Year in Review 2014-2015 by The Ithacan

T HE I THACAN

YEAR IN REVIEW

I T H AC A C O L L E G E 2014-2015

YEAR IN

REVIEW

YEAR IN REVIEW Miles Surrey, Editor Kasey Speth, Design Editor Tucker Mitchell, Photo Editor Kaitlyn Matrassi, Proofreader Special Thanks to: Gregory Hammond LaPierre for his spectacular cover design Tribune News Service for global news photos Kaitlyn Matrassi for her endless proofreading magic Jack Curran for his eternal leadership

The Ithacan

ÂŠ 2014â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2015 The Ithacan

Jack Curran, Editor-in-Chief Kira Maddox, Managing Editor Frances Johnson, Opinion Editor Ramya Vijayagopal, Opinion Editor Kayla Dwyer, News Editor Taylor Zambrano, Assistant News Editor Natalie Shanklin, Assistant News Editor Aidan Quigley, Assistant News Editor Sara Kim, Online News Editor Max Denning, Online News Editor Evin Billington, Life & Culture Editor Steven Pirani, Life & Culture Editor Mary Ford, Assistant Life & Culture Editor Miles Surrey, Sports Editor Kristen Gowdy, Sports Editor Meghan Graham, Assistant Sports Editor Jonathan Beck, Assistant Sports Editor Tucker Mitchell, Photo Editor Amanda den Hartog, Photo Editor Corey Hess, Photo Editor Tommy Battistelli, Assistant Photo Editor Emma McQuade, Multimedia Editor Alexis Forde, Multimedia Editor Stephen Adams, Multimedia Editor Rob Henry, Assistant Multimedia Editor Christie Citranglo, Proofreader Kaitlyn Matrassi, Chief Copy Editor Rachel Wolfgang, Chief Copy Editor Marianna Dunbrook, Design Editor Grace Clauss, Design Editor Alison Teadore, Assistant Design Editor Evan Sobkowicz, Webmaster Jessica Corbett, Social Media Manager Julia Vagnoni, Sales Manager Rebecca Levine, Sales Manager Max Gillilan, Classifieds Manager Michael Serino, Ithacan Adviser

CONTENTS:

NEWS

10–25 – GLOBAL NEWS TIMELINE

48 – MARIJUANA USE ON CAMPUS

26–31 – STRUCTURAL RACISM PROTESTS 26 – Rallying for racial justice 28 – Season of protest 30 – Responding to Rochon 32 – Marching through history

50–57 – TECHNOLOGY 50 – Ithaca College drone policy 52 – Illegal textbook downloads 54 – Stress-free HomerConnect 55 – Three groups succeed in business competition 56 – Naturally gorges

34 – CAMPUS CLIMATE SURVEY 35 – NEW CAPS COUNSELOR REQUEST DENIED BY ADMINISTRATION 36 – MIND MATTERS 38–43 – UNIONS ON CAMPUSES 38 – IC faculty members move toward unionization 40 – Part-time faculty members across the nation move toward unionization 42 – The evolving role of adjuncts

58–65 – MILLENNIAL MINDSET 60 – Generation Y learns differently 62 – Millennial entitlement becoming persistent stereotype 63 – Millennials facing greater competition in labor market 64 – Digital native expectations 66 – AWAKENING HIS VOICE

44–47 – CAMPUS VIOLENCE 44 – Planning for emergencies on campus 46 – “Yes Means Yes” Policy

CONTENTS:

LIFE

74 – STUDENTS EMBRACE SLACKLINING

84 – TRANSCONTINENTAL BOND

76 – A PUZZLING PASSION

85 – POSTSECRETU

77 – HELPING THROUGH A RUFF TIME

86 – DRAWING ON HER ROOTS

78–83 – LOOKING WITHIN 78 – One with nature 80 – Campus-wide scavanger hunt 81 – Senior rethinks lifestyle 82 – Yoga at IC

CULTURE 94–99 – NIGHTLIFE 94 – Cocktails around Ithaca 96 – Karaoke lounge 98 – Fake ID usage 100–103 – CUISINE 100 – Le Cafe Cent-Dix 102 – Coltivare

104 – WHAT’S BREWING? 106 – TEAS FROM OVERSEAS 108 – “MY LITTLE PONY” FANDOM 110 – YEAR IN REVIEWS

CONTENTS:

SPORTS

114 – LOOKING BACK AT FALL

134 – EUROPEAN SPORT EXPERIENCE

116 – WINDING DOWN THE WINTER

136–141 – GAMING 136 – Esports break onto scene 140 – The emergence of fantasy sports journalism

118 – SPRING HAS SPROUTED 120–123 – CORTACA 2014 120 – The Cortaca stunner 122 – Spotted at Cortaca

142 – THE MAN, THE MYTH

124 – THE HOT STOVE

148 – LOOKING AHEAD 148 – Rochon introduces“blue-sky” reimagination project for campus

126–131 – PLAYER PROFILES 126 – Matthew Clum 128 – Katie Lass 129 – Ahmad Boyd 130 – Lindsey Parkins 132 – SWEATING AWAY THE SUMMER

ONLINE To see additional highlights from the year, visit theithacan.org/yir2015

FROM THE MILES SURREY – EDITOR, YEAR IN REVIEW

TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Growing up, I was obsessed with sports. Every day I would run back home from school and watch anything from soccer and basketball to tennis and Formula One. I’d mimic the swings and cadences of my favorite athletes, and spend my allowance on as many jerseys as I could find. At age 8, I began muting the television and its broadcasters and tried to call the games myself. It was there — looking through the grainy images of my family’s 24-inch TV — that I believed I had found my calling in life. Of course, at the time what I assumed was a sports broadcaster’s job was far from the truth. From my understanding, all you had to do was throw on a suit, grab some headphones and go watch the game. It was so simple, why didn’t everyone want to do this? In time, I shared this discovery with my father in our living room, hoping he could enlighten me on where all these great ESPN broadcasters were coming from. “How can I get better at calling games?” He leaned over, entertaining my zestful curiosity. “A lot of these guys went to Ithaca College. They’re very big on communications over there.” The concept was unimaginable to me. A college where they trained sports broadcasters, like cadets in the army (by now, you’re probably sensing a theme of my lack of reality), how cool! It instantly became my dream school as I kept this memory — and the name, Ithaca — with me over the years. At some point, though, my interest in sports broadcasting waned (and my concept of what college is actually like developed) because I can’t speak in front of a crowd. Nevertheless, the love of sports remained, as did a career in communications. By high school, I was living overseas in Hong Kong, searching for the right college to take the next step in my life. Ithaca still resonated with me, and I felt compelled to give it an earnest review. However, there were over 7,000 miles separating me from my existing home and what could be my future home. In fact, no matter what school I wanted to look at in the U.S., I couldn’t visit the campus in person. Because of this, I had to rely heavily on technology. I took a virtual tour of South Hill, and while I wasn’t afforded the same charm of a President’s Host as I meticulously clicked on each building and dorm available, it still felt like a potential landing spot. It felt natural. Four years later, I sit at my desk in The Ithacan office writing this, wholeheartedly knowing I’ve made the right choice. But this decision couldn’t have been made without the technology at my disposal, and for many of us, technology is always present. That can easily be seen in some of the stories we’ve covered this year in the paper, from the continued pursuit of drone usage in classrooms to a student creating an easier-tonavigate HomerConnect (thank God). The compelling protests students took a part in — Eric Garner’s killer unjustly remaining free without consequences and our continued pursuit for an improved indigenous studies minor — were all as substantial as they were because people were spreading the word online. Students traveled to Selma, Alabama, with NBC to be a part of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights March, capturing that moment for the world to see. For these events and more, the physical presence was temporary, but its effects on the digital realm remain everlasting. There is still a stigma around the overuse of technology and whether our generation has become too reliant on it, but we’ve knocked down some of these myths with an introspection of our generation. Yes, technology overuse can be detrimental, but the way the college has used it this year has shown the immeasurable potential of its uses in an academic environment. Technology is not the be-all and end-all answer to our obstacles. Rather, it is a guide we can use to better our knowledge as well as ourselves. After all, without it, I might never have made it all the way here, all the way to my dream school.

EDITORS Jack curran – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Four years ago, I wrote my first front page story for The Ithacan. I was writing about a study that said millennials were the most self-centered and individualistic generation to date. This was nothing more than the constant trend of older generations finding a new adjective every week or two to describe the current generation. At the time I was still a freshman, just starting to learn about the world of college, and this was the first complaint I was hearing about my generation. Four years later as editor-in-chief of The Ithacan (I’m still in shock about that transition), I’ve heard every negative word you could use to describe this generation: self-centered, narcissistic, entitled, overly sensitive, technology-obsessed, etc. Regardless, I set out to prove the validity of this latest generalization. How could millennials be self-centered when, right here at Ithaca College, students had been fighting for causes like Wall Street Reform, gender equality and anti-fracking legislation? While I believe I maintained my journalistic objectivity in the article, even at the time I thought it was clear that people today care about the world around them. Although some millennials may be more selfinterested on an individual level, Generation Y as a whole has shown it is willing to stand up against injustice. Whether you believe that millennials are self-absorbed or selfless, the reason for any change between this generation and the last is always the same: technology. In my lifetime, I’ve seen a complete technological revolution with the rise of the Internet, the creation of the smartphone and the birth of social media. In the 1940 film “The Great Dictator,” Charlie Chaplin discusses the cynicism created by the technology of the day despite its ability to bring the world together. “We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in,” he said. “Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood, for the unity of us all.” Replace the words “aeroplane” and “radio” with “smartphone” and “laptop” and this quote still applies today. Technology has been a double-edged sword for our society. With each advance we become closer to one another, yet we seem to grow colder. Though we constantly have the news of the world at our fingertips, the more of it we see, the more we distance ourselves from it. It doesn’t matter what technology a generation has, it matters what we choose to do with it. When people saw footage of the Vietnam War on their televisions during the ’60s, they took to the streets and spoke out against it. That generation has often been thought of as the most active generation, but when people today read about the news of Mike Brown’s death in Ferguson, Missouri, on their phones and computers, they, too, took to the streets. It’s easy to call today’s youth cynical and self-absorbed when you look at selfies and Facebook brags, but these are far from the only things people are doing with technology. People at Ithaca College alone have started campaigns to fight stereotypes, organized protests through social media and even created programs to help each other with simple everyday problems. I believe it’s what you do with technology that matters, so whether you’re using Facebook to organize a protest or watching the final speech from “The Great Dictator” on YouTube to get inspired, be sure to make the most of the tools we’ve been given. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Thousands of Americans rally at a national march against police violence Dec. 13, 2014, in Washington, D.C. The families of Michael Brown, Eric Garner and Akai Gurleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s domestic partner marched alongside protesters. OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/TNS

NEWS

Students take part in the lie-down demonstration on Dec. 4, 2014, in front of Ithaca Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Information Desk in the Campus Center. JENNIFER WILLIAMS/THE ITHACAN

AUGUST

2014: A Year in Global News

Clad in protective gear, the burial team at the International Medical Corps clinic in Liberia carries the body of 11-year-old Anna Singbeh out of the morgue to be buried. Singbeh and her mother both passed away. ROBYN DIXON/LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

EBOLA OUTBREAK BECOMES INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY

AUG.

Liberia and Sierra Leone declared a state of emergency due to the increasing death toll from the Ebola virus outbreak. In response, the World Health Organization launched a $100 million response plan and sent in troops to aid the West African countries. Additionally, it declared the outbreak an international public health emergency. “Countries affected to date simply do not have the capacity to manage an outbreak of this size and complexity on their own,” WHO Director General Margaret Chan said. “I urge the international community to provide this support on the most urgent basis possible.” In an attempt to control the outbreak and prevent further spreading of the virus, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf added that nobody with a fever would be allowed in or out of the country, with the potential for civil liberties suspended as well.

FATAL POLICE SHOOTING IGNITES PROTESTS Eighteen-year-old African-American Michael Brown was fatally shot by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. The circumstances surrounding the shooting were unclear, as some witnesses claimed Brown was unarmed at the time of the shooting. In contrast, Jon Belmar, Chief of the St. Louis County Police Department, said Brown physically assaulted the police officer and attempted to grab his weapon. In response to the shooting, protests erupted, with at least 20 police cars damaged in the ensuing riots the following day. To secure the area, Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson called more than 100 officers from 15 jurisdictions. “We had what probably bordered on riot conditions,” Jackson said. Jackson declined to reveal specifics about the case.

Alaseye Yero of Lithonia, Georgia, participates in a candlelight vigil and moment of silence protesting the shooting of Michael Brown as part of a national observance on Aug. 14, 2014. CURTIS COMPTON/ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION/MCT

AUG.

ROBIN WILLIAMS FOUND DEAD AT 63 Academy Award-winning actor Robin Williams was found dead at his home in Tiburon, California. The Marin County Sheriff ’s Office deputy coroner said Williams had hanged himself with a belt and died from asphyxiation. Williams’ publicist Mara Buxbaum said the actor and comedian had been battling severe depression. “This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings,” his wife, Susan Schneider, said in a statement. “As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”

Actor and comedian Robin Williams committed suicide on Aug. 11, 2014, at his home in Tiburon, California. ROBERT GAUTHIER/LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

AUG.

ISIS BEHEADS AMERICAN JOURNALIST JAMES FOLEY

Journalist James Foley speaks about his experiences as a captive in Libya during a speaking engagement on Dec. 7, 2011, at Marquette University. Foley was executed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria on Aug. 19, 2014. RICK WOOD/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL/MCT

AUG.

26 ISRAEL AND HAMAS AGREE TO CEASE-FIRE Following over seven weeks of fighting in the Gaza strip that led to thousands of casualties, Israel and Hamas announced a cease-fire without an expiration date. As part of the truce, Israel agreed to open border crossings in Gaza to allow more aid to pass through. “We hope that this time, the ceasefire will stick,” Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said. Prior to the letup, the United Nations estimated that over 70 percent of the casualties in the conflict were civilians. Given the hostility both sides still express toward one another, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement he still sees challenges ahead. “We have been down this road before, and we are all aware of the challenges ahead. Both the Israelis and Palestinians have strong views about their needs and the future of the region. Getting there will not be easy, but it is the only path to a future that the people on both sides deserve.”

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria beheaded American journalist James Foley, after his initial kidnapping in Syria in 2012. ISIS recorded the execution and the video was posted online, gaining a wide circulation on several websites. Additionally, ISIS warned that there would be more executions if the United States did not cater to its demands, including ending air strikes against Kurdish forces throughout the Syrian region. Following the video, Foley’s mother, Diana, said in a Facebook post that she was proud of her son. “He gave his life trying to expose the world to suffering of the Syrian people,” the statement said. “I implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. … We thank Jim for all the joy he gave us. He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person.”

Trails of Israeli ordinance streak the sky over Gaza, where eight members of the Abu Jarad family, killed earlier, were being laid to rest on July 19, 2014. Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire without an expiration date on Aug. 26, 2014. CAROLYN COLE/LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

SEPTEMBER

2014: A Year in Global News SEPT.

OSCAR PISTORIUS FOUND NOT GUILTY OF HOMICIDE South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius was found not guilty of murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, and instead was charged with culpable homicide. Pistorius, who did not face a jury trial in accordance with South Africa’s justice system, was instead deemed to have acted negligently by Judge Thokozile Masipa for firing through a bathroom door to what Pistorius said he believed was an intruder in his home. June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother, said the verdict was not a justified punishment for her daughter’s murder. “He shot through the door and I can’t believe that they believe it was an accident,” she said. Pistorius, whose legs were amputated below the knee but who had competed in both Olympic and Paralympic competitions, received a five-year maximum prison sentence and a concurrent three-year suspended sentence for a separate reckless endangerment conviction.

South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius reacts to the gruesome testimony about the death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, whom he was accused of murdering, on the fourth day of his trial on March 6, 2014, in Pretoria, South Africa. IMAGO/ZUMA PRESS/MCT

SEPT.

STAR RUNNING BACK INDICTED FOR HARMING SON

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson makes his way to the bench against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 22, 2013, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. Peterson was indicted for harming his son. ELIZABETH FLORES/MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE/MCT

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was indicted by a grand jury for reckless or negligent injury to his 4-year-old son. Peterson had reportedly beaten his son with a tree branch, leading to severe welts and bleeding across his body. As a result, the Vikings suspended Peterson for their second game of the season against the New England Patriots. Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman said the suspension was in the best interest of the organization and everyone involved with the situation. “We are, as an organization, still in the process of gathering information, and at the end of the weekend we will discuss what we will do going forward,” he said. “You don’t want to make any knee-jerk reactions. All options are on the table. You can’t take any options off the table because we’re still gathering information.” The indictment comes shortly after Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice being suspended indefinitely by the NFL once a videotape surfaced showing the running back knocking his then-fiancée unconscious in an elevator at an Atlantic City casino.

Matthew Miller interviews with CNN’s Will Ripley on Sept. 1, 2014, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Miller was sentenced to six years of hard labor.

Hannah Graham, an 18-year-old student at the University of Virginia, disappeared early on Sept. 13, 2014. She was last seen outside a local bar.

COURTESY OF CNN

SEPT.

CHARLOTTESVILLE POLICE/WTVR

SEPT.

NORTH KOREA SENTENCES AMERICAN CITIZEN TO HARD LABOR

SUSPECT IN CUSTODY FOR HANNAH GRAHAM DISAPPEARANCE

After being detained by North Korea in April 2014, U.S. citizen Matthew Miller was sentenced to six years of hard labor for purportedly committing hostile acts against the North Korean regime. Miller joined fellow Americans Kenneth Bae and Jeffrey Edward Fowle, who were arrested for separate instances by North Korea. In a five-minute interview with CNN, which the North Korean government monitored, Miller expressed his desire to escape the country with the help of the American Government. “My situation is very urgent,” Miller said. “I’m going to trial and I will be directly sent to prison. I think this interview is my final chance to push the American government into helping me.” In response to Miller’s sentencing, the U.S. State Department demanded North Korea to release all three prisoners. “The charges for which [Miller] and the other detained U.S. citizens were arrested and imprisoned would not give rise to arrest or imprisonment in the United States or in many other countries around the world,” Spokesman Darby Holladay said.

Thirty-two-year-old Jesse Matthew was taken into custody in Galveston, Texas, for the abduction of University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, who disappeared on September 13, 2014. Graham was last seen outside McGrady’s Pub, a bar close to UVA’s campus, shortly before 1 a.m., talking to a man. After sending a text message to her friend saying that she was lost, nobody saw Graham again. Witnesses had reported seeing a man that fit Matthew’s description drinking with Graham during the evening and was twice caught on closed-circuit television footage walking alongside her. Matthew was previously accused of sexual assault twice while attending Liberty University and Christopher Newport University, respectively. Additionally, he was forensically linked to the 2009 murder of Virginia Tech student Morgan Dana Harrington. Harrington had also disappeared in Charlottesville, Virginia, after attending a Metallica concert.

OCTOBER

2014: A Year in Global News

OCT.

Nowai Korkoyah, mother of Ebola patient Thomas Duncan, is pictured at a press conference attended by the Rev. Jesse Jackson on Oct. 7, 2014, at South Dallas Cafe in Dallas. NATHAN HUNSINGER/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/MCT

FIRST EBOLA PATIENT IN US DIES Liberian national Thomas Eric Duncan, the first patient diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, died on Oct. 8 after initially being admitted on Sept. 28, 2014, to Texas Health Presbyterian. Duncan was diagnosed with the virus two days later, and Dallas health officials tracked down about 100 people with whom he had contact with before his hospitalization. Bishop Nathan Kortu, a local Liberian leader, said the local Liberian community expressed its condolences for the situation with Duncan’s family, and he had previously held vigils for his recovery. “Right now everybody is really afraid,” he said. “For this man to be in an advanced country where we thought he was in a safety zone, for him to perish like this is a very big concern for the Liberian community right now.”

OCT.

MALALA YOUSAFZAI AND KAILASH SATYARTHI RECEIVE NOBEL PRIZE Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize. Yousafzai, a Pakistani child education activist, became the youngest recipient of the award at age 17. In October 2012, she survived an assassination attempt and subsequently became a symbol for the right of all children to education. This includes publishing an autobiography and addressing the United Nations General Assembly on worldwide education in July 2013. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said she was the pride of their country. “Her achievement is unparalleled and unequalled,” he said in a statement. “Girls and boys of the world should take the lead from her struggle and commitment.” Satyarthi has been at the head of several peaceful protests in India and founded the Save the Children Movement, which advocates for the end to human trafficking and for child rights. “It’s a great honor for all the Indians,” Satyarthi said. “It’s an honor for all those children who have been still living in slavery despite of all the advancement in technology, marketing an economy and I dedicate this award to all those children in the world.”

Malala Yousafzai arrives for an appearance on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” on October 8, 2013. Yousafzai was shot in a 2012 assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen but has refused to be silenced as an advocate for educating Pakistani girls. ZELIG SHAUL/ACE PICTURES/ZUMA PRESS/MCT

OCT.

10–19 PROTESTERS FLOOD STREETS OF HONG KONG Thousands of people demonstrated on the streets of Central, Hong Kong’s financial district. The protest was in response to China backtracking from its original promise for full democratic elections in 2017, as the Special Administrative Region holds a separate political and legal system from China. As part of its new proposal, China said it would allow direct elections in 2017, but the voters would only be able to choose from a list of pre-approved candidates. The goals of the protests, in addition to universal suffrage, included the resignation of Hong Kong’s current chief executive, CY Leung. Police tactics toward the protesters such as tear gas, in addition to triad members attacking the activists, marred the protests.

Police clear the barricades on a key thoroughfare on Nov. 26, 2014, in Mong Kok, Hong Kong. STUART LEAVENWORTH/MCCLATCHY DC/TNS

OCT.

29 GIANTS WIN THIRD WORLD SERIES IN FIVE YEARS

From right, San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner celebrates with catcher Buster Posey after winning, 3–2, in Game 7 of the World Series against the Kansas City Royals on Oct. 29, 2014, at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

The San Francisco Giants defeated the Kansas City Royals 3–2 in Game 7 of the World Series. With the win, the Giants won their third championship in the past five seasons, with the last one coming in 2012. Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner earned MVP honors, going 2–0 with a 0.43-earned run average in the series. He finished an impressive postseason with a save in Game 7, pitching five innings of relief in the decisive game. It also ended a strong postseason run from the Royals, who reached the playoffs for the first time in 29 years. Giants manager Bruce Bochy was full of praise for his pitcher’s performance. “He’s such a humble guy, and we rode him pretty good,” he said. “It’s historic what this kid has done — really, truly amazing.”

DAVID EULITT/KANSAS CITY STAR/MCT

NOVEMBER

2014: A Year in Global News

NOV.

ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER OPENS Thirteen years after the September 11, 2011, terrorist attacks, the World Trade Center has been reopened. Now the 104-story One World Trade Center, a $3.9 billion skyscraper, will headquarter mass media company Conde Nast, which will make the 20th to 44th floors its home. The new building is the centerpiece of the 16acre area where the Twin Towers once stood, and it is already 60 percent leased. Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey that owns both the building and the World Trade Center site, said the new building is a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of lower Manhattan. “The New York City skyline is whole again, as One World Trade Center takes its place in lower Manhattan,” he said.

Kids play basketball on Oct. 8, 2014, along West Street near the newly-opened One World Trade Center in New York. BRIAN CASSELLA/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/MCT

NOV.

NORTH KOREA RELEASES AMERICAN PRISONERS

Kenneth Bae embraces his mother after being unexpectedly released from North Korea on Nov. 8, 2014. Bae was originally sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment. TED S. WARREN/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Two Americans imprisoned in North Korea returned to U.S. soil following an order for their release from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller were both arrested for supposedly committing hostile acts toward the nation. They join former captive Jeffrey Edward Fowle, who was released and returned to the U.S. last month. The two were released after James Clapper, U.S. director of national intelligence, traveled to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang as an envoy of President Obama. He carried a letter from Obama asking for the release of the prisoners, which Kim accepted. Bae said he was thankful for all the people who prayed for his safe return. “Thank you all for supporting me, lifting me up and not forgetting me,” he said.

NOV.

19 COMEDIAN ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT Comedian Bill Cosby had projects scrapped by television network NBC and streaming website Netflix after Janice Dickinson, a model and television presenter, accused Cosby of sexually assaulting her in 1982. “The next morning I woke up and I wasn’t wearing my pajamas,” Dickinson said. “I remembered before I passed out that I had been sexually assaulted.” Though Cosby had yet to be charged for any rape accusations, several women have accused Cosby of sexual assault, dating back almost 30 years. When asked about the allegations by the Associated Press in a joint interview with his wife, Camille Cosby, he refused to comment. “If you want to consider yourself to be serious … [the question] will not appear anywhere,” he said. “We thought because it was AP that it would not be necessary to go over that question.” Cosby has since declined to directly discuss any of the claims.

OBAMA UNVEILS IMMIGRATION REFORM U.S. President Barack Obama announced an immigration reform that would defer the deportation of a certain group of illegal immigrants. The measures enacted would stop about 4 million immigrants from being deported, specifically, illegal immigrants whose children are already American citizens in addition to permanent residents who have lived in the U.S. for five years or more. Obama said the policy would not be an amnesty program for illegal immigrants but rather an important step toward reforming immigration policies. “Amnesty is the immigration system we have today — millions of people who live here without paying their taxes or playing by the rules, while politicians use the issue to scare people and whip up votes at election time,” Obama said. “That’s the real amnesty — leaving this broken system the way it is.” The applicants to the program would be protected from deportations through the first year of Obama’s successor in 2017, allowing the new administration to decide whether the program should continue or be abolished.

NOV.

Bill Cosby speaks at Lewis Katz’s memorial service on June 4, 2014, at Temple University in Philadelphia. Cosby was accused of sexual assault by several women, spanning several decades. MICHAEL BRYANT/PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/MCT

NOV.

President Obama addresses community leaders on Nov. 25, 2014, in Chicago to discuss executive actions he took on immigration. The reform will prevent about 4 million immigrants from being deported, including children who are already U.S. citizens. E. JASON WAMBSGANS/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS

MICHAEL BROWN SHOOTER RESIGNS FROM POLICE FORCE Darren Wilson, the white police officer who fatally shot 18-yearold African-American teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, resigned from the Ferguson Police Department following a grand jury decision not to indict him for the shooting. The verdict led to a rush of protests in St. Louis suburbs and across the country. Additionally, the police department received threats of violence if Wilson were to remain an employee. In his resignation letter, Wilson said he believed staying on the police force in Ferguson would cause continued unrest in the community and risk the endangerment of his fellow officers. “It was my hope to continue in police work, but the safety of other police officers and the community are of paramount importance to me,” Wilson wrote. “It is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal.”

A protester raises her hands in the street as police use tear gas to try to take control of the scene in the wake of the grand jury decision not to indict officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown. ANTHONY SOUFFLE/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS

DECEMBER

2014: A Year in Global News

Protesters rally against police brutality and racism by laying down in the streets on Dec. 4, 2014, in Pittsburgh. The officer responsible for African-American Eric Garner’s death was not indicted by a grand jury. MICHAEL HENNINGER/PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE/TNS

ERIC GARNER KILLER NOT INDICTED New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo was not indicted by a grand jury in the death of unarmed African American Eric Garner. In response to the verdict, protests began on the streets of New York. On July 17, 2014, Garner is seen on video telling police officers not to touch him as Palateo puts him in an alleged chokehold as Garner repeatedly cries, “I can’t breathe!” Garner died later that day, and his death was ruled a homicide. The New York City Police Department prohibits chokeholds from officers. The police had suspected Garner was selling cigarettes illegally. Protesters gathered across Manhattan, chanting, “No justice. No Peace. No racist police,” as well as, “I can’t breathe.” Gwen Carr, Garner’s mother, said she hoped the protests would remain peaceful despite her disappointment in the grand jury’s decision. “We want you to rally, but rally in peace,” she said. “Make a statement, but make it in peace.”

DEC.

4–6

DEC.

15–16 LONE GUNMAN TAKES OVER SYDNEY CAFE A cafe in central Sydney was the venue of a deadly siege by a lone gunman. In a 16-hour standoff, Man Haron Monis held 17 hostages, who were a combination of employees and customers. Two of the hostages held by Monis were killed, with further people injured in the ensuing police raid, which also killed the gunman. According to his social media postings, Monis had embraced a radical Sunni theology. Additionally, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the gunman was known by authorities as someone with a history of violent crime and mental instability. Intelligence sources believe that Monis was acting alone and his actions were not part of a broader terrorist plot. “These events do demonstrate that even a country as free, as open, as generous and as safe as ours is vulnerable to acts of politically motivated violence,” Abbott said. “But they also remind us that Australia and Australians are resilient, and we are ready to respond.”

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott delivers a speech at a press conference in the Parliament House after a gunman took people hostage in a cafe on Dec. 15, 2014, in Sydney, Australia. XU HAIJING/XINHUA/ZUMA PRESS/TNS

SONY PICTURES ENDURES CYBERATTACK

From left, James Franco, Lizzy Caplan and Seth Rogen star in Sony Pictures’ “The Interview.” The film, a comedy about an assassination plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was the focal point of a cyberattack against the studio, which led to confidential company data being released. ED ARAQUEL/COLUMBIA PICTURES/TNS

DEC.

17–24

Sony Pictures Entertainment endured a massive cyberattack from a group of hackers that called themselves the Guardians of Peace, who demanded the cancellation of the film “The Interview.” The movie was a comedy about an assassination plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The hack resulted in the release of emails, future movie releases and confidential data regarding the company. Additionally, the group threatened to carry out a “9/11-like attack” on movie theaters that screen the movie. Due to the threats, Sony decided to cancel the movie’s Christmas 2014 release. However, on Dec. 24, Sony made the film available online through YouTube in addition to a limited release at about 320 independent theaters. In response, the White House praised Sony’s decision. “We do not live in a country where a foreign dictator can start imposing censorship here in the United States,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said in a statement. “With today’s announcements, people can now make their own choices about the film, and that’s how it should be.”

DEC.

NYPD OFFICERS KILLED IN BROOKLYN Two New York City police officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, were shot ambush-style while sitting in their patrol car in downtown Brooklyn. The shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, had earlier shot and wounded his ex-girlfriend in Baltimore before proceeding to New York City. He approached the passenger side of the vehicle and opened fire several times, shooting both officers in the head. Brinsley was later found dead at a nearby subway station from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio condemned the act and the subsequent impact it left on the victims’ families. “When a police officer is murdered, it tears at the foundation of our society,” he said. “It is an attack on the very concept of decency.” The shooting came shortly after tensions flared between the New York community and police in response to the death of unarmed African-American Eric Garner by the hands of an NYPD officer in an unprovoked chokehold. The officer was not indicted by a grand jury.

Investigators work the crime scene where two New York City Police Department officers were shot and killed on Dec. 20, 2014, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. JOHN MINCHILLO,/ASSOCIATED PRESS

JANUARY

2015: A Year in Global News

JAN.

7-9

Thousands of people gather during a demonstration march on Jan. 10 in Lille, France, in support of the victims of the attacks at the Charlie Hebdo headquarters in Paris that left 12 people dead. PATRICK DELECROIX/MAXPPP/ZUMA PRESS/TNS

SATIRICAL MAGAZINE ATTACKED BY GUNMEN IN PARIS Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine headquartered in Paris, was attacked by two gunmen on Jan. 7, killing 12 people. The gunmen, who escaped the scene in a getaway car, attacked during the magazine’s daily editorial meeting. One of the victims of the shooting was the magazine’s editor, Stephane Charbonnier. Witnesses reported hearing the gunmen shouting, “We have avenged the Prophet Muhammad,” in Arabic. As the police began a manhunt, the two suspects in the shooting, brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, were not found until two days later, when they were held up in a printing company in the French town Dammartin-en-Goele. There, as the brothers tried to escape the warehouse, they fired at police, who subsequently shot and killed them. Regarding the events that transpired, French President Francois Hollande said he was grateful for the bravery and efficiency of the police force but added that there are still potential threats in the future. “We have to be vigilant,” he said. “I also ask you to be united — it’s our best weapon. … Those who committed these acts, these fanatics, have nothing to do with the Muslim faith.”

JAN. ISLAMIC MILITANT GROUP MASSACRES NIGERIAN TOWN The Nigerian town of Baga was the site of a brutal massacre by the hands of Islamic militant group Boko Haram. The terrorist group overran the town’s military base and subsequently forced locals out of the town while also committing mass killings. With the successful raid, Boko Haram is reportedly in control of Baga and 16 neighboring towns, after the military had retreated. Additionally, it is expected that Boko Haram now controls about 70 percent of the Borno State in Nigeria, its northeastern region and the epicenter of the insurgency, where Baga is located. Estimates for the number of deaths due to the raid are unclear, with local residents who fled stating that over 2,000 people are believed to have been killed. One of the problems in deciphering the death toll is because the survivors fled so quickly, they did not have a chance to bury the dead, leaving the town scattered with corpses. Ahmed Zanna, a senator for the Borno State, said Baga and the neighboring towns are in ruins. “This is one of the worst attacks I’ve seen because so many people are unaccounted for and feared dead,” Zanna said.

A screenshot from a video released by Boko Haram, showing its leader Abubakar Shekau. The group has raided several villages in the Borno State in Nigeria. COURTESY OF AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Objects suspected as belongings from AirAsia Flight 8501 are seen on Dec. 30, 2014, in Pangkalan Bun, Indonesia.

Ohio State University players celebrate the Buckeyes’ 42–20 win in the College Football Playoff National Championship.

VERI SANOVRI/XINHUA/ZUMA PRESS/TNS

BOB DEMAY/AKRON BEACON JOURNAL/TNS

JAN.

11-13

OHIO STATE WINS COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

IMPORTANT DEVICES RETRIEVED FROM CRASHED AIRASIA FLIGHT Divers in the Java Sea recovered both black boxes from the crashed AirAsia plane, which originally disappeared from radar and fell into the sea on Dec. 28, 2014, killing all 155 passengers and seven crew members on board. On Jan. 11, divers retrieved the flight data recorder before finding the cockpit voice recorder two days later. The instruments will provide further information on how the plane went down, with the devices being able to provide vertical and horizontal speeds, engine temperature and the final conversations between the captain and copilot. AirAsia Flight 8501, which was departing from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore, was caught in bad weather when the captain requested to increase the plane’s altitude. However, the plane was initially not allowed to elevate because of other aircraft in the area, and once it was given permission, there was no further communication between air traffic control in Jakarta and the plane. AirAsia, which operates across the Asian continent but is based in Malaysia, became the third Malaysian plane to crash in the span of a year, following the disappearance and expected crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on March 8, 2014, and Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 being shot down in a pro-Russian separatist territory of Ukraine on July 17, 2014.

Ohio State University defeated University of Oregon 42–20 in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship to win its eighth national title. Sophomore running back Ezekiel Elliot carried the load for the Buckeyes, as he rushed for 246 yards and four touchdowns in the win. The title culminated a roller-coaster season for the Buckeyes, who were down to their third-string quarterback in sophomore Cardale Jones for the final three games of the season. The team had initially lost its starting quarterback, junior Braxton Miller, in the beginning of the year before losing second-stringer, freshman J.T. Barrett, on Nov. 29, 2014, midway through its matchup with the University of Michigan. Given their injuries, Jones said he believed many pundits counted the team out, but they persevered. “Late August, around camp, everybody counted us out when [Miller] went down, and then when the first College Football Playoff rankings came out, we was like No. 16 or 17,” Jones said. “Long story short, we weren’t supposed to be here.”

JAN.

ROB MANFRED BEGINS TERM AS NEW MLB COMMISSIONER Rob Manfred became the 10th commissioner in the history of Major League Baseball, succeeding Bud Selig, who had served the previous 23 years. Manfred moves into the role after serving as the league’s chief operating officer for nearly two years and as executive vice president of labor relations for 15. He was elected to be the new commissioner in a contested vote by MLB team owners on Aug. 14, 2014, before officially beginning the job on Jan. 24. Selig said he believes leaving the job with Manfred will put the league in a strong position for years to come. “There’s no doubt in my mind he has the training, the temperament and the experience to be a very, very successful commissioner,” Selig said. Manfred, for his part, said he hopes to put his own stamp on the office. “One piece of advice that I will keep in mind is, ‘Trust your instincts and be your own guy,’” he said. “And I intend to do both.”

Rob Manfred listens to Bud Selig speak on Aug. 14, 2014, in Baltimore. Manfred was chosen to be the next MLB commissioner, replacing Selig when he retired in January 2015. KEVIN RICHARDSON/BALTIMORE SUN/MCT

FEBRUARY

2015: A Year in Global News FEB.

Quarterback Tom Brady celebrates with teammate Julian Edelman following the Patriots’ 28–24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 1 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. ANTHONY BEHAR/SIPA USA/TNS

PATRIOTS CAPTURE FOURTH SUPER BOWL TITLE Ten years removed from winning their third Super Bowl, quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were able to slip past the Seattle Seahawks, 28–24, with a fourth-quarter interception to capture Super Bowl XLIX. The Seahawks, who were hoping to capture their second consecutive Super Bowl, held a 24–14 lead entering the fourth quarter, anchored by wide receiver Chris Matthews and his team-leading 109 receiving yards. However, the Patriots took the lead with 2:02 remaining in the fourth quarter, following touchdown passes to wide receivers Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman. In the Seahawks’ final drive of the game, the team was able to make it to the Patriots’ 1-yard line, thanks in large part to a spectacular catch from wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, who juggled the ball several times in the air before completing the reception while on the ground. From the 1-yard line, Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler stepped in front of Patriots wide receiver Ricardo Lockette to pick off quarterback Russell Wilson’s pass, sealing New England’s win. Following the interception, which was the first of his NFL career, Butler was at a loss for words. “I just had a vision that I was going to make a big play, and it came true,” Butler said. “I’m just blessed. I can’t explain it right now. It’s crazy.”

FEB.

NBC’s Brian Williams hosts the Democratic Presidential debate on Oct. 30, 2007, at Drexel University in Philadelphia. Williams is currently serving a six-month suspension without pay from NBC Nightly News amid questions about his memories of war coverage in Iraq in 2003. JAMES BERGLIE/ZUMA PRESS/TNS

NBC ANCHOR SUSPENDED FOR FALSE CLAIMS NBC announced the suspension of “Nightly News” anchor and managing editor Brian Williams for six months without pay, following allegations that Williams misled the public about his experiences covering the war in Iraq. In several accounts of his time in Iraq, Williams claimed to have been in a helicopter that was hit by a grenade in 2003. Instead, another helicopter was hit in the attack, and veterans involved in the mission called out his false claim. With the criticism he received, Williams apologized for his version of the story. However, it was not enough to escape punishment from NBC. Since the announcement of his suspension, Williams has received support and backlash from fellow journalists and peers. “The penalty is tough, which it should be,” Bill Wheatley, a longtime NBC news executive and now professor of journalism at Columbia University, said. “When he comes back on the air, it will be up to Brian to demonstrate to his viewers and colleagues that he deserves their trust. I believe that if he works hard and focuses on his journalism, they’ll forgive him.”

GUNMAN KILLS TWO IN COPENHAGEN SHOOTING SPREE

A policeman brings flowers to the scene of the terror attacks on Feb. 15, at a cafe in Copenhagen, Denmark. The gunman began shooting at a cafe hosting a debate on free speech and Islam on Feb. 14, killing one person and injuring several others. BJORN KIETZMANN/ACTION PRESS/ZUMA PRESS/TNS

FEB.

A lone gunman was responsible for two deaths in a string of attacks over two days in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. The gunman, who was later identified as Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, began firing at a cafe hosting a debate regarding free speech and Islam on Feb. 14, where one person was killed. Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt believes it was a politically motivated act of terrorism. Among those who attended the rally was Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who is known for his controversial drawings of the Prophet Muhammad. A day after the cafe shooting with police on the hunt for the shooter, the same gunman opened fire at the city’s main synagogue, leaving one Jewish man dead and two policemen injured. The shooter then fled and was subsequently shot and killed by police near Copenhagen’s Norrebro train station. Francois Zimeray, France’s ambassador to Denmark, said he believes the attack was an attempt to replicate the Charlie Hebdo massacre on Jan. 7 in Paris but thankfully was far less effective. “They shot from the outside [and] had the same intention as Charlie Hebdo, only they didn’t manage to get in,” he said. “Bullets went through the doors and everyone threw themselves to the floor.”

FEB.

14-15

“BIRDMAN” WINS BEST PICTURE AT ACADEMY AWARDS At the 87th Academy Awards, dark comedy “Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” took best picture while its director, Alejandro G. Inarritu, won the award for best director. Additionally, the film earned awards for best original screenplay and best cinematography. “Birdman,” which features Michael Keaton as an aging superhero movie star trying to achieve celebrity on his own terms through mounting a serious broadway play, was hailed for its ability to create the sensation that the movie was filmed in one continuous shot, an idea Inarritu had envisioned from the beginning. Emmanuel Lubezki, the cinematographer for the film, said the continuous shot effect was difficult to implement but worthwhile in its outcome. “It sounds like a nightmare,” he said. “There was no book on it. It was like an experiment.” Other notable winners from the ceremony included Eddie Redmayne for best actor and Julianne Moore for best actress in “The Theory of Everything” and “Still Alice,” respectively.

Alejandro G. Inarritu accepts the award for best director for “Birdman” in the press room of the 87th Academy Awards on Feb. 22, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. IAN WEST/PA WIRE/TNS

MARCH

2015: A Year in Global News

Saying he had shown “extremely poor judgment,” CIA Director David Petraeus resigned from his position Nov. 9, 2012, after admitting to having an extra-marital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell. OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/MCT

MARCH

FORMER CIA DIRECTOR PLEADS GUILTY TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION LEAK Former CIA director and United States Army Officer David Petraeus agreed to plead guilty to charges of mishandling classified information. While he faces a maximum of one year in prison, the plea deal reached with prosecutors recommends two years of probation and a $40,000 fine. The retired four-star general had given several “black books” — filled with classified CIA material in addition to information from his time in command during the War in Afghanistan — to former Army Reserve Officer Paula Broadwell, who was writing his biography. It was his relationship with Broadwell that began a quick fall from grace for Petraeus, who had been in an affair with Broadwell while also married. It was discovered by chance during an FBI investigation over harassing emails from other senior U.S. military officials. The affair led to Petraeus resigning from his position as CIA director in November of 2012. Following his CIA resignation, Petraeus wrote a private letter to a friend, admitting his mistakes. “I screwed up royally. … I paid the price, appropriately.”

TROPICAL CYCLONE PAM SEVERELY DAMAGES SOUTH PACIFIC NATION OF VANUATU Vanuatu, a South Pacific nation comprised of several small islands, was hit by Cyclone Pam, a Category 5 tropical storm that severely damaged the country. Twenty four confirmed kills have been announced by the United Nations thus far, although Charlie Damon, CARE International Vanuatu program manager, said it’s hard to predict the death toll, given the sheer lack of communication with several islands. “We have no idea how the other islands have fared and we can only assume it’s horrific,” Damon said. Additionally, Benjamin Shing, deputy chair of Vanuatu’s national disaster committee, estimates that about 70 percent of the population has been displaced by the storm, with growing concerns over a lack of running water and food for those affected. The UN has also predicted that every school in Vanuatu has either been destroyed or severely damaged by Cyclone Pam. Damon said a cleanup has begun in Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, and has praised the community for its efforts in a troubling time. “The community yesterday were already cleaning up, cutting away all those trees that have gone down everywhere, which is amazing to see,” he said. “But as they do that, that’s when the reality of what’s just hit kind of kicks in.”

MARCH

13-15

Port Vila, the capital of the Vanuatu, was hit severely by Cyclone Pam. GRAHAM CRUMB/HUMANS OF VANUATU

Robert Durst, the son of a wealthy New York City real estate mogul, has a warrant issued for his arrest by the Los Angeles Police Department for the murder of former friend Susan Berman.

French prosecutor Brice Robin, center, discusses evidence pointing to deliberate actions by the co-pilot in the crash of a Germanwings jet, killing all 150 people on board, during a press conference March 26.

COURTESY OF HBO

RUOPPOLO GUILLAUME/MAXPPP/ZUMA PRESS/TNS

MARCH

24-27

PROSECUTORS FORMALLY CHARGE ROBERT DURST WITH MURDER OF FORMER FRIEND The Los Angeles Police Department has issued a warrant for the arrest of New York real estate heir Robert Durst for the murder of his former friend and confidante, Susan Berman. Durst has been the subject of an HBO Documentary series, “The Jinx,” for his potential roles in the disappearance of his former wife Kathleen McCormack Durst, in 1982, and the dismemberment of his neighbor, Morris Black, in 2001, in addition to Berman’s death. Berman had been found with a gunshot wound in her head in 2000. Though Berman and Durst were friends, it is believed Durst had decided to kill her when prosecutors investigating McCormack’s disappearance began asking her questions. While the LAPD said in a written statement that “additional evidence that has come to light in the past year” is the reason for Durst’s arrest, they have denied that the documentary series played a factor in it. However, in the final episode of the series that aired March 15, a clip is shown in which Durst is heard mumbling in a bathroom to himself, saying, “What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.”

GERMANWINGS FLIGHT PURPOSEFULLY CRASHED IN THE ALPS BY CO-PILOT A Germanwings flight traveling from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany, crashed in a mountainous region of the Alps, killing all 150 on board. During the search operation to recover the cockpit voice recorder, it was discovered that the flight’s co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, had locked out the pilot, Patrick Sondenheimer, after he left the cockpit to most likely use the restroom. In the audio recording, the pilot can be heard banging on the door of the cockpit, as Lubitz continued descending toward the mountains. Throughout the descent, Lubitz was breathing steadily, meaning he was likely conscious during the crash. Additionally, German investigators discovered that Lubitz had been hiding a mental illness from his employers, as they discovered a letter in a waste bin from a doctor stating he was not mentally fit to do his job. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said for now, the most important step is to provide proper support for the families involved in the crash. “The grief of the families and friends is immeasurable,” he said. “We must now stand together.”

ONLINE To see global events from April, visit theithacan.org/yir2015

STRUCTURAL RACISM PROTESTS

RALLYING FOR Ithaca College By Aidan Quigley Over 200 Ithaca College students withstood cold temperatures and gathered to demonstrate with others across the country and around the world, sharing their reflections and personal stories about how police brutality and violence affect them. A grand jury’s decision not to press charges against Officer Darren Wilson in the Aug. 9 shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown led to rallies and protests across the country. In solidarity with other walkouts around the nation on Dec. 1, 2014, students organized a “Hands Up Walk Out” rally at Free Speech Rock outside of the Campus Center. Events were held in over 30 cities worldwide and at many colleges throughout the country. Rochester University, Binghamton University, Yale University, Stanford University and Boston College were some of the many colleges in the nation that hosted similar events in addition to rallies in British Columbia and Tokyo. On the night of the non-indictment, people gathered in New York City and Los Angeles, stopping traffic on major highways. Protests and rallies continued despite Wilson’s resignation from the Ferguson police department on Nov. 29, 2014. Around 225 students and faculty attended the rally, in which student speakers shared their stories and feelings about police brutality, structural violence and racism. The rally was sparked by the ruling in the Ferguson incident as well as the 43 missing student activists from Iguala, Mexico, who were arrested by local police on Sept. 26, 2014, and then handed over to a major drug cartel. Students at the college walked out of their classes at 1:01 p.m., in accordance with 12:01 p.m. Central Standard Time, when Brown was shot, to rally for two hours despite the cold temperature. Sophomore Dillon Randolph, one of the 10 student organizers of the event, said he was impressed by the number of speakers and the authenticity of the event. “It was astounding,” he said. “It exceeded my expectation. It was very heartwarming, even out there in the 30-degree weather.” In between personal speeches by students, the crowd chanted “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot”; “No Justice, No Peace”; and a South African protest chant which translates to “Not One More.” After a few planned speeches by organizers, the event was opened up for members of the crowd to speak. Students lined up to address the crowd through a megaphone. Kayla Young, a senior and another organizer of the event, said the rally outside the Campus Center provided students a chance to communicate their feelings about issues of race, police brutality and the events in Ferguson. “Those are students who have held that in all semester long, looking for a place to grieve,” she said. “It was really powerful to hear from a lot of those students who were just honest.” The event began with a moment of silence for victims of police brutality and structural violence, and included chants, poetry and sharing from both organizers and attendees. Rita Bunatal, a junior who attended the rally, said she was happy to see so many people share their stories. However, she said although social media activism is helpful, she wished more students who

participate in such activism attended the rally. “I would like to see more Ithaca students come out to these events,” she said. “There’s so much more than social media activism. These events do happen.” Organizer Luna Gallegos, a sophomore, explained the situation in Mexico and spoke about the passion of the missing Mexican student activists. She said students here should be inspired by those missing students to make change here. She asked the crowd what they have to lose by speaking out. Steven Kobby Lartey, a senior and another organizer, responded to this question. “We have nothing to lose but the chains of oppression and injustice,” he said. Young said the issues discussed relate to all students on campus. “This is about making the campus better for all of us,” she said. “Its not about only a certain group. It’s about wanting to have a holistic, real experience.”

Sophomore Luna Gallegos speaks to a crowd of over 200 students at the “Hands up Walk Out” rally on Dec. 1, 2014, at the Free Speech Rock. TOMMY BATTISTELLI /THE ITHACAN

Members of the rally hold signs condemning acts of racial injustice. TOMMY BATTISTELLI /THE ITHACAN

RACIAL JUSTICE The Commons By Kira Maddox “Whose streets? Our streets! Whose streets? Our streets! No justice, no peace!” the crowd cried, moving from the sidewalk in front of the boarded-up Simeon’s building on The Commons to the middle of Aurora Street. Traffic was halted as the protesters proceeded to partake in a “die-in,” where they each lay on the ground to symbolize dead bodies in the street, while holding lit candles. As the sun set around 5 p.m. on Dec. 4, 2014, in Ithaca, about 100 people came together in solidarity to stand against racial injustice. Ignited by the recent grand jury decision to not indict New York Police Department Officer Daniel Pantaleo in regard to the chokehold-related death of 43-year-old African-American Eric Garner, people across the United States held protests, vigils and marches against police brutality. The event in Ithaca, under the This Stops Today movement, was mirrored by about 80 other protests around the country. Ithaca College student Evan Scott, one of the organizers of the event, walked around the group handing out candles to those who hadn’t brought their own. Scott said the event was organized the night before around 11 p.m. Tensions over racial injustice had already been mounting at the college since an on-campus protest Dec. 1, 2014, only to increase when the grand jury decision not to indict Pantaleo was announced Dec. 3, 2014. “I haven’t been able to leave my house out of fear for the police in the past three days, and I’m tired of being scared,” Scott said. “So I’m outside, surrounded by people who love. That’s why I’m here: I’m tired of being scared.” Officers from the Ithaca Police Department stood watching the

protesters from afar and placed traffic cones in front of them to stop cars from interfering. From the ground, the protesters continued with more call-andresponse chants that have become identified with recent solidarity movements. “Hands up, don’t shoot” rang out, and lit, white candles were lifted into the air along with homemade signs, reading things like “Indict America” and “White Silence = White Consent.” After the die-in, the protesters moved down Aurora Street, turned onto Seneca Street and headed down Cayuga Street to end in front of the Ithaca City Hall building on 108 E. Green St. As they walked, they chanted “Black lives matter” into the night. Garen Whitmore, another organizer of the event, carried a poster that said “Police armed to the teeth cannot hope to keep the peace.” Adorned with red handprints, it had newspaper article clippings from other instances of police brutality. The marchers dispersed after an hour and a half once they reached City Hall. Ithaca College senior Dubian Ade took a moment to thank people for attending, and he urged them to continue to show up and support such events. When asked about the turnout and recent demonstrations also being held at Ithaca College, he said he thought the increased activism was due in part to people missing out on a protest that happened over the college’s Thanksgiving break against the lack of indictment for Ferguson Police Department Officer Darren Wilson in the case of the Michael Brown shooting. “People felt like they were isolated from that and they were excluded from that, which is one of the reasons why so much is going on right now I think,” Ade said. “Peeps know what time it is.”

Members of the Ithaca community perform a “die-in” on Aurora Street and on The Commons in honor of Eric Garner, the African-American man who was choked to death by New York City Police Department Officer Daniel Pantaleo. The officer was not indicted by a grand jury. KAITLYN KELLY /THE ITHACAN

STRUCTURAL RACISM PROTESTS

SEASON OF PROTEST By Ithacan Staff Photos by Jennifer Williams After a grand jury announced its decision Dec. 3, 2014, to not press charges against New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo for the death of Eric Garner by chokehold on July 17, 2014, protesters have held rallies and lie-down demonstrations nationwide. At Ithaca College, over 300 students took part in a die-in protest on Dec. 4, 2014, in three areas of campus: outside of Emerson Suites, in IC Square and in front of the college’s Information Desk. Students marched, rallied and lay down in the three areas of campus while chanting phrases like “Hands up, don’t shoot” and “No peace, no justice” to bring attention to issues of structural violence and racial injustice. From there, the crowd of students marched to the Peggy Ryan Williams Center. Many members of the group yelled for Ithaca College President Tom Rochon to address the crowd. As Rochon spoke to the students, he was interrupted multiple times by protesters asking for him to address the police brutality issue and then for his support in establishing a Native American minor program.

Students take part in the lie-down demonstration on Dec. 4, 2014, in front of Ithaca College’s Information Desk in the Campus Center.

Students march on Dec. 4, 2014, toward the Peggy Ryan Williams Center to protest against the grand jury’s Dec. 3, 2014, decision to place no charges on New York City Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo for the death of Eric Garner by chokehold on July 17, 2014.

Over 300 students at Ithaca College raise their hands on Dec. 4, 2014, in the Peggy Ryan Williams Center to protest in response to the death of Eric Garner.

Ithaca College President Tom Rochon addresses a crowd of students during a demonstration against racial injustice on Dec. 4, 2014.

STRUCTURAL RACISM PROTESTS

RESPONDING JENNIFER WILLIAMS/THE ITHACAN

THE COLLECTIVE Editor’s Note: Following a written statement by Ithaca College President Tom Rochon on Dec. 8, 2014, on Intercom, the organizers of the Dec. 4, 2014, protest in the Peggy Ryan Williams Center against police violence and structural racism have issued a response and a list of demands. In their response the organizers outline specific steps the college should take and commit to continuing to pursue their goals. Amandla, Awethu! Yesterday, we read with bemusement the statement published by President Thomas R. Rochon in connection to the wave of student activism and demonstrations that demanded accountability, dignity and equality on this campus and in our world. In response to our demands for a structured Indigenous studies minor with a tenured track faculty member, the president said: “I learned that we already have a Native American Studies minor in the School of Humanities and Sciences, with four faculty members listed in connection with the program and with courses available that draw on seven different academic departments.” This definitive statement is misleading. While the Native American Studies minor was placed in the Center for the Study of Culture, Race and Ethnicity (CSCRE) last year, the requests for a faculty line have been repeatedly denied, despite the Center faculty’s repeated efforts to create one. As a result of the lack of academic and structural legibility of these studies, the classes have not been taught, thus rendering the minor and Indigenous history and culture invisible. This is the reality. Those of us who have been organizing against structural inequality at Ithaca College believe that the status quo is not only untenable but unjust. Our demonstrations go to the very questions of human value and dignity. The Ferguson and Eric Garner crises not only exposed global systemic oppression, but also the institutional crises that exist here in our college. We, as the students of this institution who contribute to its legacy, must heed the call of our time. We cannot and should not, in good faith, advocate for equality in the world when our institution ignores the stories and histories of the oppressed. As students, we must demand administrative accountability as well as the ending of the culture of silence and complacency here at the college. This toxic complacency and consenting silence among students render the ideal of community unachievable, and it is only up to us to act differently and forwardly.

The same epistemic violence and inhumanity in Ferguson and in Staten Island are at work here on campus. And we must do well to dismantle these systems, for when we do so, we see the humanity in each other more clearly. And that is why we are demanding: A tenured track faculty line established for Indigenous Studies at Ithaca College. An increase in faculty of color. The review of our institution’s contract with Sodexo — an organization that benefits from the pernicious prison industrial complex. A revision of the printing policy to reduce student expense. Required diversity training for all Ithaca College staff and faculty members. The creation of an Ithaca College Diversity Council to address institutional diversity and inclusion policy that impact the campus community. Our demands are rooted in Ithaca College’s statement on diversity, which aims to “address current and past injustices and promote excellence and equity.” Our demonstrations are not protests. We are simply rendering ourselves visible, and becoming active participants in our education. With these beliefs, we fully intend on making our demands clear to the administration now and in the future. We have channeled here the energy and passion of those who stood up and spoke out. Student activism and the tradition of selfdetermination, in which any student can participate and lead, will always be a choice, and sadly so will the opposite. Dubian Ade Victor Lopez-Carmen Maya Cueva Luna Olavarria Gallegos Bud Gankhuyag Crystal Kayiza Candace King Steven Kobby Lartey Vincent Manta Emily Ramos Dill Randolph Santangelo Williams Kayla Young

TO ROCHON NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION Dear President Rochon, In response to your statement about the Native American Studies minor and your comment: “I learned that we already have a Native American Studies minor in the Humanities and Sciences with four faculty members listed in connection with the program and with courses available that draw on seven different academic departments.” As Dr. Barlas stated in her letter to you, there is no full-time, tenure eligible, or part-time faculty member for Native American Studies in the Center of Race and Ethnicity (sic), therefore there are no course offerings or curriculum for an Indigenous studies minor. The School of Humanities does have a Native American studies minor that is housed and directed by the Anthropology department. However, while the Ithaca College website does provide an outline of the requirements for the 21 credit minor, the actuality of obtaining a minor in Native Studies has not been made possible to students due to the lack of required course offerings and lack of faculty. As Native students, we often find ourselves subjected to an education that often displaces Indigenous peoples as relics of the past. By establishing an Indigenous Studies minor in the Center of Race and Ethnicity, with a full-time Native faculty member, we will be able to bring Indigenous people into a modern context and expand on the social issues outside of the historically Eurocentric anthropological lens. Native American students are statistically and academically underrepresented across college campuses nationwide. While some institutions provide outreach to Native students, the retention rates are diminishing due to a lack of awareness and failure to implement programs that integrate Native students into a predominately white institution. In keeping with IC 20/20’s goal of increasing diversity on this campus, it is imperative that Ithaca College makes a significantly stronger effort to attract prospective Native American students and establish a space that will provide a foundation for their academic success, such as an Indigenous studies minor would. The Native American Student Association acknowledges your

advocacy for a strong Indigenous Studies program. We thank you for commemorating the activism that has been brought to the forefront of this campus as a response to the continuation of racial inequality in America. While we stand together in solidarity, we must acknowledge the inequality present at our home, Ithaca College. If you truly believe in social justice, please make us feel at home by establishing an Indigenous Studies minor with sufficient faculty so that it may be completed within four years and welcome future Indigenous students onto Ithaca College’s campus. Nia:wen The Native American Student Association

COURTESY OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION

STRUCTURAL RACISM PROTESTS

MARCHING MARCHING THROUGH THROUGH HISTORY HISTORY Ithaca College students cover 50th anniversary of Civil Rights March in Selma, Alabama, with NBC Photos and story by Faith Meckley

Senior Sara McCloskey, left, captures footage of the crowd of people as they march across the Edmund Pettis Bridge on March 7 in Selma, Alabama.

On March 7 in Selma, Alabama, over 100 people crowded a single small alley perpendicular to Broad Street, pressing against a police barricade to see a screen projecting President Barack Obama’s speech from the Edmund Pettus Bridge — the very same bridge where, 50 years ago, civil rights activists marching for equal access to voting polls were met with billy clubs, horses’ hooves and tear gas from the Alabama State Police. Now, in 2015, the tens of thousands of people who gathered in Selma to hear their president speak wore T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like, “I can’t breathe,” “Black Lives Matter” and, in the case of some of the older people, “I was there.” The streets were barricaded for several blocks around the bridge, and only the first 20,000 who arrived that morning and those with tickets were allowed onto Broad Street. That did not deter the thousands without tickets from coming as close as the police would allow. Secret Service agents were stationed on the rooftops, observing the gathered masses through binoculars. Inside the secured area where the president delivered his speech, a group of six Ithaca College students, considered NBC affiliates and equipped with official press badges and bright yellow caps to help them find one another, worked to capture every moment of the speech and the audience’s reactions. Their work appeared in the network’s weekend-long coverage of the 50th anniversary events. In addition, the team offered livestreaming throughout the weekend. The team included Candace King, Sara McCloskey, Kelli Kyle, Ciara Lucas, Tiarra Braddock and Hannah Basciano. This is the second time James Rada, associate professor of journalism, has facilitated a partnership between NBC and students. The first collaboration was in 2013 for the 50th anniversary events for the March on Washington. On March 6, the student team covered a children’s march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, on March 7 the president’s speech and on March 8 the Bloody Sunday commemoration march across the

bridge, which drew more than 70,000 people, according to estimates from the Alabama State Troopers. McCloskey, a senior journalism major, said she had never seen the president speak live before. She said she moved back and forth between the press lines near the president and an area farther out near the crowd. “It’s like a once-in-a-lifetime experience until when we’re in the industry actually, but at a college level this is something I find very extraordinary,” McCloskey said. “It was just really, really busy. It’s very hard to simulate that kind of thing in a newsroom on campus or in a classroom.” Basciano, a sophomore documentary studies and production major, said some of her footage made it into the March 7 nightly news. “It was crazy because I didn’t think any of my footage was on because we didn’t actually get to see the broadcast,” Basciano said. “But then, when we got back to the hotel and I watched it I was like, ‘Oh, I took that!’” When Rada asked her if she would like to come, sophomore journalism major Braddock said yes before even thinking about money or logistics. “For me to get the opportunity to go down there and cover it for NBC but also a chance to be in such a historical time was amazing,” Braddock said. “I don’t know anywhere or anytime or how I would ever get this experience to go down to a historical place and learn and meet people who are a part of the Civil Rights Movement.” Throughout the weekend, there was one side street in Selma that was closed off, its parking spaces full of vans adorned with large satellites. This was the makeshift media center, where journalists gathered to process their work and send it off to their networks. After spending two hours filming and interviewing people on the Edmund Pettus Bridge during the Sunday march, the team reported back to the media center and turned in their work to Janelle Richards,

Sophomore Hannah Basciano stands with a yellow cap and dark blue Ithaca College shirt among a crowd waiting for the march to begin.

an associate producer with NBC News. While waiting outside on the front steps of the media center to hear from Richards about their footage, Rada said coming to Selma gave his students more than just experience in the field. “On the social level, they’ve had the chance to drive through Selma and see a whole different view of the world, of America, so many things that won’t make it to TV but is still going on down here and why we needed a civil rights movement 50 years ago,” Rada said. “They’ve been able to really get an incredible insight that they’ll be able to carry with them for the rest of their lives.” Braddock said one of her most memorable interviews was with a high school student who told her what Selma was like on a normal day. “He basically told us there’s still segregated schools within Selma,” Braddock said. “Not … forced by the government, but the majority of white kids go to prep school, and the majority of African-American students go to public school, so there’s still that divide.” King, a senior journalism major, covered both the March on Washington and Selma anniversaries. She has also previously had an internship at NBC. “This experience was more than a journalistic endeavor,” King said in an email. “Coming to Selma meant retracing the steps of the foot soldiers who martyred on my behalf so I can have the rights that I have today. It was important for me to remind myself that these freedoms were not restored by moral obligation, but they were taken back by the people for the people. And still, there is unfinished business. The inequalities that we examine in this country today are merely structural reproductions of the violent ideologies that existed then and continue to exist now.” On March 8, NBC published a piece by King online, titled, “Of Selma’s Past and Future: Young Activists Marching Forward.” Her writing details the extensive youth involvement in the 50th

Anniversary events and how much work still lies ahead in achieving equality and justice. Richards said NBC can trust Ithaca College students because they are hard working, honest in their reporting and open to mentorship. “This weekend working with students from Ithaca was absolutely incredible,” Richards said. “They’re fast, they’re flexible and they’re enthusiastic. I could tell that they love journalism and that they’re passionate about it and they wanted to be here, and honestly, that made all the difference.” The students’ flexibility played an important role during the weekend — when the Sunday march was nearly canceled due to overwhelming numbers and then started a couple hours early, all of the reporters needed to adjust quickly. Braddock said the constantly changing atmosphere taught her how to think on her feet. “When I report for ICTV Newswatch 16, I usually have three questions that I’ll ask my interviewees,” Braddock said. “I come in with a plan knowing what I’m going to do. It taught me how to feed off what the person was saying and develop strong questions within a matter of a minute.” Braddock said this helped her realize her knack for thinking of meaningful interview questions on the spot. This experience helped everyone on the team figure out what they were really good at, she said. Kyle, a sophomore journalism major, led the charge on social media, and her tweets about Sunday’s march were used in a BuzzFeed News article. Rada said being in Selma during this important time and doing meaningful work with students was the most important part of the weekend for him. “This is why I became a journalist,” Rada said. “This is why I got into documentary. Getting to share that, not only reflect personally myself, but getting to share it with these future journalists, future citizens, future members of society — this is real.”

A MURKY OUTLOOK Campuswide survey reveals perception gaps By Kayla Dwyer The results of the Fall 2012 Campus Acceptance, Inclusion and Fairness Survey — commonly known as the campus-climate survey — indicate many perception gaps concerning inclusivity at Ithaca College among different identity groups. The Office of Institutional Research released an executive summary, which captures a snapshot of students’ and employees’ views on issues of diversity and inclusion on campus, feelings of equal treatment, opportunities for open discussion and overall satisfaction with the college. Since 2012, the administration repeatedly delayed the release of these results without an explanation for the delay, finally announcing on Intercom Feb. 9 that they were available. A persistent gap between the perceptions of white and African, Latino, Asian and Native American students with regard to these issues as well as between heterosexual and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transexual identity groups — gaps that IR calls “statistically significant” — is common throughout the results. Fifty-seven percent of white student respondents said they thought the college places a high priority on diversity and inclusion, compared to 26 of ALANA student respondents. The gap between these identity groups remains significant in response to the statement that people at the college do not receive equal treatment, with 56 percent of ALANA students agreeing compared to 39 percent of white students. More than half of LGBT student respondents also agreed, while the figure for heterosexual or straight students was 41 percent. Junior Elijah Breton, a Student Government Association senator, said these numbers reinforce truths that have existed for a long time, that unequal treatment arises from holding some individuals accountable and not others. “It’s black and white now in that there is a lack of inclusion within our campus climate,” he said. “The reality of the situation is that right now, in terms of treatment and microaggressions, white students have it better than ALANA students, and heterosexuals have it better than those who identify in another sexual orientation.” Breton co-authored a bill to combat microaggressions within the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance in September 2014, prompting a series of similar bills in the other schools. In a similar effort this time last year, the SGA launched the Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion to provide a springboard for discussion about microaggressions on campus. Open dialogue was another issue addressed in the campusclimate survey, wherein less than half of respondents agreed or strongly agreed there is sufficient dialogue among different identity groups at the college. This is something Aaron Lipford, SGA vice president for campus affairs, said is still an issue on campus, but it is one that has improved since 2012 — thus the need for a new survey with new results. President Tom Rochon also emphasized the purpose of the 2012 survey being a baseline data point for future discussions and surveys, saying in an email that its importance is “easy to over-hype.” What is of more importance, he said, are the actions currently being taken to address and improve the campus climate, referencing last semester’s student protests, last year’s microaggressions discussion that has continued into this year and the implementation of the diversity requirement in the Integrative Core Curriculum. “The survey and its results are one small part of a larger set of developments that focus our attention on the only question that

matters: ‘What would a fair and inclusive campus community look like, and how can I contribute to it?’” he said via email. Linda Petrosino, interim provost and vice president for educational affairs, said the college plans to work with an external consultant next fall to determine a process for the next campuswide survey, which is intended to be implemented in Spring 2016. Breton said though progress has been made, what remains missing is an appointed person for students to go to with concerns about diversity and microaggressions. This has led to two main issues reflected by the survey: a reported lack of accountability and a low comfort level discussing these issues with faculty or staff. Though the results do not surprise Breton, he said they at least represent, for him, a call for action that the administration can no longer ignore based on a lack of data. “There is nothing now that administrators can dodge — it’s time for administrators to earn their paycheck,” Breton said. “They’re going to have to face making real policies change.” The SGA made its own strides for an improved campus environment after they passed a bill March 16 to create an online system to report microaggressions, creating a more conducive environment for victims of microaggressions to speak about them. Class of 2018 senator Angela Pradhan, who sponsored the bill, said the online system would fill what she sees as a lack of an adequate system to report microaggressions. “I know a lot of senators are working on microaggression stuff within their respective schools, but I felt that there was a need for something to happen schoolwide,” Pradhan said. “And if there was a concrete way to document [microaggressions] online, it would provide students a way to kind of state what’s going on.” However, moving forward, SGA President Crystal Kayiza said the fact that the survey’s results shock no one is a reason to conduct another one, one with a more structured analysis, transparent methodology — conducting it through an external source — and an engaging platform for solutions that can be discussed every year, not just every four years. “The campus-climate survey is one piece of radical change that needs to happen on campus with diversity and inclusion,” she said. “It’s a reflection of national dialogue, but that doesn’t mean [the administration] shouldn’t hold themselves to higher standards.”

Survey Results

IC places a high priority on diversity and inclusion. Percentage of respondents who agree:

Students

White

ALANA

57%

32%

Faculty

Staff

57%

65%

21%

37%

DESIGN BY: ALISON TEADORE AND KASEY SPETH

SOURCE: OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH

HITTING THEiR CAP Campus frustrated by denied request for new CAPS counselor By Natalie Shanklin

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TOMMY BATTISTELLI

The Ithaca College administration’s denial of the Faculty Council’s request for a new staff member for the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services has generated disappointment among mental health advocates on campus. Sophomore Jesse Rolfe, president of Active Minds, said the organization’s members are disappointed and frustrated with the outcome. “This decision is another unfortunate instance of the administration failing to recognize the importance of CAPS as a resource for students,” Rolfe said in an email. “It sends the message that the mental health/well-being of the student body is not a serious concern and that it will just continue to be swept under the rug. It shows we still have a lot of work to do in terms of bringing the conversation surrounding mental health out into the open and making students’ voices and concerns heard.” The limited staff presents an issue for students seeking counseling and other resources from CAPS, as it can take several weeks for a student to schedule an appointment at the center for a non-emergency case. Sophomore Garrett Garneau is one such student who has faced this problem. He has tried to get an appointment for general stressrelated issues twice, and both times, he had to wait two to three weeks. “The problem is they are short-staffed and in high demand, so the waiting list gets backed up,” Garneau said. “When there are more students who need help than staff who can help, it gets bad.” CAPS Director Deborah Harper approached the Faculty Council Dec. 2, 2014, asking for support on this issue. She said she was disappointed with the decision to not add a staff member but said CAPS is still able to serve students and she will continue to bring the issue forward. “It’s disappointing that there was no easy yes, but I understand that there are a lot of competing priorities,” she said. “I just don’t want students to think they can’t come to us. Our intention is to serve students the best we can.” Jason Harrington, associate professor of media arts, sciences and studies and a member of the Faculty Council Executive Committee, motioned for the Faculty Council to request the addition of a CAPS staff member. He said he has had students drop out of school due to mental health issues. Linda Petrosino, interim provost and vice president for educational affairs, is the spokesperson for this issue but was not available for comment despite numerous efforts to contact her. Since the mid-1990s, university and college counseling centers experienced a growth in the number of students seeking counseling and mental health services and for increasingly serious issues, according to the American Psychological Association. The 2014 National Survey of College Counseling Centers reported that 52 percent

of counseling center clients at institutions across the country have severe psychological problems, as opposed to 16 percent of clients in 2000. At the college, Harper said about 16 to 17 percent of students request counseling services through CAPS, which currently has a counselor-to-student ratio of approximately one to 1,000, compared to a ratio of one to between 400 and 600 at private colleges like Colgate University and Skidmore College. The recognition of the stressful environment colleges produce prompted Congress to pass the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act in 2004, which created three programs to address the mental and behavioral health needs of young people: Campus Suicide Prevention, State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and the Technical Assistance Center. The Campus Suicide Prevention program supports youth suicide grants at 175 universities and colleges across the country, Alexandra Ginsberg, legislative and federal affairs associate at the APA, said. Its purpose is to facilitate awareness and education in order to prevent suicide among college students through funding prevention, education and outreach services. The GLSMA allows interested and eligible college counseling organizations to apply for funds to support suicide prevention efforts. However, CAPS has not done so because it had already been conducting suicide programming for about a decade before the GLSMA was introduced, and the process for applying for these grants is too time-intensive, Harper said. Instead, CAPS has directed its resources toward its counseling, consulting and crisis response services as well as local program development, such as Pathways Training, which is a mental health crisis prevention and intervention program that looks to reduce the incidence of crises by building knowledge, confidence and skills. With the Faculty Council’s request for a new hire denied by the President’s Council, Harrington said he is frustrated that his students may struggle to get the help they need in a timely and effective manner. “I need to know that when students come to me for help and I turn them to CAPS that there’s professional support there for them because that’s what I’m supposed to do,” he said. “I know the people [at CAPS] are experts and are terrific. They just need more help. I think this is about supporting students in general and making sure the college experience is a healthy one.” Harper said CAPS intends to continue to work to expand its resources and provide the help students need. “CAPS needs additional resources, and we will continue to advocate for adequate on-campus support for students,” Harper said. “While we may not be able to provide long-term care for all students, we want to help students get the help they need to enjoy personal well-being and to succeed in school.”

MIND MATTERS Junior Amelia Erikson examines why your mental health is important

Sept. 11, 2014

Mental health slurs are considered microaggressions

TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Hopefully at this point in your life, you have come to understand that using words like gay, retarded and ghetto as adverse adjectives is not appropriate. Associating these words with negative characteristics or situations is offensive. Almost everyone knows what microaggressions are — even if they have not called them by a formal name — thanks to an abundance of educational presentations in the media, online and even here on campus. In many cases, these pejorative statements have become less common in the Ithaca community. What irks me, though, is that microaggressions related to mental health are never discussed or explored. Saying “I am so OCD” or “The weather is bipolar” is just as bad as saying “That’s so gay” or “You are retarded.” All diminish a group of people. All reduce human characteristics to negative descriptors. All are cruel. Flippantly using terms related to mental health is a form of ableism called mentalism, where people with mental illnesses are discriminated against. Many terms have become integrated into American culture that were originally ableist. Dumb, crazy, psycho and lame are just a few examples. These words have been morphed and now have less offensive meanings, making them acceptable to be used in daily conversation. In fact, many people do not realize that at one point they were insulting. I don’t want the same shift to happen in regard to mental illness. Needing your notes to be organized does not mean you have obsessive compulsive disorder. Rain one day and sun the next is not comparable to the emotions of a person diagnosed on the bipolar spectrum. OCD and bipolar disorder, along with all other mental illnesses, are real and serious conditions. They should be treated that way. I doubt that most people who claim to be “so OCD” are suffering from intrusive thoughts, anxiety or distress or are driven to act based on rigid self-set guidelines. In other words, they are not diagnosable by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV. It is much more severe than needing your pencils lined up or washing your hands on a regular basis. The most common reaction to my explanation about microaggressions is that I am being too sensitive. People are not actively trying to offend others, so I should relax. What I have to say to that is it does not matter if you are attempting to insult. The use of the word in an undesirable context shapes the meaning and, over time, it becomes a slur. Having a mental illness already has a negative connotation. Do not fuel the fire.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KASEY SPETH

Dec. 4, 2014

Feb. 19, 2015

Myers-Briggs personality test should be treated as a novelty

Pills cannot boost brainpower despite popular belief

Today I am an INTJ — Introverted Intuitive Thinking Judging. However, if you asked me a month ago, I was an INFJ — Introverted Intuitive Feeling Judging. One letter does not seem like a huge difference, but when it comes to psychometrics, or psychological testing, reliability is everything. For those of you who may be confused by this seemingly arbitrary string of letters, I am talking about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. This widely used personality inventory was created by a motherdaughter team, comprising mother Katharine Briggs and daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, inspired by psychologist Carl Jung’s principles of cognitive functioning. They proposed 16 different personality types based on introversion and extroversion, sensing and intuition, thinking and feeling, and judgment and perception. It has gained popularity as a tool for job placement and counseling. Contrary to its increased use and admiration, the MBTI produces questionable results. First, it is self-reported. It is incredibly easy for someone to fake the results he or she wants or the results he or she thinks are socially desirable. You want to be an extrovert? It is simple to find the questions related to extroversion and answer accordingly. Other personality tests have validity measures to prevent this type of biased response. Myers-Briggs does not. Second, it is unreliable. The test does not produce the same results over time. A study at Marshall University reported that retesting after a 5-week period yielded different results 50 percent of the time. Personality is supposed to be constant, but this seems to reflect a more flexible characteristic like mood or circumstance. If nothing else, the main problem appears to be that the test proposes that personalities are dichotomous. You are introverted or you are extroverted. You are feeling or you are thinking. In reality, though, people lie on a spectrum. They do not fit neatly into categories and cannot be shoved into four letters. Despite proof of its unreliability and thus invalidity, the MBTI is still widely used and trusted. CPP, the company that publishes the inventory, grosses close to $20 million annually on the test from over 10,000 companies, 2,500 colleges and 200 government agencies. That’s good marketing. Thousands of people are using it to choose their careers, create teams or enhance their resumes. I am not proposing a complete ban on the Myers-Briggs. I am advising against its use for decision making. Do you want to choose a career based on four letters that could change in a month? I did not think so. There are plenty of more reliable and valid psychological tools to help people find a career. The Myers-Briggs is the horoscope of personality tests. It is fun and can reflect how you see yourself, but it should not be used to make life choices.

In the past, the idea that we only use 10 percent of our brains has been perpetuated by the media. Recently, movies like 2011’s “Limitless” and 2014’s “Lucy” have spread the idea that, because we only use part of our brains, miracle pills that allow us to use all our brainpower will create super humans. Recently, researchers have attempted to create a way for people to work endlessly, have immense focus and remember every moment of their lives. The release of brain enhancing drugs called “nootropics” tried to bring these futuristic plots to fruition but have not completely succeeded. One of the most popular of these mental-performance drugs is called Neurofuse and promises to “unlock your brain’s potential.” The drug’s website boasts effects impacting and improving memory, energy, focus and overall well-being. The cocktail consists of a mixture of 13 different supplements, antioxidants and vitamins that work together to release hormones and neurotransmitters and, in turn, increase processing speeds. What the website never explains, though, is how all these chemicals actually interact to produce such spectacular results. Basically, these nootropics are like an extreme Adderall, which makes them like steroids for your brain. They are amped up versions of drugs aimed to aid people with deficits in attention. Take someone with no difficulty remaining focused and give them a medication created to fix problems with attention, and of course there will be a noticeable change. It may even seem like a miraculous change. An even larger issue is that no one is aware of the long-term effects of taking nootropics. It is possible that they do actually have an impact on energy and allow for better processing and memory, but until further research has been done there is no guarantee. What I can guarantee for you is that we do not use only 10 percent of our brains. This myth most likely started when scientists and doctors began removing sections of brains to treat illnesses like epilepsy. Patients who had small sections of their brains extracted were still able to function and learn new tasks in a moderately normal fashion. However, this removal process is incredibly specific and planned. If the so-called useless 90 percent of our brains were removed, we would be left with a brain the size of a sheep’s and far less ability for high-level thinking, fine-motor movement and task processing. Though not every neuron is firing every minute, each has a purpose and each is used. We wouldn’t have such a complex structure or protect it with bone if we only used 10 percent of our brains. So while I cannot state if these nootropics actually have a positive effect on a person’s focus and attention, I can say that it is not increasing the amount of our brains that are being used. We already use 100 percent, so no pill can claim that it is causing that.

UNIONS ON CAMPUSES

Unitedthey they United stand stand AN ANALYSIS OF IC EMPLOYEE CONCERNS IN LIGHT OF NATIONAL TRENDS TOWARD UNIONIZATION

By Aidan Quigley and Natalie Shanklin

Hundreds of students and faculty from Seattle University walked out of class to participate in National Adjunct Walkout Day on Feb. 25. COURTESY OF ALEX GARLAND

With Ithaca College announcing small salary increments and a special all-college meeting to discuss ways to cut back, some employees are concerned with job security. Across higher education, unions have proven to be an option to address similar concerns. The Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management is the only group on campus to have successfully unionized. Full-time faculty members voted to unionize in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but they were ruled to have enough say in the management of the college that they were not considered laborers but rather managers under the Supreme Court’s 1980 Yeshiva ruling, thus rendering them ineligible. In past years, staff members have also discussed unionization, but staff members who preferred to remain anonymous said they are too afraid of losing their jobs to talk about unionizing today. “They don’t like us using the U-word,” a staff member said. “Anytime anyone brings it up, other people just say, ‘Shhh.’” Another staff member said the culture of staff treatment has changed over the past few decades. “When I started here, it was more like a family atmosphere,” the person said. “Now it’s more like a business atmosphere. They’re just looking at dollars and cents. They’re not looking at people as people.” Public Safety formed its union with the United Government Security Officers of America in 2003. The union has a membership of 29 out of 41 total Public Safety officers, and the current bargaining unit employees include non-sworn security officers, sworn patrol officers and patrol supervisors, communication specialists and parking services employees. Laurenda Denmark, the secretary of the college’s Public Safety union, declined to comment. When the union formed, then-President Peggy Ryan Williams said in an Intercom statement she was concerned about collective bargaining. “I am disappointed that our Public Safety employees have decided to have an outside labor organization speak for them on all employment-related matters,” she said. “We have not had any unions at Ithaca College because the college is viewed by most as a good place to work, and the majority of employees have concluded that they are better off maintaining a direct working relationship with their supervisors, managers and administrators.” One of the anonymous staff members said at the time Public Safety was moving to unionize, other staff members — custodial, maintenance — used to have more conversations about unionizing, though the atmosphere was not welcoming to it. “It’s always been we’ve been threatened with our jobs because of it,” the source said.

Staff members at Ithaca College have tried to unionize in the past. Food Service workers voted against unionization in 1995 amid allegations by union organizers of intimidation by DAKA Inc., the food service provider at the time, which DAKA denied. By comparison, there are seven collective bargaining groups at Cornell University. Professionals unionized on Cornell’s campus include carpenters, electricians, plumbers, Public Safety officers, engineers, custodians, food service, bus drivers, grounds workers and adjunct faculty in the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations. These professionals collectively bargain in various unions: the Tompkins-Cortland Counties Building Trades Council; Communications Workers of America; the Cornell Police Union; International Union of Operating Engineers; United Auto Workers; International Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America; and Cornell Adjunct Faculty Alliance. Cornell Graduate Students United has begun to push for collective bargaining and may appeal a National Labor Relations Board ruling from 2002, which ruled that student workers on college campuses do not classify as workers under the National Labor Act. Cornell’s agreement with the UAW union covers service and maintenance occupations including custodians, food service workers and maintenance mechanics. According to the 2012–16 agreement between Cornell and the Cornell Service and Maintenance Unit United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America Local 2300, all service workers at Cornell make at least $14.58 an hour. Pete Meyers, the coordinator of the Tompkins County Workers’ Center, said this was an impressive rate for the over 1,200 service workers at Cornell. “None of these workers are making less than $14.50 an hour, which is incredible, given the fact that a food service worker in town could be making $9 an hour but are guaranteed at least $14.50 at Cornell,” he said. Nancy Pringle, vice president for human and legal resources and the general counsel secretary to the board of trustees at Ithaca College, said it is difficult to be able to predict the long-term effects of unionization. “The realities of collective bargaining is that it is an inherently time-consuming process involving trade-offs, which impact all parties engaged in the process,” Pringle said. Terry Sharpe, the president of the local branch of the United Automobile Workers and a former food service worker at Cornell, said she would encourage other staff members to unionize. “If you ask a handful of people, they are probably feeling the same

thing,” she said. “When you stand together united, it may be easier to gain the things you need.” However, Bruce Cameron, the Reed Larson professor of labor law at the Regent University School of Law, said labor unions are straying from their original missions by unionizing on college campuses. “Consider the original reason for labor unions — to fight greedy and mean-spirited employers who were not smart enough to realize that happy employees are more productive employees,” he said. “Are those running universities motivated by greed? Are they meanspirited? Stupid? Of course not. … No one is getting rich at the expense of the workers.” John Scully, an attorney with the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, agreed that the traditional purposes of a union are not relevant at a college or university. “Unionization cuts at the very heart of the very nature of a university, which as a unique institution, the shop floor cannot be imported onto,” he said. “Unionization, even if it doesn’t immediately do this, has the latent threat of interfering with academic freedom and freedom of speech, two of the hallmarks of a traditional university.” Cameron said unions hurt free speech because unions bar nonmembers from having a voice in working conditions, and faculty members who do not want to pay union dues would find themselves without a say in working conditions. “The union is the exclusive bargaining representative — you are not allowed to speak for yourself with your employer regarding your wages and working conditions,” he said. “The union negotiates average wages. If you are better than average, then the union harms you.” Risa Lieberwitz, a professor in the Cornell University School of Industrial Labor Relations, said an advantage of unionization is providing employees with increased job security, as employers are required to show “just cause” for firing employees in a union. It is common for colleges and universities to push back when faculty or staff move to unionize, William Herbert, director of the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions at Hunter College in the City University of New York, said, often through the form of sending letters expressing concerns to the parties moving toward unionization.

Lieberwitz said most employers fear losing control over employees if they decide to form a union. “Most employers would like to have unilateral, top-down control over their workforce,” she said. “I don’t think it’s about the money. If people unionize there will be some redistribution of wealth … [but] I think the primary reason employers resist unionization is because they do not want to have to bargain with the union and they want to have unilateral control.” Pringle said the administration acknowledges that a unionization effort is the choice of the employees involved. “The college recognizes that unionization is a matter of choice for employees, not to college administration or outside third parties,” she said. “In the event the majority of part-time employees unionize, the college will bargain in good faith in full compliance with the law.” Cameron said most administrations don’t want unions because unions restrict institutions from accomplishing their educational goals. “University management tries to stop unions for the same reasons most companies do not want a union,” he said. “It limits flexibility in resolving workplace problems. It rewards mediocrity. It makes it harder to financially reward superior research and teaching. “ Ithaca College’s full-time faculty petitioned to unionize in 1977, and the National Labor Relations Board ruled that full-time faculty members were able to unionize. In 1979, the faculty voted to unionize. However, the administration at the time, led by then-President James J. Whalen, refused to recognize the union. In 1982, the NLRB adopted the same mentality, influenced by the Yeshiva case, and ruled that faculty at the college were not allowed to unionize. In recent years, however, Leiberwitz said the NLRB has started to interpret the Yeshiva ruling in a different way. In particular, she said, the NLRB ruled in the Pacific Lutheran case in December 2014 that they would start to determine on a case-by-case basis whether or not the faculty members at private institutions are actually managerial employees. “They decided they are going to emphasize the factors that had to do with just how much actual control faculty have as a group over policy decisions and decisions that affect the university as a whole,” she said.

STEPS STEPS TO TO UNIONIZE UNIONIZE A number of part-time faculty members have begun to organize in order to petition for unionization from the National Labor Relations Board. Here is the process:

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Petitioners must collect the signatures of at least 30 percent of Ithaca College part-time faculty members. They will file for petition with the National Labor Relations Board on whether to unionize. The NLRB will review the petition to see if the prerequisite number of signatures has been met. If approved, an election date will be set for five weeks thereafter. This election will use a mail ballot. DESIGN BY KASEY SPETH

UNIONS ON CAMPUSES

Part-time faculty members Members across the nation move toward unionization By Aidan Quigley As part-time faculty members at Ithaca College gain support in their move toward unionization, they fall in line with a national trend. Labor organizers, particularly with the Service Employees International Union’s Adjunct Action initiative, have helped adjuncts and part-time professors at other colleges and universities to unionize, including Georgetown University, Tufts University and Northeastern University. The SEIU is currently helping the part-time faculty members at Ithaca College move toward unionization. There are currently over 22,000 adjuncts and part-time faculty members in unions with the SEIU, according to the organization’s website. According to the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions at Hunter College in the City University of New York, in most schools where adjuncts vote to unionize, the vote passes and the union is formed. Since January 2013, there have been 41 successful unionization votes for faculty and grad student unions while only two unsuccessful votes and five petitions were withdrawn prior to votes. Ithaca College’s part-time faculty members did not participate in a “National Adjunct Walkout Day” Feb. 25, although they supported the adjuncts who did walk out across the country. Brody Burroughs, a lecturer in the art department at the college and one of the organizers of the recent unionization movement at the college, said walking out would be counterproductive to their unionization efforts, which are constructive and long-term. The national increase in non-tenure track faculty has created an atmosphere in which these faculty members would be interested in negotiating with the administration, known as collective bargaining, Risa Lieberwitz, a professor in Cornell University’s Industrial and Labor Relations School, said. “With this explosion in the number of non-tenure track faculty … many of them are very poorly paid, and if you put that together with the job insecurity that they have, they have a great interest in thinking about how they improve their working conditions,” she said.

Improved working conditions are common in cases where part-time faculty unionize, which has occurred more often in the public sector, William A. Herbert, director of the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions at Hunter College in the City University of New York, said. “It would be fair to say that faculty who have been unionized in the public sector have a very different package of benefits that resulted from collective bargaining,” Herbert said. But improvements in benefits may not be worth it, John Scully, an attorney with the National Right to Work Foundation, said. Scully has written amicus briefs on several aspects of unionization in university settings. He said the level playing field of unionization makes it difficult for superior professors to stand out. “The professor with a particular specialty, knowledge or expertise or ability to teach is treated the same way as someone who might be at the bottom of the ladder,” Scully said. “Unionization would reduce their compensation to the level of someone who is just picked up because that is all the university could find to fill that position.” Rachel Kaufman, a part-time lecturer in the writing department, said forming a union would provide a voice for them that she said they currently do not have. “That would be a voice not just to address things that we have concerns about right now in the spring of 2015, but it would be an ongoing voice that could respond to issues as they arise at the college in the future,” she said. Though unionization does often improve wages and working conditions for adjuncts, the institution has to find a way to pay for it, Ronald Ehrenberg, the director of the Cornell Higher Education Research Institute in the ILR School, said. “Most private universities do not have large endowments, and their budgets are very, very tuition-dependent, so if costs go up because of higher wages for faculty, then ultimately students will be paying for it in the form of higher tuition,” Ehrenberg said. Herbert said, however, adjuncts make so little money per course,

UNIONIZATION EFFORTS AT ITHACA COLLEGE

*NLRB = NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, **AAUP= AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, ***SEIU = SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION

A protester wears a sticker in support of adjuncts as part of National Adjunct Walkout Day on Feb. 25 outside of Seattle University. COURTESY OF ALEX GARLAND

the net effect of giving them slight increases in pay would not have a net impact on students. “Right now, the level of salary for non-tenure track faculty is generally between $1,500 to $5,000 per course depending on the college or university,” Herbert said. “I don’t think the amount of increase that would be involved in raising the salaries from that point would necessarily impact tuition.” At Ithaca College, part-time professors are currently paid $1,300 per credit hour. Ehrenberg said schools where adjuncts have been successful in forming a union are often wealthy schools that have the fiscal ability to raise compensation and schools in urban areas with a large pool of adjuncts. At Tufts, the SEIU helped organize adjuncts and other parttime professors who later voted to form a union and then entered negotiations with the administration. On Oct. 24, 2014, the parttime lecturers voted to ratify a contract, which gave most of the part-time faculty a 22-percent raise; benefits to those teaching more than three courses during an academic year; and one-year, two-year, or three-year contracts. Rebecca K. Gibson, a lecturer at Tufts and a member of the organizing committee, said the negotiations were very successful. “The Tufts administration, for the most part, proceeded in a very dignified way with us,” she said. “We have a very good contract.” Kim Thurler, director of Public Relations at Tufts, said the new

DESIGN BY KASEY SPETH AND ALLISON TEADORE

contracts resolved important issues while strengthening Tuft’s ability to evaluate the performance of part-time lecturers. “We are extremely pleased that this contract balances the needs and priorities of the lecturers and the university,” she said. “Our negotiations were focused on ensuring that our part-time faculty recognize that we respect the work they do for Tufts and their contributions to our educational mission.” Gibson said students played a major role in supporting the part-time faculty and putting pressure on the administration, even holding a march during negotiations. “I’m sure they tipped the balance,” she said. “The fact that so many of them cared was embarrassing for the administration but also revealing.” Adjuncts don’t always vote for unionization. In the spring of 2013, adjuncts at Bentley voted against unionization in a 100 to 98 vote. More recently, however, adjuncts voted to unionize in a second campaign Feb. 27. Joan Atlas, an adjunct at Bentley University and a member of the school’s organizing committee, said Bentley’s conservative leanings as a business school as well as a forceful pushback from administration played into the failure of the first vote. Atlas said there were many letters from the president’s office and the provost’s office to adjunct faculty during the first campaign, which often expressed the administration’s concerns about unionization. Michele Walsh, director of News and Communications for Bentley, said the vote accurately reflected the adjuncts’ views of unionization at the time after a fruitful discussion of the situation. “The union did not receive a majority of the ballots cast and counted, and therefore there will not be an outside third party representing our adjunct faculty,” she said. “As one of the few universities where adjuncts have representation on the faculty senate and are an integral part of the faculty, we believe this is the right result for Bentley.” After the second vote, Bentley’s administration released a statement saying though they thought the result was not the right result for Bentley, they would negotiate in good faith with the union. As the part-time faculty members at Ithaca College move forward with their unionization efforts, Kaufman said she is unsure of what the administration’s response will be given that they have only issued one public statement thus far. “Because that’s the only response we’ve gotten so far, we don’t know what to expect,” she said. “We do know what our rights are, and we expect that IC, being a pretty sophisticated institution, also knows what our rights are. We expect that everything will be dealt with aboveboard, but beyond that, we’ll just have to wait and see what the administration’s response is.”

SOURCE: THE ITHACAN

UNIONS ON CAMPUSES

The evolving role of adjuncts By Natalie Shanklin

As the National Adjunct Walkout Day took place at colleges and two courses per semester at the college. Michael Smith, an associate universities across the country on Feb. 25, part-time faculty members professor in the history department who is in support of the partat Ithaca College did not walk out, choosing to instead wear buttons time professors unionizing, said the college has this cap on courses and stickers and educate students on what exactly the role is of part- per semester because that would classify the part-time professors time professors on college campuses. as more than half-time professors, thus requiring the institution to The part-time position, or adjunct positions as it is referred to compensate them with health benefits. at other institutions, began as an opportunity for professionals in Only being able to teach two courses a semester for $3,900 the field to come into the college setting to teach a course or two each often drives many part-time professors to teach at multiple within the realm of their expertise, with the college paying them by institutions. For example, Kaufman teaches at Ithaca College, the course, Rachel Kaufman, a part-time professor of the writing Elmira College and during the summer and winter sessions at department, said. SUNY Binghamton, for which she is currently designing classes for “It’s a post that’s set up so that somebody from the community the summer program. She has also taught at Tompkins Cortland who has a whole career in the community outside of academia can Community College in the past. come into academia and share their knowledge … in a class, maybe Kaufman lives in Owego, New York, and commutes 45 minutes in a seminar for students in that major,” Kaufman said. “And that’s a each way to the institutions at which she teaches, constituting valuable thing to have somebody come in from their career and do an hour and half each day, four days a week. She is also driving to that and just teach one class.” Binghamton, New York, to begin publicizing her summer courses, According to data from the Office of Institutional Research, since but she said the institution may decide to cut those courses before 1996 the percentage of faculty who are part-time or staff teaching at the summer begins. the college has grown from 20.4 percent to 35.5 percent, an increase “I’m starting to build those courses even though I’m very aware that is reflective of national trends. According to the U.S. Department that they may get canceled the day before I go to teach them,” she of Education, the number of part-time faculty has grown by more said. “Even though I have built the entire thing already, I may not get than 300 percent from 1975 to 2011. paid for that at all.” Kaufman said this growth represents the way in which most partKaufman said this unpredictability is one of the biggest challenges time faculty members are used by colleges today. She said colleges part-time faculty members face. She said since part-time professors and universities use the part-time position as a loophole to hire work on a semester-by-semester basis, it is difficult to know whether teachers for core courses and pay them less than what they would they will have a job from one semester to the next. have to pay a full-time or tenured faculty member. Smith said the general process to move up in the faculty hierarchy “There was actually a valid function for the adjunct to serve at institutions is often difficult. He said the first step would be that at the beginning, and then administrations across the country PERCENTAGE OF COURSE SECTIONS TAUGHT BY PART-TIME FACULTY OR STAFF TEACHING facing tight budgets and really difficult decisions basically saw that 50% as a loophole as a way to pay their faculty less,” Kaufman said. 40% However, Vice President and General Counsel Nancy Pringle 30% said the number of part-time faculty at the college is below the 20% national average. In 2010, American Academic released survey results 10% that revealed that nationwide, part0% time faculty made up 47 percent ALL COLLEGE H&S MUSIC HSHP BUSINESS PARK of all faculty in higher education, 10.6% 13.3% 13.9% 4.7% 13.0% 20.9% Fall 1996 whereas around that time at the college only 31.5 percent of the 19.6% 10.2% 43.1% 14.2% 15.8% 14.3% Fall 2001 faculty were part-time. 5.6% 45.8% 14.0% 18.0% 12.2% 19.4% Fall 2006 Part-time professors at the 19.4% 14.9% 39.3% 19.3% 19.3% 13.7% college are paid $3,900 per threeFall 2011 credit course, or $1,300 per credit 16.8% 20.5% 22.2% 33.6% 11.1% 22.9% Fall 2014 hour, and are only allowed to teach DESIGN: GRACE CLAUSS AND KASEY SPETH SOURCE: ITHACA COLLEGE OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH

a professor would probably receive a full-time position that is not tenure-eligible, which entails term contracts of one to three years and a workload of four courses per semester, rather than three, which is typical for tenured and tenure-eligible faculty. He said many departments at the college have at least one and sometimes up to three or four people in NTEN, or non-tenure eligible, positions. If the faculty member wishes to move up, the next step is to apply for a different position that is tenure-eligible. Once hired as a tenure-eligible faculty member, he or she would have to go through another process for several years, after which he or she would either be granted tenure or not. Bruce Cameron, Reed Larson professor of labor law at the Regent University School of Law, said though there are some decent non– tenure track faculty and some less-decent tenured faculty, part-time professors in general are people who cannot land a tenure-track job. “Why is that?” Cameron said. “Is it because someone made the judgment that their teaching would be of lesser quality? On the other hand, a tenured professor is focused on teaching, and his or her peers and management have decided that they are worthy of tenure.” Junior Allison Dethmers said she had a subpar experience with a part-time professor, with whom she took Research and Statistics. She said the class was not productive, as the professor was not interactive or engaging. “Nobody would really pay attention because he wouldn’t stand up and interact,” she said. “And then at the end of the semester, when we had to do evaluations, he would show us pictures of his dogs and be like, ‘Just remember, I have a family, too. I need this job.’ He was basically bribing us to give him a good evaluation.” Another issue, Kaufman said, is that part-time faculty are highly under-resourced and subsequently are not typically able to conduct faculty research or access professional development funds. “Full-timers are quite busy, but we don’t have as much extra time as they do to keep ourselves as appraised in the latest developments in our field, to do research, to do the things that enrich the classroom in very real, albeit, somewhat more indirect ways like research and writing and professional development,” Kaufman said. Smith said he understands these challenges from his experience as a part-time professor in the past. “The hope is that for all of these folks is that somewhere there will be a full-time position eventually if they just keep doing this,” he said. “It’s increasingly unlikely in the current environment of higher education. So that’s why I believe that at least while they’re going to be doing this, they should get what would constitute a living wage for it.” Kaufman said when she tallied up her W-2s, she found she made under the living wage in Tompkins County for a single person without children, which is equivalent to $21,382 annually before taxes, and less than half the living wage for a single person with a child, which is $45,146 annually before taxes. The goal of the unionization movement is to give part-time faculty more of a voice surrounding these issues, and part-time faculty members hope to educate students on these issues in the coming weeks through a teach-in, Kaufman said. She also said part-time faculty members hope to make the position more sustainable by unionizing to increase the quality of education for their students. “I definitely don’t see that I want to be doing this if conditions don’t change, and we’re trying to form this union so we can change them,” Kaufman said. “But if they don’t change, I don’t think that I’ll be able to stay in this career for a long time, and I don’t see that many younger people going into this career. Without this being a sustainable position, then higher education becomes unsustainable, so we’re really trying to raise up the whole system.”

EDITORIAL 3/5/15

Unionization would benefit college employees Last month, the part-time faculty members at Ithaca College began moving toward unionization with the help of Adjunct Action, a part of the Service Employees International Union Local 200United. Since the organizers announced their plans last month, the movement has gained support from both part-time and full-time faculty at the college. If the union forms, part-time faculty members would be able to negotiate for higher pay and benefits from the college. Unionization is a smart move, considering the relatively low pay of part-time faculty at the college. Nationally, parttime faculty receives between $1,500 and $5,000 per credit, according to the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions at Hunter College in the City University of New York. However, part-time faculty members at the college make $1,300 per credit hour and have not seen a pay increase since 2009. Parttime faculty members also do not receive benefits. Clearly, the part-time faculty members at the college need a union because without one they will have no leverage to negotiate for higher pay. Now would also be a good time for a union to form because over the last two decades, the college has drastically increased its number of part-time faculty. Part-time faculty currently makes up 35.5 percent of the faculty at the college, up from 20 percent in 1996. Additionally, 20 percent of all courses at the college are taught by part-time faculty. If this trend continues, the college will get away with putting less money toward faculty by relying on part-time faculty. If parttime faculty members continue to make up a larger portion of the college, then they will need a union to ensure they do not get taken advantage of. Part-time faculty members will also become more appealing to the college considering the current financial state: The full general merit salary pool for faculty and staff this year is 1.5 percent, the college faced a $4.6 million shortage from under-enrollment this year and is currently dealing with a decreasing number of high school graduates from the Northeast. Though the college has taken steps to correct the budget deficit through the strategic sourcing initiative, many college employees are concerned about the security of their jobs. Recently, the college’s facilities workers have been given more responsibilities. The college has made a point to not fill some vacant staff positions, so many staff members have been asked to take on more work for the same pay. With raises decreasing and staff members being asked to take on more work, it may be time for facilities workers to consider their options of unionization. Some staff members have said people avoid discussing unionization out of fear of losing their jobs. However, if the college continues to stretch its employees thin, they may have little choice. If the college continues its efforts to trim the budget and finds the money to pay its employees fair wages, then unions may not be necessary on campus. However, if the college cannot or will not meet the needs of its employees, unionization may be the best solution.

CAMPUS VIOLENCE

TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

SAFETY SAFETY NOT NOT GUARANTEED GUARANTEED OFFICE OF PUBLIC SAFETY PLANS FOR GUN VIOLENCE EMERGENCIES By Alexandra Peksa

Editor’s Note: Violence on college campuses places pressure on higher education institutions to improve their handling of compromising situations. Recent guidelines put forth by the White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault, backed by the Department of Education’s investigations of 61 colleges and universities for possible Title IX violations, pushed for change in the way college administrations handle sexual violence cases. The most recent White House campaign announced in September 2014, “It’s On Us,” speaks out against bystander behavior in relation to sexual assaults. Amid pressure on colleges to address sexual assaults, the FBI recently released a report outlining an increasing trend on active shooter situations, with some of the higher casualty counts having occurred during incidents on college campuses. The Ithacan reports on Ithaca College’s policies and campaigns to address these student safety issues in the context of their national nature.

While a recently released FBI report has declared a steady rise in incidents of gun violence nationally, Ithaca College has plans in place in preparation for such situations — plans that may affect the entire campus community. The FBI’s report, titled “A Study of Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 and 2013,” released Sept. 24, 2014, defines an active shooter as an in-progress shooting, the outcome of which responders have the potential to influence. It identifies 160 incidents of an active shooter in the U.S. from 2000–13, during which a total of 486 people were killed and 557 others were wounded, not including the shooters themselves. The study also marks an increasing trend from an average of 6.4 occurrences of an active shooter per year in the first seven years studied to an annual average of 16.4 incidents in the last seven years. According to the report, 27 incidents took place in schools grades pre-K through 12, while 12 occurred at institutions of higher learning. The report specifies that shootings at educational facilities account for some of the higher casualty counts. The Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management at the college is responsible for handling the event of an active shooter on campus. Terri Stewart, director of Public Safety, said the office and its officers are highly prepared to respond to such an incident. New York state requires a minimum of two weeks of firearms training, a standard Stewart said the college surpasses by requiring officers to train on a continual basis with the four state-certified firearms training instructors on campus. As set forth by both the State of New York and the college, officers must score in the 80th percentile in shooting range accuracy, though Stewart said most of the college’s officers are in the 90th to 100th percentiles. Patrol Officer John Elmore said Public Safety officers do firearms and simunitions training about twice a year on average with the Ithaca Police Department. This year, they conducted training during fall and Thanksgiving breaks at the IPD fire range. “If we’re out on our fire range, we try to reflect as much as real life as we can, and some of that involves live ammunition, always at a target, never at any other person, and always directed in a safe direction,” he said. Jamie Williamson, public information officer of the IPD, said the IPD has an excellent working relationship with Public Safety. Public Safety trains its officers to the same levels as that of a municipal police officer, and as a result the two departments often train together, he said. The purpose of this is not just to improve their skills as individual police officers, he said, but also to try to assure that all officers practice the same safety skills during a dangerous situation. “Experience has shown us that if we are all on the same page, our jobs as police officers are much less stressful and critical incidents are much more manageable,” Williamson said. Elmore said Public Safety officers, but not security guards, are required to keep guns on their person at all times for emergency preparedness. “While on campus, we have full policing powers, so we are required to carry guns so that we can respond to emergency situations,” he said. However, the college does not have SWAT-trained officers, he said. Colleges typically rely on local police departments for for such special response units. For example, he said the Ithaca SWAT Response Team consists of Tompkins County Sheriff deputies and SWAT-trained IPD officers. As for students, those who wish to have a firearm on campus must register it with Public Safety, as guns are not allowed in residence halls or academic buildings. Students are also forbidden from having BB guns on campus, as Stewart said they are extremely difficult to distinguish from real guns. The college’s Core Emergency Response Team runs other simulations during holiday and summer breaks in which Public

Safety officers respond to exercises ranging from a hostage situation to severe weather, followed by a debriefing and analysis. In the case of an active shooter, Elmore said the first objective for the police is to eliminate the threat, then come to the aid of others. “The premise is that you want to save as many people as possible, and the way to save as many people as possible, as unfortunate as it is, is often to eliminate the active shooter,” he said. Only the CERT and the officers are involved in these simulations, though Stewart said the team is currently working to include students and faculty in the simulations. “We need to and we will be extending this to the campus community,” said Stewart. Hamilton College conducted a full-scale active-shooter simulation on its campus on June 18, 2014, with SWAT teams and local police clearing out student housing with simulation guns. Francis Manfredo, director of Campus Safety at Hamilton, said Hamilton has conducted five emergency simulations in the past five years, three of which were of active-shooter situations. He said the scenarios are scripted by Campus Safety and carried out by local law enforcement, which brings in helicopters and simulates injuries to conduct the drill. Hamilton’s campus safety officers, he said, are unarmed. Ithaca College’s Emergency Response Plan is available online to inform students about what to do in the event of an evacuation or shelter-in-place, where students stay out of sight and as quiet as possible in one designated place during an emergency. The guidelines for these situations never change and adhere to the All-Hazards Approach, a comprehensive plan outlined by the National Incident Management System that applies to all disasters and emergencies. An All-Hazards Approach to emergency preparedness encourages effective and consistent response to any disaster or emergency, regardless of the cause, Stewart said. Resident assistants are also heavily involved in the protection of students, sophomore RA Marissa Gossage, said. RAs are trained by Public Safety to look for red flags in potentially dangerous students by analyzing their mental health and well-being and then to outsource the situation to see who else can help the student, she said. “We’re supposed to catch it before it happens,” Gossage said. On the virtual plane, Molly Israel, director of communications in the Office of Marketing Communications, said the office monitors social media for threatening or potentially menacing messages related to Ithaca College and forwards them to Public Safety for further investigation. Psychology professor Cyndy Scheibe said while the aggression of many shooters traces back to genetics, where some are more predisposed than others, she pinpoints cultural and family factors as the most important factors in the making of an active shooter. In what she refers to as a “culture of disrespect,” Scheibe said when a person is already mentally unbalanced, continual exposure to violent television shows and video games can heavily help determine whether a person becomes an active shooter. If an active-shooter situation ever were to occur on campus, Williamson said, IPD and Public Safety would work together in their response. He said command of the scene would be determined by personnel there. “The approach is the same no matter who you work for: respond quickly, work methodically, stop the threat, and go home at the end of the night,” he said. “The name on the patch of the uniform plays no part in getting the job done.”

CAMPUS VIOLENCE

C Cu uom mo o or rdder rss SSU UN NY Y ssch ho oollss to o een nf fo or rc cee ""Y Yees M Meea an nss Y Yeess"" po ollic icy y By Kayla Dwyer

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks to the media after casting his vote on Nov. 2, 2010, at Mt. Kisco Presbyterian Church in Mt. Kisco, New York. CHARLES ECKERT/NEWSDAY/MCT

The movement of affirmative consent — or “Yes means Yes” in regard to consent in sexual encounters — has been popping up on college campuses across the country, with California implementing statewide legislation and New York soon to follow suit. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Oct. 2, 2014, that all SUNY schools would have to institute a policy on affirmative consent within the next 60 days. At the press conference held in Manhattan, he said the act would lead to statewide legislation requiring all New York higher education institutions to shift to this sexual assault policy. Cuomo’s announcement follows California Gov. Jerry Brown’s signing of an affirmative consent bill on Sept. 28, 2014, that requires all California colleges and universities to adopt sexual assault policies that include affirmative consent. The bill, the first of its kind to be signed into law, also requires the institutions to create outreach and prevention programs addressing the issues of sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking. According to the bill, SB-967, affirmative consent means both parties in a sexual encounter must provide conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in the activity, and silence or lack of protest is not included in forms of affirmative consent. In addition, the consent must occur at each stage of the encounter, and at any of these points, SB-967 states consent may be revoked. The notable difference in this legislation from prior approaches to sexual assault cases is that affirmative consent cannot be considered viable if the accused claims it was given while the victim was intoxicated. Traevena Byrd, associate counsel and director of equal opportunity compliance at Ithaca College, said the college will comply with all state laws and regulations regarding sexual violence and continually review its policies on the issue. She said the college’s current definition of consent is similar to the definition in SB-967 in that it requires an unambiguous sign of consent through words or actions. However, with Cuomo hoping to enforce this policy within private institutions in New York, a select group of administrators have begun reviewing the college’s definition of consent in relation to Cuomo’s proposed changes. These revisions are still under review

by the Office of the General Counsel. Currently, consent at the college is specifically defined as “spoken words or behavior that indicates, without a doubt to either party, a mutual agreement to participate in sexual intercourse or other sexual activities. Indicators of consent do not include silence or past or present sexual relationships,” according to the Student Conduct Code. Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, Iowa, is an example of a college that already has affirmative consent policy in place, as it has since 2012. Grinnell junior Tyler Anderson, aside from being a student adviser and a varsity baseball athlete, is also a member of Grinnell’s task force for safety and violence prevention. He said all freshmen attend five community-value sessions at orientation, one of which deals with affirmative consent in sexual encounters. When Anderson speaks to the freshmen about affirmative consent, he said, he begins with a general idea of what consent means — not just sexually but with any encounter, such as consenting to a dance. These aspects of common courtesy, he said, then can translate into giving consent during sexual encounters. “We can generalize the basic skills of knowing when somebody’s enthusiastic or when they’re kind of hesitant,” he said. “If it’s not enthusiastic, then it’s not like they’re actually giving you consent.” He said Grinnell’s definition of affirmative consent is consent given knowingly and voluntarily from beginning to end for each form of sexual contact. This consent, he said, must be mutually understood through verbal or clear physical actions like nodding or smiling. The guidelines to affirmative consent create concern with the advocacy group called Families Advocating for Campus Equality, which board member Cynthia Garrett said was formed by the parents of three male students who were expelled after being wrongly accused of sexual assault. “These boys now are consistently getting expelled and can’t get into any other university, so in effect their lives are over,” Garrett said. She said colleges feel the pressure from the federal and state governments, who provide them with funding to implement these

programs and handle sexual assaults. “These administrators and professors are more likely to err on the side of guilt because it’s the safer decision,” she said. She said the necessity of ongoing consent throughout sexual activity raises logistical questions regarding when and how to ask as well as the possibility that the plaintiff could withdraw his or her consent by simply not saying anything and the defendant might not have realized. Anderson said he thinks the concern that providing consent through each stage of the sexual encounter being awkward or

unfeasible is invalid. “I think that’s the urban myth around affirmative consent,” he said. “It’s more simplistic than that. … Really it’s just checking in — making eye contact and making sure they’re still into it.” In addition to freshman orientation, he said the task force also provides in-services throughout the year and will be conducting a campus-climate survey in the spring to assess sexual misconduct on the campus. “The attitude we’ve taken with affirmative consent is it’s just the right thing to do,” Anderson said.

EDITORIAL 10/23/14

Faculty and staff need training for emergencies Data from an FBI study, titled “A Study of Active Shooter Incidents in the United States Between 2000 and 2013,” released Sept. 24, 2014, indicates that there were 160 active-shooter incidents in the given time frame. The FBI defines an active-shooter as an individual with the intention to kill people in a populated area. The study also shows that there was a yearly average of 6.4 active shooter incidents from 2000–06, which has more than doubled to 16.4 incidents per year from 2007–13. Although active-shooter situations at educational institutions only made up 24.4 percent of the 160 incidents, they usually have a higher casualty rate. At Ithaca College, the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management is responsible for creating a plan of action in the event of an active shooter situation. All Public Safety officers are required to have two weeks of firearms training before being authorized to carry a firearm, in accordance with New York state law. According to Jamie Williamson, public information officer of the Ithaca Police Department, the IPD and Public Safety work closely together and often train together because Public Safety officers receive the same training as municipal police officers. The college’s Emergency Response Plan is available on ithaca. edu and outlines and instructs the campus community on what to do in case of emergencies, such as an active shooter on campus. The plan follows the National Incident Management System, which applies to all emergencies. Additionally, Public Safety regularly holds

CARTOON BY ALLISON LATINI

presentations on active-shooter situations for faculty and staff, according to Deputy Chief David Dray. Dray also said Public Safety has a video on its website titled “Shots Fired” that gives an accurate portrayal of an active shooter situation and how to protect themselves. The manual is easily accessible online, but some faculty and staff have expressed that they were not aware of its existence and have not been formally trained to handle an active-shooter situation in or outside the classroom. This is especially concerning because students are inclined to rely on professors and other authority figures for guidance in emergencies. Although Public Safety is well prepared for emergency situations, faculty and staff are not as well prepared as they can be. The college should mandate active-shooter situation training for faculty and staff because they spend much of their time with students. Hamilton College has conducted three active-shooter simulations in the past five years, which is something Ithaca College should look into because a realistic simulation could better prepare the campus community for what to do if an active shooter were to be on campus. Public Safety trains resident assistants to assess students’ wellbeing and mental health to look for warning signs. However, faculty and staff are not required to complete the same training. The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services offers Pathways training for faculty, staff and students, which teaches them to look for potential distress triggers and signs of distress so at-risk students receive the help they need, according to its brochure. Faculty and staff should be required to complete Pathways training. Another problem the college and Public Safety should look into is re-examining buildings’ safety features. Classroom doors in Friends Hall and the Roy H. Park School of Communications cannot be locked from the inside, which means that professors would have to open doors to lock them, putting themselves and students in danger in the event of an active shooter. Despite the aforementioned safety and preparedness flaws, Public Safety does an excellent job issuing alerts via email, phone calls and text messages to the campus community for events such as natural disasters or robberies on campus. Family members of Ithaca College students can also sign up for the same alerts so they are aware of any potential dangers on or around campus. There needs to be more emphasis on preparing faculty and staff if there were to be an active shooter on campus. Although Public Safety is prepared to respond to an active shooter with the help of the IPD, faculty and staff who will more than likely be the first in line to protect students must be better prepared for critical emergency situations.

REEFER MADNESS Students smoke marijuana on campus but find college authorities do not always report them By Avalon Singer

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AMANDA DEN HARTOG

Freshman Adam* said he thought he was being careful when an officer caught him. He placed a blanket under the door, turned his fan on and faced it toward the open window. He packed a bowl of marijuana into his friend’s vaporizer and smoked his usual amount, he said. About 10–15 minutes passed before he heard an authoritative knock at his door. “It sounded really intense, but I didn’t think anything of it,” he said. “I looked through the peephole and no one was there, so I opened the door and then in stepped a campus police officer.” Before this incident, Adam had been caught in early September for marijuana use on campus. Three police officers caught him and his four friends smoking, wrote down their names and student identification numbers, and had them empty their pockets of other marijuana paraphernalia. Adam had to follow the normal protocol for a first-time Level I violation of unlawful possession or use of marijuana at the college, which consists of meeting with a hearing officer, getting a written warning and completing a Web-based educational program that costs $50, according to the document “Sanction and Intervention Protocol For Alcohol and Marijuana Violations” from the Office of Judicial Affairs. Adam said he felt paranoid that this time he would receive the punishment for a second Level I violation of unlawful possession or use of marijuana, which would include meeting with a hearing officer, disciplinary probation for one year, a final warning before loss of campus housing, parent notification and attending meetings for the “Balancing Alcohol & Substance Use to Improve College Success” educational program that costs $75. The police officer instead asked to see any paraphernalia, gave him a warning and left the room without reporting the incident or taking any materials. “I was so shocked,” he said. “I’ve never heard of that being a thing before. He didn’t even ask my name or anything — it was just so radically different.” There have been several cases similar to Adam’s in which students were caught smoking marijuana and were not reported. Freshman George* said he had been smoking in the woods next to the West Tower parking lot with five of his friends when

campus police caught them. He said all of their names and student identification numbers were written down, but the only person who had to follow through with the protocol was the student who claimed ownership of the drug, admitting they had been smoking marijuana from his own paraphernalia. Michael Leary, assistant director of judicial affairs, said the number of students who smoke marijuana on campus is significantly higher than the number of students who get reported. According to Ithaca College’s Office of Judicial Affairs Chart F, titled, “Cases Where Drugs Were Involved,” which Leary says are mostly marijuana cases, the number of reported cases involving drugs has decreased from 308 in 2009–10 to 219 in 2012–13. Leary also said in the winter there are fewer resident assistants and campus police patrolling outdoors, where many students smoke marijuana. Nancy Reynolds, health promotion center program director, said the college has a reduced ability to enforce the marijuana laws on campus because it is limited in law enforcement staff. “If [RAs] were allowed to document marijuana incidents, we may be able to do a better job, but RAs have expressed safety and other concerns about doing this,” Reynolds said. Sergeant Investigator Tom Dunn from the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management said he thinks the college does a better job of identifying and judicially referring violations of marijuana possession now as opposed to previous years. He said he is not aware that officers are underreporting some cases of marijuana violations. He said officers should be reporting every crime, but in some cases, a marijuana crime could be subordinate to a more serious situation. “Officers should report all encounters with us, but if I’m responding to a woman who has been raped, and I find you and you’re smoking, I would say, ‘Dump the marijuana, I am giving you a warning,’ because I am going on a call.” This may be the protocol in dire situations. However, Dunn said in order to notify Public Safety that the officer gave a student a warning, he or she would have had to record the situation, and this does not occur every time a student gets caught. “Do you report everything?” he said. “No human being can report

everything that they see every time.” Marijuana usage rates in colleges across the nation are well above the national average. Its use has slowly been increasing, with 15.4 percent in Fall 2011 saying they’ve used in the past 30 days compared to 19.8 percent in Spring 2014, according to the National College Health Assessment survey, which is self-reported by college students. Nationally, support for marijuana legalization has surpassed opposition, according to the Pew Research Center. The study called “6 Facts About Marijuana” found that 52 percent of Americans support its legalization compared to 45 percent who do not. This increase has been most evident over the past few years where support rose by 11 points between 2010 and 2013, according to the report. As the national view on marijuana use has become more liberal, the college’s policies regarding the protocol on marijuana violations have changed over the years. “A first-time marijuana violation used to be probation and a firsttime alcohol violation used to be to get a written warning, and they [Students for Sensible Drug Policy] didn’t feel that was fair,” Leary said. “We talked more about it and said that we agreed with them.” In response to the NCHA survey, Reynolds said the marijuana usage rates will continue to increase in colleges across the United States as laws become less restrictive nationally. However, she said that does not mean the college would get any closer to less restrictive laws. “Even if marijuana were to be legalized in New York state, the campus would still have to remain drug free in order to receive federal funding under the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act, so marijuana will still not be allowed on campus,” she said. When speaking about the enforcement of drug policy and judicial protocol regarding marijuana, Adam said there may be room for improvement. “I think it comes down to which campus police officer you get,” Adam said. “But I also think they could be enforcing it a little bit stronger if a police officer opened up my grinder, saw that I had some on me and then gave it back to me.” *Names altered to protect anonymity of sources

SOURCE: OFFICE OF JUDICIAL AFFARS CHART F

EDITORIAL 2/18/15

Marijuana reporting lacks consistency Ithaca College lacks consistency when it comes to the frequency with which student marijuana use is reported, as well as the severity of resulting penalties. Although the penalties were adjusted a few years ago to become less severe, this is not enough. Some students get away with nothing more than a verbal warning if they are caught smoking, while others face fines or other charges. Marijuana use is underreported on this campus, and even when it is reported, not all students face penalties. When asked about incidents where students were let off with warnings, Sergeant Investigator Tom Dunn said officers should be reporting every crime, but in some cases, a marijuana crime may be subordinate to a more serious situation. However, this lack of consistency cannot be explained away completely by the urgency of waiting calls. Naturally a safety incident will take priority over students smoking marijuana, but this seems to be an excuse rather than the full reason for inconsistencies. The national climate surrounding marijuana use has shifted considerably in the last few years. Students at the college seem not to view marijuana use as a serious crime. Recreational use has been legalized in several states and decriminalized or approved for medical use in others, so campus policies may be out of line with people’s changing perceptions of the drug. It is not fair for some students to receive harsh penalties while others go free. The campus must reevaluate the severity of the charges and penalties dealing with student marijuana use. Then, steps must be taken to ensure consistency in reporting and enforcing these penalties.

DESIGN BY ALISON TEADORE AND KASEY SPETH

TECHNOLOGY

TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

BEGUN, THE DRoNE WAR HAS Ithaca College considers drone use in academic setting By Max Denning Four glossy, white, plastic rotor blades propel its 40-ounce frame, complete with a camera capable of shooting video or taking still photographs up to 100 meters in the air. It can cost as little as $200, but using one for commercial purposes can result in a $10,000 fine. Unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, were the cutting-edge military technology in the early 2000s, but now they’re a part of the new wave of media technology. Ari Kissiloff, assistant professor of strategic communication, said an email conversation with Diane Gayeski, dean of the Roy H. Park School of Communications; Park School professors; and representatives from both the Office of Risk Management and the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management about Ithaca College’s policy on drones opened up in July 2014. Gossa Tsegaye ’76, assistant professor of media arts, sciences and studies, said UAVs are a “new phenomenon” in the film and media industry. While there is not currently an official proposal to purchase drones, Tsegaye said he believes drones could be a part of the Park School’s upcoming technology purchases in the next year. Both Tsegaye and Kissiloff have some experience with the use of drones. Kissiloff owns a Parrot AR Drone 2.0, which he uses for recreational purposes. Likewise, Tsegaye will be using a drone for filming his documentary, “Sacred Patches,” about an Amish community in central New York. Tsegaye said a UAV will allow him to get intimate and wideframe shots of the Amish community members without intruding into their personal lives. He said a student script must call for a shot that requires a drone rather than inciting students to overuse a drone just for the sake of flying what he calls a “digital kite.” Tsegaye said he

wants to include drones in the curriculum to make sure his students are prepared to utilize new technology in their fields. “I don’t want my students to fall behind when they graduate because they’ve never been exposed to [drones],” Tsegaye said. “I don’t want them to lose a job to the next guy because he or she had a drone experience.” Drones have become increasingly popular in the media industry over the past year. CNN and the Georgia Institute of Technology announced they would be studying how to safely operate drones, David Vigilante, CNN’s vice president of legal, said in a statement June 25, 2014. “Our hope is that by working cooperatively to share knowledge, we can accelerate the process for CNN and other media organizations to safely integrate this new technology into their coverage plans,” he said. Currently, the Federal Aviation Agency bans drone flights for commercial purposes in the United States, according to the FAA website. This includes both public and uncontrolled airspace. The FAA classifies uncontrolled airspace as airspace away from airports and over unpopulated areas. Only a single commercial operation in such areas has been approved by the FAA. “A commercial flight requires a certified aircraft, a licensed pilot and operating approval. To date, only one operation has met these criteria, using Insitu’s ScanEagle, and authorization was limited to the Arctic,” the FAA website states. The FAA does not regulate model aircraft as long as the aircraft follows certain statutory requirements, which under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 limits the aircraft’s weight to 55 pounds, to only being used for recreational use, and not

interfering with manned aircraft. With the interest in utilizing drones as part of the curriculum comes a multitude of questions about the regulations surrounding their use. Kissiloff said he understands the legal dilemma but also realizes there is a lack of FAA enforcement on photographers utilizing drones for their shoots. “I know that technically you can’t shoot [footage with UAV] and then charge for it,” Kissiloff said. “I know that plenty of people do.” Local company photography4d.com utilizes UAVs to film and photograph events in the Ithaca area as free promotional work. Owner Joe Scaglione took aerials of the Ithaca College campus for ICTV on Aug. 29, 2014. Though he can’t charge for aerial shots taken from a drone due to the FAA ban, Scaglione, who said he has been flying drones since 2007, said he flies the drones to promote tourism and travel in the area. However, Scaglione said the FAA’s ban is hindering economic growth. “[Drones] could be a serious boost to the economy, yet only professionals should be authorized to fly them,” Scaglione said. The FAA has also stifled colleges’ efforts to use drones to educate. In June 2014, the University of South Florida revealed plans to lend students drones. According to CNN, USF purchased two drones, valued at $1,500 each, and was planning on requiring students to receive training before being able to operate the drones. However, the FAA grounded the program in September 2014, because the university charges students for the course through which they would use the drones, thus classifying the use as commercial, according to Aero News Network. Adam Freeman, media and public affairs coordinator at USF, said in a statement on Sept. 3, 2014, that the school is still planning to pursue the issue. “As policies for the program are still being developed, the drones are not available at this time,” he said. “However, the university plans to seek approval from the FAA for student use of the drones.” Terri Stewart, director of Public Safety, said she supports the concept of utilizing drones for educational purposes. Stewart said she was a part of the initial discussions about the possible introduction of drone technology to the classroom, but she remains concerned about potential issues regarding approval from the FAA. “I am cautious due to the recent banning of drones in select areas for a multitude of reasons,” Stewart said. Kristine Slaght, risk manager for Ithaca College, said there is not currently a college drone policy, but all individual recreational users must comply with federal regulations. “It is possible that the college would need to implement additional parameters for safety and/or privacy concerns,” she said. However, Virginia Mansfield-Richardson, associate dean of the Roy H. Park School of Communciations, is in charge of the working group drafting a policy regarding the use of drones on campus. She said she antipates a draft of a drone policy to send to the Office of the General Counsel by the end of the academic year. “The issue is more complex than often meets the eye as there are different classifications of unmanned aerial vehicles and the committee is trying to foresee all possible uses of the technology by students, staff and professors,” Mansfield-Richardson said in an email. However, drones could be used in demos by professors in classes during this semester. Tsegaye brought in Photography 4d to demonstrate one of its UAVs to his summer media production class, and Kissiloff said he would be bringing his UAV into his filming classes to demonstrate its flight. In addition, The Ithacan photographers began using a drone earlier this year. Kissiloff said he recognizes the challenges presented by drones because of their differences from other camera mounts and understands the complexity of incorporating them into everyday filming. “Adding a new camera is relatively simple,” he said. “As I said before, it is just a new camera mount, but it is a very different beast.”

EDITORIAL 9/18/14

Ithaca College needs to create drone policy Unmanned aerial vehicles, better known as drones, are being used as educational tools after years of military use. Although the Federal Aviation Administration does not regulate drones under 55 pounds that are not used for commercial purposes, Ithaca College does not have its own drone policy. Ari Kissiloff, assistant professor in the strategic communication department, said talks of a drone regulation policy began in July 2014. Terri Stewart, director of the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management, is “cautious due to the recent banning of drones in select areas” but supports drone use for educational purposes. The issue of privacy is also of concern, as expressed by Kristine Slaght, the college’s risk manager. With proper training, students can benefit from using drones in an educational setting. They would be able to use them for filming purposes and even archaeology classes, which the University of Massachusetts had to downsize because professors and students were not allowed to test or use the flight equipment. The college should implement a drone policy that allows students to use drones for educational purposes and for student media to capture photos or videos. Students should go through proper drone training, including piloting lessons, knowing safety precautions and respecting privacy. The Ithacan has a training program in place that includes reading instruction manuals, watching training videos and learning how to fly and control the drone. As drones gain popularity in academic settings, a policy must be set for safe, responsible and effective use. CARTOON BY ALLISON LATINI

TECHNOLOGY

A VIRTUAL STEAL STUDENTS RESORT TO ILLEGAL MEANS TO ACQUIRE COSTLY TEXTBOOKS By Max Denning Photo Illustration by Corey Hess It can take a student only a few seconds to find a free, albeit illegal, online version of a textbook. By simply searching a textbook’s name followed by “PDF” or “torrent,” any student can often easily find a free downloadable version of a textbook that would have cost him or her hundreds of dollars. With the increasing cost of textbooks, students have found new and often illegal ways to acquire their books. Prices for new college textbooks rose 82 percent from 2002–12, according to a 2013 study by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. In a survey published in July 2013 by the Book Industry Study Group, 34 percent of students nationally reported illegally downloading course content online. Ithaca College students are responding to rising prices in a similar manner. Freshman Jeremy Block said he uses Google to look for PDF versions of his more expensive textbooks. Block said he saved an estimated $200 this semester alone by finding just one of his textbooks online. Block said he only finds online versions of his textbooks through Google searching and refuses to use other popular sources such as torrent sites. “If I can find it on Google, then I consider it open to the public,” Block said. Though Block considers them public, these online textbooks are illegal reproductions of intellectual property under U.S. Copyright Law. In 2003, the Recording Industry Association of America began subpoenaing hundreds of colleges, including Ithaca College, requesting the names of students using IP addresses on campus to download illegal music. Under a statute passed as a part of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in 1998, pirating music or textbooks on a college campus gives companies the power to subpoena the college for student offenders’ names and information. The DMCA criminalized the use of any type of technology used to circumvent controls used to limit access to copyrighted materials. While Ithaca did comply with the subpoena, Traevena Byrd, associate general counsel, said she questions the effectiveness of the RIAA’s practice. “Obviously, they didn’t continue with that practice over time,” Byrd said. “We haven’t received a subpoena like that in several years.” However, Byrd said she hopes students wouldn’t pirate textbooks simply because the practice is illegal. “When you’re talking about academic textbooks, nobody’s getting rich off of them,” she said. “I understand a student’s perspective: Textbooks are expensive, and it’s just so easy to download them online. I get it. Technology has not waited for the law to catch up.” The damages ensued from copyright infringement is a fine of $750–30,000 or up to $150,000 if the plaintiff can prove it was intentional, according to the 17 U.S. Code 504. As a student, Block said he understands the legal and ethical issues pirating textbooks warrants, but he believes it’s the publisher’s job to limit online piracy.

“It’s up to the publisher to make sure their textbooks don’t come up online,” Block said. Another student, Julia*, said she believes many textbook companies are trying to rip off students. She said she heard of textbook companies releasing new editions of textbooks after only adding a couple of pictures, which is echoed by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s claim that publishers hike up prices by releasing new editions every few years. Andi Sporkin, vice president of communications at the Association of American Publishers, responded to PIRG’s claim, saying it ignores the fact that a large constituency of publishers has been offering digital and online formats for less money. Rick Watson, director of college stores at Ithaca College, said he does agree textbook companies often release new editions with little changes, but this is in part because of college bookstores selling used books. Selling used books allows for bookstores to not have to purchase more copies of the same textbook from the publisher. PIRG released a study in January 2014, “Fixing the Broken Textbook Market,” which said the average college student spends about $1,200 per year on books and supplies, according to a survey of 2,000 college students. Watson said he has noticed textbook prices have risen in the seven years he’s worked in the Bookstore’s office. The high cost of textbooks is what motivates students like Julia to illegally download their textbooks. She said she believes pirating textbooks is a way of protesting the high prices. “If they’re ripping us off, we might as well fight back,” Julia said. However, the pirating of books does make an impact on the book industry. According to the Association of American Publishers, U.S. publishers across all categories lose $80–100 million annually to piracy. In addition to the DMCA, Congress passed the Technology Education and Copyright Harmonization Act in another attempt to reduce piracy and copyright infringement. The TEACH Act of 2002 required all nonprofit colleges and universities to institute policies regarding copyright and limited educational use of copyright materials strictly to students officially enrolled in the course. Most recently, republicans introduced the Stop Online Piracy Act to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2011 to allow the government to seek court orders against websites that infringe on copyright law. However, the bill was tabled and later announced as postponed in January 2012. Byrd said she believes these updates were insufficient, and the law needs a complete overhaul to really stop the illegal practice. Specifically, she said intellectual property law has not adapted to an age where copyrighted content is constantly being utilized on creative outlets such as YouTube. “We have to really reconceptualize the whole notion of who owns what when it comes to intellectual property,” Byrd said. *Names altered to protect anonymity of sources

EDITORIAL 10/8/14

PROFESSORS SHOULD PROVIDE CHEAPER TEXTBOOK OPTIONS A 2013 study done by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that college textbook prices rose 82 percent from 2002–12. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group also released a study in January 2014 saying college students spend an average of $1,200 per academic year on textbooks and other school supplies, based on answers from 2,000 students. The high prices of textbooks have caused students to turn to the Internet to search for illegal copies of textbooks online. Students can often find full copies of books they need by adding “PDF” or “free” to a search, and 34 percent of students admit to pirating textbooks, according to a 2013 survey from the Book Industry Study Group. Although anyone can view or download online versions of textbooks, pirating textbooks or any sort of intellectual property is illegal. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, publishing companies can obtain the names and information of students from colleges and universities around the country who have pirated textbooks. It is unrealistic to expect students not to download textbooks illegally, especially since Ithaca College tuition, room and board have increased 67 percent from 2002–12 in the same time frame that textbook prices have increased 82 percent. However, the faculty can help alleviate this problem. Professors should reconsider requiring students to purchase books that will not be used frequently — or at all — and upload materials to Sakai. According to the Ithaca College Library website, professors can upload or photocopy up to 10 percent of a textbook for classroom use and can distribute journal articles if the college is subscribed to certain journal databases. If they are adamant about students having the full textbook, professors can provide e-books that are significantly cheaper than physical books.

Percent increase since 2002

Estimated increases in new college textbook prices, college tuition and fees, and overall consumer price inflation, 2002-12

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index Data Design by: Grace Clauss and Kasey Speth

TECHNOLOGY

Stress-free HomerConnect

Freshman Aaron Zufall shows off “Less Terrible HomerConnect,” a Google Chrome extension he created that aims to make HomerConnect easier to navigate. Zufall decided to improve HomerConnect after his first time using it. COREY HESS /THE ITHACAN

Freshman creates easier-to-navigate HomerConnect By Katie Baldwin For many Ithaca College students, the HomerConnect website is a maze of links, tabs and information that can be confusing to navigate. However, some students have become increasingly frustrated with the website, creating a significant resistance toward one of the college’s major communication outlets to the student body. Freshman Aaron Zufall decided to fix this issue by giving the website a complete makeover, helping users navigate the site stress free. His creation is called the “Less Terrible HomerConnect,” a Google Chrome extension that Zufall said maintains the fundamentals of the original website but reorganizes them in a way that is more visually appealing and easier to understand. Zufall said he initially thought of giving the site a makeover the first time he used HomerConnect at class registration during the freshmen summer orientation. “I really just made it for myself, and then a bunch of people were like, ‘Hey, you should make this a thing,’” Zufall said. “And so, I figured the best way to do it would be through a browser plugin, so I just sat down for a couple hours and figured out how to make one.” The new site allows for an easy-to-understand menu located on the homepage, and it features the most popular assets of HomerConnect, such as the “Week at a Glance,” “Financial Aid” and “Housing” tabs. “If you load HomerConnect, it realizes that’s what you’re doing, and then what it actually does is build a new website on top of the old one,” Zufall said. “So, on the main menu, if you were to actually go into the code and delete some of it, you could actually see that normal HomerConnect is just sitting underneath it. So it actually just builds this less awful facade on top of it so that it’s easier to navigate.” Zufall’s roommate, freshman Jeremy Block, helped Zufall make the Chrome extension a public application for anyone to use.

“Aaron has a technical ability beyond most freshmen computer scientists,” Block said. “I really encouraged him to make his plug-in available on the Chrome Web Store, and I think it’s become a really big success.” After examining the new browser plug-in for the first time, Registrar Brian Scholten said the “Less Terrible HomerConnect” layout was appealing and user-friendly, but he did see some weaknesses. “On the new version this student has created, we noticed that there are no targeted messages when students log in,” Scholten said. “Usually, the office will provide students a notification of upcoming events like class registration when they log in. And, the current schedule [on Zufall’s version] is the ‘Detailed Student Schedule,’ not the ‘Concise Student Schedule,’ which is much easier for printout.” According to Scholten, there have been talks between Information Technology Services and the Office of the Registrar on how to improve HomerConnect as well as student discussion groups that provide a chance for improvement. “We are aware it could be easier to use,” Scholten said. However, Scholten said there is little the school can do to change the website quickly because Ellucian Company L.P., the creator of HomerConnect, makes it difficult for the college to update the site whenever it sees fit due to the fact that the upgrades can only come from the company. “The college wants to do something, but if [HomerConnect] comes straight out of a box, we can’t make a ton of changes,” Scholten said. Despite some challenges in the renovation of the site, Zufall said he is hopeful for the future. “I’d love to build an entirely new HomerConnnect,” Zufall said. “If someone came up to me and said, ‘Hey, we need you to make a totally new system that we’re going to use,’ I have the capability to do that. I really hope that Ithaca will consider adopting this new version.”

GrouPs succeed Succeed Three Groups Business competition Competition In business By Yane Ahn Student entrepreneurs had the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of professionals and executives Nov. 20, 2014. The 12 groups, chosen from an original group of 27, competed for three possible first-place awards of $1,000 each. The inspiration for the competition came from discussions in 2011 between Mary Ellen Zuckerman, former dean of the School of Business, and Christopher Burch ’76, who got his own start in business selling sweaters on campus while still a student. Brad Treat, instructor of management, coached and supported the groups that presented at the competition. Many of the competing groups came from his class, Entrepreneurial Innovation. Treat said the students now tend to look off campus and identify problems that businesses could solve globally, and the business ideas continue to get stronger each year. “I think, historically, students look at students’ problems, but now they’re saying, ‘Let’s think bigger,’” Treat said. “I think the big thing is that all this is possible because of an Ithaca College alumni who’s been so generous in his giveback. [Chris Burch] said, ‘Let’s enable this next generation of young entrepreneurs,’ … and since he did that we’ve launched an average of six businesses per year out of Ithaca College.” The 12 groups were competing along three tracks: innovation, service and health. Four groups competed within each of these themes as it related to their business ideas. The judge panel consisted of Michael Axelrod ’91, co-founder of QuickMeds and partner of LiquidHub; John Alexander, founder of CBORD; Heather Lane ’10, owner of Purity Ice Cream; and Stephen Cohn ’89, co-founder and co-president of Sage Financial Group. Axelrod said the judges try to look for ideas that are viable products that could generate revenue and income. “There were a lot of ideas today that could do that, so it was really difficult looking through the categories to see which was the most viable,” he said. “I think people had a better vision of where they’re going to take their ideas this year than they have had in the past.” The winners of the innovation track were seniors Andrew Sowers and Stephen Briggs, who created UV Clipboard, an application that uses cloud storage to copy and paste across devices. The app works

as a synchronized clipboard, allowing users to record, save or utilize information more easily among devices. “This idea was forged several weeks ago out of a need personally when I was working on a project in a group of people,” Sowers said. “I saw a need in everyday life. Why not take my skills I learned here at Ithaca College and apply them to fit that need?” Briggs said he plans to update the look, design and feel of the user interface of the app, which is currently in beta testing. He also hopes to update branding and reach out to tech blogs to promote UV Clipboard. The team plans to work with the money from the competition to get the app running before the spring semester. The winners of the health track, senior Katie Deitz and junior Cody Stahl, aim to develop their program, Gym View, which allows users to check the status of gym equipment that is registered with the website. “We want to take it forward next semester and hopefully enter the Business Plan Competition in the spring and kind of see where we go from there,” Deitz said. The two expressed concerns over costs, as the domain name of GymView.com is around $1,795. However, Deitz said they want to make their idea into a reality as it received a great amount of support on campus. “Really the idea is that, no matter what, we get this out in the market because this is something every college student has discussed,” Stahl said. “Whether or not they go is on the students. At least you can see if [the gym equipment] is free.” Junior Daniella Raposo, senior Eliza Diament and sophomore Kat Fischer won the service track for their app concept, On Set, which allows people to use sound recognition software to identify movie trailers that are shown in the theater. The app will then provide users with information and updates related to that movie trailer after they leave the theater. “I was sitting in a movie theater one day, and by the time I walked out of the theater I realized I could not remember any of the trailers I had watched,” Fischer said. “I wanted to create something that would help [people] remember movies.”

From left, senior Katie Deitz and junior Cody Stahl receive a $1,000 check as one of three winners in the Business Idea Competition on Nov. 20, 2014. CAROLYN FASONE /THE ITHACAN

TECHNOLOGY

Naturally Gorges

A virtual view of Ithaca Falls during the winter from the Google Street View tool. The 360-degree mapping of Ithaca’s natural areas, a project of the city’s Geographic Information Systems Program, was unveiled on Nov. 19, 2014. COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Google Maps reveals virtual tour of Ithaca area natural lands By Kayla Dwyer The phrase “Ithaca is Gorges” now has a new, interactive meaning. The City of Ithaca Geographic Information Systems Program has partnered with Google Maps to create a Google Street View of the off-street areas of Ithaca, which was unveiled the morning of Nov. 19, 2014. The 360-degree view of Ithaca’s natural areas allows Google Maps viewers to take a virtual tour through places that cannot always be easily accessed, such as the Fall Creek Gorge, the Cayuga Waterfront Trail and the Ithaca College Natural Lands. The GIS Program team consisted of staff members Susan Nixson and Chris Morrissey, who were aided by volunteers Marilyn Dispensa, instructional technology coordinator at Ithaca College, and Zeb Strickland, gardener at the Cornell Plantations. At the demonstration of the navigational tool on the second floor of City Hall in Ithaca, Nixson said the technology allows visitors and residents an intimate view of places they might not be able to reach due to physical inability or the weather, and it offers students a unique opportunity for study. “When you look at the educational opportunities that this

provides, this really gives an opportunity for virtual fieldwork because the resolution for this imagery is fantastic,” she said. Areas that can be viewed interactively with Street View are highlighted in blue on Google Maps, as Nixson showed in the demonstration. After just half a day of training on July 15, 2014, with the backpacks from a professional Google tracker, she and her team prepared to hike as many trails as possible under the most ideal conditions: bright but cloudy. They backpacked through the natural areas throughout the months of July and August, carrying 40-pound backpacks with 15 cameras that take photos from all angles every 2.5 seconds, Nixson said. This way, the cameras capture a full circle of imagery to then send to the Google satellite. Nixson, who also lectures at the college, said she applied for the opportunity to obtain a Google Street View through the Trekker Loan Program in the spring after viewing a blog announcing the virtual documentation of the Grand Canyon. “Really it was just a random proposal, a couple of sentences I sent to Google, and they jumped right on it,” she said.

COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Nixson said the project was free of charge for the GIS team, which also received a $500 stipend from Google that covered its transportation costs. Kristy Mitchell, integrated marketing manager at the Ithaca and Tompkins County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she is excited about the implications of this technology for tourism. She said she knew the team was tracking the state parks, but was not aware of the extent to which it was working with Google. The tool has the potential to be an attractive feature for the area, she said, but the bureau does not yet have concrete plans for advertising it. “I don’t know what yet because this is our first sneak preview, but I’m sure we’ll plan on integrating it into our website because it’s a really cool thing,” she said. Ruth Aslanis, GIS program manager, said in addition to promoting visitors, the Street View can be a useful tool for emergency response. For example, it maps the gorges and their steep spots, which can allow emergency teams to better determine how many responders should safely transport people to and from specific locations.

“The work really begins now that the imagery exists,” she said. It wasn’t until the imagery existed in full that Nixson’s team was able to go public with any of its work. The release was held until 10 a.m. Nov. 19, 2014, when Google completed translating the images, which was part of the no-publicity clause Nixson said she entered into from the beginning. The launch of the completed project coincided with GIS Day which, as per tradition, lands in the middle of Geography Awareness Week, Aslanis said. Susan Cadrecha, a spokesperson from the Google Trekker program, said Google Maps Street View is available in more than 63 countries across seven continents, including much of the United States. “Working with the City of Ithaca Geographic Information System Program through the Trekker Loan Program has allowed us to add this first-ever beautiful imagery to Google Maps for more than 2 billion users around the world to explore and enjoy,” Cadrecha said.

The MillenNial Mindset Photo Illustration by Kasey Speth and Tucker Mitchell

Every generation grows up labeled with a set of defining qualities, stereotypes and misperceptions, often brought about by either the conditions of the times or the opinions of its predecessors. With the increased rate of change in technological and social advances impacting the experience of todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s college students, the debate over how to best work with and among them continues to evolve. Though sources vary, most label the millennial generation as those who were born between about 1980 and the late 1990s, which includes the current cohort of college students. The Ithacan looked at millennials in terms of how they are perceived and how these perceptions play out in their academic, economic and social lives.

MILLENNIAL MINDSET

Generation Y Learns Differently By Kayla Dwyer

1921-45 Silent Generation

to support a physical change in the folds of the brain to explain any phenomenon in millennial intelligence. Cynthia Williamson, collection and access services librarian at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario, and co-author of the Partnership study “The Kids are Alright — Or Are They?” said the brain certainly changes with learning but not to the degree that millennials are fundamentally different simply because they are millennials. “I’m a total proponent of neuroplasticity … but change is not because of your generation or when you were born or who you are but because of the way you’ve been taught,” she said. Leigh Ann Vaughn, associate professor of psychology at Ithaca College, said the schema development of students — the ways they learn to make connections — is influenced at a critically early age. In the case of millennials, she said the focus in secondary school on preparing for tests has had an influence on the way students know how to structure information themselves. When it comes to learning and problem solving, sophomore Andrew Carr said he finds it frustrating when there is not one right answer. “Even in critical thinking situations, it’s really frustrating when someone’s not there at the end to tell me, ‘Yeah, you critically thought correctly,’” he said. “We’ve been taught our whole lives that our intelligence is measured by whether we know information or not.” Vaughn said despite students leaning toward flashcard learning, when given encouragement, students can easily pick up new methods of preparing for exams and writing pieces. “Humans are remarkably adaptable,” she said. “You’re never done developing and growing at any point in your life — research is very clear on this.” Freshman Hannah Cohensmith said at first, the transition from standardized test preparation in high school to the lack thereof in college was difficult because she was very used to knowing more details of what to do, study or write in order to get certain grades.

1946-64 Baby Boomers

1965-79 Generation X

PHOTOS: ITHACA COLLEGE ARCHIVE

Stephen Clancy, professor of art history at Ithaca College, displayed a list of terms and names for the upcoming test on the Smart Board for his Episodes in Western Art class on Oct. 29, 2014. Then came the barrage of students’ questions. “What do we have to know about Pope Julius II?” “What will we have to say about humanizing?” “So we’re only doing one comparison on the test?” With a calm demeanor, Clancy answered each student’s question directly and concisely, just as studies show is the preferred method of information transference among millennials. The current college-student population sits at the tail end of the millennial generation, which has been held under scrutiny and observation for reasons both positive and negative, signifying a dismal or progressive future, depending on who is asked. While the popular outlook on millennials pegs them with an inability to think deeply and integratively — a practice supposedly lost with the immediacy of technology — data-driven evidence, and many leaders in millennial research, hardly support it. But studies do indicate a shift in the way these students — born between the 1980s and late 1990s — absorb and apply information and how classrooms are evolving to cater to their needs and behaviors. Now in his 27th year of teaching, Clancy said the key differences are evident in his teaching style: assigning shorter readings, organizing his lectures into an interesting, climactic progression and packaging ideas more overtly. “I can simply look back to when I first started here … and I assigned longer readings, [and] I expected deeper engagement with the longer readings,” he said. One popular explanation for this is the idea that millennials have physically different brains, wired differently as a result of growing up surrounded by technology. In response to this argument championed by Marc Prensky, author of the term “digital natives,” researchers from Partnership, the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research, could find virtually no evidence

prior to the implementation of the ICC, which seeks to engage students in big-picture questions that, throughout their four years, they would seek to answer through several different methodologies. “The research focuses on the way we understand that students often have a difficult time translating information from one context to another,” she said. Carr said connecting his sight-singing exercises in class to his everyday life was a frustrating process, but it was one that resulted in a life-changing learning experience. “Sometimes it’s hard to see those moments where your classes are all working together to form this single identity of who you are, but it’s really rewarding when that does happen,” he said. Good or bad, conditional or biological, millennials are indeed different from previous generations at the same age, which is the core thesis of Richard Sweeney, university librarian at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. The Chronicle of Higher Education has coined the term “Millennial Man” to describe Sweeney, who in 2005 came into the public eye with his research on millennial characteristics. One of these key characteristics is the result of what he calls the “drinking from the fire hose” phenomenon. “It’s coming at you too fast to be able to effectively swallow what’s coming in,” Sweeney said. “You need to be able to have some time to process what you’ve learned. The problem is when that next text comes in, it interrupts you in that moment.” While perhaps not a physical rewiring, at least mentally, he said, millennial brains are geared toward expecting frequent interruptions even when they don’t occur as a result of having those text and social media notifications that consistently interrupt trains of thought. Cohensmith said she needs to keep her phone on silent while doing homework, but even then, she will check it frequently. “Sometimes I’ll be like, ‘OK, once I finish this slide in a PowerPoint, I’ll check my phone,’ and I mean for that to be like a minute, and then I’m on it for 15–20 minutes watching videos,” she said. Tom Pfaff, director of the Honors Program, said these are examples of the kind of outside factors and distractions that colleges and professors must compete against, which contributes to the perception that students are unable to sustain deep thinking. Like Pfaff and Lewis, Alexander said millennials can absolutely apply themselves. It’s about the willingness to do it. “It’s attitudinal — attitudes shaped by parents, shaped by teachers, shaped as you’ve gone through the pipeline,” he said. “You have the innate intelligence to do anything you want to do, if you want to do it.” Clancy said the differences he notes in millennials in his classroom are indisputable but to no credit or discredit to the generation itself. “They’re neither good nor bad — they just are,” he said.

1996-Now

Generation Y

Generation Z TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

1980-95

RACHEL WOOLF/THE ITHACAN

“When I was writing my first essay for my seminar, I was going crazy,” she said. “I know how to write, but we were taught to write to the AP [English] Language and [Composition] test. I felt like it took me a lot longer because I never had such free reign over how to study.” Clancy said today’s students tend to take in information in pieces and compartmentalize them, thinking of information as isolated pieces rather than connecting them. “They grab little chunks of information, and keeping a sustained focus on one thing for a long period of time becomes more challenging,” he said. While the current student cohort might have more difficulty dedicating more attention to deeper thinking, Leslie Lewis, dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences, said this is not so much a generational as a societal factor. Students now have to make a more conscious decision to find a quiet space without distractions, she said. “If you don’t intentionally construct it, society will not give it to you,” she said. Junior Jacob Ryan said he uses the Strict Workflow extension of Google Chrome to help him sustain focus for set blocks of time on one task. The user inputs distracting websites and the program blocks them for a predetermined amount of time, after which the user gets a short break determined by how many minutes he or she chooses to allot. “Especially during midterms or finals, I constantly have that on just so that I make sure I’m getting work done in time,” he said. Clancy said the attention spans of students today do not make them less smart. Rather, the expectations in the classroom have changed in regard to what and how much professors and students should do to contribute to their learning, which is a reflection of the learning shift. “I can provide the kinds of things that I think are important, but I can do so in a format that they find engaging,” he said. “It does require me to make more concessions. Certainly when I was a student, the professors for the most part made no concessions.” The concept of meeting halfway is how Ryan said he sees the ideal professor-student relationship. “I guess it’s kind of a give and take,” he said. “It’s their responsibility to kind of adjust the course or try and throw in a little bit of creativity … to get the students engaged so they actually learn it rather than just throw a bunch of information at them, but at the same time, as a student, it is kind of up to me to make sure that if the professor is putting in the effort, I’m at least trying to engage with them.” The Integrative Core Curriculum is a method through which Ithaca College attempts to remedy these changing expectations. Lewis co-led the faculty taskforce to research integrative learning

MILLENNIAL MINDSET

MilleNnial Entitlement Becoming Persistent Stereotype By Kayla Dwyer With a lack of data supporting different brain structures or psychological attributes in millennials, experts find that generational stereotypes are rooted more in societal fads than scientific fact. An AchieveGlobal study sheds light to stereotypes characterizing millennials as self-centered and self-serving. The study “Age-Based Stereotypes: Silent Killer of Collaboration and Productivity” states that these stereotypes are often the basis for tension among generations. The most common of these: the millennial sense of entitlement. Sophomore Andrew Carr said he thinks these viewpoints arise from discrepancies in how different generations perceive millennial behavior. “We’re viewed as entitled because we go out and get what we want,” he said. “We’ve finally started empowering youth to be a part of society at a younger age, but then when we actually start to try to do that, it’s seen as this threat, and then to squash it, they tell us we’re entitled.” Christopher Alexander, professor of business management at King’s College and coauthor of “A Study of the Cognitive Determinants of Generation Y’s Entitlement Mentality,” said it is the culture of fast and instantaneous gratification — the immediacy of information through technology — that leads to the millennial sense of entitlement to quick information, instant results and rewards in the classroom. “Without a doubt, millennials are very bright and much more technologically savvy than the previous generation, and I think it’s a gift — but a curse,” Alexander said. He said this sense of entitlement his study observes has shown up rather vocally in his personal experience. “Within the last 10 years, that attitude started creeping into the classroom — ‘You want me to do what?’” Alexander said. “One student had the audacity to say to me, ‘You know what, you can’t do this, I’m paying your salary.’” But the reason millennials have these expectations and behaviors, he said, is because of external factors: societal rearing. He said parents and teachers, for example, expect millennials to process information faster and earlier than in previous generations. “If people get frustrated by the behavior of millennials, all they have to do is look in the mirror,” he said. “I can’t find fault with anyone. It’s just society, that society is so fast now, that I think that has forced millennials to act the way they do. Unfortunately, the rest of the older world doesn’t see it that way.” Without a sense of compromise — both society and millennials realizing the depth and shortfalls of their perceptions — tension among the generations will continue to persist because of the speed at which things are changing, he said. Junior Jacob Ryan said he believes millennials have been charged with fixing the mistakes of the past and adhering to prior generations’ expectations, and straying from these expectations is what creates tension and misunderstanding. “I would much rather spend my time looking for ways to grow as a person, have enjoyable experiences, rather than just go into that office job … like a robot,” he said. “I feel like the expectation is put on us, and when we don’t meet that, that’s when they call us lazy or entitled. We don’t necessarily share the values they want us to.”

CARTOON BY ALLISON LATINI

EDITORIAL 11/6/14

Millennial Misconceptions Contemporary publications and previous generations have deemed millennials to be lazy and entitled, two stereotypes that define Generation Y. The exponential rate at which technology has shaped society has also impacted attitudes about the millennial generation — those born between the early 1980s and late 1990s — who grew up completely surrounded by the age of the Internet and personal technological use. This has led to widely held beliefs surrounding the thinking patterns of millennials and the causes of them, which are most often the result of generational tension and misunderstanding. The perception that millennials, because of their different learning habits, are incapable of sustained, deep and integrative thinking is often rooted in the idea that the digital environment has resulted in their brains being physically wired differently, which implies that educational practice should follow suit. However, in the absence of evidence to support this claim, there is good reason to believe that millennials do have the capacity to learn integrative methods and engage in deeper thinking: It’s a simple matter of practice. Educators should recognize this adaptable nature of the brain and not assume millennial thinking cannot be influenced or expanded. However, the responsibility does not fall on educators alone, and millennials should also be charged with a sense of personal willingness to apply themselves to think critically. There is no simple answer as to why millennials are perceived as being so much different from previous generations. Millennials have grown up witnessing the newest breakthroughs in technology, thanks to their predecessors who have designed devices like cellphones and tablets for personal use. It is these same predecessors and technology developers who criticize millennials for being lazy and entitled because they are used to having answers at their fingertips. Though the way this generation thinks and behaves is characteristically different, it is not necessarily set in stone, and recognizing this is a valuable step toward reducing generational tension.

Millennials facing greater competition in labor market By Jack Curran

As the portion of the workforce that primarily entered the market during the 2008 recession, the skills, values and career ambitions of Generation Y, more commonly known as millennials, have been significantly shaped by the economic climate. New research by the marketing firm DDB Worldwide suggests that millennials with full-time jobs have a stronger desire to get ahead than members of previous generations had in the early stages of their careers. Denise Delahorne, senior vice president and group strategy director of DDB U.S., said it’s not surprising to see this desire because this generation has had more job instability since the 2008 recession than other generations. “It’s very clear that millennials who have jobs are very eager to get ahead and are very conscious of doing well in those positions,” Delahorne said. In 2009, the national unemployment rate reached 9.3 percent, the highest it had been since 1983, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Despite this unemployment rate, the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ 2014 job outlook survey found that employers had planned to hire 7.4 percent more graduates than the previous year. NACE also reported a higher demand for millennials with degrees in business, engineering, communications, sciences and computer sciences. Though the recession impacted a large portion of the economy, it has not been the only factor that has influenced the success of Generation Y. Stacey Randall, founder and chief consultant of Randall Research, conducted research on how the recession impacted the millennial generation in 2011. Randall said not only has this generation entered the job market during the recession, but it has also had to deal with being bigger than the previous generation. “When you think about a baby boomer who comes out of college, there are more of them than when their fathers and mothers went to find jobs, so they got really competitive,” Randall said. “It’s the same thing with the millennials now. They’re coming out a large generation, so they have to be competitive because there are more people to compete with, and we’re in an economic slowdown.” Whether millennials are more eager to succeed or not, some

studies have suggested that employers are not always impressed by this generation. A survey put out by Millennial Branding and Beyond.com asked employers from across the country about their impressions of millennials. Of the 2,978 respondents, 73 percent said they felt college only somewhat prepared students for the workplace. John Bradac, director of the Office of Career Services at Ithaca College, said he has seen a recent trend of employers looking for technical skills from students. Bradac said he thinks this pattern has come from a decrease in employee training. “I’ve seen a downturn in the amount of training and development of employees, so I hear a pretty large outcry from employers who are saying ‘You’re not giving me what I want,’” he said. “In other words, ‘I want the following technical skills, and you’re not training students in that area.’ I’m not sure that it’s the college’s job as a whole to prepare you for xyz software because that’s what company abc uses.” On top of the preparation millennials receive from their colleges, many employers also expect potential employees to have internship experience. According to NACE’s internship and co-op survey, 96.9 percent of employers planned to hire interns in 2014. NACE also reported that since the 1980s, the percentage of college graduates with at least one internship has increased from less than 10 to more than 80 percent. Delahorne said this increased emphasis on pre-employment experience is one of the biggest differences between the job market for college graduates now and in the past. “I don’t remember the term ‘internship’ referring to anything other than a medical internship for the boomer generation, but it’s really become a way of life for the new generation in terms of gaining employment experience,” Delahorne said. Stephanie Lemmons ’14 began working for Heart for Africa, a nonprofit in Atlanta, in August after spending the summer applying to jobs. Lemmons said she got her position as trip coordinator and administrative manager through connections with a former employer. She said she appreciates her job and wouldn’t want to start another job search in the near future. “It’s a battle of a process I don’t wish to have happen any time soon,” Lemmons said. “You get to a point where you’re like ‘OK, I’d really like to have a job now.’”

US Population Distribution by Age, 2013 Millions

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Age

DESIGN BY ALISON TEADORE AND KASEY SPETH

MILLENNIAL MINDSET

A DIGITAL Delusion

MILLENNIALS FALLING SHORT OF DIGITAL NATIVE EXPECTATIONS By Kayla Dwyer Photo Illustration by Tucker Mitchell

Facebook is a navigable tool for the average Internet user, but Dennis Charsky, communication, management and design program director at Ithaca College, said some of his students attempt to utilize it beyond social purposes. “I have had students that have tried to do their group work in Facebook, and it doesn’t work at all,” he said. Despite spending many hours on the social media site, Charsky said, students end up finding that it is more trouble than convenient to mix academic and social avenues. “Twenty-year-olds in general think that it’s easy to blur the lines between work and social … but as they quickly find, they get exhausted,” he said. At the turn of the millennium, Marc Prensky, American writer and education speaker, famously hailed the youngest generation as “digital natives” with a natural sense for technological tools and an entirely different way of thinking. More than a decade later, the term might be more or less obsolete, with modern studies and professors contesting whether the innate technological abilities attributed to the millennial generation extend into academia. Charsky said there is a perception of millennials that exalts them as technological gurus, which is mainly indicated by the increase in social uses of technology. “I understand the perception and the strong desire to pigeonhole millennials into this newness — they’ve grown up with cellphones, they know nothing but the Internet and so on,” he said. “For me, the big difference is you know how to use them for social purposes, and that does not translate well into academic learning purposes … or useful purposes for the world of work.” Prensky first coined the term in his 2001 essay, “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” in which he wrote that these students “are all ‘native speakers’ of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet.” The British Journal of Educational Technology in 2013 challenged this notion that millennials have a natural comfort with more forms of digital technologies than previous generations. In an article titled “Digital competence: Is it an innate talent of the new generation or an ability that must be developed?,” the journal asserts that this comfort level lies with personal, consumer technology, and not

with educational, classroom tools. The perception gap becomes evident in a study conducted by Cengage and Eduventures, which reported while 65 percent of instructors believe students are naturally apt with digital classroom tools, just 42 percent of students feel professors provide enough assistance with these tools. However, when it is assumed that students learn best through certain kinds of technology, what results is an ineffective allocation of resources, Siva Vaidhyanathan, chair of the media studies department at the University of Virginia, said. “College students are human beings from a wide variety of backgrounds and a wide variety of interests and therefore, a wide variety of skills,” he said. “The moment we fail to recognize that and we think of students as being part of some mythical generation that have some attributions that we’re making up out of thin air, we’re gonna make mistakes.” Brian Saunders, Ithaca College’s humanities librarian, said he can see the perception gap at work when professors themselves find they learn new information when they take their freshman classes to information sessions about LexisNexis and other databases at the library. He said the idea that digital natives have an innate knowledge of these systems would ease the teaching burden on professors. “That’s a very tempting belief for the faculty to fall into because if they assume digital natives already know everything they need to know, then they feel perhaps less responsible for addressing that in class,” Saunders said. Vaidhyanathan said educational product companies benefit most from the myth that students learn best with only certain technologies, such as iPads, based on attributes marketing corporations have assigned to this generation. Lisabeth Chabot, college librarian, said the college library spends 39 percent of its materials budget on books, media, scores and print journals, and 61 percent on electronic databases and serials. The college’s Interlibrary Loan system can retrieve articles from other libraries sometimes within the hour, Laura Kuo, health sciences librarian, said. John Henderson, social sciences librarian, said this satisfies a need specific to digital natives: instant media gratification. For example, Henderson said, students will choose the information they use based on the ease of access. That is, they are

more likely to use a PDF source than a source through ILL, regardless of the subject’s value, he said. Matthew Klemm, interim chair of the history department, said he can call on any student to help with technological snags, such as getting videos to work in class. However, he said these innate skills are not the kind that would aid students in research in his field, which is medieval and ancient history. “I feel like a lot of the technological skill that people have, it’s all rather superficial,” he said. “It’s good for just kind of navigating things rather than the kind of deeper research methods that still have to be done in each particular area, in each particular class. It’s hard for me to imagine … their innate skills helping a whole lot with that.” Sophomore Sara Yagan, who is on the pre-med track, said she has had to utilize Microsoft programs in her medical technology class to create information graphics. In terms of research, she said she does

I DO THINK AS A GENERAL RULE “ THAT WE OFTEN OVERESTIMATE

STUDENTS’ INNATE ABILITY TO JUST CONNECT AND UNDERSTAND A NEW TECHNOLOGY.

“

— Kurt Komaromi

not opt for databases or library resources. “I Google anything and everything,” she said. Sophomore Maxwell Barnett said he generally uses Google and sees it as a resource to find other primary sources, which he said is something not many professors may initially see the value in. “There really is a fundamental gap between the professors’ and the students’ understanding of technology,” he said. “A lot of the times, professors will want you to use resources available to you in a different way than you’re used to.”

He said, however, for more intense research, he sees the value in the sources the library has to offer. “People at the library can help you narrow down [research] in ways you sometimes can’t do by yourself,” he said. Vaidhyanathan said there is always a small percentage of students that is comfortable with the intricacies of computer technology, but for the vast majority of students, the ability to work a smartphone does not aid in their skills with classroom and digital media technology. “You can do so much now without knowing anything that I think we often equate the time that young people spend engaging with an interface with facility or skill in digital media, and they’re two very different things,” he said. “Just because someone watches hours and hours of television, that doesn’t make her a television producer.” Kurt Komaromi, assistant professor of marketing and law, said the college does not spend enough time helping students attain familiarity with technologies like Sakai and TaskStream, so he dedicates a class period to going through TaskStream with his freshman seminar. “I do think as a general rule that we often overestimate students’ innate ability to just connect and understand a new technology — that I’ve definitely seen,” he said. Junior Lauren Bristow, a music major, said it took her a few months to get accustomed to Sakai, and the inconsistency with how professors used the site left her confused with regard to its functions, but she would not be opposed to learning more about it. “I would love to learn more about … how Sakai really functions and certain things in it that could be really useful for not just me but for students in general,” she said. “We kind of just got thrown in. ... No one really talked about it.” Whether or not the term “digital natives” and all it connotates is warranted, Charsky said he thinks one thing remains the same: Generations will always find reasons to criticize those that come after them. “I think a lot of the differences we’re seeing in millennials is just differences because they’re just younger,” he said. “If you look back through the ages, there has always been some bashing of the younger generation.”

EDITORIAL 10/2/14

Generation Y Disconnect Members of Generation Y, better known as millennials, are supposed to be naturally adept with new and rapidly evolving technology. However, a 2010 study done by the Pew Research Center says only 24 percent of millennials believe technology use makes the generation unique. “Digital natives,” a term first used by author Marc Prensky, implies that millennials have been using technology for their entire lives. Although millennials have grown up with the constant change and advancement of technology, they are not automatically as technologically savvy as older generations may believe. Professors, baby boomers and Generation Xers often overestimate millennial students’ abilities to use technology in an academic setting. Millennials may know how to navigate social media websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, and can use most of the applications on phones, tablets and computers, but that does not translate academically when students are expected to figure out unfamiliar academic websites by themselves. Some professors at the college have noticed that their students have trouble operating websites like Sakai and HomerConnect and databases like LexisNexis and JSTOR. In order for students to use technology effectively, professors need to teach students how to navigate confusing websites that are essential to research and other academic purposes. There are many skills regarding technology that must be learned and are not second nature.

CARTOON BY ALLISON LATINI

AWAKENING

HIS VOICE

Senior Steven Kobby Lartey develops composed determination to fight injustice By Kira Maddox Photo Illustration by Tommy Battistelli

It is Dec. 1, 2014. A group of Ithaca College students have had enough of talking. They have been talking for months about the shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August; about the murder of unarmed black man Eric Garner; about the fact that both officers responsible for the deaths were not indicted for the crimes; about Ithaca’s own Shawn Greenwood, a black man killed by police officers in a 2010 narcotics investigation; about microaggressions and ignorance on campus; about inequality in general. Across the U.S., at 1 p.m. EST, the “Hands Up Walk Out” movement is about to begin. Michael Brown’s death occurred at this exact time Aug. 9, 2014. Because of conflicting evidence and only one person alive to tell his side of the story, many people felt that justice had not been served, that justice was not served in many of the other cases mirroring this one. The sky is clouded, and the air is cold. Senior Steven Kobby Lartey, bundled up in a navy blue jacket and scarf, walks to Free Speech Rock just outside the Campus Center. He can see his breath in the early afternoon air. The rhythmic beating in his chest has sped up only slightly, but he can still feel its effects. “I was like, ‘Will people come out? Will we have a unified voice?’ — and I don’t mean unified voice like everyone wants the exact same things, just in general — ‘Will people stand in solidarity?’ ‘Will campus police even allow us to congregate?’” Kobby said. The questions did not stop him. They did not stop anyone. Just after 1 p.m., some 200 Ithaca College students walked out of their classes as agents in a nationwide protest. Kobby, along with senior Student Government Association President Crystal Kayiza, senior Kayla Young and sophomore Vin Manta, hangs a large, red poster up on one of the brick walls of the building. The black, painted lettering reads “HANDS UP DON’T SHOOT,” bookended by a pair of dripping, black handprints. Young is standing at the front, facing the crowd. Armed with a white and red microphone held close to her mouth, her voice is shaking. “For four and a half hours, Mike Brown bled to death on our pavement,” she said. Her eyes are lowered. She reads off of a prepared note card, but that doesn’t change anything. Her voice is shaking, but not with fear. “Mike’s story affects us in so many ways. As Ithaca College students, it gives us more purpose than simply being students on a conveyer belt, comfortable in oppression. We walked out today because we believe all lives matter, no matter who we are, and that we must be treated with dignity.” Kobby is behind Young, staring out into the crowd. He stands humbly, hands folded in front of him as he leans against one of the low walls that circles Free Speech Rock. He is quiet. It is not yet his time. When she finishes speaking, he takes the microphone from her. “We hear you, we cherish you, we hear your stories,” he says into it. The crowd chants it back with him. “We hear you, we cherish you, we hear your stories.” It is 2000. The town is called Legon, and it is just outside the major city of Accra, Ghana, one of the first Sub-Saharan African nations to win its own independence in 1957. With a population of more than 2 million, Accra is Ghana’s capital and largest city. But North Legon is different. The University of Ghana is situated just up the hill, standing as a pillar of influence since 1948. The area holds a constant buzz and hum of activity typical of a college town, mixed with a peacefulness lended by the backdrop of soft mountain ranges and blue skies. The morning air smells crisp. North Legon generates an aura of friendliness not seen in the U.S. People are on the street, warm and welcoming: The locals all know each other. The kids hang out at the Adjei Mensah Supermarket on the corner after school, talking to the owner. He sometimes gives them snacks, free of charge. Kobby is 7 years old. His two parents, a mother who is a Ghanaian

diplomat and a father who is a financial analyst and the CEO of a technology company, are each one of seven children. Kobby grew up with his family — Family and its stories. Kobby said stories are part of being Akan, a West African cultural group. “In the Akan tradition, storytelling is an important part of family life,” Kobby said. “So my grandfather would always tell these stories. Whether real or not, they were so fascinating. But I remember vividly one story my grandfather told us, or a couple of stories. It was about Ghana and its history.” Everyone is together today: Kobby, his older sister Emelia, his younger brother Kojo and a nearly uncountable number of aunties, uncles and cousins. Kobby’s grandfather sits at the center of attention. He usually mesmerizes the children with fun stories about life and history, but it will not be a lighthearted tale this time around. This will be a chilling story, one to teach a lesson: Things are not always just. The story begins in 1981. Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings has seized power of Ghana through a military and civilian revolt, replacing Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo. During Rawlings’ regime, Ghana would come to bend to what is now known as “the culture of silence.” The decade was marked by the intimidation of the press and widespread fearmongering, used to keep people in control. People are anxious. They cannot breathe. This is a dark time. During his lifetime in Ghana, Kobby would not see these kinds of atrocities. He would not live with the same fear. “I was always running around, always being, just living life, so as a kid I was like, ‘What? People were not allowed to do these things? They weren’t allowed to talk?’” Kobby said. But Kobby is 7 years old. His young mind realizes that there is something not quite right about what his grandfather is saying, but he has yet to learn the words to say it. The story sits in the back of his mind, compartmentalized for the time being. He has to go play market with his sister. They use leaves from the tree in their front yard as currency and pretend to be at the fish shop. The story of a militarized Ghana would sit and wait for the right moment, along with all the other stories of oppression he would hear as he got older. Somewhere in that timeline, a phrase would be introduced, a chant, a callback. “Amandla, Awethu,” born out of anti-Apartheid movements in South Africa during the 1990s, a time when millions were forced into segregation — the largest relocation in modern history. A time when armed police officers would forcibly enter homes, load the residents up onto big government trucks and leave. A time when people had to carry around special passes depending on their ethnic background, much like slaves of the area did in the 1800s. A time when blacks could not own businesses in designated “white” districts without special permission. A time when interracial marriage was illegal. A time that did not end until 1994. The phrase means “Power to the people” in Zulu. It is 2015. Kobby walks past Textor Hall at Ithaca College. He’s on his way to the third floor of Friends Hall for one of his classes. As a legal studies major, most of his courses are either in Friends or the business school. If he were in Ghana, the temperature would be a warm and rainy 88 degrees, but here in Ithaca it’s only in the 20s. A foot of powdered snow has covered the ground, soon to be followed by another foot in a couple of days. Kobby keeps comfortable under cardigans and infinity scarves. He’s not usually one for cold, but today he lightheartedly jokes about a transformation. “It’s so warm out today,” he says, his pace leisurely. He still has nearly 10 minutes before his class begins. “I never thought I would be one to think 25 degrees is warm. You know how I am about the cold.” As he walks, he waves and says hello to people he knows, occasionally stopping to briefly discuss a meeting or event. People are personable with him, as if they’ve been friends since childhood.

biggest inspiration,” she said. “I always try to do more, and I always try to think of how to be an activist because he inspires me to do that.” She, too, recalled the stories their grandfather would tell them back in Ghana. About inequality and the culture of silence. About speaking out and having a voice. But now she’s hearing those words somewhere else. Somewhere closer. “Kobby, now when I have conversations with him, they sound just like that, like when we used to sit down and listen to my granddad talk.” He has developed the same consciousness as their grandfather had, yet Emelia believes he always had it. Even in grade school, she believed he was always ahead of his time, always thinking about others and about the bigger picture, yet also never forgetting those closest to him. “The only thing I want for him is to be true to himself and keep doing what he’s doing,” she said. “Because he’s been doing it our whole lives.” On his left wrist, Kobby wears a set of three bracelets. He wears them every day — maybe not always the same arrangement, but they have been a daily part of his look for years, for longer than he can remember. Made of recycled glass, they are hand-painted in warm oranges and yellows, flecked with light greens and navy blues. The patterns vary: stripes, solids, squares. He looks at them fondly, running his fingers along the beads as he speaks. “For me, it’s to remember where I came from and the depth of the creative mind of the people there and of course the beauty,” he said. “And also for other folks to know that there’s more to Africa and there’s more to Ghana than is often portrayed. … I like to keep it on me because, again, it grounds me. Too often when I’m wearing everything Western, if you want to call it that, I want to have something that reminds me of those things.”

TOMMY BATTISTELLI /THE ITHACAN

It almost seems as if he knows everyone on campus, but he just has that kind of personality. “As a kid I always enjoyed listening to conversations and listening to people and listening to things and watching things and reading things,” Kobby said. That is partially why he went into the legal field: to learn, to listen. He watched his first election in Ghana when he was still in elementary school. Back in North Legon, he and his siblings would hang out with the owner of the Adjei Mensah Supermarket. He was a 70-year-old man, and much like Kobby’s grandfather, he would tell historical stories about Ghanaian government. Even though he was only in the third grade, Kobby would have debates with him. “I was always taking these stories and interested by members of parliament who would speak up and have their voice heard, because my grandfather always asked us to be mindful that, growing up, we had people who pushed for systems, pushed against systems, pushed for democracy, pushed for freedom of speech.” His sister Emelia, now a 22-year-old Marist College graduate working for a creative branding startup in New York City, says back home everyone calls him “Mr. President.” It’s just a joke, yet she said there’s still an underlying feeling that maybe it isn’t. “A lot of families will say, ‘Oh yeah, this guy’s definitely going to be a president,’” Emelia said. “But he’s actually one that, if you ask, eight out of 10 people will say, ‘Well, I think he actually is going to be the president.’” Emelia can’t help but laugh when she talks about her younger brother. Her voice is warm and full of the kind of love only an older sibling can have, the kind of someone who knows you and what you’ve become. “He’s my little brother, but if you ask any of my friends, he’s my

Eleven hours. Eleven hours and 5,260 miles over an expanse of Atlantic ocean. Kobby is 11 years old, and he is leaving Ghana. His mother has been relocated to the U.S. and is taking Kobby and his siblings with her.

A LOT OF FAMILIES WILL SAY, “ ‘OH YEAH, THIS GUY’S DEFINITELY

GOING TO BE A PRESIDENT, BUT HE’S ACTUALLY ONE THAT, IF YOU ASK, EIGHT OUT OF 10 PEOPLE WILL SAY, ‘WELL, I THINK HE ACTUALLY IS GOING TO BE THE PRESIDENT.’ — Emelia Lartey

“

Kobby said his bracelets remind him of home and the places he’s come from. He’s worn a combination of them every day since coming to the U.S.

He sits in his single seat in the airplane. He is not nervous to fly. They have taken long trips before. But in the back of his mind and in the pit of his stomach, Kobby knew this would be an entirely different experience that he never before could imagine. “I remember at 11 our parents telling us, ‘Your mom is being posted’ — that’s the language — ‘posted in D.C. as a diplomat,’” Kobby said. “So we were like, ‘OK, what does that mean? I guess we’re going to America.’ So America became this thing, this sort of shadowy notion, until we got here.” Kobby would enroll in a public school in Maryland with his siblings. Emelia said adjusting to their new lives was hard at first, mainly because of the culture shock. People knew little about where she and her brothers came from, having only stereotypes of what

From left, Kobby and Journalism Department Chair Matt Mogekwu talk during The Collective’s Deconstructing Media Tropes of Bodies of Color discussion held Feb. 4 in Williams Hall Room 202. Mogekwu is the adviser of the African Students Association, of which Kobby is president. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

It is Dec. 1, 2014. The sky is clouded, and the air is cold. A crowd is growing as Kobby stands on the raised platform. Some 200 Ithaca College students walked out of their 1-p.m. classes as agents in a nationwide protest. Kobby pauses a moment. The air is heavy with charged energy. This is a crowd that is angry — angry and passionate. The crowd grows silent between speakers. In the front, closest to Kobby, a group of black women is huddled together. Maybe they’re friends, maybe they’re not. But they’re crying. Gloved hands wipe the tears from their cheeks and eyes as the cold bites the trails, leaving a mean sting. But they don’t leave. Others have, and as time ticks on, more will. But they don’t. There is a bitterness that can be felt, a swelling of the heart reflected in every person standing outside that day who decided to take a stand for something more. “It basically means being a human being,” Kobby said later. “I don’t think that you’re really fully a human being if you don’t have some kind of connection to something bigger and better than yourself. That can mean someone else. That can mean something else. It’s not really an option. At least for me it’s not really an option.” The winter wind whips the air as Kobby raises a single arm to the sky. At Ithaca College, Kobby is minoring in African Diaspora Studies and International Politics. Kobby said the classes he’s taken at the college, both in the Center for the Study of Culture, Race and Ethnicity and in the business school, are essential for sparking dialogue about issues of inequality and awareness. “Classes like that really created the framework and allowed us to have the political, emotional and I think in many ways spiritual imagination to think of the world as it should be as opposed to how it exists right now,” Kobby said. “There’s a saying called Sankofa, and

I DON’T THINK THAT YOU’RE REALLY “FULLY A HUMAN BEING IF YOU DON’T HAVE SOME KIND OF CONNECTION TO SOMETHING BIGGER AND BETTER THAN YOURSELF. THAT CAN MEAN SOMEONE ELSE. THAT CAN MEAN SOMETHING ELSE. IT’S NOT REALLY AN OPTION. AT LEAST FOR ME IT’S NOT REALLY AN OPTION. — Kobby

“

they thought Africa was to go on. After Kobby’s freshman year in high school, his mother would finish her duties in the U.S. and would be leaving back to Ghana. But Kobby and his siblings would not go back with her. Instead, they would enroll in boarding school. There are boarding schools in Ghana — ones that were established when missionaries used to travel through the country — yet they decided as a family it would be better for them to remain in the U.S. because they believed there would be better opportunities here. That didn’t make things easier. “It was tough,” Kobby said of the permanent move. “It was difficult. It was like your whole world was suddenly different.”

it’s to go back and retrieve, that you can’t understand where you are or where you’re going if you can’t understand where you came from: the past.” Kobby specifically cited the Gender, Race and Economic Power course he took freshman year in the economics department, as well as courses with Sean Eversley Bradwell, assistant professor in the CSCRE, but he has ensured these types of conversations happen outside of the classroom as well. His freshman year, he lived in Terrace 3, which at that time housed the Housing Offering a Multicultural Experience program. He is now president of the college’s African Students Association, where he has helped focus the club on tensions and the diaspora between the African continent and the rest of the world globally. Awareness is the goal of the ASA and a goal of Kobby’s. Matt Mogekwu is the chair of the journalism department and the current faculty adviser for the ASA. He said before he became the faculty adviser of the organization, he would occasionally attend its meetings and follow along with its progress. Being from Nigeria and having been involved in ASA-like groups on other campuses, it was only natural to continue the trend here. From that, he has gotten to know Kobby over the last couple of years. “He is a very articulate guy,” Mogekwu said. “I used to call him — I still call him — ‘Ambassador Plenipotentiary’ because he has this air about him that gives that impression. … He’s very knowledgable about things, around here and about where he comes from, and is

always ready to educate people about it.” Fifteen-year-old Kobby is at a new students ceremony for Choate Rosemary Hall, a private, Connecticut-located boarding school and preparatory academy. As the school’s alma mater plays, he looks back. His aunt is in the crowd. She is crying. She is crying for all the new opportunities he and his siblings will have in the U.S. that they might not have gotten back home. When Kobby thinks back on it, he laughs. Kobby walks on the 458-acre campus of Choate. Before arriving here, Kobby went to John F. Kennedy High School in Maryland. He now walks the same halls Kennedy once walked before he graduated from Choate in 1935. Choate is marked by its old architecture, giving clues to its age. It was founded in 1890, and the buildings lean heavily toward colonial revival. Red brick walls are accented with white pillars around doorframes and white window trimmings. The insides are a mix of creamy plasters and rich wood paneling. “I think there was something about Choate, something that Choate made you feel once you entered,” Kobby said. “Mrs. Mitchell, she’s passed away recently, she was like the secretary at the front desk. She made us feel like we belonged, that it was home.” But his time there was not always easy. As a shy student, Kobby said it was initially difficult for him to open up to people. His very first interaction at Choate was with his headmaster. “That I made the headmaster laugh was kind of interesting,” Kobby said. “As a shy boy I was like, ‘What? I made him laugh? How did I make him laugh, I’m not funny.’ But again, I was shy. I was a little bit quiet. I was still trying to figure out what it meant to be myself.” But Kobby would find himself in time. After a failed run-in with some sports teams — “I tried out for football. That didn’t work out. I didn’t like it. I was like, ‘Why are people hitting each other? What is this hitting they’re doing?’” — Kobby would find his place in Choate’s Student Government Association, in its Africa Club and in creating a community service advisory board. During Kobby’s time there, he would rise to be a prefect during

his senior year and would go back as a teaching intern in the summer of 2014. Eera Sharma, the director of summer programs at Choate, said while Kobby was an intern he was able to garner respect from the students, something she said is usually very difficult. Because of the closeness in age between high school students and college students — sometimes as few as four years — it can be hard to be seen as a person of authority and not just a friend. But Kobby didn’t have this problem, easily being able to play both roles. This may be due to his tendency to see the good in everyone. Eric Stahura, one of Kobby’s teachers and advisers while at Choate, said Kobby was always one for optimism. “He looked at life with idealized and optimistic lenses,” Stahura said. “Even when he was 15 years old he wanted to make the world a better place. But he was especially going to start with Ghana because there were so many things that needed improvement, and he wanted to do that through government, through political channels.” At Choate, the curricula follow the Socratic method. Desks are arranged in large circles, and students have discussions — not lectures — with their teachers. “I remember one moment that really resonated with me was when we read Dr. King’s letter from Birmingham jail, and I was like, ‘That man can write,’” Kobby said. “And he could write because there was a humanity in his voice. There was something coming out of the paper and grabbing you and telling you ‘You need to read this,’ and I said, ‘I hope one day I can be even half of that.’” About 40 Ithaca College students gather in Williams Hall Room 202 on Feb. 4. The Collective is holding a talk for its Assata Shakur Series, a discussion series aimed at examining instances of inequality and how some people have been fighting against oppressive systems. The Collective is the name given to a group of students on campus,whose goal is to have meaningful discussions among the college community about systemic violence and institutionalized inequality. “We didn’t really call ourselves anything, but we wanted to organize some sort of demonstration to kind of relay the things that we were experiencing at home,” Kayiza said. “I think the name ‘The

About 200 Ithaca College students walked out of their 1 p.m. classes as part of a nationwide Hands Up Walk Out demonstration on Dec. 1, 2014. TOMMY BATTISTELLI/THE ITHACAN

Collective’ happened because people kept asking, ‘What student org are you with?’ ‘What student org are you with?’ So we just needed a name to the people involved.” Last semester, these students organized a number of protests and demonstrations on campus to promote awareness of instances of injustice. “It’s clear to me that they are thinking seriously about a range of political issues and are also interrogating their own politics every step of the way,” Asma Barlas, professor in the CSCRE, said. “I should also say that, in my 23 years at IC, the action last semester was the largest political protest on this campus. I found it simply amazing for that reason alone. I’m also impressed with how clearly the students in The Collective understand the nature of structural oppression.” Kobby walks into Room 202, briefly glancing around before taking a seat at the far end near the wall. As he takes off his scarf, his usual tan infinity scarf, he says hello to individual people he knows in the crowd — which happens to be the majority of them. But soon it’s time to be serious. He crosses a leg over his knee and places his hand under his chin, listening as Kayiza begins to talk about black representation in the news media. Kobby took part in the group’s previous demonstrations and has kept himself in the loop this semester. He will always be engaged in discussions about inequality, whether on a global scale or specifically looking at the U.S. He has no other option. “I have no choice but to be engaged: I’m an African living in America,” Kobby said. “There’s something about that experience that pushes you to be engaged, and my folks always taught me — my grandpa and my mom — you have to really constantly understand the world while seeking to better yourself.” But it is not only Kobby pushing for long overdue answers, pushing for the dialogue that has spent so long being suppressed to come forward among the campus community. It is every member of The Collective, every student who participated in a protest, every student who made his or her voice heard, every student who stood up. “One thing I hope people take away from these experiences these

last two semesters is that anyone can create the change that they want to see on this campus,” Kayiza said. “The Collective is a body of people that brings so many different things to the table, and I think that’s why we’ve operated the way that we’ve done, and there’s no leadership hierarchy, and it’s not about who’s in power and who’s visible. It’s just about a bunch of people who really care about an issue enough to say something about it.” The winter wind whips the air as Kobby raises a single arm to the sky. “Amaaaaaaaandla!” he cries out, into the microphone. “Aweeeeeeethu!” 200 Ithaca College students and faculty yell back at him. “You can do it louder than that,” Kobby says to them. “If we’re loud enough, maybe the sun will come out.” The crowd laughs lightly. The sky is dark and crisp and shows no sign of changing. Kobby presses on: “Come on. I want them to hear us all the way across campus. All the way in Terrace Dining Hall. People need to know that we are here. AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAANDLA!” “AWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETHU!” The students are screaming it now, and the sound reverberates through the open quad. Amandla, Awethu. Steeped in a history of fighting oppression, the phrase means “Power to the people” in Zulu. Amandla, Awethu. The phrase is still used today as a rallying cry for those fighting against oppression. To fight against cultures of silence. Two-hundred Ithaca College students scream the phrase at the top of their lungs, and the clouds suddenly begin to break. First one ray, then two. A patch of sunlight streaks through the sky and onto the crowd. The students had had enough of talking, so something was started that day. A call to action. A call for change. Two-hundred Ithaca College students came together for something more than themselves, their shadows lost and unified into one. They are a moving force — a force of voices. Voices that will not be silenced. Kobby looks up. He smiles. “See, I told you we could make the sun come out.”

LIFE Junior Natalie Dionne prepares to walk on a slackline Aug. 23, 2014, in the Academic Quad. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Just Enough Slack TUCKER MITCHELL /THE ITHACAN

Students embrace slacklining to reduce stress By Steven Pirani Locked in a focused stare with her arms hovering just above her head, junior Natalie Dionne floats in the air. She is barefoot, framed between the trunks of two hulking trees, her toes perched on a slim, red ribbon of flat climbing rope. It rocks, wobbles and shakes as she brings her foot forward, laying it down carefully in front of her. Just a few feet away from her, between another pair of trees, sophomore Sean Phillips hangs just above the grass, crouched stoically on a similar stretch of purple line. All the while, passersby stare at the pair with curiosity, enamored with the two and their triumphs against gravity. But this is no circus act. These two are not performers. This impressive display of poise is slacklining, an outdoor activity similar to tightrope walking that has fostered a new, adventurous community over the last few decades. With roots in the rock-climbing scenes of the ’70s and ’80s, slacklining is an activity that encourages personal exploration, inner peace, unending focus and, above all else, an ineffable sense of balance. The premise is simple: Participants take a length of flat climbing cord, also called webbing, and string it up between the trunks of

two anchor points, typically trees. From here, the line is pulled taut. Traditionally, adequate tension is achieved through the use of knots and carabiners, though some modern webbing made specifically for slacklining features a ratchet system for tensioning the line. Once tightened, the line is ready to be walked, lept and balanced upon. But what the world’s many “slackers” do on their lines is entirely up to them. Frederik Zimmermann, who sits on the executive board of the Germany-based World Slackline Federation and judges slacklining competitions, said it’s the open-ended nature of slacklining that makes it an attractive form of recreation. “You can make it what you want,” Zimmermann said. “If you just want it to be a recreational activity, that’s fine. If you’re ambitious, if you want to achieve goals, you can do so. Slacklining is what you want it to be for yourself.” For Dionne, who picked up slacklining when she was 16 during a vacation in Bar Harbor, Maine, her time on the line is tranquil. She is content balancing on her line, and while she will every now and then take a cautious step, she is usually still on the line. It’s these placid moments that she said bring her peace.

“I love just balancing and just interlocking your feet with the line and trying to find your center point,” Dionne said. “I think there’s a very cool harmony that’s created when you’re just balancing.” This emphasis on inner peace is a concept near to the hearts of many slackliners. The activity takes a role akin to yoga, quieting nerves and quelling the stresses of everyday life. Phillips, whose interest in rock climbing led him to slacklining, frequently joins Dionne on her slacklining ventures, though his approach is not nearly as serene as hers. His style is cathartic, and next to Dionne, Phillips is animated, bouncing on his line with visible enthusiasm. He said slacklining provides an opportunity to escape stress and quell daily anxiety. “It’s just such a stress reliever to take a slackline out, put it in the center of campus,” Phillips said. “Even if you have a lot of craziness going on in your life, if you want to be able to slackline, you need to calm yourself down and really focus.” But slacklining isn’t just a solitary pursuit. Often, it’s enthusiastically social, drawing in curious onlookers itching to test their balance. Phillips said this inviting quality of slacklining is something that adds value to the entire experience. “One of my favorite parts about it is just the social aspect of it on a college campus,” Phillips said. “If I put up a line in the center of campus, there will probably be 15 people during the day who will come by and be like, ‘Oh that’s awesome. I want to try that.’” This alluring aspect doesn’t come as a surprise to Zimmermann, especially in regard to college campuses. The longtime slackliner said the intriguing pastime provides the social and physical recreation sought after by younger individuals. “Young people, students on campuses, they try to find something that is social,” Zimmermann said. “So if you look at slacklining, it’s everything that young people want to do: You can combine it with parties, you can do it in groups or just use it for recreation in between classes.” However, the world of slacklining isn’t always taking it easy. As much as slacklining can be a leisurely diversion, it can also be an intensely physical and mentally strenuous sport. Many slackers have begun performing elaborate acrobatics on their lines in a sport called “tricklining.” These adrenaline junkies bust out backflips and more, all while miraculously maintaining their place on their line. Others, including Zimmermann, have taken to “highlining,” with stretches of webbing spanning massive, perilous drops. The German slacklining aficionado has traveled nation to nation, setting up in Germany and Scotland, to name a few. But even with his veteran status in the scene, Zimmermann is consistently amazed with the slacklining community and said from what he has seen, he expects the community to keep on growing. “I grew up with the sport, and every year, every week, every day I am more and more amazed about what can develop,” Zimmermann said. “Nothing is impossible. Everything we can imagine can happen in slacklining. That’s what I truly believe.” But no matter how it’s done, be it a quiet summer distraction or something more extreme, Dionne is hard-pressed to declare any one style good or bad. While she will admit that she thinks the extreme offshoots of slacklining are “crazy,” she finds the activity in any form to be a wholly internal experience and said ultimately it is a personal pursuit above all else. “I think it’s very hard to put a general consensus on, ‘Oh, you’re good at slacklining,’ or, ‘You’re not good at slacklining,’ because it’s a weird thing,” Dionne said. “It’s not a point basis. You can’t slackline for anyone but yourself.”

Junior Natalie Dionne lays her feet on a slackline to balance herself on Aug. 23, 2014, in the Academic Quad. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Dionne carefully balances herself on a slackline. She said she enjoys standing still on the line rather than walking across it. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

PUZZLING

PASSION

Local antique shop owner finds passion in creating crossword puzzles By Luke Harbur Inside Pastimes Antiques, an antique shop located within the Dewitt Mall, knickknacks fill every spot in the room. In one section, jewelry boxes are filled with wristwatches, bracelets and rings. In another, Ithaca-themed cards and advertisements line a small bookshelf. And to the left of the cashier counter hangs a handmade sketch. At center, a man wears a cone-shaped wizard hat with a peculiar design: blank crossword puzzles set on a charcoal background. He holds a magic wand, crafting words to create crossword puzzle masterpieces. This man is Pastimes’ owner and crossword puzzle constructor, Adam Perl. Perl, a 1967 Cornell University graduate, opened Pastimes in 1979. On the side, however, Perl constructs hundreds of crossword puzzles for countless occasions, including family gatherings, Bat Mitzvahs, anniversaries, holidays and retirement celebrations. Perl said he gave his first-ever puzzle to his mother for her 70th birthday. With well received critique from his family members, Perl then pursued his new passion. In 1998, Perl wanted to try publishing a crossword puzzle for The New York Times. He said he called his friend Stephanie Vaughn, who had a piece of her work, “Sweet Talk,” published in the newspaper some years before. “I said, ‘Stephanie, how do I go about submitting a puzzle to the Times?’” Perl said. “She said, ‘Call up The New York Times.’ And I said, ‘Yeah?’ And she said, ‘No, do it! Right now!’” Perl said as soon as he called The New York Times he immediately got a general representative. Perl made a request to speak with Will Shortz, The New York Times’ crossword editor. Shortz has been The New York Times’ crossword editor since 1993. Shortz is also known as the puzzlemaster on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday. When Perl reached the puzzle maestro, he said he was so nervous he could barely collect his words. “I asked for the crossword editor, and I was talking to Will

Shortz within seconds,” Perl said. “And I was tongue-tied! He said, ‘Will Shortz,’ and I was like, ‘Uh … uh, I’m a crossword puzzle maker.“ Shortz approved of Perl’s puzzle expertise, and The New York Times sent Perl a crossword puzzle style sheet. Perl said the sheet was complicated due to how many puzzle restrictions were needed. Restrictions included what words he could use, how many words he could use and the type of puzzle The New York Times was looking for. A few months later, Perl sent what he said he felt was his best puzzle at the time, and The New York Times published his crossword puzzle Dec. 28, 1998. Since then, Perl has published 25 puzzles in The New York Times. Perl said his 26th puzzle is currently in the pipeline. In 2014, Perl published “Tiny Town Teasers,” containing 60 crossword puzzles all based on small, 3×3 grids. All puzzles from “Tiny Town Teasers” came from “Tiny Town Times,” a blog that is written and maintained by Franklin Crawford. Crawford helped Perl publish his book. Crawford first met Perl at the now-closed Cabbagetown Cafe in 1979. As their friendship grew throughout the years, Crawford watched Perl throughout his crossword construction journey. Crawford says Perl is a genuine gift to the Town and City of Ithaca. “A lot of college towns will have a handful of people who stayed, and they just continue to grace their community with their talents,” Crawford said. “He’s a nice mixture of being creative and seriously community-oriented. You can’t have enough of those people around.” Ultimately, Perl said he believes in pursuing dreams. Perl said his parents never pushed him to become a doctor or lawyer. He said they encouraged him to do what he loves. “I started getting my Social Security four years ago already and I could retire,” Perl said. “But I don’t want to. There’s nothing I want to retire to. I’m doing what I want to do now. Follow your passion, do what you love and you’ll be happy.”

Adam Perl, who owns Pastimes, an antique shop, is also an experienced crossword puzzle maker. AMANDA DEN HARTOG/THE ITHACAN

Helping through a ruff time Student receives first diabetic alert service dog on South Hill By Aidan Quigley Senior Shanika Bridges might not have survived a diabetic emergency if it weren’t for a certain new companion. On Sept. 24, 2014, Bridges woke up with an extremely high blood-sugar level. Unaware of her current state, she said she tried to go through her daily routine. As she walked to work, Tobbi, her new diabetic alert service dog, kept stopping, sitting down and pawing her to alert her that she needed to check her blood sugar. Diabetic service dogs are a type of service dog that alerts its owner to check his or her blood sugar when it is too high or too low. Because of Tobbi’s persistent warning, she said, she went to the Hammond Health Center and was able to get her blood-sugar levels down. During her freshman year, Bridges went through a similar day but ignored her symptoms. Doing so caused a nearly fatal episode of ketoacidosis, a serious medical condition in which there isn’t enough insulin in the body, causing the organs to slowly shut down. During this episode of ketoacidosis, Bridges said she was extremely dehydrated and was vomiting for 12 hours. Her parents picked her up and got her to the emergency room, where she went into cardiac arrest and then remained in the ICU for five weeks, Bridges said. She missed two weeks of school, and her endocrinologist told her that most who go into ketoacidosis do not make it out alive. Bridges says she has gone into ketoacidosis five times while at the college, all during her freshman year when she lived on campus. She lived at home in Newark Valley, New York, 40 minutes away from campus, during her sophomore and junior years so her parents could keep an eye on her. This is her first year living back on campus. “I do not want to go through it ever again, and Tobbi, I believe, is the answer for a better life and better health for me,” Bridges said. Bridges said she wasn’t aware of diabetic service dogs until a year and a half ago. She was watching an episode of “The Harvey Show,” which featured a girl with a diabetic alert service dog who had saved her life. After watching the show, she started researching them and ultimately decided to get one. She is the first student at Ithaca College to receive a diabetic alert service dog, as she said she was told by her Student Accessibility Services representative. Bridges received Tobbi in September through Retrievers by Warren, a nonprofit organization based in Virginia that helps people get the service dogs they need. The company provides the dogs free of cost, but customers are required to fundraise in their communities, according to Erin Coulter, a service dog trainer for Retrievers by Warren. When Tobbi senses that Bridges needs to check her blood sugar, he alerts her at least five times a day in various ways, such as stopping when walking, yawning and pawing at her. “Your body gives off a scent when your blood sugars are too high or too low,” Bridges said. “He picks up on that scent, and then he alerts me to check my blood sugar.” Though the college has been very accommodating, she said, she is having some difficulty with students who are not aware that they should not pet Tobbi and distract him. Tobbi has a vest which alerts

others that he is a diabetic alert service dog. “When he is out and about with me on campus, people are not allowed to touch him because he is working,” Bridges said. “People will literally just stop and pet him, and that distracts him from what he’s supposed to be doing.” Student accessibility specialist Jean Celeste-Astorina wouldn’t comment on Bridges’ specific case due to privacy, but she said it is important for students to be aware about proper service-dog etiquette. “Trying to get the dog’s attention by way of touching, speaking to it or making noises may confuse the dog and take it away from its work,” Celeste-Astorina said. “Do not be insulted if your request to pet or interact with the dog is denied. The owner knows what is best under the circumstances. Coulter said Retrievers by Warren provides service dogs all over the United States and Canada. The diabetes dogs are between six and 12 months old when they are assigned to their person and continue to undergo a two-year training program. Coulter said trainers visit the dogs in the program every three to four months to help with additional training. Bridges said she is training Tobbi by making him comfortable with her day-to-day life. Bridges said she aims to raise $25,000 for the organization so others can get the service dogs they need. She has already raised $13,050, which is 52 percent of her goal, through selling bracelets at an animal store in her hometown and asking for donations from friends and family.

Senior Shanika Bridges is the first student at Ithaca College to own a diabetic alert service dog, Tobbi. JILLIAN FLINT/THE ITHACAN

Looking Within

One With Nature Outdoor survival organization bridges the gap between people and nature By Steven Pirani A City in the Woods Holding their field journals at their sides, a line of students meanders through the brush. Across each of their notebooks, it reads “Environmental Sentinels.” Dodging the gnarled, reaching arms of the surrounding bushes, they plunge deeper into one of the several expanses of natural lands that Ithaca offers. These wandering students are following a winding trail that cuts through this wilderness, delving further into a sea of towering trees and aimlessly strolling deer. With this sprawling range of natural lands, it’s no wonder an organization is taking advantage of it. Primitive Pursuits, an Ithaca-based survivalist organization, is using as much of this surrounding nature as it can and intends to spread its enthusiasm for hands-on, in-the-field exploration of the natural world. Offering classes for both adults and children that focus on primitive skills including bow-making, arrow-making and more, Primitive Pursuits allows members of the local community to pursue their naturalist inclinations. The history of Primitive Pursuits, and its impact on the Ithaca area, can be traced back to humble beginnings — notably to a small cabin nestled away in the wilderness of Tompkins County.

An Island

Justin Sutera, a field staff member with Primitive Pursuits, holds up a chunk of obsidion during a flint-knapping workshop on Nov. 8, 2014. Flint-knapping works to create tools from removing small pieces of the stone from the core. COREY HESS/THE ITHACAN

As a child, Tim Drake grew up on an island with no coast. That’s how the 36-year-old describes his childhood home: a small log cabin, built by his parents, tucked away in the rural suburb of Perry City, near Trumansburg, New York. This island was flanked not by water but by dense, far-reaching wilderness. Born into a family of hunters and trappers, Drake’s youth was steeped in the natural world around him. He and his family lived off the land, and before Drake turned one year old, his mother would carry him on her back as she checked the trap lines around their home. By age 10, he was wandering the greater wilderness in his free time, and by his early teens, he was already embarking on the first of his life’s many camping ventures. Despite his young age, Drake never suffered any worry from his parents — this desire to adventure, he said, was not an issue of particular concern to them. “My family was definitely one of those who trusted us to be OK outdoors, so I had a lot of liberties as far as roaming,” Drake said. “They either had faith, or a lack of awareness. I think they were like, ‘You’re going to come home if you’re cold.’ They didn’t say that, but I assumed that’s what they must have been thinking.” When he was 14 years old, Drake’s best friend and neighbor gave him a book written by famous American tracker and survivalist Tom Brown Jr. This, he said, turned what was initially an interest for the natural world into a passion for survival skills. “That kind of opened up this whole new world for me,” he said. “I just started really exploring those skill sets and wondering how I could improve my situation and experiences outdoors.” Decades later, Drake has honed his outdoor skills — he can birth fire from mere friction and will often nibble on the edible plants he identifies around him.

However, he’s hasn’t kept this knowledge to himself: Drake is one of three founding members of Primitive Pursuits and is ardent in his goal to spread knowledge and awareness of the natural world to budding naturalists throughout the upstate New York area, including those on the Ithaca College campus.

Beginning the Pursuit Primitive Pursuits began, and still exists, within the Cornell Cooperative Extension, a division of Cornell that develops and nurtures community programs and initiatives. Started by co-founder Dave Hall in 1999 as a part of the Cooperative’s Rural Youth Services, Primitive Pursuits was originally an after-school program for kids that took them out of the classroom, opting instead to use the woods as a venue for exploration and education. Drake met Hall shortly after Hall began instructing the program and immediately took interest in its approach. Drake had been supervising similar programs himself and said he often found reception, not from the youths but from the adults, to be lacking. “I found myself basically taking kids into the woods and just sharing my excitement for it, and watching them be super excited about it too really hooked me into that feeling,” Drake said. “And then at the same time, there was people who were like, ‘Uh, you’ve got to put their shoes back on.’ I definitely realized that what I was doing was really not in the flow of the status quo.” Upon volunteering with Hall with Primitive Pursuits in 1999, however, Drake was immediately convinced that the program was the one he wanted to work with. The two naturalists were soon joined by a third, co-founder Jed Jordan, and in the following years, Primitive Pursuits began to grow. Requests for their classes became more frequent, and what was once an after-school program was quickly growing into something much larger in scope.

Growing Strong It’s 9 a.m. on a biting November morning, and Justin Sutera, a year-round field staff member with Primitive Pursuits, is leading a flint-knapping course, part of the organization’s Wilderness Skills Apprenticeship Program. In the 15 years since its inception, Drake, Hall and Jordan’s after-school program has grown into a thriving community organization, now boasting a full staff and a lengthy catalog of survival and tracking opportunities for youths and adults alike. Flint-knapping is delicate work — a true meeting of force and foresight. It is the creation of a tool by lithic reduction, or removing smaller pieces of stone from a larger core piece. Knappers must read the nuances of each of these cores, noting the angle and shape of it, before striking them with another, harder “hammer” stone. The force of this impact, if directed correctly, peels large flakes off the rock, which can be worked into a bevy of tools. Sutera, a graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, sits among the booted, bundled workshop attendees. They are all parked around a pile of glinting, ink-dark shards of obsidian. Sutera, whose head is wrapped in a fur-lined hat, is holding a hulking chunk of the black volcanic glass, running his hands over its crooked, jagged form. “We’re here because this works,” Sutera said, looking around the group, still cradling the stone. “The only reason we’re alive today is because you can rub sticks together and make a fire, and you can break a rock and make a sharp edge and kill something with it.” Onlookers nod quietly as he speaks, their breath hanging foggy in the air. Wind sails through the space — a sizable pole barn located on Ithaca’s 4-H Acres. Just a few feet from the group, a small fire seethes, crackling in the background. Ultimately, Sutera isn’t worried if his workshop attendees are

succeeding or failing — just as long as they are attempting. Sutera values the hands-on experience most of all and said his goal with workshops like this is simply to provide people a new connection with the natural world. “They’re crafting something,” Sutera said. “They’re using their hands. They’re connecting with a natural material. Whatever they’re doing, they’re expanding their relationship with the natural world, and I think there’s something there for everyone.”

A New Learning Environment It was her freshman year, and now-junior Nicole Pouy was out late on a school-night. She was blindfolded, along with several of her other classmates, sitting in the pitch-black darkness of Ithaca’s natural lands, listening for any sound at all. This was “the” night class everyone was talking about. Not so long before, Jordan and Drake led this group of students into the woods with a single objective: to put the students’ skills to the test — to endure the dark of night-time woods, and ultimately find their way out. “I was thinking, ‘What’s going to happen to me?’” she said. Despite how it may have seemed, this was no sadistic joke at the hands of the aforementioned naturalists. What Pouy was enduring was part of Environmental Sentinels, a collaborative course between Ithaca College and Primitive Pursuits that tackles environmental sciences, tracking and survival with a hands-on, out-of-the-classroom approach. Sentinels, as it is often called, is partially the work of Jason Hamilton, professor and chair of environmental studies and sciences. Hamilton moved to Ithaca in 2001 and shortly thereafter enrolled his son in some of Primitive Pursuits’ home-school programs. Soon, Hamilton became involved with the organization, enrolling in survival skills workshops. He quickly saw an educational opportunity. At that time a professor of ecology, Hamilton struggled to devise inventive ways to interact with students but saw promise in Primitive Pursuits’ approach to environmental education. “I was looking for creative ways to engage students in ecology that wasn’t just, ‘Hey, look at that bobcat over there,’” Hamilton said. “It dawned on me then, as I was working with Tim and Jed, that this may be the hook — bringing in some of these wilderness-awareness skills that they were teaching into an ecology class.” For Pouy, her freshman year is far behind her. She did eventually traipse out from the natural lands that fateful evening despite being blindfolded the entire time. Even with the momentary emotional distress Sentinels may have caused, she cannot shed her fondness for it and admitted to having a love-hate relationship with the class. However, it wasn’t just this late-night brush with wilderness that made Sentinels an enlivening experience for her. Pouy said it was the relief from the classroom setting that established Sentinels as an educational experience she won’t soon forget. “It was the best and the worst class of my entire life, but it’s a nice break from conventional schoolwork,” she said. “This gets old, you get tired, you get kind of down — [Sentinels] wakes you up.”

The Original Classroom At the end of it all, for Drake, the plight of Primitive Pursuits is not merely grounded in the dissemination of survival skills. Ask him why he has taken to the primordial techniques of yesteryear, and he’ll retort, with confidence, the mentality behind these truly pwrimitive pursuits: a celebration of what has brought humans so far. “Sure, we could flick a lighter — we no longer have to make fire with a friction kit,” he said. “The reason we explore these primitive skills in depth and really work with them is because they are literally the skills that brought modern humans to be the successful creatures that we are today. We call the forest the original classroom: the place where we learned to be who we are.”

Looking Within

ON THE HUNT Campus-wide scavenger hunt comes to Ithaca College By Steven Pirani Photo Illustration by Tucker Mitchell and Steven Pirani Sophomore Molly Astrove is hiding something — or at least planning to, anyway. She has been plotting and constantly spying around for hiding spots, brainstorming over the nooks and crannies of the Ithaca College campus. For the last few days, she’s been sneaking about the college’s grounds, stealthily slipping gift cards and coupons where they will be far out of sight, ready to be stumbled upon by one of the campus’s many residents. “The trick is to hide them in a place where a lot of people will be but not to hide them when anyone is around,” Astrove said. Astrove is no charitable ninja, nor is she an anonymous philanthropist. If anything, she’s an advertising agent, promoting a bevy of Ithaca’s own small businesses through the help of the startup Campus Pursuit, a social media–fueled treasure hunt that pits the whole campus against itself in a race for gift cards, coupons and more — and it has found its way onto the college’s campus. This college-centric hunt for booty is the brainchild of Scott Wisotsky and Shachar Avraham, senior and junior, respectively, currently attending Binghamton University. Friends and roommates, the two found themselves dissatisfied with the ways local businesses were reaching students in the nation’s many college towns. Be it television, radio or newspaper, Wisotsky and Avraham felt these current methods of advertising failed to grip students on college campuses. “We feel that traditional modes of advertising, such as newspaper ads and radio, and even television commercials, are just becoming outdated,” Avraham said. “Businesses and restaurants within college towns are having trouble effectively advertising to college students.” Their solution is their own original concept called Campus Pursuit, which merges the intrigue of a scavenger hunt with local advertising, appealing to students’ curiosity in order to bring attention to the local businesses around them. It all begins with a few select students like Astrove, who take the reins as their campus’s leaders. She is one of three on campus and applied for the position after seeing an ad for it on Facebook. Once assigned their positions, these leaders are provided merchandise from sponsored local businesses and tasked with hiding it around the

campus each day. A free app, available for both iPhone and Android devices, notifies participating students when new prizes have been hidden and when they have been subsequently uncovered. Wisotsky said this neverending scavenger hunt turns advertising into a diversion for students and makes the program engaging for its participants. “Our value proposition is that we are the most fun way to advertise to students,” he said. “It’s just an engaging, new way to interact with millennials.” And if the City of Ithaca boasts anything, it’s a hearty supply of millennials. With Cornell University and Ithaca College drawing in over 30,000 students to the city, small businesses have a massive population of young adults to cater to. This dynamic is one that Wisotsky said is distinct to Ithaca and made the city an attractive place to bring this “treasure-hunt marketing.” “You have two college campuses — it’s almost like a sandwich,” Wisotsky said. “The buns are the college campuses, and in the middle you have so many freaking businesses.” Apart from its business intentions, however, Campus Pursuit is quite the social animal — by nature, the scavenger hunt is a riotous combination of cooperation and competition, a dynamic that Astrove hopes will provide a degree of unity to participants and to the campus as a whole. “I think it’s an individual thing where you’re competitive with other people trying to find stuff,” Astrove said. “But there’s also this, ‘Oh, did you see the update today?’ And then people come together.” Astrove, who hid the very first prizes, is unabashed expressing her excitement about these results, even so early in the program’s life cycle on the college’s campus. She will continue sneaking around campus, leaving prizes and maybe some joy in her wake. It’s ultimately this campuswide joy that Wisotsky and Avraham want to create — a joy for not only the thrill of hidden prizes but one for the local businesses that Ithaca offers. “We want to bring happiness to students, we want to put smiles on their faces every day,” Wisotsky said. “And we also want to help the local economies here within the college towns grow. If a city doesn’t have a treasure hunt in it, that’s a dull city.”

Senior Spencer Bailey was in a drunk-driving car accident eight years ago that changed his life. Now, at 28, he will graduate from Ithaca College with a degree in exercise science. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

NEW BEGINNING Senior rethinks lifestyle after harrowing accident By Spencer Pereira

Spencer Bailey, a 28-year-old senior, came to Ithaca College after a drunk driving accident he caused changed his life. Eight years ago, while driving home from a friend’s place in his brother’s Chevy around 3 a.m., Bailey swerved along a country road. Blue lights flashed in his rearview mirror. Still blacked-out, he stepped on the gas, and a chase broke out. On a sharp curve, the Chevy spun off the road and began to roll. Bailey crashed through the rear window and was kneeling in a ditch as the sirens grew louder. He woke in a hospital bed. The sight of a police officer waiting outside brought flashbacks from the night before. Bailey turned to his dad and said, “I wish I had died in that accident. I would have done us all a favor.” He fell unconscious and didn’t wake up until later that afternoon in a jail cell. A guard standing nearby said he had a $5,000 bail and a three-month sentence. In jail, Bailey felt out of place. He kept to himself and spent most days in his cell. “I felt like my life was on pause,” he said. “I knew it wasn’t where I belong, that’s for sure.” After 26 days, Bailey’s grandmother posted his bail. Bailey had begun drinking and smoking almost every night his senior year in high school. “I drank to make my problems go away,” Bailey said. But his feelings of depression and loneliness were always still there the next day, he said. It got worse after graduation when Bailey’s then-girlfriend went away for school and he enrolled in Southern Maine Community College. “I would go to my friend’s house and smoke a bunch of weed and go home and drink until I blacked out,” Bailey said. “That happened every day for five months.” Some nights he would finish a bottle hoping he wouldn’t wake up. “I just didn’t want to be around anymore,” he said. A day after Bailey’s release from jail, he learned he could get his grandmother’s money back if he completed an outpatient rehabilitation program. “During rehab they said, ‘Nine out of 10 of you aren’t going to make it.’ That was the first time I really went into something with an open mind,” Bailey said. He had something to compete for — he wanted to be the one

person to make it out. While still in rehab, Bailey got a job plowing snow for the town of Wiscasset, Maine. Eventually he saved up enough money to rent an apartment with his younger brother, Stephen. “He had had a tough time changing his lifestyle,” Stephen said. “We did everything we could to support him.” The family chipped in money for a lawyer and provided rides to work. They helped Bailey work through the long days when his friends had stopped calling and depression felt like a familiar pain only a drink could ease. Completing rehab trumped temptation, and after five months Bailey graduated from the program. “He can do anything he puts his mind to,” Stephen said. “He confirmed that by getting sober.” While living with his brother, Bailey began exercising every day. His mom suggested he consider going back to school to study exercise science. That night, Bailey took to the computer and searched for programs. A few clicks later, he found Ithaca College. With his application, Bailey included three character references and a personal letter. That spring, the college accepted Bailey as a transfer student with junior standing. Alec Kaden, a junior, currently works with Bailey on the same resident-assistant staff. The two met in Bailey’s first semester last fall. “He’s a very strong person and inspires me a lot,” Kaden said. “He comes from Maine, he’s older — there’s a lot of differences to overcome, but he still manages to connect with people.” A daily exercise regimen has proved to be Bailey’s new self-medication. Even with a demanding class schedule and work in the residence halls, Bailey hits the gym for at least an hour every day. He often reads his physics book while walking on the treadmill. In the spring, Bailey plans to graduate with a degree in exercise science. Sometimes, on his way to class, he gets tears in his eyes. “Never once did I think when I stepped out of that jail cell I’d be here today,” he said. “I never thought my life would be like this. I think about the people who helped me get here. When I graduate, I just want to tell them, ‘If it wasn’t for you guys, I wouldn’t be alive.’ I’m not done either. This is just the beginning.”

Members of a yoga class stretch out their backs and shoulders in a pose Feb. 24 in Ithaca College’s Fitness Center.

Looking Within

NAMASTE

South Hill’s student body relieves stress through yoga By Kalia Kornegay Photos by Amanda Den Hartog

While to some, yoga may appear to be people forming impossible, even painful, poses with their bodies, many find it to be a system set on rejuvenating the body, easing tension and prolonging life. For these individuals, the practice is one that relieves stress, and at Ithaca College, both students and faculty have practiced this art and found it to have a positive impact on their spiritual and mental well-being. Freshman Ilana Diamant has found stress relief from her experiences in yoga. Diamant has been practicing yoga ever since her mother, a yoga teacher, signed her up for a class during kindergarten to expose her to yoga at a young age. During high school, Diamant said she experimented with a few types of yoga before finally settling on a style called power vinyasa, which places an emphasis on high temperatures and core strength. She said she appreciates its tension-easing aspects. “Yoga requires so much focus,” Diamant said. “You can’t be distracted, so even if I’m stressed out about a paper or a project, I can’t be worried about it. It’s a nice break for an hour and a half to just not think about anything else.” Diamant’s sentiments reflect an overall increase in popularity toward this alternative form of exercise and stress relief. According to a 2012 study in Yoga Journal, a popular yoga magazine, “20.4 million Americans practice yoga, compared to 15.8 million from the previous 2008 study.” For the student body, the stress relief yoga offers is especially relevant. Stress may come in the form of lack of sleep, large workloads, problems with family or friends and financial difficulties for some students. Several studies, including one from the National Center for

Complementary and Integrative Health, have shown that practicing yoga has resulted in decreased anxiety and depression as well as reduced heart rate and blood pressure. The college boasts several yoga programs that are open to both students and faculty. The Fitness Center has group exercise sessions from Tuesday to Friday that involve four forms of yoga called kripalu, astanga, iyengar and gentle. There are also yoga classes held through the school’s Physical Activity, Leisure and Safety program. James Eavenson, a lecturer for the Department of Health Promotion and Physical Education, has been teaching yoga at the college with both PALS and independent classes for 16 years and said he tries to teach every class with an open mind. He occasionally comes to class with a plan for that day, but he’s open to reading the atmosphere and the students’ feelings. He said this results in a completely different plan in order to accommodate the mood. “The way I structure classes now is to obviously give them some good teaching but at the same time to let them chill and to encourage them to relax,” Eavenson said. Dylan Bland, a freshman pole vaulter on the men’s track and field team, is currently taking Eavenson’s course, Yoga Study and Practice I, and said he took the class to improve his overall health as well as his athletic performance. “I’m not an expert, but I’m currently doing [yoga] through PALS, and my track team does it occasionally,” Bland said. “It can help you be more flexible when you stretch before and after a meet. You’re much more loosened up.” While yoga has formed a community within the student body on

Freshman Holly Perkins leads a class Feb. 24 in the Fitness Center.

Sophomore Jessica Leung stretches during a yoga session Feb. 24 in the Fitness Center.

campus, it also has significant presence in town. There are about 10 yoga studios downtown, such as Mighty Yoga Ithaca and The Yoga School, each offering many specific types of yoga. Along with these studios, however, the larger Ithaca community showed its appreciation for yoga Feb. 22 with an event called “Yogathon,” a 4-hour event that promoted practicing yoga in the community regardless of both skill level and age, at the Ithaca High School. Event coordinator Stephanie Bailey said almost $15,000 was raised for the Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca, which is a service that offers access to mental health care to the citizens of Ithaca. Bailey said practicing yoga during the winter gives people a reason to get out, be active and keep up spirits, despite the cold weather. “Winter is really tough for people,” Bailey said. “Anything you can do to treat yourself and your body during this time really helps cure the winter blues. It has been shown that exercise is really good for that.” Eavenson said ever since he left a high-paying job in New York City several years ago, teaching yoga has turned out to be a more spiritually gratifying way to spend his time. While he teaches yoga to students and faculty on campus, he has also been teaching it in India for about 11 years. He said he travels there yearly — sometimes for several months at a time — to study yoga, and at one point taught in an Indian hospital’s physiotherapy department. Eavenson expressed that it is different to teach yoga in the two places because of how yoga is represented in India and in the West’s culture. “Being a student of yoga continues to give me a goal for living and serving others in a better way,” Eavenson said. “As a teacher,

it has brought me into a relationship with people in the world. It’s sometimes challenging to stand in front of someone and teach them something very deep because it’s a subject that you have to absorb. … It’s challenging to be a teacher — a good challenge.” Though not all instructors are necessarily faculty, they still see the practice in a similar light. Freshman Holly Perkins became a yoga instructor at the Fitness Center this past fall semester. She said it has made a huge difference in her life. After quitting dance upon graduating from high school, Perkins decided to look into yoga to find a new focus. She said when she’s not teaching, she finds meditating and practicing yoga in her room to be just as fulfilling as when she’s in a class, and they offer her a method of stress relief. “It kind of tames my anxiety and stress levels,” Perkins said. “It allows me to stay in touch with my needs. That’s why when people kind of get a taste of it, they start realizing how much it can impact your life.” Ultimately, Diamant said yoga is an invigorating way to make her happy. She said it energizes her, clears her mind for the week ahead and encourages students to open their minds to it. “I think [students] should try it,” she said. “It’s not for everyone, but at the same time some of the people who’ve said that yoga isn’t for them have maybe tried it once, and not every yoga class is made the same. They seem to think that yoga is a singular concept. It’s not. There’s many kinds, so I think people should make that effort because once you find a type that’s good for you, the benefits are endless.”

Karina McMahon, a fifth-year occupational therapy student, smiles with a child at the Prosthetics for Life Foundation in Ibarra, Ecuador.

COURTESY OF AMANDA SINGLETARY

TRANSCONTINENTAL BOND

Former professor starts Prosthetics for Life Foundation in Ecuador By Mary Ford There’s a distance of almost 3,000 miles between Ithaca and Ibarra, Ecuador, but that hasn’t stopped the two communities from forming a strong and uncommon bond. Since 2008, Kit Frank, an Ithaca College adjunct professor from 2007–11, and her husband, Robert Frank ’73, have been working to provide prosthetics and orthotics to disabled children in Ibarra, filling a health-care gap and facilitating the involvement of many others at the college. The Franks have a long history in Ibarra, starting in the ’80s when they first traveled and saw the conditions there. Many children in Ibarra with disabilities such as birth defects or cerebral palsy did not have access to the right prosthetics that would allow them to be more mobile. Kit is a trained occupational therapist who specializes in assistive technology, and Robert is a licensed orthotist/prosthetist. Together, they founded the Prosthetics for Life Foundation in 2008, and their mission is to make well fitting prosthetics easily accessible for all who need them. The clinic is free and uses primarily found materials — especially cardboard — to fashion prosthetics. The foundation has many connections within the college community, especially in the occupational therapy department. Carole Dennis, former head of the department and current professor of occupational therapy, worked with Kit to run a class about assistive technology at the college before visiting the clinic in Summer 2011. She was impressed by the way they had manipulated the cardboard into something functional. “All you do is you glue it together,” Dennis said. “It gets really strong when you glue a lot of layers, then it works like wood.” During the visit, Dennis went on a homestay to see whether one of the Franks’ patients, a young boy with cerebral palsy, was adapting well to the technology they had provided him with. Kit had made a chair with a tray that held toys in front of him, which held him upright and allowed him to play so his mother was free to do other household work.

“When they began, there were no orthotics and prosthetics available for children, and they were very involved in training people in the area,” Dennis said. “The state of Ecuador provides some resources, but they aren’t usually well suited to children.” Amanda Singletary and Karina McMahon, fifth-year occupational therapy students at the college, traveled to Ecuador this summer as their final field work assignments to complete their degrees. They spent the majority of their time at a clinic called the Centro de Rehabilitacion, Educacion, Capacitacion, Estudios y Recursos, but also were given the opportunity to observe at the Foundation for Life clinic. McMahon was also gathering research for a thesis about how occupational therapy students respond to working environments abroad and said future trips might be coordinated differently. “When we went, we only spent a little time at the prosthetics clinic, a day with a professional OT and most of the time we were at CRECER,” McMahon said. “In the future I think they’ll probably take a more comprehensive approach.” Dennis said she has been trying to plan a short-term study abroad program to visit Ibarra since last year and is hopeful that she will be able to lead a group of students to volunteer in Ibarra this May. “I was just so impressed with Kit and Bobby,” Dennis said. “They are very humble people, really rather ordinary people who just have an exceptional drive to give. This is their focus in their life.” Both Singletary and McMahon graduated on Oct. 15, 2014, and though they don’t intend to focus their careers on this kind of work, they both said they would love to go back to the clinic. “Nobody is miserable down there,” Singletary said. “Sometimes here, when someone has a disability, it’s more of a big deal, and we’re understandably upset about it, but down there they say, ‘This is my life. This is my child. I’m going to make the best of it and that’s that.’ It’s a very nice environment. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

THE

SECRET'S OUT

By Mary Ford

IC Active Minds exhibits campus secrets in new mental health initiative Whether they’re embarrassing, incriminating or simply private, everyone has secrets. However, rather than leaving them forever unexpressed, an art project new to Ithaca College and organized by Active Minds at the college is giving campus community members a chance to turn their previously untold thoughts into art. PostSecretU is a program that collects secrets submitted anonymously on the backs of postcards. According to the program’s website, it’s designed to allow students to feel safe expressing themselves, to help students relate to one another on a more personal level and to raise awareness of college students’ mental health. Collection boxes for postcards were placed in the Writing Center, the Student Activities Center, the Cerrache Center, the Information Desk and the Ithaca College Library. Active Minds gathered submissions until Nov. 30, 2014, before hosting an art gallery displaying all the secrets it received on Dec. 8, 2014, in Emerson Suites. PostSecretU is a subgroup of the original PostSecret, which began in 2004 when founder Frank Warren placed a classified ad in his local Baltimore-area newspaper asking people to send him their secrets. Since then, thousands of people have participated, and secrets are updated on PostSecret’s blog every week. Based on PostSecret’s success, Warren created PostSecretU as a version of his project that stays contained within college communities. To do so, he partnered with Active Minds, a national mental health awareness group for college students. Jared Wolf, events chair for Active Minds at the college, said he wanted to bring PostSecretU to the college ever since he first heard about the program. “I’ve been a big PostSecret fan myself, so I’ve been really interested in seeing, ‘What would that look like on the IC campus?’” Wolf said. “There’s a unique sensibility on this campus in terms of creativity and diversity of experience. Seeing what people come up with and what people are willing to share will be such an eye-opening thing for this community.” To organize the event, Active Minds at the college purchased a PostSecretU kit from the national Active Minds organization. The kit contained posters, a guidebook for marketing the event and 2,000 blank postcards. The postcards were distributed on posters across campus, and some professors handed the cards out to their classes. Susan Delaney, an assistant writing professor, encouraged her students to participate in PostSecretU because of its potential mental health benefits. “So much of the stigma around mental health is due to secrecy,” Delaney said. “Until we are actually willing to be public and talk about things or even just to be honest about what we don’t know, we’ll never break down those stigmas.” Jesse Rolfe, co-president of Active Minds, said this program is the first of its kind at the college.

“A lot of people have compared this to IC Secrets, but this is a more artistic movement and display that we’re trying to create,” Rolfe said. “It’s more of an art project. It’s both a way to express these inner secrets and to do it artistically. It’s a creative outlet.” Cassie Walters, co-president of Active Minds, said students should look at the PostSecret website to inspire their own creative designs. She has been following PostSecret for years and hopes PostSecretU will have as great an impact on the community as it had on her. “The one secret I read that always stuck with me said, ‘Everyone who knew me before 9/11 thinks I’m dead,’” Walters said. “Obviously they’re not all that intense but reading them can be really impactful.” Several students had already submitted work to PostSecretU, and one of them said reading PostSecret for several years inspired her to create her own submission. The student wished to remain anonymous, and the stipulations of PostSecretU also require that all participants in its event remain anonymous. “It’s just really cathartic to just put yourself out there,” the student said. “It’s been something I’ve been wanting to get off my chest for a long time, and I’m glad I finally did it.” Active Minds’ goal is to help students relate to one another in a more meaningful way, especially if it enhances their mental health. “Hopefully people will feel less alone in their secrets,” Wolf said. “That’s where the mental health aspect comes in. There’s a therapeutic element to sharing something artistically. It gives people an opportunity to connect with others without having to be vulnerable and afraid of judgment. There’s a lot of trust that goes into sharing a secret.”

Participants of PostSecretU submitted their secrets on postcards provided by the program. These submissions, among others, were displayed as part of an art exhibit on Dec. 8, 2014, in the Emerson Suites.

TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Senior Natalie Lazo works on her jaguar warrior piece on March 1. The works were completed by March 16 for the 2015 Senior Student Show on April 23.

S T O O R R E H 6 N O G IN W A R D Senior Natalie Lazo explores her Mayan ancestry through a series of artistic works By Miles Surrey

Photos by Tommy Battistelli

f A Meeting With Quetzalcoatl f Almost instantaneously, it appears before her. Natalie Lazo is engulfed by the body of a feathered serpent. She has summoned the Mayan deity, Quetzalcoatl, revered for centuries by the Mesoamerican people and one of many gods idolized in their culture — a creature thousands have killed in the name of and sacrificed for. It is the patron of priests, god of the morning and evening star, inventor of books and the calendar, and the symbol of death and resurrection. A seemingly intangible presence, its entire, otherworldly form dwarfs her 5-foot-2 frame and thick-rimmed glasses. It stares directly into her eyes, slowly curling itself closer toward her. Its long, slender tongue begins wrapping around her right hand, inviting her to move closer. With a combination of trepidation and curiosity, she moves that same hand in its direction, slowly to its face. She’s about to make contact — real, tangible contact, with the plumed serpent. Lazo pauses, looking back at the rough sketch in front of her. Before long, the piece will be coming to life in a grander form, capturing a scene in the eyes of its viewers who yearn to unearth more details. “I want this one to be more personal,” she said. “It just shows up, and I’m put in this seemingly dangerous situation. This thing has its entire body wrapped around me, and my point is trying to make that connection, creation-of-man style.” Under the mentorship of Susan Weisend, professor and chair of the Department of Art at Ithaca College, Lazo is in the developmental stages of her four pieces of artwork combining two- and three-dimensional elements for the 2015 Senior Student Show, beginning April 23 at the Handwerker Gallery. The works must be completed by March 16, when professors in the department, including Weisend, will judge the work and provide a critique of her art. Confined to a subsection of a studio in Ceracche Center along with four senior classmates, her workspace is no bigger than an office cubicle. From within, a thin sliver of window pane spreads across the top of the wall connected with the department’s parking lot outside, occasionally inviting sunlight into the room. Aside from that, the space is barren, save for the collections of works from the senior students in their respective segments. However, within this compact space, Lazo continues creating larger-than-life pieces by means of depicting herself as the characters within them. As these personas, she intentionally gives herself present-day characteristics: Converse-brand glasses, beginning as a

maroon red around the ears before eventually hitting a dark black once they encircle her eyes, matching her pitch-black eyeliner; and hair, cropped neatly above her eyebrows and following the contours of her outer lobes — ideal symbols of modernity. The art is both an extension of her computer-based art, which she had completed in the fall semester, and a self-exploration of her Mayan ancestry. “They’re all based off of Mayan culture, Mayan history and the connection that I have to that culture, despite being a first-generation American-born citizen,” she said. “I want to raise questions about it. I want people to talk about it and I want people to understand that this all existed and it’s still a culture, something that can be visited to this day.” Lazo’s creative processes for the pieces were formed in the same, small sketchbook all of her works begin in as a means to convey the initial concept within her mind. From there, she produces refined miniatures of the works in order to determine their feasibility on a grander scale. The four pieces in the senior gallery will initially be drawn out in pencil before being completed with ink and brush. She uses a specific printmaking paper, French-made Rives BFK, as material for the two-dimensional elements. She methodically pats the brush down, accentuating sections of the art that demand more attention while combining several shades of black and brown. “I’m using a mix of silk-screening inks to get the colors that I want and making it with water,” she said. “It’s a very heavyset paper, and it’s very sturdy.” With so much time to be spent in the enclosed workspace refining her art, Lazo keeps a massive collection of bubble wrap from her shipment of printmaking paper adjacent to her unfinished works. When she’s feeling anxious, Lazo will pop the individual bubbles, alleviating the internal stress, if only temporarily. She leaves a note on top of the pile inviting her peers to follow suit. “I’ve acknowledged that I’m not going to be sleeping much for the next couple of weeks,” she said. For the three-dimensional sculptural aspects, she uses foam core as a backdrop to create a pop-out effect for the work. With the two-dimensional elements of the artworks as the primary focus, the foam core helps produce a more natural background for the pieces while also framing a scene for the work. In her piece with Quetzalcoatl, for instance, she will use the foam core as a three-dimensional backdrop for the serpent and herself.

Lazo depicts herself during an encounter with Mayan deity Quetzalcoatl. This scene is one of four pieces of artwork tracing her Mayan ancestry.

“I really appreciate when my artwork can tell a story to a viewer and give them that experience,” she said. “These situations will have environments, so it will look like a snapshot.” It will also be the culmination of four years of artwork in the department and an important stepping stone before joining the professional landscape, a course of action Weisend believes Lazo is well positioned for. “As she’s progressed through her courses, her artwork has become more and more sophisticated,” Weisend said. “She has found her own voice, creative voice, in her artwork.” Previously in the fall, Lazo worked on five pieces inspired by mythological creatures from around the world, including Quetzalcoatl. Broadly, though, the allure of such beings stemmed from Lazo’s deep-rooted curiosity to seek out more information. It became the aftermath of her appreciation for the mythological stories and worship that once comprised several now-dying cultures. “I wanted to make it tangible to my own mind and being able to recreate those things through my own lens of vision and from my research,” she said. “I might not be part of that culture specifically, but to be able to emulate the certain brushstrokes or through a digital means in order to a convey a snapshot of some sort of illustrative moment in time in which these things existed, … being able to pay back that reverence that doesn’t really exist anymore or as it used to, I think that’s my goal.”

n The Mesoamerican Ballcourt n

This detail shows Lazo hanging precariously from the rim of the ballcourt.

The ballcourt lies out in an open field, an area of spectacle and ritual. As the sun rises, its corresponding shadow slowly envelops the arena. Enclosed by stone blocks on two sides, an elevated view of the court from a cornice would indicate a gigantic I-shape. However, from the ground, a ball player has a much different vantage point. Her height allows Lazo to align with the two upraised mounds flanking her left and right. Directly above them, the stone walls obstruct a clear view of the sky. Having donned a thin cloth around her torso, a daunting task awaits her. Made from the Para rubber tree, the ball used in the game exceeds seven pounds. Using only her hips, Lazo must hoist the rubber ball into a small, ring-shaped goal, 8 meters high. Her only allies are the hip guards augmented in an attempt to prevent further injury and a thick girdle wrapped in leather over her right shoulder. In this game, life and death are on the line. Winners will be praised and presented with trophies, while the losers face subsequent decapitation, a customary sacrifice to the gods. Lazo makes her way up the stone blocks, approaching the heightened goal. With one hand wrapped around the ring holding herself up, she lifts the dense ball toward its burdensome destination. In the studio, Lazo uses a fine-tipped paintbrush to spotlight several areas of the ball player’s body, giving the image a more gestural element in its unmoving state. The ball player is dwarfed by the three-dimensional foam core background of the court. It helps create an awareness of the grand scale of the arena. “My piece is more humorous ’cause it’s actually me just dangling off the top of it trying to get this ball into this hoop, which is impossible for someone like me to do, unless I lob it up and hope to God it gets through,” she said. When working on her pieces, Lazo prefers to escape through music. For long sessions in the studio, up-tempo Spanish rumba-style music, such as that by the group Gipsy Kings, keeps her spirits lifted. It’s a reminder of El Salvador. It’s a reminder of home. Immediately, it becomes hypnotic. She dips her paintbrush into the ink lightly, keeping in mind that oversaturating the brush will deter any advancements made on her piece. She works repeatedly on the same, small space of the art, dabbing the brush into the heavyset paper more aggressively with each stroke. Each wipe is intentional and controlled. She will keep

pressing until it aligns perfectly with the idea within her mind. She momentarily steps back. She stares at the piece stoically, surveying the progress. “There we go. That’s what I want.” Her hands are spotted, but these aren’t natural pigments. They feature a combination of inks, oils and paint. It extends to her clothes, where navy blue jeans just a week old already feature a mustardyellow smear, encompassing her entire knee like a crater. “I don’t leave here without stains on everything,” she said. “I love what I do, so it’s worth it.” Even so — being in a line of work that has a penchant for damaging items — she adorns herself with bracelets, rings and necklaces. The trinkets are worn interchangeably, except for her ultramarine necklace, made from the Afghan-based lapis lazuli stone, known for its intense, natural blue color. A gift from her mother, she never removes the thin, tetragonally shaped pendant, regardless of the intensity of her work. In a machine-like rhythm, she moves back and forth between her art and her ink, only stopping occasionally to observe her headway. With the jewelry constantly moving with her, she enters a trance through the upbeat rhythms, a state in which she’ll complete five hours of manic work, even though it seems like only 20 minutes passed by. “My mom says it’s the housework music,” she said. “When you need to do chores or something like that, music really gets you going. I love what I do because I’m allowed to do that sort of thing, and listening to music really does, for me anyways, put you in more of a zone.” Though born and raised in the U.S., Lazo retains a deep appreciation for El Salvador, where both her parents are from and the majority of her family remains. While she hasn’t had the opportunity to return in eight years, the balmy regional weather, seemingly untouched countryside, tranquil waves of the Pacific Ocean overhanging from the beach and the warm, black volcanic sand caused by harmless, minuscule fragments of lava constantly beckon her. However, civil unrest spanning over a decade from the effects of the Salvadoran Civil War initially prompted her parents to raise Lazo and her two older brothers in Montville, New Jersey. Even now, the repercussions of the turmoil can be seen around her grandmother’s

gated house, with the corresponding walls laced with barbed wire to deter any intruders. Outside, an armed guard is constantly on patrol, vigilantly scanning the block for anything and anybody out of place. “As a kid you notice these things, but it doesn’t really hit you until later,” Lazo said. “But then growing up and being told about the civil problems that existed and how in the past my grandparents’ house had been broken into, it was a lot. … Our lives would’ve been completely different if we stayed there.” There is no greater example of that than her own name. If she had remained, she would have most likely been named Natalia, but the move to New Jersey prompted her father to decide to change it to a more familiar American name, Natalie. With the physical and emotional separation from the country, her mother, Martha, made it a point for Lazo to experience the culture she was missing in the U.S. She and her brothers ate traditional food and celebrated Latin American holidays such as the Day of the Dead. Spanish-speaking programs rang through their television. Most importantly, they were to speak English in school, but Spanish at home. In this language, stories were shared. “I was reading to them tales from the country, tales from the culture, many stories about the ancestors,” Martha said. “They know everything — most of everything — of where we came from. That’s why I think she’s so into exploring more.” The Mayan exploration began in 2002. Lazo and her family traveled through Mayan ruins for about a week and a half. They followed the traditional Mayan route, beginning in El Salvador before going through Guatemala, Belize and Mexico. In Guatemala, she saw the well preserved ancient city of Tikal, in the heart of the Guatemalan jungle. The trip was rounded out with another time-honored city, Chichen Itza, in the Yucatan region of Mexico. It sits as a stark contrast to Tikal’s protected state, with an international airport 10 miles from the site. The relics are another two miles in length. Everything about it is monumental. Lazo walked through the vastness of the Great Ballcourt of Chichen Itza. The entire arena reaches over 500 feet, and width from the stone walls on both ends reaches an additional 225. Even as a child, she understood the massive court would always have the same effect on her if she had the chance to witness it again: sheer awe — awe at the scale of the court and the ritualistic repercussions for those who competed. “The hoops are still there,” she said. “It’s crazy what they had to do and to this day, the amount of physical demand for these players, it’s hard to even conceptualize now. Trying to imagine these people playing these games and knowing that lives were on the line, I feel like there’s a lot of residual emotion left there.”

s The High Priestess’s Offering s Lazo’s body is ornamented with feathers and jewelry, the conventional image of a high priestess. She holds an eccentric flint in her left hand: a black stone cut down and layered with several, distinctly sharp ridges. She has a bowl in her right hand, leaning it gently on the curvature of her torso. Now, she is ready to communicate with the gods, but in order to do so, she must first begin piercing her body with the flint. Soon, the blood drawn and subsequently collected in the bowl will allow her to reach the proper medium to contact the deities. Willingly and without hesitation, she draws the flint closer toward her mouth, sticking out her tongue for the first of many incisions. For the betterment of the civilization, the bloodletting will commence. With an Amazon Fire tablet perched upright, giving her an online image as a reference, Lazo outlines the feathers behind the head of the priestess with her mechanical pencil. She wants to ensure the initial sketch of her final draft is a historically accurate representation

of a Mayan priestess. “That was their role in society,” she said. “Aside from being a very powerful leader, they’re also the ones expected to sacrifice themselves for the good of the rest of the people.” Before beginning her freshman year at Montville Township High School, Lazo returned to El Salvador in the summer of 2007. While there, she began to explore the country further with her family. Of her own accord, she gleefully traveled through her homeland, across the bustling streets, malls and markets in San Salvador, the sunny, clear plains of the rural landscape and the thousands of hectares comprising the Salvadoran jungle. In the expansive countryside, the Mayan traces were all but nonexistent. In their stead, churches plastered in ivory white paint lay scattered throughout the different villages as remnants of the Catholic Revolution of the 1800s. Above the steeples, a lone cross touches the endlessly clear, blue sky. A Roman Catholic herself, Lazo’s religion is a stark contrast to that of the Mayans, whose culture dictated that sacrificing themselves to a higher power would bring better prospects to their people. Those tasked with this were customarily the high priests and priestesses. On occasion, when bloodletting, they would take a rope laced with thorns and run it across their tongue to lose blood swiftly, which likely induced hallucinations. Just as Martha emphasized and instilled contemporary Latin American culture to her, Lazo relays this gruesome information to her mother, who shares a similar interest in the culture’s practices. With Lazo accurately and faithfully describing the rigid points of the flints and the incisions the priests would undergo, Martha cringes with a combination of disgust and fascination. Their bond, among many other things, is cemented through curiosity. “She took so much care to make sure that we were assimilated into our own culture as Hispanic-American people,” Lazo said. “For me it’s interesting ’cause now I’m coming back and teaching her all these things that we didn’t know.” They see the value in paying reverence to something that no longer exists, but once dominated the landscape. There is an underlying importance in the ancestral culture. “It’s a lot of rituals, a lot of thoughts that are related really deep with nature, that are related with how we developed as human beings, that there has to be a connection between everything,” Martha said. “It’s not just that we have to live. It’s because we are supposed to be connected with Mother Earth. We are supposed to be connected with the elements. We are supposed to be connected with our spirituality. If not, we are just abiding. We have to be whole in many ways.” For Lazo, this desire lay dormant for years, waiting for the opportune point in time. It wasn’t until coming to Ithaca College, taking courses pertaining to Latin American studies, that the investigative

Lazo portrays herself as a Mayan priestess preparing to cut her tongue open as part of a ritualistic Mayan bloodletting. In the ancestral culture, Mayan priests and priestesses were tasked with sacrificing themselves.

v The Jaguar Warrior v Lazo’s body is the embodiment of war. It begins with the decapitated head of a jaguar balanced above her own, granting her strength in battle and eliciting fear in the eyes of her adversaries. Those eyes are focused on the task at hand, as her hair fails to obscure her view. Three streaks of red run down her face: two from below her eyes and one under the chin. Large hoops hang from her ears. A combination of pelts and feathered garbs flow around her figure. A shield adjoined to feathers, along with a spear, are held firmly in hand. Her front cloth bears the image of Quetzalcoatl, who will receive all the captives from battle as a sacrifice. The serpent’s power is to thank for her enhanced animalistic nature. She grips the spear tighter as she anticipates combat. While working on the enlarged, refined version of the original sketch, Lazo ruffled the bristles of the brush to give the image a more tattered feel, an effect that correlates well with a Mayan warrior’s typical disposition. “They were ruthless,” she said. “They would cut off heads and capture sacrifices if they weren’t already killed on the battlefield, just because they could.” On Feb. 28, less than three weeks remain until Lazo must present her work to faculty of the art department for critique. She is in the

basement of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church on North Aurora Street. She is surrounded by people in constant motion. The deadline is persistently looming over her. However, it’s a Saturday night, and she needs to unwind. Lazo began swing dancing during her junior year. She joined the IC Swing Dance Club because she needed another physical outlet from her artwork after spending her first two years on women’s crew. “I used to do varsity rowing,” she said. “The commitment was way too much, so I stopped that. It was getting in the way of my academics and my art classes, which are at very concrete times.” The basement’s wooden floor is the ideal platform for dancing. Djug Django, Ithaca’s local gypsy swing band, performs beside the crowd, invigorating the room with its upbeat rhythms. Lazo approaches unfamiliar faces in the crowd — from Cornell University students to members of the Ithaca Swing Dance Network, a grassroots organization to promote swing dance in the Ithaca area — inviting them to join her.

IDENTITY IS SOMETHING THAT “ WE BUILD, AND IT’S THIS ARTIFICIAL

CONSTRUCTION. AND YET WE CREATE IT SO IT HAS THIS INCREDIBLE MEANING TO US, AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO IT. IT’S NOT THAT SHE HAS SOME KIND OF ESSENTIAL, EVERYTHING GOES BACK TO EL SALVADOR, IT’S THAT SHE’S CREATED A SENSE OF MEANING OUT OF WHAT’S AVAILABLE, WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY EMPOWERING THING TO DO. — Jennifer Jolly

“

interest in her Mayan roots was reignited. It reemerged in September of 2014, when she traveled to Washington, D.C., with the art history department. During the trip, they spent time at Dumbarton Oaks, an historical estate surrounded by trees, tucked away in suburban Georgetown. Two brick pillars flank its entrance, encompassing two black wrought-iron gates decorated with gold ornaments. They open to its sand-colored pebble path, ushering visitors to the front door of the restored mansion. Within the Harvard University–run research institute lies an abundant collection of Byzantine, European and Pre-Columbian art. The works are displayed on plexiglass suspended in the middle of the room, creating an aura of elevation. This is complemented by natural light gleaming through the museum’s glass-heavy enclosure and a small garden in its central atrium, an organic environment reminiscent of the artwork’s origins. Lazo walks through the exhibit excitedly, fueled by the sight of Mayan artifacts never seen beyond a computer screen or a textbook. In her state of elation, she feverishly asks the museum curator anything that comes to mind, from the alignment of the art to the specific time period of each artifact. She soaks up the knowledge like a sponge, ready to relay this information to anyone willing to listen. Internally, she relates almost everything to her Pre-Columbian arts course taught by Jennifer Jolly, associate professor and Latin American studies coordinator in the Department of Art History. “It’s interesting,” Jolly said. “It’s not a course that I teach oriented around questions of contemporary identity. We don’t frame it in those terms, and yet there are students that have Latin American ancestry who are really curious about these other roots of civilization in the Americas.” From there, Lazo could see similar motifs with the art displayed to the pieces she had previously seen in El Salvador. While not directly related to her own country, the crafts are connected through other modes of Latin American art throughout the region. An identity was formed, forged along with her ever-growing spirit of inquiry. “Identity is something that we build, and it’s this artificial construction,” Jolly said. “And yet we create it so it has this incredible meaning to us, and I think that speaks to it. It’s not that she has some kind of essential, everything goes back to El Salvador, it’s that she’s created a sense of meaning out of what’s available, which I think is a really empowering thing to do.”

In these dances, she always leads. She enjoys guiding a partner, choosing the appropriate steps based on the tempo of each song. Leading a dance is a traditionally male role, but she finds a man willing to dance, and willing to follow. She begins directing him with each step and each beat. Everything is spontaneous. Everything is instinctual. “It’s a very good shift from doing very hard-set artwork that needs to have a clear purpose,” she said. “That’s the biggest divide. [Art] is a very isolating process and to be able to step back from that process and go to something social, do something else that involves other people and is based on other people’s interactions with you, that’s a really good change.” With the stress temporarily alleviated, Lazo returns to the studio to finish refining the Jaguar Warrior piece, which will not incorporate any three-dimensional foam core elements. Instead, it will be the largest work in the collection, spanning over 40 inches in height and width, entirely on her specialized printmaking paper. Lazo tirelessly labors to refine the art, unwavering in her work ethic. She is determined to put in the necessary hours to leave a lasting impression in the eyes of any onlookers of her work. “If I do a piece of artwork, or if I do a project or if I do anything, I try to put 110 percent into what I’m doing because to me, half-assing something does not make sense,” she said. “My parents and my family have grown up with the idea of doing your best and putting in the hard work and effort to get to a point where you can stand back from your work and be proud.” Regardless of the evaluative, critical outcome from her

Lazo’s jaguar warrior piece lies in its completed state in Ceracche 121. The artwork was created entirely on specialized printmaking paper.

professors, in her mother’s eyes, Lazo has successfully retained an appreciation for her roots. Martha intentionally brought her children to Mayan ruins, and maintained a Latin American culture within their New Jersey household. Now, the two lifestyles have intertwined. “She’s been living and comparing both worlds,” Martha said. “You see the culture that she has here in the United States, but she’s leaving, at the same time, that culture when she visits our home country. I think it’s part of her, that she has to be in both cultures in her life.”

C Judgment Day C Lazo returns early from spring break to finish her artwork. The narrow halls of Cerrache, typically comprised of students and faculty, are uncharacteristically empty. In this isolation, she plays her music on computer speakers without the concern of bothering her peers, flooding the room with a melodious beat. Now, she puts on the finishing touches. She holds a kneaded eraser in hand and presses it against her pieces, highlighting parts of her figures that need additional shading. Once satisfied with their undertones, she uses an X-ACTO blade to carefully cut her two-dimensional figures out and pastes them with a glue stick on the now-ready foam core backdrops. Hours, not days, remain until her semester’s work is reviewed extensively. For Lazo, this is a period of anxiety, and anticipation. “It’s exciting to know that this is a similar feel to what I’m going to be feeling in a month when all of this is put in exhibition and the opening happens, but it will be to the entire public and not just the people in the art department,” she said. “That’s equal parts nerve-racking but also super thrilling, and I think the fact that the prospect of that excites me is a really good sign.” With the pieces completed, Lazo moves them to a separate room on March 16 for the faculty of the art department to review. Before long, the professors will make a transition from art teachers to art critics. But, in order to do so, they must disconnect emotionally from the artwork made by students they have mentored and taught for the past four years and evaluate the work objectively as professionals. For this reason, the faculty review the art without the presence of the students, who will be notified which pieces will be approved for the gallery if the artwork has their signed approval.

“It’s terrifying because they’re removing themselves from the position of professor to the professional artist that actually sees what your work is like based on talent and execution alone,” Lazo said. “They sit down and jury all of these pieces based off of their artistic merit, their composition, all of the standard artistic criteria.” The following day, Lazo’s artwork lies in its finished state alongside an assortment of paintings, sculptures and photography from her peers in Ceracche 121. The slender, rectangular-shaped room is windowless, preventing any natural light from entering the space. Classroom desks that usually cover the entirety of the area are temporarily moved to the right corner of the room to make space for the art. Within the clutter, professors will deliberate and critique meticulously. Difficult decisions will be made, and some pieces that have taken months to prepare will be rejected. In this brief respite, Lazo and her peers wait nervously. However, by the end of the afternoon, Lazo has already received her answer. All of her works are accompanied by faculty signatures and were accepted into the show. From here, Lazo will make any adjustments the professors recommend in addition to preparing the artwork with the gallery’s curator. Most importantly, it is the perfect outcome after months of hard work and preparation. “Overall I think it was definitely a life-changing experience and I really look forward to seeing how viewers outside of Ceracche react to my work as just a body of work in and of itself,” she said. For those who attend the gallery, Lazo hopes her self-exploration will provide a deeper meaning for the Mayan traditions, which have often been stereotyped. She has flung herself into the culture and its roles, putting it through her own lens: coming face-to-face with Quetzalcoatl, competing as a ball player, summoning a god through a self-sacrifice and becoming a feared warrior. With her artwork, Lazo has captured fragments in time. “Having myself depicted through these different things and not being afraid to show something that was a little bit more grotesque and eliciting that type of reaction from someone is my main goal, to show that not everything was as pretty as people see through the media,” she said. “There was war, there was sacrifice, and there was this ancient belief in these gods that they worshipped very much to the point that they were willing to sacrifice themselves for it.”

E R

U C

U T L

Cornell alumna Jenn Houle raises environmental awareness with the use of handmade bird sculptures and light installations Sept. 26, 2014, at Ithaca Falls. TOMMY BATTISTELLI/THE ITHACAN

NIGHTLIFE

Down the Hatch COREY HESS/THE ITHACAN

Ithaca’s most creative bars share their signature cocktails By Steven Pirani

Madeline’s - Oaxaca Old Fashioned If visitors were to count each of the bottles that fill the towering shelves of Madeline’s Restaurant’s bar, they’d likely be counting until last call. Underneath the eatery’s yellow awning is a wide-spanning collection of single malt scotch, tequila and more. While the bartenders at Madeline’s may be able to whip up any newfangled cocktail with this highproof arsenal, barman Andrew Kerr prefers the Oaxaca Old Fashioned, a modern take on the classic Old Fashioned cocktail, borrowed from New York City’s famous Death & Company. Pairing smoky mezcal with tequila, agave syrup and angostura bitters, this copper-colored drink is a clean and hearty delight to sip on. To top it off, the drink is garnished with a flamed orange zest, which Kerr said adds to its overall flavor. “What is actually happening with the match and fire there is that the oil that squeezed out of the peel is caramelized,” Kerr said. “It adds a little bit of extra flavor to it.” The Oaxaca Old Fashioned is a blend of Sauza Hornitos Reposado Tequila, Illegal Joven Mezcal, agave syrup and Angostura Bitters, topped with a flamed orange twist. STEVEN PIRANI/THE ITHACAN

Mercato - The Gem With its bar lined with shimmering shakers, it’s not hard to tell that Mercato serves its fair share of cocktails. Pair that with the many liqueurs, scotches, gins and other spirits that line the bar’s far wall, and it becomes clear: Drinkers have plenty to enjoy once they take a seat at the restaurant’s lengthy wood bar. Ask bartender Manny Flores where to start on the menu, however, and he’ll whip up the Gem, a bourbon-spiked take on the classic sour. Mixing smoky Woodford Reserve Bourbon with the honey-flavored Barenjager, the drink is a tangy and smooth cocktail that grows as its single ice cube melts. The bourbon takes center stage, giving drinkers a mouthful of warm whisky flavor. Flores said while every cocktail has its moment, the Gem is perfect for winter drinkers who have a taste for bourbon. “Sometimes it’s the perfect moment for a negroni, and sometimes it’s the perfect moment for a Bee’s Knees,” Flores said. “The Gem is for when you just walked in, in the middle of the winter and you kind of wish it wasn’t. You want something refreshing, and you want bourbon.”

The Gem is a tangy blend of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Barenjager and lemon. COREY HESS/THE ITHACAN

Argos Inn - The Wax Poetic

The Wax Poetic is a spicy blend of Hendricks gin, B.A. lavender limoncello, Cynar and B.A. herbs de Provence tincture. COREY HESS/THE ITHACAN

Dusky, sensual and markedly intimate, the space at Bar Argos, located on the first floor of the Argos Inn, is a handsome fusion of speakeasy and mixology bar. With a menu boasting everything from single malt scotch to absinthe, the quiet barroom offers up a dizzying, seasonally changing array of choices. It’s no surprise then that Bar Manager Melody Faraday struggles to choose one drink to call the bar’s “signature.” However, visitors can be sure that any time they park themselves at the Inn’s lengthy bar, the Wax Poetic will be at the top of their cocktail list. It’s a mix of gin, house-made limoncello, Cynar — a bitter, artichoke-based Italian liqueur — and house-made herbs de Provence tincture. The result is a floral yet bittersweet drink, bursting with herbal flavors including lavender and almond. Faraday attributes this herbal palate to Argos’ herb tinctures. “The herbs de Provence tincture is really quite herbaceous, and very high alcohol,” Faraday said. As the globular hunk of ice shrinks, the Wax Poetic opens up, its bitter notes calming its herbal notes to stand out more. There’s plenty to taste in the Wax Poetic, though it all feels quite balanced, something Faraday said she appreciates. “It’s a very culinary drink,” Faraday said. “It’s full in the mouth. It has sugar, but it doesn’t confuse the palate, or the dryness of the gin, or the tincture.”

Felicia’s Atomic Lounge - The London

The London is an airy, Earl Grey-flavored gin cocktail from Felicia’s Atomic Lounge. COREY HESS/THE ITHACAN

If bars were laboratories, Felicia’s Atomic Lounge could be the home of a mad scientist. Known for both its cocktails and its cupcakes, Felicia’s has taken some more unorthodox approaches to the mixology realm, departing from branded alcohols to infuse its own spirits with anything from figs to cucumber. As a result, the bar may feature some of the more zany libations in the Ithaca area. With over 15 to try, drinkers may be scratching their heads over exactly where to begin. Bartender Katie Stone’s preference is the London, which pairs Earl Grey-infused gin with lemon juice and simple syrup. Garnished with a thick slice of lemon, the resulting cocktail is an airy, pink concoction that proudly boasts its tea infusion while maintaining the gin’s strong floral flavor. Stone said the London stands out for its originality. “I haven’t tasted anything else like it in town, and I really like the Earl Grey tea,” Stone said. “I think it’s a nice blend.”

NIGHTLIFE

K-House, which opened in November of 2014, offers patrons music, food and art. The establishment was founded by Alina Kim, a Cornell graduate. AMANDA DEN HARTOG/THE ITHACAN

ON A HIGHER NOTE Karaoke lounge brings art and song to Ithaca bar scene

By Jack Curran

It’s Saturday evening at the K-House, a local karaoke lounge. A few small groups sift through books of songs at the bar while jazz plays. The groups exchange nervous laughter as they discuss their upcoming performances. Suddenly the music cuts out, and a slow violin melody begins. The bar patrons turn their attention away from their books as Alina Kim steps forward from the front of the bar with a microphone in hand. “I’ll get us started,” she says before diving into a soulful rendition of Etta James’ “At Last.” As the owner of the K-House, which opened at 15 Catherwood Road — just a stone’s throw from The Shops at Ithaca Mall — in November 2014, Kim is no ameteur when it comes to karaoke. As a 2003 graduate of the Cornell School of Hotel Administration with a lifelong enthusiasm for karaoke, Kim said she opened the K-House to bring something fun to her college home. Kim said she, her brother — a 2007 Cornell graduate — and her sisters — a current and a prospective Cornell University student — have been singing karaoke

Andy Youngman performs a song on Jan. 16 at the newly established karaoke lounge, K-House. AMANDA DEN HARTOG/THE ITHACAN

since they were children. “My little sister actually mentioned how there’s nothing for college students to do in this neighborhood,” she said. “This is a pastime of ours that we thought would do well in this town.” Senior Meghan Hellwitz is a bartender at the K-House and said working with Kim has been a way to embrace one of her old hobbies. “I used to live in Japan, where karaoke got started … and I’ve been missing it since I moved back, so this is kind of my dream come true,” Hellwitz said. Karaoke is by no means new to Ithaca, as several of the city’s bars, including Lot 10, Kilpatrick’s and Loco Cantina, offer karaoke nights. However, with daily business hours from 4 p.m. to at least 2 a.m., Kim said she provides a place for karaoke enthusiasts to go any night of the week. Kim said the K-house has waves of people coming in at all hours of the night. However, she said while she expected to see a late-night crowd, her menu of Korean-inspired bar food consistently brings in a dinner crowd.

From left, Andy Youngman and Matt Prezioso take to the stage Jan. 16 to perform “Material Girl” by Madonna at K-House, a new karaoke lounge. AMANDA DEN HARTOG/THE ITHACAN

The menu at the K-House includes a blend of traditional Asian dishes, like bento boxes and fried dumplings, and American standards with an Asian spin, like the K-Dog, a beef hotdog with cheese and chopped kimchi, which is a spicy mix of vegetables and seasoning. “The menu is almost reflective of what I eat at home with my friends,” Kim said. “It’s really a fun Asian-inspired bar menu where you have your typical hot dogs and chicken fingers and burritos but with a little bit of an Asian twist.” In addition to its main stage and bar, the K-House offers 11 private rooms, which can be rented out by the hour. Each space offers a different theme, such as the America room, the hip-hop room and the emoji room. They also vary in size with rooms for groups as small as four or as large as 49. The lounge also features work by local artists. The hip-hop room features a graffiti mural by Jay Potter, who is known for his artwork at the Ithaca Skate Park. To support the Ithaca art scene, Kim said she hopes to eventually host fundraising events for local artists.

Since its soft opening in the fall, the K-House has gained a following within the Ithaca community. Ithaca resident Rivka Bluh said she has already become a regular at the K-House and said the fun atmosphere of the bar keeps her coming back. “I spent four years living in Hawaii where places like this are really common,” she said. “This is an upscale version of those places with a great staff, and I love it.” Kim said she thinks the open nature of Ithaca has allowed the K-House to find a place in the area nightlife. She said she is thrilled that the people of Ithaca have been willing to come out and try something they may not be used to. “Over here, I think it translates really well, especially in a town like Ithaca that is very, very open to creative ideas, musical ideas and is very accepting of different cultures,” Kim said. “The fact that people come in here without knowing anything of what we’re about, are open to just taking a tour and committing to parties, that is an investment, so I’m very flattered.”

NIGHTLIFE

Holding the Bluff Several bouncers check IDs on Oct. 31, 2014, at Moonies, a popular Ithaca bar and nightclub. COREY HESS/THE ITHACAN

Underage students using fake IDs to bypass the law By Evin Billington A lurching line snakes out from the entrance of the Moonshadow Tavern — better known as Moonies — the day before Halloween and the unofficial start to “Halloweekend,” a veritable drunk Christmas for the college student set. Four bouncers — all men built like football players with sandy crew cuts, some wearing knit beanies to fight against the biting late October cold — stand guard against the untidy mob of people waiting to gain entry into the depths of one of Ithaca’s most popular bars. The burly bouncers’ sweatshirts and beanies look out of place next to the women shivering in their skimpy Halloween costumes, handing their drivers’ licenses and other forms of identification over to be checked and scanned. One woman, wearing 6-inch silver heels, a glittering silver maxi skirt with a slit from the floor to the top of her thigh and a flesh colored strapless bra, hands her driver’s license to the bouncer. Verifying the ID is a two-man job. The first bouncer takes the ID from the woman and carefully examines the front of it, checking that the birth date makes her over 21 and comparing her face to the small DMV-issued picture. Then, apparently satisfied that the ID belongs to her, he flips it over, engulfing the plastic in red light. A flash of green verifies that the ID is real, and it’s ready for phase two. He passes it directly to the next bouncer, who holds it up next to the woman’s face and snaps a picture on an orange iPhone. The ID is returned to the woman, and she steps to the side, waiting for her friends to pass through the same process. After a minute, her group has reassembled and they venture into the flashing blue lights, bassheavy music bumping out from the open door. Brian Falvey, manager of Moonies, said his bar’s identification system is unlike any other in Ithaca and has earned him praise from the Ithaca Police Department. “Two of my big goals are to keep everybody safe and to make sure everyone’s having a good time, and the key to that is to make sure that all the people that should be getting into the bar are getting into the bar,” Falvey said. Falvey is a constant presence at the bar, standing by the entrance

like an incredibly tall, bearded Willy Wonka. He knows the regulars and greets them as he sees them, slapping palms and exchanging enthusiastic hellos and goodbyes as they head in and out. He explained that what Moonies does right is how carefully they check IDs, with two bouncers looking over each one and scanning it. The second phase of the process is for Moonies’ own record and liability protection. The key is in the timestamp. The picture says when the customer was there and documents that they presented a convincingly real-looking, over-21 ID. Falvey said the bouncers at Moonies are all trained to look for common signs of a fake ID, like fish scale-like rippling in the laminated part of the ID or an unconvincing hologram. Senior Colby Locke was a bouncer at Moonies for about two months. He said training to find fakes was one of the first things he did after being hired, and the bouncers are trained by looking at samples of real IDs and fake ones Falvey has confiscated over the years. “A lot of people with fake IDs, they take them with an iPhone,” Locke said. “If it looks like the person’s face is popping off the ID, usually that’s fake. A lot of people with crappy fake IDs have ripples in it from the plastic or the film they use to put over it doesn’t work very well. It starts to ripple if water gets in it or something like that.” Falvey keeps the ID book close at hand, retrieving it from a small metal box next to the door to show it off. He thumbs through it quickly. The book has pictures of current and past drivers’ licenses for every state. It’s integral to the bouncing process, he said. “[Training bouncers] is a combination of looking at the book, looking at fake IDs,” he said. “It’s definitely a really tricky process.” IPD Officer Jamie Williamson said certain IDs are easier to fake than others. The new New York drivers’ licenses are very difficult to fake convincingly. The new licenses reportedly have 30 security features, including two laser-engraved black and white photographs, raised date text on a smooth plastic background and a small transparent window in the bottom right corner. Williamson said New York is not the only state to move toward a more difficult-to-forge identification.

it right there,” Williamson said. “They would cut it up into pieces. They would destroy it because you’re not allowed to legally possess it, but you’re not going to get arrested for it.” Williamson said, in general, if an underage person is caught trying to buy alcohol with a fake ID, they would be charged with a violation of an Alcoholic Beverage Control law. It’s the lowest-level offense. The person would be issued a ticket to appear in an Ithaca city court at a later date. However, if the identification is a real one that has been manipulated so it says the person is over 21, that’s criminal possession of a forged instrument and a class-D felony in New York.

As long as “ Cornell and Ithaca

College are in the Ithaca community, we’re going to see fake IDs.

“

“Most of the states within the last five to 10 years have drastically changed their forms of identification,” Williamson said. “They’ve enhanced the security measures on them. Forgers have found it very difficult to reproduce the holograms. It’s very difficult to reproduce that and make it look legitimate, whereas other documents literally just look like credit cards. You just have to print something on one side and it’s good.” It takes minimal Googling to find places to buy a fake ID. The price is pretty steep — up to $250 for two scannable IDs on one website. Lower-quality IDs that don’t scan sell for as low as $70. Of course, there’s no proof that these websites are legitimate. The money has to be sent upfront, and there’s virtually no way to guarantee the site will actually provide the products they’re promising. One of the most popular and reportedly reliable sites to buy fakes from was ID Chief, which was based in China and was known as the most high-quality place to buy from. However, ID Chief was busted last summer, and while new websites with the ID Chief name and the ID Chief quality guarantee have surfaced, it’s unclear whether these are scams or legitimate. Despite the disbanding of one of the most popular fake ID sites, Williamson said he doesn’t believe there’s been a decrease in the number of fake IDs in Ithaca because many underage students use the ID of a sibling or friend who looks like them and is over 21. “As long as Cornell and Ithaca College are in the Ithaca community, we’re going to see fake IDs,” Williamson said. Sarah*, a junior, has gone through six fake IDs since she was a senior in high school and first decided to order one from ID Chief. She has used both completely fraudulent IDs and the legitimate IDs of older friends, but she said she’s had the most luck with the latter because they always scan. Her IDs have been confiscated or lost, and the one she uses now is the fraudulent ID of an older friend which she is “pretty sure” can scan. The ID is a Maryland driver’s license that is marred with scratches. The picture is clearly not of Sarah, however the face shape and hair color bear perhaps a passable enough resemblance in the dark after a bouncer has been through a long night of checking dozens of other IDs. The signature looks a little too perfect to be real, the even spacing and size possibly indicating that it’s a computer generated font. It looks a bit homemade, but the real Maryland drivers’ licenses look about as low-tech as the New York ones look technical. Sarah’s isn’t a perfect copy, but she said it usually works fine for her because there are so many different versions of the state IDs. She said she’s never had any trouble getting into bars in Ithaca, but she wouldn’t try to use it at a liquor store. “It seems like buying alcohol here is a lot harder,” Sarah said. “I think that has a lot to do with how the community is and the whole atmosphere surrounding drugs here.” She liked the ID she had before better, but that one, which belonged to the older sister of a friend, was confiscated by a police officer at Moonies. She and her friends were waiting to get into the bar on a packed night, and the bouncer told them to wait by the entrance. He was still holding their IDs as a police officer came up and asked to take a look at them. He noticed the pictures on the IDs weren’t of the girls who presented them right away, and called Sarah and her friends over. Reluctantly, they approached. The officer asked them if the pictures on the IDs were them, and Sarah, panicking, admitted that they weren’t and ran away, fearing that she was about to get into some serious trouble. However, Williamson said in such a case where the ID was real but belonging to someone else and being used to get into a bar rather than to buy alcohol, it’s unlikely that anything more dramatic than the IDs being confiscated would have happened. “The police officer would probably just take that ID and destroy

- Jamie Williamson

“If they’re using it to try to get into a bar, it’s a little gray area on whether or not it’s against the law to present an ID to somebody else purporting to be yourself,” Williamson said. “Certainly if you do it to a police officer, it’s a crime. But if they’re trying to purchase alcohol, like at Northside Wine and Spirits or any of the liquor stores, or if they go to a bar and get ID’d by the bartender after they go and order a drink, then that’s a violation of the ABC law in New York State, and the officer would issue a ticket to that person.” Usually, Falvey said, Moonies won’t call the police if they find a fake ID. Typically he’ll confiscate the ID, show it to the bouncers as an example of a fake one, and give it back. “I’ve asked the police what they want me to do with them because I work with the police regularly,” Falvey said. “They said that it’s up to me what I want to do with them. I generally return them to the person and just turn them away. I’m not trying to ruin somebody’s good time. I’m trying to keep people safe.” Whatever the precautions, the system for checking the IDs is imperfect. As Falvey talks and checks IDs, at least three underage students known to the reporter confidently present some form of scannable ID approved by the bouncers and strut into Moonies. It’s certainly not just Moonies that has this problem. Sarah said she has seen underage students get into other bars in Ithaca, noting 2nd Floor Bar in particular. As far as she’s concerned, getting into the bars in Ithaca is easy enough to do, even if a fake ID isn’t the most convincing replica. “You kind of have to have that swagger when you walk up to someone and give them your ID. You kind of have to appear like you actually are 21 and like you don’t care,” Sarah said. “Looking back, that’s definitely why probably sometimes it didn’t work out. ... I think it just depends on how you carry yourself.” Falvey’s aware that underage people slip through the cracks, but he’s checking IDs as carefully as he can. “It’s an imperfect science, but I do the best of my ability to be diligent in checking IDs,” Falvey said. “My responsibility is called exercising due diligence. It’s just making sure that we’re checking IDs and trying to spot fakes to the best of our ability.” *Name altered to protect anonymity of source

Cuisine

BON APpetit APPETIT COREY HESS/THE ITHACAN

Le Cafe Cent-Dix brings French cuisine to Ithaca By Evin Billington Sandwiched between the brown and beige of Mercato Bar & Kitchen and the dark brick of Mahogany Grill, Le Cafe Cent-Dix is difficult to overlook. It’s painted pale periwinkle with white accenting the large windows and a dark blue line tracing the outline of the building. It’s a break from the drab, dark colors generally found on “Restaurant Row,” the common name for the block of restaurants on North Aurora Street. Cent-Dix’s exterior is not the only unusual aspect of the restaurant. Opened July 1, 2014, it is currently the only restaurant in Ithaca serving traditional French food and wine. French food is not new to Ithaca. Many restaurants have sold a similar fare, some more successfully than others, but what sets Le Cafe Cent-Dix apart is its owners. The four partners, Lindsey Norkus, Kate Norkus, Greg Norkus and Eric Trichon ’98, are quite familiar with the Ithaca dining scene. They own the place next door, the “Italian-inspired, seasonally-conscious” Mercato Bar & Kitchen. They opened Mercato, an established restaurant in Ithaca but still a young restaurant by many estimates, in 2010. Trichon said the push for the Mercato owners to open a new establishment next door was really a matter of circumstance: After the neighboring space, Blue Stone Grill, suffered a fire in December 2012 and the owner decided to keep it closed, the Norkuses and Trichon saw an opportunity they couldn’t pass up. “There’s four of us,” Trichon said. “It’s not necessarily small. We have to do something else eventually because one restaurant can’t sustain all of us. No matter how busy you are, you can only do so many covers a night, so we talked about it. At Blue Stone, the owner did show some interest in selling, and then he ended up having the fire.” The decision to shift from Italian-inspired to classic French in the new restaurant came from what Lindsey Norkus and Trichon said was a gap in the market. Ithaca has been host to French restaurants in the past, notably the now-closed Dijon: A French Bistro, but all had failed, leaving the town’s usually encompassing food scene missing a key ingredient. “It’s just a timeless concept, and no one was doing it,” Lindsey Norkus said. “The last place that was, Dijon, had some success. They did end up failing, but they were very well received, and a lot of our customer base at Mercato missed going there.” Like at Mercato, Cent-Dix’s menu is only a page long, something Trichon said they pride themselves in. The food is fundamentally French: Escargot and steak tartare top the hors d’oeuvres list, while Norkus said the stars of the entrees are steak frites and poulet roti. There’s also a rotating menu of plats du jour — daily specials — the most popular option being the veal sweetbreads dish, which Trichon said they almost always sell out of very fast. The sweetbreads, made of veal thymus and pancreas, are served with thinly sliced potatoes roasted in duck fat and sprinkled

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with grilled onion strings, red baby beats, beurre blanc and a veal reduction. The dish is a favorite of Rob Gearhart, assistant provost for online learning and extended studies at Ithaca College, who had never tried sweetbreads previously. Gearhart and his wife were loyal customers at Mercato and, after eating there shortly after the opening, have quickly become regulars at Cent-Dix. “The food is amazing,” he said. “The service is incredible. They’re just sticklers about that, and they make that a very enjoyable experience. The atmosphere that they create is very purposeful — well designed, but in this case, comfortable, like it has been there forever.” The restaurant’s decor is minimal but tasteful — perhaps a reflection of the similarly classic, minimally experimental cuisine on the menu. Brown booths are lined flush against a blue-gray wall. Framed mirrors are puzzle-pieced together to give the customers a view of themselves eating and the illusion of a larger space. The bar, made from a slab of scratched zinc, is one of the biggest deviations from Mercato. The older restaurant is known for its innovative cocktails, but Cent-Dix has a much lighter selection of liquor, focusing instead on le vin — wine. “That was something that we did intentionally because you don’t want it just to be the French version of Mercato,” Trichon said. “We did want there to be some differences, and that is one. We have four or five cocktails at Cent-Dix, and at Mercato there’s 11.” Trichon said the restaurant has made a conscious effort to not just sell Finger Lakes wine, like many other area restaurants, but instead strives to give customers an authentic French taste. However, perhaps the most notable item on the beverage list is the wine on tap. Always featuring a white, a rose and a red, Trichon said the wine comes in a 20-liter keg. It can be ordered by the glass, $7; half-liter, $19; or liter, $36. The tubing it is poured through is a non-reactive metal, leaving the taste of the wine unaltered. “The nice thing, also, is there’s less of a carbon footprint,” Trichon said. “You’re not paying for a bottle. You’re not paying for a label or the cork, so that’s very cool, and it was just, like, let’s try it. It’s a little different. We don’t do beer on tap — it’s just wine. I think more people end up doing it. It’s practical, it’s economic, and you get a really good product for not a lot of money.” Le Cafe Cent-Dix’s atmosphere and food have won Gearhart over, and now two of his favorite restaurants are within a stone’s throw of each other. “Since Cent-Dix opened, we haven’t been back to Mercato,” Gearhart said. “We’re at that point where we’re like, we have to go back to Mercato, and it doesn’t have anything to do with that we’re tired of Cent-Dix. We just need a little variety, and that’s what we love about them having two restaurants.”

Cent-Dix is decorated with French illustrations. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Kevin Curley, the head chef of Le Cafe Cent-Dix, cuts up a plum for the restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local heirloom tomato salad. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

The heirloom tomato salad is topped with arugula. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Cuisine

GET GET SERVED SERVED TC3 merges academics and appetite with new restaurant By Evin Billington Denis Boucher struts around the construction site energetically. The white hard hat balanced atop his balding head doesn’t fit with the rest of his attire — a snappy maroon-colored shirt, black pants and striped tie, complete with a polished fork tie clip. His booming, baritone voice echoes in the space and is easy to hear over the hammering of nails and the whining of drills. His excitement is palpable as he explains what will go where. He points to a slab of plywood: There’s the bar. A brick wall with a hole in it will be the wood-burning oven for pizzas. The wine cellar will be housed in the circle of bricks in the middle of the dining room. He runs over to a cavernous room bathed in sunlight spilling out of the large windows, which he explains is the event space, and, after getting the OK from the construction workers milling about, he hits a switch. It activates two black wings hanging from the ceiling. They buzz and slowly crest down to the floor, bifurcating the room so that when the restaurant is open they can split up the event space. This is Nov. 10, 2014, about a month before the Dec. 13 opening of Coltivare, which aims to serve as both a restaurant and a place of learning for Tompkins Cortland Community College students in the Hotel and Restaurant Management, Wine Marketing, Sustainable Farming and Food Systems, and Culinary Arts programs. The focus of Coltivare is farm to bistro. In order to achieve this, TC3 has opened a farm near the campus, which will work in partnership with the restaurant, sending food to the restaurant to be implemented in the menu seasonally. Boucher, the director of Coltivare, said the restaurant will try to use as many local ingredients as possible. “My charge was to make sure that our mission statement matched what it is that the college was looking for: sustainable farming food systems,” Boucher said. “That means that we can now grow the food that will actually come here.” The way it works, generally, is students will take classes and then do practical applications of those classes in the restaurant. Coltivare has a full staff in addition to the TC3 students, so they do not have to close during normal school breaks, and the students can work alongside the staff to increase the learning experience. “It’s very strongly like the medical profession in how they

Wegmans Chef Michael Jamieson demonstrates to students how to prepare sushi as part of a sushi-rolling workshop on Dec. 4, 2014, during the Introduction to Hospitality class at the TC3 Dryden Campus. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

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train their doctors because they do clinicals all the time,” Boucher said. “They’re getting into knowing what these illnesses are, or whatever. It’s the same with us. We have clinicals. They’re getting to know the rigors of the industry by working side-by-side with the staff.”

Down to the Wire It’s eight days until opening, and the buzz at Coltivare is reflecting that fast-approaching deadline. Construction sounds have quieted some. However, the shells of hard hats still lay about the back room, and workmen can be heard pounding away at the restaurant’s finishing touches. Boucher is a bit less jolly now. He’s confined to his office, taking meetings with his associates, finalizing the plans for opening. There’s the air of stale urgency — of stress. Sue Stafford, associate professor of Hotel and Restaurant Management at TC3, said this sort of atmosphere is to be expected. “Everything’s stressful when you’re getting ready to open in terms of being ready on time, having everything that you need,” she said. Stafford was one of the first to be involved in the development of the new program. Coltivare officially began last year when Carl Haynes, president of TC3, approached Stafford about starting a sustainable farming program that could be paired with a restaurant and wine center. After receiving more than $2 million in grants, Boucher said, they purchased the space on 235 S. Cayuga St., which was formerly a wine center. Then, Stafford said, it was a matter of developing a curriculum that could integrate the four programs smoothly. In this “inaugural class,” as Stafford calls it, the students have had to be adaptable. Without a finished space to work in until recently, they had to frontload certain parts of the curriculum. First, all of the students took a food safety and sanitation class. Then they sat through a few weeks of lectures on food and menu development. Finally, they were able to get into the stainless steel food labs at Coltivare and begin to actually practice what they had learned in the classroom and serve the food to customers.

After rolling the sushi, Jamieson prepares to cut the roll into smaller pieces. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

From left, Mathias Ellegieris and Daphne Fesheyer eat an appetizer on Dec. 5, 2014, during a soft opening at Coltivare, located near The Commons. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Stafford said it’s important to her that the students, regardless of program, learn how to run all sides of a restaurant. In addition to working in the kitchen, students will be expected to master the front end of a restaurant, working as waiters and hosts. “You can’t be a good restaurant manager, you can’t be a good kitchen manager, if you don’t know the front of the house,” Stafford said. “I know lots of chefs … that think they can run a restaurant who have never stepped foot in the front of the house. They can make great food and everyone’s going to want it, but that’s not how it works.”

Cuisine Meets Class It’s a Thursday-night Introduction to Hospitality class taught by Stafford on the TC3 Dryden campus. Today, two Wegmans employees are giving something of a “come-work-for-Wegmans” sales pitch and sushi-rolling demonstration for the 13 or so students. Because these are first-year students, many of them with little previous experience, Boucher said the classes have stressed the basics. “This is a chicken, this is how you debone a chicken, this is how you cook a chicken, these are the things you can do with it … stuff like that,” Boucher said. “They’re doing basic culinary, but we’re going to be challenging them.” Students gather around a makeshift sushi station as Wegmans chef Michael Jamieson prepares a sushi roll. He wets his hands with oil and grabs a handful of rice, rolling it between his palms until it is a perfectly round white rice snowball. He flattens it on a large seaweed square, pressing it with his fingers until the white evenly covers the dark green seaweed. Satisfied, he flips it over. As he grabs a tendril of crab meat and a long baton of carrot, he discusses proper placement of the ingredients on the seaweed. He pinches and rolls the sushi, grabs a knife and halves the roll twice. He offers the students a crack at it. They seem a bit hesitant, joking with each other as they sheepishly stand back from the food. Stafford calls out an encouragement, “Just give it a try. You can’t do it unless you try.” Emboldened, volunteers begin to step up. It’s clear that many of these students are enthusiastic novices. Jamieson leans down to help a student with the proper knife technique — make your hands like a claw, he says, curling the tips of his fingers under his knuckles and grazing the side of the knife against them, so it’s harder to

accidentally cut off a piece of finger. One of the first students to volunteer is Robert Vicioso. He’s been cracking jokes throughout the class, but once he starts making the sushi roll, it’s clear he’s serious about making food. He finishes rolling and cutting his sushi much faster than the other student who went up with him, and he chats with Jamieson about knives as he does it. Vicioso said he has been working in the culinary industry with his dad since he was 9 and currently works at Chipotle. He said he’s never worked in an environment like Coltivare, which gave him hands-on experience so quickly. “I’d worked in the industry, but jumping in like that, it was completely different,” Vicioso said. “It was hard on me at first, but I got the hang of it, little by little, and now it’s just easy and I always look forward to going to class.”

The Finishing Touches It’s Dec. 5, 2014, and the staff of Coltivare has barely a week to go until officially opening. The restaurant is holding soft openings all weekend, inviting family and friends to come and experience the food and ambiance, the latter of which is still a bit of a work in progress. The waiters, dressed in button-down white shirts and black pants, are gathered around the partially finished bar, filling salt shakers and wiping glasses, waiting for the patrons to arrive. Boucher is running around greeting people and giving orders to the staff. He seems rushed but cheerful, taking time to chat with the customers and give them abbreviated tours. The main dining area is more-or-less finished. The decor is a marriage of rustic and modern. Edison lightbulbs glitter on the red brick walls. The ceiling is an intricate stamped aluminum. There are still some areas that need attention. The bar taps lay off to the side, uninstalled, like the forgotten skeleton of a snake. For the most part, though, it looks about ready to open. Stafford said she thinks the foodies of Ithaca will embrace the educational experience Coltivare offers. “We’ve really positioned ourselves well to bring this kind of a program to this region,” Stafford said. “I think students that come here will have a very unique opportunity in education by participating. It’s not just a school trying to make a program work to boost enrollment. It’s an entire three-community, 14-county region that has come together to make this a culinary phenomenon that has appeal worldwide.”

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WHA

I NG? W

R B E S ’ T

The Ithacan looks at a few of Ithaca’s homegrown coffee shops By Erin McClory KAIT TURKETT/THE ITHACAN

CollegeTown Bagels With three locations around Ithaca, Collegetown Bagels is the coffee joint of choice for many college students. The shops are always busy with customers coming in and out, some with laptops who sit at one of the numerous tables and many looking to grab a coffee for the road. The chalkboard menu gives customers what feels like endless options of bagels, breakfast sandwiches, baked goods, ice cream, smoothies and coffee. CTB’s originality comes from its signature drinks. With changing themes, there’s always something new to try. Katherine Banko, CTB’s marketing director, said every six months it comes out with new specialty drinks. From spring of last year until October, there were more than 10 drinks all based on television-show characters. One was the “Walter White,” a sweet white-chocolate iced coffee based on the main character in the popular show “Breaking Bad.” The menu features drinks in the theme of “Good and Evil.” Among the 12 drinks are “Superman,” a quadshot Irish cream latte, and “Spider-man,” a double-shot cherry mochaccino. Banko said its most popular drink right now is a soy milk latte with a double shot of espresso and salted caramel that they call the “Wonder Woman.” During the winter, there is also a plethora of warm drinks to try, including a pumpkin latte and caramel cider. With other locations in Collegetown, on The Commons and on the East Hill, Banko said CTB’s locations cater to a wide demographic, including college students, professors and working-class families. “At Collegetown, we cater more to students,” Banko said. “Downtown, it’s younger families, the working class down there — everyone that works in The Commons. East Hill, we cater to a lot of Cornell professors.” Banko said CTB is different from other coffee shops because of the diverse menu that offers food as well as drinks made from a majority of local produce and ingredients. “We try to source as much local produce, meat, ingredients as we can,” she said. “We also do all fair-trade coffee.”

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Whitney Gilbert, a Collegetown Bagels barista, prepares an espresso drink. JILLIAN FLINT/THE ITHACAN

The Shop A mere 30-second walk around the corner from Collegetown Bagels is The Shop. When customers walk into the building located at 312 E. Seneca St., they immediately see baristas preparing drinks behind the counter with a simple black, white and blue menu as the backdrop. Adding to its visual character, there’s a tattoo shop within the coffee joint, where customers sometimes get a glimpse of someone getting a tattoo. Barista Britt Kline said the atmosphere of The Shop is easy to focus in and offers what students need to take care of their work. “It’s super chill,” Kline said. “Lots of people come here to study. There’s lots of tables and Wi-Fi.” Regular customer and Ithaca resident Heather Lambert said it’s the people who frequent the shop that make it a place she enjoys visiting. “I like the hipster crowd,” she said. “There’s an alternative crowd of people that come here.” Kline had even more praise for The Shop’s customers and said the business has a particularly friendly atmosphere. “It’s just such a sweet place,” she said. “Our regulars are awesome and really nice people.” The Shop offers traditional hot and iced coffee as well as macchiatos, cappuccinos, lattes and mochas. Additionally, it sells juice, local New York tea, hot cocoa and Italian sodas — made from soda water poured over flavored syrup. A feature it offers is taking 25 cents off a purchase if a customer brings his or her own cup. Kline said other than its assorted drinks, it’s the vibe of The Shop that draws customers. “It’s a nice, gentle atmosphere,” she said. Ashley Cake, a barista at The Shop, puts down a ready-made cappuccino. KAIT TURKETT/THE ITHACAN

Dolce Delight Located at 1080 Danby Road just minutes from Ithaca College, Dolce Delight is one of the closest off-campus coffee choices for students. When customers enter the brightly lit building they’re met by yellow tablecloths, a colorful chalkboard menu and decorations to match the season. To complement the lattes, cappuccinos, mochas and coffees, the menu offers breakfast sandwiches, omelets, pastries, soups, smoothies, Purity ice cream, pies and cookies, among other things. For those who prefer the sweet taste of coffee in ice cream or sugary drinks, owner Maria Salino says the “Purity Sleepers Awake Milkshake” with Gimme! Coffee brand coffee is a popular choice. Nearly every item on the menu is made in-house, something Salino values because of her love for creativity. “We love to create here, so it’s a lot of fun,” Salino said. “We try to change it up a lot. It depends on the season.” Salino, who also owns Italian Carry Out located directly next door, established Dolce Delight six years ago. She said customers are always greeted at Dolce Delight unlike at many chains where she feels that customers aren’t welcomed when they walk in. “The one thing that is really important to me is customer service,” she said. “We want you to feel like you’re in my home.”

Senior Blake Wetherbee takes care of some work while enjoying a cup of coffee at Dolce Delight. The shop first opened its doors six years ago. KAIT TURKETT/THE ITHACAN

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TEAS FROM OVERSEAS Tea culture of Europe and Asia reaches United States

By Mary Ford

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TUCKER MITCHELL

Tea has been a staple drink throughout history and is still an integral part of many cultures today. In the United States, the specialty tea market has been on the rise since the early ’90s, paving the way for new stores and businesses. Caravan Serai Tea, a recently opened shop on The Commons, sells exotic teas from almost every continent, encouraging customers to try teas that are unfamiliar to most Americans but are everyday drinks in their countries of origin. Christopher Bonn is the founder and owner of Caravan Serai Tea. After serving 10 years with the New York City Fire Department, Bonn traveled to Thailand where he stayed for a year. While in Thailand, he met tea farmers and grew familiar with the cultural importance of tea in that region. “Tea isn’t just Earl Grey or English Breakfast,” Bonn said. “I saw a lot of different teas there, and I wanted to replicate that here.” Bonn’s menu carries teas from almost every continent. They can be bought as prepared, on-the-go drinks or in loose-leaf form by the ounce. In addition to teas, Caravan Serai Tea sells tea accessories and products, including traditional teapots and decor from the teas’ countries of origin. The majority of the teas sold at Caravan Serai come from India and China, which is no surprise considering the richness of tea culture there. The Tea Association of the USA said for thousands of years, tea has been grown and used daily in those regions, both for its healing properties in times of illness and as a symbol of comfort and home in times of prosperity. British colonization of these regions inspired the familiar English affinity for tea, which remains a pillar of its traditions today. Hong Li, professor of Chinese language at Ithaca College, said tea’s importance in China spread around the world through trade. “Tea is the symbol of China,” Li said. “We domesticated the plants and cultivated the plants. When the British came to our shores and to the shores of India, they started to drink tea as well.” Meanwhile, Americans had markedly different beverage habits. At the outset of the Revolutionary War, American colonists famously dumped tea overboard into the Boston Harbor to protest taxes. Afterward, according to the Boston Tea Party Historical Society, John Adams called for all colonists to give up tea and switch to coffee instead: “Tea must be universally renounced. It must be weaned, and the sooner, the better.” It was soon considered unpatriotic to serve tea, and if it really was a necessity, foreign teas were rarely used because of their expenses during wartime. Local herbs and dandelion greens were brewed instead. By the time the Constitution was signed, the U.S. had sheared itself away from the rest of tea culture. However, in the past two decades or so, tea culture in the United States has been developing significantly. The Sunday Times reported that the American market for tea quadrupled from 1993–2008, led by specialty tea companies like Teavana and Mighty Leaf, who began to make foreign teas available to the American consumer. Around the same time, companies such as Argo Tea and the Republic of

Tea worked to make international teas more accessible by using the Internet to connect customers with their ideal tea drinks. Additionally, Starbucks created and popularized its Tazo tea line, which draws inspiration from a spread of cultural teas. Li also pointed out that Wegmans recently added a new line of loose-leaf teas to promote traditional Chinese tea methods. The modern American tea culture is also perpetuated locally by shops like the Old Tea House, the Shop Cafe and the Mate Factor. Molly Astrove, a sophomore integrated marketing communications major, is doing research about the tea market for her advertising class this semester. Her group is working on a marketing strategy for Tazo tea. “Brands like Tazo and stores like Teavana can be more intimidating for people who don’t know a lot about tea,” Astrove said. “Young people are getting more into tea culture and exploring more tea varieties, especially for its health benefits.” Tea is known to be loaded with antioxidants and other vitamins that help boost the immune system. Astrove said her research found a parallel between the increasing market for health products and increasing interest in tea. The vast majority of the world’s tea is still produced outside of the United States, and imported tea brings directly along with it the flavors and traditions of other cultures. At Caravan Serai Tea, Bonn works hard to keep his teas authentic to their growers. He gets the tea straight from its country of origin and doesn’t process it or even put it into tea bags. All of his teas are fair trade, and some are purchased directly from those who farm them. “We have a lot of tea you can’t get anywhere else and will be adding more soon,” Bonn said. “More people are realizing there is tons of variety in tea.” Astrove stressed that America’s awareness of other cultures through tea benefits both parties and said her research showed Tazo makes an effort to give back to the communities from which its teas are derived. “They do a lot of corporate-responsibility campaigns in India where their tea is made and provide scholarships and training for areas outside the tea market,” Astrove said. “They definitely care about where the tea is coming from.” Similarly, Bonn hopes to expand his line, franchise his store and eventually save up enough to start a tea farm in northern Thailand. “It’ll be great for the local farmers there,” Bonn said. “I would love to help them out. It would help them, it would help us — it would help everybody.” As tea culture in the U.S. continues to grow, Caravan Serai Tea works to ensure that the cultural and emotional significance of their products shines through. “Tea brings people together, cheers them, comforts them, warms them and enlightens them,” Bonn said. “That’s what Caravan Serai Tea is about: bringing people and their cultures together, one cup at a time.”

Christopher Bonn, owner of Caravan Serai Tea located on The Commons, measures out loose-leaf golden monkey tea onto a table. TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

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THE MANE ATTRACTION “My Little Pony” finds passionate adult fan base By Anthony Toto Photo by Amanda Den Hartog

In the mystical land of Equestria, ponies, pegasi and unicorns study and learn the magic of friendship. Though this vision of pony paradise is not something of myth: This is the premise of “My Little Pony,” a children’s series initially aimed at young girls that has gained a passionate fan base of college-aged males, composing the budding “brony” subculture. However, these pony-loving fans have encountered a hearty dose of criticism, which has sparked conversations over social and gender issues. The term “brony” is used to describe a male who enjoys the cultural fan base of the television series “My Little Pony.” The term got its start through the Internet on sites such as Reddit and 4chan and is a mashup between “bro” and “pony.” Launched in 2010, the latest installment of the popular franchise is “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,” a television show produced by Hasbro Studios that has gained an increasing amount of notoriety in Internet culture and has brought new attention to the series. Its popularity is evident on the Web, with the Bronies Facebook page boasting over 70,000 likes. The cultural phenomenon and lasting effect of “My Little Pony” has exploded into more than just a television show for young children but rather into one appreciated by a far greater range of age groups. Junior Sam Kamenetz identifies as a brony and said his brony persona goes beyond simply watching the series on television: Kamenetz embraces every aspect of the brony fandom, including writing fan fiction based on the series. “I kind of have my own definition of brony that I feel like you won’t see online,” he said. “I’m just basically someone that’s kind of — obviously — an older fan that is into the fan culture as well as the show: the fan fiction, the fan art, the fan music, all the trimmings of the fandom.” The main characters in the television show, “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,” include Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity and Spike. Viewers follow this band of ponies as it embarks on many exploits and adventures throughout Equestria. Their personalities vary, from the brave and loyal Applejack to the brash and competitive Rainbow Dash. Kamenetz said each of these characters proves to be well developed and possesses his or her own unique personality, singling out Pinkie Pie, who

is the more goofy and energetic of the characters, as a particularly dynamic example. “Pinkie is the contrast between the shallow surface character and these weird insecure hidden depths to her,” Kamenetz said. “You see this with all the ponies. It’s nice to see them grow as characters. You feel like you’ve known them.” The fandom of “My Little Pony” has established a strong community, both on and off the Internet, as there are conventions and meetups for the brony culture. Among these are BronyCon, a yearly, East Coast event where thousands of bronies from across the country come and talk about the show, share creative work based on the franchise and purchase merchandise. Last year’s BronyCon, held in Baltimore reported over 9,600 attendees. Though not all fans of “My Little Pony” consider themselves part of this army of enthusiasts. Sophomore Jordan Kolb, despite being a fan of the show, does not consider himself a brony. He said the quality of the program itself draws him in, but has not driven him to embrace the rest of the fandom. “I just call myself a fan of the show,” Kolb said. “I’m not really part of the fandom as a whole. I think it’s really well made and people who work on the show put a lot of effort into it but I don’t think I’m so into it that I would call myself a brony.” Though Kolb does not see himself as a brony, he would still argue that the show is a good example of quality cartoons and has the potential to bridge across generations. “The best kind of cartoons are the ones that a kid and an adult could both watch at the same time and equally enjoy,” Kolb said. “And when you’ve created something to bridge the gap between child and adult, you’ve created a good television show.” The franchise’s origins trace back to the 1980s, when the company Hasbro established two franchises with separate audiences in mind: “Transformers” and the first generation of “My Little Pony.” Boys were expected to play with and watch “Transformers,” while girls would play with “My Little Pony.” However, in today’s market, demographics have changed, notably with older male audiences — bronies — becoming fans and creating communities around the series. Despite its many fans, the brony culture has received much criticism for engaging with a product originally intended for young girls.

Jaime Warburton, assistant professor of writing and the instructor for the seminar Fantasy, Fandom, and Fans: Exceeding Our Own Lives, said the stigma people have for certain fandoms comes down to issues dealing with gender. “I think it’s all about gender policing,” Warburton said. “These issues are not because someone thinks this show is stupid, but rather because they think this show is stupid because it’s for little girls. Therefore, if you’re not a little girl, and you like this thing, they would think something is wrong with you.” Sophomore Rachel Silverstein, also a fan, does not identify as a “pegasister” — the moniker given to female fans of “My Little Pony”— but rather as a brony. She said in a fandom of gender acceptance, having two separate terms to describe a fan is unnecessary. “I identify as a brony,” Silverstein said. “I recognize the title of pegasister, but I think that it is kind of silly to have a fandom that stands for gender acceptance and have gender-specific titles for members of the same fandom.” Kamenetz said “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” offers up themes of feminism and gender equality. “I’ve heard people say that it’s actually a feminist show because … it kind of shows that each of the main characters show a completely different way that you can act, saying there’s no ‘This is how you be a girl,’” Kamenetz said. Although Hasbro Studios markets the show for girls ages 4–7, Silverstein disagrees with this contrived, age-specific demographic and said she sees “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” as a family television show meant to be watched and understood by the entire family rather than specifically by young girls within the families. She said the consumer culture in general has greatly separated the genders, creating a gap between male-specific and female-specific items. “It would be better if there were more options for both genders,” Silverstein said. “[The consumer markets] are beginning to get into it

COURTESY OF HASBRO STUDIOS

with the girls and the strong female characters, but they are not quite doing the same for boys in letting them have more things that are considered feminine, like having boy baby dolls for them to practice being adults, like kitchen toys to play with.” Aside from gender-specific criticism, another accusation that bronies face is in regard to material on the Internet that exploits the ponies in a sexual way, with some fans creating pornographic images of the series’ leading characters. Senior Jamie Swinnerton, who considers herself to be a fan of the show, said the bronies who depict the characters in this way make her uncomfortable. “I find it disturbing when I see that bronies produce stuff about sexualizing ponies,” Swinnerton said. “It’s definitely something I don’t agree with. I don’t understand. It was built for little girls and taken over by male fans. So if an adult male fan wants to enjoy ‘My Little Pony’ without sexualizing them, go for it.” Kamenetz said he has had mixed reactions from people that have struggled to understand his point of view on the series, instead opting to focus on the sexualization in the brony fandom. “I’ve definitely gotten negative reactions from people,” Kamenetz said. “There is this whole stigma that you’re sexually attracted to ponies. There’s stigma around an older man watching a show targeted at little girls. I kind of understand, but it’s a show.” Despite criticism he has received, Kamenetz said the breakthrough of the brony culture may pave the way for people to explore and discover new cultures and fan bases that they might not have experienced otherwise. Ultimately, he said skeptics should have an open mind and simply take the time to try “My Little Pony” out before passing judgment. “I feel like the writing of the show, especially the first two seasons, speaks for itself,” Kamenetz said. “And if you come to it with even a little bit of an open mind, I think you’ll be surprised and see why it has attracted such a following.”

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YEAR IN AMERICAN SNIPER The initial teaser of “American Sniper” portrays Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) contemplating the life-or-death decision to assassinate a mother and child who pose a threat to the Marines he has sworn to protect. The trailer was a thrilling look into the moral implications of what day-to-day life is like for a Marine. The slow and brooding tension of the trailer dragged the viewer into an uncomfortable situation. Unfortunately, this movie fails to keep up the same level of consciousness that the trailer does with a sloppily adapted script that leaves the viewer wanting more. The beginning of the movie shows Kyle as a young boy at the dinner table with his family. His father lectures him and his brother, who have been bullied at school, saying, “There are three kinds of people in the world: sheep, wolves and sheepdogs.” He explains that sheep are the weak ones who believe there is no evil and who are preyed on by wolves. It is the sheepdogs’ responsibility to take care of the sheep. This morality lesson is the theme of the movie, reinforcing the binary that something can only be wholly good or wholly evil. This lesson also leads to writing that presents the main character as a champion and hero. Jason Hall adapted Kyle’s autobiography to the big screen, which presents the audience with a weak script, sloppy dialogue and a disregard for anything other than hero worship. Hall presents Kyle in a light that makes it seem like he can do no wrong. Kyle’s dialogue in the movie is slick and polished, while all other characters either praise him or lob poorly constructed arguments that Kyle could break down. Members of al-Qaida are the antagonists in the movie, but it is never clear what they are trying to accomplish. The movie often characterizes them as savages or as greedy bounty hunters. This depiction of the enemy could simply be a reflection of Kyle’s views of the assailants who caused him only pain and emotional anguish, but in a movie told in the third person, there should be an attempt to inform the audience of all the characters’ motives. The film’s lack of emotional insight into the lives of those who are also fighting in the war makes for a rather boring and simplistic narrative. Though the direction in “American Sniper” brought out a great performance from Cooper, director Clint Eastwood lost control of the story during the final war sequence. The audience was bombarded with quick cuts back and forth between the U.S. soldiers and Iraqi militants. While an argument could be made that this is actually good directing because it showed how the characters themselves were shaken by their surroundings, it only would have been effective if the audience was emotionally invested in the characters. The writing fails to immerse the audience in the life-or-death situation, leaving it to watch a grandiose game of Cowboys and Indians. “American Sniper” relies too heavily on the context of both the inherent nationalism presented by the Iraq War and of its American audience to cover up its empty writing and shoddy craftsmanship. The script provides a surface-level depiction of Kyle’s complex, character-rich life, depriving audiences of its subtlety and colorful cast of characters.

Wiz khalifa By Tylor Colby

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COURTESY OF ROSTRUM RECORDS

COURTESY OF VILLAGE ROADSHOW PICTURES

By Matthew Coogan

Wiz Khalifa has made a name for himself in the pop-rap community with his stoner persona and a limited but catchy lexicon that produced hit singles like “Black and Yellow” and “No Sleep.” With his new record, “Blacc Hollywood,” however, the routine is beginning to sound dated. Other than having a polished production, auto-tuned vocals and a fair list of featured artists, Khalifa is the exact same boastful, blunt-rolling slacker, and the rap world seems to be moving on without him. If Khalifa’s 2012 album “O.N.I.F.C” was considered a redundant misstep by websites like Pitchfork, then “Blacc Hollywood” is its halfhearted copycat attempt, with uninspired lyrics about being a rich stoner and not much else. In “So High,” for instance, he raps, “Heard you got a cheaper price for that reefer huh/ What you need, never find a seed uh huh.” The lyrics never get much deeper throughout the album, and even the emotional end of things remains shallow in songs like “No Gain,” which is about balancing his weed habit with spending time with his wife and kids. Despite a solid production and a handful of well directed music videos, Khalifa’s overall lack of creative ambition will leave “Blacc Hollywood” as nothing more than a collection of party anthems. Ultimately, these tracks may be put aside once party season is over, forgotten by music listeners craving an album with depth.

COURTESY OF R SUNDANCE SELECTS

REVIEWS TWO Days, one night By Noah Orent A pop ringtone blares in the mismatched living room, rousing Sandra (Marion Cotillard) from her long nap. She answers her cellphone only to learn that she has been fired from her job at the local solar panel factory. She hangs up and locks herself in the upstairs bathroom, holding back her tears as she downs several pills. This is a snapshot of her life: bleak and filled with a never-ending sense of self-hatred. It is from this opening scene that “Two Days, One Night” creates a world that concentrates on the members of the working class and the dog-eat-dog culture that society has manufactured. Both directed and written by filmmaking duo and brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, the film follows Sandra as she tries to convince her colleagues to reject a €1,000 bonus so she can continue working. Upon realizing she can’t accomplish the task on her own, Sandra turns to her estranged husband, Manu (Fabrizio Rongione), and asks for his help. Little do they know they are about to embark on an uphill battle that threatens to test their relationship like never before. In telling this tale of rediscovering oneself, the Dardennes cause the tension to grow thicker with every scene as Cotillard’s character evolves from a woman who constantly struggles with inner diffidence into a woman who is willing to stand up for what she believes is right. Cotillard is perhaps the film’s most compelling element, partly due to the fact that her character is seen in every scene. She adds depth to a character who could be confined to the stigma of her mental disorder, which is known for impeding a mentally ill person’s ability to recover. Cotillard’s superb chemistry with Rongione, who does a wonderful job in portraying the doting husband, keeps the plot going in several key instances, primarily when Manu inspires Sandra into forging ahead after she provokes a fight between an elderly co-worker and his teenage son. Veteran cinematographer Alain Marcoen, best known for his work to the Dardennes’ recent film, “The Kid with a Bike,” contributes to the film’s finesse by utilizing the handheld tracking shot to make it appear as though the viewer is literally tethered to Sandra, a technique that can be compared to the continuous long take used in last year’s “Birdman.” The subtle yet deliberate power of the camera works flawlessly to tell the story while not breaking up the main action. In all, “Two Days, One Night” offers a fresh perspective on the social issue genre by forcing the viewers to put themselves in the characters’ positions and ask themselves if a monetary bonus is more important than supporting a colleague in need. Like most of the Dardennes’ works, this film inspires the audience to appreciate life’s simplicities through a woman who finds hope for the future in just 95 minutes.

CHildish gambino By Corey Hess

COURTESY OF GLASSNOTE RECORDS

Donald Glover has once again proved his ability as a musical innovator in the rap and hiphop genres. Under his stage moniker Childish Gambino, Glover released an 11-track mixtape, “STN MTN,” alongside a seven-song EP, titled “Kauai,” both coming just 10 months after his last album, “Because the Internet.” In the “STN MTN” mixtape, Glover focuses on his Stone Mountain, Georgia, roots, enveloping listeners in his own version of Atlanta rap, or ATL, opening the first track with the sentence, “I had a dream I ran Atlanta.” Showing off his slam-poetry style flow on top of traditional ATL tracks like Ludacris’ “Southern Hospitality” and Future and Mike WiLL Made It’s “Move That Dope,” Glover demonstrates a musical versatility unlike anything that exists in the current rap scene. Switch to “Kauai,” where Glover transports listeners to the tropical island of Kauai, Hawaii, using appropriate instrumentation, including bongos and smooth rhythm-and-blues grooves. The EP opens with “Sober,” an uplifting and brilliant pop tune that focuses on drug use to establish the relaxing and subdued mood of the album. “Kauai” stays true to Glover’s fans of the original pop styles from his earlier albums and functions more as a demonstration of his ability as a musician rather than focusing solely on rapping skill. “STN MTN / Kauai” represents some of Glover’s best work, both conceptually and lyrically, with each side complementing the other perfectly. The combination of “STN MTN” and “Kauai” creates a sort of dreamscape, telling the story of Childish Gambino as a two-sided personality: the Atlanta rapper and the lovesick dreamer.

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SPORTS

Players from Ithaca College and SUNY Cortland leave the field following the Red Dragon’s 23–20 win in the Cortaca Jug on Nov. 15, 2014, in Cortland. JENNIFER WILLIAMS/THE ITHACAN

LOOKING BACK Cross-Country The women’s cross-country team and individual junior Sawyer Hitchcock were able to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championship this year, culminating a successful season for the Blue and Gold. Both teams placed first in the Empire 8 Championship, while the men’s and women’s teams also finished third and second in the New York State Collegiate Track Conference Championship, respectively. Additionally, for the women’s squad, head coach Erin Dinan and assistant coach Carly Graham earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors from the E8. For the men’s team, Hitchcock led the way with Empire 8 Runner of the Year honors, while freshman Tim Chappell earned Rookie of the Year. Hitchcock was also the first runner to finish the E8 Championships and placed 111th out of 280 competitors at Nationals.

Field Hockey A year after making its first Empire 8 playoff appearance since 2009, the field hockey team took a step back in 2014, finishing the season with an 8–8 record and missing the E8 Conference Championships. On the year, sophomore midfielder Colleen Keegan-Twombly led the Blue and Gold with nine goals and 20 points. The Bombers began the season losing four of their first six games but were able to gain momentum at Higgins Stadium, winning their first four home games of the year. However, a three-game losing streak, including two straight at home, left the team with a 5–8 record with three games remaining and little hope for an E8 playoff spot. The Blue and Gold were able to finish the season on a strong note, winning 7–1 over SUNY Brockport, 2–1 in double overtime against SUNY Geneseo and 3–1 over Hartwick College in the final regular season game of the year. It also marked the final season for four Bomber seniors: back Sarah Pfeifle, midfielder Natalie Lynch and forwards Danielle Coiro and Amber Foose. Coiro and Lynch also earned All-Empire 8 team honors, first team and second team, respectively.

Football The football team experienced a tumultuous 2014 season, finishing 7–4 overall. The team began the season as No. 23 in the D3Football.com Preseason Top 25 and responded by winning its first four games of the year. But a loss at home to Buffalo State College followed by an unexpected double overtime loss to Frostburg State University, who had lost its previous 16 Empire-8 games, put the Bombers on the brink of being eliminated from NCAA Tournament contention. Three consecutive wins allowed the Bombers to qualify for the tournament before losing to SUNY Cortland in the annual Cortaca Jug off of a botched field-goal attempt from the Red Dragons, resulting in a game-winning touchdown from the holder on the final play of the game. The Blue and Gold did not fare any better in its first-round match of the NCAA Tournament against Hobart College, losing 22–15. The Statesmen were able to finish off the Bombers with a 1-yard touchdown run with 13 seconds remaining. Though the South Hill squad had an up-and-down season, there were promising individual performances on both sides of the ball. For senior quarterback Tom Dempsey, he moved to sixth all time in the program’s history for passing yards, with 4,183. Additionally, freshman linebacker Kenneth Bradley had a dominating season, as he was named Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and recorded the most solo tackles on the Bombers, with 47.

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SCULLING The sculling team finished its third year as a varsity sport in 2014 with the squad competing in four regattas in September and October. The Bombers began the season by hosting the Sculling Invitational at the Cayuga Inlet. The event was composed of teams from South Hill, Colgate University and the Rochester Institute of Technology, competing in several categories. The Blue and Gold were able to receive first-place medals for the double and lightweight double teams. The final three regattas of the season took the team to the Head of the Genesee in Rochester, New York; the Seven Sisters Regatta in Amherst, Massachusetts; and the Head of the Fish Regatta in Saratoga Springs, New York. The South Hill squad will see five seniors graduate next season in Rachel Brogle, Alexandria O’Neill, Kellie Palladino, Jennie Peterson and Delaney Pfohl.

AT FALL Compiled by Miles Surrey

MEN’S SOCCER The men’s soccer team endured an up-and-down season, earning a 6–8–3 record overall, while also going 5–1–1 in Empire 8 conference play. The roster was bolstered by the majority of the squad returning from the 2013 season and was able to lean on a strong core of seniors, featuring goalkeeper Jordan Gentile, back A.J Wolfanger, midfielder Brandon Glass and winger Casey Williamson. With the strong E8 record, the Bombers were able to qualify for the Empire 8 Championship Tournament as the No. 2 seed. After defeating Utica College 1–0 in overtime in the tournament semifinal, the Blue and Gold moved on to face the No. 1–seeded Stevens Institute of Technology. In the final, however, the Bombers weren’t able to muster any goals, losing 3–0. Wolfanger, Glass and Williamson were able to represent the South Hill squad in the E8’s all-tournament team for their performances. The Bombers will hope for better success next season with the probable return of sophomore forward Sean Forward, who led the team in goals for the second year in a row, with five.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KASEY SPETH

WoMEN’S SOCCER

WoMEN’S Tennis

After beginning the season ranked No. 5 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s Division III poll, the women’s soccer team concluded its season against fifth-seeded Williams College in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In what was a strong overall campaign, the Bombers had a 15–4–1 record while going 7–1–0 in Empire 8 conference play. In the E8 tournament final, the Bombers lost to the Nazareth College Golden Flyers, 4–3, in a penalty kick shootout, resulting in the two teams sharing the conference title for the sixth time. The Bombers then entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 23 seed, defeating Springfield College 3–1 in the opening round. However, the Bombers weren’t able to advance past the second round against Williams. The Blue and Gold relied on strong play from its upperclassmen in junior goalkeeper Beth Coppolecchia and junior forwards Kelsey King and Sarah Woychick. King led the way with 14 goals, while Woychick added nine. The South Hill squad will see Coppolecchia, King and Woychick step into more prominent leadership roles next season as the only three seniors on the squad.

The women’s tennis team had a strong season in its fall competitions, winning 10 of 11 individual matches, while also competing in three tournaments. The team’s sole loss of the regular season came against the Stevens Institute of Technology, losing five of nine matches. However, the Blue and Gold were able to avenge their loss against the Ducks in the Empire 8 Women’s Tennis Championships, winning five of eight games to claim the title. It also marked the 10th consecutive E8 title for the South Hill squad. Senior Alyssa Steinweis was named Most Outstanding Player for the tournament, winning four matches combined in singles and doubles competition. Overall, she finished the fall season 12–2 in singles and 12–3 in doubles play. Individually, Haley Kusak had a strong sophomore campaign, going 6–2 when used as the Bombers’ No. 1 singles player and 7–5 overall. For her strong play, she earned first-team all-conference honors alongside senior Carly Siegel.

Volleyball The volleyball team earned its best record in five years, finishing the season with an overall record of 25–11. Despite being mostly composed of underclassmen, including seven freshmen, the Bombers had lengthy periods of success, most notably a 10-game winning streak from Sept. 13 to Oct. 10, 2014. In Empire 8 play, the team finished 6–2, allowing it to earn the third seed in the E8 Championship Tournament before losing in the semifinal to Nazareth College. However, the Blue and Gold were able to finish the season on a strong note by capturing the Eastern College Athletic Conference Metro/Upstate Championship, defeating Ramapo College in five sets in the championship game. For their strong individual E8 play, senior outside hitter Rylie Bean and freshman outside hitter Joelle Goldstein earned Empire 8 First-Team honors.

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WINDING WINDING DOWN DOWN Compiled by Miles Surrey

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KASEY SPETH

MEN’S Basketball The men’s basketball team improved off of a disappointing 2013–14 season, finishing 12–14 and qualifying for the Empire 8 Championship tournament for the first time in two years. The Blue and Gold had increased success through a combination of their strong seniors and upcoming underclassmen, in particular senior center Keefe Gitto and freshman guard Marc Chasin, who led the team in points per game with 15.7 and 14.8, respectively. It was Gitto and Chasin who led the team in scoring in the Bombers’ most impressive win of the year, taking down No. 24–ranked University of Scranton 88–80 Jan. 13 in the confines of Ben Light Gymnasium. The victory also sparked the South Hill squad’s longest winning streak of the season, pulling together five consecutive wins, including four against Empire 8 competition. However, the Blue and Gold weren’t able to sustain similar success to finish the season, losing three of their final four regular season games before falling to St. John Fisher College 90–75 in the semifinals of the E8 Tournament. Next season, the team will look to now-juniors Sam Bevan and Brad Johanson to step into greater leadership roles.

WOMEN’s BASKETBALL The women’s basketball team wasn’t able to surpass its best postseason in program history, after finishing the 2013–14 season in the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament, instead falling to No. 17–ranked Bowdoin College in the second round of the tournament this season. Throughout the season, the Bombers relied on a strong senior group in guards Sam Klie and Ally Mnich and forwards Geena Brady and Francesca Cotrupe. However, it was sophomore guard Ali Ricchiuti who led the team in scoring, averaging 11.1 per game. Additionally, the Blue and Gold went 15–1 in Empire 8 play, only falling to St. John Fisher College in both the regular season and the Empire 8 Championship Tournament final. But the E8 tournament loss did not stop the Bombers from qualifying for the NCAA tournament, as they earned an at-large bid for the competition. In the second round against the Polar Bears, the Bombers held a 65–58 lead, but Bowdoin finished the game on a 13–1 run to end the Blue and Gold’s tournament hopes. Next season, the Bombers will feature a strong core of juniors and sophomores, led by Ricchiuti, as they hope to clinch their fifth-consecutive NCAA tournament berth.

GYMNASTICS The gymnastics team saw an improvement from its 2014 campaign, finishing 3–11 while earning several individual accolades. Junior Megan Harrington was able to secure National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Gymnast of the Week honors March 5 for her strong performance in the Brockport Invitational on March 1, hosted by SUNY Brockport, scoring 36.600 and finishing first in the all-around competition. Additionally, head coach Rick Suddaby was named NCGA East Region Coach of the Year, having led the Blue and Gold to a seven-point overall improvement through the course of the season. The Bombers were also able to score a 188.075 at the NCGA East Regional Championships on March 14, which was their second-highest team score of the year. Next season, the South Hill squad will hope to rely on a strong senior campaign from Harrington in addition to freshman standout Rachel Lee, who was the lone Bomber to qualify for the NCGA Championships.

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THE WINTER Men’s SWIMMING AND DIVING The men’s swimming and diving team had an impressive 2014–15 season, finishing the year 15–0 in dual meets while qualifying as a team at the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships. In tournament play, the Bombers were just as strong, finishing first in the Henry Kumpf Invitational on Jan. 17 and second in the Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association and Empire 8 Championships from Feb. 18–21. Going into the postseason, the Bombers brought two seniors to the NCAA championships in Lucas Zelehowsky and Matt Morrison. For Morrison, who participated in several diving events, he completed the tournament with two All-America honors to accumulate six overall as a Bomber, sixth-most in program history. As a team, the Blue and Gold were able to secure 17 points at the tournament, ranking them 23rd out of the 42 competing schools. The South Hill squad will lose several strong seniors in Zelehowsky, Morrison, Ben Kennedy, Brendan Marks, Logan Metzger and Clement Towner. Towner joined Zelehowsky and Morrison with Empire 8 honors to conclude the year.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams posted strong results in indoor tournaments, with individual athletes from each team placing well in several competitions. For the men’s team, junior Andrew Brandt was able to win the high jump at the New York State Collegiate Track Championships with an Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference-qualifying mark of 2.03 meters. As a squad, the Blue and Gold finished second in the competition with nine ECACqualifying marks. On the women’s team, four athletes were able to qualify for the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships in sophomores Natalie Meyer and Brandy Smith, junior Alex Rechen and senior Emilia Scheemaker. Rechen finished sixth in the pole vault, allowing her to earn All-America honors in the process. Smith competed in the weight throws and placed 11th, with her best throw reaching 16.30 meters. Meyer and Scheemaker competed in the high jump and triple jump, respectively. Overall, the team placed 43rd out of 67 competing teams. Heading into the spring, both squads will hope to qualify for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships from May 21–23 in Canton, New York.

WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING Led by a strong core of underclassmen, the women’s swimming and diving team had strong showings in dual meets and tournament play. It was also able to rank 14th out of 32 competing schools in the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships, earning 18 total points from two competitors in the diving competitions. Sophomore Nickie Griesemer and freshman Anna Belson competed in several diving events, both earning All-America honors on the 3-meter board while also participating in the 1-meter dive. It concluded an impressive sophomore campaign for Griesemer, who also earned Diver of the Meet honors at the Upper New York State Collegiate Swimming Association and Empire 8 Championships. As a team, the South Hill squad placed second at the UNYSCSA/Empire 8 Championships and first overall at the Henry Kumpf Invitational. The Bombers will graduate six seniors on the year, as they look for more individual and team accolades next season with the help of Griesemer, Belson in the diving competitions and sophomore Grace Ayer in the backstroke, freestyle and individual medley events.

WrestlinG After a strong 2013–14 season in which then-junior Alex Gomez placed second in the NCAA Wrestling Championships at 133 pounds, the wrestling team posted impressive individual performances once again while earning several awards in the process. Gomez placed fourth in the NCAA tournament this year, ending the season with a 20–5 record and his third All-America honors as a Bomber, becoming the 13th wrestler in the history of the program to do so. Fellow senior Kevin Collins competed in the tournament at 157 pounds, finishing sixth overall while joining Gomez with his first All-America honors. As for head coach Marty Nichols, the Bombers’ 11–2 record in dual meets and tournament titles at the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Championships and NCAA Northeast Regional helped him earn Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference Coach of the Year honors on March 19. With the departure of its seniors in Gomez, Collins and Anthony Cabrera, the South Hill squad will look to its large upcoming senior class — composed of 10 wrestlers — to fill the leadership void.

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Compiled by Miles Surrey

Spring Spring has has

BASEBALL Having won his 1,000th game as head coach of the baseball team, George Valesente looks to post his 37th consecutive season with a winning record for the Bombers, who are looking to rely on their strong pitching staff to propel them to an NCAA Tournament berth. Last year’s team, which posted a 26–10 record, had four wins taken off the record — having played a team in the Empire 8 that was a provisional — prompting the Blue and Gold to narrowly miss a tournament bid. Though the Bombers lost their best senior pitcher in John Prendergast to a torn ulnar collateral ligament, they can still rely on senior hurlers Jimmy Wagner and Andrew Sanders, in addition to junior Benji Parkes, to carry the team’s strong rotation. And as usual, one of the South Hill squad’s biggest obstacles this season may be the weather, having already postponed several games due to the snowy conditions in New York. However, this is nothing new for Valesente and the Bombers, who only played four of a possible 36 games last year in the confines of Freeman Field. As long as the offense can support its formidable pitching staff, the Blue and Gold hope to contend in NCAA play.

CREW Men’s and women’s crew have a similar goal in mind going into the 2014–15 season: reach the NCAA National Championship. Based on the fall regattas, the results have been promising. Men’s crew and its strong varsity-8 boat were able to notch first-place finishes in three regattas: the Head of the Genesee, Bill Braxton Memorial Regatta and the Head of the Fish while also competing in the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta, placing 28th out of 44 competing teams. Though the women’s squad has not had similar success, it was also able to compete at the Head of the Charles. The Blue and Gold’s varsity-8 boat of senior Abigail Foxen, juniors Krista Syracuse, Jennie Peterson, Emily Morley and Katie Ely, sophomores Delaney Pfohl and Jacqueline McDevitt, freshman Colby D’Onofrio and junior coxswain Melinda Keene, was able to finish in 10th place out of 30 participating teams with a time of 18:11.195. As the Bombers wrap up their spring seasons, both teams hope to finish the year with strong performances and an NCAA berth.

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GOLF After an impressive fall season in which the program won its fifth consecutive Empire 8 Championship, the golf team enters the spring season with plenty of momentum on its side. The Blue and Gold’s strong combination of impressive upperclassmen, such as senior Sharon Li — who was named Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Month in October 2014 — and promising underclassmen like freshman Indiana Jones, propelled them to three first-place finishes in their tournaments during the fall season. Additionally, the Bombers finished in first place as a team at the Martin and Wallace Invitational on Sept. 28, 2014, and the Wittenberg Pat Clouse Invitational on Oct. 12, 2014. However, the South Hill squad’s biggest challenge will be to improve upon its record-best fifth-place finish in the NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championships last season. But with Li — who was also named Division III Player of the Year for the 2013–14 season — leading the way, the team will be in serious contention for a national title.

Men’s LACROSSE The men’s lacrosse team enters the 2015 season with high expectations, having been ranked No. 1 in the Empire 8 Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll in addition to six returning seniors on a strong, balanced roster. While the Blue and Gold weren’t able to avenge their 20–8 defeat in last year’s NCAA Championship Tournament by the hands of No. 1–ranked Rochester Institute of Technology — losing this year in the regular season 12–9 on Feb. 28 at Higgins Stadium — the Bombers have posted several strong offensive performances. Against Houghton College on March 7, the Blue and Gold were able to notch 22 goals in a 22–5 win, the first time the team has scored 22 goals or more since April 24, 2013, against Elmira College in a 22–2 victory. Additionally, the Bombers hope to become the first men’s lacrosse team in college history to repeat as Empire 8 Conference champions. Having gone 6–1 against the conference last season, the South Hill squad looks poised to repeat that success.

Sprouted Sprouted WOMEN’s LACROSSE After losing three consecutive Empire 8 Championship games, the women’s lacrosse team is hoping fourth time’s the charm this season, backed by its strong core of upperclassmen. The winner of these three previous championship matchups, nationally ranked St. John Fisher College, has already defeated the Blue and Gold 13–6 this season. However, the Bombers will look to two of its three first-team Empire 8 selections from last year, junior attacker Ally Runyon and senior midfielder Molly Fischer, to continue to propel the team’s offense. An Empire 8 title would also allow the South Hill squad to return to the NCAA Championship Tournament, an accomplishment that would be a first for every player on the roster, having not made the tournament in the past four seasons. At the very least, the Blue and Gold are a nearlock to make the E8 tournament, having won all seven games against the conference last season and not losing to an E8 team — besides the Cardinals — since 2012.

Men’s Tennis The men’s tennis team does not expect its young roster to falter this season, despite eight of its nine players being underclassmen. With the team’s lone junior, Chris Hayes, at the helm, the Blue and Gold are looking to repeat the sucess they had in the Empire 8 last season. However, as it has happened in years past, the Bombers have struggled against the Stevens Institute of Technology, having lost four consecutive games to the Ducks in the E8 Championship match. Additionally, the South Hill squad has struggled against Stevens in regular season play, with its last win against the Ducks dating back to April 10, 2010. But the Bombers’ young squad could help provide a turnaround for the team. Freshmen Jake Melhorn and Lorenzo Viguie-Ramos have already played impressive tennis, as both have already contended as No. 1 seeds for the Blue and Gold. If last year’s 10–8 overall record is any indication, the Bombers are expecting to contend in the E8 and stand as the best team to stop the Ducks’ recent dominance in the conference.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KASEY SPETH

SOFTBALL The softball team is hoping to rely on a strong core of upperclassmen to guide the team to greater success in 2015, after the Blue and Gold wrapped up the 2014 season with its first Empire 8 Championship since 2012 and an appearance in the NCAA Regionals. The impressive 2014 resume puts the Bombers in a tie for the first-place spot in the Empire 8’s 2015 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll alongside Alfred University. In the batter’s box for the Blue and Gold, junior first baseman Casey Gavin and sophomore outfielder Jessie Fleck are going to provide a spark for the offense, having both hit over .300 in 2014 while also being AllEmpire 8 selections. On the mound, juniors Laura Quicker and Allison Macari are tasked with filling the void of Sam Bender ’14, who ended her senior campaign with an 18–7 record and a team-leading 1.58 earned run average. The expectations are higher for the Blue and Gold in 2015, but their balanced roster looks poised to make up for the loss of five seniors and fight for another NCAA tournament berth.

OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD The men’s and women’s track and field teams are fully expecting to take care of business in the Empire 8 and win their respective conferences. For both squads, the goal is to qualify runners for the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May. The men’s team will look to its senior captains — Rashaad Barrett, Dennis Ryan and Kyle MacKinnon, in addition to standout junior high jumper Andrew Brandt — to lead the Blue and Gold to a top-10 finish in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships after finishing 12th out of 57 competing teams last season. The women’s team hopes to win the ECACs for the first time since 2012, after the Bombers won two straight championships while also being nationally ranked. The South Hill squad has a strong duo in the running competitions in junior sprinter Eliza Dewart and senior distance runner Alexa Rick, who was an All-ECAC selection in the 5,000-meter run in 2013. As long as the Blue and Gold’s best athletes remain healthy and in form, improved performances in the ECACs seem like a reasonable expectation.

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CORTACA 2014

The CORTACA CoRTACA STUNNER THE Bombers fall in Cortaca Jug on last-second touchdown pass By Christian Araos

Senior offensive lineman Andrew Benvenuto reflects on the outcome of the Bombers’ performance in the Cortaca Jug. The team fell 23–20 to SUNY Cortland on a last-second touchdown on Nov. 15, 2014, in Cortland. JENNIFER WILLIAMS/THE ITHACAN

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Incompetence leads to chaos, chaos leads to chance and chance led to the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons retaining the Cortaca Jug with a 23–20 win against the football team on Nov. 15, 2014. With time running out in the fourth quarter, the Red Dragons faced a fourth and goal at the Bomber four and needed to scramble on sophomore kicker Shane Cronin and junior holder Luke Hinton for a game-tying field goal attempt. Hinton was nowhere to be seen and did not run on the field for 15 seconds. As he readied himself with six seconds remaining, the snap from backup sophomore longsnapper Matthew Goodman was low, preventing an attempt at the field goal. Hinton picked up the ball, rolled left and found sophomore wide receiver John Mannix in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown as time expired. The Bombers lost a game they never trailed in. After a 48-yard punt return by senior cornerback Sam Carney set them up at the Red Dragon 13-yard line, the Blue and Gold scored on their third offensive play when senior quarterback Tom Dempsey found senior fullback Ben Cary for a 2-yard touchdown. Dempsey had his struggles afterward, throwing two interceptions in the face of steady Red Dragon pressure. “They’re big and physical and created some problems for me,” Dempsey said. “I don’t know if I could point to anything specific, but it created some issues.” The Red Dragon defense kept the entire team in the game. While the Red Dragons had been outgained by more than 120 yards, they forced the Blue and Gold to settle for

KAITLYN KELLY/THE ITHACAN

field goals on two occasions, most notably late in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 17. Though senior kicker Garrett Nicholson gave the Bombers the 20–17 lead, the difference between the field goal and the touchdown wound up being the reason the Red Dragons accidentally won the game instead of tying it. Dempsey noted these instances as pivotal chances to put the Red Dragons away that were ultimately missed. The Bombers had a final chance to put the Red Dragons away with 2:01 remaining. They had forced the Red Dragons to punt and needed a first down to seal the game. However, the Red Dragon defense stopped three runs, used all three of their timeouts and gave themselves a chance with 1:35 remaining and the ball on their 49-yard line. Although the Red Dragons had only managed to gain seven first downs the entire game, they were able to enter the red zone on their second play of the drive, a 35-yard completion from junior quarterback John Grassi to junior wide receiver Jack Delahunty that put the Red Dragons at the Bombers’ 11-yard line. Junior cornerback Malik Morris forced Delahunty out of bounds on the play, saving a touchdown on a blown coverage. “Being a flat player, I’m supposed to stop comebacks and curls,” Morris said. “There was no over-the-top coverage and I saw the receiver run a fade and I look back and saw no one there and I just sprinted to get back.” The minor chaos of a blown coverage paled in comparison to what followed. The Red Dragons ran the ball on three consecutive plays without attempting to stop the clock. It was a familiar script. On Sept. 13, 2014, Cortland trailed SUNY Brockport by three with time running out. In the confused madness that has defined the Red Dragons’ season, they took a false start penalty that resulted in a 10-second runoff, ending the game. While it is standard practice to prepare for rushed field goal attempts, Morris said he knew

something peculiar was going on with this particular attempt. “They line up in field-goal formation and I’m coming off the edge,” Morris said. “I did not have the same release I had earlier in the game so I knew something was up and I saw a rollout away from me so I tried to chase it down from the back before it was too late.” After the result, Bomber head coach Mike Welch was at a loss for words. “I thought I had seen everything,” Welch said. “It was being handed to us and we didn’t take it.”

From left, senior wide reciever Chris Bauer evades SUNY Cortland sophomore defensive back Carson Lassiter during the Blue and Gold’s 23–20 defeat in the annual Cortaca Jug on Nov. 15, 2014, in Cortland, New York. JENNIFER WILLIAMS/THE ITHACAN

CORTACA 2014

SPOTTED SPOTTED AT AT CORTACA CORTACA

SUNY Cortland junior Luke Hinton throws a pass following an unexpected snap from sophomore Matthew Goodman. Hinton’s pass to Cortland sophomore wide receiver Jon Mannix sealed the win. CAITIE IHRIG/THE ITHACAN

SUNY Cortland junior wide receiver Caleb Bettis tries to evade freshman linebacker Kenneth Bradley during the 56th annual Cortaca Jug. CAITIE IHRIG/THE ITHACAN

Senior defensive back Sam Carney and other members of the Blue and Gold reflect on the team’s 23–20 defeat at the hands of the Red Dragons. JENNIFER WILLIAMS/THE ITHACAN

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From left, SUNY Cortland junior linebacker Troy Beddoe chases down senior tight end Ben Cary in the Cortaca Jug on Nov. 15, 2014, in Cortland. KAITLYN KELLY/THE ITHACAN

From left, senior quarterback Tom Dempsey attempts to avoid a tackle from Cortland sophomore linebacker Tristan Laurore during the Cortaca Jug. KAITLYN KELLY/THE ITHACAN

From left, freshman defensive back Jordan Schemm tackles SUNY Cortland wide receiver Caleb Bettis during the Cortaca Jug. CAITIE IHRIG/THE ITHACAN

SUNY Cortland sophomore tight end Josh Riley is tackled by a Bomber defender in the Red Dragonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 23-20 win over the Bombers. KAITLYN KELLY/THE ITHACAN

SUNY Cortland fans show their team spirit by wearing red and holding up signs. CAITIE IHRIG/THE ITHACAN

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THE HOT STOVE Senior columnist Steve Derderian tackles the local and national sports scene Sept. 4, 2014

New athletics logo falls flat When Ithaca College unveiled its new athletics logo Aug. 20, 2014, there was no great revolt or protest nor was there a grand celebration. When the Office of Intercollegiate Athletics released the new logo on social media, one Facebook commenter on the Ithaca College Athletics page summed up the ho-hum attitude toward the new logo: “That’s it? That’s what all the hype was about? Nice logo though.” The solid blue, bold letters are a step up from the previous logo, but aside from the shield, not much else is different. The word “Ithaca” is more distinguished in bold print, and the yellow swoosh was replaced with a shield outlining the words “Ithaca Athletics.” For the most part, it seems like the athletics office made the simplest choice possible that would irritate the fewest number of people. To be fair, the new logo has brought about necessary changes to the athletics office branding — including a newly developed website and a solution to the lack of consistency in uniforms — as one of the biggest selling points was that student-athletes requested to become more unified as a collective athletic program. Before the new logo, the athletics office said the biggest concern of student-athletes was not feeling like they belonged to the same department. But each varsity team still has its own identity based on its performance on the field and the relationships among teammates. Each team also has its independent goals, and it’s difficult to imagine that having a shared logo will make teams play better or be more respected by their opponents. At the same time, it wasn’t the alumni, student-athletes or even the student body making the final decisions on a logo. The college hired SME Branding, a brand-building and design consultancy firm in New York City, in November 2013 to execute the design of a new logo. Though focus group discussions and community feedback were parts of the process, the athletics office made the final decision. The college could have made this process more fun by asking its art department, or even the Ithaca community, to put the new logo to a contest. No offense to SME Branding, but having a new logo designed from a student or community representative of the college would have helped involve the student body rather than outsourcing the project to an outside company. It also would have saved the college the money that went into the nearly year-long process. Change is hard, and we’ll survive with this new logo, but please spare us the reasoning that it brings more athletes together. In the end, I think it just made us all forget about the mascot search debacle back in 2011.

TUCKER MITCHELL/THE ITHACAN

Sept. 18, 2014

March 5, 2015

EMpire 8 lacking proper competition

NCAA’s 48-hour rule unreasonable

If you reached into my T-shirt drawer and pulled one out randomly, you would have a 50/50 chance of pulling out an Empire 8 Championship shirt. I’ve been on the winning Empire 8 Championship team nine times as a three-year member of the men’s cross-country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams. But I’m not here to brag about winning shirt after shirt. I think it represents a problem in the conference. Though my teammates and I compete in the only sport where athletes can win multiple conference championships in one year, it is becoming more obvious that most Ithaca College teams have become too dominant and perhaps overwhelming as opponents in the conference. During the 2013–14 year, Bomber teams won 15 conference championships, which is roughly 60 percent of total championships contested each year. The Blue and Gold were members of the Empire Athletic Association until 1999 when the conference became the Empire 8. Since then, there are many sports where the Bombers have rolled over opponents year after year, like the women’s cross-country team that has taken every conference title since 2003. Just look at the demographics of the Bombers’ conference competition. Last year, the college’s enrollment was 6,234 undergraduates, while the next-highest number in the E8 conference was St. John Fisher College with 2,959 undergraduates. To say there’s a mismatch is an understatement. I’m not discrediting the hard work of fellow Bombers, but there’s clearly an advantage when the Blue and Gold’s seven conference opponents have less than half the enrollment to draw from. I also realize that the conference is very competitive in some sports like softball, basketball and lacrosse, but ask almost any team during its preseason, and I’m sure it’ll say winning the conference is a goal, if not an expectation. If it becomes an expectation for some teams, then winning the conference so easily can be a disadvantage come postseason time, given the lack of competitive games. So why does the college stick around in the E8? One of the biggest reasons is football, and that’s not surprising, because football games pull in the highest gate receipts of all varsity teams. According to D3football.com, as of October 2013, the Empire 8 is ranked No. 5 out of 28 for best football conference in Division III. The E8 now has nine football teams, but Buffalo State College, SUNY Brockport, Salisbury University and Frostburg State University are all affiliate members just for football. Better yet, SUNY Cortland and Morrisville State University will become the next affiliates in the conference, meaning that less than half of the Empire 8 conference in football will have full-time conference members. Even if the college eventually decided to switch or realign conferences, the football program could stay in the E8, since the majority of its conference members are affiliates now, anyway. This transition would likely create more intense conference postseason competition, and while it would mean fewer championship shirts to wear, it would also be a welcome revision.

We often hear how Division III athletes compete solely for the love of the game and are treated just like every other student. But in the Division III environment today, there tends to be an increase in the number of sacrifices student-athletes are expected to make for the sake of their sports. The NCAA’s 48-hour rule says athletes are prohibited from consuming alcohol 48 hours before a game and 24 hours before a practice. The problem I have with the rule is that it seems to undermine the concept of personal responsibility. While most teams have specific drinking policies for their athletes, almost everybody realizes that alcohol doesn’t provide any benefits to athletic performance. Aside from the fact it’s difficult to enforce, I believe the existence of this rule demonstrates some inherent distrust in student-athletes making these decisions on their own. Still, the question is what kind of balance is there in terms of individual commitment between being a college student and a college athlete? If the college and its athletics office want to emphasize that the students come before the athletes, then you have to start by treating them with expectations comparable to regular students. I understand that alcohol is not a necessity, but colleges cannot deny that the national average of students who consume alcohol is about 80 percent. And since Division III athletes have no financial incentive to play varsity sports and are highly unlikely to compete at the next level, you can bet most will seek an outside social life, which often involves consuming alcohol. Talk to most of the student-athletes on campus, and I’ll bet they’d tell you they don’t use their sport as a reason to completely cut off their alcohol consumption, at least during the offseason. The desire to “go out” and socialize wins out almost every time. Also, most varsity teams hold practice or compete up to six times per week, so basically that rules out every day except one where athletes can completely follow this policy and still drink. For teams that usually compete only on the weekends, like swimming and diving or track and field, typically the only night a student-athlete of age could abide by this rule is to drink Saturday night after a competition — when the body needs to recover the most. Every collegiate student-athlete is an adult and must be treated as such. Part of individual responsibility is accepting the results of the decisions you make. At the same time, if you never make any mistakes, how can you truly appreciate success and learn how to fail? Most coaches at the college delegate team drinking policies to captains. I think it’s a proactive step, and one I think is more beneficial than policies at Division III schools like DePauw University, where some teams extend the 48-hour rule to 72 hours. It can get even more strict, as Rochester Institute of Technology has a policy that states, “The consumption of alcohol by any student-athlete, student-athlete host and/or prospective student-athlete is strictly prohibited.” In the end, too many people forget what it was like to be young, and even if a team has a chance to be successful, it’s really the social memories that matter in the end.

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P L A Y E R P R O F I L E S

HEL

My N LO ame IS

Matt hew Clum

Between between the tackles

Senior Matthew Clum poses with a Chinook salmon that he caught while on his boat on Sept. 16, 2014, on Cayuga Lake. Clum fishes on the lake throughout the year.

COURTESY OF MATTHEW CLUM

senior balances passion for rugby with fishing By Vinica Weiss At a practice at Yavits Field, a pack of 16 Ithaca College club rugby players bind tightly together to form a scrum, a method of restarting play after a minor infringement of the rules. As the ball is thrown under the tunnel of the players, each side of the interlocked bodies begins tussling for possession of the ball. Through the movement of their feet, the ball is slowly fed to the third row where senior forward Matthew Clum is positioned.When his side ultimately gains possession, he sprints alongside his teammates in the attack. While Clum runs, the faint image of a blue-green fish can be seen on his left leg, right above his knee. Clum has a tattoo of a trout, one of his favorite fish and a symbol of the passion he established as a little boy. He developed a dedication to angling at age 4 when he began to find joy in being in the outdoors with his father. Clum said he has always loved the outdoors and fishing because of the adventures he gets to go on. “I’ve been to places people will never get a chance to see, targeting fish, things that have made my life amazing,” he said. “I’ve seen 50-pound king salmon try and launch over a waterfall, bears running through the water chasing fish, all sorts of stuff.” Since coming to college, Clum’s enthusiasm for fishing has only flourished. The scenic backdrop of Cayuga Lake and the falls around the area have given Clum a plethora of fishing opportunities to continue his dedication. Clum wakes up to the darkness of the 5-a.m. sky to commence his morning fishing routine, which he performs year-round, regardless of the chilly weather conditions in Ithaca. The misty autumn air encompasses the frigid waters of Cayuga Lake in the early hours of the morning, but this is the perfect time for Clum to fish. Clum strategically gets up early during the week to go fishing in order to avoid the tourists and college students who tend to crowd the areas on the weekends. Typically, he has roughly four to five hours to fish before he has to come back and go to his classes. He

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usually has his supplies ready to go the night before to guarantee a quick departure. When he gets to the lake, he takes out his equipment. The most important equipment includes his fly rod or spin rod, complete with a fresh line with no frays in order to avoid any weak points; a sharp hook to help him catch fish smoothly; his waders — waterproof boots that extend from his feet all the way up to his chest; and his fish bait. The stench of the supplies resembles a combination of seaweed, dirt and salt, odors that Clum said he has become all too familiar with. He gets comfortable and slowly steps out into the greenish-brown-looking water that will eventually go above his knees and, many times, higher than his waist. Step by step, he gradually descends deeper. He pulls out his rod and slowly winds the reel. Gently, he casts his line and waits to catch the glistening rewards that dwell beneath the water’s surface. Typically when in Ithaca, Clum will venture to Ithaca Falls and Taughannock Falls and go after populous fish in the area, including salmon and trout of different varieties. Clum said the best places to fish are normally the biggest waterfalls because the fish can’t get past the current. Additionally, Clum frequently travels to Lake Ontario to fish for Chinook salmon in the fall. This particular type of salmon is about 30 pounds on average compared to other species that range from about 12–18 pounds. Clum said he can only keep three Chinook salmon a day in order to ensure fish reproduction and a sustainable fishery. Because of this, he will often donate the salmon and give some to friends and professors. “I don’t know what I would do with 75 pounds of salmon for myself, especially when I go almost every week,” he said. “So I donate a lot of salmon to food pantries and soup kitchens, so it’s not like I waste anything.” Clum’s fishing adventures have certainly not been restricted to

just the Central New York area, though. His excursions have taken him all across the country: He has fished in every state east of Mississippi River. Out of all the states he has fished in, he said New York state has undeniably been the best location to fish because of the number of different fish he can target throughout the year. His father, Jerry Clum, said because the fishing is so good around the area, he will often come to Ithaca to fish with his son. “He found out that a lot of fishing in New York state is a lot better than here in Pennsylvania,” he said. “Now, fortunately, I have the position where when he calls me and he says, ‘Dad, there’s trout in the stream today. You should get here in a couple days or they’re going to be gone,’ I can make it up to go with him.” When he came to the college, the Pennsylvania native made it his main goal to catch one of every type of sport fish in the state. He only needs to catch three more fish to accomplish the feat, but he said the three fish are very rare. He said he will have to do some traveling in the fall and spring to catch a Coho salmon, a Tiger muskellunge and an Atlantic salmon. For Clum, it is not all about the success, though. He said fishing is an act of escape and meditation, a place of peace where his worries vanish. “When I’m fishing, I don’t have time to think about everything else because I’m focusing on the line and what’s at the end of the line,” he said. “You’re zeroing in on one little thing in the world.” This sense of tranquility can seem like a stark contrast from the other sport Clum participates in: rugby. Clum, who used to play in both the Atlantic Junior Hockey League and the Empire Junior Hockey League, joined the rugby team a year ago after he missed the team mentality and camaraderie. Though rugby and fishing may seem quite different, Clum said they are actually very similar due to the tremendous amount of time, effort and dedication involved. While rugby is very contact and action-driven and fishing is much more isolated, he said the two sports share a big mental component of focus and attention. Because of this,

he finds good balance between the two. “One day I’ll go to rugby and get bruised, and the next day I’ll go [fishing] and it’s zen,” he said. “It’s nice to go from rugby where you’re in a game and everyone’s yelling to fishing where it’s just one thing to focus on, that’s it.” Jerry Clum said there is certainly an obvious change in demeanor between the two sports, but it creates an equilibrium for his son. “There’s always a yin and yang situation,” he said. “I think his athletic portion is fulfilled with playing rugby, and that takes care of that built-up energy, but there’s also times where you need to slow down and reflect a little bit, and I think fishing provides that for him.” Rugby head coach Annemarie Farrell said it’s not surprising how dedicated Clum is to fishing because she sees that same level of dedication brought to the team. Even though he has not played the game for a long time, she said his effort shows because he picked up the game quickly. “He’s a hardworking player and has been a real asset,” she said. “Particularly, we’ve been kind of injury-plagued this season, and his consistency has been noted from day one. He’s an unselfish player and is quiet, but you know when he’s not there.” Junior forward Cody Stahl said Clum suffered a broken ankle last year after an opposing player fell on top of his leg when Clum went in for a tackle, but that did not stop him from coming back even better than he was before. “The fact that he broke his ankle the first game and still came back, took an entire year to get stronger and better, it’s a dedication,” Stahl said. “He brings a dedication that a lot of people would never have. That’s the type of kid he is.” Clum said injuries and off days are going to happen, but for both fishing and rugby, it just makes him work harder. “There are days where I go out on the rugby field and drop every ball or don’t score a try, and there are days I go fishing and don’t catch a fish,” Clum said. “It makes you want it even more, so you go back the next day and try even harder, and then that’s all you can do. Eventually you’ll catch a fish and eventually you’ll score a try.”

Senior forward Matthew Clum takes part in a scrum during the men’s club rugby team’s match against Hamilton College on Sept. 20, 2014, at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. Clum balances his passion for rugby with angling, which he developed at a young age with his father.

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From left, sophomore goalkeeper Katie Lass works on a drill with field hockey assistant coach Krista Archambeau during the Blue and Gold’s Oct. 23, 2014, practice at Higgins Stadium. KAITLYN KELLY/THE ITHACAN

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Saving the Day Sophomore goalkeeper propels field hockey team’s defense By Tom Garris The trip to the game field goes one of two ways for the field hockey team’s sophomore goalkeeper Katie Lass, and it all depends on the day of the week. Lass, who has started every game for the Bombers for the past two seasons, follows certain pregame superstitious routines to help maintain her ongoing success. During the week, with games normally played on Wednesdays, Lass finds herself literally running from class. She makes it to the locker room with only minutes to mentally prepare before team warmups. Weekend games are more relaxed. Before these games, she walks — not runs — to the Athletics and Events Center, making sure to avoid stepping on sidewalk cracks. Lass always walks through the same door: the automated one on the left side. Once inside, she sidesteps to tap the four-leaf clover on the right pillar and heads to the locker room. She then suits up in her gear, keeping to herself as she goes through her routine, for she is the lone goalie on the team after junior former goalkeeper Blaire Janney left the team following her sophomore campaign due to injury. “This year is kind of different,” she said. “I don’t really have someone to get psyched up with, and I kind of have to rely on myself.” Head coach Tracey Houk, who scouted Lass when she was in high school, said Lass earned the starting nod from the beginning of her career. “She’s got a great eye for the ball,” Houk said. “She’s a team player, she’s a hard worker, her attitude is great, she improved throughout the preseason, she meshed well with our defense. There was no question.” Lass started all 18 games during her freshman season as a goalkeeper, allowing only 36 goals and maintaining a save percentage of

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.812, which ranked first in the Empire 8. Additionally, Lass secured the Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and second team all-conference honors. With the goalkeeper position comes a great deal of responsibility. Lass must lead her team on the field, staying loud while locking down the defense as its keystone. She is integral to the team’s success because she can see the entire playing field. Lass depicts herself as quiet in person but loud on the field. She said on the field, she directs her teammates, reinforcing what they are doing well and working through what they need to improve on. Freshman midfielder and back Kiaria Anglero said the team looks up to Lass’ leadership, and her vision of the field is of utmost importance. “We all listen to her because she’s in the back and can see everything,” Anglero said, “We want to listen to her to make sure we are doing things to put ourselves in a good position.” The Bombers struggled during the season, finishing 8–8. Despite winning their final three games of the year, it was not enough to stop the Blue and Gold from missing the Empire 8 Conference Championships. Lass, however, has been a bright spot on the team despite its struggles, as she had another outstanding season. She ranked first in the Empire 8 in shutouts with five, two more than any other keeper. She also ranked first in save percentage at .815 and second in goals against average with 2.1. She has already asserted herself as one of the top goalies in the conference, yet she said she feels she still has something to prove. “I want to give 100 percent,” she said. “Even when people tell me that I’m doing well or giving it my all, I always know I can do better.”

Sophomore guard earns roster spot for 2014-15 season By KJ Hammond In sports, ambition can lead an athlete to glory, recognition or a championship. Ambition is what led sophomore point guard Ahmad Boyd to the men’s basketball team this season. Boyd has played basketball since the age of 4, growing up in Irvington, New Jersey. He attended St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey, which is known for its dominant basketball program. Boyd said he always questioned whether he could thrive among such elite players. “I was a role player amongst players who outshined me,” Boyd said. “I wondered if I should leave and play somewhere else — that way I could get better looks from colleges. But I knew St. Benedict’s was for me and I belonged with those guys.” Boyd said he always had the intention of playing basketball in college, and when applying to Ithaca College he contacted Bombers basketball head coach Jim Mullins. Over the phone, Mullins told Boyd the team was “guard-heavy” and he would have to stand out to secure a roster spot as a walk-on. Boyd knew he was up against fierce competition but said it did not deter him. However, after trying out, Boyd did not make the cut in 2013. Boyd said he was shocked, but it wouldn’t stop him. “It was my first time not making a basketball team in my entire life, and I didn’t know how to take it,” Boyd said. “However, not making the team motivated me even more, and I didn’t take a day off after that.” Over the summer, Boyd worked on his jump shot, change of pace and mentality. Mullins said he was taken aback by Boyd’s growth and granted him a roster spot for the 2014 season. “I am pleasantly surprised with the work he has put in up unto this point,” Mullins said. “He earned his way onto this team and he can be a pleasant surprise to everyone this season.”

Boyd acknowledged that it was an unreal feeling to make the team a year after being cut. But perhaps someone who was more elated to see Boyd make the squad was teammate and close friend sophomore forward Leonard Davis, who said he expected to have Boyd as a teammate. “I wasn’t shocked to see his name on the roster list,” Davis said. “Once I saw that he made it, it was time to get to work.” The brotherhood between Boyd and Davis formed at the Fitness Center courts where the two first met freshman year. The two hold each other accountable on the court and in the classroom to excel in whatever they do. Davis said he is most excited about the different style of play the teammates will bring when they’re on the court together. “When we’re on the court together, it’s a whole new ball game,” Davis said. “With Ahmad and myself, we bring a whole new level of athleticism and energy.” Boyd quickly went from seeking a spot on the roster to seeking consistent playing time and a part in the rotation. A self-described scrappy role player, he said he is simply looking to contribute to the team’s success. “I’m not content with just receiving a jersey,” Boyd said. “I want to get on the court. I can be a role player that can help shoulder the offensive load and apply pressure on the defensive end.” Davis has alternative expectations for his teammate, however. He said Boyd can be the missing link the program has been searching for after a subpar season last year. “I think a lot of people will be surprised by me saying this, but I think Ahmad can be a starter for us in this season,” Davis said. “As far as future years, I’d be surprised if Ahmad is not remembered as a great player because of his personality, work ethic and ambition.”

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From left, junior forward Brad Johanson guards sophomore guard Ahmad Boyd during the men’s basketball team’s practice on Nov. 17, 2014, in Ben Light Gymnasium. KAITLYN KELLY/THE ITHACAN

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Sophomore back Lindsey Parkins kicks the ball past Elmira College senior forward Mollie Hamilton during the women’s soccer team’s 1–0 win over the Soaring Eagles on Sept. 24, 2014, at Carp Wood Field.

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Balancing Act sophomore juggles her way into starting spot on women’s soccer team By Kristen Gowdy During fall break of 2013, 10 players on the women’s soccer team were sitting around a table in the Campus Center. As they were eating lunch, they noticed a student out on the Campus Center Quad juggling a soccer ball. The players watched her balance the ball precariously on the top of her foot. She paused for a moment, fully concentrated on the ball, then whipped her foot in a complete 360-degree rotation around the ball before cradling it once again between her foot and shin, perfectly executing one of the most difficult juggling maneuvers. Then-freshman midfielder Taylor Baranowsky, who was sitting at the table watching, said she was in awe of the juggler’s footwork. “Her touches on the ball were so precise,” she said. “She was doing ‘Around the World,’ which I can’t even do myself. I’ve tried multiple times, but it’s such a hard skill to master.” Impressed with the player’s talent, Baranowsky and her teammates decided to go outside and get to know her, already thinking she had the potential to benefit their team in the future. The juggler introduced herself as Lindsey Parkins, a freshman forward on the college’s club soccer team at the time. “I think it was overwhelming for her because there were 10 of us,” Baranowsky said. “We all walked out and started talking to her and juggling with her, and we told her she should try out for the team.” When the players asked her to consider joining the team, Parkins said she didn’t think much about it. But just two months later, another incident caused her to change her mind. Head coach Mindy Quigg was working out in the Fitness Center when she saw Parkins practicing footwork and juggling in the gym. As she was stretching on the balcony, Quigg said the

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abnormality of the situation struck her. “It’s unusual to see women in there working on individual skills,” she said. “You never see that. I went down and introduced myself and told her she should be playing with us. I invited her to entertain the thought of playing with us in the spring.” A week later, Parkins dropped by Quigg’s office in Hill Center to let her know she had decided to join the team for spring season, which begins after winter break. “I love soccer,” Parkins said. “So I thought, ‘Why not just try out and see what happens? It can’t hurt to try.’” Now, nine months after she joined the team during its spring season conditioning and practices, Parkins is a starting defender. She fills a hole in the Blue and Gold’s back line left by last year’s large graduating class, and Baranowsky said she brings not only her exceptional ball-control skills but also a remarkable work ethic and a fierce competitiveness to the team. “As a new player, she challenges everyone,” Baranowsky said. “I think everyone hates to go against her at practice because she is just strength and speed, and she has great ball control. She has everything you need in a soccer player.” When she first started on the team in the spring of 2014, Parkins’ tenacity was on full display. Baranowsky recalls her first memory of Parkins when she stole the ball during a spring scrimmage, dribbled it the length of the field through the other team and scored. “At that point, we were all just thinking, ‘Who is this girl?’” Baranowsky said. “She was one of the fastest people I had ever seen.” Parkins continued to play throughout the spring and then earned her starting spot during the team’s preseason in August 2014. Though

she initially came in as a forward, Quigg moved her to the back line because of her strength and athleticism. Sophomore defender Aimee Chimera, who also transitioned from midfield to defense upon entering college, said having an offensively minded player like Parkins on the back line provides an element of versatility and unpredictability to the defense. “I think [Quigg] thought, ‘Well, maybe if we could put her on defense, we could also use her on the attack,’” Chimera said. “That’s one of the perks of being an outside back: You can go forward and then move back.” While her strength and cutthroat desire to win help her on the field, Parkins is a completely different person off of it. If her other hobbies are any indication of her personality, then the longboard she often rides around campus says it all. “She’s completely chill,” Baranowsky said. “She has her longboard and just kind of strolls into practice. But once she’s there, she works extremely hard. I’ve never seen her not work hard — ever.” Parkins also enjoys doing CrossFit workouts and can often be found in the Fitness Center in addition to the team’s daily

two-hour practices. Then there’s her passion for juggling. She said even though she spends much of her time playing soccer with the Blue and Gold, she still finds time to juggle. “I’ve been playing soccer since I could walk,” she said. “I have always liked juggling. It took me a long time to learn. I maybe started in elementary school with just my knees, then later added my feet and it just became this fun thing to do.” It is also the reason she is now on the team. As a freshman, Parkins said she never considered trying out for the varsity squad because she wanted to focus on academics, even though she was twice selected to the all-county team and served as a team captain in high school. However, the encouragement from her future teammates and Quigg persuaded her to join. Now, dedication and skill have led her to become a key part of one of the top teams in Division III. “We had to fill an outside spot, and she showed she had all of the qualifications for that spot,” Baranowsky said. “It was just fate that we found her, honestly.” AMANDA DEN HARTOG/THE ITHACAN

Parkins practices juggling a ball following the women’s soccer team’s practice on Sept. 26, 2014, at the practice fields by Carp Wood Field.

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SWEATING AWAY THE SUMMEr Student-athletes share summer workout regimens By Kristen Gowdy The three months of summer vacation mark a transitional period for Bomber athletes, as they disperse from the Ithaca College campus and venture to various destinations across the globe. However, the summer is anything but restful for the athletes, with coaches or strength trainers often assigning them summer training schedules so they will return to campus in shape for the fall semester. Some athletes, however, stray from these guides to work out in other settings offered by their summer homes. These supplemental workouts help the athletes condition while they’re away from South Hill.

West Coast In junior swimmer Vincent Dodero’s hometown of Goleta, California, warm weather often does not reach the beach until early afternoon, even on the hottest days of summer. Dodero, who utilizes the nearby ocean to train when he is home, arrives at Devereux Beach — a local surf spot — to find a shore devoid of the normal buzz of vacationing families and sunbathing college students who typically line the sand and shallow waters. In fact, the beach is completely empty except for a couple of sandpipers that flit in and out of the foamy wave break. Even though it is nearing 10 a.m., the mid-August sun struggles to break through the thick layer of clouds that envelops the coastline. The gray fog matches the color of the ocean, and they merge at the horizon to form a gloomy backdrop. Dodero is unfazed by the gray monotony. Instead, he is invigorated by the cool weather and energized by the solidarity and peace he finds at the beach. “I just love being in nature and being able to just let go and enjoy the beauty of it,” he said. After taking in the scenery, Dodero begins to jog along the dry sand that lines the inland-most part of the beach. The coarse sand provides a more challenging surface for Dodero to train on. He continues his trek, leaving a lone set of footprints in his wake. With each step, his feet sink deeper into the sand, forcing Dodero to exert an extra effort to keep his legs moving. Though the run may seem irrelevant to Dodero, who spends much of his time swimming both freestyle and butterfly for the men’s swimming and diving team, it conditions his endurance and bolsters muscles that he does not typically use while swimming. “Running on the sand helps strengthen your ankles, and in swimming, your ankles are pretty unworked, which can be bad for when we take it to land and do cross-training,” Dodero said. “Running on the sand really helps build those muscles.” After a couple of miles, Dodero slows his pace and turns to face the ocean. Exchanging his T-shirt and shorts for a swimsuit, he races into the water for the second phase of his workout. The frigid water hits Dodero’s body, sharply contrasting the warm sand on the shore. But Dodero is used to the 60-degree water temperature, and his body numbs and eventually adjusts as he plunges headfirst into a breaking wave to begin his 1,500-meter swim. He said swimming in the ocean is different from swimming in the pool because of the rough conditions. “It’s a lot harder because you have to deal with currents and waves,” Dodero said. “It gives you that competitive edge because

you’re in a different environment.” He emerges from the ocean dripping and saturated with salt water after his swim. Tired as he is, Dodero’s workout is not finished yet. He ends with sets of pushups and abdominal exercises, which supplement the cardio he has just completed. After his final round of pushups, Dodero is done for the day. The shoreline is just beginning to show signs of life as several

Junior swimmer Vincent Dodero jogs on the sand at Devereux Beach in Goleta, California, as part of his training regimen. KRISTEN GOWDY/THE ITHACAN

families have staked their claim on the sand with oversized beach umbrellas. The sun has finally made an appearance, poking through the fog and brightening the beach. Dodero cools down with a series of stretches on the sand as the beach grows more crowded. Dodero said it’s a workout like this that reminds him why he loves to swim. “Sometimes being in the pool all of the time can make it difficult to focus, so these beach workouts are great supplemental workouts,” he said. “Not everyone can work out on the beach or in the ocean, so just to be somewhere so beautiful and so close to home is amazing for me.”

East Coast On the opposite side of the country, 2,880 miles from Devereux Beach, junior forward Sarah Woychick begins the steep ascent up Castle Rock trail in the Adirondack Mountains. The campsite near Raquette Lake is almost four hours from Woychick’s hometown of Penfield, New York, and serves as a weekend retreat for her and a group of friends. However, Woychick’s vacation is far from relaxing. Away from the weight room she uses three times a week to train for soccer, Woychick hikes to continue her training. The climb up the mountain is an ideal combination of conditioning and strength training — both of which Woychick needs on the soccer field for the Bombers. “Climbing up the mountains, the elevation is a big challenge,” she said. “It’s a good mix of weightlifting and running because it is similar to walking up a ton of stairs, so it works all of your muscles as well as your conditioning. You’re constantly using those muscles.” For Woychick, the climb is as much of a mental workout as it is physical. She said the uncertainty of the trail mirrors a soccer game’s unpredictability. “It translates to soccer because you never know what to expect in a game or practice,” she said. “You have to deal with the good and the bad.” Though her calves and quads are burning with the effort of the uphill climb, Woychick begins the descent down the mountain almost immediately after reaching the summit. The second half of the hike, though quicker than the first, provides a different challenge for Woychick’s already tired legs by working her hamstrings. An hour and a half later, Woychick reaches the bottom of the mountain with her workout complete. Over the summer, Woychick frequently hiked in the Adirondacks and Port Bay, New York, near Lake Ontario. She added these to supplement her thrice-weekly weightlifting sessions and runs. “We went up the trails pretty fast,” she said. “It really worked on endurance and got your heart going. It was also different from normal conditioning because when we went up the first trail, it took us two hours to get to the top, and it was straight uphill. We just had to get to the top, whereas a workout in the weight room, you’re in and out in an hour.”

International The hot Italian sun beats down on sophomore Brendan Davis’ back as he steps out of the apartment that will be his home during his stay in Florence, Italy. It is his first day in the city, and the cross-country runner is embarking on his first run, ready to navigate the unfamiliar streets. Before beginning his run, Davis sets his watch for 50 minutes. His summer workout schedule consists of running for time rather than mileage, and he wants to follow it as closely as possible. With his watch set, he begins his run down the narrow streets of Florence. He turns aimlessly, not particularly caring which direction

he runs in or where he ends up, instead enjoying the journey. The streets are much different than those on which he normally runs, far thinner than those in Ithaca. One-way streets are frequent and sometimes unannounced, and Davis occasionally has to avoid oncoming traffic. Davis is not uncomfortable with the directionless nature of his running. He has spent the past month traveling from country to country in Europe with a friend from his hometown of Cornwall, New York. The scorching sun and the unforgiving humidity, however, are a different story. Over the past few weeks, Davis has become accustomed to the heavy rains of England and Ireland, where he trained before arriving in Italy. Thus, the 90-degree weather combined with the high humidity levels make for uncomfortable running conditions. After Italy, he is headed to Morocco and then back to Ireland to round out his six-week trip. For now, though, he is focused on completing his run, which eventually takes him north, out of the confines of Florence. The road widens, and the urban setting becomes rural as Davis begins an upward climb. He reaches Fiesole, Italy, a small township northeast of Florence. The view from Fiesole is breathtaking — the town overlooks Florence, providing a comprehensive view of one of the most architecturally stunning cities in the world. For Davis, this is the reward reaped by training in different places. Davis’ watch goes off, surprising him. The 50 minutes have passed more quickly than he expected them to. “With running, it’s important to stay consistent with mileage, so getting lost and going on these runs that were twice as long as I had imagined was a good way of tricking myself into doing more,” Davis said. “If I had known where I was going, I would have done a lot less running and wouldn’t have gotten as good of training.” Davis makes his way back down into Florence, still running even though he is well past his 50-minute goal. He progresses back down the mountain, sticking to the streets he recognizes from his trek up. He finally reaches his apartment, tired, but inspired by the new environment. His run has lasted an hour and a half, nearly doubling his original goal. The trip was the first of its kind for Davis, who spent all of June and half of July abroad. He said his training made the experience even more special. “I always like using running as a way to see places, but this is the first time I’ve been able to travel like that,” he said. “I was seeing new things and it kept me motivated to keep running. I got to travel and train all at once.”

ON SKIS OVErSEAS FOURTEEN ITHACA COLLEGE STUDENTS SPEND WINTER BREAK IMMERSING IN EUROPEAN SPORT CULTURE

Students of the European Sport Experience trip visited Allianz Arena, which is home to FC Bayern Munich, one of Germany’s premier soccer teams, in Munich.

By Miles Surrey Photos by Karly Redpath Altenberg, Germany, is not a typical venue for a professional sporting event. The small town in eastern Germany is dependent on the sole traffic light in its center. From there, the grocery store, gas station, bar, two restaurants and a bed and breakfast for visitors are all within walking distance. Situated just north of the country’s border with the Czech Republic, it lies engulfed in a maze of forest. However, within the adjacent woodland is a bobsled, luge and skeleton track, the inception of which was contingent on the sporting rivalry that once existed between East and West Germany. With Germany unifying in 1990, the once-secret course was adopted by all German athletes and shortly after became a regular on the Bobsleigh World Cup circuit. As members of the United States bobsled team prepared for their first run through what has been called the most challenging and technical course on the European side of the World Cup Tour, they heard the unfamiliar sound of applause coming from the viewing area. The cheering was coming from 14 Ithaca College students, who were spending two weeks experiencing European sporting culture in Germany and Austria. Led by Heather Dichter and Kyle Woody, assistant professor and instructor in the Department of Sport Management and Media, respectively, the one-credit, two-week study abroad course, called the European Sport Experience, spanned several large cities and small towns within Germany and Austria. The trip allowed students to interact with athletes and members of national sport federations in addition to immersing themselves in the local culture. Students spent several days in Munich, then traveled to Salzburg, Austria, before crossing the border back into Germany to round out the trip in

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Altenberg and Dresden. With the course in its inaugural year, Dichter said the initial planning for the trip dated back to her interview process with the college in 2012, and from there she promoted it for over a year. “It’s not covered by financial aid, and so it was good to be able to publicize it for almost a year and a half,” she said. “Obviously, there’s a long process because it has to be approved by the Office of International Programs. … There’s a lot of planning that goes into and really planning out about 15 months before a trip happens.” Beginning Jan. 2, the course also provided students with an opportunity to travel abroad without missing a semester at the college. Junior Kyle James said he was happy the trip allowed him to get out of the country without disrupting his busy school schedule. Additionally, he said the journey was distinct in its ability to provide each student with his or her own personalized experience. “You could make this trip into interviewing athletes and learn about a new sport,” James said. “You could make this trip into learning about different foods in Germany and Austria. There was a lot of wiggle room, and we did so much that you really could do whatever, so that was really cool.” Hoping to pursue a career in sports marketing, senior Kristina Stockburger was able to see how winter sports such as bobsled, skeleton and ski jumping, which are relative unknowns in the United States, could create a passionate fan atmosphere she compared to that of a Division I college football game. The locals, she said, heavily invested themselves in the sports. “It was interesting to see a sport that in America is rarely heard of, or people don’t even know exists until the Olympics, is one of

their most prized possessions and they love seeing it,” she said. “Any sport can really bring passion, and people just love supporting their own country.” While the majority of the students on the trip like James and Stockburger were immersing themselves in the culture and learning about new sports for the first time, junior Max Rottenecker made the unconventional decision to embark on a study abroad trip in his home country. The Bochum, Germany, native said he signed up for the course to attend sporting events he had never seen live, including one event of the annual Four Hills Tournament for ski jumping in Bischofshofen, Austria. Rottenecker said he was also able to expand his professional network through talking with several sport organizations, most notably the German Football Association. However, Rottenecker said he was most impressed with athletes from these winter sports making the most of their surrounding area to keep in shape for competitions. While walking past the hotel hosting the Latvian bobsled team, he saw members of the team bench pressing in the hotel parking lot. Being an athlete on South Hill as a member of the football team, he said their determination amazed him above all else. “Outside it was like 25, 30 degrees, and they’re out there and they’re doing their workouts and they’re Olympic athletes, while we [in America] have all these great facilities,” he said. “That was inspiring to see how those athletes, under what conditions they work, and how they travel and how far away they are from home, they still are able to give you peak performance. I was very impressed, as an athlete, by that.” Dichter said she views these competitions as a stark contrast to a typical sporting event in America, particularly with the four major professional sports: American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey. The sports are contained within a mostly circular venue. With the winter sports in Europe, the tracks are an extension of the surrounding natural environment. “These types of outdoor sports, yes, there’s an entrance to them, but you are in nature,” Dichter said. “There’s so many different places to go, where you want to stand at the venue, and seeing different aspects … you get an entire venue of people who are very excited to be there.” And while the local fan base in Altenberg passionately supports the German bobsled, ski jump and skeleton teams, the United States bobsled team rarely draws a crowd interested in rooting for them, specifically. Stockburger said because of that, the team was more inclined to talk with the members of the trip in both formal and informal settings. The students were able to not only speak with the athletes at the track but also were invited to the team’s small hotel to continue the dialogue. “They were very open talking with us about their training regimens, diet, what they do, when they do it, what their entire schedule is like, things like that,” she said. “I think they just want more people to learn about their sport.” James said for him, interacting with the U.S. bobsled team was one of the biggest highlights of the trip. “Whenever the women were racing that day, the guys would come hang out with us,” James said. “Whenever the guys were racing, the girls would hang out with us. It was refreshing to see that they’re people too and not just on some pedestal where they feel like they’re too good to talk with us or hang out with us.” As for bringing future students on the trip in coming years, Dichter said she hopes they will share a similar appreciation for the sporting culture in Europe and be able to transfer what they learned over to American sports. “Getting an opportunity to see what else is out there and how other sporting events run, what gets other fans excited, can be something that they could do ... what would then be new here in the U.S., drawing on these other ideas,” she said. “I think [the course] made some new fans of these sports.”

A bobsled team begins its lap of the track in Altenberg, Germany. Students were present for both bobsled and skeleton races.

A skeleton athlete push starts his sled at the skeleton and bobsled track in Altenberg, Germany, on the World Cup circuit.

A lone bobsledder descends down the bobsled and skeleton track in Altenberg, Germany, as part of the Bobsleigh World Cup Circuit.

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G A M I N G

GAMING GAMING Esports break onto scene as new form of competition By Kira Maddox Ithaca College and the University of Pittsburgh have battled their way through the Round of 16 and are now matched against each other for the quarterfinals. Whoever wins in a set of three gets to move on, one step closer to being the winners of the 2014 Northeastern League Alliance Invitational. The first 12 minutes put the teams on even ground. They’ve both stacked four points, and the game is quiet. However, within the next five minutes both teams have amped up the aggression. The plays are suddenly more explosive and daring, as they push themselves further to seal more points. By the 17th minute, Pittsburgh begins running pack-style, charging its way through the undefended middle and bottom half of the field, taking advantage of the college’s weak spots. Pittsburgh gains a six-point lead, and the momentum gives the team the confidence to take it all. The Ithaca College team’s nexus is destroyed in a flash of light, and a winged “Victory” sign pops up on the screen for the Pittsburgh team. This was not a traditional sporting event but the final match

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between the college’s Team Tryhard Two and the University of Pittsburgh’s Pumpkin Spice in the quarterfinals of the 2014 NELA Invitational. According to its website, NELA exists as an outlet for collegiate esport competition involving the game “League of Legends,” one of the world’s largest and most popular esports today. Esports are video games that pit either individuals or groups against each other in a competition. “League of Legends” is a multiplayer online battle arena game, where players choose from a variety of fantasy-style characters and, in the classic Summonor’s Rift mode, battle in a five-vs.-five match to try and destroy the opposing team’s “nexus.” Average play time is about 20–45 minutes per game, and in that time players dance their characters around the environment, getting into battles on various scales, placing vision wards to trace the enemies’ movements, attacking non-playable characters for bonus experience and executing strategies in the hopes of inevitably overpowering the other team.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TUCKER MITCHELL

STEAM STEAM While this may seem like a childish pastime to some, esports have been growing in popularity, gaining media and societal attention in the professional sports world. The college has its own outlet for esports in the form of the Ithaca College League of Legends Club, which was founded in Spring 2014 and comprises about 64 members. “We realized that, yes, there was a gamer’s club on campus … but there wasn’t really any sort of esports orientation toward things,” Dan Ruthman, president of IC LOL, said. “So we said, ‘OK, well, a lot of us play “League of Legends.” We know a lot of people on campus play “League of Legends,” so why not make a club for it?’” While it’s hard to pinpoint what has been causing the increase in esport participation, or more prominently the increase in people showing interest in spectating esports, some believe developing technology and increased Internet usage play a role in it.

Evolving Technology Duncan Shields has been following esports since the late ’90s, going by the pseudonym Thorin. After studying computing in college, he made his first active step into the esports world when he coded and developed his own website for esports. He now serves as a journalist in the field, having worked for websites like SK Gaming, Team Acer and OnGamers.

Shields said in the early 2000s, the esport game “Counter-Strike” would draw in about 40,000 spectators to watch online tournaments but said the in-game feeds would suffer problems, such as slowness and freezing, that would affect the enjoyability. “I think if you could have had these [modern] technologies in place back then, if everyone had had faster Internet and we’d had these tools created, I think some of the early games would have been quite big,” Shields said. “Maybe not quite as big as they are now, but they’d have been staggeringly big where people would have had to take notice.” In an Ithaca College residence hall room, a student sits perched on the edge of her seat. She leans forward intently to observe the tail end of a live match happening online, hoping to support her fellow “League of Legends” players. Although she lives in a single, junior Rae Enlow is not alone. Other students from both Ithaca College and the University of Pittsburgh are tuning in to the site to see what happens next between Team Tryhard Two and Pumpkin Spice, allowing them to cheer on their schools without having to leave their rooms. This is a Twitch stream, a live video footage feed hosted by www.twitch.tv. Twitch is an online broadcasting website with an emphasis on being a place for individual gamers, professional players, media outlets, conventions and large-scale esports events to live stream their games and potentially provide commentary while playing.

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G A M I N G On its website, Twitch states it has more than 60 million site visitors per month. In February 2014, the Wall Street Journal published the top 10 companies with the highest percentage of peak U.S. Internet traffic. According to that data, Twitch held 1.8 percent of Internet traffic, ranking fourth and placing above other popular websites like Facebook and Amazon. Because of its high traffic, Amazon purchased Twitch Interactive Inc. in August 2015 for $970 million. Twitch.tv isn’t the only popular website gamers go to for watching professional and amateur esports. Founded in 2002, Major League Gaming began as a site composed of video game tournament leagues. However, Katie Goldberg, MLG’s senior vice president of communications, said the site has recently branched out into the streaming world. “The founders were fans of both traditional sport and video games and decided to model MLG after some of the most successful leagues in the world,” Goldberg said via email. “Since the company’s inception, the mission has always been to promote esports globally through premier competition both online and in person.” Goldberg said MLG created its own streaming site, MLG.tv, in 2013, which she said has led to major growth in terms of competitors and viewers on the site. While the majority of Twitch users are interested in fantasy esports, MLG’s audience is geared more toward esports like the “Call of Duty” series, the “EA Sports” series and the “2K” series. Goldberg said the company reaches about 20 million people each month across the MLG network, and 9 million are registered users in its online gaming tournament system. Streaming websites like MLG and Twitch have the secondhand benefit of letting viewers give a face to a username, which Timothy Kimbirk said helps fans to create an attachment to the game and to want to watch people play it. Kimbirk is a writer for solomid.net, a branch of professional “League of Legends” Team SoloMid’s online network, producing game guides and coverage of professional “League of Legends” matches. At

solomid.net, Kimbirk provides in-depth analysis and reporting on the game and conducts player interviews. He said the trend for professionals to create live-stream accounts has helped garner interest in esports overall. “These personalities are grown online on streaming sites and things like that,” Kimbirk said. “There’s this culture that is growing where, because you can be known online or known through your stream, you get into the game on a competitive side, you can actually have a fan base and since these fan bases exist, these games can exist as competitions.” Ruthman said he believes watching games also provides an outlet for those who have just begun playing or who may not want to spend money on a new game when they can first preview it via a live stream. “More and more people are saying ‘If I’m not good at a game or if I can’t afford a game, I’ll just watch someone play it,’” Ruthman said. “That started to make the vast market of gamers say ‘OK, we’re going to watch people play.’ So then esports took it as ‘OK, if some people are going to watch us play, we should make money off it.’” Similarly, esportsearnings.com has kept an online record of how much money has been funneled to players through several esports games and tournaments. According to its rankings, the game “Dota 2” has topped the charts, having given out nearly $23 million in prize money over the course of 262 tournaments. It’s these million-strong fan bases and high-potential earnings that have worked together to bring a serious question to the forefront: Are esports comparable to traditional sports?

Esport vs. Traditional Sport Neil Hammad, better known by his “League of Legends” name pr0lly, is a 25-year-old professional “League of Legends” player. He said it’s hard to get people to take professional gaming seriously in North America because of how video games have been thought of in the past.

More than 2,000 of the world’s best gamers competed in front of 18,000 spectators in June 2013, at the MLG Championship in Anaheim, California.

ENRIQUE ESPINOZA/MAJOR LEAGUE GAMING

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same questions that I hear in sports interviews all the time.”

Professional Competitions

A user, playing as the character “Morgana,” attacks a turret on the classic Summoner’s Rift map in “League of Legends.”

COURTESY OF RIOT GAMES

“It’s not necessarily looked down upon, but it’s still not taken seriously,” Hammad said. “For so many years … games have literally been just a pastime … that becoming something serious is going to take some time for people to understand that it can be that because even when I do it professionally right now, my parents still view it as a game before a job.” Junior Zane Scott is a sprinter on the college’s men’s track and field team. Scott said he did three sports in high school: indoor track, outdoor track and football. To Scott, in order to qualify as a sport, the activity must have some sort of athletic component and a definitive outcome. To him, players show physical prowess, along with traits like strength, agility and dedication. Given these criteria, Scott said, he does not think esports can be considered a sport in the same way traditional sports can be. “I just feel that the athletic component is a huge part of it,” Scott said. “I think it’s even like saying chess is a sport. There’s just not that athletic physical component to it. I feel like that’s pretty major.” Sophomore Nick Gallaro, the competitive team organizer for IC LOL, said professional esports players need to have dedication, especially when it comes to putting in practice time. Hammad recounted his own experiences with regular team practices and tournament practice, which he referred to as boot camp. He said training would consist of things like in-game strategy planning, team communication and trying out different team compositions in an effort to get consistently stable play. “It’s more intense than normal weeks because I’d say, on average, you probably play as a team 5–6 hours a day,” Hammad said. “But during boot camp, you spend closer to 10 hours a day maybe. So that’d be your schedule two weeks before an event or three weeks before an event, 8–10 hours again.” Cornell University senior Ambrielle Army is an esports Web content coordinator for Riot Games, the gaming company that owns “League of Legends.” She was also a writer for Team Dignitas Ltd. Army said through her coverage of the League of Legends Championship Series, she’s frequently interacted with professional players and has agreed that about 8–10 hours a day go into practice. “On top of that, there will be time set aside to watch replays of old games to learn from mistakes, watch replays from other teams to find their weak and strong spots, and sometimes even sleeping,” she said. Scott said the men’s track team’s regular practice schedule is 4–6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extra lifting workouts three days a week. For meets, Scott said the team has meet prep on Fridays where they work on box starts and perform light jogging. Outside of the players, the esports world has other parallels to recognized sports. Kimbirk said his reporting style mirrors that of what he would do if he were covering traditional sports, leading him to cover topics like what is the matchup between two teams, what are their current records and how are players doing compared to previous games. “I just look at it as writing for sports, and I approach it the exact same way as I would with any sports,” Kimbirk said. “I ask the exact

It’s Oct. 19, 2014. Bodies swarm the field of the Sangam Stadium in South Korea. The grass that once saw the 2002 FIFA World Cup has now been temporarily covered to make room for floor seats and a giant TV monitor. Fans anxiously watch on as the fourth match between team Samsung White and team Star Horn Royal Club heats up. With every surprise group-on-group attack, the crowd roars with excitement, screaming the name of its favorite teams. The fans are decked out in jerseys and costumes, and carry giant signs with inspirational or funny things that they hope their star players will see. With a final push, it’s Samsung White with the win at the 2014 League of Legends Championships. The stage explodes in a mass of pyrotechnics as the winners take to the forefront to accept the Summoner’s Cup and the $1 million in prize money. But for the fans, it’s not just about trophies and bragging rights. “They like knowing that there’s a big crowd camaraderie, that they’re in the crowd,” Shields said. “Because obviously most people — … it’s a niche, they don’t really like esports or they don’t know about it. So I think that’s what gets people even more hyped up.” Like traditional sporting events, live esports events have the power to draw massive crowds and generate the similar levels of excitement. Professional commentators, or “casters,” as they’re called in the esports realm, give play-by-play overviews of the game as it’s happening, and instant replays are commonly shown for a particularly skillful, complex or entertaining move. Army said she believes esports fans are very energetic and everyone should go to a live esports event if they have the opportunity. “You’ll see one of the most excited and passionate crowds of any competition,” Army said. “One of my favorite pro games of all time has to be the TSM vs. [Counter Logic Gaming] game from MLG Anaheim. Aside from being one of the closest games, standing in a crowd among thousands of people chanting the name of their favorite team as the seconds ticked down made it unforgettable.” Esports are also beginning to break onto college campuses in a more serious form than extracurricular clubs. Robert Morris University Illinois, an NCAA Division I school, has added a competitive “League of Legends” team to its varsity sports roster and has given out the first scholarship for collegiate esports. Ruthman said he hopes to get esports to be considered the same way as traditional sports on our college campus, with a varsity team — though he said this would have to be a down-the-line goal. Gallaro said IC LOL originally tried to register as a club sport, but its request was denied by the college’s previous club sports coordinator. However, Mike Ostman, the current program coordinator for sport club and business management in the Office of Recreational Sports, said he sees the viability of “League of Legends” being a club sport on campus because the last institution he worked at, Gonzaga University, had a club called the Gonzaga University League of Legends Collegiate Program. “I would be more than willing to help a group start one if they were interested,” Ostman said. Army said she believes esports will get their due over time once more people outside of the industry realize its popularity and viability as a career option. As far as any specific obstacles to overcome on this path, she said she was unsure. “I usually have mixed feelings on it,” Army said. “Some people consider competitive games sports — sure, it’s right there in the name — while others can’t accept it. In the end, I don’t think it matters too much. What everyone wants to see is the best players in the world fighting it out in a game they love. Are they athletes? Who cares? They’re champions.”

G A M I N G

FROM FROM FANTASY FANTASY TO TO REALITY REALITY Fantasy sports journalism becoming viable career choice for writers By Miles Surrey

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY AMANDA DEN HARTOG

to a primary source of income. During his first job after graduation as a page designer and copy editor for The Daily Star in Oneonta, New York, Schauf began writing a fantasy football column for the newspaper on the side because he was most familiar with the industry, having played in online leagues since the beginning of college, whereas his co-workers had little to no experience playing in leagues. He said even after connecting with other writers in the industry through the Fantasy Sports Writers Association message boards, it took about five years for fantasy sports writing to become a full-time job for him when he was hired as a writer for ProFantasySports.com in 2005. Mead Loop, associate professor in the college’s Department of Journalism, specializes in fantasy sports journalism research and its increasing trends. While the Internet has been important to the growth of fantasy sports, Loop said it has continued to have success because the industry has financially sustained itself.

What you have is a much more mature “ journalism industry now. This industry

has grown up, and the journalists doing this full time have adopted most of the norms of journalists who are in sports or news. — Mead Loop

“

Fifteen-year-old Ian Stone is at the second floor of the Traffic Bar and Restaurant in New York City. As Stone sits down, he is surrounded by people all at least 15 years his senior. He’s nervous to begin because, between him and his brother, $250 is on the line. However, Stone tries his best to shake off the reality of the unfamiliar situation, looks back to his computer screen and makes his next selection. He’s becoming more confident with every pick, and the distractions fade away. In the end, Stone has an impressive fantasy football draft, and four months later he would win his league and its $1,800 prize. “[The draft] was like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Stone, now a junior at Ithaca College, said. “It helped me pay for my freshman year of college.” Fantasy sports can be any sports competition in which the participants construct an imaginary team composed of real-life athletes. The scoring in the games is based on the statistics generated through the players’ actual performances. According to the Fantasy Sports Trade Association, the oldest and largest trade group representing the industry, the most popular fantasy sport is fantasy football. In addition to this being his third year at the college, it is Stone’s second year writing for fantasy sports websites like Fantasy Buzzer Inc. and Advanced Sports Logic. Stone is one of many aspiring journalists hoping to enter the fantasy sports industry, which Paul Charchian, president of the FSTA, said has risen in popularity each year for over a decade due to the rapid advancement of Internet technology. While fantasy sports did not successfully reach a large audience until the late 1990s, Charchian said the expansion of the Internet was the biggest factor in the eventual growth of the industry. With online leagues, not only are fantasy scores automatically recorded from the games, but the Web also allows people to interact and find other fantasy players, who are often complete strangers, online. “You had some place that could run your league for you,” Charchian said. “Before [the Internet], you had to know other players. You had to know nine other people who wanted to play, and now you don’t have to.” Charchian said he believes entering the industry as a journalist has never been more realistic because of the accessibility to information the Internet provides and the plethora of fantasy sports content websites. Stone continues to practice his craft during the fantasy football season, which typically spans from August to December. To differentiate himself from other writers who offer advice and analysis on which players to target for a fantasy team, he looks at pre-draft rankings on several websites before making his own rankings for players based on team depth charts. Additionally, he said he looks at non-statistical factors, such as whether a quarterback plays his home games in a dome, since it is easier to move the ball in the second half of the season without the potentially hazardous winter weather. For both websites, he works under editor John Adams and said both sites help him gain valuable experience working in media. “It helped me get my internship with [entertainment studio] Broadway Video this summer, and that’s just the beginning,” Stone said. “I could see it propelling me forward as I look to advance within the field and in my career.” As the co-founder of DraftSharks.com, a subscription-based website dedicated to fantasy football analysis and advice, Lenny Pappano said his company distinguishes itself by focusing solely on fantasy football through a select group of full-time writers. In contrast, other fantasy sites, such as Rotoworld.com and Yahoo Sports, may change their focus depending on which sports are in season. “We just do football, and that’s all we’ve ever done,” Pappano said. “We don’t do any crowdsourcing. Our opinions are the four or five writers that do this full time, and that’s how we shape our opinion.” One of Pappano’s writers is Matt Schauf ’02, who has seen fantasy football transform from a hobby and extension of his sports fandom

“The growth of the industry … is because it has been able to monetize itself,” Loop said. “That’s where the real success is.” Though over half of about 41 million Americans who play fantasy sports participate for free, Charchian said, the other half spend an average of $67 in entry fees per year, which, while inexpensive on an individual basis, allows companies that generate content to sustain themselves. Schauf said he believes part of the reason fantasy sports are becoming so popular is because of the potential to win money in leagues that require a registration fee, giving it similar traits to gambling. “It shares that same appetite that would make people want to bet on sports,” he said. “Everybody thinks that they know a lot about the sports that they love, so they love having ways to try to prove that.” However, while some forms of gambling possess a strong element of chance, Loop said success in fantasy sports requires expertise for the respective sports. “I look at it differently because I think it takes skill to win at fantasy sports, and I think the journalists providing content are using data as well as good writing to try to produce insightful articles,” Loop said. “I think it’s more a skill set than pulling the lever on the nickel-slot machine, which is pure chance.” Given its steady increase of participation over the past decade, Loop added that he doesn’t believe fantasy sports have reached a saturation point and said its ceiling will continue to grow. “What you have is a much more mature journalism industry now,” he said. “This industry has grown up, and the journalists doing this full time have adopted most of the norms of journalists who are in sports or news.” As Stone continues to find new ways to evaluate players, he said he will continue to play and write about fantasy football, so long as it feels like a pastime rather than a form of employment. “In my mind, if it begins to become a job and it doesn’t feel like I’m really enjoying myself anymore, then I won’t do it,” Stone said. “I love it. It’s a great quote, I can’t remember who it’s by, but, ‘If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ That’s the point I’m at with my life right now, and I would like to keep that going.”

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Head baseball coach George Valesente gives signs as the third-base coach for the program, a position he still holds today.

THE MAN, THE MYTH Head baseball coach George Valesente cements his IC legacy with 1,000th win By Kristen Gowdy Photos courtesy of George and Dianne Valesente

MARCH 14, 2015: The baseball team is closing out the final frames of a seven-game, Southern California road trip over spring break. The weather is almost summer-like, a tease for the team, which will return to subfreezing Ithaca the next day. But for now, it’s perfect baseball weather. As he has done so many times before, head coach George Valesente watches from the dugout as his team looks to finish its annual trip on a high note. It’s been a tough week for the Blue and Gold, who have clinched just one victory — an 11–9 extra-innings thriller against Occidental College — thus far. But now, with a 2–0 lead in the top of the ninth against Spalding University, the Bombers are trying to get back to South Hill with another win under their belts. It’s just another regular season game for Valesente’s team, but then again, it’s not, and the players know it. The 70-year-old head coach, who is in his 37th year, has been coaching since before any of his current players were born. The 999 games that the Bombers have won since 1979 have all been under Valesente’s watchful eye. But this is the big one. “We wanted to get it done out there for him,” senior catcher Cooper Belyea said. “It was definitely in our minds.” Senior Andrew Sanders is on the mound for the Bombers. There

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are two outs in the inning, and Sanders is pitching to the Golden Eagles’ designated hitter after retiring the first two batters of the inning and having a runner reach on an error. Now, Sanders eyes the base runner — who is dancing teasingly off first base — over his left shoulder. Ensuring that the runner will not attempt to steal, Sanders refocuses on the batter. He just needs one out. Throwing from the stretch, Sanders delivers what he hopes will be the final pitch of the game…

ONE MONTH EARLIER: Valesente leans back in the stiff, white chair near the entrance of the Athletics and Events Center and looks out at the falling snow that is coating Higgins Stadium and the parking lot outside. The powdery white is accumulating quickly and shows no sign of stopping. He dreams of spring. His team has just finished a two-hour practice in the warm confines of the A&E Center. Several players have stayed behind to take extra batting practice in the netted cages by the track, and the ting of aluminum bats finding their mark reverberates across the building. But the noise of ball meeting bat — normally one of the purest sounds in the sport, in all of sport — is tainted. It’s the echoes. This game was not meant to be played indoors. Valesente knows this all too well. Forty-three years of coaching

at four different schools in New York have brought too many long winters and short springs. But the springs are always worth it. When the well trimmed grass on the diamond across campus finally makes its appearance from under the snowdrifts, and the red dirt of the infield loosens enough to slide on, that’s when the season can finally begin. That’s when the fun can finally begin. But for now, it’s still winter, and the team won’t taste spring on South Hill for at least two long months. As Valesente watches the flurry outside, he reflects back on the 37 years he has held the reins of the program. To him, the wins are just a number, a quantifiable statistic that looks impressive on a sheet of paper. The nearly four decades he has been the head coach have been so much more. For a moment, he is lost in thought.

“We need Valesente!” one of the players yells over. Valesente perks up immediately and enters the game, excited for the opportunity to prove himself to his brother and his older friends. “My brother was my idol,” Valesente said. “I idolized him. They would tell me where to go and when to bat and what to play and I said, ‘yes, yes,’ and just did it.” After returning home, Valesente watches the Yankees play on his parents’ television. A youthful center fielder named Mickey Mantle appears on the black-and-white screen. The young Valesente stares at the grainy picture in awe, memorizing Mantle’s moves so that he can imitate them on the sandlot the next day.

SUMMER 1952:

Valesente leaves his Ithaca College dorm room on Quarry Street — converted from an old hospital building for the college’s use — and walks through downtown Ithaca toward the Seneca Street Gym for his first class of the day. Now 18 years old and a freshman at the college, Valesente finds himself once again following in his brother’s footsteps. While Valesente was starring in baseball, football and basketball during his high school years at Mynderse Academy in Seneca Falls, Bob was an All-American college baseball player and co-captain of the 1962 Ithaca College team that became the smallest school to ever appear in the Division I College World Series. The Bombers would later move to Division III in the 1970s, after both Valesente brothers

Established in 1831, the small town of Seneca Falls, New York, was a bustling industrial hub due to the river that runs through its heart. Its 19th-century residents, however, were interested in more than just factories. Home to the first Convention on Women’s Rights in 1848, Seneca Falls was well known for its support on reform issues such as slavery abolition, women’s suffrage and temperance. This was where Robert and Virginia Valesente chose to raise their children. As Valesente and his brother, Bob, grew up, the thriving community featured a population of about 7,000, including plenty of young athletes for the brothers to compete against. Valesente is 7 years old and is, as usual, tagging along after Bob. The boys sprint out the front door of their small, two-story, Victorian-style house. They pause only to grab a broom and a whiffle ball as they make their swift exit. Outside, the summer sun streams down on the grassy yard adjacent to the Valesente household. The brothers take turns pitching to each other, using the broom as a bat. Walnut Street is constantly abuzz with the sound of children running through the streets, and the Valesente brothers are no exception. “The natural tendency back then was everyone was out playing,” Valesente said. Even though Bob is four years older than Valesente, and Valesente considers his brother one of his best friends, the two constantly compete against each other. Valesente latches onto the idea of competition, and it quickly becomes a staple in his personality. “He was very talented, so we did a lot of things together,” Bob said. “If I had something going on and he wanted to get involved, he got involved.” Because Seneca Falls did not have an organized Little League until Valesente was 9, it was Robert who served as his first coach. A construction foreman, Robert had also grown up playing sports and was a major influence in both boys’ lives as they continued to progress in their athletic careers. “He was a motivating force,” Bob said. “He never pushed it on us, but he was a guy that was always interested. There were a lot of great moments there that we shared because of that.” There were many great moments with his father, but Valesente also was very close to Bob as he grew up. Two years later, Valesente is once again following his brother. The now-13-year-old Bob is headed across the river to play sandlot baseball with his friends, and his younger brother desperately wants to come. At the insistence of his parents, Bob allows Valesente to follow him to the field on the other side of the river. The boys hop onto their bikes, baseball gloves hanging from their handlebars, and fly down the streets. To Valesente’s dismay, Bob and his friends don’t need an extra player when they arrive, and as the youngest one there, he is automatically excluded. Dejectedly, he sits on a log off to the side of the field, waiting for one of the older boys to leave. Finally, one does.

SPRING 1963:

Valesente dons an Ithaca College basketball uniform. While a student at the college, Valesente played baseball, basketball and soccer.

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had graduated. In his final year at Mynderse, Valesente watched on television as his brother’s team fell to the University of Texas, 4–3, and was eliminated from the tournament. That season, Bob’s senior year, was also the inaugural season of the diamond that, some five decades later, would be christened the George Valesente Diamond. Valesente knew Ithaca College was the place he would end up, and he often made the hour-long drive with his father to watch his brother play for legendary head coach Bucky Freeman, who would soon become a mentor to Valesente. As the college developed on South Hill — when he was a freshman, only two buildings stood on campus — so did Valesente’s character. During his four years, glimpses of the coach he would later become began to shine through, particularly on the baseball team and namely through his trademark competitiveness. During his three years on varsity baseball, Valesente’s teams won 39 games, and for Valesente, it was those 39 victories that laid the foundation for a lifetime of winning. But he didn’t know that just yet. “I never really prepared my life very well,” he said. “I never sat down when I was 17, 18, 22 and decided that I want to coach. I didn’t know really what the hell I wanted to do.”

SUMMER 1972: It was coaching that eventually called to Valesente, but it didn’t come immediately, and it certainly wouldn’t have happened without his connection to the college. A 27-year-old Valesente is surrounded by family at a wedding. His playing career over after a short stint in the minors — he made it as far as the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons before retiring for good — Valesente finds himself unemployed. It is an uncharacteristically cold day, the temperatures falling to the low 60s, contradicting the mid-August heat wave typical of

upstate New York. Valesente is enjoying the wedding with his brother when Bob suddenly gets a phone call. On the other end of the line is Bob Christina ’62, who had co-captained the 1962 World Series team with Bob. Christina had been the head baseball coach at SUNY Brockport but was stepping down. Looking for a recommendation for the position, Christina seeks advice from Bob, one of his closest friends and teammates at the college. “I said, ‘I know just the guy for you, he’d be great,’” Bob said. “And he said, ‘Who’s that?’ and I said, ‘My brother George.’” It is at that family wedding where Valesente gets his first big break. Christina takes Bob’s word and sets up an interview for Valesente for Monday morning, fewer than 48 hours after the wedding. Valesente returns home and prepares the best he can in the hours he has before his interview. He arrives in Brockport on Aug. 17. Classes begin in two weeks and the baseball program needs a quick hire. At Christina’s urging, the Golden Eagles appoint the young and inexperienced former Ithaca College student, fresh from completing his master’s degree and several graduate assistantships in various sports at the college. “I pushed real hard on my end at Brockport for them to hire him,” Christina said. “I said, ‘Look, I know this guy and I’ve seen him play. I think he can do this job. He’s a good person.’ The rest is history.” After his hiring, Valesente packs up his belongings and drives to Rochester, New York, near Brockport, where he lives temporarily with one of his old college roommates and best friends, Wayne Lyke, who works for St. Joseph’s Villa, a home for mentally disturbed and neglected children. The two meet for lunch one day, and Valesente is introduced to his secretary, Dianne. He couldn’t have possibly known then that this acquaintance would be the woman with whom he would spend the rest of his life. After several years of Valesente returning to Rochester in the summers to teach recreational activities at St. Joseph’s, the two would eventually begin dating.

Valesente poses in his Buffalo Bisons uniform.

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drive back from the city into upstate New York and prepares for his newest job. “I really paid my dues before I came back here,” he said. “I had three great experiences. They were valuable experiences.”

SUMMER 1978:

Valesente readies himself on the mound during his four-year minor league playing career. Valesente made it to Triple-A before retiring.

But after that first, brief meeting, the two part, at least for now. Valesente needs to get ready for his new coaching job. Two weeks later, as the uncharacteristically cold August turns into a warmer September, Valesente runs his first-ever tryout. The school is still constructing its baseball facility, so Valesente moves the tryout to the nearby Brockport High School softball field. Over 100 student-athletes show up. Valesente isn’t ready for the sheer size of the tryout, and on that day, he learns the importance of preparation. “I absolutely had the worst tryout ever in possibly the history of tryouts because I wasn’t prepared,” Valesente said. It is a lesson that sticks with him even now, four decades later, as he runs the Ithaca College baseball team’s practices, constantly carrying around a clipboard that holds schedules and other notes. They keep him prepared. They keep him successful.

FALL 1976: After leading the baseball programs at Brockport and SUNY New Paltz for two years each, Valesente finds himself coaching both baseball and soccer at SUNY Maritime, a quasi-military maritime institute. The school’s small size and the athletic department’s budget present one of the greatest challenges to Valesente’s coaching career yet. While coaching baseball in the spring, Valesente finds there isn’t anyone to maintain the diamond. He often finds himself out on the field hours before game time, carefully dragging and lining the dirt just so his team can play its game that day. It is this dedication that, four decades later, is still evident in the way he leads Ithaca College’s program. While nearly everything else in the program changes, Valesente is a constant. Following his second year at SUNY Maritime, Valesente hears of another job opportunity. Carp Wood, who had been coaching the baseball program at Ithaca College since Valesente’s senior year, is stepping down. Valesente jumps at the opportunity, interviews and gets hired. He quits his job at SUNY Maritime, makes the four-hour

Valesente drives up toward South Hill for his first day on the job. It is a hot August day, and sun streams through the dusty windshield into his old car. After his brief period of unemployment, he is almost completely broke, but he doesn’t care. After paying his dues, at 33-years-old he is finally arriving at the place he wants to be. As he drives, Valesente struggles with his feelings, fumbling to regain control over his emotion. It is surreal for him, difficult to grasp that he is returning to the program, to lead the program, that gave him so much as a student and an athlete. Nerves knot his stomach and muddle his mind. The pressure is on. He knows he is next in what has been a long line of iconic coaches. He is replacing Wood, his former coach who led his teams to three World Series appearances in his 12 years at the program’s helm. Before him, Freeman, who, 10 years earlier, had the field named after him following a career in which he spent more than three decades expertly crafting the program, which hasn’t posted a losing record since 1935. “It was hard to understand that I was going to be the head coach at Ithaca College, replacing an icon that I had looked up to so much and here it was, it was me, and I was nervous,” Valesente said. “I didn’t want to be responsible for its demise.” As Valesente drives, he reflects upon the long road that led him to this point. The days spent with his brother in their backyard, broom in hand, waiting for Bob to pitch him a whiffle ball. The uphill treks from downtown Ithaca to South Hill to get to baseball practice on time every day. The long, hot afternoons spent dragging the field at SUNY Maritime just so his team would have the opportunity to play that day. All of these moments, all of these experiences, have led to this.

SUMMER 1980: The stage is set for Valesente. Now 35 years old, he is in his second year as head coach and has led his Bombers to the Division III World Series Championship game in dramatic fashion. After dropping the first game of the double-elimination tournament to Upsala College, Valesente’s team won two in a row, setting up a must-win doubleheader against host and No.1–ranked Marietta College. It has not been an easy two years for Valesente, however. His team, used to a different coaching style when Valesente took over the program, had slowly adjusted to Valesente, and likewise, he had adjusted to them. But they were talented. Talented enough to lead Division III in both earned run and batting average. Talented enough to make it to the final day of the national tournament. “They needed some leadership, which Coach Val gave them,” assistant coach Frank Fazio, who was in his first year on Valesente’s staff, said. Thirty-five years later, Fazio still serves as Valesente’s right-hand man. “They really bought into it.” Six-thousand people, most of whom cheer loudly for Marietta, fill the bleachers behind home plate and down the base lines. Valesente finds himself in an unfamiliar situation. “We didn’t know what we were doing,” he said. “We were just there and didn’t know what to expect.” Dianne paces nervously in the stands as the Bombers fall behind to Marietta, 4–1, in the first game. The two had been long-distance dating — him regularly driving to Rochester and her spending her weekends in Ithaca — for about a year. Soon after the 1980 season, they would be married. “He always said that I proposed to him, but it’s not true,” Dianne

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WINTER 2015: Valesente walks across the rubberized, synthetic gray surface of the A&E Center, watching his players as they practice. They have split into three groups today: infielders, outfielders and pitchers. While his assistant coaches primarily stay with one of the groups, Valesente oversees the entire practice. As he walks, he exchanges dialogue with the players he passes. Some he jokes with, others he offers bits of advice. He can be both the loudest person at practice and the quietest, as he often sits back and observes. Walking through the end of his team’s practice, he encounters a middle infielder taking practice cuts outside of the batting cages. Valesente watches him for a moment, analyzing his swing. “You gotta smile more, I never see you smile,” he finally says, the edges of his brown eyes crinkling into a soft smile. For a moment, you can see the joy of a child who grew up on a sandlot baseball field. “When you get to my age, then you can be serious.” It is interactions like these that show that Valesente is not just a coach. Now 57 years old, Nicolo is a Massachusetts high school teacher and former football coach. Even nearly 40 years after his team helped Valesente win his first national championship, the two remain extremely close, occasionally vacationing together, most recently a trip to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, last year. But more importantly, Valesente has been a fatherly outlet for Nicolo in the years since he has left the college. Nicolo said he often calls Valesente for advice, be it coaching or otherwise. “He’s like my father, best friend,” Nicolo said. “He always told me

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just to hang in there and do the best I can. I didn’t have the [coaching] success he did, but the one thing I always took from him is to treat people the way you want to be treated.”

with you, it’s “goneI’llbybeinhonest the blink of an eye. It’s hard to believe that it’s been that long, and it’s hard to believe that I’m still here to do it. — George Valesente

“

later joked. “I think it was a mutual thing.” Valesente is quick to say that now, even 34 years into marriage and with two grown children, he and his wife never have had an argument. He smiles when asked about her. She’s been supporting his career for nearly its entirety, including during the 1980 World Series championship, which she said was one of the most emotional days of her life. It’s emotional for Valesente, too, who was nervous throughout the game and couldn’t shake the feeling of intimidation. “What it was was a new experience,” he said. “Never having been there before, not quite knowing what to expect.” He chooses to go with standout freshman pitcher Dave Axenfield ’83, to shut out the Pioneers in the later innings. His decision pays off, as his team climbs back into the game by scoring two runs. “Dave pitched the greatest outs I’ve ever seen,” captain John Nicolo ’80 said. “Bases loaded and he struck out the side.” An eighth-inning, two-run home run from senior Ted French ’80 clinched the game for the Blue and Gold. They were just one win away from a national championship. “In that second game, there was no way we were going to lose,” Nicolo said. Rejuvenated from its unprecedented comeback, Valesente watches from the dugout as his team’s bats come alive in the second game. Nicolo goes 5-for-6 en route to series MVP honors, and his team upsets Marietta 12–5. Valesente can hardly believe it. As his players mob on the field following the final out, he and Fazio find themselves just as excited. “We were acting somewhat like kids because it was something we were striving for and we accomplished it,” Fazio said. There would be parties later, congratulations and ceremonies and celebrations. Valesente knows all of this but focuses on savoring the championship — his first championship. After years of seeking a national title, the ultimate goal for any athlete or coach, he finally has it. But this is just his second year with the program. He knows that he’s not even close to being done.

For others still, he acts as a connection to the college, even for his current players, such as sophomore Logan Barer. When Barer took a semester off for personal reasons in Fall 2014, Valesente was the one who helped him get back to Ithaca. “He was one of the people who reassured me that Ithaca wants me to come back because I know that Ithaca, the college itself, doesn’t care as much if I don’t come back,” Barer said. “I’m just another student. But to Val, it makes a big difference to him because I’m part of the team.” Now pitching for the 2015 team, Barer found his way back to the college, just as Valesente did so many years ago. Valesente’s nearly four decades at the college have brought with them numerous awards and accolades, most notably inductions into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame — in the same class as the likes of Vin Scully and Bud Selig — and the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In addition, Valesente has led the Bombers to 10 World Series appearances, including his second national championship in 1988. In his 37 years at the college, Valesente has posted 37 winning seasons. However, if you ask Valesente about it, the accolades mean nothing. What matters to him are the connections. Connections such as Nicolo, connections such as Barer, that allow him to help his players, both current and past, on a deeper level than just their pitching mechanics or batting stances. He and Dianne receive countless Christmas cards, wedding invitations and baby announcements from former players. Dianne even remembers a time when Valesente — who she said is known to be a matchmaker of sorts in his office in the Ceracche Center — set one of his players up with a female student who was working in Ceracche for Valesente at the time. They ended up getting married. “We were one of the first people to know about it,” Dianne said. “It’s that kind of stuff that makes it real special.” In a way, Dianne has found her own ways to take part in her husband’s career. In addition to raising their two children, Dianne has essentially adopted Valesente’s program. “I’m kind of a mom to them,” she said. “That’s the connection that I have through George. I’ve been with him in this ordeal for a long time.” Valesente’s connection with his children and wife is also one of the biggest and most important reasons that Valesente has remained at the college for all these years. After graduating in 1962, Bob became a Division I football coach, also assisting with NFL teams for several years. Valesente took notes from watching his older brother, never even considering offers from any other schools because he appreciated all that Ithaca College offered him. “One of [Bob’s] major regrets was he didn’t get to see his family grow,” Valesente said. “Well, my job here allows me to do that. This was enough for me. As I look back on it, I’m very happy that … I never got a Division I job, and I’m very happy that I’ve gotten my years here.”

The loyalty to the program and to Valesente also runs deep with his players, both current and past, who understand just how much their coach cares about them. “He shows up with the same passion and work ethic every day, and he expects the same out of his players,” senior captain Matt Connolly said. Valesente recently helped him get his current job at Bang’s Ambulance. “He’ll never hesitate to go out of his way for you and make something happen.” For Valesente, it’s these relationships that make it all worth it. But there’s another main component, an obvious component. Forty-three years, season after season, being around the game has never gotten old, never become monotonous. It has never become a job. He approaches each practice with the same pure enthusiasm as he did when he was an athlete. You can tell from his eyes. As practice winds down for the day, and he makes his way toward the white chairs at the far end of the arena, his eyes will occasionally light up from behind his glasses when he sees an athlete make an exceptional play. This excitement, this pure, child-like joy for baseball that Valesente retains, is the reason he’s never considered retirement. He laughs when he’s asked about retirement. He says when he sees himself holding the program back, he will step down. But he’s the winningest active coach in Division III, and his teams’ records haven’t even come close to dipping below .500 in years. For him, retirement is but a speck on the horizon. He knows it will come eventually, though. “I take it a year at a time,” Valesente said. “If I feel like … I’m too old and the program is going to suffer, I will leave then.” Perhaps it is for this reason that Valesente’s countenance drops just a little — it’s almost unnoticeable — when he thinks about leaving the program that he has built. He sits back for a moment, eyes clouded with emotion, remembering, as the snow continues to fall outside. “I’ll be honest with you, it’s gone by in the blink of an eye,” he says. “It’s hard to believe that it’s been that long, and it’s hard to

From left, former Ithaca College President James J. Whalen looks on as head baseball coach George Valesente smiles on Freeman Field.

believe that I’m still here to do it.”

MARCH 14, 2015: The white blur that is Sanders’ pitch seems to move in slow motion toward the Spalding University batter, who swings and grounds the pitch to second baseman Josh Savacool. It’s an easy play for the sophomore, who scoops it up and throws it lightly to Connolly at first base, effectively ending the game and simultaneously cementing Valesente’s legacy. One thousand wins, all in the same place. It seems almost ironic that it is here in California, under the baking southern sun, so far from the place he has built his career and raised his family, so far from the familiar field that is part of a familiar campus, so far from home, that Valesente has set the capstone of his 37-year career. At this moment, emails are flooding Valesente’s inbox and his cellphone is lighting up with dozens of messages from former players and colleagues. All want a chance to congratulate the man that has given them so much, given the program so much. Always humble, Valesente remains calm as his players celebrate around him, gracefully avoiding the cooler of water that they attempt to pour over him. “I guess it indicates longevity,” Valesente said. “I never imagined that it would happen. I had no goal or no plan for this to happen.” But it did. When Valesente returned to his alma mater, he was a newcomer, a young coach with big dreams. Thirty-seven years later, he remembers driving up to South Hill on that first day of work as if it were yesterday, overwhelmed at the idea of taking over the program after a history of legendary coaches. He couldn’t have possibly predicted — no one could have possibly predicted — what it all would turn into. Over the years, his dreams have become reality. Now he is a living legend. But he would never admit it. “I’ve never evaluated how good I was as a player or a coach,” he said. “I just play and I just coach and go home. But it has been a true honor to have been coaching here for this long.”

Looking Ahead

BLUE SKIES ON THE HORIZON By Max Denning

Ithaca College President Tom Rochon addresses the campus at an all-college meeting March 5 in Textor Hall Room 102.

AMANDA DEN HARTOG/THE ITHACAN

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Ithaca College President Tom Rochon has introduced his proposal for a ground-up revamping of the college to become a standard of excellence for comprehensive residential colleges. Rochon spoke at a special all-college meeting March 5 regarding the college’s economic and structural future. He introduced the college’s “blue-sky” reimagination and spoke about a number of measures the college is considering with the hope of controlling costs. The “blue-sky” reimagination of the college was described by Rochon as envisioning starting the college from scratch. Rochon said it differs from IC 20/20, which is the strategic planning process for the college’s future based on its current state, because it will not focus on how the college currently operates but instead on an ideal vision of the college. Thomas Pfaff, professor of mathematics and director of the Honors Program, said he thought this blank-slate mentality was a good practice for the college to take part in. “It’s a good idea to think, ‘What are we doing here, and could we be doing it better?’” Pfaff said. “That doesn’t mean that anything is going to come from it, but it’s a good practice.” Sophomore Gillian Wenzel said she attended Rochon’s speech because of the rising cost of tuition and what she described as a disregard for students with legitimate concerns. Wenzel said she thought Rochon wasn’t specific enough in the speech. “I think Rochon was genuine with what he said,” Wenzel said. “But, I think he was very broad and included a lot of corporate buzzwords. It didn’t give me a clear picture of why my tuition rose.” Wenzel said she was “hopeful but skeptical” about Rochon’s reimagination plan, but she didn’t think Rochon had addressed past student concerns. “I think the blank slate is a great idea, but I think there’s clearly something written on that slate by students, and that’s a Native American studies minor with tenured faculty,” Wenzel said. “That hasn’t been addressed by the college.” Rochon’s proposed cost control measures included budgeting for an enrollment goal of 1,600 students in the upcoming academic year instead of the usual target of 1,700. The college under-enrolled by 150 students last fall and is expecting to receive 1,700 fewer applicants for Fall 2015. Rochon said he recognized fewer students would mean staff and faculty may have to be cut. In the past two years, the college has eliminated 36 staff positions, all of which were open or unfilled positions at the time, he said. “In the future, not all eliminated positions will be open,” Rochon said. Pfaff said he hopes the college will continue the practice of cutting staff positions by not filling positions as people retire. “I would hope they wouldn’t have to begin the practice of actually cutting staff,” Pfaff said. One of the primary goals of the college, Rochon said, is to diversify its sources of operating revenue. For the 2014–15 academic year, the college relied on student dollars for 86.4 percent of its revenue: 66.8 percent from net tuition and fees and 19.6 percent from room and board costs. Rochon listed a number of steps to be taken as means to diversify revenue, including increasing the annual fund and endowment, generating additional revenue-producing uses of the campus during the summer, examining the potential of creating additional off-campus housing and looking into potentially developing an urban campus for graduate programs. The speech’s major point was the college’s goal to maintain academic excellence while controlling costs. Pfaff said he agreed with Rochon’s stance on the broad points and understood why he didn’t get more specific. “Colleges don’t work like corporations,” Pfaff said. “They are collaborative in nature. [Rochon] can’t just go up there and say, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’”