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THE EQUINOX The student voice of Keene State College
Vol. 73, Issue #8
Thursday, October 24, 2019
KSCEQUINOX.COM
Cory Booker speaks at KSC
Amy Klobuchar visits political science class KELLY REGAN
seNior News reporter Students in Dr. William Bendix’s class had the opportunity to listen to democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar in their classroom. Klobuchar is a senior United States senator for Minnesota and is a presidential candidate in the 2020 election. “For a United States politics course, it’s an extraordinary opportunity. It seemed like a great opportunity for students studying U.S. politics,” Bendix said. “I decided to take this course because I know about politics, but not to the degree I’d like to,” sophomore Julia Guidi said. The class moved to Rhodes 212 to host Klobuchar for the day. “I’m in this U.S. politics course because I’m interested in politics. I’ve heard about Amy Klobuchar before, but not that much because there are so many candidates, it’s hard to read up on all of them,” sophomore Shawn Belden said.
» SEE KLOBUCHAR A2
Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Keene SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR
2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker speaking in the Lantern Room of the Student Center to the KSC and Keene community and answering questions from attendees.
Presidential candidate addresses climate change, gun violence and more RACHEL VITELLO
News editor American values, climate change and uniting the nation are just a few main points presidential candidate Cory Booker spoke about during his visit to Keene State College. On Monday, October 21, Booker spoke in the Lantern Room of the Student Center to the Keene community. “We have to start talking about virtues and values that are not partisan, but American, not left or right, but forward,” Booker said. KSC political science professor Philip Barker began the event. “The reason we have these events is because Keene State is the public liberal arts college of New Hampshire and is focused on the importance of civic engagement in our community and our country,” Barker said. KSC student body president and president of KSC Democrats Davis Bernstein introduced Booker and spoke of his efforts with defeating mass incarceration and investing into vulnerable communities. “Senator Booker has spent his entire career fighting for the issues that may not poll well, but are right and just,” Bernstein said. “His unifying message of ‘we will rise’ is what we need for our country.” Booker discussed how tragedies are often what kickstart action in this country. “They’re killing people. Our children are being shot under their desks, and what do we do? We surrender our freedom and our liberty from fear that’s corrupting our society,” Booker said. “There are more shelters and active shooter drills now than fire drills. I’m running for president because we have to
activate the heart of this election.” Also relating to gun violence, a KSC student asked Booker about specific actions he would take to combat violence in low income neighborhoods throughout the nation. Booker shared a story about experiencing an African American teenage boy get shot in public and how he tried to assist him before paramedics arrived. The boy did not live and the trauma Booker experienced from that pushes him today to fight for reform. “I don’t understand that folks don’t realize your leading cause of death is murder. The majority of murders in this country are young black men. Where is the outreach? It doesn’t even make the news any more,” Booker said. “I have a very detailed plan, it’s been called the boldest of all candidates. It’s all evidence-based investments into those communities. One of the ways to lower gun violence is to address poverty. Social psychologists will tell you that poverty is a form of trauma, it is a form of violence. Children who live in poverty have all different kinds of challenges that undermine their success in life. Child poverty in America costs us every year a trillion dollars. Your income tax credit cuts poverty by a third. These are policy decisions that we are making.” KSC senior Samira Sangare addressed the lack of diversity on Keene’s campus and asked how Booker plans on dealing with issues of diversity nationwide. “Recognizing it is the challenge. We don’t have conversations anymore, we fall into defensiveness. There’s a lot of systemic racism in the way we enforce the law in this country. There’s implicit racial basis in the criminal justice system. We have a lot of work to do
Index Section A: News .................1-3 Opinions ...........4-5 A&E ..................6-8 Associated Collegiate Press
Section B: Student Life...1-4 TC....................5 Sports............6-8
to address this implicit bias. That’s the first thing I’m going to do, change laws and use the Department of Justice to go after people that are discriminating,” Booker said. “My position as President of the United States should be bringing these issues to the core and challenging every sector of our society to commit itself to diversity and inclusion. We have a real problem in this country with race and gender diversity.” Booker also quoted Martin Luther King Jr. when he said, “It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can keep him from lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important.” When it comes to climate change, Booker said he plans on working on America’s foreign policy and working with our nation’s allies to combat this issue. He criticized President Donald Trump’s ‘America first’ stance because it isolates America from other nations. Rejoining the Paris Agreement and making it stricter and putting a tax on carbon are also part of his plan for this problem. Another attendee of the event shared her story of her grandson being born with a drug addiction, resulting in him being autistic today. She asked Booker about his plan for the opioid crisis currently happening in the U.S. “It is utterly irresponsible to have this be now our leading cause of death in America. There are evidence-based prevention programs all around this country. It’s like we have the solution but we don’t realize that it’s more expensive to not deal with this problem than to deal with it,” Booker said. “This is the American way unfortunately and I’m going to try to change this, but we try to deal with
A4: Not just a holiday A8: Popping into the Thorne B1: Fighting against sexual violence B8: Diving into the record books
most of our problems by incarcerating our way out of them. The most expensive type of way to address addiction and mental health issues is with prisons and jails. I’m going to massively invest in the evidence-based programs that work.” Booker also related this issue to the problem of family members caring for their sick loved ones and the toll that takes on them financially. “There are millions of Americans in that caregiver role and their physical health is taxed because they’re not able to work because this person needs long-term care. We as a society don’t honor that as work. That’s hard work,” Booker said. “We drive Americans into poverty, they burn their entire life savings. Why do we do this to our elderly populations, stripping them of their dignity in their final years or days? I have a big transformation for that as a society. We need to change the definition of work to qualify you for the earned income tax credit.” Booker’s stance on a variety of issues can be found at corybooker.com. “This election is a test of us,” Booker said. “Understand that you have the power to make a difference. We have work to do in this moral moment, and it cant be us sitting back waiting for the president to do it.” Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com.
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RACHEL VITELLO
News editor Across the nation, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is being recognized in place of Christopher Columbus Day. According to USA Today, eight states, ten universities and more than 130 cities across 34 states have already made this change. On Monday, October 14, Keene State College held a discussion around the topic of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The speakers included Franklin Pierce University adjunct professors Donna Moody and John Moody, Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Equity Dottie Morris, Cohen Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies Jim Waller and the KSC students behind this process, Jeniffer Afualo-Robinson and Jedidiah Crook. Keene mayor Kendall Lane was also in attendance and read an official proclamation of the City of Keene recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “This is an important transition we’re making—a transition from being a European-centric community to a people-centric community for all people who have lived here and live here now,” Lane said. A Native American tribe that is native to the Keene area is the Abenaki. Moody is of the Abenaki tribe and her area of expertise is in cultural anthropology. She discussed the significance of recognizing Native Americans not only nationwide, but right here in the
» SEE INDIGENOUS A3
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News / A2
Thursday, October 24, 2019
KSC drafts an expression statement
KLOBUCHAR cont. from A1
KSC political science professor Dr. Philip Barker introduced Klobuchar to the students. Klobuchar shook hands with students in the first row when she entered the room. “Thank you everybody. It’s really good to be here and I got to see the beautiful fall trees which is really nice,” Klobuchar said. Klobuchar then explained her past history in politics and talked about the policy platforms of her campaign. She explained her career in law and the cases she worked on as the first female district attorney in Minnesota. “I worked in the private law firms for quite awhile and then ran for my first office which was the DA. I did that for eight years, I ran an office of about 400 people,” Klobuchar said, “and then the senate seat opened up and I ran against a republican congressman.” “I kept working in the senate, passing a lot of bills. I passed over a hundred bills, where I was the lead democrat. So that’s been a really important part of what I’ve done,” Klobuchar said. “I did like Amy a lot. I did think that some of her policies are a little bit weak and she needs to do more explaining when she’s campaigning,” student Joshua Lacaillade said. “I decided when Donald Trump got elected that I should run for president,” Klobuchar said, “a lot of my decision was based on the fact that I think we have a president that does the opposite of what I’ve tried to do as a leader. What I’ve tried to do is bring people together.” After Klobuchar left for her next speaking engagement, Dr. Barker led a class discussion on Klobuchar’s speech. Dr. Barker regularly introduces political
speakers at Keene State and spoke to the students about some things that happen when planning a speaking engagement for a presidential candidate. Students disliked that Klobuchar brought up Trump instead of talking about her own policies. “I felt like it wasn’t direct attacks, just side jabs. She just kept mentioning him without saying what he did wrong,” a student said. “I’m not here for Trump, I’m here to hear about her.” Other students said that she seemed genuine and that the speech didn’t feel rehearsed. “I thought she was very personable so it helped me get to know her as a person. I personally don’t think I’d vote for her, because I don’t think she has a chance,” student Atong Chan said. “I think she has more to do in the senate. Stay in your lane, there’s people who shouldn’t run.” “I liked it. I’m pretty libertarian or moderate. I like her because she’s probably the most moderate democrat running,” student Autumn CiardelliZaryckyj said. Bendix said that he didn’t plan for Klobuchar to speak to his class. “Phil Barker was speaking to the Keene democratic group and someone in that group mentioned that Amy Klobuchar was coming into town and looking for a small speaking venue,” Bendix said. “I would make my classroom open to any sitting member of congress.” “This is really unusual to have a senator, a presidential candidate in your classroom,” Barker said.
ALEX HARVEY
Equinox Staff
Kelly Regan can be contacted at kregan@kscequinox.com.
SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR
INDIGENOUS cont. from A1
The issue of free speech on college campuses has recently been raised at Keene State College. After a meeting between students, faculty and President Melinda Treadwell, the Office of the Provost at Keene State College has drafted a new mission statement on hate speech and free expression. The preliminary statement, written by Associate Vice President of Institutional Equity and Diversity Dottie Morris, was sent to members of the KSC community in an email. She does not want this to be a solo effort; she wants students to participate in this conversation about free expression and hate speech by giving their feedback on the mission statement that was sent out. “We started this work 20 months ago where I wanted us to make sure we put forth a value statement as a public liberal arts college about calling difficult dialogue,” Treadwell said. “This is about truly welcoming a diverse dialogue on campus with lots of different opinions regardless of religion, race, ethnicity.” The new mission statement says: “At Keene State College, the free exchange of diverse perspectives, ideas and experiences is encouraged when discussing important social, personal and political issues. It is essential to co-create spaces that support the expression of these views and allows members to assemble with others to promote a worthy cause, while also maintaining an environment that respects the dignity of all people. Belonging, compassion and mutual respect are foundational values at Keene State College. To that end, any language that denigrates or dehumanizes another person or groups of people is open to critique, rebuttal by members within the community and an assessment of risk of harm to another person. The assessment will address any potential psychological, spiritual, mental or physical harm to another person.” This comes after a student wore a sweatshirt that stated people should leave the country if they cannot speak English a few weeks ago. After the student was photographed and the picture was posted to Snapchat, controversy ensued. A meeting was called between Treadwell, students and faculty. Students and faculty shared their experiences with racial insensitivity on campus, prompting KSC to adopt a new mission statement. An Equinox article covering the initial event also discussed hate speech directed at LGBT people, saying that some LGBT students feel unsafe in their own rooms. Director of Strategic Communications and Community Relations Kelly Ricaurte said she believes that college is a time in a student’s life when they must be exposed to new people and ideas in order for them to have the opportunity to learn and grow. Without these new experiences, the students’ opportunities in college are stifled. “It’s important to have free exchange and diverse perspectives...Dr. Morris has created this statement and is seeking input into that, so I’m hopeful that’s the start of a bigger conversation, so that students will feel comfortable expressing themselves and their points of view, while also listening to others,” said Ricaurte. Ricaurte said while she does not know what the next step will be for the college going forward, she believes that the new mission statement is a good step in order to establish an understanding on campus of what the school’s policy toward free expression and hate speech is. “It’s a good step to establish an understanding across the board of what free speech is for us on campus, so that we can understand what that means, so that students can do that in a way that’s safe, effectual and open,” said Ricaurte.“Dottie Morris has done a great job of starting that conversation for us and the students in our community to be involved in that conversation.” Treadwell said that the college has some active steps planned for the future to ensure that the value statement lives up to what it promises. “I had a meeting with students three weeks ago before we sent it out and there was a petition where students are asking me to declare requirements for education for us to understand cultural perspectives and to think about the long trajectory for learning that could happen here,” Treadwell said. “From this there will likely be integration into courses that will be part of our seminar series, part of our first-year experience and how we live our curriculum. We’re looking at changing training and education programs for faculty and staff and having required orientation and subsequent year training.” According to Treadwell, a refined value statement will be out for the college before winter break that will be linked to the college’s policies. Alex Harvey can be contacted at aharvey@kscequinox.com.
PUJA THAPA / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Donna Moody of Franklin Pierce University speaking to the attendees of the discussion about disparities between Native Americans and other ethnicities.
Keene community. “We’re rooted here, our story is here, our language is here, our ancestors are buried here,” Moody said. “So it’s a very special place to us.” Moody also conducted a small test. She had all the students in the room stand and told them to remain standing if they knew who Christopher Columbus was, to which all students stayed standing. Then, she told them to remain standing if they knew who the first people were with whom Columbus came in contact with. Only two students of about 20 remained standing. The first people Columbus met in America were the Taíno. The small test was meant to show the disparity in knowledge students have about Columbus as compared to the indigenous people. KSC senior Jedidiah Crook has been working with the college and with the city to have the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day accomplished. He spoke on the role that candid and open conversations play in battling discrimination and ignorance. “Education can serve as a really important tool for dismantling the continual colonial violence that goes on today,” Crook said. “When talking about Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we can talk about [how] education has been a tool of genocide in this country specifically for indigenous people, so any sort of conversation about this has to tie into education. Ways in which we can do that are one, representation and second, visibility.” KSC senior Afualo-Robinson has been working on this effort as well. She presented to the group an interactive example of this education. She created a timeline of issues that impacted the Abenaki tribe of New England, including the Sokoki people. The timeline addresses a variety of problems the tribe faced from 1600-1800. This timeline can be found at http:// hidden.coplacdigital.org/keene/timeline/. Waller discussed how the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People is significant to the acknowledgment of repairing past
KSCEQUINOX.COM
injustices done to native people, and that there is hope this declaration will eventually become international law. “The declaration prioritizes the rights of indigenous people to self-definition and self-determination. In this country all the way up to about 1970, the U.S. government never gave native people the right of self-definition. That’s a basic right,” Waller said. “Secondly, that indigenous people have a fundamental right to protect their distinct cultural identities. We’ve gone to great lengths in countries around the world to destroy cultural identity. Thirdly, indigenous people have the right to live free from discrimination and to live free from the threat of genocide.” Moody discussed the educational imbalances between indigenous people who get their master’s and PhD degrees compared to other ethnicities. She also cited the institutional racism in the U.S. that allows for native people to have a 38 percent higher incarceration rate than any other ethnicity in the country. “Indigenous people were in the Americas by 1492, we were the first astronomers, geographers, physicists, doctors, botanists, on and on. We were the first on this land. Let’s acknowledge it and let’s teach it,” Moody said. “Let’s address the underlying issues of bias and oppression. When these issues are being addressed and progress made, then we really have begun to address the issues of the genocide of the land, the disappearance of language, the disappearance and erasure of our histories.” Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com.
OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR
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News / A3
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Cohen Center space dedicated to Jan and Rick Cohen GRACE BROWN
Equinox Staff On Sunday, October 20, Keene State College President Melinda Treadwell and other faculty spoke at a dedication ceremony for the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, located in the Mason Library. The center is dedicated to Jan and Rick Cohen because of their support for the Holocaust and Genocide Studies program. “The Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies was established in 1983. It is one of the oldest Holocaust research centers in the United States, and still one of the only baccalaureate programs, that specalizes it,” said Treadwell. In 2009 the program of Holocaust and Genocide Studies was established as an undergraduate major. Ten years later, 60 students are enrolled in the major, and over 40 students have declared it as a minor. Keene State is the only college in the nation that has the Holocaust and Genocide major. There are many people from across the world who help students learn about the program and the topics it covers. Over 300 institutions and people throughout the region, state and the nation have joined hands with Keene State in supporting the Cohen Center. While the Holocaust and Genocide Studies program has different classes that teach
about the different genocides around the world, the Holocaust being a major topic, it also addresses other nationalities, races and ethnicities. As Chuck Vildebrant said, “This is not a Jewish issue. This is a human issue.” Holocaust and Genocide Studies professor Dr. Ashley Green was asked while she was applying for her position for the program, “What does the ‘and’ mean in the name?” She answered to the audience at the ceremony that it’s about “confronting the difficult truths” and “understanding human consequences.” “The Center and the HGS program build upon the college’s strategic vision and our commitment to preventing atrocities like the Holocaust,” Treadwell said. “I am confident that the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies will continue to make a difference at Keene State.” Grace Brown can be contacted at gbrown@kscequinox.com.
SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR
Jan Cohen speaking at the dedication event in the Cohen Center of the Mason Library. The event was held on Sunday, October 20, and featured several speakers and two mini-lectures.
Interested in writing for news? Contact:
NEWS EDITOR RACHEL VITELLO (781)812-7461
STUDENT ASSEMBLY JACK HANSON
BuSinESS ManagEr
Student Government is hosting Pumpkin Lobotomy this Friday, October 25 on the Fiske Quad from 12 to 4:00 p.m. For courtesies, the Social Activities Council (SAC) will be hosting Hooties Nocturnal Knockout this Friday, October 25 from 7:15 to 9:00 p.m. in the Spaulding Gymnasium. WKNH is hosting their first Rock in the NOC event this year on Friday, October 25 from 7 to 10:00 p.m in the Night Owl Cafe (NOC). The class of 2022 is having a fundraiser at Chipotle in Keene from 4 to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 26. Saturday, October 26, Delta Phi Epsilon is hosting Deepher Dude in the Mabel Brown Room at 10 a.m. Admission is $2 and $1 for anyone with organization apparel. All proceeds benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The NOC is currently hiring for anyone with work study eligibility. To apply or for more information, contact Britany Gallagher at Britany.Gallagher@keene.edu. Student Assembly meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Mountain View Room. Jack Hanson can be contacted at jhanson@kscequinox.com
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Campus Safety Press Log 10/14 Medical- non-emergency 10/14 911 / Blue light activation 10/14 Suspicious person 10/15 911 / Blue light activation 10/15 Controlled drug act violation 10/15 Parking violation- Fire land/ roadway/restricted 10/16 Destruction of property 10/16 Suspicious person 10/16 Banned person 10/16 Medical- non-emergency 10/16 Odor of drugs 10/17 Odor of smoke, gas, other 10/17 False identification- possession of 10/17 Motor vehicle collision 10/17 Suspicious person 10/17 Intoxicated/incapacitated subject 10/17 Theft- bicycles 10/17 Alcohol violation- KSC policy 10/18 Suspicious activity 10/18 Suspicious person 10/19 Fire alarm- no fire 10/19 Odor of drugs 10/19 Alcohol violation- KSC policy 10/20 Public urination 10/20 Intoxicated/incapacitated subject 10/20 Odor of drugs
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OPINIONS
Opinions / A4
Thursday, October 24, 2019
KSCEQUINOX.COM
EDITORIAL
Not just a Holiday This year, Keene decided to join thousands of states, cities and universities in changing the holiday formerly known as Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. This action was spearheaded by two students Jeniffer Afualo-Robinson and Jedidiah Crook and it certainly was not a small feat. On Monday, October 14, a council made up of professors from both Keene State College and Franklin Pierce University met with the students. Ultimately, Keene mayor Kendall Lane was the one who read the proclamation of the City of Keene that recognized Indigenous People’s Day. While this is certainly a step in the right direction, this proclamation only recognized the change for this year. Next year will be its own challenge and there are many more steps that need to be taken to fully acknowledge indigenous people. The first step to fully acknowledging these people is recognizing that these atrocities did not just end over a hundred years ago, but continue to this day in the form of systemic racism. An example of this is the forced removal of indigenous children from parents that most of the time, did nothing wrong. These children would either be taken to foster homes where they were abused a lot of the time or boarding schools where their culture was taken away and they were forced to assimilate to white culture. While this is not as prominent now as it was during the last century, indigenous children are still much more likely to end up in foster care than other children Another thing that people should know is that many indigenous people still fight for the land that was rightfully theirs in the first place. They have filed lawsuits and tried to fight this legally but unfortunately, they keep getting shut down by our court systems. While we are all very happy with Keene State’s decision to recognize Indigenous People’s Day rather than Columbus, the injustices indigenous people faced should not be remembered for just one day. The Equinox believes the next step is for schools to start educating students about the history of indigenous people. Rather than teaching us about how Columbus discovered America, students should be taught about the indigenous people that were living there prior to Columbus. While we are not saying to completely stop teaching about Columbus in school’s, we think that the curriculum should also highlight indigenous people and the genocide Columbus forced upon them. There is an argument that children are too young to learn about all the horrible things Columbus did to the indigenous people. However, in elementary and middle school children learn about the holocaust and the 9/11 attacks. This is American history and it’s important to have all the facts. We also hope that if Indigenous People’s Day is to replace Columbus day fully, that it be treated with the same respect that Columbus day is. If students are given the day off for Columbus Day to reflect on our history, then we should do the same for Indigenous People’s Day. This would give many people the opportunity to not only reflect on the positives of our country, but also its imperfections.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
An unrecognized people DEAR EDITOR:
Four Palestinian students, three musicians and two adults invite KSC students to their presentation at the Keene Unitarian Church, 69 Washington St., Saturday Oct. 26 at 1:30 p.m. Many KSC students face challenges in obtaining an education, but they are free from many of the restrictions applied to Palestinian students. The terrible Holocaust European Jews suffered in World War II was a major factor in establishing Israel as a nation, but a satisfactory arrangement with the native Palestinians was never worked out and the life of Palestinians is generally ignored. With an attitude of love and kindness, these visitors want you to hear their story. They do so with talk and music and with a view to peacefully achieve their own equality. You are also invited to a reception for the guests at 1:00 p.m. in the Alliance Room at the church. Sincerely James G. Smart Professor Emeritus, KSC Author of Striving (a history of KSC 1909-84)
PUJA THAPA/ ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR
STAFF COMMENTARY
Mental breaks during the school year
A student shares her thoughts on the importance of mental health SLESHA TULADHAR
Equinox Staff Mental health is as important as physical health because it determines the way you feel, act, behave and think. Mental health also affects a lot in your decision-making process. Since the brain is an integral part of the human body, it is very important for us to keep it healthy. In college, however, it seems more difficult to take care of all these things (academics, social life, friendships, health, etc.) at once. Sometimes we feel like we are drained of energy even though we haven’t done much in a day. When this happens it becomes apparent that our brain needs a little break. A mental breakdown does not happen instantly. Several things pile up to a point where the stress becomes unbearable and we have a mental breakdown. Being human, it is nearly impossible to not stress, but the goal is to be aware before things pile up. When a person does not have a stable mental state, we can often see its effect on their sleep. They tend to sleep and eat too much or too little. A
THE EQUINOX
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person experiencing a mental breakdown may feel hopeless at times, tend to push people and things they like to do away, may hear voices that do not exist, overthink, indulge in drug use, smoking, etc. and often think about harming themselves or others. If any individual is going through this, they should get help because this is curable and it is never too late to ask for help. At times staying positive is very hard and it seems impossible, but for people experiencing a mental breakdown staying positive may help a lot. Having a positive outlook on life makes a person ready to take on any challenge life brings to them. Also, one should try to participate in productive activities because an empty mind is the workshop of the devil. Getting enough sleep is also very important because the human body needs at least eight hours of sleep to function properly. Getting involved in the community may also help us meet new people, be productive and have someone to talk to about what is going on in your life. Several clubs on campus are working for mental health, like active minds and Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP). Anybody can join these clubs and participate in the activities they do. The Wellness Center at Elliot
Center is also always there with arms wide open for students regarding counseling. We can always talk to our friends and close ones about how we are feeling as well. The Wellness Center at our college and Live Well KSC also come up with several activities, programs and co-curricular activities to promote mental health. For me, travelling has helped a lot in escaping the stressful mind at times. Whenever I feel like I am stressed or experiencing a mental breakdown, I leave whatever I am doing and go for a walk or to the gym. Likewise, I make sure that on weekends I at least travel and go to a new place. I am taking a class on Fridays called outdoor recreational experience in northern New England and it has helped me a lot to cope with the stress of the week. Another thing that I rely on when I am feeling down or sad is art. So, when we are down, we should try to invest time in being productive and busy. Slesha Tuladhar can be contacted atstuladhar@kscequinox.com.
EQUINOX NEWSROOM
EDITORIAL POLICY
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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 358-2414. The Equinox business office is open MondayFriday from 11 am to 1:30 pm.
Rodger Martin, Journalism faculty (rmartin@kscequinox.com ) Julio Del Sesto, Journalism faculty (jdelsesto@keene.edu)
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Opinions / A5
Thursday, October 24, 2019
STAFF COMMENTARY
The AB will be replaced ERIN MCNEMAR
Managing ExEcutivE Editor When I think about graduating in May, I’m filled with both feelings of excitement and terror. While I can’t wait to move on with my life and have a job in a field that I love, I’m also scared of the possibility that I might not be able to find a job. Some of my fears are more rational than others, but I think my most irrational one is the fear of potential employers looking at my transcript and thinking, “What the heck is an AB?” When I first came to Keene State College back in 2017, I had no idea that we had a different grading system from the typical one I grew up with. Many of us switched from the traditional A, A-, B system to Keene State’s A, AB, B system when we began college here. Last year, students were informed the grading system would be updated to the classic scale, which would go into effect in the fall of 2019. However, according to a previous Equinox article,
the transition to this new system has been delayed for another two years and will not be going into effect until fall of 2021. During my first year, I didn’t really think much about the difference between the two grading scales. However, during my sophomore year when I heard the college was looking into changing the system, I learned just how much Keene State’s current scale can affect students’ GPAs. The current Keene State scale is A (4.0) to AB (3.5) to B (3.0). By switching to the more commonly used scale, the system would be A (4.0) to A- (3.67) to B+ (3.33), and B (3.0). Changing the grading scale would have a positive impact on students who would have earned, for example, an A- in a class but instead earned an AB. Personally, I’m frustrated by the two year delay in the change of the grading scale. The only students who will be able to reap the benefits of this switch are current first-years, sophomores and future classes. While this change would have only affected me for
one year, it would have given me the opportunity to improve my GPA before graduating and applying for jobs. I also believe the current grading system does not accurately portray how hard students work. A student could work extremely hard in a class and earn a 90 percent at the end of the semester. While typically that would be seen as an A-, at Keene State a 90 percent will get you an AB. Even though the student earned an A, they have to have the B tacked onto their transcript. While I’m disappointed that I will not be able to see the benefits of this new grading system, I’m glad that future students will have the opportunity. Keene State students work hard every day and definitely deserve accurate GPAs to reflect that. I just hope the installation of the A, A-, B system will not be delayed again. Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcnemar@kscequinox.com
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STAFF COMMENTARY
You consume the wine you pay the fine ANDREW CHASE
Equinox Staff On Monday, September 30, the 2019 Annual Security Report was sent to all Keene State students’ emails. Within this report, there was an assortment of different crime statistics over the past three years. These statistics include arson, offenses, theft, drug and alcohol violations, etc. The number of disciplinary referrals for drug-related violations on campus was 279 in 2016, 285 in 2017 and 161 in 2018. The number of disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations on campus was 573 in 2016, 405 in 2017, and 377 in 2018. There were four accounts of aggravated assault, 10 accounts of burglary, one account of stalking and three accounts of dating violence all in 2018. There have been no accounts of arson, homicide, motor vehicle theft, domestic violence and statutory rape within the past three years. The accounts of sex offenses that were about fondling and rape were the most concerning increasing statistic. I am fairly confident that the reason why the number of disciplinary referrals for liquor law violations on campus is so high is because drinking and partying is just what many people would consider to be the norm in college. Many people refer to Keene State as a “party school.” While these people are not completely wrong, there are still plenty of things to do that do not involve partying. I believe that Keene State’s reputation as a party school comes from the fact that the school is very small compared to other places such as
the University Of New Hampshire. Since Keene State is very small in comparison to UNH, many people just take a quick look at the number of people partying and think that the entire campus must party, since there are a lot of people partying. The fact of the matter is that not everyone who goes to Keene State College parties every weekend. So why should the entire college be labeled as a “party school”? In my opinion, any minor who has been caught with a blood alcohol concentration of .02 or higher should have to pay a more expensive fine. Currently, in New Hampshire, any minor who has been caught with a blood alcohol concentration of .02 or higher for the first time has to pay a fine of at least $300. For a second time offense, the fine will be at least $600. I believe that a first offense fine should be around $500 to $750. I also think that anyone who purchases alcohol and has the intent to give it to a minor should have to pay a fine of at least $2,000. I believe that both of these options would be more effective solutions to combat underage drinking because they punish both the supplier and seller more drastically. I hope that this will show that even though everyone else is doing it, it still doesn’t make it okay to break the law. Andrew Chase can be contacted at achase@kscequinox.com
-OLIVIA CATTABRIGA/ ART DIRECTOR
STAFF COMMENTARY
Something seriously wrong in Hong Kong KATIE JENSEN
Equinox Staff Earlier this year, Keene State College’s free speech policy challenged conservative USA Turning Point activists when they were told to “pack up and head on out,” by campus safety officers for expressing their right to free speech outside the designated “free speech area.” Last year, the Foundation of Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) changed Keene State College’s free speech policy from a “red light” to a “green light,” but expressed reservations on the fact that there was a “free speech area” on campus. These areas are set up so activists may express themselves at the right time, place, and manner to prevent any hazardous situations from occurring, such as blocking roadways or fire exits. However, a video of the occurrence featured on Breitbart News shows that the activists had set up a table on Appian Way where hardly any students are seen walking by and no roadblocks can occur. The campus safety officer also informed the activists that they need to get permission from the school before setting up a table in the “free speech area.” The article by FIRE goes on to state, “There is nothing ‘reasonable’ about most free speech zones,” that requires students to request permission in advance to use the free speech area for a limited amount of time on a “little patch of green.” It seems the college is conforming to a new interpretation of free speech that requires individuals to get permission from their superiors, either their employer or the organizations they are associated with, before they speak out. This means that people are seen as part of a collective before they are seen as individuals. The new set of regulations encroaching on college campuses and other national organizations -- such as the NBA -- suggest that people should think about the consequences of speaking out, because they could face penalties from the groups and organizations they are a part of. What these organizations and institutions do not understand is that expressing controversial opinions is messy and will most likely incite negative emotions among other people. It is up to those people to react in an appropriate manner, whether they feel personally offended or not. Otherwise, those who try to suppress controversial opinions from being heard will face double the amount of public scrutiny. Recently, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has faced public scrutiny for censoring its employees and purportedly siding with communist country of China as it tries to squelch the protests occurring in Hong Kong. In doing so, the NBA has proven they are more concerned with making money than honoring their employees right to free speech and sympathizing with the people of Hong Kong. In October, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey tweeted “Fight for freedom. Stand with Hong Kong,” and received fierce backlash from the NBA and its star players, including LeBron James who stated Morey was “misinformed” and ‘’uneducated” while he was at a press conference on October 14. However, Lebron James refused to comment on the political situation
between Hong Kong and China, proving that he is either being censored police force, but their government leaders have refused. The New York by the NBA or is even more uneducated on the topic. Therefore, I will give Times reported, “The mass demonstration was one of the largest in the a brief overview of the political crisis occurring in Hong Kong, so readers city’s history and a stunning display of rising fear and anger over the erowill not be accused of sharing their “uneducated” opinions. sion of the civil liberties that have long set this former British colony apart First, one must understand there has been a longstanding conflict from the rest of the country.” between China and its semi-autonomous province Hong Kong for decades However, the violence shown by authorities has only spurred more now. Hong Kong was formerly a British Colony until 1997 when it was violence on both sides, proving that the use of force does nothing to quell politically reunited with China under a policy known as “one country; the self-determination of the people. Instead, the police force and protestwo systems.” Essentially, this policy allows Hong Kong to govern autono- tors have unleashed total chaos. Since June 12, the New York Times and mously with its own constitution, laws, police force and political system other media sources reported that police have been using water cannons, that was set to remain in place until 2047. tear gas, rubber bullets and brutal arrests to suppress the protestors. In Over time, the economic and political semi-autonomy of Hong Kong one case, a police officer fired a live round into the chest of a protestor. In has become embedded within its culture. Data from the Council on response, a minority of protestors have acted violently by throwing bricks Foreign Relations shows that an increasing number of residents refer to and Molotov cocktails at police officers. In October, the NYT reported that themselves as ‘Hong Kongers,’ while the number of those who identify a homemade bomb detonated as a police vehicle passed in Mong Kok disthemselves as “Chinese in Hong Kong” have dropped. This change in trict of Kowloon. No one was hurt, but no one has taken responsibility for ethnic identity conveys the population’s preference toward seeking indethe bomb. pendence. The situation has become much more controversial now that protestors Furthermore, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, Basic Law, reflects the are fighting back; however, that is not the reason the NBA has censored its ideals of a limited democracy, whereas Mainland China is communist and employees from talking about it. It is purely a money issue. ruled by a single party. Hong Kong embraces capitalism and free elecAlthough Daryl Morey’s tweet was deleted, Bloomberg reported that tions within its constitution, whereas China embraces socialism and limthe NBA lost almost all of its Chinese sponsors, which is the league’s ited speech. The 2019 Index of Economic Freedom indicates Hong Kong biggest market outside of the U.S. In addition, two of the Nets vs. Laker has the world’s freest economy with a freedom score of 90.2. To put that games were not aired in China on television or on the internet. Therefore, into perspective, the United States is ranked 12th with a score of 76.8 and for the sake of the NBA’s partnership with China, they demanded employChina is ranked 100th with a score of 58.6. ees keep a tight lip on the events occurring in Hong Kong. Since the handover of 1997, the people of Hong Kong have been resentNevertheless, it is wrong for the NBA to prohibit its employees from ful of China’s meddling in their political system. The People’s Republic of expressing their opinions. After all, they are still individuals who have China United Front Strategy is a legitimate coordinated effort directed by the freedom to express their opinions outside of work, without it affecting the Chinese communist government to attain greater control over Hong their professional lives. Kong and has been around since the 1980s, according to the Foreign Policy Furthermore, Daryl Morey’s statement “Fight for freedom. Stand with Research Institute. Hong Kong” should not be considered controversial, especially since the Their research details the PRC’s three-point strategy that includes United States acknowledges the right of self-determination within the increasing self-censorship in Hong Kong’s media, instituting a moral and Charter of the United Nations. Article 1 of the UN Charter states, “All national education system that praises communism and nationalist idepeoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they ology and imposing Mandarin as Hong Kong’s mother language, even freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, though a majority of Hong Kongers speak Cantenese. social and cultural development.” The people of Hong Kong are exercising The current protests happening in Hong Kong pertain to a controvertheir right to fight for independence, the same way many other countries sial bill that would have allowed people accused of crimes to be extrahave exercised that right, including the United States during the Ameridited to mainland China, where courts are controlled by the communist can Revolution. party. The New York Times reported that critics fear “the bill would allow According to the Washington Post, NBA fans in Hong Kong are now Beijing to target dissidents in Hong Kong with phony charges, exposing burning LeBron James jerseys. One protestor reportedly addressed the activists to China’s opaque legal system.” The organizers of the protest crowd by stating, “Please remember, all NBA players, what you said stated that more than one million people participated in the peaceful before: ‘Black lives matter.’ Hong Kong lives also matter!” march. Their longstanding conflict came to a head on June 12 when police offiKatie Jensen can be contacted at kjensen@kscequinox.com cers used pepper spray, batons and 150 canisters of tear gas to disperse thousands of protestors, including elderly people and children, as they peacefully marched through the streets. This Tiananmen-style crackdown outraged protestors who demanded there be an investigation of the
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / A6
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Seeing these tricks is a treat When you bring people on stage, you put them in situations that are funny and then they laugh at the situation. The comedy is never directed at the person; I am never making fun of them. It’s always about the situation that we are in. - Farrell Dillon
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The environment at the Night Owl Cafe on Saturday evening was magical when magician Farrell Dillon performed. A crowd of more than 30 people attended the show, including students, parents and family of the students. According to his website, Dillon is known for his regular appearances on six seasons of the CW Network's “Masters of Illusion.” The show started with some hand magic tricks. The magic tricks included the rope trick, the signed card trick, dollar bill magic trick, egg trick, sponge ball magic trick and so on. According to Dillon, “There is something I like about all the tricks I do, otherwise, I wouldn’t do those tricks; so I like everything in my show for one reason or another.” Keene State College (KSC) first-year Kristin Berry was one of the audience members in attendance. “I think it [the show] was really interesting. I loved how he like got everyone involved like [it] didn’t matter their age,” she said. The show was interactive, as audience members were called up on the stage. Billy Delaney was one of them, visiting his daughter Anna Delaney for parents/amily weekend. He said that his favorite act was the last act where Dillon escaped from a straight-jacket. Dillon said, “When you bring people on stage, you put them in situations that are funny and then they laugh at the situation. the comedy is never directed at the person; I am never making fun of them. It’s always about the situation that we are in.”
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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Magician Farrell Dillon performed at the Night Owl Cafe PUJA THAPA
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ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR
The magic behind Kenny Beats' The Cave OL
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STAFF COMMENTARY
This was a free event organized by the Social Activities Council. The entertainment coordinator of the SAC, Ian McNeil, said it was a good price, a great guy and a great act. “It is fulfilling to finally see it come flourishing like we were planning, planning this since the end of May, I think. I think it’s pretty neat to see it happen. It’s pretty cool to have something for families to do when they come visit [their] kid,” McNeil said. It was McNeil’s second event he had put up so far through SAC. “I think it’s really amazing how they are able to get these types of people to come and perform for us, especially on really big weekends like parents weekends,''said Berry. “I think they really put a lot of thought into that. It doesn’t really matter how much money it costs, they just want the students to be able to have a [good time].” According to his website, Dillon combines hilarious comedy and mindmelting magic in a modern style. “When I first started I was really serious and I would do fire and whatever, and one of my friends was like ‘Why do you do magic like that? It’s not like who you are when we hang out [...] you’re super funny,’ and I never thought about it,” said Dillon. “So, I started adding comedy to the magic just like the way I would do it when my friends were around. And it was a night and day difference the way people reacted to it.” Berry said, “I just wish it had lasted longer.” Dillon said that he was just looking to have as good of a time as the audience had. “So, that’s what we did tonight.” Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com
Equinox Music Choices
Smino - Klink
Art pop-up festival
Imagine this: a pantsless comedian dances, bobbing up and down with his left hand firmly on the mic and his right in the air as a producer looks into the booth in horror. Only something like this viral moment would happen to EDM (electronic dance music) turned hip-hop producer Kenny Beats. This happened on Beats’ own collaborative show with the group Don’t Over Think S*** known as The Cave. After a strong first season growing its cult fanbase, Kenny begins his second season of the show Friday, October 18, with Danny Brown. I think the thing that makes The Cave such a special show is that you get to see a different side of an artist when they’re making music, which is usually a private thing when being recorded. By creating a show where the beat-making and banter is so heavily documented, I believe it could influence others to try their hand at writing music or beat-making. When it comes down to it, as an avid hip-hop fan myself, I really enjoyed watching and waiting to see who was coming on the show every Friday. I just can’t wait to watch what season two has in store for other fans of the show. Kenneth Charles Blume III (aka Kenny Beats) is a Connecticut native born on May 10, 1991. He first attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston, which led him to an uncredited internship with record label Cinematic Music Group. This internship allowed him to get his feet in the water producing for current-day hard hitters from the label TDE (Top Dawg Entertainment), such as Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul. All of that hard work made him an upcoming producer for the rap scene. His most notable collaborative works to date are Vince Staples’ “FM!”, Rico Nasty’s “Anger Management,” and KEY!’s “777.” After these releases he became the sought-after producer he is now in the hip-hop realm. The Cave was created earlier this year. The show’s first episode debuted on March 1, 2019, with guest JPEGMAFIA. The show’s format begins with Kenny bringing on a different rap artist each episode (such as Freddie Gibbs, Rico Nasty and Lil Yatchy, to name a few) and having them step up to the mic to deliver a 16 to 32 bar freestyle or verse. The artist raps over a custom instrumental, tailored to whatever they want, that Kenny would make within 10 mins of their wish. In episode six Crip/Rapper Vince Staples said, “I want something toxic, some 808s, no heartbreak at all, black-on-everything crime.” Somehow, Kenny pulled through with mechanical trap high hats, prominent bells and subtle darkened yells. Even after Staples and his girlfriend flashed gang signs throughout the entire video and poked fun at Kenny, this interaction garnered laughs on both sides. When talking about this show, I can’t mention laughs without mentioning the biggest episode and song to come out of the first season. What I am referring to is episode five with comedian and (barely) rapper Zach Fox, who made it his mission to make everyone slightly uncomfortable as he put Kenny through a series of antics. This is something I believe you need to watch for yourself. However, for a glimpse into the episode, Fox, with his pants around his ankles and wearing a 90’s jacket, a top hat and sunglasses confidently rapped, “I'ma dip my balls into some Thousand Island dressin', 'Cause I got depression.” After this hot mess of an episode was released, it got over 3.7 million views. Due to the virality of Fox’s and Kenny’s interaction, they turned Fox’s freestyle into a fully-fledged song. To show that they weren’t making a joke out of mental illness they donated one-fourth of the song’s proceeds to the LGBT charity The Trevor Project (though posts have been removed at the time this was written). Joseph Guzman can be reached at jguzman@kscequinox.com
Need MORE music?
This week'S PLAYLIST: Daily dose of pop
JOSEPH GUZMAN / ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
The Art Pop-Up festival was held on Saturday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and featured games and activities for kids and families to participate in on Railroad Square.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / A7
Thursday, October 24, 2019
The untold story of Otto
Otto Frank is the father of Anne Frank and his story was brought to life CLAIRE BOUGHTON
sEniOr spOrts rEpOrtEr Everyone has heard the story of Anne Frank: A young Jewish girl in hiding with her family for two years in the attic of a friend’s house during the Holocaust. She kept a diary for the entirety of her stay in that attic, writing about the day-to-day experiences. However, not many people have heard the story of Otto Frank, her father. He had been the one who had gifted Anne her diary for her thirteenth birthday. Otto Frank was also the lone survivor of the Frank family after the Holocaust ended. On October 17 in the Main Theatre of the Redfern Arts Center, his story was told. Roger Guenveur Smith and Marc Anthony Thompson, in collaboration with the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Keene State College Sidore Lecture Series, birthed the one-man performance by the simple name of “Otto Frank.” In this performance, Smith, the lone performer, sat at a table with nothing but a microphone in front of his face and a dull spotlight
shining down on him. Smith, playing the role of Otto Frank, spoke about his memories before the Holocaust when his family was all still alive and how he felt now as the only remaining Frank. He discussed the hatred he sees in the world to this day. He spoke about the loss he felt without his family, the pain he still suffers when thinking about it. However, some of the most powerful moments in the performance where when there was nothing being said at all. “We come to the theatre hopefully to have our emotions challenged,” said Smith during the post-show talk back. “We do that with sound… [and] words… but in large measure we do it with silence and this piece is very much driven by silence… the silence of loss, the silence of absence, the silence of collusion.” Alongside Smith speaking, throughout the performance there was occasional music added in. The performance began with an ice-cream truck rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to represent the fateful day that Otto gave his daughter, Anne, her diary as a birthday present. The performance was sound directed by Marc Anthony Thompson, who has worked with Smith for 25 years. “For this particular play, I just thought really staying out of the way of the beauty of the language and not trying to really underscore it,”
Thompson explained when asked about the musical choices he made in the performance. The performance, though only being just under an hour, managed to capture the audience's attention through their heart strings. “I had never seen a show like that before,” said Millie Richard, a sophomore at Keene State. “[My favorite part] was probably the end, it was a very emotional ending so it kind of just left me hanging there.” The performance ended with Smith crying out his daughter Anne’s name while the dull spotlight faded to black. Smith received a standing ovation from the audience once he returned to the stage for final bows. Claire Boughton can be contacted at cboughton@kscequinox.com
SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR
Acclaimed actor Roger Guenveur Smith (Right) and sound director Marc Anthony Thompson (Left) after performing Thursday night on legacy of Otto Frank in collaboration with the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.
The impact a film can have
Educational Director Mishy Lesser led the discussion afterwards OpiniOns EditOr Sometimes a film has a lot to say about what is happening in our world. That is the case with “Dawnland,” as it tackles many issues our society is facing today. “Dawnland” is an Emmy Award- winning documentary (for Outstanding Research) about the forced removal of Native American children from their homes into boarding schools throughout the 20th century. The film follows the (then-called) Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) as they work on a report over the course of two years to prove that this, in fact, is and has been a problem. The film takes place in Maine as the TRC travels to various Native American tribes to hear their stories. “Dawnland” is certainly not for the faint of heart as countless stories are told by victims of forced removals. The victims also talk about how this created a loss of identity throughout their lives that impacted personal relationships and caused them to turn to drug use. The screening also included an appearance from Upstander Project Learning Ddirector Mishy Lesser. According to Lesser, the film was an idea that came to her after she heard a piece from Maine Public Broadcasting about the TRC. She said she created the research guide for teachers to allow them to make our whole society more knowledgeable about indigenous people.
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Lesser stressed that this is a problem that everybody should care about. “If we don’t care enough, our society will continue to crumble,” said Lesser. She also made sure that all students know that this issue is more pressing than ever due to the Indian Child Welfare Act currently in danger of being deemed unconstitutional. She also said she learned a lot from working on the film. “One of the many things I learned is that I need to appreciate the complexity of the topic and all the different perspectives,” said Lesser. Audience member Collin Coviello also appreciated the different perspectives. “I thought it offered a lot of interesting perspectives about the intersectionality of people who are mixed race and being forced into white families. I think it also talks a lot about erasure, which is obviously something that isn’t talked about much in our culture,” said Coviello. Coviello also added that he thought this was an important movie not just for indigenous people. “It was really nice to have a space where some white people can talk about what we can do better and what we’ve done wrong or what our ancestors have done wrong,” said Coviello. Another audience member senior film production and Holocaust and genocide studies major Jack Kelleher liked how the film went with his class discussing indigenous people. “It was interesting to learn a bit
more about the topic and see what is really happening to people all around our country,” said Kelleher. The next showing of “Dawnland” will be held on Monday, October 28 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Brava Theatre in San Francisco, California. The film is not yet available for individual sale, but https://dawnland.org/ buy/ encourages people to get their school or any organization they’re a part of to buy the film. The teacher’s guide by Mishy Lesser is also available at https://dawnland.org/ teachers-guide/ . Cristian Valentin can be contacted at cvalentin@kscequinox.com
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One of the many things I learned is that I need to appreciate the complexity of the topic and all the different perspectives, - Mishy Lesser
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A&E / A8
Thursday, October 24, 2019
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Popping into the Thorne
Two new exhibits were introduced at the Thorne Art Museum KATHRYN SPADAFORA
Equinox Staff The Thorne Art Gallery at Keene State College welcomed two new exhibitions to their gallery. The event—which ran from 4 to 7 pm. on Thursday, October 17—featured “Tall Tales,” a mixed-media installation by John Rasimus, and “Spin Me Round,” a ceramics exhibition. Artists featured in “Spin Me Round” included, Emily Murphy, Autumn Cipala, Todd Wahlstrom, as well as 10 other creators. “‘Spin Me Round’ is a ceramic show in which all the artists use the potter’s wheel as a starting point for making their work,” stated Paul McMullan, faculty coordinator of the event. “There is a wide range of approaches to making ceramics in this exhibition. All of the artists in the show have some connection to New England. ‘Tall Tales’ is by Swedish artist John Rasimus. John flew in from Falun, Sweden to put up his printmaking installation… His prints are full of fun images and tons of color. The Swedish Arts Council helps fund this exhibition.” At 4 p.m., the evening began with John Rasimus presenting his mixed-media installation “Tall Tales.” Attendees were then able to talk with Rasimus and ask him questions throughout the event. Set up in the gallery was the “Spin Me Round” ceramics display, through which attendees could walk at their leisure. This exhibit showcased a variety of pottery from 13 different artists—all of whom share a connection with New England. One of these artists, Emily Murphy, comes from Keene herself and got her beginnings in ceramics at summer camps hosted by the Keene State College Ceramics Department. “The show is the vision of Paul McMullan,” said Murphy, when asked about the process of creating art for the exhibition. “He brought together a group of artists from all over to exhibit together. Although the individual artists were not working together when making the work for the show, we had faith that Paul had a vision of how the work would fit together… My work is handcrafted porcelain. It is thrown on a potter’s wheel and decorated and impressed by hand. I love the idea of creating pieces that will be part of a family’s traditions—whether it is a cake stand for a birthday party or a mug for the daily ritual of your morning coffee,” said Murphy. Murphy also discussed her personal connection to the Thorne Art Gallery, stating, “There is something special about exhibiting my work here at the ThorneSagendorph Art Gallery at KSC. I have been to many exhibits there over the years.” At the end of the evening was a reception in the lobby, at which food and beverages were provided. This gave guests an opportunity to socialize both among one another and with the artists. Both students and community members showed up to view the opening of the new exhibits—and students working at the Thorne Art Gallery noticed the influx of turnout. “According to the records, 123 people showed up!” exclaimed Melody Crist, a sophomore who works at the Thorne and attended the event. “The Thorne-Sagendorph Gallery is looking to be a bigger part of the Keene State College student experience. It’s an amazing space with tons to offer.” —-Paul McMullan, Public Programs and Educational Outreach Coordinator at the Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery. “Spin Me Round” and “Tall Tales” will remain open at the Thorne Art Gallery until December 11, 2019. Kathryn Spadafora can be contacted at kspadafora@kscequinox.com
JOSEPH GUZMAN / ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
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» FOOD PANTRY B2
STUDENT LIFE
Student Life, B1
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Fighting against sexual violence
» ALTERNATIVE BREAK B3
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STAFF COMMENTARY
Pumpkin Festival part of upcoming KSC fall events DENISE RONAN
EquinOx staff
BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR
On Wednesday October 16, Keene State students participated in the annual ‘Take Back the Night’ event. The event was held to raise awareness against sexual violence. Students marched through multiple streets of Keene hoping to spread awareness of the issue to the community.
Students participated in the annual ‘Take Back the Night’ event on Wednesday CRISTIAN VALENTIN
OpiniOns EditOr Have you ever let some rain stop you from doing something? Well, the Take Back the Night marchers surely didn’t on Wednesday night. Take Back the Night is a march with the goal of not only raising awareness for sexual violence but also eventually ending it once and for all. This is run by the organization of the same name that plans walks like these all over the country. -Faculty, students and other organizations alike came together to help make this event possible and support the cause. One sponsor of this event includes fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE). TKE President Christopher Hamilton said this event means everything to him. “We’ve always been a big supporter of making sure women feel safe and comfortable, and not just women but people in general. I know especially in a college campus culture, sometimes that safety is taken away and we want to do everything we can to make sure people feel safe,” said Hamilton. The Sexual Assault and Violence Educa-
tion Committee (SAVE) also played a key role in putting this event together. Two members, senior Rachel Barnard and sophomore Emma Manderville, said they planned this event as well as others like it to raise awareness around campus. Barnard said she enjoys being able to help people feel safe wherever they may be. “I think it’s important because, especially on a college campus, it’s very common that you see or hear people who have an experience where they’re walking home at night and haven’t felt safe or something has happened to them; so I think it’s super important to empower people and know that we can walk on the streets in our community,” said Barnard. Manderville also said it was a good way to open people up to taking part in something that is greater than themselves. “From an activism standpoint, I find it really empowering coming in as a freshman last year and finding out what it means to be a little more active on campus of different opinions and figure out what’s going on. So, I find it is a really cool event to try out activism and see if it’s for you,” said Manderville This event is also very important to
the walkers. “This event means a lot to me because I have friends who were sexually assaulted... it’s not a very good experience to have because, at the end of the day, everybody should have the same respect for each other,” said sophomore graphic design and theatre acting major Justine Ann Sanchez. The event was not just a walk, however; it also had award-winning slam poet Paul Tran present four poems talking about their life being a survivor as well as their relationships with other survivors. Tran said it was an honor speaking for the Keene students. “To be here and see all the people in the room with their signs, ready to march, ready to take back this night that I know somebody like me could never get back does feel like I get it back in some way. If not that night, then every night going forward,” said Tran. Tran also mentioned the role of loved ones in helping survivors. “One thing that has saved my life is the community of people who I love and love me, teach me how to love better, love differently and who accept me as I am, who have pledged to be there no matter what happens and to figure it out with me as I go along. So, if I could advise anything,
it would be to know who those people are,” added Tran. The marching route began at Blake Street, went down Main Street and ended on Appian Way. While participants marched, they had five different chants to show that they were marching for a cause: “Survivors Unite! Take Back The Night!”; “Rape and incest we say no, sexual assault has got to go!”; “However we dress, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no!”; “We are here, we are strong, violence against us has lived too long!”; and “Claim our bodies, claim our rights; take a stand, Take Back the Night!” Take Back the Night sign making began in the Student Center Wednesday, October 16, at 6:30 p.m. with the march beginning around 7:30 p.m. Cristian Valentin can be contacted at cvalentin@kscequinox.com
Landlords discussed off-campus housing with students at fair CONNOR CRAWFORD
studEnt LifE EditOr Interested in living off-campus but have many unanswered questions? On Thursday, October 17, Robin Picard, coordinator of student and Community Relations, put on a housing fair in the Student Center for students to talk to and ask landlords any questions they may have about living off-campus. A property manager for Wright Rent, Regina Wright, explained the importance of landlords coming to Keene State to speak to students about off-campus housing. “I think that it is important to get to connect with the people that might manage your property,” said Wright. “Getting a feel for why someone is doing the job is also important. It’s nice to meet new people so that [students] can decide ‘can I talk to this lady, or not?’” Wright continued. “There are a lot of horror stories from the past. You have to be transparent and you have to tell [students] what is going on and how to do things,” Bill Devine, a local landlord representing his properties stated at the housing
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fair. Devine also spoke about the importance of landlords coming to speak with students. “My apartments are far enough out of the center of Keene, so you are not getting noisy college students banging on the doors at midnight. It’s basically real properties and real families living by. It’s great practice for the real world,” Devine continued. It is no surprise that there are many differences from the on-campus housing experience to the off-campus housing experience. Wright explained that she wants to make the transition easy and fun, and it gives you a good time to escape campus. “Our goal is to make your off-campus experience a good one,” Wright stated. “I think off-campus living gives you a good time to separate from groups and gives you time to develop your own home and quiet abode before you go into the employment field of life. It gives you a chance to learn how to live on your own, and that is a positive experience. It’s a good step.” Devine explained that living off-campus is a different step of a student’s life. “It is a different platform of their life because after graduation you are either going to be in a
single home, large apartment complex or back at home with mom and dad,” Devine stated. Money can be a major factor when students are deciding whether they want to stay on campus or move off, but Wright assures students that it is cheaper to live off-campus. “Oh yes, it is. Even if you sign a 12-month lease it is cheaper,” Wright explained. Devine gave some helpful tips to students about what to look out for when they are looking to rent a house or apartment. “Look at the pricing. How it’s worded is important as well,” Devine stated. “The hidden cost. A lot of times [students] will say ‘wow, this is great’ and a lot of times they do not realize that their electricity is a hidden and added cost. All of a sudden, they are paying 100 dollars more than they were quoted.” If you are a student and your parent wants to come look at the potential property that you are going to rent, do not fret. Wright encourages parents to come with students when they are looking at a property. “I love having parents who come with students to look at our properties,” Wright stated. “We have a lot of mature students who make
good judgments and decide on things, but they do not ask the questions that mom and dad ask about things, and we are very happy to answer those questions.” Wright went on to explain the importance of family coming with the students to the property. “It’s a comfort level for the entire family to be able to meet you and be able to look at the environment that [the student] is going to be in,” Wright explained. If you have any questions about off-campus housing or want to get in touch with a landlord, contact Robin Picard at robin. picard@keene.edu. Picard is a very helpful resource for students who are looking to live off-campus or currently live off-campus, and can answer any questions you may have about the offcampus experience. Connor Crawford can be contacted at ccrawford@kscequinox.com
Don’t Miss Out On Fall! Fall is such a wonderful and beautiful time of year and Keene has always been known for its foliage when the seasons change. An event that has been brought back, with the help and support of everyone here at Keene State, is the annual Pumpkinfest! Most people have heard a lot about the tradition that started in 1991, and some have even attended the past festivities. “It belonged to the whole community, and required everyone’s efforts to make it happen,” said Nancy Sporborg, who founded the Pumpkin Festival and ran the event for seven years. This year’s Pumpkinfest is a family-friendly event with music and dance performances, art activities and games, including pumpkin bowling, all at Central Square in downtown Keene. This will be happening Sunday, October 27 from 1 to 7 p.m., so tell your friends! Also, there will be face painting by Emily Sodder with live musical performances by Melodious Zach and Keene State College alumnus Elizabeth Munger. Most importantly, Pumpkinfest will feature nearly 3,000 Jacko-lanterns! Go to https://www. pumpkinfestival.org/ and hit the tab “carve” to sign up a few pumpkins of your own. Sign up soon; there are only room for an additional 1,000 pumpkins. The rest are from the students at local schools. Along with the famous Pumpkinfest, Keene State has even more fall events happening right on campus! To celebrate the fall and the spooky season of Halloween, Student Government will be putting on Pumpkin Lobotomy. You may have gone last year, but this Friday, October 25 at 12 to 4 p.m.,
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ADVICE COLUMN
Georgie’s school survival guide GEORGIE GENTILE
EquinOx staff Hello and welcome to the fourth issue of this advice column! I’m Georgie Gentile and I am a sophomore at Keene State College majoring in film production and English writing, as well as minoring in German. If you have a question that you want me to answer, you can email it to ggentile@kscequinox.com. This week I will keep answering questions related to some common struggles of college life. Question: How do I balance my social and academic life? Answer: I wish there was a definitive answer to this. It’s hard to stay on track with school work while being able to hang out with friends. An easy way to combine the two is to have a sort of “study night” where everyone does homework together. It’s fun, but it can be tough to stay focused (I know this from personal experience). If you have plans to hang out with people, try to get all of your work done before. Even if you need to push back everything by an hour; it will save you stress after the fact. I like to meet up with my friends at the Dining Commons during meals, so we can socialize without worrying about getting behind on anything. Question: Where can I get help updating my resume? Answer: It is good to work on your resume during the school
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Thursday, October 24, 2019
Diversity through food
Students can now taste food from different cultures after KSC opens international food pantry PUJA THAPA
AdministrAtive executive editor The Office of Multicultural Student Support and Success (OMSSS) at Keene State College offers multiple opportunities for students to explore diversity. Adding to those opportunities, the OMSSS is piloting a project called International Food Pantry this year with the help of Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace. The Wallace couple are the founders of a local non-profit called the Daily Good. “This pantry is essentially free food that is representative of a multitude of cultures and different places that the Daily Good provides for us and stocks once a month,” Kya Roumimper, the coordinator of multicultural student support and success and equity education, explained. According to Roumimper, students are open and free to take whatever they feel like or snack on here with the intention that there is a little piece of home that they can find on campus. The pantry is filled with food items like sesame crackers, Goya food products, plantains and Pocky sticks. There is also a container of rice and a scooper and bags so students can take rice if they want. Roumimper said, “If people are curious and they want certain things that they don’t find here, all they have to do is shoot me an email. We send that list to Rich and Sandra every month, right before the beginning of the month, and they do all their shopping.” Neil Wallace thinks of food as a significant part of any culture. “There is so much emotion and positive human experience connected with food. And you can literally break barriers across experiences by breaking bread together,” she said. The idea of the pantry developed over the summer when the Wallace couple was interested in the work of the OMSSS and wanted to sponsor a project through their non-
profit. Roumimper said, “I ended up taking it to some students and asking if there was something on campus that would be able to make this place more comfortable...the conversations kept coming back to food.” KSC first-year student Amira Rosado expressed how elated she was when she first heard about the project. “I was excited because that means that I can bring my food that I normally eat like where I am living most of the time because not
everyone has the opportunity to go home every single weekend,” she said. Rosado added, “I know that the next shipment they are going to have is a hot chocolate that Hispanics drink all the time when it’s cold outside.” KSC junior Jennifer Mejia shared that the food made the first year of her college experience a little harder. ‘Back at home… I would go to fast food restaurants, but my mom always cooks all the time. They would cook every single day, so I
always used to have my rice, beans, chicken or pork with my plantains. But when I came here, I was just like ‘I don’t want pasta.’” Mejia is also the president of the KSC club Common Ground. According to her, the Common Ground is a multicultural club that provides student awareness about diversity and has events that promote diversity. The club recently held an event called “Bachata Night” at the end of the Hispanic Heritage Month. The club celebrated it with food from
bit of both; community engagement and engagement here at the college with the students. Mejia said that food is a part of everyone’s identity. “You never realize what you have until it’s gone. It was a big part of my identity. I grew up eating this food,” said Mejia. “I think you embrace it more when you realize that you don’t have it all the time.” Rosado said, “It’s made me feel more at home, more welcomed, more appreciated. Even though they don’t know us personally, they are doing something for us that is personal, so I feel more welcomed, more appreciated, more wanted.” “I think that Keene State College and any higher ed. institution should be a place where students can see themselves in the environment. We ask students a lot to come to a new place and assimilate or conform, and this just isn’t how we should be doing things. We should be conforming as an institution to the needs of our students,” said Roumimper. “It’s a small step, but I think it’s representative of some bigger movements that we are trying to push here on campus.” Roumimper shared the possibilities of connecting with the Hungry Owls program at KSC. “It seems redundant to have two pilot programs running at the same time that do essentially the same thing in a different way. So, I think in the future it would be nice to work with CONNOR CRAWFORD / STUDENT LIFE EDITOR them more closely to see if we can Latin America where they used the streamline some of the stuff,” she said. food from the pantry. Rosado invited the students at According to Roumimper, the pantry is acting as a good commu- KSC to use the pantry. “Come and nity builder. Roumimper encour- join, come and take some food, try aged all the students at KSC to our culture and then also add a bit utilize it by saying that there is no of yours to it,” she said. stipulation on how to use it. Wallace said, “We do our best to Puja Thapa can be contacted at find the foods in local groceries and pthapa@kscequinox.com the Monadnock Food Co-op. When we travel to other cities we often get some of the harder-to-find items.” Roumimper thinks of it as a little
KSC student pushes city of Keene to recognize ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Day’ CONNOR CRAWFORD
student Life editor “It’s the right thing to do,” said senior Jedidiah Crook, who is majoring in restorative science education, works closely with the Office of Multicultural and Student Support Services (OMSSS) and played a major role in getting the city of Keene to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, October 14. Jed’s process of getting the City of Keene to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day was not an easy one. In fact, his battle began last semester. “It actually all began as a final project for a class,” Crook said. “I realized that this was a much bigger endeavor than a final project.” Crook took on an internship in the OMSSS to specifically tackle this issue of Keene recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day and works closely with faculty who have helped Crook throughout his process. “This year I am interning at the OMSSS specifically to get Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognized,” Crook explained. Some students are confused about Indigenous Peoples’ Day replacing Christopher Columbus Day, which falls on the same day; but Crook wants to be clear that this is not the case. “Indigenous Peoples’ Day is not in place of Columbus Day. That is something that we have had to change as we moved through the process of recognizing that there are a lot of people who are scared of losing Columbus Day still,” Crook stated. “One thing that we can do is at least get recognition for Indigenous Peoples’ Day if we can’t get rid of Columbus Day,” Crook continued. Crook has been through a tough process throughout his time trying to get the day recognized. He has been to many student organizations, classrooms and organizations throughout the city during his time of getting Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognized. Crook has also presented in front of over 20 classes and emailed professors to try and get more student support. Kya Roumimner Coordinator of Multicultural Student Support and Success and Equity Education, helped Jed through this
journey. According to Roumimper, the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day made Keene State history. “We worked on Indigenous people’s Day resolution that was passed by the Keene State College Senate,” Roumimper stated. “So for the first time ever, in Keene State’s history, it now recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday of October.” “For the most part, students were mostly supportive. The biggest thing is that there is just a total lack of knowledge, a systemic ignorance of the issues in general. But, once students know about it, they support it,” Crook unfolded. Crook not only did work for getting the day recognized on campus but also did work off-campus to try and get the day recognized as well. “The goal was to get Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognized by the college and outside of the college as well,” Crook explained. “Basically, those look like two different things in the sense that for Keene State College we had the chance to get a resolution in front of the Senate before Indigenous Peoples’ Day, so we would be able to get a resolution passed. That means from now on Keene State will recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” Tackling the bureaucracy of the City of Keene to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day was a whole other issue. “It became clear early on that the process of getting a resolution passed was going to be a lot more difficult. One, because of community support and, essentially, non-support. Getting City Council members on board is going to take a lot more work. The time frame moves slower than the College Senate,” Crook said. But, with the help of people outside of the College, Crook was able to get some help in getting the City to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “We were able to put together a resolution with the help of the Elnu Abenaki Nation in Vermont,” Crook said. “They originally put together a resolution in 2016, but the college did not end up adopting it due to legal complications, so it got tabled. I then went through the resolution they made, edited it, and brought that to the Mayor of the City of Keene; luckily he supported it,” Crook said.
Although Crook was able to get the Mayor’s approval on the proclamation, the City of Keene only recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ Day for 2019. “Basically, the proclamation means this year the mayor is supportive of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, not specifically the City of Keene,” Crook stated. However, that is not enough for Crook and he is currently working on bringing the resolution before City Council to get it approved. “Now, the next year is getting the resolution passed by City Council,” Crook explained. “It is a slow process and the big thing for that will be having students and community members to show up to the City Council meetings and calling City Council members and saying ‘this is something that I support,’” Crook continued. Although Crook wants to be clear that Indigenous Peoples’ Day is not replacing Columbus Day, he still thinks that is important for students to understand the difference between the two. “The difference is one holiday celebrates a European man colonizing Cuba and Haiti and celebrating colonization, racism, eurocentrism and the birth of the transatlantic slave trade. What we do by celebrating [Columbus] is that we celebrate a lot of other things,” Crooks detailed. “Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrates pre-colonial history in a way that has been largely erased in the modern United States of America. It also celebrates the survival of genocide and over 600 years of colonization,” Crook continued. Roumimper also shared many insights she has learned from Jed through this journey. “I have learned from Jed the importance of curiosity,” Roumimper stated. “Talking to people with a genuine curiosity about where they are coming from and doing so with respect even if your values are different and even if we are talking about two different things and trying to dialogue around that.” Jennifer Afualo-Robinson said that Jed is, “pretty inspiring, he’s an awesome dude.” “I didn’t meet him until the Indigenous People’s event we had that Monday but just interacting with him in that short amount
PUJA THAPA / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Jed Crook discussing ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Day’ on Monday October 14.
of time, he was really knowledgeable and passionate about pushing that forward and trying to get that happen that change from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day. He really rallied behind it and got people involved and he’s inspiring. He’s really personal guy. I am glad I got to meet him,” Afualo-Robinson continued. Crook has done a lot of work around the City of Keene, but eventually, he would like to testify at the state level his support of
Indigenous Peoples’ Day. “I forget how many years Indigenous Peoples’ Day has come up for a vote at the state level, but every time it has been voted down, including last year. If it comes up again, I will definitely be testifying in favor of it,” Crook stated. Connor Crawford can be contacted at ccrawford@kscequinox.com
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Alternative Break trips revealed WILLIAM CRAWFORD
about community service to get out into the world and help the community. Handy said that students should get involved. “Students should get involved to find a community, give back, and develop critical skills throughout their service trip,” Handy said. Inspiration is important for students who are attending the yearly Alternative Break. Griffin’s inspiration came from his desire to travel and meet new people along the way. “What inspired me the most to attend an AB trip was the opportunity to travel and meet new people,” Griffin explained. “In addition to this, there are many different trips that are happening this year to all different destinations, so I was able to find a community service project that would appeal best to me,” Griffin continued. Some trips start as early as winter break and students going on those trips during that time will begin to have weekly meetings starting this week. Other Alternative Break trips happen over spring break or during the summer break as well.
Student Life editor How would you like to go to North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama or even Ireland? Well, if you participate in Alternative Break, you can! Alternative Break is a program put on by Keene State where students have the opportunity to travel for a week or two somewhere in the country or internationally during school breaks to give back to the community in some way. “Alternative Break gives me a community that is just as passionate about service work as I am, and it gives students the chance to be a part of something much larger than themselves,” said junior Isabelle Handy on what Alternative Break means to her. “AB is a great way for me to do community service in different communities,” Said Matthew Griffin a sophomore participating in Alternative Break. “I already participate in Habitat for Humanity here on campus and I have participated in several builds throughout the New England area. The ability to continue this work but in a new and completely different community is very interesting to me,” continued Griffin. Alternative Break is not only a way to help out a community somewhere in the world, it can also help an individual grow as a person. “I am most excited to get away from my little bubble here at Keene
SAM REINKE / EQUINOX STAFF
Connor Crawford can be contacted at ccrawford@kscequinox.com
On Friday October 18, the Alternative Break club revealed where they would be going on there trips. Some destinations included Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama and even a trip to Ireland.
and grow as a person throughout the trip,” stated Handy. For some students, the Alternative Break trip can be a fun chance to help out the
community and travel at the same time. Griffin has not traveled far away from his home, so this will be the farthest trip he has ventured on.
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going to take will be the furthest from home I have ever been,” Griffin stated. “It will give me a chance to not only experience new places but also
Cont. from B1
free popcorn and pizza and a costume contest for anyone who loves to dress up. The Redfern has many more films within the week that are free to students! See more of Redfern’s upcoming shows at www.keene. edu/arts/putnam. Have fun this fall weekend and take advantage of the festivities going on throughout Keene. Get dressed up, have some cider and experience what this season brings with all your friends.
Denise Ronan can be contacted at dronan@kscequionx.com
to meet a new, diverse group of people.” The Alternative Break program gives an opportunity for students who are passionate
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ADVICE
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Fiske Quad will have hundreds of pumpkins for students to come and carve! Wear a costume if you’d like and stop by some of the tables with fun games and crafts, run by local campus clubs. Food and snacks will be provided. Plus, from 1 to 3:00 p.m., there will be a pet photobooth. This means you can bring your pet, any pet, and take a picture with them. Dress yourselves up or go for a nice portrait; it will be adorable! Halloween is coming and the Redfern has some great showings to get you in the Halloween spirit. A classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” will be at the Putnam Theater on Friday, October 25 at 9 p.m. This includes free admission,
“I am personally most excited to travel and meet new people. I have not ventured far outside of my home state of Connecticut, and the AB trip I am
year because there may suddenly be job opportunities. You can get help at Academic and Career Advising in the Elliot Center. Make an appointment with your advisor and they can make sure everything is looking good. You can also talk to a professor in your major for help. They already have experience and know what a good resume looks like. Many majors are experiencespecific when it comes to resumes, including film studies, graphic design and majors in education. Question: Should I go home during the school year? Answer: Definitely. Even though the campus closes for Thanksgiv-
ing and winter and spring break, it is good to go home a few other times. It is normal to miss home and your family, and you can catch up with everyone. It’s good, too, to bring up clothing and other things you need from home. Winter comes quick, so grab your sweaters and jackets. I will caution you to not go home every weekend. You want to stay settled down and used to living on campus. Try to see if your family or friends not on campus want to visit Keene for a day. You can meet up and have fun without needing to travel back and forth to bring you home and back. Question: What are some ways
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Keene State holds Future Fair
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K S PUJA THAPA / ADMISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR
On October 17, Keene State held a ‘Future Fair’ where graduate schools came to discuss post-graduate options with students. This was also a chance for students to discuss potential career options with multiple employers.
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Like to write? Interested in life on campus?
Contact Connor Crawford
Student Life Editor ccrawford@kscequinox.com (603)-554-2781 KSCEQUINOX.COM
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Time Capsule, B5
Thursday, October 24, 2019
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Jim Crow laws led to racial tension THERESA DERRY
Time Capsule ediTor
During the Reconstruction Era, which took place from 1863-1877, the emergence of laws that led to racial injustice in the United States until the mid-1960s took place. Known as the Jim Crow laws, these laws were officially implemented into American policy in 1877. These laws were put into place after the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guaranteed the freedom of four million slaves upon the recent ending of the Civil War. These laws were created to separate and divide the black and white races in the United States. The Jim Crow laws were named after minstrel performer Thomas Rice. In 1828, Rice’s popularity grew as he had recently crafted a dance routine where he performed blackface. Rice’s character name was “Jim Crow,” and as he sang and danced, he performed in such a way that portrayed an old black man in ragged attire. In the 1830s, this character became incredibly popular amongst the public, and it was from Rice’s popular culture influence that the name “Jim Crow” would now be used to refer to African Americans in a derogatory manner. Rice was not the only influence for the formation of Jim Crow laws. In 1865, shortly after the implementation of the 13th Amendment, the Black Codes were implemented. The Black Codes were a set of laws that restricted where these newly freed slaves could work and how much money they could obtain from working. The legal system in 1865 was in opposition to black citi-
zens and expressed this opposition by having labor camps where black prisoners were incarcerated. At these camps, black prisoners were treated as if they were still slaves. The Black Codes were prevalent throughout the southern United States, most often seen as a legal approval to put negroes into indentured servitude, to strip them from their voting rights, to overlook where blacks lived and the method of travel they used and to capture negro children for occupational duties. The Black Codes were seen as the precursor to Jim Crow laws, which the American legal system put into legal practice 12 years later. In 1877, Jim Crow laws were officially inbetted into American legal practice. This was due to the new ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court, which forbade American states from segregation within the transportation system. The Jim Crow laws supported the notion of “separate but equal” that was put into place through the U.S. Supreme Court during the Plessy v. Ferguson case in 1896. This notion of “separate but equal” stated that even though African Americans received services in different facilities from whites, these facilities needed to be of equal quality. However, this notion was not often fulfilled due to the fact that white facilities were usually of higher quality and cleanliness. Even though the particular practices of the Jim Crow laws had been on the minds of Americans since 1865, it was not until the 1880s that the term “Jim Crow” was officially used to refer to a set of laws that physically separated the African American race
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Minstrel performer Thomas Rice performing his Jim Crow dance. His intention was to portray an old balck man in ragged clothes. from whites. This idea of “separate but equal” was a notion that stayed within the implementation of the Jim Crow laws until their banning from American legal practice in the mid-1960s. A prominent example of Jim
Crow laws in action was how the Montgomery, Alabama bus operators dealt with bus seating during the early 1950s. Due to the Jim Crow laws, the bus operators were required to have black passengers sit in a separate section from white
passengers. Upon boarding the bus, African Americans were directed to sit in the back of the bus. Their white counterparts would board the front of the bus. If a black passenger boarded the bus once all of the seats in their section were
taken, he or she would have to laws, American society understand. Even if there were extra went numerous legal changes seats remaining in the white in a span of just over 100 years. section of the bus, the black passenger was not allowed to Theresa Derry can be consit in that section. tacted at tderry@kscequinox.com From the 13th Amendment to the eradication of Jim Crow
From the Niagara Movement to the NAACP THERESA DERRY
Time Capsule ediTor Founded right after the turn of the century in February 1905, the Niagara Movement is known as America’s first and oldest civil rights organization. This organization was founded by a group of individuals who intended to advocate for social and political change amongst the African American population. After being rejected from being able to stay in hotels in Buffalo, New York, a group of famous civil rights activists congregated at Niagara Falls to formulate a list of principles ensuring equal opportunities for African Americans. Upon its formation, the movement drafted 19 specific principles that it would implement. Some of these principles were: suffrage and political rights, economic opportunity within the workforce, free education and a court free from racial discrimination. After this initial meeting, African American writer and sociologist W.E.B. Du Bois was influential in ensuring this newly formed social movement’s success. Du Bois, along with other notable African American businessmen, came together for four consecutive days in July 1905 to establish order and craft the official title for this newly-fashioned organization. After an initial meeting in western New York, 29 of these men crafted the official title of this new organization. The name of this group originated from the fact that its official guidelines were written in Niagara Falls. After the official naming of the group, Du Bois was appointed as the group’s general secretary. Du Bois and these other businessmen agreed to split the group into various committees, with each of these men returning to their home states to complete work at the movement’s individual state chapters. The Niagara Movement was successful in establishing 30 individual branches at the state level. Within these state chapters, activities were implemented to establish an awareness of the Niagara Movement’s principles. These activities intended to educate the public audience, and included the delivery of informational brochures, sending notices to the White House to object current government officials’ racial practices and to educate eligible voters about the racial injustices woven into Jim Crow laws. Despite the successes that America’s first civil rights organization achieved, the organization existed for only a short time. The Springfield, Illinois Race Riot of 1908 led to the downfall of the Niagara Movement. At this race riot, two African American men, who were held in a Springfield jail accused of supposed crimes, were being relocated to another jail in the city. During this transition, a white mob burned down 40 residences in
the Springfield residential district, stole products from 10 local businesses and murdered two African American men. The Niagara Movement continued to attract white socialists who strove for equality, and, embracing this unusual phenomenon, Du Bois invited socialist Jane Addams and other white socialists of this era to help him establish the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Founded in 1909, the NAACP was not only active in the 20th century but still presently advocates for social justice in the 21st century. For the first seven years that the NAACP existed the group’s growth was slow, but Du Bois helped enhance the organization’s growth by writing the NAACP’s first nation-wide publication. Crafted by Du Bois in 1910, The Crisis was a monthly magazine that reported on critical issues African Americans were currently facing. This magazine was an outlet that provided knowledge to the American public about current racial disparities. In addition to The Crisis, Du Bois also made the current racial inequalities accessible to African American youth. The Brownies’ Book, published by Du Bois, was the first magazine to be published for African American youth in the United States. In addition to these two influential pulbications, in 1919, the NAACP published its crucial work entitled “Thirty Years of Lynching in the United States: 1889-1918.” This work is an all-inclusive examination of lynching that was written by the NAACP to promote awareness for the racial injustice that African Americans endured. This book specifically focuses on the lynchings endured by 3,224 African Americans from 1889 to 1918. From 1920 to 1950, the NAACP had five main goals to ensure racial equality for all. These goals were to help promote anti-lynching legislation, to guarantee that people of all races had the right to vote, to ensure equal employment opportunities for African Americans, to advocate for fair treatment within the United States’ judicial system and to establish equal educational opportunities for African Americans. When advocating for these issues in the 20th century, the NAACP participated in boycotts and peaceful demonstrations to advocate for the political, economic and social rights of African Americans. A majority of the NAACP’s work targeted national issues of racial inequality by using political action to ensure stable civil rights legislation, as well as encouraging public education programs to provide support for minority students. Later in the 20th century, the NAACP continued to fight racial disparities by supporting the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991. The Voting Rights Act reinforced the
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
Niagara Movement leaders Du Bois, J.R. Clifford, L.M. Hershaw and F.M.H. Murray. 15th Amendment, which stated that no person could be denied the right to vote based on their race or skin color. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 forbid discrimination by any housing providers, who had been known to deny citizens housing based on skin color, religious beliefs, gender, national origin, familial status or disability. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 forbid discrimination at a new level, this time within the workplace. In the 21st century, the NAACP focuses on issues such as inequality within the workforce and the criminal justice system. In 2009, President Barack Obama,
the first African American chief executive, spoke at the event celebrating the 100th anniversary of the NAACP. From the Niagara Movement to the NAACP, the United States has been working to ensure the civil rights of African Americans for 114 years. Theresa Derry can be contacted at tderry@kscequinox.com
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Thursday, October 24, 2019
The twin sensations
BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR
Twin sisters Amanda (left) and Kayleigh (right) Marshall (pictured above) have been playing soccer together since they were both four years old. The twins both went to high school in Bow, New Hampshire.
Twin sisters Amanda and Kayleigh Marshall are both midfielders on the soccer team AUSTIN SMITH
SportS Editor Identical twin sisters Kayleigh and Amanda Marshall leave players on opposing teams seeing double. The two sisters began playing soccer at the age of four and have played together ever since. The twins, like many others, are very close to each other and are almost inseparable. Head Coach Denise Lyons said, They are always together, even on bus rides. “Even though there are open seats [on the bus], where they could have a seat each to lie down and take a nap... the two of them were together,” Lyons said. The chemistry that they share is something that can be an advantage for them on the field. Amanda said, “Some people say that we have twin telepathy on the
field; we can get our passes to each other without even talking.” Even though the Marshalls are siblings, there is no sibling rivalry unless they are playing against each other. Kayleigh said, “We’re competitive, but only if we are playing against each other. When we’re playing together there’s not really a competition.” Twins can sometimes be tricky. Lyons said, “The last set of twins, one was a goalkeeper and one was a defender and one day at practice they switched uniforms and I was wondering why the goalkeeper wasn’t catching as many as she should.” Lyons said the Marshall twins are great to coach. “They’re wonderful. They’re very coachable, very smart players, they listen well, they’re just a pleasure to have on the team,” Lyons said.
Early on in the season Kayleigh had been dealing with a knee injury, which has kept the two from playing together much on the field. Lyons said, “Right now [Kayleigh] is not 100 percent with her knee, but she is coming back really strong.” Although Kayleigh had been dealing with a knee injury, it did not stop her from garnering the KSC Player of the Week title earlier in the season. Although they have not been on the field much together yet, Lyons is optimistic for when Kayleigh gets healthy. Lyons said, they haven’t played much together yet but they play well together. “They read each other very well. In practice they find each other and they played together all through high school so they know each other; and there’s a connection between twins, they say,” Lyons said.
When asked if there were any interesting stories about the twins on the soccer field Kayleigh said, “Our junior year of high school, we won the [state] championship for our team. I assisted [Amanda’s] goal and there were articles in the newspaper about this ‘Marshall plan’ to win the game.” Austin Smith can be contacted at asmith@kscequinox.com
Undefeated after six games ALAN FORTIN
Equinox Staff With the 17-week season entering week seven, the New England Patriots have already begun to prove that they are in fact the team to beat this season in the NFL. Having claimed victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets and New York Giants at home, and the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins while on the road, the Patriots are begging the question of if any team in the league can stop them. The New England defense is rated the number one overall defense in the league, and it’s no wonder why they are first in turnovers as well as yards against. This should come as no surprise, given that the Patriots have had at least one interception in every game they have played, recording a total of 14 interceptions in those six games. One of the other notable things that the New England defense has done was not allowing a single offensive touchdown until the fourth game of their season. This impressive feat also carried off a Super Bowl where the New England Patriots held the Los Angeles Rams to only a field goal, and did not allow more than 14 total points scored by the opposing team. The Patriots offense has also been a major key, with Tom Brady having thrown touchdowns to many different players such as Phillip Dorsett, Antonio Brown and Julian Edelman. However, injuries have occurred throughout the preseason and the first few weeks of the regular season to key players such as rookie N’keal Harry, Isaiah Wynn and David Andrews. Nonetheless, the Patriots have still found a way to succeed and win all six of their games so far, despite having lost most starters and key pieces to the offense. “They have been as great of a team as they
could be,” said Alana Lehouillier, a member of the Keene State class of 2022. “I don’t think there is much that could be improved.” This note is something that rings true, with the idea if it isn’t broken then don’t fix it. However, David Meyers, a member of the class of 2022 disagreed. “I would love Antonio Brown, but he’s kind of a bad guy. I honestly have no complaints though. I am a Patriots fan,” he said. Antonio Brown was released after his only game as a Patriot when he caught a touchdown pass. “It’s kind of expected that they be 6-0. People blame the pats being 6-0 just because they have an easy record right now. I agree that they have an easy record, but 10 more games will be the full test of the season,” Meyers said. Another student, Daniel Shea, a member of the class of 2022, said,“It’s not really surprising, because it’s the Pats. Every season it’s always either one way or the other. It’s amazing, which is nice, being a New England fan.” Shea also explained that though he wants to give Tom Brady the credit for the Patriots’ success, he can’t. “We’re being carried by the defense right now. Also, at the same time, the Dolphins game was a blowout. There are always games like that, but the Pats have been playing people that have been giving them that leg.” The Patriots have three more games to play before their bye week. The Patriots play the Jets in New York on October 21, before returning home to take on the Cleveland Browns on October 27. After taking on the Browns the Patriots take on the Baltimore Ravens on November 3, then move on to a bye week. Alan Fortin can be contacted at afortin@kscequinox.com
6- 0 OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR
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Thursday, October 24, 2019
The danger of vaping Part one of a three part series on vaping An 18-year-old varsity wrestler with 70-year-old lungs. A cheer athlete with a full ride to F.A.U. now in the I.C.U. A high schooler who had been competing in hockey since he was a child now struggling to even breath. These are only three of the hundreds of cases recently emerging surrounding the dangerous illnesses student-athletes are experiencing because of the use of vaping products. “There’s such an emerging sort of crisis feel around vaping right now,” said Maribeth Fries, a nurse practitioner at Keene State College’s Wellness Center. “Every athlete wants to have their optimal pulmonary health, so obviously JUULing and smoking [is] harmful.” In recent cases vaping products, which include JUULs, vape pens, e-cigarettes and MODS, have been shown to damage the lungs of users. However, exactly what it does and how it does it is still unknown. Take Walker Knight, the cheer athlete with the full-ride scholarship to Florida Atlantic University, as one example of this. An article in CBS News by Caitlin O’Kane titled ‘College Athlete Hospitalized for five months, could lose lung after vaping, dad says’ explained McKnight’s situation. McKnight was hospitalized in early May after complaining of sinus pressure and flulike symptoms. It was determined he had come down with several illnesses, one of which was an adenovirus that attacks the respiratory tract. Before McKnight began vaping he had healthy and clean lungs. However, because of McKnight’s vaping there were massive amounts of damage to his lungs which made his body unable to fight off the adenovirus, leading to his hospitalization. Doctors are now considering removing McKnight’s left lung completely, according to O’Kane. What was in the vape products that caused McKnight’s lungs to get in that bad of a condition is unknown, however, it is being seen now in hundreds of cases throughout the country. While McKnight’s case may have happened in Florida, there is nothing stopping it from happening closer to home with Keene State College athletes who vape. “We are currently well aware of the major health concerns with the rapid rise in the use of vaping products,” said Phil Racicot,
Keene State College’s athletic director. “I think it has really outpaced the policymaking engine, so to speak.” The student-athlete handbook at Keene State currently has no specific policy surrounding the use of vaping products by student-athletes while in season. However, Racicot says that may be changing soon. “I think we’ll have to, as most schools are going to have to do, look at [our policies] a little bit more about the language and to some degree maybe about the substance,” Racicot explained. “We can [also] certainly educate [our athletes about vaping] and try to dissuade people from using a substance that is not good for your athletic performance. If you’re doing things that are going to diminish your lung capacity, it’s going to show up in the pool, it’s going to show up on the track, it’s going to show up on the court or anywhere else that you are.” However, the usage of vaping products is not only up to the athletic director. Coaches are given a level of jurisdiction when it comes to specific rules and regulations for their own teams. Keene State’s student-athlete handbook states that “all policies established by coaches are in the best interest of the studentathletes and shall be enforced impartially.” Austin Smith, the sports editor for the Equinox, sat down with Ryan Cain, head coach of the men’s basketball team, and asked Cain if his team had any specific rules or regulations surrounding vape products. “[There is] no specific rule,” Cain explained. “[However] it is probably something we need to cover. We just started practice two days ago; [it is] probably something we need to talk about as a team and see if we should establish a team policy from that perspective. Obviously we talk a lot about making decisions that allow our guys to be in the position to play as well as they can play.” Cain also added that he thinks “vaping would have a negative impact on performance and, really, more of a negative impact potentially on an individual’s health longterm.” For student-athletes, or students in general, who are attempting to quit the use of vaping products, there is help. “Anyone who really wants to quit but just isn’t able to do it on their own… just make an appointment [with the health services side of the Wellness Center] and come in and see
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us,” explained Fries. “We can talk about all the resources and behavior support. We can do medication if [the patient wants] that. We can do nicotine replacement… I feel like we can really help people to quit.” Appointments can be made with the health services side of the Wellness Center by going online at keene.edu, going to the Wellness Center page, and clicking Appointment Information, or calling 603-358-2450.
Claire Boughton can be contacted at cboughton@kscequinox.com
OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR
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We are currently well aware of the major health concerns with the rapid rise and use of vaping products -- Phil Racicot (Athletic Director)
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CLAIRE BOUGHTON
Senior SportS reporter
This is the first of the Equinox’ three part series investigating the impact vaping has on the students of Keene State Next week check out part two in the student life section of the Equinox BRIEF
Exploring the Owl 5k fun run CLAIRE BOUGHTON
Senior SportS reporter Fun, sun, and a little bit of run(ing) was in the air on October 18 for the annual Owl 5K Fun Run/Walk. The event, sponsored by Keene State College Recreational Sports and Live Well KSC, kicked off with 47 racers lining up at the start line on Joyce Field. The course took runners through Joyce Field, past Pondside 1, around the Owl Stadium Complex, onto the Ashuelot Rail Trail and finished up under the Keene State College archway. However, the Owl 5K Fun Run wasn’t always called that. “Many years ago, probably close to 15 years ago, we decided to do a 5K,” explained Lynne Andrews, director of recreational and intramural sports. “It was originally called the Pumpkin 5K Fun Run; we tied it in with Pumpkin Lobotomy for the PumpkinFest and then, when that ended, we just switched it to Owl 5K Fun Run, because obviously we’re the Owls.” The winner of the 5K was Elijah Saddlemire, brother of Keene State student Bailey Saddlemire, with a time of 19:04. Second place was Ryan Goodwin with 19:47 and third place was Christopher Pratt with a time of 21:03. Claire Boughton can be contacted at cboughton@kscequinox.com
SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR
Elijah Saddlemire (pictured above) finished first in the annual Owl 5k fun run, Saddlemire finished with a time of 19;04
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Diving into the record books
SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR
Junior diver George Colarullo (pictured above) broke the pool record for the 1 meter and the 3 meter dives at Colby-Sawyer college on Saturday, October 12, with a 187-29 win for KSC.
Colarullo breaks pool record for one and three-meter dives JACK DEY
Equinox staff Keene State junior George Colarullo is a diver for the Keene State College swim and dive team, and he has been on an absolute tear this season. Colarullo dominated the pool over the weekend at Colby-Sawyer College, setting new pool records for both the one-meter and three-meter boards. Colarullo tallied a 224.55 on the one-meter and scored 223.10 on the three-meter. Colarullo broke two pool records, The one and three meter have been Colarullos’s bread and butter all season, taking first place in his last eight meets. Head coach Christopher Woolridge doesn’t have anything but good things to say when it comes to Collarullo. “It’s been great having George on the team. He’s been diving really well for us, been working with the diving coach a lot,” Woolridge said.
Woolridge also isn’t surprised by the dominance Colarullo is showing in the pool. “I had been recruiting him ever since he was at Springfield College, and when he reached out to me I was excited. We wanted him from the get-go, and we’re glad he ended up here.” Woolridge noted the hunger Colarullo has to get better at the sport he loves. Woolridge said, “He’s been working on new dives, and trying to get his degree of difficulty up.” Woolridge wants to see Colarullo jump to the next level. “We want to see if he can take the next step, to break the school records here at Keene, and make the NCAA regionals.” Coach Woolridge talked about how Colarullo’s success has had such a positive impact on the rest of the team. “The guys love it; they get really into when George dives.” Woolridge also added, “George is a lighthearted guy, so when he nails a dive, the team gets on the side of
the pool and does all types of hilarious things.” Coach Woolridge noted that it’s a two-way street when it comes to the team being motivated by Colarullo’s success. “George loves when the team is cheering him on; he thrives on it.” Woolridge doesn’t foresee any decline in the production Colarullo brings to the team. “Our goal is to improve upon what George has accomplished already and build off that.” Woolridge knows Colarullos is a man on a mission. “I know George has a lot of goals that he hasn’t achieved yet, that he is working towards. I expect him to get there.” Colarullo feels no pressure to continue his stellar swimming, but still has personal expectations, saying, “I am always putting pressure on myself to do better. Every time I go up to the boards, all I want is to do better than I did previously.” If anyone has any doubts Colarullo can keep up this level of dominance in the
pool, he doesn’t want to hear it, noting, “It’s just not worrying about what other people are doing, and doing what I’ve got to do to get better.” Colarullo has attributed his dominant year to rest and body care. “I’m taking more time in between the meets to let my body reset and lets all the soreness go away,” he said. Colarullo is ready and raring to take the next step in his swimming and diving career, wanting to break the school records and make it to NCAA regionals. “The next step for me is to put together two good meets to qualify for regionals. The focus after that would be going to regionals and performing well. If along the way I break school records, that would be awesome,” he said. It’s easy to tell where Colarullo’s heart and mind are, as well as the success that has yet to come to this humble junior. Jack Dey can be contacted at wdey@kscequinox.com
A comeback for the ages The chance to go to the finals MATT HOLDERMAN
Equinox staff The Keene State College women’s volleyball team completed a massive 13-point comeback to defeat the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs three sets to nothing Saturday afternoon. Keene State relatively dominated the first two sets of the match, winning the first one 25-13 and the second one 25-15. Therefore, they went into the third set looking for a perfect 3-0 sweep. However, UMass Dartmouth had other plans. The two teams traded points back and forth for a few minutes to start the third set, until the score was eventually tied at 3-3. The atmosphere in the room suggested that the Owls were poised to take a commanding lead, just as they had done in the previous two sets. But, the exact opposite of that took place. Out of nowhere, UMass Dartmouth erupted, scoring eight points in a row and turning the 3-3 tie into an 11-3 lead. As the Corsairs players celebrated, the rest of the gym was in awe, as the Owls seemed like they had suddenly fallen apart after
MATT HOLDERMAN
dominating all match long. And from there, things only got better for the Corsairs. The Owls were able to muster a couple of points here and there, but the Corsairs showed that they still had the momentum, extending their eight point lead to a game-high 13 point lead, going up 21-8 over the Owls. At this point in the set, the chances of a perfect sweep seemed hopeless for the Owls. The Corsairs were 4 points away from winning the set, while the Owls needed an entire 13 points just to tie the game. But, as the legendary saying goes, it ain’t over till it’s over. The Owls scored three of the next four points to make the score 22-11. Then, they went on a tremendous scoring streak of their own, scoring an astounding nine points in a row to bring the score to 22-20, cutting UMass Dartmouth’s once-13-point lead to a slim margin of two points. The crowd in Spaulding Gym had been revitalized, as the Owls were once again playing at the level they had in the first two sets of the match. For a moment though, the comeback seemed like it was going
to fall short, as the Corsairs quickly scored two points in a row to make it 24-20, meaning they needed just one more to win the set. But, the Owls scored the next four points in a row to tie it up 24-24, forcing the set to go into extra points. After that, they scored three of the next four points, leading themselves to victory in set number three, 27-25, sweeping the Corsairs three sets to nothing. The 13-point comeback was the largest of the year for the Owls, and helped them improve their record in the Little East Conference to four wins and two losses. Matt Holderman can be contacted at mholderman@kscequinox.com
Equinox staff For football fans, the most funfilled time of the year is playoff season. There’s nothing like sitting in the warmth of your living room during the cold winter months, watching the sport you love on your TV, or going out and braving the low temperatures and potential snow to cheer on the team in person. But at Keene State College, playoff football comes a little earlier than the winter. KSC intramural flag football teams are in the midst of their playoff season right now; they’re all fighting for the chance to be crowned football champions in the fall. While it may not be an official NCAA sport at Keene State, Owl students still have the chance to watch, or even play, the sport they love. The intramural flag football playoffs at Keene State consists of eight teams and three rounds; the quarter-finals, semi-finals and championship game. Those rounds of the playoffs are usually contested over the course of two weeks,
with the quarter-finals happening one week, and the semi-finals and championship game happening the next week. However, this year has been unique for KSC’s flag football playoffs thus far. The number of teams qualified for the playoffs, the number of rounds in the playoffs and the number of weeks it takes to complete the playoffs were all modified in some sort of fashion for this year specifically. The first oddity occurred back on October 6, when a grand total of nine teams had records that could qualify them for the playoffs. The first seven slots had been filled by the teams with the best records; but when it came down to the eighth and final spot, Team Purple and the Dream Team had the same record, forcing them to duke it out for the eighth and final playoff seed. This added a last-chance-qualifier round to the flag football playoffs, meaning the first playoff game of the season had been executed before the quarter-finals even began. Team Purple won the ‘lastchance’ game 36-20 over the Dream Team, and they became the eighth
and final team to qualify for the quarter-finals. After that, the playoffs proceeded as planned, with the quarter-finals and semi-finals being played over the course of the next two calendar weeks for intramural sports. But, when it came time for the championship game, another monkey wrench was thrown into the plans. Originally scheduled to be played on October 16, the flag football championship game was rained out and had to be rescheduled to a later date. The game ended up being moved to October 22 at 8 p.m. on the turf field at the Owl Athletic Complex (no score was available for that game at publishing time). So, at Keene State College, playoff football does exist. But for now, we’ll have to wait until next year to see the excitement of it happening once again. Matt Holderman can be contacted at mholderman@kscequinox.com
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