The Gatepost volume
84 • number 6
O’Connor Hall office renovations will begin May 2016
O
c t o b e r
1 6 ,
2 0 1 5
fsugatepost.tumblr.com issuu.com/fsugatepost
LET’S PLAY SOME PONG
By Megan Muise Staff Writer
Renovations to turn O’Connor Hall into a faculty and classroom facility will take place during the summer of 2016. O’Connor’s repositioning is due to the construction of West Hall, which will be opening in the fall of 2016 and replacing O’Connor as a residence hall. The renovations will result in 45 offices, six classrooms, nine meeting rooms, and 10 seminar rooms. The total cost of all renovations will be $8,316,000. Confirmation of the renovation came shortly after the plans to build a new residence hall were officially authorized during the 2013-14 academic year. Framingham State University collaborated with the Division of Capital Asset Management and the Massachusetts State Building Authority to create a master plan for the University’s campus. Glenn Cochran, associate dean of students and director of residence life, said, “Conceptually, there is a goal to create master plans that keep academics in core parts of the institution physically so that auxiliary things like parking and residence halls ring the center of the academic activity. “It wouldn’t make sense to put a parking lot where O’Connor is since it’s a prime location for there to be core academic activity there instead,” Cochran added. He said that almost all of the furniture from O’Connor Hall will be reused in the new residence building. “To throw out furniture with a 20-year lifespan that students are paying for that has been used less than 10 years is not OK with me. That’s a waste.” Administrators have yet to make a decision about which
Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
Bernard Ampofo plays in the Game Room’s Ping Pong Tournament.
West Hall on budget and on schedule By Amelia Foley Editorial Staff
The new residence hall, West Hall, is scheduled to be completed and open for occupancy by fall 2016. Administration expect the cost will not exceed the $44 million budget. Executive Vice President Dale Hamel said the West Hall dorm is being paid for by the rent of resident students and that it “is all revenue bond financing, so just like all the residence halls, the residence halls basically
have to stand on their own. The revenue that we take in through rent is needed to cover both operations and department service.” He added this is possible because the University has consistently maintained a 100 percent occupancy over the past few years. Hamel said, “The building authority is pretty good about their projects in terms of a lot of upfront planning, studying and design, so when we get into actual construction their projects are typically on budget and on time.” He added, “It has been a very good construction season be-
-See O’CONNOR RENOVATION page 5
Inside Inspect the Tech: iPhone 6s Review 10
MLB got Utley decision wrong 12
Cancino speaks on “Trans Queer Liberation Movement” By Melina Bourdeau Associate Editor
Imagine waiting in a cell, in solitary confinement at a detention center. You have not seen the sun or talked to anyone for days. What would be the first thing that you would do when you were free? Julian Cancino, a transgender immigrant and one of the founding members of Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, provided one person’s answer when he visited the Center for Inclusive Excellence on Wednesday Oct. 14. Paolo Palomar’s choice, as -See NEW DORM page 4 Cancino described it in his talk, was to protest the system which imprisoned him. Cancino presented a photograph of Paolo with his fist in the air, wrapped from his shoulders to his torso in chains. “There are four chains like the four corners and holding the four chains, there are drag queens,” said Cancino. “High heels and full attire and wigs at the corners. What were you expecting? We’re a queer transgender movement - of course we’re going to do that! The gay Brad Leuchte/The Gatepost
Football scores fourth straight 12
-See JULIAN CANCINO page 9
Students showcase ceramics 8