volume106_issue23

Page 1

CENTR A L CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSIT Y Wednesday, April 14, 2010

nRA Reps Stop By Campus

www.centralrecorder.com

Volume 106 No. 23

BOONAA MOHAMMED visited last Friday.

CCSU Welcomes newest Blue Devil

CCSU Riflery and Marksmanship Club Hosts NRA Speakers as Part of Empty Holster Protest Week

Brittany BurKe the recorder

Kim scroggins the recorder

As part of their pro-gun protest that had lasted all last week, Central’s Riflery and Marksmanship club hosted National Rifle Association speakers last Thursday to help inform students on how to become more effective activists both on and off campus. Suzanne Anglewicz and Seth Waugh came to speak on behalf of the NRA-ILA or the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action. The two-hour seminar was help in Torp Theatre and provided those who attended with a history of their program and what they hope to achieve through campaigning across college campuses. The first half of the program was dedicated to the pro-gun debate which went through history of the NRA and the reintroduction of our Second Amendment. But it was when Waugh took the podium that the message became apparent: the NRA thrives on student group help. “We love seeing that,” Waugh emphasized. Election Volunteer Coordinators and the Eagle Program, which introduces children at a young age on how to handle situations where guns are present, were also groups mentioned that could be used to help spread better understanding of gun use and the right to carry. The majority of his lecture was listing ways for students to better their chances of getting a progun candidate into office. Seth Waugh “Personal visits are some of the best things you can do,” Waugh said. Also on the top of the list were making phone calls to lawmakers, writing letters to the editor and using social networking like Facebook or Twitter. However, no matter which route you take, “be concise and well rounded on the issue.” He mentioned a few resources for pro-gun students on the CCSU campus; Waugh said dorms, the student center, campus bulletin boards and student or sporting events are effective ways to talk about a cause. He also said advised students to to never be afraid to try a tailgate campaign. “I can’t tell you how impressed I am,” Waugh said of CCSU’s Riflery Club. He praised their ambition and credits Sarah Adler, club President, for the gathering of such a group. However, he still made sure to advise those in the audience to work on a campaign and to “get involved at a young age, get these contacts now.”

Jason cunningham | the recorder

Inspiration By Poetry Muslim Student Association Brings Multicultural Poet to Campus In Effort to Reach out to Muslim Student Population Page 4

noRML Ready to Rally For Marijuana Laws on 4/20 michael Walsh the recorder

CCSU’s NORML chapter will be rallying on campus and taking over the student center circle on Tuesday, April 20 for its inaugural 4/20 hemp and marijuana educational event. NORML, the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, is a non-profit group seeking to make the responsible use of cannabis by adults no longer subject to penalty. The CCSU chapter is currently the only chapter in the state of Connecticut. “Our short term goal is to educate,” said Larry Vitko, the club’s vice president. NORML plans to utilize the all day event to help educate the public on the benefits of hemp and marijuana. “Knowledge is power. There is so much false information out there right now,” said Ross Martowski, president of CCSU NORML. “There are a lot of educational sites out there that are disgusting.” “We will have merchandise but we’re also going to have pamphlets,” said Martowski. “We’ll have tons of information, more information than you could ever imagine, especially on industrial hemp. We have updated reports from NORML for 2010 for clinical apps.” The group also plans to have petitions ready to be signed that will in turn be handed to both school administration and politicians in the local governments. “As far as the big picture goes, we just want reform. The decriminalization bill 476 is going

through. That’s a big thing,” said Martowski. Bill 476 would make possession of less than one ounce of marijuana punishable only by an infraction or fine. Currently in the state of Connecticut, possession of less than one ounce of marijuana can end in a fine of up to $1,000 and up to a year in jail for the first offense. A second offense is considered a felony and is punishable by up to five years in prison. “The police will argue that not much will happen with the penalties, which is actually pretty true,” said Martowski. “You might get some community service or something like that, but the record itself – you’ll lose federal funding. You won’t be able to get any state jobs with a drug charge on your record.” Aside from the decriminalization of marijuana and the reduction of penalties for those caught with it, CCSU NORML is also focusing on the use of medicinal marijuana. “Many, many times [marijuana is] a safer form of medicine. A lot of these patients are dying. We give them morphine which is worse for you. It’s a condensed opiate. What’s heroin? A condensed opiate,” said Martowski. “Yeah they do other little things to it, but it’s far more horrible. It just destroys everything. It’s extremely addictive. Why do we have that legal when you can prescribe marijuana instead?” According to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, medicinal marijuana exists already in the form of Marinol. Typically used in pill form, Marinol is a synthetic See Student Group Page 3

Last Friday’s press conference rang in a new era for the Blue Devils athletics department as CCSU President Jack Miller named Paul Schlickmann, 44, the new Director of Athletics. “The turn out today, I think, speaks to the passion and the pride that this campus has for their intercollegiate athletics program, and that’s a very important reason as to why I am here today,” Schlickmann said as he took his spot at the podium. “To say it succinctly, I am honored and thrilled to stand before you today as the next Director of Athletics at Central Connecticut State University. Honestly, I could not be happier to be back here in Connecticut. Looking out into this crowd I really just want to say I just don’t think it gets any better than this.” Schlickmann was welcomed into the Blue Devils community with an assembly of the school’s top coaches, athletes and community members. As Schlickmann was welcomed to the stage by President Miller, he was presented with an official CCSU Blue Devils shirt and hat. “I think Paul Schlickmann we were given excellent choices from which to choose and I think we made the very best one and so I’m excited today as we move into this new era here of athletics at CCSU,” said Miller. “This is a new beginning and as with all new beginnings there will be steps along the way where we will learn.” Both Schlickmann and Miller spoke about the three goals they hope to accomplish for the CCSU community, which includes graduating the student athletes, competing at the top level in NCAA Division I athletics and becoming economically viable athletics department. Schlickmann was announced as the new Director of Athletics nine months after former Director of Athletics, Charles “CJ” Jones officially retired last July after 14 years as AD. Since his retirement faculty member

Miller presents the new AD with Blue Devil gear.

student memberships only $19.95 per month!

See Schlickmann Page 3

directions to the newington club: Ella Grasso Boulevard towards Stop & Shop. Left at light at bottom of hill onto Fenn Road. Go 1/2 mile, then right onto Commerce Court.

only 2 minutes from campus


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
volume106_issue23 by The Recorder - Issuu