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Friday, Nov. 22, 2013

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

VOLUME LXXIX ISSUE XII

School offers Drone crash raises questions of public safety, privacy 4-year graduates State, national politicians boast economic boost to area; local peace group argues danger The drone was assigned to 174th Attack $300 incentive Jihyoung Son Ryan Deffenbaugh Editor-in-Chief rdeffenbaugh@oswegonian.com The Oswego State president’s office announced plans on Wednesday for an expansion to the Oswego Guarantee program that will offer students who graduate in four years or less a $300 “return on investment.” Starting with December 2013 graduates, all students who graduate within four years of the fall semester they enrolled, and meet all other requirements of the Oswego Guarantee, will receive $300 from the school upon graduation. This academic year, 660 students are expected to qualify for the program, which would cost the school an estimated $200,000, according to the Oswego State Public Affairs Ofﬁce. Oswego State President Deborah Stanley said the school decided to expand the Oswego Guarantee program to help make students and their families more aware of the value of graduating within four years. “We want to get their attention, we want to get their parents’ attention or their family’s attention so they can begin to plan right away,” Stanley said. “The beneﬁts to students go well beyond the

Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com Following the crashing of a drone in Central New York last week, peace activists have questioned the safety and privacy of citizens in Central New York, while local authorities are pushing to make the area drone-friendly. On Nov. 12, around 1 p.m., an unarmed MQ-9 Reaper drone crashed into Lake Ontario about 20 miles northeast of the Port of Oswego during a routine training mission in the approved military training airspace. There have been no reports of injuries.

Wing of the New York Air National Guard, based at Hancock Field Base. The drone took off from Wheeler Sack Army Airﬁeld at Fort Drum in Jefferson County. The drone crashed during 174th Attack Wing’s training of MQ-9 pilots and sensor operators for the Air Force. The official accident and safety investigation of the drone crash is currently in process, which is expected to take about a month. MQ-9 Reaper drones are used in the 174th Attack Wing for intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and attack missions globally. Local peace activists voiced their con-

The U.S. military’s three biggest drones, RQ-4 Global Hawk, MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper have been involved in 129 accidents over a 15-year-period until 2012. They have combined to average 9.31 accidents for every 100,000 hours of ﬂying, compared to the ﬂeet-wide average of 3.03, according to military data compiled by Bloomberg last year. A protest last April outside the Hancock Field Air National Guard Base organized by the Upstate Coalition to

See DRONES, A6

Oswego’s lagging literacy Literacy coalition works toward more literate Oswego Moraima Capellán Pichardo A&E Editor mcapellan@oswegonian.com

See ROI, A5

Oswego State to partner with Chinese university

iteracy is an indispensable skill in today’s society, but for too many adults in the United States, it is a skill that they lack. Studies have shown that millions of adults in this country demonstrated low levels of literacy skills. With reports that 17,000 residents lack reading skills, the Oswego County statistics mirror that of the U.S., but several local organizations are hoping to change this harsh truth. The term literate is often hard to define, and it becomes more problematic because the United States has no official language. Organizations such as The National Institute for Literacy emphasizes in all of its studies and research it focuses on literacy of the English language and is aware that large partions of the population, typically immigrants, are literate in other languages. In the latest and largest study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics in 2003, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), literacy is defined as “the ability to comprehend and use written information.” The NAAL found that approximately 40 million to 44 million of the 191 million

Ryan Deffenbaugh Editor-in-Chief rdeffenbaugh@oswegonian.com Though usually a staple of the event, Fritz Messere, the dean of the School of Communication, Media, and the Arts at Oswego State, was not able to attend this month’s Media Summit. He had a good reason for his absence though. Messere, in a recorded message, announced that he was en route to China to plan an exchange program with a prestigious university in the country. The plans are in place for Oswego State to form a partnership with the Communication University of China, known as the top communications university in China, starting next fall. The program will go beyond the average exchange program of a semester

CONTENT

cerns on the drone crash, bringing up world peace issues. The Syracuse Peace Council has advocated grounding the drones. “This is not an isolated event. Drones do crash. They do get lost,” Carol Baum, a staff organizer of SPC said. “This is not the ﬁrst time that has happened in the United States and it will not be the last.” “One of the notorious things about drones and Reapers is their high accident rate,” Ed Kinane, a veteran Syracuse peace activist, said. “A general concern is that because the military is so in love with drones and the Reaper, it appears they have rushed these things into production.”

adults (data from 2003) in the country demonstrated skills at the lowest level of literacy, Level 1. Level 1 involves being able to perform simple tasks with brief and uncomplicated documents such as a bank deposit slip. The study also found that out of the adults that fell under the category of Level 1, 25 percent of the respondents were immigrants who may have just been learning English and 62 percent never finished high school. The Literacy Coalition of Oswego County reports that 17,000 adults in Oswego cannot read above a fifth-grade level. This level is different from the way it is measured by the LINCS or NAAL, but in comparison, the numbers would still fall into the NAAL lowest level, Level 1. The Literacy Coalition of Oswego County also reports that one in every five residents of Oswego cannot read at all. It was for this reason that the coalition was formed in 2009. LCOC President Jon Spaulding explained that the non-profit organization consists entirely of volunteers and that depends on the efforts of the community as a whole. “We are a growing coalition of almost 40 local organizations dedicated to improving literacy in Oswego County,”

See LITERACY, A4

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

See CHINA, A3 Calendar ..........................C2 Classified .........................C7 Crossword ........................C6 Contact Info .....................A2 Laker Review ....................C1 News ................................A1 Opinion ...........................B5 Sports ..............................B1 Sudoku ............................C6

Sports

Opinion

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3 IN A ROW

THANKSGIVING GUIDE

GREAT SOUNDTRACK

David Armelino | The Oswegonian

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Neftali Gonzalez, 43, was arrested on Nov. 14 at 9:33 p.m. at 96 Hamilton St. for harassment and criminal contempt. Shaun Latimer, 24, was arrested on Nov. 14 at 8:10 a.m. at the corner of West Seneca Street and West Second Street for criminal mischief. Latimer was taken into custody. Timothy Benway, 21, was arrested on Nov. 12 at 7:40 p.m. at 169 W. Second St. on the execution of a bench warrant. Benway was arraigned and is currently being held at Oswego County Jail.

Photos: Check out our photos from all of Oswego State winter sports action, including the Max Ziel Tournament.

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SUNY Cortland SUNY Cortland President Erik Bitterbaum and Cortland Mayor Brian Tobin joined together to create the Cortaca Commission, a 19-member committee dedicated to preventing the type of behavior exhibited during Cortaca weekend. The commission was unanimously endorsed by the Cortland Common Council and will be co-chaired by SUNY Cortland College Council member and former Cortland mayor Bruce Tytler and SUNY Cortland Vice President for Institutional Advancement Kimberly Pietro. Bitterbaum sent a letter to all Cortland students expressing his disappointment with their behavior this past weekend.

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WEEKEND WEATHER Saturday

SUNY Potsdam PBS will be nationally broadcasting three concerts performed by over 300 students from SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. There will be four separate broadcasts between Dec. 10 and Dec. 23 on WPBS TV. The concerts will include both traditional Christmas songs, as well as more recent favorites. The first concert, “Shimmering Light,” will be available online at www.wpbstv.org on Dec. 11. Past Crane Chorus and Crane Symphony Orchestra holiday concerts are available as well.

High: 47

Low: 34

Sunday

SUNY Geneseo SUNY Geneseo was the No. 1 school in the country for awarding bachelor’s degrees in physics during the 2011-12 academic year, according to the American Institute of Physics. Geneseo had 33 physics majors graduate from its program that year, which was two more than the next highest -- the U.S. Naval Academy. This was the third time since the 1987-88 academic year that Geneseo had over 30 physics majors graduate.

High: 25

Low: 23

High: 38

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Forecast by Andrew Janiszeski | Graphics by Devon Nitz

Friday

Student Housing

Low: 23

Without question, this upcoming weekend will feature much colder air, rain changing to snow and windy conditions. After light rain will effect the region during the day Friday, expect a brief break in the precipitation before an arctic cold front blasts across the region on Saturday afternoon. With the cold front, expect a burst of snow and gusty winds followed by much colder air. Temperatures will fall well into the 20s for the remainder of the weekend with Sunday’s high only around 25. Despite the cold air moving over a warm Lake Ontario, the dry air combined with an unfavorable wind direction will prevent any truly significant snow from effecting the region. The cold air will continue into early next week.

NEWS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK It’s difficult for some adults who don’t read. They can’t read to their kids or they might not be able to read prescriptions correctly, which is dangerous.”

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

- Carol Ferlito, director of the Oswego Public Library

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The Agenda

Our weekly list of what to do in Oswego Go listen to Dr. Paula Banerjee of India’s Kolkata University in her talk, “Women and Peace in South Asia” on Friday at 12:40 p.m. in Campus Center room 114 Go see swimming and diving face The College at Brockport on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Laker Pool in Laker Hall

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The Communication University of China will soon begin to send students to Oswego State part of a two year student exchange program.

CHINA from COVER abroad, Messere said, as plans are in place for various academic programs, including a “2+2” arrangement that would have Chinese students study for two years at CUC before attending Oswego State for two years and receiving a degree from CUC. The plan would go both ways, as Oswego State students could study for two years in Oswego before completing the final two years in China at CUC. There are also plans in place for a “3.5 + 1.5” combined bachelor ’s and master ’s degree program, where CUC students would complete three and a half years at CUC before coming to Oswego State for a year and a half to earn a master ’s degree, and vice versa. Smaller programs are also in the works, Messere said, including one that would have CUC students come to Oswego for two weeks during the summer to study broadcast institution in New York City through Oswego State. Messere said the program will attract students involved in journalism and broadcast studies who can contribute to media organizations on campus. Messere said he will also go into lower level communication and broadcast courses to attempt to gather interest from journalism and broadcast students at Oswego State. “As China becomes more and more

The Student Association met once again for its weekly senate meeting at 6 p.m. in Lanigan Hall room 103. Fifteen senators were present. The synchronized skating team (Synchro- Oswego State Ice Effects) wants to go to the nationals this year in Colorado Springs. The team is a four-time national competitor. The team’s budget has significantly decreased this year for travel. A few years ago, the team went to nationals in California and the senate then had given them an extra $12,000. The team would compete with schools three to four times the size of Oswego State. With hotel room fare, bus drivers and flight costs, the team requested $17,500 for their budget. The president addresses the senate Anthony Smith, president of SA, addressed the senators with his accomplishments and thoughts of the last week. He met with SAPB with plans to establish campus wide voting for SA elections in March. He also discussed the possibility of providing students

important on the economic and social stage, we are going to have many more opportunities to interact with them,” Messere said. “So I think this is a real opportunity for journalists who want to report in China, or want to do economic reporting and need to understand the composition and make-up of

What is the CUC? ●The Commonunication University of China is one of China’s major universities and is directly under the supervision of the Chinese State Ministry of Education. The university was founded in 1954 and focuses on preparing its students for careers in media.

●The university has established relationships with over 200 universities, research institutes and media institutions around the world.

China’s financial society, or those who want to talk about and study a growing film and TV industry.” CUC has a similar relationship with USC-Annenberg, University of Pennsylvania and Harvard.

with college credit cards so not to limit student purchases at various stores on campus to cash. He also proposed better use of the Village Bistro, or the facility will most likely close in the future. Smith told the senate that being a part of SA is more than just coming to the weekly meetings. Smith and other members of the executive board expressed their displeasure with senators not applying themselves to the organizations’ needs, especially the extremely low turnout of senator attendance at the Direct Assembly meetings. “I’m very disappointed in all of you,” Smith said. “I’m only one person. I can only do so much.” The president also mentioned the campus’ plans for modernizing most of the campus in the near future as part of the SUNY Master Plan. The plan would adjust the academic quad, Penfield Library, completely redesign Waterbury, Scales and Funnelle halls and possibly add a track and turf playing field. In addition, there might be future plans to expand Lanigan Hall due to an increasing number of communications majors

“We’re in good company,” Messere said. The exact curriculum and final details of the program are still being ironed out, Messere said, but Oswego State and CUC have signed a memorandum of agreement for working toward the exchange. Messere anticipates the program to start by next fall, but said it is possible that issues such as students struggling to receive visas could slow the process. There are two CUC students who will be attending classes at Oswego State in the spring, who Messere anticipates will become involved in campus media. Oswego State currently has 80 study abroad programs in 18 countries, and Messere believes the interest in those programs will carry over to interest in CUC partnership. Given the cultural and political ideologies of China and the U.S., Messere expects there to be excellent learning opportunities for students. “It’s going to be exchange of ideas,” Messere said. “It may clash a little with their particular philosophies, but that’s OK. And similarly, I think our students often times need a better understanding of the rights they have here with the First Amendment and to visit another country where you can’t sign on to Facebok or a site just because you want to makes you think about the kinds of rights and freedoms we do have in the U.S.”

coming to Oswego State. The vice president addresses the senate Vice President Benjamin June spoke about his irritation with senator behavior during the SA meetings. “The laughter and chatter while presentations are being made is rude,” June said. June then went to a lighter note after that and awarded the “homework” award he assigned to the senator that he believed exemplified what he was asking for. Senator Neil McGlynn received the award. June also determined that next week there would be no SA meeting because of expected low attendance due to senators on their way home for Thanksgiving break. Director of finance updates the senate Hassan Al-Shareffi updated the senate on his weekly business. He met with Auxiliary Services to help him plan the search to find his replacement for his position as he moves on at the end of the

Attend a concert featuring pianist Robert Auler of Oswego State’s music faculty on Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Sheldon Hall Ballroom

Check out artist Chris Held, an artist-designer and co-owner of Von Tundra and American Design Studio, talk on Monday at 7 p.m. in Campus Center room 132 Go see the Festival Chorus and State Swingers and College Choir present a varied program of Christmas music on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in Waterman Theatre in Tyler Hall Attend Oswego State’s large and small jazz ensembles present their fall concert on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Waterman Theatre in Tyler Hall

Go see men’s ice hockey vs. SUNY Potsdam on Friday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Campus Center Ice Arena.

Remember to study and do well on final projects, presentations, papers and final exams.

semester. He will be going into the fifth year of his MBA and plans to help mentor his successor. He also said that he was disappointed with the low senator attendance to the Direct Assembly Meeting and OnCampus Forum. Hall council report Various senators reminded the senate of several dormitory events and updates that are happening in the next few days and weeks. A representative said that Glow Jam is happening on Dec. 6 from 10 p.m. to midnight. Oneida Hall is hosting a clothing drive and a 20-minute workout in the near future. Hart Hall residences have noticed that their trash cans have been missing on every floor of the building. Funnelle Hall is hosting a ping-pong tournament on Monday and a Pie Your RA event on Thursday. Scales Hall is still waiting for its new TV and is $200 short of its donation goal of the penny drive. Johnson Hall just finished raising $150 in its penny drive and the game, “hall murder,” is almost done.

New legislation A bill was proposed to censor SA senator Tyler Markowski for his absence from two consecutive Hart Hall meetings on Nov. 5 and Nov. 12. The proposal was referred to Rules and Judiciary for one week. A piece of legislation was proposed regarding the mandatory involuntary student activity fee. The proposal was referred to Rules and Judiciary for one week. Senator raises issues

Senator Francisco Perez, the most experienced of the members of the senate, repeated some concerns from last week, such as pushing senators to be more active and referred to June’s contest, known as “the space race of legislation.” The first senator to write and pass six bills will win a free pizza meal. Perez also said that a lot of information is given during the SA meetings, so he suggested all clubs and organizations send a representative to attend the meetings. He also talked briefly about the possibility of senate dinners in the near future. SA does not meet next week due to Thanksgiving recess.

NEWS College Republicans Oswego Chapter president resigns before impeachment Seamus Lyman News Editor slyman@oswegonian.com On Tuesday the president of Oswego State’s College Republicans resigned moments before a vote was to be held on impeaching her from power. Secretary of the club, Victoria Diana was present at the meeting and said that the impeachment was brought up by Nicholas Staino, a member of the club was chairman of the Oswego Chapter to the New York College Republican Federation. “He [Staino] had met with her a lot of times and talked about things and she hadn’t been showing up at the meetings,” Diana said. Diana said that there were disagreements between the two and Staino felt that Alicia Stetin, the resigning president, was not putting enough effort into the club. “I think he was trying to give her constructive criticism and she took it as bullying,” Diana said. ●Nov. 19 College Republicans president resigns during weekly meeting ●Nov. 21 College Republicans decide to elect new president ●Meet every Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Campus Center Room 208

Staino could not be reached for comment, but Diana said that he had brought copies of his conversations with Stetin to the meeting to show that he was not being mean in his approach to help the club. “On the night we were going to vote on the impeachment, she started the meeting with a speech about how she was going to resign then she just walked out,” Diana said. Diana said that Nick discussed that Stetin had failed to show up to meetings

for “iffy” reasons and she would not show up to help campaign for various reasons. Diana said it all added up and led to the call for impeachment. The college republicans do not only hold weekly meetings, they also stay in contact with local politicians who they have helped campaign for and continue to help campaign for politicians. Diana did not expect for Stetin to resign and leave the club completely, rather she was hoping she would just step down so she could figure things out with lightening her schedule to try and return to the position. Stetin wished to not comment further on her resignation from the College Republicans via email. “I made my statement on Tuesday night at the meeting and I have no further comments. I’m not going to get myself any further involved,” Stetin said. Chief Justice of Student Association Luke Carbanaro was invited to the meeting Tuesday night to oversee and mediate the impeachment process. Carbanaro said that the College Republican’s constitution states that any board member can be impeached. The move is made for impeachment and the following week it is brought to a vote with all of the organization’s general members. Carbanaro said that the reasons cited for Stetin’s impeachment was incompetence and failure to perform her duties. Diana said that the club met Thursday night to discuss the future of the organization. At the meeting they discussed that they will be holding elections for a new president of the club. “While the president’s resignation is unfortunate, the club is still going strong,” Diana said. The College Republicans meet every Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Campus Center room 208 and welcome anyone interested in attending.

FREE SYNCHRO SKATING PERFORMANCE! Come see the Oswego State Ice Effects in their first local show on SUNDAY, NOV. 24 AT 2 p.m. during the Club Hockey game! You DON’T wanna miss this!

Ear n 3 credits over semester break!

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

Oswego works to improve literacy rates Volunteer program helps those in county increase reading ability LITERACY from COVER Spaulding, who is also the publisher for the local newspaper, The Palladium-Times. “Our mission is 100 percent literacy through 100 percent community engagement.” Spaulding became president in 2011, but The Palladium-Times was one of the original members of the coalition since its inception. He explained that the coalition works with programs in the following areas: basic literacy, workforce literacy, computer literacy, health literacy and financial literacy. The LCOC recently held an annual literacy event at the Mexico Elementary School to showcase the many services and providers within LCOC. Some of the organizations involved are the Alliance Bank, Literacy Volunteers of Oswego County, Oswego YMCA, Cayuga Community College and the Oswego Public Library, among others. According to Spaulding, the LCOC plans to get more information on the literacy statistics in the county. “We have recently secured a grant from the Shineman Foundation to complete a research study to see just how effective the programs we’re offering in the county have been in improving literacy statistics,” Spaulding said. Meg Henderson, the coordinator for the Literacy Volunteers of Oswego County, agrees that more data on local literacy levels is needed. With this grant, Henderson believes the coalition will be able to improve their services. “One of the issues is there’s a lot of data from K-12, but adult literacy there really isn’t,” said Henderson, who has been working in the human services field for over 20 years. The Shineman Foundation was unavailable to comment on the grant. According to Henderson, the LVOC provide free confidential one-to-one tutoring to persons 16 and older that are not enrolled in school. Students take yearly assessments to determine their skill levels and growth throughout the year. Students also make learning plans with specific goals such as getting their GED (high school diploma equivalent) or enrolling in college. Anyone

can become a tutor, but they must complete a 12-hour training. Henderson explained that in the fiscal year of July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, the efforts of the LVOC have proved important in the community. According to Henderson, the LVOC took in 45 new students, had 65 student-tutor matches, 20 people retained employment and seven people obtained employment. There was also a 97 percent success rate from pre-test to posttest, one individual gained their GED and two individuals gained U.S. citizenship. The Oswego Public Library has been involved with the literacy efforts since the establishment of the coalition. The director of the library, Carol Ferlito, was also involved with the formation of LCOC. She said that the library, aside from creating their own programs, provides space and a computer lab for different agencies and organizations to use. According to Ferlito, programs to help the community are established on a need

basis. These programs are discussed in a monthly meeting. “This last meeting that we went to, they were announcing what different employers are coming into the area…whether or not their literacy level was at a point where it needed to be,” Ferlito said. “Some of their language skills were not very strong, so now we have a new ESL class.” The Oswego Public Library hosts a summer reading program, a story hour program for children and a variety of classes from resume building to Microsoft Office assistance. “It’s difficult for some adults who don’t read. They can’t read to their kids or they might not be able to read prescriptions correctly, which is dangerous,” Ferlito said. “Our biggest problem is getting the word out to people that we’re here and they need to contact us and we’ll help them find an agency that can help them do things.” To get involved or seek help, visit co.oswego. ny.us/literacyco or call 315-342-8839.

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

Students using Facebook must be careful Social media growing factor in employer’s decision to hire students Luke Parsnow Asst. News Editor lparsnow@oswegonian.com There has been some concern over the last few years about whether Facebook has been used as a secondary source of information for employers to look at when considering hiring possible employees. New research from the Department of Psychology at North Carolina State University said that 57 percent of college students think their Facebook statuses, comments and pictures are all appropriate, while 69 percent of job recruiters report finding components they do not want to see in someone they hire, such as evidence of drinking, drugs, badmouthing previous employers or lying on their resumes, among others. “These days, your ‘online reputation’

put on the Internet,” Whitaker said. “Personally, I don’t really care if a future employer looked at my profile. I don’t think I put anything on the Internet that threatens the chance of me getting a job.” Chelsea Hamlet, a public relations intern at career services, said that even some college admissions offices are looking at high school student profiles to help determine whether they should be accepted or not. “As far as college students, it’s important for them to research companies they would like to work for because some places have polices that prohibit using social media as a means of whether or not to hire someone,” Hamlet said. “However, with any polices, people can always find a way around them. Therefore, it is better to have a ‘clean’ or positive social media presence so that employers won’t be able to use that as an excuse to not hire you.” There have been some legislative

that the Compass started this academic year to bring awareness to faculty, staff and students about the importance of having a positive social media presence. “When I do a digital dirt consultation, I look at students’ Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn profiles,” Hamlet said. “I give them suggestions on how to improve their social media presence using the social networks. I also Google their name to see what information comes up about them. It only takes about 10-15 minutes.” Bower advised students to be proactive instead of reactive with their postings, that privacy settings are a myth and what someone posts is permanent. If you wouldn’t want your grandma or an employer to see it, don’t share it on social media,” Hamlet said. “Honestly, I don’t really think much about the pictures, statuses, or comments

These days, your ‘online reputation’ and your ‘everyday reputation’ are one and the same. Last week, we asked a recruiter from Mutual of Omaha if he searches candidates’ profiles on Facebook and he said, ‘Yes, 100 percent of the time.’” - Mallory Bower, associate director of career services

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and your ‘everyday reputation’ are one and the same,” said Mallory Bower, associate director of career services at Oswego State. “Last week, we asked a recruiter from Mutual of Omaha if he searches candidates’ profiles on Facebook and he said, ‘Yes, 100 percent of the time.’” According to data from CareerBuilder, 41 percent of hiring managers say they were turned off after seeing references to drugs and alcohol, 40 percent by inappropriate images and 29 percent by poor communication skills. “Employers want to see that you’ll be able to represent their company in a positive way,” Bower said. “And if you have a photo album named ‘Mug Night,’ it may not show you in the best light.” Freshman Serena Whitaker said that Facebook and other social media are treated as public places and that anything someone posts is justified to be seen by others. “If someone puts their personal information on the web and doesn’t get the job they want because of it, it totally falls back on them for not being discrete with what they

maneuvers across the country, advocating Facebook should be viewed as “home life” and that employers should not have the right to demand social media passwords. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, legislation preventing employers from requesting passwords to personal Internet accounts to get or keep a job was introduced or was pending in at least 36 states as of Sept. 12. The states of Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington have enacted legislation since then. Junior, Desirae Collins, said that she only sometimes thinks about certain statuses or comments before posting them on her Facebook. “Mostly it’s out of pure emotion of the moment,” Collins said. “Whether it’s hate or love. Someone only really posts anything to get attention. That’s really all it is.” Programs at The Compass at Oswego State help prevent students from falling into this career trap. Hamlet is currently the specialist for “Digital Dirt,” a campaign

I post or how they could affect me in the future,” Whitaker said. “But I think I should start thinking about it because maybe someday I’ll say something stupid on Facebook in the future and it could risk me getting a job.” Bower said students should remember social media can be just as helpful as it is hurtful in the job field, as they can help students create networks with alumni and employers in their future fields. “Use sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, about. me, and other blogging sites to showcase your professional abilities,” Bower said. “If used correctly, it can open doors to new opportunities.” Hamlet recommended that students use social media to talk about the things that they are doing in school, post some content that reflects what they would like to do in their future career, anything they find interesting that is appropriate and also to remember that every employer is different. “Some might check candidates’ social media, others might not,” Hamlet said. “Either way it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

NEWS

Charitable function welcomed organizations to charitable tournament Shannon Stewart Contributing Writer news@oswegonian.com

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FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

Greeks turn geek for philanthropy

a r f t

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Phi Sigma Sigma sorority hosted their first annual Greeks to Geeks tournament on Saturday. The organization raised over $400 for their national philanthropy, readiness in education for young women. The event coordinators, juniors Erica Huttunen and Amanda Tomaselli, are the philanthropy and fundraising chairs for their sorority. The pair had been working together all semester and planned the event, which the organization believes was successful. “So many people told us how great they thought the event was. Everyone seemed to think it was a good idea,” Tomaselli said. Huttunen and Tomaselli contacted the heads of other Greek organizations across campus. The heads of each organization put together a team of three people. After the team was created, they were required to donate $20 that would go toward the cause. Other members of their organizations and all students across campus were invited to sit in the audience for an admission price of $2. “We were so happy so many other Greek organizations came out to support us,” Huttunen said. “Although we’re all our own organizations, we really come together as a community when someone needs support.” The admission fee came with raffle tickets and each person entered for a chance to win a vast array of prizes, donated to the cause by local businesses. Businesses like Garafolo’s, Vona’s, The Ritz, Fajita Grill and more donated almost $500 worth of prizes for the event. The names of each organization were chosen at random and three teams faced off at a time in three different rounds. The teams were asked trivia questions that ranged in topics from Oswego Greek life to famous wars, and to medical terms. Each range had a Final Jeopardy question that allowed the team to wage whatever amount of points they wished. Whichever team had the highest amount of points at the end of each round was automatically entered into the final round. The final round was just one question

Photo provided by Taylor Delgado (Top) Members of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority organized the first annual event to provide funds to philanthropy. (Bottom Left) Three members of Delta Kappa Kappa received prizes during the event on Saturday. (Bottom Right) Some of the prizes available to those who participated in the tournament.

and the teams were asked to wage points once again. After answering the question, “How many chapters of Phi Sigma Sigma are there across the country?” correctly with 115, the brothers of Delta Kappa Kappa came in first place. Alpha Phi Omega placed second, with Sigma Alpha Epsilon coming in third place. All three teams won gift cards to various

restaurants. All of the people who played in the tournament were given coupons to Fajita Grill and prizes were given out randomly to the audience. When asked about the event’s success, Huttunen and Tomaselli said they and their organization were all very pleased. “It went great,” Tomaselli said. “Hopefully next year’s is even better.”

‘Return on investment’ added to Oswego Guarantee

first be applied to the balance, and the student will receive $100. Briana LaRocca, a double-major in English and Adolescent Education, will graduate in December and be one of the first students to receive $300 from the ROI program. “It’s great,” LaRocca said. “It should have been implemented sooner really. I wish they had always been doing it. There are a lot of students who don’t graduate in that four-year range, so there should be more recognition for students who do manage to graduate in four years or graduate early.” LaRocca enrolled in the fall of 2010 with 21 credits, which she said, along with taking multiple winter courses, allowed her to graduate a semester early. She said she plans use the money to pay down some of her student loans.

ROI from COVER benefits to students go well beyond the $300. If you are graduating on time you are not paying an additional semester or year of tuition, you are able to enter the workforce and earn money, so that differential nets to an even greater amount for the students. It allows students a very clear path to graduation.” The Oswego Guarantee

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The Oswego Guarantee, which was established in 1997 by Stanley, previously contained three promises to students: ▪The necessary classes to complete a baccalaureate degree in four consecutive years will be available or the college will enroll students in the necessary classes to graduate tuition free. ▪There will be a continued availability of small classes. Approximately 86 percent of all classes at Oswego State enroll fewer than 40 students. ▪There will be no increase in the cost of a student’s room and board for four consecutive academic years. Stanley said the guarantee was a way for the school, which has its tuition decided at the state-level, to provide students a steady price for something the university can control –the room and board– while also ensuring that if students are unable to graduate due to a problem on the school’s end, they will have a way to avoid additional charges. The school rarely has to give students the tuition-free courses, Stanley said, so the new program provides a way for the school to further stress the importance of graduating in four years. “It really turns the attention toward the importance of focusing as soon as a student enrolls in the college as a first-year student to focus on a four-year degree plan and work closely with their advisers and seek out their professors to make sure that the courses that they select each semester lead towards the degree that they’re trying to earn,” Kristi Eck, the president’s interim chief of staff, said. Mark Humbert, the director of financial aid for Oswego State, said that the money, while able to help students with job-search expenses, is more of a way for the school to stress to students the value of graduating in four years. “I think it’s an incentive, really,” Humbert said. “It can help with expenses jumping into your career, but it’s more of a reminder of how important it is get your education done in those four years.”

Focus on graduation rates

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

Receiving the ROI To qualify for the return on investment, students will have to adhere to the guidelines set by the Oswego Guarantee, which require a student to have enrolled in a fall term as a full-time freshman, declared a major no later than their third semester, met with an adviser at least once a semester and fulfilled all major and college requirements while graduating no later than May of the student’s fourth consecutive academic year. “We want to verify that they are getting the appropriate advice and that we have provided the appropriate advice through our channels, and they’ve had contact with an adviser in order to plan,” Stanley said. Stanley added that Degree Works and Starfish, a student retention system the school began experimenting with in August, will help the school monitor how much advisement students are getting and the degree progress of students. However, students graduating in December or May are excluded from the requirement of meeting with an adviser once a semester, according to the president’s office. Students who qualify and graduate in December and May this year will receive the money in a manner similar to financial aid refund, where the money will be dispersed after graduation and after the student’s accounts have been settled. If a student has a balance of $200, the ROI will

The announcement of the program comes on the heels of several months of discussion of higher education costs and values, which often cited graduation rates as the barometer of universities effectiveness. President Barack Obama introduced a College Scorecard system that provided information on school’s graduation rates and proposed this summer a plan that would use graduation rates as a factor in how much federal aid is given to a university. Oswego State had a four-year graduation rate of 38 percent for students who enrolled in fall of 2006, according to Department of Education data. This number is slightly ahead of the 37.8 percent state public school figure and the 31.3 percent U.S. average. “I don’t think we would ever be in danger of losing federal aid where we are, but we want to be proud of our graduation rates and we want to announce to the world that we are providing the stepping stone for students to meet those requirements,” Stanley said. The idea behind the program, which will draw its funds from a campus account, is not just to incentivize students to focus on graduating early, but to remind them of the value as well. “It’s reminding students of the actions that they need to take as soon as they enroll here to create a plan and move forward,” Eck said. “That plan is successful when they work together with the college and they meet regularly with their advisers and they take advantage of the resources that are provided to them here.” Eck said that more information will be made available to students about the program in the coming months on the Oswego Guarantee page of the Oswego.edu website.

NEWS

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

Recent drone crash sparks debate over safety, surveillance Taking look back at SA’s fall semester DRONES from COVER Hancock Field Air National Guard Base organized by the Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars led to 31 arrests. Currently, Fort Drum is the only spot in New York state where pilots can take off drones, utilizing the Army’s restricted airspace including Lake Ontario and the Adirondacks, since October 2011. The Federal Aviation Association has not approved the takeoff of the drones in Hancock Air Base. FAA officals said last summer that if the drones are launched out of Fort Drum, they can fly in the Syracuse area, specifically over Onondaga, Oswego and Madison counties. Baum said this could lead to infringement of individuals’ privacy and freedom of speech. “What we will be working on in Syracuse right now is a resolution calling for the Syracuse city government to ban drones in the city,” Baum said. “One of the concerns is that drones pick up a lot of information, much of which is the information that typically not obtained without warrants of a judge.” Local authorities have proclaimed the Central New York area to be the dronefriendly area, despite the concerns of locals. Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised the hangar project in Fort Drum this month, including the recently built $5.1 million hangar which houses two MQ-9 Reaper drones of the 174th Attack Wings. “This new hangar is a real asset in im-

proving the training and operations of the New York Air National Guard at Fort Drum,” Cuomo said in a Nov. 5 press release. “This permanent facility provides the 174th Attack Wing with enough space to shelter its aircraft and more effectively train service members from across the country for overseas operations and domestic emergencies.” The hangar opened on Nov. 5 and was the first part of a two-part hangar development project. The 2014 defense authorization bill, includes money for a $4.7 million two-bay expansion of the hangar in Fort Drum that will house the unit’s third and future fourth drone. Last September, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) supported a plan to have the Syracuse area become a new test drone site. The selection of the test drone site is dependant upon the FAA’s plan to integrate civil unmanned aircraft systems into U.S. airspace, which will enable civilian use of drones to roam across American skies. Congress has required the FAA to open domestic airspace to private and commercial drones by 2015. “There are huge applications for unmanned aircraft beyond the military,” Schumer said in a release last September. “If we can become one of these national centers, the potential for Central New York is hundreds of new jobs.” Schumer also said Central New York is an ideal place for the drone industry as it hase help of academic and industry expertise, diverse testing conditions and a long track for unmanned aerial systems

According to the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, FAA integration is projected to create more than 70,000 jobs by 2017. The total economic impact of the industry is expected to be $82 billion in the 11 years following the integration. The total job creation by 2025 is estimated to be more than 100,000. Baum said drones should not be used in the area until clear and enforceable rules are in place. “The capabilities of drones have outstripped the capability of legal system to deal with them,” Baum said. “We’re saying, ‘Put on the break until the legal system catches up and makes some good rules.’” Baum and Kinane participated in 2013 Drone Summit, titled “Drones Around the Globe: Proliferation and Resistance” convened in Washington D.C. from Nov. 16 to 17. Baum said the drone crash in Lake Ontario was not the major issue to discuss since it was an international conference “There are many people around the world who are against weaponized drones,” Baum said. “The first day was more educational for everybody including some people from Yemen who had experienced drone attacks. The next day, which was an organizing day, people led each other and talked about things going on more in their communities” The next day, the drone protesters demanded a meeting with Schumer in front of Schumer’s office in Washington D.C., causing four protestors to be arrested. Schumer’s office has not released a comment on the incident.

Seamus Lyman News Editor slyman@oswegonian.com In September, the Student Association came into session under the supervision of President Anthony Smith and Vice President Benjamin June. They were left with inexperienced senators and empty spots on the board of directors this semester. With the odds against them, they set out to do their best in order to make changes on Oswego State’s campus. While struggling to get their feet off the ground, they are now in full motion with the senate meeting its required number of senators to hold a meeting and committees being formed for productivity. While SA has seen better days, Smith believes that it is on the right track. “We’ve been working to relight this torch essentially, this organization is coming along,” Smith said. “We’re learning the roles of the president and the vice president, and we’re hoping to leave a legacy for the future.” Smith hopes that, in the future, someone who is not a member in SA “can become president or vice president and make the difference they want to see.” The president is working to make things easier and more efficient for clubs and organizations at Oswego State. “I’m pushing for the budgeting module to be wrapped up and be sent out to the organizations,” Smith said. “We don’t want the trainwreck like last year. We want to pass off a working system by the end of the semester.” This semester, SA senate has passed several pieces of legislation that either declare

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the thoughts of the senate (and student body) or relate to the handling of money for organizations, including SA. Smith has shown his displeasure with the lack of legislation coming from SA senators. At the Nov. 12 senate meeting, June announced that the senators were now in a competition to be the first to write six pieces of legislation would receive a pizza meal as a reward. This is unrelated to the $100 senators can already be paid for their work during the semester, June added this as an incentive to combat the lack of legislation. Smith introduced a safety application, CampusSafe, to replace the soon expiring Rave Guardian. He brought the idea to administration and now a committee has formed that he is trying to fill with students to help decide the future of the safety on campus. Several new companies have approached Oswego State since learning that there would be a need to find a new safety program for students. “I presented to the administration and then shortly after, the market became quite aware that Oswego was looking for an application,” Smith said. “So now we’re seeing capitalism at its finest and we have a lot of bids coming from other companies coming in.” With 18 senators in total, SA is looking for more involvement from the student body, something that is severely lacking. Smith hopes to gather ideas for changes from the student body next semester. “We’re hoping to get more opinions from our student body,” Smith said. “I really would just like to see more students understand that if they want to make a change on campus that there are committees, there are seats open for them, and I can do everything in my power to get the changes made.”

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VOLUME LXXIX ISSUE XII • www.oswegonian.com

FIRST THREE

David Armelino | The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

Oswego State sweeps conference rival Women’s ice hockey team takes two from Neumann University; Seamont strikes for two goals in Sunday’s win Torrin Kearns Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com

Nicole Sussman | The Oswegonian The Oswego State women’s hockey team gathers around the net before a home game against conference rival Neumann. The Lakers swept the weekend series.

The Oswego State women’s ice hockey team defended its home ice and secured two victories against conference rival Neumann University. The Lakers shut out the Knights, 3-0, on Sunday after winning 2-1 on Saturday in the Campus Center Ice Arena. Senior forward Melissa Seamont scored twice and senior Catherine Cote recorded her second shutout of the season in Sunday’s victory. “We shut them down,” Oswego State head coach Diane Dillon said. “We controlled the play. We were disciplined. We made them pay on the power play. We shut down their power play. We got good goaltending. It was hardnose hockey.” Seamont put the Lakers on the board with a power play goal at the 11:54 mark of the first period. Senior forward and captain Olivia Boersen advanced the puck to the net and took a wrist-shot that bounced off Neumann goaltender Julia Fair’s right shoulder. Seamont drove to the net for an easy tap-in. “Honestly, it went off my shin pad,” Seamont said. “We just went to the net. It was kind of a scrum in front of the net.” After the game, Dillon praised her veteran senior forward. “Seamont is one of those players that people who don’t know her take her for granted, because she’s small,” Dillon said. “I think she’s technically the best skater we have on the team. The kid’s elusive. She’s going to the net hard. She’s not afraid to get there and tussle up and she’s getting the rewards.” The Lakers doubled their lead at the 17:27 mark of the first period, when Alexa Aramburu tapped in a rebound from a Brennan Butler shot. It was the freshman forward’s first collegiate goal.

Young squad shows good effort in opening games Men’s basketball defeats Lancaster Bible, Ithaca, falls to Neumann to begin 2013-14 season

The Oswego State men’s basketball team looked to start off its season strong by putting in a solid performance at the Max Ziel Tournament. Though they showed good effort, in the end the Lakers came up short, falling in the ﬁnals to the Neumann University Knights Saturday after defeating the Lancaster Bible Chargers the day before. The Lakers also won a non-conference match up against Ithaca College on Tuesday, to start their season with a 2-1 record. The matchup against the Chargers was a defensive battle in the ﬁrst half, as neither team amounted much on offense.

10, respectively. Lakers’ head coach Jason Leone was pleased with his senior’s all-around play and felt his play was something for the rest of the team to take notice of. “I thought Dan played with a lot of spirit,” Leone said. “He did a nice job on boards, did a good job defensively against the other team’s best players, and obviously putting the ball in the basket for us. I think he sets a good example for the rest of the guys.” The Syracuse native is aware of the position he is in as Oswego State’s lone senior. “I’ve gotta set a good example, both offensively and defensively, and keep everyone focused and make sure they know what the game plan is,” Ross said. “It’s always good to get that first win out of the way.” The team struggled to find any rhythm in the first half and Leone was aware of the

FINAL SCORE

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Steven Cordero Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com

Oswego State

SCOREBOARD Women’s Basketball Wednesday, Nov. 20

Men’s Basketball Tuesday, Nov. 19

73 Sunday, Nov. 17

Issack Cintron | The Oswegonian Elijah McLaurin works against a defender during Friday night’s 62-50 win against Lancaster Bible.

In the ﬁrst 20 minutes, the Lakers shot 2-for-14 from three-point range, yet still managed to take a 26-23 lead into the break. In the second half, the Lakers put some distance between themselves and the Chargers, with guard/forward Daniel Ross taking over the game and leading the Lakers to a 62-50 victory. Ross ﬁnished with game-highs in both points and rebounds with 21 and

growing pains his young squad will likely have to endure. “It was a product of us playing a lot of new guys, playing very tight and very nervous,” Leone said. “Whether the kids admit it or not that what I thought we played like.” The Lakers shot lights-out in the second half, starting on a 15-2 run to build its lead to 41-25 with 15:02 remaining in the game. Oswego State shot 6-for-9 during that

stretch, including 3-for-5 from the threepoint line. Their surge allowed the team to play with a comfortable lead for the remainder of the game, as the Chargers were unable to cut the lead into single digits at any point. Sophomore captain Alex Rawa recognized the adjustments the squad made heading toward the break and made sure to keep everyone focused. “We started to pick it up at the end of the ﬁrst half. I just told them to keep playing strong, do what you gotta do to go get this W,”

UPCOMING MATCHES

Men’s Hockey

Men’s Basketball

* green indicates home games

See HOCKEY, B3

Women’s Hockey

Friday, Nov. 22 @

“Brennan [Butler] took it wide. She had pressure on her. She took it a little lower, I was calling for it in front and I tipped it with my back hand,” Aramburu said. “It was awesome. It was nice to get the first one out of the way. I’m ready to score more now.” Seamont added her second goal of the game a little over a minute into the second period when she scored off a rebound from a Boersen shot that rang off the post. “Boersen shot the puck, hit the post and then it was just sitting there, so I just picked up the garbage,” Seamont said. The Lakers dominated possession, outshooting the Knights 36-17. “We were doing the little things,” Aramburu said. “We were keeping the puck up and we were doing the things we had to do right. We kept one high, kept the pressure on them. They panicked with the puck a couple of times. We played Laker hockey.” Though she was not called on often, Cote made 17 saves in goal for the Lakers en route to a shutout, her second straight win and her third victory of season. Despite the long periods of inaction for Cote, she said that she made sure to stay focused. “I kept moving in the net, talking to myself,” Cote said. “I did everything I could to stay focused.” On Saturday, Megan Hagg scored the game-tying goal on the power play with less than 10 minutes left in the third period. Emma Smetaniuk struck next with 40.2 seconds left in the five-minute overtime period as the Lakers earned their first conference win on Saturday, defeating Neumann in a 2-1 thriller against their conference rivals. With the first overtime period about to end, senior forward Seamont pushed the puck into Neumann’s zone and fired a shot from just above the left-wing circle.

Friday, Nov. 22 7 p.m.

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Rawa said. The win over Lancaster earned the Lakers a spot in Saturday night’s title game, but they were unable to bring home the title, falling 6958 to Neumann. The Lakers jumped out to an early lead, as the two teams battled for control throughout the game. The Knights took the lead with 10:20 left in the ﬁrst half when their senior guard Rich Whitten dunked, giving Neumann a 17-15 advantage.

Swimming

Women’s Basketball

Saturday, Nov .23

Saturday, Nov. 23

Men’s Hockey Saturday, Nov. 16

7 3

See BASKETBALL, B2

vs.

1 p.m.

8 p.m.

Blue Line

Quote of the Week She’s gotten stronger and stronger and her work ethic has gotten better and better. - Diane Dillon, women’s hockey coach, on freshman Bridget Hamlin

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

Oswego State

ROAD RECAPS

Lakers open season with 3 wins

Wrestling

Women’s basketball crowned Max Ziel Tournament champions after wins over Clarkson, RIT

I thought that she entered the game very confident, wasn’t afraid to shoot the ball. She did a great job of pushing pace and I thought she got us up and down the floor, which is great.” Senior guard Jenn Robbins also played

more guard/forward Heather Hebert. The two players would go on to be named to the all tournament team as well as Robbins picking up MVP honors. Robbins went for 30 points, including three rebounds and four assists.

“I don’t think we could’ve played much worse in the ﬁrst half,” Bruno said. “I couldn’t be more proud with how we responded in the second half.” Oswego State is back in full swing on Wednesday night against Hamilton, as a part of Green Night here in Oswego. After starting the season 2-0, the Oswego State women’s basketball team continued where it left off in the Max Ziel Tournament this past weekend, taking down Hamilton College, 76-72, on Wednesday. Hamilton College proved to be a much tougher opponent though, especially with the loss of Mazzella. Bruno said that Mazzella suffered a shoulder injury during Monday’s practice, but said it does not look like it will be a time-consuming injury and that Mazzella will be back soon. For the players that were on the court during Wednesday night’s game, the road to victory was much more of a challenge with the size and shooting ability of Hamilton. The game went down to the wire, with the Lakers only leading by one with under a minute left after a clutch layup from junior guard/forward Heather Hebert. Hebert put on a strong performance overall, tallying 20 points and nine rebounds. Senior guard Lauren Nunziato hit a couple of free throws to put the Lakers up by three heading into Hamilton’s ﬁnal possession of the game. Hamilton missed a three-point shot,

FINAL SCORE

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

WEDNESDAY

Oswego State fell in its first dual meet of the season last Saturday against RIT, 18-13. The Lakers received victories from James Ronca (125-pound weight class), Scott Bova (184), Andrew Cole (197) and Branden Jones (285) by 13-4, 3-2, 8-1 and 2-1 decisions respectively. Next up for Oswego State is the N.Y. State Collegiate Championships at Cornell University on Sunday.

Swimming The Lakers split the day with SUNY New Paltz last Saturday as the men’s team defeated the Hawks 115-90, while the women lost 135-65. The men had five individual victories and one relay (200 medley) and the women had one. Andrew Minnick (200 free), Jacob Mullet (200 IM and 100 breast), Logan Killian (100 back) and Thomas Kearney (100 fly) won for the men and Katie Flood (100 breast) won for the women.

Cross Country Oswego State took to the courses one final time last Saturday in the NCAA Atlantic Regionals at SUNY Geneseo. The men finished in 16th out of 39 teams while the women came in 25th out of 38 teams. Ryan Korzinski (26:37.7) was the top finisher for the men finishing 76th out of 275 runners and Emily Yerdon (23:33.1) was the top runner for the women finishing 90th out of the 269 competitors.

Athletes of the Week

JENN ROBBINS

Women’s Basketball Senior, Geneva, N.Y. Robbins was named MVP of the Max Ziel Tournament after helping the Lakers to a 2-0 record and Max Ziel title. Robbins paced Oswego with 14 points and four assists in the Lakers 76-60 win over Clarkson. In the championship game against RIT, Robbins had a career-high 30 points with four assists. Oswego State went on to beat the Tigers 87-74.

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Senior guard Lauren Nunziato looks to drive past a defender during the Oswego State women’s basketball team’s 76-60 win in the Max Ziel Tournament.

David Armelino Contributing Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State women’s basketball team started its season off in prime fashion this past weekend, defeating Clarkson, 76-60, and RIT, 87-74, to take home the Max Ziel Tournament Championship. The Lakers made a statement on Friday in their 76-60 victory against Clarkson. Everything was going right for the squad on both ends of the court, with all players contributing in big ways. The second unit played particularly well in the first half, which consisted of key plays made by freshman guard Mary Mazzella and junior forward Lexi Gillard. Gillard played just 10 minutes but recorded eight points, two rebounds and a blocked shot. Mazzella excelled at pushing the pace of the game on the fast break and knocked down perimeter shots in what was her first career collegiate game. “It was really exciting,” Mazzella said. “I started out a little nervous, but once the game got flowing it felt really good.” Mazzella scored eight points off the bench and knocked down both her threepoint shots in the 18 minutes she played for the Lakers. Distributing the ball was a big part of Mazzella’s success, as she recorded five assists as well. Head coach Tracy Bruno liked what she saw from her freshman back up. “Her confidence as a freshman, I don’t know how you can not like that,” Bruno said. “You never know how freshmen are going to respond in their first game.

well for the Lakers, tallying 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in the win. Robbins explained that the pace of the game is what made scoring come easy for her. According to Robbins, the win is all that mattered and her excitement was apparent after the game. “It feels awesome,” Robbins said. “Obviously the first win is a great feeling and gets our momentum going for the season.” RIT would prove to be a more difficult challenge on Saturday for the Lakers. After trailing by a point at halftime, not much was going right for the Lakers. A surge in the second half, however, is what made all the difference, as the Lakers outscored RIT 55-39 in an impressive showcase of senior leadership from Robbins and a solid performance from sopho-

Hebert put on a show, dropping a double-double in the 87-74 win. In a game-high 40 minutes played, she scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in addition to tallying three assists, a blocked shot and a steal. Everything was working for Robbins as well Saturday night. She credits a lot of her success to her teammates. “The second half, we were just a different team,” Robbins said. “Heather played amazing, Paula defense wise, everyone just stepped it up the in second half and everyone knew what we had to do. Since some of our shots were falling, we were able to attack the basket and that helped a lot.” Tracy Bruno praised her team’s effort in the second half after a slow start in opening half.

and Oswego State senior forward Paula Egleston came down with the rebound. Hamilton fouled Egleston, who made one of two free throws to secure the lead with only one second remaining on the clock. The Lakers’ defense intensity struggled throughout the night, but they stepped up when it counted. The players defended well late in the game. “We pride ourselves on defense,” Bruno said. “We talked about after the game that when it’s a three-point game, that’s why we defend, so that you know when you step out on the ﬂoor that you can get a stop.” Oswego State improved to 3-0 with the vitctory and is scheduled to hit the road to take on the University of Rochester on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Men’s basketball wins 2 of 3 to begin 2013-14 season BASKETBALL, from B1 The Knights held onto their lead, extending it to 34-24 heading into halftime. Oswego State was 10-for-29 from the field, going 3-for-16 from the three-point line. The team was 1-for-5 on free throws. Neumann started the second half strong, but the Lakers fought hard to

FINAL SCORE TUESDAY

DANIEL ROSS

Men’s Basketball Senior, Syracuse, N.Y. Ross led the Lakers in the Max Ziel Tournament past Lancaster Bible College with a double-double scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Lakers went on to beat the Chargers 6250. In the championship game of the Max Ziel Tournament Ross led the way again for Oswego, scoring a career-high 28 points with 10 rebounds. The Lakers fell to Neumann 69-58. Ross was named to the All-Tournament team for his efforts.

hang around, scoring eight unanswered points to cut the Knights’ lead to eight. Neumann then regained control, stretching their lead as far as 14 points with 8:03 left in the game. Oswego State continued to climb back into contention, but the comeback effort fell short as Neumann held on to win. Ross led the Lakers with 28 points, a block, a steal and 10 rebounds. Brian Sortino added 11 points and chipped in a

Issack Cintron | The Oswegonian Senior forward Daniel Ross works against a defender in Oswego State’s win over Lancaster on Friday. The Lakers have gone 2-1 in their first three games.

team-high two assists. On Tuesday, the Lakers were able to bounce back, as they cruised to a 99-73 victory over Ithaca College. Oswego State found success from long range throughout the game, knocking down 15 of 32 three-pointers. The leading three-point shooter of the night was sophomore guard Kyle Covley, who connected on six of his eight attempts from deep as part of his team-high 21-point evening. Covley was one of four Oswego State

players to finish in double figures. Sortino finished with 17 points and three assists, while Ross and Rawa each contributed 15 points. Rawa also contributed three assists and Ross dished out nine of his own, which was a game-high. The defense applied pressure from the start, putting the Bombers’ offense behind early. The Lakers recorded 15 steals during the game and Ross led the squad with four takeaways. Oswego State was also able to consistently contest shots. The Lakers held the

Bombers to 26 of 56 from the field, only allowing two scores from behind the arc. The Lakers played aggressively, bringing their game to Ithaca, and the Bombers were unable to respond. Oswego State exploded for 41 of the game’s first 51 points, putting Ithaca 31 points back. The Bombers would pull no closer than 23 points from that point on. The Lakers have two more games this week, both on the road. They travel to St. Lawrence University (1-2) on Friday night and Hartwick College (1-1) Sunday.

SPORTS

Lakers win third consecutive

Offense guides men’s hockey to 7-3 win over Elmira College, Lakers improve to 3-1-0 on season

B33 SUNYAC Standings FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

* Conference Standings Only

4-0-1

3-2-1

3-1-0

2-2-1

2-1-0

2-2-0

1-4-1

1-1

0-5

Andrew Pugliese Asst. Sports Editor apugliese@oswegonian.com Oswego State increased its winning streak to three on Saturday evening after defeating Elmira College, 7-3. After the Soaring Eagles controlled the first seven minutes of play, a penalty on senior defenseman Joe Gagne turned the momentum to the Lakers. The Lakers were one minute and 37 seconds into the man advantage when the freshman third line struck again. Oswego State freshman forward Kenny Neil sent a shot into the back of the net from the upper-left slot off a pass from teammate Shawn Hulshof. Alex Botten was given the secondary assist on the goal. Less than two minutes later, the Soaring Eagles found their equalizer off an offensive zone faceoff. Sophomore Michael Collins received the puck off the faceoff victory and sent it toward the bottom left corner of the net. Fellow sophomore Jarryd ten Vaanholt was on the doorstep and stuffed the puck past Oswego State’s sophomore goalie, Justin Gilbert. The Lakers responded by increasing their pressure on the net and continued to swarm the Soaring Eagles’ freshman goalie Sal Magliocco. The hard work paid off, as Oswego State scored three goals in the period’s final five minutes and six seconds. On the first score, freshman Evan Schultz worked along the boards to get the puck to the top and found junior Nick Rivait. Rivait fired the puck toward the net and Magliocco made the save, but allowed the rebound. The puck reached junior Mike Montagna, who put the puck in the net for Oswego State’s second goal. About three minutes later, Rivait was setting up the play again as he found sophomore Morgan Bonner. Bonner and sophomore Brandon Adams worked the puck down into the low slot where they connected on a tape-to-tape pass, which Adams finished. With a minute left in the first period, freshman Matt Galati sent a shot on goal from behind the net. The puck hit off

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Freshman forward Shawn Hulshof prepares for a faceoff during Oswego State’s 7-3 win against Elmira College. The win extends the Lakers’ winning streak to three.

Magliocco’s pads and bounced into the net. Schultz was awarded his second assist of the night. In the second period, the Lakers picked up their play and further increased their lead. Their puck possession and play on the forecheck led to a serious offensive pressure and Oswego State prevailed with just under two minutes remaining in the period when Galati struck again. Galati beat Magliocco over his left shoulder just inside the crossbar after assists from his linemates, Neil and freshman Alex Botten. The goal was Galati’s fourth of the season. Galati’s line consists of the team’s top three scorers and he is pleased Oswego State coach Ed Gosek has kept it together. “I give a lot of credit to Botten and Neil. We really work well together,” Galati said. “I think we’re really fortunate that coach has trust in us and is keeping us together.” The Lakers increased their lead and secured the victory in the third period.

Women’s hockey sweeps

Oswego State senior captain Kyle Badham netted his first score of the season 47 seconds into the period. Badham and junior captain Bobby Gertsakis were rushing the net when the senior sent a shot that deflected off a defender ’s stick and hit the back of the net. Bonner was credited with an assist on the play. Badham understands the importance of his contributions to the offense. His goal was the first scored by a returning player this season. “It feels good,” Badham said. “It’s always good to get your first goal and kind of get the monkey off your back and contribute to the score sheet.” About five minutes later, a Galati penalty started a momentum swing for Elmira. One minute and 38 seconds later, freshman Josh Timpano was sent off as well giving the visitors 22 seconds of five-on-three play. The third-ranked team in the nation on the power play took advantage. At the 7:50 mark, junior Josh Burnell sent the puck past Gilbert after sophomore

Freshman forward’s strong work ethic leads to success in rookie campaign Torrin Kearns Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com

WOMEN’S HOCKEY, from B1 Knights’ goaltender Justina Mayr made a pad save, but Smetaniuk intercepted the defender’s clearing attempt at the blue line. She eluded a defender and ripped a shot past Mayr’s high glove side for the game-winner. “I just came on the ice, went right into her end and just shot it,” Smetaniuk said. The Lakers were outplayed during the first period and most of the second period. Neumann sophomore forward Lauren Cusack opened the scoring at the 10:51 mark of the first period when she sent a puck to net from behind the goal line. The Knights’ Megan Russelo took a shot that was blocked by senior defender and captain Jocelyn St. Clair. The rebound found Russelo and she sent it home, giving Neumann a 1-0 lead. “We weren’t very good in the first period,” Dillon said. “We were getting pushed around. I don’t think we were ready for the physical contact and the intensity of Neumann. I think we got stronger as the game went on.” The Lakers found their legs by the third period and at 10:19, Hagg broke through. With Russelo in the penalty box after a hit to the head, Hagg found a loose puck in the crease and stuffed it home.

“They kept battling,” Dillon said. “We controlled the majority of the third period. They found a way to win. You got to give them that.” The weekend series was another installment in what has become a fierce rivalry between the two teams. The Lakers have faced Neumann in the ECAC West playoffs each of the last three seasons, with the Knights defeating the Lakers 3-0 in Oswego in last year’s matchup. This weekend marked the ﬁrst time this season that Dillon has started the same goaltender two games in a row. She said Cote’s play has given her an edge in the ongoing goaltending battle between her and sophomore Bridget Smith. “We’re looking for the hot goalie,” Dillon said. “We’re looking for a goaltender who’s going to own that net. Right now, she’s our leading goaltender.” The Lakers (4-1-1, 2-1-1 ECAC W) will face another conference opponent when they take on Chatham University Saturday at 8 p.m. Dillon believes her team can take the success they had this weekend and bring it into Chatham. “Do we take this momentum into the week? Absolutely, we build on this and keep moving forward,” Dillon said. “It’s one of those things we have to carry through the week. We have to work this hard in practice, be this tough on each other so when game time comes, games are easier than practice.”

defenseman Denton King was unable to help clear the puck out of the crease. One second later, off the following faceoff, sophomore Brian Depp scored Elmira’s second power-play goal, cutting the Lakers’ lead in half. The amount of time on the power play helped Elmira start to get into a rhythm, but Oswego State’s defense stood ﬁrm. With about ﬁve minutes left, King made up for his earlier fumble by blocking a Max Balaban shot at a wide open net with a full extension. Gosek was pleased with his team’s play. “We played well in our own end,” Gosek said. “Our transition from our own end was better tonight. Not great, but it was better. Those are the things that we’ll continue to work on. A lot of guys brought their A-game tonight, which was a positive.” With the win, Oswego State improves to 3-1 on the season, while Elmira falls to 2-4. The Lakers are preparing for a road trip to Rochester next weekend where they are set to play SUNY Geneseo (41) on Friday night and The College at Brockport (2-3-1) on Saturday night.

It’s hard to make an impact on the ice as a freshman, but Bridget Hamlin has done just that for the Oswego State women’s hockey team. Hamlin has played in all six games the Lakers have played so far. She currently has the most goals on the team, with three, and is fourth in points. Despite her hot start, Hamlin remains modest and credits her teammates for her early success. “Great teammates, that’s really all it is,” Hamlin said. “They’ve put the puck on my stick. Most of them have just been in front of the net, banging it out. Crash and bang is what we call it.” Head coach Diane Dillon, for her part, is not surprised that her recruit is prospering. “Bridget just loves the game of hockey,” Dillon said. “She lives and breathes stats. She knows all the players. She knows the league. That’s something you can’t coach. That passion for hockey is something that’s just part of her. She always strives to get better. She’s a strong athlete. She’s gotten stronger and stronger and her work ethic has gotten better and better.” Oswego State’s coaching staff liked the chance to see Hamlin’s strong work ethic in person during her summer workouts. “She worked her tail off over the summer before she came here,” Dillon said. “We saw some of it ﬁrsthand, because my assistant coach was working camps and doing lessons in the rink Bridget was working out at in Rochester. So we got to see the dedications she was putting in. I think it’s going to really pay off for her.” Unlike many of her teammates, Hamlin grew up relatively close to Oswego, in Hilton, N.Y. Though she lived near schools such as SUNY Geneseo and The College at Brockport, Hamlin knew early on that those schools would not be viable options. “They don’t have women’s hockey and I spent so much of my life playing,” Hamlin said. “I knew I needed to play in college.” Hamlin looked at schools such as Rochester Institute of Technology and the Lakers’ biggest rivals, SUNY Plattsburgh. Oswego State was the clear choice in Hamlin’s eyes. “I looked at a lot of colleges around me

and this one beat them out by far,” Hamlin said. “My recruit visit came on campus and I was like, ‘This is where I need to be,’ and committed my ﬁrst time on campus.” Dillon believes the combination of opportunity and compatibility needs has led to a great match for Hamlin. “We had an opportunity here for her,” Dillon explained. “We needed numbers. We were looking for offensive players. She had a place where she could step in and get some ice time. I think any time a player hears that, it’s a draw. “We’re closer to her home. Her family’s a big part of her life and a big part of her hockey carrier. They get to enjoy it with her. We know we have a good match when there’s a player that we would like to have join our team and they really feel like it’s the school for them. It’s a no-brainer.” Hamlin tries to model herself after Olympic medalist Lyndsay Wall, who won a silver medal in the 2002 winter games and a bronze in the 2006 games. Wall was raised in Churchville, N.Y., the same town Hamlin was born and raised in. “She just dominated,” Hamlin said of her role model. Hamlin is a two-sport athlete. In addition to being on Dillon’s team, Hamlin is also a goalkeeper for the women’s lacrosse team. She said being a goalie in that sport helps her beat goalies on the ice. “I kind of know where people are going to shoot, like corners and stuff,” Hamlin said. The Lakers are hoping Hamlin has a bright future with them and will continue to develop. Dillon said the key to her continued success is for her not to lose her work ethic. “She needs to keep that work ethic going,” Dillon said. “Right now, she’s got a spot on our second line, but she’s got six or seven players chopping at her heels that want that ice time. We’re continually working on getting her into better game shape. Her ﬁtness has improved tremendously since she’s gotten here, but she’s got a ways to go and she knows that. As she gets quicker and more agile on the ice, she’s only going to improve.” Hamlin will keep working to improve for the Lakers. She is driven by her work ethic and it has showed on the ice. Still only a freshman, Hamlin has found a niche with the Lakers.

FINAL SCORE SATURDAY

7 3

ECAC W Standings * Conference Standings Only

4-0-0

3-0-0

2-1-1

2-0-0

2-2-0

1-3-1

0-2-0

0-4-0 FINAL SCORE SATURDAY

2 1 SUNDAY

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

B34

OPINION ENJOY FOOD, FAMILY OVER BREAK

B?5 Photo provided by Getty Images

OPINION

VOLUME LXXIX ISSUE XII • www.oswegonian.com

Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press... -First Amendment

THE OSWEGONIAN The independent student newspaper of Oswego State since 1935

GUIDELINES

We want your thoughts on our coverage, campus and local issues, or anything regarding the Oswego State community. E-mail all letters as Word attachments to opinion@oswegonian.com or mail submissions to 139A Campus Center, Oswego N.Y. 13126 All writers must provide their real name, address, academic year, major and phone number (which will not be published). Members of organizations should include their title if their letter addresses an issue pertaining to the organization. For publication, letters should be 250 words or less and submitted by the Tuesday prior to the desired publication date. The Oswegonian reserves the right to edit and reject letters and cannot guarantee that all letters will be published. Opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not always reflect those of The Oswegonian.

SPORTS WOMEN’S HOCKEY

SWEEPS RIVAL

Perry Kennedy | The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

STAFF EDITORIAL

THE FALL SEMESTER THAT WAS With only one week of classes following Thanksgiving break, this will be our last issue of the semester. While our coverage will continue online over the rest of the semester and through winter break, we will not be back in print until January. This being the last issue, it is a good time to step back and take stock of the semester that was. It was overall a positive semester for the Oswego State campus. The opening of the Shineman Center and renovations to Rice Creek Field House continued to build on the efforts to keep Oswego State on the cutting edge of science education. College prices and loans became an especially hot topic, due in part to a series of speeches given by President Barack Obama over the summer on the subject. Oswego State has made efforts to address the subject, including the recent expansion of the Oswego Guarantee, but can certainly go further. While tuition increases

are controlled by SUNY and already set to increase for the next two years under the current Rational Tuition Plan, Oswego State will need to address the gap in the average room and board rates students pay compared to similar SUNY schools. An Oswego State education is still a relative bargain, but, as more and more incoming students weigh the cost vs. benefit of a college education, campus leaders will need to explore all avenues to ensure it continues to be a best value. Student Association made strong strides toward improvement this semester as well. Under President Anthony Smith, sincere efforts have been made toward student outreach and transparency, and SA has been far more present around campus than in past years. Unfortunately, this outreach has not yet resulted in an increased interest in participation. SA Senate is still under the control of a majority freshman leadership, and legislation has thus far been in-

consistent and ineffective. This is more a sign of an apathetic attitude toward student government by the student body and has left our university in the unfortunate position of having $1.4 million in student funds managed by students without the experience to understand the school’s needs. Regardless, SA has laid the groundwork for improvement and, thus, a healthier and more unified student body. Most exciting has been the accomplishments of the student body. Students have been named to prestigious fellowships, clubs have won outreach and advocacy awards and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised for charities by student clubs and Greek organizations. The Oswegonian is excited by these developments and looks forward to continuing to report on them next semester. Until then, check up on our website for breaking news updates and additional posts to The Lighthouse, our Oswego city-based blog.

IN THE OFFICE

Homesickness natural part of college What do you think of the $300 graduate-on-time initiative? “I mean, it’ll make people work harder, but you should already be working to graduate on time. They also could just add more seats in classes so it’s easier to graduate on time.” Samantha Leader sophomore, journalism major

“That’s great.” Richie Santini junior, psychology major

“That’s awesome!” Neeny Phakdeetham junior, broadcasting and mass communications major

“I didn’t even know that existed. It definitely adds more incentive to graduate on time.” Jessica Nurczynski junior, marketing major

“Honestly, I think it’s a joke to say that $300 dollars is worth graduating in four years. It’s a really hard thing to do.” Chris King junior, marketing major

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

Ryan Deffenbaugh Editor-in-Chief rdeffenbaugh@oswegonian.com I was 18 years old and begging my mom to bring me home. I ran into the staircase of the third floor of Oneida Hall so neither my roommate nor anyone in the hall could hear me as I held back tears, pleading with my mother to come down to Oswego and pick me up. It was almost time for the first weekend following classes my freshman year. I had been on campus for six days and, in that time, was already sure that Oswego State wasn’t the place for me. I wasn’t making any friends and the prospects of finding any seemed low enough that I was already prepared to call it quits. I was homesick and counting the minutes until Friday of that week, when my parents would come pick me up and take me home to my bed and puppy so I could put the plans in place to transfer to St. John Fisher, a private school near my home in Rochester where several of my friends had gone. “You have to come, I’m miserable here, I can’t do it,” I told my mom—all to no avail. The pain was mutual on this one, though, as both my mom and dad could tell just by my voice how hard it had been on me and how badly I wanted to get out of there. My dad wanted to get in the car and bring me home the first time I called and said how much being away was bothering me, but my mom held firm, sure that I would be doomed if I went home that first weekend. It killed them, but they knew it was right. I felt hopeless and completely alone after that call. I had no one to talk to that I thought would understand, and I was sure I was headed for a weekend of watching movies alone. What I remember most is feeling like a failure. I had come to Oswego State mainly because I didn’t know many people going there and thought I might “start over.”

I imagined myself instantly finding new friends and going out to parties every night. Instead, my first days mostly consisted of wandering around campus and going to the various opening week events hoping someone might strike up a conversation and we would become instant best friends. After hanging out with the same group all of my high school years, I had not even the slightest clue how to meet new people, and it showed brutally. What made it worse was that it seemed everyone around me was so frustratingly happy. They appeared to be making friends and having fun. They were being invited out to parties. I couldn’t see the truth then. The only thing I could think was—what was I doing wrong? And even though I did stay that weekend and was lucky to have met the majority of the people I’m best friends with today over those two nights, that feeling of failure still stayed with me all of college. I was this close to turning my back on a place I came to love, all because I didn’t have the confidence to go out and actually try to meet people. I kept that late-night phone call and my plan to transfer back home hidden from all of them, embarrassed that something that was hard for me came easily to everyone else— or so I thought. It wasn’t until last spring, three years after that weekend, that the details came out. One of the very people who I ran into the staircase that night to hide that phone call from was graduating, and, since the only thing to do in the end is to discuss the beginning, we talked about that first weekend when all of us, seven in total, became friends. The truth was, I wasn’t alone at all. Almost every single person in the group had some variation of a story like mine. We were all completely miserable but desperately hiding it from everyone around us. I had one friend who was also ready to head home that first weekend and enroll in a local college and another so lonely and homesick he had a habit of standing in front of the school’s webcam to wave to his parents. We laughed at him then and at all the other stupid, desperate things we each did that first month to appear to fit in. We each thought we would never make new friends here, but wanted to create the illusion we were having a blast from the get-go. College had been so hyped up in all of our minds, from the media depictions of crazy parties to the constant reminders from

Tip of the hat... ◊...to Auxiliary Services for adding some healthy options to Crossroads. ◊..to teachers who cancel class on Tuesday. ◊...to Civic Engagement for hosting the Race Relations panel.

friends and family that this would be the “time of our lives,” that it was impossible to believe that anyone would have a hard time adjusting. We all thought we were, well, alone in our loneliness. The truth about college is that, although it’s an amazing time once settled, it’s impossibly difficult socially for a lot of students. After being in a small community of friends and living with family all their lives, 18 year-olds are suddenly thrown into close quarters with a massive amount of strangers, not to mention the added pressure of adjusting to an entirely new academic environment. Homesickness and loneliness are inevitable, but somehow they still have a stigma attached to them. To admit either is a sign of weakness or social ineptitude. While many like to pretend posturing is a thing that is left behind in high school, it still exists on a large scale in college. Often the people bragging the loudest about the crazy party last night and how great a time they’re having in college are actually the ones most desperate for the comforts of home. This leaves students having actual difficulty adjusting feeling completely isolated in their struggle, even though there are many just like them living in their halls or even their own dorm rooms. Moving away for the first time is never going to be easy. Some people may hit the ground running and instantly begin having the time of their lives, but others will be miserable and beg their parents to come pick them up. There’s nothing wrong with having doubts. The most important thing is to understand that it’s natural to feel this way. You have to give it a chance to get better. I have no idea how my life would have turned out if my mom had allowed me to come home and transfer. It’s obviously possible I could have had four great years there too. But no matter what resulted, the feeling that I quit at something would have hung over my head. Instead, thanks to some serious nudging by my family, I gave Oswego State a chance, and ended up making some amazing friends and landing a pretty sweet gig at the newspaper, where I met even more great people. I’ll miss this place like hell when I leave in six months. Undoubtedly that week was miserable, but it was just the first in a series of moments in college that were trying to teach me something important. Nothing comes easy to anyone and, most importantly, always listen to mother.

◊...to all those who rioted like animals at Cortaca. ◊...teachers who don’t cancel class on Tuesday. ◊...to any journalism major who didn’t write for The Oswegonian this semester. We hope to see you next semester.

Wag of the finger...

OPINION

Think with your heart

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 22 2013

ASK ALAIN

While I normally answer questions, this week I decided to address the rest of the year since this is our last issue here. 1. Thanksgiving: Make sure you’re all caught up. This is literally too important to not mention. Do not go home until you feel like you’re all caught up in your classes. There’s nothing worse than a looming deadline while you’re looking at turkey. 2. Finals: Study for those, seriously. You should have been paying attention all year so if you think you’re going to learn a whole class in a few days, good luck. But seriously stay well rested and don’t just cram. Giving yourself some time to relax in between study sessions will show results. 3. Christmas: Enjoy it because I know I will! Happy Holidays!

Little gift ideas produce genuine appreciation during holiday season upcoming holidays. Some students will come back to school in January with the iPad Air, new laptops and maybe a car. We naturally go for the bigger and expensive things. We get more excited the bigger the present is. When you see the biggest present under the tree, you hope it’s yours, right? Black Friday has become

Luke Parsnow Asst. News Editor lparsnow@oswegonian.com You’ve already seen the stores packed with them for months. Now that Thanksgiving is coming up next week, you see it more and more. Anywhere you go, you are surrounded by the iPhone 5Cs, the PlayStation 4s, and the Xbox One, along with the other gifts that have a big price tag that a lot of people will receive for the

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

It was wonderful to drive all over the county delivering presents and cards to various people, seeing them act so surprised and overjoyed. such a huge deal, with lines that stretch for miles, crowds storming through automatic doors, and lots of deals to be found—it might as well be its own official holiday on the calendar. But you’d be surprised sometimes at what you can do to make someone’s holiday a little merrier. I was never a big gift-giver when I was younger. I was terrible at guessing what people wanted and was absolutely terrified at getting someone a gift that they already had or something they would just throw in a Salvation Army donation box the next day. My junior year of high school, I decided to buy some cards, some serious and some silly, to give to some of my friends at school. I wrote a lot in the inside about how and why they were important to me and what they had done for me since I’d known them. I ended up writing a ton of cards, and handed them out

the day before vacation. I was genuinely surprised by everyone’s reaction. They loved it. The thing that really stuck out to me was one of my friend’s reactions. She didn’t really have a great home life. Her parents didn’t quite give her adequate love and support in all of the things she did, although she was a very talented actress and singer at school. She saw me after vacation and said, “Luke, you know that card you gave me? That was the only thing that I got for Christmas this year. Thank you.” I was touched by that. I was so touched that I did it the next year, with more cards for more friends, and maybe a couple tiny little gifts like Nutella or an album of mine. It was wonderful to drive all over the county delivering presents and cards to various people, seeing them act so surprised and overjoyed. For so many years, I had no interest in giving gifts because I felt that the only gifts worth giving were the expensive ones, with a large price tag. I always enjoyed getting presents—who doesn’t, right? But that year, I really discovered the power of giving. I learned that giving is the ultimate gift because it’s a gift to both the giver and the receiver. You’d be surprised at how easy it can be to make someone smile sometimes. You’d be surprised at how much a “thank you” or a hug can do. You’d be surprised at what a few comforting words during a stressful season can do to make someone forget their cares for a while. You’d be surprised at how giving a little time to show appreciation or love for someone can make you and them happy at the same time. More often than not, the most valuable gifts are the priceless ones.

Nutrition company promises high profit Elizabeth Cascio Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Heard of Vemma? Vemma is a business specializing in nutritional wellness drinks. If you’re like me, you or at least one of your friends has been confronted by a member of this business in hopes of recruiting them as a partner. In the past 6 months or so, I have heard a lot about this company and it’s caused me to question how much it would really be worth it to invest in such a business. It’s main income, however, actually seems to be coming from the investment it makes on how many people are recruited by its members rather than how many actual drinks the members are selling. While signing up is free, in order to actually begin maintaining a profit in the business, one must first buy a “builder package.” This allows the new Vemma employees to start passing the products out to their peers in hopes of gaining more brand partners for the company. These builder packages, however, can cost up to $500, and if a member runs out of supply, they’re expected to buy more with their own money. I don’t know about you, but if I’m hoping to join a business in order to make good profit, I don’t want to be spending my income on more of what I just sold. The products that you’d be spending so much money on are also making outrageous claims, ranging from weight-loss propositions to immunity boosting miracles. However, none of these products have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. On top of all of this, if a member of Vemma decides that he or she no longer wishes to be a part of the company, it is an extremely long and tricky process to cancel their membership.

As well as their sketchy path to becoming a brand partner for the company, Vemma focuses on recruiting high school and college students. Of course, these groups of young people are broke and many of us are unsure how likely we are to find a job after graduation. Knowing that this feeling of financial insecurity is evident in many people of that age-range, Vemma has come out with a series of over-the-top promises that assure those who join Vemma that they will become wealthy, BMW-owning entrepreneurs in a matter of months. If you take the time to read between the lines, however, you’ll see in Vemma’s income disclosure statement that around 75 percent of its distributors make less than $1,400 a year and only 1 percent make it to $100,000.

Now I don’t know about you, but if I’m hoping to join a business in order to make good profit, I don’t want to be spending my income on more of what I sold.” From what I’ve seen, newly recruited members of Vemma are absolutely sold on the promises of the company. They’re assured by the company representatives that with enough effort and time put into their recruitment and advertising for the company’s product, they will be earning a substantial amount of money in a much shorter amount of time than an average college graduate would be able to make in their entire lifetime. Seeing the positivity and confidence this concept gives to these Vemma brand partners, I cannot justifiably say that there are no good outcomes of being a part of the business. Ob-

viously it deeply affects the attitudes and motivational skills of the people involved. But what happens when all of their effort still isn’t able to make them the profit and success they thought it would? Surely it isn’t because these people aren’t dedicated to their work. I’ve seen the way Vemma transforms the thought-processes of their employees, and I’ve experienced first-hand how devoted these young, amateur entrepreneurs are to making it big through the company. Vemma is not built on a strong enough foundation to have its employees make the sort of income it assures them they will. If you want to actually make the amount of money Vemma promises, you’d have to advertise the product to almost every person you saw for the rest of your life. So for those of you who are in Vemma or who are being confronted by members of Vemma, I’d like you to consider what you’re getting yourself into before risking the loss of thousands of dollars that could have been used to your advantage. While the optimism and motivational drive it’s granting young adults across the country is great, the negative effects it can have on our wallets and our overall confidence are too detrimental to make up for it.

Steve Radford | The Oswegonian

Football, family remain cornerstones of Thanksgiving Mitchell Petrella Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Thanksgiving break is that time of the year when most students return home to enjoy a few days off from the chaos that is Oswego State. Another benefit of the break is the “Three Fs” that everyone enjoys: food, football and family. All three of these elements on Thanksgiving are crucial for a successful holiday. Food on the dinner table is the cornerstone for a Thanksgiving celebration. The obvious centerpiece is the turkey. Without a good turkey, your Thanksgiving might not succeed. Nobody likes dry turkey, so see if you can help out to avoid a poor situation. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner is hard work,

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

so lend a hand in the kitchen. If turkey was never your thing, then enjoy the side dishes like stuffing or mashed potatoes. You still don’t like the food? Make your own dish and a new tradition. Football is the second part of the trifecta and every football fan knows at least two of the teams playing. The Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions historically play each year on Thanksgiving. This year, the Cowboys will play the Oakland Raiders and the Lions will play the Green Bay Packers. As a

bonus, the Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Baltimore Ravens in the nightcap. For you non-football fans, use this as an opportunity to sleep off that big dinner or watch something else, but you will probably be fighting to stay awake. Family is the final piece to the puzzle on this weekend. Spending time with loved ones can always be interesting. No matter what, play nice, because nobody likes a party pooper. Take this chance to teach someone something new or talk to those family members or friends you don’t see often. Who knows, maybe a relative is interested in Oswego State and wants to know more. When it’s all said and done, this break will be a helpful rest period before the stress of finals week eventually consumes us all. Just be sure to eat, talk to others and realize what you are thankful for.

The Beast returns to Oswego State Maximilian E. Principe Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

As the legends of Oswego State go, the tale I am about to weave to you is one shrouded in mystery yet riddled with truth. It is said that years ago our school’s founder, Edward Austin Sheldon, found what is most commonly described as a ‘snow beast’ while exploring the caves on the banks of the Oswego River. Somehow Sheldon was able to tame The Beast, and while there is much speculation about how he domesticated the creature, the most popular belief is that he used the great sport of hockey. It is said in the ancient history of Oswego State that Sheldon taught The Beast the ways of our world through sport. He showed the creature what is right and what is wrong, when to stand up for yourself and when to exhibit sportsmanship and compassion, all through the tutelage of hockey. The Beast was said to love the sport and was a figurehead—a symbol for our school’s great team for many years. As the bond between man and beast grew stronger, Sheldon grew older and on Aug. 26, 1897, Sheldon passed away. This day was the last known sighting of The Beast. Many thought him to be so distressed over Sheldon’s death and that he had moved farther north to a cold seclusion where he died of old age. Yet there is always the speculation that he retreated back to his secret caves and tunnels, an underground system of caverns that is believed to run all the way underground to the area of Oswego State now known as the Shineman Center. Remember how I said no one had seen this beast in more than 115 years? Well

The Beast patiently waits for the white-out game. Maximilian E. Principe | The Oswegonian

The Beast mourns the loss of Edwin A. Sheldon. Maximilian E. Principe | The Oswegonian

this was true, up until two days ago. The Beast was sighted climbing on the statue of Sheldon in the early evening holding a hockey stick. One lucky and brave photographer was able to snap a quick picture of him. After over a century, the rumors of Sheldon’s infamous snow beast have been confirmed. There is no need for alarm though, ladies and gentleman; we have our best anthropologists and biology majors on the case. The reappearance of the creature is thought to be a combination of a disturbance of its natural habitat from the Shineman Center, the change in the season to our oh-so-lovely winter months and The Beast’s natural intuition that his favorite sport and favorite team are back on the ice again. (It’s a good thing he didn’t see that home opener, though; it may have turned into a Jack Link’s commercial.) Because he is a direct descendant of Sheldon (OK, not really, but they were bros), he is also a very approachable creature who loves his green and gold as much as we do. If you keep your eyes peeled, you may be able to get a glimpse of him while making your daily stroll throughout campus, for some reason especially in Rich Hall. The accounting department says he likes to hang out there a lot. Maybe its back taxes or something. Anyway, if I had to make a prediction, I would say he would make his full-blown reappearance when the atmosphere is right, say white-out weekend for instance. But hey, what do I know? I’m just a writer. All I’m saying is to have fun, cheer for our Lakers and if you happen to see The Beast just don’t shout, “Let’s go Plattsburgh,” or something else blasphemous of that sort. We wouldn’t want to get him riled up now, would we?

Pointless penalties in class

Shanna Fuld Copy Editor opinion@oswegonian.com

Many Oswego State students will be heading home to go back to their families for Thanksgiving break and for those that live a great distance away, navigating can be difficult. Some professors are throwing a wrench in students’ traveling plans by scheduling quizzes, exams and mandatory attendance on the last day before break, which is utterly ridiculous. Attendance policies are ludicrous to begin with, and even more so before a holiday break. The people that want to come to class will come to class, and those that don’t won’t and probably have a good reason for missing. A prime example might be if a student needs to catch a bus out of Oswego by a certain time, and needs to skip Tuesday’s classes. Professors should not be having important classes the last day or two before break. Students and teachers alike are burnt out by this time of the semester and need

a break. All pre-break assignments, tests or quizzes should be finished by the Friday before break. Professors need to take into account the fact that traveling home involves time and money, and if they could lessen this impact for students by not assigning things for the two days before break, students might be able to take a breather and get home to their families stress-free. It is impossible for students to make every class. People feel sick or need to attend to other school obligations at times, so they need the amount of excused absences for important reasons. Penalizing or taking away an absence from a student who needs to leave to go home early is not fair. Students come to college to become independent and escape the strictness of high school. We no longer have electronic machines phoning home when we skip class. We don’t need to be penalized for missing class—especially on a day where people are trying to travel home to help Mom make turkey.

Lily Choi | The Oswegonian

INSIDE

The Lumineers, Sia in ‘Catching Fire’ soundtrack

COVER: ‘12 Years a Slave’ masterpiece

Rising Student Artist: Student FRIDAY band to release EP Nov. 22, 2013

Laker Review The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

Events Calendar Friday, Nov. 22 through Friday, Nov. 29

Art Exhibit: “Painterly Prints” Date: Friday, Nov. 22 Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Oswego State Downtown, 186 West First Street Open Skate Date: Friday, Nov. 22 Time: 12-2 p.m. Tickets: $3, $2 for skate rental Location: Arena, Campus Center Student art exhibtion opening reception Date: Friday, Nov. 22 Time: 5-7 p.m. Location: Tyler Art Gallery Performance: wait until Dark Date: Friday, Nov. 22 Time: 7:30-10 p.m. Tickets: $7 Location: Auditorium, Campus Center PErformance: On Borrowed Time Date: Saturday, Nov. 23 Time: 8-10 p.m. Tickets: $10 for adults, $7 for students Location: Francis Brown Theatre, Fort Ontario Indie Series Concert: Royal Bangs with Nick cocks & cemeteries Date: Saturday, Nov. 23 Time: 7- 9:30 p.m. Tickets: $5 Location: Ballroom, Sheldon Hall

Laker Review

Diverse sounds in ‘Catching Fire’ soundtrack Riley Ackley Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

A follow-up to the first “The Hunger Games” soundtrack, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” should soon be met with similar success. Varying greatly from the first album, the resulting “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack,” is certainly of interest. This difference could be the result of two possible causes. Firstly, producer T-Bone Burnett, who brought a much more earthy tone of music to the first album, has been replaced with the more pop-oriented producer Alexandra Patsavas whose previous work includes the“Twilight”soundtracks. Another reason for this difference could be the variance in location of the second film.

The first film’s plot takes place in a forest and impoverished area, while the second takes place in a large city. Consisting of 15 total tracks, the “Catching Fire” soundtrack is an overall pleasant mix of varying tracks. It includes the folksy, broken down acoustics reminiscent of the first album, however, these are met with new, more revolutionary tracks. One of the album’s best songs is one of the more synthetic tracks, “Elastic Heart.” Created by powerhouse and superstar songwriter Sia Furler, “Elastic Heart,” is sure to become a crossover from the soundtrack world to mainstream success. Featuring The Weeknd and Diplo, the track’s back-and-forth between the two unique vocals of Sia and The Weeknd builds as Diplo’s DJ capabilities create swirling beats. Another of the album’s standouts is Coldplay’s “Atlas.” Through Coldplay’s classic, simple piano instru-

mentals, “Atlas” creates an ethereal feeling that will make listeners feel as though they are just tiny specks in a giant universe. Long runs met with echoing voices create a cavernous feeling throughout the song’s playtime. Fans of the first album will find a favorite in The Lumineers’ “Gale Song.” With stripped-down acoustics and a lullaby-like presence, the folksy band creates a slowpaced ballad. It encompasses everything the first album had and its presence among the more mainstream tracks is welcome. Just as the original “The Hunger Games” soundtrack had the villainous track, “The Ruler And The Killer” by Kid Cudi, a similarly haunting track on “Catching Fire” is Lorde’s cover of the Tears for Fears classic, “Everybody Wants To Rule The World.” Lorde’s voice is dreary and as the ominous instrumentals create a sense of dismay, the song becomes

one of the soundtrack’s most effective pieces. If there is one criticism to be made of the “Catching Fire” soundtrack, it would be that cohesion between tracks is largely absent. It is as though the artists and the producer failed to think of an order in which the songs would flow. Listening to the 15 individual tracks, the “Catching Fire” soundtrack produces a record similar to the “NOW” series, in which singles are just on the same album together. This contrasts the first album’s concept, which seemed to create a story with the songs that could be followed. The “Catching Fire” soundtrack as a whole is terrific. Containing different genres and sounds, the record and its tracks each offer up new things for the listener. While little flow exists, this album has far too much potential to allow it to be bogged down. Fans of “The Hunger Games” soundtrack will surely be excited by this one as well.

Concert: Robert Auler Date: Sunday, Nov. 24 Time: 3-4:30 p.m. Tickets: $8 for adults, $5 for students Location: Ballroom, Sheldon Hall Open Skate Date: Sunday, Nov. 24 Time: 6-7:30 p.m. Tickets: $3, $2 for skate rental Location: Arena, Campus Center Planetarium Show Date: Sunday, Nov. 24 Time: 7-8 p.m. Location: Shineman Center, second floor Talk: Artist Chris Held Date: Monday, Nov. 25 Time: 7-8 p.m. Location: Auditorium, Campus Center

Cover image provided by flicksided.com

Photo provided by collider.com “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” soundtrack features tracks from various artists from different genres such as Coldplay, Lorde and The Weeknd.

Laker Review

Living Writers Series: Owen Benjamin

Photo provided by laughstub.com Originally from Oswego, Owen Benjamin attended SUNY Plattsburgh before pursuing a career in comedy.

Shanna Fuld Copy Editor laker@oswegonian.com Owen Benjamin visited Oswego State to speak to students about his success as a comedian Monday and got quite a few laughs. The talk was for the Living Writers Series class with Donna Steiner in the Campus Center auditorium at 3 p.m. Benjamin’s last name is Smith, but for professional reasons, he shortened it to differentiate himself from another Owen Smith. Although Benjamin attended SUNY Plattsburgh both his parents, professors John Kares-Smith and Jean Troy-Smith, lecture here at Oswego State. According to students and Benjamin himself, they are quite the hoot. Benjamin told students about his experiences, weaving in jokes all the while, to tell the story of how he went from college student to paid comedian. Benjamin opened for Kevin Hart, currently is friends and partners with Adam Sandler and Vince Vaughn, and continues to get paid for telling jokes. Benjamin kept it real for students, telling them they could sell an idea over drinks in an insta-second in L.A., but go from a $75,000 payment and to a $33,000 pay after taxes. Benjamin started out by playing the piano for little money in Key West. He was enjoying his life, while working toward success, and reminded students not to get themselves into the game for the cash, but to work toward success in something you love, care about, and don’t mind working hard for. Benjamin referred to the money as a “bi-product” of doing what you want to do.

Moving along to his career Benjamin answered many questions about comedy. He reminded aspiring comedians in the crowd that bullying is no way to reach the top. People need to look up to their leaders, Benjamin said, and aspire to be a part of their groups. He also told students that the lone wolf doesn’t exist because to be successful, it’s necessary to work in groups and make friends and connections. “Support each other till death,” Benjamin said. Most people attending comedy shows are looking to relieve stress. Because of this, Benjamin reminded students not to bully, not to pick on people in the crowd everyone is vulnerable and can easily be affected. This is why Benjamin personally does not use topics for his shows that are too controversial, like religion or politics. He also said it is not important to make a big bang in the first five minutes of the set. First let the audience get to know you, and slowly build the jokes in. The best part about this advice was that Benjamin used this precise technique on the audience, for his presentation in the class. By the last 20 minutes of the

lecture, the audience was nearly in tears from the tremendous jokes Benjamin was making. Benjamin, during the question and answer portion of the talk, responded to a question from the crowd about what comedians should talk about or not talk about. He commented that he personally doesn’t use some offensive words or uncomfortable topics. “Even if 90 percent of the audience is laughing, there’s still 10 percent of people who will be uncomfortable,” said Benjamin. “When an overwhelming amount of people don’t like it—don’t do it.” “Don’t turn on the crowd” is another message Benjamin shared with us. If the audience doesn’t like the jokes, just continue on and try something new. According to Benjamin, comedians should try New York for experience because of the overwhelming amount of clubs to perform in, but and L.A., to make the money. The problem with L.A., however, is that it is congested and full of celebrities, making the competition tough. Benjamin reflected that while college did not directly help him become a success, it helped him harness the necessary social skills to meet people, work with people, and start connections in L.A., so he doesn’t regret fulfilling his degree. Benjamin left the audience with smiles on their faces and reminded everyone that, “no one doesn’t want to see a show.” Additionally, he reminded us that to be successful you don’t have to be the most famous in your field. People are getting paid and making a generous living by selling their ideas to smaller channels and even by using social media. Benjamin was welcomed on Monday, and judging by everyone’s laughter and smiles, I’d say he’d be wel-

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

T V Spotlight Live Bait This week we went back in time to before the breakout in the prison happened. We saw where The Governor (David Morrissey) was hiding all this time. After losing his mind and going on a killing rampage to quench his thirst for revenge last season, we saw his softer and gentler side in this

b y G a br iel l e Prus a k

weeks episode. It was interesting to see him grow so fond of the little girl of the family he found, in part because his own daughter was killed. The story had a decent plot, and it helps us see where he ends up, but we didn’t learn much about what’s going to happen in next week’s episode.

Photo provided by hollywoodreporter.com

Think Lovely Thoughts This episode was insane, to say the least. We find out that Peter Pan (Robbie Kay) is actually Rumplestiltskin’s (Robert Carlyle) father. The plot twists in this show are the reasons why people still continue to watch. The fact that no one knows that Pan is Rumplestiltskin’s father is absolutely mind-blowing. He then gets sucked into Pandora’s

box, which was really surprising because no one can out-smart Rumplestilskin. But apparently his dad can. The most outrageous event that occurred in the entire episode was when Henry (Jared Gilmore) thought he was going to be a hero and save magic, but in reality he was being tricked by Peter Pan by giving Pan his heart, Henry will die and Pan will become immortal.

Photo provided by latimes.com

Laker Review

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

‘12 Years A Slave’ excels, retells compelling slave narrative R Travis Clark Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Every Oscar season there seems to be a clear front-runner. Last year was “Argo,” the year before it was “The Artist” and the year before that “The King’s Speech,” and so on. It’s rare that these top contenders for the coveted best picture statue aren’t contested, though. There always seems to be a more deserving film that could have won the race. This year, though, it may be hard for anyone to argue that Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” doesn’t deserve the final award come Oscar night. The film, directed by McQueen (“Shame”) and written by John Ridley (“Three Kings”), is an unflinching and powerful biopic about Solomon Northup, portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor (“2012”), a freed man who is abducted and sold into slavery in pre-Civil War United States. It may sound cliché to call the film “powerful,” but in this

case, it’s true. It may be the best adjective to describe the film. Raw and real in its portrayal of slavery, “12 Years A Slave” is often unsettling and hard to watch. But that’s the beauty. It never compromises. What makes the film so unsettling at times, but nevertheless superb, is McQueen’s impeccable direction. Every shot has a story to tell, and some stay on the screen long enough that it becomes difficult to keep your eyes on them. But to look away would be a mistake, for every second of the film has an importance to it. McQueen’s use of overly extended shots was also used in his 2011 film “Shame.” It’s an artistic choice that is equal parts chilling and discouraging, but never overstays its welcome. A man hanging from a tree, grasping for his life and just trying to keep his toes on the ground, would be disturbing in itself. To stay on that one shot for what felt like two minutes is another story. The real artistry in McQueen’s direction is in the fact that the film knows exactly when to hit each note, and when to stop playing. An excellent example is in a whip-

ping scene that will tug at the audience’s emotions. To hear this woman screaming in anguish after each strike; to see the horror on Solomon’s face, it all would have been enough. But it goes one step further, if only for a few seconds, and that’s all it takes. While McQueen’s direction tells the story excellently, it’s the actors that really bring it to life. There’s no doubt that Ejiofor gives the best performance of the year. In a film with plenty of A-list stars, Ejiofor carries the film on his shoulders. It’s his from beginning to end, and we never stop caring about his performance. His Solomon Northup character is an inspiring figure. Again, it’s hard not to use the word “powerful” when describing the performance. Equally amazing is Michael Fassbender’s (“Prometheus”) turn as Edward Epps, a shockingly disgusting slaveowner who terrorizes Northup for a large portion of the second half and newcomer Lupita Nyong’o as Patsey, a female woman also owned by Epps. All three of these actors are sure to get recognized come Oscar time. Big name actors

Photo provided by entertainment.time.com Newcomer Lupita Nyong’o excellently portrays Patsey, an African slave and the object of obession for Michael Fassbender’s character.

such as Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch and Paul Giamatti also make appearances, but are merely important individuals in the many developments of Northup’s journey as opposed to main characters. They drive the story forward, but don’t undermine the three main stars, an important and respectable aspect of the film. “12 Years A Slave” is already an instant classic, the kind of rare film that can be unanimously agreed upon in that regard. Like Northup’s drive to survive, the film

never falters. At a little over two hours, encompassing 12 years, the film keeps your eyes glued to theS screen. I’ve never been in a theaterG where the audience was so floored by what they had just witnessed that they couldn’t even move an inch when the end credits rolled. I suggest everyone does the same. Sit for a little bit after the movie ends. Reflect on what you just saw. And once you leave, reflect some more. Because it’s not often that a film like this comes around to make such a lasting effect on viewers.

Winter Movie Preview: A little bit of something for everyone Gabrielle Prusak Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Photo provided by geektyrant.com

Photo provided by digitalspy.co.uk

Photo provided by truthaboutmusic.com

Saving Mr. Banks Dec. 20

The Wolf of Wall Street Dec. 25

Director of The Blind Side, John Lee Hancock, tells us the story of how author P. L. Travers (Emma Travers) had difficulties with Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) during the production of her novel, “Mary Poppins”. It’s based on the true story of how Disney’s daughter begged him to make a movie based on her favorite book, Mary Poppins. It was a 20-year battle to get the rights to it. The movie portrays the standoff between the two and the end results (which obivously turned out marvelously).

Based on a true story of Jordan Belfort, Martin Scorsese, “Hugo,” brings to life his tale of rising to the position of a wealthy stockbroker, living the most glorious life up until his fall that involved crime, corruption and ultimately the federal government. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Jordan Belfort with costars Matthew McConaughey and Jonah Hill. This story will captivate your mind and show you the highs and lows of the life of a stockbroker criminal.

Photo provided by impawards.com

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Dec. 13 Peter Jackson continues with the story of the well-known Tolkien novel “The Hobbit.” The story of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) picks up where it left off as Bilbo journeys with the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) and 13 dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage). They are all on a quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, but of course their task won’t be easy--they still have to face the fearsome challenge of the dragon Smaug in the Lonely Mountain.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Dec. 20

In the long awaited sequel of “Anchorman:The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” Adam McKay tells a new story of Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell). The story continues with Ron losing his job to his wife Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), along with his entire news team. However, they get offered a new position at the first 24-hour news channel. This movie takes place in the ‘80s and Ron now has to adjust to new changes in society such as younger competition at the newsdesk. This comedy sequel starring the entire original cast is not one to miss.

i s d w t o d s s o h o a l

Photo provided by themonsterpopcorn.com

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Dec. 25

Well-known actor and director Ben Stiller not only directs but also stars in the new movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”. The movie is based on the short story by James Thurber. Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) is a daydreamer and tends to escape his life by vanishing into a world of his fantasies. But when his job, and those of his co-workers are in danger, he goes out into the real world and has his own real global journey that turns into an adventure that he could never have imagined.

Laker Review

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

Rising Student Artists: Alternative pop band to release EP

Photo provided by Shiffley Shiffley is made up of bassist Shaune Killough, lead vocalist and guitarist Alex Ganes, drummer Bryan Contreras and keyboardist Alex Jenks.

Patrick Malowski Multimedia Editor laker@oswegonian.com You wouldn’t expect a band to find their missing piece on Craigslist, but that’s exactly how,

at age 15, Shaune Killough met his counterparts in making music. That’s how the band Shiffley came to be. “None of us had any business being on Craigslist at that age,” Killough said. “But still, I audi-

tioned for the band as a guitarist and got the spot.” The lineup was under a different name. Now playing as Shiffley, the alternative pop quartet is making waves even though all members live at different colleges. Alex Ganes, lead vocalist and guitar player, is enrolled at Syracuse University, Bryan Contreras, drummer, goes to SUNY Old Westbury, Alex Jenks, keyboards, attends Furman University, and Killough, the bassist, is an Oswego State student. The band recently opened for the artists Twenty One Pilots after winning a contest on social media for the opening spot. They are currently nominated in the “Gig of a Lifetime” contest to play at the Grammys in Los Angeles. On Jan. 4, the band is holding a release show for their second EP “Atomic Robot Man.” Shiffley’s alternative pop sound will make listeners want to dance. The sound is a nice combi-

nation of a raw rock sound mixed with soft pop melodies that will stick in your head. Killough’s bass is doing more than just following the guitar part, helping to drive the song along with the synth melodies. Killough first learned to play guitar, taking his style to the rhythm section with Shiffley. “I’m a self-taught guitarist of about nine years,” Killough said. “I’m not really a bassist, and yet I play bass. However, I play a bass like a guitarist.” The “Atomic Robot Man” EP is continuance of Shiffley crafting their unique sound. The release was mixed at The Cutting Room Studios in New York City, which hosts clients such as Linkin Park, Kanye West and Bon Jovi. “Finishing our songs at such a renowned studio was a dream come true for us,” Killough said. “But now that that’s done, our most important job is to get our songs onto your iPod and into your head. We’re planning

a winter tour to support its release, which leads up to our EP release show.” Killough is an active student on the Oswego State campus, mainly in broadcasting. He’s spent a good amount of time working at WTOP10, the college television station, and is a teaching assistant for a video production course taught by the college. In his spare time, he likes to play music with other musicians and friends in Oswego. The band plans on building from where they are now when the summer comes and they have time to play regularly again. When it comes to becoming famous musicians, the band plans on taking small steps and enjoying the ride. “We just want to work our hardest, and put on the best performances we can, so we can share our music with as many people as possible,” Killough said. “That’s really the goal, and I think that’s the goal of any musician who loves what they do.”

Winter Music Preview: Promising albums to look out for Ronel Puello Asst. A&E Editor laker@oswegonian.com

The semester is quickly winding down and all students are scrambling to get their finals done and head back home for winter break. Everyone is eager to sleep in, chow down and veg out on the couch. The only real drawback is that the holiday season is usually filled with the same groan-inducing music that one hears winter after winter. So here is a list of albums coming out this season to tide you over and maybe give you something to listen to on the ride back home.

t e e y y d Bastille: “All This Bad Blood” . November 25 s s The melodic, synth-pop Brits ish indie group Bastille are res releasing their sensational debut d as a double LP, including a bunch of unreleased demos and B-sides

that couldn’t fit or find a place on ‘Bad Blood.’ This album is a pretty good choice for people who want something relatively upbeat to dive into and beat the winter blues.

Protestant work ethic. It makes you yearn for the days of Britney turning to the Neptunes for musical guidance.

probably satisfy even the most ardent of grinches and Scrooges.

Photo provided by2dopeboyz.com

Photo provided by hiphop-n-more.com Photo provided by josepvinaixa.com Photo provided by music-mix.ew.com

Britney Spears: “Britney Jean” Dec. 3 This is the mature pop queen’s eighth studio album and the first after the dissolution of her longtime label, Jive, which also housed her teeny-bopper colleagues in years past. With musical idea man Will.i.am at the helm as executive producer, and T.I., Sia Furler and even baby sister Jamie Lynn all making guest appearances on the album, “Britney Jean” is apparently Spears’ most personal work to date. The first single to be released, “Work Bitch” is a Sebastian Ingrossostyle house anthem extolling

Leona Lewis: “Christmas, With Love” Dec. 3 If you absolutely, positively have to listen to Christmas music in the car or at a family function this holiday season, you can do much worse than Leona Lewis. The former X-Factor U.K. winner clearly has a wonderful set of pipes and her choice of holiday songs to cover is somewhat refreshing, along with her takes on them. Lewis’ new album is a great middle ground between holiday music that would make your grandmother happy and holiday music that does not make you want to gouge your eyes out. “Christmas, With Love” will

R. Kelly: “Black Panties” Dec. 10 Only R. Kelly can sing an awful rendition of the national anthem in a mask and cape and still have a musical career to get excited about. After showing everyone that he still had it by collaborating with Lady Gaga on “Do What U Want,” Robert Kelly decided to go all out with “Black Panties.” The album features guest appearances by 2 Chainz, Future, Young Jeezy, Twista, Kelly Rowland, Alicia Keys and Ludacris. And on top of all that, it was hard not to get excited about “Black Panties” once Kelly described the album as being the second coming of “12 Play,” his underrated debut opus that turns 20 this year. Keep a lookout for “Black Panties” burning up dance floors everywhere this New Year’s Eve.

Childish Gambino: “Because The Internet” Dec. 10

Actor/comedian/rapper Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, is about to release his highly-anticipated album “Because The Internet.” After a public confession on Twitter dealing with his doubts and insecurities as an artist and person, many people were surprised and impressed by the honesty exhibited by a rapper in an industry dominated by machismo and false swagger. Avid fans and listeners are eager to hear what the always erudite and passionate Glover has to say over his fantastic beat selection. “Because The Internet” is perfect listening for winter break because Glover made it that way when he said, “Albums made a really big impact on me when I was alone and everything was quiet, and I know that’s when students go home, that’s when everything is closed, so it’s a good time to just listen to something and be yourself.”

Laker Review

FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

Comics & Games

Cre ati ve Writing

Untitled By Sarah Fessler Fate is a funny thing. It is believed that your destiny is a thread, Spun, measured, and cut by the three goddesses That preside over humans; Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos. They decide who you are today And who you will become tomorrow. The Fates are believed to have started interfering With the lives of man after the creation of Pandora. Since then all the good and bad That men experience in their lives Is determined by the Fates at birth. Ruthless and without pity or remorse

Crossword Puzzle

Down

Across

1. Actress ____ Davis 6. President after HST 9. Birthday number 12. Baseball’s Hank ______ 13. Poetic contraction 14. ______ diem 15. Tire pattern 16. More transparent 18. Affirm 20. Medicine amount 21. Missing 23. Used logic 25. Artist Yoko ______ 26. ______ Salad 27. Christmas visitor 29. Awkward 33. Attack 37. Comprehend 38. Fragrant 41. Read rapidly 42. Lingerie edging 43. Hitchcock film 45. Everlasting 47. Young insect 50. Espionage org. 51. Feel regret 52. Made a choice 53. Male heir 54. Gore and Roker 55. Experiments Puzzle provided by boatloadpuzzles.com

David Owens | The Oswegonian

The Fates always punish wrongdoers, Inflicting hardship and evil. Once your fate is spun, and measured, There is no escaping when Atropos cuts, Your string of life. As we live and breath Our time has already been decided, Not to be changed By the things we do Or say. What a tragedy. To believe that everything Has already been planned. And nothing, Can change it. Not who we talk to. Nor where we go. Trapped to live the life As decided by an outside force.

David Owens | The Oswegonian

1. Vampire _____ 2. Jug handle 3. Traitor’s crime 4. Breakfast bread 5. Concludes 6. Edict 7. River mouth 8. Compass pt.

9. Cook’s wear 10. Made mistakes 11. Made mistakes 17. Embellish 19. Historic time 21. Part of L.A. 22. Out ____ limb 24. Spinnaker, e.g.

26. 28. 30. 31. 32. 34. 35. 36.

Mexican house More docile Accompanies Pod inhabitant Knockout count Capital of Minnesota Bridal paths Slippery

For this week’s crossword answers go to:

Oswegonian.com/lreview

38. Guinness and Baldwin 39. Proportion 40. Atlantic or Indian 41. Mold 44. Thicken 46. Shooter’s group 48. Dog doc 49. Commericials

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You are a star, Aries, glowing over everyone you know. Continue your positivity and nothing but happiness will find its way to you. While some might try to bring you down, you are better and will persevere through this.

Taurus (Apr. 20 - May 20):

Though this week may seem tough, just remember that you are as determined an individual as this world has to offer. You will quickly and decisively knock off any challenges that come your way. Others will watch in awe of the herculean manner in which you power through your day-to-day tasks.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21):

You are doing exceptionally well, Gemini. So much so it may seem you have no real use for reading a horoscope. Not true. The key element to maintaining your success to this point is to carry on with what you have

lassifieds

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classifieds@oswegonian.com

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

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FRIDAY, Nov. 22, 2013

been doing. Stay the course and good things will continue to come your way.

Cancer (June 22 - July 22):

You had a great week, Cancer. You have successfully managed both your business, academic and personal life for the past month. It is important, though, not to get too bogged down in the day-to-day minutiae of life’s constant tasks. Remember to step back from time to time and enjoy what is around you. Treat yourself this weekend.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22):

You have used your spontaneity to continually push yourself to new levels. You keep jumping, but you have yet to fall. The important thing is manage risk and reward. You have done that admirably so far, so don’t stop now. Keep pushing the envelope.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sep. 22): The coming week will test you, Virgo, but you have seen it all at this point and always have come

BY Ryan Deffenbaugh

out better in the end. Use your unflagging will to come to a resolute decision with the tough personal decisions that come your way. Still, remember to seek the advice of others.

Libra (Sep. 23 - Oct. 23):

You have worked tirelessly so far and will soon enjoy the fruits of your labor. While others are content to listlessly trudge through life, you have pushed yourself in every possible direction. Be sure not to spread yourself too thin, though. Any job worth doing is worth doing right.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 - Nov. 21): Last week could have gone better, but that is beside the point. Focus on the great things you have accomplished of late and the amount of people better for having been graced by your calm, steady presence. Keep on your righteous path

ON THIS DATE

and happiness will find you.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): You are full of surprises, Sagittarius. You refuse to be predictable and have embraced the randomness of life to your own advantage. Continue to indiscriminately dive into the world and embrace every last morsel of happiness that falls your way. You are doing it right.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19):

It is hard to even know what to tell you, Capricorn. You seem to have this whole life thing down pat. You have managed to balance individual success and personal relationships to create a spiritual harmony unrivaled among your peers. Keep up the good work.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18): A stressful week is ahead, but as always, you will persevere and come out no worse for wear. You are a strong sign and those around

you will seek out your strength and wisdom. It is when we are tested that true character shows. Let others see your mettle.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - Mar. 20): You are a strong and loyal companion. Others around you will fall on hard times and will need your guidance. You have been there for them before, and there is no doubt you will provide solace again. Take note of their struggles and store them away to help yourself at a later date.

1963 – In Dallas, Texas, President John F. Kennedy is assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. 1984 – Actress Scarlett Johansson (Avengers, Lost in Translation) is born. 1986 – Mike Tyson defeats Trevor Berbick to become youngest Heavyweight champion in boxing history. 1995 – Toy Story is released as the first feature film created using completely computer-generated imagery.