Feb. 7, 2019, Vol. 88 Issue 1

TheOnlineBeacon.com

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Volume 88 • Issue 1

Radio Practicum Revived Amid uproar, course offered as Independent Study

BY RON LEJA EDITOR-AT-LARGE with additional reporting from Corey Mitchell-Labrie, Senior News Editor, and Julia Teixeira, Beacon Web News

PHOTO BY KENNY OLCHOWSKI

Aidan Rawson, secretary of WJJW, came to MCLA in part because of the opportunity to work on the radio station and was a vocal critic of the decision to deny this semester’s Radio Practicum course.

Academic affairs reversed course Monday when they announced they would allow the radio practicum course to be offered this semester as an independent study after they had initially told students they could not take it as a course by arrangement.

Last week, students enrolled in radio practicum were shocked to discover an email sent by Deb Foss, the dean of academic operations, stating that “we have determined that we are not in a position to approve the CBA at this time.”

Beginning in 2017, radio practicum was granted the title of a course-by-arrangement (CBA). Unlike other courses listed in the class catalog, CBAs are not formally scheduled. By definition, it is technically not a course offered in the catalog.

However, should students hold interest and a professor is willing to advise it, the course can take place.

The conversion was originally suggested by Adrienne Wooters, the associate dean at the time, and later approved by the former dean, Monica Joslin.

Due to a technicality and what can only be understood as a communications mishap, the radio practicum course was removed on the basis that it never actually existed on the

PRACTICUM, Page 4

Neal to Speak Second TEDx North Adams Focuses on Power of Community at MCLA’s 120th Commencement

BY JOHN MORRISSEY STAFF WRITER

Eight speakers, including MCLA professor Lisa Donovan, spoke at TEDx in North Adams about community with the intent to spur further discussions that encourage people to connect.

Held Feb. 2, this was the second TEDx event held at MASS MoCA and included music and dance performances as well as talks ranging from getting potable water to desolate regions to expanding our minds to issues surrounding diversity and literacy.

Donovan, professor of arts management, outlined a lofty vision for the Berkshires, challenging its residents to build the Berkshires into the foremost education center for the arts.

“Berkshire County has the most renowned arts culture and humanities organizations of any rural area I have been,” Donovan said.

Donovan said according to her extensive research in the field of arts education, the biggest obstacles facing arts education in rural communities are: poverty, lack of economic opportunity, geographic spread, lack of philanthropic funding, transportation and lack of broadband.

“We have moved beyond the dreaming phase at this point and really are in the making-this-happen phase while we fly as we go; but this goal will be achieved,” Donovan said in predicting Berkshire County’s ability to claim the title of being the best in arts education.

“We have over 50 high-caliber arts, culture, and humanities organizations, and we can leverage change in rural areas in arts education by utilizing the unique relationships [of rural communities] to create networks which can be activated,” Donovan said.

MCLA, besides being one of the main sponsors, also showcased several of its alumni, in-

cluding Ben Lamb, a North Adams city councilman and emcee of the event.

Other sponsors of TEDx included: Adams Community Bank, Bright Ideas Brewing, Installation Space, 1Berkshire, Aladco, Holiday Inn, Lickety Split, Trés Niños, Empire Café, Grazie, and No+rth Adams Regional Arts and Culture Council.

MCLA’s footprint was also hard to miss in the audience, with faculty and alumni providing support and plenty of appreciation for the event. Dianne Scott, professor of fine and performing arts at MCLA, attended in order to support Donovan, her colleague.

“Seeing my former students and colleagues today made me super proud to be a part of the MCLA community,” Scott said. “The ability to come together like this does not exist in the larger communities and that’s what I love about here.”

Tenth-generation farmer Craig Floyd, manager of Coogan Farm in Mystic, Connecticut, has coordinated local donations of homegrown produce to provide over 25,000 individuals with nutritious produce. He explained this was only possible with the help of hundreds of volunteers from within his community. “If you care about your community … give them food,” Floyd said.

Hamza Farrukh, Williams College graduate and Forbes 30 Under 30 nominee, explained how he and his non-profit organization, BondhE-Shams, have made a global impact by finding an innovative way to safely clean and provide potable water to areas of the world where such a luxury never existed.

MCLA’s alumni dance team dysFUNKcrew – originally formed when they performed to-

TEDX, Page 4

BY JAKE VITALI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On Saturday, May 18, the 120th commencement address will be given by Richard Neal, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts’ First Congressional District.

Neal is the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees all revenue-raising measures in Congress, including taxation, tariffs, and programs including Social Security and Temporary Assistance for PHOTO FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Needy Families (TANF).

Neal is also a trustee at Mount In addition to giving the Holyoke College and a long-time commencement address, guest lecturer at UMass Amherst.

Neal will recieve an honorary doctorate in public service.

Also receiving honorary doctorates are community organizer Shirley Edgerton and former Mayor of North Adams, Richard Alcombright.

In a college press release, President James Birge expressed that all three set an inspirational example to the Class of 2019.

“We are thrilled that Congressman Richard Neal, Richard Alcombright, and Shirley Edgerton will join us at our 120th commencement as we honor them for their remarkable contributions to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Berkshires, and North Adams. The examples they have set will inspire our Class of 2019, as these new graduates embark upon this next step of their lives,” Birge said.

Connor Ogborn ‘19 expressed his satisfaction with the choice and expressed excitement with the decision.

“I think it’s great that they’re bringing in local people who have found success” Ogborn said.

News

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SGA: Standing with Students and Planning for the Future

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BY NATHAN BIRON STAFF WRITER The first two weeks of the Student Government Association’s (SGA) meetings were a prime example of feast and famine in terms of dealing with immediate problems and planning for long-term issues.

On Jan. 28, with a packed gallery, the first meeting of the semester had one of the largest turnouts to observe and participate in a scheduled SGA meeting. The room was full of upset and frustrated students who wanted to know why the radio practicum course had been cancelled.

Emily Williams, vice president of academic affairs, and Deborah Foss, dean of academic operations, attended the meeting as guest speakers to answer questions on behalf of the administration’s view. An intense discussion ensued.

Williams’s response to most of the questions asked was that the class was “never offered for the spring semester to begin with.” Most students were baffled and disappointed in many of the responses given. Other responses, such as Foss’s “[the course is] not required” left students even more upset.

The issue was resolved on Monday when the administration offered the course

PHOTO BY NATHAN BIRON

Emily Williams, vice president of academic affairs, attended the SGA meeting as a guest speaker to answer questions abut the Radio Practicum course. as an independent study to be taught by the original professor as a course-by-arrangement (CBA).

Along with discussion about radio practicum, WJJW members raised the issue of getting funding to upgrade equipment for the production lab.

Due to size constraints, the number of students allowed in the lab at any given time is limited to one or two. Jake Vitali, president of

WJJW, said the production lab is vital to students’ education, providing the skills needed to succeed in the communications job market.

Therefore, he said upgrading equipment is a priority.

SGA also voted to introduce new members Andrew Baillargeon ’19 and Amanda Botelho ’20 as senators at-large.

In the Feb. 4 meeting, which was sparsely attended, SGA started to address short-long-term issues.

Double-booked conference rooms have also been a point of contention between students and administration and was brought up during open discussion.

Student bookings have been overridden by administration officials who have taken priority when there has been double-booking.

Clubs often use the conference rooms when classes have ended for the day. Other staff meetings

have been moved into these rooms due to lack of available meeting space.

Duncan Hay resigned his position as SGA parliamentarian, leaving the position open.

SGA is planning an outreach event in April to show what SGA is all about and how students can join student government. The event will be aimed at newly-accepted students arriving this coming fall.

Tax Assistance Program Debuts on Cam pus

BY JAKE VITALI EDITOR IN-CHIEF For the first time, MCLA students will participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to offer free tax preparation assistance to students and members of the community.

A Berkshire United Way grant pays for the program, and the program is coordinated by Habitat for Humanity. The College has partnered with these organizations to offer VITA services on campus.

Thomas Whalen, professor of business administration, serves as president of the board of directors for the Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity and has been involved with the program for several years as a volunteer. Whalen first brought it to the attention of Tara Barboza, a business administration professor specializing in accounting, who is coordinating the effort.

“The advantage for us at MCLA is that our students in the business department – and hopefully at

some point we can open this up to students in all disciplines – are getting a full internship worth three credits, and they’re serving their community,” Barboza explained.

In order for students to participate, they must first pass a certification exam from the IRS. “This program really allows you to develop your soft skills because you’re meeting with the taxpayer and you have to learn how to give good and bad news,” Barboza said.

Barboza, who is also a certified public accountant (CPA) and an IRS enrolled agent (EA), saw the importance of having a handson internship through managing her own accounting practice.

“You need to have practical experience that translates immediately into the workplace,” Barboza said.

All students preparing tax returns applied with a cover letter and resume and had to complete an IRS certification exam.

Jessica Kozak ‘19 is one student participating in the program. She first found out about the opportunity when Barboza presented it to her

Financial Reporting 1 class. Kozak is excited to work with the community.

“I am most excited to meet with clients, answer their questions, and help them leave the VITA center with a sense of confidence and relief from having their taxes done correctly and efficiently,” Kozak said. “Filing taxes is generally pretty burdensome, and with complicated living circumstances, they can be frustrating and confusing.”

According to 2017 U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the median household income in North Adams was estimated at $38,774, making many in the community eligible for the free tax assistance program, including MCLA students. For many low-income individuals, hiring a tax professional is often out of the question.

“Filing a tax return that is incomplete or incorrect can lead to an IRS audit, which can cost people hundreds of dollars in penalties and representation fees,” Kozak said. “Lower-income individuals have it hard enough, many people in the Berkshires struggle to feed their families,

work minimum- or low-wage jobs, and have a hard time finding employment.”

In addition to IRS and Massachusetts state returns, the center can also help file returns for residents of New York and Vermont.

The center is located in the basement of Eldridge Hall in the former faculty lounge. It is open Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 to 8 p.m. as well as Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students are welcome to drop off returns to be completed, although the drop-off must be done at the center.

People looking for assistance may also call Habitat for Humanity at 413442-0002 to learn more about the eligibility requirements. They may also make an appointment at the center to have taxes prepared while they are present.

The VITA program started in 1971 and is offered through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to ensure that individuals of low-income backgrounds have access to quality tax services. It is available to anyone who earns $55,000 or less per year.

News

Feb. 7, 2019

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Spring 2019 Opening Breakfast Recap

BY NICHOLAS BASSETT MANAGING EDITOR President Birge’s spring semester opening breakfast addressed an almost full dining hall. Welcoming remarks came from MCLA’s Board of Trustees Chair Denise Marshall, Sen. Adam Hinds, and Rep. John Barrett ­– all of whom discussed the importance of higher education and accessibility of necessary resources to students.

Mayor Tom Bernard also welcomed the audience, speaking about how much the town of North Adams and MCLA mean to one another and the importance of continuing to work together. He would like to see students engage with the city of North Adams to get “real-world” experience and build a sense of community. Notably, he stated, “[I]t’s time we look at being small as a competitive advantage.”

Next, Mailroom and Copy Center Clerk Elizabeth Manns, representing the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, detailed recent negotiations between the College and the union.

“I can finally say that we have a contract and that the word has come down that the language is in effect … we can all look forward to the process starting over again in January of 2020,” Manns said.

Graziana Ramsden, MCLA’s faculty association president and professor of modern languages, also spoke

of the financial impediments within the state. She noted that every year, Massachusetts is underfunding public colleges and universities by $574 million. Ramsden also explained that if public colleges and universities are underfunded, student debt rises and students and families are the ones who pay for the state’s intentional divestment in public education.

Finally, President Birge stepped up to the podium. He began by praising MCLA and its accomplishments, marking its No. 9 ranking among public and liberal arts colleges by “US News and World Report,” as well as citing the University of Southern California’s Race and Equity Center’s praise listing MCLA as one of the top public institutions nationally for serving black students well.

Birge also explained that MCLA had earned a $360,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation as part of their Higher Education and Scholarship in the Humanities program. This foundation, according to their mission statement, works to “strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies.” Additionally, Birge stated that the school has secured Nikki Giovanni to speak at an event in connection to this program.

In an effort to communicate and have more transparency with the student body, Birge announced that he would be restoring the president’s council

Green Living Begins with Organic Products

BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

MCLA’s Green Living Seminar kicked off with a visit from Laura Davis, an independent organic inspector who is pushing to have farmers perform the necessary steps to obtain organic certification for their products.

Davis is a farmer based in Hopkins, Massachusetts, and her business, Long Life Farm, has been active since February of 2011.

One of Davis’s key talking points was to dispel some of the myths surrounding organic certifications.

“We [her farm] are not into chemicals, weed killers and that sort of thing,” Davis said. “So we felt a lot more comfortable going this route. And the one thing I really felt strongly about was the organic label would give us instant credibility with the market.”

Organic certifications extend to plant last and meat products made onsite.

Specifications are closely surveyed by people like Davis. For instance, for chick-

ens to be certified organic their diet needs to be a completely natural feed during the first two weeks of life.

“You hear all the time, ‘Oh I don’t want to get certified, it costs too much money.’

Well it doesn’t, especially if you’re a small farm,” Davis said. “Our certification fees are about $800, but we get $750 back from the cost-share program that’s part of the farm bill.”

“I’m born and raised in Chicago,” Davis later said.

“So I’m a midwest farmer’s daughter. And you go there and you see just tons and tons of chemicals everywhere, and just nothing covering ground water, and it’s just dark soil. But that’s changing.

This seminar is put on with the assistance of Elena Traister, professor and chair of environmental studies.

“This semester’s seminar is based around sustainable food and farming,” Traister said. “All presentations are free and open to the public.”

The Green Living Seminar takes place Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121.

PHOTO BY NICHOLAS BASSETT

President Birge welcoming attendees to MCLA’s spring semester opening breakfast.

– a 30 to 40 member group of faculty and students who would discuss challenges and opportunities throughout the College along with sharing data and addressing misinformation.

Birge concluded the breakfast by revealing the honorary doctorate recip-

ients for 2019: former North Adams Mayor Richard Alcombright, Community Activist and MCLA alumna Shirley Edgerton, and Democratic Congressman Richard Neal. Neal will also be giving the College’s May commencement address.

Foss, O’Bryant, Named to New Dean Positions

BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

MCLA sees new faculty changes in the spring semester, as Theresa O’Bryant takes up deanship of student success and engagement and Deb Foss becomes dean of academic operations.

President Birge announced their position appointments simultaneously, both assuming their respective offices Jan. 7. The appointments follow the retirement of Monica Joslin, the previous dean of academic affairs, who completed her tenure in early January.

“When Monica was finishing up as Academic Dean, the president was in a position where he needed to make some decisions about leadership positions in academic affairs, and in the institution,” O’Bryant said.

O’Bryant shared that both her and Foss’s positions were newly crafted by the collaboration between President Birge and Vice President Williams to fill the gap left by Joslin. The result is two en-

PHOTO FROM MCLA WEBSITE

Dean of Academic Operations Deborah Foss.

tirely new positions with like-minded end goals.

“The vice president and the president made the adjustment in staffing with a mind to creating a staying environment for our students,” O’Bryant said.

“So my charge is to work with the folks that work in the various centers that are committed to student success and engagement.”

Deborah Foss, as dean of academic operations, stated that she will be working on curriculums, both graduate and undergraduate. This includes changes to specific courses, course

catalogs and requirements.

“That means working with academic departments,” Foss said. “Curriculum changes, program reviews and things of that nature. I also oversee academic technology, continuing education, undergraduate research, the honors program, and also the registrar’s office.”

Foss has been teaching and doing administrative work for MCLA since 1987.

Originally taking up a position as a professor in the Psychology Department, she has since taken part in several of the College’s administrative bodies.

“I’ve been pretty active in terms of groups, committees, and structures looking at the whole student experience,” Foss said. “Not just what they get out of a psychology major or what they get out of a bachelor’s degree.”

O’Bryant will be working with many of MCLA’s assistance programs such as academic support, the tutoring program, supplemental in-

CHANGES, Page 4

News

Feb. 7, 2019

Students Save a Life

BY NICHOLAS BASSETT MANAGING EDITOR

During severe snow squalls the afternoon and evening of Wednesday, Jan. 30, a group of MCLA students walking along Church Street came upon a man also walking, unprepared for the weather, and assumed to be headed toward Main Street.

According to Public Safety, the man, wearing just a flannel shirt, jeans and leather boots, had come from the town of Cheshire before getting caught in the storm and was unsure where to go for shelter and how to get home.

Public Safety’s Sargent Peter Urbanowicz stated that the students initially offered help to the stranger, but he refused.

As stated in MCLA police logs, Public Safety received a call at approximately 5 p.m., presumably from the unknown students, explaining the situation.

Public Safety was then able to assist the man, thanks to the students.

Urbanowicz said he is confident the man’s life was saved because of the students’ actions.

TEDx, from page 1 gether as undergrads – gave a foot-pounding and hand-clapping performance, rallying the crowd while they spoke of how important community is for everyone to share in.

Ty Allan Jackson, award-winning children’s book author, spoke about the need for more diversity in children’s literature. He compared the necessity for diversity to the transformation of

the music industry with the onset of rap and hip hop.

A high-energy performance

by Mark Steward – multi-instrumental, singer, songwriter, song leader, composer and instrument designer – provided a change of pace. Steward’s music demonstrated to the audience that music can be enjoyed in any form at any time.

Kristen van Ginhoven, artistic director of WAM Theatre, discussed the impact WAM

Theatre has had creating opportunities for women and girls. To date, her theater has raised more than $56,000 for local and global organizations taking action for women and girls’ empowerment.

Author and speaker Catherine Storing focused her presentation on finding community in conflict. She explained that conflicts present an opportunity to bond rather than separate.

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Changes, from page 3 struction and disability resources.

“The position of dean of student success and engagement is a new position for the institution,” O’Bryant said.

“The vice president of academic affairs and the president of the College, they really wanted to focus on increasing student retention.”

“I think we can share a proposition that it is best for a student, generally, to come to college and in four years complete their PHOTO FROM MCLA WEBSITE college degree. And it is most seamless in educa- Dean of Student Success and Engagement tion when someone stays Theresa O’Bryant. at the institution that they general student experience. start at,” O’Bryant said.

Together, both women O’Bryant stated that the College currently had only hope to improve the student a 70 percent retention rate experience at MCLA, one of students moving from that statistically needs bolfreshman to sophomore stering even with its current year. She hopes to strength- ranking as a top liberal arts en that statistic not only in college according to the 2019 the college books but for the U.S. News and World Report.

Practicum, from page 1 books. While the course did occur, it has resided in an a gray, administrative area.

Although Foss and Williams claimed that the class never technically existed, radio practicum did appear in the 2018-2019 course catalog. Students were required to submit an add/drop form for the course, signed off by Jim Niedbalski, the course advisor, to eventually be submitted to the registrar’s office through Paul LeSage, the English and communications department chair.

Rather than offering the course as is, academic affairs planned to offer radio practicum as a noncredit elective.

This information came to light only a few days into the 2019 spring semester, leaving students enrolled in the course minimal time to decide on a replacement.

While many alternative courses were open, students voiced dissatisfaction with the idea of simply taking another class. The radio practicum allowed some students an opportunity to work in a field that genuinely interested them, one that they are passionate about and may even hope to develop into a career.

By not offering credit, students felt the radio station was not receiving the support it deserved.

For Aidan Rawson, host of WJJW’s “The Aidan Show,” removal of the course posed particular concerns.

“My decision to attend MCLA was mostly due to them offering a radio program,” Rawson explained.

“Not every college does. In making the move that the administration has, I honestly feel somewhat cheated.

This feels like false advertisement, and neither myself nor

“My decision to attend MCLA was mostly due to them offering a radio program.”

--Aidan Rawson my mother, who’s paying for my education, are happy about this. Without a radio program, I most likely won’t stay at MCLA.” Students were under the impression that radio practicum was a requirement for the broadcast media concentration. LeSage verified in a Beacon News interview Thursday, Jan. 31, that this wasn’t the case.

“Several years ago, a decision was made that the radio production course, which was a requirement for the broadcast media concentration, be replaced with radio practicum,” LeSage said.

“According to the administration, because they were unable to locate paperwork related to this decision, the course never actually existed. However, we’ve been considering radio practicum a replacement for radio production for years, and I am doing everything I can to get it back up and running.”

The MCLA administration made their decision without consulting either LeSage or Niedbalski.

“I don’t understand any of this, particularly the timing of the denial – the third day of classes,” Niedbalski remarked. ” If Academic Affairs was somehow confused as to what the CBA paperwork was, a 2-minute con-

versation with the English and Communications chair would have explained it. I found out about the denial from the students who were emailed by Academic Affairs on the denial notification. I was not contacted by Academic Affairs. “ In his Beacon News interview, LeSage also voiced his frustration with the lack of communication surrounding the issue.

“I wasn’t notified about this change ever occurring, so I really wasn’t granted any time to try to negotiate against it,” LeSage stated. “I found out about this on the Friday before the Martin Luther King weekend. Finding time to address this during the first week of classes proved to be a problem.”

Last week’s SGA meeting provided a platform for students involved in radio to speak with both Emily Williams, the vice president of academic affairs, and Foss.

Instead of conducting their regularly scheduled staff meeting, members of WJJW attended the SGA meeting after deciding that talking with the administration took precedence. Whereas the gallery typically may only consist of a few people, every seat was taken at this meeting. Even more students stood in the back.

Several questions were posed to both Williams and Foss, asking them to explain why they made their decision.

“In the fall of 2017, we undertook a list of curriculum changes for the English and communications department across multiple fields of study,” Williams said. ” Radio practicum was not mentioned, and to my understanding, the course has never been a requirement for the broadcast media concentration.” She went on to state that courses need to go through a governance process in order for them to be made a requirement.

“I am truly sorry that students were misled, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that you each get into the replacement courses of your choosing,” she said.

Both Williams and Foss were present for approximately the first 30 minutes of the meeting, after which they departed, leaving many students feeling they were left unable to voice their concerns.

Afterward, several students stated that they felt the administration seemed unresponsive to their dilemma, unwilling to take what they deemed appropriate action, and that they were by no means satisfied with the answers they had received.

Both students and alumni with fond memories of their time spent producing content through WJJW followed up the meeting with letters, emails and phone calls addressed to President Birge, Foss and Williams. Some students also attended President Birge’s conversational gathering on Thursday, Jan. 31.

With the encouragement of WJJW members, LeSage

worked out a deal with Academic Affairs in which the course would be offered as an independent study as announced to students on Monday.

The course, taken for one to three credits, will provide an experience that pertains to the interests of all students involved.

Other Course Options

Course by Arrangement (CBA): A course that has already existed in the catalog that is not being taught that semester, the student wants the take that course they can talk to the instructor and if the instructor agrees then it’s taught using the existing syllabus. Semester hours of credit instruction: 0.3 (3 or 4 credits) Independent and Directed Study: An individualized course that is created in conjunction between a student and faculty member in which pedagogical goals, leaning outcomes, and assessment criteria are agreed upon. Subject matter may vary but it’s generally in areas that are not specifically offered in the course catalog.

Semester hours of credit instruction: 0.25 (3 or 4 credits) Internship: It involves working with an organization outside of academia/ the college in which students gain practical working experience and knowledge. Organizations may vary, but pedagogical goals, learning outcomes, and assessment criteria are decided on in conjunction with a faculty advisor and a field supervisor.

Semester hours of credit instruction: 0.33 (3 or 4 credits)

Features

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Flower Focuses on New Services, FYE, Information Literacy Skills

BY MAYA MCFADDEN STAFF WRITER

Kate Flower, Freel Library’s new research and instruction librarian, said she intends to bring an artistic flair to the College’s library and a refreshing focus on information literacy skills for students.

Flower started in the library on Monday, Jan. 7. She has replaced retired librarian Linda Kaufmann.

One of the library’s first projects for the new semester was to do some remodeling on the main floor.

Flower explained that during the “revamping” they took down shelves to provide more comfortable seating, relocated many of the reference books and added new carpeting.

“I instantly was really happy here to see that they’re very action oriented,” Flower said.

Emphasizing the importance of information literacy to students is a huge goal for Flower.

To teach information literacy is to help students be able to understand the information they are given and also deem whether it is credible, Flower said.

“Information literacy skills

Flower at MASS MoCA’s Sol LeWitt exhibition. are hugely important, especially in today’s day and age,” Flower said. “I’d love to see it [information literacy] as one of the required skills for core.”

Flower also spoke about her interest in the College’s first-year experience (FYE) courses. She previously was a peer mentor for a first-year

PHOTO BY MAYA MCFADDEN

experience class at another institution. Her goal is to teach an FYE course, possibly on information systems.

“I have a syllabus in my head that I’m always thinking about and adding to,” Flower said.

A graduate of DePaul University, Flower majored in art history. She said she is

a “voracious reader” with a great interest in learning beyond a single academic discipline.

“When you’re a librarian you have to know a service level about everything,” Flower said.

Flower was previously the science librarian at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. Her work focused primarily on firstyear students and outreach events.

As the new research and instruction librarian, Flower now works with MCLA students at all grade levels.

Since her start, Flower said she has been working to establish trust with faculty members in hopes of being invited to classes to discuss with the students what the library has to offer.

She also hopes to work with staff members in other campus resource centers.

Her idea is to have additional services available in the library on established days – like the math drop-in center, the writing studio and information technology.

“I want to work to make it [library] a hub for students to get help on everything,” Flower said.

Flower is passionate about helping people and learning

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new things herself. She looks forward to working with students of all grade levels and academic fields.

“It’s like a scavenger hunt, every time somebody needs help and you can find them exactly what they’re looking for,” Flower said.

Despite her little experience, Flower oversees the library’s archives. She said she is open to “overcoming that barrier.”

To get more experience and learn more about archives, Flower has been speaking with an experienced librarian at Williams College.

“I think that the field of librarianship really meshes well with my personal ethics, I love to learn and help,” Flower said.

Flower has an office on the main floor of the library.

She also often sits at the reference table for students to readily ask for help.

The library’s online page also lists all of the librarians and their availability for students to schedule an appointment.

Throughout the year, Flower hopes to make herself a familiar face on campus to students, faculty and staff.

She will be working to help the campus to “overcome the intimidation of the library.

Nora Jones-style smoldering jazz

Sundays 9 to 10pm on 91.1 WJJW

LIVE MUSIC

KAVITA SHAH

Saturday, February 9, 8pm CLUB B10 | $15 STUDENTS | $17 ADVANCE $26 DAY OF | $40 PREFERRED

TICKETS: massmoca.org or 413. 622.2111 | North Adams, Mass.

Listen to the Beacon staff discuss this week’s challenges

Feb. 7, 2019

Arts & Entertainment

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‘Ten Spot Photography Show’ Kicks Off First Fridays Artswalk JENNIFER VANBRAMER A&E EDITOR The “Ten Spot Photography Show” kicked off Pittsfield’s February “First Fridays Artswalk” at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts last Friday night. The show will be having an opening reception next Thursday, Feb. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Lichtenstein, which also officially begins Pittsfield’s eighth annual “10x10 Upstreet Winter Arts Festival.”

“We have 10 local photographers that are featured here in the show,” said Shiobbean Lemme, administrative assistant of the cultural development office at the Lichtenstein.

“Referrals and submissions were made, and we decided this time to focus on photography.”

This invitational show features photographic works from Melissa Bissell, Lucie Castaldo, Denise Chandler, Susan Geller, Colleen Quinn, Emma Rothenberg-Ware, Susan Sabino, Carrie Wright, and a collaborative group of 17 students from Miss Hall’s School.

“We got our list of artists together and found that there organically became a theme,” Lemme said. “It’s an all-female roster, which wasn’t an intentional thing, it just happened to be that way.”

The show includes fine art photography on watercolor, black and white photography, printed photographs on canvases, larger framed pho-

Matte prints by Emma K. Rothenberg-Ware on display at the “Ten Spot Photography Show” until March 1. tographs, aluminum printed photographs, images fused between acrylics, fine art smooth matte prints, as well as a collection of smaller framed photographs.

“One of the greatest things is that it is supporting the 10x10 festival,” Lemme said.

“So, to have the show running through the entire month is really a preview for what’s coming up and anchors everything

from the Lichtenstein.”

Back in 2012, Pittsfield had established “First Fridays Artswalk” and held its very first night of opening receptions at over 30 locations throughout downtown. Retailers, restaurants, galleries, banks, offices, and several other establishments opened their doors to host a different artist each month, for the duration of one month, all year long.

Having the Lichtenstein Center right in downtown Pittsfield has provided more opportunities to host a wide variety of shows, galleries, and performances each and every year. It has allowed people to come together in one place, form connections with others, and share their stories among different groups.

“With everything else going on it really ties in downtown,”

PHOTO BY JENNIFER VANBRAMER

Lemme said. “I think it is a great way to see what Pittsfield has to offer – arts and culture is something that happens 365 days a year, not just on certain occasions.”

Be sure to check out the Lichtenstein’s “Ten Spot Photography Show” with its opening reception next Thursday, Feb. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m.

The show will also be on display until Friday, March 1.

Voices’ First Open Mic Night of Spring Semester SALI BAH A&E WRITER MCLA’s Voices kicked off the spring semester with their first open mic night in Sullivan Lounge last Friday night.

With a small audience, Voices’ open mic ambience was dimly lit and inviting, drawing in students on a cold winter evening.

Although Voices is primarily a poetry club on campus, their open mic nights are not limited to just poetry. There was a range of performances including dance, guitar-playing and original lyrics. All performers received a standing ovation and were shown a lot of support from the audience.

“We are opening up different parts of not just poetry, but singing, dancing and doing workshops,” said MCLA junior Ben Testa. “Last semester we were going through a lot of different things, but now we’re starting to pick it back up again.”

Testa was one of 12 perform-

PHOTO BY SALI BAH

Andrew Cruise (right) and Jonathan Watkins (left) performing at Voices’ open mic night.

ers at the event. He freestyle danced to the song “Medicine” by Bring Me The Horizon and later on, he sang “One More Light” by Linkin Park.

“This year we are definitely trying to reach out more to students,” Testa said. “Even if some people might not feel comfortable, they can bring their friends who can help them go out there and do what they want to do.”

Amanda Beres, ‘21 attended Voices’ open mic event as a first-timer. As an English major and aspiring writer, Beres was interested in finding out what Voices was all about.

“I love hearing what other people come up with,” Beres said. “I also like sharing what I come up with and getting feedback to see if what I’m doing is working.”

A more light-hearted performance of the night was given

by MCLA student Jonathan Watkins who, through song, was able to name all the nations in the world.

“When I was in second

grade, my teacher gave me a challenge, and she said if I could complete it, I would receive an A for the year, and I did,” Watkins said before throwing in the towel after naming a substantial number of nations.

Watkins has been a performer all of his life and spoke of his past experience on Broadway. Being part of Voices has provided him with new opportunities to perform in different ways.

“I don’t get many opportunities to do a performance when there’s not a long form of rehearsal beforehand,” Watkins said. “So for this, I can go up and kind of have fun. It really opens the stage for me to come and do some performances rather than doing something that’s almost a job.”

Voices will be hosting a workshop entitled “Black Out Poetry and Collaging Night” Friday, Feb. 15. They meet every Thursday at 7 p.m. in Bowman 222.

Arts & Entertainment

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First SAC Show of the Season Makes Great ‘First Impression’ SABRINA DAMMS A&E WRITER

The snow and chill in the air had no defense against a room full of laughter as the students kept warm at the Student Activities Council’s (SAC) comedy show with Justin Rupple Wednesday night, Jan. 30.

Rupple is known for winning Dana Carvey’s comedy show, “First Impressions,” on the USA Network. He has also been a voice-over actor in films such as, “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “The Fate of the Furious” and “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.” Rupple has provided voice-overs for celebrities including Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson.

“Any time Dwayne yells or screams the phrase ‘It’s a trap’ in “The Fate of the Furious,” it is most likely me,” Rupple explained.

“The show was really good,” Max Drzal Martel ‘21 said. “It’s interesting because MCLA always seems to find hidden voice actors.”

Having flown in from Los Angeles, Rupple wowed his audience with fantastic, funny material and spot-on impressions. He connected really well with the audience.

“I really liked how he interacted with the audience and made a connection with them,” Aidan Rawson ‘21 said. “A lot of comedians don’t do that. They go on

PHOTO BY SABRINA DAMMS

Justin Rupple is best known for winning on a comedic impression game show “First Impressions” on The USA Network. stage, perform their material, and then leave. Justin Rupple included us in his material and really made a connection.”

Early in his show, Rupple shared his experiences as an aspiring athlete, particularly as a wrestler, where he said he finished with a record of 0-19. He relayed a hilarious account of how he lost a match to a wrestler who pulled a broken contact lens out of her eye and then proceeded to beat him handily.

His improv portion of the show generated some of the biggest laughs. He took suggestions from people in the audience and impersonated some of their favorite celebrities, making those celebrities do whatever the audience suggested. For example, he impersonated Seth Rogan making a Pop Tart, Barack Obama impersonating Stewie from “Family Guy,” Rick from “Rick and Morty” annoying Shrek, and Professor Snape having a conversation

with Deadpool – just to name a few.

During some of his impersonations, Rupple described what the people sounded like in order to enhance his impersonations. For example, he described Deadpool as sounding like “Jim Carrey, but sexier.” He also shared some of his favorite impersonations from past shows, like Gandalf as a student’s English professor.

The students are not the only ones who enjoyed the

6

show. Rupple also enjoyed himself, calling the MCLA audience the “best laughers on the eastern seaboard.”

Rupple said North Adams reminded him of home because of the red brick buildings and the colonial style of the city. He said he enjoyed the historic churches from the turn of the century and felt that it was a perfect place for camera crews who may scope out a place to film a winter movie.

When asked why he chose to perform at universities, Rupple said, “College audiences are great. They are smart audiences. They laugh at the really funny stuff and let the other stuff go.”

Rupple also explained how performing at colleges really helps him find the best material for movies. He recollected his experiences while attending Washington State University in Pullman, Washington.

“When I went to college I would go and see entertainers every chance I could,” Rupple said.

As a broadcast journalism major, Rupple said he wanted to be able to talk freely without having someone looking over his shoulder.

He said being a comedian allows him to do that.

You can follow Justin Rupple on Twitter and Instagram at @TheRupple, visit his YouTube channel FunnyJustified, or go to his website: www. justinrupple.com.

‘Love Yourself’ Art Exhibition Opening Feb. 10 JENNIFER VANBRAMER A&E EDITOR The Arts in Recovery for Youth (AIRY) program will be hosting their very first “Love Yourself” art exhibition Sunday, Feb. 10 from 2 to 5 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre in downtown Pittsfield. This event will be a day to celebrate the arts and raise awareness about youth suicide prevention in Berkshire County.

“This [Love Yourself] event is really a celebration for young people,” said founder and director of AIRY, Marney Schorr. “It will give them a voice that is able to be heard in their community.”

As part of NUarts Gallery & Studios in Pittsfield, AIRY is a suicide prevention program that provides peer support and education to young people ages 13 to 26. The 16-week program offers social and emotional learning, creative youth development through expressive arts and

PHOTO BY JENNIFER VANBRAMER

A collaborative group painting made by AIRY students that will be on display Sunday, Feb.10, at The Colonial Theatre. behavior therapy, as well as learned to gain a sense of becommunity building. longing, hope, and empow“We’ve found that there erment to be their best selves. is a lot of stigma about sui- They are also provided with cide,” Schorr said. “People resources to learn about suireally don’t know how to cide prevention, safe talk, talk about it, but by listening safety planning, and stratto survivors and their stories egies to prevent self-harm. we can gain awareness and Upon completion of the proeducation about it to break gram, members are eligible that stigma.” to continue into step-up art Participants of AIRY have therapy groups, internships,

volunteer work, and/or peer leader roles in the community.

“The show is going to feature a number of things,” Schorr said. “We have an art show of 25 works for sale from the youth, poetry and music – that includes ukuleles, acoustic guitars, and acapella songs – and a variety of speakers.”

Speakers of the event include Schorr; Senator Adam Hinds, who will be giving the opening remarks; Lee Watroba, president of the Coalition for Suicide Prevention; and Peggy Morse, a loss survivor from the Coalition for Suicide Prevention. Youth speakers will also be in attendance to share their lived experiences and stories. “[It’s going to] open doors for people to talk about what they go through behind closed doors,” Schorr said. “[This event] encourages awareness and communication – these young people are working really hard to

overcome their struggles, get involved, and have bright futures.”

The first cut of a documentary film will also debut during the event. It is directed by new filmmaker, Raymond Brown, that takes an in-depth look at what AIRY is about.

“It’s his first documentary and he hopes to be able to help other people,” Schorr said. “Later this year, we are going to embark on a film therapy group right here in Pittsfield.”

Schorr is very excited about the upcoming show and expects a great turnout of people from the community.

“I want people to come out and support the youth,” Schorr said. “This is the time for them to have a stronger voice.”

Be sure to check out the “Love Yourself” art exhibition happening Sunday, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre in downtown Pittsfield.

Sports

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The Trailblazers supported and encouraged the five seniors with multiple flyers and colorful banners to celebrate their achievements for their four year careers.

8

PHOTO BY JABARI SHAKIR

Women’s Basketball Honors Players on Senior Day JABARI SHAKIR CO-SPORTS EDITOR Family and friends rally up for MCLA's Senior day celebration, but the Blazers came up short to continue their tenth game losing streak. The Trailblazers overall finished with 33 rebounds, nine assists, six steals and six blocks. The Blazers current record is 4-16 overall and 0-9 in the conference.

In the first quarter, the Lancers scored 16 points to overtake the Blazers and with their great defense held them at six points. In the first half, the score was 25-14 leaving Blazers trailing at an 11-point deficit.

The Trailblazers had an amazing third quarter, outscoring the Lancers 21-15 and giving themselves a fighting chance closing the quarter to a five-point deficit 40-35. In the fourth quarter, Gawron scored an amazing hook shot in the close in the score to 4441 giving the Blazers life.

Senior guard Courtney Pingelski lead the team with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. She shot 6-13 from the field, 6-7 from the free throw and 0-2 from the three-point arc. She is shooting a career total of 72.2 percent from the free throw line, 34.8 percent from the floor and 30.5 percent from three-point range. Overall in the MASCAC, Pingelski is currently placed 16th in points scored, 18th in steals and 14th in rebounds.

Additionally, her teammate senior guard Samantha Gawron had six rebounds, one assist and eight

points. She shot 75 percent from the court, perfect from the free throw line and 0-1 from behind the arc. She is shooting a career total of 36.4 field goal percentage, 26.6 three-point percentage, and 61.8 free throw percentage. Gawron is currently placed overall in the MASCAC at 14th in blocks and 16th in rebounds.

Tied for tenth in overall assists in the MASCAC, senior Mckenzie Robinson scored seven points, one rebound, three assists and two steals. She shot 33.3 percent from the field and three-point range. She went perfect from the free throw line. Robinson's current career total percentages are 31.8 from the field, 29.3 from the three-point range and 48.6 from the free throw line.

Number 14, 5-foot-9-inch senior L'Rae Brundige, tied with her fellow teammate, Karina Mattera, to score four points and one steal. Brundige also had three rebounds to Mattera's one rebound. Brundige's current career total percentages are 36 from the field, 15.4 from the three-point range and 75.4 from the free throw line. On the other hand, returning senior Mattera, after missing one season, maintains current career total percentages of 37.9 from the field, 24.7 from the three-point range and 69.8 from the free throw line. Brundige placed at 19th in scored points overall in the MASCAC. Despite the loss to Worcester State, Coach Loren

PHOTO BY JABARI SHAKIR

Stock's favorite thing about basketball is the competitiveness. "The competition and what it brings out of people, I love basketball season just the game, I will never get away from it," Stock said.

Also, she learns from her failures and tries to readjust afterward. "Understanding to find a value in a loss and trying to rebuild has taught me patience," Stock said.

Worcester State overall completed with a total of 49 rebounds, 13 assists, nine steals and eight blocks.

The Lancers are currently first place in the MASCAC with a record of 8-1 in the conference and an overall record of 17-5.

The 6-foot-2-inch senior center, Brittany Herring, tied her season-high with 26 points, nine rebounds, three steals, one assist and one block. She shot 85.7 percent from the free throw line and a perfect 10-10 from the field. Furthermore, she is currently placed overall first in blocks, sixth in rebounds, 15th in assists and 11th in points. Senior forward Kaitlyn Berkel had 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and three blocks. She shot perfect from the free throw line and 36.4 percent from the field. She is currently placed overall eighth in points scored, sixth blocks, 14th in steals and fourth in rebounds.

The Trailblazers will host Curry at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11.

PHOTO BY JABARI SHAKIR

Senior guard Karina Mattera’s career totals are 500 points, 132 rebounds, 77 assists, 59 steals and 15 blocks.

Senior guard Mckenzie Robinson’s career totals are 464 points, 218 rebounds, 250 assists, 112 steals and four blocks.

PHOTO BY JABARI SHAKIR

Senior guard Courtney Pingelski’s career totals are 769 points, 393 rebounds, 108 assists, 120 steals and nine blocks.

PHOTO BY JABARI SHAKIR

Senior guard Sam Gawron’s career totals are 533 points, 310 rebounds, 91 assists, 58 steals and 20 blocks.

PHOTO BY JABARI SHAKIR

Senior forward L’Rae Brundige’s career totals are 416 points, 197 rebounds, 61 assists, 26 steals and 11 blocks.

Sports

Feb. 7, 2019

Demartinis and Monroe Lead Trailblazers to Victory

BY BRADY GEROW CO-SPORTS EDITOR

MCLA Mens Basketball MCLA (80), Worcester State (72)

27 Pts, 3 Stl, 2 Reb

Chris Cardoso (Worcester) 27 Pts, 6 Reb, 2 Stl

MCLA Womens Basketball

MCLA (48), Worcester State (60)

Courtney Pingelski (MCLA) 18 Pts, 7 Reb, 5 Ast, 2 Stl

Brittany Herring (Worcester) 26 Pts, 9 Reb, Ast, Stl, 3 Blk Ast, 2 Blk 16 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Stl PHOTOS BY JABARI SHAKIR

MCLA sophomore Mike Demartinis (left picture, light jersey) going into the lane on Saturdays 80-72 win over Worcester State. Demartinis finished the night with 27 points, three steals, and two rebounds in the win. Junior Ki-Shawn Monroe (right picture) added to the win with a bit of everything. Monroe recorded eight points, ten rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

For the Lancers, sophomore Chris Cardoso led the effort with 27 points of his own with six rebounds and two steals to back it up.

Despite three starters on the Lancers scoring in double-digits, the Blazers’ bench was able to outscore the Lancers’ bench 30-13, accounting for much of Blazers’ success in the game.

The Blazers improve to 6-15 with the win and have won two of their last three games. They face off against Salem State Wednesday, Feb. 13, in the last home game of the season. The Lancers move to 11-11 with the loss and look to get back on track against Fitchburg State Saturday, Feb. 9.

Defense Dominates in Slow-moving Super Bowl LIII

BY BRADY GEROW SPORTS CO-EDITOR

NBA

Boston Celtics (103), Cleveland Cavaliers (96)

Jayson Tatum (Bos) 25 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST 10-12. 100 yds, 0 TD

Collin Sexton (Cle) 27 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST

NBA

Toronto Raptors (119), Philadelphia 76ers (107)

Serge Ibaka (Tor) 20 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST2 Stl,

Joel Embiid (Phi) 37 PTS, 13 REB, 2 AST

NHL

Chicago Blackhawks (6), Edmonton Oilers (2)

Patrick Kane (Chi) PHOTO BY PATRICK SEMANSKY, ASSOCIATED PRESS

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick celbrating with his granddaughter, with the Lombardi Trophy behind him after winning Super Bowl LIII (53). The Patirots defeated the Rams 13-3 after a great game form Belichick’s defensive unit. known, especially given that they had run six pass plays with a 12 personnel package, getting 8.8 yards per play and a 60 percent success rate.

McVay had a great year as the Rams head coach, but this bump in the road couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Rams. There is no way to know, but if McVay and his coordinators would have opened the playbook they may have had more success.

Belichick’s defense took advantage of the zone coverage keeping the Rams receivers in check seemingly all night.

Defensive back Stephon Gilmore was also able to grab

a fourth quarter interception on LA’s Jared Goff leading to the Patriots’ last field goal to make it 13-3.

Brady has to have his shine too. Brady threw an interception on the first drive of the game and had some questionable throws through three quarters, but he came up when they needed him.

In Brady’s first possession of the fourth quarter, he went 4/4 for 67 yards on four straight plays. The last being a 29-yard pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski, setting up rookie running back Sony Michel to score the sole touchdown of Super Bowl

LIII from the two-yard line.

Brady’s slow night on offense was not his fault entirely, as McVay’s defensive backfield was keeping Brady’s receivers in check, and the defensive line led

by Aaron Donald was after Brady all night.

Despite the lower than usual production from Brady, Belichick answered the call, and along with his coordinators, got the job done through game-plan and knowing your opponent. In a year that didn’t look favorable to the Patriots at the start, they found their way to, and won, their sixth Super Bowl.

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SCORE BOARD

Mike Demartinis (MCLA)

The MCLA Trailblazers men’s basketball team defeated the Worcester State Lancers 80-72 at home led by sophomore Mike Demartinis in a back-and-forth battle that saw 13 lead changes and 11 ties.

The duo of Demartinis and junior Ki-Shawn Monroe teamed up for 22 points in the second half to lead the Blazers to a 46-point half, helping propel them to the win.

With only a few minutes left to play, and the score at 67-66 in favor of the Lancers, Demartinis would drive to the lane for a lay-up putting the score at 68-67 Blazers.

Monroe then followed suit hitting a pull-up jumper after a huge block by sophomore Tanner Owens on the defensive end. With just under twoand-one-half minutes to play, the Blazers were up by three.

Sophomore Quran Davis would add to the effort, hitting one of the biggest threes of the game with just under two minutes remaining to put the Blazers up 73-69.

The Blazers would survive the final minute making seven of 10 free throws in the final minute-and-a-half to win by a score of 80-72.

Demartinis led the charge for the Blazers, dropping 27 points along with two rebounds and three steals.

Monroe helped out by adding eight points, ten rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

For the sixth time in the Bill Belichick and Tom Brady era, the New England Patriots have won the Super Bowl, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in a defensive showdown for Super Bowl LIII (53).

Belichick finally has one to really call his, as he and his staff orchestrated a perfect defensive gameplan to completely shut down the second-ranked offense in the 2018 regular season and hold them to three points.

Belichick went into the game adding more zone coverage to their defensive scheme to counter the Rams’ favorite offensive package for pass plays, 11 personnel pass plays.

Belichick’s defense ranked third in the NFL against 11 personnel pass plays. Against those plays, the Patriots held the Rams to 5.6 yards per attempt with a 29 percent success rate on the plays. The Rams ran 36 snaps with that personnel package.

Why Rams Head Coach Sean McVay didn’t change it up during the game is un-

TheOnlineBeacon.com

1 Goal, 1 Ast, 2 +/-, 4 Shots

Leon Draisaitl (Edm) 2 Goal, -2 +/-, 6 Shots

NHL

Boston Bruins (3), New York Islanders (1)

Jordan Eberle (NY) Goal, -1 +/-, 2 ShotsAst, 2 Stl

Patrice Bergeron (Bos) 2 Goal, 2 +/-, 4 Shots

Opinion

TheOnlineBeacon.com

:

10

Letter from Pushing Forward with Student Media the Editor To Our Readers,

At the end of my freshman year, WJJW Advisor Jim Niedbalski suggested I take Writing and Reporting News 1 in the fall of my sophomore year. I’d like to think that it was because he saw potential in the interviews I was doing as part of a satirical news program at the time, or maybe because he knew studying political science and public policy just wasn’t for me. I’m not sure why he did it, but he was right.

One October afternoon class, I approached Shawn McIntosh and asked him about changing majors. He agreed it was a good idea and agreed to become my advisor. I knew that at some point studying journalism would lead me to The Beacon but truth be told, I never saw it as being something I’d do for more than one semester. My interests have always been in radio.

That spring I joined as an audio reporter and an arts and entertainment writer. My time on staff left me feeling that both myself and The Beacon as a whole weren’t maximizing our potential. With most of the E-Board gradu-

ating and likely candidates studying abroad, I was promoted to managing editor for the fall 2018 semester. The opportunity allowed me to learn from the best in Ron Leja, understand all of The Beacon’s moving parts, form a closer connection with many of the people involved, and identify our strengths and weaknesses.

Entering this semester, a part of me feels that I do not deserve the opportunity to be the editor-in-chief. I cannot help but think that there is a more qualified candidate for the job or that I do not possess the portfolio to merit this promotion. Yet despite this, I am excited for the opportunity to rise to the occasion.

The Beacon is one of, if the most important student organizations on the MCLA campus. Each of us is a part of its continuing legacy to uphold the standards of ethical journalism and to report newsworthy information to our readers, viewers, and soon to be radio listeners.

This semester we will be continuing our collaboration and convergence efforts with Beacon Web News, led by Executive Producer Karen Canela. It

is our goal to collaborate on as many stories as possible and provide students involved in both mediums an opportunity to gain experience in the other. In today’s media environment, it helps to know even just a little about a lot.

In addition, this semester The Beacon will partner with WJJW 91.1 FM for a weekly news magazine program Sundays from 9 to 10 p.m. This project comes as a result of powerful dialog between both organizations and will allow students involved in both organizations to tell stories in a more intimate setting with long-form discussions. WJJW maintains its FCC license and also has a broadcast range which extends well beyond the gates of campus, allowing us to engage a new audience.

One significant change occurring this semester is the appearance of The Beacon masthead. This semester myself, Managing Editor Nicholas Bassett, and Editor-at-Large Ron Leja have worked to create a new nameplate on page one, new section headers, new body text, pull quote styles, and photo credits and captions. Our

intent with this redesign is to make The Beacon more reader friendly and give it a modern edge, while maintaining its heritage as a newspaper.

Coupled with this redesign is the relocation of some sections. Pages 1 through 4 will remain dedicated news pages, with Page 5 being dedicated to feature-oriented stories. Arts and entertainment will remain on Pages 6 and 7, with Pages 8 and 9 becoming the sports section. Pages 10 and 11 will be dedicated to opinion, reader submissions, cartoons, etc. Page 12 will be reserved for photographs and advertisements.

As we enter this semester I would like to thank you for your continued support and readership. On behalf of the paper, we are excited to bring meaningful, important, and timely stories to you each week, and we hope that whether it is story suggestions, letters to the editor, photos, or even just comments on our pieces, that you will consider helping us continue to be at our best.

Sincerely, Jacob E. Vitali

Love ’em or Hate ’em, the Patriots are Champions The Beacon newspaper is based here at MCLA in Massachusetts, the New England region, which means this article is likely preaching to the choir for the most part. Still, with the New England Patriots defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII, the Patriots won yet another Super Bowl.

Tom Brady, legendary soonto-be first-ballot Hall of Famer, now has six Super Bowl wins (most won by any player to ever play the game). Legendary coach Bill Belichick is tied with Curly Lambeau and George Halas for most Super Bowl rings as a coach.

The Rams’ explosive offense, one which was on the brink of breaking all-time NFL records during the regular season, was only able to muster a single field goal against an abruptly dominant Patriots defense. In the first half, Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman outgained the entire Rams offense in yards by himself, and he nearly doubled them up at that.

The tout front line of the Rams, while not leaving Tom Brady untouched and doing a reasonable job containing the New England-run game, was unable to get consistent pressure against the NFL’s fastest passer and an all too under-

ANDREW BAILLARGEON THE CALL rated offensive line.

Of course, the matchup on the sidelines was dominated by the Patriots. Sean McVay’s halftime adjustments, if there were any, didn’t seem to gain any ground at all when his team went into the locker room down 3-0. All in all, it was a start-to-finish affair for the Patriots, as the Rams showed virtually no signs of life all game long and never truly threatened to make the game close.

With that, where do the Patriots stand amongst the NFL for overall greatness? What about Tom Brady, a man being discussed as the best quarterback of all time? Bill Belichick deserves some attention too; is he the best to ever do it as a head coach?

The answer is simple; all three are the best in their re-

Want to write a guest column?

spective areas. The Patriots are tied with the Steelers for most Super Bowl rings for a franchise. Well, the Patriots’ amazing dynasty has managed to win all of those rings with the same quarterback and head coach duo the whole way.

Where the Steelers dominated the 1970s, the Patriots have dominated the 21st century of football. New England joins the Atlanta Braves of the MLB as the only team in North American sports history to win their division ten years in a row. New England has also appeared in the Super Bowl five times this decade, including three and a row and four of the last five. They’re the only team to ever go 19-0, which they did in 2007.

For Tom Brady’s part, he has won more postseason games as a player than 28 total NFL franchises do in their respective histories. He now has won more Super Bowls than any player ever.

Bill Belichick is tied for the most Super Bowl wins as a head coach himself. Many people forget he also won two Super Bowls as an assistant for the New York Giants in the 1990s. Speaking of which, Belichick has been in the NFL since 1975 – a career in profession-

al sports which is more than twice the age of the vast majority of MCLA’s college students.

Both Brady and Belichick have decorated regular season and postseason resumes. As a duo, they took what was once a mediocre Patriots team and transformed it into more than likely the greatest team in NFL history.

Like any other great team, New England has plenty of haters. We saw that in full force this postseason; was anybody talking about changing the NFL’s overtime rules before the Patriots beat the Chiefs in overtime of the AFC Championship? Of course, had the Chiefs won that game, we wouldn’t have heard a whisper of such things.

Obviously, we don’t hear about how defensively oriented games are ‘boring’ until the Patriots defeated the Rams in a defensive struggle in this Super Bowl. Has anybody tried harder to push ‘they cheated!’ narratives than those who detest the Patriots? Tuck rule, spygate, and deflategate are examples of various narratives that the masses like to use to make themselves feel better about their subpar teams.

If we REALLY want to talk about cheating, how about

comparing the Patriots to their fellow six-time Super Bowl-winning rivals in the Steelers? After all, the Steelers are largely thought to have been the team which blazed the trail for steroid usage around the NFL during their prolific runs in the 1970s. That’s not just smoke and mirrors either; these assertions have been thoroughly discussed by former Steelers players, former opponents of the Steelers, and former team doctors.

While steroids weren’t actually illegal in the NFL at the time, it seems difficult to believe that a rule, ‘awry’ sideline tape of your opponent (which is technically legal by NFL standards) and slightly underinflated balls could be conceived as more egregious than the usage of performance-enhancing drugs.

But of course, most who aren’t Patriots fans, as previously mentioned, have no capacity other than to try to make their mediocre favorite teams stand up against New England a little more favorably.

Let it be known, however, that the Patriots’ Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are now – and will be for a long time to come – undeniably the greatest at their respective positions.

If interested, contact Jake Vitali at jv1339@mcla.edu or Nicholas Bassett at nb3227@mcla.edu

Opinion

Feb. 7, 2019

TheOnlineBeacon.com

11

Editorial

Students Making Waves The problem that has come out of the radio practicum doesn’t seem to be that academic affairs wants to purposely give students and faculty a hard time and make getting into certain courses difficult. It seems to be more of an issue of people trying to do what they think is right and struggling with their presentation of the solution.

Academic affairs was concerned with making sure that everything within English/ communications was done in a by-the-book format. While we can understand following the rules and processes, it is our opinion that there was a lack of concern shown for the impact this decision would have on students.

Academic affairs clearly wanted the course to be on the academic schedule and to no longer be offered as a course-by-arrangement (CBA).

It feels that the administration denied the CBA to force the department’s hand to officially schedule the course, instead of communicating the concerns

that originally existed.

Even if there was no intent to craft a step-by-step plan to reinstate radio practicum, the college was quick to underestimate students and their maturity. Students here are not children; while they might be angry they do deserve honesty and transparency, something that academic affairs lacked throughout this process.

Students are concerned about graduating in a timely manner and taking courses that apply to their field of study. These students demonstrated that they did not want an alternative; they wanted the unique skills that can only be learned from being a part of the College radio station.

We pay significant sums of money and borrow more to be students at this College. Many of us are involved in multiple clubs and organizations and are active members of the community. Through this process it felt that without us, administrators would be searching for another profession.

The students of WJJW not

only banded together in a unique way, but also involved faculty, alumni and members of the community. They demonstrated that the content they produce on a daily basis has a profound impact on all parties involved and we hope that the college is able to learn from their efforts.

We hope that as a result of what happened here, people are able to learn from their mistakes. Actively speaking out, asking questions and engaging in discourse is the only way we can build trust and improve on our flaws.

As partners in student media, we are proud of their ability to bring people together and hold people accountable.

Doing so is no easy task.

Through their efforts, the radio practicum course has been revived as an independent study for this semester and there are efforts being made to ensure that this course goes through the proper channels. We hope that in the wake of this, more students will follow suit.

As a student and active member of the MCLA community, I am writing to express my concern with recent changes coming out of Academic Affairs. Over the past weeks there has been much conversation about the termination of the Radio Practicum course. However, there has been less conversation about other changes occurring. I think it is necessary to bring these institutional changes to the attention of The Beacon readership.

As a Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) minor I am most concerned about recent notification that Ingrid Castro, director of WGSS and sociology professor, will no longer be given a course reduction for the important work she has been doing to grow and facilitate the vibrant minor. The WGSS minor, previously the Women Studies minor, is one of the longest standing minors at MCLA. For decades, students and

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Letter to the Editor To the Editor,

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faculty interested in the growing field of WGSS have been able to collaborate, learn side-by-side and contribute to the growing field of WGSS. This minor incorporates a wide range of courses, allowing students who choose to enroll in the minor to explore varied interests and take an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Faculty whose research is rooted in WGSS have been able to share their valuable insights with all of those who participate in the minor.

WGSS reaches further than just coursework. Each spring there is a dinner in honor of graduating WGSS seniors, a cherished event for all those who participate. Throughout the year, the director of WGSS often facilitates events and sends out periodic newsletters.

Spring 2018 had one of the largest graduating classes of WGSS minors, leaving behind fewer students enrolled.

Castro worked hard to recruit, bringing minors from

fewer than 20 beginning in Fall 2018 to over 40 in Spring 2019. With the new changes, the profile of WGSS will change greatly. Castro will no longer be able to recruit new students or program, as she has been able in the past.

I know many small liberal arts colleges like MCLA are struggling with enrollment and budgetary issues. I believe that special programs like WGSS are what make MCLA unique; they drive students to strive to learn more and even encourage potential students to come to MCLA. I will close my letter by saying that these changes are not reserved to Radio Practicum and WGSS, please have conversations with faculty and other students to hear how they are being affected by these new institutional changes. As students, we must speak up in hopes of taking control of our institution and our education.

Best, Victoria Muñoz

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Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Jake Vitali

Managing Editor Nicholas Bassett

A & E Editor Jennifer VanBramer

Senior News Editor

Co-Sports Editors

Corey Mitchell-Labrie

Brady Gerow Jabari Shakir

Editor-at-Large Ron Leja

Copy Chief

Website Editor

Elizabeth Haight

Andrew Clarke

BWN Executive Producer Karen Canela

Staff Staff Writers Maya McFadden Tessa Sestito Nathan Biron John Morrissey

A&E Writers Salimatu Bah Sabrina Damms

Copy Editor

Tessa Sestito

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Feb. 7, 2019

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