Year in Review 2011-12 by The Ithacan

year in review Ithaca College 2011-12 A special publication of The Ithacan

year in

review Ithaca College 2011-12

Change is in season.

Year in Review Whitney Faber Editor Julia Cicale Design Editor Rachel Orlow Photo Editor Lara Bonner Proofreader Marissa Smith Proofreader

Special Thanks Rachel Orlow for taking studio portraits on pages 6-7, 34-35, 60, 80-87, 123 and the cover. MCT for photos and news briefs. Christopher Roach for his support.

The Ithacan Aaron Edwards Editor in Chief Whitney Faber Managing Editor Lara Bonner Managing Editor Kelsey O’Connor News Editor Elma Gonzalez Assistant News Editor Erica Palumbo Assistant News Editor Patrick Duprey Online Editor Megan Devlin Opinion Editor Alexandra Evans Opinion Editor Kelsey Fowler Accent Editor Shea O’Meara Accent Editor Allie Healy Assistant Accent Editor Kevin McCall Sports Editor Harlan Green-Taub Assistant Sports Editor Matt Kelly Assistant Sports Editor Michelle Boulé Photo Editor Rachel Orlow Photo Editor Emily Park Assistant Photo Editor Shawn Steiner Assistant Photo Editor Rachel Woolf Assistant Photo Editor Molly Apfelroth Design Editor Flora Wang Assistant Design Editor Sara Webb Chief Proofreader Marissa Smith Chief Proofreader Matthew Dezii Chief Copy Editor Honest Charley Bodkin Webmaster Carly Gill Multimedia Editor Kari Beal Multimedia Editor Rachel Heiss Sales Manager Derek Rogers Sales Manager Michael Serino Student Media Adviser

news 10 The year in brief

People from around the world tried to make a change in the future with protests for freedom and against corporate greed.

24 Season of protest

Locally and across the country, students and citizens are taking action and speaking out about the issues they care about.

36 IC 20/20

Ithaca College approves President Tom Rochonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 10-year vision plan, which includes a set of key initiatives aimed at unifying the college.

38 The dish on debt

Students raise concerns about their ability to pay off student loans after graduation and question whether private education is worth its high price tag.

44 No fracking way

Residents of the City of Ithaca and the surrounding area voice their concerns about the potential harm of hydraulic fracturing.

48 Living as one

Ithaca College students from many different cultures perform at the One World Concert as a way to educate people and showcase their talents.

52 Brand new look

The Office of Marketing Communications unveils its new Ithaca College logo and brand identity in a marketing campaign to bolster competition.

56 Beating around the bush

Residents of the Jungle, the tent community that 50 homeless people of Ithaca call home, are left in limbo as the city decides whether to evict them.

58 Native understanding

The Ithaca community works to alter negative stereotypes of Native Americans with the First Peoples Festival.

life

arts

65 96 73 65 Down to the wire

92 No day but today

67 Naked Truth

96 Dancing on pointe

73 Speak for yourself

100 Closer to color

75 In loving memory

103 A novel process

82 Standout seniors

106 Movie reviews

Students discuss the use of Adderall as a means of fueling long nights of course work as the nation deals with a shortage of the drug.

Ithaca College students deal with the stigmas and challenges that come with stripping in order to pay their bills.

A new voice modification program at Ithaca College helps transgender individuals move more confidently through society.

One student shares her personal experiences with suicide to raise awareness about the national issue young adults face.

Six seniors, chosen by the deans of the five different schools at the college, are spotlighted for their outstanding achievement in their college careers.

100

Driven Puerto Rican student re-auditions for the theater department out of faith in the program’s ability to prepare students for success.

Students showcase their modern and classical dance talents in the Mainstage Theater production of the original dance show “Illuminated Bodies.”

A local artist uses colorful lines and shapes in an abstract style to explore the interaction of objects and ideas through art.

An Ithaca College professor talks about her experience writing her first novel, which was critically acclaimed and became a best-seller.

Whether it be a hilarious comedy or intense drama — or a mix of both — this year’s films left reviewers wanting more.

sports 116 Source of inspiration

Senior football player is motivated by the memory of his late father throughout his college career on the team.

120 Exercising a passion

A personal trainer designs a dubstep fitness class after switching from an acting major during his freshman year.

120

121 Just add water

The Fitness Center joins the Latin-inspired exercise craze with a new Aqua Zumba class, which improves strength and endurance.

122 Crunch Time

Columnist Harlan Green-Taub shares his opinions on controversial topics buzzing around the national sports arena.

124 Top 5 Games

The Blue and Gold prove their power and dedication in this year’s top five games, each of which put their talents to the test.

128 Heart of gold

The Bombers lose the annual rivalry Cortaca Jug game against the Dragons, but still have loyal fans there to cheer them on.

128

134 Basketball

Both women’s and men’s basketball made their marks, with women’s posting a record number of wins and men’s snagging the Empire 8 title.

134

138 In da club

Students played hard and showed their Bomber pride on the multiple club teams this year, proving its not just varsity that bleeds Blue and Gold.

140 Swimming and diving

Women’s and men’s swimming and diving defend their reputations and dive into successful seasons to become Empire 8 Champions.

143 Baseball

The baseball team gears up for the spring season, relying on its set of young talent — specifically from the pitchers — and veteran leadership.

140

from the Aaron Edwards

Editor in Chief, The Ithacan

ere’s the thing. I am not an activist. The closest I’ve come to protesting or participating in any form of civil disobedience in college was when I was a freshman going through the Grab and Go line in Campus Center Dining Hall. Blondeva, arguably one of the college community’s favorite and most recognizable dining hall employees, was waving goodbye to me as I headed to the drink refrigerator close to the exit. Suddenly, she stopped me in my tracks. “You can’t leave here with more than one drink, hunny.” I was caught red-handed with a Pepsi and a Fanta Grape. But this wasn’t fair, I thought. I pay thousands of dollars to go to this school, and I can’t even get an extra sugary beverage? I stated my case to Blondeva as she stared at me with matter-of-fact disappointment. I was also holding up the line. I was embarrassed. This was a very ineffective protest. After a few moments, she gave in. “Go on. Just this once.” Justice won that day. Well, it’s not really justice since I sort of stole from Grab and Go and just got my way, but there’s a bigger point here, I promise. Stay with me, now. You’d think that this young generation of students — the kids who grew up in a post-9/11 society where restrictions and governmental control inundate their everyday lives — would sit back and not do much about their situation. But more and more we’re finding ways

to fight the good fight. We’re always casting a lens on the ’60s and comparing ourselves to what many see as a Golden Age of public displays of contention. Who was more effective? Are we really more active than the flower children, radicals and pacifists who filled city streets to combat the conniving works of embattled politicians, the tumultuous repercussions of the Vietnam War and the crippling blow of racism in American society? How can we possibly stack up to that? But that was then. And this is now. As journalists covering the campus, we here at The Ithacan have been casting an extensive look at how Ithaca College has ebbed and flowed with national issues. And this book is a culmination of a lot of those efforts. You’ll read stories about the “season of protest” on this campus — when it seemed like everyone wanted to make a change, even in the smallest way. From IC 20/20, the college’s 10-year strategic vision, to student debt and Trayvon Martin, we all wanted to have a say. It could be Pepsi and a Fanta Grape, or it could be economic reform and social justice. No cause is too small for our generation to take a stand on.

editors Whitney Faber

have always considered myself sort of a rebel without a cause — minus the rebel part. But definitely without a cause. It’s not that I lack passion or empathy — at least not any more than the average person. I’ve been in my fair share of arguments in politics classes or been the dissenting voice in a discussion in my media analysis course. But I have never really found that thing — that issue that made my blood boil and forced me to stand up and shout for justice. But this year wasn’t about people like me. This was the year that the 99 percent stood up against corporate greed during Occupy Wall Street. It was the year citizens took a stand on environmental issues and students spoke out about their concerns for growing student debt. This year, people found their voice, and they made it heard. They took the first steps to plant the seeds of change. Truth be told, I’ve always been a little jealous of these people — the protesters — a fact that only became more evident to me as I began to put this book together. But in reading and re-reading the news articles and features from the past year, it’s impossible not to, at the very least, start thinking. This year’s edition of Year in Review contains stories of students and locals making a difference in the community in any and every way they can, whether that be organizing a protest — like the people that stood in solidarity for justice

following the death of Trayvon Martin — simply starting discussion on important topics — like the group that organized Occupy the Mic — or writing a guest commentary — like the students who shared their opinions on the Kony 2012 video. The Ithacan took a stand on this year’s important issues too, as it called for more states around the country to follow New York’s example and ban hydraulic fracturing. But it’s not just in the news that people showed and shared their passions and concerns. It can be seen too in students’ lives, in their everyday discourse. We saw students discuss the changes in alcohol and drug culture at the college, question the standards of beauty around the world and deal with struggles young adults of today face, like depression and gender identity. And in looking at the compilation of all of these stories of action and passion, a word springs up, one that most of us haven’t heard in a while — hope. It’s not that these protests are making big changes overnight. No, it may be a long while before we see real, tangible evidence of that. But they are taking the first steps. And the glimmer of hope that it’s creating — well maybe that’s a cause I could get behind.

Editor, Year in Review

News 2011-12 was a year to take a stand. From the 99 percent to Kony 2012, students made their voices â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and causes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; heard. Students march on the Academic Quad to stand up against corporate greed in the Occupy Ithaca College protest. Kelsey Martin/The Ithacan

September ’11 Flooding leaves homes destroyed

Residents of Schoharie, N.Y. remove items destroyed by flood. Courtesy of Erin Wightman

Ithaca College students and families were still picking up the pieces left by Hurricane Irene two weeks after the event. Senior Joshua Turk, who is from Vermont, saw his house washed away by the storm, and said he was reminded how everything can change instantly. “I was in the house in Vermont when Irene hit,” he said. “In a matter of hours, you go from getting ready to come back to school the next day to watching as your house and yard disappear” Though Ithaca saw little damage, other

states and some parts of New York experienced Irene in much greater force. Locally, one area hit hard was the farming community of Schoharie, N.Y., located two hours from Ithaca. It is the home of Kelly Gannon, an assistant soccer coach at the college who launched an initiative to collect relief items. Gannon said her hometown was still suffering from the floods. “There is no water,” she said. “No electricity. Sewage is becoming a health hazard in the area.”

Highly invasive aquatic plant poses threat to Cayuga Lake An invasive aquatic species, known as Hydrilla verticillata, made its way into the Cayuga Inlet, posing a potential threat to Cayuga Lake if untreated. Hydrilla is a fast-growing perennial that can thrive in almost any freshwater environment, and this is the first time it has been found in upstate New York waters. It can grow anywhere,

from a few inches of water up to a reported 30 feet. If unchecked, it can completely dominate the environment it inhabits, creating a mono-culture that would crowd out native plants and insects. The Cayuga Inlet Hydrilla Task Force was formed in August to deal with the infestation and keep the public informed, but they have faced some issues.

College works with Cornell to replace failed DC program Ithaca College collaborated with Cornell University by enrolling students in Cornell’s satellite campus in Washington, D.C., this spring — temporarily replacing the college’s failed D.C. program. The collaboration followed the suspension of the college’s D.C. program for the fall semester due to a dwindling number of applicants over the past few years. Five students from the college enrolled in Cornell’s program. Tanya Saunders, assistant provost for international studies and special projects, said the collaboration will give students a chance to study in D.C. while the college focuses its resources on establishing a program in New York City.

College & City 10

An invasive aquatic plant, Hydrilla, was found in the Cayuga Inlet in August. Courtesy of Robert Johnson

Nation & World Saudi Arabia to make suffrage changes for women the standing of women in a country that still forbids them from driving or leaving the house without their faces covered. “Because we refuse to marginalize women in society in all roles that comply with sharia [Islamic law], we have decided ... to involve women in the Shura Council as members, starting from

the next term,” the king said in a five-minute speech to his advisers. Abdullah built the country’s first coeducational university and granted 120,000 scholarships to students, many of them women, to study outside the country. Each move was opposed by clerics and religious ultraconservatives.

NEWS

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia surprised his ultraconservative nation by announcing bold reforms that for the first time give women the right to vote, run for local office and serve on the Shura Council, the king’s advisory board. The measures by an aging monarch who has battled Islamic hard-liners for years will improve

Memorial dedicated to United 93 Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush praised the 40 passengers and crew of United Flight 93 and their families Sept. 10, in a dedication ceremony for a memorial for the only hijacked aircraft that didn’t reach its intended target on Sept. 11, 2001. Clinton also announced a fundraising effort to help complete the $62 million project, which still lacks a visitor center and 40 planned memorial tree groves, one for each passenger

and crewmember who died. Clinton said he was “aghast” that the memorial foundation was $10 million short of its fundraising goal. He said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who also attended, had agreed to mount a bipartisan effort to raise the remaining funds. The National Park Service had expected 10,000 people to attend the dedication, but park rangers estimated the actual turnout at between 15,000 and 20,000.

From left, Huda al Nasser and her husband, Ali al Marzouk, are both Shiite Muslim activists from Qatif, the de facto capital of Saudi Arabia’s Shiite heartland. Hannah Allam/MCT

Texas wildfires largely controlled after shift in weather

Firefighters listen to radio updates as a wildfire burns. North Texas fire officials were hopeful cool weather would calm the flames. Paul Moseley/MCT

The Texas Forest Service said wildfires that began Sept. 4 in Bastrop County were 95 percent contained after two weeks. Weekend rain and cooler temperatures helped improve firefighting in the area, situated about 30 miles east of Austin, officials said. The fire killed two people and destroyed 1,554 homes, a record number for a single fire. Across the state, other major fires had also been brought under control, but risks remained, fire officials said. The southeast fire in the Houston area that burned 32,330 acres was fully contained, according to Jesse Renteria, a spokesman with the Texas Forest Service. The northeast fire near the Louisiana border that had burned 52,951 acres was also fully contained, Renteria said. Conditions, however, remain dry, and four small fires erupted again, but firefighters were able to bring them under control, he said.

September 2011

October ’11 A&E center dedicated A lavish ceremony marked the official dedication of the Athletics and Events Center as part of Fall Splash Alumni Weekend on Oct. 15. More than 900 people attended the formal dinner as part of the dedication. More than 2,800 donors contributed to the $65.5-million, decade-long project. Planning and construction for the facility began in 2001, and building efforts, which concluded this year, initiated in June 2009.

London applications soar with anniversary The Ithaca College London Center celebrated its 40th anniversary with a record number of study abroad applications. Rachel Cullenen, director of study abroad in the Office of International Programs, said more than 160 students turned in applications for the spring semester. Spring semesters in the past have averaged from 80 to 100 applications. Cullenen said the number of applications was a large increase, but expected. The 2012 Summer Olympics being hosted in London may also have been a draw for some students. Nicholas Muellner, associate professor in the department of cinema, photography and media arts, added a new media arts program, which ran a pilot in the spring. Junior Emily Miles said she likes having the option of staying in Europe and traveling during the summer, rather than having to return to Ithaca for the start of spring semester classes. “I’m really interested in the opportunities that Europe has to offer, such as travel and internships,” she said.

The official dedication of the Athletics and Events Center was marked by a ceremony Oct. 15. Graham Hebel/The Ithacan

LGBT center celebrates decade of growth

Liz Maurer, program director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center on campus, reads in the center. File Photo/The Ithacan

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. Over the last decade, the center’s staff has experienced improvements in resources and organization. Lis Maurer, program director of the LGBT center since its founding, said it started as a proposal by mostly straight students who supported gay rights to address the needs of the LGBT community. “It seemed that LGBT students were dropping out at a very high rate,” Maurer said.

“They felt that if students had a place where they could air their concerns, worries and successes with someone in the role of a listener and advocate, they would feel their needs were being met.” Today, the resource room boasts more than 1,000 books and videos, and a roster of student volunteers.

College & City

Nation & World

Turkish people look at the damage after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern area. Fethullah Yaman/MCT

The death toll in southeastern Turkey rose to 459 two days after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake devastated the region Sunday, Oct. 23. More than 1,300 people were also injured, according to the government’s crisis response unit. By Tuesday, the government’s crisis response center registered 2,262 collapsed buildings. Rescue workers continued their search for bodies and for survivors. “It was like the Last Judgement,” said 18-year-old Mesut Ozan Yilmaz as he was rescued from the rubble, after spending 32 hours trapped under a collapsed tea house. Turkey’s Red Crescent was due to deliver a further 12,000 tents to the crisis-hit region in Van province, where many had spent the second consecutive night outside after losing their homes in the quake, lighting campfires to keep warm.

NEWS

Powerful Turkish quake shakes homes and lives

Citizens flock to memorial dedication for Martin Luther King Jr. in capital The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wasn’t a big guy — but he cast a long shadow. The nation’s first black president dedicated the civil rights leader’s granite memorial on the National Mall on Oct. 16, along with King’s children and friends. They spoke of King’s vision, his courage, and his fight for racial and economic justice. And one of those friends, colleague Andrew Young, also spoke of King’s stature.

“He was only about 5 feet 7,” he said. “He was always upset about all the tall people looking down on him. Well, now he’s 30 feet tall!” Laughter erupted from the crowd of at least 30,000 at sunny West Potomac Park. Organizers had expected 250,000 on the original dedication date, Aug. 28, the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington and King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Hurricane Irene forced the postponement.

Attendees hold a photograph of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during a memorial dedication ceremony Oct. 16. Olivier Douliery/MCT

Gadhafi’s death inspires Libyans The spectacle of Moammar Gadhafi’s capture at the mouth of a drain pipe and death in the custody of those he long oppressed thrilled Libyans. Gadhafi’s death Oct. 20 in his hometown, the coastal city of Sirte, spared Libyans the prospect that the only leader most had ever known would continue exhorting die-hard followers to fight. Exultant Libyans celebrated by firing rifles into the air. Post-Gadhafi Libya has a provisional government that is struggling to accomplish its most basic functions and must surmount regional and tribal divisions. Its advantages are vast oil wealth and a relatively small population. “We have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Mahmoud Jibril, the transitional government’s de facto prime minister, told reporters in the capital, Tripoli.

Libyan people joyously celebrate the death of the Libyan fallen leader Muammar Gaddafi in Tripoli, Libya, on Oct. 20. Amru Salahuddien/MCT

October 2011

November ’11 College lauds military service This year’s Veterans Day Celebration held new meaning for active and veteran soldiers in the wake of President Barack Obama’s withdrawal of troops from Iraq. The event featured performances by the IC Brass Choir, conducted by Beth Peterson, associate professor of music education, as well as IC voICes, a chorus made up of administrators, faculty and staff, and conducted by Susan Avery, also an associate professor of music education. LeBron Rankins, a veteran himself and staff psychologist at the college, served as the keynote speaker. “I’m glad that the college recognizes the ways in which it is important for us as a community to recognize those who have given themselves in service to our country,” he said.

Members of the Cornell University ROTC program march in the annual Veterans Day parade Nov. 6 in Ithaca. Rachel Woolf/ The ithacan

Faculty bridge learning with videoconference

Hayder Assad, lecturer in the Department of Modern Languages, speaks about using videoconferences. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

Videoconferencing technology is becoming a popular teaching tool in departments across Ithaca College. The Roy H. Park School of Communications and the Department of Modern Languages first launched videoconferencing programs in the spring and received praise from staff and students. Diane Gayeski, dean of the communications school, used Skype as a main teaching tool in S’Park: Igniting Your Future in Communications,

a one-credit course that electronically connects students to alumni and real-world professionals. In the Department of Modern Languages, lecturer Hayder Assad organized a series of online Skype sessions that integrate Arabic language studies between students at the college and students attending the University of Kufa in Iraq. Students voluntarily attended hour-long sessions over a six-week period to learn more about the Arabic language and culture.

Curriculum change sparks student protest Outdoor Adventure Leadership majors took a stand against possible changes they believe could drastically impact their experience as OAL majors. Senior OAL majors Laura Kathrein and Kelsey McCabe said they were notified the college was planning to move the immersion program from Washington state to the Adirondacks. They organized the OAL Educational Symposium

College & City 14

to educate students, faculty and administration about why they believed altering the program would negatively affect their education. McCabe said the Washington program exposes students to an entirely new environment, but OAL majors already have four years to explore the Adirondacks, which are accessible to students on the weekends. John Weber, assistant professor and chair of the recreation and leisure studies department, said the department has not made any final decisions on the program and is in the process of discussion.

Junior Erika Feldman discusses the Outdoor Adventure Leadership Immersion program’s relocation. Kevin Campbell/The IThacan

Nation & World

Oakland police arrest a member of Occupy Oakland interfaith coalition in Frank Ogawa Plaza. Jane Tyska/MCT

Attorney Joel Bennett, whose client is one of two women that lodged written sexual harassment complaints against Herman Cain during his three-year tenure leading the National Restaurant Association, affirmed his client filed a written complaint against Cain in 1999. Bennett declined to provide specifics of the complaint, but he did reveal new details to the story, which roiled the Cain campaign — most notably, that there were multiple incidents “over a period of time at least a month or two” that prompted a monetary settlement.

NEWS

Attorney affirms report of sexual harassment

Police fire projectiles and arrest dozens at peaceful Occupy Oakland protest Riot police from a number of Bay Area departments fired tear gas and other projectiles early Nov. 3 and arrested dozens of demonstrators to break up Occupy Oakland protests that had drawn thousands of participants. Officers moved in near the City Hall encampment where tents re-sprouted after officials ordered them razed the week before. The police action came after a predominantly peaceful day of protest that attracted more

than 7,000 people of all ages and left-leaning political stripes. At 2 a.m., demonstrators called on one another to “remain nonviolent.” They chanted, “We are Scott Olsen,” in reference to the Iraq War veteran who was injured by a police projectile the week before. Police maintain that they were defending themselves against some in the crowd who threw bottles, rocks and other things.

Herman Cain speaks during the Republican presidential debate at DAR Constitution Hall. Olivier Douliery/MCT

Bangkok flood threat eases The twin threat of Bangkok being inundated by floodwaters from the north and seawater from the south eased, the government said. “Now the gulf ’s high tide has peaked, I believe the situation in Bangkok will improve,” Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, who heads the government’s Flood Relief Operation Command, said. Thailand suffered its worst floods in five decades this year, triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains and runoff released into the Chao Phraya in early October from two giant dams in the north of the country. The floods claimed up to 384 lives over the past two months and caused an estimated $16.6 billion in damage to industrial estates, farmland and residences in 26 of the country’s 78 provinces.

Militaries from Rangsit 11 Battalion assist with evacuation as rising waters threaten homes in parts of Bangkok, Thailand. Frederic Belge/MCT

November 2011

December ’11 College & City Proposal for Emerson plant spurs debate among citizens Svante Myrick, the mayor of Ithaca, has big plans for the Emerson Power Transmission facility, with a controversial proposal to develop housing at the polluted building located off Route 96B. Myrick wants to develop the site into residential housing and the plant itself into a combined heat and power plant. However, the New York State Department of Environmental

Conservation has determined that the area had been contaminated with trichloroethene, a known carcinogen. Myrick said he sees it as an opportunity for Ithaca. “It’s a vision that’s informed by the entire community,” Myrick said. “A lot of people have been talking about it and working on it. So it’s the plan that I will pursue, and it’s a plan that I’m excited about.”

The Emerson plant has been vacant for a year. Mayor Svante Myrick plans to turn the plant into a residential area, which some believe is hazardous. Michelle Boulé/The IThacan

City of Ithaca approves suicide net installation

Thurston Bridge, located on the south side of Fall Creek Gorge, is a location approved for the installation of suicide nets. The City of Ithaca Common Council approved the motion Dec. 7. File Photo/The IThacan

The City of Ithaca Common Council on Dec. 7 approved 7-2 a motion by Cornell University to build nets aimed at preventing more suicides under three city-owned bridges. The suicide nets are part of the university’s multi-pronged approach to address troubled students in light of the multiple suicides over the past two decades, which include six deaths during the 2009-10 academic year. Three of those deaths occurred in March alone. The nets are replacing fences that were put on the bridges before. The university, which agreed in September to cover the $6-10 million cost of the installation as well as insurance and maintenance, is set to construct the nets for three bridges on Thurston Avenue and Stewart Avenue this summer. In November, Cornell won approval from a sight plan committee to construct nets on university bridges. Timothy Marchell, director of mental health initiatives at Cornell, said physical impediments to committing suicide, known as “means restriction,” are effective. “Because of the ready availability of this highly lethal means of suicide, it’s important to take steps to make it physically difficult to jump from these areas,” Marchell said. Cornell based its support for means restriction on a study of net installation under bridges in Bern, Switzerland, which found that physical barriers reduced instances of suicide. Cornell’s suicide rate falls roughly into the national annual average of university populations, which is about two per 20,000 students. Marchell said nearly half of the suicides over the past 20 years have been committed by bridge-jumping.

Nation & World Former governor receives 14-year sentence

Nancy Stone/MCT

Judge James Zagel told Blagojevich that he was responsible for the crimes, not his underlings as he argued. “He marched them and ruined a few of their careers and more than that in the process,” the judge said. Zagel read the sentence after Blagojevich, his voice cracking, pleaded for a lighter sentence with a round of apologies to the judge, the jurors, the public and his family.

NEWS

From left, Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his wife, Patti, talk to the media after he was sentenced to prison.

Rod Blagojevich, Illinois’ 40th governor, was sentenced to 14 years in prison Dec. 7 for the attempted sale of a U.S. Senate seat, illegal shakedowns for campaign cash and lying to federal agents. As the sentence was pronounced, Patti Blagojevich buried her head in her husband’s shoulder, and the two embraced. Blagojevich will have to serve just under 12 years under federal rules. He reports to federal prison Feb. 16.

Cuts proposed for postal service Snail mail may get even slower, starting this spring. The U.S. Postal Service said a plan to save $2.1 billion a year and fend off possible bankruptcy would effectively put an end to almost all overnight delivery of first-class letters and postcards. Delivery would take at least two to three business days. The Postal Service’s decision to relax delivery standards for first-class mail follows its determination in September

to close 252 mail processing plants, about half its total. Altogether, about 28,000 employees would lose their jobs. David Williams, a Postal Service vice president, said the agency has little choice but to take drastic steps to reduce operating costs by $20 billion by 2015 to become profitable. The proposed changes to service standards will allow for “significant consolidation” of facilities, processing equipment, vehicles and the workforce, he said.

U.S. postman Bobby Whitt delivers mail parcels in Raleigh, N.C. Takaaki Iwabu/MCT

Soldiers pack up to leave Iraq after nearly nine years of war and nearly 4,500 lives lost. Carolyn Cole/MCT

Iraq mission ends The U.S. military mission in Iraq formally ended Dec. 15 in a small ceremony at Baghdad airport as the last U.S. troops prepared to leave the country after nearly nine years of war, billions of dollars spent and nearly 4,500 lives lost. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and other top civilian and military officials flew in to Baghdad to mark the formal end of the U.S. military effort, one of most divisive wars in American history. Panetta paid tribute to the U.S. troops. “To be sure, the cost was high — in blood and treasure for the United States and for the Iraqi people,” he told the audience of around 200 troops and a few Iraqi officials. “But those lives were not lost in vain — they gave birth to an independent, free and sovereign Iraq.” In the 45-minute ceremony, Gen. Ike Austin, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, furled his flag, terminating his command. He recalled giving the command that sent the 3rd Infantry Division into Iraq in 2003 and the surge of U.S. forces in 2007 that helped stop the war’s “downward spiral.” Only two U.S. bases and around 4,000 troops remained in Iraq as of the ceremony, the rear guard of a force that was more than 170,000 strong at the height of the war and once controlled hundreds of bases.

December 2011

January ’12 Nation & World Romney snags big win to take lead in primaries Mitt Romney may have won a blowout victory in Florida’s presidential primary, but Newt Gingrich was not about to concede defeat. Sounding as though he had already wrapped up the nomination, Romney commended Gingrich and other rivals for a hard-fought effort and minimized any lasting damage to the party or his candidacy. “A competitive primary does not divide us, it prepares us and we will win,” Romney told a flag-waving crowd at his Florida headquarters. “And when we gather back in Tampa seven months from now for our convention ... ours will be a united party with a winning ticket for America.” For his part, Gingrich failed to offer Romney even the most perfunctory congratulations. Speaking to supporters in Orlando, he said the Florida result made clear “this will be a two-person race between the conservative leader Newt Gingrich and the Massachusetts moderate.”

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney speaks to supporters after a primary election win. After success in multiple states, including Florida, Romney has pulled into the front position. Antonio Perez/MCT

MLK week emphasizes definition of greatness

President Tom Rochon speaks to students at the kickoff event for a week of celebration surrounding Martin Luther King Jr. Rochon spoke of King’s power as a speaker to inspire others to action. Rachel Woolf/The IThacan

College & City

To celebrate the life, legacy and contribution of Martin Luther King Jr., Ithaca College focused on “a new definition of greatness” to encourage students to live up to their potential for public service. The week’s theme was highlighted throughout the celebration, which included a keynote speech from Svante Myrick, Ithaca’s first African-American mayor. In his speech, Myrick focused on greatness to highlight the broad challenges today’s generation faces. “The reason service is great, the reason serving others is more impactful, is because it will help you help us all accomplish more than we can individually,” he said. The week’s kickoff event Monday in Emerson Suites launched the celebration and featured a presentation by the college’s first-year MLK scholars, remarks from Jeff Cohen, director of the Park Center for Independent Media and associate professor of journalism, and a welcome address by President Tom Rochon. In his speech, Rochon talked about the importance of recognizing King’s power as an influential orator, able to move thousands to action by imploring them to recognize their responsibility as public servants.

College & City

A new BJ’s Wholesale Club opened its doors to Ithaca’s large college student population Jan. 14 near The Shops at Ithaca Mall and unveiled its green initiatives to cater to the city’s environmentally conscious residents. Kelly McFalls, a representative from BJ’s, said the majority of those signing up for memberships so far are college students. “The location was right,” she said. “The potential for business was right.” In order to appeal to the city’s sustainable mentality, McFalls said the company From left, Ithaca resident Christina Lower and her daughter, Mariah, load up their car at BJ’s Wholesale Club in Ithaca. took steps to make the store greener by Jen Watson/The IThacan conserving energy and increasing its supply of organic and all-natural foods. transport their purchases home. waste-reduction efforts. A yearlong membership costs up to $100, but As with all of its locations, the store does not The new location marks some green firsts for use plastic bags and recycles product boxes to the wholesale club is offering a discounted memBJ’s Wholesale. It showcases the company’s first bership price of $30 a year for college students. make them available to customers so they can electric car charging station as well as a larger

NEWS

BJ’s goes green to draw students

Rochon appoints VP for institutional advancement President Tom Rochon selected Christopher Biehn as the new vice president for institutional advancement. Biehn will begin working April 2, succeeding Shelley Semmler, who held the job since 1999. The position involves overseeing a staff of 47 people in the Division of Institutional Advancement, which includes the Office of Development, Alumni Relations, Advancement Communications and the Institutional

Advancement Administration. Rochon said all of the candidates had great experience and accomplishments, but Biehn was selected because he had positive chemistry with the college and proved to be an effective communicator of the college’s mission. “What truly stood out about Chris Biehn was that he gets the Ithaca College mission, and he’s very excited to help us pursue our distinctive vision forward,” he said.

Biehn said he is excited to work with IC 20/20.

Business students soar in competition

Senior Aaron Heltsley, right, and the rest of Ithaca College’s Adirondack Cup team monitor their stock portfolio.

A team of Ithaca College business students held first place in a competition using hypothetical stock portfolios to garner strong returns in a tough economy. The Adirondack Cup event ran from Oct. 1 until April 6. The team with the greatest profit wins a trophy and the right to present its investment thesis to Greg Roeder and Matt Reiner, co-managers of Adirondack Research and Management Inc., the company sponsoring the competition. Nearly 20 other colleges and universities competed. Senior Michael Severo, an executive board member of the IC Investment Club and president of Core Trading Consultants, serves as the college’s team leader. Steve Gonick ’85, executive vice president of ARM, said he created the competition in 2009 after being contacted by IC students seeking internships and career advice.

Rachel Woolf/The IThacan

January 2012

February ’12 Unseasonably warm weather poses problem for businesses

Dale Casler peruses shoes at the Eastern Mountain Sports store in Ithaca. Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan

Higher temperatures and lower snow accumulation than normal for the Northeast region challenged some local businesses to adapt their marketing strategies to stay relevant in the warmer weather. Businesses that rely on colder climates and snow suffered in the season’s mild temperatures. The average temperature in Ithaca in February was 31.3 degrees Fahrenheit, 8.5 degrees warmer

than normal. Ithaca saw snow accumulation of 18.2 inches, drastically lower than the 48.8 inches that normally fall, according to data from the Cornell University Northeast Regional Climate Center. Between 50,000 and 70,000 people hit the slopes this season, Kevin Morrin, vice president of sales and marketing at Greek Peak Mountain Resort, said. The mountain typically sees about 170,000 guests.

College mock trial team beats odds at regionals Ithaca College’s Mock Trial team faced its first competition and took everyone — even themselves — by surprise when they qualified for nationals. “We didn’t even imagine we had done so well,” junior Helene Weiss, a cofounder of the team, said. “Then, when they were calling down the names of schools, we were sixth out of eight teams that were advancing, and we beat Cornell by one ranking, so we were amazed.”

Maple syrup taps found intentionally damaged Students in the Natural Resources & Ecology: Farming the Forest class found their maple syrup production equipment on South Hill intentionally damaged Feb. 4. About 40 of 75 taps and hooks were destroyed, amounting to $300 worth of damage, an estimate Professor Jason Hamilton made. The course gives students the opportunity to learn about forest products. The sugarbush, which is an area of maple trees, is located toward the southeast side of Ithaca College Natural Lands. The students notified the Office of Public Safety. Sergeant Ron Hart said they are looking into the incident.

College & City 20

From left, juniors Helene Weiss, Kyle Schiedo and Chris Barnes celebrate the mock trial team’s win. Courtesy of Helene Weiss

Nation & World

Facebook files for initial public stock offering valued between $75 billion and $100 billion. The filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission unveiled the collective wealth that could be bestowed on the founder and many of his employees. Mark Zuckerberg, the 27-year-old founder, who owns 28.2 percent of the company and is its single largest shareholder, could be worth as much as $28 billion, earning him the ninth spot on Forbes’ list of richest Americans.

NEWS

Now it’s Facebook’s turn to share. The social networking giant that coaxes 845 million people to divulge the intimate details about their lives is one step closer to cashing in on its meteoric rise. Facebook Inc. filed papers Feb. 1 with the goal of raising $5 billion in a public stock sale. The offering would be the largest among Internet companies, eclipsing Google Inc. in 2004 and Netscape Communications in 1995. Depending on demand, the company could be

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, speaks to reporters. Rick Friedman/MCT

Court appeals ban on gay marriage A federal appeals court Feb. 7 struck down California’s ban on same-sex marriage, clearing the way for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on gay marriage as early as next year. The 2-1 decision by a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that limited marriage to one man and one woman, violated the U.S. Constitution. The architects of Proposition 8 have vowed to appeal. The ruling was narrow and likely to be limited to California. “Proposition 8 served no purpose, and had no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California,” the court said. The ruling upheld a decision by retired Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker, who struck down the ballot measure in 2010 after holding an unprecedented trial on the nature of sexual orientation and the history of marriage.

College & City

From left, Ivy Bottini receives a hug from Rick Watts to celebrate the striking of California’s ban on same-sex mariage. Wally Skalij/MCT

Board approves tuition increase for 2012-13

The board of trustees approved Ithaca College’s 2012-13 budget, which set tuition at $37,000 and room and board at $13,400 for the academic year. Tuition will increase 4.88 percent, and the overall cost of attendance 4.71 percent, during the upcoming academic year, Sgrecci said the bringing the total cost of increase will cover attendance to $50,400. rising operational The $1,722 increase is costs at the college. part of the 2012-13 budget, which was drawn up by the budget committee and approved by the Board of Trustees. The budget committee is led by the Office of Finance

and Administration. Tuition rose from the current $35,278 price — the lowest increase in a decade. The cost of tuition has gone up 20.9 percent since the 200809 school year. Carl Sgrecci, vice president of finance and administration, said the college is trying to maintain a stable enrollment while also covering operational costs. Sgrecci said 96 percent of the college’s revenue comes from fees charged to students from tuition, room and board, as well as spending at on-campus food and retail stores. Details of the college’s 2012-13 budget, which totals $225 million, reveal how much money is being allotted for the IC 20/20 plan, the college’s strategic vision for the next 10 years.

The college has set aside $4.5 million to the IC 20/20 plan for the 2012-13 academic year. Of that total, $1.3 million has been budgeted for five new faculty positions and for staff positions dedicated to different IC 20/20 initiatives, including the Center for Faculty Excellence and capital campaign fundraising. Junior Ellis Williams said he worries that the increasing cost of tuition could prevent some people from attending the college. He said the college’s expansion, through initiatives like IC 20/20 and the center in New York City, will drive up costs and exclude potential students who don’t have the means to pay for it. The budget also allots $88 million for institutional financial aid, according to a statement from the college.

February 2012

March ’12 Nation & World

Experts expect fallout from Afghan massacre Pentagon officials insisted March 12 that the weekend’s Afghanistan killing spree was an “isolated incident” and said that a 38-year-old Army staff sergeant would soon be charged in connection with the deaths of 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children. In the perception of Afghans, the experts said, the rampage merely added to previous nightmares: the recent burning of Qurans by U.S. soldiers, eight children killed in February by NATO bombs, a video of Marines urinating on corpses, and others. Each incident separately posed problems for the Obama administration’s plans for an orderly end to the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan, but the question now is whether, taken together, the incidents have made the American presence there untenable.

Protesters gather Feb. 24 in a demonstration against the burning of Qurans at a U.S.-run base. Ali Safi/MCT

College & City Asian-American studies secures provost backing

Members of the Committee for Inclusive Education have been fighting for an Asian-American Studies minor. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

After years of pushing for more Asian-American influence in Ithaca College’s curriculum, students have won the approval for an Asian-American Studies minor from Marisa Kelly, provost and vice president of academic affairs. Though the minor was approved March 26 by Kelly, it still has more steps it must go through before it can be formally approved by the college. The minor, if approved, would be housed in the Center for the Study of Culture, Race and Ethnicity. The center has had minors in African Diaspora Studies and Latino/a Studies since 2006. At the time, there were not enough faculty and relevant classes to support the minor. Asma Barlas, professor and program director of CSCRE, said the provost’s approval is just the first step to move forward with the minor. “What the provost has done so far is to simply approve going ahead with developing this minor,” she said. “So the real work is going to begin now.”

College & City

Linda Petrosino ’78, left, current dean at Bowling Green State University and future HSHP dean at Ithaca College, addresses students. Courtesy of BGSU Photo Department

Ithaca College has appointed Linda Petrosino ’78 as the next dean of the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance. The search process for the new dean included candidates from across the country. The applicants were narrowed down to a group of semifinalists who had neutral site interviews in January. Four of those were then chosen and brought to campus, Marisa Kelly, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said. “They were all excellent candidates, but Linda really stood out as having the

right combination of both experience and enthusiasm,” she said. “That combination in addition to all of the practical abilities that she clearly had really helped us make the decision.” Petrosino said she was attracted to the college because of the presidential and new provost leadership and the commitment of the faculty, as well as the strength of the programs, many of them being nationally ranked. These programs include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology.

NEWS

Alumna accepts HSHP dean position

Music school dean named new president of Carthage Greg Woodward, dean of the Ithaca College School of Music and longtime faculty member of the college, will become Carthage College’s new president this summer, the college announced. Carthage College is a private liberal arts college located in Wisconsin with a total student enrollment of about 3,400. Woodward has assumed multiple leadership roles at the college. He has served as dean of graduate and professional studies and in 2010-11 as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. Woodward joined the Department of Music Theory, History and Composition as a composer in 1984 and has been a professor since 2000.

Producer of Macy’s parade to speak at commencement

Easy, breezy, beautiful Freshman Jeanette Abreu applies makeup to sophomore Ali Simpson’s face at an event March 28 during Relaxation Week, which was sponsored by Ithaca College’s Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Group.

Kristen Tomkowid/The Ithacn

The Ithaca College senior class executive board chose Amy Kule ’87, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade executive producer, as this year’s commencement speaker. Kule, vice president of national events and partnership marketing for the Macy’s Parade and Entertainment Group, will deliver her speech at the ceremony May 20. Kule handles many aspects of the New York City parade, including its creative direction, design and construction. Kule said she was honored and excited to speak at her alma mater. Jimmy Knowles, president of the 2012 senior class, said Kule was chosen unanimously by the class officers from dozens of other candidates because she exemplifies what IC 20/20, the college’s vision plan, Amy Kule ’87 was chosen to speak at commencement. is all about.

March 2012

SPEAKING UP

Season of protest By Ithacan Staff

Across the country and on a local level, students and citizens are up in arms against everything from fracking to student debt. Earlier in 2011, revolutions erupted in countries across the Middle East, including Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen. Protests decrying budget cuts, police brutality and economic disparity reached a peak in London, Greece and Spain. And in the United States, Occupy Wall Street spread from Boston to Seattle. The trend of revolt has not missed Ithaca. Inspired by the widespread upsurge of civil disobedience, students at Ithaca College and inhabitants of the area have tacked themselves onto their own causes, marking a burgeoning season of protest. Downtown, residents stood in solidarity with their own Occupy Ithaca movement. On Nov. 5, Ithacans marched against big banks. Ithaca residents have also traveled to Zuccotti Park and Washington, D.C., to show support for Occupy Wall Street and to form a chain around the White House to protest the Keystone XL pipeline. Fred Wilcox, associate professor of writing, has worked at the college since 1987. He said he does not remember seeing demonstrations escalate to this level. “I haven’t seen a time like this, but then again the times are changing so fast, the

Photo Illustration By Michelle Boulé

economy is terrible, global warming is presenting a real danger, a real hazard to the world,” he said. “So students are just beginning to see the threat to their own health and well being, to their family’s health and well being, and their future.” Ehab Zahriyeh, an independent multimedia journalist who covered protests in Egypt and in New York City, said the global attitude toward protesting has experienced a distinct shift. “People have a different mentality,” he said. “People aren’t going home. They’re saying ‘No, we’re going to stay here until our demands are met.’ That’s happening in the Middle East. They don’t leave the square, they continue to protest and it’s starting to happen here in the states, too.” The rise in campus activism could be attributed to a new wave of student organizations — some of the most active groups this semester at the college have existed for less than a year. Junior Rena Ostry, president of the Environmental Leadership Action Network, a group affiliated with Greenpeace,

said the culture at the college encourages activism. When ELAN began last year, it campaigned against Facebook’s use of coal power. “We immediately saw a surge of activists come out and join our club,” she said. “There were people who had never before defined themselves as activists or organizers who were just looking to be plugged into something.” Kaela Bamberger, co-president of the antidrilling group Frack Off, said the group refocused itself after surviving a slow beginning last year. She said Frack Off was finally able to transition from posters to protests when the organization staged a demonstration Sept. 30 to request a formal college ban on hydraulic fracturing. Bamberger said the Occupy Wall Street movement was a major motivator to have an active campus presence. “If these people could drop everything and do something, then we can too,” she said. Junior Emily Shaw, co-president of Slow Food Ithaca College, a campus group petitioning

SPEAKING UP Editorial 11/16/2011

NEWS

for more local food in the dining halls, said organizing with other groups provides a better perspective of the activist community. “You get to see new faces, and you get to see new aspects of activism,” she said. “You get to see how everything is so interconnected and so linked.” Jeff Cohen, associate professor of journalism and director of the Park Center for Independent Media, said there is no doubt students have been more active on campus. “This is the biggest thing in years,” he said. “My only hope is when this group of students graduates, they continue to fight.” In the 1960s and 1970s, student activism swept across campuses, mirroring a global unrest that draws parallels to the present-day protest climate. In 1968, students and demonstrators marched outside classrooms on South Hill in response to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., in opposition to the Vietnam War and in an attempt to bring attention to other issues like abortion, legalization of marijuana and premarital sex. Carl Sgrecci, vice president of finance and administration, was a student at the college in the late 1960s and became a professor in 1970. He said unrest relating to the Vietnam War at the college was mild compared to Cornell University. “A student group took over Willard Straight Hall and literally was carrying machine guns,” he said. But students at the college were not far behind Cornell with significant demonstrations. “They stormed the president’s office, did some damage to some artwork and that type of thing,” Sgrecci said. “There was a hanging of an effigy out here someplace on the quad.” Cohen said if the student generation organizes and stays organized after graduation, there is hope for change. “It’s easier to change things here than in Egypt,” he said. “We have free speech, the Internet doesn’t get suppressed — not yet — we have the ability to run in local elections. There’s just so much more ability to change things and change things fast. We have powerful enemies, like Egypt had the Mubarak dictatorship, we have the ‘corporatocracy,’ and it’s powerful.”

Disturbing with peace Youth should continue using political education and nonviolent tactics to demonstrate their collective frustrations and demand change. The newly coined ‘American Autumn’ has marked a season of burgeoning protests, but its momentum is nothing like movements abroad. The Arab Spring saw a series of revolutions that erupted in the Middle East. In Europe, teenage vandalism and police brutality emerged from anger toward budget cuts and economic disparity. But across America, citizens are participating in peaceful protests, civil disobedience and democratic assemblies to show their disapproval of the existing establishment. A common trend among these protests is the youth action. While Middle Eastern conflict was often rooted in violence, the Occupy Wall Street activism has demonstrated a shift toward a more collective, peaceful mentality. While the 1960s and 1970s were characterized by unrest and riots protesting the Vietnam War and racial segregation, our generation has been relatively passive. This millennium has been dominated by a perception of issues being too large and complex to tackle. But as students begin to see the real threats to their health, the environment and their futures, activist organizations have provided an outlet to collectively and peacefully address these concerns. As youth build support and mobilize masses of like-minded people, they should continue to link their individual causes and demonstrate their frustrations by resisting violent means. Students should use political education strategies similar to Labor In Promoting Solidarity’s speakout on student debt. By building a collective knowledge and sharing tools that strengthen the messages of social movements, people can network with one another to develop leaders that can carry forward the energy and action of its organizing efforts.

SPEAKING UP

Kelly Dietz, assistant professor of politics at Ithaca College, holds up a copy of the Occupied Wall Street Journal. Emily Park/The Ithacan

Ithacans

occupy

Wall Street

From left, Ithaca College freshman Catherine Mailloux, Caitlin Niederhofer from Tompkins Cortland Community College and Chris Martin, a SUNY-Buffalo alumnus, march Oct. 8 through Greenwich Village in New York City.

By Patrick Feeney Ithacans moved beyond the local level to join the national Occupy Wall Street protest. More than two dozen students, professors and residents from the Ithaca area joined the movement in New York City on Oct. 8. Across the country, citizens who were upset with the current state of the government came together in major cities to protest “the greed and corruption of the 1 percent.” The protest gained ground in cities such as Austin, Texas, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Boston and even in Ithaca. On Oct. 5, more than 250 locals protested on The Commons. New York City protesters held signs and marched through the streets shouting “People’s Needs, Not Corporate Greed!” and “We are the 99 percent!” More than 20,000 supporters flocked to Zuccotti Park and other areas of the financial district in New York City. The movement was strengthened through social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. Kelly Dietz, assistant professor of politics at the college, lent her support at the protest

Emily Park/The Ithacan

“In some ways the protests are similar to the early tea party actions a couple of years ago,” Dietz said. “Both reflect deep frustrations about current circumstances and about not being heard and a lack of trust in political parties and mainstream media to represent their voices.” A carpool, which left The Commons for New York City at 5 a.m., contained city residents and students from both the college and Cornell. Some locals traveled independently. A group of students from the college arrived at Washington Square Park around 11 a.m. Several departments, including food and sanitation, formed to keep participants comfortable. Protesters created camping areas separated by cardboard boxes. Hundreds of officers from the New York City Police Department patrolled the sidewalks. Other than clearing pedestrian traffic, contact between protesters and police was peaceful. Steven Grant, an ex-marine from Austin, Texas, said peace between police and participants was common.

However, incidents of police intervention at other events have made headlines nationwide. An Oct. 1 march on the Brooklyn Bridge led to the arrests of more than 700 protesters. Another 100 were arrested Oct. 4 in Boston. Throughout the day, General Assemblies, mass makeshift meetings of demonstrators, were firing up members of the protest and spreading the word about issues. But not everyone at the protest was there to support it, including Paul Abrahimian, who tried to reason with the protestors. “Ultimately the world is very complicated and not so simple,” he said. “At work have you ever eaten someone else’s sandwich from the fridge? Corruption in this world is a thing you can’t erase completely. It’s a conditional infraction.” Locally, students at the college and residents organized their own protests. Cornell alumnus Daniel Schechter said he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. “I’m losing my voice,” Schechter said. “But I’m not losing my passion.”

SPEAKING UP

NEWS

Pirates at bay Students join movement to combat anti-piracy bills By Elma Gonzalez Mounting frustration surrounding the Internet piracy debate pushed controversial legislation to the forefront of campus discourse. The Stop Online Piracy and Protect IP Acts, which were introduced last year, were stuck in limbo in light of what some have called the most widespread Internet protest in history. The bills target foreign infringement violators in an attempt to control online piracy and would give the government power to censor foreign sites it deemed illegal. Ithaca College students responded to the bill and the demonstrations from popular sites like Reddit and Tumblr with a wave of micro protests on social media websites. Profile pictures were replaced with all-black icons or anti-SOPA images and statuses conveyed mounting discontent. Junior Jamie Ocheske changed her profile picture to a photo “censored by PIPA/SOPA.” “I completely support everything everyone on the Internet has done because they are basically

Photo Illustration By Rachel Orlow

saying, ‘Look, this is what can happen if these bills pass,’” she said. David Maley, associate director of media relations, said the college has not taken any position on the issue and does not plan to in the future. Some college and university websites did take a stand in the anti-SOPA/PIPA movement, though. The School of Information Studies at Syracuse University’s webpage and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology admissions blog joined the international blackout to support the movement and raise awareness about the bills. Under the legislation, the way many colleges link to student or alumni work and achievements on college websites could be eliminated because it poses a liability threat for the institutions. More than 100 websites took down portions or all of their websites, while Google demonstrated its support of the online protests by “blacking out” its header, which redirected users to a site that urged the public to sign a petition against the bill. Wikipedia’s blackout page had 162 million viewers, and Google collected more

than 7 million signatures. While things heated up nationally, the antiSOPA/PIPA crowd turned its attention to the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, which was signed last October by eight nations including the U.S., Japan and Australia. The agreement also strengthens copyright infringement penalties, but critics claim it fails to point out key exceptions by harming access to medicine and inhibiting online innovation. The U.S. government calls it a “groundbreaking initiative” to combat global “proliferation of commercial scale counterfeiting and piracy.” Christopher Peterson, counselor for web communications at MIT, said institutions can play a significant role in discussing intellectual property law. Piracy is a legitimate issue, he said, but to “eliminate from space and time content and material” is an extreme measure. “In this country, we often have debate about whether or not it is appropriate for a sixth grader to read Huck Finn, but what we don’t do is burn all the copies of Huck Finn,” he said.

SPEAKING UP

Up in arms

Protests of issues from sexual violence to fracking ignited in the fall on campus and downtown.

Oct. 2

Slutwalk

Oct. 13

Occupy Ithaca College Protest About 200 Ithaca College students participated in a campus-wide walkout in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protests.

Oct. 5

Occupy Ithaca Protest About 250 Ithaca residents, in support of the 99 percent, protested downtown to demand economic reform. Ithaca College students and local residents gathered to challenge stereotypes and victim-blaming through a protest against sexual violence towards women. Stacey Lawrence/The IThacan

September

October

Oct. 2

IC rallies for Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood Rally

Michelle BoulĂŠ/The IThacan

A Congressional investigation into Planned Parenthood Federation of Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use of federal funds was the central issue for a rally Oct. 2, renewing an ongoing battle between sexual health promoters and those morally opposed to abortion and birth control. Students from Ithaca College and 11 other institutions marched downtown after a conference organized by the Family Planning Advocates, a Planned Parenthood-funded organization. Congressman Cliff Stearns, R-Fl., chairman of the House subcommittee on oversight and investigations, requested that Planned Parenthood furnish internal and state-level audits from 1998 to 2010. He also wanted proof that Planned Parenthood is keeping federal money from funding abortions and of its procedures for complying with reporting laws for child victims of sexual assault and abuse. Casey Martinson, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of the Southern Finger lakes, said the rally was in opposition of the investigation and proposed budgets cuts. He said the rally was meant to raise awareness that Planned Parenthood is essential to community health.

SPEAKING UP Oct. 28

Students, faculty and staff called on Ithaca College President Tom Rochon and the rest of the college to “keep IC frack free.” Frack Off, the anti-fracking student organization, coordinated the event. Holding anti-fracking banners, 32 protesters started the rally at the Free Speech Rock on the Academic Quad and continued toward the Peggy Ryan Williams Center, where Rochon’s office is located. In a statement to Frack Off, Rochon said the college board of trustees is committed to the sustainable use of all resources at the college. He said the college has not signed leases on any of its land and is presently not seeking to do so.

NEWS

Frack Off Protest

Students push Rochon to ban campus fracking

Nov. 6 Ring Around the White House

Shawn Steiner/The IThacan

Ithaca College and Cornell students went to Washington D.C. to help form a human ring around the White House to protest the expansion of the XL pipeline. Tina Craven/The IThacan

November Nov. 5

Bank of America Protest

Oct. 24

Slow Food Protest Slow Food Ithaca College, a group that promotes sustainable food, petitioned to get Sodexo, which runs the college’s dining halls, to provide more locally grown meals. The Resource Environmental Management Program also worked with Slow Food to get between 500 and 1,000 signatures to bring to Sodexo.

Ithacans stand up against corporate greed Local residents gathered in solidarity Nov. 5 outside Bank of America to protest the supposed greed of corporate banks in conjunction with National Move Your Money Day. Ithaca residents and members of the Finger Lakes MoveOn Council and the Tompkins County Workers’ Center met at 11 a.m. at the Bank of America on Route 13 and marched down the road to Alternatives Federal Credit Union to show their support for local banks. About 75 protesters marched toward the credit union, and more than 30 stayed for another hour to picket at the credit union.

Ithaca resident Julia Morgan holds a sign during the Bank of America protest, which was meant to bring attention to corportate greed. Rachel Orlow/The IThacan

SPEAKING UP Joseph Kony is the leader of the Ugandan Lord’s Resistance Army. Courtesy of Ahmed Yosri

Francis Ochaya served as a personal escort for Kony.

Guinikpara Germaine was abducted in March 2008 to be Kony’s wife.

KONY 2012 Vanessa Vick/MCT

Alan Boswell/MCT

The video that got people talking Guest Commentaries

Let’s target Kony, not Invisible Children By JP Keenan Invisible Children spearheaded the Kony 2012 campaign to make Joseph Kony, one of the world’s worst war criminals, infamous. For more than two decades, he has been kidnapping and forcing children to be soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army. I’ve been following the conflict in central Africa for nearly six years. For years I’ve been trying to get people aware of what was happening in central Africa. So when Kony and Invisible Children were on the lips of every person I was talking to that week, I was ecstatic. When the Kony 2012 criticisms came out, I was confused. Had they seen the same documentary I had? Why were they saying Invisible Children was “out of touch with Ugandans” and “promoting imperial ideologies of the white man’s burden and military occupation?” I knew something was lost in translation. Invisible Children never intended for this video to be the answer nor the end of the discussion. It was created to inspire education into the history of this conflict. To criticize Invisible Children for “oversimplifying the situation” is unreasonable. A five-hour or even 10-hour documentary wouldn’t encapsulate everything necessary to understand the situation. The mission was to bring Kony’s crimes to light so the viewer could dig further. Invisible Children has been working in Uganda and central Africa for almost 10 years. Last year, it premiered a documentary called “Tony” that directly addresses the notion of Invisible Children’s “White Savior Complex.” It shows Invisible Children’s work creating educational programs for Ugandans from Ugandans. In their Ugandan office, there are 85 Ugandans and three “Westerners.” Their approach is built upon the idea that Ugandans should be building themselves up, not Westerners. I understand the desire for truth. But we shouldn’t be targeting Invisible Children — we should be targeting Joseph Kony.

Film plays up “White Savior” archetype By Morgan Milazzo In many ways, the Kony 2012 campaign was perfectly executed. It was fast, got widespread attention and, best of all, it provided people with a simple answer to a complex issue. Unfortunately, the video failed to portray the reality of the Lord’s Resistance Army, and its strategy of “making Kony famous” does not take into account the political systems at play, nor what the people of Uganda want. Rather, it plays into the longstanding Western archetype of the white savior. While watching the video, I wondered why Invisible Children, whose main purpose is to raise awareness, focused the majority of the video on showing Americans supporting their campaign and did not leave any room for the people directly affected by the LRA to be part of the discussion. The only depictions of the victims of the LRA in the video were in a passive role, looking to Americans as saviors. Throughout the documentary, Invisible Children not only left out the voices of the people most directly affected by the LRA, but they also presented a series of manipulated facts and half-truths that made it easier to outrage the American public. The truth is that while Kony had terrorized many parts of Uganda for a long time, he was driven into exile in 2006, and since then, the country has been relatively peaceful. Even the prime minister of Uganda, Amama Mbabazi, released a response video in which he condemns Invisible Children for portraying an outdated view of the situation. If many Ugandan civilians do not feel that the video told the real story, then who is it really helping? I believe the people involved with Stop Kony have the best intentions, but sometimes that is not enough. In this situation, it is our duty to look further and uncover the real truths so we are aware of all the implications we are supporting.

SPEAKING UP

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Under the hood

Students join movement after Trayvon Martin’s death

From left, sophomore Cöelis Mendoza, senior Romi Ezzo and junior Meira Keil wear hoods to stand in solidarity with Trayvon Martin, whose death sparked national controversy. Photo Illustration by Rachel Orlow

By Candace King Students at Ithaca College and campuses nationwide were pulling up their hoods to shed light on the racial profiling discourse surrounding the Trayvon Martin case. On Feb. 26, 17-year-old Martin was returning home from 7-Eleven with Skittles and iced tea in hand in Sanford, Fla. Martin was unarmed and wearing a hooded sweatshirt at the time when 28-year-old George Zimmerman, a crime watch volunteer, shot and killed the black teenager. The “Hoodie Movement” emerged in reaction to Martin’s death as a call for Zimmerman’s trial. Though details of the altercation before Martin’s shooting remain obscure, many outraged Americans were calling for justice. While Zimmerman claimed self-defense under the “Stand Your Ground” Law in Florida, the case remains under investigation. The “Stand Your Ground” Law, implemented in 2005, makes it lawful for citizens to act in self-defense using any means necessary for protection and still be immune from criminal prosecution. More than 20 states in the United States, including Florida, have implemented this law. Because of this, Zimmerman has yet to be charged and tried. Due to the outcry surrounding Zimmerman’s impending arrest, Senator Chris Smith, D-Fla.,

announced his own task force to examine the law. the Study of Race, Culture and Ethnicity, said there is a collective societal fear of black men. Ithaca College students also spoke up and Though Zimmerman was half-Latino, Licon planned to gather in front of the library April 5 to said, the interracial violence still functions to demand justice for Martin’s death. help perpetuate racial stereotypes according to Sophomore Cöelis Mendoza, organizer of the Eurocentric fantasy construction. the campus’ protest, said the movement was in “Even as a half-Latino, he is still acting within response to the racial tensions in Ithaca and a a white supremacist framework that informs way for participants to stand in solidarity with his ideas of what a ‘thug’ looks like or someone rallies nationwide. who’s suspicious looks like,” Licon said. “It is still Sophomore Tessa Crisman said she supfiltered through racial knowledge where Trayvon ported the “Hoodie Movement,” but was also Martin would be targeted.” cognizant of the daily discrimination that may not get as much attention as Martin’s case has. She said she hopes people begin to look at the case sociologically. Martin’s case, though in Florida, had a domino effect on the country as many states and cities began to reflect on the racial tensions present in their communities. Gustavo Licon, assistant professor Cornell University graduate student Amber Lee joins a movement of more than 100 in the Center for students calling for justice for Martin at Cornell. Many institutions held similar protests.

Shawn Steiner/The IThacan

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Foreign policy clashes with human rights By Pete Blanchard I consider it part of my education to keep up with world news. I am a supporter of the Occupy movement, but also quick to mention that it was the revolutions in the Middle East that stirred the Wall Street protests. I also recall how the Obama administration was hesitant to express its support. Though the administration supports the Egyptian revolution, this support comes packaged with hypocrisy. For the three decades that Mubarak was in power, the U.S. provided financial and military support to the regime. In fact, President Barack Obama’s administration is still supplying Egyptian security forces with weapons, riot gear and tear gas canisters, which they are now using to suppress Egyptian protestors. If the administration truly

supported the revolution, it would cease to give weapons to the military. However, it is in U.S. interest to help the military maintain control. Behind Obama’s support for the Arab Spring is a decadesold foreign policy that publicly opposes autocratic regimes while covertly supporting them. U.S. foreign policy fuels anti-American sentiment while simultaneously misrepresenting Egyptians protest in Tahrir Square against soldiers’ violence against women. Mohannad Sabry/MCT Americans as supportsimply say they support the Arab Spring — they ers. The reality is that a majority of Americans can translate that support into a signature. support the Arab Spring movement — Ithacans Amnesty International has many petitions on are no exception. In an era with vibrant social its website, including one calling for a halt to the media, there are no more excuses for arrogance. weapons trade to Egypt. The campus community can do more than

Activism played vital role in XL pipeline By Margaret Keating On Jan. 18, the environmental movement won a rare victory. After pressure from both the oil industry and environmental activists, President Obama rejected the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have carried oil from the tar sands in Alberta, Canada, to the Texas Gulf Coast.

Environmental supporters form a chain around the White House to protest building the XL pipeline, which would transport oil from Canada to the U.S. Tina Craven/The IThacan

Environmentalists, including myself, were concerned about the implications of the 1,700-mile pipeline for the natural world — especially for the forests that would have been clear-cut and the huge amount of carbon that would have been removed from the earth and emitted into the atmosphere. I joined about 12,000 other activists in a human chain at least three to four people deep all the way around the White House. A few days after that human chain demonstration, Obama delayed the proposal decision. We celebrated tentatively, knowing the oil industry would only put the pressure on Obama even more. Unsurprisingly, Republicans in Congress forced a 60-day time limit to make a decision on the permit. However, when the State Department recommended the permit be denied, Obama stood up to big oil companies and agreed to deny the permit. It’s important for the Keystone XL rejection to be known and celebrated, and it’s especially important to recognize the people power that played such a vital role in the decision. Too often the gloom and doom of environmental news overshadows rare victories such as this one. It’s easy to get burnt out from “fighting the good fight,” or to be overwhelmed just from hearing about it.

SPEAKING UP 2/15/2012

NEWS

We are here, we are here Students should take initiative and foster an environment to discuss issues

11/2/2011

This time we’ll take it slow Students should continue to petition for Sodexo to purchase local food When those midnight cravings kick in, a quick trip up to Towers to devour deep-fried, late-night food can satisfy some within minutes. But it’s time to get off that fast track. Students from Slow Food Ithaca College, an on-campus organization, have teamed up with two of the college’s environmental groups to petition for more healthy, local food choices in dining halls. As the opposite of fast food, slow food strives to preserve regional foods and encourages farming that keeps the local ecosystem thriving. Processed foods, however, are cheap and convenient. These foods allow large suppliers like Sodexo, the corporation that runs the college’s dining services, to order, ship and distribute food in bulk without fear of spoiling produce or meats — often because they’re frozen. As customers of Sodexo, students have every right to call on the supplier to source more of our campus food from within 250 miles of Ithaca. This is a reasonable request, considering the dining halls already purchase up to 11 percent locally. If Slow Food IC wants the dining halls to further expand their menus to include more local foods and a wider variety of options for those with dietary needs, it must take into account increased meal plan prices, which students may be hesitant to accept. If students demand Sodexo provide more locally grown options, the dining halls may try to accommodate more people with dietary needs and encourage students to make healthier choices. Students should kiss processed burgers goodbye and demand Sodexo to foster better eating habits.

Typically, Ithaca College students lean toward liberal ideology. In addition, students might hear more pro-Israel voices regarding the Israel-Palestinian conflict. These views are the majority, but quantity doesn’t denote inevitable validity. Every voice deserves a platform, and members from the IC Republicans and soon-to-be college chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine are proclaiming theirs. Though they may be in the minority, these groups should be commended for questioning prevailing student views. More students should follow in their footsteps. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is surrounded by a tense debate in which dissenting views are often strongly connected with religious and political beliefs. Differing opinions make up the layered, delicate issue. The conflict has stirred student response in the past, including an Israel Independence Day celebration sponsored by the Student Alliance for Israel and Hillel Jewish Community. The event was controversial, prompting some to praise the group and others to criticize it. Members of the campus community have also debated how the college deals with the issue and whether the majority of classes, programs and lectures tend to be pro-Israel or pro-Palestine. Members of Students for Justice in Palestine may receive backlash from others who carry a deep emotional tie to Israel. But, if students find their views and lifestyle to be outnumbered by majority voices, they should create their own outlet to foster dialogue and cater to underrepresented groups. Though disagreement may follow, such actions will ultimately spur deeper understanding and conversation.

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Political (off) beat

Senior journalism major Chris Zivalich speaks for the silent and underrepresented parties in the media in his biweekly column.

9/11 coverage leaves out stories Sept. 14, 2011 This year marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks — a nightmare that continues to haunt our country. Unfortunately, while we mourn the victims of 9/11 without question, our selective eulogizing silences countless Iraqi and Afghan civilians who endured an unconscionable degree of anguish throughout the past decade. Last week, every major news outlet dedicated some kind of segment to 9/11. These selections of sources and stories have, indeed, been informative, inspiring and important in helping heal the American people. However, the exclusion of Iraqi and Afghan families from most major U.S. media coverage prevents us from coming to grips with the reality of 9/11 and its impact on global warfare, counterterrorism policies and foreign relations. According to conservative estimates from The Associated Press, civilian causalities in the Iraq and Afghanistan military operations are at least 35 times higher than the number of Americans. Most despicably, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, neither of which the U.N. Security Council approved, illustrate the irresponsibility of Washington officials. Their “heat of the moment” strategies left behind a trail of collapsed communities and impoverished people. Yet we rarely hear about those who have suffered from our bloated defense department. There is no excuse for little coverage of Afghan or Iraqi perspectives on the war. We need to listen to Muslim families who have experienced discrimination because of our post-9/11 tendency to associate al-Qaida with all 1.5 billion subscribers of Islam. The news seems to have exhausted its resources in narrating how 9/11 affected our nation. But when it routinely leaves out entire populations who have lost thousands of family members, resources and credibility, critical journalists fail to truly capture the essence of violent conflict. It is our duty as proponents of democracy and freedom to value all perspectives and experiences. To ignore voices that pose the risk of painting a more disturbing picture of U.S. hegemony is to only perpetuate the negative stereotype that Americans don’t care about what their country does.

U.S. race crisis needs attention Sept. 28, 2011 President Barack Obama’s “Buffet Rule,” a proposal to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, comes at an urgent moment. The unemployment and poverty rates in the U.S. have reached disturbingly high levels, and we cannot afford to distract ourselves. However, Obama’s silence on race in the economy limits our understanding of the recession and its uneven impact. The weak economy has taken a toll on most U.S. households, but the disproportionate number of black and Latino families living in poverty continues to climb — with painful results. While white families struggle with their own difficulties in an unforgiving economy, black and Latino families suffocate at the bottom of the U.S. class system. The black unemployment rate is twice the national percentage, and a full 50 percent of children from immigrant families go without nutritious, adequate food. As the most racially diverse cabinet, the Obama administration could be instrumental in facilitating a nationwide discussion on the significance of racism in U.S. economic and social institutions. Still, this hasn’t happened. We live in a time when crucial public spaces, such as schools and free health clinics, are put on the chopping block to make room for more “balanced” budgets. This means communities already discriminated against will lose the few resources they fought hard to earn. This perpetuates poverty and inequalities for people historically denied access to key social services. Race should not be trivialized or reduced to the current recession only. Though not all racial groups are impoverished, and we strive not to stereotype, institutionalized racism has not gone away. In fact, it cannot be uncoupled from socioeconomic placement; We must include it. Race is central to the societal shaping of the U.S. political economy. If Obama consistently leaves race out of eloquent speeches like those referencing the untaxed income, he risks forsaking the well-being of millions of Americans to satiate the rules of Washington politics. Obama talks about a “jobs crisis,” but we have a “race crisis,” as well.

SPEAKING UP

Junior journalism and politics double major Shaza Elsheshtawy takes a look at international issues in her biweekly column.

Before the calm comes a storm March 8, 2012 Last week, the unprecedented happened. North Korea announced the suspension of its uranium enrichment and nuclear missile testing programs. This indicates a huge stride not only in engaging one of the world’s notoriously least negotiable nations, but also regarding the United States’ nuclear containment agenda. That being said, these huge strides come with equally huge repercussions that we must be aware of if we are to fully understand the magnitude of North Korea’s announcement. One of the ripple effects falls on Iran. In light of North Korean compliance, Iran will bear the brunt of the United States and United Nations’ pursuit of nuclear containment policies — more than before. Whether the U.S. containment agenda is flawless or not, this agreement with North Korea is still a huge success diplomatically. The idea is that nations that are engaged with one another are less likely to go to war. Dialogue is a forum to diffuse tensions. With North Korea back in the international diplomatic arena then, at least theoretically, the likelihood that conflict will erupt between North Korea, the U.S. and U.N. has decreased drastically. But this same logic can be applied to explain why tensions with Iran may escalate. The U.S., though engaging diplomatically with Iran, is pushing the nation into isolation. Iran has been less than compliant with U.S. and U.N. nuclear containment initiatives. When compared to North Korea now, Iran’s resistance will look irrational, extreme and suspicious, ostracizing Iran further from unbiased, reciprocal international dialogue and engagement. This is a huge step in the right direction for U.S.-N.K. relations. We’re seeing dialogue and diplomacy work. But we need to be cognizant of the after-effects of these agreements. The after-effect that concerns Iran must not be taken lightly, especially when the threat of war is no hollow one. Yes, one nuclear threat is almost down, but the other is still up in the air — and could very well be exacerbated. We’ve already seen one unprecedented event unfold. Hopefully, we’re able to predict the ripple effects of it accurately and understand that a good stride in diplomacy is not always synonymous with a good, global stride overall.

Spectrum

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The Global Pakistan wants a U.S. apology March 29, 2012

Pakistan’s parliament demanded last week that the United States issue an official apology regarding NATO air strikes over Pakistan last November that killed twodozen Pakistani soldiers. It also called for the ending of drone attacks over their territory. But what Pakistan is demanding of the U.S. and NATO is more than a simple apology and drone removal — they are making a political point. The point: National sovereignty. The Pakistani parliamentary panel described the NATO air strike as a “blatant violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The apology forces the U.S. and NATO to recognize that Pakistan will not always be compliant with their policy pursuits. Pakistan wants to make it clear they are a sovereign nation that is only willing to comply with the U.S. and NATO on their own terms. By issuing an official apology, the U.S. would acknowledge their political and militaristic limitations. But underneath Pakistan’s political point is also an economic agenda. Pakistan said that if no official apology is issued by the U.S., they will begin to tax supplies sent to foreign forces in Afghanistan that are funneled via Pakistan. By taxing supply lines that run through their territory, the Pakistani government could earn around $1 million per day, essentially making their political point a profitable one. Pakistan’s demand for an apology is a significant international event. Although the U.S. and Pakistan have never had the friendliest of relations, the U.S. has had relatively little issue pursuing their regional goals with Pakistan by their side. Now, Pakistan isn’t just talking back. Pakistan is threatening the U.S. and NATO, sending a message to the entire international community that the region doesn’t have to be compliant with NATO and especially the U.S. If taken any further, this could significantly alter U.S. clout in the region. Nations have agency. Pakistan is demanding the U.S. and NATO recognize this agency by openly apologizing, and thus recognizing their faults, perhaps inspiring other countries in the region to adopt a more inquisitive, rather than compliant frame of mind when dealing with the U.S. and NATO.

IC 20/20

IC 20/20: Bringing the The Ithacan takes an in-depth look at the college’s vision plan for the future in a six-part series. introducing the series Last year, President Tom Rochon addressed a packed auditorium of faculty and staff at the All College Meeting and emphasized what would become something of a mantra: “This is the year,” he said. It hinted that

Photo Illustration By Rachel Orlow

something big was about to happen — something that would define Ithaca College for years to come. We now know that those plans and goals have culminated in IC 20/20, the college’s trustee-approved 10-year vision. The Ithacan published a series

of articles examining all of the key initiatives in IC 20/20. Our team of reporters has taken time to break each part down and analyze how the vision plan might affect the college in the next decade. — Aaron Edwards Editor in Chief

IC 20/20

Part ONe: Integrative Curriculum As Ithaca College faculty and administrators prepare IC 20/20’s Integrative Core Curriculum for committee and state approval, the five professional schools are making final adjustments to accommodate what some faculty members are calling the most drastic curriculum change in the college’s history. The Integrative Core Curriculum, a result of cross-college collaboration and pressure from the college’s accreditation body that will begin to be implemented this fall, will establish the college’s first-ever college-wide general education system, with a minimum of 40 credits per student. As part of the ICC, new themes and perspectives requirements will call for students

to select one of six themes and take four courses in surrounding disciplines that revolve around that theme. Other initiatives under the theme of integrative learning in the IC 20/20 plan promote integrative majors and electives to bridge the gap between the schools and encourage students to connect ideas across disciplines. Marisa Kelly, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said the college’s Committee on College-wide Requirements has established the framework for the ICC, and the schools are currently reviewing that framework internally. The move toward a college-wide general education system is largely a result of pressure from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the body that’s accredited the college since 1955. Middle States has established general education as one of its 14 accreditation standards. Richard Pokrass, the commission’s director of communication and public relations, said colleges that fail to enlist common general education requirements for students risk not reaffirming their accreditation. Middle States last reaffirmed the college’s accreditation in June 2008, but the college was assigned a monitoring report, due in April 2010, to address its lack of an assessment program for student learning and a general education system. The college has a periodic review report due in June 2013, which, Pokrass said, is likely to address the new core curriculum. Shaianne Osterreich, associate professor of economics, coordinator of the Ithaca Seminar and associate director of the core curriculum, said the ICC’s timing is partly due to Middle States review pressure, but is also a result of years of faculty and administrative collaboration on an all-campus general education system. The college’s plan goes beyond Middle States’ broad requirement of common learning objectives for all students, Kelly said. “What we’re doing, drawing on strengths that we have already, is creating an integrative core because we believe that is the best way to prepare students

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vision into focus

Online Special series To read the other five parts of the series, go to theithacan.org/ic2020 for the world in which they will be living after they graduate from Ithaca College,” Kelly said. “Yes, we’re meeting Middle States, but this is much more significant than that.” The core curriculum template requires incoming students, beginning in Fall 2013, to select one of six draft themes — Identities; Inquiry, Imagination and Innovation; Mind, Body, Spirit; The Quest for a Sustainable Future; A World of Systems; and Power and Justice. Students select one course each in humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and creative arts that relates to the theme. Students must also complete a four-credit seminar tied to one of the four perspectives. Across campus, faculty members are continuing to address how the new requirements will fit into existing course structures. In some schools, such as the School of Business and the Roy H. Park School of Communications, it will be a less complicated process of replacing existing distribution requirements with the core. For some of the college’s more credit-heavy majors, such as some in the School of Music, the process is more difficult. Peter Rothbart, professor of music theory, history and composition, said the School of Music has faced a complicated process of revising course schematics while still attempting to preserve some course flexibility. The integrative core allows departments autonomy in determining how to require students to complete 12 credits of liberal arts electives. Each student will be required to enroll in three credits each in diversity and quantitative literacy, as well as a capstone, first-year composition course and three-credit writing-intensive class. The integrative learning model follows a national trend spearheaded by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, an organization designed to improve undergraduate education, according to Pat Hutchings, a consulting scholar for the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The AAC&U has identified integrative learning as one of its five goals to improve liberal education. “The notion that students might achieve coherence and integration by having everybody do the same thing, by having everybody participate in the same 12 courses — that’s just not the way of the world anymore,” Hutchings said. — Patrick Duprey

Financial Concerns

The dish on debt Students question whether private education is worth the high price tag

By Ithacan Staff For junior Brittan Binder, coming to Ithaca College meant making a conscious decision to value experience over the cost of her education. Binder said she could have attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she would have graduated free of student loan debt. Instead, Binder decided to attend Ithaca College, where she has accrued about $40,000 in debt. She said she placed far more importance on a quality education than on its high cost. “I knew the academics here were really good,” she said. “I knew that it was in a beautiful area, and I knew that I’d be paying far less than the stamp on the ticket.” Binder spoke at Labor Initiative in Promoting Solidarity’s event Occupy the Mic on Nov. 15. About 50 people attended the speak-out, where students and faculty spoke about their student loan debt — some of whom had debts totaling nearly $80,000. A few students said they felt student debt should be forgiven altogether. Some students are taking proactive measures to ease their economic burden. Junior Rhiannon

Youngbauer has lived off-campus and found a job on The Commons, but it hasn’t been enough. Youngbauer is graduating early to lessen costs. “College is not just classes,” she said. “It’s an experience, and I feel like I am going to be missing out on some things to an extent.” Warren Schlesinger, associate professor and chair of the accounting department, said increasing the financial aid budget would mean charging wealthier families more to subsidize low-income students. But forgiving students of their loans would leave the college without the money necessary to run operations. Robert Applebaum, founder of the website ForgiveStudentLoanDebt.com, said the problem with student loans is there is no examination for whether students will be able to pay them back. “Anyone with a pulse who wants to take out a student loan to go to school can get one,” he said. The 6,321 students enrolled at the college during the 2010-11 academic year used a total of $33,156,693 in outside loans, excluding parent loans, and $8,132,301 in federal grants and scholarships to help foot the bill, according to the Common Data Set, an annual collection of

information the college distributes publicly. The national student debt currently stands at more than $600 billion — about five percent of the national debt average, exceeding credit card debt for the first time this year. Zac Bissonnette, author of “Debt-Free U” and a senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who will graduate without debt, said students are too young to make such large decisions. “You are talking about people who are making these decisions when they are 16, 17 and 18 years old,” he said. “17-year-olds are not allowed to drink alcohol or trade commodities or that kind of thing, but they are allowed to borrow $100 or $150,000 to go to college.” Binder said the first step toward addressing student loan debt is to lift the veil of ignorance. “A large part of making steps toward solving the student debt crisis is acknowledging that it is an issue,” she said. “This is a problem. This is a severe, severe problem.” Staff Writer Nicole Ogrysko and Assistant News Editors Erica Palumbo and Elma Gonzalez contributed to this report.

Financial Concerns

Debt should be seen as political issue

OWES $30,000 “Everyone should have equal access to a quality, affordable education.”

— Junior Lindsey Lyman

OWES $75,000 “I don’t know how I’m going to pay this off. I’m just getting my life started.”

— Professor Mo Baptise

Guest Commentary

student debt is not only how much debt you are in, but also how much debt everyone who surrounds you is in, it becomes less of an abstraction and more of a reality we all share. It is not always easy for us to share our stories. Our society is structured around individualism. We demand that no one should feel any sympathy for us, and that we can overcome anything on our own. This stunts our personal growth and hinders us from ever really making social change. We need not only to stand united, but also to feel and be united. As we better understand the problems we all face, we can begin to create a true sense of solidarity among students.

NEWS

By Alyssa Figueroa

The other day, my roommates and I were discussing student debt when one of them revealed that she owes more than $50,000. “What?” we all shrieked in disbelief. We’ve known her since freshman year, but we never knew her story. As students, many of us face student debt and other financial burdens. We overload our schedules and cram as many course credits as possible into one semester in order to graduate early. We transfer to cheaper colleges, or we drop out of school. These narratives need to be shared. Often, we think of our problems as only personal and fail to grasp how these are not individual problems at all. The time is now for students to gather with their shared frustrations concerning student debt, tell their stories and build a community around this common struggle. When we deal with our burdens alone, we establish them as personal and, in turn, depoliticize our struggles. It is time to make personal problems political ones. We often think of increasing student debt, the financial crisis or corporate greed in terms of abstractions. We forget that student debt is the amount of money students owe to loan agencies, that the financial crisis is your friend’s house getting foreclosed and that corporate greed is the meager wages your roommate receives from his employer. If we express our anger to others instead of internalizing it, we can help Senior Alyssa Figueroa speaks at a meeting of Labor in Promoting show those around us that they are not Solidarity, which held an event to talk about student debt. Parker Chen/The IThacan in this struggle alone. When we see that

Uninformed decisions break the bank Editorial 11/30/2011

OWES $53,500 “I cannot help but to ask myself if this is worth it.”

— Junior Laura St. John

America’s higher education system has made a dent in students’ wallets, but tuition isn’t solely to blame for their financial burdens. The issue of student debt is growing more political. A feasible part of President Barack Obama’s new proposal to reduce student debt considers students’ financial ability to repay loans. However, the other part about eliminating debt after 20 years doesn’t seem realistic. The president’s proposal only perpetuates irresponsible borrowing, considering student debt surpassed credit card debt for the first time this year. But perhaps one reason for this debt is that students aren’t fully educated on options for higher education. Community colleges, state schools and international exchanges can be cheaper than some well-known private institutions. By studying at

less expensive institutions, students can explore their interests, cultivate passions and then move on to more specialized colleges for job preparation, which could help eliminate some financial worries. Those who want more than a career-focused education, however, may choose to invest in the “experience” of campus community and local culture that comes with a hefty tuition price. If students were more educated about the options available to choose from, they could be saving time and money. This awareness could also help students weigh both the personal and dollar value of their education before making a decision that could leave them dancing with debt. America’s higher education system has made a dent in students’ wallets, but tuition isn’t solely to blame for their financial burdens.

REACHING OUT

Make or Break No pool. No party. Just service By Erica Palumbo and Elma Gonzalez For sophomore Yiwei Zhu, spending spring break in Florida last year meant a lot more than basking in the southern sun. In the Spring 2011 semester, Zhu traveled to Pensacola, Fla., on one of Ithaca College’s Alternative Spring Break trips, which are service learning trips. During the seven-day experience, Zhu and 12 other students from the college spent time helping with the restoration of the Gulf Coast’s ecosystem. The college has offered the Alternative Spring Break program for several years. This year, 42 students traveled to Pensacola, Fla., Washington D.C., Salamanca, N.Y., and Beckley, W.Va. Freshman Olivia Norris, who went on the Salamanca trip, said she chose the southwestern New York location because of the opportunity to work with children. Salamanca is located on the Allegany Indian Reservation, where students worked with Native American youths. According to a 2011 study by the U.S. Department of Labor, college student volunteer numbers increased from 29.2 percent in 2010 to 29.5 percent in 2011. Samantha Giacobozzi, program director for Break Away, a leading national alternative spring break resource organization, expects numbers to continue rising. Don Austin, the director of Alternative Spring Break for the Office of Student

Engagement and Multicultural Affairs, said the college prioritizes these trips because of the direct link between education and application. “Let’s look at the ‘Ready’ campaign,” he said. “If we really want our students to genuinely be ‘Ready,’ they have to go beyond

the classroom, and they have to be directly involved in the things that they are trying to discipline themselves in.” Zhu, who plans on doing another break trip her senior year, said though she signed up for the trip to help others, she ended up reaping

Sending support By Candace King

From left, senior Trevor Wolf and sophomore Marissa Fulton help cut siding for a home in Slatesville, N.C. Thirteen students from Habitat for Humanity rebuilt homes over winter break. Courtesy of Theresa Ibarra

While the holiday season was a chance to relax for some, for others it was a chance to lend support to families in need. In an effort to eliminate impoverished housing, 13 students from the Ithaca College Habitat for Humanity chapter collaborated to build a 1,100-square foot home in Statesville, N.C., for a single mother and her two daughters. Due to the low income they are receiving, many people who live in Statesville cannot afford homes to support their needs. The trip, led by sophomore Kelly Parker and senior Elizabeth Boyce, was a part of the Collegiate Challenge, an initiative through HFH International that invites groups of students to spend one week during school break at an affiliate within the United States. Construction of the house began Jan. 2 with the previous week

REACHING OUT

pink

Gymnastics team raises breast cancer awareness with annual meet By Haley Costello

Photo Illustration By Rachel Orlow

The gymnastics team was thinking about more than just balance beams and floor routines when it took to the mat Feb. 18 in Ben Light Gymnasium. They focused on raising breast cancer awareness to commemorate the late Harriet Carnes Marranca, who began the Bombers’ varsity gymnastics program in 1968. The annual Harriet Marranca Memorial Invitational was a tri-meet with SUNYCortland, Wilson College and Rhode Island College. To honor Marranca’s struggle with breast cancer, the team continued a six-year tradition by collecting donations for the disease and wearing pink leotards and ribbons. Senior captain Kim Callahan said they wanted to express the importance of a cause they are proud to support. “These days it’s so relatable, so raising awareness is really important and special to us,” Callahan said. Marranca retired from teaching at Ithaca College a few years after the end of her coaching career, and she passed away in 1996 after a long battle with breast cancer. She coached the Bombers for 15 seasons, recording 68

NEWS

Blue and Gold goes

wins and 47 losses in dual-meet competitions in addition to two state championships and two top-five finishes in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Championships. She became the first person ever to be inducted into the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame for gymnastics, in 1999. The senior class also pinned a breast cancer ribbon onto every underclassmen’s warm-up jacket. The team commemorated its late coach in an opening ceremony during which Head Coach Rick Suddaby spoke about her contributions to the program. Suddaby said he hoped to help Marranca’s spirit live on in the program by using her charitable ways as a part of his coaching habits. “Even in her illness she thought about how to give back,” Suddaby said. “It really inspired me, and I believe she is watching over this program, so I want to keep her giving nature alive.” Grube said the Bombers know the invitational is about more than finishing with high scores. “Being in the pink leotards reminds us there is more to life than just gymnastics,” she said. “We want to support a great cause and honor a great coach that our school has had.”

personal benefits. “You understand yourself better by learning how you work with others and how you adapt to a new place,” she said. “It’s definitely one of the best experiences you can have.”

Students spend winter break rebuilding homes of volunteers. With most of the framing and foundation finished, students from the college installed windows, roofs and doors from Jan. 14 through Jan. 21. They also worked on putting up the vinyl siding of the home. Parker said the family will be moving from a one-bedroom apartment to the home. “We got to meet her two little daughters,” Parker said. “They were so excited because at that point, they got to go in the house and look in their bedroom window that we put up, and they were like, ‘This is where I’m going to be living, and this is where I’m going to grow up.’”

Christine Niles flips over the vault at the annual Harriet Marranca Memorial Invitational on Feb. 18. Kristen Tomkowid/The IThacan

REACHING OUT

Top

NamE: DeAsia Gilmer Where: Newark, N.J.

class

of the

Subject: Chemistry

College students fight the achievement gap in America’s classrooms Name: Andrea Perrone Where: Eastern North Carolina Subject: English

By Kelsey O’Connor For the first three months of his career, Cornell Woodson ’09 cried on his way home from work. He left Ithaca College to make a difference, but the inner-city students he hoped to inspire barely let him speak. “I called my mom, and I said, ‘Mom, I’m quitting. I can’t do this. I’m not a teacher,’” he said. “She said, ‘Get over yourself.’ It really slapped me in the face.” After two years as a high school English teacher for Teach For America, a nonprofit organization that recruits recent college graduates to teach in low-income schools, Woodson learned how to make his apathetic students care. He joined the program to help give more students an opportunity to succeed. “I was able to remind myself that I wasn’t there for myself,” he said. “I was there for a group of students who really needed somebody to invest in them and help them to invest in themselves.” As the Feb. 10 application deadline for TFA approached, students weighed in on the national discussion surrounding the achievement gap.

Hillary Wool, recruitment manager in the greater New York City area for TFA, said the organization’s mission is to work toward closing the educational inequity gap. “Right now in America unfortunately, a child’s zip code or what their parents do for a living or the color of their skin — these factors tend to limit many children’s life opportunities,” she said. For the first time, the college teamed up with Cornell University to host a week of Teach For America events. Senior DeAsia Gilmer was in the 11 percent of applicants accepted into Teach For America this year and will teach chemistry at a high school in Newark, N.J. She said as a successful student of color, learning how poorly black and Latino students test in comparison to white students inspired her. Senior Andrea Perrone, who will head to eastern North Carolina next fall, said the location wasn’t her first choice, but she is excited to be in the program. “It’s not going to hurt me by any means,” she said. “It’s only going to help me grow.” According to Postsecondary Education

Lance Collins, dean of the College of Engineering at Cornell University, speaks as part of Teach for America Week. Carly Boyle/The IThacan

Opportunity, an education research group, 8 percent of children in low-income communities graduate from college by the age of 24. In President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, he said over the next 10 years nearly half of all new jobs will require schooling that goes beyond a high school education. Senior Morgan Goldstein, a campus coordinator for TFA, said new recruits add to the classroom experience. “It’s not about the teacher, not about the corps member, it’s not even necessarily about the one child,” she said. “It’s about the big picture and how you are working to end — one year at a time, one month at a time — this huge social problem.” Shea O’Meara contributed to this report.

REACHING OUT

Only months after graduating from Ithaca College with a degree in speech-language pathology and a minor in gerontology, Gina D’Addario ’11 is learning in a new classroom — this time with a much younger crowd. D’Addario joined Mentoring And Tutoring Charter High, a full-time residential fellowship program that matches applicants with schools. Staff Writer Allie Healy spoke to D’Addario about her time at the program.

NEWS

Grad inspires children with mentorship

Allie Healy: What’s a typical day like for you? Gina D’Addario: I work over 60 hours a week — it probably isn’t legal how much I work. From 6:30 a.m. to 7:15 a.m. I get the kids on the bus and then I head to school. I have six hours of tutoring a day, consisting of three two-hour sessions. I teach them math and English. Then I set up for the eighth grade lunch and take down the sixth grade lunch. Afterwards I have my final tutorial session before I coach soccer from 3 to 4 p.m. A lot of the time there are games after school, so I don’t get home until very late. AH: What have you learned from the work? GD: You need to get back in the head of a middle school student. You forget about how much they go through at this age. I really had to put myself in their shoes and look back on how it was when you were their age with all the drama and gossip.

Gina D’Addario ’11 poses with one of the campers from her job as a camp counselor last summer. Courtesy of GIna D’Addario

AH: What has been one of your favorite moments while tutoring the students? GD: I am tutoring a seventh grader, and he definitely has severe ADHD. He is not medicated, so every day with him is a challenge. ... Friday, I was in his homeroom making phone calls to sports teams, and one of the desks that was near me had his history test on top of the

stack. So I took a look at it and it was a timeline test that listed events from beginning to end and described events such as ‘I am born’ and ‘My sister was born.’ The last event was ‘I met my tutor.’ So I opened up the packet, and underneath it said, ‘Fun first day, she is great, I am happy.’ ... There was a drawing of us shaking hands and that touched me. It made me realize that even though they don’t say it, they care.

Campus club advocates for end of ‘R-word’ By Harmony Wright

From left, seniors Jessie Kanowitz and Sarah Brenner hang Spread the Word to End the Word posters. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

Ithaca College’s chapter of Spread the Word to End the Word, a worldwide organization dedicated to raising awareness of the misuse of the word “retarded,” kicked off the year with their own rally. The group was officially launched at the 2009 Winter Special Olympics and gained notoriety after joining with Best Buddies International and Teen Truth Live, two national anti-bullying groups. More than 200,000 people have already pledged to stop their casual use of the word. The college community gathered Sept. 20 on the Fitness Center quad for its own rally. The event was organized by seniors Jessie Kanowitz and Sarah Brenner, who brought a chapter of the organization to the college after experiences working with people with disabilities. Kanowitz was inspired to raise awareness about the use of the word after working in the Youth Bureau in Recreation Support Services. “I work with people with disabilities, and I don’t want one of them to be called this word and be subjected to the hurtful consequences it has,” she said. “Ever since we heard of the organization, we both have been very passionate about this movement.”

FRACKING Sandra Steingraber, a biologist, speaks at the rally Nov. 30 against hydraulic fracturing in Ithaca. Kevin Campbell/The IThacan

No fracking Ithacans voice concerns about environment

way

By Patrick Duprey and Kacey Deamer

The Common Council banned the leasing of City of Ithaca land for hydraulic fracturing in a unanimous vote Nov. 2. The vote was 10-0, Ellen McCollister, alderwoman of the 3rd Ward, said. Fracking is a controversial procedure that oil and gas companies use to drill for methane gas. Drillers inject sand, water and chemicals into the rock formation to open the pre-existing rock fractures and extract the natural gas. Ithaca rests on the Marcellus Shale — a subterranean rock formation that contains largely untapped sources of natural gas. Proponents of fracking argue that untapped sources of natural gas, a limited resource, could provide power for the U.S. for close to a decade. In addition, supporters argue that fracking would create employment opportunities both directly in drilling and indirectly in local businesses. Opponents of hydraulic fracturing dominated the microphone at a public hearing Nov. 30 at the downtown State Theatre. Sponsored by the Tompkins County Council of Governments, the event consisted of public comment concerning the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s revised review on the environmental impacts of fracking and potential regulations. Dominic Frongillo, a member of the Town Council of Caroline and of TCCOG, acted as the

moderator for the event. Frongillo said the TCCOG organized the hearing to provide a forum for local citizens not always offered at the DEC-sponsored hearings. Members of the community were permitted to voice their comments and concerns with the DEC’s impact review for up to three minutes. The line to speak wrapped around the side of the State Theatre and stretched close to a half mile on South Cayuga Street. The Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement is a continuation of the original report released in 2009. A change in this new draft, released in September, is a fracking ban within the watersheds of New York City and Syracuse. The community members criticized the DEC’s 1,537-page review, with some speakers asking for a complete and permanent moratorium by the DEC and others requested more research. Speaking on behalf of Rep. Maurice Hinchey, Dan Lamb, a member of Hinchey’s staff, said there have been several negative occurrences since the DEC’s previous study that are not yet reflected in the revision. “We have learned much more about hydraulic fracturing since 2009,” Lamb said. “More incidents of broken industry promises, harm to local communities, air pollution and water contamination have been reported.”

Top: Local resident Fred Gros protests gas drilling at a rally before the hearing Nov. 30. Above: Ithaca resident Steve Austin holds a sign at the protest outside the State Theatre. Kevin Campbell/The IThacan

FRACKING

By Ithacan Staff A state judge ruled Feb. 21 that the Town of Dryden was within its rights to ban hydraulic fracturing, a decision that stopped a lawsuit filed by a Denver-based oil and natural gas company against the town’s ban. In August, the Dryden Zoning Ordinance was amended to ban all activities relating to the exploration, production or storage of natural gas extraction, according to the court document Anschutz v. Dryden. Anschutz contended that the New York state Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Law placed the authority to regulate oil and gas development with the state rather than with local government. Mahlon Perkins, the attorney representing the Town of Dryden, said the case’s verdict was a sound decision by Judge Phillip Rumsey because it showed surrounding municipalities that they have the power to fight state law. “It’s a victory for the local land use powers given to villages, cities

how fracking works

Well Horizontal Fracking A horizontal well is first drilled down vertically above the target gas-bearing rock, then special tools are used to curve the well. Horizontal fracking is used to get the maximum amount of gas from a single well, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.

and towns,” he said. “Certainly their zoning authority will not be usurped by the provision in the state Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Law that constitutes the supersession provision.” Rumsey determined that New York state oil and gas law does not restrict municipalities from changing their own zoning laws to halt natural gas pursuits, according to the court decision. Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, D-N.Y., said this decision, if upheld after a possible appeal, has the potential to set a precedent in state law. “I’m very pleased with it,” she said. “I’m not surprised, because I think the merits are there. It’s a very compelling case, I think, for local control both in our state constitution and a lot of case law around this issue.” The lawsuit was filed by Denver-based Anschutz Exploration Corporation last fall after Dryden changed its zoning laws to ban the controversial process of extracting natural gas from the ground. Anschutz owns 22,000 acres of land leased in Dryden. The ins and outs of a horizontal hydraulic fracturing drill

Sand keeps fissures open

Fissure Water, sand and chemical agents

Natural gas flows from fissures into well

Shale

Well

Well turns horizontal

Fissure Source: department of environmental conservation

Design by yu-chen (jane) chen

Editorial 2/29/2012

NEWS

Dryden fracking ban upheld in zoning lawsuit

Get the frack out of town More states should follow New York’s lead and allow communities to accept or ban fracking Two New York Supreme Court decisions heralded a victory for local citizens that proved individuals who band together through political action can overpower corporate interests. Each state Supreme Court judge ruled the Town of Dryden and the Town of Middlefield, respectively, were within their municipal rights to ban hydraulic fracturing and gas drilling. Within the past year, Ithaca residents and those from surrounding towns like Dryden and Danby brought passion to town meetings and demanded that oil companies stay out of their backyards. As seen in the Dryden and Middlefield case, a general resident stance on fracking greatly aids in arguments against corporations. More states should take notice of the central New York action and view fracking through a hyperlocal lens that focuses on towns and cities rather than the state at large. While the desire for economic recovery and build-up is a valid reason to let corporations drill on state land, the environmental and health impact for people who live and work within smaller zoning districts should always trump economic interest. Some Pennsylvanians who live near fracking sites have had their drinking water supply so heavily poisoned by chemicals used to drill for natural gas that their water can be lit on fire. Some argue those effects are not related to the drilling process, as a University of Texas study recently found that there is no direct link between groundwater contamination and fracking. While researchers and activists search for the truth, the fact remains that many states are seeing water and air contamination that wasn’t present before the hydraulic fracturing technique. Water contamination has concerned many who fear consequences for their health and their homes. If more states rule for towns and cities to decide on a fracking stance themselves, more people can help prevent unwanted drilling invasions where they live and have more say in America’s democratic process that penetrates deeper under the surface of state politics.

In Memoriam

Gregory Mantone By Brian Rank

To his peers and professors, junior Gregory Mantone was a quiet student with a smile on in the hallways, talent in the classroom and a helping hand when needed. But Mantone’s sudden death in a car accident early Dec. 3 left the School of Music and Ithaca College mourning and reflecting on his life. He was traveling along highway I-81 through Susquehanna County, Pa., from New York City, when his vehicle went off the side of the highway and struck a rock embankment around 2 a.m., according to a Pennsylvania State Police report. The vehicle came to rest on the driver’s side and became engulfed in flames, the report said. Mantone was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 20 years old. Students, faculty and staff assembled Dec. 3 in Muller Chapel to share their thoughts and memories of Mantone, recalling a passionate musician and caring friend. Attendees told stories about his kindness. “He’s just the most genuinely, purely nice guy I’ve ever met,” sophomore Katherine Pfeiffer said. Junior Riley Goodemote said Mantone had a sunny disposition and was always upbeat despite the stress of schoolwork. “I never saw him with a cold look on his face, not once,” he said. The gathering was organized by administrators in the School of Music and was led by Father Carsten Martensen, the college’s Catholic chaplain. More than 100 members of the campus community filled the chapel and stretched into the outside atrium. Mantone, a music education major, played the euphonium in the Symphonic Band, for which he was a section leader, and sang in the college chorus. Mantone was raised in Mount Sinai, N.Y., a hamlet on Long Island, where he graduated from Mount Sinai High School. Gregory Woodward, dean of the School of Music, said Mantone also had a love of musical theater and was returning from seeing “Follies,” one of his favorite Broadway musicals, that morning. Woodward said the music school community came together in support of each other. “The kids seemed affected, somber, reflective, but also concerned by

Top left: From left, juniors Scott Card and Damien Scalise play at a jazz memorial concert. Rachel Orlow/The IThacan

Center: The Symphonic Band left Gregory Mantone’s seat open at practice Dec. 7.

Michelle Boulé/The IThacan

Left: Suki Montgomery, assistant director of counseling and wellness, sets up for a memorial.

Rachel Orlow/The IThacan

each others’ health,” he said. Aaron Tindall, assistant professor of tuba and euphonium and Mantone’s teacher, said Mantone’s technique had improved in the past months, putting him on track to achieving his goals. Tindall said when he arrived at the college he asked students what they wanted to do. “I remember specifically, I got to Greg, and Greg said ‘I want to be the best music educator that I can be and the best euphonium player that I can be,’” he said. Tindall said losing a student is particularly difficult for music students because of the tight-knit community in the school. Junior Nicole Kukieza, a music performance and education major, knew Mantone since her freshman year. “It didn’t really hit a lot of people until band and chorus on Monday when Greg didn’t go,” she said. “It was kind of real then.”

By Kelsey O’Connor

John Keshishoglou, founding dean of the Ithaca College School of Communications, passed away Aug. 24 from pancreatic cancer. He was 79. His impact and memory linger not only at the college, but also worldwide. Keshishoglou was born in northern Greece, worked as a photojournalist for the Greek and foreign press, and served in the Greek Army for two years. After an honorable discharge, he went to the United States to further his education. There he received a B.A. from Morningside College, an M.A. from the University of Iowa and a Ph.D. in mass media and instructional design from Syracuse University. Known as “Dr. Kesh,” he joined the college community in 1965 as chair of the Department of Television-Radio and director of the Instructional Resources Center. In 1971, after the creation of the communications school, he became dean and held the position until 1979. Diane Gayeski, current dean of the communications school, was a student while Keshishoglou was dean and said he brought incredible vision and energy to the college community. “There wouldn’t be a school of communications without him,” she said. “He was willing to battle administration and personally put his own reputation on the line to promote what he really knew could be the school of communications.”

Kevin Michael By Erica Palumbo Kevin Michael, a multimedia support technician in the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College, passed away. In an email sent out to the Park School community, David Priester, the director of the school’s technical operations, said the school’s faculty received news of Michael’s passing Nov. 14. Priester said his death was unexpected. Junior Rob Flaherty, a television-radio major, said he heard about Michael’s passing Sunday night through peers. He said Michael was known by almost everyone in the Park School for his eagerness to help. “He was sort of the go-to guy for any video editing or software issues,” Flaherty said. “He always did it with this really good sense of humor about everything.” Michael worked at the Park School for 25 years, serving most recently as the multimedia service technician.

NEWS

John Keshishoglou

In Memoriam

From left, Rudy Paolangeli, Ronald Nicoson, Rod Serling and John Keshishoglou pose Oct. 19, 1967, at one of Serling’s public lectures. Keshishoglou, informally known as “Dr. Kesh,” brought Serling to the college as a visiting professor. Hadley Smith Photo Collection/ Ithaca COllege

Emilio Lopez-Arias By Nicole Ogrysko Emilio Lopez-Arias, lecturer of modern languages and literatures at Ithaca College, passed away Sept. 2 of a sudden heart attack. He was 54. A Spanish native, Lopez-Arias came to the college in 2009 to join his brother Julio, also a professor at the college. Lopez-Arias lived with his wife, Elena Elinova, in Ithaca. Michael Richardson, associate professor and chair of modern languages and literatures, described Lopez-Arias as a “tireless educator.” Lopez-Arias taught Spanish courses at the college in the morning and classes at SUNY-Cortland in the afternoon. Christopher Gascon, associate professor and chair of the language department at Cortland, said Lopez-Arias will be difficult to replace, since many students consistently took classes with him. “It wasn’t at all uncommon for students to, once they’ve taken his course, look for him and sign up for his section in a subsequent course,” he said. “He seemed to have that loyal following amongst the students.” Richardson said Lopez-Arias was a warm, friendly colleague. “He always struck me as someone who was very concerned about how his students were doing,” he said. “He put a lot of effort into his preparation for his classes.” Lopez-Arias’ death came as a shock to the entire language department. Richardson said he knew Lopez-Arias was diagnosed with cancer over the summer, and the recent heart attack may have been related to a blood clot from the cancer.

Living as one A few flutters from a Japanese dance, some kicks from a break-dancer and a song about peace came together Nov. 4 for a night bursting with culture and color in the One World Concert at Ithaca College. The International Club and Office of International Programs organized the event as an end to Education Week. Photos By Parker Chen

Top: Senior Norah Sweeney poses and dances a Tsuru-wa Kotobuki, a classical Japanese dance with fans. The event was meant to educate people on other cultures.

Above: Sophomore Kody Crawford busts a move as part of the IC Breakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dance. Other student groups, including Ithacapella and Amani Gospel Choir, also performed.

NEWS

Top left: Senior Drau Wickramasinghe, president of the International Club, performs Kandyan, a traditional Sri Lankan dance. Top right: Senior Valerie Marcano, president of the Teszia Belly Dance Troupe, swirls fabric during the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show. Left: From left, freshman Eric Szu and junior Cloris Xu sing during the show. Students of different backgrounds performed.

Rebuilding and

Remembering

By Gerald Doherty

A nation comes together one decade after 9/11 When many current college students were still in middle school, the United States suffered one of the deadliest attacks in its history. Across the U.S., children were taken out of school. They learned a new word that would pervade a decade: terrorism. They would later learn of the men and women who lost their lives after going to work or boarding a plane, and of those who gave their lives to save anyone they could as towers burned

and smoke blackened skylines and TV screens. The week surrounding Sept. 11, the college and community held a series of services and ceremonies to mark the passing of one decade since that attack. The events commemorated lives lost. For many college students, the 10th anniversary of the attacks still recalls vivid memories. Junior Juliet Barriola lived in northern Manhattan in a community called Inwood. She said early in the morning her teacher gathered the students together and explained to them what a terrorist attack was. “We had never heard of that, and she told us about the towers,” Barriola said. “I didn’t really understand what was going on, but my aunt picked me up early and we sat in front of the TV and watched the towers all day.” Barriola said her mother worked in an office five blocks from the World Trade Center, facing the towers. Her aunt didn’t tell her how close her mom was at the time. “She saw where the planes hit, and she

10 people. 10 stories. 10 years later. Scan the code to see a multimedia package of peoples’ 9/11 memories.

was nervous,” Barriola said. “She had to evacuate the building and walk over 100 blocks. She came home very tired with dust on her clothes.” In downtown Ithaca, the Rothschild Building housed a twisted metal remnant of a staircase from the World Trade Center. Ithaca was one of 30 cities in New York state to receive an artifact from the towers this weekend. In New York City, the National 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan was unveiled Sept. 12. The memorial, created by architect Michael Arad and landscape designer Peter Walker, is a pair of acre-wide waterfalls that sit where the towers once stood. Last year, a commemorative peace pole that was dedicated at the college on the first anniversary of Sept. 11 went missing. The new pole was installed this year. Father Carsten Martensen, the Catholic chaplain at the college who has been organizing the events for more than a year, reached out to students to share their memories of Sept. 11 for public record and the college archives. “We don’t want those memories to be lost,” he said. “Maybe from our remembering personally and also corporately, we can really pursue peace instead of looking for revenge.”

A metal sculpture with images of the towers just after and following the crash was displayed on The Commons. Dan States/The Ithacan

Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

NEWS

New age

for Ithaca

Svante Myrick, a 2009 graduate of Cornell University, explains a point at a democratic primary debate Sept. 10. Myrick speaks to supporters after the announcement of his election victory. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

By Ithacan Staff Svante Myrick became the youngest mayor in Ithaca history, at 24 years old, after sweeping the polls in the Nov. 8 election. Myrick collected 54 percent of the vote, according to the Tompkins County Board of Elections. According to official data released by the Tompkins County Board of Elections, 3,637 Ithaca residents among the city’s 10,407 active, registered voters cast a ballot in the election. Myrick, who graduated from Cornell University in 2009, was the youngest alderman in the city council at 19 years old. Now 24, he assumed office Jan. 1, replacing Mayor Carolyn Peterson, a Democrat who endorsed Myrick’s campaign and had held the position since 2003. Myrick thanked his campaign staff, supporters and voters for their passion and commitment to his mayoral campaign. He said his first order of business in office would be organizing the five new members of the city’s Common Council so the legislators can get to work addressing the city’s problems. “I hope to bring my energy, my commitment and dedication to service,” Myrick said. “Hopefully we can bring down the cost of living, we can

Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

plans to address hydraulic fracturing, the conimprove the way our city performs and improve troversial practice of drilling for natural gas, by the way we communicate.” advocating for its ban within city limits. He said Irene Stein, chair of the Tompkins County he will look at creative ways to deal with frackDemocratic Committee, said Myrick’s election ing, like working with the Finger Lakes Land marked a great night for local Democrats, and Trust to buy land along the watershed to prevent his agenda will likely transform into an effective drilling companies from using the space. mayoral administration for the City of Ithaca. Junior Rob Flaherty, communications direc“Though he was a young person, he showed you can’t generalize about young peo- tor for the Myrick campaign, said the victory culminates six months of a difficult, yet rewardple — that some young people are equipped ing, campaign. and able,” Stein said. “It’s incredible,” he said, jokingly. “I’m going Joseph Murtagh, a Myrick supporter who to Disneyland.” was elected as an alderman to the Common Council’s 2nd Ward, said Myrick’s administration should help expand the city’s tax rate and increase housing options for local residents. “It’s definitely a change of direction for the city,” Murtagh said. “It’s been eight years of a certain style of leadership. It’s been good leadership, but I think some of the issues that were talked about tonight and in the mayoral campaign really have to do with a direction for development.” From left, J.R. Claiborne, Svante Myrick, Wade Wykstra and Janis Kelly As mayor, Myrick said he discuss issues at a mayoral forum Nov. 1 just before the general election.

Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

Brand

new look

College launches rebranding campaign to bolster competition Nicole Ogrysko

Ithaca College officially launched a rebranding and advertising campaign Sept. 1 to better market the college locally and nationwide. The campaign started with the launch of the college’s updated website and logo, but Rachel Reuben, associate vice president at the Office of Marketing Communications, said the initial changes were just the beginning. Reuben said the college initiated the rebranding campaign last August to find clear, consistent messages and visuals to use throughout the college. The college also wanted the initiative to coincide with IC 20/20 and address the issue of increasing competition among universities. Though the site’s navigation and content did not change, Reuben describes the updates as a “fresh coat of paint.” The website features two stories of students whose college experiences made them “Ready” for the future. The “micro-site,” ithaca.edu/ready, includes 12 additional “Ready” student stories, which will cycle throughout the year. Reuben describes the “Ready” brand identity as a fill-in-the-blank where students can fill in a

Editorial 9/1/2011

Rachel Reuben, associate vice president of the Office of Marketing Communications, sifts through pages with the new Ithaca College logo printed on them. The college’s rebranding initiative was launched Sept. 1. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

description of how the college has prepared them for life after school. The college’s logo also underwent changes from the institution’s previous signage, which displayed “Ithaca” in uppercase letters. After gathering feedback, Reuben said, the college decided to alter the options. The new logo displays the full “Ithaca College” name in navy blue uppercase letters, with an interlocked “I” and “C” in the middle of a shield to the left of the college name. Bonny Griffith, director for recruitment marketing at the Office of Marketing Communications, said the new logo clears up confusion between the Ithaca area and the college. “It brings the word ‘college’ back into our

logo,” she said. “That’s been a challenge for us in recent years because Ithaca is a city and it’s an entity that people know not just as a college.” Though the college has done some advertising in the past, Reuben said the marketing office

would be rolling out a comprehensive strategic advertising campaign by placing advertisements in Google searches, The New York Times and Facebook, in addition to publications in the Finger Lakes region. The college planed to focus on New York City and the Northeast region later in the fall and spring.

Making the right mark Marketing office captures college’s vision of future Ithaca College is “Ready” for another shot at branding itself. And this time, it’s on the right track. Unlike the failed Bomber mascot search last spring, the search committee came out strong with its new logo design this fall. The committee’s proposal of three mascot finalists — a flying squirrel, a lake beast and a phoenix — weren’t emblematic of the college at all. Now, the collegiate title is freshly painted in a rich, classic blue and deep gold that captures “tradition” in every sense of the word. The logo is clear. It’s strong. And it’s actually representative of the college. With greater efforts to poll educators and students, the college can monitor its process of gradually incorporating the new logo across campus. That way, when prospective students browse the Internet while searching for colleges or alumni return to campus for Fall Splash, they can expect to receive a consistent message about the college’s vision to prepare its campus community for the future — no squirrels allowed.

By Gillian Smith

the numbers

NEWS

Beyond

The freshman class listens to a speech at Convocation. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

College reports largest number of ALANA students in freshman class This year, Ithaca College witnessed the most freshman class diversity in its history, with a larger number of African, Latino, Asian and Native American students. The 2011 freshman class is made up of 18.2 percent ALANA students, compared to 15.1 percent in 2010, 14.9 percent in 2009 and 13.4 percent in 2008. This year’s freshman class has the highest percentage of ALANA students in the past four years. There is a total of 304 ALANA students, compared with the 2010 freshman class, which had a total of 249. In 2009, the number of ALANA students was also at 304, but that was a lower percentage of the entire student body. In 2008, there were 196. Eric Maguire, vice president for enrollment management, said in an email that the ALANA increase can be attributed to the higher level of diversity among college-bound students nationwide, in addition to improved recruiting techniques. The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that in 2010 the national average of American minority students at four-year colleges in the United States was 27 percent. Since 2010, the college has been formulating a five-year diversity plan through workshops and programs. Senior Sudie Ann Robinson, president of the Caribbean Students’ Association, said the increase in ALANA students is a positive change, but said she worries about the retention rate. Junior Kristy Zhen, co-president of the IC Asian-American Alliance, said she has not seen a significant

increase at meetings. “It’s great that the numbers of admissions are increasing, but it’s also important to look at the retention rates,” she said. “From my experience on this campus, I don’t believe that our ALANA resources have increased.” Robinson said she believes the college could still improve the number of ALANA students accepted each year, but acknowledges that this year is significantly better than when she was a freshman in 2008. Zhen said she would like to see the larger

Faces of ’15

classes of ALANA students take part to help the college be more accountable in accommodating those students. “I hope it brings more support for faculty of color and that professors on this campus are sensitive to and acknowledge the struggles that students of color may face,” Zhen said. “I hope the school’s diversity initiatives will actually be beneficial to the school and ALANA community.” Scan the code to see a special online feature about the freshman class and their stories.

chug

Challenging the

Junior Hannah Worthley cheers for the Bombers at the Cortaca Jug, the annual rivalry football game played against SUNY-Cortland. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

Email urges more course work over Cortaca Scan the QR code to read the full email.

By Taylor Long The Office of Health Promotions has suggested students be given a heavier workload over Cortaca weekend to curb excessive drinking. In an email sent out to faculty members through a private listserv, Nancy Reynolds, Health Promotion Center program director, encouraged faculty to alter assignment due dates so that they fall on or around Nov. 14, the Monday after Cortaca Jug, the historic rival football game between SUNY-Cortland and Ithaca College. The contents of the email were leaked to The Ithacan by a faculty member who asked to remain anonymous. “If your students have important assignments due on Monday the 14th, some of them will be less likely to engage in high risk drinking the

weekend beforehand,” Reynolds said in the email. Michael Buck, clinical associate professor and associate faculty development coordinator, sent the email to faculty through the IC Teach listserv on Reynolds’ behalf. Buck maintains the IC Teach listserv, which allows faculty to discuss teaching-related issues. Buck said he didn’t get the impression members of the faculty intended to assign extra work. “I don’t recall anybody endorsing that or saying that is exactly what they’re going to do,” Buck said. “I wouldn’t want students to believe that we use learning opportunities such as exams, papers or projects as a stick that we hold over their head to make them behave in a certain way beyond their personal choice.” Jason Freitag, associate professor of history, said he doesn’t plan to deviate from his syllabus. “I don’t make my work schedule for the students, I make it based on the needs of the course,” he said. “I don’t make it in relationship

to Cortaca. I didn’t see it as something that mattered to me practically.” Senior Andrea Kwamya has a learning disability that requires her to schedule her time carefully and said she was surprised the idea originated in the Office of Health Promotion. “I feel that it would be unfair for those who don’t participate in Cortaca and do not choose to be belligerently drunk in the middle of the day,” she said. “To impose upon us work that we haven’t been able to consider or to plan into our schedule — that’s ridiculous.” Brian Rettger, an exercise science major pursuing a graduate degree, said at the college level, this is no longer an appropriate role for faculty to play in the lives of its students. “College work is supposed to be for the purpose of learning and not behavior modification,” he said. “We like to consider ourselves adults. I don’t think getting boozed up at Cortaca is really going to affect my college career.”

Editorial 11/10/2011 Professors aren’t babysitters, and giving students more work won’t necessarily stop them from partying on Cortaca weekend. But in an email leaked to The Ithacan, Nancy Reynolds, Health Promotion Center program director, encouraged faculty to alter assignments due this coming Monday. According to Reynolds, giving students more work during the weekend of Cortaca Jug, the popular rival football game between Ithaca College and SUNY-Cortland, might help minimize high-risk drinking behavior. The email, which was sent with good intentions, served as a platform for health promotion. It described a “prevention strategy” of increasing academic work to deter students from making unwise choices to help reduce excessive drinking. But college professors are not glorified nannies who monitor their students. Their primary role is to provide material that meets the demands of the course for students to achieve its objectives. Yet the email implied professors should change their syllabi to help foster behavior modification. If students want to be treated like adults, they should expect both the privilege and consequence that comes with such freedom and independence. And faculty should continue to hold them to these expectations. Students who make unwise personal choices knowingly pursue them and suffer the consequences, as is the case in any other scenario.

NEWS

Faculty need to trust students’ choices

The Cortaca Jug is a tradition that is not going away anytime soon. The college should therefore continue to take a hands-off approach when it comes to high-risk drinking on this weekend. If students ask to be treated like adults, the college should trust students to make choices that are right for them.

Drinking should not dominate college tradition Guest Commentary By Nancy Reynolds My efforts to promote healthy practices generated angry energy among the Ithaca College community. To clarify, I did not “mass email” our faculty. I sent a draft of a document to a professor for feedback, hoping it would incite a possible dialogue on the faculty listserv about approaches to substance abuse prevention. While the appearance of the message in The Ithacan was unexpected, I never waste an opportunity to highlight prevention themes: After all, it’s my job. Apparently, my words struck a nerve. As a newcomer to the college, I didn’t realize how fiercely protective students feel about the tradition of high-risk drinking on Cortaca weekend. It’s unfortunate that my intention to discuss the impact of high-risk drinking on student safety has turned into a focus on “more homework.” Understandably, the concepts of increased academic rigor — and decreased high-risk drinking — can feel threatening if individuals believe that the end result is less “fun.” On the contrary, some students that I’ve worked with

who have succeeded in moderating or abstainhigh-risk drinking. ing from drinking said they have a better time The Cortaca Jug is a high-stakes athletic socializing. Most alumni even wish they had competition with a rich tradition and a national dedicated more of their free time in college to following. It requires a level of physical and menengage in cultural and academic opportunities tal toughness and dedication to which most of us the community offers. can’t relate. Our football team deserves a climate I support fair, value-neutral and harmreduction policies and evidence-based practices. of support and respect on game day. The tragic loss of a student in an alcohol-related death last year put this issue in the spotlight. Frankly, the concerns voiced by the college community led me to believe we were ready to tackle this issue more effectively. Harm-reduction strategies aren’t pulled out of thin air. An environment of consistently high expectations for students positively impacts overall college success and Nancy Reynolds, program director of the Health Promotion Center, stands satisfaction, and reduces in the Taughannock Falls Room after a presentation on stress management. Kevin Campbell/The Ithacan

Beating around the

bush

By Taylor Long

Jungle residents left in limbo as city decides their fate Walk along Route 13 south, right beside the train tracks until the railroad bridge crosses the creek by Agway. Cross the bridge. Balance on the steel tracks, hop from one railroad tie to the next. Hang a left. Snake through one of the beaten paths lined with leftover cardboard from a Keystone Ice case and broken bottles. Tents loom behind bushes. Carpet remnants blanket the ground. Several men are perched on the cement retention wall by the creek rolling cigarettes. One man sprinkles some Doritos on the ground for a duck. On the pockmarked cement beside Gary Rohey rests a bowl full of apples. He offers one to anyone who passes by. “Welcome to the Jungle,” reads a sign nailed

to a tree trunk. “All friends are welcome, whores and bums are not. Thieves will pay the price.” The Jungle, home to about 50 homeless men and women living in tents, is a “problem” the City of Ithaca has been trying to solve for the last two years. It’s where the “misfits” of Ithaca’s homeless population collect. The City of Ithaca gave the American Red Cross of Tompkins County a “draft eviction notice” in August calling for residents living in Sectors Two and Three of the Jungle, which rest on city-owned land, to either pack up by Sept. 15 or be arrested for trespassing. Sector One of the Jungle was not included in the eviction notice because it rests on land owned by Norfolk Southern Corp. railroad.

Tom Purcell, a year-long resident of Section One of the Jungle, stands by his tent Sept. 2. Kevin Campbell/The Ithacan

Mayor Carolyn Peterson said the city plans to address Sector One after Sectors Two and Three have been evicted. It looked like a promise of eviction, but at the Homeless and Housing Task Force meeting Aug. 30, Peterson announced the city had decided to remove the Sept. 15 deadline from the notice. Hoffman said complaints from local businesses, expansion of the Jungle and a series of health and safety liabilities brought the city to the doors of social service agencies in search of suggestions on how to relocate the residents. Hoffman said the decision to remove the Sept. 15 date on the draft eviction notice was made to give the mayor more time to consult with social service agencies.

NEWS

John Wallis sits by the railroad tracks in Section One of the Jungle. He does not live in the tent community, but he often visits his friends residing there. Kevin Campbell/The Ithacan

pain, psychiatric,” Peterson said. “That’s what worries me. That people there are not getting immediate help.” ISLAND OF MISFITS

According to the study, residents of tent cities often benefit from a sense of autonomy, privacy and security. But liability issues, health concerns and ethical considerations often pervade the discussion about tent cities — a topic that has entered the public sphere more frequently since the Great Recession. Purcell attended the task force meeting to see what the city might have in store for the Jungle, but he left without an answer. Meanwhile, Jungle residents are still waiting, not giving the city’s next move much thought. As far as the city’s “compassionate” but unfunded ideas for the Jungle’s future — residents like Rohey have their doubts. “If you were to propose a bird sanctuary to the city, the mayor would be jumping up and down and getting a little feather in her cap,” Rohey said. “Well, this is a people sanctuary.”

UNCERTAIN FUTURE A 2011 California Law Review titled “Tent Cities: An Interim Solution to Homelessness and Affordable Housing Shortages in the United States” discusses the positive and negative qualities of tent cities, for its residents and the community.

The Jungle is made up of three sections. Sectors Two and Three may be subject to eviction.

Railroad Property Cecile Street

et re St

At the task force meeting, several agencies admitted to sending clients back to the Jungle with a sleeping bag and a tent after attempts to relocate them failed. Darrell Saunders said this is how he ended up in the Jungle — by referral. After showing up at the Red Cross emergency shelter, he said, personnel told him he must be evaluated by the Department of Social Services before being admitted. In the meantime, he could stay in the Jungle. He hasn’t left since. Still sitting next to the creek with a beer in his hand, Rohey said the Jungle residents are either unwilling or physically incapable of meeting these requirements, espeon location cially in respect to alcohol. “We already know we’re drunks,” he said. “We’re not going to jump through their hoops. They want people to stop drinking. If some of these guys stopped drinking, they’d die.” Some Jungle residents, like Tom Purcell, simply aren’t interested in shelter life. Cherry Street Industrial Park He enjoys the peace and quiet of living outside and the freedom and security that comes with having his own home base.

n lto Fu

Peterson said three separate businesses have approached her with complaints about the Jungle. Though Andy Boerman, owner of the Agway near the Jungle, said he’s never filed a complaint, he has found residents relieving themselves on stacks of cement pallets stored near the railroad tracks. Walking through the Jungle, it’s evident where health and safety regulations are being violated. There’s no running water, just jugs here and there. There are no bathrooms, just tree trunks and the Mobil gas station down the street. Huts and tents pepper the woods, which are not zoned for residents or camping. Most of the time, residents have a can of beer in their hand — a cigarette in the other. Memorials to those who have died in the Jungle are scattered around the campsites underscoring the problems of living under these conditions. A photo of George Bowlsby is nailed to a cross by the inlet he fell into. Residents used to call him “George of the Jungle.” Penny Shaffer, who has been in and out of the Jungle for 15 years, said she gets out of the cold at her friend’s apartment in the winter. In the warmer months, her slight frame shrinks into the same shaded lawn chair, right by the tent where she spends her nights. “If you’re living down here, you’ve got to be a survivor because not everyone can live under these conditions,” she said. “Emotionally. Health wise. And other things you can’t even think of.” At the Homeless and Housing Task Force meeting, Peterson read from a list of crime and emergency incidents in the Jungle. “What really worries me as a compassionate person, is where I see things such as breathing problems, convulsions, chest pain, medical, sick person, unconscious, chest

Kevin CampBell/The Ithacan

Cher ry St reet

NOT IN MY BACKYARD

From left, Jack Saunders and Penny Shaffer sit under cover in Section One of the Jungle. Shaffer has been living in the community off and on for about 15 years.

Malone Street

Wegman’s Plaza

Cherry Street City Property Top’s Plaza

City Property Kmart Plaza Design By Molly Apfelroth

Native

By Author

understanding

Captions for these photos

Ithaca community fights to change negative stereotypes of Native Americans Michael Gaban, an American Indian of the Washoe Tribe, laughs during a song at the First Peoples Festival on Oct. 1. The event was meant to improve cultural awareness. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

By Michelle Boulé

Top: From left, Christine Stockwell and her daughter, Emilia, 8, do crafts at a Kids’ Workshop Saturday special event. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

Above: Alf Jacques, an Onondaga Nation lacrosse stick maker, demonstrates his traditional technique of planing wood. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

Ithaca College and the surrounding community are working together to combat stereotypes through cultural awareness. The First Peoples Festival, a celebration of indigenous culture, was one of several steps toward educating the community about broader issues. Other attempts are being made to fight negative connotations toward Native Americans through native studies, native speakers and cultural events. Brooke Hansen, associate professor of anthropology and coordinator of the Native American Studies minor at the college, said stereotypes about Native Americans range from images of drunk or dirty Indians and noble savages to scalping warriors. Many of these stereotypes come from the media. “Playing Indian is something really sensitive to Native Americans because for so long in this country the U.S. government tried to beat their culture out of them,” she said. “So then to have other people lightly appropriate it, they don’t understand the deep history about how hard it was for native people to hang on to their cultures.” Jack Rossen, associate professor and

chair of the anthropology department, said as Native Americans are returning to their ancestral lands, negative connotations rise. “There are ideas that if native people come back to the homeland, people will be evicted from their houses, taxes will skyrocket, the character of the area will be ruined or there will be trailer parks, drinking in the streets and every negative stereotype you can think of,” he said. According to the 2010 census released in May, New York state’s Native American and Native Alaskan populations amount to 0.6 percent of the total population, a 29.6 percent increase from the 2000 census and the second-largest rise for all demographics. Audrey Cooper, the director of the Multicultural Resource Center, a cooperative extension of Cornell University, and member of the Lenape and Cherokee Nations, said her first goal was to show the talent and artistry of indigenous people through the First Peoples Festival. “With any of the Ithaca festivals there’s also a cultural piece for me that is missing,” Cooper said. “And that’s participation from indigenous peoples.” In the past few years, land claims

Above: From left, Melissa Carr and Brenner Fontanelle, members of the Young Spirit Dancers, perform. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

Below: Kevin Marvin, right, of the Mohawk Nation, hits and shakes a turtle shell rattle during a dance.

Scott Perez, environmental justice and DeWitt Park on Oct. 1, there were no images of land use specialist, said as people got to know war paint or tomahawks. Hansen said to avoid the Cayugas, opinions changed. some stereotypes at the festival, specific face “They painting templates were don’t seem given out to student volunWe have to break those barriers as threatteers so people could not down. The Cayugas — they are ening,” he paint offensive pictures. going to want to come home. said. “These Junior Jessica Burgos — Brooke Hansen are human volunteered at the festival beings, they and said the dancers were aren’t what we read about in school when we one of the highlights. were kids.” “Before the dances they would always give a Burgos said her knowledge of native culture description about why they created this dance has grown since coming to the college. — its purpose,” Burgos said. “I’m sure we always “Where I am from in New Jersey, we don’t watch tribal dances and don’t understand their have Native Americans out in the open, we don’t meaning, and when we are told the significance have reservations — or if we do, we don’t talk we have a greater appreciation.” about it,” she said. “I come to Ithaca, and there’s Another form of outreach, which Rossen, the SHARE farm and the Haudenosaunee NaHansen and a handful of others started, is the tions. It’s a whole different world.” Strengthening Haudenosaunee American Hansen said eliminating disconnects between Relations through Education farm owned by the the two communities is a necessity. Cayuga Nation in Aurora, N.Y. “That’s why our native studies programs, the The Cayuga-SHARE farm began in 2001 as festivals, everything that we do out there in the an educational center about native cultures and community is so important,” she said. “We have was later transferred to the Cayuga Nation. The to break those barriers down. The Cayugas — plot marked the first land in New York owned they are going to want to come home to Ithaca by the Cayugas since the 18th century. Signs and all around Cayuga Lake, and we have to help that read “No Sovereign Nation” and “No Indian pave the way.” Reservation” surround the area around the farm.

NEWS

by the Haudenosaunee Nations have been dismissed in courts, the most recent being the Onondaga Nation land claim, which was dismissed in 2010. Though the sounds of drumming and flutes and the scent of corn soup and fry bread filled

Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

Tech Bytes

Senior journalism major TJ Gunther, an avid tech news junkie, shares his commentary on emerging trends in his biweekly column.

Apple upgrades may save stocks Oct. 27, 2011 For the first time in almost a decade, Apple fell short of analysts’ earning predictions last quarter. This is just the latest bruise in a bunch of bad Apple stories in the past few weeks. Apple’s lackluster numbers and the death of its CEO, Steve Jobs, have raised the question — and provoked action, as some investors sell off stock — of whether Apple can continue its tech dominance. Based on predictions coming out of Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., and its recordbreaking history, Apple will strike back with the iPhone 4S for a blockbuster winter to end its negative streak. With Apple’s fiscal year ending in September, analysts predicted it would rake in $29.5 billion in revenue, but the company was $3 million shy of last quarter’s recordbreaking $28.5 billion. However, Apple did surpass its own prediction of $25 billion. Investors worry that Jobs’ death and a

hardly redesigned iPhone could upset the company and sour its stocks this fall. But, Apple’s prediction for this coming quarter says something quite different. Apple has never made more than $30 billion in one quarter, but its hope to exceed $37 billion for next quarter would demolish its old reputation. Those are numbers of confidence coming from the company, and for good reason: it’s almost holiday season. With reports saying Apple sold more than 4 million units in its first weekend, the iPhone 4S is setting records. For those who were expecting a brand new design, the 4S was anticlimactic when Apple announced it only made minor improvements to the latest model. But with its beefed up processor and Siri, a new voice command technology, the device has led consumers to flock to wireless stores. Smartphone users on carriers outside of AT&T will finally be able to make the jump to Apple, which for the first time has released a brand new iPhone model to Sprint and Verizon as well. And with a fall release — instead of the traditional summer unveiling — Apple can expect to attract new customers with the iPhone 4S hot on the market in the lead-up to the holidays. As prices drop on older models, which even have the slick iOS 5 software installed, Apple will see its numbers shoot up during this quarter. With lower prices and a better product, Apple is a winner for the future. Apple’s predictions show that the company is moving forward, and moving fast. Though investors are cautious, Apple is going to make history with the powerhouse iPhone 4S on the smartphone market. And with a new pricing scheme that makes it easier for people to choose the iPhone, Apple isn’t going anywhere as the leading tech force. To count it out now is a mistake.

Small screen, smart outcome

Dec. 1, 2011

Feb. 16, 2012

If you quit school now, you could be making six figures before you turn 30. College has traditionally been the pathway to higher-paying and better jobs, but the current unemployment rate and rising college tuitions have tossed this old adage into question. As the American tech industry thrives and needs more programmers, designers and researchers, the best of which make upwards of $100,000, a growing faction of industry insiders see academics as a hindrance to economic growth. They say it keeps some of the best minds from the business world. Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, has led the charge against traditional education with his 20 Under 20 fellowship. The program recruits 20 of the brightest students from top universities and invests $100,000 into each of them — on one condition. The recruits must quit school and join Thiel for two years in San Francisco to begin entrepreneurships in fields like robotics and information services. Thiel is part of a growing group that believes too many of the best minds are caught doing research in academia, when really these young thinkers should be tapped now to develop creative and new ideas that can solve old problems. By providing them with the resources to get started, Thiel believes the fellowships could produce the next wave of technology innovators. College students now learn to research and analyze, and how to apply for existing jobs. But colleges seem to be lacking when it comes to teaching students how to turn their own ideas and projects into successful businesses. Countless good ideas are lost because of students’ lack of understanding about how to break out on their own. The technology sector is growing and invading an increasing number of industries. But even skilled workers looking for these jobs aren’t meeting the rising demand. This is because most graduates lack a basic understanding of computer science, which keeps people from exploring it. It’s easy to choose subjects like English or history as an elective when a student is already familiar with them, but computers can intimidate those who haven’t studied the mechanics behind them. The U.S. needs a new education standard that reconsiders the digitization of a growing number of fields, from health care to taxi services. The country is experiencing a tech growth spurt, but it lacks the trained personnel needed to fulfill the increasing demand for laborers. Either through better technology education or an increased focus on entrepreneurship, the U.S. must modernize or risk losing its tech dominance to another country.

Tech news consumers have been hearing about the post-PC era for a while now — a world where phones and tablets will handle the majority of our computing needs. For the first time ever, smart phone sales exceeded PCs this past holiday quarter, and tablets like the iPad and Kindle Fire have been growing in popularity. However, there is still one area that hasn’t been overly accepting of the trend: education. Together, Apple and Samsung sold more than 60 million smartphones in the past three months, a number heralding a world where PCs will be reserved for work and high-power applications like Photoshop and video games, where email, Internet browsing and computer use will be reserved for much smaller, multi-touch screens. Society hasn’t yet reached post-PC though, and college campuses are a prime example of the reason why. Though many students carry smartphones with them every day, they’re not being used or even allowed in the classroom. There’s a growing disconnect between laptop and cellphone use in education. Where classrooms are often full of students sitting on their laptops, cellphones are typically banned from lectures. Laptops have assumed the role of “good” technology, whereas phones, which can handle similar work as PCs, have been relegated to the corner mostly because they were the first technology to be brought into a classroom. Students can text and screen calls using their phones, but with free wireless in every building, most would rather play games or use Facebook chat on their laptops. Phones are smaller, lighter and increasingly well suited for educational tasks. Apps like Evernote make it easy to type notes, record audio or snap pictures, then share them across virtually all platforms. Why hand write and draw diagrams when a simple picture of the information on the board does the same work and frees students to focus on analyzing the information instead of strictly copying it? There are a growing number of apps looking to simplify education, and the welcoming of smartphones into the classroom will only prompt more creativity in the field. Students need to be trusted to use their phones effectively in the classroom, just as they are trusted to use laptops. As the rest of the world moves toward a post-PC era of computing, education will need to catch up. Tablets and phones are smaller and lighter than laptops, making them ideal to transport between classes, dorm rooms and homes. Until teachers start accepting them as tools and not just toys, educational applications will have a hard time gaining traction among college students.

NEWS

Bring on the computer geeks

LIFE

Life Student life can’t just be measured in credit hours or grades. It’s students’ struggles and day-to-day experiences that really make up campus culture. Nate Marshall juggles fire at Downtown Ithaca Alliance’s Chili Cook-off Festival. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

Is bar culture tapped out? Photo Illustration by Rachel woolf

By Eli Sherman Bars are closing. Students are going out later. A “night out on the town” doesn’t mean what it used to. After more than 70 years of serving both students and local Ithacans, the long-standing Royal Palms Tavern in Collegetown will close at the end of the month after a steady decline in business over the last 10 years. The Palms’ long wooden bar, standing between a line of stools and countless bottles of booze, was once a place where students could be found after classes, construction workers during their lunch hour and where, on any given night, anyone would come to have a drink. Joe Leonardo, who took over the bar from his father and uncle in the early 1980s, said he has seen a shift in the way people socialize at bars as students seem to be coming out later every year and spending less time at the bar, causing a steady drop in revenue. Leonardo said over the past year, he has made more than 90 percent of his business in less than three hours of the week. He said business at the bar thrives during the 45 minutes before the last call. “People don’t come out until midnight and 10 minutes after midnight there’s a line down the street,” Leonardo said. Diana Drucker, a 1974 graduate of Cornell

University and a realtor, has been a regular at the Palms since 1970 and said the style of lateoffers a Palms Tavern night drinking has drifted from a more social at the Royal s 60 . re 19 e ltu th cu A photo from fferent kind of drinking urtesy of joe Leonard atmosphere to a late-night stop. Co a di glimpse into Drucker said she was never a big drinker, excess. People are not going for one drink, they but the Palms was always a place she could go, are going down for a bunch of drinks in a short nurse one beer for a couple of hours and hang period of time to try and get the best bang for out with good company. your buck.” “I’m heartbroken,” Drucker said. “It’s a dive, Kerr said the pregame culture is something but it’s my dive bar.” growing more popular in the current college The Palms will be the third bar in Colleggeneration, largely due to economic pressures. etown to close down within the last year follow“That’s sort of the poor economic outlook ing Dino’s, an Ithaca College Wednesday-night of young people today,” he said. “It seems to be favorite, and Johnny O’s. dampening their drinking or partying behavior.” William Kerr, senior scientist at the Alcohol Leonardo said because students have been Research Group at the Public Health Institute, pregaming more before going out, he has had to said drinking culture as a whole is increasing in kick out more people over the past three years the United States, but in the college-aged group, for being more rowdy and out of control. students don’t drink as much as people did five “Kids have always got drunk and acted not to 10 years ago at the same age. on the best of behavior, which is understandable Senior Joey Maran has been going to bars in the environment I grew up in, and I underfor a year and a half and said he likes to go just stand that, but it seems to be getting worse and before midnight so he can have some time to worse,” he said. “I think it’s just because kids enjoy himself before the rush comes in. Maran is don’t know how to drink, they don’t know how a bartender at The Nines in Collegetown, so he to handle themselves when they’re drinking.” experiences the scene from both sides of the bar. The Palms’ lease ends at the end of the month, “As far as the social aspect of going to a bar, and the property has already been sold to a conit has become the norm for people to go out tractor. Leonardo said alumni have been making later,” he said. “Going to the bar has also become pilgrimages back to the old watering hole to have a way to end the night rather than a way to have one last drink in a place full of history. your night. I think that people are drinking to

Down to the wire By Nicole Black

A look at the culture surrounding student Adderall use students and then keeps half the profit. She said demand usually goes up during finals week. “I’m not on a large scale or anything, but I maybe sell between five and 10 pills a week,” she said. “I bet during finals week I’ll definitely run out.” Students like senior Maria* take Adderall as a study aid Maria said Adderall makes her feel motivated and think about the future. On the other hand, sometimes it can make her distracted and focus on the wrong thing, like Facebook. She said professors are not aware of how much coursework a student might have. “Sometimes I have three papers due the same day,” she said, “And I can’t … my body … I can’t take it, I’m a human being.” Many colleges have taken a stance against non-medical use, usually citing that it is not only illegal, but unethical. In September, Duke University amended its academic integrity policy to consider nonmedical use of prescription medications cheating. To obtain the drug, some students fake symptoms for a prescription. Ithaca psychiatrist

William Wittlin said distinguishing the difference between somebody who has the disorder and somebody faking it to get a prescription can be difficult. “There’s a fine line between performance enhancement and whether the person ‘actually has’ Attention Deficit Disorder,” he said. “After a number of hours in my presence, generally I feel pretty comfortable that I can figure out or question out people who might have an agenda of just getting drugs to enhance performance or make money.” Some students, like senior Rena Ostry, oppose Adderall because of what it says about society. Ostry said the use of Adderall highlights this generation’s dependence on pharmaceutical companies. “We’re in a society where young people aren’t taken as seriously as they could be because dependence on crutches like these drugs leads to a reiteration that we’re not capable,” she said.

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Finals week: the exams, the essays ... the pills. Students have been using Adderall for years, but it returned to the forefront of attention as the nation saw a shortage. The addition of Adderall to the Federal Drug Administration’s list of drug shortages in October brought the spotlight on the medication as pharmacies struggled to meet the demand. Those with prescriptions found it harder to get them filled, Nicole Pagano, pharmacist and owner of Green Street Pharmacy, said. “It’s been difficult because everybody needs their medication, and only the lucky ones get it,” Pagano said. Those with prescriptions are not the only ones who affected, though. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that full-time college students were twice as likely as peers of the same age who are not in school to have used Adderall non-medically in the past year. Junior Susan* sells Adderall at Ithaca College for $5 each. Her friend, who does not like taking the prescription but recognizes their monetary value, gives some to Susan to sell. Susan sells to

*Some names in the article have been changed to protect anonymity.

Photo Illustration by Rachel Orlow

Dorm-to-dorm salesmen Students bridge the market between big brands and colleges

Sophomore Jen Segal holds up coupon cards from delivery company Campusfood.com, which she is paid to market to students. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

By Nicole Ogrysko Sophomore Jen Segal’s room looks like almost any other dorm at Ithaca College — a few posters on the wall, a desk neatly organized in the corner and cheetah print sheets. But underneath her bed looks a little different. Segal unpacks a large box stuffed with blue, lime green and neon orange drawstring bags, each with a “Microsoft U” logo on the front. Out comes another box, this time packed with dozens of red Campusfood plastic cups, pens and bumper stickers. A new laptop sits on her desk. The Microsoft tent, which is taller than Segal, is crammed in the back behind the boxes. Segal works as a brand ambassador, a student representative for companies like Cash4Books. net, the Princeton Review and Campusfood. com. She markets products from these companies directly to students on campus. In return, she, like most student representatives, receives competitive pay, hands-on marketing experience and free merchandise. The effort is one of the latest marketing techniques that large corporations are using to reach a younger demographic. “The concept itself is really selling itself,” she said. “It’s a great way for companies to use people who know their school and know their audience.”

Segal is the president of a group of interns and ambassadors at the college for Campusfood. com, for which she organizes campus events and hands out free coupons and merchandise. This semester, Segal is also working as a college ambassador for Microsoft. Michael McCall, marketing professor at the college, said firms choose students to market their products because students are more likely to listen to their peers. “Your friends can get you to do something that strangers can’t,” he said. For Campusfood.com, the idea is similar. Mickey Katz, campus marketing manager at Campusfood.com, said the company employs about 100 college ambassadors nationwide. “The best way to reach out to them would be to have their own peers explain to them the product in a way they can understand it and a way that’s going to get them to get back on our website,” Katz said. Junior Megan Morelli marketed Proctor and Gamble personal care and cleaning products to students at the college last year for ReadyU, a company that supplies students with products like laundry detergent, shampoo and batteries.

Besides the free merchandise, some big companies, like Verizon, offer students $132 per week. This semester, Morelli plans to market iChill, a stress reliever drink with similar packaging to the popular 5-Hour Energy Drink. But marketing a company at a small, private school like the college can be a challenge. Morelli said student ambassadors at larger schools would use tailgating or Greek events as an opportunity to reach a wide audience, but because the college has no official Greek life, she has to be more creative. Segal said she earns more than she did at the on-campus job she held last year. But more importantly, the job allows her to get internship experience on campus. “It was a great way to get an exposure in marketing, to get paid, to get free stuff, learn about the campus and plan events — just all the things that are integral to my major,” she said.

Truth Examining the lives of students who strip to pay bills By Elma Gonzalez thing is to “make the guy feel spe[didn’t] even know how I [was] gocial,” like it’s “all about them.” Older ing to be naked in front of people,” men come in and casually sit by the she said. “It’s kind of given me some stage. Their faces are serious and confidence — I’m not going to lie.” nonchalant as if seeing nude, teasing During the first-day tutorial, the dancers is an everyday event. girls are told not to think of themYounger customers show more selves as strippers, but “Charmers,” excitement. They smile, joke and like the club’s name. Callie Jo Oliver, “act cocky” when sitting by the stage, wife of the club’s owner, said for each Dallas said. tryout, only the girls with the best personalities are kept. “Everyone knows what a stripper is stereotyped as,” she said. “We try to keep those type of people out of here.” Yet, the stigmas associated with their craft pose a threat to their social lives, so they are determined to keep their jobs confidential. On average, they make $200 to $300 every night. It’s something of a clean deal. Clients can touch the girls everywhere, except the vagina. Dallas said the private dances are the most awkward part of the job. From left, Bob Oliver, owner of local strip club Kuma “We straddle them, Charmers, and his wife, Jo, stand behind the bar. Kevin Campbell/The ITahcan grind on them, put our “They have a poker face. As soon butts in their faces, put our boobs as you get them in a dance — oh my in their faces,” Dallas said. “Some God — they are like shaking,” she guys do weird stuff with your said, breathing heavily to imitate nipples and you are like ‘What the them. “It’s hilarious.” f*** are you doing with my nipple? While stripping pays the bills for Jesus Christ!’” these students, they said the job has Club owner Bob Oliver said this come to mean more than money. is where having a “good personality” “I’ve also gained a better idea comes in handy. Girls with good of my sexuality,” Dallas said. looks don’t necessarily do best. “[I’m] a little more confident in “The best talkers are the ones who I am and what I’m doing, and who do the best, so it’s more of comdefinitely a lot more confident municator skills that count,” he said. with my body, too.” Cookie said the most important

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A girl spirals around a golden pole as she holds on with one hand. She brings herself to the ground and crawls toward a grinning middleaged man. She stretches her leg onto the man’s shoulder, slaps her thigh and lifts her garter. The man places a dollar in it with a smile. While this typical strip club scene reads like a Hollywood creation, for some Ithaca College students, it’s a reality. This is just an average night for juniors Dirty Dallas* and Sugar Cookie*. They joined Kuma Charmers, a strip club in Ithaca, in October to supplement their incomes after struggling to pay school, apartment and health bills. Any given day, Cookie might wear jeans and a T-shirt to her class, but twice a week, she sports a seductive G-string and garter to match. Around campus, she gives no clue of her stripper nightlife. Inside, the light is strategically dimmed to place focus on the stage, where disco lights illuminate the naked girls dancing to the beat. Chairs are arranged around the stage for patrons to enjoy. At first, Dallas felt intimidated by the stage. “I can’t even read in front of people, so I Photo Illustration by Michelle Boulé

Participants in an empowerment workshop light logs to later walk on.

A fiery feat

Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

By Kelsey O’Connor

Ithacan News Editor chronicles her night exploring strength by firewalking I’m too afraid to jump off even the smallest ledge of the gorges, so I never thought I would spend a night walking on a hot bed of coals. The sun was out when I got to the Foundation of Light, a spiritual center six miles east of Ithaca College, at 6:30 p.m., which made the pile of logs in the middle of the field visible. Tiki torches that weren’t yet lit created a path to the logs. I was here tonight for LifeCourage, an empowerment workshop which uses physical metaphor and firewalking to achieve a goal. Tony Simons, leader of the workshop and associate professor of management and organizational behavior at Cornell University, entered from the kitchen wearing a Superman T-shirt. By 7 p.m., nearly 20 people had trickled in. Emerging from the kitchen, now with a Hawaiian shirt on, Simons led us outside to the stacked-up, kerosene-soaked logs. Beside the fire pit were three unattended drums. A Ziploc bag full of lighters went around, and with a phht, I took my little flame to a log. As I inhaled, the scent of smoke overpowered the kerosene, and flames licked up the cherry logs. We introduced ourselves and told the group — and the fire — what we wanted to overcome. I can’t say I went into the workshop with any particular goal. I was driven by curiosity, but

mostly the thrill of walking on fire. Erik Lehmann said there is possibility in every walk. Tonight would be his eighth fire walk. “The first time I was like, ‘Can my feet handle this heat?’” he said. “The second time was like, ‘What else can I do? What else am I not popping out of bed to be in the morning?’” Barrett Keene was also returning. I wondered how many times I would need to do the workshop to get the full experience. Simons designs his workshop as a five-step process and pairs each step with a memory. “I give people physical experiences — vivid physical experiences — that will remind them of each of these processes,” Simons said. “It’s essentially teaching by metaphor.” Leaving the fire to burn down and linger in the back of our minds, we went inside. Pine planks went around, and we all wrote things we wanted to break through in our lives. I started with things like “Procrastination.” “The key to breaking the board is to punch through the board,” Simons said. “If you imagine yourself punching at the board, you will unconsciously slow your fist as it approaches the board, and you won’t break it.”

I’m not sure I visualized punching through the board, but I closed my eyes and went for the palm-strike. All I remember is looking down, and the plank was in half. After each break, everyone was greeted by applause and hugs. We were now moving on to trust falls, something Simons said was “way overused in the ’80s.” We crowded around a shaky table as Simons demonstrated the fall.

I feel like a warrior here.

— ERIK LEHMANN

As I took a breath, I heard drumming outside by the fire. I curled up my arms and scooched my bare feet to the edge of the table. “Ready,” I said. “Ready,” the seven trustees responded. Inhale. “… Falling.” “Fall away,” they responded. Exhale. And with a whoosh I was in their arms and then back to the floor on my own Again with the hugging. Then the room got a little quieter. We all

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knew what was next. We watched Simons pull out an arrow and demonstrate. Immediately, hands went to throats. “This one entails a certain amount of pain,” Simons said. “It’s uncomfortable in the face of it. It’s all about when you’re trying to achieve a goal — many goals don’t come the first time you try. Sometimes you really have to push on them.” After a few had successfully snapped the arrow, Keene gave me a nudge, and I put on yellow safety goggles. I took the metal tip of the arrow and placed it in the soft hollow of my throat, just above the collarbone. I let the tail find a spot on the wall. I closed Left: Kelsey O’Connor breaks through a plank with her my eyes and leaned into the hand. The board is meant to represent goals to overcome. Above: From left, workshop leader Tony Simons watches arrow until it bent, bent and just O’Connor as she breaks an arrow with her neck. The process when it felt like it was going to represents the struggles and trials of achieving a goal. be too much, the wood gave way Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan and broke. The feeling of the arrow lingered on my throat, even after I returned to the group. Keene gave me a fist bump. There was a stronger connectedness among the group now, and people were starting to feel more invincible. “I feel like a warrior here,” Lehmann said. “If I could live like this 24/7, I could imagine getting a boatload more done. So I really try to push what it means to be here back into my day-to-day.” With the arrow exercise safely — and a little sorely — behind, it was time to “let go, trust yourself, trust the divine, and go for it,” Simons said. The drums were still booming by the fire. Simons told us we would need to relax into our fear to safely walk across. Balance was O’Connor walks on fire while other participants in the workshop watch. She walked across five times that night. key. Simons stresses the necessity of keeping Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan a casual stride and making sure no pressure is ing and drumming. We left our shoes in the room and followed concentrated on one spot. I just inhaled and went for it. Simons barefoot to the fire. There was no longer To accompany the firewalking, Simons One step. Crunch. a pile of logs in the middle of the field, just glowtaught us two chants. He said the chanting helps Two step. Crunch. ing embers in the dark distance. “keep you in state.” Three step slightly hot, damp towel. The grass was cold, but approaching the bed At this point, I had a few doubts. I can’t Exhale. of coals and embers, I could feel my feet grow lie — I researched ‘Firewalking gone wrong’ on Keene gave me a hug, and it was over. hot. Simons began the practiced chant. Google the night before. So I decided to get into And I felt amazing. I looked at my feet — “Yanno-wana-yana, a-wey-ho-ana. Yannothe chanting, the drumming, the mood and see. nothing but grass and mud. wana-yana, a-wey-ho-ana.” The first chant he taught us was a Native I lined up to do it again. And again. And after A line formed, and one by one, bare feet American chant of friendship. the fifth time across the coals, I was satisfied. stepped across the ashy still-red coals. “Yanno-wana-yana, a-wey-ho-ana. Yanno“It sounds crazy,” Simons said. “But the reason And then it was my turn. I stepped to the wana-yana, a-wey-ho-ana.” someone would want to do it is because you feel “Fill your body as much as you can with that,” edge of the pit. In that moment I wasn’t imaginsuperhuman if you step off the fire unburned.” ing my feet burning. I just listened to the chanthe said.

Lessons from the West Bank Student travels to Palestine to work with youth in violence-ridden city As then-junior Sara Fitouri stood in front of a class of Palestinian girls, a sudden explosion shook the windows and made her ears rattle. The students continued their work. For them, it was normal. Fitouri spent the spring of her junior year in Nablus, Palestine, as a volunteer for Teach for Palestine, an organization that provides free English language and sports lessons to Palestinian youth. In that time, she learned to ignore the sound of bombs hitting the streets. On her first day of work at the girls’ high school in Nablus, she saw a 20-foot wall with an additional 10-foot-high chain-link fence decorated with ivy surrounding the building. A security guard stood watch outside. Only women are allowed inside the gates. “It’s this incredible free zone where I didn’t have to be worried about what guys are watching me on the streets,” she said. “On the streets, [women] have to be very poised and covered.” Helen Brooks, assistant director of Teach for Palestine, said some of the female volunteers struggle with being harassed on the street because women are expected to be either at home or work. “Girls around here, particularly high school girls, are discouraged from playing sports and being confident — all the things Sara really likes and encourages them to do,” she said. She said part of getting to know her students was seeing the violence they lived with. While traveling outside the city, she saw 18-year-olds carrying rifles, and people didn’t think twice. She flinched as fighter airplanes roared above her school, but her students didn’t look. “Nablus was hit the hardest during the last intifada,” Fitouri said. “They were massacred, so it’s like you don’t meet someone who doesn’t have somebody dead in their family.” She said seeing how the money the U.S.

By Shea O’Meara

Above: Senior Sara Fitouri looks into a mirror in which she wears a keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian resistance. Photo Illustration by Rachel Orlow

Left: Palestinian high school students, ages 12 to 18, stand with one of their other English language teachers. Courtesy of Sara Fitouri

sent Israel as foreign aid was used to oppress her students and their families made her question the importance of her work. “It seems so contrite and fake to be like, ‘I taught them English,’” Fitouri said. “Who cares? My tax dollars, my own personal tax dollars, have undone any good that I could have done.” Fitouri taught her students the few American songs she could find that were appropriate for her Muslim. She decided her students would learn “I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy. “Every time they were singing ‘I am woman, hear me roar,’ I was forgetting for a few moments the pain I was in or, for a few moments having a connection with them,” she said. “I needed that class more than they ever did.” The day before her visa expired, Fitouri left Nablus. One student gave her a pouch with a

Palestinian flag-shaped necklace, and a letter that read, “I love you so much, I know you’ll probably forget me, but I’ll never forget you. Always remember Palestine.” Fitouri continues her Palestinian adventure on campus as a teaching assistant for Beth Harris, associate professor of politics. She shares blogs between students at the college and students from Nablus. “When we’re learning, we make assumptions about the given understandings that our knowledge is based on,” Harris said. “Reaching beyond borders creates a greater self-consciousness among the students.” Fitouri said working in Palestine made her see the conflict as more than a policy debate. “It’s not this abstract Jews versus Muslims, and Palestinians versus Israelis,” Fitouri said. “As much as people want to declare themselves neutral, if you’re not speaking out against the occupation, then you’re, by default, supporting it.”

Buddhist leaves home country to preserve Tibetan culture

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A peaceful escape By Shea O’Meara

Zealand native who worked at the monastery. She refused to teach the monks to write in English because, Choesang said, “maybe the monks would write love letters.” Two years ago, the board of directors in India told him to travel to the Ithaca branch of the monastery to teach Buddhist philosophy. Now, Choesang is the head monk of the Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, the North American seat and personal monastery of the Dalai Lama, located on North Aurora Street. He is learning to write in English, but promises no love letters are in his future. Ngawang Dhondup, administrator of the Namgyal Monastery in Ithaca, organizes the teaching schedules for the monastery. He left Tibet with his family in 1959 to escape a likely death at the hands of the Chinese government to become a refugee in India. Tibetans living near Ithaca gather at the monastery to keep their home culture alive. “Right now Tibet is being occupied by the Chinese,” he said. “Inside Tibet people are not allowed to speak; there are no human rights. There is no religious freedom. We heard three days back, more than 32 people have been shot by Chinese police.” The monastery serves as a place for people to come together to express their desires for Tibetan independence. Dhondup said the mission of the monastery is to educate people. “To study at the monastery, one should not be a Buddhist,” he said. “It’s not important to change your religion. What is good is to study Buddhism and be good to you friends, your community Tenzin Choesang, the head monk of the Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies, stands in the monastery. and your neighbors.” At 14 years old, Tenzin Choesang said what would be his last words to his parents for more than a decade and set foot on a three-month trek from Tibet to Nepal. “Our area didn’t have any schools; most students my age didn’t have an opportunity to study,” he said. “I wanted to learn something, but in my area, there was no chance to learn anything, so I decided to escape.” Choesang said stories of India and a chance to meet the Dalai Lama drove his decision. He came across the Namgyal Monastery in India, a Buddhist center constructed by the second Dalai Lama in Tibet in the 16th century that was abandoned in 1959 when the Chinese

government caused the Dalai Lama and 100,000 monks to flee Tibet. Choesang began the traditional path to becoming a monk: long days of studying scripture and philosophy that ended at 9 p.m. “When we joined the monastery we had more than 40 or 50 students, so every day was competition,” he said. “I really put in too much effort. Sometimes I woke up around 2 o’ clock in the morning to start class and memorize scriptures.” After more than two years and two months of study, Choesang graduated. Before he traveled to the United States, Choesang learned to speak English from a New

Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

In the eyes

By Kerry Tkacik

of the beholder Eye surgery sparks discourse about beauty in different cultures

Photos by Rachel Woolf Design by Shawn Steiner

A basic cosmetic surgery has become so popular that one part of the world calls it routine. But most Americans have never heard its name. Asian blepharoplasty, or fold creation, is the process by which a crease is surgically created in the eyelid. Today, the surgery is common among Asian girls between the ages of 16 and 25. This trend is raising questions about cultural and personal perceptions of beauty. Blepharoplasty was one of the top five surgical procedures done in the United States in 2011, with 196,286 patients receiving the surgery, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Olivia*, a sophomore at Ithaca College, had the surgery during winter break when she went home to Kunming, China. The small light red scars are barely visible above her eyelids, buried in the new creases. She said her eyes should be totally healed in a few months. “It’s just such a small surgery,” Olivia said. “You know how people here have braces? That’s how common it is.” Karen*, a sophomore who is an American of Chinese descent, had the surgery about two

years ago. “It’s really hard for people to understand when I tell them this because it sounds really silly, but you don’t understand it unless you go through it,” Karen said. “When you don’t have eyelids, you can’t wear makeup.” Edmund Kwan was Karen’s plastic surgeon. Karen said she disagrees with the idea that Asians receive the eyelid crease surgery to look Caucasian. This assumption is false, Kwan said. “It was to enhance my beauty,” Karen said. “It wasn’t to look like someone else or to look less Asian. I love looking Asian. I know getting cosmetic surgery wouldn’t change that at all.” Kwan said the assumption that blepharoplasty is done in pursuit of Western beauty is a common misconception. Olivia and Karen agree. Both said they did not seek to alter their Asian identity. “I’m still me,” Olivia said. “I’m just a little bit happier. Every time I look in the mirror I feel a little more confident about myself.” Olivia said she received different reactions from the surgery. “My Caucasian friends didn’t notice, but all

my Asian friends were like, ‘Oh my God, your eyes look so great,’” Karen said. “And my family thought it was really great too.” Freshman Esther Kim, an American of Korean descent, considered the surgery once in the past, but changed her mind as she grew older. Kim experimented with eyelid tape, a doublesided tape used to create false double eyelids. “I just wanted to see what it was like, and when I had it on I definitely felt a little bit more confident,” Kim said. Kim said she changed her mind because she realized the perception of beauty that was being projected to her came from the media. “I kind of felt like I was being manipulated,” Kim said. “I’m more comfortable with my eyes the way they are now.” Kim said plastic surgery in some Asian countries is the norm right now. “Kids here want cars, kids over there want plastic surgery,” Kim said. “It’s a very different culture.” *Students’ names have been changed to protect their anonymity.

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Speak for yourself

Voice modification program helps transgender individuals move confidently through society By Kerry Tkacik Photos by Shawn Steiner Design by Molly Apfelroth

Will Shishmanian is looking to find his voice, and he is not alone. Last spring, Shishmanian caught a glimpse of himself in a home video. The image was of a little girl running around shirtless, asking to be called Brett. At that moment, everything clicked. An old familiar concept surfaced, and Shishmanian finally began to heavily question his true identity. Over the next summer, he came to the realization that his female history did not match who he is. “Female pronouns made me cringe, and I hated my name,” he said. Today, Shishmanian, a junior at Ithaca College, is out as a transgender individual and is one of many who feel the way they communicate does not reflect their identity. He is part of a pilot group of nine people who attended the new Voice Communication Modification Program for People in the Transgender Community, a program that began Feb. 14. Transgender people do not want to attract negative attention because their voices do not match their appearance, Shishmanian said. “I want to make sure strangers, not just people who are supportive of me, will be like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s obviously a guy,’” Shishmanian said. The program, a collaborative project between

pathology students run the clinic, which the Sir Alexander Ewing Speech and Hearing Zanfordino supervises. Clinic at the college, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual The ability to pass freely and safely and Transgender Outreach and Services, and Planned Parenthood, aims to help that transition. through society is crucial to transgender people, Maurer said. The focus of the new program is to help “It’s about assisting each individual, literally, transgender people adapt socially accepted to find their voice,” Maurer said. “Whether it speech techniques in a way that does not put be a male person that had a female history or a their health at risk or require hormones. female person that had a male history, as a young Some transgender individuals try to alter person they were socialized to have certain comtheir voices on their own or seek help from a munication traits that are not particularity coded voice teacher who is not familiar with correct as the gender that they are now.” modification methods, LGBT program director Lis Maurer said. Joseph Zanfordino, a speech language pathology and audiology specialist and lecturer at the college, said speech pathology students are best suited for this specific kind of communication therapy. “They are trained to be extremely effective listeners so that they can pick up the nuances of what a person’s talking about,” he said. Junior Will Shishmanian sits in IC Square. He is part of a transgendered voice Three graduate speech modification program at Ithaca College, one of the few in the country.

Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

Misconception

Student fakes pregnancy to understand social pressures on young moms

Sophomore Cöelis Mendoza does coursework while others stare. Mendoza faked a pregnancy to understand the societal pressures on teenage moms in college. Photo Illustration by Rachel Orlow

By Allie Healy

dress, Mendoza unveiled a secret she had hidden under her clothing for the Sophomore Cöelis Mendoza peered out past six months. from under her fuchsia bangs with wide eyes “I am, in fact, not pregnant.” at a buzzing crowd of 30 friends and peers. The This was Mendoza’s opening statement for 19-year-old waddled out from behind the poher presentation “Conception: The Introspective dium, her large, round belly leading the way. Journey of a Teenage Mother” on Feb. 7. For six “Look at her little belly button.” months, Mendoza wore a prosthetic pregnant “When is she due again?” belly as a sociological experiment to understand “She’s gotten so big!” Mendoza took a deep breath. The audience perceptions of teen pregnancies. “I wanted to figure out why there are so many hushed. With a quick tug from under her stigmas attached to teen moms,” Mendoza said. “There is a life growing inside a woman’s stomach. Why is it so shunned?” As a Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar, she was required to pick an area of social justice to study. Because her mother was pregnant as a teen, Mendoza chose to investigate challenges of teen pregnancy. Part of Mendoza’s goal was to provide context to the discussion of race and teenage pregnancy. As a Latina, she confronted many racial stereotypes and misconceptions. Nearly 750,000 American teenagers become pregnant every year, according to Planned Parenthood. Of these, Latinas have the highest teen pregnancy rate among ethnic groups in the United States. Mendoza sought advice and strength when Mendoza, right, returned to the college in August three months “pregnant.” She told few friends it was fake. she heard negative comments. courtesy of Cöelis Mendoza

“There was a comment made within my scholarship program that ‘It would be a Mexican,’” Mendoza said. “Because I got pregnant, the number of stigmas placed upon me served to certain people as justification for the stereotypes that they had to begin with.” She arrived at college in August three months “pregnant.” Her first two trimesters were shaped with a body compression suit and upholstery foam. Every couple of weeks, Mendoza would add more foam into her suit. “At first the reaction was like, ‘Are you fat?’ No. ‘Is she pregnant?’ Maybe,” Mendoza said. As she approached the third trimester, Mendoza ordered a custom-fitting prosthetic pregnant body suit. As Mendoza’s baby bump grew, she began to receive more attention. She soon came to find that many of her peers frowned upon her condition. Mendoza’s boyfriend Yamir Hernandez said he received just as many glares. “People would see her belly and immediately look at me with assumptions,” he said. “But this was expected.” Her mother said she could not be any happier with the experiment’s outcome. “She completely exceeded my expectations,” Avila said. “I am very proud to be a once-teen mom who raised a daughter that defied the statistics against us.”

In loving memory Junior uses struggle with depression to raise awareness about suicide By Shea O’Meara

to live like that.” Now, Rowe works with the Suicide Prevention and Crisis Service of Ithaca. But for Rowe, her own suicide attempt isn’t her only connection to the issue. On Aug. 4, 2010, Rowe received a phone call from the sister of her best friend, Brittany Helton, telling her that 19-year-old Brittany had killed herself. “I didn’t know my friend had struggled with anything I had struggled with at all,” she said. “She would make anyone happy, which I found out later was one of the reasons why she didn’t tell anyone — because she felt too much pressure to act the way everyone had always seen her and to be the one who was always full of life and the one who makes everything better.” Christie Helton, Helton’s adoptive mother, said Rowe and her daughter were like the Olsen twins growing up, “funny and carefree.” Helton was a dean’s list student in college with a family and group of friends who loved her. “It doesn’t just happen to kids who come from a broken home or kids that come from ‘lower class society,’ as they call it, or kids with drug problems,” Christie Helton said. Rowe said standing by as Brittany’s family and friends mourned their loss helped her overcome her own thoughts of suicide. “Watching everyone go through that pain and thinking, ‘How could she have done this?’ just turned me around,” she said. Rowe developed the project “Unspoken Stories: The Tragedy of Suicide,” a series of photographs posted on Facebook that shows her struggle with losing her best friend to suicide. The project is part of an effort to make resources more accessible to young people. Rowe said it’s important that her friend’s memory be used to prevent other people from making the same decision. “[My friends] don’t talk about her that much because they’re like, ‘It makes us sad to even talk about the good things,’” she said. “But it’s helpful, and I think she should be remembered.”

LIFE

In April of her junior year of high school, Olivia Rowe brought a plastic bag into a hallway bathroom and tied it over her head to stop her breathing. She thought she wanted to kill herself. “I had my hand on the stall, so if I passed out the door would open,” she said. “I realized I didn’t really want to die.” After nearly 20 minutes of waiting in the stall, she left to seek help. Rowe had emailed her guidance counselor for help earlier that year, but felt her therapy program wasn’t helping her overcome her depression quickly enough. She continued to battle depression and began cutting herself. Now a junior at Ithaca College, Rowe continued to struggle with cutting during her first years at college. “There was one point freshman year [at IC] that I ran laps around my building because I had all this anxious energy,” she said. “I tore up magazines to try to get it out, and nothing worked. I had always known that cutting was harmful, but I didn’t care.” Rowe said leaving her troubles at home helped her realize she wasn’t trapped in her difficult day-to-day life. “The thing that I got stuck with in high school was that I never really saw the better part of life,” she said. “That’s where people who contemplate suicide get stuck, because they don’t think things get better and that they’re always going

Photo Illustration by Rachel Orlow

Top Left: Maria Marinesko, a visitor to Ithaca from London, looks on as caramel is poured over apples to make a tasty treat. Rachel Woolf/The Ithacan

Top right: The Apple Harvest Festival has a variety of apple flavors and types to choose from, as well as many crafts from town residents. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

Center: From left, Zania McBean, 2, cheers at a carnival game while her mom, Ithaca resident Asia Shieldes, holds her. Rachel Woolf/The Ithacan

Left: Ithaca resident Chuck Culnane pours kernels into a pot to make kettle corn. The festival has many fall foods, including funnel cakes. Parker Chen/The Ithacan

Perfect appeal LIFE

The 29th Annual Downtown Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival had it all: some games, a few rides, tons of crafts, entertainment and â&#x20AC;&#x201D; most importantly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; bushels and bushels of apples. From Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, people gathered on The Commons for the fall event.

Ithaca resident Michael Pagliaro makes dried apple twists. . Rachel Woolf/The Ithacan

Blue and golden rule

By Allie Healy

Senior Tim Lewis raps to the backtrack “Never Been” by Wiz Khalifa as part of the talent portion of the competition.

Senior Amanda Pulver performs a montage of pop songs as her talent to be the senior class female representative.

Graham Hebel/The Ithacan

Shading his eyes from bright stage lights, Tim Lewis donned sunglasses and a winter hat during his talent performance. “I want to thank my parents for coming out to see me tonight,” he said, pointing to his mother and father. On campus, Lewis is involved with club lacrosse and intramural soccer teams. After winning, Lewis said he was thankful to have the support of his friends. “It’s great knowing that so many people have my back,” he said. Lewis will be staying at the college for another two years to complete his doctorate in physical therapy. He has plans of eventually opening his own practice that combines sport rehabilitation and personal training. An adrenaline junkie at heart, he doesn’t like to play it safe. “I’m notorious for doing stupid stuff off the gorges,” Lewis said. “Lots of flips — double front flips off the 40, gainers off the 60, just ridiculous stuff.” Lewis hopes one day to test his limits further and skydive. “It’s just a matter of time,” he said.

Alex Bonaros struts in caution tape for the swim suit part of the competition. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

Amanda Pulver’s turquoise eye shadow glittered under the lights as she waited for her mix of pop songs to begin. An original take on the “Evolution of Dance” video featured on YouTube, Pulver “dougied” her way to victory, with some shirtless dancing assistance from senior Ryan Clarke. A transfer student from the University of Colorado Boulder, Pulver has only been at the college for two years studying Integrated Marketing Communications, but will graduate in the spring. Despite her short stay, Pulver plans to leave a lasting impression as a part of the Campus Center Events and Services, the American Advertising Federation and as the social media strategist for the senior class cabinet. Pulver is also driven to achieve aspirations related to her major. “I definitely want to become the director of marketing at ESPN,” she said. “Ever since I was a little girl I’ve dreamed of living in the city. Bye, Colorado!” Pulver said she couldn’t believe it when she won the crown. “I was in complete shock and surprise,” she said. “It really helped kick off the spirit week and brought our school together.”

Jess Bolduc, a member of the gymnastics team, shows off the splits for talent. Participants also participated in a spirit and bathing suit portion. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

Spencer White shows off his school spirit during the competition in October. Graham Hebel/ The Ithacan

LIFE

From left, seniors Tim Lewis and Amanda Pulver are crowned Mr. and Miss Ithaca after proving their school spirit during the three-event competition against other students in October. Michelle BoulĂŠ/The Ithacan

STUDENT LEADERS

Ready Scott Nachlis

responsibility

lot has been asked of Scott Nachlis. On campus, the senior applied psychology major serves as president of the Student Government Association in a time where administrators, faculty members and students are finalizing and preparing IC 20/20, Ithaca College’s vision plan for the next decade, for implementation. Such a task would be a difficult undertaking for many, but Nachlis is no stranger to responsibility. Back home in Kingston, Pa., about 15 minutes outside Scranton, Nachlis had no choice but to grow up quickly. His father, Steven Nachlis, has struggled with the blood-clotting chronic pain condition anticardiolipid syndrome, he said. This means his blood can clot at any moment. Nachlis called an ambulance for his father at the age of eight, according to Steven, and sometimes even had to give his father shots. His father’s medical problems reached a point where Nachlis said he “knew the hospital like the back of [his] hand.” Nachlis’ father walks with a cane and doesn’t always have a lot of energy. But

for By Patrick Duprey

to Scott, he’s a best friend and a motivator. “He serves as a huge inspiration to me,” Nachlis said. “If I complain about writing a paper, I just think he’s dealing with physical pain day after day — what he goes through every day and how optimistic he is.” In November 2010, Steven underwent heart surgery, and, regardless of what was happening on campus, he said he never doubted that his son would be there with him in the operating room — just like any other time. “Scott is tremendous by my side,” Steven said. “He’s one I can always depend upon, rely upon.” It’s this unselfish, others-first attitude that, according to SGA adviser Sarah Schupp, has allowed Nachlis to excel as leader of the student body. “During your senior year, you’re supposed to be self-absorbed because it’s your last time in college and your last time you can leave your mark somewhere,” Schupp said. “But I really think that he thought about others during his senior year.” Nachlis has presided over SGA in a year when, in addition to soliciting student feedback and working with the administration on facets of IC 20/20, the body has created an international student senator position, endorsed an Asian-American studies program and a hydraulic fracturing ban on campus, grown the off-campus medical amnesty policy and established a new bill system within SGA. “In terms of personality, if I see something that I think should be changed, I’ll go out and do it,” Nachlis said. “I’m not the type of person to necessarily be shy.” But Nachlis has not always been this

STUDENT LEADERS

Rob Flaherty

Rachel Heiss

LIFE

outgoing — he said he didn’t have the courage to run for SGA his freshman year. His sophomore year, he served as a class of 2012 senator, and the following year, he occupied the position now referred to as vice president of Senate affairs. Nachlis formed the Constructionists to run for the SGA e-board about a year ago with the simple goal of “construct[ing] a better IC.” When asked why he ran for the presidency, he acknowledged a cliché in citing Mohandas Gandhi’s famous quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” garnering a laugh from junior Rob Flaherty, SGA’s vice president of communications, who’d heard the answer before. All joking aside, despite all the changes, Nachlis said the accomplishment he’s most proud of within SGA may not be felt until after he’s left — that he believes he’s better positioned student government moving forward. It’s a skill that Flaherty attributes to Nachlis’ “big picture” and “longterm” thinking. Nachlis’ involvement with the Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs through SGA and as an orientation leader and student leadership consultant even led him to change his career plans. He originally planned to enter the field of sports psychology but now seeks to enter higher education, specifically student affairs. Here, Nachlis said, he can use the leadership, motivation and team-building elements he’s learned in his psychology classes and applied through SGA. Despite a long list of responsibilities, his friends, family members and co-workers are quick to point out Nachlis’s sense of humor, which they say draws others in. “Even if we’ll be having a very heated, intense discussion about a policy issue on campus, five minutes later, he’ll be joking or laughing about something else,” Flaherty said. “He’s very good at keeping his work life and his life life separate.”

When junior Rob Flaherty came into the job of SGA vice president of communications, he didn’t realize “how few people actually knew what student government was,” but he got working spreading the word through Facebook, Twitter and other outreach programs. He knew his efforts were worth it when he heard of people benefiting from the changed medical amnesty policy, which SGA promoted. “So when you hear about a policy that SGA works on and puts forward really helping someone, that is the most gratifying, fulfilling thing,” he said. Flaherty, a television-radio major, also kept busy through the year working as Mayor Svante Myrick’s campaign coordinator and as communications coordinator for Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, all of which he kept organized on his “kind of trusty” Blackberry.

This year was all about spirit for junior Rachel Heiss, SGA vice president of campus affairs — but not necessarily the kind a person typically thinks of. “To me, school spirit is showing support for students faculty and staff in ways besides athletics,” she said. “I think that’s typically a stigma of school spirit — that it has to be around athletics, and that’s definitely a component, but our students do so many outstanding things.” Heiss helped bring the new tradition of Spirit Week, a set of programs aimed at encouraging school pride, into fruition. She said the project was one of her dreams for the school, as her experience as student director to the Alumni Association’s board of directors has shown her how important school involvement can be.

Robert Hohn Sophomore Robert Hohn learned many skills as the SGA vice president of business and finance, but the most important one was an age-old lesson. “As much as you try to make everyone happy, there will always be someone who it upsets,” he said. But he kept trying anyway. This year, he secured more money for the student activities fund, recreation sports and the After Dark programs. He also brought the entire budget submission process to a more streamlined online system. He said working with student groups has been his proudest accomplishment so far. “It’s a big job, managing the budget, and I’m glad that I’ve been able to help a lot of student organizations,” Hohn said.

Eve Trojanov When senior Eve Trojanov started this year as the SGA vice president of academic affairs, she thought she was ready for the workload — that is until the college’s IC 20/20 vision plan changed everything. “It’s a lot more than I really ever anticipated it being,” she said. “It’s a whole different ball game.” With all of the changes in academic requirements and classes in IC 20/20, Trojanov has had her schedule full meeting with Marisa Kelly, the provost of the college, to clear up communications between the students and the college administration. It’s a job Trojanov said she takes seriously. “I’m really proud being a part of student government,” she said. “It’s not only something that I will carry forth as a person and has really changed me professionally, but also my future career.”

STANDOUT SENIORS The following six seniors were chosen by their deans as “standout seniors” of their respective schools.

J.P. Mosca

Double duty

By Marissa Smith

enior J.P. Mosca may be a television-radio major and station manager of ICTV, but he makes sure he is almost never caught on the film he spends so much time with. “I would consider myself fairly introverted, and I don’t like to approach people and ask for interviews or anything like

that,” he said. After producing the show “Panorama” for ICTV, he began gaining more interpersonal confidence. “[Being a producer] made me have to go out in the field and approach people and have dialogue that I normally wouldn’t,” he said. “Setting up bands and things, working with musicians — I found it was very difficult.” A double major in television-radio and applied economics, Mosca decided to pursue those subjects after he realized during his senior year in high school in Maynard, Mass., that the main topics he felt comfortable conversing about were economics and his high school television and radio stations. When he arrived at Ithaca College, Mosca became involved with ICTV and held several positions. He began work as a master control operator, dealing with the behind-the-scenes technicalities of the station. His sophomore year, he was a co-producer of the show “Panorama,” which was a broadcast centered on entertainment in Ithaca. His junior year, Mosca became program director for ICTV, which primarily involved giving feedback to producers. Carol Jennings, the adviser for ICTV and director of Park Media Lab, said Mosca works well with others. “J.P.’s an extraordinary student, a gifted leader,” Jennings said. “He really stands out as someone who can work with his peers, and can work with faculty and staff and just get a lot done. He’s very effective as a student leader.” As station manager, Mosca is at the helm of the oldest student-run television station in the county, replete with a staff of more than 300. It’s a job that keeps him busy, as junior David Allen, producer of “Fake Out” and “Dual Redundancy,” can attest. “Producing a show alone is a lot of work,” Allen said. “It feels like a full-time job most of the time, and to be in charge of all the shows and ICTV is mind-blowing, plus all of the schoolwork — I don’t know how he does it.”

From the stress of everyday happenings at the station to bands with divas for lead singers that demand specific microphones — it’s not a simple job. Ever since Mosca produced the first episode of “Panorama,” he has known it is worth the commitment. “That was probably one of the biggest achievement moments in my life,” he said. Mosca is also active in his applied economics double major and a director of communications for the Ithaca Real-Time Fund, which manages an account with more than $100,000 in the stock market for the college. Abraham Mulugetta, professor of finance and international business and director of the Ithaca RealTime Fund, said he chose Mosca for the position because of his stock management ability. “His approach is much more intuitive and his investments very different from other students,” Mulugetta said. Mosca attributes his love for economics to a class he took his junior year of high school that he enjoyed so much he scheduled a study period his senior year to specifically coincide with the class time — just so he could sit in on the class again. “My teacher thought I was crazy,” Mosca said. “But I really did enjoy it.” As for what the future holds for Mosca, he is not quite sure. “I’m ignoring May slightly,” he said, laughing. Mosca hopes to attend graduate school in London studying communications management, which he says is “the combination of the two things that I really enjoy.” “Whatever he does, he’ll be great,” Allen said. “The sky’s the limit for J.P.”

STANDOUT SENIORS

Man on a By Allie Healy

mission

hen senior Jake Tenenbaum was in third grade, his teacher advised his parents to “slow your kid down.” And for the past 13 years, his parents have been trying to get their son to do just that. But no matter what his parents said, he did not quit. Tenenbaum played baseball and bowled through middle school despite his demanding academics. He refused to quit his high school job at a Chinese food restaurant. Now a senior majoring in business with a concentration in international business and minors in legal studies and integrated marketing communications, Tenenbaum is still far from slowing down. “There is so much to do that I can’t help but want to be a part of it all,” he said. Tenenbaum was drawn to Ithaca College because of the opportunities for student involvement. Graduating high school with 36 credits under his belt, Tenenbaum wasted no time getting involved his freshman year. He was a general member of the college’s American Marketing Association and Business Link, secretary of the college’s chapter of Up ’til Dawn and a dean’s host for the School of Business. Looking to gain further leadership experience, Tenenbaum applied to be the freshman liaison for AMA and a position on the dean’s host executive board. He was denied for both. “People always say to me, ‘You were handed everything,’” he said. “But I actually got rejected from most things.” But Tenenbaum is not one to take no for an answer. His sophomore year he reapplied for the executive board of AMA and dean’s host, where he soon secured the executive vice president and co-chair positions, respectively. He also became a business

school senator, president’s host, peer adviser for the School of Business and student administrative assistant to the dean of the School of Business. As the student administrative assistant to the dean, Tenenbaum worked with Maria Fiorille, assistant to the dean. Fiorille helped train Tenenbaum with finances, an area of business he didn’t prefer. But with the proper training, Fiorille said, his skills developed. “He will definitely be able to succeed in whatever he does because he has touched so many different areas,” she said. Last summer, Tenenbaum interned with alum Chris Burch ’76 at J. Christopher Capital. He helped with launching different lines with designers such as Tori Burch and Monika Chiang and new companies like Electric Love Army by Kelly Cutrone. Tenenbaum is currently the co-president of the college’s chapter of the American Marketing Association. He said that throughout his time with AMA, he has helped transform the “typical marketing club’s hierarchy” of positions. Instead of having traditional positions, the club has divided the power differently. “We have VP of design, VP of communications, VP finance and things that the international chapter has never even seen,” he said. “They were very impressed.” Impressed enough that the college’s chapter of AMA was awarded a bronze award at International Conference for Top 20 Chapters. Senior Jayme Bednarski admires the work ethic of her co-president and close friend. “He is probably one of the most involved people on this campus,” she said. “It’s not possible, you just can’t be that involved. I don’t know how he does it.” A self-proclaimed workaholic, Tenenbaum is aware of his love for constant involvement. He said he is comfortable with his tightly packed schedule. “The truth of the matter is I’m a very active person and I love staying active,” he said. “I love being able to spend time with the people I care about. I’m inspired by them.”

LIFE

Jake Tenenbaum

STANDOUT SENIORS Daniel Weller

Earth fellow

f the sun is out, and the temperature is warm, one thing is for sure — senior Daniel Weller will be outside. Weller, an anthropology major and biology minor, grew up in the countryside near Annapolis, Md., and from a young age he developed a passion for the outdoors. Weller spent his childhood far away from TVs. Instead he hiked, played soccer and learned Kung Fu. “We had to invent our own entertainment,” his sister, Sarah, said. “We used to have this thing where we would climb a tree in our front yard and pretend to be bird-watchers. We would take our parents’ bird-watching book and we would pretend that we saw things.” His parents’ interest in nature sparked Weller’s enthusiasm for ecology. He remembers annual camping trips with his family during the summer. His interest in the outdoors and nature lead him to pursue a degree in the sciences, and in 2008 he enrolled at the college as a biology major. But he wasn’t truly committed to the subject. In fact, during his time at the college Weller has considered three different majors. But what could’ve driven most students off track actually enhanced Weller’s résumé. He has participated in seven different research projects in the fields of anthropology, environmental science, ecology, biology and archeology — two of which have been published. The 13 different recognitions and honors he has received while at the college in addition to his research work at places like the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and Cornell University make up his résumé, which is three pages long. One of his recent research projects about the role of food in the identity of first- and second-generation

By Elma Gonzalez

Latinos in Ithaca won a national award at the annual American Anthropological Association conference in Montreal in November and a student paper prize from the college’s anthropology department. David Turkon, associate professor of anthropology, who is Weller’s adviser and oversaw that research project, met him while he was still a freshman, and since then he has noticed Weller’s passion and dedication to his work. “He is able to take abstract concepts and apply them toward figuring out real-world situations and problems and interpreting them in meaningful ways,” he said. “He takes the bull by the horns and figures things out as he goes, and you see this in the product of what he does.” Weller’s to-do list transcends his planner, and he uses his arm to write memos to remind himself of yet another project’s upcoming deadline. “I do a lot of work, but I have very good time management. If you see my arm, I have what I’m going to do today written on my arm,” he said. Despite spending a lot of time in research labs, Weller manages to balance academics, extracurricular activities and a social life. Senior Margaret Keating, a close friend of Weller’s, said he can take spontaneous road trips, hike trails around Ithaca and hold bonfires at any given time. “He does a pretty good job balancing all those activities with his social life,” she said. “He likes to do things like socially make food together or go hiking together or have potlucks or bonfires.” Weller has looked at potential jobs and graduate schools. He applied to more than 30 jobs and has already been accepted to Cambridge University’s graduate school for archeological science. But he is considering working or attending other universities and reapplying to Cambridge in two years after saving up. His father Donald Weller, a senior scientist at the Smithsonian, said his dedication and ambition will undoubtedly lead him on the right path even if it is still unclear to him what that is. “He has lots of good options,” he said. “In some ways, he can’t go wrong.” With a broad range of knowledge and preparation in several fields of study, Weller is still unsure what awaits him after graduation, something he is still a little uncomfortable with. Only one thing is certain, once summer arrives, Weller will go hiking daily, kayaking once a week and maybe biking or camping as well — if he finds the time.

STANDOUT SENIORS

Working with laughter

Kristen Axelsen

By Shea O’Meara

At the internship, she works under Farr Carey, a school psychologist. Carey worked with interns before, but most had already completed school psychology graduate programs before coming to the school. Axelsen is Carey’s first undergraduate intern. She said Axelsen is able to connect with students easily. “She’s got a great sense of humor and is happy to be with them — they just adore her,” she said. “Anything she sets her mind to she’s going to be extremely successful at.” While she’s passionate about her work, Axelsen said she was interested in Ithaca College partly because there are opportunities to dance. She is a dancer for Pulse and IC Unbound, two dance organizations on campus. Axelsen began dancing when she was three years old and now dances almost every day. “That’s where I find my balance,” she said. “I just can’t see myself not dancing.” Senior Sydney Normil, a member of IC Hip Hop, dances with Axelsen and said she is passionate about two things: people and dance. “[Dance is] one of the most important things to her: She’s very dedicated to it and she always goes full-out,” Normil said. “She pays attention, and she puts her all into it. Her body conveys how much she loves it.” Axelsen said working toward her goal of becoming a school psychologist as well as having her own private practice will be difficult, but worth the effort. “It’s going to be a long road, but I’m excited because it’s what I want to do,” she said.

LIFE

enior Kristen Axelsen is an A student who is planning to spend the five years after her graduation working hard to earn a doctoral degree in psychology. But for three semesters at Ithaca College, it was all about laughter. In the spring of her sophomore year, Axelsen, a psychology major with a minor in counseling, was selected to join the Advancing Autism Treatment Team, a student research team that analyzed the laughter of children with autism compared to normally developing kids and worked to evaluate the way laughter can help children with autism become more socialized and have happier home lives. As a researcher, Axelsen worked with other students to create focus groups that combined both children with autism and normally developing children and their mothers and tested whether or not mothers could differentiate between the laugh sounds of the children. The team also asked mothers to rank the laughs in terms of appeal. That work inspired her to pursue a career in school psychology helping to develop programs that will allow special-needs students to get the most out of their education. Now, Axelsen is an intern for the Beverly J. Martin Elementary School in Ithaca, a Title 1 school that serves an underprivileged population. She works with the school psychologist to help plan and execute behavior interventions with students that have impulse control problems and collects data to classify students with special needs and get them the services they need. “A lot of students, especially those who are younger, don’t ask to be poor, they don’t ask to come from divorced families or seeing abusive relationships within their families, and you can see how they develop over time because of situations they can’t control,” she said. “Seeing the transformation in the end, I’ve gotten thank-you cards, smiles and thank you’s, just those little things that make a difference makes it worth it. Seeing the improvement in the end is the most rewarding thing.”

STANDOUT SENIORS Alana Koehler

With

youthful

enthusiasm

hen senior Alana Koehler steps out of Ithaca College with her bachelor’s degree in exercise science in hand, she will leave for a place she least expected. “It’s sort of ironic,” she said. “I applied to a bunch of different places all over the country, and I end up accepting the one that is right where I started, where the whole thing began.” Koehler accepted a research internship at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., where she will work with a doctor on a study. She hopes to work with children who have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. She will take her research and present it at the program’s symposium at the end of the summer. But Koehler’s connection with the hospital began before she entered college. As a competitive swimmer and dancer, she sustained multiple injuries in high school that culminated in a spinal fracture. Koehler said dealing with her injuries sparked her interest in exercise science. “The whole health and healing process — and sports medicine and the medical side of things — I was just really into,” she said. “I think I’m the only person that was kind of excited to go to the hospital and learn about what tests they were going to run.” From there, she decided to attend the college because of the exercise science program’s

By Whitney Faber flexibility. She also enrolled in the college’s Honors Program, where she developed her interest in undergraduate research. As a freshman, she presented a paper on the perceptions of virginity in ancient Athenian drama at the James J. Whalen Academic Symposium. Koehler continued with research in multiple departments and presented at multiple conferences, including the Northeast Regional Honors Conference in Harrisburg, Pa., and the American College of Sports Medicine during her sophomore year and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research last year. A self-described “kid at heart,” Koehler said she is excited to go to Strong Memorial, where she can pursue her greatest passion — working with children. She has worked at a day care center in her hometown of Macedon, N.Y., during the summer and other breaks and said she has been hooked ever since. “I’m amazed at how they view the world,” she said. “I can get really stressed out about things and think that my problems are just the world, and then you go to work and you see these kids, and they’re just so happy about simple things. They really help me put things back into perspective. Gosh, I just love them to death.” Between her interest in research and her love for patient care, Koehler has decided to pursue a M.D.-Ph.D. Dual Training program, which she hopes to begin in the 2013-14 academic year. Koehler is also a chairperson for the college’s chapter of Up ’Til Dawn, chairperson of the Honors Program Advisory Board and was the student representative on the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance Dean Search Committee. Tom Swensen, Koehler’s academic adviser and chair of the exercise and sport science department, said Koehler was chosen for the committee because she is such a reliable student. “You’re not necessarily picking a baseball team, but when you’re in a college and you’ve got a committee job, and you’re choosing teams, in essence, you know who gets it done and who kind of shirks it a little,” he said. “I’ll take Alana on our team.” Her mother, Kathy, said Koehler has been able to stay balanced because of her dedication and grace. “Alana says she never quits anything in her life,” Kathy said. “One step at a time — that’s how she’s always done anything.”

STANDOUT SENIORS

Sharing

the

rhythm

enior Meagan Carrick is in charge. A consummate Southern belle in knee-high brown boots and a gingham button-up, she moves her hands in rhythm, listens attentively and drives her vocalists through the “tricky” parts of the songs she conducts. She spends her Thursday lunch hour conducting VoICes, the Ithaca College faculty and staff choir. They’re hammering out the particulars on two pieces of music, a traditional choral arrangement called “The Awakening” and a jazz number called “Doctor Blues.” When necessary, she lends her astonishing voice, which she can change between the choral and jazz styles effortlessly, to guide the choir. “My mom said that I sang before I spoke. You know the mobiles that hang above cribs? I would just sit there and sing to mine for hours. I guess it’s just always been a part of me,” Carrick said. The music education major’s affinity for teaching was discovered early. While in elementary school in Reston, Va., classroom conflicts upset her, even if she wasn’t involved. “I don’t know the exact story, but I remember there was some kind of dynamic in the classroom that was very tense,” she said. “And I remember thinking to myself, ‘I could do this. I could be a teacher. I could fix this situation.’ I don’t know why my 9-year-old brain thought that, but it did.” . Her interests in music and teaching came together in her high school’s chorus program, directed by two Ithaca College alumni, who told her Ithaca College had a great program. Carrick could only describe her four years at Ithaca College as “busy.” Eddie Steenstra, a close friend that she’s had since freshman year, agreed. “She stays busy no matter what,” Steenstra said. “She does as much as she can to be involved in the community and in the School of Music. She just goes and gets it.” When she isn’t in class, conducting VoICes, or leading the college’s chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, she is doing administrative work at New Roots Charter School or volunteering in the music program at Beverly J. Martin Elementary.

By Norah Sweeney

Her junior year, she student taught at Immaculate Conception School in Ithaca, teaching pre-kindergarteners and running a recorder class for third and fourth graders. While she adored her recent student teaching placement in the choral program at West Genesee High School in Camillus, N.Y., she found her true educational calling in her work at Ithaca’s elementary schools. “There’s an innocence and a thirst for knowledge that I’m very attracted to” she said. Carrick said she owes her enthusiasm for engagement to her professors, who she describes as committed to helping her. “She’s bright, creative and genuinely committed, and that’s just an incredible combination,” Jeff Claus, an associate professor in the Department of Education, said. Although she will miss Ithaca’s “uniqueness and craziness,” she plans to begin her career closer to home in Virginia and attend graduate school after she gains a few more years of classroom experience. What she knows for sure is that she will never stop learning and working. “I’m not good at being still,” she said. “I feel like there’s kind of a need in me to be doing meaningful work in the community. That’s ultimately one of the reasons that I decided to be a teacher.”

LIFE

Meagan Carrick

Pressure Cooked Grab a pinch of peppers, a helping of beans and a sprinkle of cheese, and the 14th Annual Chili Cook-off is ready to warm taste buds. The event, sponsored by the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, featured 38 local restaurants competing for the title of chili champion.

Johanna Brown, of the Crooked Carrot ladies, scoops a heaping helping of Con Carne chili into a cup. Elma Gonzalez/The Ithacan

LIFE

Top Left: Longview showed creativity by adding chocolate to its spicy recipe, Famous M&M Chili. The sweetness cuts the heat. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

Top right: Senior Seth Greenberg eats a chunk of cornbread specially prepared by the Ithaca League of Women Rollers. Lara Bonner/The Ithacan

Center left: Patty Clark, events manager for the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, moderates the pepper-eating contest. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

Center right: JalapeĂąos sit in a box ready to be eaten by Ithaca residents as part of the Hot Pepper Eating Competition. Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan

Left: MatĂŠ Factor entered its Tribal Chili, made with local beef or tofu. The restaurant won Best Presentation for its stand and look. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

Right: Crossroad the clown juggles fire on the Commons. Aside from chili, the event has music and other entertainment. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

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In the music they play, the shows they perform and the work they create, students display their passion and creative talents on and off the stage. Dancers perform in the main stage dance show “Illuminated Bodies” in the fall. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

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No day but today Student overcomes initial rejection to succeed in theater program Xavier Reyes rehearses with the Melodramatics Theater Company for the show “Rent.” Reyes, who hails from Puerto Rico, became a BFA acting major after a second audition. Kevin Campbell/The IThacan

By Aaron Edwards

Xavier Reyes doesn’t consider himself a particularly religious person. But on the day of his audition to the Ithaca College theater department in the spring of 2011, he appealed to a higher power. He needed strength that day. “Que se haga tú voluntad,” he whispered to himself. Let your will be done. He woke up at 4 a.m. without the prompt of any alarm. In five hours, Reyes would enter an audition that marked the culmination of months of practice, risk and struggle. After stretching out of bed, he turned on some classical music and let it waft through his dimly lit dorm room. Less than five hours to go. He was getting a second shot at becoming a BFA acting major at the college after being rejected from the program the year before. He first

auditioned for the department from his home in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, with a video. Despite his rejection from the program, he decided to come to the college and start as an Integrated Marketing Communications major in the Park School of Communications, working constantly and training so that he could audition again, in person, in the spring. Time pushed forward. The most important moment in his pre-professional life was just one monologue, two songs and, hopefully, an acceptance letter away. Unabashed, he left his dorm after dressing and refreshing. He walked to the nearby music school and into the basement where black upright pianos stood in empty practice rooms. He found a room for himself and started to warm up. Less than three hours to go. “I was very nervous,” he said. “This was the

day that would decide my future.” The day of his audition was perhaps the first time in his life that the cheery, bright-eyed Reyes did not know what would happen if things didn’t go how he wanted. Home, for him, was too far away to fall back on. Born in San Juan to Orlando Reyes and Belia Morales, Reyes went to the Wesleyan Academy in Guaynabo, an American school on the island where he learned English as a second language from a young age. “People think of Puerto Rico as being this paradise, which it is, but it’s also a normal place,” he said. “It’s like, how can I say, the houses are made of concrete. It smells like nature. Aire fresco, palmas, un ambiente de genuinidad y alegria.” Fresh air, palms and a genuine atmosphere and happiness. His first experience applying to colleges

Reyes played Angel, a drag queen who suffers from AIDS, in the production of “Rent.” Courtesy of Xavier Reyes

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From left, Reyes dances with Mona Kelker, who and universities in the United States was played Mimi. The show is about struggling artists. defined by Google searches and troughs Courtesy of Xavier Reyes of uncharted territory. the basement studios where Lee Byron, He applied to several, including The director of “Rent,” Tim Dyster, said because of his angelic chair of the theater department, and Carnegie Mellon University, New York Univoice and confidence, Reyes was perfect for the role. Susannah Berryman, associate profesversity and Marymount Manhattan College. Courtesy of Xavier Reyes sor of theater arts, listened to auditions. Ithaca was his dream. and before Reyes finished saying his last name, Before he knew it, it was his turn. “I felt the training here was what I was lookalmost the entire department was on its feet apHe was brought to a dancing studio. Byron ing for,” he said. “I fell in love with the campus, plauding. He had finally made it. and the town was separated from the mayhem of sat at the opposite end of the room. Reyes sang Now Reyes has four years of intensive theater “A Miracle Would Happen” from the musical a place like New York City.” training ahead of him. He’s already been cast as “The Last Five Years” for Byron and, in another All his parents knew was that he needed to Angel, a drag queen suffering from AIDS, in the room, performed a set of monologues, including leave Puerto Rico to fulfill his dreams. Melodramatics Theater Company production “With the state of the economy, there is noth- one from “Equus,” for Berryman. of “Rent,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock opera “And then I was done,” he said. ing in Puerto Rico,” his mother, Belia, said. “But about artists struggling to live in New York City. Now, the wait. he always said, ‘Mami a mi me gusta el teatro.’” “I encourage people to fight for what you A letter came to Reyes’ dorm a few weeks Mom, I like the theater. want,” Reyes said. “People would look at me and later. He took it, left his room and walked away. Reyes’ father would take his son to see plays say, ‘This kid from Puerto Rico, what is he doing If he didn’t get in, he said, he didn’t want anyone when he was still in grade school. One play in here?’ People would hear me speak and ask, ‘Oh, to see the reaction. But if he did, he would be Puerto Rico, “De Belén al Calvario,” captivated you’re a BFA?’ And I’d say, ‘Yes, I am. I may not Reyes when he saw it — the movement, the stag- too ecstatic for most human beings to find even have perfect English, but I am.’ No one has the remotely appropriate. He opened the letter. ing, the expression. From then on, he was set on capacity to dictate your future but you.” In the fall of 2011, he would be a membeing an actor. Cornell senior Tim Dyster, who is directber of the 2015 freshman BFA acting class at “For me it’s something extraordinary,” ing “Rent,” said Reyes brings a fresh perspective Ithaca College. Orlando said. “I have tears in my eyes when I and energy to the production. When Reyes Cue latter reaction. see him because he lives for that. Every part he is auditioned for the role, Dyster said he knew he “I have a future now,” he said. “It’s like seeing given, he lives it. I get very excited, even as I talk was the best choice. the light at the end of the cave that will lead you about it now.” “Everything we were looking for we got from to follow your dreams. You feel so happy that The day of his audition in the spring was no him on his first round of auditions,” he said. “He there’s a purpose in your life.” different, except he walked to Dillingham with was confident. He had a voice like an angel. We When the theater department had its first no books in hand — no black beanie. all had the same reaction: Our actor who would meeting of the semester this year in the HoHe stepped through the side doors of the play Angel had been dropped from heaven.” erner Theatre, Reyes, along with the rest of the Hoerner Theatre and saw an auditorium full of freshman class of theater students, introduced unfamiliar faces. Prospective students from high Some interviews were conducted in Spanish schools across the country buzzed with liveliness. themselves to the entire department. Many knew and translated by Elma Gonzalez. of his journey to becoming an acting major Upperclassmen ushered students down into

“I was very nervous. This was the day that would decide my future.” —Xavier Reyes 93

Caption for below pictures

Victor Rosa DJs for the WICB show Ritmo Latino. He has been doing the show since 1999. Rachel Woolf/The Ithacan

Rhythmic Roots

Campus DJ and groundskeeper finds peace in Ithaca

By Taylor Long

The lights were too bright for Victor Rosa to see all the people in the crowd, but he could hear them. He stepped with the beat to keep track of the rhythm, dancing from side to side. His palms pounded on the bongo drum in front of him. He had to keep reminding himself to keep the beat. Back and forth. Left, then right. He can still remember playing that night — his first big concert. He had been drumming for a neighborhood band in the South Bronx and hitting up nightclubs in the Tri-State area. They were asked to play at Teatro Puerto Rico, the Latin-American equivalent of the Apollo Theater in Harlem. It was back in the ’60s “when salsa was salsa,” he said. He was a tall, fit guy at the time, but had the same wide smile.

Shaking with laughter, he remembers how excited he got when one girl in the audience called out to him, pointing, “I like the drummer!” He was so excited he forgot to keep time with his stepping. “Thinking about it, I goofed up on the rhythm,” Rosa said. “I lost the rhythm, I lost the stepping.” He sighs. “Yeah, that was pretty cool … ” Rosa parks a truck carrying a massive tank of water beside the Ithaca College entrance. He uses it when he needs to water the flowers. A pump connected to a hose noisily sputters. Classic Motown tunes blare from an open door. It’s a sunny fall day, and Rosa is smiling, directing a stream of water so that it falls on a bed of mums.

His mind is quiet. “Before it was constant noise,” Rosa said. “Music way up loud, well, I was a musician, so — but quieting the mind, it has a spiritual effect on the soul.” Rosa’s dark, curly hair is peppered with white and is beginning to thin on top. Bifocals rest on his nose and make his eyes look like they’re popping out of his head when he gets excited about something, which is often when he talks about the old late-night jam sessions and bustling night clubs. “Growing up, you’re into one thing, but as you get older there’s a lot of things you grow out of,” he said. “Who knows where I would have been now, but you move on, ya know?” The transition wasn’t necessarily easy. When Rosa moved to Ithaca in 1997 and got a job as a groundskeeper at the college, he didn’t even know what it meant to mow the lawn. He moved from the city to reunite with his daughter,

Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

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for radio. his ex-wife had three sons. Joanne, who had been living in Ithaca since she He takes the responsibility seriously. Every “Me and the mother of my boys was going was 10 years old. Joanne was in high school through something,” Rosa said. “I was hurt, really CD in his collection is tagged with a Post-It note when Rosa moved to Ithaca, and he had to keep to label it more suitable for radio or dancing. hurt. I was driving down Broadway in the upreminding himself he was here to raise her. Rosa plays the dancing songs at Oasis Dance town sections, and there’s Ithaca’s dark, Club every other Tuesday night, where he DJs for a median in the middle silent nights It revived my spirit. ... That’s why I Noche Latina. where they got benches. I took some getsay music is food for the soul. The scene at Oasis is nothing like the salsa heard a jam session going ting used to. — Victor Rosa clubs in the Bronx where Rosa used to play. right in the middle so I “For a Several couples casually twirl each other on the pulled over.” while I was wooden dance floor. The women’s high heels Rosa asked one of the drummers if he could going crazy,” he said. “I was getting anxiety atmake clacking noises to the beat of the song. play. He pounded on the drums until he couldn’t tacks and everything. I went to visit the city and Rosa watches from a glass window that looks out feel anymore. I stayed at my sister’s house. I slept in the bed from the DJ booth. “When I finished playing, I was a different next to the window, and I could hear the noise “That one over there loves the cha-cha,” person,” he said. “It revived my spirit. It revived outside. I said ‘Ah, I’m home.’” Rosa laughs. my soul. That’s why I say music is food for the Fourteen years later, Rosa is still making trips Rosa throws a song with a heavy cha-cha soul. Ever since then, I know the true meaning of to the city. Every morning he reads the Daily beat in the CD player. The dance floor explodes. music and how it embraces my life.” News to keep up with free shows in the parks “One, two, cha cha cha!” One woman throws her It wouldn’t be the last time Rosa navigated and at his favorite clubs. It’s a hobby for Rosa, but arms into the air and twirls, shaking her hips to his way out of a difficult situation with music. it’s also research. the beat. Rosa smiles. Many more hardships would follow him to Rosa has been a DJ for WICB’s Ritmo Latino, Ithaca. Avilez said he has seen Rosa or “Latin Rhythm,” program since 1999. Every through most of them and believes Saturday night at 10 ’til 6, he strolls into the his friend has finally found the studio rolling a carry-on suitcase full of CDs, a peace he’d been searching for in sampling of the collection that occupies a full Ithaca, even if it took some getting wall of shelving in a room at home. used to. Rosa heaves his suitcase onto the desk and “In the city you have to have, creates neat stacks of CDs around him. These are not a rough, but a gruff exterior his picks for the show. He opens one case and and display that so people don’t cleans the CD before inserting it into the stereo come and step on your toes,” Avilez system at his left. His hands don’t glide over the said. “But up in Ithaca he found keys of the soundboard as much as they fumble, that he can relax and enjoy life with making guesses at which dial ought to be shifted no problems.” or turned. Usually he’s right. When he’s not, he The rhythm of the city resochuckles and shrugs. Rosa always loved music. He played turned- nates in Rosa’s deep, syrupy voice. Rosa, second from left, plays drums for the band Conjunto It’s easy to hear the drums when over oatmeal cans when he was a kid. When Monterray in the ‘70s in New York City, where he got his start. he speaks. It makes him a natural he walked through the house, he banged on Courtesy of Victor Rosa the walls. “Of course, I didn’t know what I was doing yet,” he laughs. Tommy Avilez, one of Rosa’s childhood companions, remembers how his friend used to DJ neighborhood dances at the community center back in the Village. It wasn’t much later that Rosa was introduced to the drums and began performing regularly in nightclubs with his band. Still, he didn’t realize the healing power of music until he came up against a wall of hardships some years later. Rosa married young in his senior year of high school. The woman he was dating got pregnant, and he dropped out to get a job. He wanted to do the right thing. Rosa never met his own father, and he was determined to be there for his kids. That’s the idea that kept him around after his wife got caught up in the drugs-andpartying scene. When split up, Rosa and Rosa and his wife, Terry, volunteer at the Salvation Army. They met after he moved to Ithaca from New York City.

Dancing on Pointe A mix of modern and classical dance, all focused on the natural human figure, “Illuminated Bodies” featured four original numbers choreographed by Ithaca College’s own Lindsay Gilmour and Amy O’Brien. Main Stage Theater puts on a dance show once every four years. Photos By Michelle Boulé

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Left: Dancers perform in “Ahhhhhh,” a modern-style dance that was the first of four numbers in the show. Top: From left, senior Denzel Edmondson and sophomores Avery Sobczak and Roger Dunkelbarger dance in “Momentum.” Center left: Choreographer Lindsay Gilmour, assistant professor of theater arts, performs in the duet “Arriving.” Center right: Students perform in “Momentum,” the full-pointe ballet routine. Bottom: From left, sophomore Elise Myette, junior Ryan MacConnell and seniors John Gardner and Meaghan Brophy perform in “Once Upon a Time.”

Silent no longer

Ithaca Motion Picture Project aims to revitalize local film

The Wha r Brot ton hers

An old film studio once used by silent film directors the Wharton Brothers still stands in Stewart Park. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

By Chloe Wilson Before Ithaca was a college town, it was a city where the early American film industry thrived. Where a couple now picnics on the lawn, 95 years ago brothers Leopold and Theodore Wharton might have been directing a romantic marriage proposal for their next silent film. The Ithaca Motion Picture Project, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve and renovate the original Wharton Studios building, aimed to increase awareness of Ithaca’s film history with the opening of exhibits in eight locations in Ithaca. The project details the influence one active studio had on the early film era. In the early 1900s, the two Wharton brothers went to Cornell University to shoot footage of a football game. Given some time to explore the area, the Whartons fell in love with Ithaca and decided it was the perfect location for their studio. In April 1914, the Whartons created Wharton, Inc., and rented space in Renwick Park — now known as Stewart Park. Diana Riesman, co-founder of IMPP, said Ithaca citizens should realize the town’s historical involvement in early films’ production.

“People here were pioneers in their time for this kind of thing,” Riesmann said. “There are so many aspects of Ithaca’s film history for this museum to potentially highlight.” Over the next six years, the Whartons produced full-length films and more than 100 serial films. Constance Bruce, co-founder of IMPP, said if the exhibit proves successful in getting support, the IMPP founders want to use the old studio Residents work on the sculpture timeline of silent film history, for a museum location. designed by Todd Zwigard in the Tompkins County Library. “Ithaca deserves it,” she said. Michelle Boulé/The IThacan “That building is there, and it’s perRegional Airport. The cornerstone of the exhibit fect for creating a motion picture museum so we was located in the Tompkins County Public can always have a destination, and we can always Library, which featured an 80-foot sculptural go and see this history.” time line of silent film history in Ithaca. Thanks to Wharton, Inc., Ithaca was known The IMPP and its supporters hope to as the “Hollywood of the East” during the early continue to educate the community. 1900s. To remind residents how the Whartons “Ithaca played a very important part in the helped shape Ithaca’s history, IMPP got the entire early development of the film industry,” Todd community involved. Zwigard, who designed the display in the library, The exhibits were spread throughout Ithaca, said. “It’s an important legacy for Ithaca that six of them downtown, one at the Cayuga should be preserved.” Medical Center and one in the Ithaca Tompkins

ers, two of the founders a Fukushima pose as the Lumière Broth t the brothers. From left, Christine Bonansea and Marin abou n llatio insta ia imed mult the Lumière,” a Courtesy of CaTherine Galasso of film. The two were part of “Bring on

Michael, a celebrated violinist and composer. “I grew up hearing my father perform and so his music is a huge part of me,” Galasso said. “My As a child growing up in Italy, Catherine sense of art is very grounded in European style of Galasso spent hours at rehearsals listening to her theater, and that is all thanks to him.” father’s music and taking in European theater. “Bring on the Lumière” is a collaboration In February, she put on a performance, inspired between Galasso, who is currently an artist-inby and showcasing her father’s music and two of residence at San Fransisco’s ODC Theater, and film’s most prominent figures. lighting design and installation artist Elaine Galasso, a film student who graduated from Buckholtz. The show preCornell in 2006, miered in San Francisco and has produced This piece is about looking at the ran in New York City before it a multimedia magic and wonder of early cinema. came to Ithaca. dance, theater — Catherine Galasso The story is told mostly and light instalthrough images with French lation, “Bring on the Lumière,” in which the Lumière Brothers, the dialogue. The Lumière Brothers were played by female dancers Christine Bonansea and Marina French founders of cinema, are trapped inside Fukushima. Galasso said she did not want to their own films. make a piece that was didactic. “This piece is about looking at the magic and “I wasn’t interested in doing a literal represenwonder of early cinema and about capturing tation of the life of the brothers,” she said. “This time,” Galasso said. In 1895, Auguste and Louis Lumière patented is abstraction, and by having women play the brothers, it automatically makes the portrayal the cinematograph, a device that could develop, more abstract.” record and project motion pictures. Kathy Hovis, the communication manager Most of the show’s score is by Galasso’s father, By Gillian Smith

Cornell alumna returns to pay tribute to pioneers of French film

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L’Arrivée de lumière for the theater, film and dance department at Cornell, said the piece is impressive. “Galasso has a deep knowledge of choreography as film and acting,” Hovis said. “This is a great example of a graduate who is doing interesting collaborative work.” Prior to the show, the Cornell Cinema presented some of the brothers’ short films, including “Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory” and “L’Arrivée d’un train à La Ciotat.” Mary Fessenden, director of Cornell Cinema, said she enjoys collaborations because they tie in multiple areas of study. “They create events that are greater than the sum of their parts,” she said. “They also more effectively demonstrate the cultural reach of the arts.” Galasso said she hopes her piece conveys how the Lumière films exemplify the basic human desire to preserve oneself through media. “The audience doesn’t need to know who the characters are based on,” she said. “I want them to care, to laugh, to be moved, and not want it to be over while at the same time feel some sort of resolution.”

Closer to color Local artist paints colorful abstracts using vibrant and creative lines

Melissa Zarem hangs the piece “Logos” in the Community Arts Partnership ArtSpace on The Commons. Rachel Woolf/The Ithacan

By Whitney Faber When local artist Melissa Zarem began many of the pieces in her latest collection, she started on the hardwood floor of her studio. “I’ll put my sheet of paper on the floor, and it’s sometimes a color that’s left on my palette from whatever I was working on, and I’ll just start,” she said. She usually begins with her broadest brush, the cheap kind from Agway, because “the best artists use the cheapest tools” — a joke with a hint of truth for Zarem. The less expensive brushes produce that hairy, straggling-line look she aims for. Then, with her entire petite body bent in half over the canvas, her gestures add color to the page. She makes these first strokes without much concern or planning. “For me, it’s a lot about just starting something without worrying what it’s going to look like, and then giving it some time so I can respond to it,” she said. Zarem’s collection of abstract pieces, titled “Closer to the Skin,” was put on display Oct. 4 at the Community Arts Partnership ArtSpace on the Commons and showed for the rest of the month. The pervading concept through the exhibition is the meeting and interaction of objects and ideas, Zarem said.

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“Boundaries are sort of an opportunity for things to either complement or contrast,” she said. “That is one of the things that I am always working on. I am interested in how things meet up against each other and how they interact.” She began the pieces in the spring in the studio in her basement. The room is meticulously organized with her paints, worn-down brushes and Plexiglas palette sitting on top of a metal shelving unit in one corner and her printing materials — old plastic toys, lids, stamps, a cut-up loofah — on a table in another corner. After the initial strokes of impulsive creation are placed on the page, Zarem starts A piece in the exhibition “Close to the Skin” show at the CAP ArtSpace from Oct. 4 to the end of the month. to make a plan for the piece. Courtesy of Melissa Zarem “For me, all art is about making choices,” Zarem’s, sometimes comes to the studio to do she said. her own work. Daniels said Zarem maintains So once the first layer of paint has dried, the such a clear awareness through her process. work moves onto the next stage — the wall. It is “She has tremendous integrity of vision,” she covered in dripping lines of paint — bright pinks said. “Her palette will change a lot. The texture and yellows, vibrant red, black, shades of green, and the shapes and so on will change a lot. blue and grey. There’s a spirit of playfulness and authority that Initial impulses and instincts are added first. Then it’s time to take a step back, sit in the brown comes through in all her pieces.” Zarem said her organic process allows her to leather chair strategically placed across from the explore the spontaneity of abstract art. wall and look. “I just go,” Zarem said. “Because working She may add a mark here, throw in a color on something over time in layers gives you the there, all based on her observations. confidence that you’ll figure it out as you go.” Leslie Daniels, a local writer and friend of

Sew good Dillingham designer uses seasoned skills to give main stage a magic touch

By Caitlin Ghegan

shows. In total, she has worked on more than 130 student productions, including this year’s production of “The Magic Flute.” For Westbrook, dressing Dillingham’s performers begins months before the actors set foot on a stage. Costume designer Greg Robbins, associate professor of theatrical design, has worked alongside Westbrook for more than 20 years. In the designing process, Robbins said, there are moments “of pure creative vision, then moments to bring it back to reality.” He said this is when Westbrook shines. As a design instructor, Westbrook must strike a balance between her managerial position in the shop and her role in the classroom. “It’s not so much teaching them a task: What you celebrate is the moment that they get it,” she said. “That light bulb moment is the thrill.” In the back of the shop sits a mannequin, pinned with black fabric and a skirt four times as wide as its waist. She points to the bodice and

Rachel Orlow/The IThacan

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the support structures, camouflaged by layers of black feathers, beading and sheer fabric. This particular costume will take 200 hours to complete. For every original costume creation in “The Magic Flute,” Westbrook and her team of costumers will augment and adjust three others. With a cast of 40 performers and a wardrobe of 50 costumes, there’s always more to do. Students in the college theater department arrive with different skill levels. The greatest challenge of working with untrained students, Westbrook said, is understanding that every show will be finished, but there will always be “balanced compromises.” “The beauty of it is you discover students’ strengths,” she said. Johanna Pan, a junior theatrical production arts major and costume shop assistant, said students choose to work in the costume shop because of its welcoming atmosphere. “She’s nicknamed Mama Lil,” Pan said. “Not only is she the only female tech and design staff member, she is also kind of like our mom away from home.” There is still trimming and a few finishing touches to be completed before opening night. Westbrook returns to the sewing machine to maneuver endless bunches of black beading under the needle. She turns to the ironers and the sewers to ask if anyone needs any help. For the moment, all is well. “The genius [of theater] is in the live moment,” Westbrook said. “That’s what keeps you going. When it all comes together, when it’s a beautiful design.” Lilly Westbrook, costume shop manager in the Department of Theatre Arts, pieces together clothing for “The Magic Flute.” To a stranger peeking through the window of Dillingham Room 020, the scattered piles of cloth, scissors and beads that lie on the tables within may signal chaos. But amid the hustle and bustle of the room, where half a dozen students iron and adjust seams, a woman with thick brown hair sits contently at a sewing machine. Through her slender glasses, Lilly Westbrook’s gaze stays focused, trained on the needle that stitches black beading to cream-colored cloth. To the wardrobe veteran, it’s all about “piecing the puzzle together.” “That’s the challenge, finding when you have an approach and the approach doesn’t work, opening yourself to another approach and hoping that somewhere along the line you’re going to discover something that works,” she said. For the last 22 years, Westbrook has worked at Ithaca College as the costume shop manager in the Department of Theatre Arts. From her hub in Dillingham, she oversees the production of every costume in the college’s main stage

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Carrying Junior gets campus grooving with boom box

the

beat

By Allie Healy Junior Ellis Williams often carries Betty White between classes, waving to passersby as he strolls along the sidewalks of Ithaca College. He isn’t toting around the “Golden Girls” star, but rather his large, gold Lasonic-931 boom box, Betty, playing music for everyone to hear. Freshman Sierra Council smiled when she first heard him on the academic quad last Friday. “It’s so Ellis,” she said. “He’s a big guy with a big boom box.” After getting the boom box as a gift, Williams started carrying it on the first sunny day in spring of last year. “I felt like music was becoming an individualistic experience,” Williams said. “What I aim to do is to disrupt that.” Williams roams the campus a couple of times a day with his boom box. The flashy gold box has plenty of colorful buttons and knobs, but Williams decided to name it after a dainty, classic woman. “My friends wanted me to name her ‘Magnum,’ but I thought that was too vulgar,” Williams said. “Since she’s my golden girl, I thought ‘Betty White’ was only appropriate.” Music has played a role in Williams’ life, whether the boom box was by his side or not. “When I was 11, my grandfather would Junior Ellis Williams pick me up from middle shares music acros s the campus with his go school, and he would play ld boom box, Betty . Rachel Orlow/Th a lot of funk and soul,” e iThacan he said. “That was the Williams, center, speaks to sophomore Henry Halse at a Brothers 4 Brothers Ransom said he was one of the first people to hear foundation. Then my meeting. Williams, co-president of the group, hopes it builds community. Williams with his boom box. mother would clean up Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan “Last March he told me to look out for him on Sundays with the on Monday,” Ransom said. “I asked why, but he just said to just wait. I was Princes and Black Street playing. I was surrounded.” wearing my big headphones while walking to class and all of a sudden I Though he plays many genres of music, Williams likes to stick to hipheard this bumping over my own music. I heard Ellis before I saw him.” hop and R&B from different eras. Both Williams and Ransom are looking to efficiently create a close-knit When he isn’t strolling the sidewalks with Betty, Williams is busy community with the male students in Brothers 4 Brothers. with his television-radio major and three minors: African diaspora, Hoping someday his efforts pay off, Williams dreams of becoming the scriptwriting and speech communication. He is also involved on campus first black host of the “Tonight Show.” But he still debates whether his boom as the Brothers 4 Brothers co-president and a junior class senator in the box will be in hand alongside his briefcase while commuting. He smirked Student Government Association. at the thought. Going on their third year with Brothers 4 Brothers, Williams and junior “If society was ready for that,” he said. Tom Ransom have taken the reigns as the newly inducted co-presidents.

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novelprocess

Writing professor writes first book and national best-seller By Jess Maeshiro

Henderson works on signing 200 copies of her book in the Harvard Book store for the first editions club. Courtesy of Eleanor Henderson

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Fierce passion and an unparalleled determination are characteristics shared by both the people in Eleanor Henderson’s debut novel “Ten Thousand Saints” and the author herself. Since the book was published June 7, Henderson, assistant professor of writing at Ithaca College, has experienced a whirlwind of accolades, making the transition from college professor to a nationally recognized author. “I still feel like the same writer I was,” she said. “But I feel lucky to have some exposure, and the whole experience really feels like a dream.” A professor at the college since August 2010, Henderson received her book deal with Harper Collins/Ecco for “Ten Thousand Saints” three days after she was hired at the college. In the book, the main character, Jude, loses his best friend, Teddy, to a drug overdose. Jude decides to pursue a straight-edge lifestyle to cope with Teddy’s death. Henderson said her husband’s experience

with the straight-edge movement in 1980s New York City inspired the novel. Henderson’s book has garnered notable success, including a rave review from New York Times reviewer Stacey D’Erasmo, who said she connected with Henderson’s novel because she was intrigued by the exuberance of the writing. “She’s a thick writer, she’s a dense writer, she’s an imagistic writer,” she said. Eleanor Henderson, assistant professor of writing at Ithaca “She really bears down not only on her College, wrote a best-seller. characters’ emotional world, but on the Courtesy of Nina Subin sort of depth of their soul. There is a treUniversity of Virginia. mendous amount of inventiveness and boldness Jack Wang, associate professor and chair in that I really like.” The writing process was long and meticulous, of the writing department, said he is proud of Henderson’s success. Henderson said. She spent the last nine years “She is someone for whom very little escapes working on multiple drafts of “Ten Thousand notice,” he said. “She takes a small moment and Saints,” which she started in graduate school. really explodes it into something really finely Henderson, a Florida native, graduated observed, and that is what is most impressive with a B.A. in American Literature/Creative about her as a writer.” Writing in 2001 from Middlebury College Henderson spent most of June in 14 different and an M.F.A. in Fiction in 2005 from the cities on a publicity tour. Despite this claim to fame, she said that her heart still lies in teaching. “There are a lot of writers who would like to live on writing alone, and that would be nice, but I have a passion for teaching, and I like to talk to my students about what I love, which is crafting stories,” she said. “Even if I could retire by 33, I would still want to go back into the classroom and be able to work with my students.” Senior Mitchell Cohen, one of Henderson’s students, said she has had an incredible influence. “As a writer, she is amazing, and the book speaks for itself,” he said. “She really is also one of my favorite professors. She’s always willing to work with people to make them a better writer.” Currently, Henderson is working on her second novel. As Henderson closes this chapter in her writing career, D’Erasmo said she foresees big things on the horizon for Henderson. “It definitely feels like one of those books that’s really from the heart, really from within,” she said. “I wish her the best, and she obviously has tremendous determination and drive so I’m figuring the future’s looking really good for her.”

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Left: Dan Griffith of The White Panda performs on the Cornell Arts Quad as part of a free concert. He performed with his mash-up partner Tom Evans. Andrew Buraczenski/The Ithacan

Bottom left: Michael Angelakos sings vocals for rock band Passion Pit, which performed in November in Barton Hall at Cornell University. Kelsey O’Connor/The Ithacan

Bottom right: Justin Pierre belts notes for Motion City Soundtrack. The group was the opening act for the B.o.B. concert in September. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

104 Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

In the spotlight ARTS

Rapper B.o.B. speaks to the crowd in Barton Hall at Cornell. The Cornell Concert Commission organized the event. Michelle BoulĂŠ/The Ithacan

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movie reviews Date

20112012

Take

5 p o T

Character-driven story drives sports drama With a dedicated cast and down-to-earth humor, “Moneyball” chronicles the struggle and triumph of one of the most compelling sports stories of the new millennium. “Moneyball” follows Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), general manager of the Oakland Athletics. After watching his team lose its last season game, Beane searches for a way to build a competitive professional team with only a fraction of the average MLB budget. This is the second Hollywood film from director Bennett Miller following the 2005 biographical drama “Capote.” Like his previous work, “Moneyball” is a polished, powerful and heartfelt character-driven story.

The movie’s positive tone can be attributed to its entertaining but never corny comic relief. Beane shows his connection with the team when he makes an awkwardly humorous attempt at an inspirational pregame speech. While Pitt delivers the script’s dialogue with confidence, he is most compelling when he sits alone, dealing with his past as a failed baseball player and his fears about his decisions as a general manager. Miller tells an uplifting story with talented actors. This feel-good movie may make even a die-hard Yankees fan root for the Oakland A’s — if only for an inning or two. — James Hasson

Witty banter gives edge to heartfelt comedy Echoing cross-genre films like “Click” and “Funny People,” which walk the line between comedy and drama, director Jonathan Levine’s dark comedy “50/50” is a creative mix of tragedy and humor. When 27-year-old radio journalist Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer, he and his best friend, Kyle (Seth Rogen), vow to enjoy life while he battles the disease. Levine portrays Adam’s battle for his life without allowing the film’s humor to make

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light of the situation. The witty, awkward banter between Adam and Kyle is reminiscent of comedies like “Superbad” and “I Love You, Man”. Rogen is the soul of the film’s hilarity as the brash and perversetalking best friend. Cast chemistry allows the dark humor to shine while the director’s work pulls the viewer into a whirlwind of emotions, making “50/50” a welcome addition to a revitalized genre of more mature comedy. — Michael Reyes

‘Artistic’ old-style film plays with role of sound It’s no surprise Parisian writer and director Michael Hazanavicius captured the attention of critics with “The Artist,” a playful and modern rendition of silent film that is unspeakably charming. In crisp black-and-white with next to no dialogue, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that the film is another inaccessible Golden Globe favorite. However, a captivating storyline and cast make “The Artist” better than its outspoken modern counterparts. Jean Dujardin plays heartthrob George Valentin, a silent film superstar with a wide grin who leaves hoards of screaming women beside themselves. By chance, aspiring dancer Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo)

stumbles into Valentin. She befriends Miller as she struggles to make it in Hollywood. With the birth of the “talkie,” Valentin, a heavily accented Frenchman, is out of work. Miller becomes an overnight sensation. When Valentin is at his lowest, Miller resolves to find a way to bolster his spirits. Both Dujardin and Bejo give brilliant performances. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Valentin’s charismatic eyebrows, not to chuckle at Peppy Miller’s initial awkwardness, or not to rejoice as she rises to fame. Hazanavicius punctuates the simple winning storyline by playing with sound. In one scene, he suddenly introduces the hum

of a radiator and the noisy chattering of girls outside. The sounds haunt Valentin, who is seemingly confined to a world of silence. It’s a creative addition that gives the classic feel of the film a modern twist. While the lighthearted use of sound reminds the audience that they are still in the 21st century, a knockout soundtrack pays homage to the history of silent film. Uptempo, jazzy tunes almost tempt the audience to get up and dance in the aisles. With meticulous attention to detail and stunning camera angles, “The Artist” is a nod to the past that is well worth enjoying in the present. — Taylor Long

Leading ‘Lady’ packs punch despite narrative’s wrinkles

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Movie reveals dark political world Alluding to William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” George Clooney’s well-crafted new drama chronicles the struggle between personal integrity and political ambition. “The Ides of March” follows Stephen Myers (Ryan Gosling), a young and passionate junior campaign manager for charismatic presidential hopeful Mike Morris (Clooney). The film marks a pessimistic shift from Clooney’s 2005 historical drama “Good Night, and Good Luck,” in which he also dealt with the clash between political idealism and reality. The film shows a world in which political campaigners — even within the same party — are locked in a conflict often more intense than the politicians they represent. The script reunites Clooney with Grant Heslov, who co-wrote “Good Night, and Good Luck.” With the assistance of additional co-writer Beau Willimon, the film overcomes the pacing problems that have plagued some of

the director’s previous work. The plot runs smoothly, with Stephen Mirrione’s editing punctuating important dramatic beats without allowing them to become overdone or exploitative. While Gosling is convincing in his role, his character’s transformation throughout the film is jarring and sudden. But Gosling offers a suitable counterpoint to the veteran Clooney, and the pair’s on-screen chemistry makes their scripted relationship more realistic and compelling. Phedon Papamichael’s cinematography uses the typical scenery of political campaigns — giant flags on a debate stage, televisions constantly playing MSNBC and campaign flyers — to comment on the artificiality of the political landscape. With a stellar cast and inspired script, the movie provides audiences with compelling concepts that, in a time of increasing political disillusionment, also hit incredibly close to home. — Ian Carsia

Gripping visuals and star power prevent “The Iron Lady” from hitting rock bottom, but the political drama’s narrative is not as dynamic as its featured leading lady. The film illustrates the life of controversial former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep). Margaret’s story begins with her childhood as a grocer’s daughter (portrayed by Alexandra Roach) then flashes forward to forays into party politics. The charmingly awkward Roach shines in her determination as the maturing politician. Streep skillfully portrays the powerful woman as she ascends to the Prime Minister position. Her excellence spans from campaign to the moment when the Conservative Party forces the end of her term. Director Phyllida Lloyd proves her style is worth watching. She does not stray far from convention, but the film is still fresh and visually captivating. “The Iron Lady” promises drama comparable to Thatcher’s time in office. The acting and appearance of the film hit a good spot, but the organization of the narrative renders it far less sturdy than the unstoppable Prime Minister. — Lucy Walker

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book reviews

Top Three

Singer pens heavenly novel

Josh Ritter follows the journey of a World War I veteran in his debut novel and shows he can change artistic mediums without losing his way with words. Ritter’s “Bright’s Passage” tells the story of Henry Bright, a veteran who has to leave his West Virginia home with his newborn son to escape a forest fire. An angel Bright meets at war speaks through a horse and then guides him through his travels. For anyone who has heard Josh Ritter’s music, it is impossible to read “Bright’s Passage” without comparing it to his songs. “Bright’s Passage” echoes the sparse, lyrical nature of Ritter’s best work, like the storytelling songs on his 2006 album,

“The Animal Years,” or his most recent work, “So Runs the World Away.” It creates a tone that fits the long, arduous journey Bright must make. Some passages become heavy with unnecessary description. These moments are rare, though. Despite this, the majority of “Bright’s Passage” is a tightly written, quick read that delves deep enough into Bright’s past to create a character who is stubborn, headstrong, rational and just faithful enough to trust the angel who tells him he has a destiny to fulfill. What makes Ritter’s novel worth reading is its emotion. The novel is a promising first look at a writer already known for his ability to tell stories in another medium, and to peruse its pages is a journey worth taking. — Lauren Mateer

Innovative book blazes with linguistic heat Every once in a while a novel comes along that leaves readers gasping at the skill of an author’s use of language. Ben Marcus’ startling experimental fiction, “The Flame Alphabet,” fits this bill. In his world, the planet is tainted by words. Language has become a toxin. The effect spreads from all children, then to all adults, all written word and eventually, all symbols as well. Anything conveying meaning is corrosive on adults’ bodies. Marcus deviates from his usual jumping narrative style by providing a single narrator, Sam. He is crass, stubborn, and it seems as though every effort he undergoes to save his family is futile.

Marcus introduces a new stylistic element that is bound to strike readers: historic fact. He cites examples from Roman author Pliny, who denounced children’s speech as a source of pestilence, and the warnings of Plutarch, Cicero and Ovid not to read their works if one valued life. These references paint a picture of a world that should have anticipated the lethal nature of language. Marcus’ astute read offers s a gripping account of the power of language, the urge for solidarity and the relentlessness of the pursuit of family. — Marissa Smith

Author’s poetic style finds flaws in perfection

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Best-selling author Ellen Hopkins focuses on drugs, suicide, rape and other issues teens face to weave together a nontraditional book that shines as a testament to living outside societal norms. Hopkins mixes traditional creative writing with free-form poetry in “Perfect,” her newest book that details the intertwined fictional lives of four teenagers in Nevada. The students share their struggles with issues that afflict modern youth in chapters that alternate between narrators. “Perfect” is written as what Hopkins calls a prose novel. She structures verses in ways to

stimulate the visuals of the narrative. Words are placed to form patterns that symbolize the state of a character’s mind. When one character falls to rock bottom, Hopkins stacks words so that the sentences look like a staircase down the page. Hopkins sticks to subjects, such as addiction and suicide, that she’s covered in past books “Crank” and “Impulse,” but also modernizes her work with issues like teen plastic surgery. Despite its flaws, “Perfect” serves as a compelling read that captures the emotional issues afflicting teens today and offers comfort for youth. — Megan Goldschmidt

game reviews Revamped gameplay frees up possibilities “Skyrim,” the fifth installment in the Elder Scrolls series from Bethesda, is the most recent heir to a millions-selling dynasty of open-world games, and this game typifies a “go anywhere and do anything” style of play. The story focuses on the player being a chosen dragon slayer who must rid the world of the scaly, fire-breathing menaces. There is a main quest line and it is suitably epic, but it barely touches upon the actual game world.

“Skyrim” makes it clear developers understood what was wrong with the previous game, “Oblivion,” namely the leveling system, which was rebuilt in “Skyrim.” The game has done away with attributes such as Strength and Intelligence. Melding those statistics into the skills of “Two-handed Weapons” and “Destruction Magic” helps players immerse themselves into the game more. Building a character opens up into a wonderful adventure. The game offers no

end of fantasy archetypes to play as. The world of “Skyrim” is full of distractions, and every one of them is just as captivating as what other games consider the “main story.” After playing Skyrim for more than 30 hours, the game doesn’t lose its luster. Every minute invested into the game reveals yet another magic sword to covet or giant monster in need of slaying. —Silvan Carlson-Goodman

Graphic game ends series In the final game of the “Gears of War” series, Epic Games improves its franchise by creating revamped weapon mechanics and clean-cut graphics. The game follows Marcus Fenix and his Gears, who are fighting the reptilian swarm known as Locust Hordes. Upon discovering a Locust Hordes civil war, Fenix and his team try to end the conflict. The story mode in “Gears of War 3” can be repetitive and clichéd, but the lackluster narrative pales in comparison to the dynamic graphics created for the new game. Innovative, dark twisted graphics portray a landscape left desolate by fighting. For the first time, the game offers a beast mode that allows gameplay from the Locusts’ point of view. The mode provides a different perspective and a chance to fight Fenix and his team rather than control them. As Epic Games finishes the “Gears of War” series with it’s third installment, both familiar gamers and new players to the battle are likely to declare “Gears of War 3” a visually appealing victory. — Robert Rivera

“The Legend of Zelda” games have never lost the pure joy and excitement of exploring the unknown, and “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword” sticks with this model. In “Skyward Sword,” players are in control of Link, the green-garbed, sword-wielding hero who must again rescue the fair Zelda. This is the first Zelda game to use Wii’s “Motion Plus” controllers, where hand movements are replicated in the game. Some in-game experiences, such as riding on a bird, are a joy thanks to the controls, but for the majority of actions it seems pressing a button would have

been simpler. Past Zelda games have leaned heavily on music. It is sad to say the score of the game is completely forgettable, and the new songs are not helped by the few classic songs sprinkled into the score. What keeps the game from falling into mediocrity is the charm of the story. The side characters are important and memorable, and Link is still dynamic as the protagonist. In the end, the newest Zelda game keeps the spellbinding series alive and soars with innovative puzzles and gameplay. — Silvan Carlson-Goodman

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Charming character saves ‘Zelda’

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Top 5

album reviews Lana del Rey “Born to Die” In the wake of a harshly received “Saturday Night Live” performance, songstress Lana Del Rey has emerged as a bizarre, experimental artist. While the vocals on her latest album, “Born To Die,” are pleasing to the ear, the lyrical components lack a real depth across the work as a whole. A number of songs follow the same storyline of kisses, bad beaus and dresses. One of the album’s most promising tracks is the radio-ready “Off to the Races.” Del Rey transforms from lounge singer into a money-hungry pop star. As is true with most of the album’s cuts, she plays up the instability of her life as she sings, “I’m crazy, baby, I need you to come here and save me.” “Born to Die” may not be the album the hype machine was leading listeners to believe it would be, but it establishes Lana Del Rey as a force to be reckoned with in the pop sphere. With a bit more lyrical creativity and instrumental styling, she will be ready to make some serious advances. — Jared Dionne

Red Hot Chili Peppers “I’m With You”

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More than five years after the release of their Grammy-winning opus, “Stadium Arcadium,” the funk sensation Red Hot Chili Peppers trade in their amateur antics for a deliciously developed tone. “I’m With You,” the band’s newest release, is a drastic departure from its early, genrebending days that included funk, metal, punk and hip-hop. The album shows they have moved past the days of heavy drug use and on-stage nudity to create a more mature sound. The old funk pioneers are no strangers to ballads, as every album they have released since 1985 features slow tracks, but “I’m With You” puts a new slant on these soft songs. Although the funkiest tracks of “I’m With You” don’t quite stand up to the band’s highenergy history, the Chili Peppers prove they are still capable of whipping up some groovy songs. “Look Around,” the album’s sixth track, is an infectious tune anchored by drummer Chad Smith’s pounding beats. The soulful meditations backed by funky bass lines and cathartic drumming in “I’m With You” make the Chili Peppers’ newest entree one spicy dish. — Taylor Palmer

The Fray “Scars & Stories” For its third studio album, “Scars and Stories,” The Fray delivers 12 highly emotional and candid songs. In the breathtaking single “Heartbeat,” Isaac Slade, the band’s lead vocalist, creates a fiery beginning to its album by commanding attention with his wide vocal range. In addition, the catchy melody and passion-driven lyrics are captivating. The band shows its “scars” through somber, yet impactful melodies. The band’s strength is shown in its song “Run For Your Life” when Slade sings, “All that you are/ All that you want/ Run for your life.” In “1961,” The Fray reveals the struggle of being apart from loved ones while “The Fighter” accurately depicts the emptiness one can feel without affection. The album ends on a high note with “Be Still.” In this ballad, Slade’s lyrics show he will always be there for his loved ones. Overall, The Fray achieves easy success with “Scars and Stories” through its natural ability to relate and connect with their fans through the honesty of the lyrics. — Daniel Bergner

Rihanna “Talk That Talk”

ARTS

Releasing six albums over a span of seven years, Rihanna is sitting pretty on a hit factory. “Talk That Talk” reiterates what has become Rihanna’s bread and butter, a formula that includes songs about particularly raunchy sex, at least one soft rock ballad and a reggae-tinged club banger. Some of the punch in the equation is lost in the repetitiveness of having three songs about sex without much variation. If “Talk That Talk” does not present sex as palpably as its predecessors, it does open a discussion of something that Rihanna hasn’t mentioned in a while — true love. In “We All Want Love,” Rihanna describes love as a human right as she sings, “I feel so entitled/ Love owes me/ I want what’s mine” over a steady alt-rock guitar and dissonant synth chords. By the end of the album, it becomes clear that the album tracks that work are ones that are new to the formula. Though the equation still produced a likeable album, perhaps Rihanna would fare better if there were no equation at all. — Benjii Maust

The Black Keys “El Camino” Coming off the success of their fiery Grammy-winning album, “Brothers,” Ohio blues-rock duo The Black Keys are back to doing what they do best — crafting monstrous rock jams, like the ones found in the scorching new album, “El Camino.” In a time when synthesizers are the “it” thing in music, The Black Keys prove the guitar is still the instrument that defines rock. The band’s crunching riffs and hard-hitting drum cadences are a shot of energy that invites listeners to shimmy and stomp. The Black Keys made a wise decision in recruiting production genius Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) to craft this album. Danger Mouse produced “Tighten Up” on the “Brothers” album, which hauled in one of the band’s three Grammy Awards last year. While he is known for his quirky production tactics with bands like Gnarls Barkley and Gorillaz, Burton allowed the raw qualities of the instruments to shine through with this album. On “El Camino,” The Black Keys lead the charge in the movement to keep the blues alive and kicking. With their catchy tunes and relatable lyrics, they will continue to build a large following. — Jared Dionne

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From left, Fabrizio (senior Bruce Landry) walks with Clara (junior Celeste Rose) in the musical “Light in the Piazza.” It was the second show for Ithaca College’s Main Stage. Courtesy of Sheryl Sinkow

Cast performance glows in heartwarming show There was a light — or several, rather — at Ithaca College this year. That light was the college theater department’s production of “The Light in the Piazza.” In the production, it’s 1953, and Margaret Johnson (senior Hannah Dubner) and her daughter, Clara (junior Celeste Rose), are visiting Florence, Italy. Because of a childhood accident, Clara has a mental deficiency. She is a woman in her 20s with the mind of a little girl. The focus in this take on “Piazza” is not on flashy presentation, but the performers and the illustrious music. Senior Bruce Landry plays an endearing and vocally captivating Fabrizio, the young Italian man who has a love-at-first-sight experience with Clara. He portrays the bachelor with a childlike innocence, the kind of joy a kid gets when he sees a new thing for the first time. His counterpart, Rose, is the undoubtedly stunning star of the production, as she brings a docile but powerful soprano to Clara’s emotive numbers. Dubner’s Margaret is a stark and abrasive woman with a gentle spot for her daughter. She holds fast to her conservative demeanor, and her voice — rich and developed — wonderfully captures the burden Margaret carries. There’s one downside to what is otherwise an enjoyable, enriching production: the set. The designers could have taken a minimalist approach, with a few set pieces and strong costumes to balance, or attempted to create a more technical extravaganza, like the production of “Chicago” last fall. Instead, a poorly executed backdrop of Italy keeps this production’s visual appeal in a weird state of limbo as it is neither simplistically beautiful nor grand. Nevertheless, this production couldn’t have come at a better time. We need some light and warmth before things get frigid in Ithaca. — Aaron Edwards

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From left, Mitzi (Dayna Joan) and Chuck (Darryle Johnson) celebrate their pregnancy in Actor’s Workshop of Ithaca’s production. Courtesy of Rachel Philipson

Comedic play bares truth “Mitzi’s Abortion,” put on by The Actor’s Workshop of Ithaca, offers a humorous and moving exploration of late-term abortion. Mitzi (Dayna Joan) is a 22-year-old with an army husband and a baby on the way. But she discovers the child will be born with a severe birth defect and must decide if she will abort. Directed by C.A. Teitelbaum, the production dives into this controversial topic with humor and sincerity. There are a few moments when the humor is refreshingly original. Joan does an amazing job bringing Mitzi to life, giving the audience a character with depth and honesty. The social issue that the show examines is portrayed brilliantly. With intelligent humor, honesty and believable emotion, “Mitzi’s Abortion” was an unexpected, pleasant experience. — Harmony Wright

Jarring presentation of story misses mark From the dreary small towns of Washington to the highly charged deserts of Iraq, Ithaca College’s first theater production of the season flits between the duality of right and wrong, and effectively portrays one character’s state of mind, but fails to create a connection to its other themes. “Plumfield, Iraq” follows Mike (senior John Gardner), a high school grad and his six friends planning for their futures. For them, that means joining the Army to pay for school and to escape Plumfield, Wash. Director Cynthia Henderson, associate professor of theater arts, sets the experience through Mike’s perspective. His post-traumatic stress disorder is a disruptive force for the sense of time. Rather than a chronological order to scenes, there are flashbacks, what-if scenarios, nightmares and memories, all of which result in a two-hour character study. Somewhere between Washington and Iraq there was a missed opportunity to present a connecting moment. Though Gardner’s performance is enough to carry the show, even coupled with Henderson’s mastery for propelling the plot, the experience still feels out of harmony. — Kelsey Fowler

Mike (senior John Gardner) returns from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder and must learn to cope in the Ithaca College Theater Department’s “Plumfield, Iraq.” Courtesy of Bill Baker

Outdoor production replants classical ideas

Juan Tamayo/The Ithacan

ARTS

From left, Yepikhodov (Danny Bernstein) and Dunyasha (Adrienne Jackson) become involved. The play was performed on the Cornell Arts Quad.

While Cornell University’s adaptation of “The Cherry Orchard” brings the more than 100-year-old classic outdoors, it conveys the pain of loss and the strength of family with a timeless grace. Written by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov, the play revolves around one family’s struggle to maintain composure while losing its home and cherry orchard. While adapting to the outdoor stage — with all its elements and interruptions — the actors in “The Cherry Orchard” give performances that match the dark power behind Anton Chekhov’s words. The production’s outdoor setting is a more realistic portrayal of the orchard’s natural beauty. Director Beth Milles welcomes the elements and sounds from the garden by Cornell’s Big Red Barn, and the actors improvised when the script was interrupted by the weather. The actors’ portrayal of the characters expressed the right balance of emotions to offset the harshness of the play. “The Cherry Orchard” proves this Russian classic’s exploration of how a family deals with love and loss is all but dated in modern society. — Emily Dunn

Simple drama teaches complex themes After years of work becoming professional actors, The Kitchen Theatre’s cast must play amateurs — learning to act. “Circle Mirror Transformation” follows four students and their instructor, Marty (Camilla Schade), as they experiment with seemingly futile games and exercises. As the students progress, the class affects their lives as much as their experiences shape it. The play is directed by Norm Johnson, associate professor of theater arts at Ithaca College, with senior Lucy Gram. The duo’s on-stage creation is as challenging as anyone’s first acting class and just as fun. From the illuminated exit sign on the charming peach-colored walls to the handwritten note with instructions posted above the fader lights, David Arsenault’s reserved set reflects the tone of the story: realistic yet mysterious. “Circle Mirror” equally appeals to thespians and the uninitiated. For someone with experience with improvisation exercises, it recalls memories. For everyone else, the play shows the gravity of small experiences. Just sitting in a circle can completely change a life. — Lucy Walker

Marty (Camilla Schade) explains an activity to her adult acting class in The Kitchen Theatre’s production of “Circle Mirror Transformation.” Courtesy of The Kitchen Theatre

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Sports

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SPORTS

With a whole lot of heart and even more capability, the Bombers struggled and prevailed with loyal Blue and Gold fans in the stands. Sophomore Elizabeth Gawrys swims at a meet Jan. 28 in the Athletics and Events Center pool. Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan

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of inspiration Whenever senior cornerback Mike Conti is on the football field in a moment of intense stress, he closes his eyes and thinks of his father. “Whenever there’s a big play or I’m getting nervous and over-thinking things, I close my eyes and it calms me down,” Conti said. “I feel his presence and him being there with me, almost like he’s a part of me.” A three-year starter and captain for the Blue and Gold, Conti was named to play on the D3football.com East region all-star team last season after having seven pass breakups and scoring all of the Bombers’ defensive touchdowns. Conti’s natural athleticism comes from his father, Frank, who was a multisport athlete in high school. Frank, who passed away when Conti was 12 years old, played a crucial role in his son’s life. “The one thing that really drives me, especially in the sport of football, is that my dad never got to see me play one football game,” he said. Conti, a native of Branford, Conn., starred on the Daniel Hand High School football team his

junior and senior seasons. He led his team to the 2007 Connecticut Class MM State Championship game and an undefeated regular season. Conti’s life was permanently altered in the spring of 2003 when Frank went into the hospital with a blood clot in his leg. “He seemed pretty normal when we went to see him,” Conti said. “The surgery was the next day, so me and my mom went to get dinner. I didn’t know it then, but it was the last time I would see him.” The surgery successfully removed the clot, and doctors said Frank would make a full recovery. He did not respond to medications, however, and he passed away a week after the surgery. “It was like one of those moments in a movie where everything is so surreal,” Conti said. “I was in complete denial at that point.” Conti describes his dad as a hard worker, a quality Head Coach Mike Welch said he sees in Conti as well. “Mike is a blue-collar type of person in the

Senior cornerback motivated by memory of late father By Harlan Green-Taub

sense that he works overtime,” he said. “Not just on the field, but in the weight room and film room as well.” Mike’s mother Heidi Shepard said Frank made sure Mike took more away from sports than just the competitive mindset. “He got a lot from his dad in terms of sports themes and what you can get out of a competitive environment and apply it to the rest of your life,” she said. Conti has a tattoo on the left side of his chest to commemorate his father’s memory. He said he knows how lucky he is to have the opportunities he has been presented with. “[My father’s death] really put a lot of things into perspective,” he said. “I hate losing more than most people, but when you look back at the end of the day and realize how fortunate you are to go to a great school, live a great life, be healthy and play the sport of college football — there’s not a ton of people that can say that.”

Senior cornerback and defensive captain Mike Conti has a tattoo over his heart in memory of his late father. michelle boulé/The Ithacan

Conti’s father, Frank, holds Conti as a todler. Courtesy of Mike Conti

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Long distance

By Andrew Kristy

Freshman golfer leads team after moving from Hong Kong Freshman Sharon Li works on her swing during practice. Li moved 8,000 miles away from her home in Hong Kong to play golf for the Ithaca College team. Photo Illustration by Emily Park

drive the ball. “She has a very strong move with her swing,” he said. “She’s a very powerful woman to begin with, and she drives it typically 15 to 20 yards longer than most of the girls she gets paired with.” Though Li has only been on the team a short time, freshman Taylor MacDonald said her upbeat personality has made a positive impression. “I love playing with Sharon,” she said. “Even though she’s so good and can beat all of us, it doesn’t matter because she’s so humble and fun to play with.” Li said the full American experience has been pleasant because it’s more easygoing than Hong Kong. But she still misses sticky rice. “It’s not like in Hong Kong where it’s efficient and you have to be really fast,” she said. “You don’t have to keep up Li hits a golf tee when she was 6.

with others. You do it yourself — your own way.” Though she continues to settle into college life in America, Li said she has not become homesick. For her, home is wherever there is a set of golf clubs and a tee box. “I love golf, from the swing to the environment,” she said. “It helps you being active, it helps your social life, it helps you make friends, and it requires mentality. The concentration required for five hours in a round helps me in every way in my life.”

Courtesy of Sharon Li

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When asked if she loves golf, Li pauses and grins, remembering all of her experiences playing. She picked up the game at 6 years old because her father liked the sport, and began rattling off 50-yard shots as a child. Born in Happy Valley, Hong Kong, Li came to America at the end of August to attend Ithaca College and play on the women’s golf team. Li said golf has been intertwined into the culture of Hong Kong because it has become a social sport that people can play well into old age. “Whether you are an adult or a kid, there’s an 80 percent chance that people would say that they play golf,” she said. “Even though facilities and golf courses are limited in Hong Kong, people still get their hands onto it.” Li was not the stereotypical child prodigy with a strict, daily regimen. She played soccer, volleyball, threw discus, shot put and javelin on the track and field teams at Hong Kong International School and Taipei American School. Li shot a 71, one under par, in the second round of the Empire 8 Conference Championships on Sept. 18, a record-setting performance. Li’s stroke is powerful and resourceful, wasting no movement. She twists minimally and swings fluently — not into the ball, but through the ball. Head Coach Dan Wood said Li’s talent is rare in Division III because she can consistently

Li, then 12, poses by a scoreboard following the Guangdong Championship in China. Courtesy of Sharon Li

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Leading by example Men’s soccer’s four-year starter humbly leaves legacy in final season By Nate King

Steady wind blows snow across the field as senior center back Matt Anthony begins to jog toward the stands for the ritualistic cool-down. A The sound of the referee’s final whistle makes the frigid day seem even colder. The men’s soccer fan comfortingly yells, “I love you Matt A.!”, But Anthony does not say a word. His play on the team just surrendered two late goals and lost the field speaks for him. regular season finale and final home game for Anthony started 15 games as a freshman on this year’s senior class. the 2008 team. He has made 51 consecutive starts dating back to Oct. 28, 2008. Standing tall at 6-foot-1, Anthony is an imposing presence on the field. He anchors the defense with precision. Head Coach Andy Byrne said Anthony has been the team’s most reliable defender. “There’s not a whole lot of flash to his game, but he’s a good, solid defender,” he said. Anthony has played soccer since he was four years old. He was a four-time letter winner for the men’s soccer team at Pine Bush High School in Pine Bush, N.Y. He was named to the Times-Herald Record All-Star Soccer Team his senior year. Anthony said he could not imagine his life without playing on some kind of soccer team. “I’ve put a lot of time into it, and it’s been a part of me for basically my whole life,” Anthony said. Senior center back Matt Anthony dribbles the ball upfield at Anthony came to the college not only as a the game Oct. 29 against Elmira College at Higgins Stadium. recruit for the men’s soccer team, but also as a Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

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recipient of the prestigious Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship. At home, he does his part to help his family, as he has grown up with an autistic younger brother. Anthony’s father, John, said Anthony has taken the initiative to look out for his brother throughout their lives by helping him with schoolwork. “It’s a burden we did not want to put onto Matt, but it’s something that he took on on his own because he felt, as a brother, that’s what he needed to do,” John said. Byrne said Anthony’s leadership style involves more showing than telling, which can be an issue when the team is trying to get out of a slump. “Matt’s a very quiet guy, which is sometimes a problem,” he said. “But he’s more of a leader on the field, leading more by example in how hard he plays.” A photo of Matt sits at the end of the Hall of Champions in the college’s Athletics and Events Center, along with other representatives from each of the college’s athletic teams. Matt said he was humbled by the honor. “It just shows that people are appreciating all the time and effort student-athletes put into these sports,” he said. “It’s a lot harder than it looks, but it’s also very fun.”

Players from the men’s soccer team gather around senior center back Matt Anthony at Higgins Stadium. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

Ride of her life

Junior juggles passions for softball and equestrianism

Photo Illustration by Rachel Orlow

brown stallion Andy, who she was able to establish a special connection with. “It’s not just you being able to do the part,” she said. “It’s the horse as well. In any sport you do, there’s teamwork involved, and it can be physically demanding.” Johnson learned to pick up on Andy’s emotions, noticing his ears were forward when he was focused and back when he felt upset. This ability allowed her to make adjustments on the fly, a trait she uses as a catcher. Sophomore pitcher Jillian Olmstead said Johnson is one of the team’s best communicators and has helped her develop more precise pitches. “She’s willing to help anybody, whether it’s the pitchers with their pitches or batters with their hitting,” Olmstead said. Softball is a sport Johnson can play for a short period of time, but horseback riding will always be her main passion. “The way I look at it, I probably won’t go professional in softball, and horseback riding is something that I’ll have forever,” Johnson said. “I tell people that if I had to quit everything that I do, horseback riding would be the last thing I would stop doing.”

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sports for the camaraderie. When she was attending Manchester High School in her hometown of Manchester, Conn., Johnson Junior Lindsey Johnson rides her horse, Andy, over a played on the softball and volleyball teams hurdle. Johnson plays softball and enjoys equestrianism. and participated in equestrian competitions. Courtesy of Lindsey Johnson Johnson was dependent on her mother, Danielle, and younger sister, Megan, to help her By Steve Derderian balance her time between the sports. Megan competed in equestrian shows, and Danielle Every time junior catcher Lindsey Johnson began riding when her daughters developed a comes to the plate to hit, she performs the same passion for it. She later became a horseback ridritual, touching the second “A” in the middle of ing instructor at Windcrest Farm. her bat as a tribute to her horse, Andy. Johnson said Megan and her mother are her “When I think of Andy and horseback riding, it relaxes me and makes me really happy and biggest critics and most loyal fans. “The three of us have become what people confident,” she said. “When I’m at catcher and call ‘The Johnson Team,’” she said. “We bounce there’s a runner on base, I think about the power ideas off each other and make it work in the end.” and the drive that you have — like when you’re After contemplating joining the club equescoming toward that last fence and the last thing trian team her freshman year at Ithaca College, you have to do is clear it.” Johnson chose to strictly play on the softball team Ever since she rode her first horse at a fair because equestrianism was easier to return to. in Springfield, Mass., when she was 4 years old, Her equestrian career took off in 2006 when Johnson has been an avid horseback rider. she competed in the HBO Marshall and Sterling “It’s something that’s become such an innate part of me that I couldn’t imagine my life without Finals in Saugerties, N.Y., which consisted of the best 30 riders in the nation. it,” she said. Johnson won the national title with her Johnson has also always loved playing team

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Exercising a passion Personal trainer designs fitness class after switching from acting major By Steve Derderian

As junior Matt Pappadia stands in the Fitness Center training room helping a student with bad knees, he has a look of intense focus. He encourages the student to bend at the waist, shouting, “Come on, you can do it!” as he instructs him to stretch his abdominal muscle before the workout. Three years ago, Pappadia never thought he would be helping someone with personal fitness. He was set to pursue a career in acting when he began at Ithaca College and even hired an agent to help him land roles in films and theatrical productions. But after his first semester he made a decision that surprised his peers — he switched his major from acting to occupational therapy. He wanted to pursue a degree that would lead him to directly help others. “I really wanted to use theater as a means of positive and physical rehabilitation for others, and I knew I could not do that alone as an acting major,” Pappadia said. After the fall semester his freshman year, Pappadia began a regimen with interval weight training and high-intensity aerobic fitness. Pappadia’s efforts to be more active spread on campus with his new Dubsweat fitness class. The 30-minute routine specializes in rigorous interval training and is one of three high intensity aerobic

fitness classes. Pappadia fluctuates the tempo of Dubsweat by combining dubstep, a genre of electronic music, and plyometric exercises, which are used to build leg strength. Freshman Sam Horan, a weekly attendee of the Dubsweat class, said Pappadia suggested he join the class. It was an opportunity that he couldn’t pass up. “If I do two things I Junior Matt Pappadia acts in the independent film “The Night Never Sleeps”. like, which are working He switched his major his freshman year from acting to occupational therapy. Courtesy of Matt Pappadia out and dubstep, then I’d roots. During winter break, he acted in an inbe killing two birds with one stone,” Horan said. dependent film with actor Eric Roberts, actress Horan has lost 15 pounds and attributes that to the workout philosophy he and Pappadia share Julia Roberts’ brother, titled “The Night Never Sleeps.” The film is set for release later this year. — it’s important to have fun while exercising. He said seeing the enthusiasm from underPappadia trains friends when he is not runclassmen in his class reminds him of his past. ning the Dubsweat class. Junior Andrew Miller “To me, an important aspect of training is said the workouts help him fulfill his potential. that I am creating not just physical changes but “He has a gift for knowing what people are lifestyle changes as well,” he said. “I now live by capable of, and as a personal trainer he has a the saying, ‘Never give up on your body. Let your good way of getting it out of people,” Miller said. body give up on you.’” Pappadia has not abandoned his theatrical Pappadia leads his new Dubsweat aerobic class in the Fitness Center. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

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Just add water Aqua Zumba class creates splash among students

Junior Aileen Razey leads an Aqua Zumba fitness class. The class offers a new take on the popular program Zumba. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

By Nate King endurance and strength. Each class at Ithaca College consists of an average of 30 participants led by Razey and sophomore Andrew Walker. Razey said many students have incorrect perceptions of Aqua Zumba. “A lot of people think, ‘It’s like aqua aerobics, my grandma does that,’ but it’s so much different,” she said. “Grandma doesn’t do Aqua Zumba, and if she does, she is awesome.” With more than 100,000 classes offered across the nation, Aqua Zumba has become a popular fitness routine. It provides an exercise environment that firms and tones muscles through resistance. “It’s a great core workout because you’re constantly having to fight the water,” Razey said. “And also because you don’t have gravity in the water, your limbs are going to automatically fly up, so you have to do a lot of pushing down.” Razey said the water also gives students more confidence. “A lot of people are afraid to take land Zumba because it’s dancing,” she said. “But when they get in the water, it’s kind of a comfort blanket.” Senior Michele Fortier, a regular participant in the weekly Aqua Zumba classes, said the instructors’ attitudes motivate her . “Aileen and Andrew are so enthusiastic, and it’s so much fun just being part of it,” Fortier said. “They’re really high-energy and get us to cheer and sing along. It just makes us want to be silly and get rid of our inhibitions.” Walker said his energy leads to less tense and more willing participants. “It’s all about making them feel comfortable,” he said. “And if they get a chance to laugh about something, they’re going to forget what’s going on and forget that they’re here to exercise.”

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Junior Aileen Razey greets her students with a smile and a pat on the back. When it’s time to begin class, she gathers everyone around the edge of the pool and states the four guidelines to her class. “First, drink water even though you’re surrounded by it,” she says. “Second, listen to your body. If you need to get out of the water and be done, that’s fine. Third, yell and scream in good ways. And fourth, if you’re not having fun, then something is wrong.” After Razey finishes her inSophomore Andrew Walker leads an Aqua Zumba class. troductions, the Walker said the energy in the class keeps people going. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan students head for the pool. As the auto-tuned music blasts from Razey’s iPod through the speakers, she leaps in the air and throws her arms to the side. Go time. Aqua Zumba, what this group is participating in, takes a spin on the Latin-inspired exercise program, Zumba, and applies it under water. Instructors on the deck lead students in hip twists and leg shakes to build

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Crunch Time Senior television-radio major Harlan Green-Taub brings the wide world of national sports to Ithaca College by sharing his thoughts in a weekly column.

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Money drives college sports

Scandal rocks iconic squad

Sept. 29, 2011

Nov. 17, 2011

Academic ideals, geographic proximity and historic rivalries once decided the schools that made up a conference in the NCAA. Now one thing determines conference alignment in NCAA athletics — money. Traditional conferences at the Division I level have been sliced, spliced and gutted into pieces. A mess of schools now find themselves scrambling to find a conference that will provide them with the most lucrative opportunity. Last year, the University of Nebraska, an original member of the Big-12 Conference, jumped to the Big-10 Conference. The closest school in the conference to Nebraska is the University of Iowa, which sits 304 miles away. Texas Christian University, which will begin playing in the Big East Conference next season, will find itself 868 miles from its closest competition, the University of Louisville. The Pac-12 Conference, formerly the Pac-10, expanded this season to include the universities of Utah and Colorado, extending farther east than ever before. A move that has fans in our region puzzled is Syracuse University and University of Pittsburgh, two original members of the Big East Conference, jumping to the Atlantic Coast Conference. The two schools will join former Big East schools Boston College, the University of Miami and Virginia Tech. With conferences now locking up big television contracts with networks like ESPN, CBS and Fox Sports, and many conferences starting up their own networks, schools are doing their best to grab a piece of the expanding pie. The Sports Business Journal reported that Syracuse University and University of Pittsburgh joining the ACC will allow the conference to rework its deal with ESPN, which was considered below market value. The idea of these super conferences is nothing new. A booklet titled “Developing the Super Conference,” released in 1990 by college sports television syndicator Raycom Sports, touted the idea of four 16-team super conferences centered on football. It’s clear that the idea has been percolating among athletic directors and school presidents. So why have we been left in the dark for so long? With schools and conferences now raking in millions of dollars in television revenue each season off of basketball and football, collegiate sports have become as money-driven as professional sports, only with amateur athletes.

It seems like every news show is devoting time to what is going on at Penn State University. Every blogger or columnist has an opinion on it, and new horrifying details are emerging every day. There have been people who have had their reputations irreparably damaged, legacies that have been tarnished and, in the middle of it all, stands arguably the most identifiable college football coach ever — Joe Paterno. But from the footage I’ve seen of Penn State students rioting and people expressing their support for Joe Paterno on social media, I know that this is not a story about football. This is the story of a sick man, former assistant coach and defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who allegedly molested 10 young children, and the people who stood by and didn’t do a thing. But again, this story is about more than sports — it’s about a disturbed man who began a foster home that he later allegedly used to fulfill his sexual fantasies with young boys. Joe Paterno As someone with a connection to Penn State — my aunt and uncle attended graduate school there — who has rooted for the Nittany Lions football team my entire life, I had to step back and not rush to make my judgment. I had to wait at least a week for more information to come out before expressing my opinion in this column. My opinion, however, has not changed one iota since the news first broke. The university has fired the administrators who allowed this to go on and the iconic coach who said nothing. People who defend Paterno, saying he did enough simply by telling a school administrator what happened, have a warped sense of morality. It doesn’t matter that this is a man who supposedly impacted countless lives and ran one of the few scandal-free football programs left in the NCAA. He did not fulfill his duty as a human being. This is a man who, as athletic director of the school in the 1980s, allowed an openly homophobic women’s basketball coach to continue her career at the school. This is a man who allowed his assistant to run a football camp and maintain an office in his football complex while that assistant was being investigated for crimes of child molestation. This isn’t a story about sports, it’s a story about human integrity and a revered college football head coach who apparently lacked it.

Action sports imperil lives Jan. 25, 2012

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She is launched into the thin mountain air, her trajectory angled to fly. At heights of more than 10 feet above the lip of the 25-foot half-pipe, freestyle skier Sarah Burke completed two-and-a-half full rotations before coming back to earth ready to soar again. Backflips and more spinning ensued, and when all was said and done, Burke walked away with her fourthstraight Winter X Games gold medal in the 2011 Women’s SuperPipe. Burke, 29, died Jan. 19 from complications sustained from injuries in a training accident Jan. 10. A legend who helped make women’s freestyle skiing an event at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Burke ruptured the vertebral artery — one of four primary arteries that deliver blood to the brain — during a run. Following surgery to repair the Sarah Burke artery, tests showed that oxygen and blood had been cut off from the brain enough for irreversible damage. She was in an induced coma for more than a week before she was pronounced dead. Deaths in any sport are stunning, as they remind fans how even the slightest miscalculation can lead to catastrophes for the most adroit action sports athletes. Spectators often lose sight of the inherent risk of serious injury associated with trick combinations that defy gravity. The fact that we see these athletes push themselves to the brink and repeatedly escape without injury desensitizes viewers to the inherent danger that the athletes are throwing themselves into. Action sports athletes are always trying to go a little higher, get a little more rotation and push the bounds of physics further. As action sports build larger fan bases and evolve through events such as the Dew Tour, the X Games and the Winter Olympics, action sports athletes begin to live on a fine edge that, when crossed, can lead to serious or fatal injuries. Broken bones, torn ligaments and concussions are as common as the sight of snow in winter action sports competitions. In the Ski Channel documentary “Winter,” Burke is shown in a car with her husband, professional skier Rory Bushfield. She said what I am sure every skier believes in spite of the dangers of the sport: “It’s what our lives are — it’s being on the hill. There’s a reason for that, and it’s amazing. It’s where we met, it’s where we live, and it is hopefully where we’ll die.”

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Top 55 Games Women’s soccer vs. Trinity University The women’s soccer team defeated two opponents on Carp Wood Field in one weekend to make its first trip to the Final Four since 1998. The squad faced its toughest opponent Nov. 19, going up against undefeated Trinity University. The game became a defensive battle, as neither team relinquished a single goal through regulation or the first extra time period. The Tigers outshot the Bombers 25-18, but junior goalkeeper Becca Salant had another standout game, making nine saves to preserve the shutout and the win. Sophomore forward Jackie Rodabaugh scored the game’s only goal in the second overtime period by beating Trinity freshman goalkeeper Devan Osegueda. The Bombers played rival SUNY-Cortland the following day, scoring two first half goals on the way to a 2-0 victory. — George Sitaras

Sophomore forward Anna Gray jumps up to hit the ball at the game against Trinity University.

Women’s basketball vs. Elms College The women’s basketball team opened up NCAA Championship Tournament play in dominant fashion, as they defeated the Elms College Blazers by a score of 84-37. The 47-point margin of victory was the largest in an NCAA playoff game in Ithaca history. The Blue and Gold’s defense put the clamps down on their opponent, forcing 22 turnovers and holding the Blazers to only 37 points, well below their regular season scoring average of 63.1 points per game. Elms College Head Coach Laura Habacker said the squad’s defensive success came from their physical advantages. “They were a little bigger, a little bit faster, a little bit stronger,” Habacker said. “We try to simulate that in practice, but it’s a bit of a challenge when we don’t have the size and strength that they have.” This season, the Bombers’ have endured offensive stretches where they struggled to score. However, sophomore guard Kathryn Campbell spearheaded the South Hill squad’s scoring by sinking 19 points. — Eric Halejian

Junior Devin Shea dribbles through the Elms College players at a game March 2.

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Courtesy of Sports information

Joanna Hernandez/The Ithacan

Men’s basketball vs. Hartwick College

The men’s basketball team kept its season alive Feb. 24 by defeating top-ranked Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., 79-67 to advance to the Empire 8 Conference Championship game for the first time since 2004. The Hawks entered the game sporting a 23—2 overall record with one of their two losses on the season coming at the hands of the Bombers. Sophomore center Tom Sweeney led the Blue and Gold with a gamehigh 21 points as the Bombers cruised to a 40-26 lead at halftime and did not trail at all in the second half. Senior guard Jordan Marcus had 14 points, junior guard Andrei Oztemel scored 13 and freshman guard Connor Rogers drained nine points and added 11 rebounds. Ithaca led the assist to turnover battle, having 14 assists to eight turnovers. The Hawks had a ratio of 15:14. The South Hill squad capitalized by scoring 21 points off the Hawks’ turnovers. Hartwick had nine points off Ithaca’s turnovers. The Bombers will face second-seeded Nazareth College in the conference finals today at 4 p.m. in Oneonta, N.Y. The winner will earn an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. — Andrew Kristy

Sophomore Frank Mitchellshoots while Hartwick College players, from left, sophomore Jared Suderley and Chris Ryder, defend at a game Jan. 28.

Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

Women’s swimming and diving vs. University of Rochester

Junior Carly Jones swims at a meet against the University of Rochester. Courtesy of Sports information

Head Coach George Valesente speaks to the baseball team during the game. Courtesy of Sports information

Head Coach George Valesente reached another milestone in his career at the helm of the baseball team when the Bombers defeated Pomona-Pitzer College March 16 by a score of 9-5 in Claremont, Calif. The win was the 1,000th of Valesente’s 40-year coaching career, which has included stints at SUNY-Brockport, SUNY-New Paltz and SUNY-Maritime. Junior Pat Lemmo pitched a complete game for the Bombers. He gave up three runs in the first inning, but held the Sagehens scoreless until the ninth inning, when they scored twice. The Blue and Gold took the lead for good in the fourth inning when junior first baseman Rocco DeBlasiis scored on a groundout by sophomore left fielder Luke Stark. The South Hill squad added four insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning to secure the victory. — Nate King

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The women’s swimming and diving team’s dual-meet consecutive win streak ended at 30 on Jan. 21, but its unbeaten streak was still intact. The final score of the meet was 150-150, marking the first tie for the Blue and Gold since Nov. 5, 2005, against SUNY-Cortland. Junior Carly Jones was a triple-event winner, including the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley. Senior Jodi Costello swept the 1- and 3-meter diving events, finishing first. The Blue and Gold collected three first-place performances as senior Missy Keesler won the 200-yard backstroke, and sophomore Elizabeth Gawrys won the 200-yard freestyle. — Steve Derderian

Men’s baseball vs. Pomona-Pitzer College

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St. John Fisher College senior defensive back Tyler Schier takes down senior wide receiver Matthew Hannon during the Blue and Gold’s 13-10 overtime loss Oct. 8. Kristina Stockburger/The Ithacan

FOOTBALL

Bombers end winning streak By Andrew Kristy

Until this season, the football team had not lost three games in a row for more than a decade. And this season, the Bombers ended their streak of 40 consecutive winning seasons. The Bombers have a record of 2—5 in Empire 8 Conference games and an overall record of 4—6. They were picked to finish fifth in the Empire 8 Conference’s Preseason Football Poll but ended seventh. They were eliminated from playoff contention, as they sat a full game behind three teams for the final spot. Four of the South Hill squad’s six losses this season were decided by five points or less with one loss coming in overtime. Special teams was the Bombers’ strength in every game this year. Senior wide receiver

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Dan Ruffrage ended the season ranking first in average punt return yardage and 15th in kickoff return yardage, averaging more than 26 yards for both. Senior kicker and punter Andrew Rogowski hit 81 percent of his field goals and averaged more than 39 yards per punt. Ruffrage said the special teams unit was able to excel because of the amount of effort put into that third of the game. “It’s something we work on everyday,” he said. “We got a lot of good guys out there that work hard. We play a lot of our starters on special teams that really get after it, and it’s an advantage for us if we can get ourselves in better field position.” Sherman Wood, head coach at Salisbury University, said though the Sea Gulls were able

to defeat Ithaca 21-7 on Sept. 10, the Bombers’ special teams unit was exceptionally strong. “They did a pretty good job with the return units and blocked one of our punts,” Wood said. “It was something that kept them in the game.” The running game was the Blue and Gold’s achilles heel in games this season. Opponents outgained the South Hill squad on the ground, running 1,683 yards to Ithaca’s 947 yards. This brought blown leads in the fourth quarter. Tom Vossler ’11, assistant coach and wide receivers coach, said he still saw the same spirit and motivation on the team that was prevalent during the four years he was a wide receiver for the Bombers. “We go out every Saturday and leave it all out on the field. Anybody that goes back and watches those games, that’s what they’ll see,” he said.

Veteran secondary fortifies defense By Andrew Kristy

Senior Spence White tackles SUNY-Cortland sophomore wide receiver John Babin at the Cortaca Jug. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

When an opposing quarterback dropped back to pass against the team’s secondary, he did so against a unit of seasoned veterans. Starting three seniors and one junior, the South Hill squad’s defense was loaded with proven talent in the secondary. The Bombers’ two senior cornerbacks Mike Conti and Spence White were standout players for three seasons. Senior strong safety Kevin Cline and returning junior starter Josh Liemer lead the Bombers at the safety position. White said though their main job on the field is pass coverage, the secondary still has a heated desire to make key stops. “When it comes to the tackling phase, we take pride in being the smallest guys on defense,” he said. “We walk around with a chip on our shoulder trying to be big dogs back there — just trying to make as many tackles as possible.”

Senior wideout record among Bombers’ best By Andrew Kristy

SPORTS

Thomas Vossler ’11, used to hold the Bombers’ record for catches with 144, but that all changed this season. Graduate wide receiver Dan Ruffrage totaled 151 receptions in his career, which ranks first in the program’s all-time list. Vossler has been coaching Ruffrage this season as the team’s assistant coach and wide receivers coach. Ruffrage said though he has not talked to Vossler about the record, their relationship is positive and supportive after playing with each other for three years. “He’s pretty much like a brother to me,” Ruffrage said. “We had a blast playing together, and now he’s coaching me and we’re just working together.” Vossler said if anyone were to break his record, he would want it to be Ruffrage. Though Vossler is on the sidelines during games instead of lining up next to Ruffrage, he said his relationship with Ruffrage has stayed genuine. “Now and then you gotta get after him a little bit, but he’s a guy you don’t really need to coach a lot — he’s got a lot of natural ability,” Vossler said. Senior cornerback Mike Conti said Ruffrage was the team’s most dynamic player. “Without a doubt he’s our biggest playmaker,” Conti said. “When we need a big play, everybody looks to Ruff to come up big for us, whether it be on offense or on special teams.”

Senior Dan Ruffrage weaves around St. John Fisher University senior halfback Artie Bigsby. Ruffrage finished first in punt return yardage, with an average of 26. Alexis Bonin/The Ithacan

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Heart of

gold

Despite screaming support and all the might of the South Hill squad, the 53rd annual Cortaca Jug left the Bombers defeated for the second year in a row. The score ended at 27-3, but the Bombers are still ahead in the overall Cortaca Jug series with a 34â&#x20AC;&#x201D;19 record.

From left, sophomore Joe Gentile jumps up in excitement while junior Nathaniel Hemingway and sophomore Sal Sulla walk onto the field. 128 Kevin Campbell/The Ithacan

Above: Junior quarterback Jason Hendel breaks through SUNY-Cortland’s defense. Cortland is the college’s biggest sports rival. Kevin Campbell/The Ithacan

Left: Fans scream and cheer for the Bombers from the home stands. The Cortaca Jug game took place Nov. 12. Alex Mason/The Ithacan

Right: From left, seniors Spence White and Dan Ruffrage high-five in midair to celebrate the culmination of their careers. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

Below: Students raise their arms in support. Many people paint themselves with the school’s blue and gold colors. Alex Mason/The Ithacan

SPORTS 129

MEN’S SOCCER

Squad faces top seed in playoff appearance By Nate King

Junior back Dan Shirley shoves back to block St. Lawrence University freshman Jamal Samaroo from the ball at the game Sept. 25 at Carp Wood Field. The Bombers lost 4-0. Sara McCloskey/The Ithacan

After a somewhat tumultuous season that concluded with four straight losses, the men’s soccer team competed in the postseason for the first time in three seasons. The Bombers played against Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks in the semifinals of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament in Hoboken, N.J, but lost 2-1. The Ducks went on to win the conference title. The Blue and Gold lost a regular season matchup against the Ducks by a score of 1-0 on Oct. 15. The Bombers surrendered the game’s only goal in the first half. The Ducks maintained a perfect 6–0 conference record and finished with an overall record of 18—3—1 on their way to the regular season title. The South Hill squad, meanwhile, had its struggles. The team scored just 15 goals to their opponents’ 25 overall this season in the conference and finished with a record of 4—10—1. It lost the opportunity for the third seed on the final day of the regular season Oct. 29 when it gave up two late goals in a 2-1 loss to the Elmira College Soaring Eagles.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Bombers finish season with Final Four square off By George Sitaras Though the team made its 22nd playoff appearance, this was the first time since 1998 the Bombers played in the semifinals. Junior forward Rachael Palladino said the team was ready to build on its regular season success after coming up short in the Empire 8 Conference tournament. “When we got a bid, we didn’t really have any expectations besides the fact that we wanted to prove to ourselves that we were way better than the last game we played before the tournament,” she said. The Bombers beat nationally ranked teams Illinois Wesleyan University, Ohio Northern University and Trinity University, which was 22–0. They won by one goal in three of their four playoff games, two of which ended in extra time. Palladino said the intense playoff atmosphere got the South Hill squad excited to play. “Before each game, I can feel the energy in our team,” she said. “All of us are excited and ready to get on the field and leave every ounce of energy we have on it.” The Bombers went up against sixth-ranked Wheaton College on Dec. 2 in San Antonio, Texas, for a spot in the national title game, but lost 2-0.

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Junior forward Rachel Palladino races Misericordia University junior back Bridget Fortier at the game Oct. 4 at Carp Wood Field. The Bombers lost with a score of 4-3. Graham Hebel/The Ithacan

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Blue and Gold set up in new indoor courts By Rebecca Alpert

Junior Marissa Weil jumps up to smack the ball across the net at the game Oct. 26 against SUNY-Geneseo in Ben Light Gymnasium. The Bombers won in three sets. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

With the indoor and outdoor courts at the college’s new Athletics and Events Center, the women’s tennis team has three different courts to play and practice on. The Bombers had been using the outdoor tennis court, but when inclement weather forced them indoors, they had to hold practices and matches at the Reis Tennis Center at Cornell University during odd hours. Senior captain Kelsey Harness said having to share the facilities led to inconsistent practice and match times. “Before, we never knew exactly what time we’d be practicing if it was raining because we would have to go to Cornell late at night whenever we were able to get the courts,” she said. This season, the team has outdoor courts with lights as well as indoor courts in the center of the track in Glazer Arena to play on. Now the team can hold practices every day from 4 to 6 p.m. Harness said the courts will help the team train year-round. “We need to make sure that we take advantage of the new facility in the winter as much as possible, and I believe that we will see results,” she said.

Early losses bump team from playoff contention By Nate Bickell

SPORTS

The volleyball team’s slow start to its season cost it a chance to defend its Empire 8 Conference Championship and earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. The Bombers’ mark of 4–3 in the conference puts them in fifth place out of eight teams, but they still held the fifth best overall record in the Empire 8 at 21–15. The Empire 8 standings are determined by seven games over two weekend tournaments. The Blue and Gold’s four-set loss to St. John Fisher College in the opening game of the second Empire 8 Crossover on Oct. 21 eliminated them from playoff contention. Senior middle blocker Karin Edsall said it is frustrating that the conference playoff berths come down to performing well in two tournaments, rather than the whole season. “If you have one bad weekend, and it comes at the wrong time of the season, you’re screwed,” she said. Empire 8 Conference officials are adding a third weekend of conference play starting next season, a change that could have greatly benefited this year’s squad, as they would have played a more balanced schedule that alternated between conference and non-conference opponents.

Sophomore Becky Guzzo hits a ball at the match Sept. 25 against Elmira College in the new Glazer Arena in the Athletics and Events Center. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

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MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Team paces for long run By Alex Holt The top runners on the men’s cross-country team displayed high levels of endurance throughout the season, but fatigue caught up with the Bombers at their biggest meet of the season, Lehigh University’s Paul Short Run, on Sept. 30. With the Bombers’ final regular-season meet, the Oberlin Inter-Regional Rumble in Oberlin, Ohio, the team made a change and toned down its preparations from earlier in the season. Junior Mark Vorensky said the team shifted from longer runs. “In the early season, you go really hard and do heavy volume and heavy mileage, but when you get to later in the season, you kind of finetune things,” he said. The Bombers said pacing themselves at this point would pay off later. Instead of doing 1,800-meter laps, the team did 1,000-meter laps

From left, volunteer graduate assistant William Way and juniors David Geary and Mark Vorensky practice for a meet. Graham Hebel/The Ithacan

and tested its speed in timed trials. Senior Daniel Craighead said it also becomes more important to conserve energy during practices throughout the second half of the season. “Our runs are getting shorter so we can recover a little better,” he said. “And our workouts

Freshman duo leads way

are getting a little faster, so we’re used to that quicker pace for the championship meets.” The Bombers finished fifth of 34 teams in Oberlin and ran to a first-place finish at the Empire 8 Championships on Oct. 29 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY By Steve Derderian

From left, senior captain Heidi Baumbach, freshman Alexa Rick and graduate student Alissa Kersey practice Oct. 3. Rick was a key part of the squad’s success along with freshman Anastasia Diamond. Kelsey Martin/The Ithacan

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New faces led the women’s cross-country team to three first-place finishes this season. There were nine freshmen on this year’s squad, more than any season since 2006. But freshmen Alexa Rick and Anastasia Diamond were at the forefront of the Blue and Gold’s freshman class. Rick’s career started with a third-place finish in the 5-kilometer race at the Oswego Invitational on Sept 10. One week later, she placed fourth at the Oneonta Airfield Invitational in the 6-kilometer race. Rick said the upperclassmen’s patience motivated her. “They were very approachable and really took us under their wing,” she said. Diamond has had great success since joining the Bombers, as she finished seventh at SUNY-Oswego and 10th at SUNY-Oneonta. Head Coach Bill Ware said Rick and Diamond were able to make a smooth transition since both competed on successful high school cross-country teams. “With most of the kids, it takes a year, but the two freshmen we have now are from good programs and are used to the workouts,” he said.

FIELD HOCKEY

Formation change drives final squad wins By Matt Kelly

From left, freshman Danielle Coiro fights Stevens Institute of Technology junior Samantha Weisman for the ball Oct. 1 at Higgins Stadium. The team would later alter its offense. Dan States/The Ithacan

With losses piling up, the field hockey team adopted a new strategy to score goals early and often. After a string of six losses, Head Coach Tracey Houk put in a new 3-2-1-3 formation that bolstered the team’s spiraling offense. The Bombers’ new formation, which moves the sweeping defender up into the scoring circle as an extra attacker, is more balanced. Houk said she implemented the change to create more balance on offense after a tough 1-0 overtime loss Oct. 8 against Washington and Jefferson College. “The formation has definitely given us more support within the circle with the extra person,” she said. “And it also allows four people to come up and support our midfield, which pushes up on our attack.” The team went on to win three of its next six games following the loss to Washington and Jefferson to finish the season with a record of 5—11.

GOLF

Bombers swing into record season By Joe Portsmouth

SPORTS

By earning the Empire 8 Conference and Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships, the women’s golf team turned a corner by taking down opponents it had consistently lost to in the past. The squad finished ahead of Empire 8 Conference foe St. John Fisher College in all six invitationals, defeating them by 100 strokes at the Empire 8 Championships on Sept. 17 and 18 in Churchville, N.Y. At the regional championships, they also defeated New York University, a team that had beaten the college twice in two years by 32 strokes. The freshman duo of Sharon Li and Kelsey Baker proved to be a formidable pair at every competition. Head Coach Dan Wood said Baker’s impact was more of a surprise. “Until her very final round, every one of her scores was between 80 and 89, and that was outstanding for a freshman,” he said. Though Li and Baker had the greatest impact on the team this season, St. John Fisher Head Coach Bob Simms said the Bombers’ depth was their greatest strength. “They had strong options from top to bottom, which made it tough to predict who would finish where,” he said.

Junior Jackie Young taps a put across the green at the Country Club of Ithaca. Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Team sinks record number of wins By Eric Halejian The women’s basketball team dispelled any doubts it had at the outset of the 2011-12 season by posting a program-record 24-win season, capturing the Empire 8 Conference Championship and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bombers graduated significant contributors from last year’s team such as Elissa Klie ’11 and Jordan Confessore ’11, which was a cause for concern among returning players. Senior captain Jessica Farley said the Blue and Gold compensated for the loss of talent by developing strong team camaraderie.

“To be completely honest I thought it was going to be a struggle on the court,” Farley said. “We lost our top two scorers in Elissa and Jordan, so I knew we needed to get along as a team off the court.” The Bombers developed what they refer to as “unreal chemistry” on the court. They used a deep and youthful roster to play an up-tempo style that relied on a strong defense. Junior forward Devin Shea said this season’s success changed the direction of the program. “We established a winning culture and a chemistry on the team that was unlike anything that I’ve experienced before,” Shea said. “It’s something that we’re going to try to capture

next year and keep for years to come.” This winning culture led the Bombers to be one of the final 32 teams left in the NCAA Tournament, though the tournament journey ended with a 55-51 loss to Bowdoin College. Sophomore point guard Elisabeth Wentlent said the team’s experience in the national playoffs will fuel it to improve during the offseason. “In the first round, everyone got into the game, and everyone got a taste of what it’s like to be in the NCAA tournament,” Wentlent said. “Playing in front of a huge crowd, you just get excited and you want to go back and participate in it again and compete for that national championship.”

Sophomore Jenn Escobido breaks though Elmira College sophomore Liz Forrest and senior Darcy James on Jan. 20 in Ben Light Gymnasium. The Bombers won 59-45. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Squad stuns as champs By Andrew Kristy

SPORTS

After 16 Empire 8 Conference games, the men’s basketball team gathered at center court in Binder Gymnasium to receive a plaque none of them had ever garnered before — one that read “Empire 8 Champions.” The Blue and Gold earned a bid to the national tournament with a 71-55 victory against the Nazareth College Golden Flyers on Feb. 25. After the Bombers got off to a 3—8 start in nonconference play, losing six of those eight games by five points or less, junior point guard Sean Rossi said the team was still optimistic about its playoff chances. “Once you get into that league play everyone’s record is 0—0, it’s all the same,” Rossi said. “You’d think that losing would have a negative effect on everyone, but the coaches, leaders and captains made sure everyone stayed confident throughout the season.” The Bombers’ offense this year involved more movement, which opened up the shooters from outside. The Blue and Gold finished first in the Empire 8, making 37 percent of their three-point shots this season. Since the beginning of 2012, the Blue and Gold went 9—5 in Empire 8 regular-season play and capped off their conference run by upsetting the top two seeds, Hartwick College and Nazareth, in the conference tournament. Hartwick Head Coach Todd McGuinness said Rossi’s backcourt play made Ithaca hard to defend. “He’s a good player and a great passer,” McGuinnes said. “He’s a handful to contain in the half-court and full court because his vision is so great.” Rossi said when the Bombers defeated St. John Fisher College, Nazareth and Hartwick to begin conference play, the Bombers had the confidence they needed to propel them into the Empire 8 Conference title game. “Once we got through those two weekends, we knew that we were one of the best teams in the league,” he said. “They definitely gave us the confidence that we needed to make a serious run in the playoffs.”

Freshman guard Max Masucci drives past Alfred University junior forward Brett Dennis during the Blue and Gold’s 84-80 loss Jan. 21. Despite multiple losses this season, the Bombers went on to win the Empire 8. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

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MEN’S INDOOR TRACK

Blue and Gold land fifth Empire 8 title By Joe Gentile The Bombers finished strong on Jan. 29, as the men’s indoor track team won its fifth consecutive Empire 8 Conference title in Glazer Arena. The distance medley relay team began the competition in what was arguably the closest race of the entire meet. Junior Julian Orenstein opened a sizable margin in front of the next closet runner, Stevens Institute of Technology’s Matt Bombard, and the Blue and Gold finished the event less than two strides ahead. Sophomore John Luis Damaskos said the team’s top performers showed dedication in their pursuit of victory. “We give a lot of credit to our coaches and senior leaders,” he said. “They have helped us come together. Everybody on the team does their job by doing whatever it takes, and that’s why we have been successful so far.”

Sophomore Rachel Travers jumps a hurdle at the Cornell Pentathlon on Jan. 20. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK

Team’s pentathletes pack potent punch By Rebecca Alpert

Senior Leslie Spalding jumps into the sand at the Ithaca Bomber Invitational on March 25 in Barton Hall at Cornell University. The men’s indoor tack team won the Empire 8 title. Kevin Campbell/The Ithacan

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The pentathletes for the women’s indoor track team proved they can post big numbers despite being small in number. Senior Ashley Dublac and sophomore Rachael Travers had an impressive showing at Cornell Pentathlon at Cornell University. This season, Travers improved her finish in the high jump by 0.4 meters and cleared a career-best distance of 4.36 meters in the long jump. Dublac said pentathletes engage in more mental preparation. “Track is as much an individual sport as it is a team,” she said. “It’s easy to let your mind get the best of you, especially when many events require specific technique.” Also this season, senior Emma Dewart shattered her old school record with 3,674 combined points from all five events and became one of 20 Bombers to win at least one individual national title since 1983. She said each event requires muscle memory from many parts of the body. “Each event demands the same from you both physically and mentally,” Dewart said. “When you do three, four or five events in one meet, you are constantly having to switch how you prepare.”

WRESTLING

Individuals pin wins in finals By Christian Araos

From left, SUNY-Cortland freshman Mike McGrath fights sophomore Kyle McKeighan at the meet Feb. 15 in Ben Light Gymnasium. The wrestling finished fifth, with two players receiving individual titles. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

Vindication shows itself in different forms, as was the case for senior Seth Ecker and graduate student Jeremy Stierly winning individual titles at the NCAA Championships March 10. Ecker defeated all the competitors in the 133-pound weight class, while Stierly took first in the 149-pound category. The Bombers also had five All-Americans, including Derek Brenon, junior Jules Doliscar and graduate student Nick Sanko. Senior heavyweight Matt Mahon finished the season as the all-time leader in career pins with 55. The Blue and Gold finished fifth in the team rankings, which marked the program’s fourth straight top-ten finish at the national championships. This matches the school record set from 1992-95.

Sophomores stick in mixed lineup

GYMNASTICS

By Haley Costello

SPORTS

Before the gymnastics team’s regular season had even begun, the injury bug bit the Bombers. The Blue and Gold persevered through injuries to put together a younger lineup. In addition to sophomores Shilanna Gallo and Kate Woodward being limited in practice, senior captain Tiffany Grube fractured her foot in practice Dec. 5. With Grube’s injury as many as three slots in the floor exercise event became available for the sophomores on the team. “It puts more pressure on them to be ready,” Head Coach Rick Suddaby said. “Our sophomore class has improved more than any group of kids I have ever coached, and this is my 26th season.” The team got a spot at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships after placing third at the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships. The Bombers placed first in two events and had five All-ECAC honorees. This is the 27th time the team has finished in the top three.

Senior Kimberly Callahan bends across the beam during the meet against Springfield College and Rhode Island College on Jan. 29 in Ben Light Gymnasium. The team landed a spot in the collegiate championships. Rachel Orlow/The Ithacan

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In da

club Bombers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just found on varsity squads. For all the students with Blue and Gold hearts, there are a number of club and intramural sports with strong spirit and sportsmanship.

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Freshman Josh Edrich spikes a ball down at the club volleyball game against SUNY-Fredonia on Feb. 11. Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan

Top: From left, junior Rad Arrindell weaves around freshman Justin Rowling as he tries to tackle at a flag football game Sept 18. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

Top right: From left, Jeff Trondsen, a program analyst at Cornell University, jumps above senior Ben Smith and Cornell graduate student Victor Bucklew for a catch at an ultimate frisbee game. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

CAssie Bender/The Ithacan

SPORTS

Center left: From left, freshman Ethan Feller moves to hit the ball to Bryant University senior Cole Rochon at a club squash game. Right: From left, freshman Liam Elred and junior Mike Miraglia run from the SUNY-Buffalo team at a rugby game Oct. 15. The squad won 57-3. Dan States/The Ithacan

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Bombers reach dual-meet record By Steve Derderian

Senior Jodi Costello dives into the pool at the Ithaca Bomber Invitational on Dec. 2 in the Athletics and Events Center. The team won the Empire 8 conference title this season. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING

Along with back-to-back conference and state championships, the women’s swimming and diving team boasts a feat that can’t be seen in its trophy case. With their dual-meet win against SUNY-Geneseo on Nov. 19 in the Athletics and Events Center Pool, the Bombers raised their winning streak in those meets to 28. They have not lost a dual-meet since Nov. 14, 2009. Head Coach Paula Miller said she was satisfied with her team’s success, but reluctant to dwell on it when motivating the team. “Overall I’m pleased, but I never look back,” Miller said. “You always have to look toward the future.” The Blue and Gold have also earned respect throughout the Empire 8, winning the conference’s title every year since its inception in 2000. Senior captains Amanda Vitullo and Simone McCarron said team unity and support were the two most important factors for keeping the winning streak alive. During the Bombers’ winning streak, the swimmers and divers have found a way to balance focus with fun. Before the final event of the Ithaca Bomber Invitational on Dec. 2-4, 15 swimmers lined up on the pool deck and danced to “Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO. Vitullo said the team dances to keep up its energy and stay loose during a stressful time in the meet. “Other teams know us for that too, and if we’re not doing it, Paula will say something to us and ask what’s wrong,” Vitullo said. “Swimming can be so mentally hard sometimes that you need to have fun, and our team does a great job of that.”

Senior Kelly Murphy passes a stroke through the water at the Ithaca Invitational on Feb. 18 at the Athletics and Events Center. The team had a record number of dual-meet wins. Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan

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Squad makes splash with regular season

MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING

By Doug Geller The Bombers tied a single-season record for wins by defeating Union College 204-96 on Feb. 4 at the Athletics and Events Center Pool. The South Hill squad finished 16—1 for the season and celebrated the final regular season home meet for seniors Antoine Connors, Tyler Kenton, Derek Rand, Jeff Rapp and captain James Sica. The Blue and Gold won 12 events at the meet, including a sweep of the relays. Senior Antoine Connors, who was a part of the 200-yard freestyle relay, said he was happy with the team’s performance. “We’re consistently getting faster, and we’re really excited to do it at states and see what we can do,” he said. Sica said he was looking to earn another title. “This meet brought up a lot of questions of what people are going to swim,” Sica said. “We have a lot of fast guys swimming, so it should be interesting.”

Sophomore Connor White breathes in mid-stroke at a meet Jan. 28 against Alfred University in the Athletics and Events Center. The Bombers’ 16—1 final record tied their previous single-season record. Carmen Ladipo/The Ithacan

Team dives into title run By Doug Geller

Carmen Ladipo/The Ithacan

SPORTS

Freshman Matthew Morrison jumps up off the diving board at a meet Feb. 4 against Union College in the Atheltics and Events Center. The squad won the Empire 8 conference title.

Since the beginning of its season in October, the men’s swimming and diving team looked to win its second straight Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association and Empire 8 Conference title as not only a goal, but an expectation. The squad entered the four-day meet ranked third in the Empire 8 behind Stevens Institute of Technology and Hartwick College, a team that handed the Bombers their only dual-meet loss of the regular season. But the Bombers still believed they could come out on top. Senior Jeff Rapp said the South Hill squad tried to shift its priorities going into the meet. “Our focus was to work for states, unlike other schools who focus on dual-meets and see what happens at states,” Rapp said. While other schools cut back on workouts midseason, the Blue and Gold eased into the end of the season to conserve energy for the championship. Head Coach Kevin Markwardt said this unorthodox training method resulted in faster finishing times. He also said the Bombers had more multi-event swimmers than their opponents, which contributed to their success. The South Hill squad was able to take an 85-point lead after the first day of the meet and keep its composure throughout the meet to place first out of the 13 teams.

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SOFTBALL

Squad hits fundamentals By Steve Derderian After the softball team fell one win short of returning to the NCAA Championship to end its 2011 season, it adopted a new philosophy emphasizing the fundamentals of the game. The Blue and Gold have adopted what junior captain Molly O’Donnell calls a “playground” philosophy, which involves playing the game without dwelling on mistakes. “We play best when we’re relaxed,” she said. “We think back to the times when we were on the playground or playing in our backyard, and it helps us play better.” O’Donnell is one of four returning starters from last season’s squad, along with junior infielders Jennifer Biondi and Adrienne Walters. Senior infielder Annmarie Forenza will miss the 2012 season because of a concussion, but she said she is confident the team’s infielders can step up. “We’re all good athletes and pretty adjustable when we need to be,” she said. Sophomore pitchers Jillian Olmstead and Sam Bender will be called to replace graduated seniors Britt Lillie ’11 and Alison Greaney ’11. Head Coach Deb Pallozzi said she doesn’t expect a dropoff in the team’s pitching. “It’s just their turn, and it’s the natural process that occurs every few years,” she said. “I’m hoping these two take it on and excel.” The Bombers also enter the season with 14 underclassmen on the roster — eight freshmen and six sophomores. Pallozzi said the incoming freshmen bring a lot of new and positive energy to the team environment. “The players have really begun to react and communicate quicker with each other without even playing any games yet,” she said. O’Donnell said the team has the most competitive athletes she has seen in previous seasons. With the competitive atmosphere, O’Donnell said the one word to describe what it will take for the Blue and Gold to return to the national stage is “fight.” “We really push each other and ourselves, and that’s been the staple of us so far,” she said.

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Sophomore centerfielder and third baseman Sydney Folk bunts the ball during a doubleheader March 24 at Kostrinsky Field against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institue. The Bombers lost the first game but won the second. Parker Chen/The Ithacan

BASEBALL

Team throws young arms into lineup By Nate King With two disappointing seasons behind it, the baseball team is relying on a young pitching staff to earn the program’s first Empire 8 Conference title since 2009. Senior pitcher and captain Tucker Healy said the Bombers have used last season’s disappointing 18—14 overall record as motivation to do well. “That feeling of losing last year and not making regionals or winning Empire 8 just stunk,” he said. “So from the last game last year until now we’ve just been waiting for this day to get back out there and redeem ourselves.” Senior second baseman Matt Keller said success this season would require a combination of

young talent and veteran leadership. “People are just going to have to come in and step up this year,” he said. “We’re going to be young, and hopefully they come in, do their job and learn from people who already know how to play hard and work hard.” The pitching staff will rely on inexperienced players such as junior Pat Lemmo and senior Ian Rebhan to anchor the pitching staff. Head Coach George Valesente said he feels confident in the Bombers’ fielding and hitting. He said the Athletics and Events Center helped the team prepare for the beginning of the season because the infielders could get use to the specifications of the Glazer Arena floor. The team has experience around the infield,

with sophomore shortstop Tim Locastro, Keller and senior utility player Teagan Barresi. Valesente said he and the coaching staff have been impressed with the players’ improvement. “We’re going to need some young pitchers to step up and give us the necessary depth that we’re going to need,” he said. “We’re happy with the progress the younger pitchers and players are making.” Though the Bombers have their sights set on the Empire 8 Conference Championship, Healy said they are taking it one day at a time. “This year we’re going with a new perspective, and we’re going to go one strike at a time, one inning at a time, one game at a time and try not to look too far ahead,” he said.

SPORTS

Freshman pitcher John Pendergast throws the ball March 23 at Freeman Field at a game against Keuka College, which the Blue and Gold won by a score of 14-0. Kristen Tomkowid/The Ithacan

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Squad rows past challenges

WOMEN’S CREW By Faith Enenbach

The women’s crew rows at the Cayuga Duals on March 31. The team approached the season with a new strategy. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

MEN’S CREW

The women’s crew will be looking to do more with less this season as it prepares to build on last season’s fourth-place finish at last year’s NCAA Championships. With new leadership from senior captains Elisabeth Hurley and Lindsey Hadlock, the team is approaching the season with a different strategy. Hurley said this year’s squad will be more focused on strength in numbers. “We’ve had some really strong key players who have individually been very talented, and this year we don’t have the same amount of key players, “ she said. “So what we’re doing is really trying to train as a whole and get everyone to be as fast as they can.” Head Coach Becky Robinson, who has taken the team to the NCAA Championships in each of the past 10 seasons, said this year’s team will be defined by its work ethic, unity and cohesion. After last year’s solid finish, the team is determined to succeed, Hadlock said. “The dedication from the team is amazing,” Hadlock said. “It’s definitely obtainable to go back to nationals and do well again, if not better than before.”

Bombers work against high tides

By Doug Geller It doesn’t matter that the Cayuga Inlet had a highly invasive plant growing this fall or that the majority of the men’s crew’s roster is full of underclassman with little experience on the water — the team has adopted a no-excuses mentality going into the 2012 season. With two seniors and four juniors on this year’s squad, there was a lot of pressure on the team’s underclassmen to produce early. Senior captain Per Tvetenstrand said realizing the importance of a collective effort is essential for the novice rowers to succeed. “When you’re working towards the same goal it’s more about being competitive,” he said. “It’s everyone working together and pulling towards our goal.” Unlike other crews, the Bombers do not recruit athletes out of high school to compete. Sophomore Andrew Voorhees said this advantage the opponents have gives the more diligent rowers more motivation. “I know I have a grudge against teams like Hobart, Williams and Trinity,” Voorhees said. “It’s definitely not even ground, though I like to think of us as scrappier than the other schools.”

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The men’s crew rows at the Cayuga Duals on March 31. The team was ready to work hard despite early setbacks. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan

MEN’S LACROSSE

Team beefs up offensive line By Christian Araos

From left, SUNY-Cortland sophomore attack Cody Consul shoves back at junior defense Adam Wacenske at the game March 23 at Higgins Stadium. The Blue and Gold lost the game 9-3. Kristina Stockburger/The Ithacan

When the men’s lacrosse team begins its arduous Empire 8 Conference schedule this season, it will possess an arsenal of veterans and younger players on its attack. At the beginning of the season, the Bombers rotated four attackmen in each game — sophomore Pat Slawta, freshman James Manilla and seniors Tom Mongelli and Devin Weinshank. They added senior Jay Lucas to the rotation when he was eligible with the game against Alfred University on April 4. Weinshank said adding Lucas to the attack rotation would create unique problems for opponents. “It’s good that we have five attackmen because the defense always see someone different every quarter, and every one of our attackmen have a different style,” Weinshank said. Mongelli said the five attackmen work well together and are each capable of making an impact on the outcome of a game. He said winning games matters more to the entire attack unit than the playing time.

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Coach alters plan of attack By Nate Bickell

SPORTS

The women’s lacrosse team is adjusting to a new offensive style this season that requires more creativity and risk-taking from all areas of the field. First-year Head Coach Shannon McHale implemented the new offensive system, which she developed while she was Head Coach of the St. John Fisher College Cardinals for the past decade. The Cardinals led the Empire 8 Conference with 16.7 goals per game last season, while the Bombers finished fourth, scoring an average of 12.6 goals per game. McHale said the success of the Bombers’ offense relies on players making well-timed moves to break away from a defender. She said the team’s new offense is influenced by soccer strategies she used when she played for the SUNY-Brockport Golden Eagles. Senior attack Nicole Borisenok said this year’s squad is more unpredictable when it has possession. “We don’t have set plays or set positions — we have seven people on the attack at all times that are a threat,” she said. “The defense can’t really determine what we’re going to do.”

From left, junior Kaitlyn Hoffay runs with the ball, dodging SUNY-Geneseo sophomore Bridget McGovern at the game March 21 at Higgins Stadium. The Bombers won 14-13. David Wayman/The Ithacan

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New crop of seniors leads squad

MEN’S TRACK By Joe Gentile

Sophomore Brenden Wilkins bends over the bar of the high jump at the Ithaca Invitational on March 31 at Butterfield Stadium. Rachel Woolf/The Ithacan

MEN’S TENNIS

The men’s track and field team relied on senior leadership and team depth to bring home a successful season. Head Coach Jim Nichols said the South Hill squad is already hitting the spring season in full stride. Though the indoor and outdoor seasons have different events, Nichols said the preparation remained the same. “Every season is unique, but any team with depth and a lot of bodies is going to do well,” he said. “We lost a lot of good seniors, but we look forward to the challenge of being as good as we’ve been in the past.” With All-American sprinters Chris Mastrosimone ’11 and Max Orenstein ’11 having graduated, the squad was much younger this season. While Nichols said he doesn’t see the Blue and Gold’s youth as a burden, he said he was relying on the seniors to lead. “They set the tone for the level of success they want to achieve,” he said.

Team set for rival matchup By Rebecca Alpert

Senior James Newton wacks the ball at the match against Alfred University on March 27. Joanna Hernandez/The Ithacan

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After suffering two late-season losses to Stevens Institute of Technology last year, the men’s tennis team is looking to vanquish its Empire 8 Conference rival and take the final step toward a conference title in 2012. Stevens has been a consistent thorn in the side for the Bombers. The Ducks ended the Blue and Gold’s hopes at a conference title with a 5-0 shutout. Senior Dan Levine, who competed in both conference final losses to the Ducks, said he wanted to emerge from the season as a conference champion in both singles and doubles matches. “I’d like to go out on top, winning my match and winning the team match,” he said. Despite losing senior leadership, junior Kyle Riether said he and the rest of the upperclassmen understand what they have to do to climb to the top of the conference. “The older guys know what it takes to get to be able to get to the championship,” he said. “It’s just working hard everyday and the right mindset for everybody to keep going.” The roster is composed of two freshmen and seven sophomores. Levine said he’s looking for sophomore David Andersen to have a breakout year and follow up on the Empire 8 Conference Rookie of the Year honors from last season.

WOMEN’S TRACK

Blue and Gold build on outdoor season By Haley Costello After a strong regular season, a recordsetting post season and a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, the women’s track and field team had a lot of hype to follow up on during the spring season. Head Coach Jennifer Potter, a former AllAmerican sprinter with the Bombers, said the team’s finish during last year’s outdoor season was the most exciting she has seen in a while. “We were sixth in the country, which is the best finish in the history of the college,” she said. “We had as many academic accolades as we had athletic, so it was an amazing season.” The team decided not to elect captains and instead have a counsel that consists of the seniors. Senior Emma Dewart said she and the rest of the counsel have noticed how the team is pushing off of the powerful foundation it formed last season. “As a team, we are a lot stronger than we have been in the past,” she said. “The seniors have been talking about how strong we have been so far and our depth, and we are not even done with

our indoor season.” Dewart, an eighttime All-American, was one of the key returners for the Bombers this season. She set three school records during the 2011 outdoor season. Returning junior Tammia Hubbard also contributed to the team’s success last season, receivFreshman Christine Benway sprints and hurdles at the Ithaca Invitational. Rachel Woolf/The Ithacan ing two all-NYSCTC honors after a third place finish in the 100-meter hurdles at the state known because a lot of teams are gunning for meet. Hubbard recently qualified for the ECAC us,” Quinn said. “A lot of teams look at us and Championships in the 60-meter hurdles during know where to put their best girls to score points the indoor season. and put their best girls against us.” While the team is optimistic about its At the beginning of the season, they were strengths and depth, senior Molly Quinn said focused on the process of the outdoor season these two facets do not work to the Blue and rather than its outcome, Potter said. Golds’ advantage in every aspect of the meet. “I’m really excited and can’t wait to see how “One of our biggest weaknesses is being everything goes,” she said.

SPORTS Freshman Corrine Taylor hurls the ball in shot put at the Ithaca Invitational on March 31 at Butterfield Stadium. The team was looking to build on its strong regular season. Ritza Francois/The Ithacan

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year in review 2011/2012

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