Feb. 18, 2005 issue 16 Loquitur

Theater seeks funding for new facilities

DIANA ASHJIAN ASST. A&E EDITOR DA725@CABRINI EDU

It all ‘ADDs’ up

ASHLEY WEYLER ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR ARW723@CABRINI EDU

The average college student belongs in a side-show act of a circus. Their balancing act of classes, homework, studying, partying, sports team practices, club meetings, working on cam-

pus, working off campus, volunteer work, eating and sleeping is enough to make the bearded lady look like small potatoes.

When it comes down to it, the first ball to be taken out of the mix is sleep. Acollege student shouldn’t really ditch class too often; if they don’t study or do homework they fail; all the

extracurricular activities are an escape form the academics, not to mention partying serving as an escape as well; working brings in the money; and for Cabrini College juniors, volunteer work is a must in order to graduate. Eating can be done during any one of those activities, so say adios to sleep, even though, nine hours of

sleep a night has been deemed healthy.

Students need to stay awake. They need to stay alert. They need to study, do homework and pull all-nighters. How does one pull this off nowadays? Coffee?

ADDERALL, page 3

Privacy issues,what Cabrini won’t say

MELISSA STEVEN

ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

MS727@CABRINI

EDU

FERPAprohibits the college from contacting parents without the student’s permission, even if the student is exhibiting self-destructive behavior, according to Tutaleni Asino, an area coordinator. Only with written permission from the student can the parents be contacted.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student educational records. Dr. Charles McCormick, dean of academic affairs, said, “FERPAtransfers the right to review educational records to students who are 18 years old.”

Asino said that every situa-

tion is different and could not exactly give a situation in which it was necessary to contact the parents. His main concern was the student and their well being, “If they are in trouble, we will do everything to help,” Asino said.

Some students sign a consent disclosure form, which allows faculty, advisers or administrators to disclose academic information to parents or guardians.

George Stroud, the director of residence life, said, “Student judicial files are not typically shared with anyone without the students written consent. There is an exception though. The college is permitted to inform the parents of those students, who are under the age of 21, that have been found to be responsible for violating the drug or alcohol policy.”

Deborah Maloney, a sopho-

more history major, said her parents were contacted when pictures were found on the web of her drinking alcohol in the Xavier dorm rooms. Maloney is under the age of 21 and a letter was sent to her parents from Residence Life explaining what had happened, what the punishment was and it included the pictures found on the internet. “We were told that a letter would be sent home to our parents with the photographs when we met with George,” Maloney said.

According to Asino, whenever there is a violation with the alcohol policy, whether the student is under or over the age of 21, some type of judicial hearing is held. That hearing comes

, page 4

The theater inside Grace Hall is no longer meeting the needs of theater director Neal Newman’s ambitious goals for the communications department in the area of performing arts. Newman said, “I would love to work with Cabrini students on productions like ‘Noises Off,’‘Black Comedy’and ‘Romeo and Juliet,’but I can’t.”

According to Neal Newman, the director of theater, due to a lack of money to fund a new theater, Cabrini faculty, students and the surrounding community can only enjoy productions at the college that don’t require second floors, stairs or trap doors.

President Antoinette Iadarola, who is a major fan of the arts, has included a new theater in the college long-term strategic plan; however, a donor has yet to be found to fund the theater, leaving the project’s commencement date to be determined.

Senior Tanya Tumaian, an English and communication major, sympathizes with Newman. “I think that is sad because there are probably plenty of secondary education and English majors who will teach ‘Romeo and Juliet’in their future classrooms, but will never have the opportunity to work with or see a production of it in their own school’s theater,” Tumaian said.

Iadarola empathized with the fact that talented students might choose to go elsewhere because of Cabrini’s outdated theater and therefore under-developed program; however, Iadarola believes, “Prospective students continue their education at Cabrini in order to be a student first.”

But are performing arts not just as essential and integral to an educationally-based institution as academics?

Karen Harlin, a Cabrini alumna with a degree in professional communications and vice-president of Cultural Interchanges, an arts-oriented non-profit organization in Wayne, said, “Involvement in the performing arts

LAUREN REILLY/ NEWS EDITOR

Adderall,a drug generally prescribed for Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD),can be taken orally,snorted or injected.

Staying alert with lasting effects

The use and misuse of adderall is not taken as seriously as it should be. Cabrini’s campus has a blindfold on when it comes to being aware of what drugs students are using and why. When people hear the word “drug,” the first thing that comes to mind is usually illegal drugs. Taking the seriousness of adderall into consideration can help raise awareness to students about the dangers that they are at risk each time they use it.

Adderall is controlled by the Food and Drug Administration; however, doctors can easily miss diagnose a patient and wrongly prescribe this medicine to the wrong person; that is where the problem starts, having the prescription in the wrong hands.

The selling and exchanging of adderall is usually nonchalant on campus. People tend to keep it very casual within a circle of friends. This is another reason why the issue is not widely known.

On college campuses the most used drug is alcohol, and there is no secret to the main reason people drink, to socialize. This generalization cannot be made for adderall because the reasons are not always as clear. The cause and effects of people abusing adderall are both equally important issues to stay concerned about. There are several reasons that can cause a student to feel the need to take a drug that will alter their well-being. Several stress related issues come into play with adderall since one side effect is to stay alert and this helps when doing school work.

Another reason students have the urge to stay awake during odd hours is to party. Using adderal as a recreational drug is even more risky than for studying purposes because, chances are, the adderal is being mixed with other drugs. Serious harm to the body can be done when drugs are mixed without the advising of a doctor

Students who take adderall for any given reason should be aware that they are in potential danger of hurting themselves. Help is on campus for students who are faced with this problem. Students on campus are encouraged to visit the Rooyman’s center for counseling if they feel this editorial speaks to them. Don’t hesitate to get help. The longer one waits to resolve their problem, the stronger that problem becomes. If you know someone who needs help, be a friend and direct them to seek professional advice.

Shiites gain political control of Iraq, will dominate assembly

TOM LASSETER AND NANCY A. YOUSSEF KRT

BAGHDAD, Iraq _ AShiite Muslim cleric-led political ticket with close ties to Iran swept Iraq’s national elections in final results announced Sunday.

By winning almost 50 percent of the popular vote, which will give it more than half of the seats in the Iraqi national assembly, the United Iraqi Alliance will almost certainly take the nation’s prime minister post and have a dominant hand in drafting the constitution.

The tally confirmed what the initial results suggested _ that Iraq’s majority Shiite population had wrested control of the Iraqi government from the minority Sunnis for the first time in decades.

The new government likely will take control within days, but Iraq’s disposition toward the U.S. military presence is unlikely to change any time soon.

Spokesmen for both the Dawa party and the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq _ the two main parties in the Alliance _ said they had no plans to call for a U.S. troop withdrawal.

“We reject the occupation but we won’t ask them (the multinational forces) to pull out until the

security situation improves and the Iraqi house can stand on its feet,” said Hadi al-Jaburi, a Supreme Council spokesman.

Officials from both parties also said that though they want Islam to be the main source of the national constitution, they will ensure that the document is inclusive of various sects and ethnicities.

The Shiite Alliance gathered about 4.1 million votes and a Kurdish coalition ticket came in second with more than 2.1 million votes. Both groups were oppressed under former dictator Saddam Hussein. AShiite secular slate, the Iraqi List, headed by interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, came in third with 1.2 million votes.

In the Kurdish city of Sulaymaniyah on Sunday, men danced in the streets, whirling around in traditional dances and song. Shiites in Baghdad were more somber as they were also observing a holiday that marks the slaughter of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson more than 1,300 years ago.

By casting their ballots amidst threats of death and torture by insurgents, Iraq’s voters “became a legend in their confrontation with the terrorists,” said Iraqi electoral commission member Farid Ayar.

The 8.4 million votes cast on Jan. 30 represented more than 57

2004-2005 Loquitur Staff

Editorial Staff

Asst. Managing Editor

Maria D’Alessandro

Asst. News Editors

Ashley Weyler

percent of Iraq’s registered voters, and about 32 percent of its estimated 25 million total population.

But as the Shiites and Kurds celebrated victories, the fifth of the nation that is Sunni Muslim faced the reality that only one predominantly Sunni ticket, that of interim President Ghazi alYawer, will have seats in the assembly _ and only five out of 275. Aticket fielded by elder Sunni statesman Adnan Pachachi won too few votes to get a single seat. The Sunni province of Anbar had a voter turnout of 2 percent.

“We are disappointed,” said Pachachi, who has been trying to form a group of smaller Sunni parties to prepare for December elections for a permanent prime minister

The continued marginalization of the long-dominant Sunnis has some in Iraq worried that the Sunni community will see the new government as illegitimate.

“We believe that any government born of these elections is illegitimate,” said Omar Zaydan, a spokesman for the Muslim Scholars Association, a large Sunni Muslim religious organization. “It will lack authority because it didn’t get the approval from all the sectors of the Iraqi people ... the whole process was

IRAQELECTION, page 4

Asst. Perspectives Editors

Christine Blom

Sharon Kolankiewicz

Staff Writers

Angelina

Jessica

Alyssa

Matthew Campbell

Nina Scimenes

Cecelia

Aegina Foto

Cecelia Francisco

Alyssa Schoenleber

Dr. Jerome Zurek

Kimberly White

Asst. A&E Editors

Diana Ashjian

Christine Ernest

Asst. Features Editors

Jillian Milam

Melissa Steven

Asst. Sports Editors

Andrew Matysik

Laura VanDePette

Staff Photographers

Krisitn Agostinelli

Kellie Belmonte

John Del Sordo

Katie Hodgins

Latisha Johnson

Elyssa McFadden

Kelly McKee

Katelynde McNulty

Paul Nasella

Christopher Rogers

Dave Carron, Holly Eshbach, Sean Fogel, Michelle Kebel, Ian McDonald, Janette Mochnacz, Michelle Moran, Mindy Paul, Mary Remoli, Brandi Updegrove, Jessica Webb

Asst. Photography Editor: Ginger

Web Team

Shane Evans, Chris Gentile, Ryan Norris, Chaynne Roland, Shawn Rice

OurMission Statement

The Loquitur is Cabrini’s College weekly, student-run, campus newspaper. It is widely respected as the voice of students, staff, faculty, alumni and many others outside the Cabrini community. The Loquitur has earned its position by advocating for self expression through freedom of speech, and by serving as an outlet for readers to affect change on campus and off.

Founded in 1959, the Loquitur has thrived and greatly expanded its readership. The paper now has 1,674 online readers and 1,500 print readers on a weekly basis.

Our mission is to provide readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions freely, in an environment where their voices are effectively heard and respected.

The Loquitur: You Speak. We Listen

Loquituris a laboratory newspaperwritten, edited and produced by the students of COM 353, 352, 250 and 251. Subscription price is $25 per year and is included in the benefits secured by tuition and fees. Additional copies are $1 each. Loquitur welcomes letters to the editors. Letters to the editorare to be less than 500 words. These are usually in response to a current issue on campus orcommunity area. Guest columns are longerpieces between 600 and 800 words and also are usually in response to a current issue on Cabrini College campus orcommunity. Letters to the editorand guest columns are printed as space permits. Submissions may be edited forlength, clarity and content. Name, phone numberand address should be included forverification purposes. Personal attacks and anonymous submissions will not be printed. Letters to the editorand guest columns can be submitted to loquitur@cabrini.edu orto the newsroom mailboxes in Founders Hall 264.

Students abuse adderall for grades

ADDERALL

Maybe. Sugar? Sometimes. Apopular new trend growing on college campuses, including Cabrini, is the use of adderall. Adderall is a drug prescribed to treat those with Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADHD). It is also a form of amphetamine, which is a stimulant. When prescribed, it is supposed to improve a patient’s attention span, increase a patient’s ability to follow directions, decrease distractibility among children ages three and older, and decrease impulsivity, stubbornness and aggression. Doctors say that the drug is almost completely safe if prescribed. If not prescribed, those who take it run very high health risks.

College students nationwide are turning to Adderall as a study aid and an alternative to weaker pick-me-ups. Many students aren’t prescribed; they bum some off a friend, take some from a family member or from drug dealers—students

can even purchase the prescription pills on Internet. Some students are not only getting the drug for “educational” purposes, but to extend partying. Since the drug also suppresses appetite, those with eating disorders use the drug for weight loss. The drug originated in the 1960s as a diet pill.

Abig reason why adderall is so popular is that everyone can benefit from its performance. It enhances capabilities, not just those with ADD or ADHD. This gives non- prescribed users an unfair advantage over those who actually are prescribed adderall to combat the effects of their attention deficit disorders.

The pills are usually taken orally. For weekend recreational use, students usually crush them and snort. Others “cook” and inject them. Snorting adds a greater danger than just a depend-

C3 presents Commuter Day

KIMBERLY WHITE STAFF WRITER

KMW722@CABRINI

EDU

An abundance of refreshments, arts and crafts and free give-a-ways filled the Grace Hall boardroom as delighted students enjoyed the exciting activities on display. “Commuter Rendezvous” a.k.a. Commuter Appreciation Day, was held on Thursday Feb. 10 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Amy Hecht and the Cabrini Commuter Crew (C3) organized the event in order to show their appreciation for Cabrini’s 400 plus commuters. Hecht said she “hoped the event would show commuters that Cabrini appreciates them while also giving them something fun and exciting to do

We

·=:5111111t'"i..•ng

in between classes.”

Upon entering the atypical scene of the Grace Hall boardroom, students experienced a version of Mardi Gras as they acquired strings of beads, masks, customized t-shirts and candy.

Members of C3 greeted Cabrini students and demonstrated their appreciation by offering free food, including: sweet crepes, savory crepes, brownies, cookies, jambalaya and drinks. The energy-filled, Mardi Grasclad room displayed a buffetstyle table, arts and crafts station and up-beat music for all to enjoy.

Arts and craft activities such

COMMUTERDAY, page 4

ency. By snorting, the drug is being applied directly to the brain. The amount is greater and results in blood pressure changes, which leads to strange heart rhythms, stroke or an arrhythmia.

knowing if they are even taking it themselves or giving or selling it away.

“The people who have adderall because they need it usually hand it out for money,” freshman Jolaine Gero said.

One junior reports that he uses Adderall because it helps him finish his work. “I produce better work when I take it,” he said. The student said that adderall is relatively easy to find, but he has never been able to find it “anywhere but Cabrini.”

Tim Breslin, a freshman education major, disagrees that adderall is readily available on campus. “I’ve never seen it being taken or sold on campus,” Breslin said.

ommend or condone the use of adderall for those who are not prescribed to it.”

Since adderall is an amphetamine, it has high potential for abuse. If the drug is taken for a long period of time, a dependency could develop.

Other side effects include: dehydration, hot flashes, stomach pains, nausea, heavy sweating, headaches and even involuntary movements.

For those who take the pill that are not prescribed, run the risk of toxic overdose, blood clots, infection (including risk for hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, if needles are shared); scarring; skin, circulatory and pulmonary problems.

Services, it is uncertain of how many students are actually prescribed the drug on this campus. Since it is a prescribed drug, and so widely available, those students legally using it can keep it in their rooms, so there is no way of

Charlie Schaffner, the director of public safety, said that officers have dealt with minor instances, but unaware of any major problems. He warns, “The drug gives you a false sense of how much you know. It affects people in different ways. Study a little bit everyday. Don’t wait until the night before. I would not rec-

Little r espect for the arts

teaches things much broader and unique. It gives the opportunity for students to stretch their imaginations and build confidence, poise and speaking skills.”

In order for Cabrini to execute a plan to “build sufficient facilities that would allow unlimited performances and enable students to train in technical theater construction, lighting, scene shop and costumes to help land Cabrini as a candidate in the College Theater Festival at Kennedy Center in Washington, the school would need $7 million in funding,” Newman said.

The Dixon Center, which is a

multi-million-dollar complex and is keystone to the college’s sports clubs and programs, was financed by generous donors, as is The Center for Science, Education and Technology, which is also a multi-million dollar complex and currently under construction. Cabrini participated in fundraisers and used collaborative decision making in order to accelerate these projects, according to Robin Moll, vice president of institutional advancement.

Moll would love to see a new theater built, but she also mentioned a demand for parking spaces, a new library, a new dormitory and a campus center, which are some projects included

in the future campus strategies. “Cabrini has shown a commitment to the fine arts with renovations to Founders Hall.” Moll said. She also admits, “There are a lot of dreams for the campus and the long-term plan is being constantly reevaluated. There are a lot of tough decisions. The question is ‘How do we best steward them?’”

It all comes down to a few things. How intent is Cabrini on remaining a service learning, core-valued, modestly refined liberal arts school?

And who is going to pay for it?

LAUREN REILLY/NEWS EDITOR

This theater is far from the facilities that Neal Newman hopes are constructed eventually at Cabrini.

fur the dcrest

Iraqi Shiites dominate nation’s election polls

IRAQ ELECTIONS, page 2 wrong from the beginning.” Iraqi politicians will seek to juggle those concerns in deal-making this week. While approaching a majority, Shiites are trying to assemble a coalition giving them the two-thirds assembly vote necessary to ratify the constitution and to appoint a president and two vice presidents who would then pick a prime minister.

Both the Iraqi Alliance and Allawi’s group, which has 40 seats, are courting the primary Kurdish ticket, which will have 74 seats in the assembly.

Kurdish leaders, who are seeking the assembly presidency, have said they are willing to align with those most committed to federalism _ a buzzword for as much autonomy as possible in the region of northern Iraq that Kurds control.

The Kurds are likely to object

to the Shiite Alliance’s push for a constitution based on Islamic law, but might bargain in return for assurances of a de facto autonomy that allowed them to live under their own provincial constitution.

Last week, senior Alliance officials said that Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country’s top Shiite cleric, would review their candidates and, if he thought it necessary, drafts of the constitution.

They later backed away from those statements. Atheocratic government would undermine the Bush administration’s plans for democracy in Iraq and could provide an ally to Iran.

While the Shiite Alliance has said it will work hard to include Sunnis in the new government, many Sunnis have come to mistrust Shiites in general and the Alliance in particular. The main reason is the Alliance’s close ties

to Iran, Iraq’s traditional enemy.

One of the two top parties in the Alliance, the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, was formed in Iran. The other, Dawa, operated with Iranian backing during its fight against Saddam in the 1980s. The most visible secular member of the Alliance, Ahmad Chalabi, has been the object of unconfirmed allegations that he gave the Iranians classified U.S. intelligence.

Despite the Alliance’s close ties to Iran, U.S. officials in Baghdad believe the new government will distance itself from Iran and not stock the new government with Shiite religious leaders. The officials, who asked not to be named, said they believe that checks and balances in the interim constitution, coupled with fears of stoking largescale sectarian violence, will force the Alliance to be more moderate.

C3 shows commuters appreciation

COMMUTERDAY, page 3

as make-your-own Mardi Gras masks graced the tables as students eagerly designed and customized their individual creations. Commuters were encouraged to add their names to the Cabrini Commuter Crew in order to assist in the organization of more events for commuter students.

C3 is in the process of organizing more events for commuters including lunchtime movies and free snacks in the Widener Center

Privacy vs.Punishment

PRIVACY, page 1

in many forms, such as a letter being sent to the student or a meeting being held to discuss the situation.

McCormick said that some students and parents or guardians are unclear about FERPA guidelines and so they do not understand when faculty, advisers or administrators indicate that without written consent, a student’s educational record cannot be shared.

Maloney said that she understood that the school

was allowed to contact her parents if someone is under the age of 21 and is found drinking, but she felt that it was unnecessary in her case.

“My parents had already seen the pictures,” she said. “They thought the school’s actions were stupid and didn’t see the point in all the fuss. They were just pictures.”

In some cases it does not seem like Residence Life is fair when handling situations with underage drinking and handing out punishments.

Some students, like Maloney, think that they are inconsis-

tent and do not punish everyone equally. “We were getting a really harsh punishment just for pictures when other people weren’t getting half of what we got and they were worse things,” she said.

Asino said that their goal is not to punish as many students as they can, but to be of some educational value. He believes that he is fair when dealing with alcohol violations. “I do try to be as consistent as I can, but every human being is flawed,” Asino said.

lecture hall. “Napoleon Dynamite” was the lunchtime movie held this week and the next two lunchtime movie dates are Feb. 14 and March 15.

According to Hecht, C3 has organized five Commuter Days in total and they have all been successful. All commuters are encouraged to contact Amy Hecht or the Cabrini Commuter Crew if they are interested in helping plan more exciting events in honor of Cabrini’s commuters.

Adil Alami,chief electoral for the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, announces the results of last week's historic national elections at a press conference in Baghdad,Iraq,on February 13,2005.

Verizon to buy MCI for $6.7 billion

MARIA D'ALESSANDRO ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR MAD724@CABRINI EDU

The plastic temptress

KELLY MCKEE STAFF WRITER KMM723@CABRINI EDU

America’s college students control more money than the national debt of some small countries. Together they spend more than $19 billion dollars a year. No wonder they are the perfect prey for credit card companies who hope to reel them in with incentives of a cool free t-shirt or stuffed animal.

And reel them in they do. Eighty-three percent of students have a credit card, nearly one third of these students owning four or more. This leads to the average undergraduate being $2,200 in credit card debt, according to Nellie Mae, the nation’s largest maker of student loans. That figure jumps to $5,800 for graduate students.

Companies such as MBNA and Citibank entice students with claims of low interest rates and minimum payments. This may seem like a wonderful offer alongside the free clutter but somewhere in that small print the students fail to notice that after the six-month introductory period, Citibank raises

the interest rate on its student MasterCard to 14.99 percent.

Asingle missed payment to Citibank nearly doubles the interest rate to 28.99 percent.

So the $100 outfit you bought may end up costing you an arm and a leg more, especially if a study session, a.k.a. partying session, leads to a missed payment.

“Once you have the cards in your wallet, the temptation to use them is great,” Peter Bielagus, a Boston financial adviser and author of ‘Getting Loaded: AComplete Personal Finance Guide for Students and Young Professionals,’said. However, managed responsibly credit cards can be a great way to handle your money. You can purchase online and have security in plastic rather than carry cash. In addition, having a credit card as a student can lay the foundations for your credit score, which is essential when it comes to seeking larger credit, for example a car loan or a mortgage.

On the other hand, for those students who fear the plastic temptress, according to the student financial magazine “Young Money,” having a

credit card is not the only way to establish credit. Every time a student living off campus in a non-student housing residence makes a payment for a utility bill, the student is helping his or her credit score. Dave Capece, junior and graphic design and studio art major, upholds this sentiment. “I would never use a credit card, at least not right now,” he said. “I establish credit through other things right now, like my phone bill.”

Christopher Sabatino, junior and history major, represents the attitude of a lot of the campus here. “I don’t have one (a credit card); I guess that’s a good thing for me because if I did have one I would probably be in a lot of debt,” he said.

Gabrielle Hazlett, Cabrini alumna, knows all too well the dangers of credit cards. “As a student I used my card to buy a lot, even my car, leaving me with big bills,” she said. “I try to be smart though by bouncing the balance around from different cards so the interest remains low.”

Credit cards can be plastic fantastic but beware, a payment on time saves a payment times nine.

Verizon, the nation's largest regional phone company, announced Monday that it had agreed to acquire MCI for about $6.7 billion in cash and stock. The merge would end the independence of MCI, the nation's second-largest longdistance company, with 14 million residential customers and about a million corporate customers. While some chief executives believe that there will be continued growth and industry-leading service quality, Doreen A. Toben, Verizon's executive vice president and chief financial officer, said there would be job cuts. Verizon will also assume about $4 billion in MCI's debt, according to the New York Times.

Celebrity friends come to Jackson’s aid

Michael Jackson's lawyers announced Monday they may call celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross and Kobe Bryant to the witness stand during the pop star's molestation trial. Alist of possible witnesses also includes Jay Leno, Chris Tucker and Stevie Wonder. However, it is probable that the big-named stars will not end up being jurors for the case. Attorneys are in the process of selecting 12 jurors and eight alternates who will decide Jackson's fate on charges that he molested a teenage cancer patient at his Neverland Ranch and supplied him with alcohol. Defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. also named as possible witnesses Jackson's children Paris and Prince Michael, who have been raised in seclusion, according to MSNBC.

‘Ray’wins big at Grammys

Late singer and pianist Ray Charles' presence was everywhere Sunday night at the 47th annual Grammy Awards, from performance tributes to wins in two of the biggest categories of album of the year and record of the year. Jamie Foxx and Alicia Keys, who played the song “Georgia on My Mind,” highlighted Charles early in the show. Foxx is nominated for an Oscar for playing the musician in the movie “Ray.” The final award was for “Genius Loves Company,” an album of duets that, even after a career of more than 50 years, stands as Charles' best-selling album. The record of the year honor went to Charles and Norah Jones for “Here We Go Again,” a duet from “Genius Loves Company.” Charles and his album were represented on eight Grammy awards, including three prizes that went to the album's engineers, producers and arrangers, according to CNN.com.

‘Baby 81’finds parents

The 4-month-old boy dubbed “Baby 81” now has a name, Abilass, and a birth date, Oct. 19, and two loving parents who can't wait to get him back. ASri Lankan court, relying on DNAtests, ruled Monday that the baby recovered from tsunami debris belongs to the Jeyarajah family who launched an agonizing court battle to claim him. Eight other couples also tried to claim the boy in the days after the Dec. 26 tsunami.

Only the Jeyarajahs filed a formal claim, but they couldn't document the birth because their records and other possessions were lost by the waves. The baby was found amid mud, debris and corpses after the water receded and was named “Baby 81” because he was the 81st admission at the hospital the day the tsunami hit. The hospital had allowed them to be with the baby every day. Jenita Jeyarajah said that as soon as she regains custody of her son, she will fulfill vows to smash 100 coconuts at a temple of the elephantheaded Hindu god Ganesh, offer sweet rice to the warrior god Murugan and kill a rooster for the goddess Kali, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

LAUREN REILLY/NEWS EDITOR

Many students have several credit cards and are often tempted to use them frequently.

Arts & Entert ainment

Radio station plays offensive tsunami victim parody song

ANDREW MATYSIK ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR AJM722@CABRINI EDU

Protests and public disapproval targeted hip-hop station, Hot 97, in New York, when they recently aired a tsunami-victim parody on their morning show. The “We Are the World” parody was played on the airwaves numerous times for weeks. The lyrics to the song were viewed by many as disturbing and by no-means funny.

The following are lyrics from the song that was deemed offensive:

“..All at once you could hear the screaming chinks, and no one was safe from the wave—there were Africans drowning, little chinamen swept away you could hear god laughing, ‘swim you bitches swim.’So now you’re screwed, it’s the Tsunami you better run or kiss your ass away, go find your mommy I just saw her float by, a tree went through her head and now the children will be sold to child slavery...”

The Dali experience comes to the Philadelphia Art Museum

JESSICA MARRELLA FEATURES EDITOR JRM722@CABRINI EDU

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has orchestrated the first Salvador Dali exhibition to be seen anywhere since the artist’s death in 1989 and the first in the United States in more than 60 years. Philadelphia is the only place in the United States where the exhibition can be seen from Feb. 16 through May 15, 2005.

Salvador Dali consists of over 200 works, 150 of which are paintings, the largest amount of Dali’s pictures to be on display at one time. Other pieces include sculpture, works on paper, photographs of Dali and a documentary section. Many of the works are being displayed in the US for the first time. The works have been gathered from both public and private collections in 14 countries.

According to Anne d’Harnoncourt, Director of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, “Dali is one of the best-known artists of all

time and yet 15 years after his death and despite such remarkable public recognition, his achievement has yet to be fully understood. This exhibition will provide a splendid opportunity for scholars, artists and visitors to encounter a complete and complex picture of the artist’s oeuvre.”

To enhance the exhibition The Philadelphia Museum of Art is offering a variety of educational public programs. Included with admission is an audio tour. The tour offers a commentary on many of the works by Michael Taylor and Dawn Ades, guest curator, and also by Anne d’Harnoncourt.

Aone-day workshop is being offered called “Salvador Dali and the Art of Enjoying Catalan Wines” on April 30.

Two art history courses are being offered including “Surrealism and its Discontents” and “Dali, Dali, Dali: ACelebration of the Artist’s Life and Work.” Each course discusses realism and each is $80.

“The Conquest of the Irrational: Salvador Dali and the Limits of Surrealism” is a lecture being offered Friday Feb. 25 by Michael Taylor. The lecture is $20 after the Museum admission. An international symposium is being offered April 10 and 11 which will cover the significance of Dali’s theories and artistic production. Guest speakers from Spain, France, Great Britain, Ireland and North America will be presenting papers during the lecture.

The exhibition, arranged chronologically, displays Dali’s earliest efforts as an artist, his most notable surrealist paintings as well as paintings that he did in response to politics.

For more information visit www.philamuseum.org or www.dalli2004.org. Tickets for the exhibition are $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and students and $10 for children. Aspecial student price of $12 will apply between Feb. 16 and April 1, this includes the audio tour.

In response to the offensive material and severe criticism, Hot 97 took action. The morning show producer, Rick Delgado, and morning show member, Todd Lynn, have been fired. Morning show host, Miss Jones, and two others have been suspended for two weeks. In addition, Sprint and McDonald’s corporations have pulled their advertisements from the Hot 97 radio station.

Many protesters from the Asian Media Watch and the New York City Council have argued that the suspensions given are too light and all members should be fired. Another huge question raised by protesters is why hasn’t the

FCC stepped in to do its job?

“I can’t believe someone would think a song like that is funny,” Erik Parrillo, sophomore marketing major, said. “It’s strange the FCC hasn’t stepped into the situation. They are usually so quick to take action and make sure something like that doesn’t air,” Parrillo said.

Fiery controversy has surrounded Federal Communications Commission (FCC) media regulation for years. First Amendment advocates battle for the valuable possession of free speech, while conservatives seek to eliminate the “trash” from the airwaves. In a post 9/11 society, restrictions have been common, yet many people feel the FCC has failed to take appropriate action in this case.

Krista Mazzeo, Cabrini communications center general supervisor and general manager of 89.1 WYBF-FM, feels differently. “The FCC is traditionally a higher authority that steps in when the station’s internal management cannot handle a situation,” Mazzeo said. “In this case, management handled the situation and imposed the penalties they thought were correct.”

Although two careers have been terminated and two others suspended, there is still a great number of people complaining to the station that the suspensions are too light of punishments. The station has recently aired messages of apology to the public. Also, Hot 97 has given statements that Sprint and McDonald’s had no connection to the song being played. Whether or not the host of the morning show, Miss Jones, will be fired or not is still up in the air.

PHOTOCOURTESYOFPHILADELPHIAARTMUSEUM

famous paintings of Salvador Dali that is featured in the exhibit at the Philadelphia Art Museum.

LCD Soundsystem infiltrates dance floors

CHRISTINE ERNEST ASSISTANTA&EEDITOR CME722@CABRINI EDU

James Murphy, mastermind behind LCD Soundsystem and DFARecords, will make any listener dance or at least nod his head. Since his 2002 hit release, “Losing My Edge”/ “Beat Connection” Murphy has been getting hipsters all over the world to get their dance groove on.

LCD Soundsystem’s release of their self-titled album in January 2005 is indie-electronic album that will no doubt make a big splash with new and old fans alike.

Opening track “Daft Punk is Playing at My House” captures the essence of any true party song: a full house of people, good music, robots, neighbors who won’t call the police and most importantly drum solos

Annual formal to be held at the ‘Ballroom at the Ben’

CHRISTINE ERNEST ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR CME722@CABRINI EDU

Cabrini College students can have the “Time of Your Life” right after spring break.

The Student Government Association, SGA, will host their annual formal on Friday, March 11, 2005, from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.

This year’s formal will take place at the Ballroom at the Ben in Philadelphia, Pa. Buses will arrive at 5:30p.m. in front of Founder’s Hall and depart Cabrini College at 6:00p.m.

Fiona Bride, SGA member and co-chairman of the planning board for the formal, said, “Spread the word. Tell your friends. It should be a good time.”

Tickets are on sale now at $55 for a single and $100 for a couple. They can be purchased during lunch and dinner at the cafeteria, or at the Office of Student Activities with payment of cash or check. Tickets will be on sale until March 7, 2005.

The ticket pays for admission to the formal, transportation to and from the event via bus, and a buffet-style dinner. Ahotel list will be supplied when students purchase tickets in the event that he wishes to stay in Philadelphia for the night and not return back to Cabrini College on the bus.

For more information please contact Fiona Bride at fab722@cabrini.edu.

consisting of a cow bell.

“Movement” travels back and forth from a guitar-driven chorus to the lyrics containing ever-present handclaps. With lyrics like “it’s like a fat guy in a t-shirt doing all the saying” and “it’s like a movement from a smaller place to a bigger city” the entire song is just one giant simile that even John Milton would envy. Being one of the shorter tracks on LCD Soundsystem coming in at just over three minutes, it doesn’t lose any of the brash, in-yourface dance anthems that Murphy created with his earlier singles.

Murphy proves that less can be more with the track “On Repeat.” The song begins with simple beats and percussion that highlight his witty yet straightforward lyrics. As the song continues, various hypnotic repeating sounds are added over his austere beginning to get pound-

You Are Here

ing, machine-like groove that would make any wallflower get out on the dance floor.

One of the more standout tracks on LCD Soundsystem is “Disco Infiltrator.” Starting off with a startling crescendo chord sequence that makes its presence known randomly throughout the song, it proves to be another single-worthy hit among others that LCD Soundsystem has released in the past. “Disco Infiltrator” is a perfect moment for another ironic Murphy proposal on the way life can be – on and off the dance floor. “There in mind, we all fall behind, from time to time,” he sings over a pounding background of ambient beats and funky percussion.

With an energetic, playful, yet aggressive release, LCD Soundsystem won’t be falling behind any time soon.

By Aaron Warner

Upcoming Concerts (February 18 – February 24)

Fri. 2/18 – Alkali Flats/ Bumrunner/ Chris Glover – North Star Bar

Fri. 2/18 – Kill Verona/ The Dakota – First Unitarian Church

Fri. 2/18 – Goldfinger/ The Start/ Bottom Line/ Theatre of Living Arts

Sat. 2/19 – Otep/ American Headcharge/Candiria/The Autumn Offering/ Blood Simple – Trocadero Theatre

Sat. 2/19 – The Music/ Kasabian/ Morningwood – Theatre of Living Arts

Sat. 2/19 – Ryan Cabrera/ Aslyn/ Kyle Riabko –Electric Factory

Tues. 2/22 – Guilt by Association/ Sicks Deep/ A Modest Promise/ The Evidence – Trocadero Theatre

Tues. 2/22 – Deathray Davies/ The Natural History/ Isaac Hurt/ In Interview – The Khyber

Wed. 2/23 – Futureheads/ Highspeed Demons/ The Shoutout Louds – Theatre of Living Arts

Thurs. 2/24 – Pepper/ Authority Zero/ Beautiful Girls/ Pennyroyals – Theatre of Living Arts

Thurs. 2/24 – Eastern Conference Shampions/ Cordalene/ Aderbat/ Four Volts – The Khyber

Fri. 2/25 – Kings of Leon/ Vagenius – Theatre of Living Arts

Fri. 2/25 – Walking Concert/ Metroplex/ The 101/ Renee Heartfelt – The Khyber

ALBUMCOVEROFLCDSOUNDSYSTEM

LCD Soundsystem are making heads nod on the dance floors with the release of their self-titled album of indie-electronic music.

It wasn't his trusty grappling-hook gun Batman grabbed on his way out this morning, but instead the garage door opener.

Legend upstages the young pups at Grammy Awards

album of his career, with more than 2 million copies sold.

Serial Returners

ELYSSA MCFADDEN STAFFWRITER EMM722@CABRINI EDU

Often times store employees run into a conflict when shoppers go to return clothes. It isn't a problem when the tags are still on and the article of clothing is clearly unworn but what happens when the clothes have been returned after the costumer has worn them?

People who do this frequently are known as serial returners. Everyone knows people who have done this, and some have even done it themselves, but what are the benefits of being a serial returner?

should be legal,” Cabrini student, Sean Tinney, said.

People who do this don't realize that they are not fooling anyone.

“That happens all the time, especially with people between the ages of 22-25. Unfor tunately, we have a policy that states that we have to take back the item no matter what, says an employee at Rampage. We see it happening on average of twice a week, and even more during the holiday season.”

decent enough to re-sell.”

Like Rampage and Pacific Sunwear, Nordstrom will also let costumers return items with or without the receipt, no matter how old it is. However, Forever 21 will not accept returns with or without the receipt.

The pups got their due. But Sunday night’s 47th Grammy Awards was mostly about honoring one of the greats: a man who opened doors and crossed genres. An eclectic mix of young entertainers including Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Usher, Maroon 5 and rapper Kanye West collected their share of trophies, but it was Ray Charles who won a leading eight Grammys, all springing from the album of duets recorded just before his death, “Genius Loves Company.” That included wins in the evening’s two top categories: album of the year and record of the year for “Here We Go Again.”

The late singer, who intertwined soul, rock ‘n’roll, R&B, country, jazz, big band and blues, also won for best pop album and best pop collaboration with vocals for “Here We Go Again” with Norah Jones, and best gospel performance for “Heaven Help Us All,” a duet with Gladys Knight. The night was further accentuated by two musical homages to Charles.

“I’m going to thank all of you people on behalf of Ray Charles, who is with us,” said Joe Adams, Charles’ longtime manager, accepting the award for album of the year.

“I’ll simply say it again: Humbly we accept this wonderful, wonderful award. And we offer a humongous thanks to you individually and collectively from the bottom of our hearts. Very sincerely. We love you madly. Passionately. And continuously.”

“Genius Loves Company” was a difficult-to-record album, as Charles was ailing at times in the recording studio, and often felt too sick to perform. Not that any of that mattered to the listening public. The album, which was released after his death, is the best-selling

“I’m going to cry, actually. It just shows how wonderful music can be. It’s at a 100 percent with Ray Charles. How many millions of people has he made smile with his records? Thanks for letting me be a part of it,” said singer Norah Jones, who sang with Charles on “Here We Go Again.”

The first touching moment of the night was a toast to Charles, and it came early in the show. Keys was joined by Quincy Jones and Jamie Foxx, who portrayed Charles in the bio-pic “Ray” and is up for an Oscar later this month for the performance. Foxx and Keys played piano and sang a Charles signature hit, “Georgia On My Mind.”

It ended with Jones, a longtime friend of Charles, revealing the entertainer’s image on a black Tshirt. Later in the show, Bonnie Raitt and Billy Preston performed another tribute to Charles, with Raitt singing their duet, “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind.”

Of course, the youngsters weren’t left out.

West, who had a leading 10 nominations, took home Grammys for best rap album, best rap song and best R&B song, which he helped write for Keys.

West survived a car accident before recording “The College Dropout,” which won the award for best rap album.

“When I had my accident, I found out at that moment, nothing in life is promised except death,” he said. “If you have the opportunity to play this game of life, you need to appreciate every moment. A lot of people don’t appreciate their moment until it’s passed. But right now, it’s my time. and it’s my moment thanks to the fans. Thanks to the accident. Thanks to God.

Thanks to Roc-a-Fella. My mother, thanks to everyone that’s helped

me. ... I plan to celebrate. I plan to celebrate and scream and pop champagne every chance I get, because I’m at the Grammys, baby!”

West also talked about what he was sure everyone was wondering all night long. Many talked about how upset he was at not winning big at earlier music awards show the American Music Awards.

“Everybody wanted to know what I would do if I didn’t win. I guess we’ll never know,” he said, and then held up his trophy.

The Grammys were rather bleak for Detroit artists, who for the first time in about f ive years or so didn’t swell any of the categories with nominations or wins. Trophyless were Eminem, Mario Winans and Anita Baker. White Stripes rocker Jack White, tapped for country collaboration for his duet with Loretta Lynn, “Portland, Oregon,” was the only Detroit winner. He appeared on stage as she accepted best country album for “Van Lear Rose,’’ which he produced.

Host Queen Latifah early on helped set what type of night the Grammy awards would be.

“To me, this is a true music show,” the rapper, singer and actress told the crowd of musical and Hollywood stars. “Where they put everything together the way it’s supposed to be.”

In other words, it was to be a cross-section of entertainment. And it was.

Of course, it’s easy to do that when you have an interesting crosssection of artists up for awards: folks like Charles going up against Green Day and Usher, Ludacris and Lil Jon.

Together, Gwen Stefani, Eve, Los Lonely Boys, Franz Ferdinand, Maroon 5 and the Black Eyed Peas opened the show, interweaving their hits du jour.

“They do it cause they had terrible service or are not satisfied with the quality of the product...or they are scamming some company which is fine because big businesses can take the loss, anyone who disagrees is in costumer service and shouldn't have an opinion...its like asking a cop if marijuana

Another employee from Pacific Sunwear states,” Most people wear the clothes what seems to be more than once before returning it. Girls are more likely to do this who are between the ages of 15 and 20. The policy is that the costumers are always right so we have to take back everything. If they don't have a receipt they can't get a refund and they have to exchange for something else, that way we don't lose money in case they stole it, but most of the time the clothes are

Although there are many people who do this and think there is nothing wrong with it, there are others who strongly disagree. Corinne Covino, senior, said, “I'm totally against dishonesty. I feel that doing this is stealing and committing a crime.”

Buying and retur ning things within the next few days is happening more and more. It happens a few times a week in a variety of stores and employees are well aware that this is occurring. For those of you who are into buying and returning, don't think that you are getting one past the employee.

Is lasik eye surger y for you?

to be removed.

Hate your glasses? Don’t like putting your contacts in every morning? Recent advances in laser technology have allowed this change.

Lasik Plus in King of Prussia said that most people who come in are from ages 25 to 45. The cost of the procedure can be anywhere from $1,200 to $1,699.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), contact lenswearers should stop wearing them before the baseline evaluation.

Wearing contacts up until the surgery date may result in inaccurate measurements conducted during the evaluation, resulting in “poor vision after surgery ”

Before surgery, the eye is numbed with eye drop anesthesia and a lid speculum is used to hold the eyelids open. A ring is placed on the eye to create suction to the cornea. The doctor uses the blade of a microkeratome, which is attached to the suction ring, to cut a flap in the cornea, exposing corneal tissue

During the procedure, the patient will have to stare at a fixed light. This allows the eye to remain focused once the later comes on. A computerized ultraviolet light is then used to reshape the inner surface of the eye.

“Each pulse of the laser removes only a minute amount of corneal tissueabout 1/500th of the thickness of human hair,” according to LasikPlus Vision Center. The procedure for both eyes usually takes between five and 15 minutes. After the procedure is complete, the flap over the corneal is replaced.

No stitches are needed to hold the flap in place and a shield is usually placed over the eye. This is done so no accidental pressure is put on the eye and protections the patients eye from any accidents that may occur. The doctor would remove this during the postoperative visit.

Patients usually report minimal discomfort during the procedure and some have reported itching and burning after the procedure. According to LasikPlus, “No long-term side effects have been discovered. Chances of

having a vision-reducing complication are less than one percent. There have been no reported cases of blindness.”

Results are most often immediate and full results typically are noticed within six weeks. Persons having this procedure usually return to work or school the next day.

The FDA says the doctor should be seen within “the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery and at regular intervals after that for the first six months.” During the f irst visit, the doctor may give “one or more types of eye drops to help prevent infection and/or inflammation.”

According to the FDA the majority of patients are satisf ied with their surgical results. There are risks involved in the surgery however The FDA lists them on their website, “Some patients lose vision. Some patients develop debilitating visual symptoms. You may be under treated or over treated. Some patients may develop severe dry eye syndrome. Results are generally not as good in patients with very large refractive er rors of any type. For some farsighted patients, results may dimin-

ish with age. Long-term data is not available.”

When choosing a doctor patients should always base their decisions on many factors. The FDA suggests you compare various doctors in your area and “don’t base your decision simply on cost and don’t settle for the f irst eye center, doctor, or procedure you investigate.” Also, “Be wary of eye centers that advertise ‘20/20 vision or your money back.’”

How do you know if LASIK surgery is not for you? The FDA says if “you are not a risk taker, it will jeopardize your career, cost is an issue, you required a change in your contact lens or glasses prescription within the past year, you have a disease or are on medications that may affect wound healing, you actively participate in contact sports, or you are not an adult.”

For more information, risk factors, and a LASIK checklist, visit http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/LASIK/def ault.htm

Lasik eye surger y is a growing trend thanks to the advancements in laser technology Despite possible risks, many people are willing to go through with the procedure if it means they will never have to wear contacts or glasses again.

KELLEY L. CARTER KRT

Alicia Keys won for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group and Best R&B

arriving at the 47th annual Grammy Awards where they won Best

Artist The 47th annual Grammy Awards honored the late Ray Charles who won a leading eight Grammy’s.

People who are addicted to returning worn merchandise are frustrating stores

PERSPECTIVES YOU SPE AK

Smaller schools: quality v. quantity

CHRISTINE BLOM ASST. PERSPECTIVES & COPY EDITOR

Okay, so most college students dispute over which fakebake country they want to go on their spring break, whether they are going to Jamaica, Mexico or Puerto Rico. Me, I chose to go to Winston-Salem, N. C.: the home of the cigarette industry.

My game plan was that I would fly down to Wake Forest University to see one of my best friends from high school, get a decent tan and experience another college at the same time.

Let’s put it this way: I got two out of the three accomplished. I saw my friend and I got to see another school. It sure as heck wasn’t warm. Well, not the first day at least.

The night before I left for WFU, I got a look at the weather channel. North Carolina was having the only snow storm of the year the night before I was supposed to fly down. Keep in mind, when North Carolina has a snow storm, they mean all of four inches.

I didn’t know what to do.

I headed to the airport in the morning, sticking to the original plan. Either way I looked at it, I was going away for spring break. Snow was going to be the last thing that would stop me.

Right off the bat, when I got off the plane and realized what a culture shock it was to be in the South. I wasn’t sure how everything was going to turn out. I was definitely apprehensive about the entire weekend.

Much to my surprise, my friend had a list of events planned from the moment I got

there until the moment I left.

We went to a frat party that Friday night. Saturday we spent watching a Division I basketball game in an abnormally large dorm room, went shopping in a small shopping center with in walking distance and went out to a café downtown where all the local college kids go.

The entire weekend was like being in a completely different world. People stay on weekends, are involved in everything going on around school and when they go off campus, they see people who are also from their school.

Sometimes I wish I had gone to a bigger school with more people, more activities and better housing.

When I do look back and think that if I had gone anywhere other than Cabrini I would not have had the opportunity to have the classes that I have with the small sizes. Believe it or not, we all benefit from this being a small school. Yes, it does mean the budget is smaller because there are less people, but it doesn’t mean the quality of people isn’t just as good.

Another thing that would not be fun about a big school is the long hikes everywhere. If you think about it, we all complain the walk down the path behind the houses in the morning. If you really stop and think about it we have it so much easier. We don’t have to take shuttle buses to class or walk 20 minutes in the snow. Other than commuters, the majority of us have an easy commute to class in the morning.

In retrospect, the visit to WFU was amazing and I couldn’t get over the difference in lifestyles between the two schools. I am so glad I got to experience the different culture,but I am glad I am where I am.

JILLIAN MILAM ASST. FEATURES EDITOR JGM726@CABRINI EDU

What difference does it make whether you are a lefty or a righty? Who cares, all it means is using one hand more than the other. Or so I thought.

As a child, I always enjoyed being a lefty for the mere reason of being a little different. I was always the one on the softball team who batted left-handed, or the one who “wrote funny.” However, being a lefty comes with its disadvantages…lots of them, even for a kid.

Do you remember those sketch-a-doodles? Achildhood memory without a sketch-a-doodle is like a peanut butter sandwich without the jelly. Everyone had one. The only problem was, I had such a hard time playing with them. The magic pen attached to the side, the right side I might add, made it nearly impossible to swing the pen around in my left hand and have the string long enough to make all the sketches and doodles that I wanted.

Heart-breaking news for a kid. So instead, I would switch to the good old construction paper and markers. I would be able to draw all I wanted, without limitations. However, after writing something from the left to the right side of the paper, like most of us do, blurred out blobs and an marker-stained left hand was the only result. As a lefty, you have to be conscious about dragging your hand as you write across the page, creating the,

“you write funny” comments.

Now onto mention copybooks. The spiral copybooks are one of the biggest disadvantages for lefties. Imagine having a copybook opened up, flat on a desk. Writing across the left page is no problem, but writing on the right side is nearly impossible. Trying to raise your arm high enough to avoid hitting the spiral with the hand you’re writing with is a difficult task, especially when trying to take neat notes at a fast pace. So what about the left-handed spiral copybooks made with the spiral on the opposite side? Asuper idea, and a very exciting moment for us. But after one day with the copybook, you realize that you have the same exact problem, just with the opposite side of the book.

From grade school until present day, we lefties have had to get used to writing in those small desks that have the seats attached. Did you ever notice how the bar that attaches the desk to the seat is on the right side, creating a convenient place to set your right elbow as you write? Good thinking, for a righty. Lefties have no place to rest their elbows when taking notes for 45 minutes at a time in class. We just have to kind of let them hang loose in the air. Not the most comfortable feeling in the world. Of course there are always the two or three lefty desks in the back of the room if somebody needs one. This definitely does help, but sometimes two or three isn’t enough. For some classes, it can become a race between the two lefties in the room for that special desk. And then causing a scene by hav-

ing to move the desk closer to the front of the room in order to see the board is never fun.

Righties, have you ever tried picking up a pair of left-handed scissors to cut a piece of paper? Well that’s actually a stupid question. Odds are you have never done that, considering there’s a slim-to-none chance that there is a left-handed pair of scissors lying around anywhere. But if by chance you have, you know what I am talking about. If scissors aren’t made for the hand you cut with, they simply do not work. The paper will actually bend in between the two blades, creating more frustration than one could imagine. What’s even more frustrating for lefties is teaching yourself how to automatically reach for the scissors with your right hand to avoid this annoyance, then to actually be somewhere that has left-handed scissors, so you instinctively try to use them with your right hand because you spent however long teaching yourself to do so!

In this modern age, technology has amazed all of us at some point. Palm Pilots were once the newest astonishment and many people use them today. However, here is one piece of advice that a Palm Pilot maker should take into consideration: designing a palm pilot that has the pen, also known as the stylist, on the left side of the device. Having to pick up the palm, take out the stylist and then switch hands is one step too many.

Okay. So the majority of people in the world are right-handed. Well, what about the lefties? We do exist, we do matter and we do deserve the same simple privileges as everybody else!

Alum sounds off on loss of honorable Cabrini representative

Dear Dr. Iadarola and Ms. Moll,

I must protest your decision to let Coach Dzik go at the end of this season. I’m sure that you may feel that it is in the college’s best interest, but it is most definitely below the character that I feel Cabrini College stands for.

When I transferred to Cabrini College from Temple University in January of 1987, I did it knowing that I would have to, in effect, throw away a years worth of credits from Temple and start my junior year over again. I did this gladly because I felt that I had found in Cabrini College, a place where I wasn’t a number, and where I was respected for being part of a small, tightly knit family

I had the good fortune of meeting instructors who made positive impressions on me, and I still recall fondly to this day. Cabrini College was a place where I was proud to attend, and recommend to those who were trapped in the education mills that many of the larger universities had become.

If I had a problem, it was dealt with. I actually had assistance, not interference from the college front office. Try getting that when there are 11,000 people in your major! Though my visits back to campus are infre-

quent, I still recommend the Cabrini College to the young people I encounter who are looking for a quality education, where individual attention can still be had.

The decision to let Coach Dzik twist in the wind is a disturbing one for a number of reasons, but number one in my book, is that you are showing a serious lack of loyalty to a man who should have buildings named after him. This is a college, not a professional organization, and as such, you are supposed to lead by example when it comes to proper behavior. We all bemoan the fact that things are different now and people don’t have respect for authority or history, but I submit to you that you are guilty of acting like any other faceless corporation.

Cabrini College is not North Carolina or Georgetown or Kansas, nor will it ever be, but that is what I liked about it. People came first, not the number of national championships, or whether the new player driving a BMWwas going to bring down the program, or which shoe company was going to get endorsed.

People came first!

I never played for Coach Dzik, but his impact in the Cabrini community, and the larger world around us is measurable. I am a freelance camera operator

Alum to leave master’s program

Dear President Iadarola,

who regularly works for the like of ESPN, ABC, CBS, NBC, (you get the idea) and 75 percent of my work is in the sports field. John Dzik is guy that people know and respect around the country, not just the 110 wooded acres of our campus. Cabrini College will lose an honorable representative that’s been at it longer, and to more important folks than you realize.

What message will that send about our college? Tough break, students. Loyalty, years of service, success... You’re old or not part of our plans, What have you done lately? You might as well hear them here first, and see how remote, unfeeling management betters the lives around us all.

I’ve said my peace, and I would respectfully ask that you consider these points when you finally decide whether to Keep Coach Dzik or cut him loose, but should you choose to start teaching disrespect, disloyalty and dishonor of family members who helped pave the way for my success, I will have no choice but to seperate myself from Cabrini College as a donor, and a proud alumnus who can no longer speak well of the college I loved.

Sincerely Yours, Sean Homsher ‘88

Letting go of leadership

I am writing this letter in response to the firing of Head Basketball Coach John Dzik. When I first heard the news I was upset and completely surprised. It is now almost two months later and I still do not understand your decision, nor do I think I ever will.

Coach Dzik has given himself to Cabrini College for 25 years and is now getting cut loose like a fray on a pair of jeans. Coach Dzik has built the basketball program into national recognition, and was on the same path with the rest of the athletic department until he stepped down. You can ask anyone that has ever played sports at Cabrini and they will tell you Coach Dzik had a positive influence on them.

During my years at Cabrini he even coached the women’s field hockey team while Coach Neary was sick with cancer.

He sacrificed his time to provide a leader for those young women in a championship game, and it is sad that I say, you President Iadarola, are not providing the leadership in a similar situation. The college

preaches tradition, leadership and family atmosphere. Well, why then would you let go of the biggest piece of tradition, leadership, and family you have at the college.

Would you cut off all contact with your favorite grandfather or grandmother? That is what you are doing to Cabrini College and Coach Dzik

I played basketball at Cabrini for three years from 1999-2002. And I saw you at exactly one game, which you didn’t even stay the whole time for You weren’t at any of the championship or NCAA games that I played in; another example of poor, poor leadership on your part. Coach Dzik took me in, like every other student athlete, as one of his own.

In my three years I learned a lot in school, on the basketball court, and in life. And the biggest influence in my years at Cabrini was not a professor, my advisor, or yourself, it was Coach Dzik. And I think everyone else who had contact with Coach Dzik could say the same thing. I come from a family of separated parents and Coach

Dzik and the rest of the basketball staff were like fathers to me. They guided me on and off the court to become the best person I truly can be. It was not until I graduated that I realized how much influence these men had on my life. It is sad that they will not be around in that capacity anymore.

I still attend eight to 10 games a year to support Coach Dzik and the basketball team, not to support the college. The college offered me a chance to get an education, while fulfilling a dream of playing college basketball, and I thank them for that. But no longer can I support Cabrini College in any capacity, while you are still the President.

With this in mind I request that you take my name off of all mailings and solicitations immediately. Please no longer contact me, for I cannot support a college that treats one of my family members unlike one of its own.

Respectfully,

Tim Gordon Class of 2002

My name is Allen Brydges and I am a Cabrini College alum. I am writing this letter today because I have great concern about the direction the College is headed. I am a 2001 graduate and currently taking my masters at Cabrini. I have great respect for you and the college, but at this time I am confused and angry.

The decision to not keep Coach Dzik on as head basketball coach has me puzzled. I played basketball at Cabrini for Coach Dzik and I know how important he is to the college. Coach has touched the lives of so many individuals including myself. I am currently teaching and coaching in the Upper Darby school district. Down the road I hope to take over a College program and can only hope to be half as successful as Coach Dzik. This is why your decision confuses me. Coach has been like a father to so many kids and has graduated players who without him would have never made it. He has never done anything to hurt the College and has dedicated his entire life the the school. He is one of the winningest coaches in D3 history. Coach

Dzik should be aloud to stay on as long as he wants. Everything I do when coaching my team I learned from Coach and I ashamed of Cabrini. Coach is still at the top of his game and if left in place would win several more PAC Titles (not state championships).

I think you have overlooked the importance of a strong basketball program. With Coach Dzik people all over the country know about Cabrini without him that will fade.

I hope you will reconsider your decision and reinstate Coach. Until then however I would like to be removed from all Cabrini mailing lists. I have also stopped my masters program and will continue it at St.Joe’s. St. Joe’s is cheaper but i choose Cabrini anyway because of my loyalty to the school. Loyalty that I have lost. I hope you will change your mind and I can someday again be proud to say I went to Cabrini.

Until Coach Dzik is coaching again I want nothing todo with Cabrini.

Sincerely,

Allen Brydges Class of 2001

Coach Dzik’s imprint

I graduated from Cabrini College in 1999 and was an active participant in the campus community. As a former member of the basketball team I know first hand how much Coach Dzik meant to the college, unfortunately some in the administration never truly appreciated or understood his value.

Ms. Moll’s comment insisting it’s best not to question the reasoning of the administration is simply outrageous. She should be ashamed for expressing such an ironfisted like attitude. Is Cabrini under a dictatorship?

And since when has the administration felt it was unnecessary to welcome the voice of its students, parents and alumni?

Understandably it’s up to the administration to guide this institution in the right direction, but ultimately they have an obligation to encourage and listen to the voices of the community they represent, whether they agree with them or not.

And Ms. Lysionek, who insisted she thought “long and hard” before making the decision, maybe should have thought a little more. She clearly underestimated Dzik’s value to the institution and the unsettling feelings many students and alums now have because of the decision. As alumni we are

somewhat distanced from the institution, but for many of us a bridge exists, a bridge that keeps us forever linked to the institution. That bridge for many is John Dzik. Ms. Lysionek rash decision has since torn down that bridge, leaving many of us isolated from the community we thought we knew.

The future of Coach Dzik at this college may not change. If that is so, it’s extremely unfortunate and Cabrini’s loss. Current and prospective students will be losing a valuable member of the community. But while the outcome may not change, students, parents and alumni should not sit by idly while a small minority dictates the future of this college. Despite Moll’s comments, you have a voice and you should use it.

In the years to come, the likes of Iadarola, Lysionek and Moll will come and go, but what will remain constant is the legacy of Coach Dzik and his lasting imprint on this institution. That is something they may envy but something they’ll never be able to take away.

Sincerely,

Roman Gabriel Class of 1999

The ‘Belfast Job’: luck of the Irish, paper waste

KELLY MCKEE STAFF WRITER KMM723@CABRINI EDU

It is a stormy night the week before Christmas. Ahusband and wife sit in a house decorated with lights and other symbols of the holidays. Aknock on the door reveals two men dressed as police officers, there to inform the husband that his sister has been killed in a horrific car accident. They are invited inside by the grief stricken man. Suddenly a gun is put to the man’s head and he and his wife are tied up. The man is put in a van and driven to a house across town while the wife is blindfolded, held hostage overnight and then taken deep in to the woods early the next morning, from where she has to find her way home,

scared, alone and suffering from hypothermia.

Meanwhile across town, three masked men force their way inside a house. Here a family is gathered for a Sunday night indoors, a mother, father, two sons and a girlfriend of one of the sons. One of the sons is bundled into the waiting van and taken away while the rest of the family are held hostage for over 24 hours.

Twenty hours later a dramatic bank robbery was staged, the robbers escaping with around $50 million, rivaling all bank heists of the past. This is not the opening scene for ‘Ocean’s Thirteen’but is a true story from a city in Northern Ireland, where I call home, that is Belfast. And it happened over my Christmas break.

On Monday, Dec. 20, this ingenious bank robbery, which is said to have been carried out by

over 20 robbers, shook the city of Belfast. While we rushed around the city centre frantically clawing for last minute presents, these criminal coolly loaded millions of dollars into an unmarked van parked next to the bustling Northern Bank in the hub of the city. The two men, both bank officials were threatened with the death of their families if they did not comply with the demands of the masked men. The officials arrived at work at noon and worked normally throughout the afternoon in the cash centre, which is in the basement of the building. The two were told to send the rest of the staff away early for Christmas shopping. When the building emptied the officials watched as the vault was emptied load by load into the waiting vehicle. The robbers made there getaway successfully while the officials were left tied up inside the building.

This story at first hearing seems a glamorous heist, rivaling those in blockbusters such as ‘The Italian Job,’but for the troubled Northern Ireland it just spells another setback in our struggle for peace. Shortly after the robbery Hugh Orde, chief constable of Northern Ireland Police Service, made this sensational claim, “In my opinion the Provisional IRAis responsible. My assessment may have wider political implications, but that’s a matter for the politicians, not the police.” In 1970 the Provisional IRAbegan mounting attacks in hope of abolishing Northern Ireland, a British territory created in 1921.The underground group killed about 1,800 people before calling an open-ended truce in 1997. The ceasefire enabled Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, to join wider negotiations and has certainly reduced the bombings, shootings and other

paramilitary attacks, but has not yet put an end to underground activities such as drug smuggling and now it seems bank robberies.

Sinn Fein are feverently denying the IRAs involvement in the heist, but suspicions have been raised amongst the British and Irish governments. What will happen is not yet known but cetainly the trust that had slowly been building has now crumbled.

As for the bank robbers, they are probably in Brazil or Mexico, sipping on their pina coladas. The funny thing is though that the majority of the banknote stolen were Northern Bank notes, which have now been taken out of circulation and soon will become useless.

So heres to the luck of the Irish and what has turned out to be the biggest theft of…waste paper in history.

Losing the freedom offree speech

math.” His comments have triggered a flurry of discussions concerning the extent of free speech.

How free is your speech at Cabrini College? College students and professors across the country are questioning whether or not to keep their mouths shut after the president of Harvard University voiced a controversial opinion. According to the Christian Science Monitor, “Harvard University president Lawrence Summers suggested that innate differences between the sexes may partly account for male dominance in science and

Many people agree that such comments make college interesting and inspire debates and intelligent minds to voice their opinions. But does the position of authority in the Harvard University case change the extent of free speech? I believe part of the complete college experience is debating your point of view against an opposing view. Whether the opposing view is another student or a professor or an administrator, the intention is to stimulate the minds of students.

As an aspiring journalist, I

Lenten season: a time for reflection

for each day and apply it to my life. This year, I decided to compliment people in my life every day. Not that I don’t compliment my friends or family, but I want to get into the habit of showing my appreciation for them.

often tip-toe around words and try to put the facts nicely as to not offend anyone, but I am beginning to wonder whether posing questions and stating facts is more effective when put honestly and candidly as Harvard University’s president did a few weeks ago.

Recently, I experienced first hand the short leash that is choking and limiting how free my free speech really is. There are so many things I have wanted to say regarding Coach Dzik and his unfair firing, and until now I could not even say that I felt it unfair. Journalists are supposed to be unbiased and neutral in every situation. But I am only human and I have an opinion and

I feel my speech is anything but free at times.

I am astonished that writers and reporters are being coerced to give up their most valuable right. College thrives on opinionated people! Even more discouraging are the journalists that function as Resident Assistants. They are forced to keep their opinion to themselves as a means to hold on to their job!

This is a country that is founded on freedom and the power to speak. Why then has speech never felt so restricted in our country?

With the huge appeal of online blogs and journals, it is apparent that millions of readers want to know their favorite

reporter’s opinion on issues because online blogs have a greater circulation than all the major newspapers combined! Americans love to read get “inside scoop” on current events and an insider’s view on the news, but reporters are forced to be unbiased. Even in the privacy of their own home, where reporters and journalists willingly give up all privacy, they are still being reprimanded and even fired for voicing their opinions. Writers are losing the freedom in free speech.

If sensitive topics cannot be touched, how then does a journalist take back the freedom in speech?

For many of us, the season of Lent is upon us.We have always been told that we should give up something for 40 days. For many years I have given up many different foods and bad habits. However, after Lent is over we often go back to the bad habits. For the past couple of years I have tried to approach Lent in a different way.

Instead of giving up certain foods or bad habits, I am going to do something beneficial each day differently. Last year, one of my friends gave me an inspirational book. The book contained motivational quotes about life. This friend wanted me to read a quote

I understand this may not be the approach for some people. I am trying to tell people that they don’t have to give up something.

This season is meant to help us become better people. We can become better people by doing good deeds. They can do something for themselves or others that they normally don’t do. For example, my friend is trying to get involved with more community service.

If you still prefer giving up something, by all means do. However, doing something good for you and others is still rewarding.

LAURA VAN DEPETTE ASST. SPORTS EDITOR LCV722@CABRINI EDU

SHARON M. KOLANKIEWICZ ASST. PERSPECTIVES & COPY EDITOR SMK724@CABRINI EDU

to Laguna Beach

SHARON M. KOLANKIEWICZ ASSISTANT PERSPECTIVESAND COPY EDITOR SMK724@CABRINI EDU

The spring season is quickly approaching, and so is the men’s tennis season. The team has been preparing for what hopes to be a rewarding season. There are high hopes that they will win the PAC championship.

Organic foods improve health, environment

Organic food is produced to meet various goals. Some of these goals include maintaining environmental systems, improving human health and encouraging biodiversity and recycling resources.

In order for food to be certified organic, it must meet United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards. Produce can be certified only after three years of growth, “without any chemicals or pesticides. Farmers must have their entire farm and equipment inspected by an independent agency to verify that it meets USDA. If the farmer passes the test, the agency provides him with a certificate proving that his produce is ‘certified organic,’” says Sabrina Rodgers, nutrition correspondent for AskMen.com. Organic livestock can be certified after having been fed with certified organic grains for a year.

It is suggested that the best place to purchase produce that is truly organic is directly from a one of the four percent of farm-

ers producing organic food. If there are no local organic-growing farms in an area, there are now many other places to purchase organic foods. With the growing trend, many supermarkets are now carrying organic produce and meat products. Organic food can also be purchases at health food stores, at food co-ops and online. Consumers should be aware though when purchasing. Organic foods have not been preserved in any way, so the shelf life is much shorter.

In addition, health conscious consumers should not be confused by “natural” and “organic.” “Natural” simply means that the food has not been highly processed.

By now, you are probably wondering why should people buy and consume organic food. Some say there aren’t any proven benefits, but others disagree saying that there are many advantages of an organic diet. Aside from benefits like “a reduction of toxins consumed, a decrease in the amount of food additives and colorings, an avoidance of genetically-modified organisms and a reduction of the use of environ-

mentally-unfriendly chemical production methods” Rogers says there are other benefits.

“Organic food is beneficial to any person of any age,” says Ken Williams, owner of All Natural Market in Ardmore, Pa. For college students, “most tend to either be under a lot of stress or are doing a lot of partying. Organic foods help the immune system to remain closer to peak functioning,” Williams said. Some may argue that organic may not be the way to go due to the price increase compared to conventional food. Organic is about 35 percent more expensive. This is simply due in part to the higher labor demand and the amount of crops that fail. Williams said while the price at the register may end up totaling more, if you look at each item, buyers may find that some items cost the same as non-organic foods. “There is also a back end to the cost. If you eat well, you won’t need to spend as much on getting well.”

If interested in organic foods, those interested can visit AllNaturalMarket.com and sign up for a monthly newsletter which usually contains specials and coupons.

The team captains are extremely excited about the season. Senior captain Mike Sofia has faith in the team this year that they will go all the way. “This team is more than capable to win the PAC. We have been on the door step three years in a row. This team has been working really hard and this could be the year we finally do it,” Sofia said.

Many of the team players are returning from last year.

Junior captain Jack Keller is very enthusiastic about the season. Like Mike Sofia, Keller believes that they have the drive to win the PAC championship this year.

“We were runner- up last year in the PAC for the third straight year in a row, and we are hoping to achieve to the next level,” Keller said.

With great teams, comes hard work. The men’s tennis teams, especially the captains have made it clear how much

work and practice it will take to win the championship. This year the team will be going on two trips. During spring break they will be traveling down to Hilton Head, North Carolina. They will be participating in six matches. Keller and Sofia are optimistic that the team will earn and come back with a few wins. Their second trip will take place over Easter break. They will be going to Laguna Beach, California. These trips will help the team develop strength and improve their skills, but also to make the team feel united.

“These trips are to create a family-like atmosphere,” Keller said.

The team has also been putting a lot of effort into fundraising for the team and trips. Most of the fundraising was started in the summer, and they are still fundraising through various activities.

Rivals to the team are Eastern University and Alvernia College.

“We love to play Eastern. It is a rivalry no matter which way you look at it,” Sofia said. Alvernia College is currently defending the PAC championship title. The match against Eastern will take place on March 17. The match against Alvernia will be on March 31 at Cabrini.

ALYSSA SCHOENLEBER PERSPECTIVES & COPYEDITOR AMS725@CABRINI EDU

CECELIA FRANCISCO/ PHOTO EDITOR

Men’s Tennis prepare for upcoming season.

KRT

Organic foods improve immune systems along with helping maintain health eating habits.

Women’s lacrosse utilizes new training for upcoming season

CHRIS ROGERS STAFF WRITER

CLR723@CABRINI EDU

Armed with wooden sticks, the women’s lacrosse team enters the season with hopes of battling their way to the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference. “Not only are we going to compete against top level teams, but we’re going to win. Our definite goal for the season is to make it all the way to the PAC Championships,” Jacky Neary, head coach of the women’s lacrosse team, said.

Even though last year’s efforts did not amount to such expectancies, this year’s team sees more potential for success. “We have 27 players on squad this season, making it one of largest lacrosse teams we’ve had,” Neary said. Despite the sudden departure of valued goalie, Jamie Knobler, three candidates are competing for the position, giving much hope to this year’s team.

Accordingly, the team turned to Cabrini’s track coach, James Williams, for a more in-depth training, “We’re trying something new this year, with the hope to learn new stuff and improve our overall speed,” Neary said. During his career as head coach at West Chester University, Williams trained many student-athletes who qualified for Nationals.

Melissa Modesti, Allison Saches and Megan Farrell said that the practices are extremely challenging but good for the

girls’overall performance. They are all looking forward to the Florida trip this spring break.

Over spring break, the team will be leaving behind the frozen fields of Pennsylvania and overcrowded gym, for a week of intense training down in Florida.

“This is really the meat of it all. We will be able to practice twice a day and really focus on playing larosse,” Neary said. Players view this trip as a means to meet fellow teammates, as well as create a bond essential for the team’s outcome,

Modesti, Saches and Farrell said that they are like a family, so they feel that they need to get to know some of the girls and create a bonding experience with them.

Though this trip remains necessary for the overall condition of the team, many valued players are strengthening the team’s outlook for a successful season. For instance, freshmen Katelyn Penrose and Kerri Ricker both participated in State playoffs while attending their high schools. “We’re really excited to have them on our team,” Neary said. “These are quality freshmen.”

Amongst other players, the team is counting on returning defendants, Mary Proietta and Amy Pia, as well as team captains, Melissa Modesti, Julie Smith and Ann Marie Greenwald, to lead the team to their f inal goal: the PAC Championship.

Speaker emphasizes focusing on goals

NINA SCIMENES SPORTS EDITOR NMS722@CABRINI EDU

“Motivational supercharger,” Kevin Robertson, sparked the attention of Cabrini’s studentathletes during a lively pep talk. Thursday night, Feb. 11, energy was exploding out of the Widener Center lecture hall directing the audience to fulfill their goals.

All athletic teams were encouraged to go by their coaches. “I was very happy with the number of student-athletes who attended,” Leslie Danehy, athletic director, said. Robertson was chosen from a selection of speakers at Push the Rock Outfitter’s speakers bureau.

Robertson’s emphasis was on meeting goals. “Topic of focus is relevant to our student-athletes, and I wanted someone with energy,” Danehy said.

The title of his discussion is “focus strategies for success.” His own story of success was very inspiring to the audience. His life mir rored his view on goals and persevering to achieve

your best. Robertson claims that he is “not the product of college, but the product of education.” He learned the hard way how to overcome unfortunate situations.

Robertson is successful in real estate, finance, broadcasting, and is a host for the TV show, “Blue Print For Success.” During his career he has had the pleasure of meeting Shaquille O’Neil and Don King.

Robertson turned his life around after being in jail for a drug-related incident. While in jail, he discovered that fear was a great motivator, and began to restructure his place in society as a person people look up to. Robertson was “willing to pay the price” to start a stable life.

Goal setting was stressed as one of the most important factors in achieving what you want to do.

“Goals are always an uphill battle,” Robertson said. Once you meet your goal, he mentioned that “it’s lonely on the top, but the view is beautiful.” These words of inspiration were taken to heart from the student-athletes present.

The audience was very attentive and involved. Robertson kept his speaking very lively by asking the audience to participate by sharing with each other their goals.

“In high school I was cut from the team as a freshman. Then I practiced all the time and I stuck with it anyways and was on the team my senior year. If I didn’t stay committed, I wouldn’t have made it,” a sophomore women’s lacrosse player said.

She gained a lot of knowledge from Robertson’s discussion on focus and will continue to apply it to her life in college.

In order to succeed in all areas, one must keep sight of one’s goals.

Robertson reminded studentathletes that it is not supposed to be easy, but to just continue to work at it each day.

The next speaker scheduled for student-athletes to attend is Mike Domitz March 17 in Grace Hall from 7 to 8 p.m. He will be discussing topics of sexual harassment and assault. All teams are expected to be in attendance.

NINA SCIMENES/ SPORTS EDITOR

Kevin Robertson conveys to student athletes to focus on goals and aim high.

Alum protests by denying team facility access

LAURA VAN DE PETTE ASSISTANT SPORT EDITOR LCV722@CABRINI EDU

The men’s lacrosse team is feeling the adverse effect of the firing of basketball coach John Dzik as they struggle through their practice season. With the men’s first game less than three weeks away, the goal area of their field is still covered with a tarp that has done very little in preventing the field from turning into a near swamp. Prior to the firing of Dzik, the team practiced on a turf field provided for free by a Cabrini alumnus as a favor to Dzik.

A close friend and 1987 alumnus of Cabrini College, Charlie Dodds, has allowed the men’s soccer team to use his indoor f ield at Rocket Sports in Wayne for the past three years. Last year Dzik approached Dodds and asked if the men’s lacrosse team could use the outdoor turf field at Rocket Sports. Dodds, who is a huge Dzik fan and suppor ter, agreed without question. Dodds

said, “I never took a dime from Cabrini. I allowed the lacrosse team to practice on the turf when weather was bad. The favor was done out of the utmost respect for John Dzik.”

The men’s head lacrosse coach, Stephen Colfer, said, “Charlie [Dodds] can choose to do what he wants with his facility. Unfortunately it is hurting the wrong people. Although I do understand his standpoint and respect that he has conviction, I feel the lacrosse team is caught in the middle.”

As a result of the Jan. 22 snowstorm that dumped over a foot of snow on the fields, the ground is underwater and the grass is too soft and muddy to use during practice. Sophomore Ryan Dunn said, “His [Charlie Dodds] actions hurt the lacrosse team because we cannot practice real game situations until the weather is warmer and the f ield begins to dry out, which won’t be for awhile because of all the snow that is still melting.”

Colfer said, “The Dixon

Center was built for basketball and volleyball, not lacrosse. We have been practicing in the field house and we are at a competitive disadvantage because we’re practicing on a court that is half the size of our field. Seventyfive percent of lacrosse is up and down running and we are not able to practice that in the field house.”

Dodds was a soccer player when he attended Cabrini and met Dzik through his work-study job in the athletic office. Dodds said, “I never played basketball for him but he still had such a positive influence on my life. It was like having a father on campus.”

Dodds feels Cabrini’s athletic program will be in “big trouble and will lack leadership without him.” Because of the tremendous respect Dodds has for Dzik and the anger he felt after learning of the administration’s decision, he said, “I called the athletic department and told them that Rocket Sports was off limits for any Cabrini team.”

Rob Tinsley, a junior business administration major, said, “I feel the f ield situation is ridiculous. Our team is being punished for something we have no control over. There is no question that I respect Coach Dzik but the administration chose to fire Dzik, not the men’s lacrosse team.”

The team’s first scrimmage was played Feb. 12 on Villanova’s turf field.

Colfer said, “We have been talking about a turf field for nine seasons and we still don’t have one. The lack of useable practice space has affected the men psychologically. The team was so excited to practice at Rocket Sports and really looking forward to the turf field and then it was taken away for reasons that have nothing to do with the men.”

Despite concerns over practice space and the lack of space to practice on a full length f ield, the men defeated Villanova 7-4.

Dodds said, “My heart goes out to the teams that are affected

by this but I simply cannot get behind the college after making this decision regarding Coach Dzik. He is the heart and soul of Cabrini athletics. He is Cabrini. He is the man.”

Dodds speaks with Dzik on a regular basis and when he learned that Dodds was denying all teams the access to Rocket Sports, Dodds said, “Dzik was mad. He was upset that I was taking my anger over the situation out on the kids. Even when his back is up against the wall, he still puts the athletes’interest first.”

Despite the tremendous respect the lacrosse coaching staff and team has for Dzik, Colfer says, “Whether I disagree or agree with Charlie Dodds makes no difference at this point. The decision is made and I respect Charlie [Dodds] nonetheless. The bottom line is we are stuck in the middle and there is nothing we can do at this time.”

LAURA VAN DE PETTE/ASST.SPORTS EDITOR

Mens lacrosse has been forced to practice inside the Dixon Center due to Rocket Sports denying access to their turf field.

sent to Iadarola. If I can present her with a binder full of letters from the Cabrini community I can only hope that will make an impact and maybe she will begin to understand the importance of John Dzik to this community.”

Schepis continued to speak warmly about Dzik. He said, “I learned so much from him, most importantly I learned that success is loving what you do. He [Dzik] once told me that he is the luckiest guy in the world because he gets to wake up everyday and do something he loves.”

Amongst the cheers for Dzik and the alumni's touching stories of his incredible outpouring of love for the entire community, the legendary coach's words lingered. He said, “As the season begins to wind to a close, I am confronted with many emotions. Sadness is most paramount. I love Cabrini basketball and the students of the college. It is hard to leave something you love so dearly, especially when it is not your choice to leave.”

Dzik introduced each alumnus and spoke fondly of each player and his accomplishments. Parents, wives and children of the alumni looked on adoringly as their favorite coach celebrated history with his Cabrini players for probably the last time in his career. 1997 alumna Andrea Kelliher spoke of the tremendous impact Dzik has had on her life and her career path. “Dzik helped me get an internship in athletics during my sophomore, junior, and senior years at Cabrini. No one else would ever help me the way he did. I never played for him; I was just someone who he reached out to. It's appalling that the administration feels this decision is best for the college. This man was more than a coach; he was a father figure. He helped players fight academically, financially, emotionally, and athletically; now the alumni are here to help him f ight.”

Sitting next to Kelliher in the stands was college friend Jana Tidwell. Tidwell and her husband are '96 alumni who feel a lifelong connection to Dzik. “Whether you are a student or an athlete, he [Dzik] has acted as a mentor and a role model to thousands of Cabrini alumni. My husband would not be the man he is today without the guidance and mentoring of that man. It is sad; no one here is proud to be Cabrini alum. Most of us here will not step foot on this campus after he is gone. Iadarola clearly underestimated the power of alumni.”

Amongst the cheers for Dzik and the alumni's touching stories of his incredible outpouring of love for the entire community, the legendary coach's lingered. He said, “As the season begins to wind to a close, I am confronted with many emotions. Sadness is most paramount. I love Cabrini basketball and the students of the college. It is hard to leave something you love so dearly, especially when it is not your choice to leave.”

Swimmers score in second season

Andrew Matysik Asst. Sports Editor AJM722@cabrini.edu

The Cabrini swim team exploded with excitement on Feb. 12 for their final meet against long-time rival, Eastern University’s, swim team. Rivalry, however, was not the word to describe this meet. The relentless cheering for each other showed camaraderie between two teams that a reporter has never witnessed.

The budding team concluded their second season with many record breaking performances and a feeling of optimism for future years. The screams of support echoed in the Cabrini natatorium as swimmers torpedoed themselves through their

last strokes of the season.

Notable performances were put forth by freshman Meghan O’Leary who broke records for the 200-meter freestyle with a time of 2:16 and 100 meter butterfly with a time of 1:09. “ I improved my times so much since high school and I owe it all to the coaching. These are the best coaches that I have had,”

O’Leary said.

Freshman Christina Clark has also seen improvements in her times. She met her goal of swimming under seven minutes in the 500-meter freestyle. “We all had our personal goals to achieve and we have all achieved those goals or came very close to them,”

Clark said. Clark’s love for swimming is not the only reason

she enjoys being a Lady Cav. “I like to be on the swim team because the girls on it are like my second family,” Clark said.

“I thought the team swam well. We set many personal best times. Cabrini and Eastern got along famously and I think the swim teams can be the ones who bring more of a camaraderie between the schools,” Cabrini head coach Michael Kernicky said.

Next year the team plans to add some depth to its line up with seven already-enrolled swimmers. Several recruits have spend overnight visits with the swim team to get to know the team atmosphere and acquainted with the campus. “We have made great strides in the right direc-

tions. Not that last season wasn’t fun, but our team is like wine, it gets better each year. I’m looking forward next year to the new recruits coming,” said Derek Kay, second year assistant coach.

The team has been getting more serious and is planning to go to Florida next winter for a training trip. Fundraising is one of the top goals on the swim team’s agenda for its off -season.

During the off-season, captains will be holding voluntary practices. These work outs will include weight lifting, running and swimming. Any students who have an interest in swimming next year are encouraged to start working out with the team.

Friday, Feb. 18

Saturday, Feb. 19

•Men’s Basketball PAC Tournament TBA

• The Lion King on Broadway New York City, Bus Departs at 10 a.m.

Sunday, Feb. 20

•Mass 11 a.m., Bruckman Chapel of St. Joseph

•Art Exhibition: Joseph Frassetta, 3 p.m. Holy Spirit Library

Monday, Feb. 21

Tuesday, Feb. 22

•Men’s Basketball PAC Tournament TBA

•Women’s Basketball PAC Tournament TBA

Wednesday, Feb. 23

•Backpack to Briefcase, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Valley Forge Raddisson

Thursday, Feb. 24

•Men’s Basketball PAC Tournament TBA

•Women’s Basketball PAC Tournament TBA Notice:

GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER

The team gathers afer their victory against Eastern.This concluded the Lady Cavs’ second season. NINA SCIMENES/

Coach Kernicky leads the girls to victor y.

NINA SCIMENES/SPORTS EDITOR Meredith Kroener waits for swimmer to touch the wall as she anchors the 200 yard freestyle relay.