The Hudsonian Fall15 Issue1

Hudsonian

THE

New season, new team, big plans page 12

OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Thehudsonian.org

Volume 68, Issue 1

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September 1st, 2015

Tuition increased $120 this year

Cost of attending the college for in-state, full-time students raised three percent By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Hudson Valley faces its first tuition increase since the 20122013 academic year after the Rensselaer County Legislature approved the college’s $110 million budget for the upcoming academic year.

“The concern to taxpayers is holding the budget line at $110 million and not burdening the students with an enormous increase in tuition. It’s on the lower

spectrum of the national average,” said Peter Grimm (D-Troy), minority leader in the Rensselaer County Legislature.

As a result of the budget, which was passed with unanimous and bipartisan approval, tuition will increase from $1,990 per semester to $2,050 per semester for full-time, in-state students.

At the budget hearing on July 14 President Andrew Matonak said that although the legislation will increase tuition, Hudson Valley’s tuition remains in the lower half of 30 SUNY community col-

Matt Whalen THE HUDSONIAN

My’Asia Alston makes Hudson Valley history By: John C. Longton III Sports Editor My’Asia Alston just signed a letter of intent to attend and play basketball at Merrimack College.

She finished the 2014-15 season a 3rd team All-American and has made a name for herself in the history books for women’s basketball here at Hudson Valley Community College.

In terms of Hudson Valley records, Alston is 1st all-time in points per game, averaging 24.1 in a season. She also holds the record for career average points per game at 21.8. She is 4th in steals in a season with 112. And she also shares the ball with 117 assists, which is 9th all-time.

As far as honors, the list is just as long as her achievements. Alston finished last season as the 5th leading scorer in the nation. This paved the way for her being selected as a 3rd team All-American. She was also 1st team All-Region and the Mountain Valley Collegiate Conference Player of the Year.

It wasn’t an easy road that Alston traveled to reach her accomplishments. In her first two years at Hudson Valley, she was academically ineligible for a season and a half, and it looked as if her basketball career might not make it to the court.

“I wasn’t really expecting to go to school at all,” said Alston. “I’ve been here three years and I didn’t play my first year because I was ineligible, and I came back and now I have a full ride scholarship.”

Alston has come a long way, making strides in and out of the classroom to earn a scholarship to Merrimack. Merrimack puts an emphasis on their scholar-athletes: over half of their athletes are on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll list.

In order to make the list, an athlete needs to have a GPA of 3.0 or above.

“My’Asia has worked hard and matured over the past three years,” said Hudson Valley women’s basketball coach Kathleen Russell.

“She is quite a leader who consistently gave 100% every day. I am so proud and excited for her as she embarks on this new journey at Merrimack College.”

Merrimack’s women’s basketball coach, Monique LeBlanc, is eager to have Alston on the team.

“We are very excited to add My’Asia to our recruiting class heading into 2015-2016,” said LeBlanc. “My’Asia will fit well in our system, as she is a guard who can push the ball and find teammates like a true PG, and also is a very good scorer.”

Continued on page 9

leges.

While tuition is increasing, the college’s operating budget has remained flat for the last three years and has increased by less than one percent over the last six years, despite rising costs and inflation.

“The fact that we’ve maintained a flat budget while we continue to have these other demands is really a testament to the college employees working as ambitious[ly] as they possibly can be,” said Matonak.

County funding for the college has increased as a result of reforming the chargeback methodology for fees a county pays for students attending a community college outside of their home county. The reform was issued more than three years ago and enacted by the 2013-14 state budget, which required SUNY and CUNY to create a uniform formula for calculating chargeback rates to “ensure equity between the local sponsor contribution per student.”

Continued on page 4

Source: Hudson Valley

Graph by Tyler McNeil

New orientation brings an increase in student retention By: Matt Whalen Editor-in-Chief

how to be successful at Hudson Valley and told them about all the services that the school offers.

The students then took a tour of the campus, guided by student leaders. Orientation ended with a presentation on how to use WIReD and register for courses, followed by student meetings with academic advisors. Students left with complete schedules for the fall 2015 semester.

Prior to this summer, Hudson Valley offered orientation for

all new students on one day.

“In the past, orientation was voluntary. We had about 1,000 students [who] would come Saturday of orientation and that was it,” Popovics said.

Since the old orientation system was not mandatory, many new students would not see any of the services the school offers or know how to get around campus until the first week of school.

For the first year of the new student orientation system, incoming matriculated student enrollment has increased four percent according to Jim Macklin, director of planning and research.

“This year, we had close to 3,000 students that attended orientation. I feel like they had Continued on page 3 a very good experience. They learned about the support services on campus and they had a tour of key places on campus that would be of assistance to them,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Development Alex Popovics.

All new students were required to attend one session of New Student Orientation. The four-hour-long sessions were offered four or five days per week every week throughout the summer.

Each session began with a presentation by campus faculty, Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN who offered the students tips on New students get a tour of campus as part of the new orientation system.

Inside News

Inside Features

Inside Sports

Student housing

Campus facts

Fall sports preview

Opening date for new housing scheduled for 2017.

Page 4

10 pieces of trivia about Hudson Valley Page 6

What to expect for the 2015 fall sports season.

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September 1st, 2015

NEWS

The Hudsonian Hudson Valley Community College 80 Vandenburgh Ave. Troy, NY 12180 Phone: 518-629-7568 Email: hudsonian@hvcc.edu Editor-in-Chief Matt Whalen Managing Editor Tyler McNeil News Editor Durgin McCue Creative Editor Jefri Nazri Sports Editor John C. Longton III Photo Editor Marison Topinio Copy Editor Andrea Currie Business Manager Pat Gareau Staff Writers Brandon Freer Sam Kobylar Staff Photographers Brandon Freer Faculty Advisor Rachel Bornn Letters to the Editor Letters can be delivered to CTR 291 or emailed to hudsonian@hvcc. edu. Readers may have their letters published anonymously as long as their identity can be verified. Letters will be edited for grammar, style, libel and length.

Editorial Policy All views expressed in this paper are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the The Hudsonian or the College.

The Hudsonian is the exclusive student newspaper of Hudson Valley Community College. It is published every week. To join The Hudsonian, attend our weekly meeting on Mondays at 2 p.m. in CTR 294.

Weather TUESDAY High/Low 89/69 WEDNESDAY High/Low 92/66 THURSDAY High/Low 91/65 FRIDAY High/Low 89/65 SATURDAY High/Low 89/64 SUNDAY High/Low 90/64

Letters to the community HUDSON VALLEY PRESIDENT Students: plan ahead, get involved and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Those are the three lessons I want to emphasize as we kick off another academic year. These messages often get mentioned at Orientation and in your College Forum class, but they bear repeating.

At Hudson Valley, we stress the concept of academic responsibility, and at the beginning of the semester all of your faculty members will let you know, up front, what is expected of you. After that, it’s up to you to keep up with coursework, assignments, studying and required reading. If you let it, it can quickly get overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to.

First, make a plan for each class and schedule time to get those tasks done. Planning makes everything easier and less stressful. Second, if you do find yourself frustrated or falling behind, take action as quickly as you can. Our Learning Assistance Center, Center for Academic Engagement and other support services are for every student, and our faculty and staff are always ready to help.

College also is a time to find new interests and maybe even some new friends. This year, we have a

built-in way to jump start that process. Our new Welcome Week Experience will help you get acquainted with your fellow students, and each club and student organization will be represented at tables in the Campus Center through the week. Also, take a look at all of our cultural and athletic events on campus this semester. Take a chance, get involved!

Finally, returning students may notice some structural changes that also deal with helping students, so I want to mention those here as well. The college has created several new offices located in the Campus Center. First, we have a new Wellness Center which houses health services and also professional licensed counselors who are available to provide personal and psychological counseling to students.

Our new Center for Careers and Transfer combines all student outcome advisement in one place. Finally, learning disability services have moved to the Center for Access and Assistive Technology.

Though the start of the school year is always busy, be sure to make some time to get familiar with the campus and all that the college has to offer.

Best of luck to all of our students! Let’s have a great semester, everyone.

Calendar of Events September

Tue 1

Academic Advisement at Albany Extension Center 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm 175 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206, USA

- President Matonak (aka Drew)

Wed 2

Welcome Week Experience: Cultural, Spiritual, Service & Wellness Wednesday 8:30 am - 1:30 pm Campus Quad

Thu 3

Welcome Week Experience: Sports Challenge Thursday 11:30 am- 7:30 pm Campus Quad

Fri 4

Welcome Week Experience: Wind-down Friday 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Marvin Library

STUDENT SENATE PRESIDENT Welcome students!

I hope you’ve enjoyed summer and are ready to get back to school.

As we begin another year, it’s a good time to consider the subject of pursuing excellence. I like the way Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley defined it: “Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better.” Pursuing excellence means pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones.

It means holding ourselves to the highest standards.

It means trying with all our might even when others give in to mediocrity. If you’re an athlete, it means laying your heart on the line every single play in

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Welcome Week Experience: Art, Science & Technology Tuesday 8:00 am – 2:00 pm Campus Quad

every single practice. If you’re an artist, it means pouring your heart into every flourish of the brush.

In academics, pursuing excellence means learning the subject beyond mere memorization to pass the test. Whatever we happen to be doing, pursuing excellence is about freeing ourselves from the peer pressure to do the bare minimum. It’s about being unafraid to be passionate about everything we do.

Let’s strive, because we know that excellence isn’t an act but a choice. A choice that we make every single day of our lives. So let’s choose today to excel.

Let’s drive ourselves to be stronger, to be smarter, to be better.

Let’s achieve excellence.

Everett McNair

Hudson Valley Community College Pavilion

7TH ANNUAL

5k

Race Away

STIGMA

Help “Race Away” the stigma that surrounds mental illness.

Race AND Fun Walk

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Race/ walk begins at 10 a.m.

Awards and post-race snacks begin at 11 a.m.

Sponsored by Hudson Valley’s Wellness Center in collaboration with:

HUDSONIAN.ORG

Mon 7

Labor Day College Closed

September 1st, 2015 From Page 1

Orientation “Only about a third of the new students were attending, and other students came on the first day of class and had to find out

NEWS

various things about the college on their own,” said Popovics.

Attendance at New Student Orientation was triple the attendance under the previous orientation system. The students, faculty, and staff who worked at orientation sessions helped make the

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new system a success.

“We can certainly take pride in knowing we all successfully contributed to a very important initiative always aimed at increasing student success,” said Orientation Coordinator Matthew Howe.

Photos by Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN

What to expect at Welcome Week A look at weeklong festivities for new and returning students

By: Durgin McCue News Editor New and returning Hudson Valley students will receive a very warm welcome this year during the first week of classes. This year’s welcome-back festivities will include free food, lawn games, and chances to learn about Hudson Valley’s offerings. Each day (Monday through Friday) will have a different theme and will feature specific departments.

Monday, Aug. 31 Monday, dubbed “Fun Day Monday,” will begin with a pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m. in the lobby of the Siek Campus Center and in the Williams Hall cafeteria. At noon, lunch will be served outside the Campus Center. On the Campus Quad, in front of the Campus Center, there will be lawn games, karaoke, and a DJ. The day will conclude with a Student Senate meeting and a baked ziti buffet from 2 to 3 p.m., open to all students.

Tuesday, Sept. 1 “Art, Science, and Technology Tuesday” will also begin with a pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m. At 11:30 a.m., the Choir Club will perform on the Campus Quad, where

food and refreshments will be available. At noon a second musical group, the TEN 27 jazz trio, will perform. Following the performances, students are welcome to enjoy many activities taking place in the quad, including caricatures, and visit the information tables for Hudson Valley’s art, science, and technology clubs. At 2 p.m. there will be yet another performance, this time by the Theatre Arts Club.

A campus-wide scavenger hunt will also begin on Tuesday at 8 a.m. It will run until Sept. 11.

Wednesday, Sept. 2 Wednesday’s theme is “Cultural, Spiritual, Service & Wellness Wednesday.” From 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., a series of activities will take place involving spirituality and wellness.

There will be meditation in the Interfaith Prayer Room in the Campus Center at 8:30 a.m., a labyrinth walk at 9:30 a.m. in the Student Pavilion in front of Hudson Hall, and a morning stretch in front of the Campus Center at 11 a.m.

From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. a BBQ chicken lunch will be served under the clock tower, and starting at noon a Latin jazz group, Sensemaya, will perform.

The college’s cultural, spiritual, and service-oriented clubs will have information tables. Students can also get balloon sculptures and other giveaways.

HUDSONIAN.ORG

Thursday, Sept. 3 “Sports Challenge Thursday” will kick off with the “Coach’s Challenge” in which students will be invited to test their skills in a basketball free throw contest. From 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. the green in front of the Campus Center will have opportunities for students to listen to music, enjoy food and beverages, and engage in athletic activities. From noon to 1:30 p.m., the rockabilly band Lustre Kings will perform. Also from noon to 1:30, students can participate in the Quarterback Challenge. From 12:30 to 1 p.m., President Drew Matonak will pitch at the Home Run Derby wiffleball competition. From 1 to 3:30 p.m. there will be open volleyball. Athletic teams and clubs will be staffing information tables.

The night will conclude with a screening of “Guardians of the Galaxy” in the Maureen Stapleton Theatre at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 4 The final day of Welcome Week, “Wind-Down Friday,” will feature a classical guitar performance by Paul Quigley starting at 10:30 a.m. and an ice cream social at 11 a.m.

Both events will take place in front of the Marvin Library.

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September 1st, 2015

NEWS

From Page 1

Tuition increase Originally planned to phase in with the 2014-15 academic year, reforms have been delayed until the fall of 2016. As of now, new chargeback rates would be five percent during the first year of the plan and gradually increase until going into full effect (100 percent) by the 2021-22 academic year.

Hudson Valley, with 70 per-

cent of its students located outside of Rensselaer County, has been projected to lose over eight percent of its chargeback revenue over the course of the decade. The college’s chargeback revenue from Albany County, which has the largest number of full-time students at Hudson Valley, increased from $4.9 million to $8.8 million between 2006 and last year.

“The change in state legislation with regard to chargeback caused us to really sit down with the county and problem-solve,” Matonak said. In 2013, the college

proposed a five-year plan with Rensselaer County to decrease the impact of the chargeback legislation while increasing sponsor contributions.

“The legislation provided us with a window of time to plan ahead,” said Dennis Kennedy, director of communications and marketing. This year, the county will contribute $4.47 million, which is $200,000 more than last year. Beyond the county, $23 million is provided by the approved budget through state aid.

Hudson Valley’s operating

budget peaked at nearly $114 million in the 2012-13 academic year, a 65 percent increase within ten years. As enrollment began to decline, the operating budget was cut nearly $4 million for the following academic year.

Rising costs have also presented new challenges to the college. “Hudson Valley has always prided itself at being at the forefront for the use of technology in our programs and for our students, and the cost of technology continues to rise,” Matonak said, addressing the challenge of mak-

ing upgraded technology available at the college.

Over the last several years, the college has cut back on professional development activities, travel, has left vacant positions open rather than filling them, and cut the hours of adjunct faculty.

“The college has taken steps to strengthen their finances and due to those actions the county will continue to increase its support of the college’s operations,” said County Executive Kathleen Jimino in a statement.

Student housing now expected in 2017 Opening date of Ironworks pushed another year. Demolition expected later this month

By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Graduates of Hudson Valley’s class of 2017 may never see student housing on campus, despite posted signs indicating its opening next fall.

The over $20 million project, originally scheduled to open in fall 2016, will be delayed another year or more, according to Alexander Popovics, vice president for enrollment management and student development. “There will be no residence hall in 2016. That is definite,” he said.

Popovics said that Omni Housing Development, in coordination with Sequence Development, is still looking to finance the project. Popovics added that the first phase of the project, which includes asbestos abatement and demolition of the Hy Rosenblum building, could start as early as this month. The first phase is scheduled to take up to three months, and construction of the site is now planned for spring 2016.

“Generally, these types of properties are not suited for mid-year opening and lease-ups, so it was decided to delay the construction start to reflect a fall 2017 opening,” said Tim O’Byrne, project manager at Omni Housing, a division of Omni Development, in an email. He said that design changes for the project have delayed construction, which will be done by U.W Marx Construction Company.

The first phase of the project, originally scheduled for winter break last year, was delayed and pushed back several times last spring. “The initial construction estimates came in higher than expected, which required us to make some changes to the building design and functionality,” O’Byrne said.

During winter break, Troy’s Industrial Development Authority approved a $7.3 million payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) for the project. The college will pay about $1 million in PILOT payments.

The concept of Hudson Valley residence halls has been in the works for over a decade.

In 2007, a Student Housing Economic Feasibility study by MGT of America contracted by the Faculty Student Association concluded that housing could increase enrollment 83 percent in the first year.

Rosenblum building On June 13, 2013, the college issued a Request for Proposal for companies to submit plans to use the Hy Rosenblum property for student housing. The project was ultimately awarded to Omni and Sequence in a single proposal.

Despite concerns from local residents regarding construction, traffic, neighborhood stability and preservation of a 19th-century cemetery located nearby, the Troy Planning Commission approved the site plan for student hous-

Tyler McNeil THE HUDSONIAN ing last September.

When opened in 2017, the complex is expected to include 328 beds ($655 monthly rent per person for a four-bedroom apartment and $745 monthly rent per person for a two-bedroom apartment), 160 parking spaces, exercise rooms, common lounge areas and round-theclock security.

Wellness Center opens in the Campus Center New department welcomes students for counseling and health services

By: Jefri Nazri Creative Editor New opportunities for positive changes have opened up in Suite 270 of the Siek Campus Center, which now houses the Wellness Center, which provides health services and personal and psychological counseling.

“Counseling and mental health counseling is vital. College years [are] the time when many individuals will perhaps experience their first psychological crisis like depression or anxiety,” said Executive Director of Student Development and Wellness Kelly Sweener.

“By looking at mental health and psychological health the same way we look at physical health and wellness, we can marry those two services so that we can function as a holistic wellness center,” Sweener continued.

“Now that we have the centralized location under one umbrella, it will allow us to better serve our students and there will be more efficiency with treatment,” said Sweener.

“Sometimes when students present with physical illnesses, there could be a more behavioral health component … lifestyle choices, diet, sleep, all of the

things that may get destructive when you are a college student, especially when it comes to trying to balance work, part-time jobs, family demands, and school,” she said. With this recent change, health and wellness outreach programs are further being developed, including Project Aware, a peer education and community awareness program.

Sweener said, “The program has been coordinated through the recruitment of students through our Human Services department, because there’s a natural tie-in there. The students who are in that program are in the ‘helping field.’ They get a credit for their initial placement course that counts as placement experience.”

“We call them Student Health

Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN Students get a feel for the new Wellness Center now located in the Campus Center.

HUDSONIAN.ORG

Ambassadors or Wellness Health Educators, and they are basically students who are helping the counseling center deliver healthy and positive messages to peers and college students,” Sweener said.

Activities such as yoga, tai chi, nutrition workshops, and cooking demonstrations may be held at the Wellness Center. “We are looking to see if we can utilize the space for these programs,” said Sweener. “Studies have shown that some of these Eastern approaches to mind, body, and mediation may help really ground someone and also promote health wellness.”

Sweener continued, “We’re hoping to partner with Cylon George, the campus chaplain, and Jake Silvestri, who oversees our Health and Wellness Institute, to deliver these workshops. We have a lot of ideas, and we hope students are going to take advantage of that.”

September 1st, 2015

NEWS

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JP Morgan Chase grant awards $230,000 to mechatronics program By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor A new engineering program received a nearly quarter-million-dollar welcome to Hudson Valley this summer from one of the nation’s largest banks.

The $230,000 grant by JP Morgan Chase supports the construction of a new mechatronics laboratory facility at TECSMART in Malta. Construction for the lab is expected to begin later this month.

“They heard of [the mechatronics program] and they saw what we were doing in Malta, so they thought it would be a good opportunity to have an offering that would produce employees,” said Phil White, dean of Hudson Valley’s School of Business, School of Engineering and Industrial Technologies.

The new program is one of four STEM career pathways Early College High School students at TEC-SMART can take. The others are computer science, clean energy, and entrepreneurship.

“The funding for a mechatronics lab provided by JPMorgan Chase and Hudson Valley’s commitment to develop a lab at TECSMART will further enable our students to pursue a career pathway that leads to employment with one of our program sponsors right here in the region,” said Joseph Dragone, superintendent of the Ballston Spa Central School District, in an email.

Graduates can expect to make starting salaries of $25 per hour, or $49,500 per year. Students graduating from the program can apply mechatronics in automotive, medical and aero-

Leaders from JP Morgan Chase and Hudson Valley present a $230,000 grant at TEC-SMART. space industries. “A lot of manufacturers are looking for [...] skills that cross disciplines. They need someone with multiple skills and the ability to problem-solve around all these different areas,” said Penny Hill, associate dean at TEC-SMART. “In the way industry is moving and what they’re looking for their employers to have, Mechatronics is fitting the bill,” said White. The program was approved by the Board of Trustees as early as 2013 and was introduced to Hudson Valley’s fall program

schedule this January.

According to White, the program was driven by faculty in the Electrical Construction and Maintenance department, which has worked in conjunction with SUNY Delhi. Once Delhi’s bachelor’s degree program is approved

by SUNY and the State Education Department, the mechatronics program’s credits will be fully transferable to the Delhi program.

Currently, 18 students on the Troy campus are enrolled in the program to support “controlled growth” of the new major. Un-

like TEC-SMART, the main campus already has laboratory space available, in Williams Hall, to host the new program.

Although neighboring schools such as Schenectady County Community College have a certificate program for mechatronics, Hudson Valley is currently the only school in the region to offer a two-year associate degree for the advanced manufacturing program.

“We were going forward with mechatronics either way. This

Courtesy of Hudson Valley presented us with a new opportunity when JP Morgan Chase came to us,” said Dennis Kennedy, director of communications and marketing. The grant is part of JPMorgan Chase’s “Commitment to New York State,” which also includes grants allocating $220,000 to Onondaga Community College, $320,000 to Monroe Community College, and $230,000 to SUNY Buffalo. Along with the mechatronics program, investments made by JPMorgan Chase largely fund regional manufacturing programs.

Red-bearded activist running for Troy City Council By: Brandon Freer Staff Writer Democrat Anasha Cummings is hoping to be elected to the Troy City Council this November, and he is running an unconventional campaign.

In an effort to make himself more approachable and relatable, throughout his campaign Cummings has released a series of whimsical, yet informative videos that are full of pop culture references. With an appearance that could only be described as a redhaired version of Hagrid from the Harry Potter movies, Cummings has used the image of his red beard to market his campaign.

In keeping with his Hagrid-like appearance, Cummings advocates for eating chocolate to “keep the Dementors away.”

Cummings came to Troy in 2008 to attend RPI, where he studied Design, Innovation and Society. Since then he has been involved in numerous efforts for the city to convert to various forms

of renewable energy, saying, “Not only are they better for the environment, but they also drastically reduce the cost of living,” and, “Cities like Troy were built on hydro power. It’s time to see us return to that.”

“There are very few national issues that cannot be solved on the local level. However, local politics can be rather intimidating,” Cummings said. In an effort to resolve this issue, he plans to make information more accessible to potential voters via the Internet.

He is also working on launching an app for the same purpose.

“Municipalities need to modernize,” he said.

Political activism is very important to Cummings’s campaign, and he has registered over 100 voters since his campaign began. He said, “Local government, like any government, only works when its citizens are politically active and aware.”

To learn more about Cummings and his campaign, visit his website at anashaest.com.

Brandon Freer THE HUDSONIAN Anasha Cummings stands in front of the Troy Atrium with a red-bearded Uncle Sam.

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FEATURES

HUDSONIAN.ORG

September 1st, 2015

September 1st, 2015 PERSPECTIVE

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COMMENTARY

Beyond Bold. Beyond Vikings.

By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Over two years ago, all over social media, I saw a parade of acceptance letters from fancy schools with housing, somewhat stereotyped progressive activism and massive halls that could rival the Parthenon (and the debt of Greece). I barely accepted the fact I was just going down 787 to a community college that didn’t have bachelor’s degrees or even spring break.

A friend of mine was accepted to Colgate University. I put their alma mater on my toothbrush twice a day. I was still embarrassed that I was going to Hudson Valley. I was naïve, uncomfortable and pretty much everything you would expect from an 18-year-old teenager who graduated high school in a class of about 60 students.

When I went to orientation, I felt like I didn’t belong here. I told myself, “C’mon Tyler, you’re better than this.”

When family and friends asked me where I was going to school, I changed the subject to exciting subjects like the weather or the harvesting of rare and endangered oysters.

I came to Hudson Valley looking for my cap and gown.

It was like my first day of kindergarten. The first week kind of sucked. But don’t worry – this isn’t a sob story.

I was an introverted kid who “never tried” in high school. I made a promise to myself that whether I was at Hudson Valley or Princeton, I would take advantage of this time to reinvent myself. And I did.

Here’s where this story really begins to change.

Around my third week at Hudson Valley, an editor entered my journalism class and spoke of opportunities available at the student newspaper that were surreal. As a skeptic, news junkie and hungry college student, I had to check it out.

As you can see, here I am writing this piece for The Hudsonian, so the story continues for one more year. I won’t go on about how great of an experience this paper had been (although I’d love to), but I can speak from experience: for those arriving this year, this college can be one hell of a new beginning. From campus clubs to athletics, you have the opportunity to make a very real difference on campus.

You have to see that difference for yourself. I have struggled balancing my life on campus sandwiched between jobs, academics, and occasionally relationships, but

it has been worth it.

Whatever path you take this year, I hope you rest your head happily each night intent on getting up for more in the morning. While you’re at it, tell us your story, because that’s our thing at The Hudsonian.

Follow us:

Lauren Sears ’15, Communications Concentration in Journalism, Minor in Business, Associate Producer/Assignment Editor with Time Warner Cable Capital Region

MAKE YOUR CREDITS COUNT Transferring to Saint Rose was the best decision I have ever made. My academic experience was demanding in the greatest way possible, and my professors pushed me to be the best journalist I could be.

Why transfer to The College of Saint Rose?

Saint Rose accepts up to 70 credits earned at two-year colleges and up to 90 credits from four-year colleges. Plus, the College has several articulation agreements with Hudson Valley Community College which plan and sequence coursework to easily transfer into pre-selected majors without loss of credits. Merit Awards range from $8,500-$14,500 and PTK scholarships are available (all accepted transfer students receive a merit scholarship).

Our goal is simple: to help you achieve yours. To transfer, contact us at 1-800-637-8556 ext. 1 or admit@strose.edu.

WWW.STROSE.EDU/TRANSFER

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Commentary

September 1st, 2015

What I did this summer: Working at New Student Orientation By: Andrea Currie Copy Editor At the end of every New Student Orientation, one of the student workers tries to catch people before they leave and cajole them into taking a short survey about the experience. Whenever I do it, my pitch goes something like this: “Before you leave, would you mind taking a quick survey about orientation? This is the first year we’ve done it, and we’re looking for feedback, stuff we did well, stuff we need to work on.”

Usually they agree, but if they don’t, I mention that there’s a free T-shirt in it for them, and that takes care of most of the rest.

I don’t know how much they realize that they’re guinea pigs for the college, or how much it means to us when they spontaneously compliment us on the surveys, or that we take those circled “strongly agree”s to heart, as evidence that we’re doing something right.

I didn’t have a New Student Orientation before I started at Hudson Valley. My orientation was entirely self-directed: I decided what program to enroll in, I

emailed and made appointments to speak with several professors in the department, I figured out how to sign up for classes and how to get the certificate of residence and how to submit all the proper paperwork. And on my first day of classes, when I realized ten minutes into my first lecture that I had picked the wrong major, I found the department chair of the program I should have enrolled in, walked into her office, introduced myself, and asked for help.

New Student Orientation streamlines this process immensely. All admitted students are now required to attend one of the four-hour sessions, and while four hours is certainly a big chunk of time, the college packs a lot into it: new students fill out a Student Activity Interest Form, indicating which clubs and activities they might like to participate in, and the college puts them in touch with the heads of the clubs they select. Then they sit through a presentation about the basics of attending Hudson Valley: the cost savings, the academics, the college policies on everything from assault to plagiarism, the many

opportunities to get help and where to find it.

After that, we lead them on a tour of arguably the three most important buildings on campus: the Marvin Library, Guenther Enrollment Services Center, and the Siek Campus Center. Most students take the tour in silence, occasionally texting someone or making a comment to a friend, but sometimes there are questions. I can answer almost all of them now (yes, the college has a fitness center open to students; yes, you can print from your laptop; no, we don’t have a meal plan per se, but you can put credit on your student ID to use at Dining Services).

After the tour comes the most tedious but possibly the most useful part of the day: learning how to use WIReD. It’s a clunky system, and I’ve never really liked using it, though I concede that it does store a lot of useful information. But having to explain certain quirks and gaps over and over again has made me hyper-aware of its failings: you can’t filter out closed sections of a course when you’re looking for

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a section to enroll in. You have to click on “Advanced Search” every single time you want to look for a specific course. There’s no quick way to switch between searching for courses and looking at your current schedule (though a few enterprising new students taught me that you can have two different tabs open, and refresh them accordingly).

Finally, advisors talk to the new students one-on-one and help them pick courses for their first semester at the college, then help them enroll. Student orientation workers like me remain on hand throughout the process, answering questions about times, sections, dates, and what the heck R stands for (borrowing a joke from my first alma mater, I tell people, “R is Thursday. It’s Rursday”).

Many students are coming straight from high school and intend to follow a simple progression: attend Hudson Valley fulltime for two years, then graduate and either go to work or transfer to a four-year school. Others are returning students my age or older. Some bring their young chil-

dren with them to orientation.

Some are single parents and need to be home by a certain time each day so they can pick their kids up from school. Others work parttime or full-time, and want classes only on certain days or at certain times, or only online.

When they’re done, we ask them to fill out a survey before they leave, letting us know how we did. For most of the summer, we said goodbye by wishing them a great summer and telling them we’d see them in the fall, but lately it’s been, “Enjoy the rest of your summer!” and, finally, “See you next week!”

Do they know everything they need to? Probably not—they had a lot of information thrown at them during orientation. But hopefully they know enough: where the learning centers are, how to navigate the nightmare parking situation the first couple weeks of the semester, how important and useful their student IDs are, that the computer lab in the Campus Center is always open. And that if they ever have a question, all they need to do is ask.

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From Page 1

My’Asia Alston is going to a team that finished third in the Northeast Division. She also brings a point per game average that almost doubles anyone else’s on the team.

“I’m excited and happy. I can’t wait to go,” sail Alston. She also feels a little nervous about taking the next step. “I’ve never been away from home before. It’s going to be interesting.”

Alston has played basketball most of her life, and her whole family bonds around the sport.

“Ever since I was younger, I’ve played with my Dad growing up.

It’s a part of my life. Everyone in my family plays basketball.”

When Alston visited Merrimack, it left a major impression.

“I loved it. The team was really supportive and took me in,” said Alston. “I was really nervous going there, and they were very comforting.”

Alston left her mark at Hudson Valley and looks to carry that same success to the next level. She plays in the same conference as St. Rose, so there’s a good chance we will be able to see her showcase her talents again in the Albany area.

SOFTBALL

By: John C. Longton III Sports Editor While we were away, the Hudson Valley Women’s softball team placed third in the nation and had a season for the ages.

The softball team lost to division rival Herkimer 8-3 in Rochester, Minnesota, on May 16, ending a run that no other Hudson Valley softball team has reached.

They finished with a 14-1 home record and a 7-2 away record. The team posted a 22-5 record on the season, dropping five games total, four of which were at the hands of division rival Herkimer Generals, who placed second in the nation.

The Vikings got off to a fast start last year, winning their first 14 games of the season and setting the tone for a historic run.

They finished the season third in the nation in both batting average and stolen bases. Other schools, like Clinton and Fulton-Montgomery, had games that were rained out and refused to reschedule the red-hot Viking team.

In regionals, the Vikings beat Genesee in two out of three games to advance to the national tournament in Rochester, Minnesota.

In Rochester, they won their first game against the #3-ranked Cumberland 15-9 in extra innings. In the second game they lost to the #2-ranked Herkimer Generals 4-5, which sent them to the loser bracket. From there they won their next two games against #5 Brookdale (3-2) and #4 St. Cloud (2-1). Those two wins propelled

Courtesy of hvcc.edu My’Asia Alston (center) signs a letter of intent to play with Merrimack College on July 20.

Vikings place 3rd in the nation them to the semifinal game, where they would face off against the pesky Generals. They lost 3-8, which ended their season.

Chris Mazzeo is entering his 4th season as head coach of the Vikings and has seen his team progress every season he’s been on the staff. In his first year coaching, the softball team posted a record of 8-12. The following year the team won three more games, with a 11-6 record. This past year the Vikings went 22-5 and finished third in the nation. This year, Mazzeo says his goal is to “win the national championship.” He said, “Second place is not an option this year.”

“We’re still a young program.

I think we’ve progressed pretty fast,” said Mazzeo. “Probably the second-best season in Hudson Valley history happened in my third year.”

Mazzeo played baseball at Matt Whalen THE HUDSONIAN Southern Vermont, where he beThe Vikings enjoyed playing at home, where they went 11-0 and ended the season 22-5 placing 3rd in nationals. came a hitting coach. After that, he transitioned into softball, which he coached for seven years part of the softball team’s success, “I expect to go to nationals The softball team here at at Heatly, a K-12 school in Green and a lot of his players believe that and hopefully come back with a Hudson Valley embodies what it Island, New York. From there he last year’s team was the best team win this year,” said Fenton. The really means to be a Viking. With took a job at Averill Park, where chemistry they’ve ever had. team has five incoming pitchers many different backgrounds comhe turned around a team that had “This is one of the best for her to work with this year, ver- ing together, they found a way to only won a couple games in a few teams I’ve ever played on chem- sus the two they played with last get the job done and put our colyears. When he left Averill Park, istry-wise,” said catcher Shelby year. lege in the national spotlight. For he gave hitting lessons and got the Fenton, from Catholic Central.

The consensus for the players this year and years to come, the job at Hudson Valley. The rest is Shelby was a freshman last year and the coaching staff is to build sky’s the limit with the philosohistory. and is returning to the team. She off last year and use that as mo- phy of team chemistry, “buying Mazzeo has focused on re- started playing softball at the age mentum to make another run at into the system,” and playing the cruiting local talent that fits his of 6, and it shows. This past year a National Championship this game the right way. system. This past year was his first she hit .482 with 27 RBIs. Fenton upcoming season. There is a new year that he believes he acquired plans to play at the next school culture surrounding the softball local players that “buy into” his she goes to but is currently not program at Hudson Valley, and it system. Team chemistry is a big looking past the next season. looks like it’s here to stay.

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Photos by Matt Whalen THE HUDSONIAN

By: Matt Whalen Editor-in-Chief

Fall Sports Preview

Tennis

Soccer

The tennis team went 7-0 during the regular season in 2014.

They made it to the regional tournament placing 2 out of 5. They went to nationals where they finished 6 out of 9.

Last year’s most valuable player, on the team was Danielle Behunin. Behunin was a freshman and served as the #3 singles player where she earned All-Conference honors. Behunin will be back this season.

The following dates are the tennis teams home games this season.

- 09/05/2015 vs. Onondaga - 09/08/2015 vs. Herkimer - 09/10/2015 vs. Mohawk - 09/17/2015 vs. Broome - 09/22/2015 vs. Delhi

Mens: The men’s soccer team has alread begun the season 1-1. They participated in the Northeast Cup where they split games, loosing to Brookdale 2-1 and defeating Holyoke 4-0.

The team went 6-8-1 last season and look to be stronger this year.

Women’s: The women’s soccer team also begam the season playing in the Northeast Cup. The women defeated both opponents to start off the season 2-0. The team had one of their best years last season upsetting several top 10 teams making it to the Regional Finals.

The team was ranked #9 in the preseason poll and hope to make it to nationals this year.

Cross country The cross country team looks for a strong year gaining more runners this season in hopes of placing higher this season.

The Women’s MVP last season was Rosalie Osberg, who has run for Hudson Valley for the past two seasons. She recorded her personal best 5k race with a finsih time of 21 minutes, 2 seconds.

The men’s MVP was Ryan Kohlenberger. Ryan completed his first season and competed in all eight meets last year. Ryan improved his race time last season by 3 minutes and 22 seconds.

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Volleyball

Football

The volleyball team looks to rebound from last season. The team went 6-18 last season struggling in many tough competitions.

The team started off this season strong with a win agains Paul Smiths to take them to 1-0.

The following dates are home games this season for the team.

The football team looks to get ahead early and repeat a record season last year.

The team finished last year 8-2, making it to their first bowl game since 2003.

Many recruits came wanting to play for the team this season after all the success last year. The team started off with about 250 players trying out for a spot on this years team.

Last years MVP was Ashton McKenzie. Ashton finished his career with 18 sacks, and 11 last season to put him in the top 10 nationally.

The team starts off their bid to another bowl game, away against Utica JV on Sept. 9.

- 09/16/2015 Fulton-Mont.

- 09/23/2015 Columbia-Gr. - 09/28/2015 Mohawk - 10/17/2015 HVCC POD

September 1st, 2015

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NFL PREVIEW

PREVIEW

AFC EAST

SPORTS

PICKS BY JOHN C. LONGTON III / SPORTS EDITOR

TOP 2

1st: New England Patriots. The Patriots’ dominance of the AFC East will continue for at least another year. They suffered key losses on the defensive side of the ball losing Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Vince Wilfork (all pro bowlers). But expect Bill Belichick and Tom Brady to find a way like they always do.

Prediction; 11-5 2nd: Miami Dolphins. For the second year in a row the Dolphins have made a huge splash in free agency acquiring Ndamukong Suh and revamping their receiving core adding Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and drafting DeVante Parker in the 1st round. Expect the Fins to turn some heads this year. Prediction; 10-6

AFC NORTH

TOP 2

1st: Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have offensive weapons that can carry them far into the postseason. The only problem is they keep getting suspended for various reasons. That being said paired with a tough schedule I have them barely winning a packed AFC North. Prediction; 9-7 2nd: Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals have enough talent to go toe to toe with any team in the NFL. Only problem they haven’t been able to put it all together losing four wildcard playoff game in a row. Could this be the year where Andy Dalton shows he’s an elite quarterback? Prediction; 9-7

AFC SOUTH

TOP 2

1st: Indianapolis Colts. The Colts are going to get out to a fast start, as they only face one 2014 playoff team in their first 7 weeks. With the addition of all-pros Frank Gore and Andre Johnson the Colts add depth to an already great offense. This could be the year where Andrew Luck makes a Super Bowl run. Prediction; 13-3 2nd: Houston Texans. The Texans paid J.J. Watt over $100 million and if they want to improve they should make him play both sides of the ball. Arian Foster is sidelined with a groin injury and might be out until week 4. They need him sooner rather than later if they have any shot of breaking .500. Prediction; 6-10

AFC WEST

TOP 2

1st: Denver Broncos. John Elway seems to have the Broncos in a rebuilding mode despite the fact that this looks like it could be Peyton Manning’s last season.

With that being said they’re still going to win some games, but won’t ever look as good as the team that made the Super Bowl just two years ago. Prediction; 10-6

2nd: San Diego Chargers. Everyone in San Diego has been waiting for the Chargers to take that next step and really become a contender in this league. The edition of Melvin Gordon could give the Charger offense another dynamic that could get them over the hump. I wouldn’t really expect that to happen. Prediction; 9-7

NFC EAST

TOP 2

1st: Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys offense suffered a huge blow when Demarco Murray chose to sign with the Eagles during free agency. Luckily most of his success was due in large part to the Cowboys having on of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Look for whoever fills his spot to have similar numbers. Prediction; 12-4 2nd: Philadelphia Eagles. Chip Kelly is either a genius or a moron. So far he looks like a genius, but this year will prove if he’s meant to stay in the NFL. With the addition of Sam Bradford and Demarco Murray this offense has the potential to be in the top 5 of the league. Time will tell. Prediction; 10-6

NFC NORTH

TOP 2

1st: Green Bay Packers. The Packers were one play away from representing the NFC in the Super Bowl last year. This left a bad taste in Packers fans mouths everywhere. Even with the loss of Jordy Nelson look for the Packers to rebound and make a Super Bowl run. Aaron Rodgers will show the league it doesn’t matter who he’s throwing to. Prediction; 14-2 2nd: Detroit Lions. The Lions suffered a major loss this offseason when Ndomukong Suh and Nick Farley signed with other teams during free agency. They have enough talent on offense to get them by, but they did take a step back from last year. Look for the Lions to barely squeak into the playoffs. Prediction; 10-6

NFC SOUTH

TOP 2

1st: New Orleans Saints. The Saint had a down year in 2014 and so did the NFC South. They missed the playoffs by a half game to the Panthers. This year look for the Saints to rebound and represent the NFC South with a winning record. Watch for Mark Ingram to take on a higher role in this offense and find success.

Prediction; 10-6 2nd: Carolina Panthers. The Panthers suffered a crucial loss early in the pre-season when their star receiver Kelvin Benjamin tore his ACL and will miss the 2015 season. The Panther’s defense will keep them in the playoff hunt until the end of the season. Look for Ted Ginn Jr. to have a resurgence this year. Prediction; 9-7

NFC WEST

TOP 2

1st: Arizona Cardinals. Carson Palmer’s season was cut short last year due to a torn ACL. At that point in the season Palmer had 11 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Andre Ellington also looks poised to have a big year and these two have a shot to go deep into the playoffs. If they stay healthy they win the division.

Prediction; 11-5 2nd: Seattle Seahawks. The last play in the Super Bowl will haunt the Seahawks forever, but they need to put it behind them and focus on the season at hand if they want to get back to where they were. With the edition of Jimmy Graham it gives Russell Wilson a big target in the redzone. Look for them to take full advantage of that. Prediction; 11-5

SUPERBOWL

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September 1st, 2015

SPORTS

Football looks to rebound after Salt City Bowl Vikings look to come back stronger eight months after bowl game loss

By: Sam Kobylar Staff Writer After finishing with an 8-2 record and appearing in a bowl game last season, the Vikings are looking to do even more this year.

Even though the Vikings had a strong season overall last year, they ended on a bad note, as they got blown out by Hutchinson Community College in the Salt City Bowl last December with a final score of 52-7. It was Hudson Valley’s third bowl game appearance in school history and their first since 2003.

Vikings 5th-year head coach Mike Muehling said, “It was great to make a bowl game, but then we went out there and kind of got put into our place and got beat pretty soundly. Some guys returning from that team aren’t satisfied with making a bowl game because they want to win a bowl game, but we didn’t come anywhere close to that. So the focus right now is not to make a bowl game, the focus right now is on winning a bowl game.”

Muehling also said, “I think the good thing is that they are not satisfied with what happened. They don’t look back and say we were a great team, because unfortunately the way the season ended, we went out losing two games, and I think that left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. They have a lot to prove that they can run with some of the best teams in the country, and that’s what we are out to do.”

This year’s Viking team has a lot of players returning from last year’s team.

“We had two offensive lineman come back. We have some really key wide receivers in Craig Hardgers and Antonie Montgomery. We have our starting quarterback coming back from last year and another quarterback from last year. We have some guys defensively that are going to play and coming back. So we have a couple guys at each level of position that are coming back, and that is a good thing for us,” said Muehling.

The head coach had a tough job going into the season. He had more than 200 players try out for the team, and he had to get that number down to around 100 before the start of the regular season, which is in 2 weeks.

“We put about 210 through drills, through testing. We were able to get it down to right around 120 right now. We will probably carry around 100 going into the season,” said Muehling.

The coach also has to make sure all of his players are ready for game day and get them prepared in practice during the week.

“We do a lot of different drills. … We do part of game-like situations during practice, and there will be times during practice where we do whole-game situations. So we try to hit a lot of different situations over the course of the week in practice,” said Muehling.

The Vikings hope that all that hard practice will pay off this season, as they look to win their first bowl game in school history after falling just one game short of that last season.

Hudson Valley football will have one more scrimmage game at RPI on Friday at 5 p.m. before their regular season opener at Utica JV on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 4:30 p.m.

Photo by Matt Whalen THE HUDSONIAN

Regular Season GAMES Sunday Sept. 6th @ Utica JV (4:30 p.m.)

Saturday Sept. 12th vs. Lackawana (2 p.m.)

Saturday Sept. 19th vs. Dean (1 p.m.)

Saturday Sept. 26th @ Erie (12 p.m.)

Friday Oct. 4rd vs. East Coast Prep (1 p.m.)

Saturay Oct. 10th vs. Monroe (1 p.m.)

Sunday Oct. 24th vs. ASA (1:30 p.m.)

Saturday Oct. 31st vs. Navy Prep (12 p.m.)

(Home games in bold)

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