The Oswegonian

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Students go to Russia

Theater students take class at the Moscow Art Theater

Friday, March 6, 2015

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THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF OSWEGO STATE UNIVERSITY • www.oswegonian.com

VOLUME LXXXI ISSUE V SINCE 1935

SA candidate elections Presidential contest unopposed for third year, two running for vice president

Concert artists announced for alternative BSR event JoAnn DeLauter Asst. News Editor jdelauter@oswegonian.com

FOR PRESIDENT JoAnn DeLauter | The Oswegonian

VICE PRESIDENT Arielle Schunk | The Oswegonian

VICE PRESIDENT David Armelino | The Oswegonian

The Oswego State Student Association announced the artists appearing at the alternative Bridge Street Run concert this spring, an event aimed to start a new tradition.

The first annual Ozfest, announced by SA President Tucker Sholtes, will include a concert by Big Sean, B.o.B, Timeflies and Mac Miller, who will perform on May 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Marano Campus Center Arena. The event is organized in conjunction with campus officials and the Student Activity Programming Board. The plans for the spring concert have been in the works since

Presidential candidate Christopher Collins-McNeil (left) and vice presidential candidates Emily Nassir (center) and Marlon Calliste (right) are on the ballot in Tuesday’s election.

Luke Parsnow News Editor lparsnow@oswegonian.com Oswego State students will elect a new Student Association president and vice president to lead the student government organization next year.

Three candidates have entered their names to run for these positions and have put their platforms into the public eye. The vote will be held March 10 and 11.

For the third year in a row, the candidate running for SA president is unopposed.

Resident Assistant and current SA Director of

Civic Engagement Christopher Collins-McNeil is the only person running for president.

Running for office is something Collins-McNeil has thought about for a long time.

“I have thought about it since my arrival to SUNY Oswego in 2012,” Collins-McNeil said. “There were a few contributing factors. First and foremost, is the current SA president Tucker Sholtes. Tucker has been an amazing president, delegator, programmer and friend. Under his leadership I have been able to accomplish quite a lot on this campus, work I am immensely proud of.

Tucker’s drive, hard work and dedication to this organization and the student body has inspired me to lead this organization as

president. I was afforded so many opportunities through SA and I want to empower other students to use their voice, passions and positions to advocate on issues that are important to them, just as others did for me.”

Having served three years in SA, Collins-McNeil is the most tenured student in the organization. He spent a year as an atlarge senator and vice-chair of the student involvement committee, and two terms as civic engagement director. As part of his position, Collins-McNeil sits in on the faculty assembly and diversity and inclusion committee. He is also a former president

See CANDIDATES, A5

Photo provided by Mark Guim via Flickr B.o.B is known for his collaborations with pop artists.

Photo provided by Dante Marshall via Flickr Big Sean recently released the album “Dark Sky Paradise” recently topped the Billboard 200.

last semester to give students an alternative to participating in Bridge Street Run. “With everything that happened last year on BSR, we really want to give students a different activity to do than just going out to the bar,” said Kiana Racha, the director of SAPB. The Oswego State administration, including Vice President of Student Affairs Jerald Woolfolk, reached out to SA and SAPB in doing an event unlike years past.

The process in deciding what artist would play started early last semester.

Tickets go on sale at the box office on March 8 at noon, starting at $45 for students who have paid the $97 SA fee in their tuition. After spring break on March 23, student tickets go up to $60.

See CONCERT, A6

Schumer introduces new legislation Fewer students live in off-campus housing to help make college more affordable Administration says lower local graduation rates, lack of local students to blame Tatyana Bellamy-Walker Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com

CONTENT

During the 2015 academic year, surging college costs prompted Sen. Chuck Schumer to launch a legislative bill to increase and expand college tuition tax credit that provides essential relief for Upstate N.Y. middle-class families.

The clause would make more families qualified to receive a tax credit and it would grow savings to up to $30,000 per year.

“A college education is a necessity that is being priced as a luxury–and it is breaking the bank for students and families across Upstate New York,” Schumer said in a statement. “With tuition costs continuing to rise, middle-class families should be able to take advantage of any savings they can get.”

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The congressional bill, called the American Opportunity Tax Credit Permanence and Consolidation Act, was proposed earlier this year and affords families the opportunity to take $1 off their taxes for every dollar spent on tuition.

In the fall of 2009, as college costs were steadily on the rise, Schumer devised a similar tax-credit plan of $2,500 that would benefit families that made less than $180,000 per year, according to Schumer’s Office.

“I am introducing the new American Opportunity Tax Credit Permanence and Consolidation Act of 2015, which will provide real relief for families by expanding the number of people who are eligible for this higher education tax credit and increasing the size of the tax credit itself,” Schumer said.

There are more than 500,000 students

See SCHUMER, A6

Neeny Phakdeetham Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com The number of students living off campus has been dropping for the past 20 years, according to data from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.

According to the Distribution of Undergraduate Students by Living Arrangement statistics on the college website, 37 percent of Oswego State undergraduate students live off-campus as of fall 2014. In 1996, 52 percent lived off campus.

Residence Life and Housing credits a drop in regional high school graduation rates and a higher figure of incoming freshmen coming from outside Central New York.

The New York State Department of Education reported a slight increase across the margin for New York state high school graduation

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rates from 74 percent to 74.9 percent. However, the Syracuse school district had 48.8 percent graduation rate, which is only 4.6 percent higher than Rochester. The ranking went respectively in order from Yonkers, New York City, Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester.

The low graduation rate for Central New York indicated that many Oswego State incoming students were from elsewhere. The Assistant Vice President of Residence Life and Housing Richard Kolenda explained that a higher number of non-local students equated a higher percentage of housing needed to accommodate these students.

“There are more students coming from longer distances,” Kolenda said. “They are not living at home. They are living on campus. We’re getting more transfer students to live on campus.”

The director of Oswego State Admissions, Daniel Griffin, agreed with Kolenda and added that the expansion and reno-

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vation of on-campus housing influenced many students who had experience living in the residence halls to continue their on campus lifestyle.

“Fewer local students and more from farther away mean more students needing housing,” Griffin said. “Generally, with the campus improvements and the addition of The [Village] townhouses, once students live on campus they tend to want to stay on campus.”

One of the tactics that Residence Life and Housing used to increase more residents on campus was catering to a specific group. “[Residence Life and Housing] changed Lonis and Moreland to single room for seniors and non-traditional students,” Kolenda said. “So that brought more older students who didn’t want to live in the city

See OFF CAMPUS, A5

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W W W. O S W E G O N I A N . C O M

Eric Randall, 24, was arrested on Feb. 22 at 1:44 a.m. at the corner of West Bridge Street and West Third Street for an open container violation.

Clifford Thurston, 30, was arrested on Feb. 26 at 1:07 a.m. at 110 W. Sixth St. for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after he made unreasonable noise in front of the Oswego Hospital Emergency Room.

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A weekly list of what to check out on Oswegonian.com

Read: A review of Wade’s Diner.

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Watch: This week’s Vox Pop in which we ask students about the spring concert.

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Gian Uceta, 23, was arrested on Feb. 22 at 2:29 a.m. at 31 W. Bridge St. for criminal mischief in the third degree after he punched and broke a window.

Joshua Scaccia, 23, was arrested on Feb. 25 at 3:51 p.m. at 96 Hamilton St. for criminal possession of a controlled substance and a possession of a hypodermic instrument.

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Joseph Bradley, 24, was arrested on Feb. 22 at 2:22 a.m. at the corner of West Second Street and West Cayuga Street for public urination.

Samuel Tesoriero, 83, was arrested on Feb. 24 at 11:09 p.m. at the corner of West Seventh Street and State Route 104 for creating unreasonable noise and resisting arrest by shouting obscenities and pulling away from uniformed officers.

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Diana Davis, 22, was arrested on Feb. 22 at 12:22 a.m. at 119 E. Cayuga St. for violating the city’s noise ordinance.

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THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

Check out The Lighthouse for things to do around Oswego.

Like our page on Facebook for campus updates Follow us @TheOswegonian and @OswegonianSport for live news and game updates

WEEKEND WEATHER Weather by Andrew Janiszeski | Graphics by Devon Nitz

Friday

Saturday

Bradley Hillman, 20, was arrested on Feb. 26 at 9:42 a.m. at 93 W. Utica St. for criminal trespassing in the second degree for refusing to leave a residence after being asked to.

Eugene Gibbs, 23, was arrested on Feb. 26 at 6:41 p.m. at State Route 481 for possession of 8.2 grams of heroin with intent to sell the same.

James Okello, 22, was arrested on Feb. 27 at 2:45 a.m. at 379 E. River Road on an active arrest warrant for criminal possession of marijuana in the second degree.

High: 19

Low: 12

Sunday

Jose Feliciano, 24, was arrested on Feb. 27 at 10:54 p.m. at 142 E. Fifth St. for violating the city’s noise ordinance.

Joshua Johnson, 25, was arrested on Feb. 28 at 2:02 a.m. at the corner of West Third Street and West Bridge Street for an open container violation.

Matthew O’Keefe, 26, was arrested on Feb. 28 at 2:49 a.m. at 200 E. First St. for disorderly conduct.

Ishmael Jordan, 23, was arrested on Feb. 28 at 5:55 p.m. at 169 W. Second St. for offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree.

High: 34

Low: 20

High: 28

Low: 18

While mid-spring conditions are not here yet, the extreme cold of the past month is on its way out. This weekend, a weak storm system is poised to send some light snow across the region on Saturday with minor accumulations expected. Temperatures this weekend will be warmer than the past several with readings into the low 30s by Sunday. A continuation of this warmer pattern is anticipated into next week.

NEWS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK I would like SUNY Oswego to continue to create ‘wow’ moments that all students can be proud of our campus community and continue the work that we have started this past year.”

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

— Christopher Collins-McNeil, SA presidential candidate

Students study theater, culture in Moscow

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Theater majors take classes at Moscow Art Theater over winter break

Photo provided by Alyssa Scruton Along with taking theater classes, Oswego State theater students toured Red Square and other places in Moscow.

Zachary Rowe Web Editor zrowe@oswegonian.com Fourteen Oswego State theater art majors traveled to study at the Moscow Art Theater in Moscow, Russia during the winter break for a cultural immersion and acting intensive miniprogram sponsored by the Russian college.

Henry Shikongo, a visiting associate professor of acting and directing at Oswego State, worked with the Moscow Art Theater School to provide students with a three-week program, from Jan. 5-23, that allowed students to learn elements of acting typically not taught in

the U.S. This was the first international acting program Oswego State has participated in— a recreation of a program at Harvard College Shikongo himself experienced in order to give Oswego State students an invaluable experience they would surely never forget.

The 14 students studied a variety of subjects, ranging from introductory acrobatics to stage design, during their six-day-a-week time spent in the classroom at the Moscow Art Theater School.

Alyssa Scruton, an Oswego State junior said it was “one of the best, if not the best, schools for actors.”

The program created was rigorous, having students learn at the school for close to 10 hours six days out of the week. This additional

month of schooling provided an exhausting amount of rigor from not only the length of class—the shortest class lasting 90 minutes and the longest class reaching just under three hours—but also from the physical intensity.

During lessons on Suzuki movement classes, students were on the verge of tears, only to be pushed harder.

“When we were crying on the inside, the professors would push us harder,” Scruton said. “If they smiled at us while they pushed us, it meant that they knew we could handle it… You can really be alive in that moment.”

“I know it is hard, but try, try, try!” a phrase the Suzuki professor repeated, became their mantra to remember during those moments of intense growth and their development of “acting tools to add to the toolbox.”

After class and on Sundays, students explored Russian culture. Students visited museums of famous Russian actors and directors.

Students also took in professional and amateur Russian productions after classes in order not to just experience the importance of theater in Russian culture, but to apply the lessons of each day’s class to an extracurricular example.

“Your work is never done,” Scruton said in regards to applying her lessons to her academic and acting career. “We’re always a work in progress.”

The progress these Oswego State students achieved at the Moscow Art Theater School is also exclusive. At the school, which resembled a repurposed strip mall, security around every corner checked students’ IDs to confirm that they in fact belonged there.

It wasn’t until Scruton sat down at lunch one day after having shown her ID twice to get into the cafeteria that the reason behind these security measures became clear.

“These are really, really well known famous people,” Scruton said. “You can’t just be any old Joe Schmo walking into this cafeteria looking for food. You had to have a special privileged right to be there and to be in that environment, to be around these people in this space, and I’m one of those people, and that was really, really cool to me because I didn’t realize what a privilege I had until that moment.”

After learning from the Russian equivalent of Hollywood stars, these 14 theater majors became official graduates of the Moscow Arts Theater Program, complete with diplomas.

The Agenda

Our weekly list of what to do in Oswego Future Oswego Leaders Conference, Friday in the Marano Campus Center Activity Court at 4:30 p.m.

Conversation with President Deborah Stanley, Monday in the Marano Campus Center Auditorium, Room 132 at 7 p.m.

Vote in the Student Association online elections on March 10-11.

Women’s Lacrosse vs. Clarkson, Tuesday on the South Athletic Fields at 4 p.m.

Health Care Careers Conference, Wednesday in the Shineman Science Center in Room 122 at 6 p.m.

Race. Place. Being. poetry and performances, Thursday in the Oswego Metro Center in Syracuse at 7 p.m.

College holds open forum to discuss mandatory student fees Oswego State administration members break down provisions of health fee, athletic fee, technology fee in tuiton

An open forum was held last Wednesday to discuss mandatory student fees that affect every undergraduate student at Oswego State.

Each semester, students are obligated to pay a health fee, an athletic fee and a technology fee.

These are called “broad-based fees” and they help the college pay for these three services.

The open forum was held to inform students how their money would be used and to address their questions and concerns. Representatives from the health, technology and athletic departments attended to talk about their specific field and how students’ money is being used. Nicholas Lyons, Oswego State vice president of administration and finance, said that no matter how much the student fees are being increased, it is important to have a consultation with students about the issue.

Lyons said there will be a $27 increase in

broad-based fees in the upcoming year. Broken down, $11 will go to the technology fee, another $11 to the athletic fee and the final $5 to health.

“All of these fees are competitively priced or comparable to the mandatory fees of other similar campuses,” he said.

Students’ demand for services has increased in recent years.

Liz Burns, director of student health at the Mary Walker Health Center, said the health fee covers many services on campus. The health fee goes toward counseling, the Lifestyles Center, peer education and even programs including open mic night and zen meditation. The health fee will be $174 this semester.

Burns said the additional costs of the health center are supplemented by other sources so that services will be kept at a minimal cost. For example, an HIV test at the Mary Walker Health Center is $5, when it would normally cost $30. Mono and pregnancy tests are available free of charge at the health center, due in part to the broad-based fees and

supplemental financial contributions.

“The broad-based athletic fee is $204 this semester,” said Malcolm Huggins, assistant athletic director.

The athletic department has a $3 million budget, which includes salaries for full time and assistant coaches, equipment and operations, recreation and intramural sports and student employment. Oswego State fields 24 athletic teams, and mandatory student fees are one way of helping to fund their budget.

The technology fee was discussed by Nicole Decker, associate director of campus technology services.

“Within the last three years, the amount of devices has grown exponentially,” Decker said.

Technology fees help improve Internet bandwidth, support all the Internet traffic on campus and provide software and services for students. CTS has a plan to implement wireless access points all over campus. Currently, there are 2,000 of these wireless access points.

New software, such as Adobe Creative Cloud

Software, will be installed on all Oswego State-owned machines. Technology fee funds also go toward antivirus software, physical security, penetration testing to determine areas of weakness and “heavy education” on phishing and cyber security, Decker said.

Lyons said the services provided by Oswego State are paid for in part by broad-based

The Student Association held its 16th meeting of the academic year Tuesday evening. The number of the senators needed to make quorum was satisfied.

The minutes from last meeting and the agenda for the current meeting were approved.

There was one guest to the senate. One of SA’s newest clubs, Clay Bodies, requested funding for a trip to attend the National Council for Education in Ceramic Arts, a conference in Providence, R.I. at the end of this month.

They want to attend this conference along with five of their members in order to compete in a competition and have their work judged from professionals in the field as well as meeting other people in their field. They hope to take the knowledge they would gain from this conference, bring it into their club and share it with other students interested in ceramics. Being that they are a new club, they plan to host future events and meetings to teach other students who are interested in ceramics. A senator volunteered to write the bill for proposal.

There were several presentations made to the senate about the different student fees included in tuition. Liz Burns, the director

of Health Services at Mary Walker Health Center, along with Shelly Sloan, promotional health coordinator from the Lifestyles Center, and Marie Grimshaw-Clark, the director of the counseling services center talked about the student health fee and the services that fee provides at the Mary Walker Health Center.

Nicholas Lyons, the vice president for administration and finance informed the Senate about what the fees are and reminding the Senate that the health, technology and athletic fee is all subsidized by the college. According to Lyons, SUNY-wide they allowed the administration to increase student fees 1.19 percent, which is a $27 fee for students that will be distributed into the health, athletic and technology services. He said the administration is still unsure about how they will divide that fee among these three services but technology and athletics will profit from the bulk of the share, leaving health services with the rest.

Nicole Decker, the associate director of client support and communication in campus technology services presented the services CTS is working on to improve for the future.

They are looking to expand their wireless con-

nection, focusing on the academic buildings and installing the most updated versions of Adobe Creative Cloud Software and Lynda. com for students to use campus-wide.

Susan Viscomi, the director of athletics, presented the athletic fee to the senate and informed them that Oswego State is in line with other SUNY schools’ $10 athletic fee. Oswego State sponsors the second highest amount of sport teams right below SUNY Cortland. Viscomi also gave some highlights of some of the major sporting events this past year. Part of the athletic fee goes into funding for Campus Recreation events.

There was one public comment. Marlon Calliste, sophomore and an English and public justice major, announced his intentions on running for SA vice president for next year. He is currently the vice president of the Black Student Union. He emphasized his desire to connect more senators with student organizations. The senate continued to question Calliste on his ideas and his qualifications for an SA vice president candidate.

In executive reports, Tucker Sholtes, SA president, updated the Senate about the spring concert. He told the senators that everyone involved in SA will receive a free ticket. He announced that

ticket sales begin Sunday at noon, with tickets starting at $45 and going up to $60 for students after spring break. The senators posed questions pertaining to some of the logistics and concerns about the events going on that day.

Jillian Kranz, SA vice president, announced that she will return next year as a senator. She had a full list of speakers to bring into the Senate. This list includes Lisa Evaneski, associate dean of students, Michael Flaherty, director of auxiliary services and John Rossi, chief of University Police.

She strongly encouraged the senators to attend the conversation with Oswego State President Deborah Stanley on March 9 at 7 p.m. and not only to ask question, but to also listen to what other students have to say.

Christopher Collins-McNeil, the SA director of civic engagement, addressed the senate on his intentions to run for the next president of SA. The senators asked questions regarding his plans and ideas for next year, including to change the way SA is run and the structure of it.

Sholtes handed out the order forms for the SA apparel. It was determined that the polo T-

Lydia Goerner Contributing Writer news@oswegonian.com

fees are not ones that every school provides.

Each year, the needs are carefully assessed. He said he wants to ensure that the school is prepared to meet students’ needs, and that so far, “we’ve done a pretty good job,” Lyons said.

Students are welcomed to participate in the conversation each year about how their dollars are being used.

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Elizabeth Burns (left), Nicole Decker (left center), and Nicholas Lyons (right center) inform students about fees.

shirts would be free and the rest of the apparel including a half-zip jacket, a sweatshirt and a T-shirt will cost the senators half price. This totaled will be about $23 for all of the SA apparel.

The petitions were approved by the rules and judiciary committee for the elections.

Collins-McNeil is the SA president-elect.

Calliste and current senator Emily Nassir are running for SA vice president.

There were no special orders.

In general orders, the senate went over a bill concerning Active Minds, who requested $1,300 in order to put on “Send Silence Packing,” an event that displays 1,100 backpacks representing the lives lost to suicide. The bill passed by general consent.

There was no new legislation.

In senator issues, the Senate brought up the idea of no longer appointing directors for next year but voting for them. The senators voiced their frustration in seeing the directors leaving early during Senate meetings and not putting an effort to communicate with the senators.

SA meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Lanigan 102. All meetings are open to the public.

NEWS

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

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Gillibrand, Katko discuss sexual assault

State Assembly passes DREAM Act, Lawmakers address senator’s Campus Accountability and Safety Act now moves to debate in the Senate Michael Medina Contributing Writer news@oswegonian.com

Photo provided by Sen. Gillibrand’s Office U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (center), Rep. John Katko (right-center) and Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner (right) sit a roundtable discussion at Syracuse University.

Luke Parsnow News Editor lparsnow@oswegonian.com Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. John Katko led a roundtable discussion at Syracuse University last Monday on organizing efforts to combat sexual violence on college campuses.

Students and officials from the university, as well as other Central New York area colleges and Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, attended the discussion, along with sexual assault victims, advocates and law enforcement.

Sexual assault has been a major conversation both nationwide and statewide over the last few months. According to the U.S. Department of Education, college campuses in New York reported 388 forcible sex offenses and over 5,000 offenses nationwide in 2013. In December, Gov. Andrew Cuomo initiated the “Yes Means Yes” policy to all SUNY schools, which drew a new legal line on consent. Last week, Cuomo announced the new “Enough is Enough” policy, the governor’s push for passage of similar legislation that would cover all colleges in New York.

Gillibrand has been an advocate for sexual assault prevention measures for some time. Last week, she reintroduced

her bipartisan bill, the Campus Accountability and Safety Act, to Congress.

The legislation would secure how colleges and universities address and report incidents of sexual assault that occur, incorporate feedback from key stakeholders to strengthen how student surveys are conducted and strengthens newly required training standards. The provisions safeguard both survivors and accused students. It extends the amount of time survivors have to file a case with the U.S. Department of Education and sets new notification requirements for both survivors and accused students involved in the campus disciplinary process.

“Right now, some colleges and universities are more inclined to expel a student for cheating on an exam than for committing sexual assault,” Gillibrand said. “We know this problem is pervasive and too often swept under the rug. This bipartisan bill is a new path forward to protect students by flipping the incentives and holding schools accountable. I am grateful to the survivors and advocates whose work inspired this legislation. Our work isn’t done, and now we need to work together to spotlight this problem, raise awareness and organize around getting this bill passed so we can make our colleges

safer and more transparent.”

Gillibrand has been sweeping the state to tell students and college administrators alike about the bill. She spoke at the University of Buffalo and the University of Rochester last Monday.

Rep. Katko represents New York’s 24th district, which covers Onondaga, Cayuga, Wayne and southwestern Oswego counties. Katko was a federal prosecutor for 20 years before being elected to Congress in 2014. Katko, a Republican, said he supports the Democrat senator’s bill because he believes it will help sexual assault victims and improve search produces for sexual assault perpetrators.

“College students today are at a greater risk of becoming victims of sexual assault than their noncollege peers,” Katko said. “This must end now. I’m proud to stand by Sen. Gillibrand to support her strong, bipartisan proposal to keep students safe from sexual violence on college campuses. This legislation would require greater transparency and accountability and establish proactive best practices for colleges to address this unacceptable trend.”

Gillibrand reintroduced the Campus Accountability and Safety Act last Thursday, which was backed by six Democrat and six Republican senators. The bill will have to pass through committee before it reaches the Senate floor.

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The New York State Assembly passed the DREAM Act with an 81-42 vote on Feb. 26 and the bill will now go to the Senate for a final decision.

The act enables undocumented immigrant students to go to college with financial aid assistance and it ensures all New Yorkers have equal opportunity to access higher education.

“In a state that has been a leader on issues of civil rights and one which has one of the highest immigrant populations, New York should be at the front of progressive immigrant policies,” said former New York State Senator Shirley Huntley in regards to the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act gives undocumented immigrant students access to state financial aid. This includes programs like the Tuition Assistance Program, Higher Education Opportunity Program, Educational Opportunity Program and Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program.

Undocumented students are allowed to attend public higher education institutions, but current state laws exclude them from receiving aid with tuition.

Daniel Griffin, the director of admissions at Oswego State, said each year the Office of Admissions receives applications from “out of status” or undocumented applicants.

“Most have been living in the U.S. – most often right here in New York State – their entire lives,” Griffin said. “In some cases, the student isn’t even aware he or she is ‘out of status’ until they go through the admission process and have to answer ‘no’ to being a U.S. citizen and ‘no’ to permanent residency.”

Each year, about 4,500 undocumented students graduate from high school statewide, but only 10 percent of the graduates pursue a college education, according to the Washington-based American Immigration Council.

Rochel DeSilva, a junior peer educator at Oswego State, supports the DREAM

Act. She believes it can offer undocumented students the opportunity to better their lives, which she said is why immigrants come to the U.S. “We can’t tell people America is the place to build their futures without giving them the resources to do so,” DeSilva said.

DeSilva thinks the U.S. is a place where people can get ahead in life and this should be offered to everyone.

Undocumented students have the opportunity to attend college and access to in-state tuition and merit scholarships, but they do not qualify for need-based state financial aid, according to Griffin.

Griffin said for low-income families, this could make going to a college like Oswego State “impossible,” as this prevents students from having access to grants and loans that could help them pay for college tuition.

The DREAM Act would remove barriers to obtaining a higher education for these students. It would give them the opportunity to receive tuition breaks and for their families to open college savings accounts.

The legislation was first introduced in 2010. This is the third consecutive year the State Assembly has passed the act, but it has failed to pass in the Senate in the past.

Even though it has failed to pass in the Senate, last year the act was turned down by a single vote.

Cuomo tied the act to his $142 billion state budget this year, specifically to the Education Investment Tax Credit, which would allow donors to write off contributions on their state taxes.

The Education Investment Tax Credit was the first bill passed in the Senate this year.

Other states have already passed the DREAM Act, including California, Minnesota, New Mexico, Texas and Washington.

“These students should be offered a path to citizenship,” Griffin said. “They are not criminals; they are young men and women brought here by parents seeking a better life. Sounds a lot like the hopes and dreams that brought most of our ancestors here.”

The DREAM Act has been introduced in the past but failed to pass during the state legislature’s last legislative session.

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Students find benefits to living on campus Candidates bring experience to the table Independent-living complexes like The Village keep students close

Lily Choi | The Oswegonian

OFF CAMPUS from COVER to campus.”

The Village townhouses construction expansion project started in 2010 and added nearly 300 students to the on campus population. The Village townhouses gave juniors and seniors an opportunity to gain a better sense of independence by living in a designated townhouses area with their chosen housemates. It mimicked the offcampus housing with the benefits of being on campus.

Imani Gary, a senior English major from Brooklyn, has been on campus throughout her college career. She currently resides in The Village and enjoys living with five other housemates.

“I’m not really from the area and I don’t have a car,” Gary said. “So living on campus was the best option for me. I really like The Village because it’s kind of like a more adult feeling than living in the dorms. You

have your own room. You have a common area where you can hangout with all your friends. You can cook all your meals.”

She also said being on campus was a great decision because it helped her immerse in the college setting.

“When you are on campus and look out your window, you can see Poucher and Marano Center right there,” Gary said.

“You are like, ‘oh I’m still in school and I have to do homework.’ It is just a reminder that you attend school.”

Living on campus costs more than living off campus, especially an extra $1,000 more for The Village residents. Gary said she had to make some sacrifices with her meal plan.

“It technically is more expensive but I have the smallest meal plan possible,” Gary said. “The prices actually average out. Like if I were living in a dorm and had a full meal plan, it would be the same price as me living in a single with the two-meals-a-week plan.”

Bryan Guild is a junior wellness management student from Saratoga, N.Y. He chose

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of the Oswego State College Democrats, an anchor on WTOP-10, interned with several political and governmental organizations in Washington, D.C. and New York City and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain last year.

“More importantly than my leadership experience at SUNY Oswego, I am extremely passionate about SA and the immense progress we have made as an organization this past year,” Collins-McNeil said. “I am excited to continue to take part in the evolution of SA.” As for what he would like to see happen if he won the presidency, Collins-McNeil said he would want to see a number of changes made in the organization.

“I would like to see a re-brand of SA on campus so that students, faculty and staff know who we are and what we do, a revitalization of the student senate and potential elections for senators, implement a congress speaker to preside over the student senate, create a formal relationship with the United States Student Association and foster a professional relationship with Greek letter organizations to lead student activism and campus wide initiatives,” CollinsMcNeil said. “I would like SUNY Oswego to continue to create ‘wow’ moments so that all students can be proud of our campus commu-

hard as I can to make the changes that students express they wish to see,” Nassir said. “At the beginning of my term, I would like to send out a survey to the student body and ask what they would like to see. After collecting results I would work with the senate to see what can or cannot be done. Personally, what I would like to work on is the Blue Route system and plowing and parking. As a current member of the university’s parking committee, I understand and witness a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into commuter lots and bus systems.

I would like to find a way to ensure that buses won’t skip routes or run extremely late and cause students to be late to class.”

Running against Nassir is Marlon Calliste, another student deeply involved in student clubs and organizations.

“I think I am a viable candidate because I am already a student leader on campus,” Calliste said. “My freshman year, I was a senator representing Cayuga and now I am currently the vice president of the Black Student Union.

These positions have given me a lot of experience in leadership roles and in working with a lot of people to accomplish specific goals.”

During his time as a senator, Calliste helped craft the bill for Oswego State’s first Mental Wellness Conference. Additionally, Calliste helped organize the first ever off-campus vari-

to live off campus in town with his three housemates because he enjoyed having more freedom and saving thousands of dollars at the same time.

“You are not cooped up in a dorm room for most of your time,” Guild said. “There is more than one room for you to go in. I’m going to say I save like five grand at least. It’s like cutting the cost in half to live off campus compared to on campus.”

With the Oswego setting, the weather and several bands of heavy lake-effect snow seemed to be the biggest drawback for many commuters, including Guild.

“Obviously, I can’t walk to campus from here,” Guild said. “So I’m going to have to drive several times a day to campus. I got a decent car. It’s good in the snow. But still, it’s a lot more stressful than if I was living in the dorm.”

While many students are weighing pros and cons of on-campus and off living during this room selection period, Kolenda expected the declining trend of off-campus housing to continue.

believes a business should be a part of the community it serves

During the academic year we employ over 650 students and pay them in excess of $1,700,000 to assist them with their education expenses.

CANDIDATES from COVER

JoAnn DeLauter | The Oswegonian Presidential candidate Christopher Collins-McNeil tables for SA in the Marano Campus Center prior to the election.

nity and continue the work that we have started this past year.”

Collins-McNeil called being unopposed in this election “truly disappointing.”

“Student apathy is a problem on this campus and it is only further displayed in the lack of student interest and involvement in student governance,” Collins-McNeil said. “I want SUNY Oswego students to be passionate about their campus community and realize the power they hold to effectuate largescale change on our campus.”

For the first time since 2012, the race for the vice presidency isn’t opposed. Two Oswego State students have announced their candidacy. Like Collins-McNeil, vice presidential candidate Emily Nassir is also a seasoned member of SA. “I decided to run for vice president because I’ve been in the senate for two years and I have seen it change in so many different ways,” Nassir said. “After all of my involvement, I thought that this was the right way for me to further dedicate myself to senate and to SA as well as help lead it in the right direction through the changes that we’ve seen.”

Nassir has held numerous positions during her time in SA. She has been the vice chair of the student involvement committee, as well as the chair of Oswego State’s largest on-campus fundraiser, Miss-A-Meal. At the beginning of this academic year, Nassir also took on the roles of the senate clerk and a representative on the Auxiliary Services Board of Directors. Nassir is a member of the Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority and has held various positions in that organization as well.

“If elected, I will spend my term trying as

ety show in celebration of Black History Month.

“My platform is that of increasing student participation and awareness of the Student Association,” Calliste said. “In order to do so, I would like to advertise heavily through social media, WTOP, and WNYO. I would also like to form a better connection with clubs; in order to do so, I would have senators meet regularly with club presidents in order to understand the clubs’ goals and needs. These are just some of the ideas I have in terms of making SA more known and campus on improving the connection between clubs and SA.” There was some thought that current SA vice president Jillian Kranz might run for a term of her own right. She was promoted to the position at the beginning of the semester following the resignation of Neely Laufer. However, Kranz has decided not to run.

“I did consider running for vice president but after a lot of consideration, I didn’t think that I could commit to the job for another full year,” Kranz said. “I love Student Association and being a part of it so I see myself continuing as a senator for next year and maybe in the future becoming a director. For right now, I am happy with passing the job to someone else and seeing the great things that they can do with this position.”

Students can vote on the election days March 10 and 11 via Laker Life. An email will be sent to the entire student body with the link to the page where they can vote. The winning candidates will be sworn in on April 1.

NEWS

Heroin seen as statewide, local problem

Opiate product confiscation on the rise, Oswego County has string of arrests Cassidy Carroll Copy Editor ccarroll@oswegonian.com

Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced that $8.7 million in federal funds has been awarded to New York state to help prevent heroin use and overdoses among adolescents in the state.

The governor added that money is also available to help combat the use of opiate and prescription drug abuse.

“This funding will help in our battle against heroin and prescription drug abuse, an epidemic that disproportionately affects teens and young adults, and has resulted in far too much needless tragedy,” Cuomo said.

“Drug abuse has devastating consequences for families across New York, and these grants are another way our administration is working to help communities fight this heads on, and ultimately save lives.”

Since 2009, heroin confiscations in the U.S. have been on the rise, according to the National Seizure System, an organization that gathers information on drug seizures from participating law enforcement organizations. The rise in the number of seizures also exists as a problem in Oswego County.

Between the years 2009 and 2013, heroin seizures have increased 87 percent in the country. Along with the rise of seizures, the number of heroin abusers has increased by 113 percent between 2004 and 2012, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Gwen Kay, a history professor at Oswego State who specializes in the history of medicine and science, credits the new legislation I-STOP, a prescription-monitoring program, as part of the reason why heroin has been on the rise in Oswego County and nationwide.

“I-STOP is for physicians and pharmacies and it was supposed to be implemented in place, ready to go, this spring,” Kay said. “If you see a doctor and you get various prescriptions, especially opiates, the doctor now has to put your name in a database.”

The point of I-STOP is for narcotic regulation.

What’s happening is people are getting addicted, or they’re getting (narcotics) and they’re selling them,” Kay said. “As soon as you limit the opiates that are available and

as soon as you’re addicted – and opiates are incredibly addictive – people who have been using opiates are going to switch to heroin because it’s still going to be available.”

Jeff Kinney, an investigator in the district attorney’s office for the Oswego County Drug Task Force, said the first time he encountered heroin recently was in 2011, which was an isolated case.

Crack cocaine, which was the drug of choice in Oswego County for years, started to dwindle when heroin use began showing up again, according to Kinney.

“I’m going to say for the last year, yearand-a-half, heroin has just exploded,” Kinney said. “Far and wide heroin has become the drug of choice. I think a large part of that is a lot of people were on the pills. Prescription medications were being prescribed by a lot of physicians. Then there was legislation … and it became very restricted as far as getting your Hydrocodone and Oxycontin.”

Kinney said many of the people the task force has arrested for heroin were addicted to pills beforehand and then heroin became cheaper and easier.

Task force has not been able to get any statistics on overdoses and overdose deaths in Oswego County after many failed attempts.

“It’s very difficult,” Kinney said. “They (the Health Department) cite HIPAA reasons, although we’re not looking for names, we’re looking for numbers. They’re very, very hesitant to give out those statistics and I don’t know why.”

The task force wants the statistics on overdoses to inform heroin abusers of the risks involved with the drug and how the potency can change.

“Just because you get a bag of heroin today doesn’t mean you’re going to get the same bag of heroin tomorrow,” Kinney said.

“It’s like playing Russian roulette with a bag of heroin. It scares the hell out of me.”

Kinney said a bag of heroin in Oswego costs roughly $15 to $20. In Syracuse, he said a bag costs between $6 and $10. The change of price is due to supply and demand, according to Kinney. The heroin in Oswego used to come from Rochester in 2008 and 2009, Kinney said, but recently it has come from Syracuse.

According to Kinney, New York State Police have cited that labs have found a bag of heroin – or an envelope – to be between

.02 grams and .39 grams. Drug dealers have recently lowered the amount to .02 grams of heroin per bag because they are trying to make more profit. A bundle of heroin is 10 bags, and a brick is 50 bags.

Heroin is one of the most addictive drugs there is. According to Oswego County Chief Assistant District Attorney Mark Moody, it takes about three to five grams of cocaine to get someone high, and it takes less than .02 grams of heroin to get a person high.

“That tells you the difference between the amount of cocaine and the amount of heroin people use to get high,” Moody said.

Someone who is caught with heroin possession is charged with a misdemeanor, however if the authorities can prove that person has heroin with intent to sell, they are charged with a B Felony.

Kinney said jail time depends on the person’s prior criminal history.

“If they can articulate to their attorney that they’re selling primarily to support habit, there are programs designed to get them the help to get sober in hopes that they’ll stop selling,” Kinney said.

Some people who plead guilty and are addicted to heroin are eligible for judicial diversion and drug court programs in which they enter a monitored program mandated by a city court judge.

“People enter it with the idea that they’ve plead guilty, they’ve entered the program, and if they successfully complete the program they’re given a lesser sentence, usually a misdemeanor or probation,” Moody said.

“Whereas if they fail the program, they go to state prison.”

Moody calls this technique the “big carrot, big stick” approach.

“You have the opportunity to virtually get rid of your felony convictions, and that’s the big carrot,” Moody said. “And the big stick is that if you don’t, you go to state prison.”

Someone Kinney recently arrested in Oswego County had three bricks of heroin. The man was on a treatment program for addiction and claimed he was clean for over eight months, but he started selling heroin and got addicted to the money.

“He was selling heroin knowing the effects of it, and I questioned him of that,” Kin-

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

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ney said. “He didn’t have an answer.”

Heroin has what are referred to as “stamps,” which is a way of marketing for the dealers. If someone buys heroin with a certain stamp on it and he or she likes it, they know they can go back to the dealer and ask for that stamp.

Some heroin bags look like parchment paper, and are slightly see-through, while others look like plastic sandwich bags. Some of the stamps on the bags include: “Arm & Hammer,” with an arm and hammer symbol; “Safe Trip,” with an airplane ascending on it; “Stone Age,” with a cartoon character; “777” in red

letters; “Deadman Walking”; “Section 8”; “Soul Tape”; “Versace” and “Grave Digger.”

“Believe it or not, I’ve had informants tell me that when someone overdoses and it’s associated with that stamp, people want that stamp,” Kinney said.

To combat the issue of heroin in Oswego County, drug enforcement agencies are attempting to find the sources supplying the community with heroin. The county is working on judicial diversion programs and is educating adolescent people in schools and treatment facilities on the drug.

Concert tickets available starting March 8, price increases after break May Day, Case-a-Palooza, senior barbecue will all merge on same day to make up Ozfest; SA hopes event will continue in future

Photo provided by larrylovenstein via Flickr Artist Mac Miller is one of the artists that will come to Oswego State to perform for students on May 8.

CONCERT from COVER At this time, students are able to purchase two additional tickets at the price of $60 each. On March 30, tickets open to the general public at the price of $85. Students who decide to buy a ticket the day of the concert will have to pay $85. According to Sholtes, everyone involved in SA will

receive a ticket free of charge along with the eboard of SAPB. Traditionally, the price of the spring concert is $10, but because of the larger scale this year and the added expense, the price had to increase to break even with the cost. SAPB combined their budget for the fall concert and the spring concert to fund this event. SA also contributed $150,000.

This price was decided in order to raise money

from this year’s ticket sales to be put into next year’s allowing next year’s concert to be “as big, if not bigger,” said Sholtes. The total cost of the concert is about $300,000.

According to Justin Costello, the SAPB concert coordinator, the price could have been lower but it would have not continued to be the same standard for next year and they want to make this a longlasting Oswego State tradition.

“I think if students really put thought into it they will [pay the $45 for a ticket],” Sholtes said.

“The average ticket price for all four of these artist together would be upwards of $180, which is on the low end. It ranges to $220. Tickets that get you as close to the stage as students will be able to get, you might be looking at spending about $400.”

According to Racha, the next step is promoting the event. During the concert, there are 2,000 floor seats available in the arena and 1,500 stadium seats available as well as food available for students to buy.

Before the concert, there are events planned from about noon that day up until the concert. SA and SAPB plan to incorporate May Day and Case-a-Palooza into a main carnival theme event throughout campus.

According to Sholtes, the committee is discussing different ideas on what the day will include. Students should look forward to the announcements to come about the details and events of that day. They have discussed the possibility of having slip and slides, bounce houses, zip-lines and other activities. There will be also be barbeque and carnival food sponsored by Auxiliary Services.

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“I look at this wonderful opportunity for students to let loose, have some fun on the last day of classes before they go in and prepare for finals week,” Sholtes said. “Hopefully in 10 years, Ozfest will grow and get bigger and better.”

In terms of security, University Police will be at full staff that day and outside security will be hired for the event. When entering the concert students should expect a light pat down and a bag check.

Students will not be allowed to bring beverages

inside the concert or be allowed to attend if they are considered to be uncontrollable.

According to Costello, specific details are being worked out in terms of what might happen going forward.

“So far, the most exciting thing is seeing it become a reality and it has been talked about and debated, planned for so long,” Costello said. “We have looked forward to this and I can’t wait to stand there as it is happening and know we succeed in what we were trying to do.”

Bill could ease college financial burden SCHUMER from COVER enrolled in undergraduate programs across Upstate New York, according to a the senator’s office. In a 2012 national survey by the Gallup Institute, a research tank in Washington, D.C., the average American household makes $52,000 per year. As annual college expenses continue to rise, Schumer ensures that the bill could save Americans an upwards of $1.5 billion in savings each year.

“It’s time we update and grow the tax credit to better keep up with the rising cost of tuition, and make it a permanent fixture in the tax code. The difficulty of affording college tuition certainly isn’t expiring,” Schumer said.

Twenty years ago, the average cost of an undergraduate education was $6,562, guaranteeing students a placement in the coveted middle class. However, in 2015, the stakes are even higher, causing students to pay nearly triple this amount over a fouryear-span, according to a 2007 report by the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences.

Throughout the SUNY system, Oswego State is renowned as a cost-effective academic institution. In 2013, 65.4 percent of graduating students borrowed financial aid to fund their education, according to a study by U.S News and World Report.

Sophomore and marketing managing major Isaiah Cox supports Schumer ’s new bill to make college affordable. Similar to many Oswego State students, he struggles to cope with the expedited debt he will face in the future.

“It’s stressful,” Cox said. “I wonder sometimes if it’s worth it, but it is something you have to do. I think this is a great idea for college students. I have a lot of friends who would love to go to great, big universities but they can’t afford it.”

Vice President of Activities for the Business Management Club Rose Joseph is in the know about her student loan debt. Raised by a single parent, she understands the fiscal

burden of higher education. Joseph agrees with the senator’s plan and hopes it can open opportunities for minority students.

“I was freaking out before I came to school because I know it’s expensive,” Joseph said.

“My mom has to work extra hours just to pay for it. If this bill goes through, more people would be willing to go away to school because they can afford it. Not everybody gets financial aid. I know I don’t and it’s hard.”

Freshman and human development major Jasmilly Solares works extra shifts at her job to pay for her monthly college statement. In Solares middle-class household, the financial burden of college is carried by one parent. With less opportunities for financial aid available to Solares, she feels the economic strain of her college expenses.

“I try to help her as much as I can, but it’s not always a lot because I work in the dining hall and I don’t make as much money as I would like to,” Solares said.

Solares added that Schumer’s bill will destroy fiscal inequities and will help students attend the college of their choice.

“It’s better to make college more affordable because not everyone can afford to go to college,” Solares said. “There are a few people I went to high school with who wanted to go away to college because they were not able to afford it.”

While freshman zoology major Cayla Turner is attending Oswego State on a full ride, she watches the economic hardship of college plague her friends and family. Turner explains that the bill will help extinguish monetary disparities.

“Some of my friends have to pick up one or two jobs just to afford to be here,” Turner said. “I think it’s wonderful that he is making college more affordable. In today’s economy, not many people can go to college because their parents don’t make enough money to afford it.”

Since 2009, Schumer has fought for the disparities of the middle-class and hopes to make higher education accessible to U.S citizens.

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Lakers face another major test in North Country Laker Ledger: Editor's Column Win puts Oswego State back among nation's elite

New core earns distinction as road warriors in postseason, looks to add new chapter in Saturday's title bout

Andrew Pugliese Sports Editor apugliese@oswegonian.com Late season injuries, new lines and a loss to SUNY Potsdam have No. 3 Oswego State in need of a win in Plattsburgh on Saturday to get back on the national championship contender’s short list.

Senior captain Bobby Gertsakis and sophomore Stephen Johnson are back in the mix on defense and the Lakers have their regular starting lineup back in one piece.

But one game back together at home versus Buffalo State is not much of a sample size to hang one’s hat on.

The opponent ahead in No. 7 SUNY Plattsburgh is much faster, stronger on both sides of the puck and has one of the most decorated men in Div. III atop its bench. The Cardinals are three seasons removed from an NCAA tournament bid and need a win in this weekend’s final to end their drought.

SUNY Plattsburgh has the motive and an experienced, veteran core to pose a serious challenge to the Lakers’ third straight conference crown and a more favorable draw in the 11-team NCAA field.

Not to mention, home-ice advantage for the highly anticipated game will make the atmosphere that much more hostile for the rival Lakers.

“They’re a very good team," said head coach Ed Gosek. "There’s a reason they’re in the finals again. There’s a reason we’re in the finals again. I think the consistency of both programs; again, going back to the rivalry, it takes two competitive teams that have gone at it. That’s the reason there’s the rivalry.”

A win on Saturday for Oswego State helps its NCAA resume by adding a third victory over a ranked opponent.

It would be its second on the road, both against SUNY Plattsburgh. The conference tournament crown will erase questions raised following the final weekend of the regular season.

The Lakers have the best power play in Div. III with Gertsakis quarterbacking the top unit. Plus, a healthy squad has solidified the second unit with players like Johnson, Mike Montagna and Nick Rivait. On the other side of special teams, the combinations of Brandon Adams and Morgan Bonner along with Andrew Barton and Krystian Yorke are back together after so much success down the stretch last season and early on this year. Gosek has seen the improved play with a man in the box, as of late.

“Bonner and Adams: Bonner was out and then Adams was out,” Gosek said. “We had Herlihey rotating in who did a great job. I think the consistency of those two and Barton and Yorkey, along with our D understanding and starting to anticipate more [is bringing them together in units].”

Special teams will likely play a large role in deciding the contest as the Lakers and Cardinals tout rosters equally skilled in all three zones. However, another factor will be goaltenders.

Oswego State’s Matt Zawadzki and SUNY Plattsburgh’s Brady Rouleau played to a stalemate in February in Oswego after Zawadzki won the battle in December in Plattsburgh. Round three is in the North Country once again, where Zawadzki is 3-0 and Rouleau is 3-1 in his last four starts.

With perennial powerhouse St. Norbert College currently on the outside looking in and no clear front runners, the Lakers can prove the legitimacy of their title hopes as the road warriors seek another conference championship in unfriendly territory.

UPCOMING MATCHES * green indicates home games

Taylor Clock | The Oswegonian Head coach Ed Gosek plans to stick with new forward lines in SUNYAC finals against No. 7 SUNY Plattsburgh.

Andrew Pugliese Sports Editor apugliese@oswegonian.com No. 3 Oswego State is back in the SUNYAC tournament finals for the fourth season and the seventh time in the last eight seasons.

“As far as the consistency, I think each year it builds,” head coach Ed Gosek said. “You bring guys in and they see what has to happen: the mentality you have to have, the sacrifice that goes into that and being able to maintain it. One, you have to have the talent and two, you have to have players that are willing to believe in what it is that you do.”

Struggles on the final weekend of the regular season have men’s ice hockey heading back to the North Country for the SUNYAC tournament finals.

The No. 7 Cardinals, under head coach Bob Emery, enter Saturday’s contest a comparable foe looking to break into the NCAA tournament field with the league’s automatic berth.

“He prepares them well,” Gosek said.

“There’s no lack of talent. They’re four lines deep, same as us. They’ve got six D who are all very good. Their goalie’s solid.”

Road warriors in 2014 when they had to win in Plattsburgh, Geneseo and Babson to reach the Frozen Four in Maine, the Lakers’ core is no stranger to winning on the biggest stages away from the Marano Campus Center Arena.

Oswego State is undefeated on the road this season at 7-0-1. The team has suffered all three of its losses within the confines of its home barn.

“We’re more blue collar on the road. We play a more simple road game, so to speak,” Gosek said. “As opposed to playing at home, where we feel like we’ve got to make highlight reel goals...We certainly would rather play at home, but I don’t think [playing on the road] a factor.”

Another factor this team has going for it is the improvement of its health. Its top defensive

pairing of senior captain Bobby Gertsakis and sophomore Stephen Johnson missed the White Out game and Senior Night, but returned and made a noticeable impact in the SUNYAC semifinals against Buffalo State.

The coaching staff also shuffled up the forward lines and broke up the line of sophomores Matt Galati, Kenny Neil and Alex Botten. The new lines were seen as a must after the offense had gone dormant besides the line of freshman Mitchell Herlihey, sophomore Shawn Hulshof and senior Mike Montagna.

“I like the way that they work," Gosek said.

"I thought it was a much more balanced effort.

You really couldn’t tell whether there was a difference between any lines, honestly. They all generated offense. I thought they all were pretty responsible defensively. All of them finished checks. All of them blocked shots.”

Both the Lakers and Cardinals are among Div. III’s top 10 for scoring offense and defense.

The Lakers have 13 players with 10 points or more and the Cardinals have 17 players who have eclipsed the same mark.

In net, the two sides have sophomore

standouts with job security as their junior backups are scratched due to injury. Matt Zawadzki of Oswego State carried his team through the SUNYAC tournament and into the Frozen Four last season. Brady Rouleau stepped up in January and has been 7-1-1 since Spencer Finney suffered an injury on Jan. 17 against Williams College.

Both teams have stepped up on either side of special teams in the second half of the season, returning to prominence in Div. III. “Their special teams, if you look at their overall statistics, it’s misleading,” Gosek said. “They’ve been very good, of late, even though there were points during the season where they may have struggled, same as us on the PK and power play. Really, looking at the averages I don’t know if that’s fair. The averages over the last six games I think give you a better tendency of how they’re playing.”

The Cardinals and Lakers will take the ice for the 115th time on Saturday night in yet another high intensity contest with major implications.

Lily Choi | The Oswegonian

Women's ice hockey preps for big weekend Oswego State looks to make history in Elmira as they faceoff with SUNY Plattsburgh in ECAC West Semifinals

Taylor Clock | The Oswegonian Junior Lizzy Marks (left) is among the trio of leaders, which will be counted on in Saturday's semifinal in Elmira.

Brian Krosky Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com With a win this weekend in the semifinals of the ECAC West women’s ice hockey playoffs, the Oswego State Lakers would accomplish a trio of tasks they have not yet accomplished in their program’s history: defeat SUNY Plattsburgh, win at Elmira College’s home ice and head to the finals of the ECAC West.

“In a one-game format, anything can happen,” head coach Diane Dillon said.

Oswego State lost both games against SUNY Plattsburgh this year, by scores of 4-0 and 5-1. SUNY Plattsburgh was then ranked No.1 in Div. III, but is now ranked No.2.

Despite both losses, this team may be one of the best that has ever gone out on the ice in program history. Currently ranked sixth in scoring defense and 20th in scoring offense in Div. III, this team also set a program mark with 19 wins, two more than last year.

However, this upcoming contest against SUNY Plattsburgh hosts many challenges.

The Cardinals rank first in the nation in scoring offense, averaging over five goals per game, and are fifth in scoring defense.

“We certainly look at tendencies and special teams,” Dillon said on what she would be looking for in film study this week.

The Lakers have come very close in recent history to upsetting the Cardinals but have not been able to capitalize on all cylinders of their game to do so. In a game where one team is the underdog, sometimes it takes an aggressive game plan to catch the other team off guard. Dillon said that she is waiting to see how the game unfolds.

“We’re planning on different scenarios for different lines, for Plattsburgh and our own, and we like to show them a couple of different looks so we are preparing for everything,” Dillon said.

The biggest strength of this Laker team, that will keep this game competitive, is their excelling play on special teams capitalizing on opponent’s mistakes and not allowing them to capitalize on their own.

Men's Basketball

Men's Tennis

Friday, March 6 vs.

**NCAA First Round at University of Mount Union**

@

Saturday, March 7

7 p.m.

Plattsburgh earned All-ECAC West honorable mention and is tied for ninth in the nation in save percentage, and tied for second in shutouts with Smith and Trinity College freshman Sydney Belinskas.

The key for Oswego State is to keep the game a low-scoring contest. If it contains the Cardinals within the first two periods, it has a great chance to upset them. The Cardinals have scored their least amount of goals (40), and have surrendered the most (19) in the third period of their games this season. For the Lakers, it is the other way around. The Lakers are outscoring their opponents 30-7 in the third period this year, and pose a threat to any team that they are trailing or tied with after two periods.

That, and also having the chance to upset the No. 2 team in the country, would also be a huge momentum shift in favor of the Lakers if they find themselves in that situation.

Lily Choi | The Oswegonian

Women's Ice Hockey

Friday, March 6 5:30 p.m.

The Lakers are the best team in the nation at killing their opponent’s power play, and have seen an improvement at moving the puck and taking better shots in the second half of the season. A team like Oswego State can defeat anybody in the nation, if they limit penalties and continue its superior penalty kill.

“If they play well defensively," Dillon said. "We’ll get some opportunities, but we just have to bury them. We had opportunities in the last Plattsburgh game, we just didn’t finish, or we missed rebounds, things that could have changed the outcome of the game.”

However, the matchup of the game will be both goalies, both of which are in the elite category of players between the pipes in Div. III. Bridget Smith of Oswego State was named first team All-ECAC West, and is also tied for first in the nation with a .948 save percentage, and tied for second with six shutouts. Camille Leonard of SUNY

vs. **at Elmira College**

Men's Ice Hockey Saturday, March 7

7 p.m.

@

7 p.m.

Blue Line Oswego State

SCOREBOARD

Quote of the Week Last season definitely lit a fire under our seats and we're out to prove that 2014 was just a fluke."

-Alexandria Connelly, softball junior pitcher

Lakers look to bounce back as former assistant coach, Oswego native takes over after down season

Wednesday, March 4

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Men's Ice Hockey Saturday, Feb. 28

2 0

Men's Basketball Saturday, Feb. 28

70 Photo provided by Sports Information Senior Alexandra McKay has seen the improvement in the pitchers from a catcher's standpoint.

Women's Ice Hockey Saturday, Feb. 28

2 1

Oswego State

ROAD RECAPS Women's Lacrosse

Oswego State opened up its season with a thrilling 8-6 overtime win over Utica College on Sunday. Senior Mackenzie Kjerstad and junior Erannan Shattuck notched the overtime goals to clinch the victory. Kjerstad, freshman Gemma O'Kane and junior Esther Gabriel picked up two apiece to lead the Lakers. The Lakers then went down Route 104 to take on Rochester Institute of Technology on Wednesday. The Lakers lost by a score of 11-9 with Kjerstad, Shattuck, junior Emily Lange and sophomore Briana Kimble picking up two goals each in the contest.

Wrestling

The Lakers were represented well at the NCAA Mideast Regionals at Messiah College on Sunday.

Senior Scott Bova placed fifth in the 184-pound weight class in his final competition as a Laker. To earn his stance on the podium, Bova won the fifth place bout by a major decision of 9-0. On the other side of the spectrum, freshman Tyler Silverthorn competed in his first regional competition, placing sixth in the 157-pound weight class. Silverthorn came close to earning a spot on the podium with losing the fifth place bout by a only a score of 4-3. As a team, the Lakers finished 15th out of 18 squads.

Ryan Haas Contributing Writer sports@oswegonian.com On a frigid March evening with Oswego winds howling and snow banks standing nearly two feet tall, the thought of throwing a softball seemed preposterous.

In the midst of a winter wonderland,

we have just to fine tune some things.

While we all are anxiously awaiting the season to start. It’s good to take this extra time and build on our intensity.”

Freshman Melanie Klauser added that extra batting practice and training during the regular season delay allows the Lakers to improve as much as possible.

“We’re all accustomed to this weath-

said Ahern, who enters his sixth year as a coach within the Laker program.

Ahern added that he is not putting too much pressure on his players and instead, creating a positive atmosphere where the players will not be afraid to compete and work hard.

“If you tell your lead-off hitter they need to get on base or they need to score, that puts an enormous amount of pressure on these athletes,” Ahern said.

“My whole feeling is that I don’t believe we perform our best when we’re afraid of making mistakes. We play our best ball when we’re comfortable and having fun.”

So far, Ahern’s laid-back coaching philosophy has been well received by the softball team, as the players stay focused and prepare for a fresh start.

“Everyone’s more excited to come to practice everyday,” said senior second baseman Jessie Terrano. “We’re all on the same page, thanks to a more positive atmosphere.”

Even as a more unified and collective unit, the Lakers will need to improve a pitching staff that features junior starter Alexandria Connelly, who finished with a team-best 3.78 ERA last season. Despite the solid ERA, the Endicott native finished the season with a 5-8 record in 20 appearances. Connelly also came in to relieve some of her teammates, notching a team-leading two saves.

While Connelly puts the Lakers in a great position to take a game every time she is in the circle, she is still only one pitcher in a still developing rotation.

“We’ve got all of our girls returning this season to pitch, but we’re also really excited about what Lisa O’Callaghan

can bring to the table,” Ahern said.

To further improve the Laker pitching, Ahern brought in Sean Samson, an assistant coach of Ahern’s, who specializes in pitching, to aid Oswego State in its development.

“I’ve noticed a big improvement with our pitchers,” McKay said. “Samson is so supportive; he’s opened communication between pitchers and catchers and through our communication, we’re able to get more out of our pitchers.”

Connelly added that Samson has worked with pitchers on picking up their speeds, putting more spin on the ball and keeping the ball low, so that players do not crush it out of the ballpark.

With Samson’s expertise rubbing off on these young pitchers, perhaps this is the year that Oswego state returns to SUNYAC contention.

“We went to the SUNYAC title game my freshman year, and to have last season end the way it ended was very disappointing,” Connelly said. “Last season definitely lit a fire under our seats and we’re out to prove that 2014 was just a fluke.”

The Lakers patiently wait for their chance to prove that 2014 was a rarity, when they begin their journey toward redemption in Clermont, Fla. with eight games in four days.

When the freshly cut grass aroma fills the air and the sound of birds chirping compliments the smacking of bats hitting softballs, it will be prevalent that softball season is here.

The Lakers first home game is scheduled for March 31 against Cazenovia College in a doubleheader set for 2 p.m. and 5

We're all accustomed to this weather, so we just have to prepare as best as we can. We're really lucky to have a facility like Romney Field House, where we can train and work on game-time situations.

-Melanie Klauser, freshman second baseman/outfielder

Oswego State softball players hustled over to Romney Field House not just to shield themselves from the barbaric weather, but also to work on some elements of their game at an 8 p.m. practice.

The Lakers, who have already canceled their first four games thanks to Mother Nature, remain upbeat and are anticipating their regular season debut against Western New England University in Clermont, Fla. on March 14.

In the meantime, Oswego State looks to do all it can to improve.

“We’re just working on our intensity,” said senior catcher Alexandra McKay. “We’re taking advantage of the time

er, so we just have to prepare as best as we can,” Klauser said. “We’re really lucky to have a facility like Romney Field House, where we can train and work on game-time situations.”

The Lakers finished 9-18 overall with a 5-13 conference record in 2014.

After a disappointing season, the program turns to newly promoted head coach Kevin Ahern to put a team that is one year removed from the SUNYAC title game, back on track.

“As the former assistant coach, most of the girls on the team know me very well, so from a transition perspective, I don’t believe it’ll be all that tough,”

Photo provided by Sports Information Senior Jessie Terrano believes a more positive environment has led the Lakers to be excited for the season.

Track and Field

The men's and women's teams competed at the SUNYAC Indoor Championships at the College at Brockport. For the men, freshman Alexander Ladouceur shined, claiming the High Jump championship by clearing 1.98 meters. Junior Ben Griffin, and seniors Matt Wagenhauser and Nick Reinsdorf, all claimed spots on the podium with Griffin and Reinsdorf claiming fifth in the mile and 800, respectively. While Wagenhauser earned third and the bronze medal in the 800. For the women, the team of seniors Kristen Harrigan and Sarah Popovitch, along with junior Katie Laris and sophomore Sylvia Pericles ran within two seconds of the school record. In the 400, senior Marissa Pariseau won her section to earn fourth overall.

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New head coach re-energizes softball program

Women's Lacrosse

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THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

2015-2016

SPORTS

FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

Men's basketball surprise team in big dance Lakers enter NCAA Div. III tournament with road ahead lined by top teams, former national champions

Steven Cordero Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State men’s basketball team will be competing in the NCAA Div. III basketball tournament opening round on Friday, taking on the Calvin College Knights.

The Lakers will be participants in the NCAA Tournament for the third time ever, all appearances coming in the last five years, and the second time as the winners of the SUNYAC conference. After grinding out three playoff wins in the SUNYAC playoffs, the Lakers find themselves up against a formidable opponent in the Knights who hold a lot of prestige in the history of Div. III men’s basketball.

The Lakers are guided by head coach Jason Leone, the 2014-15 SUNYAC Coach of the Year. This is the second time in his first four years at Oswego State that he has received the honor. The first time he received the honor was in his debut season as Laker coach when he also won the conference championship.

He has led the Lakers to two conference championships in four seasons after what was a 47-year drought without winning the SUNYAC. The last Laker conference championship before Leone’s tenure was in 1965.

The Lakers’ leader on the court throughout the season has been Brian Sortino. Sortino was the Lakers leading scorer on the season averaging 16 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field. He was named to the AllSUNYAC first team, the only Laker to be awarded this honor.

Sortino was a presence all season long for the Lakers with his scoring and ability to create his own shot, whether it was a pull up jump shot or drive to the basket. He also contributed greatly on the defensive side of the ball, always guarding opposing guards with top-class effort. Sortino won the SUNYAC playoff tournament MVP, officially being recognized as the best player of the tournament.

“It is an incredible accomplishment to Brian’s credit,” Leone said. “Most of the time in most leagues when your sophomore is your best player typically, from a maturity standpoint, they are not ready to lead a team that is a really good team."

Leone credited Sortino's success to his flexibility as a player.

“I want him to realize what helped get there, his coachability, how humble he is, and how even-keeled he is,” Leone continued. “Those are great attributes to have as a player.”

The opponent this weekend for the Lakers will be the Calvin College Knights of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). The Knights finished as champions of the MIAA for the third season in a row and they also boast the MVP of the conference this season in se-

as their head coach.

The Knights started off the campaign as 6th overall in the preseason national ranking, but only managed to stay in the top 25 for three weeks before falling out and never returning, despite earning some votes down the stretch. This is in contrast to the Lakers who received no national attention and pretty much flew under the radar despite the fact that they stood near or at the top of the SUNYAC all season.

“When you talk about Calvin, they’re one of the premier programs in Div. III,”

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Junior Walter Sampson (center) has averaged 36.4 minutes and 12.2 points per game over the last five games.

nior Jordan Brink, who is averaging 18.8 points per game on the campaign. They finished with an overall record of 21-6, including their two playoff victories.

The Knights are competing in the NCAA Tournament for the 20th time in their history. The Knights also boast two national championships, which they won in 1992 and 2000.

Their most recent championship was under the guidance of current head coach Kevin VandeStreek, who will be overseeing the Knights in the tournament for the ninth time in his 19th year

Leone said. “They would be one of the programs that is on the Mount Rushmore of Div. III basketball. Their program has continuity and winning tradition.”

The Lakers and Knights will compete against each other for the first time ever on Friday. These are two teams that have contrasting histories. The Lakers, despite recent success, have only won their conference on a total of six occasions. The Knights won their 11th MIAA Conference tournament this season. The MIAA Tournament began in the 1991-92 season.

Counting their 19 pre-tournament cham-

pionships as well, which decided the winners based on regular season play, the Knights have won a total of 30 conference championships.

One coincidental similarity is that both teams will be the only representatives of each of their respective conferences in this year ’s NCAA Tournament.

“Most teams that you play in this tournament did exactly what we just did,” Leone said. “They had to go out there and win two or three games with their backs against the wall or else they weren’t going to make it into the tournament.

“Every time you move up another notch on this ladder things become more difficult because your level has to get better, because the teams you’ll be playing will be significantly better,” Leone continued."

Over the weekend, the Lakers entered the SUNYAC conference playoffs as the third overall seed, going up against opponents who played them tough throughout the season in the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons, SUNY Geneseo Knights and SUNY Plattsburgh Cardinals.

The Lakers went a combined 3-3 against these three teams throughout the regular season, losing twice to the Cardinals, splitting the pair of games against SUNY Geneseo and winning two close overtime affairs against the Red Dragons.

The Lakers started to click at the right time of the season, however, as they remained focused and aggressive and were able to win all three games thanks to contributions from the whole squad. Walter Sampson and Kyle Covley were named to the all-tournament team as well, along with Sortino’s MVP honors.

“The most important thing is our guys believing in wanting to compete at a high level,” Leone said. “That will be the most important part of Friday.”

The Lakers will travel to Mount Union College this weekend for its contest. The Lakers will partake in one of two matchups as Neumann University is set to take on the hosting Mount Union College after the Lakers and Knights have completed their game. The winners of Friday’s games will face off on Saturday to decide who will advance to the sectionals of the tournament.

The Lakers will start play at 5:30 p.m. on Friday against the Knights in Alliance, Ohio.

Staff full of character expects much in 2015 Oswego State returns key pitchers, adds highly-touted transfers as it revs up for challenging campaign ahead Sam Watkins Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com As the snow continues to fall at Oswego State and appearances of green grass are few and far between, something has begun to brew within the depths of Laker Hall.

With a quiet and motivated force, Oswego State baseball team has one goal in mind: winning.

However, it is not only hitting that has generated excitement from this year’s baseball team. It is the now-seasoned group of pitchers who plan to bring the heat in this new campaign.

With five senior pitchers, all having developed a level of continuity with each other, there is very little doubt as to where the team leadership will come from this year.

Perhaps no one will be depended upon more, and no one will expect more out of himself, than senior lefthander Brendyn Karinchak.

After finishing last season with a 5-1 record, and posting an earned run average of 1.62, Karinchak is still looking to improve this season.

“Last year, I had a loss,” Karinchak said.

“This year I want to win every game. Set a goal, a lower ERA for myself, maybe stay under 1.00. Whatever I can do.”

Karinchak also realizes that now, as a senior, more eyes are on him, especially from the younger Laker players.

“I think it drives me [the pressure] to do better,” Karinchak said. “I try to set an example for the younger guys. Work hard every day, go out there and do my best, and expect the rest of the team to do the same thing."

One of the younger players is freshman righthander Robert Donnelly.

Despite being a freshman, the all-league high school star looks to be a major factor for the Lakers this season. With the five senior pitchers in front of him, Donnelly certainly has the resources to improve his game as well.

“They [the seniors] help me out of a lot,”

Donnelly said. “Taking tips here and there, from guys that have been in the motion for a while, they make it really easy to learn.”

Pat Brown, playing his senior season with the Lakers, has been no stranger to adversity, but his expectations for himself have not waned.

Brown began with the team in the 2011 season as a hitter. He has missed seasons due to injury, but is feeling healthy and ready to make an impact for the Lakers in his senior year.

“The further I get away from surgery, the better I feel,” Brown said. “My arm feels really good right now. I had a minor setback, but now I’m all ready to go for the spring.”

Having been with the Laker baseball program for five seasons now, Brown has

seen changes in the team since he entered years ago.

“I think the overall attitude has changed,” Brown said. “The guys that Coach Landers has brought in are all true baseball guys, and they’re all ready to come in here and just work harder every single day.”

The oldest pitcher on this team however, is not a player at all, it is head coach Scott Landers, a former pitching star for the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons.

Entering his fourth season as coach of the Lakers, Landers insists that the work ethic of this group of players separates them from pitchers in years past.

“Not that my pitchers in the past haven’t had good work ethics,” said Landers. “But

these guys take it above and beyond to where they really want to be the best. They want to compete against other teams, they want to complete against each other. They want to be the best staff in the country.”

The players expect to be flawless once they take the field, and so does their coach.

“I demand perfection, they demand perfection,” Landers said.

It will take near perfection for the Lakers to top the program-high 27 wins the team achieved two seasons ago, but the Lakers expect nothing less of themselves.

The theme of perfection and hard work and a stellar group of character pitchers on the mound for the Lakers this season will be crucial to making their lofty goals come true.

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Athletes of the Week

RACHEL LENARD

Women's Ice Hockey Freshman, Orchard Park Lenard notched two power-play goals in the Lakers 2-1 defeat over SUNY Cortland on Saturday in the ECAC West quarterfinal game. The freshman scored her first of the game midway through the first as she was able to slip the puck in after a scramble in the crease. The Orchard Park native then nabbed the eventual game winner just 31 seconds into the third as Lenard was the recipient of a tic-tac-toe passing effort that left the Cortland goaltender out of position.

BRIAN SORTINO

Men's Basketball Sophomore, Fairport Sortino was a key source of offense for Oswego on its road to becoming eventual SUNYAC Champions as shown by winning the Most Valuable Player of the tournament. In Tuesday's quarterfinal game against SUNY Oneonta, the sophomore scored 16 points to lead all Lakers.

Moving to the semifinal win against SUNY Geneseo, Sortino took over, once again leading his team in scoring with 24 points. In the win over Plattsburgh in the SUNYAC Championship final, Sortino continued to show his offensive skill set, notching 17 points and shooting 62.5 percent (5-of-8) from the field.

1:

Women’s basketball freshman Alisha Jacobs finished the season number one in multiple categories that included points per game, three-pointers made and free throws made for the Lakers this season. The SUNYAC named her as Rookie of the Year, the first time a Laker has been awarded this honor since 2009 with Kayla Ryan.

2:

Men’s basketball head coach Jason Leone earned SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors after leading the Lakers to its second conference championship in his four years at the helm of the program. This is the second time Leone has won the best coach in the conference award, the last time coming in his first year when the Lakers won the conference championship in 2012.

4:

Photo provided by Sports Information Senior Brendyn Karinchak transferred to Oswego State in 2014 from Central Connecticut State and instantly rose to the top of the pitching rotation.

Women’s basketball junior Heather Hebert was named to the SUNYAC All-Conference Third Team after finishing with 209 total rebounds, which was fourth best in the league. Her success off the glass showed, as she ended up in the top 10 in every major rebounding category in the conference. Herbert’s 109 field goals made and six double-doubles led the Lakers and she ended up with the fourth highest playing time average in the conference.

SPORTS

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

Oswego State makes progress as rookies lead turnaround Conference rookie of the year highlights women's basketball cast set to come back, move up in league standings Mike Nakoski Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State women’s basketball team came into this season not knowing what to expect with a young team.

But they did have one common goal in mind, and that was improving off last season.

Coming into the 2014-2015 season, the Lakers lost three seniors, including leading scorer Jen Robbins. The Lakers did, however, recruit five freshmen: Lindsay Johnson, Alisha Jacobs, Zana Dillard, Courtney Ameele and Rachael Windhausen.

Along with the new younger players, the Lakers also returned their second leading scorer Heather Hebert, who averaged 11 points and seven rebounds per game last year.

The Lakers came into the season after finishing 6-19 last season with a 2-16 SUNYAC conference record.

The season started off with the annual Max Ziel women’s basketball tournament, where the Lakers took one out of two games, including an 88-51 drubbing over visiting Bay Path College.

The Lakers placed third overall in the tournament while Hebert was named to the AllTournament team.

The Lakers would lose two straight before opening up SUNYAC play against SUNY Fredonia. Jacobs led the team in a 71-58 win with 23 points including four from behind the arc.

In this first SUNYAC game, three of Oswego’s star five freshmen had double digit scoring, setting the tone for their season. Jacobs scored 23, Windhausen chipped in 12 of her own and Johnson finished with 10 points.

Seeing these players in double digit scoring was a common theme throughout the season which head coach Tracy Bruno said was a major contributing factor for how well the team did this season.

“The new players coming in were comfortable right away," Bruno said. "They never really approached things like freshmen, in terms of confidence level and being willing to take shots and step up and be put into those positions. I think that Rachael (Windhausen), Alisha (Jacobs) and Courtney (Ameele) really hit the ground running, and Lindsay (Johnson) and Zana (Dillard) came on toward the end of the season as well.”

Later on in the season the Lakers showed their toughness, winning three out of four games against SUNY Fredonia, a 93-75 victory over SUNY Potsdam and a very impressive 23-point blowout win over SUNY New Paltz.

SUNY New Paltz finished third in the SUNYAC conference regular season.

In that SUNY Potsdam game, the Lakers proved how dangerous of a team they can be with four players finishing in double-digit scoring including Jacobs who had 28 and Mary Mazzella who finished with 26 points. Hebert also posted a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds.

The Lakers would have a very tough

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Junior Heather Hebert (12), the leading rebounder this year, thinks the Lakers are in a good spot for next year.

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Weekly Campus Recreation Report Kelsey Blair Contributing Writer sports@oswegonian.com

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Freshman Alisha Jacobs played strong from start to finish this season, leading her to be the top scorer.

schedule to end the season, with games against three of the top five teams in the SUNYAC. The Lakers would lose all three in close games.

Overall the Lakers improved from last year, finishing 8-17 overall and 6-12 in the conference.

They narrowly missed out on the SUNYAC tournament, finishing three games behind sixth seeded Buffalo State. Oswego State’s returning leading scorer from last year, Hebert, was happy with the team’s improvement and how hard the team played this year.

“I think that we improved from last year, got some more wins under a belt and I think that we are in a good spot for next year,” Hebert said.

Bruno was also very happy with the team’s performance for the overall season.

“With a young team we were really concerned with working everyday. We stepped on the floor to improve, and I think without question that we did that,” Bruno said. “In terms of comparing last year and this year, only a couple more wins, but those wins were significant that they were in conference. For us to be in the SUNYAC playoff hunt down the stretch with a couple games to go, I was very pleased, especially for us to continue to fight and push each other in practice.”

Bruno contributed the team’s ability to push each other, to the captains and the two seniors, and was happy they continued to fight and push each other throughout the whole season.

She also said a lot of positive things came out of this year.

The Lakers would finish third overall in the SUNYAC in overall scoring offense averaging 65.8 points per game. The Lakers also finished second in 3-point shooting defense, allowing on

average 27 percent.

Jacobs finished 11th in the SUNYAC in scoring, averaging 13.0 points per game. Jacobs also finished third in 3-point percentage, averaging 34 percent on the year. Hebert also finished in the top 20 in SUNYAC scoring, averaging 11.7 points per game. Hebert also finished the season in fifth in rebounding in the SUNYAC, averaging 8.4 per game.

Sophomore Mazzella finished eighth in the SUNYAC in assists, averaging 2.7 per game.

While Windhausen finished 5th in blocks, averaging 1.6 on the year Next season the Lakers will return the majority of its roster, while losing two seniors, Emily Birchall and Lexi Gillard, and the coaches are recruiting to fill the void of the two seniors, but Bruno said returning the bulk of the roster is exciting and important to the team chemistry.

“Toward the end of the year, one of the things you started to see was us a little bit more comfortable playing together, having a little bit better sense where each of us likes the ball and where each of us were going to be defensively, along with what our strengths and weaknesses were,” Bruno said.

Jacobs also believes that returning the majority of the roster is only going to help the team going into next season.

“I feel like we molded way more toward the end of season and I feel like we know a lot better now how each other plays,” Bruno said.

“So I feel like next season will be very good.”

With a lot of positives coming out of the season, the Lakers are eager to return next season, and continue where they left off.

Intramurals continued this week as the broomball tournament heads toward the finals.

This past week, the broomball tournament moved into its quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. Tension was high, as all the teams vied for a place in the finals.

In the men’s broomball quarterfinals, Studio 69 beat Your M & M, 3-1. Then, in three narrow victories, Snipe Chirp Cele beat Anne Frank’s Army Tanks, 1-0, The Icebrawlers topped Zee Flying Doootchmen, 1-0, and Stop n Dump beat The Tallmans, 2-1.

During the semifinals, Zee Flying Doootchmen beat Studio 69, 1-0, to advance into the finals. Snipe Chirp Cele beat the Icebrawlers, 3-1. Stop n Dump beat Anne Frank’s Army Tanks, 1-0.

In co-rec broomball, The Crimson Panthers beat Broom Goes the Dynamite, 3-1. Ballghazi beat the Dustpans, 2-0, to move into the semifinals. However, later in the week, Ballghazi lost to Sonic Broom, 1-0. The Iceholes moved into the finals when they beat the Fresh Prince of Briere, 1-0. The Iceholes beat Sonic Broom on Sunday, 1-0.

In co-rec soccer Keating’s Krew beat The Soccer Team, 3-1. The Fat and the Furious beat Big Johnson Alum, 13-2, with Nick Blakeslee scoring six of his team’s goals. The Art of Foot Fairy beat The Expert Ball Touchers, 12-4.

In men’s competitive soccer, The Bhoys dominated Secret Fire, 12-4. John Mackie and Danny Messmann each earned a hat trick for The Bhoys. Skillz that Killz beat Balls Deep, 10-4, while S.O.D.M.G and We Always Finish tied.

In co-rec competitive soccer, the Ball Busters beat Balls Deep, 8-4, with Thomas Braun scoring five of his team’s goals. The Rec Squad beat Covered in Kaka, 6-2, with Michael Hollowell scoring three of the team’s goals. Nikki and the Trackies beat Covered in Kaka, 7-2.

In men’s competitive soccer, Shatta Movemment beat Generic Team Name, 7-2.

The Dead Presidents beat Ozraq, 8-4, with Dylan LaBadia and Daniel Shanker each scoring three goals. Generic Team Name beat the Dead Presidents, 3-2.

In men’s recreational soccer, SAE and The Homies tied. The Unethical Screamers beat RAMROD, 6-0. The Average Joes beat the Tyrant Saucy Slimjims, 11-3.

In co-rec competitive volleyball this week, Practice Safe Sets beat Kiss my Ace two sets to one in a series of close games. In the first game, Practice Safe Sets beat Kiss my Ace, 25-22.

Then, in the second game, Kiss My Ace came back to win the set, 25-20. However, in the final game, Kiss my Ace fell to Practice Safe Sets, 25-21. This gave Practice Safe Sets the match and a victory.

Co-rec 2015 Champions beat Prepare to be fisted, three sets to none. The Repeates beat #freecaleb, three sets to none. Beavis & BumpHead beat Block Magic, two sets to one. Balls Deep beat Team Ferranti, two sets to one. Gab Likes to Get Bumped beat Kiss My Ace, three sets to none.

In co-rec volleyball, Setting Ducks beat Beau-man Group, two sets to one. Protected Sets beat Beau-man Group, two sets to one.

In two blowout games, Kiss My Ace Too beat SameSameButDifferent, three sets to none, and the SWAT Team beat Set Experts, three sets to none.

In men’s volleyball, Guys Being Dudes beat T Burglars, two sets to one, and Big Johnson Alum beat the T Burglars, three sets to none.

OPINION LEONARD NIMOY’S LASTING IMPACT

B?5 Photo provided by Miyagawa via Wikimedia

OPINION

VOLUME LXXXI ISSUE V • www.oswegonian.com

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We want your thoughts on our coverage, campus and local issues, or anything regarding the Oswego State community.

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SPORTS LAKERS SEASON

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AT STAKE

Taylor Clock | The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

STAFF EDITORIAL

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SPRING CONCERT RAISES ISSUES Oswego State’s spring concert lineup was announced Wednesday with a mixed response from the student body. The issues ranged from ticket prices to the musical acts chosen to the date the concert is being held.

Big Sean, B.o.B, Timeflies and Mac Miller were announced as the musical performers on May 8 at the Marano Campus Center Arena. Tickets for students will cost $45, if purchased from March 8-20, and students will only be allowed one ticket at this price.

After March 23, ticket prices increase to $60 and students can purchase two tickets in addition to their own at this time. This is only up until the day of the concert, when ticket prices will rise to the general admission price of $85. Student Association senators and officers can go for free.

The concert is being pegged as the first ever Ozfest, not to be confused with Ozzy Osbourne’s Ozzfest. It will combat the annual, but controversial, Bridge Street Run pub crawl.

The Oswego State community took to social media to express their thoughts on Wednesday’s big announcement. Reactions ranged

from excitement to frustration over the event.

Obviously not every student can be satisfied with the musical choices, not even in a perfect world. However, students have every right to be upset with the price of the tickets.

The past two years students paid $10 for tickets for concerts while general admission tickets were $20.

Suddenly, the price of these tickets has gone up 350 percent for students--if purchased by March 23. That’s enough to anger any student on a budget. Selling student tickets at a higher price would make sense if the Oswego area had a lot of people to draw from, like a larger city. For all intents and purposes, this concert is for the students. It should be noted that part of the $97 student activity fee pays for events like this, so students are already bearing some of the costs.

The ticket prices leave a feeling that some sort of profit is being sought for the concert.

This is the worst way to look at the spring concert because it is an entertainment event for the students. Also, there was no fall concert in 2014. The fall show tends to be a smaller event, but one that students still enjoy. Money

was saved by not holding this concert, but students are still expected to bear higher costs in the spring.

The other issue at hand is that the event is designed as an alternative to the annual Bridge Street Run event. The pub crawl has become a controversial tradition of students on the last day of classes. The concert will not conflict with this as students typically flock to downtown bars during the day. Ozfest will be a combination of Case-a-Palooza, May Day and the spring concert. The other events happening on May 8 may end up being a fun alternative, but most likely they will just be part of the procession off campus.

Despite these issues, students should still be grateful that Ozfest was even conceived.

Oswego State officials and SA did not need to chip in and help provide a larger concert.

Student Activity Programming Board could have been left to fend for themselves and plan the concert on their own and even then, there could not even be a concert at Oswego State. The money could have been dispersed to other SA organizations instead. At the end of the day, this is all for the students.

IN THE OFFICE

Do you plan on attending the spring concert? Are you excited for it? How do you feel about the price of tickets?

Releasing tensions in life necessary

Stress relief methods are essential for having positive college career

“I’m actually not [going to go]. I’m not a big fan of the artists that are up. The $60 [after spring break] I think is too much.”

Nick Mroz junior, computer science

“That’s a lot of money. I’m a college student. I can’t afford that.”

Julie Barton sophomore, human development

“I’m probably not going to go.

I’m not really into those bands.

[The price] depends on if you’re a fan or not.”

Sanjeev Kumar senior, applied math

“Yes, I’m going to go. I’m probably going to buy my ticket before spring break because it’s cheaper.”

Erin Tuchloski freshman, education

“I might go. I know a lot of people who probably like them.

I don’t think [the price is] totally unreasonable. If you’re going to a real concert with these headliners, I think it’d be a good deal.”

Anthony Machiano sophomore, zoology

See web exclusive Opinion articles at www.oswegonian.com/opinion

Heather Clark Asst. Laker Review Editor hclark@oswegonian.com I was born into stress and live my life in stress. I am constantly getting stressed out. Whether it’s family, friends or schoolwork, stress always finds its way back to me.

Over the course of my time here at Oswego State, I have come up with a few different ways to beat stress. Some ideas work for me and others don’t, but maybe they will help someone out there.

My go-to method of relaxing is tea. I don’t mean those tiny little bags of tea

you get at the dining hall; I mean actual tea. They sell little bags of loose leaf tea online for $2. After a stressful day of classes, I always make sure to brew a cup of some nice lavender tea. Lavender has also been known to help with sleeping and stress.

Another thing that I find relieves my stress is making sure my lights have a soft glow. Some of the lights here on campus are a bit harsh on the eyes. Typically, I find myself getting stressed out just being in a room with fluorescent lights. I, for one, feel like I’m in an interrogation room. Softer light gives the room a homier feel.

When I’m home, I have my pets to comfort me. Being here without them is difficult. However, I now have two fish, Mushu and Sully, who calm things down a bit. When I’m sitting at my desk writing a paper or one of my articles, I tend to just look at their tanks. They offer a mini escape from the life of a busy college student. It’s one of the reasons a lot of doctors and dentists have them in the waiting room of their offices. Water in general acts as a natural relaxant.

In the need of an escape from the real world, I look to reading. I’ve always had a love for reading. I stick to mostly fantasy and other genres of fiction. My favorite book is “The Time Traveler ’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger and I always read it around the holiday season. I have found that book in particular to be relaxing because it’s a nice steady romance novel that goes at a calm pace and doesn’t rush the reader like some novels. I highly recommend it for anyone who is into that sort of thing.

My advice to those that want to read to relax is to find that one book that just makes you happy and that you could read over and over again. While I do believe the more books you read, the happier you’ll be, finding that one book and knowing you can come back to it over and over is one of the greatest feelings.

It’s like visiting an old friend.

Stress doesn’t have to consume you. If it starts to, don’t worry too much about it. While stress is a naturally occurring thing, it can be taken care of in many different ways. Hopefully, my ways of destressing will help someone out there.

Peterson closing in on return Judge reverses star running back’s appeal denial, shuns NFL’s decision Nick Brown Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Adrian Peterson may now be reinstated quicker than expected because, according to ESPN writer Ben Goessling, U.S. District Judge David Doty has overruled the rejection of appeal for Peterson implemented by NFL arbitrator Harold Henderson.

The NFL plans to appeal Doty’s decision, but for now, Peterson is on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s exempt list. Peterson is not fully reinstated yet, but he is allowed to talk with teams and conduct trade talk and contract negotiations. The NFL’s initial suspension for Peterson was valid until at least April 15 of this year.

Peterson did a horrible thing. I don’t buy into the agenda that he was merely disciplining his child. He went too far and the pictures of his four-year-old son that TMZ released were disturbing. No child should be covered in bruises brought on by a person who is supposed to protect him.

Being unable to play after the season opener of the 2014 NFL season was a fair punishment. The punishment may have been a reactionary public relations move after the media scrutiny brought on by the League’s handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence incident. Some viewed it as too harsh, however, I tend to not have that much sympathy for child abusers.

Ray Rice was also reinstated in December, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter. The NFL undeniably mishandled the discipline of Rice. Rice was initially

suspended for the first two games of the 2014 NFL season after admitting to knocking his wife unconscious in a hotel elevator. After TMZ obtained and publicly released the surveillance video tape of Rice knocking out his now-wife Janay the NFL suspended Rice indefinitely. The NFL subsequently instilled a league policy where domestic violence offenses result in a sixgame suspension for a first offense and a lifetime ban for a second.

Gordon was suspended 10 games last season for smoking marijuana and will be suspended the entire 2015 season for having alcohol in his system, according to NFL.com writer Chris Wesseling. I’m not sympathizing with Gordon. He broke rules and should be punished, maybe not to the extent that he was though.

However, in theory the NFL has set a precedent where physically harming a supposed loved one is not as severe as

Photo provided by Joe Bielawavia via Flickr Adrian Peterson is getting closer to seeing the field, as the NFL sees their policies fail once again.

I don’t think six games is long enough.

I was fine with both of them being out of the league for a year. The NFL is going to need to be consistent if it wants to redeem its broken image. Handing out reactionary punishments that don’t fit any sort of quota makes the league and Goodell look like they’re just making up the rules as they go. Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh

smoking pot. I say in theory because neither Peterson nor Rice were held to the six game suspension. The League office reeks of incompetence.

If the NFL’s policy for domestic violence offenses are year long suspensions, we would not have people fighting for the “mistreatment” of wife beaters and child abusers.

OPINION

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

ISIS morals non-existent Tip of Terrorist group goes against basic human virtues the hat...

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◊...to the spring concert ticket prices. ◊...to “The Dress” for consuming our lives for an entire night.

◊...to the Oswego State men’s basketball team for winning the SUNYAC Championship. ◊...to the Oswego State fans who travel to Plattsburgh to watch the men’s hockey team. ◊...to professors who don’t give midterms.

◊...to Roger Goodell for continuously backtracking on his policies in the NFL.

Wag of the finger...

Nimoy leaves behind storied legacy Former television star, famous for playing Spock on ‘Star Trek,’ passes away Photo provided by Ritsaiph via Wikimedia ISIS follows a moral code, the likes of which are rarely seen, even from a terrorist group of their stature.

Bageot Dia Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Does religion justify the systematic torture and murder of hundreds of innocent people? Or does ISIS simply propagate moral nihilists?

The odds are that if you’re human and you’re reading this right now, you’d consider yourself to be a law-abiding citizen; an individual who wouldn’t do anything to harm your fellow man for any reason whatsoever.

Society would deem you a good person.

However, if you did act upon intrusive urges and killed someone, you would be deemed not just evil but immoral as well. This brings up the question: Are people intrinsically “good?” or naturally “bad?” This concept of morality and the ethical principles of which society follows, down to the very last, is subjective. Religious undertones visualize our perception of what is considered to be morally just; but in regard to these religious extremists, they seem to be a special case entirely.

Similar to the vein of al-Qaida, the world is shocked by the brutal atrocities that are being committed by the Jihadist extremist group ISIS. These individuals have plagued the Middle East, expanding their territory into Syria and Iraq, as it only increases by the day. The group makes their crimes known via social media. Just last week, ISIS executed Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh via immolation. This week: the beheadings of 21 Egyptian-Christians on a beach in Libya. In both instances, the footage depicting the murders was posted online for all to witness. For such terrible fates to befall the innocent is sickening. Are these actions not wrong? Is it not immoral to harm other human beings? Apparently not, going by ISIS’ methods of violence.

From the Crusades to modern day public beheadings, it can be said that humanity has seen its fair share of religiously motivated

brutality. It’s almost disappointing to know that in the 21st century, heinous acts in the name of God are still being committed; it’s almost surreal. Have we taken a step back in time? Of course, people in the right state of mind would know what ISIS seems to perpetrate is a folly. It’s almost comical. But do they?

The dogmatic extremism displayed by these Jihadists is no more than an irrational sect of people using faith as an excuse to execute human beings. Yet, although society says their actions are immoral, almost effectively misanthropic, ISIS believes all of their actions are justified under God. All this happening as they publicly execute the innocent. Does religion justify the torture and murder that this group is exhibiting? Throughout history, people have committed similar deeds in the name of God. This includes the witch hunts, the Arab-Israeli conflict and of course, the extremist Islamic jihads that the Quran supposedly mandated. The Quran is what this group of terrorists uses as the basis for their deeds.

But the question here is whether or not religious doctrines make their actions, at least from their perspective, one with good intentions? It’s possible that this group thinks they’re benefitting humanity for the greater good. Do they know any better, or perhaps these individuals are beyond saving?

Of course, this is hard to assess. Without knowing the true agenda, it’s difficult to pinpoint what their supposed final goal will be. Given their actions, morals and modern ethical decisions aren’t being considered by ISIS. We’re now living in the modern era and the actions exhibited by this group are almost medieval. It makes one think; what is their endgame? Is it to see the destruction of humanity? Would it simply be to terrorize people? Do these individuals truly believe they’ll somehow take the Western world?

Nevertheless, the violence ISIS exuberates will not cease without resistance. Remember, we are not at war against religion. We’re at war against a twisted ideology.

‘The Dress’ allures nation in mere hours Emily Stasko Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com This past week, the nation was hit with “The Dress.” This dress caught the attention of everyday people, celebrities and even politicians.

It is rare something catches the attention of these different types of people.

What is even more surprising is that something as silly as the color of a dress is what drew this media attention.

Some people saw “The Dress” as gold and white while others saw it as blue and black. It was mind-boggling that such an issue gained so much attention, but it was interesting as to why it happened.

Years ago this would not have made it around to so many people so quickly to the amount of viewers as today. From tweets to making it on the news, this dress was a viral sensation. Though it is such a senseless topic, perhaps it is better to see this on the news rather than a tragedy that we too often hear about.

“The Dress” was so widely heard about, that on March 3 Ellen DeGeneres had “The Dress” on her show to clarify the real color of it. DeGeneres is known to have celebrities on her show, so it is no surprise this dress was featured.

One man even got a tattoo of the dress in black and blue on his leg with the words “White and Gold?” surrounding it.

As absurd as this is, it just goes to show how involved media coverage is today.

Currently, we have access to so many media it can be dangerous. We are able to see so much we can be blinded to the real world. When you think about this dress, really, what is the big deal? Yes, it is interesting as to why some see different colors, but did it need to become this huge deal?

That is just the society we live in. The smallest things can become as big of a deal

Luke Parsnow News Editor lparsnow@oswegonian.com When he appeared as a green-blooded, emotionless, pointy-eared Mr. Spock in the first pilot of the “Star Trek” television series in 1965, Leonard Nimoy played a character role in the beginning of what may be the most successful failure in television history.

A television series that was cut after only three seasons turned out to be one of the longest television and film franchises ever.

Like the show, its most popular character was believed, at first, to be dismissed

by Americans. It turned out that Nimoy played the character of an alien over a span of 50 years­­­­­­­­—that actually taught us what it means to be human.

Spock served as the voice of logic and wisdom in the original “Star Trek” series.

“If I let go of a hammer on a planet that has a positive gravity, I need not see it fall to know that it has in fact fallen,” is one of his many great lines from the series.

Though he was always referred to as the only alien who worked with the humans on the bridge of the Enterprise, Spock was actually a breed of human and Vulcan. Vulcans have evolved over centuries to deter from violence, resort to logic as their power of thought and were in control of their emotions, so they do not control them. In essence, Spock represented the television series’ hope for the future human race.

Spock’s ancestors were barbaric before their minds became accustomed to logic.

Like Vulcans, humans had moved past hundreds of years of bloodshed and ha-

tred by the 23rd century, the time period the show takes place. Things like world wars were the distant past and unimaginable in their current time. The Vulcans became forever dedicated to peaceful relations, which in the “Star Trek” series, is the united world’s main objective in spreading all over the galaxy.

Spock’s main personal obstacle was the constant battle going on inside him. His human side tried to express his emotions, while his Vulcan side tried to suppress them.

Emotional reactions can often interfere with one’s ability to think clearly, which is something Spock has always seen as a weakness in humans. What Spock really taught us is that a delicate balance between emotion and pure logic is not only possible, but the best

American segregation—protests, spraying water hoses and “whites only” signs in front of stores. After the news, “Star Trek” would come on and show Spock, a human-alien mulatto if you will, in a position of respected authority and peacefully working with other humans. This character that NBC feared seemed too devilish at first turned out to be the face of futuristic utopian diversity on American television. Spock reminds us that diversity actually makes us better when we work together.

Nimoy is one of the few actors and directors ever that, despite all he’s done over his 60-year career, is remembered instantly for his portrayal of Spock. He became the character and made Spock

Photo provided by Miyagawa via Wikimedia Leonard Nimoy was not only an inspiration within the confines of “Star Trek,” but in other endeavors as well.

way to go about it.

“Pain is a thing of the mind, but the mind can be controlled,” he said in one of the episodes. He was able to maintain his stance during stressful situations, but still had that hidden inner emotion that kept him active in art, music and most importantly, at his friend Captain James T. Kirk’s side, one of the best television partnerships ever, in my opinion.

Maybe most importantly, Spock represented literally “the best of both worlds.”

When “Star Trek” took off during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, images on the evening news portrayed the hallmarks of

appear in all of us. Whenever you hear that voice in the back of your head asking, “Is this really the action you want to take?,” that’s Spock.

But you don’t need me to tell you that Spock displayed humanity at its best.

Kirk told us in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” following Spock’s death, which may be the most emotional moment in the entire franchise, and more recently, an emotional moment for Trek fans in the wake of Nimoy’s passing.

“Of all the souls I have encounted in my travels,” Kirk said at Spock’s funeral in the movie, “his was the most… human.”

Music to be released on Friday globally to improve industry Jenn Shuron Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

Lily Choi | The Oswegonian

as people make them, and it is all about the impression left on the viewers. Once an audience gets hooked, news stations and shows like “Ellen” want to blow it up even more.

We have to start thinking about the issues we want to make a big deal of. What if instead of publicizing this dress, we bombarded social media with the cost of college and how much of a factor it is in our lives? Would politicians and celebrities be re-tweeting it? Probably not. “The Dress” is a light subject that can be observed and taken jokingly. The cost of college is way too big of an issue for people to discuss with the same enthusiasm.

People tend to ignore the real issues and focus on the easy stories. The color of a dress really does not matter at the end of the day. There are so many other factors in life to give attention to and discuss on social media, but people are scared to address them.

Music is said to be a universal language. We are surrounded by it daily and we’ve spent large sums of money to obtain it, or so we say.

Music piracy is a huge epidemic, especially in the United Sates. This is partially because up until now, new music is released at different times throughout the world.

Most countries release new music and albums before the U.S., which means that Americans must wait a substantial amount of time before the music that is already available to the rest of the world, is available to us as well.

Many times, the mentality of the population

goes something like, “If the music is already available on the Internet from other countries, why should I wait for it to be released here and have to pay for it?”

This is exactly what the industry is hoping to prevent.

For years, Tuesday has been the U.S.’s day of choice for new music releases. Well, not anymore. Beginning this summer, The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has decided to implement Friday as a global release date for all new music, according to Billboard.

The IFPI has conducted research and spoken to countless labels and artists to determine whether or not creating this global release date was a smart decision.

They found that consumers would be more interested in purchasing new music on a Friday or Saturday as opposed to a

Photo provided by William Hook via Flickr With music to now be released on Fridays worldwide, the belief is that illegal downloads will diminish.

day in the middle of the week, according to Rolling Stone.

By having a global release date where every country is able to purchase new music at the same time, the hope is that music piracy and illegal downloading will decrease, according to Billboard.

“Love for new music doesn’t recognize national borders. They want music when it’s available on the Internet, not when it’s ready to be released in their country,” head of IFPI Frances Moore wrote in a statement. “An aligned global release day puts an end to the frustration of not being able to access releases in their country when the music is available in another country.”

The IFPI also hopes that this change will allow artists to take to social media to promote their music and regain a sense of excitement for the release of new music, according to Rolling Stone.

By releasing music on the weekend, I think there could be a substantial decrease in illegal downloads of music and albums.

I know that when my paycheck comes on Saturdays, I have extra money to spend because my bank account has just been replenished.

It could be more of a psychological route that the IFPI is trying to take, by coercing fans into thinking that Friday is the new optimal day to purchase music.

However, there will still be a number of piraters out there, I’m sure. At this point, technology is so advanced that there has to be some way of obtaining new music before it’s released and people will do anything to save a bit of money. On the bright side, we now have yet another reason to appreciate Fridays.

x

INSIDE

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Here be monsters: Taking down beasts in ‘Evolve’

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Shadowy drama on newest C5 It’s so hard to say goodbye: season of ‘House of Cards’ ‘Parks and Rec’ finale

FRIDAY March 6, 2015

Laker Review The Oswegonian

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FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

Events Calendar

Friday, March 6 through Friday, March 13

ART EXHIBITION: “FANTASTIC ARCHITECTURES” Date: Friday, March 6 Time: 12 - 5 p.m.

Location: Oswego State Downtown, 186 W. First St.

LAKER REVIEW

Dan Deacon’s off-beat electronic melodies Heather Clark Asst. Laker Review Editor hclark@oswegonian.com

American composer and electronic musician, Dan Deacon, released his eighth album, “Gliss THEATER PERFORMANCE: “CIRCLE MIRROR Riffer,” on Feb. 24.

TRANSFORMATION” A Long Island native, DeaDate: Friday, March 6 con released his first two albums Time: 7:30 - 10 p.m. while he was a student at SUNY Location: Lab Theater, Hewitt Union Purchase. He is now based in Baltimore, Md. Deacon is known RECITAL: PIANIST JUAN FRANCISCO LA MANNA for his personable live shows. He Date: Sunday, March 8 performs on the floor level, surTime: 3 - 4 p.m. rounded by his audience. The Location: Ballroom, Sheldon Hall participation and Deacon’s interaction with his audiences are a huge part to all of his shows.

GERMAN FILM: “SISSI” “I was very stressed out while Date: Monday, March 9 making the record because it was Time: 7 - 9 p.m. the first time doing it, in a long Location: Room 103, Lanigan Hall time, by myself,” Deacon said in a recent interview with NPR. SPRING MASTER OF ARTS EXHIBITION The album’s first track, “Feel Date: Tuesday, March 10 the Lightning,” is a light and orTime: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. ganic song. Deacon captures the Location: Second floor, Penfield Library feel of a lightning storm within the synthesizers. It sounds as if the FILM AND LECTURE: “THE TWELVE DISCIPLES OF listener is actually standing in the NELSON MANDELA” middle of a lightning storm. There are two singers, a woman and Date: Tuesday, March 10 Dan Deacon himself. The vocalTime: 7 - 9 p.m. ist’s duets really add layers to the Location: Auditorium, Room 132, Marano sound of the song. The woman’s Campus Center soft and higher voice acts as the RACE. PLACE. BEING. POETRY AND PERFORMANCES wind while Deacon’s deep and

Date: Thursday, March 12 Time: 7 - 9 p.m.

Location: SUNY Oswego Metro Center, The Atrium, 2 Clinton Square, Syracuse, N.Y.

Cover image provided by screencrush.com

Photo provided by commons.wikimedia.org Dan Deacon takes unorthodox and deconstructionist methods and applies them to his weird brand of music.

powerful voice sounds like rolling thunder. Behind the lyrics, a small, high electronic sound seems to be rain. The lyrics themselves are about waiting for that one moment and suddenly it’s over, kind of like a lightning storm.

“It really led me to make the voice more prominent and the voice to have more space around it. Once the voice had more space, lyrics became important, because you could hear them,” Deacon said in a recent interview with Exclaim! Media Group. “That also made me realize how vulnerable they were, which really amplified the anxious tension in the lyrics.”

“When I was Done Dying” is a lyrically heavy song. The song itself sounds very folky. Deacon’s vocals don’t stop; he barely takes a millisecond to breathe. The lyrics are very prominent though, and 90 percent of the lyrics can be readily understood. However, at a few spots, there are odd guttural noises from the vocalists.

The beat behind the lyrics is very interesting and once again, soothing. It sounds like waves hitting the shore and pulling away. However, the beat is hidden behind the vocals and should be more prominent. Once the vocals finally cut out, there is a wonderful drum

beat till the end of the song that is both beautiful and subtle.

The final song on the album, “Steely Blues,” is a mix of sounds that starts out very low, climaxes and descends back into silence. In the climax of the song, there is a mix of various sounds that are very jumbled and each instrument cannot be picked out. One sound that can easily be picked out though, is the wind chimes. They add a nice airy feel to the mess of instruments until the song’s end.

“Gliss Riffers” is filled with soothing, electronic melodies and some prominent vocals. It is the perfect album to run or work out to. A definite must-listen.

Weekly EP Revue: Kate Boy’s catchy pop hooks

Riley Ackley Promotional Director rackley@oswegonian.com

Reminiscent of bands like HAIM, with a style that sounds like the love child of Oh Land and Natalia Kills, Kate Boy is certainly moving fast to make a name for themselves.

With a number of various singles under its belt, the Stockholm-based band is just emerging onto the music scene. The members are Kate Akhurst originally from Australia, Markus Dextegen and Hampus Nordgren Hemlin, of the Swedish trio Rocket Boy. All three members participate in writing, producing and playing instruments.

Dark and swirling, their music has drawn the attention of various blogs and alternative music websites.

Their latest self-titled EP is largely a continuation of their previous work. Filled with the same heavy, dreary tones and ‘80s vibes, “Kate Boy” is a neat, if not overly impressive piece of art.

The lead single, “Higher,” is also the EP’s strongest track. Rebellious and thumping, “Higher” is as close to mainstream as it seems Kate Boy is willing to go. With a beat and hook similar to artists like Charli XCX, the song plays well into the neo-pop, electro beat realm of music. Its crisp, fiercely unafraid tone is on the edge of revolutionary.

“Self Control,” is in a sim-

ilar style to the rest of the EP. Its beat, which drums in and out in syncopated, pulsating movements, is in line with most other synth-pop. In fact, while the song may play it a little safe in its place on the EP, its inclusion is a perfectly acceptable one to provide listeners with a break from some of the more extraterrestrial elements on the record.

With “Northern Lights,” Kate Boy makes the most effort in establishing the band’s musical individuality. Twisting instrumentals and garage band-like vocals allow Kate Boy to explore a space that is certainly on the rise. “Northern Lights” is almost an unleashing in the sense that Kate Boy has created something passionate and absorbing.

Other tracks include “Open Fire” and “The Way You Are.” For “Open Fire,” dance remixes of this song are seemingly inevitable. With the echoing of “oh” being the only constant throughout the track, the frantic beat of “Open Fire,” will appeal to some but may inevitably turn off others due to its titillating melody. Like a virulent Britney Spears, “The Way You Are” preaches imperfection in self-acceptance. It is a unique and quirky track brimming with fiery vocals.

Kate Boy will attempt to do what so many quirky artists and bands have done before it and build up a niche fan base. What is necessary for the fledgling group is an elaboration on its style and direction, whether or not its selftitled EP is enough to do that is a whole other story. That being said, it is a good start.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

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Beautifully immersive multiplayer monster-hunting fun in ‘Evolve’ Elliott Altland Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

In an industry oversaturated with first-person multiplayer shooters, “Evolve” manages to be different. While games like “Titanfall,” “Advanced Warefare,” “Destiny” and “Battlefield Hardline” all have unique aspects that differentiate them, “Evolve” is completely original. A first-person shooter that, for the most part, is only multiplayer, “Evolve” provides entertainment for countless hours.

“Evolve” is a 4v1 multiplayer shooter, with no single player campaign but can be played offline with bots. The four players take the role of the hunters, each one playing as a different class and working together to take on the monster. The other player is the monster, a great beast of the planet Shear that hunts wildlife in order to level up gaining new abilities and additional health. This 4v1 gameplay occurs over a couple different game modes, but ultimately the weakness of “Evolve” is its limited pool of gameplay variety.

Each game mode is like nothing done before in other multiplayer shooters, and this intangible property of something truly unique is

greatest strength of “Evolve.” The game modes truly change player strategy as well as make certain characters and abilities more or less viable; players are forced to change their style when going into Hunt as compared to Defend helping to keep the game feeling fresh after hours of play.

From gameplay and character creation to world creation, “Evolve” is a well-polished and addicting game. If it wasn’t for the lack of game mode variety, “Evolve” would be one of this year’s best titles. “Evolve” uses the CryEngine (as seen in “Crysis or Ryse: Son of Rome”) to create beautifully detailed landscapes. Visually impressive, “Evolve” is highly immersive for the hunters as they track the monster through forest or desert. The variety in level design is refreshing, though similar map types tend to blend together; jumping from a forest to a blizzard keep matches feeling unique, but when you play one desert map after another it’s hard to really distinguish the differences.

The wildlife of “Evolve” have unique characteristics, are highly detailed and well designed, and are controlled with some of the best AI mechanics in video games. “Evolve” wildlife will respond to the player differently based on whether they are hunter or monster, and based on

what level the monster is. The best aspect of this world though is that as the monster roams through it, it leaves permanent damage upon it; the monster will alert birds, send animals running, leave tracks, destroy plant life and create a host of visual cues as to its locations. This interconnectivity with a beautiful world creates a deeper level of engagement than just playing a cinematic experience with no world interaction.

The player controls the monster in third person, creating a natural separation to the immersive experience found with the hunters, but still manages to be just as enjoyable.

Controlling the monster is an empowering experience that is most akin to being in control of a video game boss. Every monster is incredibly detailed with a host of unique and interesting powers, and at the moment only the Wraith seems to be truly overpowered.

Each class has three different hunters, and while each hunter in a class contains an identical ability, the other three abilities are entirely unique. While you begin the game with a basic group of four hunters and one monster, the characters unlocked through gameplay are no stronger or more viable than the starting group. The weapons and abilities in “Evolve” vary from regular shooter rifles and SMGs to more

The lead single off the record is “Heartbeat Song.” Released early, the track has performed modestly and its styling does not stray far off Clarkson’s road.

With pulsating instrumentals and flashy ranges, “Heartbeat Song,” is a fine piece of pop music. Its pleasing sound and sweet melody is appealing in a world of downtrodden breakups.

With “Invincible,” Clarkson lends herself in full force to a Sia-written track. The track is absorbing and in line with Sia’s “1000 Forms of Fear,” “Invincible” is brimming with vocal unleashings so few can do well. Listeners will definitely feel the Sia connection and will be absorbed into a world they’ll never want to leave.

On “Take You High,” Clarkson’s abilities for anthemic and inspirational moments are paired with electronic dance undertones. In fact, “Take You High” is probably the most Taylor Swiftesque leap visible on “Piece By

Piece.” While she doesn’t necessarily stick to her guns on this track, it is nice to see that Clarkson can make turns many thought she would never make and do well.

“Run Run Run,” which features the go to ballad-master John Legend, is an intimate and softened undertaking for both artists. For Clarkson, the track offers added dimensions and aspirations that allow vocal mastery to take over, rather than industry-produced beats. It is a welcome, more mature creation and definitely one of the best tracks off “Piece By Piece.”

Clarkson is, more than any other artist in the industry a fundamental pop singer. Her powerhouse vocals, fearless approach to any material and willingness to feature songwriting assistance has turned her into an industry mogul of music because no matter the melody’s source, something is simply enjoyable and appealing about the original

Photo provided by evolvegame.com One of the many monster hunters you can play for hours as you play “Evolve.”

interesting rail cannons and arc rifles. In order to defeat the most competent monster players, the hunter has to successfully use all of their abilities, as they all have purpose and importance.

“Evolve” is a game that is incredibly fun and addicting to play; the multiplayer shooter gamers will find all of the tight controls and incredible graphics that they look for in a title, but with a collection of fresh game modes. Playing as the monster is an empowering experi-

ence, while taking it down provides a sense of accomplishment rarely found in multiplayer games. Players will find themselves spending hours testing all of “Evolve”’s different characters, but will probably be disappointed in the limited amount of game variety provided at launch.

Four new hunters are on the way, along with a fourth monster (the Behemoth) so hopefully this means additional game modes will soon grace “Evolve.” But until then, let the hunt begin.

More middle-of-the-road pop on Kelly Clarkson’s newest album Riley Ackley Promotional Director rackley@oswegonian.com

When Kelly Clarkson emerged as the first winner of Fox’s “American Idol,” she became an instant star. Labeled originally as America’s sweetheart, the small-town girl with big dreams was nothing short of extraordinary. Her ability to belt out love ballads and consistently deliver Billboard hits has made one thing clear: Kelly Clarkson was made for Top 40 radio.

Through the release of a magnitude of albums and catchy hooks like “Behind These Hazel Eyes” and “Stronger,” the soonto-be-33-year-old does not seem to be stopping in her tracks anytime soon. On her latest album, titled “Piece By Piece,” Clarkson provides listeners with more of the same in-your-head beats and radio-worthy blasts of prowess.

Photo provided by kellyclarkson.com Not taking any serious chances, Kelly Clarkson made more safe pop hits.

“Idol” winner.

The allowance of Clarkson to basically perform anything and do it well is one afforded only to her because she has proven time and time again that she is the master of love, loss, and the mainstream. “Piece By Piece”

is no different. Sure, the record plays it safe, but after so many endeavors, no one expects Clarkson to make an unwarranted leap, and maybe that is a good thing. Besides, catchy and simple is sometimes better than viral and complicated.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

‘House of Cards’ season 3 just as mysterious, filled with intrigue

Riley Ackley Promotional Director rackley@oswegonian.com

Sleeker and more dangerous than ever, the third season of Netflix’s “House Of Cards” is an impressive continuation of the show’s critically acclaimed story line. With multiple characters at their lowest points and new ones at their highest, the opening episodes of the series present a seemingly dim chance of success for the Underwoods.

When watching, viewers will instantly experience flashbacks of the empire of secrecy manufactured through the Underwoods. The show, which opens in the months following season two’s close, is just as absorbing as the previous episodes in the series. Like the house of cards that made this show so alluring, season three’s microscopic focus on the inner-workings of life on the beltway is more than worthwhile. Every chaotic moment spent watching, listening and binging on the machinery that is interlaced within “House Of Cards” is as rewarding as the next.

In the first six episodes, Frank Underwood’s newly appointed position to the presidency is met with great opposition. It seems the man

Photo provided by popsugar.com Modern day Macbeths, Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright play ruthless, scheming politicians trying to keep ahead of all their lies.

elected into democratic office without any actual election is in a position of disappointment and abandonment. As his life begins to spiral out of control, viewers will grip the edges of their dented-in, binge watching seats to witness Frank’s haunting, yet charismatic, unleashing of a plan.

Each moment with him will send viewers through a whirlwind of political discourse, mental un-doings and visible cracking. And, while his eerily processed demeanor, ability to influence decisions and vicious Ma-

chiavellian tones are still present, audiences will also see a certain amount of weakness and growing softness in the series’ first six episodes.

For Claire Underwood, viewers will notice an increasingly powerhungry political machine; Claire’s more stoic attributes taken over through open discontent. With her construction constantly altering, her vision of the future results in moments reminiscent of a Hilary Clinton-esque political move. But, like Frank, watchers will notice a weak-

ened sense of self. While she too is in a new position of power both formally and as the wife of one of the most powerful men in America, Claire is noticeably unhinged from the get-go.

For the Underwoods, gloomy days may lie ahead, but for other characters, the empowerment of fortune is overly present. Fans of the show will firstly recognize Heather Dunbar, the prosecutor who spearheaded the impeachment of President Walker. She is now in the position of solicitor general and through

this has gained increasing amounts of visibility and control over her surroundings. Her strategic planning and uncanny ability to gain public approval allow her to become a hunter among wolves.

Other power players also enter the story’s progression. Through the fictional reflection of Vladimir Putin the Russian Federation president, Viktor Petrov provides viewers with a Dracula-esque head of the Federation. With sunken eyes and a hollow soul, the former KGB operative exudes authority and is certainly one to watch.

The show opens with the Underwoods latest endeavors proving to be unsuccessful. Their inability to gain favor with those in the political realm and the populace is inherently placed in their undertones of political corruption and dictatorship themes of strength. The doubt that surrounds the pair only grows as the season progresses, and for a show based on a mastery of the political system, the new direction adds a dimension of manic swirling.

It is as if season two had reached the show’s climax and this inevitable downfall is the next logical step.

That being said, as deviously scintillating as the rise of Frank and Claire Underwood is to watch, their fall is just as enticing.

Surreal sitcom happenings on ‘The Jack and Triumph Show’

Morgan Altland Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

“The Jack and Triumph Show” premiered Friday, Feb. 20 on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.

The first episode had around 1.7 million viewers, and featured a great guest appearance by Michael Winslow (“Police Academy”). The episode was good, one of the best Adult Swim premieres in recent memory, yet it was missing the usual punch that Triumph the Insult Comic Dog is known to bring to comedy.

The show is about a former child star (Jack McBrayer, “30 Rock”) and Triumph, voiced by comedy writer Robert Smigel (“Late Night with Conan O’Brien”) and the dark turn Jack’s life took after the show was canceled. After his grandmother June, played by the hilarious June Squibb (“Nebraska”), abandons Triumph in the woods, she is able to turn Jack’s life around. However, 15 years later he returns to their lives to try and get him and Jack back on top.

The show is different than what Adult Swim usually airs. Unlike the 40 cartoons that were too iffy to air on other channels, every Seth MacFarlane creation and their former live action shows “The Jack and Triumph Show” takes a different path. First off, the majority of it is filmed in front of a live-studio audience. This element gives the show a different feel from the other live action shows that have run. Also, the offensiveness of the real people, and a dog puppet, is great. The cartoons try too hard to be like the bigger names (Family Guy, South Park, etc.) and it makes them lose their own unique voice. “The Jack and Triumph Show” has a voice, that it could definitely try to expand on, but it has it.

On top of the live element, there are also parts of the show where Jack and Triumph go out and talk to/insult real people. These moments are the show’s gems. Triumph really gets to have the moments he is known for, insulting everyone and everything in his sight.

Like when he is talking to hipsters he says, “Rich like your parents, and dark like the people you pushed out of this neighborhood.” Paired with the lov-

Photo provided by adultswim.com Though some actors might balk at working with a talking dog puppet, Jack McBrayer and Triumph are comedy’s newest odd couple.

able and always smiling Jack, you get either a good “Ohhhh” moment or a huge laugh, depending on your own sense of humor.

The acting on the show is decent.

In the live sections, Jack and June are fantastic. Triumph gets a good insult in at the start of the episode off an unshaven audience member: “The Jack

and Triumph Show is brought to you by the world’s largest neck beard.”

Other than this initial insult, Triumph’s jokes fail to live up to the usual sting his jokes have and when paired up to the insults seen in the live section, it is apparent which section is better.

If you love Jack and Triumph, or jokes at the expense of others (both

famous and non-famous), this is something you have to watch. The show has a strong voice, good writing and the comedy is on point when the characters are true to who they are. Hopefully the show will incorporate more of Triumph’s insults as it develops, but either way “The Jack and Triumph Show” is an Adult Swim great.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

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Poignant, funny send-off for final season of ‘Parks and Rec’

s Maureen DiCosimo - Staff Writer g laker@oswegonian.com a After seven seasons on the air, “Parks and Recreation” took its final r bow on Feb. 25. e It was originally part of NBC’s n Thursday night comedy lineup and , remained on the bubble of cancellah tion for most of its seven years.

Believing that season six would w be their last, show runner Michael - Schur brought the show to a satisfye ing conclusion that flashed forward in time to show where main characters - Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler g (“They Came Together”), and Ben y Wyatt, played by Adam Scott (“Hot - Tub Time Machine 2”), would end - up three years in the future. So when s the show was picked up for one last - season, it continued from that future t point, turning “Parks and Recreation” s into a quasi science-fiction show. r The final season was a beautiful e and satisfying conclusion to the show. n It brought each of its characters to a . logical and exciting place. It gave each e character time to shine while also lete ting side characters come back and . take a final bow. “Parks and Recre- ation” had a rich cast of interesting e people that lived in Pawnee, Ind., and s it was only fitting that a lot of them got

a chance to come back.

This season had some of the show’s best episodes, or at least episodes that could rival the show at its height. “Leslie and Ron,” “Donna and Joe” and “The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show” were all standouts of the season. “Leslie and Ron” gave the two stars of the show, Poehler and Nick Offerman (“22 Jump Street”), an episode almost completely focusing on just their two characters locked in a room together.

It was emotional and funny with Poehler and Offerman both giving incredible performances.

“Donna and Joe” put the focus on Donna, played by the hilarious Retta, (“Sex Ed”), who started the show as a background character with one line, but quickly became the show’s most intriguing character. It gave the entire cast a chance to be involved in one single plot of Donna’s wedding.

“The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion show” was a great break from the usual form of the show. The entire episode took place within Andy Dwyer’s (Chris Pratt, “Guardians of the Galaxy”) kid show.

Even though the show was fun and silly, it also added emotional weight because it was Andy’s last show as Johnny Karate.

Of course the show’s finale, “One

Photo provided by huffingtonpost.com The much-beloved ‘Parks and Recreation’ came to an end after seven seasons, giving fans a send off for each of their favorite characters.

Last Ride,” was a spectacular end to the show and the characters we’ve grown to love. Structured around Leslie’s goal to do one last job at the Parks and Recreation department, she gets the group together to fix a swing.

This lends itself nicely to giving Leslie a moment to say goodbye to each character. As they share a moment, the audience gets to see a flashforward of where that character will end up.

While the last episode might not have been big on the laughs, it still delivered quite a few and had enough

heart to make up for it. It could make you tear up and then immediately catch you off guard with a laugh.

Each character ended up in a place that made sense and therefore felt earned. They showed characters such as Aziz Ansari’s (“This is The End”) Tom Haverford stumble before getting back up on their feet.

The entire last season of “Parks and Recreation” was just an embarrassment of riches getting to spend a final 13 episodes with these characters. It’s a shame to say goodbye

to one of the best comedy casts on television. The cast was so unique and perfect without a weak actor in the bunch.

Still, the finale gave us the best way to say that farewell to this show, even if most of us will miss getting to see Ron Swanson and his mustache on our television screens.

The finale sent off these characters in an amazingly heartfelt way that was completely satisfying to its fans. Goodbye, Parks and Recreation, you’re 5,000 candles in the wind!

Polished, anachronistic sci-fi action in ‘The Order: 1886’

Elliott Altland Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

As the price of video games has steadily risen, a growing conversation has developed over the value that gamers deserve from a full-price retail experience. This is important to bring up because “The Order: 1886,” a fullpriced retail release for PS4 advertising itself as a triple-A blockbuster shooter, only lasts seven to nine hours and has no real replayability.

This, unfortunately, isn’t the greatest problem with “The Order: 1886;” the game suffers from some flawed gameplay mechanics and has poor pacing. “The Order: 1886” isn’t a terrible game though, the game has incredible amounts of potential and is a great building block for the future of the franchise. While “The Order” is a flawed game, it is definitely worthy of a playthrough, albeit at a lower price.

“The Order: 1886” is a linear third person cover-based shooter from developer Ready at Dawn. A PS4-exclusive, “The Order” is Ready at Dawn’s first ever console game, and may very

well be the greatest looking game of all time.

The player follows the Knights of the Round Table in London as they hunt for werewolves and a growing rebel threat using futuristic technology. Though a fantasy title, “The Order: 1886” is an alternate history game that grounds itself with a realistic interpretation of 1886 London while still managing to introduce radio’s and zeppelins.

“The Order: 1886” is an unarguably beautiful and captivating game that builds a grounded sense of realism due to its stellar visual quality. Playing through “The Order” is as close to a movie experience as we have every seen from games; the texture and world creation set the bar for the industry. The character’s lip-synching is near flawless and the facial animations and voice work are incredible.

“The Order” is, without a doubt, stunning to look at with seamless integration from cut scenes to gameplay; each character is extremely detailed and unique with intricate facial animations and impressive hair and clothing animation. The world itself, while visually stunning, is more of a beautiful

Photo provided by readyatdawn.com Though absolutely gorgeous from a graphics standpoint, “The Order: 1886” offers little in the way of replayability for its price.

background than an interactive world.

When environments contain collectibles and are destructible, the world is as immersive as a film but more often than not the background is a visual set piece. Transitioning between cover isn’t the smooth and seamless process that one would expect from a cover based shooter, and gunplay varies from unique and innovative to boring and repetitive.

The alternate history created by “The Order” is incredibly detailed and

engaging. Ready at Dawn (the game’s developer) stayed very true in many aspects to the 1886 industrial revolution London, while managing to cohesively integrate the Knights of the Round Table with futuristic technology and werewolves. From character creation to its character-driven narrative, “The Order” is a captivating experience.

Ultimately it’s difficult to recommend “The Order: 1886” at a full-retail price because the game lacks a level of polish and offers limited replay-

ability. With limited control and freedom, “The Order” becomes a repetitive and dull experience in terms of gameplay, with poor pacing that takes the player out of what would be an immersive journey.

“The Order: 1886” is a tight and engaging narrative featuring a unique alternate history, but has a host of problems which limit its success; ultimately the game sets the groundwork for what could be an excellent franchise even if its first entry is unarguably flawed.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

Comics & Games

Cre ati ve Writing

Crossword Puzzle Lily Choi | The Oswegonian

What about my soft skin Smooth and silky like caramel What about my soft skin Smooth and silky like caramel These were the things you loved about me Because everything was parallel What about my adorable drunk snore My smeared makeup and messy hair You could smooch me into next week And I’d have not one single care These were the things I loved about you Back when life was simple and fair What about my fond touch You were the biggie to my small Perfect for the inside spoon The warm sheets I can’t recall These were the things we loved about us Before our cement became a dry wall I was sprung You had crocodile tongue What about me What about me

Ross Insalaco | The Oswegonian

Across

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Winter illness Concluded Hit Author ___ Fleming Vex Mexican meal Medic Dancer Capital of Norway Overacted Naval officer (abbr.)

Housekeeper Fable author Regards highly Fin. find Plus Agent Smith’s nemisis Bemoans School assignment Well-ventilated Jo ____ Messina Sofa Prayer finale Not kin Sis’s sib Happily ___ after Repair Tall tale Tints Wise person Snaky fish

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Puzzle provided by boatloadpuzzles.com 55.

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Down 25. Pitching stat 8. Took long steps 1. Dog’s name 27. Performance 9. Tarry 40. Took to court 2. Thailand’s neighbor 10. Pimples group 41. Jealousy 3. The U.S. personified 11. Frog’s kin 28. “Oh, give ____ 42. Family diagram (2 wds.) home...” (2 wds.) 44. A Great Lake 17. Radiated 4. Globe 29. Tofu ingredient 19. Artist Yoko _____ 45. Christmas carol 5. By way of 32. Small rivers 22. Kind of dog 47. Iced ____ 6. House extension 35. Diner patrons 23. Disordered 48. School subject 7. Liberate 40. Baltic, e.g.

24. Suffer 49. President after HST

For this week’s crossword answers go to:

Oswegonian.com/lreview

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Riddle Me This?

Sudoku

FRIDAY, March 6, 2015

C7

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

I travel all over the world but always stay in my corner. What am I? What kind of coat is always wet when you put it on?

A man rode in totown on Tuesday, and left two days later on Tuesday. How is this possible?

What word begins and ends with an E, but only has one letter?

What do you call a bear without an ear?

With pointed fangs I sit and wait; with piercing force I crunch out fate; grabbing victims, proclaiming might; physically joining with a single bite. What am I?

Difficulty: Easy

What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?

A man is pushing his car along, and when he comes to a hotel he shouts, “I’m bankrupt!” Why? What does December have that other months don’t have?

Difficulty: Hard

Horoscopes Aries (Mar. 21 - Apr. 19):

While a calmer, cooler vibe will have definite paybacks, you may interpret a slower pace for someone struggling, beginning to have a hindering force yourself. It may not be a good idea to instantaneously assume that there’s no difficulties in your field.

Be careful of incoming news.

Taurus (Apr. 20 - May 20):

There seems to be a slight contrary feel in the air this week. You may be tempted to go against any advice that others think will be too dicey. It is possible others will over estimate what will essentially be a very slight risk. Don’t shut others out, retain perspective.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22): Since vibes this week are likely going to be naggy, it is not a week to take on more than you can handle.

You do not want to focus too much on something and neglect other areas blindly. Perhaps focusing on something you placed on the back burner would be most beneficial.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22):

There appears to be a split in the week that will be noticeable. Morning productivity and efficiency will appear to diminish as the week goes on. The realization that you might have lately been less focused on a close friend or someone special is likely to surface. The fix should be simple.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21): Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sep. 22): Fickle, slightly undependable influences will dominate the week.

If you are not time-pressured, you can breathe easy. However, if you are working through obligations and stressful time commitments, you might want to set a plan before postponing it or putting it off.

A surge of confident energy will provide aid to absent vibes on an emotional front. There might be some improvement on the work front as well. A renewed outlook on something might be the factor behind the confidence boost. Take advantage of this. Seize the moment when it happens.

BY Gabrielle Reimann Libra (Sep. 23 - Oct. 23): It’s a week where it may seem as though others are more capable of being inventive, while you’re left in a standstill. Look at the simple resources and, when possible, take advantage of discreet constructivity that may cross your mind. You might just need to be more open-minded.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 - Nov. 21):

This week’s slightly negative vibe is likely to give you something to work hard for and in the process might develop a vibe aiming to prove people wrong. There’s a balance between concept and action that you will need to keep track of to be successful. You may need to ease up, however.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): The abundance of energy could actually work out well for you. A smooth-sailing feel will open up on one specific issue, likely associated with work. Renewed inspiration

ON THIS DATE

could jump-start something tabled as well, although desired results may take some time to develop.

Retain perspective.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19):

Different than usual feelings, you are likely to be excessively sensitive and might tend to overreact to minimal matters. It is possible that frequent misunderstandings are possible to pop up through the week as well.

An outside party could be the real offender for possible feelings of displeasure.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18):

If you find that you are feeling especially antsy it could be that you are in for some expected excitement and change of scene. But before you consider anything, finish obligations before letting yourself run crazy. Always remember to consider the state of your investments.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - Mar. 20):

There appears to be an undermining of romantic undertones this

week. You could find that you are not in the mood for romance of any type and rather be surrounded by friendship. This time may serve as an important evaluation period for current relationships since something appears off.

1808: The first college orchestra was founded at Harvard University.

1947: David Gilmour, guitarist and co-lead vocalist of Pink Floyd, is born today.

1972: Shaquille O’Neal, retired basketball star, celebrates his birthday today.

1992: The last episode of “The Cosby Show” aired. It first aired in September of 1984.