December 13, 2013

THE HILL NEWS e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1 9 1 1 at s t . l aw r e n c e u n i v e r s i t y

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2013

VOLUME CXXVII, ISSUE 11

WWW.THEHILLNEWS.ORG

SLU NEWS SLU Alumna Elected to Congress Congratulations to current Masschusetts senator Katherine M. Clark ‘85 who has been elected as the newest member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

This day in history:

In 1972, members of Apollo 17 Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt stepped on the moon immortalizing not only their footprints but also the biggest dance move to hit the planet: the moonwalk.

The Red Blazers Return The Singing Saints host their annual Winter Concert on Friday, December 13, from 7-8PM in Peterson-Kermani Performance Hall in Griffiths Art Center. Don’t we all love men in uniforms?

Editor Spotlight: Thank yous This week we would like to give a special shout out to all of our editors who will be retiring from their roles or going abroad next semester. To Ally Friedman, Chris Melville, Haley Burrowes, Christina Rukki and Amy Feiereisel: thank you so much for all your hard work, great enthusiasm and constant fun in the Hill News office!

CORRECTIONS There were 10 forcible sex offenses from 2010-2012 which was inaccurately reported in last week’s issue.

Amy Yao, Editor-in-Chief authored “How Does Your Major Stack Up?”

DAVID PYNCHON / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

ADK Semester Students Face Reacclimation

By AMY FEIEREISEL FEATURES EDITOR The room is dark and smoky; it smells of slow cooked meat and fresh wood shavings. Live music animates a Christmas-light strewn corner. The roof timbers twinkle above the heads of smiling, laughing, and dancing students. The traditional end-ofthe-Adirondack-Semester party is in full swing, with current

there is another hot topic of conversation: reintegrating into not only the world at large, but also the SLU community.

Caleigh Warburton, ADK ’13 feels she might need a halfway house.

ADK Semester students live in a yurt village called Arcadia located outside Saranac Lake, NY with little outside-world contact and a deep immersion in nature. The program includes

SEE ADK, PAGE 5

Fracking Protests Escalate in New Brunswick, Canada

By ALLISON PALUDI GUEST WRITER Early in November, New Brunswick, an area near Kent Country, became a point of exploration for extracting shale gas through a process known as hydraulic fracturing, or hydro-fracking. SWN Resource Canada, “a team dedicated to safe and responsible natural gas and oil exploration in the province of New Brunswick,” wants to explore land that may potentially be a hotspot for natural gas extraction. They intend on running seismic tests in rural areas; whereby holes are drilled into the ground, putting in explosive charge, detonating it, and then recording the seismic vibrations to see if there are any

Contents:

and past participants mingling in a woodworking shop in the Adirondacks. For the 2013 crop of ADKers, this is their re-entry into the “real world”.

“I remember this exact night last year,” says Emlyn Crocker, ADK ’12. “I’m not going to lie, I’m a little jealous.”

Will Madison, ADK ’13 says “It was a grand adventure – there was so much to explore.” While similar sentiments abound,

an eleven day canoe trip, a week in the Adirondack High Peaks, and four courses centered on the outdoors covering topics from ecology to creative writing.

There is no internet connection, no laptops or iPads, not even showers – nary a trace of typical collegiate life.

There is, however, a series of lakes, the pristine beauty of the Adirondacks, and a tight knit community that eats, sleeps, grows together.

Louise Gava, Sustainability Project Coordinator, remembers her 2004 semester, the program’s fourth, as a life-changing experience.

“I walked away with a deep ethic and a defined set of values and goals. Even after ten years, I still feel warm and giddy just talking about it,” Gava says.

“It gave me the time and space to figure out who I truly was,” says junior Hannah Drummond, ADK ’12.

DiBiase says leaving the woods at the program’s end was an intense sensory overload. “I cried a lot. I would be upset and not know why.”

Opinions pg. 2 News pg. 4

Features pg. 6 A&E pg. 8 Sports pg. 11

shale gas deposits. The Mi’kmaq indigenous people from the Elsipogtog First Nation are protesting this seismic test work and arguing that the SWN wants to explore land that was never ceded to the crown when the Mi’kmaq signed treatists with the British in the 18th century.

Since the protests began in New Brunswick, there has been little mainstream media coverage. Al Jazeera America has been following their protests, but there has been little to no coverage of the groups protesting in solidarity with the Mi’kmaq peoples.

I traveled to Route 37 between Canada and New York to meet with local Mohawk protesters from Akwesasne to find out more about their actions. I spent

weekend weather

today

14 -1

7 4

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ALLISON PALUDI

about two hours with protesters standing outside their new structure and around their fire, which has been burning for about four weeks, symbolizing their solidarity with the Mi’kmaq group in New Brunkswick.

One protester brought out

saturday sunday

16 0

publications, like the Two newspaper, which has documenting the actions.

On the Canadian Akwesasne efforts have documented on the CBC

Rows been side, been news

SEE FRACK, PAGE 4

In This Issue: Political columns: Immigration Policy Reviewed, page 3 Angel Tree Spreads Holiday Cheer, page 5 Theme House Crackdown: Stricter Rules, page 6 Get iced: Annual Polar Plunge at SLU, page 10 Wrap Up for Fall Season Sports page 12

OPINIONS

2 | THE HILL NEWS

THE HILL NEWS St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York 13617 • hillnews@stlawu.edu • (315) 229-5139

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Amy Yao ‘14

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Chris Melville ‘14

DISTRIBUTION Brett Ford ‘14

MANAGING EDITORS Lexi Beckwith ‘14 Caitlin Matson-McDonald ‘14

FEATURES Amy Feiereisel ‘15 Connor Martin ‘15

CHIEF COPY EDITOR Emma Cummings-Krueger ‘16

EDITOR-AT-LARGE Conant Neville ‘14

SPORTS Joshua Cameron ‘15

NEWS Ally Friedman ‘15 Elle Lucas ‘16

PHOTOGRAPHY Christina Rukki ‘14

OPINIONS Russell King ‘14

BUSINESS MANAGER Haley Burrowes ‘14

COPY EDITORS Alex Gladwin ‘14 Hannah Kinsey ‘14 Michael Brewer ‘14 Allison Talbot ‘14 Caroline Fleischauer ‘15 Andrew MacKinlay ‘15 Charlotte Crawford ‘16 Emily Harrington ‘16

EDITORIAL POLICY

LETTER SUBMISSIONS

The Hill News is published every Friday of the school year, except during holidays and examination periods, by the students of St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY 13617.

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We have the ability to receive e-mails at hillnews@stlawu. edu. The comments and opinions of our readers are welcome.

Letters may be no more than 500 words in length. All letters must be typed, signed by the author, and include the author’s full name and telephone number. The name of the author may be withheld only for compelling reasons, and after discussion with the editorial board. The Hill News reserves the right to edit letters for space, clarity, style, and taste. The printing or omission of letters is entirely at the discretion of the editors and The Hill News. Any letter received after deadline will not be considered for publication in that week’s issue.

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COPYRIGHT 2013 — VOLUME CXXVII, ISSUE 11

The SLU Libraries and Information Technology staff would like to thank Thelmo for once again providing monetary support for late night refreshments during Finals Week in both ODY and Launders Libraries.

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Dear Dub: Girls Rating Guys Dear Dub, Why is it acceptable for girls to rate guys but not the other way around?

As we have already seen, and this still may be a sore topic for most, it is socially unacceptable for men to rate women and often leads to serious repercussions. It is seen as degrading women and undermining them as human beings. On the other hand though, women have mobile apps, such as Lulu, that allow female users on Facebook to evaluate male users on their romantic, personal, and sexual appeal.

The app allows only female users to access the evaluation system. Furthermore, the evaluations made through the app are attached publicly and anonymously to the male’s Facebook account.

Lulu describes itself as a private network for girls to express and share their opinions openly and honestly about the weaknesses and strengths of the manners, appearances, spending habits, and career ambitions of their male acquaintances.

It is basically a new-age dating system. You are able to see the ratings of guys based on others and can determine their suitability to date.

Let’s take a step back and imagine such a program existed in reverse: males rating women. Although such a system may already have been created, the acceptability of it would be nowhere close to the acceptance of Lulu.

How often do girls sit around and discuss who they feel is the cutest? It is a stereotype for what girls do when they are in groups for a reason.

Most of us females have participated in some form of rating whether it is regularly or only occasionally. When thinking of males doing

such a thing, cracks begin to form in the earth.

With enough “degrading”, cracks large enough will gather to open up the gates of hell. Women would become outraged if rating systems such as Lulu were as socially acceptable if males were the raters.

So why can males be demeaned and degraded in such a public manner without much consideration for how it affects them?

Is it because they are mentally stronger than women? Or that the ratings are simply informative of their actual status and therefore should just be accepted? The “feelings” of men are often disregarded because they are socially defined as “tough.” Most of the current trends are a result of our historical stigmas about how each sex should act. For instance, males are the dominant providers and women should tend to the house in order to keep their males content. This has progressively been altered over time, but the remnants of its acceptance still preside. While differences between genders exist, overgeneralization of each sex’s capability has locked us behind walls that prevent us from acting independently of what we are socially expected to do. Putting on another person’s shoes may be the eye opening perspective we need to take. So maybe instead of spending our time rating others, we should rate ourselves on how we wish others to treat us in order to determine how to treat others.

For more questions, ask at sludeardub@ stlawu.edu Sincerely, The DUBers

No Spitting: That Holiday Mindset

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By LUKE MATYS ‘15 COLUMNIST A thin layer of snow lies on our campus, concealing the remains of a weekend’s childish antics like the white bridal veil representing purity covering a bride who Shakespeare would label as some soiled flower of sorts. As students, we become no more than bundles of winter jackets, hats, boots, socks, gloves, and those strange legwarming things from the late 1980s stumbling around a barren yet beautiful campus, diligently looking for threats to our own well-being such as black ice (this means see-through ice on asfault [it is not a racial slur {oh God, by pointing that out did I just make a racial slur?}]), large snowbanks, and yellow snow that we have been told not to eat, but the reasoning behind this seems foggy at best. During this time of year, we begin to look like colorful sausages marching to academic buildings. Winter is here.

Ah, ‘tis the season. People begin to get into the “Holiday Mindset.” Consumerism goes wild and, as a society, we decide the only way to show our affection for those around us is to gift them a wonderful gift. But maybe society isn’t

wrong…maybe the only way to show your BFF Findley (did you notice how gender neutral that name is!?!) is to get Findley the newest bundle of towels, which are now available at participating Walmarts for just $4.99. Perhaps the only way to show holiday joy is to stuff your face in festive Holiday Pies that make parts of your body go “ho,ho,ho” (Holiday Pies are available at participating McDonalds Restaurants [prices may vary by the amount of jolliness you want in your pie]).

PERHAPS…no, this definitely can’t be how you should show affection for another person/ showing your holiday spirit.

“But Señor Luke,” some would say if they were in elementary Spanish, “you are missing the point, amigo, the Holiday Season isn’t about gifts; it’s about being nice to others & loving your family and friends. ¡Arriba!” My response goes as follows: I know! I too have seen A Christmas Carol, A Charlie Brown Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, or any movie on ABC Family during the month of December. But I refuse to pick up what you and the Seasonal-Movie MAN are putting down. All of those movies have one major flaw

(Charlie Brown has a long list of flaws like: where are these parents? Why hasn’t anyone called Child Services? Why don’t any of the adults speak coherently?).

All of those movies can only be well received by viewers DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. But that makes sense because it fits the rest of the season and its Holiday Mindset. How come people only go to soup kitchens during the holidays? Why do people only open their wallets to the Salvation Army when Santa’s ringing a bell on the street corner? Explain to me that Christmas Time is the only time to gift Findley the newest bundle of towels, which are now available at participating Walmarts for just $4.99. We make New Year’s Resolutions to better ourselves…but those end by early March, at the latest. People should be nice all year round! But what I don’t like about the Holidays is that it produces that Catcher in the Rye phoniness in people. Like the layer of snow on campus, that holiday mindset will fade away by the spring, and we’ll see how soiled of a flower people are.

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and No Spitting.

DECEMBER 13, 2013

OPINIONS Saint:

Snapchatting your friends all night from the drunk tank at the St. Lawrence County jail.

THE HILL NEWS | 3

Saint:

Saint: Proving your French skills

Attending the 92nd candlelight ceremony. Leithead was looking good, besides the liton-fire program here and there.

in front of Canadians by choosing a French ballad in a karaoke bar.

Purgatory: Nude snaps in Purgatory: That half eaten Purgatory: The entire school exchange for Adderall. Shame on you, finals week.

pub cookie sitting atop the urinal.

So festive.

thinking you fought the Clarkson goalie. And your friends helping perpetuate the rumor.

Sinner: Freshmen los-

Sinner: Real life John Tucker

Sinner: Being that guy

ing their VCards during XC Bender Week.

who gets tossed out of an Ottawa hotel. Amongst various other Canadian formal infractions.

Must Die when the three girls you’re hooking up with show up at your townhouse, simultaneously.

Political Op-Ed:

Should immigration policy be more or less restrictive?

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY CONNOR MARTIN

Rugby Struggles with Social Acceptance

By CONNOR MARTIN ‘15 & JOSHUA CAMERON ‘15 EDITORIAL STAFF Few people on campus are aware that we have a rugby team. We’re a fairly new and green bunch, and part of our obscurity stems from our dismal W-L record this year, but a great deal of it also stems from caution. Several years ago, before any of our current members attended higher education of any sort, the rugby team was implicated in an incident. Our team has been kept in the dark about what exactly happened. Various stories have been told from multiple parties who hold different stances on the matter. It is hard to know what is true and what is false. Nonetheless, what we do know is that whatever happened lead to a temporary suspension of the rugby club from campus for no less than 5 years.

As an unfortunate amount of college incidents related to drinking have shown, things are best discontinued quickly and efficiently, as was the case with the previous rugby team. Yet, there has been little consideration for the repercussions of the previous team’s actions on the current crop of rugby players. We are a pretty scrappy and odd bunch. Our players range from 150 pounds to 250 pounds in size and in intellectual capacity it’s safe to say that we fluctuate at about the same disparity. However, that’s one of the beautiful things about rugby.

To be an efficient player, one has to possess the strength of an Olympic wrestler and the endurance of a marathon runner. Saying that anyone on our team has either might be an overstatement, but that should speak more to our character.

The fact that we have the courage to run onto the field and play the game regardless means a great deal.

We love the game so much that we are willing to sacrifice noses, ribs and a moderate amount of brain cells for a sport that requires equal amounts of moxie and strategy.

That being said, rugby is a gentleman’s game, and from what we have personally been told, true or false, what the former club did was anything but gentlemanly. Nonetheless, this presents a confounding situation that we as current players at St.

Lawrence have to deal with. The punishment, although fitting of the crime, still carries weight. As a team, Rugby is under scrutiny every weekend. We aren’t allowed to participate in mixers, nor are we allowed to be observed drinking on campus as a team.

While the administration’s caution is completely understandable, it seems slightly puzzling that such a severe probationary period would be inflicted on a team that bears literally no resemblance to the previous one, aside from a love for the 9th most popular game in the world (that’s ahead of American football, squash, lacrosse and crew).

“Why?” you might ask. It’s quite simple, really. Whether or not we are willing to accept it, SLU’s social life is greatly dictated by what group you belong to and whom the aforementioned group socializes with. There are those who go against the grain, but it’s hard to argue against the value of mixers, formals and simple houses where team or club members can live together.

These strictures prevent any sort of extracurricular team function.

Lacking the capacity to congregate as a group and market ourselves to the rest of the university greatly inhibits our team from finding its place and garnering a larger audience for the sport. As it were, it is almost impossible to construct relationships with other groups on campus.

More leeway in social activity within the St. Lawrence community would allow us to develop a stronger program as well as permit us to introduce more people to the game.

Despite what has been perceived in the past, the culture surrounding rugby is a beautiful one. Men and women can go onto the pitch, tackle without mercy, score tries with grit, and lay their body on the line while simultaneously igniting a friendship with and earning respect from the opposing team.

While caution with our program is understandable, our team deserves the chance to expand and develop. Loosening restrictions surrounding our social life as a team and providing us with a proper field to display our matches could do miracles for how we develop into the future.

By MEGAN ZIEGLER ‘15 COLUMNIST

By RUSSELL KING ‘14 COLUMNIST

Assuming that a consistent immigration policy is legally established, increasing immigration to the United States should be heavily encouraged rather than heavily restricted. Increasing the numbers of legal immigrants would further expand the United States’ participation in the globalized world, add more high skill applicants to the workforce, and strengthen the U.S. economy in the long-run. For the first time, U.S. world dominance is competing against rapidly growing foreign economies, such as China. The new struggle to maintain leading status in the international community is partially due to the advancement of interstate communication and the deficiencies of the U.S. economy that prevent maximum growth. Therefore, immigration policy, which has the ability to heighten these deficiencies, should be reformed to better U.S. society and economy.

A high immigration count in the U.S. contributes to an identity that indicates acceptance and openness to diversification. Advancing technology makes it impossible to succeed in the global market without maintaining physical connections throughout the world. Because immigrants tend to return to their native country and keep communications with people from there, the U.S. can advance a supporting identity both virtually and physically. A competitive nature of receiving a visa could make the U.S. less competitive globally because migrants will turn to easier countries to move to. While the moral identity and contribution to American cultural values assist in bettering society and international relations, the economic gains of high immigration greatly support the argument.

If immigration policy further opens the doors to the highly skilled and educated, then the U.S. economy - which is increasingly dependent on innovative practices - will have more opportunity for expansion with the valuable addition to the already competitive workforce. The U.S. will be home to more innovators across the globalizing world. In addition, the highly skilled immigrants will likely contribute more to society through taxes and use of public goods. All immigration, including low-skill immigrants, decrease educational costs. The supply and demand of U.S. jobs increase with increased immigration, while spending on public education is unaffected because these immigrants received education out of the country. Employers benefit from low-skill immigration services, because they are generally hired with a lower wage than a native, equivalent in skill.

After the most recent recession, immigration numbers are naturally decreasing. According to a Pew Research Center study, Mexican migrants returning to their home country was more than two times greater than Mexican’s migrating to the U.S. While many believe low-skill immigration hurts economic opportunity for U.S. natives, recent research from The Hamilton Project reveal that all immigrants raise wages and expand employment because the market naturally evolves and adjusts to immigration.

Decreasing immigration negatively affects the U.S., both socially and economically. Restricting U.S. borders is an unrealistic task in the globalized world, and any limit on highly skilled immigrants only directs innovative opportunity for this country elsewhere.

Immigration policy should support the concept of a diverse and expansive U.S. economy.

Provided America adopts a consistent immigration policy, that policy should be very restrictive as to who enters the country. Although immigration should not be halted altogether – immigrants have too much to offer us to turn them all away – the flow of immigrants should be very small so as to protect the Americans already in America.

Firstly, the claim that immigrants take our jobs is very legitimate. A large influx of immigrants means increased competition for jobs. All available positions will be filled, and if there is a small pool of potential employees, wages will be increased to attract these employees. If there is a large applicant pool, wages need not be increased, as there is no reason to attract more applicants to the job. Thus wages stagnate.

As immigrants tend to be unskilled, this wage stagnation hurts unskilled Americans - those who need the money most. However, this threat is not limited to unskilled jobs. All jobs of varying skill levels are affected, reducing the wages of Americans who would otherwise not be affected if immigration rates were much lower.

Secondly, immigration increases the burden on welfare. It follows from the scarcity of jobs that some will be without jobs, particularly during the Great Recession. Be they recent immigrants or Americans who were born here, those without jobs will have to collect unemployment.

This is a net burden on everyone due to higher taxes needed to provide for unemployment.

Joblessness does not account for all welfare, either. The aforementioned wage stagnation forces many to collect welfare as they are not paid enough to live on (e.g. Walmart employees), whether immigrant or not. Furthermore, immigrants tend to have larger families with more elderly, sick or younger members – those members of society most in need of welfare.

Overall, Americans pay roughly $250 more per year due to immigration according to George Borjas, a prominent labor economist. In sum, the more immigrants, the more demand for welfare, and a greater tax burden for Americans.

Amnesty and drivers licenses for illegal immigrants should be addressed, too. In addition to the problems above, these immigrants are here illegally. Granting them amnesty and citizenship is supporting an illegal practice. Furthermore, amnesty and drivers licenses only encourage illegal immigration, along with all the negatives undocumented people bring, namely crime.

Some arguments for these policies cite that these immigrants have families and thus have a right to stay. While it is unfortunate to deport them, it is not unfair – they have broken the law, a law that applies to all in America, and to do so undermines the idea of an impersonal law that applies to everyone. As such, deportation is the best option.

In sum, American immigration policy should restrict and discourage immigration as a means to maintain or improve life for those already in America.

4 | THE HILL NEWS

Security Blotter December 5, 4:25 p.m. Bike theft at 48 Park.

December 6, 3:12 a.m. Medical call, not alcohol related, transport to Canton-Potsdam Hospital.

December 6, 7:37 p.m. Two students who got themselves in trouble at Cheel Arena at Clarkson. One was arrested, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest.

December 6, 10:32 p.m. Found NY State Dept. of Conservation sign in 17 College. Removed.

December 7, 12:24 a.m. Fire alarm in Hulett & Jencks. Found discharged fire extinguisher. When fire dept. arrived, found fire violations.

December 7, 1:05 a.m. Report from Clarkson that SLU student busted at Clarkson for marijuana use, written up there.

December 7, 9:42 a.m. Officers on patrol found a Clarkson flag flying on top of Student Center.

December 7, 9:46 a.m. Broken exit sign in Lee Hall.

December 7, 11:06 p.m. Drug abuse violation in 58 Park.

December 7, 11:46 p.m. Drug abuse violation in Rebert Hall.

Also confiscated 16 beers.

December 7, 11:55 p.m. Noise complaint in Rebert. Students under the influence. When asked for identification, one student gave a fake name. Through process of identifying, found fake ID. Uncooperative.

December 8, 12:01 a.m. Fire alarm activation in Java Barn, set off by the fog machine.

December 8, 12:45 a.m. Officer saw student having trouble walking on Park St. Found under the influence, refused to identify, police had to come to scene. Uncooperative with police, charged with disorderly conduct.

December 8, 3:06 p.m. Medical call, not alcohol related, sign off.

December 10, 10:00 a.m. Found fake ID belonging to a freshman, said it was purchased for $100. Confiscated.

December 10, 9:23 p.m. Fake ID confiscated.

December 11, 1:09 a.m. Noise complaint in Dean Eaton.

Confiscated marijuana, approximately 30 beers, and a grinder.

December 11, 1:04 p.m. Bike theft from 25 College.

SEMESTER RUNNING TALLIES: Bike Thefts: 29 DWIs: 2 Open Containers: 40 Transports: 23

NEWS From The Weave: Game of Drones

DECEMBER 13, 2013

By ALLISON PALUDI GUEST WRITER The Weave is an alternative media organization on campus that seeks to contribute to positive social change and the cultivation of an informed citizenry by providing critical perspectives on important stories, voices, and processes that are not receiving sufficient public attention. The following article was originally published on The Weave Blog.

At the end of October, Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) released reports on the United States’ use of drones and the loss of civilians due to these weapons. One would think that when two human rights organizations both release lengthy reports on an injustice, we should be concerned, right? So why isn’t more being done to raise awareness about this technology that is taking innocent lives? By no means are drones underreported.

They make headlines, especially when they malfunction (like the $4 million drone that crashed in Lake Ontario a few weeks ago). In addition, Democracy Now interviewed an ex-airforce pilot who provided details of his experience with drones as he sat behind the computer, pressed the button, and released the drone as if it were really a game and not real life. In this game, no one is a winner.

I could go on and define a drone, its effects, the many varieties, and the arguments for using this

type of technology, but that has been done by countless news sources. Instead, I want to shed light on how students are taking action—something that is highly underreported in the mainstream media. After Amnesty’s report was released, a campaign called Game of Drones began. The name itself is a play on words stemming from the popular television show “Game of Thrones” centered around themes of power and control, which are also apparent in this ‘game of drones.’ Amnesty representatives have been traveling all over the country to various college campuses with the goals of letting President Obama know that he is involved in a deadly game. On their stops, they show Jeremy Scahill’s Dirty Wars, a must-see film documenting the U.S. government’s actions and decisions that have put countless human lives at risk, or have killed them entirely. Along with the film, AI reps bring a replica drone and visit classrooms and meetings to get students (and professors) talking. Then, they start acting.

All across the country, students have been participating in die-ins, a simple act of civil disobedience whereby students lay on the ground ‘dead’ in order to raise awareness about this human rights issue. They’ve been documenting their work via a tumblr site illustrating the work students are doing. I highly recommend checking out their posts!

Why isn’t the mainstream media documenting this national campaign? Big-name universities

like Brigham Young, University of Minnesota, and Penn State are just a few taking part. Even smaller liberal arts schools like Ithaca College, Middlebury College, and Cornell participated in the tour.

When St. Lawrence’s AI chapter learned about what other universities were doing, we knew we wanted to do something.

Following a flash seminar discussion on drones where students met for 90 minutes and discussed the cost (monetary and human-lives) of drones, we came to a consensus: we must inform others. So, we decided to host our own die-in.

Since the goal of my blog is to inform others how student groups are taking action, I wanted to provide some of the methodology to our die-in. We used Facebook as our forum to inform everyone of our plans and invite other students to join us. The day of the event, we met early to get t-shirts and officially decide where we were going to ‘die.’ Only a few people showed up and we didn’t think we would have that much of an impact. Without a doubt, we were hesitant. We started calling others and then decided, if not now then when? We made our way over to the student center and as we walked over, other members of AI joined us and even a few non-members took interest in what we were doing. We threw them a shirt and told them to join us. And they did.

Read the rest of this article online at weavenews.org/blogs/ alpalu10.

This Week in the News

By LEXI BECKWITH ‘14 MANAGING EDITOR

of two years without renewing their passports.

asylum-seekers fleeing persecution.

North America Indigenous rights issues brought to light by fracking protests First Nations people set up another blockade in New Brunswick this week near a seismic testing site, leading to protests against hydrofracking across Canada, expected to transform into a lengthy fight not only in the region, but throughout the country in regards to stewardship of natural resources.

Europe Riot police enter pro-European Ukrainian protest camp After weeks of demonstrations, police have moved into the Independence Square camp, taking apart barriers and clashing with protesters, reasserting their authority despite efforts of Western diplomats to resolve the situation between resistance and President Viktor Yanukovich.

Asia Second most powerful man in North Korea removed for “criminal acts” Jang Song-thaek, Kim Jong-un’s uncle, has been dismissed from the country on accounts of womanizing, corruption, and drug consumption. The removal, considered the biggest leadership upheaval since Kim Jong-il’s death, will allow North Korea’s current leader to consolidate his power alongside young aides.

Latin America Cubans traveling overseas due to loosened restrictions Cuba’s government has announced a record number oversea travel in the last year, mostly to the US, Mexico, and Spain, according to deputy director of immigration Colonel Lamberto Fraga Hernandez. Implemented in January, the new law no longer makes it necessary to obtain an exit visa and allows citizens to travel for a period

Middle East Israel to allow detention of African migrants without reason Undocumented immigrants are seen as ‘infiltrators’ that alter the country’s demography; Israel’s parliament has passed a law allowing migrants to be detained for as long as a year without trial, adding to a series of measures whose aim is to limit the number of Africans.

The law has seen mixed reception: supporters see the migrants as illegal job-seekers while many recognize that they many are actually

Africa Nelson Mandela passes away at age 95 South African leader has been eulogized by leaders across the world. Obama referred to him as “the last great liberator of the 20th century” during a remembrance gathering in Soweto, Johannesburg on Tuesday, among heads of state, government, and thousands of South Africans.

NEWS

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Power in Your Palm

By CARINA TALIAFERRO GUEST WRITER

Do you love M&Ms, Easy Mac, Girl Scout cookies, Oreos or Colgate toothpaste? What if you found out that you are contributing to the extinction of orangutans by purchasing them?

All of these products contain palm oil, and the deforestation from their plantations is causing orangutan extinction, human rights abuses and massive carbon pollution.

What is palm oil?

It is a type of vegetable from the palm fruit grown on African oil palm trees. Today 90% of palm oil is produced and exported from Indonesia and Malaysia Palm oil causes climate change: Indonesia’s rainforests can store up to 20 times as much carbon as tropical rainforests, but instead of being saved as a tool to stop climate change, they’re being destroyed. They are turned into industrial palm oil plantations and the deforestation is causing them to be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

Palm oil destroys rainforests and species: Indonesia’s tropical rainforests are some of the world’s most diverse and are a habitat for endangered species, including Sumatra tigers, Sumatra elephants and the

last stand of orangutans.

Palm oil threatens people: Corporations are taking land from Indigenous people and community forests and are causing extreme human rights abuses. There are land disputes between palm oil companies and rural communities with private armies and paramilitaries taking control and killing people. Many of these plantations also rely on forced labor and child labor.

When these forests are destroyed it can take resources away from thousands of Indonesian people, leaving forest communities to face poverty for the first time.

Who is responsible?

You. Well, I don’t want to be that harsh but it’s the North American food and agribusiness companies who control many palm oil plantations, and you most likely are buying their products that contain palm oil.

There are no sustainable practices growing palm oil today.

Even when a product is labeled ‘sustainable palm oil,’ you cannot trust it.

What is it in?

Palm oil is in 50% of all consumer goods from cosmetics, and packaged food to biofuels.

Companies are disguising it under different names including “vegetable oil,” “palm kernel oil” and “palmitate.” Brands that are contributing to rainforest

destruction are Bath and Body Works, Hershey’s, Kellogg’s, Heinz, Nestle, PepsiCo, and L’Oreal.

How can you help?

Please go to the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) website and take action to stop this injustice. These corporations can substitute palm oil for other ingredients. Pressing them doesn’t mean they have to stop making the same products, it just means justice. Some companies are beginning to take steps and we need to continue pressing them. A number of SLU students recently sent pictures to RAN showing the palms of their hands with the words “#inyourpalm” written on them, and RAN is publishing these photos. My other advice to you is to choose products that don’t use palm oil.

Even RAN said it’s not necessary to cut it out 100%, but by just adjusting your choices you are helping. Also, spread the word!

Save this article and give it to your family during the Holidays, and when you go shopping with people you can point out palm oil products! In the SLU bubble we sometimes forget how we impact the rest of the world, but it is essential to remember your positionality. Do you want to contribute to its harm or, essentially, save the world? The power is in your palm my friends.

PHOTO BY CHRISTINA RUKKI

‘Tis the Season at SLU:

Angel Tree Lights up Local Community

By HUGH NEVILLE EDITOR-AT-LARGE Thanks to the generosity of the campus community 550 children will wake up on Christmas morning with presents under the tree. For many, including the parents of these children, the presents mean a whole lot more.

The idea is simple: People pick up tags from the student center

that correspond to a specific child and the presents they want for Christmas. The tag holders then take the information and buy the presents for children whose parents cannot afford to buy presents for them this year.

The parents then pick up the presents from the Church and Community office downtown, wrap them, and put them under the tree for their family.

Senior Nina Hylen is participating for the fourth time. This year she is trying to bring joy to a three-year old boy on Christmas morning. “Usually I look at the tags and try to find something I can relate to. This year I found this little boy who likes superheroes. I LOVE superheroes, so I chose him.” Hylen bought him some action figures, a little Spiderman pajama set,

THE HILL NEWS | 5

permanently.

For example, Jess McGlinchey ‘15, ADK ‘12, could not imagine returning to campus. Instead, she took the semester off and traveled to Australia. DiBiase counted three students who had left or transferred from SLU from just her semester.

When asked about this phenomenon, Cathy Schrady, current Director of the Adirondack Semester, said, “It’s certainly not the intention of the semester to make life difficult or to make it hard to

fit back in. However, one of the goals is to immerse students into nature, to have them care deeply about a place. People only feel passionate and want to make changes when they care.”

Participants echo this sentiment. Madison says he loved the way that classes are directly related to their surroundings.

Drummond agrees, saying her favorite part: “being so much a part of a place in the world – we ate there, we learned there, we grew there, we loved there [Arcadia].”

Cathy Schrady further explains, “You want people to come back changed and questioning their life trajectory.

The questioning is hard, it’s painful, but in the end it’s also growth. Students leaving afterwards or feeling discontent may not be good from the admissions point of view, but it is good for the students”.

Perhaps that is part of the magic. ADK takes participants and turns their world upside down.

Dominic Brennan ‘15, ADK ‘13, says “I felt happiest there, or at least happier than almost any other time.”

While departing is often confusing and heartwrenching, Gava says the program ultimately “opens your eyes to the problems with the environment, with human relationships…it forces you to face your core beliefs.”

some coloring books, and coloring supplies. Though she realizes she will not meet him, she says it is the thought that counts. “I know the holidays should not be about the gifts, but it is that way for the kids. It’s really sad that some kids don’t or won’t have anything to open on Christmas.”

Like Hylen, sophomore Erika Rodbell volunteers her time because it makes her feel like she is giving back to the community.

She is in charge of delivering the presents from St. Lawrence to the offices downtown where the parents will pick them up. Twice a week, and four times this week she will fill her Suburu Outback with gifts to drive to the church office downtown. “Sometimes I feel like Santa Claus when I wheel my giant wagon of presents out of the student center to my car.”

Catherine Matthews is the director of the Church and Community Program in Canton. She also feels like Santa, but says she feels like that year round. She is responsible for providing 7% of the local community with some sort of assistance throughout the year.

In addition to $66,000 worth of food their food bank will distribute this year, Matthews says the Angel Tree is one of her favorite programs. “We’re trying to create a family of people that come here – to make it in-

clusive. I want these people to know they are not the underbelly of society, but welcomed and appreciated members of our community.”

For Matthews and the families the Angel Tree is more than simply a way to put presents under the tree. “It’s not a charity and it means more than that. There’s a self-esteem thing there. Those kids are going to think their parents got these presents for them. This is especially important for people (parents) who don’t have a lot of confidence or self-esteem right now, this is huge. Mom and Dad delivered.” She is incredibly grateful for the support and generosity displayed by the community.

The Angel Tree started in 1996 under the leadership of Ann Townsend, then Director of Student Activities, now Director of Volunteer Services. The idea was to provide students and members of the campus community opportunities to help out less fortunate members of the greater community. Since then it has grown into a welcomed tradition on campus and in the community. “We always have an outpouring of people and it’s one of the top [volunteer] efforts we do,” says Townsend.

“Our St. Lawrence community is extremely generous.”

ADK FROM PAGE 1 Gava remembers, “We would all go into Dana together. We felt alone, because it was hard to connect to most of the United States culture. Your family, your professors, no one understood you.”

Many alumni describe the transition as rough. Perhaps that explains the number of students who leave St. Lawrence after the program – some temporarily, others

[The ADK Semester] opens your eyes to the problems with the environment, with human relationships…

It forces you to face your core beliefs.

features

6 | THE HILL NEWS

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Greek Societies Support Chapel Fund

By KELAN KONCEWICZ GUEST WRITER

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ELLE LUCAS

Administration Cracks the Whip: Theme Houses Under Fire

By ANNA LAVANGER STAFF WRITER Coming into my senior year, I couldn’t have been more excited. I would be living in a theme house on University Ave, my class was back from abroad, and my closest friends would be living in other houses scattered over Park and University. I imagined bopping from house to house in our own little neighborhood.

I have had a great, fun-filled semester, but it hasn’t quite lived up to those initial hopes, for I have had the displeasure of seeing many of my close friends receive penalties for what we can call less-than-angelic activities (Habitat, OC, and ATO more specifically).

While I don’t disagree that punishment was necessary in all these cases, because of the apparent severity of the punishments and other more minor incidents, I have heard a fair amount of rumblings from students and friends about what seems to be an administrative “crackdown.” From a topical view, it does seem as though the school is enforcing stricter punishments for things that had previously seemed more like college shenanigans. So I wondered if the administration was actually becoming stricter for some unknown reason.

After doing some research and talking to head of security, Pat Gagnon, and Associate Dean of Student Life, Rance Davis, I found that perhaps what we have here is a communication disconnect between students and the administration this semester. Both Gagnon and Davis claimed that there has been absolute consistency in regards to both security treatment and punishments given by Judiciary Board.

According to Gagnon, their main concern has and always will be the safety of the students.

Take for example the Moustache Ride, hosted by the OC, which in past years has involved students on many forms of wheels riding around campus and through buildings. The ride has been gaining more and more popularity over the past few years, to the point where security determined it would be too dangerous to have that many people riding through our campus buildings and up and down stairs. Gagnon informed me that the only change that has been made in regards to his department is the new community patrol

“There are certainly some reasons why it seems like they are getting stricter.” they have instituted in order to keep the village police a step further removed from offcampus housing as well as to build rapport with community members. Although this could be seen as increased security, wouldn’t we rather deal with our own security than the police?

Even beyond that, having a better relationship with the community, especially on the weekends, seems positive, and could perhaps even allow for more relaxed regulations in the future.

Rance Davis also claimed that there has been no change in the way J-Board has conducted their proceedings. They have a fairly standard formula for doling out hours, but noted that the board had been moving more away from social and disciplinary probation to community service hours. In regards to the ATO incident, many thought that losing pledge classes for an entire year was severe, however, Davis brought up the case of the rugby

team who received a four-year suspension for hazing. Davis believes that on a bigger scale, “compared to some schools we are very lenient.” Both Davis and Gagnon said that vandalism seems to be our school’s biggest problem right now.

From the administration’s view, it seems as though they have been consistent. But are they really? For example two guys got kicked out of the Habitat for Humanity house for painting their walls, and two years ago two members of the Outing Club had to move out for a similar incident when they ripped their ceiling down. Is the paint maybe less extreme?

Although it would have been more dramatic and perhaps more validating if the administration would’ve come right out and say “Yes! We decided to enforce harsher rules!” we can never be sure, because I don’t believe they would tell us truth if that were the case.

There are certainly some reasons why it seems like they are getting stricter. One is probably that three big, public, incidents have happened this semester alone. Past semesters have not seen this many largescale disciplinable events. I’ve also mused that this may be what happens when your class becomes seniors. They are the oldest, the most responsible, and most representative of a given organization, so perhaps I had not been as aware of these occurrences before as less of my friends were in these key positions? But I have also been living in a house with seniors since my sophomore spring semester.

Is the administration not telling us something, or has the number and proximity of these events upped our awareness of what has really been a standard all along? Perhaps we are simply becoming more sensitive to punishments.

The fire in the Gunnison Memorial Chapel bell tower that occurred the morning of October 6th impacted many students, faculty, and alumni throughout the St. Lawrence community, but it was another group of people not directly connected to SLU that helped preserve the history of Gunnison Chapel. The Canton Fire Department answered calls from SLU security just past 5 a.m. that morning, and without their quick and alert response, the iconic structure that has stood over the St. Lawrence landscape for nearly a century may have been completely reduced to rubble, much like many of the buildings of the University’s early years.

Current Greek organizations hold strong ties to Gunnison, with its name emanated from a past Beta, and its chapel bells being donated by a former Alpha, Irving Bacheller.

Among many accomplishments, Bacheller was the founder of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity at St. Lawrence in 1882, a best-selling novelist, and the founder of the English Department here at SLU. Bacheller donated eight bells to the University to be placed within the chapel upon its inaugural year in 1926, where he was present to listen to their first note. Fortunately, the chapel bells escaped any major damages from the fire, and were found resting safely within the bell tower.

Immediately after the blaze,

brothers of ATO were eager to help with activities to raise funds for the restoration of Gunnison, given their close ties to the chapel.

After discovering that repairs to the chapel would mostly be covered by insurance, it was suggested that proceeds ought to be put toward the local fire departments involved with extinguishing the flames. In the weeks to follow, ATO organized T-shirt sales and accepted donations towards the Canton Fire Department.

In some circumstances, fire departments do not receive enough credit for what they do within the community. They go above and beyond their duty to not only keep people safe, but also salvage what they can from a solemn situation. For all the community and students volunteers within the Canton Fire Department, we are all very appreciative for the efforts you put in day in and day out to help save what we cherish. With time, the chapel bells that mean so much to the St. Lawrence community will ring again. President Fox may have said it best in a statement shortly after the fire: “I am so very thankful that St. Lawrence University lives in a town called Canton.”

Throughout the past month and a half, the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity has raised $575.60 for the Canton Fire Department. ATO would like to thank Chi Omega for helping with T-shirt sales, as well as everyone on campus and within the Canton community who helped to contribute to the Canton Fire Department.

Q&A with Bill Cowan

By DANIELLE MCBRIDE GUEST WRITER

Q: Why do you love St. Lawrence?

Q: What year did you graduate from St. Lawrence?

1986

The people, plain and simple.

Laurentians are truly special.

Q: What were your Major(s) and/or Minor(s)?

Economics Q: Where is your current region of residence? & What is your occupation?

Austin, Texas. Software executive.

Q: What is your favorite memory of St. Lawrence?

Very hard to pick just one. memory...but in an ironic way, graduation day ranks high. It was a very sad day to know I was leaving SLU, but it was a special day to reflect on all the great experiences I had at SLU and to celebrate with family and friends the knowledge gained and the friendships made during four very fast years. Of course, you never really “leave” SLU, as we are all Laurentians for life.

Q: What organizations and/or extra-curricular activities were you involved in during your time at St. Lawrence?

Sigma Chi, intermural sports, orientation planning board, parents weekend committee Q: What do you find most rewarding about being involved with the council?

Staying connected with the University, other alumni and spending time with students.

Q: May students contact you via email? If so, what email would you like to provide them with? bcowan77@gmail.com Bill Cowan is a member of the Alumni Executive Council.

features

DECEMBER 13, 2013

What We Write and Why We Write It

By CONNOR MARTIN CO-FEATURES EDITOR It was the controversial editor-inchief of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, who said, “If journalism is good, then it is controversial by its nature.”

To make direct comparisons between a world-renowned activist and a student newspaper would be foolish, but what I intend to harp on is not Assange himself, but his message. He’s right, and the concept that good journalism should create, and even resolve controversy is a key component of what budding journalists learn very quickly --be it at The Hill, or The New York Times. St. Lawrence University is a brilliant school, full of individuals with a variety of interests that come together in academia, athletics or otherwise. I love this school, but it is for this very reason that I think it is important to report on more than just the improvements we make or the tragedies that occur independent of our actions.

It has been a good semester for

The Hill, and we have done our best to stay abreast of several key issues currently facing our campus, be it the ATO controversy, gender diversity, or otherwise. At the same time, we have received occasional protests from students and faculty alike, complaining that we should not bite the hand that feeds us or take any bold stances when it comes

“... the university can expect much of the same from The Hill in the coming Spring... “ to disputes within the student body.

These protests, meaning well, do very little to be constructive. It would be irresponsible of us as a media outlet to turn a blind eye to the more hot-button topics we face as a university. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the entire Hill News staff appreciates SLU and all

that it provides. It is for those very reasons that we strive to publish pieces that go above and beyond simply applauding our school for it’s achievements. Instead, we choose to run articles that provide constructive criticism and shed light on controversies and news that would otherwise remain no more than hearsay, or perhaps be lost and forgotten altogether.

In denouement, I think it’s important to summarize by saying that going forward, the student body, faculty and employees of the university can expect much of the same from The Hill in the coming Spring, and perhaps even more zeal, passion and conviction. I’d like to end by asking the university, be you an athletic coach, a member of Greek life, or simply the head of a student-run organization: when confronted with problems within your society, group or whatever it is, do you ignore it? Or do you bring it to light so that the “Fides et Veritas” our school holds so dear can do what it does best?

Professor Shelley McConnell, the book review editor for the Latin American Research Review (LARR), is seeking a student assistant for this spring term. LARR is a leading scholarly journal in Latin American studies and students with at least sophomore standing who are interested in Caribbean and Latin American Studies are invited to apply for the assistantship, taken either for internship credit or as a paid position for up to 8 hours per week. Students from all majors are welcome to apply. The post will be of particular interest to those considering careers in publishing, library sciences, college teaching, foreign relations or any field related to Latin America. Applicants with the ability to read and write in Spanish are preferred, and Portuguese language skills are a plus. Applicants must be able to work with Microsoft Office programs and conduct web research. If you interested in applying please send a one-page statement of interest and resume to the current Editorial Assistant, Jamie Caroccio at larr@stlawu.edu by Friday, December 13th.

#Cheaperthanabigmac

By ASHLEY RICHARDSON STAFF WRITER

“ # C h e ap e r t h a n a B i g Ma c .” “#NeverSleepsOver.” “#F*cked MeandChuckedMe.” These are only a few of the hashtags used to describe the men featured on the LuLu homepage.

The app, which allows females to anonymously create reviews and rate their male Facebook friends, is described by LuLu’s website as a way “to unleash the value of girl talk and to empower girls to make smarter decisions in relationships.”

However, a similar incident that occurred earlier this year in the Student Center was not taken as empowering nor was it seen as a way to unleash the power of guy talk.

On Monday, September 23, a few young men associated with Alpha Tau Omega sat down in their suits and sunglasses to rate women on their physical appearance as they walked by. According to Associate Dean of Student Life, Rance Davis, those involved in the act received disciplinary and social probations.

“We rate people every second of the day,” says Performance and Communications major Scarlett Nieves ‘15. “Just because ATO

was blatantly doing it and some females were probably offended, the whole situation was blown out of proportion.” In fact, many students believe that if females had been the ones doing the rating, the situation would not have been taken as seriously.

“I bet if it were a bunch of sorority girls rating guys, it would have been peachy keen,” says Karina Garcia ’16. “Whereas because it’s a group of guys doing it to females, people overreacted.”

However, for Gender Studies minor Jordyn Pasiak ’14, that is the root of the problem. “The stigma of a woman acting as if a man is just a piece of property doesn’t really exist and people wouldn’t have seen the underlying problems with our actions,” she says. “If we can get away with that, and no one would feel emasculated, it’s kind of an issue.”

In her article “Why We Should All be Scared of LuLu App” author Kelly Clay also sees the issue as a double standard. She writes that “If Lulu existed for men to rate women, it’s likely that Apple would probably reject it from the app store.”

However, the app and the fact that it’s used for women to rate men is seen as empowering; fighting

back even.

“Men have to expect that what goes around comes around,” says visiting Assistant Professor in Sociology Karen Gagne. “With year after year of men judging women by their physical appearance, maybe that was the idea --to give women a place to do what men do to them, to fight back.”

However, Clay does not see LuLu as an empowering tool. In her eyes it is “a sleek platform to slander men in a way that could destroy reputations with just a few quick taps on their iPhone.” The episode in the Student Center has been viewed similarly by administration.

“The actions of Alpha Tau Omega were disrespectful to the young woman in our campus,” says Rance Davis. “And I classified the incident as sexual harassment.”

But Gagne points out that, while sexual harassment is a clearly defined act for which people can be held accountable, it is more difficult to deal with these types of issues in an online context.

“You can’t track anyone on the Internet,” says Nieves. “If it’s done in person you know who to punish, but if it’s done on the Internet, how can you possibly punish all those people?”

THE HILL NEWS|7

JFK Remembered, Reapplied

By EMILY HARRINGTON GUEST WRITER “…this college, itself--all of this, of course, was not done merely to give this school’s graduates an advantage, an economic advantage, in the life struggle. It does do that. But in return for that, in return for the great opportunity which society gives the graduates of this and related schools, it seems to me incumbent upon this and other schools’ graduates to recognize their responsibility to the public interest.”

These remarks were made

by President John F. Kennedy, our 35th and most dapper president, at the dedication of Amherst College’s Robert Frost Library in October of 1963. Without knowing the particular context, however, one could apply this sentiment to nearly any private university today, despite the 50 years that have passed since JFK delivered the speech.

We will all graduate from St. Lawrence university with an economic advantage – some of us may have been born with this advantage, some of us may have to reconcile this advantage with the student loans taken out to afford it, and still others may ignore this advantage entirely and goof off forever (aaahhh, Jackson Hole). The achievement of a degree from St. Lawrence University is, however, an undeniably large stepping stone towards success later on in life. It is therefore important to note one particular point JFK makes: this is a “great opportunity which society gives the graduates of this school.”

Were society to decide, one day, that higher education is unnecessary, our student loans and time spent in ODY would be entirely worthless. Instead, we are granted a tremendous opportunity to spend four years with our closest friends in an environment catered specifically to our needs as students, all in the hopes that one day we will leave and contribute great ideas to the society that granted us this opportunity in the first place.

Returning to the subject of his dedication, JFK continued, “In America, our heroes have customarily run to men of large accomplishments. But today this college and country honors a man whose contribution was not to our size but to our spirit, not to our political beliefs but to our insight; not to our self-esteem, but to our self-

comprehension”.

Remember, this was our president speaking. There was no mention of the presidential agenda, no implication of unquestioning patriotism.

Instead, Kennedy concluded, “I look forward to a great future for America, a future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose. I look forward to an America which will not be afraid of grace and beauty, which will protect the beauty of our natural environment...”

JFK was assassinated less than a month after he made this speech. Had he lived, if only as an observer of history’s progression since 1963, he still may not have seen this vision fulfilled. Our heroes have, since this speech, continued to fit the bill of men ‘of large accomplishments’ and have even begun to include those whose only contribution to society is their life on camera.

We have left the recognition of those “whose contribution was not to our size but to our spirit, not to our political beliefs but to our insight; not to our self-esteem but to our selfcomprehension,” to the credit reels of our favorite movies, the spines of our library books, and the exhibition lists of our museums.

Quoting Frost, JFK concluded, “Take human nature altogether since time began . . . And it must be a little more in favor of man, Say a fraction of one percent at the very least . . . Our hold on this planet wouldn’t have so increased.

Because of Mr. Frost’s life and work, because of the life and work of this college, our hold on this planet has increased.” This hold has, of course, continued to increase since 1963. The question is, have we continued to recognize our responsibility to the public interest? It would be so easy to credit ourselves – our hours in ODY, our Saturdays spent catching up on sleep, our Sundays spent cramming for exams – for our degrees and our subsequent advantage in life.

It is key, however, to remember that none of this would be worth anything without the trust endowed in St. Lawrence University, and other schools like it, by the society we will enter when we graduate. It is thus our duty as students, just as it was in 1963, to return the favor.

8 | THE HILL NEWS

Arts & Entertainment

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Moving in Stereo’s Top Seven Albums of the Year!

By WILL STANDISH COLUMNIST

Last issue of the semester already, huh? As a music critic, this means that I pretty much only have two options I can go with for this issues. I can either churn out a half-hearted article about the best Christmas album (it’s A Charlie Brown Christmas. It’s always been A Charlie Brown Christmas), or I can create a list of my favorite music of the year. I’m gonna go with the latter.

But rather than rehash stuff I’ve already written about (I kind of left no stone unturned with that Reflektor review), this is a list of the best music I wasn’t able to get to. Some choices are kind of obvious; others not so much. Either way, you should listen to them all. So without further perfunctory introduction, I present—in no particular order—my favorite albums of the year!

1.

Daft Punk- Random Access Memories When Daft Punk announced they were going to release their first album in eight years in May, a disco album recorded on analogue equipment was not what people were expecting of the EDM pioneers. Then they released “Get Lucky” and all but the most joyless of critics dropped their concerns. Working with an eclectic group of collaborators ranging from Pharrell to the Stroke’s Julian Casablancas to 70s hitmaker Paul Williams, the French duo mined the best elements of late 70s/ early 80s disco, funk, new wave, and movie scoress to craft a lengthy musical odyssey. Beyond its phenomenal lead singles, the album displays a dynamic range, ranging from the orchestral epic “Touch” to the scifi pump-up jam “Contact”. With Random Access Memories Daft Punk prove that even when they’re looking back, they still manage to push music forward.

2.

Ghost B.C.- Infestissumam Ghost (Ghost B.C. in the US for legal reasons) isn’t big into subtlety. I mean, that’s probably a given when your lead singer is dressed up as the zombie Pope, the rest of the band are hooded “nameless ghouls”, and you record sinfully catchy pop-metal tunes. On the band’s second album Infestissumam, the Swedish metal band expanded the sound from their debut in a manner befitting their over-the-top persona. While their first album was an incredibly solid album of songs that sounded like Blue Oyster Cult channeled through a Vincent Price movie, Infestissumam takes their sound into new territory. “Per Aspera Ad Inferni”, is a massive, powerful rocker armed with a killer chorus and a backing organ that amps up the band’s cinematic metal. “Ghuleh/ Zombie Queen” is a bizarre ballad that unexpectedly morphs into a chugging surf-rock song halfway through. “Idolatrine” is the kind of bouncy pop Paul McCartney might write if joined Black Sabbath (dwell on that a second) Ghost plays to their strengths, releasing a collection of excellent, well-crafted hard rock songs with tongue planted firmly in cheek.

3.

David Bowie- The Next Day It’s dicey business when a revered music icon releases a new album after an extended hiatus.

But when you’ve made a career (art form?) out of reinventing yourself like David Bowie has, it’s fair to say that you stand a better chance than most. As the “Heroes” referencing album cover implies, The Next Day sees Bowie reflecting on his career and previous incarnations from a safe distance. On a track like “Where are We Now?” Bowie takes a somber, thoughtful look back at his Berlin era of the late 70s, whereas “Dirty Boys” recalls his time collaborating with Iggy Pop with appropriate garage rock grime and swagger. Throw in tracks like the frigid cold “Love is Lost” and the glammy, melodic “Valentine’s Day” for good measure, and you’ve got a very worthy addition to the Bowie canon.

4.

Jim Guthrie- Takes Time The fact that Canadian singer-songwriter Jim Guthrie isn’t a household name is a severe injustice. When not releasing critically acclaimed soundtracks for the likes of documentary Indie Game the Movie or the game Sword & Sworcery EP (which you should watch/ play), he’s putting out excellent folk albums like Takes Time. Strong songwriting on tracks like the mournful, country-tinged “Difference a Day Makes”, the gentle “Never Poor”, or the razor edged “Don’t Be Torn” are just highlights amongst a collection of excellent songs to be found on this album.

5.

Kvelertak- Meir Look, a lot of adjectives get thrown around when talking about Norwegian Black Metal, but “joyous” isn’t usually one of them. The hirsute members of Kvelertak seek to change that. Taking themselves less seriously than many of their peers, Meir is heir apparent to the leather-lunged hard rock and proto-metal of the 70s rather than to the dark, sinister bands of the 90s. Bruane Brenn, with its plinking backing piano and loud, chantable chorus is more raucous bar than satanic church, and the song “Undertro” bears the unmistakable influence of KISS in its riffs. Meir is a fantastic bridge into a genre that is notoriously inaccessible. But above all, it’s just a surprisingly fun party album.

6.

Tame Impala- Lonerism So, you’re finishing up your semester. Exams are finished and papers are written, now you just want something you can lie back and space out to for a few hours or so. Enter Lonerism. The sound of this Australian psychedelic-rock band could be described as Pink Floyd being sung by John Lennon, but that wouldn’t quite do justice to the band’s sound. While elements of the above bands can certainly be found in the music here, Lonerism doesn’t rest on these merits, but rather wanders into its own territory. The band doesn’t concern itself to much with traditional song structure, songs like “Apocalypse Dreams” and “Keep On Lying” are far more interested in just kind of swirling outwards into the cosmos (I mean this as a compliment of course). But when the band goes in for traditional song structure, it’s something to behold; I’d make the case for the aptly named “Elephant” as the rock single of the year. Lonerism succeeds because it builds its musical explorations on a solid foundation of excellent melodic sensibility, making it perfect for when you need to just tune out for a while and be carried off somewhere cool by a song.

7.

Vampire Weekend- Modern Vampires of the City I’ll be honest; I went into this album without really listening to really any of Vampire Weekend’s previous releases. Even without expectations, Modern Vampires blew me away. The songwriting here is impeccable. “Hannah Hunt” and “Diane Young” have earned their endless radio airplay through a combination of sharp lyrics, esoteric lyrics and some damn fine pop hooks; “Ya Hey” and “Step” revel in an airy, pompous glory that few bands could get away with, but which Vampire Weekend does in spades. Modern Vampires of the City is a sound of a young band growing up and staring adulthood in the face with curiosity and apprehension. For some reason, this is a pretty appealing concept to a Senior coming to terms with the fact that he only has one semester left. Uh, wait, where was I? Anyway, you should check out this album, everybody.

You should probably check out all of them, for that matter.

Fikus at the Java Barn

By EMILY PENNA COLUMNIST Saturday night, Fikus graced the Java stage for their first time. Needless to say I was intrigued to see them after fellow housemate Joshin Atone described them as “liquid electricity.” I became more intrigued when I arrived at the venue and saw a whole light system set up, based at the back of the venue, below the sound booth. The system was “played” with a midi keyboard, making the lights guy an interactive part of the set, playing his own visual instrument in tandem with the band. After being assured that he chose to set up there, and was actually excited about the swarms of college kids that would be entering and dancing in that very area within the next hour, I began to relax.

Our second last show was going to run smoothly.

And it did, for the first set. The five members of Fikus have a stage presence like no other band I’ve seen. Panning from stage left to stage right, they have keyboard player/backup vocals Jon Schmarak (who also plays horns), guitar player Steve Malone, Kito Bovenschulte on drums in the back, Travis Paparoski on bass, and Pete Kozak on percussion and lead vocals. Schmarak and Kozak certainly took the cake for stage presence and interacting with the audience, though by placing them on the edges allowed the whole band to be acknowledged. The first set was vocalbased and funk-heavy, with the most amazing rendition of Beethoven’s Fifth I think I’ve ever heard.

Just at the end of the first set, a new sound entered the mix. For the first ten or so times the fire alarm went off, I thought both the sound and the flash of light was part of the show. When I realized it wasn’t, I helped to throw open the door and get everyone out of the venue. Luckily, there was no fire. We believe the alarm was set off either by a student, or by smoke coming from someone who had a contraband fire starter doing tricks outside of the venue. It has been confiscated by security.

The band took the 20 minute wait outside in stride, claiming it couldn’t have come at a better time than the very end of their first set. Lucky for them, the only time it snowed that night was during those 20 minutes. To make light of the matter, they opened second set with a cover of “Burning Down the House,” and then continued into a heavy set, reminiscent of Aqueous (or more accurately, Boss Tweed and the Carpet Baggers) that even got a bit scary at times. Vocals in the second set were sparse, but the music was so dynamic I didn’t mind. Instead of lyrics I focused on the smoothest transitions I’ve ever heard.

As they left, a few band members grabbed their set lists to hold onto, someone you rarely see a band do at the end of a show. Hopefully it means they’ll be ready to come back again soon. It was, in my opinion, the best new band we’ve had at Java all semester, and among the top 3 best shows overall.

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Arts & Entertainment

Book Review: Tinkers by Paul Harding

By TESSA YANG COLUMNIST When I borrowed Tinkers from ODY for my Thanksgiving Break read, the bleak wintriness of the cover gave me a satisfying sense of seasonal correctness, even as it touched on something vaguely disconcerting. A tiny lone figure walks between trees so blurry it looks as if someone tried to erase them. The title—tinkers—floats above in the indiscriminate whiteness of snow and sky. The scene is so naked, you feel a little abashed for gawking.

As someone who has purchased more than one book based on its pretty jacket (it’s gold and sparkly—it must be good!) I don’t advocate judging a book by its cover. The only reason I bring up Tinkers’ design is because it seems to afford some insight into the text itself. I didn’t know it at the time, but my first impression of the cover was strikingly close to my impression of the narrative, which is at once private, haunting, and concerned with themes of emptiness and absence.

“George Washington Crosby began to hallucinate eight days before he died.”

With this first line, we understand our departure from most traditional narratives. This is not a book that works at building suspense. This is not a book that hides from you the reality that its protagonist will be dead by the final page. It is, however, a book that breaks all the rules, right down to its sporadic shifts between present and past tense, first person and third.

As George Crosby lies dying, he begins to contemplate the different aspects of his identity in the past—George as father, husband, grandfather, son. His story becomes interwoven with that of his own father, Howard Crosby, a backwoods salesman and would-be poet who suffers from epilepsy. There is a frightful mystery to their relationship; in one compelling scene, Howard, in the throes of a seizure, severely bites George’s hand. The incident leaves George physically and emotionally scarred and deepens the sense of alienation between father and son. At the same time, the characters remain united through their shared identity as tinkers, a term that connotes both petty craftsmen and (courtesy of dictionary.com) a wanderer or beggar. All of this plays out against the beautiful and haunting landscape of the impoverished New England backwoods, which Harding reverently describes in passages that read like poetry.

As you probably realized by now, I enjoyed this book. It was a thoughtful and artistic foray into themes that are frequently mismanaged—death, memory, regret. Harding created a cast of characters with whom I deeply sympathized; though I focused primarily on the relationship of George and Howard for the purpose of brevity, a longer review could surely delve into the complex psychologies of George’s mother, or sister, or grandfather—all periphery characters who quietly illuminate the story’s themes before sinking just as quietly into the background.

I also felt Tinkers presented an enormous challenge to read. There are, as I already mentioned, many departures from grammatical norms on the line level. In addition, the narrative structure is not linear as much as layered; Howard and George’s stories seem stacked one on top of the other, often growing translucent enough that we can see into both at once. Although this makes for a clever and compelling handle of POV shifts, it also results in a dense storyline where readers may struggle to answer basic comprehension questions like, “Who’s supposed to be talking here?” and “Where are we?”

I don’t say this to scare anyone from reading Tinkers—its stylistic experimentation was probably one of its strengths—but it certainly requires patience. It’s a short little book with a deceptively packed plot. It’s also a Pulitzer Prize-winner, and not, I think, without good reason.

THE HILL NEWS | 9

Second Breakfast:

That New Disney Movie was Pretty Good, Folks

By CHRIS MELVILLE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Frozen (2013) The Plot: Wee lil’ sprogs Elsa (Idina Menzel) and Anna (Kristen Bell) are happy tots and princesses of a great wide kingdom. Elsa, however, harbors a dark secret and one day is forbidden from human contact. Well, eventually their parents die and in montage set to a cute song, both sisters grow up. Classic Disney. Anyway, before you know it, Elsa’s come of age for coronation and she has to make public appearances, etc. It goes… really badly and she…sort of… I guess, freezes the world in an eternal winter and exiles herself to an ice castle on a mountaintop. So… yeah. Anna, desperate in part to save her kingdom but mainly to make a real emotional connection with her estranged sister, joins forces with lowly peasant Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his reindeer Sven, and a living snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad), and she sets out to put an end to her sister’s evil works.

Did y’all see Tangled when that came out a few years ago? I enjoyed Tangled. I thought it was pretty cute, it featured my favorite animated horse to date, and, oh yeah, RON PERLMAN. Most importantly, it was just pure fun, despite its sizable plot holes. Well, when I saw the trailer for Frozen I basically thought, “Oh, Tangled with snow. Nice.” Fortunately, though, Frozen really improves upon Tangled’s shortcomings. One of the major issue with Tangled, for example, was the lack of romantic chemistry between the two leads. Their romance felt forced.

It felt fine in Frozen. The magic in Tangled was ill-defined and a bit spontaneous, but it sort of makes some sense in Frozen. The songs were better in this new movie, too.

Now, a side-by-side comparison of these two films may not be all that necessary. One is not a sequel to another; they do not belong to a series; they are not connected in any way but by studio. If it is prudent to compare Frozen to Tangled, then it could make sense to compare it to all Disney princess movies. I’m more than happy to do that, because I think the filmmakers want you to make those comparisons. They invite it, in fact, with their methods of handling the various tropes of the sub-sub-genre. What are these tropes, you ask? There are a whole bunch, but for this review I’ll be focusing on 1) The Romance, 2) The Anthropomorphism, 3) The Villain, and 4) The True Love. Please note at items one and four are different.

1) The Romance – Traditionally, the princesses in these films fall in love with exactly who you expect, the princes. Usually fate has something to do with it. Disney’s not too interested in actually telling love stories; they’re more into fairy tales. Look at Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty; you know, the classics. Princess meets prince; princess falls in love with prince; they get married. Frozen, however, does not have fairy tale roots. Disney’s been marketing it as an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen,” but it actually has less in common with that story than Troy does with The Iliad. Since the romance isn’t dependent on the fairy tale, it’s fleshed out better and more realistic, developed between two likable human characters. What’s more (spoiler), the film baits you with a standard fairy tale romance and then turns it on its head in a refreshing, if somewhat predictable way. The point is they’re trying.

2) The Anthropomorphism – Every Disney princess needs a cute, anthropomorphized companion. In Pocahontas it’s her raccoon; in Tangled it’s the chameleon; in Beauty and the Beast it’s the dishware, for some reason. In Frozen it’s the snowman. If you’ve watched any of the trailers you may have gotten the impression, as I did, that this snowman is obnoxious. Its cuteness is wholly artificial and its voice is so annoying. Surprisingly, Olaf is a good character. His voice is, indeed, a bit annoying, and much of his humor is derived from him failing to understand very simple things. They’re easy jokes, and many of them feel a bit contrived, but on the whole, he’s very endearing. Amid the jokes of ignorance are some genuinely funny, clever, often quite sweet lines. Also, thanks to him, this is the only time we’ll ever hear the entirely nonchalant line, “Oh, I’ve been impaled,” in a Disney movie. Probably.

3) The Villain – It’s the Snow Queen, right? Elsa? Yeah, sort of. She’s definitely responsible for the main conflict and she hurts a lot of people, but for the most part she doesn’t intentionally use her magic powers for evil; in fact, they usually use her. More than anything, these powers are a severe curse that she can’t overcome, and she spends most of her life living in constant fear of harming the people she genuinely loves. When things go wrong, her subjects label her a witch and attack her automatically. Only Anna is interested in trying to set anything straight.

This offers a main antagonist who’s not really evil, and as you may have gotten if you’ve ever read anything I’ve written about Universal Monster movies, I sort of dig that. I’m especially impressed to see it in an animated Disney movie for children.

4) The True Love – So, at one point the heroes realize that the only way to break a terrible curse is with an act of true love, the True Love’s Kiss. This is a super common trope in princess movies and just fairy tales in general. I should clarify. The exact instruction they receive refer to “an act of true love.” They assume that means the fabled True Love’s Kiss. BEWARE, THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD. IF YOU CARE AT ALL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MOVIE AND HAVEN’T SEEN IT YET, PLEASE SKIP THIS BIT. NICOLE, I AM SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO YOU. It doesn’t necessarily mean the fabled True Love’s Kiss. This was decidedly Frozen’s greatest strength. There’s more than one kind of true love in the world, and no one ever said that true love has to be romantic; it just has to be true. What’s the truest kind of love there is? Try the unconditional, genuine, undying love between siblings. It’s not a kiss that breaks the terrible curse, it’s a sister willingly sacrificing herself to save a sister.

IT’S OKAY TO READ HERE AGAIN. At its heart, Frozen is really a fairy tale about the love between two sisters. The relationship between Anna and Elsa is developed across decades, through estrangement, strife, violence, and death. In the end, that is why the film is so successful. Screenwriter Jennifer Lee uses the fairy tale standards with which we’re all familiar and plays around with them to create a movie that both honors the Disney princess tradition and improves it. Plus, the songs are really good. I offered a lot of, like, real-ish criticism here, but I don’t think I stressed enough how cute Frozen is. It’s really cute.

NEWS

10 | THE HILL NEWS

Annual Polar Plunge Returns

By TERRY DIXON‘14 GUEST WRITER As the temperature decreases and snow begins to fall, most students may want to stay indoors. But on Saturday, December 7th, students lined up to enter the freezing water of Grasse River during SLU’s first Polar Plunge.

“When you jump into the water, take it slow. Do not put your head under the water just yet. You should let your body relax and adjust to the temperature change,” says Ben Adams ’16. Despite this being

FRACK FROM PAGE 1 Mi’kmaq group in New Brunswick. But this has been the extent of the coverage. The American-side has also been hosting their own protests and burning their own fire, yet where is the media? When I posed this question to the protesters, one woman replied: “Native peoples issues don’t make the mainstream media.”

As I stood alongside organizers, cars drove by and honked in support of their message.

“Frack-off ! Canada” as one of the signs said. One protester showed me several news articles and said: “The police are protecting the interests of the corporations, not the people. Why do we even have police?” His biggest frustration with their efforts is here in New York: the lack of bodies. With more people, they could march across the bridge and have a bigger impact, like their friends on the other side of the border.

Although the area in New Brunswick is not being drilled

Adams’ first Polar Plunge, he has previous experience swimming in cold temperatures during his high school years in Finland. “During your first time, you can expect shrills of that of a little girl coming out of your mouth, “ said Adams .

The shock of the cold may have worried some students, but drowning was the biggest concern for the Canton Fire Department and for the university. Students were required to enter and exit the water one at a time, which is unlike traditional polar plunges where all participants run into the (yet), the main reason for all of this awareness and action is to prevent even the slightest possibility of fracking in the region.

During my time with the protesters, I witnessed cars pulling in and out of their roadside station. They prepared to make the journey to New Brunswick, close to a 12-hour drive, bringing clothes and food to the protesters and joining with them in their marches. They want more people to learn about their actions to help save the land.

One main argument these protesters are making is that this one case of fracking doesn’t just affect the area in New Brunswick and the people where the drilling is or may be taking place: It affects plants, animals and humans. Without a doubt, it is a human rights issue—our water is at risk. More than that, our lives are at risk. Water is a human right. And fracking is destroying this right. There is no alternative to water. We need to come together and acknowledge how much of a force we can be collectively to prevent any further destruction.

To generate more support, protestors have also released numerous materials geared towards New Yorkers. One newspaper, called The Flowback, asks: “Why should New Yorkers care about fracking?” Another pamphlet discusses “What all New Yorkers Need to Know about Drilling and Hydrofracking for Natural Gas” and provides an easy-to-read description of the process of hydraulic fracturing. These materials provide tools for networking and

water at the same time. “If we had a beach like setting, it would be a whole other story, but this is a little different,” stated Robert “Bob” Crowe, Chief of the Canton Fire Department.

Despite not wanting to do the plunge himself, Crowe encouraged students jumping into the water.

He assured them that if something did go wrong, members of the fire department were in their cold water suits, ready to go. “This way [the fireman] do not have to suffer the effects of the cold water” he said Two first-year students stated that they thought, “it would be a good idea at the time,” but was beginning to regret the decision of choosing to take the plunge.

Polar Plunges occur in a few countries around the world. In New York state, there are various locations such as Coney Island, Plattsburgh, Rochester, Oswego, etc., where Polar Plunges occur.

SLU’s First Year Council took on the role of hosting this year’s Polar Plunge, with hopes of it being an annual event.

As the first person to go in, Adams stated that the only thing he regrets is that there is no sauna available afterwards. “Usually after something like this, you could expect to go into a sauna and maybe have a few beers,” he said. connecting to other passionate anti-frackers, in hopes of creating a larger movement. They show images of other parts of the northeast that are becoming ravaged because of corporate interest as well as testimonies of community members where fracking has begun. In addition, they give hope through tips such as pressuring legislators and forming other anti-fracking groups. Communities can call for moratoriums, whereby no hydrofracking activities are allowed to take place in a particular area. This gives community members time to inform others and potentially enact local laws that could even ban future plans of hydrofracking.

Although the drilling has yet to begin, this case forces us to ask ourselves, when is the right time to raise our voices? If the Texas-based company finds natural gas, New Brunswick will become a hotspot for yet another fracking company to come in, extract natural gas and pollute the waters. We’ve lost our connection to nature, while communities like the Mohawk and Mi’kmaq, who have such deep rooted ties to the natural world, are trying to keep these ties from breaking. How do we go “back-to-the-land” if our land gets destroyed and then we have nothing to go back to? Corporations do not care about the land.

They care about the profit the land gives them and, as a result, they will eliminate any roadblock standing in the way. Corporations become the winners.

So if not now, then when. If not us, then who?

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Train Speed Increase Causes Concern

By MADISON BROWN GUEST WRITER

The Metro-North train that derailed on December first in New York City was traveling at 82 mph- the set speed limit for the track is 30 mph. The engineer, William Rockefeller, is being held responsible for the accident that killed four passengers and injured several others.

On September 16, 2013 in Canton, State Senator Patty Ritchie and town officials met together to discuss the concerns about the railroad’s plan to increase the average train speed. Senator Ritchie wanted to ensure that safety was the CSX Railroad Facility’s top priority, in order to protect residents in the town as well as the local college students.

In January of last year, CSX introduced their plan to upgrade the railroad crossing through Canton so that they could increase train speed. The train previously traveled at a set speed of 25 mph, but they planned to increase the speed to 40 mph.

The newly developed railroad crossing in Canton cuts through the heart of town, where there are several houses built along each side of the track. As such, this plan has generated many concerns for Canton locals, particularly regarding the increase of speed.

Some residents have argued that the train should follow the town’s posted speed limit of 30 mph.

Judy Dafoe, a Canton local, agrees that there are many concerns because of the increased speed of the train. “It is not only the college students I worry about but also the little

kids who walk across the track home from school,” she said.

“It’s so dangerous, and I have even called the principal of their school to make sure they are monitoring the safety of those kids.” Dafoe believes that train conductors should undergo mandatory safety tests in order to prevent any mishaps. “We’ve heard about trains going off the track. Much like the accident regarding the Metro train in New York, it crashed due to the increase of speed,” said Dafoe.

She does not understand why it is necessary to increase the speed of the train in Canton.

Another Canton local, Jayne Corvine, said, “Everyone else in Canton abides by a set speed limit of 30 mph, why should a train be allowed to travel any faster?” Corvine argued that trains derailing are often considered freak accidents, but an increase in speed can make these accidents more prevalent.

If there is a way to prevent these things from happening, CSX needs to make that a priority.

“Safety is a very important concern, especially in such a small town. With students and little kids constantly walking on the train tracks, there should be more regulation,” she said.

There have already been a few incidents caused by the train traveling at increased speeds through Canton and Potsdam; a Potsdam student was killed earlier this year. It is important that speed regulation of trains be a priority to the state in order to prevent other such disasters. However, it should also be a priority of the town to monitor those who walk on the tracks. In the case of the Canton train, local opinion has yet to be swayed in favor of this new policy.

Saints Sports

NATIONAL RESULTS

12/08 Patriots v. Browns, W 27-26 12/08 Giants v. Chargers , L 14-37 12/10 Bruins v. Flames, W 2-1 12/10 Nets v. Celtics, W 104-96

WWW.STLAWU.EDU/ATHLETICS

Fantasy Football: Fall 2013

By BRANDON DI PERNO STAFF WRITER

Quarterback: The professional quarterback position was intriguing this NFL season. It was a position filled with stories and heartache, examples being the rejuvenation of Peyton Manning and how he brought hope back to many fans; Tom Brady’s slow start to the season without Wes Welker, and Robert Griffin III’s up and down sophomore season.

No Tebow made this a strange year. It’s hard to say who was impressive at the position given the fact that we’ve yet to reach the post-season.

Nevertheless, the elite bunch who often grace NFL memorabilia have proven themselves in yet another season when it mattered most.

Regardless, as the season winds down and fantasy teams fall to the wayside, it’s important to make note of the new guys.

Jay Cutler’s replacement, Josh McCown, came out of nowhere and quickly became a prolific quarterback. There is no doubt in his ability, as proven by his team’s nine touchdown outing on Monday vs the Cowboys.

Seemingly thrown out of San Franciso after a tenure as the starting quarterback, Alex Smith became a great option, finding consistency in the system at Arrowhead.

Case Keenum was also a beacon of hope for Houston fans and a disgraced Matt Schaub. While he seems to have reached his plateau, it will be interesting to see how these quarterbacks fare next season. Off-seasons can generally make or break a player and, given that no injuries befall them, they have bright potential.

Receivers: Once again Calvin Johnson was at the forefront of elite receivers. His multitude of impressive catches proved once again why he is the best receiver in the league.

Nevertheless, players like Josh “Flash” Gordon and Alshon Jeffery propelled themselves to elite through recent performances. The widereceiver position in the NFL is ever changing, and next season or the off-season can spell disaster or greatness for any player. Only time will tell.

Running Backs: Of course, when one thinks elite running backs, Adrian Peterson comes to mind.

Nevertheless, while still impressive, he was hardly the most successful running back in the league.

The most successful running back came from Kansas City. Alex Smith’s infatuation with short yard passing, as well as a supreme trust in Jamaal Charles, transformed him into gifted and unstoppable running backs during the season. Of course, the regular few still grace the elite (Marshawn Lynch, Demarco Murray, Matt Forte, LeSeaon McCoy, etc), yet it’s still interesting to see the progression of a less known back.

Tight Ends: It’s heartbreaking to begin speculating on Gronk’s future, so instead let’s take a look at Jimmy Graham. Like wildfire, the former University of Miami basketball player torched the league in impressive fashion. His statlines were most impressive and consistent (the only team shutting him out being ironically New England).

Presently, Graham has 1046

yards and 14 touchdowns and leads the league.

Just behind him lie Vernon Davis and Julius Thomas.

Tight ends are changing.

Recruiters are looking to college basketball players to begin filling the position rather than the traditional college football players. The “Jimmy Graham” model can influence the league for years to come. Nevertheless, while many didn’t get to witness the breakout season Aaron Hernandez was projected to have, we can rest assured that the tight end position is in good hands.

Kickers: Possibly the most underrated position in football, kickers hold one of the most important positions in the game. That being said, it was Stephen Gostkowski who was the league’s best this season with Matt Prater at a close second. Kickers make and break fantasy teams and actual teams alike. As fans, it’s important to regard their importance, especially when you lose by one point.

Defense: It was the Kansas City Chiefs defense who led the league this season. While often disregarded, it’s this defense that will make them a formidable foe come offseason. Led by Tamba Hali, the Chief ’s have let in very few scores, and even capitalized on turnovers.

Nevertheless, it’s essential not to disregard the other top defensive teams. Carolina and Seattle find themselves as the other most feared defenses and rightfully so. Defenses are responsible for most team’s success. This is true for almost all top teams, and will never change.

Women’s Cross Country with Lisa Grohn

By KRISTEN DI PERNO STAFF WRITER The St. Lawrence women’s cross-country team had an exceptional season, finishing tenth in the 2013. Winning their sixth straight championship, along with NYSCTS wins and NCAA top ten finishes.

This team’s success is based on a great foundation of community and teamwork. The Saints’ Coach Howard and Assistant Coach Curran were awarded Liberty League Coach of the Year. These coaches’ dedication to the team definitely had an impact on rising star Lisa Grohn ‘17.

Grohn, coming from an unsuccessful high school crosscountry team, shone this season at SLU. Grohn was awarded numerous titles this season: Top Rookie Finisher in the Liberty League Championship, fifth overall, the top first year finisher and the Rookie of the Year in the New York State Collegiate Track Conference championship. She was also the first rookie finisher in the Atlantic Regional Championship, 20th overall.

These awards came as a great honor to Crohn, who said, “When the coaches informed me that I was rookie of the year, I was really excited to have kept the tradition going for SLU, as the past few rookies have been Saints. It also meant a lot to me coming off a rough track season last spring, and an even more difficult transition the first couple of races here. Even in midOctober I would never have guessed that this is where my season was headed!”

Crohn gives Coach Howard much deserved credit to her

great season saying, “Coach Howard has helped me so much this season. The best way he has done this is by increasing my confidence. So many times, I stepped on the starting line nervous and unsure, thinking about my lack of experience and disappointing previous races. He taught to trust in my training, trust my teammates, and just run.”

Grohn, a great addition to Saints team reflected on this past season, “These girls have been amazing role models throughout the season, showing me how much I was doing wrong and how far I still have to go. It’s very exciting.” The future for the Saints women’s cross country team is definitely bright. Their positive attitude and work ethic is their strategy for success.

Be sure to congratulate them on a tremendous season! With the help of Amy Cymerman ‘14, who finished 10th at NCAA’s (one of only three Saints to ever do so), the girls were able to clinch 10th place. It will be interesting to see what they have in store for us next fall.

Congratulations to Mike Howard!

fall sports scoreboard FOOTBALL: W - 7 | L - 3 MEN’S SOCCER: W - 17 | L - 3 | T - 2 WOMEN’S SOCCER: W - 9 | L - 4 | T - 3 FIELD HOCKEY: W - 6 | L - 11 WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING: W - 3 | L - 1 MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING: W - 0 | L - 4 MEN’S TENNIS: W - 1 | L - 0 WOMEN’S TENNIS: W - 1 | L - 0 RIDING: 5 1ST PLACE FINISHES | 1 2ND PLACE FINISH

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Coach of the Year

Saints Sports

LATEST RESULTS

12/06 Men’s Ice Hockey @ Clarkson, L 4-5 12/07 Men’s Ice Hockey v. Clarkson, L 3-4 12/07 Women’s S & D at LL’s, 3rd of 10 12/07 Men’s Squash v. Williams, W 8-1

WWW.STLAWU.EDU/ATHLETICS

By JOSH CAMERON SPORTS EDITOR

2013 Saints Fall Sports Wrap Up

We have, with great pleasure, had the opportunity to publish many great stories and features about our beloved teams and the multitalented athletes and coaches who shape them. There could be a whole paper dedicated to the incredible games and matches that take place every week. All of the teams on campus deserve to be featured in the section. However, with limited space, that task is nearly impossible.

So, in our best efforts, here is a recap of this semester in sports. You can catch what you may have missed, see how our teams performed, and relive some great athletic achievements.

The most improved performance goes to the football team and Head Coach Mark Raymond. The players seem to really appreciate their head coach. A few weeks ago, more than half of the team nominated Raymond for the Hill News Coach of the Week, which

he won convincingly. This was certainly well deserved due to his accomplishments this season.

Turning a winless football team into a 7-3 football team is not an easy task. Beyond that, the intensity and heart of the players cannot go unnoticed. Last season was certainly an eye opener for the Saints, but they proved themselves this fall.

Praise them for their determination and work ethic. Congratulations on a spectacular turn around! Liberty Leagues next fall? We think so!

The equestrian team had a great first half to their season this fall!

With spectacular performances from several experienced riders and rookies alike, the riding team racked up five first-place and one secondplace finish out of their six total events. The fall looked promising for the Saints, but there is still a long spring ahead of them. Knowing our riders, we’re thinking “three-peat” here at the Hill News. Well done this fall and good luck in the spring.

The women’s cross-country team certainly made a statement this fall,

Captain Vir Seth lunges for a rail against Williams.

By ELLIS TOLL STAFF WRITER The St. Lawrence men’s squash team has followed up an 11-6 campaign that saw Amr Khalifa ‘17 win an individual national title with an even more impressive performance. To date, the Saints are 9-0 on the season and have climbed to #4 in the national rankings.

Even more impressive is the way in which the Saints have overwhelmed each of their opponents. Every match is a best of nine one on one competitions, with each one on one

SCHEDULE

finishing 10th in the 2013 nationals at Hanover College in Indiana.

Amy Cymerman ‘14 became the third Saint in history to record a top 10 finish at a championship race, right behind Johanna Ludington and two-time national champion Wendy Pavlus.

Lisa Grohn ‘17 was crowned Liberty League Rookie of the Year, making this the sixth time in the last seven years in which the Saints produced a Rookie of the Year. The coaching staff was named Coaching Staff of the Year, making this their 10th consecutive season as such. Head coach Mike Howard was named Coach of the Year for the sixth season in a row. Can we say “incredible?”

Congratulations to all for these amazing accomplishments, they are well deserved.

The men’s cross-country team had a solid performance this season, but unfortunately did not place well at NCAA’s. They had five first place finishes on the season out of seven team events, one

of those being Liberty Leagues.

Placing first in Liberty Leagues is quite the feat and just going to NCAAs is impressive in itself.

Great season, guys!

Men’s soccer went 17-32… enough said, right? They continue to impress and to be a dominant team on campus, on and off the field. The Saints went to the NCAA tournament, but were eliminated by Amherst College. Four of the team members earned All-Region honors and the team itself earned the Academic Award for the second consequtive season. Keep on keeping on guys. We can’t wait to see what you do next season.

Women’s field hockey had a rough fall, going 6-11 on the season. They played at their highest level, but it was not enough. Keep working hard ladies, your time will come again!

The women’s soccer team went 9-4-3. Not a bad record at all, but with some tough Liberty League losses, they did not make it to the

Saints Squash On a Roll

match consisting of 5 games. Five of their seven matches have ended 9-0. The closest they have come to defeat was a 6-3 victory over then #5- University of Rochester.

The Saints opened the season with a pair of matches on November 23 against Hobart and Vassar. After last year’s strong campaign, the Saints came into the season at #6 in the polls. The team of Moustafa Bayoumy ‘17, Ibrahim Khan ’15, Kyle Ogilvy ‘15, Sebastian Riedelsheimer ‘15, Anderson Good ‘15 , Chris Fernandez ‘15, Mateo Vargas ‘17, Will Campo ‘14 and Tim

Saturday, 12/14 M & W’s Holiday Relay Newell Field House, 11:00 a.m.

Lasusa ‘16 all won in straight sets en route to a 9-0 win over Hobart.

The second match of the day, versus Vassar, was little different. Good and Ogilvy were replaced in the lineup by Ness Billimoria ‘16 and Kingsley Amoako ‘17, but again all nine Saints won in straight sets.

The next day saw the Saints face Bard College and #5 University of Rochester. Khan, Good, Campo, Lasusa, Billimoria, Amoako and Edson all won in straight sets for the second straight day while Jack Fisher ‘17 did the same in his season debut. SLU also won the

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

ninth match by default, giving them a third straight 9-0 decision to open the year. The University of Rochester put up more of a fight, but could not overcome the firepower of the SLU side despite Amr Khalifa defaulting his match due to injury.

Up 4-1, the Saints turned their attention to Bayoumy to clinch the Liberty League title. After a marathon matchup which saw three of the five games contested take the winner past the standard 11 points needed for victory (by two points), Bayoumy and the Saints did indeed win out. The

Sunday, 12/15 Women’s Basketball v. SUNY Potsdam Burkman Gym, 2:00 p.m.

tournament. However, they did manage to take down Clarkson in their last game, which is honestly a spectacular way to end any season. Job well done ladies, hope to see you in the Liberty Leagues next fall!

Women’s swimming and diving performed well, acquiring three wins and only one loss this fall.

The men were not so lucky and did not seal a W in the column.

Hopefully they can pull a few out in the spring!

Women’s volleyball went 2112 on the season, but lost in the first round of Liberty Leagues to SUNY Potsdam. Still, that is an impressive season to say the least. Take it even further next season girls!

To all the fall sports teams, just remember: “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand,” ~ Vince Lombardi

Liberty League title was their first since 2006, and the first time since then that Rochester did not take home the trophy.

Up next for the Saints is a pair of home matches vs. Cornell and Dartmouth. That will be followed by a three match road trip against Yale, Harvard and Tufts. Rounding out the regular season schedule are Franklin & Marshall and Hamilton at home, then Trinity and Wesleyan on the road. Post season play consists of Team Nationals from February 13-16, and Individual Nationals from February 27-March 2.

Saturday, 01/04 Men’s Basketball v. SUNY Canton Burkman Gym, 1:00 p.m.