December 6, 2019 Vol. 89 Issue 11

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Friday, December 6, 2019

Volume 89 • Issue 11

Foundation To Buy 15% Adjunct Rule Willow Street House Now Enforced For President’s Home At State Colleges MSCA

BY TESSA SESTITO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

PHOTO BY BRIAN RHODES

39 Willow Street is to become the College’s new President’s house. The purchase is planned to close around the 23rd of this month for $230,000.

BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE MANAGING EDITOR Additional Reporting

by Brian Rhodes The College plans to buy 39 Willow Street to convert it into a new president’s house. The total amount of money to be spent on the building, $230,000 for the purchase and all additional renovations, is not planned to exceed $400,000.

“My hope is we’re not going to let it sit vacant for long, it wouldn’t make sense to do that,” said Robert Ziomek, vice president for institutional advancement. “I would guess sometime in 2020 we will have a president’s house. We haven’t been out to contractors yet, we’ve only gotten estimates, so it’s going to take a little while.”

According to Ziomek, the sale of the house will be closed around the 23rd of this month. The site is a two-bedroom Victorian less than a block away from campus, with an above-ground pool, small gardens and a backyard pavilion.

Until about 20 years ago, the Smith House, which currently houses the Admissions Office, operated as the president’s house. It was later changed to house its current offices, and the system was modified so that the President would housing stipend instead.

“That’s where the Foundation will be looking to get some income, from that,”

Ziomek said. “In other words, the money used for the [President’s housing] stipend would then be used to manage the property.”

According to Ziomek, the decision to buy an additional property was a good strategy for the combined organizations, college and foundation as a way to attract presidential candidates in the future.

“For example, before President Birge was even in the discussions about presidency we had a failed search for a president and part of the reason that came back [unsuccessfully] was because the housing wasn’t in place,” Ziomek said.

Ziomek stated that he wasn’t present during the time those discussions took place, but it was around this time that discussions began about establishing a new permanent president’s house on campus.

“This was not about President Birge,” Ziomek emphasized. “This was a strategy; I just want to be upfront about that, and an opportunity because this property is so close to campus.”

The money for the purchase will come from the MCLA Foundation, working alongside the College and the Board of Trustees.

“The Foundation is made up of a number of committees and one of those committees is a property committee,” Ziomek said. “They’re tasked with looking at properties that may be good for the

college to acquire or for the foundation to acquire. They don’t make the decision, they make a recommendation to the Board [of Trustees] and the Board made the decision to purchase the property.”

Ziomek, who works centrally on the College’s different fundraising practices, sees the new President’s house as an ample opportunity for attracting new donors.

He mentioned the possibility for hosting events at the house because of the spaciousness and location.

“One of the pieces from the Foundation’s decision side is that the president is always a part of major fundraising and that property will be used for fundraising cultivation of potential donors,” Ziomek said.

“I could even see President and Mrs. Birge inviting students in for meetings or get-togethers from time to time,” Ziomek added. “And in good weather, not like it is right now, the lot is big enough, and there’s a small pavillion, to allow us to have outdoor events as well.”

According to Ziomek, the College has to pay for a lot of the sites used currently for events with potential donors.

This house will create a new, closer, and more intimate place for them to hold events.

“I would guess that we won’t buy any [more] properties for a while after this, unless something really, really inexpensive and strategic comes up,” Ziomek said.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) recently upheld a provision in the faculty contract that requires no more than 15 % of all day courses at state colleges and universities be taught by part-time faculty.

Ramsden, who is also the grievance officer for the MCLA faculty union chapter of the Massachusetts State College Association (MSCA), informed the faculty of the ruling in a recent email.

“This rule regards the number of state university courses taught by part-time faculty (15% of total course offerings) versus those taught by full-time faculty (85%),” explained Modern Language Professor Graziana Ramsden

in an email.

In its decision, the SJC notes “that limiting low-paying faculty positions does not conflict with the [Board of Higher Education] BHE’s authority, nor does it inhibit the BHE’s ability to provide students with a high-quality education in a cost-effective manner.”

According to Ramsden’s email to faculty, MCLA has been one of the few campuses statewide to comply with this rule. President James Birge echoed this, stating MCLA has actually been well below the threshold for compliance.

“I don’t know for how long it’s been the case, but for a while, we’ve been well below the 15% threshold,” Birge said in an interview on Nov. 13. “Right now we’re at about

15% Rule, Page 8

MCLA Ranked First In Gender Equality

By Eos Foundation

BY NATALIA GIACOMOZZI STAFF WRITER MCLA was named the top four-year public institution for gender equality for the second year in a row in the latest report from the Eos Foundation, an education advocacy organization based in Massachusetts.

The “Women’s Power Gap in Higher Education” Eos Foundation report revealed that out of the 92 schools studied, almost only 40% were listed as satisfactory in terms of gender equality.

MCLA ranks number one out of the 40%.

According to MCLA’s press release dated Tuesday, Nov. 12, the report “examines the percentage of women enrolled at all Massachusetts public private schools alongside the percentage of female college presidents, senior leadership, and board of trustees.”

Half of the Board of Trustees for the College, including the board chairperson, as well as 50% of the highest-paid employees at MCLA are female. Currently, 62% of the total enrolled students

are women.

President James Birge issued the following statement in response to the report: “MCLA is a community committed to equity, and I am grateful and proud to be a part of an institution and community strengthened by so many female leaders and decision-makers.”

Amanda Beckwith, coordinator of the Women’s Center and the Identity and Gender Equality Resource Center (IGE), believes the MCLA community will take away a better understanding of how the college operates in terms of gender equality.

“These are positive stats that show the work students, staff, and faculty have been doing over the years,” Beckwith said.

However, Beckwith does not believe the school has finished ensuring that all-female voices are heard.

“We need to continue to support gender equality throughout the campus,” Beckwith said.

Beckwith pointed to the athletics department as

Gender, Page 8

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MSCA

Paying 1:1 Equivalencies For Faculty Not Possible At All Mass. State Schools

BY TESSA SESTITO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The statewide faculty union and state colleges continue to disagree on the implementation of a “1:1 equivalency” that would increase pay for faculty overseeing non-lecture classes such as independent studies and internships.

Uneven equivalencies is likely to be addressed again in the next round of negotiations for the new contract in 2020 between the Massachusetts State College Association (MSCA) and the state colleges.

According to Modern Language Professor Graziana Ramsden, who is also MCLA’s faculty grievance officer, in the collective bargaining

agreement (the faculty contract), courses such as independent studies, honors thesis, teaching assistantships, internships, practica for student teachers etc. are paid to faculty at a fraction. “[These], incidentally, are at the core of the high-impact practices that make education at small liberal arts colleges like MCLA such a valuable and formative experience for undergraduates - are paid to faculty at a fraction,” Ramsden stated in an email. “For example, if you take an independent study with a faculty member for up to 3 credits, the faculty member is paid 1/4 of a credit to teach you and advise you for one semester - that’s about $300.”

“1:1 equivalencies means that for one Independent Study or other types of courses as listed above, the faculty member would be paid for one full credit - around $1,000 per semester,” Ramsden continued.

According to an email sent to MCLA faculty by Ramsden, uneven equivalences are occurring across almost every Massachusetts state college campus.

“Some universities Bridgewater and Fitchburg come to mind - are paying 1:1 equivalencies at this time, whereas other campuses are not - MCLA amongst others,” Ramsden stated.

According to President James Birge, institutions like Bridgewater and Fitchburg have more money than MCLA.

“We provide financial aid to students,” Birge said. “The amount of aid that we provide is equivalent to 6% of our state appropriation. Those two institutions [Bridgewater and Fitchburg], the equivalency is 3%. We provide on a pro rata basis twice as much aid to our students as they do.”

“We think that’s where the money has to be because we happen to have a student population that has significant financial need,” Birge added.

“We don’t have the resources that the other schools do. Certainly, if there’s a negotiated article that says we must pay it, we’ll do it; but right now, we can’t do it voluntarily as much as we might like to do it. It’s costly for us.”

Currently, MCLA is in

compliance with the MSCA contract, according to Birge.

“We’re not out of compliance with the contract the way it’s written right now,” Birge said. “Our faculty would like to have the increased equivalencies, but we don’t have to comply with that right now.”

As stated in an article on the MSCA website entitled “MSCA Ends Work To Rule,” “several of the university presidents have indicated to chapter leadership that they a will be partially or fully implementing increases in the equivalencies for modes of instruction other than lecture and seminar. This was the language item that ultimately necessitated a renegotiation of the original tentative agreement last spring.”

SGA

Eduroam Network Closing Out The Fall Semester Connects MCLA To Other Campuses

BY NATHAN BIRON SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

Last week, SGA began wrapping up the fall semester going through final business and started looking ahead for the spring semester.

Next semester, the Sam Gomez race will be taking place. Buffy Lord ’98 spoke about the race and wants to help SGA as soon as possible.

The Sam Gomez race started in 1977 as a new way to raise money for the community and non-profit organizations around the county.

It was originally named the SGA race but was changed in 1986 to the Sam Gomez Race.

Dr. Sam Gomez was a significant person at the college and the community. Lord was very adamant that this race needs to continue.

“This is a lovely opportunity for MCLA and the community,” Lord said. “It is always a great turnout of runners and this is a great opportunity to raise money for the community.”

SGA President Dean Little was “glad to be able to speak about this and hope to have another good turnout of people.”

Little adamant on asking Lord about the common issues with keeping donors for the race.

Lord added that it is always good to make sure that the donors are welcomed each year

and should be prioritized.

“It is great to stay in contact with notable donors,” Lord said. “You should also set goals for sponsors to meet each year is good to keep them coming back to support.”

Due to the upcoming race, SGA needed to find a new beneficiary for the money that will be raised. The vote settled on the Elizabeth Freeman Center for the money to be donated to.

Little also continued to speak with Catherine Holbrook, vice president of student affairs, and President James Birge on the some of the issues that needed to be addressed next semester.

“We discussed mainly the parking for students not just commuters but for on-campus students as well,” Little said. “We also discussed some form of transportation that students will be able to use to get to places downtown or in the surrounding area.”

Little also mentioned that there has been some complaints going on throughout social media about a certain professor on campus. He added that the situation was being handled and has been seen by administration and there will be a discussion with that certain professor.

Coordinating Vice President Sam Schwantner also discussed that the talks with Holbrook and Birge will continue into the next semester.

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“In the wake of the sexual assault case that happened we would like to continue talking with administration so that we can get things moving faster,” Schwantner said.

Schwantner also expressed that she felt positive about Birge’s email announcement on the issue as well. She added she thinks it’s a great idea to hear from the president on these situations.

Little and Schwantner announced that there will be another Day of Dialogue that is in the process of being scheduled for the spring semester.

Little and Schwantner would like to see this plan come to fruition this spring.

“After what has happened this semester with all the positives and negatives, we both think that this would be a wonderful thing to hold to get our campus speaking up more about these issues,” Little said.

Schwantner agreed that this would be very beneficial to the campus.

“After speaking with Birge and Holbrook on this decision, the were in favor of hosting another Day of Dialogue,” Schwantner said. “Overall, I think the talk was very helpful and productive.”

Little added that Birge would like for them to keep pushing the message to the campus of care and effort that the administration is trying to accomplish.

BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE MANAGING EDITOR Before the Thanksgiving break, MCLA finished configuring a new internet service called Eduroam on campus.

This new service can be accessed like the current Wi-Fi network, using your existing MCLA email and password.

“This service provides access for visitors to our campus from other member institutions and it will also allow our community to use Wi-Fi when visiting other institutions,” stated Ian Bergeron, associate dean of information technology, in an email.

Eduroam is a program meant to give its roaming users an easier access to internet services without the need to constantly re-connect their devices to new Wi-Fi networks.

The MCLA TechHelp website defines the program as, “an international educational collaboration that allows employ-

ees and students at participating universities and research institutions to offer seamless authentication to the wireless networks at each institution.”

The program is meant to operate seamlessly between Eduroam hotspots, removing the need for multiple recurring log-ins and is designed to never share your network login information.

Implementation of the Eduroam program doesn’t replace the existing BlazerNet system. Users can continue to use BlazerNet to access the internet.

The presence of Eduroam on campus will allow for visitors from other institutions to have a much easier time getting internet connection, and consequentially help students, faculty, and staff when they visit other campuses with the network.

More information about the system can be found at the MCLA TechHelp website, tech help.mcla. edu or by contacting Ian Bergeron in the IT department.

Amsler CC Closed Due To Carbon Monoxide Leak Last night, the Campus Center was evacuated due to an elevated level of carbon monoxide, according to an email sent by Director of Marketing and Communications Bernadette Alden.

Alden said the College hoped to reopen the building as soon as possible today.

“Our safety mechanisms operated appropriately and the building was evacuated promptly,” Alden stated in the email sent out last night. “The North Adams

Fire Department determined the cause to be a result of a construction equipment failure.”

Alden added that the building would remain closed for the evening as the air is cleared, and would not reopen in the morning until the fire department has given the all clear.

“Any valuables left in the cafeteria will be collected by Public Safety and taken to their office on Ashland Street, where items can be claimed,” Alden said.

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Student Affairs Committee Discusses Sexual Assault and Future Improvements

BY BRIAN RHODES STAFF WRITER MCLA’s Student Affairs Committee discussed issues surrounding Title IX and the recent sexual assault during their meeting Thursday, Nov. 21.

Catherine Holbrook, vice president of student affairs, addressed a concern over the College’s 43-page sexual violence policy still being confusing for students, despite efforts to make it clearer. “[The sexual violence policy] has been summarized on the [student handbook] webpage by Nicole Comstock, but it’s still a convoluted process,” Holbrook said. “Nicole is our fifth Title IX Coordinator in my time here since the state policy has been in effect. She is outstanding in pulling all of this together, but we’re still trying to figure out how do you convince that policy and these various processes in a way for students to understand.”

Holbrook also recognized concerns of students about the terminology used to describe the suspect in the first sexual assault incident, where racial background was the primary descriptor.

Specifically, the lack of other descriptors such as height, body type, and age were concerns Holbrook said students had.

“I think students are very right to be concerned when we use racial or ethnic terms to describe someone,” Holbrook said. “We acknowledge that if we don’t have enough information, we shouldn’t be including that in future alerts.”

Student Trustee Jacob Vitali ’20 also spoke on the issue, saying that the initial alert from Public Safety made some students feel racially profiled.

“If you just say an African-American with a round head, you’re opening it up to every African-American male on this campus,” Vitali said.

Trustee Mohan Boodram said that stigmas people of color face in society are the main reason the language in the alert is a problem.

Boodram took issue with the idea that, if the alert referred to the suspect as Caucasian, the situation would be the same.

“That triggers a whole different mindset when you have a small sub-population who is already historically marginalized in our society being identified in that way,” Boodram said. “I think equating those two experiences is probably not the right thing to do.”

President James Birge said the lack of consistency in regards to terminology used in Public Safety alerts has also caused issues.

“One of the things we want to do is try and standardize how we make references [in alerts], particularly related to ethnicity or race,” Birge said.

Another area of concern raised by the discussion of the sexual assault was issues surrounding maintenance requests and doors not locking in residence areas.

Birge clarified that problems with locks are a high priority, and the blame for maintenance issues does not rest entirely on the students.

“We need to make sure students understand how to submit work orders to change locks,” Birge said. “We [the college] have some responsibility here. We’ve gotta let students know what the processes are so they can engage them.”

Vitali said that while it is great that

PHOTO BY BRIAN RHODES

President James Birge and Catherine Holbrook, vice president of student affairs, sat down with the Student Affairs Committee to discuss student concerns surrounding the sexual assault incident that occurred late October, and the aftermath the occurred on campus. All parties that were present agreed that there should be more awareness of sexual assualt on campus. locks are given priority, in his and other students’ experiences, some maintenance requests do not receive timely resolutions.

Vitali mentioned that during much of his sophomore year, his townhouse did not have hot water, despite multiple attempts to get facilities to fix the issue.

“You spend so much money to live on campus, and you expect your water to work, you expect basic human amenities,” Vitali said. “In the case of one of the students who spoke at SGA about locks not working, it sounded like they had a similar situation where they put in multiple requests to the RA, to the RD, to just receive the response of, ‘You just gotta keep

reporting it.’”

Holbrook said that improvements to the maintenance request system are being made that will allow students to more easily report problems.

“That’s something students have asked us for, and I.T. is in the middle of helping us set that up,” Holbrook said.

In other agenda items was an acknowledgment of MCLA’s volleyball team, which reached the MASCAC semi-finals.

Two student-athletes from the team, Houa Xiong ’21 and Tessa Sestito ‘20, were invited to discuss their experiences at MCLA and reflect on the success the volleyball team experienced this past fall season.

Vadnais Lecture Series

McKibben Warns On Climate Change

BY NATHAN BIRON SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

The Vadnais Environmental Lecture series brought author and environmentalist Bill McKibben who has been fighting for more awareness on climate change since his youth.

McKibben’s first book, “The End of Nature” (1989), questions society’s knowledge on climate change, as well as what we are doing to improve our lives and ending the usage of fossil fuels.

McKibben has also started and co-founded 350.org which has helped start movements on climate change around the world.

McKibben displayed images of Greenland and the icebergs and ice sheets that are melting from rising temperatures.

“Everyone needs to be more aware of what’s happening,” McKibben said.

He added that climate change is everywhere, not

just in the United States, but all the small islands and other countries are suffering from rising global temperatures.

“30 years ago, we had warnings that if we do not stop burning fossil fuels like coal or natural gas, then there will be a huge problem with rising temperatures and floods from rising sea levels,” McKibben said. “We didn’t listen and now we are suffering the repercussions of that ignorance.”

According to McKibben, each year the earth’s temperature is rising by one degree celsius, which is the equivalent of dropping 400,000 atom bombs with the heat that we are producing.

McKibben was also keen on pointing out that Williams College has yet to divest its stock portfolio from fossil fuel companies.

“If all these companies and smaller nations around the world are doing more than

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most with the movement, then why can’t Williams start doing the same?” McKibben questioned.

“The main ways that we can stop ruining our atmosphere would be to stop burning fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas,” McKibben said.

“We also need to stop the deforestation process which is taking away our very oxygen as we speak.”

McKibben left the audience with parting questions: How can we be more involved with taking down the big companies who financially support the oil companies? Why we aren’t doing more than why we are doing now?

“If we move quick, we can make progress quicker,” McKibben said.

McKibben noted that Chase Bank has lent fossil fuel companies almost $200 billion.

“Money as the oxygen on which climate change fires core burning,” McKibben said.

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Contact Editor-in-Chief Tessa Sestito at ts5422@mcla.edu for rates and inquiries

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Student Entrepreneur Series

Quray Clarke Pictures His Future

BY MAYA MCFADDEN FEATURES EDITOR

Quray Clarke ’22 began saving up for his first camera during his senior year of high school to bring his imagination to life with a hobby in photography.

Clarke most often takes portrait photos. Each shoot has a creative theme that Clarke puts together with the help of the models he works with.

“With my photos, I get to turn my most creative thoughts into reality,” he said.

For each photoshoot Clarke captures a collection of 300-600 photos.

With one to two shoots every other week Clarke works to balance his hobby and school.

Currently, Clarke is majoring in health science with hopes of becoming a radiologist or an X-ray technician.

Though passionate about photography, Clarke said he fears he won’t enjoy the craft if he were to pursue it as a career at the moment.

“Once something becomes a job, it’s too serious and I don’t want it to become service,” Clarke said.

Clarke remembers what sparked his interest in photo-taking; at eight years old he would admire a picture in his home taken by his father of a blue jay in his backyard.

During the past three years, Clarke said photography has helped him to build new relationships not only with models but also with upcoming photographers like himself.

In high school, Clarke began taking his photos on his phone of only close friends. After a year and a half, he saved up enough money to buy his first-ever Nikon camera.

“I used my refund check to pay for it and arranged a photoshoot with a friend that same week,” Clarke said.

“Once I got the camera, it felt more serious and professional.”

For a typical shoot, after taking the photos, Clarke spends an hour or more going through all the pictures to delete the low-quality shots. The photos that make the cut, get put into a Google drive folder to share with the model. Then Clarke works on editing the photos using software programs like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom.

Narrowing down and editing the photos is usually a two to three-day process for Clarke.

By the end, Clarke shares about 9-10 of his edited photos on his Instagram account, “okayclarkee,” creating an online portfolio for the world to see his work.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY QURAY CLARKE

Quray Clarke’s shoots range from indoor to outdoor settings depending on models and theme.

Clarke admires photographers like Gordon Parks and MUGUNG for their creative techniques that inspire him.

Clarke is currently getting into more work with videography and video editing. He aspires to one day produce a commercial or music video.

Clarke uses photography as a way of self-expression for himself and the portrait subjects.

Photography has helped Clarke to improve himself beyond just taking photos. He has gained a better eye for set design and fashion. He also works on relationship-building to be sure that the subjects are comfortable before, during, and after shoots.

Since starting, Clarke’s concepts and ideas have developed to be more unique and expressive.

Volleyball Career Sets Up Life Pursuit For Sestito

BY MEI CRAIG SPECIAL TO THE BEACON

Tessa Sestito ‘20 never imagined that she would wind up at MCLA. Originally from Corona, California, Sestito didn’t know MCLA existed until Volleyball Coach Amanda Beckwith recruited her as a setter.

“In four years, Tessa has come a long way,” Beckwith said. “She has always been smart on and off the court, but she has blossomed into a very knowledgeable setter and can now read the court so much better.”

“This year, Tessa is our captain and leader both as the student and athlete,” Beckwith continued. “She runs our offense and holds her own on defense too. I am very proud of the person and volleyball player Tessa has become.”

For her last season, Sestito broke a record for all-time assists leader in volleyball.

Having earned 1384 assists and 662 digs, putting her in 3rd place for all-time career assists. This was all accomplished despite injuries and health concerns she has faced over the years.

Sestito has spent the last eight years playing volleyball, picking up the sport her freshman year of high school.

“I’m a very competitive person,” Sestito said. “I love the competitive play. I love the family aspect and the dependability that is required

in the game more so than other sports.”

As setter, Sestito is integral to almost every play, acting as the link between the defense and offense.

“I get to control who gets the ball and setting everybody up for success,” Sestito said.

Sestito is not only the captain of the volleyball team, but she is also a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, Sigma Tau Delta Honors Society, Chi Alpha Sigma Phi, Alpha Chi National College Honor Society, MCLA Dean’s List, and last year she earned a spot on the MASCAC Sportsmanship Team.

According to Sestito, this season was one of the most memorable and cherished seasons she’s played at MCLA. “The team embraced me as the captain, and they all call me mom,” Sestito said.

“It was a great end to my career here. I was able to learn more about the game and interact with different kinds of people and learn how to motivate them best.”

Sestito is a double major in English and communications, pursing concentrations in writing, journalism, digital media and innovation, and public relations and corporate communications, with a minor in a business administration.

Like most freshman starting out their first year of college, Sestito came in undeclared. She has always

had a love for writing but it wasn’t until her sophomore year when she discovered her niche in journalism in former professor of English & Communications Jen Auger’s Writing and Reporting the News 1 class.

“I came in undeclared and I took a wide range of classes as freshman,” Sestito said.

PHOTOS TAKEN FROM MCLA ATHLETICS

Tessa Sestito ‘20 (above) receiving an award for her 1,000th assist, (below right) Tessa during the game against Fitchberg State Oct. 2.

“It was more so to cancel out of what I didn’t want to do.”

“I found English and originally just wanted to do creative writing,” Sestito added. “The professors that I have had for a variety of classes have pushed me

into what I wanted to do.”

Currently, Sestito serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Beacon. She has been only been on the staff since last spring, but Sestito has loved her time working on the newspaper.

“I have met a lot of interesting people on the Beacon and that in itself has turned into its own family for me,” Sestito said. “I learned how to be more concise and work under pressure and stress better.”

Sestito will be graduating this December and plans to move back to Southern California during the next semester. She hopes to work for Monster Energy on internal communications.

“Freshman year I came in not knowing who I was going to be as a person and what I was going to be in my life,” Sestito said. “MCLA has helped me develop skills I didn’t even know I had and connect with people I think I will always be connected with and prepare me for the next chapter of my life.”

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Zachary Rea ’23, An Artist of All Sorts

BY MAYA MCFADDEN FEATURES EDITOR

Music-making is a therapeutic outlet that is extremely hard but worthy of mastering according to Zachary Rea ’23, a self-taught guitarist and songwriter.

Rea is currently an art major, pursing music as a hobby. Rea is a solo artist with the goal of creating an exciting and unique contribution to the world of music.

During the summer after eighth grade, Rea first learned to play the ukulele to impress a girl.

After learning the basics of the ukulele, Rea went on to learn how to play the acoustic guitar. During this time, Rea was into The Beatles and strived to diversify his sound similar to the band.

As an artist of all sorts, Rea is most interested in drawing, specifically with coal, and making 2D pieces. In the past, Rea has taken some pre-college art courses and other courses at art centers.

According to Rea, much of his free time goes to working on music.

“I find it very therapeutic, almost like an open diary,” Rea said.

Rea began participating in open mics during high school to help expose himself to a range of music. In 2018, he went to an open mic at least once a month.

“While at the open mics I would be pushed out my comfort zone by having to listen to modern music,” Rea said.

Rea described his music genre as indie-folk. As of today, he has released three albums and uses the streaming platform, Bandcamp.

For at least an hour every day, Rea said he practices making music. Music-making, like drawing, is a way for him to get his feelings out, according to Rea. While Rea is most advanced with the guitar and piano he also plays the recorder and harmonica. During high school, Rea would sneak into the old auditorium to record pieces on the pia-

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ZACHARY REA

Zachary Rea ‘23 described his music interest as old fashioned. He most often finds himself listening to and learning to play popular artists from the 1960’s on guitar. no for his albums.

Rea has plans to release an EP on Friday, Dec. 13. “This release will be one of my most confident ones yet,” Rea said.

Rea strives to make chords for his music that are unique. Brian Wilson, a member of the Beach Boys, is a great influence on Rea. This summer, Rea played with a band of friends. The group learned to play two songs together out of about 13 that Rea wrote.

Throughout his entire music journey, Rea has written nearly 100 songs though he said he would only consider about 50

as “decent” enough for public listening.

Rea often finds himself playing guitar and writing music to de-stress. “Most people go home and take a nap or drink a beer but I play guitar,” Rea said.

At the start of high school, Rea remembered often referring to a chord book that broke down how to play a variety of Beatles songs as he was learning the craft of music-making.

When writing music Rea said he finds it most easy to write his lyrics about himself and experiences that impacted him.

Usually, within the process of crafting a song, Rea puts together the

chords and melody before the lyrics.

“I want my music to be a listening experience at all times,” Rea said.

The indie rock band known as, Neutral Milk Hotel, have influenced Rea’s perspective of music and style significantly. One of his favorite albums by the band is “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.” It wasn’t until Rea arrived at MCLA this first semester that he began booking gigs with confidence in himself.

He has performed at a variety of open mics, both on and off-campus, The Parlor Cafe, and is opening up for WJJW’s, The Sound on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Rea recalled a visit to the Parlor recently after his own performance.

While there a performer gave recognition to Rea for inspiring him in his own music-making.

“He dedicated one of his songs to me and I was so touched,” Rea said.

About four years ago, Rea wasn’t even familiar with what a chord was and now he has described himself as an above-average guitarist.

“The experience is made up of a lot of trials and errors but I’m always motivated to go through them for the sake of my love for music,” Rea said.

The most difficult part of Rea’s journey with music has been figuring out how music theory works as well as finding time to practice.

“Writing a compelling song with lyrics that capture people’s attention is quite an art to tackle,” Rea said.

To stay motivated, Rea is always able to remind himself of his accomplishments and triumphs like releasing his first album in high school online.

Rea also recalls his accomplishment of performing at a choir concert with a band while in high school. That day, leading up to the performance Rea was overly stressed and had low self-esteem.

Though after the band’s successful performance Rea remembers telling himself, “Wow, I got to keep doing this.”

Society of Physics Club Attends 2019 PhysCon

BY LISE MANSARAY FEATURES WRITER The newly reactivated Society of Physics club attended this year’s PhysCon in Rhode Island for the club’s first time ever.

The Society of Physics club invites all students who are interested in physics, or science in general, to join.

“I joined because I wanted to get the club started up again and also I’m a physics student who wanted to get more involved,” Physics Club Vice President Amalia Badohu ‘21 said.

Badohu recently took on her position after President Kiah Daviega ’21 reached out to her. Together, they have been planning and hosting events with the other E-board members like the trip to PhysCon, also referred to as Physics Congress.

“PhysCon is a gathering of society’s from other colleges/ universities and professionals like college Physics department representatives, as well

as speakers largely celebrated in the community,” Badohu said.

The conference consisted of speakers, workshops, and advice from experts on obtaining jobs in the field post-graduation. Keynote speakers such as Dame Susan, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Dr. John C. Mather, Dr. Jammie Valentine Miller, and Jim Gates spoke at the conference.

This gave students the opportunity to connect with the speakers and other scientists.

They were also given a personal tour of Brown University.

One of Badohu’s favorite parts of the trip was the informational booths that comprised an undergraduate research conference.

“They had their own version of the undergrad research conference with a bunch of different informational booths,” Badohu said. “My favorite part about that was being able to go through to each booth and meet with different schools and perspectives in hopes of

getting myself into an RU.” RU’s are research experiences for undergraduates which gives students the opportunity to study with another college and do a research project. The conference helped provide those resources for students who may be interested in that program.

Badohu reflects on an important message she took away from one of the speakers.

“A big thing that stood out to me was during Bernell’s speaking,” Badohu said. “I really just took note of her enthusiasm for research. It’s really important that you follow your passion because it can end up being something revolutionary that you might even fail, but at least you learn things along the way.”

Badohu looks forward to other science related conferences.

“I will differently attend more conferences, like whatever ones are available to me,” Badohu said. “Now I know really enjoy them.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY AMALIA BADOHU

While at the 2019 Physics Congress, student attendees gathered for speaker presentations, workshops, and networking with physics experts.

PhysCon is held every four years. The club plans to take it’s members on other trips in the future.

Outside of the trips, the club has and will continue to host other events on campus.

“The first event we had was called Science… At Night where we made an experi-

ment called Oobleck,” Badohu said. “We’re planning more events this year and we have even been approached by other clubs for collaborations.”

The club is also working on creating their own newsletter. Their first copy was made available at their booth during the campus takeover.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Dance Co. Set to Perform Annual Fall Showcase For This Weekend TheOnlineBeacon.com

6

BY JENNIFER VANBRAMER A&E EDITOR MCLA’s Dance Company, more commonly referred to as Dance Co., is gearing up to put on their annual fall showcase for the campus community today, Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. in Venable Theater.

This two-hour show will feature over 50+ members of Dance Co. performing dance routine styles ranging from pointe to hip-hop.

“Dance Co’s Fall Showcase is a production we put together every semester to show off what we’ve been working on for the semester,” Dance Co. Vice President Cara Fusco ’21 stated in an email. “People should expect to see a great show!

Every semester it gets better and better.”

“There’s going to be raffles and prizes being given out so come to the show to get a chance to win!” Fusco emphasized.

Fusco first joined Dance Co. as a general member upon arriving to MCLA. She has loved being a part of Dance Co. ever since.

PHOTO BY ALYSSA CALL

Members of Dance Co. rehearsing for their annual fall showcase performances happening this Friday and Saturday in Venable Theater.

“My favorite part so far, aside from becoming an E-board member, is being able to choreograph with my co-choreographer, Isabelle Santiago,” Fusco said. “We work so well together and I’m proud of every dance we have choreographed together in the past.”

For a long time, Dance Co. has been one of the largest student-run clubs on campus. Throughout the academic year, members of the club are able to learn how

to choreograph their own dance routines as well as teach choreography to others for show performances. “[As Vice President] I get to see all the background work planning for our show and being able to show everyone how much I love being a part of Dance Company,” Fusco said. “I love working with my dancers during rehearsals and watching their progression every week.”

Performances from Dance

Co. do take a lot of time and energy to put together and rehearse before having a show but in the end everyone’s hard work and dedication pays off.

“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s hard work being put on stage,” Fusco said. “Everyone has been putting in 110% this semester and you can see people progressing every week.”

“It’s an amazing show to see while supporting your peers,” Fusco added. “It’s in

Venable Theater [also] so it’s close by [and] if you aren’t doing anything Friday or Saturday come see the show!”

Dance Co.’s fall showcase takes place Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m. in Venable Theater. Tickets are $10 for general admission, free with MCLA student ID when reserved ahead of time, or $3 at the door with a student ID. For more information, email JW3914@ mcla.edu.

Gallery 51’s ‘Made by Hand’ Holiday Art Show Open

BY JENNIFER VANBRAMER A&E EDITOR MCLA’s Gallery 51 brought back their annual “Made by Hand” holiday art show with an opening reception on Thursday, Dec. 5, from 5 to 7 p.m. and will be on display until Saturday, Dec. 28.

This highly anticipated event featured a wide variety of artwork from wall art and ceramic pottery to crafted jewelry and decorative ornaments all priced under $100 and hand-created by over 40 local artists from around the Berkshires.

“Unlike all of our other exhibits, for December we basically turn the gallery into a store,” Gallery 51 interim curator Tammara Leminen said in an email. “It’s the ultimate ‘shop local’ [experience], supporting both Gallery 51 and all of our participating area artists, and a wonderful opportunity to buy unique, one-of-akind gifts.”

There are currently 47 artists who planned on participating in this year’s show, according to Leminen. To keep the show fresh and exciting for everyone, she had brought in many new artists to display new work that has not ever been seen at the gallery before.

“We have returning artists and also some new people who haven’t shown in Gallery 51 before,” Leminen said. “We are also offering some products we hav-

en’t had before, in addition to the many beautiful items we have for sale every year. Our repeat customers will be delighted to find both returning favorites and new discoveries!”

In 2018, the exhibit got its name changed from the “99 Cents Affordable Art Show” to the “Made by Hand” holiday art show. Artists from all different backgrounds and generations were brought together at the gallery with their sewn hats, knitted scarves, braided rugs, handmade toys, crocheted dolls, decorated holiday cards, and so much more.

Leminen is excited to bring everyone back to the gallery for this year’s show and looking forward to the shopping experience it brings the community during the holiday season.

“I’m looking forward to seeing all of my friends at the opening celebration, and to getting almost all of my holiday shopping done,” Leminen said. “Shopping at Gallery 51 is actually fun! Our artists are inventive and highly creative people, so every year we carry some very unusual items to discover alongside the more traditional offerings.”

Gallery 51’s “Made by Hand” holiday art show will be on display until Saturday, Dec. 28. The gallery is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m., excluding Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

PHOTO BY JENNIFER VANBRAMER

A look into Gallery 51’s decorative window display at last year’s “Made by Hand” show.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Dec. 6, 2019

TheOnlineBeacon.com

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MCLA Allegrettos Gear Up For Winter Concert On Sunday

BY SABRINA DAMMS A&E WRITER MCLA’s Allegrettos will be having their second annual winter concert on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. hoping to demonstrate an inclusive, family-like energy for the MCLA community.

This free concert will be held in the Church Street Center’s auditorium, which will be decorated colorfully to follow the holiday theme.

Co-president of the Allegrettos, Danni Laureano ‘19, said in an interview that the event is, “Low key, nothing super stuffy, persnickety.

Rolls up in sweats. It’s supposed to be a fun, nice, interactive concert. Listen to some nice music for a while and then go home feeling good about yourself.”

Over the semester, the Allegrettos have worked hard to prepare the music picked by their directors.

The Allegrettos a cappella section will be playing both new and returning songs such as “Madness”

by Muse, “Most Girls” by Hailee Steinfeld and “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeren. The gospel section will be per-

PHOTO FROM MCLA ALLEGRETTOS FACEBOOK PAGE

A group shot of MCLA’s Allegrettos from their spring 2018 concert that happened in the Church Street Center. forming songs like “Lord I Lift,” and “Love,” by Kirk Franklin.

The Allegrettos want to make a friendly and family-like atmosphere for their audience to give their performances a cozy, laid back energy.

“We work hard over the semester and we are a really close-knit group. We all love being together. We

are all friends [and] really love hanging out together,” Laureano said. “It’s sort [of] about taking the relationships we foster in the classroom and moving them out onto the stage that people can see that. Because when we rehearse there is a lot of laughter and fun and joke.”

“That is not a lot of things you see at a concert but if we can take that feeling

and project that so people can see and really understand that we are not just a club,” Laureano added.

“We are a family.”

The Allegrettos have been working hard on presenting this inclusive energy.

“We want to show people what we can do as a club because I feel like in the past our reputation hasn’t been the best,” Laureano said. “It

* FRIDAY, DEC. 6 - IGE MOVIE NIGHT SULLIVAN LOUNGE 7 TO 9 P.M. - DANCE CO.’S FALL SHOWCASE VENABLE THEATER 7 P.M. - MISTY BLUES 20TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT MASS MOCA 8 P.M. * SATURDAY, DEC. 7 - DANCE CO.’S FALL SHOWCASE VENABLE THEATER 2 P.M.

- WJJW’S THE SOUND WITH LUXDEXLUXE, MELANIE GLENN, & ZAC REA CHURCH STREET CENTER SOCIAL HALL DOORS OPEN AT 7 P.M. MUSIC STARTS AT 7:30 P.M. - SAC’S GINGERBREAD HOUSE

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hasn’t been that most upstanding. Years and years ago people thought we were kinda snobby.”

Recently, the Allegrettos have been trying to get more involved in the campus events by participating more in community events, becoming more inclusive and sharing their new energy with everyone on campus.

“So we are really trying to show ourselves more and integrate ourselves into the community by doing more community events,” Laureano said. “We want people to see us and know who we are and know that we are a great group of bright lovely people that love to sing together and the attitude has really changed since we first started.”

“We have really worked the last couple of years to make it more inclusive nice environment,” Laureano added. “We want people to see that because we are proud of what we do.”

MCLA’s Allegrettos will perform their winter concert this Sunday night at the Church Street Center. Admission is free and all are welcome to attend.

* SUNDAY, DEC. 8 - ALLEGRETTOS WINTER CONCERT CHURCH STREET CENTER 7 P.M. - MUSIC TRIVIA NIGHT HILO NORTH ADAMS 7 P.M. * MONDAY, DEC. 9 - JAZZ BAND WINTER CONCERT CHURCH STREET CENTER 7 P.M. * TUESDAY, DEC. 10 - DECEMBER ACADEMIC RECEPTION CAMPUS CENTER GYM 5:30 TO 7 P.M.

News

Dec. 6, 2019

15% Rule From Page 1

10% overall. There have been one or two departments where we’ve been over the 15%, but they’ve been allowed because of certain exemptions.”

“For example, when a faculty member unfortunately passes away, which we’ve had happen this past year, we don’t have to meet that rule because there’s an extraordinary situation,” Birge said.

According to Birge and Ramsden, there are a few departments such as business and English & Communications who have waivers this semester for such exemptions.

“The 15% rule takes into account adjunct hires to fill in for faculty with course releases / [alternative professional responsibilities] (APRs) or in the event

of a sudden death,” Ramsden said in an email interview.

The Beacon calculated the number of courses taught by part-time faculty compared to full-time faculty for this semester and learned that of the 442 day courses taught overall, 24.7% were taught by parttime faculty and 75.3% were taught by full-time faculty.

Three departments in particular were well above the 15% rule, causing a higher average: education (44.4% of classes taught by part-time faculty), fine and performing arts (42.4% of classes taught by part-time faculty), and physics (33.3% of classes taught by part-time faculty).

Departments that were well below the 15% rule included the psychology, computer science, and physics departments, all of which had classes only taught by full-time

faculty this semester.

According to Bernadette Alden, director of marketing and communications, there are additional exemptions for professors who receive APRs, resulting in a course release for faculty.

“When these are added into the overall formula [stipulated under the contract], there are no departments at MCLA that are over the 15% threshold,” Alden said.

Alden also confirmed that the 10% figure President Birge gave in his earlier interview was roughly what he recalled at that time, and that the percentage is closer to 12%.

When exemptions are applied, The Beacon’s calculation of 24.7% can vary.

For example, before exemptions are applied, 32.7% of English & Communications courses this semester were

TheOnlineBeacon.com taught by part-time faculty.

Depending on how it’s calculated, the department had eight to 10 course releases.

With releases factored in, the percentage drops to either 16.3% or 12.2% respectively.

The Beacon reached out to MSCA President CJ O’Donnell asking for comments, but did not receive a reply.

According to an article on the MSCA website entitled “SJC Rules ‘15% Rule’ Is Enforceable,” O’Donnell reinforced the idea that the MSCA’s goal is not to eliminate part-time faculty.

“We understand that some MSCA part-time faculty have viewed the rule as an effort to remove them from the classroom, that is not our motivation,” O’Donnell wrote in the article. “The MSCA’s position has been and remains, minimizing the number of

8

low-paying, non-benefited positions within the day bargaining unit.”

According to Birge, all of the administration and the faculty agree that it’s better to have full-time, tenure-track faculty teaching students, although he recognizes the need for part-time and adjunct faculty.

“Those individuals do really important work and make contributions to the academic life of the institution,” Birge said. “That’s immeasurable; but given the choice, it’s better for students to have fulltime, tenure-track faculty here and I think that ethic is reflected in that percentage for us.”

According to the MSCA article, the “15% Rule” is likely to be a topic of discussion at the next round of negotiations starting January 2020.

Student Arrested, Arraigned For Indecent Assault

Gender

BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE MANAGING EDITOR

an example of the school working to promote gender equality outside IGE and the Women’s Center. The athletic department hosts an annual event called Athletics with National Girls and Women in Sports Day, a day-long collaboration between MCLA Trailblazers and the North Adams community.

Athletics Director Laura Mooney referred questions about Athletics with National Girls and Women in Sports Day to Associate Athletic Director Dot Houston; however, Houston was unavailable to comment.

According to the athletic department’s website, the department “invites girls and women to participate in various clinics to promote sport”. This year’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day was held Feb. 2 and included sessions of lacrosse, soccer, and volleyball. Participants also received autographs from the Trailblazers in attendance.

This story was published in the online edition of The Beacon on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

On Monday, November 25, the Northern Berkshire District Court held the arraignment for Thaylen Harrison ‘21 for “indecent assault and battery” on an MCLA student.

Harrison’s pre-trial will take place Friday, Jan. 17.

He has been released with a no-contact agreement between him and the victim.

The penalty could include a state prison sentence of up to five years or house correctional for half that period. Regardless, a conviction will include registry as a sex offender.

The campus was first notified about the incident when Public Safety released an

email Friday, Nov. 22, announcing their investigation and arrest of Harrison.

“As part of an ongoing investigation, today, MCLA Campus Police arrested 20-year-old MCLA commuter student Thaylen Harrison on felony charges of Secret Sexual Surveillance which included dissemination of a sexual encounter,” Chief Daniel Colonno said in the email.“As a result of these charges, Harrison has been placed on an interim suspension, is banned from campus, and will not return to campus until the outcome of criminal court and campus judicial proceedings,” Colonno said in his email.

Harrison’s charge has since been raised to “indecent assault and battery… without consent of such per-

son,” according to Northern Berkshire District Court files.

An email sent out by Colonno on Monday, November 25, noted that the surveillance and assault cases are separate instances, with different victims, and both occurred off-campus.

Colonno’s first email urges people to contact Public Safety in the future.

“We encourage anyone who senses a potential threat or witnesses suspicious behavior on campus, or is a victim of violence themselves, to please call Campus Police immediately,” Colonno said in his email.

President James Birge said in a campus-wide email that violence of any kind will not be tolerated on campus.

“These incidents of violence are deeply troubling to me, personally, and as the

President of MCLA. There is no place for violence at MCLA and we all must do more to eradicate sexual violence and misconduct,” Birge said in the email.

In response to the two sexual assaults this semester, Birge is attempting to increase communication about these issues on campus.

“Next semester MCLA will host a gathering of our community to talk about sexual violence, procedures for reporting incidents, Title IX law, resources available for supporting people coping with these incidents, and how we can work together toward eliminating sexual violence at MCLA,” Birge said in his email.

Birge also said that he intends on appointing a committee comprised of students, faculty, and staff for early next semester.

From Page 1

LIVE MUSIC

MISTY BLUES

Berkshire County’s favorite blues band celebrates two decades of tasty tunes on one delicious night

Friday, December 6, 8pm

TICKETS: massmoca.org or 413.MoCA.111 | North Adams, Mass.

Sports

TheOnlineBeacon.com

Men’s Basketball

Trailblazers Prevail at Game Against Sage College Gators

BY JOHN MORRISEY STAFF WRITER

The men’s basketball team shook off a slow start to the matchup Tuesday night, Dec. 3, against Sage College Gators, using the second half to propel themselves to an 87-80 victory.

The Trailblazers took a 6-point deficit into halftime and turned it into a 7-point victory led in scoring by Noah Yearsley ’20, who contributed 20 points while grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists.

Ki-Shawn Monroe ’20 contributed mightily again, leading the Trailblaz-

PHOTO TAKEN FROM MCLA ATHLETICS

Guard Damon Daniels ‘20, pictured here during MCLA’s game against Medgar Evers earlier this season, is joined by Center Chris Becker ‘23 as MASCAC Rookie of the Week recipients.

Both first-years have been integral in MCLA’s success throughout this season.

ers in rebounds (eight), assists (four), and minutes played (21).

The Trailblazers’ 45 points off the bench were led by Quran Davis ’21 and Hayden Bird ’21 who both hit double digits in scoring and continue the trend of strong bench play for MCLA this season.

“We are starting to really come together as a team lately,” Hans Resignac ’20 said before Tuesday night’s game. “Coach [Derek Shell] has done a great job of rotating everyone through as we find ourselves. Most of the guys coming off the bench could be starters at other places, so we are really strong and still improving.”

The victory improves the Trailblazers’ overall record to 4-4 for the season.

Prior to the Thanksgiving break, MCLA fell short against rival Williams College Ephs 87-57 Tuesday, Nov. 26, in front of their home crowd.

The Ephs’ pulled away midway through the first half and held all MCLA scorers below double digits for the game as they cruised to victory.

MCLA first-year center Chris Becker ’23 was honored as the MASCAC Rookie of the Week Monday, Nov. 25, after averaging double digits in scoring for the week and helping MCLA to 1-1 mark for the week.

Becker joins fellow first-year player Quentin Gittens ’23 as Rookie of the Week recipients, laying a solid foundation for the team going forward.

The Trailblazers are going up against the Rivier University Raiders Saturday, Dec. 7, in the Amsler Campus Center Gym at 1 p.m.

Trailblazers Now 2-5 In Season After Tough Loss Against Elms

BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE MANAGING EDITOR

Women’s basketball is now 2-5 in their season following their loss against Elms College Blazers last Wednesday, Nov. 27, with a final score of 63-57.

Starting Guard Kaylah Langston ‘20 lead the Trailblazer’s score, securing 16 points with Forward Hannah Mazzeo ‘23 following behind with her total of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Elms outscored the Trailblazers for all except the final quarter, in which the team pulled 25 points to Elms’ 16, nearly half of MCLA’s points for the entire game.

This was the Trailblazers’ first game coming back from Thanksgiving break, and their 67-46 loss against Fisher College Tuesday, Nov. 26.

They kept pace with

PHOTO TAKEN FROM MCLA ATHLETICS

Coaches Courtney McLaughlin (left) and Loren Stock (middle) strategizing during last Wednesday’s game against Elm College.

Fisher for the first half of the game, matching points exactly 17-17 in the first quarter, but slowly lost the point lead. Langston scored 17 points throughout the game, followed by Mazzeo and Guard Emily Burke ‘23 making seven each. Aiding in the team’s defense came Haley Jones who secured six rebounds.

The loss came right after their lost 80-54 game against Utica College Pioneers Saturday, Nov. 23, which would see Utica in a very powerful position.

They even doubled MCLA’s score for the third quarter 30-15.

Langston got 11 points throughout the game, with Burke and Mazzeo

SCORE BOARD

Men’s Basketball

MCLA (70), Becker College (71) Nov. 23 Noah Yearsley - 21 Points Quentin Gittens - 11 Rebounds; 4 Assists Ki-Shawn Monroe - 4 Assists

MCLA (57), Williams College (87) Nov. 26 Noah Yearsley - 9 Points Bright Afful - 7 Rebounds Chris Becker - 3 Assists

MCLA (87), Sage College (80) Dec. 3 Noah Yearsley - 20 Points Ki-Shawn Monroe - 8 Rebounds; 4 Assists

Next: vs. Rivier University Dec. 7, 1:00 p.m. @ Elms College Dec. 10, 7:00 p.m. vs. Norwich University Jan. 4, 1:00 p.m. @ Bridgewater State Jan. 11, 3:00 p.m. vs. Fitchburg State Jan. 14, 7:30 p.m. vs. Salem State Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

MCLA (59), Mount Holyoke (42) Nov. 20 Kylah Langston - 17 Points Hannah Mazzeo - 12 Rebounds Maddie Teta - 5 Assists

Women’s Basketball

close behind with 10 points and nine points scores respectively. Forward DiAsia Smith ‘20 held down the most rebounds for the team with seven, trailed by Mazzeo who made six.

The most recent win from the team was against Mount Holyoke College Lyons in a 59-42 match Wednesday, Nov. 20. They were quick to secure a 19-9 lead in the first quarter, which they held onto for the remainder of the game.

17 points were made

by Langston during the game, with 12 scored by Mazzeo and nine from Burke. Mazzeo also lead in rebounds for the team with 12.

The women’s basketball team has two more games before the winter break, at Smith College Saturday, Dec. 7, and against Union College Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Read more about your Trailblazers, watch games, and see dates for upcoming games at Athletics.mcla.edu

9

MCLA (54), Utica College (80) Nov. 23 Kylah Langston - 11 Points DiAsia Smith - 7 Rebounds Hannah Mazzeo - 3 Assists Jasmine Pszczola - 3 Assists

MCLA (46), Fisher College (67) Nov. 26 Kylah Langston - 11 Points Hayley Jones - 6 Rebounds Hannah Mazzeo - 3 Assists Maddie Teta - 3 Assists

MCLA (57), Elms College (63) Dec. 4 Kylah Langston - 16 Points Hannah Mazzeo - 10 Rebounds Maddie Teta - 4 Assists

Next: @ Smith College Dec. 7, 1:00 p.m. @ Union College Dec. 10, 5:00 p.m. @ Curry College Jan. 4, 1:00 p.m. @ Bridgewater State Jan. 11, 1:00 p.m. vs. Fitchburg State Jan. 14, 5:30 p.m. vs. Salem State Jan. 16, 5:30 p.m.

Opinion

TheOnlineBeacon.com

10

The Problem with ‘Politically Correct’ Culture With the rise in social media, the concerns and entitlement wrapped around our “political correctness” has taken over our moral standards and our “woke-ness” on tough issues in America.

More and more people are now speaking up on how certain jokes and people are hurting the feelings of others and accessibility of social media has fueled the movement even further.

Younger people are fighting against the “old white men” who don’t agree with their thoughts on progressive movements to the point of being overt aggressors themselves.

The way to fix this would be to stop focusing on being inclusive and having a bunch of little groups, and have one big group instead in which we can all come together again.

Political correctness is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid lending offense to members of particular groups in society.

PC culture started back in the 70’s with it being used to describe people who took something out of context and took it as offense rather than a joke or constructive criticism. With the”‘left” and “right” being crammed down our throats, it’s hard to decide what is right and what is wrong.

With the liberal mindset of pushing this agenda on the rest of the country, it has spilled into our classrooms and public places. This would be fine, however it’s gotten to the point that where one must watch every single word to make

sure no-one gets ‘offended’, because the smallest slip could lead to social and physical backlash.

The media has also added to the problem by using the argument of left is better than the right. People are tuning into both news outlets to see what they are saying and using social media to attack those who are not joining the movement of a new form of ‘moral’ speech.

PC culture has also started other new movements and theories which has affected everyone’s ability to express themselves and use the 1st amendment how it should.

With more people looking for ways to silence voices, other movements, like call-out culture, micro-aggression theory, trigger warnings, and Xenocentrism.

It has made “canceling” people an overemphasized problem that shouldn’t be happening. It seems that especially the extreme left is trying to make it exclusivity a one-way street. The extremists use this call-out tactic to make it feel wrong to speak your mind and putting down the credibility of one’s knowledge just because they don’t follow their view to the exact point.

At liberal arts colleges, it has made this culture a normal everyday thing. Watching what you have to say as a professor and student have limited the topics and knowledge one can learn in the classroom.

The ‘snowflake’ generation has supposedly taken over which has halted most free speech on this issue. Students at these liberal arts schools have a tainted education on life and reality by being far too

NATHAN BIRON DON’T JUDGE ME critical on topics of gender, sex, and identity.

In reality, it shouldn’t matter what skin color you have, what hair you have, what sex you are.

But this judgment is being clouded with the extreme left and right political views.

Williams College is also going through changes with their student body and the classes that will be offered there stem from this new PC culture.

In an article posted by Forbes, Williams has had a new boycott from students of “all English classes that do not take seriously the matter of race—that is, those classes which do not include more than a token discussion of race and more than a token number of writers of color.”

The demand for more awareness of gender and race is also stopping professors from teaching their field and undermining the student experience for all. This also eliminates

the possibility of students exploring different topics and in some cases being shot down for not making gender, and sex the main priorities on their list.

PC culture shouldn’t be as big as a problem that is has become.

It seems that we are trying to not hurt each other’s feelings and asking sure we aren’t offended when in some states people are still killing each other every day over meaningless things.

We have bigger issues we should be focused on which could be our judicial system, systematic racism, or even climate change. The ‘snowflake’ has also made it a focus putting down the privileged in America using words like bigot to bring down their reputation just because of their civilian status.

This PC culture has put a burden on those who want to express their free speech to the most. The distinction between left and right need to be suppressed and not have an emphasis on people’s moral values.

We see a person in power, use call-out terms and words to bring them down for the slightest mishap, and the extremists thinks it’s okay, even when certain allegations end up false. This is nasty politics being intermixed with regular working lives.

With social media it’s even easier to voice your own opinion which leads to more scrutiny. A person can make the smallest mistake, say something “rude” or “bigoted” ten years ago, and still have it be used against them a decade later to make them looked at as a horrible person.

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Opinion

Dec. 6, 2019

TheOnlineBeacon.com

11

Antibiotics For Me Or My Meat?

Antibiotics are not exclusive to people―they haven’t been for some time.

Almost 80% of all antibiotics in the United States are given to cows, pigs, and chickens to make them grow at a faster rate than normal, or as a cheap alternative to keeping them healthy.

Animals get sick, just like people, and treatment should not be delayed or avoided for sick animals.

Although antibiotics save human and animal lives, they can contribute to the development of resistance when used.

These drugs could give rise to superbugs—bacteria that can’t be treated with modern medicine—and things are only getting worse.

In 2013, more than 131,000 tons of antibiotics were used in food animals worldwide.

Most antibiotics are used either to prevent disease or to promote growth by exposing healthy animals to the drugs over long periods of time.

When animals are given antibiotics for growth promotion or increased feed efficiency, bacteria are exposed to low doses of these drugs over a long period of time.

This inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to the development of resistant bacteria.

Animals, like people, carry bacteria in their guts which may include antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

When animals are slaughtered and processed for food, resistant germs in the animal gut can contaminate meat, other animal products and even through their waste.

Fruits, vegetables, and other produce can become contaminated through contact with soil or water containing this waste.

Food-producing animals should not have antibiotics in their system before being slaughtered for food.

This ensures there are no antibiotic residues (traces of leftover antibiotics) in your food.

Currently, there is no single definition for “antibiotic free” on food labels. This label is not approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and has no clear meaning.

Still, “antibiotic free” does not mean the animals do not carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria. All animals carry bacteria in their gut, and some of these can be resistant germs.

If the bacteria that colonize in these animals acquire antibiotic-resistant genes, treatment becomes ineffective―farmers won’t be able to keep their animals healthy anymore.

TESSA SESTITO NOT FOR THE BETTER Bacteria in the animals’ gut can also transfer the resistant genes to microbes harmful to humans―unhealthy animals lead to unhealthy meat, resulting in a danger to our health.

Although the magnitude of this process is not known, the large number of antimicrobials used in the animals warrant concern.

In 2013, researchers showed that people living near pig farms or crop fields fertilized with pig manure are 30% more likely to become infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

Most countries have taken baby steps to limit the use of antibiotics in animals. In the United States, certain drugs can’t be used in food production; but loopholes in the legislation may still allow antibiotics to be used as growth promoters.

If we are serious about antimicrobial resistance, we need more ambitious policies. And it’s been proven that such policies can exist on a global scale.

In a paper published last year in “Science,” epidemiologist Thomas Van Boeckel of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and his colleagues took it upon themselves to conduct such a study, investigating the plausibility of such measures.

In this, Van Boeckel and his colleagues collected data on antibiotic sales and prices for the countries that made them available. They then went on to test three different strategies to reduce antibiotic use worldwide: cutting down meat consumption, a proposed cap on antimicrobials per year, and taxing the antibiotics used in agriculture when they come out of the factory or at the point of import.

People in the United States, on average, eat 260 grams of meat per day―equivalent to about six fast-food hamburgers per person.

According to Von Boeckel and his

team, reducing the meat consumption to 165 grams of meat per day― or four fast-food hamburgers per person―would reduce the global consumption of antimicrobials by more than 20%.

However, recent history shows that people in low and middle-income countries who can afford meat tend to eat more of it, so this can’t be the lone solution.

In 2016 the “O’Neill Review,” a report on antimicrobial resistance, proposed a cap on antimicrobials per year per kilogram of animal product. Currently, no such cap exists on antibiotic use.

Von Boeckel and his team theorized that cap to China and the other 35 member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, an intergovernmental economic organization working to stimulate economic progress and world trade, antibiotic use would decrease by 60%.

The main challenge here is that if we want those legislations to work, they need to be enforced―meaning the creation of a surveillance system, which could pose challenges on a global scale.

The third idea proposed by Von Boeckel and his team is taxation of the antibiotics used in agriculture when they come out of the factory or at the point of import.

Although this is not a new idea, it suggests making antibiotics more expensive so that farmers and veterinarians would only use them when necessary.

Imposing a 50% tax on antibiotics for food animals could decrease global consumption by more than 30%, and simultaneously generate revenues from $1.7 to 4.6 billion, which could be invested into research for new antibiotics or improvements to farm hygiene, according to Von Boeckel and his team.

Despite Von Boeckel’s findings, there is little information available to the public on antibiotic sales and prices, so they could only conclude their findings based on data from 38 countries.

In order to have a more accurate estimate of the impact of each strategy proposed, more data on antibiotics sold for animals need to be made available by more countries and the animal health industry.

Bottom line, antibiotics should not be excessively used for livestock.

Doing so creates a string of antibiotic-resistant genes that can be harmful to both livestock and people.

This can be stopped, we just have to want to stop it.

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Dec. 6, 2019

IN OTHER BEACON NEWS

12

On Wednesday, Nov. 20, a group of approximately 10 students met in the Venable dance complex around 9 p.m. to put together a banner demonstration for the student-led movement known as What About Us?

The students placed white tape on two large blue tarps spelling out the movements name.

The original idea for the group members was to drape the tarp over the MCLA gates but after the leader of the movement, Bryan Vega '19 received an email from Catherine Holbrook, vice president of student affairs, the night before highlighting the prohibited places on campus to hang signage, the group changed their plan to placing one tarp in the quad and the second on the campus center stairwell which connects to Venable Hall.

The movement is meant to bring awareness to institutional issues revolving around race, class, and gender.

Photos by Maya McFadden