Volume 88, Issue 18

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

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Thursday, March 31 , 2016

SHUT DOWN

PHOTO COURTESY WIKIPEDIA

Volume 88, Issue XVIII

Student Activities Cancels Media in Politics Debate Amidst Faculty Outcry – STORY ON PAGE 3 –

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

• Students March to Albany in Protest of Tuition Hikes....Pg 4 • NYSR Continues Demonstrations Against Tuition Hikes........Pg 5 • 2016-17 New Paltz School District Budget Discussed......Pg 6 • The New Paltz Oracle Student Voice .......................................Pg 7

Kristen Warfield EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Nate Sheidlower

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

MANAGING EDITOR _________________

Melanie Zerah NEWS EDITOR

Jack O’Brien FEATURES EDITOR

Sam Manzella

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Melissa Kramer SPORTS EDITOR

_________________

Holly Lipka David Khorassani PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS

Stefanie Diers CARTOONIST

_________________

Michael Rosen Jonathan Perry Jess Napp Monique Tranchina Anthony Orza Rachael Purtell Kintura Williams COPY EDITORS

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Jackie Quaranto WEB CHIEF

_________________

Cam Collichio BUSINESS MANAGER _________________

Marisa Losciale

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER _________________

STAFF Sage Higgins, Matthew D’Onofrio, Nick Tantillo, Otto Kratky, Jake Berkowitz, Erica Ascher, Briana Bonfiglio, Jackson Shrout, Liam Baker

FEATURES

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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 17 Index NEWS THE DEEP END EDITORIAL COLUMN

Jess Napp

SPORTS

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11-14

FOLLOW THE ORACLE

The SUNY New Paltz Police log wepage was not functioning properly at the time we attempted to access it. Therefore we quickly jumped to the conclusion that a malicious student has been aprehended by authorities and in attempt at concealing this fact, has hacked and destroyed the police log. We shall catch this student.

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

@NewPaltzOracle

Five-Day Forecast Thursday, March 31 Cloudy and Windy High: 71 Low: 61

Friday, April 1

Heat Wave High: 220 Low: 185

Saturday, April 2 Showers High: 58 Low: 34

Sunday, April 3

AM Snow Showers High: 34 Low: 27

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

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VISIT “THE ORACLE” ONLINE:

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THE GUNK

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Monday, April 4 PM Showers High: 45 Low: 28

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Abrupt Debate Cancellation Sparks Discussion Across Campus

By Jack O’Brien

Features Editor | Obrienj2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The abrupt cancellation of a debate featuring speakers with opposing views has spurred campus-wide discussion on the issue of political correctness.

On Wednesday, March 30, a debate between media watchdogs Jeff Cohen and Cliff Kincaid entitled “How the Media Can Sway Votes and Win Elections” was scheduled to be held in the Student Union Multi-Purpose Room. As recently as Monday, March 28, emails from the Office of Student Activities and Union Services, (OSAUS), were still being sent out promoting the event.

However, in an email sent during the early afternoon of Wednesday, March 30, Mike Patterson, director of OSAUS, announced the cancellation of the event. Patterson believed the focus of the program had been lost, saying that “the intended purpose for our community would likely not be achieved.”

The issue sparking the controversy was the inclusion of Kincaid, director of investigative journalism for Accuracy in Media, (AIM), who has made controversial state-

ments in the past about Muslims, climate change and homosexuals. The Southern Poverty Law Center, (SPLC), described Kincaid as “an unrepentant propagandist for extremist right-wing causes.”

In a discussion that originated on the faculty email system and subsequently obtained by The New Paltz Oracle, Anne R. Roschelle, Ph.D., a sociology professor, voiced her objections to Kincaid’s involvement in the debate. However, Roschelle made clear to note that she did not seek to bar Kincaid from speaking.

“Given that I believe in free speech, I am not advocating he be uninvited or that people disrupt his talk,” Roschelle said.

“What I am suggesting is that for people who do go to his talk to ask critical questions and make your alternative voices heard. We are an open minded campus.”

Patterson said that his office heard from both students and faculty expressing a variety of concerns that factored into the decision to cancel the debate. Patterson said that while he didn’t hear of any explicit threats to protest, he felt that his office no longer had “the structures and mechanisms in place to reel that back and let there be a true, honest

debate.” He also denied that there was any directive from the administration to cancel the event.

“The whole conversation wasn’t going to be a debate but rather be a ‘we don’t like Kincaid’ conversation,” Patterson said. “[OSAUS] cancelled the event. All of the people in our office were in on the conversation to cancel the event. We collectively agreed that the goal of the program got out of hand and went beyond what it needed to be.”

During the evening of March 30, SUNY New Paltz President Donald P. Christian sent out an email to faculty and staff addressing the cancellation of the debate. Firstly, Christian clarified that money from Campus Auxiliary Services were allocated for the event, not state money. Then, he commended both OSAUS for their intent to host the debate and the faculty for expressing their concerns about Kincaid’s background.

However, immediately after the cancellation there were questions about if the speakers were still going to be paid. In the contract, obtained by The New Paltz Oracle, signed between SUNY New Paltz and Gotham Artists, the agency representing Cohen

and Kincaid, the third termination clause states, “If the presenter cancels for any reason, Gotham Artists is entitled to full fee.”

The full fee totalled $7,500.

Heather Bennett, an adjunct political science professor, was slated to moderate the debate. Bennett said that she was disappointed by the cancellation, especially given the reputation colleges have for being places of intellectual discussion.

“I intended on asking them questions surrounding the presidential candidates and their extreme political positions,” Bennett said. “I think that both, having worked with each other before, would have behaved professionally with each other. I really wanted to ask them questions about their real experience in the media and as media critics.”

Patterson said there would not be a replacement event during this semester but they would pursue another debate event in the future.

“We believed in the value of the program, of promoting opposing perspectives and the value of the debate,” Patterson said.

“But we didn’t think the conversation was going to be beneficial by the end of the day.”

two bedroom apartments and the first floor will be filled by 14,450 square feet of retail space to be divided up by need of the business. Shepler estimates six to eight retailers will line the three “fronts” of the building on N. Chestnut Street, Mulberry Street and along the rail trail.

“We want to make a mark in the State of New York and in the country as a high performance building,” Shepler said. “We want to achieve our zero energy goal ... at a minimum, we’re aiming to do that for all of the residential floors.”

He said since retail uses vary so widely, the shops on the first floor may need to use metered energy through Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corp. The residents would use energy from the building with a fixed cost included in their rent.

But this is all down the road. The March 1 meeting was only the first of many steps in the planning process that ensures the building’s design, features and location all match the community’s goals, according to Michael Zierler, chairman of the New Paltz village

planning board.

Zierler said the NBR was designed to create a mixed use neighborhood that is not a second Main Street, as evident by the fact that bars and pubs are not allowed to be opened within the 25 acre district.

The planning board asked Shepler for some additional renderings and tests to help them review the project. One such test, meant to address concerns that the building will be too tall and obstruct views, was a balloon test that involved raising balloons to reach the approximate height and taking pictures from various locations to see if they are visible.

This is one primary worry of some neighbors, including Historic Huguenot Street (HHS), according to Josephine Bloodgood, HHS interim executive director and curator. She added the additional traffic that would come with all the new residents as a concern.

“We are definitely in favor of developing the mixed use area,” Bloodgood said. “Our concern is the scale of this building. It represents a drastic change in the character of this

area, a permanent change.”

Bloodgood said because the atmosphere of HHS relies on the calm and quiet of very few people driving through, and the traffic increase would be disruptive to tours and can physically harm the old stone buildings.

Public comment is a part of every meeting, and there was much of it on March 1.

Residents expressed sentiment that a building of this height and look would not fit the feel and image they have come to love.

Zierler said that public comment weighs into each board member’s opinion differently.

“Each board member has their own personal sense of public input,” Zierler said. “I try to listen very closely to concerns and I try to consider them along with everything else.”

One of the further steps in this process is a formal public hearing where community members can present to the planning board their opinions of the project on the record.

There is no time set for this public hearing but the next planning board meeting is April 5 where this project is likely to be discussed.

Zoning District Project Presented to Village Planning Board

By Nate Sheidlower

Managing Editor | Sheidlon1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The first application for the New Neighborhood Business Residential (NBR) zoning district, brought before the Village Planning Board earlier this month, was met by intrigued board members and disgruntled residents.

On March 1, after two previous pre­ application meetings, David Shepler presented his application for “Zero Place,” the four­story retail/residential building aimed to occupy the lot at the corner of N. Chestnut Street and Mulberry Street left vacant when STS Tires burned down in February of last year. At the meeting, issues raised included the height of the building, it’s affect on traffic and how it will affect the community character.

According to Shepler, the project’s developer, a roof full of solar panels and other energy efficient features, will make this building “zero energy,” meaning it will produce more energy than it uses in a given year.

The top three floors are set to host 48 one and

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NEWS BRIEFS WORLD

AMNESTY REPORT ALLEGES LABOR ABUSE AT QATAR WORLD CUP VENUE Migrant laborers faced abuse that in some cases amounted to forced labor while working on a stadium that will host soccer matches for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a new report released by Amnesty International alleged Thursday.

Rights groups and news organizations have previously raised serious concerns about working conditions in Qatar, but the latest Amnesty report stands out because it links alleged abuses directly to work on a World Cup venue.

PARIS PROSECUTOR: SUSPECT CHARGED WITH TERRORISM OFFENSES A 34-year-old Frenchman arrested last week has been charged with a string of terrorism offenses for allegedly plotting an imminent attack and operating an explosives arsenal of what prosecutors called “unprecedented scale.”

Paris Prosecutor Francois Molins said Wednesday that the suspect, Reda Kriket, is accused of participating in a terrorist group with plans for at least one attack, possessing and transporting arms and explosives, and holding fake documents, among other charges.

US TO BEEF UP MILITARY PRESENCE IN EASTERN EUROPE The Pentagon plans to deploy an armored brigade combat team to Eastern Europe next February as part of the ongoing effort to rotate troops in and out of the region to reassure allies worried about threats from an increasingly aggressive Russia.

LAST 5 HOSTAGES ON HIJACKED EGYPT PLANE RECALL FEAR First the hijacker said the women could leave. All the children, too. Then the man in the suicide vest agreed that all Egyptians and others from Muslim backgrounds would be allowed to escape from the plane. That left five Western men - at least one of whom thought they were about to die. “We looked each other in the eyes and we said: Here we are. We’re at the end of the line. It’s over,” recalled the Italian in the group, Andrea Banchetti.

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Students March Against Tuition Increases

By Billie Golan

Contributing Writer | Golanb1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Contributing Writer Billie Golan participated in this three-day hike, all information was compiled by her recollections of the event and first-person reporting.

Rising with the sun on Sunday morning, March 20, seven students marched from the Atrium at SUNY New Paltz headed toward Albany; embarking on a 60 mile, three-day adventure.

Five New Paltz students participated in the hike: fourth-year political science major Brandon Missig, fourth-year graphic design major Nicole Striffolino, third-year digital production major Julia Zitzmann, third-year environmental studies major Billie Golan and third-year journalism major Sarah Eames. Additionally, SUNY Purchase students third-year double major in enviromental studies and philiosophy Melanie Case and second-year accounting major Christopher Adrion also joined the hike.

The group began their three-day “No Tuition Hike” as part of New York Student’s Rising’s (NYSR) 20 Days of Noise to accelerate demands to freeze the annual tuition hikes promoted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

The New York Assembly and Senate both unanimously passed the Maintenance of Effort Clause to have the state reinvest in public schools, to which Cuomo vetoed.

Outraged by Cuomo’s decision to reject a potential reinvestment in SUNY prompted NYSR to begin a grassroots rally.

State investment in public higher education has decreased by almost half since 2007, with students picking up the tab.

While the average SUNY student graduates with a debt loan of $30,000, SUNY’s top administrators earn sky-high taxpayerfunded salaries, driving up the cost to attend our state’s public colleges.

“There is no such thing as a rational tuition increase,” Brian O’Bach, sociology professor at SUNY New Paltz said. “The Rational Tuition plan raises student public tuition $300 every year, effectively reducing state investment and support while increasing the burden of public education on students.”

With two giant banners hooked onto their backpacks, one reading “Freeze Tuition” and the other “Two Down, Cuomo To Go”, the student activists took to the road with a goal of reaching Kingston on day one of the hike.

While still in New Paltz, Striffolino received a call from Time Warner Cable.

Within the hour, a reporter pulled over with her video camera and questions in tow. That night the segment was featured on cable TV. “It’s symbolic cause we’re freezing tuition, so we’ll be literally freezing,” Case said to one reporter.

The rest of that day’s walk brought them to Kingston and along the way, cars honked in support as they sped by. One woman pulled over asking what the march was about, and drove away with reminders to tweet and hashtag about the hike, which began infiltrating social media.

“It’s becoming more and more necessary to go to college and get a degree, but at the same time less affordable,” Eames said.

At an average pace of two miles an hour, Kingston was in sight by 4 p.m., about eight hours after leaving the SUNY New Paltz campus.

With tired bodies and worn out feet, the crew was hosted by a New Paltz alumni who reached out via New Paltz Public Interest Researcg Group (NYPIRG) after hearing about the student’s efforts. Safe and sore, the crew discussed the most efficient pace to walk at for the following two days ahead of them. After taking fifteen minute breaks every four miles got the group from Saugerties to Ravena in eight hours by Monday.

By day two, lifelong activist and member of the New Paltz Climate Action Coalition Joe Barbarito drove up to support the students as well as contact local news stations and teachers’ unions.

With signs in the back of his car reading “No Tuition Hike” and “Albany or Bust,” Barbarito was a big part of alerting the media of the crew’s arrival, stopping and calling representatives at each break stop. Some empathetic people pulled over and offered the group a ride up, to which they were declined due to it undermining the protest.

The blisters that formed on Strifflino’s feet were tightly wrapped up, but definitely not going away until the hike was over.

“I want to be bleeding by Albany!”

Striffilino said.

Although said lightheartedly, this would be an unambiguous representation of all the effort it took to carry out this protest.

Several passer-byers praised Cuomo’s father and former New York Governer, Mario Cuomo on his respectable leadership skills, to their demise of the contrast in to

Thursday, March 31, 2016

his son’s political stances.

Finally reaching the night’s destination by 4 p.m., the crew spent their night unwinding in a Best Western right alongside 9W. On day three, the group started their last leg of the journey, making their way into the downtown of Albany, 20 miles away from their current location.

Using muscle soreness and pain as a reminder that student debt is literally crushing, the group kept in mind why they had been walking for the past three days and headed to the city, with the Capitol Building in sight.

Six hours later, armed with a bullhorn and a few friends made along the way, the group chanted “fight fight fight fight, education is a right,” as they made the final steps toward the New York Capitol Building and did not stop as they headed inside through the building where the walls echoed their battle cries.

Several news stations had been awaiting their arrival as the group marched and stopped in front of the large cascading steps of the building.

Among the press was Assemblyman James Skoufis who has made several appearances at SUNY New Paltz campus rallies in support of the students and their demand for a freeze in tuition.

“Tuition-Free NY would give bright and talented students the incentive to stay and put down roots here in New York, helping to grow and strengthen the economy,” Skoufis said at one of NYSR’s campus rallies.

Cuomo had left for Buffalo earlier that morning, but that didn’t stop Striffilino and Missig from delivering a cap and gown covered in student debt checks and a protest poster signed by students at SUNY Purchase to Cuomo’s secretary.

“I think that Governor Cuomo has an opportunity to fight for affordable higher education to contribute to the student movement of affordable higher education and he’s choosing not to,” said Missig in an interview with The Saratogian.

The group stayed in front of the steps to finish interviews and pictures before returning to New Paltz by car.

In the face of criticism and student outrage, SUNY officials offered to impose a tuition freeze if the legislature commits $73 million in direct state investment to SUNY schools in the final 2016-17 Budget.

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NYSR 20 Days of Noise Continue on Old Main Quad

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NEWS BRIEFS NATIONAL

WAR ON WOMEN? GOP SILENT AS TRUMP SOUNDS OFF ON ABORTION

Frustrated Republicans grappled with new fears about Donald Trump’s impact on their party Wednesday, as the billionaire businessman’s campaign rivals targeted his punitive plan for fighting abortion and extraordinary defense of his campaign manager, who police say assaulted a female reporter.

COURT SENTENCES LATINOS TO COSTLY ENGLISH CLASSES

A suburban New Orleans court discriminates against Latinos by charging them for inadequate English interpreters and making them attend overpriced, ineffective English classes as a condition of probation, the Southern Poverty Law Center said Wednesday in a letter to the U.S. Justice Department.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND NEWARK AGREE TO POLICE REFORMS

PHOTO BY ZACH COTO

(From left to right) Kelsey Ryan, Emma Torrence and Michelle Scuderi at Old Main Quad showing their support of tuition freezes.

By Rachael Purtell

Copy Editor | Purtellr1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

On Wednesday, March 30 with less than two days before the final budget is released, members of New York Students Rising (NYSR) at SUNY New Paltz gathered on the Old Main Quad from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to complete their 20 Days of Noise. This movement was aimed at freezing tuition hikes proposed in 2011’s NYSUNY2020 legislation.

According to recent molecular biology graduate Zach Coto, NYSR has been active on the SUNY New Paltz campus for about a year, but they have heavily increased their activism in the past month.

“Today is the final push to tell Gov. Andrew Cuomo to freeze tuition, it’s all directed at Cuomo,” said fourth-year International Relations and Sociology major Kelsey Ryan at the event.

As of Wednesday, the New York State Senate, Assembly and the SUNY Board of Trustees have all called for a tuition freeze. Participants in the rally were asked to call Cuomo and ask for his commitment to a long term investment into SUNY and a rejection of SUNY2020.

The event consisted of several tables with different clubs and action-based stations at each.

Some of the clubs present include NYSR, New

York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) and the International Socialist Organization.

The stations consisted of a banner stating “We Are Not A Loan,” on which students were asked to sign their name and write their debt number, a trivia station, call-ins to Cuomo’s office and social media blasts.

The SUNY2020 legislation entails an annual increase in tuition costs up to $300 per year for all SUNY and CUNY institutions. The legislation also provides incentives for development on each of the 64 SUNY campuses in the long run.

According to the NYPIRG, a coalition of over 350 organizations and groups from colleges and universities across the state have called upon the New York State Legislature and Cuomo to increase state aid to SUNY and CUNY schools and freeze tuition at the current 20152016 academic year rates.

According to Coto, sympathy from some members of the Assembly such as Kevin Cahill and James Skoufis, who have both written bills proposing free SUNY and CUNY tuition, has helped in the student voice being heard.

A recent news release by NYPIRG reports that this year, the Assembly and Senate budget proposals include a tuition freeze and a real

Maintenance of Effort (MOE) provision to provide stable funding for CUNY and SUNY. “I think that [student activism] is the only reason they have come out and supported the tuition freeze,” Ryan said. “I think that if we had stood by and done nothing we would be in the same position that we were five years ago and we would have SUNY2020 passed again, but because students have shown up and cared and fought it has altered their agenda, and I think they are starting to realize that student power works.”

According to Coto, in the unlikely event that Cuomo does not support the tuition freeze, student activism will continue to be an important weapon in the fight against tuition increases. He also said that if a favorable budget is passed, students need to keep advocating because it would only be a temporary freeze and state investment.

“If the budget comes through and we have a tuition freeze, this isn’t going to be the end of our fight,” Ryan said. “It’ll be an issue again next year; even if they neglect the SUNY2020 this year it could always pass again. It’s really going to be about getting information out there and letting students know that this needs to be a topic of discussion every single year.”

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Newark’s police department will shift to a more community-focused approach to policing, add more training and submit to federal monitoring as part of a consent decree resulting from a Justice Department probe that found that officers routinely used excessive force and made street stops that disproportionately affected minorities.

CORROSION MYSTERY SOLVED, BUT FLINT’S STRUGGLES CONTINUE

Shortly before this poverty-stricken city began drawing its drinking water from a local river in a cost-cutting move nearly two years ago, officials huddled at the municipal water treatment plant, running through a checklist of final preparations. Mike Glasgow, a plant supervisor at the time, says he asked a state water quality official at the meeting how often his staffers would need to check the water for proper levels of phosphate, a chemical added to prevent lead corrosion from pipes.

TWO GOP GOVERNORS, TWO DIFFERENT CALCULATIONS ON LGBT

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said he has prevented discrimination and protected the economy by vetoing a measure that would have allowed certain individuals, businesses and faith organizations to deny services to others based on “sincerely held religious beliefs.”

Compiled from the AP Newswire

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The New Paltz Oracle

Your Student Senate Brief

By Anthony Mitthauer-Orza

Copy Editor | Mitthaua1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The 61st Student Senate held their 9th regular meeting Wednesday, March 30 to discuss the potential opening of the Wooster building next semester, the importance of student feedback for Sodexo, the cancellation of a recent campus event and Senate Raps.

The meeting started off with a short discussion of the attendance policy. It was pointed out that there is no mandatory attendance policy and it is slowly becoming a problem. People generally show up for meetings for the things they want to vote for.

Whether it is because people are busy or they just go to the meetings they feel are important, an alterna-

tive method was offered where virtual meetings could be held to work around the busy schedules of senate members.

Another senate report discussed was a recent meeting with Sodexo General Manager Ryan Goodwin.

He pointed out how many products on campus are more expensive compared to those in town.

Goodwin wants to accommodate to the financial needs of students by saving them money and offering more popular cereals, snacks, and other options on campus; but that can’t happen unless people give suggestions and feedback to the Sodexo team.

Suggestion boxes are available

on campus in Hasbrouck Dining Hall, Jazzman’s and near the registers in Mangia Mangia Pasta and Wholly Habanero in Oscars. The feedback is crucial in the decisionmaking process.

Other financial concerns included Eric Wood speaking about the budget proposal being due on Friday; as he looks for New Paltz to have affordable higher education, especially with the proposed tuition hikes.

The Senate continued their meeting with the discussion of the Wooster building that is likely to open in Fall 2016. Jazzman’s Cafe will move from the Humanities building to the Wooster building.

A sandwich or cafe section will be offered to students here.

The scheduled event, How Media Can Sway Votes and Elections, with Jeff Cohen and Cliff Kincaid was cancelled and it sparked negative feedback among many.

Students felt that this took away a learning opportunity and chance for debate.

After thorough discussion over the disagreement of the cancellation of this event, it was agreed that student unions on campus are crucial because debating and hearing different points of view really allows for a better understanding of a given subject, especially with media and politics.

New Paltz School District Budget to be Voted on in May

By Jack O’Brien

Features Editor | Obrienj2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

A supermajority vote will be in order if the New Paltz Central School District (NPCSD) wants to get its 2016-17 budget proposal approved.

The NPCSD is facing an unusually steep climb for its 2016-17 budget proposal, which includes a 3.4 percent increase, totaling $1,890,000. The budget does not include a tax levy increase but instead has a negative tax levy of 1.07 percent. NPCSD, drawing additional funds from Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) funds and the Less Fund Balance being available. Final budget presentations will be held at New Paltz High School on April 6 at 7 p.m.

As listed on the website for the Board of Education (BOE), the proposed budget for the 2016-17 academic year includes nearly $500,000 funding increase for the special education department.

BOE President Brian Cournoyer commented on the challenges ahead of the board, both in the initial budget proposal but also in the bus replacement proposal.

“The school district community has historically been very supportive of our budgets,” Cournoyer said.

“Many past budgets have passed with greater than 60 percent approval, but we would never want to take the support of the voters for granted. The state property tax cap has made the budget process increasingly difficult to navigate, and this year we find ourselves in the rather absurd position of having a levy limit that is actually negative, requiring a supermajority vote just to pass budget with a zero percent increase.”

There are two positions up for election on the BOE, though Cournoyer stated that he didn’t believe the upcoming vote would have a large ef-

fect on the vote. Cournoyer further added that voters have been supportive replacing buses in the past as a measure of “good financial planning.”

“We believe the GEA funds will be restored,” Cournoyer said. “Governor Cuomo has already stated that he wants to phase out the GEA over two years. The legislature has been vocally in favor of restoring the full amount this year and it seems probable that the governor will agree.”

Cournoyer said the most frequently raised concerns brought to the BOE are in regards to maintaining the quality of educational programs and keeping class sizes down. It is a balancing act between the expectations brought on by the parents and retaining teachers in years of tenuous funding from the state.

“One of our goals is to try to replenish the district’s fund balance, which has been depleted over the last several years

Thursday, March 31, 2016

as the [BOE] tried to maintain programs and teachers in the face of withheld state aid,” Cournoyer said. “We still hope that the state’s fiscal attitude will change in the near future, and we may be able to restore some of the programs that have had to be cut in recent years, but it doesn’t seem likely this year.”

Cournoyer said there is a public forum on the budget every year to try to encourage the community to get involved.

“I would say that serving on the [BOE] is a lot less intimidating than it seems, and that it’s not a terribly political job,” Cournoyer said. “The people in the other local government bodies that we interact with are good, cooperative people, who are just trying to do the best job they can. If that sounds good to anyone, they should do it.”

The budget vote will be held on May 17 at the high school.

The New Paltz Oracle

Opinion

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Student Voice

New Paltz Oracle The

“Your opinion loud and clear!”

New York Students Rising (NYSR) has been an endless source of inspiration for me and many other students who have dedicated time to its organization. I still vividly remember the day I ran into Rebecca Berlin and Sadie Godlis, from whom we inherited NYSR. I ran into them handing out flyers in front of the Student Union building on a sunny spring day two years ago. They were promoting NYSR’s Free University, an event filled with discussion ­based classes lead by both students and professors. I sat in a circle with other students, professors and members of the surrounding community and we engaged in conversation about the school ­to ­prison pipeline, the struggle for LGBTQIA+ rights, the fight to end rape culture and most prominently, the idea that higher education is a human right.

The No T ­uition Hike represented the peak of the movement started by NYSR. When the SUNY 2020 legislation was introduced in 2011 it was NYSR, then known as Students of the Final Cut, that demanded an immediate end to further tuition hikes. For years NYSR demanded a freeze in the cost of tuition through events, rallying, petitioning and walking out only to motivate weak counter arguments and staunch dismissals by the administration and the governor. Tuition continued to increase $300 every year.

NYSR’s 20 Days of Noise this March indicated a change in perspective. We had finally earned the attention and respect of our legislators in Albany, and we would not let that pressure on the governor subside. We would march to the epicenter, past our representatives and straight to Gov. Cuomo’s office to deliver the dirty and tat-

tered graduation gown covered in student debt checks. The image was intense. Witnessing this otherwise ceremonial gown covered in symbols of oppression left me feeling the satisfaction of committing an act of sacrilege. This semester we had evolved into a more radical activist organization. The result was empowering. We planned this march without an ounce of doubt.

Twenty miles a day was nothing in the face of the crippling weight of student debt.

I will never understand what it is like to face a lifetime of student debt. I go to school on my parents’ money, and there is not a day that goes by that I am not grateful for how privileged I am in that regard.

Before my parents offered to pay, I spent my high school years preparing myself for the reality of taking on tens of thousands of dollars of debt. As a college­ bound high school graduate, I could hardly comprehend the implications of taking out student loans. Debt is an oppressive aspect of reality that millions of students worldwide are expected to accept. Higher education is currently a huge price we pay to ensure a successful future.

I only felt that debt was inherently related to higher education before Free University. After that, I was compelled to contribute to the reclaiming of the power the state desperately didn’t want us to know we had.

The first day of marching was the hardest. We had to trek over a mountain to reach the flat route that is 9W. After covering 14 miles and looking up the hill leading to the town of Kingston we asked ourselves, “Why are we doing this?”

We reached Saugerties hardly able to walk and trying to forget the fact that this was only the first of

three days. “This is not rational” was the collective consensus as we collapsed onto the floor of the apartment where we spent the first night.

Student debt, on the other hand, is perfectly rational. Or so they would have us believe. At least from the perspective of the policy makers who created the system.

From the perspective of the policymakers, it makes perfect sense for students to owe tens of thousands of dollars to banks. Those banks support the political campaigns of the politicians who created the system in the first place. In this context, the term rational tuition doesn’t seem ironic ­– it’s applicable.

For Gov. Cuomo, this provides an ideal situation. He can shift the financial burden of paying for higher education onto students and families while giving tax breaks to his friends on Wall Street. Furthermore, he can operationalize state funds in such a way that enables him and his appointed Board of Trustees to micromanage how taxpayer money is spent.

This money provides fertile ground for lucrative relationships between corporations and the schools. This indicates that instead of hiring new professors and providing necessary salary increases to current ones, state funds are being used as a political resource for these officials.

That’s where we are­a ragtag team of activists marching up a mountain of student debt against a landslide of bureaucracy. As Nicole “Striff” Striffolino, one of the lead organizers, pointed out, this march serves as an allegory for the student debt struggle. Without a stable high­paying career, debt denies an individual a lifetime of financial agency. The collection of

Thursday, March 31, 2016

raw blisters on our feet represent edrent, car payments, insurance, food. The ache in our bodies became a reminder that at the end of the day, after all of our hard work in college, we resurface in a world where debt functionally oppresses ambition. What happened to the promises that we could be whatever we intended to be? The story completes itself upon our arrival in Albany. The ensemble of cameras waiting to receive us at the capitol proves that our demands could no longer be ignored and that this effort is evolving.

The 20 Days of Noise transcended our initial goals. NYSR participates in a chain of organizations broadcasting the rhetoric of a worldwide movement. Despite regional differences, this global movement is intrinsically linked by the pursuit of an ideal that one day education will be free and accessible to everyone. The students of the world are rising together and the students united will never be defeated.

Brandon Missig Fourth-year Political Science Major N02679827@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The views expressed in op-eds are solely those of the student who wrote and submitted it.

They do not necessarily reflect those of The New Paltz Oracle, its staff members, the campus and university or the Town or Village of New Paltz.

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FEATURES

The Department Drive WOMEN’S STUDIES PROGRAM STATUS IS UNCLEAR

By Mercedes Ortiz

Contributing Writer | Ortizm3@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The State University of New York’s first Women’s Studies program was founded at the New Paltz campus in 1973. Forty-three years later, SUNY New Paltz’s Women Studies program has evolved into the Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, (WGSS), and yet with many efforts to become a department, it has remained a program.

Kathleen Dowley, coordinator of WGSS and associate professor of political science asked the $64,000 question: “Why isn’t Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies a department?”

“The answer that I received when we asked that [in 2012] was that we were an interdisciplinary program,” Dowley said. “It was the preference of the administration to keep interdisciplinary programs as programs not a department.”

WGSS branched out of the Women’s Movement in the early 1970s. Many institutions like SUNY New Paltz that wanted to teach Women’s Studies had faculty who weren’t trained in Women’s Studies nor had a program dedicated to the curriculum.

Associate English professor Heather Hewett explained how the WGSS curriculum was created.

“Faculty put together courses from existing faculty for students to study women,” Hewlett said. “They would take a member from English, History, Anthropology, History, and Sociology.

There was a way to create opportunity for students to study women drawing from existing resources and disciplines.”

However, the administration feels if WGSS becomes it’s own department and not a program that WGSS would become less interdisciplinary and be focused with their own courses.

“I am unsure if I entirely believe all of that,” Dowley said.

When WGSS’ only full time member Amy Kesselman retired in 2012, Dowley and her faculty asked SUNY New Paltz President Donald P. Christian for a replacement. Dowley was told that the WGSS could not have a replacement be-

cause of their program status.

“Amy had been an exception,” Dowley said. “They did not intend to give us a full-time line in Women’s Studies again. We could have a joint line instead sharing a faculty member from the History department.”

Students who majored and minored in WGSS were unhappy with the administration and campaigned a protest to make WGSS a department.

“They drafted a resolution in the Academic Affairs Committee calling administration to make WGSS into a department. That we had earned that status and the students wanted this and faculty supported this,” Dowley said.

The vote was passed in the Academic Affairs committee, through Senate, then on its way to the full vote of the faculty. The students participated the whole way and got permission to speak at faculty meetings and at the Senate to question Christian and to make a statement why it was important to them that WGSS be equaled to other departments.

Although the final vote 88-8 favored Women’s Studies, the resolution wasn’t binding.

“The administration wasn’t going to do anything about it,” Dowley said.

In the Summer of 2013, Dowley requested a meeting with the Interim Dean Stella Deen and Provost Phil Mauceri and was offered a compromise.

“We’re not prepared to make you a department at this point,” Dowley said. “He gave me the argument that he was interested in developing and strengthening interdisciplinary programs. He thought they were the future of the university and was interested in developing a center for interdisciplinary programs.”

He also promised Dowley that WGSS and other interdisciplinary programs were going to get the resources they needed and give her fulltime department a full-time line. In doing so, WGSS has four joint hires and was able to hire their first full time member Jessica Pabon.

According to Hewett, students and the faculty have tried for decades to make WGSS a de-

partment. Although there have been obstacles, they have shifted. Hewett states that WGSS is already a department.

“We already function as a department without the resources of a department,” Hewlett said.

“As of last year we have full time faculty member, Jessica Pabon who is trained and housed in WGSS. Everything the departments have to do, we have to do. We have a budget. We have to evaluate faculty members. We have to assess courses. We have staff meetings. We do everything a department does.”

Fourth-year graphic design major at SUNY New Paltz, Ryan Labita strongly feels WGSS should be recognized as a full department.

“It’s a part of history and social studies,” Labita said. It’s just as important as Asian studies or American history. It’s just another facet cause there’s so much material to cover and many classes.”

Fourth-year WGSS major Sam Lacovara is

Thursday, March 31, 2016

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certain that if WGSS expanded to a department, the faculty would be able to extend their reach to students of different majors and give them the opportunity to learn about Women’s Studies.

Fourth-year WGSS major and Black Studies minor, Alen Quints believes if his major became a department, it would provide institution protection.

“Technically the administration of SUNY New Paltz could snap their fingers and get rid of the program because we don’t have that security,” Quints said. “I don’t think the administration would do that. But the fact they have the ability to do that is scary.”

Since then, Mauceri resigned and many of his plans did not pass.

Recently, Dr. Lorin Basden Arnold has been appointed as the new provost and Vice President of academic affairs. Dowley hopes to see WGSS as a department before she retires next year.

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Hell Hovers Over

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HOVERBOARDS POSE THREAT TO FIRE SAFETY

By Jonathan Perry Copy Editor | Perryj1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu The “hoverboard” had always been a device that was admired and dreamed of since its presence in classic films like “Back to The Future.” Recently, it has been adapted to modern times and is now everywhere in the world. However, there seems to be an issue with these new devices.

They can suddenly light on fire.

Yes, you read that right. In fact, according to SUNY New Paltz associate director of environmental health & safety Fire Protection Officer Scott Schulte, there have been numerous recent reports of fires involving these hoverboards.

“In response to these happenings, I discussed with the administration at SUNY New Paltz if we should take the step of banning hoverboards on cam-

pus,” Schulte said.

After the meeting with administration, Schulte said the consensus was that the boards are not to be banned until they hear back from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, (USCPSC), the group currently investigating the hoverboards.

The USCPSC is three months into investigating every report of fires caused by hoverboards. According to Schulte, they will soon release their findings to the public, determining the action SUNY New Paltz will take in light of the information.

“We don’t want to prohibit the use of these devices on campus unless we know for certain that the issue was caused solely by the hoverboards,” Schulte said. “While the Commission is actively investigating at least 10 fires in nine states involving hoverboards, their determinations have not yet been

released.”

Due to the decision of the administration to hold off on passing judgement on the hoverboards, Schulte sent an email last December, cautioning New Paltz campus students, faculty and staff about the boards until further notice.

While reports allude to the lithium battery inside the hoverboards being the cause of the fire, Schulte said the email informs students of ways to help prevent these fires while investigations continue.

To mitigate the chance of hoverboard fires, Schulte encourages anyone who purchases a hover board to follow specific safety measures at their home or on campus to avoid fires; leave the board partially uncharged if it is being wrapped as a gift, do not leave the board on a charger past the needed time to charge it, do not modify anything

about the board and avoid purchasing the boards from less than reputable locations such as mall kiosks and unfamiliar websites.

In the meantime, the USCPSC issued a letter on Feb. 18 to manufacturing companies who supply to retailers.

They believe there is an unreasonable risk of injury or death that can result from these devices and are urging manufacturers to make sure they have met all of the safety standard requirements.

“It is important to ensure that the boards meet the standards of the United States Safety Measures,” Schulte said.

In addition to the concerns of fire safety and the measures being taken to sort out the mess, students must take all necessary precautions as they relate to riding these devices. Schulte encourages students to research and educate themselves so they know everything about these hoverboards.

College Dining on a Dime B-SIDE GRILL SURE HAS SOME A+ FOOD

By Sage Higgins Staff Writer | Higginss1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu B-Side Grill, located on Main Street in New Paltz is the place for good eats at a price that won’t break the bank.

B-Side Grill owner, Lou Milano, was initially attracted to put an eatery in New Paltz because of the energy the town offers.

“I got started in this restaurant because I had another burger/ice cream stand in Modena but always wanted to be on Main Street in New Paltz, it’s where there is a lot of life and action,” Milano said.

Because of all the street traffic, one of Milano’s favorite aspects of the restaurant is the mystery of who will walk in next.

“We cater to everyone so we get all types of people in here: college kids, travelers, business people, musicians, etc.,” Milano said. “You never know who will walk through

the door.”

New Paltz does have a certain energy, and the music scene adds to it. B-Side Grill is filled with music paraphernalia, that is influenced by Milano’s musical background.

“I am a musician so the music theme was a no brainer,” Milano said. “I don’t think we would have been so successful if we simply put up a picture of a burger on the wall instead of Hendrix.”

Much of the New Paltz energy is also attributed to the use of local products in restaurants, which is key to the sense of community.

“We buy our eggs locally from Hudson Valley Eggs in New Paltz,” Milano said.

“They are the freshest around and you can tell from the brightness of the yolks. Most of our specials come from local farms too. We try to support as many local people as possible.”

As a local, I support B-Side quite a bit.

It’s the perfect place to grab a bite on a Friday night or a great place for breakfast Saturday morning, noon, or night.

“Breakfast has been very popular, especially our omelettes,” Milano said. “We serve breakfast all day long.”

According to Milano, their most popular item is the Hotel California burger. It has pepper jack cheese, avocado, chipotle mayo, lettuce, tomato and onion.

For me, I decided to go off the beaten path. I opted to try two opposites on the menu: a healthy breakfast option along with a cheesy and fried option.

First, I went with the A.M. Banana Split ($5.95) which is a banana split down the middle, with greek yogurt, granola and fruit on top.

I then had to try the grilled cheese because grilled cheese is one of the most perfect

Thursday, March 31, 2016

sandwich combos ever to be created. And BSide did not fail to deliver me with a grilled cheese filled with tomato and bacon. For under $10, it was the perfect food to satisfy anyone’s late night eats.

For anyone daring enough to eat a ton of food with not enough time, I suggest to take this “Burger Challenge” and don’t make the mistake of eating mozzarella sticks before.

“The burger challenge was something I had at my other place,” Milano said. “It’s cool to hear a big guy talk up his game before starting and then 25 minutes in, he has 10 excuses. I had one guy so cocky he ordered mozz sticks before he started. He failed.”

More information about B-Side Grill can be found on bsidegrill.com Check out my Instagram @cheapcollegecuisine for the best cuisine of the Hudson Valley for $10 or less.

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Better Than Regular Vegan Pancakes

By Sam Manzella Manzells1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

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

Although my stint as a vegan was short-lived, I gained some invaluable skills from the experience. I learned to be resourceful and find alternatives to the unhealthy and cruelty-ridden foods that permeate the standard American diet (cheese, milk, red meat or chicken). I also learned to cook creative and fun recipes that essentially vegan-ized dishes I already love.

Perhaps my most successful vegan-ized recipe was my coconut oil vegan pancakes. Traditional pancakes call for eggs and milk in the batter, but I substituted with extra dry ingredients and almond milk to make mine.

I fried them in a pool of coconut oil, which added a delicious, subtle coconut-y taste to the breakfast staple. In all honesty, I enjoyed my vegan pancake recipe more than the non-vegan original.

Here’s the recipe I used. I found it on cookieandkate.com. Bon appetit!

Ingredients: 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Whole Wheat Flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup almond milk or dairy-free milk of choice 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted coconut oil 2 tablespoons maple syrup or sugar of choice 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid mix into the dry mix, and stir until the resulting mixture is only mildly clumpy. Let the batter rest for about five minutes for maximum fluffiness.

Heat up your pan or skillet with medium-low heat. Add a few drops of coconut or olive oil to grease your skillet. You’ll know you’re at the ideal pancaking makin’ temp when your coconut oil sizzles upon contact with your skillet’s surface.

Scoop ¼ cup of your mix onto the skillet per pancake, and fry your delicious, cruelty-free treats ‘til you just can’t pancake no mo’. Don’t be shy with your oil of choice: add more with each pancake to keep your skillet oiled and ready to go.

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The New Paltz Oracle

Makeup Mastery

PUBLIC RELATIONS MAJOR BEAUTIFIES N.P.

By Monique Tranchina

Copy Editor | Tranchim1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Sabrina Bergas’ love for makeup started when she was young, and she was inspired when she watched her grandmother apply lipstick. Now she can take her growing passion and inspire others to wear makeup that complements their faces.

Bergas, a fourth-year public relations major at SUNY New Paltz, has plenty of knowledge about makeup application. She hopes to combine her major with cosmetology and make a name for herself in the makeup industry, but for right now, she is working locally on faces of New Paltz.

“At 22, makeup is so much more to me; makeup makes me feel free to be who I am. I say free because makeup makes me comfortable and confident. Some people may think it’s silly or covering up but in my opinion, everyone should do what makes them happy.

Makeup makes me happy,” Bergas said.

According to Bergas, wearing makeup is not a sign of superficiality, but it can boost confidence or it can lift someone’s mood.

“I have seen others wear makeup for the first time and feel so lively and surprised with how much a little lipstick can do to your mood. I enjoy helping and encouraging my friends to wear makeup and try it,” Bergas said.

If fact, makeup can improve the lives of others who are not sure of themselves. Makeup can help people realize their naturally beautiful features and accentuate them how they like. Bergas hopes to help others feel good about themselves by pointing out the potential makeup has as a quick pick me up.

New Paltz also inspires Bergas, a transfer from SUNY Delhi, to learn more about herself and others within the community.

“New Paltz has given me a new perspective on life with the activism, body positivity and friendliness I encounter everyday around campus. Before New Paltz, I was not enthusiastic about following my dreams. I thank New Paltz for broadening my horizons on so many levels. This has helped me create my blog and video.”

The blog she created, “Glam Crazy University,” is a makeup blog that helps her to reach a broader base of makeup enthusiasts or beginners. Originally made for one of her social media classes, she has continued to update and post information to educate others about the nuances of makeup.

After college, she hopes to further a career in cosmetology and reach a broader customer base.

“As a public relations major, my main goals are to work as a publicist for a makeup company and to attend a cosmetology school to perfect my makeup skills. I plan to keep my blog up and running with my reviews on products, how to apply makeup, my opinions and videos. After college, I want to stay within the makeup industry and create a name for myself.”

For now, New Paltz will be her main environment to test her makeup skills on community

Thursday, March 31, 2016

PHOTO BY DAVID KHORASSANI

members. Her suitemates and others who know her trust her judgment and advice when they aren’t sure of the correct mixtures of colors, application style, etc.

“I am open to working on the beautiful faces of New Paltz. I want as much practice as I can get on all different color skin tones. If someone is open to working with me, I’ll be so excited. My suitemates usually come to me for makeup advice. I love to give them advice and help them think out of the box with different shades of lipstick they would never try and help them with which brushes do what. I have so much advice to offer and would love for some new friends,” Bergas said.

According to Bergas, makeup is a niche that allows her to enhance creativity and help others at the same time, therefore benefitting both parties.

“I hope to improve the lives of others by inspiring them to always feel good about themselves no matter what,” Bergas said. “If makeup is what makes you feel good, do it. I am always open to help someone and go with someone to find makeup. Makeup is my passion, which means I love to help, so they would know they are getting good assistance.”

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MUSICAL TRIO AND GUESTS GIVE STELLAR CLASSICAL CONCERT

By Sam Manzella

A&E Editor | Manzells1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Local music group Innisfree + breathed new life into cherished classics at their most recent concert on campus.

The group consists of violinist Carole Cowan, cellist Susan Seligman and pianist Sylvia Buccelli, who founded the group 15 years ago. At their concert on Tuesday, March 29, the founding trio was joined by violist Rachel Evans and baritone voice professor Kent Smith, hence the plus sign in Innisfree +. The group performed a range of classical pieces, some for the violin and viola, some for the piano, violin, viola and cello and others with Smith’s vocals. About 45 guests assembled to enjoy an evening of classical tunes.

Innisfree +’s standout selections were a group of four songs by French composer Gabriel Fauré.

Cowan gave a snippet of background information about the composer’s life: according to Cowan, Fauré was in the middle of a rough breakup with his girlfriend when he composed “Quartet in C minor, Opus 15.”

“I think you’ll be able to hear the angst and tempestuousness,” Cowan said, garnering a laugh from the crowd.

The quartet gave new meaning to the term “breakup songs.” “Allegro molto moderato” was a heavy, dramatic tour-de-force of anger and

Cowan performs on violin with Buccelli on piano in the background.

angst. The string instrumentals truly conveyed Fauré’s emotional distress, and the chaotic sound of the composition made for a unique and engaging listening experience. The piece was one of the longest from Fauré’s quartet. “Scherzo. Allegro vivo” felt like a journey with its fast tempo and repeated verses of string plucking. “Adagio” started on a somber note, conveying pain and sadness, presumably of Fauré’s heartbreak. Cowan and Seligman’s violin and cello parts were exceptionally beautiful. The last song, “Allegro molto,” was another uptempo piece. Buccelli’s piano part was frantic and chaotic, and the

song seemed to channel sentiments of anxiety and desperation.

Innisfree + also played a selction of Irish and Scottish songs composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, which spotlighted Smith’s impressive vocal chops. Additionally, Cowan and Evans performed Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “String Duo in Bb for Violin and Viola, KV 424,” which won the duo a massive applause. The pieces obviously required great technical skill and attention to detail — something Cowan and Evans both possess, since both hold musical arts degrees from Yale University and Juilliard School, respectively.

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PHOTO BY DAVID KHORASSANI

Second-year music major Becca Blanco loved the concert. She attended the event because Smith, her voice professor, informed her class about the show. She appreciated Cowan’s interlude of backstory for the quartet, since it gave greater meaning to Fauré’s piece, she said.

“I loved the violin and viola duo,” Blanco said.

Jack Wilson, a first-year adolescent education major with a concentration in social studies, also enjoyed the group’s performance.

He favored the Fauré quartet and could tell the musicians of Innisfree + were exceptionally talented.

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Arts & Entertainment

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A Place to Call Home

THEATRE COMPANY SEARCHES FOR A PERMANENT LOCATION

By Jess Napp

Copy Editor | Nappj1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Shakespeare had the Globe Theatre, the Rockettes reside in Radio City Music Hall and Broadway hosts its fair share of famous productions, but after over half a century New Paltz theater company 90 Miles Off Broadway (90 Miles) still needs a home.

The non-profit organization puts on four shows per year: one in the fall, one in the spring, an annual Winter Cabaret fundraiser and a summer children’s performance. However, the all-volunteer Board of Directors and their devoted members lack a permanent rehearsal and production space.

Approximately six years ago, the organization embarked on the fundraising campaign “A Home for the Arts” in search of a location to call their own.

According to co-president Kim Lupinacci, the group came to fruition in 1964 when a small conglomerate of men and women joined forces for the purpose of reading plays.

The thespians debuted their first production, “George Washington Slept Here,” at Duzine Elementary School.

Since then, the company has continued to rotate from place to place. They pay to utilize the Reformed Church of Huguenot Street, New Paltz High School and the Methodist Church of Highland.

“Our mission is to pro-

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vide high quality, affordable live theatrical productions for children and adults alike,” Lupinacci said.

According to Lupinacci’s partner in theater and co-president Shawn Clark, it has become more challenging for the company to find affordable locations to practice and perform at. As a result, “A Home for the Arts” emerged in partnership with another non-profit organization, The Arts Community, which offers affordable arts

classes for children.

Clark said that recently The Arts Community and 90 Miles Off Broadway mutually decided to go in separate directions, but the community theater group will continue towards its goal of obtaining a home.

Though no concrete timeline maps out the achievement of their objective the group decided that a $300,000 goal is a good place to start.

“We are still going to look and perform until we get the

Thursday, March 31, 2016

perfect place,” Clark said.

He said that once an ideal space is found the company will make theater even more accessible with services such as low cost classes in the theater arts and additional programs.

For Clark, what makes 90 Miles so special is the sense of community that it creates.

All three of his daughters have been involved with the company and his wife joins in occasionally as well.

“It becomes a multi-generational family affair,” he said.

According to Clark’s daughter Kymberli, 90 Miles remains a vibrant, tightknit and loving community of people. She said that its longstanding presence is a testament to how much the area loves it and longs for local theater.

Over the past 52 years, SUNY New Paltz students have participated in 90 Miles shows, too. Last spring, third-year theater major Maria Coppola acted and choreographed in the theater troupes performance of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”

“It’s always fun to do shows at the college, but in academia, theater can be turned to work instead of fun,” Coppola said.

“90 Miles was pure fun.”

Currently, the Board of Directors are plotting new fundraising ideas and the spring production is put off to make room for this cause.

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Nostalgia Despite Disappointment

“DAWN OF JUSTICE” STIRS CONFLICTING REACTIONS

By Jake Berkowitz

Staff Writer | Berkowij3@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

I think it is only fair that I preface this review: I am now, have been and always will be in love with Superman. Ever since my grandfather handed me a massive anthology of ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s-era “Man of Steel” comics while bored in second grade, I was hooked. I would force my mother to drive me out to Captain Comic in New Hyde Park to pick up whatever old story arcs were cheapest. I prized my Superman HeroClix above all else, and I even had The Man of Tomorrow’s logo emblazoned on cufflinks during my bar mitzvah. While watching the titular comic book icons duke it out, a battle raged on in my own mind between my inner child and the objective, wannabe film critic.

Two years after the events of “Man of Steel,” Superman (Henry Cavill) faces criticism from the media due to collateral dam-

age that seems to follow him wherever he goes. One of those critics, the upstart Gotham-based vigilante known as Batman (Ben Affleck), attempts to formulate a way to fight the otherworldly menace while combating his own inner demons. All the while, Metropolis magnate Alexander Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) hunts for kryptonite and tinkers with the remains of General Zod’s decaying spaceship.

In all candor, that summary scratches the plot’s surface as thoroughly as a raindrop scratches the surface of Mount Rushmore.

The film is an unwieldy mess of converging and diverging story threads thrown together by David Goyer and Chris Terrio, oversaturated to the point of bursting, even at a healthy 2.5 hour run time. Too many characters are hurled at us, apropos of nothing, with minimal introduction or backstory. Where would we be without Zack Snyder’s famous

use of unbearably heavy-handed Jesus imagery? The word “god” is used so much, I wasn’t sure if I had stumbled into ascreening of “Miracles from Heaven.”

But who among us can say they did not see any of that coming? I could have written the previous paragraph back in 2014, when the film was first announced. What I did not expect was how much I was able to smile throughout the heaps of stupidity the movie threw at me.

Moviegoers cough up $15 at the box office to see Batman fight Superman, and to see if Snyder’s special effects team can deliver the action. They do so in spades. The movie looks remarkably good, and the fight sequences feel fresh and imaginative in a way that startled me, especially after the recent slew of Marvel movies I’ve seen. One Batman dream sequence in the desert is especially awe-inspiring in its cinematography

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

and choreography. Even when the movie is not presenting you with ass-kicking visuals, the story doesn’t drag. You may groan at the dialogue, and a cut might confuse you, but you’ll always find yourself engaged.

Despite the movie’s best attempts to make me hate it, I could not. The movie awoke in me a sense of childlike wonder and amazement that not even “The Force Awakens” could evoke. Wonder Woman made me laugh with excitement, and the cameo clips of various Justice League members brought me back to elementary school, when I would pit my various superhero figurines against one another. This film is the tangible embodiment of those mythical daydreams we had as kids, staring out the window as our teachers droned on about long division. As a critic, I can’t recommend “Dawn of Justice” in good conscience, but as an unabashed DC fanboy, I sure as hell can.

8B

The Deep End

oracle.newpaltz.edu

The New Paltz Oracle

THIS WEEK IN

THE DEEP END J A C Q U E L I N E

Major: Graphic Design

M

C

C U L L O U G H

Year: Fourth

Inspriation: Jessica Hische, Dana Tanamachi, Lauren Hom, Stefan Sagmeister

“I primarily focus in hand lettering, which is a specialized little niche within graphic design. I love it because it combines my love for design, which involves communication and problem solving, and my love of creating things with my hands (without a computer). It’s a unique and personal way to communicate in this digital age, which I think sets the practice apart from other modern design practices.”

Images courtesy of Jacqueline McCullough

The New Paltz Oracle

Editorial

oracle.newpaltz.edu

9

A llegiance A dversity

Earlier this month, New Paltz attracted national media coverage following the town planning board’s decision to continue not starting their bi-monthly meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance. Fox News and The New York Post quickly picked up the divisive issue, promoting a clear misunderstanding that the board had “banned” the Pledge and considered it a “waste of time.”

Board member Amy Cohen voiced her pro-pledge stance on Fox News, proclaiming the Pledge a beacon of respect to veterans, first responders and soldiers, and should be said before a government meeting. Several current and former town officials took to social media to argue for the sake of democracy and defend the board’s decission. As dialogue with other community members ensued on the issue, both sides became indistinguishable.

This digression of conversation proves no one was the bigger person in this “debate.”

We at The New Paltz Oracle do not wish to express an opinion as to whether or not the Pledge should be recited, but rather comment on how this decision was made, how the community can grow from it and the embarrassing national aftermath that followed.

While many continue to feel strongly toward this issue, the verdict was determined by a rule of the majority ― a judgment that emulates a cornerstone of democracy. The board voted 4-3 to continue begining meetings without the Pledge, so until more pro-pledge members surface that’s what they’ll do.

It’s disheartening that a seemingly level-headed discussion at a town meeting led to an

CARTOON BY STEFANIE DIERS

exacerbated debate over patriotism. Everyone has the right to voice their opinions in a public setting, but we do not stand with the belittlement of anyone’s personal beliefs.

Businesspeople and elected officials must have a more respectful operating procedure and a higher level of expected etiquette than we’ve seen. As young adults aspiring to play crucial roles in our future communities, this is a troubling case of role models disregarding their duty.

There are those on both sides who felt they were simply standing up for their beliefs, which nobody is saying they can’t or shouldn’t do. However, in a country currently besieged

by powerful extremes and a disappearing middle ground for bipartisanship, New Paltz has just shown that we’re not any closer to claiming a sense of communal unity and open-mindedness than anyone else.

New Paltz is a vibrant community full of unique people who feel very strongly about a great many issues and are never afraid to show it. We have seen these ideologies at the forefront many times before, such as the support former Mayor Jason West received when he married gay couples in 2004 and the Town Board’s passing of antifracking legislation in 2012.

These principles clearly have the ability to unify us.

This episode shows all that

Thursday, March 31, 2016

there is value in rising above petty bickering to maturely defend one’s beliefs and argue for change. We should all be disappointed in how our community at-large was portrayed to America, but no one should lose the will to voice their opinions loud and clear.

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.

10 oracle.newpaltz.edu

JESS NAPP

Copy Editor

Nappj1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

I am a collector of words and phrases. Often enough, I will stumble across a quote, scribble it down on a Post-it Note and put it in my pants pocket. The note is always discovered upon pocket checks on laundry day. This is done intentionally for my future self. They are always reminders and sometimes even appear before me like foreshadowed destiny.

On one particular rainy afternoon when performing the ritual of folding freshlywashed clothes, a piece of paper slipped past the not-sorigorous inspection. It lay on the floor in front of the washing machine face-up with the words, “You can’t kill time with your heart. Everything takes time. Bees have to move very fast to stay still.” David Foster Wallace wrote this in his short story “Forever Over-

OPINION

The New Paltz Oracle

COLUMN The Skunk and I head.”

After reading his work in my creative writing class I fell in love with that sentence. Yet, I didn’t know why. I crumpled up the Post-it and threw it away. Two weeks later, I stared at a familiar friend, remembered the quote and knew why I cherished it.

Now, this may sound strange, very strange, but the familiar friend was a skunk.

Since the beginning of the school year I have been seeing the same skunk constantly.

The black creature with two off-white streaks down its back first appeared to me outside of Capen. The next night, post-production at The Oracle, it nestled in some trash next to the dumpster outside my bathroom window. This continued on and off for a while and then as mysteriously as my furry companion came into my life,

it disappeared.

Weeks went by without a skunk sighting and I occasionally wondered about the critter with a bad reputation. I never thought to name it. At first the fear of immersing myself in tomato juice to rid an unwarranted attack terrified me and now I longed to see it. I couldn’t tell you why, I just did.

A few days before spring break we met again. The skunk slinked across the parking lot adjacent to Bouton and I knew it was my old pal. It had to be the same animal that remained awake with me at 1 a.m. after copy editing for seven hours.

If a musical were to be made about our relationship it would be called “The Skunk and I.”` In this moment, David Foster Wallace’s words swam to the forefront of my consciousness and a mini epiphany

emerged. The past few months leading up to spring break were full of stress from schoolwork and a tireless search for a summer internship. In that instant, however, I looked at the skunk and thought of my pocket note and felt at peace.

Time is always moving forward and no creature can ever control that. We yield ourselves over to time and the changes that come along with it. Though life may often feel out of our control, these little wonderfully unexpected moments provide consistency and reassurance that everything will be okay in the end. Seeing the skunk, in some weird way, made it all feel okay.

Jess Napp is a connoisseur of modern art and sandwhiches. She is a thirdyear journalism major with a minor in creative writing.

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

The New Paltz Oracle

SPORTS

11

SPORTS oracle.newpaltz.edu

The New Paltz Oracle

SPRING

PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA

Hawks’ second-year pitcher Luke Christy hurls a pitch.

By Melissa Kramer

Sports Editor | Kramerm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The baseball team has surpassed their win total of seven from last season.

Hawks head coach Matt Righter said he attributes the team’s success to having everyone on the same page.

“Everybody has bought into the mission of our team,” he said. “We have a ‘get the job done mentality’ and that means being relentless in getting that job accomplished. If one person on the team feels they have the trust and support of 26 teammates, that goes a long way. Everybody has really bought into that.”

This occurred during the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational which began on St. Patrick’s Day. In their first of a string of spring break games, the Hawks tied Springfield College 1212 in Winter Haven, Florida in a nonconference matchup.

New Paltz made program history the following morning. For the second time since 1995, the Hawks defeated the defending Div. III national champion No. 1 SUNY Cortland as they took the first of two games 11-2 in a doubleheader.

After five innings, the score was knotted up at two. In the sixth, the Hawks would break open the scoring, playing nine runs in the inning alone.

Hawks second-year pitcher Conor Donachie earned the win on the hill allowing two runs on five hits in five innings. Fourth-year co-captain Tyler Bell knocked in a game-high three RBIs. The following game saw a 15-4 Cortland victory.

RAKE

New Paltz took the final game of the series 4-3 the next morning in Leesburg, Florida.

Hawks second-year pitcher Ryan Votypka hurled four and two-thirds innings in relief to help lift New Paltz. As a result of his efforts, Votypka earned SUNYAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week honors for the period ending March 20, announced on March 21 by the conference office.

The win marked the first State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) series that New Paltz has ever won against Cortland and the first SUNYAC series Cortland has lost since losing two of three to SUNY Oswego in 2014.

Righter said the series win was felt throughout the program, including alumni.

“A pretty good indication of what that felt to our team and our program is how many emails, phone calls and text messages I got from alumni,” Righter said. “Our whole program felt the positive effects of that series win. It meant a lot.

Our guys felt that they were good enough and could beat anybody.”

For Bell, the victories against Cortland were the greatest moment of his baseball career.

“Being the underdogs and showing the world that we belong on the same field as them was truly a remarkable feeling,” he said. “As a team it shows the guys that we can play with anybody as long as we are in it together.”

With only nonconference games remaining in the Hawks’ trip to Florida, they took an 8-6 win over Knox College in Auburndale, Florida.

The winning streak continued as the Hawks defeated the College of Mount Saint Vincent 8-4

on March 21.

Next they swept a nonconference doubleheader against Hope College on March 22.

First-year pitcher Justin Stybel recorded his first win of the season, going five innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and striking out three.

The nightcap saw a 4-3 Hawks win.

With an 8-2 loss against Kalamazoo College the next day, a five-game New Paltz winning streak came to a close. This was the Hawks’ ninth game in seven days.

Righter said playing that many games in a short amount of time brings worry about the health of the players, but the Hawks stayed the course. This reminded them of a conference, regional or World Series tournament and that is how they approached it, he said.

After a day off, the Hawks opened their home season with a 13-3 SUNYAC win against SUNY Plattsburgh on March 25. This was the first game played on Loren Campbell Memorial Field since April 26, 2014.

A grand-slam from both second-year right fielder Nick DePietro and third-year co-captain Taylor Anderson in the second and third innings, respectively, would seal the Hawks’ win. Anderson registered six RBIs as he went 3-for-4 on the day.

Both teams played two games the next day.

New Paltz won the first game in a 3-0 shutout, before falling 8-4 in game two.

Fourth-year pitcher Christian Huertas tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing four hits and striking out three to earn his second win of

Thursday, March 31, 2016

the season in game one.

It was announced by the conference office on March 28 that Anderson has been named the SUNYAC Baseball Player of the Week for the period ending March 27.

Anderson, who has a .423 batting average ranks third in the conference. Bell is tenth in the rankings batting .396.

Bell said he feels this year’s team is in a much improved mental state than they have been in past seasons. The team had faced a good amount of adversity with bad weather, or even not having a home field, he said.

The Hawks closed out their four-game homestand as they defeated The College at Old Westbury 7-3 on March 29.

Next up for New Paltz will be a three-game conference road series against No. 13 SUNY Oswego from April 1 to April 2. After that, they will return home to host a nonconference game each against New York University and Lehman College on April 5 and April 6, respectively.

Anderson said the Hawks talked about making a “cultural change” last fall.

“We really focus on relentlessly getting each individual job done, while serving others including our teammates and the community,” he said. “By doing that it creates an inseparable bond between us as brothers, but also keeps us connected to our fan base and the community.

With that support we feel we can accomplish anything. We don’t even talk about winning we just focus on the little things one at a time, and we believe everything else will take care of itself.”

12 oracle.newpaltz.edu

Sports

The New Paltz Oracle

Men’s Volleyball Records Undefeated Conference Record

By Anthony Mitthauer-Orza

Copy Editor | Mitthaua1@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The men’s volleyball team extended their winning streak to 26 games and finished 8-0 in United Volleyball Conference (UVC) play for the regular season in the process.

Highlights from the past few games include wins over No. 4 Nazareth College, No. 9 Elmira College and No. 10 Vassar College, which proved to be some of New Paltz’s toughest matchups this season.

The Hawks traveled to Rochester on Saturday, March 19 to participate in the Purple and Gold Invitational against California Lutheran University and host Nazareth College.

Hawks head coach Radu Petrus said the team looked to become comfortable with the playing environment in Rochester for the NCAA Tournament, which proved to be successful as the Hawks only dropped one set in their two matchups.

“It was a good experience because we beat both teams, and it was a good day for the players,” he said. “The environment was good for us and we are ready to go back.”

New Paltz swept the Kingsmen 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-18), and held a 6-4 advantage in service aces. California Lutheran hit .113 (22-14-71) and edged the Hawks, 7-3, in blocks.

There was a battle for the lead in the opening set, as both teams went back and forth until thirdyear opposite and middle blocker Jake Roessler floored back-to-back kills to give the Hawks a 10-8 lead. The Hawks maintained the lead until a pair of service aces by California Lutheran thirdyear outside hitter Kristian Gallardo and a New Paltz attack error tied the game at 17.

The Hawks went on a 4-1 run to go up 21-18 before the Kingsmen brought the score to within one. A California Lutheran service error returned the ball to New Paltz and the Hawks scored four unanswered points to seal the set win.

The final two sets were back and forth in the beginning, as the Hawks went from a narrow 10-9 lead in the second set to win on a Kingsmen service error. In the final set, California Lutheran jumped out to an 11-9 lead and New Paltz regained the lead with kills by second-year outside hitter Anthony Bonilla and third-year middle blocker C.J. Borfitz before third-year middle blocker Steven Woessner delivered the matchwinning kill.

Later in the day, New Paltz won against Nazareth 3-1 (27-25, 25-23, 17-25, 25-20), and limited them to a .333 hitting percentage (15-14108). The Golden Flyers held a 3-2 edge in service aces but both teams finished the match with six blocks apiece.

The Hawks had 18 kills on 27 attempts and two errors to slip past Nazareth for the 27-25 opening set win. Both teams alternated with the lead throughout the frame until Nazareth pulled away, 24-23, on a kill by fourth-year outside hitter Tim Zyburt, causing New Paltz to take a timeout. A Golden Flyers’ service error gave the ball to New Paltz, who took the win on a 4-1 run capped off on a kill by third-year opposite Joe Norman.

The Hawks battled back and forth in the next sets as they only dropped the third one to the Golden Flyers by a score of 25-17. Notable performances included Woessner hitting .529 (10-1-17) for the match, flooring 10 kills and notching three block assists. Fourth-year outside hitter Andy Fishman notched 13 kills for a .423 clip (13-2-26). Fourth-year co-captain Christian Smith dished out 47 assists, defended 12 digs and tallied three total blocks (one solo, two assists).

Smith said the team played well despite the small worry about the health of the players going into the Purple and Gold Invitational.

“The match against Nazareth was tough, because everyone at school had headed home for spring break while we traveled up to Rochester for the weekend so mentally it was tough,” Smith said. “That week most of the team had been sick, so people were beginning to recover. I was happy with the team’s performance and glad we got the win. Nazareth played really well, but we were resilient and got the job done.”

The Hawks next traveled to Hunter College on Wednesday, March 23.

New Paltz swept the opposite Hawks 3-0 (25-10, 25-19, 25-18), hitting .507 (45-8-73) for the match, holding a 5-2 advantage in service aces and a 4-0 edge in blocks while limiting Hunter to a .114 clip (26-18-70).

They next traveled to Vassar College on Saturday, March 26 to participate in the UVC Crossover for their final conference matchups of the regular season. There, they faced No. 9 Elmira College and host No. 10. Vassar.

In the match against Elmira College, Norman hit .875 (7-0-8) on seven kills while Woessner floored seven hits on nine attempts and one error for a .667 clip and collected three block assists. Other notable performances included Bonilla and fourth-year co-captain Kevin Nardone providing four digs apiece for the defense.

For the Soaring Eagles, fourth-year outside hitter Erik Griffin floored 17 kills and four digs while first-year setter Adam Dake doled out 18 assists and also provided four digs.

The Hawks faced one of their toughest matchups of the season in their win against Vassar College 3-2 (22-25, 25-18, 22-25, 25-18, 15-

Third-year middle blocker Steven Woessner goes up for a spike.

7). The first set began with a 15-15 tie and the Hawks went up 21-18. It wasn’t until a 5-0 Brewers run that eventually brought Vassar the set win.

The second set proved to be close but worked in New Paltz’s favor, as Norman dominated the game by flooring three kills to give his team the set win and even the match to 1-1. In the third set, Vassar seized an 8-3 edge and never trailed as the Brewers took advantage of many New Paltz errors for a 19-13 margin. New Paltz managed to slice the deficit to 24-22 on a pair of Norman kills but after a Vassar timeout, fourth-year co-captain Reno Kriz floored the kill to clinch the set.

The Hawks would dominate the last two sets to win their 25th match of the season, keeping their win streak alive.

Petrus said that although the players were motivated for this game, their approach was not as successful as they expected.

“We had a difficult game with Vassar,” Petrus said. “The second game for us, I think the players were a little bit more relaxed. They didn’t approach the game with Vassar like they were supposed to even though they were motivated to play well. It was a competitive game and we learned a few things, but hopefully we can do a

Thursday, March 31, 2016

PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA

different approach in the future.”

On Wednesday, March 30, the Hawks continued their seven-match road trip as they swept Baruch College in a nonconference matchup 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-13). The Hawks have yet to lose to an NCAA Div. III team this season. They also used 18 student-athletes in the win, with half of them registering at least one kill.

The Hawks next play against Springfield College for their final regular season match on Saturday, April 2 at 6 p.m.

The Hawks previously swept Springfield 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-17) on Wednesday, March 9 to gain the No. 1 seed in the UVC Conference.

Smith expects a challenging game against Springfield and also expects the team to win and come into the UVC Tournament strong in his final year as a Hawk.

“I expect our team to come out and be ready to play with a lot of energy and focus,” Smith said. “We are going to put forth our best effort and try to end the regular season off on a high note. We want to win this game in preparation for the UVC Tournament. Springfield will come more prepared for this match but we will make sure we are prepared as well.”

The New Paltz Oracle

Sports

oracle.newpaltz.edu

13

Softball Brings the Heat

By Michael Rosen

Copy Editor | Rosenm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The softball team currently has a record of 7-7 after going 4-2 over spring break.

First the Hawks competed in the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic down in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina from Friday, March 18 to Saturday, March 19 and went 2-2 in their four nonconference matchups.

Hawks third-year infielder Nicole DeCosta said that as a whole, there are always areas to improve on, but the team ended their weekend on a really positive note.

“There were a lot of good things that happened this weekend but there are still some things we need to work on,” she said. “I think we’ll really take advantage of this time we have before the conference games to tackle those things a perfect them.”

New Paltz played three games that Friday, the first being a 17-2 victory over Bay Path University in four innings. This is the most runs the Hawks have scored in a game since last year’s Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic, when they defeated York (N.Y.) College 24-0.

The Hawks scored 17 runs off of 17 hits and eight errors by the Wildcats. Hawks fourthyear pitcher Katie Rutcofsky pitched two perfect innings and struck out two, earning the victory. Second-year pitcher Lauren Cappello also pitched in the circle, striking out four and surrendering two runs in two innings of work.

Rutcofsky also contributed offensively going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. DeCosta and Hawks second-year outfielder Julia Perhacs each went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Third-year outfielder Fallon Spriggs went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base, while second-year outfielder Danielle Bruno and second-year third baseman Alexa Mastando each went 2-for-3 for New Paltz.

Later that day, New Paltz fell 8-0 to Albright College in five innings. Hawks thirdyear pitcher Taylor Corwin sustained the loss, surrendering six runs, five earned, in two innings while striking out none. Rutcofsky came in for relief and would give up two runs in two innings while striking out two.

Perhacs went 2-for-3 while first-year second baseman Shannon Fee doubled and thirdyear utility player Megan Carbia got a pinchhit to account for the Hawks’ four hits in the game.

New Paltz concluded the day with a 9-1 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Stout in five innings. Rutcofsky earned her second

win of the day by giving up just one run and striking out two in five innings of work.

New Paltz scored four runs in the third inning and four runs in the fifth inning to lead them to victory. Spriggs led the offensive going 3-for-4 with two triples and three RBIs. Perhacs also went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and an RBI. Rutcofsky again contributed in the circle and at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.

The following day, the Hawks concluded their trip to North Myrtle Beach with a 3-2 loss against Wisconsin-Stout. A two-run home run by first-year utility player Alicia Meyer led the Blue Devils to victory, while fourth-year pitcher Tori Workman shut down the Hawk offense by surrendering two unearned runs in seven innings and striking out six.

Corwin took the loss, giving up three runs, two earned, in five and one-third innings of working while striking out one. Perhacs, Spriggs and Mastando accounted for New Paltz’s three hits on the day, with Perhacs also stealing a base.

New Paltz then traveled to Winston-Salem, North Carolina the next day to play a doubleheader against Salem College. The Hawks won both games.

The first game remained tied at two through seven innings. Hawks fourth-year catcher Jordan Fiore started the eighth inning at second base thanks to the international tiebreaker rule. A groundout advanced Fiore to third and then Spriggs singled to drive in the go-ahead run.

Perhacs would later drive in two with a single to make it a 5-2 game. The Spirits would respond with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to make it a 5-4 game.

With runners at first and second and two outs, Rutcofsky induced a pop-up to Mastando to secure the win for the Hawks.

Rutcofsky pitched all eight innings and gave up four runs, three earned, while striking out four. Bruno got New Paltz on the board with a home run in the fifth inning, her first of the season. First-year shortstop Taylor LaFrance also contributed offensively, going 3-for4 with a run scored.

The Hawks won the second game by a score of 7-2 to conclude their trip down south.

The game remained tied 1-1 until New Paltz scored five runs in the fifth inning to push them to victory.

Cappello broke the tie by driving in Fee with an RBI single. Later in the inning, a bas-

The softball team prepares for SUNYAC play.

es-clearing triple by LaFrance would drive in three. La France would then score on a wild pitch to give the Hawks a 6-1 lead.

Spriggs went 2-for-3 in the game and accounted for New Paltz’s other two runs with two solo home runs, her second career multihomer game as a Hawk. Corwin earned the win in the circle by pitching seven innings and surrendering just two runs and striking out one.

Fiore said sweeping Salem College was great for the team.

“We played them last year when we played at UNC Chapel Hill and we were not pleased with how we played,” she said. “[Salem College] is considered a powerhouse in their conference and to take two games from them was awesome for us. We did all of the little things right and our hitting was definitely there.”

On Monday, March 21, it was announced that Spriggs was named the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Softball Player of the Week for the period ending March 20. She batted .550 and posted a 1.100 slugging-percentage during the Hawks’ trip down south.

The following week, New Paltz split a doubleheader against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on March 29. Game one resulted in

Thursday, March 31, 2016

PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA

a 3-0 Hawks shutout. Rutcofsky scattered six hits and struck out six in seven innings to earn the win. In the nightcap, the Engineers took the 8-2 win in six innings.

The next day, the Hawks earned another split doubleheader, this time against The Sage Colleges. The Gators took game one 5-3. In the second game, the Hawks recorded another shutout, 5-0 in six innings.

In the shutout, Rutcofsky tossed a complete-game shutout, scattering five hits while striking out a career-high-tying 10 batters.

New Paltz will next play a doubleheader against Union (N.Y.) College on Friday, April 1 before finishing up their homestand as they start SUNYAC play against SUNY Oneonta on Saturday, April 2.

Hawks head coach Brittany Robinson is looking for her team to use some unconventional methods in order to be successful in their conference. “[We’re looking to] do something that’s a little bit different,” Robinson said. “I think that we have talent and that we have put the work in to do what’s necessary for us to be successful within the conference. But I think what’s going to separate us from everybody else is just being confident enough to make that outstanding play.”

14oracle.newpaltz.edu

SPORTS

Lacrosse Snaps Losing Streak with Buzzer-Beater

The New Paltz Oracle

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Sebastian Gordon-Somers-Archer SPORT: Soccer YEAR: First MAJOR: Business HOMETOWN: Forest Hills, New York

H OW DID YOU FIRST START PLAYING SOCCER? My mom signed me up to play at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan around age three. Since then I was just never able to stop playing.

OUTSIDE OF SOCCER WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO?

I love playing other sports like basketball and tennis. I also enjoy playing ukulele, I’m a model and a Netflix enthusiast (then again who isn’t?).

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST ROLE MODELS? Hawks first-year midfielder Rachael Purtell maneuvers out of five defenders.

By Melissa Kramer

Sports Editor | Kramerm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

The lacrosse team snapped their three-game losing streak as they defeated Farmingdale State College 8-7 in a buzzer-beating win.

This victory on March 29 marked the Hawks’ first win over Farmingdale State since their 14-7, win over the Rams back on March 12, 2011.

Farmingdale State third-year midfielder Kristen Keller put one on the board with 2:40 remaining to tie the game at 7-7 in the close-fought matchup. However, after gaining possession, the Rams turned the ball over with 2:15 remaining.

The Hawks took control of the ball with a free-position opportunity and called a timeout.

New Paltz let the clock wind down and that is when Hawks third-year co-captain Nicole Gottschalk netted the unassisted game-winner with 3.9 seconds remaining in the contest.

Third-year co-captain Melissa Wagner tallied a pair of goals for the Hawks. Third-year goalkeeper Colleen Roemer made 12 stops for New Paltz in the winning effort.

Previously, the Hawks dropped three games over spring break.

Gottschalk said she believes they are a better team than what they showed over their spring break trip, where the team accumulated over 20 hours of traveling.

“We were in a completely different atmosphere than most of us are used to, so we had to come together as a team to make up for the differences,” she said. “We all got to know each other on a deeper level, and that will carry over into our playing. It’s important that we keep this strong

PHOTO BY HOLLY LIPKA

team bond because I believe it will benefit us especially when we head into our conference games.

We are all very excited to prove ourselves in our next few games.”

To start off their spring break trip, the Hawks traveled to Memphis, Tennessee as they took on Oberlin College in a nonconference game on Monday, March 21.

The Yeowomen would take the game 15-7.

Oberlin would open the game netting three goals. Hawks second-year attacker Kelsey Aeberli and third-year midfielder Alexa Criollo would answer back. However, the Yeowomen would add on four more goals later in the half.

Going into the half, the Yeowomen took a 7-3 lead. They would score a pair of goals to open the second half to increase their lead to 9-4.

All but three goals in the contest were unassisted.

Individually, Gottschalk, Aeberli and Criollo all scored twice, while second-year Caitlyn Morris found the back of the net once.

For Oberlin, second-year midfielder Natalie Rauchle netted five goals, while third-year attacker Marissa Maxfield and fourth-year midfielder Grace Barlow added four apiece.

Less than a day later, the Hawks continued their Spring Break trip and dropped a 12-11 loss to Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas.

The Hawks jumped out to an early 2-0 lead off goals from first-year midfielder Rachael Purtell and second-year attacker Allie Imperati.

Hendrix started the second half by scoring four unanswered goals to take its first lead of the contest at 9-6, but Gottschalk broke up the surge

with an unassisted goal with 21:01 left on the clock.

Gottschalk led the New Paltz attack with four goals, while Purtell, third-year attacker Nicole Stackpole and Criollo netted two goals apiece.

Imperati also scored for the Hawks. Purtell also recorded five ground balls, three caused turnovers and two draw controls.

For Hendrix, second-year attacker Bridget Umble led the way with five goals, while secondyear midfielder Rilley Frazier added three.

New Paltz concluded their spring break trip back in Memphis with a 17-5 loss against Rhodes College.

Rhodes held the upper hand in shots (31-19), draw controls (14-10) and ground balls (20-16).

After Rhodes scored the first two goals of the game, Criollo closed the gap to one with a score just over a minute later. The Lynx then buried three goals before Criollo scored again midway through the first half. Rhodes closed the half with eight unanswered goals to enter the intermission with a 13-2 advantage.

The Hawks will next begin State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play on Saturday, April 2 against SUNY Geneseo at noon on Knights turf. For the remainder of the season, New Paltz will only face conference teams.

Hawks third-year co-captain Nicole Petrullo said the team is taking what they have learned during their spring break trip and working on getting stronger as a group for conference play.

“Overall this trip has made the team realize what we need to work on harder,” she said. “We need to push ourselves and hold each other accountable to become a more successful team.”

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Definitely my parents. They helped me become who I am today and I will always look up to them.

ARE YOU A FAN OF ANY TEAMS? Probably too many to be honest. I’m a huge Manchester United fan, but also enjoy watching the New York Red Bulls, New York Knicks, New York Giants, New York Mets and the New York Rangers. Can you tell I’m from New York? Haha.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPERSTITIONS? I used to have this weird superstition that if I spit during a game, we would end up losing.

That ended my senior year in high school.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SPORTS MEMORY? When I was playing in an intramural league with my friends around six years ago, we made it to the championship and had to play the only team that beat us during the regular season. We ended up going into extra time and then penalties.

I took the last penalty to win my team the championship and scored. Best. Feeling.

Ever.

DO YOU WANT TO BE ...

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK? Contact Michael Rosen at

Rosenm2@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

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The New Paltz Oracle

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REGISTRATION BEGINS APRIL 11 For registration and schedule information:

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

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Sports

WHAT’S INSIDE

Men’s Volleyball Continues Historic Winning Streak PAGE 12

Softball Opens Home Season PAGE 13

SLAYING THE DRAGONS

ALL PHOTOS BY HOLLY LIPKA

The New Paltz Oracle

BASEBALL DEFEATS CORTLAND FOR SECOND TIME SINCE 1995 : PAGE 11