Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.
The Beacon
For more content, visit online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Volume 77 ◆ Issue 5
Th u r s d ay, O c t o b e r 1 7 , 2 0 1 3
Survival of the fittest
College receives STEM funding The state program connects 4-year and 2-year institutions By Gabriel Kogel Staff Writer
Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon
Hardman Lecturer Jeff Corwin speaks to students in Murdock 218 during a question and answer session about his experiences in the wild on Wednesday afternoon. He also spoke last night in the Church Street Center. See next week’s Beacon for full story.
Television host, environmental journalist and Animal Planet producer Jeff Corwin is an advocate for the environment and preservation of wildlife habitat.
COPLAC to come to MCLA Ten MCLA students will present alongside other colleges at the annual northeastern conference By Ryan Flynn
Senior News Editor The College will host the Council of Public Liberal Arts College’s (COPLAC) 2013 North Eastern Undergraduate Research Conferences for the second time in four years on Friday Oct. 25. Ten students from MCLA, Eastern Connecticut State College, Keene State College, Ramapo College of New Jersey, SUNY Geneseo, and the University of Maine Farmington will present research on variety of topics in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. According to Ann Billetz, chair of the biology department and director of Undergraduate Research, hosting the event not only offers an opportunity to show peer colleges the College’s new facilities, but also offers valuable experience for students. “It’s an opportunity for students to see how they’re doing compared to students at other schools,” she said. The conference will begin with an afternoon check in, followed by separate student and faculty dinners. Afterward students will do poster presentations as well as show their artwork, which will take place in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation. The oral presentations will take place during the day on Saturday, followed by music and dance performances.
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Though only ten students are selected by each college for oral presentations, Billetz noted that only ten students actually applied this year. She added that students who present are usually encouraged to apply by faculty members in their department. Students from the English department to the biology department will be presenting. Senior Andrew Martin, biology major and president of the biology club, said that a big reason he decided to present at the conference was to encourage other students to conduct research and push boundaries during their education. “I wanted to do it because I wanted to inspire people to try something new,” he said. Martin will present on plant research he conducted at the Rocky Mountain Biological Research Lab in Colorado this summer. Martin also noted that it’s an excellent opportunity for students to hone their presenting skills. “I think it’s just great networking and it builds presentation skills,” he said. Billetz also said that research conferences are always a positive thing for students, especially when the students from other colleges are presenting their work as well. “Anytime you have a research conference it’s a great opportunity for students because they get to present their work and get to receive feedback from their peers,” she said.
Last month, the college received a $239,334 consortium grant to partner with four nearby community colleges. The grant, made possible by the Department of Higher Education’s (DHE) Performance Initiative Fund, has been dubbed “The 413 STEM Ready Program.” The numerals refer to the area code of the schools involved. According to Cynthia Brown, vice president of Academic Affairs, the program aims to engage students considering a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) major, and allows them to see the options open to them, along with providing hands-on experience. Currently, 30 percent of incoming and currently enrolled students at MCLA major in a STEM field. “We need more people who have either a major or minor in a STEM field [in the U.S]. The kind of industries, jobs and knowledge people need to be highly functioning require a solid STEM background. It’s a growth area,” she said. The College will coordinate with Berkshire Community College (BCC), Holyoke Community College (HCC), and Greenfield Community College (GCC) to bring students considering a STEM field to the College during the summer. Once here, the
STEM, continued on page 4
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/The Beacon
Students work with faculty in a small group at the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation.
Alumni weekend events
‘Chronicles of Rose’ to debut
Women’s basketball runs for a cause
Check out all the events planned for alumni and family weekend.
The story of a French museum curator during WW2
World Marathon Challenge to benefit “Save the Children”
Arts & Entertainment, page 6
Sports, page 9
News, page 2
prospective and enrolled two-year students will attend a multipleday “413 STEM Ready Academy.” “Participants will attend classes with a focus on math, get an understanding of undergraduate research opportunities, and take trips to industries and workplaces where STEM preparation and support are essential,” Brown said. In addition to the academy, the program also includes the “413 STEM Ready Scholars” initiative, which will take place during the academic year. The grant was part of $7.5 million spent statewide this year by DHE’s vision project Performance Initiative Fund (PIF), which aims to “spur innovative programs at public institutions of higher education in Massachusetts and reward campus efforts to improve educational outcomes for their students,” according to a DIH press release. The fund is a collaboration between educators, legislators, and business leaders. It is designed to align college graduates with the highest growth sectors of the U.S. economy, many of which require a STEM background. “Today, a lot more technical careers are available,” Brown said. “[Having] the mindset of experimentation and inquiry, answering questions with data, being able to generate data, these are valuable skills to have.”
News Arts & Entertainment Sports Campus Opinion Local Events Photo Essay
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2 Police Logs
Campus News
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Alumni weekend events Meet at the first floor of Murdock Hall
Center for Science and Innovation Tour II Meet at the atrium in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation
The week of 10/6-10/12 Monday, October 7 ◆ 12:36 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call at the Flagg Townhouse Complex. Services were rendered.
3 p.m.
Alpha Lambda Delta and Alpha Chi Honor Societies Induction Ceremony Church Street Center, Eleanor Furst Roberts Auditorium.
◆ 6:26 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a motor vehicle accident in the Phase Two Parking Lot. The accident was investigated. Tuesday, October 8 ◆ 8:25 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call in Venable Hall. The subject was transported to the hospital. Wednesday, October 9 ◆ 6:35 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call for a well being check on the Lower Quad. The subject could not be located. ◆ 6:47 p.m. - Public Safety responded to an alarm in the Amsler Campus Center. The cause was investigated. Thursday, October 10 ◆ 10:15 a.m. - Public Safety investigated an alarm in the Freel Library. No action was required. ◆ 9:46 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call about suspicious activity in Murdock Hall. The call was unfounded. Friday, October 11 ◆ 12:21 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a larceny, forgery, or fraud issue at the Public Safety Office. A report was filed. ◆ 10:54 p.m. - Public Safety responded to medical call at Berkshire Towers Residence Hall. The subject was transported to the hospital.
Photo courtesy of Chelsey Burke/ Special Events and Conference Planning
5-7 p.m.
Family members are invited to visit the College this weekend.
Rachel Fitterman Copy Editor
The College will host alumni and parents for the annual Fall Reunion and Parents Weekend tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday. Former students and parents of current students will be able to attend a host of events, including a tour of the new Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation and the Distinguished Alumni Luncheon, which honors alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the College. On Saturday, visitors will have the chance to celebrate the achievements of current students by attending the Alpha Lambda Delta and Alpha Chi honors societies’ induction ceremonies. Alumni registration starts at 9 a. m. on Saturday. For more information, visit www.mcla.edu/ FallWeekend.
Schedule of Events
Friday, Oct. 18 Noon
Trailblazer Varsity Club Luncheon Bounti-Fare Restaurant Annual membership fees are $50 for an individual and $75 for a family.
8 p.m.
Spring Awakening: The Musical Venable Theater
Thursday, October 17
Saturday, Oct. 19 9-11 a.m.
Alumni Registration Amsler Campus Center Marketplace Alumni Innovation Showcase Amsler Campus Center Marketplace
10 a.m.
Center for Science and Innovation Tour Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation
11 a.m. Walk About MCLA Meet in the Amsler Campus Center Marketplace
2nd Annual Cornhole Tournament Taconic Lawn. Rain location: Amsler Campus Center gymnasium
Kevin O’Connor ‘83 - Alumni Humanitarian Award Jerry Desmarais ‘74, M.Ed.’78 - Outstanding Service to the College Award Maura Mills ‘05 - Young Alumnus Award
12:30 p.m.
Women’s Soccer Game vs. Westfield State University Joe Zavattaro Athletic Complex, Ron Shewcraft Field
1-2:30 p.m.
Broadcast Media Alumni Panel Amsler Campus Center, Sullivan Lounge
2 p.m.
Walk About MCLA II
Alumni Reception with President Mary K. Grant ‘83 Center for Science and Innovation, atrium
8 p.m.
“Spring Awakening” Venable Theatre
Sunday, Oct. 20 10 a.m.
Sam Gomez Road Race [5k] Entry fee is $13 pre-registration and $15 on race day. Check-in: Amsler Campus Center, Sullivan Lounge
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Brunch Amsler Campus Center Centennial Room
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Brunch Amsler Campus Center Centennial Room
11 a.m-3 p.m.
Family Carnival and Chowder Fest Venable Hall gymnasium
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Distinguished Alumni Luncheon Murdock Hall Sammer Dennis Room (218) 2013 Alumni Award recipients: Richard Brown ‘74 - Distinguished Alumnus Award Eloise Stevens ‘78, M.Ed.’08 Outstanding Educator Award
Friday, October 18
Photo courtesy of Chelsey Burke/ Special Events and Conference Planning
Registration for visiting alumni begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
Saturday, October 19
Sunday, October 20
Cloudy High: 62° Low: 39° Precip. Chance: 10%
Mostly Sunny High: 58° Low: 32° Precip. Chance: 10%
Saturday, October 12 ◆ 1:08 a.m. - Public Safety stopped a motor vehicle in the Freel Library Parking Lot. The subject was warned or advised.
AM Showers AM Clouds/PM Sun High: 65° High: 62° Low: 48° Low: 38° Precip. Chance: 40% Precip. Chance: 20%
Campus News
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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‘Celestials’ author to speak Broadcast alumni to return for Q&A The Celestials is a historical novel about Chinese laborers in North Adams in the late 1800s By Nick Arena
Managing Editor As part of the Creating Equality Series, MCLA will host author Karen Shepard to talk about her new novel, “The Celestials.” The event will take place in Sullivan Lounge on Oct. 24 at 12:30 p.m. “Shepard has tremendous range as a writer,” Interdisciplinary Studies Professor Karen Cardozo wrote in an e-mail to the Beacon. “Her novels have covered such different themes as the transnational and intergenerational story of a family of Chinese American women (“An Empire of Women”); a rocky marriage that unravels in Virginia horse country (“The Bad Boy’s Wife”), an unsolved Manhattan murder mystery (“Don’t I Know You?”), and now a historic fiction about Chinese laborers in 19th century North Adams (“The Celestials”).” Shepard is a professor of writing and literature at Williams College. Her current novel focuses on Chinese immigrants laborers in North Adams, according to her website. “‘The Celestials’ is a historical novel of immigration, multiculturalism, labor, community and exclusion, alienation and reinvention, and our country’s peculiar history and relationship with all those things,” according to the author’s website. “It’s about our shared sense that we’re all aliens of some kind, at home in no place. The book asks to think about how we make ourselves into the people we want to be, and what gets sacrificed along the way.” Cardozo said that the novel intertwines fact with fiction in
a very professional manner, and with great attention to detail. “There will be a page when she’s introducing a new chapter and she’ll just give you in a nutshell some really deep historical background that you might talk about for a whole semester in a history class,” she said. “There’s this creative and imaginative thing that she’s doing, but she also got there through a pretty serious and substantial research foundation.” According to Cardozo, Shepard’s visit will tackle many of the myths surrounding the Asian-
“It’s about our shared sense that we’re all aliens of some kind, at home in no place.” -Karen Shepard American community. “Today, many Asian-Americans are viewed through the lens of the ‘model minority myth,’ seen to be effortlessly good at science and math, quiet and hardworking, and ultimately successful,” she said. “This makes it very difficult to recognize the actual diversity of Asian immigrants in this country, many of whom are recent refugees who struggle like other racialized minorities on the lowest rungs of our social ladder.” She continued by saying this visit will broaden the spectrum of the Creating Equality Series, by teaching about a community
By Nick Arena
Managing Editor
Photo from karen-shepard.com
Shepard will speak in Sullivan Lounge on Oct. 24. that is often overlooked. “Shepard’s visit will broaden the Creating Equality discourse beyond a binary Black/White racial paradigm to show a more complicated class and racial formation in the United States, both historically and in the present,” she said. Cardozo encouraged students to attend the event and learn more about a large piece of North Adams’ history that has been widely forgotten. “Now we’re familiar with ‘Chinatowns,’ we know Boston has a huge Chinatown and New York has a huge Chinatown,” she said. “At the point in this story, if you can believe it, North Adams had the largest concentration of Chinese people in the US, besides California. We’ve lost all sight of that perspective. Honestly I think the real question people will want to ask her when she comes is: how come that history is so invisible to us now?”
During this semester’s Fall Family Weekend, MCLA will host a group of alumni in the broadcast media industry. Saturday from 1 p.m. to 2:30. in Sullivan Lounge students can come enjoy a question and answer session with four MCLA alumni. “It’s something we did maybe six or seven years ago,” Television Studio Technician Peter Gentile said. “It’s a chance for our current students to see where graduates that were in their shoes years ago [are now], and kind of what their career path was; how they worked their way up the ladder right from the internship to the position they’re in now.” According to Gentile and the College’s website, the four alumni are Shaun Wyman, class of 2001 and talent producer at ESPN; Amy Palmerino, class of 1999 and executive director at Stoneham Cable Access; Joe Dwinell, class of 1982 and managing editor for web-print integration at the Boston Herald; and Marissa Mousette, class of 2012 and production assistant at WGGB, Channel 40. Gentile added that these four are examples of how media formats are often integrated with one another. Wyman, for example, got his start in radio broadcasting before being hired by ESPN. “It’s kind of about how journalism is evolving especially in the area of print and I think that these are four very interesting and broad perspectives that I think will offer a lot of insight and a lot of advice to students about things they should be getting involved in now, and internships they can and should consider,” Gentile said. The event is targeted toward English and Communications students
concentrating in broadcast media of all types and is aimed to help them make professional connections, according to Gentile. “They’re coming to talk about their experiences and about when they were students here, but we’re hopeful that our students will be able to connect with them for internships at those four specific media outlets,” he said “If not there is certainly these four people are in contact with a lot of people in the media industry and can offer advice about other locations as well.” Gentile organized the event. The question and answer session will be moderated by English and Communications Professors Joseph Ebiware and Harris Elder. “We want to have a lot of opportunity for questions and mingling afterward where students can make that one-on-one connection,” Gentile said. He continued by saying he would like to see this event happen again in the near future to bring more alumni in to share their experiences. “If anything, we’ve learned it’s that we need to do this again probably in another year or so and I think there would at least be another four or five [speakers],” he said. “These certainly are in no way exclusive to success stories that are out there, they’re just kind of the tip of the iceberg. Our graduates are out there and they’re competing everyday against larger journalism and media programs and I think they’re doing quite well.” Gentile encourages all English and Communications majors to attend the event. “I think it’s just absolutely valuable experience and I would encourage any of our English and Communication majors who pursue a career in television radio or print journalism to consider this event,” he said.
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Thursday, October 17, 2013
Campus News
Beacon.MCLA.edu
‘Leadership is a mode of being’ STEM By Hannah Sterrs Staff Writer
With a big smile and an even bigger presence, Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST) Professor Karen Cardozo joined the College after spending the last year working at Williams College as the inaugural director of the Career Discovery Program. “Professor Cardozo is a refreshing addition to the already remarkable interdisciplinary studies department,” senior IDST major Laura-Lynn Dear said. Starting her professional job track in the Office of Career Services at Harvard, Cardozo went on to hold several dean roles at Mount Holyoke College. She moved on to take teaching positions in the Five College consortium, composed of Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and UMass Amherst. The Five College consortium was a perfect job location, said Cardozo, who resides in Amherst with her husband and two sons. “When it didn’t seem possible to get a tenure track position in western Mass., I decided to return to an administrative role,” Cardozo said. This is what brought her, by way of an hour-and-twenty-minute drive, over the mountains to Berkshire County. However, once Cardozo saw what she called her “perfect job description” open at the College, she jumped at the chance to get back to her strong liberal arts foundation. Seven schools and seven posi-
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/ The Beacon
Karen Cardozo joins the College after holding various positions at seven other colleges. tions later, Professor Karen Cardozo had found her home at MCLA. “I drove over the mountains every day for a year thinking my faculty job stage was over,” Cardozo said. “Now here I am, in a position that combines so much of what I am passionate about.” Professor Cardozo will use her professional experience, her Doctorates in English/American studies from UMass Amherst, and her Masters in Education from Harvard University in Higher Education Administration, Planning, and Social Policy to coordinate the Leadership and women’s studies minors here at the College. Senior and sociology major Destiny Thomas, a student in Cardozo’s introduction to women’s studies class, said she is very optimistic about the upcoming
semester. “From the first day I met her [Cardozo], I knew I would like her,” Thomas said. “She has a very positive and encouraging relationship with all of her students.” Teaching IDST classes like “Rethinking the Third World: Afro/ Arab/Asian Connections” and “When East Meets West: Challenging Orientalism,” Cardozo will dwell on her own personal desire to understand diaspora history, a factor which drove her own academic orientation. “Teaching is about connecting standpoints, having everyone learn from one another,” Cardozo said. “There are many diverse thoughts and opinions in our women’s studies class,” Thomas continued. “Professor Cardozo helps us learn from each other by
facilitating conversation but never telling us what to think.” Leadership has always been a strong aspect of Cardozo’s life and she will play a large role in working to implement leadership at the College, which she said is something a lot of MCLA students already engage in. “Leadership is not a field, it’s a mode of being,” said Cardozo. “Doing it itself isn’t enough. You need theory and you need philosophy.” Through IDST classes like “public speaking,” “teambuilding,” and “introduction to leadership,” a course Cardozo will teach this upcoming spring, the leadership minor will allow students to become ideological and social leaders. The leadership minor will provide curricular support to reflect the already strong leadership presence on campus. Always asking questions and wanting to know more were characteristics seeded in her as an undergrad that Cardozo encouraged students to talk to have. “There is no such thing as a dumb question,” Cardozo said. It is also important that students know there is “more than studying, work, and having a job,” Cardozo said. This statement is evident in Cardozo’s own life. When not spending time with her family, walking her dog Sadie, or grading papers in her office on Porter Street, Cardozo performs in the band House of Cards with her two younger brothers. Their newest album will be released this fall.
Grant
STEM, continued from page 1
Governor Deval Patrick voiced support of STEM fields as well. “I’m talking to companies and investors from all over the world; mainly we’re interested in the innovation sectors, in information technology, in biotechnology. They are focused on high quality educational opportunities, to help to continue to grow this workforce,” he said in a DIH web video. According to Brown, many students transfer to MCLA after completing their two-year degree at BCC, and this program may help other STEM-majoring community college students reach the same decision. “It’s bridge-building with the two-year institutions – so students can see how their twoyear degree articulates to a fouryear program, where they can get that program, and what it’s going to lead to,” she said.
Photo by Gabriel Kogel/The Beacon
Students calculate an equation during class.
World News
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Senate announces proposal Tech Review: New iOS 7 MCT Campus
MCT Campus Photo
Clouds over the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 16, as Senate leaders announced a deal to end the government shutdown MCT Campus Senate leaders Wednesday jointly announced an agreement on a bipartisan proposal to raise the nation’s debt limit and end the partial shutdown of the federal government. Congress is expected to approve the package, which would prevent an economically dangerous U.S. default. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, DNev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., revealed the agreement shortly after the Senate session began. “The eyes of the world have been on Washington all this week,” Reid said. “Today, they will also see Congress reaching a historic bipartisan agreement to reopen the government and avert a default on the nation’s bills. The compromise we reached will provide our economy with the stability it desperately needs.” McConnell said he was “confident” both those goals would be reached Wednesday. “It has been a long, challenging few weeks for Congress and for the country,” he said. “It is my hope that today we can put some of those most urgent issues behind us.” Votes in the House and Senate were expected, but the schedule remained in flux. The Republican-led House may move first. A filibuster in the Senate was unlikely as
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, indicated that he would not hold up the package. Cruz was one of the leaders of a group of Republicans who had demanded a halt or delay in President Obama’s healthcare law in exchange for a bill to keep the government running. Passage of the Senate proposal by Congress could send the legislation to President Obama’s desk but it was unclear if that would happen by Thursday’s deadline to lift the nation’s borrowing capacity. Experts have said that as long as passage is expected, the nation would likely not risk a debt default. The proposal makes no substantial changes to the president’s healthcare law, which Republicans had hoped to stop or stall by using the budget crisis as leverage. A minor provision on the healthcare law was included in the legislation, requiring those Americans who purchase insurance on the new healthcare exchanges to verify their income. The agreement would allow the government to continue borrowing to pay its bills through Feb. 7 and would provide funding to reopen the government and keep it running through Jan. 15. Congress would need to draft a new agreement at that time to avoid another budget crisis.
Apple’s iOS 7 represents the most dramatic update to date of the software that powers iPhones and iPads. It also appears to be one of the buggiest. When released last month, iOS 7 generally drew rave reviews from tech analysts, including yours truly, who liked its clean look and new features. But since almost Day One, users have complained about a smattering of problems with the new software. Do a search on Google for “iOS problems,” and you’ll find a litany of them. Hackers quickly discovered a flaw in the iOS 7’s lock screen that allowed users to gain access to the device without having to enter a passcode. More recently, some users complained that iMessage, the text and multimedia messaging service built into Apple’s devices, refuses to send messages. Apple quickly issued an update to iOS 7 to fix the lock-screen problem, and it told The Wall Street Journal last week it was working on an update to fix the iMessage problem. But users are encountering plenty of other problems that Apple has yet to address. Many have complained that the new software drains the battery life of their devices or slows them down noticeably. Worse, many users with visual impairments or motion sensitivity say that iOS 7’s new design has made using their phones difficult or even impossible. Some say the new software makes them dizzy or nauseous because apps zoom into view when launched and zoom out of view when they return to their home screens. Other users including two of my coworkers have complained that text labels in iOS 7 are difficult to read because they are too small or too faint. And one reader said a family member of his who suffers from some vision loss is unable to use his phone because the new color schemes, some of which involve placing gray or blue text on a white background, don’t provide enough contrast to allow him to read what’s on the screen. I’ve run into problems with iOS 7 myself. My initial installation of the software on my iPhone 5 failed, and I had to completely delete everything on my phone and start over. Meanwhile, my new iPhones 5S has crashed several times, something I used to
MCT Campus Photo
Some people say the new software makes them feel dizzy. run into frequently on PCs but don’t ever remember seeing happen on an iPhone. The crashes seem random; I’ll be using an app or switching between apps, and all of a sudden I’ll see a black screen with the white Apple logo on it. IOS 7 is not the first update to Apple’s handheld software to have bugs. Many users complained of troubles related to Apple’s iCloud service when the company launched it with iOS 5. And iOS 4 slowed my old iPhone 3G so severely it was unusable. Several tech sites have now come up with a list of ways to extend battery life under iOS 7. Their chief advice: Turn off the new feature that allows applications to update in the background, or limit the number of apps that are permitted to do that. Another tip: Limit the number of items that Spotlight, iOS’s universal search feature, indexes. Users having problems with the legibility of text on the iPhone can go into the “Accessibility” area of the Settings application and turn on bold text, increase the type size, or increase the contrast of the display. Similarly, users who experience motion sickness can choose an option to “reduce motion.” That won’t turn off the zooming effect, but it will mute another effect that appears to give depth to the home screen when you view it from different angles. Regrettably, because of the way Apple has designed the iOS update process, users can’t just go back iOS 6; updates in iOS are a one-way process. So if iOS 7 makes you dizzy or has made your device unusable, you’re stuck with the problem until Apple addresses it.
Revealing the true costs of college MCT Campus
A new online app called College Abacus is making it easier for students and their families to get estimates in advance of how much financial aid colleges and universities will give so that they can compare schools for costs. It comes at an opportune time, since the shutdown of many government programs because of the political standoff over the federal budget has disabled College Navigator, a tool also designed to help families figure out college costs and operated by the Department of Education. Until about two years ago, financial aid was a mystery until a student got a college acceptance letter and a financial aid package. Change began in 2011, when the federal government required schools to offer online net price calculators, which compute a school’s full cost of attendance, minus estimated scholarships, based on family income and other information that individuals enter. College Abacus is a free, one-stop shop. It taps the net price calculators at three schools a student selects. Then, based on personal information entered once into College Abacus, the site retrieves the estimates. More schools can be entered, three at a time. The federal government’s College Navigator website offers a rougher estimate. For each school, it will give estimated net prices for several income levels. “Even if the government has stopped working, parents
still need to find financial aid for their students to go to college,” said College Abacus co-founder Abigail Seldin. And finding out in advance which schools are likely to be affordable can bring peace to households in the spring, when most full-time students get their college decisions, Seldin said. It also can help reduce student debt. Referring to a popular travel accommodations search engine, Seldin calls College Abacus the kayak.com of net price calculators. It takes 10 minutes or more to copy financial information from a tax return and answer other questions on many net price calculators. College Abacus lets a user log in via Facebook, Google-plus or Twitter and save the data so that it only has to be done once. The free service isn’t without some glitches. It requires the patience to wait a few minutes for some estimates. In some cases, as when schools take their calculators down for revisions, College Abacus can’t get results. Seldin said her staff of 10 checks the school websites to make sure they’re working and that it should take no more than one week before the estimate will be produced on another try. Another issue with the estimates is the quality of the net price calculators. Many schools use a simple calculator developed by the Department of Education, rather than ones developed by the College Board and others that ask more detailed financial questions. One important question the Department of
MCT Campus Photo
The costs of colleges in the United States. Education calculators don’t ask is the amount of parents’ assets. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), a form required of all students who hope to get financial aid, asks about assets, and schools use FAFSA information when they decide on aid amounts. College Abacus also won a $100,000 grant through College Knowledge Challenge, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Arts & Entertainment
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Photo courtesy of Candice Crow
‘Chronicles of Rose’ series to debut next Thursday
Candice is spending the semester interning for the Disney College Program in Disney World, Orlando, Fl. Candice Crow
Disney World Correspondant
A
crowd had formed near to where I walked down the street. I approached to see what was happening. A woman in a red dress stood still on a platform. Her eyes were closed and her exposed skin was painted crimson to match her dress. She was the first character performer I had seen at Downtown Disney. After the crowd cleared, I continued my stroll, until my eyes were drawn to a sky-blue sign announcing the merchandise store “World of Disney.” Upon entering the store, I noticed the immense amount of Disney merchandise on the shelves, ranging from stuffed animals to plates and glassware. In the short time I have been a cast member at Walt Disney World, I’ve realized just how successful the company is. Theme parks it currently owns and operates include Disneyland in California, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, and Walt Disney World. It also owns a cruise line, which has been sailing the open seas since February of 1997. Disney also owns ABC television network, Lucas Film, Pixar, Marvel, and ESPN, to name just a few. Disney incorporates elements from each of these into their parks; for example, Star Tours is a popular ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disney’s Boardwalk has an ESPN Club restaurant as well as the ESPN WorldWide Sports in Downtown Disney. “People here are so nice! Everyone always has a smile on their face. Everywhere you turn, someone is there to help,” said Kristina Barasic, an International College Program participant. “I feel Disney can take me places; the possibilities are endless.” I spoke to a couple of my leaders from work and learned that they were once College Program cast members. After their program ended they applied for a professional internship, which landed them in management. Another cast member I spoke to has been working for Disney for 40 years. When I asked her why she has been here so long, she simply replied that she had “Disney fever.” I related to what she said. Even though I have only been here for a month and a half, there really is a magical feeling to being Disney cast member. I find it admirable that such a large company cares so much for its employees.
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Photo courtesy of the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center
Puppets aren’t just for kids anymore with Lane’s historical melodrama, ‘The Chronicles of Rose.’
By Ryan Flynn
Senior News Editor MCLA Presents! Puppet Fest kicks off Thursday Oct. 24 at 6 p.m., with David Lane’s five part serial puppet melodrama “Chronicles of Rose” at the Branch Gallery. “Chronicles of Rose” is the story of curator of the Jeu de Paume Museum and French Résistance member, Rose Valland, during Nazi occupation of France during World War II. According to Lane, a big part of the story will be Valland’s relentless efforts to hide acclaimed French artwork under the Nazis nose, but the
series will also offer an insight into her personal life. “We’re going to learn about her life and some of the romances in her life,” he said. Lane noted that Valland is a very important woman in history that a lot of people might not know about. “She’s certainly not one who makes the history books,” he said. “So she’s unsung hero of that time period.” Part one starts off right before the German Invasion with Valland talking to the manager of the famous French art museum, the Louvre, as she frantically attempts to hide famous art work
there the Nazis. As the Nazis had already cleared Austria of all of their famous art work, Lane said this will be an interesting aspect of the time period for the audience to discover. “I’m thinking this will be interesting for students especially,” he said. “It’s an interesting way to explore the time period.” Lane uses a puppetry style known as table top puppetry. With Lane and fellow puppeteers Shawna Reiter and Jonathan Davis on stage for everyone to see, the puppets each stand 15- 18 inches tall with no string attached to them. Lane described more as being really
articulate dolls with controls. Lane also said that their being on stage is an important aspect of the experience. “We kind of become invisible while still being visible,” he said. “It’s an odd thing.” Lane also noted that he’s gearing towards a more adult audience and is a part of a movement that is trying eliminating the concept in America that puppetry is mostly for children’s entertainment. “We’re trying to connect with a more mature audience,” he said. Lane’s series will continue to take place on Nov. 14 and then Jan. 23, Feb. 13, and April 30, 2014. In addition, Puppet Fest will also include “Dorme” by Laura Barolomei on Dec. 2 in the Branch Gallery and “Who’s Hungry” by Dan Froot and Dan Hurlin on March 29, 2014 in Venable Gym. All performances are at 6 p.m. Lane encourages students to attend, noting that discovering new art’s is always valuable experience. “We should be thinking about the art we see, how it’s relevant, and how it connects to our lives,” he said.
New MoCA exhibit exudes history By Nick Swanson Staff Writer
Anselm Kiefer’s exhibit is new to Mass MoCA with his original sculptures and paintings, dedicated and arranged by the Hall Art Foundation. A refurbished 10,000 square-foot silver building is divided into three sections for each creation to have enough space in order to draw the attention it needs to portray each intense and significant meaning. Kiefer was raised in Germany as World War II came to an end. His artwork illustrates argumentative concepts that are reflected within an outlook towards the way history has unraveled. According to the Hall Art Foundation’s website, the company makes postwar and contemporary art from its collection for enjoyment and education. “The way he presents war in all three of these works requires you to think of war outside of regular contexts and textbooks,” Andrew Palamara, an exhibit tour guide, said. “Instead it a very grave but honorable tone of vision he tries to build.” Two tall, glass doors lead the way into the exhibit. The first section is named, “Narrow are the Vessels,” in reference to a French poem by Alexis Leger. The sculpture is 82-feet long that consists of cascading layers
of concrete with bent rods attached on both sides. Behind this section, a part from the poem by Leger was painted on the wall to explain the significance of the artwork. Translated from French, it reads, “One same wave throughout the world, one wave since Troy rolls its haunch towards us.” According to the exhibit pamphlet, it evokes the unending historic cycling of war across the globe. A portion of the exhibit was specifically designed for a 30-painting section named after, “Velimir Chlebnikov.” Chlebnikov was a Russian poet, futurist, and mathematical experimentalist who developed complicated equations to explain sequences in history. This inspired the construction of the room. On the back-wall of the steel room there is text that translates to, “Time, Measure of the world—Fate of the people. The New Doctrine of War: Naval battles recur every 317 years or in multiples thereof, for Velimir Chlebnikov.” “Aphrodite” was written in clear letters on a painting in a corner. This goddess was opposed to war, Kiefer is trying to persuade alternative ways to solve conflict. “All of the paintings have a
Photo by Sam Thomson/The Beacon
A museum goer views Kiefer’s rusted art and handwritten quotes. different meaning, there is one theory in this painting, that explains every so often one war will top the other one in terms of destruction and every so many years that situation will change the course of history,” Palamara said. “The Women of the Revolution,” translated from French, is the final piece of artwork that was arranged and inspired by
Jules Michelete’s book with the same title. It is the most direct to Kiefer’s main purpose for building the exhibit. Twenty lead beds were on display, with imprints in each one giving a morgue-like atmosphere. At the head of each bed was a name written on the wall in remembrance to a French woman who was significant in the French Revolution.
Arts & Entertainment
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Junior creates inspired costumes
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Sarah Robinson incorporates her love for fashion, theater, and history into designs By Hannah Sterrs Staff Writer
Sarah Robinson, a junior and Fine and Performing arts (FPA) major concentrating in theatre, discovered her interest in fashion design as a junior in high school in her hometown of Lanesboro, Mass. During a Shakespeare performance at her high school, Robinson was visited by a costume designer from Berkshire County theatre giant, Shakespeare & Company. “The designer came in and asked us opinions on what we thought our costumes should be,” Robinson said. “I did some sketches and thought, ‘This is fun, maybe I’ll try it.’ ” Three years later, Robinson is working toward a life and career in the world of theatre. Robinson’s costume work has appeared in a number of FPA performances, including ‘Scenes From an Execution,” ‘Agamemnon,’ and ‘Cabaret.’ “Sarah is very hardworking,” said Lauren Breitfelder, senior and classmate of Robinson. “She’s an all-around talented artist and designer.” Like other fashion and costume designers, Robinson draws inspiration from her own passions as well as from history. “I love harajuku fashion,” Robinson said. “There are so many different types and styles to draw inspiration from.” Robinson also draws inspiration from the classes she has taken here at the College, like history. She believes that fashion has a big impact on
Photo by Sam Thomson/The Beacon
Sarah Robinson is an FPA theater major. She is very involved in costuming, makeup, and styling. the world as well as vice versa. Through her history classes, Robinson is able to see fashions of years past and implement some elements of their styles in her own creative body of work. “I always look at fashion of the eighteen and nineteenth centuries and think I was born in the wrong time period,” she said with a smile and an everpresent laugh. Robinson attended the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) in 2012 along with Professor Dawn Shamburger and other FPA students. Robinson said this conference changed the way in which she looks at theatre. “I learned so much in four days,” she said.
“I think everyone involved with theatre technology should go to USITT,” said Breitfelder, who went to USITT with Robinson. USITT showed Robinson how technology can be helpful in costume design and how she can deal with tricky situation. She even learned some helpful tips and tricks that she applies to her work at the College. Wearing cheetah print jeans and boots that stretch to her knee, Robinson totes a large bag on her left side. The bag itself contains schoolbooks, notebooks, and sketches for her costume work in the upcoming production of ‘Spring Awakening.’ To prepare for the costumes
of ‘Spring Awakening’ Robinson had to do massive amounts research on the styling of German high school students. This search proved to be a little more difficult than her previous projects. “Certain clothing styles and eras may not be able to be found online,” Robinson said. “I don’t want any costume I work on to look to American.” Robinson’s favorite costume that she has ever worked on was from ‘Scenes from an Execution,’ which was performed in Spring 2013. The costume was for the character Sketchbook, who wore a skirt made from paper. This posed a problem for Robinson, who needed to find materials to make the skirt look and sound like paper. “It was very time consuming,” Robinson said with a small sigh. “But it was very rewarding.” Robinson said that she “eats, sleeps, and breathes theatre” and hopes to one day do costume design on Broadway. Robinson believes that “theatre is some of everything.” “People don’t realize that,” she said. Before graduating, Robinson will continue to work on costume designs, all while helping others to find their own style. “What you wear shows who you are,” she said firmly. “I want to show people that, and I think I can.” Some of Robinson’s latest costume designs will appear in the ENCORES production of ‘Spring Awakening.’
‘Gravity’ is literally out of this world possibility of death, so every character’s action possesses treArts and Entertainment Writer mendous weight. Simply trying When leaving the theater afto grab hold of another human ter seeing “Gravity,” directed by being becomes difficult, even Alfonso Cuarón, the only natulife-threatening, in the void of ral response to have is wonderspace. ment. This is a film so wondrous Bullock’s performance is in its creation that fathoming very well done, capturing the how it was put together becomes necessary intensity and playalmost as impressive as the film ing the underlying emotions itself. After the 17-minute-long just enough so that they don’t opening shot, the world of the overwhelm the moment, the film feels so real, so beautiful, energy of the scene. Bullock has and so frightening, that it benever been a particularly great comes hard to remember it is a dramatic actor, so seeing her movie. reach those levels was pleasThe film concerns Dr. Ryan antly surprising. Her character’s Stone, played startlingly well arc places her in contrast to the recent craze of nihilistic charby Sandra Bullock, and her atacters learning nothing from tempt to get back to earth after a catastrophic accident leaves their journeys. Not every charher stranded in orbit. There is acter needs to learn something not much more to the plot than from their experience, not every that. The movie is about how character needs to change, but it she struggles to find a way to is nice when an arc doesn’t end get from one satellite to another, with more cynicism. hoping that she will find means The only other credited onto return to the planet’s surface screen actor is George Clooney, who is essentially playing the safely. role frequently asked of him: the This makes “Gravity” one of the most purely thrilling movcharming and competent proies in theaters right now. Every fessional. Clooney is a dependmoment comes packed with the ably good actor and it is nice to
Review by Raanan Sarid-Segal
be reminded of that fact every now and again. Cuarón crafted one of the most beautiful and inspiring visions of outer space committed to film. His previous collaboration with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki on “Children of Men” now feels like nothing more than a warm-up for the stunning visuals of “Gravity.” The beauty presented in the various shots of space serve to contrast with the dangerous situation the characters face. The film also has strong underlying themes of recovering from trauma and rebirth. The movie never ventures into the world of pure metaphor like previous “realistic” space movies such as “2001: A Space Odyssey,” but maintains a steady understanding of a meaning beyond the action presented on screen. In total, “Gravity” is an accomplishment that should encourage studios to spend money on the risky visionaries who rarely get the funds to expand what cinema can do. “Gravity” does that, in a marvelous venture into just what is possible, both within and outside the film.
Poster from redcarpetcrash.com ‘Gravity’ is an intense space thriller with stunning visuals and exceptional acting.
Has Miley lost it? By Shannen Adamites Arts and Entertainment Editor
T
his is old news, but people are still talking about how Miley Cyrus has apparently gone off the deep end and more or less put her career in jeopardy because of her shocking performance at the last VMAs. I don’t know too much about Miley, to be honest, but I appreciate a good pop music shock when I see one. Her performance isn’t anything we haven’t seen before. Think back to when Britney Spears stripped off her suit to reveal a flesh-colored spandex ensemble adorned with rhinestones. Rubber booty shorts and a matching crop top are hardly phasing at this point. Gyrating and thrusting aren’t anything we haven’t seen before, either. What confuses me about this whole controversy is the fact that Miley can’t do her 20-something year old pop star thing without having everyone left and right criticize her for her performance, but we totally ignore the fact that a 30-something year old with a wife and kid is singing a song promoting rape culture and misogyny. That’s the last thing anyone needs at this point. The music business is a patriarchal institution, exploiting many female pop stars because “sex sells.” In turn, they become objectified and slut-shamed, which just intensifies the double standard as to what is expected of female pop stars in the industry. Sinead O’Connor wrote a letter to Miley, essentially explaining how the business will “eat her alive” if she doesn’t smarten up and break free of their misogynistic chains. Amanda Palmer then wrote a response to both Sinead and Miley. Her advice, in a nutshell, is to keep doing what she’s doing. People are going to talk, but she’s still young and has yet to actually find her place in the professional entertainment world. Childhood stardom can either make you or break you, and Miley’s sort of caught in between those two options. I don’t think she, at this point with her edgy videos and varied lyrical content, is suited for mainstream media and would probably thrive in an the indie scene. She has a long way to go in terms of developing her own artistic style, and perhaps, without corporate record companies breathing down her neck with various expectations, she can achieve that.
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Sports
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Volleyball stays busy at Dig Pink By Jesse Collings Sports Writer
Christopher Oxholm Sports Editor
The balls are gone
F
Beacon.MCLA.edu
at kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks, all kind of kids like to go out to recess and play. The brief 30 minutes of football, baseball, or whatever sport they like most is the best part of the day for most kids. But some schools want to take that privilege away from students. The faculty of Webber Middle School, Port Washington, Long Island, New York, have decided that regular leather footballs, basketballs or any other kind of ball is too dangerous. The students are only allowed to play with Nerf balls and are supervised closely by teachers. Nerf balls only, really? Nerf balls are for the kids who are too afraid to afraid to catch a real ball. They’re made for the kids with helicopter parents; the kids who would make up allergies because they don’t want to climb the tree. Taking away regular balls from recess time is unfair. The whole point in playing football at recess as a kid was to feel like John Elway throwing that huge thing about 12 feet to the friend closest by. Playing with the Nerf ball was what weaker kids would do. Those 50 yard throws are phony and underserved. The part hardest to understand is why they took away the soccer balls. Soccer is already and innocent enough sport, especially for children. The majority of soccer injuries come from head to head collisions and ankle injuries; kid don’t play rough enough for that, and a ball kicked to the face will at most jerk a few tears, but no one is really getting hurt. Some parents of the students who attend Webber Middle School believe the policy change is in effort to avoid law suits. Money and law suits seem to be the reason for every change there is ever made in school systems. About ten years ago, the same thing happened with Christmas in public. Teachers couldn’t write “Merry Christmas” on the chalk board anymore because someone around the corner was sure to be offended. If children are getting hurt so often that it results in suing, then maybe schools should concentrate on nurturing better athletes.
The Volleyball team had a very busy week, competing in six matches, including the Cazenovia Dig Pink Tournament. The heavy schedule weighed on the players; the team dropped four out of the six matches. Volleyball is now 9-12 on the season. The team began the week with a tough home loss to Norwich on Tuesday Oct. 8. MCLA dropped the first set, 25-20, but answered by winning the next two sets 2523 and 25-21. Norwich evened things up, winning the fourth set 25-15, before taking the tiebreaking set, 15-10. Norwich improved to 4-13 on the season. MCLA was led by junior Darien Quick, who paced the team with 14 kills. Sophomore Courtney Parent was fantastic, leading the team with an impressive 41 assists. “I don’t think my team looks at me to make big plays, but they do look at me to take command of the game,” Parent said. “I think they look at me to be the quarter back of the team and to feed the hitter the ball so the hitter can make the big play.” MCLA traveled to central New York over Columbus Day weekend, to compete in the Cazenovia Dig Pink Tournament. The
tournament was dedicated to raising awareness for breast cancer. Junior Allie Chang says she had a personal connection to the tournament, having lost a family member to breast cancer more than ten years ago. “Traveling with the team is always a great time, but to be able to participate in the Dig Pink tournament was even better,” Chang said. “Being able to play the game I love, and being able to wear pink while playing and supporting research really means a lot. The tournament opened with two games on Friday. The Trailblazers got off to a rough start. In the first game, MCLA was defeated by Keystone College, 3-2. Keystone finished the tournament with a record of 11-11. In the second game, things went from bad to worse. MCLA was trampled by Nazareth College 3-0. Nazareth went undefeated during the tournament, and improved to 20-6 on the season. The Trailblazers played another double-header the next day, this time having a little more success. The team started the day strong, defeating New Jersey City University, 3-2. Senior Julia Christian paved the way for MCLA, with a team-high 12 kills. New Jersey City tumbled to 6-16 on the year. MCLA finished the tournament later that day, dropping its match
Photo by Emily Boughton/The Beacon
Sophomore Courtney Parent kept the ball in the air. 3-0 to Elmira College. The Trailblazers were blanked by an Elmira squad, which improved to 17-9 on the season. After traveling back home and taking a break on Sunday, MCLA closed out the week with a conference victory against Mass. Maritime. MCLA was led by Parent, who led the team with 19 assists
and added 8 digs. It was MCLA’s first conference victory, as they downed the Buccaneers, who fell to 3-20 on the season. The Trailblazers get a break before competing in another double-header in Salem, Massachusetts. The team will take on Salem State and Endicott College.
XC competes at James Early Invitational Chris Oxholm Sports Editor
The MCLA Men and Women’s Cross Country team’s competed at the James Early invitational held at Westfield State University on Saturday. The Trailblazers finished 33rd overall. Williams College won top team honor. Martha Pratt set the pace for the Trailblazers. She was followed across the line by Monica Conlin and Annie Gagnon. Roger Williams’s runner Hannah Zydanowicz took the individual title. The Trailblazer men finished in 28th place. Westfield State won the overall men’s competition. Anthony Cancilla finished first for the Trailblazers. He was followed by Peter Mayotte and Travis Smith.
Sports
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Blazers Save the Children Kaleigh Anderson
Special to the Beacon The MCLA women’s basketball team battled their way into first place while participating in the World Marathon Challenge hosted by the Save the Children foundation late last week. The World Marathon challenge is simple ; People from all around the world come together throughout the month of October to run 26.2 miles in total as a team. Each member runs 200 meters before passing the baton on to their teammate in the relay style race. The Trailblazers completed the event in 2 hours and 18 minutes, giving them their first place victory. “I was really happy after the race,” Team Captain Danielle Scolpino said. “It was fun and definitely not all about winning. We knew it was for a good cause, and it was a great team bonding experience. We wanted to run faster not only for each other but for all the kids struggling to survive around the world. Any fundraiser that helps save a child’s life is one we want to be a part of.”
The Trailblazers traveled together to Westport, Conn. where the organization is headquartered, to participate in this kickoff event which raised over $30 ,000. It will be used to help provide care for children in need. The event was filled with participants of all ages who got to enjoy music and food while running for a great cause. “It was really great to see our team come together and put in such an amazing effort for Save
the Children and we had so much fun doing it,” team member Sara Hamilton said. According to savethechildren. org, “Fifty-thousand kids in more than 60 countries around the world will take the World Marathon Challenge. In the United States alone, nearly 12,000 kids in schools and clubs in 21 states and the District of Columbia will lace up their sneakers and race to the finish line. Relay races will be held
Photo courtesy of the women’s basketball team
As a team, the Trailblazers ran the length of a marathon, 26.2 miles, in the World Marathon Challenge.
Men’s Soccer struggles in MASCAC Chris Oxholm Sports Editor
The Trailblazers suffer another tough loss on Saturday, this time to Framingham, 1-0. The result brings another loss to their MASCAC record, now at 0-3-1. It is also the second week in a row they have gone to double overtime without a win. Framingham junior Mark Bamford converted a free kick with 1:36 remaining in the second overtime to get the first goal and ending the game, giving the Rams the 1-0 win over the Blazers. Ram junior Nicholas Cotter’s attempt in the 97th minute sailed too
throughout this month worldwide, with the grand finale on Oct. 23, when hundreds of teams will run simultaneously.” The Trailblazers immediately took a leadership role once they entered the track, leading the other teams in a group stretch as well as high fiving all of the children five and under who symbolically ran the first lap of the race. Even after completing their individual lap’s members of the team ran with others and cheered other teams on by yelling out encouraging words to all of the participants during the event. When it came time for the final lap the team decided to run it together, all crossing the finish line at the same time joined by alumni Ken Murdoch . “It was such a great bonding experience coming into a new team with a lot of new players,” freshmen Ashley Clawson said. “It was a good feeling accomplishing something so big while helping out a good cause. I wouldn’t have traded this experience with my team for anything.” The Trailblazers season is set to begin Oct.17 with their first game scheduled on Nov. 15 vs. Endicott College.
high and his shot in the 102nd minute was stopped by Blazer junior goalkeeper Matt Robinson. Another Ram, senior Henrique DaSilva, missed by inches in the 8th minute. Cotter had his first chance in the 22nd minute, but hit the right post. Two minutes earlier, Blazer sophomore Tyler Guzzi had his free kick Stopped by junior William Levitsky for the one shot on goal the Blazers would get in the first half. In the second half, the Blazers were shorthanded after a red card on junior William Luke in the 36th minute. The Blazers had a 6-5 advantage in shots while the Rams took three of four corner kicks. The Blazers finished with a 5-4 edge in corner kicks and were behind the Rams by a mere two shots (13-11). Levitsky (2-3) stopped three shots for the Rams while Robinson (2-61) earned a game-high five saves for The Blazers.
Women drop to Framingham James Hunter Sports Writer
It has been tough for the Women’s Soccer team in league play, losing to Framingham State this past Saturday, 4-1. The Trailblazers did not play their best on Saturday, letting the Rams come up big on their home field. Throughout the first half, both teams were fast-paced combining for 18 shots on net. Framingham State broke the tie in the 25th minute with a goal from senior Kayla Austin, lifting her team a 1-0 advantage. Austin did not wait much longer to score again, netting the ball nine minutes later for her 8th and 9th goals of the season. Her second goal came was assisted from teammate Michaela Hyland. Blazer Sophomore Darien Sullivan would cut into the lead in half, scoring off a rebound from Freshman Natalie Caney’s shot. The score remained 2-1 at half. “We knew they were going to be aggressive and we knew they were
going to shoot from distance. We practiced shooting from distance and worked on our formation a little bit. We worked on using our midfield and playing off of them and we also practiced swinging the ball around and creating space,” Caney said. Framingham State would pull away with another pair of goals. MCLA did not play as well as they could have, letting Framingham State dominate the second half. Ram senior Taylor Ezold would give the Rams a 3-1 in the 70th minute off an assist from Austin. 17 minutes later, Framingham’s Isabela DeSouza scored the last goal of the game. MCLA are now 1-3 in conference and 5-8 overall. Wednesday Oct. 3, the Women’s Soccer team came up short with a tough loss to the Western New England Golden Bears 2-1. “I thought in the second half we picked it up and once we started playing diagonal balls and started to play smarter we looked good, but it was a little too late,” Caney said. The Bears’ junior Bonnie Bous-
quet scored first in the 26th minute. Western New England took six shots in the opening half compared to the Blazers’ four. “We lacked energy and we did not come out strong. We did not play as many diagonal balls as we should have and we let them get off to a better start then us,” Caney said. In the 61st minute, the Bears’ leading scorer Brionna Voight
found the net. She was assisted by Sarah Marois. MCLA would be kept of the board by WNE keeper throughout the rest of the game. Freshman Natalie Caney’s 12th goal of the season was assisted by senior Jen Ferrari. With 12 goals this year, Caney is the team’s leading goal scorer and is on pace to reach a few benchmarks in the College’s Women’s Soccer history.
9 Scores
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Men’s Cross Country 10/12, 28 of 35 at Westfield State James Early Invitational Women’s Cross Country 10/12, 32 of 39 at Westfield State James Early Invitational Golf 10/12, 6th at NAC Championship Samoset Resort- Rockland, ME Women’s Volleyball 10/11, @ Cazenovia College/Dig Pink Tournament Vs. Keystone, L 3-2 Vs. Nazareth, L 3-0 10/12 Vs. New Jersey City, W 3-2 vs. Elmira, L 3-0 10/14 vs. Mass. Maritime, W 3-0 Women’s Soccer 10/12, vs. Framingham, L 4-1 Men’s Soccer 10/12, at Framingham St. L 1-0 (2OT)
Standings Men’s Soccer Worcester St. Bridgewater St. Fitchburg St. Westfield St. Framingham St. Mass. Maritime Salem St. MCLA
3-0-1 2-0-2 1-0-3 2-2 2-2 1-2-1 1-3 0-3-1
Women’s Soccer Framingham St. Westfield St. Bridgewater St. Worcester St. Salem St. Fitchburg St. MCLA Mass. Maritime
3-0-1 3-1 2-0-2 2-1-1 2-2 1-3 1-3 0-4
Schedules Men’s Cross Country 10/19 at Green Mountain 11:45am Green Mountain Invitational Women’s Cross Country 10/19 at Green Mountain 11:00am Green Mountain Invitational Men’s Soccer 19/10 at Westfield St. 11:00 AM Women’s Volleyball 10/19 at Salem St. 12:00 PM Women’s Soccer 10/19 vs. Westfield St. 1:00 PM Women’s Volleyball 10/19 Endicott @ Salem St. 2:00 PM Salem St. Tri-Match 10/23 vs. Westfield 7:00 PM
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Opinion
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Beacon.MCLA.edu
What is your favorite event on campus? “Rock The Block because it was the bomb. There was a lot of music that I wasn’t expecting. It was diverse.”
“I went to the Stitch and Flix event two weeks ago for the Arts and Crafts club and it was fun.”
-Alex Manzino, 2014
-Ashley Brand, 2013
The Beacon The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department and from ad revenues. Contact information: News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5404 E-mail: Beacon@mcla.edu Web site: beacon.mcla.edu Office: Mark Hopkins Hall, room 111 Mission Statement The Beacon strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events.
“The comedians that they have, definitely. They should have them during finals week to break up the tension. People would be able to study better.”
“My favorite thing that Hoosac Hall put on was the ice cream social with smores and they have a grill for roasting marshmallows and music. I got to hang out with people.”
-Marguerita Sepulveda, 2014
-Cat Lima, 2017
“The ice cream social. It was fun and cool to have free ice cream. And they have all of the best toppings.”
“The first Dala performance in the Spring 2011 semester at Gallery 51. It was very intimate.” -Natalie Pozzetti, 2013
-Matthew Barge, 2015
Editorials Policy Unsigned editorials that appear on these pages reflect the views of The Beacon’s editorial board. Signed columns and commentaries that appear on these pages reflect the views of the writers. Letters Policy The Beacon welcomes Letters to the Editor. Deadline is noon on Mondays for that week’s newspaper. Letters should be kept to 500 words or less and are subject to editing for grammar and content. The Beacon will not publish anonymous or libelous letters. Letters must be signed by the writer and include a phone number. Letters may be dropped off at the office or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Contributions Policy The Beacon accepts stories, photos, and opinion pieces for publication. Submissions should be dropped off at the office by Monday at noon or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Advertising Policy The Beacon reserves the right not to publish any advertisement it deems to be libelous, false. or in bad taste.
Editorial Board
Photos compiled by Amy Modesti
Lack of education in forced internship
By Michael Dahlroth Web Editor
What if MCLA created an internship, required for graduation, which obligated students to aid in the construction of the Center for Science? According to ABC News, the Xi’an Institute of Technology (XIT) in China is doing just that – but instead of working in construction, college students must work on the Sony Playstation 4 game console in order to graduate. Thousands of students from the Xi’an Institute are working as long as 11-hour days at Foxconn, a Taiwan-based electronics manufacturing company, in order to gain six course credits that they have been told are required for graduation. While the chance to work on a game console may seem enticing, the work assigned to the students reportedly has little to do with
their education. Students are performing menial jobs such as packaging cords, attaching warranty stickers, and gluing together parts. In response to accusations, Foxconn admitted to Quartz Magazine last week that the XIT students have been working night shifts and overtime shifts that are in direct conflict with the company’s own policies. They pointed out that the interns were being paid, yet also conceded that they earn the same rates as an entry-level worker. So why would Foxconn deliberately violate their own policies? Why put students on assembly lines instead of unskilled workers? Simply put, they just do not have the workers. A labor shortage in the manufacturing sector has forced many companies in China to raise wages and move factories inland. But even after taking these measures, manufacturers have reportedly struggled to keep their factories running. That is why Foxconn has apparently branched out to universities, roping in significantly overqualified students to work poorly paid internships that offer no educational value, besides maybe a reallife ethics lesson. So when you go out to buy your PS4, remember, this sleek piece of technology was built not by willing workers, but by students forced into quite possibly the worst college course of all
time.
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*Holds more than one position
Photo courtesy of Ryan Trula
Mount Greylock From downtown Pittsfield continue north on US Route 7 to Lanesborough for 6.6 miles. At the brown Mount Greylock sign, turn right onto North Main Street. Follow the brown lead-in signs 1.5 miles from Route 7 to the Visitor Center and park entrance. Driving distance from Visitor Center to summit is 8 miles. Tower is now closed for the season.
Online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Thursday, October 17, 2013
Local Events
Grilled cheese fundraiser
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Attention clubs!
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The Beacon wants to help promote your club! We will print one free advertisement per semester. Also, keep us updated on club events! We want to cover you! Email your press release and information on First Class to MCLA Beacon Mailbox, or message us on Facebook.
Public comment welcome for NEASC evaluations Photo courtesy of Martha Pratt
NRHH members will be making and selling grilled cheese sandwhiches throughout Wednesday, Oct. 23. The National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) is having the classic Grilled Cheese Fundraiser event on Wednesday, Oct. 23. NRHH members will prepare sandwiches for various campus members throughout the day. Faculty and staff can have homemade grilled cheese for lunch from noon-2 p.m., Hoosac Hall and Berkshire Tower residents can order from 9 p.m.-midnight and Townhouse residents can order 9 p.m.-1 a.m. To order, dial ext. 5528 or “like� Grilled Cheese Fundraiser on Facebook. NRHH members will deliver to office or campus residence. Each sandwich is $1 and bacon is 50 cents more.
MCLA will undergo a comprehensive evaluation visit on Nov. 3 through 6 by a team representing the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). MCLA has been accredited by NEASC since 1953 and was last reviewed in 2003. Its accreditation by NEASC encompasses the entire institution. Public comments must be received by Nov. 6. The Commission cannot guarantee that comments received after that date will be considered. Public comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution. NEASC cannot settle disputes between individuals and institutions, whether those involve faculty, students, administrators, or members of other groups. Comments will not be treated as confidential and must include the name, address, and telephone number of the person providing the comments. The public is invited to submit comments regarding the institution to: Public comment on MCLA Commission on Institutions of Higher Education New England Association of Schools and Colleges 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100 Burlington, MA 01803-4514 Email: cihe@neasc.org.
ake : t s i m o n M ake ot it . g l l i t s s a Kweli h -CMJ
TALIB KWELI WITH SPECIAL GUEST REBEL DIAZ
Saturday October 19, 8pm
Tickets: massmoca.org / 413.MoCA.111 87 Marshall Street, North Adams, Mass Sponsored by the Hans & Kate Morris Fund for New Music
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Thursday, October 17, 2013
Photo Essay
Beacon.MCLA.edu
The Women’s Center hosted a breast cancer awareness event where students could gain information on the topic and support a cause that many people deal with.
The Women’s Center welcomes a roomful of guests with apple cider, doughnuts, and many facts and discussion topics on breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Awareness Photos by Emily Boughton Free ribbons and self testing pamphlets were available to all who visited.
Tawana Venus decorates a ribbon.
Guests were welcomed to decorate ribbons in honor of family and friends.