The Gatepost volume
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84 • number 12
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Board of Trustees approved purchase of multiple properties By Mark Wadland News Editor
Framingham State University’s Board of Trustees voted to acquire several properties at their Tuesday, Dec. 1 meeting. FSU will buy a property at 860 Worcester Road for $1.5 million. FSU may not borrow more than $1.685 million. It will cost $1.2 million to buy the property and $300,000 to renovate it. The board also approved the purchase of a property at the Perini property 89 Mount Wayte Ave. - a property roughly seven acres in size -through the College Building Authority for $3.2 million. This deal will close Friday, Dec. 18. FSU and the Division of Capital Asset -See BOARD OF TRUSTEES page 5
By Alexandra Gomes Associate Editor
The FSU Dance Team hosted “Evacuate the Dance Floor” on Thursday, Dec. 10.
“Investing in Student Success” campaign to raise $12 million for FSU
The University has raised over $8 million in its first seven-year fundraising campaign, “Investing in Student Success,” according to Eric Gustafson, executive director of Development and Alumni Relations. As the campaign finishes its fourth year, the University has raised well over half of its $12 million goal, according to Gustafson.
Melina Bourdeau/The Gatepost
The campaign was launched July 1, 2012 with a goal of $10 million, said Gustafson, “but because of strong response and interest in supporting the University, we increased it to $12 million.” According to Gustafson, $4 million will go toward “current use need,” which includes student clubs and organizations, student services and athletics. Another $4 million will go toward
faculty and academic programs, which will include academic departments, faculty research and centers. Two million dollars will go toward University facilities. Gustafson said the money is not intended for “building anything new, but to augment what we have.” He said some gifts his office received under the facilities category during the campaign include the expansion of the Dining Hall and the
renovation of the Special Collections room in the Whittemore Library. One million dollars will go toward “permanently endowed funds,” which consist mostly of scholarships for students. The funds donated by alumni are invested permanently, and the interest from those investments is used to award scholarships, said Gustafson. He added not all endowments are -See ALUMNI CAMPAIGN page 6
A winter journey through “Almost, Maine”
By Maria Hornbaker Staff Writer
The Hilltop Players performed their fourth show of the semester, “Almost, Maine,” written by playwright John Cariani and directed by FSU professor Sarah Cole. The play consisted of eight unconnected scenes filled with heartbreak, unresolved love and a little bit of both. The small cast consisted of Connor Bowen, Tyler Demoura, Joseph Duda, Emma Fitzpatrick, Anthony Gabrielle, Bobby Murphy, Hannah Nielsen, Jessa Pereira, Tiffany Santiago and Mike Terra. Sitting on a bench on a moonlit winter’s night, Pete, played by Bowen, and Ginette,
played by Pereira, shared an awkward romantic exchange, one displaying her love more brightly and the other not knowing how to. He explained that, due to the Earth’s circular shape, to be “close” to someone is actually to get as far away from them as possible. Confused and hurt, Ginette left. In the next scene, Glory, played by Fitzpatrick, wandered into the yard of East, played by Duda. The two shared a conversation about a literal broken heart. After being left by her husband, Glory had to get an artificial heart to replace the one that had been broken. Her husband had died in an accident after being rejected by her new heart. Glory was in pain and East fixed her broken -See HILLTOP page 14
Inside Willie J. Laws serenades FSU 14
The Best of 2015 12
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
Bobby Murphy (left) and Anthony Gabrielle (right) perform in The Hilltop Players production of “Almost, Maine” Nov. 19-21.
Football season ends with overall 9-2 record 23
NEWS
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Editorial Board 2015-2016 Editor-in-Chief Michael B. Murphy
Associate Editors Melina Bourdeau Alexandra Gomes Sara Silvestro
News Editors Jennifer Johnson Julia Sarcinelli Mark Wadland
Arts & Features Editors Scott Calzolaio Kristen Pinto
Asst. Arts & Features Editor Cesareo Contreras
Sports Editor Mike Ferris
Asst. Sports Editors Matt Ferris Amelia Foley
Opinions Editor Phil McMullin
Photos Editors Allie Card Darian O’Donnell Brad Leuchte
Interim Asst. Photos Editors Allie Gath Amanda Martin
Staff Photographer Erin Fitzmaurice
Design Editor Brittany Cormier
Assistant Design Editor Shayna Yacyshyn
Copy Editor Bobby Murphy
Staff Writers Dan Flahive Jen Fortin
DECEMBER 11, 2015
Gatepost Interview
Brianna Plummer Assistant Fashion Design Professor By Bailey Morrison Staff Writer
What is your resume and educational background? My undergrad is from Framingham State in apparel design. I have a master of fine arts from Boston University in costume production. I’m currently working on my Ph.D. in design at Iowa State. I’ve been making clothes my whole life. What is the best part of your job at FSU? The students. When they ask really good questions and something clicks, that’s great. When they get excited about figuring something out, that is pretty cool. What would your students be surprised to learn about you? My students know pretty much everything about me. … They might not know I’m trying to learn to play the mandolin. I’ve been practicing for about three years. I don’t think they’d be surprised - they know a lot about me. They critique my work, which is nice. What are some of your accomplishments? I was at the International Textile Apparel Association (ITAA) conference in Santa Fe a few weeks ago and I received two different awards. One was an award from Cotton Incorporated Innovations
Erin Fitzmaurice/The Gatepost
in Cotton Design. It was for an origami-like design, which is cool because that is one of the topics I’m doing in my special topics course. We do some creative shape-cutting, so that is related to my award. The other one was the Vinci Award for Excellence in Design Emphasizing the Use of Technology - it was for digital textile printing. I do it in a very low-tech way, though, because we don’t have the programs here to do it. I came up with a way so our students could send their designs to a local place to get their fabric printed. … That won a pretty big award - it was exciting. I’ve shown designs for about five years at ITAA, but this was the first time they were recognized at that level. Do you have any hobbies? Outside of fashion, I do costume
design for the theater department. I ride my mountain bike as well. What class would you recommend all students take? Everyone should take a class in creativity. Everyone has the ability to be creative. We don’t have that class yet, but we should. What was your favorite undergrad experience? Studying in Paris. It was a semester long during my junior year. What advice would you give to FSU students? Try classes you don’t think you’d be interested in, because you might change your mind. You also might find out what you don’t like.
Sarah Griffith Maria Hornbaker Abby MacDonald Colton Madore Arianna Miller Bailey Morrison Cameron Raia Kyle Torres Michela Weygand Brittany Wolstencroft
Advisor Dr. Desmond McCarthy
Assistant Advisor Elizabeth Banks
Police Logs Thursday, Nov. 26 10:39 -Towers Hall - Alarm (Trouble). Checks OK. Friday, Nov. 27 9:17 - McCarthy Center - Alarm (Trouble). Sunday, Nov. 29 13:13 - Footbridge - Motor vehicle accident. Turned over to FPD. Monday, Nov. 30 10:50 - Maynard Rd. Parking Lot - Motor Vehicle Accident. Report taken. 12:24 - FSU PD - Roommate Problem. Report taken. 15:21 - Hemenway Hall - Medical. Transported. 1:35 - Larned Hall - Noise complaint. Report taken. Tuesday, Dec. 1 9:28 - FSU PD - Suspicious activity. Report taken.
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Wednesday, Dec. 2 7:46 - Maynard Rd. Parking Lot - Motor vehicle accident. Call assignment complete. 9:55 - Towers Hall - 911 hangup. Checks OK. Friday, Dec. 4 9:05 - MSCBA - 860 Worcester Rd. - Alarm (Burglar/ Building). Alarm Activated. Officer reports accidental by Gas Company. Saturday, Dec. 5 10:02 - Hemenway Hall Annex - 100 State St. - alarm (trouble) - supervisory alarm. Checks okay.
Sunday, Dec. 6 4:47 - Hemenway Hall Annex - 100 State St. - Alarm (trouble). Checks okay Monday, Dec. 7 18:18 - Dwight Hall - 100 State St. - Medical. 19:57 - Larned Hall - 16 State St. - Assist Residence Life. Report Taken. Tuesday, Dec. 8 2:11 - Linsley Hall - 28 High St. - 911 Hang up Checks okay 11:41 - McCarthy Center - 87 State St. - Elevator Entrapment. Services Rendered/Elevator Working in Order 17:49 - Campus Wide - Code Blue PH TST. Checks okay Wednesday, Dec. 9 1:03 - Train Tracks Maple St. Commuter Lot Suspicious Activity. Checks okay 3:03 - Larned Hall - 16 State St. – Inebriate. Medical Transport 3:03 - Larned Hall - 16 State St. – Medical Protective Custody. Medical Transport 10:43 - McCarthy Center Parking Lot – Elevator Entrapment. Referral Filed 11:31 - Hemmenway Hall - 100 State St. – Elevator Entrapment. Checks okay 11:36 - FSU Police Dept. - 87 State St. – Threat. Report Taken
NEWS
DECEMBER 11, 2015
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MERC creates MetroWest Economy Indicator By Arianna Miller Staff Writer
Greater MetroWest businesses generated more than 183,000 jobs and a payroll exceeding $12.8 billion in 2013, according to MERC’s 2015 Economic Profile. The MetroWest Economic Research Center recently created a new product called the Metro west Economy Indicator. There are three components to it - housing price, unemployment and cost of living, according to Fahlino Sjuib, co-director of MERC and chair of the economics department at FSU. “People keep complaining that it is so expensive to live in this area, so we try to publicize that info,” said Sjuib. This is a collaborative project with the Metrowest Savings Bank. MERC plans to publish this every quarter at The Metro west Daily News, according to Sjuib. The information will also be available on MERC’s website. The indicator is just one of the many projects the interns, directors and assistants at MERC are working on. Another new project involves outreach to high school students, according to Lori Anderson, co-director of MERC and a economics professor at FSU. MERC interns have been presenting at local high schools about MERC, economics as a whole and Framingham State University. “A lot of high school students don’t have a clue what economics is or what you can do with economics, so it’s a way to get juniors and seniors in high school thinking about it,” said Anderson. Beverly Soriano a co-director of MERC and an economics professor at FSU is in charge of another project
In 1991, four faculty members from FSU’s department of economics and business administration created MERC. MERC has now developed and maintained regional economic databases for the MetroWest, Greater Marlborough, South Shore, Greater Franklin, Blackstone Valley and 495/ MetroWest Corridor areas, according to their website. MERC produces an annual report on the economic profile of the MetroWest and Greater Marlborough region. “People use that book from time to time and the data that we have in the book to make decisions or any kind of analysis for the surrounding area,” said Sjiub. While the data used for MERC’s publications can be used freely, there is a charge for data requested by companies. According to Soriano, many towns and chambers of commerce approach MERC to have a special profile for their respective town. Regular customers are invited to MERC’s annual conference. MERC has 13 affiliations, including the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, Marlborough Chamber of Commerce and the Council for
for targeted developments, master plans, and at the Chamber. This information will help us tailor events that address the evolving needs of the region’s small businesses and large employers.” Susanne Morreale Leeber, president of the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Advisory Council of MERC, said, “The data has given me the opportunity to ‘sell’ my community to larger companies who are looking for a site. “Many companies ask for the data to see the education level, housing costs, and how much the municipality require in taxes. I pass on this information along with other information they may require to make the decision to locate here.” Jennie Allison, project manager of C2ER, said,“ MERC has participated in the C2ER Cost of Living Index at least twice per year since 1991,” she said, adding, “The price information is essential in providing a proper benchmark for the city of Framingham and a robust sample for the national index.” The Cost of Living Index provides a useful and accurate measure of liv-
A lot of high school students don’t have a clue what economics is or what you can do with economics, so it’s a way to get juniors and seniors in high school thinking about it. - Lori Anderson, co-director of MERC and economics professor at FSU
dealing with the K-12 Public School Enrollment, which tracks the number of students enrolled. It “helps to determine whether or not the town is going to have to build another high school,” said Soriano. MERC’s overall goal is to look at employment, unemployment, cost of living, census and housing and municipal revenue in the sub-state region. “The hardest part is actually to present the data in such a way that will be useful for people, and that’s where MERC comes into play,” said Sjuib.
Community and Economic Research (C2ER). Paul Joseph, president of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce has used MERC to “help build the case for making certain planning decisions, and educate community members about trends in population growth and employment. “I see many opportunities to partner with MERC and local municipalities to provide even more granularity to their data- things that will help towns not only with the annual planning processes, but also planning
ing cost differences among urban areas, according to C2ER’s newsletter. MERC also conducts presentations off campus as part of their community outreach, said Sjuib. There are currently 13 interns at MERC. Soriano said, “We started off with three interns and now we have 13 interns. We had no facility and now we have a facility. So over time we were able to grow and have a place in the university.” Every semester these students produce a newsletter. “Students will have the opportunity to write
Photo courtesy of Merc-online.org
and really explain the type of work that they’re doing and the data that they’re working on,” said Soriano. Each intern is assigned to a fulltime faculty member. The internship is “competitive in nature,” according to Sjuib. “Not only do they [the interns] have to be qualified, but we need to take into consideration what are the needs of MERC in terms of the research interns,” said Sjiub. “We have been able to track down many of our best students to apply for the program,” he added. While the internship program is designed for economics and business administration majors. It is open to all majors. Departments that students have interned from in the past are mathematics and geography, according to Sjuib. Kerin Boti, a senior intern who works with employment data said, “My time at MERC has allowed me to directly learn about the Massachusetts economy and has given me the opportunity to apply analysis techniques acquired in the classroom to real-world activities.” Boti has collected 2014 employment data using the North American Classification System (NAICS) and updating databases for several different regions. “One thing that I found remarkable was that from 1980 to 2014, the number of jobs within the greater MetroWest region increased by 65 percent or 73,000 jobs.” NAICS is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of the collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S business economy, according to the United States Census Bureau website. Wagner Sena, a senior and a second-semester intern is working on the K-12 program, said, “MERC has allowed me to be involved with members of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce. At these meetings, I find it to be a great experience to network with people I wouldn’t have met normally.” MetroWest Chamber president Welch stated, “they’re the only game in town when it comes to data drilling down to the regional/local level in terms of Metro west.”
NEWS
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DECEMBER 11, 2015
FSU retention rate steady at 74 percent By Julia Sarcinelli News Editor
FSU’s overall retention rate from fall 2014 to fall 2015 is 74 percent, and the six-year graduation rate is 51 percent, according to Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Linda Vaden-Goad. Framingham State’s “5-Year Strategic Plan for 2012-2017” includes a target first-year retention rate of 78 percent and a six-year graduation rate of 56 percent, according to Vaden-Goad. “We hover around that number in terms of retention,” said VadenGoad, adding the overall retention rate from fall 2013 to fall 2014 was 75 percent. She said it “is not bad, but in today’s world, we would like our students who come here by and large to be successful and finish here.” Director of First-Year Programs Ben Trapanick said a college’s retention rate is the percent of firsttime, full-time students who stay at the college from their first semester of their first year to the first semester of their second year. He added the retention rate does not include transfer students, which is a national practice. Vaden-Goad said the students who are considered in the retention rate are those who qualify for the cohort. She said the students who count for the cohort are first-time, full-time students who have no prior postsecondary experience except for any students who were previously enrolled in academic or occupational programs, attended college for the first time in the summer term before the fall term or entered with college credits earned before graduating high school. According to Vaden-Goad, the total number of students counted in the fall 2014 cohort was 806, and
represented students, with a particular focus on closing the college attainment and degree completion gaps at Framingham State University.” The baseline goal for the retention gap regarding underrepresented students is 9.2 percent, and the
The education department has a retention rate of 80 percent, but this subtotal was not included in the total for all the colleges or programs because it is considered a second major, according to Vaden-Goad. The University’s “Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence for 2015-
woman to graduate from FSU to provide “a little more meaning into what it was meant to do.” The fellowship was intended to recruit more diverse faculty members who would have a one-year contract or assignment with the University which could grow into a
If retention - coming back the second year - is higher, but graduation is lower ... then we have to look at where those issues are occuring. - Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Sean Huddleston
six-year graduation rate gap is 15.3 percent, according to Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Sean Huddleston, who said the target goal is to “eliminate, if at all possible,” the six-year graduation gap by 2020. He said the retention rate among students of color is higher than the rates for non-students of color. However, the six-year graduation rate for African-American students is at 41 percent and 35 percent for Latino students, compared to the overall rate of 51 percent. He said, “If retention - coming back the second year - is higher, but graduation is lower … then we have to look at where those issues are occurring.” Typical research suggests this gap may be related to financial concerns, academic preparedness in high schools or social experiences where a “sense of isolation” among
2020,” details a baseline of 17.4 percent full-time faculty diversity, and 13.5 percent full-time staff diversity. The plan target is 21 percent for full-time faculty and 16 percent for full-time staff. Huddleston said the administration doesn’t include part-time faculty or staff in the plan because full-time faculty can provide more stable numbers which is easier to track. Huddleston said the University’s Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence “outpaces what are the expectations for the region in terms of diversity,” which is a 14.8 percent pool of available candidates in Massachusetts, to “stretch the expectations for the institution.” To achieve this goal, Huddleston said the administration plans to have a broader reach in terms of re-
tenure-track position, according to Huddleston. “I think it was and is a good concept, but it just needed to be developed more,” he said, adding Susan Dargan, the dean of social and behavioral sciences, and her team’s work to “reimagine” the job description for the Diversity Fellows Program allows for more input regarding diversity among faculty. -See RETENTION page 7
Overall Retention Numbers Arts & Humanities 75% STEM 74% Social & Behavioral 73%
In today’s world, we would like our students who come here by and large to be successful and finish here. - Provost and Vice President Linda Vaden-Goad
Undeclared 74% TOTAL 74% Cohort: first-time, full-time
of whom 541 are female and 265 are male. Of this cohort total, 577 are non-minority students with a retention rate of 73 percent, and 218 are minority students with a retention rate of 75.7 percent. According the “Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence for 20152020,” one of the main goals for the University is to “increase retention and the graduation rates for under-
students of color may cause them to leave, according to Huddleston. The overall retention rate from the fall of 2014 to the fall of 2015 for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is 74 percent, for arts and humanities 75 percent and social and behavioral sciences 73 percent. The retention for students who hadn’t declared a major is 74 percent.
cruiting, partnering with minority service institutions that offer P.hD. programs and create more information and training for faculty search committees “so there is a level of inclusion in every aspect” of the hiring process. He added the Diversity Fellows Program was renamed the Mary Miles Bibb Faculty Fellowship in honor of the first African-American
students who have no prior postsecondary experience except for any students who were previously enrolled in academic or occupational programs, attended college for the first time in the summer term before the fall term or entered with college credits earned before graduating high school.
NEWS
DECEMBER 11, 2015
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Board of Trustees
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
Members of the Board of Trustees and administrators vote on acqusition of Framingham properties and discuss other issues at FSU during their meeting Tuesday, Dec. 1. - Continued from page 1
Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) collaborated to purchase the Warren Conference Center and Inn in Ashland for $8 million. FSU has received $2.5 million from the state, along with $4 million in General Obligation bonds. It will borrow $1.5 million from the Massachusetts College Building Authority. FSU will sell a 2.4 acre piece of property with a barn and silo to Ashland that has historical significance for $290,000, according to Executive Vice President Dale Hamel. An ongoing campaign called “Investing in Student Success” has raised $8.62 million, according to Eric Gustafson, executive director of development and alumni relations. Gustafson said this is part of a seven-year effort to raise $12 million, and so far, administrators are ahead of schedule. The campaign will end June 30, 2018. As of Tuesday, Dec. 1, the University has raised $920,000 this year, and the average donation is $50, Gustafson said.
“It’s the first ever comprehensive fundraising campaign in the University’s history,” he said. “It’s a very important initiative in terms of the University’s ability to raise private funds.” Nancy Budwig, a trustee, said at an earlier meeting, administrators debated whether sabbatical leaves were worth the investment. They decided a sabbatical leave is cost-effective and does not affect students’ quality of education. She added during sabbatical leaves, faculty devotes time normally spent on teaching to work on projects or papers in their fields of study. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Linda VadenGoad said tenured faculty members are eligible for sabbatical leave after six years of teaching. Vice President of Enrollment and Student Development Lorretta Holloway said an internship program for languages will begin next spring, and will be led by Juliana Luna Freire, professor of Spanish and Portuguese. FSU administrators submitted an application for a grant sponsored by NASA, which promotes science, technology, engineering
and mathematics [STEM] learning among students of the commonwealth. This will likely be a multiyear program. The amount is to be determined. Tobias Conn, coordinator for the Office of Veterans Services, acts as a liaison between the Department of Veteran Affairs and FSU. He conducts three week-long workshops to assist veterans in the transition between serving in the armed forces and attending college. He said a greater number of younger veterans participated in the program. Dean of Students Melinda Stoops said since 2009, FSU has tried to ensure students serving in the military may finish their semester remotely if they must leave to serve before the semester concludes. Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Sean Huddleston said at the Student Voices Forum, which was led by Student Trustee Fernando Rodriguez, students engaged in a conversation about bias incidents. He added there will be a discussion in late January or early February regarding free speech and hate speech, with the goal of creating a “sustainable dialogue” in which students can debate these issues.
Rodriguez said during the last Campus Safety Walk on Tuesday, Nov. 17, SGA members and administrators walked around the campus to address lighting and safety concerns brought to him by students. He said many of these potentially unsafe places on campus have been addressed. He also wants to focus on policy changes concerning sexual assault and mental health, and examine how these issues can be improved, such as hiring new full-time staff members. He said the problem might be a miscommunication between students and administrators, but not administrators performing their jobs poorly. Hamel said FSU has a higher composite financial index than at least seven of its nine sister schools, including UMass. The composite financial index is used to measure the financial success of an institution over time. FSU received $260,000 from the state to benefit students by increasing their financial aid. It will also increase funds for the CHOICE Internship Program and the College Planning Center, according to -See BOARD OF TRUSTEES page 8
NEWS
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DECEMBER 11, 2015
Alumni Campaign - Continued from page 1
scholarships, but all are intended to benefit students. “We have one that was just started that’s actually for fashion design and retailing majors to help students who have need to purchase their materials.” President F. Javier Cevallos said even if the University is “affordable,” it can still be “tough for students to come up with the money” to attend. “Anything we can do to help will be better for everybody,” he added. Gustafson said student scholarship support is popular among the donors. “I think donors really respond, alumni in particular, to the idea of helping students make Framingham State education more affordable.” He added donors can pick which section of the University they would like to give to, and there are areas that have not been donated to yet. One million dollars will go toward equipment and technology used by faculty, staff and students. Robert Ramrath, vice president and chief information officer at Bose Co and the President of the Founda-
quality of the people managing the campaign.” He added, “I’m passionate about the mission of FSU and the role of public higher education in the Commonwealth. FSU provides affordable opportunities for high-quality education to many students who otherwise would have no other options. I’m so impressed with all the people I meet associated with this University. From the President, to the professors, to the development office, to the facilities department, all I see are motivated and passionate people doing a great job. It’s my privilege to be involved with such a great institution.” The idea for the campaign came from the Board of Trustees, according to Gustafson. The board went public with the campaign at the 175th Anniversary Gala last fall. He added an issue of the alumni magazine was devoted to the campaign, and that the board publicizes the campaign to alumni at “every conceivable opportunity.” Cevallos said a lot of fundraising happens during “one-on-one” conversations with alumni.
A lot of people look at philanthropy as an investment. It is an investment in the future. It’s not investing in yourself, or investing in your own wealth it’s sharing your wealth with the future generations. - President F. Javier Cevallos
tion Board, said in an email he is not surprised the campaign is ahead of its goals “given the commitment and
“We try to meet with people informally to try to get to know alums that we have not connected with before, or with the alums that we have a
good relationship with, to keep them updated with everything that is happening at the University.”
lows us to expand our opportunities to our students.” Sophomore Dylan Korzeniowski
From the President, to the professors, to the development office, to the facilities department, all I see are motivated and passionate people doing a great job. It’s my privilege to be involved with such a great institution. - Robert Ramrath, president of the Foundation Board
After the campaign is over, Gustafson said the board will focus on thanking its donors and showing how their investments have impacted the campus. “Considering it’s the first time we’ve done this, it’s been a remarkable, positive response from our communities,” Gustafson said. “Across the board, people have been very interested and very supportive of Framingham State. It’s been wonderful to see how much they value Framingham State.” Fundraising is now a “necessity,” said Cevallos. “States don’t have the resources to continue to fund everything at the levels that they need. It’s not that the state doesn’t want to help - Massachusetts has been very generous to education. There are so many other competing needs that everything has to get distributed. So there is less money, and we have to find other resources.” Another fundraising campaign can be expected in the future, according to Gustafson. SGA President Dan Costello said, “It’s really great the University has this campaign going on because it al-
said the campaign is “pretty impressive” and “beneficial.” He added, “Those scholarships could go to people who have the talent and smarts but couldn’t otherwise afford college.” Cameron Grieves, a sophomore, said, “If the goal is to make education affordable for more people, then I think any effort made is a good effort.” Sophmore Dana Lobad said she wished the University had advertised this campaign more because “I hadn’t heard anything about this and it’s already been going on for four years.” She added if the money is really going toward scholarships, that’s “great. A lot of people miss the opportunity to get their education due to their financial status and I think that making scholarships easier to get is such an important thing.” Cevallos said, “A lot of people look at philanthropy as an investment. It is an investment in the future. It’s not investing in yourself, or investing in your own wealth - it’s sharing your wealth with the future generations.”
SGA allocates over $16,000 to Fashion Club By Michela Weygand Staff Writer
SGA approved the Fashion Club’s funding request of $16,189.50 for the Aftershock Fashion Show at a meeting on Dec. 8. The funding will cover the staging, chairs, programs, DJ, Tshirts and a videographer and photographer for fashion student designers to add to their professional portfolios. The fashion show allows FSU students of all majors to create fashion-related pieces for display to students, alumni and other invited guests from local companies such as TJX, according to the fashion club representatives. Another funding request of $1,500 was allocated to the Fashion Club for the club’s annual Drag Show. The funds would
cover the pay of five drag queens to perform at the show. The show is scheduled to be on Feb. 9, 2016. SGA approved a $1,508 funding request to the Wildlife Club for students to attend the Northeast Wildlife Conclave, at which they can learn from professionals about wildlife topics and careers through hands-on workshops. The club will fund for seven or more students and a chaperone, according to Drew Shaheen, president of the Wildlife Club. The Wildlife Club had previously met with FinCom (finance committee), according to Patrick O’Connor, SGA’s student activity treasurer. The cost of the trip went down due to transportation from the club’s original request, which was $2,325.66, according to Rachel Holland, treasurer of the Wildlife Club. The Aspiring Health Profes-
sionals Club was approved for a $2,857.50 funding request for promotional T-shirts for this year’s upcoming Sandbox. A portion of this request will fund for Band-Aid cases to be given out at McCarthy Center promo tables. The club has decided to purchase long sleeve t-shirts, according to the club’s vice president. The Food Science Club was approved for $1,839.75 for Food Network personality Alton Brown’s Eat Your Science tour event. The request will fund 35 tickets and a bus rental. Students will be charged $10 and SGA will receive $340 if all tickets are sold. The Food Recovery Network club’s constitution was seen and approved by the SGA. The Mixed Martial Arts & Self Defense club’s constitution was seen for the second time and approved.
Costello announced SGA will sponsor hospitality tables for the last week of the semester. The club hosts it for three days during finals week to give out candy, hot chocolate and other treats. They will give out “little ram” stress balls and foam gavels to students. In other news: • SGA will pass out latenight lunch bags to students studying in the library late Monday night. • SGA’s sponsor child, a four year old girl, received Ugg boots, art supplies, leggings and an outfit. • Jack Capello, SGA’s social event coordinator, received this week’s U-Rock award. • Next week’s meeting is the final meeting of the semester.
NEWS
DECEMBER 11, 2015
7
Retention Rate Numbers - Continued from page 4
The overall percentage of students who changed their major from fall 2014 to fall 2015 was 13 percent, or 101 students, while the percentage who stayed in their original major was 61 percent, or 494 students. Twenty-six percent, or 211, students did not return to FSU in the fall of 2015. Vaden-Goad said the University is trying to increase the retention and graduation rates by focusing on student success. She said the administration hired Lauren Keville as the director of student retention and graduation success. Keville started Dec. 7 and will form a committee consisting of students, faculty and staff to address these areas. In an email, Vaden-Goad said, “We are all excited about the new committee. We will want students to join the committee. … When Lauren begins on Dec. 7, she will begin to reach out to students and they can watch for her email!” Huddleston said Keville’s focus on retention will also impact persistence and graduation rates by looking at different factors, such as early intervention and the retention committee, which will help students if it “looks like they may be going off track,” and be a “collaborative approach to look at retention and graduation rates for students.” The administration will also be implementing new software called Starfish, according to Vaden-Goad. She said the software will be an interactive way for students to connect with multiple areas, including scheduling appointmÅents in CASA and getting in touch with their advisors and professors. Huddleston said Starfish is a retention tool which will help students connect with a team of people who can “provide them with the support that they need.”
Fall to Fall Retention by Cohort Fall 2013
100%
Fall 2014
74.5%
73.8%
76.9% 73.0%
67.7%
50%
0% Male & Female ment will help students “see what they can do when they graduate.” Vaden-Goad said, “We’re an active, vigorous school,” and although the retention numbers are good, she wants to look into the reasons students leave and why they are thinking about leaving. She said there are many factors that can affect a student’s decision to leave college, including leaving to pursue a major FSU does not offer, personal or financial difficulties or not retaining a 2.0 GPA.
The Foundations class has been very helpful in the transition to college by providing information to my friends and myself on all the resources one can utilize. - Adam Scanlon, freshman
Senior Alex Fiorillo said he thinks Starfish “will help track retention, but I don’t think it will necessarily help keep students here. It may prove to be more work than students want to put in.” He said implementing more programs where students can interact with FSU alumni from their depart-
75.7%
At her previous job as an academic dean at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), VadenGoad said WCSU had a program called “Wait a Day” for students who were thinking about transferring or leaving college. She said students would fill out the necessary paperwork, she would talk with them
Minority
about their reasons for leaving and then wait to confirm the paperwork with them until the next day. “The university has ways of helping students dealing with a very complicated life,” said Vaden-Goad, adding students can be struggling with “fairly heavy problems,” and sometimes this “made a tremendous difference” in helping students plan ways to address and fix the problems causing them to consider leaving. Director of First-Year Programs Ben Trapanick said having a firstyear programs office to help freshmen adjust to college is an important factor to retention. He said programs like Foundations, orientation and the first-year writing program help new students “get used to college expectations,” and are designed to help with transitioning and social skills. The First-Year Experience floors in the residence halls, Black and Gold Beginnings and the Wet Feet Retreat also help first-year students adjust. Allegra Robinson, a freshman, said, “The Wet Feet Retreat helped me because i saw people that I recognized from wet feet for the first couple weeks of school and made a really good friend while I was there, which made the transition easier.” Trapanick said the Honors Program and honors-only seminars are also important. “The vast, vast majority of people joining the honors program are first years, so they not only have honors courses but they also have an honor’s house, an hon-
Non-Minority/White Brittany Cormier/The Gatepost
ors floor, so there’s a whole bunch of connections there.” He added this is “not only a firstyear retention effort, but a lot of first-year students are in there.” Having a first-year office is important, but Trapanick believes the retention rate is impacted by many different factors. He said when he started working at FSU, the retention rate was approximately 68-69 percent, and then “we jumped as an institution to 74 or 75 percent over a couple of years. “I think a lot of times, people try to say that one program or one policy has made the biggest difference in the retention rate, and I’m not sure that’s always the case. There’s a large effort. It’s understanding who your population is. … Retention is a campus-wide effort.” Adam Scanlon, a freshman, said, “The Foundations class has been very helpful in the transition to college by providing information to my friends and myself on all the resources one can utilize.” He added he enjoyed the Administrators’ Forums held on Tuesday Nov. 17 and Monday Nov. 30. “The two forums were very cool to voice student concerns, and I know big schools don’t do that.” Junior Joeseph Grigg said when he started his major classes, his professors were helpful. “It was a positive environment, and it helped me become much more equipped, and they encouraged me to break out of my shell.”
NEWS
8
DECEMBER 11, 2015
Board of Trustees - Continued from page 5
Hamel. President F. Javier Cevallos said FSU held an open forum for students to discuss race relations and bias incidents on Monday, Nov. 30. He wants to continue these forums on a regular basis. He added students may begin college at MassBay, and then transfer to FSU to finish their collegiate careers for less than $29,000. Cevallos said administrators must improve retention numbers, as they have not changed significantly this year. The gap between retention numbers for minority and non-minority students is “non-existent.” The University increased its net income during fiscal year 2015 to $125,993 from $87,635 last fiscal year. Expenses totaled $88.3 million, an increase of $5.4 million from the previous year. The board recognized the outstanding achievements of a senior who served in the armed forces from 2011 to 2015. Matthew Mangano, a senior criminology major who will be
graduating this winter, graduated from Winchester High School in 2009. He attended Western New
years. When that did not pan out, he was sworn into the Army Reserves
It’s the first ever comprehensive fundrasing campaign in the University’s history. It’s a very important initiative in terms of the University’s ability to raise private funds.
- Eric Gustafson, executive director of development and alumni relations
England University for one semester, and then transferred to Merrimack College for one-and-a-half
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
The Board of Trustees recognizes Matthew Mangano for his achievement and success at FSU.
to come to FSU. During his time here, Mangano has succeeded on and off the field, winning a number of awards in football, as well as serving the community through TEAM Impact, the Special Olympics and working with Director of Equal Opportunity, Title IX, and ADA Compliance Kim Dexter and others as a student athlete representative for the Bystander Intervention Program for one-and-a-half years. TEAM Impact is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses. He said after graduating, he hopes to play football professionally. However, if unable to do so, he would like to become an Army Ranger and then work in public safety. The Board of Trustees will discuss a new strategic plan at their next meeting in the spring. This plan will go into effect at the end of 2017.
in 2011, and later reached out to Aynsley Rosenbaum, the assistant football coach, who convinced him
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
Dean of Students Melinda Stoops addresses the Board of Trustees Tuesday, Dec. 1 about retaining veterans.
DECEMBER 11, 2015
The Gatepost Editorial
Stay safe In times like these, simply coming to school could feel like risking your life. With constant media coverage of gun violence, it would be understandable if students, faculty and staff felt uneasy on campus. Following the mass shooting that occurred in San Bernardino which resulted in 14 deaths, Dean of Students Melinda Stoops promptly sent an email out to students informing them of the campus emergency plans and policies enforced by the FSU campus police, as well as administration, to ensure a sense of safety on campus. The email also contained a link to a 45-minute course and an informative seven-minute video on what to do in case there is an active shooter on campus. We at The Gatepost urge students to watch the video and educate themselves on how to react in case of an emergency, and how to keep themselves safe. Just seven minutes spent watching the “Run, Hide, Fight” video could alter the outcome of a critical situation by having the knowledge and confidence to respond appropriately. We at The Gatepost would like to commend the administration for taking the initiative to reach out to the community and remind them of the resources and emergency plans available on campus. Additionally, we at The Gatepost believe the professors who took it upon themselves to discuss the shooting during their classes performed a great service to our FSU community. For most of us, this is our home away from home. By talking about these difficult issues in our classes, professors are ensuring that we are in a safe space to openly express our concerns about current events. Having a place to discuss our anxieties with professors who show they care is reassuring. It is comforting to know that the administration here at FSU, our small home, is actively working to create an environment in which students on this campus feel safe by providing the resources necessary to know how to react if a crisis were to occur. We at The Gatepost also encourage students to adhere to the guidelines of “see something, say something.” By paying attention to one’s surroundings and peers, and reporting suspicious behavior to student services or the counseling center, a person in a crisis might be helped before something tragic happens. Better safe than sorry. Use common sense. Take precautions to make sure you are safe in your surroundings. Take a self-defense class. Familiarize yourself with the escape plans on campus. Sign up for the “FSU Alert System.” By preparing yourself in case of emergency, you are allowing yourself to feel safe and comfortable in your environment.
OP/ED
9
OP/ED Letter to the editor First, let me congratulate The Gatepost staff for their fair and sober reporting of the Towers Hall controversy in the Nov. 13 edition. As a retired member of the Framingham State University faculty who spent many semesters covering the complex issues involving the free speech clause of the First Amendment, I most humbly appreciate the conflicting currents and tensions that surround what should be and should not be protected by perhaps the most important protection in the Bill of Rights. Over the past 200-plus years we, as a society, have engaged in bitter and contentious debates about what types of expression should be protected. In the 20th century, the Supreme Court attempted, with some success, to carve out several exceptions to the protective mantle of the free speech clause. One exception commonly referred to as the incitement exception states that speech that creates a clear and present danger of imminent lawless activity is not protected. Of course what is “clear” and “present” and “imminent” may not be so easy to determine. A second exception deals with one’s reputation, which we all value. False statements that hold one up to contempt and ridicule and undermine one’s reputation in the general community will not find refuge in the First Amendment. And finally, there is that old culprit - obscenity. The Supreme Court has basically thrown its hands up and passed on this sticky issue one person’s obscenity is another person’s art. Anyway here is the court’s definition of obscenity - words or images that appeal to a prurient interest in sex and have no redeeming artistic,
scientific, or literary value! Until the latter part of the 20th century this in a nutshell embodied free speech jurisprudence. And then came a new challenge - hate speech. Speech that denigrates other human beings based on their religion, ethnicity, gender or race. Now we have been told by the Supreme Court that we as citizens should not have thin skins - that speech that is offensive, demeaning, and even hurtful should be protected. In my humble opinion, that is an easy conclusion for members of the Supreme Court to reach - a group of individuals who from their lofty position of power can easily brush off language that is hurtful or humiliating. But for many members of our society who do not enjoy such lofty positions, hate speech can be a debilitating experience. I like to refer to hate speech as the “rape of the soul.” Unlike a broken leg that quickly heals, hate speech goes to the very center of our being and can last indefinitely. So where does that leave me and this letter? My love of free expression leads me reluctantly to the conclusion that the First Amendment commands me to protect the speech I hate, not just the speech I like. And yet this incident at FSU has again demonstrated to me that the best way to combat this type of demeaning and vile language is to speak out and confront it directly. To not let the representatives of ignorance win the day. To again demonstrate that our common humanity must compel each one of us to never remain silent in the face of such inhumanity. The response of Framingham State University students assures me that their voices are being heard! John Ambacher
Department of Political Science
Have an opinion about something happening on campus? Send it in 500 words or less to gatepostopinions@ gmail.com. Anyone can submit. We look forward to hearing from you!
Op/Ed submissions reflect the opinions of their authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of The Gatepost or its staff.
10
DECEMBER 11, 2015
Students and faculty: think about open access Imagine if every student could write a paper on the topic of their choice, and every faculty member could develop new courses and conduct research, never having to worry if the library had full-text access to articles on any topic? What if traditionally marginalized fields like LGBTQ, women’s, and Latino & Latina Studies - to name a few examples - could expand the scope of their scholarship by reaching broader audiences, increasing their citation impacts, and eliminating the costs of providing access to their subject-specific journals? This is not a far-fetched fantasy about making the cost of scholarly journals affordable. It is about engaging with a movement called Open Access (OA) that could make these scenarios real by making journal articles free to access. Walt Crawford, in his report “Open Access: What You Need to Know” (2011), defines OA as literature that is “available online to be read for free by anyone, anytime, anywhere - as long as they have Internet access.” This does not mean authors are not compensated for their work or copyrights are violated. Open Access means that scholars remove financial barriers for readers by publishing in journals that make articles free for anyone to access. Open Access allows the same peer-reviewed process employed by many pay-to-access journals - so the academic record can continue as rigorously as it is now, but for everyone to read. Traditionally, authors such as Framingham State’s professors conduct research that they may or may not be paid to do (funded vs. unfunded research). Authors then write scholarly articles examining their work, and submit them to journals that conduct peer-review. The peer-review
is also typically done by other scholars for free. The journals then process, promote, and publish the articles, and then libraries pay to access the journals. The cost of subscribing to these journals is the reason why when you search our library’s databases, you cannot get full-text access to every article. We simply cannot afford to pay for everything. No one does, not even Harvard or MIT, and this is why OA is such an important idea. There are barriers to transitioning to OA that students should know about. First, academic inertia puts pressure on scholars to publish in certain high impact non-OA journals in order to qualify for tenure - publish or perish. Second, there is sometimes a perception that because OA journals are free, they may be less desirable than pay-to-access journals - a paradox of value. Third, as OA is a relatively new movement, there may not be a journal specific enough for a given subject area - a Catch-22. We encourage students to educate themselves on OA and how it affects their ability to study and make the University a diverse and academically challenging place to be. The library publishes a research guide on Open Access that covers many resources. The Right to Research Coalition website also includes information for students, student government, and professors. We urge Framingham State students, faculty, and administration to make Open Access a priority on campus. Justin Daras
Reference Librarian
Soap on campus is long overdue In 1850, a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis told the Vienna Medical Society that hand-washing could prevent the spread of infection. Yet, 165 years later, there is still no soap in most of the dormitory bathrooms of FSU. How odd. Of course, there is hand sanitizer in the bathrooms, but the CDC has reported that hand sanitizer should not be used as a replacement for soap. At an open forum, the administration addressed a student’s concern about this issue. Director of Residence Life and Student Conduct Glenn Cochran said the administration had crunched the numbers and decided soap was too expensive, and that the University’s money was better spent elsewhere. Associate Vice President of Facilities and Capital Planning Warren Fairbanks said the administration is not legally required by the state to provide soap for students, since the dorms are categorized as apartment buildings. Fairbanks continued to say that installing soap dispensers and replacing the soap was a “man-power” issue for the University. He added that the hand sanitizer dispensers are easier to maintain because they dispense a smaller amount of product. Maintaining soap-dispensers is apparently an overwhelming task for our facilities department. This seems like a strange response, since soap is an incredibly common and frequently used item in most buildings in our society, and maintenance crews nationally seem to be able to handle the task. Cochran and Fairbanks may be correct. Maybe soap is difficult to pay for and maintain. However, there are certain commodities that should be considered common-sense necessities for densely populated areas of people. It is difficult to argue that soap, the most effective way to prevent the spread of viruses in our community, is not a necessity. The administration needs to act in the best interest of students and coordinate a way to fund the installation of soap dispensers in every bathroom on campus. This would help slow the spread of viruses throughout our community, which would not only save students medical expenses, but also stop students from having to miss class. If there is currently no room in the budget, room needs to be made. When prioritizing administrative costs, there is nothing more important than protecting the health and wellbeing of students. Phil McMullin
Opinions Editor Op/Ed submissions reflect the opinions of their authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of The Gatepost or its staff.
December 11, 2015
ARTS & FEATURES
11
Fragments of a love lost:
The Hilltop Players’ “Bits and Pieces”
Allie Card/The Gatepost
Emma Fitzpatrick and Mikaela Green play sisters-in-law mourning the death of Phillip, played by Kyle Collins. By Melina Bourdeau Associate Editor
The Hilltop Players’ drama “Bits and Pieces” was held in DPAC on Dec. 3, 4 and 5. The production detailed the story of a widow’s journey to find her husband’s donated organs after he passes away from an aneurism. The cast consisted of Kyle Collins, Adam Tackes, Gina Iacoviello, Emma Fitzpatrick, Mikaela Green, Matthew Flory and Jesse Lawlor. Director Deanna Martinez used a minimalist set and cast, allowing or the script to speak for itself. The production began with Collins as Phillip, speaking to the audience about a broken vase and how its meaning increased after it was broken. Although the husband passed away, he is present throughout in a series of flashbacks which demonstrate the complexities of his marriage to his wife Iris. Iris, played by Fitzpatrick, is extremely distraught after the loss of her husband and mourns in a unique way. The play has a dark undercurrent, where Iris exchanges sex for the names of all of the people who received her husband’s organs. The doctor, played by Tackles, is disturbingly honest about his sexual desires which only emphasized the depressing tone of the play. However, there are moments of black comedy which break up the often horrific despair which Iris endures on her own. Each time Iris interacts with one of the recipients of the organs, they are quirky. Green, Flory, and Lawlor portray these recipients ranging from an old woman
Allie Card/The Gatepost
Adam Tackles and Gina Iacoviello discuss the donated organs when Tackles’ character, the doctor, attempts to have sex with Iacoviello’s character, the technician. to an ex-Italian mobster to a Buddhist monk. They brought small moments of relief to balance Collins and Fitzpatrick’s scenes. The two portrayed the couple throughout their relationship, including their worst fight where Iris smashes a glass on stage, shattering all around her bare feet. Martinez chose to use an actual glass, which stood out as one of the more tear-jerking moments of the performance. Without an intermission, the show lasted for an hour and a
half. However, the breaks between scenes allowed some form of respite from the highly concentrated exchanges between characters. Green and Fitzpatrick worked well off of one another, clearly displaying their disconnection as Iris is finally able to process the death of her husband. One of the brighter fragments of the show are when Iris finds out that a monk, Lawlor, ate Phillip’s heart as well as conversations that the couple had over the phone. His delivery of the line, “I ate it” alleviated tension building throughout
the show and showed Iris’ eventual realization that she needed to move on. Collins and Fitzpatrick detailed Phillip and Iris’ phone calls to one another in a hilarious fashion, which was one of the happiest moments of the show. Although there were moments where it was unclear what was going on – one example being a scene in which Flory is speaking completely in Italian - the story of one couple’s marriage and love beyond death was deeply touching.
ARTS & FEATURES
12
2015 has been a progressive year with big moments in science and technology and interesting trends taking social media by storm. Scientists discovered water on Mars, proving that there is potential for life on other planets. The Oxford Dictionaries deemed their word of the year an emoji: . Apple released a new set of racially-inclusive emoticons. Politically, the United States made great strides in the push for equality. This summer, the Supreme Court ruled gay marriage legal in all 50 states. Also in politics, Donald
Best of
Music
EP:
M3LL155X by FKA Twigs
With the release of her five-song EP “M3ll155X,” pronounced Melissa, FKA Twigs followed up her “LP1” Courtesy of facebook.com with a similar style that fans of experimental electronic music know and love. The EP opens with “Figure 8” and the line “let me live” introduces the EP’s strange juxtaposition between control and chaos. Twigs’ lyrics infused with sensual vocals contrast to the heavy electronic whirring and grinding. The song is one of the best off of the EP and arguably of her career thus far. “I’m your doll” follows up with a calmer sound that shows of Twig’s vocal abilities. The song connects directly to “In time.” At the center of the album,
Google Photos For iOS and Android
We’ve all had that Moment. You go into your pocket or purse to get your phone to capture good times with friends and as you hit the virtual shutter button on your phone’s camera app, a prompt comes up stating that you don’t have enough storage left on your phone. Now you have a few options. You could use iCloud, or OneDrive or some other cloud storage service but almost all of them have a limit on how many pictures and videos you can upload free of cost and to get larger storage amounts you’re going to probably pay a monthly fee. Unless of course you use Google Photos.
December 11, 2015
the song is Twigs’ description of a future relationship on the rocks, but with electronic sound that are dance worthy. Fans of Nikki Minaj will enjoy Twig’s Roman-like interjections in the chorus. Lastly “Mothercreep” winds down the album with soothing chirping and hypnotic vocalizing. The promises that Twigs will “be there soon,” hopefully promising another LP.down the album with soothing chirping and hypnotic vocalizing. The promises that Twigs will “be there soon,” hopefully promises another LP. - Melina Bourdeau
Apps
When Google came out with their fantastic Photos app for iOS and Android last May, they introduced a tier that lets users upload as many pictures as they would like at a “reduced file size.” So photos get downsized to 16 megapixels and videos to 1080p. No need to worry about quality though. In my experience, pictures and videos always look clear and sharp. Photos will be uploaded to your private Google Account where you can view them on your smartphone with Google’s sleek app with cool search capabilities or they can be checked out on the computer at photos.google.com. Now you can free up some space on your phone and not lose those group photos you took with your selfie stick - not judging. - Cesareo Contreras
Trump surprisingly declared his presidential campaign for the 2016 election in June and continues to stir up controversy. In the social media world, Caitlyn Jenner broke the record for the most Twitter follows in one day, beating President Obama. 2015 was also a huge year for entertainment. The Gatepost editorial staff has compiled a list of our top choices in music, movies, tv, apps and more just released this past year. From “Straight Outta Compton” to The Weeknd’s latest album, here is some of the best of 2015.
Album: Beauty Behind the Madness - The Weeknd
Courtesy of facebook.com
Undoubtedly, the release of his latest album shot The Weeknd straight to the top. Featuring “Earned It” from the “Fifty Shades of Grey” soundtrack, which ranked in the top five of the Billboard hot 100 charts, as well as his two number-one hits, “Can’t Feel
my Face” and “The Hills,” he has quickly become the next big thing in music. Every song on the album features its own individualized sound which makes for a truly unqiue listening experience. From the songs that make you want to dance your face off to the ones you just want to lull you to sleep, the album is fitting for every mood. It’s retro hip-hop R&B all at the same time, and truly revolutionary for its time. - Kristen Pinto
Video Game Other notable apps to check out: Alto’s Adventure Snowboarding game For iOS only Price: $3
Periscope Live streaming social media app Price: Free
YouTube Music Music streaming app Price: Free -Cesareo Contreras Photos courtesy of creativecommons.org
“Mortal Kombat X”
“Mortal Kombat X,” one of the most fun fighting games of the year, brought back the entire genre of gore and the great feeling of the older games of the franchise. It evoked nostalgia by bringing back fatality finishers which is fun way to bring great shame upon one’s opponent. It felt amazing to just pick up a controller and learn as many combos as possible. The game is available on most current generation platforms. - Albert Riveira Photos courtesy of creativecommons.org
ARTS & FEATURES
December 11, 2015
Short Film:
“Kung Fury” takes the Miami cop trope and drops it into fifth gear with supercars, time travel, dinosaurs and Nazis. The score is steeped in ‘80s analog goodness by synthwave producer Mitch Murder alongside David Hasselhoff. The men redefine the term “sensory overload” for the duration of the film. The writing is extremely clever, filled with corny dad-jokes. There are even “Street Fighter” style
13
Movies Foreign Film: “Tag”
fight scenes where Kung Fury takes on an entire army of Hitler’s “Kung Fürer’s.” This film was crowdfunded on Kickstarter, tripling its original goal of $200,000. It was also chosen to screen at the Cannes Film Festival and there are rumors of an upcoming feature-length remake. Kung Fury is my choice for the best short film of the year. It has enough action and fight scenes to fill a 3-hour film and leave the viewer with an inspirational message: “teamwork is very important.” - Brad Leuchte
Photos courtesy of creativecommons.org
trol – she’s at times the target of machine gun toting high school teachers and a knife-wielding groom who has the head of a pig - Mitsuko is forced to question her identity and the world she lives in.
Quite often brilliant and always subversive, director Sion Sono’s “Tag” was without a doubt 2015’s best foreign film. “Tag” follows a schoolgirl named Mitsuko as her quiet and uneventful young life falls into utter chaos when a school bus transporting her and her classmates is cut in half horizontally by a gust of supernatural wind. As her life spirals out of con-
Featuring a bizarre blend of intense gore and arthouse cinema aesthetics, “Tag” is at its core an empowering feminist film from Japan that encourages young women to break free from the shackles of conformity. - Michael B. Murphy Photos courtesy of creativecommons.org
Television New Series: Scream Queens Netflix Original Series Photo courtesy of facebook.com
The latest brainchild of television show creator Ryan Murphy, “Scream Queens” might just be his best work yet. Hilariously horrifying and captivatingly satirical, these Queens are just the kind of light-hearted entertainment we needed this fall. Unlike Murphy’s “American Horror Story” which plays its scares straight, “Scream Queens” pokes fun at horror shows while still remaining engaging and unpredictable. The show follows a sorority house plagued by a dark past and a serial killer disguised as the school’s mascot. Chanel, the president of Kappa Kappa Tau, is a hysterical, self-absorbed spoiled brat played by none other than Emma Rob-
erts. While Roberts is no stranger to the mean girl role, Chanel is meaner and crueler than her former role as “American Horror Story’s” Madison Montgomery. Perhaps more intriguing than Chanel herself is the dynamic between her and her three minions – Chanel No. 2, 3 and 5. From Chanel No. 2, played by Ariana Grande, who is a timid, ditzy girl to Chanel No. 3 who is a reserved, ear-muff sporting daughter of Charles Manson himself, the Chanels are a refreshingly original clique of mean girls. If you’re looking for dry-humor, gory horror scenes and lots of frights, “Scream Queens” is the show to binge-watch. - Alexandra Gomes
A Netflix original, Marvel’s new “Jessica Jones” is the gritty, female-centric superhero TV show you never knew you wanted. The show follows private investigator Jessica Jones, who has secret superpowers and is being hunted by Kilgrave, a sadistic mind-controller. Though not without its flaws - mostly concerning an insufferable cop and his entire sub-plot - it has managed a task that no other show has done before – portraying a realistic and relatable female superhero.
As the show begins, Jones has already been to Hell and back. She has cut herself off from family and friends, and instead dives into her work as a detective… and bottles of whiskey. However, it is through her work that she is forced to confront her dark past and the disturbed man behind it.
- Alexandra Gomes Photo courtesy of facebook.com
Animated Comedy: Rick & Morty
Photo courtesy of facebook.com
After an untouchable first season of “Rick and Morty” in 2014, the hysterical Adult Swim animated comedy returned for an even more ridiculous, unpredictable and mind-blowing new season this year. The series follows the twisted intergalactic and interdimensional adventures of an elderly, drunken mad scientist, Rick Sanchez, and his stuttering, nervous grandson, Morty Smith. “Rick and Morty” is a fresh breath of air from the overused conventions that are obvious in Seth MacFarlane’s cartoons, but also separates itself from the excessive violence and shock comedy that much of Adult Swim’s content relies on.
In the realm of adult cartoons, “Rick and Morty” stands alone. As Rick Sanchez would say, “It’s just Rick and Morty. Rick and Morty forever for a hundred years, Rick and Morty things. Me, Rick and Morty running around in Rick and Morty time all day long forever.”
- Scott Calzolaio
ARTS & FEATURES
14
December 11, 2015
“Almost, Maine” - continued from page 1 heart. As the show progressed, the scenes became a bit more literal. One memorable scene involved Gayle, played by Pereira in her second role in the show, and Lendall, played by Terra. Gayle wanted her love back because she feared the relationship would not go any further. She delivered eight bags of love that Lendall had given her over a long period of time. Lendall obliged and gave her back a small bag that he claimed was all the love she had given him over the years. Shocked by this, she argued more and, saddened by the situation, he left. The twist is that he had converted all her love into an engagement ring and was met with “aww”s from the audience. This play left room for speculation because most of the scenes had ambiguous endings. It raised the question, “Did they or didn’t they?” After intermission, the first scene of the two lovers on the bench was revisited. This time, the man, was sitting by himself looking at where the woman had walked away. Another scene that had literal meaning involved Chad, played by Murphy, and Randy, played by Gabrielle. These two male friends talked about their failed relationships. Chad brought up the point that he felt more comfortable around Randy than with girls. He felt like more than a friend to him. When Randy responded with anger that his friend would ruin their platonic relationship, Chad started literally falling to the ground, claiming he can’t help but “fall” in love with his best friend. Randy, after his anger, started
falling also, indicating that he felt the same way. The saddest scene in “Almost, Maine” involved an at first unnamed man, played by Bowen in his second role in the play, and Hope, played by Nielsen. The story was about a girl who came back to town to reclaim the love she never accepted or denied, but was simply left hanging. As she was telling a stranger her woes, she realized in the end the stranger was her past love who had found someone else. The epilogue revisited Pete and Ginette, with Pete still looking at the direction in which Ginette left. She appeared on the other side of the stage (having walked the entire Earth and become “close” again) and finally reunited with him. The play was well received by the audience. Student Gina Iacoviello said, “I really enjoyed it, I’ve seen it before I just love how it’s so cute and all the scenes are so great.” Another student, James Buonopane, said, “It was great. It was hilarious.” He added, “Some of the scenes were fantastic to watch.”
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
Connor Bowen, above, plays Pete, who lost love. Below, Bobby Murphy (left) and Anthony Gabrielle discuss failed relationships.
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
Willie J. Laws sings the blues at FSU By Maria Hornbaker Staff Writer
On Monday, Willie J. Laws and his rhythm and blues band performed in the Dwight Performing Arts Center (DPAC) for a Midday Performance. Guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Willy J. Laws has been performing a mix of country, rock & roll and classic R&B for over 25 years. According to his website, williejlawsband.com, his music is a “Soulful mixture of South Texas Blues/Funk.” He also has been nominated for the Boston Music Award. Bruce Mattson accompanied Willie J. Laws on the piano, Osi Brathwaite on drums and Malcolm Stuckey was on bass guitar. This was Willie J. Law’s fourth time performing at Framingham state.
Cesareo Contreras/The Gatepost
Willie J. Laws performs original songs in DPAC.
Suzanne Wright, a freshman who attended, said, “I came here because I like blues music, to be honest. I saw this was a free show. I didn’t have any classes so I said ,‘why not?’” The first song that was performed was an upbeat tune that had a splash of funk. Most of their songs were original. The covers were of the rhythm and blues genre. The second song he performed was an original called, “Black Maria.” Although this was mostly instrumental, the song was catchy. His stage performance went along with the feeling of every song. He was active and noticeably in tune with every strum on the guitar, beat on the drums and tap on the piano. His next original song, “Boogie Man,” had the audience clapping their hands along to the upbeat, slow,
yet soulful rhythm of it. The transition from one song to another was smooth but not noticeable. However, when he slowed down the groove, you could tell that there were differences. The highlight of the performance was when he played the guitar with his mouth. His last song, “Cornbread Moan,” energized the crowd. Student Ian Blight said, “I enjoyed it. It was very good.” When asked why he loves rhythm and blues so much, Laws said, “The blues is the root for all American music.”
December 11, 2015
By Cesareo Contreras Asst. Arts & Features Editor The LulzBot TAZ 5 3D printer sits behind the IT help desk and can be seen from the other side of a glass window. Connected to it, a laptop shows a 3D image of the object Michael Darcy, a helpdesk technician at FSU, is printing. The image is of a backpack tension lock that Darcy will use to repair a backpack. This is one of many 3D objects Darcy and his colleagues have created while experimenting with the printer. And scattered across the office are a variety of other 3D creations. From a T-Rex skull tape dispenser to the first part of a Toyota car engine, the 3D printer’s precision and capabilities are evident. On the Lower Mezzanine of the Whittemore Library behind the IT help desk sit printers capable of producing far more than a common essay or study guide, and many students and staff don’t know of their existence.
ARTS & FEATURES
Inspect the Tech: FSU’s 3D Printers The Lulzbot TAZ 5, the highest-end 3D printer on campus, was ordered earlier in the summer and cost $2,200, according to Darcy. Darcy said that it was much cheaper than the Cube X Trio they picked up a few years prior, that cost almost $5,000. Darcy explained that most of the 3D objects they’ve created have come from the website Thingiverse, some of which can be downloaded for free. Judith Foley, man-
Next , the printer’s surface has to be hot enough to shape the plastic. Then the printer takes over and begins to create the object. “If you can’t find something on Thingiverse, you can build it yourself,” Foley said. “I exported it to a .stl file from AutoCAD and gave it to Mike, and he used the software and printed it. It’s pretty cool stuff. ... It’s good you guys are highlighting this because nobody really knows we have them,” Foley said Although campus awareness about the printers has been low, a few professors on campus have been finding uses for the printers. Doug Leaffer, a physics and earth science professor, recently printed out a small hand-held replica of the Chandra Space Observatory for the McAuliffe Center. The University received a drawing from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and converted to an. .stl file. “We printed this
Brad Leucht
e/The Gatepo
Three 3D printers are placed throughout the IT department’s office ready to print the next 3D object. The FlashForge Creator Pro, the Cube X Trio and the newest edition, the LulzBot TAZ 5, are the proper name of these printers. Darcy, the technician in charge of the 3D printers, explained that the university bought them because they wanted to see how the campus could use the latest technology. However, campus interest had been low, and the printers haven’t been used much until recently, Darcy said.
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ager of campus technology, needed t o repair a broken VHS to DVD converter that was missing a button, so she used AutoCAD, software that allows her to design her own 3D objects. The process to create an object with the LulzBot TAZ 5 takes a few relatively simple steps. First, a design is either downloaded off the web or created in AutoCAD. Then Cura, the 3D software, is loaded in.
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for the McAuliffe Center to produce a handheld model that we could show as a demonstration piece for students that come to the McAuliffe Center - middle school students - to learn about Christa McAuliffe and the space program and astronomy,” Leaffer said. Leaffer explained that there were some limitations to what they could print on the 3D printer because of its size and resolution. “It has to be of a resolution that is reproducible on the 3D printer that IT has and within the footprint of the printer itself, which is
about as big as a toaster,” Leafer said. “So if it was a larger object, we wouldn’t be able to print it due to resolution constraints and or size limitations.” Leaffer suggests that students gain experience by using 3D rendering software like AutoCAD to understand how to make 3D models. Leaffer said he would use the printer again to print out more models and a variety of other structures. However, he doesn’t necessarily believe the printers could be used campus wide because of the skill needed to use the software, as well as the limitations of how detailed and big a model can be. Irene Porro, director of the McAuliffe Center, said the Chandra Observatory replica was a test to see how they can use the technology. “For an educational purpose, it’s nice for us to have a model of the actual thing because you cannot go and see this telescope anywhere because it’s up in space,” Porro said. “For us right now, it’s still pretty much just an experiment trying to figure out what we can do, but this was a good example for us to understand what the printer we have on campus can do, but also what the students on campus can do.” Porro also said she would use the 3D printer to replace broken parts of the Challenger Learning Center exhibit in the McAuliffe Center. Darcy hopes that more students will find uses for the printers. “It’s all up to the community. [I hope that] people around the campus are going to come up with new and interesting ways to use it.”
Above: A hand size replica of the Chandra Space Observatory Below: (Left)The LulzBot Taz 5 3D printer at work. (Right) A completed 3D-printed backpack tension lock.
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
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ARTS & FEATURES
Campus Conversations
December 11, 2015
What was your biggest accomplishment of 2015?
By Amanda Martin & Brittany Wolstencroft
“Not failing organic chemistry (so far).”
“Going to college.” -Brian Bissonnette, freshman
- Douglas Perkins, sophmore
“Being an education major here, being a senior. Just all the components. It’s all very rewarding.”
“Not dropping out of college.” - Seth Signa, sophmore
- Carissa Martorana, senior
“Learning what I do not want to do.”
“Last spring I made Dean’s List.”
- Tremain Bell, senior
- Greg Asci, junior
44 Old name for Iran 46 Image that may be burned 48 Hatcher of schemes 49 Brooklets 50 Island group that includes Sao ACROSS Miguel 1 Birthday event? 52 Famous Frazier foe 6 ___ Rapids, Iowa 53 Cardinal address 11 Fathers and sons 58 “___ Little Indians” 14 Obliterate 59 Deliver a stump speech 15 Antipathetic 60 Clean, as dirty pots 16 Writer’s list-lopper 61 Doggy-bag scrap 17 “I don’t get that at all” Spanish appetizers 19 Seventeenth letter of the Greek 62 63 Aquatic mammal alphabet 20 Texas oil city DOWN 21 Earthy tone 1 Honolulu gift 23 Rockette, for one 2 Word with “collection” or 26 Long for (with “to”) “class” 27 Torments 3 Undergrad degs. 28 Unkempt or disorderly 4 “Look Back inAnger” dra 30 Field size, sometimes maist John 31 Best vision spot 5 Blue-pencil again 32 Experiences, as doubts 6 End the business day 35 Sleep state initials 7 Billion-year stretches 36 Least confining 8 Bit of baby talk 38 “The Matrix” hero 9 24-hour convenience 39 Cousin of calypso Dimmer switch, e.g. 40 Some double-reed instruments 10 11 Title for a queen 41 Graceful gull 12 Upper region of space 42 Compositions for nine Edited by Timothy E. Parker December 11, 2015 WE’REALL HERE By Carlin Dewars
Last issue’s solutions:
13 Make it home safely? 18 Deep desires 22 April number cruncher 23 Blackens, as ribs 24 Wedge-shaped diacritical mark 25 Classic 1966 Coburn film 26 “Forever” 28 Feb. 14 gift 29 Birds, to Brutus 31 Tennis shoe insert? 33 Elevated hideaway 34 Submarine detector 36 Big underdog 37 Do as you’re told 41 Cut into thirds 43 Driveway blotch 44 Roz portrayer on “Frasier” 45 Nevertheless 46 One of the Muses 47 Form 1040 submitter 48 Rotunda features 50 Rush job notation 51 Catherine ___ Jones 54 Retirement kitty, for short 55 “___ so fast!” 56 Snooker stick 57 Be fallible
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December 11, 2015
EVACUATE the dance floor
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Melina Bourdeau/The Gatepost
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December 11, 2015
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DECEMBER 11, 2015
Ferr or Foul?
4 CFB Playoff predictions
SPORTS
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Hockey drops three staight, look to turn things around in New Year
By Mike Ferris Sports Editor
1.) Clemson will knock off Oklahoma in the Capital One Orange Bowl. Clemson is undefeated and has showed that they can win the close ones. Deshaun Watson is a Heisman Finalist and has thrown for over 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns this year. He has added 11 touchdowns on the ground and must be good against the Sooners if the Tigers are going to advance. Clemson holds the longest winning streak in college football and is the only undefeated team in the playoff. The Sooners are good, but Oklahoma doesn’t have the defense to slow Clemson down enough. 2.) Alabama will have no trouble with Michigan State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. The Spartans have no doubt been good this year, but let’s be honest - the Big Ten is not the SEC. Alabama has one loss in the daunting SEC against a very good Mississippi team that landed in the Sugar Bowl, showing they are no joke. The Crimson Tide’s running back Derrick Henry has ran for just under 2,000 yards and 23 touchdowns and should have no problem dismantling the Spartans like he has everyone else lately. 3. If Alabama and Clemson meet in the National Championship, it’ll be a matchup between the two best teams and the two best players in the country. Watson and Henry belong in New York City for the Heisman Presentation and fans should hope that these teams, which have been ranked first and second for weeks now, match up against each other because that would truly be a great game. Alabama’s defense ranks third in the country only allowing 258 YPG and 14 PPG, while Clemson’s offense averages 511 YPG and 38.5 PPG. This would be a battle between an explosive offense and a lockdown defense. 4. Henry will win the Heisman. Alabama’s Henry, Clemson’s Watson and Stanford’s Christian McCaffery were the three players invited to the Heisman Trophy Presentation. Henry has rushed the ball 339 times for 1,986 yards and 23 touchdowns. He has an absurd average of 5.9 yards per carry. Watson has complete 69.5 percent of his passes for 3,512 yards and 30 touchdowns. On top of the passing statistics, he has ran for 887 yards and 11 touchdowns. McCaffery has ran 319 times for 1,847 yards and eight touchdowns. In addition to the rushing numbers, he has 540 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Personally, I would tell you Watson should win, but Henry is looking like a lock to win at this point.
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
Rick O’Connor plays a pass up the boards to Derek Ridgeway. By Amelia Foley Asst. Sports Editor
Framingham State hosted Salem State on Dec. 3 for a MASCAC matchup that resulted in a 5-0 loss. Salem took the lead only four minutes into the game when Michael Chen scored a goal that was followed by a second from Andrew Bucci 13 minutes later. The first period ended with SSU leading 2-0. Four minutes into the second period, Michael Casale scored again for SSU. In the 8th minute of the game Tyler Colacchio got a breakaway, but was hooked in front of the net. The Rams were awarded a penalty shot but it went just wide of the net, leaving the score 3-0 Salem. The Vikings added on two more goals before closing the second period, making the final score 5-0. The third period remained scoreless as both teams were unable to convert on any plays. Adam Calabrese made 19 saves before being relieved by Alessio Muggli after the last goal in the second period. Muggli made 10 saves and the Rams were outshot 34-25. The Rams lost a close MASCAC game to UMass Dartmouth at Loring Arena on Dec. 5. UMD tallied two goals in the first four minutes of the game giving them an early lead. Mark Essery cut the deficit in half only a minute later when he scored off a rebound. In the 11th minute there was a collision in the net and Calabrese was carried off the ice and replaced by Muggli. Calabrese made four saves. The Rams evened up the game when Brent Barber scored on a power play in the 18th minute of the game. Rick O’Connor took the lead 20 seconds later when he went unassisted to the net, ending the period 3-2, Rams. In the second period, Colacchio scored for the Rams only 27 seconds in on a power play. The Corsairs quickly retaliated with two goals of their own, evening the score. Colacchio took back the lead, completed a hat trick and scored the final goal for the Rams at 18:33. The Rams gave up two goals in the final period of the game. Mike Sones scored for UMD a minute in. In the 14th minute, the final goal of the game was scored when Brandon Gilmore intercepted a
pass from Framingham’s defense and converted the shot. UMD had a total of 49 shots on net and FSU had a close 48. Muggli made 38 saves and Drew Michals made 42 for the Corsairs. With the loss, Framingham drops to 1-5 in the MASCAC. The Rams traveled to Worcester to face Assumption on Dec. 9 for a non-conference game. Framingham took the lead early in the first period when Rich Hill took a shot from the blue line that made it past Assumption’s goaltender. In the second period, Brandon Bete and Nick Fennuccio each scored within five minutes, giving the Greyhounds the lead. Greg Stoya took the puck up the ice several times before Cam Klahre was able to convert the play into a goal. Less than a minute later, Ryan Gomez scored for Assumption and took back the lead. In the third period, the teams went back-toback with goals. Jack Murphy scored first for the Rams at 2:08, but was quickly followed by a goal from Stephen Picard for the Greyhounds. O’Connor tied up the game with just five minutes remaining, making the score 4-4. Matt Cowles put the Greyhounds up for good when he converted on a pass from Picard. Assumption took a shot on an empty Rams’ net, but the shot went too far right and missed. Alex Erban scored the final goal with only two minutes left in the game for Assumption. Muggli made 46 saves and the Rams were outshot 52-49. With the loss, the Rams close out the semester 2-8 on the season and 1-5 in the MASCAC. The Rams return to the ice after the New Year at Western New England on Jan. 6.
Previous Games: Framingham State 2, Plymouth State 9 Framingham State 3, Westfield State 5 Framingham 2, NE College 5
SPORTS
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DECEMBER 11, 2015
Men’s basketball slips to 2-6 early in season By Nick Quaglia Staff Writer
On Thursday, Dec. 3, the Framingham State Rams (1-5) traveled west where they would face off with the red-hot WPI Goats (6-0). WPI has averaged 68.3 points per game, as Framingham State has averaged 56.8. WPI jumped out to a quick 13-0 lead early in the first half, riding on three 3-point jump shots. Framingham was able to break the scoring streak with two made free throws by Tony Alexandre. Alexandre would be Framingham’s lone scorer as WPI began to break open their lead. With 7:42 left in the half, Timothy McCarthy was able to sink a 3-pointer, but that did not slow down WPI. Ian Converse of WPI led the way with six first half baskets tallying 12 total points to the halfway mark. WPI held control of the game at the half with a commanding 36-19 lead. Framingham opened up the second half with a 7-0 run, starting with a Daniel Gould 3-pointer. Framingham shrank the lead to just seven points with 2:51 remaining, but WPI battled back and maintained control. WPI held off the surging Rams with a final score of 59-50. McCarthy led the way for Framingham tallying 14 points followed tightly by Alexandre with 13. WPI’s Converse led the way with 16 points followed by Aaron Todd with 14 coming off the bench.
On Tuesday, Dec. 8, the Framingham State Rams (1-6) hosted Clark University (1-6). Framingham jumped out to a quick lead beginning with a Gould 3-point jump shot followed by Alexandre lay up giving them a 5-0 lead. Joe Atkinson put the first points on the board for Clark cutting the lead to three. From there, Framingham marched on a sixpoint run at the hands of McCarthy. On this run, McCarthy accumulated two three-point baskets followed by a layup. Clark would be down by no fewer than eight for the remainder of the half until the final eight minutes. Clark was able to cut the lead from ten to just five by the end of the first half. At halftime, Framingham led Clark by five points, 26-21. The second half of the matchup showed more of McCarthy as he sank a three for the first score. Clark was able to then cut the lead to just one, on a seven-point run. Gould answered back with two 3-point shots extending the Framingham lead. With each score Clark had, Framingham was able to answer, eventually taking an eightpoint lead that would seal the deal. Framingham came out on top defeating Clark 60-52. McCarthy gathered the most minutes on the floor along with tallying for a team-leading 14 points in the game alongside teammates Gould and Jacek Louisville.
Previous Games: Plymouth State Framingham State
57 50
Trinity 71 Framingham State 60 Wheaton 84 Framingham State 58 Leading Scorers: McCarthy 10.4 McCabe 9.7 Alexandre 8.4 Leading Rebounders: Alexandre 6.5 Cuff 6.0 McCarthy 3.9
Scott Calzolaio/The Gatepost
Matt Diver (40) looks to pass as Tony Alexandre (15) rolls to the basket and Jacek Louisville looks to get position under the basket.
SPORTS
DECEMBER 11, 2015
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Women’s basketball goes 1-1, sits at 5-3 overall
Allie Gath/The Gatepost
The Rams huddle up during a timeout. Left to right: Raegan Mulherin (25), Lauren Donahue (20), Monta Connolly and Alycia Rackliffe. By Matt Ferris Asst. Sports Editor
Framingham State hosted Suffolk University on Dec. 5 in a non-conference game. The Rams came out hot, jumping out to an early 18-8 lead. Framingham would finish the first quarter on a 6-0 run to put themselves up 24-8. The Rams never looked back from this point on. Framingham extended the lead to 20 in the opening minutes of the second quarter, before eventually pushing the lead to 30 in the fourth quarter. Suffolk rallied late, but the lead was far too much for them to overcome. Framingham State earned an 82-63 victory over Suffolk. In the win, the Rams were led by Sarah Palace and Raegan Mulherin. Palace had 15 points and five rebounds. Mulherin also had 15 points with four rebounds and three assists. Quinn O’Connell came off the bench to fill up the stat sheet. She contributed 14 points, while adding three rebounds, two assists and four steals. Monta Connolly led the team in rebounds with 11 and added eight points. Alycia Rackliffe and Tiphani Harris rounded out the double-digit scorers for the Rams. Rackliffe just missed a double double as she scored 13 points and had nine rebounds with one block. Harris contributed 10 points off the bench with five rebounds. Framingham outrebounded Suffolk 53-43 and won the assist battle 17-8. The Rams forced 15 turnovers, and scored 21 points off of them. The win improves the Rams’ record to 5-2 on the season.
The Rams traveled to MIT to take on the Engineers in a non-conference game on Dec. 8. Framingham State found itself down 52-38 with just under a minute remaining in the third quarter when O’Connell knocked down back-to-back triples. This sparked a 20-3 run for the Rams, gaining them the lead 58-55 with three minutes remaining in the game. After a back-and-forth two-and-a-half minutes of play, the Rams found themselves up by one point. With 21 seconds remaining and possession of the ball, the Engineers called a timeout to talk things over. Out of the timeouts, Sabrina Drammis found Maya Ramachandran underneath the basket. Ramachandran converted the game-winning layup to put MIT back up by a point with six seconds left. The Rams were unable to rally back from this, taking a 64-63 loss. O’Connell led the Rams in scoring with 15 points while adding three rebounds, four assists and a steal. Mulherin was just behind, with 14 points as well as four assists and four steals. Connolly and Rackliffe both just missed double doubles. Connolly had nine points and nine rebounds while Rackliffe had eight points and 10 rebounds, which led the team. Both teams tied with 39 rebounds apiece, while MIT won the assist battle 18-12. The loss drops the Rams to 5-3 on the season.
Previous Games: Framingham State UMass Boston
51 61
Framingham State Mount Ida
93 70
Rivier Framingham State
72 91
Leading Scorers: Mulherin 19.8 Rackliffe 10.9 O’Connell 10.9 Leading Rebounders: Connolly 8.9 Rackliffe 8.5 Harris 5.6
SPORTS
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DECEMBER 11, 2015
NYG/MIA
NE/HOU
OAK/DEN
SEA/BAL
ATL/CAR
WAS/CHI
SD/KC
IND/JAX
PIT/CIN
TEN/NYJ
NO/TB
DET/STL
SF/CLE
BUF/PHI
The Editors’ NFL Week 14 Picks Mike Ferris (44-46)
Melina Bourdeau/The Gatepost
Matt Ferris (50-40)
Amelia Foley (47-43)
Photos courtesy Creative Commons
Sports Trivia On January 6, 2015, this player became the 82nd in NHL history to score 1,000 career points. Who is he?
Tweet of the Week
Photos courtesy Twitter
Celtics coach Brad Stevens comments that the 23-0 Warriors are one of the best teams that the 39-year old coach has ever seen.
The Gatepost Player of the Week Tyler Colacchio Colacchio scored a hat trick in Framingham State’s 7-6 loss to UMass Dartmouth on Dec. 5.
Patrick Elias Trivia Answer:
Photos courtesy fsurams.com
DECEMBER 11, 2015
SPORTS
23
Football drops NCAA Tournament game to Wesley 42-22
Photo Courtesy of Jenny Wang ‘15
Tevin Jones (81) attempts to get open while Nick Stanfield (56) sets a block. By Mike Ferris Sports Editor
Framingham State’s season came to an end in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Rams dropped their opening round game to Wesley 42-22. The Rams stayed tough for much of the first half, but a late second and early third quarter touchdown were really the dagger that Framingham could not come back from. Wesley won the opening toss and deferred. This decision would prove to be a good one as the two unanswered scores before and after the half extended its lead to 14. Each team scored in the first quarter. Wesley got on the board with just over 6:30 left, when Jamar Baynard ran the ball in from one yard out. The run capped an 18-play, 91-yard drive. Framingham would answer with 14 seconds remaining in the first quarter, when Matt Silva added to his record-setting year and found Jared Gauthier for an 18-yard touchdown. The Wesley answer came with just under eight minutes remaining in the second. Joe Callahan, who led the country in passing touchdowns entering the week, hit Alex Kemp for a 14-yard score and a 14-7 lead. Silva would lead a drive of his own four minutes later. This time he found Jalen Green for a two-yard score. Sean Wlasuk’s extra point tied the game at 14, but Framingham’s defense just could not stop the highpowered Wesley offense. Wesley would cap a deflating 12-play, 79-yard drive with 23 seconds left in the half. The touchdown extended the lead to 21-14. Wesley had a chance to tack on and applied the dagger after receiving the second half kickoff. Forty-five seconds into the second half, Callahan found Kemp behind the Framingham secondary for a 69-yard score. The lead was pushed to 28-14 and Framingham would never recover from this deficit. Framingham just could not finish drives on offense and it was a safety that cut into the Wesley lead late in the fourth quarter, but the momentum would not be enough for the Rams. The safety made it 28-16, but Wesley had an answer for every Framingham punch. Early in the fourth quarter, Callahan found Kemp again, this time from 11 yards out and took a 35-16 lead. Framingham scored the final touchdown of its season with just under seven minutes left, when safety Matt Mangano got a goal-line carry and ran the ball in from three yards out. Wesley answered this score as they did every other with a touchdown late in the game. Baynard, who started the scoring, finished it with a fouryard touchdown run. His second of the afternoon made it 42-22. Silva ended his collegiate career completing 26 passes for 312 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also was the leading rusher, carrying 16 times for 68 yards. Green
followed him with 14 attempts for 55 yards. Framingham had two receivers over 100 yards. Marcus Grant and Tevin Jones each ended their careers with 100-yard games. Grant had a gamehigh 12 receptions for 109 yards and Jones was just behind him with seven catches for 108. Colby Frodel caught two passes for 45 yards. Tyllor McDonald had a team-high 14 tackles. He was followed by Mangano and Quentin Jones, who each had eight. Quentin Jones ended his senior season with a sack to tack on to his record-setting season. Framingham ended its season going undefeated in the MASCAC at 8-0 and with an overall record of 9-2.
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Wesley
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Passing Leaders: (FSU) Silva 26-52, 312 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT (WES) Callahan 32-42, 411 yards, 4 TD Rushing Leaders: (FSU) Silva 16 carries, 68 yards (WES) Baynard 20 carries, 74 yards, 2 TD Receiving Leaders: (FSU) Grant 12 rec., 109 yards (FSU) Jones 7 rec., 108 yards (WES) Kemp 6 rec., 143 yards, 3 TD (WES) Okike 9 rec., 116 yards (WES) Shade 10 rec., 107 yards, 1 TD
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DECEMBER 11, 2015
BITS AND PIECES Allie Card/The Gatepost