The Merciad, Jan. 18, 2012.

Faculty approves changes to core curriculum

Refuting arguments against gay marriage

Fulmer battles injuries to return to wrestling mat

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NEWS

Page 2

January 18, 2012

Dausey named epidemiology fellow

By Liz Zurasky Features editor

Public health has recently become a topic of interest at Mercyhurst College, when Professor of Public Health David Dausey, Ph.D., began the development of the Mercyhurst Institute for Public Health in the fall of 2011.

“The Institute is a place where students and faculty can carry out cutting edge public health research in a multidisciplinary setting,” Dausey said.

Because of his efforts to initiate a public health program at Mercyhurst and a diverse range of study from bioterrorism to disease surveillance, he was named a fellow in the American College of Epidemiology.

“Epidemiology is a fascinating field that provides you with tools to study complex phenomenon and make informed decisions,” Dausey said.

Sarah Hlusko photo

Professor of Public Health David Dausey, Ph.D., was recently named a fellow in the American College of Epidemiology.

Although he has a doctorate in epidemiology, he has not always been studying this field.

Dausey received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mercyhurst. He went on to obtain his master’s degree and doctorate in

epidemiology and public health from Yale University.

He has also received post-graduate training in academic leadership and administration at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

“I became initially interested in epidemiology because of its strong base in science and because of its practical focus on helping to keep people safe and healthy. Epidemiology also let me pursue a diverse range of interests from bioterrorism to disease surveillance,” he said.

As an alumnus of Mercyhurst, Dausey was drawn back to the college because of the “wonderful experience” he had here during his undergraduate career.

“I had professors and mentors who helped me discover my passions and gifts. I’ve always wanted to return the favor and be that special person for someone else.

“We have a wonderful opportunity as professors to be influential in helping our students at a critical point in their lives. I feel privileged to have that opportunity and to be part of their lives and their education,” Dausey said.

Dausey was very flattered by this honor given to him by the American College of Epidemiology.

’Hurst having ‘typical cold, flu season’

Students urged to make appointments as needed

By Caitlin Handerhan Opinion editor

Cold and flu season is upon us once again.

With the season of sickness descending upon the campus community, Director of the Cohen Student Health Center Judy Smith, Ph.D., has a message for students.

“We want to make sure students feel comfortable coming to the center when they are sick,” said Smith. “Even if you don’t think you are sick enough to warrant an appointment with the doctor, we can schedule you with one of our nurses who can be of assistance to you.”

Freshman Jenna Dingeldein thought the health center was helpful.

“Being from Canada, it’s hard for me to get prescriptions, and they went above and beyond to help get me what I needed,” Dingeldein said.

Smith indicated that the most common ailments they have seen at the health center this winter have

been strep throat, upper respiratory infections and a variety of viruses.

“We see anywhere from 14 to 17 people a day during the doctors’ hours, as well as any number of additional students for the nurses,” Smith said.

Due to students living and interacting so close with one another, Smith pointed out a trend in the number of students coming to the center with similar symptoms.

“We may see one to two cases of strep in the beginning of the week, and by the end of the week we have increased the number of cases,” Smith said.

Overall, Smith thinks this has been a very typical cold and flu season on campus, and did not feel like the warmer than normal temperatures have kept any illnesses at bay.

“The most important thing to remember when staying healthy is to go back to the basics. Try to minimize your stress levels, eat healthy and strive for a healthy amount of sleep each night,” said Smith. “We take a holistic approach to wellness and encourage students to make

“Becoming an ACE Fellow is a wonderful professional accomplishment. I am honored to be recognized by my peers in this way. I see it as a milestone in my career that allows me to reflect back on where I’ve been and think anew about where I’m going,” Dausey said.

Dausey is planning collaborations both domestically and internationally with the Public Health Institute at Mercyhurst. He will work with the Erie County Department of Health, the Erie Community Foundation and others to “conduct public health research in the Erie area.”

He is also planning international work with Teleton, the American Wheelchair Mission and others to “conduct public health research related to people with disabilities around the world.”

For more information on the public health program at Mercyhurst, go to publichealth.mercyhurst.edu.

Visit The Merciad on your mobile phone The Merciad can now be viewed on mobile phones.

Simply type in merciad.mercyhurst.edu on your browser, or scan the QR code below.

Sarah Hlusko photo

Cohen Health Center staff Patricia Kowalski-Colvin, R.N.; Thurman Alvey, D.O.; and Catherine Fritts, R.N., work together to treat ill students. their well being a priority.”

Smith acknowledged that these next few weeks are typically busy for students but urged them to make every effort to stay healthy.

“If I could give one piece of advice to the student body, it would be to slow down. I realize it is difficult, but slowing down will help students to stay healthy.”

NEWS

January 18, 2012

Page 3

MSG forum talks retention, renovations

By Stacy Skiavo Staff writer

Student retention at Mercyhurst College would improve if upperclassman housing improved. That was one of the messages students attending an MSG forum told college officials Wednesday, Jan. 11.

Vice President for Enrollment Management/Adult Education Michael Lyden, Ph.D., and Associate Vice President for Advancement Jeanette Britt led the forum by asking the MSG members questions and listening to the views of the members and students.

“I was impressed by Dr. Lyden; he seemed very interested in what the students had to say. I thought problems were identified, and I think they will be fixed in the near future,” junior Andrew Miller said.

The four main topics discussed were academics, student support, student life and administrative services. The main questions were regarding what Mercyhurst should continue doing, what it should improve, what new things should be started and what Mercyhurst will look like in 2020.

“The forum was geared around the Strategic Planning Committee and reaching out to the student body to gain feedback about what the students would like to see for the future of Mercyhurst. The discussion points are not anything definite, but more a conversation between administrators and students,” senior and MSG President Meghan Hess said.

The enrollment issue was discussed and how at this point it is more important to find ways to keep students here rather than finding ways to get them to attend Mercyhurst.

“The main thing that I would like

News Briefs Faculty vote on 4-1-4 calendar to be counted The Mercyhurst faculty vote on the 4-1-4 calendar change will be counted Tuesday, Jan. 24. Faculty are in the process of voting on whether they want to change from the current trimester system to a 4-1-4 calendar.

They are not being asked to choose between a 4-1-4 or 4-4-1 calendar for this vote. That will be discussed at a later time if faculty choose the 4-1-4 calendar.

Library offers additional weekend hours for research, reference assistance The Hammermill Library is offering new weekend hours for students who need additional research and reference help.

Additional hours were created to help students who are not able to get assistance from a librarian during the week, such as adult students, commuters and graduate students.

“The goal is to develop skills to successfully navigate those resources that will provide students with what they need to complete senior projects, research-based assignments, graduate thesis and any other general assignments,” Director of Libraries Darci Jones said.

The staff will be located in L306 on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

to see for the Mercyhurst of 2020 is a complete overhaul and remodeling of the upperclassmen housing,” junior and MSG PR Coordinator Jeremy Dickey said.

“This is an issue that I am extremely passionate about and in the future would love to see specific attention given to remodeling and adding an upperclassmen housing complex that would feature a main hub or union area with lots of facilities for students and then have branched off suite style housing pods. This is my vision for Mercyhurst in 2020,” he said.

Conclusions were drawn that living situations and student experiences were factors that could lead a student to transfer.

Living situations can be a big factor for a student, and the living space is small for upperclassmen, which may cause them to choose to leave. Too much focus may be

put on only the freshman year and should be shifted into keeping the upperclassmen from leaving.

“The forum went really well.

A lot of topics were covered, and thankfully many of the common issues were fleshed out.

“The administration really seemed to care about fully understanding the issues brought up. One of the things I’d really like to see is to have the upperclassmen housing updated; it seems to be overlooked when it comes to renovations,” junior Matt Teleha said.

Others made points that students may be leaving because they are not having a good student experience.

Despite the Student Activities Council providing activities, students still seem to say they have nothing to do on weekends, and MSG would like to solve this problem.

MSG wants to work on providing more events for students, because

when students find something to get involved in, they are more likely to stay.

Even so, it was agreed that the education programs provide students with the education to land them good jobs and keep them at Mercyhurst.

Despite already having great programs, the topic of adding more majors and classes was discussed.

Students brought up programs like information security, expanding forensics, speech and hearing pathologies, 3D modeling and animation, neuroscience and expanding the languages and graduate programs.

“One of the things I brought up at the meeting was to introduce a 3D Modeling and Animation major/minor. I think there’s a decent amount of interest to support it, and it’d also attract a more diverse group of prospective students,” Teleha said.

NEWS

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January 18, 2012

Faculty approves changes to core curriculum

By Kelly Luoma Editor-in-chief

Mercyhurst College faculty recently voted on a new core curriculum. Faculty approved 10 categories for the core curriculum and voted on the process to select courses for it.

Faculty voted to create a Faculty Senate committee consisting of two faculty members from each of the five schools, a representative from North East and the dean of faculty. This committee will review applications to have courses placed in the core, said Michael Federici, Ph.D., president of the Faculty Senate.

The current core requires 18 courses, and the new plan requires 16 or 17 classes.

Under the new core categories, students are only required to take one science and one math. The current core requires students to take two science classes and one math class or one science and two math classes.

As of now, the 10 categories that have been approved do not have any core courses in them.

Departments will need to apply to have their courses included in the core, and the Faculty Senate committee and the Office of Academic Affairs will make the decision on whether to include or exclude them.

The categories of core courses will include typical classes, including science, math, English, the arts and philosophy. These categories may also allow for different courses in the core curriculum, such as sports medicine, business classes or criminal justice, said Federici.

In order to decide who will be on the committee to determine which classes will be included in the core, each school will elect one representative. The Dean of Faculty will then choose one representative from that school. Federici said the assumption is that the second representative will come from a different department than the one elected.

Which departments have core classes will depend on “their willingness, if they can do it and how fre-

quently they can do it,” Federici said.

Their ability to demonstrate how their course aligns with what students will learn in the particular core category is necessary as well.

Reconstructing the core curriculum has been a three-year process that is nearing its end.

“At the end of the day, we did very well,” said Federici. “It’s a solid core that will serve students very well. That was our primary objective.”

Mercyhurst has not updated its core since the late 1990s.

“It’s a very messy business redoing your core curriculum,” said Federici. “That’s why colleges don’t do it very often.”

The reason the college decided to update its core curriculum was to give students more flexibility.

“The main reason was to try to make it easier for students to have a double major or minor in addition to their major,” Federici said.

For example, category nine of the core is a wildcard category. Students can take any class and count it for this core requirement.

“This may make it easier for them to complete their major or a minor,” said Federici. “It’s also a chance to explore some of the disciplines that are in the core.”

Even though all departments must apply to have their class included in the new core curriculum, Federici does not think this will deter departments from including a class in the core.

“Departments are very interested in being in the core,” he said.

Now that the structure of the core has been approved, the next step is to approve the role of the Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST) courses.

The faculty’s vote on the role of the IDST courses will be counted on Tuesday, Jan. 24.

The vote is regarding whether IDST courses will stand alone as a category or if they will be embedded into the 10 core categories.

Even though faculty has voted on the core proposal and is in the process of voting on IDST, the decisions are not final.

College administration and the Board of Trustees have the oppor-

tunity to reject or accept parts of the proposal that faculty voted on.

Even so, the administration is not likely to disagree with what the faculty voted on for the core.

“With the core, the administration is pretty good about what the faculty wants,” said Federici.

“They’re hesitant to make significant changes to our document.”

As long as administration and Board of Trustees approve the core curriculum changes and the Faculty Senate committee is able to start reviewing applications for the core by next fall, the core could be implemented in the fall of 2013 at the earliest.

The core will most likely not affect anyone but incoming freshman of that year.

“My understanding is that everyone who started under the old core would finish under the old core,” Federici said.

Even though students won’t be affected by the new core curriculum, Federici said he will be happy to discuss these changes with students once administration has approved the proposal.

Religion panel spikes interests Building completion set for early August

By Caitlin Handerhan Opinion editor

On Thursday, Jan. 12, the religious studies department hosted a thematic panel discussion in the Mercy Heritage room on sexuality in a religious context.

The panel, titled “The Sources of Religious Authority on the Morality of Human Sexuality,” drew a large crowd of students and faculty alike.

Moderated by Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Verna Ehret, Ph.D., she facilitated a discussion among her colleagues as to what it meant to be a sexual being in a religious context.

After opening comments were made by Professor of Religious Studies Thomas Forsthoefel, Ph.D., each panelist presented on religion and sexuality from the perspective of his or her academic specialty within the department, with Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Richard McCarty, Ph.D., acting as the respondent to

provide the closing commentary.

Providing a biblical foundation for the presentations, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies Robert von Thaden, Ph.D., discussed the validity of arguments based solely on the biblical text.

He cautioned against using the Bible as an answer to contemporary problems, as it strips the ancient text of its contextual meaning.

Specifically, von Thaden refuted the conservative argument condemning homosexuality on a solely biblical basis, saying that passages that address this must be examined in their original context, a context that is at odds with many moral issues of today, such as the support of slavery.

Throughout the hour presentation, students of many majors and disciplines were engaged in the discussions at hand.

Junior Danielle Vaccaro attended the panel discussion for extra credit for a religion class but found she was interested by the topic once the panel was under way.

Also in attendance was adult stu-

dent Jason Sargent, who was interested in attending the religion and sexuality panel because it expanded upon his work in the classroom.

“In my psychology class this term, we have touched upon parts of this discussion, and it was cool to see it expand into differing opinions,” he said.

The audience was not limited to the student body, as many professors from other departments joined the Mercyhurst community for the well-attended event.

Among them was Assistant Professor of Physics Dyan McBride, Ph.D., who congratulated her colleagues for such a successful and thoughtful event.

“It made me realize how fortunate I am to work in a community where I get to interact with and learn from scholars of other disciplines,” said McBride.

“I was simply amazed by their ability to discuss a difficult subject with such thoughtfulness and depth and the ease with which they were able to communicate with the audience.”

Jill Barrile photo

The Center for Academic Engagement is set for completion the first week of August. Once the sealing of the roof is complete, work will continue inside throughout the winter.

FEATURES

January 18, 2012

Professor to assist with Jamestown exhibit

By Alicia Cagle Staff writer

Creative minds at Mercyhurst spread far beyond the college community and use their skills to enhance many projects in the tristate area.

Assistant Professor of the Geology Department Scott McKenzie is helping the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History create an exhibit called “Here Comes the Sun.” The exhibit is located in Jamestown, N.Y. and will display photos of the sun and other objects from space as well as meteorites.

Two predominant astrophotographers in the Jamestown area took the photographs used in the exhibit.

Mercyhurst College got involved

because of its Sincak Natural History Museum display cases and its access to an extensive private meteorite collection.

“I helped organize the meteorite display partly to educate the public but also to provide a way for people that have found meteorites to have them verified,” said McKenzie, who is curator of the Sincak collection.

“Mercyhurst is one of the only places in our entire region that can do this (and we) thank the private collection that loaned the materials.”

Jeff Illingworth, Mercyhurst Archaeological Center lab supervisor, and Annie Marjenin, Mercyhurst Archaeological Center lab director, along with five students helped set up the many cases of space rocks at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute (RTPI).

McKenzie explained that the items on display will include a

Equal Rights Poster Design Competition Create a poster that promotes equality of women.

Topics can include: Famous moments in the equal rights movement, famous feminists, encouraging quotes regarding equality, commemoration of landmark moments in women’s history, a call to action or reaction.

Winning posters will be on display during March - Women’s History Month.

Posters should be reproducible at 11” x 17.”

They can be created of any media. Digital entries should provide a PDF to jhopper@mercyhurst. edu. References for information utilized in the poster should be attached. Artist’s name, email and phone number should be written in pencil on the back of the poster.

Email Jodi Staniunas-Hopper at jhopper@ mercyhurst.edu for more information.

“small piece of Mars verified by NASA, a 30-pound stony meteorite from Africa, a 29-pound chunk of an iron meteorite that fell in Siberia in 1947 as well as samples from Australia, Indochina and Texas. “Another case holds a rare meteorological rocket that crashed to Earth in the 1960s.

Some samples of shattered or melted Earth rocks from known asteroid craters are (also) included in the display.”

The exhibit begins this week and will run through April. More than 75,000 people visited the exhibits last year.

“RTPI is a great venue for displaying natural history material, and they are a great group with which to work,” said Illingworth.

“These exhibits are a great experience for Mercyhurst students, especially those interested in presenting things to the public as they get to help with the packing, shipping, set-up, tear-down and storage of the material.”

“These exhibits are a great way for the College to reach (out) and teach our community,” McKenzie said.

For more information about the Roger Tory Peterson Institute and the exhibit, visit rtpi.org.

Page 5

Scholarship named after professor

By Kayla Kelly Staff writer

Jane Blystone, Ph.D., was recently surprised with the honor of having a scholarship named after her by the Pennsylvania School Press Association (PSPA) during the Education Department’s monthly meeting.

Blystone is the director of graduate secondary education as well as an assistant professor of education at Mercyhurst. She has also been a journalism educator since 1973.

She received her bachelor’s degree in communications from Cedarville College, her master’s in education from Edinboro University, and her doctorate in English from Indiana University.

In addition to educating people about journalism Blystone has been an active member of the PSPA since 1983.

At the state level she has served as president four times, which is more than any other person in the history of PSPA, and she has been on the board for 28 years.

The PSPA decided to recognize her for her work during the past 30 years by providing a scholarship to high school seniors with journalism experience.

PSPA is honoring Blystone for her “decades of service and for helping thousands and thousands of Pennsylvania student journalists learn the trade.”

The scholarship winner becomes the Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year and recieves a $500 scholarship, and the winner competes for $5000 at the national level.

Only one winner is permitted from each state in the national competition sponsored by the Journalism Education Association.

When asked what this honor means to her, Blystone replied, “It is a huge honor because I never worked to receive any honor.”

She said that her work was fun and never seemed to be difficult.

Blystone’s goal was to help advisers and students develop great journalism programs for their schools and to assist in being a “voice” for those who were being censored in their schools.

Blystone said, “As an advocate for the First Amendment, I believe student writing, if presented in a balanced manner, should not be censored.”

Blystone has had a great amount of experience in the journalism field and feels immense joy in helping young people become successful journalists.

FEATURES

Page 6

The Role of RA: Friend, not enemy

By Liz Zurasky Features editor

Being a resident assistant (RA) is an extremely difficult and time-consuming job.

They are in charge of the safety and well-being of their area, building a community between residents and disciplinary action that might unfortunately occur every once in a while.

A general misconception about RAs is that they are the “bad guys,” who are out to get people in trouble.

This is not the case at all.

RAs take on this unique job for many reasons – one being the money they are paid by the school to do the job. This definitely has its perks, but it doesn’t necessarily compensate for the amount of work an RA has to do on a day-to-day basis.

Junior Adam Ferrari, a first year RA in the sophomore area says, “My favorite part of the job is the leadership role and being accountable and in charge in certain perspectives.”

To be successful, RAs need to be conscious of their time-management skills, as well as confident, outgoing and not afraid of addressing groups of peers.

Once chosen as an RA, students are required to be at school two weeks prior to the start of classes. This is when they learn about all the services Mercyhurst has available, as well as tactics to dealing with problematic residents or situations. It is a very intense two weeks of training full of paperwork and getting apartments ready for residents to start moving in.

During the school year, RAs are responsible for providing a certain number of activities every term, making door decorations welcoming their residents, counseling, putting in maintenance orders, filling out paperwork and attending mandatory weekly meetings.

RAs take one weekday duty night, and, depending on the term, multiple weekend duty nights. These are incredibly exhausting because they must be awake until 3 a.m. some weekends to keep an eye on things in their area.

A variety of situations could occur during a night of “duty” and an RA has to be ready at a moment’s notice to respond to an emergency.

This job also involves getting to know residents and noticing when something doesn’t seem right. Most are very observant, taking notice when someone seems to be withdrawing from friends and becoming less and less interactive with their friends.

Senior Marleah Williams said, “It’s really great to know that you’ve made a difference in one of your resident’s lives and that’s the most rewarding part of being an RA.” The responsibility of taking notice of depressed students or students in danger of hurting themselves is a difficult task that many students would not be able to cope with. However, it’s a job RAs take on many times throughout the year.

Another RA in the upperclassman area, senior Lauren Moss, hopes that the RA job will help her in her future.

“I want to go onto a career working in a college counseling center. Nothing prepares you more to work with the college undergraduate population than the RA position.”

The RA position is one of great leadership and responsibility.

Unfortunately, RAs are usually viewed as the jerks that bust up parties and underage drinkers on the weekends. Although that is part of the job, it is definitely not something they like to do. The paperwork is a hassle, and they do not enjoy seeing their friends and neighbors getting into trouble with Residence Life.

“

It’s really great to know you’ve made a difference in one of your resident’s lives. That’s the most rewarding part of being an RA.

”

January 18, 2012

DIY College style: Chicken Fajitas On her blog, A Grapefruit’s (many) Passions, senior Alaina Rydzewski writes about her foray into cooking, along with movie, book and music reviews. To check out her blog, visit agrapefruitspassions.tumblr.com.

When I came up with the idea to make these, I had no recipe whatsoever and even bought ingredients without consulting a recipe.

As I was going over my ingredients, I found out that besides spices, such as chili powder, I had gotten everything I needed to make these. I used a recipe from Women’s Health magazine.

You will need: three chicken breasts, two red peppers, two green peppers, one white onion, two teaspoons of olive oil, two cloves minced garlic, whole wheat tortillas and toppings. I used: lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese and sour cream.

- Marleah Williams

The RA’s main goal is to keep students safe. This sometimes involves disciplinary actions.

Every RA interviewed for this article reported that their least favorite part of the job was possibly having to get friends and peers in trouble.

Junior Jeanette Long summed up the feelings of the majority of RAs saying, “A lot of students don’t realize that we are in a position to document the situation or lose our jobs. It’s never anything personal, but it’s sort of hard to explain that when students are screaming at you for ‘busting them.’”

Even though disciplinary sanctions can be a part of the job, the RAs at Mercyhurst are a group of friendly and enthusiastic people who are generally concerned for other’s well-being. They are looking out for the student population, making sure that everything in living situations run smoothly.

RAs are friendly faces students can rely on. They want to get to know their residents and be involved in their lives as a positive role model.

Junior Louise Weist, an upperclassman RA, says, “I love meeting new people. As a music major, I rarely get to make friends with anyone outside the music department. Being an RA allows me to make outside connections.”

Don’t be afraid to talk to an RA if you have a problem. That’s what they’re there for and would be more than happy to help you in any way they can. They have been through the training to point you to the right resources around campus if you have a problem.

The RAs at Mercyhurst College are a group of people who are to be utilized as a tool, whether it be concern for a friend, roommate conflicts or counseling about personal situations. They’re also a friendly face to see around campus as well as a friend and peer.

Liz Zurasky is a resident assistant in the upperclassman area.

What to do: 1. Chop onion, peppers and chicken into slices.

2. Put olive oil in pan and grill onion and peppers for five minutes.

3. Add chicken and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is white inside and out. (This took me about 20 minutes.)

4. Put mixture with toppings on tortilla and enjoy.

This made me about three servings, so you will want to vary your ingredients depending on how much you want to make.

Here’s a tip that I didn’t realize the first time I ate my fajitas: spreading the sour cream on the tortilla before everything else makes the eating experience much cleaner than when the sour cream is on top of everything. Silly and simple, but true.

You can also use shrimp, ground beef or any other meat for your fajitas.

DIY College Style is a weekly column featuring two college students’ blogs on quick and easy tips about crafts and food.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

January 18, 2012

Page 7

PAC finds new film series sponsor

Maria J. Langer series to begin screening next week

By Mathew Anderson Staff writer

The Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center (PAC) is a well-known center for the arts in Erie.

Last year, its more than 100 productions brought in more than 27,000 community members.

The PAC has presented its fair share of top notch entertainment over the years, including the Julliard String Quartet and Great Britain’s Ukulele Orchestra.

It’s also the permanent residence of the Met Opera: HD Live series, the Live from NY’s 92 Street Broadcast lecture series and now the brand new Maria J. Langer Film Series.

This much-anticipated series is replacing the successful Guelcher Film Series.

As the new film series opens this week, the feelings of excitement cannot be masked.

This series will be sponsored by John Langer and will be named after his loving mother, Maria J. Langer.

The film series will start on Wednesday, Jan. 25, with “Bé Omid é Didar (Good Bye).”

This is the story of a young Iranian lawyer

who has become pregnant and is searching for a visa to leave her country.

The film shows the obstacles she must overcome to achieve her goal.

The series will also include “The Artist,” “The Descendants” and “The Iron Lady,” which will be shown during the remainder of the school year.

When asked about his reasons for sponsoring the new series, Langer said, “We believe the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center is a special place in Erie, and while it has had a stellar past, we believe it can have an even brighter future.

“We are encouraged by the vision the Gambles and Dave Livingston have for the PAC, and we embrace this opportunity to support their leadership and passion.”

Langer is a Mercyhurst alumnus of 1995 and was an important part of the Laker Nation by being active in student activities and a valued member of the football team.

He graduated with a degree in business.He sponsored Buddy Guy’s concert last year.

Langer thought it would be an opportune moment to put his mother’s name to the film series because of her love for the arts.Maria Langer is a film, music and arts advocate.

When asked about his sponsorships, Langer said, “In sponsoring Buddy Guy last year and

now in sponsoring the Maria J. Langer film series, we feel this is our opportunity to support the college and our community.

“My mom has always been a big film aficionado, and I just thought this would be a good fit for her.”

The fact of the matter is that there is no real change to the film series and its inner workings.

The Guelcher’s decided to no longer sponsor the film series.

This decision comes in conjunction with strategic changes from the college, including the formation of the Institute for Arts and Culture.

This assumes the college’s arts programming while combining a new academic effort.

This will create a hands-on learning experience for the students at Mercyhurst., and so the PAC was looking for a new donor to take the Guelcher’s place.

David Livingston, Ph.D., vice president for advancement, stressed that this will be the same film series our community knows and loves, just with a different name.

He commented that the film series is a very important part of Mercyhurst and the surrounding community.

Whether or not they had found a donor,

i <3 musica is a music blog written by Max Rivera.

He chooses a song each day with music including international genres, new and older songs and both famous and lesser known artists and bands.

The word “musica” is Spanish, Italian and Portuguese for music. It derives from the Greek term “art of the Muses.”

“Electric Feel” MGMT The Connecticut-based band started off as an experiment by two college freshmen (Andrew & Ben) and was originally called The Management.

the film series would still happen without a second thought.

He said that it is vitally important to provide culture in the Erie area, and Mercyhurst was incredibly lucky that James Langer was so eager to pick up where Bob and Betty Guelcher left off.

The college administration thinks that the film series is a commitment they have to the community and the fact that it will continue to have a name and a donor accompanying it makes it that much more special.

The finest is all that the PAC will accept, and that’s precisely what it will provide for students.

This series with a new name should be a smash hit yet again on the Mercyhurst Campus.

The films show every Wednesday at 2:15 and 7:15 p.m.

Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and $4 for a PC holder.

A student with a Mercyhurst Student ID gets in free.

All films are open to the public, and any foreign films are English subtitled.

This film series is an easy way to be immersed in a culture that many don’t get to experience in a setting that is elegant, yet easy on your wallet.

Upcoming events at the PAC: Met Opera: HD Live “The Enchanted Island” Saturday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m.

Maria J. Langer film series

“Good Bye” (Bé Omid é Didar) Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 2:15 & 7:15 p.m.

On Screen/In Person: “Money Matters” Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 2:15 & 7:15 p.m.

PAC Series Mark S. Doss Saturday, Feb. 4, at 7:30 p.m.

Page 8

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

January 18, 2012

Faculty member featured in photography exhibit

By Alex Stacey A&E editor

“In this exhibit, I am photographing to see what I can transcribe and then through the process of computer decisions – which can be endless -- bringing out the essential ‘thing-ness.’”

Gary Cardot opened his photo exhibit, “Anthology: Pictures from the Archive” in the Cummings Art Gallery, on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

Cardot is an assistant professor of art and teaches both photography and art history classes.

“I’ve been teaching full-time at Mercyhurst since 1994, and I love the combination.

“It’s enabled me to understand what is of importance to other people in art and photography,” he said.

This gallery show highlights photographs that have been digitally altered. Computer manipulation plays a large role in Cardot’s photography.

He says that photo editing with programs such as Photoshop is a mix between photography and painting.

While previously highlighted works include com-

positions of architecture, amusement parks and night scenes, this exhibit focuses on more natural elements.

He says that his favorite photographs in this exhibit are the digital paintings of garden scenes.

Cardot wasn’t always interested in the art of photography. He says his fascination began when he started attending alternative films when he was in college.

His previous studies in art history continued as his love for still photography grew. Ultimately, he pursued an MFA in art with a concentration in photography from the California Institute of the Arts.

He continues his education during the summers at the Maine Media Workshops in Rockport. These summer studies here have resulted in his extensive body of work.

When asked how he feels about teaching at Mercyhurst, Cardot instantly replied that he loves the students.

“We get such a variety of ethnic groups, majors, different towns and states students are from, I’m never bored with the students.”

“Anthology” will continue through Feb. 5 in the Cummings Art Gallery, located in the lobby of the PAC. The gallery is open Tuesday through Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. and Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m.

Pac.mercyhurst.edu photo

‘The Enchanted Island’ is a world premiere event conceived and performed by the Metropolitan Opera.

‘The Enchanted Island’ is an opera of pastiche

By Alex Stacey A&E editor

Zachary Dorsch photo

Gary Cardot’s gallery show “Anthology: Pictures from the Archives” opened on Tuesday, Jan. 10. This show highlights photographs that have been digitally altered and focuses on natural elements.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” collides with “The Tempest,” and together they live in a world of baroque music.

That is the premise for the Metropolitan Opera’s world premiere event, “The Enchanted Island.”

This Saturday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m., the Met is scheduled to simulcast “The Enchanted Island,” a work devised by Peter Gelb and written

by Jeremy Sams.

This work is called a pastiche.

Essentially, a new work is created out of smaller, already existing works.

The work showcases arias and ensembles by Handel, Vivaldi, Rameau and a new libretto by Jeremy Sams.

This particular production consists of a mix of characters and settings. Featured are the four lovers from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” on Prospero’s Island from “The Tempest.”

Also included is Neptune, a popular figure from Roman mythology.

The music in the opera is a combination of works primarily written by baroque composers G.F. Handel, Antonio Vivaldi and Jean-Philippe Rameau.

This work features distinguished conductor William Christie and a

paramount cast, including Joyce DiDonato, Placido Domingo and David Daniels.

The production is directed and designed by Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch.

The opera starts in another realm, where Prospero is exiled with his daughter Miranda.

The lovers from Shakespeare’s famous play are coincidentally shipwrecked on the same island.

When the sprite Ariel starts to play the role of “Puck,” mix-ups reminiscent of “Midsummer” start to occur.

Sycorax the evil sorceress and her son Caliban thicken the plot, along with Neptune, the sea god.

Since this is a new operatic creation, and many of these roles were created especially for the performers, experimenting is still taking place.

When talking to the New York Times, Joyce DiDonato explained, “This idea of making it up as we go along is typical of the pastiche process.”

The New York Times also refers to this musical as a “Franken-Opera,” formed from bits and pieces of other operas, though they do argue that they are extremely high quality bits and pieces.

“The Enchanted Island” will simulcast on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. in the PAC. Tickets are $15 for students with a Mercyhurst ID.

OPINION

January 18, 2012

September 3,Page 20089

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

National Defense Act infringes on civil liberties Obama administration, Congress called into question over new law

By Faye Clark Staff writer

The fact that we’re ringing in the new year with visions of a crippled internet, increasing government surveillance and military policing all point to an unpromising start for 2012. This is the way you start a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie, so why is it our reality?

The technology that fed the Arab Spring revolts could be hamstrung in the country of its origin by the Protect IP Act (PIPA) and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and now the National Defense Authorization

Act (NDAA) has been signed into law with barely more than a whisper of protest, much of it word of mouth. It has made a few appearances on television and in the news and then was promptly forgotten.

Opponents of the NDAA say that the bill will allow the government to detain United States citizens and residents indefinitely and without trial, even possibly sending them to places like Guantanamo Bay. Farewell, right to due process; I knew ye well, Miranda Rights – something like this just does not seem possible. For that reason, I spent the better part of the weekend reading official copies of the

NDAA that are posted on government websites, trying to make sense of it all.

“Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authorities relating to the detention of United States citizens, lawful resident aliens of the United States or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States.” That should be the end of it, right?

Mostly, the concern lies with how much of the act is open to the interpretation of the executive branch.

President Obama has already released an official statement explaining why he signed the bill and that his administration “will

News coverage increasingly disappointing, deplorable

By Caitlin Handerhan Opinion editor

As we race toward the 2012 elections, there is no shortage of news coverage for the presidential candidates.

Each day, national newscasts feature at least one juicy “he said, she said” story from the campaign trail, focusing on the endless train of non-Romney alternatives.

With the GOP race heating up, “Mean Newt” has more than one appearance on the nightly news, Ron Paul has completed a few more aloof interviews, and who can resist writing a commentary about Rick Santorum’s endless supply of sweater vests?

With the inception of 24-hour news, it has been often argued that a competitive ratings game has ensued to captivate audiences. The overall quality of news coverage has gone down, and it seems the coverage of the 2012 campaign is an excellent example of this.

While I agree that constant access

to news has replaced quality with sensationalism, the more important issue to me is not the manner in which we cover the news, but the way in which we determine what the news actually is.

For example, with the 2012 campaign dominating the airwaves, I find myself an expert on the Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina results (thanks to CNN) and little else. Aside from my occasional CSPAN marathon, to find quality news on television is quite difficult.

As I watch CNN, I find myself questioning more and more why we are not offended by their tagline “The Worldwide Leader in News.”

Producers parade analyst after analyst on screen to refute, rebut and retell what their counterpart said before them. CNN is not the only culprit of this trend; often competing networks mimic a similar format.

To me, the news is not someone’s tips to making the most of the housing market or postulating why Rick Perry is still in the GOP race for the White House.

Such extensive and excessive

amounts of commentary do not belong under the guise of a news broadcast.

I find myself garnering my news from countless online news sources almost exclusively, completely giving up on televised news sources.

I am constantly taken aback by the countless reports of death, poverty, violence and turmoil from around the globe that merit only a one liner on American news broadcasts at best.

Are not the violence in Southern Sudan, streets of protesters in Romania or the ongoing famine in Somalia not worthy of our attention for more than a sound bite?

I don’t contend that current events, such as the 2012 election, are not news but cannot justify the amount of commentary and analysis that is devoted to an event that is in my mind slightly less important than people dying around the world.

It is not that we report the wrong things on our news, it is the passive acceptance of importance and relevance placed on contextually trivial events.

not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens.”

That doesn’t guarantee that a future administration will not use this provision.

Even if no American citizens are arrested and held without trial, the very existence of this law turns the military into a policing force.

Suppose a conservative wins the 2012 election, or anyone new comes in in 2016 – how will the interpretation of this law change?

If this section survives, it will probably be changed and added to, depending on whatever the government decides is threatening.

Maybe the paranoia creeping

into my mind over the NDAA is born of too many television shows about the government running amok while trying to fight a terrorist threat.

Maybe Congress didn’t mean anything by writing it, and the President didn’t mean anything by signing it.

The longer we accept “Big Brother watching us” is just the way it is, the more normalized the situation becomes and the easier it is to ask for a little more power, when what they have isn’t enough. Rather than asking for more of something that isn’t working, maybe it’s time to start looking for something different instead.

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

Editors Kelly Luoma Alaina Rydzewski Liz Zurasky Caitlin Handerhan Spencer Hunt Alex Stacey Chrissy Mihalic Kaitlin Badger Jill Barrile Ethan Johns Max Rivera Bill Welch

@mercyhurst.edu Positions Editor-in-Chief editormerciad News Editor newsmerciad Features Editor featuremerciad Opinion Editor opinionmerciad sportsmerciad Sports Editor A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad copymerciad Copy Editor Graphics photomerciad Photo Editor photomerciad Web Editor ejohns89 Ad Manager admerciad wwelch Adviser

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst College. 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.

Page 10

OPINION

January 2012 September 3, 18, 2008

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Refuting arguments against gay marriage

By Brian Lombardo Staff writer

The women’s hockey team has continued their stretch of unbeaten conference match ups, bringing their total wins for the year to 26 with only one tie.

Approaching two weeks since the assault of a 19year-old woman on W. 38th and Glenwood Avenue.

Erie Police have been unable to identify the suspect, leaving the campus community at risk.

Just recently I engaged in a debate with a classmate revolving around the issue of marriage equality in America, which began as part of a larger argument on GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum, who can fairly be billed as the most stringent anti-gay rights politician in recent memory.

His socially conservative views on this particular issue, which include favoring a federal constitutional amendment barring gay marriage, are quite frankly hateful and threaten to fully erase the progress we have made in recent years to advance the cause of equal treatment for all Americans.

After thinking about this debate, I was inspired to record three of the most common arguments against gay marriage and show why they are at their core factually inaccurate, illogical and wholly discriminatory.

An argument against gay marriage goes as follows: allowing gays to marry would ruin the sanctity of

the institution of marriage. I mean, what’s next? Polygamy? Bestiality?

With the highest divorce rate in the world (4.95 per 1,000 people), I’m pretty sure loving, same-sex couples in committed relationships are the least threat to the institution of marriage.

What about Kim Kardashian’s 72 day marriage or the 2004 marriage of Brittany Spears, which lasted just 55 hours? Where are the proponents of “the sanctity of marriage” in these cases to call foul?

They are clearly too busy focusing their venomous attacks on those who want only the same thing heterosexual couples want: a chance to be devoted by marriage with the person they love. Allowing more people to marry can do no harm to the sanctity of marriage.

And as for the slippery slope theory that claims allowing homosexuals the right to marry will lead to individuals wanting to marry animals or more than one person – it speaks for itself in just one word: ridiculous.

Another often touted argument against same-sex marriage is if gay

couples are already in loving relationships, why do they need the title of marriage, anyway?

I counter those who use this argument with a question: Why do straight people need the title?

Quite simply, heterosexual people have the right to marry who they wish, so why shouldn’t gay couples enjoy that same right?

Because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, same-sex couples are denied over 1,000 marriage benefits available to heterosexual couples. Technicalities leave them to sustain up to an additional $467,562 in costs over a lifetime because they are denied these benefits.

In the U.S., when one citizen has a right that another citizen doesn’t have, it’s called unconstitutional and discriminatory. I couldn’t think of a more crystal clear example of discrimination.

The final argument conservatives use is by reminding us that marriage has traditionally been between a man and a woman. You can be with whomever you want, but don’t call it marriage because it’s not. A civil union is a better name.

Who says that has to be the definition of marriage? We seem to have very short memories in this country. Less than 50 years ago, there were still laws on the books banning interracial marriage. The definition of marriage isn’t set in stone to one time period, country or culture – it evolves.

Calling it something else, like a civil union, similarly makes homosexuals feel as if they are not equal enough to be treated with the same marriage rights as heterosexuals. It sends the message they are nothing more than second-class citizens, who can be treated differently because of their orientation.

There are many more absurd arguments designed to undermine the basic tenets of equal rights for all in this country. I am confident that in time, this discrimination will fade as individuals realize that being gay is no different than being of a particular religion, race, color or nationality.

This much is obvious, nobody should be treated unjustly because of who he or she is.

Winter term stress drives drug use

By Jaslyne Halter Staff writer

Online

Tuesday night’s high winds left damage around campus.

As a self-proclaimed coffee snob, I find myself drinking an obnoxious amount of caffeine on a daily basis to get through this stretch of the term. Although I find it an

extremely effective solution, it is not always what the rest of students on campus turn to for that extra boost.

College students turn to alternate forms of focus salvation. Adderall is quickly becoming a drug of choice as students are using school to justify their abuse, claiming that Adderall helps them deal with dis-

Vocabulary app both educational and entertaining

by Larae Tymochko Staff writer

tractions and focus on their work, allowing them to earn the grades that they desire. Estimates show that somewhere between 20 and 30 percent of college students are regularly abusing Adderall.

Adderall, some believe, is the magic cure to one collegiate disorder that’s arguably more

prevalent than hangovers or the common cold: procrastination.

The rest of this story can be found at the Merciad’s online site.

merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion

Page 11

Sports

January 18, 2012

Fulmer battles injuries to return to mat

By Colin Farabaugh Contributing writer

A wrestling match takes only seven minutes. Yet in those seven minutes, so much can go wrong.

It’s another afternoon practice for the 34 members of the Mercyhurst wrestling team; a practice that is sure to leave some hunched over trying to catch their breath. As the wrestlers huddle up before practice, it is evident that something isn’t quite right; someone is missing.

Redshirt Senior Eric Fulmer is sidelined to start the season due to injuries.

“It’s awful not to be out there on the Eric Fulmer mat. It’s especially tough because I am one of the captains. How am I supposed to lead by example when I can’t even go out on the mat?” Fulmer said.

With one year to go in his college wrestling career, Fulmer will have to make the best out of the situation.

“Even though I can’t wrestle right now, I still want to be there for my teammates. If that means going to every practice and standing off to the side, I am fine with that,” Fulmer said.

But to understand how Fulmer got to this point, it is necessary to know how last year’s season ended.

Tough way to end the season It happened at Mercyhurst’s last match of the 2010-11 season.

They were taking on their rivals West Liberty University. Following a loss at 174 pounds., Mercyhurst was relying on a big win from the 184-pounder Fulmer. He was the second-ranked wrestler in the region and had already knocked off the fifth ranked wrestler in the country and a former All-American.

On this night he was up against Derrick Williams, a good wrestler in his own right.

The match started slowly, with both wrestlers waiting to see who would make the first move.

Sports Information photo

Redshirt senior Eric Fulmer takes on Kutztown’s Seth Csaszar during the 2010-11 season.

Before anyone knew, it the two were down on the mat, and it was in that moment, in that seven minute span, that all that hard work would be lost.

“I basically went to break him down and throw my hips in, which required me to straighten my leg out, and as soon as I straightened my leg out, it popped. I didn’t think I was in trouble; it was a position I had been in a thousand times. But as soon as I heard my knee pop, I said there goes my season,” Fulmer said.

The injuries pile up Fulmer’s injuries included a tear in his posterior cruciate ligament and posterior lateral complex that would require reconstructive surgery.

His recovery was anything but fun.

He had to keep his knee in a brace for four months, unable to straighten his leg. He spent another five months on crutches, and he continues to go through extensive therapy to get his knee back into wrestling shape.

Injuries have become a common theme in Fulmer’s wrestling career.

He has not wrestled a full season since his freshman year at St. Andrews University in North Carolina. After taking a redshirt in his first year at Mercyhurst, Fulmer expected to make a big impact by cracking the starting line-up. But prior to the season he noticed that something wasn’t right.

One side of his back was bigger

than the other, and at times he would feel a burning sensation, while also frequently losing his grip strength.

After a visit to the doctor, Fulmer learned that he had four bulging discs in his neck, and his season was over before it even got started.

That wouldn’t even be the worst of the news.

After visiting a total of three neurologists, Fulmer’s dreams had taken another major blow, as they all told him that it was very likely that he would never wrestle again.

Fulmer had two choices; he could call it quits and give up on the sport that he had dedicated his life to since he was five, or he could wrestle through the injury and make one last run at the title that had eluded him. It didn’t take long for him to make his decision. He wasn’t going to let an injury end his wrestling career.

“It was a tough decision to make, but I couldn’t worry about the consequences. I had to do what I felt was best for me,” Fulmer said.

At first, everything was going as planned.

Fulmer had become one of the top wrestlers in the country, and it looked as if this was his year to make a run at a national championship. At least until the West Liberty match last year.

The long road to recovery Every time he steps on the mat, he knows that it could be his last.

One mistake and his college wrestling career is over.

Fulmer says that he tries not to dwell on that.

“I don’t think about that. It just motivates me more, and I go out and work as hard as I can. You can’t think like that, because you will go out not to lose, instead of going out and trying to win,” Fulmer said.

He continues to work out on a daily basis, waiting for that doctor’s appointment this month when he will find out if he will be able to wrestle this year.

“I know that I don’t have any control over the situation, but I believe that if I continue to work hard that everything will work out in the end,” Fulmer said.

If he is cleared by his doctors he will be back in time for the national duals and will have a little more than half a season to prepare for the national tournament.

Fulmer knows that there is no

guarantee that he will be cleared to wrestle, but he doesn’t like to let thoughts like that creep into his mind. He instead believes that he has to stay positive and keep on working as if he were going to wrestle tomorrow.

If all goes well and Fulmer is able to step back on the mat, he will have one thing going in his favor.

“I have been through an injury likes this. I’ve missed a whole year already and came back and wrestled to my potential. I think it will make it a bit easier.” Fulmer said.

Fulmer says that there is only one thing that motivates him to get back on the mat.

“When I envision myself with my hand raised on that mat in Colorado, being a national champion and realizing all my hard work has finally paid off. Once that happens I’ll be able to rest easy.”

Sports

Page 12

January 18, 2012

Men’s hockey sits atop Atlantic Hockey standings

By Spencer Hunt Sports editor

Traditionally, when a team wins one game but loses another it’s presumed they played better in the game they won.

However, that is not the case for the Mercyhurst men’s hockey team following a weekend split with American International.

“I believe we played better Friday, but we just didn’t get the right bounces of the puck,” Coach Rick Gotkin said. “We played well Saturday, but Friday their goalie was outstanding.”

The Lakers were unable to get by the AIT goaltender, who stopped 38 of 40 shots Friday night in a 32 defeat. Saturday was a different story as the Lakers dismantled two AIT goalies who only managed to stop 44 of 51 shots in a 7-2 Laker win.

With the weekend split, the Lakers maintained their position atop the Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) standings with 22 points. Each game matters more

Jill Barrile photo

Freshman Nardo Nagtzaam earned AHA co-rookie of the week after helping the Lakers beat AIT 7-2. Nagtzaam had one goal and two assists in the game. when only eight points separates the top team and the ninth team.

“We just take it one game at a time, especially in such a competitive conference,” Gotkin said.

As the Lakers head down the home stretch of their schedule, they won’t be home often. The team will travel for nine of their remaining 12 games. This includes trips to RIT and Air Force, who

currently sit in second and third place respectively.

“We just try to keep the same routine when we travel,” Gotkin said. “We have the same routine Thursday before we leave and we get back Sunday around 7 a.m.”

The Lakers have a routine on the ice as well.

“We try to control the puck and limit the amount of risks we take,”

Gotkin said. “We play road hockey.”

Even though the Lakers are going on the road, they are taking a large amount of firepower with them.

Currently the Lakers are the only team in the nation with 11 different skaters in double digits in scoring.

The next closest team is No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth.

“We have great depth and that is something we take great pride in as a program,” Gotkin said.

That depth will be critical in not running out of gas in the AHA play-offs by overworking a select few skaters.

“We don’t really have a No. 1 line, we rely on 25 guys to win each night,” Gotkin said. “We get production from everywhere, and we trust each guy, and it’s a great feeling.”

The Lakers are currently led by an outstanding group of freshmen in Daniel Bahntge, Nardo Nagtzaam and Chris Bodo who are three of the top four scorers. Freshmen are actually four of the top six scorers, with senior Derek Elliot and junior Paul Chiasson as the other two.

“With depth, we don’t have to

play guys to death,” Gotkin said.

“We hope to have everyone fresh for the playoffs.”

Even though the Lakers are in a good position in the AHA, they aren’t looking past anyone.

“Our most important game is Friday against Holy Cross, not RIT and not Air Force,” Gotkin said.

The Lakers’ success has been in large part due to the play of senior goaltender Max Strang.

“Max really went out and grabbed the reins to start the season, and he never looked back,” Gotkin said.

With the strong play of Strang and the host of freshmen contributing, the Lakers will be a tough matchup for any team in the AHA. But the regular season crown isn’t the most important goal.

“We know that only the winner of the Atlantic Hockey playoffs is going to the NCAA tournament,” Gotkin said.

The Lakers look to continue on that path with a two-game tilt at Holy Cross Friday and Saturday.

The team doesn’t play another game at the Mercyhurst Ice Center until hosting Niagara Feb. 3.

Men’s basketball hits critical stretch of season

By Lindsey Burke Staff writer

In a conference that is crowded at the top, winning every game matters even more.

For the Mercyhurst men’s basketball team, every team they face down the stretch is within one game in the standings. Currently, the team is tied for second with Clarion and Edinboro at 7-3 in conference play.

The Lakers split this past week losing to Clarion in the PSAC West (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) opener 66-71, but posed a big comeback Saturday defeating Slippery Rock 64-62. The win improved the Lakers overall record to 9-5.

Against Clarion, the Lakers struggled with the Golden Eagles on the boards getting out rebounded 3922. Trailing by six at halftime, Mer-

cyhurst tied it with 9:13 left to go in the second half, but the comeback was not enough as the Lakers lost by five.

The Lakers were led by freshman Callon Dailey who poured in a career-best 18 points and senior Bill Weaver who added 16 points and eight rebounds.

The Lakers came back Saturday poised and focused to defeat Slippery Rock.

“We had more energy, and we came ready to play,” Dailey said.

Senior Jamal Turner has been leading the Lakers offense from the point guard position. A transfer from Fairfield University, Turner is now in his second year as point guard.

“We set the tone early,” Turner said. “Our defense allowed us to pull away to a 17-point lead.”

Shooting only 32.3 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from three, the free throw line was cru-

cial and provided 32 percent of the Lakers’ scoring as they made 21 of 27 attempts.

Dailey saw his first start in a Laker uniform against Slippery Rock. He also won PSAC West Freshman of the week. Dailey believes that defense was the key to winning the Slippery Rock contest.

“As a team we made stops on defense and forced them to take bad shots. We also limited their second chance shots, and we controlled the boards on offense and defense,” Dailey said.

The Lakers were led by Steven Coleman, scoring a career-high 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Matt Lee also poured in 15 points in only 20 minutes. Followed

by Paul Bilbo who contributed 13 points.

Going further into PSAC play, Dailey believes Mercyhurst needs to play a full 40-minute game both offensively and defensively.

“Once we take the lead we need to hold it and finish the game out strong,” Dailey said.

The Lakers have had to fill the role of Luis Leao, who is out with an elbow injury.

“Luis is a great player and great leader. We miss him on both ends of the floor,” Turner said. “Filling his shoes will be tough because he brings so much to the game.”

The Lakers hope to carry the momentum from the Slippery Rock win, as they hit a crucial part of their PSAC West schedule. The Lakers face rival Gannon and Indiana (Pa.) at home, before traveling to Edinboro.

If the Lakers can take at least two of the three games, they will be in good shape down the stretch.

The Lakers return to action Wednesday Jan. 18, when they host Gannon, at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center at 7:30 p.m.

Jill Barrile photo

Freshman Callon Dailey was the first Laker to be named PSAC West freshman of the week since Mercyhurst joined the PSAC in 2008.