The Merciad, Nov. 6, 2013

T he Merciad

Est. 1929 Vol. 87 No. 8

Mercyhurst University

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Happiness is Dance Read more on page 5

Jake Lowy photo

The dance department prepares itself for “Happiness is Dance,” which opens this this weekend. Details about the performance and ticket prices can be found online.

’Hurst launches new ad campaign

By Mathew Anderson Editor-in-chief

One feature of Mercyhurst that has always brought new students through the gates is the prospect of gaining hands-on experience in their field of choice.

Now, Mercyhurst is taking this aspect of our university and creating an entire ad campaign around it, and is committing $646,000 to it.

Whether it be from the music students performing on campus and the surrounding communities, archaeology students excavating sites and studying real artifacts, forensics students studying suspected crime scenes and psychology students conducting research experiments using other Mercyhurst students as subjects—hands-on education has been the focus of higher education in recent years and Mercyhurst has been on the top of the charts.

To further its initiative, Mercyhurst is committing to a $646,000 ad campaign called “Get the Experience.

Guaranteed.” Which is a vague but effective way to say that students in every major

Merciad Index News.................................2 News.................................3 Features............................4 A & E...............................5 A & E...............................6 Opinion............................7 Sports................................8

will have the opportunities to gain real-world experience which takes place outside of the classroom during their time at Mercyhurst.

The campaign focuses on the vital combination of classroom knowledge and practical experience to help every student succeed in their field of study. This campaign comes after a year of low enrollment that spurred a pay freeze for faculty.

This guarantee from the university intends to take this, usually, voluntary aspect of higher education and incorporate it into all 57 majors, 26 associate degree and 10 graduate degree programs in order to give Mercyhurst students the edge they need to succeed in today’s business market.

Each of these hands-on opportunities, or “capstone experiences” as Mercyhurst calls them, have been designed by university professors and are tailored for the students at Mercyhurst.

They will play an essential role in the education of students at Mercyhurst’s Erie, North East and Corry campuses—the “Mercyhurst experience” will no longer be complete without applied

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Students at Mercyhurst get hands on learning opportunities in all departments, including geology, where students excavate actual sites and are trained on-site to gain practical experience for today’s job market.

learning in each field of study.

Keeping to their promise of a guaranteed hands-on learning experience, Mercyhurst is issuing an unprecedented offer to all students. If any student has gone through their 4 years

here without having the opportunity to experience a hands-on learning course, Mercyhurst will provide one to be taken during either the January term or the pre-summer term—free of charge.

To further its dedication to this new initiative, our

university intends to expand its internship opportunities, which is more crucial than ever in today’s job market.

In the words of President Thomas Gamble, Ph.D., “We believe that providing our students with practical, professional experience

Online Poll Results How do you like the new arch in front of Old Main?

24% I think it adds character to the front lawn.

42% I’m confused more than anything.

16% I think I saw it in a nightmare!

18% Those gates have been here since the 50’s...

will better equip them to secure jobs in today’s highly competitive market, make progress in their careers or continue their education after graduation.” @mathewanderson1

Read more inside & online News: - ’Hurst halts Human Resources program Features: - AIM students go to Mentoring Day A&E: - Mercyhurst Concert Choir gives concert

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

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November 6, 2013

The Merciad

News

’Hurst halts Mercyhurst dance among top in country HR program

By Will Bickelmann Staff writer

The Mercyhurst Dance Department was acknowledged in Creative Colleges: A Guide for Student Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers as one of the top 45 dance programs in the U.S. “Mercyhurst is one of very few American ballet-based dance programs. This and

our esteemed faculty and successful alumni are part of what makes us stand out among other colleges,” Tauna Hunter, chair of the Mercyhurst University Dance Department, said.

The book is aimed at perspective college students and serves as a guide for those pursuing the creative arts.

The author, Elaina Loveland, originally aspired to become a professional dancer but decided to focus instead on

writing.

“This, our mention in the book can make our school stand out to dancers and draw more attention to our program. This could potentially lead to more applying dance majors,” Hunter said.

In the book, Loveland examines more than 125 art, drama, dance, music, and creative writing programs in arts conservatories, liberal arts colleges and universities.

Each institute is profiled with

such critical information as degrees offered, concentrations, faculty information, cost of attendance, scholarship availability and alumni accomplishments.

This is the fourth edition of Loveland’s book, although it was the first time Mercyhurst has been acknowledged in such a manner. @bickelmann_will

Grant provides opportunities

By Sydne Nielson Staff writer

Beginning this December, Mercyhurst University will be offering research opportunities for a group of 10 to 12 students in the geology program.

Earlier this month, MU’s Geology Department announced that it had been awarded a $354,000 joint grant, by the National Science Foundation, to study an extinct super-volcano in

Arizona.

Partnering with Vanderbilt University, the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) initiative targets students from diverse cultural backgrounds.

“We are looking for talented students, with a particular emphasis on returning veterans, first-generation college students and minorities who will do original research and contribute to the large body of work on supervolcanoes,” assistant professor of geology Nick

Lang, Ph.D., said.

The three-year project will take a group of students each year to Northwest Arizona to study the Silver Creek caldera to hone their geology skills through investigation and inquiry.

Students will select their own vein of inquiry, follow up with lab work at either of the two universities, and, ultimately, present their findings at a national conference.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us, “ Lang said.

“These grants (from the

National Science Foundation) are hard to obtain.”

Research will begin in either late December or early January in Arizona followed by another field session in summer.

Applications are currently being accepted by the geology department. For more information, contact Nick Lang at nlang@mercyhurst. edu. @TheMerciad

School hosts graduate school night

Are you thinking about graduate school?

If grad school might be in your future you will want to attend “Getting Into Graduate School Night” this Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mercy Heritage Room of Sullivan Hall. This event is open for students in all major programs.

If you are thinking about graduate school, you should plan to attend.

This year, more schools

than ever are participating in the event, offering our students a wider variety of programs and locations to choose from. Colleges and universities scheduled to be in attendance include:  Mercyhurst University  Duquesne University  Pennsylvania State University/The Behrend College  Rochester Institute of Technology  Clarkson University

 Syracuse University  University of Pittsburgh  Robert Morris University  University of Buffalo  Niagara University

In addition, the Career Development Center will be present to let students know how the CDC can assist them in the graduate school search and application process. The Pre-Law Society

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and Business Club members will also be there.

Refreshments will be provided.

Those with questions should contact Lee Belovarac, faculty advisor for the business club, by visiting her office in Old Main 209, via e-mail at lbelovarac@ mercyhurst.edu, or by calling 814-824-2175. @TheMerciad

By Ryan Kushner Staff writer

Effective immediately, Mercyhurst University’s Walker School of Business will be closing admissions to its Human Resource Management program with the intention of “phasing out the major” according to its dean, Dr. Rajeev Parikh.

Though the program will no longer be accepting new students, the relatively small number of students already enrolled will be able to continue in the major until they graduate.

The decision to cut the major from Mercyhurst’s itinerary was “made internally,” Parikh said, “in conversations with the vice president for academic affairs” as well as “the faculty.”

Parikh went on to say that “the program as it stands right now is not sustainable; it doesn’t have enough students to justify offering some of the special electives.”

“The human resources field has changed quite a bit,” Parikh explained further. “A lot of people who are working in leadership capacity in human resources often have degrees in other areas...”

For instance, “if you have a management degree, you would be eligible to work in human resources. All you would need to do is take a couple of short seminars in order to qualify for the certificate in human resource management… So we recommend that students go for a management degree, and then they will have many more options.”

Parikh said that “no faculty members are going to lose their jobs.”

When asked her opinion

on the decision to cut the human resources major, Professor Kimberly Zacherl, who has taught Human Resource Management (as well as Hospitality and Marketing programs) since the fall term of 2005, stated in an email that, “As with any firm, strategic business decisions are made every day.

In order to be progressive in our department, it was a necessary decision. Students can still take the MGMT 206 course, and I would highly suggest doing so for anyone who wants to own their own business, or those who will be working for a firm.”

There are many positives for ceasing the Human Resource Management program at Mercyhurst. As with every important decision, perhaps there are negatives.

As Mercyhurst’s website observed on its webpage for HR, “The U.S. Department of Labor notes that overall employment for human resources personnel is projected to grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations.”

This statistic may spark the concern that cutting a flexible program such as HR in the midst of its high employment demand may leave Mercyhurst not ahead, but behind in the business field.

Parikh said, however, that by cutting the program, “we are trying to use our resources in the best possible way,” as the department is exploring new programs and opportunities “at the undergraduate and graduate level.” @TheMerciad

MSG

Senator Spotlight

Hello, my name is Moe Al-Bidhawi. I am from Iraq, a senior at Mercyhurst University and I am your Social Sciences Senator for Mercyhurst Student Government. I sit on the Spirit Committee and All-College Library Committee. I am currently majoring in history with future plans to attend law school to study international law and I participate in Psi Chi. On top of this, I am the vice president of the History Club. I love to read, eat dinner with friends and run. If you see me walking the campus, approach me with your concerns or just say “hello!”

Remember “We’re Your Voice!”

November 6, 2013

AIM students go to Mentoring Day

By Benjamin Reinert Contributing writer

On Oct. 17, three Asperger Initiative students at Mercyhurst University (AIM) traveled to the First Annual Mentoring Day at PNC Financial Services in Pittsburgh, PA., in part to recognize Disabilities Awareness Employment Month.

The AIM program is for students with Asperger’s syndrome, the high-functioning level of Autism.

Senior Dan Pietrasiewicz, a computer science major, is one of the AIM students who went to the event.

Pietrasiewicz and three other AIM students, along with five other students in the area, were chosen to participate in this event. The trip was paid by parents of a graduate who was also in the AIM program.

Pietrasiewicz described the event as: “meeting with a bunch of people of different fields that are picked specifically because of your resume.

There’re going to give you about a 20-minute brief of their field and answer some questions, and we also spoke the with person in charge of the technology division.

He spoke with us, and we

did a Q & A panel, a quick one, where people just told us how they got where they are.”

The students then separated into groups and went to observe employees from a company. This is called shadowing.

“My group went to U.S. Steel, and we met with various people from various divisions,” Pietrasiewicz said.

“They gave us some information, gave us contact information, and just gave us a quick overview of what they do.”

Pietrasiewicz previously thought that the students would be shadowing just one employer; however, he was surprised that it was multiple employees.

“I had the impression that we would be doing some job shadowing, where we be going around, following one person around,” Pietrasiewicz said.

“But that turned out not to be the case, it might be better that way, because we got more of an extensive knowledge of multiple fields than just a really good knowledge of a single field.”

Pietrasiewicz said that he learned a lot from this job convention.

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The Merciad

“I learned that there’s a couple areas in my field that are going to be very viable in the short term future.

There are some fields that people are retiring in. I learned that there’s some more programming numbers that I have to study at to be more successful. So I’ve got extensive knowledge that I can use to better prepare myself for when I graduate.”

Pietrasiewicz gave advice for students that are interested in going to a job convention.

“Have your resume ready, have a couple copies printed out, listen, do more listening than speaking, check to see about the field’s future growth potential, which basically means, how many openings there will be and how long will this be viable for,” he said. “Dress good, dress nice, take tic-tacks, make a good impression.

And try not to be too funny, just be yourself.”

@TheMerciad

Features LAKER MOMENT

By Mat Anderson

Sami Rapp photo

C.A.E. patio is a relaxing spot As midterm week comes to a close and students begin winding down, it seems that everybody on campus is looking for their own spot to relax and enjoy a few minutes of time to themselves.

The best spot to press the pause button on life is under the arches of the Center of Academic Engagement’s (C.A.E.) east patio during the sunset.

From any spot you choose to sit on the patio, the arches of the building frame the sky perfectly, allowing the viewer to catch the streams of reds, purples, oranges and pinks shooting away from the sun.

Now is your chance to have front row seats to this nightly spectacle we take for granted.

Lumen accepting submissions

By Ryan Kushner Contributing writer

Mercyhurst University’s official student arts magazine, Lumen, is again accepting submissions of student’s creative works for its upcoming annual publication. All works may be submitted in a Word document to lumen@

mercyhurst.edu. The deadline for submissions this year is Dec. 12.

The magazine will come equipped with a flash drive in order to showcase a more diverse variety of student visual art, according to Kenneth Schiff, Ph.D., advisor for the Lumen.

“We started about four or five years ago including an interactive CD which

Three prizes will be awarded in the Lumen writing competition.

has clips from the dance department, original student music compositions, moving graphics, art work and photographs,” Schiff said. “So it’s more than just a literary magazine.”

Prizes will also be awarded for the top three submissions to Lumen with first place earning $250, second $150, and third being $100.

“Students that participate

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in creating poems and short stories, who do creative work, ought to have their work recognized,” Schiff said, regarding the importance of having a college creative arts magazine. “It also is part of the general cultural atmosphere of the school.”

However, “Lumen is part of a larger undertaking,” said Schiff – that undertaking being the yearly Literary Festival.

For the past 12 years the Mercyhurst English Department has put together the Literary Festival, where accomplished authors and poets are invited to campus to discuss their work and experience with students.

The festival is always capped off with the official unveiling of Lumen.

This year the festival will feature award-winning fiction author Karen Joy Fowler (April 3) and prominent poet Mohja Kahf (April 10). A student play directed by Professor Brett Johnson, PhD., will also go into production as part of the festival on April 24-27.

The grand finale of the festival will be the Lumen reception on May 1, when the top prize winners will also be announced. As is tradition, the unveiling will be followed by an open microphone “to celebrate the creative works of the students,” Schiff said.

Asked what kinds of qualities the staff of Lumen look for when accepting submissions, Schiff answered simply: “Good writing.”

For more information, contact Dr. Kenneth Schiff @ kschiff@mercyhurst.edu. @TheMerciad

Mercyhurst student Amber Penna wins ATHENA award

By Garrett Erwin A&E editor

Senior Amber Penna has been recognized with the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.

The award is given to a person that exemplifies the qualities of leadership, excellence, creativity and initiative.

Penna currently holds the position of Mercyhurst Student Government President, a role that comes with a seat on the Mercyhurst U n ive r s i t y ’s B o a r d o f Trustees.

Many students on campus may know Penna as an organizer for various organizations, particularly for servicelearning trips, while others may know her as the singer of the National Anthem at many of the sporting events on campus.

Penna has been accepted to graduate school at Duke University in North Carolina where she will take many of her qualities that helped gain her this award.

“T hrough my leadership opportunities, I have learned how to communicate to my patients and be stern with my therapy in order to assist them in reaching their rehabilitation goals.”

Penna admits that she has never been the most confident person, but being such an involved student at Mercyhurst has helped her to grow into the student leader that she is today.

She is very gracious for

mercyhurst.edu photo

Amber Penna

her family and the boost that they have given to her over the years to exceed her full potential.

“They have helped me to discover more about myself, and what I want to dedicate my time and effort towards. Having four older brothers who are all extremely successful in their field of study has truly set high expectations for myself, and I could not ask for better role models to look up to,” said Penna.

“Hands down, I owe all of my accomplishments and successes to my family.”

Penna says that she is very blessed to have received this award saying, “It definitely made me realize all of the opportunities and accomplishments I have had in my life and this humbled me.” @garretterwin

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November 6, 2013

The Merciad

Arts &

Entertainment

Art show debuts in Old Main

By Sam Beckas Staff writer

Mercyhurst is holding the eighth annual “Friends of Mercyhurst” Art Show in Old Main.

Mary Gamble is the host of the show, which debuted on Nov. 2 and will continue through March.

The art that everyone sees as they walk through Old Main changes multiple times throughout the school year. The art shows bring in students of all ages from the Erie area as well as community members.

The show features many types of artwork from oils to installations. It also features local and famous artists with all levels of experience.

Many students can recall the large duck that was showcased in front of Old Main last year and can now relate the large installation piece to the archway in front of the west entrance of Old Main.

The garden arch is a multi-ton piece made of metal, created by Evan Everhart.

The arch will remain in front of Old Main until the conclusion of the art show.

Other art pieces may look familiar, such as the multi-color screen prints on the east end of Old Main towards the Admissions Office. This piece was created by Andy Warhol.

Another striking piece that has caught everyone’s attention is the wedding dress piece titled “Cherished.”

It was created by multiple artists including Deborah Sementelli, Jonilee Monola Hlusko, Janel Potratz Levin and Jay Scalise.

The dresses are from the Lillian Zimmerly collection. The art pieces displayed with the dresses were inspired by the details on the dresses and the rest of the piece is adorned with a Victorian pump organ, and dried flowers.

pac.mercyhurst.edu photo

Yamato

Mary D’Angelo PAC Saturday, November 16, 2013 7:30 pm Sunday, November 17, 2013 2:00 pm In celebration of 20 amazing years, Yamato- The Drummers of Japan will embark on a special anniversary tour “ROJYOH,” or “on the road.” Fans from all over the world will experience the spectacular celebration of their exhilarating combination of drumming and theatricality. This sensation returns to the Mercyhurst stage in an encore presentation for two performances of unforgettable, explosive rhythm you won’t want to miss.

Taylor Rollins photo

“The Red Sandals,” by Toni Kelly, is a piece that is featured in “Friends of Mercyhurst” art gallery that is hosted by Mary Gamble. The art show will be shown through March 2014.

Some students have described the wedding dress piece as creepy, some say it is elegant and some say it is interesting.

“Noodles and Hoops” by David Seitzinger is hanging in multiple places through Old Main’s main hallway.

This piece has also received very different responses from students.

Some say it is weird and does not fit but others say it brings more color and life to Old Main.

Many pieces showcased in the art show were donated to Mercyhurst and will be kept in our permanent art collection.

The donated art pieces will be showcased throughout the year and years to follow in various places around campus.

Advertisement

pac.mercyhurst.edu photo

Langer Film Series:

Fruitvale Station Taylor Little Theatre Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m.

Taylor Rollins photo

“Thumbs Up”, by David Seitzinger is displayed in multiple places throughout the first floor of Old Main.

@TheMerciad

Fruitvale Station follows the true story of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old who wakes up on the morning of Dec. 31, 2008 and feels something in the air. He uses this as the opportunity to be a better person, which eventually leads to a series of events that would shake the nation. $6 for adults, $5 for students/seniors $1 for Mercyhurst students (with ID)

Rodriguez to discuss issues on lethal force

By Zach Dorsch Managing editor

Online

Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture will be screening the multi-award winning film Fruitvale Station on Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. in Taylor Little Theatre.

The event is open to the public and is $1 for a student ticket or free if your professor is requiring you to be in attendance. Following the movie Dr. Frank Rodriguez, of the Criminal Justice department will give a lecture.

Fruitvale Station depicts the true story of Oscar Grant, played by Michael B. Jordan, a vibrant Bay Area, California father. On the night of New Year’s Day, Grant was senselessly gunned down by a Bay Area Rapid Transit Police officer.

Full list of events can be found on the PAC website

View upcoming performances: www.miac.mercyhurst.edu

Contributed photo

Rodriguez’s two nieces sit at a memorial dedicated to his brother who lost his life from an act of police brutality.

His murder was seen time and time again because of cell phone cameras capturing every moment of the event.

Rodriguez, a former police officer, was selected to speak at this event because of his experience in the use of lethal force in the field.

Rodriguez also has experienced the pain of seeing a family member die because of the wrongful misuse of lethal force. He lost his younger brother to an act of police brutality that was the driving force behind his pursuit of a Ph.D. in the criminal justice field. @zdorsc22

www.merciad.mercyhurst.edu/ arts_entertainment

The Merciad

November 6, 2013

Local Events Friday, Nov. 8: 8 p.m.

SAC Presents: Pub Night Student Union Saturday, Nov. 10: 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Dance Department presents: Happiness is Dance PAC 8:00 p.m.

SAC Presents: Western Night REC Sunday, Nov. 11: 2:00 p.m.

Dance Department presents: Happiness is Dance PAC Monday, Nov. 12 8:30 p.m.

Gretchen Rubin PAC Tuesday, Nov. 13 8:00 p.m.

Chita Rivera Dance Department

Arts &

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Entertainment

Mercyhurst Concert Choir presents early choral works

By Mathew Anderson Editor-in-chief

The Mercyhurst Concert Choir will be presenting a concert on Friday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. in the Walker Recital Hall, at the Audrey Hirt Academic Center.

Accompanied by the Cantari Quartet, the choir will treat audience members to a concert of works by composers such as Thomas Tallis, G.P. da Palestrina and Francesco Tuma.

The concert will feature the choir singing both a cappella as well as accompanied works, featuring trumpet, violins and Ian Gayford as pianist for the concert.

Along with the ensemble works, Director of Choirs, Rebecca Ryan, has also incorporated a number of solo works as well as two octets formed from auditioned members of the choir.

The concert itself starts off with three works by Thomas Tallis, which feature various choral music styles. The first piece of

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The Mercyhurst Concert Choir, directed by Rebecca Ryan, have been working diligently to prepare a variety of both wellknown and obscure early pieces of music for their first concert of the academic year.

music starts the concert off peacefully with “If ye love me,” followed by the first of two octets of the evening and ending with an extremely energetic, fastpaced piece that differs greatly from the first two.

Along with the concert choir, junior Alexa Zeremenko and sophomore Jared Hancock will be respectively presenting solo works which compliment the “early works” theme of the night.

The concert successfully represents various genres of early music, all while keeping the listener entertained. The choir has worked diligently to prepare this selection of music, and no measure has been left

untouched or unrefined.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (814) 824-2394. @mathewanderson1

Gretchen Dance department Rubin gives celebrates happiness lecture on with performance her novel

By Megan Pacileo Staff writer

This year, to commemorate the Year of Happiness at Mercyhurst University, it was decided to bring in the woman who literally wrote the book on happiness.

Gretchen Rubin, author of the book “The Happiness Project,” this year’s novel for incoming freshmen, will be at Mercyhurst on Nov. 11.

“The Happiness Project” was written when Rubin realized she wasn’t getting the most out of her life.

She was a writer, married with two kids, but she realized she could be happier.

She set off on a year-long quest, exploring different aspects of happiness, to try and see if she could make herself happier in the process.

The readers of “The Happiness Project” will learn how she dedicated each month of that year to improving a different aspect of her life, such as work, friendships and marriage.

“The Happiness Project” outlines how other people wanting to be happy can embark on their own “Happiness Projects” will helpful tips from Rubin.

Since this year on campus is considered the Year of Happiness, it only seemed appropriate that many of the activities and performances taking place throughout the year should also be happiness based.

Students have many

opportunities to see the theme of happiness in film, discussions and other events.

Some of these events include “Happiness is Dance,” “Happiness is ‘tis the Season in Santa’s Toy Shop,” “Happiness is Beyond Words III,” and “Happiness is Raw Edges: A Celebration of Twenty/ Forty Years.”

Finally, Mercyhurst Student Government is especially pleased to feature Ms. Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, as a campus speaker on Nov. 11 at 8:30 p.m. in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. A book signing will follow Ms. Rubin’s talk.

For more information regarding other information, including ticket prices, contact the Mary D’Angelo Performing Art Centers @TheMerciad

Jake Lowry photo

The Mercyhurst Dance department is performing “Happiness is Dance” beginning on Sat., Nov. 9 through Sun., Nov. 10.

By Will Bickelman Staff writer

powerofmoms.com photo

Gretchen Rubin, author of “The Happiness Project” will give a presentation on Nov. 11 in the PAC.

The Mercyhurst Dance department is performing “Happiness is Dance” starting Saturday, Nov. 9, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.

The dance is made to match this year’s theme of happiness, with most of the dances reflecting a generally joyful theme. Mercyhurst choreographer Melissa Bobick described the theme of her own contemporary piece.

“I was inspired by the idea of children playing in the fall weather. The dance is supposed to depict that care-free feeling,” she said.

The show consists of six separate performances, each with its own choreographer. The dances are classical, contemporary and modern numbers with a varying amount of dancers per performance.

Each dance group had to audition for the performance, though some were split in half with a different group taking two of the four performances.

The dancers and choreog-

raphers have been working on the performance for the majority of this school year.

When asked if there were any difficulties, Bobick said, “It has been a strain trying to figure out a schedule that fits all of the choreographers and students. The switch from trimester to semester has been something for us to get used to as well.”

Tickets for performances are $15.50 for adults and $12.50 for seniors and students. Mercyhurst students will be admitted for $3.50.

A preview performance will also be offered on Friday, Nov. 8, at 4:30 p.m. with all

tickets selling for $5 (balcony seating only). Tickets can be purchased by calling 824-3000.

The choreographers of each act are Melissa Bobick, Tauna Hunter and Noelle Partusch. Mark and Solveig Santillano collaborated for a piece. Ursula Payne, who chairs the Department of Dance at Slippery Rock University, was commissioned to choreograph a piece for “Happiness is Dance.” @TheMerciad

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November 6, 2013

The Merciad

Opinion

The views insuccessful the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad Relay fororexpressed Life the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Residence Life has seen fit to manipulate and exploit RAs

By Domenic Pucella Contributing writer

Being a Resident Assistant, more commonly known as an RA, at Mercyhurst is comparable to holding any other basic job while being a college student at the same time.

RAs are required to dedicate several hours per week to various mandatory activities. RAs must be on duty at minimum two days per week every week all year long. An RA must be in the building making rounds from 9 p.m. until midnight.

For freshman, buildings have night desk workers at all the entrances to the dorms, if by chance the desk worker does not show up we are required to sit at the desk for at least an additional half hour.

For at least five weekends per semester, RAs are on duty for a full weekend, meaning that on Friday and Saturday night we must be on duty from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m.

Again, if a desk worker does not show up, we will be required to sit at the desk for additional time. Additionally RAs are required to take time out of our schedules to put on various programs throughout the semester to build community with the residents in our building.

There are weekly reports and meetings that are mandatory and take more time out of our schedules. We must also be available 24/7 for our residents to handle any problems they might have as well as submitting reports for any maintenance problems in our respective buildings.

Not to mention arriving two weeks before school starts for at least 12 days of training, and staying until the last day checking out all residents on campus and going through all the residence halls.

All of this is known when we are hired on as RAs and we sign contracts acknowledging the responsibilities we will have all year long. But in the last two years those who are in charge of Residence Life who are supposed to have the interests of RAs in mind have found it appropriate to

cut our numbers and diminish our compensation while at the same time increasing our already arduous workloads.

Last year, the freshman RAs

“

... RAs are not asking for the moon, just basic fair compensation...

”

Domenic Pucella

were informed that the dollar amount we received per term, which is usually used to cover books and other expenses, was going to be cut by over half. On top of receiving less compensation, instead of getting a stipend three times a year Residence Life decided it would be fitting to only pay RAs twice a year now.

This decision was made behind closed doors and the opinions and concerns of RAs were never asked for once. The first we heard of it was after the decision was made. Resulting in that this year we will be taking more classes per semester, meaning more books and more money needed to buy books, and will be paid less than half our old stipends and only twice per year.

When I voiced my opposition to this last year Alice Agnew looked me in the face and told me it was all even and justified this statement by saying RAs would be given more meals per semester and thus we did not need the actual money in our pockets.

In reality, RAs received 100 meals per term last year and this year they receive 150 meals per semester, now I am not a math major but my calculations tell me that the total amount of meals is 300 both ways. I personally have not seen how our compensation has been made even from last

year to this year.

Even with all the cuts and extra work and the sneaky ways in which Residence Life went about this whole new stipend business the RAs accepted what was happening.

What else could we do? But then one last addition was made, the whole J-term issue was presented to us. Being that I am not required academically to be here for the J-term I did not intend to stay on campus during that time.

But Residence Life has seen fit to require all RAs, regardless if they are taking classes or not, to be present and continue normal responsibilities for the entirety of the J-term. Now, not only have stipends been cut and workloads increased but now we have to stay the entire J-term.

So if you were thinking like me that the stipends were cut because most RAs will not be here for J-term so they are working a month less than in the past and even though it is no excuse for the drastic cuts and not informing RAs before the decision was made Residence Life can justify what they did that way.

But now we have to be here all year and work the same as if it were the fall or spring semester during J-term and not be properly compensated for it. Additionally, the whole business about the J-term was never put in the contracts returning RAs sign at the end of every year. The details of J-term requirements were not given to us until the middle of July and there was no one on campus to question Residence Life on behalf of the RAs. Residence Life has seen fit to manipulate RAs and take as much as they can from us while at the same time expecting us to do more and more.

Residence Life does not consult RAs on any major decisions they just dictate what they expect from us and assume RAs will fall in line and accept what the school sees fit to give us. I for one am not the type of person who sits back while those above me use me as some type of puppet they

can bend to their will. I have a voice and I want it to be heard.

Earlier this month we were again told RAs are required to be here for J-term and I voiced my opposition to my immediate boss Jacob Gdovin, also the Hall Director of my building, and said I will not stay here unless I am properly compensated. He told me Alice will not hear what I have to say and that my argument is falling on deaf ears. Again I said I will not stay here and he told me not to expect my job back in the spring.

In an attempt to obtain what is basic fairness in my compensation for the work I do I was threatened with losing my job. This is how Residence Life conducts business at Mercyhurst and it is time everyone knew what RAs have to put up with on a daily basis.

Many readers may feel little empathy for RAs since we are seen as the bad guys who break up parties and get people in trouble. And while it is true that we are required to be party poopers most of the time, residents forget all they ask from us when things go wrong.

Think of where a resident goes when they get locked out, have a roommate conflict, need something repaired in their room or apartment, or have any other personal problem, the RA is the go-to person for all of that. Now multiply all your individual problems by at least 15 and now you see what an RA deals with in their respective areas.

RAs are not asking for the moon, just basic fair compensation and representation in the decision making process.

If Residence Life cannot see fit to treat us with more respect, then they should start thinking of what will happen if one day all the RAs don’t show up for work. How will campus life look if no one is there to enforce rules or help residents with problems?

Staff writer

Online

R e c e n t l y, O l d M a i n changed its decorations with new and innovative exhibits.

The new decorations are part of the annual art show at Mercyhurst University.

One of the exhibits that has appealed more to the students is one with hanging old dresses and a piano.

The exhibit includes paintings and flowers used as enhancement. Spotlights were also located to focus on the dresses.

Students might also have a negative opinion on what

is considered as art, because it can also have a “creepy” look. The old dresses hanging might give the impression they are ghosts floating. The portraits give the impression they were the women who used to wear those dresses and that while everyone’s gone from the building they might roam in the building’s hallways.

Other particular decorations are the ones hanging from the ceiling. One of them is made up of colorful plastic containers lids. It looks beautiful and different. It is a demonstration of contemporary art.

The decorations appear

to be contemporary and strange. There are some hanging from doors that have Styrofoam floats knitted together. They give color and a different look to Old Main. They might also attract people’s attention, but not in a positive way. They have a strange look, but at least it brings colors to the building.

There are other colorful paintings that have an abstract look. One of them is of little squares of different colors with white skulls faded in white paint. They are different and also may be considered to be contemporary art.

Another piece of art that

Read more at

merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion

Be sure to visit the Starbucks Bar in the Laker this week and purchase a smoothie. If enough interest is shown, there are plans to make the service permanent. This week is a trial run for the Smoothie Bar—so be sure to go and get yours today.

The Bad...

Although the concept of the smoothie bar at the Laker Inn is being tested this week, students have found the prices and the lack of coupons given out by MSG senators discouraging.

The new art installation in the first floor hallway of Old Main features some of the most interesting and beautiful artwork that’s been featured for years; however, some students insist on removing parts from the over-head mobiles that can be easily reached.

The Ugly...

The northeast steps of the parking garage located next to the Duval apartments continue to be a hazard to students who park there. The steps are dripping with rust and are deteriorated completely in other places. For your own safety, avoid these steps whenever possible.

The Weird...

Even though there was a pay freeze issued by the university for all employees due to lack of funding, Mercyhurst still seems to come up with enough to purchase new works of art every month or so. One would think that people who make this university possible would be more important than ensuring the eclectic art continues to grace the halls.

The Merciad

If you don’t want it printed . . . don’t let it happen. @TheMerciad

New decorations raise mixed feelings

By Marcela Delgado

The Good...

calls the attention of students is a huge colorful plate hanging from the wall. It has an interesting mix of colors.

The fact that it is far from a common type of art called even more my attention.

The new exhibits in Old Main have brought the building a new twist from old and dark to colorful and abstract. It feels like walking into a museum of innovative art and paintings.

Next time you pass by Old Main’s hallway stop and take a closer look to some of the paintings that bring a new look to the building. @TheMerciad

Editors Mathew Anderson Zach Dorsch Juan Mendez Daniel Tarr Samantha Bante Garrett Erwin Alejandra Zeron Leann Krysiak 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 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

November 6, 2013

The Merciad

Page 7

Sports

Men’s waterpolo earns 3rd seed

By Samantha Bante Sports editor

The Mercyhurst men’s water polo team has earned the third seed at this weekend’s Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Southern Championship.

It marks the highest seed ever received by the Lakers.

The Lakers had two key wins on Saturday against George Washington University (9-8) and John Hopkins University (11-6).

“Our record can be a little misleading because the teams we play vary each year. We have kept our training similar to last year to try to repeat the success we had. So far it has worked well,” senior goaltender Matt Cote said.

With a record of 17-4, the Lakers have had a very successful season and are looking forward to the championship this weekend in Annapolis, Maryland.

“The Division II championship was a great cap on a long October of divisional games. It put us in the playoff mindset and prepares us for the Southern and Eastern Championships coming up this weekend and the following weekends, respectively,” Cote said.

Ed Mailliard photo

The Mercyhurst men’s water polo team has earned the third seed at this weekend’s Collegiate Water Polo Assoication (CWPA) Southern Championship

The U.S. Naval Academy is hosting the Southern Championship this season. The

tournament begins with four games on Friday, Nov. 8.

Mercyhurst opens its action

on Saturday against the winner of Friday’s George Washington-Salem Inter-

national match. With a victory there, the Lakers would advance to the semifinals on

Saturday.

“The team has been doing well so far. We are at the point in the season where it’s all about execution and fixing the little problems,” Cote said.

With a total of six freshmen this year, the Lakers are honing their skills and preparing for the end of the season championships. “ T h e f r e s h m e n h ave surprised me in how they adapted to the faster speed of collegiate level water polo versus high school. I feel comfortable leaving the team in their hands for the future,” Cote said.

The Lakers will be losing nine seniors this year and are looking forward to growing their team and having another successful season next year.

“All of the seniors have really stepped up this year, and the underclassmen are following by our example.

We all know the expectations of ourselves this year and it will take the entire team to reach and exceed those goals,” Cote said.

The Lakers are looking forward to the CWPA Championship this weekend. @sbante91

Women’s field hockey ends with 9-9

By Samantha Bante Sport’s Editor

Ending their season with a 9-9 record, the Lakers were able to have the best season on record since 2009 and are looking to carry it over into next year’s campaign.

With a tough loss to Bloomsburg University (2-0) on Saturday, the Lakers still played a strong game.

They were able to catch a total of nine wins this season along with 45 points which is the best the Lakers have seen since 2002.

The Lakers are losing six seniors this year, and

hope to gain some more talented players during the 2014 season.

Some key players this season were junior Blair Pembleton who led the Lakers with 11 goals and 24 points. Senior Meghan Smith had a record of six goals and a team-high seven assists, and junior Kelsey Lovelace with eight goals.

Also, junior goaltender Jess Wess had 97 saves in 17 matches this season.

The Lakers have ended their season strong and looking for another unforgetable one next year.

Alison Ockasi photo

@sbante91

Ending their season with a 9-9 record, the Lakers had the best season on record since 2009.

Women’s cross country places 16th

By Katherine Donohue Staff writer

Mercyhurst junior Emily Francis crossed the finish line first for the Lakers in the 2013 PSAC Championship while earning 76 points for the team on Oct. 26.

Since becoming a Laker, she has worked hard to finish first for the team in every race she has competed in thus far.

On Saturday she ran the 6K event with a time of 24:52.0 and placed 81st overall.

Both the time and place are respected among athletes.

Following close behind Francis was senior Rebecca Wheeling who finished 101st overall, earned 89 team points, and completed the course with a time of 25:18.7.

Other top times for the ladies were junior Sara Chuzie with 104th, junior Hillary Sullivan with 125th, and senior Mary Mancuso

with 134th.

“The three top girls were: Emily Francis, Becca Wheeling, and Sara Chuzie. All three finished within a few seconds of each other, keeping a great pack and resulting in solid 6K times,” junior Sara Chuzie said.

As a sophomore, Francis made several top five places overall against other great competitors.

This was coming off of a hot start in her freshman year where she won a race at Fredonia and beat the course record with a time of 19:49.

“Individually everyone has done very well, all running personal bests and smashing race times from last year!.The team has suffered some hard hits with injury, but the remaining girls pulled together to finish out strong,” Chuzie said.

The top team to win the PSAC Championship title was Mansfield who earned a team total of 65 points.

Right behind them in

second place was Edinboro who collected 77 points as a team. Shippensburg, Indiana (Pa.), and Seton Hill were able to complete the top five finishers.

“We didn’t have any freshman girls. The boys have done a great job adjusting, Jake Enix was actually just named athlete of the week and gained the honor of being the second freshman to finish the PSAC race,” Chuzie said.

The team looks to do well when they travel to Lock Haven on Nov. 9 for the NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships.

It should be great to see how the Lakers compete at this important race. @TheMerciad

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The Merciad

November 6, 2013

Living Geek Weekly: PS4 vs. Xbox One: PS4 side

By Zach Dorsch Managing editor

With the holiday season just around a corner one of the hot ticket items for gamers are the PS4 and Xbox One and along with their announcement is the big debate over what system is better. For the next two weeks I will be breaking down each system to help determine which one is right for you. We will start this off by looking at PS4.

also features a click able touch pad and a share button for the more social side of the system such as selecting a movie on Netflix or sharing a rank advancement from Battlefield 4. The controller has some more unconventional features like built in speakers and a light bar that will recognize your position in relation to the system.

Looks: The Sony PS4 is set to be release on Nov 15th with a price tag of $399 this is a $100 cheaper then the Xbox One, which will release at $499. In terms of looks the PS4 has an angular black shell that reminds me a lot of how the PS2 look except now instead of it being a square it has more of a rhombus look with blue detailing. There are also rumors of a Red and Blue system shortly after the release. The System also can be positioned horizontally or vertically.

Interface: The PS4 stepping away from the Cross Media Bar style to a more square design that is much faster then its predecessor. This UI also has cool features such as Twitch that allows you to join in matches with your friends as they show up on your screen.

Online: Though you will not need Internet connection to play your PS4 games Sony is recommending that you have some form of connection to the internet so you can use features like Chat and third party apps such as Netflix. The bad news is that users will now have to pay $50 annual in order to play Multiplayer games online.

Hardware: Now that we took a look at the appearance of the PS4 lets take a look at the more important part of the system the hardware. The PS4 has a powerful AMD x86 based 8- core processor with a 1.84 teraflops AMD Radeon graphic processor and 8GB of GDDR5 RAM. For storage the system will come with a 500GB hard drive that will be able to be upgraded by the user. To translate these specifications the PS$ is build like a power house. Sony states that the system will boot up immediately after switch on and have minimal loading times thanks to the Instant-On feature.

The PS4 will also offer a Blu-ray drive, HDMI, Ethernet and USB 3.0 ports around the back of the system. For wireless connectivity the system has Bluetooth 2.1 and a 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi card. The HDMI on this system will allow for unencrypting, so you will be able to capture HD quality video from your games.

One down side of the system is it is not backwards compatible meaning you will not be able to play any of your last gen PlayStation games on the system if you have them on disc. You can however download them from a cloud service ough.

Controllers: The Systems Controller also got its biggest transformation in PlayStation history. One thing that may excite or deter players is that the controller is tailored for First Person Shooters. The DualShock 4is now more stable and features simple but important changes like concave triggers and thumbsticks to prevent finger slipping. It

Games: Sure having a really awesome system is important but if you don’t have any big name titles being released for the system the system is irrelevant. Now sure titles like Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Battlefield 4 but they aren’t that important for selecting which system to choose because they are being released for both. The Exclusive titles for PS4 include Killzone Shadow Fall, infamous: Second Son, The Order: 1886 which is a Steampunk shooter that takes place in the late 1800’s London and Destiny which is a Sci-Fi shooter developed by Bungie.

Pros: • • • •

Better Graphics Processor Swappable Hard Drive No online requirements Cheaper

Cons: • Less cloud functionality • Lack of lunch exclusive games • Lack of external hard drive support

Beauty Talks

Apple cider vinegar toner

By Leann Krysiak Copy editor

Let’s continue our theme of apples. Not only can apple cider vinegar condition and shine your hair, it can also balance your skin. Apple cider vinegar, when paired with water, makes a great toner. If you are not familiar with toners, a toner helps tighten pores after you wash your face.

Apple cider vinegar helps improve your overall complexion by reducing red marks and blemishes. It softens and helps lock in moisture. This week’s recipe comes from Huffington Post: 1 part apple cider vinegar 2 parts water Simply shake ingredients to mix. Dab on a little after cleansing your face. Your face will smell like the vinegar, but that will disappear after a few minutes. If you have sensitive skin, I recommend adding more water.

This recipe is simple and natural. I’m sure you tired of me talking about the nasty

chemicals in your personal care products, but I’m not the only. The movement for safe, natural products is not new. In fact there are other campaigns in addition to Fresh Face Forward, working to inform consumers about their personal care products.

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Pennsylvania Sea Grant and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) are all examples of campaigns and organizations working to inform and empower consumers. EWG even has their own database so you can see what your product is rated on a scale of 0-10.

Don’t be fooled by the packaging or brand. I chose a cleanser because it was part of a big brand’s natural line. When I checked the cleanser in the EWG’s Skin Deep Database, it was rated a three. Not bad, but I prefer a rating of two or less. My biggest tick was that it was 95 percent natural. Why didn’t the company bother going the extra step to make it 100 percent natural?

So go through your products and find out what they are rated by going to http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/. You might be surprised to see what your favorite products are rated.