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STUDENT LIFE Designers share their work SPORTS Soccer team welcomes new coach
A&E Music and ecology blend in at Solar Fest Âť SEE PAGE B1
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The Equinox FILE PHOTO / BRIAN CANTORE / PHOTO EDITOR
BRIAN CANTORE / PHOTO EDITOR
KARINA BARRIGA ALBRING/ SENIOR REPORTER
The student voice of Keene State College
Vol. 66, Issue #26
Thursday, May 1, 2014
[ Keene-Equinox.com ]
Vallante repercussions continue to spread
Lack of action enabled stalking ZACH WINN
sports editor Men’s Basketball Head Coach Robert Colbert was informed of former Keene State College employee Eugene “Gino� Vallante’s reported behaviors nearly on March 5, according to documents obtained by a right-to-know request by The Equinox. allegations he engaged in inappro-
priate behaviors toward KSC athletes and students, worked with Colbert at KSC for eight seasons over the course of two job stints. According to Vallante’s resume, after graduating KSC in 1997, he began working with the men’s basketball team the same year. Coach Colbert was an assistant that season. When Colbert took over as head coach in 1999, Vallante was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach and director of recruiting — two positions
that did not previously exist. After the 1999-2000 season, Vallante left KSC for the head coaching job at New England College, where he coached for two years. Four former NEC players said their time at NEC in those two seasons was fraught with habitual phone calls from Vallante, who asked them questions about their “private parts,� masturbation and pornography, among other things.
Âť LACK OF ACTION, A2
Admin urged to provide students prompt, sustained response JULIE CONLON
MaNagiNg executive editor Nearly ten years ago, on Sunday, January 23, 2005, a former New England College basketball player emailed NEC Athletic Director Lori Runksmeier, former NEC Interim President John Stevens — and Keene State College Director of Athletics John Ratliff. In the email obtained by The Equinox, the subject line read, “Gino Vallante.� As written, the nine-year-old email states, “...I am disgusted and outraged that Gino Vallante is again allowed to be involved in college athletics...Perhaps I need to remind people of the mental anguish he put current and former members of the NEC men’s bas-
ketball team through. For many of us, our “experienceâ€? with Gino was one of the worst times of our lifes‌.â€? ever opened or read by Ratliff. Because this email was either never read or never from KSC on allegations of sexual misconduct and what KSC students have said reveals that they too were the subject of inappropriate sexual behaviors initiated by Vallante. Then in March 2013, 8 days following KSC’s action to Todd Leach, chancellor to the University System of New Hampshire. In a letter obtained by The Equi-
Music and art take over
Spring Weekend
SAMANTHA LEWIS / EQUINOX STAFF
Guitarist Soren Hansen from Danish alternative rock band New Politics performs at the spring concert in the Spaulding Gymnasium on Friday, April 25. For Spring Weekend Coverage, see Student Life, A10 and Arts & Entertainment, B1.
Âť FOLLOW-UP, A2
Senator Kelly strives for women’s rights ALISON RANCOURT
equiNox staff As Women’s and Gender Studies grows as a major at Keene State College, doors open for women to speak and aim to inspire developing students. On Monday, April 21, the Women’s and Gender Studies Honor Society welcomed Senator Molly Kelly to speak at Rhodes Hall. The event covered issues such as legislation on abortion, capital punishment, domestic violence and gender equality. Kelly discussed with students what it means to be an engaged citizen to promote activism and take care of the well-being of the community. Kelly, surrounded by a circle of students, spoke about how she made her way to where she is today. As a native of Indiana with ten siblings, Kelly is an alumnus of KSC. While studying history and philosophy, Kelly said she lived in what is now the Tisdale Townhouse complex with three children and three jobs. She mentioned she juggled managing family housing at KSC, waitressing one night a week and working a paper route. Even with her workload, Kelly said her education and time at KSC really changed her life. “I remember sitting in class one day, and I felt that somebody had opened up the windows in my life and that there was fresh air and new air and a whole renewal of my life, and it happened here on this campus,� Kelly said. She later graduated law school from Franklin Pierce Law in Concord, N.H. Having been elected to State Senate four times and senator for eight consecutive years, Kelly told students how she made her decision to run during her work on other campaigns. “One day it occurred to me
Âť KELLY, A3
Journalist sheds light on food waste Yogi teaches KSC students about Buddhism DIANA PIMER
equiNox staff On Tuesday, April 22, journalist and food waste expert Jonathan Bloom threw an empty Coca-Cola State College Alumni Center in front of over 50 KSC students, faculty and Keene residents. He did not throw it to be rude or to trash the campus; Bloom threw the can to make a statement. In his lecture, “The Food Not Eaten: Why We Waste Nearly Half of Our Food and Why it Matters,� Bloom explained littering with his Coke can was no different than wasting food. “I brought the parallel between littering and food waste to point out that when we set our minds on affecting change, we’re pretty darn good at it. Not only is food waste a topic worth handling, it is
one that we can really conquer,� Bloom said. Bloom referred to anti-littering and recycling campaigns, where positive change has occurred over the years. Bloom emphasized there have not been any campaigns like this for food waste. “What happens is, when we have behaviors that we deem worth changing, we will create campaigns to change them. But that hasn’t happened with food waste. We haven’t had that kind of campaign since World War Two [II] and it is killing us. Wasting food is normal. It is not only widespread, but also condoned,� Bloom said. He then added facts that support the concern about food waste. According to Bloom, 40 percent of food worldwide is wasted. To see the full story, go to keene-equinox.com Diana Pimer can be contacted at dpimer@keene-equinox.com
Index >> Section A: News....1-3 Opinions ............4-5 Student Life......6-10
Top Headlines >> Section B: A&E...............1-4 Nation...........6-7 Sports.............8-10
BETHANY RICCIARDI
News editor A new face visited Keene State College to assist students in putting theory to practice during a meditaever offered at KSC that teaches Buddhist philosophy. Samuel Hawkes, a communication professor who is teaching the course Buddhist Philosophy 290, explained the class will have guest Lama Gursam visit. Gursam is a yogi from Tibet. Each year he said he visits the Monadnock Mindfulness Prac-
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SAMANTHA LEWIS / EQUINOX STAFF
Above, Lama Gursam visits Monadnock Mindfulness Center in Keene.
tice Center in Keene, and conducts a having Gursam teach a class. meditation session while also giving “I just happened to run into the talks about Buddhism. Hawkes said Dean [of Arts and Humanities], students were fond of the idea of
Âť BUDDHISM, A3
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