March 4, 2016

The Gatepost volume

M

84 • number 18

a r c h

4 ,

fsugatepost.com

2 0 1 6

issuu.com/fsugatepost

FSU holds forum to discuss last week’s Black Lives Matter teach in

By Bailey Morrison Asst. News Editor The Black Lives Matter teach in, which occurred last week, was discussed at an open forum held on Wednesday, March 2.

The teach in was created by sociology professors Xavier Gaudalupe-Diaz, Virginia Rutter, Lina Rincón and Patricia Sanchez-Connally to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement. Professors integrated Black Lives Matter into their curriculum, teaching everything from systematic mass incarceration of black Americans to agricultural advancements made by black Americans.

Over 2,000 students, 40 professors and 200 courses in 33 different fields of study were involved in the teach in, according to Rutter.

Rutter estimated 300 students and faculty attended the forum.

Senior Avarie Cook said the Black Lives Matter movement was “started

Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost

White ribbons were displayed around campus to raise awareness about the ongoing issue of violence against women.

See page 16 for coverage of this week’s SGA-sponsored White Ribbon Campaign events. by three black women, some of them part of the queer community, and it was started online with a hashtag.”

Guadalupe-Diaz said the hashtag BlackLivesMatter came from a social media post by Alicia Garza in 2012 following the murder of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of his assailant.

He explained the movement was created as “an ideological, political invention in a world where black lives

are systemically and intentionally targeted for demise. It’s an affirmation of black folks’ contribution, their humanity and their resilience in the face of deadly oppression.

“Black Lives Matter is a call to action,” Guadalupe-Diaz said. “What we’re here for today is movement and what you all participated in makes a radical statement in a world that historically continues to denigrate, op-

press and marginalize black and brown communities across the country. What today is about is joining in and saying, ‘yes, black lives do matter,’ even in a system that tells us otherwise.”

According to the Black Lives Matter website, the movement “affirms the lives of Black queer and trans folks, disabled folks, Black-undocumented folks, folks with records, women and - See BLM FORUM page 5

VP of enrollment and student development finalist Kara Kolomitz visits FSU

By Julia Sarcinelli News Editor

Allie Gath/The Gatepost

Kara Kolomitz is the last finalist to visit campus for the position of VP of enrollment and student development.

something had to be done. She went to all the classrooms and had the students sign a petition, which she then presented to the school board.

“That’s the story that I always remember when I think about the beginning of my leading and wanting to be a part of something good, and that has certainly translated into my work in higher ed and my work with all sectors of education,” she said.

Paul Welch, director of the counseling center, asked her what her leadership style is. Kolomitz said her approach is about honesty, dedication, humor, loyalty and hard work.

A challenge Kolomitz faced was being part of the decision to change Regis College, a private university, from an all-women’s school to a co-

Kara Kolomitz, the last finalist for the position of Vice President of Enrollment and Student Development, visited FSU for an open forum with the community on Monday, Feb. 29.

Kolomitz is currently the vice president of student affairs at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts and was previously the dean of students.

After introducing herself, Kolomitz described herself as a leader. She said her earliest recollection of being a leader was when she was in the third grade and petitioned to place gravel on the playground.

Kolomitz said she saw her friend one day with mud all over her white tights after recess, and thought that - See KOLOMITZ VP OPEN FORUM page 8

Inside Women’s basketball falls in MASCAC championship 21

What rhymes with orange?

The legend of a Hilltop tradition 15

Life after the NCAA 22

NEWS

2

Gatepost Interview

Editorial Board 2015-2016 Editor-in-Chief Michael B. Murphy

Associate Editors Melina Bourdeau Brittany Cormier Alexandra Gomes

MARCH 4, 2016

Emily Abel Academic Advisor and CASA Coordinator

News Editors Jennifer Johnson Julia Sarcinelli

By Jessica Duff Staff Writer

Mark Wadland

Asst. News Editor Bailey Morrison

Arts & Features Editors Scott Calzolaio Cesareo Contreras Kristen Pinto

Sports Editor Mike Ferris

Asst. Sports Editors Matt Ferris Amelia Foley

Opinions Editor Phil McMullin

Photos Editors Allie Card Brad Leuchte Darian O’Donnell

Asst. Photos Editors Erin Fitzmaurice Allie Gath Amanda Martin

Design Editor Shayna Yacyshyn

Copy Editor Bobby Murphy

Staff Writers Jose Carrasquillo Cass Doherty Jessica Duff Maria Hornbaker Kate Shane Anthony Sheehan Shelby Wood

Staff Photographers Marissa Rousseau

Advisor Dr. Desmond McCarthy

Assistant Advisor Elizabeth Banks

Administrative Assistant Debra Fowler Clare

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

What is your resume and backround?

I grew up in West Springfield out in western Massachusetts. … I went to Ithaca College for my undergrad.

I was very confused about what I wanted to do after graduation. I was a first-generation college student.

I majored in communications and I thought that was a nice broad major to pick. … When I was graduating, I knew I wanted to work in a nonprofit, help people - but that’s really all I knew. I ended up doing AmeriCorps Vista, New York campus compact at a community college in Syracuse. I was a service learning and volunteer coordinator there. ... I got my master’s in higher education administration from Suffolk University the following year. I was a graduate assistant in the service learning and volunteer office there. … I oversaw a college access program called Connections to College where I worked with college students who mentored local high school students from Dorchester to inspire and encourage them to go to college. ... I planned Service Day, which was one of their biggest events, where two hundred students went out into the community and volunteered. … I also interned at MIT. I was a career counselor there. … When I graduated, I was job searching, and I came across this job at Framingham State to do a similar type of work to what I was doing with Connections to College - college access and readiness. This job, at that time, was a contractor position.

I was primarily responsible for coordinating PLUS - Program Leading to Undergraduate Success - and organizing College Tomorrow, which is a similar program to Connections to College. College Tomorrow is a twoweek college readiness program for first-generation students in the MetroWest area. PLUS is an academic success program for a cohort of firstyear students here at FSU. How do you feel your life experience influences your work with PLUS? A big reason why I’m attracted to this work is because I was a first-generation college student who had the support of my family, but not a whole lot of guidance because they didn’t expe-

rience college or anything that goes along with what you need to do when you’re in college. So I draw from my personal experience, but then also, as the years have gone by, I try not to project my experience as all students’ experiences. Over the years, I’ve tried to really not make any assumptions about any of the students that I’m working with and to really learn about who they are as students. There are themes - common obstacles - that first-generation college students have, but no two students are alike.

I really try to work with each student as an individual - to figure out how I can best support them, what they need and how to connect them to the university so that they can persist and graduate from FSU. What do you feel is your proudest achievement?

I’m really proud that I created Pelham Pals. A few years ago, one of the centers that I was working with to recruit for College Tomorrow and I decided that we needed to try to reach the students when they were younger. College Tomorrow reaches students who are 16 and 17 years old.

For some students in the low-income community that’s too late to start to inspire them to go to college if they don’t have mentors around them. We needed to devise a way to reach students when they were younger, middle-school age.

What are some of your hobbies?

Well, I have an 18-month old so that takes up most of my time in addition to working full time. As of now, she is my full focus. In a previous life, my husband and I really liked to travel while we were in college. We still like to cook together and just spend time with friends and family.

What were you like as an undergraduate?

I was very involved as a high school student to try to get into college, but then when I got to college, I was pretty overwhelmed and intimidated by my peers. So it took me a little while to really find my confidence when I got to college. It wasn’t until I was a sophomore that I became an R.A., and that experience really gave me the confidence to become more involved.

I was an R.A. for three semesters, and then I quickly realized that I needed

to kind of dive in and build my resume if I wanted to get the most out of my college experience. I studied abroad.

My boyfriend at the time - now husband - he went to Syracuse and we did semester at sea together. We had an amazing experience where we visited 10 countries and circumnavigated the globe through our study-abroad experience. ... When I talk to students about their major and they’re really stressed about what they’re going to do, I tell them that when I was a freshman in college, if you ever told me I would be an academic advisor …

I wouldn’t have believed them.

What is your number one piece of advice to students?

I think my biggest piece of advice is don’t wait for things to happen to you. You really need to seize the opportunities that come before you in college. … There are people here to support you. Coupled with that, really talk to people on this campus. Everybody on this campus wants to help and support students, but they can’t do that unless you ask the questions and seek them out.

Police Logs Friday, Feb. 26

11:02 - Hemenway Hall - Larceny of State property Report taken.

23:17 - North Hall - Elevator entrapment - Services rendered.

Saturday, Feb. 27

20:31 - Linsley Hall - Assist residence Life - Assistance rendered.

Sunday, Feb. 28 @TheGatepost

Allie Gath/The Gatepost

4:27 - Upper Normal Hill Parking Lot - Protective custody - Transported to FPD.

Monday, Feb. 29

10:07 - Salem End Road Parking Lot - Camera problem Advised.

Tuesday, March 1

14:06 - McCarthy Center - Unauthorized solicitation Advised.

Wednesday, March 2

23:18 - 191 State St - Motor vehicle accident - Motor vehicle accident off campus.

10:24 - McCarthy Center - Alarm (trouble) - Referral filed.

12:00 - Crocker Hall - Suspicious activity - Report taken.

MARCH 4, 2016

NEWS

3

SGA allocates $2,500 each to Christian Fellowship and Pride Alliance

By Mark Wadland News Editor SGA approved Christian Fellowship’s funding request of $2,500 for an event titled “Break Every Chain” at its meeting on Tuesday, March 1.

The event, which will be held on Wednesday, April 27, will discuss sex trafficking. The $2,500 will be used to hire a performer from God is Bigger Ministries.

SGA also allocated $2,500 to FSU Pride Alliance for its LGBT Travel and Conference. The money breaks down as follows: $450 for registration, $750 for hotel rooms for the weekend, $245 for meals ($325 with breakfast) and $700 for transportation.

The event will allow members of Pride Alliance to examine diversity in the LGBT community, and then bring their ideas back to FSU to benefit the community as a whole.

In other news: • Social Events Coordinator Jack Capello said all clubs on campus will receive two tickets to the All-University banquet, which will allow members of each club to attend.

• SGA Class and Club Treasurer Brian Leonard said there will be a fundraiser on Monday, March 21.

Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost

Vice President Ezequiel De Leon and Social Events Coordinator Jack Capello discuss the Christian Fellowship’s “Break Every Chain” event.

Follow Us on Twitter! @TheGatepost Arts & Features Section

@Gatepost_Arts News

@GatepostNews Sports

@GatepostSports Photos

@GatepostPhotography

NEWS

4

MARCH 4, 2016

Administrators discuss the Warren Center, parking lot purchases at All University Meeting

By Bailey Morrison Assistant News Editor

By Julia Sarcinelli News Editor Several administrators detailed new initiatives for the spring at the All University Meeting held on Monday, Feb. 29.

President F. Javier Cevallos said the administration is close to its goal of raising $12 million for the capital campaign. According to Cevallos, “We’re actually at $9,300,016 as of yesterday.

We still have a year and a half to go. We expect to not only reach the goal, but to exceed the goal.”

Cevallos added most of the money will benefit students in the form of scholarships.

He praised FSU’s progress in environmental sustainability. However, he stressed there is still need for improvement. He said everyone needs to “make sure we have a world to leave to our children and to our grandchildren.”

The president said FSU plans to close the Warren Conference Center and Inn deal on April 13. It is a 100 acre site in Ashland, currently owned by Northeastern University. It will remain a conference center, but in the future, it can be used by many disciplines at FSU, according to Cevallos.

He added the Warren Center will be a “really integral part of campus.”

FSU is conducting a marketing study, according Cevallos, to help “build a brand” for FSU and “enhance and raise the image of the university.”

Cevallos announced the search committee will select the new vice president of enrollment and student development “in the next week or two.” The committee met Thursday, March 3 to discuss the finalists.

Cevallos said FSU purchased land on Franklin Street to be used as residence parking. He said parking this semester has been “a little bit of an issue.”

According to Cevallos the lot will be opening fall 2016.

Dale Hamel, executive vice president, said the net gain of parking spots from the new parking lot will be around 262. The University no longer needs to lease parking spaces off-campus.

The new parking lot will allot a 15 percent increase in spaces for faculty and staff on campus, along with adding more handicap spots.

“So every constituent group is benefiting from this new lot, even though it is specifically a lot for resident students, but by moving them off there’s a whole bunch of reassignments and dominoes that then fall,” he said.

The next phase of the science project, which includes repurposing of labs and other renovations, will begin in about a week, according to Hamel.

Some demolition will start over spring break, but most of the work will be done over the summer.

He added there will be two shifts of workers over the summer with the intention of getting most of the renovations done by the fall, but the nursing suite and other rooms will go into the next year “with hopefully everything completed by December.”

As for other projects, Hamel said

the next phase of Crocker Hall updates “may be deferred” in order to move up installing air conditioning in May Hall.

“We’re in the middle of design. We actually have to work with the science project to do a change order for the piping portion of that,” he said.

Hamel said construction of the new residence hall, West Hall, “is moving great. The nice thing about this weather is things fly, so it will easily be done this summer in time for fall occupancy.” After West Hall is completed renovations to turn O’Connor Hall into office space can begin in the fall.

Hamel said the state auditors came

office - I think we’re going to be much more diligent about that in terms of tracking down what equipment is actually available.”

On the budget process, Hamel said projected state appropriations are a smaller than in past years, adding Governor Baker’s budget includes a onepercent increase while FSU budgeted for a three-percent increase.

“That process will play itself out.

Obviously, there’s a number of expenditure commitments that we’re facing, including personnel costs - both for bargain agreements and new personnel, and we’re trying to retain some

college, according to Huddleston.

He said these students are the “moveable middle” population in that they have a 1.7 to 2.7 GPA, have an 80 percent or higher attendance rate in high school and are identified as lowincome students.

Another program Huddleston highlighted was Estrella, which is a partnership with Wayside Youth and Family Services. This program focuses on students aging out of the foster care system.

“Less than five percent of students aging out of foster care either enroll or graduate from college,” he said, add-

“So every constituent group is benefiting from this new [parking] lot, even though it is specifically a lot for resident students, but by moving them off there’s a whole bunch of reassignments and dominoes that then fall.”

- Dale Hamel, executive vice president

and “though it’s still very early … they looked at five areas in depth. I think four of them look good and likely no findings.” However, he said the University “is not doing a very good job” regarding the fifth area the auditors examined - inventory control and tracking equipment across campus.

“That would be an ongoing issue that would become an initiative that will impact all of you,” he said. “So when you get that sheet during the summer of what’s going to be in your

level of increase in faculty and staff as well,” he said, adding they will notify the community with periodic updates.

Sean Huddleston, chief officer of diversity, inclusion and community engagement, said Framingham State has partnered with Keefe Tech Regional School, Framingham High School, MassBay Community College and other community partners for the 100 Males to College program.

This program will help 100 male high school students attend and finish

Melina Bourdeau/The Gatepost

Sean Huddleston, chief officer of diversity, inclusion and community engagement, said FSU is partnering with Wayside Youth and Family Services to help students aging out of the foster care system to attend college.

ing, “We want to make sure that we are encouraging and supporting those students.”

In terms of retention, Huddleston said FSU is part of a consortium called Leading for Change, which was established by Bridgewater State to analysis data with a focus on underrepresented and underserved students in terms of retention and graduate-rate gaps.

He added FSU is planning on adapting a campaign started by Bridgewater called Five for Twenty-Five. If the campaign helps 25 students graduate, it would reflect a five percent graduate rate increase.

The new director for the Center for Inclusive Excellence, Chon’Tel Washington, started on Monday, Feb. 29 and will be working on retention strategies.

Huddleston said recently the administration has expanded the definition of inclusive excellence to include community engagement.

“I’m working with a number of you around the University to help position Framingham State University as an educational partner to our community,” he said.

Lorretta Holloway thanked SGA for having a “very candid discussion about the student employment pilot project and the 20-hour work week. That was really the best way to have a discussion with the people who are directly impacted by it.”

According to Holloway, assistant professor Juliana Luna Freire was instrumental in starting a translator and interpreter program at FSU. Holloway added with help from Freire, several documents were trasnlated “for families who don’t speak English so they can support their students.”

Holloway thanked Shayna Eddy, di- See ALL UNIVERSITY MEETING page 7

NEWS

MARCH 4, 2016

5

BLM forum - Continued from page 1 all Black lives along the gender spectrum. It centers those that have been marginalized within Black liberation movements. It is a tactic to rebuild the Black liberation movement.”

The forum began with a screening of “First Minute Programs: Co-curricular Social Justice Dialogues,” a student film created by Cook. In the video, students, staff and faculty spoke about incidents of racism on campus and how that sparked them to take action.

Cook’s video is posted on YouTube.

According to Rutter, the film “helps explain why I and my colleagues Xavier Guadalupe-Diaz, Lina Rincón and Patricia Sanchez-Connally, got this whole thing started.”

Sanchez-Connally helped facilitate the conversation at the forum. Blank index cards were handed out to everyone, and Sanchez-Connally asked participants to write down their thoughts and feelings toward the teach in and the movement.

Afterward, Sanchez-Connally broke participants up into groups and, with the help of the student facilitators, students discussed what was written on their cards, their experiences with racism and with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Sophomore Naomi Salley said, “I’m not going to say I was oblivious to my skin color. Of course I always knew I was black, but I was born in a different country. I was born and raised in Liberia and over there it’s so diverse. You have people from every skin color and every race. It was never an issue growing up there. I never heard of someone being made fun of their skin color until I came here when I was 7.”

She recalled a time on the playground when someone referred to her as a “nappy-headed black girl.” She said she didn’t feel persecuted against at the time, but now understands the significance of that moment.

Sophomore Khalima Botus-Foster said, “I’m scared to raise a black son.”

Student facilitator Kenetra Hinkins agreed and said, “You don’t want your baby to be a hashtag.”

Amanda Martin/The Gatepost

Roughly 300 students participated in the Black Lives Matter forum which occurred on Wednesday, March 2, according to Virgina Rutter, sociology professor and one of the organizers of the teach in.

After the small group discussions, Sanchez-Connally opened the floor to students to share what their smaller groups spoke about.

Senior Tremain Bell spoke about his experience as a black male living in the inner city. He explained the injustice of his mother having to worry about him while he was simply playing basketball down the street.

“When people who are an authority, who are supposed to be the people looking after us, are the ones beating on us, that’s tough.”

He added the Black Lives Matter movement “sheds light on things that are not right with our society. It shows that people of our generation are stepping up.”

He said past generations accuse millennials of not taking action against the social injustice they complain about. “Nowadays, everything is virtual. When you put something as simple as Black Lives Matter, it’s like an online protest. I love to see my peo-

Amanda Martin/The Gatepost

Students spoke to the audience about their smaller group discussions and what they learned during the teach in.

ple stepping up.”

Bell thanked Sean Huddleston and Virginia Rutter for “making this happen” and allowing students to “discuss things that really matter.

“Finally, someone is making sure we celebrate black history month the right way.”

Sophomore Lindsay Boyle spoke about her Intro to Sociology class which took part in the Black Lives Matter teach in. According to Boyle, the teach in was “a really important movement.”

She said in class, she learned about the confederate flag, the evolution of its meaning and the reasons some believe they have a right to fly it. She added she doesn’t believe in that right.

This statement elicited a round of applause from the crowd.

Boyle added she also learned about Brie Newsome, who was arrested for taking down the confederate flag in front of the South Carolina State House in July 2015. “I thought that was awesome. She stood up for something.

She did something about it. She didn’t care if she got arrested.”

She added the teach in “shouldn’t be a week in February. It should be all

the time. It’s happening right now. We can all see that. It’s happening to all of us. We’re seeing our friends being discriminated against. It’s not fair. We need to do something about it.”

Senior Kamren Smith said in one of his classes, a student voiced his support for All Lives Matter. However, after the teach in and class discussion, “their context shifted.”

He said, “That’s really important. …

Race issues are still prevalent in America. We still have a racism problem.

It’s systemic. A lot of people aren’t exposed to that because they are insulated in their communities.”

When Sanchez-Connally asked students to share what they had written down on their cards in association with the movement, sophomore Emmett Prescott said they wrote down “powerful, insightful, motivating and necessary.”

Prescott elaborated on the word “necessary” and said everyone in the group has brothers. “My brother is a little white boy, he’s 14. He can go out and play, and I don’t have to worry about anything happening to him. …

Karen’s brother is of a darker skin tone.

- See BLM FORUM page 6

Amanda Martin/The Gatepost

Avarie Cook, a senior, showed a video she made about racist and bias incidences on campus at the forum.

6

NEWS

MARCH 4, 2016

BLM forum - Continued from page 5 If he goes out, she has to worry about that.”

He added, “I have friends who every time their little brother or their older brother or anyone in their family goes out, they don’t necessarily know if they’re going to come back. That’s because of the people who we are supposed to regard as protection.”

Sophomore Jace Williams voiced concerns about the targeting of transgender minorities. “I really want to touch upon the black trans lives that are being lost. Already this year, black trans women are being murdered. It’s not just black lives - its black disabled lives, black trans lives, black LGBT lives.”

Sanchez-Connolly asked students how the FSU community can remain engaged in the movement.

Sophomore Jackson Stevens shared what he called “the white perspective.”

Stevens explained, “Understanding our privilege will make our life a little clearer. We live in this snow globe and you shake it and you can’t see the outside world. Other people live in that outside world and have to deal with actual struggles. … Leaving that snow globe is the way to continue this process. Small steps of breaking the glass of that snow globe is the way to keep this at Framingham State.”

According to junior Elizabeth Lewis, engagement begins when teachers take a break from the textbook and teach about social injustices such as police brutality. “I didn’t fully understand police brutality until Trayvon Martin - until these things started happening, until people started posting videos of these things. Black transgender women are being killed every day.

Teachers should be coming out of the textbook to teach us.”

Sophomore Steven Lamisere said while formal education is important, “sometimes, you have to learn things on your own. I feel like when you step out of your comfort zone that’s when you learn more about yourself. … We should all step out of our comfort zones. … That’s when you bloom like a flower.”

Sociology professor Lina Rincón said the teach in has been adopted by surrounding state colleges, including Bridgewater State, Salem State, Westfield State and Mass College of Art. She added this “speaks volumes” about the success of the teach in and how it has to “continue in our teaching and learning.”

Rincón shared suggestions of what FSU can do to further the movement.

“Racism is often denied, minimized and justified. Someone pointed out, be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Talk to your friends and family. … You can also join local BLM chapters.”

According to Rincón, the new Director of the Center for Inclusive Excellence Chon’tel Washington will be creating a new Speakers Bureau to bring more discussion to dorms, classroom and clubs.

Student facilitator Cameron Zamagni said, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. If you don’t say something when someone makes a joke or comment, you are setting the status quo. If you laugh, you’re saying that’s alright.”

Amanda Martin/The Gatepost

Patricia Sanchez-Connally, a sociology professor, asked those in attendance to break into groups to share their experiences with last week’s Black Lives Matter teach in.

“I have friends who every time their little brother or their older brother or anyone in their family goes out, they don’t necessarily know if they’re going to come back.

That’s because of the people who we are supposed to regard as protection.”

- Emmett Prescott, sophomore

Amanda Martin/The Gatepost

During the forum, students were put into small groups to discuss what the Black Lives Matter movement means to them, why they found it important and what they learned in their classes.

NEWS

MARCH 4, 2016

7

All University Meeting - Continued from page 4 rector of undergraduate admissions, for her hard work, which has resulted in record enrollment at FSU. The Housing and Food Insecurities taskforce received a donation of $30,000, with an additional donation of $10,000 to help students with housing and food insecurities.

According to Holloway, Michelle Yestrepsky is the single point of contact for FSU students suffering from housing and food insecurity issues.

English Professor Elaine Beilin updated faculty and staff on a new initiative called Re-Imagining the First Year (RFY) of college. According to Beilin, the University is “going to engage in a long-term well-considered project that has the potential of being a huge benefit to our first-year students, and so, of course, to all of our students.”

In January, Framingham State University was chosen as one of 44 colleges nationwide to participate in this three-year project, according to Beilin.

She added FSU was chosen “partly because we’ve already made some progress in improving first-year students’ learning, success and retention.”

According to Beilin, 25 percent of all first-year students do not return for a second year. “Let’s put a face on that,” Beilin said, adding, “Over 200 of our first-year students leave. If they don’t enroll in another institution or they don’t come back to us, many of their life prospects are diminished.”

Join

Beilin was a member of the team that attended the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) conference to discuss the implementation of the RFY program at FSU. Others on the team included Huddleston, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairss Linda Vaden-Goad and Director of First-Year Programs Ben Trapanick.

According to Beilin, the conference showed participants there was “a lot more we could be doing” at FSU to increase retention of students.

Beilin said, “The essential goal of RFY is to redesign the first year of college to ensure greater success for all students with a special emphasis on students who have not been well served by higher education - low income, first generation and students of color.”

FSU is now in the process of forming four working groups, according to Beilin, each of which will be concentrated on one of four of AASCU’s areas of focus - institutional intentionality, faculty and staff, curriculum and students.

At the conference, the team was asked to sum up what FSU was most excited about with the implementation of RFY, the team wrote down, “Having the whole campus working on a collaborative, data driven, action-oriented project of the highest importance to the University’s mission of equity and social justice.

“And what we ended up saying was, ‘It’s on all of us.’”

Melina Bourdeau/The Gatepost

FSU will close on the Warren Conference Center and Inn deal,

by April 13 according to President F. Javier Cevallos.

The Gatepost; we put out on Fridays.

Mondays at 6:30pm @TheGatepost gatepost@framingham.com

NEWS

8

MARCH 4, 2016

Kolomitz VP open forum - Continued from page 1 ed school.

“That was a really significant culture shift. We served, for almost 80 years, predominately white, IrishCatholic women. … I was really honored to be a piece of that glue that insisted that we come together to figure out the greater good,” she said, adding Regis now has about 40-percent diversity and is in the high thirties for first-generation students.

Sean Huddleston, chief officer of diversity, inclusion and community engagement, asked, “What are some of the things you helped to lead to ensure that inclusion happened at a high level?”

Kolomitz replied, “I think sometimes, the beginning of inclusion is the most obvious conversations, and I would also say to you they’re also the most honest conversations that you have to be willing to have.”

She added it is important to give students a place to voice their opinions, and having that available helped the process of becoming a co-ed college while maintaining “some bold leadership and movement.”

Rita Colucci, chief of staff and general counsel, asked about Kolomitz’s involvement with the recruitment of students.

Kolomitz said her role “has been really integral in developing the coeducational campus” for both undergraduate and graduate students.

“Our philosophy is we have a profile of a student that we are very successful with, and we’ve done that through a lot of different data analysis. We’ve done that through a lot of early interventions prior to coming to campus and then certainly through the first year and on through the second year.”

She said her job includes messaging and utilizing technologies to reach potential students along with orientation, calling her work a “holistic approach.”

Marc Cote, dean of arts and humanities, asked Kolomitz about her policy on early intervention for recruitment and any plans she may have to address the declining popu-

Allie Gath/The Gatepost

Kara Kolomitz responds to questions by the FSU community about her work experience during an open forum held on Monday, Feb. 29. lation of potential college students.

She said having conversations early on with students and their families about the cost of college is important. Regis has partnered with a local high school, and the high school students come to campus and have college students mentor them, according to Kolomitz.

“I think that messaging and positioning of an institution is critical. … I think things are changing and I think it’s important for institutions to be smart about how they’re positioning themselves,” she said.

Margaret Carroll, dean of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, asked Kolomitz how she thinks student services can work with academics to address retention issues.

Kolomitz said an issue of retention is not knowing the students, and that having conversations with students is “at the forefront” of retention efforts.

“You don’t retain students that you don’t know - that the institution doesn’t have an understanding of and I think that is the beginning key of understanding within the different

disciplines of the school that student profile and that student’s ability.”

She added no two early interventions for students are the same and “you have to be creative enough and insightful enough to crack those appropriately.”

About figuring out “early warning triggers” she said Starfish has been important with figuring out where students excel and why. Starfish is a program that allows faculty and staff to interact with students online. She added a good advising process of “mutually coming across the aisle” in terms of student affairs and academics is “pivotal.”

Scott Greenberg, dean of continuing education, asked Kolomitz how she has used data and Starfish in her position.

She said administrators at the institution have used data “most significantly” in their decision to link firstyear seminar to a second-semester, discipline-specific course that has resulted in an increased retention of students, especially first-generation students, students choosing their major earlier and an increase in cocurricular engagement.

Allie Gath/The Gatepost

During the forum, Kara Kolomitz answered questions about retention, her doctoral research and working with students.

Stafish has helped in the communication of students and faculty and staff which “has been really unifying,” along with aiding student intervention, according to Kolomitz.

Cote asked what Kolomitz sees as the similarities between Regis and FSU, and what may be some challenges in their differences.

Kolomitz said she saw FSU as a “beautifully charming campus” when she came to visit, and she felt comfortable. She said there is a size difference between the two campuses, but that her experience at Providence College in Rhode Island as the assistant director of residence life from 1997 to 2001, which has a similar population size to FSU, makes the switch “not as daunting.”

She added, “When I commit to an institution, I jump in wholeheartedly.” Kolomitz said while she would miss Regis, she looks forward to the new challenges of working at larger campus.

Jeanne Haley, a staff counselor, asked Kolomitz what she’s done recently to improve mental health of students on her campus.

Kolomitz said health and wellness is important, and Regis administrators have created a support group and network for students who have “never had a level of support for their mental health that they needed, because outwardly they seem to not need it.”

She added their work around Title IX intervention and compliance is something she is proud of, including a strong bystander intervention program which was the result of faculty, staff and students coming together to create a care advocate program.

David Stender, associate director of residence life and student conduct, asked Kolomitz to share what she will take away from her doctoral research.

Kolomitz, who is defending her dissertation for her doctorate in May, said her work revolves around studying new presidents of small, private universities.

“My interest and fascination with leadership and organizational culture has always been a piece of my scholarship and my studies regarding higher educational leadership,” - See KOLOMITZ VP OPEN FORUM page 9

NEWS

MARCH 4, 2016

Kolomitz VP open forum - Continued from page 8 she said. Kolomitz added she enjoys challenges and problem-solving, and this research aligned her with the opportunity to study these dynamics.

Jeremy Spencer, dean of enrollment management, asked about Regis’s endowment, cost and “how, strategically, do you go about aligning a limited endowment and a large price tag with leveraging your financial aid in being able to help those students?”

Kolomitz replied, “Regis is exceedingly generous with our financial aid and yes, there is certainly a ticket price, but there is also a discounted rate.”

Spencer followed up, asking, “Can you just talk about your philosophy of helping students make viable choices about when to go to school and when, in fact, school might not be financially for them? About helping them understand the indebtedness and what’s an appropriate response to that?”

The cost of higher education is the first topic Regis administrators discuss with prospective students, she said.

“I think that it is important to make sure that conversation is had with families,” said Kolomitz, adding how possible scenarios, such as taking a semester off or not finishing school within four years, could affect

their finances.

“I think being honest with students upfront is the most important thing to do,” she said.

A reporter from The Gatepost asked, “Do you have any experiences working side-by-side with students to solve an issue?”

Kolomitz said she prides herself on having an approachable and accessible relationship with students. She added she has worked with students on multiple issues, such as students who are homeless, who financially can’t stay enrolled and also working on improving equality on campus.

A story Kolomitz said resonates with her is when a student came to her and said she can’t stay in school because she could no longer pay for education. Kolomitz said she would help the student look into available resources, and asked the student if she would stay in college if she had all the money she needed.

“She said, ‘No, I probably wouldn’t. … Because my dad’s afraid I’m going to be smarter than he is.’ That was one of the most pivotal conversations I’ve had, because this student was at such a cross-roads in her own identity and who she was supposed to be and who she was going to be,” said Kolomitz. She added that by sticking with the student and working with her, Kolomitz was able to help and the student ended up staying.

9

Happiness Week is April 11th- 14th Psi Chi is currently looking to partner with [your club] on events surrounding the theme of happiness!

Whether its stress relief, sweet treats, positive messages, games, performances, or whatever! We want everyone to get their happy on this April.

To host an event please contact psichi@framingham.edu

Miss FSU 2016 March 8th, 7:30 PM DPAC Come see some of your favorite FSU women take the stage to compete for the title of...

Miss FSU 2016!

SUAB’s Large Performer will also be announced at Miss FSU! Want to be the first to know who will be coming to campus to perform? Then head to Miss FSU!

Nominations for Mr. FSU are now live on the FSU SUAB Facebook Page!

Questions? Need accommodations? E-mail suab@framingham.edu

10

MARCH 4, 2016

OP/ED The Gatepost Editorial

Time to revist State Street Safety After a single-car accident on State Street earlier this week, which saw a white truck strike and split a telephone pole in half, it’s time for Framingham State University and the town of Framingham to start thinking about the issue of speeding on and around campus.

While we at The Gatepost have always known cars to zip far too quickly through State Street, what several editors witnessed on Tuesday night is a prime example of the negligence far too many motorists exhibit while driving through campus and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Several neighbors shared their concerns with Gatepost editors while watching the white truck be towed away. One neighbor, who wished to be referred to as Jim, said he had heard “a screeching sound and then a crash.”

Jim and the other neighbors said they believe speeding was a factor in the crash. Just like the residents in 2001, Jim and his fellow neighbors said the best way to solve the issue is to install speed bumps.

He added the town told him and the other neighbors speed bumps were not an option due to “snow plowing.”

The issue of speeding through State Street is not new.

In the article “State Street plans spark controversy” by Michelle Wood in the Nov. 16, 2001 issue of The Gatepost, administrators presented plans to close off sections of State Street and Maynard Road due to safety concerns.

In another article, “Administration meets with neighbors to discuss proposal changes to campus” by Jessica Gagnon in the Oct. 19, 2001 issue of The Gatepost, neighbors suggested speed bumps along State Street to help slow traffic. However, the former Director of Facilities Michael Hinkley said speed bumps are impossible because they impede snow removal and emergency vehicles.

While speed bumps would be the ideal solution, we at The Gatepost believe radar speed signs would also help control the speeding problem. These speed signs are used at the beginning of every semester for high traffic - it should be simple enough to keep these signs year round.

Currently, the speed limit on State Street is 25 mph.

The legal speed limit for a school zone is 20 mph. While colleges are not considered school zones, we at The Gatepost believe they should be treated as such. Lowering the speed limit to 20 mph may deter drivers from speeding.

Thankfully, this incident occurred on a Tuesday night.

As Jim told The Gatepost, had this accident took place on a Thursday night when there is a high concentration of students walking alongside State Street, any one of these students could have been struck and killed.

Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost

Letter to the Editor Dear Gatepost, Wow. We organized the teach-in, we taught our classes, our students were engaged, thoughtful, complex and subtle - but we didn’t get to go to other classes. So you did!

Your riveting reporting - covering the classes of Robert Martin (psych), Vandana Singh (physics), (our own) Xavier Guadalupe-Diaz (criminology), Desmond McCarthy (English), Brandi Cutler (anthropology), Niall Stephens (communication arts) and Bryan Connolly (biology)--meant that we got a window on the full teach-in experience; your coverage was engaged, thoughtful, complex and subtle. Your selection of the courses you attended truly captured the depth and range of the subjects that were covered. The photography added so much, too.

How many students were in several #BlackLivesMatter teach-in classes at the

same time? We estimate there were hundreds of them given that 145 courses were involved in over 200 class meetings. Because of The Gatepost’s writing and editorial vision, we got a feel for what that was like.

College is about many different things - but we think the classroom/learning experience is pretty central. Expanding on the classroom/learning experience, we sought to connect our communities with the ongoing struggle of #BlackLivesMatter. You showed us just how that worked. And that makes The Gatepost a really big part of our education as well as our civic world.

Xavier Guadalupe-Diaz, Lina Rincon, Virginia Rutter, and Patricia Sanchez-Connally Department Of Sociology

FSU community disrespects final VP candiate Alexandra Gomes Associate Editor This past Monday, the final candidate for the Vice President of Enrollment and Student Development position, Kara Kolomitz, visited the campus and attended an open forum.

The forum was intended to be a chance for FSU students, faculty and administrators to get to know Kolomitz, her background and her policies. While very few students attended any of the forums, faculty and administrators attended the forums of both previous candidates Adrian Haugabrook and VP interim Lorretta Holloway and asked well formulated questions.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Kolomitz’s forum.

The faculty and administrators who did attend the forum were painfully disinterested in this candidate.

The same questions were asked multiple times in different ways, suggesting the audience was indifferent to her answers. The questions that were asked seemed thought up on the spot, unlike the questions at Haugabrook and Holloway’s forums, which were obviously well-thought out.

Several long silences were endured.

Marc Cote, dean of arts and humanities, and Dave Stender, associate director of residence life and student conduct, asked Kolomitz twice about her plans for recruitment.

She was asked more than once about the new program Starfish, which FSU is planning to implement, and how effective it has been at Regis College. The two former candidates were not asked about Starfish. How this program relates to her ability to be an effective leader and integrate smoothly into our community is a mystery.

After probing from Rita Colucci, chief of staff and general counsel, for more questions, Dean of STEM Margaret Carroll said, “I’ll ask my magic wand question,” as if she were doing Kolomitz a favor by ending the silence and asking a ques-

tion she had asked the two former candidates.

Kolomitz herself remarked more than once what a “quiet crowd” they were. She even made jokes to try to alleviate the awkward tension in the room and stimulate the audience. Colucci had to prompt the audience three separate times for questions.

It seems the audience perceived Kolomitz’s candidacy as a mere formality, and the real competition is between Haugabrook and Holloway.

However, formality or not, Kolomitz deserves respect. Frankly, the faculty and administrators’ apathy toward her was embarrassing, unprofessional and unethical.

This reflects on our University as whole. After all, the administration and faculty are the ones who run this school. Is this how we want to be remembered by Kolomitz - as unwelcoming and disrespectful?

Kolomitz, whether she is hired or not, is a leader in the higher education community of Massachusetts. She is part of the administration of Regis College. Undoubtedly, she is mingling with other fellow educational leaders and sharing experiences with them at regional events and professional conferences. Is this the reputation we want to have in our Greater Boston community?

The FSU community, especially the faculty and administration, should know how to treat a guest on our campus. She deserved well-thought out questions, enthusiasm and 45 minutes of our undivided attention. If members of the community wish to have some sway in the decision of the new VP, they should be able to exhibit these basic signs of respect.

Op/Ed submissions reflect the opinions of their authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of The Gatepost or its staff.

MARCH 4, 2016

11

Oscars race problem more than a black and white issue Michael B. Murphy Editor-In-Chief Last Sunday at the 88th Academy Awards, the annual celebration of the very best in motion pictures was mustsee TV for many cinephiles, fashion fiends and pop-culture connoisseurs.

However, last Sunday’s Oscar telecast was also must-watch television for a very different and serious reason.

Much controversy and debate had been made since the Academy announced the nominees for its 24 categories on Thursday, Jan. 14. Out of the 20 nominees nominated for acting, not one black performer’s name was announced. This was, of course, problematic on a number of levels, but when coupled with the fact no black performer was nominated the year prior, well, it’s quite understandable why the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite became as wildly popular as it did.

So when emcee for the 2016 Oscars and comedian Chris Rock took the stage at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and performed a shocking yet humorous vivisection of the institutional racism embedded deep within the Academy Awards - and by extension Hollywood - many, myself included, laughed and applauded.

“You’re damn right Hollywood’s racist, but not the racist that you’ve grown accustomed to,” Rock said.

“Hollywood is sorority racist. It’s like, ‘We like you, Rhonda, but you’re not a Kappa.’ That’s how Hollywood is.”

While Rock’s jokes elicited much lwter from the celebs in attendance, the now two-time Oscar host took a more serious tone to his humor when he said prior black performers did not voice their concerns over underrepresentation at previous Academy Awards as they had larger, more pressing issues to contend with.

“We were too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won best cinematographer,” he said. “When your grandmother’s swinging from a tree, it’s really hard to care about best documentary foreign short.”

He would go on to joke that the Oscars annual “In Memoriam” staple would consist only of “Black people who were shot by the cops on the way to the movies.”

In a night that was destined to be shrouded in controversy, awkwardness and palpable racial tension, Rock’s hu-

morous yet brutally honest monologue was much needed. Rock should be lauded for his brilliant opening monologue which saw the well-respected humorist perform a precarious tightrope act of exhibiting righteous anger while also delivering the comedic brilliance he is known for.

While no one expected the ceremony to become a hotbed for racial equality, Rock started the night off right by addressing the concerns of the #OscarsSoWhite movement and holding the Academy’s feet to the proverbial fire.

All was well.

Until a random and crass Asian joke

vast majority of them at the expense of the predominantly white male Academy - I can’t help but scratch my head at the inclusion of three very offensive and painfully unclever jokes.

The first offense occurred when Rock invited three PriceWaterhouseCoopers “accountants” - the company which tabulates the voting results of Oscar voters - onto the stage.

One by one, three young Asian children dressed in business suits carrying brief cases awkwardly walked onto the front of the stage.

Their names, according to Rock?

Bao Ling, Ming Zu and David Moskowitz.

Courtesy of Creative Commons

was cracked on the telecast.

Then another.

And another.

Before I begin to describe and unpack the racist text of the Asian jokes bandied about, let me go ahead and say the blame should not rest solely at the feet of Rock and the army of comedy writers he amassed for the event.

No doubt the Academy read and approved all jokes submitted by Rock and his team multiple times. This was of course supposed to be an event where the Academy could convince others they were not only inclusive, but that they were also willing to be the butt of many pointedly harsh jokes.

So while racially-charged jokes were to be expected from Rock - the

Because if there is one thing Asians excel at, it’s mathematics. Oh, and if you’re wondering why an Asian child would be named David Moskowitz?

Well, hardy-har-har, if there is one rival Asians have in the field of accounting, it’s the Jews of course.

Sigh.

Mere moments later, Rock preemptively rebutted those who would call him a hypocrite. Rock himself had just become racially insensitive - albeit for a few laughs - at the very event he had transformed into a comedic hitman who proudly, and unwaveringly, silenced the Oscars’ racist predilections.

“If anybody’s upset about that joke, just tweet about it on your phone that was also made by these kids,” he said.

An obvious reference to the ongoing issue of child labor that has plagued many Asian nations, Rock seemed either unaware or indifferent to how utterly tone deaf his Asian jokes were when juxtaposed with the, so far, otherwise racially sensitive Oscar event.

As Managing Editor of Slate Lowen Liu said, Rock’s joke relied on “equally base premises: Asian kids are either accountants or child laborers.

“But is he talking about privileged Asian Americans, raised in graduatedegree households,” Liu wrote. “Or is he talking about kids from a mostly rural China, whose population is trying to leap into the middle class by soldering circuit boards?”

I would agree with Liu that Rock perpetuated the tiresome and offensive stereotype that all Asians are the same.

To quote a tweet sent out on Sunday night by Asian-American actress Constance Wu, who stars in the AsianAmerican ABC sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat,” “To parade little kids on stage w/no speaking line merely to be the butt of a racist joke is reductive and gross.”

Reductive and gross indeed.

Chris Rock was not the only one to crack derogatory jokes about Asians.

Actor Sascha Baron Cohen, who you may know better as Borat or Bruno, would not be out done.

Adorned in a jumpsuit, a beanie and ski-goggles, Cohen appeared on stage as his popular character Ali G. In his trademark exaggerated British-cumgangsta accent, Ali G said, “Ow come there’s no Oscar for dem very hardworking little yellow people with tiny little dongs?”

Now, now, reader, surely someone as progressive in his comedy stylings as Cohen wouldn’t be referring to Asians. He surely can’t be cracking wise about the emasculating and offensive stereotype that Asian men have small penises? He also wouldn’t call Asians yellow skinned, right?

This is the Oscars after all, right?

“You know,” he said. “The Minions.”

Oh thank God. He was just referring to the popular, tiny banana-peel colored cartoon characters from the “Despicable Me” films.

Yikes.

So what the hell happened at this year’s Oscars?

Well, nothing out of the ordinary, - See THE OSCARS page 12

The Gatepost welcomes submissions from students, faculty and staff for the Op/Ed page.

Please send submissions under 300 words to gatepost@framingham.edu.

The Gatepost editors reserve the right to accept or reject submissions, and to edit spelling and grammar as deemed necessary.

Op/Ed submissions reflect the opinions of their authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of The Gatepost or its staff.

12

MARCH 4, 2016

Trump rallies and photographer rights Brad Leuchte Editorial Staff By now, you have most likely heard about or seen the Time photographer who was chokeslammed by the Secret Service agent at the Donald Trump rally at Radford University on Monday.

Time Photographer Chris Morris allegedly stepped 18 inches outside of the press barrier to take photos of the protestors who were interrupting the rally. What allegedly happened was that the agent then told him to step back, Morris said “F*ck you,” and the agent then chokeslammed him to the ground. Morris instinctively kicked him in the chest to get the agent off and was then dragged out of the venue by security guards and police. All of this happened while the crowd cheered and yelled at him.

Who is at fault here is not necessarily the issue. Both of the parties involved clearly broke some rules.

The issue that I want to address is that there are press restrictions that are in place during some political rallies recently, specifically ones for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, that go against the First Amendment.

According to Michael Calderone, senior media reporter at The Huffington Post, Donald Trump has been “keeping [credentialed journalists] in a press pen … even apparently after the event ended … and requiring them to have an escort when going to the bathroom.”

The reason they do this is because many presidential campaigns have become tightly scripted ventures. Advisors do not want people to get the wrong impression of the candidates, which is much more likely to happen behind the scenes rather than behind a podium.

According to a press release by the National Photographer’s Association, President Melissa Lyttle said, “If indeed all Mr. Morris was attempting to do was step out of the press pen to photograph a newsworthy event happening at the rear of the room, the agent clearly overreacted.”

The job of a news photographer is to record events truly as they appear and report them honestly to the public. I just don’t understand how that is possible when they are held in a completely separate area, unable to react with and experience the event the same way as regular attendees.

Though what I can understand is that there may be some concerns with privacy and safety as far as letting journalists go behind the scenes at an event that large. Though ideally, press should be able to have at least a bit more access than civilians. Because, of course, they are sharing what most people may not get the ability to see.

Restricting their rights is backwards and, in my opinion, an attack on the press - an attack on our constitutional rights and the First Amendment.

really.

We shouldn’t be surprised the Academy Awards - an industry mostly owned and operated by old white men - would find it appropriate to green light jokes which only serve to debase Asians. I mean, this is the very institution which has snubbed black performers in all acting categories for the last two years in a row.

However, while those who run the Oscars were willing to take a few lumps from the critics - Rock in particular - who charged that the Academy Awards overlooks the work done by black actors and actresses, the Academy Awards received yet another free pass on its nearly century-long dismissal of Asian performers.

Thankfully, I’m not alone in my opinion as many people flocked to Twitter Sunday night - Asian and non-Asian - to voice their annoyance at the Academy’s hypocritical stance on racial diversity. In fact, before the

Kate Shane Staff Writer Been driving since 17 years old.

Studying for years. Make a few mistakes here and there.

We take walking for granted. We know how to do that. Well, same goes for driving. We believe we are really good at it.

Commuters need to remember a few things for the four year ride. Get ready to fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the rollercoaster.

Technology in the last decade, wow.

So many innovations. iPhones, tablets and laptops. Our phones enable us to be social butterflies.

You see the notification light up on your phone. While driving you are so tempted to reach down and text back.

You are going to be late to school and believe you must tell someone you are

on your way.

Caring about your well-being is essential. Texting and driving not only puts yourself at risk but other drivers.

Accidents can be prevented.

Staying up all night to study for an exam? Sleep deprivation again puts you at risk. Drowsiness behind the wheel increases the chance of you not being alert and fully cognitive of your surroundings. And according to psychology Professor Dr. Michael Greenstein, cramming the night before an exam is not a good study habit. The brain needs good sleep the night before an exam in order to work at its best.

Nothing justifies speeding. And breaking this rule of the road not only makes you prone to tickets and fines, but the possibility of losing control of your vehicle. Motorcyclists themselves must keep their focus on other vehicles around them. Wearing your protective outerwear and helmet always ensures more safety.

Peer pressure leads to more dilemmas. Always listen to your gut about what you believe to be right. Doing the safe thing is not uncool. If your passengers insist on blaring the radio and this distracts your driving, make this clear.

Courtesy of Creative Commons

Letter to the Editor

The Oscars - Continued from page 11

Bam! Ram safety...

Oscar telecast ended, a popular Twitter hashtag #OnlyOnePercent began to trend.

The hashtag brought much needed attention to the appalling statistic that only one percent of Hollywood films feature Asians in leading roles.

Atendees of Sunday’s Oscars ceremony seemed primed to discuss and tackle the issue of racial diversity.

Instead, what we got at the 88th annual Academy Awards was an out-oftouch racist entertainment institution propping up one minority group to look good while at the very same time holding down the head of another.

In our classes, Europe and the World Since C. 1450, The Sixties, and Intro to Archaeology, we readily linked to #BlackLivesMatter by exploring historical and anthropological sources on chattel slavery in the Atlantic World, the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, and the power of archaeology to reveal the hidden history of African-American communities in historical New England. Our students engaged with these materials in ways that we believe will keep making a difference. That was our piece of the teach-in. Overall, 90 faculty members planned their classes in a new way to link to #BlackLivesMatter, and over 2000 students were directly involved in the classroom.

Your article on courses taught for the teach-in - covering police shootings, cultural reactions to Beyonce’s “Formation” and even the connection between plant physiology and black lives - pulls together evidence that our school has the skill and capacity to do new things and to seek to change entrenched patterns.

Toward this end, we propose that now is the time for redoubling FSU’s recruitment efforts to ensure that we

have a more representative faculty, especially focused on black faculty. A more representative faculty is essential to take our campus community to the next level of innovation, dialogue and inclusivity. To achieve this requires that we engage more of our faculty in this process. In our experience, this means providing ways for faculty to know more scholars of color, as well as the work and frameworks offered by scholars of color. Thus, it is imperative that we invest in enhancing our scholarly networks at conferences, and attend professional meetings in order to actively meet and recruit future faculty of color.

We can do this. Because we did this.

Bridgette Sheridan, Associate Professor Department of History Benjamin Alberti, Professor and Chair Department of Sociology

Op/Ed submissions reflect the opinions of their authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of The Gatepost or its staff.

13

ARTS & FEATURES

MARCH 4, 2016

Naomi Klein speaks about economics and climate change

By Phil McMullin Editorial Staff Naomi Klein, climate activist and author of “This Changes Everything: Capitalism v. The Climate,” spoke in DPAC on Thursday, Feb. 25.

Klein discussed the 2015 United Nations Conference on Climate Change, where world leaders met to formulate plans to make their countries eco-friendly.

Klein said that, although the world leaders agreed on a target to reduce global warming to 2 degrees Celsius there is no international agreement which will enforce the necessary changes to meet this goal.

“Is what happened in Paris a triumph or a disaster?” she asked, rhetorically. She said the conference was both, since it was a step in the right direction but did not do enough to make a tangible difference.

Klein said the leaders met again to announce their plans to reach the target goal, but the plans collectively would not even bring global warming below 3 degrees Celsius. “Business as usual,” she added, will lead to a change of 6 degrees Celsius, or roughly 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

“We know what we have to do,” said Klein, “and we are willing to do roughly half that.”

Klein warned the world would suffer a “procrastination penalty” for not acting soon enough.

She said world leaders will not make the appropriate changes unless they are pressured by citizens.

Klein continued to say governments, including that of the United States, take advantage of natural disasters and economic crises to further their agendas.

As an example, she said the government used Hurricane Katrina to privatize schools and to close public housing. She refers to this phenomenon as the “shock doctrine.”

Klein connected climate change to the Black Lives Matter movement, saying climate change will affect African and poor nations around the world to a greater degree, especially islands which are closer to sea level.

“Climate change has everything to do with human rights,” said Klein, adding national disasters lead to the abuse of certain demographics. California, she said, uses its prison population to fight the growing number of forest fires in the state, and only pays them one or two dollars a day to do so.

She said the community should control the resources - not corporations. Klein spoke about Flint, Michigan, where the water was heavily polluted with lead due to mismanagement, saying the crisis disproportionately affected minorities.

The citizens of Flint, according to Klein, should be given control over their energy as reparation for racial inequality.

Klein said people are starting to realize the current system is “broken” for many reasons, and added climate change is giving society a deadline to fix systemic problems. Movements

like Black Lives Matter, she said, show change is coming.

She said this need for change is why presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is popular, which received a round of applause from the crowd.

Klein urged people to be active advocates for sustainability.

“I know people are cynical … but activism actually leads to change.”

She added groups with various strategies for change should unite against the current system, and if activists are not fighting within their group, their “coalition isn’t big enough.”

She said climate activists should not just focus on what should not be done, but should also advocate for specific changes which will help. Klein suggested we “say no” to the demands of corporations, but also invest in the public sphere to support alternate forms of sustainable energy.

Some students have suggested that the University could be doing more to be eco-friendly.

Kristy Goldman, a senior said, “Climate change is real. I don’t know if this school is doing much of anything about it. If they are, I haven’t heard about it,”.

Azaliyh Foster, a freshman said, “You don’t really see them enforcing the whole recycling thing.”

Abby Ames, a freshman, suggested “we could put more recycling bins out, because I don’t see a lot of them outside.”

President Cevallos said he was glad to see people who do not attend the University at the event and encouraged them to visit again in the future, “Think of Framingham State as your little home on top of the hill.”

Allie Gath/The Gatepost

Above: Naomi Klein spoke in DPAC on climate and economy.

Below: Melanie Hain has her copy of Klein’s book signed by the author.

Allie Gath/The Gatepost

ARTS & FEATURES

14

Kool A.D.’s “O.K.”

Exuberantly witty rap acrobatics in 100 tracks

MARCH 4, 2016

Fashion Frenzy

By Cameron Raia Staff Writer Bay Area artist, author and rapper KOOL A.D. has been an undeniably fresh, galactic golden child of the rap game for several years now. Though relatively unknown, he’s been putting out consistently lovable mixtapes under his own name since early 2012.

The latest album in his contemporary lineup, “O.K.,” clocks in at six and a half hours, with exactly 100 tracks. And indeed, this absurd collection is so marvelously ambitious, so diverse and exciting, it may very well be unique within all hip-hop.

When wandering this purple oceanic titan, countless different styles of instrumental emerge. KOOL A.D.’s long-time producer Amaze 88 is back, with his distinct sampling of jazz music - the bright, classy beats are a familiar canvas for KOOL A.D. Between sporadic interludes of vaporwave, doctored free jazz and even legitimate hardcore-punk, other favorite collaborators return. Trackademics, Toro y Moi, Issue and Steel Tipped Dove provide magnificently fire beats ... and the perfect backdrop for Vazquez to, as he says, “freak the Spanglish.”

And, oh, freak it he does. This bearded, bespectacled wizard freaks it beyond our wildest dreams.

Through an ingenious combination of silky flow, pop culture, tireless humor, extravagant slang, universal truths, whimsical wordplay, English, Spanish and even self-aware satire, KOOL A.D. makes an intelligent rollercoaster. First heard on track #2, (whose beat is a great big sample of the theme from “Downton Abbey,”) Vazquez makes a lovely entrance, but is barely even getting warmed up. Following that comes the first example of what he can do to a funky, modern beat: murder it. Toro y Moi lays down a hype instrumental for “Santeria” as KOOL A.D. unveils a charming gift of his - the ability to rap seamlessly, alone, with no hook and hardly a break. And his delivery is only a hint of things to come.

Throughout the tape, he switches subject matter and general tone surprisingly often. While Vazquez is liable to seem quite happy as a disciple of cookie-cutter trap, the passage of a few short bars may see him discussing far more whimsical things. Some favorite mentions include the cost of four ice cream sundaes, choosing opera over television, eating pasta in Rome or his similarity to Wayne Shorter. The latter, in particular, is a delight no rapper seems to pull off quite as well as KOOL A.D. the sudden mention of a celebrity as being similar to himself. I’ve

Scan the QR code to listen to a preview of “O.K.” and to purchase the album.

By Cass Doherty Staff Writer With spring just around the corner, people are looking to throw out the old and bring in the new. This means that your local Salvation Army or Savers will be filling up with fun additions to your wardrobe. And as a college student, we all are looking for ways to save money here and there – paying tuition isn’t easy. While many may be hesitant to buy from a thrift store – and I get it, it’s weird to think about the fact that someone may have already worn those clothes – it’s no different than getting handme-downs from an older sibling. Just toss the clothes in the wash and they’ll be as good as new. The best way to make the most of your trip to a thrift store is to keep in mind a few tips that will keep you updating your wardrobe.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

humbly coined this vehicle a “name pop.” Vasquez has dropped so many of these name pops throughout the years, each more charmingly irreverent than the last: David Bowie, Sammy Sosa, Justin Bieber, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Keanu Reeves and Pat Benatar are just a small selection.

And yet, this album is made even more exotic by featuring a myriad of guest rappers. KOOL A.D. is joined by longtime associates Lakutis, Kassa Overall and Big Baby Gandhi, alongside newer additions like Killer Mike (of Run the Jewels), Fat Tony and Chaz Van Queen. They all showcase great prowess, with some verses almost rivaling Vazquez’s wit. In the end, however, KOOL A.D. is our warmest guide along such an imaginative journey. One hundred tracks is intimidating, to be sure, but almost every single one is a certified banger. Keep your ears open for “Future Primitive Art School,” “Hypersensitive Jester,” “Thought So” or “Reggae Shmop,” and download “O.K.” for free on his Bandcamp page!

1. LOOK FOR QUALITY BRANDS & FABRICS Because thrift stores offer such low prices, it can be hard not to fill up on impulse buys.

But its smart to keep in mind that a lot of the clothes left in thrift stores may be there because the quality of them isn’t that great.

Look for name brands you’ve heard of, and make sure that when browsing the racks you find clothes that don’t feel or look cheap or overly worn.

2. SHOP WITH TRENDS IN MIND Since clothing stores aren’t few and far between, make sure to pop into a few before heading to a thrift store to know what exactly is on the up and up these days. Buying what’s in style can help you be confident in what you’re wearing. Clothes you find may be old,but are still very trendy.

3. KNOW WHAT TO AVOID Thrift stores can sometimes be considered taboo because clothes can be damaged, extremely outdated, or smelly. If you know what to avoid, you won’t end up with something completely unwearable. For the most part, stay away from things you think your grandparents might wear, as well as clothes that are damaged, stained or smell.

If you make a point to keep away from those items, your thrift shopping adventures will be happier and a lot more fun.

4. ELIMINATE SIGNS OF WEAR With thrift store clothes, most of the time they’ve been worn. Knowing how to brighten up clothes that are faded or fix sweaters that are pilling will be a lifesaver.

Rit Dye is cheap and can easily bring life back into those faded clothes, and using a razor on clothes that are pilling is another cheap way to revitalize them.

The most important thing to remember is that you’re shopping secondhand. When it comes to these clothes, it’s important to look for quality over quantity, despite the fact that the clothes are cheaper. By taking your time while shopping, you’ll find the best bang for your buck and come home with items that are essentially brand new – to you.

ARTS & FEATURES

MARCH 4, 2016

15

The Legend of the Hilltop Orange: A tradition four years in the making

By Melina Bourdeau Editorial Staff It was the second night of Hilltop’s “Dinny and the Witches” in the fall of 2012 and the production was going off without a hitch - unlike opening night, when a cast member spilled the fruit bowl in center stage.

On that night only one plastic orange fell out, but it landed in front of the curtain where no one from the crew could get it.

There was one night left to make up for it.

It was nearly the end of show, and as the witches exited stage right down the stairs towards the audience, the same plastic orange rolled across the stage and down the stairs after them.

Terrence O’Kane, the show’s director, screamed over the headset, “What the f--k? Why is this happening?!”

Tyler DeMoura, a freshman at the time, decided to roll the orange across stage because he thought it was funny.

At first it was a running inside joke for the club members. Then it became something else entirely. In four years the orange has been used in 16 shows, not including this semester.

“I didn’t find out about the orange until after the scene was over and everyone was laughing about it back stage,” said Olivia Milliken, who played the lead’s love interest and was dead during the scene. “I thought it was hilarious after I found out, and the audience laughing during my death made more sense.”

DeMoura, now a senior, said, “I just did it to be an a--hole, of course,” Then the orange was used in the second show of the fall, two weeks later.

FSU alumna Chelsea Borden said, “I was the first person to use the orange on purpose,” adding “In my first show, Grease, I pulled it out of Danny Zuko’s (Kyle Collins’) lunch bag, prepared to steal it. And then he yanked it away from me and stormed off.”

After the second appearance of the orange, many club members expected the joke was over.

DeMoura said, “I don’t know why this happened, but I think one of us, or me, just said, ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if the orange made an appearance in every show?’”

Milliken said, “I’m pretty sure it was mostly DeMoura’s doing. But everyone was onboard with the idea of casually putting an orange into shows.”

In honor of the most creative use of the orange, DeMoura created the Orange Award.

Alumnus Geoff Ducharme said, “The award was established as a way to honor those who found the most creative way to use the orange in each show. Since it can be difficult at times to fit the orange in, the director who thought of the most creative way would win a plastic orange at the end of the year.”

Junior Rachel Lyon said, “It was one of those things that once they decided that it was going to be a thing, they said, ‘We need to think about this. How is going to happen?’ Then it became

a trophy so it became a little competition. It’s not something that you can just throw in anymore.”

The orange is typically used in two different ways, when it is relevant to the script and when it is forced into it.

In cases where the script doesn’t call for it, the orange is often in the scenery or briefly used then removed.

Lyon had to force the orange in her production of “Little Shop of Horrors.”

“We had it night and simple, not distracting from anything. It was on stage in a trash can and one of the urchin girls pulled it out, looked at it and put it back,” Lyon said.

In ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ Zac won it because it was literally shoved into

for you.’” DeMoura said. “‘How do you feel about painting a full-sized portrait of John Gazzard as the fat lady from ‘Harry Potter, but have him clutching the Hilltop Orange?’ She was immediately sold.”

The portrait of Gazzard is still in the green room in Dwight, where DeMoura says it will stay indefinitely.

The last winner of the Orange Award, Lambert, used the orange in the comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace.”

Collins had an orange stuffed in his mouth as a gag and a handkerchief was tied over it.

When Demoura told the director from the original show, O’Kane had mixed feelings.

we came from.”

This semester in the two Hilltop productions, directors Lyon and DeMoura are competing for the fourth annual orange award.

In the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee,” Lyon said there will potentially be two appearances of oranges.

One option is the orange being thrown during the song “Pandemonium,” which features a “crazy dance,” according to Lyon.

The second is during a scene where the actors are given juice boxes.

DeMoura would not reveal how he intends to use the orange during the production of “The Handyman Bride.”

“I don’t know why this happened, but I think one of us, or me, just said, ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if the orange made an appearance in every show?’”

-Tyler DeMoura Kyle’s mouth. In the script it was listed as an apple, and they said, ‘Let’s change that to an orange and that’ll work perfectly!’”

To date, there are three winners of the Orange Award - senior Kyle Collins, Demoura and junior Zac Lambert in that order.

Collins won the first Orange Award for the comedy “Dog Sees God” when alumna Sam Palmer pulled an orange out of her bra and threw it off stage during a hangover scene.

In the show “Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone,” DeMoura won the award because he decided that the orange stone would be the censored stone.

The production included a second appearance of the orange as well. DeMoura wanted his set to be dynamic, since it was in the Ecumenical Center.

Since the production was a parody of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” DeMoura and his production staff wanted to incorporate a sliding portrait like the door from the film.

DeMoura said, “The orange wasn’t originally the stone - I thought of that later.”

We asked ourselves, ‘How can we make a sliding portrait door happen?’

We decided we were going to make a really tiny flat, put it on wheels and then place it in front of an open entrance.”

Then there was the decision of the portrait on the door. DeMoura decided to paint John Gazzard, the Hilltop president at the time of the first orange’s appearance.

He played Mary Sunshine in “Chicago” two years prior to Tyler’s arrival at FSU. The role is typically a man cross-dressing a woman, and DeMoura thought it would be perfect for his sliding portrait.

I worked on it with my staff and we went to this woman that was a graduating senior who was an art student and I said, ‘I have an interesting idea

“Originally, I was like, ‘What the hell is that orange still tormenting me for?’’ he said. “But I’ve grown to love it. I transferred schools, so it was nice to have a little piece of a production I helped create stick around for so long.”

The orange has been used in other performances as well. There was an orange-themed Suit Jacket Posse performance, “Orange You Glad I Didn’t Say Improv?” and even an orange-themed Hilltop banquet.

Currently the orange has been used 15 times consecutively, until Ducharme’s “Our Diamond.”

DeMoura explained, “That was a very dramatic show about the Holocaust, so Geoff didn’t want to use the orange. It would have been tacky. The running joke is that the orange tip of the gun was ‘the orange.’”

Although there was contention of whether or not an orange made it into every show, club members agree it is very significant.

Bordan said, “It’s kind of a small ode to the ‘ghost of Hilltop’s past’ you could say. Friends that are no longer acting alongside us are still with us. It’s nice to have a tradition in our club, just like any family would have.

It includes everybody, and people that weren’t here for that mistake can still be a part of the punch line.”

Ducharme, who was president of Hilltop last year, said that many theaters have their own traditions ranging from pre-show routines, stretches and prayers, but the orange is unique to Hilltop.

“We pride ourselves on our ability to work and create shows with very restricted resources.” He added, “The fact that we are able to find a way to include an orange, whether real or fake, into every show almost represents, in my opinion at least, our adaptability.

This is something that hopes continues, not always necessarily as a representation of our need to constantly adapt, but as a representation of where

“I’ll give you a clue,” he laughed.

“Over the winter break, I bought a plastic orange that is a maraca shaker. The show is set in a boarding for young actors where there are stage props everywhere, so the orange will appear in the second act.”

The Hilltop Players don’t intend on ending their tradition anytime soon.

“All the people who are currently in Hilltop all agree,” Lyon said. “‘Let’s keep the legacy of the orange going.’”

Each club member has a favorite orange.

Milliken said her fondest memories of the orange are actually from the perspective of the audience, “I really enjoy getting to sit with friends and play a game of ‘I spy the Hilltop Orange.’ It’s this weird sense of euphoria I can’t describe when you find it during a production. It’s like the world suddenly makes sense. And that world is an orange.”

Appealing Orange Stats • 54 uses of the word “orange” in this article • 16 shows featuring the orange, not including spring 2016 • 8 comedies • 6 musicals • 3 recipients of the Orange Award • 2 dramas

ARTS & FEATURES

16

MARCH 4, 2016

White Ribbon Campaign at FSU Week-long campaign aimed at raising awareness about gender-based violence

Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost

White ribbons were tied around trees on campus for the White Ribbon Campaign.

By Scott Calzolaio Arts & Features Editor

By Cesareo Contreras Arts & Features Editor

By Kristen Pinto Arts & Features Editor The White Ribbon Campaign came to the FSU campus for a week-long series of events to raise awareness about gender-based violence.

White Ribbon, according to the campaign’s website, is the “world’s largest movement of men and boys working to end violence against women and girls, promote gender equity, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity.”

Founded by a group of men in Canada, the campaign strives to encourage men and boys of all ages and demographics to take a personal pledge to never condone or commit violence against women. In order to show solidarity, pledge participants wear a white ribbon around their communities.

SGA Vice President Ezequiel De Leon said, “The White Ribbon Campaign is an organization with the mission of ending violence against women by redefining masculinity in a more compassionate way.”

The campaign aims to help men challenge the notion of manhood and modernize it through different strategies and practices to create equality amongst all. Many of the events held on campus over the past week aimed to achieve the same goal and give men on campus the tools they need to make a change.

This is not the first year the White Ribbon Campaign has been brought to the FSU campus community. In 2014, several campus organizations, including FSU LiveSafe, Veterans Services and Wellness Education came together to encourage men to take the pledge.

Daniel Costello, president of SGA, said, “[in 2014], Tim Owens, clerk in the Financial Aid Office, approached SGA with this idea ... I was the SGA vice president at the time and volunteered to work with Tim to organize an event around National White Ribbon Day.” As a result, they had a table in the McCarthy Center lobby for men on campus to take the pledge.

“I hope that by expanding this cam-

paign that we are raising awareness of these issues and have students take a stand against ending such violence,” said Costello.

De Leon said that when he was first asked to take on the task of planning the White Ribbon event, he, like many, was uninformed on the topic.

“I went to Kim [Dexter], she gave me some stats and other information and we decided to make a committee.

We sat down, and immediately had all kinds of ideas,” he said.

On Thursday, a pledge table was placed in the lobby of the McCarthy Center encouraging men to get information on gender-based violence and sign the pledge to take action. De Leon said the table was popular all day and

Cesareo Contreras/The Gatepost

Students discuss redefining masculinity in the Center for Inclusive Excellence.

was definitely successful.

“Before this, I was so blind to this stuff happening on our own campus.

I didn’t know that four of my own friends, who just this week revealed to me, were victims of this sexual violence,” he said. He hopes that the message will be long-lasting on the FSU campus.

Along with the pledge table, several additional events were added to the roster to bring not only awareness but to bring action to the campus community.

The FSU Police Department, in partnership with the Student Government Association, hosted a self-defense class on Wednesday evening, open to all students and faculty. The Dean’s office hosted a Brave Space Training on Monday afternoon, as well as a Bystander Intervention Training on Tuesday.

These events all work to encourage students to stand up and fight back against violence through education, awareness and action.

Additionally, the week featured two film screenings, highlighting the stereotypes facing men and the epidemic of sexual violence cases being brought to college campuses across the country.

In collaboration with students from the initiative Brother to Brother, De Leon led a discussion on the state of manhood after a screening of the documentary, “The Mask You Live In,” Monday night in the Center for Inclusive Excellence.

The documentary, provided by Health Services, attempted to analyze the meaning of manhood by discussing

MARCH 4, 2016

ARTS & FEATURES

17

White Ribbon - continued from page 16 a range of topics and issues some men face on a regular basis.

From the challenges of growing up in a fatherless home, to the rampant hypermasculinity displayed in a culture that promotes violence and the objectification of women, the 97-minute documentary focuses on explaining society’s targeted definition of a “real” man.

For sophomore Jackson Stevens and junior Yaw Boateng, the film had relevance in their own lives.

“It ended up being much more reflective of my upbringing, especially being that my dad left early on,” Stevens said in the discussion after the screening. “I thought I was over some of those dad issues, but I think they’re much more underlying than my mind is telling me.”

Boateng agreed and detailed how he had a strained relationship with his own father who initially didn’t come to Massachusetts when Boateng moved with his family.

Boateng said that because he lacked a father figure in his life, he started to believe that he needed to get into fights to show his masculinity. He said he forgot some of what his father had taught him - that his accomplishments made him a man, not his fists.

“While having him away, I got into a lot of fights, a lot of trouble,” Boateng said. “So when he came back, that started to lessen and I started to think that my achievements became my source of masculinity.”

Fernando Rodriguez, a senior and the founder of Brother to Brother, said men just don’t talk to each other because of deeply ingrained gender norms that devalue men who express their wide range of emotions. As a result, real deep conversation are rarely had, Rodriguez said.

“Because we don’t talk about it, we think we’re alone in it,” Rodriguez said.

“We’ll go, we’ll meet up with a bunch of other guys who feel the exact same way, act out the same way but we don’t know what they’re going through because we don’t talk about these things. ... The only emotion we express is anger, disappointment, that kind of being upset and that’s the only one we’re physically OK with.”

When De Leon asked the small group how the film related to the White Ribbon Campaign, Rodriguez argued that deeply ingrained gender biases in male language is a major factor in the way men see women.

De Leon related Rodriguez’s comments back to how men’s resilience towards femininity creates a system where men see themselves in a higher position than women.

“When we belittle everything that’s feminine like Fernando said, we are creating that hierarchy and putting men on top and women below, and creating that culture that allow men to take that power and to abuse women,” De Leon said.

Chantel Forbes, a senior, said, “I really liked how it brought to light some things that are hidden by norms of society, like the actual effect of added pressure on boys and men to be tough and masculine.”

Stevens said, “I went in with no expectations and left revived. It had me reflecting on my relationship with my

Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost

Above: White ribbons are displayed outside May Hall.

Below: Panelists discuss gender-based violence at FSU.

Erin Fitzmaurice/The Gatepost

father. The documentary helped a lot with understanding some more complex issues I deal with that relate to my dad.”

On Thursday evening, the documentary “The Hunting Ground” was screened followed by a discussion on rape culture on college campuses, specifically here at FSU. The documentary, which originally screened at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, for which Lady Gaga wrote and recorded the original song “Til it Happens to You,” highlights multiple powerful, first-hand accounts of sexual assault and rape on college campuses around the country.

It follows the journey of Andrea Pino and Annie E. Clark, University of North Carolina alumnae and campus rape victims, as they attempt to make a map of universities across America where campus related sexual assault was being overlooked by school administrations and local authorities.

The documentary stressed the correlation between college athletes and sexual assault, as well as the physical effects of PTSD on victims or survivors.

The main focus of the documentary was how and why these instances were being ignored by school administrators.

The documentary prompted a panel discussion. Panelists Melinda Stoops, associate vice president of student affairs and dean of students, Kim Dexter, Title IX coordinator and director of equal opportunity, Ilene Hofrenning, director of the health center, Sgt. Karen Nicholas, a campus police officer and Tasha Bjork, a representative from Voices Against Violence, addressed student concerns about sexual assault at FSU. Topics highlighted in their discussion were the results from last year’s sexual assault survey, options about how to handle and report these incidents and how to recognize instances of relationship violence and abuse.

When discussing the large percentage of students who allow these incidents to go unreported, Stoops said, “As we look at the White Ribbon Campaign, part of it is to support people in coming forward, even in a confidential way.”

Adding to this, Dexter said, “While we have these reporting avenues available, the focus is always on the care and support of the victim or survivor.”

They also discussed some cases in which victims remain with their abusers for long periods of time and how to prevent this from happening.

Bjork said, “I’ve had clients for an entire year now that are still with their abusers.”

The panel discussed reporting options which included going to the hospital to have forensic evidence collected, even if the victim or survivor does not plan on pressing charges.

Discussing last year’s survey results, Hofrenning said, “The experiences we have at the Health Center match the survey results. Most people who come in for a sexual assault don’t want to report it. The most common thing is that they just want to forget it happened.”

De Leon said, “This campaign could never have been possible without the support of the students who served on SGA’s White Ribbon Campaign Committee, including Beck Govoni, JT Manozzi, Maddie Alper and Cam Zamagni.”

He added, “It could not have been possible without the support of clubs such as Brother to Brother and SUAB, and it most certainly would not have been possible without the help of different offices and administrators such as Health Services, the Center for Inclusive Excellence, FSUPD, Facilities, The Dean’s Office, and Kim Dexter.”

ARTS & FEATURES

18

MARCH 4, 2016

Campus Conversations

What film should have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars?

By Amanda Martin & Cass Doherty

“‘Inside Out’ because it was really well done and had a good message.”

“‘Point Break.’ It was really good.”

-Quinton Lang, freshman

-Bailey Gorton, freshman

“Not ‘Mad Max: Fury Road,’ that’s for sure.”

“‘Deadpool’ because it was the last movie I saw and it was really good.”

-Jonathan Montanez, junior

-Victoria Brown, freshman

“‘Star Wars.’ Of course, ‘Star Wars.’”

“I really like the movie ‘Black or White.’ It was really compelling.”

-Alex Garston, freshman

-Ali Walthe, sophomore

Beauty by Bailey

FOUR USES FOR COCONUT OIL

By Bailey Morrison Editorial Staff When I was younger, my mom talked a lot about “superfoods.” My eight-year-old brain thought of fruits and vegetables dawning capes and attempting to thwart criminal masterminds – in reality, it’s quite different. Superfoods are foods that have nutrients and vitamins that benefit your health. Most fruits and vegetables qualify as superfoods, but only when in their simplest form – raw and organic. I’m not telling you to go to a health-food store and pick up one of those green smoothies that have the consistency and taste of grass clippings, it’s much simpler than that. The superfood that pops into my head is coconut, specifically coconut oil. Here is a list I have compiled after many discussions with my mom and several years of using coconut oil religiously.

1. HAIR: Many people complain about split ends or dandruff or simply wish their hair seemed fuller and healthier. Not only does it improve the health of your hair, coconut oil can speed up the growth of hair as well.

Coconut oil can be a solution for that and can be applied in different ways. It can be applied to wet hair and left in

for a few minutes before being rinsed out, it can be applied to dry hair and left overnight, letting the nutrients sink into your hair. Note: wear a shower cap over your hair - coconut oil will stain pillowcases. The result: softer, smoother and healthier hair. Bonus: it smells amazing. Looking for a quick boost to your hair in the morning?

Take a small amount of coconut oil and run it through the ends of your hair.

2. SKIN: Coconut oil is amazing for dry skin, especially for your hands and feet. During the winter, your skin is left chapped and dry. Coconut oil protects your skin from the damage caused by harsh winter weather.

3. OIL PULLING: My mom has roped me into many strange diets featuring suspiciously colored foods, questionable fashion choices and over-thetop remedies that promise to cure everything from a cough to chronic migraines. Among these seemingly random cures and remedies she suggested oil pulling. Take a tablespoon of coconut oil and swish it around your mouth. My mom suggests 20 minutes - but I draw the line at 15. This process helps whiten your teeth as well as reduce the risk of gingivitis and

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

plaque buildup. It pulls the toxins out of your mouth that cause bad breath.

After swishing for however long you choose, spit out the coconut oil into the trash – it can clog the drain of your sink – and rinse out your mouth.

The coconut oil leaves a coat of oil across the teeth. Make sure to do this once a day and on an empty stomach!

4. FOOD: Many people cook with butter or grease when cooking baked goods or cooking in a pan. A healthier alternative to this can be coconut oil.

It performs the same basic function as

either does – preventing the food from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If you’re not a fan of using grease when cooking or – like my twelve-year-old cousin – refuse to eat “cute little pigs,” this presents an animal-friendly and successful alternative for your cooking. It doesn’t replace butter within baked goods, but still work to keep them from sticking to the baking dish.

Suggestion: Store coconut oil at room temperature. In the tub it is a solid but turns to liquid when the temperature rises.

19

MARCH 4, 2016

LET THE BROWVENTURES BEGIN

waxcenter.com

FIRST WAX FREE* *This fab offer expires 4/26/16

FRAMINGHAM / 508 620 9299 255 Worcester Road RT. 9

FSU students and faculty receive 10% off services and products.

*May be redeemed only by first-time guests. Guests must reside in state where redeemed. Not valid for all services. Additional restrictions may apply. Visit waxcenter.com for complete terms and conditions. © 2016 EWC

9401_Framingham_TheGatepost_B.indd 1

Edited by Timothy E. Parker March 4, 2016 GRAPE JUICE By Carl Cranby ACROSS 1 Knocks over, so to speak 5 Genesis tower locale 10 Famous Bear?

14 Hop or jump alternative 15 Really silly 16 In the same place, in footnotes (Abbr.)

17 Four grape things 20 Peter, in Pamplona 21 Voiced bits of speech 22 “___ obliged!”

25 Indian exercise method 26 ‘50s crop spray 29 Rubber cement, e.g.

31 Alcoves 35 Always, poetically 36 Dromedary features 38 Lake, in Scotland 39 Three grape things 43 Black cat, to some 44 Biscuit at teatime 45 Suffix for “arbor” or “ether” 46 Use mouthwash 49 Air polluter 50 Hog heaven, to a hog

51 Litter castoff, often 53 “Do you want to hear a secret?”

55 Nutritional necessity 58 “File not found,” for example 62 Three grape things 65 Brewer’s equipment 66 Doom’s partner 67 Plate scrapings 68 Chinese nanny 69 “Fiddler on the Roof” role 70 Aphid, to a fruit tree DOWN 1 Answer an invitation 2 “The Grapes of Wrath” extra 3 Tough situation 4 Whale type 5 Life story, in brief 6 “Go on” 7 Utters, like a sheep 8 “Have a good time!”

9 Use for support 10 Acme 11 Be adjacent to 12 Cherry or peach seeds 13 TV interruptions 18 Looked high and low for 19 Gift-bearing kings Last issue’s solutions:

1/29/16 4:16 PM 23 ___-Napoca, Romania 24 Organic component of soil 26 Clear, as a windshield 27 Stuffed beef casing 28 More authentic 30 Grand-scale films 32 Golf course features 33 Brilliant display 34 Coyly 37 Ice cream unit 40 Painful toenail, sometimes 41 “The Dukes of Hazzard” spin off 42 High-flying elite 47 Sitar, e.g.

48 Pep 52 Book-jacket info 54 Group of Boy Scouts 55 Brit’s baby buggy 56 Santa ___, Calif.

57 “High” time 59 Undercooked, as meat 60 ___ for (picks) 61 Take a breather 62 ___ few rounds (box) 63 Clever remark 64 “Do no harm” org.

SPORTS

20

Ferr or Foul?

Don’t snub Simmons, LSU

By Mike Ferris Sports Editor ESPN’s March Madness bracket expert, Joe Lunardi, put out his latest bracket projection on Mar. 2 and failed to include the best player in the country, LSU’s Ben Simmons.

Lunardi has Simmons and his Tigers in the second group of four teams that would be left out come Mar. 13, when the bracket is determined.

A Mar. 1 article by ESPN’s Eamonn Brennan predicts who he thinks is a lock for the NCAA Tournament, who “should be in” and who “has work left to do” to participate in the madness.

Brennan’s article failed to categorize LSU in any of the three groups, meaning Brennan thinks the Tigers aren’t even on the bubble at this point.

If the NCAA Tournament Committee fails to include LSU in March Madness, not only will they be depriving us of watching the best player this year in one of the most magical events sports has to offer, but they’ll be making a huge mistake.

Johnny Jones’ team may not have had the best non-conference season but his squad sits at 18 wins and 12 losses, with a chance to reach 19 when they travel to Rupp Arena to play Kentucky Saturday.

At 11-6 in the conference, LSU sits just a game back in the SEC standings, behind Texas A&M and Kentucky. If the Tigers beat the ranked Wildcats on Saturday it would be the second time they’ve done so this year. A win would also leapfrog them in the standings for presumably the third seed in next week’s SEC Tournament.

A few weeks ago, analysts were suggesting that winning the SEC Tournament and claiming the SEC automatic bid for March Madness was LSU’s only hope of getting in. With a win Saturday, that definitely shouldn’t be the case and even with a loss, it still shouldn’t.

If LSU wins Saturday, they should be in regardless and if they lose a semifinal run in the SEC Tournament should be good to claim an at-large bid.

The Tigers 18-12 record is solid, not the best, but definitely top 68 in the country, and 11-6 in the SEC is pretty good in and of itself.

The SEC, usually known for its football has been cannibalizing itself this season in basketball and the Tigers have managed to scratch and claw near the top.

Kentucky, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and South Carolina have been very good teams this year and LSU has held its own with all of them, beating three of the four, and still playing tough against South Carolina.

Those three wins plus a current hot streak with wins over Missouri and bubble team Florida is a very good resume, but the Tigers also played then No.1 Oklahoma to a 77-75 loss.

LSU’s resume is good enough that it shouldn’t have to win the conference tournament to be playing in March, especially if it beats Kentucky this week.

Not only will the NCAA Tournament Committee be holding a worthy team out if they fail to include LSU, but they’ll also be depriving us of watching Simmons play and that should carry a little weight because Simmons will surely be in the NBA next year.

The freshman is averaging 19.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and is shooting 56.6 percent from the field.

Everyone wants to see this kid play, and if LSU is on the bubble it should be factored in just a little.

If the Tigers are playing in the NIT come Mar. 13 and not the NCAA Tournament it will be a decision the NCAA regrets.

MARCH 4, 2016

Framingham drops MASCAC Quarterfinal to Fitchburg

Erin Fitzmaurice/The Gatepost

The Rams line up along the goal line for the playing of the national anthem prior to the start of a game earlier this year.

By Matt Ferris Asst. Sports Editor The sixth-seeded Rams traveled to Fitchburg to take on the third-seeded Falcons in the MASCAC quarterfinals on Feb. 27.

Fitchburg got on the scoreboard quickly as James Gordon beat Rams goaltender Alessio Muggli to put the Falcons up 1-0 at the 1:22 mark of the first period. The goal was assisted by Nat Rojas.

The remainder of the period was scoreless, and the Rams went into the locker room at the first intermission down 1-0.

Halfway through the second period, Framingham’s Mark Essery picked up a minor penalty for boarding.

John Celli capitalized on this 40 seconds later as he scored a power play goal to put the Falcons up 2-0. The goal was assisted by Max Lorenzen and Ryan Connolly.

In the third period, just five minutes in, Rick O’Connor was called for an unsportsmanlike con-

Framingham State

0-4

duct penalty.

Celli again would capitalize on a Framingham penalty. This time, Michael Fretz passed to Lorenzen, who then passed to Celli. He fired a shot on net for his second goal of the game to make it 3-0.

At the 17:19 mark of the third period, the Falcons would add one more goal. This time it was Connolly who put the puck in the back of the net.

Lorenzen and Cetti both recorded assists on the goal that made it 4-0.

Framingham was outshot by the Falcons 36-25 in the loss.

The Rams went 0-for-5 on power play opportunities and 5-for-7 when on the penalty kill.

Muggli registered 32 saves for the Rams.

O’Conner, Keith Barnaby, Jake McKinnon, Chris Gravelle and Chris Andre all tied for the team-high of three shots on goal in the loss.

Framingham ends its season with an overall record of 6-19-1 while going 5-12-1 in the MASCAC, which was good for sixth place in the conference.

Fitchburg State

Name that Professional Athlete - Two-time champion in his sport -Attended Georgia Tech -Led his high school team to a 40-0 season

Photo courtesy of imgur.com

SPORTS

MARCH 4, 2016

21

Rams advance to MASCAC final, fall to Westfield State in shootout

By Jose Carrasquillo Staff Writer In the semifinal round of the MASCAC tournament, the Rams defeated Bridgewater State at home 67-62 on Feb. 25.

Framingham won a closely contested game with the largest lead only growing to 10. A factor in the

win was the Rams great 3-point shooting percentage where they shot 41 percent.

The Rams were led by Monta Connolly who had 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Sarah Palace contributed 10 points and Alycia Rackliffe provided 14 rebounds for a game-high.

The Rams used a 12-1 run to start the second half to gain a 10 point

Fitchburg State

lead sparked from back-to-back 3-pointers from Palace and Raegan Mulherin.

The Bears then responded with their own 13-0 run to take the lead to one with 8 minutes remaining.

Framingham didn’t give up after losing the lead. The Rams responded immediately, battling back and forth with the Bears until gaining a fivepoint lead with 3 minutes remaining.

62 - 67

Mulherin sealed the game with a 3-pointer to put the game out of reach with 2 minutes remaining.

The Bears were led by Chanelle Melton who had a double double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. With the loss, the Bears season ends at 13-13.

With the win Framingham moved on to play No. 1 Westfield State.

Framingham State

Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost

Quinn O’Connell had 12 points in Framingham’s semifinal against Fitchburg and 13 in its championship game against Westfield.

By Jose Carrasquillo Staff Writer In the women’s basketball championship Framingham traveled to Westfield State where they fell 92-86 in a high-scoring, closely-contested game.

Neither team led by more than 10 the entire game. A factor in the loss was the Rams’ 34 turnovers to Westfield’s 22.

Mulherin led the way for the Rams with a career-high 32 points and eight rebounds. Rackliffe also contributed 15 points and a career-high 26 rebounds. But the combination of

Framingham State

the two still wasn’t enough to beat the Owls.

The Rams used a small five-point outburst to tie the game with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.

From there the game traded leads four times until back-to-back threes were made by Jill Valley with 6 minutes remaining.

From there the Owls never lost the lead again. With the win they win the automatic NCAA Division III tourney bid.

The Rams season ends with a program record 19 wins and 7 losses.

86 - 92

Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost

Westfield State

Lauren Donahue attempts to drive the baseline in a game against Salem State.

SPORTS

22

MARCH 4, 2016

Non-athletic regular people Life after college sports

By Amelia Foley Asst. Sports Editor As a student at FSU, Nick Cafrelli was a standout goalie for the college ice hockey team.

After graduating in 2015, he took a job as the goalie coach for the Boston Jr. Terriers out of Canton.

He is also currently applying for a job in marketing. “[Goalie coaching] is awesome, but I can’t make a living off it.”

While a few former FSU athletes continue playing sports professionally, most become what is known on campus as NARPs- non-athletic regular people.

Athletes at Framingham State University can play a maximum of four years in the NCAA league before they graduate and move on. So what do college athletes do once they graduate and merge into the world with the rest of the NARPS? That depends on who you ask.

Former soccer goalie Sarah Sullivan is applying for elementary school positions in her hometown upon graduation this May. “My main goals are to be a successful teacher and member of my community.

“I also hope to be accepted into a master’s program by summer 2017,” she said.

Once the season permanently ends for seniors, fitting workouts into their schedules becomes their own responsibility. They no longer have

trainers who travel to games with their team, tend to their injuries and provide them with specific workouts.

Go to the gym on a weekday and a team is likely taking over the space.

Men’s and women’s teams switch off between squats, lunges, treadmills and dumbbells with their trainer

realize you don’t need nearly as much food as you used to,” she added.

However, not all FSU athletes conform to society and become NARPs. Some prefer to defy the word, or at least put it off a little longer.

Being a Division III school, athletes are not generally recognized by

“In my contract housing (including Wi-Fi and utilities), hockey equipment, car rental and German cell number are all taken care of by the team. The only things I must pay for are groceries and gas.”

McDonald said each team is only allowed two imports. “There are

“I will play hockey forever until I can’t walk anymore.”

-Ryan McDonald

watching to take attendance and be sure no one cuts corners or hurts themselves.

Cafrelli said, “The hardest thing was not skating every day anymore.

My workouts almost stopped completely once I stopped playing.”

Jennifer Johnson, senior soccer player said, “In all honesty, the biggest challenge I have faced since the end of the season is training myself to eat like a normal human as opposed to a college athlete.

“When you’re not working out at such a high intensity every day, you

The Gatepost Player of the Week Alycia Rackliffe Rackliffe scored 15 points and brought down 26 rebounds in Framingham’s MASCAC championship loss to Westfield State.

scouts. But some athletes find other outlets and use them to their advantage in furthering their career.

Zack Kirby, FSU senior and pitcher for the baseball team, says he has plans to go pro.

“I’ve been contacted and thrown bullpens in front of a few MLB organization scouts … assuming this season goes well, I plan on getting drafted this June,” Kirby said.

Kirby started to gain a lot of recognition after joining the nationally 5th ranked summer league, the Brockton Rox. From there things only went up for Kirby as he won Pitcher of the Year in the league, earning him even more attention.

“It was by far the best baseball I’ve ever been a part of,” he said.

Matt Silva, former FSU football captain and quarterback, signed a contract with the Prague Lions in the Czech Republic for the 2016 season.

Ryan McDonald, alum and former captain of the FSU ice hockey team, tried out for a few different prohockey teams before signing a contract with a team in Germany.

three Americans in our division. I am the only American on our team.

My roommate, and other import, is Canadian.

“I will play hockey forever until I can’t walk anymore,” said McDonald.

“A good friend of mine, Aron, got me the job. He is representing me as my agent,” he added.

While some students are testing the waters in pro leagues and abroad, most college athletes put their degree to use after their four years in the NCAA. Those who don’t use it right away keep it on the back burner just in case their sports careers do not work out.

“I want to go as high as I can go professionally,” said McDonald.

“Once I’ve noticed that I’ve hit a plateau, that’s the day I’ll decide if it’s time to move on and use my degree.”

[Editor’s note: Jennifer Johnson is a news editor for The Gatepost.]

Tweet of the Week

Photos courtesy of fsurams.com

National Performance of the Week Jaromir Jagr With his assist on Thursday night, Jagr tied Gordie Howe for third all-time in points, behind only Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky.

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Photo courtesy of twitter.com

Mike Ferris

SPORTS

23

Agree to Disagree

Matt Ferris

Okay with retiring athletes going on “farewell tours� in their final season...

Going to miss Kobe Bryant in the 2016 Summer Olympics...

The Clippers beating the Thunder on Wednesday night was a bigger deal for Los Angeles...

The four NCAA Tournament play-in games should be all 16 seeds...

The Boston Celtics will finish in the top three in the Eastern Conference...

Name that Athlete Answer: Chris Bosh, Forward, Miami Heat

MARCH 4, 2016

Photos courtesy of Creative Commons Melina Bourdeau/The Gatepost

MARCH 4, 2016

24

2012: Grease The orange was pulled out of Danny Zuko’s (Kyle Collins) lunch bag.

2012: Dog Sees God Tricia (Sam Palmer) took it out of her bra during a hangover scene.

2012: Hilltop Games The orange was handed to host by Staci Jaxx (Tyler DeMoura).

Melina Bou rde

Photo co urt e

au /T h

sy

2013: The Wedding Singer Freak at Table 9 (Rachel Lyon) held orange in her beard.

of Th

ost

ost ep at

te p Ga

eG

e

2012 Dinny and the Witches The orange was deliberately rolled across the stage by crew member Tyler DeMoura.

A rc h ives

Melina Bou rde

tory s i H

Melina Bou rde

ost ep at

th e H i

ost ep at

op Ora llt

y of Facebook rtes

Gatepost

Zac Lambert had a line about what oranges were like where his character came from, so he pulled out an orange from my jacket pocket and tossed it to another cast member

ou

e te/Th uch Le

2014: Avenue Q The orange was thrown by an audience member at Brian at the end of the song “I’m Not Wearing Underwear Today.”

2013: And Then There Were None

oc ot Ph

ad Br

2015: Almost, Maine The orange was in Anthony Gabrielle’s cooler, he took it out and put it back inside.

au /T h eG

eG

2014: A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream Puck (Deanna Martinez) held the orange while talking to Bottom (Tyler DeMoura).

2014: Little Shop of Horrors Chiffon (Lily Packer) the street urchin pulled the orange out of trash can during one of the opening scenes.

2014: Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone The orange was featured in the painted portrait of the fat lady as well as being used as the censored stone.

Of

au /T h

e The g n

2014: Our Diamond The orange was represented by the orange tip of stage gun used in the production.

2013: Reefer Madness the Musical!

Mary Lane (Juliana Fiore) gaged Ralph (Tyler DeMoura) with orange and dragged him behind couch during the song “Little Mary Sunshine.”

2014: Arsenic and Old Lace Dr. Einstein (Tyler DeMoura) used the orange to gag and bind lead character Mortimer Brewster (Kyle Collins).

2013: Two Into One The orange sat on a maid/drink cart.

2015: Bits and Pieces There was an orange in the basket Emma Fitzpatrick’s character was eating from.

Orange courtesy of Creative Commons Graphic by Brittany Cormier/The Gatepost