December 8, 2010
Volume LXXIX Issue 13
Serving The College of Saint Rose Community in Albany, New York
www.strosechronicle.com
School Magazine Takes Different Direction This Year By CHELSEA KRUGER
// Kayla Germain Volunteer Leah Chamberlin practices flash cards with local immigrants at the Emmaus Church.
Emmaus Church Reaches Around the World from Albany
By LAUREN BEALE, MARISSA CRARY, & KAYLA GERMAIN Emmaus United Methodist Church, which extends services to local immigrant and refugee families, will mark its multicultural flair Saturday when it celebrates Christmas Around the World. “Everybody is welcome,” said Noel John, the lay leader at Emmaus and a native of Pakistan. The service is part of a World Cage series hosted by the church to showcase the talents and traditions of the many cultures that make up the congregation. Saturday’s event at 715 Morris St. runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. During the December and January school break, the Emmaus adult English as a Second Language program and children’s
programs will each continue to offer services to individuals from Burma, Haiti, Rwanda, Pakistan, Congo, Iraq, India, and China. The ESOL after school program, as well as adult tutoring sessions, have been created to support families in their transition to the United States. “They’ve come to America not by choice but by necessity. You can just imagine how difficult it is to have your life uprooted- to lose your home, culture, job and ability to converse freely in the community,” said Wendy Cotter, an English integration teacher. Classes for adults are offered in the morning, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and in the evening, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The executive director of ESOL services, Rifat Nazir, is originally from Pakistan and was a high school principal there for 11 years. She under-
stands the importance of what the classes offer, “They need this program desperately because when they get here language is the biggest barrier for them,” said Nazir. “Many of them improved their English skills and were able to get jobs.” Children in the ESOL after school program come from local schools including Pine Hills Elementary, Hackett Middle School, Giffen Elementary, School 19, Myers Middle School, Delaware Community School, and ASH Elementary. Students are in grades kindergarten through ninth grade and are adjusting to school in a new country. “Projects are geared toward what the kids are learning in school and their homework,” said Elizabeth Stampfel, a student volunteer. Continued on Page A2
Embossed pages and striking photography are just some of the new features adorning this year’s edition of Sphere, the school’s annual magazine, setting it apart from its successors. Sphere, the product of College of Saint Rose students enrolled in Professor Gary McLouth’s Magazine Practicum class, is published yearly. The creation of the magazine is an arduous process: the class participants must think of a unifying theme for the magazine, produce its content, design the graphics and publicize its release. Normally the class has upwards of 14 students in it, but this year only four students enrolled. Each became an editor: Theodore Traver, Shena Louissaint, Jordan Miller, and Ryan Harlow. The editors couldn’t agree on a single
theme for the magazine, so each wrote content for a section, focusing on his/her points of interest. “My job was to try to stay out of the way; I wanted them to run it,” said McLouth. “[The class] worked more like a seminar and I was working with them on the articles.” The quartet decided to dedicate the unprecedented 56-page issue to McLouth, who is retiring from the communications department after this semester. This year’s class took a different route with the magazine’s production. With only four students in the class, more content needed to be produced individually, a difficult goal when each student had a different idea of what the magazine should be about. Continued on Page A5
Burglaries Beset Student Area By IAN BENJAMIN The student housing area between Partridge and Lake Streets has been the scene of an outbreak of burglaries in recent weeks. Since the beginning of October there have been more than 30 separate burglaries in the area (see map). Though burglaries are not uncommon in the student area, their recent prevalence is above normal. These burglaries are also notable for taking place as often in the daylight as at night. Of the 24 burglaries which took place specifically between Western Avenue and Mercer Street, 14 took place during daylight hours. The number of burglaries has been especially high on Mercer and Warren Streets.
According to an Albany Police Department press release issued on Friday, December 2, the burglars have been targeting laptop computers and electronics items. Of the total 34 reported burglaries in the area during October a majority, 19 were in homes where the resident had not locked either windows or doors. The remainder were executed through forced entry. APD officers arrested Juhmir Arrington last week and charged him in connection with two of the robberies after having been seen in a fenced rear yard of a Hudson Avenue home. In one of the two burglaries he stole a laptop, a game system and a camera. Continued on Page A7
A2
news
The Saint Rose Chronicle
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
After-School Program Teaches Foriegn Students English From Page A1
//David Jones A young girl participates in arts and crafts time at an ESOL afterschool program. Several elementary schools in the Pine Hills neighborhood have been offering these programs to those who need help learning the English language.
Child education services are offered five days a week, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and are extended during school breaks. Children are provided transportation, healthy snacks, and dinner. “It’s hard to be in a totally different educational system,” said Nazir. Volunteers make up a majority of the ESOL staff. “Prior to their help, I was trying to teach all of the different levels at the same time,” said Cotter, “Needless to say, there wasn’t much opportunity for students to speak English.
The volunteers have changed this.” Leah Chamberlin, an adult ESOL volunteer, said, “Some of the techniques we use to teach the students are games and reading packets that spark English conversation. This gives them the opportunity to communicate in English and helps their pronunciation.” Learning English helps these refugees make their lives in the U.S., so when they make language connections it is meaningful. A moment that stands out to
Chamberlin is, “seeing the looks on the faces of the women from Iraq when they have understood something definitely makes them happy.” The language barrier is difficult, but not insurpassable. “These students have different needs that need to be incorporated into teaching,” said Michelle Mainella, an after school program volunteer. Families are supported not only through language services, “We support families in all aspects,” said Nazir. “Every day is challenging, but very productive.”
Corrections from 12/1: Photos for the story A Taste of France in “Jaques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris” were credited incorrectly. First, Julia Wickersheim was spelt Julia Wickersham. Second, photos attributed to the Wickerhsam Family were in fact taken by Kelly Pfeister. Christa Leigh Collins’ story about the houses being demolished for a new dormitory stated there would be a 171-spaced garage, but it is actually a 171-spaced lot. In the next sentence IT is A total of 13 structures planned for demolition on those streets.
If you see something that needs to be corrected, e-mail the Chronicle staff: chronicle@strose.edu
A student volunteer working with a student at EOSL.
//David Jones
The Saint Rose Chronicle Staff Managing Editor Teresa Farrell farrellt691@strose.edu Class of 2011
Executive Editor Rich Aviles avilesr028@strose.edu Class of 2011
Assistant Editor Marissa Crary crarym393@strose.edu Class of 2011
Contributing Writers
Arts Editor Ian Benjamin benjamini528@strose.edu Class of 2011
Photo and Layout Editor Chelsea Kruger krugerc611@strose.edu Class of 2011
Opinion Editor Leigh Ward wardl717@strose.edu Class of 2013
Advertising Manager Megan Caffrey caffreym374@strose.edu Class of 2011
Sports Editor Scott Lawson lawsons408@strose.edu Class of 2014
Web Editor: Chris Pappis pappisc572@strose.edu
Alison Lester - Sunshine Osella - Rin Wilhelmi - Chris Surprenant - Regina Iannizzotto Enedina Maya - Amy Wheeler - Scott Ramundo - Philip Stasko - Dan Fogarty
Faculty Adviser: Cailin Brown
Official E-mail Address: chronicle@strose.edu Mailing Address: The Saint Rose Chronicle 432 Western Avenue Albany, NY 12203 Meetings are held every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the Viewing Room, CCIM 119.
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
news
Thanks to Students, Debate Team is Revived By LEIGH WARD
meetings that serve as practice for competitions. Many new clubs form during “ I hope this club allows stuthe school year, but recently, one dents to engage in thoughtful conclub has been revived; the debate versation, allowing new voices to team. be heard and to bring Saint Rose A collaborative effort by sophonto another playing field outside omores Jermaine Brookshire Jr. of its athletics,” said DiDomeniand Patrick DiDomenico, a proco, vice president of debate club. posal for the new club is under The club has been making big scrutiny to be a accepted under strides in the first few months of Student Association guidelines. its infancy. A number of distinBrookshire, a philosophy maguished schools have made ofjor and political science minor fers to host Saint Rose’s debate and DiDomenico, a history and team, as the club has made its political science major, are headpresence known to others. ing this movement with previ“ Part of being a debate team ous knowledge of the art of aris commanding respect,” Brookgument. Brookshire, a native of shire said. New Haven, Connecticut, and Not only does the club have DiDomenico, a native of Catskill, different schools jumping at the collectively have backgrounds chance to host them, but one of in Yale Model Congress, Model the youngest, most diverse EUN, mock trial, and debate team. Boards as well. Freshman JocAlthough it may not have an elyn Castillo, a forensic science official mission statement, the demajor from Bronx, New York, bate club has a definitive purpose. holds the treasurer position. As stated on the clubs official “ I am honored to be a freshFacebook page, “The purpose of man that takes the position as this organization treasurer of is to allow us as “I hope this club the debate students to nurture team. I exallows students to our abilities to forpect a lot mulate coherent engage in thoughtful from this arguments for and team within conversation, against worldly the future. issues. We seek to allowing new voices We have an utilize our discusawesome to be heard and to sions as a means to team who is prepare us for the bring Saint Rose onto determined world outside the and ready College of Saint another playing field to debate,” Rose by practicing outside of its said Casthe art of rhetoric. tillo. athletics.” The second purCastillo pose is to allow is not the members to excel through particonly freshman with a coveted Eipating in an annual Mock Trial Board position. Freshman Janae Competition put on by the AmeriJordan, a communications major can Mock Trial Association.” from Little Rock, Arkansas, is the “ The wheels have begun turnclub’s public relations officer. ing,” said Brookshire, president The club is offering multiple of the debate club. “ A lot of workshops to students of all maoutside energy has been coming jors interested in joining. A rhetoin.”n ric workshop will be offered on With a consistent flow of memTuesday, November 16th, 2010 bers showing up to participate, featuring guest speaker Dean Brookshire wants to outsiders Shaw. Brookshire feels that not familiar with the club that the workshops such as this will help team is reputable through weekly
members in attendance articulate their thoughts, and has more workshops booked up until December break. The club’s first debate will occur on Saturday, November 20, 2010 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Hubbard Sanctuary. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the gathering is titled, “food fight debate” and will discuss the moralities of Thanksgiving. The cost is $3.00 for Saint Rose students and $4.00 for NonSaint Rose students. Meetings for the debate club are from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sundays at Saint Joseph’s hall. With confident leaders and an outline for the future of the debate team, both Brookshire and DiDomenico are looking forward to showing the intellectual side of Saint Rose, as there once was a debate team 80 plus years ago. “ In the future, I hope to host an actual debate or invitational of either debate or mock trial here at the college of Saint Rose,” stated DiDomenico. The spirit of this club can best be summed up by Castillo. “ Our words are our weapons & we are armed with passion, knowledge, and purpose.”
The Saint Rose Chronicle
A3
Fall 2010 Extended Library Hours During Final Exam Period Wednesday, Dec. 8 8:15 A.M. - 1:00 A.M. Thursday, Dec. 9 8:15 A.M. - 1:00 A.M. Friday, Dec. 10 8:15 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. Saturday, Dec. 11 9:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. Sunday, Dec. 12 12:00 P.M. - 1:00 A.M. Monday, Dec. 13 8:15 A.M. - 1:00 A.M. Tuesday, Dec. 14 8:15 A.M. - 1:00 A.M. Wednesday, Dec. 15 8:15 A.M. - 1:00 A.M. Thursday, Dec. 16 8:15 A.M. - 11:00 P.M. Friday, Dec. 17 8:15 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. (Extended closing times appear in BOLD.)
A4
The Saint Rose Chronicle
John O’Connell Class of ‘79 Thrives in Radiology, Cancer Research By JACKIE ABUKHALAF Science has always been a staple in John O’Connell’s life— you can even say it’s his passion. Since graduating from The College of Saint Rose in 1979 with a degree in chemistry, O’Connell has been active in the field ever since. John currently works as an Associate Radiologic Technology Specialist for the Department of Health where he inspects radiation oncology facilities and reviews patient records. “I have always been interested in science and the medical field,” said O’Connell, “especially in health care and hospital programs.” O’Connell’s love for science and his work at the Department of Health is obvious to his coworkers including Bob Dan-
sereau, who has been friends with John for many years and is a Saint Rose alumnus himself. “Whenever you need something he is always willing, able and prepared to assist, or take the lead,” said Dansereau. “He has a wide range of knowledge and you can always count on him.” In addition to his work as a Radiologic Specialist, John conducts breast and cervical cancer research. He examines progress of cervical cancer screenings and mammography’s as well as makes recommendations for health care facilities that he visits across the state. Through his studies, O’Connell believes that recent developments in cancer research have made positive strides, particularly in breast cancer. “In the past 20 years, we’ve seen a significant growth in the
news ability of the medical community to detect cancer at its earliest stages,” said O’C onnell. “The ability of medical imaging to detect breast [cancer] has changed the care of women in a significant way.” O’Connell also credits programs like “Stand up to Cancer” and many nonprofit organizations for creating public awareness for cancer prevention— particularly for colon and skin cancer, which have become increasingly widespread in recent decades. As a government employee at the Department of Health, O’Connell is also familiar with the trials and tribulations surrounding health care reform. John has served as an incident reviewer for the Department of Health and has seen firsthand how inadequate health care can be problematic for many families. He believes that the current state of health care will continue to be an unwelcome burden, especially for the middle class. “I’ve seen many cases where people struggled with costs and my reviews and findings were impacted by insufficient HMO’s and
//Jackie Abukhalaf John O’Connell at his office. He works for the Department of Health as an Associate Radiologic Technology Specialist
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
Want to write for The Saint Rose Chronicle?
This our last issue of the semester, but meetings will continue again in January. E-mail any of the editors for information.
the current state of health care,” said O’C onnell. “As the cost for health care steadily increases, universal health care will be the answer. I think that universal health care is currently politically intolerable… but I would like to see universal health care in the future.” Before John accepted a position at the Department of Health in 1984, he worked at St. Peter’s Hospital for 16 years as a radiation tech where he took x-rays, assisted in research and eventually took a managerial position where he was responsible for overseeing 60 employees. According to O’Connell, the change in working environments from a private hospital to government agency was profound. “At first it was a real shock to not be responsible for 60 or so full time employee equivalents. That took getting used to,” said O’Connell. “Supervising people is always a challenge for you never know what somebody will do next. Government is much more rigid, and in many ways understandably so.” St. Peter’s Hospital wasn’t only John’s workplace for 16 years; it was the place that he had to help his nephew, Jason, fight childhood cancer.
“As a childhood cancer survivor, I had many of my treatments and procedures done at St. Peter’s Hospital,” said Jason. “While my uncle worked there, he always made sure I was well tended to. He is one of the kindest, caring, and generous people I know. He’s a real classy gentleman.” Before starting his career in health care, John’s time at Saint Rose was especially important to him because it set the foundation for his strong work ethic that he has been utilizing for the past 31 years. Aside from his strenuous coursework as an undergraduate, O’Connell worked full time at his future full-time employer, St. Peter’s, to make ends meet. “I worked as the evening supervisor in radiology and went to school in the mornings. It was a challenge and today I don’t know how I did it,” said O’C onnell. “The faculty at Saint Rose was so helpful, it made me a better student and made the Saint Rose experience that much more enjoyable.” When John isn’t working, traveling or spending time with his family and friends in Albany, you can catch him watching his favorite teams—the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Boston Celtics from his home in Latham.
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
//Jeremy Chapline The cover of this years Sphere Magazine. Illustrated by Saint Rose Art student Jeremy Chapline.
Sphere Magazine to be Published in Near Future From page A1 Jordan Miller, whom her peers considered to be a “New York Times editor at heart,” was managing editor, meticulously reading and correcting any grammatical errors. “ There were so many versions of every essay and story... I edited a story every night,” said Miller. McLouth considered Miller a “perfect editor” because she is “ well-versed in English,” he said, a trait which can be partially attributed to her dual-major in English and Communications. “ She picked up a lot of glitches. Most students are so used to being slang oriented that they can’t put thoughts down on a page,” said McLouth. Louissant, a Sphere creative director, envisioned Sphere as a cultural catalyst for the community and to enhance the image of the magazine, not only a
class project, she said. Louissant dreams of working in the fashion industry in the future. “ Shena is a very energetic person, and she’s got the connections,” said McLouth. “She’s going to be a natural in the fashion world.” In order for the students to concentrate on their writing more than the laborious task of Sphere layout, the work was not divvied up among the editors like in past years. For the first time in the magazine’s history, the students hired a graphic designer, Saint Rose art student Jeremy Chapline. Louissant contacted Chapline after she saw his artwork in Lima lab last year as he edited an art project. “ He’s taken the whole project to another level of visual appeal and textual meaning,” McLouth said. The students gave Chapline “pretty much free reign” in the
news design of the magazine and he received “very, very positive feedback,” he said. Chapline, who has done two graphic design internships and worked with numerous writers and printers, considered working with new printing service Usherwood.“They knew what I was talking about the whole time and treated me with a lot of respect,” said Chapline. “I have dealt with printers who don’t know the first thing about the programs designers use such as InDesign. It’s important to know this stuff because it will allow you to connect with your client and not misunderstand any information,” Chapline said. “Usherwood always knew exactly what I was talking about, helped me pick out paper, and doublechecked the file to ensure the best print possible.” Chapline also acted as photographer for the magazine, setting up photo shoots two weeks prior to starting the design of Sphere. “ One of the things that would make good reading is the photography,” said McLouth. Despite the hard work developing enough content and meeting deadlines, seeing a tangible result was rewarding for the editors. Louissant aims to set up a campus magazine club that produces a monthly or bi-monthly product. A reception for Sphere magazine will be on December 8, 8:00 – 10:00 p.m., in the Massry Center, third floor. As for the front cover, which is a drawing of a puppy holding a recipe in its mouth, Chapline said he chose it to “show that this magazine was made by many different points of view, sort of like all the ingredients in a recipe.” Those interested in participating in a magazine club can contact Shena Louissant at louissaints768@strose.edu.
Sphere Magazine Reception
Will be held December 8th, from 8 to 10pm on the 3rd floor of the Massry Center.
The Saint Rose Chronicle
A5
Saint Rose Students Juggle Finals and Part Time Jobs By REGINA IANNIZZOTTO When it comes to employment, many College of Saint Rose students have difficulties juggling both work and school with keeping their sanity. Some prevalent issues include lower grades, loss of sleep and decreased work performance. Some students, however, make work easier on themselves. Senior Casey Cleary works at a CVS in Delmar. She works Sundays for eight hours, and extra on holiday breaks, purposefully scheduling her work hours around her classes. Since she has a “ great rapport” with her boss, Casey explains, “He knows I am a reliable worker and will work as many hours as I can when I’m home so he doesn’t mind giving me whatever hours I want.” For some students, working and attending school presents more of a challenge. Audrey Franke, sophomore, finds it particularly difficult. “School will always be my first priority, but I do everything in my power to work as many hours as I can to save and pay for school.” These hours last from 30-35 a week. Franke seems to, instead of scheduling work around classes, incorporates both each semester. “I make sure I have Fridays off from school, so I can work Thursday [through] Sunday,” said Franke. When it comes to extra hours, Franke usually turns them down. “I feel as if I am less flexible… and my boss is unhappy with my availability,” she said, blaming her excessive school workload, an issue that usually crosses a student’s mind when deciding whether or not to search for a job. Cleary and Franke both had their jobs before their college career began, but some students get jobs after their schooling has begun. Sherrie Walensky, a very school-oriented junior, has begun a part-time job at Teavana in
Crossgates Mall, which has taken up a lot of her time. She schedules her seasonal job around her school schedule, including events and club participation. Being the Trips Chairperson of Student Events Board, a Resident Assistant, a Tour Guide and a number of other titles and jobs on campus, Walensky had to acquire time management skills, while thinking about her week in advance before committing to events. What helps Walensky is she has an understanding boss, a rarity. “It’s difficult, but you have to learn how to manage time better,” said Walensky. When thinking about school, one must ask a question: what about school activities? Especially for those who live on campus, many students like attending school functions, such as bingo nights, sporting events, and extreme musical Chairs. Cleary has a good outlook on her job and how it affects her attending events. “Work is just one more thing I have to do. Thankfully, because I only work on Sundays, it normally doesn’t interfere with most of the things I do on campus.” Numerous students said that school comes first, then work. This is why one student, who wishes to remain anonymous, chose to leave their job. “In about late September, I started realizing it was conflicting with school and that’s when I seriously thought about quitting,” the student said, who worked since June. Quitting was the right choice in this instance. It seems as though many students seem to struggle with offcampus work while attempting to study, write papers, and, time permitting, sleep. As a consensus, it seems as if the moral of the story is school first, work second; a moral students should take to heart.
A6
news
The Saint Rose Chronicle
The Man, the Myth, the McLouth By TERESA FARRELL After more than 20 years at Saint Rose, Associate Communications professor Gary McLouth will be saying goodbye to the classroom at the end of this semester. McLouth, who currently teaches Magazine Practicum and TV Journalism during the fall semester, has written multiple books and has had his fiction, essays and poetry published in a variety of magazines and journals. Since his arrival at Saint Rose in August of 1988, he has made a career of inspiring students and faculty alike. Whether it
for his unique approach to living, learning and knowing how to laugh. Here he shares some of his famous stories and life lessons with the Saint Rose community for the last time before he packs up and moves to Florida, where he’s ready to jump into the next adventure—retirement. On Saint Rose: There are a lot of stories that come out of Saint Rose. This has been the place where I’ve gotten a lot of things together, professionally and personally; sort of the “serious” part of my life, it’s been more consistent. I’ve been married, too; I started this job the
On Phonies: I realize that more than anything I like being my own boss, and when you’re running a course, that’s who you are. You’ve got to figure this out. Your audience is a bunch of people who trust you— and if they don’t trust you, nothing happens. You gotta get them to trust you. Being a phony is the first thing that turns people off— any kid can spot a phony. The older people get, the less able they are to spot them, because they learn all these phony behaviors. We learn manners, protocols, PR strategies. Like when someone says to you, “Jeez, how are you, I’m really glad to see you.” Are
A photo of McLouth from his earlier days at The College of Saint Rose. was holding one of his first class meetings under the staircase in Albertus because of a scheduling problem; or using his experiences to help expand the horizons of not only the Sphere and earlier versions of the Chronicle, but also the young writers who worked on them; or guiding his students to the future as an internship coordinator and mentor, McLouth has always been known and loved
same summer I got married. So it’s like, okay, now you’ve made these two big commitments. I’m good at floating around and doing really well at something until I get bored and quit. But this has been a good steady place for me to work. There could have been wilder things, but I’ve already looked at that world and been in it, and a lot of it is phony.
you really? But you can’t really say, “Oh god, I’m not glad to see you.” I used to do political campaigns, and a lot of it is greasing up the right people and finding a phrase that people are gonna respond to, whether or not it’s true, or even possible. That’s what I loved about PR. When I started teaching I actually had to identify this stuff and it became really distasteful in a way because I re-
December 8, 2010 alized how good you can be at it and how necessary it is. On Staying Young: The best part about being at a college is being around other people who want to learn. There’s an energy around students, and people talk about it so it’s no secret. A lot of us in the teaching business say it “Keeps us young”; I’ve never really sort of liked that, but actually it’s true. There’s an old Frank Sinatra song with the line in it: “Love, like youth, is wasted on the young.” And it’s really true. I never thought it was when I was young, but as you get older you realize that youth isn’t really how old you are, it’s actually something to do with your guts and your internal workings. Young, to me, means you keep your curiosity—you keep your belief in the future, and it gives you a different approach to people. You’re always looking for the next person you want to meet, rather than keeping an album of all the great people you have met and sort of shutting down. A lot of people do that. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, necessarily; we just make different choices. On Retirement: I remember when I first signed up for the retirement account. I had just started my so-called “career”; I was 25, and these guys were talking about retirement. I really didn’t know what that was, but I was also brought up by two parents who hated the term. In my family, saying “retirement” was like saying “dog s**t”. A lot of people retire from one thing and go on and do other things, and retirement is really about making plans and saving money and doing certain things. So what intelligent people do is they figure this out and do it and they go about their business. My parents did that too, the old fashioned way. They both went through the Depression and were poor as hell. They really appreciated work and money in a way that I never will because for me, it’s been easy— comparatively. I’m not broke, financially or spiritually, but I’m
Volume 79 Issue 13 certainly not loaded. On Civil Disobedience: In France, when they get pissed off, they go out in the street and start throwing stones. The streets are made out of cobblestones, so they dig them up and throw them. I don’t really like that. I’ve been there when they’ve done that— it’s not fun. I wasn’t there on purpose, I happened to be there as a tourist. It was Bastille Day, so they usually have some kind of celebration going on, but this was about work stoppage. There was this guy walking down the street with a huge knife—I don’t know where he got it, I’ve never seen a knife that big that wasn’t a machete. He was drunk and it was his time to raise hell. But I’ve been in demonstrations in this country, too, like anti-war, civil rights stuff, and I think people come out of those things with more purpose, rather than more violence. They understand what it’s about. On Writing, Nature and Getting Along with People: When I was a kid my parents took us to the Adirondacks. We used to stay at this place on Third Lake. It’s now been torn down, one of those old hotels with the big porches, boat liveries… that’s where I fell in love with boats. I’ve been going to the Adirondacks my whole life. Where I stay now is in Blue Mountain Lake, where my family has vacationed for 45 years. I lived and worked in Long Lake for a year. I’ve spent a lot of time there, especially in the fall. I have a friend who runs a boat livery on Blue Mountain Lake and he has a great cottage by the water. I used to go there and write. I must have written half my dissertation in the Adirondacks. It’s quintessential. I like the people who end up being there. I like the natives, what can I say? A lot of people don’t like them. Adirondackers are not particularly loquacious. They don’t trust most people, they don’t like Continued on Page A7
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
From Page A6 most people, they don’t like each other. There’s all these weird little battles going on. But if you don’t take sides, you can be on all sides. On Bold Moves: Once, when I was teaching school, I was sitting in the cafeteria with this guy that I worked with, and we were talking. We started talking about the idea of doing something different for the summer—we wanted to run a motel. We didn’t really know how we were going to do that, but I went home and started making phone calls to people who had rented to my parents, and started saying I’d like to spend a summer in the Adirondacks doing… something, and at least break even financially. I wated to do something—I wanted a job! I had no idea where this was going, but it turned out someone knew a guy who had run a cabin colony, but it had closed down because the former manager had been stealing from him. We interviewed this guy, and then we had to interview his wife. And she told us, “If you guys are gonna do this you have to wash and iron all the sheets.” So we get up there and all the equipment is at least 20 – 30 years old, including the washers. It took all day to wash these sheets and towels. And the lawn was waist high on one hillside. The whole place needed to be worked on for a whole solid week before we could even open it. But we did it. It was hysterical—we were in our twenties, so everything was a joke. We made up all these cottages, cleaned them. They all had weird hot water tanks, gas stoves. You could blow yourself up. We had one cottage that threatened to blow up all the time. It was a hysterical summer. We didn’t make any money, but we had a great time and we met a lot of really neat people. This was a dump we were running, no doubt about it. There were a few good rooms and then these cottages. It was great and it really taught me a lot. The alternative was… I don’t know
what it was. I’m not sure what I would have done. I would have done something. But the thing is, if you wanna do something you need to have an idea what
“There’s this romanticism that there was a time where you could hitchhike across the country and nothing would happen to you. It’s not true.” it is, and then you gotta go look for it. And keep looking until you find it. If you’re not that curious, you’re not gonna get it. On Hitchhiking: People don’t hitchhike anymore because it’s dangerous. Well, it always was dangerous. There’s this romanticism that there was a time where you could hitchhike across the country and nothing would happen to you. It’s not true. Things were a little friendlier, but you’d still have to be resourceful yourself. It’s always been about how you present yourself and what you think about yourself. I hitchhiked and I picked up hitchhikers, because I understood what that was about, but there are certain people that you just don’t pick up. I came to understand that most people hitchhike because they have to. It’s not like they could take a bus or a car or a jet, but just choose to hitchhike instead. Those options are pretty much shot for you if you’re hitchhiking. Sometimes you only have to do it for 3 or 4 miles, but you’re still putting yourself out there, going “Hey pal, pick me up, I won’t kill you!” It’s interesting. Most of the people who pick you up are decent people. You don’t necessarily want to have dinner with them or take them home to your mother,
news
The Saint Rose Chronicle
but they’re probably not gonna stab you and take your wallet. It could happen though. You just never know.
someplace, and everybody trades addresses and stuff. But this hat comes out of an era of my life. It’s like a photograph, except it’s a hat.
On Hats: I bought this top hat in a thrift shop in Glasgow, Scotland and it was in perfect shape. It was beautiful. I was traveling with one of my best friends at the time. I bought the hat and he bought this top coat, which you wouldn’t wear anywhere but Scotland or Ireland. It looked like a minister’s frock. It was a knee-length, black velvet kind of thing, with buttons. He walked around with that and I had this hat, and I had a backpack which became a huge joke because it was big and orange and we were in Northern Ireland, where orange is not the color to wear. Of course, you can’t wear this top hat all the time, so I ended up strapping it to this big orange backpack, and I had this pair of thick-soled boots, they were orange too. The first day I walk in these things I have a blister the size of a half dollar, so they were hanging off my backpack for the rest of the trip. And I would carry my coat on my backpack too. I looked like the kind of person I would run away from. So anyway, my friend had to go back to America, so I said, “Why don’t you take this hat with you?” At this point we’re in Switzerland so he takes the hat and he goes to put it in a box, but it wouldn’t fit. So he pounds the top down so it’ll fit, and wrecks the hat. And pretty soon this hat shows up at my parents’ house—no explanation—all squished, and I wasn’t home yet. All my dad said when he looked at it was, “Well, I don’t know what happened to Gary, but he was fine when he left.” Now I’ve been carrying it around for almost 40 years and it’s in here because I’ve moved—major moves—3 or 4 times, and I keep peeling down. That’s why all these boxes are in here. I have to look through them. I already got rid of boxes and boxes of letters. I corresponded with all kinds of people everywhere. I’ve read some great letters from people who I had met on the road
On Advice to College Students: If you’re in college, you’re there for a reason. It’s to learn about something, that’s why you’ve got all these courses, but it’s also the last time in your life where you’ve got a free shot at being kind of by yourself. There are all these rules and things you have to follow, but it’s a lot freer than you think. Even the freedom to make your own class schedule, if you think about it, is the freedom to structure your life in a way that fits you instead of a way that fits someone else. The trick now is economics, it’s always the trick—how are you gonna pay for this? But there’s still an opportunity to say, “I’m free to choose”. You make your own choices about what you’re going to be committed to. None of us are free-free; even flies aren’t free, they’re gonna be dead in 7 days. But there’s a lot of stuff you can do when you’re young that
“If you’re in college, you’re there for a reason. It’s to learn about something, that’s why you’ve got all these courses, but it’s also the last time in your life where you’ve got a free shot at being kind of by yourself.” you can’t do when you’re older, and college is a great place to free range with that. On Choosing a Career: How do you choose to be something? You don’t really
A7
choose to be born and you don’t really choose to be where you are most of the time, and to be able to choose a career is sort of crazy when you think about it. Someone says, “What do you wanna do?” And you can say, “I’d like to do this.” And someone says, “I can help with you that.” That’s pretty wild. And if you really look at it, it’s pretty frightening. It’s a lot of freedom but that’s a lot of responsibility, and we’re really good at blaming other people. We’ve all got reasons why we’re gonna fail. It really has to do with how you look at it. You assume you’re the dumbest person in the room, but you’re still in the room, and at some point you realize you’re not the dumbest; you’re not the smartest either, but you aren’t the dumbest. Some days I might be the smartest guy in the room and some days I’m not. And actually, it doesn’t matter. But I’m not sure that I thought that way when I was a student. On Favorite Quotes: I like this one: “Don’t believe everything you think”. Our egos run away with us; we think “Oh, I’m so smart, you know.” Don’t believe it. You meet people that really believe what they think, and you’re like really? Where’s your sense of proportion? There are people that go around laughing and they have no idea why they’re laughing or what’s so funny. The thing is, don’t be an idiot. Then there’s a line from a Burt Reynolds movie where he comes in, he’s got these two big suitcases, the kind you have to carry by those loopy handles. They’re standing outside the train station, and the father character goes to pick up the guy’s luggage and he can’t lift it, and Burt Reynold’s line is, “I’ve always had my shit together, but I can’t pick it up.” And the father looks at him, like this guy’s just brought the Sermon on the Mount down and showed it to him, like, “Oh wow, I’ve never thought of it like that.” And in the theater, there was this intake of breath when he said it; it was a great moment in moviegoing. I’ll just never forget the line. So that’s me.
A8
The Saint Rose Chronicle
news
December 8, 2010
Robberies in Student Neighborhoods on the Rise From Page A1 There are a few steps which one can take in order to help safeguard one’s home and belongings: General Guidelines -Keep valuables out of sight. Use shades and curtains to block the interior of the apartment from sight. Do not leave laptops sitting next to open windows. -If you will not be in your home for an extended period of time it is good practice to contact your neighbors and let them know that you will be away such that they can keep an eye out for activity in the apartment. -Keep front and back doors locked at all times. -Keep entryway lit. Windows Many houses in the Pine Hills have old style traditional window latches which connect the bottom window pane to the top in order to prevent unwanted intrusion. If you have these latches makes sure they are closed when the window is not being used. Sometimes however, latches refuse to close tightly or they may refuse to
//Albany Police Department A map detailing the locations of recent home burglaries within the Pine Hills student neighborhood. The map can be accessed through the Albany Police Department’s crime data base.
Volume 79 Issue 13
close at all. If yo have such a latch here are some commonsense tips and tricks: -If the latch seems to be in good working order but just doesn’t quite close or doesn’t clsoe enough: ---try a bit of oil to make it slide together more tightly. -If the latch on the lower pane is above the latch on the upper pane. -This is a problem with the bottom of the window. Check the windowsill underneath the bottom pane for debris. Clear the debris. If, after you have cleared the debris the window still will not close the window frame may be warped. Secure the window with a rod placed between the top of the lower windowpane and the top of the window frame. - If the latch is caked in a coat of paint which is intact then the latch is closed tighter than it could be closed by hand. - If the latch is caked in a coat of paint which has been broken and causes the latch to no longer close properly, try and clear the paint away and then close. If that doesn’t work, resort to the above mentioned rod method.
//Ian Benjamin A traditional window latch.
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
Dr. Karen McGrath Named Chair of Communications Department By Michelle Fazio
Once current department chair Fred Antico retires, McGrath will take over the position. Dr. Karen McGrath, Professor of Communications, has been named Chair of the Department of Communications after fourteen years of teaching at the College of Saint Rose. Dr. McGrath’s term will begin on January 3, 2011. As Department Chair, Dr. McGrath will be the successor of Dr. Alfred Antico, Associate Professor and current Department Chair since 2005. Dr. Antico will enter the phased retirement program where he will remain at Saint Rose for four years teaching twelve credits per academic school year. Dr. McGrath will assume the responsibilities of the Chair position. Dr. McGrath will perform administrative work such as organizing course schedules, overseeing catalog revisions and program reviews, participating in meetings with the dean, other department chairs, and graduate coordinators, developing new projects and summer programs, and serving as a supervisor and mentor to adjunct faculty members. “I have big shoes to fill. Fred has done a fantastic job,” said Dr. McGrath, anticipating her term. Dr. McGrath has climbed the ladder from assistant professor and associate professor to fulltime professor of communications. However, with the honor of becoming Department Chair, responsibilities outside the classroom increase, which will force her to be in the classroom less. Dr. McGrath is required to reduce her teaching course load by three credits per semester, a concept she struggles with. With a deep
//www.strose.edu Dr. Karen Mcgrath’s headshot from the Saint Rose website. love of the classroom, Dr. McGrath takes on this new challenge with confidence, but also looks forward to teaching new courses once her time as Department Chair is completed. Typically, the Department Chair position is on a three year rotation to ensure the progression of the department with new perceptivities. Mary Alice Molgard, Assistant Professor of Communications, and Gary McLouth, Associate Professor of Communications, have been previous leaders in the Department Chair position. Now, Dr. McGrath finds herself taking on the leadership role. She believes in working as a team to make decisions while noting the method worked well for Dr. Antico. According to Dr. McGrath, he always incorporated the full-time faculty in the decision making process. The communications faculty are confident in Dr. McGrath assuming this role. “Karen McGrath is one of the best teachers I have ever observed and worked with,” said Antico. “She is highly knowledgeable in her field, deeply committed to serving the students and the institution, and she is a tireless force when it comes to taking on projects and seeing them through. All of us greatly appreciate her talents. Besides, she is fun to be around.”
news
The Saint Rose Chronicle
A9
Calendar of Events Wednesday, December 8 Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day 4:30 p.m. St. Rose Chronicle Meeting, CCIM 119 5:00 p.m. Mid-Week Mass, Hubbard Interfaith Sanctuary 5:00 p.m. Best Buddies Meeting, Standish Rooms 5:00 – 5:30 Catholic Mass, Hubbard Sanctuary 6:00 p.m. Dinner and Devotions, Hubbard Sanctuary 7:00 p.m. Fishing for Literature: Open Mic, Poetry Reading, Bake Sale and Bookmark Sale hosted by the English Club, Main Lounge 7:30 p.m. Environmental Club 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. Women's Chorale Concert, Picotte Recital Hall in the Massry Center for the Arts 7:30 p.m. Masterworks Concert, Massry Center for the Arts 8:15 p.m. Identity Meeting, Standish Rooms Thursday, December 9 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. St. Rose Stress Free Zone: chair massages make your own sundaes, pet therapy, gourmet cupcake bar, make your own holiday crafts and ornaments, coloring, healthy treats, candy raffle and holiday giveaways. Sponsored by the Counseling Center. Main Lounge 4:30 p.m. Adventure Club Meeting, SA Conference Room (Lima Basement) 5:00 p.m. SEB Meeting, Saint Joseph’s Auditorium 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Haiti Presentation on Education System and Social Cultural Aspects hosted by Psychology Association, Standish Rooms 6:00 p.m. Student-Faculty Symposium: American Dreams in Crises, Carondolet Symposium 6:15 p.m. SADD Meeting, Main Lounge 7:00 p.m. Knights' Club, Brubacher St. Rose Room 7:30 p.m. Spectrum Meeting, Saint Joseph’s Auditorium 8:30 p.m. Philosophy Club, Main Lounge Friday, December 10 7:00 p.m. Show Jack's Place, CCIM 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Bingo, Standish Rooms 8:00 p.m – 12:00 a.m. Late Knight Create Your Own Crafts, Main Lounge 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. Holiday Chamber Jazz Concert, Picotte Recital Hall in the Massry Center for the Arts Saturday, December 11 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. St. Rose Wind Ensemble Concert, Picotte Recital Hall in the Massry Center for the Arts Sunday, December 12 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Knights' Club, Brubacher St. Rose Room 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Empire State Youth Jazz Ensemble Performance, Picotte Recital Hall in the Massry Center for the Arts Monday, December 13 6:30 p.m. Yoga, Hubbard Sanctuary 7:30 p.m. Women’s Initiative Meetings, Avila Hall 8:00 p.m. English Club, Music Library 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. Trombone Choir Concert, Picotte Recital Hall in the Massry Center for the Arts FINAL EXAMS DECEMBER 14 – 17 Tuesday, December 14 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.: Student Association Meeting, Standish Rooms 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. Yoga, Hubbard Sanctuary Wednesday, December 15 5:00 – 5:30 p.m. Catholic Mass, Hubbard Sanctuary Thursday, December 16 Friday, December 17 DAY AND EVENING CLASSES END 7:30 p.m. Lionheart: A cappella group performs 15th and 16th century music. $20 reserve seating avail`able at www.strose.edu/concerts. Picotte Recital Hall in the Massry Center for the Arts HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS BREAK! If you have an upcoming event you'd like to see in our weekly Calendar of Events, please e-mail benjamini528@strose.edu or chronicle@strose.edu!
B10
The Saint Rose Chronicle
arts
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
Relay for Life Battle of the Bands By IAN BENJAMIN On December 3, 2010 a Battle of the Bands took place at the Jack’s Place venue in the CCIM building. The bands, including the Golden Notes, the Meishlunday and the Girls Next Door, played for a spot at Relay for Life and for half the sum of the entry fees. The winner was the group who was able to raise the most money for Relay for Life. The Golden Notes won with around $70 donated in their name. All pictures were taken by Ian Benjamin for the The Saint Rose Chronicle The Golden Notes
The Girls Next Door
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
arts
The Saint Rose Chronicle
B11
C12
The Saint Rose Chronicle
opinion
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
Holiday Cheer? Or Is There Another Message? BY SCOTT LAWSON We all know the story and the song many times. Rudolf the red nose Reindeer, the timeless “claymation” classic narrated by Berle Ives is adored by a lot of people during this time of the year. We
all think of the tale of the little reindeer, and how he is adored by all generations. But what most people don’t seem to think about is that is there really a buried message in there? I don’t mean to sound like a Scrooge or a Grinch, but I watch
Rudolf the red nose Reindeer, and I see something completely different, a story of discrimination and segregation. Rudolf in his beginnings was not liked at all by anyone. His father was ashamed the day of Rudolf’s birth because of the fact that his son would be different than the other reindeer. Also in that day, Santa, the jolliest person described basically everywhere, didn’t like him and pointed out how that Rudolf had what seemed like a handicap. Right from birth he was judged. Also there is the elf who wants to be a dentist; he is treated the same exact way. Then, while Rudolf is playing the reindeer games, he performed well, but he had to cover up his identity by placing something over his nose so that people could not see it. He performed the best and impressed everyone including Santa; that is until his fake nose popped off and then people
//CBS Studios
Radio Show Highlights Holiday Jargon Confusion BY LEIGH WARD As I was making my drive to school last week, I switched on the radio to listen to the morning talk show hosts do their daily rant about whatever the topic of the day may be. I’m not a fan of morning radio, but due to my lack of iPod-to-car connector, I make the best of it. Usually, whenever I hear things on air, the topic of the day always, without fail, has something to do with one’s spouse, significant other, or some form of relationship that is going downhill and how one can salvage said “relationship.” However, last week was different. I tuned in right in the middle of a heated discussion that had the two hosts fired up. To make the long story short, the one male
host and his significant other had gone out in search of a menorah due to the fact that it’s Hannukah. When they asked to be pointed in the direction of the menorahs, he sent them to the manure section. That’s right, he thought he said, “manure.” Now, I like to think I’m fairly cultured and worldly, but it astonished me that this person didn’t know what a menorah was. It gets better. The two radio hosts left it to the public to call in and respond to the Hannukah conundrum. The first caller was a middle-aged woman from somewhere in the capital region, and I won’t lie, she made herself sound like she lived in a box for the last 3 decades. The radio host even prompted her by saying it was Hannukah…and still, she had no
inkling as to why someone would need a menorah during this week. It kind of makes me lose hope in society to hear that some people aren’t aware of others cultural and religious celebrations. Despite the fact that we live in a big world, we are constantly connected by mediums that allow us to learn and experience such festivities like Hannukah even if we aren’t part of a given faith. “It’s one thing to be unaware of Hannukah and menorahs when you’re younger, but when you’re middle-aged, it can be expected that you’d be aware of such traditions that go along with this holiday, especially when the United States has the second highest Jewish population outside of Israel,” said Ian Benjamin, a Junior at Saint Rose. This can be applied to all re-
could see his red nose. Santa then talked down on him and made him seem less than what he achieved. Because of the discrimination and alienation, Rudolf left along with his new elf friend. They then traveled to the island of “misfit toys,” where there are toys that are not wanted. They have not only been discriminated against, but now are segregated and are living on their own island where no one else can live except misfit toys. ligious and cultural celebrations. Part of what makes our country so unique is that we have a mix of just about every kind of background. Also, these traditions have gone on for thousands of years, so it boggles my mind as to how one can be unaware of them.
//CBS Studios Later on, you think that things are great and dandy with the fact that everyone at the north pole accepting Rudolf. Well that is not the case either. Not one person apologized to him for the way that they treated him. Because Rudolf was able to help them do something, Santa essentially used Rudolf and did not show any remorse for doing it at all. Next time you watch Rudolf the red nose Reindeer, think about this stuff. Maybe there is another underlying message in this story. You don’t have to be an encyclopedia of world culture to understand religious celebrations, but in the case of Hannukah versus the general public, do yourself a favor and at least listen to Adam Sandler’s “The Hanukkah Song” and that suffice.
//Happy Madison Productions
December 8, 2010
sports
Volume 79 Issue 13
Auburn, Oregon Bound for Glendale Two heavyweights headed to the National Championship By THOMAS STOMAS Despite the controversial past of the BCS system, this year’s national title game is, with no debate, going to be between the top-ranked Auburn Tigers and the Oregon Ducks; with the TCU Horned Frogs falling just short because of their mid-major status. Both schools are making their first appearances in the title game, and it is also the first ever meeting in the history of the two teams.
drive at the end of the first half to get within a touchdown. After a hail mary that went for a touchdown for the Tigers at the end of the first half, they destroyed all the momentum South Carolina had built up and never seemed to look back. Auburn got out to a fast start in the second half, putting up 21 unanswered points as they buried South Carolina in a 35 point deficit. The Gamecocks could only manage a field goal halfway
gled to end the Beavers threat early. With a halftime score of 16-7, just a 9 point Oregon lead, it seemed as though the first offense to come alive would be the team to come out on top. This proved true as the Ducks offense woke up in the second half, putting up 21 total points, 14 of which coming in a very crucial 4th quarter. With the Beavers not able to respond to the Ducks surging offense, they quickly found themselves in a hole that they could not dig themselves out of. Ryan Katz, the quarterback of the Beavers, threw for 224 yards and two touchdowns, but had
The Saint Rose Chronicle
D13
December Word Search By AMY WHEELER
Word Bank
// photo from www.satellitetv-news.com The Tigers are coming off of a huge blowout of the South Carolina Gamecocks in the SEC championship. Cam Newtown led Auburn to a 56-17 victory while putting up stats worthy of a Heisman Trophy winner. Newton threw for 335 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for another 73 yards and two touchdowns. He finishes the regular season with 2,254 yards passing, and another 1,409 yards rushing and 44 touchdowns passing and rushing combined. The Gamecocks started strong, coming up with a picture perfect
through the 4th quarter as they were outscored 28-3 in the second half. While the Tigers solidified their trip to Glendale, the Oregon Ducks also completed their perfect regular season with a win over their inner-state rival, the Oregon State Beavers. The Ducks ultimately prevailed with a 37-20 victory after pulling away in the second half. The Beavers seemed to never quit, but they could not keep the game close enough for a chance at victory. The Ducks got out to a slow start in the first half as they strug-
three interceptions that greatly hurt their chances at winning. The Ducks were led by their Heisman hopeful running back LaMichael James who ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns, bringing his season totals to 1,548 yards and 19 touchdowns. With both the Ducks and Tigers finishing their seasons undefeated, the stage will be set for the stars to shine when they both meet in Glendale, Arizona on January 10 to play for the national title.
candy cane family flurry holly poinsetta sledding winter cold finals
frost hot chocolate presents sleigh wreath December fireplace gingerbread ice skating
shopping snow eggnog flu Hanukkah Pearl harbor skiing tree
If you are interested in writing for the Sports section contact Scott Lawson at lawsons408@ strose.edu. Have a great break!
D14
The Saint Rose Chronicle
sports
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
A Conversation with Cheerleader Michael Shear Cheerleader Michael Shear talks to The Chronicle about his inspirations, why cheering can be similar to French class and how the Herky is just like a Hurdler. By IAN BENJAMIN Michael Shear is a member of the St. Rose Cheerleading club squad. He has been cheerleading for five years and is currently in his senior year. He spoke to The Chronicle on Friday, December 3. IB: What inspired you to become a cheerleader? When I was young, the school I went to, I played soccer and baseball, and I was fairly good at soccer. Baseball was not my thing. They called me the “rover”, the fourth guy in the outfield. And then my family moved from near Geneva to near Plattsburgh. I didn't really fit in with the kids.
And my senior year, I was taking so few classes, I wanted to graduate early but they wouldn't let me take two gyms in one year. I was like, alright, whatever. So I basically stayed an extra year so I could take a gym. And I really needed to do something [to fill the time] so I tried out for cheerleading. IB: Have the practices and games fit in well with your schedule? It's easier because it’s at night. My classes fit into the 8 – 4[8:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m.] time block. IB: How often do you guys practice per week? 2-3 times
IB: Do you have anything coming up? We have gift-wrapping at Crossgates next weekend. We'll be there all day Saturday and Sunday [December 10 and 11]. IB: How long have you been cheerleading? This is my fourth collegiate year. I started my senior year of high school so this is my fifth year in total. IB: Do you plan on continuing cheerleading in some form after college? I'd like to coach or work in a gym. IB: For coaching, would you prefer a working in a high school setting, or collegiate? I'd like to be a high school counselor so I think it'd be convenient, it'd be nice [if I could teach cheerleading in a high school]. Since I've been here I've worked alot of summers with cheerlead-
// St. Rose Cheerleading From left: Rochelle Eileen, Kristen Nellis, Jacqueline Smith, Kylee Marie, Michael Shear
// St. Rose Cheerleading From left: Melissa Ann, Michael Shear, Haley Frances, Mikayla Kiersten
ers from other squads ranging anywhere [in age] from 5 to 24. I've made alot of connections [in the cheer community]. I really enjoyed working with younger kids, teaching them things. The look on their face when they get their first cart-wheel roundoff. Or you do [teach] them a stunt that is more advanced than they are allowed to do on a regular basis. For me, the 220 lbs. man, to lift up the 60 lbs. [child] and put them in the air is no big deal and it's not a big safety risk. But it's nice to see the excitement [on their face]. It's like “This is what you have to look forward to if you
want to keep doing it [cheerleading]. IB: What is the most complex stunt you've done? That's hard to say. That's like asking any dancer what's the most complex dance they've ever done. [Let me explain.] What do you like doing in your freetime? IB: I play soccer. I play alot of soccer. So do you know any of those cute little tricks they do? IB: Absolutely. Some of them came easy for you, right? IB: Yes, and there are others I still
December 8, 2010
sports
Volume 79 Issue 13
The Saint Rose Chronicle Just because, let's say something goes unexpectedly, you should know what their next response should be. Human nature can never be predicted perfectly, but the better you can predict what will happen next, even if something goes unexpectedly, you [can] continue on. Like a basketball player falling on the court, the other four keep going. [If] something goes unexpectedly in a dance or sequence you keep going. In a good performance, even if many things go unexpectedly, no one in the audience should ever know. it happens. That's why we practice, doing things over, and over, and over again. We may take two practices to learn it [a stunt] and then we will go weeks perfecting it. I mean, even now, the dance we did at the first game we're still improving. Always, ever improving.
St. Rose Cheer squad // St. Rose Cheerleading can't get. For other people it's the complete opposite. They can't do the ones you can, but the one's you can do [are] like cake for them. Some things, they just come. There's some things that seem [like they should be] really simple, certain sequences seem like they should be really simple. But they're just not. You're talking about trying to get four people to do something in sync. And it could be someone who has been it 12 years, two people who have doing it 4-8 years and one person who this is their first year. And you're bringing in different backgrounds. Let me think how best to explain this. [pause] Did you ever take french class? IB: Yes, several French classes. How many different teachers did you have? IB: Several. And did not each of them teach it in completely different ways? It's the same thing. We're [for the most part] all from different high schools, different people influencing them. I've had two coaches and five different instructors myself. And that's not including the influence from other athletes
who have said “Ya know, you should try this.” So you can have four people in a group working to throw a stunt and all four might have different variations on how it should work. IB: So, even though it's still called the same [stunt] they have different variations of it that may not work in sync? And that's what you get from practice, no? Exactly. Working together we try to piece together our collective knowledge [of the stunt] and find the best working sequence. And you said [each stunt] is called the same thing? Actually, sometimes that gets confusing cause they can be called different things. Alot of things have two names, or three. IB: So what's an example of a stunt with a few names? We have a jump called a Hurdler, but it's can be called a Herky. They guy who named it was named Herkimer. So it's called Herky. But it's also a Hurdler, cause it looks like you're jumping over a hurdle. Which doesn't sound like it's complicated, and it's not. Once someone says “What's that?” then you just
tell them that it's “Oh, it's this.” But when you get into more complicated things there can be three names. It's rare that there are a whole lot of names. But it's one of those little nuances [Another nuance is getting in.] Getting in changes so widely. Some people go in one foot, some people go in two feet at once, some people go one foot in and then they bounce before they get in. And it might not seem like that makes a big difference, but you're talking timing. Because cheerleading is a mix between being an athlete and dancer at times. It's all about timing. So you can imagine four people working together, sometimes five, it only takes one person for things to go unexpected. My personal feeling is that, especially for a cheerleader, but really any athlete that, like in [the quote from the movie]We Were Soldiers, “Every man should know the job of the man above him, and the man below him.” It's the same thing for a cheerleader. You should always know the job of the person next to you, above you, behind you, in front of you, leading you and following you.
IB: So is it true that in once in cheerleading, unlike say, in soccer, where one can plateau in their skill level, you can always be continually adding more complexity to the your rountines? In theory. The one thing I would say is that alot fo us on the squad go to outside sources, we have alot of outside trainers. IB: So you train outside the season? Yes. I've trained in many plac-
D15
es, wherever someone is willing to teach something. IB: Does the squad hang out outside of practice or games? Yeah, alot of us do. Any sports team can be most effective as a family. We get along well on the court. We work very well together. We watch movies, get food, go to a movie, chill out in a room and do homework. Simple, college life things. Check up on each other, look out for each other. We even go home on weekends or breaks with each other, attend birthdays, or other family events. IB: Anything else you would like to mention? We've got a really tight-knit squad this year. We're doing really well. IB: Thanks for your time. Shear also mentioned that the squad is most appreciative of the new uniform, duffel bags and mats they have received from the college in recent years. And that in all stunts, the squad always makes sure to be safe by using effective spotting techniques. Also, the squad never performs a stunt at a game until it is as near perfect as it can be. The cheerleading squad will be at Crossgates next week gift-wrapping, and will likely be stationed in front of Best Buy.
Mike Shear // St. Rose Cheerleading
D16 The Saint Rose Chronicle
sports
December 8, 2010
Volume 79 Issue 13
Knights Triumph Over Owls Lady Golden Knights squared off against South Connecticut State Saturday By SCOTT LAWSON ALBANY, NY – On Saturday, December 4, 2010, Saint Rose’s women’s basketball team tipped off against the Owls of South Connecticut State in the Nolan Gymnasium. Going into the game, The Owls lead the series against the Golden Knights 14 – 7, where when played in Albany the series is 5 – 4. With the past weighing on them, the Knights had to come into the game with all intentions to prove the past numbers wrong. Once the game started, patience is the key word that was yelled from the sidelines from coach Haag. Her game plan was simple, and that was to control the ball on the offensive end of
the court, looking to move the ball around and then working the ball to the inside. She did not want anything forced that did not needed to be. Throughout the entire first half, the game was evenly matched. Baskets were traded off at the same rate. Also the game was called very tight by the referees causing early foul trouble for both sides. At the half, the score was close; 36 – 33 Golden Knights. But the game could have potentially been the other way. The Owls had 19 turnovers at the half. If this number was reduced, the score could have potentially gone the other way. After half time, the Golden Knights took off from South
Connecticut State. But that did not mean that there were no worries on the sidelines. There was the outside shooting threat from South Connecticut States number 11, Alex Fiola who finished the game with 22 points, shooting 50 percent from outside the three point line where she scored 18 of her points. But Fiola’s efforts were foiled by the Saint Rose’s Ashley Rath, scoring a career high 29 points. Also Amy Voelkel helped out on the rebounding end of the game leading the team with 12 rebounds. The final score was 71 to 56 in favor of the Golden Knights. There are many threats that were focused on during the game. Ola Shajuyugbe is a great outside shooter and was proven with the attention that was given to her from the Owl’s defense. This al-
Not the Typical Ending for the Men The tides changed in Saturday’s men’s basketball game against South Connecticut State By SCOTT LAWSON ALBANY, NY – The Golden Knights of Saint Rose tipped off against the South Connecticut State Owls. Preparation for this game was an important aspect of this game. According to James Wilson, they have watched a lot of film and prepared for the tendencies of the Owls. He also said that they needed to control the boards and not let the Owls have any second chances and also to be able to push the ball up the court because they have a better opportunity for scoring on the transition. The Knights are leading the series with the 19 – 5 and at the
Nolan Gymnasium, where the game was played Saturday, they lead the series 8 – 3. They walked in hoping to add onto the win column. The game started off well, Gutierrez struck first and the points continued to pile up. The first half seemed mostly one sided, the Golden Knights kept scoring more and more baskets. And it wasn’t just one person scoring; but was spread equally amongst all of the Golden Knights. The Knights controlled the ball well on the offensive end of the court as well as pressuring the ball on defense. At the end of the first half, the Knights lead the game 50 – 31.
The Owls were down, but not out. Starting the second half, South Connecticut State took advantage of what seemed to be a content Saint Rose basketball team. The Owls also took advantage of the lack Andre Pope’s presence on the court due to his early foul trouble. But that didn’t stop Shea Bromirski from stepping up by scoring his career high 32 points. Bromirski’s and the Knights efforts were foiled. The Owls were persistent on winning and losing wasn’t in their vocabulary. They came back from the 19 point deficit and then winning with an on the run buzzer beating shot from Kieran Ramsey which started from a defensive rebound and a quick push up the court. Devastated from the 83 to 85 loss, the Knights left the court,
// Steve McLaughlin Ashley Rath led the Golden Knights to their 71 to 56 victory againtst South Connecticut State with a career high 29 points lowed Rath to have an easier time finding the open areas on the court so that the shots can be taken with greater ease. Up and coming for the Golden Knights is their game against the Dolphins of Le Moyne on December 7th at Le Moyne.
not showing good sportsman ship by leaving the court without shaking the hands of the Owls. The game was lost due to the poor controlling of the boards and complacency with the results of the game. The Owls had the drive and desire to win the
games which lead the demise of the Golden Knights. The next game the Knights will play is on the December 7th against the Dolphins of Le Moyne. Hopefully they will learn from mistakes and will bounce back from this loss.
// Tom Killips Shea Bromirski scores career high 32 points in the upset loss against South Connecticut State