News On Page 2:
White House focuses on sexual assault
Features on Page 4:
Arts & Entertainment on Page 5:
Latta elected MSG President
‘Raw Edges’ impresses audiences Read more inside & online
THE Merciad MERCYHURST UNIVERSITY
EST. 1929 VOL. 87 NO. 20
‘Raw Edges’ captivates
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014
Tuition increase Dance Department partners with Regional Cancer Center lowest in 24 years By Melanie Todd Staff Writer
Casey Bleuel photo
Caroline Milliken Euker, 2005 Mercyhurst graduate, holds the stage during the solo piece “Fragmented.”
By Melanie Todd Staff writer
The Raw Edges dance performance is a celebration for a year of anniversaries. It is the 40th anniversary of the Mercyhurst Dance Department and the 20th anniversary of Artistic Director Tauna Hunter and Production Manager /Resident Designer Michael Gleason. For Hunter, there is an additional, personal anniversary being celebrated. “I am celebrating five years of being cancer free,” she says with a smile. This showcase was emotional and will be remembered for years to come. In honor of the anniversaries, the dancers partnered with the Regional Cancer Center. Hunter says, “We were interested in getting involved in the community.” A small raffle of tickets for additional performances, as well as a student made basket, were raffled off at the Sunday
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showing. The money will benefit Regional Cancer Center and local cancer patients. Information on cancer prevention measures and early warning signs was available to audience members to help spread awareness for the cause. “We really want to honor the survivors that may be in the audience,” Hunter says. This is the first year the dance department has connected with the Regional Cancer Center and they could not think of a better way to celebrate such anniversaries. Hunter says, “I am grateful every day for one more day on the planet,” as we all should be. As much as we would like to think that tomorrow we are guaranteed to see the sun come up, there is always a chance that we will not. We are finite beings and must live each day so that we do not have regrets.
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Junior Maggie Doherty showcases the precision of ballet during “Raw Edges.”
Alison Ockasi photo
Next year’s tuition will increase by 3.89% of the current base fee of $31,485. Jane Kelsey, vice president for Finance and Treasurer, and Gary Brown, Ph.D, senior vice president and chief financial officer, said in a jointly authored email that the “3.89% increase over the current year is the lowest total cost increase in 24 years.” The increase for 2014-2015 is continuing with the goal to maintain low cost increases. In past years, the cost increases were almost double. According to Kelsey, “the historical total cost increase averaged 6%.” Efforts have been made to reduce the yearly increases significantly to lessen the overall burden. Still, increase is unavoidable. Brown would like to stress, “Each year we struggle to contain costs and balance the University’s budget, while ensuring that any increase to tuition and fees for our students and their families is minimized to the extent possible.” College tuition is a large burden on students and families across the country, preventing some students from furthering their education all together. “We are mindful of the sacrifice families make to send their sons and daughters to Mercyhurst,” Kelsey and Brown said. The funds serve various purposes. “About half of the 3.91% increase will be distributed right back to students by growing the university’s financial aid reserves for those in the greatest need,” Kelsey and Brown said. The majority of the funds work towards reinvesting in the university. “This summer the University is embarking on a multi-year plan to improve the Briggs and Lewis apartments,” Kelsey and Brown explain. There is also necessary repair work needed for the athletic center and overall infrastructure of the campus. @TheMerciad
Online Poll Results
Are you looking forward to the Hirt lounge space renovation? 48% Absolutely. 19% I was able to work my way through it. 6% No problem at all. 26% No, is this what winning the Hunger Games feels like? There is no upcoming poll. Hold your thoughts until September. Have a great summer!
merciad.mercyhurst.edu
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News
White House focuses on college sexual assault By Zach Dorsch Managing Editor
This year the Obama administration established the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault. This program set out to mandate the strengthening of federal enforcement efforts by providing schools nationwide with tools to combat sexual assault on their campuses. Mercyhurst Univeristy is also working towards putting an end to sexual assaults occurring on its campuses. Currently, the university is putting a tremendous effort into educating its students and staff about Title IX. Title IX states that, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” Although Title IX was created in 1972, there were no major changes until 2011 when the Department of Education released a statement saying, “The sexual harassment of students, including sexual violence, interferes with students’
May 7, 2014
The Merciad
The White House is launching a website (notalone.org) to help victims of sexual assault at colleges find a voice.
right to receive an education free from discrimination and in the case of sexual violence, is a crime.” Currently, Mercyhurst is working towards complying with the new guidelines of Title IX by sending Police and Safety officers to special training on how to handle a Title IX investigation as well as how to handle the situation when a victim does come forward to report a case of sexual violence. Students, faculty, and coaches are also being edu-
cated about Title IX. It is especially important that the faculty and coaching staff learn how to handle a situation if a victim comes to them to report an incident. Educating students has paid off with regard to Title IX. According to Vice President for Student Life Laura Zirkle, “We have seen an increase in reporting and have seen better reporting, because as a campus we are more aware and conscious of Title IX.” She finds it impressive that students “are talking the lan-
guage” that is used in the pamphlets that are disturbed throughout campus on the subject. In terms of reporting, Mercyhurst University wants to make sure that both the victim and the defendant will be treated with as equal parts in the investigation to ensure the conduct hearing is a fair one. Zirkle is also thankful for the “University-wide support. From the Board to the President, faculty and staff, she appreciates that they are being flexible with their schedules in order to hear the message as well as to go to training.” She also emphasizes how important it has been that everyone responded to the call to make the Mercyhurst community a safe one. In terms of things to come, there is a big push to educate incoming freshmen, by including a section on consent and respect in the Alcohol Wise test each student has to take before coming to Mercyhurst. The university will also bring in a guest speaker during Welcome Week to discuss nonviolent sexuality.
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Students showcase innovations for Erie By Amanda Moore Staff writer
On April 23, two students from Mercyhurst, Matt Vendeville and Rebecca Cratty, took a step towards making the world a better place by presenting their ideas at the Erie Collegiate Innovation Showcase. It was the first annual competition where two team finalists from Penn State Behrend, Gannon, Edinboro and Mercyhurst come together with their ideas for future innovations. Vendeville, a junior Public Health and Intelligence Studies major, came up with an idea called Drop-let. It is a filtration system that can filter large quantities of water for impoverished areas. “We had been learning about the difficulties of water filtration [in class] and I was just thinking of ways to fix that,” Vendeville said. Cratty, a senior Interior Design major, presented Octa Connect, a product used to create low-cost apartment style building communities at colleges that are designed specifically for the needs of incoming students. “Octa Connect is unique because it is a system which can be custom ordered by the university, prefabricated, built with green technology, easily transported, leased by the unit, modified into multiple interior
layouts, arranged into multiple footprints, and adapted for various sites,” Cratty said. The Octa Connect project will be on display at Mercyhurst. “The Interior Design Senior Thesis Exhibition will be hung in the Cummings Art Gallery until May 18th where anyone could stop during gallery hours to see the Octa Connect design on display as well as three other senior projects,” Cratty said. Both Cratty and Vendeville won access to seminars to learn how to patent their ideas and also an hour with a IP lawyer which can help patent ideas. Both students hope to proceed further with their products. While Vendeville and Cratty did not win, they both feel the experience was very positive. “I learned a lot from the experience as far as presentation skills and how to think of an idea and bring it to a group of people. Also having to listen to them telling you what’s wrong with it was kind of hard,” Vendeville said. There is a similar competition happening July called the InnovationErie which still showcases ideas, but on a wider scope. It is available to everyone in Erie, not specifically college students.
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May 7, 2014
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The Merciad
Features
Latta elected MSG president By Mary Barnes
Contributing writer
As this school year comes to a close, leadership positions are being filled all over campus to prepare for the next academic year. Electing a new executive board for Mercyhurst Student Government is no different, and this year, the student body has voted in current junior Nick Latta as its newest voice. Currently a Resident Assistant in the Duval apartments and the former MSG vice president, Nick is no stranger to tackling large responsibilities. As MSG president, Nick has some big shoes to fill. This academic year’s president, Amber Penna, has been working handin-hand with the Board of
Trustees to bring about change to campus this past academic year. Besides adopting the title, Nick will also be the loudest voice of the student body. “It is my job to survey the student body to better understand their opinions on important issues and the results of the survey are an important piece when talking to members of University Council or the Board of Trustees,” Latta says. As next year’s president, Nick will be sitting on both the Board and the University Council, and already has ideas on new ways to change Mercyhurst for the better. He plans on bringing the university together by increasing school spirit and student attendance at student performances, campus speakers, SAC
and athletic events. In order to implement these changes, Latta, along with the new executive board, will be working closely with the student body to ensure the changes that the student body wishes to see will be accomplished during his year as president. Not all changes can happen, however, as smoothly as they might wish. “The most difficult part of the job will be accepting the fact that some things just cannot change over-night and having the dedication to see important projects all the way to their completion,” says Latta. Having the motivation and dedication to continuously work toward campus improve-
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ments is important though, because making the student body happy is the key to a successful presidency. Latta has already been hard at work preparing for next year. MSG is currently accepting applications for the 20142015 academic years’ spirit shirt design. Furthermore, he has already solidified the first guest speaker for the year- R.J. Mitte, one of the stars of the hit television show “Breaking Bad.” Nick and the rest of MSG are looking forward to what next year will bring to Mercyhurst’s campus. Under the guidance of the new MSG executive board, Latta hopes to improve campus life. @TheMerciad
Mike Murphy photo
Latta will take over as MSG president for next academic year
Senior Class gives back By Ryan Kushner Staff writer
In the face of adversity, Mercyhurst University’s senior class completed this year’s senior class gift, and in the process, achieved three accomplishments never before done by a senior class. According to Jacob Griffin, a senior Forensic Anthropology major and Fundraising and Participation Chair of the senior gift committee, students were not able to electronically donate their housing deposit to the senior gift. Normally, students can donate all or part of their housing deposit to the committee via the Alumni website. “We are the first class since the early 1990s to have to actually raise all of the money on our own,” Griffin said. Senior Biology major and Committee member Sarah Piasecki said this set back limited the committee’s gift options. The committee eventually proposed two ideas to President Thomas Gamble and several other top administrators. The first idea, Piasecki’s brain child, was updates to Hammermill Library, including adding more outlets and updating study rooms. Initially, Piasecki, a self-proclaimed “library nerd,” suggested adding more outlets. Library Administrator Darcy Jones agreed and suggested also creating a new study room on the second floor, dubbed the “Collaboration Zone,” according to Piasecki. The renovations include new paint, carpeting and furniture, along with a module where students can plug in and connect four laptops that all display on a single moni-
tor. The room will also have a white board wall on which students can write, similar to the ones in the Center for Academic Engagement. “We got interior design involved, the library, and the IT department and came up with a proposal to do this study room,” Piasecki said. Griffin said he hopes more Collaboration Zones are created on campus. “We want to do this project because it is something that is keeping [Mercyhurst University] competitive with other schools,” Griffin said. The second gift proposal is the addition of a Student Section to Tulio Field. Griffin said the University challenged the students to raise enough for both gifts. “We came in saying that we wanted to raise $3,500,” Griffin said. “[However,] they challenged us to raise $5,000 and said that they would let us do both gifts.” The committee succeeded in raising $7,500, making it the first time a senior class gave two gifts to the University. This was one of three firsts for a senior class. Secondly, the Class of 2014 broke the Class of 2013’s participation record. Sixty-five percent of seniors participated in the class gift project, eclipsing last year’s seniors’ 55 percent participation rate. This is also the first time one of senior class gifts was completed before graduation. The dedication of the class gift will be held on Friday, May 16, at 1 p.m. in the Chapel Foyer, and will also feature a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Collaboration Zone. The new student section in Tulio Feild will be completed over the summer. @TheMerciad
Caitlin Dee photo
The Collaboration Zone is located on the second floor of the Hammermill Library and is dedicated to group projects.
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The Merciad
Features MSG deems Springfest a success By Dan Tarr
Features editor
Casey Bleuel photo
We Are the In Crowd plays during the Springfest concert in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center.
This past weekend, the annual event known as Springfest took place on campus. The event was a success, according to MSG. The event started at 5 p.m., on Friday, May 2. Tables were set up outside the Student Union that distributed food items, including soft pretzels, corn dogs and ice cream sandwiches. These tables were run by members of the ParkHurst staff. At 7:30 p.m., the doors to the main concert event of Springfest opened. Four rock bands played in the Athletic Center. These bands were Transit, We Are the In Crowd, New Politics and Mayday Parade. Transit, who started at 8 p.m., played first for an hour and was followed by We Are the In Crowd. These two
bands, from Boston, Mass. and Poughkeepsie, N.Y., respectively, managed to get students to go crazy in the audience with their mix of alternative and pop rock. At 10 p.m., New Politics played. This was the alternative rock band’s first time playing in Erie, Pa., as they hail from Copenhagen, Denmark. New Politics was arguably the most audience-interactive and visual band that night. Lead singer David Boyd did flips and break dance moves on stage. There was also a point during the performance where a group of audience members lifted him up on his feet while he sang. Mayday Parade, the final band of the night, went on at 11 p.m. The alternative rock group from Tallahassee, Fla., closed the night out with their alternative rock songs. Lead singer Derek Sanders, at one point during the performance, sang a piano ballad which
had students lifting their cell phones in the air, simulating lighters. The final activity of Springfest took place on Saturday, May 3, at 9 p.m. This was a showing of the Disney movie “Frozen” in Garvey Park, outside of the Student Union. Students sang along with the songs from the movie while snacking on snickerdoodle popcorn. “Springfest was a great success. Everyone who worked to put the event together did an amazing job as a team,” MSG Public Relations Coordinator Garrett Erwin said. “This was my second year working for Springfest, and it’s always a learning experience. A lot of work goes into the show and it’s always great seeing people having a good time and knowing that our handwork pays off.”
tion at the school. After moving to Erie, he took an adjunct teaching position and became a full-time professor in 2007. Before coming to Mercyhurst, Brown obtained a number of degrees, including a bachelor of arts from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and a Masters and a Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. At University of Mississipi, he received “very strong training in composition and literature classes with a close-knit group of graduate instructors,” Brown said. Because the English Department at Mercyhurst is small, Brown said most of the English professors teach a variety of courses. Some classes he has taught in the past range from Introduction to Sustainability in a team-taught environment, to Introduction to Creative Writing and multiple literary classics courses. This past spring semester, Brown also taught the first Environmental Poetry classes, a 200-level English course. Along with teaching a
range of classes, Brown serves as the head of the Writing Center in Hammermill Library. The position involves making the schedule for appointments, building and managing the Writing Center online website, hiring and training the employees and conducting workshops. The goal of the Writing Center is to help students improve in the writing process. This includes proofreading a rough draft, revising and editing a developed or final draft, analyzing and understanding the assignment and following academic style and citation methods. Students may bring in a multitude of writing projects, such as business letters, lab reports, research papers, resumes and personal essays. This service is free to use by appointment or walk-in. If you would like to learn more about the Literary Festival, or about the Writing Center, contact Greg Brown at gregbrown@mercyhurst. edu.
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Norton starts ‘Nightlif’ Brown aids in festival
By Jose Nufio Staff writer
Looking for a place to party? A Mercyhurst student created a social networking site to help you find one. Senior Management Information System in Web Development Major and Business Administration Minor Derek Norton, created Nightlif, a social networking site dedicated to nightlife enthusiasts. “Last year I was thinking about two things,” said Norton. “First, if you are in a city that you are not familiar with, you have no way of knowing where to go. Also when you go to an establishment’s website, a lot of the times, the information is outdated or the site is just not very good. Some bars don’t even have website.” The website consists of two parts: the user part and the establishment part. On the user side, users can create a free account and post where they are going. Nightlif will give them a list of the top establishments in the area, so that they can decide on where to go. The website also gives the users a breakdown of the men to women ratio in the establishments. Nightlif carries the typical features of other social networking sites. This includes sharing messages, comments, and likes. As well as
the choice to post pictures, videos, adding friends. A couple of features in the mobile site aren’t available in the desktop. If permitted, the mobile site can get users’ current location and they can see within a 2-mile radius where their friends are, making it easier to rendezvous. There is a nearby bar feature where users can see, based on their current location, what establishments are around. A useful feature for users who are visiting a city they are not familiar with. “You can see what the best bar is and what’s around you and you can make a decision to where to go,” said Norton. On the establishment side, establishments can create a profile, where they can add their specials, hours and promotions. Nightlif allows them to see statistics about their establishment, like how many people are going compared to their competition. They can also pay for monthly advertisement, giving them the ability to advertise directly to their customers. Establishments can send a certain amount of notifications to the inbox of their users, as a way for promotion and direct marketing. To avoid spamming, they can only do that a limited number of times per-month. Currently, there is a data-
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base full of nightlife establishments from all over the country. Even if an establishment hasn’t signed up for a profile, there is information on the establishment in the website. When they signed up it can connect to that profile and they can update the information. Nightlif was released last March, it receives no profit and Norton is only starting to advertise it. So far there are about 60 users signed up and 15 establishments that have created their profiles. Norton, also a resident of Orchar Park, NY, will work continue to work on the website after he graduates from Mercyhurst. “Right now I’ve already accepted an offer as a software engineer and I am going to do Nightlif on the side and if it catches on then obviously I’ll expand and take on full time,” said Norton. Norton invites all Mercyhurst students of legal age, to become a user and enjoy its convenience. “It’s free to use, it will help you decide where the best bars are and you can see where your friends are going. It’s a better way to connect and have a good time on the weekends,” said Norton. To create your account, go to Nightlif.com. @TheMerciad
By Naomi Greenstein Staff writer
As Mercyhurst University nears the end of the Annual Literary Festival, there are many that need to be acknowledged for their contributions to the celebration, including Gregory Brown, Ph. D. For the past few years, Brown has chosen the poets to speak to the students, including Andrew Hudgins, Jane Hirshfield and this year’s poet Mohja Kahf. For this year’s festival, Brown also invited Ann Fisher-Wirth, who served as Brown’s dissertation advisor and thesis advisor during his collegiate education. Brown is also an accomplished poet. His work has been included and acknowledged in published books of poetry, several of which display his environmentally-based poetry. Brown became an English professor at Mercyhurst in 2005 when his wife, now English Department Chair Christina Riley-Brown, Ph. D., accepted a teaching posi-
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Page 5
Arts &
Entertainment
‘Raw Edges’ impresses audiences
By Melanie Todd Staff writer
The ‘Raw Edges’ performance, last weekend, was innovative but did not alienate classical roots. With beautiful performances from both current and former Mercyhurst dancers, the show was dynamic and exciting. From the music choices to music and lighting, the performance was more than simply dancers on a stage. The opening dance, Inscriptions, featured a spoken verse of the poem “Fox Trot Friday” by Rita Dove. Only the lines of the poem and the movements of the dancers broke the silence. The dramatic piece drew the audience in and the following dances kept the members captivated. ‘Raw Edges’ is a fitting title for the showcase for each dance explored either the edges of dance or the edges of emotion. It is said, “everything you go through in life should come out in the way that you dance.” Featuring pieces inspired by loss and the horrific events of 9/11, this show allowed dance
Alison Ockasi photo
Raw Edges is filled with artistry and acrobatic dance numers, focusing on the edges of movements, which wowed audiences.
to guide the way through some of the most difficult times in a person’s life and a tragic time in our country’s history. The tone of the show quickly changed with a solo performance, Fragmented (excerpt) featuring an unexpected
soundtrack. “Leyendecker” by Battle loudly rang through the speakers as the dancer, Caroline Milliken Euker, a 2005 graduate, exploded onto the stage. Her performance was spectacular. She lit up the stage with her incredible energy and technique.
Of the night, a six-part piece was captivating. In a crowd full of black, all the eyes were first drawn to The Lady in the Red Dress. The dance begins with the first signs of night as dusk begins to fall and travels with the danc-
ers as they move through the outdoors to the bar and an art museum and finally finishes with breaths of the light of dawn at the river. The dances were shaped by the dancers themselves and their unique skill sets. One of
the most exciting elements was the incorporation of acrobatic dance, which left the audience eager for more. Each part had its own particular style and poise, showing off the talented Mercyhurst Dance Department. The final perfor mance brought the audience back to the roots of ballet. A large group of beautiful glittering white tutus filled the stage, their feet perfectly pointed. Despite the modern innovations of dance, the Mercyhurst department is sure to give credit to the original ballet work that has given us the technique to build upon. Classic never really goes out of style and this dance was a testament to that. Throughout the show, the Mercyhurst dancers presented their work with a lot of passion and precision. They effortlessly glided across the stage, showing their hard work throughout the years and dedication to the art of dance. The dancers ranged from freshman students to graduated alumni, but onstage they all performed beautifully. @TheMerciad
Lumen unveiling perfect way to end academic year By Naomi Greenstein Staff writer
moviesofhollywood.com photo
New Amazing Spiderman 2 movie failed to be a big hit at the box offices this past weekend.
New SpiderMan fails By Jake Lowy Staff writer
This past weekend Amazing SpiderMan 2 hit theaters in America, and personally I don’t know how I feel about the film. Due to terrible advertising, director Mark Webb’s marketing team gave a false impression that makes it hard to like the finished piece. According to the trailers, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) and Petter Parker (Andrew Gaurfeild) appeared to be trying to keep their relationship going despite her moving to a school overseas. At the same time (Jamie Foxx) has become the electrifying villain Electro and attempting to black out the entire city. Secondary villains included Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) and
Rhino (Paul Giamatti). I thought it was creative taking a goblins greed to bring out Harry’s inner goblin. The Harry from the original trilogy was a better pick then Dane DeHann for the role. On the topic of costumes, it worked with the plot, impressive make on the glider. Rhino looks like a mechanical hippo with a pointy party hat for a nose, not my top choice for a look. In reality, the film focuses more on the cover-up of Parker’s parents’ death and a deadly disease involving the Osborn bloodline. The second plot focus was the romance between Gwen and Peter. Finally, the third was Electro who had an estimated one-third of the film involving Jamie Foxx’s character at all. If you don’t pay attention to what the media has posted to promote the film it is the Spi-
derMan movie we have been waiting for. This film, like the second film of the original SpiderMan trilogy, is meant to be a steppingstone to something a lot bigger. This movie is a good pick for a date night and for those die hard fans. I love how Marc Webb directed the first two films, however maybe someone else should take over for the rest. He, in my eyes, gave fans a wrong message in the trailers making it challenging to enjoy the film. Like myself, you may have to see it twice to process the story from months of media promotions. I give it one thumbs up and one in between, I feel they need to redeem themselves in the the next two films.
During the past few months, Mercyhurst University’s English Department has worked hard on the college’s annual Literary Festival, which ended this past week with the capstone event: the unveiling of the Lumen Literary Magazine. The Literary Festival is an impor tant celebration on campus that consists of multiple events. Faculty members of the English Department are the main contributors and the ones who put on the festival each year. Most of the events are poetry readings by poets picked by Gregory Brown, Ph. D. For this year’s festival, Brown brought in poets Ann Fisher-Wirth, Mohja Kahf and author Karen Joy Fowler. The final capstone event of the festival was the unveiling of the Lumen Literary Magazine. The magazine, although supervised and managed by Kenneth
Schiff, Ph. D., of the English Department, is run entirely by students. Each year, students submit their art, whether it be visual art, poetry or short stories, and the staff, which is also comprised of students, pick what they believe should appear in the magazine. The staff, led by their editorin-chief, then edit the submissions they have chosen and begin the process of putting the magazine together. The editor-in-chief for this year’s Lumen was senior Molly Hunter. When asked why she believes Lumen is important to our university, Hunter said, “I think Lumen is a great opportunity to give students from all majors the chance to showcase and recognize their creativity outside of the classroom. It also helps to foster a sense of community for the creative writers on campus.” Hunter says she will miss working on the Lumen and with the staff. In response to being asked
how working on the Lumen has impacted her education, Hunter also said, “Being editor has given me a greater appreciation for how much of a community Mercyhurst is, because Lumen encompasses works from not only English majors, but also dance pieces, musical compositions, and photography.” As editor-in-chief, Hunter oversees the work of the other staff members and works directly with the magazine’s advisor, Kenneth Schiff, Ph. D. Schiff responded similarly to Hunter when asked about the significance of the Lumen, and said, “Lumen is important to Mercyhurst because this is a liberal arts college, and students’ creative work is the foundation of a liberal arts education.” The Lumen’s staff this year worked diligently to present the magazine to the university students, and are looking forward to seeing next year’s student submissions. @TheMerciad
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As the Literay Fest draws to an end, students and staff were excited for the unveiling of the Lumen, the student edited literary magazine.
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The Merciad
Opinion
The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad Relay for Life successful or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.
Finals week survival guide By Nathan Turner Staff writer
Maybe I’m a bit odd about this, but I’ve always thoughtfinals week is the least stressful week of the semester (or term, prior to this year). By the time you hit finals week, all the infor mation you’ve retained should already be inside your skull. It’s very unlikely that cramming for 12 hours prior to that Math/Biology/Chem/ Histor y/Intel/whateverclass-owns-your-soul-thissemester final is going to be very effective. So, take this final week (or few days by the time this article gets published) and use
this for your studying. All that work during finals should be a bit of final review, but not trying to study everything the professor ever taught within the three hours before the final. In fact, in the interest of trying to assist the stressing public in deciding how to prioritize which final to study for most, let me elaborate a bit on which exams might be the most effective use of time and trouble: 1. If you need an A on this final in order to pass the class (not get a good grade but pass), then better start busting your back. In fact, you should have starting doing so two weeks ago. 2. If you need an A to get
an A on the final, again, crack the book and get to work. Talk to classmates and the professor. See if you can’t get a hold of those last few facts or concepts. 3. If you have been doing well all semester and your grade is chilling at a solid B, but you want the A, take a couple hours and review what concepts you don’t get. Maybe talk to the prof for some help. They’re most likely very willing to do so. 4. If you can get an A in the class without stressing, and without the final having too much of an effect on the grade, then why you worried in the first place? If you’re under 21, then see who else is sitting pretty and have a
chill session. If you’re over 21, have a drink to (possibly) prematurely celebrate your victory over that class. Unless you’re about to tank all your other classes, in which case, go back to number 1. Either way, however, you manage your finals, I wish you best of luck and that you have a good time with happens in between the tests and afterwards. This year at Mercyhurst, whether it be your freshman, sophomore, or junior year, is quickly coming to a close, so grab what you can while you can. To the seniors, good luck and God bless. @TheMerciad
The negative impact of the beauty products we wear on a daily basis By Marcela Delgado Staff writer
On a daily a basis, we wear personal beauty products without knowing what chemicals are in them. Most of the chemicals we use are harmful for our bodies. We might use them and feel like nothing is wrong with them, but in the long run, we will see the effects this chemicals are having in our bodies. Cancer and other chronic diseases may be prevented if we use more natural products instead of the generic ones. It is never too late to switch to a much safer alternative. If the natural products are too expensive, there are do-it-yourself easy and cheap options. Some people also have to be cautious with what they try to use because some of the alternatives might cause
an allergic reaction. Rapid aging is another of the consequences we might suffer if we do not use healthy alternatives. Some people spend large amounts of money on surgery or products to make them look younger. If only they would have known that they could have saved money if, at a younger age, they would have used more natural products. Some people ignore the effects these products also have on the environment. We think it is only a matter of how bad they are for our bodies, but they are also bad for the environment. Some companies claim to be socially responsible when their products say a different thing. If more people would be aware of these things more action could be taken on the part of the companies.
Mercyhurst recently had a guest speaker, Stacy Malkan, who talked about how her team and herself could make a difference in some companies who eliminated a chemical from their products. She also said how it was harder for one of the cases and unfortunately was not successful in her attempt to make the company change the product. This is an example of how people can make the difference if they get together and let companies know what their concerns are about the products and perhaps they will take action and help their costumer in the best way they can. Here at Mercyhurst University, Fresh Face Forward does a great job trying to raise awareness about the dangerous chemicals that are in our personal care products. They encourage the
Mercyhurst community to read the labels of the products before they buy them. The campaign on campus has informed a lot of students about the dangers that some personal care beauty products have and even have got them to try some do it yourself natural alternatives. One of the quickest ways to know if the product is good or bad for you is downloading the EWG Skin Deep app, that when you scan the bar code of the product it immediately tells you if the product is good or bad. Once we are aware of these risks, we should let everyone know about the dangers of using certain personal care products. If you fi nd an alternative that hass been effective for you, then you can refer the alternative to a friend.
Staff writer
Online
L a s t we e ke n d S t u d e n t Activity Council (SAC) and Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG) hosted their annual Springfest. It is that time of the year that all students wait for in the spring term. This year they were featuring rock bands Mayday Parade, New Politics, We Are in the Crowd and Transit. The attendance to the concert this year was not like the previous years, but some people managed to have a good time at the concert. People that like rock music enjoyed the concert in its entirety, but those who do not have that preference of music left the concert early or not even attended the event. Not only was the weather not in our favor, but there was also no hype leading to the event. A lot of people not
only did not know about the band, but there was also a lot of ambiguity about where to get the tickets. Maybe if the event had been advertised more, more students would have attended it. Another factor that influenced the lack of attendance and excitement for this year’s Springfest was the choice of band. Nevertheless, Springfest is still a weekend for students to relax and enjoy a good time before having to deal with the stress and anxiety of projects and finals coming up. One of the best part of Springfest weekend are the inflatable games on Saturday after the concert. This year, due to the rainy weather, they were unable to have them. SAC, however, gave out stuff during the concert, which is also something that people enjoy during spring fest. In between bands, the
SAC staff showed up with different giveaways and items to hand out. Usually, during this weekend you can feel the happy vibes and spirit of people, but this year it was not the same feel as it has been on previous years. Perhaps it was the genre music of the bands that were featured or the weather that turned the people down. On the other end, not ever ybody had the same experience. Some people enjoyed the concert from beginning to end, most likely due to the amount of alcohol they had prior to the concert. They were singing along to some of the songs played by the bands and cheered on them as they went from song to song. SAC tried its best to have everything under control so that everything worked out well during the concert. They closed the REC Center early
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Surprisingly, Springfest weekend went by smoothly with no major disruption during the event. Police and Safety did not report any incidents during the weekend. Campus is starting to look flowery to get ready to receive family and relatives of undergraduates and graduates for graduation. Finally, we can see the campus turn colorful again.
The Bad... We know we beat this one to death, but the conditions of the apartments on campus are deplorable. This time, a drain that broke back during the winter is creating a waterfall that drenches students who walk past it when it rains. With the year coming to an end, finals are coming right around the corner. It’s that time of the term again when students stock up with coffee and energy drinks to make it through the week.
The Ugly... Prices at the bookstore are ridiculously high, and students are disappointed they cannot get Mercyhurst gear for a better price. Last week, Russians hacked the web page of the Merciad. This isn’t quite the same level as the invasion of Ukraine, but if we get the chance, we’re going to deface Putin’s chest. The electronic submission of housing contracts caused some issues with people trying to get their contracts submitted. We want paper contracts back.
@TheMerciad
Students had many mixed opinions about this year’s Springfest weekend By Marcela Delgado
The Good...
to set everything up and be ready for the bands to perform with no inconveniences. “T he band was not my style, but I was still able to have a lot of fun,” said Juan Mendez, student at Mercyhurst University. Meanwhile, Carly Contraguerro said, “My friends definitely made it better.” Maybe next time SAC and MSG will feature better bands to perform and entertain the audience. Although most students had mixed feelings and opinions about Springfest this year, it is still the most anticipated event on campus. It is a perfect excuse to party, drink, hang out with friends and forget about the stress of finals week coming up. Still, lets hope the weather and band for next year are more promising. @TheMerciad
The Merciad Editors Mathew Anderson Zach Dorsch Juan Mendez Daniel Tarr Samantha Bante Garrett Erwin Alejandra Zeron Leann Krysiak Jordan Power Nicole Lawrence Sami Rapp Ethan Johns Will DeFeo Bill Welch
Positions @mercyhurst.edu Editor-in-Chief editormerciad Managing Editor managingmerciad News Editor newsmerciad Features Editor featuremerciad Sports Editor sportsmerciad A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad Opinion Editor opinionmerciad Copy Editor copymerciad Copy Editor copymerciad Graphics photomerciad Photo Editor photomerciad Web Editor ejohns89 Ad Manager admerciad Adviser wwelch
The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is (814) 824-2376. The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters to box PH 485 or via email at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.
Write for The Merciad, email editormerciad@mercyhurst.edu
May 7, 2014
The Merciad
Page 7
Sports
Men’s golf advances to NCAA Regionals By Carly Contraguerro Staff writer
The Mercyhurst University men’s golf team is advancing to the 2014 NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship Regionals. There are only ten teams that are going from the Atlantic Region and the Lakers finished 9th to secure their spot. This is the fourth time in the past five years that the Lakers have made it to this NCAA Atlantic Regionals. Freshman Chris Kupniewski along with junior Cory Vinborg lead the team so far this season with an average of 77 strokes per round. Vinborg also hit his season-low this year on April 13 where he carded a 70 during his final round of the regular season. “It feels great to be lead-
ing the team as a freshman, along with Cory. It helps boost my confidence for playing well in my later years at Mercyhurst, and pushes me to want to lower my average even more. It is a great feeling to know that I am helping our team out with the scores I’ve been putting up,” Kupniewski said. The Lakers will be competing against 80 teams in the tournament, as well as 32 athletes competing as individuals. “In order for our team to progress in this tournament we all have to practice hard the week before and have to all shoot decent rounds at regionals. We need to all step up and try to play to the best of our ability,” Kupniewski said. The Lakers will be traveling to Charleston, W. VA., for the regional tournament on May 5 and it will last until May 7.
“We need to go into regionals knowing we can do it. We are all extremely excited for this because all our hard work and practice has paid off. We want to go and play our best so that we have a chance to move on to nationals,” Kupniewski said. At a minimum, the top three teams and top two athletes competing as individuals will advance to nationals May 19-23. This will be held in Allendale, Michigan. As the golf season comes to an end, the Lakers will welcome Blaze Hogan from Big Rapids, Michigan to the team as a junior transfer. While attending Owens Community College, Hogan averaged a 74.9 stroke per round and improved to a 72.2 stroke for his sophomore season.
Ed Mailliard photo
@TheMerciad
Junior Cory Vinborg (above) along with freshman Chris Kupniewski lead the Mercyhurst University men’s golf team so far this season with an average of 77 strokes per round.
Men’s rowing travels to Dad Vail Regatta By Carly Contraguerro Staff writer
The Mercyhurst University men’s rowing team finished its regular season at the Mid-America Collegiate Rowing Association (MARCA) Championship in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The championship was hosted by the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University. There, the Lakers raced against some of the best crews in the nation, which was a good preparation for the most important race of the season which they will be attending Saturday, May 10. The race was an experience for the teams as weather conditions delayed the tour-
nament for several hours. Mercyhurst finished strong at this tournament with the men’s varsity eight finishing fourth in the finals. The lightweight eight received gold in the grand final. In the lightweight four, the A boat took silver in its heat and the B boat took third. “Winning medals is really one of the best feelings an athlete can feel, especially at such a prestigious race; however, our team has re-define definition of success,” said sophomore rower Milos Veres. “For us, success is when you give a 100 percent and you know that rest of your teammates is doing the same. That is something beyond winning, something beyond all those trophies
and medals,” he said. The Lakers will travel next to Philadelphia for the Dad Vail Regatta on May 10 for the all-day event. This is the largest collegiate rowing regatta in the United States. Mercyhurst will compete against over 100 other teams from colleges around the United States at this event. As the rowing season is coming to an end, Mercyhurst will be losing four seniors: Xavier Alexander, Zac Pappas, Kate Moran and Arden Gill. “They are such a great people and athletes. On behalf of the team I wish them luck,” Veres said.
@TheMerciad
Upcoming Games and Matches
Mercyhurst Sports Informtaion photo
Mercyhurst University men’s rowing team will travel to Philadelphia for the Dad Vail Regatta on Saturday, May 10.
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May 7, 2014
The Merciad
Laker
Living
Geek Weekly:
Beauty Talks
Microsoft’s small meeting
Treatment for Pool Hair
By Zach Dorsch
By Leann Krysiak
Managing editor
Copy editor
Here is an easy recipe for pool hair. You know you swim a lot when you hair starts to get that green tinge to it. The green comes from the concentration of copper in the chlorinated water. Even if you don’t see the color change in your hair the buildup is still present. To get rid of this use this recipe once a week, especially if you swim often. This week’s recipe comes from Lauren Cox’s EcoBeauty ¼ cup lemon juice 2 tbsp baking soda 1 tsp mild shampoo or liquid soap (castile or baby shampoo)
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Stir all the ingredients together until well mixed. To use, massage mixture onto wet hair. Put on a shower cap or wrap it in plastic wrap and leave treatment on for 30 minutes. Rinse well and shampoo and condition as usual. Don’t forget to find Fresh Face Forward on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest so you can get tips and recipes all year long. @LeannKrysiak
Spicy Guacamole By Mat Anderson
Difficu lty: Eas y Prep T ime: 10 minute Total T s ime: 15 m i n Yield: 4 utes Ser ving s
On May 6 Microsoft sent out invitations to “Join them for a small gathering.” This gathering will be held on May 20 and many tech bloggers believe they will be announcing a new, smaller Surface device. For weeks the rumor mills and been churning out speculations on the little guy. Some of the expected features include a 7.5inch full 1080p HD display. This time around the display screen will be set up as square 4:3 aspect ratio, similar to the setup of Apple’s iPad mini. The device is expected to run the light weight version of Windows 8.1, Windows RT. Meaning that the device will not be able to run desktop programs downloaded from the Internet such as Steam or iTunes. It will only be able to run apps form the Windows Store or programs already per-loaded on the device.
Editor-in-Chief
Ingredients: 4 Avocados Juice of ½ a lemon ¼ medium onion, minced 2 finely chopped & seeded jalapeño peppers Salt & pepper to taste Sriracha pepper sauce to taste 3 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh cilantro 1 bag of organic blue corn chips Optional: ½ finely chopped tomato
Directions – 1. Halve the avocados and peel the skin off like you would an orange. Avocados that are ripe enough are to easily peel. Ripe avocados will have a little give to them when lightly pressed. 2. Once all avocados are peeled, place them in a large bowl and mash with a fork until they are roughly mashed. 3. Place all ingredients in the bowl with the avocados and continue to blend the mixture. 4. Pair with corn chips of your liking and enjoy!
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