Spring16issue13 by The Hudsonian

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OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

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Volume 69, Issue 13

May 10, 2016

Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN Construction takes up the former football field and two parking lots.

Athletic complex reaches closer to completion

By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor

irt, gravel and heavy equipment cover the $4.5 million dollar project planned to enhance athletics by next year. “We’re probably about one third complete with the entire project,” said Richard Edwards, Physical Plant director. The project is set to be completed by Sep. 1, according the physical plant, though the track will be completed by early August and the artificial turf will be installed in July. While the college projects new turf to improve the performance quality of four existing teams, the track is set to bring a new program to the athletic department. It was announced on Monday that a new outdoor track

THREE MORE MONTHS

and field program will be launched by next spring with the completion of the new athletic complex. “With this facility will come a new team, and that might help with enrollment in a small way,” said Dennis Kennedy, director of communications and marketing. The outdoor track and field program was under development before the project broke ground in early March. Last year, when he was speaking to the Student Senate to raise the athletic fee, assistant athletic director Justin Hoyt said that the increase could help to fund the $15,000 to $20,000 program. Although the fee passed for next fall to help the spring program, the college still struggled to fund additional costs for the athletic complex. Facing financial restraints, the college requested extra support from the state. Last month, an additional $1 million was approved in the state budget for the athletic complex. SEE COMPLEX PAGE 8

Finals week cut in contract, ‘increased pressure’ on students By: Ryan Zielinski Staff Writer The loss of finals week this past year has affected students and faculty alike. In past semesters, finals week has caused problems. Tests were scheduled with no regard for a

class’s regular meeting times. This resulted in students being forced to miss work to attend tests at times they did not expect. Exam week has been cut out for two semesters now, allowing students and faculty members to administer exams as they please. However, many classes still require students to take some sort

student must choose between finishing one class and going to another. In response to this, some professors have decided to shorten their exams. Tests that effectively judged students’ knowledge in the past are now hurried and incomplete in order to stay on schedule.

Inside Features Animal Math

Inside News Chartwells theft $2,700 missing gets investigated.

of evaluation. While some classes have replaced finals with essays or projects, most math and science students still need to take tests that can last for two or more hours. If a class’s schedule does not leave enough time for a two-hour test, students and professors may need to stay overtime. Sometimes, a

Band hopes to play in the fall. Page 4

The Center for Assistive Technology is a place for students to take their exams away from class if necessary. In the past, about 300 students at a time have done this, but since the cutting of finals week, this number has increased to nearly 500 despite steadily decreasing enrollment. SEE FINALS PAGE 3

Inside Sports Baseball Page 6

The Vikings look forward to a home night game for sub regionals. Page 9

May 10, 2016

NEWS

The Hudsonian Hudson Valley Community College 80 Vandenburgh Ave. Troy, NY 12180 Phone: 518-629-7568 Email: hudsonian@hvcc.edu

LETTER FROM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

One last reﬂection before moving on By: Matt Whalen Editor-in-Chief

Editor-in-Chief Matt Whalen Managing Editor Tyler McNeil Business Manager Durgin McCue News Editor Rebecca Jordan Creative Editor Jenny Caulﬁeld Sports Editor John C. Longton III Photo Editor Marison Topinio Copy Editor Dae-Jin Yuk Web Editor Richard Bonomo Junior Editor Mikey Bryant Staff Writers Ryan Zielinski Staff Photographers Michael Schaefer Stephanie Saddlemire Faculty Adviser 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.

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People always say that everything good must come to an end. That is true when it comes to leaving The Hudsonian. Being a part of the Hudsonian has been an incredible journey that I will never forget and always keep an eye out for in the future. Starting off in the Hudsonian, I didn’t really think much of it and wasn’t really sure what I was going to get out of it. I did not realize how much potential the paper had and how much potential that I had myself. Running the paper was not my first goal when I first joined. I assumed that being Editor-inChief would be difficult and I wasn’t really thinking about it. Getting further into the Hudsonian, I was able to climb the ranks from a staffer, to an Editor, where I finally realized I had the

FAREWELL LETTER

potential as Editor-in-Chief. Being in charge of a group of students was never the easiest thing. There were a lot of ups and downs, but that is what made it fun and challenging. I have always been competitive playing sports all my life, so I knew I could handle

a challenge and run a student newspaper. Being the Editor-in-Chief of the school paper has led to many successful things in my journey at Hudson Valley. Meeting some of the top administrators and being able to make connections is one of the

Nothing is boring

By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor My word count was zero after months of trying to define my experience on campus. My deadline was calendar pages away and I couldn’t put a simple sentence together. My best source was me -- and I declined to comment multiple times. Last week, my research started to pull through. I took a new approach. I didn’t look at academic transcripts or textbooks, too outdated to sell. Instead of scanning through previous articles, photos and recordings to uncover my journey, I looked around me. I looked outside the Hudsonian’s office window. I saw faces, buildings and trees. Everything I saw came with a story. There were stories I may never hear from people I may never see again. Each brick of every building was part of a bigger story. Then, it hit me hard. The best way to define my experience didn’t involve what I’ve accomplished. It involved thinking about what is left to be uncovered. I had one solid conclusion: nothing is boring.

best things that I got out of joining the paper and being involved. Throughout my time on the paper as Layout Editor and Editor-in-Chief in the past two years, I have been a part of an award winning paper two years running. I will leave the Hudsonian ranked as the ninth best newspaper at a two-year college in the nation going into the fall 2017 convention. One thing I want to let students reading this is that there are many more opportunities out there that you probably don’t know of. The only way of finding and achieving those opportunities is getting involved and making the most of everything. I will truly miss being a part of The Hudsonian and at Hudson Valley. To everyone that has helped me become a successful graduate, I thank you for everything.

During my time on campus, I have learned that boredom is just another name for a roadblock which inhibits consciousness based off imaginary limitations. Accepting boredom prevents movement. Accepting boredom prohibits discovery. Accepting boredom justifies decisionmaking off of assumptionmaking. A strict believer in boredom would not continue this sentence. Having worked with the campus community, especially on The Hudsonian, I have learned that boredom is optional. When opportunities seem too strange or too difficult to explore, boredom

can appear to be a reasonable choice. It’s not. Every person met through classes, meetings and even at the bus shelter can change a person’s perspective if they’re not immediately tagged as boring. While everybody has a story, not every story is heard. Being a reporter is not a requirement for putting together a great story. Being accepted to a personal top pick college after many sleepless nights, working with the community to organize a project for the less fortunate or landing a dream job after graduation is part of putting together a great story.

It takes many great stories to pass on another great story. While it’s unrealistic to know every story, it’s very realistic to capture as many stories as possible at every corner. Stories are being built everywhere. They’ve built me. Turning on my handheld recorder for each interview for The Hudsonian, I’ve always heard a beep, but it’s always hard to anticipate what sounds will come next. I’ve spoken to refugees, victims and activists. I’ve talked to public officials and names that don’t travel much farther than a driver’s license. There’s a global library packed with stories I will never hear. There’s a future packed with faces, words and sights I have never seen. It’s exciting to know that there are still many stories to learn and share within a future unknown. Moving on from this campus, I’m excited to learn about what stories I will find in the next chapter of my own story. Change can be scary or even disappointing, but my excitement to flip the next page will endure through each chapter of my lifetime as long as I remember that nothing is boring.

LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY Students at “the Valley”, I can’t wait to take on my title as your Student Body President next semester almost as much as I can’t wait for this semester’s finals to be over. I hope you guys are

looking forward to the upcoming academic year because I know I am. The way I see it, Hudson Valley is the best community college in the area. I’m not striving for maintenance of our prestige and

accomplishment, I want to make the best, better. However, I can’t do that without you. Student Body President does not mean making decisions for you, it means making decisions

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based on your requests and concerns. Always feel free to reach out to me. Enjoy the rest of your semester and study hard guys! Warm regards, Presidential Elect Emma Dillon

May 10, 2016

NEWS

Student housing to break ground By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor College Suites is expected to break ground this summer after over a decade of planning. According to the United Group, demolition of the Hy Rosenblum Administration Building is expected to begin within several weeks. The hope is that the site will be completed by next year and opened to students by fall 2017. “As we expand our recruitment activities around New York State and travel abroad to boost international student enrollment, we’re looking forward to having a new opportunity for living and learning near campus,” said President Drew Matonak in a statement. The first phase began late last month after County Executive Kathy Jimino approved the resolution for the sale of the land several days after its passing through the county legislature. “I think housing is a huge part of what this campus is really missing,” said Faculty Student Association Student-at-Large Robert Lee Song. Despite over a decade

surveying the potential for dorms, it wasn’t until 2013 that the college approved the first bidder, Omni Development, to lease the property. After struggling to finance the project to construct student housing, the board of trustees decided to sell the property to accelerate construction. The board of trustees decided to sell the property to the United Group in January after several months of seeking a new developer. “United Group fosters positive relationships with the

school’s appointed personnel to ensure we are in line with the vision and mission of each campus,” said Corinne Ellis, United Group public relations coordinator in an email. College Suites at Hudson Valley will be the United Group’s thirteenth student housing project. The company has also created student housing near RPI. The United Group has developed student housing across the region, including Albany ($70 million) and Schenectady ($15 million). The project is expected to cost $20 million, while demolition is

expected to cost over $1 million. In the event that the United Group is able to save money on demolition costs, the site’s cost would increase up to a maximum of $482,000. The Hy Rosenblum Administration Building has neighbored Hudson Valley since the college moved from downtown Troy in 1960. After 20 years, the college purchased the property to open up administrative office space. Since the Administration Building was completed in 2007, the building has been unoccupied.

Richard Edwards, physical plant director, looks forward to the site’s construction due to safety concerns from the nearly 80 year old former monastery. “As it gets older and people start to do things over there, somebody could get hurt,” he said. Since the building was abandoned, criminal activity has been frequent on the property. Trespassers would often enter the building to steal copper piping and wiring. Along with criminal activity, the Edwards anticipates less activity from the physical plant around the building. Despite having been vacant for nearly a decade, the physical plant was responsible for maintaining the property. “In addition to having to maintain the grass over here, we had to maintain the grass over there,” said Edwards. Despite the United Group occupying the space, the college still maintains the 2,000-squarefoot pressure house next to the building. The site will be under contract with the New York State Weatherization Directors Association until 2023.

Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN Fencing went up around the Hy Rosenblum Administration Building late last month.

LETTER FROM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF-ELECT

To the Hudson Valley community

To the Hudson Valley community, I have a confession to make: I am not a news writer. Well, I suppose that’s not entirely true. Rephrased: I wasn’t a news writer until the Hudsonian snatched me up out of my freshman uncertainty. I have written creatively ever since I can remember, but news writing is a totally different ballgame. Now I not only know how to write news, which is kind of a key skill if you are the news editor of a newspaper, but

I am writing news as the Hudsonian’s Editor-in-Chief elect. I see this as both an amazing opportunity and a great responsibility. I have learned a lot as I moved up through the ranks within the newspaper staff; the most important being the necessity for unity. This year has been one of conflict on multiple levels, but it is important to remember that in all things, our greatest intention is to better the Hudson Valley community. Being the leader of any organization is a daunting role,

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but being the head of a newspaper that is circulated all around the campus you attend is even more so. Thankfully, the staff of the Hudsonian is all in, and we’re gearing up for another semester of reporting, controversy and continuing the award-winning paper that Hudson Valley calls its own. Looking forward, Editor-in-Chief Elect, Rebecca Jordan

May 10, 2016

NEWS

ACTIVE SHOOTER EMERGENCY DRILL Editor’s note: Below is a gallery of shots taken last Friday afternoon around Lang Hall. Hudson Valley put on an Active Shooter Drill to simulate an emergency at school. Along with public safety, Troy police and a swat team was in attendance for the drill. Students and staﬀ participated in the drill and everyone involved was told to act as if this was a real emergency situation.

Stephanie Saddlemire | THE HUDSONIAN

Cafeteria grand larceny case pending By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Over $2,000 was reported stolen from the Campus Center cafeteria last Monday. “I don’t remember anything similar to this,” said Fred Aliberti, director of Public Safety. Food service director John

Poole stated to Public Safety last week, that Chartwells’ office safe was broken into between Apr. 30 and May 1. An estimated $2,700 was reported stolen from the office. The safe appeared to have been forcefully opened. The object used to break open the safe has not been confirmed in the investigation.

After contacting Public Safety about the incident around 8 a.m. that morning, Troy Police arrived at Hudson Valley. Along with officers, an evidence technician was called to examine the area. Police left the college later that morning. The theft case, which counted as third-degree burglary and grand larceny, is pending under

investigation. Video footage is currently being reviewed by Public Safety and Troy Police. According to Dennis Kennedy, director of communications and marketing, no similar incidents have occurred within the last five years. “We’ve had a laptops stolen and individual property grabbed, but nothing quite like this that I

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recall,” he said. Kennedy added that most theft cases that have occurred on campus involve property, such as laptops. Last spring, 46-year-old Gerald Walker was arrested after stealing a laptop from the Internet Technology office.

May 10, 2016

NEWS

Michael Schaefer | THE HUDSONIAN Five pieces of art from students hang in the Alumni Foundation office, recently moved to Fitzgibbons .

Student artwork ﬁlls Foundation wall By: Rebecca Jordan News Editor Seven pieces of student artwork are on display in the Foundation’s new conference space. “Of course these things never come too easy seeing how the wall is bright Hudson Valley green,” said Kylie Farrell, Teaching Gallery assistant. “Finding student work that would work nicely with that color was definitely a challenge,

and throwing in some chairs growing some grass out of them really helped with that.” Farrell is referring to one of the pieces hung in the space, which is an image of two chairs with grass growing out of the seats. The artwork was done by Hudson Valley alumni while these students were still taking classes at the college. From left to right the works were done by: Brett Hansen, Danielle Beebe, John Johnson,

Melanie Matterson, an unknown artist, Michael Millspagh, and Kara Goreman. According to Tara Fracalossi, fine arts professor and Teaching Gallery director, the college used to have a purchase award from the fine arts student show that would be used to buy a couple pieces of student work each year. In part because the college had no place to put the work, this award was discontinued several years ago. Regina Scarano, head of the Foundation, approached

Fracalossi with the idea to hang artwork from the college’s collection in the newly redesigned space. “I think it just synced up because [the Foundation] had remodeled, and they were looking for some artwork,” said Fracalossi. Fracalossi then talked to Farrell and Christopher Casey about the project. The pair selected and hung the artwork. “[Kylie and Chris] weeded through some of the student work, and they got to decide what

Michael Schaefer | THE HUDSONIAN

FROM PAGE 1

Finals

According to Donna Totaro, assistant director of the CAT, this rise may actually be caused by

increased pressure on students. “Students are more stressed when they take their finals this way,” said Totaro. “It’s harder to test like this.” Students have mixed opinions on whether or not to

have finals week. Some prefer using the week off for other activities, while others would rather have the time to effectively complete their tests. “I prefer the time off for other things; it’s a whole week.” said

was going to go over and where to put it. Then the Foundation just kind of agreed to it,” Fracalossi said. There are numerous other pieces in the college’s collection of student artwork, and there is the possibility that different pieces may go on display over time. Fracalossi said, “We may change the artwork every year to circulate our collection. We’re not sure though.”

Michael Schaefer | THE HUDSONIAN

Eraina, forensic science major. The college can now take time off for Spring Break as well, which has not happened for several semesters. The decision to remove finals week was included in a contract

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passed by the Board of Trustees and Faculty Association, which will last from the beginning of the fall 2015 semester to Aug. 2019. Students can expect to have no finals week until the contract is up for renewal again in 2019.

FEATURES

May 10, 2016

Student artists rock new type of ‘Math’ By: Jenny Caulfield Creative Editor Three Hudson Valley students are looking to change the world with their music, and stop at nothing to become the biggest band on earth. Animal Math is composed of four members, three of which that attend Hudson Valley. Jim Blanas on lead vocals and guitar, Shawn Shafran on lead guitar and David Kelly on bass, make up three fourths of Animal Math. The project came from Blanas, who had been searching on and off for the last three years trying to find members. After meeting Shafran and Kelly, Blanas knew it was time to bring his idea back to life, and settled on the name Animal Math. “Usually when I run music, I can hear the finished product I imagine behind it,” said Blanas. After hearing Shafran and Kelly both play, he found the sound and style they presented a perfect fit for what he was looking for.

“[Shawn] came in and played things I couldn’t have even imagined and it made it better. So did David, they both played things that I wasn’t capable of seeing and the diversity they have added to [Animal Math] has just made it even better,” said Blanas. Every member of Animal Math has different musicians who influence them and the work they produce. Tool, Born Of Osiris and Coheed and Cambria are a few of the bands that inspired Animal Math to find their signature sound. “I take a lot of that weird almost microtonal sounding guitar lead stuff that you hear in metal and I put it over what [Jim] has done for the song structure and it’s turned out pretty well,” said Shafran. Animal Math, which name comes from “the poetry of the words animal and math” according to Blanas, focuses their style around the style of progressive hard rock. Despite making music in this style from their individual influences, the band doesn’t feel they belong within one certain genre. “We feel that genres put us in a box and restrict our

sound,” said Blanas. Although they haven’t found a set name, over the summer Animal Math are planning to release their first EP composed of about eight songs. “We’re going to record a professional EP at Wandering Sound Studio in Saratoga Springs,” said Blanas. Writing music for Animal Math for three years, Blanas is ready to record his music professionally with the rest of Animal Math incorporating all of their ideas. “You have a structure just like a house: you have the frame of it, but what you do on the inside and the outside is entirely up to you. So the structure that I write doesn’t really dictate what the sound is,” said Blanas. Working to bring publicity to their band, Animal Math are planning to hang posters around campus next semester of the artwork for their EP, and other artwork for promotion. In addition to the posters they hope to hang, the band are currently working with Hudson Valley to arrange a performance next semester at Welcome Week.

Jenny Caulfield | THE HUDSONIAN Members of Animal Math practice in Latham last Sunday.

The Mathematics of Faith How Economics Justiﬁes Belief In God

By: Tony Chedrawee Guest Contributor What does it mean to believe something? A quick search on the internet will bring back many slightly different definitions, but all with a common message. Belief is essentially trusting that something is true. We must be aware of the fact that believing something doesn’t imply truth, it merely assumes it. This is clear when we consider how many people believe claims that are false. We can all think back to times when we were once in that situation. Considering this, the question arises, “Why do we believe anything, when our beliefs can be false?” To answer this we must simply try to envision a life where we believe nothing. How could I get to work if I didn’t believe my car would start? If I didn’t believe that I had legs, why would I bother trying to walk? You can take this as deep as you would like. If I didn’t believe that I exist, why would I do anything at all? Simply put, without belief, we could not function and

live a normal life. Observing human behavior reveals that the average human values the utility of belief more than the risk of non-belief. These truths may not seem so special if one has not considered the fact that we really can’t know anything with mathematical certainty. I cannot technically prove that my perceptions of reality are any truer than yours. I cannot prove that the world I live in, my own body, and even my thoughts are not just simulations generated by some computer outside our reality. We could be a brain in a vat, being fed sensory stimuli that deceive us into thinking that what we experience is real, when reality can be something completely different. These thoughts sound like they could come from a conspiracy theorist, but from an epistemological point of view, they are irrefutable. In fact, this position, known as solipsism, is one that many philosophers admit, cannot be logically refuted. That being said, any sane person would not choose to believe it. There simply is no utility in this belief. The reason we choose not to embrace this belief is the same reason we do anything at

all. Our perceived cost of believing it outweighs our perceived benefits of belief. In other words, we are better off living as though solipsism is false, even though we cannot prove it to be. These thoughts bring us to a few conclusions. We cannot prove that anything is absolutely true, belief does not imply truth, and something being irrefutable does not mean it’s true. Considering these, one is faced with a problem. If we do not automatically believe what is true, and we cannot know something to be absolutely certain, how do we choose what to believe? Convention and practicality will tell us to believe what can be demonstrated to be true beyond a reasonable doubt and to embrace beliefs that are beneficial to us. Since we cannot know something to be true with mathematical certainty, we must apply our fallible judgment and decide what view is more reasonable to embrace. In fact, we believe in this method so strongly that it is what our juries use in courtrooms. It is understood that you cannot know with absolute certainty that a suspect in a case is, in fact, a murderer, however, in order for Continue on next page

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May 10, 2016

FEATURES

society to function, we allow the possibility of wrongful convictions. Our perceived costs, of some possible wrong convictions, is worth the perceived benefit of getting many criminals of the street. Here again, we see humans naturally making a choice to believe something, despite the lack of certainty, for the sake of practicality. Why is all of this important? Misunderstanding the nature of faith can have dire consequences. In a courtroom, if we dismiss a case due to lack of absolute certainty, no criminal will ever be convicted. On the other hand, convicting a suspect with little relative certainty could result in mass wrongful incarcerations and a corrupt regime. Because of this, it is important for society to define what belief is “reasonable”. For a meaningful definition to be created, the context of the situation has to be looked at in a holistic manner. One can argue that a murder suspect should be convicted if the probability of their guilt is perceived to be passed 50%, and others can argue that there needs to be 99% certainty. It is up to society to decide. The degree to which we are “certain enough” to make a valid decision, must also be judged by each individual in his/her own personal life. Each situation presents different risks and benefits to each choice, some more serious than others. If I am gambling with a one dollar scratch off, the benefit of my enjoyment of the game may outweigh the cost of risking my dollar. If I am risking my life’s saving on the lottery, I would have to be fairly certain that I could win for my choice to be worth the gamble. In both cases I am making a choice, which is to believe that I could win. One might argue that a scratch off is just for fun and most people don’t really believe that they could win. If this were true, and there was a zero percent chance of winning, no one would play. The utility which comes from the excitement of gambling only exists if there is a possibility to win. Without that utility, no one would play. Considering this, we can see how choosing to play the lottery implies the belief in winning. Playing a one dollar scratch off and gambling your entire savings present two entirely different sets of possible risks and benefits, however, deciding to take the gamble requires the same mechanisms of judgment. What does this mean for people making really hard choices such as the choice to believe in the existence of God or an afterlife? Again, here it is beneficial to recall that faith is a choice, not a result of certainty. So should someone choose to believe in the existence of God? Let’s use the same model of determining if it is reasonable to gamble in a certain game. When choosing whether a gamble is worth the risk, a perfectly reasonable person compares the possible risk against the possible gain. This method removes any subjective factors from the equation and allows mathematics to be the deciding factor. Recall the example of gambling with the scratch off. If I risk a dollar for a 50% chance of winning $100, mathematics will tell us that the odds of coming out with profit are in your favor. However, if the amount that can be won decreases, and your cost of playing increases, it becomes less worth the risk. Gambling $5 for a 25% chance of winning $100 is still worth it because on average, spending $20 on tickets should result in a win. However, if the cost to play becomes $20 and you only have a 1% chance of winning, mathematics will tell you not to play. When it comes to belief in God and an afterlife, the risks and rewards are much different, but the process of determining the reasonability of faith is very similar. This concept of a gamble was first presented by Blaise Pascal, a Christian thinker in the 17th century, and is known today as Pascal’s wager. It assumes that all humans bet their lives on God’s existence or non-existence. Assuming that the stakes are infinite if God exists, and that there has to at least be some possibility that he exists (anything more than 0%), Pascal claims that someone who is reasonable should live as though God exists and should choose to believe in God. If God does not actually exist, this person will only have a limited loss (some of his time spent on Earth), where they could possibly receive an infinite gain (eternity in Heaven) and avoid an infinite loss (eternity in Hell). On the other hand, if someone chooses not to believe in God, they are gaining a lifetime on Earth void of spiritual obligations, but they are risking the possibility of an eternal and infinite loss. This way of thinking does not make claims about the possibility of God’s existence, it only demonstrates that if there is even a slight chance that God exists, the faith is worth the gamble. When one considers the fact that nothing can be known with absolute certainty, it becomes clear that what we decide to put our faith in is, in fact, a choice. Like any other choice, what we decide to believe is based not only on the odds of something being true but also on our perceived benefits and perceived costs. To determine these benefits and costs, we not only consider what can be demonstrated to be true with empirical evidence, but also the utility of each choice (we don’t choose to embrace solipsism because it is not a beneficial belief). Our decision to embrace a belief can be a gamble, such as belief in the worthiness of playing the lottery, yet we can use reason to guide us through these choices. When it comes to the choice of believing in God, even if we disregard all arguments for God’s existence, and claim there is at least some chance that God exists, then belief is still reasonable. This is demonstrated by Pascal’s wager which considers the possible costs and benefits of belief. In the end, the important question may not be “What are the odds that God exists?”, but rather “Could God exist?” and “What am I going to do about it?”

Veteran ﬁghts PTSD through music By: Jenny Caulfield Creative Editor Jim Blanas used music to help him cope with his four years fighting in Afghanistan. Twenty seven year-old Blanas spent four years in the United States Army overseas. Left with brain damage and post traumatic stress disorder, he turned to music to restore normalcy in his life. “It’s about expressing emotion live to people who can share that emotion,” said Blanas about his music. Blanas, who is the frontman and guitarist for his creation Animal Math, has been playing music for the last 13 years of his life. Being inspired at a young age by the guitar solos from Pink Floyd, Blanas felt an immediate connection to the sound. “The melodic aspects of metal are something that you only hear with metal,” he said. After first asking for a guitar at seven years old, Blanas finally got a guitar at 14 after being removed from school. “I got kicked out of school in eighth grade for the remaining three months of school and my parents got me a guitar so I had something to do,” he said. With his continuing passion for music, Blanas has continued with guitar ever since. Going into the Army at 19 as an attempt to mature himself, Blanas missed out on musical experiences he had at home.

Jenny Caulfield | THE HUDSONIAN Twenty-seven-year-old Jim Blanas jamming on the guitar. Returning from Afghanistan and wanting nothing more than to be a musician, Blanas decided to go out and achieve his dream. For the past three years, Blanas has been looking for other musicians to join his project Animal Math, and this year finally found the people to fit his vision. Finding their sound, Blanas is finally ready to live his dream of recording an album, and playing his music for anyone willing to listen. “It’s not just about good

songs, it’s about you putting that CD or album in and it taking you on a journey that you’re forced to go on with the music,” he said. Looking to direct his music towards the progressive rock style, Blanas has plans to separate his bands from others in their genre. “A lot of bands in the genre of rock you can predict where things are going to happen. You already know where the music is going and the idea behind our project is to make music that takes you to somewhere you didn’t know you

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wanted to go.” Being experienced with guitar, Blanas has also started to work on vocals for his band by training to sing with a voice more oriented to the progressive rock style they perform. Having his original style of vocals come from soul music, Blanas initially started singing with gospel influences. “A lot of my singing is influenced by Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and old blues,” he said. Growing up with this vocal

style, Blanas is now working with blending his gospel style vocals with the rock style instrumentation of Animal Math. Training himself to scream, Blanas has hopes to mix harsh vocals into Animal Math’s sound in the future. “There isn’t any screaming at this point but there will be because the music distates where you scream,” he said. Besides working to be a musician, Blanas is also the father of his six-year-old son Elijah. Blanas had his son after returning home from Afghanistan, and hopes the music he plays will inspire his son in the future. “As [Elijah] gets older, he’ll hopefully grow up with a passion for music because he was around it all the time,” said Blanas. Besides trying to be a role model for his son with music, Blanas also hopes to show the importance of education. Blanas currently studies chemical engineering at Hudson Valley with plans to transfer to RPI in the fall. Returning home from the Army at 23-years-old, Blanas waited six months and then attended classes once more through the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, a program that helps disabled veterans find jobs and education. Even though he plans to get a degree for chemical engineering, blanas still has music as his first priority. “If I’m anything besides a touring musician by the time I’m 40, then I’m a failure.”

May 10, 2016

SPORTS

8 LETTR FROM THE EDITOR

Signing oﬀ from the sports desk

By: John C. Longton III Sports Editor I am currently writing this letter at 2 a.m. on a Monday morning at my desk in the Hudsonian office. My eyes are bloodshot, I have Red Bull flowing through my veins and there is no where else I’d rather be. This is a bittersweet moment for me. Bitter because this will be the last thing I write for the Hudsonian and sweet because I’m now moving on to the next chapter of my life. My name is John Longton and I’ve been writing for the Hudsonian for two years. I started out as a staff writer in the fall of 2014 and assumed the role of Sports Editor one year later. I first started here on a whim. I came with an idea to write weekly NFL picks and was eager to share my opinion on the topic. I wanted to do a game by game breakdown of the matchups and give predictions on what I thought was going to happen. After meeting with the Editor-in-Chief at the time, my idea was quickly shot down due to a couple different reasons. For one, it was a Friday afternoon when I walked into the office with my pitch and all articles were due within a couple of hours. And two, I was told that everything in the paper had to be campus-related and it wouldn’t fit well with the style that the Hudsonian used. Things didn’t turn out the way I expected when I walked out of that office, but it didn’t stop me. I went right to the library while

my creative iron was still hot and in a couple of hours I wrote exactly what I wanted and sent it in anyway. I didn’t have high hopes for my product, but I knew I had to do it for myself. To my surprise, the paper ran it and it became a permanent staple in that back of the paper for the entire length of the NFL season. This is where my love affair with writing began. Before this I never really wrote anything besides required schoolwork, but if you’re passionate about something it pretty much writes itself. Soon after I started my picks I took on a larger role with the paper writing sports stories. I covered games, wrote profiles and did pretty much anything a sports journalist

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Complex

Under the additional support, Hudson Valley sought out upgrades to the project materials. Track, which originally lasted an average of seven years, was replaced with longer-lasting materials. Matching the longevity of the artificial turf, the substitute track would last up to an average of 12 years. According to Alex Popovics, vice president for enrollment management and student development, the college moved towards the new materials to avoid conflict with the track accessibility. The upgrade was

approved by the board of trustees late last month. “The concern is, it would be seven years that would need to be replacing [the track], five years later we’d be replacing the turf and two years later we’d be replacing the track again,” said Popovics. “And the constant work that’s being done would be a disservice to our students.” “This upgrade should still keep us on budget,” said Ann Carrozza, director of the FSA. The FSA contributed about $2 million to the $4.5 million project. Over five years, along with FSA and matching funds from the state, the Student Senate was able to push $715,000 in class gifts.

would do. I was eager to learn as much as possible in the process and started to think about having a career as a sports journalist. The Hudsonian gave me the platform to hone in on my craft and work through my growing pains and for that I am much obliged. Without it I would have never have tapped into my creative side and realized my full potential. Through the Hudsonian I have established various connections in the sports world that have helped me facilitate various goals. I have gone to several conferences where I’ve met professionals in the field that have given me advice and critiqued my work. One of whom was ESPN broadcaster Buster

Olney. Olney covered the Nashville Sounds, a minor league baseball team, in the beginning of his career. I expressed with him my interest in covering the Tri-City ValleyCats and he told me that his time with the Sounds was a great experience and it helped him pave his path towards his career. Last Spring I got a chance to make a connection with the ValleyCats while covering a Hudson Valley game at the Joe for the Hudsonian. They offered me a press pass for the season and I created a website where I would wrote game stories, plugged in box scores and other various things. I worked in the press box alongside the rest of the local sports media and made even

more connections. Through these connections I got an internship with the Daily Gazette and got to further my understanding of sports journalism. Even though my internship has expired I still contribute for the Gazette and submit stories when deemed worthy. None of these pieces would have fallen into place if it weren’t for one thing. The Hudsonian. I pass down this newspaper from the ones who came before me to the ones who will come after with a few words of advice. This is a stage where you get out of it what you put into it. There’s nothing more satisfying than working hard on a project or story and having it come out the right way. You can mail it in and people might not notice, but you will. I have watched this paper grow from a rinky dink tabloid to an award winning publication and I would like it to remain that way. Take pride in your work not for just yourself but for the ones that came before you and pass it down with the same respect. There are a lot of opportunities that lie within these confines. Take full advantage. I would like to thank all of my colleagues, the athletic department and faculty and staff. But most of all I want to say thank you to Rachel Bornn for believing in me and challenging me every step of the way. And for that I am forever grateful.

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@thehudsonian

Courtesy of hvcc.edu Student paintings hung up in the gallery along with many other works from the Fine Arts program.

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May 10, 2016

SPORTS

Baseball heads into home stretch By: John C. Longton III Sports Editor The baseball team is 24-6 heading into their postponed matchup with their regional foe Herkimer Generals. The Vikings will host the Generals on Tuesday for a double header that was pushed back twice due to inclement weather. Originally the two teams were paired to square off at “The Joe” on Sunday, May 1. That was until the baseball gods decided that both teams should end their regular seasons playing each other. It’s only right that a magical season with high expectations should end in this fashion. Since the game had to be pushed back, so far it interrupts with a week that the Vikings were supposed to have off. Sub regionals are to begin on Saturday and this week is designated for teams to get healthy and fine tune their rosters for postseason play. “It’s going to hurt us a little bit with our pitching because we’re trying to save our best arms for the playoffs,” said Head Coach Alex Jurczynski. “We are going to treat this like any other game, but we are going to compete.” The series also comes at a time where the pitching staff is looking a little lighter. During the first game at Herkimer last Saturday, starting pitcher Nick

Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN Baseball looks ahead at a chance to play their first playoff game at home this Saturday night. Teitter had an early exit due to stiffness in his elbow. Well that inflammation could be season ending as he and the team are holding their breaths waiting on an MRI result. Teitter has been a bulldog on the mound for the Vikings so far this season. He threw a no-hitter in his first outing at the Joe and is averaging a strikeout and a half per inning. He also brings a big bat to a lineup that is first in the nation in batting average (.400) and also first in the nation in on base percentage (.490). Teitter is hitting .477 with 15 RBIs and has everyone hoping that his bat can

still at least be utilized. “We’re waiting on MRI results to see if it’s severe or mild,” said Jurczynski. “If it’s mild he can come back and play first [base] and swing that bat a little bit, but I’m not trying to put his career in my hand,” he added. The Vikings do have a bit of depth to overcome the war of attrition and they have their eyes on the prize. “I want to win our regionals,” said Darren Conte when asked about his postseason goals. “I want to win our home series, go to the final four and play good baseball there.”

Conte has been a major contributor to the Viking’s success in his two year span with the team. Last year he led the nation in with a .489 batting average and this year has picked up where he left off hitting .493, which is fifth in the nation. The Vikings were an honorable mention in the national rankings for back to back weeks heading into their matchup with Herkimer last weekend. They won the first game 6-5 and took a dip in their performance since then. “After our win against Herkimer we kind of took things for granted,” said Conte.

At the time Herkimer was ranked seventh in the nation and the Vikings played with a little less urgency after the win. They lost the second game 6-0 and dropped their next two games away at Jefferson. “We’ve been a little flat as of late,” said Jurczynski talking about his team’s performance early in the week. Since then the Vikings have righted the ship and won six in a row and have outscored their opponents 42-20. They have to bring their hot bats Tuesday because they face a Herkimer team that have moved up a spot and are now sixth in the nation with a 20-2 conference record. They beat them once this season and will try to do so again. The Vikings are favored to host a home sub-regional matchup this weekend on Saturday and wait for the cards to fall to know their fate after that. The game has a chance to be played under the lights where the Vikings like their odds. They played under the lights for the first time this year on Mother’s Day and beat FultonMontgomery 12-7. “It was definitely a cool experience,” said Jurczynski. “I think it’s much easier to see the ball under the lights. Especially here because they’re state of the art. They guys are fired up for it.”

We got ﬁve on it By: Samantha Longton Staff Writer Centerfielder Connor McDonough prepares to hang his hat after his second and final season of playing for the Hudson Valley Vikings baseball team. McDonough first picked up baseball at age four and hasn’t stopped playing since. “I’ve always been around sports, especially baseball and softball,” said McDonough. “That’s all my life really is, just sports.” McDonough graduated from Lansingburgh High School in 2014 and decide to continue his education at Hudson Valley. He added the choice to come to Hudson Valley was fairly easy because his siblings had also gone to HVCC in the past. McDonough attributes his love for baseball to his dad, Tim McDonough, who also has a love for baseball. “He is the main reason why I play,” said McDonough. In his free time, McDonough

mentioned that he works for the athletic department by manning the scoreboard for the other teams at Hudson Valley. In the offseason he spends his time playing for the Albany Twilight League. According to McDonough, it’s a joy to play for the baseball team. “We have the best chemistry I’ve ever had while playing for a team,” said McDonough. “We all just get along, nobody dislikes

anybody on the team. Every day is enjoyable going into practice,” he said. When going into games, McDonough stresses going in with a clear mindset. “Try to forget everything and relax so you can stay really focussed on the game,” he said. Head coach Alex Jurczynski, emphasizes that McDonough is a well rounded individual both on and off the field.

“He leads by example,” said Jurczynski. “He’s a very good student, everything he does is to a T.” Jurczynski also added that he sometimes lets McDonough run the outfield drills with the team. “I don’t have to worry about him not doing the right things,” said Jurczynski. “It [Baseball] was my first love,” said McDonough. “Now I’m losing the competitive part of

Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN Connor McDonough hits lefty for the Vikings.

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the game and coming to reality. Giving up that dream as a little leaguer is devastating.” Upon graduation in just a few weeks, McDonough plans on going out into the workforce to find a job connected to his major, electrical construction. “I’d like to see him go to a four year school, but I think he’s set on going into the workforce,” said Jurczynski. “He’s just a joy to coach.” Jurczynski also added that he’s seen a huge change with McDonough between the two years he has coached his team. “He’s made some really good plays in the outfield that have saved us a lot of runs,” he said. On the other side of the plate McDonough leads by example. He’s currently batting .400 with a .506 on base percentage. Last year he was the team’s leadoff hitter and this year he bats near the top of the order. “He’s that one piece that completes the team,” said Jurczynski. “He’s an all-around good kid and without him we wouldn’t be where we are.”

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