/05.05.2011

Lit

redemption

Seven senior writers showcase literary works in inaugural narrative nonfiction magazine

Thursday M ay 5 , 2 0 1 1

LAST task

Senior attack’s career gets second chance on South Hill, page 23

Five opportunities seniors should take before leaving Ithaca,

page 13

The Ithacan

A kind

I t h a c a , N . Y.

Volum e 7 8 , I s s u e 2 8

by jacqueline palochko opinion editor

When senior Jessica Arnone heard the news Sunday night that Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, had been killed, she was ecstatic.

On a Tuesday morning nearly 10 years ago, Arnone’s seventh grade classmates were being pulled to the principal’s office individually. In Manalapan, N.J., almost everyone had at least one parent commuting into New York City. And on Sept. 11, 2001, the students of Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School were being told the fate of their parents.

But Arnone, now a senior at Ithaca College, wasn’t called down. She assumed everything was fine — until she went home to find her mother and two sisters crying. Her father, an electrician at Merrill Lynch in the financial district of New York City — blocks away from the World Trade Center — was missing.

For three days, Arnone and her family didn’t know if her father was alive. Finally, he was able to call them. When the first plane struck the tower at 8:46 a.m. her father went into the basement, losing cellphone service. After three days, he was able to get out of the debris but not leave the city. Bridges and tunnels had been closed, making it impossible for anyone to leave or enter. But a few days later, he was able to make it back to his family.

of closure

Students react to death of Osama bin Laden

See bin laden, page 5 A large, jubilant crowd reacts to the news of Osama bin Laden’s death Tuesday in New York City, adjacent to ground zero.

Jason DeCrow/associated press

Students’ grades continue to rise at colleges across the nation By elizabeth sile editor in chief

Above average is the new average for grading in higher education. While mathematically impossible, this situation is a reality at most colleges and universities across the country.

The distribution of grades now swings heavily in favor of As and Bs, and GPAs continue to rise. This grade inflation has been the topic of heated debate in higher education for decades, causing many to question student culture and ability, and what it means to get an A in 2011.

Nationwide, the average GPA at both private and public institutions has risen. According to data from 80 schools compiled by Stuart Rojstaczer, a former geophysics professor at Duke University who has researched grading trends for journals and his website, Gradeinflation. com, the average GPA has risen from 2.93 in the 1991-92 academic year to 3.11 in the 2006-07 year. Of more than 130 colleges and universities for which he has the most recent data, more than 43 percent of all grades are As on average.

“A is the most common grade now by a lot,” he said. “The gap between [As and Bs] keeps rising. Professors keep grading easier and easier every year.”

Ithaca withholds data With national statistics for average GPAs and grades on the rise, it’s possible

this trend persists at Ithaca College.

In 1999, the number of As awarded at Ithaca College had risen by 13 percent in 19 years to 42 percent of all grades. Today, the college refuses to release any data about the distribution of grades at the college.

Carol Henderson, associate provost for academic policy and administration, said the college will not release specific data on grade distribution at the college since 1999 but said she did not believe grade inflation to be a problem at the college. Registrar Brian Scholten said he did not have applicable data or a basis for comparison with past data.

Yet, past college administrations have been more forthcoming in providing data on the distribution of grades at the college.

In 1980, then-registrar John Stanton began tracking grade distribution at the college out of personal interest. Under President Peggy Williams, Stanton released the data to The Ithacan in 1999.

From his research, Stanton found that in 1980, the percentage of As was 28.8, Bs was 39 percent and Cs was 18.7 percent. All other grades made up 13.6 percent of grades. By 1999, As rose to 42 percent, Bs and Cs fell to 35.1 and 11. 4 percent, respectively, and all other grades fell to 11.5 percent.

See inflation, page 4

rounding up

Ithaca College data shows an increase in As and Bs given from 1980 to 1999.

2% 2.2%

1.3%

1.3% 1.4%

3.9%

2.7%

1.4%

4.2%

3.3% 31.8%

28.8% 18.7% 39%

1980

A (3.7-4.3) B (2.7-3.3) C (1.7-2.3)

16.9%

1.5%

0.9% 3% 3.6%

2.5%

F (0) Incomplete

42% 11.4%

D (0.7-1.3) Pass

41.3%

1990

1999

35.1%

2011

?

Withdraw

Check out Year in Review, The Ithacan’s year-end magazine, free on campus. find more. online. www.theithacan.org

source: John stanton

[ Thursday Brie f i ng ]

2 The I thacan

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

Nation&World

Wall Street experiences stock fall

Stocks fell sharply yesterday after private payroll processor ADP said 179,000 new private sector jobs were added in April, far fewer than economists had expected. That raised worries about what the government’s monthly jobs report for April will reveal when it’s released tomorrow.

Economists forecast that employers added 185,000 workers to their rolls in April. The unemployment rate is expected to remain unchanged at 8.8 percent.

The Institute for Supply Management also said its service sector index rose at the slowest pace in 8 months in April, as many companies express concerns about higher food and gas prices. The U.S. service industry includes nearly everything that isn’t manufacturing — from hospitals and technology to financial firms and mining companies. It employs about 90 percent of the U.S. work force, so signs of a slowdown in the index have implications for the overall economy.

Positive earnings resulted from Apple and Intel, while AOL’s net income dropped sharply as the Internet company reported lower advertising and subscription revenue. Its stock fell 1 percent.

The unemployment rate is expected to remain unchanged at 8.8 percent.

NATO supports anti-Gadhafi rebels

NATO’s top official says financing the rebels in Libya would help protect civilians there.

Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said yesterday that overthrowing Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is not one of NATO’s military objectives, but civilians would be safer if he were gone.

NATO’s goals are halting attacks on civilians, the return of Libyan forces to their bases, and unhindered humanitarian access to all Libyans in need.

Gas explosion kills coal miners

Mexican officials who had hoped to call in Chilean experts to help rescue 14 miners trapped in a coal mine instead have had to break the tragic news to relatives that five bodies have already been found, and there is little hope the nine others have survived.

The gas explosion that ripped through the

this week 5

thursday

Slow Food Community Eat-in, an event sponsored by IC Slow Food, will begin at 11 a.m. on Campus Center Quad.

Showing of “The Future of Food,” a documentary screening sponsored by the IC Nutrition Club, will go from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in Textor 102.

8

sunday

6

primitive, vertical-shaft mine Tuesday was so powerful it seriously injured a 15-year-old boy working on a conveyor belt outside the pit.

Labor Secretary Javier Lozano said that left little hope those inside could have withstood the force of the blast.

A team of four rescuers found the bodies of three miners, and mine employees later found two bodies. Fourteen miners were down the 197-foot deep shaft when the explosion happened early Tuesday.

Rwandan leaders face war crimes

Two Rwandan militia leaders went on trial yesterday in Stuttgart on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes over allegations they were responsible for the killing of scores of civilians in Congo.

The trial is the first time Germany has prosecuted someone under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows states to pursue foreigners for crimes carried out abroad.

Defendants Ignace Murwanashyaka and Straton Musoni are accused of leading a mostly ethnic Hutu militia to kill more than 200 people, carrying out numerous rapes and forcing children to serve as soldiers.

The men are charged with 26 counts of crimes against humanity and 39 counts of war crimes that prosecutors say were committed by militiamen under their command in Congo from January 2008 to November 2009.

Both suspects were living in Germany at the time of their November 2009 arrest. They have also been the target of U.N. Security Council sanctions such as an asset freeze and a travel ban as top leaders of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda — a militia known by its French acronym FDLR.

Ugandan lawyers protest regime

Some 300 lawyers gathered in Uganda’s capital yesterday to protest the arrest of the country’s top opposition leader and a crackdown on demonstrations, chanting: “We want a change in the regime.”

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for a quarter-century, has vowed repeatedly that his government will not be taken down by protests. U.N. officials have said demonstrations over the last

Safety first

South Korean elementary school students crouch and cover their mouths in Seoul yesterday for an earthquake drill. The drills, which ranged from fire drills to drills that teach students how to prepare for a terrorist attack, are part practiced annually and are called Safe Korea Exercises.

Lee Jin-man/associated press

three weeks in Uganda have left eight people dead and wounded more than 250 others.

The protests have been the first serious unrest in sub-Saharan Africa since a wave of anti-government protests swept longtime leaders in Tunisia and Egypt out of power.

Yesterday, lawyers gathered outside the high court in Uganda’s capital and demanded the resignation of security officials involved in opposition leader Kizza Besigye’s arrest last week.

Ukranian zoo charged with cruelty Ukrainian prosecutors have opened a

criminal investigation against the former head of the Kiev Zoo, where hundreds of animals have died or gone mysteriously missing in recent years.

Prosecutors said yesterday that Svitlana Berzina, who was fired last year, is suspected of embezzling some $47,000 from the zoo

by commissioning projects that weren’t fully carried out, if at all.

Rights groups claimed the deaths were caused by mistreatment, with rare animals illegally sold off to private collectors.

Berzina, who has been put in charge of another animal welfare agency, declined to comment on the probe.

Minnesota man incites suicides

A judge sentenced a Minnesota man to nearly a year in jail for encouraging two people he corresponded with over the Internet to kill themselves yesterday.

William Melchert-Dinkel, who was convicted of two counts of aiding suicide for encouraging an English man and Canadian woman he met online to kill themselves, was sentenced to 360 days in jail.

SOURCE: Associated Press

corrections

May 5–11, 2010

7

friday

IC Kicks Back, an end-of-theyear celebration with performances, activities and food, will begin at 2 p.m. on the Campus Center Quad.

saturday

Park School End-of-theSemester Screening: IC2 Ethnographic Research and Film Making will begin at 4:30 p.m. at Cinemapolis.

Shabbat Services will begin at 6 p.m. in Muller Chapel.

add your event Drop events for “This Week” in the marked box in The Ithacan office, or e-mail Assistant News Editor Kelsey O’Connor at koconno3@ithaca. edu by 5 p.m. Monday.

Shabbat Dinner will begin at 7:15 p.m. in Terrace Dining Hall.

9

monday

Catholic Mass will be held at 1 and 9 p.m. in Muller Chapel.

Final Exams will go from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Park School End-of-the-Semester television-radio screenings, will begin at 2 p.m. in Park Auditorium.

Spring Book Sale will have more than 250,000 items on sale from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 509 Esty St.

10

tuesday

Final Exams will go from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Park School End-of-theSemester Screening Cinema Production 2 will begin at 2:30 p.m. in Park Auditorium.

11

It is The Ithacan’s policy to correct all errors of fact.

Please contact Alexandra Evans at 274-3207.

copy editors Nicole Belott, Alexa d’Angelo, Adeesha Ekanayake, Sara Friedman, Rebecca Hellmich, Jillian Kaplan, Lewis Kendall, Carly Sitzer, Ryan Sharpstene, Brittany Smith, Vicky Wolak

designers

wednesday

Evensong, a Protestant Community worship service, will begin at 9:30 p.m. in Muller Chapel.

Final Exams will go from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

ICircus will perform at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Clark Theater.

Flora Wang

Got a news tip?

Contact the news editor at tlong2@ithaca.edu or 274-3207.

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 attack Jay Lucas of the men’s lacrosse team.

Audio Slideshow

See students and community members come together to celebrate Asian culture during Asia Night.

Multimedia

Go backstage at a high school musical, and see a local vineyard bottle its wine in two supplementary multimedia pieces for Lit magazine.

ne ws

Thursday, M ay 5, 2 0 1 1

The Ithacan 3

Sodexo raises employees to living wage by nicole ogrysko staff writer

Following a year of demonstrations from students and Ithaca residents, Sodexo dining hall employees have won the battle for a campus-wide living wage at Ithaca College. But students and employees are still looking for more changes.

Starting Sept. 1, all Sodexo dining hall employees at the college will earn at least $11.11, the living wage in Tompkins County. Sodexo will increase wages for about 40 dining hall employees at the college who earn less than the living wage. The company also agreed to raise wages for its other employees to avoid inequality between lower and higher paying salaries.

Jeff Scott, Sodexo supervisor at the college, announced the wage increase to Sodexo dining hall employees last Thursday.

Brian McAree, vice president of student affairs and campus life, said both the college and Sodexo agreed that raising dining hall employee wages was in the best interest for Sodexo workers at the college.

“We were able to work with Sodexo and within their budget to figure out how to pay for this increase,” McAree said. “For next year and as we move forward, [this] is not going to result in an increase in room and board costs to students.”

Monica Zimmer, public relations director for Sodexo, said the corporation strives to provide competitive wages.

“Ithaca College leaders expect that a long-term partner like Sodexo would meet the standards that they hold for the community,” she said. “We talked about it, and we’re pleased to make that happen because we really value our partnership.”

Senior Kiera Lewis, organizing coordinator for the Labor Initiative in Promoting Solidarity, said she is excited that the work of LIPS and other Ithaca residents has promoted change.

“It really shows that in Ithaca, focusing on the grassroots, focusing on connecting with community members and elected officials and working together with the community can really bring about the most change,” she said.

But Lewis said the college did not agree to adopt LIPS’ all-campus living wage proposal, which not only called for a living wage for all Sodexo dining hall employees but also included changes to the employees’ health care packages and grievance policy.

Some dining hall workers are disappointed that Sodexo employees who have worked at the college for 15 to 30 years only received a 25-cent raise.

One Sodexo employee* said she was excited the college passed the living wage but was upset her wages only increased from $14.00 to $14.25

by Brian Rank staff writer

Freshmen Tom Bidon and Shannon Anthony show support for Sodexo employees at the Labor Initiative in Promoting Solidarity march April 1 from Campus Center to the Tompkins County Worker’s Center.

MICHELLE BOULé/The Ithacan

per hour after working at the college for 30 years.

“I’m glad they did it, but they could have done better [for] people who have been here a long time,” the employee said. “They should have done better than 25 cents.”

LIPS’ efforts are on par with other colleges and universities across the nation who continue to fight for a campus-wide living wage or protest Sodexo’s labor practices. At Emory University in Atlanta last month, students arranged a seven-hour sit-in at their president’s office, and six students were arrested after protesting Emory’s Sodexo contract.

Lewis said she is pleasantly surprised the college resolved the issue in less than a year and hopes the achievement will mean better results for other universities nationwide.

“Sodexo’s now set a precedent with Ithaca College,” Lewis said. “Other schools can pressure the company to make changes and pay a living wage to their employees.”

Sophomore Amanda Sirois, a member of LIPS, said the club’s next step is to make sure the living wage is continually implemented and plans to maintain and strengthen its relationships with many of the Sodexo employees at the college.

“We have to make sure we keep in conversation with the administration to make sure that they’re still talking to Sodexo because this technically isn’t the end of the fight,” she said.

McAree said the college is happy to reach a new resolution with Sodexo.

“We know this is good for our workers here and for the local community, and we’re proud of that outcome,” he said.

Pete Meyers, coordinator and one of the founders of the Tompkins County Workers’ Center, said obtaining a college-wide living wage is also a victory for the community, since the college is a large employer in Ithaca. Meyers said the Workers’ Center gained momentum to help more workers in the community.

“This doesn’t change the world, but it does in a small way,” he said. “It shows people that people can stand up together and create changes. It’s going to give hope to workers with some of the other things they’re concerned about, that if they stand together with each other and we stand together as a community, that’s what is going to bring about changes.”

Sophomore Laura St. John, a member of LIPS and student worker in the Campus Center Dining Hall, said she first heard the news at work when a few Sodexo employees came up to her and thanked her for her involvement with LIPS. “If you speak out, things do happen,” St. John said. “That was a really empowering feeling — to see that we actually changed people’s lives.” *Name was changed to protect anonymity.

Professors advocate for Native Americans by thad komorowski staff writer

The Native American Studies Steering Committee is encouraging the college to make changes in faculty, staffing and advertising in order to make Ithaca College more enticing to the native community and help enhance the college’s diversity.

The program started in 2002 as a minor in the School of Humanities and Sciences. Brooke Hansen, Native American studies program coordinator and associate professor, said its goal was to recruit more native students and hire native faculty.

Hansen said the college has lost sight of these goals over the years.

“All over campus you see ALANA, but the NA part has sort of fallen off, and we’re trying to raise awareness about that,” Hansen said. “We want to put the NA back in ALANA, and that can be done by just doing more outreach here.”

Currently, 14 Native American students attend Ithaca College, compared to 353 Hispanic/Latinos, 206 Asians and 181 Black/African Americans. There are no Native American faculty.

Registration pilot solves past concerns

Hollie Kulago, who grew up on the Diné (Navajo) Nation, came to the college last fall through the predoctoral diversity fellowship program for anthropology, which allows graduates dedicated to academic diversity to teach courses.

Kulago taught Teaching, Learning and Education in the Multicultural Southwest this semester, and said while a Native American community exists in Ithaca, a greater effort is needed to include the campus as part of that community.

“It needs a lot of work,” Kulago said. “There needs to be a community set up where [Native American students] can be themselves and socialize with people that are similar.”

Since Syracuse University offers free tuition to Native students through its Haudenosaunee Promise program, Hansen said the college is unlikely to recruit a more diverse student body.

Kugalo said offering more Native American scholarships would help attract students who want to attend the college but are concerned they may not get enough financial aid.

“When it comes to tribal funding, there’s different application processes

The 7 a.m. scramble to pick classes on a sluggish HomerConnect ended this semester as Ithaca College tested a time ticketing system for class registration — though students’ reactions to the new format were a mixed bag.

Registrar Brian Scholten said the new system SCHOLTEN said divided students the new system reduced common into groups student problems. based on their earned credit hours and assigned them a time throughout the week to register. He said the changes were a response to student complaints, including a petition that circulated last semester.

Previously, the system became sluggish from high-traffic or booted some students out completely, he said, and the new format addressed that issue by reducing the number of students registering at once.

“From what I’ve heard so far, mostly from students, some deans and a couple of administrators, it has gone very well,” Scholten said.

The Office of the Registrar is conducting a survey that closes tomorrow for feedback on the system. Scholten said the results will be available by the fall semester.

The time slots gave exploratory, honors and graduate students first pick on Monday. Then juniors through freshman chose each day after until Friday.

Freshman Rowena Wu said this makes the new system unfair to underclassman.

“It was easier when we were fighting for it, because we all had an equal chance to try to get to the class,” she said.

Junior Tomasz Wolek said the time slots made registering quick and painless.

“This was the first time I didn’t have problems registering and I was done in about a minute-and-a-half,” he said.

IC enrollment may hit mark

By Ithacan Staff

Jack Rossen and Brooke Hansen, associate professors of anthropology, meet in Gannett Center to discuss Ithaca College’s Native American presence.

Rachel Orlow/the ithacan

they need to go through when working with the tribal scholarship offices,” she said. “Native American students need mentors there who really understand where they’re coming from with their needs.”

Native Americans are eligible for ALANA scholarships, but Jack Rossen, associate professor and chair of the anthropology department, said many prospective students find those particular scholarships less appealing to apply for because of a lack of identification.

“They may be able to apply for

them, but they don’t identify with Martin Luther King Jr., like African American students do,” Rossen said.

Freshman Kody Crawford, a Cherokee and Loyal Shawnee, said he hopes to start a student organization devoted to Native Americans.

“A lot of people seem to have misrepresentations of what and who Native American people are,” Crawford said. “The students here are generally receptive to all diversity, it’s just that they don’t have a sense of what that is as it relates to Native American culture presently.”

As final deposits trickle in, it appears Ithaca College will meet its enrollment goals for 2011-12.

Eric Maguire, vice president of enrollment and communication, said the college received 1,675 deposits for Fall 2011 — 25 more students than its 1,650 target.

“We plan for a higher May enrollment than what we’ll experience in August or September,” he said.

The Office of Admissions has said each year about 140 students change their mind by the fall.

Maguire said the college would likely receive a small number of last-minute deposits today and tomorrow to round out the total.

“We’re running very close to the trajectory that we hoped for and believe we’ll be able to hit our goals,” he said.

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4 The Ithacan

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

Students hold higher grade expectations inflation from page 1

“I like to think, to some degree, that we have a better-prepared student body than we had 20 years ago,” he said in 1999. “There’s no backing to that. Yes our SAT scores are better than they were 20 years ago on average, but are they that much better? I don’t think so.”

Henderson declined to provide the exact average GPA for the college. She said the college’s average GPA has remained consistent over the past six years, and the college’s data was “significantly underneath” other institutions.

According to Rojstaczer’s data, in 1980, the college’s average GPA was 2.95. In 1990, it rose to 3.04, and in 1999, the most recent data, it rose to 3.23. Rojstaczer calculated these averages from the data Stanton compiled and said he has been unable to get recent data.

In comparison to four institutions that are members of The New American Colleges & Universities, a consortium of 20 institutions with which the college compares itself, the college’s 1999 GPA was higher than all of its most recent figures on Gradeinflation.com.

The institutions with available data included Drury University (3.20, 2006), Elon University (3.16, 2008), Hampden-Sydney College (2.78, 2008) and Butler University (2.35, 2007). The college also ranked higher than Syracuse University’s 2002 GPA of 3.15.

Anecdotally, faculty members have said grade inflation at the college persists.

Stan Seltzer, associate professor of mathematics and chair of Faculty Council, said he looked at data on grades in the School of Humanities and Sciences a few semesters ago, and though he didn’t remember the specifics, he was surprised by the results.

“They were a little higher than I would have expected, and I had the impression grades were what I would consider relatively high anyway,” he said.

Nancy Cornwell, chair of the television-radio department, said as a department chair, she often deals with what grades are given.

“I don’t know what it says when all of our students are above average,” she said. “It’s one thing to bring

Until the 1960s and early 1970s, Rojstaczer said students were “acolytes” to their professors and went to college to gain knowledge from experts. Beginning in the 1980s, tuition began to rise, student evaluations gained importance, and students’ and parents’ attitudes changed.

“Professors and deans have capitulated to this view so they view the student and the parent as consumers, and they want to please them,” he said.

Many also argue that students expect to earn high grades.

According to a study by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, titled, “Self-Entitled College Students: Contributions of Personality, Parenting, and Motivational Factors,” 40 percent of student respondents said they deserved a B for completing required course readings, and a third said they expected a B just for attending class.

Jack Powers, assistant professor of television-radio, said the expectation of good grades starts in high school. When students come to college, they anticipate that will continue.

“Sometimes they take classes in college and for the first time they’re like, ‘What do you mean I’m getting a D? … How’s that possible? I always get As,’” he said.

up at the same rate as the GPA.” In their article, “The Falling Time Cost of College,” Mindy Marks, assistant professor of economics at the University of California Riverside, and Philip Babcock, assistant professor of economics at the University of California Santa Barbara, found that students in 2004 allotted an average of 26-28 hours per week to class and studying. In 1961, students allocated 40 hours per week.

Michael Trotti, associate professor of history, said the standard in higher education is that students work twice as much outside class as they do in. He said the average number of hours students at the college study outside the classroom is troubling.

“It’s clear whenever I’ve asked the question … of how many hours are you working, that the average student at Ithaca College in my classes at least, is not doing that much,” he said. “That’s something that’s of concern as a professor and a part of the Ithaca college community. There’s something in the culture of the school, or in the student body anyway, that’s not supporting the appropriate rigor.

Rojstaczer said the national stagnancy in SAT scores calls into question whether this is a reasonable explanation for a rise in grades nationwide.

“It’s not true,” he said. “You can expect a little bit of a rise in student rise and quality, but the levels of grade rises do not match the increase in student qualities.”

sat scores

ROLE OF EVALUATIONS

According to the College Board, SAT “score changes are slight over time.” Since 1972, the mean critical reading score is down 28 points, and the mean mathematics score is up seven.

Though she declined to provide the specific data on the college’s average GPA, Henderson said the rise in GPA has mirrored the rise in the college’s SAT scores.

“Many institutions have had rising GPAs but flat SAT scores,” she said. “In the case of Ithaca College, the GPA rise is mirroring the rise in SAT scores. In other words, it’s not necessarily a grade inflation problem. It’s the SAT scores, and hence the student quality is going

Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers, said one reason for the rise in grades is the role of student evaluations.

“It automatically incentivizes faculty to be more lenient, to be more popular,” he said. “This is not a cynical move, it’s in the background of the decision process, and it’s a very human reaction to the very notion of being rated.”

Cornwell said the increasing reliance on course evaluations for teacher evaluation and tenure promotion is problematic. She said faculty at the college, both on a tenure track and on contract, feel “enormous pressure” to get good

to the freshman class, all above average students, because we’re a selective school. But then they’re all above average students here, so what’s the new average?”

CULTURAL SHIFTS

evaluations, and high grades are just one of the ways to do this.

“Teachers are under pressure to entertain, as well as convey information, and they’re measured on how well students embrace them,” she said. “There’s pressure to make sure students are happy. Good grades make students happy.”

Fred Wilcox, associate professor of writing, said the college emphasizes student evaluations for professors going up for tenure.

“They learn right away that these evaluations are very important to the college and that without pretty much stunning, really good evaluations, you’re not going to get tenure at Ithaca College,” Wilcox said. “Professors are held hostage by evaluations and that might make one more inclined to give students better grades than they might deserve.”

LASTING EFFECTS Trotti said he finds the prevalence of grade inflation in college to be problematic.

“It seems to me that it undercuts the legitimacy of our pro-

UPWARD TREND

grams and our degrees,” he said.

“You never want somebody to leave because there’s not enough rigor. If this kept going, I would be concerned about the effect on student learning and on the school as well.”

Rojstaczer said because the culture of higher education emphasizes loosening up grades to attract more students, it would be difficult to reverse grade inflation.

He said enrollments would suffer, budgets would decrease and teacher evaluations would be poor.

“What it means is that we’re discounting the value of an undergraduate education in terms of its ability to provide critical skills like reading, writing, analytical thought processing and critical thinking,” he said. “We’re saying that college is more of a very expensive summer camp.”

Wilcox said the administration should release data on the distribution of grades at the college.

“Why wouldn’t they release it?” he said. “I don’t see any reason not to. It’s not government confidential or state secrets.”

Private schools across the nation have shown a trend of increasing GPAs over time.

3.4 3.30

3.3 3.24 3.2 3.16 3.1

3.09 Academic year 1991-1992

3.0

1996-1997

2.9 2001-2002 2006-2007

2.8

2.7

2.6 Private schools

Source: gradeinflation.com

Coalition compares campus’ alcohol policies by gerald doherty staff writer

In light of the deaths of Ithaca College freshman Victoria Cheng and Cornell University freshman George Desdunes, representatives from the college, Cornell and Tompkins Cortland Community College met last week to discuss their strategies for alcohol and drug prevention and intervention.

The Campus Community Coalition is a group led by staff from the three REYNOLDS said institutions who frequently the college wants meet to collaborate and to promote safety share challenges each and responsibility. school faces. Representatives from each campus discussed programs and strategies in place for alcohol awareness at their last meeting.

The Campus Community Coalition compared strategies and ideas on the effects of

college-age drinking before the public last Thursday. They stressed a comprehensive approach to the issue, noting there is no single solution for dealing with underage drinking, and the problem and deaths affect the entire community.

At the meeting, Joseph Cheng, associate professor of finance, told attendees he is working with the college to invite students to make a pledge in memory of his daughter to not drink alcohol until they turn 21.

“We want people to hear about programs that are available and maybe pick up some information along the way that might help a parent with their own student or — at the very least — let people know what the professionals at the campus are working on,” Stewart said.

Nancy Reynolds, director of health promotion at the counseling center, represented the college at the forum and said it was planned in light of the student deaths.

“This semester has been a rough one for

our campus and Cornell’s with the student deaths,” Reynolds said. “We have been working on this issue for a long, long time. So for us to have extra attention paid to this issue is a positive thing.”

At the forum, Reynolds discussed the college’s strategies in preventing and intervening in alcohol and drug use, including reaching out to students by promoting responsibility and safety at the campus level through Intercom messages, brochures, flyers and Alcohol Wise, an online alcohol education program.

At the individual level, Reynolds said the college reaches out by counseling students who are experiencing problems with substance use, by promoting its medical amnesty policy and by working with judicial affairs.

Lesli Myers, assistant superintendent for student services in the Ithaca City School District, said the problem of underage drinking starts early, and 40 percent of superintendent hearings over the past three

years were because of alcohol and/or drug infractions. Myers said the school analyzes data from reported infractions and keep its educators informed of and accountable for the results.

Myers said poor attitudes toward substances sometimes start in the home.

“One of the things we found is that when students have a drug or alcohol infraction, in some instances the parents are unfortunately condoning the behavior,” Myers said.

Anthony Hopson, assistant vice president for community relations at the college, said though the deaths of students are tragic, they have brought the community together to evaluate how to deal with underage drinking.

“The opportunity for the colleges is to answer what are the preventive measures that are being enforced on campus in terms of how we educate students on the effects of underage drinking, and the impact it has on the community and ways to avoid tragic circumstances,” he said.

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Students remember 9/11 terror attacks bin laden from page 1

“He was covered in ash,” Arnone said. “He had a beard. I didn’t recognize him.”

It’s nearly 10 years later, but 9/11 has never been far from Arnone’s mind. Arnone, like the millions of others in her generation, grew up with 9/11 and the War on Terror. It was because of bin Laden that her father had difficulty transitioning back into work in the city and why her Staten Island firefighter uncle would never talk about 9/11, except to say he was sifting through bodies for days.

“I was very happy,” she said. “His death isn’t the end of terrorism, but it’s a step forward. A little bit of justice has been done.”

As the tweets, Facebook statuses and finally mass media reported on bin Laden’s death, college students across the country reacted to the death of the man responsible for the destruction they remember as children.

In Washington, D.C., college students gathered outside the White House singing patriotic songs. In New York City, students visited ground zero waving American flags. At other institutions such as Penn State University, Cornell University and Iowa State University, students rallied, showing patriotism. At Ithaca College, the reaction to his death was quieter but just as significant.

“It doesn’t mean the war is over but it’s a positive thing. He took thousand of lives. This is going to unite us,” freshman Jordan Mancuso, a Staten Island native, said.

Mancuso said he remembers driving past the World Trade Center on Sept. 9, 2001, on his way to a New York Yankees’ baseball game and remembers his father pointing, saying, “Look up. It’s the World Trade Center.” Two days later,

the then-fourth-grader was at a playground that overlooked the city, watching the smoke and destruction from the Twin Towers.

“My dad texted me Sunday night saying, ‘Osama bin Laden’s been killed. Thank God,’” Mancuso said.

But for other New York City natives at the college, bin Laden’s death was not a symbolic celebration.

Senior Susannah Chovnick, a Brooklyn native who felt the ground shake in her middle school when the towers were struck, said she remembers walking back home with her mother and sister, all of them covering their mouths from the debris and smoke. But even though she vividly remembers the empty skyline, she was surprised of the responses and photos of Americans celebrating bin Laden’s death.

“I had a flashback to 9/11 when I remembered people in the Middle East dancing in the streets and happy America had been hurt,” Chovnick said. “I feel like we’re doing the same thing.

He was an awful person, and he represented evil, but our response is perpetrating more violence.”

But sophomore Collin Schuck, who had an uncle and aunt in the Pentagon when the 9/11 attacks happened, said Americans are celebrating the country’s efforts — not a death. Schuck and his roommates created a music video called “Osama’s Dead,” set to the tune of “I Just Had Sex” by The Lonely Island, with the hopes of selling it on iTunes and donating proceeds to the 9/11 Fund. The video mentions Osama’s death but also thanks the troops overseas.

“We lost thousands of people that day and since then thousands more,” Schuck said. “It’s retribution in a way.”

Retribution, against a man that many students have said they sort of forgot about.

“He slipped through with everything that’s

A commuter holds a flag while shaking hands with a police officer at the World Trade Center site Monday. At the top right, the Freedom Tower is under construction until 2013.

Mark Lennihan/associated press

going on in Iraq — with the economy and everything else,” Schuck said.

Sophomore Rob Flaherty said he was shocked when he saw tweets Sunday night.

“I had put bin Laden out of my everyday thoughts,” he said. “He was out of sight, out of mind.”

But this was not true for everyone.

For senior Karen Peck, going back to her hometown of Garden City on Long Island is always a reminder. The town, 20 miles from the city, lost 23 residents on Sept. 11. In the center of the town is a memorial, reminding everyone of the lives lost.

“I was excited,” she said about bin Laden’s

death. “But I know it’s not the end. It’s not over.”

For those personally affected by 9/11, Jonathan Laskowitz, associate professor of sociology, said there will be some solace for the families — but it will be short-term.

“When we allow families of victims to attend executions ... there is rarely any long-lasting closure surrounding their loss,” he said. “In the morning light, their loved one is still gone.”

But for Arnone, bin Laden’s death brings closure — no matter how small — to her and her family.

“I texted my dad Sunday night to tell him what happened,” she said. “He texted me back just saying, ‘God bless America.’”

Award recognizes sexuality educator Lis Maurer’s work as director of the Center for LGBT Education, Outreach and Services has resulted in the recognition of Ithaca College as one of the nation’s top LGBTfriendly colleges.

Now, Maurer, this year’s Mary Lee Tatum Award winner, is being recognized for her contributions to sexual education. In the past the award has been given to U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, and Dr. Michael Carrera of the Children’s Aid Society and professor emeritus of health sciences at Hunter College. Awards are given

by The Association for Planned Parenthood Leaders in America.

Staff Writer Elma Gonzalez sat down with Maurer to discuss the history of the center and her plans for its future.

Elma Gonzalez: What type of work did you do before coming to Ithaca College?

Lis Maurer: I once worked with people with disabilities. I worked as a sexuality educator at Planned Parenthood serving all different kinds of people — from people in middle school and high school up to people in elder care facilities. I ran a comprehensive family life program for a Girl Scout council, which was really exciting. I’ve taught on college campuses, and now I’m here. It sounds eclectic, but for me it’s very important to feel like I’m making a difference in people’s lives.

EG: What issues do you stand for?

LM: My role on campus is to foster the academic success and the personal growth of LGBT students and to be

a resource for anybody on campus of any orientation or any gender identity.

That is very important because the school environment K through 12 is not yet safe for all students. My role here is about extending access for people who may have been underserved.

EG: Tell me a little bit more about the history of the center and the origins of your position at the college.

LM: There was a group of mostly students in the ’90s who felt that there really needed to be an office dedicated to supporting LGBT students. They got together a committee including staff and faculty, and they surveyed the needs of the students at that time. Then, they wrote up a report detailing what they found and what they thought an LGBT center could provide. Eventually, they worked their report up through all the different levels of IC — all the way up to the Board of Trustees — and the Board of Trustees agreed and created the position. Then I came along and applied.

EG: Why did you become an LGBT activist?

LM: I’m interested in a variety of themes that have to do with providing each person the ability to have access to the path that they want in their own lives. I know what it is to have been the target of bullying and discrimination.

I obviously don’t want anyone to have to go through that, and, at the same time, those experiences allowed me to learn some skills that were helpful to me.

In general, I’m very interested in trying to extend information and access to people so they can make the best choices in their lives. Part of what I’m interested in is taking existing research and putting it into practice. Research tells us some very interesting, important things about LGBT young people, and research actually doesn’t tell us something about LGBT young people that people just assume. One of the things I really like about being in this role on campus is that I can help take established research and put it into practice to make people’s lives better.

EG: What do you have planned for the Center for LGBT Education, Outreach and Services in the years to come?

LM: One big goal that is very campus-based is that the 10th anniversary of the Center for LGBT Education, Outreach and Services happens in the fall. In order to commemorate that 10th anniversary, there’s going to be a variety of different sorts of learning opportunities and special events with other members of the campus community and alumni. There are going to be several large events in conjunction with Fall Splash alumni weekend.

EG: How did you initially react when you first heard you’d received the Mary Lee Tatum Award?

LM: I am just completely humbled and honored by that. It’s a huge honor. I’m just awed to be in the

Lis Maurer reads Out Magazine on Monday in her office in the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services. She won the Mary Lee Tatum Award.

yiwei zhu/the ithacan

company of other people who have been nominated and who have received it. It is the one award that is given outside of the Planned Parenthood family of current employees, and it is given to the person who best exemplifies the ideal qualities of sexuality educators.

I was very surprised to be nominated. I know some other people, who I greatly admire, who have won the award over the years, so

when I heard I was like, “Wow.” It’s a process that includes a nomination — two different people nominated me, which was also an honor — and then everybody all over the nation got that information and had to vote. To be recognized as the person in the nation that best exemplifies the ideal qualities of a sex educator makes me want to work even harder to be the best that I can.

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The Ithacan 7

Senior brings science to worldwide travel

By Courtney miller staff writer

It was nearly 9 a.m. as the bus made its rough, winding way up the mountain toward Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. In her seat, senior Jill Neeley let the Portuguese language rush past her ears as she focused on her daily commute.

This bus is just going to tip over, she thought, but her precarious rides never led to any crash.

When Neeley reached the station, she chose not to get on a transfer.

She’d walk the next half hour that day to explore.

“I just like to experience new places and meet new people,” Neeley, who spent the summer after her sophomore year in Brazil, said. “It’s just fun

Standout Seniors School of Humanities and Sciences

JilL Neeley

to put yourself out of your comfort zone and not know what you’re going to do.”

That’s exactly what Neeley, a math and physics double major, did in Brazil during her eight-week Research Experience for Undergraduates program.

Her love for traveling and her interest in astronomy have taken her around the world.

Because Ithaca College doesn’t have an astronomy program, she ap-

plied math, science and traveling to her interest in stars. Neeley said she got her first taste of astronomy freshman year in her Stars, Galaxies and the Universe course, one of two celestial classes offered at the college.

“I always liked it,” she said. “I decided, why not try to make a career out of it?”

For Neeley, astronomy allows a pragmatic approach to philosophy.

“I like astronomy because it answers philosophical questions like creation of the universe with real scientific facts,” she said. “You can actually prove it rather than just thinking about it.”

Neeley’s globe-trotting goes beyond her on-campus commitments, which include doing math honors research, tutoring and being a teacher’s assistant for the department of modern languages and literatures.

By junior year, Neeley was spending the summer at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., examining the brightness of stars, where she said she learned how to question more about the universe and jump into the unknown.

“My adviser was really great about helping me think about a lot of different things and would give me questions every day,” she said.

For her latest observation, Neeley traveled to Hawaii with Beth Ellen Clark Joseph, associate professor and chair of the department of physics, to work with NASA’s Infrared Telescope.

Neeley and Clark Joseph have been working together since the start of the fall semester, when the department

Senior Jill Neeley works out a math equation. Though the college doesn’t have an astronomy program, Neeley has been able to apply her physics and mathematics majors to her interest in stars by exploring the sky around the world.

MichelLe Boulé/The Ithacan

recruited a new research student.

“Jill was the best,” Clark Joseph said. “She statistically determines for us if an asteroid is more likely to be a member of one meteor class than another.”

During the fall, Neeley had remotely observed stars over Hawaii from a computer. At 14,000 feet above sea level and with the Hawaiian observatory’s metallic dome behind her, she was at home.

Clark Joseph said Neeley's contributions to this project have helped the team immensely.

“I hope to convince her to stay after she graduates for the summer and help us complete her part of

the project,” Clark Joseph said.

But Neeley has her eye on the graduate astronomy program at the University of Washington, Seattle.

“They have the best facilities for observing, and I want to be warm,” she said with a smile. “If you go somewhere like CalTech or MIT, that’s your whole entire life, and I don’t want work to be my entire life.”

One of her favorite ways to kickback is by hanging out with her two best friends and roommates, seniors Alicia Blanchard and Charlotte Atti.

Blanchard has been friends with Neeley since their freshman year.

She said though Neeley is usually busy with research or classwork,

Neeley always finds the time to be a good friend.

“She’s reliable and kind — always there when you need her,” Blanchard said. “I’m lucky to have someone like Jill in my life.”

Outside of the observatory in Ithaca, Neeley takes the time to reflect on her four years at the college. If she had never joined the research team with her professors, she wouldn’t have been able to narrow down her interests.

“At first, I thought I didn’t have what it takes — observing at two or three in the morning and going to class,” she said. “And then I realized I was a student, and it wouldn’t be like this forever.”

8 The Ithacan

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The Ithacan 9

College & City College faculty members receive excellence award

The college announced five faculty members will receive the 20102011 Faculty Excellence Award.

The recipients are Mead Loop, associate professor of journalism and documentary studies; Jeffery Meyer, assistant professor of performance; Marina Caillaud, associate professor of biology; Gladys Varona-Lacey, professor of modern languages and literatures; and Fred Wilcox, associate professor of writing.

The Office of the Provost and the Faculty Development Committee selected professors who demonstrated excellence in teaching, scholarship and service.

SGA to conduct survey on student activities fee

Student Government Association is conducting a survey for students regarding the possibility of raising tuition $50 or more to increase funds for student organizations.

SGA is exploring the feasibility of adding a student activities fee to the current tuition charges.

SGA decided to explore this after running out of money this year because of an increase in student organizations and not enough money available to match the increase.

This raise could potentially increase SGA’s current allocation fund by 400 percent, which would also allow for larger budgets for organizations such as Student Activities Board, the Bureau of Concerts and Senior Week.

The survey questions are preliminary, as SGA hasn’t made any

moves yet toward increasing the current tuition. It is testing student support for the measure.

Freshman to take journey on Freedom Riders’ route Freshman Tariq Meyers, an MLK Scholar, was one of 40 students selected from nearly 1,000 applications to be a Freedom Rider.

The original 1961 Freedom Riders, a collection of black and white college students, used public MEYERS transportation as a means of challenging segregation in the South.

This 10-day journey, beginning tomorrow, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders’ journey by retracing the original freedom ride route from Washington, D.C., to New Orleans.

The ride is the premise for the feature film “Freedom Riders,” which will air at 9 p.m. May 16 on PBS.

Community to join forces to tackle climate change

The Town of Ithaca announced a joint effort between the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County to reduce their impact on climate change by aligning their similar environmental goals.

By announcing their partnership, they will join the worldwide day of “Global Conversation”, which will bring together more than 500 local officials to help brainstorm more sustainable ideas the county can implement.

The three municipalities are working on developing green jobs and ways to reduce energy consumption while saving taxpayer dollars.

The government recently completed an analysis of community gas emissions, which will be followed by an expected formal commitment to reduce such emissions.

Activist Cotton to receive honorary law doctorate

Dorothy Cotton, a longtime civil rights activist, will receive an honorary doctorate from Ithaca College at the 2011 commencement ceremony May 22.

Cotton, who served under Martin Luther COTTON King Jr. as the education director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, will be awarded a Doctor of Law degree from the college.

Cotton was recommended by the college’s Honorary Degree Committee and Board of Trustees for her active engagement within the campus community.

Cotton spoke on several occasions at the college, most recently as part of the 2011 celebration of MLK Week.

Cotton worked closely with King as a member of his executive staff and traveled with him to Oslo, Norway, when he received the Nobel Peace Prize.

From 1982 to 1991, Cotton served as director of student activities at Cornell University, and in

Public Safety Incident Log APRIL 12 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person damaged card readers.

Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Christopher Teribury.

MEDICAL ASSIST LOCATION: Fitness Center SUMMARY: Caller reported that at 2:40 p.m. a person had passed out after giving blood, struck their head and was transported to CMC by a friend. Report taken.

Master Patrol Officer Dirk Hightchew. found property LOCATION: J-Lot SUMMARY: Person found a bike and turned it over to public safety. arson LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person burned marks into a ceiling. Investigation pending. Sergeant Investigator Tom Dunn. motor vehicle accident LOCATION: Facilities Parking Lot SUMMARY: Person reported a one-car MVA. Report taken. Master Patrol Officer Jeffrey Austin.

APRIL 13 larceny LOCATION: Upper Quad SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person stole building numbers from the exterior of a building. Investigation pending.

Patrol Officer Brad Bates.

arson LOCATION: East Tower SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person burned a mark onto a bulletin board. Officer determined this was previously reported damage. Arson unfounded.

Master Patrol Officer Bruce Holmstock.

APRIL 14 medical assist LOCATION: Towers Dining Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported a person passed out. One person was transported to CMC by ambulance. Master Patrol Officer Bruce Holmstock. arson LOCATION: East Tower SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person burned marks on the outside of a building. Investigation pending. Master Patrol Officer Bruce Holmstock.

APRIL 15 medical assist LOCATION: Facilities Parking Lot SUMMARY: Caller reported person was struck by moving equipment and sustained a shoulder injury. One person transported to CMC by ambulance.

Master Patrol Officer Jeffrey Austin. making graffiti LOCATION: Emerson Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person wrote graffiti in a hallway. Investigation pending. Sergeant James Landon. making graffiti LOCATION: Emerson Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown

selected entries from april 12 to April 17.

person drew graffiti marks in an elevator. Investigation pending. Sergeant James Landon.

APRIL 16 conduct code violation LOCATION: Lower Quad SUMMARY: One person judicially referred for irresponsible use of alcohol. Security Officer George Whitmore. criminal mischief LOCATION: Emerson Hall SUMMARY: Officer reported an unknown person damaged a card reader. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Mark Denicola.

APRIL 17 conduct code violation LOCATION: Towers Concourse SUMMARY: Caller reported an intoxicated, unresponsive person. One person transported to CMC by ambulance and judicially referred for irresponsible use of alcohol.

Sergeant James Landon.

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

2010, the university established the Dorothy Cotton Institute to promote a global community for civil and human rights leadership.

Group to host fundraiser for Japan disaster relief

Wa-gumi, a group of Japanese women, will host a fundraising event from 2 to 5 p.m. for the people of Miyako City, Japan on May 14 at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School in Ithaca.

The event, “Good Times for Japan: Peace Across the Pacific: Japan Disaster Relief Fundraiser,” will feature Japanese and Asian foods, martial arts demonstrations, massages, rice cake pounding, a display of Miyako City and more.

Wa-gumi was formed in response to the triple disaster of an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis that struck Japan last month.

The group decided to support Miyako City in the Iwate prefecture, because it is the hometown of 40year Ithaca resident Toyo Brutsaert.

All proceeds will go toward rebuilding schools in Miyako City.

Admission will be $5 for adults and $3 for children.

Nature compound to host Primitive Pursuits Day

Ithaca’s 10th annual Primitive Pursuits Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 14 at 4-H Acres.

Workshops provided for kids and adults include hands-on activities in the fields of wilderness survival, outdoor living and nature awareness. Local music, guided walks and arrow-making workshops will also be available for participants.

The event is sponsored by the Cornell Cooperative Extension and co-sponsored by Ithaca College’s department of environmental studies and sciences.

The cost will be $5 to $10 per individual and $15 to $30 per family.

There is no preregistration.

For more information, visit www.primitivepursuits.com or contact David Hall at 272-2292.

Registration now open for annual ride for AIDS

Registration is open for the 2011 AIDS Ride for Life Ithaca College team.

The South Tiers AIDS Program will hold its annual 100-mile bike ride around Cayuga Lake on Sept. 10.

STAP is a local organization that provides preventative education about HIV and AIDS, as well as care for HIV-positive individuals.

Contact Lilly Miller at lmiller1@ ithaca.edu for further information or visit www.firstgiving.com/ stapride to register for the ride.

Students to show designs for campus bike shelters

Sophomore Lauren Goldberg, an environmental studies major, will present her findings from her semester-long research project on the feasibility of having covered bike shelters on campus at 12:10 p.m. today in room 204 of the business school.

Goldberg will present several possible designs for the shelters and offer suggestions for possible locations on campus.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

Opinion

10 The Ithacan

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editorials

withholding information

The Ithaca College administration needs to provide valuable information to the campus community

B

esides initiatives to create a college brand, mascot and the new vision this year, Ithaca College is also forming a wall of silence between the administration and college community.

The administration has withheld information throughout this academic year. In the fall, President Tom Rochon said the raw data from The Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Great Colleges to Work For” survey would not be released to the public. As the college moved forward with the mascot selections, the task force told The Ithacan the complete data gathered from that survey would not be released to the community either.

When The Ithacan requested the distribution of grades and the average grade point averages of students since 1999 to assess the presence of grade inflation, we were denied the information — even though in 1999 under the presidency of Peggy Williams, we were given the numbers going back 30 years. But information has been denied to The Ithacan continuously. Last year, the college would not release enrollment numbers by the schools.

Like any other newspaper, The Ithacan represents the community. We strive to use this information to analyze issues that affect the community.

When the college doesn’t provide information, it looks like there’s something to hide. In situations such as the mascot and workplace survey, the college deserves to know the results. These are situations that community members were involved with and will be affected by. Many times, the college says numbers and survey results will not be released because the administration does not want competitive institutions to make use of the information, but it deprives those who go here.

The administration needs to be more open with releasing information. If there is no discussion and if these walls are not raised, the campus community will be left in the dark.

system success

The new registration process was received with positive feedback by students

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here was one step missing in the registration process for students this semester — the fight with HomerConnect.

After student complaints about the registration process, the Office of the Registrar decided to implement a new system. Students were divided into groups based on earned credit hours and assigned a time throughout the week to register.

In the past, HomerConnect was slow or would boot students out when traffic became high. Students were then more often forced to get override forms for courses they needed or wait a semester to take them.

By reducing the number of students on HomerConnect at once, the system worked without error. Students seem to be content. But if students have a complaint with the registration system, they need to fill out the survey to ensure feedback gets back to the administration.

Because students were given certain times throughout the week in which they could register, it was possible they would miss class. There needs to be a way for students to not skip classes for registration.

Overall, this semester’s registration was a successful process — one that did not require a student meltdown.

SNAP JUDGMENT Historical day What do you think Osama bin Laden’s death means for the War on Terror?

Watch more Snap Judgments at theithacan.org.

“I’m actually kind of worried. it’s a great accomplishment for america and our patriotism, but i feel there’s a possibility we could have a lot of repercussions for what we did.” samantha conley ’13 occupational therapy

“I’m a little nervous because the news kept saying there may be a counterattack.

But I hope this is a turning point and that peace will come.”

Rebecca Guldner ’14 cinema and photography

“a lot of people are talking about retaliation, but I’m more concerned that people aren’t going to care that [bin laden] is dead. it’s actually a really big deal.” robyn lustbader ’12 music performance education

““I don’t think anything will. It’s a nice moral boost but there are so many other people who are willing to do his job that I don’t think anything is going to change.” donald haviland ’11 music education

comment online.

Now you can be heard in print or on the Web. Write a letter to the editor at ithacan@ithaca.edu or leave a comment on commentaries and editorials at theithacan.org.

Letters must be 250 words or less, emailed or dropped off by 5 p.m. Monday in Park 269.

The Ithacan Elizabeth Sile editor in chief Casey Musarra Managing editor Jacqueline Palochko opinion Editor Taylor Long news Editor Alexandra Evans news editor Kelsey O’Connor assistant news editor Kelsey Fowler accent editor

“Absolutely nothing. We’re still stuck there. We’re still going to be stuck there for awhile, and we need to find a way to get out.” andrew horwitz ’13 saxophone performance

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Opinion

Thursday, M ay 5, 2 0 1 1

The It hacan 11

Guest commentary

Alum warns students about unpaid internships

S

tudents! You are right to question unpaid internships, because they are seriously questionable. I am an Ithaca College alum who’s been in the workforce for five years. After graduation, I worked one paid internship, one unpaid internship and a tedious desk job. I slept on a friend’s floor because I couldn’t afford rent or food. Still, I had high hopes. These never-ending internships, whose tasks were often dehumanizing and trivial, went on essenemily tially as long as I consented gallagher to work for free. When I asked about getting paid, I was told there weren’t any positions available, but I could continue to intern. When I finally did get an entry-level job, somewhere else, in my field, I learned that most of the interesting work went to the interns to “keep them,” while they were also still being abused in various and sundry ways (walking 14 blocks to get a milkshake for my supervisor who was about two years older than me was standard Friday afternoon fare).

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “OK, I already knew internships and entrylevel jobs suck, but I need them to get a job!”

Guess what? You don’t.

The jobs I have gotten that I love, that nourish me, I got through people I met doing volunteer work or off websites like Craigslist and Idealist.com. Or, through friends — people I met in industry networking groups or were relations of friends. Yes, if the job is competitive, maybe you need some reasonable experience to get through the door, but that experience is not an unpaid internship. If they aren’t willing to pay you now, they’ll never get used to the idea.

I’ve watched nearly all my friends, who work in media, nonprofit and for profit work, suffer

Andrew Weiser

Getting ahead of technology

I

From left, junior Jennifer O’Leary reviews her résumé with Bethany Kilgore, professional business coordinator, April 19 in the business school. Some students take unpaid internships for experience.

Graham hebel/The Ithacan

through the same thing. By accepting unpaid internships, you are not only hurting yourself but your entire community. Don’t we want to live in a world where we get jobs because we deserve them? Shockingly, unpaid internships work counter to this, favoring only the people who can survive an endurance game of living without their own income, which is not fair to you and the many who have the skills and ambition but no Miss Havinsham to turn to. It’s inequitable and undermines the tenant of social mobility that our education system claims to be about.

My advice: if no paid internships or entry level jobs will have you, get a low-key job and join networking groups, peer groups, and talk to everyone you meet about your dreams and

goals. Someone will help you. In my experience, people are generous — companies are not.

If you really respect yourself, demand that you get paid. I know the fears, but you must be strategic, because companies want to take advantage of you. I am only five years ahead of you seniors, and I’ve already watched positions go from the hiring pool to the “unpaid internship” pool. By taking these internships, you’re essentially letting someone else have the money from a paycheck you deserve. Please watch out for each other — we’re in this together.

Emily Gallagher ’06 is an educator at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum. Email her at egallagher@tenement.org.

Guest commentary

Seniors should revel in post-graduation uncertainty

F

or the first time in my life, I’m embracing the fact that I don’t really have a plan.

I wish I could say that after four years of involvement, internships, awards and service, I had that dream job and dream life lined up and ready to go the second after I pick up my diploma May 22. Instead, I will take a few weeks to say goodbye to my home in Rochester, then move somewhere — job or no job.

If you had asked me last semester if this was the position I’d be taking, I would have said you were crazy. I came to college with a vision of what my next four years would look like. I would become an editor on the newspaper, earn a Park Scholarship, get an awesome internship in New York City and travel the world. Everything went according to plan.

But my experience has shown me that I’ve been pulling myself out of my comfort zone my whole life, without even realizing I was doing it.

I toured music schools throughout my junior year of high school and was set on becoming a music major. As I was memorizing my final New York State Music Association solo and preparing for my senior recital, I suddenly called everything off and announced I was going to pursue journalism. Four years later, I couldn’t be happier I did.

As a sophomore, I applied on a whim to intern at a newspaper

Weiser’s Domain

Senior Elizabeth Sile stands in Giant’s Causeway on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland during her semester abroad in Spring 2010.

in Hartford, Conn. When I got the position, I had no idea where I’d be living or what I’d be doing.

I couldn’t even point to Hartford on a map. Still, living on my own that summer taught me more about independence than any other experience I’ve had in college.

Last year, I had a sudden inkling that I needed to take a semester off from journalism

courtesy of Elizabeth Sile

completely. I’d worked on the paper since my freshman year, and after spending my sophomore year as news editor developing an unhealthy attachment to my Blackberry, it was time for a break.

As the weeks closed in on my flight to Dublin, I worried about whether this would set me back in college and professionally. If anything though, it

reinvigorated me. I took classes for fun, traveled from Dublin to Madrid by myself in the midst of a volcano without stepping foot on a plane and sat down with members of the Irish Republican Army in a pub in Belfast. I’d challenge any professor or class to top that learning experience. A few months later, I took a break from my internship at Reader’s Digest and jaunted off to Japan for a seven-day international journalism study trip.

I bet most of us seniors can relate to feeling completely uncertain about what happens the moment we step foot out of Ithaca. In fact, I think we’re nearly programmed to plan our lives away, be it in deciding what college to attend or what classes to take during our four years.

The reality though, is when we drop these stiff blueprints of what the next however many years of our lives are going to look like, we flourish. We discover what we truly love to do and realize we’ve been working too hard to try to accomplish every little thing.

Sure, I’ve got ideas of where I want to be in five or 10 years. But in the end, we all deserve to take a little break — to ditch the life outline and revel in unpredictability.

Elizabeth sile is a senior journalism and politics major and Editor in Chief of The Ithacan. Email her at esile1@ ithaca.edu.

All opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The Ithacan. To write a guest commentary, contact Opinion Editor Jacqueline Palochko at 274-3208.

n a box underneath my bed, right next to my Taylor Swift limited edition box set, is a small, worn device — my first iPod. Though the battery only lasts 47-seconds into Creed’s “One Last Breath,” I often find myself browsing through my library from 2007, amazed at how far technology has come.

In just the past year or so, we’ve seen the introduction of the iPad, Kinect for the Xbox 360, the Thunderbolt smartphone from High Tech Computer Corporation and most recently the Blackberry Playbook. While all these devices have their own unique features — one of which is the ability to potentially drain my bank account — for one to distinguish itself takes widespread adoption by users.

Everyone loves to speculate on what companies are working on — iPhone 5 — but most of it tends to be rumor based rather than claims backed by factual evidence. As my tenure as a technology and social media columnist comes to a close, I offer up my musings on where the tech industry is headed.

Beginning with the iPhone 5, it will probably be the biggest technological disappointment we’ve seen since the implementation of HomerConnect. Even with a larger screen, better camera and more memory, the iPhone 5 is nothing to get excited about — and that’s coming from someone who woke up at 4:15 a.m. for the iPhone 4.

Google will own the Internet by 2025 — well, not exactly — but rest assured it will dominate the smartphone market with its Android operating system, which already accounts for more than 30 percent of the smartphone market share.

But gadgets are just the start.

Social media will shift dramatically during the coming years, and once again, Google will inevitably assume its rightful place at the forefront of social networking — with its yet-tobe-announced-and-completelyspeculative social network.

Facebook and MySpace will see dramatic changes and become too inundated with advertising for users to find it worthwhile.

Foursquare check-ins will become as commonplace as text messaging, and social circles will revolve around not who someone follows or is friends with, but rather, individuals within a close radius of someone’s location.

While these claims may appear to be unsubstantiated — much like Miley Cyrus’s reasoning for entering the music industry, for the companies involved — predictions are the nature of the business.

And on a final note, fingers crossed that this columnist will find a job in tech or social media in the coming months, but once again, it’s merely speculation.

andrew weiser is a senior journalism major. Email him at aweiser1@ithaca.edu.

12 The Ithacan

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

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The Ithacan 13

l a n i F ment n g i s s a

State Theatre

’Meara ea Oriter

By SShtaff W

Take note of five things seniors should not pass up File Photo/the Ithacan

As the theatrics of college life come to an end with final exams looming overhead, graduates still have time for one final show at a local landmark. Director Doug Levine ’98 said he fell in love with the State Theatre as an undergraduate for its old-time theater atmosphere. He said seniors should change up their going-out routine by spending a night downtown and visiting the one-of-a-kind theater.

“It’s 82 years old and they just don’t build theaters like this anymore,” he said. “Beside the wonderful architecture and the beautiful acoustics, it’s just a fun way to spend the evening downtown and afterward you can go get a bite to eat or grab a beer.”

For $25, seniors can see “Whose Live Anyway,” an improv spin-off of “Who’s Line Is It Anyway” with “Two and a Half Men” star Ryan Stiles. The show will begin at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

Local Beer Tour

For those who missed Ithaca’s Brewfest this September, or who just can’t get enough local beer, a visit to a Finger Lakes brewery is a great thing to tap into during Senior Week.

Senior John Geller has done wine tastings in the region but never beer tours. He said after hearing his friends boast about Brewfest and local beer brands, he wants to spend some time in one of Ithaca’s tasting rooms before he graduates.

“Everything I’ve heard about it has been wonderful,” he said. “I would definitely consider doing it myself.

If you’re a fan of drinking beer, it would be pretty interesting to find out how it’s made, especially locally.”

The Ithaca Beer Company is open seven days a week and offers hourly tours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and until 6 p.m. Sunday. The Bandwagon Brewpub, located on The Commons, offers a “Tasting With Brewers” exhibit from 5-7p.m. every Tuesday.

Kayaking on Cayuga Lake

l/the

Kevin

bel Camp

an Ithac

Senior Julia Dunn picked up a paddle to kayak on Cayuga for the first time during her freshman year and has been taking friends and student groups along with her ever since. She said before seniors leave Ithaca, they should get off South Hill and spend time kayaking on the lake for a closer view of the area’s beauty.

“It just gives you a whole new perspective on the lake,” she said. “You get so close to the water. You can go wherever you want and hang out with the ducks.”

Senior Sarah Avery said she’s going to take advantage of the nice weather before graduation by kayaking on the lake as well.

“The lake is kind of like an icon for Ithaca College,” she said. “We see it every day when we’re walking past the fountains or driving up 96B. It’s so close, and it’s kind of something you take for granted.”

Seniors who want to explore Cayuga can rent kayaks on the weekends at Puddledockers located on Buffalo Street downtown.

Roller Derby

File Ph

oto/th e

Ithaca

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The Ithaca League of Women Rollers is a skater-owned-and-operated roller derby club. It currently has enough members to support two teams, the SufferJets and the BlueStockings, which play other teams in an international league. Roller derby is a fast-paced and high-energy sport where two teams skate around an indoor track blocking opponents from passing the pack and scoring points.

Kitty Gifford, president of the league, said roller derby is the ultimate spectator sport. With its male cheerleaders heckling the crowd and forming human pyramids, she said the atmosphere is exciting.

“We have so much fun,” she said. “We enjoy playing this hard-hitting fast action sport, the crowd is amazingly supportive and we have jeerleaders that get the crowd whipped up into a frenzy and help them enjoy the game.”

Before students head home for the summer, they can attend the league’s first home game at 7 p.m. May 21 in the Cass Park Rink. For $10 they can watch these ladies race, block and cheer their way to victory.

Sunset at Sunset Park

Senior Susannah Faulkner said she often puts her schoolwork and other commitments ahead of spending time with her friends, so she wants her last weeks in Ithaca to be fun and relaxing. She said her fellow graduates should find time to relax at Sunset Park, which she believes is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

“Seniors have to go there before they graduate,” she said. “It’s the most beautiful view I have ever seen, and I’ve backpacked Europe — so I’ve seen a lot of beautiful places. You see all of the lake, all of Ithaca College, all the rolling hills. It’s so wonderful.”

To take a break from a long week of late-night bar hopping and scheduled senior events, graduates can grab some chips and pack their koozies for an evening of relaxation and great conversation with good friends. Sunset Park is located in Cayuga Heights and is open to the public 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

[ a ccentuate]

14 The Ithacan

Hot or Not

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

This week’s hits and misses

Staff Writer Shea O’Meara rates the best and worst fashion choices at the royal wedding in London last week.

Hot

The Wedding Dress Kate Middleton pleased both her critics and adoring crowd members in a gorgeous Alexander McQueen gown designed by the brand’s creative director Sara Burton. The long-sleeve ivory and lace dress had an 8-foot long train that flowed down the aisle with grace. Simple yet elegant, Kate’s choice was both sophisticated and classic. She wisely avoided overly puffed-out designs, and her plunging neckline left most to the imagination. Letting a timeless cut replace modern style, Kate’s gown showed a lasting beauty and befitted the new princess perfectly.

Lukewarm

Last dance

From left, freshmen Meghan Reynolds and Alison Stark, senior Megan Weintraut and junior Isabel Braverman in On The Floor Dance Company’s last show. The dance was one of 17 performed Friday in the Mondo Floor Gym for the company’s spring showcase “Visions.”

alex mason/The Ithacan

weird but

The Hats As tradition dictates, the women attending the royal wedding wore hats of all shapes and sizes. For some, head wear was a beautiful accessory. For others, the hats were a major offense to fashion police watching the event from around the world.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were a bit more bold and donned oddly shaped hats that did not gain public approval. If the mainstream media calling Princess Beatrice’s bow-shaped hat a top-notch mistake isn’t enough to make the princess regret her pick, the Facebook group for people who hate the hat may do the trick. Not a total disaster, Lady Sophie Windsor and Princess Michael of Kent got it right with simple yet elegant designs that matched their dresses beautifully.

true

Not

wtf

The Ring Like hemophilia, there are some things royals need to stop passing down the family line. Middleton’s ring was made from a piece of gold given to Prince William by Queen Elizabeth after the engagement was announced. It came from a small quantity of Welsh gold the British Royal Legion gave the Queen in the ’80s specifically for making wedding bands. While this is a noble tradition, Middleton’s gold band had no jewels and lacked the luster expected of a new princess.

“

Rubber duck toys help scientists discover more about life in ocean

In 1992, a shipping crate containing 28,000 rubber duck bath toys fell overboard on its way from Hong Kong to the United States. These ducks are washing up on shores around the world and have been found frozen in Arctic ice. Scientists are using the ducks to learn more about ocean currents and plastic pollution. Now dubbed “Friendly Floatees” by fans, the toys are inspiring international conversation on websites where Floater finders can report the whereabouts of these ducks as they waddle back to land.

— Shea O’Meara

pepsi’s social vending machines make drink sharing high-tech

While buying someone a drink is traditionally something in coffee shops and bars, Pepsi’s Content blahdone blah blah Phil Collins new social vending machines are letting drinkers — Person share soda from street corners and hotel lobbies.

Once a customer buys a soda for a friend, the machine sends a personalized text or video message to the drink recipient with a code for a free soda redeemable at any other location. Drinkers can also perform “random acts of refreshment” by buying an extra soda at a specific spot so the next costumer doesn’t have to pay. Who says hydration has to be lonely?

— Shea O’Meara

quoteunquote

Rachel Berry grown-up is Charlotte York from ‘Sex and the City,’ if Charlotte was raised in Ohio by two gay men.

— “Glee’s” Lea Michele to Marie Claire about her character’s life after high school.

celebrity

OOPS!

Ozzy too busy for taxes

As a rock star family and reality television sensation, the Osbournes have spent their fair share of time in the public eye.

Now the clan is receiving attention from a new group of followers — the IRS. According to a document recently filed with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office, Ozzy and Sharon owe more than $1.7 million in unpaid taxes. Sharon said she has been too busy to fill out the forms, resulting in the cancellation of two meetings with her accountant in the past 18 months. If Ozzy and Sharon don’t free up some time to pay the U.S. government, they may actually prove the family has been aboard the “Crazy Train” for longer than most of us thought.

— Shea O’Meara

Thursday, M ay 5, 2 0 1 1

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The Ithacan 15

Alum gets personal with self-titled solo album As a freshman at Ithaca College, Ryan James ’00 formed the a cappella group the Sons of Pitches. While it started as an informal sextet, Pitches became one of the most popular a cappella groups in the country.

But now James is branching out on his own.

Through connections in the Rochester area, James has become an independent, unsigned artist whose self-titled album has given him complete creative license.

Contributing Writer Christine Pearl talked to James about what made him to leave a cappella behind, explore his own musical inspiration and release his first solo album.

Christine Pearl: Can you tell me about your experience in Ithacappella?

Ryan James: I was actually in the first year that they started it. They were a springboard of me taking that unconventional route and starting the Sons of Pitches, and that spun off into a bunch of different stuff, and here I am with a solo album.

CP: What inspired you to produce a solo album now as opposed to when you left the a cappella group a few years ago?

RJ: It’s all about timing. If I had tried to do a solo album years ago, I really don’t think it would be as authentic and genuine as it is now. … I’ve lived through quite a few different scenarios, and I have to say, if I decided to do this even five years ago, it certainly would not have turned out the way it did. … From a songwriter’s perspective you don’t want to push too hard on a song, you kind of want to wait and find that happy medium.

CP: What is your solo album about?

RJ: Just like any of us who need to sit down every once and awhile and express what we’re feeling in whatever way — painting, writing,

meditating, thinking, whatever it is that you choose to do — my outlet happens to be in music. So again, it was the timing and life experience. Every syllable on that album I wrote, and every syllable on that album I have lived.

This time I’m really putting myself out there.

CP: What artists influenced you on this album?

RJ: It’s kind of all over the map. There’s your pop-melodic songs, a little bit of rock, some jazz, and a lot of people are saying if they had to put me in a category, it’d be country. But it’s not even that. There really isn’t a category out there that you can put me in a certain slot. And that may have been a bad move, but I really wasn’t thinking about a demographic. I wasn’t thinking what category are they going to pigeonhole me in. … I’m a really melodic writer [like] John Mayer, Billy Joel, Elton John, Garth Brooks, Keith Urban.

CP: What’re your long-term goals for the album?

RJ: This is my autobiography of my life to this point, set to music. If the response wasn’t as good as it has been — I’ve got kind of thin skin, I’ll be honest — I would take it personally because this is as personal as it gets. … The goal is to get it out there and let people decide if it’s going to fly or flop. I don’t know the answer. I have a feeling, and it’s a good feeling.

CP: What is your most memorable performance while touring?

RJ: It was with the first band I ever sang with, Nik and the Nice Guys, out of Rochester. … I thought that it was time to jump off the stage.

I wasn’t looking to get caught, I just was going to land and then keep going. … I didn’t realize that the stage was more than 10 feet above the dance floor. So jumping a good 2 feet over the monitors and then falling another 10, I went down 12 feet and heard a little crackle in my

Ryan James ’00, a former member of Ithacappella and the a cappella group the Sons of Pitches recently released his first solo album. He will perform in June at Ithaca’s Relay for Life.

courtesy of Ryan James

ankle. So I went from being the really cool guy for about five seconds to being the guy in excruciating pain, still having to sing the damn song to 2,500 people.

CP: Were there any hardships or personal situations you had to overcome before you could release a solo album?

RJ: It sounds cliché again, but those break-up, make-up and break-up, no make-up [situations] hit me pretty hard. … The crap we go through, we can decide how long we want to stay down in that hole. … So at times, I secondguess myself. … Should I have been a teacher?

Should I have been whatever, something more conventional? But I can’t imagine doing that.

It’s not me.

CP: Do you have any gigs lined up for the summer or in the area?

RJ: I’ll be playing at [Ithaca’s] Relay for Life at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 17. I was kind of blown away that they asked me to do this gig because Ithaca is just full of incredible musicians, and to be part of that is obviously an honor.

For a list of tour dates and to listen to some of his music, visit www.listentoryanjames.com.

16 The Ithacan

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

Thursday, M ay 5, 2 0 1 1

The Ithacan 17

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18 The Ithacan

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

Puzzle game sequel adds new depth

by James Earl

Contributing Writer

Back in 2007, “Portal” became the breakout hit of Valve’s “Orange Box,” a collection of five games released in one package, because of its clever game play and witty dialogue from its memorable villain, the homicidal computer GLaDOS. Now, Valve has recaptured “Portal 2” that magic with “Portal 2,” Valve while simultaneously creatOur rating: ing a longer game worthy of a HHHH stand-alone release.

The gamer plays as Chell, a test subject who awakens from stasis inside Aperture Science, a scientific research facility under the control of GLaDOS, the evil computer bent on revenge for her defeat at the end of the first game. The player must use the portal gun, which creates connected openings through which the gamer and objects can pass, challenging the players to cross rooms in unusual or tricky manners.

Portals help the player survive GLaDOS’ deadly challenges: puzzles created to test the portal gun. These puzzles require the player to use portals to move objects, reach high places or manipulate the effects of momentum. This time around, however, there are some new, better toys to play with. The player must manipulate things like light bridges, tractor beams and laser beams with the portals. These new elements help to switch up the game play and add length.

Learning how to use all these tools in conjunction with portals in order to effectively navigate the puzzles is a rewarding challenge.

Unlike many shooter games, “Portal 2” requires the player to think before every move — mistakes in timing or portal placement could mean death. The game requires players to plan, thinking about a situation instead of just shooting to find a way out. Each puzzle tests the player’s intellect, but all are solvable through experimentation. Valve has perfected a system of giving the player clues, without outright giving the solution. Early puzzles get the player acquainted with how each tool works, from the lasers to the gravity lifts, before increasing the difficulty and adding more elements. Players new to “Portal” will find it

group, will play at Stella’s Café at 9:30 p.m. Robbins will be playing with a band of local musicians. There is a suggested $5 donation.

friday

The Rainbow Gala, a prom for all couples sponsored by the House of Roy, will begin at 7 p.m. in Klingenstein Lounge.

There will also be live music from Maria Shishmanian. Tickets are $5 at the door.

saturday

Red Bull Chariot Race, a

Players of “Portal 2” follow the game from a first-person perspective as the character Chell, a test subject trying to escape an evil computer. The object of the game is to create portals to solve puzzles.

Courtesy of Valve

easy to understand how the game works.

What is immediately evident after starting “Portal 2” is that this is a much larger world than the first “Portal.” While the graphics are nothing special, every nook and cranny is worth exploring. There are hidden small elements that expand their game’s world, such as posters on the walls, which help to tell the story of Aperture Science’s ultimate demise.

What set the original “Portal” apart was its incredibly humorous dialogue, and the strong story in “Portal 2” is no different. New characters, such as Wheatley, a robotic orb voiced

by Stephan Merchant from the U.K. version of “The Office,” expand the world. Merchant, along with all of the voice actors in the game, obviously had fun with their roles. Every line of dialogue is worth listening to for its humor, to the point where the voices become just as

entertaining as the puzzles themselves, considering GLaDOS and Wheatley’s antagonistic rapport. Expect to get plenty of laughs out of just listening to the game world.

Included in “Portal 2” is a special treat in the form of a cooperative game mode. In this mode, two players, each armed with their own portal gun, must work together to progress through the testing chambers. Valve makes clever use of the ability to have four portals instead of two, and builds on the game play conventions of the single-player mode. Working together to solve complex puzzles is a great addition to the game.

Ultimately, “Portal 2” is a game worthy of its predecessor’s legacy and praise. In a world filled with mindless first-person shooters, it’s a breath of fresh air to have a game that stresses brains over brawn.

Snoop Dogg loses sound collaborating with others Staff Writer

The “Doggfather” of hip-hop is back, and he’s funkier than ever. Snoop Dogg’s latest album “Doggumentary” is a nostalgic throwback Snoop Dogg to Snoop’s first al“Doggumenbum, “Doggystyle.” tary” “Doggumentary” Priority is a marathon of Records eclectic sounds that Our rating: all meld together HH1/2 with Snoop’s lyrics, which, while not especially memorable, hook the listener and delve deeper into the life and times of Snoop Dogg.

Snoop also includes an all-star cast collaborating with him on this 20-plus song album.

The album starts off with funk

Album Review

thursday

The Matt Robbins Band, an acoustic/jazz/pop

Game Review

by Robert Rivera

hot dates

master Bootsy Collins introducing the big Dogg in “Toyz N da Hood,” which starts off with the funk-rap West Coast style Snoop Dogg is best known for.

That leads into the song “The Way Life Used to Be,” which brings the listener into a euphoric state of nostalgia, for those who grew up listening to hip-hop before the West Coast/East Coast War. With only a few exceptions, such as “Raised in da Hood,” Snoop Dogg tries too hard collaborating with bands and people outside his genre of music, with odd songs like his and Willie Nelson’s, “Superman,” or “Sumthing Like this Night” featuring the Gorillaz. At times the collaborations become too much, leaving the listener confused as to which genre they are listening to.

The single standout song from

race on The Commons where competitors must build their own chariots, will run from noon to 3 p.m. downtown. Spectators are encouraged to dress in their finest toga garb.

ICircus Jazz Show will incorporate a 1920s spin on the group’s acrobatics and tricks.

The show starts at 6 p.m. in Clark Theatre. There is a suggested $5 entry fee.

sunday

Spring Writes: The Finger Lakes Literary Festival, an event celebrating writers and book lovers in the Finger Lakes, will conclude with an author panel at 3 p.m. at Barnes and Noble and then a reading from immigrant poets at 7:30 p.m. at the Kitchen Theatre.

Band finds truth in music

by Jared Dionne Staff Writer

The breakout band of 2008 is back for another dose of glory.

Three years ago, The Airborne The Airborne Toxic Event Toxic Event was “All at Once” the name on the Island lips of rock fans Records everywhere after Our rating: the group’s sinHHH1/2 gle “Sometime Around Midnight” took over modern rock airwaves.

From the album’s cover art to the bombastic nature of the tunes that beg to be screamed along to, everything about “All at Once” calls for action and resilience. To its credit, the band dabbles in elements outside of the ones it favored on the first album. The group samples from punk and electro stylings to reinforce its melodies.

Album Review

Courtesy of Priority Records

the album is “Peer Pressure,” Snoop Dogg’s plea to teens not to smoke, drink or do drugs. While this is a nice message for the youth, it is odd coming from a man who has built his whole rap repertoire on having sex and smoking weed — it seems dishonest.

The album has its shining moments, but they are utterly smeared by the overhaul of content and confusing genre of the album. It just goes to show how quality can speak miles compared to quantity.

The song “All I Ever Wanted” is a tearjerker chronicling the insecurities of love. Lead singer Mikel Jollett delivers a staggering performance as his voice bubbles over against soaring guitar chords and driving strings.

The band’s passionate songs display a world of truth, honesty and emotion that even exceeds the scope of its already impressive debut effort.

Courtesy of Island Records

quickies “All of You”

Architecture in Helsinski Modular Recordings

Beastie Boys Capitol Records

With playful melodies and lyrics, Colbie Caillat’s third studio release is yet another breezy, beachy compilation.

Caillat collaborates with artists like Lady Antebellum and Common on the album. courtesy of Universal Republic

“Moment Bends”

“Hot Sauce Committee Part 2”

Colbie Caillat Universal Republic Records

Australian band Architecture in Helsinski’s latest album showcases the members’ talents with the use of an expansive range of instruments. Pensive lyrics and emotion-filled vocals contribute to its success.

The band’s eighth album was delayed when member Adam “MCA” Yauch was diagnosed with cancer. Despite its struggles, the band produced a solid album, though it’s nothing groundbreaking. courtesy of Capitol Records

courtesy oF Modilar Recordings

compiled by lara bonner

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The Ithacan 19

Fast cast returns for dynamic fifth film [ Revamped high-octane car chases can’t save same old storyline bY alyssa fRey Staff Writer

Breaking the horrible sequel stereotype, “Fast Five” mixes firstand second-rate cinematic elements by pulling out all “Fast Five” the stops but leavUniversal ing the audience Pictures feeling like they’ve Our rating: seen it all before.

HH Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), Dominic “Dom” Toretto (Vin Diesel) and sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) reunite, topping the U.S. most wanted list for breaking Toretto out of prison.

The three flee to Brazil and learn the only way they can be free is to steal from the powerful businessman Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), who runs a high-end drug cartel in Rio. Secondary characters from the “Fast and Furious” series Matt Schulze, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kane and Gal Gadot join forces with the trio and pull off one final heist as a team.

While dealing with Reyes and his men, the team must also hide from FBI agent Hobbs (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) and his fellow officers, who want to arrest the original trio for crimes committed in the U.S. Debra Zane chose wisely when she cast Johnson for this role. From the way he walks to the way he flaunts his physical abilities, Johnson’s persona is perfect for this tough-guy character. He speaks every line with credibility and determination and redeems himself from the recent kiddy films on his résumé.

ticket stub

]

valid friday through thursday

cinemapolis The Commons 277–6115

Miral 9:10 p.m. and Weekends 4:10 p.m.

BILl cunningham new york 7:30 p.m. and Weekends 2:30 p.m. and 4:35 p.m.

Film Review

The Conspirator 7:10 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and Weekends 2:10 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Super 7:25 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Of Gods and Men 7 p.m. and Weekends 2 p.m.

Win Win HHH1/2 7:20 p.m., excluding Thursday, and 9:20 p.m. and Weekends 2:20 p.m. and 4:20 p.m.

Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and Dominic “Dom” Toretto (Vin Diesel) return to the big screen as criminals wanted by the U.S. government. They must hide from the police while trying to clear their names on the streets of Brazil.

Courtesy of universal pictures

Johnson’s know-it-all demeanor is complemented and articulated

by Diesel’s “go-get-’em” attitude and tough outer shell. Viewers will be happy to hear the long-awaited fight between Diesel and Johnson actually happens. But Diesel regains Johnson’s respect during a gruesome battle scene between Reyes’ men and others on the street.

After the most recent flops in the series, “Tokyo Drift” and “Fast & Furious,” director Justin Lin accelerates the action in the latest addition to this high-speed franchise. From the start of the film, the cars are fast, smooth and gorgeous. Toretto and O’Conner even reminisce about

their street-racing days when they race the top team in Brazil for faster cars that will help the team escape the police. With more violence and faster car chases, “Fast Five’s” action tops the series’ other films.

Despite writer Chris Morgan’s attempts to rescue the plot with details such as Mia’s pregnancy, only the glitz and glamour of the hot rods rescues the fifth installment of this long-running series from becoming a total flop.

Good acting and nice cars cannot cover up the shaky plot lines throughout “Fast Five.” Just 15 minutes into the film, Dom and O’Conner fall from a bridge in an

Animated birds sing happy tune

obviously fake stunt. From there, the mediocre plot deteriorates into almost nothing.

With little more than flashy cars and beefy men, “Fast Five” tries to prove itself in a world where romantic comedies rule the silver screen.

The film fulfills its intentions by reestablishing the “Fast and Furious” franchise as movies that are here to stay. Viewers can only hope that “Fast & Furious 6,” which is already slated for production, will have a little more meat to it.

“Fast Five” was written by Chris Morgan and Gary Scott Thompson, and directed by Justin Lin.

Suspensful show fires up new tune By jared dionne staff Writer

By Kelsey Fowler Accent Editor

With sweeping shots and carefully crafted detail, “Rio” takes flight as a visual treat.

Pet Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) is the last male blue macaw on the planet, and after some persuasion, his owner Linda (voiced by Leslie Mann) agrees to take him to Rio de Janeiro to meet female macaw Jewel “Rio” (voiced by Anne Hathaway). The 20th Century Fox two birds get snatched up by Our rating: smugglers and must enlist the HH1/2 help of local birds to escape.

The soaring music, infused with Latin beats and samba rhythms, adds character to the already stunning location. Musical breaks, like an evil villain song from the cockatoo Nigel (voiced by Jemaine Clement) are fun and energetic additions to the film. There’s also a club scene where the birds groove to a rap by canary Nico (voiced by Jamie Foxx) and cardinal Pedro (voiced by will.i.am).

What’s most impressive is the vocal work of the actors, who channel their on-screen energy through their voices. Eisenberg is his stumbling, awkward and excitable self, fitting Blu’s personality. Tracy Morgan steals the show as Luiz, a bulldog with more spunk than the one-dimensional humans in the film, bringing solid jokes and positive energy.

Visually, the film is breathtaking. Shots capture the entire city from, yes, a bird’s-eye view, and the beautifully composed scenes follow the action across Rio. The color and look of different bird species, from toucans to the star macaws, are spot on.

The movie picks up once Blu and Jewel start to fall in love. As the typical independent female, all Jewel wants to do is be free from her cage. Blu must

If fantasy fanatics are finding the wait for Peter Jackson’s adaptation of “The Hobbit” unbearable, HBO’s new series “Game of Thrones” may curb their desire.

Based on George R. R. Martin’s book series, “A “Game of Song of Ice and Fire,” “Game Thrones” of Thrones” casts the viewHBO er into a tangled world of Our rating: crisscrossing bloodlines, HHH scandal and murder.

While the series steers clear of the fantastical orcs and goblins found in films such as “The Lord of the Rings,” the show does boast one alumnus. Sean Bean takes a lead role as Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell.

Mark Addy drops the funnyman persona from “Still Standing” and takes up a crown to portray King Robert Baratheon. The casting selection for Baratheon may seem confusing at first, but Addy showcases his versatility.

He exudes power and has no problem throwing around the term “wenches.”

The premiere falters in character development as character after character is thrown into the mix, which may leave some viewers feeling confused and out of the loop.

Even though the premiere takes off at breakneck speed, it lures viewers in with early plot twists and strong acting throughout.

If the premiere is any indication of things to come, the audience is in for quite a treat.

TV Review

Film Review

Two macaws learn to work together and end up falling in love while escaping smugglers in Rio. Courtesy oF blue sky studios

learn to trust his heart rather than his head, and she helps him succeed along the way.

The writing itself is nothing spectacular. The plot is highly predictable, even for a movie aimed at a younger audience. It doesn’t take a bird expert to know Blu, who never learned to fly, will somehow have to pull himself together and, in a thrilling moment of suspense, fly on his own.

But, the abrupt ending leaves audiences with no real lesson about “being yourself” or “learning new things,” as one might expect in a kid-focused film.

The colorful visuals, music and vocal work help “Rio” soar, but the lack of a conclusive ending and the predictable plot might ruffle a few feathers.

“Rio” was written by Don Rhymer, Joshua Sternin, Jeffrey Ventimilia and Sam Harper, and directed by Carlos Saldanha.

“Game of Thrones” was created by D.B Weiss and David Benioff, and is based off the book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by R. R. Martin.

Jane EYre HHH 7:15 p.m. and 9:25 p.m. and Weekends 2:15 p.m. and 4:25 p.m.

regal stadium 14 Pyramid Mall 266-7960

jumping the broom 2:20 p.m., 5:10 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 10:40 p.m. something borrowed 1:40 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7:20 p.m., 10:10 p.m.

Thor 12:50 p.m., 3:40 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 9:20 p.m. thor 3-D 1:20 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:10 p.m., 4:10 p.m., 4:50 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 8:50 p.m., 9:50 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 11:05 p.m.

Fast Five HHH 1:10 p.m., 4:40 p.m., 7:50 p.m., 9:40 p.m., 10:50 p.m.

Hoodwinked too! Hood Vs. Evil 3-D 3:00 p.m, 5:20 p.m.

PRom 1:50 p.m., 4:20 p.m., 6:50 p.m., 9:30 p.m.

Madea’s BIg Happy Family 1:10 p.m., 6:20 p.m.

Water For elephants HH1/2 1:10 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 7:10 p.m., 10:20 p.m. rio the movie 3-d HH1/2 1 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 6:10 p.m., 9:00 p.m. scream 4 H1/2 3:20 p.m., 9:10 p.m. source code HHH1/2 1:40 p.m., 4:25 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:20 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

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Thursday, M ay 5, 2 0 1 1

The Ithacan 21

Look who’s reading the Ithacan...

Junior Jacob Fitzpartrick

Grab yours today!

The Ithacan

Divers ion s

22 The Ithacan

dormin’ norman

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

sudoku

By Jonathan Schuta ’14

7 5 4 6 4

3 1

1 7

2 4 9

2

6

5

7 5 4 6 4

3 1

1 7

2 4 9

7 8 3 2 6

6

6 5 2 1 8 3 9 4 8 3 5 6 7 2 6 4 9 5 9 2 7 1

Š Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com

1

6 9

2 3 4 3 4 8 9 6 7 9 6 8 5 5 4 6 9

9 1 7 3 8

Š Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com

Š Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com

6 5 2 1 8 3 9 4 8 3 5 6 7 2 6 4 9 5 9 2 7 1

2 3 4 8 9

1

answers to last week’s sudoku

1

2

3

4

11

5

6

7

12

14

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19

22

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29

23

24

25

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39

40

27

30

31

33

32

34

35

36 41

45

10

16

17 21

9

13

15

20

8

46

37

42

43 47

44

48

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54

crossword ACROSS 1 Animal friend 4 Road hazard 7 B-movie crook 11 Skirt length 12 Camel’s-hair color 13 Heavy hydrogen discoverer 14 Views 16 Latitude 17 Hinder 18 Ejects 20 Slalom run 21 Glasgow or Burstyn 23 Wall climber 26 Quechua speaker 27 “The Raven,� for one 28 In twos 31 Kind of pig 33 Submits a request

34 35 36 38 41 43 45 47 49 50 51 52 53 54

By United Media

Type of wolf Wish undone Bend down License plate Eyewash acid Faye Dunaway role Red-waxed cheese Iffy Glassmaker Lalique Notre Dame sight Hideous monster Verve Rock’s Leppard Wahine’s welcome

DOWN 1 Organ parts 2 Revises 3 Antler prong 4 Who am — — say?

5 Cooking oil choice 6 Follow upon 7 Nomad dwelling 8 Wearing away 9 College maj.

10 Fitness center 11 Method 15 Castle that danced 19 Tin, in the lab 22 Arith. term 24 Notch shape 25 Vocalist Sumac 26 W-2 collectors 27 Deep-dish dessert

28 29 30 31 32 34 36 37 38 39 40 42 44

Golf score Sun Devils sch.

Art of flower arranging Yucky stuff Remove price controls Setting Prom honoree Not bold Hint of color Video-game pioneer Peril at sea “May it not be an —!�

Baroque stringed instrument 45 Prior to 46 Mid-Atlantic st.

48 Sports “zebra�

answers to last week’s crossword Z I NC A R I E GE L A S EGR E GE E S GN P E R A D E I G NU A E T N T A E MUD

C I N E Y AM ROU E EMT T I N R A S P S U B S I L T T K E E P E R S E ND S R E L P L E A T D E E I V A N P A L E N E D T R Y S T B S MR I A MOUN T E D L I ON COV E L OC K EWE R

Thursday, M ay 5, 2 0 1 1

sports

The Ithacan 23

A second chance

Senior attack jump-starts career by transferring to South Hill by chris barriere staff writer

Lacrosse has always been embedded in senior attack Jay Lucas’ life, but an incident early in his college career threatened his chance of playing the sport.

When Lucas was a freshman on an athletic schol- For a 1-on-1 with attack Jay arship at the University of Lucas, visit the Massachusetts-Amherst, theithacan.org. he and seven of his lacrosse teammates were at an off-campus house party when tensions between the players and the homeowners escalated. When Lucas and his teammates were asked to leave, they became involved in a physical altercation, which led to eight players being suspended and three players being legally charged with physical assault and battery.

The three players were not prosecuted and Lucas was not charged. Lucas was suspended from the team for the entire 2008 season, three days shy of the regular season opener.

The incident was the climax of increasing

pressure Lucas felt as a Division I athlete.

“It was totally different,” Lucas said. “It’s time consuming, and it’s a full-time job.”

Lucas found himself playing lacrosse six days a week and sometimes waking up for 6 a.m. practices in the freezing cold New England weather. In addition to athletics, Lucas was required to attend a mandatory athlete-only study hall for at least eight hours a week.

Lucas said the high status of the UMass lacrosse players on and off campus made him and his teammates feel like they could get away with more than non-athletes.

“You kind of build an ego when you live there,” Lucas said. “All of us freshman were living together, playing lacrosse together and we thought we were really cool.”

Lucas said he wanted to ignore the flurry of media reports from outlets such as ESPN, which said the players’ actions had tarnished the program’s image in the wake of consecutive winning seasons.

“A lot of it was made up and rumor based,”

From left, St. Lawrence University sophomore midfielder Dave Schoettler tries to move past senior attack Jay Lucas during the Bombers’ 9–5 loss April 17 at Higgins Stadium.

Juan tamayo/the ithacan

he said. “So I tried to not pay attention to it.”

Looking back on the incident as a whole, Lucas said his immaturity led him down the wrong path.

“We made a couple bad decisions that night, and we paid for it,” he said.

The team finished 5–9 that season, only two years after winning the National Championship. Eight of the 10 members of the freshman class left the team after the 2008 season, including Lucas.

The former Minuteman decided to take a semester off and return home to think about his future. He wasn’t sure where he would go, but he knew it would not be UMass. He said he was certain he still wanted to play lacrosse.

“Lacrosse was something I was not ready to give up,” he said. “It was what got me into college and what I believe ultimately led me to enroll at Ithaca College.”

Lucas wanted to get back on the field at a Division III school because he wanted to be able to balance his education with playing lacrosse and having a personal life.

After reaching out to multiple Division III schools, Lucas came in contact with Head Coach Jeff Long.

Long said he heard great reviews about Lucas and was looking forward to giving the former Minuteman a new home as a Bomber.

“Every kid should have a second chance,” Long said. “We all make a mistake. You should be able to get back on the horse and try it again.”

Lucas played in the final four games of the 2009 season after transferring to South Hill for the second semester of his sophomore year, scoring six goals. He picked up a major in recreational management and enrolled in classes in the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance.

Lucas has impressed his teammates with his offensive skills in his second full season as a Bomber, scoring 13 goals and tallying 17 assists. His quickness and agility allow

him to shake defenders and fire shots that hit the back of the net before the opposing goalie can see the ball leave his stick.

But Lucas’ teammates also see the maturity he has gained after the UMass altercation.

Senior captain Mike Silipo said the incident made him realize how quickly the privileges of playing lacrosse could be taken away.

“It brought him down to earth and got him grounded,” Silipo said. “It made him realize that you can’t take anything for granted.”

Lucas said the incident has helped him become more focused on team goals than individual ones.

“I’ve become a much more unselfish player, much more win-orientated,” he said. “If we win, I don’t care if I have a goal or an assist.”

Long said Lucas has established himself as a go-to teammate in all situations.

“People look to him and feed off his energy level,” Long said. “People look to him for guidance for things that relate to lacrosse and things that don’t.”

Freshman Jake Long said Lucas has built high morale into the team. This was most evident in the second game of the year March 14 against New England College, when Lucas dodged a defender, took the ball through the arc unassisted and ripped home his third goal of the year.

“He jogged off the field with a big smile on his face and said, ‘We got this all day,’” Jake Long said. “It really boosted everyone’s confidence.”

A few offensive series later, Jake Long scored the next goal of the game on a pass from none other than Lucas. The Bombers ended up winning the game 13–4.

With the Empire 8 tournament this weekend in Rochester, N.Y., Lucas said he is embracing his leadership role on the team and using his fear of failing as motivation to meet the team’s expectations.

“It’s not all about the points to me,” he said, “I just want to win games. People expect me to be the best player on the field, and I don’t want to let them down”.

Sports

24 The Ithacan

The Hot Corner Casey Musarra

A farewell to glory days

M

y mother, big Bruce Springsteen fan though she is, has always preached to me that I shouldn’t live in my glory days.

She doesn’t want me to be like those 1978 football state championship guys who still brag about winning that title. I think I can happily tell her I won’t be roaming the halls of Whippany Park High School wearing my varsity jacket and REPEAT COUNTY CHAMPS 2006 & 2007 T-shirt, because these are my glory days. Plus, I gave that shirt to my roommate.

Making deadline right at midnight is followed by “woohoos” and chest bumps just as intense as those that followed game-winning walk-off hits with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

My glory days began with the wonderful women’s tennis team that welcomed me into the world of reporting with open arms. I had the good fortune of profiling Rachel Gunderson ’07 and senior Melanie Cohen, who helped me learn the ropes of good profile writing. And I still chalk up Head Coach Bill Austin as one of my favorite interviewees.

In my sophomore season I got a taste of the big leagues when I reported on Shane Wolf ’08 and teammate Bryan Gardner, who were drafted by the Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds, respectively, in 2008.

Later that year I got to cover the baseball team that looked like it’d be going through a rebuilding year after losing its right-handed ace and left-handed shutdown closer. But with its six first-team all-conference selections, including starting pitchers Pete MacDaniel ’09 and Tom Fishback ’10, the young Bombers not only filled the shoes of the new pros but finished with a 29–10 overall record and their ninth consecutive Empire 8 conference title.

While I only dabbled in minimal coverage of the football and men’s basketball teams, I’m glad I got to cover what we think of in the professional sports world as the big three — particularly in profiling senior Chris Cruz-Rivas.

Beyond covering varsity sports I got to do some experimental features with articles about golf as a part of the business world and a firsthand account of auditioning for the hip-hop team.

I couldn’t have done any of it without my faithful co-workers, my teammates on this field of dreams, and the big guy who shall remain nameless, my mentor and coach. But most of all, I couldn’t have done it without you, the readers. Thank you for turning to page 24 every week.

So, I take Mom’s advice with a grain of salt, and give you the best advice I can offer — hold onto your glory days for as long as you can. casey musarra is a senior televison-radio major. Contact her at cmusarr1@ithaca.edu.

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

Bomber coach garners 900th victory By harlan green-taub staff writer

The history of the baseball program is one with a rich winning tradition. Since its inception in 1931, only four managers have sat in the third base dugout at Freeman Field.

For the past 33 years, Head Coach George Valesente ’66 has guided the Bombers on the playThe baseball team ing field. After 24 NCAA has averaged 27 playoff appearances, two wins per season national championships and under Head Coach an induction into the College George Valesente.

Baseball Hall of Fame, Valesente recorded his 900th victory with the Bombers 8–6 win against SUNY-Oneonta on April 27.

With an additional 54 wins from six seasons split at SUNY-Brockport, SUNY-New Paltz and SUNY-Maritime, Valesente is one of four active coaches in Division III baseball with more than 950 career wins. He said he wasn’t aware he was close to 900 wins as a Bomber until after he had already earned the milestone victory.

“Certainly it’s exciting, and I can’t believe it’s gone by so quickly,” Valesente said. “Just to be able to share this with everyone that is involved with the program is really special.”

Senior first baseman Trevor Wolf, who has known Valesente since he was a child, said it has been a thrill and a dream come true to play for him.

“He’s one of the best coaches you’re going to find at any level — college or professional,” Wolf said. “He knows everything there is to know about the game, and he really works hard to fine-tune your skills and make you a better player.”

Wolf, whose brother Shane ’08 also played under Valesente, said helping Valesente get his 900th win meant even more because of his family connection to the program.

“He helped my brother get to the Minor Leagues, so helping him reach a milestone like that is something I’m proud to be a part of,” Trevor Wolf said.

Graduate student third baseman David Ahonen said it was Valesente’s approach to the game and no-nonsense attitude that attracted him to play baseball for Ithaca College.

stat check

Head Coach George Valesente ’66 talks to his players during a mound visit in an 8–6 win April 27 against SUNY-Oneonta at Freeman Field. The win was the 900th of Valesente’s 33-year career.

ANDREW CASPER/The ithacaN

“I had a chance to get to know him on recruiting trips, and right away you knew he was a great motivator and a true leader,” Ahonen said. “I’ve never seen him fooled by a situation or not know what to do in a particular spot.”

Ahonen said Valesente makes it a point to challenge players and make them respond to adversity, which is part of the reason the players think he has been so successful.

“He wants to find guys that can respond to a challenge and perform under tough conditions,” Ahonen said.

Valesente credits most of his success in the

program to all of his assistant coaches and the countless players who put on the Bomber uniform during his tenure.

“This is by no means an individual accomplishment, and so many people — from the support staff, to the assistant coaches to the players — helped make this happen,” he said.

Valesente said he wanted to thank his wife, Diane, for her love and support throughout his entire career, especially while he was on the road with the team.

“Coaches are away a lot, and without her I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he said.

Senior class plays with versatility and swagger By kevin mccall

assistant sports editor

Whether it was with a hit, strikeout, or stolen base, each member of the senior class on the softball team contributed to the Bombers sweep of St. John Fisher College on Saturday that earned them the Empire 8 regular season conference title.

Through their adaptability and all-around talent, the class of 2011 has led the Bombers to two appearances in the NCAA Division III World Series and a pair of Empire 8 conference playoff titles.

Posters honoring each senior, including designated player Kerry Barger, second baseman Kait Dolan, first baseman Courtney Noster, pitcher and third baseman Allison Greaney, and pitcher and outfielder Britt Lillie hung on the Bombers dugout during Saturday’s doubleheader, looking like retired numbers.

Noster, who ranks ninth on the all-time list in fielding percentage with a mark of .983, said she and her four classmates know they can rely on each other to make the necessary plays in the field.

“It’s like we have ESP,” she said.

“We know what we have to do to motivate each other, and we know where each of us will be when the ball is put in play.”

Lillie and Greaney have made impacts for the Blue and Gold as both pitchers and position players.

Greaney said while every senior class wants to set an example for the

Senior pitcher and third baseman Allison Greaney makes contact in the Bombers 2–1 win against St. John Fisher College on Saturday.

Alex Mason/the ithacan

rest of the team, these seniors wanted to pass on the adage that there was no substitute for hard work, especially when the team was forced into early morning practice times at the start of the season.

“Those early 5 a.m. practices were a struggle,” she said. “But at the end

of the day the five of us knew we just had to show everyone that this was what [being on the team] would take and not complain about it.”

Freshman outfielder Rachel Dell’Orto said the seniors helped the younger players adopt a team first mentality, will to win and

focus on individual progress. She said their upbeat attitude inspired the team during the large gaps in the schedule.

“They were always looking to help us,” she said. “Even if they were giving us criticism on something we were working on, they were positive about it all the time,” she said.

Head Coach Deb Pallozzi said the senior class’s versatility and confidence made them stand out.

“We’ve been able to win a lot with this group because of their ability to step up when other players were down,” Pallozzi said. “They’ve been able to play everywhere in the field and never questioned their own talent.”

Pallozzi said Dolan was the most influential player in the senior class, stealing a career high of nine bases during her junior year —coming off a season that limited her to 10 games because of blood clots in her left leg.

Saturday’s postgame ceremony was one of jubilation and nostalgia for the senior class, with a 9–4 win followed by a 2–1 walk-off win to end the afternoon.

Lillie said she enjoyed reflecting on her achievements after the game but did not feel any sense of finality to this season.

“It’s always good to look back on your accomplishments over your four years here because each season does fly by,” she said. “But we know Saturday’s game was only the first step to achieve what we’re ultimately trying to accomplish.”

Sports

Thursday, M ay 5, 2 0 1 1

The Ithacan 25

Fresh off the boat

Freshmen’s continued success fueled by work ethic and unity

by Matt Kelly staff writer

The stinging rain and rough, choppy waters of Onota Lake in Pittsfield, Mass., signified spring had yet to gain permanent footing in New England.

Yet the wind, rain and waves were no match for the eight sets of oars in the men’s crew novice 8 boat, and neither was the competition, as it won its fourth consecutive race of the season at Williams College on April 23.

In fact, few opponents have been able to slow the novice 8’s run as the rookies have a record of 13–2 this season. Freshman Paul Casey said the best part is that these rowers are still learning to compete in the sport.

“I didn’t really have any expectations for this season other than learning how to row,” Casey said.

“But I’ve been very happy with what we have accomplished. As novices, there are always things that we can still improve on.”

The novice 8 boat consists of all freshmen, with only three members who had prior experience in crew or rowing before college.

Several members didn’t even join the Blue and Gold until the start of the spring semester after playing other sports.

However, Casey said the boat’s stellar work ethic is the biggest reason the squad has been able to come together so quickly.

“Technique-wise, we may not be the smoothest in the water,” Casey

said. “But we definitely work the hardest, and that’s a big factor in why we’ve had such a great season.”

The novices also attribute some of their success to their interactions with varsity rowers.

Freshman Andrew Voorhees said the best advice he’s received from the upperclassmen is a boat needs contributions from everyone to succeed.

“They’ve told me mainly just not to focus on individual effort but the team effort,” Voorhees said. “You can personally row well, but if one or two other people do not perform as well, then the boat as a whole won’t do very well. Crew is really a team sport instead of an individual sport.”

The Bombers are also receiving great insight about team unity from Novice Coach Manny Delgado.

“I tell them to stay together,” Delgado said. “In a sense that both on and off the water, it’s so important to stay together as a team.

When we’re rowing out on the water, the best boats are the ones that do everything together.”

Delgado said the novice 8 boat’s success is linked to the squad’s refusal to be content.

“What I really like about this crew is that they’ve developed an awareness of their strengths and weaknesses,” he said. “They know when they have a good practice and when they have a bad practice.

They’re really open to feedback for learning to get better.”

The Blue and Gold’s rookies will

From left, freshmen Matt Kurz, Alex Becker, Tyler Edwards and Erik Frid get in rhythm Sunday at Cayuga Inlet.

The Bombers compete at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships on Sunday in Worcester, Mass. michelle boulÉ/the ithacan

be facing tougher tests in the coming weeks. The South Hill squad will compete in its final race at the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships on Sunday and will be gunning to compete at the NCAA Championships on May 28.

During the past few weeks, the novice 8 rowers have been focusing on perfecting synchronization with

every stroke. Since there will two to three more boats added to each race at ECACs, Casey said it’s vital he and his fellow rowers keep their blinders on.

“The biggest that thing we have to work on right now is staying focused in our boat and keeping our heads in our own race,” Casey said. “And not worry about where

the other boats are in the water.”

Delgado said the team’s preparation has set it up to have a big finish at the upcoming championships.

“They believe they have a shot, too, which is important,” he said.

“If we continue the path that we’ve been on and stay focused on our own boat then I have full faith that they can medal at nationals.”

26 The Ithacan

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

Squad adjusts to schedule as postseason nears by rebecca alpert contributing writer

With the cancellation of New York State Championships this past weekend, the women’s crew found itself in uncertain waters.

Because of flooding in Whitney Point, N.Y., which cancelled the state meet, the Bombers invited Army, Marist College, Rochester Institute of Technology and the Binghamton University club team to race Sunday at Cayuga Inlet. The three teams that were invited, aside from Binghamton, were all scheduled to race at states.

Senior Captain Jine Andreozzi said the team is disappointed about losing an opportunity to compete.

“All of our boats were very excited and ready to race,” she said. “So it was a let down that the event could not be held. It’s especially hard for us seniors as this was supposed to be our last state championships, and we didn’t get the chance to compete.”

Andreozzi said the Blue and Gold benefited from the races Sunday.

“The biggest takeaway from this weekend is that all our boats are ready to race and prepared for a lot of different racing conditions,” she said.

For the Bombers, this week is all about getting geared up for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships on Sunday, Andreozzi said.

“Mentally, it will be important for the team to be focused this week and dedicated to getting a lot of race preparation in,” she said.

“Mostly, we just need to stay excited this week and motivate each other.”

Head Coach Becky Robinson said the absence of states, which has not been rescheduled, will not hinder the Blue and Gold’s preparation for the postseason.

“It’s not going to affect the training plan because we’re going to race,” Robinson said.

“But it affects our opportunity to race because we lost state championships.”

From left, senior Kerin Murphy and sophomore Madison Vander Hill row during a race Sunday against Army, Marist College, Rochester Institute of Technology and Binghamton University. michelle boulÉ/the ithacan

The training for ECACs and states began in the fall. The Bombers have been preparing for a while and are into the peaking aspect of their training, Robinson said.

Andreozzi said the cancellation of states makes the next meet more important because it will have an impact on the Blue and Gold’s championship chances.

“ECACs is going to play a major role in our chances of getting a bid to NCAAs so it’s important for us to do the best we can,” she said.

Look online for game stories from these sports: TOMORROW

• 10 a.m. Men’s track and field at New York State Collegiate Track Conference Championships at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. • 10 a.m. Women’s track and field at New York State Collegiate Track Conference Championships at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. • Noon. Softball vs. Stevens Institute of Technology at Kostrinsky Field • TBA. Men’s lacrosse at Empire 8 Conference Championship tournament semifinal vs. Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, N.Y. • TBA. Baseball vs. St. John Fisher College at Freeman Field

SATURDAY

• 10 a.m. Men’s track and field at New York State Collegiate Track Conference Championships at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. • 10 a.m. Women’s track and field at New York State Collegiate Track Conference Championships at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. • Noon. Men’s tennis at Empire 8 Conference Championship tournament semifinal vs. No. 3 or No. 4 seed at the Reis Tennis Center at Cornell University • 2:30 p.m. Women’s lacrosse at Empire 8 Conference Championship tournament semifinal vs. Nazareth College in Hoboken, N.J. • 3:30 p.m. Baseball at Utica College

SUNDAY

• 8 a.m. Men’s crew at Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.

• 8 a.m. Women’s crew at Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.

• Noon. Baseball at Utica College • Noon. Men’s tennis at Empire 8 Conference Championship tournament finals vs. TBA at the Reis Tennis Center at Cornell University

Bold = Home game

The Ithacan

online | theithacan.org/sports

zac blitz/the ithacan

If the team is to improve on its fourth place showing at ECACs last season, the squad’s leaders will have to set an example with their enthusiasm, Robinson said.

“Again we started off with that — with leadership, attitude and enthusiasm in the fall, with people wanting to do better and wanting to work harder,” she said.

This season is different from others because the squad lost the chance to race at the Ithaca Duals and against Marietta College.

The Bombers have a general idea of who the competition is because the coaches look at other teams’ times, Andreozzi said.

“We adjust to this by making sure to never underestimate the competition and racing the best race we can every time we go on the water,” she said. “With weather conditions and other factors you never know what can happen in any given race. We have to be ready to play into our strengths and follow our race plan.”

To get into NCAAs, the team’s biggest competition is Williams College and Bates College, and the Bombers will be looking to avenge previous losses to both teams.

Senior Captain Amy Gefell said the Blue and Gold are ready to go a second round with those teams that defeated them earlier in the season.

“When we are getting ready to face a crew that has previously beaten us, we learn from the race and take the next race as a challenge to push ourselves and make it the best possible racing experience,” Gefell said.

Preparing for ECACs is different than other races because, in addition to Williams and Bates, the Blue and Gold face teams they haven’t seen before.

Andreozzi said the Bombers get information about other crews by putting up their times on row2k.com, a website that tracks times from all divisions of crew.

“We can try and compare our times to the competition,” she said. “But it really comes down to just racing the other boats and not worrying about past times because you never know what can happen during the race.”

Andreozzi said the South Hill squad is prepared to step it up a notch going into the championship season.

“Not being able to race states has definitely left us hungry for some tough racing,” Andreozzi said. “We’re ready to show everyone how far we’ve come since the beginning of the season.”

[the buzzer]

Thursday, M ay 5, 2 0 1 1

The Ithacan 27

With spring sports coming to a close, The Ithacan’s sports staff picks the season’s best Bombers

Spring all-ithacan

baseball

Softball*

team

men’s crew Novice 8

Arguably the Bombers’ most consistent boat throughout the season, the novice 8 has had one of its best seasons in recent memory. The freshman boat has won four straight races and has defeated 13 of its 15 opponents this spring. The novices’ best performance this season came April 23 when they finished ahead of Williams College with a season-best time of 6:26.5. It was the second-fastest time of any of the Bombers’ boats this season.

men’s lacrosse Junior Tom Mongelli

Mongelli has started all 16 games at attack for the Blue and Gold this season. He leads the team with 36 goals and 44 points. He had a streak of three consecutive hat tricks between March 16 and March 26, playing against Whittier College, SUNY-Oneonta and SUNY-Maritime.

Mongelli is second on the team in ground balls, scooping up 37. He has caused five turnovers this season.

softball

Senior Britt Lillie

Senior outfielder and pitcher Britt Lillie epitomizes the five-tool player for the softball team. She is one of two Bombers to play in all 34 games this season. She leads the team in RBIs and walks with 35 and 21, respectively. She had the game-ending hit in a 9–1 win against Nazareth College on April 17. Lillie leads this season’s pitching staff with nine wins, 90 innings pitched and 63 strikeouts. She is also a force on the bases, stealing 15 in 19 attempts in her career. She ranks in the top-10 in the softball program’s all-time history in home runs, RBIs and strikeouts.

men’s track and field Senior Kyle Devins

Devins was one of four co-captains on the team for both the indoor and outdoor seasons. He started the outdoor season by provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships in the long jump. He helped seal the Bombers’ fifth straight Empire 8 outdoor title by breaking his own Empire 8 conference records in the long jump and triple jump at the Empire 8 Conference Championships on April 17. Less than a week later, he broke the Bombers’ record in the long jump with a leap of 7.43 meters.

Junior Teagan Barresi

Barresi, who transferred to Ithaca College before the start of the season, led the Bombers in several offensive categories. His .416 batting average, 23 RBIs, .600 slugging percentage, seven stolen bases and 49 total bases all lead the team. Barresi is also among the team’s top-three in hits (44), on-base percentage (.473) and walks (eight). He has had 11 multihit games this season, one coming in a loss against University of Redlands on March 18 when he knocked in four runs.

The

number of wins sophomore Cristina Nunez had for the women’s tennis team last season. See story on page 24.

The number of athletes on the women’s track team who provisionally or automatically qualified for the national

women’s crew First Varsity 8

The women’s crew’s first varsity 8 is ranked second in the NCAA and third as a team. They finished ahead of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the College of the Holy Cross, Colby College and Connecticut College on April 16 at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass., with a time of 7:20.9. They finished first in the regular season finale Sunday on Cayuga Inlet, defeating Marist College, Army and Binghamton University.

women’s lacrosse Junior Nicole Borisenok

Borisenok led the team with 44 goals and 12 assists for a team-high 56 points, starting all 15 of the Bombers’ games this season. She scored goals on 44 percent of her shots and had 11 multi-goal games. She collected 18 ground balls, 10 of which caused turnovers. The returning Empire 8 all-conference honorable mention pick had a seven-goal performance in a 20–14 victory over Empire 8 conference rival St. John Fisher College on April 2.

men’s tennis Senior Josh Rifkin

With a singles and doubles win against the University of Rochester to open the season, Rifkin became the Bombers’ all-time match wins leader. Rifkin has compiled a record of 13–5 in singles this season and 14–4 in doubles teaming with junior Jimmy Newton. Rifkin is ranked 10th in singles, and the Rifkin/Newton pair is ranked fifth in doubles in the NCAA Northeast Regional. A strong Empire 8 tournament could land Rifkin a bid into the individual NCAA tournament.

women’s track and field Senior Kate Leugers

Showing impressive range, Leugers has run three NCAA provisional qualifying times in the 1,500-, 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs. Running at the Penn Relays, Leugers broke a school record in the 5,000-meter run. Her time of 17:06 in the event is the fourth fastest in Division III this year. At the national championships, Leugers will look to become the Bombers’ first distance runner to earn All-American honors since Lynn Janovich ‘03 did in the 800-meter run in 2003.

28 The Ithacan

Th is I See

Check out an audio slideshow of the music and dance from Asia Night at theithacan.org.

Cornell students Jee Yun Lee and Chae Rim Lee of Shimtah play the Jing and Janggu drums. The group plays a form of traditional Korean folk music and was established in the fall of 1999.

Thursday, M ay 5, 2011

Evening in the

East

Students gather for a night of Asian culture Friday in IC Square sponsored

by IC Asian American Alliance Photos by Michelle BoulĂŠ photo editor

Members of the Cornell University Lion Dance Team perform at Ithaca College’s annual Asia Night.

The group performs a traditional lion dance while using a southern Chinese-style lion costume.

Michael and David Guan listen to freshman Chau Nguyen as she shows them how to make paper cranes. All proceeds from the event went to the American Red Cross for relief efforts in Japan.

From left, sophomore Shimeng Gao and senior Asuka Suzuki perform a dance routine for IC Bubble Girls. The girls dance to music from Taiwan, Korea and Japan.