Oct. 1, 2021

Volume 90 • Issue 3

FSUgatepost.com

October 1, 2021

Shredding up State Street

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST (Left) Adam Banat, PJ Pharmer, Ben Heath, Leah Chace, and Camille Carvalho at Ski & Snowboard Club’s table at Engagement Day Sept. 29.

News SGA pg. 3 COVID-19 BY THE NUMBERS pg. 6

Opinions

VACCINE MANDATE pg. 7 AMERICAN FLAG pg. 7

Sports

Board of Trustees meeting focuses on enrollment decline

By Steven Bonini News Editor

By Ashlyn Kelly News Editor The Board of Trustees discussed enrollment, fundraising initiatives, the search for a new president of the University, and equity practices during its meeting Sept. 22.

During the Academic Affairs report, Trustee Nancy Budwig said enrollment decline across the state is an issue, but specified it is especially

acute at FSU. The University has seen a decline of 45% in enrollment of white students, 40% of women, and 41% of residents, said Budwig.

She added the report emphasized the need to keep a “very careful eye on where enrollments are going.”

Budwig said that some departments, such as political science and global studies, have combined into one department, and certain programs have been discontinued.

“It’s not like these were bad programs,” she said.

She added Ellen Zimmerman, interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, cited a program FSU took on after Mount Ida closed.

“We finished that ‘teach out,’ and therefore, the program closes,” she said.

In his report, Eric Gustafson, vice president of Development and Alumni Relations, said Fiscal Year 2021 was a “really strong year” for fundraising.

According to Gustafson, the total was just under $2.6 million.

See BOARD OF TRUSTEES page 4

Mujeres Solidarias - “Every Story Matters”

Comic communication - a universal language

By Haley Hadge Asst. News Editor

FOOTBALL pg. 9

Gatepost Archives

FIELD HOCKEY pg.10

Arts & Features JAMES BALDWIN pg. 11 SUICIDE SQUAD pg. 13

A panel discussion with comic artists Pepita Sandwich, Quan Zhou, and Power Paola, sponsored by Arts & Ideas, the Art and Music Department, and the Council for Diversity and Inclusion, was held via Zoom Sept. 29.

Joanne Britland, assistant professor of Spanish and Portuguese, hosted the event.

Britland said it was a “privilege” to have the panelists “unite for this conversation,” and share their perspectives as individuals from differ-

ent “geographical areas and cultures in the Hispanic world.”

Sandwich, an Argentinian digital artist and graphic novelist, called in

by Zoom from Brooklyn.

She has published two graphic novels, “Las Mujeres Mueven Montañas,” (“Women Move Mountains,”) and “Diario De Super Vivencia.”

Sandwich collaborates with The Washington Post and The New Yorker by creating visual essays. She said her focus for these stories is nostalgia, diversity, identity, and intersectional feminism.

Zhou, an author, illustrator, and

graphic novelist, joined the meeting

by Zoom from Madrid. She publishes articles in Vogue and gives presentations on identity and racism at conferences around the world.

Her most recent publication is a graphic essay titled “Gente de aquí, gente de allí” Zhou said she knew she “wanted to tell a story,” but it took time for her to embrace the “universal language” of visual art.

She said she channeled her own

See MUJERES SOLIDARIAS page 14

INSIDE: OP/ED 7 • SPORTS 9 • ARTS & FEATURES 11

NEWS

2 | OCTOBER 1, 2021

Gatepost Interview

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Donald Halsing

Therese Ajtum-Roberts

Associate Editors Leighah Beausoleil Kathleen Moore

Coordinator of the Chris Walsh Center for Educators and Families of MetroWest

News Editors Steven Bonini Ashlyn Kelly

By Haley Hadge Asst. News Editor

Asst. News Editor Haley Hadge Opinions Editor McKenzie Ward Sports Editor Danielle Achin Arts & Features Editors Caroline Gordon Emily Rosenberg Asst. Arts & Features Editor Patrick Brady Staff Writers Mikey Alves James Barraford Maddison Behringer Sean Cabot Jasmine Castillo Jackson Clyde Josh Colburn Olivia Copeland Dan Fuentes Sophia Harris Stefano Hernandez Branden LaCroix Sage Lorenzo Emma Lyons Jack McLaughlin Ryan O’Connell Austin Riffelmacher Dillon Riley Nate Rogers Ryan Schreiber Tyler Wahl Advisor Desmond McCarthy

TH E G A N T PE

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Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

@

T TH EGATEPOS

100 State Street McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101 Phone: (508) 626-4605 Fax: (508) 626-4097 gatepost@framingham.edu @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

What is your role at FSU and what does your job entail?

I’m the coordinator for the Chris Walsh Center. My job is to help Dr. [James Cressey, chair of the Education department,] run the center. It was designed to serve the needs of students in the MetroWest area who are having unmet needs. So, we’re servicing families, and also professional development educators around issues of disability, inclusion, [and] race. … We have an upcoming event on autism towards the end of the semester that Dr Cressy’s class is doing.

But they did a variety of different programming last year. My job is to oversee the graduate students, and the graduate students oversee the student interns.

What is your professional and educational background?

Well, the previous three years before I came here, I, like many parents, stepped out of the workforce for a year because of COVID. I was the director of the Teaching, Learning and Technology Center at Becker College in Worcester, Mass. I’d also been teaching at Northeastern as a part time instructor since 2009. I’ve taught mostly graduate courses online since then. I did some teaching at Becker. … Before then, I did my graduate work at UMass so I worked there for a while. I did all three degrees at UMass Amherst. … I focused on teacher education in school programs. … My dissertation focused on teachers’ use of technology in the classroom and also teachers’ understanding of their global awareness. I found a teacher’s lived experience really influences how they teach in the classroom, and also how they develop their sense of the world around them and the way in which they present that influences the next generation of students to go out into the world. So, I also fell in love with just teaching and learning and the research. … I went to UMass to become a history teacher, is @ but I learned teaching ST into the HEGjust O so much moreTthan walking P ATE classroom. … I went to become a history teacher because I wanted to change education from the inside. I wanted to teach other students who learn like me in a way which was more positive than I had when I was going through school.

I grew up with a learning disability, and at the time, not a lot of people were as familiar with learning disabilities as they are today.

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST What do you like most about your work?

I like how welcoming the FSU community has been. And I like how both the graduate students and undergraduate students I have been working with are so far on top of things and really excited about the work they’re doing. I am most excited with the possibility the Center has to improve the life of adult learners in our community, and to support both families and teachers in writing. Family and teachers always need support. It’s hard being a parent or a caregiver. It’s hard being an educator.

What’s something that students might be surprised to know about you?

I didn’t talk at all until I was four and a half, and I was considered nonverbal. … When I was in eighth grade, I was still writing at a third-grade level.

And I think when I meet other kids who struggle with their disabilities or their attention, they’re always shocked that I went on and got my doctorate - that I have a doctorate - and that you can go to college and you can be successful and get their master’s and doctorate.

You don’t have to let your learning disability or your attention disorder hold you back. I didn’t get diagnosed with my ADHD until later in life, and often, women go underdiagnosed with ADHD

because the symptoms show differently. And you don’t need to have those things hold you back. You have to figure out how you can work to get people to understand the way you learn and the way you work. But also, you need to find communities [that] are accepting of you, and if you stick with it, you can do what you set your mind to. It might not look exactly like you planned because I originally planned on being a history teacher. But you find your road, and with every door that closes, other pathways open. So sometimes getting there isn’t a direct route. So, don’t ever rule anything out - you just have to keep going at it.

What is your number one piece of advice that you have for your students?

That learning is a process and not a product, and that you really have to appreciate the learning process. I tell my students that I really look at the process that they’re learning, and I’m not so worried about perfection. It’s the improvements we make as we’re learning something - those are the lasting things that stay in our brain. We might not remember a certain assignment, but if we learn it the right way, we will remember the experience.

CONNECT WITH HALEY HADGE hhadge@student.framingham.edu

Police Logs Friday, Sept. 24 10:41 Found Property McCarthy Center Report Taken

Monday, Sept. 27 19:55 Found Property State Street Assignment Complete

Tuesday, Sept. 28 10:48 Suspicious Motor Vehicle Hemenway Walkway Advised and Removed

Tuesday, Sept. 28 21:25 Alarm (Fire/Smoke) May Hall Services Rendered

NEWS

OCTOBER 1, 2021 | 3

SGA discusses necessary qualities for next FSU president

By Haley Hadge Asst. News Editor SGA met with representatives of WittKeiffer, a firm focused on supporting the search committee for a new University president, at its meeting Sept. 28.

Lucy Leske, Sandra Chu, and Phil Tang, senior staff members at WittKeiffer, attended the meeting over Zoom.

Tang said, “The conversations we have had with your colleagues, faculty, and staff have been extremely important in our conversations with the candidates.”

He added these on-going dialogues allow the WittKeiffer team to “genuinely” and “authentically” share insights into the University’s culture.

Tang asked senators what they thought “distinguished FSU from other state schools,” what the next president should “prioritize,” and what qualities the candidates should possess.

SGA President McKenzie Ward

student model is changing.”

Laurie added there is an “unintentional divide” for these students when it comes to involvement due to the later meeting times of many organizations.

Senator Raffi Elkhoury, expressed the importance of having someone with a “diverse background” pertaining to their experience and identity.

Vice President Emma Sullivan said she would like to see a woman of color take the role. “We have a very diverse campus and I want our president to reflect that.”

Ward asked the WittKeiffer team what they have relayed thus far to the potential hirees.

Chu said she has shared with the potentials that FSU students’ “ambition to succeed is very palpable!”

Tang said he doesn’t try to “sell” the institution or “convince anyone that this is the place for them.”

Rather, he aims to transparently present FSU, and if a candidate gets “spooked,” he said that’s “quite frankly” fine.

He added where one candidate

She said she saw student athletes wearing their masks around their chins when she went to the weight room Sept. 21.

Barros added, “It’s completely unfair that we [students] pay for the fitness center” and it was closed. Yet, the individuals who were the cause of the closure are allowed to continue using the facility, she said.

Houle added it was “extremely frustrating” to be “kicked out” of Hemenway and other spaces at 10:30 p.m. since dorms are not always the most conducive to productivity.

John Finkle was sworn in as SATF treasurer, and Emma Laurie and Phineas Sparrow were sworn in as senators by Ward.

“You all are doing amazing work, and you are truly making a change in the university by giving your input.”

-McKenzie Ward, Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST A student during open forum at SGA’s meeting Sept. 28.

SGA President said she values the tight-knit feeling of FSU fostered through working with and knowing administrators and executive staff.

“They’re [students and faculty] not two separate entities in the University. … They’re actually willing to work together,” Ward said.

She added the new President should continue FSU’s anti-racism work and make sure they are “very student focused.” Willingness to work one-on-one with students and actively listen to their input will be essential in achieving this, she said.

Senator Emma Laurie said she has seen transfer and commuter students placed on the “back burner” regarding events and resources and thinks it is important for the next president to understand the “typical college

“only” sees an overbearing challenge, others see opportunity to grow and learn.

Ward thanked everyone who shared their input. She said the senators are helping ensure a “great future for the rest of the university for future students and for the faculty and staff.

“You all are doing amazing work, and you are truly making a change in the university by giving your input,” she added.

During open forum, members expressed concerns related to COVID-19 and student wellbeing.

Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dara Barros said she is concerned mask-wearing compliance continues to be ignored by students in the weight room.

Weather

She said her “biggest concern” is this incident occurred under the supervision of a trainer, and they were never told to correctly wear their masks.

Outreach and Events Coordinator Emily Rosenberg said she is concerned about a lack of online communication from professors. She said some professors do not allow technology in class.

Rosenberg added her greatest worry is they aren’t allowing the use of online textbooks during class.

Physical textbooks are more expensive, and therefore are not always a “financially feasible” option for students, she said.

Secretary Samuel Houle said he was frustrated with the “lack of latenight spaces” to work.

Emma Laurie was awarded this week’s “U-Rock.”

[Editor’s note: McKenzie Ward is Opinions Editor of The Gatepost.

Emily Rosenberg is an Arts & Features Editor of The Gatepost.]

CONNECT WITH HALEY HADGE hhadge@student.framingham.edu

Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov

Sunday night Oct. 3 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Calm wind.

Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Monday night Oct. 4 Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday night Oct. 5 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday night Oct. 6 Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Light and variable wind.

Monday Oct. 4 Cloudy, with a high near 65. Wind around 5 mph.

Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday Oct. 5 Cloudy, with a high near 65. Wind around 5 mph.

Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wednesday Oct. 6 Partly sunny, with a high near 65. Wind around 5 mph.

Thursday Oct. 7 Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Wind around 5 mph.

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

4 | OCTOBER 1, 2021

NEWS

Board of Trustees Continued from page 1 He highlighted some gifts, such as $100,000 from Stop & Shop to endow the Diversity of Nutrition Scholarship in the Food and Nutrition Department, as well as $5,000 to the Rams Resource Center.

Gustafson also spoke about the

She said the committee also discussed their recommendation to increase Cevallos’ salary by the maximum available.

She added the committee is “pleased” by Cevallos’ “strong leadership” and is “grateful for his steady hand during this ever-changing dynamic environment.”

Gatepost Archives (Left) President F. Javier Cevallos and Chair Kevin Foley at a previous Board of Trustees meeting. alumni night at Polar Park watching a Worcester Red Sox doubleheader Aug. 13. President F. Javier Cevallos was interviewed on the NESN broadcast and threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

“That pitch was a strike right over the plate to the catcher,” he said.

He added Alumni Relations has a “few more things planned for the fall.

“We’re going to take a wait-andsee approach - each event we have to see what the public health conditions look like,” said Gustafson. “As long as we feel like it’s safe to continue to gather in person, we will.”

In her report, Trustee Beth Casavant said the Presidential Review Committee is producing “a document that will be helpful in guiding the next president in understanding the needs of the University and the expectations of the Board of Trustees.”

The committee thought it was important the review showed an “accurate” picture of the declining enrollment that “cannot be wholly attributable to the pandemic,” she said.

She added the committee also focused on the equity agenda to “dismantle barriers and move toward a system that ensures equitable outcomes for all students.

“Both President Cevallos in his self-evaluation and our evaluation expressed support for the decision made by the Trustees to embed DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] initiatives in every operating area, rather than create a stand-alone DEI committee,” said Casavant.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

A motion was then passed to approve the recommendation and submit the evaluation to the Department of Higher Education, including the compensation recommendation.

In the Administration, Finance and Technology Report, Trustee Michael Grilli said declining enrollment is the “biggest issue” the Administration, Finance and Technology Committee faces.

The University has recently closed on two properties, Franklin Street and Mayhew Street, to alleviate its “debt service obligations,” he said.

Grilli added they have “picked off all the low-hanging fruit” with refinancing and underusing the federal programs and the money that has been given to the University.

The only good news he said he had was the investments are “doing well.”

During Cevallos’ report, he informed the board of the bargaining agreements for the University’s three main unions and said, “We are in the process of finalizing those contracts.”

He said they are still bargaining with the Division of Graduate and Continuing Education because their contract is more “complicated” as it is separate from that of the MSCA day contract, but he is hoping this will be resolved in the next few months.

Cevallos said one of the positives of these contracts is the specification of required vaccinations and masking on campus, and he was “happy” to report that a majority of students, staff, and faculty have adhered to the vaccination requirement.

He thanked Ilene Hofrenning, director of the Health Center, and the

individuals working there, for reviewing the student databases and identifying who had yet to be vaccinated.

One of the last points Cevallos discussed in his report was the departure of Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE) Constanza Cabello.

He said while the search for a new vice president is underway, Lorretta Holloway, vice president of enrollment and student development, and Ann McDonald, chief of staff, general counsel, and secretary to the Board Trustees, will take up some of the job’s responsibilities.

Holloway gave a brief DICE update, first informing the Board that the new director for the Center of Inclusive Excellence, Eric Nguyen, was recently out on parental leave.

She then reassured the Board that some of Cabello’s responsibilities are now being temporarily handled

vitae, he said.

Foley added candidates will apply for the position throughout the month of October, and the first time the committee will meet to review candidates’ materials is Oct. 15.

Once the committee has selected particular candidates, interviews will be conducted by mid-November, “and from that point in time, the committee will make the selection of the finalists … to bring forward to the Board of Trustees,” he said. “[In] December, we’ll have a special meeting of the Board of Trustees to go through and to make that selection and the recommendation to the Board of Higher Ed. for the next president of the University,” Foley added.

Cevallos’ introduced Catherine Dignam, chair of the Chemistry and Food Science Department, who gave a brief introduction to Jamiyae Mattress, the Student-in-the-Spotlight.

Dignam highlighted a few of Mat-

“Both President Cevallos in his self-evaluation and our evaluation expressed support for the decision made by the Trustees to embed DEI [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] initiatives in every operating area, rather than create a standalone DEI committee.”

-Beth Casavant, Trustee by others, such as the Bias Education Response Team and the Beacon Award Selection Committee.

Holloway discussed the “two-day racial equity policy institute” that was held Aug. 3-4. She said Cabello obtained the grant for the conference, calling it a “last gift” from the former vice president.

She said the first day of this event focused on “particular learning outcomes to better understand systemic racism in education and how it manifests [itself ] on our campus as well as really talking about looking at policies from an equity lens.”

Chairman Kevin Foley gave an update on the Presidential Search Committee, which is in the process of selecting candidates for a new University President, as Cevallos announced his retirement last spring.

Foley said the committee is dedicated to transparency throughout its search process. He said the committee is using the search firm WittKieffer to help select candidates for the position.

The firm is the “recipient” for the candidates’ resumes and curricula

tress’ accomplishments, including her time in the STEM Scholars’ Program.

She added Mattress has had the opportunity to work with staff directly as a supplemental instruction leader, which is essentially serving as a tutor and teaching assistant with no grading responsibilities.

Dignam said Mattress aspires to be a medical doctor and said she has participated in many “structured experiences” to prepare her for the field.

Mattress said she is a senior chemistry major with a minor in mathematics.

She discussed many of her accomplishments as a student, including being named to the Dean’s List for multiple semesters.

She is currently an Academic Strategy Peer Tutor at CASA. CONNECT WITH STEVEN BONINI sbonini@student.framingham.edu CONNECT WITH ASHLYN KELLY akelly8@student.framingham.edu

NEWS

Xbox stolen from the Game Room

By Ashlyn Kelly News Editor

the fellow who came in worked with the University.”

Haskell said he wishes for “the console to be returned to the Game Room.”

Jacob Sargent, a junior biochemistry major, said he is now concerned about leaving his belongings in the room unguarded.

“Frankly, I’m surprised it wasn’t stolen earlier,” he added. “The fact that they have cameras in that room but don’t have them functional is willful mismanagement and frankly embarrassing.”

Nicole Viera, a senior English major, said, “It’s really shocking that someone could just go in and take it like that.

“I’m actually kind of surprised there isn’t any attendant or security in the game room to prevent stuff like this from happening, or at least report it,” she added.

Tadiwa Chitongo, a junior biochemistry major, said, “I feel like this wouldn’t have happened if they had put some sort of casing around the Xbox, or at the very least had someone there to do check ups throughout the day or … have cameras on at all times.”

Eddy Olu, a senior computer science major, said he is “not shocked” the Xbox was stolen because “McCarthy is open 24/7 and open to anyone.

“There used to be a desk attendant to watch over everything and make sure things were in order,” said Olu. “But now that they got rid of that position, it makes everything in that Game Room a lot harder to manage.”

He added that previous students had donated equipment like the Gamecube “and the fact that could be stolen without warning like the Xbox was is concerning.”

During the interview conducted Sept. 28, Gallegos said the only reason she would shut down the Game Room was if she continued getting complaints through FSUPD of students not wearing masks while in the Game Room.

It was announced in an email Sept.

29 that the Game Room would be shut down until Oct. 7 due to the lack of mask compliance.

The Xbox One, controllers, and games were stolen from the Game Room sometime during the day Sept.

19, according to Sara Gallegos, director of Student Involvement and Leadership Development (SILD).

The Game Room had been switched to 24/7 access by using a keycard to get in, the keycard access had not been working since the summer, said Gallegos.

She said in order to allow students to use the space, the door had to be kept unlocked.

Gallegos said a report has been filed with the Framingham State University Police Department (FSUPD) and they will determine how to proceed.

“It’s out of our hands now,” she said.

She said SILD was able to narrow down the time frame because a student said the Xbox was there in the morning and gone when they came back later that day.

In an email, Sergeant Martin Laughlin said FSUPD is “actively looking into the matter” and cannot comment further because it is an ongoing investigation.

SILD is “debating” if it will be purchasing a new Xbox, said Gallegos.

If they do, new security measures will be put into place, such as bolting the Xbox to the wall, she said.

“I expect things to walk away from there,” said Gallegos. “It’s not like I want things to walk away from there, but I understand.

“For the most part, I like the Game Room to be a space for students that they kind of take pride in and maintain,” said Gallegos. “It’s their space, so I want them to make sure that they have the stuff to use in this space, so I’m putting the ownership on them.”

Mark Haskell, a junior international business major, said he was in the Game Room Friday afternoon between noon and 12:30 p.m. playing pool with someone else when the Xbox was stolen.

“An older looking man, with dark hair and a dark beard, came in with a garbage bag and started placing games and the console into said bag,” said Haskell. “The other person and CONNECT WITH ASHLYN KELLY I were very confused as we thought akelly8@student.framingham.edu

OCTOBER 1, 2021 | 5

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST Freshman Tori Carroll playing ping pong in the Game Room.

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST (Left) Freshman Andrew Tevekelian and junior Eddy Olu competing in Smash Bros. in the Game Room.

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST Freshman Fernando Climaco playing pool in the Game Room.

Check out The Gatepost’s new social media collection “Between the Posts.”

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OP/ED

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

Thank you for keeping us safe

On Sept. 23, FSU students who had not uploaded proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status to the Medicat portal as mandated were informed they risked unenrollment from their on-campus classes if they were not in compliance by Sept. 29.

On Wednesday, students who did not comply were informed by the Dean of Students that if they did not provide documentation of their status to the Medicat Portal by 11:59 p.m., they would be removed from their in-person classes by the end of the week.

If they had completed one dose, they could submit documentation through Medicat and follow the University’s weekly testing protocol until two weeks after their second dose to avoid being removed from their in-person classes.

We at The Gatepost agree with the University’s decision to unenroll students who chose not to comply with the vaccination mandate.

The COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe and effective by the CDC. The FDA fully approved the Pfizer vaccine back in August. The Pfizer vaccine had previously been approved for emergency use.

Students were informed of the University’s decision to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory in order to be on campus this fall in an April 26 email sent by President F. Javier Cevallos. In a May 12 email sent by the Dean of Students on the behalf of the Health Center, students were informed they must provide documentation of their vaccine, or medical or religious exemption, through Medicat by Aug. 1.

Students were given over three months to provide documentation of their status. As of Sept. 25, 101 students were still not in compliance with the mandate.

According to Dean of Students Meg Nowak Borrego, students were still allowed to submit documentation past the Aug. 1 deadline because the University was understanding of the various factors at play when it came to getting vaccinated or obtaining an exemption.

Per the Dean of Students, one of the main disruptions in the process of enforcing the mandate has been some students simply had not uploaded their information to the Medi-

cat portal, despite having already been vaccinated or exempted. As students, we understand that Medicat may present difficulties to students while uploading and it may be even more difficult for freshmen as they have never had to use it before.

There were also students who were labeled as having an in-person class, but were instead participating remotely. Some classes started this semester as in-person, but were then moved online. Other classes were labeled as hybrid, but do not have any in-person component.

There was no clear way for the University to decipher which students were actually in compliance.

While we stand with the University’s decision, we wish action could have been taken sooner. However, we understand the difficulty of enforcing guidelines for a situation the University has never experienced before there were many unknown variables.

As a result of the Dean of Students’ correspondence with these “noncompliant” students, there are now only approximately 15 to 20 students who still remain at risk of unenrollment from in-person classes as of Sept. 30.

We believe the University has provided plenty of warning and time to those who remain noncompliant.

The University even provided two on-campus vaccination clinics Sept. 2 and 8. All three vaccines were available at the clinics, with the opportunity to receive a second dose if needed.

We want to thank the FSU administration for taking these steps to make our community safe for our faculty, staff, and students.

This mandate not only protects our community at FSU, but the friends and families of FSU members who are unable to get vaccinated.

We are hopeful that this mandate will also allow us to continue to be on campus as we have missed seeing Framingham State so lively with community members coming together for the first time since March of 2020.

This mandate will not only save our semester - it will save lives.

OCTOBER 1, 2021 | 7

You’re the emblem of the land I love!

By Steven Bonini Editorial Staff The American flag - a symbol of democracy, freedom, and individual rights.

Some of you may have read the above sentence and nodded your head in agreement, while others may have rolled your eyes or shook your head.

It’s the latter that surprises me.

Recently, I’ve heard many individuals both in-person and on social media say hateful things about America, some even going as far as to light the American flag on fire.

I’m all for freedom of speech and freedom of expression they’re our most basic human rights - but I truly believe those who say such heinous things about our nation and treat our flag with such disgrace, are awfully misguided.

I can remember in high school how many people refused to stand up for the flag during the Pledge of Allegiance, but not me.

Every morning before announcements, I placed my hand upon my heart and I proudly recited - “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America!”

I always wanted to turn to those who refused and remind them that they live in a first-world country. The greatest country in the world. The country that is the beacon of democracy, but then I remembered - it’s that very same flag I stood in front of that gave them the right and freedom to sit during a patriotic moment.

With that said, I want to be clear about what the American flag does not stand for - just in case there may be some confusion.

Our flag does not represent frailty or cowardness.

Our flag does not represent evil.

And our flag certainly does not represent corruption.

But what it does represent is hardiness - red. Innocence white. And perseverance - blue.

Thirteen stars were placed upon our flag at the time of our founding to show unity by each of the colonies.

Today, that 13 has reached a staggering 50 stars. One star for each state, all uniting toward the goal of protecting our individual freedoms from the possibility of government tyranny.

America is the home of individual freedoms, the heart of the liberal dream, and will forever be the land of opportunity for people of all races, religions, and creeds.

Every time our flag is flown up toward the heavens, waving in all its glory, it is those very values that wave along with it.

Where we lost sight of those ideals, I’m not exactly sure, but seeing how we’re living in times of great division, I think it’s time for all Americans to look to their flag and remember what it means to be a citizen of this great nation.

Let us not forget the extraordinary upheaval many of our ancestors went through to make this country what it is today - all defending the morals that our flag represents.

From the founding fathers to every immigrant who stepped off Ellis Island, to the young military men and women giving their lives for the greater good, we all have a due diligence to continue fighting for the values our country and flag were built on, and to never let the vile feelings of hatred divide us.

And please, never let anybody tell you that being patriotic is associated with one political party over another because whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, an Independent or a Libertarian, we’re all Americans.

So, the next time you look at that high-flying flag of ours, remember to stand by it with grace, dignity, and respect, because it does the same for you.

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST

Have an opinion?

Feel free to email it to: gatepost@framingham.edu Opinions should be about 500 words.

Anyone can submit.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Ryan O’Connell / THE GATEPOST

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

OP/ED

8 | OCTOBER 1, 2021

Campus Conversations

Do you agree with the University’s decision to unenroll students who didn’t comply with vaccination requirements?

By Ryan O’Connell, Staff Writer Photos by Donald Halsing, Editor-in-Chief

“Honestly, I don’t think it’s OK for me personally. If they don’t want to get vaccinated, it’s their choice. As long as they’re keeping with other requirements like keeping their mask on and stuff like that, I think it’s fine.”

-Jaylen Lucien, Freshman

“It’s not fair for the school to expel those kids. They’re paying for the school. …

Maybe make them take the classes online, or make them quarantine, or whatnot. Expelling them from the school because they haven’t given their vaccination records, is just a bit much.”

“I agree. Well, I’m pro-vaccine. …

[Campus] being a place where a lot of people come in close contact, I think that’s the safe decision.”

-Ben Hurney, Freshman

-Melanda Alcuis, Freshman

“50/50, to me! … You’ve got to see both sides, so you really can’t force anyone.”

-George Zabalou, Freshman

“Yeah, I agree with it, unless they have an exemption that they’ve already talked about. I think it’s not fair to the other students who are following the restrictions.”

-Bridget Eddlem, Senior

“I guess I disagree with unenrolling the students, because they still came to the college and put in their tuition.”

-Jennifer Murphy, Senior

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SPORTS

OCTOBER 1, 2021 | 9

SP O RTS

Rams Football team stampedes Westfield State Owls for back to back wins at home

By Mikey Alves Staff Writer Framingham State Rams Football team ran away with another victory against the Westfield State Owls at Bowditch Field 1-6 Sept. 25.

The Rams asserted their dominance putting up 2 points alone in the first half and they did not stop there.

Framingham State just did not budge to allow any yards on the ground all game allowing - rushing yards for Westfield State.

The Rams herd was also in the face of Westfield State’s senior quarterback Peyton Capizzi all game, not giving him time to sling the ball at any given moment.

Framingham State opened up the scoring of the game with a 1 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nicolas Goffredo, a junior, to wide receiver Isaiah Hanks, a junior.

Then, with seconds left in the first quarter, backup quarterback Noah Leonard, a sophomore, came in and threw a dime to receiver Shaquille Joseph, a senior, for a 9 yard touchdown pass to make it 1 -0.

The game started to come in reach for Westfield State as the Owls recovered a muffed punt, which set up a 6 yard drive and resulted in Owl’s quarterback Capizzi to punch it in the endzone on a one-yard touchdown run to make it 1 -6.

But then four minutes later with less than two minutes to go in the half, the Rams threw another 9 yard rocket, except this time it was from Goffredo to Hanks once again to make it 20-6.

The FSU Rams continued to make the Owls pay when junior defensive end Gerelle Boyce returned a fumble recovery for another 6 on the board for the Rams, ending the half at a strong 2 -6 score in Framingham’s favor.

The Rams would again continue to latch on points when defensive end Joshua Onujiogu, a senior, picked off a pass and “peaced” his way up inside the Owl’s 10-yard line - by throwing the peace sign as he ran.

Soon enough, setting up Hanks to catch his third touchdown on the day from Goffredo once again to make it -6 FSU. With the lead being so large, Head Coach Tom Kelley ended up making some substitutions with the lineup and with less than minutes to go in the third quarter, running back Marcus “Bookie” McBean Jr., a junior, rushed for an outstanding yard touchdown run, while he had 66 rushing yards on just 10 carries when he was subbed into the game late in the third.

Goffredo also had a rather impressive day by ending up throwing three touchdowns for 1 yards.

As well as Hanks, the 5’ wide receiver ended up accumulating four receptions for 8 yards and three touchdowns on the day.

In his postgame interview when asked about his imposing performance Hanks said, “It feels great. It’s a great team win. We wish we could’ve got 50, but we’re gonna get better every week.”

He said the team has gained “a lot more confidence and energy” and they’ve “upped the lot” in the team’s recent success.

Hanks added the Rams are “ready to make it run” for their upcoming games.

In addition, Kelley said the game was a “must win for us.”

He added, “We came out of the gate with two bad losses and we’re in conference play now. So every time we lose, you know, it’s like losing two games. We can’t slip up. We got to win the ones we’re supposed to win and compete with the top tier teams in our conference.”

Kelley didn’t hesitate when asked who he was most impressed with after the game, “Our kickers. Did you see our kickoffs? Isn’t that pretty cool?” kelley was definitely not wrong at all with freshman kicker Matt Farely going a perfect 5/5 on every single extra point attempt.

Even more underratedly, other kicker 6’5 Henrique De Boni absolutely blasted balls on kickoff, kicking seven times for a whopping 9 yards.

The 6’5 junior kicked four touchbacks and not a single return was taken over 28 yards.

The Framingham State Football team now advances to 2-2 on the season and will next take on winless MASCAC opponent Plymouth State on the road next Oct. 2 at 1 p.m.

FRAMINGHAM STATE WESTFIELD STATE

41 6 CONNECT WITH MIKEY ALVES malves2@student.framingham.edu

Women’s Volleyball falls in intense MASCAC game against Westfield

By Danielle Achin Sports Editor In an intense five set game, Framingham State fell to Westfield State -2 in the last match Sept. 25.

Sophomore Emily Flaherty commented on the team’s dynamic despite the devastating loss.

“I honestly think we played great,” Flaherty said. “There was not one second we ever gave up and I’m really proud of my team for that. We really can’t ask for much more.”

Flaherty is from Milford, New Hampshire, and has made four assists, digs, and two kills so far this season.

In the first, the Rams were fired up on the court taking the lead and keeping ahead of the Owls where they took the opening set 25-1 , giving the first point to Framingham State.

Opening the second, which was the most intense set of the game, the Owls came back hard, not allowing the Rams to take the 2-0 lead.

Tying the set 2 -2 , both teams traded off points until Westfield ultimately took the lead with a set of kills closing the match - 1 giving the Owls the point and tying the game 1-1.

The third set, the Owls trailed 8-1, the Rams pushed for the 2-1 advantage and took a 20-1 lead before closing the set 25-21.

After tying 9-9, the Owls came back taking the lead and closing the set 25-18 in the fourth set of the game.

In an intense tied game, the deciding set is won by the team who scores to 15 points instead of 25.

The Owls opened up the set in a 8- lead. The Rams attempted their final push of the game before falling to Westfield finishing the set 15-10 securing the victory in the final match.

Evening out their overall 6-6, The Rams spirit is not discouraged looking to get back in action Wednesday night when they travel to Massachusetts Maritime for another MASCAC match.

“I’m excited to watch our team to its full potential. We have much more than that,” freshman Haley Gaskin said. “Everybody on this team is more than capable and we’re excited for every day.”

Gaskin has made 18 attacks and assists, 82 digs, and has scored 1 .5 points this season.

Head Coach Richard Casali has guided the Rams to four NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) tournament appearances in the past six seasons and is in his 18th season as head coach.

Casali also highlighted his team’s dynamic after the game.

“That’s the good thing,” he added. “They don’t quit. Everybody on the bench is ready to play and we’ll work next week’s practices on new rotations and getting comfortable playing these spots on the floor.”

Danielle Achin/THE GATEPOST Junior Brandee Thomas spiking the ball at the Volleyball game Sept. 25.

WESTFIELD STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

3 2 CONNECT WITH DANIELLE ACHIN dachin@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

10 | OCTOBER 1, 2021

SPORTS

Framingham State’s Field Hockey falls short in a rainy double overtime thriller

By Tyler Wahl Staff Writer The Framingham State Field Hockey team fell short in a heated game against Western Connecticut State Sept. 28.

With the team losing it’s last two games to Plymouth State and Salem State the team left it all on the field in this nail-biting double overtime match.

The weather was also less than favorable for the Rams Tuesday night, including heavy rain showers sporadically throughout the entirety of the meeting.

Despite the inclement weather, the team played with composure and a sense of confidence even when trailing 2-0 for a majority of the game.

Captain Isabella Kondi, junior, said the key to the team’s great performance was “just pushing the ball, making sure that we were spreading out the field, and connecting those passes, always having each other’s backs.”

The first half of the game was an intense defensive contest, as both the Rams and Western Connecticut State put zero points on the board.

Despite the lack of scoring from the Rams, they had plenty of great opportunities in the last few minutes of the second quarter.

Unfortunately, that momentum was halted by a Western Connecticut goal scored in the middle of the third quarter. Despite valiant effort from the defense, a goal finally slipped by and the Rams were trailing.

Just a few short minutes after Western Connecticut State’s original goal, another one was scored making the score 2-0 with :26 left in the third quarter.

Although the Rams were in a tough position heading into the fourth quarter, it was easy to see they weren’t done yet. The team fought hard offensively and relentlessly attacked the Western Connecticut defense.

The Rams continued to fight hard, resulting in two important fourth

quarter goals to tie the game at 2-2.

The first goal was scored by freshman Abigail Clark and assisted by Kondi. The team erupted in excitement as the ball finally crossed the Western Connecticut goal line.

The team had the momentum and determination needed to bring the contest closer, and succeeded in tying the game up with a goal from sophomore Kaitlin Loughlin, assisted by Kondi once again.

The first 10-minute overtime started, and the defensive strength of both teams was put on display. The overtime finished scoreless and the teams headed into a second overtime.

Just a minute into overtime, Western Connecticut scored to win the contest -2. Regardless of the final score, it was easy to see that the team was happy with how they competed.

The Rams were able to keep composure in a high-pressure situation and although the team would’ve liked to pull out a win, Assistant Coaches Alanah Melanson and Megan Fountaine seem thrilled with the teamwork that was displayed.

“Our defense played really well” said Melanson.

Fountaine added, “I think all of us came in really strong. We definitely wanted it and we got those two goals at the end. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t capitalize on that … but overall, I thought everything was great.”

The Field Hockey team looks to bounce back Thursday evening at Lasell.

WESTERN CONNECTICUT FRAMINGHAM STATE

3 2

CONNECT WITH TYLER WAHL twahl@student.framingham.edu

FSU Women’s soccer loses to Bridgewater State

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST FSU Women’s Soccer lose to Bridgewater State Sept. 25.

BRIDGEWATER FRAMINGHAM STATE

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

3 0

ARTS & FEATURES

OCTOBER 1, 2021 | 11

ARTS & FEATURES

“Everything comes back to Baldwin” Arts & Ideas celebrates James Baldwin’s impact on race relations and the literary community

By Emily Rosenberg Arts & Features Editor

Arts & Ideas kicked off the event series “Good Trouble” Sept. 28 with a presentation of the short film “James Baldwin: From Another Place” by Sedat Pakay and a discussion with Rich Blint.

The “Good Trouble” event series is in memory of the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis who came to speak at the 2019 FSU commencement and was a Civil Rights icon who is one of many who made strides in gaining African American equality in the United States. This is one of many talks that celebrates bold voices and activism against injustice.

Rich Blint is a professor at the Eugene Lee Yang College of Liberal Arts at The New School in New York City.

He is co-editor of a special issue of African American review on James Baldwin, who wrote the introduction for the e-book “Baldwin for Our Times” and served as guest critic for the Brooklyn Rail on a special issue on James Baldwin.

Introducing the event, English Professor Sandy Hartwiger told an anecdote about coming to FSU for an interview and having one of the longest days of his life. But he saw a portrait of Baldwin on the wall and couldn’t help but think it was a sign of some sort.

“Since joining FSU, I have seen Baldwin’s work play a prominent role in the English Department from seminars being conducted on his work to critical work being used as part of our anti-racist dialogue,” said Hartwiger.

Senior English major Austin Riffelmacher shared he is the first student at FSU to have a concentration in African American literature. He also serves as a student representative on the English Department committee for promoting anti-racism. He was invited to speak about Baldwin’s influence on literature.

Riffelmacher said he was first introduced to Baldwin in his Expository Writing class with the text “A Stranger in a Village” which is a common firstyear reading assignment used to teach students about college writing as well as anti-racism.

He added that after learning about Baldwin’s extensive portfolio on topics not just on race relations, but also sexuality, the contradictions within Christianity on race, and the rise of the Black Muslim movement, he became “obsessed with Baldwin’s work.”

“What James Baldwin’s life and work reveals to me is a fascinating and complex weight for one writer to carry,” Riffelmacher said. “To be a Black, gay man in the times he wrote was a struggle in and of itself. To write openly and honestly about both is audacious and honorable.”

He added as he works on his thesis about the playwright August Wilson, he finds more and more that for a lot of Black writers “everything comes back to Baldwin.”

Sociology Professor Kaan Agartan, introduced “James Baldwin: From Another Place.”

Agatan said in 1961, Baldwin traveled to Istanbul where he was amongst his own people and no one stopped him to ask for interviews.

“He was, of course, always attentive to what was going on, but he could still shut himself off, sit in front of his typewriter and just simply write,” Agatan said. “It provided Baldwin with almost a claustrophobic dichotomy between Black and white when thinking about race relations.”

Agatan added Istanbul became a place where Baldwin could “hear his own voice” as a gay, Black man.

“Storms are always coming,” Baldin said. His criticism is that a true politician will stay until the storm is over.

Baldwin then explored the city, visiting shops and examining works of writing that sat on shelves in the street.

While smoking a cigarette, he said he believed privacy is everybody’s right. “It’s certainly mine,” Baldwin said.”My involvement with men, with women, what can I say about them? It’s not to be talked about to the world.”

He added life never comes to you in the way you think it will. “In the way you’re taught it will.”

“I think the trick is to say yes to life,” Baldwin added.

The film then cut to a giant dog attacking a man on the street. Baldwin went out on a boat into a scenic area with castles and mountains.

As the credits rolled, Baldwin said, “I got to move and I got to finish the books.”

Attention then turned to Blint who shared a film “Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris” by Terrence Dixon.

The film premiered last year at The New York Film Festival.

“To be a Black, gay man in the times he wrote was a struggle in and of itself. To write openly and honestly about both is audacious and honorable.”

- Austin Riffelmacher, Senior English Major The film explores Baldwin’s time in Istanbul. It begins with Baldwin awaking in his bedroom, where he ponders what his place was in America.

“I don’t really know what I am, prolifically speaking,” Baldwin said.

“I don’t consider myself to be a leader. I don’t consider myself to be a kind of witness. I don’t know. Though my weapon or my tool is my typewriter, my pen.”

Baldwin then walked outside into the crowd of a busy city, with mostly white citizens who did not look welcoming.

“When I’ve been in America, I’ve really done very little writing. The pressures are too immediate and too great,” Baldwin said. “Once one gets off a plane or a boat, one knows it is going to be impossible to close one’s door and to concentrate.”

He added that politicians are not always committed to the welfare of all people.

Blint said his intention of showing the four parts of the film was to “paint the visual geography of Baldwin’s ideas.”

The first movement included an interviewer who asked Baldwin why he thinks the Bastille is the most popular monument in Paris. Baldwin replied with the question - why do they care what he thinks? He said he is not interested in “Jimmy Baldwin’s Paris,” or that he has lived there for the past 22 years. Instead, what is important is that he is “a witness to something.”

“I am a Black man in the middle of this century,” Baldwin said. “And none of you know yet who this dark stranger is.

“I think you think I am an exotic survivor,” he added.

In the second clip, Baldwin said, “I left my country because I knew I was going to be murdered there.”

Baldwin added, although the U.S. prides itself on democracy and inde-

pendence, 22 years after he left, boys and girls “had to leave the country for the same reason” he did.

He said Christians and white Americans always want to save Black Americans and think they know everything about them.

“Let me save you. I know something about you. You don’t know anything about me,” Baldwin said.

Blint added the film was also a good representation of the world in the first decade of decolonization.

In the fourth clip, Baldwin responded to an interviewer who asked why he didn’t “escape” from the political discourse to write his books.

He said he is “better than that.”

Baldwin added, “Love has never been a very popular movement and no one has ever really wanted to be free.”

He said later in the film, they go to show how Baldwin feels like a subject of Christian charity.

Blint added at the end of the film, Dixon referenced that Baldwin was “writing for white people.

“Baldwin’s response - I’m writing for people, baby,” Blint said.”I don’t believe in white people. I don’t believe in Black people either. But I know the difference between being Black and white at this time. So, I can unfold myself about some things. I could not unfold about myself if I were white.”

[Editor’s Note: Austin Riffelmacher is a staff writer for The Gatepost]

CONNECT WITH EMILY ROSENBERG erosenberg@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

12 | OCTOBER 1, 2021

ARTS & FEATURES

OBX season two makes me cringe

By Caroline Gordon

Arts and Features Editor Outer Banks season two is immature and unrealistic.

The Netflix show stars Madeline Cline as Sarah Cameron and Chase Stokes as John B. I will never understand why he is called “John B,” instead of just John because there are no other characters named John.

Season two begins with John B and Sarah sneaking on a ship, which is heading to the Bahamas.

The pair is on a quest to find the coveted golden treasure, which is John B’s legacy. John B is a “Pogue,” a fictional name for a poor person who lives in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The opposite of a pogue is a “Kook.”

Sarah was raised as a Kook and John B lives the Pogue life. Sarah and John B are essentially the modern day version of Romeo and Juliet.

Sarah’s father, Ward, is the killer of John B’s father. Not only are John B and Sarah attempting to fulfill John B’s legacy, they’re also trying to escape the psychopathic Ward who will stop at nothing to find his daughter.

Ward is teamed up with Rafe, Sarah’s older brother who is equally as psychotic as his father.

Does this sound like something that would happen in real life? No.

I can’t stand how unrealistic this show is.

The Outer Banks is a real place, but that makes viewers think the lives of these characters are the lives of the people who reside there.

Oddly enough, John B and his pack are rarely shown in school, despite being high school students.

High school classes usually last seven hours a day; however, the characters’ have copious amounts of time to focus on the drama with the golden treasure.

Aside from the obvious unrealistic aspects, the relationship between Sarah and John B is extremely unlikely to happen in real life.

He is the poor boy who lives in a shack that serves as a place to bum around in with friends.

She is the it girl who everyone worships for her wealth and beauty.

This show portrays a relationship that we all know is just not reality.

In season two, they unofficially “get married” and instead of a ring, John B gives Sarah a piece of his bandana.

They are high school kids who have not been dating long.

The marriage scene was weird, random, and it sets the wrong standards for young people.

There are a few new characters this season, but Cleo is the most annoying. She is the newest member of the

Pogue pack.

Cleo is a pirate John B and Sarah met on their way to the Bahamas. She helps John B and his friends rescue Sarah who was kidnapped by Ward and Rafe.

Cleo annoys me because she barely knows Sarah, yet she calls her “my girl.” I am confused by their sudden friendship.

I hate the damsel in distress plot line for Sarah. The producers should have made her more capable, instead of her always being the one in trouble.

This show is immature and I cringe when I hear “John B.”

Courtesy of WCIV

ADMIT ONE

Grade: F Immature and just down right cringey.

ADMIT ONE

CONNECT WITH CAROLINE GORDON cgordon4@student.framingham.edu

Tyler, the Creator continues to evolve with new album

By Jack Mclaughlin Staff Writer

“CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” is the latest offering from artist Tyler, the Creator. This album comes off the heels of the 2019 Grammy Winning Album “IGOR.” The album came with a fun release, which involved mysterious billboards appearing in cities with a phone number that would play songs from the album when it was called.

The mystery of this rollout intrigued me, as the low-quality clips from the songs when you called the number only provided a small clue for what this album had to offer.

“IGOR” was already a big departure from what listeners of Tyler were used to. “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” continues this trend by blending the types of songs I would expect from Tyler while also venturing forward to new sounds for the artist that make it my favorite album of the year so far.

I thought the album was OK when it first dropped back in June of this year, and now it’s been three months and I think that having multiple listens have significantly changed how I feel about it.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

One of the best ways to start an album is with strong tracks that set the mood for the project and attract the attention of listeners, and Tyler does this flawlessly, which make these opening tracks more memorable.

A great example of this comes right at the start with the track “LUMBERJACK,” where listeners are greeted to these wildly catchy lyrics and fast, yet strong instrumentals that resonate long after listening to it.

These songs, though short, are so catchy that they haven’t left my head since I first heard them.

An interesting track at the start of the album is “HOT WIND BLOWS,” which I admittedly was not a big fan of the first time I heard it. The change in tone from the rest of the tracks that come before took me back at first, and I would usually end up skipping it. But through repeated listens I’ve grown to appreciate the different style on this track and is now one of my overall favorites on the album.

The true star of this album comes in the midsection, with the track “SWEET/ I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE,” which is also the longest track on the album spanning almost

10 minutes. The heavy reggae influence and lyrics are so well done on thwis track which makes it an emotional highlight on the album. My favorite part of the track is the duet between Tyler and singer Fana Hues.

Even after what I consider to be its peak, Tyler does not let up with the last few songs on the project.

The energy that was so prevalent in the first half comes back hard with tracks like “RISE!” and “JUGGERNAUT,” which the latter brings in strong features from Lil Uzi Vert and Pharrell Williams.

“CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” succeeds at being not only a successor to what is Tyler’s most popular album, but also succeeded to be even better than any of his projects that have come before.

It rewards listeners who are willing to return to the album frequently and relisten to tracks on it to gain more appreciation for them. I did this myself and I found myself loving more tracks with each listen.

I understand why people would prefer his older music to this new project because of this. I was far less enthusiastic about the album when it came out because I hadn’t listened

to it as many times as I have now. Although it takes a bit of warming up to at first, its catchy tracks and refreshing style make “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” Tyler, the Creator’s best work yet.

Grade: AA faces IHemmings would not sleep his life beautifully. on this ingenious album.

MENU

CONNECT WITH JACK MCLAUGHLIN jmclaughlin@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

OCTOBER 1, 2021 | 13

‘The Suicide Squad’: James Nine shorts, seven studios, one electrifying anthology Gunn’s magic touch

By Jackson Clyde Staff Writer

By Sean Cabot Staff Writer

When superhero films flop, it usually means that the characters lose any second chance at silver-screen stardom.

DC hasn’t made a Green Lantern movie since the character’s disastrous first outing in 2011, Daredevil and Constantine have stuck to television since the failure of their films, and the less said about Steel, the better.

I was certain that “The Suicide Squad” would suffer the same fate after their disastrous 2016 film, but thankfully, I was mistaken. In its wake, James Gunn polished this franchise into a diamond.

“The Suicide Squad” starts off with the titular team landing at the small nation of Corto Maltese to sabotage the government’s ominously-named “Project Starfish.”

The mission’s operatives include foul-mouthed assassin Bloodsport (Idris Elba), perpetually-lethargic Ratcatcher II (Daniela Melchior), soft-spoken psychopath Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), freak of nature King Shark (Sylvester Stallone) and Peacemaker (John Cena), a man who loves peace so much he would kill for it.

If they sound dysfunctional, don’t worry - they are.

Two Squaddies from the previous film return here: government liaison Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and, of course, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). After Robbie’s fantastic performance in “Birds of Prey,” it was great seeing her back as Harley for this film.

From the start of this film, it immediately shines in ways the original never could.

The most prominent advantage it has over its predecessor is the main cast, and especially how they interact with each other. Bloodsport both gets into pissing contests with Peacemaker and becomes a father figure for Ratcatcher II, all while she befriends King Shark, despite his taste for human flesh.

Despite how bizarre this sounds, each and every relationship feels genuine, making the cast feel like both a proper superhero team, even as they’re brutally murdering Maltesian soldiers.

Ratcatcher II in particular is my favorite character in the film, with Melchior giving a stellar performance. Her screen presence is captivating in a way that belies this being her first role in an English-language film.

I also have to give props to Kinneman’s return as Flag, elevating the character from a generic military liaison to a proper member of the team. The bond he has with Harley in particular feels incredibly genuine, despite them barely interacting in the previous film.

The action is also well worth commenting on. James Gunn has a clear knack for creating interesting combat scenarios, from Harley single-handedly slaughtering a hallway of soldiers with nothing but a javelin to the walk-through raid of an enemy camp.

The petty arguing between Bloodsport and Peacemaker in the latter scene, as they’re brutally slaughtering their targets, is legitimately top-tier character writing. It’s also darkly hilarious in a way that most comic book films wouldn’t even dream of attempting.

The gorgeous visuals help to enhance these scenes even further. Unlike the first film, which suffered from a heavily muted color palette, every scene in “The Suicide Squad” is packed with color and life.

This is best exemplified by the aforementioned Harley Quinn hallway scene, during which we get to see into her deranged mind as the world around her transforms into a cartoon paradise. It brings to mind Gunn’s collaboration with niche game developer SUDA51 on “Lollipop Chainsaw,” an eye-popping hack-and-slash video game.

ADMIT ONE Amidst all this praise, I unfortunately can’t comment much on the plot. Following the start of the group’s mission, the movie swerves in so many fantastic ways that it’s best to go in completely blind.

However, I can mention that the film’s unexIt feels really pected dive into political commentary, in a way good to be bad. that seamlessly meshes with the plot, makes it one of the boldest comic book blockbusters to ever release. And that boldness extends to raise the stakes through the roof.

To put it bluntly, by the end of the movie, I was legitimately scared of any character dying.

ADMIT ONE In a film called “The Suicide Squad,” that’s an impressive feat.

George Lucas’ inspiration from Akira Kurosawa’s chanbara samurai films in creating “Star Wars” is a well-established footnote in the history of one of the most ubiquitous film franchises ever made.

While his influences were numerous, the impact of poached ideas like honor-bound warriors and even whole plot concepts from movies like “Seven Samurai” and “The Hidden Fortress” cannot be understated.

As such, it only seems appropriate for “Star Wars: Visions” to provide nine Japanese creatives the opportunity to bring their perspective as both filmmakers and fans to the stage in nine non-canon short films.

The result is one of the most exciting “Star Wars” projects in years.

However, while “Visions” is a great way to spend a few hours, it only feels right to address its flaws up front.

One is that the seven studios helming the project - despite working independently, often repeat certain motifs and plot elements quite a bit. Every short features Jedi prominently, many of them feature lightsabers as a central thematic or plot element, all but one has a lightsaber duel, and many choose to represent lightsabers as beam-katanas.

While the Jedi are a prominent part of this world, it hurts a bit not to see more space dogfights, bounty hunters, or war stories. Though I suppose most people, if given free rein on a “Star Wars” short film, wouldn’t want to be the one who didn’t tackle the Jedi.

It also feels a bit off that two-thirds of the shorts feature some variant of the franchise staple phrase, “I have a bad feeling about this.”

Furthermore, the short-format nature of the anthology hurts the episodes’ ability to tell a complete story. Even industry veteran Kenji Kamiyama’s exceptional short “The Ninth Jedi” can’t help but feel a bit undercooked when its story leaves so many tantalizing doors open.

It doesn’t kill the series, but it is noticeable.

However, even the weakest short is still a great time. “Visions” is at its best when it is introducing entirely new visual styles into the fray. Two standout examples of this are Takanobu Mizuno’s “The Duel” and Hiroyuki Imaishi’s “The Twins.”

Both of these shorts center around frantic, stylized battles in contrasting ways - “The Duel” opts for a Kurosawa-inspired black and white style. “The Twins” in turn chooses to escalate into a bombastic visual spectacle wherein a Sith is wielding six lightsaber-whips at once while breathing in space before going completely bonkers.

Others, like Hitoshi Haga’s “The Village Bride” are more introspective, focusing on how cultures other than Jedi perceive the Force. Masahiko Otsuka’s “The Elder,” is also a standout for its themes of age and legacy - fitting for his last project.

Everyone will have their favorites, from Abel Gongora’s “Astro Boy” inspired “T0-B1” to Taku Kimura’s rock opera “Tattooine Rhapsody,” the only short to use characters from the films. Personally, Yuki Igarashi’s “Lop and Ocho,” and Eunyoung Choi’s “Akakiri” were a bit too compact for my tastes.

“The Twins,” however, was right up my alley. Hiroyuki Imaishi’s immaculate sense of scale, color, shot composition, and clear reverence for the aesthetic of “Star Wars” gives way to a story of twins born to the Dark Side that I desperately hope continues.

And that’s the feeling I ultimately took from “Visions.” I hope each of these shorts gives way to more fully realized stories with these characters, or at least another chance for talented Japanese studios to strut their stuff.

Even if you’re a casual fan of “Star ADMIT ONE Wars” with little interest in much beyond the films, I recommend you do not miss out, even if these shorts do run a bit… short.

And hey, if my biggest complaint is that I want more of these, they have to be This is the doing something right.

Grade: A+

CONNECT WITH JACKSON CLYDE jclyde@student.framingham.edu

Grade: A-

experience theaters were made for.

ADMIT ONE

CONNECT WITH SEAN CABOT scabot@student.framingham.edu

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14 | OCTOBER 1, 2021

ARTS & FEATURES

Mujeres Solidarias Continued from page 1 origin story into her artwork - growing up in rural China watching her family “struggle to make a living.”

She added this made it challenging to choose a career fueled by passion.

She currently works at a Spanish version of Vogue. She said she enjoys the versatility that this “fashionable” multi-media company allows her storytelling to exist in - written and visual form.

Paola is a Colombian-Ecuadorian artist, illustrator, and cartoonist focusing on sexuallity, feminism, family, and personal identity.

She studied in Columbia and uses her art to reflect on her daily life.

Paola said she has always tried to work with other people and curate a “dialogue” with different artists.

According to Paola, the only “respectable” gallery in Medellín, Colombia did not accept female submissions.

She said she and six of her colleagues opened their own space to showcase the talents of marginalized groups - therefore honoring them through the creation of space they are deserving of.

Paola said many of her ideas, “were born in this space.” Therefore, directly counteracting the walls of inequity that would otherwise unjustly stunt their growth as artists.

She added she emerged into her career in comics when studying abroad in France. Eager to learn the language of the culture she was immersed in, comics became her language tutor.

She said although she didn’t realize it then, the nature of her research and work “was always about narrative,” and lent itself to the comic structure.

“With comics … I feel like [I’m] communicating with the reader,” she

said.

Paola said her time in France marked the beginning of an “exploration and experimentation with text and images.”

She added once she began working with this medium, she wondered what the human mind’s response to this melding of image and text could mean.

When she worked in a kitchen in Sydney for two years, creating comics introduced a lighter tone to the darkness she said she was feeling in her life as she struggled to acclimate to the new environment.

She added this outlet of self-expression helped her re-orient herself in relation to her goals.

“I felt very depressed in that moment of my life. The comics helped me to make fun of myself,” she said.

Paola added, the solace of sisterhood she found in other female comics was integral to disrupt the male dominated field. She said she joined “Chicks on Comics,” “a dialogue device,” according to the group’s Facebook page.

Sandwich, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, said her mother and grand-

She said, “My grandmother was a big inspiration in my life.”

Sandwich’s grandmother wrote children’s books and introduced her to the artististic scene. She said she

“I felt very depressed in that moment of my life. The comics helped me to make fun of myself.”

- Power Paola, Comic Artist mother were integral influences throughout her developmental years.

She added her mom is an art historian, so she grew up in a house filled with literature pertaining to art.

Courtesy of Penguin Random House

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Courtesy of Arts & Ideas

would bring her to museums after school as a child and encourage her to explore. She “shaped” her future endeavours as an artist.

Growing up with four brothers, Sandwich said she found refuge within herself via drawing. She described this space of peace as her “own world.

“I need that time to reconnect with some of my internal feelings,” she added.

She said artistic expression has always helped her form a deeper connection with the world around her.

“I could never picture myself as an illustrator,” she said. “This is why representation is so important, to see people like you doing the things that you never imagined yourself doing.”

She earned a scholarship to study photography in Italy and said she never imagined illustration as a career until she got to Sweden.

“I started sneaking into the illustration classes.

“I used my sketchbook as a diary … as therapy,” as something she could immerse herself into.

She earned her master’s in Vermont and said while studying there, she would spend her free time in nature.

After going to the top of Mount Washington, she said she learned

about a woman who had climbed the mountain at age 82.

Sandwich said this inspired her to create her first non-fiction comic, “Women Move Mountains.”

Sandwich concluded she is currently constructing visual essays for The Lilly News, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker.

Zhou said she is focused on “highlighting Hispanic stories in the U.S., and trying to make space for those voices that have been historically underrepresented.”

She added, “Expressing your feelings has healing power.”

She said comics are effective at approaching difficult subjects with a touch of humor. She has found that this approach allows her to be “more open to discuss and reflect,” allowing her to ignite necessary discourse.

Zhou added this allows these vital social justice causes to have a platform for discussion without those engaged in the conversation becoming too bogged down and stuck “dwelling.”

She said, “Here in the U.S., a lot of people that don’t speak English, rely on comics” to stay updated on current events.

All three panelists shared the sentiment that comic art is no longer just a “white man’s world.

“Anyone can do comics,” Zhou said.

All you need is “paper and a pencil.”

CONNECT WITH HALEY HADGE hhadge@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

Puzzles

ACROSS 1. What precedes “the night before Christmas” 5. “For goodness’ ___!”

9. Diver’s apparatus 14. “Hmm, I don’t think so” 15. “Follow me!”

16 About 1% of Earth’s atmosphere 17. *Inlet near Sydney (Theme hint: Note the outer letters in both words of each starred clue’s answer) 19. Hawk’s claw 20. From Dubai, say 21. Silly 23. Not just “a” 24. Expense for a newspaper 25. Letter with two gradual twists 28. *District west of downtown Los Angeles 34. First extra inning 36. Barely get, with “out” 37. A lot of a lot, perhaps 38. Try, as a case 39. Colorado resort 41. Branch of Islam 42. Bronte governess Jane 43. Letter with two sharp twists 44. Auditorium contents 45. *Body of water in central Switzerland 49. Vietnamese holiday 50. Sarcastic laugh syllable 51. “Society’s Child” singer Janis 52. Exclaimed with joy 56. On the rise 61. “TTTTTT” for “sixty,” e.g.

62. *Essen is on it 64. Come up 65. Golden Rule word 66. Undergarment with straps, for short 67. Chopped liver and others 68. Needy cat’s sound 69.Headphone cord frustration

OCTOBER 1, 2021 | 15

DOWN 1.Word after “test” or “toothpaste” 2.To ___ it may concern 3.Opposite of pro4.Fly high 5.Reaper’s tool 6. Sleep aid brand Puzzle solutions are now 7. Campground letters exclusively online.

8. Singer born Eithne Padraigin Ni Bhraonain 9. Lustrous 10. Engine housing 11. Wrinkly fruit 12. Timely blessing 13. Author Rice 18. “But of course!”

22. One may make a dog howl 25. Lucy’s friend on “I Love Lucy” 26. “Bye!” 27. Cutting comments, collectively 29. Former Crow home 30. Instrument that’s plucked, for short 31. Application before Messages 32. Hackneyed 33. What quick bread lacks 35. Backyard builder’s project 39. Sky blue 40. “Hold on a ___!”

44. Man of La Mancha 46. Memory failures 47. “OK,” to a Brit 48. Like an alley 52. Conclude, with “up” 53. Greek goddess of marriage 54. Posthumous notice, briefly 55. Tom-tom or bongo 57. Candle cord 58. Any of six Russian rulers 59. Fish in “Finding Dory” 60. Psychological toughness 63. French for “a”

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

PHOTOS

16 | OCTOBER 1, 2021

The Engagement Day Bulletin

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST A group of students checking out an employer Engagement Day table Sept. 29.

Nathan Rogers / THE GATEPOST Black Student Union President Malik Martin speaking with prospective members Sept. 29.

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST Framingham State Activities Board members Emily Parker and Tanisha Jean greeting prospective students Sept. 29.

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST (Left) Students Gabby Chona, Eliza Weisse, Sarah Lacey, and Hannah Murrin checking out tables at Engagement Day Sept. 29.

Nathan Rogers / THE GATEPOST Nathan Rogers / THE GATEPOST (Left) Dance Team Treasurer Hannah Mace and Secretary Yana Trubetskaya (Left) WDJM President Ellen Lucier and Vice President Jill Rotatori greeting greeting students at Engagement Day Sept. 29. students at Engagement Day Sept. 29.

Spread by Leighah Beausoleil and Maddison Behringer/THE GATEPOST

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM