September 13, 2019

THE GATEPOST Framingham State’s award-winning independent student newspaper since 1932

Volume 88 • Issue 1

September 13, 2019

FSUgatepost.com

Take out offered in the Dining Commons New changes to FSU’s Dining Services

By Evan Lee Interim Asst. News Editor

Students view the new displays in the Mazmanian Gallery

FSU’s Dining Services is “excited” to introduce a number of new changes this fall semester, said Aretha Phillips, the school’s new general manager of Dining Services.

One of them is Metamorphosis, an entirely new restaurant that replaced Toasted in the McCarthy Center.

Phillips said the restaurant will change about halfway through the semester after students are given the opportunity to take a survey on what they want the next menu to be.

The restaurant’s menu “changes based on student preference,” according to Phillips.

“Students get to vote on a concept, and we’ll just drop it in there and see how it runs,” Phillips explained. “It’s an ever-changing menu.”

Senior Johan Perez said it was a “really interesting idea” and someCara McCarthy / THE GATEPOST thing that would give him a break from “the same three menu items” he always gets at the Ram’s Den Grille.

“I’m glad to see more variety here.

Any type of variety is welcome with me,” Perez added.

Senior Amanda Miller said she’s “sick” of always eating in the main Dining Commons and would be willing to try out the new restaurant “depending on what they have.”

Hamel added, “We’re essentially Metamorphosis currently hosts attempting to address the facility a Kalamata menu, sharing its name with the most identified needs as with the seaside city in Greece and part of deferred maintenance.” offering Mediterranean-inspired dishes like mezze and pitas with a Crocker Hall choice of meats and vegetables for Hamel said repairs to Crocker toppings.

Hall were in “Phase I” of compleSophomore Zoe Tsavdarides said tion. “What we focused on in Phase she was “excited” about Greek food I,” he said, “was renovation of the being the current option and added first floor.” This included the instalthat she thought the aspect of the lation of an accessible restroom, and ever-changing menu was “fascinat“making a space” for an additional ing.” restroom on the floor.

Sophomore Austin Vanlingen The second restroom will not be agreed with Tsavdarides and said it installed until Phase II of the proj“gives the student body more choicect, which focuses on the second es over what they eat.” floor and “restrooms throughout the building,” according to Hamel.

Perez said he hopes Latin food will He added, “We have had it [Crockbe the next menu option, while Miller Hall] on our capital spending plans er suggested Chinese food. for a number of years. Every year, it seems to have gotten deferred

Deferred critical repairs on campus addressed during summer $6 million spent on upgrades to facilities

By Donald Halsing News Editor Students returned from summer break to several campus upgrades some visible and some less noticeable.

Some of the buildings on campus needed more attention than others, but were not repaired until this past summer.

Dale Hamel, executive vice president, provided a “Critical Repairs Spending Plan.” The plan lays out fund allocation for various repairs and upgrades on campus.

The Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM) is responsible for overseeing and funding management of public buildings, including those on FSU’s campus.

“We’ve been given a five-year allocation, which we’ve allocated to a

News

number of different projects,” Hamel said.

Currently funded projects cost a total of just over $6 million for fiscal years 2019-2020. Hamel said 26% of the funds come from the school, while the remaining 74% is provided

by DCAMM. Hamel said an organization called “Sightlines” looked at all of FSU’s facilities and determined their net asset value (NAV). The NAV score represents what condition the buildings and facilities on campus are in.

“Framingham State had the highest - meaning good - NAV score of all the state universities,” said Hamel.

“But, when you look at that,” he added, “there’s some projects [buildings] that have very high NAV scores, and then some with low NAV scores.” Crocker Hall received the worst score, followed by Whittemore Library.

Opinions

See CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION page 4

Arts & Features

See DINING SERVICES page 6

Sports

OBITUARIES pg. 3

TEXTBOOKS pg. 7

BEST OF SUMMER pg. 12

MEN’S SOCCER pg. 17

SGA pg. 5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR pg. 8

STATE STREET STYLE pg. 15

VOLLEYBALL pg. 18

INSIDE: OP/ED 7 • ARTS & FEATURES 11 • SPORTS 17

NEWS

2 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

Gatepost Interview

Editorial Board

Editor-in-Chief Nadira Wicaksana

Ben Trapanick

Director of New Student and Family Programs

Associate Editors Cara McCarthy Ashley Wall

By Ashley Wall Associate Editor

News Editor Donald Halsing

What is your educational and professional background?

I did my undergraduate work at Binghamton University in New York - that was for my history degree. My graduate degree is higher education administration from North Carolina State University.

Interim Asst. News Editor Evan Lee Arts & Features Editors Brennan Atkins Robert Johnson Jr.

What led you to Framingham State?

After graduation from undergraduate, I took an assistant basketball coaching job at a small college in North Carolina. To pick up some extra money, I started doing academic advising. That led me to be able to help out with academic counseling and academic support at North Carolina State for student athletes. I then had an academic counseling position at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. I was there for six years. I created their first-year seminar program. This opportunity then created itself, so I took it. At the time, it was First-Year Student Programs. It is now New Student and Family Programs.

Asst. Arts & Features Editor Sara Senesac Interim Asst. Arts & Features Editor Jared Graf Entertainment Correspondent Noah Barnes Interim Fashion Correspondent Caeley Whalen Opinions Editor Thomas Maye Sports Editor Liam Gambon

What is your role as Director of New Student and Family Programs?

My role is to oversee our office and create opportunities for first-year students to help them transition to col-

Asst. Sports Editor Carlos Silva Design Editor Kathleen Moore

Copy Editor Gordon Rupert Asst. Copy Editor Lauren Paolini

lege. We do this in a couple of different ways. We oversee orientation for firstyear students and transfers. AJ Brent is the genius behind our orientation program these days. We also oversee the day-to-day operations of the Foundations program. I hire and train all of the peer mentors associated with that.

We have three leadership teams that we oversee as well: the Foundations peer mentors, Black and Gold orientation leaders, and the Wet Feet Retreat leaders. We collaborate with a lot of different offices on campus as well.

Staff Writers Leighah Beausoleil Patrick Brady Kaitlyn Cullen Lizzy Stocks Staff Photographers Caroline Gordon Advisor Dr. Desmond McCarthy

What do you enjoy most about your position here at FSU? I like working with students. I like seeing the student leadership aspect

Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

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

and seeing students stepping up and becoming leaders. I like our Foundations program and coordinating that. More importantly, I like the people here. That is what keeps me here.

I work with a good group of people who are very supportive of each other.

What do you believe is the most important aspect of working with first-year students?

You have to operate from the assumption that they are capable of doing the work. Some just need to learn the new expectations and learning how to tweak or revise some of their habits. It

“Decide on what you are willing to step out of your comfort zone a little bit to do.”

Asst. Photos Editor Ryan Feinblatt

Administrative Assistant Gwenyth Swain

Ashley Wall / THE GATEPOST CASA does several programs for firstyear students, especially those who are on probation or in academic difficulty.

There are programs for specific populations, such as the STEM Scholars program.

What career accomplishment are you most proud of?

Getting a first-year seminar course started from the ground up twice now.

I did it at the Massachusetts School of Pharmacy, and I did it here with a lot of help. It involved a lot of collaboration.

It involved going to governance. One thing that I am very proud of is that we are constantly reviewing the program to make sure it is relevant to our incoming students. For me personally, getting the Foundations program up off the ground here and maintaining it is a big accomplishment for me.

What are some of your hobbies?

I still play basketball. I play golf. I love spending time with my family. is very developmental. At the age of 18, starting a whole new life, whether you are commuting or a resident student - this is a new part of your life. I think being able to help foster those changes and adjustments are important. I enjoy the student leadership piece of it as well.

What on-campus programs are available for first-year students?

We’ve got Foundations, the Rams 101 program. Some are during summertime, such as Black and Gold Beginnings. We also launched an online orientation this summer, the Ram Ready Portal, a stepby-step and week-by-week program to help students, so all the information is not all thrown at them at orientation.

What advice do you have for firstyear students?

Keep your options open. Many students know that they will have to make changes but don’t know what they are and that can be frightening to them. I would definitely say pay attention to what is around you. Listen to what is going on. Decide on what you are willing to step out of your comfort zone a little bit to do. Take it one step at a time.

Do it at your own pace, but try to step out of your comfort zone a little bit at a time. If it doesn’t work, go try something else.

CONNECT WITH ASHLEY WALL awall1@student.framingham.edu

Police Logs Monday, September 9 10:05 State Parking Enforcement Linsley Hall Parking Lot Citations Issued

Monday, September 9 12:55 Roommate Problem FSU Police Dept.

Report Taken

Monday, September 9 13:55 Found Property FSU Police Dept.

Report Taken

Monday, September 9 19:29 ITS Referral FSU Police Dept.

Referral Filed

Tuesday, September 10 00:07 Panic Alarm Larned Hall Checks OK

Tuesday, September 10 17:37 Alarm (Burglar/Building) Facilities & Capital Planning False Alarm

Tuesday, September 10 20:27 Noise Complaint Maynard/Salem End Unfounded

Wednesday, September 11 04:34 Safety Escort Horace Mann Hall Service Rendered

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NEWS

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 | 3

Two members of FSU community remembered Ryan Nicholson

By Donald Halsing News Editor Ryan P. Nicholson, 20, a rising junior at FSU, passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2019, in a motor vehicle accident in Northborough.

He was the son of Paul and Maria (Trombetta) Nicholson of Southborough.

According to The MetroWest Daily News, Ryan graduated from Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough in 2017, and from Bridgeton Academy in Bridgeton, Maine in 2018.

Ryan played both hockey and lacrosse. He shared his passion for hockey on the Next College Student Athlete website, saying, “I hope to always be proud of my accomplishments and dedication throughout high school sports.”

In an obituary circulated by Lorretta Holloway, Vice President of Enrollment and Student Development,

“Ryan was also adventurous, determined, and had a good sense of humor. Ryan was affectionately known by his family and friends as ‘Nikel’ and ‘Nikelback.’”

In addition to his parents, he is survived by his sister, Erin Nicholson of Southborough; his grandparents, Jean and Jack Nicholson of Auburn; Theresa and Joseph Trombetta of Dennis; several aunts, uncles, and many cousins.

Services were held on Sunday, June 30, 2019.

Ryan’s cousin, John Howard, set up a GoFundMe page to pay for funeral costs, which raised over $10,000.

Contributions in Ryan’s memory may be sent to the Ryan P. Nicholson Memorial Fund, Main Street Bank, 6 E Main Street, Southborough, MA 01772. Proceeds will benefit the Starhawks Youth Hockey Association.

CONNECT WITH DONALD HALSING dhalsing@student.framingham.edu

Courtesy of The MetroWest Daily News

Ayaan Agane

By Nadira Wicaksana Editor-in-Chief Ayaan Agane, 33, of Attleboro, Massachusetts, passed away Sept. 1, 2019 in Attleboro’s Sturdy Memorial Hospital.

Agane was born February 2, 1986 in Boston to Jeanne Crawford and the late Mohamed Agane.

She was an English professor at Framingham State University, teaching first-year English classes such as Expository Writing since 2012.

Agane received her bachelor’s degree from Clark University and her master’s degree from UMass Amherst, where she was also an English Ph.D. candidate. She taught College Writing and other English courses there.

According to her colleague and English department chair Desmond McCarthy, she was an “accomplished scholar with a growing number of impressive conference papers and publications.”

One of her remarkable accomplishments was serving as the dramaturge for “Sheekhadii Walaalo/ Sister Story,” a performance project at New World Theater, involving Somali refugee women in western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut.

McCarthy said of Agane, “Ayaan was renowned for her gentle and kind manner with students. Her classroom was a warm and comfortable learning environment because

Weather

Monday, Sept. 16 Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. West winds around 5 mph, gusting to 20 mph.

of her approachable and friendly demeanor and sense of humor. She was also deeply committed to helping students develop critical reading and research skills and find their voices. She touched so many lives during her short life. We will always be inspired by her memory.”

Joe D’Andrea, professor and chair of philosophy and psychology, recently went on a trip to China with Agane and other faculty this past summer.

“She struck me as someone who was curious about the world and in love with all the diversity that the world has to offer,” D’Andrea said.

“She had a gentle sense of humor that accompanied well the seriousness with which she approached her work. She loved being in the classroom.”

Elaine Beilin, English Professor Emerita, said in an email, “As department chair, I had the pleasure of observing Ayaan teach Global Perspectives in Literature.

“She was a vigorous, engaged, and enthusiastic presence in the classroom, and I admired her habit of responding to students’ comments by saying encouragingly, ‘I’m curious why you think that.’ Ayaan cared deeply about what students thought and what they wrote,” she said.

Beilin added, “She was a vibrant and devoted teacher.”

Shin Freedman, FSU librarian, said, “Ayaan and I met for the first time in China on the campus of the

Courtesy of Cate McLaughlin International University of Business and Economics in Beijing. I was teaching a communication arts course - she, English composition.

“We shared many of the same students and learned we were both teaching three sections of an FSU course five days a week on 95-degree, intensely hot and humid summer days. Whenever we finagled time in between [going] to and from the classroom building, we talked.

I often joined her for walks around campus.

“I was struck with her quiet humor about her own name, her family background, and the challenge of teaching Chinese students. I will miss her,” Freedman said.

Agane is survived by her mother Jeanne, her sister Safia, and her brother-in-law, Safia’s husband Shane.

Her memorial service will be held from 3 p.m to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept.

14, at the RJ Ross Funeral Home at 135 South St. in Wrentham.

In lieu of flowers, her family has asked that donations be made to your local food pantry.

[Editor’s note: Dr. Desmond McCarthy is advisor of The Gatepost]

CONNECT WITH NADIRA WICAKSANA nwicaksana@student.framingham.edu

Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov Tuesday, Sept. 17 Sunny, with a high near 72. Northeast winds around 5 mph.

Wednesday, Sept. 18 Patchy fog, otherwise sunny. High near 74 with calm winds.

Thursday, Sept. 19 Sunny, with high near 77. Southwest winds around 5 mph.

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

4 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

Campus construction

NEWS focused on the “turrets” above the staircases.

“It was less of a safety concern than it was a water infiltration issue,” he clarified. “If you walk up the stairways, you’ll see why.” Water damage to walls is visible inside the staircases.

The total cost of repairs to May Hall was $291,000.

Other projects Other projects underway on campus include a $1.1 million electrical upgrade of the power plant and campus wiring.

Hemenway Hall and Hemenway Annex were allocated $210,000 for floor repairs. Hamel said these were “not addressed” by a previous project.

The McCarthy Center “Chiller Me-

“Anything that hasn’t been updated, we kind of do over time.”

Donald Halsing / THE GATEPOST The crosswalk outside the McCarthy Center was resurfaced during the summer.

Continued from page 1 for another project.

“It’s been on the five-year plan for a number of years now,” Hamel said.

“It finally made it to undertaking Phase I,” Phase II is funded and will begin next year. Repairs to Crocker Hall totaled $1.7 million, of which $426,000

of the doors would be stuck open,” Hamel added. “During the winter, that’s not a good thing,” Hamel added, “When those doors open, they both open and they kind of stay open for a while, whereas you see the standard operation of a regular door - it’s not open as long.”

The new doors were budgeted at $25,000. Since the project is incom-

“We’re essentially attempting to address the facility with the most identified needs as part of deferred maintenance.”

- Dale Hamel executive vice president was contributed by FSU. Whittemore Library doors Hamel said repairs to the library doors - as with Crocker Hall - are “not completed yet.”

“We’re still waiting for the second set of doors to come,” Hamel said.

“Those doors were failing… there would be times where at least one set

plete, Hamel could not provide a total cost.

Additionally, $85,000 is being spent to repair railings and stair treads in Whittemore Library.

May Hall roof In the weeks prior to the start of classes, the May Hall roof was repaired. Hamel said the work was

- Dale Hamel executive vice president State Street crosswalk The City of Framingham replaced the crosswalk surface in front of the McCarthy Center during the summer.

The crosswalk was first installed approximately ten years ago.

“The first time around, we [FSU] actually paid for it as an incentive for the city to do it,” Hamel said.

“They’ve come back now and replaced it themselves, which is very nice.”

According to Hamel, a second crosswalk on State Street will be replaced next summer.

Maple field Also during the summer, Kuirk Construction resurfaced the Maple athletic field.

“That was a great project,” Hamel said. “I think it’s one of the few projects where we didn’t have change orders,” he added.

A change order is any additional work needed, or work removed from a project, which changes the overall price.

Hamel added Kuirk Construction “did a great job.”

The project cost $1.1 million, of which $285,000 was contributed by FSU.

chanical Project” was completed for $594,000.

The Dwight Hall roof replacement wrapped up at $672,000.

Some maintenance is ongoing, especially regarding security at FSU. This includes changing locks around campus.

“We do some lock changes every summer,” Hamel said.

Additional ongoing upgrades include changing all the exterior lights on campus for brighter ones.

A lack of adequate lighting on campus at night was identified as an issue last year by Student Government Association. In response, the lighting on the north end of Dwight Hall was improved.

Hamel said, “Anything that hasn’t been updated, we kind of do over time.”

He added, “It’s surprising how expensive it [ongoing maintenance] is.”

Hamel revealed there is a study underway for an e-sports gaming venue that will be in Larned Hall. He added construction will not likely occur until winter break.

Hamel said he is “in the middle of submitting our request for next year for major projects” to DCAMM. CONNECT WITH DONALD HALSING dhalsing@student.framingham.edu

Donald Halsing / THE GATEPOST Graphic by Kathleen Moore, information courtesy of Framingham State University Only the inside doors to the library were replaced, while the faulty exterior doors remain.

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NEWS

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 | 5

SGA invites students to first meeting

Donald Halsing / THE GATEPOST From left to right, new SGA eBoard members President Matty Bennet, Vice President Abigail Salvucci, and Secretary Lexi Kays.

By Cara McCarthy Associate Editor

SGA held its first meeting of the semester following an ice cream social and interest meeting Tuesday, Sept. 10.

The meeting included an introduction to the new eBoard members - President Matty Bennet, Vice President Abigail Salvucci, SATF Treasurer Driana LeBron, Outreach and Events Coordinator Danielle Shaw, Student Trustee Olivia Bever-

lie, and Secretary Lexi Kays.

All eBoard members explained their specific roles to the students in attendance.

Bennet discussed his role as the “go-to” person for the faculty and administration, saying the FSU faculty can go to him when they have any student concerns. He added students can also to go to him with any concerns with the faculty.

Salvucci described her role as the “main line” between clubs and SGA. She stated when a club has a

funding request or wishes to meetwith SGA, they go through the vice president.

Aside from being the connection between clubs and SGA, Salvucci’s role also includes making any changes to the SGA constitution and running the Constitution Committee.

Salvucci said her main goal this year is to “strengthen the connection between SGA and clubs.”

LeBron told students in attendance her role as SATF Treasurer involves hearing all funding requests from clubs and finding feasible ways to fulfill them. The SATF Treasurer also oversees Finance Committee.

“We are not a bank,” she added.

Shaw explained her role as outreach and events coordinator consisted of planning SGA-sponsored events around campus. The events include the All University Banquet, fundraisers for SGA’s class and club account, and SGA’s Week of Kindness.

According to Beverlie, Student Trustees’ role is being a line between the students and the Board of Trustees. She attends bi-monthly trustee meetings and represents the students and their needs.

She said her goal this year is to “advocate for better access to resources for students on campus.”

Kays’ role as secretary is to keep track of the meeting minutes as well as the attendance and raise any attendance concerns within the organization. She also explained the attendance policy of SGA to the audience.

Members of SGA also discussed the upcoming election.

Bennet said SGA is seeking a parliamentarian as well as senators. The election will serves to fill positions that were not filled during the last year’s election, as well as positions for the class of 2023.

Bennet added nomination papers must be filled with 15 signatures in order to be considered for the positions. Nomination sheets can be picked up at the SGA office in the McCarthy Center.

Candidates’ night for the election will take place Sept. 19, 2019.

The election will take place Sept. 26, 2019.

CONNECT WITH CARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy8@student.framingham.edu

2019

Contact the Health Center with any questions or concerns at 508-626-4900

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NEWS

6 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

Dining Services

Donald Halsing / THE GATEPOST Metamorphosis, the newest FSU dining location, can be found on the second floor of the McCarthy Student Center, located near the Ram’s Den.

Continued from page 1 However, some students were unhappy about the new restaurant replacing Toasted.

Senior Kevin Guzman said, “I liked Toasted. That was my go-to spot.”

He said, “I’d go in there and get a sub - easy.” And he doesn’t think the new menus from Metamorphosis will make up for it.

Guzman added he thought a half-semester wait for a new menu to come in was too long. “It kind of defeats the purpose,” he said.

Frank Harding Logan IV, a junior, said the new name lost the simplicity that Toasted had and also reminded him of bugs.

“I can’t see myself saying, ‘Let’s go to Metamorphosis,’” he added.

Senior Jen Ferrucci said, “I was happy with the consistency of Toasted,” but added she thought changing

concept that’s chosen, according to Phillips.

Dining Services also introduced the new Green to Go program. Phillips explained that this new program offers students who are “on the run” an option to take their meals outside of the Dining Commons to eat elsewhere.

“If you’re running from class to class, or just don’t have time to eat your meal here, you can bring your container in, fill your container with your meal, and take it with you to go,” Phillips said.

These Green to Go containers cost six dollars and can be ordered from Dining Services’ website, after which a “carabiner” can be picked up from Dining Services’ office and then exchanged at the dining commons for a container itself, according to Phillips.

She added the containers are re-

“I’m glad to see more variety here. Any type of variety is welcome with me,” - Johan Perez, senior menus was a good idea for the school.

The cost of replacing Toasted was less than $1,000, and the cost of introducing new Metamorphosis menus will typically range between $500 and $1,200, depending on the

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

usable and that dirty ones can either be exchanged for either clean ones at the Dining Commons or a carabiner to save for another day.

Senior Richard McKeen said, “That’s actually extremely useful

to me because I work long shifts on weekends and sometimes I can’t find the time to eat here.

gave us an estimate of next week when the part should be delivered, and then shortly after that, it should

“Why are you charging me for something I already pay for?”

- Cheryl Thomas, senior “It’s definitely something I’ll look into,” he added.

Senior Cheryl Thomas was annoyed over having to pay extra to be able to take meals outside the Dining Commons.

“Why are you charging me for something I already pay for?” she asked.

Thomas also expressed concern over an unintended change by Dining Services - the recent breakdown of the Dining Commons’ dirty dish conveyor belt.

“It’s not a good situation,” Thomas said.

“It’s made things slower and I feel bad for those who have to push everything down it,” she added.

McKeen said “congestion” occurs around the conveyor at peak hours “when everyone’s trying to leave to get to class.”

Phillips acknowledged the situation and said Dining Services are waiting for a part to arrive so they can fix the conveyer. “I believe they

be fixed,” she said.

“It’s a point of contention, obviously - we need it to run,” she added.

Phillips said the hours of operation for all stations in the Dining Commons have been extended until 7:30 p.m. However, the Dunkin’ upstairs will now close at 3 p.m.

She added the decision to close Dunkin’ earlier came after Dining Services had noticed a “slow down” after 2 p.m. and the change was made to “adjust accordingly.”

Phillips herself is also a new addition to the FSU community this year.

She joined after Ralph Eddy, former director of Dining Services, was promoted to a district manager position

by Sodexo.

“I’m very excited to be here. I like what I see and I’m ready for the challenges and opportunities that may come up,” Phillips said.

CONNECT WITH EVAN LEE elee@student.framingham.edu

OP/ED

OP/ED Big textbook

By Evan Lee Interim Asst. News Editor As students across the country return to their colleges and universities, they’re met with an array of familiar things - the faces of old friends, the challenges of new classes, and wallets begging for mercy.

Mercy that the textbook industry isn’t giving.

Last May, two of the biggest U.S. textbook companies, Cengage and McGraw-Hill Education, proposed a merger between themselves to unite under the single name of McGraw Hill.

Such a merger, they claimed, would “usher in an era in which all students can afford the quality learning materials needed to succeed,” according to Cengage’s CEO, Michael E. Hansen.

“The new company will offer a broad range of best-in-class content - delivered through digital platforms at an affordable price,” Hansen said in a press release.

But for those of us who have actually taken courses using software from these companies, digital often only guarantees more dollars down the drain.

Because it’s never just an online version of the textbook we’re buying, rather it’s an entire program filled with homework questions and other assignments made to supplement the original class’s curriculum.

And that doesn’t come cheap, with access codes for these required programs often costing $100 or more. Given a course load of four classes all using them in the same semester and that’s nearly half the cost of a full extra course’s tuition.

Don’t want to pay? Well then, forget about your homework grade.

Yet, Cengage and McGraw-Hill insist that their merger will allow them to lower these costs as they combine their “complementary offerings” and work as one to expand “affordability initiatives” for college students, according to a website both companies now share.

But consumer advocacy groups and student organizations across the country aren’t buying their supposed goodwill.

Last July, a letter drafted by U.S. PIRG - Public Interest Research Group - and signed by student leaders from over 40 colleges, universities, and organizations was sent to the Department of Justice to denounce the proposed merger and highlight the shrewd business practices that such publishers have used in their pursuit of profits at students’ expense.

Specifically, “Cengage and McGraw-Hill’s efforts to remove cost-cutting options for students by undermining used book markets,” the letter stated.

Such markets are relied on by many to avoid the absurdly high price of buying new, but have been made difficult to use because of the frequent release of newer edition books by publishers - despite often carrying little meaningful difference between the previous copy.

And now, as publishers move to make their products “delivered through digital platforms,” as Cengage’s CEO suggested, they can potentially eliminate the used book market entirely.

This is because digital materials can only be bought new and cannot be re-sold.

The July letter, as well as another lette*r sent in August by the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, both emphasized that the textbook market is “broken.”

The August letter further called it a “captive market,” dominated by three major publishers - Pearson Education, McGraw-Hill, and Cengage - who have a “blank check” to develop expensive materials without regard to the students who are coerced to buy from them.

A merger between the latter two publishers will only further break the textbook market as a duopoly between Pearson and McGraw Hill arises. For that reason, both letters urged the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division to block the merger entirely.

Neither McGraw-Hill nor Cengage have displayed genuine concern over the costs that students have had to pay for their products in the past, rather they’ve only worked to twist the market in their favor.

There’s no reason to believe their attitudes will change by merging. It will only reinforce their ability to continue what they’re already doing now.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 | 7

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL The coffers conveniently run dry when it comes to humanitarian aid Multiple news outlets, including NBC and CBS, reported today that the current death toll from Hurricane Dorian is 50, with 1,300 people still unaccounted for amidst devastating infrastructural damage.

According to NBC, the current number of refugees who have come to the United States from the Bahamas is approximately 1,500. Initially, because it was a humanitarian emergency, they weren’t required to show visas, but the rules suddenly changed.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced it will not grant temporary protected status to the displaced Bahamians, denying them access to safe housing and jobs.

President Trump said, “I don’t want to allow people that weren’t supposed to be in the Bahamas to come into the United States, including some very bad people and some very bad gang members and some very, very bad drug dealers.”

Trump has used this same racist rhetoric to target Central American refugees, as well as justify his administration’s torture of asylum seekers in border concentration camps and the refusal of aid to surrounding nations devastated by wars that are direct result of American intervention gone wrong.

This same bigotry was evident when his proudly touted “America First” policymaking stopped short of helping Hurricane Maria-devastated Puerto Rico. Instead of providing aid to the U.S. territory, Trump blamed the devastation caused by the hurricane not on the storm itself, but on the island, using its poor economic status as a justification for refusing aid.

When Puerto Rico needed Washington’s help more than ever, he removed FEMA first responders from the island.

The cognitive dissonance between Trump’s emphasis on the United States as the greatest, most powerful nation in the world and the apparent lack of resources to help its own citizens points to the glaring lack of empathy for the most vulnerable of this nation and the world - a mindset heartily encouraged by this administration.

While Trump and his staffers waste away millions in taxpayer dollars on gratuitous personal expenses and exorbitant travel costs - all the while lamenting the confines of arbitrary budgets and being racist to boot - people are suffering right in our backyards.

The political climate has caused many to become desensitized to people in need - especially when they’re located in the global south, far enough away from us to wave them off once the news cycle ends, and ignore them until the next major crisis occurs.

Calls to action have fallen on deaf ears as Democrats and Republicans alike equate simply helping people to just another bullet point on a sleazy political agenda.

But caring about human lives should not be partisan by any stretch of the imagination.

By intentionally neglecting to provide sanctuary for those affected by Hurricane Dorian, the Trump administration is consciously discriminating against refugees due to their geographic location and low stance on the political totem pole.

Everyone has been affected. As citizens of the same earth, everyone will continue to be affected if we do not take a stance now.

Have an opinion?

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

Anyone can submit.

We look forward to hearing from you! @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

OP/ED

8 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

GATEPOST

Grievances

Student Services: Offer reliable assistance to students

By Ashley Wall Associate Editor

By Donald Halsing News Editor Paying for college is a challenge. Student Services makes the process even more challenging.

Over the summer, we learned that Student Services at FSU are the exact opposite of helpful.

Students were not informed of their Fall 2019 account balance until July 10.

That’s late notice, if you ask us.

The Fall bill due date was Aug. 1. Only two reminder emails were sent out - one month before, and one week before the due date.

With summer being an active time for students, two emails could easily be missed.

Understanding our bill would be simpler if they gave us a more advanced notice and students would have longer to figure out how to pay.

Ashley contacted both Student Accounts and Financial Aid about her semester bill. After being sent to voicemail numerous times, she finally got a call back a week later.

Unfortunately, they denied helping her while on the phone and suggested emailing their department instead.

When she emailed them, they told her to call the student services office for clarification on her bill.

By the end of this continuous cycle of unanswered questions, Ashley felt that she had played a torturous game of telephone.

Financial aid also offered no help. The emails she received back from Student Accounts contained two conflicting answers.

This is a major problem. Not paying the bill or setting up an accurate payment plan on time leads to students losing their courses and housing assignments.

Donald went on a roller coaster ride getting his loan and wishes he could ride a cooler coaster.

In order to cover his whole bill, he took out a student loan at a popular bank.

Donald received an email from his bank saying the loan would be disbursed in October and February. He emailed the bank back, saying that he needed the money immediately to cover his bill.

There were two issues. First, FSU Student Services had not informed the bank that the loan papers were received properly.

Second, “loan disbursement” is not explained to student borrowers. Apparently, the school does not accept the money all at once.

Instead, students are allowed to attend if they know the money will be sent, and FSU delays that process artificially.

Are you confused? So are we.

Student services, here are our suggestions on how to improve your department: Send emails to students far in advance of deadlines.

Send out student bills earlier.

Better coordinate among departments within the office.

The world is full of unfair and hidden rules. Mistakes can be expensive.

Student Services is not making it easy to navigate today’s confusing waters.

The bottom line? Student Services does anything but what their title claims.

So, listen up, Student Services: offer reliable services to students.

Letter to the Editor ATTENTION STUDENTS: IF YOU VAPE, PLEASE READ THIS You may have seen in the news last week that there has been an outbreak of mysterious respiratory illnesses and sudden deaths linked to vaping.

Many of these cases are very serious.

If you Juul, use e-cigarettes, or vape marijuana of any kind, I encourage you to keep reading this article. Your health, safety, and well-being are extremely important.

Vaping is a fairly new phenomenon that has sky-rocketed in popularity in just a few short years. Teenage use rates have increased so rapidly that the commissioners of the FDA, CDC, and health organizations across the country have been calling it a public health epidemic. There are a variety of new nicotine vaping products such as Juul, Blu, or Mojo. Additionally, the legalization of marijuana has introduced a variety of new vaping devices which can be purchased on-line and in dispensaries.

The problem with vaping is that it is new, and there is little scientific research or data to inform us about the potential impact on health. We know that both nicotine and marijuana impact the developing brain and lead to addiction. But, what are the other risks associated with inhaling heated vapors through an electronic metal device?

The caution against vaping has taken on a new urgency this week as doctors nationwide are attempting to understand a sudden spike in ER admissions for patients experiencing life threatening respiratory illnesses. Most are young, male, with a median age of 19. Most are very sick. Many require life support. In every case the patient reports having habitually vaped nicotine, marijuana, or both. As of last Friday, 450 cases of vaping illness spread among 33 states. These reports are accelerating rapidly. Currently, five individuals have died.

According to the CDC, patients experience gradual symptoms including breathing difficulties, coughing, and chest pain. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.

The symptoms and chest X-ray initially resemble pneumonia but worsen rapidly.

Officials are trying to determine what causes this illness. Although there are no definitive answers, they

believe that one of the many chemicals added to vape liquids in both marijuana and nicotine might be to blame. So far, the FDA has found the same vitamin E acetate in several of the products vaped by those afflicted with the illness. Officials are researching this possibility but have not reached conclusions at this point.

Products containing cannabis are regulated by individual state’s Cannabis Control Commission. The commission requires tests for pesticides but they set no restriction on ingredients used to flavor or cut the thick marijuana extracts in vaping products.

Cutting agents known as diluents are mixed with cannabis extract to create a consistent liquid that has the proper texture to be vaped. Some known additives include propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, mineral oil, or medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil to name a few. Officials know that there are many other chemicals that are being added to vape oil cartridges. These additives are the center of the current investigation.

Massachusetts also does not regulate vaping cartridge hardware. Lab tests and media reports indicate the heating coils used in less expensive, cheaply made vapes come from abroad, where manufacturing practices are sub-standard. These devices, when heated, can leach heavy metals into the vapor that is inhaled by the consumer.

Similar concerns exist for nicotine-based e-cigarette liquids and devices. The FDA has yet to create regulations that test and monitor e-cigarette vape products. Most of the e-cigarette market is currently operating without official regulations. Companies can use additives, flavorants, and chemicals in e-liquids without any official oversight from a regulatory authority. It is believed that these unknown chemical additives could be contributing to the serious respiratory illnesses being reported nationwide.

Joy LaGrutta, FSU coordinator of Alcohol & Drug Education

[Editor’s note: Gatepost Grievances is a bi-weekly column. The opinions of the authors do not reflect the opinions of the entire Gatepost staff.]

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

OP/ED

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 | 9

Letter to the Editor

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT CEVALLOS FOR THE GATEPOST Dear President Cevallos: As faculty and librarians at Framingham State University, we are concerned and alarmed that part-time faculty members among us have neither received their retroactive pay from the collective bargaining agreement finalized in spring 2019 nor been assigned the correct stipend for the work they are doing now, fall semester 2019. President Cevallos, please ask your team to rectify this immediately.

To wit: Full-time faculty and librarians received retroactive pay under the agreement in August. But the Council of Presidents and the Board of Higher Education have failed to complete the calculations necessary to pay those who have taught parttime the retroactive pay increases to which the Council and the Board agreed, and which the Governor and legislature funded. Nor have parttime faculty received contracts for this semester that reflect the per credit pay rate contained in the newly ratified contract. The delay has been inexplicable; it is now unconscionable.

You can appreciate how corrosive to our community values it is to live in a two-tiered system. This

failure to pay retroactive funds to part-time faculty reinforces the extent to which part-time faculty, upon whom our students rely just as they do full-time faculty, are treated as second-class citizens. Part-time faculty colleagues include the most economically vulnerable in our teaching ranks. Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, they are hired one semester at a time, one or two courses at a time. Many of our part-time colleagues teach not only at Framingham State but also at other institutions in the region in order to make ends meet.

The MSCA, the statewide union for faculty and librarians at the state universities, has offered assistance to the Council and Board to gather the data necessary to complete the calculations. We urge you and the other Presidents to take up that opportunity, make retroactive payments, and end the waiting for our part-time colleagues, which has now persisted for nearly 1,000 days. Until that time, the MCSA is continuing work to rule across all our campuses.

This breaks our hearts: There are many progressive endeavors - that our FSU faculty are known for - that cannot be pursued because of man-

agement’s break of faith with us. Until the BHE and the Council of Presidents fulfill their pledge to pay our part-time colleagues their rightful salaries, we remain on work to rule in solidarity with our part-time, but fully-contributing, colleagues.

Sincerely, Joseph Adelman, Ben Alberti, Lissa Bollettino, Emilce Cordeiro, Joseph D’Andrea, Aline Davis, Catherine Dignam, Robert Donohue, Mirari Elcoro, Zeynep Gonen, Michael Greenstein, Carl Hakansson Megan Lennard, Phoebe Lin, Jonathan Martin, Susan Massad, Larry McKenna, Deborah McMakin, Suzanne Meunier, Hedda Monaghan, Matthew Moynihan, Sarah Pilkenton, Colleen Previte, Ellen Redrick, Luis Rosero, Sandra Rothenberg, Virginia Rutter, Patricia Sanchez-Connally, Laura Shane, Bridgette Sheridan, Vandana Singh, Argy Stamatopoulou, Leslie Starobin, Niall Stephens, Derrick TePaske, Patricia Thomas, Zahier Tokidinia, Elizabeth Whalley, Ellen Zimmerman

Campus Conversations How do you feel about climate change?

By Ryan Feinblatt and Thomas Maye

I don’t have a big opinion on it.

-Bailey Collins, freshman

It’s an overlooked subject in our government. Taxes should go to help with research.

-Rodrigo Garcia, sophomore

No one wants to identify the problem.

-Efrain Vega, sophomore

I believe it’s a real thing. It’s clearly a real thing.

-Beverly Leino, freshman

I don’t have anything to say about it.

-Eva DeSousa, freshman

It’s a serious issue that needs to be talked about more.

-Selena Sheehy, sophomore

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

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

OP/ED

10 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

Shaming liberal arts majors ignores job market realities

By Thomas Maye Opinions Editor I’ll have you know that I’m very happy with my studies in underwater basket weaving.

I’m actually an English major, but to many of the nation’s academic decision-makers, there isn’t much of a difference.

In our obsession with jobs-based education, the liberal arts have come under siege - budgets are being cut, classes cancelled, and in extreme cases, entire departments slashed in favor of more “job-friendly” fields. Last year, for instance, the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point revealed an ill-fated plan to drop a staggering 13 liberal arts majors to expand studies in fields like business, engineering, and the sciences.

That attitude’s having a serious impact on enrollment. The study, “Saving Liberal Arts: Making the Bachelor’s Degree a Better Path to Success” lists liberal arts degrees falling nationally “by at least 15 percent between 2008 and 2016”; a similar 2019

Forbes article claims English degrees saw a loss of over 12,000 graduates in 10 years.

Rare is the day I can talk about my studies at the family reunion without being met by a tense smile and the ever-awkward, “So what are you gonna do with that?”

These anxieties, though, simply don’t line up with what actual employers are saying.

Treating college solely as a vocational school isn’t just insulting to the professors who’ve dedicated their lives to the humanities. It’s ignoring job market realities - at the expense of talented students’ academic experiences.

In the words of Goldie Blumenstyk, senior writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education, “Skills matter more than the major. A million job profiles prove it.”

Soft skills like critical thinking, problem solving, and communication are highly sought by potential hirers. SNHU career advisor Linsdet Levesque writes, “[Liberal Arts] graduates can be found in almost all in-

dustries and professions. Their ability to think critically, adapt quickly and solve problems is in high demand in STEM and business fields ... in areas like marketing, sales, strategy, or relationship-driven work like customer relations and account management.”

Dawn Ross, director of Career Services at FSU, echoed these thoughts.

“85% of employers weighed soft skills higher than hard skills” like specialized technical knowledge, she said.

“We had 750 employers come to campus, and probably 750 will stress the importance of these competencies,” she said.

Hard skills are essential in many industries, of course - but in a rapidly changing job market, a liberal arts education offers flexibility and competencies a rigidly technical degree lacks.

Yes, many history majors become teachers, and yes, a Ph.D. program is a natural choice for a philosophy student - but you’re not beholden to typical paths in the way a chemical engineering student might be.

In Blumenstyk’s article, Rob Sentz,

chief innovation officer of ESMI - a “market labor analysis company” stated that “the outcome of the English major looks pretty similar to the outcome of the business major.”

This is in part because of the diverse career paths available. As Ross phrased it, “people often have careers outside of their major.”

Of course, it’s no secret that people seldom go into the liberal arts for the money - but income earnings are generally far less drastic than the Starbucks barista horror stories you’ve heard. Graduates of the liberal arts and sciences make an average wage of $68,343 a year, according to Data USA, making a comfortable living entirely possible.

Many nervous freshmen drop their passions in pursuit of the practical, thinking it prudent in a competitive job market. In many senses, though, employers say otherwise.

Study a subject that gets you out of your dorm bed, not what a listicle tells you to. We need creative, intelligent graduates from all arrays of discipline.

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THE GATEPOST

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 | 11

ARTS & FEATURES

From women to computers Activism in the digital age

By Cara McCarthy Associate Editor

By Robert Johnson Jr Arts & Features Editor The Arts & Ideas series for the 2019-20 academic year held its first event of the semester with an exhibition in the Mazmanian Art Gallery Sept. 11.

Framingham State University invited Katherine Behar, a Brooklyn-based artist, and associate professor at Baruch College, to share her latest exhibition, “Backups,” with the FSU community.

Behar held a talk in the McCarthy Forum followed by a reception in the Mazmanian Art Gallery where students were able to see her work and talk with Behar one-on-one.

Ellie Krakow, professor of art and director of the gallery, introduced Behar as “an interdisciplinary artist and critical theorist of new media.”

Behar’s work has been rooted in exploring gender and labor in contemporary digital culture.

The meaning behind her work is grounded in “feminism and workers’ solidarity.”

She stated that she approaches this through “a dynamic of resistance.”

Sculpturally, as well as performatively, Behar focuses on performances of political resistance by bringing the complexity of the political world, to the digital world.

Behar’s exhibition features multiple sculptures collectively called “Shelf Life,” made out of QWERTY keyboard keys. She asks the question, “What shapes were tried and rejected, before keyboards became rectangles?”

She compared the design process of the keyboard to that of natural selection.

Behar said she named this collection of sculptures “Shelf Life” because they serve as a constant reminder that everything has a limited lifespan - computers, politics, even ourselves.

She described her exhibition as a way that digital culture produces “a profusion” of backups, or extra copies. “You have to be backed up in at least three places,” she tells her students.

“But as an artist, I am thinking a bit more philosophically about how we back up ourselves,” Behar said.

Behar’s other piece, “Roomba, Rumba,” which is not on display at the gallery, is a “feminist piece.”

She claims “Roomba, Rumba” is a

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Katherine Behar’s pieces “Modeling Big Data” and “Shelf Life.” collection of self-driven machines that mimic “the gendered activity of vacuuming.”

Behar considers this to be a “feminist piece” because of “the continuity between women’s work and the robotic work of machines, both of which are blackboxed or hidden from view.”

She said, “Before computers were computers, women were.” Before we had data, women did the “mindless” work that computers are able to do now. She showed the audience images from the early 1900s of women physically using typewriters to document data.

Behar shared her project, “Modeling Big Data,” which is a collection of six videos that mimic, and even parody four common actions on a computer - clicking, buffering, caching, and pinging.

“Technology has a function of not just backing data up, but backing humans up,” Behar said.

Behar’s piece, “Data Cloud: A Heap, A Mass, A Rock, A Hill,” is a large scale sculpture. She said the word “data” first appeared in 1646. “Cloud” dates back to ninth century Old English - both definitions consisting of the words heap, mass, rock, and hill.

“Data reflects our bodies and has data has entered into our world as a presence we need to contend with, as if it has a body of its own,” Behar said. “As easily as we can press a key, we can be pressed.”

Behar acknowledged, “It is exciting for me, as an artist, to see how this exhibition connects with so many different areas of study.”

She stated there were students with disciplines grounded in “technology to costume design.”

A few students and faculty members attended the reception that fol-

lowed shortly after the talk, at which visitors saw the pieces Behar made and contributed to the Mazmanian Art Gallery.

The show featured multiple components from different mediums - the most surprising inclusion to the viewers being the use of audio to accompany the technology-influenced art.

Lisa Eck, English professor and the chair of the Arts & Ideas series, was one of many who were impressed with Behar’s work.

“I was surprised and overwhelmed by the fact that it was, really, a multimedia exhibit,” Eck said. “When I stepped across the threshold into the gallery, a place where I’ve been to many great shows, this one took me someplace new because of that auditory landscape.”

The show contained four pieces of Behar’s works over the years, including “Shelf Life” and “Modeling Big Data,” which were discussed during her talk.

Joining them are “Autoresponder. exe,” a 16-minute, 10-second vertical video that generates a greater image, but, should one look away for too long, one would miss the completed image, representing “a scene of managerial power to software that is impersonal, ineffective, and tonedeaf.”

Her most recent work, “Knock Knock,” is a skit between two Amazon Alexas playing the game “I’m thinking of a number,” to find a cryptographic key that solves their dilemma - that key being SHA-256, the same encryption method used in blockchain-related functions.

Students, including senior Isaac Vu, were also fascinated by Behar’s exhibit.

“I think it was a very fascinating ex-

Cara McCarthy / THE GATEPOST

hibition, mainly because how media and machinery-focused it was and how, generally, a lot of artists don’t focus on that, especially with the newer tech that’s coming out,” Vu said.

Rose Piz, a senior, shared the same sentiment. “It was very surprising how Behar reached the idea of ‘Backups.’ The keys on a computer were a very creative use of getting this idea across.”

Behar said, “I would say that one of the things that I really enjoy, in terms of my teaching, is that I am often learning about new technologies for my students.“ She added, “In some ways, I’m already a dinosaur with technology, so my students are often bringing in new things that they don’t know about, and helping me to ‘upgrade myself,’ as I was talking about in the lecture.”

However, what made this show special was the history behind how it came to be - Krakow has a long history with Behar, dating back to her college years.

“Katherine and I actually were colleagues in graduate school together, so we’ve known each other for quite some time and I have always admired her work,” Krakow said.

“I thought Katherine was somebody who could reach artists who do digital work. She could reach sculptors, she could reach people who are studying sociology, she could reach people who are studying technology, she could reach people who are studying women’s studies or feminist studies - a great person to be in dialogue with,” Krakow said.

CONNECT WITH CARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy8@student.framingham.edu CONNECT WITH ROBERT JOHNSON JR. rjohnson10@student.framingham.edu

12 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

ARTS & FEATURES

The Best of

By Nadira Wicaksana Editor-in-Chief

A24

A24 has consistently put out gems for the last several years, but one of its best pictures of all time - though woefully eclipsed by another summer blockbuster about Swedish death cults that shall remain nameless - is “The Last Black Man in San Francisco.”

This June release is a semi-autobiographical film about the life of Jimmie Fails - played by Fails himself - an SF native who lives with his best friend Montgomery “Mont” Allen. He works to regain his childhood home, a beautiful Victorian house he says was built by his grandfather in 1946.

Joe Talbot’s debut feature is a heartfelt, poignant, and personal tribute to Fails, with whom he grew up in the Bay Area.

The soundtrack evokes the air of foggy nostalgia that envelops the city. Singer Scott McKenzie croons, “If you’re going to San Francisco / be sure to wear flowers in your hair.”

After having visited bumpy and hilly San Francisco for the first time earlier this year, I was able to truly appreciate the beauty and splendor of the Victorians, like the Painted Ladies that stand tall in Alamo Square.

The film calls to attention the housing crisis that plagues SF, a city suffering from the ills of gentrification and a lack of resources for its populations displaced by incoming companies producing the nouveau riche. It was because of gentrification and insurmountable costs and taxes that Fails’s family loses the house.

Talbot and Fails produced a stunning piece this summer that everyone should watch.

By Brennan Atkins Arts & Features Editor “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film. It stars Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth, Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, and Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate. The film focuses on Rick Dalton, a washed-up television star trying to rekindle his fame with the help of his long-time friend and stunt double, Cliff Booth.

When it comes to filmmaking, Tarantino’s style is very heavily defined by nonlinear storytelling and the use of violence, and while there are booms of violence in particular scenes, it’s tamer in the sense that this film could be considered a “slice of life.”

DiCaprio and Pitt are like peanut butter and jelly - they just work. They bounce comedic, suspenseful, and genuinely heartfelt scenes all around the place and with such ease.

It’s no surprise that we are met with a solid soundtrack by the man who revitalized “You Never Can Tell” by Chuck Berry, but this film goes above and beyond. On top of having classics such as “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon and Garfunkel, they also have an amazing cover of “California Dreamin” by José Feliciano.

You get to see DiCaprio in a silly cowboy outfit. Go watch.

Sony Pictures

By Sara Senesac Asst. Arts & Features Editor

RCA Records

America’s boy band, BROCKHAMPTON, is back and definitely better.

“GINGER,” much like their previous release, strays very far from the original “SATURATION” trio, so if you’re still hung up on “SWEET” and “BOOGIE,” this may not be the album for you.

The slow, quiet melodies of “NO HALO” kick off the track list, and no emotional song would be complete without a Merlyn verse. BROCKHAMPTON is known for their unique sound editing and voice altering in their songs - and this album is no exception to that.

Hearing the boys not only rapping, but also singing, in this song is refreshing. Knowing their vocal talent goes further than the usual rapid flow is something that makes this song one of my favorites on the album.

But if you are craving some of that typical Kevin Abstract flow mixed with Joba making you increasingly uncomfortable, “I BEEN BORN AGAIN” will be your new anthem.

The track takes the same organizational approach as some of the group’s earlier hits, where every boy gets his own verse mixed in with Matt Champion swooping in with a sick verse to close.

Finally, if you really are looking for that throwback funky, bump-worthy BROCKHAMPTON song, “BOY BYE” and “IF YOU PRAY RIGHT” should definitely be additions to your Friday night playlist this semester.

BROCKHAMPTON, you saved summer once again!

By Robert Johnson Jr. Arts & Features Editor

This summer, SNK beckoned fighting game players around the world to #EmbraceDeath with the seventh entry in the much-beloved “Samurai Shodown” series. This game is yet another fantastic victory on SNK’s warpath to redemption, after a difficult decade of ups and downs.

Every detail, from the characters to the stage backgrounds, fits the aesthetic perfectly, with a manga-influenced art style, driven by the beautiful strokes of Japanese painting techniques of yesteryear. When you play the game, you can’t help but be amazed at how something so gorgeous can run so smoothly at 60 frames per second.

As with previous entries in the series, combat is slow-paced, but every strike that lands is a matter of life or death, meaning that button mashing is discouraged in the heat of battle - you need to be patient and strike efficiently, lest you want to see your health bar go down 50% in one hit while a geyser of blood spurts out of you.

New features, like the once-per-match Super Special Move, and old mainstays, like the Lightning Blade, also make “Samurai Shodown” into a resource-management game in which players need to know when each resource should be expended to ensure their path to victory.

I simply cannot recommend this game enough.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

SNK CORPORATION

ARTS & FEATURES

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 | 13

Summer 2019

By Jared Graf Interim Asst. Arts & Features Editor

On SAINt JHN’s sophomore effort, “Ghetto Lenny’s Love Songs,” he daringly infuses elements of hip-hop, R&B, and melodic trap, creating an ignorant, yet beautifully unique body of work.

“If me and a stripper got married, we’d play this at our wedding,” SAINt JHN audaciously tells Apple Music.

This being said, the aptly titled introduction, “Wedding Day,” finds the artist crooning about a relationship and detailing how fame and fortune have affected him. JHN proves he’s a musical dilettante early on in the album, as he experiments with several different melodies, flows, and harmonies throughout the song’s three-minute runtime.

On the fast-tempo club anthem, “5 Thousand Singles,” SAINt JHN ditches the singing for a more in-your-face, unapologetic approach: “It’s Ghetto Lenny, but they treat me like I’m Michael Bolton,” he confidently boasts.

On more laid-back cuts like “I Can Fvcking Tell” and “Trophies,” SAINt JHN does what he does best - reminisce on past relationships and touch on females who deserve recognition - or trophies.

Production on the album is handled by frequent collaborator F a l l e n, with features from Meek Mill, Lil Baby, A Boogie wit da Hoodie and retro-rock legend Lenny Kravitz.

Impeccable songwriting combined with cinematic production and SAINt JHN’s genre-blending versatility makes for a breath of fresh air in such an oversaturated music industry.

If you were ever looking for an album to party and then drunk text your ex to, “Ghetto Lenny’s Love Songs” is Godd Complexx/Hitco it.

By Noah Barnes Entertainment Correspondent

HBO

“Chernobyl” is a five-episode drama mini-series retelling the events surrounding one of the largest manmade disasters of the same name. The event took place on April 26, 1986, the day the Chernobyl reactor exploded.

The series follows what happened on that day, as well as the aftermath of the event, and how the U.S.S.R. tried to hide all this information from the public.

The show is dark and disturbing, as well as enlightening and engaging. There’s no sugarcoating the horrifying details of what actually happened during this tragic event, and while it’s certainly unpleasant to watch, you can’t help but keep going through the series as it informs you on lesser known details surrounding the event.

The actors are all fantastic. The visual effects are so realistic, it’s hard to tell what’s real or fake. The makeup portrays one of the most horrifying and realistic depictions of the effects of radiation on people I’ve ever seen in media.

“Chernobyl” is a grim awakening for those unaware, and a reminder to those who are familiar with the details of this tragedy.

By Cara McCarthy Associate Editor

Ever since I was 13, Machine Gun Kelly, known to his fans as MGK, has been putting out amazing albums, each one better than the last.

This summer, MGK released “Hotel Diablo,” his fourth studio album.

The album features artists such as Trippie Redd, along with - most notably - YUNGBLUD and Travis Barker.

One of the tracks - “I think I’m OKAY” with YUNGBLUD and Barker - became a summer hit.

MGK also took this opportunity to open up more about his inner struggles and his life more than in past albums.

Songs such as “Candy,” despite having an upbeat and catchy tune, depict the darker topic of his drug use.

The song “Burning Memories” reflects on having a strained relationship with both of his parents growing up.

In “Glass House,” MGK pays tribute to Lil Peep, Mac Miller, and Chester Bennington - all extremely influential musicians in the alternative scene, all of whom have died within the last couple of years from either drugs or suicide.

He even went as far as to call out the people who make jokes about his best friend, Pete Davidson, after his public mental breakdown late last year.

MGK’s previous albums were mainly about smoking weed and living the dream in the rap scene.

This album is about smoking weed and the trials and tribulations that come with it.

With this new album, he takes the time to discuss the struggles and hardships musicians and celebrities face on a day-to-day basis with their lives in the public eye.

MGK put me in my feelings this summer, and I loved every minute of it.

Interscope

By Lauren Paolini Asst. Copy Editor

By Caeley Whalen Interim Fashion Correspondent

Fall may be just around the corner, but that doesn’t mean you need to throw your favorite summer trends in the back of your closet just yet. Hot girl summer could not be complete without classic summer styles - sandals, sunglasses, and your favorite beach bag, and we can guarantee you saw your staples in plenty of leopard print.

That’s right - it’s back. And we’re not mad about it.

Shania Twain fans, rejoice! You’ll definitely feel like a woman in this fun and flirty print.

The versatility of leopard print can make any outfit a statement look with a bright pattern, or you can keep it casual with the classic brown-and-black combination.

An easy way to incorporate this into your fall wardrobe is with a leopard midi skirt and plain white tee, or a leopard scarf for when the colder New England weather hits.

Whatever your style may be, there’s a leopard print for anyone.

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14 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

ARTS & FEATURES

“IT Chapter Two” doesn’t live up to the hype

By Brennan Atkins Arts & Features Editor

By Noah Barnes Entertainment Correspondent “It,” directed by Andy Muschietti was a 2017 horror film that brought life back into the cult-followed novel of the same name, written by Stephen King. It surprised us, and audiences, with its captivating imagery and genuinely talented youth cast.

“It Chapter Two,” once again directed by Muschietti, includes James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough, Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh, Bill Hader as Richie Tozier, Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon, Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom, Andy Bean as Stanley Uris, and Bill Skarsgård returning as the infamous Pennywise.

Horror sequels that live up to the quality of the original seem to be few and far between, and for good reason.

The director is challenged with the task of maintaining the level of suspense from the last film, while also having to introduce new characters or environments to keep the threat - whether clown, doll, or shark - interesting.

It seems like Pennywise might be out of material after waiting for 27 years because for a self-proclaimed dancing clown, he’s not very interest-

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ing in this film.

This is no fault of Skarsgård as an actor, as he has glimpses of creepiness that may even trump the first movie, but they’re nothing more than a shimmer. Nothing is on-screen long enough containing Pennywise for a feeling of eeriness to set in - We know what Pennywise was capable of, show us what he can do now.

In our “It” review from 2017, we wrote, “Child actors are scarce, which makes it all the more amazing when you include eight phenomenal performances from these kids.”

What’s even more amazing - even mind-boggling - is not including them in anything more than candids, especially when the movie is three hours long. The original novel interweaves them as children more, and the chemistry of the adults is awkward and downright boring at times.

The casting for this movie in terms of looks is perfect - they really do look like the older versions of the characters - but it almost feels like this is where the casting crew was like “OK, we’re done.”

Looks for a character are important, but on a surface level. Most importantly, the actors lack the chemistry that was such a vital part of the first film, almost reminiscent of a R-rated “Scoo-

by-Doo” franchise - the kids had chemistry and felt attached to reality.

We absolutely cannot feel attached to reality when a 40-year-old James McAvoy is riding on his ancient childhood bike screaming, “Hi-Ho Silver,” when there are lives at stake.

The adults all still talk as if they are from their childhoods, which is supposed to come off as a lighthearted friendship and banter, but just gets a little old after the third “your mom” joke.

We get it.

You can tell that Muschietti is trying, taking risks, but it feels as if a lack of foundation in terms of story was the downfall for the rest of the film. Visually, there are some creepy, interesting things that you won’t see in many other films, but that cannot be enough of a reason for a three-hour runtime.

It is not the fact it runs for three hours, but the fact they don’t do anything with that time. Getting to Derry in the first place feels like it took way too long, and it set a snail’s pace that is maintained for the rest of the movie.

As was the case with the first movie, it wasn’t necessarily scary, as we feel the ambition was more toward a feeling of creepiness, but even then, it doesn’t stay consistent.

While we’d like to say that anyone

who enjoyed the first film will find satisfaction in seeing the demonic clown on the screen once more, it’s unfortunately not enough to keep the rest of the film intact. The tensions between the children and Pennywise in the previous film were the catalysts for horror, and without that, it’s just a bunch of people hanging around a clown.

And that’s kinda what this is.

ADMIT ONE

Grade: C+

It dragged on.

ADMIT ONE

CONNECT WITH BRENNAN ATKINS batkins@student.framingham.edu CONNECT WITH NOAH BARNES nbarnes@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

Summertime

VMAs: the good, the bad, and the ugly

By Lauren Paolini Asst. Copy Editor

By Caeley Whalen Interim Fashion Correspondent We may not have gotten our modern-day Justin and Britney all-denim moment we’ve been waiting for, but the 2019 VMA red carpet was still full of surprising looks - both good and not so good.

First, the celebrity who just seems to show up on any red carpet, Heidi Klum. The supermodel walked the carpet in a NEDO black metallic mid-dress with what looked like an extra piece of fabric waiting to be trimmed hanging down the front.

While this wasn’t our favorite look from Klum, she’ll have plenty of chances to redeem herself at literally every single red carpet for every single awards show.

We also need to talk about Taylor Swift. The winner of “Video of the Year” wore a rainbow Versace blazer, and we’re pretty jealous of her thigh-high black Louboutin boots.

But the blazer, not so much.

We loved how Swift’s colorful outfit complemented her pridethemed song, “You Need to Calm Down” - however, the execution wasn’t our fave. We’re over the high school marching band style blazer-shorts-awkward-romper combo.

Thankfully, we did have a handful of celebs who did the red carpet justice.

Would Shawn Mendes really ever let us down? The singer looked oh so dapper in a teal Dolce and Gabbana suit with his perfect hair and smile as his best accessories. Camilla Cabello is one lucky “Señorita.”

Keke Palmer walked the carpet in a beaded, high-neck Yousif Aljasmi yellow dress, and added a playful ’80s cell-phone-shaped clutch.

The dress fit her perfectly and her accessories of choice were spot on, proving her time on “True Jackson VP” taught her a thing or two about fashion.

Another star who walked the carpet in a metallic look was Lil Nas X. You may be sick of the one million remixes of “Old Town Road,” but his custom Christian Cowan suit stole the show. The cropped jacket and pants were covered in silver sequins, and his ruffled undershirt with exaggerated lace sleeves was a nice contrast against all of the sequins. As a nod to his country crossover, the singer completed the look with silver cowboy boots.

While Lil Nas X didn’t go full yeehaw for his red-carpet look, Diplo sure did.

The DJ wore a custom Nudie suit with psychedelic designs in reference to his song “LSD.” The off-white suit featured patches of mushrooms, lightning bolts, and a cow-printed frog. We know this sounds like it should be on the worst-dressed list, but somehow, it all worked. Diplo topped of his look with rainbow-beaded glasses and a cowboy hat.

When it comes to red carpets, sometimes the risk is worth the reward.

CONNECT WITH LAUREN PAOLINI AND CAELEY WHALEN lpaolini@student.framingham.edu cwhalen2@student.framingham.edu

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 | 15

Slowness

By Robert Johnson Jr. Arts & Features Editor Summer is a great time for a lot of things.

For me, it’s a great time to catch up on video games I didn’t get to play during the semester and TV shows that I have been forced to drop because of me needing to allocate that focus to writing papers.

Most importantly, it’s an excuse for me to eat seafood on a consistent basis again with my family - that’s always my favorite part of summer break.

Some people note entertainment reaches its peak during the summer. For instance, look at all the amazing music that got released - some of it is even written about in the “Best of Summer 2019” spread, a few pages back!

As for movies, they tend to reach a peak … at least in the opposite direction. Movies tend not to be as interesting or high quality as those released in, say, January or November.

Comics, too, encounter that same problem.

When it comes down to comics, it’s not a matter of quality, but, rather, a matter of quantity and waning interest. In a way, one can consider the comic book industry to be one that thrives on beginning-of-the-year and end-of-the-year offerings, especially when it comes down to the Big Two - which, as a reminder, is the umbrella term for DC and Marvel Comics.

“Robbie, why are you giving us all this exposition? Why did you set us up for another fourth-wall breaking gag?”

Well, dear reader, that’s a good question.

Comics, just like movies, reach a point where once the summer solstice hits, the necessity to release new stuff is not as pressing on companies and distributors. During that three-month period, companies, especially the Big Two, love to promote and make greater emphasis of their large-scale, multiverse-bending “events.”

This past summer in particular, Marvel put out the “House of X”/”Powers of X” event, which focused on re-launching the “X-Men” timeline with six-issue limited series for both titles, one that will culminate in this fall’s “Dawn of X,” with its own stack of titles available for “X-Men” fans to buy and read.

DC, on the other hand, fired back with their own titles, putting a great deal of focus on their “Year of the Villain” campaign, with Lex Luthor and his shiny, bald head leading the cause. Aside from Luthor and his beautiful dome, DC also put out “Event Leviathan,” which is pretty on the nose, in terms of name, and “City of Bane,” which, also in name, sounds glorious.

All of these events are great, especially what I’ve read of “House of X,” so far, but as a certain Photos Editor said to me on Wednesday night, “All these events are happening, and people are going to forget about them in the span of a few months.”

Now, of course, Marvel and DC are not the only ones making content - we need to think about the independent creators during this “troubling” time.

Creators who rely on services like Kickstarter and Patreon to promote their work tend to thrive during the summer months, thanks to the interest of fans. On top of this rapport, independent creators also do a lot of traveling to conventions, given how the convention circuit, much like the weather, heats up, allowing for greater means of self-promotion.

As the people behind this newspaper know, this is a positive.

No matter your views on how the comic book industry operates during the summer, let’s just be glad it still finds a way to be relevant, even when the production cycle temporarily slows down.

CONNECT WITH ROBERT JOHNSON JR. rjohnson10@student.framingham.edu

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

ARTS & FEATURES

16 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

Kaitlyn’s Kosmetics Live in Color review

By Kaitlyn Cullen Staff Writer Over the summer, Morphe came out with a rainbow palette, the 25L Live in Color eyeshadow palette.

Many companies come out with some version of a rainbow line or product during Pride month, but not all do it in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Morphe partnered with The Trevor Project to design a palette with a Pride theme. The Trevor Project aims to save young LGBTQ+ lives by providing crisis counseling through texts, phone calls, and online safe spaces.

The Live in Color palette is sold exclusively on Morphe’s website and in their retail stores. According to Morphe’s website, 100% of the net proceeds go to The Trevor Project. The company also gives customers the option to add an additional donation at checkout.

Not only is the outside of the palette aesthetically pleasing, with its sleek design and gold lettering, but the inside is holographic and each eyeshadow is either bright, sparkly, or a mix of both. It has 13 matte colors, eight satin finishes, and four glitter options. It has both a base black and white, a ho-

lographic white, three golden shades, two oranges, one red, four pinks, six greens, three blues, and three purples.

Unlike some bright palettes, these bold colors look good on any skin tone.

They pop on dark skin and don’t wash out fair skin. Most of the matte colors are highly pigmented, whereas some of the glitter and satin choices are meant to be a top layer or need to be built up.

Most of the cool colors, particularly the blues and greens, stick to the applicator more than your skin. The warm colors - specifically the matte pink, red, orange, and yellow - are so heavily pigmented they almost pop right out at you.

As with most Morphe shadows, every color is easily blendable and will last longer if primed with concealer or eyeshadow primer. I suggest the latter, but the former will do if your products are limited.

Unfortunately, even after the standard application time, this palette smudges easily. A few ways to avoid this are to apply it over primer and seal it with a finishing spray or other similar products. The good news is that no harsh makeup removers are necessary with this product. Soap and water should suffice, with the exception of

ACROSS 1. Woodpeck- er’s drill 5. Idris of “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” 9. Appall 14. Daily Bruin’s sch.

15. Lane of DC Comics 16. Mexican artist Frida 17. Facility for Leafs and Teslas 20. Underwater navigation aid 21. Light refresh- ment?

22. “Did it!”

25. Grasp 26. Lowe’s competitor 30. Plowing obstacles 35. “___ had it with you!”

36. Impertinent talk 37. Isaac’s mother 38. Literary heroine Eyre 40. Concentrate 43. Tear down 44. Without a clue 46. Neighbor- hood 48. Enemy in battle 49. Facial feature on a penny 50. Church musician’s control 52. Small amount 54. Sicilian mount 55. Formal hypotheses

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the shades “Sexuality” and “Parade,” look was featured on Morphe’s Instawhich may need a little extra effort to gram account shortly after the palette remove completely. was released.

Internet-famous makeup artist Overall, I give this palette an A-.

James Charles recreated a drippy rainbow eye look originally done by make- CONNECT WITH KAITLYN CULLEN up artist Chloe Fitzpatrick, and his kcullen@student.framingham.edu

Cara McCarthy / THE GATEPOST The inside of the Morphew 25L live in color pallette.

60. Savory taste 64. Certain electrical contact 67. Sports fan’s trivia 68. Austrian coin 69. Insects in a line 70. Cuban coins 71. WWII invasion kickoff 72. Tempe neighbor DOWN 1. Tampa Bay team, familiarly 2. Audible rebound 3. Turing or Tudyk 4. Martial art that will debut at the 2020 Olympics 5. Inventor Whitney 6. Chaney in old horror films 7. Mavs’ home, slangily 8. Provide aid 9. Rink customers 10. Roles, meta- phorically 11. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s state 12. Chunk of dirt 13. Hawaiian coffee 18. Reunion attendees, for short 19. Summer top 23. Turn a ___ ear 24. Lhasa ___ 26. Headgear for some Muslims 27. Egg-shaped 28. Org. seeking to foster intelligence 29. Famous grouch 31. Rower’s stick 32. Creative endeavor 33. Buzzing music maker 34. Idiomatic followers 39. Poetic contraction 41. Natural desire 42. Spot in the Senate 45. One includes a ZIP code 47. Per ___ (yearly) 50. Followed orders 51. “Green Eggs and Ham” character’s nickname 53. Bike tire filler 55. Recipe amt.

56. “I ___ to say it ...”

57. H’s, on frat row 58. Preminger of cinema 59. Wall support 61. Queen in “The Favourite”

62. Tangles of hair 63. Ingrid, in “Casablanca” 65. Notable stretch 66. Baseball Hall of Famer Halladay

Puzzle solutions are now exclusively online.

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 | 17

SPORTS Women’s Soccer remains winless The NFL’s 100th birthday party

By Liam Gambon Sports Editor

By Carlos Silva Asst. Sports Editor

By Sara Senesac Editorial Staff The Rams faced off against the Becker Hawks on Sept. 10. The match ended in a tie after two extra time periods.

Framingham seemed to have control early in the game as Brooke Fenton nearly scored when she chipped a shot just over the crossbar after receiving a corner pass from Calen Frongillo.

The Hawks and the Rams were both able to score around the 40th minute The Hawks’ goal came from Chelsea Sedar as she dribbled around the Rams’ keeper scoring an easy sitter for the first goal of the game.

The Rams answered almost immediately as Fenton scored thirty seconds later. The goal was from about 25 yards out and went right into the top left corner of the net.

The Rams and Hawks then proceeded to have a back-and-forth game which ended in a 1-1 tie, as neither team managed to score after the two extra time periods.

However, the Rams gave their best defensive performance thus far this season.

The result was a 1-1 tie, as neither team managed to score after two extra time periods.

When Coach Kern was asked about her team’s performance, she said, “Today, I thought we played really well as a team. We worked really hard on off-ball movement and on-ball movement. I felt that it showed in today’s performance,”.

Kern added, “We still have a lot to improve on in terms of working as a team, but also we have many injured players, who hopefully will recover soon and help rejuvenate the team’s overall mentality,”.

The Rams are now 0-3-1 on theseason.

BECKER 1 FRAMINGHAM STATE 1

CONNECT WITH LIAM GAMBON lgambon1@student.framingham.edu CONNECT WITH SARA SENESAC ssenesac@student.framingham.edu

The NFL’s 100th anniversary began with the league’s oldest rivalry - the Packers and the Bears.

In a game with big-name stars like Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, and Khalil Mack, fans were expecting an absolute barn-burner.

What they got was the complete opposite.

The game was very defense-minded, which normally isn’t a bad thing. However, both teams’ defenses shined due to horrible offense.

The game ended with a 10-3 score. However, most people turned off their TVs long before that point.

The week continued on with great success, despite the underwhelming first game.

The Saints vs. Texans and Panthers vs. Rams games were some of the high points of the week.

Each game consisted of all-around great football - terrific runs, spectacular catches, hard-hitting linebackers, and drives that had people on the edges of their couches waiting to see what would happen next.

We also got to see outstanding performances from Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Both threw for more than four touchdowns without any interceptions.

Jackson was able to silence the critics who had labeled him as a “run only guy” who could not throw the ball on a consistent basis.

The Ravens won their game by 49 points against an extremely lackluster Miami Dolphins team. Jackson finished with five touchdowns, 324 passing yards, and a perfect passer rating.

Prescott came out and dominated against a division rival and led the Dallas Cowboys to a 35-17 victory over the New York Giants.

He finished with four touchdowns, 405 passing yards, and a perfect passer rating of his own.

The major news of the week came when controversial star wide receiver Antonio Brown was cut by the Oakland Raiders.

Brown’s name has been coming up in the media all summer for a number of reasons. He refused to play due to his hatred of the new helmet designs the NFL picked out for the season and his posting of a confidential letter from his team on his Instagram page.

He also got into a near physical confrontation with the general manager of the Raiders, Mike Mayock.

Reports came out saying Brown had threatened to punch Mayock in the face. He proceeded to punt a football and told Mayock to “fine him” for that.

Brown’s initial issue with Mayock stemmed from two separate fines he received from him for ditching practice and walkthroughs while he was dealing with grievances about the helmet issue.

ESPN’s Josina Anderson reported Brown went up to Mayock and initiated the conversation by calling the GM a “cracker,” which was the moment when things started to escalate.

After all of these events, the Raiders believed they had no choice, so they decided to release Brown.

Shortly after, Brown was in the headlines again when news broke that the reigning Super Bowl champion New England Patriots were taking a chance by signing him.

While shows such as “First Take” and “Undisputed” debated how long Brown would last with the Patriots, more news broke about the controversial player.

This time, it was a lot more serious - Brown’s former trainer, Britney Taylor, filed a lawsuit against him for three alleged incidents of sexual assault in 2017 and 2018.

Brown has since denied the allegations and filed a counter-suit for extortion.

While Brown’s future is unclear, what is clear is the NFL’s 100th anniversary went from being a huge celebration to having the party ruined by one of the league’s premier wide receivers.

Carlos Silva / THE GATEPOST

CONNECT WITH CARLOS SILVA csilva14@student.framingham.edu FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

18 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

SPORTS

Men’s Soccer drops to 1-4

By Dylan Thayer Staff Writer The Rams’ men’s soccer team lost to the Clark University Cougars 4-2 in regulation on Sept. 11.

It was a dominant game for the Cougars, who outshot the Rams 23 to 13 for the whole contest.

Gustavo Cassemiro was able to put the Rams back in the game right after halftime, and tied it up at 1.

The Cougars were then able to score two goals in a two-minute span to put themselves up 3-1.

Bryce Nardizzi put one in the net on an amazing pass by Cassemiro.

Clark scored again in the 84th minute on Sean Munroe’s second goal of the game.

Munroe played a great game for Clark with two goals on seven of their 23 shots.

James Hartshorn did his best to keep the Rams in the contest with a game-leading eight saves, but the Clark offense outplayed the Rams throughout the game.

After the game, Coach Dean Nichols said, “We need to finish our opportunities on the offensive end. We created a lot of good opportunities to score, but we just need to execute.”

When asked about preparation for this Saturday’s game against UMass Dartmouth, Nichols said, “We need to work on our defense - starting with our forwards. We aren’t putting enough pressure on our opponents and forcing enough turnovers.”

The Rams fell to 1-4 after the loss.

CLARK UNIVERSITY 4 FRAMINGHAM STATE 2

CONNECT WITH DYLAN THAYER dthayer1@student.framingham.edu

Volleyball falls in five sets

By Liam Gambon Sports Editor The Rams lost to Western New England’s volleyball team Sept. 10.

Framingham took the first set 25-23 but then dropped the second set 25-20.

In the third set, both teams were head-to-head throughout, but Western New England’s spikers powered through the Framingham blocks, sending the ball flying toward the stands at times to win the third set 25-22.

In the fourth set, Framingham had to win or the match would have ended.

The team as a whole stepped up, but one player stood out above the rest.

Framingham’s libero, Alyssa Cafarelli, received spike after spike and racked up digs. This prevented Western New England from taking the fourth set, as Framingham won it 25-17.

Coach Richard Casali said Cafarelli “comes from Arizona so we’re very lucky to have her. She’s a really good player. You notice her more than others because she’s on the floor more than others.

“Our other defenders are really good players. She’s special.”

The game went into a decisive fifth set.

Playing in a complete five-set match is rare and physically draining for players. It also causes nerves and pressure.

“I’ve been doing this for a real long time - it’s not nerve-wracking for me. My assistant was a wreck. She was bouncing off the walls,” Casali said. “The girls get a little anxious at the end, and that’s what causes them to make mistakes.”

Western New England jumped out to a lead early in the final set due to multiple Framingham mistakes and took off from there.

The mistakes made by the Rams led to a 15-9 final set win by Western New England, which gave them the game win at 3-2.

“We’re young and we need to learn how to play at the end of a game - that’s when it really counts the most,” Casali said. “The mistakes we made at the end, if we made them earlier, they wouldn’t have seemed so bad.

“They’re a young team and they’ll make mistakes. That’s what I told them in the huddle. They played pretty well - we’re just having trouble finding a win.”

This loss is the third straight for the Rams.

“As we mature a little bit, they’ll attack more. What we’re doing, we’re just going to keep doing, because we’re not doing much wrong,” Casali said. “We’ll be back in the gym working on our attack and getting into a position to always attack.”

Fulfilling her job as the libero, Cafarelli led the team in digs with 32.

Brandee Thomas led the team in kills with 17.

The Rams had a better kill percentage than Western New England and had 12 more digs.

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Carlos Silva / THE GATEPOST

Carlos Silva / THE GATEPOST

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND 3 FRAMINGHAM STATE 2 CONNECT WITH LIAM GAMBON lgambon1@student.framingham.edu

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 13, 2019 | 19

Players of the week

Football blown out by Endicott

By Carlos Silva Asst. Sports Editor Rams’ football lost the season opener to Endicott 55-27 Endicott started off quickly by grabbing a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, following two touchdown passes from Joe Kalosky and a pick six by Michael Lefebre.

After two bad drives, the Rams got on the board after Adam Wojenski threw a 74-yard touchdown pass to Austin Nunn.

The Rams cut the lead to 21-13 when Devaun Ford scored a touchdown from five yards out. The play marked his first collegiate career touchdown.

Endicott extended their lead to 28-13 after Kalosky’s third touchdown of the game.

The emerging freshman star Ford cut the deficit again with a 36-yard touchdown run to make the score 28-20 right before halftime.

The Rams started off strong in the second half when they scored on the opening drive with a five-yard run from Rufus Rushins, who was their goal-line back last season.

Endicott dominated the rest of the game, scoring the remaining 27 points.

The Rams are now 0-1 for the season.

One reason Endicott performed so well was their ability to force five turnovers and

convert on four of them, including a pair of pick sixes.

Wojenski completed 19 of 40 passes with a single touchdown and four interceptions.

Ford finished the game with nine rushes for 69 yards, two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 40 yards.

ENDICOTT FRAMINGHAM STATE

55 27

CONNECT WITH CARLOS SILVA csilva14@student.framingham.edu

fsurams.com

Alyssa Cafarelli recorded 32 digs in Volleyball’s 3-2 loss to Western New England.

GATEPOST ARCHIVES

fsurams.com

Devaun Ford rushed for two touchdowns and 69 yards in Football’s 55-27 loss to Endicott.

fsurams.com

Brandee Thomas recorded 17 kills in Volleyball’s 3-2 loss to Western New England.

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PHOTOS

20 | SEPTEMBER 13, 2019

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Photograph by Caronline Gordon/THE GATEPOST

Photograph by Caronline Gordon/THE GATEPOST

Photograph by Caronline Gordon/THE GATEPOST

Photograph by Caronline Gordon/THE GATEPOST Photograph by Ryan Feinblatt/THE GATEPOST FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM