TheOnlineBeacon.com
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Volume 90 • Issue 4
Men’s Basketball Wins in Final Seconds
MCLA players (from left to right) Hayden Bird ‘21, Bright Afful ‘21, Quentin Gittens ‘23 and Noah Yearsley ‘21 defending against Fitchburg State last Tuesday (For More See Page 8) Photo by Jake Vitali Board of Trustees
MCLA Factbook Data Shows Drop in ALANA Retention BY BRIAN RHODES SENIOR NEWS EDITOR According to the 2019-2020 MCLA Factbook, 53.8% of first-year ALANA students (African American, Latino, Asian and Native American), returned for the Fall 19 semester. This is a 15.2 percentage point decrease in retention from the previous year. Overall student retention increased slightly from 70% in 2018 to 72.4% in 2019, but the 15.2 percentage point decrease in ALANA retention resulted in a 18.5% difference in retention between ALANA students and the rest of the class. MCLA’s Board of Trustees Student Affairs Committee discussed this, along with other retention data, at its Feb. 20 meeting. MCLA president James Birge mentioned that African American students specifically had a much lower first-year retention percentage than in previous years, claiming that 50% of male African American students who entered in Fall 18 did not return. “What’s so disconcerting about
that is that we’ve actually had African American students outperform their [first-year peers] in retention for a number of years,” Birge said. “So this year was particularly concerning.” Catherine Holbrook, vice president of student affairs and Gina Puc, dean of enrollment management and community relations, discussed “Kickoff to College”, an initiative to rework the college’s first-year experience programs to improve retention in response to the and the Student Satisfactory Inventory (SSI) results. Holbrook said that Kickoff to College will attempt to involve new students in the campus with the help of redesigned orientation, a canvas page specific to helping new students, increased focus on freshman academies such as Lead Academy and emphasis on firstyear cohort classes where students have multiple classes with the same group of students. “In the first eight weeks that they
Retention, Page 3
Grant to Assist MCLA Partnership on Adams Project BY NATALIA GIACOMOZZI STAFF WRITER
Adams will receive $20,000 grant to expand its partnership with MCLA, Williams College and the Massachusetts Audubon Society, a non-profit nature conservation organisation, on a new recreational outdoors center. The grant is a part of Governor Charlie Baker’s decision to give $260,000 in grants to 10 western Massachusetts towns. The grants are designed to help western Massachusetts spur economic growth through promoting nature-based tourism and to assist in conserving the forests. In addition to Adams’s grant, North Adams will receive $20,000 to create a trail map accessible to tourists and residents of Berkshire County. The trail map will include hiking trails that are both publicly and privately owned. The money Adams will receive is directed towards developing the Greylock Glen Project. The Greylock Glen Project is the title for a still-in-de-
velopment- recreational outdoors center meant to teach the public about the local environment and the affects of climate change. Representatives from Adams Town Hall did not respond for comment. Elena Traister, chair of the environmental studies department, did not know how Adams will distribute the $20,000 within the specifics of the Greylock Glen project. “I have no idea about how the money will be directed [but] this is good news for helping to move this project forward,” she said in an email. Traister said she did not know why MCLA partnered with Adams on the Greylock Glen Project. However, she noted that MCLA’s role in the initiative is to advertise the Greylock Glen Project as an opportunity for students interested in exploring environmental studies on and off campus. “We really don’t have much of a
Greylock, Page 3
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SGA
Clubs Get Approved For Supplemental Funds BY BRIAN RHODES SENIOR NEWS EDITOR SGA discussed supplemental funding, sexual violence prevention and MCLA Gives during their Feb. 24 meeting. The board approved additional funding for several clubs, including Cheer Squad, Political Science Club, What About Us? and Student Activities Council (SAC). According to SGA Treasurer Nicholas Strezynski ‘20, this additional funding will come from the $14,000 supplemental budget passed at the end of the fall semester. $8200 remains of the supplemental budget after these approvals. The largest supplemental request approved was $2800 for SAC’s Health and Wellness Fair, which was originally canceled due to budget cuts. Strezynski noted that this funding approval will allow the event to continue as initially planned. “[Budget Finance Committee] recommended a pass because it was something that was originally in their budget,” Strezynski said. “SAC had the highest amount cut from their prior [fiscal year] budget, nevermind what they requested.” The only funding request that was denied by the board
was $2500 for Cheer Squad, which would have gone towards mats and safety equipment. Cheer Squad was separately approved for $160 in supplemental funds for food. Guest Speakers Kate Gigliotti, director of alumni engagement and donor relations, and Amanda Meczywor, annual giving associate, were invited to speak about the 125th Fundraising Gala and MCLA Gives. According to Meczywor, MCLA Gives was able to achieve over 400 gifts equating to over $66,000 last year in 30 hours. The goal for this year is to achieve 500 gifts in the same timespan, as well as get students more involved. “Giving days are important, as they support campus funding, and ultimately, students like you,” she said. “We had some student involvement last year, but we are looking to step that up this year.” According to Gigliotti, proceeds from the gala, which will be held on Apr. 25, will support the MCLA 125 Elevating Lives Fund. The goal is to raise $125,000 from the event. “That’s $125,000 that we’re hoping to net to benefit students immediately,” Gigliotti said. “It’s money that we can
PHOTO BY BRIAN RHODES Dean Little ‘20, Samantha Schwantner ‘20 and Nicholas Strezynski ‘20 listening to guest speakers Kate Gigliotti, director of alumni engagement and donor relations and Amanday Meczywor, annual giving associate. give out to support internships and scholarships and all kinds of stuff that we think students can really benefit from.” The board also continued discussion of the upcoming sexual violence prevention day being held on Apr. 9, officially titled “The Movement to End Sexual Violence”. The conversation centered around how much money SGA and the college should each be contributing. Senate Secretary Joseph Bellas ‘20 argued that SGA should be willing to utilize the reserve fund to contribute as much as is needed to make the first day successful, which
would incentivize other organizations on campus to contribute in the future. “If we can successfully get this off the ground the first time, then more departments will see that it is successful and want to join in on it and we’ll be able to increase the funding that is available to the event, lessening the burden on SGA for that financial contribution,” Bellas said. Strezynski mentioned that the college should also be willing to contribute significant funding. He also has considered letting the student body decide on how much money the board should be
spending on the event. “I would be in favor of potentially having a student referendum where every student can vote and decide on a budget so it’s not just us making the decision,” he said. Dean Little ‘20, president of SGA, recognized that while it is ultimately up to SGA to make this decision, it is important to gauge student feedback on how much is being spent. “You as the senators were elected by the students of MCLA to be able to make this decision,” Little said. “It is on you to do your due diligence before you vote [on a budget].”
New Scholarship to Benefit History and Political Science BY NICOLE LEMIRE STAFF WRITER Beginning this year, the Gould World Ready Fund will be giving out scholarships to MCLA students in the History and Political Science departments. The scholarship was donated by Larry Gould ‘71, who graduated with a degree in history. After graduating, he moved on to receive a Master’s Degree in political science from Eastern New Mexico University and a Ph.D. in political science from Purdue University. Since then, he has served as a professor, dean, and provost at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. Gould donated the grant to MCLA to be used primarily for students to pursue internships, but also for study abroad opportunities and apprenticeships. According to Gould, a $500 scholar-
PHOTO TAKEN FROM ALUMNI.MCLA.EDU Larry Gould ‘71 hopes that his scholarship will benefit history and political science students inside and outside of the classroom. ship will be awarded to one student each year going forward, with the goal being to
give students learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom.
“I know that it is very difficult for middle class or first generation college students to have these opportunities, and I hope these resources will help,” Gould said. “Dr. Gould’s generous gift to endow this scholarship will help students in the history or political science programs to pursue opportunities, such as internships, that will help to prepare them for success in a complex and ever-changing world,” said Anthony Daly, the chairperson of the history and political science departments via email. Gould was also the winner of MCLA’s Alumni Outstanding Educator Award in 2019, and spoke at Homecoming and Alumni Weekend last semester, where he discussed the importance of what he learned at MCLA and the value of a liberal arts education. “I am a liberal arts fan, I think it’s important to bring
together what you learn at MCLA to the workforce and to be prepared for that,” Gould said in reference to the scholarship. “I think this scholarship is great because it’s made for students to get real life experience within the field of history or political science and to become prepared to have careers in those fields one day,” said Miranda Maciejowski ‘23, who studies political science. Because it is the first year of the scholarship, additional details regarding where and when to apply are not yet fully known, but more information will be shared with students in the history and political science departments when it is available later this semester. Any students interested in learning more about the Gould World Ready Fund are advised to contact Anthony Daly for more information.
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14 States to Vote In Primaries On Super Tuesday
last nights debate: Expect to see big pick ups from Sanders, Biden, and Bloomberg on Super Tuesday.” “Sanders is leading the pack currently in delegate count after coming out of these past few states with big wins. Biden is expected to pick up steam and win a few states, such as South Carolina this weekend, and a few others in the Midwest on Super Tuesday,” he said. Mayor Pete Buttigieg is currently second in the dele-
gate count with 25, followed by former Vice President Joe Biden with 15, Sen. Elizabeth Warren with 8 and Sen. Amy Klobuchar with 7, according to National Public Radio. A total of 1,345 Democratic delegates are up for grabs on Tuesday and 1,991 delegates are needed to win the nomination. In Massachusetts, 15 Democrats will appear on the ballot, including some who have already dropped out of the race, including former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, New
Jersey Sen. Corey Booker and former Obama administration official Julian Castro. “It’s unclear who is likely to drop out since the primaries/ caucuses have fallen in such a way that they are occurring closely together,” Pettey said in her email. “This lets candidates who are not clear frontrunners stay in a bit longer despite potentially running out of money.” “There’s also some largely self-funded candidates (i.e. Bloomberg and Steyer), who aren’t polling particularly well, but have money so can theoretically keep campaigning,” she said. In addition to President Donald J. Trump, the Republican ballot will include former Gov. William Weld, Joe Walsh and Roque de la Fuente. There will be 10 candidates on the Libertarian ballot and four candidates on the Green-Rainbow ballot. “I would be surprised to see Buttegieg drop if he doesn’t do well on Super Tuesday,” Bellas said in his message. “But I remain hopeful that he will try and re orient his campaign so he can do well. I will not however be surprised to see some of the lower polling
we face, in part, because some of our buildings are a little bit older,” Vitali said. According to Holbrook, upgraded lighting, new police cruiser, new snow removal truck, new emergency blue lights and cameras will be added once the college receives the $200,000 campus safety grant from the state. “The money that we received from the supplemental grant from the state, it’s been approved, not quite received yet,” she said. “Ian Bergeron from IT, Dan Colonno and I sat down and we talked about the things we’re looking to improve and we came up with a very long laundry list of things that would address the issues raised by students. The committee also discussed the sexual violence prevention event, officially titled “The Movement To End Sexual Violence”, coming on April 9.
Holbrook shared a tentative event list which includes appearances from several guest speakers, including Nicole Comstock,
director of equal opportunity and Title IX; Amanda Beckwith, coordinator of the Susan B. Anthony Women’s Center and more.
BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
RETENTION From Page 1
are on a campus, students make their decision about whether they are gonna stay or not,” Holbrook said. “There are many many factors that affect that, but how we transition them and how effectively we help them to feel a sense of belonging and understanding how they can be successful as a student is critical.” Another topic of discussion at the meeting was campus safety upgrades that are coming soon. Student Trustee Jake Vitali discussed a campus safety walk held on Nov. which included SGA president Dean Little and Coordinating Vice president Samantha Schwantner. This walk highlighted areas of concern for accessibility and safety on campus. “[Accessibility] is a particularly interesting challenge that
PHOTO TAKEN FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, with 45 delegates, is the current Democratic front runner leading up to Super Tuesday.
Harrison and McCarthy to Pre-Trial BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cases against two men charged in seperate incidents on and near campus last semester have been scheduled for pre-trial conferences in March. Accoding to Nothern Berkshire Distict Court, Khyrin McCarthy, age 21, of East Boston, is charged with aggravated rape and breaking and entering. This incident allegedly occured off-campus. His next pre-trial hearing will be on March 4 at the Northern Berkshire District Court. On Nov. 13 2019, he waived
his right to attend his own trial. Thaylen Harrison, age 21, of Berkshire County, is charged with photographing an unsuspecting nude person. This incident allegedly occured on-campus. He has waived his right to a speedy trial. Harrison’s next pre-trial hearing will take place at the Northern Berkshire District Court on March 18. Public Safety Chief Daniel Colonno said last semester that Harrison had been placed on an interim suspension and was banned from campus until the outcome of the criminal courtand judicial proceedings.
Holbrook noted that this list was not finalized and a full list will be publicized to students soon.
First-Year Student Retention Retention Percentage
Voters in 14 states, including Massachusetts, will go to the polls on Tuesday, Mar. 3 to vote in primary elections for presidential candidates in what has become known as “Super Tuesday.” “Since there’s still a lot of candidates officially in the race, and 34% of the nation-wide delegates up for grabs, theoretically they all need to do well if they want a chance at winning the nomination,” said professor Samantha Pettey in an email. “Even Sanders, who is currently leading the field with the most number of delegates needs a good showing of support on Super Tuesday,” she said. Sen. Bernie Sanders, with 45 delegates, is the current Democratic front runner leading up to Tuesday, which also includes a caucus in American Samoa. South Carolina will hold its primary election on Saturday. “So here’s my prediction for the day,” said Joe Bellas ‘23 in a message to the Beacon. “Given that polls from South Carolina are still updating after
candidates drop, such as Tulsi Gabbard, Tom Steyer, and Amy Klobuchar.” “I would also expect to see Warren drop if she looses the vote in Mass,” he said. Polls in North Adams, at the St. Elizabeth Parish Center on St. Anthony Drive, are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Those registered with a certain party must vote in that party’s primary and unenrolled, independent, voters can choose any party’s ballot. “Given the latest polls and elections (writing before South Carolina primary), I expect Bernie Sanders to do quite well. He has a lot of momentum from the previous causes and NH primary,” Pettey said in her email. “It’s unclear at this point in time how the S.C debate, giving it just happened without new polling to check out, impacted any of the candidate’s standings, if at all,” she said. The campus community can attend a Super Tuesday Watch party beginning at 8 p.m. in Murdock 218, hosted by the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) chapter on campus. A raffle and food will be available at the event as well.
80% 75%
78.8
ALANA Retention Cohort (Overall)
72.6 72.6
72.3
70%
72.4
69.0 70.0
65% 60% 53.8
55% 50%
2015
2016
2017
2018
Year Class Entered (Fall Semester) GRAPHIC BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE
Retention of ALANA students who entered in Fall 18 was 53.8%, 15.2 percentage points below the previous year.
GREYLOCK From Page 1
role, other than letting our students know about opportunities that may become available there. The environmental studies department supports internships and other professional opportunities for our students to take place at the Greylock Glen,” Traister said. Becky Cushing, director of Mass Aubadon in the Berkshires, said in a telephone interview that the nonprofit’s role is to pro-
vide Adams guidance on the educating about conservation component of the outdoors center. “We are piloting outdoor programs with Adams to bring new people into the Greylock Glen, to get people excited for the center, such as bird watching and family friendly activities over the summer,” Cushing said. She noted that Mass Aubadon partnered with Adams before her term as director but believes that the partnership was constituted because Greylock
Glen embodies Mass Aubadon’s goal as an institution. “Our mission is to protect the nature of Massachusetts for the people and for the wildlife,” Cushing said. The Baker administration’s latest steps in assisting Western Massachusetts come a month after it was announced that the state would give an estimated $5 million in grants to Williamsburg, Hindale, Cummington, Middlefield and New Marlborough to fix their roadways.
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“What About Us?” Continues Fight for Students BY LISE MANSARAY FEATURES EDITOR The student aligned advocate group, “What About Us?” that started up last year, continues it’s fight to address important issues on campus. The group strives to tackle issues such as race, sexual assault, food insecurity and more. Currently, the group is working towards removing laundry charges for students on campus. They will be meeting with Dianne Manning, Director of Residential Programs and Services, to further discuss the issue. This will take place during their general meeting on Friday, Feb. 28 in the Empowerment Lounge. “We have to have honest and real conversations with administration about these issues,” Nadia Tenorio 20’ said. The group was started up by former MCLA student, Bryan Vega ‘19, in Nov. 2019. Vega was fed up with ongoing issues on campus and took initiative. “I think Bryan just had enough and came up with a plan to make a group that would address these issues,” Tenorio said. Vega was able to develop the group with the help
PHOTO PROVIDED BY NADIA TENORIO
“What About Us?” banner displayed outside of the Campus Center. of Christopher McDonald-Dennis, chief diversity officer, and Celia Norcross, assistant dean of students & interim student conduct coordinator. Vega passed over his responsibility as leader of the group to Sarah Groux ‘20, who shares what drew her
to taking on this position. “I used to be part of SGA [Student Government Organization] for about two years and I can honestly say I accomplished nothing, which is very disheartening because I tried,” Groux said. “I think ‘What About Us?’ is unique in a way because
we don’t have to necessarily abide by the administration, but more so we are a group that puts pressure on them to do their job,” she said. Groux argues that administration has not done enough to listen to students. “They are not doing their job by pushing back on what so many students have asked them to do in the past in terms of racist incidents and problems with sexual assault on campus,” she said. Tenorio agrees with Groux, arguing that there is a disconnect between administration and students. “Administration is not going to do anything about it until we apply pressure on them because they are so blinded. They don’t really understand what it’s like to be a student at MCLA,” Tenorio said. This year they have organized a plan to formulate smaller steps and concrete goals to tackle issues, according to Groux. “What About Us?” is also trying to work on food insecurity for students who stay on campus during spring break. “I want to do something for students who stay on campus during spring break because the dining hall is
closed,” Tenorio said. “We need to do something about that.” The group has even bigger plans for the future, according to Tenorio. “We want to do little forms of protest for people to really acknowledge the issues because sometimes people just like to be blind and stay blind,” Tenorio said. “I also feel like administration should be required to take a course on race training, similar to the way we are required to take a course on sexual assault,”she continued. Title IX does annual cultural and sexual assult training exercises. However, not all administrators particpate in these or similar annual programs. Groux felt it was also important to acknowledge the faculty members who have supported the groups efforts such as professor Jenna Sciuto. “We’re really glad because faculty have shown their interest such as Jenna Sciuto who came to our meeting last week. We have about seven other faculty that are interested and have been receiving our emails. I think that is really important to mention,” she said.
Trailblazer Tutoring
Academic Assistance Strives to Help Students BY ISABEL COSTA FEATURES WRITER Some students can relate to that scary feeling of not passing a class, or having that strong fear that they might fail but are too scared to ask for help. The Trailblazer Tutoring works to help students against that fear. Trailblazer Tutoring is a group peer tutoring program that is geared towards helping students with the material or with improving their study skills. Cassie Rochelo, MCLA alumna and coordinator of Trailblazer Tutoring, has spent most of her life working in the education field. She expressed her excitement to return to her roots at MCLA to help CSSE (Center for Student Success and Engagement) grow their tutoring program. “I just came on board at the end of September, but when I came here the peer tutoring program was happening I, and we as CSSE are just trying to grow the program,” Rochelo said. Trailblazer Tutoring is
offered all throughout the week, and weekends. Students meet with tutors twice a week for a full semester. Trailblazer Tutoring also can extend hours during exam and finals week. “If there is a need from the tutor and tutee, we can always schedule more time to fit the student’s needs. We never turn any students away the goal of peer tutoring is to help students grow and learn from their peers,” Rochelo said. Students can request a tutor directly from their student portal . “Once a request comes in, we will look and see if we have a tutor for that course, and if we have a tutor and the times work out, we will match based on that,” Rochelo said. Supplemental Instruction (SI) is another form of tutoring on campus available to all students. “Supplemental Instruction is a little bit different, it non remedial for challenging courses, SI leaders are recommended by faculty and its really a collaboration between students’ staff
and faculty for challenging courses,” Rochelo said. SI leaders sit in on challenging classes and hold SI meetings two times per week. SI meetings are drop in so no appointment is needed to partake, focusing on what and how to learn material for challenging classes. Students who need another job on campus are also encouraged to apply to be tutors. Popular tutoring subjects include social sciences, math, biology and physics. However, all subjects are open to tutors and students. Tutors are recommended by faculty. Aspiring tutors are required to have have taken the course and must have received a B or higher in the course. A member of the CSSE team will then interview interested applicants as well as provide them training after students are hired. To find out more information on Trailblazer Tutoring and SI, students can make an appointment at CSSE, located on the top floor of Eldridge Hall.
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IGE Highlights Zero Discrimination Day BY LISE MANSARAY FEATURES EDITOR Zero Discrimination Day makes its way to MCLA this year through the help of the Identity & Gender Equality Resource Center [IGE]. The day strives to address discrimination including racism, homophobia, sexism and trans-phobia. “It’s about raising awareness about discrimination of all types. It proposes the idea that we may have come far back not far enough yet and keeps us motivated to continue to fight against discrimination,” said Lily Broman ‘20, lead office assistant of IGE. IGE will be tabling in the Campus Center on Monday, Mar. 2 from 11-2 p.m to celebrate the day. Broman has helped coordinate the event along with Amanda Beckwith, coordinator of the Women’s Center and IGE. “When we celebrated it last year we had a poster that asked, ‘What does zero discrimination mean to you?’ and people were able to write down what it meant to them. This year I want to do something along the same lines because it went really well,” she said. Broman tried to find the best way to get students thinking about discrimination in an interactive way. “I think this actually gets
PHOTO BY LISE MANSARAY
IGE’s poster from Zero Discrimination Day last year, where students expressed what the day meant to them. people thinking rather than just having a table, we provide something for them to interact with. Sometimes we use a spin wheel and make a game for people to interact with because this is something that is on a worldwide level, but people don’t really know about it since it is still relatively new,” she continued. IGE is a resource center that works to bring attention to the LGBTQIA+ community. They do this through a number of different awareness days such as Zero Discrimination Day, Bi Visibil-
ity Day and International pronouns Day. IGE works to purposely bring attention to the awareness days that might not be as popular, according to Broman. “We do research about a bunch of different awareness days and we try to go outside of the box. We don’t want to just celebrate national coming out day or spirit day,” she said. “Those are things that are well known. We try and have things that are inter-sectional.” Broman believes it is important to cover topics that
intertwine a number of different issues. “We try to look at all these things mixed together and realize that they are all important to be looked at together. That’s what makes Zero Discrimination Day so important because it gets everybody talking about how we can’t just look at one of these topics without talking about everything else too,” Broman said. She encourages students to support the event and learn more about Zero Discrimination day because she
believes it a relevant topic on campus. “Especially with how the world is today, I think these conversations need to happen because sometimes people try and skim over it to take the easy route but you are not going to fight against racism or homophobia if you don’t talk about it,” Broman said. Zero Discrimination also works to educate people on political correctness and understanding what is and isn’t acceptable to say. “There are people who might not be homophobic for example, but they might not have the right language. Learning how to correct yourself and others is an important way to bring people together and bring change,” Broman said. “The school is doing a lot with diversity, equity and inclusion and I think things like this make an excuse for people to talk about these issues,” she said. IGE is a resource center that works to bring attention to the LGBTQIA+ community. They do this through a number of different awareness days such as Zero Discrimination Day, Bi Visibility Day, and International pronouns Day. IGE works to purposely bring attention to the awareness days that might not be as popular, according to Broman.
FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENT THINKING ABOUT TAKING SUMMER COURSES? THE SUMMER FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION IS NOW AVAILABLE ON YOUR PORTAL UNDER THE FINANCIAL AID TAB. COMPLETE IT ONLINE SO WE CAN DETERMINE IF YOU’LL HAVE ANY FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE TO HELP COVER THE COST! ***************** MCLA FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION WILL BE OPENING MARCH 9TH. MORE INFO COMING SOON!
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Spires Celebrates 20-Year Anniversary Now Accepting Submissions for Their Spring Journal
PHOTO BY JACOB VALENTI
tion, hybrid works, and more. Through the spread of the journal itself and through its production by a team of passionate students, we hope to keep that foundation to support generations of creative artists on campus,” O’Keefe said. Valenti went on to say that viewing and discussing the artwork is his favorite part of being in Spires. “I adore putting the journal together as well, but reading and viewing the works together and having a discussion about the art is always my favorite part,” Valenti said. O’Keefe most enjoys not only the work her peers are creating, but what they will be able to contribute to the artistic community going forward. “I know they are going to go on to contribute amazing things to the artistic landscape here and outside the Berkshires.” O’Keefe said. Along with the literary publication in the spring, Spires also hosts a myriad of events throughout the school year. They host a lot of events with The Parlor Café, coordinating meetings and tablings in the Campus Center and working closely with the English department in order to promote notoriety. “We host open mic nights, work on creating the journal, and of course, publish a number of student artists in said journal,” Valenti said. Submissions of fiction, photography, visual art, graphic design, poetry, creative nonfiction, hybrid work, travel writing, lyric essay and many more are being accepted, according to the Spires Facebook Page. To submit works for anonymous review, students must attach their work in a word document and email their submissions to spires@mcla.edu by March 8.
Sam Olson ‘20 reading at last year’s Spires open mic at The Parlor Cafe.
Spires, MCLA’s student-run literary arts journal, is seeking submissions from students for its annual publication this Spring. Jacob Valenti, ‘20 and Allison O’Keefe ‘20, two of the three co-managing editors of Spires, believe it has had a big impact on the MCLA Community. “Literary journals, whether they be local or through an academic institution, are an opportunity to get involved with your peers and create something that honors the artists in your community. On both individual and community-wide scales, having that network contributes to a creative culture at home within the Berkshires,” O’Keefe said. “We try to do this through open mics, readings, submission periods, and by producing the physical journal itself to be spread around campus. Art is something to bond over and engage with, and we hope Spires provides the accessibility and opportunity for that interaction,” she said. As they celebrate twenty years as an official MCLA organization, there was a lot of discussion about how they are able to keep the publication original. “What keeps Spires authentic is the variety in terms of style and message,” Valenti said. “We judge all submissions anonymously and through that we hone in on what each person is saying and how they are saying it.” Originally under the name ‘Kaleidoscope’ the organization officially took on the name Spires in the 2000-2001 academic year. “Over the years, Spires has remained mainly the same in regards to setup and roles involved, but with each year brings a fresh batch of club members who all have great ideas on where the club should go moving forward,” Valenti said. The goal of the literary journal has remained the same as well. “We want to build a network of students to collaborate, share ideas with, and support one another in our creative projects. These mediums are varied and range everywhere within landscape of visual art, design, poetry, fic-
MCLA’S UNDER 27 WRITER’S RESIDENCY WANT TO RUN MCLA’S NEW ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM?
SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS IN THE WRITING CONCENTRATION OR CREATIVE WRITING MINOR CAN APPLY OR REQUEST DETAILS ABOUT THE DEADLINE BY EMAILING PROFESSOR CAREN BEILIN
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Arts, Humanities Institute Impacts MCLA BY SABRINA DAMMS A&E EDITOR The MCLA Institute for the Arts and Humanities, MCLA-IAH, are providing students and faculty the chance to bring its innovating ideas to life helping them create a cultural and social change. MCLA-IAH uses the funding it gets form the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support students and help them become aware of the opportunities that they have in the community and helps further their learning experience through the support and collaboration with faculty and creating a hands-on learning experience. “MCLA Institute for the Arts and Humanities (MCLA-IAH) is a public humanities initiative to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion through community engagement, experiential learning opportunities, and a summer institute,” MCLA-IAH’s Canvas page said. “The Institute serves as an interdisciplinary catalyst to investigate and address contemporary and historical issues on campus and in the community through the employment of area arts and humanities resources.” MCLA-IAH partner with outside community establishments, like MassMoCA, Jacobs Pillow, Barrington Stage and among many others to help students become aware of the opportunities that exist for them and create a network for faculty and student to utilize in their efforts at bringing their ideas to life. “Promote access to interdisciplinary arts and humanities resources within Berkshire County
through community partnerships and events,” the page said. “There are different facets of impact depending on who we are working with. The impact for students, I think, is the greatest one because a lot of the work we are doing is to promote and build access and engagement with all these amazing resources in the county,” Erica Barreto, Institute for the Arts and Humanities Coordinator, said. “That is a great network connection for students who are post-grad. It’s also a great opportunity for students to experience learning outside the classroom.” Students are able to apply for the IAH Student Mini Grant which, if selected gives them a chance to work with IAH and learn different skills they need to complete their projects which engage the community and strategically focuses on areas of culture, equality, access and inclusion. Those selected will receive funds from $300 to $1000 depending on the students need for completing their project. Application submissions does not guarantee funding. IAH has accepted three mini-grant proposals from Declan McDermott ‘21 and Amanda Gilmore ‘20. Quray Clarke ‘22 and Kennedy Sobon ‘20 also had their proposals accepted by IAH. Don’ Jea Smith ‘20 and Isamaya Hagstrom ‘20 have also been working with IAH as interns. These students have been given a chance to work with IAH and learn in a hands on manner to develop and organize their projects making them into a reality. “This [IAH] offers an opportunity to experience your learning, to build community, to learn
what’s around you, to connect, and support yourself as an individual, and also the community as a collective,” Barreto said. “It’s also a great opportunity for students to experience learning outside the classroom. Why not do that when we neurologically learn better by doing.” The Faculty Fellowships allows faculty to create more innovating ways of teaching students further advancing the curriculum at MCLA and increasing community engagement. Faculty projects also must focus on the advancement of inclusion, diversity, and equality while also utilizing areas of arts and humanities. Faculty have the opportunity to work with IAH to help complete their projects. “The impact for faculty is also great because we can support them in bring really creative, experiential, high-impact course work into the departments and also working across departments. So there is a lot of cross-sector, cross-collicular, and cross-cultural collaboration,” Barreto said. “It is really interesting to see one of the impacts is the perspective shift, the cultural shift, and the narrative shift that is happening and I’m hoping long term that a lot of work that we are doing today people start thinking about how to make this work sustainable in the long term. How can we create a structural and social change at MCLA to promote this kind of work moving forward because the arts and the humanities functions as strategies for bringing people together? At a time where our political climate is really divisive” she said. To learn more about MCLA-IAH’s goals, programs, grants, or fellowships you can visit their
FPA to Produce Topdog/Underdog BY JACOB MACK A&E WRITER Suzan-Lori Park’s comic drama, Topdog/Underdog launches in MCLA’s Venable Theatre on Friday, March 6 with additional shows on March 7, 10, 11 and 12. All performances will begin at 8 p.m. The play explores topics of familial dysfunction, relationships, poverty and abandonment by following its two main characters, Lincolin and Booth, played by Neo Valentin ‘22 and Devin A. Gibbs ‘20. “As the only two actors in the play, together they carry the whole story. Inside a literal and metaphorical cage, we see the two feeding off each other, and face both external and internal adversity,” said professor Rodney Creech, the show’s director. “The brothers, both stuck in their ways, struggle to come to terms with their identities while simultaneously staying locked in a perpetual game of 3-card monte,” he said. Set with no specific city or state in mind the play takes place inside a dilapidated room in a boarding house. The play focuses on a dialogue between the two brothers, Lincolin and Booth.
The play has won a Pulitzer Prize and was selected as the number-one choice in last year’s New York Times list of “The 25 Best American Plays Since Angels in America.” “With her trademark explosive language in this powerful Pulitzer Prize-winning comic drama, Suzan-Lori Parks explores the deepest of connections, and what it means to be a family of man,” according to MCLA’s press release. “I can’t say enough how beautifully the play is written. Simple, intense, and emotional,” Creech said. “Creech is pleased to return to MCLA as an Adjunct Professor in Theatre.” according to MCLA’s press release. He holds an MFA in Theatre from West Virginia University and a BFA from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. He has also performed in MCLA’s production of “Passing Strange” in 2017. For more information about “Topdog/Underdog” and MCLA’s theatre program, go to www.mcla. edu/academics/undergraduate/fineandperformingarts/theater and to reserve your tickets online today, go to https://mcla.ticketleap. com/topdog/dates.
THURSDAY, FEB. 27 POLAR BEAR DAY - S೯ೳ F೯ം A C೯೫ೳഀ೯ Wೳೳೱ R೯೫೮ೳೱ C೯೯೬೫ೳೱ G೫೮೫ೳೱ S೯ೳ M೮೭ 218 7 ..
FRIDAY, FEB. 28
PUBLIC SLEEPING DAY
- MCLA Sೳೳ Fೳ೮೫ഃ W೯೫ C೯ೱ೯ C -IGE P೯೯ Sೲഁೳೱ “L೯ഄ B೬” Sೳഀ೫ Lೱ೯ 7 .. 9 .. -JJ S೫೯ ೲ೯ P೫ C೫೯ 7 .. -L೯ J೫೭ HೳL Nೲ A೮೫ 8 ..
SATURDAY, FEB. 29 LEAP DAY - S೫ Eഀೳ೫ MASSMCA 8 ..
SUNDAY, MAR. 1 PIG DAY - S೮೫ഃ S೯ഀೳ೭೯ Sೳഀ೫ Lೱ೯ 1 .. 2 ..
-Fೳ S೮೫ഃ F೯೯: Iഀ Tೲ೯ C೫ 1 ..
TUESDAY, MAR. 3
NATIONAL ANTHEM DAY - Pೲೳೳ Wೳೳ೫ R೯೫೮ೳೱ ഁೳೲ Aೳ O’೯೯೯ ೫೮ D’೯೫ Sೳೲ G೫೯ഃ 51 7 ..
Sports
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Men’s Basketball
Men Blaze Comeback Against Falcons
Chris Becker ‘23 Scores Game-Winning Shot In Final Seconds BY JAKE VITALI EDITOR-AT-LARGE Chris Becker ‘23 scored with just two seconds left on the clock to cement an 80-78 comeback victory for the men’s basketball team in the first round of the MASCAC tournament Tuesday. There will be a Fan Bus run by the athletic department, taking student to their next game at Worcester State University Lancers tonight at 6 p.m. An email was sent out detailing the bus’s departure from across the fire lane by the townhouses at 3:30 p.m. Signups for the bus re-
quire students to send an email to dawn. lesure@mcla.edu. Becker took a pass from Ki-Shawn Monroe and drove to the hoop for a layup. The ball hung on the rim for an agonizing second before dropping through the net. “I just wish for the president’s cardiac condition that they’d win a little bit earlier in the game, not letting the last point trickle in,” President James Birge joked following the game. Tuesday’s win advances the Trailblazers to the semifinal round. The first half saw both teams exchanging points for a relatively evenly matched game. Heading into the half, the Trailblazers were down two points with the score at 38-40. The second half saw the Falcons initially pull away with the lead. Throughout the first six minutes, Fitchburg went on a 14-2 run. With the score at 56-42, MCLA began to chip away at the lead. With 11:34 remaining on the clock Bright Afful ‘21 stole a pass from Falcons forward Charles Doss ‘20. He dunked, electrifying the crowd. With 9:24 remaining, Noah Yearsley
‘21 brought the Trailblazers to within two points with a 3-pointer . As the clock approached 4:23 remaining, Yearsley assisted Becker on a layup and was fouled, and hit the free throw to complete the and-1 and tie the game at 71. The teams traded baskets with the score fluctuating for the next couple minutes until Yearsley tied the game again on a free throw made with 41 seconds remaining. After a defensive stop with about 23 seconds left, the Trailblazers worked the ball around until Monroe found Becker for the game winner. A desperate heave from 35 feet by Falcons guard Nicholas Tracy ‘20 fell short as the clock expired. “I thought we showed a lot of character being able to come back and pull this one out, it was great execution down the stretch,” said Head Coach Derek Shell following the PHOTO BY KYLAN MARTUS
Ki-Shawn Monroe ‘20 finished Tuesday’s game with 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 9 assists including the game winning pass to Chris Becker in the final seconds.
PHOTO BY KYLAN MARTUS
In addition to making the game winning shot with two seconds remaining, Chris Becker ‘23 contributed 13 point and 5 rebounds throughout 19 minutes played.
PHOTO BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE
Noah Yearsley ‘21 led the Trailblazers in scoring Tuesday night with 23 points, 15 of those points came from 3-point shots of which he was 5-10 on throughout the contest. game. The Trailblazers were led in scoring by Yearsley who contributed 23 points. Afful had a double-double with 10 rebounds and 13 points. The Falcons were led by Tracy with 26 points and 8 rebounds, with Jordan Jones ‘20 chipping in with 25 points and 8 rebounds. The Falcons end their season at 9-17. While the team is enjoying their win tonight, Shell recognizes that
the Lancers will not be easy. “Worcester’s just an incredibly gifted offensive team. They have four guys on the floor who can shoot it, they got a really good big they’re tough. We got them the first time around in overtime at their place and they beat us last time they were here. We’re very familiar with each other, it should be a tough one.”
Sports
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Men’s Lacrosse
Lacrosse Coach Hopeful Despite Loss BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The men’s lacrosse team lost their inaugural game against Mt. St. Vincent in 13-0 game on Saturday, Feb. 22. Despite the loss, the team’s head coach Kevin Pezanowski remains hopeful for the season. “You always want to be improving. Getting better quarter to quarter, half to half, game to game. You want to end the season stronger then you started and you also want to win, that it the end goal of any team,” he said in an email. “I know we will achieve what we set out to this season, it’s about family, team,” he said. In their game against Mt. St. Vincent, the Trailblazers made 7 total shots on goal 3 of which were made by Thomas Irwin. Goalies Brady Larkin and Gavin Butler had 9 saves between them, compared to Mt. St. Vincent’s 7 saves. “I would say the team is excited and eager about the season,” Pezanowski said in his email. “They want to play lacrosse and
SCOREBOARD Men’s Basketball MCLA (73), Westfield St. (89) Feb. 22 Noah Yearsley - 22 Points Chris Becker - 12 Rebounds Damon Daniel - 6 Assists
MCLA (80), Fitchberg St. (78) Feb. 25 Noah Yearsley - 23 Points Bright Afful - 10 Rebounds Ki-Shawn Monroe - 9 Assists PHOTO BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE
MCLA Men’s Lacrosse lost in their game against Mount St. Vincent last Saturday. understand how exciting it is to be a new program here at MCLA.” The game was originally scheduled to take place on the MCLA athletic complex, but ended up on the Williams College campus due to safety concerns. Even so, students still turned out to see the team’s historic first game. “It is a great honor and privilege to be able to be the first men’s lacrosse coach in the history of
the sport here at MCLA,” Pezanowski said in his email. “Being the first season, ever player contributes. They depend on one another and realize that success means everyone doing their part,” he said. In his email, Pezanowski said that he isn’t nervous about piloting the school’s first ever men’s lacrosse team. Generally, he’s found the college to be very welcoming and that the transition has been easy.
“As a coach, you always going into every game wanting to win. You want every player to perform at their best from start to finish. You have a game plan and you try and stick to it and make adjustments along the way,” he said. “Taking over an entirely new group of players can be a little daunting at times, you see them in practice but you are never sure how they will react once the season starts in earnest,” he said.
@ Worcester State Feb. 27, 6:00 p.m.
Women’s Basketball MCLA (59), Framingham (103) Feb. 22 Jasmine Pszczola - 17 Points Maddie Teta - 13 Points Erika Ryan - 16 Rebounds; 4 Assists
Men’s Lacrosse
Women’s Basketball
Women Finish Season 2-21 Overall BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The women’s team closed out their season last Saturday in a 103-59 game against Westfield State. The Trailblazers end 0-12 in the MASCAC tournament, compared to the opposing team’s 10-2 placement. Jasmine Pszczola ‘23 contributed the most points for MCLA at 17, followed by Maddie Teta ‘23 with 13. The team also made 31 turnovers in the game, nearly triple Westfield’s count of 12, with Kylah Langston ‘23 securing 9 of them. At halftime, Westfield was leading the game with a score of 52-22. While this ends this season’s play, the team will look to improve their record next winter
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MCLA (0), Mt. St. Vincent (13) Feb. 22 Thomas Irwin - 3 Shots On Goal Johnny Herbert - 8 Turnovers Brady Larkin - 6 Saves
vs. Mitchell College Feb. 29, 2:00 p.m.
@ Albertus Magnus College Mar. 3, 6:00 p.m.
Baseball @ Baseball Haven SUNY Cobleskill
Feb. 29, 1:00 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.
@ Baseball Haven SUNY Cobleskill
Mar. 1, 12:00 p.m. & 2:30 p.m.
PHOTO FROM MCLA ATHLETICS
Jasmine Pszczola ‘23 in the women’s final game of the season against Westfield State.
Read more about your Trailblazers, watch games, and see dates for upcoming games at Athletics.mcla.edu
Men’s Tennis @ Bennington Tennis Center Northern Vermont-Johnson Mar. 8, 10:00 a.m.
Opinion
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Mental Illness Should Not Be the New “Cool” When it comes to talking with peers, so much of life seems bent around suffering. Humorous statements around how “existence is pain” and jokes about mental health have become commonplace in millennial culture. These subjects have seen significant rises in popular culture due to shows such as “BoJack Horseman” and “Rick and Morty.” Humor has been a mode in which people can explore and discuss harsh topics for decades. Take previous televised creations like “the Addams family” or else movies like “Dr. Strangelove” as examples. Humor should be a launching point for discussions of these topics, not the main driver. While visiting home over the winter break, there was an instance where I overheard some kids joking about having various mental issues. Mainly they were joking about having symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD. These comments usually just go over my head since they’re so often referenced and joked about, but something about the way that they spoke made me pause and think, “What if someone listening actually had one of those problems?” Would they feel like they finally have a way of communicating their
feelings? Would they be relieved to hear people talking about mental health issues, even as jokes? Would they feel invalidated? Like some aspect of themselves that they struggle with and must deal with on a daily basis, has socially devolved into trivial statements and humorous asides? Would it become harder for them to share their feelings without them seeming like jokes? According to a 2017 survey done by the National Institute of Mental Health, an average of one in five Americans report having some degree of mental health issues. About half of all adolescents, then aged 13-17, reported having some form of mental health issue. Only about a fourth reported severe impairment. With the integration of mental health into the popular humor scene of today, it’s much more common to hear about people claiming to have serious mental issues. In some circles, it may even be seen as “cool” or “quirky” to exhibit their signs. For someone to say they too have some form of mental issue might put them on a special “level” above others. Now others are forced to pay more attention to the individual, give them more respect. It means that those around the person need to listen and curb themselves and their
COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE I’M NO EXPERT actions around the person’s wants or needs because of looming consequences surrounding what might happen if they don’t. Popularity through self-victimization is how it was described to me. These statements get re-affirmed and restated often through everyday speech, by mixing into casual humor in conversation, which ties them back to the idea of mental illness and jokes. Popular culture has always played with ideas around using mental illness as bases for humor, especially within the aforementioned shows of “BoJack Horseman” and “Rick and Morty.”
The popularization of the idea of having a mental illness can make it hard to distinguish lines between them and normal emotions. Being scared or nervous about a test or presentation and not wanting to go to class is normal. Procrastinating work and leaving it to the last moment that causes you to panic and feel massively overwhelmed, is normal. Having weeks go on without anything particularly interesting, exciting or new happen is normal. Feeling lonely sometimes is normal. Feeling sad is normal. No-one should be using these normal feelings and telling themselves and/or people around them that it’s because of a mental illness is not okay. It shouldn’t be considered “funny” to claim to have a mental illness. It should be a much more serious matter that people around the individual can address. It shouldn’t be seen as “cool” or “quirky” to claim having deep set anxiety, depression or any other mental issue. No-one should be taking advantage of using the moniker of mental illnesses to garner special attention or inclusion for themselves. Mental illness is a serious issue and shouldn’t be considered as the new “cool.”
Just Give Womens’ Clothing Some Pockets Already It seems like a small issue, the fact that jeans and women’s pants have smaller pockets or no pockets at all, but it is an issue affects women’s daily lives. A woman’s mobility and independence are taken away by their inability to carry around anything larger than a folded up dollar or credit card. I have lost count of the number of times I have asked my boyfriend or male friends for help carrying my stuff. Why not ask them for help? They have room for it. I have seen some pairs of men’s jeans where they can fit half their arm or a water bottle down their pockets. If men’s jeans have the capability of carrying a water bottle I should have the ability to carry my phone, keys, wallet, and inhaler. Even after hundreds of years women’s clothing still doesn’t have pockets. In an informal study by Jan Diehm and Amber Thomas from The Pudding, a site that uses visual journalism to explain debated ideas in culture, they measured twenty of the US most popular blue jean brands for both men and women. The study measured jeans with a thirty-two-inch waistband making sure that the pants were made to fit the same size person so the excuse men are often bigger than women can not be used in this case. Diehm and Thomas used an inter-
active visual that demonstrated how women’s pockets where on average forty-eight percent shorter and sixpoint-five percent narrower than men’s. “Only 40 percent of women’s front pockets can completely fit one of the three leading smartphone brands. Less than half of women’s front pockets can fit a wallet specifically designed to fit in front pockets,” Diehm and Thomas said. “And you can’t even cram an average woman’s hand beyond the knuckles into the majority of women’s front pockets.” From the seventeenth century to the late nineteenth century, most women had pockets tied around their waist between the under petticoat and petticoat. Women were able to get access to their pockets through a hidden opening in the side seam of the petticoat. It wasn’t until 1790 when women’s fashion changed from high hoops and full petticoat to a more form-fitting design that pockets were replaced with handbags. “Instead, dresses had a high waistline and skirts that fell close to the body and legs. This meant that traditional pockets and their contents would ruin the line of the dress. As a solution, women began to use reticules, decorative bags designed be carried over the arm in the manner of our contemporary handbag,” Victoria and Albert Museum’s, the
SABRINA DAMMS IT’S A DAMMS THOUGHT worlds largest museum on art and design, website said. “However, reticules are very small with barely enough room for a hankie and a coin, never mind the mirror, watch, keys, needlecase and oranges that a pocket usually contained.” The fact that women’s clothing do not have pockets has been an ongoing issue for years and it is clear that women have been wanting pockets for just as long. A comic strip from 1959 by Orla Getterman depicting a little girl telling her mom she doesn’t want to wear a dress because she doesn’t have pockets. “Maybe it is pretty—but how can I carry my frog and my worms in a dress with no pockets?” the little girl said.
This comic strip, although meant to be funny, actually depicts a common theme for women’s clothing. How are we supposed to carry our things without pockets? Whenever I find a dress with pockets my heart leaps with joy. Finally, something cute and functional. The dress’ pockets are the first thing I mention to someone who compliments the outfit in some way. Handbags are great up until you want to use both your arms freely. Not having pockets takes away women’s mobility and independence. I am constantly forgetting where I have placed my bag after laying it down somewhere and walking away from it. Another handbag drawback is the giant whole they create in the wallets of those buying them. A majority of Coach’s, one of the major handbag designers, merchandise is well above a 100 dollars. Women can choose to buy cheaper handbags from Walmart or Target but event their prices can range up to 40 or 50 dollars. Why pay this extra money when pockets are free and more convenient? If I had pockets I would no longer have these issues. I could simply have all my items in a magical compartment called pockets that, it seems, only men’s clothing are given. So, just give women pockets already.
Want to write a guest column for The Beacon? If you’re interested in writing a guest column, contact Corey Mitchell-Labrie at cm5449@mcla.edu
Opinion Amid Coronavirus Threat, Study Abroad Programs in China Canceled Feb. 27, 2019
BY NINA AGRAWAL AND ANHDO LOS ANGELES TIMES Last summer, Andie Yu arrived in Beijing for a yearlong program at Peking University. The University of California, Irvine computer science student from Las Vegas was eager to improve her Mandarin and gain experience to be a more competitive job candidate in China. But her program was cut short after the University of California suspended all non-essential travel to China, including study abroad programs, in response to the fast-spreading coronavirus. Now Yu, 23, an American citizen, is stuck in Xiamen, China, where she has relatives. She booked a flight to Los Angeles but is unsure when she’ll make it home to her parents in Las Vegas _ and expects she’ll be quarantined. Yu is among hundreds of college students nationwide whose study plans have been upended by intensifying response to the virus. Students and university officials alike are scrambling to secure visas and flights back to the U.S., reenroll in coursework so as not to lose out on an entire semester, or find alternate study abroad programs, typically a highlight of students’ college experience. “Study abroad is for most students challenging to schedule into their degree advancement at all. So if it doesn’t work in the planned semester, it’s unlikely it’s going to work in some other semester,” said Caroline Maas, senior vice president for study global operations at the Council on International Educational Exchange. “For these individual students who have been planning to study abroad, in some cases for years, it’s pretty tragic.” The blow to these academic exchanges between the U.S. and China is one of the myriad ways in which the virus, officially named COVID-19, has disrupted lives around the world. As of Monday, there had been at least 72,335 confirmed cases and 1,863 deaths from the virus worldwide. CIEE, which describes itself as the largest study abroad provider in the U.S., has canceled both its spring and summer offerings in China. The move affected students across the country, including several each at Occidental College, Syracuse University, the Universi-
ty of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Miami. When the late January cancellations hit, most students’ home institutions had already begun classes. Just a handful of CIEE programs, including Berlin Business and Culture and Perth Arts and Sciences, remained open for enrollment. Students were given the option of switching to those programs for the same or lower cost or receiving a refund for their China studies. But some students were advanced Chinese speakers seeking language immersion. “An English-language program taught in Europe and focusing on business and communications and history clearly wasn’t going to work,” Maas said. So CIEE created new Chinese-intensive programs in Taiwan and London and moved many students there instead. Yu was one of about 50 spring participants in China programs administered directly through UC. A native of Fujian province, she grew up primarily speaking a local dialect. She immigrated to the U.S. after elementary school. Spending a year in Beijing, she hoped, would help her become fluent in Mandarin and teach her about Chinese society. Yu was visiting relatives in Gutian when she got the news that her program was suspended. “All my plans got messed up,” she said. At first, she asked to continue her studies since she was already in China. But, Yu said, she was told the program was suspended, in accordance with UC policy for countries under serious travel advisories. With UC Irvine’s winter quarter already well underway, returning to classes on campus wasn’t an option. Yu was offered the chance to apply to Korea University but took too long to make up her mind, she said. Even trying to collect her belongings and return to Las Vegas has been an ordeal. As she traveled last week from Gutian to Xiamen, she walked a quarter of a mile down a highway to cross a checkpoint, where officials took her temperature, she said. She can’t go back to Beijing to get her things from the Peking University dorm, so she’s asked a teacher there to ship them to relatives. She had to cancel a
flight home, paying a $300 penalty, because passengers from China can no longer arrive directly in Las Vegas. At the University of Southern California, where study abroad in China is a part of many business students’ education, officials have been “working like crazy” to respond to the effects of the coronavirus, said Tyrone Callahan, vice dean for undergraduate programs at the Marshall School of Business. A popular leadership course for about 80 freshmen, for example, educates students on Chinese history and the economy and then sends them on a weeklong trip to Beijing and Shanghai over spring break. “We spend a lot of time telling them how amazing it is to be able to go and see what’s happening in China ... so when we had to pull back from that they were obviously disappointed,” Callahan said. Those students will instead split the week between Havana and Mexico City. In New York, about 250 students from NYU’s Shanghai campus were relocated to its flagship in Manhattan. About 80 moved to other NYU sites around the world, while some 600 more _ mostly Chinese nationals who didn’t have or couldn’t quickly get a visa to study elsewhere _ remain in China, where they may continue the semester through distance learning online, said NYU Associate Vice Chancellor Josh Taylor. Alexandra Kogler of Atherton, Calif., and Brandon Shi of Chino Hills began their freshman year at NYU Shanghai last fall. The two 19-year-old students are now enrolled on campus in New York. “It feels overwhelming to adjust to a new campus right away. It’s a huge change in terms of the city and the student body size,” said Kogler, who has yet to declare a major. She said her new professors have given her time to catch up with coursework. Shi, an interactive media arts and business major, is worried about his expenses. Although the university didn’t charge him more for housing in New York, he expects to pay a lot more for food. But mostly he’s excited. “I think this was honestly the best solution to a tragic incident,” he said.
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Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief
Corey Mitchell-LaBrie
Senior News Editor
A&E Editor
Brian Rhodes
Sabrina Damms
Features Editor Lise Mansaray
Editor-at-Large
Jake Vitali
BWN Executive Producer Symantha Kehr
Staff Staff Writers Natalia Giacomozzi Nicole Lemire
Features Writer
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Isabel Costa
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Robert Wehry Antoinette Webster Cara Fusco
Photographer Kylan Martus
Advisers Shawn McIntosh Jim Niedbalski
Feb. 27, 2019
25th Annual Leadership Conference
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MCLA’s 25 Annual Leadership Conference, Where Students Listened And Participated In Various Talks Throughout The Day To Learn Leadership Skills Photos by Corey MitchellLaBrie
Ellie Craver ‘22 (above left) and Jaela Horton ‘23 (above right) listening to other students at Natalie Caney’s (above) presentation.
Theresa Johnson (above) with students at her presentation.
Crystal Wojcik ‘23 (left) listens to a speaker.
(Above) Crystal Wojcik ‘23 and Jessica Wojcik ‘16 presenting at the conference.
Antonio Burton Jr. ‘22 (above left) and James Boffa (above right) work in an Prof. Spencer Moser (Left) addresses the crowd at the end of the conference.