Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.
The Beacon
For more content, visit online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Volume 79 ◆ Issue 5
Th u r s d ay, O c t o b e r 1 6 , 2 0 1 4
UN member to speak on ISIS Women’s Center honors of chemical weapons program in Syria, according to History and Political Science professor Robert Bence in an email. Currently, Hinds leads a program in Pittsfield that addresses youth and violence gangs. “As citizens we should understand as much as we can about ISIS in order to evaluate the policies of our government,” Bence said. “Adams wants to share his expertise and experiences with MCLA students.” According to The Onion, ISIS is a former al-Qaeda-aligned organization and has been carrying out mass killings and seizing cities in Iraq. It’s a selfdeclared Islamic State which resides as an unrecognized Sunni Jihadist state in Iraq and Syria in the Middle East. Hinds has given lectures at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Chatham House in London, and at an Oslo Forum in Oslo, Norway. According to his resume, Hinds has been a member of the United Nations since 2005 and has handled tasks such as providing building advice to Iraq ministries working on national reconciliation.
Photo Courtesy of Adam Hinds
United Nations member Adam Hinds will lecture on the current dispute with ISIS on Wednesday.
By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Editor-in-Chief
United Nations member Adam Hinds will speak on ISIS and the implications for the international community on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Murdock 218. MCLA’s International Conflict Prevention and Resolution Speaker Series made the presentation possible through
grants from The Boschen Peace and International Understanding Fund. Hinds has contributed to international efforts to resolve territorial conflicts amongst Iraq and Kurdistan. He has supported the Israeli/Palestinian peace process, was stationed in Baghdad, Jerusalem, Geneva and New York, and he’s also worked toward the elimination
Hooping in color
breast cancer victims
Photo by Agnella Gross/The Beacon
Sam O’Brien ‘16 checks a fake breast for lumps during Women’s Center Wednesday on Oct. 8.
By Juanita Doss Staff Writer
Students decorated pink ribbons during the Women’s Center Breast Cancer Event on Wednesday Oct. 8 in remembrance of loved ones who lost their battles to breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and is the second most common form of cancer. This year an estimated 232,030 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the United States alone, according to the Susan G. Komen website. One in every eight women has breast cancer, and it is found in men as well, though more rarely. Director of the Woman’s Center Amanda Beckwith said it is very important to schedule frequent breast cancer checkups with your doctor, as well as regular mammograms. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast which can find breast cancer at an early stage when the chances of survival are highest.
The average size lump found by the first mammogram is about the size of a dime. The average size lump found by accident tends to be about the size of a quarter. Beckwith explained that breast cancer is not always hereditary. Some people think it can’t happen to them, but in reality it can. Starting at age 20, one should have a clinical breast exam at least every three years, and every year starting at age 40. According to the Susan G. Komen website, “this year in the United States alone, more than 11,000 young women under 40 will be told that they have breast cancer.” If one notices any of these symptoms: a lump, hard knot or thickening inside of the breast or underarm area; swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast tissue; change in the shape or size of the breast; dimpling of the skin; itchy scaly sore or rash on the nipple; pulling in of the nipple or other parts; discharge in the nipple that starts unexpectedly; or a new pain in one spot that doesn’t go away one should see a health care provider. During the Women’s Center event, a fake breast was passed from student to student so they could get an idea of what a lump could feel like. “The most beneficial part of this to me was being able to feel the lumps and know that they come in different sizes and variations,” Sam O’Brien, class of ’16, said. Some ways women can lessen their changes of having breast cancer is to live a healthy lifestyle, maintaining their weight, add exercise to their daily routines, limit alcohol, and limit breast feeding if possible.
BREAST CANCER continued on page 3
Beacon newspapers taken from buildings By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Editor-in-Chief
On Monday, several hundred issues of the Oct. 9 Beacon newspapers were removed from Hoosac Hall, the Amsler Campus Center, the Feigenbaum Science Center, and Murdock Hall. The Beacon filed a theft report with Public Safety Tuesday night.
Photo by Osakpolo Igiede/The Beacon
Molly Racette, resident of North Adams, hula hoops in front of Murdock Hall on Sept. 30.
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Abraham.In.Motion comes to Two journalists from Pakistan visit the college Mass MoCa this weekend News in Pakistan differs greatly from how U.S. news is produced News, page 3
Women’s Tennis competes in playoffs
Kyle Abraham’s dance performance blends various cultural influences
Trailblazers fall toCastleton State
Arts & Entertainment, page 7
Sports, page 9
The Beacon prints 900 copies, which costs $599. The financial loss of the newspapers also includes the value of the advertisements, which was $15 in last week’s issue. According to the Student Press Law Center, newspaper theft is a crime and a form of censorship. Even though the Beacon is a free newspaper, the removal of large quantities is considered a crime.
News Arts & Entertainment Sports Campus Opinion Local Events Photo Essay
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Campus News
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Weekend Weather Thursday, October 16
SGA Fall Election Results Senators Seats
Senate at-large: Jamie Burdick, Lucas G. McDiarmid, Ryan Robison, Lauren Tomaszczuk Athlete Seat: Svetlana Morrell Commuter Seat: Bethany O’Neil Greek Seat: Taylor Krowitz Class of 2015: Osakpolo Igiede Class of 2016: Sherley Jules
Thunderstorms High: 69° Low: 56° Prec. Chance: 100%
Friday, October 17
Class of 2018: Jennifer Baptiste, Rachel Durgin
Class Council Class of 2015 Vice President- Lucas G. McDiarmid Class of 2017 Vice President- Bridget Forson Class of 2018 President- Meghan DeLuca Vice President- Lauren Tomaszczuk Secretary- Shannon Eposito Treasurer- No Winner New members will be sworn in at the SGA Meeting in Murdock 218 on October 20 at 7 p.m.
Partly Cloudy High: 67° Low: 49° Prec. Chance: 20%
Saturday, October 18
SGA Sponsors: The Sam Gomez 5k Road Race is on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Students race free, courtesy of the intramural and recreation program
Showers High: 67° Low: 43° Prec. Chance: 60%
To benefit YMCA’s Youth Programs
Mostly Sunny High: 48° Low: 32° Prec. Chance: 20%
Family and alumni weekend events Schedule of Events
Friday, October 17 FAMILY AND ALUMNI WELCOME RECEPTION 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Mingo’s Sports Bar and Grill
Saturday, October 18 REGISTRATION AND CLOTHING DRIVE 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. Amsler Campus Center Marketplace RESIDENCE AREA RECEPTIONS 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Berkshire Towers Lobby, Hoosac Hall Entry and the Townhouse Greenhouse WAFFLE WEEKEND BEN LAMB ’07 Townhouse Greenhouse
WITH
INNOVATION BEGINS HERE TOUR 10:30 a.m. Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation Atrium VOLLEYBALL VS. SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY 11 a.m. Tri-match: approximate time of second MCLA game begins at 3 p.m. Come to the gym to watch our women take on Salem State University and UMASS Dartmouth in this weekend’s tri-match. Amsler Campus Center Gymnasium LOOK GREAT AT THE GATES: ALUMNI PHOTOBOOTH 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. The Gates on Church Street Across from Berkshire Towers BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL ALUMNI GAMES 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Joseph Zavattaro Athletic Complex
BRUNCH 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Amsler Campus Center Centennial Room FAMILY CARNIVAL AND CHOWDER FEST 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sponsored by the Student Government Association Venable Hall Gymnasium DISTINGUISHED LUNCHEON 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
ALUMNI
This annual luncheon honors five distinguished alumni who have made outstanding contributions in community service, or in service to the College and its alumni. Murdock Hall Sammer Dennis Room (218) MEN’S SOCCER VS. WESTFIELD STATE UNIVERSITY 1:30 p.m. Joseph Zavattaro Athletic Complex Shewcraft Field 3RD ANNUAL TOURNAMENT 3 p.m.
CORNHOLE
Sponsored by the Intramural and Recreation Program Alumni - 1 | Family and Students -1 Taconic Lawn Rain Location: Murdock Hall, Garden Level ATHLETIC TAG SALE 3 p.m. Taconic Lawn ALPHA LAMBDA DELTA AND ALPHA CHI HONOR SOCIETIES INDUCTION CEREMONY 3 p.m. Church Street Center Eleanor Furst Roberts Auditorium COCKTAIL RECEPTION 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Cash Bar Gallery 51 51 Main Street North Adams
Beacon file photo
Tyrell Mosley and his family during a previous family weekend. ALANA CLUB COUNCIL MULTICULTURAL POTLUCK DINNER 5:30 p.m. Church Street Center Social Hall ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME DINNER 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Holiday Inn Berkshires 40 Main Street North Adams
Sunday, October 19 SAM GOMEZ ROAD RACE [5K] 11:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Student Government Association to benefit YMCA’s Youth Programs Entry fee is $13 pre-entry and $15 on race day. Check-in begins at 10 a.m. To register, click here. Check-In: Amsler Campus Center, Sullivan Lounge BRUNCH 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Amsler Campus Center Centennial Room STUDENT-ATHLETE ROUNDTABLE 12:30 p.m. Listen to former student-athletes discuss their pathway to success after participating in athletics at MCLA. Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation Atrium
Campus Police Logs
The week of 10/5-10/11
Sunday, October 19
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Sunday, October 5 ◆ 12:23 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a forcible sex offense at a house between Ashland and Church Street. The issue was referred to an outside agency. ◆ 2:37 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a disturbance at the Flagg Townhouse Apartment Complex Parking Lot. The issue was referred to an outside agency.
Monday, October 6 ◆ 10:00 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a bomb threat at the Flagg Townhouse Complex Greenhouse. A report was filed. ◆ 10:00 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a drug offense at the Flagg Townhouse Complex Apartment 24A. Arrest(s) were made by an outside agency. ◆ 11:10 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call at the Wellness Center. Services were rendered.
Tuesday, October 7 ◆ 2:30 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a report of suspicious activity at the Campus Police Office. The report was investigated. Wednesday, October 8 ◆ 12:51 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a report of a disturbance of the peace at Eldridge Hall. The subject was issued a warning. Thursday, October 9
◆ 1:05 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a report of suspicious activity on Blackinton Street. A report was filed. Friday, October 10 ◆ 3:02 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a report of suspicious activity at Mark Hopkins Hall. Services were rendered. Saturday, October 5 ◆ 4:31 p.m. - Public Safety addressed a vehicle registration check on Cornith Street. The subject was issued a warning.
Campus News
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Pakistani journalists emphasize freedom of expression in U.S. The influence of social media news on youth is a commonality between the U.S. and Pakistan
Photo by Nick Arena/the Beacon
Pakistani journalists Samiullah Randhawa and Abdul Bari Madokhail speak to English/Communications Professor Jen Augur’s Issues in Journalism class on Tuesday, Oct. 7. for the Daily Bazyab, and Abdul By Idalis Foster Bari Madokhail, feature writer for Staff Writer the Daily Jehan, spoke to classes On Oct. 7, two Pakistani jour- and The Beacon about the dannalists visited MCLA as part gers of reporting in Pakistan and of the International Center for the differences in news content Journalists and the U.S.-Pakistan between Pakistan and the U.S. While speaking to students in Professional Partnership in JourIssues in Journalism, a course nalism. taught by English/CommunicaSamiullah Randhawa, reporter
Interactive activities educate on breast cancer awareness BREAST CANCER continued from page 1
According the Susan G. Komen website, more than 400 men die from breast cancer each year. Men often don’t think they can get breast cancer because they frequently don’t think of themselves as having breasts. However, all men do have some breast tissue, and can experience the same symptoms as women. Unlike women, most men don’t know they have breast cancer because they ignore the warning signs, or do not tell their doctors what they’re feeling because of embarrassment. If men experience any of the warning signs, they should tell their doctors of their medical
history, have the problem area checked out by the doctor, get an x-ray of their chest area or have other tests such as an ultra-sound or a biopsy. Junior Khalill Dancy, who attended the Women’s Center event, came away from the event with the reality that no one is safe from getting cancer. “It can come in different types and it isn’t necessarily a death sentence if you keep on top of it,” Dancy said. “I absolutely do think it is beneficial for the campus to know about it.” There is no certain way to prevent breast cancer, but finding it early and immediately getting treatment can make a big difference.
tions Professor Jenifer Augur, Bari recounted a frightening memory of being followed by a disguised man on a motorcycle without license plates on his way to work not long after writing an article that was critical of a political figure. In Augur’s Writing & Reporting the News I class, Randhawa told his own chilling story of being held at gunpoint at an ATM after having written a political story that was also critical of its subjects. “Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists,” Randhawa said. “American journalists have freedom of expression and much more access to information.” They also mentioned that American newspapers like The Berkshire Eagle have more of a community focus than the local newspapers in Pakistan. “These newspapers are very fo-
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skewed by these uneasy relations. “America is viewed as the most powerful country and most developed,” said Bari. “It is seen as interfering with our political affairs and atomic technology through objections. We have lost $102 billion due to the war on terror and have sacrificed our peace for the U.S.” Despite the differences between the U.S. and Pakistan, there is at least one area that is common ground for the two countries: the influence of social media news on the youth. “Politicians such as Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chairman of the people’s party and the national leader, have Twitters and the youth follow them,” said Randhawa. “Social media has no rule; they view these tweets responsibly.”
PAKISTANI continued on page 4
‘Be Who You Are’ event emphasizes self-discovery
Bear McHugh of AHEC speaks about the LGBTQIA community By Isabel McKenzie Staff Writer
The Women’s Center’s event “Be Who You Are: A Journey of Self Discovery” kicked off Tuesday, Oct. 7 amid casual conversation and treats such as fruit, brownies and juice boxes. The event focused on being comfortable with yourself and on suicide prevention. Magnets featuring the number of a 24-hour Suicide Prevention telephone line lay on the tables, mementos of the event for attendees to take home. Having the event take place during “National Coming Out Week” contributed to the open atmosphere of the room. “I’ve found a lot of students who don’t identify as gender normative and/or straight who are looking for different avenues to talk about who they are,” Women’s Center coordinator Amanda Beckwith said. “One example I gave when telling a student about the event was saying that maybe you’ve discovered you’re a poet. We weren’t putting things in a box, but we knew that there would be a slight angle with the intention of having students who choose to talk about their self-discovery.” Student coordinator for the Women’s Center Carrisa SacherPhoto by Agnella Gross/The Beacon ski provided mediation between The Susan B. Anthony Women’s Center was established in 1993 the featured guest and the asand holds Women’s Center Wednesdays every week. sembled students. Sacherski is also the president of Students Taking Action for Gender Equality (S.T.A.G.E.) and the vicepresident of Queer Student Union (QSU) on campus, and as a result many members of both clubs attended the event. The featured guest, Bear McHugh of the Berkshire Area Health Education Center (AHEC), is the project coordina-
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cused on local news and solving the issues of their community,” said Bari. “Social issues are more highlighted than political ones [in the U.S.], but social issues are rarely seen in our newspapers.” The international and political focus in Pakistani newspapers is partly due to their readers’ interests in worldly news, according to Bari and Randhawa. “We have broadcasting national news channels which show both minor and major news that is international,” said Randhawa. “Our news channels covered the events in Missouri and the shooting in Connecticut from a long time ago. They are very concerned because there are many Pakistani immigrants in the U.S.” The tense relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan has long been fueled by the war on terror and an alliance that has faltered over the last decade. According to Bari, views of America have been
Photo by Agnella Gross/The Beacon
Students view a video at the Women’s Center’s ‘Be Who You Are’ event on Tuesday, Oct. 7. tor of the Youth Suicide Preven- ple who went who just wanted to tion Project. Beckwith, who has hear stories or situations,” Beckworked with McHugh on mul- with said. “There are other people tiple occasions, said he enjoys the who probably were looking to opportunity to talk to youth and someone else and saying ‘Who’s college students and is well liked someone I can go talk to about and respected by the students these things?’ Or they might just have found a new friend, based with whom he interacts. Conversation centered on the on conversations. To me it was an LGBTQIA community, the word educational facilitated conversa“queer” and how it can be used, tion about self-discovery.” Khalill Dancy, a student who atand depression and suicide in young people. A short video was tended the event, took away the shown about the Live Out Loud idea that it’s important to stay true Youth Project, a locally based to yourself. “It’s good to be you,” Dancy said. group of youth who had put together a showcase ofartwork con- “You shouldn’t be afraid of being who you are. And I know it’s cerning their self-discovery. Afterwards, attendees were in the title, but you shouldn’t be asked to talk about their own afraid of what society thinks of experiences and, if comfortable, who you are as a person, inside share a part of themselves with and out.” The Women’s Center puts on the group gathered. Responses covered topics ranging from gen- educational and leadership events der and sexual orientation to cat- each month, geared toward all students. For more informalovers and writers. Beckwith said students received tion about future events, contact as much or as little as they wanted Amanda Beckwith or stop by the Women’s Center on the third floor from the event. “There are probably some peo- of the campus center.
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Thursday, October 16, 2014
Campus News
Beacon.MCLA.edu
$31,000 to benefit scholarships Sexual Assault added The college receives two additional grants from AT&T and the Massachusetts Department of Education By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Editor-in-Chief
The Massachusetts Department of Education donated $26,000 to fund its participation in the Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Program during the 2015 fiscal year. Shortly after, AT&T made a donation of $5,000 to fund five $1,000 scholarships for undergrad students. The Dual Enrollment Program is available to juniors and seniors in high school who wish to register for classes at the College free of charge. It is an early introduction to college life, as well as the opportunity to earn college cred-
its and experience the expectations of a college course, according to Dean of Academic Affairs Monica Joslin. “The program is offered to all Massachusetts campus and community colleges,” Joslin said. “It gives students a chance to get an introduction to college life free of charge.” The name Dual Enrollment means that a student can put the college credit toward their high school curriculum and their college career. Only high schools in Berkshire County are qualified to take part in the program, Joslin said. Students who have maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or better and acquire a letter of recom-
mendation are eligible to apply to the program. Credits earned can be applied to the student’s career if they attend MCLA, or toward other colleges and universities. In addition, AT&T will help fund students’ education through scholarship support, acknowledging non-traditional and underserved students who are dedicated to academics. “We are always reaching out to help support students,” Joslin said. “We are grateful for such funding.” AT&T granted the college $4,000 in 2013 to assist undergraduate scholarships. Students can apply for the AT&T scholarship through the financial aid office.
Luma’s to close this weekend Downtown coffee shop looks to expand at another location By Nick Swanson Senior News Editor
Luma’s Muffin and Mug coffee shop on Main St. is set to close on Saturday, Oct. 18. Nicole and Glen Maloney first opened the shop on St. Patrick’s Day over two years ago. “There is not enough space in the (coffee) shop we have now,” Glen said. Luma’s functioned not only as a coffee shop, but as a bakery. The shop had only the front portion of the store devoted to their café services and a small number of places for customers to sit. “We hope to find a right place for the next business,” Glen said. “The bigger space that we need doesn’t exist yet downtown.” The Maloneys plan to relocate the business to a new site in North Adams, but as of right now there are no definite plans for Luma’s next location. “There is really no option to go elsewhere,” Nicole said. “We will most likely be staying in town (NA).” “Since opening in 2012, business overall was thriving financially and in reputation,” Glen said. “In our new place, we want more private (seating) for customers to enjoy their coffee,” he added. “Unfortunately there are no spaces available to meet these exact wants right now.”
By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Editor-in-Chief
On Oct. 1 of each year, the annual Clery report containing campus safety, security, and fire procedures is produced and made available as required by federal law. Statistics related to criminal offenses and fires reported for the last three consecutive years are also published. This year there are three new categories added to include domestic violence, dating violence and stalking in the criminal offense section, director of Public Safety Joseph Charon said in an email. Federal law requires the reporting of domestic violence, dating violence and stalking crime statistics in the annual report, as of 2013. Additionally, a sex offender registry and access to related information is available. Divided sections explain selected policy definitions including consent, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual harassment, stalking, sexual assault, and rape. There is also a rape awareness and education program area mentioning the campus’ Sexual Assault Prevention Workgroup. It consists of trained personnel, and provides such awareness and presentations on prevention edu-
cation. In the report, there are tables listed for non-campus criminal offenses that remain at zero. “The act requires reporting of the number of criminal offenses on campus property, in residence areas on campus property, in noncampus property and on public property, even if those numbers are zero,” Charon said. Two weapons were possessed that led to an arrest in 2013 in the “arrests on-campus” column, which ended up being a paintball gun and an air soft gun, Charon said. When deciding which acts are determined to be offenses, Charon said that the act provides definitions with specific elements for each crime that need to be met in order for it to be counted as a legitimate case. The Jeanne Clery Act took effect in 1991 after a 19-year-old was raped and murdered in her Lehigh University dorm room in April 1986. As a result, the law ensures certain basic rights for victims of campus sexual assaults and requires the U.S. Department of Education to collect and disseminate campus crime statistics, according to the Clery Center for security on campus. The full text of the report can be read and downloaded at mcla. edu/student_life/publicsafety/ clery-report/index.
The Beacon now has an email edition of the newspaper!
Photo by Osakpolo Igiede/The Beacon
Luma’s Muffin and Mug coffee shop on Main St. will close on Oct. 18 after being opening two years ago, in order to expand the establishment. According to Glen, Luma’s entertained a lot of the same customers who were going to and from Mass. MOCA and MCLA’s Gallery 51. He said there was always a large mix of college and local community members who went to the shop regularly. “We wanted to take a step back and make the right decision rather than push towards another business (location) too quickly,” Glen said. “We also have small children to
Pakistan news has political focus
PAKISTANI “There is this sensationalism in continued from page 3 Pakistan where all the news chan-
they view these tweets responsibly.” Randhawa also mentioned that students in Pakistan tend to read multiple articles because they all have different views, and reading multiple stories is how they decipher their news. Their electronic media is taking off as of late with publications such as Jang, one of the main newspapers in circulation, making its way online.
to annual Clery Report
nels are competing for breaking news, even if it is not always the right information,” Randhawa added. “Most of the time in the race of competition, they ignore the rules.” A similiar issue in both Pakistan and the U.S. is the need to be the first person reporting a story, regardless of whether it is completely true. This shows a connection between the countries and their practices of serving the public.
think about,” Nicole added. “The shop was not working best with our family and how busy the business was.” Luma’s was also a part of the Blazer Bucks program at the college, which gave students prepaid credit to use at the coffee shop. There are new shops near Main. St. that are under construction, said Glen. “We will look towards those (places) to see if they can fit our needs,” he said.
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US &World News
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Nation and World Briefs Nation
Tone of family document energizes Catholics
PITTSBURGH — When a summit of bishops issued a document Monday that sounded like a choral echo of Pope Francis — affirming that gay and other couples outside of church-sanctioned marriages can show sacrificial love and commitment — the Rev. Kris Stubna said he was excited and unsurprised.
Food-delivery startups are fattening up on technology Cassandra Santana rarely has time to shop for food, let alone cook it. The Venice, Calif., social-media manager gets groceries delivered weekly to her house. She also orders regularly from trendy restaurants such as Gjelina for delivery to her home or workplace. “Just a year ago, I would be running to the grocery store, and I hate going to the grocery store,” said Santana, 28. “Now I have all the food options in the world at my fingertips.” Technology entrepreneurs have revolutionized how people shop for clothing, find vacation rentals and flag down taxis. Now they’re shaking up the world of eating.
White House offers help for long-term jobless MCT Campus WASHINGTON - The Obama administration on Wednesday announced the expansion of its efforts to aid the long-term unemployed with grants to help get the jobless back into the workplace. President Barack Obama in January launched an effort to remove obstacles for the long-term unemployed, getting major corporations to adopt “best practices” in human-resources departments designed to ensure the long-time jobless aren’t screened out of the possibility of face-to-face employment interviews. The Labor Department announced 23 grants given to 20 states and Puerto Rico to attack the problem of long-term unemployed, which numbered 3 million through September, the latest
reading. The grants will be used by local organizations and governments to match jobless workers with sectors that need workers. Vice President Joe Biden and other administration officials will also meet with chief human resources officers of large companies that have worked to bring in the long-term unemployed. Deloitte Consulting and the Rockefeller Foundation will also release a handbook that employers can use to better catch applicants who are among the longterm jobless. To be considered long-term unemployed, a worker must be jobless and seeking employment for 27 weeks or longer. The current rate of 1.9 percent is more than twice the historical average as a percentage of all workers in the labor force, but has come
ISTANBUL — As U.S. combat planes unleashed a barrage of airstrikes against Islamic extremists besieging a Kurdish enclave in northern Syria on Monday, Turkish warplanes were bombing Kurdish militants not far away in southern Turkey.
Hong Kong police saw through protesters’ barricades amid new clashes
BEIJING — Hundreds of police used chain saws and other power tools Tuesday to remove barricades set up by Hong Kong protesters, continuing the government’s slow squeeze on the prodemocracy demonstrations that that have blocked some streets for more than two weeks.
MCT Campus photo
Obama plans to assist millions of unemployed. down from the December 2013 because many have simply exited rate of 2.5 percent. the workforce. “I categorically reject the no“The long-term number has tion that the long-term unem- fallen because the economy has ployed are unemployable,” Labor picked up,” insisted Jeff Zients, diSecretary Tom Perez told report- rector of the president’s National ers on a conference call ahead of Economic Council. The unemployment rate fell to the announcement. Critics of the Obama admin- 5.9 percent in September, the lowistration allege that the number est it has been since June 2008. of long-term jobless has fallen
Nurses at Texas hospital tell of confused response to Duncan’s arrival curred after he arrived by ambulance. They were spurred to speak out after their colleague, RN Nina Pham, 26, contracted Ebola while treating Duncan, according to DeMoro. She said the nurses were angered over what they perceived to be health officials’ suggestions that Pham made a mistake that led to her exposure to the virus, which has killed more than 4,400 people in West Africa since March.
“Hospital officials allowed nurses who interacted with Mr. Duncan to then continue normal patientcare duties,”
Pentagon unveils plan for military’s response to climate change
Kurdish forces at Kobani benefit from US airstrikes, while Turkey targets their allies
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23 grants will be given to 20 states and Puerto Rico to aid unemployed
World
AREQUIPA, Peru — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel addressed the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas on Monday, unveiling a comprehensive plan for how the U.S. military will address the effects of climate change.
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MCT Campus photo
A patient transported from Frisco, Texas, with concerns of possible exposure to Ebola, arrives at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2014.
MCT Campus DALLAS - Nurses at a Texas hospital where a Liberian man died of Ebola described a confused and chaotic response to his arrival in the emergency room, alleging in a statement Tuesday that he languished for hours in a room with other patients and that hospital authorities resisted isolating him. In addition, they said, the nurses tending him had flimsy protective gear and no proper training from hospital administrators. The allegations, made under unusual circumstances, provided the first detailed portrait of Thomas Eric Duncan’s second trip to the emergency room, where he arrived by ambulance days after doctors had sent him home with a fever, a headache, abdominal pain and a prescription for antibiotics. Tuesday’s claims came during a conference call with reporters
in which none of the nurses from Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital spoke or was identified to reporters. A statement outlining a litany of damning assertions was read by Deborah Burger, co-president of National Nurses United. The Oakland group does not represent the Dallas nurses, who are non-unionized, but has been vocal about what it says are hospitals’ failures to prepare for Ebola. The Dallas nurses asked National Nurses United to read their statement so they could air complaints anonymously and without fear of losing their jobs, National Nurses United executive director RoseAnn DeMoro said from Oakland, Calif. DeMoro refused to say how many nurses signed off on the letter or how many were on the media call, but she said all of them worked at Texas Health Presbyterian and had been involved in Duncan’s care or had direct knowledge of what had oc-
The statement alleged that when Duncan was brought to Texas Health Presbyterian by ambulance on Sept. 28 with Ebolalike symptoms, he was “left for several hours, not in isolation, in an area” where up to seven other patients were. “Subsequently, a nurse supervisor arrived and demanded that he be moved to an isolation unit, yet faced stiff resistance from other hospital authorities,” they alleged. Duncan’s lab samples were sent through the usual hospital tube system “without being specifically sealed and hand delivered. The result is that the entire tube system ... was potentially contaminated,” they said. The statement described a hospital with no clear rules on how to handle Ebola patients, despite months of alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta about the possibility of Ebola coming to the United States. “There was no advanced preparedness on what to do with the patient. There was no protocol. There was no system. The nurses were asked to call the infectious
disease department” if they had questions, but that department didn’t have answers either, the statement said. So nurses were essentially left to figure things out on their own as they dealt with “copious amounts” of highly contagious bodily fluids from the dying Duncan while wearing gloves with no wrist tapes, flimsy gowns that did not cover their necks, and no surgical booties, it alleged. There was no way to independently confirm the allegations, which are in sharp contrast to statements from hospital officials. Since Duncan’s diagnosis last month and subsequent death, they have portrayed the 898-bed facility as up-to-date on CDC guidelines and prepared to handle Ebola. “Patient and employee safety is our greatest priority, and we take compliance very seriously,” the hospital said in a statement. “We have numerous measures in place to provide a safe working environment, including mandatory annual training and a 24-7 hotline and other mechanisms that allow for anonymous reporting. Our nursing staff is committed to providing quality, compassionate care, as we have always known, and as the world has seen firsthand in recent days. We will continue to review and respond to any concerns raised by our nurses and all employees.” Although CDC director Tom Frieden has praised the hospital and its staff, he said Tuesday that the CDC might have prevented Pham’s infection if it had responded more aggressively to Duncan’s case. CDC experts were in the hospital Tuesday watching medical workers as they donned and removed the protective gear required to treat Pham and as they moved in and out of her isolation room. The goal is to ensure they follow guidelines to prevent transmission of the virus.
MCT Campus is a news and image service for college and high school newspapers. MCT stories are selected and edited by Beacon staff for quality and relevance to MCLA students.
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Thursday, October 16, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Scholarship benefits local young dancer By Rachel Fitterman
Arts & Entertainment Editor Dance Company has always been dedicated to giving back to the community, and they were pleasantly surprised to receive a handwritten thank-you card after giving out two scholarships to young students at the Berkshire Dance Theatre (BDT). 11-yearold Chloe Stitcher, of Bennington, Vt., a student at BDT, sent the note after being chosen as a recipient. According to her mother Alison Stitcher, Chloe dances ballet, tap, modern and jazz. Andy Hoar, the Dance Company advisor, noted that the card hit close to home because his own daughter danced at BDT for many years. “My daughter’s now married and off on her own, but she danced with BDT for twelve or fifteen years,” Hoar said. “[The card] just made me think about her and her dancing. I thought it was important that the campus knows that Dance Company isn’t just people dancing once a semester; that their commitment is to the college but to the community as well.” This is the scholarship’s second year running. Last year, it went to students at Karen’s School of Dance in Adams. The Dance Company e-board chose BDT for
Photo courtesy of Alison Stitcher
Chloe Stitcher, one of this year’s Dance Co. scholarship recipients, is pictured in her ballet costume at left. Her thank-you note to the school, right, hit close to home for advisor Andy Hoar. this year’s recipients because of their connection with an alumna who teaches in the studio. “Choosing the school to give to is something that we’ll evaluate again this year. I don’t believe the intention is to only support one school, but we have a natural sort of association with BDT,” Hoar explained. “We’ve worked [with BDT] in the past, so we figured it was a good match,” co-president Deanna Boucher added. “Dance Company has done a few schol-
arships at various points since it began, and we wanted to return our ticket revenue to the c o m munity. We wanted the scholarship to go towards s ome one who would need it financially. BDT ended up choosing the two recipients.” Hoar noted that dance classes can quickly add up, especially when the dancers are enthusiastic. “With a daughter who had been in many, many classes over the years, I saw firsthand the financial
strain that’s put on parents. You start out with one class, and next thing you know, they’re dancing in seven classes,” he said. “It gets expensive. The scholarship makes [multiple classes] accessible for students. People nowadays have limited means, and this positively affects two potential dancers.” Dance Company has worked on other community support projects in the past, including the Salvation Army Angel Tree, which collects presents for chil-
dren in need, as well as the Shriners Hospital for Children, an orthopedic and burn care hospital in Chicago. They also they helped a local Girl Scout Troupe earn their ‘Dance’ badges by bringing the whole troupe in to give them a master class. “We really want to help the community see the benefits of dance, and help people see that Dance Company is committed to more than just performing our own dances. We want to show people that we care about the community in which we live, and we feel we need to give back,” Boucher said. Hoar added, “We really got started [with community service] with the Angel Tree. That was huge. We ended up completely wiping out the Angel Tree on campus, and we still had funds available, so we went over to the Salvation Army and got another one. We bought all the presents we could for the kids, and still had money left over, so we bought hats and mittens as well.” Both Boucher and Hoar aim for the scholarship to continue well into the future, so that Dance Company can give back to the community at large. Boucher said, “We’re hoping that by continuing this scholarship, we can help young dancers achieve their dreams.”
Forging friendship through Shakespeare Yorick brings together all walks of theatre students to create a close-knit learning environment
By Rachel Fitterman
Arts & Entertainment Editor “The play’s the thing!” as the famous Danish prince once said, and Yorick has found this to be exponentially true as they forge friendship and community through theatre. “We found our family here,” vice president and senior Jake Bonenfant said. “It was the most welcoming environment,” treasurer Lance Ruggiero, also a senior, added. Bonenfant and Ruggerio both came to the College from the same high school with the intention of joining Yorick. “MCLA was my first choice school, and when I was going through the acceptance letter package, I was looking at the clubs and I saw Yorick,” Bonenfant said. “I was so happy about there being a Shakespeare club, because I had just started getting really into Shakespeare at that point, and I actually went to Lance, and said ‘Lance, there’s a Yorick club at MCLA!’” Ruggerio laughed as he continued the story: “And I responded with, ‘What’s Yorick and what’s MCLA?’ because I had never heard of either. But then I read more into it, and I was interested as well. Once we got here, we auditioned and we stuck with it. It was nice to have a small community and a close-knit group of
people.” Bonenfant noted, “It was great to find something we loved that quickly. For lot of people it takes a year or two, but for us it happened the first week, really. We were just freshmen who didn’t know what to do, and we were welcomed in.” Secretary and sophomore Mallory Schettine said she joined Yorick looking to find her niche. “I came from a school that was double the size of the undergraduate population at MCLA. I knew that I needed to find my place here, and I was really interested in theatre, so I tried a couple different theatre clubs on campus until I found Yorick,” she said. “It’s definitely a family environment. We’re all very close knit and accepting, and it’s fun to watch the family grow and grow. It also makes it easier to get the opportunities you want in Yorick, because if you want [to direct a play or act], we can find a way to make it happen.” Often times, it is the older members who reach out to bring in a new crop of members. “Our former PR chair Tyler Prendergast was a leader at my orientation, and I talked to him almost my entire orientation,” Ruggerio said. “He told me all about the upcoming show, and that really convinced me to join.” President Bridget Blaisdell, now a senior, noted, “My first week one of the now-alumni
Beacon file photo
Members of Yorick warm up before a quick read through and blocking of ‘The Winter’s Tale.’ members reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, I know you like theatre; you should join Yorick.’ I personally love Shakespeare; I’m not into musical theatre and I’m not a performer, so Yorick seemed like the best fit.” However, many of Yorick’s members are also involved in other theatre clubs and programs, including Harlequin and the Fine and Performing Arts department. All members of the e-board have FPA majors. “I’ve directed in both Yorick and Harlequin. I’ve also designed lights for both clubs, and I’ve performed in both clubs,” Ruggerio
said. “We’ve pretty much all done Harlequin as well as other clubs. But we’re involved with Yorick in our hearts a little bit more,” Bonenfant added. Blaisdell said, “Yorick has been my life for the past three and a half years now, so most great moments here have been with Yorick or with Yorick members.” The club has also brought many of its members out of their comfort zone, helping them become more comfortable in the spotlight. “Being voted on e-board opened up opportunities in the club that I wouldn’t have neces-
sarily thought I would ever have, and it’s made me way more outspoken than before,” Schettine said. Bonenfant recalled his first show in Yorick in the fall of 2011, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which was performed off-campus at Mill City Productions. “We spent the whole day moving all of our equipment, props, costumes, people, set, whatever we had into the performance space, and while we were loading all of a sudden this huge snowstorm rolled in and the vans couldn’t make it back to get us,” he said. “We all got to know each other very well from being stuck together all day. It was great. Back then I was super shy, and that made me have to talk to everybody and get out of my shell.” Ruggerio said that getting to co-direct was one of his greatest moments with the club. “It was my first time directing Shakespeare, and Josh [Baker, the co-director] and I split the work up,” he explained. “He did a lot of the text-based work and I did the fight choreography, and we worked together on blocking. Our style of directing together flowed really well. A lot of the time people try to avoid co-directing, but I think he and I worked well as a team together.” Yorick is currently in rehearsal for “The Winter’s Tale,” directed by Jake Bonenfant, opening Nov. 14.
Arts & Entertainment
Thursday, October 16, 2014
DON’T MISS Third Thursday Poetry presents
Literary Open Mic followed by a
Poetry Slam TONIGHT
at The Parlor Cafe @ 8 p.m. Sign ups at 7:30 Audience and poets are encouraged to show up at 7:30pm, sign up for open mic, order food or drink, and find a seat.
Free with student ID The third Thursday poetry slam is a competition among 8-10 poets, judged by audience members selected at random on a 0.0-10 Olympic style. The highest and lowest score will be dropped and a maximum of 30 points are awarded to each competing poet. Highest scoring poets move on to the second round. Combining scores will determine a 3rd place winner, with the final 2 poets moving to a head to head 3rd round to decide your winner for the evening.
The winner will have the option to feature on April 2, 2015! All competing poets should bring 3 ORIGINAL poems. There will be a 3 minute time limit with a 10 second grace period, after which you will be deducted a 10th of a point per second over. NO props, NO costumes, NO musical instruments, NO nudity! We ask for a $2-20 donation to help raise money as we look forward to bringing in features from across the country, and pay you poets. Thanks for all the support.
For more information: www.ramblingpoets.com
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Abraham.In.Motion comes to Mass MoCA By Nicole L’Etoile
Arts & Entertainment Writer This upcoming Saturday and Sunday, MASS MoCA host choreographer Kyle Abraham’s dance performance titled “The Watershed,” which is part of Abraham. In.Motion, described by the official Mass MoCA press release as “a signature blend of postmodern traditions, urban influences, and classical form [that] delivers meaning and message through excitingly original dancing.” It is a collection of dancers commemorating 150 years since Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclomation and 20 years since the abolishment of Apartheid in South Africa. The show will be at 8 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday and costs $18 for admission for students. “I’ve never done any performances that have been quite on this level before,” said Jeremy Jae Neal, one of the performers involved in Abraham.In.Motion. “There are so many collaborators involved in this performance.” According to Neal, the dancers have been working on this show for two years, and it includes about two hours worth of material. In 2012, Kyle Abraham received the USA Ford Fellow Award and
the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award. This performance is also in association with Jacob’s Pillow Dance, which is based out of Becket, Mass. Jacob’s Pillow describes the performance as being “at once an elegant, physically electrifying choreographic work and a provocative sociopolitical reflection.” Neal did not begin dancing until his sophomore year in college at Western Michigan University. He had always listened to a lot of music and focused on the instruments rather than dancing to it. “Dancers in music videos were always superheroes to me,” Neal said. “I want to perform as much as I can while I’m able to.” Neal has had the opportunity to do large dances and performances while living in New York City, but nothing he has done in the past has been as grand scale as this performance. Mass MoCA is the third venue that Abraham.In.Motion will be performed at. The performances began in mid September and have been in both New York and Boston so far. “Just be prepared and ready for all of the information coming through the show, because there will be a lot,” Neal said. This show is being supported
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Photo courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow
Abraham.In.Motion blends urban and classical dance form. and made possible by the Irene Hunter Fund for Dance, which is a fund that was started in 2010
by the Hunter family to support enhanced dance performances at Mass MoCA.
‘Motherf**ker’ is dynamic, dark
Staging was unique, but the performance lacked necessary comedy and realism Review by Christopher Johnson
Arts & Entertainment Writer The most notable quality of the performances in “The Motherf***er with the Hat,” directed by Sara Katzoff, was the vehemence captured in so many of the characters’ relations to each other. This vehemence was expressed in a kind of anger or faux, friendly anger that seems appropriate for any number of the tempests that go around in the heads of those in their early 20s. We first witness Veronica (Victoria Fernandez) cleaning chaotically through a messy apartment while on the phone until Jackie (Brendan Jennings), who’s just found a job, returns and wants to celebrate. However, he sees a hat that is not his on a table in the center of the stage and a lengthy, tense argument about cheating ensues. Jackie goes to Ralph D. (Benjamin Baylon), his parole counselor, to sort things out. Jackie gets a gun to deal with the “motherf**ker with the hat” and after shooting the hat in front of a man Jackie suspects, he hides the gun at his cousin Julio’s (Marcus
Photo By Osakpolo Igiede/The Beacon
Victoria Fernandez argues with Brendan Jennings in ‘The Motherf**ker With with the Hat.’ Neverson). Things only get more advertised, the kind of bitter-abcomplicated from there. surd humor that goes along with What’s striking is how the actors plays and narratives about daily moved their bodies in relation to life. If we were presented with the the inanimate objects. The seating realism of the situation, the play was set up so the audience could would wind up being a melodrasit around the focus of the ac- ma, which if well-acted might be tion. This arrangement enforced decent. the idea that the angle one person There is this element of the watched from was not the same as comic, but it doesn’t work in this someone else’s view. This gave a specific performance because the dynamism to the movement once actors are almost aware of the fact one started imagining the other that they are being funny and are points of view, especially when waiting for the audience to react the actors’ backs were turned. before they carry on. A more inThe play, originally written by teresting rendition of this play Stephen Adly Guirgis, leans to- would deliver the hilarity as if it ward comical realism but lacks were a part of these characters’ the comedy for which the play is lives, as if they actually spoke in
this ridiculous way instead of it being a weak flourish. In the brief world of the play, we alternate for the most part between Ralph’s apartment and Veronica’s. Structurally, this component of the play is done excellently: there are rectangles displaying abstract designs and each apartment is placed on a corner of the stage, giving the audience an interesting notion of omniscience—that the sum of our knowledge can exist in one space. What would have made the play more interesting would be the addition of a moral dilemma, because infidelity is way too hackneyed. It would be nice to delude ourselves into thinking that it’s become a somewhat normalized, acceptable practice but the way Jackie acts in the play, especially in his violent episode near the end, makes it evident that infidelity is still viewed as a heavy moral crime. It is almost surprising that this play, coming from 2011, is so focused and built on drugs and blurred relationships. These things are not news to us; what is really tragi-comic has more in it than what a writer can hear through the thin walls of a Brooklyn apartment.
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Sports
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Fair territory
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Men’s Soccer slugs it out MCLA fights through double-overtime to tie Framingham State, then drops closely contested non-conference game over long weekend
Positive Sports By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
For anyone who doesn’t like sports, the appeal of athletics can be dismissed by simply saying that sports put an unnecessary strain on an individual’s life. Watching football isn’t necessarily a relaxing experience. Oftentimes, especially after my team loses, I would rather do anything than follow sports over the next few days. The chances of total victory are so small each season that most fans are ignorantly setting themselves up for disappointment. Despite the pitfalls of following sports, they are positive in one very important way: It is the only real major news genre where positive news sells better than negative news. When a team recently lost or is on a losing skid, people are less inclined to watch it or pay attention to what is taking place. However, when a team is winning, there is a tremendous increase in fan participation and support. Naturally, people should be more interested and excited about positive news instead of negative news, but in reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. In the mainstream media, negativity is a far bigger draw than positivity, and it is reflected in what is typically reported. For whatever reason, humans tend to gravitate towards negative news more than positive news. To be perfectly honest, what story would make you tune into a national news outlet faster? A story with the headline “Politician gives dramatic and passionate speech,” or a story with the headline “Politician gives obscenity laced tirade”? The answer is obvious; everyone would gravitate towards the negative story, and any newspaper editor understands that. Today, we tend to celebrate defeat and weakness a lot more than we celebrate success and perseverance. Any story that settles on depicting a person or event in an overwhelmingly positive light comes off as boring and campy. Greatness cannot evolve nearly as well as disappointment. Sports are a change from the hustle and bustle of negative news. The media is more than happy to throw pessimism at us from every other angle, but sports are something that fans can always count on to supply a burst of positivity during the day. Watching sports might cause us a certain level of frustration, but the rewards that come with every victory and every positive outcome more than offset those hindrances.
Photo by Kasey Conklin
MCLA ‘ssophomore Edward Boateng fends off the challenge of Framingham State’s Suhairu Kato during their game on Saturday. game at 2-2. ols was up to the challenge and trolled most of the second overBy Tyler Bacon Mount Saint Vincent scored the stopped the shot. Basile collected time, however they also missed Sports Writer game-winning goal in the 70th the rebound and fired again, but wide on their shot attempts. Each The Men’s Soccer team came minute after back and forth play. Nichols was there to keep the team walked away with a point. Senior Mitchell Candelet talked back from a 2-0 deficit, but sur- Diego Hernandez knocked home Blazers off the scoreboard. The Blazers kept the pressure about what the Blazers did well in rendered a later second half goal a cross from Pablo Tellez, giving as they fell to College of Mount the Dolphins a 3-2 advantage. The on, and just five minutes later they Saturday’s game. “I think we kept our composure, Saint Vincent 3-2 on Monday in goal was Hernandez’s second of found the back of the net. Romeo Grey took the ball into the right played team defense, and shut a non-league soccer game. The the season. The Blazers could only take two corner and passed it off to Chris down Framingham’s center midloss drops the Trailblazers to 6-6-1 overall while Mount Saint shots down the stretch and they Shea. Shea delivered a cross that fielders,” Candelet said. “It was a Vincent improves to 6-8 on the both went high, giving the Dol- found the foot of Tyler Vona, who very physical game, but we kept beat Nichols for the quick 1-0 our composure and didn’t get phins the victory. season. Kamron Anderson got his first lead. The goal was Vona’s third of caught up in any nonsense. We In the first half, Dennis Reyes played team defense and it was scored his team-leading 17th and start of 2014 in the net for MCLA the season. Framingham had a chance to tie very exciting to see us defend like 18th goals of the season to push and made three saves in the loss. The Men’s Soccer team played the game at halftime when Tyler that.” Mount Saint Vincent out to an Senior keeper Matt Robinson early 2-0 advantage after just fif- MASCAC foe Framingham State Jack took a shot from close range, on Saturday and battled them for only to watch it sail high. MCLA talked about what a tie means for teen minutes. the team as they move forward. The Blazers responded in the 110 minutes, coming away with a kept a 1-0 lead. Framingham finally scored “A tie means a lot because this is 30th minute when Anthony 1-1 draw. With the tie, both teams Basile scored his sixth goal of the are now 2-1-1 in conference play. the equalizer in the 83rd minute a team we haven’t gotten a point In the first half, Framingham when Cory Carderio headed a from in a couple of years, so that’s season, putting home a Dylan Pereira pass and making it 2-1 in outshot the Trailblazers 11-8; corner kick by Bryan Dasilva past always a good thing,” Robinson however, none of the Rams’ shots the Blazers keeper Matt Robin- said. “It was tough not to pull out favor of the home team. The Blazers trailed behind at were on net. The Blazers had an son. The header was his fourth a win because I know we deserved halftime, but in the 50th minute opportunity to strike first in the goal of the season. The goal tied it, but we still got a result so we Mount Saint Vincent was whis- 27th minute when the Rams were the game at 1-1 as they headed to can’t hang our heads.” The Blazers are back in action tled for a foul in the box, resulting whistled for a foul in the box, re- overtime. In the first OT, the Blazers had on Saturday when they host Westin a penalty kick. Kwadwo Kusi sulting in a penalty kick. Anthony Basile took the kick, a few chances to take the win, field State at 1:30pm. was selected to take the kick and he delivered as MCLA tied the but Framingham’s Jacob Nich- but missed wide. The Rams con-
Golf The golf team competed in the 36 hole Eastern College Athletic Conference Championship on Sunday, finishing in last place. The team was led once again by freshman Nick Young, who finished the tournament with a cumalitive score of 187. Senior Mitch Mullett was right behind him, shooting a 193 over the lengthy course.
The tournament was won by Trinity College, and followed by Williams College, UMASS-Dartmouth, Middlebury College and a tie for fifth place between Salem State and Endicott College. The individual tournament was won by Williams’ Grant Raffel, who shot a 151 to win the round. The golf team will travel to Salem State on Sunday to compete in the North Atlantic Conference Championship tournament.
Cross Country
The Men’s Cross Country finished in 30th place on Saturday, when they competed in the James Early Invitational at Westfield State College. 37 schools competed in the race. Senior Brendan Peltier led the Trailblazers, finishing in 126th place after running the course is 29:09. Freshman Drew Weisse was second for MCLA, running the course in 29:28.
The Women’s team had a similar result, finishing in 37th place out of 44 teams. They were paced by senior Martha Pratt, who finished in 190th place. Freshman Caroline Couser was right behind her, finishing in 194th place. Both teams will be in action this Saturday. The Men will travel to Green Mountain College while the Women will head south to Western New England University.
Sports
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Women’s Tennis season comes to an end By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
The women’s tennis team season came to an end on Saturday when they lost to Castleton State, 7-2, in the North Atlantic Conference semi-finals. It was the Trailblazers first trip ever to the NAC playoffs since they joined the conference in 2011. MCLA finishes the season with a 7-7 record overall and a record of 4-2 in conference play. Castleton improved to 10-3 overall and had a record of 5-1 in conference play. Both MCLA and Castleton commuted to New London, New Hampshire for the game, as they had to meet the regular season conference champion ColbySawyer on their home court. The winner of the MCLA/Castleton match went on to play the winner of the Colby-Sawyer/Thomas College match later that day. Castleton State opened the match hot, sweeping the Blazers in doubles competition. MCLA wouldn’t be turned away easily however, as they hung tough in each match, but ended up dropping all three, 9-7. The match would then go on to singles competition, where Castleton earned a point in the number one slot in a heated match. Castleton senior Meghan Susslin squared off against MCLA freshman Sarah Mikutowicz in a battle of top players in the NAC. Susslin took the first set, 6-4, but
Mikutowicz rallied back to win the second set, 7-5, evening the game. In the third and deciding set, both players pushed it to the limit, with Susslin taking the set and the game, 11-9. MCLA would make up for the loss in the number two slot, with senior Sarah Murphy toppling Castleton senior Olga McIntyre. Murphy opened the game by taking the first set 6-4, with McIntyre bouncing back in the second set, winning 3-6. In the third and decisive set, Murphy was able to win comfortably, taking the set and the match 10-4. Castleton junior Sara Novenstern would earn the first singles victory in straight sets in the number three slot, defeating Blazer freshman Mariza Sfakianaki, 7-5, 6-3. MCLA sophomore Rebecca Waterhouse would equal the feat, disposing of Castleton senior Kaydeen Juaire in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. In the number four slot, freshman Emily Deaso would come up just a tad short against Castleton freshman Shannon Haggerty. Deaso took the opening set, 6-4, but Haggerty would rally back and take the next two sets, 6-4, 6-2. In the number six slot, Castleton sophomore Kayla Zsido defeated Kylie Dumas in straight sets, 6-3, 6-0. In the championship game, Castleton was no match for ColbySawyer, who swept them away, 6-0, for their third straight NAC
Volleyball sweeps doubleheader By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
The Volleyball team earned its first conference victory of the season on Monday and added a nonconference win to boot, traveling to Massachusetts Maritime and defeating the Buccaneers, 3-0. MCLA would then win in its second match of the day, defeating Becker College, 3-1, finishing the day undefeated. The Trailblazers sunk Maritime in the opening game, sweeping all three sets. A difficult season continues for the Buccaneers as they remain winless with a record of 0-4 in MASCAC, and 0-19 in the season. MCLA breezed through the three sets against Maritime, winning 25-12, 25-12, and 25-15. MCLA coach Amanda Beckwith utilized a bulk of her roster, as six different Blazers finished the match with double figures in kills. Junior Courtney Parent led the team with 15 assists and Senior Allie Chang led all players with nine kills. Maritime was led by Charleen Klangos, who had four kills on the day. In the second game, MCLA was challenged early by Becker College, but rallied back and were able to improve to 11-8 overall and 1-2 in MASCAC. Becker took the first set from the Blazers, 25-18, but MCLA was
able to bounce back in the second set, taking it 25-15. The two teams would clash in the third set, which was the most competitive bout of the day, with MCLA gaining the advantage, 25-23. In the fourth set, the Blazers were able to polish off the Hawks, 25-14. Sophomore Rachel Mills led MCLA with 10 kills and 10 digs, while Parent led all players with an impressive 32 assists and 10 digs. Becker was led by Samantha Caouette who had 11 kills, and by Charlene Landry, who had 19 assists and 10 digs. Junior setter Courtney Parent talked about how winning improves the atmosphere of the team. “Winning always makes our team happy. I think the mood of the team is very important when it comes to winning games, were usually all very happy and cheerful after a win.” With a conference record of 1-2, MCLA is currently in 5th place in MASCAC, but are just a game out of third place. The Blazers are in action this Saturday when they host a doubleheader. Conference rival Salem State will be in town, with the match starting at 11 a.m. MCLA will then host UMASSDartmouth in the second half of the doubleheader, with the match starting at 3 p.m.
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Scores Women’s Tennis Saturday, October 7 MCLA vs Castleton State @ Colby-Sawyer 2-7 Women’s Soccer
Saturday, October 7 MCLA @ Framingham State 0-5 Men’s Soccer Saturday, October 7 MCLA vs Framingham State 1-1, 2 OT Photo From MCLA Athletics
MCLA’s senior Sarah Murphy finished up her career strong, as she was named to the first team All-NAC for singles play. Championship. MCLA’s Murphy couldn’t have asked for a better was named to the All-Tourna- group of girls to keep the energy ment team. up,” Mikutowicz said. “I plan on The team was led to its most playing over the winter with my successful season thanks in part dad, who has coached and trained to strong play by freshman and me since I began playing tennis.” veteran players. Sophomore Rebecca WaterFreshman Sarah Mikutowicz, house spoke about the teamwho was named to the NAC All- wide improvement that led to Second team, talked about im- the team’s success this season and proving her game and looking what it means heading into 2015. forward to next season. “We’ve improved so much in “ I feel like I had a good fresh- this season alone, but I’m most man season, but there is al- excited to see how we all improve ways room for improvement. I over the summer to come back had amazing teammates, and I even stronger for next season.”
Women’s Soccer drops key MASCAC game By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
The women’s soccer team headed east to visit conference rival Framingham State on Saturday and was hit by a second-half blitz. Framingham scored four goals in fifteen minutes to crush the visiting Trailblazers, 5-0. MCLA drops to 3-8-1 overall and 1-3 in MASCAC play, while Framingham State improved to 8-4 overall and 3-1 in conference play. The game opened up slowly, with neither team able to get the edge during the early stages. Things sped up in the 21st minute when Framingham freshman Molly Kelley received a lead pass from junior Brini Varetimos and fired a long shot that went past MCLA keeper Katy Daly, putting the Rams up 1-0. After the early goal, MCLA was able to hold the Rams off for the rest of the half. However, Framingham State would quickly apply the pressure in the second half, as Varetimos connected on her second assist, finding senior Marisa Parent, who beat Daly for the second Ram goal of the day. Framingham would strike again in the 58th minute when senior Isabela DeSouza curved in a corner kick that deflected off Daly before crossing the goal line. DeSouza would continue the onslaught just one minute later, when she
beat a pair of MCLA defenders off of the dribble and put in her second goal of the day. In the 66th minute, sophomore Michaela Hyland crossed the ball into the box, and classmate Angela Pallotta one-timed the ball into the back of the Trailblazer net to put Framingham State up 5-0. Framingham dominated the game, outshooting MCLA 30-2. Daly had to make 10 saves on the day, while Framingham keeper Sara Sullivan was forced to make just one save during the game. MCLA hosted Western New England University on Wednesday, letting in a late goal to fall at home, 1-0. Neither team was able to get an advantage in the first half, as possession was divided nearly evenly. It wasn’t until the second half when WNEU was able to exert control over the game. The Golden Bears outshot the Blazers 13-0 in the second half, consistently pressuring MCLA. WNEU would earn the goal of the afternoon during the 72nd minute, when Becca Mercieri slammed home a goal after a scrum in front of the net. MCLA was outshot 20-2, but sophomore keeper Katy Daly had an outstanding game, stopping 9 out of the 10 shots she saw. MCLA will be in action when they travel to Westfield State on Saturday.
Monday, October 13 MCLA @ Mt. Saint Vincent 2-3 Volleyball Monday, October 13 MCLA @ Mass. Maritime 3-0 MCLA vs Becker @ Mass. Maritime 3-1
Schedules Saturday, October 18 Men’s Cross Country MCLA @ Green Mountain College Invitational Women’s Cross Country MCLA @ Western New England Invitational Volleyball MCLA vs Salem State 11 a.m. MCLA vs UMASSDartmouth 3 p.m. Women’s Soccer MCLA @ Westfield State 11 a.m. Men’s Soccer MCLA vs Westfield State 1:30 p.m. Sunday, October 19 Golf MCLA @ NAC Championships Wednesday, October 22 Volleyball MCLA @ Westfield State 7 p.m.
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Opinion
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
The Beacon
What is your favorite football team? “My favorite team is the Green Bay Packers.”
“My favorite team is the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
– Chris McMahon, 2015
–Colby Harvish, 2017
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 Mission Statement The Beacon strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events.
“My favorite team is the New England Patriots.”
“My favorite team is the New York Giants.”
– Liz Quirk, 2017
–Ryan Walters, 2017
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.
“My favorite team is the New England Patriots.”
“My favorite team is the Miami Dolphins.”
-Shelby Gauither, 2017
–Jacob Mendel, 2017
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Photos compiled by Osakpolo Igiede
Editorial Board
It appears that no news is good news Beacon Staff Editorial The removal of a large number of the Oct. 9 issue of Beacon newspapers occurred on Monday at some time prior to an Open House event hosted by the Admissions office. The Beacon speculates that the removal was because issue four of the Beacon displayed bomb threat and drug bust news on the front page. These papers were removed from select areas of the campus (Hoosac Hall and the Campus Center), apparently so that visitors wouldn’t see such negative news. To print 900 copies of the Beacon costs $599 including local businesses that pay to have their ads be seen by the community; potentially,
those regular ads weren’t seen this week. The value of the advertisements is also considered part of the production costs, according to the Student Press Law Center (SPLC). The Oct. 9 issue contained one small ad that cost the business $15. It also contained an ad for the Sam Gomez Road Race on Oct. 19, but that ad was free for the Student Government Association, in line with The Beacon’s policy of offering one free ad to all SGA clubs and organizations. In retrospect, the college is a business, and such news can be viewed as ‘bad public relations.’ But, on the other hand, the articles stated that both situations were handled prop-
erly, which is good news. Last week’s issue’s news was no secret to begin with. After the bomb threat, the Associated Press published a story about several bomb threats to Massachusetts schools, including MCLA. This means that at least one of the front page stories was already widely distributed. Anyone could have known about it before this Monday. According to the SPLC, newspaper theft is a crime and is an effective form of censorship. Students who write for the Beacon have to first take a pre-requisite class to qualify as staff writers, and then earn practicum credits for joining the staff to produce the Beacon. How is a student supposed
to feel confident about their hard work, if the work is stolen from them? As journalist students, we are told to report the news and report it fairly, and we did exactly that in the Oct. 9 issue. MCLA has ways of allowing students to express themselves through various forms of art and media, but how are we supposed to follow through with that when the final product is stolen? Every week several students, faculty and staff are mentioned, featured or photographed in the Beacon and for that to be taken away from them is completely unfair. Students who work hard in plays are featured in the paper, as well as athletes
who are fairly active on campus. This paper isn’t just for the writers and students who take it as a course, it’s a paper for the students and the campus community. The Beacon’s printing and other operating costs are funded by SGA. The SPLC considers studentfunded newspapers to be like a “pre-paid subscription.” Therefore, a tiny portion of the annual $300 Student Activity Fee goes to the Beacon, as part of the SGA’s funding of over 50 clubs and organizations. The information printed in the Beacon is legitimate news and facts. Whether it shines well in the public eye or not, it’s news that people need to know about.
Sports Editor Jesse Collings
Web Editor Jenna O’Connor
A&E Editor Rachel Fitterman
Senior News Editor Nick Swanson
Copy Chief Avery Finnivan Multimedia Editor Nick Arena
Design Editor Meg Gugarty
Staff Staff Writers
Photographers
Isabel McKenzie Idalis Foster Juanita Doss Christopher Johnson
Osakpolo Igiede*
Nicole L’Etoile Tyler Bacon Copy Editors
Agnella Gross
Design Team
Osakpolo Igiede* Advisers
Brittany Gallacher Caitlin O’Neill
Advertising
Ryan Robison Angel Baez Contributors
Aaron Crawford
Jenifer Augur Gillian Jones Jim Niedbalski Videographers
Kaleigh Anderson *Holds more than one position
Online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu
Attention clubs! The Beacon wants to help promote your club! We will print one free advertisement per semester.
Editor-in-Chief Makayla-Courtney McGeeney
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Also, keep us updated on club events! We want to cover you! Email your press release and information on Office 365 to MCLA Beacon Submissions, or message us on Facebook.
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Events, Announcements & Horoscopes
Thursday, october 16, 2014
Horoscopes Thursday October, 16
Aquarius (1/20-2/18): You took off like a bullet a few days ago, making great progress in a short amount of time. Now you’re grappling with doubts that are undermining all of your energy. Rethink your strategy. Pisces (2/19-3/20): There is some likelihood that you will be haunted by thoughts of your love life today, Pisces. Aries (3/21-4/19): Today, more than ever, you will yearn to escape the daily routine, Aries. Taurus (4/20-5/20): You’re finally on the mend, Taurus. The minor ailments that may have dragged you down lately are beginning to disappear. You’re about to regain all of your physical energy. Gemini (5/21-6/20): Give yourself a break today. Take some time for rest and recuperation. Cancer (6/21-7/22): Go ahead and express any complaints or opinions you may have been keeping to yourself, Cancer. But try and do it gently, especially where family is concerned. Leo (7/23-8/22): You’ve reached your limit and it’s time to rest.
Virgo (8/23-9/23): You may have been spending or saving too much money, Virgo. It’s clear that a rebalancing is in order if you’re to find pleasure rather than frustration. Libra (9/23-10/22): You now have the strategy, objective, and means at your disposal to succeed. Just a bit more work remains to be done. Gather your strength and get ready to take action with renewed vigor. Scorpio (10/23-11/21): If you find yourself tired and irritable at the moment, Scorpio, you should know that this is normal. You may have had a few weeks that were a little too studious. So be wise and take care of your basic needs. Sagittarius (11/22-12/21): This is going to be a good moment to look elsewhere, Sagittarius. You should do just as the artist does when he has worked too long on a painting, which is to take a step back. You need to see people, travel, go to the theater, and clear your head. Capricorn (12/22-1/19): Give more weight to your own needs and follow your own path. Horoscopes.com
MCLA “Day of Service – Fall Edition” will take place on Saturday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., throughout the community For more information contact Spencer Moser, spencer.moser@mcla.edu
Letter to the editor Zavattaro Field needs improvements A concern around the campus of MCLA that is troubling is in direct relation to the reason I came to this school. The baseball field located at the MCLA Joe Zavattaro athletic complex is rarely available for use during the baseball season. I realize that we live in the Berkshires, and that the harsh winters affect this greatly. However, neighboring schools are able to get their fields in playing condition about a month before we are able to do the same. We have played less than ten games at home over the past two years, and most of those were doubleheaders. Instead, we travel as far as Westfield to play so-called “home games” even against conference opponents. There was an initiative last year to put in a new drainage system for the field to help this cause, but this fell to the wayside quickly and was never accomplished. However, the neighboring soccer field was able to get turf, new benches, and is in the process of getting lights for their field. The MCLA athletic complex is named after the most successful baseball coach in North Adams State’s history. There was a time that he had the baseball program so successful and renowned, that they would play, compete with, and beat division I and division II teams. The program now is a shell of what it used to be, but it is hard to recruit when players come to see our field and see that we cannot even play on it, compared to MASCAC rival Salem State, which has an all turf complex and can play on their field basically year-round. A pricey solution to the problem would be replacing our field with turf, which would be upwards of $600,000. A less pricey alternative would be tarps for the field, an actual drainage system, and a dedicated crew of workers to clear our field of snow in early spring to help the grass grow and the dirt to set-up for the season. None of these options have been taken into consideration in my three years here. The few games we have been able to play at home have felt completely different than the normal trips we take in vans to Williams or Westfield; there is a completely different atmosphere at your home-field. To me, the fact that the school cannot take initiative and get the baseball field prepared for its student athletes, is a great disservice to the man who they named their complex after, and who used to patrol that field as his own. Instead, it sits in a seemingly dark corner of a complex highlighted by its state-of-theart soccer field, and lackluster baseball field. Thank you for your time and attention. Sincerely Rory Slattery, Class of 2015
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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NY Times Pulitzer Prize Winning Columnist to deliver Hardman Lecture Two-time Pulitzer Prizewinning New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, often called the “reporter’s reporter” for his human rights advocacy and his efforts to give a voice for the voiceless, will deliver this fall’s Hardman Lecture at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in the MCLA Amsler Campus Center gymnasium on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. This lecture event, “Reporting the Truths of the World,” is made possible through the generosity of the Hardman Family Endowment. It is free and open to the public. Those in attendance – to include MCLA’s journalism students – will learn about Kristof ’s life as an activist journalist, both past and present, and how he has worked to make a difference in the world through the written word. Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, also a New York Times journalist, are the authors of “Half the Sky,” a number-one national bestseller, and this year’s First Year Experience (FYE) community reading assignment at MCLA. During this lecture, Kristof also will discuss the challenges and opportunities he faced as a writer and a journalist when he wrote “Half the Sky,” a call to arms against the oppression of women
and girls in the developing world. “Half the Sky” takes its readers on an odyssey through Africa and Asia to meet the women who struggle there, including a Cambodian teenager sold into sex slavery and an Ethiopian woman who suffered devastating injuries in childbirth. Kristoff and WuDunn show how a little help can transform the lives of women and girls abroad. Kristof won his second Pulitzer in 2006 for what the judges called “his graphic, deeply reported columns that, at personal risk, focused attention on genocide in Darfur and that gave voice to the voiceless in other parts of the world.” Kristof and WuDunn have written three best-selling books: “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide;” “China Wakes: The Struggle for the Soul of a Rising Power;” and “Thunder from the East: Portrait of a Rising Asia.” Kristof and WuDunn recently released “A Path Appears,” a narrative about making a difference in this country and abroad, in which they identify successful local and global initiatives and share stories from the front lines of social progress. Kristof and WuDunn will embark on a book tour this fall to promote “A Path Appears.”
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Thursday, October 16, 2014
Photo Essay
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Changing Colors As the middle of the semester approaches, the leaves are beginning to change color and the temperatures are starting to drop. Here are some of The Beacon staff ’s favorite spots to look at the foliage around campus and back home. Photos by MakaylaCourtney McGeeney and Aaron Crawford Some trees have already begun losing leaves along the Mount Greylock Summit.
Leaves cover a trail at John Boyd Thacher Park in Voorheesville, NY. Boston Commons by day, below, and night, above.
The cliffside at John Boyd Thacher Park in Voorheesville, NY displayed a radiant mix of colors over the weekend.