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Volume 81 ◆ Issue 11
Th u r s d ay, D e c e m b e r 3 , 2 0 1 5
Presidential candidates James Birge and Alan Ray conclude campus visits; Trustees to meet next week Birge has 30 years of academia experience and claims to make connection with students By Joseph Carew Staff Writer
With a background in student affairs coupled with a long history of working with faculty and staff, presidential candidate James F. Birge looks to appeal to all. “Throughout my career I’ve always been a great supporter of students, I frequently will attend performing arts events, I go to lectures that students have organized, I frequently am at student lead presentations I am a fan of athletics and so I go to athletic events frequently,” Birge said. Thirty years in education has brought the candidate to MCLA after having served for institutions such as Franklin Pierce University and, more recently, Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan. Birge holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University and attended Plymouth State University and Westfield State University for his Masters in Guidance and Counseling and Bachelors in Elementary
Education, respectively. In his time at Franklin Pierce, Birge secured the largest single donation in the institutions history, expanded undergraduate academic majors as well as increasing the school’s athletic programs. During the student question and answer session Birge took on questions ranging from his previous work with legislatures to his ability to ensure the distance between Boston and MCLA doesn’t hinder the university’s capabilities and funding. The controversial subject of the College’s smoking policy was brought up as well. With a detailed and tragic family history involving with tobacco products, Birge took to supporting a ban on the products on campus. Noting this however, he was quick to say that he would review the current program and wouldn’t initiate any dramatic changes himself. “I think that in each of the campuses I’ve been in the last ten years we have either implemented or they had recently implemented
bans on smoking… which I support, and I’ll admit a bias of my own, I’ve never been a smoker,” Birge said. “Both of my grandfathers died from complications related to emphysema. My mother was a smoker and she died as a result of complications related to emphysema. My father was a smoker, although he died from cancer, but Photo by Nick Swanson/The Beacon had had a heart Presidential Candidate James Birge speaks to students about his attack by the age appreciation for the liberal arts and his background in student affairs. of 60 principally college…I can see that there is as well as the opportunity for because of smoking. So I have a really great, important foundation students to declare a major in real bias.” in Liberal Arts and that there’s some profession.” Reflecting on why he decided also an understanding about how Birge also noted that, having to apply for the open position at students today are looking for grown up in Lee, Mass. and with MCLA, Birge spoke of his deep a degree so that they can find a daughters in the region, a position belief in the system he has seen job,” Birge said. “So there’s a nice at MCLA would bring his family here. balance between providing a geographically closer. “As I read more about the good strong liberal arts education
Ray insightful about creating more scholarships and acknowledge campus’ diversity By Torin Gannon Staff Writer
Dr. Alan Ray spoke to students about his experience as an educator and what he hopes to do as president of the College. A major focus of the presentation was his experience of and appreciation for the liberal arts. “I’ve been associated with the liberal arts for most of my life,” Ray said. He said the value of liberal arts is that it makes one a critical consumer and producer of culture, and also added that he was very grateful to have that background. Ray also stated that as president, he hopes to cut costs in order to create more scholarships for future students, and incorporate more graduate programs. One issue Ray was very passionate about was diversity on campus. He stated that he feels it is important to enhance and increase diversity of all kinds. “My life has been engaged in being and working on the margins in different ways, working within systems to help people on the margins articulate their concerns and to help address them from my position as administrator,” Ray said. “I’d like to be able to help this institution do that as Photo by Nick Swanson/The Beacon well.” Presidential Candidate Alan Ray talks about During the interview portion, Ray the importance of diversity on campus.
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was asked how he has handled crises on campus in the past, and he recalled an incident in which a Muslim student claimed they were the victim of Islamophobia and racial violence. The incident sparked controversy on campus, and Ray’s response was to stand with concerned students and make it clear that they would do whatever was possible to find those responsible.
“I don’t take myself too seriously, despite the suit.” Ray stated that although it is impossible for an administrator to ensure absolute safety, he promised to be as clear as possible with students about what is being done to address volatile situations. Ray promises that he will be very approachable for students. “I don’t take myself too seriously, despite the suit,” Ray joked. Ray said he enjoys working with students and SGA, and was always engaging with student run groups at Elmhurst. Ray hopes that as president, he can hold open office hours each month
for students to come speak to him about anything they wish to speak about. When asked why he would be a good choice for president, Ray stated, “This is not a time for learning on the job…I’ve done this job for seven years, and as I’ve tried to indicate, I think we’ve had success [at Elmhurst] in many ways that are relevant to what you’re going through here.” Students had a warm response to Ray’s presentation. “He was really great communicating with students, and had some great experience,” senior and SGA president Allie Kadell said. “I think he gave us a lot to [consider] about where we want the school to go, and how we want to fit the next president,” junior Siobhan Greene said. Ray is the former president and professor of religion and society at Elmhurst College in Chicago, Illinois, and he is in residence at Harvard Law School as a visiting scholar. He is a member of the Cherokee Nation, and is a national speaker and writer on Native American issues. In 2010, President Obama appointed him to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education. He received his B.A. summa cum laude from St. Thomas Seminary College, and his Ph.D. in the study of religion from Harvard University.
Arts & Entertainment
Sports
Fitness Center recovers missing equipment
Anais Mitchell to perform folk music tomorrow
Women’s basketball scored fourth win
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News Features Arts & Entertainment Sports Campus Comment Local Events Photo Essay
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Campus News
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Check it Out!
Upcoming events on campus
Senate begins Low attendance to approve club hinders SGA’s normal operations constitutions Committee has made it possible for sophomores to study away and abroad. Previously, only juniors and seniors were allowed to participate in study away and abroad programs.
Thursday, Dec. 3 Dance Company’s Fall Performance Venable Theater 8 p.m. Students: $1 General Admission: $3
Friday, Dec. 4 Retirement Celebration for Diane Collins Sullivan Lounge 1 - 3 p.m. MCLA Presents!: Anais Mitchell 7:30 p.m. Church Street Center Students: $2 Faculty: $5
Saturday, Dec. 5 55th Annual Ski & Skate Sale NorthHampton Lion’s Club 80 Locust Street 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. MCLA Food Festival Venable Gym 12 - 2 p.m. Dance Company’s Final Performance Venable Theater 2 p.m. Harlequin’s: “A Night of Miscast” Church Street Center Social Hall 8 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 6 Free Movie Screening: The Walking Dead North Adams Movie Plex 9 - 10 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 7 Figure Drawing Collective Makers’ Mill: 73 Main Street 7 - 9 p.m. Members: $5 Drop-ins: $10
Campus Police Logs have been moved to Page 11
Beacon.MCLA.edu
By Harmony Birch Managing Editor
SGA will vote on SAC’s constitution next week. Despite the backlog presented to Parliamentarian Tyler Spencer after the previous Parliamentarian resigned, Spencer has made it his mission to approve constitutions as fast as possible, and is hopeful that some may even be fully approved before the end of the semester. Psychology Club and a new club, The Student’s Veteran Association, was sent to the SGA E-board to be discussed next week, before going to Senate. Last week’s agenda Last week before Thanksgiving break an official SGA meeting was not able to be held due to a large number of absences. Luckily, there was no official business that needed to be attended to, and the senators that were present went through their agenda as originally planned. President Allie Kadell spoke with Registrar Steven King in regards to an issue brought up at SGA about posting a schedule for registration times based on class, athletic status, and honors status. King told Kadell that the schedule was not currently open to the public because it risked identifying students who belong to a particular group that remains confidential. He did agree, however, to speak to Monica Joslin, dean of Academic Affairs, about the issue. PR Chair Sam Giffen reported that the All College
Students want more access to Bowman Students are concerned about not being able to access Bowman Hall during weekends. Catherine Holbrook, vice president of Student Affairs, met with Kadell to see if SGA could solve this issue. Senators agreed that Bowman’s schedule was inconvenient. Senator Tim Williams suggested IDs be used to access the building like they are in residence areas. “It seems like the majority of people would like to see [more] hours open in Bowman,” Kadell said. She agreed to look further into the issue. Diane Collins to retire Diane Collins, the SGA office manager, will be retiring this month. Her retirement party will be held in Sullivan Lounge on Friday from 1-3 p.m. All students are invited to attend. Etiquette Dinner The class of 2016 is holding an etiquette dinner that will teach manners and how to conduct oneself in a professional setting. The proceeds will go to Senior Days and seniors who participate will get $20 off their Senior Days package. Intramural Survey Student Trustee Nick Hernigle urged students to go online and fill out the intramural survey. The survey will allow the intramural department to better gauge what sports students are interested in playing and what should be offered. “Fill it out as soon as possible, make your voices heard,” Hernigle said.
By Harmony Birch Managing Editor
There are six vacant seats in SGA out of 29. Three Class Senate Representative Seats remain vacant, and two special representative seats, Athletic and Greek, are also empty. The Class of 2017 still does not have a treasurer. While SGA intends to hold a special election next semester to fill these vacancies, the absence of SGA candidates and the resignations of three E-board members has arguably taken its toll on student government. Last Monday President Allie Kadell reminded senators how important their attendance to meetings is. Monday showed almost enough absences to prevent SGA from holding an official decorum and conducting official business. The meeting before that, no official business or decorum was conducted due to the large number of absences. “You should be mad at those that aren’t here,” Advisor Jennifer Craig said at the meeting, reminding officers that their job was to represent student voices. “In the past we’ve always had vacant seats,” she said, adding that this year is not uncommon. However, some SGA senators disagree. “I’ve never seen nor heard of this much of a change,” Senator Tim Williams said. “Hopefully that’s not indicative of what SGA does.” This is Williams’ third year on SGA. He thinks the number of resignations on the E-board might correlate with Cabinet experience. Kadell’s Cabinet contains a couple of new faces like Parliamentarian Tyler Spencer, a freshman. Much of this is related to resignations from previous cabinet members. Last year’s president, Brendan Peltier, had a Cabinet sporting veterans like Kadell. Junior Colby Harvish served on SGA his freshman and sophomore years and frequently attends meetings. Based on his experience the vacancies are uncommon, but aren’t indicative from an outsider’s perspective to how well SGA has conducted their business this semester. “It’s unusual compared to the last
two years,” Harvish said, but added, “If anyone looks at it negatively I don’t think that’s warranted.” He thinks most of the resignations and lack of interest has to do with time commitments. Both Svetlana Morrell, the previous senate chair, and Rachel Durgin, the previous parliamentarian, cited time commitments in their resignation letters. “Most students tend to be active on campus,” Harvish said. “I didn’t run for SGA [this year] because of the time commitment.” Craig thinks it all comes down to dedication. “You want to have students who are dedicated,” Craig said. “If students aren’t interested in special elections then at least we already have the most dedicated students in senate.” Still, Williams thinks that despite inevitable time commitments, SGA can be doing more to attract student through quantitative work like approving constitutions. “The constitutions process doesn’t happen overnight,” Craig said. Constitutions take at least three weeks to be passed if they’re perfect, according to Spencer. Constitutions go through the Constitution Committee, who has a week to look at it, before they are sent to the SGA E-board, who gets another week to read through them. If the E-board approves the constitution, then it is given out to the entire senate, who requires another week before they are informed enough to vote. There’s been a backlog of constitutions for years, according to Spencer. He wants to conquer it once and for all. Currently there are 17 constitutions that need approval. Three were given out to Senators at the last meeting. “I want to pass as many constitutions as possible,” Spencer said. He’s been making an effort to expedite the process by sitting down with clubs to talk about their constitutions before they send them for approval. “It’s showing people that we don’t just sit in a room for two hours,” he said. “It makes you realize that what you’re talking about is leading to change and you’re not just screaming into the void.”
Weekend Weather Thursday, December 3
Friday, December 4
Saturday, December 5
Sunday, December 6
Morning Snow Showers High: 41° Low: 30° Precip. Chance: 40%
Partly Cloudy High: 43° Low: 27° Precip. Chance: 10%
Partly Cloudy High: 43° Low: 27° Precip. Chance: 10%
Mostly Sunny High: 48° Low: 29° Precip. Chance: 10%
Campus News
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Missing Fitness Center equipment no longer an issue Raber: Students should take pride in free facility
By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Co-Editor-in-Chief
Since last year, the fitness center has suffered a loss in items such as foam rollers, resistance bands, and jump ropes. The theme continued into the fall semester, but once a sign went up, pointing out the issue, missing equipment was returned. “We’ve gotten everything back this year,” Deb Raber, fitness center director, said. “But a lot of equipment was found cleaning out the townhouses at the end of the semester.” To decrease the ability to steal from the fitness center, Raber moved loose objects and containers of bands behind the desk where the sign-in computer is. In order to use them, an MCLA ID is required. Even when sports teams come in to stretch, they are supposed to individually check out equipment. “Usually the stuff sports teams use comes back,” she said. “The coaches are making sure nothing disappears.” To put the cost in perspective, Raber estimated that one inch bands are $20 and thicker ones are $45. When those items go missing, the object and cost is written on a white board for center users to be aware of. “It’s just as much of the workers’ responsibility as it is the people who use the facility,” Raber said. At Mount Holyoke College’s fitness
center in South Hadley, Mass., the college offers fitness classes and a wider variety of cardio and strength training machines. Even though their rules do not address how to access free-range equipment, they do say that damaged equipment and injuries must be reported to the Fitness Center Monitor, according to the athletics website. Amongst the issue of items walking away, there are other on-going situations: lifting chalk was recently banned after improper use, mirrors are being smashed when people lean crash bars on the wall, and over the summer there was an issue with people spitting on the ground. At Boston College, chalk is not permitted, nor is outside equipment permitted to be brought in. Their rules page follows up by stating that chalk makes too much of a mess, even if the member offers to clean it up. The most important component of consistency is when users sign into the computer as soon as they enter. Raber has data of gym users dating back to 2010. “The usage of this facility is skyrocketing,” she said. With the addition of student study rooms in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation and Bowman Hall, Raber thinks the fitness center potentially has more users than the library. At other institutions, there are more offerings in a bigger facility, but a usage fee follows. They also have dual stations
Photo by Makayla-Courtney McGeeney/The Beacon
Free-range equipment including bands, jump ropes and foam rollers now sit behind the main desk at the fitness center and requires an ID in order to be checked out. to get more use out of strength training with a bar as an exercise, was used over the machines. summer in the entrance way hall and left “Students want more ellipticals, weights, marks on the wall. Such a mishap circles or TV screens on the cardio equipment,” back into Raber’s responsibility, which she said, “but we’ve priced everything out leads to her removing the tire from use. and it’s just not worth it. This is as much “I want to have this equipment for the students’ facility as it is the faculty’s. students who know how to use it,” Raber You don’t pay a fee to use the facility, so said. “I don’t want to limit their workout take pride in it. Everything you need to get because we don’t have the things they fit is here.” want to use.” The fitness center has even more Plans to expand the fitness center are machinery than what’s offered on the still in process, Raber said. surface. A truck tire, used to flip or hit
Olenyk leaves position as HR Director Position vacant after Mary Ellen returns home to pursue other opportunities By Idalis Foster
Senior News Editor After a couple of years at MCLA, Mary Ellen Olenyk, director of Human Relations, has left her position at the end of November to take a job closer to home, in the capital region of Albany. Her commute will be shorter, but she will still be a human resources director in her next position. Olenyk has served on multiple search committees, her most recent one being the Presidential Search Committee. She has also been instrumental in creating a streamlined process for all workers. “We’ve been able to really professionalize the HR department and create processes and an atmosphere that are consistent and fair for everybody,” Olenyk said. “That was behind a lot of the changes we’ve made and that I’ve pushed for.” When it comes to what Olenyk will miss most about the College, it is the people here that she focused on. In particular, she said she will miss the students, faculty, and staff, as well as the opportunity to train and help them with different topics. “This is the first time I’ve worked in higher education and it was a lot of fun for me to work with the students,” Olenyk said. “I think some of the students who have been to some of my programs know that I’m a mom also, so I have kids the same age and I’ve identified well with students.” Not only will Olenyk miss working at MCLA, but colleagues who worked with her will miss her greatly. Denise Richardello, executive vice president of the College, expressed her gratitude for Olenyk’s work over the past two years, and how much both she and the campus will miss her. “Mary Ellen was a true professional; she was highly regarded by the campus community,” Richardello said. “She approached her job with high standards. [She used] her background that she came here with, those strategies and processes...to help us enhance ours more broadly.” Olenyk was in the corporate world for many years, but the company she previously worked for downsized, leaving her in search of a new job in human
resources. It was the experience in human resources o u t s i d e the realm of higher education that helped her at MCLA. She hopes the next Photo from LinkedIn d i r e c t o r Mary Ellen Olenyk has left her of HR position as Human Resource understands Director to continue into how big of a another position in Albany, NY. job it is, since there is so much to do. She adds that they will have to learn how to balance the recruiting work, as well as the Title 9 and policies side of the job. Olenyk has changed the student employment process for fair access, had begun working on the Smoking Task Force and was looking to get more involved in the professional development side. “Recognition efforts [are] something I didn’t get as much of a chance to finish up on,” Olenyk said. “A chance to really appreciate and recognize all of the employees that we have a little bit more.” It was this determination that pushed Richardello to really praise her work in her short time here. From her presence when she walked into a room to her frank and candid demeanor, Richardello said that faculty members and colleagues of hers have appreciated Olenyk’s efforts and assistance. In finding a successor for Olenyk, Richardello stressed that with all that Olenyk has done, her successor will have a lot to follow up with and continue. “We are in the process of pulling together different constituents from across the campus to serve on a search committee,” Richardello said. “We’ve already posted the position quite broadly and it is a national search.” The position is listed on multiple online outlets, including Higher Education jobs.
Campuses divide among activist’s tactics Teresa Watanabe
Tribune News Service Alton Luke II is an AfricanAmerican sophomore at Occidental College who backs the broad goal of racial equity for students. But he has chosen not to support the minority student movement aimed at ousting college President Jonathan Veitch and improving campus diversity _ and bluntly announced his views on Facebook. For that, he has paid a price. Luke said some of his friends, black and white, have started ignoring him. He’s been called ignorant. He said the hostility of some protesters toward those with different views is a major reason he is not supporting their uprising. “They’re doing what they claim white people do to us, which is marginalize us and cast us as the bad guy,” said Luke, a graduate of Long Beach Polytechnic High and kinesiology major who aims to become an orthopedic surgeon. “You can’t have a different opinion here or you’re persecuted. But I’m standing against their tyrannical and unjustified actions.” Protesters at Occidental, Claremont McKenna, Yale, Ithaca, Brown and other campuses appear to have wide support as they demand action to address the bias some minority students say they face. But sharp dissent over the movement’s tactics is also emerging, as critics have begun to step forward. At Yale University, nearly 800 students, faculty, staff and others sent a letter to campus President Peter Salovey expressing concerns about several student demands _
among them mandatory diversity sensitivity training, an ethnic studies requirement and the firing of a faculty member who questioned staff warnings about culturally offensive Halloween costumes. Zach Young, a junior majoring in ethics, politics and economics, had joined the Yale student “march of resilience” against discrimination. But he helped spearhead the letter after he saw the subsequent student demands _ especially the call to fire Erika Christakis, a faculty member who had challenged the costume warning from the Yale Intercultural Affairs Council, asking whether there was no longer room for students to be “a little bit obnoxious ... a little bit inappropriate or provocative or, yes, offensive.” The letter defended Christakis’ free-speech rights and called the training and curriculum demands “a menace to the cause of liberal education because they are clearly driven by a particular political agenda devoted to conversion instead of intellectual exploration.” Salovey announced that he supported Christakis. Young and Luke said they have never been threatened with physical violence for their views _ unlike some protesters, who have reported receiving anonymous threats on the Yik Yak social media site. Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education in Philadelphia, said students had always been the most reliable allies in his 14 years of defending free speech rights in higher education. But no longer, he said.
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Thursday, december 3, 2015
Campus News
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Longtime SGA Office Manager Diane Collins retiring By Harmony Birch Managing Editor
In the 1980s, at North Adams State College, a young Diane Collins stepped into Room 353 of the campus center to find the student government executive board sitting on the floor surrounded by files. “When I looked into the office I knew it was going to be a great challenge,” Collins said, “but I was up for it.” After 32 years as the Student Government Manager, Collins is taking the leap into retirement. A party will be held for her on Friday in Sullivan Lounge, from 1-3 p.m. In 1983, when the Mark Hopkins School closed, Collins found herself out of a job. She’d already been with the College for eight years, first in the Graduation and Continuing Education office, then as an office worker, lunch lady, and nurse at Mark Hopkins. She knew she liked working with people, so she applied to a new position that had never been offered before, the Student Government Office Manager. “There were quite a few applicants and
“Students need to have I was blessed to get the balance; it can’t be all job,” Collins said. She sat work and no play,” she in her office, bright blue said. “The more involved eyes twinkling as she students are, the happier described her work. The they are.” cheerful blonde seems Collins said she likes beloved by all. being able to make Student Government student lives happier. Advisor, Jennifer Craig, Over the years, she has said Collins is known for gotten higher paying job having the biggest smile offers from the College, and most welcoming but she always turned heart. When sitting them down. across from Collins, “I love working with becoming mesmerized by students,” she said. “I just her exuberance, it seems couldn’t leave.” that Craig is right. When Collins started Beacon file photo She is leaving now, however, it is not because as Student Government Diane Collins is retiring this Office Manager, SGA used month after 32 years working she doesn’t like her job. Rather, it is what her busy the floor to file important throughout the College. life demands of her. documents and there were only 18 clubs on campus. Today, the Students and colleagues are sad to say office floor is file-free and there are nearly goodbye, but want Collins to be happy. 60 clubs on campus. Collins believes that “I’m sad for us because we’re losing a clubs help with student retention. great member of our department,” Craig
said, “but happy for her.” Junior Tim Williams agreed that though he would miss Collins, he was happy she was making the choice that was right for her. “She’s just such a staple, not just for our generation, but for 30 generations of students,” Williams said. When she’s not filing purchase order forms, or walking students through the new club application process, Collins can be found in her office helping students with everything from their choice in major and career, to personal issues they need to discuss. “Diane was always helpful with purchase orders,” Williams added. “I always tell them to listen to their inner voice,” Collins said in regards to the students. “Just because everyone’s doing something doesn’t mean you need to follow the crowd. At the end of the day, you want to go where you want to be, and when you find what you’re looking for, that’s when you really progress.” We’re happy you wanted to be here Diane.
Students continue to struggle with registration process Low department staff and conflicting class times are amongst a list of problems
By Lauren Levitte Copy Chief
Professors in the computer science department will teach more courses than usual next semester in order to meet student demand. “Right now we are very understaffed,” said Mike Dalton, chair of the department. “We have three [full time] professors in the department. One of them is normally the chair of the Business department, so we kind of only have two faculty members…Every one of the computer science professors has offered to teach extra courses, beyond contract, so that our seniors will graduate this spring.” In the past four years, the number of computer science majors has grown 45.7 percent, according to Dalton, going from 47 to 69 majors. Despite this increase, the amount of faculty available to teach required classes has gone down. There are some departments that struggle to offer enough courses to satisfy students, and double majors and Honors students often have problems taking classes they both need and want. Faculty and administrators said the scheduling of classes can be difficult, but required classes for students are always offered. The computer science department was close to hiring a professor earlier this semester, but the candidate accepted a job elsewhere, according to Dalton. The College is currently still looking to hire for computer science. In the meantime, there are two adjunct professors to help teach courses. “A lot of colleges are hiring right now. Some of these colleges are bigger institutions and pay more money. Sometimes we get applications from people that don’t have a degree, or [it] doesn’t seem like they would be a good teacher, and we want to find the best person we can,” Dalton said. “But this problem is definitely making registration difficult for students.” Monica Joslin, dean of Academic Affairs, said that if students need a course to graduate and it isn’t being offered, departments can offer a course by arrangement. “It’s exactly the same course, it’s just more individualized and scheduled according to students and professors. It appears as a normal course on your transcripts,” she said.
Junior Kathryn Donnelly has struggled with her double major in English/ Communications and Education for some time. Last semester, Donnelly met with the chairs of both departments to go over the large amount of classes required for this variety of majors, which were often hard to register for because of conflicting times. “The [education] department saw the changes the English department was willing to take and said they would take a look at the situation, but nothing happened,” Donnelly said. “There are just too many courses required.” Conflicting course times are also a problem for students. MCLA alumnus Greg Wilson, ’15, was a double major in English/ Communications and psychology. Despite being a part of the Honors program, he did not graduate with honors. “Unfortunately, the class selection did not work that well with my two majors,” Wilson said in an email interview. “I enjoyed many of the honors classes I took. I learned a lot from them and was able to partake in some pretty amazing discussions…The honors program just didn’t fit with my schedule as time went on, and I had other requirements that had to be met for my double major.” According to Wilson, there were not enough honors courses compatible with his psychology major to complete the program, which requires students to complete a minimum of 18 credits in honors courses and maintain a GPA of at least 3.2. To graduate with All-College Honors, students must have no less than a 3.4 GPA. Professor Susan Edgerton, director of the Honors Program, offered a piece of advice for students. “The honors program should not be considered a part of the major so much as an additional concentration, designed to insure students get a robust liberal arts education. It is an extension of the liberal arts offered by the core curriculum,” she said in an email interview. The process of choosing which classes to offer is slightly different for the honors program than for regular departments. Edgerton says that directors of the program recruit faculty to propose honors courses. Then, the proposals are taken to the Honors Advisory Board for discussion. “Courses must meet several criteria, including reading and writing intensive, collaborative, interdisciplinary, and oriented toward independent research,”
Edgerton said. “Once a course is accepted, it can be offered whenever faculty members are willing and able to offer it. Our schedule is made according to what is available in this manner.” Dalton explained his process for computer science. “For every semester… the administration sends every department an excel spreadsheet. It has time slots on it, and it’s our job to fill in the course, maximum number of students, the room we want to have it in, prerequisites for it, and who is going to teach it.” After each department fills out the paperwork, it is then up to Joslin, Kristina Bendikas, the associate dean of Academic Affairs, and the Registrar to put the courses together. “There’s a little bit of discussion through email, sometimes we’ll sit down and meet,” Dalton said. “The school…is more than just a business, and we care about our students. However, there is money in and money out and that’s just the reality of it. So Monica’s got a very tough job, and the fact is that she needs to say no to us sometimes. But she’s really good about it. If we give her a good argument she says ‘Oh, ok lets find a way to do that.’” According to Joslin, the process to creating the course listings is a complex one. “We look at a five year analysis of the type of courses offered, how many were offered in a given year, and enrollment. There are months of work put into it,” she said. “And we don’t say no to required courses.” Donnelly said she hopes there is more open conversation to help avoid overlap for required courses. “Next semester, there are only two Senior Seminar English classes, but one of them overlaps with a required [education] course, so I don’t have a choice,” she said. Assistant Registrar Lisa Milanesi points out that these concerns are taken into consideration. “There’s a lot of math involved. We look at the percentage of courses each department teaches, and give each department certain time slots given how many courses they’re going to have that semester. There’s going to be conflicts, but we try hard to avoid that.” Joslin also mentioned that department chairs do work together on occasion. For example, science students may need to take math, physics, and
biology courses in order to graduate, so the department chairs will discuss the best way to schedule all those important courses. Senior Alexis Clay, who has finished both her Sociology major and Core requirements, is mostly worried about taking courses she isn’t interested in. “There isn’t a very big selection for Sociology courses next semester,” Clay said. “At least, not for classes I haven’t already taken. I have to sign up for a lot of random courses I don’t really want.” According to Clay, the Sociology course lineup for the Spring 2016 semester does not include many courses in her minor, Social Work. “One of the only Social Work classes offered is a night class, and those can be really hard to work into my schedule on top of work and homework,” she said. Milanesi said that students should talk to their advisors multiple times throughout the semester, not just during preregistration time. “Get ahead of the game. Your advisors want to help you,” Milanesi said. She also recommends keeping track of course requirements on the degree evaluation report on student Banner accounts. As far as building the schedule, Bendikas said it isn’t made randomly. “We build the schedule with students in mind, with the idea that they will graduate in four years,” Bendikas said.
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5 Sophomore helps keep local high school students Thursday, December 3, 2015
By Gionna Nourse Features Editor
She is an orientation leader, admissions ambassador, peer advisor, E3 program coordinator, choreographer for Dance Company, and a sophomore taking seven classes. To say this girl is busy is quite an understatement. Kircys Canela ‘18 has been involved in volunteer work since high school, when she worked on constructing a house in South Dakota for a family in need through Habitat for Humanity. This semester, Canela is co-coordinating the program with her roommate, Miesha Adams. The group consists of 10 students, who come to campus from Drury high school and work with Canela and Adams individually. “We teach them about leadership, talk to them about networking, and help them build their own network,” she said. “E3” is a program that works with high school seniors who have either dropped out of high school, or are on the verge of doing so. It is an alternative program for the students that aren’t able to thrive in the traditional classroom setting, and involves more hands-on learning. A program like this is important to Canela because at her local high school, she was in a class of 65 students, and only 18 of them ended up graduating. “I had friends who weren’t able to graduate with me and others who didn’t find interest in being in school anymore,” she said. “I realized that I was able to make it out of that, and that I should help others continue with high school, because it is really important.” Although her position in E3 is no longer considered volunteer work, and is now paid because she is cocoordinating. Canela stresses that it doesn’t change her involvement in it. “I would be doing this whether it was paid or not,” she said. “I like it a lot, it’s a lot of fun, and I enjoy being there with the students.”
Features
She is also interested in starting an E3 program in another country, because other countries really need it, in her opinion. Her absolute dream job is to be a global social worker, which is why she became an interdisciplinary studies major, focusing on sociology and psychology with a minor in social work. Her plan is to achieve a master’s degree in social work after she graduates from MCLA. Although she was born and raised in the Dominican Republic before she moved to New York City with her family at age 10, she says she doesn’t want to work there after she has completed her master’s. Instead, she would like to live in a different country, where she can learn a culture and language she hadn’t known before. As for right now, she is doing all she can to make her mark on campus and in the surrounding community. She has pioneered programs such as “E3”, which started as a volunteer program, which has recently turned into a paid position. Canela and Adams are also part of a program that Miesha founded through collaboration with the North Adams YMCA and MCLA’s Dance Company. “We go to the Y on Thursdays and teach kids dance routines,” she said. Yet another one of her ventures, working as an orientation leader over the summer, Canela had a great experience, gained another group of friends, and is almost positive that she wants to do it again next summer. “I didn’t really know the staff at first, but now we are all like family. It helped me build another family besides my Dance Company family,” she said.“I learned how to lead people differently, how to think and work with others, and how to share ideas. I learned so much about myself, how I work with people, and I also learned a lot about the campus.” Canela has since been a mentor to the freshman class, and aims to make herself available to them as often as possible, so that they can go to her with any questions and concerns.
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She says she came to MCLA from her home in New York City, because she wanted a change of scenery. She also knew she wouldn’t be able to be as involved at a larger campus as opposed to a smaller one. The small class sizes and student to professor ratio were also rather appealing to her. “I love that the professors will never forget my name here,” she said.
Photo courtsey of Kircys Canela
Kircys Canela ‘18 partipates in various clubs and volunteer organizations on campus and in the surrounding community.
Computer science students track local tourism By Nick Tardive
Bearup delved into the Destination Metrics data from the Solid Sound festival, explaining that over 8,000 people came to North Adams for the festival. For better or worse, North They wanted to figure out where those Adams relies on tourism brought in people went from there, but with a single to stimulate the city’s economy. Raspberry Pi on Main Street and another An entire election was fought, in Williamstown, the group could tell by mayor Alcombright and former that people were passing by there. They mayor John Barrett, over the couldn’t tell whether those people were future of North Adams: whether eating at the Hub or visiting the Antique it continues down its art-centered store, which is where the shortcomings of tourist destination or attempts to the project really begin to show. regain its industrial glory from the Outside of that, the interns could only Sprague years. repeat that the information that they had With Alcombright’s re-election received had not been enough to truly just over a month ago, Lever Inc’s quantify much; in reality it was just the Destination Metrics [DM] project beginning of what could be a long project. looks to quantify the possible Yet the experience was not lost on either benefits for tourism in the city. student. Bearup joked that she was taking According to their website, Lever Photo from MCLA Website a class that covered material she had to Inc. is an organization that “supports Computer science majors Hannah Bearup ’16 and Adam Ouellette ’15 created software learn over the summer to implement in local economic development by DM. creating and growing enterprises for a “Destination Meter,” helping Destination Metrics track tourism downtown. “I’m applying the experience that that leverage local assets, including Bearup agreed. Working on Destination Metrics was, the talents of young people from our region’s colleges.”“Our to them, an interesting project that challenged them I gained from this internship by using some tips and objective [for DM] was to quantify the relationship between intellectually, while stimulating the part of their brains that tricks that I stumbled upon this summer while building cultural and industrial destinations throughout Berkshire had attracted them to the computer science field in the first my piece [of the project] on personal projects,” Oullette said.“I’m applying for jobs, and the skills that I learned County,” Adam Oullette, one of the MCLA students who place. over the summer are really impressive in the eyes of future interned for Lever Inc. over the summer said. “It forced me to learn how to do things I had no idea Hannah Bearup, Lever’s other MCLA intern working on about,” Bearup admitted, explaining that she liked having employers,” One major problem for the project was the discussion of DM, explained that it was a way to, “prove outside visitors the “crunch” to work under, the pressure of an upcoming personal privacy. Oullette and Bearup talk about a negative would help [economic development]”. deadline that made her work hard, but carefully. reaction to DM because some people believed it to be Both students are Computer Science majors who, The Destination Metrics project is still in infancy, though they didn’t work closely together, collaborated being only two years old, beginning each summer and “stalking” as Bearup put it light-heartedly. “We weren’t looking at individuals,” Bearup stated. “We in a way to help bring the Destination Metrics project to ending around November. They utilize small computers, life. As Bearup explained, Oullette’s job was to tinker and “Raspberry Pi’s” Bearup calls them, which serve as a were looking at whole groups.” Oullette mirrored the statement, tackling the issue from configure the software in a way to create their quantifiably counter by receiving data from smart phones as a proxy desirable data, while Bearup worked visually to interpret for actual visitors. They have these Raspberry Pi’s stationed a marketing standpoint. “The hardest part of the internship was marketing what statistics came in. outside of Mass MoCA, North Adams’ Main Street, Lever the project in a way that people did not get offended or “This internship was exactly what I wanted to do as a Inc. Headquarters and Spring Street in Williamstown. think that their privacy was at stake if they invested into career,” Qullette explained, “It taught me that if you know “One significant finding was that a lot of people attended all of the fundamentals of Object Oriented Design and Solid Sound over the summer,” Oullette said, emphasizing the project itself,” Oullette explained.“We spent countless meetings figuring out how exactly we can word the Data Structures then you can learn just about anything you “a lot”. presentations and talk about the projects.” want to and be good at it.” Features Writer
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Arts & Entertainment
Thursday, December 3, 2015
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Anais Mitchell to play folk music at the Church Street Center tomorrow
The self-described folk artist has been a part of eight works since her debut in 2002, and has played with Bon Iver at Radio City Music Hall By Mitchell Chapman A & E Editor
Following the passionate performance of DeQn Sue, Anais Mitchell is sure to thrill audiences tomorrow night in the Church Street Center as part of the MCLA Presents! series of events. The self-described folk artist has a long history with the genre, and has been featured at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Anais’s life as a musician began at the age of 17, when she began writing her own songs. She didn’t break out onto the professional scene until she was 21, when she recorded her first album, “The Song They Sang When Rome Fell,” in a single afternoon, according to nickdrake.com. Her most popular piece of work to date is “Hadestown,” which her manager described as “the story of Orpheus and Eurydice set in post-apocalyptic Depression-era America,” according to ladyslipper.org, but has some mixed criticisms. “Mitchell traverses such a sweeping range of emotions, genres and styles over the course of ‘Hadestown’, it’s frankly remarkable that the whole thing works at all,” James Skinner, critic of drownedinsound.com, said. “That it works so brilliantly well, that in under an hour it creates a world you’ll want to return to time and time again, that it is a glittering model of the form – of collaboration itself – is nothing short of awe-inspiring.” “In a Vaudevillian manner, she plunders a wide array of idioms, ranging from traditional American folk through Tom Waits mannerisms, country, gospel, jazz, chamber music, and the PenguinCafe-Orchestra-goes-to-India vibe of the instrumental Lover’s Desire,” John Lusk, BBC critic, said. “It all makes sense eventually. Kind of.” Mitchell’s most recent album, “Young Man in America,” had a much more favorable reception, garnering a metascore of 86
Photo from ww2.kqed.org
Anais Mitchell is the daughter of novelist Don Mitchell, who inspired her to become a singer. She has found her own identity through her music, which she has been writing since the age of 17. and a plethora of positive reviews. “For her follow-up to 2010’s stunning folk-opera ‘Hadestown,’ she tones down the scale a little, yet offers something equally startling: a modern folk record that snaps and sparkles with energy, daring to take on some formidable themes in the process,” Skinner said. “A fierce, melodic affirmation of sadness and grief, love and lust, attachments formed both strong and precarious, ‘Young Man in America’ is a marvel of a record from start to finish.”
Her newfound critical success translated into high-profile performances, as she was asked to open the North American leg of indie folk band Bon Iver’s Autumn 2012 tour, in which she participated in two sold out Radio City Music Hall shows. Yet despite it all, Mitchell sees the value of the indie artists in relation to music as a whole. “I think I was most inspired by this vast community of people who are making music but are never going to be household names,” Mitchell told The Telegraph, a
British newspaper. “Yet they can make enough money to get them to the next town and make the next record. It made me realize you didn’t necessarily have to shoot for the moon. You can make a living without making a killing.” To reserve tickets, be sure to go to mcla.ticketleap.com. The show costs $2 for MCLA students, $5 for non-MCLA students, $8 for alumni, and $12 for general admission.
Hardman Poet Jessica Fisher comments on war, childhood, and the struggles of creating poetry Fisher is currently a professor of Creative Writing at Williams College
By Chris Riemer A & E Writer
Opening the Hardman Special Initiatives reading, Professor Zachary Finch said that Jessica Fisher’s poetry was concerned with what it means to nurture in a time of violence. He also said that his introduction inadequately described the breadth of Fisher’s subject matter and poetic design. Both of these statements were proven accurate. At the reading last Thursday, Fisher interwove stories about her children with tales of far-off war, only distantly visible from her privileged status as an American citizen. In her poetry, linguistic examination uncovered the significance of homophones and homographs: the irony of mortar as a building material and as an agent of destruction, for example. Or, more concisely: “duck duck goose or duck in cover.” “I always like to see where stories rupture,” Fisher said,
between poems. Her 2012 book “Inmost” was primarily concerned with this absurdity of being at war while never experiencing the war in any meaningful or immediate way. Fisher explained that she’d intended to only write one book about the impersonality of the Iraq War, but that its continuation made it a regrettably consistent theme in her work years later. Naturally, the Iraq War is a subject that has been mined for artistic value for many years. Fisher’s poetry set itself apart by approaching the subject almost antivoyeuristically: rather than provoking emotion with horrific detail of explosions, death, and the grief of the survivors, Fisher bloodlessly imagined the experience from afar using metaphors of maternity and etymology. Her lines are not numb to the pain of the war’s casualties, but she recognized her distance to the actual events that made up the primary material in many of her poems. Some of her poems were a little closer to their subject matter, though. One of her more visceral ones, from her upcoming book (which she revealed may be titled
“Day Work”), fixated on the events of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting from the perspective of Fisher watching her children in a school play. Fisher also mentioned a 14th-century painting depicting a widespread massacre of people, including children, as an influence. “I have sort of a dark imagination,” Fisher said at one point, half-jokingly. “I think a lot about what we do when we do violence to each other.” The reading mostly consisted of poems from her book “Inmost”, although Fisher included material from her other publications. After the reading there was a brief Q&A, during which Fisher responded to questions about her writing process and the nature of poetry itself. “The more you try, the flatter and flatter it becomes,” she said, speaking about the difficulty she often has in working with a single poem for a significant length of time. The event was the last reading of the Hardman Special Initiatives program slated for this semester.
Arts & Entertainment
Thursday, December 3, 2015
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“Fallout 4” offers a special treat for lovers of the RPG and general audiences By Jarred Clapp A & E Writer
The player experience in “Fallout 4” can be described succinctly yet vaguely with the statement “it’s like the same but different.” At its core, it plays like a much cleaner version of the previous console games in the series “Fallout 3” and the Obsidian-made side production “Fallout: New Vegas” with many subtle, yet defining deviations in gameplay. Despite “Fallout 4’s” substantial change in functionality, fans of previous Fallout or Bethesda Studios games will not be disappointed by the most recent installment in the Fallout Franchise. “Fallout 4” offers a special treat to Massachusetts residents with the location being based in a post-apocalyptic Boston. Those familiar with the city and its surrounding suburban areas will be pleasantly surprised by how accurate the map is, with a somewhat scaled down but remarkably detailed portrayal of the city. The most instantly noticeable improvement right off the bat are the graphics. Where previous open world RPG Bethesda Games, like “Fallout 3” and “Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim”, were immersive and provided the player with hours upon hours of content, the movement and conversations were very choppy and often riddled with bugs. These games were so buggy to the point that it was almost
a staple of Bethesda’s games to feature ludicrous glitches that instead of pulling the player out of the gaming experience, added a different layer of engagement. While the game is not completely free of these bugs and crashes, Bethesda Studios made a significant leap forward in their production, especially when it comes to combat. In the previous Fallout games, it was near impossible to play as a firstperson shooter, making the player rely on a unique method of accuracy called VATS (Vault Tech Assisted Targeting System). In the newest installment, there have been minor changes to the VATS functionality and major improvements to the actionbased combat. Photo from Bethesda The improvements with dialogue allow As usual, “Fallout 4” features an even larger open world for players to explore (above). conversations to flow more realistically, The iconic power armor makes a return in this rendition of the post-apocalyptic rolebut that comes at a price that could be playing game (below). detrimental to hardcore fans of the series. One of the Fallout franchise’s most alluring of things to do. A player could easily spend aspects is its dark humor associated with hundreds of hours completing side quests, the settlers of a post-apocalyptic world exploring Boston, tinkering with the new just trying to make the best of their lives. functions of settlement building and That being said, dark humor (specifically crafting weapons, armor or other items. There is much that can be disputed as in dialogue options) was a staple of to what changes were good for the game gameplay, especially in the original turnand what took away from previous entries based computer games “Fallout 1, 2” and in the series, but what matters most is that “Tactics”. The speech has been painfully the game has evolved, ushering a new era simplified, offering a “sarcastic” response of Bethesda-made RPGs. Those fresh to the option along with a basic “yes” or “no,” game, as well as veterans of “Fallout”, will most of which lead to the same outcome. be pleased with the newest installment, as What the game lacks in speech, it more it off ers something new for every type of than makes up for with the sheer amount gamer to enjoy.
Support upcoming art events This Week:
Saturday:
Where: Church Street Center Social Hall When: Saturday, December 5th at 8pm Price: Free for students. Reserve at HarlequinMiscast@gmail.com
Dance Company Fall Show
This Month:
Where: Venable Theater When: Thursday, December 3rd at 8pm Friday, December 4th at 8pm Saturday, December 5th at 2pm Price: $1 for MCLA students $3 General Admission
Spectacle 99 Where: MCLA Gallery 51 When: December 3-27 All art priced between 99 cents and $99.99!
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Thursday, December 3, 2015
Sports
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Women’s basketball downs Lasell McLaughlin’s 25 points gives MCLA their fourth consecutive victory
Photo from MCLA Athletics
MCLA sophomore Courtney McLaughlin scored 25 points on Monday to lead the Trailblazers past Lasell College. McLaughlin shot 10-18 from the field and also had 4 steals and 3 assists.
By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
Junior Courtney McLaughlin scored a career high 25 points to lead MCLA past Lasell College on Monday, 85-72. The win was the
Trailblazers’ fourth consecutive victory, and they improved to 4-2 on the season. MCLA had the hot hand in the first half, shooting 68 percent from the field and using a 29-13 second quarter to open up a commanding 53-31 lead at halftime. The Trailblazers are shoot-
ing just under 40 percent on the season, the top mark in the MASCAC conference. Head coach Holly McGovern talked about the team’s ability to get off highquality shots. “Our shot selection and unself-
ishness in transition has led to better offensive opportunities,” McGovern said. “We are beginning to run lanes better, and are making that next pass that leads to better looks at the basket. The next step for us will be to improve second chance scoring opportunities and continue to play with confidence.” Lasell mounted a small comeback in the second half, eventually whittling down the Trailblazer lead to 10 points in the third quarter after Katie Stopera made a free throw for the Lasers to make the game 59-49 in favor of MCLA. The Trailblazers continued to nurse that lead for the remainder of the game and cruised to the 13 point victory. The Trailblazers shot well across the board. In addition to shooting 55 percent from the field, they shot 8-16 from beyond the arc and converted 11 out of their 12 free throws. MCLA’s full court press forced the Lasers into 22 turnovers on the game that the Trailblazers converted into 31 points. MCLA also held a big advantage in points in the paint, scoring 44 points near the basket as opposed to the 30 that were scored by Lasell. Lasell got a big game from senior guard Deanna Barrett who led the Lasers with 28 points and 6 rebounds. Fellow senior Stopera added 21 points and 6 assists for Lasell. MCLA was led by McLaughlin’s 25 and also got 17 points from junior Ashley Clawson. Junior forward Kayla Hotaling had 15
points and 6 assists and Courtney Durivage had 10 points and 7 rebounds off of the bench. Freshman Courtney Pingelski had another strong start for MCLA, recording 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. McGovern talked about Pingelski getting off to a strong start in her rookie campaign. “Courtney has gotten off to a great start through her work ethic. She quietly goes through practice taking in our concepts and adapting them to her game,” McGovern said. “She is a wonderful court player, especially in transition. CP will make some mistakes, but has shown an ability to overcome those mistakes and not repeat them.” The Trailblazers are currently being led by Hotaling, with 12.2 points per game, in rebounds with 7 rebounds per game and in blocks in blocks with 1.5 blocks per game. The Trailblazers are led by a balanced offensive attack that features seven players who are averaging better than 7 ppg. In addition to Hotaling, McLaughlin is averaging 9.8 ppg and Pingelski is right behind her averaging 9.2 ppg. Ashley Clawson is averaging 7.5 ppg, and both Durivage and Brayleigh Hanlon are averaging 6.3 ppg. Freshman McKenzie Robinson is averaging 5.2 ppg. MCLA played Utica College on Wednesday night and will be back in action on Saturday when they host Simmons College in North Adams at 1 p.m.
cruise to a 30 point victory. Monroe would end up leading the Trailblazers with 12 points and a perfect 6-6 from the free-throw line. Merle Darling and Joe Wiggins would be second on the time with 8 points for the game. Travis Rice talked about his thoughts on the loss to NYU. “The NYU game didn’t go as planned, but we have a lot of guys hurt on the team,” Rice said. “I think the injuries affected our performance a little, but overall I think we still played hard.” Patrick Burns and Gontikas both scored 22 points to lead NYU. Burns also added 8 rebounds. NYU shot 56 percent from the field while
MCLA only shot 38 percent from the floor. NYU dominated the paint outscoring MCLA 72-32. Rice believes it is still early in the season and a couple of improvements can help the team win games. “It’s still early in the season but out record is not what we want it to be but we are going to bounce back,” Rice said. “We have a lot to work on. Most importantly we have to fully execute our plays and trust one another.” The Trailblazers are currently being led by senior guard Paul Maurice, who is averaging 14.6 points per game. Kirksey is averaging 13.2 ppg and senior Khalil Paul is averaging 12.2 ppg. Junior Dakari Hannah-Wornum is the team’s top defender, averaging 11.8 rebounds per game and 3.7 blocks per game. HannahWornum’s 22 total blocks on the season are the second highest total in the country. MCLA is back in action on Wednesday when the Trailblazers are home against WPI at 7:30 p.m. WPI currently is a perfect 5-0 on the season and is ranked No. 13 in the nation by D3hoops.com
Men’s basketball stopped by NYU By Tyler Bacon Sports Editor
The MCLA Men’s Basketball team traveled to New York University on Sunday and lost by a final score of 97-67. MCLA’s record on the season drops to 2-4 while NYU improved to 4-0. MCLA’s Careem Kirksey talked about where the team can still improve this season. “There’s always improvement needed on the defensive side of the floor because those key stops can win us the game,” Kirksey said. “Looking back on the 2-4 record, if we made those stops, we would be 5-1 and on the other side of the ball we need to run our plays and do it effectively.” New York University jumped out to an early 25-8 lead and never looked back from there. The Violets led 51-33 at the end of the first half. The Trailblazers were led by Ki-Shawn Monroe with 8 points and Kirksey with 7 points at halftime. NYU was led by Costis Gontikas with 16 points and 6 rebounds in 9 minutes at halftime. In the second half, NYU outscored the Trailblazers 46-34 to
Photo from MCLA Athletics
MCLA freshman Ki-Shawn Monroe scored a career high 12 points on Sunday, going 6-6 from the free throw line.
Sports
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Fair Territory
NFL Week 12 Power Rankings By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
With only one undefeated team left in the NFL, a dark horse team surges into the number one spot in the Week 13 Power Rankings. 1. Carolina PanthersThe Panthers look to be gaining steam as the season wears on, trouncing Dallas on Thanksgiving and embarrassing the Cowboys in front of a national audience. Led by do-it-all quarterback Cam Newton, Carolina is averaging 34 points per game over the last five games. 2. New England PatriotsInjuries finally caught up to New England on Sunday night, as their normally potent offense was crippled and the Patriots’ perfect season came to an end at the hands of Denver. A loss to a 9-2 team on the road in overtime while battling injuries isn’t all that disappointing, and if some key players get healthy for the postseason, the road to the Super Bowl will still go through New England. 3.Arizona CardinalsThe Cardinals have probably the most impressive resume out of any team in the NFL, with victories over Cincinnati and at Pittsburgh and Seattle already this season. Arizona didn’t play their best football on Sunday, picking up a narrow victory at home against San Francisco, but their highflying offense and playmaking defense might make them a favorite in the NFC, even over Carolina. 4. Cincinatti BengalsMarvin Lewis’ bunch dismantled the spiraling St. Louis Rams, rolling over St. Louis 31-7 to move to 9-2 on the season. Considering Cincinnati has only two remaining games against teams with winning records, the Bengals have likely punched their playoff ticket for the fifth consecutive season. 5. Denver BroncosAfter looking dead in the water with Peyton Manning as their quarterback, Denver has seen a resurgence under the leadership of Brock Osweiler. Osweiler looked confident defeating the defending champs.
6. Minnesota VikingsThe 8-3 Vikings zoomed past the free-falling Atlanta Falcons to take sole possession of first place in the NFC North. They may not be all that flashy, but a physical running game and a dynamite defense that is allowing only 17.6 points per game, the second lowest total in the NFL, Minnesota has gotten done in a tough NFC. 7. Seattle SeahawksSeattle picked up a muchneeded victory at home over Pittsburgh on Sunday, downing the Steelers 38-30. Russell Wilson picked up his first career victory when his defense surrendered greater than 25 points, proving that he can win a shootout, which is necessary considering Seattle will likely have to go through Arizona and Carolina if they hope to reach the Super Bowl for a third consecutive year. 8. Green Bay PackersGreen Bay dropped another close game, this time to division rival Chicago at home. Aaron Rodgers is clearly feeling the loss of top target Jordy Nelson as his remaining receivers struggle to get open. Rodgers’ yards per game and yards per attempt are there lowest since he took over the starting job in Green Bay in 2008. 9. Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh lost a tough road game to Seattle, but their offense put up plenty of points against the stout Seattle defense. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is unfazed by any situation, and has found budding star wide receiver Markus Wheaton for numerous big plays over the last couple games. Wheaton is averaging 19.0 yards per reception, giving Antonio Brown a much needed sidekick on the outside. 10. Kansas City ChiefsAfter starting out the season 1-5 and getting hit with injuries, Kansas City has managed to win five games in row with a scoring differential of +98. The signing of free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has proven to be a crucial acquisition, as Kansas City is airing it out more in the absence of Jamaal Charles. 11. Indianapolis ColtsMatt Hasselbeck, at 40 years old, has a quarterback rating of 94.4, his highest qualified total since he led the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl in 2005. He is also 4-0 as a starter and has the 6-5 Colts looking like a playoff team after all. 12. Houston TexansSimilar to Kansas City, Houston looked to be going nowhere early in the season, but have improved to 6-5 thanks to a stifling defense that has held opponents to under 8 points per game during their four-game winning streak. Reigning and defending NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt has once again proved he is the league’s top defender, leading the NFL in sacks with 13.5.
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Opinion:Warriors
marching into the history books By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
Defying all odds, the calendar has turned to December and an NBA team is still waiting for its first loss of the season. The Golden State Warriors have rattled off 19 consecutive victories to start the season, the most ever in NBA history. Nineteen wins in a row is impressive in its own right, it is tied for the seventh most consecutive victories in NBA history, and to accomplish that feat to start a season is unheard of. The Warriors are also doing it coming off of one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history, in which they won 67 games and cruised to the franchise’s fourth championship. The idea of a “championship hangover” is one that has plagued teams for decades. Once a championship is won, the fire usually burns a little less bright at the start of the following season, players want more playing time, and the overall competitive edge begins to dull. Golden State has ignored all of those restrictions and annihilated the rest of the NBA at an unprecedented rate. Golden State is leading the league in scoring, averaging better than 115 points per game. The next closest team is averaging 108 points per game. The Warriors are also surrendering only 99.9 ppg, the 14th best mark in the league. That means the Warriors are winning games by average of 15.4 points per game. The alltime record for point differential in a season is 12.28, done by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, a team that on 69 games (including 33 in a row) and won the NBA championship. So far, the Warriors are 3 ppg better than them. Golden State of course is being led by reigning MVP Steph Curry, who is off to a legendary season. Curry is averaging 31.6 ppg and shooting 51 percent from the floor and leads the league in free throw shooting, knocking down 94 percent of his attempts from the free throw line. Curry has taken on a greater offensive role than he has in the past, averaging over 20 field goal attempts per game after never having finished a season averaging greater than 17 attempts per game. Of course, you cannot talk about Steph Curry without mentioning three point shooting. Everyone knows that Curry is the best shooter in the NBA, but I don’t think people understand how ridiculous he really is. Curry is shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc, a number that is ten points better than the league average of 34 percent. The real unbelievable statistic is that Curry is shooting over 11 three
pointers a game, by far on pace to be the highest total in history. Last season, Curry set the all-time record for most three point field goals made in a season with 286. 19 games into the 2015-2016 season, Curry is on pace to make 402 three pointers! 402! The combination of volume and efficiency is something the NBA has never seen. As great as Curry has been, the Warriors as an entire unit have been outstanding. When the team with the best player in the NBA is also the team that plays the best team basketball, then the rest of the NBA is in serious trouble. Klay Thompson is the perfect second banana for Curry at the shooting guard position, a skilled defender that can take on the tougher assignment on the other end of the floor, which allows Curry to freelance on defense and focus on offense. Thompson also doubles as perhaps the second best shooter in the NBA behind Curry and can heat up at any moment. Andre Iguodala is a swiss-army knife, capable of playing lockdown defense, attacking the basket and handling the ball and is a top playmaker. Harrison Barnes brings many of those same tools and has shown the ability to guard four positions at different times. Although Curry rightfully gets most of the press, Draymond Green is the heart and soul of the team. Green is probably the most versatile defender in the NBA, is an extremely skilled passer and has shown the ability to play the center position despite being undersized. In fact, the Warriors small-ball deathsqaud lineup of Green, Barnes, Iguodala, Thompson and Curry is averaging 160 points per 100 possessions and is surrendering 90 points per 100 possessions. Let those numbers sink in for a minute. The thing about the Warriors is that NBA teams are not supposed to be this good anymore. There are so many rules in place, from the salary cap to the NBA draft lottery that tries to level the playing field. The Warriors have been able to become so successful mainly because of smart drafting. Only Curry and Barnes are top10 draft picks, and they were each taken outside the top-5. Golden State has hit homeruns on Thompson and Green, but have also been smart in acquiring quality role players like Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli, Shaun Linvingston and others. The Warriors historic start has been the best storyline in the NBA, making every game must watch TV. The question now is how far can they go.
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Scores Men’s Basketball Sunday, Nov. 29 MCLA @ NYU 97-67, L Women’s Basketball Monday, Nov. 30 MCLA @ Lasell College 85-72
Standings Men’s Basketball Team
Record
Salem State 3-2 Fitchburg State 3-4 Westfield State 3-5 Bridgewater State 2-4 MCLA 2-4 Worcester State 2-4 Framingham State 1-5
Women’s Basketball
Team
Record
Framingham State 4-2 MCLA 4-2 Salem State 3-2 Worcester State 3-3 Bridgewater State 2-3 Westfield State 2-3 Fitchburg State 0-8
Schedules Saturday, Dec. 5 Women’s Basketball MCLA vs Simmons 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9 Women’s Basketball MCLA vs Mount Holyoke 5:30 p.m. Men’s Basketball MCLA vs WPI 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 Women’s Basketball MCLA @ Union Noon Men’s Basketball MCLA vs Southern Vermont @ RPI 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13 Men’s Basketball MCLA vs TBA @ RPI TBA
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Opinion
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Beacon.MCLA.edu
“Did you participate in any holiday deals?”
The Beacon The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College’s community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department, and ad revenues. Single copies are free, additional copies may be purchased at 50 cents each. Contact information: News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5404 Email: Beacon@mcla.edu Web site: beacon.mcla.edu Office: Mark Hopkins Hall, room 111
“I bought two liters of unicorn blood on Amazon on Black Friday.” -Jackson Poirier , 2019
“On Cyber Monday, I bought my friends (who are expecting) a baby bouncer.” -Callen Gardner, 2016
“On Black Friday, I bought some socks, a phone case and a necklace for Christmas gifts to my family.” -Jackson Poirier, 2019
Mission Statement The Beacon strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events. 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 emailed to Beacon@mcla.edu.
“I bought some Christmas gifts and a deep-fryer on Black Friday.” -Colby Harvish, 2016
Editorial
“On Cyber Monday, I got some cat sweaters for a great deal.” -Abby Lucas, 2016
Photos compiled by Liz Quirk
Are we particpating in extracurriculars less? One of the most common plugs used on incoming students to prepare them for college is the idea to get involved in as many clubs as possible. Admissions recruiters know what students do aside from academics will play an important role in their social life and how comfortable they feel on campus. By finding people to befriend with similar interests, it can allow for a support system away from home, especially for those who live on campus. Our campus has 51 clubs and organizations funded under Student Government Association. On top of that, the Center for Service and Citizenship offers several volunteer opportunities a semester, in the community and on campus. Both are great ways to meet new people during a new chapter of one’s life. They also act as resume boosters for post graduation. However, there seems to be a decrease in student’s ability to commit to activities outside of studies and working. The number of students volunteering is declining, according to a USA Today article. Nationally, in 2010, 26.1 percent of college students volunteered that year, down from 31.2 percent in 2004. The Bureau of Labor Statistics say that individuals with more education engage in volunteer events at a higher rate that those who are less educated in 2014. About 39.4 percent of post-grads volunteered, 27.3 percent of people with some college education volunteered, and 16.4 percent of high school grads volunteered. Bigger, more organized volunteer opportunities seem to have the largest turn out from sports teams and greek
organizations rather than a group of strangers. In MCLA’s Guide to Clubs and Organizations, it says there are 168 hours per week, 15 hours of class time, 30 hours of study time, 56 hours of sleeping, 21 hours of eating, and 20 hours to have a part-time job. In concludes by saying there are 26 hours left to get involved. As if these measurements existed in a perfect world, then roadblocks wouldn’t be an issue. If life isn’t consistent, then how is one supposed to be responsible to attend a meeting that doesn’t pay out with money or with a credit. If students didn’t have to attend a three hour night class, they wouldn’t, but after paying for tuition and receiving a credit, it makes the value worth it. Are student’s too busy to get involved? A student at the Northern Illinois University student newspaper writes, “When you’re involved in extracurricular activities, not only do you get that experience, you get the chance to meet different people through the process. If you were the leader of an organizational group or club, it shows that you have leadership skills and know how to take control of things.” Even though extracurricular activities will advance social and leadership skills, a club that’s a hobby, won’t help advance your career unless it’s directly related to the field. The last day to withdraw from classes just passed a few weeks ago and many students do so after realizing that some courses and interests outweigh each other and EXTRACURRICULARS continued on page 11
“I bought some Christmas gifts for my family and girlfriend on Shop Local Saturday.” -Chris Merriman, 2016
Health
Bigger than biceps aesthetic goals to become Understanding and more achievable, according to supplements an article from September on BodyBuilding.com. and vitamins
By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Co-Editor in Chief With winter break only a few daydream thoughts away, you may be gearing up for a vacation somewhere warmer and sunnier. While hiding under your late fall coat, you may be wondering, ‘What's the quickest way to lose weight overnight?’ I can tell you it isn't possible. What your next thought might be is how to get your hands on some cheap WalMart lose-weight-fast capsules. Don't do it, I've been there. Nowadays with the massive push for athletes and fitness models to use supplements, it's hard to decipher what's actually doing your body good. I'm not a chemistry or biology major, but I've learned a little about supplements, more so in the past two years by experimenting with different brands myself. While most supplements either help one gain weight or lose weight, other types exist for a variety of body maintenance. Only looking for protein powders and fat burners are the extremes at each end of the spectrum of supplement options. Supplements can also improve overall health
Vitamins and minerals are just as important as they were when your parents forced Flintstone gummies on you every morning. Because it's hard to manage all necessary vitamins and minerals through food, you may have to obtain them another way. A good multivitamin can make up for any nutrient deficiencies. Outlets to look for any supplements include CampusProtein.com, BodyBuilding.com, and General Nutrition Centers (GNC); however don’t get sucked into a salesperson selling you expensive products after telling them you don’t know what you want. Do some research, then shop. Fish oil is another staple in the fitness community and essential to a regular diet. Fish and meat contain omega 6 and omega 3, which are also important fatty acids because they regulate blood pressure and inflammatory responses, according to Web MD. These protect against heart disease, diabetes and types of cancer. The next time you see a packet of daily vitamins, don’t get scared or believe they’re all fat burners, because really they regulate bodily functions and compensate for nutrient imbalance. If you can incorporate necessary nutrients into your diet, then vitamins and supplements may not be something to bother with. However, if you’re into constant lifting and working out as a lifestyle, it may be good to consider these diet add-ins.
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 emailed 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 Co-Editors in Chief Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Nicholas Swanson Co-Web Editors Jake Mendel Matt Aceto
Sports Editor Jesse Collings A&E Editor Mitchell Chapman
Senior News Editor Idalis Foster Features Editor Gionna Nourse Buisness Manager Sam Stuhler
Copy Chief Brittany Gallacher Photography Editor Agnella Gross Managing Editor Harmony Birch
Staff Staff Writers
Photographers and Videographers
Jarred Clapp Chris Riemer Torin Gannon Joseph Carew Matt Hotaling Tyler Bacon Nick Tardive
Isabel McKenzie Tiearra Henson Elizabeth Quirk Jay Tocco
Cartoonist
Caitlin O’Neill*
Copy Editors
Advisers
Caitlin O’Neill* Paige Vincent Lauren Levite Veronica Colacurcio
Jenifer Augur Gillian Jones Shawn McIntosh
*Holds more than one position
Online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Facebook.com/MCLABeacon Twitter.com/TheBeacon_MCLA
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Police Logs
Announcements & Opinion
End-of-Semester Stages
Beacon.MCLA.edu EXTRACURRICULARS continued from page 10
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call for a sacrifice. Perhaps the way of recruitment for extracurricular and volunteer opportunities is to blame for a declinein interest. Students’ main form of communication rely on Facebook class pages, email and group messages, in addition to flyers on walls and on TV screens, and during the ice cream social club fair at the beginning of the semester. The awareness is prevalent, but as students grow through college, their focus lessons on extracurricular activities, and focuses more on getting enough credits to graduate and to finish quicker to save money.
Week of 11/22-11/29 Public Safety responded to 135 total calls
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Sunday, Nov. 22
◆ 2:24 a.m. – Public Safety responded to a suspicious activity reported at the college. No Action was required.
Monday, Nov. 23
◆ 5:29 p.m. – Public Safety responded to a suspicious activity reported at Venable Hall. The situation was investigated but the suspicious activity reported was unfounded.
Tuesday, Nov. 24
◆ 4:16 p.m. – Public Safety responded to a vehicle in need of assistance at the Freel Library parking lot. The vehicle was successfully jump started.
Wednesday, Nov.25
◆ 5:46 p.m. – Public Safety responded to a report of an unwanted guest at the Amsler Campus Center. The subject was warned.
Thursday, Nov. 26
◆ 1:27 a.m. – Public Safety responded to a fire alarm at the Amsler Campus Center. The Alarm was false.
Saturday, Nov. 27
◆ 1:54 a.m. – Public Safety responded to a disturbance at the campus headquarters. No action was required.
◆ 6:37 p.m. – Public Safety responded to an alarm at the Falgg townhouses. The alarm was accidental.
◆ 8:17 p.m. – Public Safety responded to a report of an unwanted guest at the Amsler Campus Center. The subject was gone upon Public Safety’s arrival.
Sunday, Nov. 15
◆ 5:20 p.m. – Public safety responded to a vehicle in need of assistance at the Berkshire Towers. They tried to jumpstart the vehicle but were unsuccessful.
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Join nbCC’s during their December forum on Community Asset Mapping The northern Berkshire community will once again gather to discuss important issues facing its residents at our monthly forum on Friday, Dec. 11. The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition (nbcc) advocates a unique community management program. Community asset mapping is a different, positive approach to building strong communities. Every community has needs and deficits that ought to be attended to, but it is possible to focus on assets and strengths emphasizing what the community does have, not what it doesn’t. Those assets and strengths can be used to meet needs and improve community life. To draw upon a community’s assets, we first have to find out what they are. What to expect: • Discover what resources you bring to the table in solving local issues • Look at our community as one filled with assets rather than needs • Identify the assets in our community that will set the stage for planning future forums and their conversations. “The December forum is a unique opportunity to change
the way we look at solving issues in our region. Oftentimes, when faced with a challenge, communities are apt to focus on their needs and deficiencies, which runs the risk of the community creating a needbased identity. During this forum, we will discover the assets within the northern Berkshires, so that future forum conversations will be asset-based,” explained Annie Rodgers, Program Coordinator of nbCC’s Northern Berkshire Neighbors Program. The forum will begin with a round of introductions followed by brief announcements of your upcoming events or new projects. Please bring flyers about your events and announcements, as there will be a table available for sharing them. The forum will be held on Friday, December 11, 10 a.m. to noon at the First Baptist Church in North Adams (please use the Eagle Street entrance). Also note that the organizers of the Friendship Center Food Pantry at 45 Eagle Street ask friends who attend the nbCC forums to please bring a non-perishable food item for donation to the pantry. For more information on this forum, please contact Annie Rodgers, at (413) 663-7588, or e-mail arodgers@ nbccoalition.org.
FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENT IT’S ALMOST THAT TIME AGAIN!!! TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT REAPPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID FOR NEXT FALL! 2016-2017 FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION PACKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PICK UP OUTSIDE THE CAFÉ. STOP BY OUR TABLE BY THE CAFÉ ENTRANCE ON DECEMBER 8 AND 9 FROM 11:00AM – 12:45PM. NOT EATING IN THE CAFÉ? STOP BY THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE IN ELDRIDGE HALL TO PICK ONE UP.
WJJW Thursday
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Composts in Training with Nick Tardive 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. The Gas Station with Matt Aceto 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. A bailar con Tangie (Early afternoons with Tangie) with Tangie Mendez This show is in Spanish 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. On Air with Devin with Chris Riemer 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. The Squirrel with Alison Gilbert 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Current with Tim Williams 8:00 - 10:00 p.m.The Bucket with Becky and Courtney 10:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. On Air With Devin with Chris Riemer Friday 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Bumpin’ with Britt with Brittany Whitford 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Music Variety 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Hazards of Love with Kathleen Sansone 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. The Squirrel with Alison Gilbert 3:00 -5:00 p.m. On Air with Devin with Chris Riemer 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Unitarian Radio with Alex Hicks-Courant 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. MCLA Pregame with Tim Williams and Erika Flannery 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Metal Heart with Micky
Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. FolKenS.uch with Ken Swiatek 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. Metal Heart 2.0 with Micky 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. The Generic Show with DJ Generico 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Outrage with Aaron Lopes, Messaoud Kerris and Leland Harper 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Grab the Bull By the Horns with Ben Harvish 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Potts on the Rocks with Casey Potts and Dylan Burkhart 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. North Adams Hip-Hop with Matt Aceto and Guy Francois
Sunday 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Ry-Guy Polka Time with Ryan Pause 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Eclectic Mix With Iz and Nick with Isabel McKenzie and Nick Cross 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.The Sunday Shuffle with Aryel Brosnan 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.Sound Soup with Ja.m.es Swinchoski 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.The Call with Andrew Baillargeon 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. The List with Drew Weisse
Email your press release and information on Office 365 to beacon@mcla.edu
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Thursday, December 3, 2015
Photo Essay
Beacon.MCLA.edu
B A B I E S
B A R N Freshmen Declan Nolan and Dirk Jones are all smiles while they look at a baby bunny.
Photos by Isabel McKenzie
Rachelle Ferguson cuddles a baby pig.
A baby goat in a diaper wanders the gym.
Jaclyn Ordway ‘18 cradles a bunny.
Puppies play-fought for most of the night.