April 18, 2019 Vol. 88 Issue 10

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Thursday, April 18, 2019

Planting the Seeds of Community

Volume 88 • Issue 10

Transfers From BCC Decline

BY JOHN MORRISSEY STAFF WRITER

PHOTO BY JOHN MORRISSEY

MCLA has seen a 72.3% decrease in transfer students from Berkshire Community College since 2014 and experienced a 52.6% decrease from 2018 to 2019 alone.

MCLA currently has 18 students who have transferred from BCC and are currently enrolled full-time for the current academic year.

Statistics provided by MCLA’s Transfer Admissions Office over the past 11 years indicate a significant decline in transfer students choosing MCLA over other institutions. However, a nationwide college enrollment decline, evident at both MCLA and BCC, is a contributing factor in the reduced transfer rate.

In 2008, 48 students were enrolled at MCLA following their transfer from BCC, followed yearly by 39, 34, 46, 41, 36, 65, 56, 49, 47, 38 and, lastly, 18 for 2019.

“In my personal opinion the declining rate of students entering into community college

Students plant a tree outside of the MountainOne Wellness Center at the Spring 2019 Community Day of Service. See Story, Page 2.

Radiologic Sciences Program in Progress

SVC’s most popular program could find a temporary home at MCLA for two years

BY MAYA MCFADDEN STAFF WRITER Pending a vote from the Massachusettes Board of Higher Education, MCLA could see the introduction of a two-year teach-out radiologic sciences program for transferring Southern Vermont College students currently enrolled in the program at SVC. This temporary program will not be available to current or future MCLA students. Currently, there are 21 students who are in the program at SVC and 12 students who are pre-radiological sciences. This teachout program would only be available to the 21 students in the program currently, while the pre-radiological sciences students who are planning to attend MCLA would have to enroll in a different program.

A teach-out application was submitted to the BHE for a Bachelor of Science degree program in Radiologic Sciences, told Emily Williams, vice president of academic affairs.

“Upon notification of the decision of BHE, I will be able to respond to more specific inquiries,” Williams said.

Daniel Summers, SVC vice president for enrollment management, along with the faculty in the Radiologic Sciences program, led the

proposal effort for transferring the program to MCLA. “We’re being scrupulous to protect our students’ interests and the integrity of the program,” SVC President David Evans said.

A department has not yet been assigned to the teach-out program, according to Anne Goodwin, associate professor of biology and biology department chair.

While the College currently offers majors in community health education, biology, and health sciences, it does not offer a major or concentration in radiologic sciences.

According to the SVC website, “The Bachelor of Science Radiologic Sciences (BSRS) degree prepares students to meet the needs of the medical imaging community through an advanced level of education with a broader knowledge base that meets the demands facing the healthcare industry today.”

Evans discussed the significance of SVC’s radiologic sciences program to the school.

“We have had historic strength in health-services areas, and radiologic sciences have been a key component of that,” Evans said.

Recently, SVC announced that it

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NAMAzing Initiative Sets Sights on Ashland Street

BY JAKE VITALI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF On Monday, April 15, the NAMAzing Initiative unveiled a new campaign through Patronicity to raise money for improving the Ashland Street corridor.

If the group meets its $12,500 fundraising goal for the project, the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency will match that goal with an additional $12,500, for a total of $25,000. Ashland Street is the main road that connects the MCLA campus to downtown North Adams.

As part of the project, an “O+ Public Mural” would be painted on the side of 50 Ashland St., a property owned by Very Good Builders. The campaign’s Patronicity page describes the potential mural as “a beacon for individuals to walk from the college to downtown, and will simultaneously celebrate the mission of O+ North Adams and the creativity of our community itself.”

O+ is an organization that is currently organizing a music festival for May 10 and 11. Concert performers will receive health care in exchange for their work.

Also promised is a “String of Pearls Art Path” which would light up with various colors and patterns in the rain.

There will also be enhancements for bicyclists and pedestrians, with three flag-crossing stations and bike racks and the hopeful future implementation of a public bike-share program.

Benjamin Lamb, a key team member with the initiative believes that the project will enhance the overall feeling of community on Ashland Street.

“Through making improvements that enhance the bike ability and pedestrian safety, along with artistic and beautification components, the project means to be a true creative placemaking project to support travelers, businesses, and the community collectively,” Lamb said in an email.

The project will also add various benches to the corridor, in addition to trees planted for shade in conjunction with the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition.

Lamb added that this proposed project would be beneficial to MCLA students.

“For students, we also hope they will submit for the artistic components once the campaign is complete and we begin to implement. Students are a huge part of our community, and we hope this will continue to make that connection even better.”

In addition to the impact on Ashland Street itself, Lamb hopes that this project will also attract new businesses and economic anchors to the city.

“A vibrant corridor and downtown is driven by business growth, community engagement, and foot traffic. This project aims to tap into all of those areas.”

As the project collects donations on

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Students Spruce Things Up This Spring Community Day of Service

BY JOHN MORRISSEY STAFF WRITER With the weather cooperating, providing a glimpse of spring sunshine and temperatures above 60 degrees, over 130 students and local townspeople came out to participate in the 27th annual Spring Community Day of Service early Saturday morning, April 13.

Participants were involved in activities such as cleaning up debris along Windsor Lake Trails and Mass in Motion Walking Loop, cleaning and prepping food at the Berkshire Food Project, and planting trees on the MCLA campus and at Southview Cemetery along Church Street.

Volunteers met in Venable Gym and were greeted with complimentary beverages, snacks and words of inspiration from Volunteer Center Coordinator Spencer Moser, Christopher Hantman, coordinator of civic engagement and volunteer programs, and North Adams Mayor Tom Bernard before heading out to one of the 16 designated locations.

“We are stronger when we work together, and the tradition between MCLA and

PHOTO BY JOHN MORRISSEY

Participants of the Spring Community Day of Service as they planted new tress along the roadside of Southview Cemetary last Saturday.

North Adams matters,” Bernard said. “For me, this event highlights the personal connection we have.”

Hantman sent participants off to start the day with a one-liner: “The shovel is a ground-breaking invention,” which was met with laughter.

Over 20 trees were scheduled to be planted along Southview Cemetery and among those helping to get them in the ground was Andrew Nygard ’21.

“I just like helping the com-

munity, and my friends and I signed up to do this as a way of giving back and having some fun,” Nygard said.

Julia Teixeira ’20 participated in the cleanup along Windsor Lake Trails.

“This is the perfect way to give back to the community,” Teixeira said.

Students from BART, a college prep charter school in Adams, also attended and were present planting trees around the MCLA campus.

“We do this every year with

the student ambassadors, and we enjoy the bonding and the fun stuff we get to do for the community,” said Leah Thompson, director of enrollment and development at BART. According to Hantman, the event exceeded the number of volunteers seen over the past several years, which had averaged around 125. This year’s turnout saw between 130 and 140 volunteers.

“Our goal is to make an impact in the community and

to connect students and their community members so we can foster stronger relationships,” Hantman said.

Participants were invited back to Venable Gym at the conclusion of the day’s service for pizza and beverages and to receive a final “thank you” from MCLA and the local community for their work.

For those who missed the event, be sure to sign up for the Fall Community Day of Service happening next semester.

Green Living Seminar

Climate Change to Bring Water Increase to New England

BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Last week’s installment of the Green Living Seminar introduced Julie Suarez, associate dean of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Science, to speak on agricultural policy and climate change.

At the seminar, Suarez advocated for the U.S. Climate Alliance, an organization continually trying to implement the practices and objectives of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, from which President Donald Trump withdrew the U.S. in June 2017.

Suarez brought statistics on soil and water changes throughout New York state collected by her department at Cornell University. The data concluded that global climate changes should bring an increase in water availability for the New England area.

“Projections show that over the next 20 years the northeast is going to have an additional 74% increase precipitation events,” Suarez said.

“So this is gonna mean that our farmers are gonna have to start thinking about maybe not so much being farm-

ers, but also being water managers.”

Water availability, especially for farmers, can be both a blessing and a curse as it can severely disrupt plant cycles in the spring, bringing severe changes between high moisture to drought.

While the Northeast should see an increase, other areas of the U.S. such as California, which Suarez claims supplies two-thirds of the nation’s production of fruits and vegetables, will see significant drops in both precipitation and ground water availability.

“We’ve just released this past year shows that even though we had the break in the drought in California and it helped alleviate some of the land subsistence, the aqua required to recharge that systems short-lived and that it effectively didn’t make a difference in the actual amount of groundwater availability,” Suarez said.

The various climate changes are projected to bring about an increase in invasive plant species and plant overgrowth, as well as a net loss in overall ecological nutritional values.

Farmers can help to stave off such change by modifying their practices to include what Suarez calls natural

PHOTO BY COREY MITCHELL-LABRIE

Julie Suarez, associate dean of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Science, left, with Elena Traister, professor and chair of environmental studies at MCLA, right. climate solutions.

These include composting, fertilizer reductions and over cropping, which allots for certain plants in the crop field to serve as soil management rather than profit crop yield.

“We’re probably not going to convince everybody to stop driving their cars right away, but we can take some steps using our natural environment to mitigate our impact on greenhouse gasses,” Suarez said.

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White House to allow U.S. citizens to sue over property confiscated in Cuba decades ago

BY TRACY WILKINSON LOS ANGELES TIMES Ending more than 20 years of practice, the Trump administration will allow U.S. citizens to sue over property confiscated from them in Cuba after the 1959 revolution, with potential defendants including the Cuban government and major European and Canadian companies.

President Trump will announce the decision on Wednesday, a senior administration official said Tuesday, and his national security advisor, John Bolton, will provide details in a speech in Miami to survivors of the failed CIA attempt to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

The administration official, who requested anonymity to discuss the plan, said the move is intended to increase pressure on Cuba and its communist-led government. Among other grievances, the White House accuses Cuba of propping up Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the administration is attempting to oust.

Allowing the lawsuits against foreign companies to proceed in U.S. courts could unleash years of legal wrangling with limited chances of financial payoffs for the plaintiffs, experts said.

Until now, U.S. presidents issued waivers that suspended the lawsuit provision of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act, a bill that strengthened the U.S. embargo against Havana.

Trump, who is eager to reverse President Obama’s overtures to Cuba, will discontinue the waivers and allow lawsuits to be filed in U.S. courts.

The Justice Department has determined that 5,913 claimants have potential cases. The value of those claims, with interest, is estimated at $8.5 billion.

“This authorizes the lawsuits, but it doesn’t mean money is going to flow overnight,” the administration official said, adding that it “sends a powerful signal.”

Some plaintiffs may decide suing is too expensive, and several claims were previously settled privately.

Trump’s goal is to discourage companies from doing business with and investing in Cuba.

Scores of European, Canadian, Israeli and Asian firms work on the island, owning or running hotels, ports, utilities, transportation and other services. They include Melia, Mitsubishi, Nestle and similar conglomerates.

Some of the businesses may have bought or leased property that the government of the late Fidel Castro seized in the wake of the revolution that brought him to power, as he nationalized oil refineries and confiscated homes and lands belonging to Cubans who fled leftist rule.

In March, the Trump administration allowed a limited number of lawsuits to be filed against Cuban military officials who had confiscated Americanowned property.

The new step significantly expands the pool of potential defendants.

Trump will also announce measures to make it easier to deny or revoke visas from people or firms using confiscated property.

Anticipating Trump’s move, the European Union warned the administration it will lodge a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization if European interests in Cuba are harmed.

The EU will “use all means at its disposal, including in cooperation with other international partners, to protect its interests,” the group’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, and Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom wrote in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo last week.

The administration official accused the companies in Cuba of participating in “20 years of profiting in property stolen from American citizens.”

Bolton’s speech in Miami, in addition to discussing the new avenues of legal redress, is expected to detail another batch of sanctions against Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.

In a similar venue last year, Bolton designated the three leftist-ruled governments as a “troika of tyranny.”

PHOTO BY JAKE VITALI

North Adams Stop and Shop employees continuing their strike despite rain and low temperatures.

Stop and Shop Strike Enters Eighth Day

BY JAKE VITALI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Stop and Shop workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union are entering their eighth day on strike.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the union and the grocery chain ended on Feb. 23, however the company continued working under the previous agreement until this past Thursday, April 11.

“Stop & Shop’s latest proposal will drastically increase out-of-pocket health care costs, kick approximately 1,000 employees’ spouses off of their health care plan, and make it more challenging for 31,000 people to provide for themselves and their families,” said union leaders in a statement.

Fred Musante, an employee at the North Adams location, shared a similar sentiment.

“We’re on strike to keep the same pension that we have, rather than having it reduced,” Musante said.

He added that workers are also on strike to maintain raises, especially for newer employees.

“I’m not working and I’m not earning any

money, but it’s something that we feel we have to stan,d up for,” Musante said. “We feel that we’ve been pushed into this by the company.”

The UFCW and Stop and Shop leadership are currently holding negotiations in Rhode Island, however the impact on the grocer is apparent.

Deli and seafood counters, as well as bakeries, are not operational at the chain’s stores, according to an open-letter by President Mark McGowan. McGowan also shared that there is a limited meat selection and that gas stations owned by the company are not operational.

Musante said that most of the people coming to the store are only doing so for the pharmacy and the bank located inside, which the workers understand. Otherwise, the parking lot has remained mostly empty and shoppers are taking their business elsewhere.

According to Stop and Shop’s website, the grocery chain has 134 locations throughout Massachusetts, 92 in Connecticut, and 27 in Rhode Island.

The Boston Globe reports that some locations throughout the eastern part of the state have closed entirely, although the one in North Adams remains open for business.

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TRANSFERS From Page 1

gone down [which has affected our transfer applications] in recent years and we obviously want those numbers to go up and we are looking to do that,” said Erinn Kennedy, assistant director of admissions for MCLA. According to the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, BCC has seen its student population fall from 1,591 students in 2010 to 1,051 in 2018, a 33.94% drop.

MCLA reported its full-time student population fell from 1,507 in 2010 to 1,109 in 2018, a 26.04% drop.

According to National Public Radio, all college attendance has declined for six straight years across the nation.

About 54% of BCC’s students choose to enroll at other academic institutions after they have studied at BCC, according to Community College Review.

Massachusetts as a whole has encouraged its state schools to work together to boost prospective students through the MASStransfer program.

MASStransfer incentivizes students to stay within the state higher education system by guaranteeing transfer of college credits earned and by providing financial rewards to students.

“MASStransfer is where you are going to see the bulk of the pathways from junior colleges to MCLA,” Kennedy said. “BCC does a pretty good job of letting their students know about the program.”

MCLA Admissions staff routine-

ly spend many hours per week at the BCC campus with the hopes of capturing future enrollees.

The two institutions have attempted to create an almost seamless transition from BCC to MCLA, with articulation agreements in eight majors of study which ensure no loss of credits for transfer students.

Bruce Gaspardi, a current MCLA student, transferred to MCLA from BCC and described his transfer much the way both schools have envisioned.

“I don’t think I lost any credits when I transferred here [to MCLA],” Gaspardi said. “BCC was a great school and it was really inexpensive and a really good bang for the buck.

All I had to do after I was accepted to MCLA [from BCC] was come in and write a check.”

For prospective local students, both institutions offer an opportunity for area residents to stay close to home while also receiving college educations at state tuition rates.

“I have only really considered BCC as a fall-back school, and since my dad graduated from MCLA I think that is where I would go initially and I have already visited the campus,” said Logan Gould, a junior at Mount Greylock Regional High School in Williamstown.

Both schools offer affordability relative to private colleges. BCC’s annual tuition and fees (to include books) is $6,692 and MCLA’s tuition and fees (without books) is $10,075.

“The degree which you earn at

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Patronicity.com, Lamb believes that crowdfunding is about more than just raising money.

“Individually, very few people can afford to make a major project happen, but together, many supporters and donors can,” Lamb said. “Additionally, the amount of energy, celebration and vibrancy that comes through these campaigns can be mind-blowing. There is a lot to be said for drawing attention to positive projects in a community, as positivity breeds positivity, that grows the love and passion people have for the place they live in.”

While the state will not match contributions higher than $12,500, all donations will be used in the project, which is set to take place over the next 18 months.

In order for MassDevelopment to match

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GRAPHIC BY JAKE VITALI

From 2018 to 2019, MCLA saw a 52.6% decline in students transferring from BCC. BCC and the program you seek to enter into at MCLA is a very smooth transition,” said Geoffrey Tabor, coordinator of transfer affairs/articulation at BCC. “The MASStransfer program offers reduced tuition for those who graduate with a B-average, but what we typically see though are a lot of students who just want the experience of living in the dorm and the four-year school experience,” Tabor explained.

MCLA has focused its attention at growing its BCC transfer population

the contribution, the fundraising goal must be met by May 30.

“Individually, very few people can afford to make a major project happen, but together, many supporters and donors can” — Benjamin Lamb NAMAzing Volunteer The NAMAzing Initiative began in 20142015 to help the community spread love for the city of North Adams. The Initiative has ambassadors welcome visitors to the city and has completed an approximately $100,000 campaign on Eagle Street, which saw new overhanging signs for businesses and streetscape improvements.

by reaching out with new programs.

“We are trying to better our partnership, and every Wednesday we have someone at [BCC] from 10:00 to 1:00 and we have also started a BCC/MCLA day this semester,” Kennedy said. “This is our first go at it and this is something we hope to do once or twice a semester. We can give them on-the-spot decisions about coming to MCLA and unofficial degree audits.”

Full Disclosure: John Morrissey is a BCC Graduate and transferred to MCLA.

SCIENCES From Page 1

close at the end of the spring 2019 semester. MCLA is SVC’s preferred teach-out partner.

SVC is a private, four-year liberal arts college in Bennington, Vermont, with an approximate enrollment of 400 students.

According to Goodwin, MCLA is considering exploring the option of offering its own Radiologic Sciences degree program for new or existing students. The earliest a Radiologic Sciences program could be offered to MCLA students would be Fall 2020.

“Transferring the program to MCLA is a major win for everyone and I am extremely happy it appears to be working out,” Evans said.

When SVC closes, the next nearest Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) accredited bacca-

laureate programs will be in Hartford, the Boston area, the New York metropolitan area, and Syracuse.

“The program has filled a critical need for highly qualified radiologic scientists in a large region,” Evans said.

During a board of trustee’s meeting April 4, members agreed that the College would contract three to four SVC professors to teach this program and aid students in the completion of their degrees.

“In order to transfer the program’s accreditation, the faculty have to stay intact, so they should be moving directly to MCLA,” Evans said.

Williams said that until the College hears back with a decision, hopefully by the end of April, further details of the program will not be offered.

“It wouldn’t be appropriate to speak about the proposal without the proper approval,” Williams said.

CORRECTIONS In last week’s “Live Out Loud Builds Community” article, the wrong gender pronoun was attributed to HB Lozito. Lozito uses they/them/theirs pronouns.

In last week’s “Exploring the Beauty and Complexity of Mexico” story Teresa Leahy was identified as a member of the Class of 2021. Leahy is set to graduate in Fall 2019.

PHOTO BY KENNY OLCHOWSKI

Ashland Street serves as the main corridor for MCLA students to travel to downtown North Adams.

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The Beacon sincerely apologizes for these errors.

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Travel Course Series

Immersion in Colombia’s History and Culture

BY TESSA SESTITO COPY EDITOR Mariana Bolívar Rubín, associate professor of modern languages, led this semester’s travel course to Colombia, providing students with a deeper understanding of its history and culture as well as an introduction to Latin America.

Despite it being her first travel course, Bolívar planned the entire trip on her own without a travel agency — the arrangements, accommodations and tours — in order to cut costs.

“I chose Colombia as the destination for the travel course because I went there last summer to visit my family and I thought it would be a good idea to bring students,” said Bolívar, who is originally from Venezuela. “Colombia has a diverse community, historical places, military architecture, and its churches were intact; plus, it’s safe.”

During the course, students learned about Colombia and Latin America as a whole, examining important concepts and debates about Latin American cultural identity.

“Even though many of its nations share historical and political heritage, Latin America is defined by its ethnic, racial and cultural heterogeneity and distinctive regional identities,” as stated on the Colombia travel course page of the MCLA website. “The Caribbean South American is mostly known for civic-political unrest, such as Colombian violent civil conflict and Venezuela’s radical socialist politics; nonetheless, the region’s cultural resilience and non-western political philosophy remains overlooked.”

While in Colombia, students visited the walled city of Cartagena, Palenque de San Basilio, the fishing village of Santa Marta, Tayrona National Park and the archaeological site, Pueblito Chairama, built by the Tayrona civilization.

According to the MCLA website, the trip also featured more culturally immersive aspects that allowed students to explore neighborhoods filled with street art, local artisans and public markets; dance to Afro-Caribbean rhythms like cumbia, salsa, merengue and Champeta; and enjoy Caribbean-Colombian cui-

sine that infused Spanish, African and native South American traditions.

Abigail Dumo ’20, who went on the trip to Colombia, was able to encounter the different walks of life and cultures that Colombia had to offer.

“Colombia is an amazing country, I learned so much being there and just experiencing the culture,” Dumo said. “I learned about cultural identities through various aspects and I really appreciated being so welcomed in a country that I had never been to before. It was truly an experience of a lifetime!”

Bolívar was able to wit-

seeing the informal economy, poverty and class system is different,” Bolívar said. “For instance, the oil business in Colombia and the petroleum in the informal economy creates different classes.”

Echoing this, Bolívar took students to villages where they saw the aftermath of the U.S.’s plan to eliminate the drug problem in Colombia through the eradication of the coca plant. According to The New York Times, the eradication effort began in 2000, known as Plan Colombia, to wipe out coca, the essential ingredient for cocaine.

“You don’t learn about

PHOTOS BY EVA WEEKS

Photos of the Colombian sights and citizens collected throughout the travel course illustrating the color and diverse neighborhoods that the country has to offer.

ness the trip’s impact on the students. Before, Colombia’s culture and history were general, abstract concepts; afterward, the dynamics were different and students had a deeper, more complex understanding of the country that enabled them to make cultural connections within the context of the U.S. “[For students,] interacting with an idea through reading texts and watching videos only creates an image,” Bolívar said. “Living it and being there is completely different, with street art that reflects identity and paradoxes in murals and politics, as well as the music around murals and the people who gave us different perspectives. It gave them a rounded understanding.”

During their trip, students were confronted with poverty, insecurity, racial and class issues in Colombia and Latin America.

“You can read about it, like poverty, but in person,

how that [the eradication] affects indigenous communities and how the poison affected other plants than the coca,” Bolívar said.

“People have spent the last 20 years recuperating from it.”

Overall, Bolívar believes this was a good first experience of traveling for students because it got rid of the fear of traveling abroad.

“Travel learning courses plant the seed [for students] to study abroad or travel alone,” Bolívar said.

Bolívar wishes it was a requirement to travel, even if it is in the U.S. “With it [travel courses,] you can relate knowledge and learning in class with the physicality of experience,” Bolívar said.

As part of a requirement for Bolívar’s class, all students must present at the Undergraduate Research Conference and combine the material they learned in class with their experience in Colombia.

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SAC’s ‘2019 Spring Concert’ a Success

BY SALI BAH A&E WRITER The “2019 Spring Concert” organized by Student Activities Council was held Monday, April 16, in Venable Gym. The eagerly awaited show opened with 21-yearold rapper Travis Thompson, while Bryce Vine was the headliner.

This isn’t the first time Vine and Thompson have performed together, as they just finished a 24-date tour across the country.

Thompson, who is always repping his city, came out in a Seattle Sonics jersey to perform a 30-minute set with songs from his 2019 EP, “Runaways,” including: “Eyelids,” “Need You,” “Father Forgive Me” and more.

Despite the fact that only about half of the people who bought tickets showed up, the room felt full as the audience chanted the lyrics back at the artists.

The gym was transformed with strobe lights and a sound system that shook Venable Gym. ”I can feel my heart vibrating very intensely because the music is so loud,” Mei Craig ‘22 said after Thompson’s performance. “I like the energy, Travis really got the audience engaged and we’re really excited to see Bryce Vine.”

Vine hopped onstage

Singer and rapper, Bryce Vine, perfoming in Venable Gym for SAC’s Spring Concert. wearing all black with a multicolored flannel while the lights shined a deep red on the singer.

The audience sang along to his set, which included songs such as “La La Land,” “Guilty Pleasure,” “Sunflower Seeds” and more.

“How you guys doing in this little mountain town?”

Bryce said as he took off his flannel. “You guys have so much energy, it’s great to see!”

Students in the front rows were fortunate enough to touch the artists, as they

PHOTO BY SALI BAH

came close and interacted with the sea of delighted students.

The audience was surprised to see Bryce take off before performing his hit single, “Drew Barrymore.”

They started chanting “encore” and Vine came back

out finishing off his set with the hit single and “Sour Patch Kids.”

The crowd was amazed by Vine’s background vocalist and DJ Lvcky Dave’s (Dave Sack) phenomenal trumpet skills. He stole the show playing the outro, essentially bringing the song to life.

Lvcky Dave, who is from Massachusetts, met Vine while studying at Berklee and has been DJ’ing for Vine since he’s been a solo artist.

Although students have expressed dissatisfaction with SAC’s chosen headliners in the past, people were quite pleased with the show.

“I love Bryce’s music, and it was even better to hear it live,” said Julia Boger-Hawkins ‘22, who has been listening to Vine’s music for some time now. “He has a crazy stage presence that creates a totally magnetic atmosphere.”

Bryce has two EPs: his debut, “Lazy Affair,” and most recent, “Night Circus,” which produced the single, “Drew Barrymore.” He announced that his first studio album, “Carnival,” will debut this summer, and he will continue to tour.

In case you missed Monday’s event, Vine will be back in Massachusetts for the “Kiss 108 Concert” at Xfinity Center in Mansfield Sunday, June 16.

Izzy Heltai on His New EP, ‘Only Yesterday’

BY NORA HONES SPECIAL TO THE BEACON Izzy Heltai’s new EP, “Only Yesterday,” is due to drop tomorrow, April 19, and will be available on all streaming platforms. The EP mimics the familiar, nostalgic feel of his old work with more of an adult almost gut-punching overtone of the reality of life.

Heltai is having a couple of release shows across Massachusetts: one in his hometown, Boston; one where he is currently living, Northampton; and ending with his official release show April 19 in North Adams.

His choice in venue or place for his release is far from coincidental.

“This place [North Adams] is really my chosen hometown,” Heltai explained.

He illuminated that his chosen family was in North Adams along with some of his best friends, particularly within Common Folk. Heltai started playing music in North Adams, so it was easy for him to choose it for his release party.

PHOTO BY EMMA KATE ROTHENBERG-WARE

Izzy Heltai’s new EP, “Only Yesterday,” will be released Friday, April 19.

The new EP is a strippedback and grittier version of the full-length album he eventually plans to record.

Heltai said this strippedback version was entirely intentional.

The instrumental goal

behind this is that Heltai wanted to have no drums or bass within the EP because he thinks it’s the fall-back behind singer-songwriter when adding instruments to his already-existing songs.

His goal was to have unique

sounds behind each track.

One of the other things Heltai worked very hard on was the EP artwork. Molly Howarth did all the artwork.

Howarth creates mostly illustration, which is part of the reason Heltai was interested in Howarth’s work. He is fascinated by children’s book illustrations and fantasy. Simple and aesthetically pleasing was his aim for the EP. “It’s a lot less polished than my other work has been because I think folk music has the potential to just be so redundant and the same thing over and over again, and this to me feels much more contemporary than the scene I kinda have been steeped in over the last couple of years,” Heltai said, explaining his thought process on this new EP. To him, this EP is grittier, more real and intentional, but it will still have that emotion and authenticity his music is known for.

“The songs change but they are still my songs; there is still lingering of common threads,” Heltai said.

His single, “Marching Song,” revolves around being in a very low moment of depression, dealing with low self-worth and not feeling worthy of people or of use to them. It’s not a topic Heltai feels can be brought up with any ease, but is the reality of how he and others have felt many times.

Heltai has many hopes and fears with the release of this EP. He is constantly worried about people not showing up and not enjoying it. For Heltai, there are always a million things that can go wrong.

Lots of inner monologue and having to keep in perspective what he can control and what is out of his control — some of the hardest things Heltai struggles with most in preparation for this release.

“All I care about is people listening,” Heltai said.

Heltai plans to go on tour throughout the summer and can’t wait for people to hear his new EP. For tickets to the release visit Heltai’s website: www. izzyheltai.com.

Apr. 18, 2019

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Yorick’s Prosperous ‘Tempest’

BY SABRINA DAMMS A&E WRITER MCLA’s Yorick premiered its production of Shakespeare’s tragedy, “The Tempest,” Thursday night, April 11. The cast was lead by the show’s co-directors, Justin O`Connor ‘19 and Theodore (TJ) Jones ‘20, who worked hard to create an enjoyable Shakespeare experience for their audience.

Not only did Jones and O’Connor direct the show together, but they both took on the roles of characters such as Master, Adrien, Iris and Stephano.

“I wanted people to go [to the show] and be entertained,” O’Connor said.

“The biggest challenge is getting students into Shakespeare.”

The play’s dedicated cast found that working on the show was a stressful but delightful experience.

“Working on this production was so overwhelming but it was also so exciting,” said Carrie Zuttermeister ‘19, who played Prospero in the production. “All of theater is exciting and stressful.”

“It was so much fun. I am really happy to get a leading role in a Shakespeare play,” said Rachel Bartlett ‘20, who played Miranda in the show.

Many of the students in attendance at Yorick’s production of “The Tempest” had different views when it came to the aspects of the lighting design and costumes. However, a majority of them still felt the show was enjoyable

MCLA juniors, Theodore Jones, left, and Jade Schnauber, right, acting in Yorick’s “The Tempest.” and prosperous.

“I just love Shakespeare plays,” Makayla (Mak) Wagner ‘22 said. “It’s cool to have something in the area that showcases all the different takes of these plays.”

“The actors and actresses were wonderfully versed in their roles and definitely captured the ideas behind Shakespeare’s work well,” Tyler Rockenfield ‘19 said.

“The gender of the cast being primarily female made for a very interesting take on the male-dominated Tempest.’”

Although the audience be-

lieved this rendition of “The Tempest” was effective in its form, some of them had mixed opinions on aspects of its artistic decisions.

“Overall I think the production was successful,” Rockenfield said. “The lights of the show and the time period were what really threw me off though, and I wasn’t a huge fan.” ”Half the characters were dressed in original-ish attire, while others were wearing a mixture, and others were in perfectly modern suit and tie,” Rockenfield continued.

“It was a bit off. The light-

ing was really harsh and confusing but overall didn’t detract.”

Other audience members, however, shared a different point of view of the costumes and lighting design.

According to Sam Berthel ‘22, the costumes were magnificent and she loved them.

“I was a huge fan of the lighting design,” Chris Curtin ‘21 said. “I am a sucker for the moving lights.”

O’Connor explained Yorick’s decision on the choice of lighting.

“The goal of this pro-

PHOTO BY SABRINA DAMMS

duction is to simplify and streamline the lighting design process and move away from the more experimental designs of previous Yorick productions,” O’Connor said.

Though the reviews of the lighting and costumes varied, it is clear that Yorick’s cast, directors and other contributors’ hard work paid off, resulting in a successful and entertaining rendition of “The Tempest.”

Interested in keeping up to date with future Yorick productions? Check out MCLA’s Yorick Facebook page.

MCLA Allegre os to Celebrate 10-Year Anniversary

BY JENNIFER VANBRAMER A&E EDITOR MCLA’s Allegrettos will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary with a spring concert Friday, April 19, at 7 p.m. in the Church Street Center. The Allegrettos is a three-part club on campus consisting of a performing gospel and a cappella group as well as a nonperforming general member section.

“It [the Allegrettos] started as a few students singing in a staircase, so we are so happy to be where we are today,” Allegrettos President and Co-Director Dirk Correia ‘19 stated in an email. “We have a lot of fun stuff planned and the show [will have] a lot of surprises.”

The concert will begin with a classical and contemporary music performance from the Allegrettos’ gospel choir, followed by an inter-

PHOTO FROM MCLA MUSIC’ S FACEBOOK PAGE

The Allegrettos will have their spring concert Friday night, April 19. mission and ending with an a cappella performance. A collaboration with Nexxus Step Team can also be expected to happen during the show.

Since forming in 2009, the Allegrettos continue to

grow and expand upon its performances and club every year for the last decade.

“It is incredible to be here at this 10-year mark,” Correia said. “The Allegrettos is consistently reinventing itself and moving to new

heights. We hope in the future to further establish the name ‘Allegrettos’ and maybe be competition winners [one day].”

Correia has been involved with the Allegrettos since 2015 and first joined as part of both the a cappella and gospel sections of the club.

“The collaborative efforts of the members to create a beautiful show [has been my favorite part],” Correia said. “The energy and spirit they bring to each song and each performance is absolutely incredible.”

From directing and co-directing to managing and being a public face for the club, Correia has enjoyed every moment of being a part of the Allegrettos for the past four years.

“I am so blessed to be in this position,” Correia said.

“Each year brings something new. I have learned so much from my members

and I wish them all the best as I pass these duties on.”

As a final hurrah before graduating from MCLA this semester, Correia is more than excited to put on this show for other students and people from the community.

“It is going to be an amazing show,” Correia said. “The members have worked so incredibly hard to bring this music for everyone [to enjoy] and it [this show] has something for everyone as we span a lot of genres.”“[I’m looking forward to] sharing our music with the community and watching the members shine,” Correia continued.

“We hope to see everyone come to see us [perform] as well!”

Catch the Allegrettos’ 10year anniversary spring concert this Friday, April 19, at 7 p.m. in the Church Street Center.

Sports

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Team-Wide Contribution Helps Softball Sweep Doubleheader with Mass. Maritime

BY BRADY GEROW SPORTS CO-EDITOR North Adams, MA - A full effort from the MCLA Trailblazers’ softball team helped push them past MASCAC opponent Mass. Maritime Academy Buccaneers in home games Sunday, April 14. Timely hitting, good defense and solid pitching performances helped lead to an 11-1 victory in game one and a 3-1 win in game two for MCLA. Game One The first game of the contest flew by as the Blazers ended up winning 11-1 in only five innings.

In the opening frame of the day, the Blazers exploded for six runs on as many hits to put them in a comfortable spot to open the game.

The game would begin with junior pitcher and utility player Kara Adams hitting a lead-off double to get it going for the Blazers. After junior infielder Kaylyn Holliday drew a walk, fellow junior Erika Quackenbush hit another double for the Blazers, scoring Adams for the first run of the day.

Both Holliday and Quackenbush would eventually be driven in by a single from junior catcher Nevada Nelsen, putting the Blazers up 3-0 early.

Nelsen would eventually reach home after sophomore Alanza Quinones doubled and fellow sophomore Trinity Shellard followed with a sacrifice fly.

A single from freshman Cassandra Crosier would drive in Quinones, and junior Kayla Baker’s double to right would score Crossier for the 6-0 lead after the end of the first inning.

Senior Kaitlyn Berghela would represent the only run scored for the Blazers in the second inning as she was driven in on a sacrifice fly from Quackenbush to put the Blazers up 7-0 after two innings.

In the fourth inning, the Blazers closed the door scoring their final four runs of the contest. After Crosier recorded a single and stole second, Baker reached first on an error; Adams came up with a big double to score both of them to put it at 9-0 Blazers.

Berghela would follow Adams with a double of her own that drove in Adams to extend the lead further to 10-0.

PHOTO FROM MCLA ATHLETICS

MCLA sophomore Samantha Feinstein throwing a pitch in a game this year. Feinstein pitched a complete game in the second game of the double-header.

She gave up five hits, allowed one run to score, and struck out six in the 3-1 MCLA win. Feinstein is having a great year on the mound, sporting a team-best 3.05 ERA over 87.1 innings pitched this season. Feinstein improved to 5-7 with the win, and notched her tenth complete game in the win.

Berghela would then be driven in with a single from Quackenbush to give the Blazers their final score of 11.

The Buccaneers would come through in the top of the fourth when freshman Malarie Pittsley scored on a squeeze bunt, but it would prove to be the only offense they could muster as they eventually fell 11-1 after five innings of play.

Game Two With game two underway, Blazers’ sophomore pitcher Samantha Feinstein opened the game strong, striking out the side to open the game.

The Blazers’ offense took little time seizing the opportunity Feinstein gave them, as Berghela singled, was able to steal second and was eventually driven in by Holliday who singled to center field, making it 1-0 early for MCLA. After the offense left the bases loaded, Feinstein came out in complete control

dealing with the first three Buccaneers that came her way for another onetwo-three inning to get the offense back in play.

Crosier opened the second inning with a single and was followed by both Baker and Adams reaching base to put runners on every base for Berghela.

Berghela would eventually hit a sacrifice fly to score Crosier, but the Blazers couldn’t do more as they left the bases loaded at the end of the inning.

Feinstein would hold out until the sixth inning before getting more run support in the contest. She allowed only five hits and one run to score over those four innings of play.

After Baker singled and eventually reached third on a sacrifice to start it off, Berghela came up big again, putting the ball in play where the fielder made an error, allowing Baker to score and herself to reach second.

The score would be the final of the game, as Feinstein would shut the door with a one-two-three seventh inning to secure the victory and series sweep.

Berghela helped lead the offense, going 2-6 over the doubleheader with three RBIs and runs scored, accounting for six of the 12 runs scored on the day.

Adams, now 2-9 on the mound, got the win for game one, going 5.0 innings, giving up three hits and allowing one run to score. While Feinstein improved to 5-7 with a game-two win, pitching a complete game, giving up five hits, allowing one run to score and striking out six.

The Blazers are now 8-18 overall (3-5 MASCAC), while Mass.

Maritime falls to 0-16 on the season (0-8 MASCAC). MCLA’s next contest is scheduled for Friday, April 19, at home as they take on Worcester State in more MASCAC action.

Ferrara’s Walk-Off Leads Trailblazers Past Mass.

Maritime, MCLA takes Season Series

BY BRADY GEROW SPORTS CO-EDITOR

On Sunday, April 14, MCLA sophomore Jake Ferrara hit a walk-off single in the bottom half of the ninth inning in game two of a doubleheader against Mass. Maritime Academy (MMA) Buccaneers for a 4-3 win and a MASCAC win in the season series against the Buccaneers.

After recording a hit just before in the seventh inning, Ferrara was up to bat with two outs and freshman Austin Rachiele on second ready to score the game-winning run

with the game tied at three.

Ferrara would come up big with a single to center field that allowed Rachiele enough time to round third and come home safely to secure the win for the Trailblazers.

Prior to Ferrara’s heroics, the game began in favor of the Buccaneers, as they were able to jump out to a quick 2-0 lead after three innings.

Scoring got underway in the game in the second inning when the Buccaneers’ freshman A.J. Luciano drove in junior Nick Haley on a single to right field to get things going.

Haley would then follow

with an RBI single of his own the next inning, driving in senior Paul Sances for a 2-0 Buccaneers lead.

The Blazers began to grind away at the deficit in the fourth inning when junior shortstop Logan Rumbolt singled to start the inning. Rumbolt would go on to steal second and advance to third on a ground-out.

Rumbold would eventually score on a wild pitch, getting the Blazers on the board 1-2.

Both teams wouldn’t score again until the sixth inning, where Luciano would once again drive in Haley for a 3-1 Buccaneers lead.

MCLA would then respond, as Ferrara was driven in by junior Ben Durland who singled to center field, putting the score at 3-2 still in favor of the Buccaneers.

The Blazers were eventually able to even the odd in the seventh inning to set up Ferrara’s walk-off later on.

After junior Joe Toledo singled to start the inning, fellow junior Shawn James came in to run for him.

James eventually reached third on a ground-out and a single from his teammates but was finally driven in by junior Christian Seariac on a sacrifice

fly to tie the score at three before Ferrara’s game-ending single.

Senior Bobby New got the win, going three innings and striking out three batters to improve to 4-3 on the season.

Freshman Mike Urbanski got the start and pitched six quality innings in the win.

MCLA, now 8-17 overall, takes the season series from MMA and is now 2-8 in the MASCAC. MMA goes to 7-18 overall on the year and drops to 4-8 in the league. MCLA’s next game is today, April 18, at 3:30 p.m. as they take on Worcester State in more MASCAC action.

Sports

Apr. 18, 2019

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

Grievances Addressed in Last Meeting for the Year

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SCORE BOARD MCLA Lacrosse MCLA (0), Worcester State (10) Kim Granito (MCLA) 1 shot, 4 ground balls, 3 draw controls Abby Magnuson (Worcester State) 2 Goals, 3 SOG, 2 Assists

MCLA Baseball

MCLA (0), Mass Maritime (7)

Christian Seariac (MCLA) 2-5, 2 RBI’s, 2 Runs Dylan Sullo (Mass. Maritime) 2-2, 2 hits

MCLA Softball MCLA (5), Westfield State (1) Alanza Quinones (MCLA) 2-3, 1 RUN, 4 RBIs Jordyn Carpenter (Westfield) 2-2, BB

MLB

PHOTOS BY JABARI SHAKIR

New York Yankees (8), Boston Red Sox (0)

Coach Loren Stock is engaged with the team representatives and E-Board members with the NCAA Division III week results.

Coach Stock and the E-board were very upset by low attendance during previous and current meetings and questioned why student-athletes were not participating collectively and consistently at every meeting.

At the meeting, SAAC members discussed community service projects, campus-wide activities and events.

Mookie Betts (BOS) 0-3, BB Aaron Judge (NYY) 2-4, BB

NBA Playoffs

Philadelphia 76ers (145), Brooklyn Nets(123)

Joel Embiid (76ers) 23 PTS, 10 REB, 1 AST

BY JABARI SHAKIR SPORTS CO-EDITOR During its last meeting of the year, MCLA's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) E-board members and team representatives evaluated volunteer projects, senior gifts, NCAA Division III week and addressed athletes' dissatisfaction with the lack of assistance MCLA provides for practices and games.

SAAC Co-President Ben Durland '21 (baseball) came to the meeting prepared with a list of grievances

from the baseball team regarding the lack of assistance and support from the athletic department, specifically: inadequate transportation, especially for far away games— lack of buses, water leakage in buses, inadequate bus drivers and lack of space; no packed lunches or money stipends offered for lunch before the team leaves for games; receiving expired vitamin waters from Aramark; and the cafeteria being closed after games finish or before games start.

Coach Loren Stock is de-

termined to find a solution and fix problems within the department to ensure student-athletes have a positive MCLA experience and are able to play their sport at their highest potential.

Division III week provides an opportunity for athletics to celebrate and engage in outreach in their communities. The week was celebrated April 1 through April 7 in the Campus Center Marketplace.

Activities consisted of penny wars, MASCOT challenge, trivia, and student-athletes and faculty

appreciation notes. Penny wars raised $12.46.

Student-athletes volunteered one day for each of the last three months at the Berkshire Food Project.

Stock wants to promote another volunteer project at the YMCA clinic for next year to bring awareness and involvement in the community.

Stock is committed to making improvements to SAAC for the rest of the school year in order to build up confidence, satisfaction, fulfillment and a sense of achievement.

Spencer Dinwiddie(Nets) 19 PTS, 1 REB, 3 AST

NBA Playoffs

Los Angeles Clippers (135), Golden State Warriors (131)

Lou Williams (LAC) 36 PTS, 2 REB, 11 AST Stephen Curry (GSW) 29 PTS, 1 REB, 6 AST b, 3 Ast

News

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SGA

April Showers Sprout 2019 Candidate Flowers

BY NICHOLAS BASSETT MANAGING EDITOR This coming Tuesday and Wednesday, April 23 and 24, Student Government Association (SGA) will hold elections to fill positions for their Editorial Board, Senate, and Class Council. Voting will be available via SGA Voting on Canvas and members of SGA will be tabling both days of the election.

As of Wednesday, April 17, all candidates on the ballot are running uncontested. However members of the MCLA community can still run a writein campaign for any position, and as long as they receive 20 or more votes in the election, they will be counted in the results.

Why people should vote for me: I think people should vote for me because I have the necessary qualifications to make a great contribution to the Senate should I be elected to the Senate-at-Large position. I’m also a really personable guy, which means that I’m easy to come up to and talk about issues that you might want to see brought up and discussed in SGA meetings. And finally, I think people should vote for me because I work hard in any leadership position I find myself in, and I will work harder than I ever have before to ensure that the students of the MCLA campus have quality representation within student government.

People should vote for me because I’m a hard worker, I’m a great listener and when I get passionate about something I must do it well.

Carrie Fontana (Class 2020 Secretary) What prior leadership experience do you have?

Ryan Dube (Greek Seat) Shon Loftus (Senator-at-Large) What prior leadership experience do you have?

On prior experience, I served as a class senator in MCLA’s student government as a first-year. I am currently a non-student government member of its Constitution Committee (I started sometime this semester). Outside of student government, I currently serve on Yorick’s E-Board as co-public relations chair.

What do you hope to accomplish while in office?

If elected, I hope to enhance communication between students and the administration and look at reforms to student parking and the formation of new clubs.

Why do you think people should vote for you?

I believe students should vote for me because I’ve had prior experience in student government and I am the only candidate (that I know of) to lay out a definitive platform.

Joe Bellas (Senator-at-Large) What prior leadership experience do you have?

Prior leadership positions: Five semesters on the Political Science club E-board serving as Treasurer, Vice President, as well as President, as well as serving four semesters as the Saturday Night Spotlight Chair for SAC.

What do you hope to accomplish while in office?

What I hope to accomplish: I hope to accomplish a lot should I be elected to office. I hope to restore the students’ trust in their SGA representatives, which has dwindled over the years that I have been here. I also hope to provide a new outlook for SGA and bring in expertise that I have accumulated through my years here at MCLA to provide students with quality representation in student government.

Why do you think people should vote for you?

What prior leadership experience do you have?

I have some experience as a leader by being a peer advisor last semester. I have also been the president of my fraternity, Sigma Chi Beta, for the past year now.

What do you hope to accomplish while in office?

I hope to look out for the best interests of the Greek community when and if I obtain Greek Seat in SGA. Being a member of Greek life comes with having stigmas attached to you and I hope to remove those stigmas by representing the Greek community in a positive manner by not only representing myself as an excellent member of society but show how many more excellent members there are in the Greek community.

Why do you think people should vote for you?

I plan on contributing my thoughts and opinions on matters not concerning Greek life as well because brainstorming new ideas is how life at MCLA keeps on improving.

Tarah Valin (Class 2020 Senator) What prior leadership experience do you have?

For prior leadership experience I was the founder of two clubs in high school (Black Student Assembly and Slam Poetry Club), I was the Vice President of the Spanish National Honors Society and the Captain of A cappella and the Captain of Step Dance. I was also the MC for Class Council events my junior and senior year and often was the one who led pep rallies. In college I did LEAD Academy over the summer, I am the Director of Outreach for the Honors Program and I’m the PR/Secretary for Christian Fellowship.

What do you hope to accomplish while in office?

In office I’d like to become the voice for my class and ensure that all our wants and needs are not only heard but are also addressed.

Why do you think people should vote for you?

I have been part of the Student Activities Council for 3 years and part of e-board for 2 years. I am the Traditions Chair, so I have a lot of experience in planning events for the campus, such as Spring Fest, Welcome Fest, Family Weekend and more.

I also had the opportunity to be an Orientation Leader this past summer, which was by far the best job I’ve ever had. It took me out of my comfort zone and helped me enhance my leadership skills.

What do you hope to accomplish while in office?

If I am elected Secretary of the class of 2020, I hope to promote our events efficiently so that students can come and enjoy themselves.

Why do you think people should vote for you?

I think students should vote for me because I am already very involved on campus so I have a lot of great connections with staff and faculty. I also am very motivated to make senior year a fun and memorable experience for everyone.

Applications for The Beacon are open!

They can be picked up and returned to Mark Hopkins 111 by April 25.

Contact Prof. Shawn McIntosh, Jake Vitali or Nicholas Bassett with any questions.

Opinion

Apr. 18, 2019

You Know What Grinds My Gears? Exclusive Content

BY RON LEJA EDITOR-AT-LARGE Does anyone actually like exclusive content? It’s a business practice that has become fairly common in gaming over the years, one that I practically expect to see utilized for most triple-A releases.

It forces players to not only consider what platform they decide to play a game on, but may even extend to how they choose to purchase the game, with certain big-box stores offering different exclusive items, characters or content in general. We also see plenty of games release with multiple versions — “Definitive” or “Gold” copies — that include — you guessed it — exclusive content.

Seeing its inclusion usually results in a rolling of the eyes and a burdened sigh.

Let’s be real, exclusive content is really just a means of attempting to force consumers into a corner — a way of making them spend more money or to play the game on a particular platform.

Recently, Jason Schreier, of video game website Kotaku, stated that he had received word that Bungie, the developer behind the popular “Destiny” franchise, had wanted to grant players the ability to transfer their characters between Xbox, PlayStation and PC. Character data are stored on Bungie’s servers, meaning one should technically be able to input their account information and play on the platform of their choosing, switching as they see fit.

Sony wouldn’t allow it.

Reason being, Sony wants

people to associate “Destiny” with its PlayStation platform, despite the ability to switch platforms being a feature that the “Destiny” community would adore. I can’t help but to assume that exclusive content is, to some degree, at the heart of Sony’s issue with cross-platform play.

I am a huge fan of “Destiny.” Ever since the franchise’s initial release in 2014, I’ve spent more hours than I care to admit clearing the solar system of enemies of the light, meticulously gathering loot to deck out my titan, hunter and warlock characters, and collecting my fair share of hate mail from salty guardians in the crucible.

My experience with “Destiny” has always occurred on the Xbox platform, which, being as big of a fanboy as I am, I’ve always somewhat regretted. Reason being, the “Destiny” franchise has always been geared more toward its PlayStation audience. Over the years, Sony has paid for exclusive content to appear in their version of the game — armor sets, weapons, missions and the like.

Meanwhile, Xbox players were made to wait months to a year’s time to acquire said content. While by no means the worst thing in the world, it’s always felt a bit unnecessary and certainly inconvenient. Toward the end of “Destiny 1,” some PlayStation exclusive content eventually made its way to the Xbox version — after the release of “Destiny 2.” At that point, most players had already moved on, leaving them with no incentive to see what they had been barred from experi-

encing for so long.

Despite having exclusive content, I’ve never felt the need to make the switch to PlayStation. I’ve spent five years playing “Destiny” on Xbox, building up my characters and making friends — some of whom I’ve been playing with for years — along the way. If I were to jump ship, I’d be forced to start back at square one.

However, while I may not be so willing to restart my “Destiny” experience on PlayStation, I’d certainly play the game on PC. “Destiny 2” received a release on PC in 2017 and has since been considered the pinnacle “Destiny” experience by most of the community. The difference between console and PC play is night and day.

Framerate isn’t capped at 30 FPS, but is instead able to reach as high as 144. It also can run at a native 4k resolution, making it one of the prettiest games on the market.

Gameplay feels faster, and controlling recoil on weapons is considerably easier with a mouse. As a result, most top tier players have since chosen to play the game on PC. If it weren’t for exclusive content, would Sony be so unwilling to get on board with cross-play? There isn’t really anything else that associates the “Destiny” franchise with Playstation other than timed-exclusive content, so my assumption has to be a resounding “no.”

From a business perspective, it’s understandable. Every company wants people to use their product. By allowing cross-play, there is a chance they would lose some of their players to the PC platform, but those numbers would most likely be fairly small.

Gaming PCs are by no means cheap, and they are hardly something that a large portion of the gaming community can afford. If they could, most gamers wouldn’t bother with home consoles given the functionality that PCs often allow for. Not to mention that most titles see high-level, competitive play on PC as opposed to console — ultimately making them the go-to platform for dedicated gaming enthusiasts. PlayStation exclusives? Who cares when the title in question plays so much better on PC? Exclusive content is an anti-consumer cash-grab, to put it simply. It’s a shortsighted marketing ploy that much of the community disapproves of, and in most cases isn’t enough incentive to pull people away from their platform of choice. It’s a means of barring off content that, in most cases, isn’t endearing enough to warrant one purchasing a specific version of the game, and one that much of the gaming community refuses to cater to.

I think I speak for most gamers when I say that we’d rather the industry stop trying to nickel-and-dime us so blatantly.

Why the Alliance of American Football Failed Recently, the Alliance of American Football elected to shut itself down eight games into their scheduled tengame, regular season. The decision was abrupt, came as a shock to anyone outside of these direct talks, and will ultimately result in massive financial losses for everyone who invested in the success of the league. Upon being ordered to shut down by chairman Tom Dunton, the loss for Dunton and other high executives within the organization reportedly reaches as high as $70 million.

With hundreds of players in the league and multiple teams across the league, why did the league crash and burn so quickly?

1. The marketing for the league’s games was extremely poor.

Did you ever know any of these games were being played? Advertisements that the league even existed, let alone was streaming any games, or that any games were even happening never so much as showed up in a magazine or newspaper. With nobody really knowing about the AAF’s games beyond word-of-mouth, the league’s

ANDREW BAILLARGEON THE CALL revenue remained consistently low throughout its short existence.

2. The distribution of the league’s content was extremely slim.

If you don’t have NFL Network (a fairly expensive channel), then you had no way of watching any of the AAF’s games aside from seeing them in person or watching highlights of various games online or on ESPN. Such strict access to these games resulted in low viewership, a key factor in the AAF’s low revenue.

3. Oversaturation.

So the Super Bowl has ended, the NBA regular season is raging on, and we’ll have the MLB to look forward to in a couple of months. We just experienced a handful of months of football.

Sure, people who are only football fans and care nothing for other sports might be OK with this, but that demographic is rather low. Problem is, when do you run the AAF season?

You can’t try to compete with the NFL by running the AAF season parallel to it, so there’s nowhere for the AAF to really “fit in,” per se. This hasn’t ever really hindered minor league baseball or the NBA D-League, but that’s because those two leagues don’t experience either of the first two problems highlighted.

The fact that the AAF has an oversaturation problem makes its other two problems particularly fatal.

So that’s it. The AAF is gone. The concept of “minor league” football is enticing and would be a beneficial affiliate of the NFL, but it can’t run on the same or even similar model as the AAF.

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Andrew Clarke

BWN Executive Producer Karen Canela

Staff Staff Writers Maya McFadden Tessa Sestito Nathan Biron John Morrissey

A&E Writers Salimatu Bah Sabrina Damms

Copy Editor

Tessa Sestito

BWN Reporters Andrew Strout Ally Thienel Erika Lucia Julia Teixeira Shunquell Dennis

Columnist

Andrew Baillargeon Nora Hones

Photographer Kenny Olchowski

Adviser Shawn McIntosh

Apr. 18, 2019

IN OTHER BEACON NEWS

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MCLAs Budding Photographers Each Spring, students in the Advanced Photography class, taught by Gillian Jones, explore different themes as they find their photography style and hone their craft.

Here are some of the photos created by students in class.

A reflection of Murdock Hall in sunglasses by Gabriel Heinen was for the assignment theme “reflection.”

Two faces touching by Salimatu Bah is for the assignment theme “body part.”

A close-up of a kitten by Katherine Rose is for the assignment “pet portrait.”

Celebrate Graduation at

WAUBEEKA GOLF LINKS To All Past & Present MCLA Athletes

Brunch, Lunch, or Dinner

All Students play at $1 per hole Join for a whole year at $430 Plan your team banquet Call: (413) 458-8355 (times)

Perfect Party place for 2-100 people Call: (413) 458-6000 (reservations)

Reservations now being taken for our 3-bedroom farmhouse for graduation weekend and Stay & Play Golf Packages.

Stay & Play includes: Waubeeka, Taconic, Berkshire Hills, Wahconah - $570 PP with 3-night stay, 18 holes and cart.

Sleeps 4. Minimum stay 3 nights.