October 6, 2023

FSU hosts cross-country meet at Warren Center

By Adam Levine Sports Editor

Framingham’s cross-country programs hosted the first Rams Invitational at the Warren Conference Center Sept. 30.

Framingham’s senior captain, Patrick Walsh, placed first in the men’s division, and freshman Kate Buban placed first in the women’s division, helping to win a team title for the women.

Although the event took place at the Conference Center, the majority of the course took place across the street at the Warren Woods - which is owned by the Town of Ashland, not the University.

Carl Hakansson, chair of the Ashland Land Stewardship Committee and a member of the Ashland

A winner’s kiss

FSU rises in major college-ranking system

By Sophia Harris

Associate Editor

Framingham State University has risen 13 spots in the Top Regional University in the North Region category by U.S. News & World Report, which released its annual college rankings on Sept.18.

FSU is now number 80 among all public and private Regional Universities for the north region.

The region includes New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.

Framingham State has also qualified as a Top Regional Public University in the North Region, coming in at 28, up from number 29 last year.

President Nancy Niemi said Fram-

By Ryan O’Connell Associate Editor

Nearly 5-and-a-half miles south of Framingham State University, green plains begin to open up either side of Chestnut Street in Ashland - fields which border the Warren Conference Center.

Just inside is Helen Heineman, the 14th president of Framingham State, sitting at a folding table. She is surrounded by friends, family, alumni, and current faculty. Above her, on a gray marble mantle, are two dozen copies of

ingham State has continued to improve across the board - from marketing to student engagement - although the U.S. News & World Report ranking is not an accurate depiction of how Framingham State performs compared to other schools.

U.S. News & World Report is used by many families across the United States to help determine their college choice, said Niemi, but the ranking itself has a lack of “methodology.”

In an email sent by Niemi to faculty and staff on Oct. 4, 2022, Niemi stated, “U.S. News & World Report rankings are perhaps the most influential rankings used by prospective students and their families.”

The U.S. News & World Report uses seven weighted categories of ranking

to determine an institution’s score: graduation and retention rates the average six-year rates; social mobility Pell Grant graduation rates; undergraduate academic reputation which is determined by a peer survey; faculty resources for 2021-22 many factors including faculty-student ratio; student selectivity for the Fall 2021 entering class; financial resources per student; and graduate indebtedness.

Niemi said, “I think the rankings do far more harm than good because they put false measures of effectiveness and excellence into a conversation where that measurement just doesn’t give an accurate picture of everything that goes on at a school.”

her novel - “Emma Redux: Happily Ever After.”

Heineman had the opportunity to sign copies of her novel - one of four books continuing the stories of Jane Austen’s characters in her novel “Emma” Sept. 30.

Prior to the signing, Heineman spoke on her process of writing the “Emma Redux” series, highlighting the help her family has been and providing background on the project.

She said she taught “Emma” to her Adventures in Lifelong Learning class, something which keeps her attached to her love of teaching, and considers the

novel Austen’s masterpiece.

This passion, she said, was the first step toward writing the “Emma Redux” series alongside the outbreak of COVID-19, which forced her to stay inside.

“I was immediately sequestered,” she said.

“My children told me ‘You can’t go out, stay home, mask if you have to.’ And so there I was, home alone, and one morning I woke up with this thought - ‘I wonder what happened after Emma and Mr. Knightley got married?’”

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST Framingham’s senior captain, Patrick Walsh blowing a kiss to the spectators at the Rams Invitational Sept. 30.

E ditorial Board

Editor-in-Chief

Emily Rosenberg

Associate Editors

Ryan O’Connell

Sophia Harris

News Editor

Naidelly Coelho

Opinions Editor

Izayah Morgan

Sports Editor

Adam Levine

Asst. Sports Editor

Riley Crowell

Arts & Features Editors

Raena Doty

Jack McLaughlin

Asst. Arts & Features Editors

Bella Omar

Owen Glancy

Design & Photo Editors

Maddison Behringer

Adrien Gobin

Staff Writers

Jesse Burchill

Ben Hurney

Carly Paul

Dylan Pichnarcik

Alexis Schlesinger

Liv Dunleavy

Jackson Clyde

Emily Monaco

Kaitlin Carman

David Abe

Francisco Omar Fernando Rodriguez

Dante Curry

Adam Harrison

Richard Gill Advisor

Desmond McCarthy

Asst. Advisor

Elizabeth Banks

Gatepost Interview Meghan Larkin

Assistant Director for Orientation and Student Experience

By Kaitlin Carman Staff Writer

What is your educational and professional background?

I was born and raised in Warwick, Rhode Island, and attended high school there. Then I went to Emmanuel College in Boston, where I received a bachelor of arts in communication and media studies in 2018. I started working professionally as a program coordinator - activities coordinator - at Salve Regina University. During a gap year, I worked there from 2019 to 2021 as a program coordinator and was later promoted to assistant director of programming. While I was there, I also started graduate school part time. An opportunity presented itself for a position that would pay for the rest of my education at the University of Rhode Island, where I worked in 2022, and where I got my master’s degree in 2023. I found what I love doing, which is event planning and working with people in a big organizational setting. Then I was like, “I can make college a job.” So then I just started doing that full time, which I love. After graduating, I was still working at the University of Rhode Island in June, because I did their orientation program this past year. Then I got this job and started in July.

What inspired you to pursue this career?

I was inspired after working as an intern for my student activities office during my undergrad and I loved planning events. I loved being able to impact the masses by just planning one event. So I planned a ton of events as an event coordinator for a couple of different groups and I loved doing that. I started looking into what I could do in this career and that’s when I found the job at Salve Regina. I also met my first mentor. Her name is Chiquita Baylor. She actually works at UMass Boston now. She’s phenomenal! I love her and I give her so much credit for getting me into the field. After my year in higher education as a full-time staff member, I knew this was for me. I just love connecting with the students. There’s always somebody who you can impact and that is just incredible - it’s so fulfilling to see.

What are some goals you would like to accomplish at Framingham State?

So our orientation program just went through a new transition. When I joined in July, we were in the first year of a three-year pilot program with an orientation that takes place three days before classes start. With that being in its first year, I really want to see this through its first three years. For any new program you implement, you do a year of trial, assess, get feedback, and restructure. My goal is to see this through the three years and decide if this model is going to be the best fit for our students. The only way we know that is if we hear from the students. We’re huge advocates of “students first.” I’ve seen institutions that assume student needs, and most of the time, it’s not what they need. We can try to hear what they need, and then react rather than assume.

What are some of your hobbies?

I love to read all genres of books. I recently just got back into reading after being in graduate school for three years. I just got free time back in my schedule, which is really great. I’m an extrovert, a huge people person. I love being around people and hanging out with my friends. I also really enjoy traveling. I studied abroad in London and I got to travel every weekend. I would say that my favorite destination is the Amalfi Coast. It was the first place I ever went abroad and I love Italy.

What advice would you offer to new students during their transition to Framingham State?

Police Logs

Tuesday, Oct.3 06:28

100 State Street

McCarthy Center Room 410

Framingham, MA 01701-9101

Phone: (508) 626-4605

Fax: (508) 626-4097

gatepost@framingham.edu

Suspicious Activity Campus Wide Assignment Complete

My advice is you need to lean into

Wednesday, Oct. 4 02:20

Medical Larned Hall Transport To Hospital

Thursday, Oct. 5 01:42

Alarm (Trouble) Towers Hall Checks OK

the discomfort for it to feel comfortable. Every new experience is uncomfortable. There’s never something that you start up that you’re like, ‘I’m gonna be so good at this at the jump.’ You have to lean into the discomfort so that it can become comfortable and once you get past that discomfort, it becomes a family, a home, a place to belong and you feel happy in it. But that only happens when you get involved or seek help when you need it or understand the resources available to you and put in the work to make sure that transition happens how you need it because it’s specific for everybody. Although the program is not individualized for every one of our students who come in every year, how are you making it so that it’s individualized for you?

What is your favorite fall activity?

My favorite thing is pumpkin carving. You get to be messy but make something fun and you also get to eat the pumpkin seeds. My friends and I, for the past three years, we’ve done it and we’re doing it again this year. There are four of us and we all take our seeds and each of us seasons the seeds differently to try various flavors. We get to have fun with it and we make an entire day of it. We’ll go to a pumpkin patch together and although we are all in our late 20s, it’s like we’re children again and we really enjoy it.

CONNECT WITH KAITLIN CARMAN

kcarman@student.framingham.edu

Thursday, Oct. 5

3:34

Alarm (Fire/Smoke) May Hall Checks OK

Courtesy of Meghan Larkin

University Police participates in Pink Patch Project

By Adam Harrison Staff Writer

This month, the University police will be sporting Pink police patches in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

This is the sixth year the University police is participating in the Pink Patch Project, a campaign participated in by state, local, and university police all over the country to raise money in support of breast cancer research.

The patches will be sold both in the bookstore on campus, and online at www.alumni.framingham. edu/pinkpatch.

Patches are being sold for $10 each, and all proceeds are being donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Founded by Nancy G. Brinker whose sister died of the disease herself, the Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is the world’s largest nonprofit source of funding for breast cancer research. According to its website, it has invested $3.6 million toward breast cancer research, advocacy, and community outreach.

University Police initially began participating in the Pink Patch Project because many other Universities and colleges such as Worcester State, Salem State, Quinsigamond Community College, and several more had also begun fundraising with the Pink Patch Project, Singh said.

“We wanted to give back as well to give back,” and contribute to finding a cure, Singh said.

To show their support, University Police will be wearing a patch identical to the regular one, but colored entirely pink.

Ramsey was also shown showing support, presenting his very own pink police patch during ‘Coffee with a Cop’.

Clarification

Singh said he believes it is important to give back to the community in ways like this, to both support those who are struggling through this disease and it is also about community outreach.

“We want to make sure we put ourselves in a good light, including the University and the police department.” Singh said.

He added there is a State-wide convention previously hosted at venues such as Gillette stadium and Polar Park, where police departments from all over Massachusetts gather to support the cause. They come together to “ tell the world this is what we did this year, and these are the agencies that participate.” he stated.

Singh said he encourages students to get involved with the pink patch project because cancer affects a “large majority of people.” He added while speaking to students at a Coffee with a Cop, many students were willing to share their personal experiences with breast cancer.

“Personally myself, my father went through cancer. I know somebody who’s already going through breast cancer treatment. A lot of students out there have their own story to tell,” Singh said. “It’s not just my story, it’s everybody’s story.”

He said last year, University Police sold around 80 patches for the Pink Patch fundraiser, and their ongoing goal is to do better than the year before.

Singh said he is hoping to make more students aware of the project, and said “Social media is the key and we like to advertise everything on it. So hopefully we’ll do better.”

Singh said that the University Police are continuing to stay active on campus, and will continue to participate in community awareness campaigns to give back. In the past they have gotten involved

in No Shave November for cancer awareness, and a toy drive in De cember for children in need.

Singh’s biggest role for the University Police participating in the Pink Patch Project is advertising. Both social media and in person communications are very important pieces for gaining awareness for the project.

Singh manages the University Police instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), and Facebook. He advertises events that the University Police hold, and posts them on these platforms in order to maximize student awareness.

In regards to the Pink Patch Project, Singh said “It’s a great platform to tell our student body, faculties, and staff, and give them more updates on what we do as police officers everyday.”

Patches will be sold not only in the month of October, but all yearround. Buyable by contacting Sergeant Singh by email at hsingh@ framingham.edu, or through the Framingham State Website using

www.alumni.framingham.edu/

When asked about the University Police’s participation in the Pink Patch Project, freshman Marshall Lewis said “You can’t escape cancer, it just comes, it’s pretty sad that people have to go through it.” He believes that “it’s good that they’re doing something to make awareness for this problem… or to help make a change.”

Christian Nyland, junior, said “So my best friend from high school actually died of cancer in June, and that was a pretty big thing in my life.” He added that he likes the idea, “I don’t know a lot about it right now because I only saw the email on my phone, but I think it’s a great idea. I would buy one, and I think a lot of other students would also buy one.”

In the article, “Student Transportation Services reduces hours, implements CATCH Connect,” published in the 9/29 issue of The Gatepost, it was stated that the RamTram operates from 5:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Fridays. There is information missing from this statement that could lead it to be interpreted unclearly. The information that was not provided is that the RamTram operates on a regular schedule from 6:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m Monday through Friday, with dispatch hours being from 5 p.m. to midnight. Weekday services also include services to Shopper’s World, the Natick Mall, and Target from 3:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. In addition, the RamTram operates by dispatch only 9 a.m. to midnight on the weekends. RamTram schedules can be found online on the Framingham State website or at the Student Transportation Desk in the McCarthy Center Lobby. The Gatepost apologizes for any confusion was caused.

Sunday night Oct.

likely with a low around 50. N wind around 10 mph.

Monday Oct. 9

Sunny, with a high near 60. SW wind around 10 mph.

Monday night Oct. 9

Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. SE wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday Oct. 10

Partly sunny, with a high near 60. W wind 10 mph.

Tuesday night Oct. 10

Partly cloudy with a low around 45. S wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday Oct. 11

Sunny, with a high near 65. W wind 10 mph.

Wednesday night Oct. 11

Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. W wind 10 mph.

Thursday Oct. 12

Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. W wind 10 mph.

Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST Segreant Harry Singh with student, Jenna Hennesy during Coffee with a Cop Oct. 4.

CONNECT WITH ADAM HARRISON aharrison5@student.framingham.edu

By Naidelly Coelho News Editor

In an effort to improve cybersecurity at FSU, multi-factor authentication (MFA) is required starting this Fall, according to an email sent to the community by Information Technology Services (ITS) on Aug. 31.

Multi-factor authentication is an extra step that faculty and students have to take in order to secure personal data and applications. Students and faculty need to authenticate themselves with either an app or a phone call, according to the email sent to the community.

According to the Microsoft website, MFA is a second layer of security. If a hacker is able to get through someone’s usernames and passwords, with the Microsoft Authenticator app, they will be “stuck” as hackers and unable to obtain the verification code.

Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer Patrick Laughran said MFA has become a standard option across colleges and universities working to prevent cyber attacks.

This new system is a preventative method as FSU has never been cyberattacked, he said.

Information Security Officer Corey Hobbs said Cape Cod Community College, Bridgewater State, and Salem State were cyberattacked before.

Laughran said, “You’ll have a student account specifically or an employee’s account and it starts spamming things - while not a major attack, that’s still a cybersecurity attack. That’s still somebody who gained access to something they weren’t supposed to.”

The email from ITS provided students with information on how to configure the app with their school emails.

Hobbs said there were about 42 out of 4,200 registered students who submitted a report to the IT Help Desk.

“It’s about 1.1%. I’ve been up at the Help Desk where a lot of this has happened. We’re dealing with a population where everyone has a different type of phone. … The one we noticed the most was issues with iPhones where the app was misbehaving. It’s a fairly easy fix - you just reinstall it,” he said.

MFA will require students to authenticate themselves every seven days on each device, and when that happens varies from student to student. There is no set day for when the authentication will be triggered, Hobbs said.

Another alternative for students and professors who are having trouble with the app is using the dialing method through a phone - it can be from any type of phone. After providing a phone number, students and professors will receive a code. They will be prompted by the message to add the code on the device in order to be authenticated, he said.

If students don’t have a phone that they can either have the MFA app on or dial from, they can reach out to the Dean of Students office, where they will be able to get assistance, he said.

Students were not provided with any videos explaining how to use the app or how to fix glitches, but ITS provided various links from which students can learn more about MFA, frequently asked questions, and more

specific topics, he said.

Director of Infrastructure and Operations Mike Zinkus said Microsoft is part of the main platforms used by FSU. The MFA application is built into the agreement with Microsoft.

Therefore, there is no added cost associated with implementing the MFA. “It’s a feature within something we already own,” he said.

The month of October is dedicated to cybersecurity awareness. This year marks the 20th anniversary of this national initiative, Hobbs said.

During this month, ITS will be sending out emails every week explaining certain aspects of cybersecurity awareness, he said.

Hobbs said ITS sends out online training opportunities for students to participate in tutorials on how to identify phishing, scams, and other cybersecurity threats.

“A lot of students don’t elect to do it - which is unfortunate. It’d be great to take that training. There’s a lot of good information in it,” he said.

Jake Grace, a junior, said the multi-factor authentication app takes an extra two to three minutes every time he tries to log in.

When logging into different devices, he might be prompted “two to three times over and over again.

“It is wicked annoying, to be honest,” he added.

Grace is a transfer student from MassBay, and said the “two-factor authentication” app they used there was “way smoother.”

Ryan Gryglewicz, a senior, said, “It’s annoying when it comes to just doing that too many times.

“Last year, it was not bad at all. Then all of a sudden, every week or something, I have to use that. Why do I have to do this so much?” he added.

On the other hand, Sara Silva, a freshman, said she doesn’t mind MFA at all. She used it before.

“I have to use it for my job as well. I just think it’s a matter of learning how to use it,” she said.

Bridget Castrillo, a junior, said in the first week of school, it was “way too complicated” to get used to it.

“I have gotten used to it - if it’s better for FSU, why not?” she added.

Naija Galloway, a freshman, said at the beginning of the school year, it was more difficult because of the extra steps she had to take. However, with the instructions provided by ITS in the email, she had no trouble accessing her student account.

“I think that it adds a good layer of security that I’m actually happy about. It makes me feel like my stuff is more protected,” she said.

Hobbs said If students and faculty are having difficulties with the MFA app, they should put in a ticket to the Help Desk.

“The best way, if you can do it, would be to go to our self-service portal and enter your information in that way. On the other hand, you can always email us at it@framingham. edu or give us a call at the service desk,” he added.

Provost and Vice President Kristen Porter-Utley echoed Niemi’s concerns about ranking systems and addressed the impact they can have on enrollment for many universities.

She said, “I do not believe any ranking can measure the true value of a particular college through a series of often subjective metrics, which is why you are starting to see some pushback nationally against high-stakes rankings such as U.S. News & World Report.”

However, she added, “For better or worse, students and families continue to put stock in the U.S. News & World Report rankings when making college decisions. Highlighting our improved ranking can make FSU look more attractive to prospective students.”

She said there is a balance between the significance of the ranking and understanding it does not make up the complete “picture of our dynamic and excellent academic community.”

In order to participate in the U.S. News & World Report ranking, universities must submit data from a range of sources.

Every spring, FSU must complete a comprehensive survey that contains over 250 questions, according to Porter-Utley.

She said Ann Caso, the associate director of institutional effectiveness, manages the oversight of the survey and collaborates with departments across campus in order to provide the data and information required for the survey.

A peer assessment survey is sent to university presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions to complete in order to rank the academic quality of peer institutions, according to Porter-Utley.

Publicly available data from the Department of Education through the College Scorecard and IPEDS are also used for the ranking, she said.

She said Framingham State’s peer assessment ranking, which makes up 20% of the overall score, increased from 2.6 to 2.7 on a scale from 1, which is marginal, to 5, which is distinguished, and “that likely made a difference for us this year.”

Niemi said the peer assessment is conducted through a survey in which universities can rank other universities (its peers) through a survey format, but this process has little to no oversight and does not have to be justified by any concrete evidence of why one university would rank another in a certain way.

She said she does not particularly have a lot of respect for the U.S. News & World Report ranking system or any college ranking system because of the methodology and the “inability to assess any school fairly” through peer opinions.

Niemi said Framingham State probably improved in the peer assessment category because the University has started to advertise more and develop its brand identity.

“Maybe that’s why people see us more and know us more,” she said.

Porter-Utley said under the leadership of Niemi, Framingham State is “developing a new website, has a new brand, is on the verge of sharing out our new strategic enrollment manage-

ment plan, and is starting our university strategic-planning process.”

She said FSU needs to “keep being visible and tell our stories.”

She added, “When people hear about and see the good and meaningful work we are doing and know more about the success of our students, our reputation will improve.”

In the email sent to faculty and staff, Niemi said, “When you break into the data, an area that stands out for improvement is our first-year retention rate of 71%, which is below many of our peers.”

She added, “This has been an area of focus for the University and may not come as a surprise to many of

Niemi said aside from her “ambivalence” and “mixed feelings” about college ranking systems, Framingham State still continues to participate in them because many people use them to help determine their college choices.

However, she advised not to put “too much stock” in the significance of what this means about Framingham State as an institution because if the University were to drop in the U.S. News & World Report rankings next year, “We can’t say, ‘Oh, no, we’re not great anymore,’ of course, because the measure was wrong in the first place.”

Nevertheless, because Framingham State did improve its rankings, U.S.

from the administration, and being a part of organizations on campus.

She said she is proud of Framingham State for rising in the rankings because of the high quality of education and close relationships she has been able to form in every corner of the campus.

“It’s such a warm and welcoming community,” she said.

Student Trustee Ryan Mikelis said being recognized by U.S. News & World Report is a great opportunity “as an institution that cares for and prioritizes students.”

He said he has personally grown as an individual at FSU and his opportunities have been endless.

“We are a small but caring and supportive community. I always knew that this school was the right choice for me ever since I first stepped onto campus,” he said.

He added throughout his time spent at Framingham State, “I have grown my personal resume and skills beyond what I ever thought I could achieve. At Framingham State, I achieved everything I wanted to, and more.”

Sophomore Idalina Marques said she thinks FSU’s improved ranking “is great.”

you.”

However, “it reinforces the importance of the work we are doing to improve the first-year experience and ensure that students are getting the support they need to progress to their second year and beyond,” said Niemi.

Porter-Utley said Framingham State is “working across divisions on many initiatives to improve our institutional success” especially in areas

News & World Report allowed the University to purchase two badges to use as part of its marketing strategy, said Godes.

Niemi said, “We had a calculated conversation about whether it was worth the money” to buy the badges for the University’s optics.

She said the University did decide to purchase and use the badges and “we are going to market it to death.

She said she is not surprised because she has “really enjoyed every class and every day here at Framingham State.”

Junior Gwen Schutt said she is proud of the University for being able to increase its scores.

She added, “It’s a great sign that we are headed in the right direction. I know we have a new president, as of last year, so congratulations to her for being able to make steps toward progressing our University on the right path.”

She added she likes the tight-knit community of FSU and “the fact that we’re kind of small and close - you see familiar faces and it makes it easier to make friends and meet new people.”

Freshman Alvin Dazile said Framingham State is “doing their thing” in regards to the University improving its ranking.

He said he loves attending FSU and without coming to this University, he would not have been able to meet his best friends.

Gesturing to the student standing next to him, he said, “This is my dawg - he is from Bermuda and I met him here.”

such as enrollment, student readiness, and community and regional engagement.

She added FSU does not have any initiatives developed “specifically” to further increase the University’s ranking in U.S News & World Report.

Rather, the U.S. News & World Report ranking is a “secondary benefit of our current efforts to improve student success.”

Two of the barometers U.S. News & World Report uses to categorize institutions are graduation rates and retention.

Porter-Utley said Academic Affairs is working closely with Chief Enrollment Officer Iris Godes and Vice President of Academic Enhancement Lorretta Holloway to “develop and implement strategies to improve graduation rates and retention.”

“But we use it - understanding all of the complexities,” she said.

Godes said the University will feature the U.S. News & World Report badges on digital and print materials.

She added that FSU will promote these rankings to families of prospective college students and although some might not know what the rankings mean in relation to how FSU is performing compared to other schools, for those who are looking to see if the University has been evaluated by an outside source, it provides that recognition.

“This is good news that we’re being recognized by a national organization. We’re promoting it,” Godes said.

SGA President Evelyn Campbell said she thoroughly enjoys being a student at Framingham State for reasons such as small class sizes, support

Freshman Tegan Swan said the improvement in the University’s U.S. News & World Report ranking is “really well deserved because Framingham State is such a good school and does a lot of things for the community.”

Junior Sarah Senet said she feels the improvement in the ranking is beneficial to the University and its students.

She added, “Hopefully, Framingham State can continue to improve more.”

She said her favorite part about Framingham State is the people.

“I have definitely enjoyed my time here,” she said.

“When people hear about and see the good and meaningful work we are doing and know more about the success of our students, our reputation will improve.”

- President Nancy Niemi

“We are a small but caring and supportive community. I always knew that this school was the right choice for me ever since I first stepped onto campus.”

- Ryan Mikelis, Student Trustee

I don’t want your ‘respect’

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

OP/ED A multi-factor problem

This August, Information Technology Services rolled out a new security feature for students - Microsoft’s multi-factor authentication (MFA).

This feature requires students to download the Microsoft Authenticator on their phones in order to log onto their student email accounts, and acts as a form of two-factor authentication, an increased method of account security.

The MFA can also be set up by linking it to a phone number that can receive codes via call or text, or by sending a confirmation email to a non-school account in order to approve login attempts.

Considering the number of phishing attempts in this digital era, this increased sense of security is not unnecessary to help protect students’ private information.

However, the way in which the feature was implemented without warning or any sense of guidance on how to use it is unfortunate. It is indicative of how stressful a new technology rollout can be when there is not sufficient support from ITS.

Students had a one-week warning that this change was going to happen. ITS sent out a lengthy and complicated email before school started, when most students rarely check their emails. And when they do, they are often faced with a large backlog of messages they need to comb through.

Therefore, when the MFA was enacted on Aug. 31, several students were blindsided by the new feature, and spent hours trying to figure out how to log back into their email when they had other important tasks to complete in order to get ready for the school year.

No training was available on how to use the security feature. It was just the one email, which if students logged into their accounts after Aug. 31, they never had the chance to read.

It wouldn’t be improbable that many students still are struggling with the security feature and do not check their student email because it is too bothersome to figure out how to use the new system.

Some may ask, “Why don’t students just call or visit ITS?”

Well, what about first-year and transfer students who were just learning about resources around campus, and were not yet familiar with how to get in touch with ITS?

Furthermore, at the beginning of the school year, a great number of ITS staff members are

trainees, student workers who have just begun their positions and know very little about how to fix technology.

Due to this, ITS becomes quickly overwhelmed with students and faculty needing assistance, and it can be hours before one is helped.

Outside of the 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. full-time hours, only student workers are able to help with technology issues.

This leaves people with an MFA issue waiting up to 24 hours for a full-time staff member to assist in troubleshooting, as ITS student workers can only help if the user is still logged into their email on another device.

MFA also presents accessibility issues for students who do not have smartphones, do not have charged smartphones, or do not have a secondary email.

If a student does not have a smartphone or secondary email handy, and is randomly prompted to authenticate their sign in, they will not be able to sign in. This becomes an issue because this is not something the affected student or any part-time ITS member can solve alone.

In an ideal world, multi-factor authentication would work perfectly.

But we do not live in an ideal world - we attend Framingham State.

The rollout for this feature should have been gradual, testing it out on waves of students to work out the kinks first, rather than throwing it on us all at once with a week’s warning.

This would have reduced the level of stress on both students and ITS workers.

If they need it, students should be offered training with an ITS professional on how to use MFA and troubleshoot lockouts. Now that the feature has been rolled out, this training could even be undertaken as part of orientation along with tutorials on how to use other technology platforms for the University.

And there should be a way to reach ITS professionals outside the hours of 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. for when MFA malfunctions.

Or at least higher-level student workers should be available to troubleshoot these malfunctions, as well as have access to override lockouts.

Students are expected to work an extra four hours per class, per week. A lot of that work involves access to an email.

It only makes sense they should be able to. Have

By Izayah Morgan Opinons Editor

Respectability politics can be defined as a marginalized community determining that certain behaviors or aspects of their culture are “controversial” and thus abandoning them - thereby adopting aspects of the majority culture, often with the goal of social mobility or cultural assimilation.

Topics of controversy can range from the slang that groups use, clothing worn outside, to even the type of music listened to.

Speaking to my own African American roots, I can say I use African American Vernacular English daily.

People argue back and forth on whether it is its own language or if it is a dialect of English and if it should be used in work settings.

Did we just forget about code switching? The way I speak is different depending on who I speak to. This can range from my family, friends, or to co-workers. Whether or not this is considered “fake” or if it is the “authentic self” is not the question I want to answer.

To me it’s how people exist in society and changing the way we talk around certain people is how we’ve always existed. Do kids talk to their parents the same way they do to their friends? Do parents talk to their boss the same way they talk to their significant other?

Additionally, wearing certain clothing in public can evoke strong feelings in an individual. Seeing a Black woman strut through the store with a bonnet with confidence can bring back past memories.

Why is she able to wear something someone else would or could get reprimanded for?

How is she so proud walking outside wearing that, shouldn’t she be embarrassed?

The question you must ask yourself is why are you feeling this? Implicit bias? Embarrassment for her? Envy about her decision?

I can’t offer an answer but ask you to examine your biases. Does it affect you when you see a Black woman with a bonnet on? A Black man with slides?

People will wear what they want. Maybe she didn’t wanna do her hair today. I know from my own friends and my own experience that doing your hair can take a while, multiple hours even. A Walmart run with a bonnet on does not indicate a person’s morals or value.

Furthermore, conversation I see online constantly berates rap music and tells the audience it’s what’s holding the Black community back from respectability.

Are rap music and artists destroying the Black community?

No, the Black community existed before rap and will exist even if the genre implodes on itself.

Music in general is an expression of the human mind. By itself, rap is not good or bad. It talks about the experiences that people go through - drugs, killing, money, cars.

Other genres have themes of violence, drugs, etc. Rap exists in a digital age where every type of person can stream rap.

Are their communities in danger?

This isn’t just exclusive to rap or music in general. Print media, news, broadcasting, advertising, cinema can all promote negativity.

Point being, eliminating rap won’t change the environment that people grow up in. Even removing all “negative” music will not. Because there is negativity all around us.

A teen won’t become “ratchet” or “ghetto” because they listen to City Girls.

A teen won’t become a “drug dealer” because they listen to Future.

You cannot be respectable to someone who already does not respect you.

Gatepost Editorial reflects the opinions of the newspaper’s Editorial Board. Signed Op/Eds reflect the opinions of individual writers.

Em’s Gems: Bench v. Hammock

Campus Conversations

What are your thoughts on multi-factor authentication?

By Emily Monaco, Dylan Pichnarcik, and Alexis Schlesinger, Staff Writers

“Honestly, it’s gotten pretty annoying because I’ll try to log in on my phone and it’ll just have to send me a password or email it to my student account, which I can’t access because it’s having me do the double authentication.”

- Alec Eisenhood, senior

“I want it [Outlook] to stop logging me out.”

- Allison Cundiff, freshman

“I get it, but I do think it’s kind of a nuisance because you kind of have to do it every couple weeks, but if it helps long term, I guess I have no issue with it.”

“Oh, that is annoying! Get rid of it.”

- Brady Pettit, freshman

“I feel like it’s an unnecessary thing for protection. It comes in handy depending on the situation but for any other situation, I just feel like it’s useless.”

- Chris Alano, junior

“It’s fine. … I don’t really know what all that stuff does - I just do it because they tell me to.”

- Dante Basquiat, freshman

“It’s really annoying and unnecessary. That’s really all I have to say about it.”

-Eva DeSousa, senior

“I’ve been having a couple of problems with it, but I’m sure it’ll work just fine when I figure out what to do.”

- Gabriele Soares, junior

“I think that it’s really inconvenient. And honestly, it happens way too many times to actually be necessary for students.”

- Maite Denis, senior

“Boo! It’s kind of annoying because sometimes, I’m not allowed to have my phone out and I need to check my email and it just gets in the way.”

- Megan Tomasi, freshman

“I understand its purpose, but it is a little annoying - I’m not going to lie.”

- Rileigh Kelley, sophomore

“It doesn’t bother me.”

- Scott Covenui, senior

- Taheim Page, junior

Cross country SPORTS

Continued from page 1

Conservation Commission, said Scott VanderMolen, former head coach of Framingham’s cross-country teams, first reached out about hosting an event at the Warren Woods before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hakansson is a retired professor of the Geography Department, now the Environment, Society & Sustainability Department, at FSU, an alumnus, and a lifetime resident of Ashland.

He said the Rams Invitational was the first sporting event hosted at Warren Woods.

Framingham’s Interim Cross Country Head Coach, Mark Johnson, said the Rams Invitational was in the works since the spring and the details were finalized during the fall.

Ned Price, head coach of the FSU men’s cross country team from 1978 to 1997 and now-retired professor of mathematics at FSU, said the team hosted 20 to 30 meets during his 20 years as a coach.

He said it was “gratifying” to see a home meet after all these years.

Johnson said the event, the first home meet in over 25 years, was “incredible.”

President Nancy Niemi, who was in attendance, emphasized the importance of establishing that FSU can host a meet with other schools as it allows people to see the Warren Center.

FSU acquired the Warren Conference Center in April 2016 and has since hosted University events. The race began and ended, the athletes warmed up, and the awards were presented all on the field of the Warren Conference Center.

Johnson said he spent hours feeling out the surroundings of the Warren Conference Center and Warren Woods to plan the course.

He said, “It’s just been a matter of trying to make as beautiful of a course as we can to show the MASCAC [Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference] - the world - how nice the Warren Center and Framingham State areas are, but while making a true cross-country course.

“I would say this course is going to be a fairly true cross-country course,” Johnson added.

Hakansson said the Warren Woods are a “diverse” mixture of woodlands, grasslands, wetlands, and uplands.

Executive Vice President Dale Hamel, who was in attendance, said the event wouldn’t have worked without the Town of Ashland’s help to combine the venue at the Warren Center with the Warren Woods.

Warren Woods was acquired by the Town of Ashland in 2012 with the help of funds from the Ashland Community Preservation Act, according to The MetroWest Daily News.

The Town of Ashland closed the deal with the help of a $500,000 grant from the Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity program, according to The MetroWest Daily News.

Hakansson said the Land Stewardship Committee is responsible for maintaining the land under a conservation restriction, rather than as rec reational land.

He said, “We are limited in what we can do here by that conser vation restriction. Things that would have an im pact outside the purpose of that restriction we wouldn’t be able to do here.”

Hakansson said he looks at this event from a “conservation lens” and not a “sports lens.”

He said the conservation restriction “doesn’t mean that people who are doing things like this track event can’t appre ciate the beauty of nature while they’re running.”

Interim Head Coach Johnson said the course is “beautiful” and the Warren Cen ter is an “incredi ble spot.”

He said it is “just very scenic, very friendly for viewership.”

Johnson said, “A lot of parents have reached out just saying that they were happy that they were

able to see their athlete so many

He said this is not typical for cross-country races. “Being able to see [the runners] for five, six stretches for, you know, 100 meters at a time is pretty huge.”

Hakansson said the Town of Ashland has established a working partnership with the University and the Warren Center.

He said if events at the Warren Center are compatible with the Warren Woods’ conservation restrictions, there are opportunities to enhance the events and the partnership.

Hakansson said he thinks the Warren Center is “underutilized” for athletics and there is a “real opportunity” for the University to host athletic events there.

President Niemi said the Warren Conference Center is “a really important part of the University that we need to develop and we’re clearly doing that.”

Niemi said there are other athletic events she hopes the Warren Center can host in the future.

She said, “Who knows what possibilities, but the opportunity is there.”

Vice President Hamel said he was pleased with the opportunity to use the Warren Center and see it be “utilized” to support the University’s athletic programs.

Framingham’s women’s cross country team finished first, while the men’s team finished third.

The top five finishers of the women’s race included Framingham’s Kate Buban, senior captain Camille Car-

valho, sophomore Kelsey Gendreau, and senior Leah Chace in first, second, third, and fifth place, respectively.

The top five finishers of the men’s race included Framingham’s Patrick Walsh and sophomore Logan Crow in first and fifth place, respectively.

The men ran their 8-kilometer race first. Six runners competed for Framingham, 10 for Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and five for Worcester State.

Mass. Maritime placed first and Worcester second for the team scores.

Walsh, who finished with a time of 29:18.7, said, “I’m excited. It’s my first college W.

“It’s high hopes for the rest of the season,” he added.

Walsh said he saw the course on Thursday and Friday before the race, but Johnson adjusted it after the rain.

He said he knew he wanted to “take the first two miles easy” because of the course’s conditions.

Walsh said, “I wanted to run a certain effort because I knew the pace wasn’t going to be similar to what I usually run.

“As soon as I came through those first few miles and I saw that I had a little gap, it was just work from there,” he added.

Crow, who finished with a time of 31:46.7, said he was “pretty proud” of his performance and thought he did the best he could.

He said, “It was new. I’ve never really had a race like that in a while, so I think I did pretty well overall.”

The women started their 5-kilometer race after all the men finished. Ten runners competed for Framingham, seven for Mass. Maritime, and four for Worcester.

Mass. Maritime placed second and Worcester did not have enough runners competing to accumulate team points.

Framingham, led far in front by Buban, formed a pack early in the race and held a steady lead over Worcester’s and Mass. Maritime’s runners.

Buban finished the course with a time of 22:18.8 and earned MASCAC Rookie of the Week on Oct. 3.

She said she felt really good, but she wished she ran “a little quicker - but it’s a hard course.”

Carvalho, who finished with a time

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST

The start of the women’s cross-country race at the Rams Invitational Sept. 30.

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST

The start of the men’s cross-country race at the Rams Invitational Sept. 30.

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST (Left) Framingham’s Kate Buban and Patrick Walsh, indivudal winners of the Rams Invitational Sept. 30

Cross country

Athletes said the rain from the days before the meet created a muddy course condition.

Johnson said he arrived early on the morning of the event to adjust the course. He said he kept “wiping out” and was “super concerned” about the condition of the terrain.

“Luckily, the rain subsided,” he said.

Senior captain Gwen Madden said the mud made the course “more fun than just a normal race.” She finished in seventh place with a time of 24:52.5.

Senior captains Becca Morris and Amanda Beddard, as well as other team members, did not compete, but all participated in their own ways.

Morris, Beddard, and other team members directed runners in the woods and ensured the success of the race.

Johnson said non-competing athletes were placed in “strategic” spots along the course to help out if anything happened.

He said, “They did a great job in those roles.

meet is “just so big on so many levels.

“It brings awareness to the name of Framingham State,” he added.

FSU’s Director of Community Relations, Peter Chisholm, said, “Winning breeds winning.”

of 23:28.6, described the course as “an honest cross-country course.”

She said she feels “good” and “strong” about her second-place finish, but her time “could have been a little bit better.

“I’m excited for the future,” she added.

Johnson said he is proud of all his athletes and referred to them as “resilient.”

He said at the beginning of the season, nerves definitely would have been higher because it was a “true cross-country course.”

Johnson said, “The fact that our runners were able to take that, throw it out the window, and to say, ‘You know what, this is our course. This is the Rams’ course. We’re going to have fun with it. We’re going to go out, we’re going to compete. We’re going to compete against ourselves. We’re going to compete against the other teams here.”

The event concluded with an award ceremony led by President Niemi and Assistant Atheltic Director Kathy Lynch. Each of the top five finishers in the races received a Rams’ cross country T-shirt as an award.

Coach Johnson said it was “very special” having Hamel, Lynch, and Niemi at the event.

“Captains and the team stepped up and I’m just beyond proud of them for that,” he added.

Beddard said she was placed in the woods with teammate Meghan Johnston to make sure runners were OK and keep track of where everyone was.

Morris said she worked as a crossing guard for where the course passed across a road.

Johnson said he is proud of his entire team and everyone involved.

He said the team watched the event grow “from preseason to now and saw it become just a thought to a reality.”

Patrick Walsh said everyone at the event was cheering, screaming, and had a lot of fun.

Framingham’s Athletics Director, Tom Kelley, said having a home meet adds a “little credibility” to the cross-country programs.

Kelley said, “Anytime you add to a program, or add something to the program, it adds something to athletics.”

He said hopefully, the athletes “get that feeling that the administration cares - that we’re behind the program 100%.”

Assistant Athletics Director Lynch said she thought the event went very well and it is “only a good thing” for the cross-country programs and the Athletics Department.

Coach Johnson said having a home

Chisholm said the success of the event can help with recruiting for the cross-country programs.

Emily Newcomb ’23, who ran for FSU cross country for four years, said the meet was an “accumulation of all the hard work” the athletes have been putting in over the past few years.

She said they have been trying to host the event for years. “Their success of having this meet is our success.”

Matt Mori ’23 said he only ran for FSU cross country for one year, but in his years running for other colleges, he never had a course that was “officially our home meet” and it is “very refreshing” to see FSU cross country hosting an event.

Mori said, “I think it could definitely attract a lot more people - a lot more people will see how much fun we’re having.”

Johnson said he thinks more teams will be interested in participating in the event in the future because “it’s like a real cross-country course - you get to get down and dirty and in the mud and run through actual cross-country conditions.”

Madden said she hopes this “establishes us as a team in the MASCAC.”

She said now that FSU has a home meet, it opens the opportunity to host the MASCAC Championships in the future.

Madden said the current freshmen on the team don’t know a season here without hosting a home meet. “I feel like it’s just going to become normal for them.”

Beddard said running a home course and having people come out and support the team is a “great confidence booster.”

She said, “Big things are coming.

“It’s nice to have a place that we can say is our home meet.

“I feel like it puts us on the map a little bit more - just another step toward really enhancing our program,” Beddard added.

Johnson said, “We’re going to build this into something special moving forward.

“The sky is the limit for this event,” he added.

CONNECT

alevine5@student.framingham.edu

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

WITH ADAM LEVINE

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST

Framingham’s Hannah Nilson beating out Worcester’s Claudia Symonick by one tenth of a second for her 10th-place finish at the Rams Invitational Sept. 30.

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST

Framingham’s women’s cross-country team running as a pack after the first turn at the Rams Invitational Sept. 30.

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST

(Left) Framingham’s Bruno Barbosa and Ayden Giombetti, running through the mud during the Rams Invitational Sept. 30.

Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST Framingham’s Parker Winters beating out Mass. Maritime’s Cole Guiliani by one tenth of a second for his sixth-place finish at the Rams Invitational Sept. 30.

Continued from page 9

Maps / Courtesy of Mark Johnson

ARTS & FEATURES

FSU’s most exemplary alum

Irene Moore Davis discusses Mary Miles Bibb’s activism

By Raena Doty Arts & Features Editor

To the students of FSU, “Miles Bibb” most frequently refers to the residence hall with the most expensive rooms on campus, or maybe a place to stop for flatbreads before class when the Dining Commons just doesn’t appeal.

But the building takes its name from FSU alum Mary Miles Bibb, a Black abolitionist and activist in the 19th century.

In line with this year’s Arts & Ideas theme of “Courage + Resilience,” the committee hosted Irene Moore Davis, an activist and historian, to speak about Mary Miles Bibb’s history and involvement with the Underground Railroad Sept. 28.

She began her discussion by explaining how important Mary Miles Bibb is to the culture and history where she grew up and went to college in the area of Windsor, Ontario. She explained Mary Miles Bibb lived there for much of her life.

Davis’s slideshow began with a close-up shot of a monument called “Tower of Freedom” in Windsor. The monument accompanies a sister statue in Detroit called “Gateway to Freedom,” and together the two statues represent a significant part of the Underground Railroad, she said.

She added what now is Windsorand what would have been Sandwich when Mary Miles Bibb lived there - was a hotbed of abolitionist work when Mary Miles Bibb chose to settle there, because Canadian law allowed escaped enslaved Black Americans to remain free once they crossed the border.

With that context, Davis began to explain a little bit about Mary Miles Bibb herself. She said not much was known about Mary Miles Bibb in her youth, but historians do know she was born to free parents of African descent in Rhode Island.

Davis added Mary Miles Bibb was educated at the Prudence Crandall School when she was young with a teacher who continued teaching for “racialized communities” despite public backlash.

She added this was a theme in Mary Miles Bibb’s life, as a similar problem came up when she enrolled in Massachusetts State Normal School in Lexington, what eventually came to be known as Framingham State University.

Samuel J. May, the principal of the Normal School in 1842, threatened to quit his position before the board allowed her to attend the school, Davis added.

After graduating, Mary Miles Bibb became one of the first Black female

teachers in the United States, and she taught in schools in Boston, Albany, New York City, and Cincinnati, Davis said.

She interrupted the discussion of Mary Miles Bibb’s past to speak a bit about Henry Bibb, Mary Miles Bibb’s husband.

She said Henry Bibb was born into slavery and spent most of his life up to early adulthood attempting to free himself, including one attempt to free his wife and child.

Eventually he was able to make it to Detroit without his wife or child, Davis said, and added he was “kind of a broken man” at this point - happy to be out of slavery, but sad without his family.

She said he was “invigorated” by meeting Mary Miles Bibb in the American Anti-Slavery Society, and they corresponded for some time via letter before eventually marrying and moving to Detroit together.

Davis said when Henry Bibb met Mary Miles Bibb, he was incredibly taken by her and viewed her very much as his equal.

“For many of us who have grown up around southern Ontario, we really think of them as our community’s very first Black power couple,” she said.

Though Henry Bibb grew up illiterate, he eventually learned to write, and in fact became a very talented writer, Davis said. While living in Detroit, Henry Bibb wrote articles for a paper called the Signal of Liberty. Eventually, he also published an autobiography.

They moved together to Sandwich and began embedding themselves in the cultural and political scenes, Davis said, and eventually, the Bibbs founded the Voice of the Fugitive, the “first successful sustained Black newspaper in Canada.”

She said, “Mary and Henry found

the Voice of the Fugitive, and the title really gives you a sense of what that is supposed to be. This is a newspaper that carries forward the voice and the views of those people.”

Davis added it took very little time for them to found the newspaper - the Bibbs moved to Canada in August 1850, and the Voice of the Fugitive first published in January 1851, and added this was largely due to the amount of work Mary Miles Bibb put into advertising it.

ibb was the official editor of the newspaper, Davis said, and because options for female writers were already limited at the time - nevermind Black female writers - Mary Miles Bibb was never able to write her own articles.

She added though Mary Miles Bibb never earned credit for her writing, she was likely an incredibly good writer in her own right, both in contributing to the Voice of the Fugitive and Henry Bibb’s biography.

“It has been remarked upon by many scholars that there’s quite a difference between the style of Henry’s writing,” she said, “and the elevated tone and language of [his] autobiography as well as his later newspaper writings, where there’s a suggestion that Mary’s fingerprints may have been on some of his later writings.”

Davis added that Mary Ann Shadd Cary is often credited as the first Black female publisher in Canada, but despite being a descendant of Shadd Cary, she believes it’s important to credit Mary Miles Bibb with that honor.

While Henry Bibb was working at the publisher, Mary Miles Bibb opened up a school for Black children in her home, and within a month of opening the class, Mary Miles Bibb was teaching 46 students, Davis said.

“I ask you again to think about what Mary Elizabeth Miles Bibb could

have been doing with her incredible education and all of those skills. But this was the work that she chose to do. This is truly heroic and courageous,” Davis said.

“When writing about her experiences as a teacher, Mary is always, always, always insistent on not only discussing her own struggles and what she’s going through, but discussing the heroism, courage, and resilience of her students,” she added. “She wanted to promote the idea that gaining literacy and pursuing education were revolutionary acts.”

After Henry Bibb died in 1854, Mary Miles Bibb continued to live an interesting life, Davis said. Though the Voice of the Fugitive shut down after his death, she continued on and eventually opened a business as a dressmaker.

Eventually, Mary Miles Bibb remarried to Isaac Cary and moved back to the United States, Davis said, and added there’s interesting research going on because historians are uncovering proof that the obituary was formerly thought to be about Mary Miles Bibb may have in fact been about another woman with the same name.

“But however and whenever and wherever her life ended, the legacy of Mary Miles Bibb Cary is not in question. So how exciting it is that the north hall at Framingham State University has been renamed Miles Bibb Hall,” Davis said.

“I’m confident in my claim that Mary Elizabeth Miles Bibb is among your most exemplary alumni, deserving of all these recognitions and far more. And I hope her story will continue to be told and honored so that every generation of FSU scholars will comprehend the extraordinary company they are keeping,” she added.

Courtesy of Jennifer Dowling

Helen Heineman

Continued from page 1

Heineman named the four novels in the “Emma Redux” series - “Emma Redux: Happily Ever After,” “Emma Redux: Full Circle,” “Emma Redux: Family Secrets,” and “Emma Redux: Matchmaking Magic,” and explained only the first two have been published so far.

After reading a poem and an excerpt from “Happily Ever After,” Heineman fielded questions on her writing process, thanked her family - who were instrumental in her process, and signed copies purchased by former and current faculty, students, and friends.

In an interview after the event, Heineman shared her history with the University and writing.

Heineman said she began teaching at FSU as a part-time evening faculty member in 1974.

When she received the offer she had been working on her first book, she said - “Mrs. Trollope: The Triumphant Feminine in the Nineteenth Century” - a biography, and drawing unemployment after the closure of Cardinal Christian College left her without a job.

The book, she added, was something she believed she needed to write in order to teach again.

“I realized that I could never get another job as a professor in a college unless I had a book,” she said. “In some senses, as an academic book, it’s the best one I ever did. I fell in love with her. I think when you’re a biographer you’ve got to love your subject.

“On the strength of that, probably, I got the job at Framingham,” she added.

Heineman said the job wouldn’t do her any favors - it was difficult to be recognized as a good teacher in the evening program, and only teaching one course offered very little income.

“I remember my husband saying to me, ‘You know Helen, you get more money from unemployment than teaching one course.’ And I said, ‘Well, I don’t care, because I want to teach,’” she said.

Heineman said when she was hired, she realized the chances of advancing were slim - but she still wanted to teach.

She said she was eventually asked by the chair of the English department if he could observe, and he was impressed with her performance and hired her as a tenured-track professor in the English department.

She added she eventually became a full-time professor, and then the chair of the English department - a position she remained in for around seven years - before becoming the academic vice president.

“That year the academic vice president took a job elsewhere in the month of August. And so very late in August, the president - who was Paul Weller - called on me and said ‘I’d like to offer you the job of acting academic vice president,’” she said.

Heineman said the next year, she

was selected to remain in the position, beating over 100 other candidates. She remained the academic vice president until Paul Weller’s retirement, when she was asked to become acting president of the University.

She said while she wanted to accept the role, becoming acting president meant she couldn’t be considered for the position permanently, and struggled with accepting the acting role.

She added, “Finally, a very knowledgeable member of the Board of Trustees said to me, ‘You know Helen, if the chair of the board doesn’t want you, you’re not going to get the position, even if you’re one of the three finalists.’

“So I gave in, I took the acting job, and ran the college for eight months,” she said.

Heineman said a new president was eventually chosen, but left the college after two years, after which the Board of Trustees appointed her to the role.

She said she eventually left the position after seven years to join her husband in retirement, although she never got sick of being the president.

“I loved the job,” she added.

Heineman also shared some of the changes she made to campus during her presidency - specifically regarding the restoration of the Heineman Ecumenical Center, dedicated to her.

She said during her presidency, the structure was practically falling apart and she received a lot of advice suggesting she just tear it down.

“I went over myself, I walked around - one of the first things that attracted me were the stained-glass windows. I thought they were absolutely gorgeous. I thought, this could be something - this could be a special place,” she said.

Heineman said she received money from the Massachusetts State College Building Authority for a restoration project - turning the building into a space for performing arts, even hosting professional opera singers from Boston.

She even convinced the BOSE Corporation, headquartered in Framingham, to donate a $15,000 sound system, she said.

Heineman said it has served a lot of functions over the years, from a center for the arts to a quiet non-denominational space for students to gather following the 9/11 attacks.

“When I retired I was so honored when the trustees decided to name it in my honor. It’s really a fantastic honor,” she said.

Heineman said she was also responsible for creating the campus quad in front of Dwight Hall - which was all parking area before - creating more space for students.

She said she once had a visiting parent say the campus “looked like a little New England college.”

Heineman said she responded, “It is!”

She added, being geographically surrounded by many Ivy Leagues, people have a preconception state

schools like FSU must be inferior.

“I think we need to keep telling people, getting the message out, that [FSU] is not only as good, but in some senses, better, because our faculty is committed to teaching undergraduates,” she said.

“It always was a message I tried to get out, and I’m not sure it’s out yetbut I hope so,” she added.

Heineman said she has always loved novels, and that love allowed her to start writing her own.

She said her favorite aspect of any novel is its characters.

With her first project, “Happily Ever After” - her first novel and fifth book - she began by borrowing Austen’s characters, and was “a little shocked” to find out she was just as capable of making up her own, she said.

“They became people I could live with every day, even if I had to stay home,” she said. “That’s why I love novels, they’re full of people - interesting people.”

Heineman said creating characters for the “Emma Redux” series has even bled out of fiction, and led her to write a new biography.

She said while she was writing the second book, “Full Circle,” she researched 19th century doctors in order to write one accurate to the time period.

This led her to an account of the first female doctor in Britain, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, who she is currently writing a biography on, she added.

She said she was impressed with Anderson for her will to break gender norms in the 1840s, but was particularly interested in Anderson’s healthy marriage - which is a recurring subject in her novels.

Heineman said she has sent the biography to publishers a few times, but it hasn’t yet been accepted.

“Rejections are something you live with when you’re a writer, and you must learn to take it and say, ‘OK,’” she said.

“You do have to send it out again, you cannot take the rejection, but you need to go through it again and think about how you could possibly improve it,” she added.

Heineman said criticism is the hardest thing for her to deal with as a writer, but it’s a necessity.

“It is hard for me to take criticism. And it’s very hard to take criticism from, let’s say, your husband, someone you love, or from a family member, or a good friend,” she said.

She said although difficult, it’s important to hold in emotional responses to critiques, and she didn’t do that very often with her husband’s criticism. She added it’s easier to handle criticism when authors approach with the idea “There must be something wrong with this.

“Maybe it’s not what the person said - that person may not have identified really what’s wrong with it, but I need to take a look at this again,” she said.

Heineman said it’s difficult to be able to “think critically about yourself,” and that’s why it’s helpful to have good readers - readers who will tell the truth.

She said she always teaches a novel in her Lifelong Learning classes, and her favorite author is actually Charles Dickens - not Austen.

She said she admired Dickens’ serialized approach to writing novels, alongside his skill and the length of his writing. “Dickens is my favorite. Absolute favorite. And they’re all big - I love big novels.”

Heineman said she loves 19th century fiction as a whole, including the work of the Brontës, Austen, and Trollope. “These were the greats,” she added.

Heineman said when she began writing her first novel, after many years of teaching them, she felt at home.

“It was for me a blend of my life as an academic, with research, … and my creative side - I hope - in which I can make things up. I like that blend of a world that has to be created through research,” she said.

She said she can’t see herself ever writing a modern fiction due to her attraction to the 19th century and a sense of displacement in the present.

“In some respects I don’t feel that I really inhabit this world,” she said.

Heineman said although she uses technology, for example, she isn’t comfortable with it, and thinks some of her beliefs are against modern consensus - particularly on marriage, which she writes about often in the “Emma Redux” series.

“One of the reasons I took up the subject of marriage is I really believe in it, and I think it can make people happy. And I don’t think everybody quite believes that anymore, … so that’s why I stick to that period for my fiction,” she said.

Heineman said her advice for aspiring authors is it’s never too late to start, and it requires commitment.

“I think there’s no way to find out except to do it,” she said.

She said she was reminded of Dickens, who spent every day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in his study, writing, with no interference.

She said he was once asked, “What if you don’t think of anything?” Dickens replied, “I sit there all the same,” she said.

Heineman said finding a regular time is the most important part.

“And you’ll never do it if you wait for inspiration to come,” she said. “Put a piece of sealing wax on your seat, stay there, and don’t be distracted.”

Heineman said she was “riding high” from the book signing.

She said, “It was just an absolutely wonderful day.

“I will never forget it.”

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

Raena’s Room Report: Plushies in a premium

By Raena Doty Arts & Features Editor

For many freshmen living on campus, the most nerve-wracking part of the first day is when they must meet their new roommate. It can be a moment of synergy between two new best friends, or the first bad interaction of a year-long struggle.

Angie Demce expected this on her first day - but to her surprise, when she opened the door in her residence hall, she instead found a singular double bed and an extra armchair in the corner of the room - one of the newly introduced premium single rooms.

Demce, a freshman with an undeclared major, said she expected to get a double room and an accompanying roommate, but was surprised to get a $3,000-value upgrade to her bedroom for free.

Though she’s only been here for a month, Demce said she likes life as a resident student so far.

“It’s kind of like living in your own little apartment,” she said. “It’s more than what I had at home, so I really don’t feel the need to complain about any of it.”

She added at home she never really got the opportunity to decorate her own room.

“My home walls were, like, really empty, and so I never really decorated a room of my own,” she said. “And I obviously under-packed because I didn’t expect to have all this to myself.”

She said she tends to get her deco-

‘Pup

rations off Amazon, including a small poster in the corner of her room that says in groovy, ’70s-esque typeface, “Go piss girl.”

She also added she tries to keep her decorations consistent. She pointed to a rug on her floor with a sun and a moon on it, and how it matches a metal chain that shows the phases of the moon hanging across her wall.

For Demce, dorm life came with a few surprises - she wasn’t expecting how much she would need a little trash can in her room.

“I knew I would have trash, but you make a lot more trash than you think you do,” she said.

She added it was important to

have a cup of coins for laundry, shower shoes, and cleaning supplies for rooms.

“I shed like a dog, so I gotta make sure I pick everything up and dust and all that,” she said.

Demce added in her first month she also realized how important it is to set schedules.

“Get a routine down. Have something to do - you will go insane without it,” she said. “And keep up your hygiene. It’s really easy to not want to be hygienic. You gotta do that - do not be the smelly freshman.”

Demce said she couldn’t go without two things in her room, both lying together on the bed - the “comfiest

pup boogie’ your way to the theaters

By Liv Dunleavy Staff Writer

We find ourselves again in Adventure City in the new film “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” following the 2021 theatrical release of the first “Paw Patrol” movie.

Back again are our always helpful, crime fighting pups, Ryder, and now Liberty! It was super exciting to be introduced to a few new characters. With fresh faces comes exciting new personalities, and I was delighted to meet new characters that gave the film an opportunity for more creative and abnormal scenes with more emotion and depth.

The movie is centered around a mysterious meteor that brings an eerie, but desired power to Adventure City. With this newfound power, the pups gain superpowers that allow them to help the public in ways never imagined before. Though the rock did not just show up in Adventure City by choice, a nefarious scientist has a plan in the works. And it’s definitely not one of good faith.

The team gets some awesome new outfits, and a whole set of sick new rides. It poses the question where do they really get all this money for this

tech? For some reason “officially licensed merchandise,” isn’t cutting it for me.

One thing that really captured my heart is the sequel’s choice to add a new trio of characters - the Junior Patrollers, Mini, Nano, and Tot. These tiny furballs are so captivating and cute, though they don’t have a significant impact on the movie as a whole.

I was also extremely intrigued by the trailer with the introduction of the new villain character, Victoria Vance, a fun and freaky new antagonist never before seen in the show or movies. She brings drama and intensity to the film in a way that I feel “Paw Patrol” doesn’t normally channel. I hope that myself and other “Paw Patrol” enjoyers can see her in future projects as well. Victoria Vance in my opinion was needed for this movie, as the last movie really exhausted the only villain in the “Paw Patrol” universe.

My favorite aspect of “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” by far, is the clear dedication they put into this film after the first movie was released. I feel like

they added so much depth and plot that was missing in the first movie.

The blank space in that film was more or less filled with comedic relief, where in this film there seemed to be more effort put into creating a deep and winding story arc that is filled with voluminous and well planned backstory, something that captures the viewers attention and holds it, rather than throwing in lots of shallow or easy jokes to fill time.

I found that just a bit more time spent on filling that void with true plot was actually more engaging, especially for the adults in the audience. Where in the first film, the adult catering came in the form of innuendos and mature-ish quips, the second film utilizes actual tense and thought-provoking moments that left older audiences at the edge of their seats, wondering what might happen next.

It’s interesting to me how Skye’s story arc is covered in a similar way to Chase’s in the first movie, where she sees herself as a small, weak link in the team, and I find it to be a bit repetitive. I believe they really upped

pillow in the world” and a blue stuffed elephant.

She explained the elephant plush was in fact her dog’s toy, and she brought it to school after the dog passed away a few weeks ago because she “needed something to remember her by.”

“She practically raised me,” Demce said, talking about her dog.

“She was a little ratty, white, crusty dog,” she added. “She was also, like, the pettiest dog ever to live. I loved her to death.”

CONNECT WITH RAENA DOTY rdoty@student.framingham.edu

their game in the telling of her story and resolution, though it all seems pretty repetitive. I can only hope if there are future “Paw Patrol” theatrical releases that the next pup’s dilemma is more individual and specific to them.

Overall I found “Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie” to be absolutely delightful, and I left the theater glowing. The soundtrack once again hit the nail right on the head, and left me dancing and singing all the way through the parking lot. I really only have praise for this movie, and I just have to give it an A rating, for its “pawfection” as a sequel and just being a heartwarming film for children and adults alike.

Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST

Angie Demce’s favorite pillow and her late dog’s toy elephant sitting on the bed in her dorm room.

CONNECT WITH LIV DUNLEAVY odunleavy@student.framingham.edu

Rating: A “Paw Patrol,” but with more, and a little bit extra!

David Abe / THE GATEPOST

‘Saw X’ - back to the bloody basics

By Jesse Burchill Staff Writer

“Saw X” is a horror film directed by Kevin Greutert and released on Sept. 29. The 10th entry in the “Saw” horror franchise, “Saw X” takes place in between “Saw,” the first entry from 2004, and “Saw II” from 2005.

This film focuses on John Kramer, the infamous “Jigsaw Killer,” as he enters his first role as protagonist. The plot kicks off as Kramer, dying from terminal cancer, desperately seeks out an experimental treatment at a medical center in Mexico.

However, Kramer learns that the center is a total sham and does not actually cure its patients, himself included - he decides to take revenge on the staff by doing what he does best.

And what he does best is kidnap and place his victims in life-or-limb traps that will leave them dead or mutilated.

The film has a tone that’s very reminiscent of the first “Saw” film, focusing more on the psychological side of the horror. The brutality of the traps does not overshadow the time the film spends with its characters and its analysis of their morality.

This allows “Saw X” to stand out on its own narrative merits, rather than follow the sequels’ increased focus on gore, and develop a rather unique identity among the franchise.

The film is further bolstered by a slew of stellar performances. Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith return to the franchise as John Kramer and Amanda Young respectively, doing so in glorious fashion.

Bell was always more stoic in his role as Kramer, but nonetheless manages to come across as a compelling, somehow sympathetic individual who was dealt a horrible lot in life.

Specifically, the scene where Kramer learns the truth about the clinic manages to be heart-wrenching, given Bell’s subtle, silent performance and the hope Kramer had in finally beating his cancer and living out his days without donning the role of Jigsaw again.

Tobin Bell is 81, and has been in every “Saw” film except “Spiral,” but is far from outlasting his welcome and succeeds in being as intimidating as ever as Jigsaw.

Shawnee Smith’s turn as Amanda is far more eerie - Amanda is revealed in the second film to be Kramer’s apprentice, having become loyal to his endgame and seeing him as a father figure. Smith continues this depiction throughout “X,” giving Amanda a rather chilling calmness and a rather callous attitude toward most of the victims.

The cast is rounded out by the victims of John’s traps. Actors Joshua Okamoto, Octavio Hinojosa, and

Paulette Hernández pull off a trio of excellent performances - their confusion and fear are palpable, and it feels as if they are actually experiencing the same intense pain and horror as their characters.

Of specific note is Renata Vaca - she plays Gabriela, the youngest and most “innocent” character involved in the fraudulent clinic. Vaca’s absolutely stellar and heartbreaking performance makes her stand out far above the rest in her first English-language film.

The film also has one of the best villains in the entire “Saw”franchise. While John Kramer him- self is by no means an angel, he genuinely believes that his traps make people appreciate the gift that is their lives, and always gives them a way out.

Meanwhile, Synnøve Macody Lund portrays Cecilia Pederson, the leader of the fake clinic. First seen as the mastermind of the plan to defraud countless cancer patients, Cecilia shows zero remorse for her actions at any point in the film.

She proves to be much viler than Kramer and the other villains of the franchise ever were, in no small part thanks to Lund’s performance.

Even with these merits, “Saw X” did not quite stick the landing. I had seen the first Saw film directly before this one, and while the inspiration is clear, the film’s implementation is far

A shell of a good time - ‘Shredder’s Revenge’

By Jackson Clyde Staff Writer

Just months ago, I had yet to dip my toes into the “beat ’em up” genre of video games, and had no intentions of doing so. They always seemed fairly unappealing to me, largely thanks to their reputation as archaic, absurdly difficult titles with a lack of meaningful content.

Then I played “Shredder’s Revenge” for the first time, and realized how wrong I was.

Having recently watched “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,” I was in the mood to explore more Turtles-related media. Luckily for me, my friend (and Gatepost alum) Sean Cabot had been playing around with “Shredder’s Revenge” and its new “Dimension Shellshock” DLC, and invited me to play through the game with him.

At first I couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the game, especially since Sean made the decision that we’d be playing on the highest difficulty - “Gnarly.” Thankfully, it turned out that my worries were for naught.

The main mode of “Shredder’s Revenge” is its story mode, in which you embark on a series of side-scrolling adventures through the world of the 1987 “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” cartoon. I primarily played through the game as the Turtles’ trusty re-

porter ally, April O’Neil, while Sean used one of the two new characters “Dimension Shellshock” added to the game: the honor-bound ninja Karai.

We did briefly switch characters, Sean using fellow “Dimension Shellshock”-exclusive Miyamoto Usagi, while I tried out the most fun-lov ing of the Turtles - Michelangelo.

The first thing that becomes apparent once you boot the game is the utterly gorgeous pixel art, which captures the Turtles’ col orful world so well, it makes you feel like you’re watch ing an episode of the classic cartoon. Every character is directly based on their animated appearances, and in the case of the Turtles, their original voice actors even return to reprise the roles they made famous.

Admittedly, the return ing voices are a bit of a dou ble-edged sword. While the other three Turtles sound as great as ever (particularly Townsend Coleman as Michelangelo), Rob Paulsen’s performance as Raphael has definitely been weakened by the effects of age on his vocal range.

Other than that small gripe, however, the game’s visual and sound presentation is fantastic. The soundtrack particularly stands out, with music

by the “Sonic Mania” composer Tee Lopes and vocal contributions from Raekwon and Ghostface Killah, both members of the renowned hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan.

The game also impresses with its easy-to-learn gameplay. Every character controls roughly the same, with the exception of a few unique abilities. It doesn’t take long to figure out your basic actions and what makes each character unique, which encourages you to try them all out at least once.

The game’s true challenge comes in its enemy design. Level after level, you’re faced with a litany of foes, each with unique attacks and weaknesses, and you’ll have to learn to properly deal

Though the game is constantly filling your screen with baddies, it never feels like there’s too many for you to handle, especially when you’re playing with friends. It helps that your own options in combat are clearly laid out, giving you an ample amount of time to learn and master the battles ahead of you.

Except for the Triceratons, who can go straight to hell.

Beyond the game’s entertaining

blunter, going for a more direct route that unintentionally undermines its psychological side and leaves something to be desired in its execution.

In the end, this film succeeds in providing the franchise’s expected gore, utilizing a surprisingly philosophical take on what’s expected from it, and making the audience sympathize with John Kramer.

While the presentation lacks the finesse of the original film, “Saw X” proves to be a very worthy sequel and horror film in its own right.

Rating: A

One of the best “Saw” films since the first

story mode, the “Dimension Shellshock” DLC adds a Survival Mode, where you and your friends are tasked with withstanding waves of enemies on a limited number of lives. While I found it slightly less enjoyable than the game’s core content, namely due to a sudden spike in its difficulty halfway through, it’s still a great way to add some extra challenge to your experience.

The bonus costumes that come with the DLC are also appreciated, allowing you to style the Turtles and friends up with color palettes representing their vast history.

Overall, “Shredder’s Revenge” is a blast to play, even if you have no particular attachment to the Heroes in a Half-Shell, or “beat ’em ups” as a genre.

Who knows, it might just get you into both of them!

Rating: A

Let’s party, dudes!

CONNECT WITH JACKSON CLYDE jclyde@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH JESSE BURCHILL jcelardo@student.framingham.edu

Ben Hurney / THE GATEPOST

Puzzles

67. Ly guesses: Abbr.

68. Drainage system

69. With 59-Down, unpredictable factor ... and a hint to the starred clues’ answers

DOWN

1. Spill the beans

2. Trapeze performers

3. *Long-eared hare

4. Photographer Adams

5. “Arthur” airer

6. Mean-spirited

7. *Striped semiaquatic reptile

8. Escaping notice

9. UFO pilots

10. Produce, as a play

11. *Bird known for its long, sharp bill

12. “Give me a moment!”

13. Veggies in many potpies

21. e DEA is part of it

23. Two at the end of the hall?

ACROSS

1. ___ Blast (Mountain Dew avor)

5. Arouse, as curiosity

10. Pass over

14. Like venison

15. Unsharpened

16. Word before “ ies” or “sinks”

17. Curved paths

18. Winter coasters

19. YouTuber/ actress ___ Akana

20. Competed in the Tour de France, e.g.

22. Demi Moore, ___ Guynes

23. Certain frozen wa es

24. Person in car lots?

25. “Fire” insect

26. “I’ve got nothing ___ to prove”

27. In the style of

28. Travels extravagantly

31. Grp. whose work is taxing?

33. Babies’ mealtime garments

35. Chew audibly

36. “Ah, now it’s clear!”

37. Some PC ports

38. Speechify

39. “Star Trek II: e Wrath of ___”

40. “Fear Street” author R.L.

42. Scrape (by)

43. Instagram timelines, e.g.

44. Winter hrs. in Albany

45. Formally given over

48. Bread for a patty melt

49. e Suns, on scoreboards

50. Panda Express pan

52. Starts a computer up again

56. “Have time to chat?”

60. Ice rink leap

61. Free from

63. Org. behind the game Lobster Liberation

64. Abhorrent

65. Observe Yom Kippur

66. “Lupin” actor Sy

27. “___ of Power Comes as No Surprise” (Jenny Holzer piece)

29. All Time Low genre

30. O -___-record

32. Taste or balance

34. Nine-digit ID

36. ’50s prez

41. Sound e ect in an empty gym

43. One of three in a yard

46. Crowd scene actors

47. BOGO deal

49. Fishing rods, e.g.

51. (Whammo!)

52. Techno party

53. Go o stage

54. Banjoist Fleck

55. Wikipedia or Vimeo

56. “___ Girl” (2014 thriller)

57. 18-wheeler

58. Abbr. in a bibliography

59. See 69-Across

62. Popular stock index, with “the”

Puzzle solutions are now exclusively online.

B e a m i ng B e a d s

The

Fashion club hosted a “Jewelry Making Night” on Oct. 3.

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Student picking out beads for their bracelet at “Jewelry Making Night” Oct. 3.

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Berlianis Reyes Cruz picking out beads for her bracelet at “Jewelry Making Night” Oct. 3.

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST

(Left) Erin Hambly and Morgan Reen showing off their bracelets at “Jewelry Making Night” Oct. 3.

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST

(Left) Treasurer Alessia Lye and Eílish Heffernan picking out beads for their jewelry at “Jewelry Making Night” Oct. 3.

Spread by Photos & Design Editor Adrien Gobin