Vol106issue17 by The Recorder

CENTR A L CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSIT Y Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Lifestyles

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Spring 2011 Scheduling Blocks Finalized StuDENtS’ VIEWS

Thrifty Shoppers, Get Your Wallets Ready

Page 6

"I definitely think the new time blocks provide more space for commuting and working. It also makes it easier for a grad student to do their practicum internship.” - kristen kobylenski, a counseling in higher education major and graduate intern.

Opinion

Where’s the Health Food? and Sunday Alcohol Sales Page 5

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"There are definitely pros and cons. A pro is that there is more time to focus on course material in class. As a math major, however, this won't eﬀect me much because my classes are already twice a week. A con is that you loose class time when a situation happens such as professors letting students out after tests during those longer periods.” - Marissa Catanzaro, math major and CCSU mailroom employee.

Night and Day Classes Will Be Divided to Clear Up Overlap Jason cunninghaM The Recorder

At Central Connecticut State University, spring marks the brand new course time block schedule that will be implemented next year. “Whatever scheduling needs each department has, I see it as my job that those needs are brought to the registrar and expressed and that she takes those concerns into account while making the schedule,” said Candace Barrington, English professor and Faculty Senate President. According to Barrington, one of the biggest problems with the current time-block schedule is that there is not an easy transition from the day classes to the night classes. Expanding the number of time blocks and options by creating common ending times for classes eliminates the scenario where overlap causes a classroom to go

unused. “Day classes would end at 5:15 and evening classes would start at 5 [p.m.] so these classrooms couldn't be used until 6. They're trying to begin and end classes at the same time so classrooms just aren't sitting there not being used,” said Barrington. Barrington has helped conduct this dialogue for over a year. Often, she said, people haven’t been paying attention to the information that’s been provided. “All of the sudden [professors] say it won’t work, even though they had the opportunity to express their interests,” said Barrington. “This is trying to address the needs of the largest number of people. Every year there's a shortage of classrooms. We had to fix that.” Joseph Paige, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, and registrar Susan Petrosino are two key players in constructing the new

time block schedule. "We've done a lot of research on this, we've presented it to various committees, faculty senate. We've met with I can't even tell you, I'd say dozen of department chairs. Anyone who has raised a question, we've spoken to," said Paige. According to Paige, some programs had concerns that made a good point not to change. Most of those, however, had their rooms already set. For example art and music programs, which have rooms dedicated to them, have availability greater than rooms used for multiple disciplines. “We analyzed the usage of time and classrooms. We understand that a lot of departments are comfortable with what they've been doing, but there are students who haven't been able to graduate simply because timing issues and overlap. Over the past three years, four or five different models of this schedule have been produced,” said Paige. See Spring 2011 Scheduling Page 2

FUTURES OF SIMMOnS AnD OGLESBY UnCERTAIn BRiTTany BuRKe

Snoop Dogg’s Upcoming Concert at The Webster

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Sports

Dugan, Crockett Lead Central Past Wagner

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theft of two laptops over winter break. The players were arrested Jan. 20 and 26 for the on campus The future of CCSU women’s thefts that occurred Jan. 2. Oglesby basketball players Shontice was released with the promise to Simmons and Gabrielle Oglesby, appear, and Simmons was released both 19, still remains unknown one on $1,000 bond. As of Feb. 1 Oglesby was month after their initial arrests. Simmons was scheduled to compliant with the CCSU police appear in court on Feb. 10 for having given a written confession the Jan. 20 charges, but due to in January in which she admitted inclement weather the court to being an accomplice in the burglary. Simmons hearing was delayed repeatedly denied any to Tuesday March 2, involvement with the at 10 a.m. at the New theft. There has been no Britain Superior Court. new documents filed The hearing is also set with the New Britain to address the assault Superior Court at press and disorderly conduct time. charges filed from The CCSU athletics May, 2009, which have department is still appeared on the court remaining quiet on the docket eight times. entire ordeal. Prior to Those charges address The Recorder’s first Simmons’ alleged report in the Feb. 3 issue, assault of another Shontice Simmons Sports Information female while attending Director Tom Pincince an off campus party. Oglesby is set to appear in New was contacted for comment in which Britain Superior Court on Friday he released a statement confirming March 5, 10 a.m. to address her that the two girls in question were in involvement with the laptop thefts. fact indefinitely suspended, but has Both Simmons and Oglesby, no new information to announce. While university spokesman sophomores at CCSU, were charged with two counts of burglary in Mark McLaughlin did not have the third degree and one count of See Simmons and Oglesby Page 3 larceny in the third degree for the The Recorder

PhoTo couRTesy of MacMillan BooKs

English Professor Presents Work on Literary Allegory KiM scRoggins The Recorder

The CCSU bookstore hosted another episode of Central Authors this past week where one of campus’s own writers was featured to discuss her new book. Dr. Katherine Sugg of the English department took to the lectern at noon on Wednesday, ready to discuss the concepts of her latest work: Gender and Allegory in Transamerican Fiction and Performance. Here, she uses inspiration from various other studies –whether they are literary or political – to try to better understand how allegory can be used to solve the issue of identity. These studies are based on works sourced throughout the United States, the Mediterranean and Latin America. Though the title of the book

may leave plenty of room for interpretation, Sugg focuses more on the feminist aspect in transAmerican cultures. The book itself isn’t a large one but it is a dense read; and from first glance, it is probably not a book meant to be read for leisure. From the list of sources she credited, it seems there are only a select few that she would consider using for her class lectures. One she mentioned often was “Almanac of the Dead” by Leslie Marmon Silko. For most of the lecture, she read excerpts from a few early chapters then opened the floor for any comments or questions from the audience. Among those who attended was the English department Chair Dr. Gil Gigliotti, and other colleagues from the English department. See Bookstore Hosts Page 3

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2 THE RECORDER Wednesday, February 24, 2010

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The Recorder is a studentproduced publication of Central Connecticut State University and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of CCSU’s administrators, faculty or students. The Recorder articles, photographs and graphics are property of The Recorder and may not be reproduced or published without the written permission from the Editor-in-Chief. T he pur pose of T he Recorder is to approach and def ine issues of importance to the students of Central Connecticut State Universit y. Editorial board meetings for The Recorder are held on Sundays at 6 p.m. in the Blue and W hite Room in the student center.

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NEWS

In a memo sent out to department chairs and faculty, James Mulrooney, chair of academic standards committee of the faculty senate, highlighted various reasons explaining why the spring 2011 time block change will be beneficial to the CCSU community. Mulrooney, an associate professor of biomolecular sciences, sees the change as a necessary one for the university. “By setting a start time for evening class, we're doubling the time available for evening classes. Since the new time blocks allow us to maximize the usage of classrooms, we'll have a lot more time blocks overall. It's close to 3,100 potential time blocks for classes,” said Mulrooney. The new plan boasts 755 additional opportunities for evening class scheduling. “It is going to mean more work for department chairs and a little more effort to be creative in our scheduling. It's not a major change for everybody as far as looking at different options,” Mulrooney said. Part of the new time block schedule will include a university hour built in. This is time that will be provided for student club meetings, speakers, community engagement, events and professional development. By installing the university hour, these functions can now take place in a time that's convenient for the majority of those on campus. “There's a better chance for community to develop within the university hour,” said Paige. The university hour, which falls from 3-4 every Tuesday and Thursday, has been plugged in so that everyone is aware that the free hour is there to be utilized. “If you're doing Tuesday/ Thursday blocks that overlap with university hour, you're not going to get to use that time, but it will free up a large percentage of other people on campus. So you see, it's not something we're imposing,” said Mulrooney. Open forums addressing the new time block are scheduled for March 2 from 10-10:45 and on March 3 from 4-4:45 in Vance 106. “The forums will be informationbased. We can provide feedback; we can help answer how one can adapt. It's critical for students to know that a lot of time went into

Spring 2011 Scheduling Blocks Finalized Morning Session M,W 8:00 am to 9:15 am 9:25 am to 10:40 am 10:50 am to 12:05 pm 12:15 pm to 1:30 am 1:40 pm to 2:55 pm 3:05 pm to 4:20 pm

M,W 8:00 am to 10:40 am

10:50 am to 1:30 pm

1:40 pm to 4:20 pm

M,W

M,W,F 8:25 am to 9:15 am

W,F 8:00 am to 9:15 am

T,Th 8:00 am to 9:15 am

9:25 am to 10:15 am

9:25 am to 10:40 am

10:50 am to 11:40 pm

10:50 am to 12:05 pm

12:15 pm to 1:05 am

12:15 pm to 1:30 am

1:40 pm to 2:30 pm

1:40 pm to 2:55 pm

3:05 pm to 3:55 pm

3:05 pm to 4:20 pm

University Hour

Night Session

T,Th

4:30 pm to 5:45 pm

5:55 pm to 7:10 pm

7:20 pm to 8:35 pm

8:45 pm to 9:55 pm

this. This new schedule should not impact students negatively. It only makes for additional scheduling opportunities,” Mulrooney said. The university is trying to be very transparent, said Paige. “It seems like we get a lot of questions right before we're about present it. That's why it's necessary for this time for people to come out and look at what we've spent our time doing. We don't want to disrupt what's going on, we want to create a better experience for the students and to make better use of our campus,” Paige said. “According to Paige, there will be a need to move forward once the meetings begin. Afterwards, the departments need to get together to arrange times for their courses so that students can use their time here in the most efficient way possible. This way, the university can better

W,F

4:30 pm to 7:10 pm

7:20 pm to 9:55 pm

4:30 pm to 5:45 pm 5:55 pm to 7:10 pm 7:20 pm to 8:35 pm 8:45 pm to 9:55 pm

T,Th

F only

8:00 am to 10:40 am

10:50 am to 1:30 pm

1:40 pm to 4:20 pm

M only

T only

W only

Th only

4:30 pm to 7:10 pm

7:20 pm to 9:55 pm

assure that students can graduate at the appropriate time. “From the students we've spoken to, the majority want this,” said Paige. Last semester, 121 students participated in a survey conducted by CCSU’s Student Government Association to gauge what students’ felt about the proposal of a new time block schedule. Of those surveyed, 121, 66 percent said that they’d prefer the new system, while 34 percent said they’d prefer the current scheduling blocks. The students here today, however, aren’t the only focus. “We are seeing and will be seeing more people from community colleges. The traditional college freshman straight from a high school is slowly going to decline. With the current economic crisis students will want the cheapest option. They'll

also want the opportunity to be able to work,” said Mulrooney. “We should be able to produce schedules to help the changing demographics of our students. All of the positives outweigh the negatives.” The idea of additional time flexibility offered by the new time block schedule seems appealing, but whether or not it will actually work is up to CCSU’s five schools. “Joe Paige and Susan Petrosino have been working on this for a long time. They've listened to people's concerns and adjusted and I don't expect this to be perfect, but they’re attentive to people's concerns, and they'll tweak it until it can work for as many as possible,” Barrington said.

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Red Cross workers drew blood from the CCSU community this week and last in Alumi Hall.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 24, 2010 / NEWS

Black History Weekly Arrest Month Disappoints and Citation Log Professors 2.11-2.18

Steven A. Vincent, 19, of New Britain was arrested on Feb. 11 for possession of alcohol by a minor in public or private. He is due in court on Feb 26. On the afternoon of Feb. 16, Shyam Trivedi, 19 of Milford was arrested for the following charges: use and possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance or less than 4 oz. of marijuana. He is scheduled to appear in court on the morning of March 5.

UMass Student Dies in Early Morning Crash MaTT Rochelau

The Daily collegian | university of Masschsetts, amherst

(WIRE) - A 21-year-old University of Massachusetts student died early Saturday morning when a vehicle she was driving struck a utility pole in Bolyston, Mass. and burst into flames, according to police. A 2006 Mazda, driven by Maia F. McDermott of 158 Walnut St. in Clinton, Mass. and traveling north on Route 70, or Main Street, in Boylston, crossed into the southbound lane and crashed into a utility pole about a half mile south of the Route 140 intersection at around 2:20 a.m. Saturday, said a press release from Bolyston Police Chief Anthony G. Sahagian. McDermott, a junior who was studying for a Bachelor’s Degree with Individual Concentration at

UMass, was killed in the accident which engulfed the vehicle in flames and closed Rte. 70 for around three hours afterwards, the release said. She was expected to graduate in 2011 and lived in the Puffton Village Apartments on North Pleasant Street in Amherst, according to University officials. “Our deepest condolences go out to Maia’s parents Brian and Lori McDermott and her many friends here at UMass and at home,” said a campus-wide e-mail sent Sunday by Dean of Students Jo-Anne Vanin. “Anyone needing to access the campus support services is welcome to come to the Dean of Students Office where the staff is ready to be of assistance.” Town and state police along with fire and emergency medical service technicians responded to the accident, which remains under investigation, police said.

HEALTHY MEN WHO HAVE 5 OR MORE DRINKS PER OCCASION NEEDED FOR ALCOHOL STUDY

UH Faculty Weighs in on Significance of February Tradition MauRice BoBB

The Daily cougar | university of houston

(WIRE) - February’s Black History Month is celebrated by many, but was initiated by one, noted historian Carter Woodson. “Dr. Woodson’s intent for Black History Month was to get AfricanAmericans to reflect on some of the positive contributions they had made to American society and to world history so that they would begin to value themselves,” Assistant Director of African American Studies Malachi Crawford said. “He also established it so AfricanAmericans would begin to see themselves as actors in history instead of objects of history, or people being acted upon (slavery).” Black History Month has its origins in Negro History Week, which started in February 1926. Woodson, who holds the distinction as being the second black to earn a doctoral degree from Harvard, chose to observe the then-radical look into black history in February, because it was the birthday month of two instrumental figures in black history: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Woodson hoped to use the event to help mend the vast racial divide of the 1920s. The plan was to reduce the ignorance that dominated the history books of the era. Over the years, Black History Month has become a caricature of itself. Most notably, some blacks feel they haven’t gained from the spotlight it shines on black achievement. “I don’t see the benefit of Black History Month in my students’ education,” African-American Studies Program Manager Paul Easterling said. “They don’t know any of the people that made a difference in our history. They don’t know much about anybody outside of Martin Luther King. People are not more versed on their history. This month tries to bridge that gap, but little is actually ever done.” Crawford agreed with Easterling

and said that even figures like Harriet Tubman get overlooked. “Here’s a lady who made hundreds of trips into the South to liberate black people,” Crawford said. “The resistance you might face just for things like that are enormous and for her to go into the heart of darkness and the American South during enslavement to liberate people, that makes for a very fascinating individual.” Others feel that economic realities may be at fault for people’s lack of interest in Black History Month. “I think no one sees the value in it because we live in a very capitalistic society, and the value of history and what history is able to do for human beings is not really impressed upon people,” Crawford said. “And with respect to black history, many individuals ask, ‘How is this going to get me a job?’” Additionally, corporations such as McDonald’s and Budweiser have drawn ire from minority communities that feel the month is losing its significance due to commercialization. “Neither of the companies have a vested interest in the month, but they use it to push their product,” Easterling said. Easterling pointed out that his students are often amazed to learn of all the different contributions blacks have made. When people gloss over February without any real investigation into the black experience or simply scratch the surface by revisiting figures that have already permeated the mainstream such as King, Tubman and Rosa Parks, other equally important contributors like Marcus Garvey, Booker T. Washington, Sojourner Truth and Thurgood Marshall fall through the cracks. “Many of them have never heard of these things before or have never been exposed to some of the information before,” Easterling said. “And ultimately, they always ask the same question: Why haven’t I been told this before?”

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Bookstore Hosts English Dept. Author Continued from page 1 “Each chapter weaves together questions of gender and allegory,” she stated. Though, she describes the book as being strangely humorous, where one could almost catch a glimpse of the irony within certain the chapters. However, she added that, “you don’t catch the jokes until the second reading. Some don’t make it that far.” “The process was dictated by the market,” she claimed about her experience in writing the book and decided to close the lecture with more of a warning for those possibly interested: “[the book] was hard to write and rather hard to read.” Sugg, who is an assistant professor of English at CCSU, has also worked at Stony Brook University and San Francisco University.

Simmons’ and oglesby’s Futures Uncertain Continued from page 1 any new information regarding the case, he assumed the issue would be handled through judicial affairs. Part III of the “Student Code of Conduct and Statement of Judicial Procedures” states, “Theft of property, or services, or damage to, defacement or destruction of, or tampering with, real or personal property owned by the State of Connecticut, the University, or any member of the University community,” as one of 23 prohibited codes of conduct that will be handled through the judicial affairs. In such a case Simmons and Oglesby would be charged with violation of law and code, subjecting them to a disciplinary hearing, which can coincide with their separate court appearances. It is still unclear whether or not either former player will be an eligible athlete for next season pending each player’s respective court date. According to NCAA rules and provisions, any player deemed ineligible may be subject to reinstatement if the NCAA school files an appeal with the StudentAthlete Reinstatement Committee. Once the request is submitted, it is reviewed by the committee staff, which can then lead to reinstated eligibility with no conditions, reinstatement with conditions or the denial of eligibility. At press time the two remain suspended from the basketball team. Last season, Simmons started all 32 games scoring 400 points, averaging 12.5 points per game, which ranked her number 14 in the nation in scoring among freshmen. She led the Blue Devils in scoring for 12 of their 32 games and broke a single-season freshman record with 23 double-digit scoring games. Oglesby averaged nine points per game in the 2008-09 season, and finished the season ranked 11 in the conference with an average of .79 shots blocked per game. This season she was averaging 4.4 rebounds per game with 7.3 points. The Blue Devils were 4-8 with Simmons and Oglesby and have gone 7-8 since their suspension. With the void made by the loss of two key players from the roster, other Blue Devils are stepping forward to ensure a playoff berth towards the end of the 2009-10 season.

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OPINION

5 THE RECORDER Wednesday, February 24, 2010

EDITORIAL

Sunday Alcohol Sales Could Promote More Relaxed Attitude Toward Drinking Connecticut has had the “no alcohol on Sundays” law for as long as anyone can remember. It’s been a tradition for ages, and now, mayors are trying to get it abolished. The mayors of New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport are fighting Governor Jodi Rell in order to get the alcohol ban lifted. They believe that it will help the state budget crisis and increase revenue. According to them, the state would make up to $8 billion annually in extra sales and excise taxes by lifting the ban, therefore saving several governmental programs from being cut. The government disagrees. State

Sen. Thomas Colapietro, the head of the state legislature’s General Law Committee, believes that lifting the ban would not increase the state’s revenue, it would only transfer revenue to grocery stores that are already open on Sundays, therefore, putting the smaller liquor stores in the dark. One of the best solutions to this predicament is to experiment with making it an option for liquor stores to be open on Sundays. This option opens the door for several other options to take place. If a liquor store is open on Sundays during specific sports seasons, such as football, there

would be a definite increase in revenue. If there is an option to close on a day other than Sunday, there can still be that one day off for those liquor stores and they would have the brand new freedom of being able to pick their day off. One of the options of taking a day off would be to adapt to what small restaurants do: close on Mondays. Having this option would definitely open some doors to new marketing ways and also several new job opportunities. Now how would this pertain to us CCSU students? Changing the alcohol ban would lead to spreading out the amount of partying that

goes on on Thursday nights, therefore, causing less traffic and not as many drunken people out on campus milling about on one night of the week. There would be less of a hassle to Thursday nights. The Amethyst Initiative, which already tried to persuade university presidents to endorse lowering the drinking age, is, in some ways, very similar to the idea of selling alcohol in stores on Sundays. If this experiment were to be a success, it could lead to the idea of lowering the drinking age to 18 and therefore, lead to a new, relaxed attitude, although that would come with time.

A relaxed attitude towards alcohol is just what the state needs. Connecticut has been too strict about it for too long. It’s time for the state to come to the twentyfirst century and understand that it’s good to change things up from time to time. And it doesn’t hurt to experiment with something new; there is only experience to be gained. These mayors are doing the right thing to add some change to the state and, hopefully, bring about a more relaxed and businessfriendly attitude towards alcohol.

Can Someone Tell Me Who Ned Lamont Is? Charles Desrochers The Recorder

With the announcement that Governor Jodi Rell will not run for re-election in 2010, local politicians have begun to crawl from their spaces between the refrigerator and the wall to announce their bid for Connecticut’s governance. While most of these figures cite experience as mayors of the state’s major cities, like John Destafano Jr. of New Haven and former mayor of Stamford, Dan Malloy, the most popular candidate to this point is a man whose experience seems to barely stem beyond his own personal gain.

Christina LoBello The Recorder

To become a resident hall member on campus, one needs to apply for a meal plan. That means having to spend extra money to eat at the cafeteria in Memorial Hall during the semester. While some decide against eating in the hall, the majority of resident hall members eat in there everyday. It has a very wide variety of so-called “comfort foods” such as pizza, burgers and the occasional

Ned Lamont, the former Democratic candidate in the 2006 Senate race has thrown his hat into the ring and already has a narrow lead in polls conducted by Rasmussen Reports. This is a man who lost to an Independent running Lieberman in the 2006 elections. While he flooded the airways with high school students’ testaments of his moral fiber and proclaimed his status as a self made millionaire we heard little else about how or why he was running. The dog and pony show of parading minority citizens in front of a camera serves a purpose for capturing the hearts of Connecticut,

but it does little for the mind. Not once did I hear of his experience on the Greenwich town council, investment advisory council, or his bachelor’s degree from Harvard and Master’s degree in Public and Private Management from Yale. Other politicians don’t hesitate to flaunt or pad their resume, like Senate candidate Linda McMahon, who had barely had a seat on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year before announcing to run this November. Where is the trumpeting from Lamont in the papers and press? He declared his candidacy in The New York Times, but the last time I checked, New York doesn’t vote in the Connecticut elections.

I will admit that an associate professor using his connections with a school to better his political career is the definition of a conflict of interest. But, with how little the people in my age group follows federal or local politics, we need as much information spoon fed to us as possible. Lamont is an honorary member of the Peace Studies program at CCSU and speaks regularly on campus. However, he does not address the issues that we would like to hear from a political candidate. Downtown Hartford is failing, jobs are leaving- jobs that we will want upon our graduation- and things are

Where's the Health Food? macaroni and cheese. While these are all good and fun in proportion, there is clearly a mass of comfort food and not enough healthy food. As is the case with most college students living away from home, comfort food is what they crave and health food is more than often pushed to the side. But there are a select few that actually crave healthy food after eating all that salt from the pizza and macaroni. For those few, there is the salad bar, where you can mix and match as well as the occasional sautéed vegetable, and the vegetarian

section. Unfortunately, that’s about it for the health food, so far. Eating comfort food every single day can become extremely routine and therefore, a bit boring. And most students believe that health food cannot be appetizing. It’s only there for those who really want it, or don’t eat meat. That’s not completely true. There are several different ways that health food in the cafeteria can be appetizing; the only thing is, in order for it to be more appetizing, there needs to be more of it. One solution could be to

cook different vegetables such as broccoli and carrots and put in a cream sauce, sauté mushrooms and onions, as well as grill red and green peppers. They could even sell pre-made salads such as greens with tangerines. This doesn’t just pertain to vegetables. They could also serve more lean meats such as smoked turkey and chicken without the heavy breading. This also pertains to healthier desserts such as cold apple cuts with caramel sauce and fruit salad, not just jell-o and the occasional carrot cake.

blowing up but he addresses us on topics of the Middle-East. He’ll come in and speak generally and unoriginally about the Israel-Palestine Conflict but he won’t explain the simple differences between himself and other candidates. Under Malloy, Stamford enjoyed a rise in new businesses and in New Haven, Destefano has been spearheading a higher standard of education. These are reported on and known statewide because they were matters of the public. What do we really know about Lamont? Maybe the better question is, “Who will tell us more about Ned Lamont if not himself?”

Now, would students like this? I wouldn’t doubt it. Changing up the health food would be both more appetizing and appealing to those who eat in the cafe. It may also even bring in those who don't eat in the cafe everyday. It would be something different than the regular comfort foods and it would be a healthier and possibly yummier choice. It’s also saving some money for those who get bored with the food in the cafeteria and go elsewhere for food. It’ll also keep the interest of the kids who go to the cafeteria every day.

Proposed Time Block Renovation Will Benefit Students Michael Walsh The Recorder

Whether initially noticed by students or not, the proposed time block rearrangement set for the spring 2011 semester will prove to be a much needed renovation to the current system at CCSU. A common complaint heard around the CCSU campus during class registration period is often how students can’t enroll in a certain class they need to graduate because it overlaps with another one they need to graduate. This only further delays graduation and reinforces the “super senior” stigma floating around CCSU. But with the newly proposed time block schedules, problems

like this might be able to slowly dissipate. According to an email sent to department chairs and faculty by James Mulrooney, the chair of academic standards, the new time blocks would create five additional time blocks, resulting in 755 additional scheduling opportunities for day classes each semester. Surely, this gives departments the chance to create schedules with less overlapping classes. Whether the new actual time blocks are beneficial to a student and their schedule is a personal preference, something that will differentiate person-to-person. But what the new schedule does try to attempt is facilitate the working students, pushing 4:00 p.m. classes back to 4:30 p.m. This also hopes

to eliminate the overlapping of day time classes and night classes. These subtle changes might make it easier for certain students to schedule the classes they want. And this schedule is mostly likely going to make it easier for students who try their absolute hardest to stay off campus on Fridays. The standard Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes still remain, but there is now more of an opportunity for scheduling two-day, 75-minute classes. Also extended is the number of night blocks, which according to Mulrooney doubles in size. Also thrown into the mix and a piece of lengthy conversation in its own regard is the newly implemented university hour. One hour each Tuesday and Thursday, likely in the 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. range,

will be dedicated to having no classes being scheduled. This has the potential to increase student participation on campus. Eastern Connecticut State University already implements a university hour once a week and uses that time to schedule speakers. It’s a certainty that people will have a difference of opinion over whether the new time blocks are an improvement, simply because no schedules are alike, especially at a school where so many students stay busy by doubling work on top of their classes. But whether everything fits right or not, it should be agreed upon that CCSU could use an update, especially one that will potential improve the school’s graduation rate.

6 THE RECORDER Wednesday, February 24, 2010

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Thrifty Shoppers, Get Your Wallets Ready Samantha Fournier The Recorder

Saving money is always on the frugal student’s mind and new to the Berlin Turnpike is the chain thrift store Savers, which opens Thursday the 25. Inside Savers you’ll find racks upon racks of sized, gently used clothes priced around five dollars. The Savers in Manchester is stocked with home goods such as plates and decorations, as well as entertainment such as shelves of books, CDs, and electronic items at cheaper prices than they are sold at any department store. Just like the easy-to-navigate

Savers, Goodwill is also located off of the Berlin Turnpike and has a lot to offer shoppers looking for a bargain. Goodwill is set up like a Marshall's and sells new as well as gently used items. iPod speakers, a Louis Vuitton purse, and many new pairs of Soffe-like shorts were seen for sale at this Goodwill store. There was also a large home department which had blenders, TV’s, unused sheets and kitchen sets for sale. Goodwill is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Savers and Goodwill are not the only thrift stores in the area that benefit the community. The Salvation Army is well known for its

community aid. Sadly the Salvation Army in West Hartford would only inspire the need to throw an ugly sweater party. Most of the clothes at the Salvation Army are organized by color not size, so thrifty shoppers need to be willing to look through unsized clothing racks. Like Goodwill the Salvation Army did have a sizable home section with hutches, retro-looking couches and kitchenware for sale. The Salvation Army is open 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Also in West Hartford is The Clothes Horse located off of Park Road. The Clothes Horse has a variety of items for sale from clothing hung on circular racks,

SECOND CHANCE thrift shop, located in Glastonbury, Conn. is full of knick-knacks and gently used clothing. This bookcase, albeit full of random Danielle Steele novels, had a few good finds, including a $4 Dean & Deluca cookbook.

Melissa Traynor | the recorder

to accessories such as purses, to books and magazines confined to a more intimate setting that’s easier to search through. The Clothes Horse is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Church Mouse Thrift Shoppe is another smaller store with vintage bags and dresses for sale priced from 20 to 30 dollars. Despite its size, this shop is filled with a good selection of merchandise including household items, ladies business wear and outerwear. Saturdays are 50 percent off all merchandise. It should also be noted that aside

from the fact that the blue version of Deb’s prom dress (from Napoleon Dynomite) can be found here, this store has an assortment of new looking special occasion dresses. The Church Mouse Thrift Shoppe is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Whether you choose to shop at department stores, online, chain stores, or at thrift stores, visiting these stores is more than worth a trip whether its to purchase something that fits your budget or just to browse the racks and let nostalgia of the '80s wash over you.

D.O. Double G to Drop by the webster Matt Kiernan The Recorder

Godfather rapper Snoop Dogg is performing at Hartford’s Webster Theatre this Friday, in support of his recent release, Snoop Dogg Presents: The West Coast Blueprint, for a concert that should include performances of past rap classics and newer songs. Dogg has released classic rap albums such as the Chronic with Dr. Dre, and his first solo record Doggystyle. Doggystyle contained such hits as “Gin and Juice,” “Murder Was the Case,” and “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” Since then Dogg has garnered much popularity and success for songs like “Drop It Like Its Hot” and “Snoop D.O. Double G.” Photo courtesy of UPI/Roger L. Wollenberg

Dogg has even made a career in acting with feature films such as Soul Plane and Training Day. Besides film, television has been a successful outlet for Dogg with guest-spots on the Bernie Mac Show, Chuck and Monk. Snoop Dogg is a former artist of the ‘90s record label Death Row Records and has continued to remain in the mainstream music business ever since. Musical acts Plus and local East Hartford hip-hop group Tru Allies will be supporting the bill. West Coast Blueprint is a compilation of older tracks that are written by artists such as Dr. Dre., Eazy-E and Ice Cube, and is being released on Priority Records. The doors open at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are being sold for $48, which may be purchased through the Webster’s Web site.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 24, 2010 / UPGRADE

Hunger A No Holds Barred, Honest and Striking Prison Sentence Netflix It: Revanche Michael Walsh The Recorder

There’s an absolute chilling feeling present throughout Gotz Spielmann’s tender yet erotic film Revanche, a sophisticated thriller turned drama that meets at the crossroads of brutal revenge and emotional desire. A man robbed of purpose and life after a bank robbery goes wrong lives on his grandfather’s farm, drained from the desire for taking revenge on the man who interrupted his plans for a new life with his girlfriend. This Austrian film, which was nominated for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, could have resulted in a rather rough, generic and erotic film if put in worse hands than Spielmann’s. But Spielmann gently does something breathtakingly special with Revanche, using a hint of dead silence to engage and instill the most emotion it can in its viewers. The film doesn’t rely on loud, explosive sequences, but instead opts to stay quiet, and the silence is absolutely more chilling and suspenseful than any loud and proud sequence could be. Revanche is simply the latest example in the idea that sometimes less is more in a thriller, or any film. Like the greatest of filmmakers, Spielmann, who also wrote the film’s screenplay, challenges with moral questions and judges the ethics of man and woman. His story is that of balance between good and bad, right and wrong. The plot is strong, sincere and ultimately meaningful while resulting in being as surprising as it is cohesive. Spielmann creates what can’t be thought of as anything less than a textbook thriller that eventually evolves into a drama.

Johannes Krisch, who plays the films main character Alex, helps the cause delivering an authentic and painful performance of a man torn between the choice of revenge or not. The change in character from the first to second half of the film shows Krisch’s acting range and keeps a strong investment in the character. Balancing Krisch’s performance is Ursula Strauss, who plays Susanne, a close neighbor to Alex’s father Hausner, who has her own surprising and meaningful connection to Alex in the film that leads to even more ethical debate. All of the characters in Spielmann’s smartly written film feel real. And this ultimately is what separates Revanche from your typical Hollywood thriller. There’s a real composition and defined tone given to each and every character, no matter how large or small of a part they play in the ultimate outcome, and this is the most important factor of the film. It's hard to get too into describing the characters without giving much of the film away. Spielmann also avoids convoluting his film with a twisting and winding plot that sends viewers into a dizzying frenzy trying to follow it down a rabbit hole. Instead, the film is driven by its strong characters and their actions, not surprising twist after twist. And because of this it should be understood that it will take a little patience and a dedicated viewer to truly feel the engaging impact of this film. Spielmann’s effective, beautiful yet tragic story is one of the strongest foreign films seen in years. It trumps most American films of its kind and isn’t a film that should be passed up. Revanche will engage you until the last moment and keep you in absolute suspense all the while inflicting its morality-bending questions into your own mind.

Michael Walsh The Recorder

There’s an honest truth seeping through the pores of Steve McQueen’s debut film Hunger. The 2008 Irish film details the events of a 1981 hunger strike led by IRA member Bobby Sands, among other things such as the harsh treatment given to them in jail. McQueen pulls absolutely no punches in this visionary effort. For a first time filmmaker, this bold move pays off wonderfully, as Hunger is a truly impressive representation of what the lives of these men must have been like. Speaking through the lens with complete honesty, McQueen’s visual efforts are aided by a remarkable and engaging performance by Michael Fassbender as Bobby Sands, the leader of the hunger strike. Fassbender went on a medically monitored crash diet to accurately portray Sands, and the physical results are evident in Fassbender’s bony skeleton protruding through his flesh. The sight is truly frightening.

Photo Courtesy of ALLMOVIEPHOTO.COM

With such dedication to his work and the authentic and startling performance that comes of it, it’s tough to see how Fassbender flew under the radar in 2008. His performance is equally as great, if not better, than the Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke performances that dominated the same award season. Fassbender injects so much heart and soul into his captivating performance and the result is a lasting impression of Sands’ never break mantra. Also of great notice is a nearly 17 minute uncut scene where Fassbender’s character discusses his upcoming plan for a hunger strike with the prison’s priest. For such a long scene of two men simply sitting, smoking and having a real conversation without any camera cuts, it’s absolutely engaging. And this lengthy scene is only proof that this film, which is often quiet and subtle as far as spoken word is concerned, was strongly and smartly written by McQueen and co-writer Enda Walsh. It knows when to speak and it knows when you show. There are moments in

McQueen’s film where sequences are drawn out to the fullest to show how arduous, repetitive and often vicious both working and being held in prison can be. McQueen doesn’t hold back when detailing the brutal nature of prison guards or the often disgusting protests the IRA prisoners put into action. The result of McQueen’s effort is an often brutal and vicious attack on its viewers. The film really packs a punch through visuals and sympathy-inducing performances from a terrific cast. Whether you indulge in that sympathy is up to you, as the film sometimes feels pro-IRA. But even so, this is by far one of the more terrifying nonhorror based films I’ve seen lately. It’s simply such a bold and out there film that isn’t afraid to tell all and show all. The deep and dark cells of McQueen’s constructed prison is a disturbing 96 minute sentence handed out to each and every viewer of Hunger, as they must withstand the visual and aural pain that the rock-hard Sands and company dealt with on a day-to-day basis.

P dcast of the Week: Freakonomics Charles Desrochers The Recorder

The co-authors of the acclaimed books ‘Freakonomics’ and ‘Super Freakonomics’ released a weekly podcast of the same name discussing what they call "the hidden side of everything.” ‘Freakonomics Radio’ is narrated mostly by Stephen Dubner with commentary by Steven Levitt and expert guests. It is presented as a half-hour story flowing seamlessly from one segment to another with one central topic. For their first show, the two discussed the relationship between feared dangers, actual dangers and safety. The first case study was American Football. Dubner describes the anti-intuitive sport

by saying, “instead of running away from scary things that are highly improbable, football players run into each other on purpose, really hard.” This is no new observation on America’s most well-liked sport but he goes further by interviewing Dallas Cowboys’ corner back, Terrence Newman, and Philidalphia Eagles’ strong safety, Quentin Michaels. Both players say how their favorite moment in the game is hitting another human being as hard as they can. Michaels even says that he suffered a concussion as a result of laying a big hit on a wide receiver. There is no point made on the morality or ethics of the game. The question brought to light is “Why do they need high tech safety equipment when the higher risks taken are a result of their more

advanced gear?” Both players tell Dubner that if it weren’t for their helmets they wouldn’t lead with their heads and use their helmets to inflict the most damage. This sentiment is brought up again and again over the 27-minute program and the style of having an arching topic with more focused seemingly unrelated examples. Fortunately, ‘Freakonomics’ and all of its incarnations are all the same. At this point it’s a brand that is synonymous with research and revealing causality. The debate that follows is also a part of the package. ‘Freakonomics Radio’ provides nothing new to fans of Levitt and Dubner, but it is enjoyable nonetheless and easier than reading a book. As of now, Feb. 16, there is only one episode but more are promised in the near future.

Radio

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 24, 2010 / UPGRADE

REVIEWS Angels and Airwaves Love Self-released February 14

Matt Kiernan The Recorder

Angel and Airwaves, side-project of Blink-182’s Tom Delonge, returns for the first time in three years to release their most ambitious album yet, Love, an album that’s to be accompanied by a film using the album’s songs. As a band that was hyped by Delonge as something that would revolutionize music, the band seemed to fall short in the beginning. Since their first album, Airwaves released their second, and now third, which shows they’re improving upon each release. Described by Delonge as a space rock album influenced by Pink Floyd, the album opens with the ambient track “Et Ducit Mundum Per Luce,” a track that starts with dissonant guitars and slowly moves toward the whole band jamming on their instruments. The track is followed by “The Flight of Apollo,” a song that begins with electronic loops and moves into powerful guitar riffs reminiscent of Delonge’s former band Box Car Racer. The third song “Shove” is a song about the album’s title, love, and opening one’s self to another person when they’re having troubles and feeling alone. Although the movie hasn’t been released yet, the music on the album that will be used as a soundtrack to the movie is creative enough to hold its own without the picture, making it more than a typical soundtrack. The album is heavily influenced by Delonge’s style of songwriting that usually deals with the themes of love and tales of romance. The other influences of space rock and ambiance give the album a greater depth that without may have left the album giving off a feeling of an improved set of tracks in comparison to the band’s previous albums. Love is Angels and Airwaves’ strongest release to date, and leaves the band with more options of musical genres to explore than they had had before.

Field Music Field Music (Measure) Memphis Industries February 16

Matt Kiernan The Recorder

British indie-pop artists Field Music’s third album, Field Music (Measure), blends indie rock and pop to create a lengthy album that can at moments be gritty and other times clean in their recordings. Out of all the indie-pop bands of the

2000s, Field Music are seen as a band that can crossover genres with ease and give pleasant surprises with each new release. Measure does this again with twenty tracks of indie rock guitar playing, supported by the lead singer’s vocals that are comparable to Shins lead singer James Mercer. Title track “Measure” is filled with violins and classical instruments that are played with precision and carefully sung harmonies. “Effortlessly” features a tight indie rock guitar riff with the singer singing, “So ask me again how my reply could be unchanged.” The track features Beatles harmonies that are common with Field Music songs, with the band drawing upon the Beatles’ later psychedelic albums such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. “All You’d Ever Need to Say” is a track that sounds clearly planned out by the band, but holds an unconventional progression throughout, hardly containing a specific guitar riff besides one that lies in the background. The track ends with the tapping of cowbells and a smooth bass line. The band’s main genres may lie in the areas of indie rock and pop, but that doesn’t mean they’re unwilling to look into different fields to write their songs. “Let’s Write a Book” falls into the genres of funk and electronica, with pounding basses and high pitched vocals. “You and I” is a spacey track that uses the band’s harmonies to the fullest, leaving room for whammy guitar notes and drums. Field Music has done it again with their newest release, keeping their own version of music without pushing themselves into a corner.

Story of the Year The Constant Epitaph February 16

Matt Kiernan The Recorder

Emo/post-grunge band Story of the Year release their fifth album, the Constant, an album that continues their sound of aggression against death and loss of love with anthemic choruses. Since their formation in 1995, Story of the Year have stuck to their post-hardcore roots, while being able to produce anthems that reach a wide variety of audiences. Year’s songs deal with alienation and failure, with other times including hope for the future. The opening track is “The Children Sing,” beginning with the sounds of playgrounds and a chorus of children singing, “Don’t take this world away from me.” A thumping guitar riff follows the children with the lead singer Dan Marsala reminding adults to look at their mistakes for the benefit of kids. The first single off the album, “I’m Alive,” is an instance of the hope discussed above, but with a side of someone barely being able to survive and asking to be buried. Marsala sings, “I’m alive but I’m barely breathing now/ so spread these wings somehow.” “The Dream is Over Now” is a track about losing one’s faith in the future and the changes that occur in a person’s life that lead them to their current destinations. One of the more different tracks on the album is “Remember the Time,” a song that holds a lighter tune, while retaining the sense of loss that is incorporated in Years’ songs. The track includes distorted guitar notes that sound similar to music by Weezer, and even has an acoustic break with Marsala soloing the lyrics of “It’s no surprise that the feelings have changed/ and that the years have slipped away,” ending with the band chanting said

lyrics over their electric guitars. The Constant is a solid Story of the Year album that provides loud guitar riffs and anthems that listeners can yell until their heart’s content.

Jaga Jazzist One-Armed Bandit Ninja Tune February 23

Mumford & Sons Sigh No More Glass Note February 16

Melissa Traynor The Recorder

Michael Walsh The Recorder

Never have I heard so much Frank Zappa since the late mustached man played his last note. Save for cover bands, tribute bands, the remaining members of Zappa’s Mothers of Invention and Dweezil Zappa’s channeling of his father’s music via Zappa Plays Zappa, Norwegian jazz and experimental band Jaga Jazzist can’t help but make one think of the more experimental and strange side of the legendary musician. Title track “One-Armed Bandit” seriously sounds like a forgotten B-side that might have been lost among Zappa’s countless recordings. The song screams to make you think of Zappa’s classic “Peaches en Regalia,” among other tunes. But even with such comparisons, Jaga Jazzist front man Lars Horntveth is a brilliant mind of his own. Not straight jazz, not straight anything for that matter, the 10-piece instrumental band’s latest album is an influx of electronic beats, keyboards, trumpets, tubas and also the more standard guitar and bass. Tweaked with a hint of progressive rock as well as a classical base, Jaga Jazzist is a boldly original sounding group. A sound they’ve been evolving ever since their acclaimed debut album A Livingroom Hush was released in 2001. The album reaches a Philip Glasssounding level with their effectively repetitive track “Toccata,” a piece that builds up in strength like the most polished and planned might. Also standing out is “Prognissekongen,” a track whose opening notes reminisce of great progressive rock bands like King Crimson or Yes. Soon thereafter the track molds into Jaga Jazzist’s own style, complete with the pounding addition of trumpets and tubas. The album comes to a chilling end with the slower beats of “Touch of Evil.” The complex sounding One-Armed Bandit in the hands and ears of a inexperienced listener might sound like nothing. Fans of this sort of stuff will absolutely listen in trance, as Jaga Jazzist is surely one of the most impressive nu-jazz/experimental groups out there.

Forgive the following comparisons: this album is probably what would happen if Fleet Foxes showed Dave Matthews band what folk correctly sounds like. I say Dave Matthews because, well, lead singer Marcus Mumford croons like a cleaned-up version of the jam band leader. Sigh No More presents the listening with whirling bits of banjo and unique, soaring vocal harmonies, but it also features these little quiet moments that close off the energy with small dramatic hushes. Brit-folk band Mumford & Sons offer a debut record here that I doubt they will be able to top with a sophomore production; it is a graceful combination of beauty and melancholy infused into 12 tracks. A defining Sigh No More song is “I Gave You All,” which begins with slow-building guitar picking and Mumford’s lead vocals twisting in and out of notes both painful and sprightly. It forces attention on the lyrics and vocals, beyond anything else. And I think this is where Dave Matthews comparisons are totally warranted: Mumford’s voice seems to stretch certain words, or notes individually so that they sound worn, but not necessarily raspy. His pronunciation of the words “home” or “won” - they rhyme in the song - are drawn out with meaning. The song breaks into a somber chorus that eventually lends itself to more upbeat strumming - and horns, the trademark of a song worth anything. And much quicker than it began, the song burns out with a few last gasps. Mumford & Sons have previously released singles “Winter Wind” and “Little Lion Man” from Sigh No More in 2009 - absolutely standout tracks. The former is a wholesome and (moderately) upbeat, sort of carpe diem song, albeit brought along by reluctant lyrics. It’s perfect for a drinking song to be shared over a few pints. The latter, “Little Lion Man” is similarly whole-sounding, but not quite as catchy. “The Cave” is another particularly unique song, full of odd rhymes and humor, and wordplay. It’s a track off a similarly album that, given the weird release dates over the 20092010 winter, will be an easy candidate for many top 10 lists come next winter. Or even top five. Keep Mumford & Sons in mind with their debut the next time you’re in the mood for some mellow folk.

Sick of reading album reviews for bands no one has heard of? Email suggestions to

editor@centralrecorder.com.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 24, 2010 / UPGRADE

Calendar 2.24 - 3.3 son of his caretaker/lover, all of the passion and the pain of his past come back to life. 2.26 - 3.4 Police, Adjective @ Real Art Ways Hartford, Conn. $6.25 / 7 p.m.

FLOGGING MOLLY are coming to The Webster this Thursday.

MUSIC 2.25 Flogging Molly w/ Frank Turner, The Architects @ Webster Theatre Hartford, Conn. $25 / 7 p.m. 2.26 Snoop Dogg @ Webster Theatre Hartford, Conn. $48/ 8:30 p.m.

Uncasville, Conn. $45 / 7:30 p.m.

FILM

2.27 Ryan Montbleau Band @ Infinity Music Hall & Bistro Norfolk, Conn. $20, $30 / 8 p.m.

2.25 - 2.27 Broken Embraces @ Cinestudio Hartford, Conn. $7.00 / 7:30 p.m.

3.1 Big D And The Kids Table w/ Tip The Van @ The Space Hamden, Conn. $12 / 7 p.m.

Pedro Almodóvar’s films have ranged from the socially conscious (What Have I Done to Deserve This?), straight-out comedic (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), poignant (All About My Mother) and just plain kinky (Labyrinth of Passion). Broken Embraces takes the director in a new direction that could be described as achingly beautiful nostalgia. A former film director, now blind, has lost all memory about the events that took away his sight and his lost love, a sensuous and elusive actress played by Penelope Cruz. But as he tells his story to the

2.26 The Machine Performs Pink Floyd @ Toad’s Place New Haven, Conn. $15 / 9 p.m. 2.26 Furthur @ Mohegan Sun Arena BIG D AND THE KIDS TABLE will play the Space.

The Recorder is looking to fill the following positions for the Spring Semester of 2010: Sports writers, news staﬀ, Web staﬀ, graphic designers

editor@centralrecorder.com

Together, the two men bring their message to homes wealthy and ramshackle, and to parents resigned, crushed and angry (like Steve Buscemi, in an outstanding cameo). A breakout star power performance for Boston actor Ben Foster, best known for his roles in X-Men, My Name is Earl, Six Feet Under, and Freaks and Geeks.

“The more closely you look, the more you see: a movie about a marriage, about a career in crisis, about a society riven by unstated class antagonisms and hobbled by ancient authoritarian habits. So much in this meticulous and moving film is between the lines, and almost nothing is by the book.” - A.O. Scott, New York Times (Critics’ Pick!). “[A] remarkably self-effacing and highly intelligent comedy” - J. Hoberman, Village Voice. “A low-key, observant record of a universal dilemma among people in authority: How do you do your duty when your inner voice tells you it’s wrong?” - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times.

CCSU

2.28 - 3.2 The Messenger @ Cinestudio Hartford, Conn. $7.00 / 7:30 p.m.

2.24 She’s A Boy I Knew @ CCSU (Memorial Hall Constitution) New Britian, Conn. 4 p.m. / Lecture at 5 p.m.

When decorated Iraq veteran Montgomery (Ben Foster) is sent home out of harm’s way, he gets a tough new assignment bereavement notification - and a new partner, a talkative, mostlyreformed alcoholic played by Woody Harrelson, to school him in his new duties. What he learns is not easy: how to deliver the news of a serviceman or woman’s death to their NOK (next of kin) with just enough compassion, without letting emotion drag them down.

3.1 Citizen Kane @ Real Art Ways Hartford, Conn. $8.00 / 1:30 p.m. “More than a great movie; it is a gathering of all the lessons of the emerging era of sound.” - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Orson Welles’s directorial debut charts the rise and fall of Charles Foster Kane. 1 p.m. refreshments, discussion after.

2.25 Devils Den at 10 p.m. Precious CAN Hip Hop Concert With Upper Echelon @ CCSU (Semesters) New Britain, Conn. 10 p.m. 3.2 CAN Concert: Ryanhood @ CCSU (Semesters) New Britain, Conn. 8 p.m.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 24, 2010 / SPORTS

SPORTS BEGINS ON BACK PAGE

Blue Devils Drop Third Straight on the Road at Mount St. Mary’s CCSUBlueDevils.com

The Central Connecticut men’s basketball team lost its third straight game, dropping a 85-58 decision on the road at Mount St. Mary’s on Thursday night. Junior guard Shemik Thompson led the offense with 22 points, including 20 in the first half. It marked his fourth 20-point game of the season. With the loss the Blue Devils fall to 9-17 overall and 6-9 in Northeast Conference play. The Mount improves to 12-14 and 9-6 in the NEC with their seventh straight win. Central went down 12 early, following a 14-0 run by the Mount covering a three minute span. They led 27-15 with 9:04 on the clock before Thompson and the Blue Devils ran off a 10-0 run to climb to within two at 29-27. Thompson scored 16 straight points for the Blue Devils over a five-minute stretch. He hit his first 10 shots from the field to lead the Blue Devils. Thompson had 20 at the half

but the Blue Devils trailed 40-35 at halftime. Central hit 16-of-25 from the field and 3-of-7 from three. The 64 percent shooting marked the best shooting first half of the season for the Blue Devils. The Mount made 15-of-28 from the floor and 4-of-6 from three. Central held a 15-9 advantage on the boards but turned the ball over 13 times and trailed by five. The Blue Devils scored the first basket of the second half but the Mount scored 11 straight points to open up a 51-37 lead with 15:44 to play. The Mount run reached 25-3 and they took a 65-40 lead with just over seven minutes to play. Central struggled from the field in the second half, making just two of their first 12 shots from the field and scoring just five points in the first 10+ minutes. The Blue Devils turned the ball over 21 times in the game, leading to 32 points by the Mount. Thompson led the Blue Devils with 22 points. Freshman Joe Efese added 15 in the loss and also grabbed five rebounds.

Photo Courtesy of Edward Gaug

Udenze Blocks Six In Loss at The Mount CCSUBlueDevils.com

The Blue Devils outscored the Mountaineers 15-4 over the first 10:32 of the second half, but it was not enough for the victory as Central Connecticut State University (9-16, 6-9) fell to Mount St. Mary’s (9-16, 5-10) by a score of 55-45 on the road Saturday. Junior Justina Udenze led CCSU with 12 points, while adding nine rebounds and a season-best six blocks. The junior moved into second place in Central Connecticut annals for career blocks with 84 her in three seasons. She passed former Blue Devils Donna Fiedorowicz who totaled 79 during her career in New Britain. CCSU trailed 32-19 at the half and The Mount opened the second frame with two points from sophomore Sandra Andresson. The Blue Devils then went on a 15-2 run to come within one point at 35-34 with 9:28 to play in the game. Central sophomore Rachel Chandler’s three pointer from the right corner really brought the Blue Devils within reach, making it 3530. Udenze then took things into her own hands. The Hamden,

Conn. native fed junior Kerrianne Dugan for a layup on the break to bring Central within three points. She followed that up by blocking a Mountaineer’s shot out of bounds. Once The Mount got the ball in bounds, Udenze blocked yet another shot and kept this one in play. The junior sprinted to the offensive end and Chandler found her for the fast break layup to make it 35-34. The Mount St. Mary’s lead hovered around three points until a six to zero run extended it to double digits at 50-40 and The Mount went on to the 55-45 victory. The Blue Devils were held to 28 percent field goal percentage for the game and were forced into 19 turnovers. The Mountaineers only committed 10 turnovers and picked up 12 steals in the win. The Blue Devils only trailed 11-9 midway through the first half before The Mount used a 15-2 run to take a 26-11 lead with only 3:13 to play in the period. CCSU wasn’t able to get anything going on the offensive end during the stretch due to numerous turnovers, which led to easy fast break baskets for Mount St. Mary’s on the other end. Mountaineer juniors Leah Westbrooks and Lauren Howell

were integral during the run, accounting for two buckets a piece with one of Howell’s coming from beyond the arc. Central got its deficit back to under double digits with two straight three-pointers by seniors P.J. Wade and Emily Rose. Wade knocked down a three from the left baseline to make it 26-14 with 2:40 left in the half before Rose connected on a triple in transition from the right wing to cut the deficit to nine at 26-17 with 2:12 to play. The Mount went on to hold a 31-19 lead at the break. CCSU recorded 10 turnovers in the opening frame, which led to 10 points off of turnovers for Mount St. Mary’s. Junior Mary Dunn led The Mount with 11 points, while Westbrooks finished with nine points and seven rebounds. Freshman Sydney Henderson added eight points, and team highs of nine rebounds and four assists. Udenze led the Blue Devils in scoring and blocked shots, while Dugan was tops in rebounds and assists recording 11 and five in the categories, respectively. Dugan’s 11-point and 11 rebound performance marks her fourth double-double of the season.

Central Finishes Competition at NEC Championships CCSUBlueDevils.com

Sophomores Amanda Kelley and Kate McGuire led the way as the Central Connecticut State University women’s track and field team finished competition at the Northeast Conference Championships on Sunday. The two student-athletes took fifth place in the weight throw and 500 meters, respectively. The Blue Devils scored 12 points to finish the meet in 12th place. Kelley placed fifth with a throw of 50 feet and 10.25 inches, while McGuire ran a 1:19.93 500 meter dash to take fifth. Sophomore Amy Sanjurjo and junior Katherine Bossardet were the only other Blue Devils to compete in a final on Sunday. Sanjurjo placed eighth in the 200 meter dash with a time of 26.01 seconds. Bossardet took 10th in the one mile run, recording a time of 5:29.55.

Photo Courtesy of Edward Gaug

The CCSU 4x400 meter relay team placed eighth, crossing the line in 4:09.17. The team was comprised

of McGuire, sophomores Aneta Pytel and Katrina Ainsworth and freshman Rachel Dombroski.

Radden Named Most Valuable Performer as Blue Devils Place Fourth at NEC Championships

Aaron Radden Freshman

Hometown: Waterbury, Conn. Placed first in both 200-meter and 60-meter dashes at Sunday’s NEC Indoor Track Championships in Landover, Md.

Photo Courtesy of CCSUbluedevils.com

CCSUBlueDevils.com

Freshman Aaron Radden was named Most Valuable Performer, Outstanding Track Performer and Outstanding Rookie Performer as the Central Connecticut State University men’s track and field team placed fourth for the second straight year at the Northeast Conference Indoor Track Championships in Landover, MD. Radden won both the 60 and 200 meter dashes, recording times of 6.91 and 21.86 seconds, respectively. The Blue Devils scored 67 points to finish fourth, while Long Island won the meet with 147 total points. Monmouth and Sacred Heart earned second and third place finishes, recording scores of 128 and 82 points, respectively. Juniors Josue Paul and Shawn Buchanan added top performances in the sprints, as the former took seventh in the 60 meters and the latter placed seventh in the 500 meters. Paul recorded a time of 7.11 seconds, while Buchanan finished in 1:06.83. Sophomores Matt Berube and Rashad Williams continued their competition in the field on Sunday. After placing second and fourth in the high and triple jump on

Saturday, Berube finished in seventh in the triple jump with a distance of 44’10.25” on Sunday. Williams recorded a mark of 46’8.75” to take 10th in the weight throw. Three Blue Devils put forth top 10 performances in the 5,000 meters on Sunday. Sophomore Sam Alexander and freshman Craig Hunt took sixth and eighth place in the event, crossing the line in 15:16.84 and 15:36.34, respectively. Senior Ry Sanderson was the top CCSU performer in the event, placing fourth with a time of 15:12.00. Sophomore Jeremy Schmid was the only other Blue Devil to place in an individual event on Sunday. He took sixth in the one mile run, finishing in 4:24.26. Both the Central Connecticut 4x400 meter relay and the distance medley relay team placed seventh. The 4x400 squad of Buchanan, Radden, junior Eric Rathbun and freshman Dan Hopper recorded a time of 3:25.64. The distance medley team consisted of Schmid, sophomores Harrison Katz and Dan Watson, and freshman Mohamed Hrezi. They finished in 10:32.55. The Blue Devils will next compete at the New England Indoor Track Championships on February 26 and 27.

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, February 24, 2010 / SPORTS

COLUMn

Where’s the Hype? Where’s the Excitement? BRiTTany BuRKe The Recorder

Last week the 2010 Winter Olympics finally began. I have been counting down for months for these games to commence. However, this is not the case with other students. This is quite surprising. Two summers ago the world witnessed history as Michael Phelps cemented himself as the greatest Olympian of all time. Leading up to the games there were TV advertisements, magazine covers, interviews and countless news coverage. Basically, there was build up. Everyone I know watched Phelps swim to victory and, for the most part, can tell you what they were doing when he beat Cseh in the 200-meter butterfly, or when Jason Lezak helped keep Phelps’ hopes alive by out touching Alain Bernard in the 4x100 meter relay; I certainly can. But it is a different feeling when it comes to the Winter Olympics. Instead of reading front page articles about who’s number one in the medal count

or Shaun White claiming his second gold in men’s snowboarding half pipe, I open the paper to see in bold print that more people tuned in to watch “American Idol” than the Olympic Games. I log on to my Facebook to see in the news feed that the majority of my friends from the university don’t really care about the Olympics and all I can do is shake my head. Why don’t more people care? Why are we so willing to show our support and pride for our country during the summer and not the winter? People should care about Apolo Anton Ohno becoming the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time just as much as they cared about Phelps. The fact that the wannabe singers of “American Idol” can pull more viewers than the men and women playing in honor of our country saddens me. My father can still tell me where he was the night the 1980 men’s Olympic Ice Hockey team beat the Soviet Union, we need to find that level of excitement in our generation. While the Saints were able to lift an entire city’s spirits by winning the 2010 Super Bowl, it is disheartening to know that more excitement came out of an annual event than

something that only comes around every four years. We can watch football players compete every Sunday beginning in August, which I do, but for most part the Olympic athletes are only given a chance to show their country their abilities on a large scale during these games. I admit, it is harder to watch the winter games than it is the summer. During the winter we have classes, homework and other activities which place television last on our long laundry list of things to do, but we should make the exception for something as monumental such as these. For 16 days every four years the country is brought together to root for the men and women who represent what we stand for. Despite all the bad in the world, people from all over can come together in one place to spread a small light of hope; however brief. The least we can do is support them. I don’t believe that the solution to this problem lies with the media, the solution lies within us as U.S. citizens. It is up to us to show support for these athletes, even if it means tearing our attention away from the snide and tired remarks of Simon Cowell.

CCSU Fans Make No Impact chRisToPheR Boulay The Recorder

The CCSU men's basketball team is 7-9 in the conference with two games left. Both of these games are at home, Thursday against Long Island University, who is 10-6, and Saint Francis (NY) on Saturday, another 7-9 team. Both of these are must win games to guarantee CCSU a spot in the NEC tournament. As unpredictable as the men's basketball team has been, I will stay away from predictions, but I have a more important point for the CCSU fan base. The crowds for CCSU this season have been nothing short of pathetic. I am calling out each and every CCSU fan, to show up and be loud for the final two games of the season. The response from the fans at basketball games have been lackluster, and the fans seem bored. This is not acceptable. Did you forget that you are fans of a Division I program? During the Robert Morris game a couple weeks ago, I realized how bad you, the fans, are this season. Sitting at press row, I usually am deafened from the crowd that sits behind me. When this happens, I know that the crowd is doing their job. But during this game, against the top seed in the NEC, I could hear

the Robert Morris players, (not fans) but players, chanting “defense” louder than the entire Blue Devils' faithful. Now, with a team in the running for the NEC tournament, what our goal is every season, you cannot be louder than the players on the bench? Also, in light of the joke of support that the men's basketball team has, I have another suggestion. Why don't we have some sort of pep club here? We should have a group of fans that are an official club on campus, that get together and plan events for the CCSU basketball games. This is common all across Division I. Planning “blue-outs,” chants and anything and everything that revolves around supporting your Blue Devils. The fact that we don't have this already is bothersome. I think a big problem with the support is that it is not organized. I see the same groups of people at every game, but without any structure to the fan base, it is hard to get the ball rolling. But the fact that we don't have this already, is inexcusable. It's 2010, get it together. Fans, you have two games to redeem yourself. The tournament pretty much starts now. Get to Detrick Gymnasium Thursday and Saturday, and get loud. Stay loud for the entire game. This is my challenge to you. Get it done fans. You only have 80 minutes.

Kenny BaRTo | The RecoRDeR

Blue Devils Struggle in Players' Absence caRMine VeTRano The Recorder

Kenny BaRTo | The RecoRDeR

Shontice Simmons has been suspended since Jan. 4.

With only two conference games left on the schedule for the CCSU women’s basketball team, the Blue Devils are looking to head into the post season on a high note. After a rocky start that pitted CCSU with a 3-8 record in their first 11 games, the Blue Devils have shown signs of confidence from then on out. The Blue Devils went 5-4 in the month of January and now look to end the season with two big wins in NEC play. Currently, CCSU in sole possession of seventh place (technically 6th due to Bryant’s post season ineligibility since they switch to division I) with a 7-9 conference record. Overall, the Blue Devils are 10-16, yet had to overcome much in-team turmoil through out the season. Beryl Piper’s Blue Devils are in the third to last playoff spot in the NEC, and these final two NEC games (one home and one away) couldn’t be more important with Mount St. Mary’s and Wagner nipping at their heels.

CCSU has found success away from Detrick though. They are 6-6 in games played away from New Britain, yet are 4-8 at home. That is a good thing however, with the playoffs being played at St. Francis (Pa.). The Blue Devils need everyone, and I mean everyone, to step up their game if they want to go deep into the NEC playoffs. Pre-season All-NEC first team select junior Kerrianne Dugan needs to take this team on her back. She has shown lately that aggressive and confidence in her game as she leads the Blue Devils with 11.9 points per game. Also, junior Leanne Crocket is a threat from the three line as she has a 33.3 shooting percentage. If both of those two stay hot, they Blue Devils can go far. They need help though. In the paint, junior Justina Udenze has been a tremendous upside as she dominates from down low. She has the team's third best rebound total with 164. She and freshman Kirsten Daamen have been a great 1-2 with their size down low. Udenze needs

to stay out of foul trouble in order for CCSU to have a down-low game. Iron woman senior P.J. Wade who is the all-team leader in games played for CCSU serves as a nice outlet for Blue Devils. She’s clutch with her baseline jumper and can hit the three, too (third best on team). She brings that veteran leadership that Dugan and Crocket showcase. Sophomore Alexzandria Dowdy was thrown into the point guard role after sophomore guard Shontice Simmons was suspended from the team and Dowdy has shown signs of good things to come. She can bring the ball up with speed and also can shoot. However, her inexperience 89 turnovers - may come into affect, however the Dowdy has shown great poise. The Blue Devils need to forget about how they started. It's tough after being picked third in the NEC preseason ranking to start they way they did. But the team is picking up their play at the right time and can be dangerous in the playoffs. They have been there before.

THE RECORDER Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Sports 2/24

Men’s Hoop Hangs on for 62-60 Victory at Wagner on Saturday Night CCSUBlueDevils.com

Robby Ptacek managed 17 points during the game against Wagner.

Kenny Barto | The Recorder

Sophomore Robby Ptacek scored 17 points and the Central Connecticut State University men’s basketball team snapped a three-game losing streak with a 62-60 win on the road at Wagner on Saturday. With the win the Blue Devils move into an eighth place tie with St. Francis (N.Y.) with a 7-9 Northeast Conference record. Central currently holds the tie-breaker with the Terriers, but the two teams will meet in the final regular season game of the season next Saturday in New Britain. Central plays again at home on Thursday night hosting Long Island at 7:30 p.m. Both teams struggled from the floor to start the game, but the Blue Devils used an 11-4 run to take an 18-9 lead with just over nine minutes to play in the half. Ptacek scored six straight points and freshman Devan Bailey had six early points to lead the offense. The Seahawks answered with a 18-5 run over the next seven minutes to take their first lead of the game, 27-23, with just under three minutes on the clock. Wagner hit 6-of-7 from the field and forced a pair of Blue Devil turnovers during the run. The Seahawks led 27-25 at the half, as junior Markeys Deans ended a 9-0 run by the Seahawks with a basket just before the halftime buzzer to cut the Wagner lead to two. The Seahawks outscored Central 14-4 in the final 6:23 of the half.

Neither team shot well from the field in the half. Central made 10-of-32, good for 31.3 percent. Wagner hit just 11-of-29, good for 37.9 percent. Each team hit a pair of threes before the break. Central retook the lead to start the second half, 36-33, on a three-point play from junior Shemik Thompson. Thompson had seven points in the first 3:30 minutes of the half to lead the Blue Devils. Five straight points from Ptacek made it 47-41 in favor of the Blue Devils with 13:27 to play. The Seahawks scored four straight before the next media timeout to cut the Blue Devil lead to 47-45 with 11:10 on the clock. Central answered, including another bucket from Thompson, and led 52-45. Wagner used an 10-4 run over the next 2:30 to cut the Blue Devil lead to 56-55. Three free-throws and a basket underneath by junior Markeys Deans 61-55 with 2:21 on the clock. Following a Blue Devil turnover, Wagner cut it to 62-60 with 51 seconds to play. Central turned it over on its next possession, but the Seahawks were unable to get a shot off before the final buzzer. Ptacek led the Blue Devils with 19 points, while Deans added 15 and Thompson had 12 points and eight boards. The Blue Devils return to action on Thursday night, hosting Long Island beginning at 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised live on MSG, Cox Sports TV and Fox College Sports Atlantic.

Dugan, Crockett Lead Central Past Wagner 60-45 CCSUBlueDevils.com

Juniors Kerrianne Dugan and Leanne Crockett both recorded double-doubles as Central Connecticut State University (1016, 7-9 NEC) defeated Wagner (918, 6-10 NEC) by a score of 60-45 on the road Saturday. Dugan led the Blue Devils with 16 points and added 10 rebounds, while Crockett scored 15 points on four three-pointers, grabbed 10 boards and picked up five steals. The Blue Devils started the game with a 13-4 lead. Sophomore Alexzandria Dowdy opened the scoring with a three-pointer and connected on another triple later in the run. Both shots from beyond the arc were assisted by Dugan. Immediately following Dowdy’s long distance jumper, it was junior Justina Udenze that took control. The forward scored on two consecutive post moves from the right block. CCSU extended its lead to as many as 12 at 23-11 when Dugan connected on two free throws. The Blue Devils were held to four points during the final eight minutes of the opening period and Wagner made its way back into the game. The Seahawks finished the last eight minutes of the first frame with 14

Inside This Issue:

points, including six from junior Megan Mahoney. The Blue Devils held on to a slight 27-25 lead at the break, as Wagner took advantage in the paint during the second part of the first half. The Seahawks outscored Central 20-8 in paint points and totaled eight fast break points to CCSU’s zero. Crockett led the way for the Blue Devils, scoring nine points and picking up five steals. CCSU used a 10-0 run from 14:35 to 11:21 in the second half to take a commanding 43-30 lead. Dugan started the run by connecting on a long two-point jumper off of a kick out by freshman Kirsten Daamen. Half of a minute later Dugan found senior Emily Rose in the right corner for her first of two triples in the game to put Central up 38-30. Daamen and fellow freshman Brooke Bailey then finished out the scoring stretch for the Blue Devils. Daamen got open and a doubleteamed Crockett found her for the layup to extend the lead to double digits. On the ensuing possession Bailey curled off of a screen and got fouled. She connected on one of two from the line. The run ended when Daamen found Bailey in the left corner for a two point jumper to make it 43-30 with 11:21 to play in

Where’s the Winter Olympic Spirit? page 11

the game. The Blue Devils extended their lead to as many as 17 and finished with the 60-45 victory. CCSU held even with Wagner in paint points during second half action with both squads scoring eight. Central also stopped the Seahawks from converting fast break points, holding them to zero in the final frame of play. The Blue Devils shot 52.2 percent from the floor in the second half and held Wagner to 26.1 percent shooting. Mahoney finished with a team high 12 points, while freshman Marie-Laurence Archambault recorded nine in the defeat. Junior Ashley Olsen led the Seahawks in rebounds with eight. Dugan’s 16 points and 10 rebounds marked her fifth doubledouble of the season, while Crockett tallied her seventh of 2009-10 as she finished with 15 points and 10 boards. Crockett tied her seasonbest with five steals and connected on four of nine from three-point range. She moved into fourth place in CCSU history for career threepointers made with her first triple of the game. She now has 97 and is five away from taking over third place in Central annals.

Kenny Barto | The Recorder

Dugan led the Blue Devils with 16 points and added 10 rebounds. Crockett added three blocks, while Udenze and Daamen led the Blue Devils with four a piece. The latter added four steals in the CCSU victory.

Central Women Fall 55-45 at Mount St. Mary’s page 10

Central Connecticut will next host Long Island on Thursday February 25 before finishing the regular season at St. Francis (N.Y.) on Saturday February 27.