Volume 88, Issue 1

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

NO-FUSS

Volume 88, Issue I

Thursday, September 3, 2015

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BUS

PHOTO BY KRISTEN WARFIELD

Ulster County Area Transit Launches Mobile App To Track Buses in Real Time STORY ON PAGE 3 | EDITORIAL ON PAGE 9

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

• New Paltz Town Supervisor Race Begins............................Pg 4 • New Residence Hall Opens Its Doors To Students.............Pg 5

• LGBTQIA+ Inclusive Housing Hosts First Meeting........Pg 6 • 60th Student Senate Sets Goals for Fall Semester.............Pg 7

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

Kristen Warfield EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Nate Sheidlower MANAGING EDITOR _________________

Melanie Zerah NEWS EDITOR

Karl Evers-Hillstrom FEATURES EDITOR

Russell Hartman

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Melissa Kramer SPORTS EDITOR

_________________

Holly Lipka David Khorassani PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS

Stefanie Diers CARTOONIST

_________________

Sam Manzella Monique Tranchina Anthony Orza Jack O’Brien Jess Napp Michael Rosen Amanda Copkov COPY EDITORS

_________________

Jackie Quaranto WEB CHIEF

_________________

Emma Savic

BUSINESS MANAGER

STAFF Sage Higgins

FEATURES

P G. 4 B

About The New Paltz Oracle

A&E

The New Paltz Oracle is the official student newspaper of SUNY New Paltz. Our circulation is 2,500. The New Paltz Oracle is sponsored by the Student Association and partially funded by the student activity fee.

The New Paltz Oracle is located in the Student Union (SU) Room 417. Deadline for all submissions is 5 p.m. on Sundays in The New Paltz Oracle office and by email at oracle@hawkmail. newpaltz.edu.

All advertisements must be turned in by 5 p.m. on Fridays, unless otherwise specified by the business manager. Community announcements are published gratuitously, but are subject to restriction due to space limitations.There is no guarantee of publication. Contents of this paper cannot be reproduced without the written permission of the Editor-in-Chief.

The New Paltz Oracle is published weekly throughout the fall and spring semesters on Thursdays. It is available in all residence halls and academic buildings, in the New Paltz community and online at oracle.newpaltz.edu. For more information, call 845-257-3030. The fax line is 845-257-3031.

Volume 88 Issue I Index NEWS

1B-8B

THE DEEP END EDITORIAL COLUMN

NATE SHEIDLOWER

SPORTS

8B 9 10 11-15

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Incident: Drugs Date: 08/30/2015 Location: Southside Loop During a traffic stop an odor of marijuana was detected in the vehicle. Subjects were found in possesion of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, released and issued a summons.

Incident: Warrant - Criminal Date: 08/31/2015 Location: SUNY New Paltz Subject in violation of an order of protection & persona non grada. The subject was arrested for criminal intent.

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UCAT Releases New Bus App

PHOTO BY KRISTEN WARFIELD From left to right: County Legislator Hector Rodriguez, SUNY New Paltz President Don Christian, Student Senate Chair Paul Brown, County Executive Mike Hein, Student Association Vice President Kelsey Ryan, New Paltz Town Supervisor Susan Zimet and Village of New Paltz Mayor Tim Rogers.

By Kristen Warfield

Editor-In-Chief | Warfieldk1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Missing the bus by a millisecond is now a thing of the past, thanks to a new mobile app recently released by Ulster County.

As of last Tuesday, Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) riders can instantly track the location of their buses in real time and check schedules and routes at the touch of a button. Ulster County Executive Mike Hein unveiled the free app at a press conference on Aug. 25 on the SUNY New Paltz campus.

Equipped with location services, the app follows all 27 buses of the UCAT system – including SUNY New Paltz’s LOOP bus – to tell users just where their bus is and how many minutes it will take to arrive at their stop. If a user needs to find a stop, the app provides step-by-step walking directions to it. Riders can also choose to receive text message alerts when their bus is fiveto-ten minutes away from their current location.

This technology is a leap from UCAT’s prior system which included downloading multiple PDF files from the web to check routes and schedules, Ulster County Legislator Hector Rodriguez said.

Prior to the app, some SUNY New Paltz students who rely on public transit to shuttle them into town found it difficult to track the exact arrival time of buses.

Anne Chen, a third-year education major, recalls waiting 45 minutes for a bus in February that never showed up. She had to walk to the grocery store instead, which was difficult since there had just been a snowstorm the day before, she said.

“It’s supposed to be convenient for students because it runs locally and it’s free,” Chen said. “However, I stopped relying on it since there was a chance it was not going to come or was going to be late. The app is a great idea and I think it will help me trust the LOOP bus more.”

Like Chen, Student Association Execu-

tive Vice President Kelsey Ryan said she also would like to start using the app.

“As a freshman, I used the LOOP to get around town – but it was hard because sometimes the signage did not match with the actual timing of the bus,” Ryan said. “I will certainly use the app now because it brings a lot more ease to the process.”

Though the app may be frequented by primarily smartphone users, Hein said this technology is designed for everyone to use.

The county is looking to install kiosks in public areas that will provide those without smartphones with use of the app.

“This app is an exciting new tool for our residents because of the amount of useful information it provides,” Hein said.

“Whether it is someone waiting for the bus to take them to work, a shopper using the mall loop or a new SUNY New Paltz student in need of transportation, this app will help.”

In 2014, UCAT served over 431,000 annual transit riders – a near 79 percent in-

Thursday, September 3, 2015

crease in ridership since 2008, Hein said.

In July, the county was recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as the first net carbon neutral county in the state, meaning that it neither contributes nor reduces the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

All UCAT vehicles run on biodiesel fuel, which serves as a renewable substitute for petroleum diesel. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, using biodiesel increases energy security and improves air quality.

In addition to the app, Hein also announced that a new bus route will be available Oct. 1. It will run from Kingston through New Paltz to bring passengers to the Metro-North train station in Poughkeepsie. From there, residents and students can easily travel to New York City by train.

The app is available for free download on both the App Store and Google Play and can be found by searching “UCAT.”

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NEWS BRIEFS WORLD

News

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Candidates Prepare For Upcoming Town Supervisor Race

OBAMA SEALS IRAN DEAL WIN AS SENATE DEMOCRATS FIND 34 VOTES Overcoming ferocious opposition, President Barack Obama secured a legacy-defining foreign policy victory Wednesday as Senate Democrats clinched the necessary votes to ensure the Iran nuclear agreement survives in Congress. The decisive 34th commitment came from Maryland Democrat Barbara Mikulski, who is retiring next year after three decades in the Senate.

MIGRANT TEMPERS FRAY AS HUNGARY BLOCKS TRAINS FOR SECOND DAY Hundreds of frustrated migrants demanding passage to Germany jostled with riot police beside Budapest’s main international train station Wednesday as Hungary spent a second day trying to keep thousands of asylum seekers from spilling deeper into Europe.

PAKISTAN-CORRUPTION LETS MILITANTS GET NATIONAL ID CARDS Foreign Islamic militants have been able to secure Pakistani national identity cards for years in exchange for bribes as low as $100, giving them vastly greater freedom to operate, according to a report by Pakistan’s top intelligence agency obtained by The Associated Press.

BOMBS AT MOSQUE IN YEMEN’S CAPITAL KILL AT LEAST 20 PEOPLE An Islamic State-claimed suicide bomber and a subsequent car bombing killed at least 20 people Wednesday at a mosque in Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sanaa, amid the country’s raging civil war, officials said. The suicide bomber blew himself up inside the mosque during the evening call to prayers, while the car bomb exploded outside an entrance, they said.

Compiled from the AP Newswire

(From left to right) Jeff Logan, Neil Bettez, Robert Gabrielli.

By Jack O’Brien

Copy Editor | Obrienj2@hawkmail.newpaltz.

Incumbent Town Supervisor Susan Zimet announced in June that she would not be seeking reelection, citing a “difficult political environment” in New Paltz. Now as the town supervisor elections nears, three declared candidates have begun publicly campaigning for the position.

Neil Bettez, an ecologist working for the Cary Institute in Millbrook and a visiting professor at Bard College, is seeking the Democratic nomination for town supervisor.

Jeff Logan, the current deputy supervisor, is also running for the Democratic nomination.

He was recently endorsed by the New Paltz Democratic Committee by an 11-1 vote.

The third candidate, Robert Gabrielli, is already on the Independence Party line and is seeking the Republican nomination.

Bettez said in an interview this past weekend that his experience as a research scientist gives him an outsider’s perspective to politics, but also gives him a distinct advantage in the race.

“My work requires looking at a lot of data and analyzing it to make a decision,” Bettez said. “And I think that the position of town supervisor requires that same thought process.”

Of the numerous issues to address in this race, perhaps none are as dominant as the ongoing water crisis. The town and village are preparing for the maintenance shutdown of the Catskill Aqueduct in 2017 and 2018. The proposed solution from officials in New Paltz has been to create a new water district, Water

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NEW PALTZ TIMES AND FACEBOOK

District #5, at 101 Plains Road.

This project, subsidized by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, (DEP), would provide ample water supplies to the town and village. The plan has been vigorously opposed by residents living on Plains Road, who see it as interfering with their personal drinking wells. These objections come despite assurances from DEP that they will be provided with less expensive drinking water throughout the duration of the project.

Bettez said he is in favor of the creation of Water District #5, and Logan has expressed support for the plan in public town meetings.

In light of the controversies regarding the proposed Park Point project and the PILOT lawsuit with the development company Wilmorite, Bettez has suggested that the town and the village update their master plan for zoning, as it has not been updated in almost 20 years.

“Having an old plan is like having no plan,” Bettez said.

Town Councilman Dan Torres is supporting Bettez, citing his unique opportunity as an outsider to town politics.

“The future culture of our government is at stake,” Torres said. “We are at a turning point. You don’t bring personality to policy as an outsider.”

In the lead up to the caucus, Torres has been critical of the Democratic Committee’s decision to continue with a caucus instead of trying a primary system.

“Caucus is a terrible way to elect someone,” Torres said. “It disenfranchises so many people, and absentee ballots are not allowed

Thursday, September 3, 2015

for it.”

When asked for comment, former New Paltz Republican Committee Chairman Butch Dener said that he has “no horse in the race,” and was disappointed with the options for town supervisor.

“My heart is not in it,” Dener said. “No one is speaking for me. The progressives look like they’re best prepared to win this year.

They’re smart, they’re organized and they have the opportunity to take the caucus.”

Dener echoed Torres’ comments about the benefits of holding a primary instead of a caucus, mentioning how the Republican caucus is taking place on a Saturday at 2 p.m.

“Most people can’t make it to a caucus, they can’t take the time off to,” Dener said. “I think they would’ve had a better turnout with a primary.”

New Paltz Democratic Committee Chairman Josh Honig said that it is important that voters know who they are voting for.

“It’s not a popularity contest,” Honig said. “You’re hiring a decision-maker. We need to put forward candidates that have the best knowledge and skills to protect the town of New Paltz. It’s not the time for single-issue candidates. It’s the time for those who have knowledge of the nut-and-bolt issues of running a town.”

Bettez, a registered member of the Working Families Party, said that if he does not win the Democratic caucus that he will continue to run on his own “New Paltz First” party line.

The Democratic caucus will be held on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at New Paltz High School.

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News

Ridgeview Hall Welcomes Residents

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NEWS BRIEFS NATIONAL

OBAMA SEALS IRAN DEAL WIN AS SENATE DEMOCRATS FIND 34 VOTES Overcoming ferocious opposition, President Barack Obama secured a legacy-defining foreign policy victory Wednesday as Senate Democrats clinched the necessary votes to ensure the Iran nuclear agreement survives in Congress.

COURT HEARING FOR 6 OFFICERS CHARGED IN DEATH OF FREDDIE GRAY A Baltimore judge on Wednesday refused to dismiss charges against six police officers in connection with the death of a black man who had been seriously injured while in custody. The judge also refused to remove the prosecutor in the case that sparked riots in Baltimore last spring.

PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA

NORTH AMERICA’S TALLEST MOUNTAIN GETS NEW NAME AND HEIGHT

Newly opened Ridgeview Hall.

By Melanie Zerah

News Editor | Zerahm1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Hailed as the “new modern living and learning environment,” recently opened Ridgeview Hall is a three-story, apartment style residence hall with 225 beds, a seminar room, faculty apartments, study lounges and Ridgeview exclusive Skype rooms. This $33 million project has been in the works since 2008 and overlooks a beautiful view of New Paltz’s Shawangunk Ridge.

Ridgeview Hall is home to a new café, “The Roost,” which offers comfortable seating in a contemporary environment. Second-year international business major Saidul Alam, Resident Assistant (RA) at Ridgeview, said that The Roost is a great place for first-year, transfer and returning students alike to gather and meet their neighbors. Alam described the developing community in Ridgeview as a positive environment where the RAs create many programs for residents to attend and mingle. According to Alam, these programs have outstanding attendance and success.

“One of our RAs created a program where for each cookie the resident ate, brought by the RA, they had to go into the lounge and speak

for three minutes about themselves to the other participants,” Alam said. “We ended up having over 60 residents attend.”

The inside architecture of Ridgeview can be described as modern and sleek. The halls have chic curved walls to create a mod atmosphere. At the same time, Ridgeview projects a “home-like” feel with its clean, carpeted floors and proximity to a place to hang out and eat.

Residents say this “home-like” atmosphere makes missing home more bearable, which is a very important attribute for first-years and those prone to homesickness.

“Ridgeview is like living in a hotel. It’s comfortable and lavish, much nicer than I had anticipated it to be,” said second-year finance major Fadi Rabie. “Coming back for my sophomore year has been welcoming.”

“The College remains committed to our critical need for safe, proximate, high-quality apartment-style housing for our students, faculty and staff,” said President Donald P. Christian in response to questions concerning Ridgeview’s level of relief for limited housing. “SUNY New Paltz is at or near the bottom of SUNY comprehensive colleges in the number of beds per student, even with the opening of Ridgeview Hall.

We will continue to explore options available to us.”

Back in March 2015, New York State Supreme Court of Ulster County Justice Michael Melkonian upheld the Town of New Paltz’s right to approve site plans based on financial impacts to the community. On those grounds, Melkonian rejected the real estate developer Wilmorite Incorporated’s proposed 256-unit SUNY New Paltz dormitory project, Park Point, to be built on town land on Route 32. This project publicy aimed to alleviate the cramped student housing which SUNY New Paltz grappled with, as there was more demand from students to live on campus than there are available dorms.

In an article from the Times Herald Record, Christian said, “We’re still in partnership with Wilmorite to see other ways we can approach this.” Therefore, the Wilmorite partnership may be an option considered in the future.

For now the question of whether or not there are enough beds to accommodate every student who wishes to live on the SUNY New Paltz campus is still in limbo. Fortunately, however, the opening of Ridgeview Hall gave rooms to some students who otherwise may not have gotten them.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Denali, the Alaska mountain formerly known Mount McKinley, is now officially 10 feet shorter, measuring 20,310 feet at its highest point, the U.S. Geological Survey announced Wednesday.

HUNT FOR 3 SUSPECTS IN ILLINOIS OFFICER’S DEATH WIDENS Law enforcement officials broadened the hunt Wednesday for three suspects in the fatal shooting of a popular veteran police officer in a small northern Illinois community after a methodical houseto-house search turned up nothing.

Hundreds of officers, aided by dozens of dogs and numerous helicopters, were involved in the exhaustive search in Fox Lake after the killing of Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz on Tuesday morning.

Compiled from the AP Newswire

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NEWS

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LGBTQIA+ Living Learning Community Opens Its Doors

By Sam Manzella

Copy Editor |Manzells1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The Rivera House Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual (LGBTQIA+) Living Learning Community opened its doors to new and returning SUNY New Paltz students for the Fall 2015 semester. Housed in Lenape Hall, Rivera House is open by application to any students identifying as LGBTQIA+ or allies of LGBTQIA+ individuals.

The Office of Residence Life’s website described the Living Learning Community as an opportunity to network with individuals working on anti-racist, feminist and queer projects both on campus and in the local community.

Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies professor Jessica Pabón spearheaded Rivera House’s inception and implementation. Appointed the official program director, Pabón worked to coordinate a schedule for the program, find

LGBTQIA+ guest speakers to give lectures for Rivera House members and recruit upperclassmen as Peer Mentors for incoming first-years in the program.

Pabón works alongside other members of the Rivera House Steering Committee, including Professor Andrea Gatske from the history department, Tess Chapman from the Kingston Community Center and two upperclassmen involved in the program.

Pabón said that the community didn’t have a formal opening ceremony or gathering on move-in day to avoid outing any LGBTQIA+ students who might not be open about their sexualities or gender identities to their families. On Wednesday, Sept. 2, Rivera House had its first official group meeting, open only to members of the program.

Twenty-one students are part of the the housing program, including 18 firstyears and transfer students and three upperclassmen. Pabón aims for this group

to form a tight-knit community of allies and friends.

“Based on their [application] essays and narratives, they’re really coming into this community with a vast range of experiences,” Pabón said. “Whether it is because they’ve never really been out before or never been in a space where their sexuality or gender-deviant identity is welcomed and not oppressed, all of this is new.”

Pabón created a calendar of events for Rivera House’s inaugural semester.

On Friday, Nov. 6, queer writer Sassafras Lowrey, author of the novel “Lost Boi,” will come to New Paltz to do a reading from her work. The reading will be open to the school; however, Rivera House students will be invited to an exclusive creative writing workshop with Lowrey.

In addition, a reverend from the interfaith community in the Albany area will come to speak with the students about faith, spirituality and being LGBTQIA+

Inquire

in October.

“This particular reverend is a transindividual who couldn’t be officially ordained in their religion of choice because of their identity,” Pabón said. “Spirituality, not necessarily religion, is important.

If you have [some degree of spirituality], you shouldn’t feel as though just because the church or temple you were raised in doesn’t recognize you, that there is no place in the spiritual world for you.”

Pabón hopes that the students involved will take the reigns during the Spring 2016 semester and create their own programs. Pabón was unable to secure enough upperclassmen to match each incoming first-year or transfer student with a peer mentor. However, if the program continues, she hopes that current members of Riviera House will return next fall and offer to mentor the next class of incoming students.

“The hope is that we get to keep the program, and that it grows,” Pabón said.

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Senate Kicks Off Fall Semester

PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA The 60th Student Association Senate begins its new semester.

By Sam Manzella

Copy Editor |Manzells1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The 60th Student Association (SA) Senate met for their first official meeting of the semester at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2, to make general announcements, share reports and conduct committee elections.

The Senate Executive Board kicked off the meeting with general announcements. SA President Rookie Reynoso met with college President Donald P. Christian, who wished SA a productive semester. Executive Vice President Kelsey Ryan, Vice President of Academic Affairs Nicole Striffolino and other E-board members introduced themselves and explained their roles in SA. Some discussed their goals for this semester, including Senate Chair Paul

Brown who pitched his idea for a television program called “Senate Speaks.”

The program would require one or two senators to summarize weekly meetings in five-to-ten minute segments on the campus TV station.

“I’m working to make Senate easier to understand, both for the people in this room and the general public,” Brown said. “We’re definitely going to need some TV personalities.”

Eric Wood, program coordinator for SUNY New Paltz’s chapter of New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), spoke to senators about his organization, along with its goals, internship and volunteer opportunities available to students. According to Wood, NYPIRG’s main objective right now is voter registration. He offered voter registration

forms to people who wish to register to vote, change their political party alliance or update their mailing address. Wood wants to register as many new voters as possible, as this is an issue he believes is especially timely.

“We’ve got local elections coming up that will directly affect your life here at New Paltz,” Wood said. “We want to make sure that we are accessible to everyone on campus to provide voting registration.”

Director of Student Activities Mike Patterson also introduced himself and his involvement in SA. Patterson stressed the importance of conducting research and hearing “all sides of every story” before any senators come to determinations on proposed legislation.

“Recognize that you represent a lot

Thursday, September 3, 2015

of students and a large part of the New Paltz community,” Patterson said. “You are one voice in one senate and we encourage that you debate issues thoughtfully.”

Lastly, Senate conducted elections for student committees. Senators Arjeta Prenaj, Oren Koralashvili, Anthony Walsh and Cait O’Connor, plus one non-senate student representative, were elected to the University Police Department (UPD) Committee. Senators Megan Spoth and Alex Giardino, alongside transfer student Anthony Echevers, were elected to the Alumni Affairs Committee. Five senators were also voted into the Constitution and Rules Committee (CRC) and the Budget and Finance Committee (BFC), while one senator was elected as a council liaison.

NEWS

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FEATURES Student Debt at All-time High

DEM. CANDIDATES WEIGH OPTIONS TO COMBAT RISING DEBT

Presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have introduced proposals for debt-free college.

By Amanda Copkov Copy Editor | Copkova1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu Faith Grappone never had to deal with the burdens of student debt while earning her undergraduate degree at SUNY New Paltz. But after pursuing a Master’s degree during the fall of 2013 at home on Long Island, she is now left with $18,000 in debt for a degree she never received.

Upon spending a year in graduate school, Grappone decided that forensic linguistics simply wasn’t a good fit and terminated her time as a graduate student.

Eighteen Grand later, she feels hesitant to pursue a Master’s degree in speech pathology, a specialty where more of her passion lies.

“It’s frustrating to know that enrolling in another program would leave me with more debt,” she said. “[The thought of] accumulating more debt is preventing me from pursuing anything else.”

And she is certainly not the only person in America left with the inconvenient weight of paying off student loan debt. According to debt.org, America’s Debt Help organization, nearly 40 million Americans are left with this heavy burden. Having reached a record high of $1.2 trillion in 2014, student loan debt continues to rise by $3,000 every second.

As student debt continues to be a hefty national

burden, millions of Americans — especially millennials — are looking at the Democratic presidential candidates for a beam of hope.

Democratic candidates such as Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley, Hillary Clinton and Lincoln Chafee have proposals for debt-free and/or tuition-free college as well as increasing government spending and funding toward higher education.

“This is the first time during a presidential election that we are seeing student debt as a central issue,” said political science professor Scott Minkoff.

Minkoff believes that the biggest issue people with student debt face — aside ­­­ from the debt itself — is the fact that none of these Democratic proposals can be put into place with a majority of Republicans in Congress.

Maureen Logan-Bremer, director of financial aid at SUNY New Paltz, agreed with Minkoff.

“Ultimately, we don’t know who will win the presidency,” she said. “We can’t foresee the outcome. The idea of Bernie Sanders’ and Hillary’s student debt plans may be unrealistic in wholesale but in politics there is always give and take.”

The fact of the matter is that student debt remains on a constant incline, which leaves students like Grappone left to worry about what their fiscal futures may have in store for them.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Courtesy of Flickr users Gage Skidmore and Brett Weinstein.

“Students coming out of college don’t have an income to pay back their student debt,” said economics professor Edith Kuiper. “If student debt is not forgiven, it will continue to grow exponentially.”

Scarily enough, Kuiper is right. According to demos.org, an American public policy organization, student debt levels are expected to rise to $2 trillion by 2025 if the current borrowing patterns continue.

According to Logan-Bremer, most graduates of New York State schools like SUNY New Paltz end up with an average student loan debt of about $21,00023,000.

“A lot of people defer repayment of a debt, but it hangs over their heads as an obligation,” she said. “That debt makes students decide where to live and what kinds of jobs they’ll look for.”

A major concern for students is earning a degree and not using it after graduation, just as in Grappone’s case. Kelsey Ryan, a fourth-year double major in international relations and sociology, can attest to this problem.

“Coming out of college, it’s so hard to find a job and it keeps getting harder,” Ryan said. “A lot of students have to make hard decisions based on affordability [and] they have to start working a job they don’t like just to pay their bills.”

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Features

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3B

Local Dining on a Dime

MAIN COURSE OFFERS GREAT PRICES AND FOOD

By Sage Higgins Staff Writer | Higginss1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu Good food is something to savor and if it comes at an affordable price, it’s something to celebrate. Main Course, located at 175 Main Street in New Paltz, is a farm-to-table restaurant offering a wide variety of dishes made with local ingredients.

According to their website, Main Course’s motto is “Fresh, Local, Sustainable, Seasonal.”

I had the pleasure of speaking with Annette Tomei, the general manager of Main Course who feels her mission is to supply her customers with fresh ingredients and a sense of community when they dine.

“Our mission as a whole is to serve delicious food that is seasonal and sourced from our local farm community,” she said. “It’s a place for people to hang out and make themselves at home.”

This “at home” feeling is reflected in the decor of the restaurant. It’s farm chic and isn’t stuffy. With its wooden tables and mason jars, it definitely has some country flair. The feel that the company is trying to convey through their decor is “rustic but with an urban feel.” With whimsical decorations like papier-mâché strawberries and beautiful flower arrangements in glass jars, the scene is fun and comfortable.

Main Course also values making their company environmentally friendly. All of their disposable items are biodegradable. All of the garbage is sorted at the end of each work day

to ensure that products are going to be recycled properly.

As a college student, I’m looking for cheap food that is delicious and will fill me up. Here, all meals are made to order using fresh local ingredients and every order is unique to each customer.

Main Course has a wide variety of foods for $10 and under that are filling and delicious. For instance, street foods like empanadas and falafel are all under $7. Many of their paninis and sandwiches are under $10. There is also the “Main Course Combo” which is half a sandwich, a cup of soup and a salad for $9.65. But my favorite, also for under $10, is the create your own chopped salad.

Overloaded with beautiful greens and bright red tomatoes, I could taste the freshness of their products within the first bite. The contrast of the salty tobacco onions (fried onion straws) and the sweetness of the candied walnuts gives the salad depth beyond the vegetables. Accompanied by creamy balsamic and a sprinkling of sprouts, it was just as beautiful to look at as it was to eat (I even had seconds for a midnight snack!).

You might be thinking, “What is so special about a salad?” In my opinion, it’s fresh, well-decorated and very delicious. For a college student who wants a break from the dining hall, this is a perfect healthy meal that won’t break the bank.

Check out my Instagram, @cheapcollegecuisine, where I will be highlighting this restaurant and others from the local area that are all $10 or less.

Photo Courtesy of Sage Higgins

UPC Bingo Program a Success BINGO NIGHT A WINNING EVENT FOR STUDENTS

By Monique Tranchina Copy Editor | Tranchim1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu Entering the Multipurpose Room of the Student Union Building, there was a room full of students awaiting the bingo night to begin. After a little less than a few minutes wait, the night began. The Union Programming Council (UPC) staff started to announce rules and types of prizes for the lucky winners. The subtle competition started and students were fervently checking their boards for the matching numbers, happily squishing the felt-tipped bingo markers onto numbers that seemed to promise bingo before another stole the spotlight.

About 10 minutes into the game, someone shouted “Bingo!” and made his way up to the prize table, collecting a T-shirt with some candy. Much of the subsequent prizes included T- shirts, various candies and gift cards. As time passed, challenges proved more competitive; bingo made by four corners and bingo with mandatory use of the free space were a few of the more dif-

ficult games, yet winners still walked away with prizes.

Nicole Guastella, a second-year elementary education major, enjoyed the games immensely even though she didn’t win.

“The people I was sitting with made the night so much better,” she said.

Brandon Knowles, a second-year adolescent education major who also participated in the night’s gaming, was extremely happy and said he was excited to win the last round.

To top it off, Knowles received a P&G’s gift card, plus a UPC T-shirt. When asked if he would come to another Bingo event, he replied positively.

Much work was put into the event, as with all activities and work made by the UPC. Usman Shakil, third-year double major in psychology and philosophy and secretary of the UPC, said this event required him to place the bingo sheets on the tables, replenish new boards periodically and call out numbers in between turns.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

“My favorite part of the night was calling out the numbers,” he said. Shakil also appreciates how SUNY administration upgraded many features of the Multipurpose Room for more effective use, such as wireless mics that are more user-friendly and a sound system that is condensed and modernized.

“It’s great for us and other groups who use the Multipurpose Room,” Shakil said. He said he would absolutely participate in this kind of event again.

Bingo night ended promptly at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 29. If you missed this event, there will likely be more in the near future, since the event proved enthralling by many participants.

The staff who organized the event looked grateful after a long night of work, a sign that their efforts were worthwhile to make a Saturday night fun and wholesome for many SUNY students. If your club is thinking about having a similar event, contact the Student Activities department and inquire about having a purposeful event for students to enjoy themselves and meet others.

4B oracle.newpaltz.edu

Features

From Print to Internet

Legislative Gazette Becomes Online-Exclusive

By Karl Evers-Hillstrom Features Editor | N02541514@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

social media also exposes the evident limitations of print newspapers.

“If I get the morning paper and it’s telling me about The Legislative Gazette, a weekly newspaper dedi- something that happened last night, that’s old news,” cated to covering New York State politics, has stopped Chartock said. “I could have read about that yesterday.” printing and will be switching to an online-only structure Websites such as Twitter give some readers all the

by January of next year. The Gazette, headquartered next news they need for the day, without having to pay anydoor to the State Legislature in Albany, is sponsored by thing or sift through advertisements. News websites SUNY New Paltz pump out articles in and composed enreal-time, something tirely of intern writnewspapers could nevers. er compete with. Even “We were runclassified sections in ning out of money,” newspapers were made said publisher Alan obsolete by websites S. Chartock. “We such as Craigslist. Now tried desperately to that print newspapers keep it printing, but have websites, there’s we just didn’t have almost nothing exclusive enough money to to print publications and keep it going.” there’s little reason to Chartock, Prespick up a paper unless ident and CEO of you outright prefer it.

WAMC radio and In one decade, print Data from the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) former SUNY New newspaper revenue Paltz professor, has been dropped by over 50 percent. It’s publishing The Gazette for over 30 years. He understood estimated that by the end of 2015 revenues will have that changes needed to be made to adapt to the changing dropped by at least another $2 billion from the $17.3 bilmedia landscape. lion figure in 2013.

“We saw it coming for about two to three years,” Where print newspapers are losing money, digiChartock said. “We tried to arrange partnerships with all tal newspapers are not making up the difference. Even kinds of places. They were very polite and respectful, but though the audience for digital newspapers continues to they and everyone else knew that this thing wasn’t going grow, the NAA estimated that revenue from digital news to work out.” sources only accounted for 12 percent of all newspaper This strategic change is not shocking, as the print revenue in 2013. The CPM advertising model is hurtful newspaper industry has been consistently declining since for online newspaper revenue and readers are hesitant to the introduction of new forms of media and advertising. sign up for a subscription.

The unsustainable financial situation faced by The Ga“People are not willing to pay the same online,” zette is common around the U.S. and isn’t getting better Chartock said. “The business models that existed for anytime soon. newspapers don’t work anymore.”

“It’s not just us, it’s a national phenomenon,” CharDespite all of these concerns, The Gazette’s main tock said. “We all know where journalism is going, and goal is not to make large profits, but provide in-depth rethat’s online. Even The New York Times has switched porting on New York State politics and provide interns their focus to an online news model.” with valuable reporting experience.

From 1940 to 2014, the U.S. population grew from The newspaper has claimed two Pulitzer Prizes over 132 million people to about 319 million. It also went from its 37 years of operation and has given its interns jobs having 1878 daily newspapers to 1331. More people are across the country, including positions at The New York ingesting news media than ever before, but online news Times, Washington Post and New York Post. offers a better experience for advertisers and readers.

The Gazette has the support of SUNY New Paltz and “People are not advertising in newspapers anymore,” the Research Foundation and will continue to do everyChartock said. “They can advertise at a lower rate and get thing it did before, only online. It will still be written by better performance online.” interns and will still offer a weekly political science semiCost Per Mille (CPM) based advertising is the stan- nar. dard for online articles and generally allows advertisers “The paper has a basic educational mission, and that to reach more eyeballs at a lower rate. Modern analytics function will continue,” Chartock said. also allow online advertisers to make sure that their prodThe Gazette is on hiatus until January, when the uct reaches their target audience. legislature is back in-session. It will return after going The live and up-to-date aspect of online news and through restructuring.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

The New Paltz Oracle

ESK D Y COP KOFF: COO

“Dadʻs Mac n Cheese”

By Karl Evers-Hillstrom N02541514@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

One of the members of The Oracle shares their culinary chops with you. Bon appetit!

WARNING: This is the recipe for the greatest mac and cheese ever created. It is said that the vikings ate this after a victorious battle. If you follow the directions wrong there is a good chance that a dragon will come to your house and nom you.

Ingredients: One medium onion One large carrot 1/2 cup peas Dried Basil 4 Tablespoons butter One Tablespoon flour Milk for sauce 12 to 16 oz pasta (rigatoni, bow ties or penne) 18 oz. cheese (combination swiss, raclette, aged gouda, regular gouda and approximately 1 oz parmesan).

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. While the butter is melting, chop the onion finely and add to the pan. Cook over low to moderate heat until the onion softens.

2. While the onion is cooking, chop the carrot into small dice. When the onion is almost done add the carrot to the pan and cook for a few minutes. Add the peas and turn off the heat. Sprinkle with basil, stir and set aside in a small bowl.

3. In the same pan heat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until melted. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring the flour/butter mixture for two or three minutes. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, until the sauce is formed. The sauce should have a medium thick gravy consistency. Turn off heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set sauce aside.

4. Place a large pot of water over high heat. While the water is heating, grate the cheese. Combine the various cheeses in a bowl, but keep the parmesan separate.

5. When the water is boiling rapidly, add the pasta and cook until al dente (look it up if you don’t know italian). Drain the pasta thoroughly and let sit a couple of minutes. Make sure the pasta is fairly dry.

6. Put the pasta back into the large pot. Add the vegetable mixture and stir. Add the sauce and stir. Lastly, add the cheese a bit at a time, stirring after each addition.

7. Butter two large baking pans. Put half of the pasta mixture in each pan and smooth to a consistent depth.

Sprinkle half of the parmesan on each pan.

8. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and place under a preheated broiler until top is well-browned.

9. Serve immediately. The pans will be very hot! Don’t get burned!

The New Paltz Oracle

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5B

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Artist Adds to Water Street Atmosphere

RYAN E. CRONIN GALLERY, ARTS & WARES OPENS ITS DOORS

A look inside the Ryan E. Cronin Gallery.

By Jess Napp

Copy Editor | Nappj1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The latest addition to Water Street Market’s funky scene is vibrant, colorful and has a big pink bunny protecting its storefront.

On May 17, Ryan and Melanie Cronin opened The Ryan E. Cronin Gallery, Arts & Wares on Water Street.

The space doubles as an art gallery to showcase the local painter’s work as well as their shop. The store sells numerous affordable products ranging from coffee mugs to graphic tees, all with the same whimsical touch of a Ryan Cronin original.

In 1998, Ryan graduated from SUNY New Paltz with his BFA. Since then, he has settled down in New Paltz where he and his college sweetheart, Melanie, are raising their family.

This new gallery is anything but traditional. It can be seen attracting the young and old alike with Ryan’s pop-art aesthetic and playful take on commonplace items such as chewing gum, airplanes and popular Easter candy.

Melanie explained that people often attempt to categorize Ryan’s work but he is much more than any genre, whether it be pop or Keith Haring-esque. His style cannot be crammed inside a box or labeled.

“He is a contemporary artist,” Melanie said.

The artist creates an ever-changing space by rotating out his old work with his new gallery pieces every month or two.

According to Melanie, Ryan has a loyal following in New Paltz and is often referred to as New Paltz’s artist, which inspired him to take a chance and open a gallery in the town that shaped him as an artist.

“I don’t think I would be painting the way I am today if I were somewhere else.” Ryan said. “I am here. I am home. I am comfortable and uncomfortable.

I am surrounded by fun and creative people and I try to draw something from that.”

Ryan’s influences range from artists like Philip Guston, Robert Indiana and William Hawkins. According to Ryan he exclusively uses Rust-Oleum paint on wood board. His creative process involves spending a lot of time alone in conversations with himself, his wife and neighbor, Bill Munzer, who is his biggest fan and who provides him with constant praise.

Melanie said that he plays with form and space in his pieces. Aside from painting he creates sculptures, installations and large scale murals.

“What interests me is using color to steer the eye across the plane,” Ryan said. “I present the subject, but

Thursday, September 3, 2015

PHOTO BY JESS NAPP

the meaning is not dictated. That is left to the viewer,” This dynamic duo complete each other like peanut butter and jelly because Melanie enjoys the business side of things, leaving Ryan with the freedom to be committed to his artwork.

“We are partners all the way around,” Melanie said.

Co-owner of The Cheese Plate, Theresa Logan, is thrilled to have another fun and lively addition to Water Street. Something about passing that pink bunny every day truly relates to her inner sense of childlike wonder.

“It makes me chuckle every time I walk by,” Logan said, beaming from ear to ear.

The pink bunny has become one of Ryan’s signature pieces, which derived from the popular Easter candy, Peeps. Ryan said the paradox between something so beautiful tasting so disgusting intrigued him.

The pink bunny has become so popular that Ryan has created a 20 foot inflatable bunny, which was originally a parade balloon. It will be resurrected at this year’s 25th annual Taste of New Paltz.

In additon, Ryan and Melanie are also playing with the idea of having a game night in the gallery this upcoming winter.

6B oracle.newpaltz.edu

The New Paltz Oracle

Summer Screams FREE CINEMA SERIES CONCLUDES WITH SHOWING OF “POLTERGEIST”

By Thomas McCarthy

Contributing Writer | Mccartht2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The showing of Tobe Hooper’s classic horror film “Poltergeist” ushered in the end of the eighth Free Cinema Series at the Water Street Market on Monday night, Aug. 31. Many nights each summer, locals come together with their own chairs and food to experience cinema in an open and friendly environment, for free, once a week with a setup in front of the Antique Center.

Examples of films they’ve shown this summer are “The Royal Tanenbaums,” “The Blues Brothers” and “Pay It Foward.”

“We always like to end the series with a thriller... something to give everybody a thrill,” Teresa Falls, Owner of Water Street’s Jar’d Wine Pub, said. Falls was the mastermind behind the Free Cinema Series funded by Water Street Market.

While it started as an event ran by an organization known as Arts For Peace which showed only independent and documentary films, the series has become something very different. Water Street Market pays for the licensing rights to the films while film technician Carl Welden, who works in media broadcasting and has been with the cinema series since its inception in 2008, brings and assembles the sound speakers, the projector and the screen for the event.

“This isn’t some cinema with explosions bleeding through the walls,” Welden said. “All we’ve got is the projector, the screen and the sound of crickets chirping.”

Despite a lack of advertising for the event, Welden said that word of mouth is what keeps the event going.

“There is a social aspect to this...” Welden said “People come very early and stay very late after to discuss the films and socialize. Sometimes we get [nearly] 300 people”.

All proceeds from popcorn sales of the evening were donated to local non-profit organization Family of New Paltz. Dawn Elliot, a member of the group for the past three years, said she loves the event because of the friendly nature of the townspeople.

Elliot recalled one evening where there were issues with the popcorn machine and an electrician in the audience helped her with it.

“It isn’t really about money, but mainly the social aspect.”

Elliot said. “However the candy store, without a doubt does amazing business on nights like these.”

Some businesses that stayed open for a portion of the event were Candy Candy, Kosiner Brothers’ Fry Shack and Teresa Fall’s Pub. “For a time this summer we doubted we were going to do it again,” Welden said. “But we realized its growing popularity and decided to run it again.”

PHOTO BY DAVID KHORASSANI

Before the film screened, Falls and Welden spoke to the audience, thanking them for all the support, asking them to be respectful by cleaning up after each other once the film was over and asking for any donations to help fund the market’s plans for entertaining the town in the future.

As of now, Water Street Market has plans for doing the series again next year.

SUNY New Paltz Professors Rock the House FALL FOLIAGE KICKS OFF DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC’S FALL CONCERT

By Russell Hartman

A&E Editor | Rhartman@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

On Tuesday night, Sept. 1, in the Studley Theater, the SUNY New Paltz Music Department kicked off their fall concert series with Fall Foliage; a concert featuring some of the professors who teach SUNY New Paltz students everyday.

These professors included Joel Evans (oboe and english horn), the conductor of the school’s Symphonic Band as well as a music history lecturer, Ruthanne Schempf (piano), who teaches music history as well as music theory and Susan Seligman (cello) who teaches music theory, and sight singing/ear training.

The concert featured roughly an hour of music by various composers including Georg Philipp Telemann, Maurice Ravel, William Presser, B.G. DeSylva, Lew Brown and Ray Henderson and Camille Saint-Saens. The variety is something I enjoy whenever there are concerts at this school because the audience gets to hear various different styles and they get to hear music from different time periods as well. For those who attend the shows and don’t always listen to classical music, jazz music or whatever it might be, having a good variety of music is good.

The concert opened with the trio of professors playing Trio Sonata in Eb major from Essercizii Musici by Telemann.

This piece featured two movements (Largo and Vivace) and

was a good opener for the concert since each professor had a moment to show off their chops while the audience got to hear them all playing together. What surprised me about this concert was that this piece was the last time all three professors would share the stage at the same time, as the rest of the show featured them playing duets or solos.

The next piece, Alborada del Grazioso from Miroirs by Ravel, was a solo piece that featured only Schempf on the piano. This piece was a spanish sounding piece that really showed the skill Schempf has on the piano and was one of the highlights of the evening for me. As someone who has taken her classes before, and is currently taking one, it was really cool to see her in her element; just her and the piano.

The next piece, Passarumbia by William Presser, was a duet featuring Schempf and Evans. The piece, as Evans described, was a combination of two styles of music: a Passacaglia and a Rumba. A Passacaglia is a type of music that revolves around a repeating bass line, or as professor Evans likes to say “a thumping pumping bassline kind of like in a rock song.” A Rumba is a type of Afro-Cuban music. Passarumbia was overall a really interesting piece and the two styles of music complemented each other quite well.

The next piece was one of my favorites of the night. The piece, entitled The Swan from Carnival of the Animals by

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Saint-Saens, was performed as a duet by professors Seligman and Schempf. An interesting fact about this piece is that the solo cello part (which was performed by Seligman) is typically accompanied by a harp, but the piano (played by Schempf) took the place of the harp. The Swan, along with the other parts of Carnival of the Animals, are some of the most known pieces of classical music and it was very cool to hear one of the parts played live.

Seligman left the stage after The Swan and Evans came back to perform a three song Chinese folk duet with Schempf.

The pieces, which were entitled A Horse Runs on the Mountain, Why Is the Flower So Red and A Small Embroidered Bag, were short but each had a particular feel and each told a different story as they were based on poems. The feel of these three pieces was different than all the others in the concert, and the piece that followed these three had a different feeling as well.

You’re the Cream in my Coffee by DeSylva, Brown and Henderson had a jazzy feel to it and although it was one of the shortest pieces of the night, it was one of my favorites because of the feel. It was a bouncy kind of tune that had this light, happy feel to it. Evans and Schempf played this piece as a duet. The concert concluded with another duet by Evans and Schempf with a piece entitled Finale from The Sonata for Oboe by Saint-Saens.

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The New Paltz Oracle

7B

Picture Perfect Sustainability

PHOTOGRAPHY PROFESSOR RECEIVES RESEARCH AND DESIGN GRANT

By Sam Manzella

Copy Edtior | Manzells1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Andrea Frank, assisant professor and director of SUNY New Paltz’s photography program, recently received a SUNY Research Foundation (RF) Network of Excellence grant.

Alongside New Paltz associate art professor Emily Puthoff and other faculty and students at the University at Buffalo and the University at Albany, Frank will work with a small team of students to explore movable, sustainable architecture and design for towns and cities. The New Paltz community will be their focus.

With $20,000 of financial support from the Arts and Humanities sector of SUNY RF, Frank and Puthoff hope to bring together different expertises from the SUNYs to engage with the New Paltz community and discuss more specific visions for sustainability.

Frank, who was the driving force behind this grant, said she was inspired by the integrated nature of the natural world. Nothing in natural ecosystems is wasted, a concept with which humans, Frank said, have become unfamiliar.

With her art and design expertise and passion for sustainability, Frank aims to open a community-wide

dialogue about sustainability, ideally incorporating as many unique perspectives, different disciplines and varying levels of expertise as possible. Visual art, architectural design, engineering and science are only a few of the skills Frank’s lineup of professors and experts will bring to the table.

“We have to understand how to be inclusive and provide a space for the community,” Frank said.

Frank specializes in an area of artistic engagement called systems thinking, or systems drawings.

This process involves using maps or models as visual aides to discuss and play with possible ideas for design and architecture. According to Frank, systems drawing stimulate participants around issues of sustainability.

Students are encouraged to physically place their ideas on these maps or models, which gives them tools to visually conceptualize ideas that are often too complex to explain or understand otherwise.

Puthoff also utilizes systems drawing in her classes. Last semester, she taught Site Projects: Art in the Environment, during which she invited her students to draw their ideas for architecture and design directly onto these maps.

Through her expertise in sculptural practice,

Puthoff plans to build models of the New Paltz community. These mobile structures or systems will be wheeled out into the community and locals will be invited to participate in similar systems drawing sessions. By engaging the local community with systems drawing and thinking, Puthoff and Frank hope to inspire residents to share their personal ideas of what sustainability means and how to actualize it in our community.

Their work, Frank said, is intended as a catalyst for New Paltz residents to address challenges offset by climate change and extinction of species.

Puthoff said that the majority of the grant money will go toward developing a 3D-printed model of the New Paltz community.

“I’m actually looking for funding to be able to hire students to help with the portable apparatus part of it,” Puthoff said. “The students who were in my class last semester are certainly engaged in the conversation and know the process of building these apparatuses.”

Puthoff, Frank and their team will meet with village Mayor Tim Rogers and other Village and Town Board members Sept. 14 to discuss their ideas for this project and community engagement. After that, Frank said, this project will be all systems go.

Come Jam With Sam: Incoming “Typhoon” PORTLAND BAND SINGS OF PERSONAL STRUGGLE

By Sam Manzella

Copy Editor | Manzells1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Welcome to my first official column for Come Jam With Sam, my newest pursuit in op-ed writing and a fun space for me to share some of my favorite music. Each week, I’ll spotlight some new, or noteworthy artists and their contributions to the music world.

I’d like to christen this column by writing about a band that holds a special place in my heart. The band is called Typhoon and they are the best thing to come out of Portland, Oregon since Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen’s sketch comedy “Portlandia.”

I know, I know: that’s a lofty claim. Yet in the age of simple, interchangeable Top 40 hits, this band stands out. Rife with complicated and layered musical arrangements, Typhoon’s music is incredibly original. According to Typhoon’s Wikipedia page, their live performances typically involve 12 or more musicians at a time.

In “White Lighter,” their most recent album (and

my favorite album of 2013), lead singer and head writer Kyle Morton’s vocals are joined with violins, percussion, horns, guitar, an accompanying choir and more.

This makes for an unforgettable listening experience.

Raw and orchestral, “White Lighter” is meant to be experienced with high-quality headphones and undivided attention. The album is a rollercoaster of emotion, featuring melancholy slow songs like “100 Years” and “The Lake” alongside upbeat tempos and hopeful lyrics in “Artificial Light” and “Common Sentiments.” Each track blends into the next and the album sounds almost completely seamless.

I loved Typhoon’s music long before I knew anything about the members of the band. I mean, what’s not to love? The full band, the haunting sound of the choir, the poetic and memorable lyrics. It all makes for a stellar compilation of songs. Yet hearing Morton’s personal story, and the backstory behind the words he so beautifully sings, enriches the experience that much more.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

In an interview with The Daily Emerald, the online publication of the University of Oregon, Morton explained his struggle with chronic Lyme Disease since childhood. At age 16, the disease ravaged his kidneys and Morton received a full kidney transplant with his father as the donor. Morton called the situation “very messy,” yet it profoundly impacted his life. Many of his lyrics from “White Lighter” speak of his neverending struggles as a patient. One track in particular, called “Common Sentiments,” comes to mind: “I’ve been patient for a long time now / I’ve been the patient for a long time now ... and I will never be a younger man / oh, what am I waiting for? / A spell to be cast or for it to be broken! / At the very last, some white ghost from my past comes to split me wide open?”

Morton’s words encourage us to fight past the obstacles we face and seize the day. The only barriers between us and our dreams are our internalized fears and hesitations. If that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is.

8B

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The Deep End

The New Paltz Oracle

THIS WEEK IN

THE DEEP END DANNY PEREZ

Major: Photography | Spanish Year: Fourth Inspriation: Robert Cappa, Annie Leibovitz, Andreas Gursky “Its anything I listen to at the moment or how I feel, Its usually classical music, its very calming and soothing and when I go on from that I usually create something that’s completely opposite And I try to find ways to keep it destructive and clean at the same time. Not overwhelming done but something thats appealing to eye to look at. “

Photos courtesy of Danny Perez| Captioning by David Khorassani

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Loop

9

CARTOON BY STEFANIE DIERS

On Aug. 25, Ulster County officials launched a new smart phone app that allows local public transit users to track their buses in real-time and receive alerts when the bus is approaching their stop.

We at The New Paltz Oracle are glad to see this service become available to both students and residents of the Ulster County area.

This tool will make traveling around the county more convenient for everyone – especially for residents who rely on public transit as their sole means of transportation.

Investing in technology that helps those who don’t have the ability to drive is furthering these citizens’ independence. Although public transportation already does this, the app makes buses even more accessible.

Putting schedules, routes and other information in one place makes catching a bus less of a headache for people who aren’t familiar with the traditional scheduling and routing methods that Ulster County Area Transit

(UCAT) users once relied on. This ease of use will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of riders.

We at The New Paltz Oracle hope that the launching of this app will encourage more citizens to use public transportation and decrease the amount of carbon-emitting, fuel-based vehicles on our roads. Ulster County was recently recognized for being the only net-carbon neutral county in New York State. Since the UCAT buses run on biodiesel fuel, they release less pollution than personal vehicles.

Furthermore, anyone who has ever walked or driven on Main Street knows that the traffic can seriously impact the time one spends behind the wheel and increases the possibility of accidents. If more drivers switched to public transportation, when appropriate, some traffic may be alleviated and the roads may become less crowded. We urge community members, students included, to use the bus instead of their car when possible.

Because the app allows users to know where their bus is on the route, they can easily find out if they have missed their bus, how far away the bus is or when to go to the stop. As a result, riders won’t have to wait out in the cold or heat for a bus that may have already passed them by.

The walking directions section of the app is especially beneficial to students who may not know the area. If a student traveled to Kingston or Poughkeepsie and needs to find their way back to the stop hours later, the app provides them with easy directions.

The app will help in numerous ways, but one cannot forget that it relies on cell service to function – which can be especially choppy in certain regions of Ulster County. Although there is a plan to install kiosks that will host the app, currently those without a smartphone don’t have access to the service.

The app and future kiosks will provide a valuable service to the community. But of

Thursday, September 3, 2015

course, technology can only do so much. If the buses are not on time or are even slightly ahead of schedule then just knowing where it is doesn’t actually get it to the stop quicker, or bring it back if it was missed.

The app offers many good and useful features, but it is up to the drivers and UCAT itself to back it up and provide the community with reliable transportation. And it is up to the riders to give themselves adequate time to catch the bus.

Editorials represent the views of the majority of the editorial board.

Columns, op-eds and letters, excluding editorials, are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the views of The New Paltz Oracle, its staff members, the campus and university or the Town or Village of New Paltz.

OPINION

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The New Paltz Oracle

COLUMNS

NATE SHEIDLOWER Managing Editor

sheidlon1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

I have never once seen a bird take a bath in a birdbath. They all just sit on the side and talk to each other, migrating one at a time to the feeder that is inevitably right next to the bath. The birdbath then sits there, idly awaiting to undergo a challenge testing its true purpose. But it does not come.

It rained today. A lot. In fact, as I looked out my window at the downpour, I noticed my sunroof was cracked open a little, so I ran out in the downpour to close it and hurried back inside. Call it ironic, but not five minutes later the cloud slid east and bright beautiful sunlight took its place upon the grass, the gravel and the puddles that filled the many potholes of the unpaved driveway.

A few minutes later after I’d already changed the music and gone back to my work, I peeped out the window one more time to admire the scene: A bird was bathing in a puddle.

Bird is Definitely the Word A deep, muddy, rock-lined puddle in an unpaved driveway filled with dirt, glass, rubber and paper in New Paltz; this was where the bird chose to wash itself.

Now, I have never once seen a bird take a bath in a birdbath and they are clean, smooth basins of fresh water. One would think that a bird would be quicker to bathe in that than in the muddy puddle outside my crappy apartment.

Being that there is no birdbath on this property, I do not blame this particular bird for choosing the puddle as it is all that was available to him at the time. However, the haste and nonchalance with which he simply plopped in, shook his tail and tip-toed out dipping his beak in the water three times, made me wonder why other birds who do have access to clean baths don’t use them as willingly.

Perhaps they are cautious. Food is one thing, if a bird sees another eating

from a birdfeeder and they are hungry, they will presumably follow suit without much thought of potential consequence as they are simply thinking of survival and filling their tiny bellies.

However, water is different. If the birds grew up knowing that rainwater is fresh and clean, which it often is, then they will trust it for their baths over water that came from a hose or a pitcher and was placed there not by nature but by us strange, tall, smelly humans – there could be anything in that water. I mean, birds are very smart and I wouldn’t be surprised if they could reach that level of logical thinking.

But then I thought of how many birdbaths I’ve seen in my life with birds near but not in them that were in fact filled with rainwater from the last time it rained. Why didn’t the birds trust that rainwater?

The birdbaths were made of stone

so they were as much a part of nature as the gravel that lined the pothole. Not to mention they had already been through a storm so they were cleansed of anything left on them from production. It could just be that those birds in the suburban backyards just didn’t feel like taking a bath that day, but I don’t know.

There must be an answer. Unfortunately, I can’t talk to the birds to find out.

If anyone can and is willing to ask for me, my email is in the byline, please let me know what they say. Thank you.

Nate Sheidlower is a fourth-year journalism major who respects the intelligence of birds. Any living being that can be born in the spring and understand that it has to fly south when winter comes even though it has never lived through a winter is a genius in his book.

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The New Paltz Oracle

RUNNING

The Men and Women’s cross-country teams participated in the inaugural New Paltz Two-Miler to open their seasons.

By Jack O’Brien

Copy Editor | Obrienj2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Both cross-country teams opened up their regular season on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The New Paltz Men’s crosscountry team won the inaugural three-team New Paltz Two-Miler, the first ever cross-country meet held at SUNY New Paltz.

Second-year Stephen Smith finished second overall, finishing with a time of 9:48.4. He was followed by second-year Nick Cruz, who finished in fourth place with a time of 9:49.5. Overall, the Hawks had five runners finish in the top 10.

“I think the team as a whole was very excited to be able to race on our own track and to have our [home crowd] cheering us on as well,” Cruz said. “A lot of guys finished

with personal bests for the two-mile.

Overall, I’m very proud of the guys for working hard to secure our first win of the season, and I’m looking forward to the many races we have left in the season.”

The Women’s cross-country team finished in third place. Secondyear Kate Hempfling was the top finisher for the Hawks, placing third overall with a time of 11:46.9. Thirdyear Rebecca Verrone finished in ninth place with a time of 11:55.4.

“The race went really well,” Hempfling said. “I went in with a positive mind-set and had the support of a great group of girls. It’s a lot different having a core group of girls to train and race with, but I love it because we’re all really pushing each other.”

Head Coach Michael Trunkes

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PHOTO BY RAECHEL MANZLER

said that he was pleased with both teams while noting areas for improvement.

“We usually prefer to start later in the month,” Trunkes said. “We have the Vassar Invitational this Saturday, so this race was like a workout for us. We have six races on the schedule, so we try to pace ourselves for the season.”

Trunkes said that he encouraged runners to pace themselves for the first six laps before letting his runners go all out for the last laps.

“I want them to establish consistent performance,” Trunkes said.

“They should all be working together to help each other out in the race.”

The team hopes to improve after last year’s strong finish. The Women’s team finished fourth in the conference and the Men’s team fin-

Thursday, September 3, 2015

ished fifth. In his 10 years as a coach at New Paltz, Trunkes said that this group of runners are some of his strongest yet, with serious potential for Regionals and even Nationals.

“There are some runners who could definitely compete for an atlarge bid to Nationals,” Trunkes said. “The goal for this team is to grow into a top 10 power in Regionals.”

Runners on both teams echoed their Head Coach’s sentiments about the potential for the fall season.

“The team is looking really good,” Hempfling said. “There’s so much talent on the team, but most importantly we are all there for each other. We’re a team that’s going to build each other up and support one another. I’m super excited to continue to train and race with the team.”

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SUNY New Paltz Alum Makes

By Melissa Kramer

Sports Editor | Kramerm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

As he stepped onto the polished floor of Oracle Arena, the bright stadium lights and the heat of the packed crowd overwhelmed him.

In his 12 seasons as a National Basketball Association (NBA) referee, SUNY New Paltz alumnus Zach Zarba, 40, experienced the spotlight for a second time this summer as he officiated Games 2 and 6 of the 2015 NBA Finals.

After the final buzzer sounded in Game 6 and the Golden State Warriors were crowned champions, a sigh of relief was had not only by players, but referees as well.

Despite being mentally exhausted at the conclusion of the grind of a strenuous and lengthy season, Zarba said there is no better place in sports than the Finals.

“It’s the show,” Zarba said. “There is definitely some reflection you do before the game. You look back on your first youth basketball game and your high school games that you have done over the years and you appreciate those times because you are refereeing in the NBA Finals.”

Throughout his career, Zarba has appeared in 764 regular season and 46 playoff games, including three Finals games between 2014 and 2015 as a crew chief.

2014 was Zarba’s first full season as a full-time crew chief, a position of lead referee that is earned by climbing the rankings.

Only 12 referees out of a league total of 60 receive the honor to judge the NBA’s ultimate series — chosen by the league office based upon play-calling accuracy percentages.

“In my profession, that is [The Finals] the crowning achievement so to speak,” Zarba said. “Just to be selected to do that is just a dream come true, it really is. Just being selected to be in that top 12 is humbling in and of itself. It is just a better feeling for your family and friends.

As good as I felt about it, my wife, my father, my mother, all my extended family, my brother, when you see how they react to hear the news, it makes it all worth it.”

During his time at New Paltz, Zarba played for the Hawks’ Men’s basketball

team during his sophomore, junior and senior years as a guard and was made a Captain during his final year.

Stuart Robinson, SUNY New Paltz Athletic Director and longtime friend of Zarba’s, said even though the Hawks’ guard was not always a starter, a group of students would come out every game to watch and cheer for him.

“He is just a great people person,” Robinson said. “He made people buy in and people feel a part of the event.

Through example, he was influential about the meaning of the word ‘team’ and not the individual.”

It was one day in 1997 during his senior year where Zarba embarked on his journey to wear the zebra stripes in the NBA. Hawks’ Men’s basketball Head Coach at the time, Paul Clune, searched for volunteer referees to officiate an intramural basketball game and asked for the assistance of Zarba.

Both Coach Clune and Zarba mediated the game and it was then the studentathlete discovered his passion.

“I was horrible, but I loved it ... I loved it,” Zarba said. “I was always under the assumption that you had to play in the NBA to be a referee for some reason and that was false. The minute I found out that you didn’t need to be a player, that is what I wanted to do. After refereeing that intramural game [at New Paltz] I knew that this was something I would love to do.”

After his graduation in 1997, Zarba began his long journey to the NBA that fall, refereeing high school certified Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) and Catholic school leagues, as well as youth basketball and Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) games in and around his native Brooklyn, New York.

In-between his time gaining officiating experience, Zarba taught high school social studies in the neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn from 1999-2003.

During this time, the Park Slope native worked in various New York Pro-Am leagues where he learned how to officiate.

It was then he moved up to the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) during the 2000-01 season and NBA Development League (NBDL) from 2001-03.

In the NBDL, each official is evalu-

Zarba refereeing a recent NBA game.

ated all season long and every summer, from a pool of 45 potential candidates to make it to the NBA — and only two or three would be selected.

Seven years since calling his first game, Zarba got the call, officiating in his first NBA game.

As a full-time crew chief, Zarba, as well as other officials, starts his day in the early morning until hours after the final buzzer. For Zarba, this includes administrative work, watching video footage of previous games uploaded by the league office and staying in shape physically by

Thursday, September 3, 2015

PHOTO COURTESY OF NBA COMMUNICATIONS

working out. Each NBA game is judged by two referees and a crew chief.

NBA officials work 12 to 15 games a month, for a total of 70 to 76 a year

leaving them to travel and be away from home for most of the season. Each team in the league plays 41 games in their home arena — for referees, they are always on the go.

During the offseason, Zarba spends time with his family, including his wife, Christiane and two sons, Jaxon, 3, and Jordan, 1.

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Second NBA Finals Appearance -Continued from Page 12Additionally, Zarba speaks to local youth groups in his hometown in a junction with local Pro-Am referees of New York. There, he gives back to the community by teaching the younger generation what was taught to him — to reach for the stars. Most recently, Zarba spoke to the Brooklyn Youth Sports Club Summer Academy this summer.

“I just try to illuminate to them that to try and be the next NBA superstar is a great dream and they should continue to pursue that dream,” he said. “But there are also a ton of other careers in professional sports like refereeing that are available to them, as long as they know about it. They have to understand the other careers such as referees, trainers and beat writers. That stuff is valuable to

them to know that there are other careers out there.”

Zarba said he takes after his father, Joe. The elder Zarba is a retired junior high school photography teacher and baseball umpire on the high school and college levels.

On New Year’s Eve 2001, Joe Zarba phoned his son, who was calling a game in Alabama, feeling sorry that he was not able to be with his family welcoming in the new year. However, it was on that night, where a father knew his son was going to make it.

“He said, ‘Dad, I am doing what I love and I am fine,” Joe Zarba said.

“At that moment I knew he was going to make it. Zach was committed and dedicated from the first moment. He had this passion and pursued it without ever thinking it was out of the realm of possibility. It is I who looks up to Zach as he has reached a pinnacle of success that I never ever imagined for myself and so very few others have achieved. He has done it with humility and the sense that you are only as good as your last call and that an official must start out being perfect and get better every day.”

Zarba during his time on the Hawks basketball team. He played between 1994-97.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW PALTZ ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS ARCHIVES

Compared to his first go-around last year in Game Three between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs and this year’s championship series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Warriors featured the majority of players that have had no previous Finals experience, Zarba said.

“There is no higher level than the NBA Finals, there is no more scrutiny in basketball than that,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s a basketball game.

The basket is 10-feet high, the court is 94-by-50-feet and you go out and you really try to do the best job you can because the players and coaches deserve it. The players and coaches deserve the best.”

With the stakes at their highest level, not only the intense physical and emotional aspects of the game, but the mental aspect of each situation with every play being so significant can wear down even the most pristine judges, Zarba said.

According to Zarba, those watching NBA games during the season do not understand how critical referees are of themselves.

“If people think that the fans and the media are critical of us, that is not even half as critical as we are on ourselves,” he said. “Each NBA referee is harder on themselves than anyone else. I think that sometimes it gets lost when a team wins or a team loses that every night, we are our own toughest critics.”

Referees strive for a perfect game, but in this year’s Finals, the NBA admitted the officiating crew, including Zarba, had missed a few calls during the end of Game Two, according to ESPN. “It’s an unfortunate part of our craft, the part that keeps us all up at night,” he said. “We know going out every night that we are not perfect, yet at the same time we have to strive for it. You have to strive for the perfect game. You’re not always going to be right, but you want to have a clear understanding of what’s right and what’s wrong. And you have to have character, because it gets very difficult out there. And as unfortunate as that is, you have to be able to learn from it, get better, understand why you missed a play or two and try not to let it happen again.”

Since their first meeting collaborating on an independent project which Zarba needed to graduate, Robinson said it has been exciting to watch his friend’s career take off from starting off at an intramural level at SUNY New Paltz.

“The Finals is one of the biggest and most exciting events, and to think that a New Paltz graduate is involved with it on that level is not only great for Zach but tremendous for the institution as a whole,” Robinson said. “It is the highest level in his chosen profession. I think it is the fact he strives to be better that has allowed his career to take off the way that it has. Through it all, he is still the same person. He is still the same downto-Earth, genuine person that I first met as a student here and I have always stayed in touch with.”

Opening Night for the 2015-16 NBA season begins on Tuesday, Oct. 27. As he prepares for his thirteenth season, Zarba said he is looking forward to what the upcoming months have in store.

“We have the best seat in the house every night, refereeing the best game in the world with the best athletes in the world,” he said.

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Field Hockey Scores A Win

By Michael Rosen

Copy Editor | Rosenm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The Field Hockey team will look to earn a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) title for the fourth straight season. They began their season on Tuesday, Sept.

1 with a 1-0 victory against Western Connecticut State.

“We need to realize that no game is going to be easy now because when you have earned the SUNYAC title three straight years, everyone wants to beat you,” Head Coach Shanna Vitale said. “We are going to have to make sure that we keep our environment competitive day in and day out. I think it’s important that we don’t become complacent with where we are and that we bring that fire and energy to each game, regardless if in their minds they think it’s a tougher opponent or a weaker opponent.”

The biggest difference for the Hawks this season compared to last is that there are 10 new first-years on the team this year.

“We have 10 new players, that’s the most I’ve ever had,” Vitale said. “A majority of that group came in excellent shape, so it’s only a small handful that you need to worry about which is nice.”

Vitale expects the leaders on the team to take charge of the first-years and help them out when need be. Among those leaders will be fourth-year

co-Captains Dani Ackerman and Jessica Caruana.

“I think having 10 new freshmen has been a blessing,” Ackerman said. “There is something special about this group, evident in their hustle, mental toughness and goal-oriented attitudes. I am beyond excited to see what they bring to the table this year and for the years to come. I have complete confidence in every single one of them.”

The Hawks’ first game of the season was a 1-0 win against Western Connecticut State on Tuesday, Sept. 1. This was the fourth season in a row that the Hawks opened their season with a shutout win against Western Connecticut State.

Second-year midfielder Hayley Kim scored the lone goal in the game. She recorded the goal just 4:32 after the game started. Second-year goalkeeper Megan Gangewere made her first career start in the cage and notched five saves while playing all 70 minutes for the shutout. Third-year forward Kayla McKeveny contributed as well by firing five shots, all of which were on goal.

The Hawks dominated possession of the ball as they held a 23-10 edge in shots and a 14-4 advantage in penalty corners over the Colonials.

The strong defense was thanks in part to Caruana who recorded seven shots, four of which were on goal.

“I think it’s so important to start the season off on a great foot — this helps us set the pace for the season,” Ackerman said. “This game helped

The field hockey team won their fourth consecutive season opener.

us figure out what we need to work on to prepare for our big weekend up at Utica.”

The Hawks will next travel to Utica where they will compete in the Utica Tournament. They will face St. Lawrence University on Saturday, Sept. 5 and host Utica College on Sunday, Sept.

6. Last season the Utica Pioneers went 18-3 and made it to the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

PHOTO BY RAECHEL MANZLER

“The play will be competitive, so we must focus on our goals, correct our mistakes from the previous game, and play smart field hockey,” Ackerman said. “We are looking to out hustle both teams this weekend and work hard to come out on top.”

After the tournament the Hawks will play their home opener on Wednesday, Sept. 9 against Montclair State University at 4 p.m.

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Mets Have Eyes Set On October

It has been quite a summer in Queens. For much of the season, the New York Mets took their fanbase on a rollercoaster ride filled with lots of ups, lots of downs, lots of great pitching but not a whole lot of runs scored. Since the trade deadline on July 31, a day in which the Mets acquired superstar outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and started a three-game series against the first-place Washington Nationals, it has been nothing but good times for the Amazins.

However, it was the day before the trade deadline, July 30, that may have been the low point of the season. After a trade for outfielder Carlos Gomez fell through the previous night, the Mets suffered an absolutely crushing loss against the second-division San Diego Padres. The Mets held a 7-1 lead over the Friars entering the seventh inning — by the ninth inning the lead had shrunk to 7-5. Jeurys Familia set down the first two batters he faced in the ninth before a rain delay prevented him from getting the last out. Once the game resumed, Familia allowed the first two batters to reach base. Then, Justin Upton blasted a three-run home run to give the Padres an 8-7 lead. The Mets went down quietly in their half of the ninth.

Since that game, the Mets have gone 22-9 and currently hold a 6.5 game lead in the National League (NL) East. Three of those wins in-

clude a three-game sweep of the Nationals right after that loss against the Padres. While the Mets were excellent in August, the Nationals absolutely collapsed going 12-17 last month. This came as a shock considering everyone, myself included, picked the Nats to win the World Series. However, for Mets fans, this couldn’t be better news.

With all of the positivity surrounding the team, we have to keep in mind that there is still a month of the season left and anything can happen. I don’t think I need to remind Mets fans of the dreadful September collapses of 2007 and 2008.

While the Mets do have an easy schedule the rest of the season (except for six games against the Nationals and three games against the New York Yankees) the same could have been said about the last month of the 2007 season. Teams that are out of the pennant race love to spoil the postseason hopes of contenders late in the season. This is especially true for teams in the same division as contenders, and the Mets will play 22 games against teams in their division the rest of the way. Not only that, but the Nationals are looking at those six games against the Mets and they know those are mustwin games. There is already talk of the Nationals arranging their rotation so they have one of their three best starting pitchers (Max Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg) starting

each of those six crucial games. Throw in the fact that the Nats are finally fully healthy and this division race is far from over.

However the Nationals are not the only team that is starting to get healthy. Recently team Captain David Wright has returned from a back injury that has kept him on the disabled list since April. On Monday, Aug. 24 Wright homered into the upper-deck in Philadelphia during his first atbat since returning from injury. Wright will not play every day as the team will keep an eye on his spinal stenosis injury, but it’s still great to see the Captain back and contributing. Young pitching phenome Steven Matz will return from the disabled list to start on Sunday, Sept. 6 against the Miami Marlins. He has only made two Major League starts but he was fantastic in both of them — and he is expected to be an excellent pitcher for years to come. It’ll be interesting to see if manager Terry Collins decides to use him out of the bullpen in the postseason if the Mets make it. Lucas Duda is currently on the disabled list with a back injury, but it’s not serious and he is expected to return soon.

While a postseason appearance is still not a sure-fire thing, it’s difficult to not think about October with this current Mets squad. The way the playoff bracket is set up, the winner of the Nation-

al League Eastern Division is most likely going to play the winner of the National League Western Division in the first round of the playoffs. The Los Angeles Dodgers currently hold a 6.5 game lead over the defending World Champion San Francisco Giants. Mets fans should pray that the Dodgers hold on to win that division. While their offense is very solid and Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke are fantastic pitchers, the rest of their pitchers are not as consistent. Their bullpen is very shaky and after the two aces their starting rotation is terrible.

Meanwhile, the Giants have won three of the past five World Series and have not lost a postseason series since the 2003 National League Division Series. While the Dodgers may seem like the better team on paper, this Giants team knows how to win in the postseason and you do not want to face them come playoff time.

So is it a definite that the Mets will make the playoffs? Absolutely not. Even with a 6.5 game lead, there is still a whole month of baseball for some teams to get hot and some teams to collapse.

But it sure does look as though there will be playoff games in Queens for the first time since 2006.

With one of, if not the best starting rotations in baseball there could be quite a few October games at Citi Field. But anything can happen in September. The Mets and their fans know that all too well.

By Melissa Kramer

on enough points to take a 2-1 match advantage.

In the final set, New Paltz drew within one point on seven separate occasions. Third-year right side hitter Katy Braddon kept the Hawks alive by hammering down a kill to pull New Paltz within one at 24-23. However, Montclair State would seal the set and match victory with their next point.

Fourth-year outside hitter Becca Borquist led the Hawks’ attack with 11 kills and a .320 hitting percentage. Hawks’ second-year setter Maddie Zwickl tallied 28 assists and defended 10 digs to complete a double-double. Third-year outside hitter Anna Paulik scored a team-high 12 digs during the match for the Hawks.

Head Coach Matt Giufre said it was exciting to open the 2015 season, but the way the team lost was disappointing. He said the team will need to work on offense, defense, blocking and passing to improve.

“We have a lot of work to do to achieve our postseason goals this year,” Giufre said. “There was some good effort there, but we are going to

need to get better in some places.”

Last season, the Hawks compiled a 31-6 overall record and 9-0 undefeated record in conference play. They won the 2014 SUNYAC Tournament Championship and advanced to the 2014 NCAA Div. III Tournament where they fell to Haverford College 3-0 in the first round and were eliminated.

This year, the Hawks’ ultimate goal is to play in the National Tournament again.

“We certainly have a lot of work to do to get there, but this group is really talented and they are really committed to one another,” Giufre said.

“There is no question about it that they are very capable of achieving that. As with any team, it’s going to take a lot of work to get there. But it certainly is for this team, it’s a very realistic opportunity for them.”

Paulik said the opening loss will make the team stronger.

“We now know what we need to work on and the loss only gives us more motivation to work harder,” she said. “We all need to work as hard as we can during these upcoming practices so we can

be ready for our next match. This season our team of course wants to win, but a major part of that is to win as a team. Being able to play as a unit will only help us have a successful season.”

Giufre said this year’s team is still developing its competitive personality.

“We’ve only played one match, but last year’s team was able to stand up to a rally, and dig their feet in and hold their ground if the other team started to play well and not back down a little bit,” he said. “When Montclair started to get on a little bit of a run, we didn’t stand our ground quite as well as last year’s team would have. It’s only one match. We are certainly capable of doing that, there’s no question about it. We just didn’t do it in our first match.”

The Hawks will next participate in the Haverford/Swarthmore Tournament in Haverford, Pennsylvania, playing four matches in two days from Saturday, Sept. 5 to Sunday, Sept. 6. They will take on Carnegie Mellon University, Cabrini University, The City College of New York and Swarthmore College.

Women’s Volleyball Drops Season Opener

Sports Editor | Kramerm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The Women’s volleyball team opened their season with a nonconference loss on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Despite leading the box score behind the service line, landing 10 aces to the opponent’s eight, the Hawks fell 3-1 (25-19, 21-25, 16-25, 23-25) in a road matchup against Montclair State University.

In the first set, the Hawks rallied back from an early 2-0 deficit, by putting up eight-straight points. New Paltz would eventually win the set 25-19.

During the middle set, Montclair State scored four of the final five points of the set to capture a 25-21 victory.

Montclair State would also take the final two sets to win the match.

The highlight of the third set was a 5-0 run by the Montclair State Red Hawks, which opened their lead to 16-12. From there, they would tack

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Sports

WHAT’S INSIDE

Field Hockey Earns Shutout In Opener PAGE 14

Women’s Volleyball Drops First Match PAGE 15

VICTORY

LAP

CROSS-COUNTRY TEAMS OPEN UP SEASON AT HOME : PAGE 11

MAIN PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA UPPER AND LOWER PHOTOS BY RAECHEL MANZLER

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