Hudsonian
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Danielle Behunin leads team to regionals Page 11
OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Thehudsonian.org
Volume 68, Issue 6
FREE Extra Copies 25 cents
October 6th, 2015
Emma Dillon hopes to bring girl power to the ballot Community activist with family ties in the senate looks to secure top freshman seat
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN Emma Dillon, who hopes to be Freshman Class President, next to the eye.
By: Matt Whalen Editor-in-Chief
By: Rebecca Jordan Staff Writer Two years after the implementation of Hudson Valley’s tobacco-free campus policy, smokers can still be seen on college grounds. According to a study of SUNY colleges conducted by the American Cancer Society, Hudson Valley has received an
“A” grade due to its tobacco-free policy on campus. The code bans cigarettes and tobacco in all of its forms, including e-Cigarettes, chew and tobacco-flavored products. Hudson Valley’s policy was created in response to a resolution passed in 2012 by SUNY administration expressing that all SUNY campuses should be tobacco-free by January 1, 2014.
At the time, SUNY was pursuing legislation to require colleges be in compliance with the resolution, though no such laws have been passed yet. Since then, according to the 2015 NYS Dean’s List of Tobacco-Free Colleges, over 4 out of 10 New York colleges now prohibit smoking on campus. Continued on page 5 Matt Whalen THE HUDSONIAN
Students question national problems in Oregon shooting aftermath
Being the only woman in the race for freshman class president as of yet, Emma Dillon looks to gain an edge against the competition. “I see it as an advantage because I will be the only girl on the ballot. So far, I am running against four guys who have signed up,” she said. Throughout the past week, Dillon made her way around the campus engaging with other students and getting the signatures she needed to run for Freshman Class President. “I think it’s been a really good experience because it has got me out of my comfort zone and now it’s just routine. I got to go up to a lot of people and meet new people who I wouldn’t of got to meet without doing this,” she said. She is the sister of the Student Senate Treasurer Josiah Dillon. Although they are siblings, Dillon said that Josiah has never
By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor In the aftermath of a deadly community college shooting last Thursday that left nine dead, students opened up about the impact of gun violence affecting the nation and themselves. “I’m just waiting for the next one to happen, hoping it’s not here,” said Ryan Krupa, individual studies student. The Umpqua Community College shooting marked the 142nd school shooting (including gun discharges and shootings where no one was
forced her to run for a senate position but has been very supportive in anything she does. “I knew about student senate through my brother, but when I heard about the opportunity to become freshman class president I jumped on it,” she said. Throughout high school and at Hudson Valley, Dillon has made an effort to volunteer and be a part of the community and the school. “I’ve done a lot of volunteer work with student senate. I volunteered during welcome back week and that is what sparked my interest in student senate,” she said. Along with her volunteer work, Dillon has also contributed at Relay For Life and is currently working on starting a charitable organization with Student Senate Secretary Brody O’Connor called “The Sock Drawer,” which helps collect brand new packages of socks, underwear, and t-shirts for the students and community in order to keep them warm over the winter. Continued on page 6
harmed) since Adam Lanza fatally shot 26 people at Sandy Hook elementary school in 2012. Six community colleges have been the subject of shootings since the Sandy Hook massacre. “It’s very tragic that you can’t feel safe at school,” said Nile Lynch, physical education student. “Seeing that across the country, I wasn’t shocked but it did alarm something in my brain that something does need to be done,” said Emanuel Babb, liberal arts student. In President Obama’s speech following the massacre, he mentioned that mass shootings have become “routine.” Continued on page 3
Inside News
Inside Features
Inside Sports
Heroin forum
Pick-up football
Football
Leaders discuss heroin epidemic on campus. Page 5
Students tackling their free time on the campus lawn. Page 7
Vikings defend home field. Page 10
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October 6th, 2015
NEWS
The Hudsonian Hudson Valley Community College 80 Vandenburgh Ave. Troy, NY 12180 Phone: 518-629-7568 Email: hudsonian@hvcc.edu
Hudson Valley taken off accreditation warning By: Rebecca Jordan Staff Writer
Editor-in-Chief Matt Whalen Managing Editor Tyler McNeil News Editor Durgin McCue Sports Editor John C. Longton III Photo Editor Marison Topinio Copy Editor Pat Gareau Staff Writers Chris Payne Jenny Caulfield Rebecca Jordan Sam Kobylar Staff Photographers Michael Bryant 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 ADM 107.
Weather
TUESDAY High/Low 68/46
After being warned last year that Hudson Valley was not in compliance with accreditation regulations, the college’s accreditation is once again secure. The federal government requires colleges to be accredited in order to be able to receive any federal funds. In practical terms, this means that loss of accreditation cuts off funding for financial aid, work study, federal grants, and anything else that is financed by the federal government. According to Michael Green. Vice President for Technology, Institutional Assessment and Planning, “If you lose your accreditation, you are basically closing your doors.” In addition, student degrees essentially become worthless as other universities will not accept transfer credit from a school without accredited degree programs. Also, federal licensing bodies for nurses, doctors, and lawyers will not allow students with degrees from unaccredited institutions to take their licensing exams. Hudson Valley has its accreditation through the Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE), which is the regional accreditor for the New York area and surrounding states. MSCHE is one of 6 regional accreditors across the nation divided by geographical regions. In order to remain in good standing with MSCHE, member institutions are reviewed every 10 years, with smaller evaluations occurring every five years. When
Hudson Valley was required to go through this reaccreditation process in 2014, MSCHE required that colleges meet 14 standards of excellence that included areas such as Resource Allocation and Student Admissions and Retention. First, college administration had to prepare a massive selfstudy for MSCHE to evaluate how the university was meeting each of those 14 guidelines. Following the acceptance of the self-study report, a team of 8 officials from neighboring institutions came and conducted a 3-day peer review that included interviews of college faculty and students and an assessment of college services. After the dust had settled, the MSCHE team gave its report; Hudson Valley was perfectly in compliance with all but one of the 14 standards: Institutional Assessment. According to Dr. Green, “It’s not at all unusual to be found to still need some work on that particular area. It was one that we as an institution had already identified as something that we needed to work on, and had already begun to do the work.” In simple terms, Institutional Assessment forces a college to look inward and be performing continual self-evaluation. When a problem is identified on campus, the college goes through a process of collecting data, creating a solution, and allocating resources toward the resolution of the problem. “Basically, [Institutional Assessment] is constant improvement,” said Dr. Green. Fortunately, accreditation agencies give out a series of warn-
WEDNESDAY High/Low 70/49
ings before yanking a university’s certifications and allow institutions to remain fully accredited while on warning. In June 2014, Hudson Valley was officially “put on warning” and informed that it had two years to both work its way back into compliance with MSCHE guidelines and provide supporting documentation that it had done so. In response to MSCHE instructions, Hudson Valley created the Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness Committee. Administration set a goal to get the college taken off warning in one year instead of two, and in March 2015, they submitted a monitoring report to prove the college was once again in compliance with Institutional Assessment. A smaller team from MSCHE came to review the college and recommended that Hudson Valley be taken off warning. This past June, MSCHE officially voted to reaffirm Hudson Valley’s accreditation, provided that the college provide another monitoring report to MSCHE by Mar. 1, 2016 to ensure that it “keeps up the good work.” Dr. Green says this second monitoring report is required to ensure that once colleges fix their issues, they do not let themselves slip until their next five-year review, which, for Hudson Valley, will be in 2019. “Our plan, of course, is that we don’t want to do anything like that. We’ve done the good stuff, they’re happy with what we’ve done, and we are going to make sure that continues,” Dr. Green said reassuringly.
Calendar of Events September
Tue 29
Mass Incarceration and the Movement for Change Lecture 12:00 pm – 12:50 pm Bulmer Telecommunications Center Auditorium and Meeting Rooms Mindfulness Meditation 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Siek Campus Center, room 220 (Interfaith Prayer Room)
Wed 30
CASDA Fall College Fair McDonough Sports Complex How to Give a Winning Speech 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm FTZ 100
October
Thu 1
THURSDAY
Digital Detox While Being a Colorist 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Siek Campus Center, Suite 270
High/Low 64/48
Fall Fest 11:30 am – 2:00 pm Joseph L. Bruno Stadium
Viking Cup Challenge: Student vs. Staff Softball Game 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Joseph L. Bruno Stadium
FRIDAY High/Low 64/45 SATURDAY High/Low 59/42
Sat 3
SUNDAY High/Low 61/42
HUDSONIAN.ORG
NYC Day Trip
October 6th, 2015
NEWS
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Public Safety reports no leads on keying incidents By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Reported incidents of vandalism in the parking lot have lead to dead ends according to Public Safety. The first reported incident of keying this semester occurred on Sep. 21. The student reported that, between 7:45 p.m. and noon, someone scraped the left front quarter panel and hood area with a key. “In that case, we weren’t able to prove that did not happen here and there was damage so we sustained it as an actual incident,” said Fred Aliberti, director of Public Safety. Three days later, another student made a complaint that someone keyed his car. The case was determined to have not occurred on campus that day after officer Steven Denio reviewed the D Lot footage. The most recent reported case, which occurred last Monday, was also ruled inconclusive. According to Public Safety, a student reported key marks on his driver-side door and driver-side rear door between 11:40 a.m. and 1:50 p.m.. According to the footage, between the time the student left his car to the time the student returned to his car, no one was around his car to damage it besides his friend, who checked the vehicle at 12:56 p.m. “Sometimes people get crazy. They see that others are reporting it and they think that [keying] happened here and it didn’t happen anywhere else,” said Aliberti. Carr Allen, individual studies student, said many incidents of keying have largely been unreported. “There are a lot of people
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Shooting Derrick Henry, criminal justice major said higher security at community colleges is the answer to preventing mass shootings. “People are going to say ‘we’re having our rights violated’ but you have to ask yourself: do you want to have your rights violated or die? Pick one’,” he said. Since the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, security measures have been tightened at many four-year institutions but community colleges, like Umpqua have fewer resources for higher security. “I don’t think the average person needs an automatic assault rifle,” said Sarah Crouse, individual studies student about tightening restriction on firearms. Christopher Harper-Mercer, the shooter at Umpqua, was armed with three pistols and a semiautomatic rifle on the fourth day of the fall semester at the college. Fourteen firearms were found at Mercer’s apartment, all of which were purchased legally. “It’s not guns because they’re just an object,” said Tim Grashaw, CIS student. After the president’s speech last Thursday, GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee called the president’s remarks following the shooting “ignorantly inflammatory.” Republican presidential hopeful, Ben Carson said, “Gun control only works for normal law abiding citizens. It doesn’t work for crazies.” Rebecca Foster believes changing the way mental illness is viewed can prevent future tragedies. “People should put more emphasis on taking away the stigma of mental illness,” she said. According to law enforcement officials, Mercer had a long-
who have put a lot of money, time and effort to their vehicles that are now finding them damaged,” said Allen. She said last Wednesday around 1 p.m., while coming back from the Science Center, she noticed scratches on her car that she suspected were not from door slamming or tree branches. Due to the age of her car, Allen did not file a report to Pub-
lic Safety but did post what she believed was keying on her car to HVCC Confessions. “I don’t get how nobody has been caught yet,” said Shannon Hughes, architecture student, who believes there many of the keying incidents have not been reported. Hughes believes that many students would rather post the incident on social media rather than report it to Public Safety.
Courtesy of HVCC Confessions
Sratches on a student’s car in the G-Lot.
time history with mental illness, white supremacy, anarchy and anti-religious views. The gunman in last Thursday’s attack reportedly shot Christians in the head after asking for the victim’s religion. According a victim’s brother, who escaped the classroom shooting, those who identified as a different religion were shot in another area of the body. “People were shot. People were injured. People lost lives. It’s not just about Christians,” said Devin Mahar, criminal justice student.
Keying incidents started being reported on HVCC Confessions on Sep. 21, the day before the first incident was officially reported. “I guess it’s not as set in stone. You can’t really tell,” said Luke Dupuis, mechanical engineering student about incidents such as keying reported on HVCC Confessions.
EVENING STUDENT RECEPTION You are cordially invited to attend our Evening Student Reception during your regularly scheduled class break! When: Wednesday, October 7 (7-8pm) Where: Campus Center (2nd Floor) Why: Food, music, and a chance to socialize, dance, and win gift certificates!
Matt Whalen THE HUDSONIAN Students share their thoughts after the tragic shooting at another community college.
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October 6th, 2015
NEWS
Future of Students claim Viking Cup at Fall Fest student housing now ‘up in the air’ By: Matt Whalen Editor-in-Chief
For the second year in a row, the students defeated the staff in the softball game during Fall Fest to hold on to the Viking Cup. “Even though the weather was cold, it was a nice break from classes to get food and watch the game,” said Fine Arts Major Michela Semenza. The Student Senate put on the annual Fall Fest for the students and faculty at Joe Bruno
Stadium last week. “The free food and games is what attracts me,” says Physical Education major Craig Hardgers. “It is a great idea to have these events for the students, especially when we are all trying to save money.” There was a lunch which included barbecue chicken, macaroni and cheese, corn bread, cookies, and fruit. The event also held the softball game between the students vs. staff. The event was free to all students and drew a large crowd given the weather conditions. Second year Physical Education major,
DeAngelo Simpson says that he loves going to these events and seeing his friends. “Seeing my team come together and meeting other people makes these events more fun.” This is the biggest event that the Student Senate has hosted since Welcome Back Week. “Bryce Kirk Quote.” The Staff will have to wait yet another year to attempt to win back the Viking Cup against the students in next year’s Fall Fest.
By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor After the college’s plans with Omni Development fell through last month, the official opening date for student housing is now uncertain. “That, at this point, I would have to guess is completely up in the air because request for proposals haven’t even gone out yet,” said the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees Neil Kelleher about the opening date of student housing. Last month, the Board of Trustees voted to sell the Hy Rosenblum Administration building property after the project’s future took a different turn between Omni Development and Hudson Valley. The college’s deal with Omni Development was eventually shot down as the company continued to struggle to finance the project. “It came to a point where the folks said, ‘We’re not hoping to get the financing to put in place but we’re still out there looking and when we do it, we will get back to you’. That leaves it kind of open-ended and I don’t believe the college was willing to do that,” said Kelleher. Along with Sequence Development and Omni Development no longer being involved with the project, U.W. Marx Construction Company is no longer working with the college for student housing. “Unfortunately, because there was a change in direction, we don’t have any role now,” said U.W. Marx Executive Director of Sales & Marketing Bill Shannon. The project would’ve cost over $20 million to build. In August, the opening date of student housing was moved to 2017 due to Omni Development struggling to finance the project to meet the original date of completion, fall 2016. Omni Development did not comment on the project’s fallout. “It may be more desirable for interested parties or developers and may move at a quicker pace than the approach we were taking prior,” said Dennis Kennedy, director of communications and marketing. In order to go forward with the plan to sell the property, the college must seek approval from Rensselaer County and SUNY.
Cornbread, barbecue chicken and macaroni n’ cheese were served at the event.
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN Students taking plates of barbecue food at the event.
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN
Students prepare for the Viking Cup.
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN Student Senate Vice President Bryce Kirk helps hold the Viking Cup surrounded by students and President Drew Matonak.
HUDSONIAN.ORG
October 6th, 2015
NEWS
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Leaders discuss heroin addiction in BTC By: Durgin McCue News Editor Last Monday, a panel of four assemblymen and six community members met in the BTC auditorium to discuss heroin use in the Capital Region. One of the community members on the panel was Hudson Valley chemical dependency counseling student, Brian Prinz. “I’m in recovery from heroin addiction, so I know what that beast is like,“ said Prinz. “I’ve been through hell, I’ve been
through institutions … I’ve lost close friends of mine, I’ve been there. It really is as bad as they say it is.” “The times are a changin’ as to how we deal with recovering addicts,” said Brian Farr, coordinator of addiction studies at the college and member of the panel. “Just to come out here and have this discussion, to have politicians, and lawmakers and treatment people in the same room I think is a huge step.” About 50 people attended the event, a dozen of which spoke be-
fore the panel. One of those who spoke was student senator Kara Vanguilder. “My sister is a heroin addict currently, so it was hard, but I wanted people to know that there is help,” said Vanguilder after the forum. Both Prinz and Vanguilder attended a protest in Washington D.C. on Oct. 3 which, according to Vanguilder, was focused on finding aid for addicts and expungement of criminal records. The four assemblymen present at forum were Steve McLaughlin, Joseph Giglio, Al Graf,
and Jim Tedisco. McLaughlin, who hosted the event, remarked, “Forums like this help us as legislators as we go back into session in just a few months from now.” “I’ve been a public servant for quite a long time, and I’ve come to understand that the most important part about being a public servant and representative is to be able to communicate,” said Tedisco. “But, communication is a two-way street and what I’ve found is that it’s most important to be a good listener rather than a good speaker. I’m going to lis-
ten tonight and I’m going to learn tonight and hopefully bring back some information.” According to Giglio, the state assembly passed a series of laws aimed at helping the victims of heroin addiction but many feel that the laws did not help enough. “God bless you young man. I’m glad you’re here,” said Giglio referring to Prinz. “But there are more [addicts] out there and we need to help them.”
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN Four assemblymen and six community leaders discuss heroin addiction in the BTC auditorium.
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Tobacco In order to promote respect for others, improved health, sustainability, and social justice on campus, in 2013, Hudson Valley became one of the first SUNY campuses to completely ban tobacco. According to Dennis Kennedy, the director of communications and marketing, the decision to go completely tobacco-free was “viewed as a broader cultural change.” Research shows smoking among both adults and high schoolers is in a steady decline. However, the 18-24 age group has seen no such change according to a presentation given by Judy Rightmyer, the Director of the Capital District Tobacco-Free Coalition. The Coalition worked closely with Hudson Valley as the campus was working out the details of its own tobacco-free guidelines. Since the policy was imple-
mented on August 26, 2013, the lack of a designated smoking area for students and faculty has raised some questions. During the original planning process, including such an area was considered, but administration felt as though it would be a step backward in its goals. “It kind of defeats part of what we were trying to do, which is basically educate on sustainability, educate on health and well-being and educate on social justice,” said Kennedy. “We don’t say you can’t smoke, we simply say you can’t smoke on campus.” The use of vaporizers was also banned under the new policy. “As a part of our institutional, cultural change to go from permitting smoking and tobacco usage to prohibiting it, [vaporizers] were included within the broader policy,” Kennedy said. He also mentioned that though research is not conclusive, studies indicate that vaporizers, e-Cigarettes and similar devices may have negative effects comparable to traditional cigarettes.
Administration has been attempting to increase student awareness of the guidelines since the policy went into effect. Mailers are sent out with admissions materials to new students, tobacco-free was one of the messages on the Route 4 board, there are signs on every building and in the parking garage and the policy was a part of new student orientation this year. But despite administration’s efforts, smoking and vaping still occur on campus. Though no repeat violators have been identified yet this year according to Director of Public Safety Frank Aliberti, warnings have been issued to students in several instances. However, Kennedy has noticed an improvement: “I can tell you that having worked on the campus when smoking was allowed, and having worked on the campus after the prohibition of tobacco, there has been a wholesale change.”
Michael Bryant THE HUDSONIAN Two years after the campus tobacco ban went into effect, students are still on campus.
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NEWS
October 6th, 2015
People’s Party looks to join the Freshman race By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Three students from different areas of the world partnered together last week to pursue common goals in the Freshman Elections. “The thing is, when there’s discontent, there’s always a gap between demand and supply and I think we’re not supplying enough to meet the demand of the freshman class,” said Manik Elahi, one third of the People’s Party and Freshman Class President hopeful. Elahi is now the third candidate in the race for Freshman Class President against Emma Dillon and Stephen Pelletier. “There’s honestly no reason to run against each other if you have the same ideals,” said Elahi. Saydou Bonsa originally considered petitioning for freshman class president but reconsidered running for the position after talking with Elahi who started petitioning for Freshman Class
President last Monday. Both Bonsa and Elahi decided to run for the Senate under the same party which later included Brandon Nugent. “We’re doing this because we like our people and we’re willing to work for them,” said Bonsa. According to Bonsa, the party was formed out of discontent with the way students experience their first year at Hudson Valley. “People need to be more involved, get involved in clubs and be more active with each other,” said Nugent. Part of the group’s platform is to support socialization efforts for freshman students as well as work further with the performing arts committee to establish a music-based
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Emma Dillon
During high school, Dillon was a part of many organizations that helped her gain confidence. “I went to several leadership conferences through the club I was involved in. I was Vice President of NCBI which is National Coalition Building Institute, and I feel that helped me gain leadership skills,” she said. She has appeared at local colleges for leadership workshops. “When I went to a Siena leadership workshop, they expected me to stand up in front of all the students and talk, and I was so nervous but everyone was very friendly and the reaction that they gave me helped me gain more confidence as a leader,” she said. Dillon feels that one of her biggest aspects is that she loves Hudson Valley more than anyone
club on campus. “I had a lot of ideas and [Manik] knew I was running for senate so he just choose me,” said Nugent. If elected, Nugent hopes to advocate for athletic events like powderpuff games with support from his party. Unlike the other petitioners, Elahi, in his second semester with the senate, believes his experience puts him at an advantage against the competition. “I personally believe that when you have that sort of experience, it’s my responsibility. If there is such a position to be filled, I should volunteer for it because I feel an obligation to do that,” he said. According to Student Senate eligibility policy, any student who has completed fewer than 28 credits is able to run in the Freshman elections. Elahi also runs as the only petitioner for Freshman Class President without a sibling involved in the Sen-
ate. “I didn’t have any brothers or sisters to introduce me to the senate and give me an edge,” he said. All members of the party were born outside of the Capital Region and two members (Elahi and Bonsa) were born outside of the country. Elahi, who speaks in four different languages and moved around the world since the age of seven believes his experience helps him connect to students easier. “I believe I can better relate to all the diverse groups out here on campus,” said Elahi, Senators are required to collect 50 signatures and Freshman Presidential hopefuls are required to collect 150 signatures in order to enter the race. Election petitions are due on Friday and mid-term grades will determine who will run on the ballot.
she knows. “I feel like Hudson Valley gives people so many opportunities, especially people in situations that feel college isn’t an opportunity for them, it opens up the door for them,” she said. The Dillon family is an example of people taking advantage of the opportunities at Hudson Valley. “My mother was divorced with two kids and no degree and did not know what to do, and when she found out about Hudson Valley, she completely changed her life and our lives because of it,” she said. Even with all the activities Dillon has done, she believes doing more is better for her. “I like keeping myself busy and taking on responsibilities, so taking a little more initiative than just becoming a senator will give me the responsibility I am looking for,” she said.
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN
HUDSONIAN.ORG
October 6th, 2015
FEATURES
7
Campus pick-up football games widely received
Michael Bryant THE HUDSONIAN Derrick Wilson looks to throw the football across the campus lawn but an incoming student has other plans.
By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Since the second week of the semester, a growing group of students have tackled down time with football on the lawn between Guenther and the Administration Building. “If I have a test, I can come out here and push somebody around. It’s relieving. I sweat it out,” , said Trent Wheeler, business student. Early in the semester, a game of catch and began attracting students from across campus, regardless of their experience in football, eventually growing into pick-up games. “It was just me and a friend throwing [the ball] and the next thing I knew, people started coming out of nowhere,” said Derrick Wilson, sports management student that started the pick-up games this semester.
Wilson had pick-up games on campus last year but the games had fewer players, many of which were friends. This semester, games have grown to sometimes include as many around 20 students. “You’re here. You see someone from your classes. They come in and just join. That’s it,” said Nick Langenbacher, business student. Along with an increase in participation, pick-up games have drawn a new audience. This semester, business student Bobby Narcavage and his friends started watching the pick-up games grow from a nearby picnic table. “We usually sit here and play the NFL theme song while we sit here and do homework,” he said. Since the group started playing on the lawn, highlights of the pick-up games started surfacing on Twitter. “Sometimes they’ll write about us. It’s cool. We’re famous,” said Wilson. Jonathan Carroll, mechanical engineering student, has been fea-
tured on the page and is known for wearing a cowboy hat during games. “We’ve seen his [cowboy hat] knocked off a couple times and somehow he actually catches it as it’s coming off only to put it back on,” said Cameron Michelle, business student. Pick-up games have provided an opportunity for students who are unable to play football. Trent Wheeler played at Milford Academy before coming to Hudson Valley but was unable to play on the school’s team due to his grades. “I’m very passionate about the sport. That’s why I’m out here,” he said. “This is nothing to me,” said Jessinia Kelly, criminal justice student, about the competition level on the lawn. Kelly played football in Chatham until tenth grade when suffered from a dislocated elbow. Over the last month, pick up games have attracted friends of students off campus. “I walk
by and notice …I’m pretty sure these don’t kids have class here,” said Adam Messare, business student. On Fridays, according to Michelle, non-students will often stop by the campus to play football. Many of the students playing that don’t know each other by first name, know each other through nicknames like “The Refrigerator” and “Big Al.” Carroll said, “It’s all mostly for fun but there are a couple of people who join in which are a bit over the top. Hopefully we don’t get too many of them.” Jeff Xu, CIS student prepares for the worst when playing pickup games due to injuries he’s witnessed. “This guy just actually got his eye cut up. I wear glasses and I legit don’t want that to happen to me so now I take them off,” said Xu. Students passing by the area have had mixed reactions walking near pick up games. “I just hate having to walk all the way
around [Guenther Hall] because I’m afraid to get hit with a football,” said Kate Ziegler, individual studies student. According to the office of the Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Development, the pick-up games have not drawn any concern so far. The games, according to the office may only draw concern if violence breaks out. During games, some players often go topless across the lawn. “I’m not feeling the whole ‘shirtless guys running around campus’ thing’,” said Xach Phillips, business student. Wilson believes that as temperatures continue to drop, both topless students and players may dwindle, but pick-up games will continue on campus. “We’ll play in the snow. We’ll play in the gym. It just depends how cold it gets this year,” he said.
Michael Bryant THE HUDSONIAN Derrick Wilson, who started the pick-up games, meets the campus lawn.
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October 6th, 2015
FEATURES
High school students explore their future in McDonough By: Chris Payne Staff Writer The McDonough Sports Complex hosted 180 colleges for the Community College Fair on Sep. 30. “The director sent me here to recruit different high school students in this area,” said SUNY Potsdam admissions counselor Katherine Catimon. SUNY Potsdam, known for it’s music and education programs, is three and a half hours northwest of the capital region area and 30 minutes south of the Canadian border. Another college that visited the college fair was UAlbany. “I was here to recruit students from the Capital Region,” said Marcia Hoyte, the undergraduate admissions counselor for UAlbany. UAlbany is known for their liberal arts, business, science and criminal justice degrees. Utica was another college that joined the college fair. “I was here because I was assigned to recruit students in this territory,” Joanne R. Pluff stated. She is the assistant director of admissions. The college is known for its nursing, criminal justice, psychology, and biology courses. The college is located in Utica, about an hour and a half west of the capital region. Some colleges were from outside of the capital region including the University of Maine and Newbury College.“I chose to be at the college fair because I live in Schenectady,” said Sarah DeThorne, an admissions counselor for Newbury College.
“My mom went to Hudson Valley Community College,” said DeThorne. The college is located outside of Boston. The college is known for their art design courses and their major focuses including business management and criminal justice. The University of Maine was another out of state college that came to the fair. “I am trying to increase enrollment, get more out of state students, and recruit students from Washington D.C. and north,” said Ross Cummings,
admissions counselor for the University of Maine. The college is known for their engineering, nursing, educatiom and business degrees. It is also known as one of the oldest honors colleges in the nation. Many students attended the college fair. People from different high schools participated in the college fair. “I want to learn more and get a better job in the future,” said Alex Helmar, a senior at Cohoes High School. “I want to get a major in Psychology or Sociology
because it sounds interesting. I really want to go to SUNY Adirondack because it seems like a nice school surrounded by trees.” Dylan Wells, Catholic High School senior, also attended the college fair. “I plan on getting a major in business and I want to go to Yale because it is a prestigious college,” he said. Many students from Hoosic Valley High School attended the college fair. “I plan on getting a major in criminal justice,” said Conor Patenaude, senior from
Hoosic Valley. “I don’t know where I want to go for college. But, I want a good education and I want to make good money.” “I plan on getting a major in criminal justice at UAlbany,” Nick Strock said, who is another senior from Hoosic Valley. Hoosic Valley senior Jared Whitford attended the fair. “I plan on getting a degree in criminal justice and I don’t know what college I will go to,” he said.
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN Students line up to see different schools at the college fair.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Hudson Valley Community College Pavilion
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Ravers on campus remember Foam N’ Glow By: Jenny Caulfield Staff Writer “You’d be in the bathroom, and you’d see someone snort a line off of something. I used to snort molly off the back of my phone,” said Bree Moorehead, business administration student and frequent raver that attended the first ever Foam N’ Glow at The Times Union Center. Foam N’ Glow, scheduled to hit the Times Union Center on Sep. 26, was cancelled this week. The event was originally to occur at The Washington Avenue Armory in February, but cancelled following the violent outbursts that had taken place at the venue weeks prior. “To get the full effect, you would need to be there”, said Ian McFarland. He attended last year’s Foam N’ Glow at the Washington Avenue Armory, and loved every minute of it so he bought tickets for the September show. He was left disappointed by the cancellation. “You get to meet some really interesting people, and no one’s judging you. Everyone’s just hav-
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ing a good time,” said McFarland. Ravers sometimes attend the event intoxicated under the influence of pills and taking hallucinogens. “Me and my friends, when we go--I drop acid, shrooms, someone takes a Xanax,” said Moorehead. “Everything gets a lot sluttier when there’s foam,” said Moorehead. Despite the apparent drug use at the event, there are still people who attend Foam N’ Glow to have fun with their friends and enjoy the music and atmosphere. “There’s probably a ton of people that go there just to do a ton of drugs and just to harass other people, but there are some people that go there just to listen to awesome music and to have a really awesome time,” said Mcfarland about his Foam N’ Glow experience. The foam element at the Foam N’ Glow seems to add something extra compared to a traditional rave while also keeping with the typical experience . When thinking about the overall experience at a rave, McFarland said, “It sounds really simple, but when you’re there, it’s just happi-
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October 6th, 2015
SPORTS
10 Vikings Sports Schedule Women’s Soccer
Wednesday 10/07/15 vs. Jefferson @ 2pm (Home)
Women’s Tennis
Wednesday 10/07/15 vs. Adirondack @ 4pm (Home)
Men’s Soccer
Wednesday 10/07/15 vs. Jefferson @ 4pm (Home)
Cross Country
Saturday 10/03/15 James Early Invitational @11am
Men’s Football
Sunday 10/10/15 vs. Monroe @ 1pm (Home)
Vikings Scoreboard Men’s Soccer
WIN
Oct. 3 HVCC v. Fulton-Mont. 6-0
Vikings defend their home field by winning second straight By: Sam Kobylar Staff Writer Even though the Vikings came into Sunday afternoon’s game against East Coast Prep with an overall record of 2-2, the Vikings were still looking for their first home win. In their previous two home games, the Vikings got outscored by their opponents 7828. As both of their losses came at home, both of their wins came on the road and where they have outscored their opponents 89-34. The Vikings overcame their home losing streak by defeating the talented East Coast Prep team with a final score of 34-13. A win like this against a talented team might just be what this football team needed. East Coast Prep came in with a 3-1 record and outscoring their opponents 102-20 in their 3 wins. Coming into the game, it looked like the matchup wasn’t going to favor the Vikings. “It definitely can [boost this team’s confidence]. Now it gets us to 3-2. Obviously when we slipped to 1-2 we weren’t feeling very great but getting back to 3-2 definitely helps,” said Hudson Valley football coach Mike Muehling. The Vikings got off to a little bit of a slow start in this game and couldn’t get on the scoreboard in the first quarter while they gave up a touchdown to East Coast Prep on a 5 yard touchdown run, which put the Vikings in an early 6-0 hole. However, the rest of this
game was all Vikings as Hudson Valley outscored East Coast Prep 34-7 the rest of the game. The Vikings got on the scoreboard in the beginning of the second quarter with an 8 yard touchdown run by speedy quarterback Rafael Hidalgo, which would even the score at 6 each. Then, the Vikings would get one more touchdown before halftime as running back Jamal Williams scored on a 1 yard touchdown run and the Vikings made extra point to take a 13-6 lead heading into halftime. After finishing the first half strong, the Vikings picked up right where they left off in the second half. After East Coast Prep tied the game at 13 early in the third quarter, the Vikings went on to shutout East Coast Prep the rest of the way and outscore them 21-0 in the final 27 minutes of the game. “Defense played really well. I think our secondary had a very improved game. There were some big plays that hit us early in our secondary and then they got it figured out. The guys played with a little more confidence and I think that really helped them. We got to eliminate the big plays and play every single play as hard as we can,” said Muehling on the solid defensive game. While the defense did their part to keep the Vikings in the game, their offense performed just as well in the second half. After East Coast Prep evened the score at 13 each, the Vikings would respond with a 34 yard touchdown run by Vikings’ rushing leader Jaylen McIntyre, which
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN Vikings running back finds a hole through the defense to help set up a touchdown. gave the Vikings a 20-13 lead late in the third quarter. The Vikings scored again just a few minutes later as defensive back Hashim Sesay intercepted a pass deep in East Coast Prep’s own territory to set up excellent field position for the Vikings’ offense right before the end of the third quarter. The Vikings would take advantage of the great field position by putting up another touchdown with a 1 yard touchdown run by Jamal Williams to give the Vikings a commanding 27-13 lead over East Coast Prep. Even though Williams only ran for 7 total yards in the game in 5 carries, 2 of those carries were one yard touchdown runs. The Vikings were running all over the place in this game as each of their first four touchdowns were running touchdowns and had 223 total rushing yards in the game. “Our running game got go-
ing. When you can beat a team 3 to 4 yards at a time it’s a pretty good feeling and we weren’t relying on huge plays,” said Muehling. The Vikings would get one more touchdown in garbage time thanks to an 8 yard touchdown pass from Rafael Hidalgo to Antoin Montgomery with under two minutes remaining in the game to help secure Hudson Valley’s 34-13 win over East Coast Prep. This was a great all-around performance by the Vikings to give them an overall record of 3-2 on the season. The Vikings next game will be on Saturday, Oct.10 against Monroe at home at 1 p.m.. “We got our work cut out for us to try and stay a winning team. We are just going to take this week like we do every week, one game at a time, and work as hard as we can and try to outwork our opponent and play the game and see what happens,” said Muehling on
Women’s Soccer
WIN
Sep. 28 HVCC v. Springfield 1-0
Women’s Volleyball
LOSS Oct. 3 HVCC POD Men’s Football
WIN
Oct. 4 HVCC v. East Coast 34-13
Women’s Tennis
WIN
Oct. 3 HVCC v. Mohawk Valley 7-2
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN Vikings collide with East Coast Prep on Sunday afternoon and fight their way ot victory.
HUDSONIAN.ORG
October 6th, 2015
SPORTS
11
Veteran player leading tennis team to regionals By: John C. Longton III Sports Editor Danielle Behunin is the #1 seed on a Hudson Valley tennis team that is currently ranked 8th in the nation. She’s a returning player that is providing veteran leadership to a team that has four newcomers out of six members. Last year she was named the tennis team’s MVP and earned all conference honors. This year is a little tougher. The competition she’s facing is a little more stiff because she plays in the team’s top spot, but Behunin as making the best of it. “This year I got bumped up to the top spot so it’s a lot more competitive,” said Behunin. With only two returning players from last year combined with her success it was only a matter of time before Behunin played in the top seed. “I like being the #1 seed because it challenges me more than last year,” said Behunin. In 2014 Danielle won most of her matches without too much difficulty. This year she’s getting better and working on different aspects of her game. “I’d rather be number one and improve my game because that is my goal: to improve my game.” To help her improve her game, Behunin has the luxury of being coached by Denise Potenza.
Potenza first came to the program in 2011. Since then she has let the team to two conference championships (2012 and 2013) and is fine tuning this team for another postseason run. “She’s a friend to us. She’s so nice and also a great coach. She works with us individually to improve our weaknesses and use our
strengths,” said Behunin about her coach. As for the team it seems to be a tight knit group. The girls on the team are constantly helping each other out with their games and are also good friends off the court. “We all get along so well and we’re really good friends,” said Behunin, who has had the luxury of
playing with someone she grew up with. Anna Gerwin is the only other returning player on the tennis team and has known Behunin since they were in kindergarten. Both girls went to Catholic Central and played for the high school team there. Now playing on another team, both of them
Marison Topinio THE HUDSONIAN Danielle Behunin stays on top for the Vikings tennis team as they head into Regionals.
are bringing veteran leadership to a young team heading toward the regionals. “I’m confident that the team as a whole is going to do well in regionals,” said Behunin. The regionals are this coming weekend at Adirondack on Saturday and Sunday. There, Behunin will be a #1 seed and will face the toughest players in the conference. You would think that a number one seed in a regional tournament had been playing tennis most of their life. This is not the case with Behunin, who started playing as a sophomore in high school. When asked why she picked the game up she responded by saying, “My friends played the game so I decided try it.” It hasn’t taken long for her to get ahead of the learning curve picking up the game fairly quick. In a matter of five years Behunin went from a beginner to being the top player on a collegiate team. Behunin wants to play at the next level, but is unsure what school she wants to attend. Right now she’s an individual studies major and is interested in psychology and sociology. She’s giving BYU a look, but still hasn’t figured out what she wants to do for a career. Right now she’s more focused on this upcoming weekend and her team finding success. The tennis team is looking to capture their third conference championship in four years.
Pivotal Saturday at Hudson Valley By: John C. Longton III Sports Editor This Saturday will be the biggest day all season for Hudson Valley’s fall sports programs. Most team’s seasons are winding down and some are even entering their postseason. If you have the day off, it might be a good idea to bounce around campus and show some support to your fellow classmates in their quest for a successful year. Most of the action can be found right here on campus and if you don’t have plans this might be a good day to spend it here and support your Vikings. Tennis Starting with the team that has the biggest day, the tennis team begins regionals away at Adirondack. The team has had a great season thus far and look to carry that momentum into the regional tournament. Top to bottom this tennis team can compete with any team in the region and maybe even the nation. There are whispers on
the team that regionals are great, but being ranked ninth in the nation has these women striving for nationals.
Football
The Football team is hosting Monroe at 1 p.m. in a key game that could determine whether or not the team has a successful season. With a harder schedule and more recruits in a wider geographical range, this team has taken a larger role on the national stage and could have its foot in the door in terms of being a perennial powerhouse. Coach Mike Muehling has his players buying into his system and could possibly turn the corner. They got off to a rough 1-2 start, but look as if they might be putting it together.
Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer team is currently ranked 10th in the nation and is trying to avenge their loss in regionals last year. They are led in scoring by freshman Juan Mejicano, from Cairo, and sophomore Elidon Bardhollari, from Colonie. They host North
Country at 2 p.m. in a game that could decide their seeding for the regional tournament. They have three more regular season games after Saturday and every game is an important one. This team is looking to go deep into the postseason.
Women’s Soccer
The women’s soccer team is also hosting North Country this Saturday. Their game starts at 12 p.m. and, just like the men, this game will have playoff implications. The women are teetering on being nationally ranked behind the great play of Elisabeth Morehouse, from Coxsackie-Athens, who’s one of the top scorers in the nation. Last year the team went 11-41 and lost to #8 Herkimer in the regional finals. This year they are looking to go further and have national aspirations.
Cross Country
Both men’s and women’s cross country teams are having a strong season. The men’s team is currently ranked 8th in the nation and is looking to send a couple
HUDSONIAN.ORG
runners to nationals. They also have a lot of depth and are fielding one of its biggest teams in years. The men’s team placed first at the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational for Junior Colleges. The women’s team’s roster is a little light, but they’re making strides. The women’s team placed second at the Mount St. Mary’s Invitational for Junior Colleges. This is also the first time the women’s team placed in a meet in over four years. Both teams will be away to run in the James Early International Saturday at 11 a.m.
Volleyball
The volleyball season hasn’t gone the way the team wished it would. After starting 2-0, the team got off-track and has only had one win since. They will be hosting their first tournament of the season Saturday at 9 a.m., where they are looking to turn things around.
October 6th, 2015
SPORTS
12
Vikings Weekend Roundup Men’s Soccer
Tennis
Cross Country
The men’s soccer team improved its record to 9-1-1 with a 6-0 win over Fulton-Montgomery Community College on Saturday. Jonathan Mejicano, from Cairo, led the Vikings with two goals. Juan Mejicano, also from Cairo; Dominic Sloma, from Niskayuna; Adam Kaarstad, from Troy; and Wilbert Gutierrez, from Kingston, each added a goal in the shutout win. They have a home game this Wednesday vs. Jefferson at 3 p.m.
The tennis team won in dominant fashion against Mohawk Valley Community College 7-2 on Saturday. Regional tournament play begins this Saturday at Adirondack. Results: #1 Singles- Danielle Behunin, from Waterford: L (1-6, 0-6) #2 Singles- Kathleen Mai, from Albany: W (6-1, 6-0) #3 Singles- Jordyn Applebaum, from Latham: W (6-1, 6-0) #4 Singles- Anna Gerwin, from Valley Falls: W (6-0, 6-2) #5 Singles- Natalie Haviland, from Cambridge: W (6-1, 7-5) #6 Singles- Karen Osterhout, fromWatervliet: L (3-6, 0-6) #1 Doubles: Behunin/Mai: W (8-1) #2 Doubles: Applebaum/Gerwin: W (8-1) #3 Doubles: Haviland/Osterhout: W (Forfeit)
Cross Country The Hudson Valley men’s cross country team finished 6th at the SUNY Poly Long Course Invitational. Results: Men- 8k #25 Connor Terrell, from Albany: 30:35 #31 Anthony Erno, from Glenville: 31:04 #60 David Considine, from Delmar: 34:25 #66 Charles Hanby, from Wynantskill: 35:15 #72 Arnoldo Burnett, from Bronx: 36:15 #82 Jeff Kline, from Galway: 38:27 #87 Ryan Kohlenberger, from MA: 39:09 #88 Brendon Kondrat, from Middlegrove: 39:09 #95 Josiah Dillon, from Spa: 44:16 Women- 5k #15 Halle Nightingale, from Schaghticoke: 21:59 #35 Brenda Stack, from Pine Bush: 24:12 #36 Emily Wilk, from Gansevoort: 24:38 #40 Meghan Riley, from Greenwich: 26:12
Women’s Soccer
Volleyball
It was a slow week for the Women’s soccer team as they got a win on a technicality through a forfeit against Springfield Tech and improved their record to 6-2-1. They host Jefferson this
The Volleyball team lost all three of their games in a tournament at Jefferson on Saturday. This week they will host a tournament of their own here at Hudson Valley this Saturday that begins at
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