Volume 90 • Issue 8
FSUgatepost.com
November 5, 2021
Two white supremacist-related decals found on campus By Leighah Beausoleil Associate Editor Two decals promoting a national hate group were found by students on lamp posts outside the McCarthy Center Nov. 3. The decals are propaganda from “Patriot Front,” an organization recognized by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as a white supremacy group. Peggy Shukur, deputy director of ADL New England, said the Patriot Front is prominent in the New England region, adding it spreads “racism, anti-Semitism, and intolerance under the guise of preserving the ethnic and cultural origins of their European ancestors.” She said the group’s philosophy is that “their ancestors conquered America and bequeathed it solely to them.” Shukur added the propaganda used by the group, including decals,
See DECALS page 5
Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST
McKenzie Ward / THE GATEPOST
Two Patriot Front decals were found on lamp posts near the McCarthy Center Nov. 3. University Police removed the decals shortly after they were found.
OER Pilot Program Grant estimated to save students more than $1.6 million per year By Haley Hadge News Editor FSU received a grant of $441,367 from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to develop and use free Open Educational Resources (OERs) and lower the need for expensive textbooks. According to Millie González, interim library dean and lead on the project, OERs are “teaching, learning or research materials that are in the public domain or released with
an intellectual property license that allows for free use, adaptation, and distribution.” The University is the fiscal lead of the project and is collaborating with the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, Fitchburg State University, Holyoke Community College, Northern Essex Community College, Salem State University, and Springfield Technical Community College. According to González, this consortium consists of “more than 29,000 diverse undergraduate students.”
News BUDGET pg. 4
González said, “We believe open COVID-19 BY THE NUMBERS pg. 6 textbooks are as good, if not better, for student success.” OERs contain a “variety of components” that may range from textbooks to supplements for a textbook, González added. However, all OERs must be reusable, free of cost, and openly licensed so that one could use and “remix” someone else’s work, she said. For example, a faculty member could adapt and build off a GLENN YOUNGKIN pg. 7
Opinions
See OER PILOT PROGRAM page 3
COMIC pg. 8
The Swiacki Children’s Literature Festival returns in
Sports
person with lectures from Mercier, Steptoe, and Blackall By Emily Rosenberg Arts & Features Editor By Ryan O’Connell Asst. Arts & Features Editor By Emma Lyons Asst. Design Editor Simmons University professor Cathryn Mercier said the return to in-person teaching has been surprisingly hard for her. She’s had to fight the impulse to withdraw into the imaginary literary worlds where there is closure.
“I can withdraw into the fictional arenas where I can vicariously fight the battles of good and evil, and always win.” she said. On Nov. 3, Mercier gave a lecture on what’s new in children’s literature in the McCarthy Center Alumni Room. Mercier’s presentation was part of the annual Swiacki Children’s Literature Festival, which spanned the day and included book signings and lectures with Sarah Blackall and Javaka Steptoe. Mercier currently serves as the director of the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at Simmons Uni-
versity. She has contributed to a variety of publications and has advised the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant. She also chairs the National Book Award panel for Young People’s Literature. Mercier said since 1950, the National VOLLEYBALL pg. 10 Book Awards have aimed to honor writers who have shaped the foundation of literature. She said the committee consists of a diverse group of people who all have different literary preferences, critical training, and lives. Their goal is MANCUSO ART pg. 11 to distribute hundreds of thousands
Gatepost Archives
Arts & Features
See CHILDREN’S LITERATURE page 13 THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK pg. 15
INSIDE: OP/ED 7 • SPORTS 9 • ARTS & FEATURES 11