CENTR A L CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSIT Y Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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Volume 106 No. 5
CCSU Student Protester Arrested at G-20 Summit
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meliSSa traynor THE RECORDER
edward Gaug | the recorder
Blue Devils Beat Down Lions
Blue Devils Enter Conference Play with Second Impressive Road Win Norris, Mallory Lead Blue Devils Past Columbia - Page 12
New LGBT Center Serves as Safe Space Samantha Fournier THE RECORDER
When looking into the new Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Center, one will see bookshelves stocked with LGBT issue-related books, an inspirational poster of an array of colored pencils and the headline teamwork, a rock garden that sits atop a coffee table and a folded yellow fleece blanket that rests on the small navy blue couch. The center looks calm and welcoming: exactly as a safe space should. Since the LGBT Center’s ribbon cutting ceremony with keynote speaker Cheryl Jacques on September 9, Sarah Rine, Assistant Director of Student Activities/Leadership Development, said that those involved in the opening have been focused on getting the word out that the center is open and that this safe space is here for students, as well as other members of the community. “We’re really in the beginning stages of this and it is something that is going to grow,” Director of SA/LD, Scott Hazan, said about the center. “[With] people all coming together, it was probably two and a half years
in the making,” Wayne “Otis” Mamed, director of the student center, said. He referred to the LGBT Center’s beginning when students and staff formed the One in Ten Committee to fight for LGBT rights on campus. Rine and Hazan added that, although right now their focus is making the center known, an advisory board will be assembled to plan future events for the center. Rine and Hazan also hope to have safe zone training for the campus, as well as education through guest speakers. Antonio Eason, head of the LGBT Center, is excited about the only CSU system LGBT Center having opened and has several events planned for next semester. Eason said that the center has an event planned with another organization on campus for Black History Month. There will be a campus reading from a book about LGBT in the hip hop community and a visit from the author. Eason was not willing to give the details of the other event planned for Spring 2009 saying “[The] other impactful idea is in conjunction with another group on campus, I can’t say what it is, but it will be very powerful.” Currently Eason is working to inform
organizations of the center’s presence on campus. “We are willing to work with any other clubs and organizations who are looking to expand their cultural [outlook],” Eason added about working with others in the CCSU community. Eason explained that he is also looking for CCSU work-study students to staff the center. He is looking for workers who are “LGBT competent and friendly,” adding that they must be willing to get to know other people and “not just sit in the office.” The LGBT Center is open when Eason is there, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Eason said that students have come up to the center to talk with him. He welcomes students and members of the community from all backgrounds who visit. If students are looking for LGBT information, books of all kinds are available to be checked out and soon movies will be available at the center. The center’s door is always open to students who are just looking for an ear, or a place to hang out.
An Iraq War veteran and current CCSU student was arrested last Friday on the University of Pittsburgh campus while he was protesting the Group of 20 talks in Pittsburgh, Pa. Army Sgt. Jeff Bartos, 24, a full-time student at CCSU, as well as the founder of the Iraq Veterans Against the War Connecticut chapter, was arrested by Pittsburgh Police for failure to disperse, a misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct, according to court documents. News reports indicate that activists had refused to leave the Schenley Quadrangle on the U. Pitt. campus and around 200 of them were arrested. Reports by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review indicate that Bartos and other protesters were doused with tear gas after seven or eight orders form police to disperse. The Pitt News reported that police proceeded to arrest those who remained in the area including students, protesters and journalists. According to a post about the incident on the IVAW’s Web site, Bartos had not been affected by the gas, but was attempting to give medical attention to a person nearby. He was then arrested and charged, along with many other protesters. One of them was Peter Shell, a Carnegie Mellon University student and an organizer with the Thomas Merton Center. The Center is one that focuses its attention on organizing campaigns to bring about political change. Shell was also arrested for failure to disperse and said that despite the charge, many protesters tried to leave the area, but were confronted by police. “They had no reason to arrest us... When I asked police what the charges were, they didn’t know. Then I asked a third [officer] and he eventually said it was for failure to see CCSU Student Page 2
In The Recorder This Week:
Editorial:
CCSU Overly Cautious in H1N1 Prevention
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FERPA Hurts Student Media Page 5
Which Chinese TakeOut Reigns Supreme?
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Album Reviews of Alice in Chains, Hawk Nelson
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Trey Songz to Perform at Homecoming
FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT: www.centralrecorder.com
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