February 17, 2023

‘Survey says SGA wins!’

By Sophia Harris News Editor

By Raena Doty Editorial Staff

SGA allocated $363,600 in funding for the organization’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) budgets during its annual “Big Budget” meeting on Feb. 10.

This allocated amount is down approximately 1.6% from the FY23 allocation of $369,642.

A total of $12,303 was left in unallocated funds.

Each organization is separated into a group, making for a total of six groups.

Group One consists of four organizations: The Gatepost, SGA, Framingham State Activities Board (FSAB), and WDJM Radio 91.3.

Group Two consists of seven organizations: the Afro-Caribbean Dance Group (ACDG), Black Student Union, Brother 2 Brother, Dance Club, The Hilltop Players, Motivation. Intersectionality. Solidarity. Sisterhood. (M.I.S.S.), and Ski & Snowboard Club.

Group Three consists of seven organizations: ASL Club, Comic Book Club, Fashion Club, Gaming Club, History Club, The Onyx, and Outing Club.

Group Four consists of 13 groups: Anime Club, Art Club, Christian Fel-

lowship, Commuter Student Club, CompSci Club, Education Club, English Club, Green Initiative, LUNA, Math Club, Psychology Club, Students of Caribbean Ancestry (SOCA), and Wildlife Club.

Group Five consists of four groups: Aspiring Health Pros, Active Minds, Nutrition Club, and Political Science Club.

Group Six consists of six groups: Engineering Club, IGNITE, Pride Alliance, tudent ets, The 8 Club, and the Web & App Development Club.

Organizations in Group One met with SGA to present their requests and

Whittemore library and CIE discuss ‘March’

By Ryan O’Connell Arts & Features Editor

The Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE) and the Henry Whittemore Library partnered to facilitate a book discussion on the impact of “March,” a graphic novel series by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell, on Feb. 13.

The event, hosted by Emma Laurie, program coordinator for the CIE, and Kathleen Barnard, student engagement coordinator of the library, allowed attendees to reflect on what they learned and enjoyed about the three-book graphic novel series, “March.”

This series follows the teenage years

of the late Congressman Lewis during the Civil Rights Movement.

Barnard asked, “What do we get out of the story? How does this affect and make us think about history today?”

She then gave a brief synopsis of Lewis’ life, beginning with his birth in Troy, Alabama and his college years in Nashville, Tennessee.

Barnard said Lewis began organizing for Black civil rights in 1959 by performing sit-ins at segregated lunch counters, and he maintained his spirit of activism until his death in 2020.

She added Lewis volunteered to participate in the Freedom Rides of 1961, was a chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee from

1963 to 1966, and was an organizer and speaker at the March on Washington, best known for Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Lewis also organized voter registration across the South, helped lead the Selma to Montgomery March in 1965, and continued to be a civil rights activist throughout his career, Barnard said.

She said Lewis was appointed in 1977 by former President Jimmy Carter as associate director of ACTION, the federal domestic volunteer agency, and was first elected to public office in 1981 as a member of the Atlanta City Council.

(Left) SGA Members Dara Barros, Evelyn Campbell, Mark Haskell, and Sam Houle are victorious in FSAB’s “FRAMILY FEUD.” [Editor’s Note: Mark Haskell is a staff writer for The Gatepost.]

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief

Leighah Beausoleil

Associate Editor

Emily Rosenberg

News Editors

Sophia Harris

Branden LaCroix

Asst. News Editor

Naidelly Coelho

Opinions Editor

McKenzie Ward

Sports Editor

Adam Levine

Arts & Features Editor

Ryan O’Connell

Asst. Arts & Features Editor

Raena Doty

Design & Photo Editor

Maddison Behringer

Asst. Photos Editor

Zachary Sorel

Adrien Gobin

Staff Writers

Jesse Burchill

Owen Glancy

Mark Haskell

Ben Hurney

Jack McLaughlin

Izayah Morgan

Kate Norrish

Carly Paul

Wenchell Pierre

Ryan Schreiber

Lainey Morrison

Advisor

Desmond McCarthy

Asst. Advisor

Elizabeth Banks

Gatepost Interview Deborah Hogan

Library Periodical Supervisor and RAM Award Winner

By Naidelly Coelho Asst. News Editor

What is your educational and career background?

I’m a first-generation student. I graduated a long time ago, but I have to say I’m the sixth of seven children and I was the first to graduate from high school. o, that was an achievement for me. couple years later, I got my icensed Practical Nurse PN. nd I wor ed as an PN for two years in a urology office, and then I went on, and I got married to a man in the military. o, we traveled around quite a bit and I had my family and I had my children. o, I didn’t go bac to school to get my master’s or bachelor’s degree until I was in my s. I had five ids at home and my husband was military, li e I said, and he was assigned to wor at eber tate University in Ogden, Utah. o, we got free tuition. I figured that was a good opportunity for me to finish school, and I wanted to set an example to my ids that it was worth going to college even though it was hard. t first, I was going to go bac and get my nursing degree, and I wor ed for a semester at the hospital there and didn’t care for it anymore. It was ust not a very positive atmosphere. o I decided to get my degree in nglish and I minored in history.

Why did you choose FSU and how did you end up working with periodicals?

y husband was in the army and transferred to uwait unaccompanied for a year bac in 199 , so I moved with my children from ayton, Utah to opinton. ight now, I’m a periodical supervisor, and I also wor in tech services. I do the processing for the boo s, for the general collection, and for reference.

Can you tell me a little bit about your work at the library?

hen I first started wor ing periodicals, we had hundreds of ournals coming in and print and over the years, everything became more electronic. o, the periodicals department that I was first hired for is no longer really functioning. e have ust a few ournals that we currently get in print, and most of our ournals are online through databases. That’s where students mostly get

their information from.

How did you receive the RAM award?

I hesitate to get awards li e these - it ma es me feel uncomfortable. But it’s a recognition for achievement and merit. nd it’s through the professional development days that they do it every year. I had a couple of people nominate me, and at first I felt, “Oh no, not me,” because there are so many people that were better qualified, but afterward, I felt really grateful. I was humbled and I felt grateful because a lot of my co-wor ers were very supportive and that’s a good feeling.

Do you have any more goals for your career?

s far as my career, I’m toward the end of mine. I’m loo ing forward to retirement, but once I retire, I’d li e to travel. I thin everybody wants to travel. But my main career goal is to write a boo on my family history. I’m a very big fan of doing family history - my ancestors helped settle this area. o, I can go bac into the 1 s and before, but I’d really li e to write a history of the family from the time they came to the mericas in the 1 s to the present.

Police Logs

Saturday, Feb. 11 23:07

Medical McCarthy Center Transport to MWMC

100 State Street McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101

Phone: (508) 626-4605

Fax: (508) 626-4097 gatepost@framingham.edu

Saturday, Feb. 11 23:45

Alarm (Trouble) Athletic Center Referral to be Filed

Monday, Feb. 13 18:02

Harassment FSU Police Department Advised

Sunday, Feb. 12 19:00

Medical Larned Hall Medical Transport

Tuesday, Feb. 14 02:44

Suspicious Motor Vehicle Maynard Road Lot Advised/Removed

Do you have any hobbies?

I do li e to travel. nd of course, I li e to read genealogy. Those are my main hobbies. nd I also li e to do pu les and stay with my grandchildren.

Do you have any advice for students?

ell, one of my grandchildren is going to go to college next year. o, my advice I can relate specifically to him. I would li e him to find a school where he feels that he belongs and that he feels li e he’s part of the campus. I’d li e him to find something where he can develop his natural abilities and that he can find himself. I thin that it’s really good for a student to come in and feel they can belong to the university and develop their own personal qualities that they can basically follow their heart and have opportunities to grow and develop. I thin that I’m a very big proponent of reading and studying on your own. It’s not ust a matter of getting a degree - it’s a matter of developing your own personality through education. That’s what I’d li e to see students do.

CONNECT WITH NAIDELLY COELHO ncoelho3@student.framingham.edu

Sunday Feb. 12 20:30

Animal Complaint Athletic Center Unfounded

Wednesday, Feb. 15 15:27

Parking Complaint South University Ave. Citations Issued

Wednesday, Feb. 15 19:24

Assist Motorist Bement Parking Lot Service Rendered

Courtesy of Deborah Hogan

SGA discuss women’s safety on campus

By Naidelly Coelho Asst. News Editor

SGA members discussed women’s safety on campus and Athletic Center issues at its Feb. 14 meeting.

President Dara Barros said an anonymous person came to SGA regarding safety in the aerobics room in the Athletic Center.

She said someone “just invaded the space and took over it and they didn’t feel welcome and safe anymore.”

Barros said she experienced something similar with the basketball team.

She added from her past experiences, people come in with loud music and completely disregard the rules. She said it’s unfair to other students.

Senator Liv West said a student came up to her and said they had a negative encounter with the FSU Police Department.

The student tried getting information and guidance from the University Police concerning how to determine whether they had been assaulted by a former partner, West said.

She said the student felt disregarded and dismissed by University Police.

West said that someone else expressed their concern about Larned Hall. She said there is someone there assaulting women and that University Police have done nothing so far.

“She just said there were no consequences for this person because of a lack of evidence and I just didn’t know what to do because I feel that other women’s safety is being violated and as a woman, I just wonder what will happen in the future,” she said.

Barros said Title IX and the Counseling Center are great resources that will lead students to the right people. They are confidential and will advocate for students.

She added that SHAPE is a great resource for students that is designed to serve as a source of information for prevention of and education about sexual harassment, sexual violence, and relationship violence.

A member of The Gatepost came to SGA and expressed their concern that the College Media Association (CMA) conference is open to all Gatepost members, but not everyone gets to go, Barros said.

“I think that is something that we need to look into - to make sure that every Gatepost member got the same chance and opportunity to go to the conference this year,” she said.

Sam Houle, SATF treasurer, said SGA was “great” at advocating for students at the Big Budget meeting that happened Feb. 11.

oule said he received five funding

Weather

Sunday night Feb. 19

Cloudy, with a low around 38. S wind about 15 mph. 40% chance of precipitation.

Monday Feb. 20

Cloudy, with a high near 51. S wind about 15 mph. 40% chance of precipitation.

requests since that meeting.

Evelyn Campbell, outreach and events coordinator, highlighted some upcoming events on campus.

Drag Queen Bingo is happening Feb. 28, and she encouraged all SGA members to come help and support the event.

She said the SGA Banquet night will be April 19 at 7 p.m. and she is talking to Sara Gallegos, executive director of Student Experience and Careers, about awards and the next steps to be taken.

Advisor Leah Mudd said if anyone is interested in being a RAM peer leader to help during orientation and campus tours, they can apply on RamLink.

Career Development’s Suitable Solutions Professional Program prepares students for professional life and they will also get a $100 gift card from Macy’s to spend on professional clothing, she said.

There were two new senators sworn into SGA - Joseph Antonio and Kyle Walker.

Antonio said he used to be a counselor assistant in high school and his main goal is to be the voice for people who are not heard and an advocate for students.

Walker said he wants to be more involved on campus and SGA is a great opportunity for that.

West awarded the “U Rock” to Raffi l houry, vice president, for ma ing everyone feel very welcomed at SGA.

“Every time I’ve seen him, he just has a smile on his face, and he’s just ready to work,” she said. “He’s very hard working and he puts a lot of effort into making sure our meetings run smoothly. So, I know I appreciate that, and I’m sure everyone else does.”

Forecast provided by the National Weather Service

www.weather.gov

Monday night Feb. 20

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. W wind about 15 mph. 30% chance of precipitation.

Tuesday Feb. 21

Sunny, with a high near 44. W wind about 15 mph.

Tuesday night Feb. 21

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. SW wind about 10 mph. 30% chance of snow.

Wednesday Feb. 22

Partly sunny, with a high near 46. W wind about 15 mph. 50% chance of mixed precipitation.

Wednesday night Feb. 22

Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. N wind about 10 mph. 40% chance of precipitation.

Thursday Feb. 23

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. E wind about 15 mph. 50% chance of precipitation.

Gatepost Archives

CONNECT WITH NAIDELLY COELHO ncoelho3@student.framingham.edu

Gatepost Archives

Gatepost Archives

Big budget

discuss changes to funding.

Group One organizations were asked to cut their budgets because the overall Student Activities Trust Fund (SATF) was cut due to low enrollment.

This is the third year Group One organizations have been asked to cut from their budgets.

Groups Two through Five did not meet with SGA to discuss budget requests at the meeting and instead, the Finance Committee requested the organizations’ budgets for FY24.

Each organization in Group Two received an allocated flat rate of 1 , , costing a total of 9 , .

Each organization in Group Three received an allocated flat rate of , , costing a total of 8, .

Each organization in Group Four received an allocated flat rate of 1, , costing a total of 1 , .

Each organization in Group Five received an allocated flat rate of , costing a total of 8 .

Organizations in Group Six did not receive any allocation, but can request allocation at their Financial Committee meetings.

WDJM Radio 91.3 FM

President Kyle Walker and Treasurer Jack Mclaughlin presented WDJM’s request.

In its revised budget, WDJM cut its “ tation vents” category from 1,8 to 1, , which was due to the removal of 1 for line item “Food” and a decrease in funding for line item “Activities.”

Another revision to the WDJM budget was for its “Promotional Items” category. This category was decreased from to due to the cut of from its funding for the line item “T-shirts” and the increase in the line item “Giveaways.”

An increase was also made to WDJM’s budget in the category “Licensing and Memberships.” The budget increased from 1, to 1,9 . There was a increase in the line item “ treaming ervices” and a 1 in-

crease in the line item “SESAC.”

McLaughlin said the licensing and memberships to the streaming services are vital to the operation of the station.

WDJM increased its budget for “Station dministration” from 9, to 1 , 8 .

McLaughlin said they were able to cut from the line item “ tation Inspection” because they do not need the allocation for an inspection that was just recently undertaken last year, and only needs to take place every three years.

He said WDJM needed to increase the line item “ quipment” to 8 for a new soundboard.

McLaughlin said the soundboard has “been there for an unknown amount of time.”

A motion was made to allocate WDJM its full amount of funding for its revised F budget of 1 , 1 , including the expense of “Station Events,” “Promotional Items,” “Licensing & Membership,” and “Station dministration.” This is a .9 reduction from F .

The motion for the full budget passed unanimously.

The Gatepost

The Gatepost’s budget request was presented by Editor-In-Chief Leighah Beausoleil and Associate Editor Emily Rosenberg.

In its revised budget, The Gatepost cut from its F allocation of , to , for F .

There was a , decrease in the expense of “Newspaper Administration” to 18, for F .

This was due to the removal of the line item “Administrative Assistant,” which was changed to a work-study position, Beausoleil said.

There were three line items in this category including “Printing,” “Administrative Assistant,” and “Postage.”

There was no change to the “Printing” and “Postage” allocation.

In its “Promotional Items & Recruitment Events” category, The Gate-

post requested a total of , which includes for line item “Promotional Items” and for line item “Recruitment Events.”

This was a 1 decrease from the F budget.

The request went unchallenged and the full was passed by G .

In its “Licensing, Memberships & Awards” category, The Gatepost requested 1,88 . This was a increase from its F allocation of 1, .

Beausoleil said due to the increase in the number of submissions of Society of Professional Journalist Mark of xcellence wards, it cost an extra for the line item “SPJ Award Submissions.”

he said is needed to purchase additional storage on Google Drive. This is a new line item - “Google One.”

President Dara Barros challenged this addition and asked why The Gatepost doesn’t use Microsoft OneDrive instead.

Beausoleil said Google One has better security accommodations for The Gatepost’s needs.

Another line item added this year was “Otter.ai.” Otter is an artificial intelligence transcription application used by staff members during interviews for note-taking purposes.

The request was for 1 .

There was a increase in the line item “Website & Domain” because of the recent change of website hosts from GoDaddy to Wix.

The Gatepost had to recreate its website due to it being hacked over the summer, according to Beausoleil.

The request for the line item “Licensing embership” for 1,88 was passed.

The Gatepost requested ,1 for its “Office upplies quipment” category, which is a decrease from the allocated , for F .

The only change to this category was in the line item “Office upplies Furniture, excluding copier.”

The Gatepost previously received 1, in this category for F , but cut it in the FY24 request asking for

8 .

ice President affi l houry as ed about what the 8 of the line item “Office upplies” would be spent on.

Beausoleil listed office supplies, including staplers, chairs, notebooks, and pencils.

Senator Dillion Riley moved to deny the request for ,1 for the category “Office upplies quipment.”

Sara Gallegos, executive director of Student Experience and Careers, said, “If you’re trying to eliminate equipment that is essential for the operation of the organization - think very hard about eliminating that.”

Sam Houle, SATF treasurer, moved to allocate the full ,1 for the line item “Office upplies quipment.”

Riley debated the motion. “I think the 8 is ust a large amount - I’m ust not a huge fan. I ust thin 8 could be allocated elsewhere.”

The motion for the full amount did not pass.

Riley moved to allocate an amount not to exceed , to the category “Office upplies quipment” with a decrease in the line item “Office upplies & Furniture, excluding copier” by and a decrease from the line item “Cameras & Computers.”

Houle debated that “there are still new lenses that you can buy. You could drop lenses and they [The Gatepost] seem to have expressed the need for the ability to replace it. I don’t think we should be cutting cameras and computers specifically.”

Riley said, “If the equipment is breaking, I think that’s an issue with the people who are handling that.”

Elkhoury said, “I’m just going to say I think it’s important that we acknowledge that we don’t understand the inner workings of groups. So our personal knowledge on topics may not actually reflect the topic at hand, but I appreciate your comment.”

Beausoleil responded, “I get where you’re coming from for the office supplies - I can understand that. But when it comes to our cameras and computers, if we were to need to replace, for example, a computer at the moment, that’s 1, . e would not have enough to replace it and that money does not carry over from year to year.”

The motion for the allocation of , was not passed.

Senator Andy Thompson made a motion to allocate , to the category “Office upplies quipment,” which included a decrease in “Office upplies Furniture, excluding copier.”

This motion passed.

The Gatepost’s final category was the “College Media Association Conference” (CMA) and it requested 8, 8.

Beausoleil said the CMA conference is comprised of “multiple informational sessions and events that are throughout the entire day - throughout a couple of days - and each event and info session is on a different topic that can help us gain more knowledge as student journalists and we can put that knowledge toward improving our paper throughout the years.

“We also submit ourselves to a critique of our website and our newspaper so they can help us ensure we’re

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST

Members of SGA at the “Big Budget” meeting Feb 10.

See BIG BUDGET page 6

Updates provided on enrollment and rebranding at All University Meeting

By Branden LaCroix News Editor

FSU administrators presented updates on the University’s new enrollment strategies and its rebranding project during the All University Meeting Feb. 15.

The meeting was held over Zoom and provided information on undergraduate and graduate enrollment trends, the University’s new branding and changes to its logo, and its partnership with Primacy.

President Nancy Niemi said the purpose of the meeting was to keep the FSU community informed concerning the progress being made in the University’s rebranding and enrollment initiatives.

“We are thankful to everybody who has put the time into these massive efforts,” she said.

Michael Merriam, assistant dean of Graduate Admissions and director of Graduate and Continuing Education Recruitment, provided statistics regarding graduate, undergraduate, and certificate program enrollment.

Merriam said he was “pleased” to report the spring 2023 cohort for graduate programs remained “flat compared to previous years,” noting a “decent” increase from the Spring 2021 Semester.

Merriam also provided an update for the number of students enrolled in the 4+1 master’s program.

He said there were just under 30 applicants to the program in 2022 with 20 students enrolled in the fall. He said he expects 13 more students will enroll in the program by summer 2023.

Merriam said there is a new master’s in science with a concentration in organizational leadership, which is available to all majors.

“This program really helps students gain skills in almost every single type of industry, but really focuses on their management and their leadership style,” he said.

Merriam said the graduate program is heavily involved in the University’s “strategic planning process” to increase enrollment. He added he is “appreciative” of Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL), the organization aiding FSU’s enrollment strategies, for its work with the University.

“It really takes a group effort to really step back and kind of focus in on what we have done in the past and what we really want to do in the future,” he said.

Merriam said the University received a “substantial” grant for the counseling psychology program.

According to a news article on FSU’s website, the University partnered with Accelerate the Future and received $1.39 million from the Massachusetts Office of ealth and uman ervices to “diversify and expand the state’s pipeline of behavioral health specialists.”

Accelerate the Future is “a private family foundation supporting organizations that improve the livelihoods of children through STEM, child and ad-

olescent mental health, and pediatric cancer research initiatives,” according to the organization’s website.

Merriam said the grant will help students who earn a master’s in counseling psychology to become licensed counselors.

He said he is looking to increase the number of incoming students seeking degrees in counseling psychology from 60 this year, to approximately 300 by 2025.

Merriam added his department signed a “memorandum of understanding” with the organization Wellness Workdays, which provides workplace-wellness programs to corporations and other organizations as well as offers dietetic internships.

He explained by January 2024, registered dieticians will need to have attained a master’s degree. He said the partnership with Wellness Workdays will help students enrolled in the nutrition master’s program by providing them with internship opportunities.

Shayna Eddy, associate dean of Admissions and director of Undergraduate Admissions, provided an update on the number of first-year students applying to the University.

Overall, the total number of applications has declined this year compared to the previous two years.

However, she said there was a 12% increase between the weeks of Jan. 30 and Feb. 6 of this year compared to the same timeframe from last year.

“We’re moving students very quickly through our funnel. So, we have been able to complete our applications at a much higher rate in previous years,” she said.

She added with fewer overall applications, her department is able to “reach out” and “have more meaningful conversations” with students who have been accepted to the University.

“We’re going to be working on our accepted students, encouraging them to deposit, [and] inviting them back to campus,” she said.

Eddy also said next week is February vacation for high school students, and many prospective students will visit campus.

“You may see a lot of extra activity on our campus next week. So, if you do see students walking around with some white folders and a lanyard around them, please stop and say, ‘Hello,’ because they are most likely either accepted or prospective students,” she said.

Eddy added there is a new website that was created for accepted students. The website provides information about financial aid, as well as links to apply to scholarships, to pay the deposit, and to register for student reception events. The website also includes information on various services available on campus.

Students can access the site at www. framingham.edu/accepted.

Eddy said one of the “biggest accomplishments” this year was “rendering our decisions earlier.” She explained during previous years, the University would hold acceptance letters until

Dec. 15, but this academic year, began sending them out in early November.

She said Undergraduate Admissions already sent out over 1,000 letters by the end of January, adding that in previous years, they would just be beginning to mail them.

She added since the department is rendering decisions earlier, the Financial id Office is able to send out financial aid pac ages earlier as well.

“In the world of admissions, this was really early on for a lot of students,” she said.

Eddy said the two open house events during the fall semester were also successful. She said approximately 289 students attended the events, with a total of 600 visitors between the two days.

She said Undergraduate Admissions is also focusing on reaching out to parents. Fourteen days after a candidate is accepted, an email is sent to the parents providing more information about the University.

She added the University also holds Zoom sessions with different departments and services on campus for parents.

“It really is a family decision,” she said. “So we want to make sure that the parents are fully aware of the opportunities that we’re providing their students.”

The Accepted Student Receptions will take place March 25 and April 1.

Averil Capers, director of Marketing, provided an update on the University’s partnership with Primacy, an independent marketing agency, and FSU’s rebranding project.

Capers said Primacy representatives visited campus last year and met with staff, faculty, and students to gauge what the goals and priorities of the rebranding should be. She added a survey was also emailed to the FSU community and “external audiences” to “gather additional input on a variety of subjects.”

With the information the representatives gathered, Capers said they created test concepts for FSU’s new brand and website redesign. Niemi emailed a survey Jan. 25 asking for feedback on the new concepts.

The two brand concepts presented are “Proudly Public, Personally Transformative,” and “We the Future.”

After gathering more information, the next steps will be to revise the concepts before they are sent for approval by FSU administrators.

Capers said, “This project is so important to our efforts to increase enrollment and enhance Framingham State’s position as a public university serving a public good.”

She said the extensive project is necessary for the University to “stand out” and be distinct.

She said one of the strategies for the rebranding is to “have the flexibility to speak to all audiences” while still maintaining a cohesive look that is represented “across all platforms.” The rebranding also includes a new FSU logo.

“We envision that the new brand

platform is really going to foster a renewed sense of pride and excitement among the campus community [and] outside of the community, and also assist with overall enrollment efforts,” she said.

Kristen Porter-Utley, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, provided an update on FSU’s strategic enrollment planning process.

She said there are currently over 34 staff and faculty working with consultants from RNL on four separate “working groups” for the enrollment planning process. The four groups are the Academic Program Portfolio Group, which Porter-Utley chairs, the Student Success Group, the Fiscal and Financial Aid Group, and the Admissions Marketing and Recruitment Group.

She added there is also a steering committee consisting of the chairs of the four groups and other “essential supporting staff,” and said Niemi and her staff are also “deeply immersed and engaged” in the process.

Porter-Utley said, “With each meeting, which there are a lot, I walk away inspired by the people I have the pleasure of working with and the ideas which are bubbling up during our conversations.”

She said the four groups met Dec. 13 and 14 to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in their respective areas.

“We are taking these analyses and gathering additional data from our consultants and our data team here at Framingham State, which consists of a lot of people, but includes institutional research, enrollment management, the registrar, our admissions office, and we are currently drafting our situation analyses,” she said.

She added her group is examining FSU’s current academic programs, ways to develop new programs, and the “current state” of general education programs, among other topics.

Porter-Utley said the four groups will finali e their “situation analyses” by the end of March.

“We will do our best in our different areas to keep our community informed of what we’re doing with our work,” she said.

She added that anyone with questions or suggestions about the Academic Program Portfolio Group should contact her directly.

Questions and suggestions concerning the Student Success Group should be directed to Lorretta Holloway, vice president of Academic Enhancement. For the Fiscal and Financial Aid Group, Dale Hamel, executive vice president, is the point of contact. And for Admissions Marketing and Recruitment Group, either Eddy or Merriam should be contacted.

Big budget

being the best student newspaper we can possibly be,” she said.

She added, “For students who are going into journalism, this can be very valuable as well because this is the information we can use for the rest of our lives, not just in college.”

The request was passed by SGA.

A motion was made to allocate a total of $31,655 to The Gatepost’s FY24 budget, with a $500 reduction from the organization’s original request for the “Office upplies quipment” category.

This allocated amount is an 8.7% decrease from FY23.

The motion passed.

FSAB

FSAB’s funding request was presented by President Annalisa Marzeotti and Vice President Andy Thompson.

FSAB requested and was approved for $66,000 in funding for the “On-Campus vents” category, which was decreased by 10% from FY23.

FSAB reduced its request for “Sam the Ram’s Birthday” by $2,000 due to the reduction in SATF funds.

The organization’s request for the “Pause for Paws” event was reduced by $1,000 and will now only take place during one semester instead of both the fall and spring semesters, said Thompson.

FSAB’s request for the line item “Stuff-a-Bear” was decreased from $8,000 to $5,000 because the cost of bears is not due to increase, according to Thompson.

FSAB’s request for the line item “Prize Wheel” was decreased by 50% to $1,500 because of “the limited availability of our eBoard for the upcoming year. e didn’t want this huge financial strain on them to have to put on six events, so we reduced it by half,” Thompson said.

The motion to allocate the full amount of $66,000 was passed.

FSAB requested $35,600 for category “Off-Campus vents,” which was decreased from the FY23 allocation of $37,700.

The line items “Bruins” and “Red Sox” games and “Amusement Parks” were decreased, as the organization plans to bring fewer people.

The line item “Bruins” was decreased by 10%, “Red Sox” by 15%, and “Amusement Parks” decreased by 14%.

This request was passed.

The categories “Publicity/Marketing” and “Membership Development” allocations did not change from the previous year and both requests were passed.

FSAB requested $5,300 for its National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) Conference, which did not change from the previous year.

Thompson said, “NACA is really great because it allows students to learn things, but also there’s a network of our database of all the different NACA performers and musicians. All the different stuff that they bring to the conference is available to all the students through the I D Office. That can get their organization set up through the NACA [conference] 24/7.”

This request was debated.

Houle debated that FSAB could purchase the membership to the database of vendors instead of going to the conference.

He then moved to allocate $300 from SGA to FSAB for the NACA conference.

This motion was not passed.

Houle added, “Moving from getting four student leaders to go to this conference down to only two, I think there’s just not as nearly as much utility for the same amount of money being spent on it. I think that $5,000 would be freed up for student activities.”

Senator Austin Van Lingen said, “It is extremely important that no matter the amount of students that are able to attend this event, it would be life-changing - career-changing.”

Barros disagreed with this statement and said, “I feel that they are getting that experience just being part of everything and being a student leader on campus.”

l houry said, “I believe there are a lot of really good events that are accessible to students on campus. And I agree that I’d like to see that money being distributed more as opposed to ust going to specific students.”

velyn Campbell, outreach and events coordinator, said, “I gained a lot. I was able to network with other students around Framingham and also the New ngland area.

“Andy also won awards for FSAB. So, it’s not just going there and obtaining information. It’s also networking with new students and bringing back things to” Framingham State, she said.

In response, Thompson said, “As mentioned, there’s a lot of opportunities for networking. When you’re in new sessions with other schools, they encourage it, actually.”

A motion was made to allocate the full amount of $5,300 for the “NACA conference.”

The request was passed.

A motion was made to allocate FSAB’s full amount of funding for its revised FY24 budget of $110,400. This is an 8% reduction from FY23.

The motion passed.

SGA

President Barros and SATF Treasurer Houle presented SGA’s budget request.

Their budget is separated into six different categories: “General,” “Operations,” “Training,” “Benevolence,” “Banquet,” and “Travel and Conference.”

Overall, they reduced their budget from last year by 16%.

In the “General” category, SGA requested $700 for FY24, down from $1,000 in FY23.

SGA made cuts to the line item

“SGA Outreach Programs,” down from $5,000 to $2,000.

The “Week of Kindness” line item was reduced from $1,000 to $500 for FY24.

The line item “Co-Sponsored vents” was reduced from , to $3,500.

Overall, the “General” category was allocated 31% less than last year. In FY23, the category had a budget of $17,000, while in FY24, it received an allocation of $11,700.

The category “Operations” received an allocation of 8.7% less than FY23, with a decrease from $28,875 to $26,375.

The “General Operating xpense” category saw a decrease from $5,000 to $3,000, down 40% from FY23.

The “ uxiliary xpenses” line item was decreased by $1,500, down from $10,000 in FY23 to $8,500 in FY24.

SGA added a new expense under line item “General Operating xpense,” the parking pass for the SGA president and student trustee, which costs $1,000.

In the “Training” category, a lower allocation was given to the line item “SGA Retreat,” down from $2,000 in FY23 to $500 in FY24.

Overall, the “Training” category saw a budget decrease from $3,400 to $1,900, or 44% less.

No changes were made to the “Banquet” category budget.

The overall SGA budget was decreased from $58,025 to $48,725 - a 16% decrease.

All motions were unopposed and the budget request for FY24 was passed unanimously.

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu

Continued from page 4

CONNECT WITH RAENA DOTY rdoty@student.framingham.edu

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST

Members of SGA at the “Big Budget” meeting Feb 10.

A cursed legacy

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

The meaning of being pro-choice

Michael Hugo, director of policy & government relations of the Massachusetts Association of Health Boards and Framingham Democratic Committee chair, made outrageous comments during a Framingham City Council Meeting Feb. 7.

This meeting focused on the approval of a proclamation to protect reproduction rights in Framingham.

With the passage of the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision in June 2022, abortion access is no longer protected by the federal government and is now decided on a stateby-state basis. As a result, Massachusetts legislators suspected reproductive clinics in surr i areas l cl se a a i f pregnant people would come to the state for health care services, according to the proclamation.

Unfortunately, a number of businesses known as crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) have been populating Massachusetts and “appear to be reproductive healthcare clinics,” according to Framingham Source.

These clinics do not provide “comprehensive healthcare services or counseling” and are also known for false advertising that has been detrimental to reproductive health care in the state.

The proclamation was proposed to protect people in the City of Framingham from these CPCs.

This is a fantastic proclamation and thankfully, it was approved unanimously.

The problem comes with the statements made by Hugo prior to the vote, which he provided as his reason for supporting the proclamation.

According to Framingham Source, Hugo stated, on behalf of the Framingham Democratic Committee, “Our fear is that if an unalifie s rapher is ia ses a heart efect a r a efect spi a bifi a that becomes a very local issue because our school budget will have to absorb the cost of a child in special education, supplying lots and lots of special services to children, who were born

with the defect.”

This statement seems to insinuate that fetuses showing signs of potential special needs should be aborted in order to protect a community’s school budget and misinformation from a CPC might result in a missed opportunity to terminate these pregnancies.

This is coming from someone who is one of the leading members of the Boards of Health in Massachusetts.

The decision of whether to have an abortion and why is up to the discretion of the person who is pregnant.

That is what it means to be pro-choice.

Under no circumstances should someone from the Boards of Health of all places be promoting the termination of pregnancies that could result in a child with disabilities.

That is Eugenics!

To claim that a child with disabilities is not worthy of life because it would increase special education costs is deeply concerning.

We thank all those who spoke at the meeting condemning Hugo’s comments, as well as Jon Fetherston, president of Charles River Rotary Club, for writing his Framingham Source letter-to-the-editor.

A disability does not make someone any less human or worthy of life, and to say otherwise is ableist.

Although Hugo has told NBC Boston he plans to make a public apology, what consequences will he face for his words?

This is someone who has power over health care in Massachusetts - someone who appears to view people with disabilities as nothing re tha a e pe si e li e ite

This mindset has no place in health care.

Every human being should have autonomy over their own body.

Therefore, people deserve the right to decide whether to have an abortion.

However, defending that right also means supporting people who choose not to abort a fetus despite the possibility that the child may be born with a disability.

By Raena Doty Editorial Staff

“Hogwarts Legacy,” the new open-world video game set in the “Harry Potter” franchise, has already broken records for stream views on Twitch and it had already become a best seller on both Steam and the PS5 before its release.

The game allows the player to create their own witch or wizar et s rte i t a arts h se e pl re the sch l a learn magic.

a s f the “ arry tter fra chise are e cite t play the game - whether it’s the modern magic or the nostalgia factor, there’s no lack of buzz for the game.

However, all of the players seem to be ignoring not only J.K. Rowling’s political and social views, but also the antisemitic overtones of the game.

Rowling, the creator of the “Harry Potter” franchise, has been called out for her transphobic beliefs in recent years.

She does not believe people are able to identify with a gender other than what they were assigned at birth, and frequently equates trans women to predators.

Her opinions are not only offensive, but also actively dangerous. Rowling is a known political advocate, and she uses her platform - and money - to further her ideology.

In March 2022, she criticized reforms to the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Bill, which would allow trans people easier access to gender recognition, according to BBC News.

A bill like this could save lives, as many trans people need this healthcare to alleviate gender dysphoria, which can cause epressi a a iety a ther iss es

cc r i t l ber li ill pr fit fr the sales of “Hogwarts Legacy,” and she can use her money and platform to push her anti-trans beliefs.

However, “Hogwarts Legacy” isn’t only bad because it belongs to a franchise created by someone with transphobic views - it’s also actively contributing to antisemitism. he ai c ict f the a e re l es ar pre e ti an uprising by the goblins.

Goblins have historically always had ties to antisemitism, but Rowling’s worldbuilding did nothing to distance her depiction from offensive stereotypes. In the “Harry Potter” books and movies, the goblins were already established to be greedy bankers with large, hooked noses - both stereotypes of Jewish people.

“Hogwarts Legacy” takes this a step further. The main conict f the a e re l es ar pre e ti a bli prisi that is being aided by an evil wizard.

The similarities between goblins and Jewish history, culture, and stereotypes are pervasive throughout the plot and world, according to the Daily Dot.

From plots which echo the “blood libel” conspiracy theory, to a goblin uprising taking place the same year as an actual uprising against Jewish people, to a goblin artifact with a design similar to a Jewish shofar, it’s hard to believe the antisemitism wasn’t researched.

I could say a lot about why the “Harry Potter” franchise is offensive. From the depiction of house elves, an enslaved race who like being enslaved, to the appropriation of Indigenous American folklore in the “Fantastic Beasts” movies, there are plenty of reasons to feel uncomfortable watching, reading, or playing parts of the “Harry Potter” franchise.

For many people, “Harry Potter” was a part of their childh a they i t k better he they first rea the books or watched the movies, often when they were children.

But playing “Hogwarts Legacy” is not about nostalgia - it is about how comfortable you feel interacting with antisemitism. Is it all fun and games to play in a fantasy world while you’re actively watching antisemitic caricatures play out the worst stereotypes about Jewish people - especially when Rowling herself pr fits fr the sales a a tise itic hate is the rise, according to NPR?

No, I don’t think it is.

Campus Conversations

What is your favorite food to eat on campus?

By Emily Rosenberg, Associate Editor

“I like the chicken cacciatore.”

“None. I feel like generally, the quality is pretty poor and I would rather cook for myself as I have the facilities to do so.”

“I specifically like the breakfastthe egg sandwiches, the bagel sandwiches.”

“Tacos that they make in the dining hall.”

Lainey’s Comics: Star-Crossed Robots

“I like chicken, rice, onions, salmon, mixed vegetables, peppers, all that stuff.”

Em’s Gems: Common Dining Hall Moments

-Daniel Prefontaine, senior

- Chris Donnelly-Green, junior

-Blent Kallajxhi, freshman

-Josh Tools, junior

-Joe Sturz, sophomore

“Probably the chicken bacon ranch wrap from the Rams Den Grille.”

-Brooke Fenton, senior

Lainey Morrison / THE GATEPOST Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST

ce c ey ties it estfie tate SPORTS

By Adam Levine Sports Editor

The Framingham State Rams and the estfield tate Owls tied - in their home matchup Feb. 11.

estfield was able to win of the 8 faceoffs, but Framingham ept the match close. Neither team scored on any power plays, and Framingham outshot estfield 1- .

Both teams began by exchanging shots and possession of the puc . even total shots were ta en before either team gained an edge.

fter minutes of the first period passed, a estfield player received a minor penalty and was sent to the penalty box for minutes.

fter another minutes passed, the ams’ forward, am ar in, received a minor penalty and was sent to the penalty box for minutes.

Neither team scored off their power play opportunities.

ith 9 remaining in the first period, estfield’s yan O’ alloran received a 1 -minute misconduct penalty and a -minute minor penalty for hoo ing.

During Framingham’s -minute power play, the ams’ defender, Devante Dixon, received a minor pen-

alty and was sent to the penalty box for minutes.

The first period remained even and neither team scored. The first period ended with a - tie.

estfield began the second period on the offensive. In the first minutes of the second period, estfield too four shots and held Framingham to one shot.

fter 9 of the second period passed, estfield bro e the stalemate. They scored their first goal and too a 1- lead.

The Owls continued to control the puc . Over the next 8 minutes, estfield won 1 of the 1 faceoffs.

fter 1 of the second period passed, estfield scored for a second time. They too a - lead over Framingham.

Over he next minutes, one player from each team received a minor penalty and spent minutes in the penalty box. ach team had four players plus a goalie on the ice.

fter 1 8 of the second period passed, Framingham’s forward, li lagter, scored Framingham’s first goal of the night. lagter was assisted by teammates Dixon and defender a e Conrad.

estfield led -1 over Framingham.

ithin minutes of scoring, Framingham found the net again. This goal was waived off by the referees.

Framingham continued to push the pace and was able to score again - this time, the goal counted. The ams’ forward, att Irwin, was assisted by arin for the game’s tying goal.

Irwin said, “I couldn’t have been more excited.

“ orale was ind of low and then being able to pot one there to tie up the game - it felt ama ing. It was a highlight of my year,” he added.

The remainder of the second period slowed down and neither team scored. The score remained tied - at the end of the second period.

The third period resulted in no goals from either side.

Framingham and estfield traded shots, but their defenses held strong.

The Owls were not able to score on their power play and the ams were not able to score on both of their power plays in the third period.

The score remained - at the end of the third period.

The -minute overtime contained action, but neither team scored.

estfield’s early penalty gave Framingham another power play. Framingham’s forward, ohnny Ba er, commit-

ted a penalty and evened the ice for estfield.

Despite finishing the match with a power play, estfield did not score and the game ended with a - tie.

Framingham’s ead Coach, i e Bailey, referred to the tie as “huge.” e said, “The guys have been playing really well.

“It was an honor to be behind the bench today,” Bailey added.

e said Framingham hoc ey has improved since last season. “ e’ve already passed our goal output from last year.

“Our goals against are down as well,” he added.

s of presstime, the ams lost to Plymouth tate Feb. 1 , and now hold a conference record of -1 - and an overall record of -1 - .

The hoc ey season is nearing its end. Bailey said, “I would ust li e to than the fan support.

“I would li e to than the student body at Framingham tate,” he added.

Framingham will travel to tonehill College for their final regular season matchup Feb. 18.

CONNECT WITH ADAM LEVINE

Adrien Gobin /THE GATEPOST

Tyler Westfall chasing the puck during game aginst Westfield State Feb. 11.

Adam Levine /THE GATEPOST Johnny Baker setting up in a faceoff during game against Westfield State Feb. 11.

Adam Levine /THE GATEPOST Sam Larkin and team celebratng a goal against Westfield State Feb. 11.

By Adam Levine Sports Editor

Ice Hockey

Meet the Players

Matt Irwin, 23, is one of the two assistant captains on the Rams’ ice hockey team and is a member of the Rams’ Class of 2023. He is a criminology major and said he plans to become a police officer after college.

Irwin said that he has been playing hockey since he was young. He said, “I remember playing hockey since forever basically - my dad was a huge hockey fan.

“He got me playing as quickly as possible,” Irwin added.

Irwin said that the Rams’ ice hockey coaching staff is the reason he chose FSU. He said, “The way they treated their players and the way they treated me and the whole set up to coming here is what really made me want to come.”

Irwin said that his favorite part about campus is the academic opportunities he has had - especially the nutrition classes he took.

Irwin said that his favorite part about being on the hockey team is the bond that the team forms.

He said the COVID-19 season especially stood out to him. Irwin said, “We didn’t have any hockey to do, we weren’t going to class, so we just kind of all got together.

“That made me really close to my teammates,” he added.

Men’s Basketball

Bryan Thomspon, 21, is an early childhood major and a member of the Rams’ Class of 2024.

Thompson is a first-year transfer student and attended two colleges before FSU. He said, “Out of all the schools I’ve been to it’s been the best school I’ve been at.”

Thompson decided to transfer to FSU because of the connection he formed with Head Coach Donald Morris. Thompson said, “I have never had a coach trust me how Coach Morris trusts me.

Thompson began playing basketball when he was young. He said, “I was growing up in a basketball family, so that’s what it always was.”

Thompson said that his favorite part of being on the basketball team is the people - “being around basketball people that love the sport the same as I do,” he said.

Thompson said that his favorite part about campus is UCook at the Dining Commons.

Thompson said that he has been inspired by professional basketball player Tremont Waters, who he grew up with.

Thompson said, “Ever since I was young I always looked up to him.

“I actually work out with him and he keeps me on the right path,” he added.

Women’s Basketball

Katie Haselton, 20, is a criminology major and a member of the Rams’ Class of 2025. She said she hopes to be a police officer or a detective after graduation.

Haselton said she began playing basketball in kindergarten on a recreational team that was coached by her dad. She said she played on her high school varsity team starting in eighth grade.

Haselton said that she was going to do a post-grad year before college, but she received an offer from Framingham State for basketball. She said, “It was kind of perfect.

“Framingham is a great area,” she added.

Haselton said her favorite part about campus are the academics. She said, “The courses that I’ve taken so far are really engaging.

“It’s preparing me for after I graduate,” Haselton added. Haselton said that among her favorite athletes are professional basketball player Marcus Smart and retired professional basketball player Kevin Garnett.

“I feel like I play similar too - I just always like their energy,” she added.

Haselton said that her favorite part of being on the team is her teammates. She said, “The FRAMily I mean, we don’t just say it to say it.”

CONNECT WITH ADAM LEVINE alevine5@student.framingham.edu

Adrien Gobin /THE GATEPOST Matt Irwin against Plymouth State Dec. 12.

Courtesy of FSURams

Adrien Gobin /THE GATEPOST Katie Haselton against MCLA Feb. 8.

Courtesy of FSURams

Adrien Gobin /THE GATEPOST Bryan Thompson against Fisher College Dec. 6.

Courtesy of FSURams

Matt Irwin

Bryan Thompson

Katie Haselton

ARTS & FEATURES

An unexpected path to travel, a rewarding destination

By Sophia Harris Editorial Staff

obert O’Neill, , fell in love with traveling in high school after a class trip to pain and France with his panish teacher.

ittle did he now he would live in pain after graduating college, and develop a lifelong love for traveling.

Originally he planned to be a history teacher after graduating from estfield tate in 9 - but a three-year stay in pain after college “changed the tra ectory” of his life, he said.

Once he got the travel bug in high school, he decided to incorporate travel into his life any way he could.

O’Neill said he never saw himself as wor ing in international education.

fter wor ing for language and cultural systems at the inistry of ducation in pain, he said he returned to the United tates, with an entirely new idea of what he wanted to be.

O’Neill wor ed at estfield tate for 1 years as the study abroad coordinator before coming to Framingham tate to wor as the assistant director of international programs in anuary.

O’Neill’s love for travel, the time he spent living abroad, and his experience at estfield tate made him a perfect fit for the ob at F U.

Through that career experience, one of the most “rewarding” travel stories to date was when he too students and alumni of estfield tate to eville pain in 1 over spring brea , many of whom had never left

John Lewis

Continued from page 1

Barnard added Lewis was elected to represent Georgia’s fifth district in the U. . ouse of epresentatives in 198 , and remained in that position until his death. he said ewis even visited Framingham tate University in 19 as the commencement speaer.

he then described “ arch,” explaining that the three-set collection of graphic novels detail some of the real life struggles and obstacles ewis faced fighting for civil rights.

“ arch’ follows his ourney as a young man and college student in the outh, organi ing marches, sit-ins, and nonviolent protests to advocate for civil rights and equal voting rights for all mericans, especially Blac mericans,” she said.

Barnard added Blac mericans in the outh at the time were often not

the county before this experience, he said.

“That whole experience of getting students and alumni involved in study abroad was really great,” he said.

e said he valued the opportunity to bring alumni overseas because students often regret not ta ing the opportunity for studying abroad.

“Being able to ta e students who graduated five, 1 , years ago was such a great experience,” he said.

is most treasured memory from this trip was when “all the students, even the older guys, were learning how to dance flamenco, which was cool,” he said.

F U with a great deal of nowledge and experience.”

he added, “ s someone who lived in pain for several years, he also understands first-hand the ad ustments that students have to ma e in living in a new country.

“In short, he is a terrific addition to our office and as he gets to now both F U faculty and students better. e will be an outstanding asset to us all. I now that students will en oy wor ing with him and getting all their questions answered from someone who has a wealth of nowledge about study abroad,” she said.

O’Neill started at Framingham

heard about F U study abroad opportunities on her campus tour in high school.

“ nyone who is interested should study abroad. It was fantastic,” she said.

al er said she learned lessons traveling abroad that she would have never been able to learn otherwise, and than s to the attentiveness of the study abroad program, she would have never been able to have that experience.

One thing she learned about herself while studying abroad was the unique sense of independence that she gained while being on her own in ngland.

he said she had to accomplish tas s she has never done before while studying abroad such as boo ing excursions, coo ing every meal, and navigating the city by herself.

O’Neill said he has recently been traveling around New ngland, visiting all of the little cities and towns that ma e New ngland so unique.

e said he hopes to go to urope this summer for a nine-day trip with a friend.

e said he en oys wor ing at the study abroad office for this reason because he can influence students to ta e adventures li e the one which changed his life.

“International education is a really great, ama ing ob - motivating students to study abroad and en oy life outside of the classroom,” he said.

ane Decatur, director of the study abroad office, said O’Neill “comes to

able to vote or even to register to vote, and the three volumes of “ arch” document the tireless wor he did in the early ’ s.

he then opened the floor to attendees, as ing them what they thought of the medium being a graphic novel, and if they preferred it to a traditional text novel.

One attendee said they appreciated the format of a graphic novel, and had been reading it with their 9-yearold daughter, which they said helped open their eyes and learn together about the struggle of civil rights activists in the ’ s.

Barnard said she agreed with the sentiment that it was accessible for different reading groups, and praised the style of the comic - simple drawings, she said, mostly drawn in blac and white to emphasi e what’s happening in the story rather than distract from it.

tate on an. 9 and said before coming to F U he already heard “great things from friends and colleagues,” about Framingham tate.

e said he came to F U to build on his career and this was the next step up from estfield tate.

i al er, a senior and a study abroad ambassador who studied abroad at the University of ast nglia in Norwich, ngland, said she first

nother attendee said they agreed with Barnard, and added loo ing at photos of artin uther ing r. in blac and white ma es the civil rights movement seem longer ago than it really was.

They said artin uther ing r. would only be about the same age as ohn ewis if they were both alive today, and the graphical nature of “ arch” helped foster a connection between the movement and the reader.

nother attendee said the series was easy for readers of any comfort level to pic up, and it was a great telling of a very complex story. They added they introduced their son to the novel, who wasn’t a big reader, and that he was glued to “ arch,” and as ed if the story was real.

Barnard said while she new the broad stro es of the Civil ights ovement, hearing it told from the

O’Neill said he wants students to now study abroad opportunities can be affordable, often at the same or a lower price than what a semester costs at F U.

e added, any ma or has the opportunity to study abroad.

al er said she has “nothing but good tings to say” about the study abroad office.

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu

first person made it “less of a documentary” and more moving.

“It made it a much more personal story. That this was somebody who can tell you not ust what you’re seeing in the images, but what it was li e to be there - what it felt li e,” she said. ttendees then discussed the relevance of the title “ arch” and the significance of the word, the marches in their own lives, and the contemporary importance of “ arch” as a text.

The event closed with members ac nowledging the importance of “ arch” for Blac teens, and how although the series was originally shelved under the adult section, it’s written more for teenagers.

“It’s bringing history to life for teens,” an attendee said.

CONNECT WITH RYAN O’CONNELL roconnell1@student.framingham.edu

“International education is a really great, amazing job - motivating students to study abroad and enjoy life outside of the classroom.”

- Robert O’Neill, Assistant Director of International Programs Study Abroad

ristian e s i in ites t re a a e n an aint

By Raena Doty Asst. Arts & Features Editor

Wednesday night, the Christian Fellowship sat down with members of the FSU community to relax over painting and music and spend time with friends in the Alumni Room Feb. 15.

The organization - devoted to creating a space for Christian students - set up tables with paint, small canvases, wooden hearts, and other items anyone could paint.

Students of FSU came for all different reasons, whether it was interest in the Christian Fellowship itself, support for the club, or just as a way to unwind.

Emma Vogler, a junior early childhood education major, said, “I went to their pumpkin painting they did last semester so I’m very excited because I like painting. It’s calming, especially getting into the mid semester with everything. It’s a nice relaxing break.”

She said her favorite part of the night was “the music. And I was able to bring a lot of my friends, too.”

Students came up with all different subjects of painting. Vogler painted a “strawberry cow” in shades of pink and red on a heart-shaped canvas, and said, “I love my cows.”

Isabella Medeira, a freshman English major, painted half of her can-

vas with blue hearts and on the other side she wrote her “favorite Korean pop band’s name in Korean and then in English.”

She said her favorite part of the night was being with her friends.

Tiara Silba, a freshman political science major, and Emily Ling, a freshman accounting major, came together as friends. They chose to paint each other on canvases, and Silba also chose to paint “this little tree stump, because I love trees and nature.”

Ling said she came because of her interest in the Christian Fellowship, while Silba came to support and spend time with Ling.

Katie Hansson, a junior elementary education major and the community outreach coordinator for the Christian Fellowship, said, “We call the paint night more of an event than a meeting because for this one, it’s more of a fun thing that can draw in new members or just meet new people that we haven’t had the opportunity to meet in a smaller group setting.”

She added the Christian Fellowship also does a lot of work outside the FSU community.

“In November, before it was too close to Christmas, we did Operation Christmas Child. So we had to collaborate with that organization, and then that was when we did the gift boxes for kids across the sea that wouldn’t

have gotten Christmas gifts,” she said.

Hansson said she hopes this event will make students more aware of the Christian Fellowship’s presence on campus.

Ben Diehl, the treasurer of the Christian Fellowship and a junior computer science major, agreed.

“I hope we spread awareness about us being on campus. I feel like not a lot of people know about the Christian Fellowship group and that’s kind of a trend with a lot of clubs right now, especially post-pandemic,” he said.

“And I hope people will get a little

bit of fun - a little bit of relaxation. It was Valentine’s Day yesterday so we got some heart-shaped painting stuff. I hope people have fun. That’s really most of what we do,” he added.

“I’d like [people] to know that we’re on campus and we’re welcoming. We’re really just people hanging out and sometimes we talk about God, sometimes we host fun activities,” Diehl said.

e irst iss t at e er n s’ - a fi m en ess a g s

By Owen Glancy Staff Writer

“Kaguya-sama: Love is War - The First iss that Never nds” is a film sequel to the anime’s third season, released on Dec. 17, 2022 in Japan and on Feb. 14 in the United States.

hen ma ing a film based on a popular anime franchise, there is this unspoken expectation that it should be better animated and more visually impressive than its source material.

hile this definitely rings true when compared to the original manga, this film is visually indistinguishable from the television anime.

The anime looks great on its own, but with the budget of a film, it is disappointing that there was no visual evolution in the movie. Fortunately, this doesn’t affect the overall enjoyment of the film, but is still an aspect that could be improved upon.

There is one glaring downside to the film that must be touched upon before talking about how excellent this movie really is. This film’s structure is terrible. It feels like three or four episodes of the anime are awkwardly edited together. The movie even begins with a cold open, followed by a theme song and there are also awkward pauses during key emotional moments.

Outside of these structure issues, the film is phenomenal.

“Kaguya-sama” has always done

well at balancing genuinely romantic scenes with hysterical comedy. Despite this, the show always leaned further into the comedy aspects. The film perfectly nails this balance, giving both tones equal amounts of screentime.

big part of the film are the comedy scenes. Many of these scenes are very brief and snappy, shooting off o es at a rapid-fire pace. very single joke lands, and could be found funny by nearly anyone. eeing this film in a full theater really made this aspect clear, as the roar of laughter from the audience and myself was deafening.

While this is an undoubtedly funny film, its ma or strengths come from the emotional moments. The central relationship between Kaguya and Shirogane has always been at the center of the story, and this has never been more apparent than in this movie.

The show’s side characters do mostly get shafted, with Chika and Hayasaka being the only ones who get any meaningful screen time. While this would hurt any other film, the increased focus on the main couple makes the story much more compelling.

Kaguya Shinomiya is the character for whom the entire franchise is named for, yet she’s always been on the less interesting side. In seasons 2 and 3, many of the characters got a ton of development, leaving Kaguya in the dust. This film transforms her

into a far more fleshed out character, especially in the many scenes that take place within her own mind.

Miyuki Shirogane, unlike Kaguya, has always been a great character throughout the franchise’s lifetime. e only gets better in this film, with his self-worth issues and parallels to Kaguya making him the strongest character in the film.

uch of this film relies on the element of subversion and familiarity with the show. Many of the jokes are callbacks to previous moments in the series, and while these are often hysterical, they also rely on prior knowledge. While it may seem like this isn’t a big issue for a franchise film, it does alienate a potential new viewer looking to this film to introduce them to the series.

“Kaguya-sama: Love is War - The First Kiss that Never Ends” is an excellent addition to the “Kaguya-sama” franchise and does both the TV series and manga justice. Despite the structural issues and disappointingly similar animation to its parent anime, this film is incredible. It develops every character that needed it, delivers incredible emotional moments, remains hilarious, and is most importantly a great time.

Rating: A-

A wonderfully romantic experience

CONNECT WITH OWEN GLANCY oglancy@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH RAENA DOTY rdoty@student.framingham.edu

Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST

(Left) Freshmen Tiara Silba and Emily Ling painting together at the paint night Feb. 15.

By Emily Rosenberg Associate Editor

About 370 nautical miles south-southeast of the coast of Newfoundland and 12,500 feet below the surface, deep sea creatures nest in a rusted and discolored first-class wal ing dec with long lost floorboards of a ship.

On this dec , the first passengers of the famous Titanic played games of croquet, smo ed cigarettes and cigars, lounged on chairs to read boo s, and met new friends.

On this dec , the first and only passengers of the “unsin able” Titanic, became heroes as it san from underneath them and they fought in the below-free ing ocean with every final moment to eep carrying on.

Twenty-five years ago, film director James Cameron fascinated the minds of billions with real indepth footage of the sun en ship, which sailed for only five days and too the lives of more than 1, people in the ill-fated romance “Titanic.”

In 199 when “Titanic” was released in theaters, Cameron, who believed his $200 million project was the end of his career, became the highest grossing bloc buster of all time, eventually surpassing billion in the box office.

ince, “Titanic” continues to intrigue generations of the historical disaster, inspires multiple facets of pop culture, and is still drawing in audiences new and old to cinema as the anniversary came with a re-release of the movie in D.

For those who have not seen the film, it focuses on the story of ose Dewitt Bu ater - a troubled rich girl who feels trapped in an abusive relationship because her mother is forcing her to marry for money. he meets ac Dawson by chance, a free-spirited orphan and artist who wins a third class tic et in a luc y game of po er.

Throughout the film, the two fall in love. owever, only seconds after ose announces she wants to get off the ship with ac as it doc s, large chun s of an iceberg rain onto the dec where they are issing, nearly cloc ing ac in the head.

The story is told by ose, now

a 101-year-old widow, 85 years after she new ac and survived the sin ing. lthough her memory is not quic enough to remember introducing a man to her daughter five minutes ago, her recollection of ac Dawson is as sharp as if she new him all of her life.

Of course there is no secret that a film about the sin ing will end in tragedy. ac ’s death is perhaps one of the most debated topics of all films. hether or not you have seen it, you’ve li ely been part of a discussion regarding the amount of space required to eep the door they clung to buoyant and ac safely out of the water.

owever, Cameron recently performed multiple tests in a National Geographic special “Titanic ears ater with ames Cameron” to conclude that ac in fact would not have survived.

till, science aside, Old ose’s vivid memory of the man who made her promise to survive is symbolic to the message overallthe Titanic may have only sailed for five days, but the stories of the people who sailed on it were far from meaningless.

hen ose and ac are hanging onto the bac of the stern as the ship sin s, ose reminds ac “this is where we first met.” hich can sound slightly out of place considering the situation that there are thousands falling into the water around them.

This is another tragic reminder that their romance was starcrossed. But as ose hangs onto the ship ta ing a shot at survival, the single line, nodding to her suicide attempt when they first met reminds us once not long ago, she felt she had no way out but now is fighting for every bit of life she can have.

This leads to the promise ac as s her to ma e to “never let go.” e says, “ ou’re going to go on. ou’re going to go, and you’re going to ma e lots of babies and you’re going to die an old woman, warm in her bed. Not here. Not tonight.”

ac , whose life we only learn a snippet of, did not die in vain as he lived on in ose’s heart every day and she eeps her promise to survive through hardship and lives a fulfilling life until the end.

This promise, years later,

also serves as a reminder to viewers, especially young ones, not to give in to adversity.

fter my “Titanic” D experience, I could easily further discuss the haunting Oscar-winning score, cinematography, or costumes. owever, this is overdone, and after years of contemplating the film, I want to call attention to incredible details I noticed which ma e it more immersive, terrifyingly heartbrea ing, and understandably so successful.

For example, as ose and ac are issing at the front of the ship, ose’s shoulder wrap swiftly transitions into a load of floating seaweed on the wrec of the Titanic, snapping the audience out of the dreamy sunset ma eout sequence and reminding us the cloc is ticing.

Then, at the end of the film, ose wal s up the grand staircase to reunite with ac in what is often thought of as ose’s heavenly wedding. he is also surrounded by all of her friends who san with the ship, including the ship’s architect Thomas ndrews, who provides honesty and wisdom to her throughout the film. ndrews smiles and gestures toward ac as if he is her father-figure giving his blessing for her to be with him because ose herself never had a true father.

owever, who is not at the wedding is ose’s mother, uth, whom she presumably never spo e to following the wrec . uth never approved of ac , and would have been sic ened by the mixing of poor and rich people in the scene.

Class is an ongoing theme throughout the film. hile ndrews, who designed the luxury liner himself, comes to accept a poor man, and as everyone gathers to celebrate ose and ac ’s reunion, “Titanic” concludes that there are no class divisions between love and grit. This is something uth never understood even as she was being shuttled away on a lifeboat and as ed if they would be seated according to class.

nother exquisite detail is the contrast between the dialects of the bounty hunters searching for the eart of the Ocean diamond, and Old ose who grew up at the start of the century establishing ose’s wisdom.

Though the start of the film when bounty hunter Broc ovett can be a tedious watch, even this pays off.

fter listening to the entirety of ose’s story, ovett says for three years he had been searching for the Titanic, but the problem was he “never let it in,” meaning he was too focused on the monetary value of the artifacts over sentiment.

e reali es the memories of ac which ose shared with him are far more valuable than any diamond, and thus he halts his expedition.

In recent years, I wondered why the world and I were so fascinated with this beautiful, tragic love story and the ship it too place on. imilarly for Broc ovett, it attaches a compelling story of resilience, faith, and humanity to a disaster that would otherwise become lost in oblivion and serves as a reminder that human life is precious.

It reminds us that tomorrow is not certain, but we can still, as ac Dawson said, “ma e each day count.”

CONNECT WITH EMILY ROSENBERG erosenberg@student.framingham.edu

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

- a magnificent maritime mystery

By Jesse Burchill Staff Writer

The German-produced series “1899” was released on Netflix in November 2022. Coming from the creators of the show “Dark,” “1899” features a multinational cast of characters traveling across the Atlantic Ocean aboard the steamship Kerberus to begin new lives in the United States.

However, when Kerberos’s vanished sister ship Prometheus is found abandoned and adrift, a complex mystery unfolds as everyone tries to figure out what happened aboard the Prometheus and how one unusual little boy is connected to it.

On the surface, “1899” appears to be yet another historical drama, with the twist of being set aboard a steamship rather than in a manor, train, or castle.

However, as it progresses, the show proves itself to be far more than what it appears to be on the surface, and gets everyone guessing about the truth of the Prometheus’s abandonment, and eventually the truth of the setting around the characters.

Starting out as a straightforward historical drama/mystery, “1899” soon delves into the genres of horror and even science fiction by its end, featuring some greatly disturbing el-

ements and mind-twisting reveals.

Despite the differences between all these genres, the core mystery of the show manages to keep the story threads interesting, and succeeds in making the tonal and content shifts smooth and uncluttered; you will effectively unravel the show’s mystery alongside the passengers themselves.

Speaking of the passengers, the main cast of the show may prove to be its most compelling component. Multiple cultures and languages are represented in “1899.” There are two characters from China, three characters from France, two from England, two from Portugal, a crew from Germany, and an entire family and religious group from the Netherlands.

Their histories are fascinating, and each gets a moment in the spotlight as the show progresses. The details of why each character came to the Kerberos are fascinating, while their personalities and true relationships with each other reel the audience in even more as the show’s central mystery progresses.

Additionally, pretty much everyone is speaking a different language from each other, but this does not hinder the show. Each character manages to understand the others well for the most part, and the fact of how this is possible in a setting over 100 years in the past provides a potent addition to

the show’s mystery.

To me, the most disappointing part of “1899” was not a part of the show itself, but rather external circumstances regarding the show’s future. Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, the creators of “1899,” had planned a second and third season for the show, hoping to expand on the questions and answers given by the first. Furthermore, the show had received primarily positive reviews and had reached number two on Netflix’s list of most-watched television shows only three days after its release.

Unfortunately, in January 2023, it was announced that “1899” would be canceled, and that it would be ending after its first and only season. This was disheartening to a great deal of viewers, including myself - the show had set up an engrossing mystery and an interesting conflict, and it is truly a shame to see it all be left hanging with no resolution expected to come.

Overall, “1899” was a very unique series, one that deserved to be explored in further detail. Its blending of genres and its fascinating characters will lure in the audience and threaten to never let them go.

The creators of ‘The Amazing Maurice’ did their homework

By Kate Norrish Staff Writer

After comedic fantasy author Terry Pratchett’s death and an insultingly bad adaptation of one of his other books, fans were concerned about how the recent film adaptation of “The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents” - released December 2022 in the UK and Feb. 3 in the U.S. - would turn out.

The story, adapted from an installment of the long-running “Discworld” book series, focuses on magically-gifted Maurice the cat and a group of similarly enchanted rats, as well as a teen boy who all make a living by grifting towns, and then having people pay the boy to pretend to be The Pied Piper before moving on to the next town. This becomes complicated when they enter a town full of rat catchers causing a famine by hoarding food.

Despite obvious efforts to gear the film more toward children and a mainstream audience - as Pratchett’s stories tend to include things not seen in mainstream movies, such as platonic male-female relationships - it was made with an extreme respect toward Pratchett’s memory. It included the message “GNU Terry Pratchett,” at the end, which is viewed by fans as a ‘Rest in Peace’ message, and cameos from other characters that fans will appreciate.

While Pratchett’s dry humor is

definitely present, there was obviously difficulty translating it from a novel to a visual medium. Verbal jokes will almost always get a laugh, but the visual comedy is often a hit or a miss.

Additionally, around halfway through the film, the characters receive help from Malicia, a girl constantly discussing the events of the plot by comparing them to common book tropes. In the novel, her comments are combined with enough description to be interesting, but, as there is far less of that in a movie, her constantly talking about book tropes comes across as repetitive and annoying.

I also took issue with the amount of action in the film. Pratchett, despite having assassins and policemen as fan-favorite characters, rarely writes fight scenes, and the ones included in this film seem to be trying to be funny when they are inappropriate.

Despite this, the film’s themes are incredibly complex and nuanced for a children’s film. The rats’ newfound intelligence, rather than being immediately accepted by them, becomes a major source of stress, and they end up using a children’s book featuring talking animals as a holy book to cope.

Occasionally, the film will switch from CGI to Beatrix Potter-style hand animation to show the contents of the picture book, which parallels the development of the other characters. While I would have preferred to see

hand animation throughout, these scenes are beautifully done, and the creators clearly have a limited budget that they are making the most of.

The climax and resolution to the story are also unique and poignant, allowing for some creative and creepy imagery. Yet it can also be funny at times, creating an interesting mood. Moments like that, as well as several other scenes that may disturb, yet fascinate younger children, really make the film.

Check it out if you enjoy Pratchett, children’s media, or just need an

CONNECT WITH KATE NORRISH knorrish@student.framingham.edu

Rating: B

A serviceable tribute to a great author

Rating: AComplex, coherent, engrossing Courtesy of IMDb

odd viewing experience. GNU Terry Pratchett.

CONNECT WITH JESSE BURCHILL jcelardo@student.framingham.edu Courtesy of IMDb

Puzzles

PHOTOS

Spread by Design & Photos Editor Maddison Behringer

Maddison Behringer / The Gatepost

(Left) Khora L., Izzy T., Rayana G., Kaiya C., Star C., and Abby W. building bears at FSAB’s Stuff-A-Bear event Feb.13.

Adrien Gobin / The Gatepost A pile of bears at FSAB’s Stuff-A-Bear event Feb. 13.

Maddison Behringer / The Gatepost

(Left) Jordayn Padilla, Meghan Smith, Rodrienne Georges, and Ray Webber displaying their bears at FSAB’s Stuff-A-Bear event Feb. 13.

Carly Paul/ The Gatepost

(Left) Anthony Sims and Kyle Walker shaking hands at FSAB’s FRAMily Feud Feb. 16.

Maddison Behringer / The Gatepost

(Left) Hannah Hurst and Emily McGovern holding up their bears at FSAB’s Stuff-A-Bear event Feb. 13.

Carly Paul / The Gatepost

(Left) Dillon Riley, Andrew Thompson, and Raffi Elkhoury competing during FSAB’s FRAMily Feud Feb. 16.

Maddison Behringer / The Gatepost A student picking out a heart for a bear at FSAB’s Stuff-A-Bear event Feb. 13.