Life’s a pitch
Waffle Time
Ithaca Avengers form family after recently celebrating their inaugural season, page 23
Thursday Apr il 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
wind down
Two alumni satisfy late-night cravings by opening waffle café, page 13
Survey shows students concerned by lack of lounges, page 10
The Ithacan
The economic Working-class students struggle to fit in among wealthy peers
divide
by jacqueline palochko News editor
Bobby Allyn left his small bluecollar town of Plymouth in northeast Pennsylvania to attend Ithaca College in fall 2006. His high school guidance counselor told him that with his father’s income as a machinist and the cost of a private institution, Ithaca might not have been the best fiscal choice for him. But his father did not want to hear that and insisted that his son become the first in the family to receive a college degree. By second semester, Allyn said he couldn’t find a social niche. Though he said he did meet other students from working-class backgrounds, the majority of students he met were from lifestyles he never experienced — students who grew up in affluent suburbs reading the New York Times and vacationing in Europe, a significant difference from the local community newspaper he read and the Photo illustration by colleen lowery and andrew buraczenski
See economy, page 4
Professors paid below national average senior writer
Assistant professors at Ithaca College are making as much as $7,000 less on average than the national average for faculty of their level. A study released by the Chronicle of Higher Education on April 16 found that about 60 percent of the nation’s assistant professors are paid more than assistant professors at the college. On average, full and associate professors make close to the national averages of $91,508 and $71,857, respectively. Mark Coldren, associate vice president of human resources, said pay varies widely among faculty. He said professors, unlike college staff members who are paid in salary bands with definite ranges, earn different amounts based on school size, the college’s definitions of titles such as “associate” and “assistant” professor — titles with meanings that often vary by school — and on local costs of living, which are lower in Ithaca than in metropolitan locations. “If we have somebody that’s called a ‘groundsperson’ and that’s a job that 20 people hold and it’s similar, they’ll all have the same
job description and they’ll all be in the same band,” Coldren said. “They might be doing different things, but it’s all within that job description. The hard part is on the faculty side — we don’t necessarily have a faculty job description. They could teach a lot of different things.” Coldren said determining the actual meaning of the $7,000 salary difference for assistant professors at the college is nearly impossible. “If you want to make some kind of conclusion that says Ithaca College associate professors make, oh, $70,000 a year, you’re going to have a wide range there,” Coldren said. “What you have are some averages, and you can draw some conclusions if you want to, but I don’t know how I can compare that.” Kathleen Rountree, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said the college’s salaries are neither strong nor particularly weak compared to the national average. “I’m not sure being in the middle of the pack is a bad place to be,” Rountree said. “Some of the schools that are higher have different programmatic mixes. If a [college] has a law school, for example, their salaries are going to look higher because they have
those high law school salaries to bring them up.” Coldren said the college hasn’t had many problems hiring lecturers or adjunct professors for lower-paying positions. “There’s usually discussion — if they have different salary expectations, they might say, ‘Hey, that’s too low,’ and walk away,” Coldren said. “But mostly, we’re able to identify lecturers or course-bycourse instructors. I’m not go-
ing to say it’s easy, but it’s done pretty straightforwardly.” Interim Business Dean Mark Cordano said the college is in a “micromarket,” or small setting in which potential faculty members who cannot find a job at Cornell will come to Ithaca College looking for work. “Cornell’s been downsizing because of what they’ve been running into as a budget crunch, so that means
See Salary, page 4
Average Faculty Salaries 2009-10 91,508
U.S. Masters’ Institutions
90,700
Salary (in dollars)
by clara eisinger
Ithaca College
71,857
71,700 63,801 56,780
53,500 48,572
Full Professor
Associate Professor
Assistant Professor
Instructor
design by colleen lowery Sources: Chronicle of higher education and carl sgrecci
find more. online. www.theithacan.org
I t h a c a , N . Y.
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Music school dean named interim provost by Aaron edwards news editor
Gregory Woodward, current dean of the School of Music, has been named interim provost of Ithaca College. The announcement comes just two weeks after President Tom Rochon announced current provost Kathleen Rountree would re- woodward sign from her said he is preposition to pared to serve as take up a fac- interim provost. ulty post in the School of Music. Woodward’s responsibilities as interim provost will begin June 1, according to an Intercom announcement released Monday by Rochon. “I’m really eager to get at it,” Woodward said. “[There’s] a pretty big plate full of stuff to do in a short time as well as keeping the general workings of the provost office moving forward.” Woodward has been dean of the School of Music since 2008 and previously served as dean of the Division of Graduate and Professional Studies, a position that Rochon said better prepares Woodward for the tasks ahead. “[Woodward] knows music education inside and out, but he also knows a lot about the other kinds of education that occur on campus,” Rochon said. In his temporary provost position, Woodward said he will focus on specific projects like reevaluating the college’s IC2 integrated curriculum, assessing student learning and overseeing general education requirement changes. Once Woodward steps up to serve as interim provost, a search will begin for an interim music dean and full-time provost. When the provost is selected, Rochon said Woodward will most likely return to being music dean. “It’s going to be a very busy year for the interim provost,” Rochon said. “Not one in which he’s simply asked to hold the fort until the next regular provost arrived.” Keith Kaiser, interim associate dean of the School of Music, said plans are moving forward to find an interim dean for the School of Music. “Conversations are under way, and there are a lot of terrific individuals,” he said. “Whether [Woodward] ends up being fulltime provost or coming back to the School of Music, we’ll all benefit from his work.”
[ Thursday Brie f i ng ]
2 The I thacan
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Nation&World
Torture of Iraqi prisoners revealed
Iraqi men held for months at a secret prison outside Baghdad were systematically tortured and forced to sign confession statements that in at least some cases they were forbidden to read, according to a new report by a human rights group released yesterday. Some of the detainees, mostly Sunnis from the northern city of Mosul, were beaten by Iraqi guards so badly they lost teeth and urinated blood for days afterward, said the report by New York-based Human Rights Watch. Others were raped, given electric shocks and deprived of air, the report also said. The Iraqi government quickly shut down the prison after the abuse was revealed last week, and either released or transferred its 431 detainees to another facility. The government also vowed to investigate the abuses, and so far, three army officers have been arrested in connection with the case. The case shocked many Iraqi and U.S. officials, harkening back to images of the abuses of Iraqis by U.S. guards at the Abu Ghraib prison that inflamed insurgents and tarnished America’s image worldwide.
Texas considers immigration law
A Texas lawmaker says she plans to push for a law similar to Arizona’s get-tough immigration measure. San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle reported yesterday that Republican Rep. Debbie Riddle of Tomball says she will introduce the measure in the January legislative session. The new Arizona law would require local and state law enforcement to question people about their immigration status — and make it a crime for immigrants to lack registration documents. Riddle says if the federal government did its job “Arizona wouldn’t have to take this action, and neither would Texas.” Democrats say such legislation is misguided and predict it will hurt the GOP politically.
Greek bailout lifts stock prices Stocks edged higher yesterday after European leaders reassured investors that Greece would receive badly needed bailout loans.
this week 29
thursday
STAND Trivia Night, sponsored by Students Taking Action Now: Darfur, the national student anti-genocide coalition, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in IC Square at Campus Center.
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Another strong batch of earnings also lifted stock prices. Comcast, Northrop Grumman and Dow Chemical all posted better-than-expected results. Trading was somewhat muted ahead of an announcement later in the day from the Federal Reserve about interest rates. Investors were reassured by the latest news on Greece’s debt crisis. German leaders said their country’s portion of a bailout for Greece could be approved by the end of next week. Germany, the largest of the 16 countries that use the euro, has been slow to approve rescue measures to bail out Greece. Greece has asked for access to $60 billion in bailout money from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Without the money, Greece could default on $11.3 billion in debt payments due on May 19.
Thai protesters met with violence
Thai troops fired rifles and threw tear gas at a crowd of anti-government protesters riding motorbikes down a busy expressway yesterday, blocking efforts to take the demonstrations that have paralyzed central Bangkok into the suburbs. The hours-long confrontation killed one soldier — apparently from friendly fire — and wounded 18 other people as it transformed the suburban streets into a battle zone. Heavily armed troops took cover behind terrified commuters’ cars, and one driver clasped her hands in prayer as the soldiers weaved their way through traffic. The bloodshed yesterday was the first violent confrontation in nearly a week, and protest leaders accused the government of leading the nation to the brink of civil war.
U.S. approves offshore wind farm
The Obama administration has approved what would be the nation’s first offshore wind farm, off Cape Cod, two government officials briefed on the decision confirmed yesterday, inching the U.S. closer to harvesting an untapped domestic energy source — the steady breezes blowing along its vast coasts. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because they were not authorized to speak publicly
Smuggled goods
A Palestinian security officer destroyed $2.7 million worth of Viagra pills and other sexual enhancers yesterday in the West Bank after arresting a local businessman. The man allegedly tried to smuggle the pills and other sex aids hidden in tennis balls in a scheme to launder money. Nasser Shiyoukhi/associated press
ahead of U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s announcement scheduled for noon yesterday in Boston. Salazar’s decision on the controversial Cape Wind project clears the way for a 130-turbine wind farm in Nantucket Sound. Cape Wind was in its ninth year of federal review, and Salazar stepped in early this year to bring what he called much-needed resolution to the bitterly contested proposal. Approval of the project would break new ground in the drive toward renewable power, Massachusetts Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles said.
Chavez launches Twitter crusade
Hugo Chavez is starting to use Twitter to counter his opponents online, forcing a president who often talks for hours to sum up each thought in 140 characters or less. Chavez urged Venezuelans to watch his
newly created account — chavezcandanga — after midnight Tuesday, saying “at that point is when I let loose.” By late Tuesday, the socialist leader had more than 18,000 followers before posting a single tweet, and that increased to more than 23,000 early yesterday. A close aide to Chavez, Public Works Minister Diosdado Cabello, announced a Twitter account had been set up for the president. Chavez said he has a team working on it. Chavez, who has recently seen his popularity slip amid a recession and soaring inflation, has often been outmaneuvered by opponents who are more active on the Web than his supporters. Cabello said Monday that Chavez’s supporters plan to “take over by assault” social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. SOURCE: Associated Press
corrections
April 29–May 5, 2010 friday
Shabbat Services will begin at 6 p.m. in Muller Chapel. Shabbat Dinner will begin at 7:15 p.m. in Terrace Dining Hall.
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saturday
IC Unbound Spring Showcase will be held from 2 to 10 p.m. in Emerson Suites.
add your event Drop events for “This Week” in the marked box in The Ithacan office, or e-mail News Editor Aaron Edwards at aedward3@ithaca.edu by 5 p.m. Monday.
Golden Doorknob Screening, where the winning films of students will be recognized, begins at 7 p.m. in the Park Hall Auditorium.
It is The Ithacan’s policy to correct all errors of fact. Please contact Aaron Edwards at 274-3207.
copy editors Elizabeth DeLong, Sara Friedman, Heather Karschner, Qina Liu, Carly Sitzer.
designers Yu-Chen (Jane) Chen.
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sunday
Catholic Mass will be held at 1 and 9 p.m. in Muller Chapel. Lag Ba’Omer, a Jewish Holiday, will be celebrated by Chabad from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in IC Square at Campus Center.
3
monday
Lawyers Practicing in the Public Interest, a speaking event with Nancy Duff Campbell sponsored by Tompkins County Bar Association, will begin at 5 p.m. at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School.
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tuesday
AMA’s Annual Chicken Wing Fling, sponsored by the American Marketing Association, will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in IC Square at Campus Center.
5
wednesday
Evensong, a Protestant Community worship service, will begin at 9:30 p.m. in Muller Chapel.
Got a news tip? Contact the news editor at aedward3@ithaca.edu or 274-3207.
Faculty Council meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. in Clark Lounge.
Multimedia Can’t get enough of our stories? There’s even more online. Check out our multimedia at theithacan.org.
Video
Check out this week’s 1-on-1 with senior Tom Fishback, pitcher for the Bombers’ baseball team.
Audio Slideshow
Take an inside look at Waffle Frolic, a new waffle house in Ithaca run by two Ithaca College graduates.
Video
Watch our up-close footage from the badminton tournament held to benefit multiple sclerosis awareness.
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Thursday, April 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 3
State cites college’s health insurance By Ryan Sharpstene staff writer
A recent investigation by New York state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s office has led to the subpoenaing of 10 of the largest collegesponsored health insurance companies in the country, including United Healthcare Insurance Company, the Ithaca College-sponsored insurance company. In early April, Cuomo’s office sent out a letter to more than 300 colleges, universities, professional and trade schools, including Ithaca College, urging college administrators to review their sponsored health insurance plans. Cuomo’s office found that college-sponsored health insurance plans are collecting higher premium rates than what is being paid out in benefits. Cuomo’s office also found that some student insurance plans failed to cover students with pre-existing conditions, forcing these students to pay full price for medical treatment and put unreasonably low coverage caps on treatment options. In an April 8 press release, Cuomo said that college insurance plans only covered a maximum of $700 on some treatment options and provided an “inadequate level” of coverage of prescription drugs. “I want to share with you some of the findings of my investigation so that you may consider whether any health insurance plan you may be offering to your students should be re evaluated,” Cuomo said in the letter. A spokesperson for Cuomo’s office could not be reached for comment. The college requires all students to have health insurance, either through their own insurance company or the college’s. United Healthcare Insurance Company costs $430 a year. With about 2,841 students on the United Healthcare insurance program at Ithaca, Nancy Pringle, vice president and general counsel of legal affairs, said the college plans to consider the attorney general’s recommendations when evaluating health care insurance plans. “When evaluating our health care program options from now on, what [the college] does … will be in compliance with what the attorney general’s office is doing,” Pringle said. Laura Keefe, manager of Health Center Operations at the Hammond Health Center, said the Health Center rarely receives complaints about the coverage of students. “[The Health Center] receives fairly few com-
By Ryan Sharpstene staff writer
Then-senior Jules Ellison waits to be seen in February 2009 at the Hammond Health Center. The college’s health insurance company, United Healthcare Insurance, was recently subpoenaed by the state. File photo/the ithacan
plaints regarding the insurance plan,” Keefe said. “The few complaints that we do receive are widely varied in scope and nature.” Will Holman, a spokesman for United Healthcare, said the insurance company is planning to work with the attorney general’s office in the investigation. “We continually strive to improve access to quality, effective health care for all Americans, including students,” Holman said. “We have been actively working with the New York attorney general on this issue and remain committed to providing colleges and universities with affordable coverage that gives students meaningful access to health care services.” Cuomo’s letter outlined malpractices of insufficient and costly coverage, conflicting broker interests, financial contributions made to colleges, misuse of the Medicaid system, duplicative coverage and unfair exclusion of students with existing conditions. Cuomo also offered more than a half-dozen recommendations for college administrators to consider while evaluating sponsored health insurance plans. These recommendations included: providing adequate coverage, preventative care, controlling relationships with brokers, providing exemptions to students on Medicaid, adequately
disclosing costs of mandatory coverage and rejecting unfair exclusions. Cuomo’s office created a website, www.nystudenthealth.com, that allows New York residents to file complaints and review information in the ongoing investigation. Freshman Amanda Rissmeyer, who uses the college’s sponsored health insurance plan, said she has experienced shortcomings with the United Healthcare coverage. Rissmeyer said she feels bad for students who do not have the ability to waive the college’s health plan. “[Students who don’t waive] are basically being forced into buying the expensive coverage,” Rissmeyer said. “It is incredibly unfair if they are paying all this money to a company that is not covering them adequately.” Pringle said the college is different compared to other colleges because it gives students the ability to waive the United Healthcare coverage plan. “The good news for students at the college is they are allowed to waive the college health insurance plan if they wish,” Pringle said. “Most institutions require students to enroll in their health insurance programs, and that has never been the case at Ithaca College.”
Job market to improve By Nathan Bickell Staff Writer
Employment prospects are looking up for graduating seniors after an exceptionally poor job market last year. A recent survey predicted a 5.3 percent increase in hiring — the first to predict an increase in almost two years. The National Association of Colleges and Employers surveys 800 member companies multiple times a year to see how many college graduates they expect to hire. Andrea Koncz, employment information manager, said the 5.3 percent was calculated after compiling responses. “The last increase our employer members reported was October of 2008,” Koncz said. “They’ve been predicting decreases ever since then.” Elia Kacapyr, professor and chair of the economics department at the college, said in March 2008, the United States economy lost 33,000 jobs. In March 2009, the economy lost 753,000, but in March 2010, the economy added 162,000 jobs. “Prospects for this year’s graduating class are much improved,” he said. John Fracchia, associate director of the Office of Career Services at Ithaca College, said about 98 percent of graduates from the col-
ITS to switch campus server from Novell
lege find jobs or attend graduate school a year after graduation. Senior Lindsay Pehmoeller will be attending George Washington University next year to pursue a master’s degree in Middle East Studies. Pehmoeller said she will be looking for jobs to help her pay for her education. The Northeast is also expected to have the best hiring outlook in the country with a 25 percent increase in hiring, the survey said. Senior Scott Walker interviewed Monday in New York City with the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies. He said he is hoping to be accepted into a oneyear training program to work in a division of the company. If he does not get the position, Walker said he plans to work in retail while applying for other jobs. “I’ll just get a crappy job and keep applying until I can finally find a real job,” Walker said. Fracchia said advertising and public relations firms have started to hire more, two fields he views as bellwethers for the rest of the job market. Fracchia said in a bad economy, marketing services are among the first aspects a company will cut back on, so this improvement is a sign the rest of the econ-
From left, Aaron Escobedo, residence director of the Office of Career Services, gives career advice to senior Erik Johnson on Tuesday in Career Services. Graham Hebel/The Ithacan
omy is coming around as well. The New York metro area, being the center of advertising, accounts for some of the Northeast’s especially strong hiring outlook. Senior Dan Hirsch has been able to secure a full-time job. After interning with Moving Box Studios, a small multimedia company in Ithaca, Hirsch was offered a full-time position after he graduates. Hirsch said he sent between 15 and 20 resumes to media companies including CBS and ESPN but hasn’t heard back from any of them.
Hirsch said he sees Moving Box as a good place to start his media career. “It’s not the top of the ladder, but I had no illusions that I would be magically going into my dream job after graduating college,” he said It will be a couple of months until it is known if the job market for college graduates has improved as much as anticipated. But Kacapyr said graduates should still be hopeful. “Students who are proactive, and even a bit aggressive, find something even in difficult times,” he said.
Information Technology Services is putting the final touches on plans to migrate student and faculty users off the Novell network operating system onto a new system, making campus computer use more efficient. ITS plans to begin switching student and faculty users off Novell to Active Directory, in late fall 2010. Beth Rugg, user support services manager at ITS, said the project is part of a larger network and security “megaproject” that has been in process for several years. This project includes changing the physical, logical and application structure of the college’s computer infrastructure. The biggest change will allow student and faculty users to keep a single username and password for both the campus computer login and college email login, said Rugg. “The majority of users get confused by the [current] password setup,” Rugg said. Other changes will allow students to more easily access their stored files on the college’s server. Rugg said faculty and staff will see the biggest changes in how departments share files when the transition occurs. Some departments now manage their files through outdated departmental structures, she said. Funding the project, which was no different from other organizational spending projects, came about through normal budgetary capital requests, Rugg said. Carl Sgrecci, vice president of finance and administration, said budget cuts from previous years have not affected ITS’s ability to manage these projects. Michael Smith, assistant professor of history, said as a professor who uses classroom computers frequently, he is wary of ITS implementing new technology without getting advice from faculty. “My biggest concern with ITS’s process is advice from faculty is often not solicited at the beginning,” Smith said. Rugg said ITS is keeping the campus community informed about the process. “We are constantly keeping groups around the campus informed of our progress,” she said. Freshman Nicole Belott said her biggest complaint with Novell is the speed of campus computers. “I can’t even run to the computer lab and print something before class — it takes too long,” she said. Belott also said that if the new software is easily accessible, she and other students may change their campus computer use habits. “I don’t know of anyone who stores files on Novell right now,” Belott said. “But if the software runs smoother, I cannot imagine why students wouldn’t at least try something new.”
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4 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Students adapt to economic atmosphere economy from page 1
vacations his family took to Wild Wood, N.J. “Everyone I met at IC was well-traveled, had parents who attended prestigious universities and were well-read,” he said. “They made me feel uncomfortable. Coming to a private institution was more of a culture shock than I anticipated.” Attending a private institution, like the college with its $32,060 tuition this year, may have once seemed like a dream for students from working-class backgrounds. But with financial aid programs and a rise in Pell Grants, more students have the opportunity to attend private institutions. The struggle for a private college education, though, doesn’t stop at the payment of the tuition bill. At the college, 1,289 students receive a Pell Grant, a need-based grant that is given to low-income students whose family income is typically under $20,000, Larry Chambers, director of student financial services, said. This is an increase from the 1,010 students who received Pell Grants in 2008-09 and the 978 who were awarded them in 2006-07. Chambers said the Ithaca Access Grant, the Ithaca Opportunity Grant for ALANA students, the IC Higher Education Opportunity Program and the W.G. Egbert Grant Fund are also awarded to students on a need-based scale. Freshman Haedn Hogan, a first-generation college student whose single-parent mother works as a teacher-aide in Buffalo, N.Y., is one of the 1,289 students at the college who was awarded a Pell Grant this year. Applying to colleges was difficult for Hogan. She said she felt as if she was on her own, not knowing what to do. She said her mother always stressed that Hogan and her older brother should attend college but didn’t know how to motivate them. Hogan’s older brother attended community college for a semester before dropping out. Hogan said she was friends with students in high school who came from families with two college-educated parents. She said being friends with students who were going to go to college made her want a similar life — one that did not include struggling to pay bills. Allyn also felt lost in the college search as a high school senior and did not have much help from his parents or from his guidance counselor. He said if he had more time in college, he would have created a student organization that focused on first-generation college students remaining in school. “There’s scholarships for ethnic minorities and disadvantaged minority groups in the country, but there’s not any focus or efforts, campuswide and nationwide, to target
students who are entering college for the first time,” he said For Hogan, tuition is not an extreme worry because she received a large financial aid package and is also taking out about $10,000 in loans each year. She does worry, however, about paying for books each semester. But what Hogan finds to be the most challenging is keeping up with the expensive social life at the college. “Things you do to have fun and make friends here is expensive,” she said. “All my friends here want to go out to eat, to the movies or to go shopping. When we go out, I have to be really stingy, but I see a lot of kids who don’t have to worry about money. It’s the social aspect that costs so much.” For Hogan, her first year at the college has made her realize not everyone comes from a working-class background like she does. “There’s one girl in one of my classes that went to boarding school and drives a BMW and wears Gucci,” she said. “I sometimes wonder, the kids that don’t get financial aid, how do they afford to go here?” Allyn said when at Ithaca, he felt like other students didn’t have the same worries he had, such as paying for tuition. He said most of the friends he was making were able to drop money without even thinking about it. “They would take things for granted that were a shock to me — even just going out to eat all the time to Moosewood,” he said. “I would say I can’t afford that, and they would just say, ‘Can’t you get a loan from your dad this weekend?’” Besides the issue of money, Allyn said he felt as if he came from a different world than his peers. “I’m not trying to disparage students who have trust funds or have traveled around the world with their parents,” he said. “It was all just completely abnormal and foreign to me.” Paying for his first year of college was no easy task for Allyn. Even though he received scholarships and financial aid, he was still short thousands. His father had bad credit and could not help him co-sign for a loan. But his father didn’t want the cost of a private institution to stop his son from attending college. “My dad’s just an uneducated, hard-working guy,” Allyn said. “But he wanted me to follow my heart.” Allyn’s father tapped into his social security funds to help his son be the first in his family to receive a college degree. “My dad was like, ‘I want you to go to school. This is something you want to do,’” he said. “But then he had no other funds to tap in to the next year.” His sophomore year of college, Allyn transferred to American University, another private institution priced at $34,456 but one that
Freshman Haedn Hogan works during her Academic Writing class Tuesday in Friends 103. Hogan is one of 1,289 students at the college awarded Federal Pell Grants to help pay for tuition.
michelle boulé/the ithacan
offered him more financial aid. He said if he didn’t transfer, he would have had to drop out of Ithaca. Going into his sophomore year, he was thousands of dollars short on his tuition bill. He said he appealed his financial aid package and explained his situation to the college, but the college told him they gave him all that they could. Eric Maguire, vice president of enrollment management at the college, said the college does not have any means of recruiting students from low-income backgrounds because the college does not know a student’s financial situation until after financial aid paperwork is filled out. “It would not be appropriate for us to ask a prospective student to identify their family’s financial background that early in the recruitment cycle,” he said. “We won’t know a student’s financial background until February or March of their senior year [of high school] ... far too late for us to logistically implement targeted recruitment initiatives.” But Maguire said the college, which is an enrollment-dependent institution, does encourage students from all socio-economic levels to apply to the college. Since the college is an enrollment-dependent institution, each year it budgets a certain amount of income from “net tuition,” Carl Sgrecci, vice president of finance
and administration, said. Sgrecci said if more students enroll who need additional financial aid, then the college does not receive the amount of net tuition it planned on and would therefore have to cut expenses elsewhere in the budget in order to be certain the budget would remain balanced. Sgrecci said the college is always concerned about the ability of students’ families to pay the price of a private higher education. “That’s the primary reason for why we have kept the tuition increases under 5 percent for the last two years,” he said. “In the end, part of the task of trying to manage the college’s fiscal stability is to strike the right balance between achieving the economic diversity of the student body and the college’s economic bottom line.” Right now, Hogan said she is making sure she doesn’t spend as much money as she did her first semester at the college when she was trying to adjust to the social life. She’ll spend her summer working two jobs to pay for her fall semester books, and next semester she’ll hope to have an on-campus job. But Hogan said she worries about what would happen to her education if New York state decided to cut back on financial aid. “If I ever lose some aid, I may have to transfer to a state school,” she said. “I love it here, but the cost is definitely a worry.”
Three percent pool allocated for 2010-11 faculty/staff raises Salary from page 1
they’re hiring less adjuncts,” Cordano said. “For the past few years it’s been a lot easier for us, whereas four or five years ago, it was a lot harder.” Rountree said her office has made an effort to raise salaries and keep them at competitive levels. “We brought up the bottom [for assistant professors],” Rountree said. “When I arrived at Ithaca, the starting offer for an assistant professor was $42,000, and one of the first things I did was raise that to $50,000. We’ve made a couple of good steps in moving forward.” The national average rate of salary increase for college and university faculty for the 2009-10 academic year is 1.2 percent, the lowest rate in 50 years, according to the Chronicle. In 2009-10,
Ithaca College salaries were frozen, but later, the board of trustees approved a one-time compensation program for faculty and staff in response to a projected $3.3 million surplus created by the class of 2013. A 3 percent pool for salary raises, which is the amount of money budgeted for increases in each school and department, will be available for the 201011 academic year. Carl Sgrecci, vice president of finance and administration, said 2.5 percent of that pool will be distributed across the board and the remaining 0.5 percent will be distributed based on good performance reviews or exceptional accomplishments. Cordano said the additional merit increase could range anywhere from 0.2 to 0.7 percent. “It can actually go above 3 percent,” Cordano said. “If someone
only ends up getting 2.5 percent, that means there’s some additional fraction left to give to other people. [But] anything above 2.5 is based on individual performance.” Stan Seltzer, Faculty Council chair and chair of the mathematics department, said next year’s 3 percent increase will benefit professors because it will add to their salary bases. He said humanities and sciences salaries are not high, but many professors are still satisfied. “Nobody goes into [math] with the notion that they’re going to make a lot of money,” Seltzer said. “You go in with your eyes open. People do this because they think it’s important work and they actually enjoy doing it.” Coldren said business faculty are among the highest paid on campus, while humanities faculty tend to receive lower salaries. Tatiana Patrone, assistant profes-
Faculty Council chair Stan Seltzer speaks to the council Nov. 11. A 3 percent pool of money has been set aside for salary raises at the college.
allison usavage/the ithacan
sor of philosophy and religion, said she is satisfied with next year’s salary increase. She said salaries at the college are fair when other circumstances are taken into account. “I think that the pay at Ithaca that I have is slightly less than some
places and slightly higher than other places,” Patrone said. “But I think that’s less compared to [other] places for geographic reasons. At some institutions, the starting salary would be higher because the cost of living is so much higher.”
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Senior dedicates time working with elderly BY whitney Faber Assistant Accent Editor
Senior Kasey Stevenson was only 3 years old when she started doing research for her future career working with the elderly. Her grandmother, Bobbie Bozzone, used to take her to a nursing home in her hometown of Huntington, N.Y., to visit with the residents when she was a toddler. “I would walk her around the table where [the older people] were sitting, and she would stop and talk to each person along the way,” Bozzone said. Stevenson, an aging studies
Standout Seniors
Division of interdisciplinary and international studies
Kasey Stevenson
major, has spent her college career dedicated to her work in the gerontology program. Not only is she president of the college’s gerontology club AGES, but she also began an art therapy program to help stroke patients at Longview trying to communicate as an independent study. Stevenson said going to nursing homes with her grandmother, who also works in gerontology, helped her be more relaxed in her work. “It definitely helped me to be
comfortable once I was in that situation talking to older people and going to nursing homes,” she said. Gerontology was not Stevenson’s original college dream, though. She said for a large part of her life she focused on art. “The whole time in high school I was very involved in art,” she said. “I wanted to go to art school.” Stevenson spent her first semester in college at Syracuse University as an art major. But she said the strict and regimented atmosphere was not what she had imagined. “Once I finally got [to art school], I just realized I didn’t really like the way they were teaching the classes,” she said. “A lot of people would cry in class, and I just thought that that was kind of silly because I used art mostly just to express myself. I didn’t think it was worth all the stress.” Already acquainted with the welcoming and active atmosphere of downtown Ithaca after visiting a friend at Cornell University, Stevenson transferred to Ithaca College for the spring semester of her freshman year. She was enrolled in a random set of classes, as students had already chosen and filled most classes. One of those classes was Introduction to Aging Studies with Mary Ann Erickson, associate professor of gerontology and Stevenson’s adviser. Stevenson said she was immediately drawn to the program because
From left, senior Kasey Stevenson, an aging studies major, tutors freshman Amanda Wilcox for Introduction to Communications Disorders on Tuesday in Academic Enrichment Services in the Towers Concourse. Andrew Buraczenski/The Ithacan
of how free it seemed. “It was so drastically different from the art, which was very strict,” she said. “There was a certain way to do things, and it was very structured. Gerontology is very much the opposite, because you’re always interacting with other people.” Erickson said in gerontology, it’s all about connecting with other people, something Stevenson does well. “For a lot of people, it’s meeting people who have interesting stories,” she said. “Stevenson has always seemed to know about that focus.” Stevenson, who will get her master’s degree to become a case
worker after graduation, said her background in art has helped when working with stroke patients. In her study, Stevenson gave patients paper and paintbrushes, played music and let them dive into the art. “The fact that I use it mostly for communication, it helps me to remember that verbal communication is not the only way that people really interact with each other,” she said. Since this project, Stevenson has also done an internship as a case manager for the Harbor House Assisted Living Center, a familyowned assisted living company. There she worked with patients with dementia.
Stevenson said working as a case manager for people with dementia is an interesting job because of its unpredictability. “Each day is very different,” she said. Bizzone said gerontology has become the perfect field for her granddaughter, as Stevenson is committed to listening and connecting with older people. “She’s very caring, and she really seems to love the old people and understand them,” Bizzone said. “Sometimes they’re difficult to work with, but she seems to have a very good personality for working with them.”
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Physicist looks to stars Luke Keller, associate professor of physics, has been awarded four nights at the Very Large Telescope in Chile this June. The telescope is operated by the European Southern Observatory at the Paranal Observatory on Cerro Paranal, a 2,635-meter high mountain in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. Keller will be exploring systems outside of this gal- Keller said he axy and will work with a hopes to view distant solar sysresearch team of students tems on his trip. when he returns next semester to analyze the data. Staff Writer Gillian Smith spoke to Keller about his opportunity to view and analyze solar systems. Gillian Smith: How did you first become interested in astronomy? Luke Keller: I’ve always been interested in where things come from. Since I am a physicist and astronomer, origins of solar systems and stars have always been a fascinating question for me. GS: How did the opportunity to observe stars in Chile come to you? LK: It’s a proposal process, kind of like applying for a grant, except instead of money you get time on the telescope. Twice a year they allow people to submit a proposal, which was a three-page essay about what project I had, why I needed their big telescope to do it and why I couldn’t do it anywhere else. GS: What did your application essay focus on? LK: I had two arguments. One is that the objects that I am looking at are only visible from the southern hemisphere. I needed
an observatory in the south, which is why I chose the Chilean telescope. That telescope is one of the biggest on the earth. I needed it to be big because the objects I am looking at are extremely faint. GS: What are the objects you’ll be looking at? LK: I’m 95 percent sure that they are very young solar systems like ours. They are located in another galaxy outside of the Milky Way, which makes them chemically different. In other words, the chemical elements that are available there to form the planets are in slightly different proportions than they were when our solar systems were formed. I’m trying to figure out if that makes them form different planets. GS: How did you discover these solar systems? LK: They had been observed before, but the people who had observed them didn’t recognize them as young solar systems. What I did was I found a fairly large list of objects that might be [solar systems] and then I used the Spitzer Space Telescope to look at them last year. The ones from that observation [that] looked the most like planetary systems are the ones I chose for this project. GS: Who is on your research team? LK: Myself, my students, an astronomer that I work with in England and an astronomer at Cornell [University] who I have been working with for a few years. GS: What do you think will be the most rewarding aspect of this trip? LK: We get to look at these new solar systems in more detail than we ever have. That’s exciting. It’s also kind of cool to go to the big observatory. It’s a very exciting place to be.
Forever a ’90s kid
Freshman Samantha Brucker, center, beats freshman Casey Thomas during a game of musical chairs at IC After Dark’s event Forever Young on Friday in IC Square. The event featured activities inspired by classic childhood pastimes from finger painting to friendship bracelets.
Michelle BoulÉ/The Ithacan
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College & City Ithaca College recognized for sustainability efforts
Ithaca College has been named one of the country’s most environmentally responsible colleges and universities by the Princeton Review and the U.S. Green Building Council. The “Princeton Review’s Guide to 286 Green Colleges” is a free, comprehensive publication focused solely on institutions of higher education that have demonstrated an above-average commitment to sustainability in terms of campus infrastructure, activities and initiatives. The guide’s listing for the college states that it “takes its commitment to a green campus seriously,” noting that the college’s sustainability initiative promotes and records advancements in curriculum development, campus operations and community outreach. The Princeton Review and USGBC collaborated last year to develop a “green rating” of colleges and universities. The 286 schools chosen for inclusion in the guide are those that scored an 80 or higher out of 99 possible points. The college scored 98 points.
College to host marathon to support local free clinic
Ithaca College will host the first Mayday 5K Race to help promote awareness of the Ithaca Free Clinic’s mission to provide free health care for the community. The race, which is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. May 1, will be run on a course entirely on campus. Check-in will be from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. The cost to register is $15. Each participant will receive
an event T-shirt and is encouraged to attend the post-race party where free food will be served. To participate send cash or a check made out to the college to Craig Paiement, Ithaca College, Hill Center 32, or to Craig Paiement, Hill Center, 953 Danby Road, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850. Copies of the registration form can be found at http://mayday5k. webs.com/. For more information, contact Glenn Territo at (646) 402-1756 or by e-mail at MayDay5K@yahoo.com.
up at all the normal bus stops, but riders flagging down the bus along the route may have to wait at different locations. TCAT will be able to use the section of Warren Road between Hillcrest and Farrell roads. There will be a barricade at Hillcrest and Farrell roads that allow for local traffic. TCAT buses will be proceeding around the barricades to travel on Warren Road to and from Farrell Road.
Ithaca challenges Cortland to reduce carbon emission
The Park Center for Independent Media has hired Maura Stephens, who previously served as editor of ICView, the college’s alumni magazine. Stephens participated in the national media reform movement and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. She has worked as a researcher, reporter, writer and editor at Newsweek and Newsweek International and later co-founded an early Internet enterprise before joining Ithaca College in 1997 as editor of Ithaca College Quarterly — later ICQ and ICView. At the center, Stephens will be working on ongoing research projects involving independent media around the country, as well as mentoring student journalists seeking careers in independent media.
Ithaca College recently challenged SUNY-Cortland to a special two-school rivalry that will encourage students, faculty, parents, staff and alumni to reduce their carbon emissions. Those wishing to participate will need to sign up at the Climate Culture website, create an avatar and enter the Cortaca Climate Challenge Ithaca College team. The goal of the challenge is to collect the most pledges expressing a commitment to carbon-reducing strategies by the time of the Cortaca Jug in the fall. To sign up or receive more information about the challenge go to www.climateculture.com.
TCAT changes Route 37 after Warren Road closing
The Tompkins County Highway Division closed Warren Road for construction for the next two months beginning last Monday, prompting TCAT to reroute Route 37. Passengers will still be picked
Maura Stephens to join independent media center
Dining Services to expand meal plan options for fall
Ithaca College Dining Services announced Friday that several additional meal plan options will be extended to students beginning this fall.
Public Safety Incident Log APRIL 11 FOUND PROPERTY LOCATION: West Tower SUMMARY: Keys found and turned over to Public Safety. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF LOCATION: East Tower SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person removed the cover from a card reader. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer James Landon.
APRIL 12 ACCIDENTAL PROPERTY DAMAGE LOCATION: Conservatory Drive SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown object broke a vehicle windshield. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Dirk Hightchew. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF LOCATION: Z-Lot SUMMARY: Caller reported a person damaged a mirror. The person was unknown. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Dirk Hightchew. MAKING GRAFFITI LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person wrote graffiti on a door. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Dirk Hightchew.
APRIL 13 OFF-CAMPUS INCIDENT LOCATION: All Other SUMMARY: Caller reported mental health concern for a subject. Person
was taken into custody under mental hygiene law by the IPD and was transported to CMC. Patrol Officer Brad Bates. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF LOCATION: West Tower SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person damaged an elevator indicator light. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Mark Denicola. CASE STATUS CHANGE LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Officer identified person responsible for the theft of services. The theft was reported Feb. 20 in the Terraces. Person was judicially referred. Patrol Officer Mark Denicola.
APRIL 14 CRIMINAL TAMPERING LOCATION: Circle Lot 6 SUMMARY: Officer reported an unknown person wrapped a vehicle in shrinkwrap. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Christopher Teribury. MEDICAL ASSIST/INJURY RELATED LOCATION: Athletic and Events Center SUMMARY: Caller reported a person fell from a ladder, sustaining leg and head injuries. The person was transported by helicopter to the Wilson Hospital in Binghamton. Patrol Officer Brad Bates. MVA/PROPERTY DAMAGE LOCATION: Facilities Parking Lot SUMMARY: Caller reported a two-car MVA. Report taken. Master Patrol Officer Donald Lyke.
The changes include offering a Gold and Blue level for each plan. At the gold level, an additional $150 in Bonus Bucks will be available. The 10-meal plan with no Bonus Bucks will not be available next year because of low participation. Students that have already signed up for the 10meal plan with no Bonus Bucks will receive a notice that they will be defaulted to the 10-meal Blue plan. Students have had access to select their plans since Monday and can still register for a meal plan throughout the coming semester.
Cornell library to celebrate legacy left by Mark Twain
Cornell University Library will hold an exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of Mark Twain. The exhibit premiered last night at 9 p.m. and will run throughout the summer months until the beginning of the fall 2010 semester. The exhibit will include original handwritten letters, the last manuscripts written during the final days of his life, first edition copies of his books and multiple editions of his masterpiece, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Commercial artifacts that speak to the author’s brand and image will also be featured. The Hirshland Exhibition Gallery is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For Saturday hours, check the library website for updates at www.library.cornell.edu.
Tompkins County to host free composting festival
Tompkins County’s Compost Fair is scheduled from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. Saturday at the Cooperative Extension Education Center at 615 Willow Ave. There will be live music, animals, a puppet theater, face painting and information and demonstrations. Attendees will learn how composting relates to local food, gardening and sustainability. Master composters will help gardeners improve their composting or gain confidence to get started. There will be continuous tours of the demonstration site, handson activities and bins for sale. Prize drawings will be held for all in attendance and everyone registered on the Tompkins County Compost Map. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.ccetompkins.org.
Annual job fair to be held at Holiday Inn downtown
The 15th annual World of Skills job fair will be held from 9 a.m. to noon today at the Holiday Inn downtown at 222 Cayuga St. Sponsors encourage prospective employees to bring copies of their résumé to the event and wear attire that would be considered appropriate in a business or interview setting. Because of the volume of potential employers that will be present, Tompkins Workforce is also encouraging attendees to browse the list of employers, consider the different positions available and asses how their experience applies to the skill set required. For more information, visit www. TompkinsWorkforceNY.org, or call Larry Roberts at the Finger Lakes Independence Center at 272-2433.
selected entries from April 11 to April 18
APRIL 15 UNLAWFUL POSS. OF MARIJUANA LOCATION: Lower Campus SUMMARY: Two people judicially referred for unlawful possession of marijuana. Patrol Officer Jeffrey Austin. LARCENY LOCATION: Park Center for Business SUMMARY: Caller reported a person stole a wallet between 3:30 p.m. and 5:40 p.m. The person was unknown. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Mark Denicola. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF LOCATION: Circle Apartments SUMMARY: Caller reported a person damaged a bicycle. The person who damaged the bicycle was known. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer James Landon.
APRIL 16 FIRE LOCATION: Upper Quad SUMMARY: Caller reported seeing a small campfire. An officer arrived and extinguished the flames. Fire Protection Specialist Enoch Perkins. CCV/DRUG VIOLATIONS LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Two people were judicially referred for a drug policy violation. Patrol Officer Mark Denicola. ACCIDENTAL PROPERTY DAMAGE LOCATION: West Tower SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person damaged a card reader. Officer
reported that the damage resulted from a missing screw holding the cover, not from a criminal act. Patrol Officer Christopher Teribury.
APRIL 17 CCV/IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF ALCOHOL LOCATION: Eastman Hall SUMMARY: Person transported to CMC and judicially referred for irresponsible use of alcohol. Security Officer Jeremiah McMurray. MEDICAL ASSIST/PSYCHOLOGICAL LOCATION: Landon Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported receiving a text message stating that a person wanted to harm themselves. Officer reported person was found not to be a threat to themselves. Sergeant Ronald Hart. CCV/UNDERAGE POSS. OF ALCOHOL LOCATION: R-Lot SUMMARY: One person judicially referred for underage possession of alcohol. Patrol Officer Christopher Teribury. CRIMINAL TRESPASS LOCATION: Circle Apartments SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person entered an apartment and refused to leave. Altercation ensued, and one person was judicially referred for criminal trespass, irresponsible use of alcohol and harassment. Sergeant Ronald Hart. CRIMINAL TAMPERING LOCATION: West Tower SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person damaged a fire extinguisher. Officer reported the extinguisher was not damaged, but
the inspection tag was pulled off. Investigation pending. Master Patrol Officer Donald Lyke. CCV/UNDERAGE POSS. OF ALCOHOL LOCATION: West Tower SUMMARY: One person judicially referred for underage possession of alcohol. Sergeant Bill Kerry. CCV/IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF ALCOHOL LOCATION: U-Lot SUMMARY: Officer reported two people carrying an intoxicated person. Person taken into custody under mental hygiene law and transported to CMC by ambulance. Person was also judicially referred for irresponsible use of alcohol. Patrol Officer Christopher Teribury.
APRIL 18 FOUND PROPERTY LOCATION: Circle Apartments SUMMARY: Cell phone found and turned over to Public Safety. For the complete safety log, go to www.theithacan.org/news
Key cmc – Cayuga Medical Center CCV – College Code Violation DWI – Driving while intoxicated IFD – Ithaca Fire Department IPD – Ithaca Police Department MVA – Motor vehicle accident RA – Resident assistant SASP – Student Auxiliary Safety Patrol V&T – Vehicle and Transportation
Opin ion
10 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 29, 2010
editorials
seeking space to relax
Office of Residential Life should reinstate lounges in dorms to further improve students’ on-campus living experience
T
he Office of Residential Life recently wrapped up focus group sessions that gave students living on campus an opportunity to discuss their residential experience. A consistent and important talking point at these sessions focused on the need for lounges in each residence hall, a concern that the office is urged to consider and resolve for the upcoming fall semester. The primary purpose of lounges is to provide students with a space outside of their room where they can study, hang out with friends and meet new people. Not providing students with that space can negatively impact a student’s college experience. Earlier in the year, students moving into lounges as part of extended occupancy expressed their contentment with their living arrangements. Though these students received compensation for their housing, they, in addition to other students living in regular dorms, lost out on an actual lounge and extra study space, possibly affecting their academic careers. In order to accommodate the large freshman class, the college was not only forced to sacrifice lounges, but is now dealing with limited room in IC Square, the library and other public spaces where students usually gather. The office is encouraged to collaborate with other college offices to create alternative spaces for students to relax when their dorm rooms aren’t enough. Lounges allow for a common place where students can gather because of their size, proving the perfect place for dorm programs. The lack of lounges also takes away spaces where resident assistants can hold programs resulting in the loss of an important tool that would facilitate community building. The decision last fall to build an additional residence hall and recent plans for more living spaces in the future are steps in the right direction. The office should continue looking for solutions that would add more living spaces instead of taking them away from students. Because of its responsibilities, Residential Life has the privilege of shaping a student’s college experience. By not making room for lounges or other spaces for student interaction, the office is significantly taking away from a cherished college experience.
quick recovery ITS responds immediately to resolve campuswide computer problem
L
ast week’s campuswide computer problem illustrated the ability of the college’s Information Technology Services to think and act quickly to fix a problem. With students, faculty and staff depending so heavily on computers, it was a relief to know that the college is in capable hands. The problem affected only PCs, but with more than half the college and almost every classroom using a PC, the problem disrupted many classes. ITS employees were responsive to questions and requests and fixed the problem within a day, proving the high quality of service ITS offers. ITS’s recent shift of office space could have caused major operational issues, but instead the move was met with hardly any significant bumps. ITS is commended for its smooth transition and for its ability to start working immediately. In an age where almost nothing can be achieved without the use of computers — whether that be tests, papers or lesson planning — the college can rest assured that if an issue arises, ITS wastes no time in resolving the glitch.
your letters
Israeli independence has two sides
I am the parent of a student who called me about a school event celebrating Israel’s Independence Day. Our family lived in Israel for 12 years, returning in 2004. While living in the seaside Jewish town of Caesarea, we enjoyed the benefits of Israel’s independence and the strong support it receives from the United States. But we also began to witness what the birth of the state meant for the indigenous population and have become activists working for the civil and human rights of the Palestinians. Since returning, we have read noted historians including Israeli academic and historian Ilan Pappe and feel that the true story of the events of 1947-48 is rarely told. Documented cases of ethnic cleansing and worse occurred to the Palestinians during the episode in time your school is celebrating, partially with school funds. Rabbi Michael Lerner, activist and editor of Tikkun Magazine, is offering to come to the college to help enlighten your students and open up a broader discussion related to the conflict. I’m sure campus groups, including Hillel, would welcome the opportunity to engage in respectful conversation and hear a side of the conflict rarely discussed. As a parent who pays tuition for my daughter, I do not appreciate my dollars going towards an event that celebrates the independence for some, but a catastrophe for many others. Pat carmeli
Bombers should be more ambitious I just read the “College should compete with top-ranked teams” guest commentary, and I
Dining hall hours need to change Over the course of my four years at Ithaca College, the dining hall hours have shifted to be more accommodating to students. The one change that has not
yet happened, however, is the opening of the dining halls earlier on Sunday mornings. The earliest a student can get food on campus is 10:30 a.m. at the Campus Center Dining Hall; the next time a dining hall or retail location opens is noon. While I realize that college students are known for being late-risers, especially on the weekends, I find it increasingly frustrating that I cannot get food on campus any earlier than 10:30 a.m. I do not think that I should need to buy groceries to supplement my meal plan merely because the dining halls assume that I sleep until noon. I understand that it takes extra funds to operate a dining hall for an extra hour or two, but having a continental breakfast, similar to that offered on Saturday mornings, would be greatly appreciated by students who would like to, or need to, start their Sunday mornings earlier than the majority of residents on campus. Megan Groll ’10
LETTER POLICY The Ithacan welcomes correspondence from all readers. Please include your name, graduation year, organizational or college title/position and phone number. Letters must be 250 words or less. The Ithacan reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and taste. All letters must be received by 5 p.m. the Monday before publication. All letters must be signed, submitted in writing and either e-mailed to ithacan@ithaca.edu or delivered to Park 269.
Speak your mind.
Write a letter to the editor ithacan@ithaca.edu 250 words or less, e-mailed or dropped off by 5 p.m. Monday in Park 269
The Ithacan Lindsey hollenbaugh editor in chief Allison musante Managing editor archana menon opinion Editor Jacqueline Palochko Acting news editor aaron edwards Acting news editor michelle skowronek accent editor whitney faber assistant accent editor
couldn’t agree more with the author. Ever since coming to the U.S. to go to IC, come March, my roommate and I would be fervently following March Madness and cheering for Syracuse since we feel the team represents “our region.” But still it is not OUR school. The Orange are not our team, and we don’t fully identify with them. I’ve always secretly envied all those people watching the games and thinking, “This is MY school playing.” I wish I and all other past, present and future IC students could experience that. Because more than anything else, sport has the power of giving people the feeling of belonging, of common purpose, of pride. And can’t Ithaca benefit if its students and alumni had a greater sense of school pride? During my years at the college I was told many times to never be afraid to dream big and that there is nothing worse than settling for mediocrity — then why do we take this DIII ranking as something that’s been set in stone? Yes, it is easier being the big fish in the small pond. Yes, victory is more secure against the smaller schools. But does it really matter if there is almost no one there cheering for the team? It is time we showed our Bombers we believe in them and their ability to compete on a national level — and win! Stefana vutova ’08
269 Roy H. Park Hall, Ithaca College Ithaca, N.Y. 14850-7258 (607) 274-3208 | Fax (607) 274-1376
casey musarra Sports editor andrew weiser assistant sports editor andrew buraczenski photo editor graham hebel assistant photo editor Michelle BoulÉ assistant photo editor margaret moran chief copy editor michelle bizon chief proofreader
ithacan@ithaca.edu www.theithacan.org
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Opinion
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The I thacan 11
Guest commentary
Students should act on injustices in society I
t is seldom in our lives that we experience “defining moments” — times that put into perspective the exact reasons that we, individually and collectively, are living. Rarely, if ever, do we have people who share these moments with us. This rarity has given birth to Action Reflection Circle, or ARC, a collective grassroots organization that works to build a global movement for social and economic justice and equality through political education, organizing and building relationships based on respect and solidarity. How did we get to this place? By sharing a defining moment. Every spring the sociology department at Jill Petty Ithaca College offers a class titled Culture and Society: An International Field Experience. After an interview process, 20 students spend the spring semester learning about the history of the Dominican Republic, colonialism, community organizing and organizations, building relationships, and being part of a different kind of study abroad program. Then, they spend the first three weeks of June experiencing it. In the Dominican Republic, students spend time working with a grassroots organization, Justicia Global, which is Spanish for Global Justice. They learn the model of developing an analysis, reaching out to others, working to build relationships in different communities, leading nontraditionally, and building and being part of a collective. This experience brings them together in ways that allow them to share values for social change. It is easy, though, to travel to a foreign country, see the effects of structural oppression, feel sympathy and return to one’s own individualistic life. ARC was formed in order to halt the continuum of living contentedly and always working to create social change globally. This means that students from all three years of this program work to live by their shared principles and values to change the structure of the society in which they reside.
sarah Kasulke
Web changes daily priorities
I Ithaca College students pose with members of Federación de Campesinos in June 2009 in Bonao, Dominican Republic. The federation collaborates with locals to fight environmental terrorism. courtesy of jill petty
Almost three years ago now, I timidly applied to be a part of the 2008 class. At that time, I could barely explain the meaning of capitalism, let alone what it meant to have a structural analysis. I knew I was too afraid of my own voice to speak up in class, and I could never begin to think of myself as a leader. Because of my experience in the class, as an assistant to the program and as a leader of ARC, my vision for myself and for the world has changed. I live every day in every action, in every conversation, to build a world that breaks down systematic oppression and works to create a socially and economically just society. ARC provides us with a place to further develop simultaneously our leadership and our analyses. The movement that ARC works to build does not only affect those involved in the organization. Racism, classism, colonialism, sexism, heterosexism, Euro-centrism and ageism are very
real in our society today and have constructed how each one of us functions every single day. These structures enact life, death and survival in unjust and unequal ways in our society. To undo these “isms,” to unlearn all the oppressions within which we have grown up submerged by building relationships of solidarity and respect is the first step toward a more just world. We encourage all of you to reach out, go forth and find that passion, that piece of oppressive history that lights a fire within your soul. Once you find this fire, never let it burn out. We ask all of you to begin to build a movement, be it your own or one you work with by joining us, which promises to forever keep that soul fire alive and ignited. jill petty is a senior French and sociology major. E-mail her at jpetty1@ithaca.edu.
Guest commentary
Inside Look offers fair portrayal of college’s diversity
I
nside Look is undoubtedly a permanent fixture among the minority community on campus. The planning and execution of this event is one that is cherished and coveted at times when the ALANA students are able to work together to produce Aja houpe an instantly gratifying outcome. With this being my first time participating, I found the enthusiasm and excitement intoxicating and contagious throughout the minority community, students and faculty alike. Inside Look is a unique orientation program in the sense that it caters to ALANA and minority students. With this in mind, it is quite obvious in whatever limited time one spends on campus as a prospective student that the experience will pale in comparison to the experience of a full-time student. It can cause a problem for participants’ perception, including that of Tiffany Cheng, who stated in The Ithacan’s April 15 issue that this type of environment did not create a holistic reality of “what exactly goes on every day for ALANA students.” I am then left to ponder whether this misrepresentation is any more misleading than the other tours and programs for prospective students.
In the circuit
Ithaca College students rehearse for the Inside Look Fashion Show in April 2008 in Emerson Suites. The show has since become independent. file photo/the ithacan
In my mind, the answer is no. When tour guides lead groups of 10 to 15 students around the Campus Center, we can all hear them recite, “This is the Campus Center Dining Hall, one of three dining halls on campus.” Initially, this sounds like variety and endless opportunities for meal options and combinations, but after a semester on campus, there are many who desire more options. This is not a misrepresentation, but it is facts through which only experience can poke holes. I say this to articulate the fact that all orientations, regardless of targeted groups, are used to highlight the positives
and give reasons why an individual would want to come to Ithaca College. Thus, it is the responsibility of the individual to weigh different aspects, investigate and ask in order to assess the value he or she would personally assign to any given aspect of campus life. This is the same case for Inside Look. By no means is the number of minority students altered or skewed for this event, but only an experience of the ALANA community can reflect the group with complete accuracy. Though this program may not be an “accurate” representation of a school day in terms of workload and
daily responsibility, it provides an opportunity to see the existence of diversity and the presence of minority students on campus. The impact and capabilities of current ALANA students and administration is also on showcase, thus showing potential students the valued and esteemed community that exists. My personal opinion of this issue does not prevent me from understanding those who are led astray. To this issue, I can only stress the invaluable responsibility of hosts, current ALANA students and faculty members to speak openly with prospective students about their experiences to ensure that there will be no miscommunication. To engage prospective ALANA students in conversation that reflects personal experience and to help find them potential hosts with the same majors, hometowns or interests will allow these prospective students a more complete depiction of what everyday life is like. Though each individual, minority or not, will have a personal and unique experience, the value of wisdom offered by conversations and interactions, both structured and informal, between ALANA students is irreplaceable, and that in itself is the irreplaceable value of the Inside Look program. aja houpe is a sophomore anthropology major. E-mail her at ahoupe1@ ithaca.edu.
All opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The Ithacan. To write a guest commentary, contact Opinion Editor Archana Menon at 274-3208.
’m as bad at time management as the next undergraduate, but the Internet has ushered in a whole new level of distraction from schoolwork. If you really have to write a paper — as in, it’s due in six hours and you can see the sun coming up and birds chirping, oh, God, no — it’s hard to justify sitting down and watching a full episode of “House” or starting a new campaign in “Call of Duty.” Conversely, it’s incredibly easy to convince yourself that you’ll “only be on Facebook for a minute” or “it’s just a three-minute YouTube video.” Internet procrastination time is measured like dog years; you spend seven times longer wasting time on it than you originally planned. Most people watch less TV when they get to college. That’s logical. We all have a thousand things going on — sports teams, model government, student-run media, drag shows, drug-fueled orgies — that take up a lot of time. But I find when students do use media, it’s in a purposefully “accidental” way. At least, I think most students do this. It could just be me and my roommate. But I doubt it — in fact, I’m pretty sure all students can’t go 20 minutes into a PowerPoint without checking back into Facebook. And in this period you have accomplished three things: You haven’t worked a second on your paper, leaving Microsoft Word orphaned and abandoned, softly weeping to itself in your applications folder with nothing but a header and half an introduction paragraph. Secondly, you’ve managed to watch 50 minutes worth of videos featuring cats jumping on toddlers. Enlightenment at its finest. And third, you failed to even procrastinate productively. Cats jumping on babies is all well and good, but if you really wanted to watch “Lost” or “Community” or “Kiefer Sutherland Beats Up Everyone” then you should’ve admitted to yourself, “I will do nothing worthwhile for the next hour,” and just watched something you were planning on watching anyway. Or, you know, write your paper. I’m completely kidding. Of course you’re not going to write your paper. It’s much easier and guiltless to procrastinate in three-minute chunks, watching blips of “The Daily Show” and CollegeHumor. com and Lady Gaga’s most recent venture into ludicrous music videos featuring cigarette sunglasses —again, what the expletive? — than it is to dive into a full-length video. But you end up doubling your time spent on TV and media and severing the time spent on things you intend to do and truly want to do. So enjoy finals week! Tell Jon Stewart I say, “Hi.”
sarah kasulke is a freshman television-radio major. E-mail her at skasulk1@ithaca.edu.
12 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Thursday, April 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
accent
The Ithacan 13
Frolicking into town
Two alumni open late-night waffle café
From left, Julia Pergolini ’09 and Alexis Randall ’09 make waffles.
Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan
by Alexandra Evans staff writer
The swarm of hungry people who stumble out of the bars on a Saturday night on The Commons now have a new food heaven to flock to. Visitors can plop down in comfy chairs and couches and enjoy a different kind of late-night dish — waffles. Julia Pergolini ’09 and Alexis Randall ’09 recently opened Waffle Frolic, a café on The Commons offering waffles, donuts and paninis. The shop gives Ithacans a place that functions both as a late-night waffle bar and a laid-back lounge for lunch dates or a study space. After college, Randall and Pergolini spent the summer working at GreenStar and planning for a cross-country road trip to discover the late-night food of America. The idea to start the business came after the two were in a car accident this past summer in New Jersey while visiting family. Randall said after that frightening life experience she wondered what she was waiting for. So when she and Pergolini saw a “for rent” sign on the space formerly occupied by That Burrito Place, they claimed it as their own. Randall said their initial plan was to open a coffee shop, not a restaurant, but soon realized that in order for their business to thrive in Ithaca, they needed to offer another dimension. “There’s so much coffee in Ithaca that we needed something else, so brainstorming sessions led to waffles,” she said. “Waffles are fun, but I never thought I’d make a career out of waffles.” Having spent four years in the town as a college student, Pergolini said she noticed the gap between students and locals and wanted to bridge the gap by creating an environment that would appeal to all types of customers. “We love Ithaca,” Pergolini said. “We liked living here, but in a lot of ways we also felt like it was missing an edge. Our primary drive for this place was to create a space that wasn’t available to us when we were students. We wanted a gathering space, a community space, a place where
people frolicked.” Waffle Frolic has a different waffle for every type of person: classic buttermilk, hemp and buckwheat and a vegan, gluten-free option. Twelve fill-ins and addons are also available, such as lemon curd, chocolate chips, fresh fruit, coconut and apple butter. Since their grand opening April 17, they’ve proven Waffle Frolic can attract many different people — from the bar crowds on weekends to families and college students. Pergolini said the variety of customers has shown the Frolic is a vibrant addition to downtown. “Our concept was built out of this town — our vision of what this town should be,” Pergolini said. “The city of Ithaca is trying really hard to improve the downtown district, and I feel like we’re contributing to that.” Kristin Lewis, operations manager for the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, said the addition of Waffle Frolic has created more food options for the weekend bar crowd — Waffle Frolic is open until 2 a.m. on weekends — and will play a role in improving the appearance of The Commons. “People like to come downtown and have choices, and this is just a really different choice that we haven’t had before,” she said. “Right now what’s open late at night appears to be the pizza places, and Waffle Frolic is a great addition. When lights are on in businesses later in the evening, it contributes to a feeling of safety and security for the people that are down here.” Adam Girgenti, a sophomore English major, decided to visit Waffle Frolic after Randall and Pergolini stopped by VIC’s 50-hour marathon for Ithaca’s Loaves and Fishes with free coffee for him and the other DJs. “A couple of my friends who I went with said they wanted to go back and bring their work and study there with a waffle and hot chocolate,” he said. “It was very relaxed and was a pretty cool setting.” Michele Maciejewski ’09, a barista and event planner at Waffle Frolic, said the
restaurant plans to create a community space by offering public events, including a monthly book club, open mic and spoken word nights, comedy nights, sampler days, kids’ View a slideshow of events, art showings the tasty treats at and private parties. Waffle Frolic at theitha“We want to create can.org/go/10waffles. a user-generated content-based theme for our events,” she said. “They are about bringing people together to share interests and creative energy in our positive space.” Pergolini did not start college with the intention of opening a restaurant and said her degree in English doesn’t directly apply to her job now. However, she said she has experience working in the food service industry that she can directly apply when serving and cooking for customers. “I’m totally used to Pergolini mixes waffle ingredients together April 17. Andrew Casper/The ithacan dealing with crowds and trying to push not as fluent in social media as we’ve bethrough a whole line of orders with all of these eyeballs staring come, so that’s definitely to our advantage.” The managers don’t have much free at you waiting,” she said. Randall said her degree in integrated time now that they spend late nights marketing communications is helpful be- keeping their store open, and they are cause she is now able to use her intern- currently earning minimum wage. Howship experiences as well as her advertising ever, Randall said now is an opportune and art direction classes in deciding how time to put all time and efforts into the to appeal to customers through social me- business with hopes of making more dia and store design. She said that being money later on. “The one thing about being so young young and having fresh knowledge of the business world will help them establish and doing this is that you have no responsibilities really,” she said. “You don’t have themselves in the Ithaca food scene. “Being such young business owners, we kids, you don’t have a mortgage, you don’t know exactly how to use Facebook or Twit- have all these things that are hanging over ter,” she said. “Someone who [is] maybe 40 your head. It’s like, ‘Focus on this, do it and has a business and is a little hesitant is right and then add the baggage later.’”
[ a ccentuate] 14 The Ithacan
Hot or Not
Th ursday, April 29, 2010
This week’s hits and misses
Assistant Accent Editor Whitney Faber separates chic from cheap for this season’s new trendy summer bags.
Hot
Studded backpack This season, it’s all about the studs. No, not those hunky men strutting down the catwalk. It’s those little metal embellishments that have been popping up all over the runway. Beyond their trend appeal, bags like this are perfect because of their versatility. And in case you haven’t heard, backpacks are making a comeback. But these aren’t your Barney or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bags from first grade. They’re chic, cool and made of leather. But they’re still big enough to pack a lunch and a few toys, if a person should so desire.
Lukewarm
Woven tote Break out the moccasins, suede vests and long fringe — Native American influences are bursting onto the fashion scene this year. And some of the best elements can be found in this bag. Between the jagged, colorful pattern and the smooth leather, this tote will brighten any summer look. Though this bag has its limitations when trying to pair it with an outfit, it’s well worth buying a few new shirts to match, especially those that borrow from ethnic influences. But, please, leave the feather headdress at home.
Not
Block Color Bag Neon bright colors, a metal chain strap and leather frilling on the sides, oh my! Sometimes when it comes to purses, less is more. This spring is all about bright colors, but this purse takes the idea too far. It looks a little like an ’80s trend monster threw up all over this bag between all the embellishments and the colors. It’s important that a person’s accessories make a statement. But no one wants that statement to be, “Look at me. I’ll do just about anything to stand out.”
“
Movin’ with attitude
From left, freshman Denisha Freeman, sophomore Kristen Axelsen, junior Justine Stohler and sophomore Meaghan Brophy drop to the beat at Pulse’s Hip Hop Expo last Wednesday in Emerson Suites. Pulse performed four student-choreographed dances. Michelle Boulé/the ithacan
catching
E Z A R C
celebrity Models find missing pieces in summer lines
Spring 2010 fashion designers have given their garments an edge — from a razor. Every girl needs a little black dress, but beware: Plain back dresses are so blasé. This year, get a dress with dramatic cuts and holes to show some skin in a tasteful way. This look is not the trashy hobo chic of previous years. Those jeans with the uneven rips at the knees should be left in your closet. Cleavagebearing tops and formal dresses with long slits to the upper thigh are finally fashion-backward. — Alexandra Evans
number 500,000 The amount of money Lil Wayne is being sued for by Jim Jonsin, the producer of the rapper’s, Grammy-winning song “Lollipop.” Jonsin claims he hasn’t received any of the royalties for the work he did on the single and is seeking more than $500,000 because of it. Weezy just can’t seem to stay away from legal trouble — he’s currently incarcerated at New York’s Rikers Island prison after pleading guilty to gun possession charges. Pay up, Weezy, and give credit where credit is due. After all, you once rapped that you’ve “got money and you know it.” So “take it out your pocket and show it.” — Alexandra Evans
quoteunquote
He actually pays me money to keep my clothes on! Kelly Ripa to People on April 19 about her agreement with her husband, Mark Consuelos, on what she wears out.
OOPS!
Soap star’s runaway hit
Every hit-and-run TV scenario comes with a valuable lesson: don’t run. Didn’t Heather Locklear learn this in Acting 101? The “Melrose Place” star spent a Saturday night in handcuffs after she was arrested around 4 a.m. for a hit-and-run. She allegedly drove into a sign in Westlake Village, Calif., and fled the scene. Though a piece of plastic near the site matched a piece from her car, Locklear is likely to get off scot-free. Sources claim there’s “nothing approaching proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that she was there. But be careful, Locklear, this isn’t TV. You can’t just use your looks to get out of trouble. — Alexandra Evans
a ccent
Thursday, April 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 15
Students to show one-acts at festival by Kelsey Fowler Staff Writer
Leafing through the program for IC Players’ new show, the playwrights’ names might seem familiar. It’s not because of their fame or past works, but rather it’s because all six one-acts were written by students. For student playwrights, getting their unknown, If you Go unpublished “Best in Show plays perShowcase: A Oneformed in a Act Festival” professional When: 8 p.m. setting can Sunday often be a Where: Clark Lounge in difficult task. Phillips Hall But five budHow much: $3 ding playwrights will get the chance to have their work presented onstage thanks to IC Players’ new show, “Best in Show Showcase: A One-Act Festival.” Andres Ordorica, advertising executive for IC Players, said he and another board member came up with the idea for a one-act festival last fall. He said he hopes it will become an annual event. “We knew we wanted to do something new with the group,” he said. “We thought it would be interesting to try out a festival of oneacts, and that turned into a festival dedicated to student-written work.” The showcase offers student authors, directors, actors and stage managers the chance to work together in an entirely student-run production. The IC Players board selected the one-acts
from submissions and then held interviews to pick directors who, in turn, cast the shows. “One of the main goals of the showcase is to give an opportunity to people to present their work,” Ordorica said. “People can get intimidated to showcase their work, or to take on the responsibility of directing a student-original work, so we just wanted to offer the opportunity to students to do both.” Freshman Jordan Reiff is a student playwright who has two scripts in the festival. While this is not Reiff ’s first time seeing plays he has written performed, he said it was a different experience to have his peers work on his scripts. “It’s always exciting, but also incredibly nerve-racking and really a very humbling experience to get to see people rehearse and analyze the stuff I wrote,” he said. Reiff said the process of workshopping the scripts also really helped him grow as a writer. “The cool thing about playwriting is that you have to think about how things are going to sound onstage and not just how they look on the page,” he said. “When I do get to watch my work be rehearsed and performed I try my best to re-evaluate it and figure out what things aren’t working and what things are working.” Sophomore Alison Ehrenreich is directing one of the one-acts, and said this was a good fit for her first time directing because she was able to ask the playwright questions. “It’s a dream come true to work
From left, freshmen Dan Krol and Merahm Hamdan rehearse a play last Sunday in Clark Lounge. The show is one of five student-written one-act plays to be performed in the “Best in Show Showcase” on Sunday in Clark Lounge. Kelsey O’Connor/The Ithacan
directly with the playwright,” she said. “It’s not a guessing game to figure out what they intended.” Reiff said he is also looking forward to watching his plays and seeing how others interpret his work. “I’ll be interested to see what [the director] finds and what the actors find in the script that I didn’t even know was there,” he said. “I’m sure I’m going to be surprised by something.” For sophomore Melanie Sherman, acting in the showcase has given her the chance to learn about the character she’s playing. She said because her one-act is only 10 minutes long, she was able
to work with her director and the playwright to explore more about the character beyond the scene. “I can really dive into the character,” she said. “I have to give her this life around the play, and it’s great to have the playwright there to talk to about what he intended for the characters.” Ordorica said with the quality of the writing and the dedicated effort everyone has put into the show, people should expect a festival that showcases the talents of many of the college’s students. “For most people, the idea that there could be these 18-, 19-, 20-year-olds who identify them-
The glass is half full.
selves as writers is something that is just so foreign,” he said. “Yes, they’re young and early in their careers, but what they have to say is viable, and the work they have to offer is worthy of being shown and seen.” In the future, Ordorica hopes to expand the showcase, including a writer’s workshop group for student playwrights and longer oneacts or even a full-length play. “It’s always our hope at IC Players to grow and expand and give that opportunity to any student, no matter what their major is,” he said. “We just offer the support to continue practicing and participating in theater.”
w e i v e r n i r a e y –10 llege 2009 f The Ithacan Ithaca Co tion o ca li b u p l A specia
Check out the year’s biggest news, features and sports stories in Year in Review, coming to campus by the middle of next week.
16 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Thursday, April 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
Accent
The Ithacan 17
Music school alumna lands role as Carmen at Met
KA: It’s incredibly exciting. When I started rehearsals, of course, I was nervous because it’s a big deal, but I’m working with a fantastic cast. The tenor, Jonas Kaufmann, is just a dream to work with. He’s a real singing actor, which is such a special thing to work with because you can separate yourself from the fact that there’s an audience. You can get fully sucked into the drama.
Yesterday, Kate Aldrich ’96 reprised her dream role as “Carmen” for the sixth time in her career, this time at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. She started singing opera professionally just 10 years ago and has already performed at several prestigious opera houses all over the world, from the San Francisco Opera to the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany. Senior Writer Kathy Laluk spoke with Aldrich about returning to the role of Carmen at the Met.
KL: Did you ever think you would be performing at the Met?
Kathy Laluk: How did you get into opera?
KA: You don’t start off singing professionally at the Met. This is my 10th year performing professionally. I’ve been kind of working my way up. I was really lucky because it’s not always a given that you’ll be able to start working right away. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and in the right repertoire.
Kate Aldrich: I went to Ithaca for music, and I wanted to give the classical music angle a try because I had also been d oing some rock music in high school. I almost didn’t go to school because I was going to stay with my rock band. But at Ithaca, little by little I started discovering more about opera. I think it was really not until the end of my time at Ithaca until I decided I wanted to go more in that direction.
KL: What about the performances are you looking forward to? KA: Oh gosh, I’m actually looking forward to them being over in a way, but I know as soon as they are I’m going to be sad. There’s a lot of anticipation about it. We have to just dive off the diving board and hope everything happens the way it’s supposed to.
KL: Were there any classes you had at the college that pushed you toward opera? KA: There was the opera scene workshop, and I remember being really kind of moved by the whole idea of it. When you’re doing art songs, you’re telling a story, but it wasn’t quite as dramatic, and you didn’t have the theater side of it. That’s really what I found so exciting about opera. I also took choir with Larry Doebler, and he was fantastic. What was great about his approach to choral music was that he would incorporate movement into the music so that all four parts would be moving to the music in whatever way they felt. So we’d have these sort of blocked out tableaus. It really taught me to be more comfortable with movement while singing, which is incredibly important in opera. KL: Since graduating, you have been in many different shows. What is the most difficult
KL: Do you think opera still has a place in the contemporary theater and music scenes?
Kate Aldrich ’96 performs in the title role of “Carmen” at the Detroit Opera House. She is reprising the role for the sixth time in her career at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. courtesy of Kate Aldrich
thing about performing? KA: It depends on the day. Some days I would say it’s simply the making of music and the singing, and then other days, it can be the stresses of movement and things like that. It’s a lot of pressure because your livelihood and your passion and dreams are dependant
on how well you do. There’s always this battle between trying to be natural and be in the moment and also trying to do your part well. KL: I’m sure your upcoming performances of “Carmen” are pretty stressful. Tell me a little about how that’s going.
KA: Absolutely. It’s incredibly popular right now and even more popular than it was 15, even 20 years ago. It’s one of the fastest-growing classical art forms. It is going through a bit of a tough time because of private sponsorship and the way the economy is. Plus we can never really compete with popular music. But I think, for example, that the Met is not trying to compete with it, but [rather] having its own approach. They’re making it more current by bringing it to movie theaters so that people who don’t live in the big cities can still have the chance to experience good opera.
Accen t
18 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Kitchen Theatre disregards fourth wall
thursday
by Aaron Edwards news Editor
Some theatergoers consider the “fourth wall” a necessary facet of contemporary theater. This invisible curtain between the audience and the actor creates an illusion that the former is looking into the world created onstage, but when the fourth wall is stripped down, conversations can go deeper than they ever would have before. “In This Place,” a new play by Ain Gordon starring New York City-based actress Michelle Hurst, relies on the abandonIn This Place ment of the fourth wall. The play Kitchen is a deep conversation between Theatre the actress and the audience, befitting the Kitchen Theatre’s venerable motto, “Important conversations happen in the Kitchen.” The one-woman show tells the story of Samuel and Daphney Oldham (Hurst), two AfricanAmericans living in 1830s Lexington, Ky. Samuel buys freedom for his wife, Daphney, and their children before building a grand home — a home that Daphney (now a ghost returning to tell her story) has a difficult time remembering. The play revolves around her bare-bones retelling of their courtship and eventual marriage amid the turmoil of a slavery-torn nation. Slavery is an era of American history with a clear, dominant narrative that undercuts the intricacies of individual blacks’ stories. Often limited to textbook literature and brief chapters in high school history classes, the topic does not get enough face time in the grand scheme of public education. “In This Place” brings a single tale of heart-wrenching struggle to the forefront of the Ithaca theater community. Stripped bare of any elaborate set design, the play is performed in front of two flat-screen televisions and a single wooden chair and table. Two stage managers sit on either end of the stage, dressed in black, controlling the images that appear on the screens, which illustrate and emphasize certain parts of Daphney’s visceral story. As she mentions her work-strewn hands, images of dark wrinkled hands appear on the screens. Daphney walks the audience through vignettes of her life, adding commentary on her state of mind and being. Her accounts are raw
Ballroom Dance Class, a rhumba lesson taught by James and Iska, will go from 7 to 8 p.m. at Oasis on Danby Road. Admission is $7.
“Much Ado About Nothing,” the college’s latest
mainstage theater production, will begin at 8 p.m. in Dillingham Center. Admission is $7 for students and $8 for faculty, staff and senior citizens.
Theater Review
friday
Michelle Hurst, who plays Daphney, recounts her memories onstage during the Kitchen Theatre’s latest production, “In This Place.” Hurst, the only actor in the play, includes the audience in her conversations. Courtesy of Victor jouvert
and invigorating, and her frustration, joy and sorrow ricochet through the Kitchen for the duration of the show, filling the play with emotional substance and relevance. She engages the audience the entire show, calling for audience participation as she asks viewers to share memories with her for “safekeeping.” “What color did your mother wear when she wanted to look pretty?” she asks the audience in Act 2. A polyphonic chorus of answers shoots out from the 73-seat space: “Navy. Pink. Yellow.” Moments like these make “In This Place” just as much of a two-way theatrical experience as a conventional play. The weakest aspect of the production is the multimedia presentation that accompanies Daphney’s story. Her words are strong enough to stand on their own, but with the added distraction from bolded words and disjointed inter-
view clips, the audience’s attention may be drawn more to the visuals as opposed to the already-enticing story. The setup is a little too theatrical for a show that aims to tackle the traditional functions of proscenium and black box theater. With the Kitchen Theatre moving to its new space on State Street in the near future, a play about the intrinsic beauty of a historic space called home couldn’t come at a better time. During the reception in the historic Mural Lounge following the show, a Kitchen Theatre patron asked dutifully, “Will there be a Mural Lounge like this in the new space?” His question was returned with a soft rumble of nostalgic laughs, and the owners returned the question with a smile and a nod. This was a moment shared not only by Daphney as she reflected on the joy in her life, but also by the Ithaca theater community as it plows forward into the future.
Mature and reflective lyrics drive new indie-rock album by TJ Gunther staff writer
The Hold Steady has become a guaranteed hit-making machine in the indie-rock world. But its new album, “Heaven is Whenever,” doesn’t break the mold for The Hold The Hold Steady alSteady bums; it just changes “Heaven is the tone. Whenever” With its 2006 reVagrant lease, “Boys and Girls Records in America,” The Our rating: Hold Steady masHHH tered capturing the euphoria of teenagers and young adults and since then has been dealing with aging. “Heaven is Whenever” continues the slower, darker sound the band started to explore on “Stay Positive.” The album begins
Album Review
hot dates
with deep acoustic guitar stroking before the drums kick in with lead singer Craig Finn’s powerful, rough vocals, sounding reserved and focused. His singing has lost some of the edge it once had, and he’s sounding more mature and distant from his crazier times. With the departure of keyboardist Franz Nicolay, the album’s tracks focus primarily on guitar. Tracks like “Smidge” and “Rock Problems” feature prominent guitar lines and distortion to fill the void left by the lack of a full-time keyboardist. The band continues to use piano, though, such as in the introduction to late standout “Our Whole Lives,” but it comes across as a simple afterthought. The Hold Steady has always had some of the most intelligent lyrics in rock music, and “Heaven is
Laser Tag, sponsored by the Student Activities Board, will begin at 8 p.m. in the Mondo Gym in the Fitness Center. Admission is free. The Last Sorcerer, a fairy tale-story produced by Women’s Works, will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Community School of Music and Arts on East State Street. Admission is $5 to $11.
saturday
Decades Dance Party, hosted by DJ Nicky Wood, will begin at 10 p.m. at The Haunt off of Route 13. Admission is free. The Rozatones, a funk and rock band made up of Ithaca College alumni, will play at 9 p.m. at Castaways on Inlet Island. Admission is free.
sunday
A Woman’s Life and Love, a concert devoted to women, will begin at 4 p.m. at the All Saints Church in Lansing. Admission is $7 to $10.
Local band takes bizarre ride by Evan Johnson staff writer
The apocalyptic view of 2012 inspired Ayurveda’s second album “H. Luminous.” As a result, Ayurveda the musical expe“H. rience listeners Luminous” get from the alAyurveda Our rating: bum showcases HH1/2 the Ithaca-based rock band’s latest spiritual endeavors. On the eight-track LP, Tom Burchinal’s vocals are as wandering and spacey as they have been on previous albums. But when combined with the new sounds of this album, Burchinal’s vocals sound more similar to the styles of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. The music on “H. Luminous” is far more experimental, as well. The songs have
Album Review
Courtesy of Vagrant Records
Whenever” is no different. Finn’s speak-sing style and rough voice make him sound like an elderly mentor, especially while dishing out advice in “Soft in the Center.” Finn sings, “You can’t tell people what they want to hear if you also want to tell the truth / and I’m just trying to tell the truth.” “Heaven is Whenever” puts the band’s party-centric songs to rest, but The Hold Steady’s latest lyrics clearly show it wants to leave a mark.
been mixed together to flow seamlessly from one into the next. The instrumentals are far lighter and more spacious, while the band’s heavier tones — often represented in the bass — lurk below. The intention of “H. Luminous” is to be a musical journey to the end of the world, but the reality may not be as sacred as the band intended.
Courtesy of ayurveda
quickies “Magnetic North”
“I am what i am”
“Magnetic North” features 12 new tracks that delve into themes of personal growth and lost love, incorporating both haunting harmonies and upbeat, catchy songs. There is a song to match any mood on this album.
With Haggard’s new album, there is no question as to why he is considered a country music legend. However, not only does he tackle country music, but he also explores jazz and folk influences.
Aqualung Verve Forecast
courtesy of Verve forecast
“All days are nights: songs for lulu”
Merle Haggard Vanguard Records
courtesy of Vanguard records
Rufus Wainwright Decca
Grief is found everywhere on this album, from Wainwright’s melancholy, expansive vocals to the soft, melodious piano tracks on almost every song. The album is still a classic and worthwhile, though. courtesy of Decca
compiled by Haley davis
Accen t
Thursday, April 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 19
Comedy portrays real-life relationships [ Ben Stiller jumps out of funny-guy role into reflective mode By Quinton Saxby
ticket stub
]
valid friday through thursday
cinemapolis The Commons 277–6115
Staff Writer
A romantic comedy can be broken down into three parts: a hot chick, a funny sex scene and the awkward guy. But in “Greenberg,” the awkward guy steals the show. Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) is an unmarried, vulnerable and sexually frustrated 40-year-old. Whether Roger is capable of a long-term relationship is up for debate, but mostly, he is neurotic and psychologically unstable. Stiller has been typecast in the past, usually playing the role of the awkward, funny guy in standardfare romantic comedies. Di“Greenberg” rector Noah BaScott Rudin umbach gives Productions Stiller a chance Our rating: HHH in “Greenberg” to break out of his caricature, with a role worthy of his strong comedic acting. Stiller digs into his own wit and originality and uses it to portray a man who doesn’t understand his own motives. As Roger, Stiller plays a complex, confused and contradictory protagonist who finds some solace in Florence (Greta Gerwig), a caring love interest who sees through his neuroses. The film has strong sexual undertones that many romantic comedies imply but never explicitly explore. Instead of being tasteless, these scenes add to the film’s honest tone. Baumbach doesn’t idealize romance, and Roger and Florence’s relationship is shown in an empathetic, realistic light. In many ways, these two char-
Art of steal 7:00 p.m. and Weekends 2:00 p.m. Creation 9:25 p.m. and Weekends 4:25 p.m. The Ghost Writer HHH1/2 7:05 and 9:25 p.m. and Weekends 2:05 and 4:25 p.m. The girl with the dragon tattoo 6:50 and 9:30 p.m. Weekends 1:30 and 4:15 p.m.
Film Review
Greenberg HHH 7:10 and 9:20 p.m. and Weekends 2:10 and 4:20 p.m. Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) is a nearly hopeless, desperate, psychologically unstable 40-year-old until he meets Florence (Greta Gerwig). “Greenberg” follows the story of this awkward, yet blooming midlife relationship.
courtesy of scott rudin productions
acters are quite insane, and Baumbach uses this to his advantage. An especially telling scene, one which makes viewers cringe and laugh, involves Roger attempting to ask out his ex-girlfriend. Stiller captures the confused and awkward behavior of a man trying to hold onto something that is no longer there. Many awkward moments and painful realizations ensue in Roger’s life, and Stiller does well at portraying these random outbursts of confusion. Instead of being melodramatic, these moments capture the subtle, often contradictory and illogical moments in a romantic relationship. The film stands outside of the nefarious romantic-comedy genre.
Though the film is at times darker and lethargic — adjectives that would never be used for a romantic comedy — “Greenberg” is careful not to get trapped in its own misery. The humor in the film is well-timed and surprising. The film stays afloat because of random moments of absurdity. Baumbach keeps the film quirky and upbeat. Characters talk fast and make allusions to other movies and songs, keeping the film contemporary and anchored in pop culture references. “Greenberg” works on a level of realism. Baumbach has an ear for natural dialogue. When a film explores the inherent problems in a relationship, dialogue is a vital
Disney captures beauty of ocean
“Greenberg” was written and directed by Noah Baumbach.
Tired action scenes sabotage movie By James Hasson Staff Writer
By Whitney Faber Assistant accent editor
Walt Disney’s “Oceans” uncovers the wonder beneath the sea in a visually stunning film that fails to hold the audience’s attention beyond its pretty pictures. The film gives a small glimpse of the life that dwells in the sea, following multiple animals’ activities from eating habits to migratory behavior to “Oceans” social interactions. Walt Disney Our rating: “Oceans” is an incredHH1/2 ible feat. From the close-up shots of eels to the swarms of sharks, birds and whales feasting on small fish, there is no shortage of breathtaking visuals in this film. And once the audience realizes how dangerous it must have been to get these shots, the images stand out even more. But the wonder of the film stops with these dazzling scenes. Following the revolutionary series “Planet Earth,” “Oceans” fails to stand out as anything more than a series of beautiful pictures. Unlike the past series, this film reveals no incredible new information about animal life. Instead, it merely regurgitates the same information that can be learned in any high school biology class. The film also deviates in short bursts of cautionary messages about the state of the world’s oceans and the environment. These messages are so quick, such as the lines about the polar ice caps melting, that they seem random. Pierce Brosnan narrates the film with his cool, soothing British accent. Though the script is, at times, overly dramatic, such as in the opening scenes when he explains the wonder of the ocean, Brosnan manages to make the script sound intel-
aspect for the film’s success. Here, the film makes the ongoing conversation between Roger and Florence a priority. Even as the film spirals into the less attractive moments in a romantic relationship, such as unrequited love and even abortion, the dialogue keeps viewers hooked. Baumbach’s film is more endearing than annoying, and that’s a compliment for a film that seeks empathy for its characters. Overall, the film turns a sympathetic lens to its protagonist, even when his actions are cringe-worthy and make no sense.
Film Review
Coupled with bland action sequences and rehashed gunfights and explosions, “The Losers” is hardly appealing in an already flooded comic book market. The movie, based on the DC Comics series of the same name, begins with The Losers as they indirectly assist in the decimation of a terrorist compound in Bolivia. But when The Losers, a crew of justice-seeking comrades, spot children inside the compound, “The Losers” they decide to interDC vene. After the group Entertainment messes up the bad Our rating: guys’ plans, The Losers H1/2 are forced into hiding, planning their revenge. Many of the plot points within this movie don’t make sense. In a hotel scene Clay (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) meets up with Aisha (Zoe Saldana). The two fight for no reason, which makes less sense when Aisha introduces herself to Clay to offer her services in taking down the bad guy, Max. The subsequent romance between Clay and Aisha has absolutely no chemistry and only happens for the sake of having a PG-13-rated sex scene. The ending also points to a predictable sequel. The villain manages to escape and The Losers have little leverage to get their lives back together. But the hunt for justice will continue.
Film Review
“Oceans” tells the story of the mating habits and social patterns of seals and other ocean life.
courtesy of walt Disney
ligent and innovative. The film’s action and story, though, are largely driven by the classical soundtrack. It is an effectual way of creating a story without words. This was most effectively used in the scene when crabs were facing off on the ocean floor. Hard drumbeats played while the crabs climbed and bashed each other, animating a story without a need for words. When the final credits roll, shots of how this film was captured appear on the screen. Fearless scuba divers swim alongside sharks and whales, showing the dedication of the videographers. The beautiful animal scenes of baby turtles and feisty crabs may not be revolutionary, but they are incredible all the same. “Oceans” was co-written and co-directed by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud.
“The Losers” was written by Peter Berg and James Vanderbuilt, and directed by Sylvain White.
Mother 9:10 p.m. and Weekends 4:10 p.m. North Face 7:10 p.m. and Weekends 2:10 p.m.
regal stadium 14 Pyramid Mall 266-7960
The Back-up PLan 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 9:10 p.m. Clash of the titans HHH 12:30 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 6:10 p.m., 8:50 p.m. date night HHH 12:10 p.m., 2:35 p.m., 4:50 p.m., 7:20 p.m., 9:50 p.m. death at a funeral HH1/2 12:25 p.m., 2:55 p.m., 5:20 p.m., 7:50 p.m., 10:15 p.m. Furry Vengeance 2:15 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6:50 p.m., 9:20 p.m. hot tub time machine HH1/2 2:25 p.m., 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 10:20 p.m. how to train your dragon HH 12:40 p.m., 3:25 p.m., 6 p.m., 9 p.m. kick-Ass HHH 1:15 p.m., 4:20 p.m., 7 p.m., 10 p.m. The last song H1/2 12:50 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 6:20 p.m., 9:05 p.m. The losers H1/2 12:20 p.m., 3:05 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 10:35 p.m. A Nightmare on elm street 12 p.m., 1:20 p.m., 2:45 p.m., 4:10 p.m., 5:10 p.m., 6:40 p.m., 7:40 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:10 p.m. oceans HH1/2 1:10 p.m., 3:35 p.m., 5:40 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 10:30 p.m.
cornell cinema 104 Willard Straight Hall 255-3522
For more information, visit http://cinema.cornell.edu.
our ratings Excellent HHHH Good HHH Fair HH Poor H
Cl a ssi f ied
20 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 29, 2010
for rent
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An Apartment with no hassles. Hudson Heights Studio Apartments are located next to IC. We are renting for the next school year 2010-2011 $560/m starting June 1-August 15th, 2010. We will also rent a few fall term (6 months July-December) at $750/month. The rent includes: furniture, all utilities, parking, garbage and recycling, with laundry rooms on the complex. Call Clif at 607-273-8473 cell 280-7660 for an appointment. Website www.hhithaca.com.
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1 bdrm apt Grad student, no smoking 5 min to campus private entrance furnished utilities inc. 272-0059 Clean, quiet, half block Bus stop.
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Forest home 2 bdrm apt. over empty garage. New rugs, large deck, use of washer/dryer, basement below. 1 mile to campus across from Cornell Plantation. $875. Contact John at 209-770-0452 or at johncsundell@yahoo.com.
212 South Geneva Street Unfurnished Studio - $550 Plus Unfurnished 1 Bedroom - $750 Plus 214 Prospect Street Furnished 4 Bedroom - $550 Per www.rentingithaca.com for info.
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1123 Danby Rd. Furnished home w/ backyard and grill. Looking for a sublet in June and July 2010. Up to 3 BDRs available. $410/month. jpatti1@ithaca.edu or call 631-525-1784.
Large 3 BR located downtown Available August 3, 2010 Parking, pets welcome 273-3931.
SOUTH HILL 4 BR HOUSE CONVENIENT TO IC & COMMONS. Parking, furnished, 2 full baths, d/w, w/d & deck $525+/person. For appt 607-227-6237.
THE IVY 111 S. Cayuga Street Spacious 3 bedroom, 3 baths Elevator, laundry, A/C 607-273-9462. www.ithacarenting.com.
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3 Bdrm apt, Downtown, new, large washer and dryer in apt. E-mail for pic or more info info@ctowrentals.com 607-330-2442 $1,320.
Ithaca Commons Mini-studios, mini-kitchen, TV lounge, laundry. $455 up. 607-273-9462 www.ithacarenting.com.
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Thursday, April 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 21
Divers ion s
22 The Ithacan
dilbert®
Thursday, April 29, 2010
sudoku
By Scott Adams
Medium
Very Hard
2 3 6
7
6 2 8 9 1 7 9 8
2 5 5 6 3 9
4
5 4 2 7 4 1 3 3 6 7 8 9 1 2 2 6 5 1 2 5 Medium
4
Very Hard
2 3 6
7 2 5
5 6 3 9
4
5 4 2 7 4 1 3 3 6 7 8 9 1 2 2 6 5 1 2 5
6 2 8 9 1 7 9 8
1 9 2 7 5
4
1 9 8 5 2 4 3
5 3
answers to last week’s sudoku Medium
8 5 9 3 7 2 1 4 6 1
2
3
4
5
12
6
9
16
22
17
11
18
20
23
24
27
28
30
31
33
34
36
10
14
19
25
26
45
46
29 32 35
37
38
39 41
8
13
15
21
7
40
42
43
47
48
51
52
49
44 50 53
crossword ACROSS 1 Comfy 5 Big handbag 9 One’s good name 12 Boutros successor 13 Road map info 14 Common abbr. 15 Slangy teeth 17 Eating places 19 “Little piggie” 20 District 21 - Picchu (Incan ruin) 24 Pipe type 27 Uses plastic 28 Author’s need 29 Prefix for pod 30 Windhoek’s cont. 31 Studies at the last minute 32 Coal alternative
33 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 43 47 48 50 51 52 53
4 7 1 5 9 6 3 8 2
Hard
3 6 2 8 1 4 7 9 5
1 8 6 9 2 5 4 7 3
2 3 4 7 8 1 5 6 9
5 9 7 4 6 3 2 1 8
6 1 3 2 4 8 9 5 7
9 2 8 1 5 7 6 3 4
7 4 5 6 3 9 8 2 1
9 2 3 5 7 4 8 6 1
5 6 1 2 3 8 9 7 4
4 8 7 9 1 6 5 3 2
3 7 9 4 8 2 1 5 6
8 5 4 1 6 9 3 2 7
6 1 2 3 5 7 4 8 9
7 9 6 8 4 5 2 1 3
1 4 8 7 2 3 6 9 5
2 3 5 6 9 1 7 4 8
By United Media
Wrench target Painter - Holbein Kermit, e.g. Cutting thin Batman’s alias Dejected mood Talk on and on Hush money Said “I do” Stooge with bangs Where Anna met a king - fixe - Montgomery of jazz Gutter site Iced dessert
DOWN 1 Slalom gear 2 Calendar abbr. 3 Roswell crasher 4 Saddle straps 5 “Of - I Sing” 6 Startled cries 7 Hall-of-Famer - Cobb 8 Protective guards 9 Monk’s dining hall 10 Summer in Quebec 11 Desktops 16 Promise to pay 18 Raggedy doll 20 Speeds along 21 Ghostly noises 22 Really bad 23 Guarantees 24 Ringing sound
25 26 28 31 35 37 38 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 49
Hunter constellation Hull’s bottom Shenanigan Popular cuisine Linen or wool Chicago pro Hostilities Pastime CEO’s auto, perhaps Fish eggs Dallas cager Mont. neighbor Cartoon mice - and Meek Poor grade Des Moines loc.
answers to last week’s crossword F U D D
O L I O
A N P E T O S R T A
T E N S
A N T S
L A P A B A Z H Y I DOS E E R GR Y D N D I UR I NG YMA R A P B UN I T E T S I L H H A L
SO T S A C I A D A R E I S A M RU P U P OB B S E T A S T
O M N I
R O T E
O A H U
RMS AG T MMY I D L E
N E D S
G N A T
sports
Familyfirst Thursday, April 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 23
Local women’s rugby team forms community on and off the pitch
Erin Barrett runs with the ball as her teammates try to tackle her during the Avengers’ practice Tuesday at Eastern Heights Park. The Avengers went 3–2 at the Binghamton Scrumstock Tournament on Saturday in Binghamton, N.Y. They continue their season Saturday at home.
Jacqueline Fisher/the Ithacan
The team’s unofficial slogan — “Make friends, then tackle them” — is the perfect Tucked away on the outskirts of Ithaca on example of the Avengers’ priorities. The club, a field surrounded by the stunning view of led by Head Coach Annemarie Farrell, assiscentral New York’s rolling hills and valleys, a tant professor of sport management and megroup of best friends convenes twice a week, dia at Ithaca College, provides an opportunity driving one another into the ground with for adult women — ranging from recent Corbone-crushing tackles, lifting one another nell University graduates to those in their 40s into the air and throwing, punting and sprint- — to make friends, play a contact sport and engage in a competitive activity. ing with an oblong ball. “We market our team a little bit differentThe Ithaca Avengers women’s club rugby team is never short on laughter, having just cel- ly than what most women’s teams do,” Farebrated its first full year of existence as one of rell said. “We marketed it around that adults don’t know how to New York state’s biggest make friends, which is and best club teams. totally true.” Despite bruised Part of the appeal of limbs and taped up elplaying for the Avengbows and knees, this ers is the team’s detergroup of ruggers is mination to make evmore than just a preerything lighthearted mier women’s club —Amanda Kempf and fun, organized squad. It is a family that and all-inclusive. The stretches far beyond Avengers’ recruiting pummeling one anothslogan, “Looking for vaguely athletic people of er on the pitch. “There could be a study done on rugby,” slightly questionable character,” makes potencaptain Adrienne Wilson said. “It’s crazy how tial recruits aware of how anyone interested you join this group of women and because can play rugby and enjoy the sport. “We’ve created an environment where evyou’re all going through something new and different and pretty hard that you just bond erybody plays,” Farrell said. “It’s impossible to ride the bench with us because everyone has over that.”
by Cory Francer Senior Writer
“We’re not really focused on winning. The beer still tastes the same afterwards.”
From left, Margaux Neiderbach, Kim Jaskula and Becky Harman fight for position while Amanda Kempf looks to run with the ball at the Avengers’ practice April 20 at Eastern Heights Park. jacqueline Fisher/The Ithacan
equal playing time. We have all-star players on the sidelines while rookies are playing.” Having a varied group of players and making sure everyone gets equal minutes on the field has not hindered the Avengers’ success. On Saturday at the Binghamton Scrumstock Tournament, the Avengers showed how they can succeed. Clad in light blue, collared rugby shirts and black shorts, the team fought its way through a day of scrums, rucks and line outs to a 3–2 record on the day. Even before posting a winning record, the Avengers were clearly the team having the most fun right from the start. From opening chants for a game that went on too long to skip the overtime kicking competition and go straight to a dance-off, to cheering one another on with nicknames including Beef, Waack and Sparky, the team laughed its way through brutal hits, nonstop running and a pile of victories. “We’re not ultracompetitive,” Farrell said. “We do well. We rolled over three good college teams that we shouldn’t necessarily be beating because they’re fitter and practice a lot more than us.” Overall this season, the team is 4–2 as it picked up a 75–17 win over North Buffalo on April 17. The Avengers’ next match is their home opener at 11:30 a.m. Saturday against Cornell A&B. Because the team stresses community above all else — even winning — the members are constantly getting together away from the sport for other activities. “We go out to eat after practices and have social events,” scrumhalf Amanda Kempf said. “[The new players] always say, ‘I’d literally be sitting home by myself if it wasn’t for this team.’ You can just come in, and it’s an instant family.” The family atmosphere even goes beyond the Avengers. The team makes sure to include the opposition in social events after each game. “There’s a whole tradition of after the game, you and the other team get together for a party,” Wilson said. “We just crushed one another on the field, so now we’ll go off and party together. Even between opposing teams there’s such a strong connection.” But sometimes, families need to come together in tragic times as well. The Avengers were put to the test when tragedy struck the
team in January. Ariel Lawson, a member of the team, was killed when driving to work when her car skid over an ice patch. The events were devastating to the team, especially given how important Lawson was to the Avengers. She was the recipient of the team’s Heart and Soul Award in its first year and is never far from the minds of the Avengers. “It was a really defining moment,” Farrell said. “We all went to the memorial service. We all sat together and went back to our fullback’s house afterward for dinner and celebrated her.” The team still makes sure to commemorate her in its own way. Lawson had a rugby ball in her car when she was in the accident, which Farrell still holds on to in her office. The athletes never practice with it, and they bring it with them to all their activities and recruitment events. Through tragedy and triumph, the Avengers are as strong as ever and will continue to remain that way. Whether they’re winning tournaments or learning new skills at practice, remaining a family is the first priority. “We’re not really focused on winning,” Kempf said. “The beer still tastes the same afterwards.”
Brush up on your rugby lingo ... Word
Meaning
Scrum
The way to restart play after a minor penalty or infraction
Ruck
Formed when a combination of three players from both teams bind together over the ball and try and push over to gain possession
Line out
How play resumes after the ball goes out of bounds
Sports
24 The Ithacan
The inside Pitch Cory Francer
Sharpest fan in the crowd
I
n a showing of fanhood that has seldom been rivaled, there is one supporter of the women’s lacrosse team that has not missed a game in four years. He sits silently, patiently observing his favorite team in action, until the end of the game when it is then decided which member of the team he gets to hang out with for a whole week. Not a bad deal, right? We’d all love to get to spend some time with our favorite players of our favorite team, but there is something that separates this fan from the rest of us. This unnamed Bombers’ supporter is a cactus. He’s a stuffed cactus, at that, and is awarded to a different player after each game the Blue and Gold play. “It’s a way to as a team [recognize] who we thought was the best motivator and did their best on the field,” junior midfielder Katie Hurley said. “Whoever has the cactus gives it to someone else, and then it is their responsibility to take a funny picture with the cactus.” The cactus tradition started in 2006 when a group of seniors removed a similar cactus that one of the lacrosse coaches had on the antenna of her car and took pictures of the cactus as a hostage. “After that, the senior class went on eBay and found this really awkward-looking, stuffed cactus, and they bought it,” senior attack Kylie McClure said. “Ever since then we’ve been passing it around our team to players who have been standing out.” After four years of traveling around with the team, there are photos of the cactus Jet Skiing and vacationing in Florida. “One of the best pictures I’ve seen is when someone took a picture with it in the cockpit of our spring break flight with the pilot,” McClure said. Hurley said being awarded the cactus is one of the biggest honors a member of the team can receive. It is never presented to a player for posting the most impressive statistics, but instead is handed to the player who contributed the most to the team through leadership and strong effort. The one player who has shown that type of performance necessary to maintain her hold on the cactus is senior captain Courtney Dowell. Hurley said Dowell must have won it at least 27 times since she’s been at Ithaca. Dowell said her tendency to hang onto the cactus comes from her position as a goaltender. “If the team is doing well, you just happen to stand out,” she said. Hurley, however, has yet to receive the cactus, but she has big plans for when she finally does. The cactus will be traveling across town to East Hill for a night out. “If I ever get it, I’m going to take it into a Cornell frat and take my picture with it that way,” she said. Cory Francer is a senior sport studies major. Contact him at cfrance1@ithaca.edu.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Squad takes it to ‘the extra degree’ By Casey Musarra sports Editor
“A team above all, above all a team,” is the softball team’s motto this season. Even though it was misprinted on the back of the Bombers’ T-shirts that say “212 degrees” on the front, the concept remains the same. When freshman Jamie LeFebvre found out the team was searching for an idea for its annual team T-shirt, she The Bombers said she immediately thought of have a team “212: The Extra Degree,” a book batting average by Sam Parker that inspired her and ERA of throughout high school. .310 and 1.46, “Being a freshman, I wanted respectively. to make a spot for myself on the team, so I figured I’d put an idea out there,” she said. “I e-mailed [junior] Allison Greaney, and she’s like, ‘You know, that’s a great idea.’ I sent the video, and she sent a link to the video to everybody else and everyone just seemed to love it.” Just212.com, the website dedicated to the idea of 212, says: “It’s purpose is to create a level of awareness and accountability that inspires and challenges all of us to try harder, give more and, ultimately, enjoy more.” “At 212 degrees, water boils, and when you’re at 211 degrees, it’s just hot water,” freshman Molly O’Donnell said. “When you go that one extra step, it makes all the difference.” Senior Katherine Wilson said every season the team gets T-shirts that the players feel best represents them. “We all really liked the idea, and that’s our theme this year of how we have so much talent this year, but we know that we have to work hard,” she said. “The 212 is putting that little extra effort, lifting a little more weight, running a little bit farther, a little more cardio, taking that extra rep. It’s kind of that little bit above and beyond that’s going to get us far this year.” Wilson said most players arrive at Kostrinsky Field an hour before the scheduled practice time just to get those extra reps in. After the Bombers had a rough finish last sea-
stat Check
Freshman Becca Salant fields a ground ball while wearing the 212 degrees shirt during the Bombers’ practice March 24 at Kostrinsky Field. The team wraps up Empire 8 play Saturday at Elmira College.
Andrew Buraczenski/The Ithacan
son with a loss in the Empire 8 tournament final, senior Alyssa Guzman said the team has used “212 degrees” as inspiration to bounce back. “Putting in that extra degree or putting in that extra effort, it really stuck with the team well and got us on the right track to come out fires blazing this season and just come out and be like, ‘Ithaca’s not done yet,’” she said. “‘We’re still here. We’re still awesome. We had an off season, but we’re ready to go.’” The Bombers have clearly applied this goingthe-extra-mile mentality as they are currently XX–XX overall and have won XX of their last XX games. The Blue and Gold also lead the Empire 8 with an 11–1 record, and they have already
clinched a berth in the Empire 8 Championship tournament beginning May 8. From sprinting up the foul line and giving each other high fives on the way back to the dugout between every inning at games, to cheering for each and every player in the field or up at bat, the Blue and Gold all want everyone to do well, something Guzman said has been missing in the past. “That motto helped us because it was one of those things where even though I’m competing for a position with this player, at the end of the day, if she gets the position over me, we’re still together as a team, and we’re still fighting for the same thing,” she said. “If someone goes in to hit for me, I’m going to be the first one out of the dugout if she gets a hit.”
Sophomore pitcher paces Bombers late in season By bryan shay Staff writer
Bats fall silent when sophomore Tucker Healy steps on the hill. The right-handed pitcher has an ERA of just 1.48, which is the second best in the Empire 8. In a season where Bomber pitching has been inconsistent, Healy The South Hill has been a major squad faces off bright spot for against SUNYthe South Hill Oneonta at squad. The soph4 p.m. today at omore has the Freeman Field. lowest ERA and the most strikeouts per inning on the team at 1.41. “It’s really a tribute to our coaching staff,” Healy said. “[Head Coach George Valesente] does great work with our pitchers.” It was a smooth transition from high school ball to college ball for Healy, who earned three varsity letters at Needham High School in Massachusetts. Healy was coached by Ithaca alumnus John Freitas ’65. Healy said his high school and college coaches have had similar impacts on his baseball career. “[Freitas] preached a lot of the same things as [Valesente],” he said. “They played together on the same team, and both have taught me the mechanics needed to be successful.” In his freshman season, Healy was named first-team all-Empire 8 after going 3–0 with five saves to go along with a 2.70 ERA in 16 appearances. Senior Mike Armstrong said Healy simply picked up where he left off at the end of last season. “As a freshman, his impact was
Next up
Sophomore Tucker Healy does long-toss drills during the baseball team’s practice Tuesday at Freeman Field. Healy leads the team with a 1.48 ERA.
Andrew Buraczenski/The ithacan
felt immediately,” Armstrong said. “He has an explosive fastball that really seems to jump. Batters have a lot of trouble hitting it.” Healy said his fastball is his “goto” pitch. But it was his fastball that left the only blemish on his stat line all season, a loss to the University of Rochester on April 20. Healy was charged with the loss after allowing three runs, one earned, in 2
1/3 innings of work. “I just threw too many fastballs,” Healy said. “I didn’t work in enough off-speed stuff, and they started to time my fastball.” It was the only real road bump all season for Healy, who has been a catalyst for the Bombers’ pitching staff, as the team ERA is nearly a full run higher than a season ago. Joining Healy out of the bullpen
has been freshman pitcher Jasper Adams, who leads the team in appearances with 10. Healy, Adams and senior Tom Fishback have been the squad’s most consistent hurlers. In his first season as a Bomber, Adams has a 2.63 ERA, which is second best on the team. “He has been a great asset to our team,” Fishback said. “He’s really improved and has held teams off in some big situations.” Healy’s and Adams’ contributions as underclassmen have been essential for the Bombers’ pitching staff. With the exception of Fishback, the Bombers’ starters have struggled. After putting together solid numbers in their sophomore seasons, junior starting pitchers Dan Lynch and Aaron Sapp have struggled to find their grooves in 2010. Both players have an ERA a shade under 6.00. After combining for nine wins in 2009, the two have just one win each this season. Armstrong said the pitching staff has been focusing on pitch location, which has been the main cause of most of their poor outings. “Our pitching staff has a lot of pride and has been working hard,” Armstrong said. “But we need to hit too. We have lost a lot of games where pitchers have done well for us.” At just 12–13, the Bombers will need a strong finish to the season to have a shot at an at-large bid to the playoffs. “At this point it’s invaluable to have quality starts,” Armstrong said. “We really need our starters to go out there and keep games in reach for us.”
sports
Thursday, April 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 25
Maintaining control Men’s lacrosse team dominates possession by winning faceoffs By Thomas Eschen Staff Writer
A lacrosse ball sits on the white chalk line in the middle of the field. Two netted pockets of lacrosse sticks sit just a few blades of grass away on either side, waiting for a whistle. Senior Nick Neuman gets into his familiar stance — his nose now inches above the ball. Stillness and silence turn into a blur of jersey cloth and silver flashes of metal, and dirt jumps into the air, all accompanied by the brief crack of colliding sticks before Neuman comes away with the ball. Much like hockey, there is no alternating possession in lacrosse, meaning faceoffs happen repeatedly throughout the game. If good enough, a team can hold the ball for minutes by simply scoring and winning the faceoff. “By winning faceoffs, we control the ball and time of possession, but more importantly, pace of the game,” senior Roniel Bencosme said. Looking at the box score of the winner of the most faceoffs after a game will usually determine whether or not Ithaca, known for its fastpaced style of play, was victorious. Year after year, the Bombers can attribute much of their success to topof-the-line faceoff athletes. This season, the go-to guy is Neuman, who won 18 faceoffs in Ithaca’s victories over Elmira College and Hartwick College, while each opposing team was held to less than 10 in the process. That kind of ball control allows the Bombers to keep the ball away from opponents, which limits shots on goal as well. “Having possession of the ball is
going to really drain any team when we can pretty much go make it, take it on scoring goals,” Neuman said. In each of the team’s Empire 8 wins, it won in faceoffs as well, showing the importance of having someone like Neuman to handle that responsibility. It is his first year as the primary faceoff athlete, and he attributes three years of learning to his success today. “I was lucky enough to play under some really great guys the first few years,” he said. “I tried to absorb as much as I could. That’s helped me to learn a variety of techniques. No matter who I go against I can usually figure something out.” Yet, the talent does not stop at Neuman. If Neuman struggles, junior Michael Hennessy, who was a 2009 Second Team All-Empire 8 selection as a faceoff specialist, can step in without missing a beat. Sophomore Brian DiBetta has also made an impact at the position, going 13–29 this season. “It’s good having Neuman out there as a captain and a leader to get those extra possessions,” sophomore Andrew Bruce said. “But the other faceoff guys all bring something a little different to the table as well, so if we really need to get one in a certain spot, they can come in and get the job done.” Ithaca has steadily improved in the category. Early on, teams successfully slowed the Bombers down, but now, late in the season, Ithaca has established its rhythm. By winning more faceoffs, wing players like sophomore Nick Munn are cashing in, getting more chances with the ball. Munn scored his first two goals of the season at Elmira last week.
From left, SUNY-Cortland junior Justin Battino faces off against junior Michael Hennessy in the Blue and Gold’s 11–5 loss April 7 at Upper Terrace Field. The South Hill squad has won .538 percent of its faceoffs this season.
andrew buraczenski/the ithacan
That translates to the Blue and Gold now controlling their own destiny for the rest of the season. “It could’ve turned ugly, but we stuck together and figured it out,” Neuman said. “We have confidence knowing that if we win the next two games, we can keep playing and not have to do any ‘what if ’ analysis.” If the Bombers are successful, potential rematches with Nazareth College and St. John Fisher College are possible, which provides for some extra motivation as well. The main goal for the team in the final stretch of the season will be defending the center circle, where in tight matchups, the game is won and lost.
Ithaca College vs. Alfred University – April 28 Ithaca 13, Alfred 1
Ithaca
#3 Brian DiBetta #7 Jay Lucas #6 Andrew Bruce #9 Devin Weinshank #12 Nic Heckman #15 Ryan Lowe #22 Chris Duncan #24 James Callahan #26 Tom Mongelli
s ists ts ts al in o go ass po sh
1 2 0 3 1 0 1 1 4
MIN
#13 David Gal #31 Brendan Green
0 0 1 1 2 1 0 1 1
1 2 1 4 3 1 1 2 5
1 8 1 5 6 5 1 5 6
Alfred
#4 Mike Russo #9 Marc Zoyhofski
GA Saves
55:35 1 4:25 0
9 0
s ists ts ts al in o go ass po sh
0 1
1 0
MIN
#1 Tim Doyle #32 John Landi
1 1
0 4
GA Saves
53:50 12 6:10 1
9 2
Source: Sports Information
Squad dominates conference By Brad Kolodner Staff Writer
Entering its 2010 spring campaign, the men’s tennis team had one goal: win the Empire 8 tournament. Currently undefeated in conference, the Blue and Gold stand poised to make a run for their second consecutive conference title and third title in four years. Before attaining that goal, the team knows that one major obstacle stands in the way — Stevens Institute of Technology. Ithaca and Stevens have met up in the finals of the conference tournament for three straight years and all signs point toward a fourth consecutive rematch. As the perennial powerhouses of the Empire 8, Ithaca and Stevens are currently on top of the standings in conference play. Earlier in the season, the two squads met up in Ithaca where the Bombers narrowly edged Stevens 5–4 in a match that came down to just a couple of points. “That win feels good, and it gives us confidence knowing that we can beat them,” junior Josh Rifkin said. “They’re not going to want to lose. They’re going to bring it, and it’s not like we can just let up because we beat them already. It gives us confidence, but at the same time, we need to keep our intensity high, or it’s not going to get any easier even with that win.” Senior Taylor Borda, who faced match point multiple times before winning his singles match against Stevens earlier in the season, said that the inevitable matchup between the two squads in the postseason will rival the intensity of the first match. “Every match, singles and doubles, is going to be really close and really competitive and really evenly matched,” Borda said. “We’re going to have to come out and play [with] the same intensity and will to win when it was at home.” A will to win is something the Bombers
have not lacked all season. After their teambonding experience in Hilton Head, S.C., in March, the Bombers have yet to lose a match in the months of March and April. Before the Empire 8 tournament, the Bombers must take care of business in their remaining conference matches. The South Hill squad has not lost more than two matches in a match against an Empire 8 opponent excluding the Stevens match. “As a team, knowing our potential, we need to take out these teams and make statements and show that we should be looked out for,” Rifkin said. “People should know Ithaca is dominant in the E8s.” For Borda, a senior captain playing in his final year as a Bomber, this season means everything to him. “This is obviously the best Stevens team we’ve ever played ability-wise, so to beat them in my senior year in the finals of the Empire 8 would be a great way to cap my collegiate career,” Borda, the winningest men’s tennis player in the history of the college, said. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Rifkin and Borda agree that Ithaca and Stevens will meet up in the finals. Head Coach Bill Austin said the players must stay on top of schoolwork as the semester wraps up so they can come to the courts with a clear head. “We’ve got to stay healthy, and we have to stay focused,” he said. The South Hill squad is as focused as it has been all year, eager to square off with its conference rival. Rifkin said the whole squad is ecstatic. “We’re relishing in the moment that we beat Stevens,” he said. “We’re getting hyped up for the tournament. It’s very exciting, and we’re all looking forward to it.”
Sophomore Jimmy Newton reaches for a backhand during the Bombers’ win over Alfred University on Sunday at Reis Tennis Center at Cornell University. Newton won in doubles and singles play.
Andrew Buraczenski/The Ithacan
Ithaca College vs. St. John Fisher College – April 27 – Pittsford, N.Y. Ithaca 9, Fisher 0
singles competition Josh Rifkin (Ithaca) def. Timothy Adler (Fisher) 6–0, 6–0 Taylor Borda (Ithaca) def. John Whelehan (Fisher) 6–1, 6–0 Jimmy Newton (Ithaca) def. Gregory Duffy (Fisher) 6–0, 6–0 Danny Wolk (Ithaca) def. Daniel Parshall (Fisher) 6–3, 6–1 Josh Berggrun (Ithaca) def. Christopher Maley (Fisher) 6–0, 6–2 Dan Adelman (Ithaca) def. Thomas Quinzi (Fisher) 6–0, 6–0
doubles competition Borda/Rifkin (Ithaca) def. Adler/Whelehan (Fisher) 8–0 Newton/Wolk (Ithaca) def. Duffy/Maley (Fisher) 8–2 Adelman/Berggrun (Ithaca) def. Parshall/Quinzi (Fisher) 8–0
Source: Sports Information
sports
26 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Bombers’ depth makes up for multiple injuries Wrapping up the regular season Saturday, the Bombers’ focus is now shifted to the postseason and the changes that need to be made to keep moving forward. “We definitely up our intensity,” Gefell said. “[We] are looking to, obviously, improve as we head into states and [Eastern College Athletic Conference] championships and pushing forward to get the NCAA nomination.” With states Saturday, and ECACs and NCAAs a few weeks after, every athlete is prepared to contribute during the postseason run. “By this point in the season, everyone is pretty much at optimum fitness,” Murphy said. “We’re always continuing to stay in shape and just make sure that going into the postseason you are as healthy and fit as you can be.”
andrew weiser
assistant Sports Editor
The women’s crew has had to adjust its lineups because of injuries, relying on rowers from other boats to step up and fill the gap. Switching rowers from boat to boat to compensate for athletes with upper-body injuries, as well as stress fractures, is something the Blue and Gold have had to adjust to this season. With 56 athletes on the roster, 36 of whom are underclassmen, the Bombers rely on the talented depth of the squad to step up when someone is sidelined. “We had a couple girls with stress fractures in their ribs, which is kind of a common thing for rowing,” junior Ruthie Goff, who rows in the third varsity boat, said. “We’ve also had a couple girls with back injuries, but that being said, we were able to bounce back.” The South Hill squad not only bounces back in competition, but also routinely overtakes opponents because of each boat’s ability to adapt and incorporate a new rower into the lineup. “You only have so much time in lineup,” Kerin Murphy, who rows in the first varsity boat, said. “So when you’re in lineup, you learn to row and work with the people in your boat. Anybody that just comes into the boat, the whole boat just makes an adjustment, so our team does a good job of refocusing and understanding that an adjustment needs to be made and just really capitalizing on the strengths of the boat.” In addition to switching boats — with rowers in the second and third
Members of the women’s crew first varsity 8 boat row against William Smith College on March 27 at Cayuga Inlet. The first varsity 8 boat is ranked No. 3 in the nation in the most recent Collegiate Coaches’ Association poll.
Andrew weiser/The Ithacan
varsity 8 having experienced the most movement among athletes — the ability to row in different seats is a factor taken into consideration if an athlete goes down. “Even if we do lose someone to an injury, because we have so many girls who are able to row in different seats, row a different side, we were able to still put a boat out there that’s been competitive,” Goff said. “So, despite injuries, we’ve got a lot of talent on the team, and if something happens, we can definitely pull somebody from somewhere else and put them where we need them.” The first varsity 8 boat has been a rock all season for the Bombers, maintaining a consistent lineup. Losing
only one rower from last year is something that junior Amy Gefell said has fueled the boat’s success, as the No. 3 ranked boat in the nation, and developed a rhythm between the rowers. “It’s helped us because we’ve built a trust in one another,” Gefell said. “We’ve rowed in the same lineup, there’s only been one change between last year and this year, and we definitely have a camaraderie. We know each other well, we know each other’s mentality, and we know that we all have the same goals. It contributes to us working well together.” Even before the start of the regular season, the Blue and Gold start to prepare through winter training, working to prevent injuries that oc-
cur during the grind of the season. At the beginning of the season, tendonitis is a “common injury” because of feathering — when a rower rotates the oar blade 90 degrees to the water before beginning the stroke again — which is just one reason rowers’ training regimens incorporate aspects of injury prevention. “We work hard, especially over winter training, to train hard enough and smart enough so that you’re trying to prevent those injuries ahead of time,” Murphy said. “I know that our lifting program incorporates some lifts that you are strengthening certain muscles, so that [when] you’re getting on the water you’re not ripping everything apart.”
Ithaca College vs. Williams College, Bates College, Marist College and United States Coast Guard Academy – April 24 Varsity 8 1 Williams College 2 Ithaca College 3 Bates College 4 Marist College 5 United States Coast Guard Academy
Time 6:48.3 6:54.7 6:56.9 7:13.3 7:19.8
Novice 8 1 Marist 2 Ithaca
7:46.1 7:55.3
Second Varsity 8 1 Williams 2 Bates 3 Ithaca 4 Marist 5 USCGA
6:54.1 7:09.1 7:11.9 7:20.0 7:38.8
Third Varsity 8 1 Ithaca 7:21.1 2 Williams 7:26.4 Source: Sports Information
Look online for game stories from these sports: TODAY
• 4 p.m. Baseball vs. SUNY-Oneonta at Freeman Field
TOMORROW
• 2 p.m. Men’s and women’s track at New York State Collegiate Track Conference Championships at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
SATURDAY
• 8 a.m. Men’s and women’s crew at New York State Championships • 9 a.m. Men’s and women’s track at New York State Collegiate Track Conference Championships at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute • 1 p.m. Softball at Elmira College • 1 p.m. Men’s lacrosse vs. Stevens Institute of Technology at Upper Terrace Field • 2 p.m. Baseball vs. SUNY-Brockport at Freeman Field • Noon. Men’s tennis vs. Elmira College at the Ithaca College Tennis Courts
SUNDAY
• 8 a.m. Men’s and women’s crew at New York State Championships • 1 p.m. Softball vs. Buffalo State College at Kostrinsky Field • 2 p.m. Baseball vs. SUNY-Cortland at Freeman Field
tuesday
• 4 p.m. Baseball vs. Clarkson University at Freeman Field
Wednesday
• 4 p.m. Baseball at Cornell University Bold = Home game danielle d’avanzo/the ithacan
The Ithacan
online | theithacan.org/sports
[the buzzer]
Thursday, April 2 9 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 27
bombers to watch freshman jackie young golf
On Sunday, Young shot a fourth-round score of 86 to finish third overall in the Empire 8 Championship Invitational at the Cortland Country Club. Young was the lowest scorer among all freshmen and was recognized as the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year.
junior david ahonen baseball
In a double-header Saturday against St. John Fisher College, Ahonen went 3-for-6 at the plate, scored three runs and recorded a pair of RBIs. Ahonen leads the team with a .365 batting average and is tied for the team lead in RBIs and home runs.
Spring in your step
Freshman Christopher Cote delivers a pitch in the intramural spring softball tournament over the weekend at Lower Allen Field. Each team played five games before starting the single elimination round-robin tournament. emily bruyn/the Ithacan
by the
numbers
junior katie hurley women’s lacrosse
In the Bombers’ 12–11 loss to host Nazareth College on Saturday, Hurley scored four goals, including two in a span of 23 seconds. Hurley leads the team in scoring with 37 goals, total points with 52 and is tied for the lead in assists with 15 this season.
3
56
The number of athletes on the women’s crew roster this season. See story on page 26.
The number of consecutive years the men’s tennis team has faced Stevens Institute of Technology in the Empire 8 finals. See story on page 25.
the foul line
Weird news from the wide world of sports
Getting drafted to the National Football League is a college football player’s dream, but for NFL Hall of Fame inductee Lawrence Taylor, getting drafted, much like a dream, is something he doesn’t remember. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated at the 75th NFL Draft on Thursday, Taylor was asked about being selected second overall in the 1981 NFL draft. Taylor said he doesn’t remember much about the day because he had precisely 41 Coors Light beers, which he does remember. Taylor said he does remember bits and pieces from that day, but when asked if he received a phone call when he was drafted or had his family around him when it was announced, Taylor said, “I had my drinking buddies with me.” Considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of football, Taylor will be remembered for his contributions to the game, even if he doesn’t. – Andrew Weiser
where we stand
1
1. 1. 3. 4. 5.
Baseball
W L Win% Ithaca 13 13 .500 St. John Fisher 22 10 .688 RIT 14 12 .538 Utica 7 18 .280 Stevens 12 18 .400 Empire 8 Standings/Overall Records
1
1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
women’s lacrosse
W L Win% Ithaca 10 5 .643 Stevens 13 2 .867 RIT 11 4 .733 Nazareth 10 5 .667 Utica 6 7 .462 Empire 8 Standings/Overall Records
softball
W L Win% 1. Ithaca 22 12 .647 2. Alfred 28 4 .875 3. St. John Fisher 24 14 .632 4. Elmira 13 6 .684 5. RIT 15 17 .469 Empire 8 Standings/Overall Records
they saidit
I can comfortably shoot that shot from probably half court or beyond. It was a regular jump shot for me. Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James on hitting a shot just inside the half-court line Sunday against the Chicago Bulls. The Cavs won the game 121–98, and James finished with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists — James’ fifth career postseason triple-double.
28 The Ithacan
photo finish Capturing the Bom bers at their be s t
caption caption
Thursday, April 29, 2010
credit
Extending the streak
Senior Taylor Borda hits a forehand during the men’s tennis team’s 9–0 win over Alfred University on Sunday at Reis Tennis Center at Cornell University. Borda helped the Blue and Gold win their 11th straight match as he picked up wins at first doubles and second singles. The team is 11–1 and has not lost since Feb. 20 when it fell to the University of Rochester. Andrew Buraczenski/the ithacan