The New Paltz Oracle, Volume 81 Issue XIV

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

Volume 81, Issue XIV

oracle.newpaltz.edu

Thursday, February 25, 2010

TASINI RALLIES STUDENT SUPPORT US Senate candidate hosts fundraiser at Oasis featuring Ralph Nader See Story on Page 3 PHOTO BY FELICE BERNABO

SUNY New Paltz takes steps to create more gender-neutral bathrooms on campus

INSIDE THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE • SA to submit bid for Girl Talk.................Pg 4 • One year anniversary of The Loop..........Pg 5 • New Paltz considers secular calendar....Pg 5 • Sojourner Truth Library Renovations....Pg 7

Story on Page 6 Editorial on Page 9 PHOTO BY FELICE BERNABO

The New Paltz Oracle

University Police Blotter

Disclaimer: This is only a partial listing. For all incidents, please visit the University Police Department.

RA reported an odor of marijuana. Odor could not be located.

established 1938

Pierce Lydon EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Julie Mansmann MANAGING EDITOR _________________

James Leggate NEWS EDITOR

Justin McCarthy FEATURES EDITOR

Zan Strumfeld

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Pete Thompson SPORTS EDITOR _________________

Felice Bernabo PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Alec Horowitz

ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Jon Aiello

CARTOONIST _________________

Maxim Alter Sunya Bhutta Pamela Vivanco Andrew Wyrich COPY EDITORS _________________

Elizabeth Damiano BUSINESS MANAGER _________________

Patrick Martz Kathryn Smith DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS

Emily Canty, Kaitlyn Day, Sarah Fine, Elexis Goldberg, Sarah Hurd, Michelle S. Kramisen, Emily Kurland, Chelsea LaDue, Becky Longley, Jessica Mingoia, Jesse Ordansky, Jessica Ostrow, James Petrich, Casey Quinlan, Danielle Quitoni, Michelle Ravit, Regina Rivers, Shawn Rubenfeld, Jordan Siwek, Alex Silverberg, Sam Speer, Alison Stevens, Emily Sussell, Ashley Thompson, Chris Thurston, Nekaiya Trotman, Harris Wichard, Kelly Young

STAFF

Corrections In issue XII,in an article entitled “Photojournalist Coming to New Paltz,” we mistakenly identified the subject of Renee Byer’s photos as her son. We apologize for the confusion.

Incident: Grand Larceny Date: 02/21/10 Location: BOH Female student reported unknown perpetrators stole her carry bag and wallet from BOH basement lounge.

Incident: Drugs Date: 02/21/10 Location: BOH

About The New Paltz Oracle The New Paltz Oracle is the official student newspaper of SUNY New Paltz. Our circulation is 3,000.

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 Building, room 417. Deadline for all submissions is 5 p.m. on Fridays in The New Paltz Oracle office and by e-mail at oracle@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 Thursday.

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.

The New Paltz Oracle holds assignment meetings every Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Building, room 418. Articles, photographs and illustrations are assigned to the pool of staff and contributors.

Incident: Drugs Date: 02/21/10 Location: Grounds RA reported two males smoking marijuana on a bench between Bliss and Scudder Halls. When police arrived at the scene, subjects were gone.

Incident: Alcohol/Drugs Date: 02/21/10 Location: LFH 1st Floor Hallway Male student and male non-student arrested for possession of an open beverage container.

Incident: Harassment Date: 02/23/10

Volume 81 Issue XIV

Location: FAB Employee reported receiving a disturbing note from one of her male students.

She stated her concern regarding his angry behavior.

Incident: Drugs Date: 02/23/10 Location: GH RA reported an odor of marijuana.

Police officer interviewed three female students who admitted to smoking marijuana and turned over a small amount of marijuana and a glass pipe.

SUNY New Paltz University Police Department Emergencies: 845-257-2222 www.newpaltz.edu/police

Five Day Forecast Friday, February 26

Index

News............................................... 3 - 7 Community Calendar........................... 8 Editorial............................................... 9 Columns............................................. 10 Maxim Alter............................10 Julie Mansmann..................... 10 Letters................................................ 11 Cartoons............................................. 12 The Gunk................................ 1B - 8B The Deep End.................................... 8B Sports.......................................... 13 - 16

Snow Showers High: 35 Low: 31 Saturday, February 27

Flurries High: 37 Low: 29 Sunday, February 28

Don’t Be Shy!

Few Snow Showers High: 39 Low: 31 Monday, February 01

Visit us online at

oracle. newpaltz.edu Everyone is entitled to take one free copy of The New Paltz Oracle.

If you need additional copies, please contact the editor-in-chief at x3030 or at oracle@newpaltz.edu

Partly Cloudy High: 42 Low: 28 Tuesday, February 02

Partly Cloudy High: 40 Low: 25

The New Paltz Oracle

NEWS

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Nader Encourages Students to Support Tasini

By Justin McCarthy Features Editor | Jmccarthy46@newpaltz.edu

It’s not often that Ralph Nader endorses a Democratic candidate, or a candidate of any political party for that matter. It’s even less often that he comes to New Paltz. But on Sunday, Feb. 21, he did both when he came to a fundraiser at Oasis Café to endorse Jonathan Tasini, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. senate seat from New York.

Tasini lost a 2006 primary for the same seat against Hillary Clinton. This time, he will run for it again against incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand, who was appointed to the seat by Governor David Paterson after Clinton accepted her new role as Secretary of State in President Obama’s cabinet. Tasini must also beat out Harold E. Ford, a former Representative of Tennessee who has become Gillibrand’s biggest challenger in recent months. While Gillibrand and Ford have been criticized by Democrats for some of their more conservative views on issues such as gun control, Tasini, a lesser known candidate may appeal to more liberal New York Democrats.

And given the anti-incumbent political climate that has appeared to have emerged in recent elections in the northeast, this election could be one in which Tasini actually has a shot.

“There’s never been a year where incumbents are sweating it the way they are now,” said Ralph Nader at the Oasis Café fundraiser. “It’s a year of resistance. People are shooting themselves in the foot to beat an incumbent and will elect someone who’ll shoot them twice in the foot, like Massachusetts. This is a rebellious year.”

Nader began the event by noting some dark horses who have weathered rough elections against powerful opponents and prevailed, such as former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura, who beat out two major party candidates in his campaign under the Independence Party of Minnesota.

“This is just all my way of saying don’t write anybody off—especially this year—when you’ve got those kinds of analogies,” Nader said. “We’ll look back on this meeting and we’ll say, ‘This meeting was not just in New Paltz, but a new pulse. In New Paltz, a new pulse emerged.’”

After Nader’s introduction, Tasini addressed the predominantly student crowd.

“It’s not often that you get a chance to be introduced by a legend,” Tasini said, crediting the man who had helped him draw the crowd of over 100 people. “America is a better place because of Ralph Nader. It’s a fact. You can go around this country and drive safe cars, you can breathe clean air. You have organizations that are fighting these awful trade agreements. All of that comes from

PHOTO BY FELICE BERNABO

Ralph Nader endorses Jonathan Tasini, who is running for the U.S. Senate. He is running against incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand. the inspiration and the commitment that Ralph has to this country because he is a great patriot. He loves his country very much and has done an incredible amount of work. It’s a great honor to have you here to introduce me.”

Many of the views Tasini shared with the audience resonate with SUNY New Paltz students. He wants to raise the minimum wage to $10 per hour, decriminalize marijuana, legalize gay marriage, reduce military funding and provide students with free higher education.

“I am for free four-year college, period,” said Tasini. “People say, ‘How are you going to afford that?’ In this state, one of the reasons we’re in trouble in this country is because we don’t want to confront the notion of priorities and power and how our money is used.”

Tasini values college students in New York as a major group that could potentially get him elected.

“There’s a tremendous amount of interest in my campaign on the part of the student population throughout the state. I think young people in particular understand the crisis they’re facing for their fu-

ture generations,” he said in an interview.

“I believe the campaign I’m trying to run speaks directly to that. It’s really important for me to build a campaign with a core constituency from the student movement because they’re the folks who are going to help build the country.”

Some SUNY New Paltz students found his views to be consistent with theirs.

“Jonathan Tasini appealed to me because we share the same beliefs,” said Samantha Giarratani, a third-year art education major who attended the fundraiser. “I believe in the legalization of marijuana, and bringing the minimum wage to $10.”

As much as Giarratani liked him, however, she questioned how well he will do in the Democratic primary and eventually in the actual senate race.

“I’m not sure he will be successful because his ideals are very liberal. He would have to fight a hard fight to convince Republicans,” she said.

Other students agreed with Tasini on some issues but don’t necessarily plan on giving him their votes. Devon Lee Pope, a third-year journalism major, agreed

Thursday, February 25, 2010

with Tasini on a few issues, but felt that his idea of raising the minimum wage was too extreme.

“That’s nuts. That would inflate the price of everything, so even though you’re making more money, you will also be spending a lot more,” Pope said.

A recent New York Times article reported that Tasini took a leave from his $110,000 a year job and is currently making no money in order to proceed with his campaign. Besides his view that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is “not fit to be a United States senator,” he said he is running because he believes that despite the negative atmosphere of the country right now, there is an “incredible opportunity” before us.

“There’s a huge crisis we’re facing in this country and we have this great opportunity,” Tasini said. “And I believe that if we, progressives, don’t seize that opportunity and demand big changes in the economy in terms of the rules of the economy, then we will miss an opportunity that may not come back and will leave generations to come to deal with the results of this crisis.”

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News Briefs National Could Admiral Ackbar be the mascot of the future at the University of Mississippi?

The leader of the Rebel Alliance from George Lucas’ “Star Wars” universe has become an Internet and blog darling now that Ole Miss students have voted to find a new mascot for its athletic teams. An Ole Miss group of Star Wars fanatics are promoting the pop-eyed Mon Calamari.

But anyone following the Internet traffic should know one thing: “It’s a trap!”

Sparky Reardon, the university’s dean of students, says the campaign will not be part of the official process to select a new mascot to succeed Colonel Reb on team sidelines. ***** An employee at SeaWorld Orlando has died after being attacked by a killer whale.

Orange County Fire Rescue spokesman John Mulhall says paramedics were called Wednesday afternoon to the Shamu Stadium at the theme park resort where they found a worker who could not be revived.

A witness said the whale suddenly came up from the water, grabbed the trainer around the waist and “thrashed her all around” to the point the trainer’s shoe fell off. ***** Court records say books on demons and atheism as well as rifles and knives were found in a home linked to one of the suspects in a string of church fires in eastern Texas.

The items were listed in an affidavit filed after a residence in Grand Saline linked to 19-year-old Jason Robert Bourque was searched on Sunday.

Eleven area churches have been torched this year in what authorities believe was an arson spree.

World Briefs, pg. 5

The New Paltz Oracle

SA Bidding on Girl Talk

By Julie Mansmann and Pamela Vivanco Managing Editor and Copy Editor | Oracle@newpaltz.edu

At the last general meeting of the student senate, $8,740.41 was allocated toward Student Association (SA) Productions.

Earlier in the meeting, Vice President for Programming Kevin Purcell announced that SA Productions was seeking to add Girl Talk to the set for their April 21 concert. While Gym Class Heroes has already been booked for the date, Vice President for Finance Yasmin El Jamal said the group would need at least $10,000 to put forth a bid for this additional act.

Sens. Caitlin Ryan and Jeff Fonda said they supported moving the funds left over from the summer programming line to SA Productions because it would extend the length of the show and provide variety.

The senate ultimately voted to move the funds to SA Productions under the stipulation that if the money is not used, it would be moved to the general programming line.

The senate also approved several nominees for both the Senior Committee and Research Committee.

Sen. Terrell Coakley, second-year students Rose Felix and Koral Liriano and first-year student Richard Jean-Louis appeared before the legislative body in interest of joining the Senior Committee, which President Stephanie Samuel said is working on events and programs for soon-to-begraduates.

The senators said they were encouraged by the fact that younger students were willing to get involved with the group, and then voted and approved all four nominees

to the committee. Each member is expected to serve on the group until they graduate.

Currently, the Senior Committee is working on multiple programs such as a carnival, in addition to hosting an upcoming casting call for models for their fashion show.

Next, one graduate and one undergraduate student each presented their case to fill vacant seats on the newly formed Research Committee. This board, comprised of two student representatives, alternate student and faculty members, would make decisions regarding the allocation of funds from the research line.

Kim Belmonte and Darryl Steffen, who have both participated in research projects themselves, were appointed to the board.

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Governance Brenna Fearey said she was meeting with a possible candidate for the alternate student seat on Wednesday.

Prior to voting on nominations, Vice President for Academics Peter Brown came before the senate to discuss the United University Professions’ stance on the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act. Brown urged students to speak out against the legislation on Web sites like savesuny.org, saying that the union opposes the proposal because of the idea of incorporating differential tuition and what Brown described as the privatization of SUNY. “The union is concerned about access,” he said. “We are dedicated to keep public education public.”

Members of the senate and SA E-board debated their own stances regarding the legislation until discussion ended and the body returned to events planned on the eve-

ning’s agenda.

Sens. Eli Conrad-Hampton and Megan Grieco also led a discussion among the senators about a proposal for a mural on campus. They presented possible locations for a mural, including the wall that wraps around Smiley Art Building and the wall one the main concourse that runs along stairs by the Sojourner Truth Library. The senators had the chance to express their opinion in regards to where the mural should be located.

Ultimately, a proposal will be sent to the Art Aesthetics Committee.

Executive Vice President Abe Uchitelle announced that a consultant will be coming for a consultation of the athletics fields, looking into the possibility of make them organic. Uchitelle also said that the Police Commission is continuing work on their “know your rights” card, in addition to possibly planning and informal event for students and members of the University Police Department.

El Jamal also asked the senators how they would feel about creating an “advocacy line” in next year’s budget. These funds would be used to host rallies and other events supported SUNY wide. The senators did not vote on the matter.

Fearey reported that Vice President for Enrollment Management L. David Eaton has presented four options for the 2013 academic calendar. She said any senators who would like to express their opinion about possibly moving toward a “more secular” calendar should speak with her at their nearest convenience.

The next general meeting of the student senate will be held on Tuesday, March 2.

Council Discusses Money, Events

By Maxim Alter Copy Editor | Malter42@newpaltz.edu

On Monday, Feb. 22, the Council of Organizations held their second meeting of the semester, hosting a seminar entitled “Know Your Tuition.”

Prior to Student Association (SA) Executive Board announcements, Vice President of Finance and Administration Jackie DiStefano addressed students in an effort to shed light on the recently proposed Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act and how it will affect the structure of SUNY. After a round of questions from students, SA Vice President for Finance Yasmin El Jamal addressed the council. Her only announcement was that forms for line item budgets for next year have been officially released and students are required to have them filled out by March 22. As described by El Jamal, line items are basically when members of a group “request a budget to be set-aside for your club or organization,” as opposed to general programming.

Immediately following, SA President Stephanie Samuel gave a few quick announcements about events coming up on campus, including those being planned by the Senior Committee.

“We got sponsorship for the fashion show that’s coming up on March 26,” said Samuel. “Some of the sponsors include Banana Republic, the Gap and other department stores like that.”

Samuel also announced that committee members will be working with the Career Resource Center with their “Suit Yourself” pro-

Thursday, February 25, 2010

gram. The winners from this program will also have the option of being in the fashion show.

“Next week on Monday, we’ll be having tryouts for anyone who wants to be in the show,” Samuel said. “We’ll be taking them to Woodbury Commons to get fitted and if you would like to be in it, please come to tryouts at 8 p.m.”

Executive Vice President Abe Uchitelle then addressed the council, reminding students of the ongoing meetings with the University Police Department and the development of the “know your rights” card, which will help students in an encounter with the police.

“We want to promote more interaction with police officers,” Uchitelle said. “One idea is to have a barbeque, where UPD could hang out and not be in uniform. You’d get to realize that they are actually human beings.”

Concluding the announcements, Vice President for Programming Kevin Purcell, informed students that the band Gym Class Heroes has officially been confirmed for the SA Productions concert set for April 21.

“We’re looking for people to volunteer and help us with the concert,” said Purcell. “So please, if you are interested, you get free tickets.”

Those interested can contact Purcell at vpprogramming@newpaltzsa.com.

The next meeting of the Council of Organizations will be held on Monday, March 8 in Student Union 100.

NP Bus Loops Into a New Year

By Pamela Vivanco Copy Editor | Pvivanco57@newpaltz.edu

With over a year of service offered, the New Paltz Loop shuttle service has gained popularity in the New Paltz community since the January 2009 launch, and town and Student Association (SA) officials are working on plans to improve its services this year.

The Loop, which now has between 3,000 and 4,000 student riders per month, is the product of a collaboration between SA, the Town of New Paltz and the Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT). The town’s interest for public transportation originated in 2006, after a five-year, $500,000 traffic study.

“We’d been interested in getting some kind of public transportation for New Paltz but didn’t know where we would find the money,” said Town Supervisor Toni Hokanson.

Coincidently, in 2008, SA began to explore different possibilities of public transportation for students.

Initially intended as an in-house project, SA approached town officials when they estimated the expense of the project, according to current SA Executive Vice President Abe Uchitelle. By Spring 2008, SA and the town began working on the project together.

“I think it’s been a very valuable addition to the New Paltz community,” said Uchitelle. “It is a good example of how different leaders can

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work together to provide a service for the whole community.”

After a year, Hokanson and Uchitelle believe that the Loop has made a positive impact on the New Paltz community, including students and residents.

“Everybody here was kind of used to walking and driving,” said Uchitelle. It didn’t exactly change the routines of others but, “For transfers and first year students, it fit very well and it was easier to integrate the loop into their lives,” he added.

Nearly six to eight months ago, Hokanson advertised a day where she would ride the Loop in order to get the community’s feedback about its services.

“I spoke to community residents who used the Loop to get to work everyday,” she said. “I also met one student who used it five days a week to get herself and her daughter back and forth from her house on Henry Dubois to campus.”

According to Hokanson, the student would spent fifty dollars a week on a cab to get her daughter to the children’s center before the Loop existed.

Eve Stern, a second-year psychology and sociology double major and Black studies minor, said that although she knows a lot of students including her that ride the Loop, she has seen many adults and senior citizens ride the Loop as well.

According to Uchitelle, out of all the demographics in the community, students are the ones

who use it the most, especially because it is free for them.

Stern agreed and said, “It’s very convenient, especially for trips to Stop & Shop, I live in Deyo Hall, which is almost the furthest point on campus from town, so it’s a big help.”

Victoria Ho, a first-year undeclared student, said she’s glad that she has the Loop because she thinks the walk to town is too long.

“First-year students aren’t allowed to have cars so whenever I want to go to Stop & Shop to get groceries I wait for the Loop,” said Ho. Even though some students often ride on the Loop, they aren’t opposed to some changes.

“I know right now plans are being made to hopefully get the Loop running on the weekends,” said Stern. “That would be an even bigger help because that’s when students have the time to actually go shopping and get errands done around New Paltz.”

Uchitelle and Hokanson said that UCAT supports adding weekend services but due to a change of director and budget cuts, weekend services were postponed.

“I would project that we will see a weekend schedule within the next six months,” said Uchitelle. “Besides pushing for weekends, we will also be pushing for later night hours and minor changes to the schedule and route.”

Hokanson said that before expansion of hours, they will be working to change the route of the Loop to avoid traffic and tardiness.

New Calendar For NP Middle School Update

By Pierce Lydon Editor-in-Chief | Lydon47@newpaltz.edu

Everybody likes days off but a week off at the beginning of 2013 Fall semester, due to observance of Columbus Day and some Jewish holidays, has SUNY New Paltz policy-makers discussing a move to a more secular calendar.

The new calendar would be immediately effective starting next Fall. It would eliminate the possibility of an early Autumn break by not allowing days off for the observance of Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur. Professors have expressed concern as a string of days off early in the semester would break up the flow of classes.

A more secular calendar has been discussed before but it was not passed. For this calendar to pass, it would need to be approved by the Academic Affairs committee and then the Academic Senate.

After going through these two bodies, it would need to be voted on at full faculty meetings that occur on a monthly basis.

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Governance Brenna Fearey said that there has been little resistance to the proposition because we run on a mostly secular calendar anyway, but it is still in the early stages.

“Nobody is ever going to say, ‘let’s have school on Christmas,’” she said. “What would we do if [the calendar] considered all faiths?”

Hillel, the largest Jewish organization on campus, is not concerned with the change.

“We’ll have to deal with it in school and you should go to services,” said Rose Faber, co-president of Hillel. “Honestly, it’s not that bad.”

According to Fearey, the jewish holidays that are currently observed could be treated like Black Solidarity Day in that no exams would be allowed to be scheduled so that students who observe those holidays could not be penalized for missing class.

By James Leggate News Editor | Leggat06@newpaltz.edu

The New Paltz Central School District is going to examine new ideas for the middle school, following the vote to not build a $49.8 million renovation Feb. 9.

According to Superintendent Maria Rice, the building will still need to undergo some kind of repair, but many voters were concerned that interest, if the state was unable to pay a promised portion of the bill, could drive the total cost to over $100 million.

“There will be a new plan because the problems continue to exist,” she said.

According to Rice, the school district meeting for Feb. 24 had to be cancelled due to the snow, but there will be an open discussion of ideas at the March 3 meeting.

Another issue was the use of Congressman Maurice Hinchey’s name and image in press releases and mailings sent to New Paltz residents. Supporters of the plan said that Hinchey was working with The Solar Energy Consortium, a nonprofit group for renewable power, to obtain additional funding for solar and geothermal systems for the building. However, Hinchey said that he neither supported nor opposed the renovation project.

“While it’s true that my office received an application for solar equipment at the New Paltz Middle School, no decision has been made on whether to pursue such funding from Congress,” Hinchey said in a press release.

The problems with the building that the renovation plan would have addressed came from a 2005 examination of the building, which found 198 problems, none of which were serious enough to warrant closing the building. Another examination will take place this year.

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News Briefs World The parents of missing “Growing Pains” actor Andrew Koenig issued an emotional plea on Wednesday for their son to contact them.

Koenig, 41, was visiting friends in Vancouver when he went missing more than a week ago.

The Venice, Calif., native had a recurring role on the 1980s sitcom as Boner, a pal of star Kirk Cameron’s character, Mike. ***** Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu has asked the Nobel Peace Prize committee to disregard his nomination for the prestigious award, a Nobel official said Wednesday.

In a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Vanunu wrote that he doesn’t want an award previously given to Israeli President Shimon Peres, said Geir Lundestad, the committee’s permanent nonvoting secretary.

“He sees Shimon Peres as the father of the Israeli atomic bomb, and he does not want to be associated with him in any way,” Lundestad told The Associated Press. ***** A 9-year-old black Labrador named Treo is being decorated for his work sniffing out explosives in Afghanistan.

He is being given Britain’s Dicken medal, awarded for bravery and commitment in wartime. It’s the highest military honor an animal can get.

It has been presented to 63 animals since its inception in 1943-including 32 World War II carrier pigeons, three horses and a cat.

While patrolling with soldiers in 2008, Treo helped uncover Taliban explosives hidden by the side of a path.

Compiled from the AP Newswire

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The New Paltz Oracle

Bathrooms Open for All Genders

By Sunya Bhutta Copy Editor | Sunya.bhutta94@newpaltz.edu

An increasing number of colleges and universities are constructing gender-neutral bathrooms on their campuses by making renovations or changing the signs on single-stall male/female restrooms. There are already over 150 campuses nationwide with gender-neutral bathrooms listed on their Web sites, including New York University, Ohio University, UCLA and the University of Vermont. These bathrooms are typically open to all genders and are a safe place for families with children, individuals with disabilities and transgendered people.

Director of Student Activities and Union Services Michael Patterson was approached by the Gender Awareness Movement Enacted by Students (GAMES) with the idea of installing gender-neutral bathrooms on the SUNY New Paltz campus. GAMES promotes gender-related awareness such as sexuality, the distinction between sex and gender and the gender roles in society. They focus on educating people on the negative consequences of the existing gender dichotomy and advocate for facilities that accommodate all people, regardless of gender expression.

President and co-founder of GAMES, Morgan Anderson, a fourth-year sociology major with a minor in Spanish and philosophy said the bathrooms would provide a safe space for those who do not equate into the traditional binary gender system and would be a strong statement against the way gender is conceived.

“I think that awareness is a necessary precursor of achieving equality. If we can first understand that gender itself is a social construction, then I think we can more effectively combat all of the problems that are born out of this construction,” she said.

Patterson and the Student Association (SA) are working with design and construction facilities to identify bathroom inventory on campus. Once they configure a way to utilize those restrooms they will be able to provide a gender-neutral concept. Patterson said there is a culture shift and facilities expense to consider. There is a minimal expense for resigning those locations if they already exist.

For new bathrooms to be designed and constructed, the SA will have to propose to the university administration. But at this point all the plans are premature in conversation and speculation, and there is no proposal drawn up yet. Also, Patterson said it is not just a student conversation and that faculty and employees who share these facilities need to be considered as well.

“I understand there are a lot of minute conversations that need to take place to make that decision and that is my role, to guide the Student Association in understanding what those intricacies are,” he said. “I think our transgendered students could benefit from these facilities, I think that’s proven by some of the other schools…it is a sensitive but important conversation to have.”

Executive Vice President of the Student Association Abe Uchitelle has been working closely with GAMES and Patterson on the proposal for gender neutral bathroom accommodations.

“I think it will be a good fit for this campus. There are a lot of campuses around the country that are doing much more radical changes like offering gender-neutral housing as well but that is not something we are talking about right now, we’re kind of trying to just talk about this issue,” said Uchitelle. “There is a lot of progress being made to address this concern.”

Several students are voicing their opinions on the proposal. Student senator Eli Conrad-Hampton, fourth-year anthropology major and Black studies minor, said he believes

PHOTO BY FELICE BERNABO

GAMES, Michael Patterson and Abe Uchitelle are working to reassign single-stall bathrooms for gender-neutral use.

Gender-Neutral Bathrooms on Campus: • • • • • •

Jacobson Faculty Tower: 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th Floors Guest House: 1st and 2nd Floors Haggerty Administration Building: 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th Floors Hopfer House: 1st and 2nd Floors Southside House: 1st Floor Vandenberg Annex: 1st Floor

there is “a binary idea of gender built into our culture that says you can only be male or female, boy or girl, dude or chick. Not everybody feels comfortable choosing one of two possible gender expressions…there are an unlimited number of ways to express one’s gender.” Conrad-Hampton said he would definitely use the bathrooms because they are typically very private and safe. “That’s good for everyone…to do your business in peace without worrying about being judged, bullied, or put in danger,” he said.

David Zornetsky, third-year sociology major, said that as a transgendered student he feels frustration and anger every time he is forced to use the men’s room.

“Social change has always been made for the better.

Gender-neutral bathrooms will do just the same, because the

Thursday, February 25, 2010

handful of transgendered students on campus will no longer feel overburdened by having to use facilities that are ill-suited to their gender,” Zornestky said.

Anderson said the bathrooms would be a huge step toward making New Paltz a more progressive and safer institution for everyone. The most common argument against gender neutral facilities is that they would promote an increase in sexual violence. Anderson said there isn’t enough statistical data from her research to prove that this is the case.

“People would not be forced to use these facilities, they would just be available for anyone who takes interest in using them,” she said. “The implementation of gender neutral bathrooms will help New Paltz attract a more diverse group of students, which would benefit everyone.”

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Library to be Renovated in 2011

By Andrew Wyrich

Copy Editor | Andrew.wyrich63@newpaltz.edu

The Sojourner Truth Library will be undergoing renovations in the Fall of 2011 that will be centered on making the library better suited for the needs of the 21st century. Improvements will include a more open and vibrant main entrance and less cosmetic changes including a more focal café and more technologically advanced study area.

According to the Director of Facilities Design & Construction John F. McEnrue, the library will “improve the quality of the study areas and employ currently underutilized space for enhanced collections.”

While the actual date of the renovation has yet to be set, a rough idea of the plan has been made, and planning for library expansion began more than a decade ago. The plans for the renovation were developed from study conducted by the Sojourner Truth Library Committee and ikon.5 architects. According to McEnrue, the committee consisted of different members of the SUNY New Paltz community which included students, faculty and library administrators.

The renovation plan was a “collaborative process that absorbed all members input” and will address all of the needs found by the committee, and should take about a year for the architects to design.

Chui-chun Lee, the Dean of the Sojourner Truth Library, said that as the library has grown over the years, the need for a renovation has grown. According to Lee, the library was originally designed to hold 250,000 books, and now holds “500,000 volumes of books and bound periodicals, more than 1 million units of microforms, nearly 80,000 U.S. documents, a growing media collection, and more than 300 computers and peripherals.”

Due to these additions and the collection’s growth, Lee said that seating space has been greatly reduced, which they hope to rectify with the renovation.

McEnrue said that the prospective plans will be centered on bringing the Sojourner Truth Library into the 21st century by responding to both student and faculty demands for modern technology, which he believes is “critical for today’s academic experience.” Lee said that they “hope to create a logic flow of public space, upgrading infrastructure…to meet current and future needs.”

Specific changes that will be imme-

PHOTO BY FELICE BERNABO

The library currently holds 500,000 books and bound periodicals. It was designed to hold only 250,000. diately noticeable to students will be the construction to the main entry. According to McEnrue the renovation design will make the eastern entry become a “more open, welcoming and interactive” entranceway.

Currently, the main entrance serves mostly as a quiet sitting area, which “people mostly pass through.” McEnrue said that the plan intends to “establish an ‘immersion zone’ which creates a more focal cafe along with interactive computer workstations, therefore reinvigorating the primary entrance of the Sojourner Truth Library.” Lee said it will be a more “aesthetically appealing space.”

As well as the newly improved entrance, the concrete barriers along the library’s exterior will be removed and replaced with glass windows. McEnrue said that an afterhours study area with more comfortable furnishings will also be added in addition to improved study areas.

The renovation, which will involve relocating offices and removing walls, could be disturbing to library users.

However, Lee recognizes this ensures users that the most “extensive projects will be done during Summer and Winter breaks.”

“Extensive projects will be done during Summer and Winter breaks”

— Chui-chun Lee

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Pg 8

The New Paltz Oracle Pg 9

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS Meeting of the Central Catskills Collaborative February 25 6 to 8 p.m. at the Catskill Center The Collaborative will continue discussing scenic byway designation for the Rt. 28 corridor. Shandaken’s subcommittee will present their initial resource and asset inventory. Public input will be encouraged. For more information, see www.catskillcenter.org/ whatsnew/pr_2009-27.html.

Swing Dance Extravaganza in Celebration of Black History Month February 26 6:30 p.m. at the Poughkeepsie Tennis Club The Savoy tradition of the Lindy Hop continues to thrive. Come experience it on Friday, Feb. 26 at the Poughkeepsie Tennis Club. In celebration of Black History Month, check out an art form developed in Harlem in the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s. You can dance the night away, watch the performance, take an intermediate level swing dance workshop and take a beginners lesson-no experience needed!

The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt!

February 26 8 p.m. at Kitty City Join The Shakes, Jesse Cooper Levy, Dude Man Dog Call Me Bro and Luaka Bop’s The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! in celebrating the kickoff show for their TERRORSHAKES ‘10 tour.

Sloop Clearwater Open Boat & Family Day February 27 1 to 6 p.m. at Lynch’s Marina in Saugerties See the restoration work up close and view the 69-ton Sloop up on dry dock, with tours and explanations by the carpenters and crew. Also enjoy activities, music and potluck food.

“Keeping Pace with Energy Options for Municipalities” February 27 2:30 p.m. at SUNY New Paltz Lecture Center

“Keeping Pace with Energy Options for Municipalities” features several new strategies for financing energy efficiency and renewables for home, municipal buildings and businesses; also Green Job/Green NY training and employment opportunities and SHV’s Ten Percent Challenge. Please go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/ K97DXYP to pre-register (required); to carpool: rideshare.us/index.php.

Look-up code: EnergyFeb27; contact Dare Thompson, at 845-236-3074 or darethompson@gmail.com for further information.

Gaza Freedom March Report Back March 3 7 to 10 p.m. at Bertelsmann Campus Center, Weis Cinema at Bard College Ten residents of the Hudson Valley took part in the Gaza Freedom March from Dec. 25 to Jan. 4. Members of this delegation will discuss their experiences as well as the emerging International Coalition to End the Illegal Siege of Gaza. Sponsored by the Middle East Crisis Response. For more information, call 845-876-7906.

Fresh Dance Directed by Yoav Kaddar March 4 - 6 8 p.m. in McKenna Theater Fresh Dance, an annual production of the department of theatre arts uniting professional dancers, regional dance companies, and students focuses on choreography and performance across a diverse spectrum of dance. It encourages opportunities for artistic collaborations between dance, music, theatre and other art forms. Tickets go on sale Feb. 22. $16 general reserved, $14 seniors and SUNY New Paltz student/ faculty/staff.

Community Playback Theatre March 5 8 p.m. at Boughton Place Community Playback Theatre presents “Improvisations of Audience Stories.”

For more information, call Toni Horvatin at 845-691-7795.

First Sunday Gallery Tour “Carolee Schneemann: Within and Beyond the Premises” March 7 2 p.m. at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art Join guest educator Kevin Cook on a tour of the exhibition “Carolee Schneemann: Within and Beyond the Premises.”

“Peace Pilgrim” Free Film Showing March 13 4 to 8:30 p.m. at Poughkeepsie Friends Meeting The “Peace Pilgrim” crisscrossed the United States on foot from 1953 until her death on the road in 1981, carrying nothing but her peace message and what fit in the pockets of her blue tunic. Her internationally known book, “Steps to Inner Peace” will be available at the film showing. The screening will be followed by an audience discussion. This is part of the “Give Peace a Film” series and there is no admission charge.

Sixth Annual Symposium on Energy: The Energy Highway April 16 8 a.m. at the The Links at Erie Villaget “Efficient, Secure, Reliable and Environmentally SensitiveTransmission and Distribution of Electricity” with Dr. Rhea Jezer, chair at “The Links at Erie Village,” The fee is $40. For more information and to register go to: www. cazenovia.edu/energy The “Suit Yourself” Stipend Program Are you a senior interviewing for an internship, student teaching placement, or full-time employment opportunity? Apply today to win one of 30 “clothing awards” worth $200 to purchase professional attire for your interviews. For an application, go to www.newpaltz.edu/careers. The application deadline is Feb. 26, 2010. For further information, contact the Career Resource Center in Humanities 105 at 845-257-3265.

To submit an announcement write down the name of the club/event, date, time and location. Then e-mail it to oracle@newpaltz.edu. All submissions are due by Sunday at 5 p.m. Submissions are printed at the discretion of the editor-in-chief.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

OASIS OASIS is a student-staffed counseling and crisis intervention center and telephone hotline. OASIS volunteers are trained and supervised by the Psychological Counseling Center to respond to anonymous telephone calls and walk-in requests for support, information and referral. Peer crisis intervention is provided in college-related areas such as academic stress, loneliness, sexual orientation, suicide, drug and alcohol-related problems, relationship and family conflicts.

OASIS, located in the Deyo Hall basement, room G13C, is open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. while classes are in session, and the extension is x4945.

HAVEN HAVEN of OASIS is the studentstaffed hotline and walk-in center, supervised by the Psychological Counseling Center. HAVEN volunteers provide support, information and referral for students who have been the target of rape, attempted rape or any unwanted sexual experience.

HAVEN is located in the Deyo Hall basement, room G13c and is open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. while classes are in session, and the extension is x4930.

Call or stop in when classes are in session. The 24-hour HAVEN beeper is 845-455-6093.

Campus Escort Call x3338 for an escort from anywhere on campus to anywhere on campus. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. every night. Not a taxi service — for safety, not for the lazy!

Safe Rider Need a ride home from the bars?

We provide FREE rides home or back to campus please give me a call at 845-834-2213.

Facilities Management Having facilities related issues?

Please call x3301.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

The Gunk

Byer Sheds Light on Love Story on Page 7B PHOTO BY FELICE BERNABO

PHOTO COURTESY OF TVSNOB.COM

Check out the hottest gadgets and gizmos of the new decade on Page 3B!

FEATURES | 2B

The New Paltz Oracle

on Exuding Photosexiness Hooked Yarn PLANTS AND PATHOGENS GET IT ON IN NEW PALTZ

By John Brandi Contributing Writer | Jbrandi02@newpaltz.edu

Who ever thought potting plants could be so perplexing? Margaret Ronsheim, associate professor of biology at Vassar College, has spent most of her career trying to decipher the relationship, good or bad, between plant roots and pathogens. According to the biology page on Vassar’s Web site, “she is studying how the presence of mutualistic fungi (Mycorrhizae) and a root pathogen may influence intraspecific interactions between plants.”

While giving a lecture at SUNY New Paltz, Ronsheim highlighted plant size and survivorship. She relied heavily on graphs to illustrate her point and to prove the validity of her research.

“Mycorrhizae (fungi) favor larger bulbs,” Ronsheim said.

So the presence of the fungi in growing plants is beneficial to both their height and survival. Some SUNY New Paltz faculty members that attended this lecture thought it was fascinating overall.

Aaron Haselton, professor of biology, said it shows symbiotic relationships that directly influence key aspects of asexual vs. sexual development.

Ronsheim shed new light on asexual development because asexual reproduction was abundant on the controlled experiment without pathogens. She then went on to highlight the ecological advantages to sex, which reduced sibling (plants sharing the same pot) competi-

tion. More specifically, root competition.

Further research on this matter is still required, and Ronsheim, among others, are the ones who remain diligent.

According to Ronsheim, her inquiry into plant matters and research dates back to her dissertation in college.

Her research takes, “a year and a half for Perennials.” Perennials are plants that can come back multiple years. Despite the abundance, she said it was daunting because there was so much material to shift through and so much the plant could reveal.

Discussion of germination (sexual and asexual) and fungi growth was all pretty confusing for Allison Platsky, a fourth-year geology major.

“Well I read her article before this, but I felt very lost,” she said. “However, it was very engaging which gave more background information. I found it all interesting and I thought [Ronsheim] conveyed it very well.”

Ronsheim gave a personal account about an onion farmer who was having problems with pathogens at the roots.

Her research, in the near future, could be applicable relating to issues with crop growth. Instead of just dealing with the laboratory theoretical, she could see her work developing into the practical.

While utilizing Microsoft PowerPoint, she sped through slides of research. These slides revealed correlations between fungi and plant growth, neatly packed into corresponding chart form. She included data from the controlled experiment to cement her point.

Ronsheim found that Mycorrhizae (fungi) colonization lessens the impact of the pathogen. However, since Mycorrhizae is a lessened form of pathogen, she aimed to show that using that weaker version against more harmful pathogens could reap benefits.

Alex Bartholomew, a professor of geology at New Paltz, said that he was interested in the interactions between two different [plant and animal] kingdoms through time.

Fungi, with their texture and color, seem as though they come from outer space. More research on their effects is needed. Margaret Ronsheim’s work in the study of symbiotic relationships, between fungi and plants, is assuredly an on-going one.

Come write for The New Paltz Oracle!

Our next story meeting will be held in SUB 418 on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

By Kaitlyn Day Staff Writer | N02212829@newpaltz.edu

This week, I’ll be showing you how to turn your work and continue row by row (if you haven’t figured this out already). There are many different ways to crochet that show various patterns.

The way I’m going to teach you is the basic way and how I learned when I was first taught.

Step 1: After you are done making your extra chain you are going to turn your work so it is to the left of the hook. Now, look for the first stitch shown in the picture.

Step 2: Insert the hook into the hole and follow the steps from last week to do single crochet.

Step 3: Continue down the row until the end and make your extra chain, then turn and repeat.

Keep in mind that you should count your stitches as you make them to make sure you are maintaining the same number of stitches in each row. If you find this interesting, e-mail me or come to Le Knitty Gritty on Mondays at 4:30 p.m. in the foyer of the library by the chairs.

FEATURES | 3B

The New Paltz Oracle

ENTERTAINMENT GIANTS APPLE & MICROSOFT BATTLE IT OUT FOR YOUR MONEY

Tech Upgrade for a New Decade INDUSTRY GIANTS COMPETE FOR TOP SPOT

By Maxim Alter Copy Editor | Malter42@newpaltz.edu

It is the dawn of a new decade, and already there have been loads of reports and announcements for some of the most exciting gadgets and new technologies ready for release this year. While some aim to revolutionize and change the way we do daily tasks, others plan to compete with some of the top dog gizmos already out.

With an already impressive resume of industry leading products, Apple announced on Jan. 27 their newest endeavor in the portable media market: the iPad. After it’s initial showing by Apple’s Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs, the new apparatus began receiving a lot of negative feedback. One of the biggest criticisms was its resemblance to a larger iPod Touch. Also, having a name similar to a feminine hygiene line didn’t really help much either.

However, after Apple gave critics hands-on access to the new device, they began singing a different tune.

Apparently, this thing packs both beauty and brains. It is described as having a super light body, a crisp screen and some serious horsepower.

With the new and improved Apple operating system, users will be able to surf the Web, view and store thousands of photos, play with

almost limitless applications, watch their favorite movies and read books all with absurd speed. The iPad is set to release sometime in April.

In order to keep up with the Apple buzz, Microsoft has been doing its own creating behind closed doors.

With a few announcements and a handful of YouTube videos showing off what it can do, the new Microsoft Courier is set for release sometime this year as well.

Currently in its final stage of development, the Courier is shaped like a booklet rather than a tablet. At the moment, it is rumored to release with a dual seven-inch display with multi-touch support, giving users the ability to turn digital pages and write using their fingers or a stylus pen.

You would think the days of the stylus pen would be over, but it looks like Microsoft is bringing it back, not as a requirement but as an option.

Microsoft is also trying to steal Apple’s mobile smart phone market with its new Windows Phone Seven

Series. According to Microsoft representatives, the new all-in-one mobile device is all about the users. There is a portion of the main interface dedicated to social networks like Facebook or Twitter as well as a photo feature that pulls pictures directly out of your computer wirelessly. On top of that, there is a fast visual e-mail service requiring only a touch of the screen and an entire section dedicated to Microsoft’s online gaming comm u n i t y, X b o x Live.

In order to counter Apple’s iTunes service, Microsoft is continuing its effort to improve the Zune music store, which can be accessed right from the phone itself. This seems all well and good, but with Apple’s massive and constantly growing application store and slick iPhone due for another update soon, can they really compete? Time will only tell when the device releases sometime in the near future.

The biggest thing to look forward to this year, however, is the release of 3D televisions. In the last few months, especially since the mega blockbuster success

Thursday, February 25, 2010

of the film “Avatar,” 3D has become more than just a gimmick. As the ever-evolving technology has become more popular, many companies have caught onto the idea that 3D doesn’t just have come from the movie theaters or those crummy red and blue glasses at the bottom of your cereal box.

With big name channels like Discovery and ESPN already confirming an update to 3D broadcasting and the announcement of 3D high definition DVD players on the way, it’s only time before everything we watch is popping out of the screen. With its big release set for this summer, there is only one problem hindering the success of this new gadget: its cost. Obviously the new technology is going to be expensive, especially since it is rumored that additional 3D glasses will be sold separately at about $75 a pop. On the other hand, Bluray had a very similar slow start up, with each player costing up to $1,000. However, soon after its release, Bluray received support from the porn and game industry, which gave the high definition alternative skyrocketing results. So I guess we’ll be seeing some 3D porn and video games in the near future. No complaints here.

4B | FEATURES

The New Paltz Oracle

SOAPBOX:

Monday, Feb. 15 was President’s Day. In honor of the holiday, we asked leaders in student government which president was their favorite.

“Franklin D. Roosevelt, because he was successful in getting effective progressive legislation through Congress. The New Deal saved us from the depths of a horrible depression. Programs like WPA and Social Security were effective and made possible by strong leadership channeled from the executive. Resolve, initiative, ability to delegate [makes a good leader.]”

Eli Conrad-Hampton Student Senator

Jonathan Freifeld Student Senator

“I have no favorite president. The president’s office is just the highest seat in a “good ol’ boys club” that value whiteness, maleness, war, capitalism, and ignorance. I don’t feel that any United States president ever did a halfway descent job of representing the people. If I had it my way, the U.S. of A never would have happened to begin with. May God have mercy on the rulers and citizens of our violent empire.”

“My favorite president is Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was able to turn around the worst economic depression in our history and created some great programs out of it such as social security. I think a good leader needs to be a strong advocate for others, be able to motivate and be able to tackle any issues that arise.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FACEBOOK.COM AND JUSTIN MCCARTHY

Think you know the men who shaped our nation? Then test your knowledge with this Presidential Trivia Quiz!

1. Which president was robbed of his clothing while skinnydipping in the Potomac River?

2. Which president’s funeral bill remains unpaid to this day?

3. Which president shared the same initials with his wife and each of his children?

4. Which president appeared on the cover of Cosmo and in a photo spread for Look magazine?

5. Which president stated that trees cause 80% of the world’s pollution?

6. Which president’s wife scheduled his event times and dates around her strict beliefs in astrology?

7. Which president voted for himself upon his first time voting in a presidential election?

Thursday, February 25, 2010

FACTS COURTESY OF “OVAL OFFICE ODDITIES”

“I’d say Woodrow Wilson. The National Park Service is super important to the preservation of habitats in this country.

Besides that, he did a decent job like every other president after him. What makes a good leader is someone who can make hard decisions without being wavered by outside pressures and stands firm in their principles. However, this steadfastness cannot interfere with one’s ability to listen to others and come up with a well calculated logical decision that serves for the greater good of all he or she leads.”

Abe Uchitelle Student Association Executive Vice President

1. John Quincy Adams 2. James Garfield 3. Lyndon B. Johnson 4. Gerald Ford 5. Ronald Reagan 6. Ronald Reagan 7. Zachary Taylor

Hana Akimoto Council of Organizations Chair

5B | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The New Paltz Oracle

Cupid Misses With ‘Valentine’s Day’ STAR-STUDDED HOLLYWOOD FLICK FAILS TO DELIVER

By Ryan Patrick Hanrahan Contributing Writer | N01941313@newpaltz.edu Directed by Garry Marshall, the creator of the show “Happy Days” and films like “Pretty Woman” and “The Princess Diaries,” one would think that “Valentine’s Day,” an ensemble romantic comedy starring celebrities such as Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, Julia Roberts, Talyor Swift and more, would be in good hands. However, you would be terribly mistaken.

Messy and trite, “Valentine’s Day” flies awkwardly on the wings of it’s star power alone. The cast is so obnoxiously packed with big (yet meagerly talented) names that there’s literally an A-lister for everyone.

The movie is a series of interconnected stories of people trying to celebrate, enjoy, or just survive Valentine’s day; however, these stories are often awkwardly connected to one another and without any real depth, making relating to any character at all a challenge to say the least.

The staples of every other similar movie are there as well. You have the awkward virgins-in-love, the best friends who are unbeknownst to themselves in love with one another, the cynics who end up in love, the token elderly lovers - really, to go on would be gratuitous. Next, we have the dialogue, which was occasionally funny yet forgettable. It comes across as bizarre and random at times, or more often completely dry. The acting was passable at it’s best, which due to the amount of screen time each actor received, is understandable but still no excuse. It is frightfully clear almost immediately that the actors only signed on to make a quick buck.

The movie was, without a doubt, cliche (although

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB.COM

“Valentine’s Day” may have an all-star cast yet this romantic comedy has no sparks. that comes with the territory when dealing with a romcom) and to explain the story any more than I already have would be like explaining the story of every other similar movie. “Valentine’s Day” is simply a recycled, seemingly thrown together monstrosity that did what it was intended to do no matter how idiotic, sappy and pointless. I do, however, give the movie credit (albeit begrudgingly) for portraying some heartbreak and not making Valentine’s Day out to be perfect. Like the real world, love is no bed of roses.

Although by now I’m beating a dead horse, I feel it needs to be said: Taylor Swift, you are not the only

culprit of bad acting in this movie. As it’s your debut film, I feel it’s necessary to tell you that for the love of God, please stick to making music.

Like the holiday, it so woefully portrays, this mess of a movie is all about one thing: making money. Sadly, I foresee a trend of such mediocrity because making money is just what it’s doing. The average moviegoer will lap this concoction up with relish, but if you happen to be a fellow fan of quality cinema, you will be disappointed. See it if you have absolutely nothing to do, and even then reconsider. I give it 1.5 out of 5 stars, and that’s being generous.

‘Percy Jackson’ Fails to Zap Audiences Away

CHRIS COLOMBUS CHURNS OUT A LACKLUSTER ‘HARRY POTTER’ KNOCK-OFF

By Alec Horowitz Assistant Photo Editor |

n01877795@newpaltz.edu

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” starts out with a charming premise. A kid with ADHD and dyslexia and his handicapped friend go to a school for special needs. That’s often the appeal of the fantasy genre right there.

Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) finds out that he is a god, and his weaknesses actually have some kind of magicial undertone to then. That’s why “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” is so disappointing. It becomes silly and rushed instead of playing with an absolutely wonderful premise. For example, on a field trip, he is taken aside and his teacher turns into a monster and starts to demand that he hand over something called “the lightning rod.”

Next thing he knows, his mother (Catherine Keener) whisks him away to a special camp. Along with his friend, whom he finds out is actually his protector (Brandon T. Jackson), Percy goes on a journey.

Percy then finds out he is half human/half God. He meets Anna Beth (Alexandra Daddrio), the daughter of Athena, and after Percy’s mother is dragged to the underworld. They decide to go on a journey.

Three kids on a magical journey are all thrown together because there’s something special and magical

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB.COM

Colombus’ new film is a disappointment to fantasy fans. about them at a camp for Gods, or a school for wizards.

(Take your pick.) I have nothing against knock offs of “Harry Potter” or “Twilight,” as long as the filmmakers

Thursday, February 25, 2010

or authors are able to give us a nice spin on it. Greek God is a different twist that has potential.

Chris Columbus is a fine director. He directed the first two “Harry Potter” films, “Home Alone,” “Adventures in Babysitting,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Only The Lonely.” He is one of the better directors of family fare, but this isn’t one of his better films. He seems to rush the characters from one premise to another. His skill for quirky little comedy that’s sweet isn’t on display. There’s a good family film in here somewhere, but somehow it gets lost. Though, for the kids, it’s not bad. The adults will probably be bored.

In Rick Riordan’s book, Percy Jackson is 12, and the actor playing him in this film is 18. That being said, the 10 and under crowd should enjoy this film.

Though, it begs the question why not use actual kids?

I’m not going to blame the young actors they do have here because they aren’t really given much to do. Neither is the wonderful Catherine Keener. There’s nothing in here horrible, but it mostly falls flat and doesn’t achieve the magic of “Harry Potter,” of which it is aiming for. Throughout the film, Percy gets accused of being the lightening thief and he keeps telling gods and devils that he isn’t. What this film needed was a little less lightning, and a little more magic.

6B | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Getting

The New Paltz Oracle

By Maxim Alter

Copy Editor | Malter42@newpaltz.edu

Season 6 Episode 5: “Lighthouse” Keeping in the “Lost” tradition, the fifth episode of the final season, titled “Lighthouse,” posed more questions than it answered. I know I sound like a broken record here but come on guys; we’ve got 12 hours left and about five years worth of questions to answer.

Let’s get this show on the road – literally.

Even though I sound like a knowledge-hungry fiend who is out for blood and never satisfied, let me just say, this last chapter in the “Lost” saga was nothing short of amazing. The writers have mastered a formula of giving you bite after bite but never really giving you the whole sandwich. But that’s OK because eating a good sandwich is fun, right? And by not eating the whole thing at once, you save all those calories. So with all these hints and semi-answers, I have faith that this final season will lead to a gratifying climax of epic proportions, with no mayo.

So, let’s get back to business here. In the last installment, the basic plot of the show revolved around Jack and his parallel and regular universe story. In the first 30 seconds we get a look at Jack’s life as if the plane never crashed on the island. He is living alone and is still divorced from his first wife. Everything seems the same, right? Nope. Jack has a son in this other universe. This young man is just like his Pops too, he has trouble communicating with his father and his only desire is to make him proud.

Can anybody say, “Daddy issues?”

In this flash-sideways, Jack looks into

his bathroom mirror and sees a scar on his lower right abdomen. Confused, he calls his mother to ask when he had his appendix removed. Back in season four, Juliet had to remove Jack’s appendix on the island. That means Jack is having some déjà vu of his opposite reality.

Could there be a link here? Dear God, I hope so. If these two parallel universes manage to be more connected then we think, the payoff will be truly incredible.

Back on the island, Hurley is visited by the dead Jacob and given a mission to bring Jack to a lighthouse located somewhere on the island. The only way for Hurley to convince Jack to join him is a phrase given to him by Jacob: “You have what it takes.” Hearing this, Jack becomes angry and inquisitive as to how Hurley knows this quote from his past and decides to go along. After taking a secret passage out of the temple, the two make their way towards the mysterious lighthouse.

On the way, they run into Kate, who is still on her own quest to find Claire.

After a few hugs and goodbyes, they head in separate directions. While all this is going on, our good friend Jin has actually managed to find the islandweary Claire. He is even having his wounds treated by her in a sweet jungle hideout. Tied up next to Jin however, is a temple “other,” that Claire believes is responsible for the disappearance of her child, Aaron. She tells Jin that her father is the one who informed her of this. As we all know, her father has been dead for a long time. Yet, throughout the series, he has shown up as a ghost-like figure, hypnotizing and stalking some of the survivors. She also reveals to Jin that she isn’t alone, but is accompanied

by a “friend.” When Jin informs her that Kate actually took Aaron, she responds by threatening to kill Kate if she ever finds her and then puts an axe directly in the temple man’s stomach. I look forward to that exciting reunion.

When Hurley and Jack find the lighthouse and arrive at its top, the real meat of the episode starts to unfold. Hurley instructs Jack to turn the lighthouses dial to 108 degrees. Each degree on the dial coincides with a name, exactly like the numbers inside the cave from the previous episode. The numbers that aren’t checked off match the names of our survivors. This is when Jack realizes he is written next to number 23. Ignoring Hurley, he turns the dial to his name and sees within the mirror his old childhood home. It seems that Jacob has been watching him his whole life. Angry by his lack of answers, Jack smashes the mirror into bits and exits. Jacob then appears once again to Hurley and thanks him. This is exactly what Jacob wanted.

Now Jack understands how important he is. He has a destiny and is meant to do something of dire significance. What that is, neither him nor we know yet.

Back at Claire’s hideout, Jin, in an attempt to help Kate, tries to convince her that he was lying and that the temple people really did take her son. Whether she believes him or not is up in the air, but it looks like Kate might be in for a serious showdown. This was the point in the episode where there were only minutes remaining and I, like many other “Lost” fans, was waiting for that usual cliff-hanger ending. When that edgy trumpet music started to kick in, I knew I was going to be in for a treat. With an eerie grin on his face, Faux-Locke en-

Thursday, February 25, 2010

tered the tent. It looks like Claire wasn’t lying about having a friend with her on the island. I guess he’s the one that’s been looking after her for the past three years.

As that bass thud and black screen with the “Lost” logo hit my television set, I was left in a serious daze. Who is number 108? That’s who Jacob wanted Hurley to turn the lighthouse mirrors to, before Jack decided to destroy them.

What is this diabolical man in black’s goal? For that matter, what’s his name?

Why was Jacob watching all of our characters throughout their lives from the lighthouse? What is Jack meant to do that’s so important? I guess I’ll just have to tune in next week.

What the Lighthouse Wheel Reveals: - Rousseau is crossed out at number 20.

- (Kate) Austen is at number 51. Austen is not crossed out and was not shown in the scene in the cave in “The Substitute.”

- (Juliet) Burke is crossed out at number 58.

- (Daniel) Faraday is crossed out at number 101.

- (Charlotte) Lewis is crossed out at number 104, which is different from The Substitute where she has number 140.

- Wallace is crossed out at number 108. (108 is also the sum of The Numbers.)

- (Tom) Friendly is crossed out at number 109.

- (Benjamin) Linus is crossed out at number 117.

- (Michael) Dawson is crossed out at number 124.

- (Claire) Littleton is crossed out at number 313.

Information derived from TV.COM/LOST

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT |7B

The New Paltz Oracle

Picture Perfect Photojournalism PULITIZER PRIZE WINNER ON DISPLAY AT SDMA

By Sunya Bhutta Copy Editor | Sunya.bhutta94@newpaltz.edu

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but Renee C. Byer’s photography exhibition “A Mother’s Journey” left me sentimentally speechless. The archival pigment prints intimately portray single mother Cyndie French’s emotional and financial struggle through her 10-year-old son Derek’s battle with neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer.

Byer is the 2007 Pulitzer Prize winner for Feature Photography for her exhibition “A Mother’s Journey,” which is on display at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art at SUNY New Paltz.

“When well done photojournalism is a powerful tool because it connects people to the reality of life and can bring understanding and awareness to

important issues,” she said.

It is impossible not to become involved in the story of Cyndie French and her son. The pictures perfectly and appropriately capture the heartbreaking moments of their tragic journey. The photo where Derek is being carried through the hospital hallway in his determined mother’s arms show her devotion and strength.

When you follow the photographs and read the caption you instantly become empathetic. It’s art, but its reality.

You see Derek with tubes attached to his body and a tumor in his stomach.

However, you also see him teasing his mother and playing with his brother. He is fragile and weak from his condition but his bravery shines throughout the display.

Making Music History

Byer captures some intense moments. There is a photo where French is devastated that her son has not awoken and she is hunched beside his bed, fingers intertwined with his, as the hands of friends and family caress her back.

There is also a serious moment where Derek is angry at her and is screaming Karen Elson, Jack White’s wife, has her in her face. debut solo album, The Ghost Who Walks, The photos displayed the good times which was produced by Jack and is due out as well. An emotional kiss between this summer. mother and son, a moment of them laughing as she lets him drive in her lap.

However, the true beauty of this exhibit can only be experienced when seen in person.

On March 6, Vampire Weekend will make Byer’s exhibition will be on display their second appearance on “Saturday until April 11. She also will be visiting Night Live.” The host will be Zach the campus in April as the ninth James Galifianakis, who’s making his “SNL” H. Ottaway Sr. Professor of Journalism. debut.

::

:: A Madison, Wisconsin city council member has drawn up a resolution to make the members of Wilco honorary citizens of the city.

:: Hear to Help is a new charity compilation put together by American Eagle Outfitters and Filter that features rarities, covers, and remixes with bands such as of Montreal, Air, Keane, Noah and the Whale and Snow Patrol. All proceeds will go to Oxfam America.

:: As is the style for Damon Albarn’s genrebending, cartoon collective Gorillaz, their upcoming album, Plastic Beach, is being promoted with loads of digital goodies.

The band posted a link to an online video game based on the album -- and it’s worth checking out.

:: After a fan outcry, EMI has released a statement claiming that the Abbey Road studio isn’t being sold, but that the label is looking for “financial help to save it.”

All information derived from Rollingstone. com, Pitchfork.com and Spin.com.

PHOTOS BY RENEE C. BYER

Renee C. Byer’s photography exhibition, “A Mother’s Journey,” depicts the struggle between a mother and her son’s battle with cancer.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

8B | THE DEEP END

The New Paltz Oracle

This Week in the Deep End:

Patrick Paine

NAME: Patrick Paine ART: Ceramic sculpture and design YEAR: First-year graduate student MAJOR: MFA Ceramics INSPIRATION: Modular systems, life cycles, sustainability and new technology FAVORITE ARTIST: Martin Puryear DREAM: To teach and follow where art takes him

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PATRICK PAINE, CAPTION BY FELICE BERNABO

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Pg 8New Paltz Oracle The

EDITORIAL

The New Paltz Oracle Pg 9

DESERVING PEACE WHERE YOU PEE

All students on a college campus are entitled to equal rights, and should feel comfortable wherever they go…even somewhere as small as the bathroom. As a means of ensuring this, Student Association Executive Vice President Abe Uchitelle, along with various members of Student Activities and Facilities Management, have been pushing for the establishment of gender-neutral bathrooms. As the lack of gender-neutral bathrooms is indeed an issue and cause of unrest for some of our fellow students, we see this as a significant and understandable project.

The idea is not to create a campus of solely unisex bathrooms; the proposed plan will take only the existing single stall bathrooms and reassign them as gender neutral, rather than exclusively male or female. With this being done, no one loses. Absolutely anyone – not strictly transgendered students – will be able to use these facilities, and the discomfort of those who are transgendered will be eliminated. The proposal is also problem-free in the budget department since nothing is being changed other than the signs. Once again, this only affects already existing single-stall bathrooms. Although hopes are for new bathrooms to be constructed in the long run, the initial project is simply one of reassignment.

This may be a seemingly trivial matter to some, but these organizations would not be taking the pains of establishing these facilities if that were the case. The idea has been advocated for by the Gender Awareness Movement Enacted by Students (GAMES) as well. This is hardly a mere privilege for these students, but rather a step in the right direction to ensure that they too are allowed feelings of safety and comfort in the restroom. It’s unreasonable to force an individual into a most private place when it’s inhabited by members of the sex they feel they’ve been wrongly born into. This requires little work for a great impact, regardless of how few it’s received by, so there is no reason we, as both a campus and community, should not support it.

If all goes well, the project will be put into effect in residence halls first. Let us reiterate: this still only pertains to single-stall bathrooms. Your corridor bathrooms will not be invaded by the opposite sex; you’re free to use these facilities as you have been, since they will remain unaffected. If you never had a problem, there will still be no reason to.

CARTOON BY JON AIELLO

The point is to create a safe haven for those who do. This is an action to ease discomfort, not create it. GAMES members, SA members and members of Facilities Management are still working on speaking to faculty in order for the movement to make its way to academic buildings. Considering that three unisex bathrooms already exist in the Jacobson Faculty Tower, this should not be a problem.

We like to consider ourselves a pro-

gressive campus in a progressive town, and equality is something that should be unanimously supported. Single-stall gender-neutral bathrooms invite anyone to enter and do what they must in a stress-free environment.

We, as an E-board, appreciate the efforts of all involved with the project and support them in any future endeavors for creating comfort and equality amongst the student body. Unless you hate humanity and equal

rights, there is really no reason for you not to as well.

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.

Letters to the editor can be submitted to oracle@newpaltz.edu or via mail to SUB 417 by 5 p.m on Sundays.

We ask that letters are no more than 250 words, for spacial limitation issues.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Pg 10

OPINIONS

The New Paltz Oracle

COLUMNS Akinator: Rise of the Machine Maxim Alter Copy Editor Malter42@newpaltz.edu

During some of the precious leisure time I managed to enjoy last week, I happened upon (not to be confused with stumbled upon, which is a whole other bag of tricks) one of the most devilish and mind boggling Web sites ever.

Akinator.com, also known as “Akinator, the Web Genius” was, for some time, the only thing on my computer screen since I had first laid eyes upon it.

For those of you not in the elite Akinator enthusiasts club, you probably don’t understand how something could be so addictive, which is why I recommend you check it out yourself. When you do

decide to take the plunge, you may be greeted by a few pop-ups and advertisements, but don’t let that deter you. Hit play and get ready to soil yourself.

The object of the game is for Akinator the genie to guess who you are thinking of in 20 (yes or no) questions or less, whether they are a real person or a fake character from your favorite television show, movie, comic book, novel, video game, etc. For example, the first thing I thought of was Sassy from “Homeward Bound.” The second thing I came up with was Gerard Depardieu.

Yes, Akinator guessed them both.

When that adorable smart-mouthed cat from one of my favorite childhood movies appeared on the screen in only 11 questions, I was left speechless for a good 45 minutes. How could it possibly know that I was thinking of her? The questions it asked me were so random and un-related to the character, and yet, it just knew.

As crazy as it sounds, I was afraid to speak the name of my character out loud, as though it might hear me. I started to get the feeling that I was being watched so I shut my curtains and kept the guessing game flowing. That’s when

my obsession started.

Before I continue, let me just say that if Akinator were real, I would beat him up. I mean seriously, look at the guy. He is a total cocky jerk. He just stares at you with this stupid grin on his face and his arms folded as if he knows he’s about to blow your mind. I’m not even a tough guy. In fact, I’m pretty wimpy and have never actually been in a fight. But if that pompous genie were real, oh boy, I’d let him have it.

As if my obvious need for an Akinator intervention wasn’t enough to handle, the next day some of the people I work with began playing it. All around The New Paltz Oracle office, as long as our editor-in-chief wasn’t looking, that mysterious blue and purple screen started popping up.

In an effort to get away from the site, I have currently attempted to stop using my computer for things other than work – oh and Facebook of course.

Still, no matter what I do, there’s no getting away from it. That’s right, there’s an app for that. There is now an Akinator application on my iPhone.

Sure the game is everywhere, addicting and has a genie that can easily

get on your nerves, but there are more important things to be worried about. A few days ago, our News Editor James decided to play. This time, however, he wasn’t thinking of any ordinary character; he was thinking of the Akinator genie himself. With a handful of random questions and a diabolical grin, it guessed correctly. The program became self-aware. Now, if you are one of the billions of people who have seen the “Terminator” series, then you know exactly what I’m getting at. In the words of the great Chuckie Finster from “The Rugrats,” “we’re doomed, doomed I tell ya!” Oh, and by the way, it guessed Chuckie too.

Maxim is a third-year journalism major.

He is a giant movie, music and television buff and spends most of his time nerding out on any of those three things or sleeping. He enjoys writing, laughing and being creative. His ultimate goal in life was to have his own magazine and name it after himself. Unfortunately, he was beaten to it. Instead, his new life goal is to go to outer space and open a movie theater. Take that, MAXIM Magazine.

A Media World Without a Prayer

Julie Mansmann Managing Editor Jmansmann60@newpaltz.edu The Dalai Lama is a mythical sort of figure that most Americans know very little about. Maybe we know that he chit chatted with Barry O last month. Perhaps we might have heard that he is concerned with some stuff about human rights in Tibet back when the Olympics were in Beijing, China. Hopefully, we all know that he and the Buddha are not one entity, nor does this man (with

a real name and everything) have anything to do with a llama. In any case, thanks to the hard-hitting reporting of the Associated Press, we all know one thing about the spiritual leader: how he feels about Tiger Woods and his sex scandal.

According to the AP, the Dalai Lama “agreed with Woods in that he should rely on his faith to help repair his marriage” after the press got wind of his sexscapades. But I want to know: what advice can you give me, Dalai Lama? What words of wisdom do you have to offer to us journalism junkies crazy enough to still want to do things like, I don’t know, churn out this newspaper and/ or other publications week after week? How about the disgruntled Howard Goods of the world, those professors and former professionals left shaking their heads and spitting out expletives while trying to teach about the future of the media? If anyone needs a little restoration of faith right now, it’s us.

Critics, have at me: I know I shouldn’t even be giving anything relating to the Ti-

ger Woods situation ink. How dare you type the name that I am so sick of seeing in my headlines, managing editor?! But when one of the more revered leaders of the world is talking about the latest he-who-should-notbe-named, – a man with bigger political and spiritual fish to fry, – I couldn’t help myself.

I guess writing is a better alternative than potentially breaking a computer while smacking my head against the screen. Sometimes I wonder what’s more worth it, though.

That’s the scary part of all of this. When mildly violent tendencies or a general sense of apathy begin to seem more attractive than a career choice, something’s wrong. This was the AP, the almighty of the journalism world (sorry Pierce, it’s not you yet); if they have stooped to reporting this kind of low brow “news,” than have media standards hit rock bottom? Or are we spiraling downward in a bottomless descent to…what, exactly?

God only knows. Or maybe the Dalai Lama does. I certainly don’t.

Yet, I am still here. In a newspaper of-

fice. Taking journalism classes. Eventually crying when I can’t find a job in the media industry that I am so critical of. One of the most intelligent friends I have asked me point blank why I wanted to do this last week, in spite of it all. I could go on for a long time as I have in discussions with members of this E-board, but here is the short end of it: if something is broken, try to fix it instead of shrugging your shoulders and turning the other way. Ridiculous, self righteous, naïve? Yeah. I could just pray; it’s what the Dalai Lama would tell me to do.

Julie is kind of a second-year, sort of a third-year journalism major. This is her fourth semester on The New Paltz Oracle.

She survived being both news copy editor and news editor. She is enjoying her role as the E-board secretary this semester, though she really just wants to write about the Yankees, now and forever.

Come write for The New Paltz Oracle! Our next story meeting will be held on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in SUB 418 Thursday, February 25, 2010

OPINIONS

The New Paltz Oracle

Pg 11

OP-EDS

Observations from the Neumaier Era

By Henry Cavanagh No history of New Paltz in the 1960s can be written without acknowledging president John Neumaier: a liberal’s dream. There have been many presidents in my time of observation.

Only two might have “era’’ attached to their names. The first would be WM.J Haggarty (1944-1966), who presided over New Paltz’s first gigantic building program leaving his mark both figuratively and literally. The philosophy of tolerance and humanistic values that are so present today on campus had to begin somewhere, although now they are everywhere. On the New Paltz campus, John Neumaier could be named as the accidental midwife.

As history goes, we are all simply at a certain place at a certain time, and work with it or are worked-over by it.

As potential revolutions roiled campuses around the country, and the nation, for that matter, somehow “got it” like previous administrations had not. He was hated by a large and obstinate reactionary faction of the faculty who had lived complacently for years without change in a SUNY backwater; and yet he rarely got any thing but grief from the “revolutionary” students he was accused of pandering to.

At closed faculty senate meetings (which students crashed), he was reviled to the point of rude obscenity by both extremes, faculty right and student left.

Dear Editor,

At first the only allies he seemed to have were the new hires that came in with him.

In Albany, there were powerful forces at work plotting to sacrifice him, and/or to let him try innovative ways to deal with the unique challenges of the day. A college president in 1968 might very well find himself in the middle of a campus crisis sparked by events a world away, or the ethnicity of cafeteria food.

A great many of the changes ascribed to Neumaier, or even to campus radicals and visionaries with inevitable relics falling of their own weight. Many a hard-fought change was found impractical or fell by the wayside when fashion changed, or support dwindled. But many freedoms that today’s students enjoy without a thought were fought for and won in the 60s, and that claim needs to be re-asserted now and then. Campus changes seemed to accelerate as the sixties ended, not due only to activism, but due to different expectations brought to campus by incoming freshmen. Things were less like high school – but hey, high school was less like high school! The new administration reevaluated it’s role as hormone police back to that of educators.

In short, it seemed the 11 p.m. curfew for females was ending. Fraternities and sororities, which were drifting out of fashion anyway, were gradually dissolved. The concept of “graduating class’ was in disarray, so the Paltzoninan yearbook became obsolete. Without admin-

LETTERS

After reading an article in the Feb. 11 issue of The New Paltz Oracle entitles “Late Night WFNP Canceled,” I’d like to address some things that weren’t explained in the article.

First, late night WFNP programmin is not getting canceled: it is simply being reformatted. Many professional radio stations automate their shows WFNP is just following suit. A benefit of the change is that students are no longer required to stay up until 5 a.m. doing a live show.

With this new automation system, DJs can voice a track show, automatically eliminating any errors a DJ can make during a live show, making our programming stronger than ever. Another perk is that we are no playing more urban and Spanish music. Genres that were once underrepresented is now about half of our overall programming.

Lastly, our entire E-board is working very hard at making the switch to automation as smooth as possible. We have two programming directors who have spent hours on scheduling shows.

Similarly, we do have a station manager to represent and back the changes made.

None of these directors were ever approached about this particular article.

I hope that when an article gets written about our station, the station manager, at the very least, would be contacted. Although we might not always be around, our office hours are posted right next to the door of our main office and for many of us, our e-mail addresses are printed there as well.

Sincerely, Melissa Hernan Station Manager WFNP mhernan03@gmail.com

istration support, the Student Court, full of abuses and favoritism, went into decline and was soon forgotten. The dorm directors, kindly, tipsy old witches, were traded for paid resident assistants with appropriate career goals. The population of toadies, snitches and snoops who pandered to the old directors for brownie points, and filled the student court with candidates for social probation, went extinct. Social probation itself, which could get you thrown out of school for a chronically messy room, or being drunk, became passe.

There were more cars allowed on campus; the cafeteria dress code was abolished, the administration no longer chose campus movies and other entertainment, posters, fliers, announcements and such could be displayed without prior approval. The New Paltz Oracle and The Idiom, the student poetry annual, were no longer censored before publication. These and many more petty controls and penalties that had nothing to do with academics just simply went away.

President Neumaier was associated with these changes, and the new student government leadership took credit, but so much of this was outdated and inevitably had to go.

Neumaier may not have initiated the changes, but he let them occur organically. Nevertheless, he became a target for reactionary forces on campus, in town, and in Albany; he was identified with radical change by the students, for whom

he was a hero for a while. (Dr. Neumaier still writes a column on world affairs in the Kingston Freeman once a month).

The student activists, and the right-wing faculty were soon to squeeze the “soft” Neumaier in a campus dynamic that was to compromise careers and continue to distort the education process for some.

You would think the administration would have nothing left to do, with the elimination of so much supervision (most of these areas had been covered

by Dean Austen), but in fact Neumaier hired or promoted quite a few additional youthful pro-active deans for various areas... housing, activities, curriculum, etc. whom students could go to to get issues addressed before they became problems. (Dean of Students Bill Sample had been the college roommate of Bill Grahm, who owned the Fillmore Auditorium, birth place of acid rock). Later, students would actually be hired as assistant deans! This worked very well during cold weather, when no one wanted to march.

Neumaier was very publicly antiwar, and we felt a unique kinship with him. Never the less, the campus was still our battlefield when it came to protesting it. 1968 would be no different. In additional to the national rallies, which had become routine with regular bus trips to Washington, D.C., New York and other hot spots, campus politics took some new twists as well.

Want to submit a letter or an op-ed? E-mail your submissions to us at oracle@newpaltz.edu !

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Pg 12

OPINIONS

The New Paltz Oracle

CARTOONS

Jon Aiello Cartoonist N01717845@newpaltz.edu Jon Aiello is an aspiring supersenior in the Asian Studies program at SUNY New Paltz.

His super-abilities include an uncanny memory for movie lines and a penchant for dirty jokes, neither of which have done

much to help his scholastic career.

Aiello enjoys cynicism, long scarves, 50s pinup girls and flan.

Jon dreams of one day breaking the glass ceiling faced by white males in the hibachi fry cook industry.

Do you have cartoons that you want to see printed in The New Paltz Oracle?

Send them to us at oracle@newpaltz.edu!

Sudoku courtesy of Spen Sky Sudoku Generator

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Pg 13

SPORTS

The New Paltz Oracle

Hawks Players of the Week For the Week Ending Feb. 28

Second-year middle hitter Kevin Stross helped lead the Hawks to victory over No. 11 Stevens on Wednesday night to improve to 3-0 in the NECVA Metro.

He finished with 16 kills and a .419 hitting percentage, including three blocks. In the Endicott Tournament, he finished with 34 kills and 10 blocks in four games and had a hitting percentage of .733 and .500 in the games against D’Youville and No. 7 Rivier.

Fourth-year point guard Nicole Sarcone led the Hawks with game-highs of 13 points and eight assists in the win over Oneonta on Friday night. She also had four steals and one turnover.

In the Oswego game, she finished with a game-high eight assists again and had eight points with three steals Tuesday night. She moves into fifth all-time in her New Paltz career with 214 steals.

Wellness and Recreation Events and Activities Outdoor Pursuit Trips

Group Fitness Schedule

Rock Climbing: Saturday, April 10 - Top Rope Saturday, April 24 - Multi Pitch Horseback Riding: Saturday, April 17 Paintball: Sunday, April 18 Register for trips in room 220 in the Athletic and Wellness Center. Registration deadline is the Monday before each trip.

Monday

National Eating Disorder Awareness Week Film Showing In order to promote NED Awareness there will be a showing of “America the Beautiful,” a multiple award winning documentary on America’s unhealthy obsession and definition of beauty, on Thursday, Feb. 25 in Lecture Ceneter 100 at 8 p.m. Free tickets can be picked up at the informtation desk on the second floor of the Student Union.

Tuesday

12 p.m.

Cycling with Corinna 3:30 p.m.

Absolute Abs with Bianca 6:30 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101 7:15 p.m.

Dance Groove with Elisa 7:30 p.m.

Cycling with Lauren N. 8:30 p.m.

Belly Dance with Amy 4:30 p.m.

BOSU Strength with

Corinna 5:30 p.m.

Zumba with Jen 6:00 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101 7 p.m.

Jujitsu with Lauren, Room 101 7:30 p.m.

Willpower & Grace with Saara, Cycling with Starr 8:30 p.m.

Hip Hop Cardio with Danit Wednesday 7 a.m.

Cycling with Corinna 5 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101, Boot Camp with Bianca 6 p.m.

Cycle Strength with Lauren Z. Belly Dance with Amy 7 p.m.

Cycling with Stephanie Thursday 12 p.m.

Cycling with Corinna 5 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101, Zumba with Corinna 5:30 p.m.

Cycling with Starr 7 p.m.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Friday

Willpower and Grace with Saara 7:30 p.m.

Cycling with Jessica 8 p.m.

Hip Hop Cardio with Danit 2 p.m.

Dance Groove with Elisa 3 p.m.

Willpower and Grace with Shelbie 3:30 p.m.

Cycling with Starr 4 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101 4 p.m.

Boot Camp with Bianca

Fitness Tip- False Hope Sixty-five percent of diet pill users think they will shed pounds, but do not know that most of the drugs are not government regulated, a study from the University of Connecticut in Storrs notes.

Pg 14

SPORTS

The New Paltz Oracle

Meet the Mess: Bringing in Barajas

Andrew Wyrich Copy Editor Andrew.wyrich63@newpaltz.edu Earlier this week, the Mets signed free-agent catcher Rod Barajas to a oneyear contract and seemingly said goodbye to last year’s starter, Omir Santos.

Finally, the Mets front office was able to make a move that I agree with!

Omir Santos was one of the very few good things that happened to the Mets last year. Santos had been a minor leaguer for much of his career, but was given a chance by the Mets last year when injuries to both of their opening day catchers (Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro) opened up a spot on the roster. Santos

stepped in and performed admirably by hitting seven home runs and knocking in 40 runs. His high point of the season was the walk-off home run hit off of Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon,which gave the Mets (and their fans) a little bit of hope in an otherwise dismal season.

However, Santos was not the answer for 2010. If the Mets were serious about “believing in comebacks,” as their new slogan boasts, Omir Santos could not be their opening day backstop. Over the course of last season many pitchers complained about Santos’ game calling ability, and with a rotation full of head cases such as Oliver Perez, game calling could not be an issue heading into this year.

Over the course of the off-season the Mets had been courting the premier catcher in the free-agent market, Bengie Molina. While Molina has had an extremely solid career, and is one of the games best defensive catchers, he was an aging catcher with diminishing skills, so of course the Mets were interested. The Mets, rightfully, were not willing to give Molina a multi-year contract due to his age, and Molina reportedly wanted a three year contract. Molina and the Mets

were “close” to a deal many times, but in the end Molina chose to stay in San Francisco and signed a one year $4.5 million dollar deal with the Giants.

While the Mets could have used Molina’s offense in their currently anemic lineup, I was happy the Mets stuck to their guns and did not bend and sign Molina to a contract they were sure to regret.

Losing Molina meant the Mets were running out of options, and until recently, Mets fans were grudgingly beginning to accept that Santos was going to be counted on to be the No. 1 catcher for the Mets. However, on Feb. 20 the Mets signed Rod Barajas to a one-year deal, and in doing so Barajas will usurp Santos’ title of starting catcher. I’m hoping now that is expendable, he will be dealt for a pitcher top help out in the bullpen.

Last year, Barajas hit 19 home runs and knocked in 71 runs in 125 games for the Toronto Blue Jays, but had a lowly .226 batting average. However, Barajas is known for his ability to call a strong game and work with young pitchers. Between Barajas and Blanco, the Mets will have two catchers who will be able to help our possibly excellent pitchers reach

Dance Your Belly Off

By Michelle Feliciano Contributing Writer | Mfeliciano60@newpaltz.edu

Precise movements. Undulations. Shimmies. Figure Eights. These are all characteristics of belly dancing. Belly dancing may look difficult when Shakira or Britney Spears use it in their music videos, but luckily we have a class here at the Athletic and Wellness Center that breaks down this type of dance for students.

Instructor Amy Diener, a first-year student, introduced herself to everyone at the beginning of the class and began a warm-up session. This session incorporated stretching of the lower back and the legs and prepped you for the actual dancing that was to come.

Diener made sure to explain every single dance step thoroughly so you could understand its technique before doing it. Angela Belanich, a third-year student, enjoyed her first time at this class and didn’t feel lost. “She was very helpful,” Belanich said. “This class really inspired me to get into dancing again.”

Diener also asked if anyone had questions and tried to make sure that she wasn’t going too fast. She allowed the students to work on each step slowly, along with her, before she put the music on. After everyone had the hang of it, Diener combined each step and formed one dance. By the time the hour was up, you learned a new dance. Maybe after this you will be able to dance along with Shakira and Britney the next time you watch their music videos!

Diener is an art education major and has been belly dancing since she was 13 years old; however, this is the first time she has taught it.

“This is another form of art and what I love about it is that I am teaching and the students are getting it!” said Diener.

The belly dancing class teaches you that there is more to this type of dance than just moving your hips from left to right. Diener tried to teach the students the techniques and rhythms of this style of dance. “This dance is about isolating your body and keeping one part of it still. It really uses your whole body,” said Diener.

This class has been quite successful since it started, with over 40 participants at each session.

“Sometimes I have to turn people away because the class is too full,” said Diener.

One participant, third-year student Veronica Vasquez said, “This class is really fun!

I really like how she breaks it down for us.”

Her only concern was the music, of which she said, “There could be more variety.”

Vasquez has attended the class three times already and plans on continuing. “Belly dancing is great!” she said. “They should have offered it sooner and it would be great if there were a performance at the end of the year.”

The class is open to SUNY New Paltz students free of charge Monday nights at 8:30 p.m. and Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

their potential (I hope) and we could have one of the games best defensive tandems behind the plate. I believe that Barajas is a perfect fit for this current Mets team and at the very least could provide a bit of pop in the bottom of the order.

The Mets were also wise to sign Barajas for one year while their top catching prospect Josh Thole can work in the minors and develop better. Last year, Thole impressed many fans with his ability to get on base, however his game calling skills needed a bit more work. If he has a full season in AAA, Thole could be ready for 2011 and give the Mets someone to be excited about. The Barajas signing will basically act as bridge to Thole and the future Mets catching situation.

Look out for next week’s issue when Andrew offers his take on the possible 2010 lineup!

Pg 15

SPORTS

The New Paltz Oracle

Imbriani Aims for Olympics

By Pete Thompson Sports Editor | Pthompson51@newpaltz.edu

With a recent change of heart, National Snowboard Champion and third-year student Nicole Imbriani has decided to keep her dream going and follow the esteemed career she’s been in the process of building for herself. After having competed in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association National Championships at Copper Mountain, Colo. four times, – placing first in the 18-22-year-old division of boardercross most recently, – Imbriani has decided she will continue to compete.

Boardercross, formally known as Snowboard Cross, has typically four snowboarders racing down a narrow, inclined course, often including sharp curves, gap jumps and drops, with physical contact being fair game. The event has been a part of the Winter X Games since its start in 1997, but was only added to the Olympics in 2006. Despite holding a national title in the event not suited for the faint of heart, Imbriani remains surprisingly modest.

“If I’m able to get to the Olympics it’d be a dream come true,” Imbriani said of her future in the snowboard scene, “but I’ll be pretty happy with anything.”

The 21-year-old graphic design major said she never really even had intentions to start competing, but was rather encouraged to six years ago by series director Bob Basil when she happened to be present on the day of a race. This led to the four consecutive runs at nationals, including a silver medal in the giant slalom in ’08 and bronze boardercross in Lake Tahoe in ’07.

In the most recent run, which Imbriani described as “so much fun,” she actually got the chance to compete against a good friend. However, things went slightly awry when an accidental collision occurred. Shouted apologies ensued, her friend still managed to nab third and it all ended in good humor.

“Not only did I win,” Imbriani said, “but I won with a friend.”

Even after she started competing, Imbriani did not see snowboarding as her definite path in life. Although she has kept the slopes on her mind for career choice, she never saw racing as the way to go.

“I actually just made the decision to continue for the next

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE IMBRIANI

Imbriani (pictured on the right), placed first in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association National Championships. four years and see where I can go,” Imbriani said. “I was going to walk away gracefully.”

Starting at Vermont’s Lyndon State College in ’06, Imbriani was majoring in ski resort management, but it was “too much of a desk job,” especially in an office overlooking the many surrounding mountains. It was then time to go back home to Sommerset County in NJ, where she enrolled in Raritan Valley Community College in ’07 for graphic design, intended to use her talent for a snowboard company. Still displeased, however, she found and settled in SUNY New Paltz for the next year, which is away but “close enough to home.”

With her mother and aunt in the fashion design field, Imbriani said, “[Graphic design] just kind of seemed the right way to go.”

Although the decision has already been made and she’s

strayed from this plan, Imbriani isn’t giving up on academics, even though it interferes with her practice schedule. Juggling between classes and competing does indeed get difficult and puts a limit on her ability to race, but working in her second year as a snowboard instructor at Windham Mountain allows Imbriani to ride every weekend.

“It’s been really tough not racing,” she said. “I also can’t help watching the Olympics and wondering if I could be there in four years.”

Imbriani’s already has somewhat of a schedule mapped out, however, for when the Feb. to March race season starts back up again. These future plans include the Revolution Tour, which has four boardercross stops, along with a number of other events.

Hawks Weekly Sports Update

By Andrew Wyrich Copy Editor | Andrew.wyrich63@newpaltz.edu

Men’s Basketball Feb. 23: The Hawks fell to the No. 1 seeded Plattsburgh Cardinals by a score of 78-74, falling short of an upset in the first round of the SUNYAC tournament.

Harris Wichard led the Hawks with 17 points and Shereef Taylor scored 13 points. With the loss, the Hawks finished the season 11-15 record overall.

Feb. 19: The New Paltz Men’s Basketball team fell to the Oneonta Red Dragons 73-63 in front of a enormous crowd in the Hawk Center. The Hawks fall to 11-14 overall and 7-11 in the SUNYAC and after a wait, they found out they will be heading into the SUNYAC tournament. Jayquan Anderson led the Hawks with 21 points and Shereef Taylor chipped in with 14 points.

Women’s Basketball Feb. 23: The Hawks defeated the Potsdam Bears 67-52 Tuesday night in the Hawk Center. The Hawks improve to 17-9 overall and will head to Cortland on Friday to square off against #2 Oneonta at 6 p.m. in the SUNYAC semifinals. The Hawks forced 30 turnovers and had 13 steals as a team. Alexandra McCullough scored a career-high 16 points and grabbed six rebounds and Kaitlin Clifford scored a season-high 11 points.

Feb. 19: The New Paltz Women’s Basketball team defeated Oneonta Red Dragons 56-43 on senior night. The Hawks defense forced an extraordinary 23 turnovers and improved to 16-9 overall and 13-5 in the SUNYAC, by doing so they secured the third overall spot in the SUNYAC Tournament. Nicole Sar-

cone and Alexandra McCullough had 13 points and Sarcone added a game-high of eight assists. Caitlin Irwin finished with 11 points and Maggie Farrell had eight points.

Men’s Volleyball Feb. 21: The 13th seeded New Paltz men’s volleyball team fell to Emmanuel, 3-1 (30-15, 26-30, 20-30, 20-30) on the second day of the Endicott Tournament. The Hawks fall to 10-7 overall.

Daniel Liberto had a team-high 13 kills and Jonathan Van Dyke finished with 12 kills.

Feb. 20: Jake Moore notched 15 kills and Kevin Stross added 11 more as the Hawks defeated D’Youville College, 3-0, in game two of the Endicott Invitational. Later they fell to #7 Rivier in straight sets in their final game of the first day of the Endicott Invitational. The

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Hawks fall to 10-6 overall Feb. 17: The North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) released Player-of-the-Week and Rookieof-the-Week Awards for this week in the Metro Division.

Sophomore middle hitter Kevin Stross earned the Player-of-the-Week honor for his play in the Nazareth Tournament last week in which he racked up 55 kills and a hitting percentage of .598 including eight blocks. Junior middle blocker Jonathan Van Dyke earned Rookie-of-the-Week by compiling 30 kills and eight blocks in the tournament.

As for match news, the Hawks continued their success on the court with a victory over No. 11 Stevens in a NECVA Metro conference game. The Hawks improved to 9-5 overall and 3-0 in the league.

SPORTS THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

SHREDDING THE

SLOPES

Imbriani brings home national championship PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE IMBRIANI

See Story on Page 15

Barajas signing solidifies Mets catching situation for 2010

Column on Page 14

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA.ORG