T hu r s day , N ov e mb e r 2, 2017
Volume 85
Issue 7
GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA
CAMPUS CENTER RENOVATIONS
Changes worth the weight Speech sparks controversy BY MITCHELL CHAPMAN FEATURES EDITOR
An artistic rendering of the improved fitness center set to open in spring 2019.
photo by Ron Leja
Expanded fitness center and additional Cafe entrance BY COREY MITCHELLLABRIE STAFF WRITER The pool’s glass windows and doors have been adorned with brown paper and tape as the College prepares for its great transformation. The road map is set, and if everything goes as planned, the space should reopen in Spring 2019 as the new fitness center. MCLA also plans to work on the Centennial Room this summer as part of their renewed contract with ARAMARK, intending to modernize the space and allow easier access between the campus center and Montana
Street. “The pool project is really exciting,” said Laura Mooney, director of athletics. “It’s definitely not an athletic department project, this is something the College has decided is the best thing to help enhance the student experience overall.” Mooney’s department looks to grow once renovations to the former pool area are finished. These renovations include not only an increase of space, but also a more consistent and better laid out office space for them as well. “Currently our staff is in three different locations,” she said from her office.
“There’s only four of us here, four people down on the ground floor, three people in Venable and two people on the third floor where Cathy’s office is.” Mooney’s office is located on the second floor of the campus center. “It’ll be helpful,” she said. “To build some more space to make it a more cohesive department, instead of constantly trying to track people down.” Mooney hopes for several more circuit machines, free weights and especially treadmills, of which the college only has four. Also with the new space will come a designated core workout
Renovation page 2
Why are guns so popular in America? Gun Owners of America Executive Director Emeritus Larry Pratt will answer that question tonight at 7p.m. in the Feigenbaum Science Center, room 121, in a talk hosted by the College Republicans and Political Science Club. The event is free and open to the public. “The goal of College Republicans and Political Science Club hosting Larry Pratt from Gun Owners of America is to educate the student body on the right to self defense outlined to all Americans in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution,” College Republicans Chair Kaitlin Wright said. “Pratt’s talk will focus on gun trends in the United States and the phenomenon of why guns are so popular here in America, versus countries around the globe. Overall, the purpose of this discussion is to address a topic that impacts all students equally, as every American has the right to bear arms.” However, Pratt’s visit was not received without controversy. Upon announcement of his visit, Emily Young, the president of Students for a Democratic Society, began organizing a counterprotest. “I received word that an individual hosted by the College Republicans named Larry Pratt will be attending our school for a discussion on gun control on a college campus,” Young wrote in an
email to several SGA club presidents, provided to The Beacon. “This individual has expressed racist comments on several ethnic groups as well as participated in a talk that hosted Neo-Nazis. He has also been featured on a paper that is run by groups of the KKK... My group is offering to all clubs that could have some interest in doing an event with SDS, counterprotesting his arrival.” Young’s protest fell through, as she explained in a follow-up interview with The Beacon. “Due to complications and lack of responses to my email, there was no support in doing a protest,” Young said. “The best response I can give you is that we didn’t get far enough to have a cohesive plan.” Pratt is a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates. He was forced to resign in 1996 as co-chairman of Patrick Buchanan’s presidential campaign due to his involvement as a speaker for the 1992 Gathering of Christian Men in Estes Park, Colo., where he allegedly met with militia leaders and white supremacists. He has worked closely with the National Rifle Association, appearing on programs such as Piers Morgan, The Today Show, Good Morning America and Larry King Live, advocating on behalf of Second Amendment rights. Gun Owners of America has 1.5 million members in the U.S., and is involved in providing legal assistance to those involved in lawsuits with the Bureau
GOA page 2
VADNAIS LECTURE
Ballantine: Preserve land for public use and enjoyment BY HANNAH SNELL STAFF WRITER
Joanna Ballantine, the vice president of the Trustees of Reservations for the Western Region, focused on the state of preservation and conservation in Massachusetts, the challenges faced in doing so, the opportunities and the Trustees’ role in the process in her lecture entitled, “A Century of Preserving Nature and Culture for Future Generations: What’s Next?” on Oct. 26 in Murdock 218. Ballantine now oversees over 60 properties in Massachusetts as a part
of her portfolio. According to Ballantine, the Trustees have protected over 70,000 acres of land, 27,000 acres open for public use, as well as 75 miles of coastline. “Our mission, which has remained unchanged, is to preserve for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic and ecological value in Massachusetts,” said Ballantine, summarizing the Trustees’ mission. The Board of Trustees is now in their fifth year of their strategic plan. The four pillars of the strategic plan, Ballantine explained, include “Protect,”
“Steward,” “Excite” and “Grow.” “Protect,” refers to the Trustees’ efforts to conserve properties, “Steward,” to excellence in resource care, “Excite,” to engaging the public in their efforts and “Grow,” to how the Trustees’ presence can expand. Recently, the Trustees’ move in office gave them a presence in Pioneer Valley. Some of the factors affecting these goals, however, include erosion, rising sea levels, coastal vulnerability and other issues related to climate change. Ballantine explained that some of her fondest memories from childhood were spent looking for salamanders
before dinner time. This connection to the outdoors, she explained, is crucial in engaging the public. According to Ballantine, kids are currently spending at least seven hours in front of screens and less time outside. Ballantine described this as both a health crisis and one that prevents future generations from being connected to nature and the properties. In order to engage more children, regardless of background, the Trustees have programs that send kids to Trustee Farm Camp in Martha’s Vineyard, and have a network of over 56 com-
Ballantine page 2
CAMPUSNEWS
2
Nov. 2, 2017 Vol. 85 Issue 7
Parliamentarian Resigns; Seats Discussed BY JOSEPH CAREW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF This week’s Student Government Association meeting saw Parliamentarian Jacob Vitali resign from his position effective immediately. Vitali cited recent health concerns as one of the reasons for his departure from SGA. A co-sponsorship with an independent study student for an upcoming fashion show, “Many Nations One Thread,” was brought up, discussed and approved for the sum of $1,810. This money will come out of the roughly $103,000 budget of SGA. Complications arose when the motion to approve a cosponsorship of $1,800 was
withdrawn for more discussion. But, as it is impossible to make the same motion twice, $10 was added on and the approval of the SGA cosponsorship was unanimous. The event is set to be free and open to the public with preferred seating for those who donate $30. Three to four members of SGA were also requested to volunteer at the event on Nov. 28. A special open forum meeting of SGA saw students voice their concerns and comments on a variety of SGA-related topics. The proposed multicultural and LGBTQIA+ chairs were discussed at length by members of the senate, E-board, and gallery with a final deci-
GOA from page 1 arms and Explosives and the federal firearms law enforcement agency. He is the first major speaker the College Republicans have featured on campus. Previously, they have featured Professor Richard Taskin and State Rep. candidates John Barrett and Christine Canning. “College Republicans has only been an SGA recognized club for a semester and a half,” Wright said. “With that being said, we have not really had the opportunity to bring many speakers to campus due to budget constraints as we do not have a budget yet. Pratt is our first big speaker that we have brought to cam-
sion to table the discussion a week for further research. The points that drew the most conversation revolved around whether or not these chairs would be open to every student or specifically for those who self-identify as a member of the representative group. The SGA and gallery also touched on whether these proposed seats would be replacing current Senate-atLarge positions or would be an addition to the current allotted number of seats in the Senate. Another repeated idea was to have the position be appointed by the clubs that represent the minority communities but nothing was formally decided.
The discussion was tabled for a week with the intention of having members of the SGA do firsthand research on the suggested needs and wants of the members of the communities that would be affected by these chairs. Members of the gallery, as well as members of the senate, expressed difficulties they had in obtaining the proper level of commitment positions required. These comments involved nomination notifications as well as the struggles with the College’s website. Suggestions were made to move Student Government office hours down from the third floor in the Campus Cen-
ter to improve SGA accessibility and familiarize the students with their government. The Beacon was unable to stay until the end of the meeting and left at 9:50 p.m. For information concerning the remainder of the meeting, consult any members of the SGA.
Ballantine from page 1 pus and we were awarded a grant through the Leadership Institute, which is how we are funding the event.” In response to the failed counter protest, she had this to say: “I certainly appreciate their First Amendment rights to protest and recognize that this is a form of political action,” she said. “I am glad to see that students are getting involved in politics and would encourage an open dialogue in regards to Second Amendment rights.” To attend the event, order a free ticket through Eventbrite. Those who do not order tickets will not be admitted to the
munity gardens, with a strong focus in urban areas and diverse communities. For junior and environmental studies major Anna Haznar, the lecture was inspirational, as it taught her about career opportunities in the field. “I’m really interested in sustainability in general, so that’s what I want to do in my future,” said Haznar. “This was really inspiring to see that you can actually do things in the field and make money with it and still do what you want to do.” Haznar also acknowledged the importance of public involvement, a main tenant of
Ballantine’s role in the Trustees and in her lecture. According to environmental studies professor Daniel Shustack, the lecture was directly related to curriculum that he has taught. “This isn’t our first connection with the Trustees in terms of our department, our courses and some of the properties she mentioned,” Shustack said. “Field Farm and Mountain Meadow, those are close to campus, so we’ve had connections and used those as field sites for courses to take students birding, we’ve taken our Natural Resources Management classes to these sites.”
The Elizabeth and Lawrence Vadnais Environmental Issues Lecture Series is over a decade old and was established to honor the legacy of Betty and Lawrence Vadnais. This was the first lecture since the passing of Lawrence Vadnais, a former North Adams State College professor and the founder of the Center for Resourceful Living, which operated in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Before Ballantine had her presentation, Vadnais’ son, C.J., gave a few words on his late father. “My dad was a critical thinker, a skill I think that
Ballantine page 4
Renovation from page 1 designated core workout zone and athletic training space. Floating above, the college has plans of adding an indoor track. It will line the walls of the fitness center and have both running and walking zones. “The walking track is very exciting,” Mooney said. “The idea for the walking track is to have it be level with our offices. Down by my offices there will be an entrance and down by the bathrooms there will be another entrance.” Not only will the new fitness center attract the attention of older students, but new ones as well. Currently, MCLA sports has the gymnasium and athletic fields for official use, but very little when it comes to casual fitness. “When you come on campus for a visit as a potential student here, this is gonna be our WOW factor,” Mooney said. “It’s gonna be a state-of-the-art space for Admissions to pull people through.” “If you’ve ever went to facilities on other campuses they’ve got beautiful fitness centers for every student,” said Catherine Holbrook, Vice President of Student Affairs. Holbrook is one of the many people who assist with the large scale renovation plans put out by the College. One of her biggest goals here is to help MCLA rise up to standards set by the larger schools. “It’s just one more thing that’s ex-
photo by Ron Leja
Another artistic rendering of the new fitness center that displays the main floor as well as the walking track on the upper level. pected,” said Holbrook. “All of the schools we compete with, our peer institutions, they all have better facilities than we do.” A second way MCLA aims on bringing its spaces up to par includes the planned changes to the Centennial Room in the campus center. “Cosmetically, there will be some changes just to make it more modern and more appealing,” Holbrook said. “You know, different furniture and stuff. Make it more consistent with what other schools are doing.”
Changes include modifications to the vegan and gluten free stations, making them both larger and more accessible. A walkthrough is also in the works to allow for smoother student traffic through the campus center. “What we’ve asked for is that we design it in such a way that we can allow passthrough so that people aren’t going around and up and down steps like that,” Holbrook said. Plans for the space are still in the works, as the College must work in
tandem with ARAMARK to develop them. “Centennial Room renovations is something that the dining service company actually pays for,” Holbrook said. “Whenever you have a contract with a third party vendor to provide meal service, part of what that contract includes is funding to improve the physical space.” Payment for the pool’s renovations is an entirely different matter involving the Massachusetts College Building Authority, or MSCBA. They’re a state office who both own and paid for construction of our residence areas. “They also fund projects that are associated with campus life,” Holbrook said. “They have criteria for that, it’s generally athletic space, campus centers, recreational space, things that are used for the students.” The area currently operating as the fitness center will be eventually changed into a student lounge. The overall design and makeup of this lounge will be done by SGA and is scheduled to take place over the summer of 2019. “The old fitness center space and the athletic training space will be freed up and will be redesigned for student use,” Holbrook said. “SGA will have a large part in how that space will be used.”
NATIONALNEWS
Nov. 2, 2017 Vol. 85 Issue 7
3
MASS STATE NEWS
Bump stocks, trigger cranks banned BY MITCHELL CHAPMAN FEATURES EDITOR Boston – Last month, state legislators voted to ban bump stock and trigger cranks and classify them under the same general law that governs machine guns. The vote comes after 12 rifles modified with bump stocks were used to gun down 58 concertgoers in the Las Vegas mass shooting. According to USA Today, the gunman’s rifles also could have included a trigger crank. Law enforcement found multiple trigger cranks and bump stocks in the shooter’s hotel room. Bump stocks and trigger cranks are devices used to modify the firing patterns of a semi-automatic weapon, increasing performance. A bump stock replaces a rifle’s standard stock, freeing the weapon to slide back and forth rapidly, harnessing the energy from the kickback the shooter feels when the weapon fires. Bump stocks are not banned under federal law, and allows a rifle to fire nearly as fast as it would a machine gun. Similarly, a trigger crank is a device that is installed in the
Support for changing gun laws after mass shootings In general, do you feel that the laws covering the sale of firearms should be made more strict?
Timeline prior to Las Vegas massacre • Littleton, CO 13 killed 24 injured 100% 76%
• Blacksburg, VA 32 killed 17 injured
• Newtown, CT 27 killed 1 injured
• Charleston, SC 9 killed
• Roseburg, OR 9 killed 9 injured
78% 60%
52% 28%
• San Bernardino, CA 14 killed 22 injured
4%
• Orlando, FL 49 killed 58 injured
-20%
1990
1993
1996
1999
2002
2005
2008
2011
2014
2017
Source: Gallup Graphic: Staff, TNS
trigger guard of the gun. It includes a rotating crank that depresses the trigger three times per rotation, and can accelerate the firing of a semiautomatic weapon to almost 700 rounds per minute. “Bump stocks and trigger cranks effectively change the nature of a semi-automatic weapon to make it into a machine gun. There is no legitimate purpose for the use,
sale, and possession of these devices other than to cause as much damage as possible,” Massachusetts Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst) said in a statement last month. “Taking this action today protects public safety, provides ample time for residents to comply, and establishes sufficient penalties for violations.” Under federal law, it is ille-
gal for private citizens to possess fully automatic firearms manufactured after May 19, 1986, but earlier models can be owned under a federal license. However, despite the fact that devices like bump stocks and trigger cranks can increase the performance of a semi-automatic weapon to that of an automatic, they have evaded further regulation. Bump stocks have been
illegal in Massachusetts since 1994, but this new legislature increases the penalty of owning one. “The classification of these devices depends on whether they mechanically alter the function of the firearm to fire fully automatic,” said Jill Snyder, a special agent in charge at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, to the New York Times. “Bump-fire stocks, while simulating automatic fire, do not actually alter the firearm to fire automatically, making them legal under current federal law.” However, Republicans and even the National Rifle Association are open to banning these devices. “The N.R.A. believes that devices designed to allow semiautomatic rifles to function like fully automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations,” the N.R.A. said in a statement. The House of Representative passed a similar bump stock ban and the two versions will be reconciled before being sent to the Governor’s desk for his signature.
Trump to skip DMZ, plans to press China on N. Korea BY JOHN T. BENNET CQ-ROLL CALL (TNS) WASHINGTON _ President Donald Trump’s 11-day swing through Asia will include meetings to press Chinese leaders to be tougher on North Korea and more pliable on economic issues. But he will skip the Korean Demilitarized Zone to make time for meetings like ones he will have with the strongman leader of the Philippines, with whom aides say he has a “warm rapport. China’s ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, told reporters on Monday that his government has been “doing everything we can on the (North) Korean issue,” according to a
transcript shared by the White House Correspondents’ Association. But a senior Trump administration official a day later said there is “clearly” more that China could do to change the North’s behavior as its largest trading partner and lone remaining ally. “The Chinese have done a great deal” in pressuring Kim Jong Un to give up his nuclear weapons, “more than, I think, many expected they would do,” the senior official told reporters during a briefing to preview Trump’s trip, which starts Friday. “The U.S. is working more closely with China on North Korea than ever,” the senior official said. “That said, there
is clearly more that China could do that would go beyond the U.N. Security Council resolutions, given so much of North Korea’s trade flows in and out of China,” the senior official said. Trump has threatened to “destroy” North Korea if the country does not give up its nuclear weapons program. The official signaled that the Trump administration has concluded Beijing is not doing all it can to enforce those international measures against the Kim regime, saying “enforcing those resolutions is absolutely crucial.” Chinese leaders are expected to press Trump on entering into direct talks with Kim’s regime, something in which
Trump has made clear he is not interested. “North Korea has shown zero inclination to engage in substantive talks with anyone on this issues,” the senior official said. “The question is: Why is that the case?” The president will arrive in Beijing for a state visit on Nov. 8 after a twoday stop in South Korea. While he will be feted by the South’s leaders and have high-level talks about a range of issues, Trump will not visit the Demilitarized Zone, as some past presidents have done.
DMZ page 4
FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENT FAFSA UPDATE FOR 2018-19!! It’s time to complete your 18-19 FAFSA now! January 1, 2018 priority date for available funds. ***********************
Finance Tips:
1.Maintain a budget and stick to it. 2.Pay bills on time. 3.Take advantage of all bankeing services offered. 4.Decide how you will use a credit card before you apply. 5. Don’t be a social spender. 6. Have a substantial cash emergency fund.
CAMPUSNEWS
4
Nov. 2, 2017 Vol. 85 Issue 7
“1 YEAR IN” RALLY
Students focus on expression and elections
Picking up from last year’s postelection anti-Trump rally on campus, seven MCLA students will be organizing a rally on Nov. 7 to let members of the campus community express their thoughts on Trump’s administration. The event will be held at 12 p.m. in the Campus Center Marketplace, and will have a number of speakers, including alumna Bryanna Bradley,who is this semester’s artist-in-residence; Michael Obasohan, the coordinator of the Multicultural Resource Center, faculty, and student organizers of the rally. An open mic will be available for attendees to also share their views. The rally will be held on election
day, and voter registration will be encouraged, so young people can get involved in next year’s midterm elections. A voter registration table will have hard copies of voter registration forms and computers to fill out online applications. The event will also have a resource table providing information on local and campus activist organizations. The idea for the rally started in Professor Karen Cardozo’s Leadership Practicum class, in which students discussed ideas for activism. As students attended various faculty meetings and multicultural club meetings and talked about the idea, they received encouragement from others who were willing to
help and share ideas, said Maya McFadden, one of the organizers and students in the class. “With this rally we hope not only to provide a platform for diverse voices to be heard, but also for community members to learn more about the experiences of others and identify shared concerns. It’s a consciousness-raising event that we hope will have practical and political results – both on campus and further afield,” said Cardozo. For more information and contacts go to the Facebook event page titled “1 YEAR IN” RALLY [https://www.facebook.com/
said. “My dad was a conversationalist. . .no matter what the topic was, whether or not he agreed with the person, he would be able to sit and listen. In today’s words, he was ‘present’ in the conversation.” Following C.J.’s speech, Ballantine thanked the Vadnais family, who was in attendance. “May your father’s memory be a blessing to us all, I only wish I had the pleasure of knowing him,” Ballantine said.
C.J. Vadnais lives in Stamford, Vt. and is active in the community. He has been instrumental in sustaining several community organizations, including the the Stamford Seed Savers. He is a lifelong student of alternative energy and environmental issues, according to an introduction given by Shustack. According to Ballantine, the Board of Trustees was founded by Charles Elliott in 1891, a landscape architect deeply disturbed by what he was see-
ing in the urban landscape of Boston at the time of urbanization. “Elliott believed that just as books are being preserved in libraries and artifacts in museums, so should too be the Massachusetts landscape and landmarks be preserved for the benefit of the public,” Ballantine said. Since then, Ballantine said, the Trustees have grown significantly and have inspired other organizations on a global scale, such as the National Trust of the United Kingdom.
be a key hub of personnel, combat equipment, intelligence systems, logistical support and other items important to the operation. Because no sitting American president has ever visited the camp, the senior administration official said Trump’s doing so during ongoing tensions will send “a message.” Once in Beijing, Trump also plans to press China to reverse what the administration sees as a drift away from an “open economy.” That will include a direct message to Chinese President Xi Jinping to end “predatory behaviors” that the official contends hinders trade and stifles economic growth here and in other countries. That came a day after Tiankai, the Chinese ambassador, signaled his government is in no hurry to make
the changes Trump wants, telling reporters trade issues “will have to be done over time” because things like the U.S. trade deficit with China is part of “a structural problem.” That could create some tensions. That’s because Trump is eager for China and other Asian countries to recognize there is a “difference between actions and words,” the official said, adding: “President Trump wants to see real actions.” His last stop will be in the Philippines, where he will have one-onone meetings with President Rodrigo Duterte. The White House earlier this year invited Duterte to the White House, a move that drew widespread criticism from human rights groups and congressional Democrats. Duterte declined the invitation.
The Philippine leader has presided over a government crackdown of drug dealers and users, including extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses. Still, that did not stop the senior official from saying Trump and Duterte have a “warm rapport” that stems from a phone conversation earlier this year. In that April 29 call, Trump praised Duterte’s tactics. “I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem,” Trump said, according to a leaked transcript of the call. “Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.”
Ballantine from page 2 is sorely missed from education and one he thought really needed to be nurtured and developed in this everincreasing age of ‘fake news,’ propaganda, sound bite news,” he said. C.J. explained that part of what made his father an effective criticalthinker was because he was a “conversationalist,” and communicated with those he disagreed with. “He really had the ability to look at an issue from all sides and work through problems critically,” C.J.
DMZ from page 3 “There wasn’t enough time,” the senior official said. “It would have been Camp Humphreys or the DMZ.” The White House noted Tuesday that it has sent Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary James Mattis to the DMZ in recent months. “It’s becoming a little bit of a cliche at this point,” the official said. The U.S. Army base at Humphreys, meanwhile, is crucial to the American military mission on the peninsula. Starting in 2004, all troops under United States Forces Korea and United Nations Command Headquarters were moved to Humphreys. It is the largest U.S. military base in Asia, meaning that, should an armed conflict between the United States and North Korea erupt, the camp would
Weekend Weather Thursday, November 2
Friday, November 3
Saturday, November 4
Sunday, November 5
Warm; Rain High: 64° Low: 57° Precip. Chance: 55%
Mostly Cloudy High: 63° Low: 32° Precip. Chance: 55%
Partial sunshine High: 50° Low: 33° Precip. Chance: 14%
Mostly Cloudy; Drizzle High: 48° Low: 42° Precip. Chance: 40% Images from WikimediaCommons
FEATURES
5
MASS MOCA INTERN SABRINA DUDISH
“This is where I want to be” BY MEGHAN COOK FEATURES WRITER
As Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher” played over the speakers and raindrops tapped on the windowpanes of Tunnel City Coffee, Sabrina Dudish adjusted her MASS MoCA shirt and sipped her coffee. Dudish just finished a shift for her internship at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art just outside the coffee shop. Dudish is a senior arts management major at MCLA and balances being a fulltime student with completing her academic internship at MASS MoCA. The internship consists of working 135 or more hours from September to December. “I am happily going over that minimum amount though,” laughed Dudish. Figuring she just had to get an internship over with for her major, Dudish applied because it fit with her major. It was through MCLA that Dudish was able to apply and secure this internship, and it has been so much more than she hoped. “This internship has been sort of tailored for me,” said Dudish. “Sue Killian, my supervisor, as well as my co-workers, know I am most interested in event planning and producing and have made this internship so I can experience that.” Although her official title reads as “Performing Arts Event Intern” at the museum, she has a plethora of responsibilities. “I’m involved in a lot of the artist hospitality of the events at MoCA,” explained Dudish as she set her coffee mug down. “I get to meet and interact with some of the artists and make sure they have everything they need.” While she does administrative tasks like coding and organizing dinners for staff, she also gets to indulge in her love for planning events when she designs the programs for upcoming performances. “I was able to design the program for Ani Cordero,” said Dudish with a smile. “And that performance was amazing because we organized a donation for flashlights and batteries to be sent to Puerto Rico to help.” Ani Cordero is a Puerto Rican singer and collaborated with MASS MoCA to send along items to help the people without power across the territory. Dudish was able to be a part of that through her internship.
Photo by Meghan Cook — Features Writer
Sabrina Dudish at her MASS MoCA internship. Dudish is a senior arts management major at MCLA.
“The music was great, but also knowing it was sending help where it was needed was awesome,” said Dudish. “This is what I want to be doing.” As a “Main Ingredient” song began overhead, she explained how her internship has allowed her to connect to the community. While North Adams is not a busy and bustling city, Dudish says it’s an “oasis” for local art and artists and the internship given her the opportunity to experience this. Before the internship Dudish had visited the museum as an observer, a member of MCLA Dance Company and even volunteered at some of the festivals like the FreshGrass festival MASS MoCA hosts each fall. She explained how, as she was previously an interior design major at Mass Bay Community College, she was drawn to the museum due to its history. It is famous for being an old mill factory re-visioned into the country’s largest contemporary art museum. “Just the aesthetic of it,” explained Dudish between sips of coffee. “It’s pretty amazing and as someone interested in interior design I was fascinated.” Through her internship Dudish also works behind the scenes at performances at MoCA. She works at the merchandise tables and is sometimes backstage, aiding in the running of the performance in any way she can. She also discussed how her co-workers have made her internship amazing and educating. “I love all the people I’m working with, I’m fostering such good relationships,” explained Dudish. “Although the nature of the internship restricts the amount of time she can be on site, Sabrina has so far performed above and beyond,” said Jacob Fennell, a coworker of Dudish. “I have had such a great experience at MoCA that I think come the summer I might apply to do this internship again,” said Dudish. “Just to see what blossoms from there.” As the coffee ran out and the rain let up, Dudish left with some advice to college students. “Even if you aren’t required to do an internship for your degree definitely do one,” said Dudish. “Also go to MASS MoCA if you have never been to it.”
NEXXUS PRESIDENT EVA WEEKS
Stepping into a new year BY MITCHELL CHAPMAN FEATURES EDITOR When seniors graduate, a new generation of students must step up to take their place, no matter the organization. Such is the story of MCLA’s step team, NeXXus, and their new president, junior Eva Weeks. “I became involved in NeXXus from me seeing them table at the ice cream social and I immediately became involved after that day,” Weeks said. “I enjoy it because being on the team is like having a family at school. We are always here for each other even when we fight over silly things and we still get the work done that we need to during practice. It’s just a great feeling making up a step to teach or learning something new that you know will turn out great to perform.” According to Weeks, membership for NeXXus has been low, as the team lost six members to graduation last semester, describing this as a “rebuilding year” for
the club. As such, NeXXus was involved in last week’s Dance Co. show, and is preparing to make an appearance at Saturday’s Midnight Madness, though the club is looking to focus more on recruitment in the spring. As the new president of the club, Weeks hopes to get NeXXus more involved with the community, with a strong focus on inclusivity. “My hope for NeXXus [this semester] is to be more community-driven by doing workshops with the elementary schools around town and to give an outlet to children after school to get physical activity,” she said. “Around campus, I would like to be more involved with providing fun experiences for all people and to spread awareness about the diversity on campus.” For her, NeXXus was a natural fit; both her parents worked in show business, and dance was part of her childhood. “My parents were both professional dancers and performed all over the world including Broadway,” she said. “I was
NeXXus, at last week’s Dance Co. show. The group will also make an appearance at next week’s Midnight Madness. Like many clubs, they are rebuilding after many of their members graduated last year. Provided photo
raised with show business parents so my life was full of dance lessons, and, once I got to high school, I became a three-sport athlete.” And this is not the first time Weeks has been in a leadership position; in high school, she served as both the captain of her soccer and track and field teams – experience she now builds on as president of NeXXus. “I believe that we can be a positive outlet on campus for anyone,” Weeks said. “Even if you don’t know how to step we can teach you and by the end
of the semester you can be able to step and perform. I know that we are a small club on campus, but our determination to be a more progressive club can encourage people to come out to an event [and to] just show some support.” To prospective members and event attendees, she had this to say: “Cheering is always encouraged along with crowd responsiveness when we ask questions during our skits,” she said. “It is always fun to interact throughout the show to keep the audience engaged.”
Arts & Entertainment This Is: PVRIS 6
BY NORA HONES A&E WRITER
PVRIS was not always a three-piece punch of electronic alt-rock that moved its way up in charts and people’s hearts; it started off like most bands do - under a name that was already taken. PVRIS began in 2012 in Lowell, Massachusetts as “Operation Guillotine” a five member metalcore band. Lynn Gunn wasn’t even the lead singer in this original line up, but then she, Alex Babinski, Brian Macdonald, and Brad Griffin switched around the lineup, changed the name to “Paris” and went post-hardcore. In March of 2013, they released their self-titled EP. In the summer of 2013, they played at Ernie Ball’s
Battle of the Bands stage at Warped Tour and won the contest. Then they changed to “PVRIS” for legal reasons, as the name Paris was already taken. Shortly after Brad Griffin left the band, leaving them the three piece they are today. This gave them their push and let them take off. By June 2014, the band signed under Rise and Velocity Records and their sound changed, incorporating electronic elements and pop. In November of 2014, they released their debut album “White Noise.” In 2015, PVRIS won the Relentless Kerrang! Awards for Best International Newcomer, and the Breakthrough Band award in the Alternative Press Music Awards. In January
photo by Lies Vercaemere
PVRIS is the first female fronted band to be signed to Rise Records of 2016, PVRIS appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, performing “My House” and “White Noise.” In May 2016, they headlined their first tour. PVRIS most recently
released their second album “All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell” in August 2017 and headed out on their second headlining tour, mostly in Europe.
Greatness does not pop out of nowhere; it is built up over time through hard work. PVRIS shows this through their work ethic and their adaptation to their surroundings.
photo by Brianna Lamb
photo by Brianna Lamb
A skull’s face falling off with a vibrant yellow background. Art by Gabrielle Harrington.
A small knitted sweater, along with two knitted hats. The artist used fruits such as lemons, grapefruit, and oranges for direction of size. Knitting by Barbara Reeves.
photo by Brianna Lamb
Multiple paintings on display created by students.
Visual arts event showcases creativity BY BRIANNA LAMB A&E WRITER
The Arts Management Club hosted a visual art exhibition last Tuesday, featuring the works of many artists. Everything from paintings and photography to mixed media with ceramics and found objects could be seen at the event located in the second floor lobby of Bowman Hall. Artist Gabrielle Harrington displayed some vibrant paintings, one featuring a bright yellow background with a face melting and peeling off a skull. Other artists such as Zoe Elwell, Sophie Rice, Natalie Lamptey and Chelsea
Sutherland also contributed their paintings. Paintings ranged from animals to posed figures to the surreal. The Fashion Club also displayed some of their modeling photos. Artist Zoe Villane displayed a mixed media piece entitled “Manifest Euphorium,” a lit-up blue and purple starburst behind a three-dimensional set of pale hands with a drawing of a figure standing above them. Another table housed the artwork of Bailey Brissett, which featured a ceramic skull and found objects, as well as thread, nails and wood panels. Vice President of the Arts Management Club Sabrina
Dudish walked around the event, making sure the pieces were all in order. “This is a new club. It just started last year and this is our first event,” said Dudish. “We are hoping that these types of events act as experience for arts management majors, as well as experience with the arts for students not necessarily in the major.” The club is also planning a concert at the end of the semester. In addition to the art displayed, members also tended to a bake sale taking place. The love of art and expression extended to the baked goods, with spooky cupcakes decorated for
Halloween, as well as many other treats. The creator of the knitted materials, Barbara Reeves, explained the importance of the pieces she made. “They’re all for charity, for the Connecticut Children’s Hospital,” said Reeves. Reeves pointed to the small knitted hats on the table, displayed using different fruits to fit the size of the hat. “There are three standard sizes that I make for this purpose: grapefruit, orange and lemon. I use them to gauge how big to make them,” Reeves said. “Leftover wool is used for all of these, and the sweaters.” Reeves then focused on a small sweater, showing a
finished product, as well as a piece of knitted material that could be folded in a very intricate way in order to form a sweater. While some classes were in session during the exhibition, the event got many interested viewers as students were let out of the classrooms Students and faculty stopped to look at the various pieces and to buy some baked goods. Some even inquired about purchasing some of the pieces. With the inclusion of so many different art forms, the event turned out to be a cornucopia of self-expression, interpretation and creativity, involving both the artists as well as the viewers.
Arts & Entertainment
7
Yorick’s fall performance undergoes last minute change BY NORA HONES A&E WRITER
MCLA’s Shakespeare club, Yorick, is putting on “The Taming of the Shrew” by William Shakespeare but with a tantalizing twist. Instead of a comedy, the original genre, Yorick is performing the play as a tragedy. “I’ve taken two Shakespeare classes, one in high school and one in college, and I was told there was no way ‘Taming of the Shrew’ was about an abusive relationship. But I saw signs of an abusive relationship in the text,” said Carrie Zuttermeister, who is directing the play. “I thought it would be interesting instead of trying to write them off or subvert them we [Yorick] emphasized the negative aspects of the relationship.” With the short period of time, Yorick had to get their play together, about two weeks less than they usually have, Zuttermeister was impressed with her cast’s ability to read almost completely off book in their rehearsals.
photo from Yorick’s Facebook event
“Taming of the Shrew” will be held in the Church Street Center Social Hall on Nov. 2-4. It was a very condensed period of time to try to make everything happen, especially with the lead playing Petruchio dropping out for personal reasons less than two weeks before the show. But Zuttermeister did not fret because she had a new man for the lead. Devin Gibbs, like a champ, stepped up to the role. “People keep asking me, ‘so it’s a tragedy, are you going to kill anyone?’ And I keep going ‘nope. No one is dying,’” Zuttermeister explained, laughing slightly. Changing the theme of
“Taming of the Shrew” to a tragedy isn’t the only thing that will be different in this version of the play though. In this version of “Taming of the Shrew,” all of Bianca’s suitors are women. Zuttermeister explained that she was open to casting anyone and it just happened to be a lot of women who wanted the roles and she thought, why shouldn’t Bianca have a female love interest? Or, you know, three. Another artistic difference is that Baptista, instead of being the father, is the
“Flicker” lights a flame in Horan’s first album BY EMMA MONAHAN A&E EDITOR
Making his way through the world, former One Direction member Niall Horan released his highly anticipated debut solo album “Flicker” on Oct. 20. Horan, who was never really the center of attention during his One Direction days, now has the spotlight right on him, and the feedback is nothing but positive. “Flicker” shows his ability on the guitar, songwriting, and what it means to be a solo artist. Fans got their first taste of a solo Horan with the release of “This Town” in September 2016. The acoustic song is a classic love song featuring the lyrics, “You still make me nervous when you walk in a room/And butterflies they come alive when I’m next to you.” Months later, in May, Horan released a second song, “Slow Hands”, which was a completely different sound from his first. With an elaborate guitar riff and what sounds like some R&B, Horan showed listeners a completely different side of him. Weeks before “Flicker” debuted, “Too Much To Ask” was Horan’s third release before the album dropped. Another love song, but something much different
mother, which will be an interesting take on Katherina and Bianca’s relationship with their mother. “We are trying to emphasize Bianca and Katherina’s relationship and make it more playful rather than aggressive. We want to play up the sibling rivalry rather than this really negative relationship,” said Zuttermeister. The cast and crew is: Brianna Lamb as Katherina, Devin Gibbs as Petruchio, Bridget Cox as Hortensio, Iris McPherson as Lucentio, Lee Skerry as Tranio as well as
assistant director, Elise Cronin as Bianca, Jade Schnauber as Gremio, Kelsey Krzynowek as Baptista, Theodore (TJ) Jones as Grumio, Timothy (TJ) Fontaine as Vincentio/ Servant, Rachel Bartlett as Biondello, Melissa Gay as Widow/Servant, Emily Johnson as Pedant/Curtis, Kathleen (Claire) Harrison as stage manager, Sam Falconer as assistant stage manager and Carrie Zuttermeister as director. One of the big things also being implemented is raffling baskets during the show, with all proceeds going to the Elizabeth Freeman Center. Even though the show is free, donations are encouraged as they will all go to the women’s center, as well. The play takes place Nov. 2, 3, and 4 with 7 p.m. shows in the social hall of the Church Street Center. On Saturday, there will also be a 2 p.m. show with a panel on domestic abuse following the show. For anyone who can’t make the show, there will also be a recording.
Upcoming Events: Nov. 4:
Tim Wise Speech ITAM Lodge, Pittsfield 6-10 p.m. Game Night w. SAC Sullivan Lounge 8-10 p.m.
Nov. 7:
Midnight Madness Campus Center Gym 10-11:30 p.m.
Nov. 8:
Makerspace Bowman 201 6:30-9 p.m.
Nov. 15:
NRHH Campus Center Takeover CC Marketplace 9-11 p.m. photo by El Broide
“Flicker” is Horan’s first solo album since One Direction. about it if compared to “This Town.” The 10 song album features other tunes that definitely show Horan’s music ability. “Fire Away” slows things for the singer/ songwriter, along with “Paper Houses.” Want something more upbeat? “Seeing Blind” featuring country artist Maren Morris is a beautiful duet showing what Horan is made of. “Since We’re Alone” shows how Horan is the one to take all of the pain away (yes please!). On the deluxe version
of the album, “The Tide” shows more vibrancy and empowerment from Horan, featuring strings and grand piano. It’s one of those songs that makes you want to get up and dance the night away, making you feel like you can do anything. Since its release, Horan has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Ellen, and the Today show. With a 2018 tour coming up, Horan is quickly becoming the One Direction star to watch, maybe even the one with the most successful solo career.
Nov. 16:
Public Policy Lecture Church Street Center 7-9 p.m.
Nov. 18:
Lip Sync Battle Sullivan Lounge 8-10 p.m.
SPORTS
8
Nov. 2, 2017 Vol. 85 Issue 7
Volleyball serves up Senior-Day double win against Mass Maritime
BY JEFFREY MAYOTTE SPORTS WRITER The MCLA women’s volleyball team swept the Mass. Maritime Academy Buccaneers on Saturday in both games, securing a fourth seed in the MASCAC championship. MCLA seniors Maggie Allen, Brianne O’Rourke, Tayler Wiese, Michelle Laga, Melissa Hopkins, and Mele Enomoto played their final regular season game. The seniors paved the path and set expectations for the outcome of the two matches. While the Buccaneers were trying to establish communication with their sophomore/freshman team, the Trailblazers stole the first set 25-8. This pattern followed into the second set and cost the Buccaneers 5-25. The Blazers shut down the final match 25-10 for the victory. An identical collaboration from MCLA secured the
second game. The Trailblazers won both the first and second set with an identical score of 25-7. It was obvious the third game was a sweep at 25-13. Following the day, the seniors were honored by their teammates, family, and coach Amanda Beckwith. Coach Beckwith stated that this was one of the most successful programs in their volleyball history. “Their combined focus and determination has taken this team to the next level,” said Beckwith. Maggie Allen was the first senior to be honored. She earned 141 kills in her MCLA volleyball career. Allen was described by her team as having the biggest heart. She was named to the MASCAC All-Conference Team as a junior, and she is on the Dean’s List and MASCAC AllAcademic Team. Mele Enomoto was described by Beckwith as being one of the most versatile players she has ever
photo by MCLA Athletics
MCLA Volleyball honored their six seniors; Maggie Allen, Bri O’Rourke, Tayler Wiese, Michelle Laga, Melissa Hopkins, and Mele Enomoto (Not in order in photo) who played their final home matches in the 3-0 wins over Mass. Maritime. coached. Her career record includes 1249 digs, fourth in MASCAC digs. The defensive specialist from Hawaii appeared in 22 games last season with the Trailblazers
and accomplished doubledigit digs in 14 matches. Melissa “Hoppy” Hopkins has a record of 188 kills. Beckwith thanked her for the help in recruiting new
players with her for the past two years. Hopkins had a total attack count of 299 for the season and started in 20 matches. Michelle Laga holds a strong record of 398 digs and a rocketing 65 aces for the team as a defense specialist. Laga has been on the Dean’s List and All-Academic Team at MCLA. Brianne O’Rourke is on the Dean’s List, the MASCAC All-Academic Team, and was a recipient of the Rising Star Award on campus. She accumulated a total of 331 kill shots in her career with 25 aces as server. Tayler Wiese comes from the deserts of Nevada to serve up some justice on the court in New England. Wiese has accumulated 684 assists and 53 aces in her career as setter. MCLA will face Bridgewater State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a home game for the MASCAC championship.
Cross Country takes home Women’s Soccer falls 2-1 in Quarterfinals to 6th and 7th place from Salem State MASCAC Championships BY BRADY GEROW SPORTS EDITOR The MCLA men’s crosscountry team finished their season at sixth place, while the women’s team took home seventh place in the MASCAC (Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference) Championships on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Stanley Park in Westfield. The Trailblazers men’s team was led by junior Jeremiah Jones, who finished 19th overall with a time of 28:07 in the 8k run. Jones was also the highest placing Trailblazer between both the men’s and women’s teams. The other male athletes racing for MCLA were senior Avery Woodbury (33rd), junior Corey Powers (36th), sophomore Owen Fitzgerald (42nd), senior Paul Davila (46th), and sophomore Theodore Jones (47th). Fitchburg State won the team title, while Falcon runner Brian Amaral was the top individual. The women’s cross-country team finished seventh in their team’s race for the MASCAC championship. The ‘Blazers were paced by sophomore Julie Gambill’s 24th place finish with a time of 21:52 in the 5k race. Gambill is also a first-year runner for MCLA.
photo by MCLA Athletics
MCLA sophomore Julie Gambill (Left) and senior Avery Woodbury (Right) running in races this year. Woodbury and Gambill both raced in the MASCAC Championship in which the women’s team finished 7th and the mens team 6th. ‘Blazer senior Kaitlin Wright finished in 33rd place running the course in 24:32, while sophomore Jordan Daegatano finished next for MCLA with a time of 21:52 for 37th place. Sophomore Hunter Schrade and junior Breanna Castor finished 38th and 39th rounding out the runners for the women’s team. The women’s team stayed complacent as they finished the MASCAC Championship race in seventh place for both this and
last season. The men improved one place from seventh place last season to sixth place this year. Both teams will travel to Southern Maine on Nov. 11 for the NCAA New England Regionals race. The ‘Blazers have a lot of room for improvement on last year’s performance, as the men’s team finished 55th out of 56 teams last season. The women’s team finished 59th out of that many teams last year in the race.
BY BRADY GEROW SPORTS EDITOR The MCLA Trailblazers women’s soccer team was defeated 2-1 by the Salem State Vikings in the quarterfinals of the MASCAC playoffs in Salem. The Vikings were ranked #4 while the ‘Blazers were ranked #5. Salem’s Meg McFarland scored the go-ahead goal in the 63rd minute of play when the ‘Blazers mishandled a corner kick and McFarland was left with the ball in front of a wide open net. In the final 10 minutes of play, the ‘Blazers made their final push in attempts to tie the game. Senior Britt Whitford took the last shot for the ‘Blazers. Whitford’s shot was tipped away on the corner kick by Viking’s goalie Rebecca Sabino keeping the score at 2-1 until the final whistle. The scoring started very early in the game when in the 18th minute of play, Viking Kelly Blanchard recorded the first goal of the game off of a feed from Ashley Leboeuf and put the ball past ‘Blazers goalie sophomore Megan Richardson. Early in the second half, the ‘Blazers struck back when freshman Brooke Mangiardi converted a pass from sophomore Kayla Baker from four yards outside the Vikings goal to tie the game at 1-1. Richardson recorded seven saves in the team’s loss, and the ‘Blazers were out-shot 13-3 in the loss as well as having a 6-2
photo by MCLA Athletics
MCLA freshman Brooke Mangiardi dribbling a ball earlier this year. Mangiardi scored the lone goal for MCLA in the 2-1 loss to Salem State. disadvantage in corner kicks over the entire game. While Salem’s goalie Rebecca Sabino recorded only one save in the 2-1 victory. The Trailblazers end their season with a final record of 3-13 with a 2-5 conference record. The ‘Blazers say farewell to five seniors in Aleah Sangiovanni, Ally Ferrell, Sychiah Johnson, Alison Davey, and Whitford. The Vikings advance to the semifinal round where they will face #1 seed Worcester State on Friday at 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 2, 2017 Vol. 85 Issue 7
SPORTS
Trailblazers Seniors end season to Bridgewater Bears in 1-0 loss
BY JEFFREY MAYOTTE SPORTS WRITER The Bridgewater State University (BSU) Bears defeated the MCLA men’s soccer team 1-0 on Oct. 27 at Shewcraft Field, ending the season for the Blazers. The Bears secured their spot in the playoffs with a goal 40 minutes in from BSU’s Ronaldo Powell. This led to a record of 6-9-3 overall, with the MASCAC season ending at 3-3-1. MCLA ends their season at 5-11 and 2-5 in the conference. Before the game started, MCLA honored the following seven seniors: Oscar Castro, Tyler Tatro, Tyler Callahan, Augustin Ndayikeza, Kamron Anderson, Romeo Grey, and Joe Tavella. The game started explosively for MCLA as they hustled to control the ball and give the Bears an impressive final performance. The Bears maintained a tight defense, while the Trailblazers played their respective positions with energy and communication. MCLA senior and forward Romeo Grey pressed hard on the attack to break the lines. The four-year soccer player was well rounded and had a variety of shots on goal from corner to upper left corner. Grey says he left it all on the field that
SCORE BOARD MCLA Men’s Soccer MCLA (0), Bridgewater State (1) Kamron Anderson (MCLA) 4 Saves2 Pts, 7 Reb, 4 Ast, 3 Stl, 1 Blk
Ronaldo Powell (Bears)
1 Goal, 1 Shot, 1 SOGts, 3 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Blk
MCLA Women’s Soccer MCLA (1), Salem State (2) Brooke Mangiardi (MCLA)
photo by MCLA Athletics
The MCLA Men’s Soccer team honored its seniors before Friday’s game. MCLA honored seven seniors in Oscar Castro, Tyler Tatro, Tyler Callahan, Augustin Ndayikeza, Kamron Anderson, Romeo Grey, and Joe Tavella. (Not in order in picture) The Trailblazers ended their season with the 1-0 loss to Bridgewater State. night, playing hard and pushing forward as a positive example of hard work and determination. “There was no holding back tonight,” Grey said. “We worked as a team. It’s soccer and you win some and you lose some.” Despite the goal, MCLA senior and goalie Kamron Anderson was a powerhouse of positivity and agility. His mark of being a great goalie was shown as he dived, jumped, and stood by his team despite questionable calls from the referees. Anderson saved four goals for the Blazers. The team will
lose a great goalie. The finale was rough with a total of 30 fouls, evenly split between Bridgewater and MCLA. The Blazers had an advantage of corner kicks (9-4) while the Bears had the upper hand with shots on goal (19-13). MCLA Coach Adam Hildabrand is beginning the recruitment process for the next season, seeking talent and passion for soccer. Coach Hildabrand looks forward with enthusiasm for the next season, to add on the men’s soccer family. Anderson saved four goals for the Blazers. The
team will lose a great goalie. The finale was rough with a total of 30 fouls, evenly split between Bridgewater and MCLA. The Blazers had an advantage of corner kicks (9-4) while the Bears had the upper hand with shots on goal (19-13). MCLA Coach Adam Hildabrand is beginning the recruitment process for the next season, seeking talent and passion for soccer. Coach Hildabrand looks forward with enthusiasm for the next season, to add on the men’s soccer family.
Yuli Gurriel and the MLB- Boy, did they mess up It’s 2017. isn’t he serving his punishment This childish, and frankly now? Because it would be crude, behavior is never inconvenient? In the real world, warranted. if I did that to somebody, would To provide some context: Yuli my boss wait to fire or otherwise Gurriel of the Houston punish me until it was Astros, upon launching convenient? a solo home run off the Yes, I am absolutely of the Los Angeles Dodgers belief that Gurriel should starter Yu Darvish, have been suspended during returned to the dugout the World Series. At the and made an extremely very least, he should not Andrew have appeared in Game racially insensitive Baillargeon Four, and really, I don’t gesture toward Darvish The Call that mocked his Japanese think suspending him for heritage. Game Five would have been After reviewing the out of order either. If the situation, the MLB decided to MLB wants to hammer home the suspend Gurriel for the first five idea of inclusiveness and attempt games of 2018 without pay for to establish that people of all making these gestures. different races and heritages are Really? accepted there, then they need I’m baffled and frankly to administer a punishment that ashamed with Gurriel, but I’m really fits the crime. also disappointed in the MLB. Yet, this action, to me, suggests I’m very much disappointed in that being ethically and morally Commissioner Rob Manfred’s sound is clearly not on the top decision to suspend him for the of the MLB’s list. Gurriel is a regular season next year. productive member of a World While I don’t know that Gurriel Series team, and the MLB wants should be suspended for the to use his name, along with his rest of the World Series, why teammates, to sell that notion in
order to bolster the bottom line. How could it be any different? What other reason would the MLB have for delaying his suspension? There isn’t any rule or bylaw that deliberately mandates the MLB to hold off on disciplining players in the postseason. So what gives? Really, it’s pathetic. The Astros aren’t “led” or “anchored” by Gurriel. If you were to ask the average MLB fan who the top five players on the Astros roster are, I highly doubt any of them would include Gurriel in their list. So the MLB seems to have sought to protect the bottom line, at the expense of their own ethical and moral standards, when in reality, the bottom line was never in threat anyway. And that, to me, is extremely disappointing. Andrew Baillargeon is the host of The Call, a weekly program broadcasted by WJJW. Tune in on Sundays from 7-10 PM. Listeners can also tune in via 91.1 WJJW or our website, http://www.mcla.edu/ Student_Life/studentmedia/wjjw/.
16 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Stl
1 Goal, 1 Shot, 1 SOGPts, 4 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Stl
Meg McFarland (Salem)
1 Goal, 2 Shots, 2 SOG
MCLA Women’s Volleyball MCLA (3), Mass. Maritime (0) Maggie Allen (MCLA) 9 Kills, 9 Digs 10-12. 100 yds, 0 TD
Marie Harrison (Owls)
3 Kills, 7 Digs Rec, 67 yds, 1 TD
NFL Seahawks (41), Texans (38) Russell Wilson (Seahawks) 26-41, 452 Yards, 4 TD, INT5 Pts, 5 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl,
Deshaun Watson (Texans)
19-30, 402 Yards, 4 TD, 3 INT5 Pts, 1 Reb, 1 Stl
NFL
Falcons (25), Jets (20)
Matt Ryan (Falcons) 18-29, 254 YDS, 2 TD
Josh McCown(Jets) 26-33, 257 YDS, 2 TD Pts, 3 Reb, 2 Stl, 2 Blk
NBA Thunder (110), Bucks (91) Russell Westbrook (OKC) 12 Pts, 10 Reb, 9 Ast1 Pts, 8 Ast, 2 Stl
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) 28 Pts, 8 Reb, 3 Ast, 1 Blk28 Pts,
22 Reb, 3 Ast
OPINION
10
Featured Photo
Nov. 2, 2017 Vol. 85 Issue 7
Comics Section
Emily Sienkiewicz sent us this fantastic view of local farmland framed by nature itself.
Are you a student with a passion for photography? If you would like to see your photo featured in a future issue of the Beacon, please email your submissions, along with a brief description, to our Photography Editor Ron Leja at rl2670@ mcla.edu Comics from MCT Campus
Public Relations: crafting the proper image PR is important for any or- motional materials are preganization. On a small cam- sented. pus like MCLA with over 40 Think of PR like your orgastudent organizations that nization is putting on their each need their own best suit before going to version of a PR repa formal occasion. You resentative or chair, want to make your best you get to see a multiimpression on those tude of PR practices. you meet before you Some are on-point, engage them formally, fostering a healthy where they will get to relationship between Mitchell know more about you. their organization Chapman Part of the power of and the general pub- Not on My good PR is making that lic, while others do good first impression Watch not know what PR on the public, and then even is. later, maintaining it. Before we progress any Presentation is a big part further, let’s define what PR of PR. People can make a is: Public Relations, hence, fast judgement about your as a PR chair or representa- organization upon a first tive, it is your job to maintain glance if your promotional a good relationship between materials are not profesyour organization and the sionally made, either by begeneral public, to the best of ing visually non-attractive your ability. You might not or fraught with spelling erbe the one calling the shots, rors and mistakes. There’s but you have a large say in nothing more embarrasshow general statements are ing than having an error get presented before being put through on something like a out there, as well as how any flyer that will be up around social media accounts/pro- campus for weeks or even
months. And all of these rules apply to your organization’s social media accounts, and your website (if you have one). In fact, it is through these that the public will most frequently interact with your organization. Your organization’s social media accounts should not look like the PR chair’s private account, and your website should not read like their blog. And this should remain the same for private messages. While it might be funny to share memes about funny or sassy responses from i.e. the Wendy’s Facebook page, unprofessional private responses can take a lot away from your organization’s credibility. Always remember, when posting online through these official accounts, that you are posting on behalf of your organization, and you are crafting your organization’s public image. Specifically at MCLA, it can be difficult to be and to
find a good PR chair or representative. There are only a finite amount of PR and journalism majors at the school, leaving many organizations with PR people that have absolutely no background in their jobs. Worse yet, many organizations on campus see PR as a small or minor job. Either way, PR is often put on the back burner on campus, and the consequences of it are as such: events are not properly publicized, leading to small turnouts. The organization’s social media accounts are like the PR chair’s personal accounts, full of unprofessional posts that get few likes and annoy your followers. Your organization either lacks a consistent website or has a website that hasn’t been updated in years. Or worse, your PR chair and organization think that PR only deals with internal documents or private followings, fundamentally not understanding what PR is: Public Relations.
There are no easy solutions to the PR woes of MCLA’s student organizations, but a first step to solving this can be to recognize first what PR is and can do for your organization, and to take it seriously. PR should function like free marketing, when done right, garnering interest in your organization. When done wrong, it can actively detract from your organization and your public image. There is not a wealth of PR workshops, but they do exist on campus, and there are many resources to be had online. In fact, that’s one of the best ways to teach yourself PR; look at what other organizations are doing, either on campus or at other schools. You’ll find a bounty of ideas you can implement right here at MCLA. Mitchell Chapman is the Public Relations Chair for the Sigma Chi Beta fraternity.
OPINION
Nov. 2, 2017 Vol. 85 Issue 7
11
Editorial: Bernard for Mayor The mayoral election for the town of North Adams is set for Nov. 7, and North Adams must choose between Thomas Bernard and Robert Moulton Jr. Both candidates are well-known and well-respected by members of the community and each has had numerous positive impacts on North Adams. Moulton has tremendous knowledge of the community and has held elected positions of power in North Adams before. This type of experience is important especially considering the responsibilities that go into the position of Mayor
in North Adams. Bernard has also been involved in North Adams affairs for a significant amount of time but has never been elected to any position. Despite this, though, Bernard has worked with enormous institutions such as MCLA and Mass MoCA that both required a significant amount of intelligence and responsibility. He has also been able to infuse the election with a powerful positive energy that Moulton can’t seem to match. With that in mind, the Beacon believes the right candidate for MCLA and for North Adams
is Tom Bernard. His familiarity with the College makes him better equipped to bring about positive impacts to MCLA and his openness to change makes him the right choice for North Adams. Nov. 7 isn’t just for the Mayoral election, no, the battle for district representative will also be decided. Of the two candidates, Christine Canning (Republican) and John Barrett (Democrat), Barrett seems to be the best choice for the position due to his tremendous amount of experience.
The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed to the MCLA community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/ Communications department and ad revenue. Single copies are free and additional copies can be purchased at 50 cents each. If you wish to purchase additional copies, please contact a member of staff.
Contact News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5204 Email: beacon@mcla.edu
Thank you Hollywood ladies During the past few talk about it. weeks, many actresses I never really underand others have come stood sexual harassment forward admitting until I came to some form of hacollege and it was rassment from film more of a conproducer Harvey versation, someWeinstein. thing that students Since this colshould be aware of. umn covers A&E I didn’t realize that Emma topics week after Monahan I’ve experienced it week, it’s been until a few weeks Arts & Emma in the back of my ago. mind to finally say While back something about home, working at this horrific thing hap- my local grocery store, I pening in Hollywood. was pulling the last of the It seems like every day carts around the parking there’s something new to lot, in the pitch-black, add to the pile, or another by myself. I’m not shy to actress talking about their speak up at work and tell experience with sexual ha- someone I don’t feel comrassment in the industry. fortable doing it by myself I didn’t know how to at night, but this night I
was the only one to do it. Long story short, I got catcalled by some men in a truck driving by the store. “Hey! Hey Sweetie!” Some may think this isn’t sexual harassment, but did it make me uncomfortable? Yes. Did I feel unsafe? Yes, incredibly. Did I do anything? No. Trust me, in the back of my mind I wanted to yell all of the profanities I knew, but didn’t. The fear of them coming back, where I was, defenseless, scared me. No women should be uncomfortable in their place of work, or even where they go to school. There have most defi-
Website: theonlinebeacon.com Office: Mark Hopkins Hall, room 111
nitely been times where certain people on campus give me a creepy vibe, where I don’t want them to acknowledge me or see me. I’m not saying it’s only women, men are also victims of sexual harassment, you just don’t hear about it as often. This week’s column isn’t really related toward anything A&E, but sparked by the women in Hollywood who have been coming forward with their own experience. With all of that being said, I leave with one thing: Me too.
Speed Limits: Freedom or Safety? On the interstate, what study done by Lee S. should the speed limit Friedman, PhD, Donbe? It is a question posed ald Hedeker, PhD, and by many motorists espe- Elihu D. Richter, MD in cially those who seek to the American Journal of exceed said limit. Public Health. Well, in MassaAcross the chusetts, you’ll country, limits see no higher for interstates number than 65 range from 60 mph but what is mph in Hawaii the reason for to 85 mph in Joseph that number? parts of Texas “On November Carew both up from the 28, 1995, Con- WheelSpin 1974 National gress passed the Maximum Speed National HighLaw which, in way Designation response to the 1973 oil Act, which officially re- embargo, set the limit at moved all federal speed 55mph. limit controls. Since In 1987, the Federal 1995, all US states have Government permitted raised their posted speed states to raise their limlimits on rural inter- its up to 65mph and since states; many have also then the vast majority of raised the posted speed states have done so. But limits on urban inter- has this come at a cost? states and noninterstate “We found a 3.2% inroads,” according to a crease in road fatali-
ties attributable to the raised speed limits on all road types in the United States. The highest increases were on rural interstates (9.1%) and urban interstates (4.0%). We estimated that 12,545 deaths…and 36,583 injuries in fatal crashes …were attributable to increases in speed limits across the United States,” according to the same study done by Lee S. Friedman, PhD, Donald Hedeker, PhD, and Elihu D. Richter, MD. Should speed limits come down then? It’s an argument that has dominated the auto industry since its inception: speed versus safety. At what point is it the responsibility of the state to decrease the speed limits especially if doing so will decrease interstate
I don’t have a clear answer for these questions but, before any decisions are rushed into, it should be noted that cars are the safest they have ever been. On the whole, U.S. motor vehicle deaths relative to total population significantly
Letters: The Beacon welcomes Letters to the Editor and columns on issues of interest to the campus. Deadlines are 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Strive for 500 words or less. Editorial: Unsigned editorials that appear in these pages reflect the views of The Beacon. Signed columns and commentary pieces reflect the views of their writers. Contribution: The Beacon accepts stories, photos and opinion pieces. Submit to beacon@mcla.edu. Advertising: The Beacon reserves the right to not publish any advertisement it deems libelous, false or in bad taste.
Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Joseph Carew
Features Editor
A & E Editor
Mitchell Chapman
Emma Monahan
Copy Chief
deaths?
are
Policies
down
since 1987. Is it worth trading in some speed for some safety? I would have to say no. As callous as that may
Nicholas Webb
Brady Gerow
Design Editor
Photo Editor
Adam Sams
Ron Leja
BWN Executive Producer Samantha Kniskern
Staff Audio Reporters Photographers Zachary Benjamin Matt Aceto Lily Schuab Aryel Brosnan Mary Kate Lynch
Nora Hones Briana Lamb
Sports Writer
Staff Writers
Jeffrey Mayotte
Hannah Snell Corey Mitchell-Labrie
Features Writer Meghan Cook
some alleged security. In this case, I just don’t see it as a viable option.
Alyssa Call
A&E Writers
where seemingly everyon some freedoms for
Samantha Giffen
Copy Editors
sound we live in a world one is willing to give in
Sports Editor
Adviser
Shawn McIntosh
Columnist Andrew Baillargeon
Beacon Photo Journal Fall in the Berkshires
Photo by Ron Leja - Photo Editor
This scenic view from the top of hairpin turn on Florida Mountain shows off the array of fall foliage colors dotting the berkshire hills.
Photo by Samantha Giffen
A collection of pumpkins on display at Lakeview Orchard in
Photo by Samantha Giffen
This festive display of pumpkins and orange mums line decorate the front of Lakeview Orchard.
Cheshire, MA
Photo by Nicholas Webb
Photo by Nicholas Webb
A frog makes himself cozy in a pile of fallen leaves.
A serene image of Bish Bash falls at Mt. Everett