The Equinox 9.5.19

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THE EQUINOX The student voice of Keene State College

Vol. 73, Issue #1

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Candidates in Keene

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Sexual assault in residence hall MATTHEW WHITE

equiNox staff

PUJA THAPA / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR, SOREN FRANZ / PHOTO EDITOR

Joe Biden spoke to the KSC community on Appian Way on Saturday, August 24. Andrew Yang spoke to people in the flag room of the Student Center on Monday, August 26.

Joe Biden and Andrew Yang visit KSC and discuss healthcare, education and more RACHEL VITELLO

News editor The start of a new semester at Keene State College in the midst of the Presidential election cycle brings with it a wave of Presidential candidates on campus. On Saturday, August 24, Presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden spoke on issues such as LGBT civil rights, U.S. military members’ mental health, cancer research and more topics on Appian Way. Presidential candidate Andrew Yang also spoke about the citizens dividend and American jobs on campus on Monday, August 26.

Before Biden spoke, one of his New Hampshire field organizers, Aislinn Lowth, spoke to attendees regarding her own personal support of Biden.

“I saw a video online of Vice President Joe Biden speaking about the ‘It’s On Us’ campaign that was launched under the Obama administration. In that speech he said, and he made it very clear, that sexualt assault was never okay under any circumstances. I was right to feel hopeful. It was a step in the right direction,” Lowth said.

Other speakers included Student Body President and President of the KSC Democrats Davis Bernstein, Keene mayor Kendall Lane and United States Navy veteran Eric Golnick, who introduced Biden to the stage after speaking.

“As someone working on the frontlines to mitigate the suicide and substance abuse epidemic in

the veteran community, I can say with resolve that America’s vets, first responders and their families cannot afford to start over. We must improve and expand upon the Affordable Care Act, and Vice President Biden has the experience, the knowledge and the action plan to do that,” Golnick said. “On a personal level Vice President Biden and President Obama made it possible for me as an LGBT servicemember to serve our nation openly.”

Biden began his own remarks by stating that he has a tradition of not criticizing the Presidents’ foreign policy while they are abroad working on foreign policy, calling it an “omission by intention.”

Biden spoke about the mental health crisis among American military service members.

“There are roughly 300,000 soldiers who are coming home with post traumatic stress disorder,” Biden said. “More military personnel are dying of suicide than there are being killed in action. We have to pay attention to it.”

Biden also condemned President Donald Trump’s administration’s recent decision regarding the LGBT community.

“The Trump administration has filed a brief and gone to the Supreme Court of the United States to say that LGBT people have no civil rights,” Biden said. “We have to pass the Equality Act, which one day under my administration we’ll get it passed.”

Biden also stressed the importance of universal healthcare. He

cited his own personal experience dealing with his late son’s cancer diagnosis.

“I want to make healthcare a right, not a privilege,” Biden said. “For me that means a public option. The fastest, most cost-effective way to get universal coverage is protecting and building on Obamacare while increasing access and reducing cost.”

Other topics Biden discussed included the importance of education, getting to net zero emissions, the state of the economy and his stance on Trump’s position in this election.

“We can’t just be a campaign about beating President Donald Trump. He’s tracking in some of the ugliest and darkest forces that have long run through this nation’s history,” Biden said. “A simple campaign is not enough to beat him, it has to be a movement. It has to be a movement grounded on the values and ideals of the finest of this nation.

We have to restore the soul of the nation.”

Similar to Biden, Presidential candidate Andrew Yang also disapproves of the Trump administration.

Yang spoke in the flag room of the Student Center on Monday, August 26.

“I saw Donald Trump’s victory as a giant red flag where we had tens of millions of Americans who decided the right move was to elect a narcissistic reality TV star as President,” Yang said.

One issue Yang discussed in detail is that of technology and artificial intelligence (A.I.) taking over

American jobs. Yang described how truck driver jobs in Arizona are already becoming automated, along with multiple other professions across the nation.

“This is the direction our economy is heading. Donald Trump is a symptom, a manifestation of the fact that this is the greatest economic transformation in the history of our country, what experts are calling the fourth industrial revolution,” Yang said.

The idea of a citizen’s dividend was another idea Yang explored.

This is the concept that each citizen of the U.S. receives a certain amount of money each month.

“The first time you hear it, it sounds like a joke. It sounds like a gimmick, too good to be true,” Yang said. “If you think of our country’s history you’ll find it’s a deeply American ideal. Thomas Paine was the one to call it a citizens dividend...

It passed the U.S. House of Representatives twice in 1971.”

Yang referenced the stipend that is given to Alaska residents. According to Yang, that stipend is paid for because of oil, and that technology is the “oil of the twenty first century.” Hence, technology and data would be what allows for a citizens dividend.

“After we pass it (citizens divided) and you get the money, how are you going to spend it? How much of it is going to stay right here in New Hampshire? Most of it will go to repairs, day care expenses, school loans, little league sign ups. A lot of it is also going to go to non profits and

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healthcare institutions. It’s going to supercharge your mainstream economy,” Yang said. “This is the trickle up economy from people, families, communities, up. We can make this happen very quickly with one thousand dollars a month.”

In regards to education, Yang said more importance and national investments should be placed on education in vocational, technical and apprenticeship programs that are often overlooked. He related this point back to the idea that many jobs are becoming automateable, but blue collar jobs, like plumbing, are going to be near impossible to ever replace. Yang also related the issue of the student loan debt crisis back to the citizens dividend, claiming that the one thousand dollars per month would assist in alleviating the costs of college.

Both events were sponsored by the American Democracy Project, which is an initiative that aims to create engagement and interest in civic life in the U.S. More information on Biden’s campaign can be found at joebiden.com. More information on Yang’s campaign can be found at yang2020.com.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com.

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On Sunday, August 25, all Keene State College students and faculty received an email from campus safety informing them of a sexual assault that occurred on campus.

According to the email the police had been requested by campus safety and have initiated an investigation leading to identifying an accused person, but no further information was given about the investigation.

“In the early morning hours of Sunday, Oct. 25, a sexual assault was reported to the Department of Campus Safety by the Office of Residential Life. The assault was reported to have taken place earlier that night in a residential hall, between two students,” the email reads.

Director of Residential Life Kent Drake-Deese is helping deal with the situation since the assault occurred in a residence hall on campus. “The students were from different residence halls and had not known each other very well. Alcohol is suspected to be a contributing factor which lead to the assault,” DrakeDeese said.

Campus safety is still dealing with the situation and finding the correct consequences for the student who committed the assault.

KSC Interim Title IX Coordinator Kelli Jo Harper was not available for comment prior to the story deadline.

The assault occurred on the same day that first-year students were shown the “No Zebras, No Excuses” play. “No Zebras, No Excuses” is a play done by students for students every year to educate on the harm of domestic and sexual violence and why students should report it.

KSC senior who acted in “No Zebras, No Excuses” Justin Park said, “No matter what you do, never leave your friend. You should always have a plan when going out or else events could unfold that no one would want to take part in.”

According to the latest statistics on City Data.com, there were 26 sexual assaults in the city of Keene in 2017.

Also according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 20 to 25 percent of college women and 15 percent of college men are victims of forced sex during their time in college and nearly two thirds of college students experience sexual harassment.

When it comes to preventing these situations, according to the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, there are multiple factors than can play into sexual violence on

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News / A2

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Counting students Numbers for the incoming class are smaller, but more students are choosing to stay at KSC RACHEL VITELLO

News editor Keene State College student enrollment for incoming first-year students this fall semester is down from last year, but student retention is up. This contrast in statistics is due to a number of factors, from work KSC faculty have put in to national demographics.

Director of Admissions Peg Richmond said that this is not out of the ordinary. Enrollment numbers being down is also in line with current national averages.

“It’s (enrollment and retention numbers) fluctuated. We’ve had years where we’ve had very healthy enrollment coming in the door and lower retention rates for a number of different reasons and because of whatever was happening in higher education that particular year,” Richmond said.

Richmond also said there was a consistent ten percent decrease in enrollment across the University System of New Hampshire.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “While total undergraduate enrollment increased by 37 percent between 2000 and 2010 (from 13.2 million to 18.1 million students), enrollment decreased by 7 percent between 2010 and 2017 (from 18.1 million to 16.8 million students).” Enrollment is expected to increase again by 2028, but according to most recent statistics, enrollment numbers are down for undergraduates.

Not only is the retention rate up for KSC, but so

is the conversion rate. Conversion is when a student applies, is admitted, and then they choose to enroll.

According to KSC President Melinda Treadwell, the issue with enrollment rates is the lack of applications the college received.

“Our conversion rate in this year’s incoming class is the highest in the entire University System (of New Hampshire). That’s higher than it’s been in the past couple of years,” Treadwell said. “Our problem is we didn’t get enough applications. We were doing our normal quality checking and restriction, so of the applicant pool we had we admitted at our normal rates and brought in a really talented class.

We’re about 100 students off our target in the count of incoming first-year students.”

According to Chief of Enrollment Management Office MB Lufkin, KSC currently has multiple methods to try and increase enrollment for the future.

Lufkin also said that students who visit the campus are statistically more likely to end up attending KSC. “The first thing we have to do is get more inquiry.

The more students that are interested lead to more applications,” Lufkin said. “Our efforts will be on increasing our inquiry pool and we’ll be doing that through some of the traditional methods we have, high school visits, open houses, information sessions.

We’ll also have ramped up our collaboration with the alumni team to make sure we are including alumni in our outreach efforts.”

Richmond stated that increasing enrollment is a matter of the college continuing the work being done

and improving in areas where possible.

“We’ve identified the areas where we believe we could meet the challenge best. We do really well when we get students to the application stage. What we weren’t putting enough effort into, we did well at it, but didn’t put enough effort into, is we need to have more of those students raising their hands saying ‘I’m interested in Keene State.’ We’ve got to get our name out there,” Richmond said.

This will consist of efforts like the presence on the school website, in digital media, getting the word out on social media and announcing Keene State’s attendance before high school visits and college fairs so more students attend and become interested.

Despite the number of students being down for this year, the first-year students who are on campus are still managing to beat some past statistics.

“We have more transfers than we’ve seen in the past couple years and more New Hampshire residents than we’ve ever seen. More first time, first generation students, 59 percent of the students,” Treadwell said.

“They’re really excited about being here. I’m really excited to see what they do in the next couple years.”

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com.

BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

The Hungry Owl left homeless RACHEL VITELLO

News editor The Hungry Owl is currently without a home.

The Hungry Owl is an on-campus food pantry that provides a variety of food at no cost to Keene State College students, faculty and staff. The food pantry was previously located in Randall Hall. With the future of Randall Hall up in the air, the members of The Hungry Owl are left to find a base for their organization. Faculty advisor to the organization and KSC professor Dr. Susan Whittemore said that the members of the organization were notified last spring semester they would need to move out of Randall Hall.

“We were told last year Randall Hall was being decommissioned, sold or leased to St. Joseph’s School so we would need to move to a new place,” Whittemore said. “I keep asking where we’re going to move to and nobody seems to be able to answer that.”

At the moment, it is unclear whether Randall Hall will be leased to St. Joseph’s School, a Catholic school located behind the building, whether it will be demolished or whether it will stay standing for the time being.

The Hungry Owl’s main concern is not being able to take donations without having a proper place to store the food. Since the donations come in large quantities, the pantry needs an adequate sized space. According to The Hungry Owl coordinator and KSC student Mackenzie Kittery, without the Randall Hall location over the summertime, all the food that was left was placed on the shelves they have located around campus, leaving little donations left for students this semester.

“Last spring semester we moved all of our food onto the shelves so now we don’t have any food because we were going to store it over the summer, but we had nowhere to store it other than Dr. Whittemore’s office, which is small. You can’t fit palettes full of food in there,” Kittery said.

Twice per year the organization receives a large donation from C&S wholesale grocers. One donation comes in either September or October and the other in March.

“The donation we get from C&S is huge. If we don’t take it at the time they’re also giving their donation to the community kitchen in Keene, I’m worried we’re going to miss out on this major

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donation and we won’t be eligible again until March,” Whittemore said. “It’s palettes of food that we don’t have a storage place for that couldn’t even go through the door here (to Whittemore’s office).”

While Whittemore said it may be possible to receive a smaller donation or potentially delay the donation, Kittery said the lack of space for the pantry has still been hindering their productivity.

“We’re not fully operating right now. We (the coordinators) would’ve been on campus stocking shelves before the students got here,” Kittery said.

“It would’ve been good to have them stocked before orientation came so the parents could see they were stocked. We would’ve had them ready to go, but no food, no stocking.”

The organization would also typically be recruiting for volunteers this time of year. However, with no food to be put out, there is no work for volunteers at the moment. This is a missed opportunity for students to get involved and volunteer on campus.

Different locations have been recommended to The Hungry Owl, including an additional office in the Student Center. Nothing has been set in stone as of now.

The Hungry Owl receives donations from a variety of outlets, including C&S, the Newman Center, food drives done by athletic teams and private companies and the New Hampshire Food Bank.

“It was very successful last year so we need to keep it as simple and efficient as possible,” Whittemore said.

KSC President Melinda Treadwell also stressed the importance of finding a home for the pantry.

“We’re trying to have another place on campus that can be a permanent home for The Hungry Owl and can provide quiet entry for anyone who’s coming into it,” Treadwell said. “I’m very grateful to the organizers and the students who have brought this to us and we’ll make sure we have a place.”

Anyone interested in volunteering for The Hungry Owl can contact Whittemore, Kittery or Hungry Owl coordinator Jenna Verge at their respective KSC email addresses.

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Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com.

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News / A3

Thursday, September 5, 2019

KSC student dies suddenly PUJA THAPA

AdministrAtive executive editor Fall semester 2019 started with a notice sent out to all the Keene State students on August 24.

The notice informed everyone of the unexpected demise of Nicholas Leppla, a student at Keene State College who was about to start his senior year. He was majoring in Computer Science and was on the rugby team.

According to an obituary published by Dignity Memorial Nick enjoyed skiing, vacations with his family, working out at the gym, lifeguarding at Lake Hills and spending time with his friends from Keene.

Vice President of Student Affairs Kemal Atkins encouraged students through his email to reach out to the Center for Health and Wellness. The counselors are available to any students needing support during this time.

“Please do not hesitate to speak with a counselor, and if you have a friend who might need help as well, let them know that support is available and urge them to reach out. We all must support each other,” Kemal said via email.

One of the counselors available, Brenda McEachern said she encourages students to seek

help.

“I can only imagine the shock people might be experiencing and it’s important for them to take care of themselves and to seek as much as support within friend groups that were connected with him,”McEachern said. “Grieving is different for everybody, there is no one way. There is no right way to grieve, everyone has their own experience. I encourage whatever you are feeling to allow yourself to feel it, if you are not feeling anything at the moment, that’s okay too.”

According to the email sent out by Atkins, appointments with a counselor are available on a drop-in basis between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and a counselor is always available after business hours and on weekends by calling the crisis hotline at (603) 358-2436. The Center for Health and Wellness is located on the third floor of Elliot Center and the office phone number is (603) 358-2437.

According to McEachern, there are past cases of students seeking help from the center. “We’ve gone out into the college community if requested to do so, we are happy to do that. We have had groups of students come here needing to talk about their experiences and their feelings about having a hard time [and] individuals coming in.”

KSC President Melinda Treadwell also sent her regards to grieving students.

“He will be deeply missed. I hope we can honor him. I hope we can understand and help support the students and make sure we’re there when students need us,” Treadwell said. “We’re working with the family for a memorial service and the campus will hear more about this.”

According to the obituary, a memorial service to celebrate Nick’s life will be held on Saturday, September 7 at 11 a.m. at Fairfield Grace United Methodist Church, 1089 Fairfield Woods Road, Fairfield, CT. A memorial service will be held at Keene State College in the near future.

Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com.

On Sunday, September 1, a bomb threat occurred on Keene State College’s campus in the afternoon.

Campus safety officers reported to the Mason Library. According to the Keene Sentinel, a student found a paper note in the library indicating there was a bomb in the building. Police and fire officials searched

the building for about 20 minutes and the threat was found to not be credible. The Equinox will publish an article if further details arise.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com.

8/26 911 / Blue light activation 8/26 Suspicious person 8/27 Fire alarm- No fire 8/27 Threat/Intimidation

8/27 Controlled drug act violation 8/28 Destruction property

Bomb threat STUDENT news editor

8/26 Order Of drugs

8/27 Psychological Emergency

BRIEF

RACHEL VITELLO

Campus Safety Press Log

ASSEMBLY PUJA THAPA

8/28 Medical emergency 8/29 No contact order violation (KSC) 8/29 Assist- Non-campus agency 8/29 Medical emergency

AdministrAtive executive editor

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ASSAULT

The Student Government is looking for a representative for the class of 2020, a Vice President and a representative for the class of 2022 and a president, a VP, a treasurer, a secretary and four representatives for the class of 2023.

Student Body President Davis Bernstein asked the assembly to encourage their first-year friends to apply for the positions.

According to Student Body VP Sara Olson, the student government is distributing petitions on the Student Involvement Fair and they are due on Friday, September 13. Olson said on September 18, the Student Body will table at the Student Center from 9 am to 9 pm for the elections. They are using paper ballots this semester while a Wufoo form was used last semester.

Student Government Advisor Jennifer Ferrell informed the assembly of the moving of the Student Involvement Fair on Thursday, September 5 instead of Wednesday, September 4 due to weather conditions.

Ferrell also shared the information about the Memorial Gallery for Nicholas Leppla, a senior Keene State student who recently passed away on August 23, 2019. She asked the assembly to direct fellow friends to her if they want to contribute.

The e-board members shared the assembly the meeting times of their committees.

The student assembly meets every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com

8/29 911 / Blue light activation 8/30 Suspicious person 8/30 Destruction of property 8/31 Theft- All other 8/31 911 / Blue light activation 8/31 Assist- Law enforcement 9/1 Odor of drugs 9/1 Bomb threat 9/1 Check the welfare

Cont. from A1

college campuses. Availability of emergency call boxes, the amount of welllit, high traffic areas and the campus safety presence on campus can all impact the likelihood of assaults. The enforcement of alcohol use laws and the campus culture surrounding sexual assault and victims can also influence the how often assaults are reported.

Anyone in an unsafe situation on campus can call campus safety at (603) 358-2228 or dial 911. The Center for Health and Wellness is also available to victims of sexual violence. An on-call KSC counselor is always available at 603-358-2436. Sexual misconduct can be reported to campus safety, Keene Police, a Title IX Officer, one’s Resident Assistant or Resident Director or at the anonymous crime reporting link posted by campus safety on the KSC website.

Matthew White can be contacted at mwhite@kscequinox.com.

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NEWS EDITOR RACHEL VITELLO (781)812-7461 OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR

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OPINIONS

Opinions / A4

Thursday, September 5, 2019

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EDITORIAL

The power of being informed Exercising our civic duty As we all get older, it begins to get more and more important to be an informed citizen. This is something that many people realize. While some people prefer not to get involved in the heated topic known as politics, at the Equinox, we believe it is incredibly valuable to follow politics and know what’s happening in the world.

This is because citizens have the power in a democracy due to them being the ones to elect officials. If people just ignore politics and do not try to get informed, then they are just wasting this responsibility. Especially in this age of advanced technology, it is easier than ever to find out the facts and act quickly when things happen. People could make a difference in the world just by choosing to read the news for five minutes a day instead of going on social media.

Even members of our staff who do not pay much attention to politics believe that it is important to be informed. To be aware of the decisions being made means you’re being aware of what’s being done to the other citizens in your country. By choosing not to act or ignoring certain movements, they are at least stating their priorities and making an informed decision about the policies that matter to them. Being unaware and refusing to learn is refusing to perform your responsibility to your fellow citizens.

A sad truth however, is that the abundance of technology has made the distribution of fake news much easier. This has made it hard to differentiate the truth of what’s happening from the lies.

It can be exhausting to try and read through what is credible. It makes many want to avoid politics altogether.

While people have the choice to be politically tuned in or not, many believe it is our duty as citizens to voice our opinions. The political world seems like it is completely money driven, but that is not the case.The people can decide what policies politicians stand by. If politicians don’t listen to the people, they will be voted out of office. Our voices are much louder than often perceived.

The staff has also voiced the concerns of the demographic of people outside of the country, who are more in tune than most americans into our politics and see and deal with the repercussions. Due to the lack of people who are making correct and informed decisions with who we put in office. No matter what we do, who we put in office, or how it’s done someone is being affected by it in some way. So it is imperative we choose someone who seeks out the majority’s best interest.

In conclusion, political awareness is the responsibility of the citizens in a democracy because making a misinformed vote can seriously impact people’s lives. Some people may not like the misinformed opinions and decide to not vote at all because they think their vote doesn’t matter, but they are wrong. If everybody that felt that way decided to vote, they would make a serious impact and counter the misinformed votes.

PUJA THAPA/ ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

THE EQUINOX

To contact the Equinox, e-mail pthapa@kscequinox.com emcnemar@kscequinox.com

Puja Thapa Administrative Executive Editor Erin McNemar Managing Executive Editor

EQUINOX NEWSROOM

EDITORIAL POLICY

Faculty Advisor

The Equinox is a designated public forum. Student editors have full editorial control over the entire content of the paper.

All articles and opinion pieces are assigned, written and edited by students without censor by administrators, faculty or staff.

The Equinox is published Thursdays during the academic year with dates immediately preceding and following holidays omitted. The advertising deadline is 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication. The Equinox reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. Advertising is not accepted until it appears in the paper.

Letters to the editor must be written exclusively to The Equinox and are due by noon on the Friday prior to publishing.

All letters must include name and phone number for verification. The Equinox reserves the right to edit for style and length, and refuse any letters to the editor. For clarification and additional information on any above policies call 3582414. The Equinox business office is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Rodger Martin, Journalism faculty (rmartin@kscequinox.com ) Julio Del Sesto, Journalism faculty (jdelsesto@keene.edu)

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MISSION: The Equinox exists to promote the free flow of information, to protect the First Amendment, to stimulate high standards in the practice of journalism and to foster excellence among student journalists.

Copyright © 2017: All rights reserved Reproduction of The Equinox in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of The Equinox is prohibited.

The Equinox is published each Thursday during the academic year by the editorial board of The Equinox, which is elected every spring by the members of the editorial board and acts as joint publisher of the paper.

The Equinox serves as the voice of the students of Keene State College and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, the staff and/or the administration.

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Opinions / A5

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Why are breaks between semesters important for students?

Cristian Valentin Equinox Staff

This week, students returned from Summer break recharged, refreshed and ready for the new school year. As students, we are all familiar with the benefits of this time off; however, some argue over whether the time off is really necessary. I say that the time off is very much needed.

One reason that summer is needed is because it stops students from getting too burnt out. Students, by the end of the year, will often be running on fumes, and if they had to just keep going after finals, it would seriously affect their mental health.

Seattle Times writer Danny Westneat said, “When school ended two weeks ago, I noticed my kids seemed almost instantly healthier and more engaged with what was going on around them. Less weary.”

According to a survey from the Anxiety And Depression Association of America, 30 percent of college students reported that stress had negatively affected their academic performance and 85 percent of college students reported that they felt overwhelmed by everything they had to do at some point in the year. If students did not have a break between semesters, then these numbers would only go up and the problems would just get worse for students.

Another reason why the summer is so valuable is because it allows you to spend

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time with family and friends back home.

As a student that lives on campus, I was only able to go home a couple of times per semester last year, which meant I did not see my family very much. When I did go back it was only for a couple days at a time, which made it hard to see everybody I wanted to. During the summer, however, I had time to see all of the people I wanted to see and fully catch up.

If there wasn’t a break between semesters, students would also be deprived of one of the most important things: connections. Students need to see people they’ve

already bonded with but do not attend school, allowing them to maintain those connections. The chance to reform important bonds will increase their chances of success, since being close to more people means having more connections.

Breaks between semesters are also important because students are able to work a full time schedule so that they have money for the coming semester. It is extra valuable for students that have very busy schedules who don’t have time to work. This is because a CNBC survey says that 80 percent of students are help-

ing pay for their college bills. If students did not get the time between semesters to make money then some may not even be able to go.

Because I had the time between semesters to destress, make money, and see my friends and family, I came back to school after the summer recharged and ready to take on the new semester.

Cristian Valentin can be contacted at cvalentin@kscequinox.com

Why should students get involved? Helping The Amazon SLESHA TULADHAR

equinox staff

I kept saying that the color of the paint was wrong. Mark, a staff from the maintenance said, ”Give it some time, the new paint will blend with the old ones and it will give off the same color.” It was the Community Service Day. We went to Keene housing, a place that gives shelter to several elderly people. The framework for the painting was already painted, we just had to fill in the spaces. I felt smart and stupid at the same time.

Stupid, because I grew up playing with colors and paints as I love arts but could not figure out that the paint will blend in. And smart because a thought crossed my mind of how we can compare the new paints with the new students and it takes time for both to blend in with the environment.

Like the paint, we are transitioning towards our college life and I know it is hard for some people. But one way to smooth the transition is to get involved. Keene State College has a variety of activities for students to develop their academics and their leadership skills.

There are around 50 clubs running in our college: Sorority and Fraternity Life, works on campus and volunteering with different off campus organizations

“There are around 50 clubs running in our college: Sorority and Fraternity Life, works on campus and volunteering with different off campus organizations.”

William Pruett Equinox Staff Humans vs. Zombies Campus Ecology Math Club Yoga Club

-Slesha Tuladhar

OLIVIA CATTABRIGA/ ART DIRECTOR

(MCVP, SCS, Community Kitchen, Keene housing, etc.) that you can get involved with.

Alternative breaks are another example of how we can get involved in the community and make an impact for a noble cause.

Each alternative break is centered around an issue and a service project. It consists of national and international trips to places.

According to a newsletter on KSC’s official website, the students who tend to get involved are likely to persist until graduation, have higher GPAs and get a good sense of satisfaction from their college life. And I believe it, why not? Getting involved has so much to offer. You get to meet new people, some even become friends until graduation.

Nowadays people choose to stick their nose to their phone rather than talk with a person sitting beside them. And I understand that not everyone has the same skills of communication

and being social. For such people, getting involved gives them a space to make new friends. It also helps you to figure out your interest.

Not only that, if you want to work after your graduation, it looks good on your resume. Likewise, it develops your confidence and leadership skills. Moreover, it makes you close to the college and makes you feel that the college is family.

Have you ever seen humans in the form of a knot? I hadn’t, until the Multicultural Leadership Retreat. We were about 13 people in two groups each, all strangers. My arms were tangled with others’, my wrist twisted, and it was such an uncomfortable situation for all of us.

However, it brought us together as a team. We couldn’t get it untangled at the end and we were all so sad that we lost. For the first time, strangers were feeling the same.

Today I am so glad that when I walk around

KSC and bump into these strangers, they are not strangers anymore. I was able to make connection with incredible people and resources on campus through the retreat.

Moreover, I learned a lot in the retreat about teamwork, leadership, ownership and most importantly how to make s’mores. I know you probably must be thinking that I am a Cro Magnon right now, who does not know what s’mores are.

But that is okay because had I known what s’mores were, I would not have been so close to the person who taught me how to roast a marshmallow. Right now while I am writing this, I could have watched a Netflix movie instead, but I will miss a chance of writing my first opinion for the first paper in my life. So, get involved! I am very excited for my future in KSC and I am excited for you.

Slesha Tuldahar can be contacted at Stuldahar@ kscequinox.com

The beautiful Amazon Rainforest has been going up in flames for nearly a month now, causing people to finally panic, and start to ask themselves what could be done to help stop this catastrophe. Due to the massive scale of this disaster, damaging one of the world’s most cherished and diverse ecosystems, many people believe that there is absolutely nothing that they can do to help and try to combat these fires from where they are. Although this may be a negative way of looking at the situation, it is understandable that people are feeling so hopeless because they may be far away from the Amazon Rainforest and might not feel like they necessarily have the authority or power to make a change.

This way of looking at the tragedy of the Amazon is easy. Many bystanders are sitting by with that view, hoping that at some point, the fires will be put out and the rainforest will be saved. Many people do not realize that there are countless, small yet effective ways to help combat these fires or help contain them so they do not spread further, and stop any more destruction. The first thing that you can do to help combat the burning of the rainforest is to donate to organizations that actually do have the power to make an impact and make a difference on a larger scale. This certainly does not have to be your entire life savings. Even if everyone donated a dollar, the Amazon could be better than it was before those dollars were donated. Some organizations that you can donate to include the Rainforest Action Network, the Rainforest Trust and the Amazon Watch.

These are only a handful of countless organizations that you could donate a small amount of money

OLIVIA CATTABRIGA/ ART DIRECTOR

to in order to help save or maintain the rainforest. Each of these strive for something different in making a change. Some of the organizations buy acres of land in the Amazon, others help by simply defending indigenious rights and by addressing issues of climate change.

Donating anything to any of these organizations is probably the most effective way to have your voice be heard and help to directly stop the burning of the Amazon Rainforest before it is too late. Although this may be a good way to help, there are still many other small ways to support the Amazon. One of these ways that is more obvious, yet effective, is to just simply reduce the amount of wood and paper that you use daily. It is an extremely easy way to help save our planet’s basic resources that are needed by all humans to use. There is also a search engine that is called Ecosia.org, that plants a tree for every 45 searches conducted on the website. This will help to replace the thousands of trees being killed in the Amazon right now. All of these suggestions are things you could do now to potentially help save the rainforest. The idea that college students and people are helpless about this situation could not be more untrue, and hopefully that is clear after seeing the many options I have provided for you to help make a change.

William Pruett can be contacted at wpruett@kscequinox.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / A6

Thursday, September 5th, 2019

Starting off on the right note

SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR

Keene State College welcomes two new music professors JOSEPH GUZMAN

Arts And EntErtAinmEnt Editor Keene State College welcomes two new professors to its music department this semester. One is Assistant Professor of Music of Dr. John T. Hart Jr. who is the Concert Band Director, Coordinator of Instrumental Music Education, and Coordinator of Brass studies and more.

The other addition to the music department is Professor Nick Harker. Harker mentioned that he teaches orchestra, violin lessons, theory, and conducting here at KSC. Harker also mentioned classes he had taught at other schools, and previous experiences with teaching. . “Orchestra at the collegiate level for 5 years now. I’ve previously taught Aural Skills, Violin Lessons, and I’ve run clinics at a number of middle and high schools,” Harker said. “A very rewarding teaching experience that I had [was] when I was in high school. I wasn’t originally planning on choosing music as a career. It was more of a hobby at the time. During my junior year of

high school, I had the opportunity to teach a fellow violinist in our orchestra who was struggling. By the end of the school year she was able to play at a much higher level than before. Seeing the joy and excitement in her newfound abilities was an extremely rewarding experience for me, and I changed my mind right then and there.”

Hart also has a rich history of music. “I have been teaching music since 2002. I’ve taught music as a private lesson instructor; at Head Start programs; at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in my home state of Connecticut; and most recently I was an adjunct professor of instrumental music education and conducting at the Hartt School in West Hartford, Connecticut,” Hart said.“We (humans) have a special event or sensation in our past that drew us to something artistic in such a powerful way that we spend the rest of our lives trying to get back to that feeling. Being a music teacher, and music teacher educator, I’m fortunate in that I get to do that every single day, and help the future music teachers of the world do the same.” Hart

added that he wants to add to the KSC music program.

“Well, the Keene State College music and music education curricula are already pretty great, (...) My goals for the coming years (...) include making Keene State College a haven for the performance and creation of new music, particularly by composers of traditionally marginalized populations, like women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community. These are people from whom society and the music profession have actively denied the means of production of culture, and it’s my mission to provide a platform for these marginalized voices in music,” Hart said.

Hart also delved into his musical background. “[I am ] an accomplished euphonium player and trombonist. I also play the tuba and the other brass instruments, though euphonium is my primary. Since I studied instrumental music education in my undergraduate degree program, I learned how to play just about every instrument, at least well enough to teach it at the elementary and secondary level,” Hart said.

Harker expressed his excitement for the string pro-

gram in particular. Harker said, “I am extremely optimistic with the potential that I see in these students already. We are working very hard to put our exceptional string program on the map. Our string faculty are all very talented and qualified, and the world needs to know. We hope to bring in many new string players over the upcoming years.”

One of Hart’s students, junior music major Mike Perry, said, “ Dr. Hart has been a great professor and mentor in the short time he has been here. I have only had two conducting [level one] classes with him thus far, but have already liked what I've seen. He has a ‘fresh’ way of teaching and isn't stuck in old ways of other professors. He communicates well to the student body and has shown to be one of his many strengths.

Dr. Hart not only communicates but connects well with his students and has already earned respect from many students/faculty.”

Joseph Guzman can be contacted at Jguzman@kscequinox.com

Making a difference this summer JOSEPH GUZMAN

Arts And EntErtAinmEnt Editor This past summer, one of Keene’s students immersed herself in an intense summer job that paid off greatly. Her name is Emily Fitzgerald and is a senior who spent her summer working for as a member of the Second Company at the Peterborough Players. Fitzgerald said, ”I would recommend working with the Peterborough Players to anyone who has a passion for theater. It was an incredible experience.“ When Fitzgerald found out she got the job, she had many feelings. “I was really excited! And also really nervous. I've known a few people who interned at the players before me so I had

a pretty good idea of what it was going to be like,” Fitzgerald said.

Professional Acting Company Member and Director of Marketing at the Peterborough Players Bridget Beirne, (who Emily was working with) spoke a bit about the daily tasks that come with the job at the Second Company. “The Second Company is the engine of the Peterborough Players. They work in every aspect of the theater, from the technical departments to the administrative offices, to keeping things neat and tidy, to entertaining our audiences during Saturday night Cabarets.

On top of that, they may perform or understudy in some of our seven Main Stage shows, as well as performing two Second

Company shows of their own,” Beirne said. Beirne was going through the schedule, describing the many tasks and rehearsals they have, “Second Company members work 12-hour shifts around the clock for a day to break down the sets, lights, costumes, etc for one show and load in the next. Their schedule is even more complicated when a Second Company show is running at the same time as a Main Stage!” “[At] some point in time, a schedule like that is a lot for anyone. The important part is knowing that it's your job, and that you're doing something you love. Before going to the players, a friend of mine told me that this internship would tell me whether or not I really

wanted to have a career in theater arts, and it really did. And I do! If you're not passionate about it, you're not going to be able to handle the stress that comes with the job,” said Fitzgerald. She also described having many mentors. Fitzgerald said, “A lot of people were [mentors for me] really. I worked in so many areas that I was able to get to know a ton of different people. Everyone there works so hard, and love what they do!

I really admire their dedication.”

Fitzgerald originally joined Keene State College to become a film and theater and dance double major but recently she found herself leaning more towards theater, enough to make the drop on her film major. “I was originally a

double major in film, and theater and dance, and decided to drop my film major second semester of my freshman year.

Both programs are very intense, and even though I still love film very much, my heart was with the theater program.” she explained.

Fitzgerald said she made many memories. “I look back fondly on all of the people I met this summer. I was lucky enough to be apart of the 2019 Second Company at the players with some of the most hardworking people I've ever met.

Every few weeks we would have a bonfire, and hang out after a long day of work. I'll

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CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPH

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Pop by our page on spotify called Equinox Newspaper! this week's playlist: Back on Keene's Campus! https://open.spotify.com/ playlist/1ZNdFUrLiGkb2 b2DJL2gST

Equinox Music Choices Arts and Entertainment Editor Joseph Guzman (603)-249-6325

Only Angel - Harry Styles

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / A7

Thursday, September 5th, 2019

REVIEW

Art illuminates Ashuelot Park

BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Reporter and photographer explores her surroundings at Art in the Park ANNA SHEPPARD

Equinox Staff On the sunny Saturday of August 31 and the following Sunday, Keene’s Ashuelot River Park welcomed the artwork from dozens of artists. This being the 61st annual Art in the Park, the judges began their viewing at 10 a.m and there was plenty to see. The annual raffle aloud for guests to take a chance at possibly winning the Artwork of their choice.There was also artwork from the students at Keene High School. Proceeds from the raffle went to an Art Scholarship Fund benefiting the students from Keene and Monadnock Regional High School for those with a passion for art.

Beginning with photo-artist Barry W Simmons, a photographer with pieces of New England nature such as birds, wilderness and lighthouses. Delivering from

Merrimack, NH, Simmons described Art in the Park as “a great way to see different kinds of artwork and meet the artists who created them.” For 5 years, Simmons has been delivering wonderful designs by taking photographs of mountains, for example, and adjusting them to appear as watercolor images. It’s a task for only the keenest of eyes.

Another contributor, Stephanie Tickner displayed watercolors focusing on the little things that make life special. Tickner has been presenting her work in the park since 2004 and describes it as a great opportunity to learn from other artists and get her work out there to the public. Her process starts from gathering images she admires and using them as a reference for her paintings. And she is a Keene State 1989 grad who is now located in Marlow, NH. With plenty of diverse tents to explore, guest’s ears were met with the pleasant

sounds from The Monadnock Woodwind Quintet.

With a story between every line, Carmen Verdi gifted us with sights of detailed penciled out pictures.

His work was met with a magnifying glass for his detail gave guests something extra to stare at for a while. Verdi’s work was also met with an extraordinary story that is highly recommended to check out. You don’t have to look far to find some of New England’s finest artists when organizations host something as fascinating as Art in the Park. Artist JoAnn Gaffron-Hargrove, a Vermonter with a passion for the old fashioned described her multidimensional artworks as reverse method of layering. To start her pieces she must completely plan out what it is she will paint with acrylics. With images of birds and other New England native animals portrayed on glass over canvas, she gives a multidimensional look to her work that makes the viewer take another glance.

See, the program is not only a wonderful opportunity for art lovers to gather and purchase their decor but it is also a place to educate yourself on the artistry in your own towns. Many of these artists could have come from Keene State’s student’s home towns and it’s a matter of checking out their tents in order to find that out. In hopes that Sunday is also another bright and beautiful day, artists will attend once again to express their creativity and have a chance to explain their visions.

Anna Sheppard can be contacted at asheppard@kscequinox

Spider-Man caught in a web between Disney and Sony JACK HANSON

BuSinESS ManagEr Is Spider-Man really leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)?

Sony Pictures has owned the rights to Spider-man since 1999 when Marvel sold the rights to them for approximately $7 billion, according to CNN Business.

This led to the production of three movies starring Toby Maguire and another two starring Andrew Garifield as Spider-Man. However, after “The Amazing Spider Man 2” only grossed $709 million worldwide, former Chairperson of Sony Amy Pascal was up for negotiation for the rights of Spider-Man. President of Marvel Studios Kevin Fiege was more than happy to do so.

Originally, Disney, which owns Marvel Studios, wanted 50 percent of the money earned from any of the movies produced but Pascal declined and moved on from negotiations, even considering another reboot but with the iconic villains, the Sinister Six. Agroup of hackers called “Guardians of Peace” hacked into all of Sony’s servers and retrieved emails and conversations from employees and later leaked those files onto several websites including Wikileaks. The emails that people showed the most interest in were those discussing the Spider-Man deal.

With that information leaked, Pascal decided to renegotiate with Disney once again for the use of Spider-Man in Marvel Studios movies. Together Fiege and Pascal agreed on a deal that would allow Spider-Man

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to be in the MCU. Under the deal Disney could feature Spider-Man in five films including standalones, receive all rights for merchandise and theme park use and get 5 percent of the total amount grossed. The O L IV IA deal was announced on Feb- ruary 9, 2015 and Spider-Man played

by Tom Holland was quickly introduced into the MCU in 2016 in “Captain America: Civil War.” Since then, Holland’s Spider-Man has appeared in five MCU movies, two of which are standalone films.

The last of the five films, “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” was released on July 2, 2019, and has become Sony’s highest grossing film in history with $1.11 billion earned worldwide according to Entertainment Weekly. Earlier in the year, renegotiations between Disney and Sony started up again before the five movie deal expired, but this time Disney asked for 50/50 control of the box office earnings. Sony rejected this offer and in return decided to pull out of the original deal completely. This meant that Spider-Man would not be allowed to be featured in the MCU. This would also affect Disney’s upcoming new attraction at Disney California Adventure, Avengers Campus. The Avengers Campus is designed to have a

Spider-Man ride but with the property rights shifting, this would restrict Disney from including the ride in the park.

While promoting his new movie “Onward” at the D23 expo, Holland disC AT TA B R IG A / A RT cussed his time as Spider-Man D IR EC TO R in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Earlier in the year, renegotiations between Disney and Sony started up again before the five movie deal expired, but this time Disney asked for 50/50 control of the box office earnings. Sony rejected this offer and in return decided to pull out of the original deal completely. This meant that SpiderMan would not be allowed to be featured in the MCU. This would also affect Disney’s upcoming new attraction at Disney California Adventure, Av e n g ers Campus. The Avengers Campus is desig ned to have a Spider-Man ride but with the property rights shifting, this would restrict Disney from including the ride in the park.

While promoting his new movie “Onward” at the

D23 expo, Holland discussed his time as Spider-Man in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “Basically, we've made five great movies. It's been five amazing years. I've had the time of my life. Who knows what the future holds?” Holland said. “But all I know is that I'm going to continue playing SpiderMan and having the time of my life. It's going to be so fun, however we choose to do it. The future for SpiderMan will be different, but it will be equally as awesome and amazing, and we'll find new ways to make it even cooler somehow.”

Fiege also told Entertainment Weekly, “We got to make five films within the MCU with Spider-Man: two standalone films and three with the Avengers. It was a dream that I never thought would happen. It was never meant to last forever. We knew there was a finite amount of time that we'd be able to do this, and we told the story we wanted to tell, and I'll always be thankful for that."

All of that leaves fans wondering if Spider-Man is truly out of the MCU. But according to comicbook.com, fans are taking to social media with hashtags like #boycottsony and #saveSpider-Man. As of now, Holland is set to reprise his role as Spider-Man but it is unclear if it will be in the MCU. Neither Sony or Disney have commented on the issue.

Jack Hanson can be contacted at jhanson@kscequinox.com

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ARTS ENTERTAINMENT

A&E / A8

Thursday, September 5th, 2019

KSCEQUINOX.COM

CRISTIAN VALENTIN

EQUINOX STAFF

60+ musicians from all around performed for ten hours on Main Street this past Saturday as the 19th annual Keene Music Festival took place.

The musicians include first-time performers such as the Ukulele Ukesters along with more regular performers like Zombie Beatdown and Lobotomobile. Two of the performers were Volkert Volkersz, who performed at the Gallery Alley, and the band Afterimage, who performed at the Central Square Gazebo.

Audience members greeted every song with applause. Audience member Lynne Keating enjoyed Volkersz’s performance. Keating said, “I liked his instrumentals especially, and I liked that he writes his own music.”

First-year Alyson Zaker thought Afterimage did a “really good job” and enjoyed being able to see the performance with the nice weather.

Keating said she also enjoyed the outdoor event. “I enjoy being outside and being able to listen to great music, It’s a good labor day weekend thing,” Keating said.

Musician Volkert Volkersz thought his performance went very well. “It was a lot of fun, more fun than I thought it was gonna be. A good crowd of people came to listen and sing along and it was just a lot of fun, good weather, everything was

perfect today,” said Volkersz.

Afterimage member Casey Daron also said, “This was so fun, I think this is one of the biggest crowds we had so that was really cool.” Afterimage performed original songs such as “Kingdom Come: Thy Will Be Done” as well as covers of classic rock hits such as “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath and “Working Man” by Rush. “We played a lot of classic rock covers because we knew this crowd was gonna want to hear that stuff, but then we threw our own stuff in there too because we want people to know we make music,” said Daron.

Volkersz said that his favorite songs to perform are his own songs, which include songs like “Ticks,” “Fruit Flies,” and “Thank You.” Volkersz said, “I try to pick songs that are reflecting a little bit of summer time and a little bit of fall and I also have my signature song I closed with, which is called ‘Thank You.’” Both Volkersz and Afterimage were performing at the festival for the second time after last year’s festival being their debut. They both appreciated the opportunity to play for people that have not had the chance to hear them before.

Volkersz said, “It’s always a challenge. I like it but I’m hoping to win them over and they’ll connect with something I’m doing. Today it seemed to work so it was fun.”

Daron also said, “Every time I see a face in the audience I don’t recognize and they’re genuinely enjoying our music, I get so amped up on that.”

The festival was free of charge with audience members free to go to eight different locations to hear music over the course of the day.

Cristian Valentin can be contacted at cvalentin@kscequinox.com

“It was a lot of fun, more fun than I thought it was gonna be. A good crowd of people came to listen and sing along and it was just a lot of fun, good weather, everything was perfect today.”

- Volkert Volkersz

SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR

On Saturday, August 31, at 3:45 rock band Eagle Jesus's guitarist Tim Dacey rocks out on the Railroad Square stage. Eagle Jesus performed for Keene's 19th annual music festival.

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STUDENT LIFE

Student Life, B1

Thursday, September 5, 2019

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Learning from each other

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

The Office of Multicultural Student Support and Success has brought back the group’s Mentorship Program for the Fall semester. The program will begin with a mixer on Friday, September 13.

OMSS brings back the mentorship program ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA

Social Media director The Office of Multicultural Student Support and Success (OMSS)’s mentor program is officially rebooted for the 2019-2020 academic year.

The OMSS Mentor Program was put on pause to reevaluate the process, said Program Support Assistant for LGBTQ Students Hunter Kirshner. While this year’s program is very similar to the original design, both Kirshner and Coordinator of Multicultural Student Support and Success and Equity Education Kya Roumimper said they were both feeling good about the reopening of the program.

Roumimper said, “When I started (working at Keene State College), I didn’t have enough time before the school year started… so I didn’t have enough time to plan with Hunter about the program.” She said they were playing around with many different ideas and structures for the program but decided to wait until this past summer to make it their top priority.

Kirshner said the program will be focusing on incoming OMSS students (students with minority backgrounds, LGBTQ students, first-generation college students and low income students) and pairing them with KSC faculty and staff. Pairing will be determined by the OMSS office after reviewing applications made by both the mentees and mentors-to-be.

“Anyone who wants to be a mentor or mentee will fill out an application, and that’s not to see if they are good enough or anything—but rather so we (Kirshner and Roumimper) can get to know them and match people together with similar goals or interests,” Kirshner said.

The program begins with a mixer on September 13 for the mentors and mentees to meet and will finish with an end-of-the-year celebration. Roumimper said the OMSS office will use on-campus resources and events to show to the pairings. She said she wants to connect the students and faculty to other events and organizations on campus to create a more unified atmosphere.

Coordinator of Wellness Education Tiffany Mathews, a soon-to-be-mentor in the program, said she is looking forward to the mixer and meeting other mentees and mentors, aside from just her own pairing.

Matthews said one of the reasons she applied to be a mentor is because she grew up as part of the minority in her hometown in Philadelphia. She added that she is excited to connect to these students and help them adjust to campus and Keene as a whole. “I’m looking forward to being with students who may not be from New Hampshire, or even New England. Understanding the different backgrounds, different cultures and really trying to figure out how I can support them and enhance their college experience,” Matthews said. “In a way, being a mentor lets me be able to look at the students and say ‘I’m not from here either, but I really love

it. It took me a while and I had to meet the right people and have my experiences… and now it feels like home.’”

The OMSS Mentor Program’s design is meant to benefit both the mentee and mentor, said both Kirshner and Roumimper.

Roumimper said her hope is to have the program be fun for both the student and the mentor. “We want the mentor to be equally as nourished as the mentee is.

We want them to be learning with and from each other.”

This is done by the unique structure of the meetings.

Students and their mentors are encouraged to meet on and off campus to build a more personal relationship. Kirshner said, “How they connect is up to them. It depends on their schedule, availability, how they want to communicate with each other, if they go to on-campus events together or grab a coffee in town—it’s all up to them.”

He and Roumimper both said the main goal is to allow students to learn valuable networking and professional skills, but also interpersonal connections that will allow both mentors and mentees to support one another.

Roumimper said, “We know (from studies done with college students) that students who have a wider network and who are more well connected are more likely to succeed on any college campus.” She added that this can be done by gaining meaningful connections to staff members across campus who can teach them valuable

skills relating to the student’s personal interests and academics. “It doesn’t sound as glitzy or fun as other things happening on campus, but in the long term, it really does help students become successful.”

KSC first-year Katie Rochette is an OMSS student and attended the annual summer leadership retreat for incoming students.

Students like Rochette were told about the mentor program through her class designed for the students who attended the retreat.

“I’m super excited to have the opportunity to make a connection with a faculty or staff member specifically through OMSS to help me through my transition (to KSC),” Rochette said.

Though the program has yet to begin, many involved in the design or process said they were looking forward to the program and where it will lead during this academic year.

“I’m really excited,” Roumimper said, “During my undergrad, I had a mentor. I had two mentors, and I still talk to them today… I know how impactful a mentor can be in your life.”

Angelique Inchierca can be contacted at ainchierca@kscequinox.com

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STUDENT LIFE / B2

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Adjusting to classes Students transition to college life CONNOR CRAWFORD

Student Life editor Adjusting to a new semester of classes is something that all college students have had to deal with in the past, but for first-year students, this is their first time adjusting to a collegiate classroom at all. With fall classes in full swing, for most returning students this is a very familiar time of change. However, with this being the first college semester for first-year students, it can be stressful; not only can first-year students run into difficulties adjusting to a new campus and new life along the way, but it can also be difficult making the transition from the high school classroom to the more intense college one.

Transitioning into the world of a college classroom can seem intimidating and even difficult at first. For the most part, there are bound to be some difficulties. Trent Comtois, an English Writing major, expressed that his biggest difficulty was, “Meeting new people, probably because I am trying to branch out.”

Autumn Ciardelli-Zaryckyj, an Elementary Education major, also expressed that meeting new people in the classroom was her greatest concern. “People in the classes. It can be scary to meet new people.” Communication from professors was a difficulty brought up by biology major Maddin Doddier. Doddier described her greatest difficulty in class as, “When the professor is talking, and they don’t tell you to take notes, but they expect you to take notes.”

While some first-years had some difficulty with their first days of classes, others found the change refresh-

ing. Biology major Dylan Bradford had a different experience. “[I liked] how long the classes are. You don’t have the same classes every day which is great!” Bradford said.

It is apparent to anyone that has been in a college classroom that it’s an extremely different environment than the atmosphere of a high school classroom. “The classroom is set up a lot differently. You don’t have individual desks it’s just big tables. Also, you get quizzes to do outside of class, which is cool,” Doddier said.

Comtois also noticed a shift in the teaching style from high school to college. “The professors feel a lot more laid back, in a good way,” Comtois said.

Doddier had some recommendations to any students that might be struggling or simply want tips to become more involved in the classroom. “Talk to your professors.

Talk to kids in the class, have study sessions, and have them help you,” Doddier said.

There are a wide variety of experiences to be had in the first week of college classes for the incoming students. Here’s to a great year, and if you are part of the class of 2023, welcome home.

Connor Crawford can be contacted at ccrawford@kscequinox. com

PULLED FROM EQUINOX ARCHIVE

Provoking student activism The New Hampshire Youth Movement takes to Keene State College PUJA THAPA

AdminiStrAtive executive editor Out of many organizations that Keene State College students are involved in, the New Hampshire Youth Movement Organization is a notable one. “New Hampshire Youth Movement is a group of students and we focus on activism all over the state; it’s by students for students, so we are fighting for things like the Green New Deal, a better environment for our future, affordable housing, Medicare and healthcare for everyone, free college, and stuff like that,’’ said Maggie Phillips a KSC student and Keene fellow in the organization. According to their website, NHYM aims to create a network of young people across New Hampshire working collectively to further a united political platform.

Jackson Brannen, a former KSC student and Dover fellow in the organization, explained the history of NHYM. Brannen said, “It was founded in 2016. It came out of a University of New Hampshire’s climate organization called ‘Divestment’ and they were trying to get UNH’s divest in fossil fuels and they decided that their strategy wasn’t working and they needed to be in a more broad movement, bring in more young people and decided to make NHYM.” According to the website for NHYM, the movement is creating hubs across New Hampshire that are working under a shared set of values and principles to build collective power in the communities.

These hubs come together during major days of action and key elections.

The website says, “Students and young people in New Hampshire carry an incredible amount of political power and it’s time we start using it.”

Robert St. Laurent, a KSC student and a part of the movement, said, “We are [currently] focusing a lot on the upcoming presidential election and bird dogging (pursuing determinedly) candidates on issues such as Green New Deal, Medicare for all, free college for all, elimination of student debt.”

NHYM held a non-violent protest at the statehouse in Concord on May 7, 2019. According to Phillips, there were people in Governor Christopher T. Sununu’s office and there were people lined up in the halls of the statehouse singing “we are fighting for our future, we are healing what is wrong” and many other songs.

According to an article in the local newspaper Keene Sentinel, ten students from UNH and KSC were arrested during the protest. St. Laurent and Brannen were among them. Brannen said, “Ten of us that got arrested, we decided that that’s what we wanted to do and we decided that because we view the issue as super important and wanted to make a big statement to show that we are going to do whatever it takes to fight for our rights to vote.”

The organization protested against the House Bill 1264. St. Laurent described HB 1264 as, “out of state students who go to school in New Hampshire can’t vote until they register their car and license in the state of NH. So, if the student from Massachusetts were to come to KSC, they won’t be able to vote in the town of Keene unless they register their car.”

Phillips said, “It disfranchises youth voters, that’s what it basically does.”

“There are a lot of really depressing things going on in this country right now and the young people’s future is at stake right now and there are solutions that we are going to fight for,’’ said Brannen.

The next event the group is organizing is on October 13, 2019, at the field house of UNH. It is called “The People’s Presidential Forum of New Hampshire.” According to Brannen, they have sent out invitations to five presidential candidates to attend the forum.

Phillips said, “We have just as much of a stake as any adults, we are gonna grow up, we are gonna be the generation of adults. It’s just good to be educated and strong and know that you are powerful and you have a say.”

When asked about his motivation, Brannen said, “Working with such an inspiring group of people that share the same values keep me motivated for sure.”

St. Laurent said, “Getting involved is extremely easy, and the group meets every Sunday at 7 pm in the Atrium Conference Room.”

Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com

OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR

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STUDENT LIFE / B3

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Take a walk to the NOC A look inside KSC’s Night Owl Cafe KELLY REGAN

Equinox Staff The Night Owl Cafe has been a part of Keene State College since the Young Student Center opened in 1995.

Last spring semester, a mural class repainted the bright blue walls of the cafe. The walls in the cafe now depict murals inspired by album covers.

The Night Owl Cafe is a space for students to socialize, attend various events and play games.

Free popcorn and soda drinks are served, and the cafe is also famous for its Sizzlers. “From 12 pm to 3 pm we have Sizzlers, which are American style gyros,” Valerie Mamish, team lead at the Night Owl Cafe, said.

Students can purchase Sizzlers for $9.25 with Dining Dollars, Owl Cash, American dollars or with a credit or debit card. Sizzlers can also be purchased using meal swipes as part of a student’s meal plan.

Mamish manages the schedule and supervises the daily operations of the cafe. She started working at the cafe in the second semester of her sophomore year.

Mamish works under Brittany Gallagher. Gallagher is the Coordinator of Student Activities and Organizations.

“Mainly, this is a place to just hang out,” Mamish said.

According to Mamish, The Night Owl Cafe is popular among students and staff at Keene State.

“Of course my favorite part about the NOC are the sizzlers! They are delicious and Zach and Josh are the best Sizzler makers ever,” Casey Justice, Director of Transitions and Parent Programs, said.

Wednesday nights at 7 pm, the Night Owl Cafe hosts Pub Trivia with prizes. During Pub Trivia, the cafe serves free wings and root beer floats. On Thursdays at 7 pm, the Cafe hosts Bingo with prizes. All students can play seven rounds of bingo. If a student brings a non-perishable food item, they can play an additional round of bingo.

Sydney McGough, a Public Health major at Keene State, said, “My favorite part (of the cafe) is bingo.”

The first Bingo Night is September 5. The first Trivia

Night is September 4, and the theme is Name that Brand.

Different clubs and organizations hold their events at the Night Owl Cafe. Gallagher manages the scheduling of events at the cafe. All events at the Night Owl Cafe are free for Keene State Students.

“Sometimes SAC, the Social Activities Council, holds (their event) Coffee House in here. So a local artist comes in,” Mamish said.

The Night Owl Cafe also offers a game room where students can play ping pong, different board games and pool. The game room has puzzles and coloring books as well as skeeball and foosball. The game room is free for students to use as long as they bring their Owl Card.

“The Night Owl Cafe is a great place for students to connect with other students, it’s a low-key vibe with free popcorn and soda,” Justice said.

“My favorite part? Popcorn,” Nate Flyzke, a History and Communications major, said.

The Night Owl Cafe opens Mondays through Thursdays from 12 pm until 4 pm and then again from 7 pm to 11 pm. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, the cafe is open from 3 pm until 11 pm. Students can visit the game room from 7 pm to 11 pm any day of the week.

Kelly Regan can be contacted at kregan@kscequinox.com

“The Night Owl Cafe is a great place for students to connect with other students, it’s a low-key vibe with free popcorn and soda.”

-Casey Justice, Director of Transitions and Parent Programs PUJA THAPA / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Orienting fall sports ERIN MCNEMAR

Managing ExEcutivE Editor As Summer Orientation winded down, first-year students took part in the annual Hootie’s Fall Sports Kick Off on Friday, August 23. The event is different from other Orientation activities in the sense that students are not required to stay in their Orientation groups, but have the opportunity to mingle with all of their fellow classmates. First-year students were able to watch the Keene State College Women’s Soccer and Field Hockey games while having a cookout style dinner provided by the Dining Commons.

The Hootie’s Fall Sports Kick Off became part of Orientation a few years ago. According to Director of Transitions and Parent Programs Casey Justice, the event was designed to give first-year students an opportunity to socialize with their new classmates and highlight sports at the college. “We put the students through all these different presentations during Orientation and we try to keep them as interactive as possible. But we really did want to start to build some excitement around the athletic teams on campus and show students The Owl Athletic Complex really isn’t that far away,” Justice said.

Each year, Orientation works with Athletics to determine which sports team will be playing during the Fall Kick Off. “For next year, we are in talks with the Women’s Volleyball team to possibly even just keep it on campus. We want to make sure we are highlighting all the Fall sports that we can,” Justice said. “It would also lessen the stress for the Dining Commons if they only had to move the food to Appian Way rather than The Athletic Complex.”

Prior to the Sports Kick Off, firstyear students spend the day doing community service. For this reason, the event is designed to be free-flowing and students are not required to stay the whole time. “I think it’s a long day for community service so when the lights start to go down a little bit, most of them are ready to go and just chill,” said Orientation Student Coordinator Nate Flyzik.

While some students do decide

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to return to campus shortly after grabbing dinner at the fields, according to Justice and Flyzik, most students stay to watch the majority of the games. “The Sports Kick Off is something different and it’s something exciting. If students do find themselves going to The Athletic Complex during the year, that’s great. It’s pretty close, but you won’t know how to get there if you didn’t walk there before,” Flyzik said.

First-year Emma Lavery said

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she thought the event was a good opportunity for students to socialize with one another. “I’m not a big sports person but I did talk to a few new people when I was over there,” Lavery said.

According to Flyzik, the overall goal of Orientation is to help firstyear students feel comfortable and confident as they adjust to college life. While The Hootie’s Fall Sports Kick Off is different from most Orientation events because it is not

a requirement, Flyzik said, “Any quantity we get of students attending this event is a success in the end.

Whatever students are there are making a connection to campus and other students.”

Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcnemar@kscequinox.com

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STUDENT LIFE / B4

Thursday, September 5, 2019

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$6.00 LUNCH CASH ONLY JOIN US IN THE DC ON SEPTEMBER 4, 11 AND 18 FOR $6.00 LUNCH, CASH ONLY. NO CREDIT CARDS, OWL CASH, DINING DOLLARS OR MEAL PLAN DOLLARS ACCEPTED.ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE DC.

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WORLD NEWS

World News/ B5 Thursday, September 5, 2019

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Schools stick to early starts

Sanders potentially falling short HUNTER WOODALL

AssociAted Press

NH communties choose not to extend summer vacation HOLLY RAMER

AssociAted Press A year after Gov. Chris Sununu's unsuccessful push to prolong school summer vacation until Labor Day, the vast majority of New Hampshire communities are sticking with their earlier start dates.

Schools in 80 percent of districts will be starting before Labor Day this year, about the same percentage as last year. Four districts that started earlier last year will now start after Labor Day: Gilford, Gilmanton, Milton and Waterville Valley. But two other districts — Hinsdale and Pemi Baker Regional — went the other way, moving from post-Labor Day openings to earlier dates.

Sununu, a Republican, created a "Save Our Summers Study Commission" last August to examine how a mandatory post-Labor Day start date would affect tourism, academic performance, athletic programs and other areas.

In December, the group issued a report without taking sides, though it emphasized the economic benefit and suggested ways to alleviate opponents' concerns. Subsequent

legislation to enact a mandate, however, was retained in the Senate Education Committee for reconsideration next year.

Businesses tied to tourism said the earlier start dates mean fewer customers and teenage staff, and an economist estimated that starting school after Labor Day would have a $24 million to $34 million economic impact. But organizations representing teachers, administrators and school boards all opposed the idea, citing a desire to maintain decision-making power.

"There was a lot of pushback in terms of local control," said Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, a Portsmouth Democrat who sponsored the bill.

"But we're such a tourism-oriented state and have so many businesses that rely on students to staff their enterprises during the summer, it seems to me it's very short-sighted not to be able to have a way to have schools start after Labor Day." Superintendent Mark Halloran oversees eight schools in seven towns. Six will open Monday, one will open Tuesday and one will open Sept. 3. The late starter will be Waterville Valley Elementary School, where officials

decided to revert to its traditional post-holiday opening date after a few years of starting in August. The resort town attracts a lot of Massachusetts tourists who participate in a parks and recreation program housed in the school, Halloran said.

"This year, they really did have a conversation regarding the governor's initiative, and they just decided quite frankly, they were a resort community and they were going to start after Labor Day," he said.

In contrast, another school Halloran oversees — Plymouth Regional High School in the Pemi Baker Regional district — switched from opening after Labor Day last year to a pre-holiday start this year. Representatives from several nearby tourist attractions spoke at a public hearing in favor of keeping the later date, he said, but parents argued an earlier start better fit with sports schedules.

"I think the board was very sympathetic to the business issues, but many of the parents were feeling like, let's get the kids in," Halloran said.

Sununu grew up in Salem, home to an amusement park that supported the proposed

mandate, and once ran the Waterville Valley ski area. In a statement this week, he said he still supports the mandate idea.

"As our Save our Summers Study Commission noted, starting school after Labor Day would increase economic activity, provide students an opportunity at work experience, allow for families to spend extra time together, and raise state revenues," he said.

A recent review by the Pew Research Center found significant variation in school start dates across the country. In general, earlier starts are more common in the South and Southwest, while later starts are more common along the East Coast, upper Midwest and Northwest.

In some states, the tourism industry has played a role. For example, a 1986 Virginia law named for an amusement park bars most schools from opening before Labor Day, though it was amended this year to permit openings of up to two weeks earlier as long as students are given a four-day weekend for Labor Day.

The campaign manager for Bernie Sanders emphasized Thursday that New Hampshire is a critical presidential primary state he expects Sanders to win, but he's leaving room for a scenario in which Sanders falls short.

Faiz Shakir said he doesn't "like the language of must-win," though he does believe it is an important early voting state.

But he said he still thinks Sanders could win the Democratic nomination without taking New Hampshire, though he acknowledges that the path to victory would be more difficult if Sanders doesn't.

"I see it as essential and critical to win," Shakir said. "But if it doesn't happen — again, go through the hypotheticals — is there a chance he could still win?

Yeah. There's still a chance he could win. It gets harder if we don't win New Hampshire for sure."

Sanders represents neighboring Vermont in the U.S. Senate.

He carried New Hampshire by 22 points in the race for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, which Hillary Clinton went on to clinch.

Yet the path to a New Hampshire victory in 2020 is less clear this time around.

Some Sanders endorsers have recently downplayed the importance of a victory in the New Hampshire primary. Sanders is also contending with a large field of Democrats this time around who see the state as an opportunity to gain ground in the race.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sanders' progressive rival who also represents a neighboring state, has campaigned more frequently in New Hampshire than Sanders so far this year, a development that Democrats evaluating the crowded field have noticed.

Sanders needing to win New Hampshire is "perception more than reality," said state Rep. Timothy Smith, a Manchester Democrat, who continues to support Sanders.

New Hampshire doesn't have a lot of delegates to the Democratic National Convention, Smith said, adding, "We're not California. We're not Texas."

"Sanders' strength is nationwide," Smith said. "It's not really isolated to one particular state.

And I say this as respectfully as I can, I think that winning New Hampshire is more important in terms of how (the media is) going to craft that narrative, rather than the actual practical implications in the larger overall primary."

Deadly motorcycle crash provokes reform MICHAEL CASEY

AssociAted Press New Hampshire plans to suspend the licenses of nearly 4,000 drivers in the latest fallout following a June crash that killed seven motorcyclists , Gov. Chris Sununu said Wednesday.

The Republican governor said the review of the Division of Motor Vehicles sparked by the deadly crash that was just released led authorities to catch up on notifications it had that dated back to July 2016. Sununu said the department is now caught up and more than 37,000 DMV infractions have been looked at.

Authorities blamed the backlog on the lack of automation, which included nearly 14,000 notifications that should have been sent to other states as well as over 13,000 notifications of infractions received by New Hampshire from other states.

A similar process led Massachusetts to uncover a far larger backlog .

"We left no stone unturned. We accounted for every

file and every notification," Sununu said of the review.

"It's our job as public officials to go through these reviews to ensure that the systems we have in place across the state truly work for the people that we represent."

As a result, Sununu said more than 3,000 drivers from New Hampshire and elsewhere will have their licenses suspended. None of the suspensions resulted in fatalities in New Hampshire and were not directly related to the deadly motorcycle crash in Randolph.

"What we have learned through the process allows us to both challenge and assist other states as they hopefully undergo the same exercise," Sununu said.

A pickup truck collided with motorcyclists on June 21. The driver, 23-year-old Volodymyr Zhukovskyy , of West Springfield, Massachusetts, pleaded not guilty to negligent homicide. Officials say Zhukovskyy's license in Massachusetts should've been suspended because of a drunken driving arrest.

The crash led to the firing of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles director after it was found the agency stored 45,000 convictions and suspensions

levied on out-of-state drivers since March 2018, rather than acting on them.

A preliminary audit found that a motor vehicles employee missed an opportunity to revoke Zhukovskyy's license because he did not know how to add convictions to driving records. After being notified of Zhukovskyy's May drunken driving arrest in Connecticut, the employee briefly reviewed the notification from Connecticut but did not change Zhukovskyy's record.

As part of an ongoing review of the motor vehicles department, the registry this month suspended the licenses of another 869 drivers . The suspensions were in addition to the more than 1,600 people in Massachusetts who had already had their licenses suspended.

Sununu said that he only learned of the backlog after the crash and could not say when the backlog would have been cleared if not for the deadly collision.

Sununu, Department of Safety Commissioner Bob Quinn, and DMV Director Elizabeth Bielecki, speaking at a press conference, said there are measures the state plans to take to ensure notices are handled promptly

in the future. Among them are continuing to build out an automated processing system in the works for several years, completing the development of an electronic interface with the judicial branch and working to automate filings from insurance companies. Sununu also has ordered the DMV to produce a monthly status report on notifications.

Further out, Sununu is recommending legislative changes that would allow the DMV to share notifications for all drivers, not just those in states which participate in the REAL ID program. The state is also hoping to encourage municipalities in New Hampshire to automate the sharing of notifications with the state. Currently, most mail paper notifications to the DMV.

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Sports / B6

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Redemption on the horizon

FROM ARCHIVE

Last year the volley ball team had a solid season ending 22-10, but lost in the LEC championship match. This year they look to improve on their season, the Owls will play against Sage and Rivier this Friday.

Volleyball team looks to improve on last year’s record of 22-10 JACK DEY

Equinox staff The Keene State College Women’s Volleyball team is gearing up for yet another exciting season. Finishing last year with an impressive record of 22-10, head coach Robert Weiner and his Owls are only looking to go up.

The Owls qualified for the LEC Championship last year but ultimately fell short.

The team looks to start their redemption tour against Skidmore college on August 30th , located at Springfield College at 5:00 pm. Keene State and Skidmore haven’t played each other in six years, and with the last matchup being a shutout loss for the Owls, there couldn’t be a better team to start the redemption tour against. According to Head Coach Robert Weiner, the team is looking solid, and is putting in the time at the gym.

If anyone has any doubts about whether The Owls will make it the LEC Championship for the third year in a row, Coach Weiner doesn’t want to hear them. “I think this group is stronger than last year, I think this is a really good team, and I think they know it.” Weiner said. “There were things that we didn’t expect would happen that may have set us back a

couple days, but everybody has been in it, everybody has been working really hard, it’s a good group.”

There are only two first-years joining this year, Paige Hine, Sydney Johnson, but Coach Weiner already has high praise for both. “They both are very talented, and both will play a significant role here at one point or another,” Weiner said. “Don’t be surprised if you see these two in a starting uniform.”

Coach Weiner said that there were seniors with potential for great leadership: the seniors were great leaders on the court, showing other students the ropes of what college volleyball entails,how to conduct Themselves on the court. He said that this year was going to be a real leadership change for them, as Keene State Women’s Volleyball has had the same captain for the last two years. This year, junior Megan Palmer is filling the leadership role for the first time, and doing it alone. Weiner only had good things to say about Palmer, despite the fact that things may change under a different style of leadership. “She’s going to go down as one of the best we’ve had, in terms of leadership,” Weiner said.

Junior Emily AnnAshford has felt good about this pre-season. “We’ve definitely worked really hard, but we’ve gotten a lot of stuff accomplished,”

Ann said. She noted that experiencing going all the way to the championship and falling short is giving the team that much more motivation to go into the season. Emily noted that the fact that they we’re so close to winning the championship last year gives the team all the motivation they need to get back to the big game and claim the gold. She said that focus was something they are going to try and improve upon. “Throughout long games we tend to go up and down in focus, and that is something we can definitely work on,” Ann said.

Sophomore Courtney Chouinard noted that despite the void the seniors will leave, things are looking up. “Everyone is getting a chance to try something new,” Chouinard said. “People are playing new positions and working in different spots they didn’t work before so we’re definitely improving everyone’s skill set.”

Coach Pickering flying solo AUSTIN SMITH

sports Editor With both assistant coaches leaving for other jobs, head cross country coach Tom Pickering is not slowing down.

While Pickering is currently the only coach for both the men’s and women’s cross country teams, runners that he coaches say that he has been handling the change well. Senior runner Lauren Perkowski said, “With just Tom I think he has been doing a really good job of handling things.” Pickering has been the head coach of both the cross country and track and field teams and Keene State College since 2016.

Last season, the cross country team had two coaches that are not present this year,one of those coaches was Meggie Donovan, the other was Nick Athanasopoulos. Athanasopoulos is now an assistant coach at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Donavan is now a full time educator on the New Hampshire sea coast. Both Donovan and Athanasopoulos were coaches for cross country and track and field, while Athanasopoulos worked more with sprinters and jumpers during the track season and Donovan coached the long distance runners.

Perkoswki in particular was close with Donovan.

Perkowski said, “I still have been texting her once a week or once every other week, just keeping in touch with her because I was really close to her, she was one of the people that trained me during track.”

Although Pickering is now the only coach for the cross country team, the runners he coaches say he does not seem any more stressed than usual. Sophomore runner Rob St. Laurent said, “If anything, he seems less stressed, he seems like he knows what he needs to do and he gets it done and he’s not afraid to lean on others to help him.” The athletes do not

see Pickering as more stressed out and neither does Pickering. Pickering said, “There’s been only two weeks of the season so far and it’s been very enjoyable, we have a relatively small team this fall and that makes it very manageable.”

Pickering is the only coach at the moment, but he is intent on hiring more coaches in the future. “For the beginning of this season I don’t have an assistant working with the athletes, we’re advertising for assistants and we’re going to have one at some point again,” Pickering said.

Junior runner Brandon Castor said, “In a sport like this weather it’s collegiate level or high school track is a hard sport to manage with only one coach.”

While for the moment Pickering is the only coach for the cross country team, Pickering and Perowski agree that the cross country team will have a successful year. Perkowski said, “ I think we’re looking really good, I think the girls’ team should be in better shape than last year.” Pickering said, “The goal coming in every year is to improve on the previous year, our women had a very strong season last year. The men are very young, there are no seniors on the men’s team, they’re mostly freshmen and sophomores, but we hope to improve on last year.”

Cross country’s next meet is the Jim Sheehan Invitational on Saturday, September 7, in Leominster, Massachusetts.

Austin Smith can be contacted at asmith@kscequinox.com

Jack Dey can be contacted at wdey@kscequinox.com

NEW cont. from B8

having won 16 straight Commissioners Cups, but we have missed out on the last couple, so that’s clearly a goal to bring that back,” Racicot said.

The Commissioners Cup is awarded to the college with the overall highest athletic performance in all 19 LEC sponsored sports (littleeast. com).

But Racicot’s goals didn’t stop there. “[We are] looking at doing a lot more in the community with regards to not just community service for students, but making Keene State athletics at the forefront of what the community thinks when they think of college sports.”

Racicot spoke.

And as Racicot’s list of goals grows in size, so too does his support.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Phil over the last three months,” said Abe Osheyack, the assistant athletic director. “Every boss says when you start working with them ‘I have an open door policy, come see me anytime,’ Phil actually stands by that.”

As well as that, Osheyack described Racicot as forward thinking.“I really enjoy working with him and I hope to see it continue over the

next year and years to come,” Osheyack said.

Racicot also has the student body standing strong behind him.

Tyler DaRosa, a junior majoring in news media journalism, says “He (Racicot) is coming into the job knowing that he is going to be here [for a long time].”

DaRosa works closely with the athletic department as a commentator for Keene games and an anchor for Inside Owl Athletics. He also said, “I hope that [Racicot] represents the athletic department the way it should be represented like [the] last two atheltic directors. We have one of the best athletic departments in the LEC and I want to see him bring that type of energy to the job.”

Claire Boughton can be contacted at cboughton@kscequinox.com

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Sports / B7

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Keene State partners up with Nike

OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR

Keene State has partnered up with Nike for sports uniforms, shoes and apparel. Students and faculty will be able to purchase KSC apparel with the Nike swoosh on the Owls website and in the campus bookstore.

Keene State and Nike have partnered together for sports uniforms and apparel AUSTIN SMITH

SportS Editor Athletes and coaches alike are thrilled about Keene State College’s recent partnership with Nike for athletic apparel and footwear.

Before KSC was partnered with Nike, Adidas was the brand that the College used for uniforms, apparel and shoes. The decision to switch from Adidas to Nike was one that was made by new Athletic Director Philip Racicot. Racicot said, “Nike is the leader in the industry as far as sports apparel and gear.” Nike is known worldwide as one of the top sports apparel brands, sponsoring athletes from LeBron James to Serena Williams.

Nike and KSC’s partnership means that Keene State will get greater discounts from Nike on uniforms,

apparel such as sweatshirts, hats, bookbags, etc. This will allow sports team such as cross country and other teams get new uniforms for the upcoming season.

Cross country and track athlete Skyler Gauthier is excited about the new partnership with Nike. Gauthier said, “I think getting new uniforms, a fresh new uniform, fresh apparel and being sponsored by Nike looks a bit better.” The cross country team will be sporting brand new Nike uniforms this year, the first time in new uniforms in the last six years.

Other teams that will benefit from the Nike partnership are the men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Basketball is the sport that Nike is most prevalent in; countless NBA and WNBA players are sponsored by Nike. Multiple collegiate teams are sponsored by Nike as well. Men’s basketball coach Ryan Cain is excited by

the partnership as well. Cain said, “ I have some relationships with people that work there, it’s a good company to work with and Nike is a great apparel company and the best of the best for our student athletes.”

Working with Nike has many benefits for the school: one is the sports teams will be able to purchase and use Nike apparel for their athletes and coaching staff.

Another benefit is the ability to use the partnership to help outfit every department of the college. Racicot said, “Everybody here on campus, club sports, recreation, intramurals, they all will have the opportunity to benefit from this and get the discount.”

Partnering with Nike also allows teams access to the variety of different uniforms shoes and other forms of gear that Nike has to offer for student athletes. Cain said, “I think the best example I can give about Nike

compared to other competitors is what they offer in terms of the different options is much more compared to other apparel companies.”

Head cross country coach Tom Pickering said, “I think it’s fantastic, I’ve been a proponent of Nike as a potential partner for us since I’ve been here.”

KSC students will see school apparel with the Nike’s trademarked swoosh on it for the foreseeable future.

Students will also be able to see their Owls in Nike apparel on various gamedays.

Austin Smith can be contacted at asmith@kscequinox.com

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can’t wait. I want nothing more than to win a championship with this team.”

Although Cahoon’s career as an Owl is just beginning, senior captain Hailey Beaupre’s career is coming to a close.

“It’s so bittersweet,” Beaupre explained. “Every day is a new last, which makes me sad, but also reminds me how important it is to give this season everything I have.”

Beaupre also described the responsibility that comes along with being a captain, stating that playing a bigger role not only applies to her as a captain, but to all upperclassmen alike.

“It is very important to me to lead this team with integrity and determination. I want to go out on a high note, and losing our four key seniors definitely shifted our team, but we have been utilizing the talent we have and incorporating new ways of playing that works for us, and I’m feeling confident about this season, it’s a little tough to make any predictions right now because we haven’t had a regular season game yet, but by the looks of practice, I’m feeling pretty good.”

The team’s first game is Saturday, August 31, at the University of New England. Go, Owls!

Victoria Miles can be contacted at victoria.miles@ksc.keene.edu

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Sports / B8

Thursday, September 5, 2019

SPORTS

KSCEQUINOX.COM

NEW ON THE SCENE

PUJA THAPA / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Phil Racicot is the new athletic director for Keene State College. Before Keene State College, Racicot was at the division one program at Duquesne University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

Phil Racicot steps in as Keene State’s new athletic director CLAIRE BOUGHTON

Equinox staff With the fall semester in full swing there are many new additions to the Keene State College campus. From a new student body to new facilities like the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, the campus has grown in more ways than one since last semester.

However, perhaps one of the biggest changes seen by the college is the brand-new athletic director, Philip Racicot.

Racicot comes to Keene after serving an impressive tenure at Duquesne University in Pittsburg, Pennsylva-

nia. During his time at Duquesne, Racicot acted as the senior associate athletic director from 2006 to 2017 as well as being interim director of athletics from June to October in 2015 (keeneowls.com).

However, what made Racicot decide to head east and find a new home at Keene State? The answer is easy for him.

“There’s a winning tradition here… obviously it’s based on the efforts of the students, it’s based on the efforts of the coach, and in a lot of ways it’s the culture of what’s been established,” Racicot explained.

On top of Keene State’s impressive past wins drawing Racicot in, the college had a little help on the side

from two unexpected parties.

“Two good friends of mine went here,” Racicot said with a smile on his face. “They played basketball here and so as some opportunities became aware to me… I was like ‘wait a second, why do I know Keene’... and they kind of convinced me that this was a good thing, and they were totally right.”

Racicot, who is currently three months into serving as Keene State’s athletic director, says he has big plans for the Keene State athletic department.

“First and foremost, everything that we do should be on the behalf of the student athletes… We want to serve the students by making sure that they have a great

experience.”

Racicot also gave a sneak peak into some of the goals he and the athletic department faculty have come up with.

What are those goals?

Bringing back the Little East Conference President’s Cup, which is a conference award given to the college with the highest cumulative GPA among student athletes. The last time Keene was awarded the title was back in 2013.

Racicot also noted other previous awards from Keene’s history. “Keene State has a proud history of

SEE NEW B6

Keene State’s field hockey team looks to defend the LEC title

MATT WHITE / EQUINOX STAFF

Keene State’s field hockey team looks to pick up where they left off and defend their LEC title, the owls lost four key starters due to graduation, the owls will have their next game on Saturday, September, 7

KSC’s field hockey team looks to fill the holes left by last years graduated seniors VICTORIA MILES

Equinox staff As the 2019 Keene State Women’s Field Hockey season begins, the Owls are returning hungry to defend their title as the Little East

Conference champions. Despite losing four key seniors, head coach Amy Watson said she believes this young team will go far.

“The main difference between this season and last season is finding a way to fill those four key

spots our previous seniors held,” Coach Watson explained. “It completely shifts the team’s dynamic on the field. However, if every player steps up, I’m confident we will have another great season. However the true competition will be shown

when we begin playing other teams in the Little East Conference, until then it’s still up in the air, but I feel good.”

Sophomore transfer student Maggie Cahoon is thrilled to be starting her first season with these

ladies.

“Coming into this team was so easy, everyone was so accepting and supportive, it was amazing,” Cahoon said. When asked about the pressures of returning to win the Little East Conference, Cahoon

stated that she thrived on the pressure. “Since we have won the conference for the past six years, people sort of just expect that we are going to do it again, which can be a lot on your shoulders sometimes, but I

SEE LEC B7

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