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Saturday 12/4
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The Gatepost
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79 l number 11
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gatepost@framingham.edu
Framingham State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1932
New student trustee elected in special election By Krysta Davis Editorial Staff
One of the 60 alligators at Framingham State.
Drake McCabe/The Gatepost
F S U ’s g o t b i t e ! By Rakel Hjaltadóttir News Editor
What has a long snout, beady eyes, razor-sharp teeth, and scaly skin? If you guessed a freshman with bad skin in need of a dentist appointment, you were wrong. They are four-legged creatures clawing their way through the masses of identical beings, trying to get themselves better situated under a UV lamp to soak up the rays they are much more accustomed to than cold temperatures. We’re talking about alligators, and for 60 of them, the third floor of Hemenway has become their new home. Dr. Steve Dinkelacker, professor of biology, is conducting research on the alligators in order to find out what limits a species’ geographic range. “My research is designed to address how these animals cope with environmental stress - such as cold weather, ice cover, things of that nature,” Dinkelacker said. He added that the point of the research is to describe how the animals cope with different stressors and, ultimately, “under different scenarios of global warming, do we expect them to be able to move further north?” Dinkelacker has been working with alligators for four years, and this is his second year conducting research with alligators at FSU. According to Dinkelacker, no one is funding his research, but he has applied for grants through the National Science Foundation. The alligators arrived on campus after Dinkelacker himself drove to Louisiana to pick them up and then transported them back north in the back of a truck. The
animals came from a refuge and were donated by the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Initially, Dinkelacker was going to bring 70 alligators to Massachusetts, but 10 of them died on the way north from a bacterial or fungal infection. Dinkelacker said the alligators are kept in “immaculate condition. I’ve had a vet come and inspect the facility. … They’re kept in pristine shape.” The alligators are kept in three different enclosures which are supplied with filtered water, UV lighting and heat. The animals are fed a special “crocodile chow” on a regular basis, and according to Dinkelacker, the alligators’ overall health is monitored by direct observation as well as periodic weighing and measuring. He added that the goal of the research is to take the animals to their physiological limits. “Like a lot of scientific research, there will be mortality, but there will also be many that survive the experiments, and those will either be returned to Louisiana … or euthanized.” The gators make no sound, except for the occasional creepy scratching of their claws on each other’s backs as they get themselves situated in their enclosures. Either half in, half out of the water, or sunning themselves under the artificial sun, they seem to be fine under the current circumstances. If any of the alligators were to die, Dinkelacker said the corpses would be frozen and then preserved and used as study specimens for future science classes. “They’re not exactly native here, so while we have them on hand, -Continued on page 7
Senior Danielle Farmer was elected student trustee in a special election on Dec. 1. Farmer received 86 votes, sophomore Brian Kessell received 51 votes, junior Keyona Bell received 47 votes and senior Christopher Kopacko received 32 votes in the election. The student trustee position was left vacant following the resignation of Maxwell Morongiello. Kessell was appointed by SGA President Mike Long on Nov. 9, and elected by senate the same day. Kessel briefly served as student trustee before Long was informed that his appointment was unconstitutional according to Massachusetts General Law. The student trustee election was conducted through CollegiateLink. Students were able to vote using their personal computers or in the McCarthy Center Lobby. According to SGA Vice President Hannah Bruce, some students ran into problems voting on CollegiateLink. “If people were not registered on CollegiateLink with their student-given e-mail, then they couldn’t vote.” However, since SGA members were not aware of the problem until midday, they were not able to warn students about the issue. For those who were not able to vote online, SGA allowed students to fill out paper ballots. SGA Senator-at-Large Keyona Bell spoke positively about Farmer. “I’m very happy for Danielle, having been a senator with her and being on e-board with her. … She’s very passionate and very dedicated. She will be a great voice for the student body.” According to Farmer, the student trustee represents the student body of Framingham State on campus, attends trustee meetings and local and state events which showcase and advocate for public higher education. “Being student trustee isn’t working for what you do it’s working for every student,” she said. Farmer believes she will make a good student trustee because “I have done a lot, not just in SGA in the past couple years, but just on campus in general. I work with different incoming students and freshmen in CASA. I know what works best for them and what doesn’t. “I think I can relate to a lot of students. I am not an allstar. I really am a typical student. I pay for school on my own. … I’ve been here for four years, and I can really relate to a lot of students,” she said. Farmer is well acquainted with the offices on campus and the different people who “have the ability to make changes and make the decisions.” As the voice of the student body, Farmer intends to go into a problem “not demanding changes, but suggesting and trying to work through a more beneficial process.” Farmer said she is concerned about the direction Fram-Continued on page 5