Volume 88, Issue 11

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

Thursday, December 10, 2015

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Volume 88, Issue XI

MOVING FORWARD Town Board Makes Progress In Water District Plan

STORY ON PAGE 4

CAMPUS MOURNS Authorities Investigating Off-Campus Death of SUNY New Paltz Student

STORY ON PAGE 6 PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

FACEBOOK PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESTY OF FLICKR

WALK-OFF Town Supervisor Zimet Set To Leave Office Next Month - STORY ON PAGE 3 -

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

• Planning For Water District No. 5 Underway ..............Pg 4 • Gov. Cuomo Increases State Funding For AIDS Research ....Pg 6 • SUNY New Paltz Ranks High For Verterns Services ........Pg 5 • Students Protest For A Better Black Studies Dept. ...Pg 7

Kristen Warfield EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Nate Sheidlower

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

MANAGING EDITOR _________________

Melanie Zerah NEWS EDITOR

Karl Evers-Hillstrom FEATURES EDITOR

Russell Hartman

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Melissa Kramer SPORTS EDITOR

_________________

Holly Lipka David Khorassani PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS

Stefanie Diers CARTOONIST

_________________

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

_________________

Jackie Quaranto WEB CHIEF

_________________

Emma Savic

BUSINESS MANAGER _________________

Marisa Losciale

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER _________________

STAFF

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About The New Paltz Oracle

A&E

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

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

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

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

Volume 88 Issue Index NEWS

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

1B-8B

THE DEEP END

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OP-ED

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EDITORIAL

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COLUMNS

10-11

SPORTS

12-15

Amanda Copkov & Kintura Williams

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Sage Higgins, Matthew D’Onofrio, Nick Tantillo, Otto Kratky, Jake Berkowitz, Sarah Eames @NewPaltzOracle

Five-Day Forecast Thursday, December 10

Between Dec. 3 and Dec. 9, there were no reported University Police incidents. Stay safe, SUNY New Paltz – and have a great winter break! See you next year.

Cloudy High: 55 Low: 41

Friday, December 11 Partly Cloudy High: 59 Low: 39

Saturday, December 12 Cloudy High: 58 Low: 47

SUNY New Paltz University Police Department Emergencies: 845-257-2222

Sunday, December 13 Partly Cloudy High: 63 Low: 49

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Monday, December 14 Rain High: 60 Low: 45

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Supervisor Susan Zimet Reflects On Her Service

By Jack O’Brien

Copy Editor | Obrienj2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

There’s been plenty of talk about Susan Zimet the politician, but Susan Zimet never wanted to be a politician. She never wanted to be supervisor for the town of New Paltz. She never even wanted to be an Ulster County legislator.

Instead, she wanted to play for the New York Yankees.

“When I was a little girl, I never dreamed of being the first female town supervisor in New Paltz’s history,” Zimet said. “I dreamed of being the first woman in major league baseball. My father had box seats at Yankee Stadium and I always wanted to have my name called and run out on to the infield to play ball.”

Zimet was not raised in an overly political family growing up. Her grandfather was involved in the New York Democratic scene, but neither of her parents’ expressed any outright political affiliation. It was during her time at SUNY Buffalo that Zimet remembered getting involved in politics, writing against the Vietnam War. During the 1972 campaign, she phone-banked for the Democratic nominee, Senator George McGovern.

For the span of time until she became supervisor, Zimet worked in media. She had aspirations to create a children’s cooking television show. The project advanced through meetings with Emmy-winning producers and studio executives, many excited about the concept. Just before she decided to run for supervisor, she was told her show was given the green-light to air.

“I gave up my life to be supervisor,” Zimet said. “I knew in this office I could still help children, which has always been my life’s goal.”

A self-proclaimed feminist, Zimet has always held herself to higher standards for the women she has

inspired. When she was first elected as town supervisor in 1996, a woman approached her at the postelection reception to thank her for what she did for every girl in New Paltz. Now as she works toward 2020, the centennial anniversary of women earning the right to vote, Zimet acknowledges her influence on women.

“I have the ability to inspire women and I want to empower young women,” Zimet said. “But

New Paltz. Now, after two elections that have been viewed as generational shifts in New Paltz, Zimet prepares to leave for the next steps in her life.

“I had no problem walking away from the job, it was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make” Zimet said. “This job has taken a toll on me, both physically and mentally. Everyone has their time and it was time for me to move on.”

Zimet has mixed views on her

’

“ Without me, New Paltz would not be what it is

today. I’m as proud as can be for the accomplishments I have achieved. I think people know what we’ve done. ” – TOWN SUPERVISOR SUSAN ZIMET

what is amazing to me is that in the year 2015, a woman leader still gets treated differently than a man does in politics. There’s still a lot of misogyny toward strong women, even in a place like New Paltz.”

Everyone in town has an opinion of Susan Zimet. Whether that’s good or bad depends on who you ask. As 2015 comes to a close so does Zimet’s tenure as New Paltz town supervisor, the post she has held since 2011. Zimet was first elected as town supervisor in 1996, serving until 2000. From 2003 to 2011, Zimet served in the Ulster County legislature, representing

time in office as she does with the decision to enter politics in the first place. What initially got her involved in town government was her passionate and successful opposition to two proposed Wal-Mart projects in New Paltz and Lloyd.

Now at the end of her term, Zimet is open about her accomplishments in the face of sizable criticism.

“My accomplishments are pretty dramatic,” Zimet said. “Without me, New Paltz would not be what it is today. I’m as proud as can be for the accomplishments I have achieved. I think people know what we’ve done.”

Reflecting on the changing dynamics of politics in New Paltz, Zimet commented that governing in the early 2010s was far more difficult than in the late 1990s. Whereas she was the fresh progressive voice in the late 1990s, she commented that some who share her ideals have forgotten her actions and the battles she has fought for.

“The current rhetoric is nastier and social media has given those that have criticized me the ability to organize,” Zimet said. “They have shut down good government as we know it. The public doesn’t want to engage in civic dialogue for fear of being attacked.”

Pivoting to her major accomplishments, Zimet cited her work to lower taxes in New Paltz and her appointment of Jean Gallucci as town comptroller as the one she’s the most proud of. On that list, she also included how she addressed the looming water crisis by facilitating a backup water option for the town from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

Zimet is not worried about her future. Earlier this year, she was appointed the executive director of the Hunger Action Network (HAN).

Her lobbying work allows her to still focus on the less fortunate and the children she aims to care for. She also has a book deal with Random House due for publication in 2016.

The book is aimed toward a young adults and discusses the women’s suffrage movement.

“I would never say never about serving in public office again, but for now I’m taking a break from politics,” Zimet said. “I am good at what I do, I’m good at policy. I was even approached this year with state party leaders about the possibility of running for the vacant congressional seat. But I’m happy with my work in Albany with HAN.”

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NEWS BRIEFS WORLD

NEWS

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Town Board Begins Water District No. 5 Planning

NEW DRAFT OF CLIMATE ACCORD LEAVES BIG ISSUES UNRESOLVED With just two days left to reach a deal, negotiators at the world climate talks released a new draft Wednesday that drops the most radical ideas - including an international tribunal to punish polluters - but leaves major issues unresolved, such as who should pay to help the most vulnerable nations cope with global warming.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry challenged diplomats to reach agreement by Friday’s deadline, promising American funding for low-lying island nations and other countries hit hardest by the rising seas and extreme weather that scientists attribute to man-made emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

TEXT TO MOM ANNOUNCING DEATH REVEALS 3RD BATACLAN ATTACKER It took a text message from Syria to a mother in northeast France to reveal the identity of the third killer at the Bataclan concert venue in Paris: Your son died as a martyr Nov. 13. For nearly four weeks, police had failed to identify the third gunman who stormed the concert venue along with two French Islamic extremists, killing nearly three-quarters of the total 130 people who died in the Paris attacks.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TOWNOFNEWPALTZ.ORG

Proposed Roehrs Wellfield Water District Boundary Map.

By Melanie Zerah

News Editor | Zerahm1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

A public hearing was held by the New Paltz Town Board on Dec. 8 in order to receive public comment on the proposed Water District 5 on Plains Road as an alternative water source for the 2017 Catskill Aqueduct shutdown.

The board has decided to move forward with creating the water district and will then NORTH FACE CO-FOUNDER TOMP- continue with the process of designing the sysKINS DIES IN CHILE ACCIDENT tem with town engineers and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Douglas Tompkins, the co-founder of The Past discussions over a potential water disNorth Face and Esprit clothing companies trict on Plains Road have been met with much who bought up large swaths of land in South dissent from those living in this area that is comAmerica’s Patagonia region to keep them pris- prised of 86 residential properties. However, retine, has died from severe hypothermia in a cently due to a petition circulated by residents kayaking accident in Chile. The well-known of Plains Road who want the implementation of conservationist was 72. water district, the town board will begin the establishment of the well-based system.

AMID A LOCAL TRUCE, SYRIANS The petition was received by the town LEAVE REBEL-HELD AREA IN HOMS board at its regular meeting held on Nov. 19, Hundreds of rebels and their families on 2015 and a document entitled Map, Plan and ReWednesday left the last opposition-held port in preparation for Water District 5 was creneighborhood of Homs as part of a local truce ated as of the Dec. 8 meeting. The requirements that will bolster government control of the for establishing a water district have been met in city, while opposition groups met in Saudi accordance with New York State town law arArabia to forge a united front ahead of pro- ticle 12, according to the Map, Plan and Report.

In order for this petition to validate the poposed peace talks. tential decision to commence work on the water district, those who request a district must be Compiled from the AP Newswire comprised of 51 percent or more of residents

who live in the area owners as well as 51 percent or more of the assessed property value of resident owners. According to Deputy Supervisor Jeff Logan, the petition submitted exceeds all requirements.

“The water district is the only practical option under current consideration for this one component of the back-up water supply, which is a significantly broader set of plans/actions,” Village Trustee Tom Rocco said. “This has been a very long process of consideration of options to serve the community during the shut downs of the Catskill Aqueduct and more than a two year process of how to assure that the residents of the Plains Road district who might be affected by the use of the aquifer in that area would be more than adequately protected.”

The extent of the water available in the Plains Road aquifer was discovered in August 2013, according to Rocco. The monitored test followed and then was accepted by New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York Department of Health (DOH).

The Town of New Paltz is 25 square miles and is provided with water from the Catskill Aqueduct along with the village’s reservoir system and water treatment facilities which are located off Mountain Rest Road. Although a village reservoir exists, the village is authorized to withdraw water from the Catskill Aqueduct under terms and conditions of a formal agree-

Thursday, December 10, 2015

ment NYC. The total water usage of the village, SUNY New Paltz and town combined is 800,000 gallons per day.

“One of the unique opportunities of this water district is that it is 100 percent funded by the DEP as part of the backup water supply needed while the DEP aqueduct is shut down for repair,” Logan said. “Under most cases, the residents, when getting a water district, would have to pay the capital costs of developing the district.”

According to Logan, these capital costs are valued at $10 million. In the case of Plains Road, the DEP is funding $125,000 to run the system and cover maintenance fees, supplementary to developing it. However, according to the document entitled “Questions for Town Board; Proposed Water District 5,” found on townofnewpaltz.org, this contribution will apply to the first 6,000 gallons of water usage per month per water district customer.

As a result, residents will not receive any water bills for five to six years. Following the five to six year period, the annual cost to each water district customer is estimated to be $216 based on the average use anticipated for a customer that owns a typical three-bedroom single family home, according to the Map, Plan and Report document.

Aqueduct shutdowns to commence in Oct. 2017 for a maximum shutdown period of 10 weeks. These shutdowns will then reoccur for two more 10 week periods in 2018 and 2019.

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College Ranks High For Veteran Support

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NEWS BRIEFS NATIONAL

CLINTON SAYS GOP CANDIDATES HINDERING ANTI-TERRORISM EFFORTS

Hillary Clinton accused Republicans of undermining American efforts to fight Islamic terrorism, saying Wednesday that the “hateful” campaign rhetoric of frontrunner Donald Trump and the rest of the GOP field is providing new material for Islamic State propaganda.

“Instead of showing leadership some of the leaders in this campaign are resorting to really hateful rhetoric,” Clinton said at a town hall meeting. “Donald Trump, he does traffic in prejudice and paranoia.

It’s not only shameful, it’s dangerous.”

FBI: CALIFORNIA SHOOTERS RADICALIZED AT LEAST 2 YEARS AGO

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXGOOD.COM

By Kintura Williams

Copy Editor | N02684069@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

New Paltz has once again been ranked as one of the most military-friendly universities in the United States, this time earning a spot on Victory Media’s 2016 list.

An honor reserved for the top colleges, universities and trade schools that take measures to embrace students affiliated with the military, the relatively new service welcomes the ranking as their second honorable mention — their first came from the U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 “Best Colleges for Veterans.” They were ranked number 18 in the nation.

Veteran and Military Services was created after Student Accounts Director Niza Cardona requested funding for the Yellow Ribbon Program, a subsidy for out-of-state and in-state veterans. Upon request, administration decided that it would be better suited if New Paltz took the funding for the Yellow Ribbon Program and instead invested it into hiring someone to become the veteran coordinator.

“After meeting with a search committee that consisted of key players from offices like the counseling center, academic advising and financial aid, we attended conferences to better understand what kind of person we were look-

ing for to run the program,” Cardona said.

Their search ended with Jason Gilliland being hired as Veteran and Military Services Coordinator.

The program is off to an excellent start, considering the office of Veteran and Military Services only officially opened its doors on May 5, 2014. According to Gilliland, they do not intend to stop here.

The last year and a half has been spent updating policies to meet the needs of the specific student population, while implementing a number of new events and programs designed to foster a closer relationship between the service and the students.

“As time goes on we’ll hopefully have more and more veteran students and dependents, we’ll just have to continue the momentum and continue making their existence matter here on campus,” said Cardona.

Working closely with Cardona and other departments of the university gave way to policy revision that better suited the students.

Events like the Meet and Greet with Students, Faculty and Staff and the Veteran’s Day Dine-In allows military-affiliated students to converse with their professors outside of the classroom, connect with their peers, and feel the campus’ appreciation for their efforts as students and service to the country.

Meeting the unique needs of the students is a priority of the Veteran and Military Service, sparking the creation of programs like the Department of Veteran Affairs Work-Study Program for working students, evening and weekend hours to accommodate their unpredictable schedules, and laptop sign-out that allows access to technology they may not be able to afford and as a necessity when they are on the go.

With nearly 200 veterans, service members and dependents on campus, it only continues to grow as students flourish in the program.

“I think they have responded pretty well to our efforts,” Gilliland said. “Many of them come to our office to chit chat, grab a snack, or even ask for help.”

As for the future of the program, the staff is always looking to improve the program anyway they can. A year long assessment started this semester is currently in progress to survey students about their wants and needs. Spring semester will see smaller focus groups surveyed— allowing students to feel their voices are heard— before all the information is analyzed this coming summer.

“Our office is still relatively new so I am hopeful that we will continue to earn their trust and become the advocates for them that we want to be,” Gilliland said.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

The two San Bernardino shooters were radicalized at least two years ago - a year before one of them came to the U.S. on a fiancée visa— and discussed jihad and martyrdom as early as 2013, FBI Director James Comey said Wednesday. Comey told the Senate Judiciary Committee investigators believe that Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, were radicalized even before they began their online relationship and that Malik held extremist views before she arrived in the U.S. last year.

THE LATEST: PROSECUTORS QUESTION OFFICER AT GRAY TRIAL

The latest on the trial of a Baltimore police officer who is charged with manslaughter in the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who was injured in the back of a police transport van (all times local).

Prosecutors are cross-examining the officer charged with manslaughter in the death of Freddie Gray.

OFFICER TESTIFIES IN HIS OWN DEFENSE AT FREDDIE GRAY TRIAL

Officer William Porter was poised and calm as he testified in his own defense Wednesday, telling jurors that he didn’t call an ambulance for Freddie Gray because the man was alert, appeared uninjured and didn’t complain of any pain or wounds in the back of a police van. Instead, Gray only said “yes” when Porter offered to get him medical aid, the officer testified.

Compiled from the AP Newswire

NEWS

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Cuomo Announces AIDS Research Funding

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR.COM

The White House bearing the symbolic AIDS awarness red ribbon on World AIDS Day

By Travis Bederka

Contributing Writer| Bederkat1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Governor Andrew Cuomo highlighted current statistics and plans for progress regarding HIV/AIDS in New York State in his speech at the Apollo Theater on Dec. 2.

Once being the epicenter of the AIDS outbreak 25 years ago, New York has made considerable leaps and bounds to do everything in its power to curb the disease. For this first time since the outbreak, transmissions from mother to child have dropped to zero and Cuomo plans to stop the spread of AIDS in New York by the year 2020.

“It has been a long journey, but I give you my word that we will not end until we reach our target.”

Cuomo said during his speech.

Cuomo has put $3.5 million into the state’s $2.5 billion budget for research in the hopes that this will

catalyze scientific innovations for halting AIDS in New York. Unlike Cuomo’s recent decision to expand insurance and healthcare for those afflicted with AIDS, this move has drawn feedback both good and bad.

In addition to bringing awareness to international AIDS Day, the Kings and Queens of New Paltz put on a special performance on Saturday, December 5 to talk about what people can do to prevent contracting AIDS. Speakers from the New York City group “Love Heals” were invited to talk about certain programs and projects regarding prevention and education.

“If people don’t talk about AIDS, then there will be no way to prevent it; especially since highschool to college kids are the groups that have the most AIDS cases,” said President Connor Henderson of the King and Queens of New Paltz, a junior with a double major in photography and art education.

Student Found Dead On Rail Trail

By Kristen Warfield

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

New Paltz Police are investigating the death of a 20-year-old SUNY New Paltz student after two people taking a walk Monday morning discovered his body in a wooded area off the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail.

Police responded to the scene just south of Plains Road around 7:45 a.m. after receiving a 911 call from the rail trail-walkers. According to police, the man found “appeared to have been deceased for several hours.”

Police have ruled out foul play, but the man’s cause of death has yet to be determined.

“The investigation does not indicate any safety concerns for the community,” New Paltz Police Chief Joseph Snyder said in a press release.

The New Paltz Police were assisted at the scene by the SUNY New Paltz Police, Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, the New Paltz Rescue Squad and state police.

According to President Donald Christian, the student, a fourth-year, was well known to many students and staff of the college.

“He was an Admissions Ambassador, a New Paltz blogger, an Honors student who served on the Honors Advisory Board and the recipient of an Experiential Learning Scholarship,” Christian said in a campus-wide email. “He planned to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology to help those in need.”

The student’s identity was disclosed in the email, but has not yet been released by police.

“We extend our deepest sympathy to [the student’s] family and friends and to the faculty and staff who had the privilege to know him,” Christian said.

The Counseling Center staff encourages any student seeking help, in personal feelings of loss or otherwise, to contact their office at 845-257-2920.

For professors and staff who are interested in speaking with someone, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available at 845-257-2886.

Thursday, Decemeber 10, 2015

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Students Protest For Improvements To Black Studies

PHOTO BY SARAH EAMES

Students gather outside Haggerty Administration Building.

By Sarah Eames

Staff Writer | Eamess1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Over 100 students gathered outside the Haggerty Administration Building on Wednesday afternoon in solidarity with the Black Studies department at SUNY New Paltz.

Rookie Reynoso, president of both the Student Association (SA) and the Black Student Union (BSU), emphasized the importance of the Black Studies department on campus. A double-major in Black Studies and psychology, Reynoso claims that she performs better in her Black Studies classes due to a more personal connection to the subject matter.

“I feel passionate about what I’m learning about, and it relates to me,” Reynoso said.

Dr. Major Coleman, the chair of the Black Studies department, expressed his appreciation for the assembly of students, faculty and alumni. “Many of you here are my students, and I see that you’ve learned your lesson well,” Coleman said.

In a statement released on Tuesday, members of the Black Studies Student Organization (BSSO) outlined the demands of the organization and its supporters. The demands, which were affirmed by over 1,000 signatures on a petition distributed

by the organization earlier in the semester, included the reinstatement of the four tenure-track faculty lines to the department and also called for the SUNY New Paltz administration to immediately fulfill its promise to conduct a nationwide search for new faculty.

Rosa Rosario, a third-year double-majoring in Black Studies and sociology, addressed the delays by the administration in starting the search. According to Rosario, students reached out to the administration at the beginning of the semester and were initially met with offers of support and the promise of collaboration.

“We tried to do everything we could to go through the proper channels and work with the administration,” Rosario said.

“Once we realized that playing by their rules wasn’t working, we had to take matters into our own hands. We as students had to come together to find an alternative route.”

Speaking on behalf of the SUNY New Paltz administration, Interim Provost Stella Deen acknowledged that the student organizers and administrators do not agree on the best course of action for rebuilding the department, but she assured the crowd that the administration is attentive to the needs of the students. Deen confirmed that

students will have a place on the committees tasked with developing the school’s strategy in addressing the needs of the department.

Maria Iskaros, a third-year doublemajoring in Black Studies and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality studies, countered Deen’s remarks, saying that the time for planning has long past.

“We need action,” Iskaros emphasized amidst cheers and applause from the crowd.

According to organizers, the rally was also set to address the limited representation of students of color on the New Paltz campus. Members of the audience were invited to call out the names of the organizations they represented. Responses included the African Women’s Alliance, Students Against Mass Incarceration, the Black Student Union, the Student Association, the Latin American Student Union and the Chi Upsilon Sigma, Inc. sorority.

Jordan Taylor, a New Paltz alum who double-majored in Black Studies and political science, suggested that students of color had formed these myriad organizations in the absence of a multi-cultural center on campus, citing the need for a such a space.

Taylor announced the simultaneous efforts of students at John Carroll University in

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Ohio who were organizing for that very reason, encouraging the crowd to post to social media in solidarity with the movement at JCU (#JCUStudentBlackout) as well as their own (#NPStudentBlackout).

Students in the crowd expressed their dismay at President Christian’s absence from the rally. Provost Deen announced that the administration had not been aware of the demonstration until just the day before, and that the president was not currently on campus. Undeterred, organizers led the crowd in chants of “Black nation on the rise, gotta educate, agitate, organize!” as they ascended the nine flights of stairs leading to the president’s office.

Students paraded through the halls of each floor, chanting homespun lines intertwined with the response “We gon’ be alright,” borrowed from hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly.

In a closing address from the lobby of the Haggerty Administration Building, President Rookie Reynoso acknowledged that while she considered the rally a success — “a ‘W’ if you’re playing basketball” — the work is far from over.

“We will continue organizing and we will continue connecting students who care about these issues,” she said. “This is only the beginning.”

8 oracle.newpaltz.edu OVERHEARD IN THE OFFICE

Staff

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The New Paltz Oracle Fall 2015 E-Board

“Whenever Kristen yells, a Jew falls down and cries.”

- MICHAEL “That’s life; sometimes you’re sticky and then you’re not.”

- MELANIE “This (Oct. 28) is the kind of day where you just gotta sit in the shower and stir the shitpot.”

- MICHAEL “I figured you were busy – that’s why I decided to give you a call.”

- JACK (on the phone with a source) “Why do people find it socially acceptable to suck on another person’s genitals, but they won’t eat food off the floor!?”

From top-left to right: Karl Evers-Hillstrom, Nate Sheidlower, Jess Napp, Anthony Orza, Sam Manzella, Holly Lipka, Melanie Zerah, Amanda Copkov, Rachael Purtell, Kristen Warfield, Kintura Williams, David Khorassani, Jack O’Brien, Melissa Kramer, Russell Hartman and Michael Rosen (Center).

-RACHAEL “I’ve only been on one Tinder date. I took a girl to Hasbrouck.”

-JACK “What’s a nae-nae?”

-DAVID

“Mike looks like the Chief SwimsWith-Clouds of the Navajo Tribe in that pic.”

- Russell

JACK: “Flannels and hats ... it’s what all republicans wear!”

SAM: “It’s also what lesbians wear.”

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Thursday, December 10th, 2015

D i g i ta l d e s i r e Story on page 2B

PHOTO BY DAVID KHORASSANI

2B

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FEATURES

Addicted To The Artificial

STUDIES SAY SMARTPHONES ARE HARMFUL

By Karl Evers-Hillstrom

Features Editor | N02541514@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

How much do you really know about your smartphone?

British watchdog “Which?” found in a 2013 study that smartphones could have around 20 times as much bacteria on them as your average toilet seat. This year alone, 12 people have died because they were taking selfies, most cases resulting in them falling to their death, according to a Mashable report.

For comparison’s sake, only eight people have been killed this year by shark attacks.

Does this mean that using a smartphone is more dangerous than swimming with sharks?

Maybe not, but studies like these show us that we have become completely addicted to our smartphones, a recent phenomenon that journalism professor Howard Good says is making us less productive, less creative and socially inept.

Good teaches a class called “Being Digital,” which tackles the topic of modern technology and how it affects society. He said our attachment to our smartphones is comparable to hardcore drug addiction.

“It seems to be as hard for people to put aside their phones, even when they’re in the presence of real human beings, as it is for drug addicts to put away the needle,” Good said.

Smartphone use is at an all-time high. A 2014 Pew Research poll found that 64 percent of Americans own a smartphone, up from 35 percent in 2011. In a random survey of 25 SUNY New Paltz students, all 25 said they currently own a smartphone.

So, are we actually addicted?

A 2014 report from Informate Mobile Intelligence Pvt. Ltd., a research firm that measures consumer activity on smartphones and tablets, stated that U.S. smartphone users spend an average of 4.7 hours a day on their smartphones. Although only nine of the 25 New Paltz students surveyed said they were addicted to their smartphones, 19 said they spend more than four hours a day on their phones.

Good said our addiction to smartphones is

more or less our addiction to what smartphones can actually do. Modern smartphones can access nearly every facet of the digital world.

“When we’re talking about a phone, we’re not really talking about a phone in the traditional sense,” Good said. “We’re talking about a device that allows you to access everything from the latest political news, to pornography to the latest Netflix series. It’s not just a phone that has one function. It’s a multipurpose handheld device, which makes it increasingly indispensable for most people. If it had only one function then when that function is over people could put it away. People use it for so many things that it becomes ever present.”

In nearly 40 years of teaching, Good said he has never seen students more disengaged than in recent years.

“Despite the availability of infinite information, students seem more misinformed in class than ever,” he said. “And that’s about what’s happening in current events and just general knowledge. That makes me think that they’ve come to depend on the Internet and their smartphones as their memory. They don’t bother to absorb knowledge and information for themselves, they lay it off on the machinery. The result is that they kind of don’t know anything. It’s difficult to make anything understood because they don’t have a lot of context.”

Good also noted that students find it more difficult to focus in class and more students feel the need to leave the classroom at some point during a normal class period. A 2015 Canadian survey with 2,000 participants found that the average attention span of humans is now around eight seconds, down from 12 seconds 15 years ago, before the dawn of the mobile revolution. The attention span of an average goldfish is believed to be around nine seconds.

The abundance of information and entertainment on smartphones combined with their exceptional accessibility means that we are much more likely to multitask than ever before. Twenty-three of the 25 New Paltz students surveyed said they regularly use their phones to multitask.

But nearly all research studies say the same thing about multitasking: it doesn’t work.

A study at the University of London found that participants who multitasked during cognitive tasks had their IQ scores drop similarly to if they had smoked marijuana or stayed up all night.

“If your attention is always getting pulled at 10 directions at once, then you’re never going to really be able to think something through,” Good said.

A study at the London School of Economics found that following a ban on phone use, the school’s’ test scores improved by 6.4 percent. Underachieving students saw their grades rise by 14 percent. The study pointed to the distracting nature of smartphones getting in the way of student’s studies and ability to learn.

Children are getting access to smartphones and other digital devices at earlier ages every year. A 2013 survey by Common Sense Media found that 38 percent of children under the age of two had used a mobile device, despite warnings from pediatric experts that children under 2 should not use screens at all.

“Go to a diner and you’ll see a young couple with a kid who is totally immersed by technology and not talking to his or her parents,” Good said. “They don’t learn social skills. It doesn’t develop cognitively because they’re not looking at someone to learn what different facial expressions mean, what different nonverbal cues and hand gestures mean.”

According to Good, while kids addicted to technology don’t learn social skills, adults under the influence are quickly losing them.

“I think people have substituted social media for real life social interactions,” Good said. “They’ve kind of lost the ability to behave appropriately in the social sphere, public places.”

A 2015 comScore report said that Mobile devices account for 76 percent of all time spent on social media in the U.S. Of the 25 New Paltz students surveyed, 24 said they use their phones to access social media platforms.

Twenty said that social media serves as a major

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distraction on a day-to-day basis.

All of the research suggests that heavy smartphone usage makes us less intelligent and less productive, and most of us recognize this.

So why can’t we break free of this addiction?

Good said that ideology spread by popular culture, advertisements and the media encourages the digital addiction.

“I think sometimes people do realize they’re on their cellphones for an inordinate amount of time, but they’re also helpless to put them down or look away,” Good said. “I just want people to be skeptical. Really look at what these devices do to you and think about why you’re not being told about their many problems.”

According to Good, the idea is not to entirely avoid technology and your smartphones, because that simply isn’t possible for most of us at this time. But he does believe that people need to find a way to break free from their digital addiction to give themselves personal time, and every study backs him up, showing that our brains perform better when we disconnect.

“I think people should just slow down, focus on something,” Good said. “I worry that there’s no space for dreaming left, and how important that is for mental health and constructive thought, creative expression, inventiveness.”

So where is this going? Smartphones have made us much more reliant on technology than ever in just a few years.

“What we see over and over again is the technology companies looking for new activities and new living spaces to colonize,” Good said. “We’re very likely to see the ‘Internet of things,’ where our appliances, our toasters, our refrigerators, our washing machines, the heat and air conditioning will become more like our cars, where they sense us and adjust accordingly.”

Good speaks of a future where we are heavily reliant on technology and the digital world, and as a result, inherently less human.

But who’s to say that this future isn’t already here?

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Star Wars: Battlefield

NEW EA GAME FALLS SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS

By Karl Evers-Hiillstrom Features Editor | N02541514@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu Star Wars: Battlefront was released in November along with a robust advertising campaign which made it seem like it was a unique experience, allowing the player to step right into the world of Star Wars.

Battlefront is a fun experience. But before we go into the gameplay, I think we need to play a numbers game.

Twelve maps. Eleven guns. Ten vehicles.

Six unique playable characters. Sixty dollars.

That’s not a lot of content for a $60 game, especially when you consider the fact that Battlefront features no story mode whatsoever. It gets really ugly when we compare the content to Star Wars: Battlefront II, a game released over a decade ago. Battlefront II, sequel to the 2004 release Star Wars: Battlefront (no relation to the 2015 Star Wars: Battlefront) featured a robust story mode, 30 vehicles, 24 guns, 24 maps and over 50 unique playable characters.

It’s kind of shocking that the modern Battlefront game is so empty and barren compared to its 10­-year-­old counterpart.

It all starts to make sense when we look at how Battlefront was developed and published.

It was published by EA, the group of greedy

guys who were voted “worst company in the world” in 2012 and 2013. It’s developed by DICE, the guys behind the Battlefield series.

Battlefield games are usually filled with tons of content and don’t usually work on release day, but this time DICE played it safe, making sure the game would be playable when it came out by putting almost no content in it.

They clearly cut costs by developing Battlefront on Battlefield’s engine. Laser beams that fire from the guns drop off as they fly, like bullets do in Battlefield. As they drop off, they do less damage. That doesn’t make any sense.

Why would a laser encounter air resistance and descend as it flies? That doesn’t even happen in actual Star Wars!

Other assets were reused as well. Every time your character gets hit by a laser, you hear a distinct thud, the same noise heard when you’re hit with a bullet in Battlefield. Why the hell would getting hit by a laser beam produce a thud noise? So EA could afford to play ads for this game during prime time shows but not make a new sound effect?

Once the illusion provided by the iconic Star Wars music and sound effects wears off, it becomes obvious that this is just Battlefield with laser guns and the occasional cameo from

Luke Skywalker and friends.

As far as gameplay goes, Battlefront isn’t bad. It’s actually pretty fun for a while. There’s a decent amount of game modes which all provide a good, basic first­-person shooter experience. It has tight, responsive controls. Its graphical fidelity is incredible and it might be the best looking game on consoles right now.

It maintains a smooth frame rate despite all of its hectic action. It’s not without its problems though, online play is pretty imbalanced. Online lobbies are never rebalanced even if one team is winning every single round. Unlocked weapons are way more powerful than the starter weapons and in the dogfight mode the rebel ships are straight­up better than the empire ships.

The worst part of Battlefront is how empty and soulless it feels. Even the main menu looks like the interface to an operating system, like a Star Wars t­hemed Mac OS X. It doesn’t have Star Wars­-esque epic moments, for the most part it feels entirely mundane. Even when you find a power up and turn into Darth Vader or Han Solo, it feels like a short mini­game that you’ll get tired of after a few tries. It doesn’t have epic moments like the movies do, it’s just a first­-person shooter with a Star Wars theme.

Once you realize how empty Battlefront

really is, it really makes you wonder why EA thought they could get away with selling the game with a $40 season pass chock full of dowloadable content (DLC). ​I mean really, Battlefront is so barren that all of that DLC should be free. This is the kind of reckless greed that gives EA a bad name in the industry.

It isn’t as good as the old Battlefront games and it isn’t as good as modern Battlefield titles.

It doesn’t have the same insane action as Battlefield, with destructible environments and depth of gameplay. It also doesn’t have the diversity and freedom that existed in the old Battlefront games. It’s basically the bastard child of the two game series.

Don’t buy this game. Go play it at your friend’s house until they kick you out or something. It’s a fun game, but I can’t advocate actually paying money for it because you really aren’t getting a full experience. Buying Star Wars: Battlefront is effectively telling EA and other publishers that it’s just fine to release incomplete games along with multiple expensive DLC expansions.

I give it a 6/10. Meh.

Lit For The Holidays

PROGRAM OFFERS FREE LIGHTS TO COMMUNITY

By Matthew D’Onofrio Staff Writer | Donofrim1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu The New Paltz Regional Chamber of Commerce started a new effort to “light up” New Paltz by giving out free strings of white lights to the community to decorate their residences and businesses.

The effort, known as Celebrate New Paltz, is a first for the town of New Paltz. In the past there were always finances set aside for lighting, but this year the budget was stretched thin, according to director of the Chamber Kathy Prizzia. As a result, local businesses stepped up

to the plate with donations, and the inaugural Celebrate New Paltz was born.

“The holidays bring out the best in people,” said Prizzia, who spearheaded the effort with the local community. “We wanted to create something beautiful, a collective and continuous look.”

Copeland Funeral Home and Woodland Pond, two local businesses, contributed the funds for the strings of lights. There were thousands of them given out and distributed to both Chamber and nonChamber members to hang up.

“I was asked by the director of the Chamber to help out and we at Copeland Funeral Home were more than happy to contribute,” Tim Copeland, owner and president of the business, said. “Anything that can brighten our town and make it a warmer environment for visitors is well worth it.”

Any community member of New Paltz was able to obtain a set of lights to decorate their residence or business.

“People are grateful. These can be lean times for the economy and our area in general,” Prizzia said.

“Gearing up for the holidays is a

Thursday, December 10, 2015

nice way to show that we care. This is just a piece of how the community is coming together.”

The Chamber held similar events in the recent past. A Holiday on Huguenot Street occurred on Dec. 4 and 5, featuring holiday tours, a Christmas fair and choir concert by the New Paltz Reformed Church, the annual tree lighting, a holiday concert by the 18-piece Big Blue Big Band and a horse drawn carriage ride.

“More than ever, New Paltz is working as a community and from here on we are only getting better,” Prizzia said.

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Features

Holidays On Huguenot

ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY RETURNS

By Amanda Copkov Copy Editor | Copkova1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu Last year, the Deyo descendants donated a Christmas tree to Historic Huguenot Street.

With the donation of the tree came a holiday tradition with hopes to bring the community closer together.

On Friday, Dec. 4, members of the New Paltz community gathered on the corner of Huguenot and North Front streets for holiday caroling and to experience the second annual tree lighting on the Deyo House lawn.

Carolers from the Reformed Church of New Paltz and New Paltz high school sang holiday classics such as “Carol of the Bells” and “12 Days of Christmas” before the lighting began.

The lawn was filled with rampant laughter as children ran and played. Some yelled “Santa’s coming,” excited by the stout, red-cheeked man with a snow-white beard dressed from head to toe in red. He handed out candy canes and took pictures with kids and their families.

Mayor Tim Rogers and Councilman Dan Torres attended the ceremony and agreed that this year’s Christmas tree lighting brought in a much larger crowd than last year.

“It’s great to have an excuse to get the community together,” Rogers said. “Huguenot Street is a really important part of New Paltz and this just feels like the right way to start the holidays.”

Torres felt that Huguenot Street was the best place to have the tree lighting ceremony because of its historical signifi-

The New Paltz Oracle

ESK D Y COP KOFF: COO Cinnamon Roll French Toast

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

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

Cinnamon rolls are really yummy. So is french toast.

So why not combine the two? It’s a fairly logical duo.

Carolers sing in front of the New Paltz Christmas Tree. PHOTO BY DAVID KHORASSANI

cance.

“Huguenot Street is at the center of our town and has been for 400 years,” he said. “I think people enjoy that legacy and heritage.”

Kara Gaffken, director of public programming at Historic Huguenot Street, said that the purpose of the tree lighting ceremony is to celebrate the holidays with the community in the place where people first settled.

“The tree lighting ceremony is special because of where it’s located,” she said. “Other than bringing people together, the ceremony reminds people of our history and where the town was founded.”

For many townspeople like Maya Projansky, this was the first year they attended the ceremony. Projansky felt that the tree lighting and Christmas caroling were a good way to kick off the holiday season, especially on the town’s historic street.

“This event brings the community together around things that aren’t political,” she said.

“It’s a positive event, and frankly, it’s not about religion but about community. It’s about coming together in a place that’s important.”

Projansky said the ceremony brought together people who may not interact throughout the year. For her, the holidays as well as the ceremony are more a means of celebration and remembrance for the community she is a part of.

“The holiday season is about coming together and appreciating people and appreciating where we live and the people we pass our years with,” she said. “It’s just something to enjoy and it’s a way to remember our community.”

In a diverse community like New Paltz, the holidays mean different things to different people, Projansky added.

“The ceremony may not be about the holidays for everyone, but about a sense of community that’s important to New Paltz and always has been,” she said.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

This isn’t my recipe, it’s from the Facebook group “Tasty.” Just saying.

Here’s all you need to make it: 2 tubes refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing 4 tbsp butter, melted 6 eggs 1/2 cup milk 2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp vanilla 1 cup maple syrup Pour the butter on the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish.

Cut each cinnamon roll into 8 pieces, and spread evenly over the butter. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla, and pour over the cinnamon rolls.

Pour 1 cup of maple syrup over the mixture.

Bake at 375°F/190°C for 25 min.

Top with the icing from the cinnamon rolls.

And there we go. You’re now on the path to enlightenment.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“Liner Notes”

PROFESSOR GREGORY BRAY SCREENS NEW FILM

By Jess Napp

Copy Editor | Nappj1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

On the first floor of the Coykendall Science Building, nestled in the auditorium just above the on ­campus mecca for digital media production majors, there is a rough cut movie screening taking place. The air smells of buttered popcorn and at the front of the room stands director of this feature film, SUNY New Paltz professor Gregory Bray.

The screening of Bray’s work­-in­-progress­ production, “Liner Notes,” played on Dec. 3 and the audience consisted of students, friends, family, fans and members of the cast and crew.

Media and Journalism Society hosted the event, and afterwards the club encouraged attendees to fill out a questionnaire to provide their feedback for the project. The evening ended with a Q&A led by Bray.

“It’s my pleasure to be here tonight, thank you so much for coming out here,” Bray said, welcoming the crowd to the screening.

“Liner Notes” divulges the fictional story of Alice, who after learning about her father’s suicide, embarks on a quest to reclaim information about her estranged rock star dad named Jake. She travels alone to Georgia to reconnect with one of his band mates, George, in the hopes of putting the pieces of Jake’s life back together.

Bray defines the film’s genre as an indie drama with some quirk. His major cinematic influences consist of John Cassavettes, Jim Jarmusch, Wes Anderson, Miranda July and Guy Maddin.

“Chris Rock once said music is a ‘here today, gone today’ industry, and he’s absolutely right. So this is a love letter to them. To the fading legends and loved ones left behind,” he said.

According to Bray, the master-

mind behind this tantalizing tale was none other than his own twin brother, John Patrick Bray. The playwright’s script premiered on the stage and after seeing two of John’s productions, Bray devised the idea of adapting it to the big screen.

Succeeding the initial brainstorming and preproduction process, shooting started off with a bang in August 2014 and the tentatively planned release date is for sometime in Spring 2016. The crew consisted of various SUNY New Paltz students and alumni.

“Juniors and seniors working on set learned from people that had graduated. They were able to learn from paid professionals,” he said.

According to Bray, students were able to not only obtain good hands-­on experience, but the film also created a networking opportunity. A student went on to work for Sesame Street and another for James Franco’s new production, “King Cobra.”

Overall, the audience appeared to be delighted by this Bray Brothers Production and when the lights flickered on everyone gave a roaring round of applause. Bray believes that the positive feedback will provide some helpful guidelines for the next edit.

“I thought it was a good film,” said third­-year digital media programming and management major Ryan Percy. “It was incredibly entertaining and an interesting look at the genre.”

Bray said that the crew hopes to lock picture by February, lock sound

by March and then the submission process to film festivals will commence.

If you would like to contribute to the funding of this film, please check out the link below: (https://www.fracturedatlas.org/ site/fiscal/profile?id=10263)

Thursday, December 10, 2015

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID KHORASSANI

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oracle.newpaltz.edu COME JAM WITH SAM!

By Sam Manzella Manzells1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Frustration. Poverty. Joblessness.

Uncertainty. The Front Bottoms sing of all these things and more, echoing the angst of almost any post-high school 20-something in America. Based in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, the group offers a shred of hope in a vast sea of corporate greed, undervalued art and existential crises.

I first heard of The Front Bottoms through a close friend who recommended their music as something I’d probably like. I put off listening to the band, but after repeatedly seeing their name on blogs, and after reading that they were a contender for New Paltz’s 2016 Spring Fest, I decided it was time to give the hyped-up group a listen.

“Twin Size Mattress,” the group’s highest-ranked track on Spotify, was my first Front Bottoms foray. Hailing from the band’s 2013 album “Talon Of The Hawk,” the track reminds me of a fusion

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The Front Bottoms between early music from Paramore and Blink-182. Like much of The Front Bottoms’ music, “Twin Size Mattress” walks the line between pop-punk, alternative rock and indie. The song is easily their best work, with raw, poignant lyrics and simple instrumentals. It rings true for the average millennial, almost painfully so. The lyrics of the bridge say enough in their own right: “She hopes I’m cursed forever to / sleep on a twinsized mattress / in somebody’s attic or basement my whole life / never graduating up in size to add another / and my nightmares will have nightmares every night…”

A generational American anthem like that is quite hard to top. As I made my way through their discography, I noticed a theme I’ve witnessed before in other indie/pop-punk bands I’ve liked over the years. Their most recent studio album, “Back On Top,” sounds more

pop-punk than indie, and not very altrock at all. It could be a coincidence, but the group signed onto the record label Fueled By Ramen in 2015, the very same label that adopted bands like Paramore and twenty one pilots in their infancy — and proceeded to “sugarcoat” their sound, ostensibly for greater radio play-ability. It’s no secret that heavily pop-influenced music sells well. Popular bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic!

At The Disco are examples of how taking emo / indie-inspired pop-punk music in a decidedly more pop-punk direction makes it more marketable and palatable to general audiences.

Of course, greater sales and increased radio play mean more popularity, more profit and new opportunities for bands like Paramore, twenty one pilots or The Front Bottoms—something no fan in their right mind could protest.

For many bands, though, the turn away

from a harder and more authentic, raw sound means a loss of emotionality. Unfortunately, I found this to be the case with many tracks on “Back On Top.” Songs like “Cough It Out” and “Summer Shandy” do nothing for me, especially when contrasted with evocative tracks like “Twin Size Mattress” or “Flashlight.”

Despite the shift in sound, I did find a few standout tracks on The Front Bottoms’ latest release. Even with its popskewed sound, “HELP” manages to convey the same sense of desperation and 20-something turmoil I heard and enjoyed in “Twin Size Mattress.” “Ginger” and “The Plan (F*ck Jobs)” offer that same degree of relatability wrapped up in fun guitar riffs and snappy lyrics.

Not all was lost in the band’s transition to a major record label, and I’m glad to catch glimpses of the raw, relatable lyrics I fell for.

Krampus Comes To Town FESTIVE FILM OFFERS LAUGHABLE ENTERTAINMENT

By Jake Berkowitz

Staff Writer | Berkowij3@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Bust out the eggnog and gingerbread cookies (perhaps seasoned with some festive herbal greenery). “Krampus” has come to town!

Max (Emjay Anthony) loves Christmas. Despite looking 10, he still believes in Santa Claus, and wants nothing more than a peaceful holiday filled with love and kindness. Unfortunately, his boorish aunt and uncle (Allison Tolman and David Koechner) and their diabolical children are coming over to spoil the season. What’s worse, they brought obnoxious Aunt Dorothy (Conchata Ferrell) along. When dinner goes wrong, Max wishes his family would go away, and accidentally summons St. Nick’s shadowy twin Kram-

pus, who causes yuletide chaos for all.

If you’ve seen any advertising for “Krampus,” you’ve probably been lied to. It’s being billed as a Christmasthemed horror flick, and if that’s what you’re expecting, you’ll be disappointed. Go in expecting a seminonsensical, yet mindlessly entertaining cinematic concoction of comedy and thrills, and you’ll have a good time.

Objectively, the film isn’t a masterpiece. The script isn’t particularly taut. Some of the jokes aren’t funny.

A few of the scares aren’t spooky. The child actors aren’t great to watch, and there’s one flashback sequence that is, curiously, animated. It is, admittedly, visually jarring and definitely a questionable directorial decision.

Despite all that, the three people I

saw this with and myself, had a pretty good time. The adult cast doesn’t phone the movie in, and they’re all fairly charismatic. Fans of “Parks and Recreation” will get a kick out of seeing Adam Scott play the bumbling beta, and Koechner plays a convincingly churlish redneck. Take it from someone who spent last year in rural Virginia; I’m familiar with the type. There are enough successful gags and absurdities to earn the comedy label, and some of the monsters are interestingly designed and markedly disquieting. They do a good job of holding back Krampus, making his reveal damn mesmerizing (a feat many monster movies struggle with). He, too, is well designed and stands out from the crowded list of modern horror creations. At least aes-

Thursday, December 10, 2015

thetically.

While I won’t spoil it here, I feel I have an obligation to talk about the film’s ending. It appears as though the credits will roll about four times, and it’s a bit of a rollercoaster. The ending goes from interesting, to great, to frustratingly sophomoric, to frustratingly twee, to satisfying. Just hang in there until the final cut to black before passing judgement.

Of all the Christmas movies out right now, this is definitely the symbolic star atop the tree. If you’re looking for a subversively merry movie, but have already seen “The Nightmare Before Christmas” thrice too often this year, grab some friends and check out “Krampus.” There are definitely worse ways to spend $6.

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Honors Recital Impresses STUDENT MUSICIANS PUT ON FANTASTIC SHOW IN STUDLEY

By Jon Perry

Contributing Writer | Perryj1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The lights dim in the theater as the piano booms its thundering keys and the smooth melodies sing from the cello. The violin slices its sweet tunes through the air and the drums shake the earth with their quaking rhythm. The audiences’ breath is stolen in the presence of the music.

The Student Honors Recital took place in Studley Theater on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m. Held once at the end of every semester, the event gathers students from the music depart­ ment to perform classical music masterpieces.

The concert was organized by Alex Peh, a professor in the music department, who hand­ picked students from the music department that showed distinct quality and care for their work.

He said that giving students the opportunity to achieve their goals will expand their love for music.

“This event is meant to be a culmination of the students’ collective work they have played and practiced at different points in the semes­ ter,” Peh said.

The songs, some of which were chosen by the students, take place from the 1600s to the 1990s. The students had the option to either perform individually or in groups of four or more people. Seven acts were performed at the concert, three of which were in groups.

The opening song “Perilous Night,” by John Cage, involved six people taking turns at playing a piano that had its strings bolted and screwed in to alter its sounds. The student dance group partnered with the music depart­ ment to create a choreographed visual to the song.

Daniel Chiu, a junior voice major at SUNY New Paltz, said the W.A. Mozart piano piece called “Sonata in E – flat major K.,” played by Theresa Orr, a third-year music major, evoked

emotion.

“I like the melody created by that song be­ cause it filled me with a sensation that made me feel old,” Chiu said.

Dylan McCarthy, a junior jazz perfor­ mance major at SUNY New Paltz, played the guitar with a group, performing three songs as the final concert act. He said that in preparation for the event, he played each song and practiced them for many hours within the semester.

McCarthy received the opportunity to choose a song for the concert, deciding to go with “Outer Space,” by Grant Green. Having played his instrument for over nine years, he confidently said how much of a separate experi­ ence taking part in the concert is from practic­ ing.

“You can practice all you want but when you hit the stage, you’re forced to forget all that,” McCarthy said. “Being in the zone and going with the flow, just having a good time. It

is ecstasy.”

Amanda Scannell, a fifth-year pre-music therapy major at SUNY New Paltz, also takes great pride in her music abilities. She played the flute in a group song at the concert called “It’s Better to Be,” by Connor Milton. She said she sees beauty in the flute and has been play­ ing it since the third grade.

“I saw it played in church when I was a kid and I had always wanted to play it myself,” Scannell said. “It is a rewarding instrument and I love playing it.”

Scannell plans to take her love for music to new heights, getting a job in music therapy with a master’s degree. McCarthy plans on us­ ing his knowledge of music to teach, perform and manage big events in the music industry.

Peh urged the audience to attend the other events that are coming up in the concert series, to show the students the support they deserve to reach their dreams.

Welcome Back To The Wasteland BETHESDA’S NEWEST GAME RELEASE IS ALMOST PERFECT

By Otto Kratky

Staff Writer | Kratkyp1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Fallout has been a stunning series since its de­ but in 1997 and Fallout 4 is no exception. Set in the post-apocalyptic ruins of Boston, now named The Commonwealth, Fallout 4 takes the player on a tour of its savage wastelands and ingenious towns and cities. Playing through the game, the player will develop a character all their own, who had worked their way up the many social ladders of the Com­ monwealth, founded towns and had a place in the future of the wasteland.

From the start of the game, you are thrown into an enormous world of blood-thirsty scavengers and mutants to find your own way. Moving from one small farm village to another, you make your way across the wasteland, meeting various factions, characters and enemies, all for the sake of finding your lost son who was kidnapped at the start of the game. However, what could seem to be a daunting task to begin with is made more difficult by the set­ ting of a post-apocalyptic Boston; every faction is vying for power without a thought of cooperation.

War wages across the entire wasteland, with a larg­ er threat always looming overhead: The Institute.

They’re a mysterious organization that steals people overnight and replaces them with robotic doubles.

Against all odds, you must find your son in this dys­ topian, yet oddly beautiful world.

Graphically, Fallout 4 is an impressive game.

Playing on the PS4, I experienced Fallout 4 at its median capacity, which I still found to be above all expectations. Characters seem to be more alive than ever, armor and weapons look durable and worn, and animations are more lifelike than in many other RPGs that I’ve played. Compared to past Fallout games, Fallout 4 has changed its palette in an as­ tounding way. As opposed to Fallout 3’s constant shade of green and New Vegas’ constant shade of orange-brown, Fallout 4’s scenery pops out with vi­ brancy and life. Colors stand out unlike they have in any other Fallout and light shafts and particles scatter around empty forests and bombed out metro stations. Fallout 4’s style has kept me in awe while looking over the remains of Boston, and has shown that developer Bethesda does have what it takes to make their games look stunning.

Not only does Fallout 4 look amazing, but it plays just as well. The gameplay in Fallout 4 is un­ like anything else that Bethesda has ever made. The Fallout series has always had infamously mediocre shooting, something Bethesda was obviously aware of, as the shooting mechanics in Fallout 4 are tight and responsive. Recoil must be accounted for, and guns now feel like they have a weight to them. The addition of a grenade hotkey fixes the issue of game flow being broken every time the player wanted to use a grenade in previous Fallout games. Addi­ tionally, a melee hotkey has been added so that the player can pistol whip an enemy or hit them with the butt of their rifle.

VATS has also made a triumphant return in Fallout 4, working differently than it has before.

VATS no longer freezes time in game, instead slow­ ing everything down while the player is allowed to pick out their targets carefully. Critical hits are no longer random but can be used by the player consciously. Every hit landed in VATS charges a small critical bar, which once filled can be spent to hit an enemy critically. Even on console, Fallout 4 controls exceptionally well, and can be mastered

Thursday, December 10, 2015

quickly.

Fallout 4 does have some issues on its per­ formance side though. As expected in all Bethesda titles the game is plagued by bugs and glitches that can set a player back during their playthrough. So far, I haven’t experienced any game breaking bugs, but I’ve been cautiously aware. Alongside glitches and bugs, the game suffers from framerate issues. In some areas of the wasteland, I’ve noticed extreme framerate drops from the usual 30 to around 25, which gives the game a noticeable stutter. It is un­ known if these issues on console will be patched any time soon, or if they can be fixed at all. Any buyers on console should be aware of these issues, and if possible, the game should be bought on PC. Fallout 4 is a demanding game, on both your free time and attention. The constant flow of new quests and locations mean that there’s never nothing to do in game. Having played the game for over 24 hours now and being only halfway through the main storyline, I’m fairly certain that there’s still plenty for me to explore in the wasteland. I can only hope that it doesn’t get in the way of my finals. I give Fallout 4 a 9/10.

8B

The Deep End

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The New Paltz Oracle

THIS WEEK IN

THE DEEP END A N T H O N Y

Major: Visual Arts

I O R L A N O

Year: Fourth

Inspriation: Doug Peltzman, Ian Anderson “As a potter, I strive to create a balance between simple surface and engaging form. Lines filled with under-glaze create movement and depth. By using an aesthetic that’s simple, it gives me the opportunity to utilize a more complex form. Inspired by architecture, the use of sharp angles in the form and handles show a powerful geometric presence.

Creating functional objects with active surfaces and forms is an opportunity for a fun yet structured investigation. Essentially, I aim to produce well-crafted functional objects that provide lasting experiences in day-to-day life.”

Photos and Captioning by David Khorassani

The New Paltz Oracle

Editorial

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So Long, Susan

For our final issue of the semester we chose to dedicate our cover story to the exit of an important New Paltz political player, Susan Zimet. We know that in her nearly 20 years of public service, Zimet has imprinted her image on most who she has encountered.

Having said that, after nearly an hour and a half on the phone with one of our news reporters, she displayed a drastically different resolve from the caricature we had been led to believe she encompassed. She was willing to engage in the criticisms lobbed at her and still provide meaningful insight into how her time in office unfolded.

We at The New Paltz Oracle appreciate all that Zimet has contributed to New Paltz, the Hudson Valley and New York state. We understand that town supervisor is a stressful position which involves

managing the town’s economy and preparing for the worst.

Since 1996, Zimet has been a leading advocate for the less fortunate and has taken aggressive stances on certain issues that have resulted in political enemies that linger to this day. She is a controversial but necessary figure for political examination if only to see how the community has changed since she first took office two decades ago. Supporters and opponents alike can agree that the New Paltz she took the helm of in 1996 was significantly different from the one she inherited again in 2011.

For all of the criticisms of Zimet during her time in office, she did advance several important causes for the town. For every critique of her management style or political dealings, there are instances where Zimet supporters can point to her tireless work for others.

Whether battling against natural gas companies who looked to exploit small communities like New Paltz or tempering tax rates in the town after years of financial mismanagement by the previous town board, Zimet has been at the forefront of the crusade.

What we hope to see in Neil Bettez is the same efficiency in obtaining the results that Zimet demonstrated in her time in office.

While she may have been polarizing figure as time went by, she achieved serious reforms that will still reverberate in this community for the next decade to come.

If there is a just criticism it would have to be how government has been perceived for its conduct.

By early 2014, town board meetings quickly developed a reputation for being nasty gatherings where incendiary rhetoric and personal disputes clouded what should’ve

Thursday, December 10, 2015

9

CARTOON BY STEFANIE DIERS

been standard policy-making and democratic discussion.

Zimet cited this toxic political atmosphere as part of her reason leaving office, in spite of her unquestioned dedication to public service. Bettez, like Zimet, is coming into this position with no political background. Having seen Zimet’s ability to overcome this obstacle, we are confident that Bettez can do so 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.

OPINION

10 oracle.newpaltz.edu

COLUMN

AMANDA COPKOV Copy Editor

Copkova1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

So, I’ve always liked astrology.

Whether or not I know it’s completely accurate is a different story, but I’ve always found some comfort in reading about my star sign and thinking to myself, “Yeah, that sounds like me.”

I was born on May 17. This makes me a Taurus. Under this star sign, I am considered reliable, practical, patient, indulgent, stubborn and a lover of stability. That being said, I don’t like change. I’m pretty sure I never have and that statement is true to this day.

As an Earth sign, I like to be grounded. I like the familiar. The familiar and I get along well. I’m happy when things are stable, when I’m in my niche, when I am among people, places and things that I know and am comfortable with.

That being said, I’m studying abroad next semester. I am more or less going against my nature and putting my life in New York on hold to go study in France. I am living with a host family and I am a part of a program that incorporates no English whatsoever —

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

Volume 88, Issue VIII

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EQUALITY MATTERS

Thursday, November 12, 2015

The New Paltz Oracle

Au Revoir, For Now all French, all the time. But that’s what I wanted, and that’s what I still want. I have wanted to study abroad since my freshman year. When I took my first French class freshman year, I decided France is where I wanted to go. I want to learn a language and better myself and my life.

A study from the Institute for the International Education of Students (IIE) found that 97 percent of students said studying abroad “served as a catalyst for increased maturity,” 96 percent reported increased self-confidence and 95 percent said studying abroad had a lasting impact on their world view.

The University of California, Merced, reported that 97 percent of students who studied abroad found employment within 12 months of graduation, while only 49 percent of college graduates found employment within the same time period. Ninety percent of study abroad alumni were accepted to their first or second choice grad schools. Eighty percent of study abroad students based on

these studies said their study abroad experiences allowed them to better adapt to diverse work environments.

When I received my first acceptance letter to my study abroad program, I was informed that I was a part of a small 5 percent of American students who choose to study abroad. I am glad that I am taking advantage of these opportunities that have presented themselves to me. And don’t get me wrong, I’ve been nervous and scared and have cried about leaving more than I’d like to admit, but I know that what I’ll experience over the next six months will benefit me in the long run.

A major reason I have been so anxious about leaving is because this semester has presented me with some of the best times of my life. I feel that I’ve found my niche. I have found my people. But ultimately, I am ever so grateful to actually have so many people that I know I will miss with my whole heart: my eight wonderful suite mates who I have endured this chaotic semes-

ter under the same roof with; my Oracle newsroom and Edge radio families who I spent many long, stressful, entertaining hours with; and my family back home on Long Island. All of these people have supported me in my decision to leave for the time being, but when I get back I know I will be able to pick up right where I left off.

Despite my stability-loving nature and my inherent stress and anxiety, I know that I will come back in six months a better person than the one typing this.

Is your club hosting an event?

Amanda is a third-year student majoring in digital media production and management with minors in journalism and french, and yes, she has a death wish. She is fascinated

by French culture and language and will be reading “My Life In France”

by Julia Child and Alex Prud’homme during her flight on Jan. 12.

Advertise it in The Oracle!

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

BLAZE BATTLE

Volume 88, Issue V

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Thursday, October 8, 2015

PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA

PHOTO BY FLICKR USER SHINYASUZUKI

Village Of New Paltz Home And Hair Salon Destroyed In Fire Monday Night

Gov. Cuomo Issues Executive Order To Combat Transgender Discrimination

STORY ON PAGE 3 | EDITORIAL ON PAGE 9

STORY ON PAGE 3 | EDITORIAL ON PAGE 9

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

•Ulster County Considers Extending Rail Trail .........................Pg 4 •Congress Votes On Planned Parenthood Funding ........Pg 6 •CRREO Renamed The Benjamin Center...................................Pg 5 •Student Senate Discusses Sustainability ........................Pg 7

•Neil Bettez Named New Paltz Town Supervisor Elect ................Pg 4 •English As Second Language Program Launched .......Pg 6 •Village Public Works Looks To Repair Local Fire Hydrants .....Pg 5 •Student Senate Receives Library Updates .....................Pg 7

We offer discounted rates for all SA recognized clubs and organizations.

Email us at Oracle@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu ATTN: Business Manager for more details!

Thursday, December 10, 2015

The New Paltz Oracle

OPINION

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11

COLUMN

KINTURA WILLIAMS Copy Editor

N02684069@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

When I was a sophomore in highschool I went to a teammate’s beach themed sweet 16. After having one too many shirley temples, I went to the bathroom to find a friend of mine hysterically crying in the stall. She’d gotten her period unexpectedly and was going to ruin her white shorts. She was so hurt and embarrassed I gave her a tampon and my cardigan to tie around her waist until her mother came to take her home. Thanks to a few friends she had avoided the humiliation that so many women and girls know all too well. She also realized just how much of a necessity tampons are.

The United States on the other hand is not as sensitive as I was that night. One could say our government isn’t sensitive to women’s need of tampons at that time of the month at all. In fact, they consider stopping your bleeding through your

Dear President Donald Christian and Interim Provost Stella Deen, We hope this letter finds you in good health. At the beginning of this fall semester, we received an email about the state of the department of Black Studies that has concerned us greatly. As alumni of SUNY New Paltz who majored, minored, or showed interest in Black Studies classes and programs, it is of utmost importance for us to show our support of the department and faculty in this critical moment.

On the SUNY New Paltz campus, Black Studies not only serves as a place that encourages thinking outside of the mainstream and inspires activism, it also provides a place for students of color to come together. Through the content of the classes and extracurricular programming as well as the faculty members, the Black Studies department validates

B LOODY H ELL clothing a taxing process. Literally, there is a sales tax in place on feminine hygiene products because the government classifies them as a “luxury item.”

Out of 50 states, only 10 have not placed a tax on tampons and five of those 10 are not by choice. Delaware, New Hampshire, Montana, Alaska and Oregon don’t have a sales tax at all, making Maryland, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New Jersey and Massachusetts the only states to make the conscious decision not to.

Somehow an item that is used multiple times a day, every day, for a week every single month is a luxury — yet condoms and sexual lubricants are considered necessities. In other words, men’s need to “wrap it up” is more important than women’s need to remain clean and healthy by maintaining their hygiene. Tampons do not compare to an iPhone, a blowout, or

a venti chai mocha latte from Starbucks — they are a primary and essential part of being a healthy, functional woman.

There is a problem when in the poorer parts of the world like India, the Middle East and Africa women and girls don’t go to school when they have their periods.

They are prevented from receiving an education simply because they menstruate and do not have access to the proper feminine hygiene products to keep them clean. If tampons are important enough to limit access to education, there is no reason why they should be considered a luxury item.

Especially because no woman anywhere would ever describe her time of the month as luxurious.

I’m also pretty sure if men could even fathom the idea of their uterus falling out they’d turn green and faint, let alone be

OP-ED

students of color and lets them know they are a valued part of the New Paltz community.

Having one’s self-worth recognized and valued can be life-changing, especially for Black students who are continuing to comprise a smaller and smaller portion of the student body every year.

Much of the cultural programming that happens on the New Paltz campus is done by organizations of color that are supported by the Black Studies faculty. Whether serving as faculty advisors directly or providing mentoring to individual students, faculty members go above and beyond the call of duty to connect to students of color. Without a department of Black Studies that hires faculty members of color who are dedicated to improving the lives of students of color, the New Paltz campus would look vastly different. In fact, the department played such a strong role in shaping

students over the years that at its hour of need, the concern and response of alumni could be seen to span several decades.

Through the writing of this letter, we show our unwavering support for the Department of Black Studies. We would also like to share with you our expectations of how the administration will help the department: 1. By the beginning of Fall 2016 semester: Hire at least four tenure-track faculty members of color, with a priority on women, who have diverse areas of research, including but not limited to, feminist approaches to Black Studies, LGBTQ/Queer Studies, Ancient and Contemporary Africa, and Blackcentered politics; 2. Hire faculty of color in all other departments.

3. Provide adequate support for faculty members so they are able to not only teach but

Thursday, December 10, 2015

able to hide the fact that they’re bleeding profusely for days on end.

Women need tampons just as much as everyone else needs water, toothpaste, and soap to maintain their health and hygiene. Women have a responsibility to their bodies, and the freedom to do and care for them as they please. A tampon taxed as a luxury item is ridiculous, insensitive, and reflective of this country’s misogynistic claim on what women can and cannot do with their bodies.

Kintura is a fourth-year journalism major. She’s obsessed with elephants and spends her time indulging in various teas and shuffling her music between Sade and Ghostface Killah.

also pursue their scholarship and research.

4. Increase recruitment of students of color, with special emphasis on Black students, as we have seen these numbers steadily declining over the past few years. The state university campus needs to look like the State of New York, of which 13 percent is AfricanAmerican.

5. Permit students and alumni to hold voting seats on the faculty search committee.

As alumni of SUNY New Paltz, we are confident that our concerns will be taken into consideration as the administration moves forward. We thank you for your time and your continued support in this matter.

Sincerely, Sankofa Justice League The author of this letter is a SUNY New Paltz alumni network in support of students to resist oppression and the fight for social justice.

12 oracle.newpaltz.edu

SPORTS

The New Paltz Oracle

SPORTS The New Paltz Oracle

FAST PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA

Hawks third-year co-Captain Courtney Irby posts up during the conference game against SUNY Plattsburgh.

By Michael Rosen

Copy Editor | Rosenm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The Women’s basketball team has won three straight games, bringing their record to 7-2.

On Friday, Dec. 4 the Hawks began State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play and defeated SUNY Plattsburgh by a score of 62-52. This was the Cardinals’ first loss of the season.

Up until the 5:36 mark in the third quarter, the Cardinals held a 10-point advantage over the Hawks. New Paltz would trim it to just a one-point deficit at the end of the quarter highlighted by a layup in the paint at the buzzer by fourth-year co-Captain Goldie Harrison.

The two teams would exchange leads early in the fourth quarter. But a 3-pointer at the 7:49 mark by second-year guard Jasmine Bryant would give the Hawks the lead for good. A free-throw by Cardinals first-year forward Simone Ayers made it a 56-52 New Paltz lead with 2:45 left in the game. But the Hawks would not let their opponent score again to secure the win.

“It’s always big to win any conference game, but a little more so with this one be-

cause of how well Plattsburgh had played this season coming into the game,” Hawks Head Coach Jamie Seward said. “Add in the fact that we shot the ball so poorly in the first half and came from double-digits down in the second half, and I was very happy with the grit and resiliency our players demonstrated.”

Third-year co-Captain Kit Small led the Hawks with 19 points, and fourth-year guard Colleen Ames was second on the team with 13 points off the bench. Third-year co-Captain Courtney Irby notched her second double-double of the season with 10 points and a careerhigh 21 rebounds.

The next day the Hawks defeated SUNY Potsdam by a lopsided score of 89-42. This was the Hawks’ largest margin of victory since their 71-23 win over The College at Brockport on Jan. 20, 2012. This was the most points the Hawks have scored in a game since their 97-89 loss to New York University on Dec. 1, 2008.

“The win over Potsdam was a success,” Irby said. “We threw the first punch and didn’t let up, and it was also nice that everyone on our team scored and contributed to our win.”

The Hawks’ largest lead of the day came at the 1:29 mark in the third quarter after a layup

BREAK

in the paint by second-year forward Stephanie Volpe gave New Paltz a 70-22 lead, a 48-point difference.

The Hawks held a 55-39 advantage in rebounds and shot 40.6 percent from the floor (26-of-64) while shooting 83.3 percent from the line (25-of-30).

Bryant led the team with 14 points, while Small and Ames were second on the team with 12 points each. Hawks third-year guard and forward Morgan Roessler and first-year guard Lindsay Bettke scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. Irby led the team in rebounds with 10, while Small and second-year guard/ forward Laura Stuart tallied a team-high four assists each.

On Tuesday, Dec. 8 the Hawks defeated Vassar College 63-60 for their third-straight victory.

Both teams exchanged leads in the first quarter but the Brewers came out on top with a 12-9 lead. Vassar built up an eight-point lead with 3:15 remaining in the third quarter and entered the fourth quarter with a 48-43 lead.

The Hawks would tie the game 50-50 at the 7:31 mark thanks to a 3-pointer by Ames.

New Paltz and Vassar would continue to ex-

Thursday, December 10, 2015

change leads before a 3-pointer by Small broke a 56-56 tie and put New Paltz up for good. The Brewers had plenty of opportunities to steal the game, but the Hawks held on for the win.

“The win over Vassar was a nail-biting game, we were in for a dogfight and fortunately we won it,” Irby said. “There are a few things that we have to clean up, but a win is a win and I’m glad we fought through to pull it out.”

Small led the team with 17 points and three assists. Irby was right behind her with 16 points and led the team in rebounds with 12 for her third double-double of the season. Ames also contributed with 13 points off the bench.

The Hawks will get some much needed rest over the holiday break as their next game will not be until Tuesday, Jan. 5 against SUNY Cortland. Despite the long layoff, Seward is confident that the team will keep their focus during the holidays.

“The break can be challenging, but this team has demonstrated a unique ability to keep their focus on what is in front of them,” Seward said. “So, I am confident they will stay in shape and work on their individual games and to do everything possible to pick back up right where we leave off.”

The New Paltz Oracle

Sports

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13

Swimming Teams Prepare For Florida

By Melissa Kramer

Sports Editor | Kramerm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The Men and Women’s swimming teams participated in the MIT Winter Invitational from Friday, Dec. 4 to Sunday, Dec. 6 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

After the third and final day, the Men’s team placed fifth out of six teams. The Women’s team recorded a sixth place finish out of eight teams.

Hawks Head Coach Scott Whitbeck said he was happy with how both teams performed during the three-day invitational.

“We have set ourselves up to have a really good second half of the season,” he said. “We really saw some improvement from some people throughout the fall. This was a good chance to see where we are in general. The competition was really fast, which was a good thing. It’s nice to see what is out there.”

The first day’s events for the Men’s team — the 800 freestyle relay and the 1,650 freestyle — were timed-final events.

The 800 freestyle relay team of Hawks second-years Matthew Kessler and Barrett Celecki and fourth-year co-Captains Ethan Cooke and Will Koenig kicked off the meet with a 14thplace finish, recording a time of 7:19.59.

Hawks third-year Rob Cahn coasted to an 11th-place finish in the 1,650 freestyle (17:03.69), while Celecki swam to a 14th-place standard of 17:19.83.

New Paltz’s highlight of the second day came during the first event of the evening finals session. The “A” 200 freestyle relay team of third-year Austin Kowalsky, second-year Caleb Treadwell, Cooke and Koenig earned a fifthplace time of 1:24.46 that bested the program record in the event. This was the first time a relay record was set at a fall meet in seven years.

Treadwell, Brandon Finn, Rod Taskindoust and Koenig established the previous program standard of 1:24.51 at last year’s State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championships.

On the final day, New Paltz’s top individual finish of the day came from Koenig, who placed 13th in the 100 freestyle with a time of 47.47.

For the Women’s side, both first-year Jaimie Kaefer and fourth-year co-Captain Cassidy Griger qualified for an “A” final on the second day, with Kaefer placing sixth in the 400 individual medley (4:38.60) and Griger taking seventh in the 200 freestyle (1:56.12). Kaefer clocked a 4:36.29 in the preliminary heats, which met the NCAA “B” cut time.

New Paltz kicked off the evening session with a 10th-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay, as the “A” relay foursome of second-year Molly McCulloch, first-years Katie Donlevy and Nicole Lee and Griger combined to chart a time of 1:38.80.

Four Hawks competed in the “C” final of the 100 breaststroke, with second-year Megan Joseph leading the way with a 24th-place finish of 1:09.85. Fourth-years Casey O’Connor and Krista VerMeersch also scored points with times of 1:10.77 (26th) and 1:12.34 (29th), respectively.

Finally, in the last event of the evening, the “A” 400 medley relay team of first-year Kaleigh O’Halloran, Donlevy, McCulloch and Griger clocked a 14th-place time of 4:03.47.

On the final day, Donlevy tied for fourth in the 200 individual medley event — the highest individual place for a New Paltz swimmer all weekend — with a time of 2:09.87. Griger made the “A” final of the 500 freestyle and finished ninth (5:11.20). The Hawks 400 freestyle relay team of Griger, Donlevy, first-year Kaleigh O’Halloran and third-year Aimee Del Favero closed out the meet with an eighth-place time of 3:37.29.

Griger said both teams showed a lot of depth during the weekend with fast swims in almost all events.

“It was a great way to test our speed at the midseason point,” she said. “The MIT Invitational was a challenging meet with preliminaries in the morning and finals at night over five separate sessions, which was a valuable experience as our SUNYAC Championships meet will be the same format.”

Both teams will have nearly a month off from competition until their annual winter training trip, at the St. Pete’s Classic in St. Petersburg, Florida on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 10 a.m.

Hawks fourth-year co-Captain Maggie Heaton said it will be beneficial to take this month-long break from competing. During the time off, the team will increase their strength in the weight room and do intense training in the pool to prepare for the second half of the season, she said.

Whitbeck said both teams train really hard during their annual trip to Florida.

“We will have a long-course pool there, you can’t simulate that here,” he said. “The focus of the trip is really to try get in the hardest training of the season. It’s nice to be able to do that in a controlled environment down in Florida. With the warm weather it is really nice to train outdoors.”

Both swimming teams will have three weeks off before their annual training trip. PHOTOS BY HOLLY LIPKA

Thursday, December 10, 2015

14 oracle.newpaltz.edu

Sports

The New Paltz Oracle

Men’s Basketball Looks For A Rebound

By Rachael Purtell

Assistant Copy Editor | Purtellr1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The Men’s basketball team will look to rebound from a seven-game losing streak, when they get back to game play in three weeks.

Despite their skid, Hawks Head Coach Mike Rejniak and the players remain optimistic, he said.

“I firmly believe this is my most talented team that I’ve had since I’ve been here, but talent only gets you so far,” Rejniak said. “My goal is to get them to play together on both ends of the court and when that happens, we’ll be very good.”

On Friday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m., the Hawks began State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play as they fell to SUNY Plattsburgh 81-71 at the Hawk Center. Although the Hawks and the Cardinals shot nearly identical 41.9 percent and 41.8 percent respectively, the Cardinals held a 48-36 advantage in rebounds, capitalizing with 19 second-chance points.

“We haven’t played up to our potential yet,” Rejniak said. “I think we did against Plattsburgh for about 35 minutes and then we kind of panicked in the last five minutes and that cost us.”

The Hawks came out of the gates strong, starting with a 3-pointer by fourth-year co-Captain R.J. Rosa just 12 seconds into the game. Rosa would end up with a game total of 10 points as well as grabbing three steals on the night.

About 20 seconds after Rosa’s basket, thirdyear forward Brandon Guest had a successful dunk in the paint.

The Hawks continued their run to a 14-4 lead punctuated by a Guest layup after the first five minutes of play.

Shortly after, Plattsburgh’s second-year forward Brandon Tolliver sank two free-throws to decrement the Hawks’ lead to 10, their final double-digit lead of the night.

Scoring for the Hawks and the Cardinals went back and forth for several minutes, but this trend was ended with a Cardinal seven point streak ending with a layup by fourth-year guard/forward Kyle Richardson and a New Paltz timeout. Richardson would score the game-high of 30 points while also grabbing 18 rebounds for the Cardinals.

The Hawks then went on a 6-1 scoring streak leading 26-18 with 7:28 left in the first half. However, the Cardinals ended the half with a 17-13 run to end the first half with New Paltz leading by the small margin of 39-35.

Plattsburgh then obtained their first lead of the game about halfway through the second half, making the score 52-47. Shortly after, two threes by fourth-year co-Captain Keegan Donovan and third-year forward Andrew Senuik put the Hawks

back ahead by one point. Then a mid-range jumper by Cardinal first-year forward Jonathan Patron would return the lead to Plattsburgh. Donovan would lead the Hawks in scoring for the night with 22 points along with six assists, two steals, two rebounds and one block.

The lead changed again when Hawks firstyear guard/forward Nick Paquette hit a 3-pointer.

He would score a total of 12 points, shooting 4-of5 with 3-of-4 beyond the arc.

Plattsburgh then went on a 15-4 run, forcing the Hawks to foul, and consequently hit 6-of-7 at the free-throw line to seal the 10-point win. Second-year guard Eli Bryant was another key player for the Cardinals netting 16 points and five assists.

The following day, Paquette scored a gamehigh and career-high of 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a 69-54 losing effort against SUNY Potsdam.

“Against Potsdam we got away from who we were,” Rejniak said. “We got a little too individual on both sides of the court and we got away from the things that made us so successful as a team.”

The Bears led the whole game, leading in rebounds by a margin of 50-39 and turning 16 Hawk turnovers into 16 points. The Bears also outshot the Hawks with a percentage of 38.1 percent compared to New Paltz’s 29.8 percent.

Potsdam started off with strong shooting and quickly gained a 14-3 lead early in the game. The Hawks gained some momentum and went on a seven point run, punctuated by a Paquette layup, to bring the score to 14-10.

The Hawks scored their last points of the half with a little over a minute remaining when fourth-year co-Captain Alex Perlman grabbed a rebound which transitioned into a fast-break dunk

by Guest. Perlman would grab nine rebounds for the Hawks that game.

First half scoring ended with a 3-pointer by Potsdam’s fourth-year guard Joe Estramonte with 22 seconds remaining in the half, bringing their lead to 33-23 at the half.

After Potsdam first-year guard and forward Dante Langley made a layup off the first possession of the half, the Hawks would cut their deficit to single digits with a Guest basket and two freethrows by Donovan. Langley led the Bears in scoring with 14 points and this is the closest the Hawks would be for the remainder of the game.

“The best thing for us right now is to forget,” Rosa said. “We battled in some very tight, heart- breaking losses which can stay with you for a while as a player. The only way we can improve is if we put those losses behind us and take each day one by one.”

Hawks first-year guard and forward Nick Paquette gets open to receive a pass.

Some other highlights late in the half included a missed Paquette 3-pointer turning into a tip-in by Senuik with 8:16 remaining in regulation time and a steal by Hawks third-year guard Eric Regenbogen transitioning to a fast-break dunk by Paquette with two and half minutes to go.

Donovan was a key player for the Hawks against Potsdam netting 12 points and snatching two steals. Rosa and first-year guard Matt Misser also added two steals apiece to the team total. Key players for the Bears included Estramonte and second-year forward Josh Blagrove scoring 13 points each. Blagrove also grabbed nine rebounds for the Bears. Also contributing was Potsdam’s first-year forward Nate Wyatte with four assists and eight

Thursday, December 10, 2015

PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA

rebounds.

“We’ve got to just take it game by game, step by step, day by day, trying to get better and it starts with Springfield,” Rejniak said.

In their next game, the Hawks dropped a close game to Rejniak’s alma mater Springfield College 77-69 on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

The Hawks, who have a 1-7 overall record will next travel to Union, New Jersey to play Kean University at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016. In the meantime, Rejniak said he hopes to build the team’s chemistry off the court and incorporate more team-oriented drills in practice in order to achieve the positive outlook he foresees for the remainder of the season.

The New Paltz Oracle

Nothing But N02541514@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

If you’re like me, you really enjoy watching National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball and you’re probably going to be watching a lot of the association over the next few months.

Here’s a quick guide to teams you don’t want to miss out on seeing in action.

Golden State Warriors It’s December and the reigning NBA champs are still undefeated. They’re scoring over 115 points per game, by far the most of any team. Do I need to give any more reasons to watch this team? Well I will.

Stephen Curry is the best player in the NBA, the best shooter we’ve ever seen and possibly the most efficient scorer we’ve ever seen. He’s also the most fun player to watch. Teammate Andrew Bogut recently said that Curry tries to “destroy the other team’s soul” when he plays, and that doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. Curry doesn’t even look like he’s trying out there. His typical routine on offense is to casually jog around with the ball like it’s practice before nailing a 30-foot jumper with a hand in his face. I’ve never seen a player dominate a game so casually. He looks like a Harlem Globetrotter out there while every other team is the Washington Generals.

Through 23 games, Curry has a true shooting percentage of over 70 percent. To put that into perspective, Michael Jordan’s highest true shooting percentage in a season was 61 percent

Home Isles Advantage Kramerm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The New York Islanders have been streaking — with points. They have recorded at least one point in eight-straight games since Nov. 25 and into December and have not lost a game in regulation during that time.

This has been huge for the team that has been known for playing poorly in the month of November.

It seems they have learned from years past to pick up the pace.

Ever since the home-and-home losses against the Montreal Canadiens in November, the Islanders have turned on the jets. They have performed very well on national television in recent weeks, defeating both the Philadelphia Flyers and rival New York Rangers.

Goaltending has been a key for the Isles’ success in recent weeks. Despite the 3-2 shootout loss against the Florida Panthers the day after Thanksgiving, which featured an NHL shootout record, as the first nine shooters scored in the skills competition portion, Jaroslav Halak has proved himself to be a legitimate force guarding the net. By splitting time with Thomas Greiss, who has been extremely clutch between the pipes, Halak has been able to come in fresh when called upon. As a team, the Isles are ranked sixth in goals-against average (GAA) (2.3 goals per game), showing that they can keep the puck out of the net effectively. Greiss has won his last three-games played

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NBA Teams To Watch oracle.newpaltz.edu

in 1989. Yes, he is indeed a more efficient scorer than Jordan.

If this team doesn’t win the NBA title I’ll be surprised. And yes, Curry is the only reason you need to watch this team.

Detroit Pistons They’re only in eighth place in the East, but make no mistake, this is the best Pistons team we’ve seen in almost a decade. Andre Drummond is a destroyer of worlds and the only truly dominant big man in today’s game. Right now he’s averaging 18 points and 16.5 rebounds per game. The last player to average that many rebounds per game in a season was Dennis Rodman in 1993, and no player has eclipsed over 16 rebounds per game in the 21st century.

Reggie Jackson’s flashy, aggressive style is exciting and watching his ineptitude on defense never gets old. There’s nothing like watching a point guard blow by Jackson only to get stuffed at the rim by Drummond.

With that said, the Pistons could become extremely boring to watch if teams start to intentionally send Drummond to the line, where he shoots just 37 percent. Please don’t, for our sake.

Miami Heat It’s been impressive to see Erik Spoelstra’s Heat adapt to the loss of LeBron James. They’ve done a good job of finding talented players who never had enough of a chance. For example,

Hassan Whiteside. Talk about a fun player to watch! Whiteside gets an emphatic block pretty much every game and plays with a ton of energy.

The Heat got really lucky with him, as he’s a superstar center that they effectively got for free.

Along with Goran Dragic, Chris Bosh, Luol Deng and Dwyane Wade, this is a formidable starting five.

On Saturday night the Heat convincing whooped the Cavs, who were resting LeBron James, as the Miami crowd chanted ‘LeBron is tired.’ What a strange chant. I guess only in sports is calling someone tired a serious insult.

If Wade’s Fisher-Price knees can keep up throughout the year, the Heat could be a serious contender. Spoelstra has proven that he can run a winning team without King James.

Los Angeles Lakers Now I know what you’re thinking. “What the hell, the Lakers are 3-18, why would we want to watch them?” I have two words: Kobe Bryant. There’s nothing like watching Kobe go out there and single handedly sink his own team with terrible shot selection, no passing and terrible defense, then proceed to yell at his teammates out of embarrassment.

Make no mistake, 37-year-old Bryant is one of the greatest players ever, but he’s completely done. He’s shooting 30.6 percent on the year, lowest of all qualified players and is 409th out

of 419 players in real plus-minus. Despite this, he still plays like he’s a superstar, chucking up awful contested jumpers without remorse.

The Lakers aren’t for everyone, they’re worth watching for comedic value. They’re like the Jersey Shore of basketball teams.

New York Knicks I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the Knicks are undoubtedly exciting to watch. Latvian rookie Kristaps Porzingis (also known as PorzinGOD, PorzinGOAT, etc.) is proving everyone wrong, including myself. Porzingis was practically booed out of Barclays Center by Knicks fans on draft night, as nobody had a clue who he was. Now he’s the face of the Knicks. I personally thought he had a lot of potential, but would initially struggle in the NBA his first few years. He hasn’t struggled much at all and looks like a rookie of the year contender.

Porzingis is a joy to watch because he’s so versatile. This is a 7-foot-3 man who can shoot from anywhere on the floor and keep up with smaller forwards on defense. He plays with a passion that has revitalized this Knicks team.

Carmelo Anthony can be frustrating to watch at times, but when he’s on, he’s one of the few unguardable players in the league. He and Porzingis make for one of the most thrilling duos in the league, and home games with Madison Square Garden crowds are always entertaining.

and earned an 8-3-2 record so far this season. His 2.18 goals against average and .928 save percentage is among the top ten goaltenders in the league. The tandem of Halak and Greiss are keeping the Isles alive in games.

There are many players who have stepped it up for the Isles recently. Playing a team game and having all players contribute has been something the Isles have wanted for a long time. Forwards Brock Nelson and Mikhail Grabovski have put up points as of late.

Nelson already has 16 points to his name. Grabovski only played in 51 games last season for the Isles. However, he has tallied 13 points this season and needs six more to tie last year’s season-high.

The team is not just Captain John Tavares and Kyle Okposo. Tavares, who is usually a lock for a top-10 spot, gracing the league in points, is not in the race at the moment. “JT” has only one point in his last four games. Even the greatest of players fall into scoring droughts occasionally. Great teams need all lines to compete at their best in order for them to be successful. The fourth-line of Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck have made themselves known throughout the league and hockey fans are already aware of Tavares and Okposo. Now it is time for the second and third lines to contribute consistently.

Speaking of which, what is there to say about forward Frans Nielsen. He has been the most consistent Islander this season, scoring two goals in the team’s most recent game against the Flyers.

Another highlight in the last few weeks is that Ryan Strome has returned from his minor league stint with the Islanders affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers ready to prove himself. Despite only recording four points in eight games in Connecticut, Islanders General Manager Garth Snow decided to bring the 22-yearold back up. Strome proved to the organization that his three-week demotion can only motivate him even more. He lit the lamp with an empty-net goal in his first game back, which was against the Colorado Avalanche and dished out an assist. He picked up a point in the next game against the Rangers. The Mississauga native will be a driving force that can pick up the second or third line.

While one player returned to Brooklyn, another is most likely departing in the next few weeks. This would be defenseman Travis Hamonic, who has been a staple defending the Islanders blue line for the last five seasons. Back in November, one of the Isles icetime leaders requested a trade to western Canada to be in a closer proximity to his family. His request had nothing to do with the team as he enjoyed his time

with the blue and orange. The 25-year-old defenseman is a valuable part of the Isles’ blue line, showing stability and a “hammer-like” mentality and physical presence on the ice. The team will definitely miss him if the request does happen. Another defenseman, Thomas Hickey has returned from injury and will continue to be solid on the blue line.

Any hockey fan will have their opinion on the new three-on-three overtime format and the not-sonew shootout. The Isles have been one of the best teams in the league in the shootout. Their last fourgames have been decided by either overtime or a shootout. Even though extra-time may be entertaining, teams need to do their best to secure that extra point.

Every point is crucial when it comes to making the playoffs. With the season over a quarter of the way complete, the Isles will need every point they could get in a very competitive conference.

Next up for the Isles will be three-straight games against Eastern Conference teams. They will need to continue earning points to gain ground in the conference, putting up a 6-2-2 performance in their last 10 games. Yes it is early, but this point of the season is make-or-break time. Currently in fourth place, the Isles are only four points behind the conference-leading Montreal Canadiens for the top spot in the east.

Isles Score Big In December

Thursday, December 10, 2015

SPORTS

WHAT’S INSIDE

Swimming Participates In MIT Winter Invitational PAGE 12

Men’s Basketball Begins SUNYAC Play PAGE 13

ON A RUN

ALL PHOTOS BY HOLLY LIPKA

THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL WINS THREE STRAIGHT GAMES : PAGE 11