October 7, 2022

Lacrosse team styles State Street

President Niemi outlines top priorities

By Sophia Harris News Editor

President Nancy Niemi has iden tified improving Framingham State University’s enrollment and reten tion rates as her top priority.

Niemi also identified building con nections with the MetroWest com munity, defining Framingham State’s brand, obtaining reaccreditation for the University, and filling vacant ex ecutive positions as additional prior ities.

She noted all these goals relate back to her top priority of enrollment and retention.

“Everything I’ve just said really fits under the umbrella of, ‘How do we define ourselves so that we can grow and be the University that we want to be?’ All of those other pieces

are a necessary part of that,” she said.

A reorganization announced in August was designed to help Niemi address these goals.

One of the biggest changes is creating a new division of Academ ic Enhancement headed by Lorret ta Holloway, whose new title is vice president of academic enhancement.

Holloway, whose previous title was vice president of Enrollment and Stu dent Development, will report direct ly to Niemi.

Enrollment now reports directly to Niemi and there are currently open interim and permanent positions for a dean of enrollment management.

The restructuring was implement ed to “have more effectiveness and raise the level of importance that enrollment management, student affairs and academic enhancement,

student success have on campus, so now all three of those positions re port to me as well as human resourc es,” she said.

Niemi said the reorganization “took a really big structure and broke it apart so that we could pay atten tion to its component parts and raise them to the level of importance they deserve.”

[Editor’s Note: See “President Nancy Niemi restructures FSU ad ministration” in the Sept. 15 issue of The Gatepost.]

Her goal for the reorganization was to “re-envision” the departments and how they can better serve FSU students and the enrollment and re tention efforts.

Niemi’s top priority for the Univer sity is to address the enrollment and

Facilities plans repairs to leaks around campus

By Emma Lyons Arts & Features Editor

Patricia Whitney, assistant vice pres ident of Facilities and Capital Planning, said her department is planning to fix leaks in May Hall and the Henry Whit temore Library that were discovered following heavy rains in September.

However, leaks in the entryway and lobby of the McCarthy Center that oc curred during the same September rainstorms are not currently scheduled for repair because they haven’t been re ported through a work order, according to Whitney.

“I spoke to our operations director and he does not have any current work

orders for leaks in the main entrance to McCarthy,” she said in an email.

Leaks have been documented on the fourth floor of May Hall by the elevator and within May Hall 403, and in the li brary’s Archives Room and the Special Collections Room.

During the week of Sept. 23, separate construction vendors came to campus to inspect the leaks in May Hall and the library in order to determine what re pairs need to be made.

The Facilities Department plans first to make a temporary repair to May Hall, then make renovations to the library, and then work on a permanent fix for May Hall.

Whitney said it was determined

that the biggest leak in the library was caused by water penetration through the brick wall on the “far left side” of the building.

“We have to follow certain bidding procedures for anything over $10,000. So a lot of times when we have a repair, we call in a vendor - if it’s something that is beyond our capability that our own guys can do - we’ll call in a con tractor and we keep our fingers crossed it’s under $10,000,” she said.

These repairs to the library would cost more than $10,000, which means Facilities will need to hire an architect to design a construction specification, which explains the work that is need

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Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST

(Left) Lacrosse players Hailey Baker and Rachel Erickson, Coach Devyne Dorran, and teammates Jordan Utter, Alexis Burleigh, and Alessia Lye host a Pop-up Thrift Store to raise money for two away games in Florida over spring break.

Editorial Board

Leighah Beausoleil

Editor

News Editor

Asst. News Editor

Branden LaCroix

Editor

McKenzie Ward Sports Editor

Danielle Achin

Arts & Features Editors

Emma Lyons Ryan O’Connell

Design Editor

Maddison Behringer

Asst. Photos Editor

Christy Howland

Staff Writers

Jackson Clyde Naidelly Coelho

Raena Doty

Owen Glancy

Adrien Gobin

Mark Haskell Adam Levine Jack McLaughlin

Kate Norrish

Carly Paul Ryan Schreiber Advisor

Desmond McCarthy

Asst. Advisor

Elizabeth Banks

By Naidelly Coelho Staff Writer

Gatepost Interview Gina Pacitto

Program Coordinator for SILD

100 State Street

McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101

Phone: (508) 626-4605

Fax: (508) 626-4097

gatepost@framingham.edu

What is your educational and pro fessional background?

I graduated from Nichols College in 2018 and I was a business communica tions major and psychology minor. After that, I worked for a technology startup - it was more like a training position where I taught people how to use tech nology. I did that for about two years until COVID hit. Then I worked for a brewery as a brand ambassador and did marketing for them. About a year ago, I started my position at Framingham State University and started working for the Student Involvement department.

What motivated you to follow this career?

I was very involved while I was an un dergrad in college. I had three jobs on campus and I was involved in six clubs. I was the president of one club, I was the vice president of another club, and then I was an active member of four other ones. I just loved it. I love being a social butterfly on campus. I loved seeing and knowing everybody - it was just like a very happy social environment. … So I pursued that, even after I graduated. But the doors didn’t open at first, but that’s something that when you are passion ate about something, you keep trying. And after three years, I graduated and I finally found a position at Framingham State, where I wanted to work in Student Involvement on a college campus. So I had my eye on the prize. I knew what I wanted. Even though I had different po sitions from what I wanted, I used the skills that I learned from them to pre pare me to work on a college campus.

What’s the Student Involvement and Leadership Development about?

Our department is all about helping the student organizations on campus, so we are the main resource to help their ideas come to life. When any club comes to us and says, “Hey, we want to have a movie night. How do we get that going?” So what we do is we have the experience of reaching out to the vendors. We help them with the financials behind it, and we kind of get the big picture rolling. So any club that wants to do something, we’re there for them. We also [play] a huge part in getting students involved, and making sure the students know what resources they have on campus. So right now, we’re actually expanding our department, and we actually work close ly with the career center, and the ori

entation department as well. … We don’t have a name for it yet, but it’s exciting. It’s all about the student experience. So that’s what we do. We’re here for the stu dents and to make their experience bet ter in general.

How do you think students benefit from your work?

I think this department and my work help the students connect with one an other. It helps students feel more excit ed to be a college student and to be at Framingham State. It shows what we have to offer and I really believe it helps build connections with students and the faculty members and just everyone involved in all the little factors that get things going on campus. It’s really awe some to see when you have a student join a club, and then four years later, they’re best friends with the person that they met at that club. And to me, that’s what it’s all about. When you’re a firstyear student, it can be overwhelming sometimes, but you know, just take that step to get involved and try something new. You never know who you’re going to meet. You just got to try new things.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love working with the students and planning events. I think this job is fun, and it’s always an adventure. There’s always a lot of moving parts, but it’s so rewarding because you get to see so many different events come to life.

Police Logs

Monday,

Monday,

Alarm

Wednesday,

When we start from scratch and we build huge events, like Sandbox, which is our end-of-the-year carnival that has 10 different vendors, we had two dif ferent food trucks, we had an ice cream truck, we had rock climbing, and all these kinds of things. So it’s really fun to work with the clubs and organiza tions and watch their whole ideas really become a reality. It’s awesome.

Do you have any advice for stu dents?

My biggest advice is put yourself out there and get to know people. Don’t be afraid to meet new people and talk to new people. Try new things. Try new clubs. Just get involved - whether you’re starting a new job on campus, or you’re joining a club, or just anything that gets you involved on campus. It can be so beneficial and help you feel more connected to FSU. And once you realize what kind of community there is, you see that people are there to help you. We’re really all in this together. So knowing that we all have each other’s backs and it’s a supportive communitythat’s the biggest thing that I’ve learned from Framingham State and I want the students to learn that as well.

Alarm

CONNECT WITH NAIDELLY COELHO ncoelho3@student.framingham.edu

Emily Rosenberg

Sophia Harris

Courtesy of LinkedIn

Mike Grilli resigns from Board of Trustees

Board sets date for community open forum

By Leighah Beausoleil Editor-in-Chief

President Nancy Niemi announced the resignation of former Trustee Mike Grilli and the date for an open forum with the Board of Trustees in a Sept. 30 community-wide email.

Grilli’s resignation went into effect Sept. 23 following community outrage over comments he made at a Sept. 14 Board subcommittee meeting.

At the meeting, Niemi presented the enrollment report, and in refer ence to the loss of approximately 1,000 white women over the last few years, Grilli made an “inappropriate” remark regarding the actor Jussie Smollett, Niemi said.

In 2019, Smollett falsely reported a hate crime that he had staged.

[Editor’s Note: See “Communi ty outraged following comments at Trustee subcommittee meetings” in The Gatepost’s Sept. 23, 2022 issue.]

In the email, Niemi said she and Chair Kevin Foley will begin to search for a new individual whom they will recommend to the Department of Boards and Commissions for consid eration.

In an email to The Gatepost, Niemi said, “The circumstances preceding Trustee Grilli’s resignation were un fortunate for the entire University community, and upon the news of his resignation, I thought that our com munity took a step toward a healing process.”

She said recent events will not change how she and Foley approach this search as the process is prescribed by the state.

Niemi added, “But Chair Foley and I can be good listeners when we do speak with potential trustees, and make sure that we convey Framingham’s institu tional values.”

Ann McDonald, chief of staff, gener al counsel, and secretary to the Board

Weather

Sunday night Oct. 9 Mostly clear, with a low around 42. Light west wind.

Monday Oct. 10 Sunny, with a high near 63. W wind around 5 mph.

of Trustees, said the Department of Boards and Commissions has an on line application for anyone who wishes to apply for the position.

If the president and chair have an individual in mind, they will interview them and if seen fit for the role, that individual would apply online, submit a letter of interest, and the president

nor, but he also doesn’t have voting powers,” McDonald said.

The position is currently filled by Trustee Robert Richards, she added.

Trustees have a five-year term with a two-term limit, but if a trustee does not complete their term, the person who eventually replaces them finishes the previous trustee’s term and then is

needed it the most,’” he said.

Alberti added not attending the Board meeting and never issuing a statement of apology means Grilli was “unrepentant.

“How can we read it any other way?” he asked. “So the fact that he left is, on the whole, a good thing.”

Dara Barros, SGA president, who

would submit a letter of support, ac cording to McDonald.

She said in her time working with the Board, there have been recommen dations submitted that received no response at all from the Department of Boards and Commissions, but there have been some appointments based on recommendations such as with the recent additions of Trustees Mariel Freve and Lino Covarrubias.

McDonald added, however, “I think it’s the norm versus the exception” for the Department of Boards and Com

eligible for reappointment, McDonald said.

She said the difficulty of when terms expire is that they always expire in March, which is in the middle of the spring semester.

There are currently two vacant seats on Framingham State’s Board of Trust ees.

Sociology Professor Benjamin Al berti, who presented the faculty and staff letter at the Sept. 21 Board of Trustees meeting, said he was sur prised by Grilli’s resignation.

presented a statement at the Board meeting, said when she heard of Gril li’s resignation, “Honestly, I was hap py.”

She said she does not want some one on the Board making decisions about her education “who thinks like that,” adding she is “excited” to see what happens next and hopes the next appointed Board member will be someone who looks like her.

McKenzie Ward, student trustee, said she was surprised to hear of Gril li’s resignation given the almost two weeks between his comments and this decision, “but I’m going to be honest - I am thankful that he has made the choice to resign because his values, in my opinion, don’t completely align with the values of this University.”

Ward said the only way to have a “successful collaboration” between the University and the Board is if they share the same values and vision.

At the Sept. 21 Board of Trustees meeting, Foley announced a few ac tions he and the Board plan to take to become more educated on diversity and inclusion and the work the Fram ingham State community has been doing to become an anti-racist insti tution.

missions to choose someone the Uni versity is unfamiliar with.

The only exceptions are the alumni trustee and student trustee, who are chosen by the Alumni Board and the student body, respectively, she said.

A full Board would be 11 members, with eight of those selected by the Department of Boards and Commissions, but Framingham State’s Board has an additional trustee - a trustee emeritus - who “is not appointed by the gover

“It’s kind of a dual response, right? On the one hand, you think, ‘Well, good. We don’t want somebody on the Board of Trustees who openly holds those views, or holds those views in any form whatsoever,’” Alberti said.

“On the other hand, you think, ‘Well, now that the Board of Trustees is actu ally going to do some training, which I believe will be anti-racist training, then of course Mike [Grilli] really was the person who, to all appearances,

Among those was a plan to hold an open forum aimed at forming a dia logue between the campus communi ty and the Board.

With a majority of the Board at tending, Niemi said this is an oppor tunity to “exchange thoughts and perspectives on the University’s an ti-racist goals and the Trustees’ roles in the support and understanding of

Monday night Oct. 10

Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Calm wind.

Tuesday Oct. 11 Sunny, with a high near 63. NW wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday night Oct. 11 Mostly clear, with a low around 43. Calm wind.

Wednesday Oct. 12 Sunny, with a high near 66. SW wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday night Oct. 12 Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. SW wind around 5 mph.

Thursday Oct. 13

Partly sunny, with a high near 67. SW wind around 10 mph. 30% chance of precipitation.

Forecast

“It’s not just a one-shot deal - ‘OK, we’ve said our piece. Now we can all go about our business.’ No, this is an ongoing process of education.”

- Benjamin Alberti Sociology Professor

“I am thankful that he has made the choice to resign because his values, in my opinion, don’t completely align with the values of this University.”

McKenzie Ward Student Trustee

Building leaks

ed to make repairs. “The architect will also help us [Facilities] develop cost estimates so we can request funding,” Whitney said.

She added mold testing is done on a routine basis within the library. There is a higher risk of mold developing in the library because of its structure.

Millie González, dean of the library, said there have always been leaks in the library. The current leaks are in the Special Collection Room and within the Archives Room. These rooms con tain and preserve historical documents pertaining to Framingham State.

She said the leaks are “extremely concerning” because water could dam age items that cannot be replaced.

“We always have a supervisor on call,” she said. The library staff also works with the maintainers within the building to ensure there are buckets beneath the leaks, González said.

“We have maintainers in the library and they’re wonderful - they’re amaz ing,” she said.

“The remedy can’t come any soon er, but I understand that this is some thing that’s a continuing problem that Facilities just has to have a plan for,” González said.

Charlotte Fabrizi, a freshman ele mentary education major, said, “Ob viously, books are important, so you don’t want to hurt them with water.”

Lauren Martinek, a freshman Amer ican Sign Language major, said, “I think they should do something about that soon since it is important documents. You can’t really just replace an old im portant document, especially if it’s the only copy they had.”

Mya Jones, a freshman psychology major, said,“Where [the leaks are] hap pening is very important. So, I feel like they should be addressed quickly.”

The architect who will help devel op the specification for the library will also help develop an additional speci fication for May Hall in order to make permanent repairs that would cost more than $10,000.

In the meantime, a temporary repair to the May Hall roof can be made be cause the cost will be under $10,000.

Because the construction vendor is not able to begin work until mid-Oc tober, Facilities is bringing in another vendor to see if temporary repairs to the May Hall roof can be made sooner.

If interior repairs are needed, classes within the area of the leak will be tem porarily relocated if they would be in terrupted, Whitney said. Exterior leak work will not interfere with classes.

Stephanie Grey, professor of graphic design, said the leak in the graphic de sign room has been dripping out of a light fixture in the center of the room.

She said the leak coming from an electrical source makes her “a little bit nervous.” A bucket has been placed in the room to catch the water, but “wa ter splashes outside of the barrel and makes the floor wet,” she said.

Paul Yalowitz, chair of the Art and Music Department, said there is a leak on the fourth floor of May Hall outside of the elevator. This leak has been drip ping consistently since the Spring 2022 Semester and has now spread into the graphic design room.

Yalowitz said the leak by the elevator has caused water damage to the ceiling and the walls around the leak as well. “If we have prospective students come to the school and they see this damage, it’s not a great advertisement.”

He said while there have already been incidents of students and faculty slipping in puddles, no one has fallen to his knowledge.

Repairs were made to May Hall in the summer and fall of 2021 that were focused on the most damaged parts of the roof, Whitney said.

Facilities did not have the mon ey to make repairs to the whole roof when these initial repairs were made, she added. The department decided to focus on the areas that were most af fected.

Daniel Munoz, a junior studio art major, said, “It’s a little concerning if water is dropping every time it rains. I mean, it wouldn’t be that much of an issue to fix - which I thought they were doing last semester or even the semes ter before that.”

James Bushard, a freshman studio art major, said he doesn’t feel unsafe because the holes in the ceiling have been protected by a plastic sheet, but he hopes the leaks will be fixed soon.

Andrew Reinhardt, a sophomore graphic design major, said, “You don’t know what’s going to happen next, but it’s just leaks at the moment.”

A number of students expressed concern about the leaks in the McCa rthy Center.

Dan Prefontaine, a senior environ mental studies major who works for the Student Transportation Center (STC), said leaks have occurred in the McCarthy Center lobby and above the STC desk after heavy rains. “We usually

have to put a bucket here [on top of the STC desk] when it leaks.”

Owen Brundage, a senior business and information technology major who works at the STC desk, said, “I don’t like having to work with a giant bucket right next to me.”

He added he was concerned about mold growth as a result of the leaks.

“I worry about my safety,” Brundage said. “This is where I am every day.”

Nicole Berry, a senior political sci ence major, said she has been per sonally inconvenienced by the leaks while working at the STC desk. “I’ve had some water drip on my laptop and notebooks,” she said.

She added the light fixture above the STC desk also leaks. “It is very con cerning when you see water dripping near electricity.”

Whitney said the Facilities opera tions director did not receive any work orders about leaks in the McCarthy Center, but her department would send someone to look at it.

“It is really important for people to tell us when they see a problem. Oth erwise, we don’t know to go look at it,” she said.

Whitney said the most recent re pairs to the McCarthy Center roof were made last year. “We have twice done major repairs there and the water just keeps moving and finds another hole,” she said.

If anyone sees a leak within a build ing or has a concern about the growth of mold within a building, they are able to report it to Facilities through a work order or a maintenance request and the Facilities Department will run a test, Whitney said.

Students can fill out maintenance requests by logging into my.framing ham.edu, clicking on the “Student Life” tab, and completing the Maintenance Request Form within the Residence Life section.

Emma Lyons/ THE GATEPOST

Water damage from the leaking roof above McCarthy Center lobby.

Emma Lyons / THE GATEPOST

Containers catching water from leaking roof above elevators in May Hall.

CONNECT WITH EMMA LYONS

President Niemi

retention rates of Framingham State.

In order to reach this goal, Niemi said she must first build stronger ties with the MetroWest community.

“One of my goals is to make sure that I establish - and by extensionthe University establishes an even greater presence in the community,” she said.

Niemi said since she has been in office, she has been meeting with alumni, business leaders, non-profit leaders, and municipal leaders in the MetroWest community, noting she met Senator Elizabeth Warren during her first week as president.

She said she has also been looking at state initiatives and the Board of Higher Education, making sure Fram ingham State is “at the table” for any big changes that need to happen. She stressed the importance of the close relationships she has been making with legislators and state authorities.

“Those are intentional groups of people that I have met with to intro duce myself, and equally importantly to - or more importantly - to make sure that those folks know that we value all of those relationships very much and that we build on those re lationships,” she said.

Niemi added, “Nothing gets done without strong relationships.”

She said by strengthening ties with the MetroWest community, she is learning how the demographics of the region play a role in how Fram ingham State can better serve its communities.

Niemi said a key factor in devel oping these relationships with the community is being able to “explore what the needs are in the communi ty and how our programs are tied to that.

“Our community population has changed,” she said, adding, “Those communities and those students need and want different ways into higher education. So we need to think about our population and then we need to think about our strength from a programmatic point of view.”

Niemi said she is planning to pro mote programs at Framingham State that are “distinctive” in making “us who we are” and uniquely tied to the population of Framingham, such as the Fashion Design and Merchan dising program, Food and Nutrition, American Sign Language, and Edu cation, along with Early Childhood Education.

Niemi said she also wants to pro mote the University’s centers, in cluding the MetroWest Economic Re search Center, the Warren Center, the Danforth School of Art, the Christa McAuliffe Center, all of which have “tentacles to current programs that need development, that need strong development, because these are some of our signature programs.”

According to Niemi, developing what makes FSU unique and taking into account the needs of the com munity will be a strategy to increase enrollment.

“And those things, in combination with paying attention to who our communities that we serve are now and I mean, Framingham, MetroW est, the Commonwealth, New En gland, in those concentric circles. That is a strategy then to work with Enrollment to say, ‘Here we are and

here’s how we can serve and how we can grow,’” she said.

According to Niemi, it is equal ly important to develop deep rela tionships with every part of campus as well, adding that is what she has been doing since the start of her presidency.

Meeting with the communities on and off campus “has just been inten tional and wonderful,” she said.

Math Professor Robert Page said he is supportive of Niemi’s efforts to increase the connection between FSU and the surrounding communities.

“I would like to see more of a con nection between Framingham State and the Framingham community. I drive through downtown Framing ham and you wouldn’t know there’s a university right up the street,” he said.

Susan Dargan, dean of social and behavioral sciences, also agreed with Niemi’s goal to build ties with the community, adding seeing students develop those connections would be beneficial.

She would like to see more com munity-engaged learning as well as civic engagement by students with the MetroWest community.

Framingham State’s Civic Engage ment and Service Learning Center aims to do this by creating opportu nities for students, faculty, and staff to volunteer with local community organizations.

Dargan said it helps with reten tion rates when students can connect with the community where their uni versity is located.

“That makes learning more rele vant to the students and then they’re more likely to say, ‘OK, I can stay here. I’m connected in some way,’” she said.

Wardell Powell, interim chief di versity and inclusion officer, agreed, saying, “I believe that as we think about students’ success, then one of

This is an important consideration in developing FSU’s brand, she add ed.

Niemi said she is able to listen to what the MetroWest communi ty needs from a state university and communicate that message through the branding and marketing of the institution by focusing on what makes FSU stand out from other state universities.

“We have lots of competition. State universities all look alike if you don’t show other people how we are different,” she said.

Niemi said part of the branding initiative will be to develop some of these key programs at Framingham State in order to differentiate it from other Massachusetts universities.

synergy.”

Michael Harrison, chair of the Marketing Department, also agreed with Niemi’s efforts to serve the sur rounding communities, particularly the MetroWest community.

He said the positioning of FSU in the MetroWest community “leads to a unique opportunity for students because one of our unique points of difference is our location to worldclass organizations in various in dustries headquartered right here in MetroWest.”

Harrison said a challenge with marketing will be to “change existing perceptions about the University.

“There is a perception from stu dents, and I have heard this from parents of prospective students as well, that there is nothing to do on

the things that is very, very, very im portant is that community engage ment,” he said.

Niemi said a key factor in increas ing enrollment will be developing Framingham State’s branding mes sage.

Niemi is focused on developing the brand of FSU and communicating that message through how Framing ham State is marketed. She plans to address not only the needs of stu dents, but also those of the MetroW est region when articulating the Uni versity’s brand.

“How we think about our identity within the community - that actually leads to what we do in order to define ourselves,” she said.

She said she is working with a con sultant on branding for Framingham State to “re-envision” the current brand of FSU and to say, “Here’s who we are now.”

Averil Capers, director of market ing, agreed with Niemi. “The focus of our marketing efforts is to help shape brand perception, enhance aware ness, differentiate FSU from our competitors, and increase FSU’s de sirability among future applicants,” she said.

She added, “The Framingham community, both residents and busi nesses, plays an important role in the success of Framingham State and the new brand platform will support that

campus. Our marketing efforts need to address and change that percep tion if we want to attract more stu dents. Preparing students for success is critically important, but we all know students also want to have fun and a thriving social life on campus as well. It is a key part of the college experience,” he said.

Another priority of Niemi’s is Framingham State’s upcoming ac creditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

She said the reaccreditation is Framingham State’s “permission to operate.”

“One of my goals is to make sure that I establish - and by extension - the University establishes an even greater presence in the community,”

Nancy Niemi President

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST

President Niemi

Niemi said it’s her and the Board of Trustees’ major focus. They will be reconfiguring the University’s strate gic plan in the “next year or so.”

She said the reaccreditation takes place every 10 years with a check-in every five years.

English Professor Alexander Hartwiger, co-chair of the reaccred itation initiative, said the goal of ac creditation is to “highlight all of the wonderful things that have been hap pening at Framingham State over the past 10 years as well as take a close look at areas that may need attention moving forward.”

He said since the start of Niemi’s presidency, she has been a “strong supporter of the process.

“It is great knowing that she is committed to a successful and thor ough reaccreditation,” he said.

In order for the University to ob

with the accreditation process, add ing they have seven committees and over 50 faculty, staff, and adminis trators involved in the accreditation process.

Universities must receive accred itation not only to receive funding, but also to assure prospective stu dents and families that the Universi ty has met those nine standards and will continue to meet them, accord ing to the NECHE website.

Another goal of Niemi’s is filling open positions, including the vice president of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE) and an interim and then permanent dean of Enrollment Management.

She said she is looking forward to working closely with the vice presi dent of DICE to “spearhead initia tives” such as determining how FSU can continue to be more racially equitable though its mission of an ti-racism.

sees the diversity, equity, and inclu sion work as a priority in her goals as president, but added the challenge will be implementing that work into FSU’s policies, practices, and lan guage.

Nguyen said, “We’re seeing some challenges with retaining students, particularly retaining students of color, and students who hold other marginalized identities. And so we also need to do the work of under standing why students are leaving, so that we can think about how we meet their particular needs.”

Barros said she has been really impressed by Niemi’s enthusiasm and commitment to engage with the community at Framingham State.

She said she has seen Niemi “walk ing down State Street talking to stu dents.”

Barros, who was the student repre sentative on the presidential search

State.

“It’s as simple as if you’re walk ing down State Street and you see a prospective family taking a tour or a prospective family lost on campus and not knowing where to go. No matter who you are, just take an extra minute or two to make sure they feel welcomed and ask them if they need assistance getting to the admissions house or if they know where they’re going, just so they know that FSU truly is the great community that we are,” she said.

Negar Hamidi, a freshman glob al studies major, said she would like to see Niemi “focus on establishing partnerships with other colleges” in order to have the option of dual en rollment for students.

Aisha Quarles, a freshman Amer ican Sign Language major, said, “I would like to see her at more events” such as club meetings and student open forums.

Cameron Lau, a junior computer science major, said he appreciates that Niemi has been making an effort to come to his soccer games.

He said he also likes reading her weekly emails.

Emma Volger, a junior early child hood education major, said she is impressed with Niemi’s involvement on campus and is happy that she has been listening to student voices.

Frankie Hernandec, a junior busi ness marketing major, said it is im portant to him for Niemi to consider all communities when making criti cal decisions.

“Two brains work better than one,” he said.

tain federal funding, Framingham State must receive the “seal of ap proval” from the accreditors through NECHE, Niemi said.

These standards include mission and purposes; planning and evalua tion; organization and governance; academic programs; students; teach ing, learning and scholarship; in stitutional resources; educational effectiveness; and integrity, trans parency, and public disclosure, ac cording to the NECHE website.

Hartwiger said he and co-chair Mark Nicholas, assistant vice presi dent for assessment, accreditation, and strategic planning, are currently collecting data in order to write the accreditation report.

He said the community is involved

Mike Grilli

them.”

This open forum will take place Oct. 24 at 5:30 p.m. Participation in this event will be available both in person in the Alumni Room and online via Zoom.

Barros said she hopes more than the same few students come to this open forum.

She added she wants this to be an opportunity for a conversation be tween faculty, staff, and students and the Board of Trustees, not just a listen ing session. Otherwise, “Are you truly getting what we are saying?”

History Professor Bridgette Sheri dan, interim faculty union president, said she would like to “work and to encourage the administration not only to recruit and hire more BIPOC faculty, but to retain the ones that we have because that is going to be key to recruiting and retaining the stu dents.”

Dara Barros, SGA president, said she would like to see the diversity of the student body reflected in the fac ulty and the University’s courses.

Eric Nguyen, director of the Center for Inclusive Excellence, said, “You could argue that equity and inclusion rights are at the foundation of why we are here in the first place.”

He said Niemi understands and

committee, said the passion and ex citement Niemi brought to the stu dent forum during her job interview has not “died down,” and her presi dency has felt like a “breath of fresh air.”

She said Niemi is accomplishing the goals students asked of her at the student open forums when she was a finalist for the presidency.

McKenzie Ward, student trustee and a voting member of the Enroll ment and Retention Committee, said she would like to see more student involvement with the enrollment ini tiative.

She said it is important for stu dents to make prospective students feel welcomed and comfortable while touring or exploring Framingham

“So it’s not just her determining every decision, but rather asking around to get other people’s point of view, to then make a final decision,” Hernandec said.

Haley Brouillette, a senior English major, said, “During the existence of Framingham State, there have only been eight women [leaders of the institution]. I feel much more rep resented and am passionate that she will instill positive ideals into Fram ingham State for students and facul ty.”

[Editor’s Note: McKenzie Ward is Opinions Editor for The Gatepost.]

Barros said, “I don’t think that Foley should be the chair anymore.”

She added Foley has been the chair of the Board for some time now and she wants to see someone lead who is less reactionary and more proactive with the work they do, especially in re gards to anti-racism.

Ward said she is “really glad” this special session is taking place because she believes there is a disconnect be tween the Board and students.

“Hopefully, in the future, we’ll be able to have a better working relation ship between the two groups of indi viduals,” she added.

Alberti said he hopes the open fo

rum becomes “uncomfortable … in the way that acknowledges that what perhaps they thought they knew about anti-racism or racism on this campus is not perhaps how it is actually expe rienced by people on this campus.”

He added he wants to ensure the pain BIPOC community members had to experience and the work and effort they had to put in as a result is ac knowledged.

“Even for me when I first found out about it, my response was exhaustion and anger, but just exhausted anger that we now have to spend our time doing this, and especially the BIPOC faculty who end up inevitably doing

far more than everyone else to address these concerns, which they shouldn’t have to,” he said.

In regard to the further training and education the Board plans to do, Al berti said, “It’s not going to be finished once you’ve done the training, and the same with the open forum.”

He added, “It’s not just a one-shot deal - ‘OK, we’ve said our piece. Now we can all go about our business.’ No, this is an ongoing process of educa tion.”

[Editor’s Note: McKenzie Ward is Opinions Editor for The Gatepost.]

CONNECT WITH LEIGHAH BEAUSOLEIL lbeausoleil@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu

“The Framingham community, both residents and businesses, plays an important role in the success of Framingham State and the new brand platform will support that synergy.”

Averil Capers Director of Marketing

OP/ED

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

Focus on Native American culture needed

Monday is Indigenous Peoples’ Day and we cannot forget that Framingham State is on In digenous land.

This land the campus was built on originally belonged to the Nipmuc tribal nations, accord ing to Framingham State’s Land Acknowledge ment.

The University states, “We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this territory, and we honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still con nected to this land on which we gather.”

FSU justified making this declaration be cause the University said it believes “we need to build our mindfulness of our present partic ipation.”

Framingham State’s current seal and logo, reflecting that of the state’s, depicts an Algon quian Native American holding an arrow facing downward to signify peace.

However, to some local tribal leaders, this serves as a reminder of white supremacy, geno cide, and violence.

At the same time, other tribal leaders argue if it is the only representation they can receive, they are willing to accept it.

When former Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement Con stanza Cabello worked here in 2020-21, chang es to the seal were underway and the Board of Trustees was considering designs to be used in the interim.

Though those plans were put on pause when she left the University, Dan Magazu, director of communications, said the seal and logo will still be changed as a part of Framingham State’s rebranding.

Following these reband changes, if the Uni versity chooses not to include Native Ameri can imagery in the new seal, an opportunity for representation of Indigenous Peoples will be lost.

Therefore, the University will need to find new ways to fulfill this promise of acknowl edgement and mindfulness of our presence on Indigenous land.

Representation of Native American people, culture, and history is severely inadequate on campus.

Our current curriculum falls short in its in

clusion of Native American history, literature, and art. There are approximately three cours es in the catalog solely dedicated to educat ing students on Indigenous People, and only a handful of others where it is part of the focus of the course.

A few events were held last year during Na tive American Heritage Month, and we thank Millie González, dean of the library, for us ing the grant she earned to honor Indigenous work.

But we need to keep going.

If we are to be mindful of our participation in the use of Indigenous land, we need to do more.

We need to be exposed to and appreciate the art and literature produced by Indigenous Peo ple as well as their history in this hemisphere before Europeans arrived.

Our community needs to learn about Indig enous culture and understand the effects colo nization has had in causing a mass genocide of Native American populations.

We need to recognize that we are on stolen land.

Students are getting an education on that land, so we should learn its value while we’re at it.

There are plenty of ways this campus can provide the opportunity to do so.

The University can expand the number of courses that focus on Native American history and culture.

More events should be held featuring Native American speakers.

Indigenous art can be featured in our Mazmanian Gallery.

The University’s land acknowledgement can be placed somewhere more visible to our cam pus community.

And we can hold a celebration with our local Indigenous tribes in honor of Monday’s holi day.

There are so many possibilities and oppor tunities, but they need to be undertaken.

We may have a statement, but that does not mean we have put in the work to truly appreci ate and acknowledge our presence on this land.

If we cannot take these steps, we do not de serve to be here.

Art boosts mental health

By Mark Haskell Staff Writer

Whenever I am struggling mentally or emotionally, I turn to art as a form of comfort. I am able to put my emotions to paper and create a piece where I can understand myself and my feelings.

The mediums I use do not matter - I use whatever is on hand. I feel the most tranquil when I am generating art regardless of the format or time of day.

Whenever I am in a museum, seeing notable works of art or the unknown, I feel calm and at peace when I am imagining the times they were made in and thinking of how it makes me feel.

What brought about my love of art was my travels to Europe and enjoying the galleries there. I was able to envision myself in those paintings and experience the subject, as well as the artists’ emotions.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic is what truly amassed my support of art therapy.

Since before the pandemic, I have been in therapy. Though, in the last two years, most, if not all of it has been virtual for safety precautions.

The pandemic has been a consistent, tumultuous challenge humans collectively face which has led to the rise of depres sion and anxiety.

According to Forbes, nearly 50% of young people have re ported symptoms of depression. About 30% of respondents reported mild or worse symptoms. The level of follow-up care would be typically recommended in a clinical setting.

If humans are to address these challenges, I believe that art therapy is a very proactive way to tackle that because it gives people the chance to express themselves.

Many people in the world, including myself, felt very seclud ed and cast out during the COVID-19 isolation as humans are a very social species.

The pandemic led to the cancellation of many in-person ac tivities and events, which led to the transition to remote life, causing people to miss face-to-face connections with others.

Art therapy encourages folks to be engaged in interactivity despite isolation. Although many channels for social activities are coming back, art therapy continues to prove itself benefi cial because it helps with anxiety, depression, and other feel ings.

Art is a very ancient practice that goes back centuries. Ac cording to Adelphi Psych Medicine, art and artistic expression are a means of communication, expression of ideas, and re cording events. As art became an important piece of culture and history, it is accepted that art and emotional expression are one and the same.

Art therapy helps by tapping into different areas that may be of concern, such as mental health, other medical matters, and having the drive to grow emotionally, creatively, and spir itually.

The pandemic has produced many feelings and emotions that are hard to define. Art therapy is a very mindful and lowtech way to process these feelings and emotions.

Even my own feelings and emotions are difficult to explain and complicated to visualize.

When I used to attend therapy in person, I was instructed to conceptualize my thoughts and feelings into very simple art projects.

I was able to engage in drawing, painting, and other practic es that assist in order to unlock emotions and translate them into something real.

It helps people share bits and pieces of their experiences and is much better for handling stress and other negative emo tions.

Art therapy, much like other forms of treatment, is not a cure-all and may not be the right approach for everybody. However, it is compatible with other traditional therapies.

As compared to other mental health regimens, there is still a long way to go for art therapy to be recognized as a world-wide course of treatment, but it is off to a great start.

Engaging in therapy, whatever form it may be, is a quest to understand what kind of person you are and want to become.

Experiment with art therapy to find a sense of control within the chaos and ground yourself with self-compassion and mind fulness.

It is completely worth it.

Campus Conversations

By Ryan Schreiber, Staff Writer

What are your plans for the long weekend?

“Probably just working, staying at home.”

-Shayan Zaidi, sophomore

“Thinking about going to Boston. Trying to see the city a little bit more. I’m doing my schoolwork and hanging out with friends.”

Oscar Rubyck, freshman

“I’m going to go back home and spend some time with my family.”

-Michael Truswell, sophomore

“My plans are to go to my boyfriend’s house and we’re going to see the new “Smile” movie and I’m going to be forced to watch football with him.”

Liv West, freshman

“I plan to go home and have dinner with my grandparents and parents, and then I’m going to be working for most of the weekend, and then come here and hang out.”

- Madison Skehan, freshman

“Homework, homework, and more homework.” Hunter Younie, junior

“Finishing my French homework and working on my essay.”

Faith Greene, freshman

“I’m going to Boston to visit my friend and we’re going to the MFA.”

- Ainsley Cacciapouti, sophomore

Rams football fall short against Plymouth State Panthers

By Adam Levine Staff Writer

Framingham State Rams lost to the undefeated Plymouth State Panthers 14-9 on Oct. 1 - their second confer ence loss of the season.

Framingham’s offense totaled 225 rushing yards and 119 passing yards, with their defense holding Plymouth’s offense to only 71 rushing yards and 87 passing yards.

Rams’ junior running back Devaun Ford rushed for an incredible 135 yards and had 31 receiving yards. Ford recognized that the team was “mov ing the ball pretty good,” but that the team “didn’t finish at the end.”

The Panthers began the game with an offensive drive. Framingham’s de fense forced them to punt early in the game.

In the Rams’ first possession of the game, junior quarterback Noah Leon ard led the offense down the field to the Panthers 21-yard line. On a 4th & 2 play, Ford came up short on his rush and the Rams gave up the ball on downs.

Defensive performances from both teams closed out the first quarter and the game remained scoreless.

The Rams started a drive with 3:05 left in the first quarter, but the Pan thers’ defense stopped Framingham on the Plymouth 35-yard line, forcing the Rams to punt the ball early in the second quarter.

Another Rams’ defensive stop gave Framingham a chance to score. On 4th down, Rams’ senior kicker Henrique De Boni lined up for a 36-yard field goal attempt. The Panthers’ special

teams unit was able to block the kick and get the ball back on their own 33yard line.

Plymouth capitalized on their spe cial teams play and scored a touch down after getting possession of the ball. A long 42-yard pass from the Rams’ 44-yard line gave the Panthers a chance to score from the Rams’

der of the second quarter, and Plym outh kept their 7-0 lead at halftime.

Framingham received the ball to begin the third quarter of the game. Their drive down the field ended with a failed fourth-down attempt on the Panthers’ 24-yard line.

After gaining possession of the ball on downs, Plymouth’s offense was

ter, and they marched down the field. Rams’ freshman running back Omar ion Otto trucked through Plymouth’s defensive line from the 2-yard line and scored the Rams’ first touchdown of the game. A successful extra-point attempt from Rams’ sophomore kicker Matthew Farley tied the game 7-7.

Plymouth’s offense overpowered the Rams in the next drive. Plymouth ran seven plays and traveled 68 yards across the field in just 3 minutes and 16 seconds. Another Panthers’ touch down and successful extra-point at tempt gave the Panthers the lead, 14-7.

Late in the game, Framingham got possession of the ball with 7:03 left in the fourth quarter.

Framingham graduate student Ter ry Smith stepped in as quarterback for the Rams’ possession. Smith took his offense down the field to the Pan thers’ 6-yard line. Plymouth’s defense proved too much for the Rams, ending Framingham’s final drive.

The Rams’ turned over the ball on downs and the Panthers gained pos session with 1:03 left in the game. As time expired on the clock, Fram ingham’s defense was able to score a safety, bringing the final score to 14-9.

2-yard line.

The Panthers used this momentum, and with 2:36 left remaining in the second quarter, they scored a rushing touchdown. The touchdown and suc cessful extra-point attempt put the Panthers up 7-0.

Neither team scored in the remain

stopped again by Framingham’s de fense.

Framingham gained possession with 8:41 remaining in the third quar

The Rams fell to a 1-2 record in the MASCAC and an overall 2-3 record for the season. Fitchburg State will be traveling to Bowditch Field for anoth er MASCAC matchup on Oct. 8.

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST

FSU Quarterback Noah Leonard runs the ball during the home game

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST

FSU Running Back Devaun Ford runs the ball during the home game Oct. 1.

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST

FSU defense up against Plymouth State during the home game

Volleyball victorious against New England College

Photos by Adrien Gobin

ARTS & FEATURES

Arts & Ideas holds first of four self-help oriented talks

By Ryan O’Connell Arts & Features Editor

The first of four emotional wellness book discussions, led by Lorretta Hol loway, Kim Dexter, and Adam Sutton for Arts & Ideas began Oct. 6 in the McCarthy Center’s Alumni Room.

Holloway, vice president of Aca demic Enhancement, began the dis cussion by sharing she hadn’t visited any other Arts & Ideas events this year, due to the extremity of the sub jects and the state of the world.

“I remember saying to her [Yumi Park-Huntington] last year, I said, ‘All of your events were wonderful this year, but I just couldn’t go.’ I did not have the emotional space to be able to deal with that when we were also literally dealing with war, racism, the pandemic, loss - all at the same time,” she said.

Holloway said this lack of capaci ty inspired the wellness discussions, which are held every Thursday this October from 3:30 to 5 p.m. She added the discussion was supposed to be a way to practice self care, healing, and a collective recovery process.

She said the discussion of “The 7 Laws of Enough” would be a great way to acknowledge that often people are “not allowed to say we’re done,” and that setting boundaries would help people “maintain their joy.”

Sutton, a leadership coach and expert on workplace wellbeing, told the attendees the basic tenets of the book: “We have enough and we are enough, and that we forget that 4,700 times a day.”

He said most of the time, almost every negative thought people carry with them begins from the learned behavior at a young age that every thing is a competition. He added the goal of the discussion was not only to explore these tenets, but also to de velop some community with the other attendees.

Sutton said even while working with so many different campuses, he always sees “silos” - smaller com munities or “cliques” that exist from middle schools to a university level. He added while these silos exist, peo ple aren’t coming together, talking, and determining what works, what doesn’t, and what challenges they are facing.

“I find when that is shared, the ner vous system - just speaking from a ce rebral cortex mindfulness standpoint - is able to relax a little bit, because people realize they’re not alone in some of the stuff that’s freaking them out,” he said.

Sutton then introduced the first activity, involving “soul cards,” where attendees took a card with a message that felt representative of their cur rent state.

Reema Zeineldin, associate vice president of Academic Affairs, shared which cards she chose, and reason ing behind them. “Notice what you are feeling, and notice what makes sense,” she said, explaining she chose

Just so you understand how the hu man brain works, if you are not con stantly seeking to bring new informa tion in, the synapses will just start to shift a little bit and eventually … shut down.”

memory. He said the cards were only prompts, starting points, and encour aged attendees to share anything else they wanted.

“The idea is just that you continue to give us a little bit more of your sto ry,” he said.

Sutton added all the work he does is to help build new skills “with the brain, head, and heart,” and to en courage people to be more coura geous and open, which he said is hard given the last few years.

Attendees then shared stories of when they broke a promise, the weirdest gift they ever gave, or a sit uation when they wished they had a second chance.

these two because she often gets car ried away, and wishes to devote more time to the things that make her hap py.

Dexter, assistant vice president of Human Resource & Equal Opportuni ty, said she chose “keep relaxing your body,” because it was something she knew she struggled with. She shared that she performs yoga remotely ev ery Wednesday, and it’s “the one prac tice” she sticks to.

She said she wants to be more at tentive to it, to enjoy the best part, and that it always helps her after a stressful day.

Sutton shared his choice, too, “Just breathe.” He said breathing is import ant, and shared an anecdote from a The New York Times article on the importance and benefit of “taking a pause for three seconds.”

Sutton also said it was important to learn, and even attending the discus sion was an example of being coura geous.

“If we’re not learning, we’re dead.

Holloway picked “if what you’re doing isn’t working, do something else,” and “respect all your feelings.”

She said she chose these cards be cause she doesn’t always respect her feelings, like denying when she’s up set, or attempting to feel a certain way because it’s expected of her in a given situation.

She added she has been changing things that don’t work for her in the last year, and gave the example of how she stopped writing for a Korean drama blog last April because of the emotional strain some of the episodes were putting on her.

Laura Medrano, executive assistant to the vice president of Academic Ad vancement, chose “just do what you can, no matter how small.” She said completing things, even small activi ties like cleaning the bathroom, helps her to feel good and alleviate the “guilt” of enjoying free time.

Sutton then introduced The Empa thy Game, involving cards asking at tendees questions of imagination and

Sutton sparked group discussion on failure - he shared a story of a tense session he gave once to a crowd of doctors, and how he arrived at the wrong venue. He said he was sick to his stomach the entire time, and it was very hard to get them talking. “They still paid me, but they never called me again.”

Groups then shared a few more in dividual experiences of failure before Sutton ended the first session of the wellness book discussion. He encour aged attendees to read some of the book, “The 7 Laws of Enough,” and to return next week before asking mem bers to briefly join him in meditation.

“Just give yourself a little bit of at tention, a little quiet away and apart from the world, and perhaps offer yourself a lesson. A thought of thanks - something positive you can say to yourself,” he said.

CONNECT WITH RYAN O’CONNELL

Zachary Sorel / THE GATEPOST Students and faculty attending the first wellness book discussion of October in the Alumni Room Oct. 6.

“The idea is just that you continue to give us a little bit more of your story.”

- Adam Sutton Leadership Coach

‘Being ñ’ film screening continues Hispanic Heritage Month events

By Ryan O’Connell Arts & Features Editor

The Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE) hosted two film screenings and discussions of Project Eñye’s produc tion, “Being ñ,” in conjunction with Residence Life and Latinos Unidos En Acción Oct. 3 and 6.

Eric Nguyen, director of the CIE, said the film was part of a series of events constructed for Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month. Nguyen pref aced the film with a summary of a previous event - a discussion on the different terms and labels used to de scribe Hispanic Heritage Month.

“How did these terms arise? How do we use them? Who uses them?” he asked. “And then taking that step back - to say ‘What are the opportuni ties, but also what are the limitations when we begin to apply labels to dif ferent groups?’”

“Being ñ” is a film about the expe riences of people born in the United States to parents both born out of the United States and in Spanish speaking countries, Nguyen said.

He added the film explores the struggles of people who don’t feel deeply enough ingrained in either of their cultures, and that many people who do not have heritage from Span ish-speaking countries might also re

late to its message.

He then shared his own experience.

“I really relate to this, as someone who’s Vietnamese. My parents were born in Vietnam and immigrated here, and I was born in the United States, so I’ve spent my entire life navigating those two different cultures, as well.

“I think even for those of us who don’t identify as Eñye, there’s a lot here we can take away from it,” Nguy en said.

“Being ñ” was written and direct ed in part by Denise Soler Cox, who stars in the film as well. Throughout the production, Cox shares her ex perience growing up with Hispanic culture, the struggle she felt in trying to belong to two different identities, and the experiences of other Hispanic people - some of them celebrities like Luis Guzmán.

Cox explained she was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx alongside her brothers David and Danny. Her father was born in New York City too, to Cuban and Puerto Rican parents, and her mother moved from Puerto Rico to New York when she was only 13 years old.

“All the neighbors in the Bronx that I can remember spoke Spanish - that was the predominant language. My experience in the Bronx felt very, very Puerto Rican,” she said.

When she was 4, her parents moved the family to a house in Westchester County, Cox said, leaving behind the sounds, smells, and surroundings of their old neighborhood. She said the longer she spent in Westchester, the less connected she felt to the other person she was.

She said while some of her experi ences were good, like spending time with her brother’s friends Omar and Auggie or feeling welcomed by an old er couple down the street, she began to experience racism as a child in a predominantly white area.

Cox said she suffered verbal abuse from other students every day, and she would even receive non-stop calls to her home phone, harassing her and calling her ethnic slurs.

The calls only stopped after her fa ther made it clear to the kids on the other end they should never contact them again, she said. Cox said short ly after that, her father suddenly died from illness, and a few years later, her brother David died too.

Cox continued, and said she nev er felt like she had recovered from her losses until she moved to Miami, where the idea for Project Eñye was born.

“I was sitting around a table, hear ing all these peoples’ stories and laughing and crying, and I was like,

‘Oh my god, I’m totally not alone. All of these people have had my same life, they all had to deal with the same stuff I did,’” she said.

While the documentary was in pro duction, she added, there were ex treme strains placed on her and her husband’s financial situations. She said after Project Eñye began, she stopped getting paid. They even sold their wedding rings to cover a rent payment.

Cox continued, sharing the success the project later found, and their goal of mapping 100,000 Eñyes on a map of the United States. She also shared an experience the project had partici pating in a parade, and the testimoni als of several celebrity guests on their identity struggles.

She clarified that she didn’t blame the move from the Bronx, or her par ents for the struggles she faced, and that she knew now tens of thousands of other Eñyes had similar experienc es growing up.

“It took a long time to figure out who I was,” she said. “I am an Eñye.”

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

‘Call the Midwife’ calls fans to a new season

By Kate Norrish Staff Writer

“Call the Midwife” is a long run ning PBS drama following a group of female nurses and midwives and its most recent season 11 didn’t disap point.

The characters work in a convent trying to improve life in an impover ished area of East London in the late ’50s and early ’60s.

The show can be sentimental at times, enough to disinterest some viewers, but not overly so. In fact, one of the appeals of the show is how it

emphasizes the positives and nega tives of life - trying its best to portray domestic life as a beautiful thing.

For example, main character Lu cille Elliott is recently married, and trying for children as her husband is applying for jobs. During episode 4, the characters assist a homeless vic tim during an economic crisis.

Typical episodes include multiple plotlines supporting each other, and it was best done in this episode - which has heavy focus on a Holocaust sur vivor having mixed feelings about the Jewish traditions his newborn child is experiencing.

In the 52-minute run time of the episode, he and each member of his family struggle with an internal con flict as well as a unique outlook on how they feel their culture should come into play when celebrating the birth of the baby. This is impressive considering the episode also has three other plots, which are just as complex.

I am also extremely impressed with the way the show portrays disabled characters. Reggie, a side character who works with his guardians at the local haberdashery, has Down syn drome, and his character was well received by The Down Syndrome As sociation - although they did mention that for the ’60s, he is in a good situa tion compared to typical treatment at the time.

Down syndrome was discussed in

further depth in previous seasons, with similar audience perception.

Episode 5 also shows possibly the first work of fiction I’ve seen which portrays a disabled parent not only trying, but succeeding at being a good parent. The paralyzed victim of a con struction accident does the best he can to raise his two daughters, despite a controlling wife.

Despite this show’s many strengths, I also feel it should be mentioned that over time, the show has become far more graphic.

While in the first season, little more was shown than the breaking of a woman’s water, this season con tains both imagery of a baby’s intes tines spilling from its body, as well as a rotted leg falling off of a living man’s body. There is also frequent, less graphic imagery of women giving birth. I find this to be the biggest flaw of the show, and it may be a minor sign that its content is going down hill.

Additionally, others may find fault in the season finale where there is a train crash, causing serious injury to major characters.

This viewpoint is understandable. However, the train crash, while dra matic, is still grounded in reality, enough so that the flaws within that scene do not feel big enough to be worth mentioning.

If one is aware of the type of show

“Call The Midwife” is, and is willing to put up with a little bit of sappi ness, I would recommend checking it out, especially for those who often complain about unprofessionalism in medical dramas, or want some solid disability representation.

Although there are more flaws this season, it is certainly not a let down.

CONNECT WITH KATE NORRISH knorrish@student.framingham.edu

is worth five stars

By Leighah Beausoleil Editor-in-Chief

The Australian pop-rock band, 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS), released its fifth studio album Sept. 23 titled, “5SOS5.”

The official album includes 14 tracks, with the deluxe edition en compassing an additional five tracks.

The band began working on this album following the release of their previous album “C.A.L.M.” in 2020.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 5SOS’s “No Shame” tour was resched uled on multiple occasions, until it was finally able to take place this year under the name of “Take My Hand”one of the songs on their new album.

As someone who was included in the group of people left patiently waiting for the day their tour would finally take place, I certainly appre ciated the opportunity to get a sneak peak at some of the singles that were not yet released, such as “BLENDER.”

Attending the concert was an amazing experience and the band is always sure to put on an exceptional show for their fans.

Prior to the launch of this latest album, five singles were released, in cluding “COMPLETE MESS,” “Take My Hand,” “Me Myself & I,” “BLEND ER,” and “Older.”

Fans had the opportunity to pre-order this album in a number of mediums such as digital, CD, vinyl, and cassette.

A tradition with some of their most recent albums is to provide signed copies of the CDs that were pre-or dered. However for “5SOS5,” fans were able to choose one of five albums - one that included the thumb prints of all four band members or one that focused on a single band member.

The members of the band are Luke Hemmings, guitar and lead vocals; Michael Clifford, guitar and vocals; Calum Hood, bass and vocals; and Ashton Irwin, drums and minimal vo cals.

Though the CD albums are quite nice, they are not enclosed in a plas tic case, which could leave the album vulnerable to damage.

However, no matter how this al bum is packaged or what medium you

purchase it in, nothing can draw away from the fact that the music on this album is phenomenal.

To long-time fans of this band, the album is clearly a culmination of all that was good in the four that came before it and with a total of 19 tracks, it is most certainly a treat.

The opening of the album is one of the singles previously released“COMPLETE MESS.”

Though this song has been out for a while and doesn’t have the same awe-factor it did when first released, it does demonstrate a significant change from the band’s last two al bums and that’s the reinclusion of all three vocalists.

Much of 5SOS’s early music fea tured each vocalist on a given song with their own verse. However, in the recent albums the band began to have the songs mainly sung by Hemmings with one or two by Hood.

Hearing this song shift from Hem mings to Hood and then to Clifford brings long-time fans back to the ear ly days, giving such a sense of nostal gia as the band has not too long ago celebrated 10 years since their first gig.

Though it is still clear how much

5SOS has grown throughout their career, having started when most of them were still under the age of 18, and the maturity they have gained is reflected in each song.

The tour’s namesake “Take My Hand” rings in at number five on the album.

A common theme in some of 5SOS’s songs is the passage of time and wanting to keep those they love close as much of their time, and youth, is spent away on tour and pro ducing music.

This theme is especially shown through the lyrics of this song as Hemmings sings, “Shut my eyes right at 17,” and later follows up with, “Open my eyes right at 23.”

This song is a good one with a great beat and meaningful message that many of their fans can relate to as they, too, are growing up with the band.

The band also took more advantage of social media when promoting their album - using platforms such as Tik Tok to start trends among fans with some of the released singles.

One of which was with the song “Older,” arguably one of the best songs on the album.

This song features Sierra Deaton, Hemmings’ fiancé, who was formerly a part of the Alex & Sierra duo.

The band rarely has songs featur ing other artists, and it is special giv en their relationship.

It’s a soft song, the only slow one on the album, and it is so undeniably beautiful. Their voices pair nicely with one another.

Carrying on the theme, this song is about not wanting to grow older without the person they love by their side and a hope that as they grow old er, time will slow down, and they can continue to be with each other.

The song opens with a quiet piano playing along with the words, until the chorus, when the drums begin to pick up, giving the lyrics more power.

The chorus states, “I don’t wanna get older / Without your head on my shoulder / On the day that you leave me / I’ll forever be bleeding, love / As forever comes closer / Hope the world will spin slower.”

The strength of the verses that make up the song comes from the lines where alliteration is used such as in the line, “My dear devoted del icate.”

When this track was released as the final single before the drop of the al bum, fans began to create videos us ing the song in the background and showing off the people they cannot live without.

“Bleach” is the 13th track on the album and describes the feeling of wanting a fresh start after losing someone important in life.

A lot of the time, people will change something about themselves to do this, such as altering their hair.

Hemmings sings the lyrics, “If there’s bleach in the hallways, I can start over / Bleaching my hair every Saturday / I’m washing it out ’til I’ve figured it out / Living without you.”

This is an amazing song with a great rhythm, and once again features all three vocalists.

There is a lot of power in this track both lyrically and rhythmically that gives listeners the sense of pain the person in the song feels as they try to sort out their life.

This track is very representative of 5SOS and their brand as each of their songs moves fans in one way or an other, giving them relatable lyrics, important messages, and sharing the emotion of what it is to be human.

Overall, this is an amazing, power ful album and demonstrates just how far the band has come in the past 10 years.

Leighah Beausoleil

‘Don’t Worry Darling’ - a Wilde follow-up to ‘Booksmart’

By Jack McLaughlin Staff Writer

Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Dar ling” had a difficult release just a few weeks ago. Rumors spiraled out of control about the rocky production and promotion of the film, which wasn’t helped by the negative critical response it received on its Sept. 23 re lease.

While the film has aspects that hold it back from being great, like Harry Styles’ acting, it doesn’t fail to be an entertaining thriller that isn’t nearly as bad as reviewers are making it out to be.

Florence Pugh and Harry Styles star in the project as Jack and Alice, a loving couple who reside in a seem ingly perfect town, “The Victory Proj ect.” It isn’t until Alice starts becom ing aware of their home’s true horrors that it turns into a living nightmare that she can’t seem to escape from.

The acting is where you’ll be greet ed with performances that range from excellent to poor. And to the misfor tune of the audience, Styles falls into the latter.

Styles, for the most part, drags down the scenes he is required to act emotionally in and ruins import ant moments in the second half of the film. His performance until those points feels passive, simply playing the role of a suspicious husband that feels so bland when put next to the enthralling Pugh.

Pugh being the center of the film saved what could have been a boring disappointment. She is so captivating to watch on-screen, especially during the second and third acts where she is directly confronting her situation in riveting sequences that stick out as the highlights of the movie.

The rest of the performances aren’t exactly remarkable. There were char acters that needed more screen time to have their potential fully realized.

KiKi Layne’s character, Margaret, was critical in propelling the story for ward, but she only has a handful of brief scenes which make you want more of her story.

Matthew Libatique, the cinematog rapher who has proven his worth in visually stunning films such as “Re quiem for a Dream,” gives the film a distinct visual flair which is nicely accompanied by the at times bizarre score by John Powell.

The quality of the writing is in consistent. The first act is filled with scenes driven by expository dialogue, including a total bore of an introduc tion to Chris Pine’s character who thankfully gets stronger scenes as the film progresses.

But once the plot truly kicks off, around 20-30 minutes in, is when the writing starts to be more consistent and what’s left is a thriller with many unexpected turns.

The conflict stems from Alice tell ing everyone her concerns and suspi cions about their utopian town and

everyone accuses her of being crazy. She’s then forced to accept her life be cause the people around her deem it suitable for her.

Her refusal to accept what every one around her is saying causes her to dive even deeper into the mystery of the town, making the viewer root for her and truly want her to overcome the corrupt nature of where she lives.

This central message of gaining independence from a misogynis tic system constantly trying to push women down is fantastically execut ed through Alice’s triumph over the town, and specifically her husband.

It was crucial for this aspect of the movie to work, so it’s a relief that de spite its issues, this message was con veyed to the viewer in a way that will resonate long after viewing.

The last 15 minutes of the mov ie are a bit strange. The tense thrill er that has been built up the whole time takes a sharp detour in tone for a chase scene that feels completely out of place. It doesn’t last for long thankfully, so it does little damage as the final moments are exceedingly better.

“Don’t Worry Darling” shouldn’t be ignored by audiences and critics. De spite the gripes people will have with the acting or writing, there’s so much to enjoy that these aspects can be for given.

CONNECT WITH JACK MCLAUGHLIN jmclaughlin7@student.framingham.edu

Rating: BA delightful mess

‘Infinite Dream’ - a brilliant musical masterpiece

By Mark Haskell Staff Writer

Andrew Bazzi, mononymously known as Bazzi, is an American singer, song-writer, and recently, a producer.

Born to an immigrant Lebanese father and an American mother in Dearborn, Michigan, he is a self-made singer who was successful with his musical releases on Vine and other social media platforms.

Bazzi has now released his second studio album, “Infinite Dream.” The album was put together during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pan demic up in Topanga, a town north of Los Angeles. The album was scripted as an answer to his previous senti

mental piece, 2019’s “Soul Search ing.” “Infinite Dream” was officially released on Sept. 16.

His music typically falls under the categories of dance/electronic music, but his newest studio album falls un der pop and R&B with a hint of indie/ alternative.

Bazzi’s first studio album, “Cos mic,” released in 2018, is where his most popular song “Mine” is. His first album has been categorized as pop and R&B. His second album, and first mixtape, titled “Soul Searching,” was made in 2019 and it has another of my favorite songs by him, called “Para dise.”

His latest album is another exam ple of his classic combinations of pop and R&B that works so well for him and showcases his musical strengths.

He has acquired name recognition from a previous song and has become more mature and familiar once again. The previous song was called “Beau tiful,” released in 2018. Bazzi was a co-writer with Camilla Cabello. The song brought Bazzi international rec ognition and popularity.

The lyrics in his music describe Ba zzi’s contradictory heart - that being of an infatuated person and a prag matic individual who wrestles with ambiguities relating to love, letting go, and the unknown.

Bazzi uses a combination of pop

and R&B in a very subtle way with honest lyrics and polished hooks in a practical approach. The album has a variety of songs that are filled with his iconic uncertainties.

Of the 19 songs in this album, my favorite is “Heaven.” The lyrics are catchy and kept me energized throughout the duration of the song. The beat of the song is ethereal and feels energetic, something I prefer in music. I admired the unique approach to the delivery of the lyrics and the emotion in the song.

Another aspect I like about “Heav en” is the message and what it rep resents - a kind of common mentality when it comes to sustaining an addic tion.

Another message is that despite the misgivings and criticisms of being unprofessional and high, Bazzi and the person the song is addressed to are keeping it real, being happy, and having fun. Bazzi understands that he and this person should slow down their addiction. However, they’re ex periencing such a fun thrill living in the fast lane that maintaining self control is a bygone practice.

My least favorite song on the al bum, though still very good, is “Only Fan (Ft. Cordae).” The only reason why I do not like the song is the title, but the lyrics are good and so is the beat and pace of the song.

I found the album to be very ad dicting in the sense that I would lis ten to the songs on repeat every hour of the day. I love the lyrics that Bazzi puts together and the themes of this album hit hard personally.

I love this album because it balanc es spunk with nostalgia in a charac teristic and intriguing way.

Rating: A

One of the most energetic pieces of the season

CONNECT WITH MARK HASKELL

Courtesy of Genius

Courtesy of IMDb

Spectacular Scrunchies

Emma Lyons / THE GATEPOST Junior Lola Mwilelo sewing together a scrunchie at Fashion Club’s Scrunchie DIY night Oct. 3.

Emily Rosenberg / THE GATEPOST Odilia Mendez, fashion club president, cutting fabric at the Fashion Club’s Scrunchie DIY night Oct. 4.

Emily Rosenberg / THE GATEPOST Freshman Marin Casserly cutting fabric at Fashion Club’s Scrunchie DIY night Oct. 3.

Emma Lyons / THE GATEPOST (Left) Olivia Alexander, Fashion Club secretary, and Bella Omar, Fashion Club treasurer, preparing fabric at Fashion Club’s Scrunchie DIY night Oct. 3.

Emma Lyons / THE GATEPOST Sophomore Daniel Moore writing out fabric measurements at the Fashion Club’s Scrunchie DIY night Oct. 3.

Spread by Design Editor Maddison Behringer