The Equinox 9.7.17

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Vol. 70, Issue #1 Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

THE EQUINOX The student voice of Keene State College

Keene State College grapples with its budget OLIVIA BELANGER

said. “While we haven’t completed making the adjustments, departments have access to funds, a percentage of their funds, ALEXANDRIA SAURMAN of what we expect their budgets to be until the final budgets mAnAging executive editor are released.”

RILEY HENTSCHEL The decrease in budgets is to balance out spending with equinox stAff the current decrease in revenue, according to KSC Interim President Dr. Melinda Treadwell. “As we’ve been communiAround the Keene State College campus, departments cating to the campus, there is a structural deficit, a gap in the have been operating without their full budget for fiscal year budget this year [FY18],” Treadwell said. “I had asked for us 2018 (FY18). However, departments are still able to access a to make sure, rather than loading budgets and then cutting small percentage of their budget, according to KSC Vice Pres- the budgets, that we would load a reduced budget.” ident for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Kemal Treadwell said departments should expect a three to five Atkins. percent decrease in their actual spending from Fiscal Year “Essentially…we’re making adjustments to our FY18 bud- 2017 (FY17) that do not affect student instruction or experigets to be aligned with our revenue projections,” Atkins ence. A decline in revenue, Treadwell added, is linked to a

OLIVIA BELANGER ALEXANDRIA SAURMAN

Enrollment

mAnAging executive editor During FY17, the goal for enrollment at KSC was 4,200 undergraduate students. Treadwell said the current undergraduate enrollment is 3,733, which is “certainly too low.”

Treadwell added she does not have a set number of students she is looking for KSC to reach in the future yet, but she wants to at least hit the goal of 4,200 that was set by the previous administration.

“I would like to form...a disappearing task force of the cabinet that is to develop an enrollment strategy, [to find] what is our enrollment goal and an enrollment goal that our housing can sustain, what our facilities can sustain, that our academic

PROGRAM

MAKES A COMEBACK

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JAKE PAQUIN / PHOTO EDITOR

Nursing students start year with new director and higher test scores JESSICA RICARD

copy editor/time cApsule editor With a new director of the nursing program, a drastic increase in test scores and a variety of newly revised courses, the Keene State College nursing program is proving to be stronger than ever before.

New Director Nursing Program Director Dr. Patricia Shinn temporarily arrived at KSC as a consultant back in December, when Dean of Professional and Graduate Studies Dr. Karrie Kalich called her and asked if she could help KSC’s nursing program develop a systematic evaluation plan, which would later be sent to the Board of Nursing in January of 2017. On May 30 of this year, however, Shinn arrived at her new home on Appian Way for good, determined to get the program back on track.

Shinn said since she’s started working with the program in May, she’s been getting to know faculty and gaining insight as to what they have all seen as problems within the program, as well as those that still remain. “There have been a lot of changes with the nursing program, but we haven’t seen all those changes come through yet in graduates, so we’re really excited with this senior class that’s on board because they’re the first class to have all of the changes, particularly the admission requirements that were put on the year before

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Index

Top Headlines

Section B: Section A: News .....................1-3 A&E ......................1-4

A4: Sustainability A10: Reactions to Huot resigning B1: Keene Music Festival B10: KSC Transfer field hockey

Opinions ..............4-5

Time Capsule....5-6

Student Life ......6-10

Sports................7-10

KSC welcomes interim president AdministrAtive executive editor

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decrease in enrollment.

AdministrAtive executive editor

Associated Collegiate Press

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In the midst of a transitional period, Keene State College readjusted their campus around a new presidency. However, their change in leadership isn’t someone they haven’t seen before.

On July 31, Dr. Melinda Treadwell officially became KSC’s interim president, according to the college’s website.

The former president of KSC, Dr. Anne Huot, announced her resignation in an e-mail to the campus on June 26.

It was three weeks later that Treadwell was announced as the interim president.

“The University System Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Dr. Melinda Treadwell, the current Provost, and CEO at Antioch University, has been selected to serve as Interim President of Keene State College,” University System of New Hampshire’s (USNH) press release read. “Dr. Treadwell will be working with Chancellor Todd Leach and the USNH Board of Trustees to advance the college during this transition period.”

As a graduate of KSC herself, Treadwell said coming back to serve as interim president is “incredible.”

“I love our students; I love the capacity in what they can do; I love serving this community, so the change to come back to try to stabilize at a time of a little bit of significant disruption feels like the right thing to do,” Treadwell said.

Treadwell reflected back on her undergraduate years at KSC. “I came to Keene State as an 18-yearold who knew nothing of college....

[KSC] made a huge difference in who I am and my ability to open up to things that I never would have explored otherwise,” Treadwell said.

The faculty, staff and administration who were present during Treadwell’s undergraduate years made a large impact on her experience, according to Treadwell. She said her goals for KSC are shaped around the student experience, similar to how it was when she was a student.

“The group I am most excited about working with is [students] who are coming back now and I need very much to sit with our students and understand their perspective on things; their hopes, their concerns,” Treadwell said.

The goals Treadwell said she has set for this academic year involve stabilizing the financial status and the enrollment of KSC. Both of these categories, according to Treadwell, will positively impact students.

Specifically, Treadwell said she is focusing on the relationship between enrollment, revenue and expenses. “With our decline in our enrollment, there’s been a decline in revenue, but there hasn’t been an equal decline in expense for the campus,” Treadwell said. “My major goal is to get a stabilized budget for the campus, where we don’t run a gap between our revenue and our expenses.”

Campus reactions Around campus, individuals are responding to the change in presidency.

Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

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First-year residence hall Carle Hall closes for the academic year KATIE JENSEN

Equinox Staff Due to the college’s tight budget and the number of vacant rooms available in other dorms, it was decided that closing Carle Hall would be the most cost-efficient decision.

Along with the decision to close Carle Hall, Monadnock was chosen to remain open as a first-year dorm, some of Holloway Hall’s rooms were turned back into triples and the Living Learning Commons (LLC) is booked to full capacity.

The Associate Dean of Students and Director of Residential Life Kent DrakeDeese said the size of the first-year class was the reasoning behind closing Carle Hall.

He said after first-year students were assigned residence halls, there were 49 additional students not placed. Those students could have been placed in Carle Hall, but Drake-Deese said the KSC President’s Cabinet decided that was not an efficient use of resources.

“The options were to place those 49 students in Carle Hall, which has a capacity of over 300 students, or triple some rooms in Holloway,” Drake-Deese stated. “We also could have added the 133 students in Monadnock to the 49 additional students and put them in Carle Hall which would have closed Monadnock,” he added.

However, Drake-Deese said this would leave Carle Hall with only a 60 percent occupancy rate, which, he said, is not worth the cost of keeping it open.

The President’s Cabinet also concluded that closing Carle Hall and booking the other buildings to full capacity would be the fiscally responsible thing to do.

However, he claims that this decision does not have to do with the college’s budget.

“Operating in a fiscally responsible manner is always very high on our agenda, so I would not say that this decision was driven

JAKE PAQUIN / PHOTO EDITOR

First-year residence hall Carle Hall has been closed for the 2017-18 academic year. Now, first-year students are housed in Moadnock Hall, Holloway Hall, or the LLC.

by the budget for this particular year.”

First-year residents in the LLC and Holloway have shared their experiences living in those fully-booked dorms.

First-year student Megan Titus is living in the LLC, which she said is “mostly nice.”

However, she said, “I don’t think it’s very clean; we have a lot of fire drills and sometimes the showers only give you cold water.”

First-year student Zachary Shroyer is

living in Holloway and said he enjoys living there, despite the amount of people that live there. “You don’t really notice how many people are living around you. During quiet hours, it’s typically quiet like it’s supposed to be,” he said.

First-year student Emily Dipietro is also living in Holloway, but in one of the triple rooms. She said, “I love my roommates and we all get along really well. The rooms are

KSC bookstore undergoes new ownership ALEX FLEMING

built for triples in the first place -- if they were only built for doubles, it’d be much harder.”

When asked if booking first-year dorms to full capacity would affect living conditions, Drake-Deese said, “I have no concerns whatsoever about that influencing living conditions in that building. It is a great building that is designed to provide service and support to the building at 100

Anne Huot finalist for Castleton University presidency OLIVIA BELANGER

ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR Former president of Keene State College Anne E. Huot has decided to jump into another administrative role, according to the Keene Sentinel. However, Huot intends to shift her place of employment outside of New Hampshire.

Castleton University, located in Castleton, Vermont, is currently on the search for a new president to take over after current President Dave Wolk steps down in December. Wolk announced earlier this year he would be stepping down after 16 years at the university, the Keene Sentinel reports.

Huot is one of the four finalists for the position, according to the university’s website. The other

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SEAN KIZILTAN / ART DIRECTOR

One thing that Buckley was impressed with was the bookstore’s absorption of the Owl’s Roost, Keene State’s old convenience store.

“Anything was better than what we had,” he said.

He said the Owl’s Roost was too expensive and sometimes had expired snacks.

Buckley said he thinks that the food in the new bookstore is better priced and it has a better variety of items.

The KSC Bookstore under B&NC tenure has just begun.

If students need any textbooks, they will be able to find them on the first floor of the student center.

Alex Fleming can be contacted at afleming@kscequinox.com

“

We get to mold ourselves to the needs of the college; we’re the Keene State Bookstore.

Drew Nichols KSC Bookstore Manager

Katie Jensen can be contacted at kjensen@kscequinox.com

BRIEF

Equinox Staff Keene State College students may not know it, but their college bookstore has gone through some big changes over the summer.

KSC’s bookstore is now owned and operated by Barnes & Noble College (B&NC). B&NC is a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble Education. According to their website, they operate over 700 campus stores in the U.S. KSC’s Bookstore Manager Drew Nichols said he is excited to be at KSC. Nichols is a California-native and said he knew New Hampshire was the place he wanted to be.

KSC’s bookstore may be under the Barnes & Noble name, but that doesn’t make it a Barnes & Noble.

Nichols said that it is the store’s job to bend to the needs of the school. There is no cookie cutter plan for a B&NC bookstore.

Nichols said that KSC’s robust art, architecture and music departments require their store to carry many items that other B&NC stores do not.

“We get to mold ourselves to the needs of the college; we’re the Keene State Bookstore,” Nichols said.

There’s a lot of preparatory work that goes into running the KSC Bookstore, according to Nichols.

Nichols and his staff began prepping the store in May. Usually, the bookstore would start prepping for the fall semester in March.

The KSC Bookstore has to order books for over 1,000 sections of classes and has to coordinate with the needs of KSC faculty and staff, most of which were not at KSC during the summer.

This can cause some confusion, but Nichols says that this comes with the transition period.

B&NC brought some benefits to the KSC Bookstore.

The bookstore can now price match with Amazon.

Nichols said there are more books available for rent and more digital titles than before.

Eighty-three percent of titles offered in the store can be rented, and 33 percent of titles are available digitally.

Nichols said these first few weeks are their busiest time of the season by far.

With long lines wrapped around the store for most of this week, some students stood patiently, while others expressed their frustrations to others in the queue.

KSC junior and bookstore employee Dylan Rychlik helped prepare the store over the summer.

He said they had to move and stock books, clean up and rearrange the store and pull orders for student pick up.

He said he likes his job, but there have been some rough times this week because students have gotten upset that the store doesn’t have their books or supplies yet.

“Especially the [first-years],” he said. “It’s something they don’t want to hear. It’s stressful for both of us, we want things to go as planned.”

Some students left the bookstore content; others left frustrated. KSC junior Dorothy Arroyo said the store was “better tenfold.” Arroyo said she enjoys the new store’s ability to price match with Amazon.

KSC junior Benjamin Buckley was not quite satisfied with his visit to the bookstore.

“The organization needs to be better,” he said. Buckley had trouble finding some of his books.

He said he wandered around for a while to find a book for his Holocaust and genocide studies class. He eventually found it, but it was in the wrong section.

Buckley was also disappointed with the store’s art supplies section.

“It didn’t seem like they had a lot of [art] supplies,” he said. He was unable to find a canvas that he needed.

percent of capacity. If anything, I feel it will be better, as a full building provides a more vibrant community environment socially and academically.”

programs can be strong and not over-burdened,” Treadwell said.

The committee will be created within the next week or so, according to Treadwell, and she will also be asking Student Government for nominees to add as student representatives. Treadwell said she intends to have her enrollment goal in place by November to “build our future enrollment cycles for not just next year, but the year after and the year after that.”

To increase enrollment, both Treadwell and Atkins have plans in place. Atkins said there are a number of things that go into increasing enrollment, such as sharpening KSC’s marketing efforts, making adjustments to financial aid to be able to support students financially with the “dollars that we have” and keeping students engaged throughout their enrollment and admission process.

Treadwell echoed Atkins and said as an institution, KSC needs to “target the yield percentage of students that are accepted.” Of the students who are accepted into KSC each year, Treadwell said not enough are being contacted afterwards to make them decide to become an Owl. “[We need to be] getting students excited to see what a life at Keene State could be [like] because they are shopping and we have a lot of competition, but I think we have a lot to offer,” Treadwell said. “I think we lost our story a little bit and we need to regain it.”

While this financial situation is challenging, Treadwell added it is a necessary obstacle to face.

“My major goal is to get a stabilized budget for the campus where we don’t run a gap between our revenue and our expenses,” Treadwell said.

Currently, departments have access to 25 percent of their projected budget, Atkins said, in order to operate until their full budget kicks in.

“Departments submit their requests for expenditures and they get approval along the way,” Atkins said. “There’s spend controls in place so that we don’t move too far down the budget cycle with the expenditures before the actual budgets are released.”

Students should not feel the effect of having a limited budget, according to Atkins. “I don’t think you’ll find folks who are not being able to operate

finalists include Founding Principal at Northeastern University Toronto Campus John LaBrie, Senior Vice President and Provost of Mansfield University in Pennsylvania Steven Siconolfi and President of Central Penn College Karen Scolforo, according to the website.

On June 26, Huot announced her resignation as president of KSC, effective July 31 in an e-mail to the campus. Her reasoning was both personal and professional in the e-mail. According to a news release from the University System of New Hampshire, Huot planned to take a year of unpaid leave and then return to KSC as a full-time professor in the biology department.

Olivia Belanger can be contacted at obelanger@kscequinox.com

and that’s why the measure was put in place...the various departments can operate and make the expenditures they need to make in order to start the school year and continue to deliver high quality instruction and high quality experiences for students,” Atkins said.

Treadwell added to Atkins and said the changes in budgets is revolved around the student experience. “I’m working on....trying to look at reshaping the budget so we are saving in places that...don’t affect instruction or the student experience,” Treadwell said.

Department reactions Full budgets are required to be released by September 15, Treadwell said, but until then, departments have commented on how they are operating without.

KSC Biology Department Chair Dr. Karen Cangialosi said the process of requesting funds for her department has gone smoothly. “We did get permission to spend X amount of dollars to be up and running,” Cangialosi said. “I think President Treadwell really went through some good measures to make sure that happened for us.”

KSC Dean of Mason Library Celia Rabinowitz said while the financial challenges are occurring this year, it is not an uncommon process. Rabinowitz said she is entering her fourth year at KSC, and every year there has been budget adjustments, as well as before she became a part of the institution.

“I would say there’s some ways that we’re experiencing some of the effects, but we’ve been able to manage that, and I’ve worked really hard to manage that in such a way that right now, those effects are not...anything that you would likely even be aware of,” Rabinowitz said.

However, Registrar Employee Tom Richard said he does not feel this financial situation is common for KSC, and added he hasn’t seen anything similar to this in his 38 years as a staff member. This year’s budget woes, according to Richard, are “definitely a situation financially that’s not typical for a college.”

Currently, the registrar is unable to buy basic office supplies, such as pens and letterheads, Richard said. He added he is frustrated that the expenditure requests are a “rigorous process to get signatures and approvals above and beyond what

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Fellowship program welcomes international scholars to KSC KATIE JENSEN

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Kemal Atkins said Huot resigning came as a shock to him, but he respects her decision. In regards to Treadwell, Atkins said the transition between presidencies has been smooth.

“I think a number of people are excited in the selection of a leader. She certainly knows the institution and the community and she has a winning attitude.”

Similar to Treadwell, Atkins said he agrees that going forward, students needs to be put first. “It’s important that we attract and enroll the students at Keene State who will thrive, who are interested in this type of academic experience we provide here and focus on supporting their success throughout their time here,” Atkins said.

Director of Strategic Communications and Community Relations Kelly Ricaurte said she is delighted to welcome Treadwell back on campus. “I’m pleased she’s back. I have worked with her in the past, when she was here as a dean and as a professor. I think that we’re off to a great start this year and I am looking forward to where we go from here and working closely with her,” Ricaurte said.

Dean of Professional and Graduate Studies Dr. Karrie Kalich said Treadwell’s familiarity on campus is encouraging.

“I think one of the things that’s been really comforting for the college is there isn’t really a learning curve with President Treadwell in that she has been a part of our campus community for many years and has served in multiple capacities,” Kalich said. “Many of us that are here sat side by side with her as faculty members or had her lead us as the dean and also as our provost. I’m really delighted to welcome such a talented and skilled person back to the college.”

Dean of the School of Sciences and Social Sciences Dr. Gordon Leversee was also a colleague of Treadwell’s in the past.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Melinda [Treadwell]. She has a lot of experience here first as an undergraduate student, and then as a part of the faculty, and then serving as dean and provost; I think she knows the campus well and the people well, and I think she’s a good choice.”

Students are also responding to the change.

KSC senior psychology major Devin Goodman said that he’s excited about Treadwell’s presidency. He also said that he has a few expectations.

“I expect to see her more involved on campus...and I just see more positive growth for the community on campus,” Goodman said. Goodman also said he also hopes to see growth within the budgets on campus.

However, some students are also concerned about issues that impact more than just the college.

KSC junior graphic design major Benjamin Buckley said he hopes that with the new presidency, there will be “more push towards environmental sustainability.”

Treadwell said she feels confident and encouraged going into the school year and hopes to make an impact during her time as interim president. “I do care so much about this place and I want to make a difference,” Treadwell said. “If I do, then that is a huge personal accomplishment.”

Olivia Belanger can be contacted at obelanger@kscequinox.com Alexandria Saurman can be contacted at asaurman@kscequinox.com

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY MELINDA TREADWELL / INTERIM PRESIDENT

Keene State College is now welcoming international scholars to study on campus.

International Genocide Scholar Hikmet Karcic is an coming from the University of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He said he is currently auditing four Holocaust and genocide studies (HGS) classes that will allow him to compare other mass atrocities to the one he specializes in: the Bosnian genocide.

Karcic said, “I have always been interested in the history of Bosniaks [Bosnian Muslims]. Unfortunately, a large part of our Bosnian history is also related to persecution, forced migration and mass atrocities of Bosniaks.”

Like other students taking HGS courses at Keene State College, Karcic wishes to broaden his knowledge about these events in history and apply what he learns to the genocides he studies. “I am interested in learning a comparative aspect of other genocides and the Holocaust,” he said.

Each fellow will have a semester to live on campus with a meal plan and office space, and will study alongside other college students. Not only that, but Karcic also has the opportunity to share his expertise with students by giving guest lectures in a number of classes. “I have been invited so far to be a guest lecturer at around half a dozen different classes and I will also take part in other activities at the Center,” he said.

KSC sophomore Ashley Arnold said that the HGS classes she has taken have forced her to take a deeper look into the darker side of humanity. “It’s made me reflect on the politics and motivation behind genocides and what countries have and haven’t done to aid them. I’ve learned a lot of valuable lessons from taking those classes,” she said.

KSC is one of the few colleges in the United States that offers the Holocaust and genocide studies major. Karcic added that he plans to take advantage of the unique amount of resources on genocide studies KSC offers in the Cohen Center. “It has a rich library which I plan to extensively use,” he said.

KSC sophomore Karli Sou said she has also taken HGS classes, even though they stray from her major. “People have the opportunity to take HGS classes as an elective outside their major. The great thing is that if you’re writing a paper for your class, they have so much material in the library you can use. I think more people should take advantage of that,” she said.

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last,” Shinn said.

In terms of admission requirements, in order to be accepted into the program, applicants must have a 3.4 GPA overall, a 3.2 GPA in their preparatory science courses (chemistry, anatomy and physiology I & II and microbiology), a passing score on the math proficiency exam for nurses and a score of proficient or above on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) which is accessed on the ATI Nursing Education website.

The seniors that graduated from the program in May of 2017 had experienced some of the changes, such as courses that were changed or differing credits being given here and there, but they didn’t have the admission requirements that the current seniors have now. According to Shinn, that’s why it’s so exciting that the 2017 seniors are doing as well as they are on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which costs anywhere between $300 and $400 to take each time.

Test scores Of the 32 seniors that graduated from the KSC nursing program in 2017, Shinn said 30 have taken the exam, six failed on their first attempt and the remaining 24 students passed. Of the six failures, three retook it and passed the second time. As of August 30, there were only two students remaining who needed to take the NCLEX exam.

Currently, the May 2017 nursing graduates are at an 80 percent pass rate on the NCLEX, a drastic improvement after the 48.28 percent pass rate in 2014.

In the first year of the program (2013), just nine nursing students graduated and only one failed in their first NCLEX attempt; this started the program off with a 77.79 percent pass rate in their first year.

In year two (2014), the program reached their lowest point: a 48.28 percent pass rate.

Shinn said the reasoning behind this was a drastic jump in enrollment during the 2014 year. “The faculty tell me what really happened was, all of a sudden, they had 40 students compared to nine [in 2013] and no more extra faculty full time. I mean, they had to have added some adjunct clinical [faculty members] because we are restricted to eight students to one faculty in a clinical setting, and so they [the faculty] feel that’s why it went down to a 48.28 percent pass, but at that, but I’m sure the Board of Nursing in 2014 was saying, ‘Hold it here, this is not okay. Less than half of your students passed,’” Shinn explained.

In 2015, the rate increased to a 62.16 percent. Considering the state average passing rate is between 87-88 percent and the national average is between 85-88 per-

JAKE PAQUIN / PHOTO EDITOR

The Cohen Center for Holocaust and genocide studies is welcoming global fellowship partners to engage in the coursework within the Holocaust and genocide studies department.

KSC senior and HGS major Elizabeth Coleman said she recommends other students to take a HGS class to shine light on topics that get overlooked in history class.

“For example, I think it’s so important for students to learn more about the Native American genocide in the U.S. because we forget about it and the people we oppress to this day,” she said.

Coleman also explained how the Global Fellowship Program is beneficial to the HGS department. “I think accepting international scholars is more than helpful to the program; I think it’s integral,” Coleman said. “The international scholar program helps us as students realize, a little more firsthand, the realities of what we are learning about and trying to prevent. They can also help us learn some of the same events from a different perspective.”

Thanks to the Global Fellowship Program, more people can take advantage of the HGS program at Keene

cent, Shinn said concern from the Board of Nursing kept growing.

In 2016, the percentage improved by less than four tenths to a 62.5 percent which, according to Shinn, really was not enough. “At this point the Board of Nursing is saying, “Hmmm, you know, you guys are on probation and you’d better be doing something fantastic here,’ and that’s what the college did. The college paid for this and paid for that and did a lot of things to try and help get that group really ready for their licensing exam,” Shinn said.

With the 2017 passing rate currently hovering at 80 percent after revising courses and curriculum, the KSC nursing program is finally starting to see progress and improvement.

Shinn has high expectations for those seniors planning on graduating in May of 2018. Will these strict GPA requirements they were required to stick to be staying the same? Dr. Shinn said for now, they will be.

“Until we really know that we’re out of hot water and, again, that will be this May ’18 group, you know, I’d love to see them in the 90 percents, so if that is the case, then we might look at being able to back down some on those requirements, but for right now we’re sticking to them,” Shinn said.

Accreditation In the end of February 2018, the department will be reevaluated for their accreditation, meaning they must write a self-study, which is about a 90-page document, and an appendices. Then, the Board of Nursing will visit the campus in the middle of April and, if everything goes well, Shinn said the accreditation should be extended for the full length of time (approximately 10 years).

In terms of the program’s probationary status, on Sept. 21, KSC Interim President Dr. Melinda Treadwell, Provost William Seigh, Dean Kalich and Shinn will be meeting with the Board of Nursing. Shinn said although they would have liked to see the NCLEX exam scores at 87 percent, they’re not quite there yet, but an improvement has been made and she doesn’t believe they would reward the program by closing it completely.

“I know they [the Board of Nursing] are on our side. I really do know that they want us to succeed and I think they feel very comfortable that I’m now here with this program because they know me and I know how to do this.... I don’t realize how much I really do know and how much I have to bring to the program. I’m here to get this program on really solid ground and keep it there,” Shinn said.

Senior nursing students are also beginning to see new and improved changes within the program. Senior Amy Orsini said the first week has felt really positive and she hopes the rest of the year contin-

State College.

In the fall semester of 2018, Patricia Fernanda Perez Valdes will be coming from Santiago, Chile, where she works at the Museum of Memory and Human Rights.

Hikmet Karcic said he advised future fellows to engage in the Keene community while they are here. “They will have a unique opportunity to learn from the best and to use that knowledge in their future research. Engage in the community work [and] try to give back as much as possible,” he said.

Katie Jensen can be contacted at kjensen@kscequinox.com

ues in the same way. “In the beginning, I think with any new program we...weren’t really sure what to expect with the new program. We thought it’d be a little bit uncertain, we were kind of concerned but so far this year, I can already see so many big changes that have already happened in the program, like really positive changes.

I feel like the communication between the director and the professors has been really great this semester and I feel like the new director is even going above and beyond to help us,” said Orsini.

Revised Curriculum & Faculty Changes After hearing feedback from faculty members, graduated seniors and current students, Shinn said the department members are working on “little things.”

Assistant Professor of Nursing Carolynn Ernst said the nursing program is at a much better place than it was a couple years ago. “We have all have been involved in that restructuring, we all have brought our own experiences with our previous classes in the first few years... and felt like we had a good handle on the things we thought were working and not working.

So we were moving forward with redesigning classes, redesigning when courses were offered, adding courses, shifting our credit hours around and feeling really good about the forward movement we’ve been making,” Ernst said.

One small step taken in order to restructure the program has been strengthening the Medical Surgical Nursing classes, or MedSurge for short. In the proposed plan, Shinn said when students come into the program their junior year, they will take a fundamentals class, which would act as their “basic” MedSurge. Following that semester, they will take MedSurge I, II and III, which really strengthens that component of the program.

In addition to building up the MedSurge portion of nursing, Shinn said the department has brought on a new MedSurge faculty member, as well as a full time Simulation Lab Coordinator.

“It [the Simulation Lab] is never open because our faculty are in class or at clinical and they’re not even on campus sometimes, so those doors are shut and locked.

So now, we’re going to have somebody there all the time and students can drop in and if they don’t feel comfortable, you know, if you have a patient tomorrow that’s going to have a urinary catheter that they need put in or flushed or whatever, you can come in and practice it before you go into clinical,” Shinn said.

Additionally, the nursing faculty are working to redesign the course load for students during their junior and senior years in the program and have added a focused and dedicated two-credit NCLEX preparation and review course, according

to Ernst.

When redesigning the course load, rather than having one semester with a 14-credit course load, one with an 18-credit course load, as they do right now, Shinn said there is going to be a consistent 16 credits in each of these semesters, making it more user-friendly for students, as well as ensuring they aren’t overloading or underloading students credit-wise.

As if Nursing Program Director Shinn didn’t have enough on her plate, she’s also agreed to do some teaching this semester, which, she said, she’s very excited about. “I haven’t done this much lecturing in quite a while because I’ve been a director….I had agreed to teach one class a semester, but now I’m teaching two, a clinical component and the classroom simulation component of the clinical, and there’s one I want to teach next semester, so...I might do that anyway,” Shinn said.

Goals of the Future For the future of the program, Shinn said she doesn’t just want to see high pass rates on the NCLEX exam, but she wants to see high retention rates within the program as well. Nationwide, nursing retention is about 60 percent, said Shinn, and the lowest retention Keene State has seen was this past year’s graduating class at a 79 percent. Every other graduating class has had between an 80 and 90 percent retention rate each year.

“Keene has good retention. That may have been part of the problem with the boards [the NCLEX] is that they were retaining students that weren’t able to pass the boards. We just have to marry those two [passing rates and retention rates] and keep students in that we mentor them the way they need to be mentored so they pass the boards, and I think we’re getting there.

The faculty are so dedicated to helping this program produce quality professional nurses and I’m really excited to a part of that because I think that we’re desperate for nurses and it’s not going to ease up anytime soon,” Shinn said.

As scores continue to rise, Ernst said she has high hopes for the future of the program. “I see the scores continuing to rise, students are doing much better on the NCLEX, we’re doing really well right now, which I feel really good about, and I think it’s only going to improve and the program is going to be stronger. The faculty are strong and will continue to be strong.

We’re a very committed, dedicated faculty and I feel like the college and the community are very committed to our program which feels wonderful,” Ernst said.

Although Director Shinn isn’t planning on leaving Keene State anytime soon, she said one of her long-term goals before she leaves would be to see a graduate program in nursing education. “The area needs it desperately...I can’t produce

» NURSING, CONTINUED ON KSCEQUINOX.COM

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OPINIONS

Opinions / A4 Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

KSCEQUINOX.COM

EDITORIAL

KSC aims for more sustainability

Organizations on campus strive to be eco-friendly In May of 2017, Keene State College was recognized as one of nine schools to receive the Green Ribbon towards sustainability. The campus organization called Recycling On Campus at KSC (R.O.C.K.S.) works to recycle various types of waste on campus and create a more eco-friendly atmosphere. Recently, they have turned to composting in the Zorn Dining Commons , switched from using regular heating oil to vegetable oil and tried to implement more sustainability in the classrooms by creating a sustainabil-

ity minor. While it is great that we are taking steps towards becoming more eco-friendly, it is important to stick with these ideas and be aware of how we are impacting our environment.

Being sustainable is extremely important. We want to see this last a while. We want to see more recycling and see each product go into the right bin. We want to see more recycling off campus as well. On campus, R.O.C.K.S. works to clean up waste and help the students if they need to dispose of certain things, like ink

cartridges for example. According to R.O.C.K.S.’s website, the organization recycled 446,000 pounds, of materials including 149,320 pounds of cardboard, 105,000 pounds of mixed paper and 115,220 pounds of glass, plastic and aluminum during the 2008 academic school year.

However, we’ve noticed that many off-campus housing facilities do not offer places for recycling. We’ve also noticed the houses in Keene do not get recycling bins from the town. It would be helpful to carry the sustain-

ability efforts from campus into the community. We feel that recycling and doing our part is something so small but can give you gratitude. We feel that doing things like scraping your plates and recycling paper is an easy change. We’d like to see more of these simple changes.

We acknowledge that not only has R.O.C.K.S. attempted to be more sustainable, the college itself has too by building ecofriendly buildings like the Living Learning Commons (LLC) and the Technology Design and Safety

(TDS) center.

The LLC uses geothermal energy to heat the common areas of the building including the lobby and the classrooms and heat pumps are used in resident’s rooms so they can control the temperature. This is effective because it is possible to turn off heat in the rooms that aren’t being used which will ultimately save money and energy. According to KSC’s website, the TDS has windows with sensors to help with heating and cooling off the building as well as a solar panel

which provides almost half of the energy to the building. It also aims to reduce water consumption along.

We are happy that the college is willing to make changes to help the environment and make campus a better place. While we appreciate the steps taken by the college to be eco-friendly, we feel that there are more cost-effective ways out there. By taking small and simple steps daily, we will be able to work towards creating a better campus.

ALEXANDRIA SAURMAN/ MANAGING EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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Opinions / A5

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

STAFF COMMENTARY

Trump’s transgender ban COLBY DUDAL

Confederate statues revealed at bad time ISABELLA MANZO

equinox Staff

equinox Staff American citizens have continued to move further away from President Donald Trump after his polarizing decision to ban transgender people from the military.

On the morning of July 26, Trump sent out a series of tweets announcing that transgender people will now be unable to join the military. Trump stated the reason for the ban is because, “Our military must be focused on decisive and overwhelming victory and cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.” This decision is the reversal of a policy that former President Barack Obama approved and was under its final review.

According to the RAND Corporation, which gathers research having to do with the U.S. military, the medical costs of transgender people in the military would just be a small part of the total military spending budget. RAND states that the medical costs for transgender people would be between $2.4 million and $8.4 million which is just a fraction of the $521.7 billion dollar budget that the U.S. military had last year. RAND also estimates that there are approximately 2,500 transgender service members currently in the military.

The fact that transgender people will no longer have the freedom to fight for our country’s freedom is unpatriotic and goes against freedom which is one of the core values of being an American. If a transgender person wants to take part in the military, then he or she should be able to join without any laws preventing it just because of who he or she is.

Many former military people and LGBTQ+ ally groups have criticized Trump’s decision. Jennifer Levi, the attorney of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said, “Any special or different rule for transgender soldiers is discrimination. Plain and simple It harms the military, and therefore the safety of the nation.”

This past Monday several former members of the military filed a lawsuit against President Trump. Peter Renn, the Lambda Legal senior attorney said, “Thousands of current service members are transgender, and many have been serving openly and successfully in the U.S. military for more than a year--not to mention the previous decades when many were forced to serve in silence.” On top of this, the Ameri-

SEAN KIZILTAN/ ART DIRECTOR

can Civil Liberties Union has filed a separate lawsuit and states, “The Trump administration has provided no evidence that this pronouncement was based on an analysis of the actual cost and disruption allegedly caused by allowing men and women who are transgender to serve openly.”

These statement have a lot of merit because when the numbers are looked at closely, the cost of what a transgender person’s needs is much less than most of the military costs. For someone who told the LGBTQ+ community in 2016, “I will fight for you while Hillary brings in

more people who will threaten your freedom and beliefs,” it is still a mystery how exactly Trump is fighting for them.

Despite the backlash from many groups, there is still many who support the ban. The two main arguments for those who support the new ban is that it is too costly and people who are transgender can’t handle the stress of being in the military. Yes, the military is a stressful environment but the gender you are won’t make the military any more or less stressful. Transgender people have fought in the military before and afterward received medals and

honors for their time in the military.

Are we now just supposed to pretend that didn’t happen and all of a sudden transgender people “can’t handle the environment”?

This decision from President Donald Trump is just another opportunity to rip apart someone’s rights and hide the real motive with excuses.

I’ve been staring at a blank page for about 30 minutes now, figuring out how to start writing this article because I shouldn’t have to. Ideally, we’d be living in a world where I wouldn’t have to explain why America shouldn’t celebrate the Confederacy and why removing public displays doesn’t equal erasing history and white genocide.

But here we are, 15 days after the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and a Confederate monument has been put on display in Crenshaw County, Alabama.

The unveiling of the “Unknown Alabama Confederate Soldiers” monument was attended by 500 people, including re-enactors dressed in period clothing, members of the Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate Veterans and a few members of the right-wing militia group the Three Percenters, decked out in full-body armor and bearing guns “in case anything were to happen.”

I feel the need to emphasize that the unveiling was just 15 days after a white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of people, killing one person and injuring 19 others.

I can’t even think of a comparison to make to emphasize what poor timing this decision was. David Coggins, who owns the land where the monument was unveiled, considered that and said, “This was planned several months ago…the monument was ordered last year, and it’s taken this long to get it in the ground and ready to unveil.”

Even if the fate of the universe somehow depended on the unveiling of this monument, I think he could’ve waited.

Just another 24 hours to contemplate whether this was really that good of an idea. At the very least, the thought of holding off on this should have crossed his mind at some point.

While the subject of race in America isn’t a new idea by any stretch of the imagination, recent events, such as Charlottesville, have revived conversations about white pride, historical preservation and free speech.

I’ve seen a lot of arguments lately that go along the lines of, “I’m not a Nazi myself, but aren’t they entitled to their right to free speech as well?” and sadly, those people are totally right.

Under the First Amendment, people like Chris Cantwell are perfectly able to march down the street and shout, “Blood and soil!” and, “Jews will not replace us!” and whatever anti-Semitic, racist slurs they can think of, and the government can’t do anything about it.

However, I have a quick history lesson: in Germany, under Strafgesetzbuch section 86a, the use of symbols “of unconstitutional organizations” such as the Third Reich are straight up banned unless it’s for educational purposes.

It’s also totally illegal to publicly display flags, uniforms, insignias, slogans and forms of greetings.

What’s the point I’m getting at here? Do I believe that the United States should enact similar laws to ban the usage of Confederate symbols? And that Germany has such laws in place because the country feels ashamed of their past and the United States should as well?

In short, yes.

The Confederacy stood for slavery first and foremost. You may recognize this as more or less the entire point of the Civil War. You also may be aware of the fact that they lost that same war.

Those in support of unveiling monuments such as the one dedicated to the unknown Alabama Confederate soldiers say that it’s a way to honor those who served.

However, all it does is feed into the ignorance of those who believe that the Confederacy correlates to white pride and glorifies a horrible part of American history. It’s not something that should be commemorated and celebrated, but rather something we should use as a tool to learn from our past and ensure that it never happens again.

Isabella Manzo can be contacted at imanzo@kscequinox.com

Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox.com

KSC student reflects on the fat shaming effects ABBY SHEPHERD

Social Media director Last week in South Carolina, a school principal told a group of 10th grade girls that, unless they are a size zero or two, they can’t wear leggings. Why? Because they “look fat.”

There are two main ideas to aunpack when it comes to a principal telling girls that they look fat. Firstly, what’s wrong with looking fat? I’m plus size and I’m wearing leggings today. I’m pretty sure I’ll look a little fat.

While I’m okay with looking fat, I’m also six years past 10th grade. These girls have rapidly changing bodies, and hearing those bodies being described as “fat” could (and very well might) stick with them as they become adults.

We are currently raising our girls (and boys) in a culture where fat is one of the worst things someone can be. I understand that completely.

I was a 10th grader who wore leggings, and I was also a 10th grader who had an eating disorder. I lived in fear of looking fat, even though I was much thinner than was healthy.

Looking back on pictures from 10th grade, I see someone who looked frail and unsure. Hearing someone in charge, especially a trusted female figure, saying that I looked fat would have destroyed my self image even more.

The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) says that twenty million PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BRENDAN JONES / EQUINOX STAFF women and girls will suffer from diagA girl is looking at leggings and is feeling the pressure of having to fit into the smallest size. nosed eating disorders in their lifetime.

That attitude starts as young as first grade, according to NEDA. Disordered eating and low self-worth can’t just be blamed on the media or thin models. Teachers, coaches, school principals and parents can all participate in giving young girls a negative body image.

Secondly, a sexist dress code clearly contributes to a negative body image. I personally rallied against the wording of my school’s dress code.

It previously said that a dress code was in place to prevent “distraction in a learning environment.” There was a long list of guidelines, mostly focused on clothing girls would wear.

Personally, I find a principal talking about her students looking fat a lot more distracting than leggings.

When leggings, bra straps or an exposed mid-thigh are ruled to be more distracting than body-shaming, we have an issue.

When the size of a 10th grade girl’s legs are legislated, it shows that preventing the possibility that she might “look fat” or “be distracting” is more important than her education, we have an even bigger issue. I saw it in my own school system.

My little sister’s friend, at the age of 14, had to sit in the in-school suspension classroom for an entire day because her shorts were too short. Think of it this way: the length of her shorts are more important than her right to be in class and learn. That’s body shaming.

Thankfully, our principal never told her, or any of us, that we “looked

fat.” Sometimes, the implicit shaming of female bodies is just as damaging as something announced at an assembly.

As we move forward in a nation where our president can say on national television that a Miss Universe contestant has gained weight and still get elected, we have to remember this: people in power have a responsibility to empower, not shame. Whether you are a world leader or a school principal, there has never been a more pertinent time to work toward body acceptance in schools and in our culture.

Abby Shepherd can be contacted at ashepherd@kscequinox.com

“

When leggings, bra straps or an exposed mid-thigh are ruled to be more distracting than body-shaming, we have an issue.

Abby Shepherd Social Media Director

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STUDENT LIFE / A6

Thursday, Sep. 7, 2017

STAFF COMMENTARY

Summer spent pursuing career dreams JUSTIN MAHAN

Equinox Staff This summer, I interned in the public relations department at WHDH-7 News in Boston, Massachusetts. The experiences I’ve encountered were unforgettable.

Every day, I would check the voicemails and e-mails because there is always a message, typically about how someone is upset about something. Sometimes, the voicemails were funny and interesting to listen to. Other times, it was scary.

I’ve had voicemails that congratulated the station and voicemails that trashed the station. I’ve, at one point, received a threatening voicemail that actually scared me.

But whether it was a bad or good voicemail or e-mail, this was the experience I wanted to get. I wanted to connect with the station’s viewers and that’s how they voice their opinions.

A majority of my work was researching events in and around the Boston area to put on our website’s community calendar. I looked at school districts, city hall events, museums and more.

One of the more interesting aspects of my internship was that I was able to go to a station-sponsored event and walk around with one of the anchors. This was an amazing experience because in the community relations department, one of our jobs is to represent the station at these events. I had become the face of the station to the community and it made me feel like I was actually trusted in the department.

Another job I did while at the station was watching Public Service Announcements (PSA). My task was to watch and critique the PSAs and decide whether or not it would make it on air. That was another point that I felt that I had responsibility, because I was deciding if people watching our channel would be seeing the PSA that I had critiqued.

The last major thing that I did

“

It was surreal seeing the station in-person and even seeing some of the anchors and reporters that I grew up watching.

Justin Mahan KSC senior at the station was conduct station tours. I assisted my supervisor with the tour and helped lead the group through the studio. My work with KSC-TV definitely helped with this because I was able to answer a lot of questions that I otherwise wouldn’t have known.

Overall, I was overcome with excitement at the opportunity to take on this internship. It was surreal seeing the station in-person and even seeing some of the anchors and reporters that I grew up watching. I was able to go down to the anchor desk, walk around the entire building freely and talk with some of the staff about what I should be doing to get into that field.

On campus, I’ve done almost everything in the television studio.

I’ve been on camera, a reporter, a producer, a director and helped the intro courses learn the ways of the studio. But, I never got a behind the scenes look at television. I didn’t get to experience, on campus, what it’s like to receive the public’s opinions and suggestions and really understand what the viewer wants to see.

With this internship, I got that experience. And I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Justin Mahan can be contacted at justin.mahan@ksc.keene.edu PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY JUSTIN MAHAN

The anchor desk at WHDH-7 News station in Boston, MA.

Interested in Student Life?

Eating with The Equinox: Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes Ingredients Cooking spray, for pan 2/3 c. all-purpose flour 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice, plus more for garnish 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda pinch of kosher salt 1 15- oz. can pumpkin purée 3/4 c. evaporated milk 2/3 c. sugar 2 large eggs 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract Whipped cream, for garnishing

Directions Preheat oven to 350º and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Spray them well with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt until combined.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin purée, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and vanilla until completely combined.

Add dry ingredients to wet and completely combine.

Pour mixture into greased cupcake liners until 3/4 full.

Bake for 25 minutes, then let cool slightly (cupcakes will sink!) before chilling in fridge to set.

Garnish with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice before serving.

(603) 496 - 1967 RECIPE AND PHOTO BY DELISH

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Thursday, Sep. 7, 2017

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Thursday, Sep. 7 , 2017

Campus efforts towards sustainability JESSICA RICARD

Copy Editor/timE CapsulE Editor As an office “charged with moving Keene State College to become New Hampshire’s premier undergraduate institution for leading, educating and demonstrating visionary sustainability,” the Office of Sustainability is rolling out new initiatives this year and in the future to do just that.

Senior environmental science major, geology minor and Eco-Rep Justin Landry said the sustainability department on campus has really changed since he first started, meaning as whole, they’ve done some great things for our campus.

Heating Oil Just last year, Keene State made national and international headlines for being the first college in the country to switch out a portion of the heating oil used to heat campus.

Previously, the campus used No. 6 heating oil, which was a dark black fossil fuel. Director of Campus Sustainability Cary Gaunt said it’s the most polluting heating choice known to mankind, but historically, many places in the region have used it. In effort to find a carbon neutral product that didn’t emit greenhouse gases and was fully renewable, used and refined vegetable oil entered a trial period at Keene State.

Thirty-six percent of of Keene State’s campus was heated with purified waste vegetable oil this past year, but currently, Gaunt said they want to step up their game even more. Although the exact amount is still being negotiated, Gaunt said they’re hoping to use between 50 and 70 percent of the vegetable oil to heat the campus, almost twice as much as last year.

“We don’t want to go 100 percent...because just to be safe, any campus this size...you really want to have multiple heating sources just in case there’s a problem on the supply chain anywhere along the

JACOB PAQUIN / PHOTO EDITOR

The Eco-Reps are now collecting compost in the Dining Commons to reduce the footprint and minimize campus waste.

line. So we’ll never probably go 100 percent, but I hope we can get up to about 70 to 75 percent of this renewable used heating vegetable oil for our heat. When we do that, that’ll take us leaps and bounds to getting a much better score for greenhouse

gas emissions,” Gaunt said.

uses natural gas that comes from Currently, Keene State diverts of the emerging green areas that the landfill in Durham, which is about 30 percent of campus food Keene State shines in. So I think this Additionally, Gaunt said the considered a renewable carbon-free Office of Sustainability is actively resource as well. Gaunt said KSC is researching other renewable ways looking at similar sources that we to heat our campus. For example, can use. the University of New Hampshire Gaunt said, “So our goal is...we don’t have a date yet, but our goal is that in the next number of years, certainly by the middle of the century, that we would be 100 percent renewable heating, so that’s one thing that we’re actively pursuing and I think that’s one of our highest priorities truthfully.”

“

Our goal, of course, is zero waste, which means between 90 and 100 percent will eventually be diverted. That’ll be challenging because we’ll have to get an all hands on deck thing, but I’m excited by the food waste composting because it’s really innovative.

Cary Gaunt Director of Campus Sustainability

Food Waste

JACOB PAQUIN / PHOTO EDITOR

Reusable water bottles is a part of the campus initiative to be more sustainable.

Another initiative the Office of Sustainability has rolled out this semester is in effort to reduce our footprint and minimize our campus waste.In order to do this, the EcoReps have taken over the dining commons (DC), encouraging students to compost their food waste.

For the past five or six years, according to Gaunt, the dining commons composted their kitchen waste, which included organic vegetables from the kitchen, such as carrot tops, potato peels and other forms of vegan waste.

However, the state of New Hampshire presents some barriers on how to handle food waste; more specifically, the state doesn’t allow industrial composting of dairy and meat waste, which prompted Gaunt to form a new partnership in Vermont.

In hopes of eventually becoming a zero waste campus, Gaunt said Keene State has contracted with Windham County, which is across the river in Brattleboro, Vermont. “[They] are doing some very innovative things on how...you compost food waste, well we call it postplate waste, whatever you scrape off your plate, bones, chicken skins, the whole gamut...and really this will almost double the amount of waste that we compost…[and we] will have complete food waste composting in the DC and then next step would be Lloyds and that’s going to be huge too,” Gaunt said.

Although the composting in the dining commons is making campus more sustainable and making students more aware, KSC junior Zachary Howe said it’s causing some frustrating “backup” when trying to clear food at the end of your meal.

“We can only use that one entrance now and then you have a line, so if people are trying to get to class and stuff like that, it’s kind of annoying... but in the end, it does have a benefit to it.”

waste, meaning it isn’t sent to a landfill. With complete food waste composting in the dining commons, Gaunt said our campus should get up to diverting 49 to 50 percent of our food waste. “Our goal, of course, is zero waste, which means between 90 and 100 percent will eventually be diverted. That’ll be challenging because we’ll have to get an all hands on deck thing, but I’m excited by the food waste composting because it’s really innovative.”

Gaunt said.

When it comes to sustainability, Gaunt said they like everything to come full circle, or “cradle to cradle” they call it, meaning that product gets completely reused and it never enters the waste stream. The kitchen scraps from the DC, as well as all the leaf litter, grass clippings and other things they pick up around campus is composted here at Keene State and then the compost is used to supplement in any of the flower beds and in the mulch under the trees, for example, according to Gaunt. All of it has been handmade and hand-grown right here. Gaunt said, “We buy practically nothing in terms of fertilizers from anyplace else...we just make it all here.”

Curriculum Changes In addition to the operations side of things, Gaunt has also been working on making sustainability at Keene State an area of distinction by leveraging our current programs and taking them to the next level. Gaunt said this year, the office is working to implement a possible sustainability minor, as well as some certificate programs.

Gaunt explained, “We’re trying to develop, in conjunction with the academic departments and the provost, a series of certificates and also some professional trainings, CEUs, through continuing ed, on sort

year, we’re aiming to get a sustainability minor, I think we’re aiming to get a certificate program in recycling coordinator and also a certificate program in high performance building….We’ve done a lot of really innovative stuff that people can really learn from and then get a certificate or a professional continuing education credits….We want to actually create some new offerings that will help people specifically get ready for the workforce and also be of interest to professionals that are already working that want to come to learn more.”

As if Keene State wasn’t sustainable enough, in May, the college was recognized as one of nine U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools nationwide and was the only institution to be selected from New Hampshire. According to Gaunt, the Chancellor of the University System of New Hampshire Dr. Todd Leach called and suggested we apply for the award. After completing the lengthy application, Gaunt found out we won at the state level and then went on to win at the national level.

As an Eco-Rep, senior Landry wants to emphasize the Ban the Bottle campaign, which he said has been going on for five or six years now. “That [Pepsi] contract is up for reconsideration pretty soon...so we’re hoping that the school will decide to ban plastic water bottles or not renew the contract for plastic water bottles….I think that would be a huge step. There’s some towns that have banned plastic bags and stuff and there are some towns and colleges that have banned plastic water bottles, but we would definitely be one of the first colleges in the nation to actually do that, it would be great.”

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com

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STUDENT LIFE / A9

Thursday, Sep. 7, 2017

Nepali students come to US for bachelors degree ZOEY DAY

Equinox Staff Getting an education in the United States is something not all non-U.S. citizens have the chance to do.

This opportunity was recently given to Nepali students Puja Thapa and Benajil Rai when they were selected through the Little Sisters Fund to study for four years here at Keene State College.

According to Dr. Skye Stephenson, Director of Global Education Office at KSC, the girls were students at a school in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, before they were chosen to study in America.

The girls explained that they went through a screening process in order to be chosen for the program, which included writing an essay and interviewing with Len Fleischer, a retired KSC professor who assisted the students in receiving this opportunity.

After all of this was done, the two were selected through the Little Sisters Fund from a large pool of candidates to come study here in the United States.

The Little Sisters Fund is a U.S.based program that has been funded to support education for Nepali women, along with other issues such as child labor, child marriage and human trafficking, since 2007. It provides scholarships to girls like Thapa and Rai to come study abroad in places such as the U.S., Canada, Australia and Japan. The fund has kept the Nepali girls in school so far, and has now given them opportunities for a better future by coming here to study.

The education system in Nepal, according to Rai, is vastly different than what we experience here in America.

“It’s exam-oriented instead of knowledge-oriented, so our grades depend on how well we do on the exams, not class participation, discussion or presentations,” Rai said.

“I never imagined coming here,” Puja Thapa said. “But after getting the chance, it’s been unbelievable.”

For Rai, going abroad and getting a quality education was a dream.

“Many other students have similar dreams, but it’s hard to fulfill,” Rai said. “For me, it’s a big opportu-

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / EQUINOX STAFF

Puja Thapa and Benajil Rai continue their friendship and travel to America to study together for four years.

nity being here because I can learn and build my capacity.”

Of course, coming here for four full years is probably difficult to do considering they would have to leave their families. The Little Sisters Fund has the funds to send the girls home about once or twice during these four years, but other than that, the girls are living here permanently for their college career.

Both Rai and Thapa both said it was hard for them to leave their families, but once they got here, it

was worth it. Rai described it as “a blessing in disguise.” She said that although they miss their families, being here is an amazing opportunity to learn and grow as students.

In addition to the experience Thapa and Rai are getting here, it’s also an experience for KSC to have them as well. Dr. Stephenson said having the girls here will benefit the college in more ways than one.

“Here at Keene State, we’re always looking for new ways to enhance our diversity, and also to try to help

make the world a better place, so the fact that we have the opportunity for these two wonderful young women to come from Nepal is an incredible opportunity for us, as well as these women,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson is confident that having Thapa and Rai here will not only enrich their experiences and the diversity on campus, but also put things into perspective for the staff and students.

Being able to receive a quality education in the United States is

something that people all over the world dream of, and the opportunities that we receive here aren’t available to people in other countries. Puja Thapa and Benajil Rai are happy to be here, and Keene State is happy to have them.

Zoey Day can be contacted at zday@kscequinox.com

“

I never imagined coming here. But after getting the chance, it’s been unbelievable.

Puja Thapa KSC first year

The transition back to Keene State after a semester away in England ZACHARY ROBINSON

Study away Studying abroad was never something I had an interest in. I liked staying close to home and to what I knew I was comfortable with. That all changed once I realized how much the world had to offer that wasn’t in my little corner. What I didn’t know was how much studying abroad would change my life. After much debating, I chose York, England, as my place of study. I wanted a place that spoke English as its first language, so I was deciding between England or Australia. With choosing England, I knew I would be able to travel to any country within the European Union without too many problems.

York also had more options for me that were more geared towards my interests. The school I chose was called York St. John University and they offered the exact classes I needed, as well as a dance program so I could continue dance training during my studies. Once I got to England, I met so many kind and wonderful people that I never thought I would be friends with. People from all different walks of life came from all over, sharing a common goal: to open their minds to new experiences. Many of the friends I made I still keep in contact with.

A big reason I chose York St. John University

is because they were revered for having an excellent dance club. I was able to participate in eight different numbers, as well as my own solo. Some of the styles I did were jazz, contemporary, street and, my personal favorite, commercial. On top of that, I auditioned for the competition team and made it to the hip-hop squad. We were able to place second out of all other colleges in the U.K. It was life changing to be part of that experience.

Dancing abroad was one of the biggest highlights of my trip because I learned so many news things that I am able to bring back with me. Starting up dance again at Keene State has been somewhat of a restart for me because I can add all of the technique and styles I learned abroad.

Since I went during the spring semester, students in England get an entire month off for spring break. Lucky for me, it was over April and the weather had warmed up. Within those months I traveled to seven other countries: Glasgow in Scotland, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Barcelona in Spain, Munich in Germany, Dublin in Ireland, Prague in the Czech Republic and Rome in Italy. Bouncing across Europe was the experience of a lifetime. I learned so much about myself and life that I never would have been able to see if I hadn’t gone on this journey. The different cultures and ideologies that each country possesses was so fascinating to see and understand. I am so

lucky to have been able to be in the presence of such history and art.

After being abroad for over four months, I came back for the summer and it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. There was a ton of public transportation in Europe and even if that wasn’t an option, you could walk anywhere you needed to go. Driving is on the left side of the road and I just had gotten used to it, so I had a reverse culture shock seeing everyone drive on the right side. The hardest part for me was not being able to legally drink anymore. Going from buying my own alcohol and knowing how to drink responsibly to being treated like a criminal for even being near the alcohol aisle was a huge adjustment. In Europe, you could openly drink in the street and no one would even bat an eye.

There is a huge misunderstanding in America about drinking and the negative stigma that it has. Being back in Keene, it feels strange to not be within a huge city and an abundance of culture.

As much as I love being here, it’s no York and definitely is no match when it comes to things to do.

But being with my friends and family has been a nice break from it all. I had missed them a ton and I’m glad I get to be with all of them again.

Zachary Robinson can be contacted at zachary.robinson@ksc.keene.edu

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ZACHARY ROBINSON

While abroad, Zachary was able to explore and do plenty of sightseeing.

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ZACHARY ROBINSON

The town of York, England from a bird’s eye view.

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Student Life, A10

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

STUDENT LIFE

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Students react to new presidency

“

The school needed someone closer to home.

Someone that was more wellrounded in what Keene is about and understands the community relationship we have here.

Bailey St. Laurent KSC senior

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY WILLIAM WROBEL

Dr. Melinda Treadwell helped move several first-year students into the LLC during August Welcome Days.

With the sudden departure of former President Anne Huot, students are left unsure of what’s next EMMA HAMILTON

student Life editor GRACE PECCI

opinions editor Students left campus last spring with one leader of the college, and returned this fall to an unexpected surprise.

According to the University System of New Hampshire [USNH] press release, Keene State College Former President Anne E. Huot announced on June 26 that she would be stepping down, “for personal and professional reasons.” Much of the campus community was shocked by this decision that left returning students unsure of what to expect for this fall.

Senior and General Manager of WKNH Nick Busby would classify Huot’s stepping down as, “abrupt.”

“She’s been here the entire time I’ve been a student here, so I kind of just expected that to continue on,” Busby said. He heard of her departure via his Facebook feed and was shocked at the news over the summer.

Senior and student body President Kenadee Cadieux agrees she was very surprised by Huot’s resignation and thought she [Huot] had at least another year of presi-

dency for the college.

Cadieux said, “with the suddenness of Huot stepping down it has left student government wondering what is going to happen.” Though Cadieux said her organization is uneasy as to where things will go, she did note how quickly USNH filled the role of presidency at KSC. In a press release on July 19, USNH wrote, “The University System Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Dr. Melinda Treadwell, the current Provost, and CEO at Antioch University, has been selected to serve as Interim President of Keene State College. Dr. Treadwell will be working with Chancellor Todd Leach and the USNH Board of Trustees to advance the college during this transition period.”

According to the Keene Sentinel, Treadwell will be serving as the president until a permanent replacement is named.

Senior and Orientation Coordinator Bailey St. Laurent said he was happy Treadwell was stepping in to fill the position. “I was looking forward to change, because change is good.”

He continued, “the school needed someone closer to home. Someone that was more well rounded in what Keene is about and

understands the community relationship we have here. Having an alumni in this position at a very sensitive time with Keene State is a really good move and I’m happy that Melinda wanted to step up and do that.”

Treadwell was a presence on campus during Welcome Days for first-year students, according to St. Laurent. He said it was great having the President be apart of first-year move-in day.

St. Laurent said Treadwell ate lunch with the families of first-year students and helped with the move-in process.

Busby said, “there’s now the opportunity for change and I think having President Huot step down shouldn’t be a reason to look down upon her. She [Treadwell] comes in with an open-mind and everyone else should keep an open-mind too.”

Before the semester began, Busby had the opportunity to personally meet Treadwell.

He said, “She was very very sweet.”

“She was doing a PSA on freshman move-in day because we were DJing it. She just came right in while I was sitting there with my co-workers and shook my hand with a smile while introducing herself. She did what she had to do and as she was leaving she thanked us for having her and told

us she had fun and appreciated us for doing it. It was a very welcoming and warm experience,” Busby said.

In Busby’s past three years of attending KSC, he never once had a conversation with Huot.

On the other hand, Cadieux said student government has had what she considers, “a good working relationship,” with Huot. She said, “We are just starting over with the new president. We haven’t had a lot of experiences with her yet but from what we have seen and how willing she is getting to know students and help anyway she can I think it’s going to have a very positive impact on everything.”

Cadieux also said she feels as if there has been negative energy on campus in recent years. She is unsure whether it comes from the students or faculty but thinks the groups haven’t been coming together. “I’m hoping the new president will mesh those divides and help fill in the gaps. I hope she helps bridge the divide that has separated everyone,” Cadieux said.

Cadieux said her first impressions of Treadwell are positive. She noted that Treadwell is kind and brings good energy.

“She cares about the students and that’s

important when you’re the president of the college,” Cadieux said.

Busby said whenever a new person comes into office there is always the possibility for change. He continued, “She [Treadwell] brings a lot to the table for Keene State. Having the new president come up to me and be very welcoming and warm is a change in pace in a positive way.”

As students aren’t completely sure where this change in leadership could take the college, several are thinking the odds are in their favor. Cadieux said, “I’m hoping having her here with affect the college positively and that it will lighten the air and energy on campus. Hopefully it will also bring the college and Keene community together.”

Emma Hamilton can be contacted at ehamilton@kscequinox.com Disclosure:: Emma Hamilton is a member of Student Government. To avoid a conflict of interest, Equinox editor Grace Pecci conducted the interview with Kenadee Cadieux, Student Body President.

Recent changes to a popular spot for food on campus OLIVIA BELANGER

AdministrAtive executive editor Inside the Zorn Dining Commons (DC) at Keene State College, students may have noticed a gallery of napkins along the bulletin boards. The napkins typically have hand-written suggestions on them from students to improve the dining experience during their time at KSC. Some of these suggestions have been brought to life at the start of this semester. Lloyd’s Marketplace has undergone several renovations in an attempt to give healthier and quicker options before, in-between and after classes.

Retail Manager of Lloyd’s Marketplace Kristin Mattheson said some of the ideas that were implemented this year stemmed from reading the napkins posted within the DC . Some of these new options include a smoothie bar, a bistro sandwich station and an express lane.

“I started looking at food trends [last year] and then I also started doing my own experimentations, starting with smoothies,” Mattheson said. “Shortly after, I started really looking at the numbers of what I was selling and what I was not. I noticed the number of deli sandwiches started to go down quite a bit.”

On average, Mattheson said the deli was selling between 22 to 25 sandwiches per day. She added that on days they sold smoothies, they would sell upwards of 100, which sparked the idea of creating a designated smoothie section. “I decided, let’s get rid of the deli and put in smoothies because when I would have smoothies once a week, I would be getting great responses,” Mattheson said.

The new smoothie bar, “Smoothie Hooooo,” includes five different specialty flavors, as well as a build-yourown smoothie option and a chance to add protein powder or chia seeds. Mattheson said new equipment was purchased for this station to reach its full potential.

“I needed to buy the new cooler that has the big glass front so people can see what is inside there, as well as the industrial blenders,” Mattheson said.

Even without the deli to create your own sandwich, there are still sandwich options available. Inside the open-air coolers on the left side of the store are Simply To-Go fresh, pre-packaged sandwiches, as well as a new bistro sandwich station, Mattheson said.

Referring back to Lloyds’ sales, Mattheson said when she served a specialty “bistro or artisan-like sandwich” available, it would sell much better than the typical deli sandwich. With that trend in mind, “The Local Press” station was created. Similar to the smoothie bar, the bistro sandwich station has five different specialty options. However, there is not a build-your-own sandwich option.

The last change and fastest option is the new express lane, “Lloyd’s Express,” which replaced “Lloyd’s Oven” that consisted of Italian-style dishes. The menu consists of the most popular fried food items, according to Mattheson, along with pre-made breakfast sandwiches and made to order pastas and pizza.

“There’s items, such as chicken tenders, that students can’t get enough of,” Mattheson said. “People just want them, want them, want them, but they’d have to wait about seven minutes for them to cook. If I can stay ahead of the number of people who are coming through the door, people can just come right there and go without having to stand in line.”

Mattheson said she has heard nothing but positive feedback so far. KSC senior Kenadee Cadieux is among the students who are pleased with seeing change.

“I think the grab-and-go option is a huge selling point so that people won’t have to wait in line for 10-15 minutes for mozzarella sticks,” Cadieux said.

She added the smoothie bar is her favorite modification. “It’s nice to see our money being spent towards things like this,” Cadieux said. “I love smoothies and I’ve had two [of the specialty smoothies] already. My goal is to try the rest of them by next week.”

KSC junior Chris Garian said he thinks since the renovation has been made, the quality of the food is much better. “I think they made a lot of improvements and that show they do care about the quality of the food,” Garian said.

He added that while he is pleased with the changes, he would like to see other changes in the future.

Similar to Garian, Cadieux said there are some items she would like to see added to the menu.

“I think it’d be cool to have more flavors of iced coffee throughout the week instead of just two. I feel like iced coffee is something students get more than hot coffee, so I would love to see that,” Cadieux said.

There are still changes to the menu in the works, according to Mattheson. With the purchase of the indus-

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LUKE STERGIOU / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Some students are enjoying the most recent changes in Lloyds Marketplace, while others aren’t as happy.

trial blenders for the smoothies was also the purchase of a juicer. Mattheson said one of their ideas is to have fresh orange juice pre-packaged in the open-air coolers within the next couple months, but there are logistics that have not been worked out yet.

“I think we are trying to ease into [juicing] because our staff members need to learn everything about making smoothies and to be efficient first before adding another thing,” Mattheson said.

Only one juicer was purchased, and because of this, Mattheson said she is not sure at the moment if she will be providing one specific type of juice each day or if she will have a variety to select from. She added she is wary of food allergies and wants to take the best approach possible.

There will also soon be warm, soft pretzels and a new drink at Bean and Bagel that has been implemented on other college campuses called a “razzbull” --- a RedBull energy drink mixed with raspberry syrup

--- within the next few weeks. These items are readily available, but have simply not been added to the new menus yet, Mattheson said.

She added the current menus hung up are only temporary because of a new Food and Drug Administration regulation. “The FDA is requiring places to post calories,” Mattheson said. “We are currently finalizing the calorie counts with one of our nutrition interns so that we can have our permanent menus up as soon as we can.”

However, the signs do not have to contain the calorie count until May 2018, according to Mattheson.

She said she intends to be posting updates of the renovations on Lloyd’s Snapchat account, “Lloyds_BnB.” Olivia Belanger can be contacted at obelanger@kscequinox.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A&E / B1

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

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Keene Music Festival

brings the boogie to town

KATHERINE GLOSSER

Equinox Staff Downtown Keene was bustling with people on Saturday when 43 bands came to play for the Keene Music Festival.

Throughout Main Street from 10:45 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., bands including Psych Unit, Solar Sisters, Jake McKelvie and the Countertops, Lobotomobile and Michael Graham played live.

The Keene Music Festival was first founded in 2000 and has been held in Keene every year.

People from all ages weren’t afraid to show their enjoyment.

Parents with their kids in tow, dog walkers, people young and old, wandering adults and even students attended the festival.

More than 40 people gathered around the Central Square gazebo to watch Psych Unit, a band from Lebanon, New Hampshire, perform live. People clapped and cheered as the band’s vocalist Terri Didehbani finished singing her songs that she wrote the lyrics to, such as “Mona” and “Troubled.”

During the performance, a little girl danced in front of the gazebo. The young girl wasn’t the only one who danced to the music. An older gentleman danced to the music while other people swayed to Didehbani’s voice.

Didehbani, who works at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, along with a few other band members, said she has been a part of the band for about two months, making this the first time she performed at the Keene Music Festival. She said performing with the band is therapeutic.

“I think rock and roll heals the soul” said Didehbani. “I think it’s just a way you express your art, whether it’s through playing, listening, dancing, singing.”

Todd Gardner, a psychology nurse and the bass guitarist and co-founder of Psych Unit, said the band started in 2007. However, he didn’t perform with Psych Unit at the Music Festival until this year.

Psych Unit’s name, said Gardner, was inspired by both his work in a psychiatric unit, as well as their band being a form of therapy for them.

“Our band and our music stabilizes us, it’s a good positive thing, that’s really what it means,” said Gardner. Gardner said he was pleasantly surprised regarding the turnout.

“This was great; there was lots of people that seemed to be enthusiastic and seemed to enjoy our music. I was pleasantly surprised how many people showed up,” said Gardner.

Seventh grader and Keene

resident Nicole Damon, who was at Psyche Unit’s live performance, expressed her appreciation for the music festival.

Damon said she has been going to the music almost every year.

“I just really like the music fest because everyone is here and I like how they have spread out bands in different areas and it’s just fun to be around a lot of people and just hang out and listen to music,” said Damon.

Keene State College senior Tyler Croteau said he came to the music festival for not only the local bands, but to see his friend’s band, Jake McKelvie and the Countertops, perform live. This would be his first year he came to the music festival. Croteau said he wouldn’t change anything about the festival. He said he would recommend other people to go to the festival because it’s a great way to get to know the downtown area.

“I think they would have a blast. It’s a good way to get to know Main Street if you’re a new student,” said Croteau.

Katherine Glosser can be contacted at kglosser@kscequinox.com.

KEENE MUSIC FESTIVAL PHOTOS BY JAKE PAQUIN / PHOTO EDITOR BACKROUND PHOTO BY MERIDITH KING / ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / B2

Thursday, Sept 7, 2017

Art from the heart to the park MATT KAHLMAN

Equinox Staff Keene’s 59th annual Art in the Park was held over this Labor Day weekend from September 2 to the 3. The event was held in Ashuelot Park in Keene, New Hampshire, from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. on both days. Local artists from around the New England area came to the park this weekend to show and sell their pieces of art.

Exhibits had a wide variety of

art from glass blowing, wood carving, pastel, oil, acrylic, pen and ink, watercolor, sculpture, mixed media and photography.

Art in the Park is hosted by the Monadnock Area Artists Association. The event was created to help New England artists show off their latest projects and to help promote their work. It also gives the community the opportunity to come together, talk to artists and look at different pieces of art.

The committee members said

there were over 88 artists that were displaying and selling their artwork.

Live music was being played in the middle of the park as the vendors stretched all the way through.

All age groups were there enjoying the work around them. Some of the venues were even offering lessons. The public said that all the vendors there were very friendly and always willing to talk and share ideas. A lot of the artists said they have been coming there for years, and for others, it was there first time.

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / EQUINOX STAFF

From left to right; Maggie Cahoon, Benajil Rai, Erika Radish, Puja Rana Thapa, Kalila Brooks, Randy Travis Perkins

One of the artists, Chris Bower from Nashua, New Hampshire, has been coming to the park for six years now. He focuses most of his work on wildlife and landscapes.

Bower said he has been taking beautiful pictures since the 1970s.

Later in 2009, he retired and created his own photography company called Be There Photography, where he travels to Africa and Iceland to capture breathtaking pictures.

Bruce Thompson, a wood sculptor from Keene, New Hampshire, focused on designing wood patterns. He has been cutting wood for the past 13 years. Most of his work is made from red oak wood.

Bruce said he traces a design he gets from a company in Indiana, called woodenteddybear.com, cuts into wood with a tiny drill bit with nothing but his attention and dedication. He said some of his work can take up to three days to complete; others can take up to two weeks.

Painter Debra Grubbs said she uses her love for the beach and transforms it into art. She is from the Salem, New Hampshire, area and is focused on landscape water oil paintings. She started by taking the theme of the beach and exploring it.

Grubbs paints mostly sunsets and sunrises with a beach background. Debra has her paintings take places on beaches in New England and Key West.

And the main attraction that nobody thought they would

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / EQIONOX STAFF

Tina Gagnon paints flowers at the Art in the Park event on Saturday.

see was the Caterpillar Lab. Sam Jaffe has been raising caterpillars since he was three years old. He has always been interested in the world outside his window.

Sam got into exposing the public to caterpillars when people started to ask him good questions; he found a way to start educating people, started getting into good conversations and it just took off from there.

Now, Jaffe is the owner of the Caterpillar Lab located on Emerald Street in Keene. It is open to the public and free. The company breeds and raises around 200 species of moths and caterpillars a year.

It was their first year at Art in the Park and it was a big success for their table was the most crowded section of the park.

Jaffe wanted to show people something they weren’t expecting. He called this cross pollination, where he could bring nature and science together with art. The Caterpillar Lab is always looking for local support from the community to help expand their recognition.

The event went very smoothly thanks to the hard work of their dedicated committee members and the main tent volunteers. Even with the rain on Sunday there was bigger turnout than expected. Overall the event was a success. With a huge variety of different art work, there was something for every body.

Matthew Kahlman can be contacted at mkahlman@kscequinox.com

The Bandstand Our Bio:

By Austin Delin My childhood friend James Kokidko, and I have been writing music together in various projects since the 6th grade. We started off like anybody else - just taking what inspired us within our shared music tastes over the years, and trying to emulate it, and incorporate it into our own music. We’d spend our summers playing 2-piece acoustic music, and recording demos in my Mom’s basement.

Through that, I think James and I taught each other a lot about how just accompanying one another’s ideas with what “sounds or feels right” can lead to an incredibly natural and fulfilling writing process. James has always had an incredibly open mind, and a great ear for harmonizing our parts together.

One day James suggested to me that we get together with some of his childhood friends Chris Walsh and Ben Perry, just to jam. I always thank him for pushing me to branch out of my comfort zone, and play music with somebody that I didn’t grow up with, or know very well. Ben and Chris’s contributions to the sound and work ethic have taken our sound to the next level. I’m so excited to continue creating as a band.

Members: Austin Delin - Guitar / Vocals James Kokidko - Guitar Ben Perry - Bass Chris Walsh - Drums

Location: Medway, MA

Genre: Indie, Alternative, Post-Punk, Math-Rock, Dream-Pop

Upcoming Events / News: We’re playing ‘Out of the Blue Too’ Art Gallery with our friends in ‘Val Verde’ (an upcoming punk band from Keene, NH) on September 7th We’ll begin recording for our first LP with our friend Alex Salter on September 11th. Alex is student at KSC, and Guitar/Vocals in Val Verde. He’s a very talented kid.

Links to our demo and social media: ‘Perspective’ - Our first Demo (Free Download) - https://delkojams.bandcamp.com Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/delkojams Instagram page - https://www.instagram.com/delkojams/ OR @delkojams from mobile

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS BY COREY PRINCE

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / B3

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

Meredith Bove takes on role as new Keene State dance professor MERIDITH KING

Arts & EntErtAinmEnt Editor With optimism, enthusiasm and a fresh-faced attitude, new Keene State College Dance Professor Meredith Bove is ready to see what her first year teaching at the college brings.

A Vermont native, Bove said she grew up studying ballet throughout her childhood years, moving on to study at the University of the Arts, Philadelphia. It was during her studies there that she started moving away from just ballet and becoming more interested in modern and postmodern dance forms.

Following her undergraduate studies, Bove lived in Berlin, Germany, for two years, where she found herself continuing along the lineage of postmodern release dance techniques, but also became very interested in performance studies.

“I [also] saw a lot of performance that was very experimental and sort of really eye-opening in a lot of ways”, Bove said. “I was still very interested in somatic practices and release technique and I became really interested in just sort of performance studies and just all this

watching of performance was just really fascinating to me.”

Following her time in Berlin, Bove returned to the United States to get her Master’s of Fine Arts from Hollins University in Virginia.

“I was making a lot of solo work while I was at Hollins [University], and I am still sort of doing that now,” Bove says. “I’ve continued where I am very much interested in solo performance and a little bit of interdisciplinary practices with that solo performance”.

In fact, many of the classes Bove will be teaching at Keene State College are interdisciplinary themselves.

“I’m teaching a ballet course which combines with experiential anatomy,” Bove says. “It’s very cool, I think it’s a great way to learn the techniques of ballet while also thinking about our anatomical structures and things.”

When asked about her thoughts on joining the KSC community, Bove responded with a certain eagerness.

Bove says “It’s my third day, but I just feel like the community here just seems really great and supportive. Throughout my orientation, there were just so many people who were really supportive and wanted to help

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which I feel is not always the case at other institutions and I really think that’s special.”

Bove is not daunted by her first full time teaching position.

“The students, you know, I am just getting to know them but so far, everyone I’ve come into contact with seems ready to learn,” Bove said. “It doesn’t seem like people are taking their education for granted. I feel people are present and that they want to be here and they want to learn. It’s great.”

In April, Bove will have works featured in The Evening of Dance event featured at the Redfern Arts Center, but that does not curb her interest in this semester, highlighting how the theatre and dance programs foster collaboration.

“I am not leading anything this fall, just the spring, but I am very excited about the program that is coming [this semester],” Bove said. “I’ve already encountered several of my students who are in everything, like I have students in my modern dance class who are directing the play” The biggest challenge in sight for Bove currently is just overcoming her newness, on the campus and as a

first-time, full-time faculty member.

“I’m just excited right now. Each day just feels like a new sort of adventure and there is some trepidation that comes with that, but mostly it’s just really exciting.”

Bove said, “I’m excited to see how the semester unfolds.”

Meridith King can be contacted at mking@kscequinox.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT / B4

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

Keene based band Gray Haven brightened the East Coast this summer ALEXANDRIA SAURMAN

Managing ExEcutivE Editor

outside of Keene,” Blumberg said. “Obviously we travelled [to] so many places, but people still came out even though they knew they were going to see us in Keene, but they came to see us in a different setting.”

One of the concert attendees was KSC alumnus and St. Amour’s housemate, Aaron Williams.

“Their sound quality was pretty tight. Their performance was pretty on point,” Williams said about Gray Haven’s performance at Toad’s Place in New Haven, Connecticut. “...High energy. That’s what comes to mind when I listen to their music. Just very high energy, very upbeat, very angsty, in your face. Something that...anybody who appreciates rock ‘n roll can really get into it in my opinion,” Williams said.

In between their shows, the band used their down time in a multitude of ways. They visited Six Flags, took a trip the the Jersey Shore and attended a concert for Holahan’s birthday.

The band also recorded three times while on tour, and

Many basement bands dream of making it to the stage one day, but for rock band Gray Haven, that dream has become a reality.

The band is composed of three Keene State College students: Joe Sansone, Nick St. Amour and Mike Holahan, and one alumnus, Ricky Pelchar.

Gray Haven, along with their manager, KSC film production and critical studies major Rachel Blumberg, hit the road this summer for their East Coast tour.

“I was a little nervous just because it was just taking it to the next level,” said Holahan, the band’s drummer.

“But once we got in the car and once we were headed for PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY BOB ST. AMOURFRI the first venue, then I just got From left to right: Ricky Pelchar, Nick St. Amour, Rachel Blumberg, Joe Sansone and Mike Holahan pose in front of their car before their tour. excited.”

Gray Haven’s guitarist, St. is planning on releasing a full in Keene because I just missed played in a basement in so “I think the best part of coming Amour, said that he felt like album in summer 2018. everybody,” St. Amour said. long,’” Sansone said. “We back to Keene is that one genAlexandria Saurman the tour was meant to be.

Although 2017 KSC graduThe band held a basement missed it, and it feels good eration of Keene has left with can be contacted at “I was nervous to begin ate Pelchar no longer lives in “homecoming” show on Satur- to be back home, back where the name Gray Haven in their asaurman@ksceqiunox.com with, but everything had just Keene, Sansone, St. Amour day, September 2. we’re comfortable so we can head and now another generaopened up perfectly for the and Holahan are back to start “The whole time that we really let loose.” tion is coming in, and they’re summer for me to go on tour, their senior years. were on tour, we were just St. Amour, who only has about to learn what the hell so I kind of expected it to “It’s really cool to be back thinking, ‘Wow. We haven’t one semester left at KSC, said, Gray Haven is all about.” happen,” he said.

“My life was just like, ‘Hey dude, send it. Go for it.’”

The band played a total of 11 shows in places such as New Haven, Connecticut, Long Island and Manhattan and Philadelphia.

Each night, they performed with different bands, allowing them to make more connections and learn from other artists. “[Getting out of Keene] was cool because you were kind of thrown into like a setting that you also realized so many other people are doing, so it’s kind of motivating to be like ‘Woah. This is the real world.

We’re doing stuff that other people do,’” Blumberg said.

Although they were miles away from Keene, the band said they still ran into KSC students at their shows.

“It’s just kinda cool to know GRAPHIC CONTRIBUTED BY NICK ST. AMOUR that you have that support This graphic is a part of Gray Haven’s Summer 2017 East Coast Tour advertising. It was designed by the band’s guitarist and graphic design major, Nick St. Amour.

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TIME CAPSULE

Time Capsule / B5 Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

Fifty-four years since ‘I have a dream...’

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‘Record-breaking’ first-year class of 400 attends KSC JESSICA RICARD

COPY EDITOR/TIME CAPSULE EDITOR

JESSICA RICARD

COPY EDITOR/TIME CAPSULE EDITOR 1963: A time at which the African American civil rights movement reached its peak as Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to over 250,000 at the March on Washington on the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Around this time approximately 54 years ago, just that was occurring.

Among those marching and rallying were those fighting for jobs, freedom, voting rights and, of course, an end to racial segregation and discrimination. At the time, this peaceful rally was the largest gathering for a redress of grievances D.C. had ever seen, and to close out the peaceful day, King approached the podium, according to history.com.

As he spoke of his struggles, those he previously encountered and those soon to come in the future, he encouraged everyone to take action, but to organize protests and other events nonviolently. “Negro is still not free,” he said, and he continued.

Reaching from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument, King boomed, “I have a dream, that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today,” according to history.com.

This was not the first time King had

used the “I have a dream theme,” but the way he expressed his voice and emphasized his words allowed him to create a clear and noble vision of the civil rights movement at the time. Before this, many people were unaware of the importance and demand for racial equality, but after King had spoken, many things were given the potential for change.

King ended his speech with, “When we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’”

The year following the March on Washington, the 24th Amendment was ratified, abolishing the poll tax, which was hindering Southern African American voters. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act was also passed, prohibiting racial discrimination in the workplace, in schools and in any and all public facilities.

For all of his efforts throughout the civil rights movement, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, but shot to death years later at just 39 years old. Without him, civil rights would most definitely not be where they are today.

Opposite of the year 1963, the current social and political climate of the United States seems to have people engaging in violent, hateful and dangerous rallies and protests, such as what happened in Charlottesville, Virginia. Figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Jonathan Daniels, a Keene local, are the kind of people the United States needs to demonstrate and encourage nonviolent protests, allowing the people to express what they want without offending or hurting anybody in the process.

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com

SEAN KIZILTAN / ART DIRECTOR

1813: American symbol of patriotism makes its debut JESSICA RICARD

COPY EDITOR/TIME CAPSULE EDITOR One of the most prominent figures in American history became a national sensation 104 years ago; dressed in a white top hat, blue and white suit, a red bow tie and the face of determination, Uncle Sam made his debut.

On September 7, 1813, with the help of Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from New York, Uncle Sam was born. Wilson shipped barrels upon barrels of beef to the United States Army during the War of 1812, and the soldiers had nicknamed the beef “Uncle Sam’s,” history.com states.

At the time, a local newspaper ran a story about the newfound nickname, and eventually, Uncle Sam symbolized patriotism, put a recognizable face to the U.S. government and was featured on a recruiting poster during World War I. Uncle Sam’s image became most popular in the late 1860’s and 1870’s when Thomas Nast, a political cartoonist, gave Sam a white beard and a stars and stripes suit.

Later though, the most popular image of Uncle Sam was created by James Montgomery Flagg, which shows him in a tall top hat, blue jacket and pointing forward, captioned with, “I Want You For The U.S. Army,” in effort to recruit soldiers during World War I, as well as rally support from civilians for participation and entry into the war. In July of 1916, this image

plastered the front page of “Les- always triumphed over his adversarlie’s Weekly.” ies in plays, stories, cartoons and verse,” Britannica states that in whereas Yankee Doodle was a nickterms of inspiration for name for American colonials during the Uncle Sam’s image American Revolution. As two popular though, his appearrepresentations of folklore in the ance is based off U.S. at the time, Uncle Sam took of two symon and displayed many of these bolic Amersame characteristics. ican icons: In 1950, Uncle Sam officially Yankee Doodle became the national symbol for and Brother Jonathe U.S. In a time where unity than. is more important than Brother ever, maybe Uncle J o n a Sam can serve as a than was reminder to our patros o m e tism. one who displayed Jessica Ricard can “native intelbe contacted at jricard@ ligence, kscequinox.com

“

One of the most prominent figures in American history became a national sensation 104 years ago; dressed in a white top hat, blue and white suit, a red bow tie and the face of determination, Uncle Sam made his debut.

Jessica Ricard Copy Editor/Time Capsule Editor

SEAN KIZILTAN / ART DIRECTOR

Move-in day at Keene State College in 1964 brought a “recordbreaking” class of 400 first-year students to campus to engage in their respective areas of study and make everlasting memories over the next four years.

Additionally, the year 1964 welcomed a new Keene State College president, Dr. Roman J. Zorn, as KSC has also done during this current 2017-18 school year in welcoming Dr. Melinda Treadwell.

Each year at Keene State, firstyear students are required to participate in an orientation program, but 53 years ago, the programming looked much different, with Vesper Services, or prayer, a meet-and-greet event with upperclassmen and “sock” dances.

In addition to the firstyear student enrollment record of 400, once the upperclassmen students returned to campus in 1964, Keene State College’s overall enrollment also set an “all-time record of over 1,150” students, according to the Sept. 17, 1964 edition of The Monadnock, the former version of The Equinox. In 1963, they had also set a record of 1,019 students, which is quite the difference compared the the number we have now. During the 2017 year, KSC welcomed 3,733 students from all years and majors.

Because of the record-setting number of students at KSC at the time, Residential Life was running into problems as to where to house students. This led to a two-year lease signed with the Eagle Hotel on Main Street, which housed 62 college women. Isadore Borofsky, the hotel owner at the time, agreed to stop all hotel operations and rename it the Eagle House to accommodate the overflow of students.

In addition to taking over the Eagle Hotel, KSC also made rearrangements in both Huntress Hall and Fiske Hall to make room for an additional 30 residents. Many singles were switched to doubles, many doubles were switched to triples and in a few instances, large rooms were remodeled and house four girls together.

In 1964, Blake House, Duffy House and Caruthers House were buildings designed for women, all three of these buildings are no longer housing options at KSC. For men, they had two housing options at the time. They were either to live in Monadnock Hall or in one of three fraternity houses. Sixty male students were out of housing options, so in order to solve this problem, many college houses were converted into dorms for men only.

Proctor House, which was previously a residence for faculty members, was switched to accommodate men, as was Dunnell House. Additionally, an old sorority house (Kappa House) was renamed Hillsborough House and was given as a third option for male students.

In effort to reduce problems such as these in the future, Former President Dr. Roman J. Zorn worked with University of New Hampshire officials to design and build two new residence halls, as well as a commons building which were to begin construction in April of 1965.

Although the campus was suffering from too many students in 1964, the campus is just the opposite during the year 2017. With the close of Carle Hall, our campus is definitely not filled to ultimate capactiy as it once was.

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard at kscequinox.com

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SPECIAL SECTION / B6

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

THE EQUINOX’S

GUIDE TO

DOWNTOWN KEENE, NH

WHERE TO EAT Fritz (American)

Belgian fries, salads and paninis.

Athen’s Pizza (Italian)

WHERE TO SHOP Miranda’s Verandah

WHERE TO GO Central Square

Fashion boutique with styles for every budget.

Beautiful scenery with a historical background.

Life Is Sweet

Colonial Theatre

Speciality pizzas and available gluten-free crust.

Variety of ice-cream, cupcakes, fudge and penny candies along with homemade treats.

A restored nonprofit theater hosting independent films and diverse live performances.

Taqueria Odelay (Mexican)

Momentum Clothing

Mount Monandnock

Fresh ingredients and speciality burrito bowls.

Cutting-edge fashion, designer denim, locally made clothing and accessories.

Over 3,000’ of a bare and rocky summit with expansive views.

Brewbakers Cafe (Coffee)

Creative Encounters

Ashuelot Park

Organic roasted coffee and homemadelocal food.

Custom framing, unique gifts and artists’ supplies.

A spot to stay active through walking, hiking, kayaking and more.

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Sports / B7

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

Stepping up for summer ball KSC athlete Connor Longley wins championship in summer baseball league ERIN MCNEMAR

Equinox Staff Beginning the summer on a temporary contract, Keene State’s Connor Longley was given the chance to showcase his athletic ability on the collegiate-level baseball team, the Valley Blue Sox. Despite being a Division III athlete competing in a largely Division I-run league, Longley did not see this as intimidating, but as an opportunity to show what he could really be capable of.

“You were up against the best, so every night, you had to go out and play to your full potential,” Longley explained.

“I knew I could play with them. It just came down to getting my shot and executing it.”

The team is based out of Holyoke, Massachusetts, and is one of 13 teams that competes in the primarily Division I dominated, New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL).

This year, the members of the Valley Blue Sox went on to beat out the number one ranking team in their league, the Ocean State Waves.

KSC Director of Athletics and Recreation Dr. Kristine Kelly expressed her pride in the strength of the athletic department and pointed out the fact that no matter where you are, elite coaches will find you anywhere.

“Division III athletes choose to come here,” Kelly expressed.

“We are excited to have Connor back, as well as some many other strong athletes this year.”

Longley began playing baseball at around the age of five, and has played the game every year since.

“It has always been my favorite sport,” Longley

said.

Through his many years of baseball, Longley was able to make connections with many different coaches he has had along the way, one of them being John Railo.

Ralio was a past pitching coach for Longley, but also happens to be manager of the Valley Blue Sox. When Longley was unsure of where he wanted to play summer ball, he reached out to Ralio in hopes of scoring a spot on his team.

At the time, Railo didn’t have any open spots, but when a few spots did open after players were drafted to different teams, Railo had Longley’s name in mind.

“I knew Connor would be a good fit,” Railo said.

“He does a lot for the team.”

Through commu-

nicating with Railo and KSC’s Associate Head Coach Marty Testo, Longley found himself with a temporary contract to play for the now 2017 championship team.

After the experience of playing on such a high level team, Longley is looking forward to being more confident and seeing improvement in his game.

In the league, Longley said he would see pitches clocking in at around 95 mph, compared to 85 mph pitches that you typically get when playing Division III ball.

“I’ll definitely be able to see the ball better,” Longley said.

“I think I really bettered myself playing in that league, so I’m excited to see what happens. It will definitely be beneficial that I played the summer

there, and it will definitely make everything better here.”

The NECBL was founded in 1994, according to the organization’s website.

In 23 years, the Valley Blue Sox had not even made an appearance at the championship game.

This year, however, the team went on to win the league title with a record of 26 wins and 18 losses in the regular season.

Longley described holding the trophy as the perfect ending to a great summer.

“You’re there for such a long summer. I was playing with kids from all over the country, and they were already to go home. It was good to finally win it and celebrate that, and then ride off with that good feeling like you didn’t leave anything.”

After returning from an unforgettable summer of baseball, Longley is eager to continue to play the sport that he loves here at Keene State.

“

You were up against the best, so every night, you had to go out and play to your full potential.

Connor Longley KSC baseball player

PHOTO BY LUKE STERGIOU / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXANDRIA SAURMAN / MANAGING EXECUTIVE EDITOR

KSC junior and baseball player Connor Longley played for the Valley Blue Sox this summer. The team made it to the New England Collegiate Baseball League championships and won.

KSC Athletic Department staff receives new titles OLIVIA BELANGER

adminiStrativE ExEcutivE Editor Keene State College’s Athletic Department is starting out the academic year with a new vision.

Director of Athletics and Recreation Dr. Kristene Kelly said she decided to evaluate her employees and place them in the positions where they can “really strive.”

The three staff changes within the department include former Sports Information Director (SID) Abe Osheyack, Assistant Track and Field and Cross Country Coach Nikolas Athanasopoulos and Assistant Sports Information Director Missy Kubik.

Both Athanasopoulos and Kubik are keeping their former titles, but are also taking on new ones.

Osheyack has been at KSC since January of 2014 and said he was initially hired as the SID. However, he added when the athletic department underwent an administrative change in the summer of 2015, he took on the duties of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) compliance officer. For two years, according to Osheyack, he has been working as both, and this promotion only formalized that.

“I am now the assistant athletic director for sports information, compliance and operations,” Osheyack said.

“There is not a huge change in terms of responsibility.”

With his new title, Osheyack said he is responsible for overseeing three areas within the athletic department -- the sports information, the compliance and the operations.

“If there is a big change in what I do, it’s more with the sports information side. In the last few years, I have been very hands-on, meaning I’ve been at every game, I have kept all the statistics, [I’ve] written all the recaps,” Osheyack said.

“The plan eventually is I will be doing less of that day-to-day work, and more just having the oversight of it and supervising the people who do do it.”

Osheyack said he hopes the changes in the staff brings a level of efficiency to the department that they may have been lacking in previous years.

Athanasopoulos has helped Osheyack with compliance this past year, and his initiatives toward this helped add to his current title of assistant track and field and cross country coach.

The new addition to his title, sports information assistant, takes over the day-to-day operations of sports information that Osheyack is trying to move away from.

“I really think we can all benefit from these changes. I hope to gain some good experience and promote athletics the way that I can,” Athanasopoulos said.

Osheyack, Athanasopoulos and Kubik have always worked closely together, and will continue to with these new titles.

Kubik will not only be continuing as assistant

sports information director, but she will also be the equipment manager.

Before coming to KSC two years ago, Kubik had experience with managing equipment at Springfield College where she was previously employed, Osheyack said.

Kelly said Kubik had brought this up to her in conversation, which is where the idea sparked for Kubik to add equipment manager to her title. “[Equipment management] is an area that we wanted to be able to enhance, so it seemed like a perfect fit for her,” Kelly said.

Kubik added that her responsibilities as assistant SID are basically the same, except for the entire department working on a social media initiative.

“We wanted to elevate everyone’s social media, so we’re trying to get all of our sports and everyone [in the department] on the same social media.

We’re just trying to have a similar, uniform social media so everyone is on the same platform,” Kubik said.

All three staff members agreed they have high hopes for the new year.

Kelly said making these decisions was all about “how to best utilize our resources and our manpower.”

Olivia Belanger can be contacted at obelanger@kscequinox.com

JAKE PACQUIN / PHOTO EDITOR

Abe Osheyack is one of the three staff members to receive new titles.

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Sports / B8

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

The reach for the 18th

Luke’s Kickin’ Column

JAMES WICHERT/ CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

What happened to financial fair play?

LUKE STERGIOU

Senior PhotograPher

COLTON MCCRACKEN / EQUINOX STAFF

The KSC women’s cross country team will be attempting to win their 18th straight Little East Conference championship title this 2017 season.

Women’s cross country team hopes for 18th straight title SIMON BURCH

There are 16 runners on the women’s cross country team going for another championship title.

to college has been a lot of hard work and that she has succeeded so far by setting her mind to pushing herself harder than she ever has. She also said the coaching staff is a great resource and helps by always being positive and pushing the runners to their maximum potential. Brown said this first week they “are just trying to stay really positive and have been doing a lot of team bonding.” Brown said she believes this team bonding will help the team stay strong and run well this year.

This focus on a strong team over individual running skill was echoed by junior Brittany Gravallese.

Gravallese said the team has been focusing on “running more in groups, rather than as individuals.”

Coach Pickering is aided in his efforts by two assistant coaches, Nikolas Athanasopoulos and Meggie Donovan who are providing the team with lots of expertise and leadership.

Gravallese said that Meggie Donovan, who ran cross country for Dartmouth, is an excellent role model for these athletes. Gravallese said that Donovan is always “very positive, and always pushes us.” That positivity stems from their head coach who has his eyes set on more than just the LEC title.

Pickering said that he believes his team has the potential to compete on a national scale, and that the conference isn’t the only thing they are training for.

He remains undaunted by the idea of this being a “rebuilding season,” instead preferring to think of the players as “tabula rasa, you know, they’re blank slates and we can really start right now working towards the future, an opportunity for change, opportunity for new goals."

Along with this line of thinking, Pickering and his team are looking past this year and to the future when his new block of first-year students will be veterans, and possibly even more dominant than they are now. Even as the cross country team seeks their 18th straight conference title, they dream of a larger stage and greater accolades to leave their mark on Keene State’s storied program.

“girls team and the freshman continue their run of success. cessful team can be intimidatare really strong,” and that She does admit that coming ing. despite their youth, they can on as a first-year to such a sucBrown said the transition

Simon Burch can be contacted at sburch@kscequinox.com

equinox Staff Nearly two decades of dominance lies behind the Keene State College women's cross country team. For the past 17 years in a row, the women's team has dominated the Little East Conference (LEC), winning every single conference final.

Now looking upon a younger team, and what some are calling a rebuilding year, the cross country team looks to continue their amazing run of success.

Coach Tom Pickering said neither he nor the team will allow the past to distract them from their goals.

Pickering said, “One of the team goals is to continue to thrive in our conference and compete for that top spot each year,” but that the pressure of past accolades won’t distract his runners.

Pickering admitted the team is in a “transition year this year,” with nine of the 15 runners on the team in their first year of running.

Despite the inexperience of his team, Pickering remains confident they can succeed.

Pickering's optimism comes from the strength of the program that has been built over the past two decades, of which he has been the coach for the past three years.

Pickering said the key to a successful program is the players "buying in," and working hard every workout. He knows that he and his team will have to rely on leadership from his returning runners to be successful this year. He pointed out runners such as senior Katharine Lynch, whom he says has come back from a summer of great preparation, as well as others such as sophomore Lynne Hebert and junior Alana Olendorf, among others, who will help lead the team this year.

Pickering thinks these leaders will be essential to lead such an inexperienced team if they want to continue the legacy of success that Keene State cross country has created.

Speaking with one of his young runners, firstyear Emma Brown, the confidence of their coach is matched by his runners.

Brown said she believes the girls have a great shot at success this year. She said the

COLTON MCCRACKEN / EQUINOX STAFF

With the summer transfer window coming to a close, teams all across Europe have strengthened their squads, bought new players and offloaded players to other teams as well.

This transfer window was gained much attention when French club Paris Saint Germain bought Brazilian winger Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior for a record 222 million euros, which prompted UEFA (The Union of European Football Association) to investigate the club for breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

The FFP was enacted in 2011 to control how much teams could spend on players.

Basically, teams with bigger budgets were limited in what they could spend as it was unfair to smaller teams with smaller budgets.

That way, smaller teams could have a better chance to bring in the same players even though they didn’t have as big of a spending budget.

It was also put in place to help clubs to not accumulate debt and/or help pay off debts.

Paris Saint Germain have been known to be big spenders, but after spending a record breaking 222 million euros on Neymar, it raised a lot of controversy.

This move broke the previous record for the most amount paid for any player, which previously was held by English club Manchester United when they paid 105 million euros for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba.

Shortly after this, the French Club then secured Monaco wonder kid Kylian Mbappé on loan for 180 million euros.

This poses a huge problem for teams and the transfer market as it makes it harder for other teams in the league to compete with them.

This price tag also changes the way teams value players too.

If Neymar is worth 222 million euros and Mbappé is supposedly worth 180 million euros, how much is someone such as Philippe Coutinho, Eden Hazard or Marco Asensio worth?

Because of this, transfer bigger clubs will put bigger price tags on players even if they’re not necessarily worth that amount.

But Paris Saint Germain aren’t the only clubs to be under investigation by UEFA. Italian club AC Milan have come under investigation after spending 210 million euros on new players this transfer window.

AC Milan have struggled in the past years to replicate the form the had about 10 years back, and now under new ownership, they could spend the money they needed to bring in new players to strengthen the squad.

The Italian club brought in the likes of defender Leonardo Bonucci from Juventus, midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu from Bayer Leverkusen, defender Ricardo Rodríguez from VFL Wolfsburg, and many more.

Even though they have strengthened their squad, UEFA is investigating the club as this spending could be breaching FFP guidelines.

Paris Saint Germain and AC Milan are not the only clubs to have been investigated by UEFA for breaching FFP guidelines.

In the past, teams like Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid of Spain and Manchester City FC of England have been punished for overspending and breaking UEFA and FFP guidelines.

UEFA needs to crack down and make sure that these clubs, backed by wealthy owners from Qatar to China, don’t overspend and ruin the transfer market.

This makes it so smaller teams have a harder time competing with the bigger clubs, and it sometimes makes it more difficult for clubs with debts to pay it off.

The more rich clubs like Paris Saint Germain and Manchester City overspend, it shows that UEFA are okay with clubs breaking guidelines and changing how clubs value players.

Luke Stergiou can be contacted at lstergiou@kscequinox.com

Interested in Sports?

Caroline Perry (802) 522 - 4738

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Sports / B9

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

Women’s soccer wins in double overtime GRACE PECCI

OpiniOns editOr On Saturday, Sept. 2, the Keene State College women’s soccer team took on the Endicott Gulls for the first game of the season at the Owl Athletic Complex.

At the beginning of the first half, the Gulls took the lead as midfielder Mary Verneris kicked a goal in with 5:19 on the clock, followed by forward Rachel Hanna sticking a goal at 14:34.

Towards the second part of the first half at 38:18, KSC fought back with the Owls’ first goal coming from senior Morgan Kathan, putting the score 2-1, Gulls. Kathan’s goal came from an assist by junior forward Stephanie Spitz.

Kathan scored the only goal by the Owls in the first

half.

In the second half, the Owls and Gulls went headto-head with multiple goal opportunities.

With it being just 1:49 into the second half, junior midfielder Patricia Norton drove past the Gulls’ defense to tie up the score at 2-2, as she launched the ball in the top left corner and scored. This also was Norton’s first goal of the season.

After Norton’s goal, the Owls attempted to take eight shots during the second half, along with three corner kicks, while the Gulls took three shots and one corner kick.

The clock eventually expired, forcing the teams to head into overtime.

During the first overtime, KSC first-year and goaltender Abbie Terrinca held the

ground and protected the net from three shots.

With no successful shots by the end of overtime, the teams headed into double overtime.

With 1:03 left on the clock, KSC senior Kali Santino sank the game-winning kick into the corner, pushing the Owls ahead 3-2.

By the end of the game, the Owls had 17 shots on goal, eight saves and 12 fouls, while the Gulls had 18 shots on goal, five saves and 10 fouls.

The Owls will be taking on Colby-Sawyer next at the Charger’s turf on Saturday September 9 at 6:00 p.m..

Grace Pecci can be contacted at gpecci@kscequinox.com

COLTON MCCRACKEN / EQUINOX STAFF

In a game against Endicott College, KSC went into double overtime against the Gulls. The Owls ended up winning in the second overtime when Kali Santino scored the game-winning goal.

Women’s Soccer

Men’s Soccer Overall

Home

Away

Neutral

Overall

Home

0-0-2

0-0

0-0-1

0-0-1

1-0

1-0

vs. Clark University

vs. Roger Williams

Points

Team

Points

Team

Keene State

3

Keene State

1

Keene State

Points 3

Clark University

3

Roger Williams

1

Endicott

2

Field Hockey Home

Away

1-1

0-0

1-1

Keene State Colby-Sawyer

Neutral

1

vs.

Team

Points

Keene State

Overall

Home

Away

3-0

0-0

0-0

0-0

vs. U.of New England

Points 2

0-0

Volleyball

Overall

Team

Neutral

0-0

vs. Endicott College

Team

vs. Colby-Sawyer

Away

Team Keene State U.of New England

Team

3

Keene State

5

Emerson

3-0

vs. Framingham St.

vs. Emerson

Points

Neutral

Points

Team

Points

3 1

Keene State Framingham St.

3 18

Cross Country Results Unavailable

Upcoming Games Women’s Soccer Saturday, Sept. 9 1:00 p.m.

Men’s Soccer Saturday, Sept. 9 2:00 p.m.

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Sports / B10 Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017

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Crossing into Division III

PHOTO BY JAKE PAQUIN / PHOTO EDITOR PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXANDRIA SAURMAN / MANAGING EXECUTIVE EDITOR

KSC sophomore Ally McCall transferred from the University of Vermont to Keene State College to play as a midfielder on the field hockey team. McCall has been playing field hockey since third grade.

University of Vermont field hockey transfer becomes an Owl CAROLINE PERRY

SportS Editor Transfer student Ally McCall is finding her stride as she tackles field hockey and a new college environment.

With a whirlwind of new teammates, a new campus and a whole new style of life, there is a lot to take in the first week after move-in day. Now a sophomore and an official Keene State College Owl, McCall reflects on her journey from University of Vermont (UVM) to KSC, as well the circumstances of her transfer.

“UVM was huge,” McCall said. “I committed so early that I don’t think I realized that I knew I didn’t want a big school. So that was a big reason for me transferring.

Before, walking around campus at UVM, I could maybe say hi to one of my teammates, but now, it’s like I say hi to everyone. I’ve made so many more connections.”

However, her love for the game and her desire for competition has in no way been affected.

“Playing-wise, it was still challenging; pre-season was just as challenging at Keene as it was at UVM, especially physically,” McCall said. “My transition was great though, I don’t think it could’ve been any better. I love everyone on the team. The coaching staff is amazing. It’s fun, we work hard, but it’s honestly so much fun.”

Downsizing from a Division I college to a Division III college is a huge difference for any student, especially a student athlete.

Finding yourself again at a new college and in a new team can be challenging, but McCall has taken this new experience head on. “I love it here,” McCall said, “I think it was easier for me because I already had a year behind me, so I can manage. The transition has been very smooth.”

McCall’s teammate, Erica Chareth, is

also a sophomore transfer, coming from Assumption College. “I like it here a lot more already,” Chareth said. “It’s a different dynamic, but it’s still definitely intense.

Ally’s transition is going good, she is a very versatile player or a player that can handle anything. She gets thrown on a new team with a bunch of new people and is killing it already; she’s so good.”

Although transferring to a new team may seem intimidating, McCall is already thriving. “I love my team and I’ve made a lot of friends,” McCall said. “I actually have gotten pretty close with one teammate, she is a transfer student like me. That really helps us connect.”

Being able to transition so easily for McCall has made her realize that her previous desire for a smaller school was not misguided. McCall said, “As soon as I visited, I knew this was the place I needed to be.”

Kendal Brown, a senior on the field

hockey team, has been playing for four With each year comes new challenges, years. and McCall said she is “more than excited “Ally’s transfer has been amazing, she to be a part of the Keene State community.” fits right in,” Brown said. “She’s honestly been the connecting part of our team. She is really good, knows the game very well.

Caroline Perry can contacted at We worked really hard to be in shape so cperry@kscequinox.com we could be faster than the other teams.

Because we’re so new, we still need to get used to working with each other, but this year there is a really great group of girls.

We’ve been having a lot of fun. It’s just like a community.”

Keene State’s field hockey team is excited about their newest editions and are ready to tackle this season, said Brown.

With her UVM campus behind her, McCall confidently takes on what KSC has to offer. McCall looks forward to tackling her elementary education and math degree, as well as working hard on her position at midfield.

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