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THE EQUINOX The student voice of Keene State College
Vol. 70, Issue #22
COURSE REGISTRATION INCENTIVES SEE B3
SECRET OF THE SEASONS SEE A8
#ENOUGH
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Winner of a 2017 Pacemaker Award
Students march for their lives in Central Square ABBY SHEPHERD
Social Media director On March 24, Central Square in Keene was packed with students, local politicians, clergy, parents and children, educators and more. They gathered on the brisk and breezy Saturday morning to protest for gun law reform, specifically to prevent school shootings. The Keene version of the national March for Our Lives was filled with honking horns from nearby drivers among speeches about the necessity for “common sense” new gun legislation. Many of the attendees were young students from the local schools. The event had a Facebook page, which Keene High School (KHS) junior Hannah Landry organized. There was also a walkout on March 14 about the school shooting issue. According to The Keene Sentinel, more than 150 KHS students participated in the walkout, which was held in solidarity with other school protests nationwide. Two of the attendees from Keene High School were juniors Elizabeth Squires and Julia Ditri, who arrived at the event early. Neither Squires nor Ditri were nervous about the rally. They had already participated in the walkout the previous week and knew that they had the support and encouragement of many friends and teachers. Ditri said her environmental studies teacher, Julia Imbarrato, went over what to do in the situation that a shooter is in the school, which inspired her to walk out and rally. Ditri said, “Kids should feel safe going to school,” and shouldn’t be worried about violence. Ditri also said Keene High School is divided about 50/50 on the issue of gun control, and many on both sides are not aptly educated about the issue. Squires SEE ENOUGH, A2 COLTON MCCRACKEN / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
KSC and KHS Students, children and Keene community members marched in Central Square on Saturday, March 24; joining along with others who protested nationwide in the March for Our Lives event.
COLLEGE SENATE
Professor explores local homelessness VINCENT MOORE
JESSICA RICARD
equinox Staff
newS editor
On Wednesday, March 21, Professor of Sociology Therese Seibert presented “Homelessness in New Hampshire: More Than Meets The Eye.” “You don’t know what a homeless person necessarily looks like,” was the message Dr. Therese Seibert said a homeless Keene State College student had told her class. Seibert said her academic interest in homelessness began nearly a decade ago. She said she was teaching a course on community research when someone from New Hampshire’s Bureau of Homeless and Housing Services, who, due to budget cuts, was reaching out to colleges for students to do research for a statewide needs assessment. “What it involved was the students interviewing the residents of Keene homeless shelters, and we decided as a class that we would visit the shelters before we actually conducted the interviews out of respect to introduce ourselves to the residents, and by the third shelter, we were all pretty broken. We had no idea how extensive the problem of homelessness was in the area.” The project was a success and later became a permanent course titled, “SOC-370 Homelessness in New Hampshire and USA”, Seibert said. “I added more to the class, so I partnered with Hundred Nights and I’ve been partnering with them since. And the class requires students to stay overnight, work at intake, make a couple dinners and, in addition to that, I bring in speakers from the city of Keene, Hundred Nights, [Southwestern Community] Services [and] different agencies so that students get a different perspective on homelessness,” Seibert said. Kimberly Simmons, a Keene resident, said she came to the event to learn
KSC could be distributing two Posthumous Degrees, or degrees in Memoriam, at May’s Commencement Ceremony for both seniors who died this year. Additionally, the college may be extending the summer semester to allow students to qualify for financial aid. The KSC College Senate congregated at 4 p.m. on March 21 in the Mountain View Room for their monthly meeting to discuss such topics. The Academic Policy Committee (APC) reported to the Senate, explaining that they’re in the process of reviewing the policies around distributing two degrees in memoriam for both seniors: Blake Ko Powell and Christian Denninger. Provost William Seigh proposed the idea, but the families of the two students must approve. One proposal is for a posthumous degree, which requires 90 credits to have been completed. The In Memoriam degree does not have a credit requirement. Senators said they would be purely honorary, not carry any academic credits and not be reported as academic degrees. They would be
SEE HOMELESSNESS, A2
Index
Top Headlines
Section B: Section A: News .....................1-3 Student Life............1-4
A4: Peaceful protests A8: Start off with a bang B1: March for Our Lives B8: Florida accomplishments
Opinions ................4-5 Time Capsule.............5 A&E............ ...........6-8 Sports.....................6-8 Associated Collegiate Press
distributed at commencement at the discretion of the college administration, and the APC members reported they felt the distribution is “entirely appropriate.” The APC also discussed concerns reported to them by the science department chairs regarding the withdrawal policy. The policy states a student can withdraw up to the 11th week of the class, but fails to take into account extenuating circumstances, they said. APC members said a “W” on a transcript is not a grade, it’s an administrative action, which they felt needs to be made clearer. They will follow up on this policy at the Senate’s April 11 meeting. The Academic Standards Committee reported that they reviewed the calendar guidelines and received a proposal to extend the summer semester for financial aid purposes. Doing so would allow students to receive financial aid for the fall, spring and summer semesters because all terms would be equivalent. If passed, it would go into effect the summer term of 2019. Additionally, the change in grading system required a change in requirements for the KSC Honors Program: a B- and 3.33 GPA. It was proposed and unanimously approved.
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Standards surrounding a history master’s degree in archives is being discussed as well; the program has been approved by the Curriculum Committee. Lastly, the Senate Executive Committee unanimously voted to update their bylaws to say, “Courtesy of the floor may be extended to any member of the college community. Such courtesy shall be denied only upon objection from the majority of the senators.” Previously, it read that courtesy of the floor was only extended “by request of a senator,” but the language was changed to reflect what has been done throughout the year. They also shared that the program elimination guidelines will not be discussed in the immediate future. On April 11, the next Senate meeting, the final language for the new learning outcome in sustainability will be brought forward. The Senate will meet in the Mountain View Room at 4 p.m.. Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com
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News / A2
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Prospective students attend Admitted Students Day
LIMITED LEGISLATION: STAFF COLUMN
Absentee ballot law prevents valid counts TAYLOR BEAVEN
Equinox Staff
ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR
Prospective Owls attended Admitted Students Day on March 24, where potential students and families were able to tour first-year residence halls, speak with faculty, staff and current KSC students and learn about the college’s resources. Lunch was served in the Zorn Dining Commons as well. KSC will host two additional Admitted Students Day events on Friday, April 13 and Saturday April 21.
HOMELESSNESS Cont. from A1
more about local homelessness. “It’s been difficult not to notice that we have a small homeless issue, so to speak.” For the first half of the presentation, Seibert went over homelessness statistics and trends in both New Hampshire and Cheshire county, along with definitions of different types of homelessness, ranging from student homelessness to chronic homelessness. “I didn’t know that there was a different definition between student homelessness and regular homelessness,” Sarah Hart, a senior sociology and communication major, said. Hart said she came to the event as part of a writing assignment and had an interest in homelessness in the community. Seibert explained discrepancies in homelessness criteria between what the Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, as the former considers couch surfing (frequently moving from one temporary home to the next) as homelessness while the latter does not. In what she called putting faces behind the numbers, Seibert read the transcript of an interview with a homeless man talking about his hopes and dreams. Seibert asked the audience to give examples of common stereotypical traits of the homeless, like alcoholism and mental illness. She said that it’s more likely for someone to become an alcoholic by being homeless than vice versa. One solution Seibert discussed was the concept of “Housing First,” which, first and foremost, gives the homeless a place to live. “In the past, it’s been a type of policy where people need to be housing ready before they get housing, whereas the housing first argument says it’s hard to be hous-
HOMELESSNESS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS AS OF JANUARY, 25 2017 ROCKINGHAM COUNTY STRAFFORD COUNTY
CHESHIRE COUNTY
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
30
TOTAL UNSHELTERED INDIVIDUALS:
174
5
58
17 EMILY PERRY / EQUINOX STAFF
Information obtained from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services website.
ing ready, meaning attaining sobriety or addressing substance abuse issues, mental health issues or addressing getting a job, if you don’t have a home. It’s easier to address those issues when you’re in a home,” Seibert said. Seibert said she was putting on the
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event to help educate the public on the The event was hosted by The Keene advances made on local and state levels, State Presents: Open College program. as well as the challenges they still face in regards to homelessness. Vincent Moore can be contacted at She also said she wanted to showcase vmoore@kscequinox.com the work her students are doing in the community and throughout the state.
ENOUGH Cont. from A1
said she knows some students who went to the march in Washington, D.C., and that she was slightly nervous about the safety of that event. Prior to the event, Keene Police Chief Steve Russo said he was not particularly worried about the rally being unsafe. He said, “There are trepidations about any public event,” but he said this event seemed successfully planned. Event organizer and KHS junior Hannah Landry met with the police department and discussed the event. Russo said he gave Landry tips to keep the event safe and also mentioned that the police department may have had to close streets off if there were too many attendees to fit in Central Square. The Keene Police Department ended up not needing to close streets. Russo said he didn’t want to overwhelm the event with police presence. Parents of KHS students were at the
Your vote in the 2016 presidential election may have been thrown out if you voted via an absentee ballot in New Hampshire. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has asked a federal judge to declare New Hampshire’s Signature-Matching Ballot Law unconstitutional. The law requires that an absentee ballot signature match the signature written on the envelope. The ACLU claimed that the law prevented hundreds of valid absentee ballots from being counted. Peter Biello of New Hampshire Public Radio asked the legal director of the ACLU New Hampshire, Filles Bissonnette, a few questions about the organizations recent claims. Bissonnette is quoted by describing the law as a “...state law that allows election officials that have no handwriting analysis expertise to reject an absentee ballot without informing the voter if they think there is a signature mismatch in the voter’s paperwork. But under the law, government officials never inform these voters when their ballot are about to be thrown out.” On top of this, the ACLU claims that this law discriminates heavily against people with disabilities or old age that utilize the absentee ballot. Referencing documents, they’ve found that 33 out of 167 (20 percent) affected by the law were disabled. That’s just in the 2016 election, as the ACLU claims around 800 voters have had their absentee ballots thrown out in just the last 3 elections. The 2016 election absentee ballots that were thrown out include a 95-yearold blind woman named Mary Saucedo and an 89-year-old Korean War Veteran. Additionally, according to Peter Biello of NHPR, 10 voters from nursing homes, veterans homes and rehabilitation centers throughout the Granite State didn’t have their absentee ballots counted. The midterm election is coming up this November and the results will show just how happy the American people are with the Republican Party. Having strict regulations on voting will make it difficult for everyone to exercise their constitutional right. A hearing will take place later this summer in hopes to change the law prior to the 2018 midterm elections. With many students attending college far from home, the absentee ballot presents a necessary option for people to exercise their right to vote. With GOP legislators in New Hampshire trying to make college student voting more difficult, it’s no surprise that the ACLU is putting more attention on the unjust voting regulations in the state. Considering there is not similar restrictions on in-person voting, it’s difficult to defend the law that has cost such a large number of people their vote. And while their single individual vote, or even the collection of 167 in the 2016 election, may not have made a large difference, it is the principal of the situation. About 800 people in the last three elections have had their vote thrown in the garbage due to an arbitrary rule. There are many ways legislators have made it more difficult to vote; election day is not a national holiday, you cannot reschedule elections or votings due to weather in New Hampshire, many towns do not allow absentee ballot requests due to weather, GOP legislators push for ID laws be put into place as well as stricter regulations on college students and the absentee system, and lastly the electoral college still stands in the way of the people’s choice. It’s almost as if someone doesn’t want you to vote. I wonder why.
event too, including the Coordinator of Education at the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at KSC Tom White. He said he came to the rally for his son, Connor, and to “stand against the ridiculous and uninformed misunderstanding of the second amendment.” White also commented on the prevalence of military-grade guns among everyday Americans. He said to him, civilians are separated from the military, and that “the military return their weapons when they get back.” Nicole Wood, a KHS alumna and KSC sophomore, attended the event with three of her friends. She said she decided to attend because she “wants to see policy change with legislation that reflects the current capacity of modernday weapons.” A few other KSC students attended. Some were education majors themselves, like Madison Ballou, who is in her final year. She’s student teaching in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. She said while she isn’t sure of the opinions of KSC students because she’s so busy with student teaching, the teach-
Taylor Beaven can be contacted at tbeaven@kscequinox.com
ers she works with in Westmoreland are passionate about the issue. The gun issue “hits home for me,” she said, “because I’m a third generation educator.” Bill Hay hosts a show with WKNH at KSC and is the boys’ tennis coach at KHS. He had seen some of the Keene High School kids talking about the rally planned. Hay is a Vietnam veteran, so he said he has a “particularly harsh view about gun control.” He said he disagrees with the current legislation and that the Second Amendment was designed to provide the United States with a well-regulated militia. He added that he believes there’s currently nothing well-regulated about guns right now. Hay reiterated that he was glad to be at the rally, especially because it was led and organized by KHS students. “Those students aren’t going away,” he said. “The issue is not going to fade away. It’s got a life of its own now.” Abby Shepherd can be contacted at ashepherd@kscequinox.com
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Thursday, March 29, 2018
Budget bites into DC food services
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We’ve been doing small tweaks. Instead of doing something weekly, we might do it bi-weekly. Or instead of adjusting the building hours, we adjust the office hours. Jennifer Ferrell Director of Campus Life
GARRETT MCNAMEE / EQUINOX STAFF
Throughout the academic year, Sodexo has had to accommodate for campus-wide budget cuts. According to a survey done by The Equinox, KSC students have noticed and experienced various changes.
KSC’s financial restraints affect Dinning Common’s food quality GARRETT MCNAMEE
Equinox Staff According to a food quality survey from The Equinox, some students are questioning if the dining commons (DC), Hoot ’n’ Scoot and Lloyd’s Marketplace are experiencing changes in food quality. With Keene State College in the midst of budget cuts, concerns have arisen as to whether food services on campus have been impacted. This year, students and faculty members have noticed that Lloyd’s Marketplace is closing earlier than in previous years. This change in hours has sparked discussion as to how the DC and Hoot ’n’ Scoot might be affected. One hundred and seventeen students responded to the food quality survey, which accounts for about 3 percent of KSC’s population. However, a large percentage of respondents have shown to be unsatisfied with the quality of food. Over 50 percent of respondents said the DC needs “significant improvement,” while over 60 percent said DC meals are “much worse” compared to off campus or home-cooked meals. Food services such as the DC are large operations. Most students who have meal plans may not understand the complex web of entities Sodexo must communicate with. Sodexo supplies all foods and services that
maintain the DC, according to Sodexo’s General Manager Josef Quirinale. The quality of food at the DC is dependent on many things, including the KSC administration who regulates the budget, food hubs which provide the raw ingredients for sodexo, and the students whose tuition pays for the DC. Quirinale elaborated on how multiple entities must be satisfied before Sodexo can move forward. “I act as the liaison between the company, the college, the dining service and the staff. I am also responsible for making sure that we meet the standards not only that the company dictates, but that the campus dictates,” he said. “Really, I’m answering two masters, three if you count the students.” Sodexo has 10 managers on staff. The DC and Hoot ’n’ Scoot have endured changes since the campus’ budget cuts. Food prices continue to fluctuate, and certain foods must be reduced or eliminated to satisfy KSC’s budget requirements, according to Quirinale. There is no single entity to blame, but rather the state, national and global economy as a whole. Director of Campus Life Jennifer Ferrell explained how Sodexo accommodates for these losses. “If we have fewer students, we have fewer fee dollars coming in and we have a smaller budget,” Ferrell said. “We’ve been doing
small tweaks. Instead of doing something weekly, we might do it bi-weekly. Or instead of adjusting the building hours, we adjust the office hours.” Ferrell outlined that KSC’s approach to saving money is by changing various aspects of the DC only slightly. This prevents large holes in the operation by dispersing reductions in office hours, meals and some events. Sodexo still manages to provide healthy options, even in the midst of budget problems. Sections like the Granite State Salad Co., Valley Vegan and Global Cuisine stir fry station remain open so students and faculty can meet their dietary requirements according to Sodexo’s Registered Dietician and Marketing Manager Rebecca Hunt. Another hurdle for Sodexo and the school is accommodating for those with allergies or dietary constraints. With a student population more than 3,000, many have dietary needs which must be met. Surprisingly, healthy sections like Valley Vegan and the Granite State Salad Co. have been around for quite some time. “It’s relatively easy for us to meet the needs of students, even if they have multiple dietary restrictions. We pretty much have a grocery store in our building,” Hunt said. “The salad bar has definitely been around for a while. Valley
Vegan started in my early days; it’s been around for about 15 years.” As previously said by Quirinale and Ferrell,the DC strives to maintain high quality food for KSC students during struggling financial times. Their number one priority, Quirinale and Ferrell said, is to minimize change so students and faculty are not deprived of certain foods and services. There is no single entity responsible for recent changes, as said previously by Quirinale and Ferrell. The DC is largely influenced by the national and global economy. If there is a national or global shortage of a specific food, the DC is directly impacted. A 2018 summary of findings released by the USDA shows a 1.7 percent increase in food prices from January 2017. Changes in the DC could reflect larger economic issues as a country. For example, meals with beef have been served less frequently compared to meals with poultry, which have been on the incline according to Quirinale. This relates to rising prices of beef in the U.S., and might continue to increase unless prices reduce in the future according to an article from Investopedia. Garrett McNamee can be contacted at gmcnamee@kscequinox.com
GREEN LIFE: STAFF COLUMN
Buried treasures: KSC’s reuse room Free items available to students and community members KATHERINE GLOSSER
Equinox Staff Typically, getting free items is something no human would be willing to pass up. In college, this rings especially true. According to the College Board, the average annual cost of books and materials for university students is $1,168. In an effort to be more sustainable and cost-effective, Keene State College has a room where you can get textbooks, school supplies and other items for free. The reuse room, located in the Joslin House basement, has been around since before Recycling Coordinator Matt Bacon came to KSC in 2012. Bacon said the reuse room was started by Mary Jensen, the former director of sustainability. Students, faculty, staff and even townspeople can utilize the room and take what they want. There are school supplies, textbooks, silverware, cups, skateboards, CDs, cassette tapes, stereos, video game accessories, books, magazines and even movies that are up for grabs. KSC sophomore Eco Rep Brian Valante is in charge of the reuse room. Valante spends time organizing and checking the room a couple of times a week. Valante feels the public should use the room more often. “It’s kind of like a big system of ‘take a penny leave a penny,’” Valante said. “If you have any items or anything that you don’t necessarily need that you know someone else could, then you could just come down, drop it off and anything you find there you can take for free. I think it’s a great thing more students should make use of.” Bacon said it’s important for students to use the reuse room
before they look to purchase the item at a store. Bacon said this means there is less waste. “People moving into their new, first-time, off-campus apartment might not want to go to Walmart or shouldn’t have to go to Walmart and spend money on that stuff when they can get perfectly good stuff for free,” Bacon said. “It’s just a great viable option to not create more products going into the waste stream later on.” Bacon said he sees people going into the reuse room daily. However, about half the time, people leave with something. KSC junior Shaun Ross said he got books, notebooks and drinking cups from the reuse room. He said the room is a great way to spread awareness about the R.O.C.K.S. group and Eco Reps group, since it is in the same area. Ross feels having the reuse room is a positive reflection of the college. “I think it kind of sends a message that Keene State is trying to move towards a sustainable future,” Ross said. Bacon and Valante said items that aren’t allowed in the room are food and drink, clothing, broken electronics, trash, batteries and anything with liquid in it. If someone wants to donate food, they can put it in the Hungry Owl box that is in the Joslin building. For those who want to donate their clothing, they can bring it to R.O.C.K.S. for them to pick up. To learn more about the reuse room and other sustainabilityrelated services, there will be an open house in the Joslin Basement on April 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. Katie Glosser can be contacted at kglosser@kscequinox.com COLTON MCCRACKEN / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
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OPINIONS
Opinions / A4 Thursday, March 29, 2018
EDITORIAL
KSCEQUINOX.COM
Peaceful protests
COLTON MCCRACKEN / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
On Saturday, March 24, members of the Keene community gathered at Central Square on Main Street to participate in the March For Our Lives event to protest gun violence and school shootings.
Students should be empowered to have a voice In reference to the shooting that took place in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14, Fla. Senator Marco Rubio tweeted “...We smear those who refuse to agree with us. We claim a Judea-Christian heritage but celebrate arrogance and boasting. And worst of all we have infected the next generation with the same disease.” Rubio referred to the students speaking out against gun violence and school shootings as “arrogant” as if speaking up for your safety is a sickness. Call students by any name you want, but they are the future of this country. It is important that students are aware of what is going on in the world around them because one day, they will be the ones calling the shots. Even though many student protestors who are speaking out against gun violence and school shooting sare not old enough to vote, they are old enough to have their voices be heard. If students are the ones being affected by school
THE EQUINOX
shootings, then why shouldn’t their input be heard and considered by those in power to make a change? If students are demanding action, the government should listen and implement alterations to the problem at hand On March 14, one month after the Parkland, Fla. shooting, students across the nation walked out of their high schools at 10 a.m. for 17 minutes. The 17 minutes signified the 17 students who lost their lives during the shooting. On Saturday, March 24, numerous March For Our Lives events were held across the nation. From Washington D.C., to right here in Keene, people took to the streets to stand up for stricter gun laws and to stop school shootings. The march was organized by students who attended Stoneman Douglas High School, where the fatal Feb. 14 shooting occurred. Students are stepping to the forefront about these issues because a change clearly needs to be made and
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no one is doing anything about it. Now more than ever, these issues need to be addressed and students are the ones realizing it. But students don’t know everything about guns and gun violence, nor do they claim to. What they to know is enough is enough and something needs to happen in order to prevent these tragedies from ever happening again. Millennials receive so much criticism for always being on their phones and being too involved in social media, and when they finally come together for a good cause, they receive even more backlash for standing up for themselves. If other people put themselves in the shoes of a current student, they would hopefully be able to empathize and realize the good that these kids are doing. Students of all ages, from kindergarten to high school, attended the March For Our Lives events on March 24. While pictures of elementary-age students
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attending these events may seem heartbreaking, it is extremely encouraging. By recognizing that there is an issue and realizing that they can use their voices to make a difference, students are working towards solving the problem. By gathering together and acting as one strong, unified system, students are beginning to make the change that so desperately needs to take place. By organizing marches, walk outs and other forms of peaceful protests, students are making their voices heard. They realize the importance of expressing themselves and working together with a common goal to put an end to these tragedies. Politicians and members of the government do not have the right to critique students and call them “arrogant” for speaking their mind and working together towards a common good. The work that students are putting in now is changing the lives of future students for the better.
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Opinions / A5
Thursday, March 29, 2018
STAFF COMMENTARY
Reputable charities
STAFF COMMENTARY
Convenience in online shopping could be a downside LINDSAY GIBBONS
Equinox Staff
SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN /EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Make sure your donations go to credible organizations CHLOE GIARRAPUTO
opinionS Editor Donating to a non-profit organization is something that makes most people feel good about themselves. But how would it feel knowing that some charities are not giving every penny of donated money to the cause they claim to support? This is the case for numerous charities ‒ Breast Cancer Relief Foundation, Cancer Fund of America, and the Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation ‒ to name a few, according to The Tampa Bay Times in collaboration with the Center for Investigative Reporting. These organizations created a list of the top 48 worst charities. The higher the charity is placed on the list, the more money they paid to solicitors in the last decade. According to this list, the worst charity is the Kids Wish
Network located in Holiday, Fla.. According to the website, kidswishnetwork.org, the mission is dedicated to “...infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children who are experiencing life-altering situations.” According to the homepage of the website, “100 percent of contributions directed to our Guardian Angel Fund directly support our services and programs.” The Tampa Bay Times spent a year investigating this organization to find that it does not give every penny from donations to its cause. The information on this list is from totals over the last ten years of available federal tax filings and was last updated in 2014. According to this list, the Kids Wish Network received $137.8 million from solicitors. Charity Navigator rated it zero out of five stars. Kids Wish Network has never earned more
than two stars and currently has a ranking of zero out of five stars according to Charity Navigator; which is viewed as the “guide to intelligent giving,” as stated by the website. Not only does the organization pay a large sum of the donations to solicitors ‒ a person whose job involves talking to many people and trying to persuade them to buy things ‒ but CNN reported that the organization “... spends less than three cents on the dollar helping kids.” So not only does the organization take money from solicitors, they do not spend all of the money they receive to help children with cancer. According to the list of top 48 worst charities in America, six other charities in the top ten alone deal with cancer, and out of of these six, four organizations state that their mission is to “help” pediatric cancer patients. Those looking to donate to a worthy cause
should abstain donating money to organizations who do not give every cent to their cause. The people donating that money expect it to be going to where the organization promises ‒ cancer research. It should feel good to give back. Always do a background check on the organizations you want to donate to and be sure to give money where you feel it would be the best. Those who are interested in learning more information about the organizations mentioned and other charities can visit www. tampabay.com/americas-worst-charities/ as well as www.charitynavigator.org.
Chloe Giarraputo can be contacted at cgiarraputo@kscequinox.com
STAFF COMMENTARY
Responsibilities of advertising CHLOE GIARRAPUTO
opinionS Editor Advertisements are everywhere these days, whether we see them physically on a billboard or virtually on a website. Applications for phones (Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to name a few) tend to have advertisements sprinkled throughout their feed. Most ads seem to be personalized for the viewer, for example, if you look at a pair of shoes online, you might see that same pair of shoes on the sidebar of your Facebook feed later on. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), “Advertisers believe you’re more likely to click on an ad targeted to your specific interests. Some ad networks gather the information apps collect, including your location data, and may combine it with information about your Internet browsing habits or the kind of information you provide when you register for a service or buy something online.” The FTC also says that the reason some apps have advertisements is because, “Developers want to provide their apps as inexpensively as possible so lots of people will use them. If they sell advertising space in the app, they can offer the app for a lower cost than if it didn’t have ads. Some developers sell space in their apps to ad networks that, in turn, sell the space to advertisers.” While there is no way to avoid ads on some apps, there has to be some way for ads to be screened. Snapchat recently ran an ad for a game called, “Would You Rather?” and the example question shown on Snapchat asked if the user would rather slap Rihanna or punch Chris Brown. This extremely distasteful ad went viral when Rihanna herself responded to it. Rihanna took to Instagram to question the intention of the ad. Rihanna posted, “You spent money to animate something that would intentionally bring shame to DV [Domestic Violence] victims and make a joke of it… all
LETTER TO THE EDITOR In 2016 there were 963 fatal officer involved shootings in the United States. That number increased in 2017 to 987. While in 2016, NH was free of officer involved fatalities, four of those in 2017 were here in NH though we have seen 32 office-involved shootings in NH since 2005 (with 15 of those shot being unarmed). De-escalation training is a part of officer training for new officers in the Police Academy here in New Hampshire. This includes a Prevention-Intervention-Enforcement-Recovery (P.I.E.R) De-Escalation Model course that is a one-day course to help de-escalate “acting-out” behavior. It also includes a four-hour Defensive Tac-
the women, children and men that have been victims of DV in the past and especially the ones who haven’t made it out yet… you let us down! Shame on you. Throw the whole appology away.” Snapchat responded to the incident by releasing a statement that said, “We are investigating how that happened so we can make sure it never happens again.” Fans of Rihanna took her words to heart when it came to throwing the app away, according to CNN. “Her remark sent Snap (SNAP)’s stock down nearly 4 [percent], erasing nearly $800 million from its market value.” While it is probably a good idea to make sure this never happens again, it would be an even better idea to ensure that this would never happen in the first place. There should be a more intense screening process when it comes to ensuring that ads do not commit harm unnecessarily. Rihanna is not the only celebrity to have an impact on the stock of Snapchat. Kylie Jenner also expressed her distaste for the app in a tweet she sent out on Feb. 22, just a few weeks prior to Rihanna’s statement. Jenner’s words cost Snapchat six percent of their stock, which equates to $1.3 billion, according to CNN. Whether people are deleting the app because of a favorite celebrity’s request or in response to unpleasant advertising, Snapchat is paying the price. Although they are probably kicking themselves now for not catching this offensive advertisement, hopefully they will be more careful in the future when monitoring ads that appear on their app. This should be a lesson in advertising: be careful with what you publish because you never know how an “innocent” ad could be misconstrued or upset someone. Chloe Giarraputo can be contacted at cgiarraputo@kscequinox.com
tics Instructor course to teach the use of force progression, principles of suspect control, levels of positioning, joint manipulation, pressure points, defensive strikes, searching, ground fighting, weapon retention, and the use of impact weapons and OC Spray. The last course that is included is a four-hour course on Mental Illness and Legal Process course that is designed to teach officers with an understanding of specific mental illnesses, medications and legal issues surrounding mental illness and de-escalation techniques for those individuals. However, de-escalation training is not required for New Hampshire officers. They are required to take 8 hours of training per year, plus firearms proficiency, use of force, first aid and CPR certifi-
After 70 years of business, Toys “R” Us will be closing its doors. In recent days, the ear-piercing store Claire’s has also declared bankruptcy. According to a report from CNN, the two beloved stores, which have sold stuffed animals, earrings, bikes, makeup and dolls to millions of kids across the country, are the most recent retail giants to fall victim to Amazon and other online stores. Online shopping is very familiar to most of us nowadays. Due mainly to convenience, many of us shop online instead of visiting a store for what we may need. Many online stores allow customers to do price comparisons, which allows them to make sure that they are getting the most for their money. Online stores also routinely offer discounts and free shipping, which also helps to attract customers. There is no doubt that websites like Amazon and eBay are beginning to take center stage. But the real question is, how is it affecting businesses? Large retail stores are not immune to the effects of online shopping. Even well-established stores, such as Target and Walmart, are feeling the effects. According to recent reports from the Pew Research Center, the growth of the number of store counts across the country has declined by three percent in the last year. “They’re not dead,” Joseph Sugarman, an expert from Johns Hopkins University, said, “But the future of retail will evolve and morph into something else — something that will reflect social and cultural developments.” The digitalization of the world has evolved over the years, and retail stores must be able to evolve with it. So how can businesses successfully change with the market in order to continue being successful? According to Sugarman, “The ones that offer an experience or a destination for social interaction will be the ones that survive.” The digitalization of the world has led to more social isolation, so retail stores are becoming more of a social meet and greet than a spot to shop. Online shopping is indeed convenient and will most likely continue to surge. While it is important for businesses to grow and change with the evolving market, it is also important for customers to remember not to always shop online. It is easy to fall into scams and accidentally give away important information online. It is also important to engage with the community and not fall into isolation, and online shopping is a way of preventing that. But as long as you’re being safe, keep clicking away! Lindsay Gibbons can be contacted at lgibbons@kscequinox.com
GERALD ALFIERI/ EQUINOX STAFF
cate renewals and defensive tactics refreshers. In places where de-escalation training is required on a yearly basis, officer-involved shootings have dropped considerably. By focusing on slowing things down instead of rushing in and yelling the same order over and over does two important things: brings down the amount of complaints of police aggression and saves lives. This should be a goal that we seek here in the state. In 2015 Salt-Lake City police began taking required yearly de-escalation training and brought a high rate of officer-involved shootings to zero. Same city. Same officers. Completely different success rates. This includes times when they have chase armed suspects, instead of shooting the victim for running or having a pistol
drawn, they used words and got the suspects to lay down. De-escalation and transparency are the two tactics that units who have changed their methods say work. In light of the unarmed man in Enfield shot, the unarmed man shot in Hopkinton, the man shot in the back while fleeing police in Canaan I believe it is time to bring this reform to NH. Let’s not put police in a situation where their only option is to shoot. Let’s give them the training for better options. Jilletta Jarvis Candidate for NH Governor 2018
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Treating anxiety with music
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Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcnemar@kscquinox.com
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As Keene State College students look towards the final full month of the semester, and the workload only seems to increase, many search for methods to relieve their stress. Going to the gym, reading a book, or taking a walk have proven to be useful forms of relaxation. However, in times of stress, many people turn to music as their method of escape. For decades, entertainment has been a way for everyday people to escape the harsh reality of the world. The late 1920s-1950s were considered to be the Golden Age of Hollywood, especially booming in the 1930s due to the Great Depression. During the Vietnam War, the country saw growth in the music industry, creating a new sound that was unlike anything heard before. When facing stress or anxiety, people look for relief. While it may seem counterproductive to listen to music rather than tackling the obstacle that is causing you stress head on, according to Psych Central, productivity will increase as an individual’s stress levels decrease. Senior Karver Bosela is currently majoring in a specialized degree of psychology and music, with the hope of working with people through music therapy. Bosela explained that music therapy is often used to better one’s emotional, cognitive and social issues. This specific type of therapy is frequently used for individuals with disabilities or illness, but there is a correlation between music and healing benefits that can be seen in a wide range of people. Bosela pointed out that not only does music reduce stress as well as fix other obstacles an individual may be facing, but it takes away some of the taboo of typical therapy. “It can put therapy in a more positive light,” Bosela said. Bosela decided to pursue career in this field due to his past. “I’m actually a success story from music therapy. I grew up with a very severe speech impediment. I would stutter a lot,” Bosela said. After taking music therapy however, Bosela’s speech improved and music became a passion for him. “Music is a big part of my life now,” Bosela said. Also sharing that passion for music is
ask yourself what drives you lust or passion? neither? self fulfillment or self righteousness. none of the above are incorrect answers. let him into the lockbox that hides behind your eyes that you swallowed the key to years ago. play wicked games with desire on your tongue and greed on your fingertips. your mind is a piece of art and your body is the museum that houses it; your lips lavish sculptures not of those before him, but of who you’ve molded yourself to be. and when the siren’s cry drags him out to sea, remember… there is a lighthouse in your core that beats
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f i r styear and musician, Alyssa Taylor. Taylor’s love of music began to develop in middle school. “I downloaded Pandora and I discovered a lot of stuff on it. My friends would suggest stations for me,” Taylor said. She continued, “I also played Rock Band on the Wii, which made me get into more rock stuff.” From there, Taylor’s love of music continued to grow into her hobby as well as her stress outlet. “[When listening to music] I can tune everything out and I also play music,” Taylor added. “I like to write the music first and then put the words after it. I usually write it on guitar first, sometimes I’ll play piano.” First-year Levi Norway, who also enjoys playing the guitar, explained a different idea on the stress relieving qualities of music. While he stated his belief that music relieves stress, he also explained its elements of self expression. “I think it’s [music] a really important thing to have in someone’s life because there are so many venues to express yourself; to be able to listen to whatever you want, and to dictate how you’re going to spend your stress throughout the day,” Norway continued. “I think it’s [music] a really stress relieving thing to do or be able to do. It’s like there’s a lot of discipline and effort that goes into it to progress but once you get it, it’s endless entertainment.” However, Norway also expressed how he believes music could actually cause more stress to an individual. “There is music that could potentially hype you up in a negative light and could make you more stressed out. Your brain might project yourself into the song and perpetuate some stress you do have,” Norway said. Despite some scepticism, Norway concluded with, “I honestly do believe [music] relieves stress in the overall picture of things.”
Poems by Isabel
Isabel Tisdale is a sociology major who found her love of writing after a fourth grade poetry project. Since then, she spends her time writing poems and creative nonfiction as a way of self- expression. Her inspirations include Rupi Kaur, Christopher Poindexter and Warsan Shire. She uses her life experiences to write poetry, with a strong emphasis on the use of motifs, symbols and imagery.
BANG Cont. From A6
performative; the dances were constantly communicating with each other.” Duffy said that dance is like a language. She added that TBG utilized both rhythm and dance and created an upfront sense of communication. As a music major, Fifield said the classical works shown were well represented throughout each performance. “I think they did very well,” she said. “They can’t capture all of it with just rhythms, of course, but what they did capture was very well done.” After the performance, TBG stayed for a question and answer panel, during which Parker said college students shouldn’t be afraid of the unknown, but rather should be motivated to learn more about it. He added that his curiosity about things he did not know about percussive dance was what drove him to pursue it. He said, “I was constantly not doing what I already knew how to do; I was using what I already knew as a means to get where I’d never been. That’s been the most rewarding approach.” Angelique Inchierca can be contacted at ainchierca@kscequinox.com ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR
The Bang Group dancers performing at the Redfern Arts Center at KSC on Friday, March 23.
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION
KSC PUZZLES
of different types of shoes, or lack thereof, used to produce multiple rhythmic sounds from the human body. Violinist Pauline Kim Harris performed in the piece “Turing Tests,” accompanied by three dancers. Harris said, “I feel like [the dancers] are musicians.” She added that the combination of movement, percussive dance and music created a special type of ensemble and the night became more of a musical experience than a mere dance performance. The troupe’s opening piece “Slapstuck” consisted of two performers in fully velcro suits creating music solely through stomping and through sticking together and pulling apart portions of their suits. The rest of the night featured various dancers creating well-known jazz and classical music through the art of dance and body music. Whether in tap shoes, toe shoes or even barefoot, the troupe brought a serious and comedic view to their work. KSC first-year Claire Fifield said the performance was indescribable. “It was really energetic and funny in some parts,” she said. Fifield added that each piece seemed to show relationships between the portrayed characters, as if they were conflicted or angry with one another. KSC Coordinator for Energy and Administrative Services Diana Duffy said, “[The performance] wasn’t just
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Senior Recitals
Rachel’s Reviews
ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR
Netflix original series: ‘Love’ RACHEL BLUMBERG
Equinox Staff
PUJA THAPA /BUSINESS MANAGER
KIANA WRIGHT / EQUINOX STAFF
On Saturday and Sunday, two Keene State College students performed in their senior recitals. Eric Dill (left) performed a series of percussion instruments while Callie Carmosino (right) showcased her talent on the bassoon. Both concerts were assisted by fellow music students, as well as faculty. The recitals were presented by the Keene State College music department in the Alumni Recital Hall in the Redfern Arts Center.
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event after receiving a recommendation from Webler to come, and was pleasantly surprise by the show. Rettig said, “I heard about it through Dr. Webler and I was interested to see what it was about.” Rettig added, “I really had no idea what to expect, but I really liked the music and I felt they did a great job with that.” Rettig continued, “This is something that we’re all working towards as environmental studies majors and to come here and hear people sing about it, because we talk a lot about it all the time, but to add music was really fun.” The point that Ungerleider kept pushing was the process of moving away from fear to change. Earth is continuing to experience extreme weather conditions all over the world. However, instead of worrying about what could happen, Ungerleider urged people to think about the changes that they can make to help. While not a single person alone can fix the environmental crisis, the little changes can help. As John F. Kennedy once said, “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcnemar@kscquinox.com PUJA THAPA / BUSINESS MANAGER
During the performance, Thomas Webler gave a presentation about climate change.
Recently I sat down and finished binge-watching the three seasons of the Netflix original series, “Love” and you could say that I absolutely loved “Love.” Created by Judd Apatow, Paul Rust and Lesley Arfin, the show is an anti-romantic comedy about two protagonists who are both fooled by Hollywood into believing in grand gestures and fulfilling the “storybook” relationship. The show circulates around its two characters: Gus, a nerdy codependent, and Mickey, a recovering sex and love addict. The two are introduced to the viewer as individual people in their own toxic relationship with both their job and, what by the middle of the first episode will be revealed as, their exes. Gus works as a tutor to the young actors on a cheesy, supernatural soap opera, Witchita, while Mickey works as an assistant on a radio advice show, both not getting the attention they deserve. After also getting their hearts broken and having an even rougher day at work, they find their way to the local gas station convenience store where the two bump paths for the first time. What makes “Love” like no other is not only their opposing looks, Mickey being the 70s punk chic and Gus having a Woody Allen vibe, but the hang-ups and flaws the couple has from the start. She’s an insecure addict who wants to try dating “nice guys” and he’s insecure about always being called the “nice guy.” Gus and Mickey are seemingly doomed from the start, yet their pairing is so uniquely different than any other stereotypical romantic comedy couple that movies and TV shows have nailed into our brains as “perfectly happy.” Because of this contrast to the norm with Mickey and Gus’s contrasting personalities and actions, the complex development of each character as individuals that takes place in
this series fully plays into the connection the viewer has with them. Throughout the 10-episode first season, I constantly found myself happily cringing at the moments and situations shared between Gus and Mickey. Each interaction is both horrible and hilarious as the dialogue between the two if often sometimes so uncomfortable that you can’t help but watch. “Love” makes sure the connection between Mickey and Gus is always genuine to who they are as people in the world and I have the writing and directing team of this series to thank for that. It’s not often that I find a show that has authentic, genuine dialogue that I can relate to as much as this. Writer-director and producer Judd Apatow shares to IndieWire, “The key to a good writing team is to have a huge amount of trust and emotional honesty. You realize, ‘Oh this isn’t just something that they were going to sell, this is their soul. I like when people are pushing themselves as deep as they can go.” Apatow said this in front of Rust, with thome he co-created with Rust and Lesley Arfin. He shared that the series is based on Rust and Arfin’s real-life romance, which explains why the dialogue feels so real. The initial idea for co-writing with Arfin was to write a movie, yet the two realized there was no true way to fit all they went through in a quick two-and-a-half hours. Rust shared to Fast Company, “The idea was that in a movie, usually the second through fifth date is a threeand-a-half minute montage, just because you’re trying to get through the relationship. But in real life, a relationship takes a long time. It just takes a lot for two people to get together.” Rust and Arfin got married four months after the wrap of the first season. The third and final season of “Love” is now available on Netflix. Rachel Blumberg can be contacted at rblumberg@kscequinox.com
Interested in Art, Music, or TV/Film? Write for Arts & Entertainment
Arts & Entertainment Editor Erin McNemar (908)328-9752
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Start off with a bang The Bang Group performs at KSC ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA
Photo Editor Keene State College was introduced to new flavors of dance in a classical and jazz mixed performance by a dance company based in New York. The Bang Group (TBG) has performed in 13 countries in addition to the United States, including Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. On Friday, March 23, the international troupe came to KSC’s Redfern Arts Center for their dance production titled A Mouthful of Shoes. Since their founding in 1995, TBG has been most known for their unique use of body percussion or “Body Music.” Body percussion is the art of making sounds through actions such as stomping, clapping, snapping and patting. Co-founder and choreographer David Parker said the performance was named for the amount SEE BANG, A6 ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR
The Bang Group came to the Redfern Arts Center at Keene State College on Friday, March 23. The group based out of New York performed a mixture of classical and jazz dance pieces in the Main Theater.
KSC welcomes ‘Secret of the Seasons’ ERIN MCNEMAR
Arts & EntErtAinmEnt Editor Not one person alone can stop climate change. It requires teamwork and cooperation, which encompasses the idea of the “co-opera.” On Friday, March 23, a group of musicians from the School for International Training (SIT) in Brattleboro, VT came to Keene State College to present their original co-opera, “Secret of the Seasons.” A co-opera is a show that is not only put on by the performers, but also includes the audience members. Throughout the show the audience was invited to sing, dance and play along with the musicians when they were handed percussion instruments. Between songs, viewers were asked to discuss certain topics as they arose with fellow members seated around them. After a brief discussion, all the groups came back together and were asked to share what they talked about. The show’s writer and Professor at SIT, John Ungerleider, explained his inspiration behind the creation of the co-opera. “People talk about issues with climate change and how we address them, especially how we address the emotional challenge,” Ungerleider explained. He continued, “The music helps us deal with the emotions, especially fear, denial, and how we trans-
form that into action. It’s such a big issue and it’s easier to go, ‘I can’t deal with it, want can I do?’ So hopefully this helps people shift their focus.” When asked what Ungerleider hoped the take-away from the performance would be, he responded, “To figure out by the end of the show what are some personal and political actions they could take, and it’s not just personal, it’s not just recycling and changing light bulbs. It’s got to be some social policy, some collective action.” Assistant professor of environmental studies Thomas Webler first saw the performance in Brattleboro back in October. From there, he decided it would be beneficial to his students, as well as community members, to see the show. “We need to communicate in lots of different ways about climate change. It helps us to personally reconcile what’s going on and talk about our personal reaction, but to also communicate and be with others in a positive space about it,” Webler said. During the performance, Webler did a presentation about how global warming occurs. After explaining the process, Webler invited audience members up to do a series of demonstrations to simplify the science behind climate change. Senior and environmental studies major, Hannah Rettig, decided to attend the SEE SEASONS, A7
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Professors and students from SIT performed their Co-opera, “Secret of the Seasons.” The Co-opera focused on climate change.
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Student Life / B1 Thursday, March 29, 2018
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March For Our Lives
Colton McCracken / Senior Photographer Members of the Monadnock Region stood together and rallied for both local and national lawmakers to take action on gun control. The rally took place at Central Square in downtown Keene and included a variety of speakers from Keene High School students, to college students, to elected NH officials and others.
Community members make their voices heard COLBY DUDAL
Student Life editor Keene community members of all ages rallied together on March 24 to speak their minds on the issue of gun control. The March For Our Lives Facebook page said, “In the wake of the Parkland, Fla. shooting it is time for Americans to stand and demand gun control.” For many at the event, there was one goal and that was to stand up against gun violence, but for each person at the event, there was a different reason as to why they felt it was important to attend. Member of the New Hampshire Senate Jay Kahn was a speaker at the rally who said over the past few weeks he has been in a debate with other members of the senate regarding the control of firearms and local control. Kahn said he was glad to see such a wide range of people of all ages from
around the Monadnock region. Kahn said school shootings are something that happens in New Hampshire and the discussion on gun control is one that is important for America to be having. “School shootings happen in New Hampshire. We know that because seven years ago, the Walpole Elementary School student walked into the cafeteria with a gun and shot himself in the head,” Kahn said at the rally. He added students should not be in a position where they have to witness or be hearing about school shootings. “The trauma is real and the cry for action is real,” Kahn said. It was not just senators who took the chance to speak to the crowd. Keene High School students also shared their thoughts on the issue of gun control. Keene High School student Rachel Scott spoke at the March For Our Lives event and said, “I would like to address everyone
who is saying children shouldn’t be leading the way to gun control. Have you ever seen your friends or classmates, the people you love be carried out in body bags? Were you ever scared to go to school because you didn’t know if you would make it until the end of the day?” Scott added the rally isn’t trying to ban all guns but instead rallying to make it harder to buy a gun. “We’re rallying because we don’t think guns that can shoot 600 rounds in a minute should be available to the public,” Scott said. Sophomore Katelynn Kaimi said the issue of gun violence and gun control is a movement that she feels is important and wants to be apart of the movement. “I was very emotionally moved. There was a grandmother who got up and said, ‘I’m a Kindergarten teacher and I have grandchildren that age who are practicing which corner to go to,’
and she started crying and after she got off. I had to give her a hug and thank her for sharing that. Going there and hearing the stories made me want to become more involved because it gave me that emotional call to action,” Kaimi said. She said she plans to become more active in the stand against gun violence by writing letters to those in government positions. Kaimi said she feels as though no matter which side of the argument someone falls on, it is important to be active in the community if they want to make a change. Kaimi said, “If you want a change then it’s not going to happen unless you partake in it and that’s kind of been my motto about anything.” Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox. com
COLTON MCCRACKEN / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
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Your Future Fair COLBY DUDAL & LUCAS THORS
equinox Staff
New incentive to register on time COLBY DUDAL
Students and prospective employers got the chance to talk about and explore possible career avenues at the Keene State College job fair. Nonprofit and for-profit companies met in the Spaulding Gymnasium to give students insight and accept job applications and resumes. Doors opened for the event on March 22, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.. The sponsorship money from the semiannual event goes to the Academic and Career Advising’s career programs. KSC senior and safety Major Eric Sbona said, “I really want an internship, but I wouldn’t be disappointed if I didn’t get one. Internships really helps with the stress of trying to find one.” Full-time jobs and both paid and unpaid internship applications were available to students. New Hampshire Department of Corrections Recruiter Linda McDonald said, “We need more information technology applicants.” McDonald also said they are looking for students who have experience in videography. A broad range of career opportunities were present at the job fair, including positions in education, healthcare, communications, safety and more. Senior safety major James Schaefer said that he had talked to three companies and he had a positive experience with all of them. “I expect to meet different people and find opportunities that fit my role and my degree,” Schaefer said. Easterseals is a company that provides services for people of all age groups with special needs. Representative for the company Nancy Skar said, “Students with prior experience like volunteer work and internships have a leg up.” Skar said she is looking for someone who is in control of their emotions and has a calm disposition. For one student, some of the opportunities she explored were not what she expected. Junior Lucy Smith said, “I see some posters advertising something and it turns out to be entirely different.” Senior Alexandra Sholtes is one of the students who helped put on the career fair and said the event has grown from the smaller venue of the Mabel Brown Room to now being in the recreational gym in the Spaulding Gymnasium. “It’s awesome that it’s moved
Student Life editor
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The Your Future Fair had representatives from various companies talk to students about future careers.
to the gym because it’s given the opportunity to open it up to even more employers… A lot of the growth has to do with the interest in Keene State students from employers. More employers in the area are finding out we do put on this really big fair and we’ve also coined it as the ‘Your Future Fair.’” Sholtes said. Sholtes said in the spring, the fair not only allows employers to present their company at the fair, but also allows schools that offer graduate programs to come and speak with students who are considering attending graduate school
after they leave KSC. Along with helping to put on the ‘Your Future Fair,’ Sholtes said she also uses the fair as a way for her to connect with employers in her major of psychology. Sholtes said another benefit of the Career Fair is that students who have already graduated from KSC will return for the fair and recruit current KSC students. KSC alumni Michael Brindley graduated in 2003 and currently works for New Hampshire Public Radio. Brindley said the Career Fair is a great way for students to see opportunities for their future and
what careers are out there. Brindley said one thing he looks for in potential employees is their drive. Brindley said he wants to hear people’s aspirations. “There should be a natural curiosity about both our goals and their goals,” Brindley said. Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox.com Lucas Thors can be contacted at lthors@kscequinox.com
The Keene State College Registrar Office has started a new incentive so that KSC students will register on time within the two-week time frame of March 26 to April 6. Interim Registrar Barbara Cormier said that any student who applies for courses for the fall 2018 semester will be in a drawing to receive a $100 VISA gift card. Along with registering for classes Cormier said that any student who brings in a nonperishable food item in that time frame will be put into the drawing again and be even more eligible for the gift card. Cormier said the hope of the incentive is to create a new tone at KSC when it comes to registering for classes. Cormier said, “The registrar’s office has been talking for awhile about changing the tone and the role we play in our office so we started talking about encouraging students to register on time.” Cormier said sometimes students will not register for courses during that time frame for a variety of reasons, this leads to the student getting a late fee of ten dollars and neither the registrar office nor students want to have to be paying a late fee for not signing up for classes. Cormier said that last semester alone over 300 students received a late fee for signing up for classes after the two-week time span of course registration. There are many reasons why a student may be signing up for a class late said Cormier and added that sometimes the reasons are out of the student’s control. “Sometimes there is a financial hold on a student’s account which prevents them for signing up, sometimes they were required to meet with an advisor and did not do so and can’t register, sometimes they don’t realize that they weren’t signed up for the class even though they have been sitting in it for weeks,” said Cormier. Cormier said the goal of the VISA card incentive is twofold. Cormier said the first reason is to encourage students to stay on top of planning for what classes they need or want to take, the other goal is to reinforce the behavior that is wanted. Cormier said students registering on time is not only beneficial for the student but also for professors because they can get a good idea of how many are in the class and use that information to build what their class will look like.
Junior Zachary Howe is graduating this December and said he thinks the incentive to register for classes early is great. “I always register on time so it would be nice to be appreciated for committing. It is unfortunate that they have to make incentives for things they should be doing. I’m sure the school has tried other things and this is the idea that they think will work best,” said Cormier. Senior Thomas Davis said even though he is graduating this year and won’t see the incentive in effect, he sees it as a great idea because it pushes students to be on time. “If you don’t do it then you are forfeiting the reward. Those who put in the work get rewarded,” said Davis. Cormier said an important tool for all students is the Student Planner and Self Service on MyKSC. “If they log onto Self Service every day they are keeping track of their own progress. I would say that number one for students is getting into the classes they need,” said Cormier, who added Self Service allows students to map out a four-year plan for classes. Cormier said Self Service is an important tool to help avoid problems with schedules and the Academic and Career Advising Center trains students in using Self Service and making sure students are getting into the right classes. Academic Advisor Patricia Halloran said the Academic and Career Advising Cennter works closely with students to learn about Student Planning and said she believes Student Planning helps all students be able to track their progress and see what courses they need to take in an easily accessible way. “I like Student Planning a lot because it helps students to be sure they are on track to graduate on time and even look beyond graduation,” said Halloran. Halloran said she notices a huge change in first year students between when she meets with her advisees in October and when she meets with them in March. Halloran said by the second semester students are asking really good questions about what classes to take , about their future and Halloran said second semester students seem to really care about doing well in college. Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox.com
Feminist Collective fighting for gun reform ASHLEY ARNOLD
equinox Staff Just like high school and college students around the nation, the Keene State College Feminist Collective has arranged a student walkout to protest against gun violence. The school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla on Feb. 14 seemed to be the last straw for many American students. Walkouts took place all over the country on the one month anniversary of the shooting to protest gun violence. According to The New York Times article, “National School Walkout: Thousands Protest Against Gun Violence Across the US” by Vivian Yee and Alan Blinder, “In New York, in Chicago, in Atlanta, and Santa Monica; At Columbine High School and in Newtown Conn. and in many more cities and towns, students left school by the hundreds and the thousands at 10 a.m..” The Feminist Collective Organization has titled their walkout initiative “Keene Says Enough.” The mission statement of Keene Says Enough states: “The Feminist Collective is organizing to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods. Our mission is to support all victims of gun violence, including victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, communities of color, the LGBTQ community and all students. Keene State College has had enough.” According to President of the Feminist Collective Organization and co-organizer of Keene Says Enough, Katherine Briefs, there are two actions under this mission. Briefs said the first action was a trip to
the March For Our Lives rally in Washington, D.C. during the weekend of March 23. The second is a large-scale student walkout with a subsequent rally and breakout sessions on April 20, the anniversary of the 1999 school shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado. She said the rally will work in solidarity with thousands of other school walkouts taking place across the United States. Students are welcomed to walkout of class and join a rally on the Lloyd P. Young Student Center lawn from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. There will be two teach-in style breakout sessions from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.. Briefs said she was amazed by the student interest in the March for Our Lives event and that’s what influenced her and first-year co-organizers, Jack Davis and Maura Cavagnaro to arrange a student walkout on the KSC campus. “We see the interest,” Briefs said. “We see people going and driving out of town to come to these things. We see students emailing me all night long and messaging me because they want to have their voices heard and there’s not a space for that. We feel that it’s necessary to create that space. And as long as there is a demand, we will continue to push.” Briefs said she was also pleasantly surprised by the support of the college and KSC faculty. “In terms of the institutional support, I am astonished and just very pleased by how much institutional support we have because that was a concern for us,” she said. The breakout sessions taking place at the event give a unique and knowledgeable twist on the ordinary concept of a student walkout, Briefs explained. “We don’t want
to just march out of class, be angry for 20 minutes and be done. We want to prepare people and prepare organizers to make change going forward. We are aware that this one event is not going to change the world but we’re hoping to sprout seeds from this event,” she added. For both sessions, students will have the choice between five different presentations to attend. Briefs said that presentations will be given by Campus Safety, a panel of gun violence survivors, KSC professors, and many more organizations and groups. She also said that local politicians are currently being contacted to speak at the rally or breakout sessions. Briefs said there will be gathering events, taking place multiple times a week the three weeks prior to the walkout. All students are welcome to help organize, ask questions and converse about the event. “We would love to have as many people organizing as possible and so we’re giving that space. For us, it’s really about creating a space for people. A space that’s accessible, a space that’s inclusive and a space that’s really welcoming for all,” she said. First-year co-organizer Jack Davis said the event will also be used to show support for gun violence victims and for schools, such as Parkland and Sandy Hook, who have been impacted by tragic shootings. “It’s also to stand with the victims of gun violence… we’re showing our support as a college. We’re all students, and it’s scary to think about, but we’ve all been affected by this,” he said. Davis continued by saying that Keene’s student walkout differs from others because it provides students with beneficial information, allowing them to become enlight-
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY JUSTIN MAHAN
Americans joined all across the country for the ‘March For Our Lives’ event.
ened activists. “In no way am I minimizing other school walk-outs, but we’re definitely educating students more… We have breakout sessions where [students] can go and learn more and go learn how to be more active in helping this. I think we’re taking a very mature and responsible approach,” he added. Maura Cavagnaro agreed with Davis, saying the walkout varies from others in the United States. Cavagnaro said this is because the event focuses on a bigger idea than gun violence on school property. “It’s not just about the gun violence on school campuses,” she said. “It’s about people of color, the LGBTQ community, Mentors and
Violence Prevention. So it’s not just about school campus shootings, it’s also looking to other categories of it.” Cavagnaro said she hopes the event will give her generation the awareness and education required to take action and speak out about gun violence. “We want them to walk away with more knowledge about it and the tools to do something about it,” she added. To stay updated on gathering events, all students are welcome to join the KSC Feminist Collective Group on Facebook. Ashley Arnold can be contacted at aarnold@kscequinox.com
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STUDENT LIFE / B3
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Cross-cultural conversations ASHLEY ARNOLD
Equinox Staff
Three international undergrads gave Keene State College students and faculty a taste of foreign cultures while explaining their unique experiences of studying abroad. On Wednesday, March 21, from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m the Cross-Cultural Conversation event took place in the Mountain View Room in the Student Center. Timur Bapiev, Eva Vranici, and Maham Waqar conducted thirty minute slideshow presentations. The slideshows included key components of the student’s home country and culture. International student, Timur Bapiev is from the Krygyz Republic. Bapiev said he studies international relations at Manas Kyrgyz-Turkish International University. Bapiev said he enjoys learning in America because of the flexibility of the education system. “Education here is more focused on students because teachers here try to make [classes] interesting,” he said. “It’s very liberal and you get to choose classes and add or drop it whenever you want, [there’s] a lot of freedom here.” Eva Vranici is studying computer science at the University of New York at Tirana in Albania. She said she appreciates the geniality of the Keene atmosphere and community. “I like [it] here because there are a lot of students who love what they do, they study a lot, there are people who are very friendly. It’s a friendly place,” she explained. She has always desired to travel to the U.S. because American culture is rooted in many other international locations. “I’ve always wanted to come to [the] U.S.… Songs, movies, technology, everything comes from [the] U.S.. So it’s a dream come true,” she added. At the Beaconhouse National University at Lahore in Pakistan, Maham Waqar studies film and she has a passion for music. Waqar said education in America is extremely innovative and comfortable. “Learning here, I believe, is more conceptual. Especially for our film classes, you watch films and then analyze them… it’s more concep-
tual and creative,” she explained. “It’s casual, and friendly, and you feel more comfortable with the teachers and students.” Waqar added that American films inspired and motivated her to venture to the United States. “I want[ed] to learn about the U.S. culture because I am a film major and Hollywood is the largest film industry here. What you see in Hollywood films, I wanted to experience that and I think I did to some extent,” she said. Bapiev, Vranici and Waqar were selected and funded by the U.S. State Department, according to the Associate Director of the Global Education’s Office, Steven Spiegel. He said many international students applied to study at KSC through the U.S. State Department, but only a skilled three students were selected for the exchange program. “[The U.S. State Department] have a very rigid acceptance standard. There were over one thousand applicants for three spots. Timur, Eva and Maham, they were highly selected because they are outstanding in their own ways,” he said. The three students shared a host family, but they resided in Pondside 3 with roomates from the United States, Spiegel added. He said international students start off the experience nervous, but end up flourishing in the long-run. “They grow greatly, but at the same time, they make friends and relationships that last a long time,” he explained. Spiegel said that he advises KSC students to consider studying away to increase their knowledge about international societies. “I wish there were more students who would study away because… [students] get exposed to other cultures and now is the right time to start thinking about that,” he said. The event was sponsored by the The Global Educations Office and the Global Culture Club. Spiegel said the study away programs range from a few weeks in the summer to a whole year. Students with a GPA 2.5 or higher are qualified for the program and can apply to study away at the Global Educations Office.
BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR
Ashley Arnold can be contacted at Cross-cultural conversations allows international students to speak with American students about their aarnold@kscequinox.com country and culture. Maham Waqar is shown above speaking about Pakistan, her home country.
Pets of KSC
National Puppy Day Special Edition COMPILED BY ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA
NAME: Diesel AGE (In human years): Almost 2 yrs. BREED: Golden Retriever FAVORITE MEMORY: “When my human brings me to the boat launch near the dog park and lets me swim to my heart’s content.”
NAME: Theodore (Ted) AGE (In human years): 4 yrs. BREED: Cockapoo FAVORITE MEMORY: “I love it when mommy comes home, I always jump up on the window and wait for her to come through the door when I hear her car”
NAME: Sophie AGE (in human years): 8 yrs. BREED: Poodle mix FAVORITE MEMORY: “I love when my humans take me camping and let me roll around in the dirt and dig until I find a nice cool spot to lay in. I also like when the youngest humans ‘accidentally’ drop food on the ground for me when they eat dinner.”
T H I S W E E K A T
NAME: Buddy AGE (in human years): 9 yr. BREED: Puggle FAVORITE MEMORY: “I like it when Billy [my owner] takes me on walks and when he brings me in his car to pick up the little kids.”
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STUDENT LIFE / B4
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Local Day at KSC
GARRETT MCNAMEE / EQUINOX STAFF
Local Day took place in the Zorn Dining Commons on Thursday, March 22 and included food that was made locally in the Monadnock Region. Students and staff from around campus come together to enjoy the foods of nearby. The event lasted from 11-2 and included locally made food and drinks such as cider, fruit and burgers. The event takes place once each semester and is an event that many Keene State College students look forward to each and every semester. The day is in support of local brands.
Just because local day is over... oesn t mean we stop supporting local!
Check out these Local Brands we support daily!
18% of our food purchases are local or fair trade certified! www.keenestatedining.com @KSCEQUINOX Template 022308 JJP
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TIME CAPSULE
A look back at the history of KSC and the world around us
Time Capsule / B5 Thursday, March 29, 2018
April Fools highlights
The formation of NATO ABBYGAIL VASAS
Copy Editor/timE CapsulE Editor TIME CAPSULE 1949 — Although times of war and civil unrest can have devastating consequences, sometimes there can be a small amount of good that comes out once the fighting is over. One such example would be the forming of the National Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on April 4, 1949. According to History.com, NATO was established by 12 Western nations: the United States, Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Iceland, Canada and Portugal. Over the years, countries have come and gone. France left in 1966, but West Germany, Greece and Turkey joined. According to NATO’s official website, it is currently an alliance of 29 North American and European countries. It said, “the fundamental role of NATO is to safeguard the freedom and security of its member countries by political and military means.” It’s primary function in today’s world has been peacekeeping and, if conflicts are past that point, crisis management. For example, less than 24 hours after the towers fell in New York on September 11, 2001, NATO declared that the attack was, “an attack against all NATO member countries within the terms of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.” They have since been assisting the U.S. in its fight against terrorism. NATO’s website said, “Ter-
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rorism poses a direct threat to the security of the citizens of NATO countries, and to international stability and prosperity. It is a persistent global threat that knows no border, nationality or religion and is a challenge that the international community must tackle together. NATO’s work on counterterrorism focuses on improving awareness of the threat, developing capabilities to prepare and respond, and enhancing engagement with partner countries and other international actors.” In October, 2001, NATO launched it’s first military action under an Article 5 operation called, “Operation Eagle Assist.” From October, 2001, to May, 2002, NATO sent seven AWACS radar aircrafts to help patrol the airspace over the U.S. However, the 9/11 terrorist attacks were not the only time NATO was utilized for crisis management. The NATO website states, “NATO is a crisis management organisation that has the capacity to undertake a wide range of military operations and missions. Approximately 18,000 military personnel are engaged in NATO missions around the world, managing often complex ground, air and naval operations in all types of environment.” Currently, NATO is involved in crisis management operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Mediterranean. Abbygail Vasas can be contacted at avasas@kscequinox.com
Signing the 15th amendment
For many years, the Keene State College newspaper played practical jokes on its readers in celebration of April Fools Day. The images pictured above were taken from various past issues of The Equinox and represent some examples of what was jokingly published by the student organization.
The Vietnam War comes to an end ABBYGAIL VASAS
Copy Editor/timE CapsulE Editor
PULLED FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
A celebratory poster made after the 15th amendment was ratified ABBYGAIL VASAS
Copy Editor/timE CapsulE Editor TIME CAPSULE 1870 — Throughout our nation’s history, amendments have been added to our constitution in attempts to evolve and grow as a society. One such amendment was officially adopted on March 30, 1870. That amendment, the 15th to be ratified by the U.S., made it possible for African American men to vote. However, the amendment also cleared a path for members of other discriminated people to vote as well. The amendment itself states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” According to Politico.com, after the adoption of the 15th amendment, there were many celebrations in black communities and many abolitionist societies disbanded shortly afterward because they thought their work was done. African Americans now had all the rights they needed and no longer needed federal protection. President Ulysses S. Grant said the amendment “completes the greatest civil change and constitutes the most important event that has occurred since the nation came to life.” Many who had helped push the amendment through the ratification process now also believed that their work was done. History has proven that those who believed that the plight of the black people was resolved were wrong. Yes, they gained the ability to vote, but suffrage is only a part of equality, not the defining factor. Abbygail Vasas can be contacted at avasas@kscequinox.com
TIME CAPSULE 1973 — After many years of military intervention in the Vietnam War, protesters across the nation finally got what they wanted. Their troops came home. When President Nixon took office in January, 1969, he vowed to listen to what the people wanted and end the war in Vietnam. As the U.S. has seen in its own history, a nation which is divided can be extremely hard to reconcile. It would be another four years before concrete, governmental action would bring change to the front. On March 29, 1973, the last of the U.S. troops left Vietnam and were homeward bound. The clear and definite end to the war came about through the signing of the Paris Peace Accords (PPA), according to “The Vietnam War,” a website dedicated to providing facts, questions and timelines related to the conflict in Vietnam. Although the ultimate goal was peace, the road to signing the PPA was paved with death and destruction which were heavily protested in the U.S., such as Nixon’s violent plan to end the war, known as the Tet offensive in 1968. Through the Tet offensive, a massive, multi-year bombing campaign to stomp-out the Viet Cong and other military movements in Vietnam, there were countless civilian lives lost at the hands of U.S. troops. News of these deaths, along with information leaked in the Pentagon Papers about the U.S.’s plan to handle the aggression in Vietnam, sparked a
call for peace. In last week’s edition of The Equinox, there was an article about the history of the teach-in as a form of peaceful protest in the Time Capsule section. In that article, it is learned that the teach-in, a practice used at Keene State College in recent years, began as a way for professors and students in higher education to take a stand on the war in Vietnam in a peaceful way. Instead of regular classes, students were free to attend a multitude of peaceful rallies and workshops about what was happening overseas and what to do about it. The main piece of legislation that brought about the effect many people were hoping for was the PPA, which was signed in January, 1973. Although a decision was finally met, negotiations of peace had begun in Paris several years earlier. According to “The Vietnam War,” multiple stalemates prevented the discussions from really getting anywhere, especially when each faction would employ a (temporarily) successful military strategy and believe that time was on their side and they just had to wait-out the other groups. Nixon, growing increasingly frustrated at the lack of agreement, ordered his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger to begin holding separate, secret meetings with a member of the North Vietnamese politburo Le Duc Tho in August 1969. After a few more years of talking, Kissinger and Tho revealed their draft of the PPA in October, 1972. Although South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu was extremely upset that negotia-
PULLED FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Prisoners of war lining up for release at the end of the Vietnam War
tions of peace had been happening without his involvement, he eventually agreed to the terms after Nixon applied some pressure, pledging U.S. assistance, should North Vietnam attempt to break the treaty. According to “The Vietnam War,” an agreement was met between several military factions: the government of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (PRG), the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) and the United States. The main agreements of the treaty were: “An in-place ceasefire between North and South Vietnamese forces began at 8:00 on January 28, 1973. When the ceasefire was in effect, U.S. troops had sixty days to withdraw all of their forces. Simultaneously, both side had to release all their war prisoners. South Vietnam
and PRG would negotiate a political settlement which would allow South Vietnamese people to decide their own political future. Reunification of Vietnam was to be ‘carried out step by step through peaceful means.’” Although the PPA was not followed exactly, and there were violations on both sides, it was largely effective in ending the war in Vietnam. Kissinger and Le Duc Tho were celebrated around the world for their pivotal part in ending the war. They were actually both awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts, but neither man chose to accept it. Abbygail Vasas can be contacted at avasas@kscequinox.com
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Sports / B6
Daily Disc Slingin’
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Spring break SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN
ExEcutivE Editor
While many Keene State College student’s spent their spring break volunteering or vacationing, select spring sports teams had other work to do. Women’s lacrosse traveled to Englewood, Fla. for a game against Salem State University on March 13, scoring 13 points in the first half giving them the lead. At the end of the game, the score had the Owls pulling a victory with 17 points against 4. On Friday, March 16, women’s lacrosse had another game in Englewood against Nazareth College. It was a neck and neck battle with the first half ending with KSC at five points and Nazareth at six. KSC lost their footing at the end and finished the game with a score of 9-12 against Nazareth. KSC men’s lacrosse took a trip to Davenport Fla. for two games, the first on Monday, March 12, and the second on Wednesday, March 14. The first game saw the men’s team leading against Nichols College at end of the first half with a score of 9-2. During the second half, KSC held their lead and ended the game leading Nichols 14-4. The
second game against Hamilton College tested the men’s lacrosse team with the first half ending with KSC behind by three points with a score of 7 points against Hamilton’s 10. At the end of the game KSC men’s lacrosse pulled through with a 1 point lead finishing the game 15-14. KSC Softball had a big week in Florida over spring break. They had two games on Monday, March 12 in Minneola Fla. ,winning the first over Framingham State University with a score of 7-6. The second game saw the Owls struggling to score losing the game against Rutgers University 0-8. On Tuesday, March 13, KSC softball lost two back to back games in Clermont Fla., the first against Northwestern University with a score of 10-11 and the second had the University of New England pulling a win over KSC with a score of 2-3 against. KSC softball fell behind in two games on Thursday, March 15 in Minneola Fla. ending
the first game against Lake Forest University 0-8. The second game had KSC losing by five points against Fitchburg State University with a score of 1-6. On Friday, March 16 in Clermont, Fla., Keene State College had another two losses. The first was against Albright College with a score of 4-7 against. The second was against St. Mary’s ending with a 4-6 loss. KSC softball had more luck on Saturday, March 17 in Clermont Fla. during their last spring break double header, beating Carroll University with a 4-3 score and beating Lawrence University by six points with a score o f
12-6. The Keene State baseball team saw mostly wins during their week in Florida. They started their week strong against Stockton College on Sunday, March 11 in Lakeland, Fla. ending the game with an 8-4 point win. The team followed that up the next day with 12-7 lead against Colby-Sawyer College in Auburndale, Fla.. On Tuesday, March 13 in Auburndale, Fla. the Owl’s baseball team brought home another win with a 14-6 score against Fairleigh Dickinson University. The day after saw the Owls taking a couple of losses against Gordon College in Auburndale, Fla.. The first ended with a score of 3-13 against and the second with 2-12 against. They followed it up on Thursday, March 15 in Auburndale, Fla. with a 9-6 win against Bowdoin College. Friday’s game saw KSC come out on top in Winter Haven, leading McDaniel College 6-1. To end the string of spring break games, KSC baseball tidied up with a 14-6 win against Illinois Institute of Technology on Saturday, March 17 in Winter Haven, Fla.. Sebastien Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequinox.com
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY SARAH SMITH
ETHAN PLATT
Equinox Staff This week I would like to walk my readers through an everyday practice with the Ultimate Frisbee Team. Most days, we try to meet at or around 4:30 p.m. on Joyce fields here on campus. A majority of us show up on time but there are always a couple late arrivals, nothing new. We always begin practice with a quick jog around our field, followed by stretches and then we shoots practice throws to warm up. After about 50 throws backhand and forehand we transition into whatever our first drill is for the day. Most drills in frisbee consist of cutting or throwing as far as offense goes. People who are primarily up the field will practice the magical art of cutting. They’re the receivers who try to move their feet quickly enough to run past opponents and catch the frisbee for more yards. The handlers, which is what I am, practice our throws to the cutters. Typically, we do drills in fifteen to thirty minute increments to keep things fun and exciting. After a couple of these drills, we might learn a new play, whether that be offensive or defensive. Offensive plays usually consist of the handlers in a group and the cutters making a stack. A stack is a term for when players lineup in a single file line and when they are signaled they cut to the open space on the field for a catch. The handlers job is to move the frisbee across the field until they can advance it further vertically up the field closer to the endzone. Defensive plays we learn are mostly different types of zones or formations in which the players stand and move. One of the ones we run the most is called a “cup” defense. This consists of 3 players standing around the player with the disc on the other team. This forces the team to either throw over the players which is difficult, or they must throw it to the side of the field the defense wants them to. After we work on those we transition to a scrimmage between each other. To make the teams as fair as possible and to benefit everyone we try to put an equal amount of experienced players on both teams. This usually means three to four handlers and the rest cutters. This is by far my favorite part of practices because I get to go full speed against my teammates which always makes for some funny moments. We usually have some people make some really nice plays which we get to talk about after. Lastly, as tradition we all try to get to the dining commons before it closes and we usually take up 3 or 4 tables seating everyone. Ethan Platt can be contacted at eplatt@kscequinox.com
LUKE SWEENEY / EQUINOX STAFF
SNOW
Intramural sports
Cont. from B8
The weather has created a lot of cancellations in scheduling, meaning meets have been canceled due to bad roads and untravelable conditions. Murzin said that when track meets are cancelled it gives the team and individual members less time to qualify for the NCAAs. This can especially be imparing for seniors who are looking to finish their last year strong. Murzin said, “It’s difficult to have to work around weather issues and at times frustrating to have to put off events that you’ve put so much time into preparing for.” However, Murzin said the team has continued to work and over-
come the significant adversities, looking to finish the season strong with the time they have left. No other KSC athletes responded. Now with the snow finally melting and the warm air gradually making its way back to the North, KSC athletes hope to continue their seasons with an further delays.
FLORIDA Cont. from B8
There were some challenges in games as far as chemistry and getting back into the flow of the game, however Pede said that the team worked hard and really took away a lot of knowledge. “Starting up a new season is always difficult especially with a whole new dynamic, however the girls are great and the coaching staff is really supportive and willing to teach, which makes it great,” Pede added. The softball team stayed a week in Florida and in that time competed in ten games at the Minneola Athletic Complex, Legends Way Field and Hancock Park. After taking away three wins in total in Florida, Pede said the team hopes to keep improving and working hard on the field. “We are working on batting and fielder, and just really getting back into the game pace. It’s early in the season so we hope to put our best foot forward,” Pede said. Even though the softball team didn’t get the exact results they wanted in Florida, they still we able to take away a new found team chemistry, communication, and the similar desire to succeed, Pede said. After numerous attempts at contacting the softball coach Carrah Hennessey and the rest of the women’s softball team, no one responded. With a month left in the semester, the softball team hopes to win their upcoming games and to keep improving as a team, Crosby said. Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com
Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com
CAROLINE PERRY
SportS Editor Intramural Sports continue into the spring season, getting into full swing mid-March. Sports like rugby, ultimate frisbee, indoor soccer, basketball, bowling, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, badminton, flag football, dodgeball, tennis and softball are all being offered to Keene State College students. Intramural sports are an extremely popular extracurricular activity on campus. It’s a great way to meet new people, reconnect with friends and continue playing the sports you love. Students can also try a new activity they’ve
never played before. KSC offers team, dual and individual leagues in which participants compete for a champion t-shirt. Any student can organize and build their own team, which makes the process fun and simple. Signing up for intramural sports is often first-come, firstserve, but usually the teams can be very flexible with including all individuals who want to participate. The Intramural Sports program is open to all full-time and part-time matriculated students and Recreation Center members and includes league play. Those interested in being involved in intramural sports can contact Coordinator of Intramural
Sports/Club Sports David Sweeney at David.Sweeney@keene.edu or Director of Recreational Sports Lynne Andrews at 603-358-2815. Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com
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Thursday, March 29, 2018
Key factors to winning The components that go into winning a conference game CAROLINE PERRY
SportS Editor Every Keene State College athletic team aims to win their end of the season conference games in order to reach the final success. But what goes into winning a conference game and what does it really mean to a team and KSC? Senior and women’s volleyball player Rachel Lamica said that every single member on the team has to have the desire to win in order to win a conference game. “A lot of practice and the drive to win, everyone of the court has to be ready to play and give it their all,” Lamica said. Facing a conference game can be intimidating for any team because losing could mark the end of a team’s season, which is why it is so important for a team to lay down a solid foundation that will transition into the entirety of the season, Lamica said. Each practice brings a new level of performance and skill to a team and is vital to a team’s success. “Training is a huge factor in a win or loss because how hard we work in practice will correlate to how well we will do the next game,” Lamica explained. With training comes a need for consistency in players and in coaching. “Key factors a coach should teach is focus and consistency,” Lamica said. By teaching these two factors, the team will be able to focus and continue to make plays throughout the ups and downs of a conference game, added the senior. Lamica said, “Conference games can be very long because each team is trying to fight to prove themselves, so making sure the team can focus will bring the team to a victory.” With all behind the scenes factors set in place, winning a
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conference game can mean a lot to a team. “Winning a conference game is very important. The more we win, the better the situation is for playoffs. That gives us more time to prepare for the final matches,” Lamica said. Senior and member of the women’s swim and dive team, Hope Walsh, said that an individual has to have a winning mentality when wanting to perform well in a conference game. “Especially since swimming is more of an “Winning a conLA UR individual sport, you have to have that desire A ference game after all the RO MA to perform for not only yourself, but for your team. hard work and dedication NI EL LO Everything connects when in the pool,” Walsh said. you’ve put in means a lot. It makes / AR T The work that goes into each season and the effort each us feel accomplished and it makes DI RE CT swimmer puts in will reflect on their ability to do well in conO out season results that much better,” R ference games. “We put in a lot of work and a lot of hours in Walsh added. the pool. Each drill and each practices build the foundation No other KSC athletes or athletic coaches for the team’s success and ability to perform in high-intensity responded or commented regarding the topic. situations,” added Walsh. All in all, there are a lot of key factors that go into Apart from individual training, the coaching staff is vital winning a conference game, and the results of winning can in directing, leading and teaching the team skills and tech- have very positive impacts on the team and individual playnique. “The coaching staff has to teach everyone how to focus ers. and just do what they have been training to do. They have to guide younger players so that one day they can help lead the Caroline Perry can be contacted at team,” Walsh said. cperry@kscequinox.com
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Behind the scenes of rugby
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE KSC RUGBY TEAM
The Keene State College rugby team explains their pre-season drills and all the behind the scenes factors that go into each season.
The pre-season dynamics that go into each game and year ADRIANA SANCHEZ
Equinox Staff There’s a saying when it comes to rugby, Rugby is a hooligan sport, but played by gentlemen. Keene State College men’s rugby is a club sport that’s been around for almost 50 years. Many people think rugby is just an intense game of football but without the gear. Head coach, John Johannesen described the sport in two words: elegant violence. “You can’t just hit a guy as hard as you can and think it’s going to stop and recover-- you have to be able to take the hit and keep the possession of the ball.” In the fall, there are two 40 minute halves with no time-outs. Johannesen said you have to give 110 percent all the time and it can get hard at times. Having a strong mentality is a big aspect that people don’t realize, Drew Pickett, assis-
tant treasurer and sophomore player, said. “Coming into the sport, I learned rugby isn’t just physical but about mentality. You can’t hesitate on any play or anything because it can cost you greatly,” he said. Despite the club team only having one coach, they accomplish what needs to be done to meet their goals. Their practices consist of many types of drills including tackling, contact, hands, speed work and passing. Those interested do not need any prior experience to play. Johannesen said he usually gets players that never played and enjoys teaching players how to play the game and the fundamentals of it. The team has to bundle up in layers during this time of year. They practice Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11 p.m.. Rugby has a business side as well with their e-board. It consists of a president, vice
Ski & Slopes
president, treasurer, match secretary and a social chair. The team has two captains, a back’s captain and a forward’s captain. Casey Brackett, who was the forward captain is away this semester, so senior Jared Jobs is in his replacement. Avery Putnam is the back’s captain and also one of the treasurers. Putnam said although rugby gets financial help through the school and their alumni, at times they have to fundraise on their own. The team’s treasurer and assistant treasurer come up with a budget then proposes it to the school. According to Putnam, they calculate their budget based on medical supplies and professional services(athletic trainers, refs, etc.) and transportation. It’s not always 100 perceny guaranteed that the school will give them the whole amount. Going to a tournament roughly costs
them $1000 to $1500 each weekend. There’s the van rentals, gas and jerseys. They rent vans due to having 40 to 50 players attending the tournament. Going to tournaments is something Pickett looks forward too. “Tournaments is when were all together playing the sport we love no matter the outcome,” he said. “My favorite part about the game is the bond that builds between the team from working hard in practice and then giving everything we have on the field to try and win games,” Putnam said. He also added the team isn’t just a team but it’s a family, between going to practice and just hanging out with each other. Pickett said whether they win or lose they always learn from it to bring into the next game.
Some Common Fears For FirstTime Skiers CAROLINE PERRY
SportS Editor Embarking on a new adventure can be exciting and scary. There is a lot of unknown that goes into trying anything knew, and the information that you don’t know can sometimes be daunting, and even disabling. As a learning and still-evolving skier, there were a lot of fears I had when arriving at the ski resort that first day. A huge common fear for firsttime skiers is honestly just the fear of skiing in general. Skiing is no easy task. Being put on two skis and being expected to go down a mountain that always looks steeper than it really is, is scary. Even the bunny hill for first-timers can look impossible. However, I think having some fear is always healthy because you are aware and want to strive for safety. The fear of skiing can come from a fear of heights, panicking once on skis, pushing yourself beyond your physical abilities, and getting frustrated too easily. All of these components can lead to a miserable day that can result in you packing up your skis for good. In all honesty, skiing and learning how to ski requires patience and the ability to believe in your own skills. So often people learning how to ski lose faith in their own ability to learn and push themselves a little further each trip they make down the mountain. Just like any activity, skiing requires hard work, determination and the desire to participate. If you’re just learning how ski, believe me, it’s okay to be scared. My first day, I was petrified. I had butterflies in my stomach the entire ride up to the mountain. We were on a dirt road and it felt like we were going to drop off as we got higher up. When we finally got back to lower ground and turned a corner, I saw my first-ever ski resort in full view. The trails were barely visible because of the heavy fog, but a lot of my fear dissipated because of the sheer beauty. I was scared when I put my first-ever pair of ski boots on, I was scared as I attached my first-ever ski pass to my jacket, and I was scared when I snapped on my first pair of skis (with much needed help of course). Fear is a common reaction to the unknown, but it’s important not to let that fear impare you and pull you away from amazing opportunities that can change your life. I’ve faced many adversities as a skier. My patience, determination, physical ability and self-doubt have been tested every single time I ride the chair lift up to the top. But overcoming all those things, that once made me so scared, had made the journey down the trails so much more rewarding. Don’t give up even if you have fears surrounding learning how to ski or just skiing in general. Take your own pace, learn at your own abilities. It’ll be 100 times worth it in the end. Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com
Adriana Sanchez can be contacted at asanchez@kscequinox.com
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Thursday, March 29, 2018
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Florida accomplishments CAROLINE PERRY
SportS Editor With the snow almost officially gone, the softball team hopes to keep their momentum up from their trip in Fla. Senior Shae Crosby made the trip down to Fla. for her fourth time with the KSC softball team. The trip this season was especially exciting for the senior, being it was her last time around. “I was so excited because it was my senior year going down, so I knew that there was going to be a lot of lasts for me, which was bittersweet. I had high expectations for our team going down and was excited to see us in action,” Crosby said. Crosby said her team really tried to focus on playing together as a team for the first time, as well as taking advantage of playing outside. “Our outfielders got their first real chance to field pop flies and throw from a realistic distance,” Crosby said. The team went to Fla. hoping to have a winning record and bond, Crosby said. They were able to take three wins away, with a 3-7 record. Despite the minor setbacks in Fla., Crosby said the trip was one of the best experiences she could ever ask for. “Being able to spend the entire spring break doing what I love and spending time with my best friends. There are really no words to describe this trip and any other opportunities are incomparable,” Crosby said. Each game is a learning experience and Crosby said that the trip was the perfect opportunity to work out the kinks and figure out what lineups work best. First-year Emma Pede said that the trip to Fla. was a perfect way to bond and transition into the team. “Being new to the team, it was nice to just spend time with the team and get some real playing time in warmer weather,” Pede said.
» SEE FLORIDA. B6
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE KSC SOFTBALL TEAM
Snow benches spring sports Unpredictable winter weather creates issues in spring sports CAROLINE PERRY
SportS Editor KSC has been facing numerous snow storms, causing delays in practices, games and scheduling. Although not every KSC athletic team has been hugely affected, the snow has caused teams to work around the dynamics of their pre-season. Junior and midfielder for women’s lacrosse team Emily Parker said that the snow didn’t exactly affect the lacrosse team’s preseason as much, but still created some frustrating issues. “The only time it was really frustrating was when the turf would be covered in ice and it was hard to sprint or cut without falling,” Parker said. She added this was especially frustrating because the team wasn’t able to practice and get full drills and running drills done. The ice and snow on the turf also posed as a threat for potential injuries, which
made the pre-season process that much more difficult when the team tried to transition outside. Considering the fluctuating weather patterns in the north, Parker said it is a lot harder to practice for spring sports. “We like to joke that lacrosse is a winter sport rather than a spring sport because we start so early in the year and the winter weather continues through the spring months.” Transitioning outside has been challenging, with the teams practices often being scheduled from 6-8 p.m., meaning they have to endure the cold temperatures, Parker said. The cold has already caused some issues within the team as well with a lot of the lacrosse team facing injuries Parker said. “We already have a pretty small team and when someone gets hurt, they make sure to go to the trainers to get it fixed immediately,” Parker added. Apart from the disrupted
practice schedules, some of the women’s lacrosse teams’ games had to be changed recently because of the snow and unpredictable winter weather, Parker said. “Even if it might not snow and the news says it could, we would change the game,” Parker added. However, the women’s lacrosse team are taking the early challenges head on and striving to work hard before their regular season begins. “We have been able to get what we need to get done. The snow has not had that much of an affect on our team in terms of fixing what we need to fix or getting things done that need to be done,” Parker said. Women’s track and field runner and KSC first-year Naomi Murzin said that the snow has created some scheduling issues that create major impacts on individual qualifications.
» SEE SNOW, B6
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