentals available to students as well as restrooms.
Totino said he expects the barn to be used as a venue for meetings and community events.
Funding for the barn and rink through FSU will come from excess funds given to the Warren Center for improvements as well as funds given to FSU from the state legislature’s fiscal year 2024 budget, according to Totino.
Totino said FSU was given a $1.5 million general appropriations allotment for fiscal year 2025 “which is go-
ing to pay for a majority of the cost of the temporary ice rental location for this winter, and then the barn facility that we’re contributing toward.”
Totino added, “The town of Ashland’s Board of Selectmen have approved $1.5 million toward the barn project as well.”
Kim Sternick, Warren Center general manager, said she is excited about the project. “It is a unique recreational offering available to FSU, our Warren Center guests, and the local community.”
She added, “I do believe it will attract a different audience to the Warren Conference Center. I anticipate that families and students will take advantage of the facility and the rink, which is located next to our new café, Henry’s Place.”
Freshman Ava Sillings said skating with her friends sounds fun.
Freshman Xander Forward said, “I think it’s important that FSU students have access to extracurricular activities off campus. He said he would “love to learn to ice skate a bit better.”
Freshman Finley Hogan said she thinks having an ice skating rink at the Warren Center is “pretty cool.”
Hogan said she is unsure if she would use the rink. “I love to skate but also, I am on the hockey team, so it would be cool for more relaxed skating.”
She added she would use the free transportation provided by the Student Transportation Center.
Sophomore Dawanee Phanthavong did not know FSU owned the Warren Center, but said the ice rink sounded like a great opportunity off campus.
She added, “I do plan on going. I’ve been talking to my friends about wanting to go ice skating and hopefully, I get to make that dream come true.”
Phanthavong said she would also use free transportation services.
Freshman Savannah Goba said she believes members of the FSU community would take advantage of the ice rink.
Goba, who is currently injured, said once she has healed, she will use the ice rink.
“My best friend plays hockey. I bet she would love to take me,” she said.
CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu
CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu
Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST
FSU hosts second annual Stuff a Cruiser event for Toys for Tots
By Kaitlin Carman Asst. News Editor
FSUPD hosted their second annual Stuff a Cruiser event on the McCarthy Center patio Dec. 4 and 5 to collect new and unwrapped toys for the 2024 Toys for Tots campaign.
Students, faculty, staff, and community members enjoyed hot chocolate, coffee, cookies, and candy from Dining Services, and were greeted by FSUPD Chief Joseph Cecchi and K9 Ramsey, who were dressed up as Blue Santa and his furry elf.
FSUPD Sgt. Harpreet Singh said, “We had a great, successful event last year. That’s the first time we had a stuffed cruiser event with Blue Santa.”
Chief Cecchi “dresses up as a blue Santa. He was doing that prior to coming to FSU at Quinsigamond Community College. … He wanted to keep that tradition and bring it to FSU,” Singh said.
Last year, they collected over 400 toys, which nearly doubled the number of toys the University collected in 2022, according to Singh.
He added, “Our four bins were filled. We had one of the interview rooms all full of toys. So, we had a lot - close to 500 [toys]. But this year, our goal is bigger.”
The University is a registered Toys for Tots drop-off location, meaning anyone can come and donate toys at one of the four donation sites on campus.
The donation bins are located at FSUPD, the Whittemore Library, the Dean of Students Office, and the Veteran Services Center.
The Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program began in 1947 in Los Angeles, and became a national program in 1948, according to their website.
The Toys for Tots MA website describes the program as a “national effort administered locally,” meaning that “the community in which toys will be distributed is the same community in which they were collected.”
“My goal is to always do bigger and better every year” - not only for the Toys for Tots event, but all fundraising and donation events for the University,” said Singh.
After collecting the donated toys, Singh said FSUPD will take them to the collection site in Boston as part of the 2024 Cruiser Convoy.
He added that any gifts that will not fit in the cruiser will be picked up by representatives from Toys for Tots.
“I personally bring our donations to Boston because of the convoy. I wanted to represent Framingham State University, also the police department itself and collaborate with other police PDs as well. It’s a great feeling,” said Singh.
Singh said in addition to FSU,
dinated by Millie Gonzalez, the dean of the library.
“The library is a community place, so we’re happy to put any boxes out there to accept either toys or foods and things like that. Whatever we can do for the community, we will do it,” said Gonzalez.
Singh said the collaboration with Whittemore Library, FSUPD, Veteran Services, Dining Services, the Dean of Students Office, and the universities participating in the Cruiser Convoy is an amazing opportunity to make deeper connections not only within the FSU community, but multiple communities across the commonwealth.
“We just want to make every kid’s holiday special, and just have the community come together and make a big
get toys from us - from the school - is actually really great.”
Sophomore Emily Johnson said, “I think all the little kids should have food and toys for the holidays and just throughout the year.
“So, the toy drive is really important for low-income families and kids in poverty so that they have the same experiences as everyone else,” added Johnson.
Senior Carlos Febres-Cordero said, “I think it’s a way to bring people together for a really good cause. … Any time kids are involved in doing good things for kids, I think it’s a net positive, not just for the Framingham State community, but the Boston area as a whole.”
Framingham resident TJ Langmeyer
“Our four bins were filled. We had one of the interview rooms all full of toys. So, we had a lot - close to 500 [toys]. But this year, our goal is bigger.”
- Harpreet Singh
Framingham State Police Department Sergeant
“The success of the program relies on volunteer support and community involvement,” the website said.
The University is also accepting anonymous nominations from within the FSU community to give the toys to individuals who need support during the holiday season.
Singh said it is a great way to get other members of the community involved in such a charitable and meaningful event.
Northeastern University, Babson College, Bunker Hill Community College, Boston University, Harvard University, UMass Boston, Lasell University, Salem State University, and Bentley University are participating in the convoy.
On Dec. 13, the convoy will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Bunker Hill Community College and end at the Toys for Tots collection center located at The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
Before FSUPD took over the Toys for Tots collection efforts, it was coor-
impact. That’s huge for us, but it’s all about working as a team,” he added.
Singh attributed the success of the University’s Toys for Tots campaign in part to the generosity of students.
“I’m pretty impressed with our students when it comes to making such an impact - they always come out and help out,” said Singh.
Senior Esther Ngaippe said, “I love this initiative because we know that not everybody has access to the funds [for presents]. So the fact that they can
said he was excited to be able to contribute to the University’s toy collection efforts this year.
“It makes me happy knowing I will have helped make a kid’s Christmas brighter. I’ll do anything to help out in the community,” Langmeyer added.
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
University Police officers posing with FSU employees and a student at their Toys for Tots event Dec. 4.
OP/ED
THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL
Take care of yourself this holiday season
As the end of the semester is fast approaching, many of us will be headed home for the holidays.
Despite the certain comforts home can bring, this holiday season might be more burdensome than others for students in light of recent national conversations and struggles with setting boundaries with family and friends outside of the University setting.
We at The Gatepost recognize how conflicting going home for the holidays may be.
College represents a time of transition from adolescence to adulthood when students become independent and can recognize what they need to be happy and healthy away from home.
This is often the first time students are given full independence, which means doing their own laundry, washing their own dishes, and going to bed whenever they would like.
Not to mention, managing an entire courseload and maybe even an on campus job by themselves.
It is also a time when they can spend as much time with their friends on campus as they want and not have to pay mind to curfews.
It’s an amazing time in life, which can make the transition back home even more challenging for some.
When students arrive home after being away for so long, they might experience some dissonance in their identity, parental guilt, or general uneasiness.
At school, they are able to build their own identities outside of the direction of a parent, guardian, or other figures from home. Arriving home might set certain expectations back on their shoulders of who they were before they entered the academic sphere.
The Gatepost Editorial Board understands how challenging this may be, so we have compiled some tips for establishing boundaries, taking care of yourself, and getting settled back at home as you are starting to pack your bags for the semester.
One of the perils of any transition is stepping out of an established routine. Going
home might change what time you usually go to sleep or wake up in the morning, so it is important to develop a new routine in order to stay grounded. Developing new habits might take a while, so don’t be too hard on yourself, but it is proven that a routine can positively impact mental and physical health.
One of the positives of stepping away from school is your friends are only a text or call away. Make plans for your return and stay in touch with the people you have chosen to spend time with at school.
Get in touch with high school friends you haven’t seen in a while. Reconnect over a cup of coffee at your hometown spot.
It can be easy to hibernate in your childhood bedroom and avoid family gatherings or even quality time with siblings or parents. Remember your family has missed you, too, and set aside time with them that does not infringe on the time you feel you need to take for yourself.
Speak up if you feel a boundary has been crossed. At large holiday gatherings, family and friends might say something that can trigger or upset you. Practice calmly asking that person to not use language like that with you or gently ask them why they said it. If family members bring up topics you are uncomfortable with, practice mindful tactics of calling them out or stepping away from the situation.
Understand that your parents are people, too - they have gotten used to you not being around the house and your newfound independence is an adjustment for them, too. Cut them some slack and again, set aside time for them.
The Gatepost Editorial Board encourages you to make the most of your time at home for the holidays.
Use this time to assert yourself as who you are both in school and at home.
FSU isn’t going anywhere! See you in January!
Country music is Black music
By Izayah Morgan Opinions Editor
Recently at the Country Music Association (CMA) awards, breakout sensation Shaboozey was up for a number of awards, which included New Artist of the Year and for Single of the Year with his song “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”
Tied with the Lil Nas X song “Old Town Road” they have both been on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks now. This marks a moment for the genre as the two biggest songs in country music have been created by two Black men.
In addition, one of the biggest albums in 2024 “COWBOY CARTER” by Beyoncé sold 407,000 copies in the first week, according to Billboard.
To have been recognized at the CMA awards would have been amazing recognition to the waves Black people have been making in the genre. Despite this, Shaboozey ended up receiving no awards for his work. Shaboozey’s album in 2024 debuted in the top five albums in the Billboard Top 100 and had one of the biggest songs of the current decade.
I first asked the question: why?
Why, despite obviously having the credentials and the long line of hard work since 2014, was he still denied access to the awards he deserved?
It brought me back to the moment where Beyoncé did not win any CMA awards even though she had multiple Grammy nominations for the same album.
It brought me back to the moment where, despite having
the biggest country song of the decade, Lil Nas X was disregarded as a country artist until he brought on legend Billy Ray Cryus on the remix of the song.
It did not surprise me that Beyoncé or Shaboozey, despite dominating their respective years, saw no recognition in terms of awards from the CMA. I think part of myself is angry, but much of myself has grown apathetic to what’s happening to Black artists that enter the country music space.
I never really listened to country music as a kid for various reasons.
One, it was never really thought of to be the “mainstream” or “cool” genre to listen to. In addition to that, the many hate comments I saw under Black country artist music made me throw the genre away all together.
If the dominant mainstream country couldn’t accept us, who would?
Throughout the years starting with Beyoncé’s recent expansion into country I saw myself getting more into the genre. Seeing people who looked like me opened my eyes to a genre that I enjoy now from time to time.
More importantly it opened my eyes to some of the history left by people before me. According to PBS Learning Media in a video about the history of the banjo and the fiddle both are key instruments in the creation of country music. The fiddle came from immigrants and the banjo came from Africa.
Africa, despite recent (often racist) stereotypes, is where life started.
Despite the toxic culture that can form around Black country artists, I wouldn’t have known about this portion of history without them.
Without Black people we wouldn’t have this genre. Shaboozey and Beyoncé may not have won CMAs, but they have the hearts and support of every American who loves their music.
Black people will continue to step into spaces that may not want them. Because without us we wouldn’t have America.
A tribute to Liam Payne: finding peace in the pain
By Alexandria Rose Staff Writer
The tragic passing of Liam Payne was announced on the evening of Oct. 16. Though the true nature of his death is still to be determined and the investigation is ongoing, society has been quick to make assumptions.
According to TMZ, Liam fell from his hotel balcony to his death while high on drugs.
Roger Nores, a friend of Liam, said his passing was due to the neglect of the hotel staff, and their refusal to have a doctor treat him while on drugs, again according to TMZ. Nores also said that Liam was attempting to flee the hotel room when he fell to his death, after being carried to his room by hotel staffers.
There have currently been three arrests in connection with his death. Personal images are being released almost daily. Thus far, images have been released of his body, his loved ones crying at his funeral, the casket, and other personal moments. These images will permanently be on the internet, something they will never get to escape.
Updates continue to be released by authorities, amidst numerous false accusations and claims made against him following his tragic death. He is no longer here to defend himself or reveal the truth about what happened on the day of his passing.
Those who saw him earlier in the day have debunked some of the false accusations being made. He was seen with supporters outside hours before his death, who denied his aggressive behavior.
Among the most recent have been images of Liam being carried with only his face blurred. News reports on the outrage claim that blurring his face was enough. The hotel staff has been claiming that their cameras have been broken when authorities confirmed that the footage was erased.
They have been attempting to cover up for their staff’s negligence that led to his untimely passing. It could have been prevented, and the assumptions made cannot be undone. His name will forever be linked to those misconceptions.
The assumptions that he had relapsed from his addiction, succumbing to his suicidal ideation, and the hateful declarations since his passing have subsequently tainted his legacy. These online posts are permanent and harmful to Liam’s loved ones, and also send the damaging message that addiction and mental health are one’s identity and the change and work they do after getting sober is irrelevant.
During an interview he had done in June 2021, The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett he opened up about his past, and his personal journey with the struggles of mental health and addiction.
Liam was first subjected to the spotlight at the young age of 14 when he auditioned for the X-Factor. Losing the competition was life-altering and never the same for him again.
He stated that people would scream out heinous proclamations. An instance that has stuck with him, at the time almost 13 years later, was when
he was sitting at a restaurant about to take a bite of his burger when someone yelled, “X-Factor reject!” when he was only 15 years old.
The whole place turned to look at him and he stated that it felt like they were saying, “Oh, you think you are special but you are still here.”
He later auditioned again at 16 and was a part of the infamous band that had been created, One Direction. He considered them his brothers, and they remained a huge part of his life until his final days despite the falling outs they had over the years.
Liam originally wasn’t going to audition the second time. Choosing not to audition could have led his life down a drastically different path.
Being exposed to the industry is what created his addiction and ongoing factors were fueling it behind the scenes that led to the decline of his mental health, according to Liam.
In the interview, he speaks out about his experience being in the band and how isolating it was. He felt trapped due to their management locking them in their hotel rooms with only a mini fridge stocked with alcohol. He also stated he felt that there was nothing left for him and that it was the only way to get the frustration out.
Before discussing his schedule, he did not want to come across as if he was complaining. He acknowledged how fortunate he was during that time and truly is grateful for it.
He spoke about his schedule while being in the band. “Car, hotel room, stage, sing, locked.” They didn’t have the freedom that everyone believed. From society’s perspective, it appeared that they had the perfect life.
This fueled his addiction and resulted in his mental health declining. At the time he had done the interview, he said he was one-month sober.
“Lonely hotel rooms, man,” his dad told him. It’s heartbreaking to listen back to him saying that as new details emerge.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, his struggles were becoming more prevalent. It resembled the isolation he had felt in the past, he said.
He said he reached out for help and didn’t always receive it. Having a strong support system is vital in recovery. He also went through prolonged periods of suffering in silence.
He said he didn’t feel like the best version of himself and was putting in the work and effort to heal old wounds so as not to hurt others further. He was trying to find healthier ways of coping so he didn’t relapse and fall back into his previous toxic and unhealthy patterns.
After releasing his single “Strip That Down,” Liam stated he was going to retire from the industry after “surviving once.” He said he returned because the music was “speaking to him and it felt right.”
He spoke about how addiction impacts those close to you and how instrumental it is to recovery to have a support system. He was very open about how hard it is to hide, suffer alone, and isolate. He said he isn’t telling anyone what to do but this is what he did and what worked for him.
When asked to reflect on if there was ever a pivotal moment that was his
lowest, he stated he had a few of them. “I was worried how far my rock bottom was going to be. Where is rock bottom for me? And I’m very good at hiding it. No one would have ever seen it. I don’t even know if I have hit it yet. I could either make that choice now and pick my last moment as my rock bottom or I could make a new one and make a whole new low. That’s my choice.”
When asked about the link between money and happiness, he stated, “There isn’t one. It’s a myth.” Money and success will not buy you hap-
expense. He was always trying to raise awareness.
Liam always took the time for those who supported him. Those who have met him have spoken of only having positive experiences - I can confirm this after meeting him years ago.
In many ways, Liam was set up for failure and the industry failed him. A petition has been created in Liam’s honor by his supporters who witnessed everything first-hand, titled Liam’s Law. It is meant to protect the well-being of young stars entering the
piness, it will only buy you comfort. It won’t heal the inner deep-rooted wounds or make you feel better.
He stated that he would often push through his lunch breaks and his basic survival instincts. He also added that he didn’t know what made him happy anymore. “I have found a couple of things that I think I am interested in but the thing is once you start making money on these scales, it only becomes the drive that interests you if it is going to push you forward.”
Drawing was one of the biggest things that helped him. He judged it internally, feeling it was childlike and questioning why he should bother, but eventually acknowledged that it came full circle.
He said the best thing he did was wake up at 4 a.m. to go for a run and stop to watch the sunrise. It helped him stay grounded, be present, and be grateful for another day. It wasn’t spiritual for him. He felt grateful for another day to be alive and he was the only one in the park to witness it.
Liam felt at peace. He said it was some of the best times of his life. He said he needed to stop or it was going to kill him, even if it meant others hating him for it.
Throughout his career and up until his final days, he gave back to those less fortunate than he was. He publicly spoke on his social media about the hardships families were facing for medical procedures that would be free in his country, in England. He mentioned how he finished off every donation he came across.
Liam dedicated his life to spreading kindness, wanting to help others, and to make everyone smile and happy. It didn’t matter if it came at his own
industry.
Thousands of supporters have gotten tattoos in his honor and shared “signs” they believe are messages from Liam, assuring them that he is finally at peace, with the most common being his famous four arrows tattoo in the sky.
Liam was not his addiction or his struggles, in life or death. Please keep in mind that even though he is no longer here, his loved ones are. He may not be able to see what you say, but they can.
His soul will eternally live on in the millions of lives he changed for the better. That is his legacy. One heart, one dream, one direction. Rest in Peace, Liam 1993-2024
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or addiction, there is help and there are resources. You are not alone and you deserve to be here. You are seen. You are valued. You are important.
Drug Abuse and Addiction Hotline: 844-289-0879
Suicide and Crisis Prevention Hotline: 988
Petition for Liam’s Law to protect the mental health of individuals in the entertainment industry:
Trump’s America
By Emily Monaco Editorial Staff
If you’re reading this, it’s been a month since the election. Before Donald Trump was elected for his second term as president, his campaign embraced anti-women, xenophobic, and hate-based rhetoric. After he was declared the winner of the presidential election, online hate speech has skyrocketed. You can see it each time you open Instagram, Facebook, or X.
Nick Fuentes, a famed far-right antisemitic, white supremacist has coined the term “your body, my choice.” This quote comes from the video he posted after the election, laughing about how women will always lose. He said, “Your body, my choice forever.” This term has taken off online and has been used to mock women’s rights to autonomy.
Following Trump’s victory, people like Nick Fuentes believe that they are completely untouchable.
After the outrage online, Fuentes’ address was leaked to the internet. When he was confronted by a woman, Marla Rose, who approached his front door, he sprayed her with a liquid similar to pepper spray or mace, pushed her down the front steps, and stole her phone. The altercation was recorded by Rose and the video was posted on X, but the original post came from her Facebook which has since been deleted.
This is what many Americans knew would happen if Trump won the election. Someone who spews hate speech and brags about sexually assaulting women having the highest-ranking position in the country would enable
similar behavior.
Hate speech not only increased toward women. Anonymous text messages have been sent to African American students at different colleges and universities across the country.
According to NPR, the FBI has made a recent statement regarding these text messages, which have now spread
of X he has opened the doors to hate speech and misinformation. People have been fleeing to other platforms such as Bluesky.
Now he has been promised a special position made just for him in Donald Trump’s government. Billionaires have no place in government, especially Elon Musk.
to high-school students. The messages included statements about being “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation.” The messages have spread to Hispanic and LGBTQ+ students as well, with messages about being “selected for deportation” or “report to a re-education camp.”
Since Elon Musk took ownership
Elon Musk’s daughter, Vivian Wilson, has spoken out about how her father berated her for being queer as a child. In an interview with NBC, she stated he claimed that she was “dead” and that she had tricked him into letting her get gender-affirming care at 16.
How is it that we live in a country
STC - students, take consideration
By Alexis Schlesinger Editorial Staff
I started working at the student transportation center (STC) here at Framingham State University in March 2024.
My job is fairly simple. I either have to drive the bus and be friendly, or answer the phone and be friendly. Sometimes I have a little bit of paperwork.
I love my job. Most of the time.
I would say this job qualifies as customer service, and during my time here I’ve noticed there is a considerable lack of “something” from many of my classmates who use our services.
It’s unclear if it’s a lack of respect, manners, or just general social awareness. Whatever it may be, it’s extremely frustrating.
Myself and my coworkers consistently get calls demanding rides. No “please” or “thank you.” If a bus doesn’t come within 3-5 minutes people get angry. People call with questions that can be answered by signs and schedules plastered all over our bus stops, and are quick to hang up.
Students need to remember that we student workers are students, then workers.
This doesn’t just go for the STC. This goes for how you treat the IT workers, the SDAs, and your RAs. This goes for admissions workers giving tours and the students who work in the CIE. This goes for the students who tutor you at CASA, your peer leaders, and all the
students who run FSU’s social media accounts.
There are countless students around you who work jobs to keep this campus running. You likely interact with multiple student workers every day, whether it is at their place of work or
[location] to [location]?”
We get way too many calls saying things like:
“When are you sending the next bus to [location]?”
We’ve even gotten a few calls simply saying:
just in passing.
Your attitude towards student workers matters.
Being kind will not only make their life easier and more pleasant, but will likely result in you getting what you need more efficiently.
It only takes a couple extra seconds to make your request more palatable. I can’t speak for other services on campus, but if you’re requesting a ride from the STC, it’s pretty simple.
“Hi, can I please have a ride from
where a convicted felon and rapist can hold the highest position in government? What does this teach our children and future generations? What does this teach people about who we are as Americans?
We need to confront that hate exists - it hasn’t been eradicated. We have been progressing as a society, but people like Donald Trump are bringing us back. It is not enough to condemn hate speech. We need to be honest, hold each other accountable, and learn from it.
A magnifying glass has been held up in this country, and we are forced to look at all of the ugly bits and pieces that make up America - a country whose history is deeply rooted in racism and sexism. Trump has brought these pieces to the surface of our world since the election by blaming women, immigrants, and queer people for all of our problems.
Hate isn’t born, it is taught.
Why should we be surprised that the spread of hate has been spiking since the election? Education in this country has been on the downfall, and now Republicans want to dismantle the Department of Education.
Lack of educational resources and media literacy has led us to the point where people like Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, and other extremists get to take positions of power that dictate how individuals get to live.
Teaching about the systems on which this country was founded is essential for progress against oppressive and regressive policies. Most importantly it equips us for the fight against hate.
“Union.”
Followed by the student immediately hanging up.
It helps if before calling or going in person to speak with student-run campus services to try to take the time to look for other resources - either written or online - to answer your question. Oftentimes, answers are readily available.
While student workers are typically happy to answer your questions - as it is part of our job - it can be frustrat-
ing to receive the same questions every single day, especially since there are many students who aren’t polite about it. It’s almost the end of the semester and the STC still receives daily calls asking about information we have posted at every bus stop, on our Instagram, the FSU website, and above our desk in the McCarthy Center.
As student workers, our services are readily available, but it is impossible to provide instant gratification. There are so many other students on this campus who need these services just the same as yourself. Please remember to have patience when requesting services from student workers.
Heavily requested services like IT and the STC are not at your beck and call. If it takes more than a few minutes for your request to be met, our student workers are likely helping other people.
Student workers are also your classmates. Other 18-to-22 year old students, most are likely working these jobs to get themselves through college. I can’t say we’re perfect. Some of us have bad days, or work 6-8 hour shifts, and may not be as friendly as we should be. Try to be considerate if you have a poor experience with a student worker. One interaction does not represent the person or their job as a whole. Take the extra five seconds to be kind to student workers. Think about how much longer things would take without them.
Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST
Courtesy of Alexis Schlesinger
Campus Conversations
By Alexandria Rose, Staff Writer
“What are your plans for Winter Break?”
“My plan for winter break is to go see the Nosferatu movie when it comes out and hang out with my friends.”
- Ezra Berson, sophomore
“My plan for winter break is to hang out with my friends, decorate the tree, and open Christmas gifts.”
- Antonynette Gayle-Dowell,
“My plan for winter break is to work on Christmas gifts and spend a lot of time with family.”
- Krystalee Fernandez, senior
“My plans for winter break are to work and hang out with my hometown friends.”
- Isabella Macdonald, freshman
“My plan for winter break is to go down to Florida and see family for the entire month.”
- Lucas Kilppel, freshman
“My plans for winter break are to spend time with my family and friends from home.”
- Kate Brodzinski, freshman
Liv, Laugh...: Liv’s Winter Break!
SPORTS
Women’s basketball emerges victorious in close battle
By Izabela Gage Interim Sports Editor
Women’s basketball clipped the Lasell University Lasers 63-59 in a nail-biter home opener Nov. 22. This win brings their overall record to 3-2.
The Rams placed second in the MASCAC preseason poll Oct. 31, right behind the Bridgewater State University Bears. Framingham beat Bridgewater 74-62 in the 2023-24 MASCAC Tournament Championship Game.
Captain Katie Haselton, a senior, said, “The MASCAC preseason poll, in my eyes, is just fuel to continue to go 100% every day in proving them wrong. I don’t pay attention to doubts and opinions that don’t help us to grow this season.”
Haselton started the action-packed game with a layup, taking the lead for the Rams 2-0.
Lasell made two 3-point jump shot attempts to gain the lead, but both shots bounced off the rim.
The game calmed down over the next minute, with defensive rebounds from both teams, until the Lasers were able to tie the score with a layup.
Freshman Jackie Schels took the rebound and ran with the ball, unfortunately missing her layup. Haselton grabbed the rebound and passed it back to Schels, who then sent it over to freshman Faith Greene, who tallied her first layup of the game.
The Rams took control of the ball after a missed jump shot, with senior Michelle Moreno dribbling it back into the Lasers’ court and junior Abigail Martin making a layup and bringing the score to 6-2.
A foul from Lasell awarded Haselton two free throws, but she only successfully converted one into a point.
Less than 10 seconds later, Lasell’s top scorer of the night, Kiara Cerruti, evened the score 7-7 with a
three-pointer.
Greene contributed another jump shot, assisted by Schels, taking back the lead 9-7.
However, the Rams faced pressure from the Lasers’ offense and they responded with a jump shot of their own, once again tying the score.
Framingham briefly regained the lead when Schels made a free throw to make it 10-9, but Lasell forced a turnover and reclaimed the lead with a jump shot from Laura Johnson.
The next 2 minutes consisted of blocks from the Rams until a foul by the Lasers resulted in Haselton earning two free throw attempts, but she only made one. This basket resulted in a tied score once again at 11-11.
With less than a minute left in the first quarter, Lasell’s Daeserae Williamson made a jump shot, taking the lead 13-11.
Haselton contributed to gaining the lead back for the Rams and made a layup with just 35 seconds left and tied the score 13-13.
Unfortunately, the Lasers responded with another jump shot, ending the first quarter in the lead 15-13.
Lasell opened up the second quarter with two layups in an attempt to run away with the lead 19-13.
Sophomore Brodie Gannon made the only three-pointer of the game for the Rams, assisted by Schels, bringing the score to 19-16.
Schels kept the momentum going, tallying another jump shot only 17 seconds later.
The Lasers responded with two of their own, expanding their lead to 2318.
Once again, Schels returned the effort with a layup but Cerruti kept Lasell’s lead with a three pointer and brought the score to 26-20.
After missed shots from both teams, Schels and Haselton combined for 8 points, clearing the 6-point deficit and taking the lead 28-26 at the end of the second quarter.
At the start of the third quarter, the Lasers gained the lead with a jump shot and a three-pointer.
Greene and Martin each tallied a layup, taking back the lead, until Lasell tallied one of their own, bringing the score to 33-32.
A foul on the Lasers earned Greene two free throws, which she easily sank.
Martin stole the ball from Lasell’s Blaize Mack and broke away to the other side of the court, tipping the ball into the basket.
Cerruti contributed a layup and a free throw to help Lasell take back the lead, 38-36, but Haselton evened it out with a layup.
Lasell’s Shirle Major earned two free throws from a foul, and the Lasers took the lead 40-38.
Only 8 seconds later, Moreno saw a clearing on the court and easily made a layup to tie the score.
Right after, Moreno made a free throw due to a foul by Lasell.
Cerruti shortly tallied a layup and a free throw of her own, taking a 1-point lead for the Lasers.
A layup and two free throws from Greene, a layup from Moreno, and two free throws from Schels wrapped up the third quarter with the Rams in the lead 52-48.
Lasell made an effort in the beginning of the fourth quarter with a jump shot, but Greene made one of her own to maintain the Rams’ 4-point lead.
The Lasers tied the score, but Schels and Haselton kept the Rams ahead with a layup and jump shot, respectively.
Johnson and Major stayed determined, both contributing to the Lasers bringing the score to 59-58.
Greene tallied her last two layups of the game, with Haselton earning 1 last point for the Rams with a free throw.
In the thrilling win, there were 12 lead changes between the teams and 12 ties.
Moreno said the team is focused on “running through plays correctly and making sure everyone is aware of their role on and off the court.”
Schels said the championship team is welcoming. “You can definitely see how they’re a championship team. I feel excited to go into such a special program.”
Haselton said, “We are a young team, but the continuous passion, grit, and fight with our group is special and will make the journey much more meaningful in the end.
“We continue to show up every day and work as a team, as one,” she added.
Haselton tallied 17 points in the win against Lasell, with eight rebounds and seven assists.
Schels earned MASCAC Rookie of the Week Nov. 18 after tallying 11 points, six rebounds and two assists in the loss to The College of New Jersey Nov. 16. She also contributed 9 points, three rebounds and two steals in the 60-42 win over Keene State University Nov. 17.
Schels said she’s happy to start off the season on a positive note, “but it’s all because of my teammates and how supportive they are. So I’m excited to keep that going.”
Schels tallied eight rebounds in the win over Lasell, and said rebounds are important in neck-and-neck games. “All the hustle plays - those are everything. But again, those are because of my teammates - everyone else is boxing out and making plays.”
Greene said rebounds effectively stop the opponents from gaining the lead and give more opportunity to the Rams. “As a team, we talk a lot about rebounding, and in a close game like Lasell, the more rebounds we get, the fewer second-chance opportunities they have.”
Greene tallied a double-double by contributing 17 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks in the close game against Lasell.
After their game against Lasell, the Rams went on the road and started off on a high note, beating the Regis College Pride 84-69.
In the Rams’ win against Regis, Greene tallied another double-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds, two
blocks, and a steal while shooting 62.5 percent from the floor.
These statistics helped her earn MASCAC Rookie of the Week back-toback Nov. 25 and Dec. 2.
Greene said, “Honestly, receiving Rookie of the Week is great, but that’s not where my motivation and excitement come from.
“I know there’s still a long way to go,” she added.
Haselton said, “Every practice and every game, we improve. But we still have so much to learn and many areas to grow.
“We use the feeling of being a championship team to fuel us to go 100% every single day to make it happen again,” she added.
Greene said one of the many things she loves about her coaches is “they reflect on everything, continue to hold us accountable, and keep telling us what we need to improve while also doing the same. This accountability is what makes our team different.”
After defeating Regis, the Rams then traveled to Rivier University and lost to the Warriors 64-49 Dec. 3.
Most recently, the Rams concluded their road trip by losing to the Connecticut College Camels 63-56 Dec. 5. Their overall record is now 4-4.
The Rams host the Emerson College Lions on their home court Dec. 7.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Jackie Schels dribbling the ball in win against Lasell Nov. 22.
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Katie Haselton shooting a free throw in win against Lasell Nov. 22.
BALLIN’ INTO A NEW SEASON
Spread and Photos by Photos & Design Editor Adrien Gobin Women’s Basketball had their home opener on Nov. 22.
Men’s ice hockey draw with Ravens in regulation, win shootout
By Sophia Oppedisano Sports Editor
The Framingham State men’s ice hockey team tallied a draw against the Franklin Pierce University Ravens in a gritty non-conference matchup at home Nov. 26.
The Ravens scored four goals late in the game to force overtime before losing an inconsequential shootout 1-0.
The NCAA requires regular-season games that are still tied after the 5-minute overtime period to end in a shootout. However, for non-conference matchups, the outcome of the shootout does not count toward the result of the game.
The Rams entered the game with only one win this season, which came against Franklin Pierce Nov. 12. Their overall record after their most recent matchup with the Ravens stood at 1-51.
The Ravens entered the game seeking their first win of the season.
Franklin Pierce won the opening face-off but quickly dropped a pass that landed on the stick of senior Johnny Baker, who ran the puck into the Rams’ offensive zone and attempted a one-timer shot on goal that ricocheted off the pads of Ravens’ goalie Jeffery Reda.
The Ravens took control of the rebound, sweeping the puck across the ice right into the glove of goalie Owen Swanbon, a sophomore, for their first shot attempt 2 minutes into the game.
Swanbon started in goal for the second time this season and saved each of the 13 shots on goal from the Ravens in the first period.
The pace of the first period was quick, with infrequent whistles. Neither team spent over 30 seconds in their offensive zones before Jerry Duckett, a junior, carried the puck across the red line and passed it into the corner for Captain Ashton Collazo, a senior.
Collazo flicked a pass to junior Jake Barcelou, who fed the puck back out to center ice for Duckett to hit a one-timer goal at the 5-minute mark of the period. This was Duckett’s first goal of the season.
Duckett said, “Scoring that first goal of the year always lifts a weight from your shoulders - it’s a huge confidence-builder.”
He added whenever a teammate scores their first goal, “the momentum is in our favor.”
Head Coach Michael Bailey said he “made a few changes” on his lines, switching things up with Duckett and sophomore Brady Rossbach “to get the lines going a bit.
“It worked with Jerry scoring against [Franklin Pierce],” he said.
The Rams were in penalty trouble throughout the match, and senior Tyler Westfall was the first to go to the box for tripping.
The Ravens only managed one shot on goal as the Rams cleared the puck on a faceoff and kept the pressure off Swanbon in the slot.
Framingham held their 1-0 advantage and a Raven was sent to the penalty box for boarding 13 minutes into the period.
The power-play special team featured junior Bobby Bernier, who was named MASCAC Player of the Week Dec. 2.
Bernier did not waste time with a man advantage as junior Sam Larkin and sophomore Scott Bugarin connected on a pass for Bugarin to feed Bernier the puck.
Bernier slid the puck between the post and Reda for a goal and the buzzer sounded. The Rams took a 2-0 lead.
To begin the second period, a Raven penalty for cross-checking put the Rams back on the advantage with just over a minute elapsed.
Assistant Captain Devante Dixon, a senior, fired the lone shot on goal but the Rams could not capitalize on the power-play opportunity.
At the conclusion of the penalty, the Rams and Ravens traded shot opportunities before trouble befell the Rams.
Larkin was called on coinciding major penalties, including illegal contact to the head and game misconduct.
He was subsequently ejected and departed the ice. Freshman Michael Kennedy served 5 minutes in the penalty box for Larkin.
Even with a golden opportunity, Franklin Pierce struggled and the Rams were able to repeatedly clear the puck before the Ravens could get a decent shot on net 4 minutes into their power play.
The Rams’ special teams played through the major penalty kill with flawless defense before turning momentum over to the offense.
Bernier was assisted by Bugarin and Kennedy. He tallied two goals and an assist to support the Rams throughout the game.
Both teams traded shot opportunities before running into penalty trouble - a Raven for boarding and Bugarin for slashing. Franklin Pierce committed another infraction for handling the puck.
All three penalties were served concurrently.
Each team committed six infractions - with the majority occurring in the third period, which became more contentious as the clock wound down.
The energy at Loring Arena became frenetic for both sides.
The referees broke up multiple scrums between whistles, and checks and hits became more frequent on both sides.
Framingham failed to capitalize on any of their power-play or penalty opportunities but the Ravens came up with another short-handed goal with 5 minutes to play, bringing the score to 4-3.
After four shots on goal, Bugarin coaxed Reda out of the crease and got the puck in the corner of the net for a goal assisted by Bernier and Baker.
The goal forced Reda to the bench and he was substituted for by goalie Riley Mastowski.
The Rams finished out the period with a 3-0 advantage over the Ravens.
After two periods of smooth sailing for the Rams, the Ravens stormed back with a vengeance.
Just under 3 minutes into the third period, Franklin Pierce was called for too many players on the ice, sending the Rams back on the power play.
On a bad bounce from the faceoff, Franklin Pierce took control of the puck and sent a stinging shot past the outstretched stick of Swanbon for a short-handed goal.
The Ravens’ small fan section lit up and did not let up as Framingham seemed to take their foot off the gas.
The goal fueled a spark of animosity between the two teams as a Raven slammed sophomore Nathan Gines into the boards.
Just over 10 minutes into the period, Swanbon misread a pass and the Ravens capitalized to knock on Framingham’s door, now down only 3-2.
The Rams rallied quickly in an attempt to steal the momentum from the Ravens as Bernier snuck one by Mastowski in the crease for a goal.
set up for a shootout - during which it would come down to Swanbon and a few of the Rams’ best skaters.
The bulk of Franklin Pierce’s chirping was directed at Swanbon throughout the game.
Leading into the shootout, Swanbon said, “I just try to have fun with it. … I have a lot of experience playing in [shootouts], and I’ve gotten to be pretty good at them, and I just try to challenge the shooter and make them make a decision and react.”
He said the keys to his success in a shootout are staying patient and getting the skater to make the first move.
“As long as I don’t react to their fake or I can get them to run out of roomI can kind of smother the puck a little bit and take up the net, and it really gives them nothing to shoot at,” Swanbon said.
The first skater for Franklin Pierce wove his way up the ice, came in wide on the left and shot straight for Swanbon’s pads.
Unwilling to relinquish their rally, Franklin Pierce skated with more fervor in the final 5 minutes and didn’t waste another moment before burying the puck to tie the game 4-4.
The tie fueled the energy of the visiting crowd, which directed pointed chirps at Swanbon and the Rams.
Bailey said there were two “hometown kids” from Holliston and Ashland playing for the Ravens - the reason for the packed fan section on the Franklin Pierce side.
With 3 minutes remaining in regulation, the Rams got three shots on goal in a hurried attempt to avoid overtime.
Rossbach tried for a last-ditch attempt with the puck loose in the crease with 10 seconds remaining but could not find the back of the net.
Senior Jeremy McDonald and a Raven were called to their respective penalty boxes with 0.7 seconds remaining after a fight that resulted in cross-checking penalties during the final faceoff of the period.
Regulation ended in a 4-4 tie and the game went into overtime.
The Ravens had one worthy opportunity on a breakaway up open ice with no one but Swanbon in their path.
The referees called the play offsides and a sigh of relief from the Rams’ fans was drowned out by the outrage of Ravens’ fans across the ice.
The Rams snagged control of the puck off the next faceoff and Bugarin got on his own breakaway, but the puck was quickly smothered by Mastowski.
Bugarin got two more shots on goal before the clock ran out and the teams
Swanbon deflected the shot up and out of play, keeping the Rams alive. Collazo was up for the Rams and came straight up center ice, making an arc to the left to fake out Mastowski, but his shot deflected off Mastowski’s shoulder.
The Ravens’ next skater came up the near side and swung wide to the right. Swanbon shut the door on a shot that was buried in his chest.
The Franklin Pierce fans were ruthless as Baker came up to the line for the Rams.
During a heated game, Swanbon said, “I just try not to think about it. I do a lot of meditation outside the rink, which helps a lot. I just try to stay in my own head and just focus on the puck and the players in the play, and try not to focus on what else is going on.”
Baker didn’t bother with a display on his shot attempt as he slowly came up center ice and shifted the puck a few times before landing his goal in the top corner of the net.
With one more chance, the last Raven shooter came at Swanbon on the near side and tried for a fake, but Swanbon was ready and put his pad in the way of the gap in the net to shut down the Ravens for good.
Bailey said, “Owen is so athleticit’s impressive to watch him as he always gives 110 percent between the pipes. He came up huge during the shootout.”
Swanbon came up with 32 saves on 36 shots throughout the game.
As the Rams put Franklin Pierce behind them, Bailey said, “We are looking to tighten up our D-zone coverage and do a better job with our power play, especially in our own zone.”
Most recently, the Rams fell to conference opponent Anna Maria College 7-2 on the road Dec. 5.
Their conference record is now 0-3.
The Rams have one more conference matchup at Fitchburg State University Dec. 7 before winter break.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST Owen Swanbon goaltending in draw against Franklin Pierce Nov. 26.
The person behind the posts
Adrien Gobin exceeds expectations for student involvement
By Riley Crowell Asst. Sports Editor
Junior Adrien Gobin is building an impressive résumé for herself. As a communication, media, and performance major with minors in marketing and sports management, she has also found time to be heavily involved in clubs and internships.
Gobin is the sports information intern for the Framingham State Athletic Department.
Her main responsibilities in the internship include making graphics for the scoreboard at Maple Street Field and creating content for the athletics social media page.
Assistant Athletic Director Larry Miller said the internship was created to help improve the athletic department’s social media presence and the quality of posts, as well as provide an opportunity for a student to get handson experience.
Gobin has posted short videos, highlights, and interviews of players to help give a spotlight to athletes’ performances and personalities.
She said these forms of content have helped improve engagement on the FSU athletics social media page - gaining interest from both student-athletes and non-student-athletes.
Another part of the internship has been assisting student-athletes with running the broadcasts for sport-
ing events. She sets up the broadcast for them, makes it go live, and leaves the rest to them - ready to help when needed.
She said, “I’m their point of reference if they have any questions on how to do it or if anything goes technically wrong.”
Gobin is also a photos & design editor for The Gatepost - a time commitment of more than 20 hours a week.
Her responsibilities include taking and editing photos of campus and sporting events, creating photo and design spreads using Adobe InDesign, and assisting other section editors and staff with photos and layout.
think that The Gatepost was the start of everything for me. It was what got me into sports in the first place.”
Gobin also mentors other staff members and teaches them how to take and edit photos as well as use InDesign.
Gobin said, “My only experience going into my internship was my Gatepost graphic design experience. … I
She said her experiences as sports information intern and photos & design editor will help her achieve her career goal of working in sports - specifically in photography, social media, and graphic design. She also recently took part in a project in a sports broadcasting class taught by Professor Paul Bouley, Class of ’06. In the project, Framingham State students produced two broadcasts of the Rams’ home football games Oct. 26 and Nov. 16. Bouley said there was widespread interest across campus for a sports broadcasting class from both students and professors.
Miller and Bouley both hope the broadcasting class and FSU athletics will continue to work together in the future.
The broadcast consisted of seven
Volleyball poised for future success
By Sophia Oppedisano Sports Editor
Collegiate women’s volleyball has begun captivating audiences across the United States over the past decade.
The implications of the rise in popularity indicate a shift in how women’s sports are supported across the country.
In 2023, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Cornhuskers hosted the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks at Memorial Stadium in Nebraska in front of a crowd of 92,003, according to the NCAA.
The match broke the attendance world record for any women’s sporting event in history.
Closer to home, the Framingham State women’s volleyball team has made its own mark in the world of collegiate women’s sports, winning five Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) titles in the past 10 years.
A championship repeat or even “three-peat” is a glory long sought by Framingham’s varsity teams. The most recent championship repeaters are the women’s basketball team and the softball team in 2024.
This 2024 season, the volleyball team was vying for a second consecutive ring after beating Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts three sets to two in front of a home crowd of 283.
The current captains of the volleyball team are juniors Stella Bailey and Carly Beaulieu.
Bailey is a crucial piece to the Rams’ puzzle as a setter. She noted her beginnings as a back-row player and libero before one of her teams needed a setter.
“I decided to step up and fill the role,” she said.
Throughout Bailey’s college career, she has tallied 2,218 assists and averaged 7.32 assists per set.
“I’ve always worked hard for everything that I do. My parents have always
roles - technical director, audio engineer, graphics operator, sideline reporter, play-by-play commentator, and two camera operators.
Bouley said the class did broadcasts for two games in order to improve the confidence and experience levels of the students. “Their confidence rose as they got their hands on equipment. The communication and feedback they had with each other was encouraging and supportive. In the end, it allowed us to have a very complete and entertaining broadcast.”
Gobin was the graphics operator for the first broadcast and a camera operator for the second. Getting multiple attempts at hands-on experience proved valuable for her. She is able to extend her knowledge to other students and hone her skills for potential future opportunities.
She said, “In the class, I learned the technical part, which is what I’m teaching the student-athletes. … That’s what I took from the class and put into my internship.”
Gobin hopes to continue working in and around athletics in her senior year. Having made such a positive impact during her time at FSU, the sky is the limit on what she’ll be able to achieve in the future.
[ Editor’s Note: Adrien Gobin is a Photos & Design Editor for The Gatepost. ]
CONNECT WITH RILEY CROWELL rcrowell@student.framingham.edu
instilled that in me, so I knew I’d find success in whatever I went after. However, setting is, some people would say, the hardest position on the court,” she said.
Bailey said the job of a setter is to lift up all of her teammates and get the job done for them. As a result, setters don’t see much of the “fame.
“I think that being a setter is the perfect role for me because it’s who I am. Setters are often captains. Setters are often the people other people will look to on the court,” she added.
Beaulieu also has a positive outlook. A maxim she shares with the team is “Practice like you play.”
Beaulieu is a libero for the team and has tallied 715 digs and 1087 service receptions. She has also amassed 132 service aces.
After the team came up short in the MASCAC Semifinals this season, Beaulieu’s philosophy matters more than ever as they fight to return to the Championship.
“We’re working already in our off-season - we’re working out, and we’re getting in the gym already,” she said.
Both Bailey and Beaulieu said that bonding and the fundamentals of volleyball are crucial to their success as a team.
“Coach says that if somebody’s down … you don’t want to leave that person out on that island. It’s important - you’re bringing each other together, and that even helps with bonding,” Beaulieu said.
Any spectator of the team will notice the small things they do to hype
The Rams embracing during a game.
each other up, including the front-line handshake or the bench’s archer pose when the Rams get a kill on the court.
“There are certain things in volleyball that are expected - like always high-five at each other. That’s just the game of volleyball - which emphasizes that the game is truly about momentum and those great feelings that come with it,” Bailey said.
The volleyball team will be back and prepared to earn another ring in the fall of 2025.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH SOPHIA OPPEDISANO soppedisano@student.framingham.edu
Courtesy of Bob Oei-Clark
Adrien Gobin setting up sideline camera for broadcasting football game Nov. 16.
Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST
season.
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
ARTS & FEATURES
Philharmonic Framingham
Metrowest Symphony Orchestra finds a home at FSU
By Raena Hunter Doty Arts & Features Editor
The lights dim and the room quiets. On the stage, dozens of musicians clad in black take a breath as they ready themselves for the performance they’ve been preparing for months. All eyes are on them, and they’re ready.
The Metrowest Symphony Orchestra (MSO) has experienced this feeling many, many times in more than 50 years of serving the metrowest community, but on Nov. 17, it was different for one important reason - it was the first performance at Framingham State University.
Bruce Karlin, president of the MSO and a violinist in the orchestra, said that one of the primary challenges the MSO has faced - especially since the COVID-19 pandemic - has been the lack of a consistent home.
“The places that we’ve been or that have been open to us before were having difficulty with our requirement of rehearsal every Tuesday night and four concerts a year,” he said.
“Among the places where we looked, Framingham State’s President Nancy Niemi was fabulous. She said, ‘Great idea. Let’s see if we can make this work.’ And in a couple broad brush strokes, she made it so enticing that we dropped our other plans,” he said. “It was her embrace that made us say, ‘Yeah, that’s where we’re going.’”
Niemi said the collaboration was a natural fit for FSU because it integrates the university further in the community and provides more access to live music on campus because FSU’s music program is limited.
“We have a wonderful music professor, Christian Gentry,” she said. “He’s a fantastic music professor, but we only have one, and a great university needs more music - just more musical opportunities.
“I see it as part of a bigger picture of a community collaboration,” she added. “It was an opportunity for us to get live orchestral music on campus. We could collaborate with a community organization that needed a home.”
Karlin said, “Not everyone can afford to go to the Boston Symphony Orchestra or to the International Artists Series on a regular basis. And yet, with a community orchestra, you can get a lot.”
He said many members of the MSO are people who would have ended up at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, had life gone a little differently.
Jane Zanichkowsky, manager of the MSO, said the orchestra plans to use its home at FSU to truly integrate itself into the community.
“The aim is to be a real collabora-
tion,” she said. Alongside inviting students to attend performances or even sit in on rehearsals, she said the orchestra has been brainstorming ways to invite students into other parts of the organization.
She suggested that students might be able to intern with the MSO to learn about a variety of different aspects of their functions - arts man-
“If you’ve got some proficiency, you will find that this is just marvelous fun,” he said.
The burgeoning collaboration hasn’t been without challenges, though. Even though the space in the Dwight Performing Arts Center fits the MSO’s needs very well, the details of the collaboration still needed sorting.
“One of the great strengths of being a regional public university is that we are part of the community.”
- Nancy Niemi President of Framingham State University
agement, accounting, and fundraising, as examples.
“We invite suggestions for ways to involve the school,” she added. “Everyone’s welcome to see what we’re doing and ask questions.”
Niemi added these sorts of collaboration are exactly what makes FSU strong.
“One of the great strengths of being a regional public university is that we are part of the community. I like to say we were born to serve the community. And unlike private universities and larger public universities which also exist to benefit the communities in which they serve, that’s our job,” she said.
“Being part of the anchor of this part of our community allows us to have these long-term meaningful interactions,” she added.
Karlin said students are encouraged to join even if they aren’t the best musicians in the world.
Zanichkowsky and Niemi both emphasized the role of Campus Events - particularly Autumn Sendzik, director, Susan Romani, administrative assistant, and Felix Mwangi, lead audiovisual technician.
Niemi said they “are the three folks in Campus Events who have really shouldered the work making those rehearsals and the first concert happen.”
Sendzik said she was enthusiastic about facilitating this collaboration, but there are always logistical issues involved with a new program like this.
“One of the biggest challenges is the fact that we are an active campus,” she said. “Anytime that you’re looking to hold an event during an active semester, trying to find space and availability for something is happening, consistently is always a challenge.”
Even so, Sendzik said it’s worth it.
“The arts really bring people together. It gives that sense of commu-
nity because everyone can enjoy the music,” she said.
And for players, art can be so much more than just a way to bring people together - it can be an entire lifestyle.
Such is the case for Constantine Finehouse, the Juilliard-trained pianist who played with the MSO on Nov. 17.
Finehouse said he’s been playing piano since he was 13 years old and he met the conductor of the MSO, Max Hobart, when he was 17 and won a contest to play with the Wellesley Symphony. No matter how much he progresses in his career, he keeps coming back to play with Hobart.
“I performed with Max when I was a nobody. I didn’t have any sort of career,” he said. “When you played with somebody when you were a kid, if they invite you to do something with them when you’re in your 40’s … of course you’re going to say yes.”
Finehouse said classical music is his way of connecting with the world and the MSO’s presence at FSU may provide the same for students.
“My own life is so tied to, obviously, playing classical music, but also listening to classical music, interacting with classical music,” he said. “I can’t envision my own life without classical music, because that’s my identity, that’s my profession, that’s my hobby, that’s my free time, that’s my everything.”
He said the MSO’s collaboration with FSU can provide students an entry into that feeling.
Finehouse said, “The way a musician feels is that if there’s a beautiful hall - as there is at your school - and if there’s a piano, that piano begs to be played, that hall begs to be filled with beautiful music.
“It just takes one musician to step up and fill it.”
Raena Hunter Doty / THE GATEPOST
The Metrowest Symphony Orchestra during their inaugural performance at Framingham State University Nov. 17.
La FRAMilia
Continued from Page 1
Griffin said she works at the Danforth, which is how she heard about the exhibit, titled “My Dear Americans, It’s Not Enough,” by Ileana Doble Hernandez.
She added as an employee she also got to speak with Hernandez about her process and creating the exhibition.
The article, Griffin said, is her review of the collection, which is available for viewing at the Danforth until January.
“It’s a really cool, really powerful show, and is definitely tackling a tough topic, gun violence in America, especially regarding children since gun violence is the leading cause of death of children in the United States,” she said.
“As a mother and an immigrant coming to the U.S., that was really shocking to her, and she wanted to confront it head on,” she added.
“It’s very inspiring, and I thought it’d be a great addition to the paper,” Griffin said.
She added it wasn’t too difficult to write, either, due to the one-on-one discussion she had with the artist and her previous experience working in the art scene.
“I worked at an art gallery this past summer so I got accustomed to writing about art for their social media, so it was kind of a little easier,” she said.
“But writing in Spanish and writing a good article that is eloquent and doesn’t use the same words the whole time, that’s hard,” she added.
Making the article read naturally and being able to connect cross-culturally was also difficult, she said, but was part of what she was learning in the Business Communications in Spanish course and important to the quality of their product.
Griffin said she’s “been deemed the networking person” in her class, as she’s done a lot of outreach in order to have other FSU students who are not in the class contribute to the publication.
She said she reached out to two people about writing articles - one of whom was her Zumba instructor - and is working with another student in order to have a comic finished in time.
Griffin added there have been some hold-ups with certain pieces, such as the comic, because all the contributors are very busy - including the students enrolled in the class - but she really hopes everything can be included in time.
“It’s really great to have people contribute even though they’re not in the class, and just talk to friends, talk to Jamie, who I’ve taken other classes with - and she wrote a cool article about the new president of Mexico, La Presidente,” she said.
She said she’s also helping with the online version of the paper, as she has some experience with web design.
Griffin said even though putting the newspaper together was difficult, she’s happy to be working on it.
“People are really excited about this. And I think it’s a really good opportunity to uplift the growing Spanish-speaking community in Framingham and celebrate how multicultural we are as an institution,” she said.
“It’s been really rewarding too, and I’m really excited about the reception,” she added.
Griffin said working on the newspaper made her appreciate print news.
“It’s really cool to have a physical copy of something to separate yourself from how everything is online these days,” she said. “Apps and headlines are made to grab your attention and keep your attention. … So it’s good to have something outside of that.”
She added brainstorming and working with her classmates has been her favorite part.
“They’re all really cool and good people, and it’s been really fun,” she said.
Mark Foley, a senior American Sign Language major and Spanish minor, said he wrote an article on three upcoming Spanish-speaking cultural events in Massachusetts.
The events include a Spanish-speaking cultural event in Worcester Dec. 13, a Puerto Rican cultural event in South Boston Dec. 14, and a recurring event series, a Spanish-speaking story hour, at the Framingham Public Library, which has two more installments in the month of December, he said.
Foley said the Worcester event is huge, and sells both individual tickets and entire tables to families. The event, he added, includes food, dancing, and live music, and is put on by a Latino advancement group in Worcester.
They’ll also be presenting the Lati -
no Of The Year award, he added.
Foley said aside from writing articles, the class does most of the work collaboratively.
“We all participate in the group editing and feedback process of the article writing, which has been pretty cool. It’s nice to see what other students have written about,” he said.
Foley said the design work is also done collaboratively, although in smaller groups.
He added, “We talked about building the client portfolio, who we were trying to appeal to, and that’s something that we break into groups and discuss in both the assignments and again, as a group.”
He said their target demographic is mostly Spanish-speaking students, but also the faculty members of FSU and the campus community at large.
Foley said he thinks the newspaper is a great way of applying the skills learned in their business class.
“The goal of any business class is having a marketable product. In this case, it’s a newspaper,” he said. The skill is market research, he added“Who are we trying to reach? What makes sense for our product?”
Foley said the class used The Gatepost as a model of a successful newspaper marketed to students. He said even with the model, for most of them it was their first time putting something like this together, which made the experience challenging.
“It’s been a good exercise in exploring these kinds of things,” he added.
Foley said the most difficult part has been the open-endedness of the project, especially when it comes to design. Since there’s no existing style guide, collaborating on a coherent design strategy has been hard.
It’s also something they feel
equipped to do from their assignments, he said.
“It’s been cool learning about this, [but] challenging, for a grand overarching project like this throughout the semester, because again we learn about the different principles of business - in Spanish - which I think is another challenge,” he said.
Foley said he most enjoyed peer editing, and found it interesting to see what his classmates and the outside contributors had written.
“We had a couple guest articles written by students outside the class, some of whom were maybe, I think, native Spanish speakers,” he said.
Foley added, “And so it’s one thing to have articles written in Spanish and then peer-reviewed and proofread, but to also get an article written in Spanish by a native Spanish speaker has been informational and just cool.
“It’s important I think to get the voice of a native Spanish speaker, as opposed to just a student learnerboth are still good - but I think you get a little more insight, or more authenticity, perhaps.”
Foley said he remembered one specific article the class reviewed that stuck out to him.
“It’s [on] an expression in Spanish, I’m blanking on the term now, but it was pretty much an analysis of the expression ‘his bark is worse than his bite.’ But in Spanish, it was more like, ‘the dog that barks doesn’t bite,’ and then it broke down that expression and what it means, and how you’d use it,” he said.
“So it was cool to learn something specifically new while also seeing that cultural element added to the paper,” he said.
See LA FRAMILIA
Ryan O’Connell / THE GATEPOST
(Left) Marlee Griffin, Inés Vañó García, and Jasmine Owusu in the Business Communications in Spanish class, Nov. 26.
La FRAMilia
Continued from Page 18
Joelie Casiano, a senior criminology major and Spanish minor, wrote an article titled “Abrir caminos,” which translates to “breaking ground,” for the newspaper.
The article is about two athletes, Casiano said - Christian Gonzalez, a football player for the New England Patriots, and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, an Olympic track athlete - and the two youth programs they have built.
Gonzalez’s program, he said, is for middle-school students, and Camacho’s is for high-school students.
The two programs, he added, help young people with Hispanic heritage to continue playing sports in the face of financial difficulty.
Casiano said it was challenging to research and write the article.
“I had to get details of the program, what they were doing, and try to get numbers on how many youths they helped,” he said.
He added, “Jasmine’s program, she gave grants to four people, so I had to find their names and then how much money they got, which was I think about $6,200 or so.
“And then I got quotes from Christian’s youth program, the parents of the youths saying ‘Thank you Christian for making this program, we’re super grateful having you play with our kids and teaching them football.’”
Casiano said he thought his Spanish writing skills really improved through writing the article, and they’ve “definitely come a long way” since he began the course.
He added now that the article is written and edited, all that’s left is to design the paper and finally put it all together.
Working with his peers, he added, has been easy.
“A lot of the classmates in the class, I’ve taken courses with them before. It was nice, you know what I mean? All the feedback they gave me, it was all friendly - it was really nice,” he said.
Casiano said business skills he learned in the course included résumé building, promotional and sales techniques, and networking, and he definitely thinks he’ll be using them in the future.
He also said he’s learned how difficult it is to produce news articles after working on the paper.
Especially when you’re publishing something, he said, “you want everything to look and be written perfectly - because people are going to read it.
“[And] make sure to read our news articles, coming in December!”
Arianna Moore, a junior fashion merchandising major and Spanish minor, wrote about a Latina fashion designer and her brand, “ESCVDO.”
Moore said the brand, which started in 2013, is gaining popularity and has already won awards at fashion weeks.
The designer, she added, is from Peru, and the brand focuses heavily on Peruvian culture and weaving,
which is very prominent in the country’s dress.
“I thought it was cool to relate fashion to Spanish culture and heritage,” she said.
Moore said she also worked on group editing, and assisted with market research for the newspaper.
“We wanted to figure out who our target market is, and it’s going to be people from FSU - and friends and family - who speak Spanish, and want to be involved in the Spanish-speaking community of Framingham and Framingham State,” she said.
“We kind of want it to be not just for students, but for everyone, pretty much,” Moore added. “But it is going to have an undertone of being for students, because it’s written by us, and we want to make it interesting for students.
“We kind of just wanted to make something new that hasn’t really been done before.”
Moore said the logistics of the semester-long plan to print a newspaper have been difficult, but still enjoyable and informational.
She added she most enjoyed writing her article due to the freedom of choice they were given.
It was fascinating to see what her peers chose to write about, and how it combined their interests and Spanish-speaking culture, she said.
Writing her article also helped her practice writing for a professional setting, and the classroom helped her practice group collaboration, she added.
Moore added the small class size also worked to their advantage.
“It definitely made it easier, because we were able to say our opinions without having to think about a bunch of people. And I think it made it easy for all of us to contribute equally - and communication was a lot easier,” she said.
Moore said she wasn’t expecting to have to do so much research on their paper’s competitors going into the class.
“We had to … figure out who our direct competitors are,” she said. “We were looking at the MetroWest Daily News, and there’s Framingham SOURCE, and I didn’t really expect to have to do a lot of research about those.
“But that was definitely helpful for us to figure out how we were going to differentiate ourselves from them,” she said.
Moore said she really enjoyed the class, and was thankful for her professor, Inés Vañó García, for the learning opportunity.
“It was really cool for our professor to put this all together, because it is her first [semester] teaching here, and I think it was a really cool way to set up the semester and actually create something,” she said.
She added, “She is possibly making it an internship to continue the newspaper, and let people keep making issues - so that’s pretty cool.”
Professor of Spanish and Linguistics Inés Vañó García, the course instructor, has worked just as hard as
her six students - and the many other outside contributors - to finish the first issue of “La FRAMilia” in time for the end of the semester.
Vañó García has only been at Framingham State for one semester, but said she is already loving it.
“I did my grad school at a public university,” she said. “And before coming here I was working at a private institution, so I was missing the public-institution feel, with all that it entails.
“So I kind of have this feeling of coming back home, even if it’s my first time here.”
She said she’s done projects at a similar scale before, but never made a newspaper with a class.
“I was lucky enough to have a really rewarding interdisciplinary experience during grad school, where I was able to complete a digital humanities certificate and rethink all my pedagogy through that certificate and my studies,” she added.
Vañó García said this led her to working with open pedagogy - the practice of helping students to create information, not just absorb it - experiential learning, and to rethink the projects students do and their purposes.
“It seems to be the tendency that [knowledge learned from these projects] stays in the classroom where only other students and classmates have access to it,” she added.
This led to the opportunity with the Business Communications in Spanish class, she said.
“Students could have created a small business, a fake business that nobody was going to know about, and this was a way to put everything that we have learned into an artifact, a newspaper that is going to have a life after the class is over,” she said.
Vañó García added, “The students are going to be able to showcase the work that they have been doing, outside the class.”
She said the hope is to have the paper printed in December, before the semester is out, although next January is also a possible date for publication. All of the writing and editing has been finished, she added, and design is the last piece being worked on.
Vañó García said her students have done a great job writing and reaching out to other students for contribution, and have received articles by students majoring or minoring in Spanish, and students just part of the FSU community.
She added one of the class’s goals was to have the paper run and designed by students, but also for it to involve the whole campus community.
“Sometimes I feel like faculty have their own thing, students have their own thing, and employees have their own thing, so [we want] to try to reach those barriers,” she said.
Vañó García said the small class size has been both beneficial and challenging for them.
Challenging, because fewer students means more individual work, she said, but all of the students were
aware of the expectations and have been willing to do the hard work.
Beneficial, because since there were fewer students, everyone was able to write about what interested them most, which made it a more pleasurable experience for the students, she added.
Vañó García said she also wrote an article for the first edition.
“I don’t know if I would say my writing - I did an interview,” she said.
“It’s my first semester here, so I’m learning about the community and learning about the institution, but the ESL [English as a Second Language] program at Framingham State looks to be really powerful,” she added.
“And I feel like sometimes they are disconnected from the undergraduate students,” Vañó García said. “So I did meet a couple of students, and I did interview them. I wanted their stories and experiences as members of the community who are Latino.”
She added the two interviewees, both from Colombia, are here studying English.
One of them, Felipe, has since decided to stay and begin his MBA at Framingham State, and the other, Isabel, has decided to study medicine here in America instead of in Colombia, Vañó García said.
Vañó García said the learning goals for the course were to create a business, in this case one in the communications field, and build a minimum viable product - basically a “pilot” of a product with only the absolutely necessary bits.
She added the class modeled the situation - in this case, the University - and how the Latino student body of Framingham State is increasing, but how this “sometimes isn’t as visible as it should be,” by the class’s perception, and how they could rectify that.
“Beside those learning goals … to create a product that fulfills the necessity for a specific group of people, critical thinking skills are obviously going to be on top of that, and problem solving,” she said.
Resourcefulness, digital skills, and, of course, language skills have also been thoroughly built, Vañó García added.
Vañó García said she feels really proud of the class’s progress.
“In 13 weeks, we have done a lot. At the beginning you question if this is going to be possible or not, and we’re at the end. We have the pieces,” she said.
She added, “There’s a lot of things that haven’t worked the way we wanted, but as a group, we came together and tried to look for solutions. … And just because of that, I’m really proud.
“I’d just like to thank the students for getting involved, getting into this crazy project.
“They were onboard since day one.”
Presidential pedagogy - Niemi’s return to the classroom
By Dylan Pichnarcik Editorial Staff
It’s Tuesday at 4:20 p.m. Most students are headed to dinner, professors are concluding lectures, and FSU’s nine-to-five staff have 40 minutes left on their shift.
For President Nancy Niemi, her day as an administrator has concluded, and she begins her transition into a member of the faculty, leaving her office suite in Dwight Hall and heading to room 104.
Her class, Social Inequity in Community Organizations (EDUC/CFST/ SOCI 324), begins at 4:30 p.m.
As her 11 students enter the small ground-floor classroom, Niemi writes daily objectives on a nearby whiteboard, and then, when her class has settled, she poses a question.
“Tell me something good that has happened to you this week?”
One by one, the students report back on events they took part in the previous week, including travel to their hometowns, 5Ks, and time spent with loved ones.
It’s practices such as this, Niemi said, that create equity and understanding in a small classroom.
According to the course catalog, the course is “an examination of the pervasive effects of social inequity as it is enacted in public organizations such as schools, community centers, and human service agencies.
“Students explore how their race, ethnicity, social class, gender, and sexual orientation, for example, impact the people with whom they work. The course also investigates the theoretical underpinnings of systemic social inequities, and how students might work to create greater equity in their workplaces and outside them. Students also examine the symbiotic relationship between inequality within public organizations and the communities that surround them.”
Niemi said the course is cross-listed in the course catalog so students can receive credit for the course in the departments of Education, Sociology, and Child and Family Studies.
Niemi said her experience teaching has “been wonderful,” and returning to the classroom is “like putting on a very comfortable role that [she] held for a long time.”
She added the course gave her insight into what it feels like to teach at Framingham State
“That was really important to me, because I’ve taught at lots of other institutions, but not here, and there are some similarities, certainly there are also some differences, and I wanted to experience that.
“It is very important that any leader of an institution also walks the same or similar paths as the educators in it, and so the presidents I admire most teach at their institutions, and so I wanted to follow suit with that,” she said.
Balancing her presidential duties as well as working to focus on her
class was a top priority, according to Niemi.
She said her time at work is mixed “between the two [roles,] but I had to figure out how I was going to carve out the time in order to do this. … I have a responsibility to my students as well as all the other responsibilities. So I do a lot of work on the weekends for the class, but I also do some here.”
Niemi said during her time in class her students taught her “something she did not expect” - what it’s like to be a student at Framingham State, and some of the barriers students face.
“What is it like to be a student at Framingham State? Given that our student population generally is half commuters, I teach in the evening, so I teach at 4:30 so I have students who have come from a job somewhere else, or an internship, and then they get to class at that point in the day.
“We have many students who have many other competing priorities, and my students are no exceptions to that. So how is it that our students juggle all of these things? How does class and learning fit into that?
promotes understanding and equity in her classroom. “Their job is to foster conversation and thought,” she said.
“So it’s a meta exercise and how one learns and how one helps others learn as well. But they all did it now. They’ve all led the class, and I think they’re very proud of themselves, and they should be,” Niemi added.
Niemi said she also enforces an “engagement policy” outlined in her syllabus, which limits the use of cell phones and technology outside of those necessary for class “contributes to a greater shared community of learning.
“If some people are distracted by their devices, not only does it take away from others’ learning but it also tacitly suggests that the person being distracted is not as invested in the immediate conversation, diminishing the dialogue and learning.”
She added, “The user of the device takes power away from the other learners by suggesting that what they want to do on their device is more important than what the other learners
“That experience has taught me a lot about what it means to be a student negotiating all those pieces of one’s life in a way that I didn’t understand before. Just different students at different universities have different perspectives and struggles and ways that they interact with their learning.”
From the faculty perspective, Niemi said she learned the basic needs of the professors such as where to find technology assistance and “what small and larger barriers” faculty face.
Niemi is also learning “What is CELTSS doing to help? What is CELTSS offering for faculty members? Those kinds of mechanics, which sound small, but they’re not, you know, all of those things, and all of those people have to work together in order to help make a class,” she said.
Niemi’s course is discussion-based, with her students leading most inclass discussions and collaborating into small groups, a practice she says
educated her on them through TikToks. On a more serious note, given the nature of the class we often come up with deep questions that make her think as well, which as she would say, is part of the goal.”
Caton said she “loved” the structure of the class.
She added, “President Niemi’s teaching style is one of the best I have seen at FSU. We are put in situations different from the norm but it has helped us grow. She has had us lead the conversation which sounds scarier than it is because she prepares you and we all have created a connection.”
Junior Jamie Davis said, “I took this class partly because I am interested in equity and how to achieve it, and partly because I saw Dr. Niemi was teaching it!”
She added, “I had met her briefly before, and she seemed super nice. I thought it was unusual that the President was teaching a course, but I was excited to try it. I figured she would be very educated on our course material, which she is.”
Davis said the course has taught her about how American society can work to achieve equity. “We’ve talked about numerous theories and how they work, as well as identities people have and how those contribute to equitable or inequitable conditions.”
She added, “Dr. Niemi has said we remind her of how much she loves teaching. Being the President, she is certainly busy doing other important things, but I think we as students helped her slow down a bit and remember why she loves working in this field. She was also open to hearing our opinions not only directly regarding our course, but regarding FSU in general. She truly wants to enhance our experience in any way she can, and it is so admirable.”
want to do, rendering them unequal.”
Senior Leticia Rita Santos said, “When initially seeing the course being offered I was interested as it was a new concept to have your professor being the president of the college. I normally do not pay too much attention to who my professor is as long as the course works in my schedule, but this was a cool prospect and piqued my enthusiasm.”
Senior Ainslee Caton said, “I took the course because I’m an education minor but also because I have always had an interest in discussing equity issues and the class drew me in since it is discussing them rather than lecturing about them.”
Caton added the class taught her about more “reliable resources regarding educating myself on topics relating to equity.”
She added she and her classmates “definitely taught [Niemi] things. In many classes, we have used memes and other current jokes, and we have
Davis said she enjoys the discussion-based structure of the course. “ I love how the bond between myself, my classmates, and Dr. Niemi has grown. I feel like they are all my friends now. We are able to have respectful and educated conversations about difficult topics. I feel like Dr. Niemi has really created a safe space in our classroom where we can discuss ideas freely.”
Niemi said she hoped her students had not chosen to take the course because she was teaching it.
She said, “I loved it the other day when one of my students said, ‘Oh yeah, I forgot you were the president.’ … We were paying attention to what we were talking about, not ‘Oh my god, the President is in the classroom,’ and I wasn’t sure how that was going to go.
“But we have formed a community now, and our focus is on learning and on each other, and so I think it was a great sign that they just forgot that that was my other role.”
Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST
(Left) Nancy Niemi and students engaging in conversation in Social Inequity in Community Organizations on Dec. 3.
‘Tampopo’
By Owen Glancy Interim Arts & Features Editor
Even by the standards of what’s typically recommended in this column, “Tampopo” is a bizarre film that was released in one of the most prosperous periods of Japanese history.
The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was one of the most horribly tragic events in world history, so it should be no surprise that the ramifications of such an event would be felt in Japan for decades. All throughout the ’50s and ’60s the Land of the Rising Sun would continue to feel the impact of nuclear devastation in all facets of their lives, but especially in film.
From national tragedy, to losing the biggest war in human history, to being occupied by U.S. forces that heavily censored all media being released at the time, the Japanese people were desperate for any form of escapism, something that film was ready to supply.
Directors like Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu, Kaneto Shindo, Kenji Mizoguchi, and Seijun Suzuki would become not just household names
Come on-a, we gotta watch ‘Moana 2’!
By Liv Dunleavy
Interim Asst. Arts & Features Editor
Moana of Motunui sailed her way back into theaters Nov. 27 with a brand new adventure - and soundtrack - that will make you scream “Chee Hoo!”
Following the story Moana left us with, the people of the island still praise her for saving the oceans and their people from Te Kā, and they now have no fear of exploring the seas, or searching for other islanders.
The island has been thriving, culture is living on through stories, agriculture is blooming, and boat technology is advancing!
These crucial advancements are all thanks to Moana’s brave new heroes, friends, and wayfinders, Moni, Keke, and Loto.
But after Moana has a tragic vision depicting the extinction of her island’s population, she’s deter-
in Japan, but award-winning international artists who would keep the spirit of Japan alive in a time where almost all forms of patriotism were nearly stifled out.
After nearly three decades of such consistently phenomenal filmmaking, the world thought they understood Japanese cinema. However, when “Tampopo” directed by Juzo Itami was released in 1985, it shocked the film world.
Coined as a “ramen western,” “Tampopo” tells the story of two truck drivers who stop at a local ramen joint and are convinced by the establish ment’s own er, the titular Tampopo, to help make her run down little restau rant into the premier spot for ramen in Tokyo.
you read that right, a real, live turtle. “Tampopo” doesn’t just embrace its stranger aspects, it’s defined by them. What starts as a fairly simple ramen-flavored master/mentor love story quickly transforms into a celebration of not just ramen and the western genre, but of food and the very act of eating itself.
Truthfully, this is not the most exciting premise for the majority of audiences. On paper, it could even be interpreted as boring, but you would be greatly mistaken.
To give just one example of the absolute insanity that goes on in this film, there is a scene where a man kills a real turtle on film, cooks it, and serves it to our main cast. Yes
mined to reconnect her island’s people with the other people connected to the ocean.
She has to find a way to get to the island of Motufetu, lost deep within the ocean, and after spiritually connecting with her ancestor, Tautai, the last wayfinder, she takes his advice to follow the path of a meteor.
Maui coincidentally is also attempting to reach Motufetu, though he’s trapped by the god Nalo, the one who sank the island in the first place, to separate the people of the ocean. Nalo has Matangi, his enforcer and a goddess, watching Maui to make sure he doesn’t escape.
I was actually excited to have new characters aboard the boat during the adventure. Moni was probably my favorite new character, as his obsession with Maui is literally hilarious. He’s a fanboy and honestly? I’m rooting for him.
I guess there is canonically “fanfiction” in “Moana” now and I don’t know if I should thank him or cry.
Keke is really just the guy they use as a comedic punching bag, and it’s silly, I’ll admit. He’s a grumpy old farmer-man, why did they even bring him? I don’t think I saw them eating even once the whole journey.
And then there’s Loto, and I really want to like her because her vibes are so cool. She is the super smart, brainy, problem solver, and I love her for that, but she’s kind of just annoy-
Such a small act is often taken for granted. How much do you really think about what you had for breakfast after you’ve eaten it?
Even if a meal was truly excellent, you rarely ever think about it for much longer than a week unless it’s brought up by someone else.
However, to the characters in this film, eating and the etiquette surrounding food in general is something to be constantly celebrated.
The film presents so many different ways to appreciate food that it’s almost mind boggling. From a group of upper-class students learning how to embrace the messier aspects of eating, to a couple whose love of food becomes inextricably intertwined
ing. Her lines are great but in every song they give her rappy-bits that just are incomprehensible and they just make her sound too “know-itall”-y.
She seems to be a character that’s meant to be just smart and not smart and interesting.
The team, when meeting Maui, have great chemistry. Maui and Moana’s dynamic was refreshing, and to have them together again was nice. It did seem a bit regurgitated but fan service is fan service.
On the topic of new characters, Moana has a baby sister! Simea is officially the cutest Disney baby - I cannot find a way to express my love for her. She’s literally a copy paste baby Moana but I don’t even care because they have the best sister dynamic in any Disney movie yet.
with their erotic escapades, the film presents the audience with so many varying perspectives on food that it’s a little overwhelming.
“Tampopo” is, like nearly every film, very much a product of its time. Its grand scale, celebration of gluttony, and overt optimism was reflective of Japan at the time, which had been going through an economic boom akin to the Roaring ’20s in America. In this way, it’s a time capsule into a time in Japanese history where they were on the top of the world, where the nuclear terrors of WWII seemed so far away.
Itami’s heartfelt masterpiece is one that may seem intimidating when looking at it from the outside. It’s an undoubtedly arthouse film that while it can be enjoyed by anyone, will be truly loved by few. It’s a film that explores a topic so broad and universal that its deeper messages and characters can occasionally get lost in the cacophony of chaos the film thrives in. However, for those who are willing to give into that chaos, they’ll find one of the most genuine and creative films ever made.
CONNECT WITH OWEN GLANCY oglancy@student.framingham.edu
I feel like a lot of us were really excited for this movie. The first “Moana” was a classic, the soundtrack literally still lives rent free in my brain. I do believe this movie lacks a lot of the first “Moana’s” pizzazz.
With no Lin-Manuel Miranda, the soundtrack is, well, lacking. It just seems not very well thought out, like they were throwing together whatever they could and tacking on references to make it palatable.
Honestly, it doesn’t do it for me. I do have to say it sounds like they definitely spent 90 percent of the time they had for music production on the main track “Beyond” because that song is super catchy and gave me the chills, twice!
I think they really just rushed most of the movie. With a lot of reused jokes, it just feels like they copied and pasted “Moana” with a different villain.
Although even after I say all of this, I genuinely enjoyed this movie, because I am a 7-year-old at heart.
Charlotte Fabrizi / THE GATEPOST
Ronnie Chiu-Lin / THE GATEPOST
FLO ‘Access All Areas’ of good music
By Antonio Machado Staff Writer
It’s been quite some time since the days when girl groups dominated the western music industry. With the disbandment of girl groups repeatedly producing breakout stars and the emphasis placed on individualism within music, it has become difficult and discouraging for groups to make it into the mainstream, but those days may be coming to an end, as according to the words of singer and actress Cynthia Erivo, FLO is our much-needed dosage of “bad b*tch replenishment.”
U.K. girl group FLO have been slowly gaining traction since their sugary debut single “Cardboard Box” became semi-viral. They’ve repeatedly showcased a sophisticated ear for the R&B genre throughout their two EPs, and now their “meticulously prepared feast for our ears” debut album, “Access All Areas,” has affirmed suspicions that they are the next big thing.
The group - composed of Jorja Douglas, Renée Downer, and Stella Quaresma - have been adamant in expressing their musical influences and how those influences have shaped their sound. “Access All Areas” is FLO “receiving the baton passed on by the likes of Destiny’s Child, the Sugab-
abes, [and] SWV” as they access all aspects of R&B, said Erivo in the record’s “Intro.”
FLO possesses a confident vision for both their career and sonics. The trio utilizes a nostalgic soundscape to find their own footing and signature sound - sharpening the smooth knife of ’90s R&B with a contemporary edge, cutting their own path to success. The group blends pop, R&B, soul, and a few elements of hip-hop into their intricately-layered harmonies, keeping the record cohesive and fresh.
FLO is assured in knowing that their voices are the stars of the show, driving every song with complex harmonies that constantly arouse the ears. The titular track, “AAA,” is a sultry invitation delivered in an impressive vocal showcase, immediately setting the tone of the album with effortless harmonies and smooth runs that melt into each other.
FLO express their self-assurance over the trap-infused “In My Bag.” Despite a guest appearance from rapper GloRilla and a brief Jersey beat change, the track is a bit weaker when juxtaposed to the raunchy, sensual ballads, “Soft” and “On & On,” where the group shines brightest - their angelic harmonies flowing together with the highest efficacy in a manner that perfectly contrasts the lyrical content.
The heel clicks of the album’s lead single, “Walk Like This,” resonate the aftermath of a sexual encounter in an amusingly pleasurable Y2K-esque radio throwback. Their harmonies resonate in the backbeat, keeping the track’s heels clicking in the most fascinating manner.
The sweet 808s of pop-R&B “Check” allow FLO to cheekily boast over all the good traits of a respective partner. A nice uptempo dance moment with a showstopping vo- cal highlight, the track perfectly demonstrates the group’s ability to incorporate as many vocal layers as possible without feeling crowded.
Weaker tracks are rather unmemorable, but never unenjoyable. “How Does It Feel?” feels unambitious, being a generic contemporary R&B track, but it never feels bad, and it makes later tracks “IWH2BMX” and “Nocturnal,” that stray from the nostalgic R&B in favor of darker, icy synths and vocals, stand out and add a much-needed edge to the record.
The deep bass of the post-breakup anthem “Shoulda Woulda Coulda” reminisces the works of Timbaland in one of the album’s best tracks. Feeling as though it were pulled directly from Destiny’s Child’s discography, the smooth orchestral strings match their voices perfectly.
FLO has a resoundingly clear sonic
profile, but thematically, the album never reveals much about the profile of FLO as people - rarely straying too far from a dejected or bitter breakup anthem or a soothing sensual melody. The moment they do, however, is an incredible grungy anthem against the industry pushback they’ve received, “I’m Just A Girl.” Although admittedly out of place sonically and thematically, the track expresses personality in an experimental and fun manner.
“Access All Areas” reignites the flame of old-school R&B with a youthful fervor that is reflective of a girl group with a bright future ahead of them. Though minorly flawed, FLO’s meticulously-prepared record is demonstrative of a group with endless talent and a clear vision for their future, and that is all that can be asked of a debut album.
Rating: B
Seems Destiny had a few more children.
CONNECT WITH ANTONIO MACHADO amachado4@student.framingham.edu
‘Red One’ - it’s time to save
By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Arts & Features Editor
There have been many amazing movies this season, with more in the coming weeks. With films like “Wicked” and “Moana 2” in theaters, it’s certainly difficult for the action-Christmas movie “Red One” to stand out.
“Red One” follows mercenary hacker Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans) and the head commander of Santa’s security force Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson). Jack sends some hacked information to an anonymous client, who uses it to break into the North Pole and kidnap Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) on Christmas Eve.
After being questioned by Zoe Harlow (Lucy Liu), the director of the Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority (M.O.R.A.), Jack admits he knows a way to find his buyer. Callum begrudgingly decides to work with Jack in order to find Santa, also known as Red One.
As a Level 4 Naughty Lister, Jack is not the nicest person around. His crimes range from arson to literally stealing candy from a baby. To top it off, he’s a father who’s never there for his son, Dylan.
Despite this, or maybe because of it, he’s one of the funniest characters here. Acting as the human thrown into the hidden fantasy side of reality, he’s naturally out of place and, at
some points, just trying to survive the chaos.
Jack is the kind of person Callum despises. As the commander of Santa’s Enforcement Logistics and Fortification (ELF), he has grown to hate the growing number of Naughty Listers. Disillusioned, he hands in his retirement notice shortly before the kidnapping.
He is pessimistic about human adults in general, unable to see the “child” in them anymore as Santa does. Whenever he’s guarding Santa in the mall the adults are always the rude and mean ones.
Together, Jack and Callum create a comedic duo. Jack’s sheer unfamiliarity with aspects of the magical world, such as the attacking snowmen or using portal doors, contrasts how commonplace it clearly is to Callum. It’s an old joke but it still works.
When Jack asks if there is a backup person who could deliver presents, Callum says that only Santa can possibly handle it all. Everything that makes it impossible for anyone else, such as basic logic, doesn’t stop Santa. This is just one of the many times where Jack asks a question the audience likely had.
The film builds a cohesive fantasy world with connections to other Christmas traditions and folklore that some people might be unfamiliar with, such as Krampus and Grýla. The
Christmas again
world building is engaging and makes the overall mystery more enticing.
But not every part of this movie is great. For a Christmas movie, there’s not much magic or wonder. Instead there’s fighting, humor, confusion, and an attempt at emotional character growth.
Jack undergoes a character arc as he realizes he needs to be a better father for his son. But there isn’t much growth shown, at least not across a substantial length of the film. It feels rushed and unfinished.
Callum’s ability to shrink during fight scenes is essentially just Ant-Man but worse. He shrinks to the size of a traditional elf, which may be small compared to how big Johnson usually is but it’s not exactly an amazing superpower.
Some important story details exist purely for the plot to move forward. Jack’s ability to always find whatever or whoever he’s looking for ever since he was a kid is never explained and is the main reason Callum bothers to work with him.
Several of the story’s twists are very predictable. From the roles of certain characters to the antagonist’s plan, the audience will likely realize what’s happening long before the characters do.
Also, casting two very famous actors as the lead roles is certainly a choice. Is it a good choice? In terms of
what viewers get, sure! They’re a funny team. In terms of where the movie budget went, maybe not.
When I saw the movie in theaters, I laughed a lot and I generally enjoyed it. But the issues definitely harm the overall experience if you notice them.
Rating: C+
“Red One” is not number one
ARTS & FEATURES
Twenty years of believing in the magic of ‘The Polar Express’
By Emma Lyons Editorial Staff
In November 2004 Warner Bros released “The Polar Express,” a movie based on the book of the same name. Twenty years later, the film has earned its place as a classic Christmas movie and is watched every December.
Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film was the first ever production to be entirely animated through motion capture. Actors would physically act out the scenes while covered in sensors which tracked all of their movements - even facial expressions. This use of motion capture gives “The Polar Ex press” a unique style to it. Its charac ters are eerily realistic while fitting into the animated sets of the film.
Though some find the animation style off-putting, I have grown fond of it as I watched this movie throughout my entire childhood and into adulthood.
train as it careens across ice and up and down mountains.
The visuals of the story stand right on the cusp of being completely realistic, while still maintaining that animated feel with fluid visuals.
“The Polar Express” depicts the story of Hero Boy who is on the brink of disbelief in Santa boarding the titular train and journeying to the North Pole to watch the first gift of Christmas be given. Along the way, he befriends Hero Girl and another boy,
and there is no way we would have gotten the same film without his dedication.
Though not commonly thought of as a musical, the songs from this film are highly memorable. The hot chocolate scene, featuring tap-dancing chefs and magically appearing tables, hints to the viewers the magic of the Polar Express. “When Christmas Comes to Town,” sung by Hero Girl and Billy, is a ballad interlude that shows the apprehension of belief in
ings, and help steer the train across a frozen lake.
Even with these derailments, the film is still infused with the Christmas spirit. The score, composed by Alan Silvestri, captures that joyful and angelic Christmas sound, without relying on classic Christmas songs and jingle bells.
The movie falls to its end when the conductor punches all of the passengers’ tickets, assigning them each one phrase to inspire them to grow after their journey. Billy, Hero Girl, and Hero Boy are given tickets reading “Rely on,” “Lead,” and “Believe,” respectively.
Both Hero Boy and Hero Girl remain unnamed for the entirety of the movie.
The movie has several scenes that feel like they’ve been taken out of a roller coaster simulation video, giving viewers the feeling that they themselves are the ones at the front of the
Puzzles
Tom Hanks carries this movie on his shoulders as he served as the motion-capture skeleton for six characters, voicing five of them. In a movie with only nine real characters, Hanks dominates the cast list of this movie,
shares, developing all three characters.
Despite the overall goal of the movie being the train’s arrival at the North Pole on Christmas Eve, it’s easy to get distracted along the way as the trip’s journey is brimming with action and intrigue as the characters search for lost tickets, clear caribou cross-
43. Royal horse’s colorful accessory?
46. Feel feverish, perhaps
47. Old-timey curse
48. Auto club o ering
51. Subscription continuations
56. Pampering place
57. Blue-green hue
58. row cash in the air ... or how to correct one word in 20-, 32- or 43-Across
63. Biceps exercise
64. Gaze intently
65. Trade show
66. Simplify
67. JFK listings
68. Vegan’s no-no
69. Vehicle that dogs may pull
70. Take a breather
71. Otherwise DOWN
1. Serve, as a drink
2. Strong impulse
3. Island near Java
4. in as a rail
5. John Deere product
6. Per person
7. Go onstage
8. Mike Hammer portrayer Keach
9. Climbable mesh in an obstacle course
10. Greeting at a luau
11. Fills completely 12. Balance sheet plus 18. Coil of yarn
21. Hide-hair connector
25. Small amounts
Brink
Diamond Head’s island
___-do-well
Bear’s retreat
Ending with chlor-
Rouge alternative in roulette
Rich soil
Solo at the Met
Website with a “Write a Review”
Every part of this movie comes together beautifully to make an unforgettable Christmas classic that deserves to be watched for the next 20 years and beyond.
If you celebrate Christmas and haven’t seen “The Polar Express” yet, grab some hot chocolate and sit down with your favorite train ride track to join the journey of the Polar Express.
40. Move like lava
CONNECT WITH EMMA LYONS elyons3@student.framingham.edu
Crammers’ concerns
Most like a yenta 49. Well-suited
50. “You don’t think I’ll do it, do you?!” 51. Track events
exclusively online.
Emma Lyons / THE GATEPOST
Adrien Gobin/THE GATEPOST
Spread by Associate Editor Maddison Behringer and Copy Editor Emma Lyons
Dance Team performing to “Untamed” by Miley Cyrus at a dress rehearsal Dec. 4.
Dance Team performing to “It’s Raining Men” by The Weather Girls at a dress rehearsal Dec. 4.
Dance Team performing to “Waves” by Dean Lewis at a dress rehearsal Dec. 4.
Dance Team performing to “Autumn Tree” by Milo Greene at a dress rehearsal Dec. 4.
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Emma Lyons / THE GATEPOST
Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST