Vol 107 Issue 10

CENTR A L CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSIT Y Wednesday, November 10, 2010

www.centralrecorder.com

Volume 107 No. 10

Public Transportation: Cheap But Tiresome TOm SuLLiVan The recorder

According to CCSU student Nicola Weise, she never knows when to expect the campus shuttle bus, as it doesn’t come too often.

kenny barTO | The reCOrder

What is the best way to see the world from somebody else’s pointof-view? Walk a mile in their shoes, right? How about riding 40 miles on their bus?

I recently took on the task of riding the bus to CCSU for one day, instead of driving like I normally would, to see exactly what the oftoverlooked students who use public transit go through on a daily basis.

I live in Bloomfield, which is about a 10-mile drive from campus, so normally it takes about 25-30 minutes for me to get to class. I tried my best to replicate the exact bus trip a student from Bloomfield would take, but I had to improvise a little, by driving to the nearest bus stop 2.3 miles from my house.

In order to get to my 2 p.m. class on Tuesday, I had to be at the bus stop at 11:24 a.m. I paid my fare, $1.25, and got on the bus, which took me into downtown Hartford and dropped me off at the Gold Building at 12:08 p.m.

From there, I walked two blocks to Central Row where I waited to transfer onto my next bus at 12:15 p.m. That bus slowly wound its way through Hartford, into Newington, and finally into downtown New Britain where I would board my buS | COnT. On 2

Malloy Wins After Foley Concedes

Student-Oriented Community Central Program Opens Downtown

Govenor’s race comes down to roughly 5,600 votes

Program designed to bridge CCSU to New Britain aShLey fOy The recorder

maTT CLyburn The recorder

Republican Tom Foley conceded the race for governor to Dan Malloy Monday afternoon, following a long and hard-fought election cycle in which the candidates sparred numerous times over contentious state issues.

Malloy accepted his opponent’s concession Monday evening in a speech at the Capitol building.

Malloy called Foley a “very classy guy” and congratulated him on a good campaign.

The Secretary of the State’s office made its’ official numbers public Friday afternoon, showing that Malloy had emerged victorious by about 5,600 votes out of over 1 million cast. The margin of victory was the smallest in more than 55 years, according to the Hartford Courant.

The figures were released at the end of a hectic week for Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, who declared Malloy the winner prematurely with ‘official numbers’ on Wednesday. Bysiewicz later retracted her statement and backtracked on the assertion that the numbers were official to begin with. The announcement started a

firestorm in the media, during which the Associated Press projected Malloy winning, then projected Foley winning, then finally declared the Stamford Democrat’s victory.

On the evening of Election Day, it was discovered that the City of Bridgeport had ordered only 21,000 paper ballots for over 67,000 registered voters on concerns of cost. This election cycle is the first in which municipalities are charged around 50 cents per ballot.

The Secretary of the State’s office failed to catch the Bridgeport Registrars of Voters’ mistake and scrambled to Hartford Superior Court to pursue corrective action.

A judge ultimately ruled that 12 Bridgeport voting precincts were to remain open for an extra two hours to provide disenfranchised voters the opportunity to cast their ballot.

Bysiewicz has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle for her unilateral attempt to ban World Wrestling Entertainment apparel from the polls in late October and her handling of last week’s events.

She is serving her last of three terms and will be succeeded on Jan. 5, of 2011 by State Representative Denise Merrill.

Foley’s decision came after a MALLOY | COnT. On 2

Despite the rain in downtown New Britain last Thursday, the grand opening of Community Central, a program designed to bridge the CCSU community and the city of New Britain, had a very impressive turnout, including CCSU President Jack Miller and New Britain Mayor Timothy Stewart.

The program’s initiative is to offer a collaborative student-oriented forum that hopes to increase the mentoring and connection between college and high school students and the community in general, that will in turn help strengthen the New Britain community.

Community Central also hopes to be a way to pool ideas on business stimulus, sustainability and ways to maximize limited resources in the community, using a CCSU-owned storefront located at 117 West Main Street as an operating venue.

Eric Francis, a CCSU undergraduate student and Community Central projects manager, opened the ceremony with inspiring words on the purpose of Community Central.

“Students should take what they learn in school and apply it to the real world,” said Francis, before he explained plans for Community Central to take on full student ownership in which all projects will be created by the students.

Photo: Robert Wessman.

(Left to right): CCSU Graduate student Andrew Froning, Krista Kingsbury, Associate Professor of Management and Organization Sarah Stookey, SGA Vice President Chris Kyle and Community Central projects manager Eric Francis at the opening of Community Central.

Also speaking enthusiastically and energetically on the new program was CCSU Provost Carl Lovitt.

“Our mission statement says we here at CCSU are preparing students for their futures. That commitment has gone through qualitative change at the local level as we work with our community partners on projects,” said Lovitt. “We’re now seeing

comprehensive ways to support our community and be involved.

It is about community productive relationship, working together with professors and having students take on a leadership role”.

CCSU President Jack Miller genuinely thanked all of the guests for coming out to the opening of a project of high importance to everyone at CCSU and in New COmmuniTy | COnT. On 2

FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT: www.centralrecorder.com

2

NEWS

THE RECORDER Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Recorder

Student Center 1615 Stanley Street New Britain, CT 06050 T 860.832.3744 editor@centralrecorder.com centralrecorder.com twitter.com/therecorder

Editor-in-Chief Michael Walsh Managing Editor Matt Kiernan Art Director Ashley E. Lang News Editor Jason Cunningham Opinion Editor Nicholas Proch Entertainment Editor Max Kyburz Sports Editor Brittany Burke Photo Editor Kenny Barto Copy Editor Sara M. Berry Staff Writers Chris McLaughlin Matt Clyburn Chris Cox Nick Rosa Danny Contreras Tom Sullivan Jon Stankiewicz Brian Jennings Ciara Hooks Michael Torelli

About

The Recorder is a studentproduced publication of Central Connecticut State University and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of CCSU’s administrators, faculty or students. The Recorder articles, photographs and graphics are property of The Recorder and may not be reproduced or published without the written permission from the Editor-in-Chief. T he pur pose of T he Recorder is to approach and def ine issues of importance to the students of Central Connecticut State Universit y.

Staff meetings for The Recorder are held on Mondays at 7 p.m. in the Blue and W hite Room in the student center Editorial board meetings for The Recorder are held on Sundays at 6 p.m. in the Blue and W hite Room in the student center.

Advertising

If interested in placing ads, please contact T he Recorder’s Ad Manager at ads@ centralrecorder.com. For more information including our rate card, please v isit w w w.centralrecorder.com/ advertising.

BUS | Cont. from 1 final bus of the trip at 1 p.m. I paid another $1.25, and the bus made its way through New Britain via Oak Street, and dropped me off at CCSU at 1:16 p.m. for my class.

I had hoped to speak with some fellow students on that bus, because I knew a lot of people have class at that time, but I dejectedly got off alone in front of Davidson Hall.

So instead of my normal, halfhour commute, I spent two hours on the bus with no other students.

After class ended at 3:15, I had planned to ride the free CCSU shuttle back to Hartford, which was scheduled to arrive at 3:50, but never showed. While I waited for any other bus, I was able to speak with another student, who was equally disappointed with the shuttle service.

“I usually take the [Stanley Street Bus] or the [Oak Street Bus] to Westfarms, and then go downtown from there” said Nicola Weise, of Hartford, a junior, social work major, “I never ride the shuttle because I never know when it’s coming, and it doesn’t come too often anyway.”

The CCSU shuttle is scheduled to pick up in front of Davidson Hall six times daily, starting at 7:50 a.m. and ending at 10 p.m., with each pick up usually between three and four hours apart (except when it picks up at 6:30 p.m. and again at 7:50 p.m.).

“I transferred from [Southern Connecticut State University] and buses down there came at least

every hour,” said Wiese. “Maybe it’s because New Haven is bigger, but it was definitely more convenient and reliable, and more students used it.”

The CCSU Office of Institutional Research and Development reported that there are just over 10,000 undergraduate students enrolled this fall at CCSU, making it the largest of the four regional state universities. With 2,156 them living on campus, according to their Fall 2010 Semi-Annual Statistical Report, that leaves around 80 percent of undergraduate students commuting to school, and only a very small percent of them are using public transit.

There is a plan in place for a new busway that will run on an abandoned railway, with 11 stops between Hartford and New Britain that may make trips like these more convenient. It is not expected that this project will be completed until December 2013 though, according to the New Britain-Hartford Rapid Transit website (ctrapidtransit. com).

What was going to be a two-bus trip home had become a three-bus trip. The Oak Street bus arrived at 4:16 p.m. and I was on my way to Westfarms Mall to wait for another bus to take me into Hartford. I boarded that bus at 4:41 p.m., it drove me downtown via Farmington Avenue and arrived at the Old State House at 5:30. From there I hopped on my last bus, paid my last fare and was back to my car at 5:59 p.m.

All-in-all the trip was 40.1 miles, cost five dollars, and lasted five and a quarter hours (not counting the

75 minutes spent in class).

Five dollars may sound like a lot for one day’s commute, but I wondered what it cost compared to the amount of gas I would normally use. Luckily CCSU, along with Rideshare CT and AAA, have a calculator for just such a thing on their commuter outreach website (www.ccsustudent.ridesharect. com). Each day I spend about $3.48 on gas for my Chrysler Pacifica, but I hadn’t even thought about how much my car depreciates with each day’s commute to school, which is about $13. So to drive my car to CCSU for a month adds up to a cost of $360, whereas a monthly pass with unlimited bus rides is only $45.

Public transportation is definitely more cost-effective, but is the time spent on the bus really worth it for someone with a commute as long as mine? With the time I spent on the bus that day I could have driven to the Empire State Building and back, with traffic.

Sure, I could have used that time on the bus to study, but it can be really difficult to read, write or type in a cramped space that is constantly rattling, shaking and bouncing like a bus.

So is it really worth it? Maybe not for me, but I’m sure it is for those without the luxury of their own private transportation. That Tuesday afternoon definitely made me appreciate my car more, and hopefully me sharing this experience will make other drivers stop complaining so much about parking on campus.

Join The Recorder

Interested in writing for The Recorder? ?

?? ??? ????

Meetings are held every Monday @ 7 p.m. in the Blue and White Room inside the Student Center.

MALLOY | Cont. from 1 weekend of reflection on whether or not he would challenge the election’s results after the events that transpired. Foley said he came to the conclusion that things were most definitely amiss, “but not fraud.”

“I am confident that a recount that included the photocopied ballots would not change the outcome of the governor’s race,’’ Foley said. “Once all of this information was available to me this morning, deciding what to do was easy.”

Foley is the former U.S. ambassador to Ireland and a firsttime candidate for elected office.

Governor-elect Dan Malloy is the former mayor of Stamford and will assume office on Jan. 5.

Dan Malloy won the gubernatorial race after Tom Foley conceded on Monday.

2010 Women and Film Festival Boasts ‘Biggest Turn Out Yet’ max kyburz The Recorder

Film has always been a maledominated realm; very rarely do women filmmakers get a fair share of attention. Kathryn Bigelow may have won big at this past year’s Oscars, but there remains a deficiency.

At the Doris Honig Guenter Women and Film Festival (named for the director of CCSU’s Women’s Center), however, this ignorance is turned flat on its face.

Hosted by CCSU and the New Britain Museum of American Art, this three day event has been a gracious outlet for the much-labored works of passionate and dedicated female filmmakers. With screenings held at CCSU’s Torp Theatre and the museum, this year’s fest has been hailed by festival organizer Karen Ritzenhoff as a “big success.”

With over 1100 people attending, the festival enjoyed “its biggest turn out yet.”

Ritzenhoff, who also teaches media studies and production at CCSU and has organized five of

these university-hosted festivals, was pleased with how attendees (specifically the students) reacted to the films.

“Our screening of Lioness about women veterans from Iraq was an amazing and very wellattended event. It was an evening that may truly change people’s ideas about the war and the people who fight in it. Focusing on women in this context, for example, provides a new and unique lens,” said Ritzenhoff.

Lioness, directed by Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers, was just one of the dozen films on tap from Oct. 26-28. Other films included Sin By Silence (Olivia Kraus, 2009), a documentary focused on women inmates in the U.S.; She’s A Boy I Knew (Gwen Haworth, 2007), a multi-media study of director Haworth’s maleto-female transformation; and Ella es el Matador (Gemma Cubero & Celeste Carrasco, 2009), a study on the groundbreaking wave of female bullfighters in Spain.

As can be seen, these are films by, for and about women.

Ritzenhoff says that as far as film submissions, “The basic requirements are that the films have to be directed by a woman.”

Far from the confines of the Hollywood boy’s club, the films cover topics ranging from the personal to multinational concerns.

Another film being screened was There Oughta Be a Law (Beverly Peterson, in progress), a documentary project about workplace bullying. Peterson’s film exposes the shocking social plague that has driven employees around the country to depression and, in some cases, suicide.

According to the film’s website, NoJobIsWorthThis.com, Peterson “stumbled onto the vicious little secret of the American workplace the hard way.” This oppression inspired her to tell her story along with those of other victims. The result is an informative project that hopefully will raise more awareness about the repugnant trend.

The Doris Honig Guenter Women and Film Festival is not about monetary gain; it is about reaching out to the community

in new and imaginative ways.

Ritzenhoff, while impressed with the directors on board and enormous support of CCSU and various state groups, has high hopes for future years.

“It may be useful in the future to get faculty to commit their classes to coming and attend the festival early,” said Ritzenhoff. “I tried to do that because the festival program was in place at the end of the spring semester. People have known about it for a long time...but it is still very hard to get the word out and build excitement around the festival.”

While some improvements are in order, the Women and Film Festival remains an integral part of the culture CCSU has to offer.

Those who missed the festival are encouraged to seek out the featured works. They may not be the most ‘entertaining’ films, but they greatly serve their purpose of representing film as a means of expression and political weaponry.

For those looking for a cinematic change of pace, keep an ear out for it - it’s worth checking out next time it comes around.

3

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 10, 2010 / NEWS

Making Sense of Elihu Burritt, the ‘Learned Blacksmith’ Jon Stankiewicz The Recorder

CCSU history professor Robert Wolff will be giving a lecture on Elihu Burritt in the library’s special collections reading room on Nov. 16 to try and “makes sense” of Burritt.

Burritt, the “learned blacksmith,” was a resident of New Britain and could arguably be considered its’ greatest resident.

The lecture, begining at noon, will feature Wolff trying to figure out who Burritt was and what he did.

While being a blacksmith by trade, Burritt taught himself many languages and disciplines.

“Burritt propelled himself into the peace movements and antislavery campaigns,” said Wolff, a 14-year professor. “He was extremely bright.”

Burrit was a part of the ocean penny postage movement, an internationally inexpensive way of communication.

“Why don’t we know him?” asked Wolff. “Burritt was one of a kind and was involved in some major movements.”

Known for being an early advocate for the abolition of slavery, Burritt formed a plan, borrowed from the British, called “compensation emancipation,” an idea that would pay slave owners to free their slaves at the time.

“Burritt has this campaign in the United States,” said Wolff, “and he’s the only guy.”

Burritt, who never got married, worked hard for what he believed in.

“Burritt really went his own way.

He was thoughtful and radical [in his views], and saw the British as the example for the world,” said Wolff. “Burrit is a genuine figure for New Britain,” said Wolff, “and for students.”

Wolff wants to talk about how Burritt became a symbol for the library.

Professor Robert Wolff will speak on Burritt on “Burritt is Nov 16. in the special collections room in the library. well known internationally,” said Wolff, “and he is New Britain’s Pennington to Burritt because they “lived at the same time.” most famous intellectual.”

Pennington was a “fugitive Wolff described Burritt as “restless” in his search for knowledge blacksmith” who fled to Connecticut and taught himself how to read and and his “love for learning.”

Burritt couldn’t satisfy his mind, write and joined the fight to abolish slavery. said Wolff.

“Pennington was also very Wolff, who is working on a book about the Amistad, the famous slave famous in his day,” said Wolff.

The lecture is open to the public rebellion story from the 1840s, is and all are welcome to attend. looking forward to the lecture.

Additionally, material from the Wolff hinted that he would be talking about a man named James Elihu Burritt Collection will be on Pennington, an escaped slave, display in the library throughout during the lecture, comparing November.

ESPN Panel To Discuss Multimedia Sports Journalism A panel consisting of ESPN staff members will be on campus Wednesday Nov. 17 to discuss multimedia sports journalism.

The event, sponsored by the CCSU chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, will bring four current employees of ESPN to Vance 105 to share their thoughts on the current state of sports journalism with a focus on multimedia.

The panel, which will be moderated by CCSU journalism professor Clementina Verge, will include James Dunn, Jodi Hebert Logsdon, Joseph Verge and Jeff Wheatley.

Dunn, a graduate of the University of Georgia, began his career as a CNN video journalist.

He is now a producer for ESPN. Logsdon began her career at ESPN as the news editor for ESPN.

com before becoming news editor for studio production for the past four years. Logsdon, a graduate of Syracuse University, also spends her time as a coordinating producer on ESPNews.

Verge, who graduated from William Paterson University, began his career at the Daily Record in Morris County, NJ. He is currently graphics producer at ESPN. Wheatley, a graduate of the University of Arkansas, began his career as an intern at an all sports Radio Station, KTCK The Ticket, in Dallas. Wheatley current produces the Monday through Friday 9 a.m. edition of SportsCenter, and in the past has produced Baseball Tonight, NFL Live and other ESPN shows.

The panel talk is scheduled to run from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

COMMUNITY | Cont. from 1 Britain. Miller, who looked and spoke well for having recently undergone surgery, then went into detail about the involvement of the CCSU faculty and students within the New Britain community for the past five and a half years in which he has been president of the university.

“We have been involved in trying to gain more levels of involvement in the New Britain community,” Miller said before speaking of the pressing importance of education in hard economic times.

Despite the economy taking a hit, Miller believes we should reach out more to the community and make higher education more accessible.

“This is the time we need to expand to our community. We cannot afford to pull back,” said Miller.

Mayor Stewart added some positive words of his own after Dr. Miller’s speech, focusing on the spirit of entrepreneurship Community Central is trying to build in students at New Britain High and CCSU. Eric Francis, who began the event, also wrapped it up, saying, “We are trying to project what we do here into the classroom.

We have artistic vision for this city”.

Elihu Burritt is considered by many to be New Britain’s greatest resident.

Faculty Senate Quickly Discusses Business Senate will hold open budget meeting Thursday Jason Cunningham The Recorder

The Nov. 8 Faculty Senate meeting was brief, barely lasting 25 minutes, and consisting mostly of announcements.

After the unanimous approval of the minutes from the Oct. 25 meeting, the American Association of University Professors President George Murphy announced that they will be holding a holiday party on Dec. 8 from 3 - 7 p.m. in the Connecticut Room.

It was also announced that on Thursday Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. the Senate and the University Planning and Budget Committee will host an open meeting in the Student Center’s Philbrick Room.

Chief Financial Officer Larry

Wilder will make a presentation on the university’s budget and take questions. Another announcement stated that CCSU President Jack Miller and the Faculty Senate will host a second forum on Wednesday Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. in the Connecticut Room.

The Faculty Senate then discussed the resolution they passed on Feb. 8 regarding its relationship with the Connecticut State University Chancellor, the Board of Trustees and the System Office.

“The CCSU Faculty Senate resolves that, because too much power in the hands of the Chancellor harms the individual CSU universities, the CCSU Faculty Senate urges; (1) the BOT reverse its October 2009

The new Community Central program will be housed at 117 West Main Street in New Britain.

policy so that the full Board shall initiate and be fully involved in decisions of non-continuation of university Presidents, and (2) the BOT ensures the independence of the four universities by resisting further efforts to centralize decision making in the System Office,” the resolution reads.

Over the summer, the Connecticut state legislature held hearings on the policies that the Faculty Senate resolution brought to light. This resulted in the Attorney General’s office investigating the policy, saying that it was illegal. The BOT rescinded the October 2009 policy at its last meeting.

Adjournment of the Faculty Senate meeting occurred at 3:25 p.m.

Photo: Robert Wessman.

4 THE RECORDER Wednesday, November 10, 2010

EDITORIAL

OPINION

Malloy’s Educational Plans show ProMisE

With Tom Foley stepping down on Monday from the Gubernatorial race, all Connecticut citizens must start to look at how Malloy’s decisions and stances will affect them. There is an unfortunate problem growing from today’s youth which seems to favor apathy toward the state’s politics.

To get out of this political and economic recession that we are in, we must have more involvement from the future of this country.

That future is vastly dominated by collegeaged students. If you are not going to vote for the future, you should at least know how the decisions of others have affected you.

Dannel Malloy will become the governor of this state, but is this better or worse than having Tom Foley at the helm would have been for CCSU students?

The CSU system as we know it works only fair at best. Foley, was set to propose that we combine the CSU system with the University of Connecticut and all it’s branches and all the other community colleges in the state. With more voices in

the hearings and meetings pertaining to the decisions that we make as universities, the input of a school like CCSU will hold less bearing than before.

When lobbying for an increase in budget, academics and sports, this is all important.

Malloy seems to have a better grasp on what is actually happening in the universities around the state as well. Now that higher education is becoming expected of all employees, the entry level students have become weaker as a whole. Malloy is in favor of a “13th grade” to strengthen the universities student bodies.

Coming from a background which included a rise from adversity, where he could barely read and write himself, Malloy appreciates the fact that not everyone is ready for college without a few extra steps. While Foley isn’t completely against this idea, he is focused on Connecticut becoming the best in education, but simply by the numbers.

By educating a certain body of people, there could be a huge disparity between the educated and non-educated in time. This can

Balancing Work and School: No Easy Task

be avoided by adding affordable and sensible higher education to the state.

Malloy wants to convert some of our community colleges to be able to handle four year degrees. This would expand the possibilities for students and allow the CSU system to be viewed to a higher standard in this state. If the "bubble" student who is accepted to this university can now go to a community college for their education, this will strengthen our student body.

In addition to making our university stronger, Malloy wants to keep us here longer and make it easier for us to do so. He is making it a high priority to keep a high level of state financial aid to students. If this means that the average student can leave with less debt, this will make our state’s economy even stronger.

We will all hopefully graduate at some point and when we do none of us want to have the burden of paying back our tuition expenses.

Most students at this university are getting tired of the fact that they are not the focus.

Administrative wants and goals seem to have

MyEdu Paired With WebCentral Makes For Easy Registration Period danny COnTreraS The recorder

brian JenningS The recorder

A few months ago the only thing that was on my mind was work and nothing else. All I wanted to do was make money and save money.

Over the summer I worked in a warehouse at Whole Foods Market Distribution Center earning a good paycheck. I drove a pallet jack and built pallets of food products for Whole Foods markets in the New England area. I worked the overnight shift five days a week from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and loved it. The night went by fast and before I knew it, it was time to go home. Yes, work was the only thing on my mind this past summer. I had a full-time job, was saving money and was free from the stress of school.

As the school year drew near, I knew I wouldn’t be able to work full-time during the semester. So, I kept my second job, which was working part-time at Kohl’s Department Store in Waterbury.

Currently, I help out with the freight truck early in the morning. The shift for a freight truck requires me to get myself out of bed at 4:30 a.m., just enough time to eat breakfast and get ready to be there for 6 a.m. I don’t have much time after work to get to my 2 p.m. class.

Sometimes, on days when I have work I find it hard to stay awake during class, not because the class is boring, but because of how long the day can be for me.

One time I had to finish a project for one of my classes. My project forced me to call out of work on a Friday morning, just so I could finish. School comes first. It’s nice to have some money in your pocket to get you through the week, pay for gas or have some fun when the weekend comes. But two days of work at Kohl’s a week, at most, works just fine for me.

I’m a senior at Central Connecticut State University. I’m a full-time student and I have a 45-minute commute to school every day. I have a lot on my plate this semester. It feels like the busiest semester of my college life.

I write for the school newspaper, I have my own sports talk show on the school radio, I am the color commentator for CCSU football and I am a part of the Society of Professional Journalists at CCSU. And while all this is happening, I still have my part-time job at Kohl’s.

With classes, projects, work, homework and other functions, life can be very overwhelming for a college student. Besides, college is one of the most important and memorable times of your life. But, when times get tough, take a deep breath and take small steps, one at a time. I have learned to

prioritize and manage my time.

A common problem for college students is the heat they face when they have multiple assignments in all of their classes and when they have other responsibilities, such as work.

Professors don’t care about what students have going on outside of school. It is all a part of the college experience and it is up to the student to prioritize their schedule and manage their time wisely. Professors are not only teaching their students in class, but teaching them how to handle things outside of class, as well. In a sense, professors are preparing students for the real world.

Now I’m not saying that assigning too much work is always a good thing. However, there are times when professors assign more homework and projects than needed.

Professors should understand that students have a life. Students today are surviving and just holding with part-time jobs to help pay bills and keep up with schoolwork. It would be nice if professors did not bog down their students with so much schoolwork.

Having a job in today’s economy is a necessity. A full-time student, without a job, would struggle and find it hard to do most of the things they want to do. Balancing work and school can be a headache at times, but it can also be a learning experience as well. After college, prioritizing life and managing time are the keys to success around a career. So whatever school and work throw at me now can only teach me and prepare me for the real world in the future.

FOLLOW THE RECORDER ON TWITTER @Therecorder for updates on what’s going on around your campus.

become the driving force behind a lot of what goes on at this institution. From policy issues to spending, whatever decisions must be made cannot inconvenience the faculty, even if they benefit the student. This year, for the first time in over a decade, there is a potential tuition freeze.

This is a step in the right direction in making sure that the students come first in education. While we are benefiting from this, the non-unionized staff at this institution has to handle a pay freeze, making us the first priority. This includes our President, Jack Miller, who is one of the highest paid administrative employees in the state. Our university is a place for education, not where we should be trying to profit.

While we all realize that monetary rewards and incentives help drive the desire to teach and administer at an institution, this can not be the focus. Dan Malloy will become our governor and it seems to be the right choice the students of this university, even if you weren’t involved in making that choice.

As CCSU students we have all used WebCentral Banner. I’m sure most of us have come to the same conclusion: it’s outdated.

It’s mostly a text-only website, with no design or fun interaction. It almost looks like a beginner website; some pictures and a lot of links. And while it is a helpful tool, it’s unappealing and unattractive. Enter: MyEdu (www.myedu.com), a website designed with the Facebook generation in mind that offers the same services as WebCentral Banner.

What stands out the most of MyEdu is its user interface. It’s easy on the eyes with a combination of light blue, white and black; not too flashy, yet not dull. Links are easily available and the lack of big pictures makes it easier for the site to load. Additionally, the site has a sidebar with helpful links ready to be used and make the experience easier. For example, in my home screen the sidebar, aptly titled “My Activities,” has under it the following links: Overview, Activity, Inbox and Requests. The best feature about this sidebar is that it uses HTML5 features to load the pages within the current page, cutting down on load time, allowing for faster navigation.

This is great when you’re in college because every second counts.

The stand out feature offered by MyEdu of course is the scheduling application. It works fairly easily. You go to the app called “Class Schedules” and type in information about the class (like class code, professor, time, etc.). Eventually, after you schedule the classes, you get a spreadsheet with the schedule, a neatly organized one, ready to print and in color.

However, that’s not all MyEdu has to offer. Just like WebCentral Banner, MyEdu

has a degree evaluation, in which you can input your classes, credits and other academic information and see how much more (or less) you have until you can graduate. This is great for those who do not understand the degree evaluation from WebCentral Banner, or those who do not understand their counselors. The evaluation is also really well organized. In order to supplement degree evaluation, MyEdu also offers degree timeline, a web app that tells you how long it’ll take for you to reach your degree.

Along with the aforementioned apps, there is a textbook app where you can find textbooks online, and a credits and courses app in which you can see what courses you can take without interfering with your major or the your time here. This is all condensed into one final app called “My Dashboard.”

This app does its job well, it shows the work of all the previous apps in brevity and in a way that can be printed out, making it easier for when you have your advising meeting.

Finally, MyEdu allows for complete social networking. You can connect through Facebook and have friends see your schedule, which makes it a lot easier to plan hang out dates and such, and you can add friends on the website itself. This makes it easier for announcements and easier to find people in the same class as you.

In short, MyEdu is a great tool. Better yet, it’s finally free to use. It’ll help you a lot.

It cuts down the time from the lackluster WebCentral Banner by offering simpler controls, vivid (yet not distracting) options and above all you can connect with friends.

While you can’t use MyEdu to actually register for classes, it’s a better tool than WebCentral when it comes to registering for classes.

Have Something to Say? WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR AT

EDITOR@CENTRALRECORDER.COM

5

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 10, 2010 / OPINION

Connecticut Should Examine Death Penalty Policy Nicholas Proch The Recorder

Over the course of the last decade, the judicial and correction systems in this country have been examined and reexamined countless times. With the great amount of attention being drawn to the death penalty, especially when comparing policies state to state, there are certain cases in which no one seems to bat an eye.

While there is an age old debate as to whether or not the state of Texas should be sending so many criminals to death, Connecticut never seems to enter this conversation. On the contrary, our state’s citizens seem to be some of the leading proponents against the death penalty.

On Monday afternoon of this week, it was announced that Steven Hayes will be given the death penalty for his participation in the murders of a Cheshire family. This story hit so close to home that no one seemed to have a problem with the decision. For those of you who aren’t in the know, Steven Hayes was found guilty in the killings of Jennifer Petit and her children.

This was the start of the statewide fear of the home invasion. It started a craze of replacing your window and door locks, installing alarm systems and getting familiar with your local neighborhood watch.

There were rallies speaking out against such invasions, support for the father of these children and even cries to put this man to death. In a state where only a handful of individuals have been sentenced to death, it was finally the acceptable and the highly uncontested answer to such a heinous crime.

There are supporters for the death

penalty who will argue that it costs less to take a person’s life than to house them in our state penitentiary system for the rest of their life. With that being said, one of the biggest problems with death row is the appeals system. When your are involved in this waiting game, which it can be called because it has become such a surreal but yet expected series of events, you can appeal again and again. Not only does this allow the prisoner to delay their capital punishment, but it completely defeats and undermines the main purpose of the death penalty.

With the continued costs of court and legal fees, prison space and other costs which come directly out of tax payers pockets, Hayes has the potential to cost the state more than if he was simply sentenced to life in prison.

Beyond the cost of imprisonment, should the state be taking lives? This can be quite a heavy moral issue. Taking a life of a killer doesn’t seem to be the appropriate response from a state which doesn’t usually favor this type of punishment. Connecticut’s judicial system has been compromised by the people it has been fighting against.

If you can picture the age-old image of a horde of angry farmers with pitchfork in hand coming toward the ‘beast’s’ home, then you can make the connection to what has happened with this ruling.

If there wasn’t such an outcry against this terrible crime, this verdict would not have happened. It may have ended as a life in prison sentence. While this is never desired, a quicker sentence may have been what Hayes wanted. Before we say we are not a death penalty state, let’s examine our recent decision and really look at why it was made.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

SGA Conflict of Interest

Class is Canceled: Thanks for Coming, for Nothing Ciara Hooks The Recorder

If there is a universal method to letting students know class is canceled, all the teachers didn’t get the memo. The most common universal method I’ve had the pleasure of encountering is showing up to an empty classroom at 9:30 in the morning with a nice sign on the door that says “Eng 449 with Professor Karpuk at 9:30 is canceled.” Better yet, getting up, getting ready and driving to school for the only class of the day and once again I’m face-toface with that lovely sign.

Once in a while I’ll get a random e-mail, but about the time I get that it is still a bit too late because I had already showed up to class expecting to learn. Now that could just be my fault because if I had checked my e-mail I would have known it was canceled, but I don’t know too many people who wake up every morning and say, “Hmm let me check my e-mail today because my teacher might just cancel class.”

It seems like there’s no likely medium for the situation, unless there are cell phones involved; the only device that nearly every human being on the face of the earth, especially on Central’s campus, has. A mass text forwarded to the class can delete a lot of unhappy campers and prolong sleep that we so desperately need. I might roll over and groan when I hear the text message ringtone, but I’ll appreciate it when I read

the message that adds a couple more hours to my beauty sleep. Now I know we don’t want to give out our numbers and stuff, I know I don’t, but the school has them on file anyway so why not give it to our teachers so they can use them for that purpose and that purpose only.

There are some teachers who know certain dates when they will miss class so they incorporate it in the syllabus or let us know in advance, and that heads-up goes a long way. Others have started to use sites like Black Board Vista, Moodle or even Twitter to get us the news more quickly and efficiently and I feel like that’s a great idea.

Even if there was a class Facebook group that they sent out e-mails and notifications from. I feel like these methods could work as long as the teacher lets us know that’s what they’re going to use.

We all check our Twitter and Facebook every day, probably every hour on the hour so if the teacher makes a page with the class, their name and the time and drop a quick status update or message on a day when they need to cancel for any reason we would get that in a heartbeat especially if you have the application for the website and get the notifications sent directly to your phone. We as students could even respond back or leave our own comments and statuses if we are having the same issue.

Those would be great efficient methods to ensure that we’re all on the same page and everyone is happy.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Election Disinterest Dear Editor,

In the last printed issue of The Recorder, there were two articles regarding the thought of SGA senators serving as club presidents being a conflict of interest and unethical. As both a senator and club president, I would like to say a few words on the topic.

Last semester I began covering Student Government Association meetings as a news writer for The Recorder. Realizing the importance of the SGA to students at CCSU, I decided I wanted to be a part of it, make my voice heard and make a difference at our university. Running for commuter senator, I was well aware of the sacrifice I would have to make regarding my contributions to The Recorder as a news writer, since the news is primarily campus or community based.

My father is a mediator, and I have been taught the importance of remaining neutral in such situations and to stay away from any conflicts of interest. Reading Editor-in-chief Michael Walsh’s bare facts of recent SGA events in the same article as quotes from our current SGA President Matt Vekakis (which were not even in reference to the facts used in the article) was hurtful to me, as I felt I was being labeled unethical in the way the article was written, by the highest positions in two student clubs I am involved in.

SGA, The Recorder and all other student clubs on campus are here to promote campus involvement and put students in leadership roles to prepare them for their future, as well as to improve the lives of all current and future CCSU students. Other than gaining valuable leadership experience, the work for a student club is all voluntary and not compensated at all. The personal gain from all the hours of hard work is purely the satisfaction of improving the CCSU community by promoting educational and cultural awareness. I became president of the German Club for the same reason I joined SGA and write for The Recorder: to promote campus involvement and educational awareness at our university. I hope to one day come back to CCSU and see the changes active students are presently working on become a long-term success 10, 20 even 50 years from today.

Yes, there is no rule against a student

senator voting on the budget of a club they are president of. I am the president of a new club (German Club) and I was also assigned as the SGA liaison, though it is only my first semester as a senator (and as a club president). Between treasurer changes and our club’s secretary studying abroad, I had little support from other members in creating a budget for our club. I sought help from the chair and co-chair of the Student Life Committee, senators Eric Bergenn and Benjamin Haase. I presented to the senate as most club presidents do. The two senators who had helped me with my budget were the ones who made the original motion to pass my club’s budget, as often is the case since they know the budget more thoroughly than the rest of the senate. When there seemed to be confusion about the numbers and reasons for events, I personally made a motion for a smaller budget, as I knew clearly what was not directly campus involved could potentially make a difference for SGA while still letting the club contribute to campus learning. Was it unethical for a senator to make this motion?

I personally do not believe so, as it was not giving any personal gain to me.

The issue of a club president serving on the senate does not seem to be an issue of ethics if it is carried out professionally. While I did make a motion for a smaller budget, I did not vote on any motion involving the German Club. With many commuters and a severe lack of interest on behalf of many students, I think students who are willing to take on multiple leadership roles should be applauded and not labeled corrupt. As the student affairs director Laura Tordenti recently advised me, CCSU should look at other SGA’s and see how other universities handle the situation. We should have a clear policy when senators take on other leadership roles, and make sure they are followed. Simply calling hard working senators and club presidents unethical, however, is discouraging and uninformed. Any students who wish to make a change should please contact the SGA and make their voice heard.

- Ashley Foy, SGA Senator and German Club President

It has been frightening the lack of interest by CCSU students in the fall election.

Where are the voter registration drives?

Where were the debates? The College Democrats and Republicans?

As a Green Party supporter, I asked for debates but nothing was organized!

Has the "YES WE CAN!" crowd turned into the "Can I have a beer?" crowd?

I challenge this campus to discuss why the recent election was good or bad! Any takers?

Tim McKee October 29, 2010

CORRECTION: In the Oct. 27th issue of The Recorder, it was incorrectly stated in a story concerning Ravi Shankar that Shankar was contacted by attorney Bruce Baron of Baron Associaties. It should have read that it was Shankar who first contacted Baron on the advice of a friend.

6

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 10, 2010 / UPGRADE

REVIEWS Kid Cudi

Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr Roger

Universal Motown November 9 nick rosa

The Recorder

Kid Cudi’s second album, Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager, is definitely a darker look into the rapper’s life since his last album over a year ago.

Cudi’s strength has always been making melodies and beats that are strange but appealing to the ear and mind. He is a rapper that spends the majority of his time singing, but what sets him apart from all other rappers is that his singing is able to create a dark but not depressing vibe. His melodies and lyrics in this album are like a connect the dot book about his life and the listener always gets the picture.

In this album there are 17 new songs that will bend your mind and lyrics of strange story through the eyes of Mr. Rager, who is

Avey Tare

Down There

Paw Tracks October 25

Chris cox

The Recorder

Down There is a project by the infamous Avey Tare known for his work inside the indie scene, most notably because of his involvement in Animal Collective, which has achieved a cult status for their use of experimentation along with electronic, acoustic and sometimes ambient music.

The most recent project to be released by

Kid Cudi.

This five-part narrative follows Kid Cudi through a life of parties, women and drugs. It really puts you into his mind and shows his darker side of life.

This album adds a rock/indie rock edge with guitar solos that really blend with his melodic sound. The rock isn’t in all of the tracks but you get to hear some of his innovative guitar solos in songs like “Maniac,” “Marijuana” and the radio hit “Erase Me” featuring Kanye West.

Other songs like “Trapped in my Mind,” “Ghost,” “Don’t play this song,” “Marijuana” and “The mood” all share a glimpse of Cudder’s mind through his use of drugs and alcohol. If you are an avid Cudi fan you know that basically that’s what his music is and what it’s about.

We know Cudi as a “lonely stoner” and I know a lot of people can relate to his music.

He makes that “riding music” for people to enjoy when they are high under the influence of marijuana.

He has two songs dedicated to smoking weed called “Marijuana” and “Ashin Kusher” on the album all about smoking and how his life is consumed around it. He says, “Pretty green bud, all of my bud, ohhh I need it/ always has my back,” showing what he really believes in his world of drugs. the Animal Collective member, the album blends influences of reggae, electronic and psychedelic into experimental music.

Ah, experimental, the genre where musicians play random sounds, defy the rules of music theory, and call it music. Just kidding. Anyway, if you know who they are, The Mars Volta, they have a somewhat similar style. If you don’t, cool, go listen to them.

The second track “3 Umbrellas” breaks into all sorts of crazy beats and an echoing acoustic guitar in the background, it was almost hard for me to keep track of everything that was going on. I’m certainly not used to this kind of music, but it’s interesting and psychedelic music that totally messes with you by using mostly organic instruments.

I liked “Cemeteries,” which is actually a somewhat soothing song compared to the others on the album, but in a lower key than the others and with a distant feeling.

I still can’t really describe everything that’s going on, listening to this album takes careful attention, perhaps even a re-listen to hear things you didn’t hear before.

“Heather in the Hospital” has a nice slow tempo and low-key organs to fit much a darker and sadder mood for a song on the album and the melancholy of the polarizing synths near the end of the track.

Avey Tare’s Down There will have appeal to fans of Animal Collective who enjoy their genre defining experimentation that many indie bands sought for.

But you don’t have to smoke to enjoy the album.

His sound is always unique and lyrics always strays away from the normal life people expect you to live by and goes out of the box and avoids those “social norms” and that’s what makes me interested in him and his music.

Overall the album is creative, new and different to the ear and mind. I will say it is not as good as his first Man on the Moon but it is definitely the typical Cudi album that you will enjoy and should go pick up to add to your iTunes.

Electric Wizard Black Masses

Rise Above Records November 1

Chris cox

The Recorder

Electric Wizard are the progenitors of stoner metal, playing a style of metal

Small Black Matt and Kim Sidewalks

Fader Label November 2

Michael Torelli The Recorder

Sidewalks, the new album by the musical duet Matt and Kim, is the third installment of their full lengths. This ten track album hits a listener hard, with short lyrics and fast beats that keep the album moving.

“Block After Block” starts with a new

sound. Using Matt’s keyboard to its fullest, new beats get the blood flowing through the body. Rhythmic sounds keep the music alive throughout the song and into the next song, “AM/FM Radio.”

Matt’s voice resonates in “AM/FM Radio,” bringing back the chorus of one word, which keeps the music alive. There had been a few of these songs on their self-titled album, such as from “It’s a Fact,” and “Yea Yeah.” It’s good to hear their same style of music with different sounds in the background, expanding their knowledge of beats from a keyboard.

“Cameras,” their third song on Sidewalks, sounds as though it should be placed in a pep rally. With horns and drums that make the body move, it makes the listener feel good.

The only flaw that this album has is that it flows too easily together. Before long, it’s over without any sign of ending. The only song to stand out throughout the album is “Northeast,” slowing the pace from the rest of the album. The transition to the next song, “Wires,” flows just like the rest of the album, but goes back into the same drums and keys sound it has been playing.

This album is the same Matt and Kim that listeners have been enjoying since their first album release, but with a few enhancements making it worth the purchase. Listeners won’t be disappointed – this is an album that stays alive from beginning to end.

New Chain

Jagjaguwar October 26

Matt Kiernan The Recorder

The first proper full-length album release by the loosely labelled chillwave band Small Black, New Chain is benefited by its pristine production, but is also faulted by its checkered tracks that are at times filled with picturesque songwriting, and others prosaic.

Small Black’s self-titled first EP, Small Black, was a collection of songs that beautifully illustrated the band’s pop-sensible compositions that were summoned through Casio SK synthesizers and framed in a

with heavily layered distortion guitar and drone bass.

The droning bass is meant to train your mind to focus on a single thing at a time, so it’s easy to get indulged in the music and not pay attention to your surroundings. Ever since Electric Wizard’s early success it’s created an entire genre of metal based on this technique.

Their latest album, Black Masses, has great production, and has a nice use of sliding guitar among the layers of heavy bass. While I am a metal fan, I like metal more on the melodic side. This kind of music is mostly raw sounding, and not for people who would prefer more melodic textures in their metal.

“Venus in Furs” has some great airy sliding guitar near the end which can totally make you feel like your flying.

Black Masses is a great new addictive album by Electric Wizard. The great production and riffage will appeal to any fans of the genre and any of those with a similar style. Careful not to lose focus of everything else while listening though, it’s very easy to do.

nostalgic mindset. New Chain still has all of that good stuff, but in much smaller doses.

Beginning with a synthesized smokescreen, “Camouflage” gives the album a great start by melting the anthemic choruses, electronic drumbeats, melodic instrumentation and mystified lyrics that allows the band to shine over their contemporary peers.

The ball keeps rolling on “Search Party” with its circuit bent keyboard play, the swaying motion of its rhythm and emphasis again on the chorus. The song is particularly enchanting at its solo toward the end and scat singing by the lead singer Josh Kolenik.

“Hydra” is where cracks begin to appear on the album, by its focus on instrumentation that goes on for a little too long and is seen again on tracks such as “Panthers” and “Invisible Grid.”

The catchiest song on the record has to go to “Photojournalist,” the song the band has decided to put out as their first single, and rightly so. Its pounding drums, rhythm that rises and falls and reverbed vocals that are just above a whisper make it one of the band’s most danceable tunes as of yet.

It seems right that the band would use the same drum machine on “New Chain” as they did on their most popular track to date, “Despicable Dogs.” New Chain looks to be an attempt at capturing what “Despicable Dogs” encompassed, but falls just short.

New Chain is an album that brings to light what Small Black is capable of with a larger budget, but lacks the magnetism that was so evident on their original EP.

7

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 10, 2010 / UPGRADE

Life Isn’t Peachy In ‘The Walking Dead’ Michael Walsh The Recorder

Zombies have finally come to our living rooms, and it’s not by way of an undead apocalyptic nightmare.

Unless you’re AMC or HBO, good dramatized television isn’t easy to pull off.

While the basic cable outlets are busy offering a series of cheesy dramas, the more capable premium networks have been flexing their creativity, with the latest intriguing offering being AMC’s The Walking Dead, a TV adaptation of the series of comic books with the same name.

In the wonderfully capable hands of Frank Darabont (director of The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile and The Mist), The Walking Dead puts viewers in the midst of a zombie outbreak, with our sights set on a group of survivors in Atlanta.

I’d be remiss in not saying that before The Walking Dead premiered on Halloween night that I was a bit hesitant about having zombies on TV. While amplified gore and violence aren’t completely necessary to create even the perfect zombie experience (see: George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead), it does help, and the genre certainly needs the extra breathing room to have the opportunity to do so.

But as the first two episodes showed, AMC has given the creators of the show that extra leeway needed to truly create the depressing, discouraging and absolutely manic feeling only a zombie apocalypse could bring to someone. Zombies are gnarly, with skin

falling off their bones and parts of the body completely missing, and head shots courtesy of our human friends stay in full frame of the camera. In other words, hardly anything is skimped at, except of course for language, where the awkward use of “hell” replaces our favorite four letter word.

Fans of George A. Romero’s classic and traditional work inside the zombie realm will fall in love with what Darabont has put together. A world, while limited to Atlanta

Netflix It: nicholas proch The Recorder

Whether you are a Woody Allen fan or not, everyone has certainly heard his name mentioned in regards to his influence in film.

Allen is certainly famous for his critically acclaimed film, Annie Hall, but beyond that not many know where to start in his very intimidating catalogue. If you haven’t seen Annie Hall, then go out and see it right away.

If you’re stuck on where to turn to next, put Hannah and Her Sisters in your queue.

Starring Michael Caine, Mia Farrow, and, of course, Woody Allen himself, the film is Allen’s first attempt to write a parallel storyline. He continues his trend of romantic comedies this time trying to infuse more plot line than ever before. Centering around the love life of Michael Caine’s character, ‘Elliot’, and Mia Farrow’s ‘Hannah’, it’s the unconventional love story.

Caine falls in love with Hannah’s sister Lee, played by Barbara Hershey. The story unfolds in a completely unexpected comedic fashion. With Allen being the main source for laughs in this film, you’re certainly going to get your moneys worth. He plays his usual unconfident, overeducated and shockingly cautious self to perfection much like you see in his previous films.

This effort is widely regarded as his best of the 80s, a decade which saw several takes from Allen. Both Caine and Dianne Wiest, who plays Hannah’s other sister ‘Holly’, won Academy Awards for best supporting actor and actress, respectively. This was the last film to have both supporting acting roles go to the same movie. It also was nominated for the award for Best Picture.

There are scenes, including Allen’s date with Wiest, in which you will not stop laughing. The comedic timing and writing of Allen in this film is phenomenal. His character has several personality and life changes which you see on screen. Character development is at a high and you begin to expect what each is going to do next. Where it is brilliant is where Allen takes that and uses it against the audience.

He is able to take the arcs of the story and take them to places that you wouldn’t expect them to head. With that being said, there is certainly some things which don’t seem to add to the story of this film. There is a whole

Hannah and Her Sisters

side story of Hannah’s parents which doesn’t seem to directly fit into the story. While it is interesting, it doesn’t really add to the audience perception of Hannah or any of the rest of the cast. Also, Lee’s relationship with her boyfriend Frederick, which she ends up leaving to have an affair with Caine’s character Elliot, isn’t particularly strong in his acting or his influence in the film.

What’s most interesting about this film is the relationship that ensues between Elliot, Hannah and Lee. The tension is built between the three when Elliot thinks that Hannah knows of their adulterous behavior. Watching this unfold on the screen is somehow heartbreaking and entertaining, at the same time. This is a first for Allen in his comedies and he really shows how strong of a writer he can be.

In terms of pure revenue, this is Allen’s highest grossing film. This is above Manhattan and Annie Hall. While it certainly doesn’t top Annie Hall, it can hold it’s own with his best. A Woody Allen fan will find this film to be right at the top, and for those of you who aren’t fans, it may even be able to convert into one.

and its surrounding locales, has been created and the feeling of isolation is present as anything, two important qualities of any zombie work that wants to be taken seriously. In addition, the characters have been pulled from the pages of Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard’s comic book series and have been given life and motives. While not the most fully fleshed out individuals there are, their differences and developments help create just enough internal conflict to juxtapose their actual battle with the undead.

In the first two episodes, a series of events has fueled the fire for the remaining four, and gives the viewer enough motive of their own to return to the drama, aside of course from

all the fun zombie action. At first, some of the drama seemed forced, a bit much and overdone. It’s proof of how difficult handling the zombie genre can be when you try to turn it into something as serious as it truly would be, rather than the more fun and campy direction most filmmakers tend to take the subject towards in film. In Romero’s films, he would do this by way of biting social commentary and ethical arguments with a dash of comic relief, and the same mixture exists here.

It remains to be seen where The Walking Dead will be taken. The first two episodes introduced viewers to a good amount of characters, some of which have hardly been accounted for. One thing that is for certain is that this Darabont project is worth watching and should be taken as a serious entry into television’s new found love of zombies.

The Life of a CCSU Dreamer

Liz Slater

Special to The Recorder

Michael Christian Minelli is not your average Central Connecticut State University student. He is determined to have it all.

While Minelli is a committed full-time student Monday through Thursday, the remainder of the week he lives his dream as a vocalist with his band The Goonies, which recently signed a recording contract with the Boston-based New Music Chronicles record label.

Minelli and his band drive to Beantown after class on Thursdays and return home on Sunday evenings. For Minelli, it’s challenging to juggle both roles of a college student and a recording artist. Minelli says, “I bring my laptop so that I can get a little work done here and there.”

This golden opportunity has been fourteen years in the making. In fourth grade, Minelli started dancing with his partners Ron Adrian-Libatique and Mike Kuzoian in his basement. Eventually their rehearsal and preparation led them to perform in school talent shows. The dance crew became known as E3 while they gradually made their rounds in New England-area dance competitions.

Their hard work and dedication has

already begun to pay off. In 2006 they became a part of the United States hip-hop team competing against 32 countries in Bremen, Germany. They placed 31st out of 100 contestants.

E3 continued to win dance competitions including NBC’s Showtime at The Apollo, located in the world famous Apollo Theater in New York City, and BET’s program, Wild Out Wednesday. The exposure gave them the confidence to try out and eventually become contestants on ABC’s America’s Got Talent in 2009.

However, things in Minelli’s career didn’t really begin to change until friend Cory Miranda introduced E3 to record producer, rapper and engineer Juice. The relationship with Juice proved to be a step in a different direction. That’s when he stepped into the role of vocalist and The Goonies were formed.

What’s next for The Goonies?

“Wherever music takes me. Six months ago was my first show with the band. Six months before that I was on America’s Got Talent,” says Minelli. “So, I never truly know where I’m going next.

All I know is that I work hard every day to mature my sound as a part of the group, and continue to train to be as good of a performer as I can be. I hope to reach as many people as possible.”

Staying true to himself, Minelli remains grounded. He’s motivated by Boston Celtics’ shooting guard Ray Allen, whose family owns the record label New Music Chronicles, along with Glenn Parrish of rap group Heavy D and The Boys.

Allen, whose star power is recognized all over the world, has taught Minelli that “no matter how much money you have, how famous you are - you must stay grounded.”

It’s been invaluable advice to the budding artist.

The Goonies’ first single from their upcoming album The Life of a Dreamer is currently on sale through iTunes.

8

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 10, 2010 / UPGRADE

Calendar 11.10 - 11.17

MUSIC 11/10 The Morning Benders/Twin Sister @ Iron Horse Music Hall North Hampton, MA $12.50 adv./8:30 p.m.

11/12 D.R.I (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles) @ The Webster Hartford, CT $15 adv./6:30 p.m. doors 11/13 The McLovins @ Hoops & Hops Simsbury, CT 21+ only 11/15 The Chariot @ The Webster Hartford, CT $10 adv./6 p.m. doors 11/16 nevershoutnever/The Maine @ The Webster Hartford, CT $17.50 adv./6 p.m. doors 11/17 Allstar Weekend @ Toad's Place New Haven, CT $15 adv./5 p.m. doors FILM 11/12 & 11/13 The Room @ Bow Tie Cinema Palace Theatre Hartford, CT $10/11:30 p.m.

The Room is an electrifying American black comedy about love, passion, betrayal and lies. It has five major characters Johnny, played by Tommy Wiseau is a successful banker with great respect for an dedication to the people in his life, especially his future wife Lisa. Johnny can also be a little too trusting at times, which haunts him later on. Lisa, played by Juliette Danielle, is the beautiful blond fiance of Johnny. She has always gotten her way and will manipulate to get what she wants. She is a taker with a double personality, and her deadly schemes lead to her own downfall. Mark, played by Greg Sestero, is young, successful and independent best friend of Johnny. He has a good heart, but gets caught up in Lisa's dangerous web and gives in to temptation. This eventually brings him to great loss. Claudette, played by Carolyn Minnott, is the classy, sophisticated mother of Lisa who has had disappointing relationships in her life. She wants her daughter to be married as soon as possible so she can benefit.

Denny, played by Philip Haldiman, is an orphan boy, naive and confused about life, love, and friendship. Denny is very ambitious and also very grateful for the people who are in his life. The Room depicts the depths of friendships and relationships in one life and raises life's real and most asked question: "Can you ever really trust anyone?” Enter The Room and leave forever changed!

11/15 & 11/16 Howl @ Cinestudio (Trinity College) Hartford, CT $8/7:30 p.m.

Straight from Trinity’s Eros Film Festival, a hugely entertaining movie on how one poem crystallized the Beat generation’s yearning for freedom in art, life, and the choice of sexual partners. James Franco gives an Oscar®worthy performance as the young Allen Ginsberg, acting from a script based on actual interviews, transcripts of the poem’s 1957 court trial for obscenity, and lines from the incendiary Howl. The courtroom scenes are amazing as a San Francisco prosecutor (David Strathairn) battles the defense attorney ( Jon

Give the gift of life to couples in need Become an egg donor today

$8000

Compensation of per completed cycle will be provided to adequately cover your expenses, time & effort.

Donors must be over 21 years of age and non-smokers.

For confidential information, please call

(860) 679-2430 The Center for Advanced Reproductive Services John Nulsen, MD • Claudio Benadiva, MD, HCLD • David Schmidt, MD Lawrence Engmann, MD • Andrea DiLuigi, MD

www.uconnfertility.com The Center for Advanced Reproductive Services is part of the University of Connecticut Health Center.

Hamm) to have it banned from publication.

The proceedings veer from the absurd to the passionate, as a parade of ‘expert’ witnesses take part in one of the seminal contests of art vs. fear. Howl does something that sounds simple until you consider how rarely it occurs...It takes a familiar, celebrated piece of writing and makes it come alive.” - A. O. Scott, New York Times 11/17 Never Let Me Go @ Cinemastudio (Trinity College) Hartford, CT $8/7:30 p.m.

A married woman realizes how unhappy her marriage really is, and that her life needs to go in a different direction. After a painful divorce, she takes off on a round-the-world journey to "find herself ". -IMDb 11/16 John Taglier @ Semesters FREE/7 p.m.

Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley, who last acted together in Pride & Prejudice, join Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) in the haunting new movie based on the 2005 novel

by Kazuo Ishiguro. In Hailsham, a British boarding school that is the very opposite of Hogwarts, the innocent friendship of three students played by Mulligan, Garfield and Knightley is torn from within by a shifting love triangle, and without by expectations of the adult world they do not understand.

Part coming of age story, part romance, and part sci-fi horror, Never Let Me Go is also a haunting allegory on the damage that adults can (and do) inflict on the younger generation. “A moving and provocative film that initially unsettles, then disturbs and finally haunts you well into the night.” Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times CCSU Events 11/11 Dinner for Schmucks @ Philbrick Camp FREE/10 p.m.

When he finds out that his work superiors host a dinner celebrating the idiocy of their guests, a rising executive questions it when he's invited, just as he befriends a man who would be the perfect guest. -IMDb 11/14 & 11/15 Eat Pray Love @ Torp (14th), Semesters (15th) FREE/7 p.m.

Never Shout Never

9

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 10, 2010 / SPORTS SPORTS BEGINS ON BACK PAGE

Blue Devils Outrun by Colonials in First NEC Loss

Brittany burke The Recorder

Football By the Numbers CCSU RMU Total Offensive Yards

358

475

Net Passing

283

140

Net Rushing

75

335

Time of Posession

24:47

35:13

Final Score

24

42

The CCSU Blue Devils football team is no longer undefeated in the NEC following a weekend loss to rivals, Robert Morris 42-24. Saturday’s defeat snapped a five game winning streak for the Blue Devils, giving the RMU Colonials the inaugural automatic bid to represent the NEC in the FCS playoffs. The Colonials extended the series lead over CCSU to 12-4 and improved upon its own winning streak to eight.

The game against RMU was the first of a two game road trip, followed by a match in against Monmouth on Nov. 13. CCSU will be back at Arute for the final game of the season against St. Francis (PA) at 12 p.m. on Nov. 20.

CCSU Leaders Offensive: -Rushing : Everette Benjamin = 76 yards

-Passing: Gunnar Jespersen = 14-for-22, 1 interception, 283 yards, 2 touchdowns

2010 NEC Football Standings (including games played through 11/6/2010)

Defensive:

School NEC

Pct.

Overall Pct

Streak Home Away

Neutral

-Alondre Rush = 10 tackles, 9 solo, 1 assist

1.

Robert Morris

7-0

1.000

8-1

.889

W8

5-0

3-1

0-0

2.

Central Conn. St. 5-1

.833

6-3

.667

L1

4-0

2-3

0-0

3.

Bryant Duquesne Wagner Monmouth

3-3 3-3 3-3 3-3

.500 .500 .500 .500

6-3 5-4 5-4 3-6

.667 .556 .556 .333

W2 L1 W1 L2

5-0 4-1 3-2 2-3

1-3 1-3 2-2 1-3

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

7.

Albany 2-4

.333

4-5

.444

W1

1-1

3-4

0-0

8.

St. Francis (PA) 1-5

.167

1-8

.111

L6

1-3

0-5

0-0

9.

Sacred Heart

.143

3-7

.300

L1

1-3

2-4

0-0

-Recieving: Josue Paul = 156 yards and 1 Touchdown

1-6

Accounting Majors Master of Science in Accounting and Taxation Earn the extra hours you need for the CPA Certificate Earn your MS degree in as few as seven months... or at your own pace Choose between a concentration in Financial and Assurance Services or Taxation

kenny barto | the recorder

Ryan Stanley celebrates with Max Brereton after Stanley’s second goal in the second period. the third, netting two unanswered HOCKEY | Cont. from 12 chances in the third that we didn’t goals. Siracusa was fed the puck by get,” said Head Coach Ben Adams. Stanley, in addition to Carroll for “Despite the fact that the first two the final goal of the game, a left side periods went the way they did shot with 39 seconds in regulation.

Despite the win CCSU, the Blue overall I’m happy with the outcome, I’m not happy with the way we Devils’ performance on the ice was got there but I’m happy with the overshadowed by the fact that the team had players in the box for 47 outcome.”

CCSU’s Ryan Stanley got minutes in the first two periods. the second period off to a quick The penalty problem has been a start tying up the score with a struggle for the team all year.

“It’s tough to win games and shorthanded, unassisted goal 48 seconds into the second period. you’re not going to win a lot of Stanley’s first goal of the night was games, I know we won this one matched nine minutes later with a but you’re not going to win a lot of sniper shot off the faceoff to increase games when you spend 47 minutes in the first two periods in the the team’s lead.

“We came out kind of flat the box. I’ve got to give a lot of credit first period and the coaches kind of to our penalty killers, they did a gave it to us at intermission and my great job blocking shots, clearing two line mates got kicked out so I lanes and clearing pucks but they had to step up and got a quick goal never should have been put in that and I think our team kind of fed off situation,” said Adams.

CCSU will be back in Simsbury of that,” said Stanley.

The Blue Devils offense also to take on UMass on Nov. 13 at 8 saw contributions from Siracusa in p.m.

• A program of study designed for you to achieve your professional goals • Full-time resident faculty and advising services • Classes held on our suburban West Hartford campus minutes from I-84 and I-91 • Classes offered in a variety of delivery modes to suit your needs APPLICATION DEADLINE OF MARCH 15 FOR SUMMER ADMISSION

To apply or get further information: web http://barney.hartford.edu/msat e-mail msat@hartford.edu phone 860.768.4343

200 Bloomfield Avenue West Hartford, CT 06117

10

THE RECORDER / Wednesday,November 10, 2010 / SPORTS

COLUMN

Women’s Basketball Veterans Return With Sights on Title ChriS mCLaughLin The recorder

Is 140 Characters Still Too Much? briTTany burke The recorder

In today’s world more and more people are relying on the Facebook status update and news feed or a tweet update in 140 characters or less. Social networking can be a good thing or bad thing; whether or not it has a place in the elusive world of professional sports remains to be seen.

One of the appeals of Twitter or Facebook for a sports fan is that you can “like” or “follow” your favorite professional athletes. With one click you become a part of their world, but can too much access be a bad thing?

Admittedly I love following Giants’ Steve Smith on Twitter. One of his latest posts involved the antics in the weight room. Taken on his phone you see some of the most notable Giants players showing off for the camera and having fun, or in Eli Manning’s case, yelling at him to put the phone down.

Smith uses the account to bring the fans into the world he is grateful for, not to attack other players or the association he plays for. While he may utilize the concept of social networking correctly, the same can’t be said for other pro athletes.

The latest NBA drama heightens the theory that social networking and sports do not mix.

After losing to the Boston Celtics last week, Charlie Villanueva tweeted about Kevin Garnett saying, “KG called me a cancer patient, I’m pissed because, u know how many people died from cancer, and he’s tossing it like it’s a joke.”

Seriously? I am in agreement with ESPN.com writer Jemele Hill of all the things that have been said by athletes to one another what Garnett said hardly tops a worst of list. I’m not saying calling Villanueva a cancer patient was right, but he was doing it to get under his skin, a tactic used by athletes of all ages.

However, since Villanueva took the insult to Twitter it’s grown into a controversy.

Trash talking has been around much longer than Twitter has, but Villanueva took the use of Twitter to a whole new level. It is tweets like this that cause commissioners to ban the use of Twitter.

In the NFL, players can’t tweet 90 minutes prior to the start of a game through post-game interviews and officials can have no part in the use of social networking. The NBA then followed suit and banned Twitter usage 45 minutes prior to the start of a game through post-game, oddly enough that was right around the time Villanueva chose to tweet during half time.

I understand why the commissioners would want to protect the integrity of the game. On the one hand, yes everyone has freedom of speech, but some things should be left in the locker room. What player or coach would want to have their dirty laundry broadcasted to all their fans, especially by someone within the organization?

If done in the right manner, Twitter can give the sports fan a look into the world that they themselves can only dream about, but when do you draw the line of how much access is too much access?

With improved depth and four seniors, the CCSU Women’s Basketball team is expecting a big upcoming season.

“It’s exciting to have four seniors, I haven’t had that big of a senior class in my time here.” said Head Coach Beryl Piper. “It’s nice to have four kids with a good feel of what we are trying to do.”

The four seniors, Leanne Crocket, Alex Dowdy, Kerrianne Dugan, and Justina Udenze, are all expected to have a big impact this year. “There will be a lot of pressure on them, we need them to score for us,” said Piper. “Kerrianne, Leanne, and Justina have to put points on the board and Alex needs to run the floor.”

While each of the four seniors brings something different to the game, the contributions they make will be equally important.

“Justina has come so far. She gives a lot of trouble down in the post and she is far more consistent now,” said Piper. “Kerrianne is a kid who does everything, she is the go to shooter, she can knock down the 15-footer, get to the rim, and distribute the ball.

“Leanne has to be a double digit scorer and get as many rebounds as possible, and Alex needs to show leadership expected of the starting point guard. If we can get all this consistently, we will be fine.”

While there are high expectations placed on the four seniors, they’re eager to meet them.

“Since freshmen year, all four of us have been waiting for our year. For us, it’s go hard or go home,” said Senior Point Guard Alex Dowdy.

In addition to the four seniors, Coach

Piper is expecting an impact from the rest of the returning class. “With the loss of PJ Wade, we really need Gabrielle Oglesby to pick up where PJ left off,” said Piper. “She’s a fun player to watch with her athleticism, she can really get up and down the court.”

Kristen Daamen is another player who expects to see major minutes for the Blue Devils this season.

“With Kristen we have more size in the low post. She’s a 6-foot-3 post player who can both give Justina rest and play with her together down in the paint. Kristen has worked really hard, and gets up and down the court very well, I’m comfortable with both of them in the post.”

In the NBA, the sixth man has become a valuable commodity, for CCSU it’s no different. The first player off the bench for CCSU will be Brooke Bailey, who will bring size, skill, and experience to the floor.

“She didn’t play a lot last year, but she has worked very hard over the summer. She gives us good size at 6-foot-3 and she can hit the three and get to the rim. She is also a very smart player, which is always good to have,” said Piper.

While their minutes will be limited, the incoming class gives Coach Piper much needed depth at key positions. Jessica Babe comes to CCSU from Pittsburgh and will back up the point for the Blue Devils.

“Jess can come in and give Alex rest. She is stronger and more physical though not as quick. She does have potential to dish and create opportunities in the post,” said Piper.

Lauren Arbogast, another freshman from Pennsylvania, is a 6-foot-2 post player that will back up Udenze and Daamen. “Lauren can really run the floor as a post player and can give rest to our other post players. She can shoot the 15-footer, get to the rim and grab

rebounds,” said Piper.

CCSU will need the added depth it received this year as the schedule will be difficult. The team will play games against UNH and ranked West Virginia. Coach Piper hopes the tough schedule will make her girls tougher.

“Our non-conference games will make us stronger, faster, and more crisp. It will make us a better conference team because of the non conference schedule,” she said. “We are also looking for revenge to the teams that we lost to last year.”

One of the games they are particularly fired up for is the season opener against Hartford. “We’re really looking forward to the UHart game,” said Dowdy. “We’re preparing to win that one.”

Despite the tough schedule, Coach Piper still has championship aspirations. With Coach Piper firmly behind her team, the players know their mission for the season as well.

“Our goal of course is to win the NEC,” said Dowdy. “We have to play the whole 40 minutes as team. We need to bring intensity to the game, and knowing each other’s strengths and weaknesses will help us be a better team.”

The Blue Devils were picked seventh in the preseason poll but Coach Piper still feels her team has what it takes.

“I still like our chances, the seniors, size, and depth make us a tough team to beat. I would have liked a high ranking, but a low one just means that we have a lot to proving to do,” said Piper.

The path to an NEC title will be a long and difficult one for CCSU, but the team will be prepared to face opponents. CCSU opens up the season at home on Friday, Nov. 12 against Hartford.

Without Wings Men’s Soccer Can’t Soar danny COnTreraS The recorder

In soccer there are eleven positions essential to a team. They are divided in three areas: defense, midfield and forwards.

The defense keeps the game from slipping away; without a great defense, no team would be a team. The forwards score the goals.

Then there are the midfielders. The ones that create the set pieces that connect plays from the back all the way to the front, feeding the hungry strikers balls to win the game.

A midfielder plays in two ways: a center midfielder, a tactician, has good peripheral vision and is able to make through balls throughout the game. A center midfielder must have a lot of stamina and should be an efficient defender and a sufficient striker.

Or a winger, a fast paced, strong dribbler who can cut through the opposing defense super effectively in either flank, and feed the ball for strikers who are waiting in the box to wound the opponent.

The CCSU men’s soccer team lacks the latter form of a midfielder, and this is why the performances they have shown the past five games does not serve justice to what is an otherwise great, formidable team.

Coach Green employs an offensive tactic against opponents; usually a variation of the

generic 4-3-3 (4 defenders, 3 midfielders, 3 strikers). This form is known for its demanding yet fluid style of gameplay where midfielders are in constant motion, feeding balls through center, and the full backs making run down the flanks to overwhelm the opposing defense.

While the style has proven effective for CCSU in some games, there’s one flaw in the squad that does not allow for improvement; the lack of wingers. Green said that not having wingers is an issue that they have to deal with for the rest of the season and to do so the team will employ a diamond formation in the midfield in order to make the most out of the players.

The function is similar to the traditional 4-3-3 but all the plays must be done through the midfield because that’s where the team is strongest. The flaw in this technique is that teams can exploit the fact that there are no attacks in the wings and are able to build up plays from their own wings down the field.

Connor Smith and Jesse Menzies showcased that we can still attack on the wings. Smith was able to break into the right wing from the midfield about two times every five minutes. Menzies on the other hand had the dribbling skills necessary to confuse the defenders in the left wing but lacks speed.

While we cannot force them to play on the wings we can see that the wings can be

easily taken over with the style of play CCSU employs in the game.

A possibility is employing a style similar to that of the Premiership teams. Some use a 4-4-2. In this style the wings are used more but the way it is set up they are not forced, such as Manchester United and Liverpool F.C. Manchester United employs a more traditional 4-4-2. Extremely straightforward in their game, on the other hand, Liverpool employs a style that can be adapted by CCSU. A variation of the 4-4-2, this one can be broken up as 4-2-3-1. Obviously there are four defenders, but between the wingers there are two center midfielders whose sole job is to open up the opposing midfield by passing the ball out wide. The wingers receive the ball, bring it down more, and then pass it to either Raul Meireles who would be waiting somewhere about 10 yards from goal, or to Fernando Torres who is deeper down the box. This way the opposing teams do not take advantage of the wings.

If CCSU employed a tactic similar to that of those two teams, we could improve the situation. I am not saying that we cannot win with our current formation: I have been proven wrong with our past wins — but it would be a good thing to experiment in the pitch and see how CCSU can use the skills of their players.

FOLLOW THE RECORDER ON TWITTER @recorderSports fOr LiVe TweeTing frOm gameS

11

THE RECORDER / Wednesday, November 10, 2010 / SPORTS RUGBY | Cont. from 12 team that way we could either get new jerseys or we can get new training equipment because with our training we don’t have a lot of I guess amenities or luxuries that a lot of other teams have like tackling pads where you can learn how to tackle someone,” Weeks said. “But the coach has been really creative in showing us different ways to build up our skill level but it would just be really nice to have some things for people to use.

“Basically all we do for practice is conditioning. We do a lot of running then we scrimmage for hours, it’s like 3:30 to 6:30. It’s a hell of a practice. Part of it is just to bring attention to rugby just to have the squad out there get people interested because we don’t think we’ll make a ton of money.”

As they enter the postseason, the team will play to keep the season alive, but the work won’t end with the regular season. The team, while only being a “club” sport will continue to train and promote the team to get the CCSU community excited about the tough as nails game known as rugby.

www.flickr.com/ photos/centralrecrder The Hooligans’ Marcus Giansanti scores on a try early in the second half against the Bryant Bulldogs this Saturday.

Blue Devil Box Scores Nov. 1 through Nov. 7 Football Nov. 6 CCSU - 24 Robert Morris - 42 Men's Soccer Nov. 5 CCSU - 3 Quinnippiac - 4 (OT) Women's Soccer Nov. 5 CCSU - 0 LIU - 1 Volleyball Nov. 5 CCSU - 2 Saint Francis (NY) - 3 Nov. 6 CCSU - 3 Fairleigh Dickinson - 2 Hockey CCSU - 4 Holy Cross - 2 Rugby CCSU - 48 Bryant - 7 Swimming and Diving Nov. 5 CCSU -171 Bryant - 91 Nov. 6 CCSU - 190 New Hampshire - 110

CCSU Briefs

kenny barto | the recorder

Upcoming Schedule Nov. 10- Nov. 15

Multiple Football Players Earn NEC Weekly Honors

Wednesday, Nov. 10

The NEC honored Josue Paul, Charles Williams and Chris Tolbert for their performances in the 38-20 defeat of Wagner at home on Oct. 30. Paul was given special team player honors this week when he became the third NEC player to return a kickoff for a touchdown.

W. Volleyball vs. Sacred Heart @ 7 p.m.

Freshman Soccer Goaltender Named adidas/Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week

W. X-Country NCAA Regionals

Nikola Deiter was awarded the adidas/ Northest Conference Rookie of the Week following two shutouts, which helped the Blue Devils clinch their ninth straight NEC playoff spot. The shutouts were the fifth and sixth of her season as she improved her overall record to 8-8-1.

Football @ Monmouth @ 12 p.m.

Five Blue Devils Named to NEC Postseason Team

Hockey vs UMass @ 7:15 p.m.

The CCSU women's soccer team advanced into the postseason after 1-0-1 finish. Following regular season play Blue Devils Beth Lloyd and Abby Graham earned first team honors on the NEC Women's Soccer Postseason team. The two seniors were accompanied by fellow senior Clio Treagar and freshmen Jewel Robinson and Allison Kelley who were given second team honors.

Volleyball @ Quinnipiac @ 2 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 12 W. Basketball vs Hartford @ 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 13

M. X-Country NCAA Regionals

Swimming vs Sacred Heart @ 1 p.m.

Volleyball vs Long Island @ 1 p.m.

M. Basketball v.s. Hartford @ Mohegan @ 6

Sunday, Nov. 14

Monday, Nov. 15 M. Basketball @ Army @ 7 p.m.

kenny barto | the recorder

Men's Soccer Captain Named ESPN/ Academic All-District Robert Cavener is one of 13 athletes in the DI region to be named an ESPN/Academic All-District. Cavener will now advance to the national ballot with a chance to earn the Academic All-America honors.

Blue Devil Diver Gets NEC Honors The NEC Diver of the Week went to junior Madison Vestergaard for the second week in a row as her performance in last week's meet helped boost her team past SCSU 124-117.

Rugby Player Injured in Playoff Game Rugby player Marcus "Driver" Giansanti was going in for a try in the 48-7 playoff win over Bryant when he suffered from a collapsed lung.

kenny barto | the recorder

THE RECORDER Wednesday, Novermber 10, 2010

Sports 11/10

CCSU Hoc key Gets Bac k-to-Bac k Weekend Wins Brittany burke The Recorder

Getting off to a late start didn’t hinder the CCSU club hockey team as the Blue Devils took to the ice in Simsbury and came together to defeat the Holy Cross Crusaders 4-2, capping off a two-game weekend.

The victory over the Crusaders followed a 6-1 win on the road Friday night against Super East opponent New York University.

The Crusaders got off to an early start sinking a glove side goal past goaltender Greg Coco less than two minutes into the first period.

The early goal was the only one for either team in the first 20 minutes of play as the Blue Devils fought to remain in possession of the puck. As CCSU worked to bury the pucks, the team also had to step up and kill off continual penalties.

“It’s definitely something we need to work on and control, after the whistle and just smart plays, a lot of those penalties can be avoided by being smart but all in all we finished up good and that’s all that matters,” said president Ryan Beaulieu.

The slew of penalty minutes began early in the first when Brian Fay was sent to the box for hooking.

From that point on it was an uphill battle for the CCSU. With 55 seconds left to play in the first Blue Devils’ Jon Knobloch and Ryan Pereira were tossed, followed by matching Holy Cross players after much deliberation by the officials. As the four players were sent off the ice, Co-captain Thomas Carroll was given two minutes in the box for roughing as a result of an on ice scuffle in front of the Holy Cross goal.

“Other guys in that situation have to step up and we got two goals from [Matt] Siracusa, [Zack] Vidmosko missed an open net and had a couple other power play HOCKEY | cont. on 9

kenny barto | the recorder

CCSU Forward Ryan Stanley puts a shot on net in the first period. Stanley ended up with two goals and two assists in their 4-2 win against Holy Cross.

Rugby Team Not Your Average Hooligans Brittany burke The Recorder

kenny barto | the recorder

Shaun McCardle gets tackled after making a run in the first half. The Hooligans went on to beat Bryant to advance to the semifinals to play UMass-Lowell.

While rugby may have been the forefather to arguably the most watched American sport, football, the game, rules, leagues and athletes still remain widely unknown, especially on the CCSU campus.

Like the majority of club sports in the CCSU community, the men’s rugby team has trouble gaining a solid following of supporters despite the fact that the team is having one of the best seasons in the club’s history dating back to the 1970’s.

The rugby team finished regular season play on Oct. 30 with a loss to Springfield College, 33-16.

Despite the loss the team had a strong season of 5-2 and advanced to the New England Rugby Football Union DIII playoffs, beating Bryant 48-7 in the first game.

“Everything is going good so far, everyone’s putting in a lot of work and it’s the best season the rugby club has had at Central in the better part of a decade,” said B squad member Chris Weeks. “I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that we have a coach and beforehand everyone was doing their own thing, but everyone practices regularly and now they’re even starting to do it at night at like eight o’clock in the bubble, everyone’s starting to run just to get into it for next time.”

As a member of the B squad, the

group that will make the move to the A squad as members of the club graduate, Weeks is able to observe and learn the game from some of the best on the team such as Jake Dilts and Marcus Giansanti. He attributes the team’s success to the immense sense of team that can be found out on the pitch.

“There’s definitely a lot of sense of team together,” Weeks said. “I’ve played football, soccer and track and I’ve never had like such a sense of teamwork as coming to the rugby games…rugby’s pretty confusing and everyone without missing a beat, if you’re doing something wrong they’ll tell you you’re doing something wrong or they’ll give you the proper instruction without getting on your case.”

The team may have begun to come together, find an identity and take shape with the help of Coach Eric Rentz, a former CCSU rugby player and member of the Hartford Wanderers, but the athletes still face challenges in making their presence known amongst the CCSU student community, while also securing sufficient funds to have a proper uniforms and equipment.

To ensure they reach both goals the team held a car smash in the CCSU student center, raising $140 to go toward new jerseys and the much needed training equipment.

“We’re fundraising for the RUGBY | cont. on 11