December 4, 2015

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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 4, 2015

VOLUME CV, ISSUE 11

New Book Commemorates Distinguished SLU Professor, Dr. Harry Reiff By REBECCA DOSER NEWS EDITOR What an amazing opportunity it would be to be able to write a biography of one of your parents. Well, for Daniel Reiff, this was an opportunity he took advantage of with his publication of a volume called Teacher, Scholar, Mentor: St. Lawrence University’s Dr. Harry Reiff and his Family, 1938-1950, a docu-

mentary biography about his father, Dr. Harry Reiff. The name may sound familiar, as Dr. Harry Reiff is commemorated at St. Lawrence in many ways: through Reiff College, a portrait in the University Archives, the Dr. Henry Reiff Lounge in Hepburn Hall, the Harry Reiff Scholarship, the Dr. Henry Reiff Great Debate Fund, and a portrait in the Gunnison CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH COUNTRY PUBLIC RADIO

SUNY Potsdam Professor John Youngblood is the target of three hate letters, which began in April, 2015.

Hate Mail Threatens SUNY Potsdam Professor and Community By KATIE WILSON STAFF WRITER In April of 2015, English and Communications Professor John Youngblood of SUNY Potsdam received two racist, homophobic threats against both himself and his family. Youngblood, who has become well known for his “frank discussions” about race over the course of his thirteen years at SUNY Potsdam, is accustomed to honest, sometimes harsh, dialogue in his classrooms, according to NCPR. However, the death threats against his partner, children, and himself took Youngblood by surprise. On November 11, 2015, the reported perpetrator of the hate mail, Amjad “Mark” Hussein, was taken into custody. This past week, however, a third hate letter was sent to Youngblood. It is similar to the first two in respect to its entailment of racist and homophobic language, however, this time, the letter threatens both the professor and the wider campus community. SUNY Potsdam has responded in a series of emails issued to its

Contents: Opinions pg. 2 News pg. 4 Features pg. 6 A&E pg. 8 Sports pg. 11

students, in which the university states: “Our top priority is the safety of every individual on our campus, and especially our faculty member and loved ones.” In addition, the school has issued a temporary state of heightened security, in which side and basement doors will be locked and students will be required to use their key cards to access all residence halls. SUNY Potsdam is also offering a reward of a thousand dollars to any student who provides information leading to “an arrest and conviction of the person or persons behind this incident.” Professors have taken time out of their classes in an attempt to address prejudices held by certain students. University Police have maintained a presence on the grounds and within the library during the day, and students have taken to a student-created Facebook page to voice current issues present on the campus as well. The University’s reassurances and frequent police patrols have not entirely calmed students’ fears. Matoaka Riedl, a sophomore at SUNY Potsdam, states: “I feel as

though there is still more work to be done. If we [the students] sit here in silence then we are perpetuating the myth that we are okay with the events occurring around us. I don’t feel safe on this campus, and it’s not setting a good reputation for Potsdam in the outside world.” Riedl also states that she would prefer a greater police presence on campus during both the day and night, as she fears any attacks would come at the times that officers are not stationed. Unfortunately, SUNY Potsdam remains just a small piece of the mounting racial tensions present on college campuses nationwide. Recent events at various college campuses, including Yale, Harvard, the University of Missouri, and the University of Oklahoma, reveal what seems to be an increasing rate of racial discrimination on college campuses throughout the U.S. The widespread responses from students on the aforementioned campuses and outside do give some hope to the otherwise dire circumstances, but there is still much work that needs to be done regarding this issue.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTH COUNTRY PUBLIC RADIO

Allegiant Air plans to offer flights from Ogdensburg to Florida beginning next year.

Flying From SLU to Florida? Get Outta Town... By EMERY YOUNGER NEW EDITOR While St. Lawrence’s location, at the foot of the Adirondack Mountains and just a short drive from the St. Lawrence River, gives it easy access to incredible natural beauty, the University’s setting gives it little access to viable transportation options. St. Lawrence County is home to commercial airports in both Massena and Ogdensburg. Under a 30-minute drive from campus, Ogdensburg Airport is a convenient and low-stress option for students flying home from Can-

I S S U E S N EA K P EA K Page 1: Potsdam deals with a dangerous threat

Page 5: A briefing on gun vio-

Page 8: Mindy Kaling becomes your new read.

Page 2: Climate talks are a step in the right direction.

Page 7: Sex-ed for the average college student.

Page 12: Holm v. Rousey. The

lence this past week.

future of MMA

ton, however, the airport currently lacks one key ingredient: destinations. Currently, the two major airports that are closest to Canton are Ottawa’s Macdonald-Cartier Airport and the Montreal-Pierre Eliot Trudeau International Airport. While both airports provide flights to numerous Canadian and American cities, travelling through these airports requires St. Lawrence students to not only drive upwards of 90 minutes, but also pass through customs twice if their final destination is within the United States.

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