CENTR A L CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSIT Y Wednesday, September 15, 2010
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Volume 107 No.3
CCSU Professor Charged With Sexual Assault miChael Walsh The Recorder
CCSU professor Moises Salinas has been suspended with pay after being arrested on charges of sexual assault in the fourth degree. Salinas, 44, of West Hartford was arrested on Sept. 1 by Newington Police after turning himself in based on charges that he sexually assaulted a 22-year-old CCSU student. Salinas was also charged with second-degree unlawful restraint of the woman. The alleged assault happened on Feb. 18 in Newington. Salinas was held on a bail of $75,000 and is scheduled to appear in New Britain court on Sept. 14. “Because it’s a pending legal matter we can’t comment other than to say he was suspended with pay pending the outcome,” said Mark McLaughlin, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communication. The woman complained to her adviser the Monday after the alleged incident occurred leading to other CCSU faculty and officials getting involved, including an internal investigation by CCSU attorney Carolyn Magnan. Newington police
were notified on April 29, after the school’s internal investigation. In the warrant the woman says that Salinas mentioned in a conversation on Facebook that he would write her a letter of recommendation for graduate school and invited her to lunch to talk about her postgraduation plans. The woman claims that when the two met on Feb. 18 Salinas suggested they take his car and that while she found it odd, she got into his vehicle. Salinas allegedly first drove to a bar and instead of parking in the available spaces in the front, he decided to park in the back. When they got out of the car, the woman said that Salinas interlocked arms with her but she let her arm go limp because she felt uncomfortable. The woman said that as soon as they walked in, Salinas decided to immediately leave. The woman said he told her that he “knew too many people in the bar.” At the second restaurant the woman claims she pointed out available parking in the front thinking he would again park in the
back, which Salinas allegedly did, ignoring her request. While walking to the restaurant Salinas allegedly tried to interlock arms with the
Moises Salinas. woman once again. According to the warrant, the woman claims that once the two were seated in the restaurant Salinas pulled his chair “so close to her that
his leg rubbed on her and she could not move away.” She also claims that he rubbed the top part of her thighs and her hand while at the table. The woman said “she told Dr. Salinas that she did not tolerate anyone touching her inappropriately,” according to the warrant. The woman told Newington police that “she felt the lunch meeting was not about her graduate plans or the letter so she began to ramble on about her meeting with another professor,” and that “he looked at her ugly” when she told him that another professor was her favorite. According to the warrant, Salinas took the food out of the woman’s hand, tossed it on the table, got up and said “Let’s go.” When they got in the car, the woman said she placed her large purse on her lap and buckled her seatbelt. The woman said that Salinas grabbed her purse and tossed it in the back seat before removing her seatbelt. According to the warrant Salinas “put his hand in her crotch and slowly removed the belt ends out from in between her legs and rubbed on her thighs as he
pulled his hand out.” The woman claims that Salinas managed to kiss her on the cheek and that while she tried to pull away, Salinas was allegedly able to force his tongue into her mouth, despite her claim that she tried to keep her mouth closed. The woman says that the whole time she told him that she had to go and he just ignored him. According to the warrant Salinas “put his hands on her thigh again and rubbed his way up into her crotch and grabbed her crotch.” The woman said she closed her legs tighter and pushed his hands away. The woman told police that she felt so violated and said she felt like screaming, but she said she thought he would get angrier. She told police that she “thought of running out of the car but she didn’t because the parking lot was empty and she wasn’t sure she would be able to get away from him.” On Feb. 25, prior to knowing a complaint had been filed against him, Salinas sent the woman a Facebook message saying “Just wanted to say hi. I really enjoyed having lunch with you...Let me ASSAULT | ConT. on 2
First SGA Meeting Addresses New Policies, Committee Desires
miChael Walsh The Recorder
A new policy involving what students can use the Student Government Assosciation’s office space and for what reasons became a main point of the open floor portion of SGA’s first meeting of the semester after Vice President Christopher Kyle brought up the executive decision to keep the SGA office for SGA-related business only. Prior to the new policy, students could have access to the office’s computers for personal use, but some SGA senators thought the office became too lounge-like, leading the board to adopt a new policy. “We are not closing the door on [students],” said Kyle. “It’s just making the office SGA only.” A major opponent of the SGA | ConT. on 4 SGA met for the first time this semester last Wednesday.
Kenny baRTo | The ReCoRdeR
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NEWS
THE RECORDER Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Recorder
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Editor-in-Chief Michael Walsh Managing Editor Matt Kiernan Art Director Ashley E. Lang Copy Editor Sara M. Berry News Editor Jason Cunningham Entertainment Editor Max Kyburz Sports Editor Brittany Burke
CCSU Student Cycles for MS Jason CUnningham The Recorder
John Owens donated 25 miles worth of his time and energy on a bicycle last month. Owens, a communications major at CCSU, raised money for people living with multiple sclerosis through a collection of sponsors at the 2010 Bike MS: Cardio Express Ride. The two day event took place from Aug. 28-29 at Priam Vineyards in Colchester and is expected to raise nearly $200,000 when all pledges are met. “I thought it’d be a challenge, thought I’d give it a shot. I’m not a regular cyclist,” said Owens. “It was an intense ride too. I did not prepare myself.” The two days of riding and fundraising were organized by the Connecticut chapter of the National MS Society. The weekend had over 200 cyclists turn out. Not all of those cyclists have reached their goals. So far Owens has raised over $85 towards his $125
goal. Fundraising is continuing until Saturday, Sept. 25. Potential sponsors can support Owens and other participants efforts by visiting ctfightsms.org and then clicking on MS: Cardio Express Ride. “I’m seeing more and more people John’s age get involved, but not enough,” said Karen Butler, vice president of the Connecticut chapter of the National MS Society. “Sometimes college kids get a bad wrap, there’s more publicity about the spring break and the antics, but there needs to be more about those who make a difference. I had an intern just this past semester who actually jumped out of a plane for MS.” Owens is currently interning with the Connecticut chapter of National MS Society, which is another way that Butler recommends for people in college to get involved in activities with charitable organizations. “There are lots of ways to get involved with charity. It’s not just special events, it’s working one
on one with the constituents we serve, volunteering, advocacy. It’s interning,” said Butler. “Interning is the best way to get involved. We offer them in special event planning, fundraising, finance and programs in service and mass communications and public relations. I’ve had interns form all over the state, including UConn. I can tell you that CCSU students truly excel in the communications program.” Owens was encouraged to register by Butler’s son, Kevin. The two played hockey together at CCSU. Owens wore his hockey helmet for the 25 miles of cycling, having forgotten his more traditional helmet at home. Owens has found the cause to be rewarding enough to volunteer more time on the bike next year. “Think about the things college kids do. You can spend your time going out and drinking, but what do you get from that? If you’re going to do something for other people, and have other people provide for your cause in your
Photo Editor Kenny Barto
name, you can walk away from it feeling really good,” said Owens. “It only takes a little bit of time.” MS is a chronic illness that affects the central nervous system. Currently there is no cure. The symptoms can range from numbness and tingling in the extremities, vision difficulties including blindness, speech difficulties and stiffness in muscles and joints. In severe cases it causes complete paralysis. “They only came up with a definitive way to test for MS in the 1980s. That’s using an MRI and they also use a spinal tap. We don’t know what causes MS, but it’s believed to be caused by a combination of genetics and environment,” said Butler. “As a chapter with the National MS Society we raise funds to keep research moving forward and to support people with MS in the state, which is over 6,000 people.” According to Butler, most people are college-aged when they’re diagnosed with MS, the average being 20-45.
Staff Writers Jon Stankiewicz Christopher McLaughlin Dennis Brown Brian Johnston Sarah Bogues Tim Bishop Rachael Bentley Michael Torelli
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CCSU student John Owens rode 25 miles in support of multiple sclerosis.
photo courtesy of Karen butler
Central Authors to Begin Wednesday The Central Authors series will begin Wednesday, Sept. 15, with a discussion led by Park English, professor of philosophy, about his book, What We Say, Who We Are.
Every two weeks the series features CCSU professors sharing their views on books they've written, and often what it took to produce them. The series is scheduled to run through Dec. 1.
ASSAULT | Cont. from 1 know when you have time, we’ll do it again.” Salinas then sent the woman another message on Facebook after being interviewed by Attorney Magnan. In the message Salinas said “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry if you were upset at me. If I did anything that bothered you or offended you when we met for lunch, I truly apologize.” Salinas declined to speak to
Newington police, but did talk to Magnan. Salinas denied most of what the woman told the police, but said he might have touched the woman’s thighs and that he did hug her and attempt to kiss her on the cheek. Salinas, who was born in Mexico, told Magnan that it is in his culture to hug and kiss people. Magnan said that she believed that the incident was worsened by the fact that Salinas was the woman’s professor at one point,
According to Amazon.com, What We Say "explores the commonality between Leopold Senghor's concept of negritude and Zora Neale Hurston's view of Negro expression." Those interested can watch putting him in a place of power and authority. The woman told police that she never led on Salinas and that during her conversations with him never brought up anything that wasn’t related to academics. In her investigation, Magnan found that Salinas initiated most of the communications. She also found that Salinas attempted to mislead her by altering e-mails sent through the CCSU e-mail to make the woman look like the initiator. Magnan said that CCSU
Central Authors daily on CCSU TV, channel 23, at 8:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.. They can also be viewed through the website www.ccsu.edu/ centralauthors/programming. htm. IT retrieved the correct e-mails and mentioned that Salinas’ versions did not match the original emails but that the woman’s did. Magnan recommended the matter to the university’s human resource office for further action. Salinas, associate professor in the psychology department, was set to teach this fall prior to his arrest. Salinas was also the school’s first chief diversity officer before being removed from that position sometime in March.
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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 15, 2010 / NEWS
Library To Honor Elihu Burritt This Semester JonaThan sTanKieWiCz The Recorder
CCSU's Elihu Burritt library will be celebrating the life and work of the man by organizing several events to honor Burritt before and during the bicentennial of his birthday on Dec. 8th. The library was finished in 1959 and was named after Burritt from a suggestion by the New Britain Herald editor and publisher Robert C. Vance. Others on the short list included Dr. Herbert D. Welte and Thomas H. Gallaudet. To commemorate Burritt’s 200th birthday the library has planned a few events for everyone to enjoy and will finish with a party on his birthday. On Sept. 22, at noon, in the Special Collections reading room, there will be an opening lecture by Wendy Chmielewski, Ph.D., a curator of the Peace collection at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. Chmielewski, an author of several published works including Jane Addams and the Practice of Democracy, will be speaking on Burritt's connection with women in the peace movement. Burritt is known today throughout Connecticut, but is also known for his work around the world. He was born in New Britain in 1810, and is nicknamed New Britain’s favorite son. The youngest of 10 children, Burritt had to leave school in 1828 after his father’s death. He decided to apprentice himself to a local blacksmith. While apprenticing, Burritt was teaching himself mathematics and linguistics, but more hardship hit his family after the family grocery business closed. Burritt decided to go to Boston for an opportunity to find something to help his family. It is there in Massachusetts that Burritt received a name that stayed with him for hundreds of years, “Learned Blacksmith,” from
the governor at the time Edward Everett. From there Burritt set himself to a future that changed the world, eventually teaching himself 50 languages. He lectured across the country and eventually traveled around the world. Peace conferences across Europe in the late 1840’s could be Burritt’s greatest accomplishments. All Burritt wanted was peace and he fought for it. Burritt never married. He wrote over 35 books and articles alongside editing books and publications in his time. Burritt returned home to Connecticut where he died on March, 6, 1789. The Special Collections Department is home to many materials about Burritt and his life. The collection has been growing for decades as donations and writings are found. New Britain’s public library also has a vast collection including “journals, written works, biographies, and papers.” The centennial of Burritt’s birthday was celebrated throughout the city of New Britain. Everyone came outside and participated. Looking at pictures of the event on the front of postcards the whole city was decorated for the parade and every ethnic group was accounted for. The postcards can be looked at among the other books and materials that are in the department. All students have to do is ask to see what they need, whether it be a letter or even a copy of Burritt’s almost 6-foot-long will. On Oct. 21 and 22 there will be a guided tour of the Fairview Cemetery with a visit to Burritt’s grave called Timeless Tales of Fairview Cemetary. And in November the library staff has another lecture planned by Professor Robert Wolff. All of the activities culminate on the bicentennial. For more information students can visit the library’s website at www.library.ccsu.edu or visit the library.
Weekly Arrest and Citation log 9.3 – 9.10 The following arrests were recorded by the CCSU Police Department. Russell J. Bandecchi, 22, of Wallingford, was arrested on Sept. 9 for the possession of a controlled substance and use and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is to appear in court on Sept. 23. John Colon, 23, of Bristol, was arrested for assault in the third degree on Sept. 7. He appeared in court on Sept. 8. Marisol Rivera, 25, of New Britain, was arrested on Sept. 4 for operating an unregistered motor vehicle, operation without carrying a license, operation of a motor vehicle with no insurance, operating a motor vehicle under suspension and failure to have stop lamps. She is to appear in court on Sept. 17. Gerald D. Roger, 25, of New Britain, was arrested on Sept 4. for failure to display plates and sticker, misuse of plate, operating a motor vehicle with no insurance and operating under suspension. He is to appear in court on Sept. 17.
Phi Delta Theta Trying To increase visibility on Campus saRa m. beRRy The Recorder
The CCSU student center is home to a number of displays of student life, the newest of which is a display case featuring the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. The international fraternity was founded in 1848 at Miami University in Ohio. The CCSU chapter, Connecticut Alpha, was established in December 2002. It was the first chapter of Phi Delta Theta in the state. Phi Delta Theta’s display case is located behind the information desk and contains a number of items representing the fraternity, including a rush schedule, a paddle and the fraternity’s flag. The schedule provides information on events hosted by Phi Delta Theta for those interested in membership as well as contact information for the fraternity’s recruitment chairman. Interested students are invited to rush events in the first few weeks of school and will then be given bids beginning the process of pledging. The paddle is traditionally given to a “big brother” by his “little brother” at the completion of this process. A “big brother” is a pledge’s mentor, helping him become a well-rounded member. Chapter President Jonathan Arpaia said that the group decided to set up the display case to increase their visibility on campus. “Our goal behind the display case is for the community to recognize Phi Delta Theta and for interested students to be able to find
information easily on campus,” said Arpaia. The mission of Phi Delta Theta is made up of three objectives, “The cultivation of friendship among its members, the acquirement individually of a high degree of mental culture, and the attainment...of a high standard of morality.” The fraternity encourages intellectual development, leadership and human service. “The brothers of Phi Delta Theta work hard every semester to positively impact CCSU. Brothers participate in the freshman orientation tours, campus clean-ups, Habitat for Humanity projects, breast cancer walks, MS walks and ALS walks, just to name a few of the many initiatives we contribute to,” said Arpaia.
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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 15, 2010 / NEWS
Triple Evacuation Gets Campus Buzzing Michael Walsh The Recorder
The CCSU campus was abuzz last Tuesday as three separate buildings were evacuated throughout the course of the day. Campus officials and the New Britain Fire Department first responded to a smokey fire in the upper level of James residence hall Tuesday morning. The fire was caused by a mechanical failure. "The cause of the smoke and flames is an exhaust flue for the engine chiller. That was in the mechanical room under the roof. That has been removed and they're now working on a replacement," said Mark McLaughlin, Associate Vice President for Marketing and Communication. Roughly 400 students were evacuated from the residence hall. James hall remained
closed the rest of the day and night, leaving students that lived in the hall the options of either going home for the night, spending the night with a friend in another dorm or taking advantage of the hundreds of cots CCSU set up with the help of the Red Cross. McLaughlin noted that no students were overcome by smoke due to the fire and that the building was confirmed empty after a floor-by-floor check conducted by the NBFD and the CCSU facilities management. The school brought in a professional cleaning crew later in the day to take care of the lingering smokey smell inside of James hall. The residence hall was reopened for students the next day. Just before noon CCSU officials and the NBFD responded to the evacuation of the student center after two students
complained of feeling ill. The building's air quality was investigated by the NBFD and state officials. The two students, one of whom reportedly passed out, were taken to the hospital and treated. McLaughlin confirmed that the two illfeeling students were not in James hall earlier in the morning and that their illnesses and the evacuation were a coincidence. "The students were, as it turns out, ill before they came to campus. Their illnesses kind of caught up with them," said McLaughlin. Rumors spread throughout the students waiting to get back into the student center that there was a possible carbon monoxide or other gas leak inside the building, all of which turned out to not be true. The student center was tested and confirmed safe before students and staff were allowed to go back inside. While the campus was still buzzing from the day's first two building evacuations, the
Historic Amount of Degrees Aw a r d e d b y C S U S i n 2 0 1 0 The Connecticut State University System awarded a historic amount of degrees to the class of 2010. According to a CSUS press release, the 7,005 degrees awarded to graduates at Central, Eastern,
Southern and Western was the most ever awarded to one class and the first time more than 7,000 had ever been awarded. The record total was a 3.6 percent increase over the 6,763 degrees awarded in 2009.
The degree breakdown by university for the 7,005 degrees came out to being 2,468 at Central, 1,158 at Eastern, 2,332 at Southern and 1,047 at Western. 5,121 wereawarded to undergraduate students.
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NBFD had to be called in once again just before 4:oo p.m. after the Elihu Burritt library was evacuated because of a reported gaseous smell. The smell turned out to be a small amount of pepper spray that had been released somewhere in the library. The fire department brought in fans to ventilate the building. Order was restored quickly and students, faculty and staff were allowed to return back inside just before 4:30 p.m. Janice Palmer, a media relations officer at CCSU, said that she isn’t sure whether or not the police would press charges should they find out who released the pepper spray. Palmer noted that the pepper spray could be harmful to those individuals that are asthmatic. McLaughlin confirmed that the police were looking into the situation, but said that there were no findings to report.
Crime Alert: Alleged Police Impersonator Near Essex Apartments Michael Walsh The Recorder
Last Sunday morning at 2 a.m. New Britain Police reported an off-campus incident near Essex Apartments involving a man who allegedly impersonated a Connecticut State Trooper. Witnesses described the person as a Caucasian male wearing glasses appearing to be in his midtwenties. The man was described as being about 6'2'', weight around 200 pounds with short brown hair described as a crew cut. The man was also driving a dark gray Ford Crown Victoria with a spot light and an antenna. The CCSU police ask everyone to use caution when being pulled over by an either marked or SGA | Cont. from 1 decision was Senator Omar Morgan, who questioned the decision on the basis of SGA’s mission statement that every member of the student body is a member of SGA. “I think it’s insult to lock students out,” said Morgan. “It gives us a bad representation.” Kyle went on to say that “It’s not meant to kick anyone out but it’s to make the office more productive.” Senator Eric Bergenn commented on the idea of limiting the use of the computers to students who have to do homework as being a possible movement towards creating a social group in the office, as student access might be limited to friends of SGA senators. “There are other areas on campus designated for [homework] and there are only five computers for us senators to use,” said Bergenn. Senator Drew Blythe added that “If they are there for SGA matters then we aren’t turning them away.” The senate noted that students can use the computers as long as it’s SGA-related business they need them for. Repercussions for not following the new office policy could result in a deduction of a senator’s assigned stipend, but that, according to Kyle, will be resolved on a case-by-case basis. Dr. Laura Tordenti, Vice President of Student Affairs, was on hand to speak, saying that she is confident that this will be an exciting and productive year. “I think we got off to a great start
unmarked police car. The crime alert advises that while if a police officer in a marked police vehicle uses his or her lights and siren you must pull over, but if you are unsure that it's really a police officer because the car is unmarked, the person is not in uniform or they don't use emergency lights, you should turn on your flashers, call 911 to confirm that it's the police and drive slowly to the nearest police station or to a well-lit public area before pulling over. New Britain Police ask anyone with information regarding the incident to contact their detective division at 860-826-3069 or the CCSU detective division at 860832-2383. Anyone with information may also call the tip line at 860-8322349. at the beginning of the year,” said Tordenti. Tordenti also spoke of yesterday’s three building evacuations. “The situation in James could have been worse, it could have been a tragedy,” said Tordenti. “It was really comforting to know that [the Red Cross and homeland security] could deliver that fast.” Tordenti confirmed that students moved back into James hall the day after the smokey fire forced them out. While some of the committees hadn’t met yet, there were some announcements to be made, including the scholarship committees hopes to make unique scholarships that will apply to all students and the conference committee’s desire to hold one conference for SGA and one conference for the entire student body. The elections committee announced that it will use paper ballots only for upcoming voting due to a technical problem with CCSU email. Kyle went on to address his hopes to build a stronger communication between SGA and the Central Activities Network. “It’s been a goal of mine to work with CAN to help them out with their spring concert to help make it bigger than in the past,” said Kyle. “I’d like to bring in an ad-hoc committee to help.” The next SGA meeting will be on Sept. 22 at 3:30 p.m. in Bellin Gallery.
OPINION
5 THE RECORDER Wednesday, September 15, 2010
EDITORIAL
Timely Response To Last Tuesday’s Events Should Be Commended The evacuations of three buildings on campus last Tuesday, while unfortunate for the students and faculty involved, were handled with the highest standards by campus officials and the New Britain Fire Department, considering the chaos and large workload that occurred within a short period, and the mess that could have occurred without such timely responses. After a fire broke out in James hall, roughly 400 students needed to leave for their own safety and were not allowed back in until the following morning. With the residence hall being closed the rest of the day and night, CCSU officials needed to react quickly, and they did. Dr. Laura Tordenti, vice president of student affairs, spoke to the student
government last Wednesday, saying she was impressed with the help that the Red Cross and homeland security provided to the school, assisting CCSU officials with the fast creation of a home inside Kaiser Hall for the students that lived too far away from their homes and needed a place to sleep that night. Tordenti said it was comforting to her, and others, to know that such a timely response could be had. And it should be comforting to students and faculty as well that a response like that is out there should a true tragedy strike this campus. It was impressive to see the school bring in a professional cleaning crew later in the day so that they could have the hall reopened to students the next day. The fact that
Fair Treatment for Students of Faith editorial staff Columbia Spectator
(WIRE) - During the first few weeks of school, many of our classmates observe major religious holidays: Jewish students the High Holy Days, and Muslim students Ramadan. These holidays can prevent people from attending classes or hinder their ability to focus on academics. We expect that Columbia, as a religiously diverse and self-avowedly tolerant institution, will accommodate these students’ needs. We have heard some reports of professors making demands that conflict with students’ religious requirements, or burdening observant students by requiring them to turn in assignments in advance. These professors should take Columbia’s promise that “it is the policy of the University to respect its members’ religious beliefs” more seriously. Students who cannot attend class for religious reasons should not have their absences counted against them, and those who have assignments due on holidays should be able to get extensions. Some departments, such as psychology at Barnard, allow a certain number of absences per semester but do not ask students to provide explanations. While we appreciate these departments’ attempts to protect students’ privacy, we do not believe absences for religious holidays should be treated the same as other absences. According to Columbia’s website, a student who observes a religious holiday “will be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up
any examination, study, or work requirements that he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No student will be penalized for absence due to religious beliefs.” While a few professors have been inflexible, we are happy to report that, on the whole, the University is adhering to its own policies and living up to its ideals of religious tolerance. The students with whom we spoke seemed, for the most part, content with their treatment. Most professors have been flexible with assignments and understanding about absences, and we commend them for working to ensure that observant students are treated fairly. We also recognize the potential for abuse of the University’s policy on religious holidays. Professors have no way of knowing whether students who claim to be observant actually are. Students must act in good faith on this front. But even if there are a few freeloaders, adherence to the official policy remains essential. Students get extensions or excused absences for all kinds of reasons, many of which are far more trivial than religious holidays. It is up to students to inform their professors about their religious obligations, but professors should make it easy for students to meet both their academic and religious obligations. We’re glad to see Columbia walking the walk on religious tolerance this year, and we hope it will do even better in future years. To Jews, Muslims, and everyone else out there: Shana Tova and Eid Mubarak.
the residence hall indeed opened at their estimated time is even more impressive, as it would have been easy to miss their projected mark with even one lapse in judgment or decision making. The evacuation of the student center posed a different threat, after two students reported feeling ill and lightheaded. While it turned out to be pure coincidence that the students felt ill hours after the smokey fire in James hall, it was still a great precautionary tactic to have the NBFD and state officials on hand so fast to test the air quality of the building. It returned a sense of calm to those who may have been afraid to walk through the building, a needed stabilizer after the morning's event.
Students surely know situations like this rarely happen on the CCSU campus, so when two or three pile on top of each other, it can be a bit overwhelming. Even though the evacuation of the library due to pepper spray being sent into the air seemed like a small matter, the NBFD's third visit to campus was indicative of the day's timely theme. Officials once again responded fast, and the fire department was able to rid the library of the lingering odor by bringing in large fans to air out the building. Getting students in and out of the library within approximately a half hour was and impressive amount of time to wrap up such a situation. Rapidly removing the
spray allowed students to not be delayed too much in their studies and go back to what they were doing. It also allowed the campus to return back to its regularly scheduled routine. Not much was good about what happened on the CCSU campus last Tuesday. It's a day that will remembered, but thankfully mostly for the great response CCSU showed. The news reports on the local television stations could have been in a different light that night. Thanks to the timely response of CCSU officials, the school came off in a positive light, as it should. It's just troubling that such events had to occur in a matter of one day.
What a Fool Believes: Does Reality TV Affect Youth?
Mary anne Shults The Daily Titan
Thanks to reality television programs, youth today are competing with unrealistic self expectations to be perfect; not just physical appearance, but more importantly, overall peer ranking. For example, young girls’ body image concerns generate feelings of insecurity, hence they lack confidence, making them feel vulnerable around “the popular kids” who may evoke self-doubting just by their presence. Seriously though, who truly believes perfection is to be like Heidi Montag with her porn star boob job and allegedly verbally abusive ex-husband? Or how about the spoiled girl whose mommy and daddy fork up a quarter million dollars for her sixteenth birthday bash? Or seven roommates living in a contemporary, designerfurnished estate with an endless supply of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. Apparently, many of today’s youth, inundated with reality shows, do find credibility in their stories, such as those depicted on “Laguna Beach/The Hills,” “The Real World,” “My Super Sweet 16″ or others within this genre. Reality television shows’ popularity exploded at the beginning of the past
decade following the success of MTV’s “Real World.” These programs are now available on not only all three of the major networks, but on the plethora of independent networks and cable channels as well. According to research published in a 2001 issue, American Demographics indicated that one in 11 Americans consider themselves to be “die-hard” reality TV fans. These shows sensationalize the physical attractiveness, sexual promiscuity, drug and alcohol abuse, co-dependent relationships and other negative connotations as to what is the norm. Louisiana State University journalism student Kelly Hotard sums the unreality factor well in an opinion piece on the the Daily Reveille’s website with a challenge to her peers. “Watch a day’s worth of MTV programming and compare your teenage experience with those of the young reality TV stars documented before you,” Hotard wrote. With regard to sexuality, the American Association of Pediatrics issued a statement this week that said, “New evidence points to the media adolescents use frequently as important factors in the initiation of sexual intercourse.” It continues with, “There is no major disconnect between what mainstream
media portray—casual sex with no consequences—and what children and teenagers need.” However, take the actual reality level into consideration. Most of these shows use characters from upper-class households, far outside the realm of the average viewer. Although the shows aren’t scripted, viewers don’t see the 25-member crew with their lights and cameras controlling the theme and direction. To adults, these shows are downright silly, yet offer entertainment. While following blog comments as part of her dissertation on gender cultivation of female adolescents, University of Texas student Loren Seeger researched the effects of “The Hills.” Her research indicated that some young girls idolized the characters while college-aged viewers were more critical and often hostile, calling the actors “unremarkable and talentless.” Reality TV is today’s mammoth oxymoron. If a naïve youth finds the lifestyles of these characters fathomable, perhaps it’s time for a slap of reality. As long as these shows continue to gain viewer attention, it means they can garner a demand for advertisers and media is all about the mighty dollar, not how many young people are negatively affected by what they absorb from television.
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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 15, 2010 / UPGRADE
REVIEWS Stone Sour
Audio Secrecy
Roadrunner Records September 7
February and March in Australia. Rick Florino, editor of ARTISTdirect. com, also adds that, “Stone Sour gives us a myriad of emotions, ghosts and thoughts, and it’s quite the ride. This isn’t just a band on fire, this is a band that’s about to burn down the entire world around them.”
Interpol Interpol
Matador September 7
This album isn’t bad enough to reach entertaining for the wrong reasons status and it’s not good enough to listen to twice. After the second listen I actually felt my day get a little worse having wasted energy that could have been focused on a better album. Just skip this one. Pretend it doesn’t exist. Listen to the first two Interpol albums and remember what it felt like to wonder if this band’s potential would go anywhere impressive. So far I’m impressed with with how far downhill they’ve actually gone, slipping into a purely unmemorable sound that seems like it’ll stick.
Anberlin
for themselves on their new label, Universal Republic. Drummer Nathan Young made it clear in an interview on Youtube that this album would be “less poppy” and “darker.” Overall, there is no other way to describe it. From song to song, they’re never the same, and no matter the thoughts you might’ve had on other albums, they will change with this installment in Anberlin’s career. When asked about the possibility of an impact greater than they’ve had with previous albums, Christian replied on chatter. myyearbook.com, “I feel like we’re on the brink of something... either world domination or destruction, but either way we’re on the brink.”
Dark is the Way, Light is a Place
Republic Records September 7
Brian Johnston The Recorder
With the release of their third studio album, Stone Sour lead singer Corey Taylor recently told MTV News that Audio Secrecy was “probably the best thing I’ve done in a long time.” Zach Redrup of DEAD PRESS! raved about the album and claimed that, “with recent events in the Slipknot camp, you may well be hearing a lot more from these in a gap much shorter than four years at a time. If you’re going to buy any Stone Sour album, make it this one.” The first single, “Say You’ll Haunt Me,” is much like their previous album, Come What(ever) May, in the sense that there is a lot of deeper meaning in the lyrics than is originally thought because of the fact that the band is still trying to find their own unique image and separate themselves from the Slipknot stereotype in which Taylor and guitarist Jim Root brought with them. However, after listening to the remainder of the tracks, you can easily get the feeling that they finally let loose and are truly unbound from the genre-specific group that they felt they were linked to. Especially with “Pieces,” there is no urgency to compete with anyone else, and nothing to really care about. “You have to find the strength to do it for yourself and not fall into that trap of going through the motions because people expect you to be a certain way,” Taylor explains on ARTISTdirect.com about the song. The 36-date Rockstar Energy Uproar Festival is just about halfway over, but Stone Sour surely wont have time to rest in the near future with a two month stint overseas in Europe, and they are already scheduled to perform at a handful of festivals throughout
JASON CUNNINGHAM The Recorder
Interpol isn’t a bad band. Yes they’ve overrated and yes the hype that has consumed most of their career leaves a lot to be desired. This makes Interpol another forgettable band. Since Interpol has never really seemed worthy of their praise, my expectations for their latest release, the self-titled Interpol, were low to say the least. Judging from their third album, Our Love to Admire, it seemed like more bloated hipster garbage was going to be thoughtlessly tossed out into the listening space. After listening to Interpol my expectations were more than satisfied. Opposed to the 1980s driven sound that made the band listenable in its brightest moments, the listener is given an album that depressingly drones on. It’s aimless, it’s boring and even at the album’s best points Interpol still finds a way to make a song’s highlights less pleasing. Each track clumsily dribbles out as drool down these uncreative chins. Interpol’s leader Paul Banks, who may have his chin partly if not fully gone up his own ass, might remind listeners of that friend in high school who consistently made shitty postpunk music with lyrics that were meant to be dark. If that friend got a chance to release an album as a grown man it’d literally just be this. These songs aren’t the worst things to listen to, but at times are bad enough to warrant laughter. The response to Interpol hasn’t been too bad. Many critics have given the album favorable reviews. Ignore those critics.
Brian Johnston The Recorder
The album reached ultimate popularity with their second single, “We Owe This To Ourselves,” after it was used as the main theme for this summer’s X-Games on ESPN. Lead singer Stephen Christian states about the album on www.drivenfaroff.com that, “Love is a friction, a chemistry... we need to fight it out in a good way, not with threats of leaving, but to, in love, find an understanding.” Even though the reputation that their previous label, Tooth and Nail Records, has had since the beginning being a Christianband label, Anberlin has kept that image even though they consistently made it known through the years that they were not involved with that specific genre. Christian has remarked, “[My faith] affects every single aspect of my life, but I’m not a preacher, I’m an entertainer,” according to www.one21music.com. The first single, “Impossible,” was released on the radio July 12 and has since become a big hit because of the new stylistic approach that they’ve taken with their music in order to gain listeners while still trying to make a name
Anberlin lead singer Stephen Christian.
‘Quake’ Excels, Displays Promising Talent max kyburz The Recorder
For those who were wondering, Melanie Marnich’s Quake has absolutely nothing to do with the first-person shooter video game series. If it’s a sigh of relief you utter, proceed in reading. If it’s a sigh of dismay, get cracking on those musical numbers featuring the Strogg chorus line. Quake, which was written nearly a decade ago, is a play for the times; it’s freshly transgressive and poignant, with real insights into the human perception of “The Big Love”, which is constantly strived for throughout. It is by no means a typically structured play, for it’s more of a journey through self-discovery of Lucy, our heroine. Cliched as it sounds, she is truly in the Sky with Diamonds, as we are led through the rabbit hole of her mind in a quasi-trippy experience. Rather than condensing the material, director Eve Galanis highlights Quake’s eccentricities, presenting it as a delightful blur. Time becomes deformed, like clocks in a Dali painting. Reality becomes mixed
with metaphor, symbolism and exaggeration, leading and misleading the audience every which way. Which, despite how it sounds, is precisely the point. The play finds its home in CCSU’s Black Box theatre, a space that has hosted works from alumni to Steinbeck. As far as the student productions I have seen, this one certainly excels. The stage, from the beginning, hosts the set which would remain static for the duration of the play: a choice number of boulders, accompanied by telephones and kitchen chairs strewn around the vicinity. All of this while a projection screen hovers above the performance space, cementing the collision of the present and primitive which such an essential theme of the play. The choice to perform a minimalist play gives a director plenty of leeway to experiment, and while the fact that it is a student production limits certain desired aspects, they are easily forgiven. Inconsistent music cues don’t cast a shadow over the greater excellence of the acting and directing. The play is indeed quirky, an adjective that may come across as a four letter word
to some. Its quirkiness is more in the vein of Charlie Kaufman, whose self-aware headiness is more charming than annoying. There is no way around it, the entire play is best interpreted as a trip through the subconscious. It spans the course of months, perhaps years, but who can say for sure? Much of Quake rests upon the shoulders of senior Jen Scarrozzo, who portrays Lucy. To carry the bulk of the play almost singlehandedly is a tough role for any actor of any length of experience to undertake, but Scarrozzo manages it well. She exudes an inner fear like the title references. Her shining moment features her feigning interest in a conversation with her date, firing off all her thoughts for the audience to hear. Senior Annie Capobianco supports as the aptly named That Woman, who may or may not be one of Lucy’s manifestations. She appears as some kind of Rod Serling character, albeit one without a Y-chromosome and adorned in a lab coat. Representing all that Lucy wants for herself, That Woman is intelligent and lethal, indulging the audience in the science of romance (we all “keep
looking for mach-one-in-a-million”, she says). The character lacks in subtly, which Capobianco captures perfectly. While lacking in convention, Quake adheres to the notion that all drama has a villain. In this case, it’s embodied by Brian, who plays multiple roles, the most vile of which is an auto mechanic. He portrays it with a cold calculation, at one point unassuming and the next point horrifying. While the image of a weathered vehicle in a devastated neighborhood is displayed in the background, Brian advances on Lucy in an abstract rape scene that, according to Galanis, almost did not make the cut. As terrifying as it appears, it’s a risky scene that advances thanks to masterful execution. Because of the play’s density, I wish I had seen it the two nights it was playing; for a play its length, there are many layers I have yet to crack. Alas, Quake will not be playing any further engagements at Black Box Theatre, but seek out the book for the play, and more importantly keep an ear out for the great talents involved in CCSU theatre.
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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 15, 2010 / UPGRADE
Art Exhibition Opens Faculty Up to CCSU Community Tim Bishop
The Recorder
The doors to the faculty art exhibition opened last Thursday in Maloney Hall. As these doors opened, so did the lives of the faculty members who submitted artwork. Robert Diamond, who works at the gallery, said his favorite part about the gallery is that it is “a great way for people to come together and see the work their faculty does.” Craig Frederick, art professor, is one of the many faculty members to submit his artwork to the gallery. The piece, entitled “War,” was made out of the same limestone that was shipped to the Pentagon after Sept. 11 to be made into a replica of the Twin Towers. This piece, which took Frederick two years to make, represents the constant battle of all things of nature and universe, according to Frederick. “This piece is about the balance of war and peace, and just the conflicts humans experience,” said Frederick. Diamond, who said he is always impressed by the talent of the faculty, sees this gallery as a way for the students to get to know their
professors better. Michelle Dunham, junior, said she attended the gallery because she had some of the professors that were in the exhibition. The exhibition, which will close on Oct. 14, features faculty speaking sessions at the gallery. The dates for these various faculty speakers are Sept. 13, 15, 20, 22, 23, 28 and Oct. 4 and 5. Adam Nikcewicz, who will speak on Sept. 28, said his inspiration is very complex. One of the pieces Nikcewicz has featured in the gallery is a fork standing up with pasta floating horizontally attached to the fork. “This piece popped into my head while I was in Venice at a pasta dinner,” Nikcewicz said. “It took me half a year to figure out the engineering on how to keep the pasta up.” While Nikcewicz’s inspiration came from inside, Mike Alewitz was inspired to create his painting, The Midnight Robber, after a trip to Trinidad. “I worked with the oil workers and got involved in the political life there,” Alewitz said. “I am very inspired by working people, war and social injustice.” Rachel Siporin, who also
submitted paintings, said the artwork is very strong and it makes her proud to be a part of the art department at CCSU. “The artwork shows great technological and abstract ac c o m p l i s h m e n t s which made this a very strong show,” Siporin said. Siporin, who has been on the faculty since 1984, submitted two paintings to the gallery. Siporin said she collects The faculty art gallery runs until Oct. photographs from newspapers and then paints an artist.” from her subconscious. Frederick agreed with this “I try and find metaphors that go statement on wanting to create and to a personal level and sometimes said, “I have to create art like I have relate them to larger issues,” said to breathe.” Siporin. Nikcewicz also agreed and said According to Alewitz, the art is the outset to the creative artwork is very essential to human process. activity. “Art helps me come to terms “We all want to create,” Alewitz with myself and who I am,” said said. “Everyone has the ability to be Nikcewicz.
Netflix It: Army of Shadows michael walsh The Recorder
Jean-Pierre Melville is the coolest director ever. The Frenchman’s coolness exudes out of his films often through his characters like the cool, calm and collected hitman Jef Costello in Le samourai, one of the many Alain Delon (think the George Clooney or Brad Pitt of France) led films Melville has directed. But Army of Shadows is a turn of the page for Melville. While his usually subdued and minimal directorial style is still largely if not more so present, the film’s content is a change of pace for Melville watchers. Melville’s years leading up to 1969’s full color Army of Shadows were often categorized by dismally cool black and white and sometimes color gangster pictures, Melville and France’s answer to the American film noir. Army of Shadows, perhaps Melville’s most impressive work, is a film set during the occupation in France in 1942 about the daily struggle of French resistants, their efforts and the decisions they have to make. It’s a far cry from the gangsters and hitmen played by the likes of Jean-Paul Belmondo in films like Le doulos and Le deuxième souffle. What makes the resistance of Army of Shadows so special is in the patriotic way they are portrayed. You can tell Melville is proud of his country’s efforts to hold opposing forces off during the time of World War II, and it shows with the full earnest and effort of this specific group of French resistants led by Philippe Gerbier, who is played wonderfully by the restained Lino Ventura, a name that will be familiar to Melville fans. Take Melville’s Army of Shadows and compare it to any similar film found in Hollywood these days and the differences will be astounding. Melville’s film is sparse of action, but does have a few jaw-dropping scenes of amazement. It’s a slower film, but patience is rewarded with superb development of characters that elevate the film’s patriotic notion of working together and the solitude and honor among men and women fighting for the same cause. The film’s message of strong patriotic relationships and its highly valued beliefs are reason alone to see this film. There is an important moment in Army of Shadows where Gerbier is placed in a
situation where he must decide between being honorable or cowardly. Gerbier repeats to himself over and over that he will not take the cowardly route, he will not fall back on his word no matter what his feet might want to do. I’ll leave the outcome and specific situation for your personal amazement, but it’s this kind of personal decision that must be made time and time again in Army of Shadows. Where does your honor lie in the fight against the opposition, and how far will it go? The characters in Melville’s films are portrayed as loving heroes. The portrayal of the resistance as a whole is comparably rather bleak and unforgiving, with not much hope for success. The characters appear very conscious and aware of their inevitable outcomes if they should get caught trying to kill an informer or plot a movement against the Nazis. It’s a very sullen outlook, but perhaps just and appropriate. The film’s tones are cold to match, made up of dark blues and greens, along with a very dull, dark and barren appearance as the background for the message being delivered. Another reason to see this film is the simply stunning piece of work that Army of Shadows ends up being. I’ve mentioned already that Melville’s a patient and a careful not to overdo director, he always had been and always was. In his classic heist film Le cercle rogue, Melville creates a sequence of cuts that result in one of the most silent, subdued and patient heist scenes, ranking a notch below Jules Dassin’s even quieter heist scene in his masterpiece Rififi. The same smooth editing and restrained artistic style carries over into Melville’s take on the French resistance, where moments take natural and authentic amounts of time and sink deep into your skin. You can’t expect this film to have the same upbeat pace of a more modern wartime film, it’s just simply not how Melville’s camera worked. Army of Shadows wasn’t well-received upon its initial release, but when it was first released in the United States in 2006, it strangely enough found itself on its way to being named the best film of 2006 by many mainstream critics even though it was nearly 40 years old at the time. It’s an important film from an important director. Melville’s film tells a daunting story of a limited number of the many French resistance fighters that came and went during World War II and at its simplest moments provides a great lesson in honor, pride and cause.
14.
Photo credit: Tim Bishop
The exhibition is not just liked by the faculty and the students. Cassandra Broadus-Garcia, faculty sponsor and gallery director, said she also liked the exhibition a lot. “The faculty likes to exhibit the gallery of art for the community of Central so they can have a chance to see creative activity,” said BroadusGarcia.
‘Get Low’ Strikes Out
max kyburz The Recorder
In some of the best film, television, or literature, a character can often be summed up in a single quote. In Aaron Schneider’s film Get Low, protagonist Felix Cash is asked, “How are you?”, to which he simply says, “I am.” When I first heard this line, I laughed at first, but it stuck with me as I walked out of the theatre and onto the next phase. The absolute perfection of those two words, joined at the hip, is a glimmering moment in an otherwise imperfect film. Robert Duvall plays our hero Cash (who is based upon a real legend from the late ‘30s), a grumbling old coot who prefers the company of ghosts. Not paranormal types, but memories of his past. He is a legend in his quaint Southern town, but one of little esteem; people think of him as an animal as wild as they come. They fear him, but cannot resist provoking him. Cash knows there are stories that circulate about him, but people are afraid to say them to his face. Because of this, he does what every self-deprecating recluse with an untamed mane would do in order to hear these stories: he proposes a funeral party. At which, of course, he will be alive and present. For a man who seems to be dying slowly, such a prospect seems appropriate for a man like Cash. But who would allow such a thing? Enter Bill Murray as glum and greedy funeral director Frank Quinn. Funerals are his business, and business is slow at best. Desperate, he greets Cash with open arms; to him, “hermit money” is the best kind of money (that’s a lesson to you readers who are business majors). For every thousand people who dislike Cash, there is one who carries genuine affection, and she just so happens to be
played by the always charming Sissy Spacek. Their history runs deep, but we learn that it runs even darker. I hate to say it, but this is where Get Low loses its darkness and takes a necessary turn into hopeless convention. Within the first thirty minutes, I was hopeful for the direction the film would take; I was already sold by the offbeat plot, and the fantastic promise of the performances by Murray and Duvall. Get Low, sadly, loses its touch. This is not so much a problem with execution on behalf of the actors, but more to do with the writing. The charm begins to go dry. It starts out feeling like it's unpredictable, but after the first forty-five minutes, the plot becomes disappointingly predictable. Get Low is truly a character actor's showcase at best; the performances are the real attraction. Robert Duvall deserves an Oscar nod (as does Bill Cobbs, but only because he's Bill Cobbs). Much like in his Oscar nominated performance in The Apostle, in which he portrayed a conflicted preacher who becomes an outcast from his town after he beats in the head of a youth minister who is sleeping with his wife. He is not portrayed as a monster, but an honest man, conflicted and on the alert. If his character from The Apostle were thrown back into the late 1930s, it would have been a spitting image. Before seeing Get Low, I was trying not to overexcite myself, and as it turned out, it was the best choice I could make. It is not as if Get Low is a bad film, it only suffers from being painfully average. In a year of film that has been underwhelming, a little surprise would have been welcome. I was hoping it would be Get Low, but no dice.
8
THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 15, 2010 / UPGRADE
Real-time Physics Engine Makes ‘NHL 11’ A Revamped Experience michael Walsh The Recorder
It's another year and another round of applause for developer EA Canada as their award-winning NHL series hits 2011. Sports games have often fallen prey to the perceived image of each installment simply being a roster update and a shallow feature or two on top. EA Sports' NHL series has long defied this rightfully deserved label. NHL 11 won't fool gamers with it's looks, as graphics, presentation and style have stayed relatively similar to NHL 10's. But like previous years, the true changes will only be identifiable to the fan base of hardcore gamers the series has picked up ever since it became a full-on simulation experience a few years ago. Where NHL 11 excels is in it's gameplay, thanks to a complete overhaul of the physics engine. This year the team at EA Canada has developed a completely new and realistic "real-time physics engine" that truly changes the way the game is played. Every year the game pushes the sports simulation bar one step higher with something new, and this year it's the upgraded physics engine. Never has a body check felt so authentic, unique and fun as it does in NHL 11. Many wow moments develop from hits that send players crushing into the boards or flipping head-over-heels over a defenseman. EA Sports has expertly captured
what the intense pace of hockey means to fans. The new real-time physics engine doesn't stop at checking. Player to puck detection is improved, making for more authentic bounces than you might hope for. The control that one has over their player is at its highest in NHL 11; the game feels more authentic than ever, with disallowed goals from high sticks and kicked in pucks. Players can have their sticks broken in a number of ways, and if the puck happens to go in the direction of the snapped equipment, it will take a diverted course. EA didn't stop at just creating a new game on the ice. Stepping up their mission the team put together the new Hockey Ultimate Team, an on and offline mode where the owner builds a fantasy team from packs of cards purchased after earning reward points. The game starts you off with a lot of young, bottom of the barrel players from the game's newly featured Canadian Hockey League teams, with a few mid-level pros thrown in to the mix. As you progress in tournaments both online and offline, owners earn more points allowing them to
buy more packs of cards, which in turn will give them the chance to get the rare superstars of the league. It's a league full of possibilities with the number of professional hockey players from all over the world available to throw into your lineup. Owners control contracts and salary caps, as well as the training their players receive. Returning for another year is the acclaimed EA Sports Hockey League. EASHL, where you control
one position player on a team of up to six human players, is revamped in some ways, with new practice modes allowing teams to fine-tune their skills and customizable jerseys so no two teams have to look alike. This mode is by far the most fun in the game, as it's still the most true to real hockey, where you control just yourself. It's also the most rewarding, as the mode takes on a sort of RPG-type outlook and is the closest thing you'll get to haven
Calendar 9.16 - 9.23
MUSIC 9.16 Nachtmystium @ Webster Theatre Hartford, CT $12 / 7pm Tobacco @Iron Horse Holyoke, MA $13 / 10pm 9.17 Cake @ Toad's Place New Haven, CT $35 / 9pm Wavves @ Pearl Street Nightclub Northampton, MA $13 / 9pm 9.19 Broken Social Scene
@ Toad's Place New Haven, CT $25/ 8pm 9/22
The Swellers/Fireworks @ Webster Theatre Hartford CT $10 / 6pm FILM 9.16 Get Him To the Greek @ CCSU Student Center FREE / 10 pm 9.17- 9.18 Birdemic: Shock and Terror @ Criterion Cinema New Haven, CT $5 / 1130 pm A platoon of eagles and vultures attack the residence of a small town. Many people died. It's not known what caused the flying menace to attack. Two people managed to fight back, but will they survive Birdemic? 9.19 - 9.21
clans in a sports game. Destroying the notion that sports games are for casual gamers only and that they aren't worth purchasing every year, NHL 11 is the type of game you won't put down. It's rough on beginners, but a little practice will reward in an outstanding and authentic experience. The team at EA Canada keeps going above and beyond the call, topping their previous product on a yearly basis. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work @ Cinestudio, Trinity College Hartford, CT $8 / 730 pm Who knew that the year’s most critically acclaimed documentary to date would turn out to be a raucous portrait of the 75-year-old comedian Joan Rivers? Filmmakers Ricki Stern and Annie Sandberg, who made The Devil Came on Horseback, about the genocide in Darfur, treat their over-the-top show biz veteran with a curious, cool eye. Following Rivers for 18 months as she chases her fading celebrity from clubs to the London stage to the shopping network, they let the tact-free comic talk about whatever pops into her head, be it hilarious, outrageous or (unintentionally) sad. “This no-bull documentary offers a profanely hilarious peek into the 75th year of her life, on the road and off. Fasten your seat belts.” Peter Travers, Rolling Stone. 9.23 Toy Story 3 @ CCSU Student Center FREE / 10 pm
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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 15, 2010 /UPGRADE
Not Without Flaws, ‘Metroid Other M’ Is A Worthy Entry Into Series michael Torelli The Recorder
Metroid: Other M, released on August 31, 2010 and exclusively on the Nintendo Wii, is the second Metroid installment to come to the Wii (with the first being Metroid Prime: Corruption). Other M takes place right after Planet Zebes was destroyed in Super Metroid (SNES). Samus Aran, space bounty hunter, made a narrow escape off the Planet Zebes after her newlyfound baby metroid died saving her life from her final enemy, Mother Brain. The thought of the metroid still haunts Samus as she goes back to the Galactic Federation for her next mission. Developed by Team Ninja, Other M takes a whole new style of the Metroid series. Whereas the Prime series was a first-person shooter and other games like Metroid Fusion and Super Metroid were twodimensional side-scrollers, Other
M has a three-dimensional twist, but a very linear path. The straight forward game play that Other M carries can be a flaw of the game, but a very unnoticeable one. Samus is finally vocal in the game, with full voice acting. She talks just the right amount to not overdo the new vocal cords and to not make her voice random either. The story of the game dives deep into Samus’ past from when she was a Galactic Federation soldier. Young and naïve, Samus went against everything her superiors told her to do. Now in the same boat, she must follow orders and work together with the same crew she once considered a team. Holding the Wiimote horizontally, players control Samus with ease. All the buttons are easily accessible, allowing the player to get a full experience of being on the ship Samus explores. Most of her mandatory skills make reappearances for Other M, such as the missiles, super missiles and
morph ball, along with some of the other obligatory skills like the grapple beam. Her cannon receives a couple of new improvements as well, but that’s for the player to find out. Melee attacks and slow motion finishers are samples of what Team Ninja put into Other M, but it all comes down to hitting the action button over and over. The game doesn’t come without a few flaws. In some scenes of the game, players are forced into a first-person view until they locate a hidden piece of information on the screen, which can take a good chunk of time away from enjoying the game. Some scenes are also forced into over-the-shoulder view while Samus walks slowly through rooms. This view is not needed in the game as it just delays time, but it can easily be overlooked. Samus has remarkable lock-on skills, which allows the player to easily run through rooms while repetitively pressing the one button, decimating everything in his or her path. Also,
all the moves can easily be dodged by charging Samus’ cannon and tapping any direction on the d-pad, which will render Samus invincible until her action is over. These minor flaws in the game stood out and may have an effect on how some people enjoy the game.
Other than the few flaws, Other M should be picked up if not only for nostalgia purposes, but for the fact that it’s another excellent Metroid game. The graphics are up to date and will leave the player feeling satisfied knowing how much they learned about Samus as a person.
Yoga Classes Starting: Time to Stretch Sarah Bogues The Recorder
CCSU is having students, faculty and staff twisting and bending in all sorts of ways with the yoga classes that are sponsored by CCSU’s Counseling & Wellness Center. The class is designed to help faculty, students and staff relieve stress and get in touch with
ways to relax and exercise, free of charge. “The Counseling & Wellness Center sponsors Yoga classes as a way to promote wellness in a stressful world,” said Victoria Ginter, associate director of the Counseling & Wellness Center. The class will be run by yoga instructor Jeffrey Zweig, who according to Ginter is excellent at his job, serving a large following
Central Cuts Get an A Plus Rachael Bentley The Recorder
It's common for men and women to be fickle about who handles their hair. I definitely am. There are always fears of something going astray while I'm in the chair, whether it be a bad coloring or a haircut too short. Fortunately, for those looking to try out a new hair salon or those who just want to experiment with a new look, the newly renovated Central Cuts is conveniently located behind the Dunkin Donuts plaza. The once mediocre salon has been made much classier by its new owner. Since purchasing the location last year, the owner has transformed the place into a comfortable and stylish salon with a great atmosphere. In Central Cuts, you'll find conversation of just about whatever there is to talk about. Walk-ins are welcome, although you may want to call ahead just in case. When I was there the place was pretty busy. The salon accommodates both males and females. Male haircuts are a reasonable $15. I was taken care of by Flora, a very sweet and trendy hair stylist. She sat with me to talk about making the big change from brunette to blonde. It’s safe to say I was nervous, but after showing her a picture of what I wanted and talking to her about the process, I felt completely comfortable. I was in good hands.
After she colored, cut and styled my hair it was obvious to me that I had been worried for no reason. It was one of the best salons I’d been to in years and I’ve been to a quite a few. They provided me with an excellent haircut and coloring and the best part of my appointment came when I went to pay. A cut and a full head of color and style was only $80 flat. I have been to salons that charge $100 plus and don’t do nearly as good of a job as Flora did. After I second guessed her math she told me that they make their prices lower to accommodate CCSU students, which they are hoping to attract a lot of. If the quality, close proximity to campus and price don't get you in there, then maybe the fact that they accept Blue Chip will. Central Cuts is perfect for commuters and residents alike. They offer services ranging from a women's wash and cut for a low $20, partial and full coloring, updos, permanent waves, extensions and the Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy treatment. They also offer tanning packages and waxing. After all the hard work that has been put into this place, Central Cuts deserves to be given a chance to impress you with their hospitality and skill with hair. I know I will be going back there again and again. I love having the pleasure of telling people where I got my hair done, the complements and questions haven’t stopped yet.
of yoga clients. The class is all-level and suitable for beginners, but welcome to all, including advanced students. The classes consist of a combination of gentle exercise, stretching and de-stressing. The classes will take place on Monday’s from 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the Student Center, with the room possibly changing from week to week. Anyone interested
in participating can check the room location at the Student Center Information Desk, Central Pipeline or by e-mail announcements. No registration is required, yet each class may have a maximum number of people given the room that it is located in. “So first come, first serve and find a space on the floor,” said Ginter.
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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 15, 2010 / SPORTS SPORTS BEGINS ON BACK PAGE
Man in Motion: Cross Country Coach Eric Blake Exudes Passion
christopher mclaughlin The Recorder
Although Eric Blake has taken on the head coaching duties of both the men and women’s cross country teams, he still finds time to do what he loves most: running. “I usually run about 340 days of the year,” said Blake. “I really enjoy running, training and racing, so when I shoot for a race I always train hard. During the school year I don’t have a lot of time to train for big races so I do most of them over the summer.” One of the biggest races Blake is involved in is one that he has run every year since 2004, the Mount Washington Road Race. “The Mount Washington Road Race is my favorite race to participate in. It’s got a 5,000 foot incline and goes for 7.6 miles,” said Blake. “I know the course so well that I usually do very well in the race.” This year Blake finished second
overall with a time of 1 hour and 40 seconds. His finish was what allowed him to qualify for a place on Team USA at the World Mountain Running Championships in Slovenia. While finishing second in a favorite race and qualifying for a spot on Team USA would be enough for most runners, Blake’s summer was not quite finished. Blake kept up his winning ways in Vermont as he not only won the Mount Ascutney Mountain Challenge, but set the course record in the process. “I knew what the record was and I just wanted to pace it until the end. It was pretty much a time trial for me.” Blake used this race as his final tune up before heading overseas to Slovenia to participate in the World Mountain Running Championship. On Sept. 6 Blake finished 27th overall in the World Mountain Championships in Kamnik, Slovenia. He ran for team USA, and he was the fourth American
Eric Blake. to finish the race. Blake’s fourth place finish helped team USA tally
enough points to finish second overall and win a silver medal. “It was a great experience. It was my last big race of the year so I’m glad I was able to do as well as I did,” said Blake. With the school year in full swing and his cross country teams participating in their own races, Blake doesn’t have the time to continue his training. Instead he looks to help his athletes defend the NEC title that they won last year. By taking over the women’s cross country team he hopes to implement his winning methods into their training. “To succeed in my program you have to enjoy running. I see that passion in the returning class and I anticipate a few late bloomers,” said Blake. The passion that Blake sees is the same that he possessed during his days as a student at CCSU. “When I was at CCSU I had a few tough seasons because of
injuries. Since I was able to bounce back, it really made me enjoy the sport. The hard times made the good times that much better,” said Blake. Whether or not that passion manifests itself in his athletes the way it did with Blake remains to be seen, but it’s something Blake would love to happen. “I hope that my runners enjoy the sport as much as I do and are able to continue running after they graduate,” said Blake. “When I left CCSU I still felt like I had things to accomplish, I would love to have my students leave here feeling the same way and continue running and carry on CCSU’s legacy.” While Blake is currently taking a break from running he plans to continue to train and race whenever he gets the chance. “I still think there’s something left. I think I have faster races left in me. I’m resting now, but I can’t wait to get back out there and run,” said Blake.
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Set Sights on October Dennis Brown The Recorder
Gunnar Jespersen has big shoes to fill, stepping in as the new starting quarterback for the reigning North East Conference outright champions, but his journey for the chance at a ring goes beyond the 3,025.5 miles from Atascadero, Ca. to New Britain As summer comes to an end and the classrooms begin to fill up for the fall semester, the men's and women's cross country teams at CCSU lace up their running shoes and ready themselves for a brand new season. In 2009 the Blue Devils had good seasons with the men’s team finishing second out of 11 schools in two different meets and ninth out of 24 in the IC4A Championships to finally take a big first place finish in the NEC Championships. The women’s team also fared well, placing fifth out of 11 in two different meets as well as third out of 10 in the Monmouth Invitational and sixth in the NEC Championships.
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Now in 2010 CCSU has a lot going for them. Head Coach Eric Blake really knows what he’s doing as head coach of the Blue Devils. This is his second year as coach of the men’s team and first as the women’s. Blake’s staff is comprised of a lot of talent, with Coach Kyle Greene-Pendelton and Coach Katie Souviney working on the track events while Coach Brad Dion from Indiana University and Coach Laura Brustolon from Southern Connecticut State University take care of distance running. “You want them to be knowledgeable on what you’re doing,” said Coach Blake about his staff. The men come into 2010 extra hungry. “Last year we were underdogs, now we come into the season as the favorites, so there’s the pressure of that, there’s a different mindset. They’ve worked very hard to have a better season,” said Blake. The men are led by two returning juniors in Sam Alexander, who had the most points amongst all CCSU runners last year, and
Jeremy Schmid, who will be seen at the front of the pack as well. “They have improved a lot, they will be two of our top runners. We have a big group of guys, a lot of experience and they are in great shape, at least five of our runners can be number one,” Blake explains. Aside from the two juniors the coach made it a point to mention that the previously red shirted Ry Anderson is very capable of running at the front with teammates Alexander and Schmid. Others to look out for include sophomore Craig Hunt, senior Robert Weston, junior Kevin Tiernan and incoming freshman Andrew Hill out of Bacon Academy. On the women's side, the team enters the season after losing valuable runners Kim Savino and Alyssa Cole. Savino and Cole were the number two and five runners respectively on the team last year. This means there are some big holes to be filled. The good news is that two time All-Conference runner Katherine Bossardet will be back for one
more year. Two other big threats for CCSU include junior Amanda Asaro and senior Nicole Coiteux, who also made some noise last year. The up-and-coming freshman for the Blue Devils include Lizzie Eberhardt out of Thomaston and Megan MacBryde from Coventry. “This is a good top five pack, our goal is to get more runners up with them,” Blake said. “Our most improved runner is to be announced, it has been a good first three weeks of training,” he added. "The NEC Championship is at home this year and the NCAA Regionals is at Hammonasset State Park for the first time, these are the meets we look forward to the most," said Blake. "Our main goal is set on the last meets in late October, early November so these early season ones are just to get ready for those.” The two teams race next Saturday Sept. 18 in Hartford for the Hartford Hawks Riverfront Cross Country Festival.
Volleyball Captain Bayer Looking to Inspire Teammates christopher mclaughlin The Recorder
For the second straight year the CCSU volleyball team elected Amanda Bayer as their captain. “Each year we vote for captains and for my teammates to elect me for a second year shows me that my efforts to be a leader on and off the court are visible. As well as showing me that they have confidence in me to lead the team again, hopefully to a NEC championship this year,” said Bayer. Bayer, who is the team’s primary ball handler, led the team in assists last year with 991. She also led the team in service aces with 44 for the season. Her efforts last season saw her named All-NEC second team for the second time in her career at CCSU. Bayer’s on court presence has been vital to the success of the Blue Devils the past three years, and she will continue to strive for the same excellence that made her captain. “My goal as a captain is to inspire the team to perform at the best of their abilities every match to utilize the talent and desire that each individual possesses and mold that into a team attitude,” said
Bayer. While Bayer’s on court abilities are what made her captain, her presence off of the court is just as important to both her and her team. “Other than wins and losses success for the volleyball team can be measured by our performance in the classroom. We all take pride in how we represent ourselves, as well as the volleyball program. We understand that we are here first as students and that being an athlete is a privilege," said Bayer. "I think the entire team considers performance in the classroom as equally important to performance on the court. If we are all successful as students and play to the best of our potential, then I will consider this season a success.” Both Bayer and her teammates really pride themselves on how well they do in the classroom. For four years in a row they have been the recipients of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award, and it’s something they will all strive for again this year. As captain, Bayer sees a lot of potential for her team this season. “I have extremely high expectations for this team; we have a very talented group. I expect us to the competitive in regular season NEC play and then to peak around the NEC
tournament," said Bayer. Bayer shows faith in her team one would expect from a captain, but she still expects more. “I have no doubt that this team has all the tools necessary: talent, desire, work ethic, great leadership in my co-captain Dani Gasser, as well as dedicated coaches to win the NEC tournament and take the conference. I expect this team to live up to our potential, and then to surpass my own expectations of it," said Bayer. In addition to the high expectations, Bayer is still excited at watching her team develop. “This season I am looking forward to seeing the development of this team. Although we have the majority of our players back from last year and have more experience this season, I believe that we still have amazing potential for growth as a team," said Bayer. "This season, in November, I want to look back on how we started the season and see how far we've come. Every member of this team works incredibly hard every day at practice and throughout the course of the season that individual work translates to stronger team performances.” Following a great season last year, Bayer will look to pick up right where she left off and lead the Blue Devils back into the NEC tournament and beyond.
THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 15, 2010/ SPORTS
Jespersen Breathes New Life into Blue devils’ Offense bRiTTany bURKe The Recorder
Gunnar Jespersen has big shoes to fill, stepping in as the new starting quarterback for the reigning North East Conference outright champions, but his journey for the chance at a ring goes beyond the 3,025.5 miles from Atascadero, Ca. to New Britain calculated by MapQuest. In 2010 the Blue Devils became outright NEC champions for the first time in CCSU NEC history, utilizing a one-two quarterback combination with seniors Aubrey Norris and Hunter Wanket taking position behind center. The end of the season saw the end of the combination, leaving a vital roster spot open. Fast forward to April 2010 and the void has been filled by Jespersen, a junior transfer from Allan Hancock Junior College in Santa Maria, Ca. “…got a call from Rob Likens, who was the offensive coordinator last year here and he said he liked what he saw, brought me out here Wednesday before school started, flew back that Friday, had four days to turn around and came out two days late to school, and that was when my journey started here,” Jespersen said. The opportunity to play for a Division I school is not something Jespersen expected after his high school graduation in 2007. The Atascadero High School alumnus helped lead the school to a 9-2 record in his senior season and was named the all-San Luis Obispo County quarterback in 2005 and 2006, but wasn’t getting looks from colleges. “Coming out of high school I didn’t get a lot of looks or opportunities to go to any colleges so I went to a local junior college, which was the closest football team to my hometown. So I lived down there [Santa Maria] for three years,” Jespersen said. Jespersen finished his last season as a Bulldog with a passer rating of 162.8, throwing for 1,644 yards and 16 touchdowns. His numbers helped him become the team’s most valuable player, but it was only after walking away from the game that he was able to finally find his stride. After red shirting his freshman year,
Jespersen made the tough decision to walk away from the game that had been a part of his life since middle school. In place of practices and games was job housekeeping at a gym to help pay the bills. The housekeeping eventually launched him into a five month career as a personal trainer, before making the choice to try football one more time. “It’s football, it’s hard to walk away from,” Jespersen said. “When you’re in it sometimes you wonder why you do it, and the day you walk away from it is the day you want to strap right back up in pads and start playing, and I think being away from the game for almost a year just made me want to play that much more I think that’s what helped me at my success.” Now that he’s back and playing for CCSU he has focused on learning the offense, something he has been doing since his debut during CCSU’s spring Blue and White game. During the game he went 25-41 for 357 yards, three touchdowns and was named game MVP. “I come from a predominantly power I football team where we just smash mouth run the ball… I get a little bit more opportunities to run the ball, throw the ball a little more here and I feel like I have more part in the offense as far as this team goes, which is kind of nice,” Jespersen said of being a Blue Devil. As the season progresses head coach Jeff McInerney is confident that Jespersen will grow into the quarterback position. “I’m so proud of Gunnar Jespersen because of this… he gets in the huddle, he makes an error, he’s positive. He just keeps going and keeps going and keeps going and is positive with his teammates. That’s why you know this kid is gonna be good, because with that type of attitude you can’t fail,” said Coach McInerney after Jespersen’s first home win against the Bentley Falcons on Sept. 11. Jespersen has set big goals for himself as a Blue Devil, the number one being to help the team, which he now considers his family, to their second and third outright championships. “I like Central. I love the guys I play with and I’m excited for the season. I’m ready to become a champion here and the year after.”
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Kenny baRTo | The ReCoRdeR
California Native Gunnar Jespersen. FOOTBALL | ConT. fRom 12
Running back Everette Benjamin finished the game with 132 yards rushing while scoring two touchdowns against Bentley on Saturday.
Kenny baRTo | The ReCoRdeR
Coach Jeff McInerney. “I thought Chris Lanares’ pick was as good a pick as you’re gonna see in college football. I thought that it was great to see Albert Fonteno make his interception, it was great to see Jeff Marino make his, it’s great stuff.” The win was sealed by a 31 yard touchdown pass to senior P.J. Borawski. It was Borawski’s first and came from freshman quarterback Denzell Jones. The completion to Borawski was Jones’ first career touchdown pass as a Blue Devil. “We’re clicking as a unit I think compared to last week,” Borawski said. “I think we played a lot better, we worked hard this week in practice. Playing New Hampshire last week definitely made this game a little bit easier. It wasn’t as tough, but I mean hey we got the win and that’s all that matters.” Offensively the Blue Devils ended the game with a total of 525 yards, while the defense kept the Falcons to a lowly 207. Benjamin, despite his two fumbles early on, rushed for 132 yards with two touchdowns, surpassing the 100yard mark for the first time in a CCSU uniform. “We still got a lot to work on, but we ironed some of the kinks out as a unit,” said starting quarterback Gunnar Jespersen. Jespersen debuted for the first time at Arute Field on Saturday going 18-24 for 181 yards.“Offensive line was giving a lot better push than the previous game, which definitely helped out our running game. Running game again opens up the passing game.” The Blue Devils take to the road next Saturday Sept. 18 to play Youngstown State in Ohio and will be back at CCSU on Sept. 25 to play Bryant in the first conference game of the season at 12 p.m.
THE RECORDER Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Sports 9/15
Blue Devils Fly by t he Falcons 45-14 Football Team Lengthens Home Streak to Ten in Front of 3,268
kenny barto | the recorder
Touchdown: CCSU Wide Receiver Raul DeBenendittis dives to the pylon for CCSU’s second touchdown with 8:42 remaining in the second quarter. brittany Burke The Recorder
The CCSU football team (1-1, 0-0 NEC) didn’t let an early first half lead change get in the way of their first victory of the season as the Blue Devils repeatedly marched down the field to dominate the Bentley Falcons (0-2) 45-14. Going into Saturday afternoon’s game the CCSU Blue Devils were riding a nine-game home winning streak, which they improved to 10 with their latest win. Following a 33-3 loss at UNH last week the Blue Devils managed to take the field and score on their opening drive, but the seven
points were almost lost to a forced fumble at the Bentley one yard line. The fumble, made by CCSU’s Everette Benjamin was recovered by fellow teammate Richie Martin in the end zone for the signaled touchdown. CCSU kept Bentley from scoring in the first, but an early second quarter scoring attempt and opportunity off of Benjamin’s second fumble allowed for the Falcons to pull ahead 14-7. “I think we underestimated them a little bit,” said senior Jeff Marino. “I mean they’re a good team. When we came out they were pounding the ball and they did some things that we weren’t seeing before in past film.” The game quickly turned around for the Blue Devils toward the end of the half as
freshman Chris Linares picked off Bentley’s Bryant Johnson inside two minutes. The interception ended in a Joe Izzo field goal kick for three, giving the Blue Devils the 10-point advantage and momentum going into the locker room. Prior to Izzo’s field goal kick CCSU scored 14 unanswered points off of a 13-yard completion to Raul DeBenidittis and a 2-yard rush by Nate Pagan with 1:17 left in the half. “We got to be confident to go out there and make the plays. I feel like this week we came out first half, first couple series, I mean we were a little shaky, were flat, didn’t really know, but after we got the confidence up after Lanares’ first interception and mine we knew
that we could run them out of the stadium and that’s what confidence gave us,” Marino said. The Blue Devils held the Falcons to their two first half touchdowns, while scoring 38 unanswered points of their own, attributing to the most points scored by CCSU since the final game in 2008 when they beat Sacred Heart on the road 49-14. CCSU’s defense looked much better than they had in the previous week and were the driving force behind Saturday’s win by getting the ball into the offense’s hands for the opportunity to score. “We’ve got to get turnovers,” said Head FOOTBALL | cont. on 11
CCSU XC Takes Fourth in Blue Devils Invitational NICK ROSA
The Recorder
The CCSU men’s cross country team finished fourth overall in their own invitational with a total of 78 points. The Blue Devils are coming off a North East Conference Championship season and continue their stride for a repeat in 2010 despite the fourth place finish. CCSU men’s cross country completed the meet trailing behind Monmouth University, Sacred Heart University, and Providence College. The race was close between the top four teams. Monmouth finished
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third with 70 points, followed by Sacred Heart with 62 points, and Providence who ran away with both the women’s and men’s meets, which finished the men’s race with 30 points. Providence junior Matt Terry placed first overall with a time of 25:31. CCSU held out five of its top seven runners and was led by junior Jeremy Schmid, who placed fifth, followed closely by junior Kevin Tiernan, who ended the race in twelfth. Schmid was in the front part of the group in the entire race and was able to keep pace and push
at the end to grab a strong finish within the top five. “We have a strong team and knowing that some of our team was held out of today’s race I wanted to go into the season with a strong first meet,” Schmid said. Schmid also added that he is more comfortable running at home. He attributed knowing the course to having had a solid outing and is only looking forward from here. Schmid placed fifth with a time of 26:42. Kevin Tiernan came in 21 seconds late for a finish time of 27:03 trailed by Rob Weston at eighteenth for a total time of 27:09.
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Previews p. 10
Fellow Blue Devils Anthony Gonsalves and Chris Rosenberg also had respectable finishes among the top 25. Providence was able to maintain a strong lead throughout the course of the race, which allowed them to come in and sweep the top spots at one, two, and three. Providence’s Terry was followed by fellow teammates Eric Malanti and Francis Hernandez. The top three CCSU runners were all within a minute and a half of the first place runner, Terry. Even with the Blue Devils’ top five athletes out of the race CCSU has proven depth early on in the
season. Head coach Eric Blake was pleased with the results of the meet. “We have a long season ahead of us and a lot of races, and the guys who did run today did a good job in keeping their pace,” said Blake. “The guys ran hard today and need to keep the drive going, keep their hunger going for another NEC championship,” Blake added. The Blue Devils look for another good outing next Saturday, Sept. 18, at Hartford’s Riverside Park, for the Hartford Hawks Riverfront Cross Country Festival.
Quarterback Gunnar Jespersen: From California to Connecticut p. 11