Volume 86
T hu r s day , F e b rua ry 8, 2018
Issue 2
“Black In Time” Week with MERC
BY MAYA MCFADDEN STAFF WRITER
‘Black in Time’ week begins the Multicultural Education Resource Center’s (MERC) long agenda of on and off campus events to celebrate Black History Month. An interactive exhibit simulation of the Montgomery bus boycott was displayed in the Bowman lobby gallery space last Monday. Mikaela Serrano-Moore, an intern for MERC, began brainstorming for the ‘Black in Time’ event last September. Serrano-Moore then received help from Michael Obasohan, assistant director of diversity programs, with planning the event. “The civil rights movement was an essential part to Black History Month. There was a lot of sacrifice and courage made by those who came before us that allowed for me and people like me to live as freely as we do,” said Serrano-Moore. ‘Black in Time’ week is a five-day interactive event that places exhibit simulations in various locations on campus for students to learn about key events that helped to shape the civil rights movement. “A struggle I had was figuring out what would be eyecatching. It’s hard to catch the eyes of college students let alone keep their attention,” said Serrano-Moore. The ability to experience and interact was necessary in Serrano-Moore’s arranging of the event. The moments included in the week-long event are the Montgomery bus boycott, student diner
Photo by Maya McFadden
An artistic display shown in Bowman Hall that was made to inform those who walked by of the importance of the day. sit-ins, the Freedom Riders from Birmingham Jail.” and remain on display for At the end of the week, all the month. bus bombing, the Birmingham bombing, and Martin of the exhibit simulations Obasohan said that MERC Luther King Jr.’s “Letter will be moved to Bowman will be putting on various Hall’s lobby gallery space
events in honor of Black History Month to educate the campus community. “I hope everyone can take in why it’s important not to just celebrate black history during the month of February but throughout the entire year because there’s a lot of information, successes, and key moments to learn beyond just these 28 days,” Obasohan said. Upcoming events that MERC has put together this month include multiple movie screenings of films like “Fruitvale Station,” “Love and Basketball,” and “Show Me Democracy” with a following student activist panel. MERC has put together dates for resource tables on black mental health, Feb. 12, and people of color in the LGBTQ community, Feb. 14, in collaboration with Counseling Services and the Identity, Gender, and Equity Center. “I hope to start off this first week with remembering our roots and where we’ve come from. Then go on to celebrate those roots for the rest of the weeks,” said Obasohan. MERC will also be collaborating with the Women’s Center for the Women of Color Dinner on Feb. 15, which is an invitation-only event that will include faculty and staff speakers and speakers from Williams College. Obasohan said he is also putting together a Men of Color Dinner on Feb. 22, which will invite MCLA alumni of color to speak. “I think it will be a good way to provide our men of
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Meeting with State Legislator John Scibak BY FABIENNE BOGARDUSSTREET STAFF WRITER Massachusetts State Representative John Scibak, chairperson of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, visited campus on Monday, Jan 29. Scibak toured campus and met with various people and groups during his time. The History House set up a meeting with him specifically to talk about state legislature with the history and political science students and faculty. Scibak first started out the meeting with his back-
ground, how he got into the legislator position and what he does for the state. Scibak has served as an advocate for disabled people, youth services, senior programs and veteran benefits. He is committed to ensuring equal access to affordable healthcare for Massachusetts residents. He also works to improve the quality of education for all levels and workforce training for economic development programs. Scibak mentioned his three job components, dealing with the state budget, the laws and bills that come through, which are
divided up between the committees present and his constituents which could be anyone within his district. Scibak has voted on major issues throughout his time as a legislator such as abortion, the death penalty and same-sex marriage. Scibak then went into discussing how he wants adjunct faculty for colleges to have health insurance. A new bill that has come up is free tuition in Massachusetts, people have been asking for this ever since New York state went in that direction. Scibak mentioned why college expenses are
going up in price, which is due to faculty salaries, cost of education, health insurance and the differences between private and public schools. One of Scibak’s main focuses right now are open housing for low to middle income families. He wants affordable housing for these families. However, more and more people are going into the Airbnb business, which is putting your house or apartment up for people to stay in while visiting Massachusetts for vacation or otherwise. This makes it dif-
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Photo from malegislature.gov
Massachusetts State Representative John Scibak, chairperson of the Joint Committee on Higher Education
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Feb. 8, 2018 Vol. 86 Issue 2
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announced the relaunch of their 100 Percent Renewable Energy campaign this Thursday, Feb. 8 in addition to a website launch of their Facebook page. Their continuous work includes a food drive taking place Wednesday, Feb. 7 through Tuesday, Feb. 12 as well as a special bee-themed Valentine’s Day tabling in the campus center. Also, Griffin Labbance and Allison Fortin are seeking models for their Recycling Fashion Show in March. For more information contact them at griffin.labbance@
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This week the Student Government Association has allocated $800 to the Multicultural Education Resource Center. This money will go toward catering a special Soul Food Dinner in celebration of Black History Month. The money was derived from SGA’s co-sponsorship budget, which now stands at $5,599, and the dinner will take place on Feb. 21. Berkshire Tower’s A-board came forward seeking $2,000
on an estimated 135 attendees. No final call was made but several people, including Senator Andrew Baillargeon and Senator Shon Loftus, shared unease around such a big budget cut so early in the spring semester. Club budget proposals for FY19 are in and the budget finance committee is moving to meet with E-boards from every submitted club. Additionally, SGA spoke of a new die cut machine which will be open for clubs wishing to make new banners for meeting times or special events. At the meeting, MassPIRG
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for their Valentine’s Day Gala, now rebranded simply as “The Gala,” from the co-sponsorship budget. Unlike previous years, the dance would take place at Church Street Center on Feb. 23 and would be open to all MCLA students. Parliamentarian Dean Allen Little, class of 2021, recused himself as an involved participant of the event to answer questions. Like the Soul Food Dinner, the money provided here would also come from the cosponsorship budget and go toward a specialized caterer instead of ARAMARK resources. The event’s budget was based
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SGA approves $800 for Soul Food dinner
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mcla.edu or af1544@mcla. edu. The Student Government Association meets in Murdock 218 on Mondays at 7 p.m. The meetings are open to all students.
Career Trail Software builds community BY JOSEPH CAREW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF New from the Center for Student Success and Engagement (CSSE), comes an online career software known as the Career Trail. “In essence it is a comprehensive piece of software that’s going to overhaul career development here at MCLA,” Dale Osef, MCLA’s career development specialist, said. The Career Trail essentially will be a place for students to post resumes and search for jobs as well as connect with alumni and professionals. “A large part of the functions that the software is going to have to offer is job postings, internship postings, you can upload a resume and then an employer can look for you directly so kind of flips the paradigm a little bit,” Osef said. It also permits professors to
search for current students for internships and projects and works to create a community with the alumni and the students through a mentor program. “You can connect with an alumni mentor, as many as you want, and network in that way,” Osef said. Students can then learn from those who have been through it all. In this way Career Trail works to improve graduates’ chances of getting into the profession of their choosing. Notable in this software is its ability to integrate any user’s LinkedIn profile with their Career Trail profile. Because the Career Trail has a more finely tuned and local focus it is meant to compliment rather than supplement the use of a LinkedIn. The College purchased the software in July and after six or seven months of work, especially by Ian
MERC from page 1 color with role models that were in their shoes at one point. I want alumni, faculty, and staff to be there for them almost like a brotherhood,” said Obasohan. The Men of Color Dinner is also an invitation-only event revolving around MCLA students from the Men of Color Initiative group, which Obasohan started last fall, and other men of color on campus. “I started the Men of Color Initiative group because often men of color on campus are not on the top of the list to step up to be in leadership positions,” said Obasohan. With various on-campus events, Obasohan said there will also be events off-campus to honor MERC’s celebration of Black History Month. “I want to get the North Adams community and students talking to figure out solutions to creating an environment
where students of color feel welcomed,” said Obasohan. MERC is working in collaboration with the North Adams community this Winterfest by offering a community dialogue session with the campus conversation on race group in the downtown Design Lab on Feb. 17 from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. Further upcoming events include MERC collaboration with Aramark in the Centennial Room for the Soul Food Dinner Night with a special guest chef on Feb. 21 and a movie night at the North Adams Movieplex 8 for students to see the film “Black Panther” is being put together for Feb. 16. MERC is working to spark conversations with all students and push the MCLA campus community to further work to create diversity and inclusion on campus this Black History Month.
Bergeron, director of information technology and Molly Williams, director of Institutional Advancement, it was ready to be used by the MCLA community. You can also schedule appointments with career development directly from this software. “MCLA saw a need for a fresh, new approach to career development on our campus,” Osef said. “The Career Trail gives us the right platform to engage all internal and external stakeholders in helping MCLA students to think about career development as a holistic process that corresponds directly with their academic experience here.” The Career Trail also is available to all MCLA alumni, and serves students in all degree programs.
Scibak from page 1 -ficult for taxing and this is starting to cost more money than regular housing. Another bill that is up and coming is the sexual assault bill for Title IX on campuses. Some schools have started conducting climate surveys for this bill. However, many differences arise between colleges because of the number of students that attend each college. The state doesn’t want impossible standards for small schools to uphold just because of what the bigger school want or need. John W. Scibak, chairperson of the Joint Committee on Higher Education, a part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, House of Representatives, can be contacted by his email John.Scibak@MAHouse.Gov.
Feb. 8, 2017 Vol. 86 Issue 2
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SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket, lands 2 side boosters simultaneously on land BY SAMANTHA MASUNAGA Los Angeles Times In a historic first, SpaceX launched its long-awaited Falcon Heavy rocket Tuesday and landed its two side boosters on land - a feat the Hawthorne, Calif., space company hopes will lead to increased commercial and national security missions. The company said it was still waiting on news about the landing of its center core booster, which was set to land on a floating platform at sea. The launch occurred at 3:45 p.m. Eastern time from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, the same Florida launch pad where the Saturn V rocket lifted off to take astronauts to the moon. The launch was delayed several times Tuesday to wait out high upper-atmosphere winds. After liftoff, SpaceX attempted to land all three of Falcon Heavy’s boosters back on the Earth - two on land and one on a floating platform at sea. SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk has described the attempt as “synchronized aerial ballet.” Around 8 minutes after liftoff, the two side boosters landed simultaneously on land. The test payload for this demonstration mission is Musk’s midnight cherry Tesla Roadster, which will be launched toward Mars. But it will take a difficult road to
photos from MCT Campus
SpaceX’s Falcon heavy rocket sits on Launch Pad 39A Monday, Feb. 5, 2018 ready for the maiden demonstration test launch scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at 1:30pm. It is made up of three rocket boosters that will produce more thrust than any other rocket now flying. (Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel/TNS) get there. On a conference call with reporters Monday afternoon, Musk said the car _ along with a dummy named Starman who is shown on Musk’s Instagram sitting in the driv-
Enveloped in morning fog, the SpaceX Falcon Heavy sits on launchpad 39A at first light, in this view from Playalinda Beach, Fla. at the Canaveral National Seashore, just north of the Kennedy Space Center, ahead of the rocket’s anticipated launch, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018. Playalinda is one of closest public viewing spots to see the launch, about 3 miles from the SpaceX launchpad 39A. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS)
er’s seat while wearing a spacesuit _ will do a “grand tour” through the Van Allen belts, an area of high radiation that surrounds the Earth, as part of a six-hour coast in deep space that is intended to demonstrate to the U.S. Air Force that Falcon Heavy can meet specific orbit insertion requirements. If the car survives that environment, then it will continue on to an elliptical orbit that at times will come close to Mars, with an “extremely tiny” chance it will actually hit the Red Planet, though Musk said, “I wouldn’t hold your breath.” Falcon Heavy will be the most powerful U.S. rocket since the Saturn V. First announced to the public in 2011, Falcon Heavy is expected to generate 5.1 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and will be capable of carrying more than 140,000 pounds to lowEarth orbit. With its large payload capacity, the Falcon Heavy is expected to help SpaceX win contracts that require more capability than its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket. “When you’re talking about highly classified payloads or special missions, you really want to be sure you’ve got
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capacity,” Ellen Tauscher, former U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, who currently serves on SpaceX’s board of advisers, said Tuesday. Musk first promised that a demonstration flight of the massive rocket would occur in 2012, but the company, whose full name is Space Exploration Technologies Corp., found that development of the 27-engine behemoth was more difficult than initially expected. After a successful static fire almost two weeks ago, anticipation has been building for Falcon Heavy’s first flight. By noon Pacific time Monday, Kennedy Space Center’s visitor center tweeted that no more tickets were available to watch the launch from designated viewing points. But Musk has tried to temper expectations, going as far as saying that there was a “good chance” the rocket would not make it to orbit on the first flight and that he hoped the rocket made it “far enough away from the pad that it does not cause pad damage.” “I would even consider that a win, to be honest,” he told an audience at a space conference in Washington this summer. Tauscher, who as a representative for California’s 10th Congressional District served on the House Armed Services Committee, said Tuesday that the launch would be an opportunity to learn.
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Feb. 8, 2018 Vol. 86 Issue 2
A week in history: Rome to World War 2 February 8th
1942 – World War II: Japan invades Singapore. 1952 – Elizabeth II is proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom. 1984 – Cecily Strong, American actress, is born.
1964 – The Beatles make their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing before a “record-busting” audience of 73 million viewers across the USA.
February 10th
1954–United States President Dwight Eisenhower warns against United States intervention in Vietnam. 1964 – Glenn Beck, American journalist, producer, and author, is born. 1967 – The 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution is ratified. 1991 – Emma Roberts, American ac-
February 12th
1502 – Vasco da Gama sets sail from Lisbon, Portugal, on his second voyage to India. 1946 – World War II: Operation Deadlight ends after scuttling 121 of 154 captured U-boats.
tress, is born. Photos from WikimediaCommons
Roman provinces on the eve of the assassination of Julius Caesar, 44 BC
February 9th
849 – The new Roman Republic is declared. 1861 – American Civil War: Jefferson Davis is elected the Provisional President of the Confederate States of America by the Confederate convention at Montgomery, Alabama.
February 14th
February 11th
1534 – Henry VIII of England is recognized as supreme head of the Church of England. 1794 – First session of United States Senate opens to the public. 1943 – World War II: General Dwight D. Eisenhower is selected to command the allied armies in Europe. 1982 – Natalie Dormer, English actress, is born.
The 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton. 1999 – United States President Bill Clinton is acquitted by the United States Senate in his impeachment trial.
February 13th
1130 – Pope Honorius II dies
Weekend Weather
Thursday, February 8
Partly Cloudy High: 23° Low: 8° Precip. Chance: 20%
1633 – Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome for his trial before the Inquisition. 1689 – William and Mary are proclaimed co-rulers of England. 1944 – Jerry Springer, EnglishAmerican television host, actor, and politician, is born. 1945 – World War II: Royal Air Force bombers are dispatched to Dresden, Germany to attack the city with a massive aerial bombardment. 2017 – Kim Jong-nam is assassinated at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
1502 – Spanish Inquisition: The Catholic Monarchs issue a decree forcing Muslims in Granada to convert to Catholicism or leave Spain 1556 – Thomas Cranmer is declared a heretic. 1855 – Texas is linked by telegraph to the rest of the United States, with the completion of a connection between New Orleans and Marshall, Texas. 1946 – The Bank of England is nationalized.
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FEATURES
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A Look at the Honors Student Representative Council BY LISE MANSARAY FEATURES WRITER With the start of a new semester, there are several opportunities to join new clubs and programs on campus. The Honors Student Representative Council (HSRC) is the student E-board of the Honors Program. The program is considered beneficial to the growth of students as described by a few Eboard members. “The Honors Program has helped me branch out from my major and learn about other subject areas and ways of thinking,” said Treasurer Kaylyn Swenson. “I think it’s a great way to round out your education.” Kathryn Mancini, vice president of the HSRC, also agreed. “I’ve also had the opportunity to meet new people, make more personal connections with my professors, and even taken a trip to the Boston Aquarium thanks to the program,” said Mancini. “It’s been a great part of my college experience so far.” Members of the HSRC are responsible for planning events for honors students, representing student interest during Honors Advisory Board meetings and attending Com-
Photo provided by the MCLA Honors Page
monwealth Honors Program meetings to represent MCLA’s Honors Program. The HSRC gives students the opportunity to expand on their knowledge and is beneficial for their future. Through the program, students can decide if they would like to pursue
graduating with honors, and can count toward their credits. The program challenges students as a variety of honors classes are offered and the program encourages students to step out of their comfort zone and develop skills in subjects outside of their major.
“For instance, I’m a biology major with a concentration in pre-professional medicine and I’ve recently taken Environmental Law, World Religions, and Hybrid Poetics for the honors program,” Mancini said. “World Religions ended up being one of the most en-
lightening classes I’ve ever taken, and I never would have taken it had it not been for the program.” The program also offers a quiet study space in Mark Hopkins with an exclusive library, couches, a computer, and coffee machine. Aside from the academic benefits, the program is also a great way to meet new people and make personal connections with professors. Some students have even been offered trips through it. Any honors student can join the HSRC by coming by their office or running for an E-board position, according to Jaclyn Ordway, co-president. Students who are not yet honors students can can talk to Professor Edgerton or Professor Finch, the Honors Program co-directors, about joining. The Honors Student Representative Council E-board meets once a week and each Eboard member holds an office hour each week. “If you are curious about the HSRC, feel free to stop by one of our meetings or talk to any of the E-board members,” said Ordway. For more information on the Honors Program contact Susan Edgerton or visit the MCLA website.
Excitement on Campus as Education Majors Receive Field Placement BY MEGHAN COOK FEATURES EDITOR As the new semester begins, education majors are receiving their field placements. These are the classroom assignments in public schools around Berkshire County where MCLA students will be working and learning to teach students. Simply sitting in classrooms is not enough for these majors as they strive to become the people who stand up in front of a room full of students. The hands-on opportunity of this program allows students to get their feet wet getting practice as the teachers. “Students get to practice skills in the classroom setting that teachers
need to have,” says Daniel Rapp, education department chair. “They get to work with students not only oneon-one but also in small groups.” MCLA education majors granted this opportunity are preparing to rise up to the challenge. “I am looking forward to getting a hands-on experience in the classroom with these kids,” says Hannah Sorenson, class of 2020 and elementary education and interdisciplinary studies major. “As well as learning from an experienced teacher.” Sorenson has been placed in a sixth-grade classroom at Williams Elementary. With a concentration in math and science, she will have the opportunity to observe how these subjects are taught within the cur-
Photo provided by Meghan Cook
A billboard hung up in a Mark Hopkins hallway for the Education Department
riculum. Besides observing, MCLA students will also need to teach two lessons to their classrooms. “These experiences build not only confidence but understanding and empathy as well,” explains Rapp. Coordinator of Educator Licensure and Placement Nancy Pearlman has the responsibility of placing the education majors in the classrooms around Berkshire County. According to Pearlman, students fill out a form with their education advisor then submit it to her for placement. “We do try and be aware of where students live and their access to transportation,” explains Rapp. “But we have sent students even down to South County to Lee and Great Barrington.” The MCLA education department has also just recently implemented a new 4+1 program. The program is designed so students can obtain both a teaching license and a Master of Education (M.E.––d) on an accelerated pathway of five years. As the program is new it is rising juniors who are applying to get into it. According to an article posted on the MCLA website, Amanda Botelho, Class of 2020, is participating in the 4+1 program. “Being able to get a master’s in five years is awesome. It will help me save time and money, and jump into my career sooner,” said Botelho in the article. Within that program students will
participate in their field placements. “Teacher availability and the approval of the school principal is a key factor,” explains Pearlman. “Some students already have a Field Placement teacher or school in mind and we work together to make sure everything is in place.” Megan Richardson, a junior who is double majoring in math and secondary education with a minor in history, was assigned her second field placement. “I am currently enrolled in Field II which is the last pre-practicum before student teaching,” says Richardson. “This semester I am placed at my old high school, Hoosac Valley Middle and High School and last spring I was placed at McCann Tech.” Field placements are given to sophomores and juniors, followed by a semester of student teaching during senior year. As student teachers, the MCLA students become the teacher, from designing lessons plans to grading the papers. “I am really looking forward to discovering more about my teaching style and philosophy,” says Richardson. “We are required to teach three lessons in Field Placement II so I am excited to get feedback to see what I am doing well and how I can further improve my practice.”
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Arts & Entertainment
Spires Announces Fall Contest Winners, Hosts Open Mic
photo from Spires Facebook
BY JACOB VITALI A&E WRITER MCLA’s literary journal, “Spires,” revealed the winners of their fall contest at an open mic event in Murdock Hall on Saturday, Jan. 27. The event featured readings of poetry and music from students, alumni and community members. The event had an audience of around 40 people that listened attentively and clapped along. There were winners among Poetry, Prose, and Visual Art. The first place for poetry went to Cassandra Lavoie for “Stressed Loon,” with Allison O’Keefe’s “Epileptic” taking the prize for second and Meredith
Beard’s “Rain Map” taking third. Madeline McConnell won first place in prose for her piece “Stasis,” while Lindsey Vachon’s “A Girl in Pink” took second. For Visual Art, Rachel Mancour took home first for “Colored Pencil Reflected Woman,” while Halie Smith took second and third place with “Lumberjacks” and “Uh.” The winners were chosen democratically and anonymously by the Spires general membership as explained by co-managing editors Katherine Duval and Ian Cappelli. “The fall contest is something that Spires likes to do annually,” said Duval. “We collect
submissions throughout the fall semester and then anonymously we vote on first place, second place, and third place for Prose, Poetry, and Visual Arts.” The magazine had upwards of 50 submissions to choose from, depending on the categories. Zach Finch, professor of English/Communications and Spires adviser, was impressed with the diversity of the submissions that the magazine received. “I think the eclectic diversity of the submissions is what I noticed most, that there’s not one sort of style or theme that people are writing about and that was refreshing to see,” said Finch. Spires hopes to hold more
open mics throughout the rest of the semester. “We’re going to try to host them throughout the rest of the semester, hopefully, they’ll be bimonthly, at least once a month, but we’re hoping to get it up to two,” said Duval. “We believe that open mics are great to generate this kind of community. We had not just people who go here but alums,” said Cappelli. Another highlight of the night was junior Luke O’Brien’s performance of “Deadest Dreams” by Radiator Hospital and the debut of an original song he calls “I Walked (Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #5),” a song that he wrote
studying abroad in Ireland last semester. O’Brien enjoyed seeing the talent that the other acts had to offer. “We have so many great artists in both visual and poetic and musical artists in North Adams at MCLA in particular. It’s just so humbling and inspiring to come out to these things,” said O’Brien. Spires is currently accepting submissions for their spring journal. The deadline to submit work is Feb. 26 and work can be submitted by emailing spires@ mcla.edu. An audio version of this story can be found on theonlinebeacon.com.
You’re A Leader, Trailblazer BY BRIANNA LAMB A&E WRITER
Ten points to MCLA! The 23rd Annual Leadership Conference held on campus will have a magical theme this year, hoping to draw attendees from MCLA as well as surrounding colleges. MCLA organizes this conference in the spring semester every year, consisting of multiple sessions and workshops focused on professional development. A theme is chosen for the conference, adding a fun twist to the event. This year, the conference will be Harry Potter-themed, focusing on The Magic of Leadership as shown on their flyers. Director of Student Activities Jennifer Labbance outlined what attendees to this year’s Leadership Conference can look forward to. “The conference is run very professionally. There is a check in, registration, and a keynote speaker who will give about an hour long presentation before the breakout sessions begin,” said Labbance. Four sessions, broken up into 30 and 65 minute segments, with lunch between sessions, will offer workshops detailing a wide range of leadership skills
and knowledge. There are plenty of different options within each session block, presented by peers, alumni, professionals and students from other colleges. The conference is attended by various schools other than MCLA. Newbury College, located near Boston, will be traveling the farthest for the event. One change that took place in recent years was the creation of a sole student session block. Labbance stressed that the faculty and conference committee encourage students to present, which led to the decision to adjust the session blocks. It was found that some students felt it was easier to fill 30 minute segments rather than 60 minute segments. Although the shorter segments were created for this purpose, other non-student presenters may also choose these smaller session blocks. Jacob Boillat, a senior at MCLA, has attended the conference since his freshman year, and this will be his second year presenting. This year, he will be talking about budgeting skills for student clubs, organizations and personal life. “Overall, I have really enjoyed attending this conference and always learn something new every
photo courtesy of Pexels
Become a Leader at the Leadership Conference at Hogwarts. I mean, MCLA. year,” said Boillat. “I enjoy watching my peers present and learning from them while making new friendships. This conference has helped me grow as a person, student and student leader and has helped prepare me for life after college. I would highly encourage MCLA students to attend this conference.” In choosing the conference’s theme, the committee, consisting of student affairs professionals and a few students, brainstormed ideas and took a vote on which would be the most fun and creative. Labbance has seen many themes come and go, as this is the ninth one she has helped
plan. “In the past our themes have included things like Lego and camping,” Labbance said. “Last year, my idea for a medieval theme, Leaders of the Round Table, was almost chosen, but the date was moved to a Sunday at the last minute and the theme was switched to the Super Bowl.” Some of this year’s ideas included, “Love Your Leader for Valentine’s Day,” “Who Can Lead with an emphasis on Dr. Seuss,” and “Reaching New Heights,” featuring a hot air balloon. In the end, Harry Potter won and, while Labbance would not give away any details (no veritaserum
truth potion used here!), the theme will be incorporated into the conference through decorations and some fun surprises. The conference has something for every student and can have a lasting impact on those who attend. “This is a really great experience for students,” said Labbance. “Whether you’re a new leader finding your passions and discovering how you want to lead, or you’re an experienced leader, there is always something for you.” The Leadership Conference will take place Feb. 10 in the Campus Center Gym from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Arts & Entertainment
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This Is: Wallows BY EMMA MONAHAN A&E EDITOR
Los Angeles-based Wallows have just started out in the alt/punk scene with only four songs under their belt. Although that may seem like a small amount, they are making their way across America with their catchy riffs and relatable lyrics. Bandmembers Cole Preston, Braeden Lemasters and Dylan Minnette (actor known for his role in the Netflix hit “13 Reasons Why”) have been on tour this past winter and will be coming to Massachusetts in late February. Although a debut album has not been announced yet, their four songs, “Pleaser,” “Uncomfortable,” “Sun
Tan,” and “Pulling Leaves off Trees” show exactly what should be expected on one. Their sound is definitely something you would listen to with the windows down on a summer drive. Related artists to Wallows are lovelytheband, HUNNY, flor and Bad Suns. With a sound similar to others, they’re unique in their own punk way. Minnette being able to break away from his acting and perform this type of music is something that isn’t seen these days. As the lyrics from “Pulling Leaves off Trees” say: “Can I make my own opinion tell me all about it. Everyone approves of it I wanna scream and shout it.” So, make your own opinion.
photo from Wallows Facebook
Despite only four songs being released under their name, Wallows have toured throughout the country and have gained recognition quickly.
Yorick to perform “Hamlet” this spring BY WYATT MINEAU A&E WRITER If you’ve ever had even a passing interest in theatre, the stage, live performances, or general English literature, you’ve no doubt heard of William Shakespeare’s classic “Hamlet.” MCLA’s resident Shakespeare club, Yorick, has returned with their planned production of the famed tragedy. Auditions played out Jan. 27, with callbacks being held the following day. Being one of the most legendary and influential theatre performances ever written, “Hamlet” follows the titular protagonist and his quest to avenge his father’s mysterious death potentially at the hands of Hamlet’s uncle. Such a storied work
deserves only the best in performances, and that’s what Yorick hopes to provide to the community. Of course, Yorick doesn’t limit themselves to “Hamlet.” “We got a lot of new people in the cast this semester which we are very excited about and we are happy to bring them into our Yorick family,” one of the lead members of Yorick commented. “Every one of them has a lot of talent and will bring a lot to the performance.” When asked, Kathleen Harrison, one of the codirectors of the production, commented that there was a great turnout, with many newcomers auditioning, including some that had never acted before. She also said that they’re very excited to begin production
of the show. The production will run from April 12-14. Those interested in the tech side of the production will be able to attend interviews for positions near the end of February. Yorick also has a Facebook group, available to keep you up-to-date on “Hamlet”, as well as any other auditions, events, or plays that’ll be occurring in the near future. If you want to take part in future productions, Yorick is open and always looking for new members, and while auditions have ended for “Hamlet”, Yorick hopes to continue to put on performances for the MCLA and North Adams communities in the foreseeable future. For more information about Yorick, visit their Facebook page.
Upcoming Events: Feb. 8: Black in Time Week: Birmingham Bombings 11-2 p.m. Campus Center Marketplace “Show Me Democracy” Viewing 3:30-5 p.m. Church Street Center Auditorium
Feb. 9: “Fruitvale Station” 7-10 p.m. Sullivan Lounge
Feb. 10: Winter Olympics Live Stream 8-10 p.m. Sullivan Lounge
Feb. 13: Student Cookoff photo from Yorick’s Facebook
Yorick performing “Julius Caesar” last spring. “Hamlet” will run April 12-14.
4:30-6 p.m. Campus Center Marketplace
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SPORTS
Feb. 8, 2018 Vol. 86 Issue 2
Conquest gets 25 buckets, despite loss from MCLA
BY JABARI SHAKIR SPORTS WRITER MCLA senior Adam Conquest dropped a season-high 25 buckets in a staggering effort, but the Trailblazers came up short with an 88-75 loss in their record books on Wednesday, Jan. 31 against the Bridgewater State Bears, hosted at the Amsler Campus Center. Adam Conquest led his team with an astonishing season-high 25 points, nine rebounds, and finishing with a steal and block. He shot 61.1 percent (11-18) from the field. Ki-Shawn Monroe and Mike Demartinis scored 13 points with Noah Yearsley following up with 12 points and three rebounds. Monroe added four rebounds and seven assists to the stat sheet, which turned out to be his season-high. The Trailblazers overall had 32 rebounds, 13 assists, six steals, and five blocks. They shot 31-61 (50.8 percent) from the floor, 5-12 (41.7 percent) from the arc and 8-19 (42.1 percent) from the free-throw line. They also shot 44 points in the paint and nine points from the bench. On the other hand, the Bridgewater Bears had a tremendous game led by Joseph Carty with 21 points and Rocky DeAndrade scored 20 points. They both combined with 41 points out of the total 88 points of the final score. Carty provided his team with 17 rebounds and five assists, while DeAndrade had three steals. During Carty and DeAndrade's extraordinary
photo by MCLA Athletics
MCLA senior Adam Conquest taking a shot in his 25 basket game. Conquest is averaging 11.3 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game in his first year with the team. double-digit dual-threat scoring, their teammates also contributed to the win. Ryan Carney had 17 points, Dimitri St. Louis had 13 points and Rayshon Ward had 12 buckets. The team overall shot a 52.3 field goal percentage (34-65), 9-21 from downtown (42.1 percent) and 11-17 from the freethrow line (64.7 percent). Additionally, they had 37 rebounds, 15 assists, 28 points in the paint and 26 points from their own bench. In the first half, no team scored until the first two minutes of the game. The Trailblazers scored on a layup by Ki-Shawn Monroe to get the team started on a good lead. Additionally, the Blazers
were up six points to the Bears' zero two minutes later, but Ryan Carney swished a three-pointer from the left-wing to crush all of MCLA's hopes in breaking a lead so early. Looking at the game clock, with 10:26 it was tied at 12 points and the Bears took the lead with a pop-up jump shot by DeAndrade. The striking defense from the Bears held MCLA at 12 points for four minutes with 6:37 left in the first half. At the two-minute warning, we have a ball game, folks, the score was 31-26, with Bridgewater leading. At the end of the half, the score was 37-32. The Bears took the lead before the half with a three from downtown by Carney to take a fivepoint lead.
Reading the stat sheet, for the first half MCLA's Adam Conquest had 13 points, seven rebounds, a steal, and block. Next up on the stat sheet, Ki-Shawn Monroe had seven points while Yearsley and Montgomery had four points. At the end of the half, MCLA had 13-29 (44.8 percent) from the field, 28.7 percent (2-7) from the arc, 66.7 percent from the freethrow line and 14 rebounds. On the other hand, the Bears were led by DeAndrade with 11 points, three steals, and one assist. St. Louis followed up with seven points. Carty and Carney shared six points apiece. The Bears had 11 rebounds, seven assists, and four steals. They did all this
while shooting 48.3 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from the three-pointer, and 50 percent from the freethrow line. In the second half, the Bears put up a 17 point lead with 11:51 on the game clock. The score was 61-44. Although the Trailblazers took a loss on the game last week, Quran Davis believes in his teammates and in their success while working together as a team to finish strong when the season ends next week. Davis said, "Our strengths include running the transition well, we have a very prominent big man." Davis also mentioned that teammate Adam Conquest is a very unselfish player and carries the low of the team while still being aggressive toward his opponents. "Defense is our weakness, if we did not allow at least 75 points a game and lower that number to at least 60 or 65 we would be a way better team than we are now." The Trailblazers are aware of the work they have to strive to do and to be great. Quran Davis explained what his teammates do after a tough loss, which is to not think about the last game and continue to move forward to the next game. "The more you think about the last game the more you will drag yourself behind," Davis said. The Trailblazers, with a record of 7-13 overall and 4-5 in their conference, will be back in action at home on Thursday, Feb. 8 against Fitchburg State Falcons.
Lowest scoring game in season ends in loss BY JABARI SHAKIR SPORTS WRITER The MCLA women's basketball team hosted their lowest scoring game this season in a loss to the Bridgewater State Bears at the Amsler Campus Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31. The final score was 49-42. Senior Emily Moulton and junior Samantha Gawron led their team with 12 points apiece. They both strived to add more numbers to the stat sheet. Moulton finished with eight rebounds, an assist and a steal. Gawron completed with five rebounds, a steal, assist and block. With the follow-up, junior Courtney Pingelski scored nine buckets, seven rebounds, and three assists. MCLA Trailblazers overall finished with 31.1 field goal percentage (1961), 16.7 percent (2-12) from behind the arc, and 40 percent from the line. Also, continuing with the stat sheet they had 35 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals, and one block. Visiting the opponent's stats
sheet, their lead scorer was Chanelle Melton who finished with 14 points, nine rebounds, and one assist. Her teammates Rhiana Page and Sara DaSilva shared four assists apiece. Page completed with nine points and four rebounds, while DaSilva had two rebounds, one assist, and eight points. The Bears overall finished with 35.8 percent (19-53) shooting from the field, 4-19 (21.1 percent) from downtown and 58.3 percent (7-12) from the free-throw line. Â They also had 40 rebounds, 11 assists, seven steals and one block. In the first half, the Trailblazers were trailing 27-21. Melton scored a fantastic lay-up with six seconds left on the clock to extend the lead to six points. Moulton had eight points, two steals, four rebounds and one assist, while her teammate Pingelski had four points, one assist, and one rebound and Gawron had five points and one steal.
Their opponents, on the other hand, because it makes her want to "go 125 scored six buckets and seven rebounds percent more for the team aspect, it from Melton. DaSilva scored four helps you become a better leader and points, three assists, two rebounds, to facilitate," Moulton explained. and one steal. Page followed up with The Trailblazers will be back in four points and three rebounds. action with a record of 6-15 overall Even though the final score was a and 2-7 in their conference. Their loss, senior Emily Moulton, the future next home game is Thursday, Feb. 8 special education teacher known for against Fitchburg State Falcons. her supportive and friendly attitude toward her teammates, strives for the next game that matters because it is motivation during "crunch-time." Moulton, being the supportive and friendly person she is, is her teammate's favorite go-to person for help on and off the court. "Our defense is definitely our strength, we have a very good defense and communication is our biggest weakness," Moulton said. She is coming off an ankle injury that occurred during the winter break and can not wait to get back on the The mascot Trailblazer. court to play with her squad. Her injury makes her a better person
SPORTS Conquest drops 20; leads MCLA to 71-69 win Feb. 8, 2018 Vol. 86 Issue 2
BY BRADY GEROW SPORTS EDITOR MCLA senior forward Adam Conquest led the Trailblazers men’s basketball team to a 71-69 victory over the Worcester State Lancers on Saturday, Feb. 3 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) game in Worcester. Conquest put up 20 points to lead all scorers, and recorded nine rebounds in leading the ‘Blazers to their win. This game was Conquest’s second straight 20-plus point game, as well as his second straight game leading all scorers. Conquest has been a solid contributor since he hit the lineup, averaging 13.4 points
per game and 8.6 rebounds per game since he started getting minutes in January. With 7:46 left to play in the second half of play, freshman guard Quran Davis hit two consecutive three pointers after the ‘Blazers had fallen behind 53-52, one of the few times the ‘Blazers had trailed since the start of the second half. After Davis’ back-to-back three-point baskets, the Lancers and ‘Blazers traded blows over the next six minutes of play. With about a minute left to play, the ‘Blazers controlled a 67-64 lead over the Lancers, and the intentional fouls ensued. The ‘Blazers had chance after chance to put the Lancers away for good, but they went a poor 4-9 from the line in the final minute of
play. Although the ‘Blazers were able to hold off the comeback, the Lancers had a chance until the very end. Conquest’s 20-point, nine rebound night was supported by Davis’ 13-point effort as he stuffed the stat sheet with three assists, rebounds, and steals to do a little bit of everything in the win. Conquest went 7-18 from the floor while Davis ended 4-6 from the field including a solid performance from beyond the arc, going 3-5 from deep. Senior guard Keiland Cross also finished in double figures with 11 points as well as adding seven rebounds and two assists. The Lancers were paced by Shuan McCarthy’s teamhigh 15-point night. Cal
Howes and Will Watkins Jr. added 13 points apiece, while Bryson Gulley ended with 12 points for the Lancers. The Lancers, now 3-19 overall and 2-7 in the MASCAC will look to play Fitchburg State in an away game on Saturday, Feb. 10. The ‘Blazers have now improved to 7-13 overall and 4-5 in the MASCAC, which has them at third place in the conference with three conference games left to play until the end of the regular season. The ‘Blazers will look to rack up another conference win tonight as they face off with Fitchburg State in the Amsler Campus Center Gymnasium at 7:30 in a game that was postponed from yesterday.
The Patriots – where do they go from here? Following a disappointing 41-33 loss mistake, Belichick is not going anyto the Philadelphia Eagles in Super where. Bowl LII, the New England Patriots Now, let’s have a look at who won’t have a lot to address this offseason. be returning to New England next Key players and coaches alike are in season. questionable positions, with regards Offensive coordinator Josh to their futures with the team. The McDaniels – Following the accepteam itself has been on a tear for much tance in principle of the Indianapolis of the 21st century, but when do the Colts’ vacant head coach position, gears finally stop turning? Does this McDaniels will once again be leavdefeat mark the beginning of the end? ing New England for another go at a For starters, let’s begin with who the head coach gig. Having high ambitions Patriots can expect to stick around. before even officially receiving the job, Quarterback Tom McDaniels’ future was essentially Brady – Let’s get this one revealed when he informed an out of the way. Brady, while overwhelming majority of the visibly frustrated with the current Colts’ assistant coaching team’s defeat in the Super staff that he would not be retainBowl, was very quick to ing them once he officially arconfirm that he’ll return rived, shortly before the Patriots for another go in 2018. Andrew took on the Jacksonville Jaguars And really, how could one Baillargeon in the AFC Championship. It’s be surprised? If there are not imminently clear how the The Call any fingers to be pointed to Patriots could once again replace find fault in this loss, you McDaniels – offensive assistants won’t find many directed at Ivan Fears or Chad McShea, runBrady, even if he did commit a critical ningbacks and wide receivers coaches fumble in the game’s closing minutes. respectively, could get the call for a big Throwing for well over 400 yards, time promotion, or the Patriots could three touchdowns and no intercepventure for outside help at the positions, Brady once again played a great tion. Of course, whoever does succeed game at the NFL’s highest stage. McDaniels will have a wealth of talent Father Time may be undefeated, but to work with – there are few coordinaBrady continues to elude him, even tors who wouldn’t relish the opporat the age of 40, and will certainly be tunity to work with Tom Brady, Rob around for this season and, barring Gronkowski, and Dion Lewis amongst something unforeseen, should be others – so this is not a position the good to finish this decade in a Patriots Patriots will find themselves bereft of uniform. options at, regardless of how they fill Head coach Bill Belichick – the position. Again, Belichick’s name is listed here Defensive coordinator Matt as mere housekeeping. While rumors Patricia – Much like McDaniels, did initially connect him to the head Matt Patricia agreed to a deal in princoach job with the New York Giants, ciple with the Detroit Lions during the Belichick himself quickly crushed postseason and will be taking a shot at these rumors – as did the Giants when his own head coaching gig elsewhere. they hired Pat Shurmur to this posiLike McDaniels, the Patriots have tion. All told, as long as Tom Brady is plenty of viable in-house options to still around, it’s hard to imagine the replace Patricia with. For years, the hoodie will ever go anywhere anytime team has been high on defensive line soon either. Don’t be fooled by the coach Brendan Daly’s future, and “controversy” between himself, Brady, it seems very likely they will simply and owner Robert Kraft – these retask him with the position. Another ports have been exaggerated, to some interesting option not only stems from extent fabricated, and are not worth within the Patriots coaching tree, but paying serious attention to. Make no also the Bill Belichick family tree – his
son, Steve Belichick, the safeties coach, could be a dark horse candidate for the job. That being said, much like the offensive coordinator position, the prospect of filling this position is unlikely to be difficult. However, unlike the offensive coordinator, the incoming defensive coordinator will have their work cut out for them after the team surrendered over 500 yards of total offense and 41 points to the Eagles in the Super Bowl. But even keeping those shortcomings in mind, after Week 6 of the NFL season, the unit proved very potent; they were the second best defense in the NFL in the red zone, allowing only 3.9 points per trip beyond the 20, they surprisingly sacked the opposing QB more times than any other defense in the NFL, and they generated the fourth most turnovers per game, which means there are pieces to work with here, even if the next prediction comes to fruition….. Malcolm Butler, cornerback – A surprising scratch from the team’s defense in the Super Bowl, Malcolm Butler has been at odds with the team for years now. Following a scrappy battle that resulted in him getting franchise tagged at the end of the 2017 season, the hero of Super Bowl 49 is likely on his way out. Eric Rowe stepped up in Butler’s absence, both in Super Bowl VLII and in the two games Butler missed in the regular season, and performed admirably alongside top free agent acquisition Stephon Gilmore. Between Rowe and Gilmore, the Patriots have a wealth of talent in their cornerback tandem, and it would make little sense to break the bank on signing Butler to an extension. He will ultimately have very little trouble finding a job elsewhere, but the dreamy relationship the Patriots and Butler had ever since he made one of the greatest plays in NFL history in Super Bowl 49 will very likely come to an end this offseason. For the rest of Andrew’s column check it out online!
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SCORE BOARD MCLA Men’s Basketball MCLA (71), Worcester St. (69) Adam Conquest (MCLA) 20 Pts, 9 Reb Pts, 7 Reb, 4 Ast, 3 Stl, 1 Blk
Will Watkins Jr. (Worcester St.) 13 Pts, 9 Reb
MCLA Women’s Basketball MCLA (48), Worcester St. (67) Samantha Gawron (MCLA)
16 Pts, 7 Reb, 1 Stl
19 Pts, 9 Reb, 2 Ast Blk
Kaitlyn Berkel (Worcester St.)
12 Pts, 9 Reb, 3 Ast3 Reb, 4 Ast, 2 Blk
NBA
Boston Celtics (91), Toronto Raptors (111)
Terry Rozier (Celtics) 18 Pts, 5 REB, 4 AST 10-12. 100 yds, 0 TD
Kyle Lowry (Raptors)
23 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST
NBA
Milwaukee Bucks (103), New York Knicks (89)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) 23 PTS, 11 REB, 6 AST 5 Reb, 1 Ast, 2 Stl,
Enes Kanter (Knicks) 19 PTS, 16 REB, 1 AST
NHL
Detroit Red Wings (2), Boston Bruins (3)
Danton Heinen (Bruins) 1 Goals, 1 ASR, 2 PTS
Martin Frk (Red Wings) 1 Goal, 3 SOG
NHL Vancouver Canucks (1), Florida Panthers (3) Markus Granlund (Canucks) 1 Goal, 2 SOGs, 8 Ast, 2 Stl
Aleksander Barkov Jr. (Panthers) 2 Goal, 2 SOGts, 22 Reb, 3 Ast
OPINION
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So Long Grid Girls
A lot of changes are old and new, across the coming to Formula 1 for world.” And that struck the 2018 season. On top a nerve with a fan base of a new logo and new often upset by changes to safety regulations, there the sport and resistant to will no longer be grid political correctness. girls. As some of you The most powerful remay or may not sponse to this know, grid girls rule change is are local models from the grid (typically women) girls thememployed by Forselves who are mula 1 to perform now without various promoan income they Joseph tional duties at have been acCarew each race. They customed to get their name WheelSpin for years. Charfrom the starting lotte Gash, grid where they now a former hold a numbered sign grid girl, spoke with BBC in front of each driver’s Radio 5 live about the spot. Oddly enough, this change. decision has sparked a “It’s upsetting and I’m significant amount of rather disgusted that F1 controversy. And I mean have given in to the misignificant. nority to be politically On their website For- correct,” Gash said. “I’m mula 1 says: “While the one of the lucky ones practice of employing that I don’t rely on this grid girls has been a sta- as a main source of inple of Formula 1 Grands come, but there are girls Prix for decades, we feel out there who do. I know this custom does not the grid girls are there to resonate with our brand look pretty when they’re values and clearly is at out on the grid but my odds with modern day role was interacting with societal norms. We don’t the crowd and we were believe the practice is ap- there as an advertisepropriate or relevant to ment for the sponsors. Formula 1 and its fans, We love doing it we don’t
want it taken away from us.” Now I have been a fan of Formula 1 for quite a lot of years and I have seen some serious changes made to the sport, like the switch from a V8 to a V6 power unit and more tire regulation changes than ever before, but I have never seen a change catch so much flak. Honestly I don’t really care about the change especially because of the way Formula has replaced the models. In their place will be grid kids or kids who are competing in karting or other junior categories of racing. Effectively this alteration means you can’t argue against the change and win. There is just no way. If I say, “Hey these women are losing their jobs!” the call back will be, “But the children!” And if I say, “You are effectively using children and getting their hopes up that they will be in Formula 1 (the odds of which are incredibly low)!” the call back again will be, “We are making kids’ dreams come true.”
Feb. 8, 2018 Vol. 86 Issue 2
Comic
Doing the right thing is good for business This week, we’re going to talk porter and editor have taught me about a very important aspect of anything it is that the truth always business: damage control, and the eventually comes out, and it’s much missteps some companies make. worse for your brand if people find When things go wrong, often hor- out the facts much later than if you ribly wrong, the first response many outright release that information companies have is to shut all soon after it happens and recommunication down. No one assure your customers that is allowed to talk to the press, appropriate action is being and if anybody is, it can only taken. If you try to cover up be the company’s pre-selected or withhold information, sources who are instructed that can be the makings of a to not directly talk about the scandal, something that you Mitchell incident. In some ways, this and your organization could Chapman makes sense. If anyone within pay for for years to come. None your organization is allowed This is not to say that every of your to talk freely, misinformation organization has to be combusiness can spread, which can be bad pletely transparent in damfor your brand, and if you keep age control scenarios – in fact communication to a minimum, in most cases, they can’t, especially your customers might not even no- when an internal investigation is tice the incident ever happened. taking place – but it is important to Wrong. If my experiences as a re- release what you can and to be hon-
Who Took it Best?
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 Editor-in-Chief Joseph Carew at jc2824@mcla.edu.
est and respectful when asked. I often think back to President John F. Kennedy’s Bay of Pigs apology speech, in which the president admits, on his own terms, that his ill-fated invasion of the bay was a mistake. Sure, there must have been pressure for him to admit his folly, but he could have easily done what many presidents and officials do – apologize for their mistakes, years later, when they have distanced themselves from the event. Kennedy apologized the week after, and for many it was a moment that defined his character, and he earned a lot of people’s respect for it, because doing the right thing on your own isn’t easy, and very few officials – be they in the government or not – do, especially when they might have a lot to lose. I think a lot of organizations have
this idea in their head that they have to be perfect, that they are without fault – or rather, their customers have to think that they’re perfect – and any information to the contrary must be buried and destroyed. People will understand, and maybe not all will, but enough will, and maybe it will take them some time, but I can tell you this, if I respect your company or your brand, it will be hard to lose me as a customer, and that type of respect – respect for who you are and what you do – is something that has to be earned. On one end, a crisis can be a PR disaster, but on another, it is your opportunity to earn the respect of your constituents, your customers, your patrons, etc. by showing them that you are willing to do the right thing. And that’s something you can’t buy, and can help you forge long-term
For all out future and past stories make sure to heck out theonlinebeacon.com
OPINION
Feb. 8, 2018 Vol. 86 Issue 2
Are we in North Adams or Alaska? During the past few days, we’ve seen New England weather at its finest, and it doesn’t seem to be getting warmer any time soon. With the winter weather comes the hope of snow days, but although those never seem likely, we rely on our maintainers and facilities staff more than usual. As students depend on snow days for the homework they didn’t get to, we depend on our maintainers and facilities staff to ensure we can get to and from class safely. Specifically Mon. and Tues., students took to social media to express their concerns about the condition of the campus after the snow and ice build up we experienced during the beginning of the week. Gravel could not be seen under the chunks of ice, sidewalks turned into ice rinks, and from what students could tell not much was being done about it. Students have expressed their concerns through social media apps, especially those who are in need of physical assistance. The campus has become somewhat dangerous to those who are unable to leave their townhouses or dorm rooms. Students also posted pictures online of the conditions and a quick search for MCLA on Twitter will bring you to many of these pictures and accompanying jokes. Students questioned whether or not maintenance was salting the
sidewalks until late in the day. With the College trying to escape its problematic past, i.e. maintenance problems in the Townhouses, and trying to increase enrollment efforts, this is an unnecessary hair-shirt that the College has to wear. When choosing where you want to spend the next four years of your life, safety is a top priority. While some factors are out of the College’s control, injuries resulting from snow and ice related falls are some of the easiest to prevent. This leads to multiple questions that at first had gone unanswered. What exactly was the maintenance staff doing to clear the snow and ice? To many students, not much. SGA did post on their Facebook page a response from the acting Director of Facilities, VP Larry Behan, where he explained that the type of weather we experienced wasn’t expected, fast paced, and students were encouraged to call the Facilities Department to report concerns, (413) 662-5099. This response came two days into persisting dangerous conditions and many were left unsatisfied by the response and how long it took. Especially when the icy conditions were the focus of open forum at Monday’s SGA meeting and campus administrators like President Birge and VP Cathy
Holbrook were inundated with complaints from students. What everyone needs to keep in mind is that employees do try their hardest to make every spot of campus safe, as quickly as they can, and even Behan said in his statement that, “it was very challenging to get salt and sand to all areas before the campus opened at 8 a.m.” How can this problem be fixed? How can students safely get around campus, especially those who are injured or disabled? And, will facilities consider hiring more employees during this time of year? There are students on this campus who would be willing to work on an as needed basis to clear snow and ice. In the grand scheme of things, these students would not be an exorbitant cost to the college. On top of that, students understand the most problematic areas and can direct facilities to prioritize those locations before they ever become a problem. All of these are questions that many students are probably wondering, and the fact that Behan took the time to respond to students’ concerns is something that’s in the right direction. Hopefully, in the future, a change will be made and there will be less students slipping and sliding on their way to class.
GRAMMYs, Time’s Up The GRAMMYs gone to her. After have come and such an empowergone, and with ing year for womthem viewers and en, she deserved it music fans experimore than anyone. enced a show that The GRAMMY was dominated by nominations were Bruno Mars, and made up of men Emma men in general. Monahan for the most part. To jump right In fact, the ReArts & Emma cording Academy’s into things, one of the biggest snubs president Neil of the night was Portnow made inEd Sheeran’s win for Best teresting comments about Pop Solo Performance. female musicians, saying, Don’t get me wrong, I love “I think it had to begin Ed and his music, but be- with women who have the ing the only male nomi- creativity in their hearts nee, and up against Kes- and souls, who want to be ha, it should’ve obviously musicians… [they need]
to step up because I think they would be welcomed.” EXCUSE ME? Let me just name a few women who have shaped the music industry: Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Celine Dion, Adele, Rihanna, shall I go on? After movements like Time’s Up and women like Kesha speaking out about their harassment in the industry, men like Neil Portnow just don’t get it. So how do we, as women, make a change? It doesn’t have to be just us who create it, we
need to stand hand in hand with men who support and encourage us in our respective fields to make the change. Portnow is just an example of someone who isn’t on our side 100 percent. With that, I leave with a brief excerpt from actress/singer Janelle Monáe’s GRAMMY speech: “We come in peace, but we mean business. And to those who would dare try and silence us, we offer you two words: Time’s up.”
Want a guest column? If interested, contact Editor-in-Chief Joseph Carew at jc2824@mcla.edu
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Feb. 8, 2018 Vol. 86 Issue 2
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IN OTHER BEACON NEWS Offensive struggles lead Women’s Basketball to 67-48 By Brady Gerow Sports Editor
The MCLA Trailblazers women's basketball team experienced serious offensive woes as they were defeated 67-48 by the Worcester State Lancers in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) showdown on Saturday, Feb. 3 in Worcester. The 'Blazers took the lead early in the first quarter after junior guard McKenzie Robinson downed a threepointer as the team's first points of the game. From that point on, the 'Blazers struggled to get anything going on offense for the rest of the half. The 'Blazers weren't able to stop the Lancers on the other end either, as the Lancers went on a 9-0 run after Robinson's three to quickly make the game 11-3 in favor of the Lancers. Over the next 18 minutes of play until the half, the 'Blazers shot just under 21 percent after Robinson made the first shot of the game. The 'Blazers were only able to put up eight points in each of the first two quarters. MCLA junior guard Samantha Gawron attempted
to hold the weight on offense but couldn't do it alone. Gawron matched her career high of 19 points on the night, while adding five rebounds. Gawron saw a bit of support from junior guard Courtney Pingelski, as she was the only other 'Blazer in double digits with 11 points, while adding four rebounds and one assist. Pingelski's offensive help was too little, too late as she scored all her points in the second half of play. Worcester was led by Kaitlyn Berkel's team-best 12-point night, adding four rebounds and four assists to round out her night. The Lancers were rounded out by Brianna Hackett who notched 11 points while Britt Herring collected 10 points and seven rebounds in the win. The Lancers, now 12-10 on the year and 6-3 in the MASCAC, look to face off with Fitchburg State on Saturday, Feb. 10 in another conference match-up in Fitchburg. The 'Blazers, now 6-15 overall and 2-7 in the conference, look to face off with Fitchburg State today at 5:30 p.m in the Amsler Campus Center Gym in one of the final three conference games before the season ends.
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