Jon Handy and the baseball team aren’t the only athletes still going in the SUNYAC playoffs. For complete playoff coverage, see sports.
The Students’ Newspaper
Page B1 Friday, May 4, 2012 • Vol 86 Issue 11
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With election season in full swing, the presidential candidates agree that student debt needs to be decreased. How do they propose to get that done? That’s the:
$1 TRILLION QUESTION
By Yessenia Funes associate news editor
Though the U.S.-Canadian relationship already is thriving, U.S. Consul General to Quebec City Peter O’Donohue said it is likely to get better. With similar cultures, mutual values, shared ways of mind and a “greased up geographic proximity,” O’Donohue said Quebecers tend to feel comfortable coming to the United States. “Almost all of us have an idea of the sheer magnitude of the Canada-U.S. relationship,” he said. After the 9/11 tragedies, the U.S.-Canada border increased its security. O’Donohue touched upon old memories of growing up
in New England in the 60s and waving a simple, “Hello,” to border officers. “Sorry,” he said. “Those days are gone.” In the conclusions of a 2006 U.S. Travel Association survey, foreign travelers were discovered to be more afraid of U.S. immigration officials than of terrorism or crime. American borders were rated the least welcoming in the world. “I sometimes get all this extra screaming, too,” O’Donohue said. “We need to fix these kind of things, or people won’t come back because of the border.” He said the thickened border has caused a 1 percent
Weather & Index
See GENERAL, A8
Friday
Chance of T-storms High: 75 Low: 52
Potsdam: $21,427
5 0
Graphic Design/Matthew Hamilton
Source: projectonstudentdebt.org
Consul General Hoping to be a match to Quebec City visits PSUC By Yessenia Funes associate news editor
Plattsburgh: $25,326
Oswego: $25,931 Oneonta: $17,564
10
Old Westbury: $16,371
Buffalo State: $22,565
15
Geneseo: $21,200
20
New Paltz: $25,732
25
Brockport: $25,733
Purchase College: $33,125
30 Fredonia: $27,110
The graph at left shows the average student loan debt for 2010 graduates from 13 different SUNY schools. The y-axis represents the number in thousands of dollars of debt accumulated.
35
Binghamton: $21,110
Graph key
See LOAN, A8
2010 SUNY graduate student-loan debt
Albany: $24,146
With the national student loan debt heading toward $1 trillion, Republicans and Democrats both agree student loan interest should not double on July 1. As of now, the subsidized Stafford loans have a fixed interest rate of 3.4 percent, according to studentaid. ed.gov. The interest rate is set to increase to 6.8 percent this summer, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) official website. In order for the 3.4 percent interest rate to extend for a year, the Congress and White House need to figure out where the $6 billion funding for this extension will come from. “I don’t care how they fund it,” Plattsburgh State Director of Student Financial Services Todd Moravec
said. “I would like to see students get the lower rates however they find it.” According to NASFAA, Republicans introduced the option to repeal the Prevention and Public Health Fund, a disease prevention fund created by the Affordable Care Act. The fund is set to support community grant programs, outreach campaigns and immunization programs. Democrats introduced the idea to eliminate tax benefits for some small businesses that file their taxes as S corporations. S corporations avoid paying corporate taxes by passing on earnings to shareholders who, if employees, report the income on their taxes as profit instead of wages, according to NASFAA. PSUC student Thomas Skolnick said he thinks the health care should stay.
PSUC takes over P’burgh’s afterschool program By Stanley Blow III associate news editor
Cardinal Points/Ben Rowe
Plattsburgh State baseball third baseman Damian Tyler swabs his cheek during the Be the Match Drive in the Warren Ballrooms Tuesday. The event was part of Brian Mehan Be the Match Day, which was hosted by the baseball team in honor of former team member Brian Mehan. Mehan died of cancer in 2008. The day ended with a 7-2 victory over Canton on senior day. “We got that win for Brian and his family and pretty much for bone marrow research,” Tyler said after the victory. “It’s just great to give back to the community.”
Saturday Chance of Rain High: 63 Low: 52
Sunday
Mostly Cloudy High: 61 Low: 43
News Briefs ......................... A2 Police Blotter ....................... A4 SA Soundoff ........................ A5 Opinions .............................. A6 Letters to the Editor ............ A7
A proposal for Plattsburgh State’s education, health and human services department to take over Plattsburgh City School District’s current 21st Century afterschool program was approved for next semester. The program, which is called Project CONNECT, is due to be put into place in September 2012 and will be run at Bailey Avenue, Momot and Oak Street elementary schools, and Stafford Middle School. See SCHOOL, A8
Sports ................................... B1 Scoreboard ........................... B2 Sex and the SUNY ................. B5 Reviews ................................ B7 FUSE .................................... B8
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news editor elizabeth reff
PSUC News Discussion on India’s multiple crises Director of the Center for Developing Societies in Delhi, India, Vipul Mudgal will present Democracy, Terror and Internal Conflicts: Media, State and Political Violence in India. It will be from 1-2:15 p.m. on May 4. It will discuss India’s multiple crises. The presentation will be in the Angell College Center’s Cardinal Lounge for free.
Mambo Cambo and guest to perform at Jazz Festival Dance Party
The Jazz Festival Dance Party will be held at the Naked Turtle Holding Co. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Mambo Cambo and guest Rovert Aaron will perform.
GospelFest 2012 to feature dancers
This year’s GospelFest will be in the E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium in Hawkins Hall. It will be from 5-9 p.m. May 5. The concert will feature the Plattsburgh Gospel Choir, Step Team, Praise Dancers and Praise Team. The Montreal Gospel Choir will be a special guest. Tickets will be for sale at the Angell College Center desk, Great Adirondack Soup Co. and North Country Cultural Center for the Arts. Advanced tickets will be $12 for general admission and $5 for students. On the day of the show, tickets will be $15 for general admission and $8 for students.
Students to face local fifth graders
Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader event will be held Monday. It will be from 7-9 p.m. in the Angell College Center’s Warren Ballroom. Plattsburgh State students will compete against local fifth graders in a game of knowledge.
Music lecturer to direct free concert
Adjunct lecturer Elizabeth Gorevic will direct the Sinfonia Chamber Concert. It will be May 7 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. The Sinfonia String Students will play for free in the E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium in Hawkins Hall.
Applied studio students to perform
Performance Class II will perform in Krinovitz Auditorium in Hawkins Hall. The performance will be for free from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Author to discuss role of childhood trauma in many physical diseases Meredith Wiley, co-author of “Scared Sick,” which reveals how chronic fear in early childhood causes many common physical diseases, presents Scared Sick: The Role of Childhood Trauma in Adult Disease. It will be from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday. The presentation will be held at the Comfort Inn on Route 3 for $25.
Students will showcase classwork
Ringing Down the Curtain showcases acting and dance class students classwork from this semester from May 9-10. The event will be for free in the Hartman Theatre in Myers Fine Arts.
SUNY News
New commission chair announced ALBANY — Former Citigroup and Time Warner executive Richard Parsons will chair the newly announced New NY Education Reform Commission, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday at the Capitol. The commission will have a broad mandate to explore solutions to long-standing policy debates surrounding teacher retention and evaluation, the imbalance in support between high- and low-needs schools, boosting parent engagement and more. The government has failed to achieve much-needed reforms, Cuomo said, who tasked the panel with building a blueprint for making the state’s system a national, and even global, model. The commission’s 20 members range from state officials, such as Education Commissioner John King and SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, to policy innovators, including Geoffrey Canada of the Harlem Empowerment Zone. President of the American Federation of Teachers Union Randi Weingarten will serve on the commission but wasn’t on hand for Monday’s announcement. Sen. John Flanagan and Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan will represent the legislative majority conferences. Cuomo and others on the panel who introduced themselves noted that past state leaders had tried and failed to address many of the issues they’ll be taking on. The commission, created by executive order, is slated to issue a preliminary set of recommendations by Dec. 1. “I don’t want a report that we put on a shelf,” Cuomo said. “... I want an action plan. I want a plan that can be implemented.”
CP Corrections In “Students lobby for nursing issues in Albany,” in issue 10, Jenny Keane’s last name was misspelled. Cardinal Points regrets these errors If you see an error in Cardinal Points, email cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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Latino fraternity rejoins PSUC By Yessenia Funes associate news editor
After six years of Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc.’s slumber, three Plattsburgh State students awoke the oldest existing Latino fraternity to rejoin the PSUC campus as the Alpha Delta chapter. The fraternity existed on campus from 2000 to 2006. After the four PSUC chapter founders graduated, there was only one person left in line, so the organization died off, President Johnny McCarthy of Alpha Delta chapter said. “They just couldn’t find anyone to do it,” he said. Alpha Delta chapter Vice President and Secretary Luis Aristud said the idea began with McCarthy, and it spread to him and their third brother, Rafael Gonzalez, treasurer of the organization. Upon coming to PSUC, McCarthy said he noticed there were no ethnic fraternities. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., a black fraternity, joined PSUC this semester. Now, there is a Latino fraternity, too. “It’s something I knew had to be done,” McCarthy said. “I didn’t see anyone else taking the steps, so I took it upon myself.” Gonzalez said the fraternity is not Latino-exclusive. It has Indian, Egyptian, Italian and Asian brothers, too. McCarthy began his attempt to bring Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc. back on campus last semester in October. McCarthy told Gonzalez about his plans, and they
Cardinal Points/Gregg Twergo
Johnny McCarthy, Luis Aristud and Rafael Gonzalez sit outside Champlain Valley Hall representing Phi Iota Alpha, the Latino fraternity, which was brought back after six years. found Aristud along the way. The director of the fraternity’s capital region, Chris Vargas, and the governor of the fraternity’s Northeast province, Peter Rojas, had been trying to revive the chapter for a while, McCarthy said. “It was like fate,” he said. After Vargas and Rojas met with the Committee for Fraternal Affairs at the end of last semester, McCarthy, Aristud and Gonzalez had to meet with the Interfraternity Council this semester to get approved. Then, they began pledging. What drove these three young men to pledge camaraderie to this fraternity? Aristud said he became interested after doing research about the fraternity. “They stay classy,” he said. Aristud also said he comes
from a large family, which he missed. He found that familyfeeling with Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc. Gonzalez agreed with Aristud about coming from a big family. “I had to be a role model, but never had a role model,” he said. “After we finished… they (brothers) were always so nice and lending with helping hands. That kind of brotherhood and that kind of familia, it hits home.” Gonzalez said the fraternity brothers were sophisticated and professional with the presentation. They made him feel welcomed. McCarthy said he met with brothers in California over winter break. While the Northeast is the fraternity’s capital region, chapters also are found in Texas, Florida, In-
diana, Illinois and Maryland, according to Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc.’s official website. Also, Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc.’s membership includes three former presidents of Latin American countries, including Honduras’ Carlos Roberto Flores Facusse, Panama’s Eric Arturo Del Valle and Colombia’s Mariano Ospina Perez. McCarthy said the organization plans to have an information session within the next two weeks to attract prospective brothers. After being supported by the campus and people all over the nation, McCarthy said it is time to give his brothers a reason to continue supporting them. Aristud said, “I feel like, now, they’re my brothers — real blood brothers.”
Cuomo’s good samaritan policy urges people to dial 911 in the event of an alcohol or drug overdose and promises they will not be pursued legally for the drug consumption. This law has in mind the people who fear criminal pros-
ecution for drug or alcohol consumption who die as a result of not receiving the proper care they need. The SUNY Student Assembly wants to extend this same assurance to the students of SUNY campuses all across New York state. According to a press release from the New York state coordinator, three of the 64 SUNY campuses have good samaritan policies presently. Plattsburgh State Dean of Students Stephen Matthews said he was unfamiliar with the good samaritan policy, but he said PSUC policies are consistent with state laws. Matthews said students are not pursued criminally if they overdose on drugs or alcohol at PSUC. Instead, they are entered into the campus judicial process, which usually results in counseling and an alcohol and drug education program. He said, regardless of whether students are afraid to do so, it is essen-
tial that they or a friend notifies University Police so they can receive proper medical treatment. “A lot of times, students will say, ‘well, we can take care of Joe (hypothetical person),’” Matthews said, “but sometimes those are the same people that had been out drinking with Joe, … so they’re not in any position to be caring for somebody.” He said they should let qualified professionals like University Police handle drug and alcohol situations. PSUC student Greg Zorko said he would contact University Police rather than take the risk of death. “If you look at what you would regret more,” Zorko said “Would you regret dying or being moderately disciplined by the college?” Another PSUC student, Evan Spenziero, said if a friend was noticeably ill to the point where he was unresponsive, Spenziero said he would definitely bring him to the hospital. PSUC student Noah Davis agreed with this sentiment. “Once they’re not responsive, you’ve got to get them somewhere,” Davis said. He said, however, if he was able, he would probably bring the student to the hospital himself because ambulances are expensive. He said it would be hard for PSUC to not react at all to something as serious as this. However, students will not have criminal charges brought against them for their consumption of alcohol or drugs. They only will receive a referral to judicial affairs and counseling. Matthews said judicial affairs understands most students would not deliberately consume so much alcohol or drugs they put their lives in danger, and it is an embarrassing accident. He stressed the importance of contacting somebody in the event of an overdose. “Call us.”
Policy urges students to dial 911 By Stanley Blow III associate news editor
The SUNY Student Assembly passed a resolution regarding Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 2011 good samaritan policy.
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Gym memberships may be unused by students By Ruthann Alexander staff writer
Despite paying for gym memberships and the fitness center fee, some Plattsburgh State students do not use these facilities. Director of the Fitness Center, Matthew Salvatore said some of the more typical reasons include students having good intentions when paying the membership, but they end up not having enough time in their schedules to go. For example, PSUC student, Sujanthan Rajendran, said he had a membership for the fitness center last semester, but he stopped paying for it because he did not have enough time in his schedule. “I went regularly for two months and then I stopped going because I had too much work,” Rajendran said. If the campus offered credit for working out at the gym students would be more motivated to take advantage of the fitness center when they pay the membership fee, Rajendran said. Salvatore said that even a full schedule is not an excuse because everyone should be able to find an hour or two to focus on their health. PSUC student, Stephanie Hart, said the classes should be more accessible to student schedules because there are a lot of good group exercise classes offered that conflict with the class schedules of students on campus. “They should also promote the
Cardinal Points/Gregg Twergo
A membership for the fitness center costs $70 per student each semester. Even with paid memberships, Plattsburgh State students do not always utilize the services offered by the center. classes more,” Hart said. “Maybe they can put more posters up to advertise the classes offered.” PSUC student, Lindsay Cappozzo, said people who are new to working out at the gym feel uncomfortable going alone, so they should go with a friend to stay motivated. The classes also provide motivation because there is a variety of activities from the rock climbing wall to yoga classes, she said. Hart said working out with a friend made her more comfortable than working out alone. PSUC student, Anna Banach, said paying for the membership should be motivation enough.
Also, working out is beneficial to the body and emotional state of being, she said. “Working out is good way to destress,” she said. “When you work out you feel better and you can stay healthy.” Banach said it would also be a great idea if there were more fitness centers across campus, such as the dormitories. “The machines in the fitness center get so crowded and I don’t like to go when it is crowded,” Banach said. For example, the renovations for Hood Hall include a satellite fitness center for members to go to,
Salvatore said. Anyone who lives on campus will be able to use Hood Hall’s fitness center and everyone else can use the main facility, he added. Cappozzo said the Hood Hall fitness center is a great idea because it will decrease the volume of students in the main fitness center. One of the reasons many people do not like to use the fitness center is because it gets so congested, she said. “I think there should be one in every dorm,” Cappozzo said. “The people who live off-campus can use the main one.” Hart said mini fitness centers in other dorms would be convenient
for students who do not like to walk to the gym in bad weather. The main fitness center would be less crowded. “I think more people would go if you didn’t have to sign up for machines,” Hart said. Another reason some students pay the membership fee is they don’t know it is optional, Salvatore said. However, it is up to the students to know which fees on their tuition bills are optional and which are mandatory, he added. Salvatore said students can get reimbursed for the fee within the first four weeks of the semester if they decide within that time frame they do not want to use the fitness center. For example, if students decide within the first week of the semester they do not want to use the fitness center, he can reimburse 100 percent of the fee to them. During the second, third and fourth weeks, he can refund 50 percent of the fee to them. “It comes down to individual responsibility, too,” Salvatore said. “They need to look over the optional items and decide if they think they can utilize them.” Weekly reports from CAS show that members of the fitness center do not start going until the 12th week of the semester, Salvatore said. “By the end of every semester, 75 percent of paying members are active members,” Salvatore said. “We really would like that to be 100 percent.”
Anthropology professor writes about global debt By Javier Simon staff writer
Global debt stands at $60 trillion. Problems arise when debt is not paid; however, anthropology professor Richard H. Robbins said societies will still face issues even if that debt is paid. Robbins said that paying off immense debt requires massive economic growth, which could increase economic inequality among individuals in the United States and the rest
of the world. In his article, Why Societies Fail: The Other Consequences of Debt, which was published in the Huffington Post this week, Robbins argued that an economy based on debt causes money to flow to the rich because wealthy individuals, who have the economic power to loan money to others in need, expect returns on their money along with high interest rates. Paying back debt is feasible in a growing economy.
“The faster the economy grows, the faster money moves from the poor to the rich,” Robbins said. Plattsburgh State student Leonard Craig agrees. “Debt moves wealth to hands of the rich,” Craig said. “Guess who owns the banks that put you in debt?” Robbins also said economic growth is linked to a growing strain on the enviRobbins ronment. His analogy involved the U.S. lumber industry which cut down 1.5 million more trees between 1990 and 1995, than it did during the previous five-year period in order to maintain a growth rate of about 3.5 percent. The industry cut down 2.5 million additional trees to maintain the same growth rate between 2005 and 2010. “Apply those figures to automobiles, fish stocks, water usage, etcetera,” Robbins said. However, some students believe that economic growth is necessary for development and job creation. “Inequality fosters development and change whereas equality sort of
stagnates things,” PSUC student Mark Rowsey said. PSUC student Noah Dodds said he also supports economic growth despite increased economic inequality, Dodds said. “Just because everything grows, doesn’t mean everyone grows equally.” Many citizens also worry about a lack of economic growth. According to a Gallop Poll published in March, 71 percent of Americans “worry a great deal” about the economy. The poll put the economy at the top of the list of concerns for which respondents said they worried “a great deal” about. The unemployment rate in the United States is 8.3 percent as of March 2012, according to the U.S Department of Labor. Nonetheless, Robbins believes steps could be taken toward economic growth and economic equality. He said interest rates need to be reduced and existing debt, such as the student loan, should be renegotiated. The Federal Reserve reported in March that student loan debt stood at $870 billion. According to Inside
Higher Education, an online news source covering higher education in the U.S., the amount of student loan debt in the United States has surpassed the amount of credit card debt. “Education has been turned into a cash cow for investors,” Robbins said. “By forcing students to borrow to go to school, they are forcing students to pay what they’ve borrowed along with interest to the banks.” He also said that what is offered as a student loan can be offered as a grant. Although Dodds said he is concerned about student loans to the point where he tends not to think about his loans, he believes lowincome individuals do not have to go to expensive universities when they can enroll in vocational schools. “It’s unfortunate that being able to fix something as opposed to spending $20,000 a year for a business degree is frowned upon in the United States,” Dodds said. Craig said he believes education should be free. Robinson said that certain debt such as money owed by third-world countries to foreign investors and multi-national lending organizations including
the International Monetary Fund should be eliminated. The move is not popular for everyone. Dodds said he believes countries should be able to deliver to debtors some kind of return such as resources instead of money. “Deleting debt is bad for the world economy,” Dodds said. However, Robbins said many third-world countries fail to fund the establishment of schools and hospitals because a large amount of money flows out of the country to pay investors. Mali is one of the 25 poorest countries in the world and about 36 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the CIA World Fact Book. The CIA also reported that, in 2011, the country completed an IMF extended credit facility program that helped the economy grow. Nonetheless, Robins said global debt and interest rates can be modified to help establish a sustainable economy. “We have to lower interest rates and completely renegotiate existing debts that can’t be repaid,” Robbins said. “You can have an interest bearing system but it has to be reasonable.”
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April 22 1:41 a.m. — Wilson Hall — University Police and Plattsburgh Fire Department EMS responded to 30J Wilson Hall for an intoxicated student. The student was transported to the hospital via ambulance. College charges were forwarded for endangerment. A service report was filed.
11:17 p.m. — Whiteface Hall — A Resident Assistant reported that someone broke the glass out of the door to the fire extinguisher cabinet located outside room 70G. The damage occurred on April 19. Heating Plant personnel responded to remove the glass. A crime incident report was filed. April 24 12:28 a.m. — Moffitt Hall — A resident student reported that his former girlfriend was refusing to leave his suite in Moffitt Hall. University Police responded and the individual left without incident. The individual is an off-campus student. A service report was filed.
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friday, may 4, 2012
Program helps young girls By Ruthann Alexander staff writer
pass. He was released upon an appearance ticket.
11:52 p.m. — Hood Hall — University Police arrested Jesse Fetcho of 711 deFredenburgh Hall and charged him with a violation of trespass. He was released upon an appearance ticket.
April 27 9:20 p.m. — Beaumont Hall — University Police responded to the fourth floor of Beaumont Hall for a water pipe break. Central Heating Plant personnel and the cleaning staff were notified and responded to fix the break and clean the area. A service report was filed. April 28 12:26 a.m. — Couch Street — City Police arrested Christopher Agars of 36 Couch St. and charged him with a violation of the city noise ordinance. He was released upon an appearance ticket.
1:02 a.m. — Broad Street — City Police arrested Yannick Clayton of 331 Moffitt Hall and charged him with violation of 11:38 a.m. — Feinberg Li- the city open container ordibrary — University Police and nance. He was released upon the Plattsburgh Fire Depart- an appearance ticket. ment ambulance responded to a resident student who had 1:25 a.m. — Court Street — fainted in the library. The stu- City Police Arrested Austin dent had given blood earlier Poulin of 1 Champlain St. and in the day. The student signed charged him with criminal misa medical release and was not chief in the fourth degree and transported. A service report a violation of possession of a was filed. forged instrument. He was released upon posting $250 bail. 12:22 p.m. — University Police — A resident student 1:35 p.m. — Sibley Hall reported an item of mail had Grounds — University Pobeen stolen. The student lice and the CVPH ambulance had gotten an envelope that responded to the rugby field should have contained a birth- behind Sibley Hall for a male day card and $20, but the en- with a neck injury. The male, velope was empty. A crime who is an alumnus, was inincident report was filed. jured in an alumni rugby game and was transported to 12:53 p.m. — University Po- CVPH. A service report was lice — An off-campus student filed. reported being electronically harassed by a resident student. 3:14 p.m. — Rugar Street — The incident does not warrant University Police, City Police charges at this time. Both par- and State Police responded ties were advised to cease con- to Rugar Street and the Field tact with each other. A service House area for a report of a report was filed. male possibly carrying a bag containing a weapon. After April 25 checking the area and inter6:30 a.m. — Parking Lot 27 viewing several people, the re— An employee reported find- port could not be substantiating syringes in parking lot 27. ed. A service report was filed. The syringes were collected by University Police and dis- 5:53 p.m. — Moffitt Hall — posed of properly. A service University Police responded report was filed. to Moffitt Hall for a vending machine being tipped over in 10:08 a.m. — Kehoe Build- the first floor lounge. There ing — University Police and did not appear to be any damthe Plattsburgh Fire Depart- age to the machine. The vendment responded to a fire ing company was notified. A alarm at the Kehoe Adminis- crime incident report was tration Building. Upon arrival, filed. the building was in full alarm and had been evacuated. Dust 7:40 p.m. — University Pofrom contractors working in lice — University Police rethe building activated a smoke ceived a walk-in complaint detector in the vestibule. The from a guest of a resident stualarm was reset. A service re- dent that reported his bike had port was filed. been stolen after he locked it to a handicapped parking sign 6:56 p.m. — Whiteface Hall near the handicapped entrance — A resident student reported to Adirondack Hall. While inhis laundry stolen from the vestigating this complaint, it Whiteface Hall laundry room was learned the handicapped where he had left it unattended parking sign had been stolen as on April 20. A crime incident well. Maintenance and Operareport was filed. tions was notified of the sign theft. A crime incident report 10:09 p.m. — Kent Hall — was filed. University Police arrested Charles Roberts of 329 Kent 8:52 p.m. — Broad Street Hall and charged him with — University Police assisted a violation of unlawful pos- the Plattsburgh Police Departsession of marijuana. He was ment with traffic control at a released upon an appearance motor vehicle accident at the ticket. intersection of Broad Street and Prospect Avenue. A serApril 26 vice report was filed. 11:52 p.m. — Hood Hall — University Police arrested To view the full police blotter, visit Christian Reagin of 711 decardinalpointsonline.com Fredenburgh Hall and charged him with a violation of tres-
“Don’t tell me the sky’s the limit, because there’s footprints on the moon,” a T-shirt read at the Shine On conference, held April 2829 and organized by Plattsburgh State students. The Shine On conference was an event consisting of various workshops meant to empower girls at a young age. Kristie Casler, one of the organizers of the event, said there were workshops talking to girls about eating disorders, poor body image and cyber bullying. Among the many activities was a T-shirt workshop that allowed the young girls to write powerful messages on shirts, Casler said. “It was amazing to see in that workshop girls were actually really getting the message,” Casler said. “Seeing the positive things they were writing on everyone else’s T-shirts really helped to show that they were understanding what we were doing.” There is a YouTube video about the conference that showed the T-shirts, said Dani Johnson, another student who organized the event. Some of the things the girls were writing were very powerful messages, she added. “It was in this really adorable fourth-grade hand writing, and they wrote these really powerful messages,” Johnson said. “It’s really kind of cool to see.” Casler said it was amazing seeing young people comprehending what they were being told at the conference and expressing that in the T-shirts. The messages included, “You’re strong and positive,” rather than “You’re pretty,” she added. There was a magazine workshop where the girls browsed through magazines and toar out negative advertisements targeted at telling women how they should look, Casler said. The young girls were paired with partners to go through the magazine to discuss how the advertisements made them feel. There was a discussion for the girls to discuss how the advertisements made them feel, after the workshop, she said. “That one was probably one of the most effective,” Johnson said. “One of the mothers came up and talked to me after and said her daughter came up to her in the tiny fit of rage saying, ‘I just tore all of these magazines out of this magazine because they told me I wasn’t pretty enough and I had to buy all of this stuff...I’m great the way I am.’” At the media workshop, Rhema Lewis showed the Miss Representation documentary, a film about the negative images of women in the media, Johnson said. “That has actually been a hot topic lately, and it was really tough for us to get the DVD,” Johnson said. “She showed that and talked about how girls are always portrayed in the media and how they always need a guy to save them and how they never really play that key role in a movie or TV shows.” Lewis also led a discussion about what role models should be and who to look up to and why, Johnson said. “Don’t look up to some-
Photo Provided
PSUC student Rachel Reeves speaks to a group of pre-teen girls as part of the Shine On conference. This event took place April 28-29. body because they’re pretty,” Johnson said. “Look up to them because they’re strong.” Johnson said even though these girls were so young, when they were spoken to at this level about these issues, they were able to comprehend what they were being told. They understood what the problems are. It is really important to deliver these positive messages to them before middle school, she said, because middle school is when bullying really starts. Bullying has a larger medium to reach children now that social networking is a dominant factor in the lives of young people, Johnson said “We didn’t have Facebook when we were in elementary and middle school, and now there’s all kinds,” Johnson said. YouTube is a huge medium that lends itself to
bullying because kids can videotape their peers and put the videos online to be mocked, Johnson said. A lot of the girls were picking up on advertisements of women that were doctored in Photoshop, Johnson said. The girls noticed that these women were made to look flawless through the use of technology. Casler said Junior Girl Scouts also performed skits at one of the workshops to show the girls how they can act if they or someone they know is being bullied. Ilene Leshinsky, an adjunct sociology lecturer, spoke to the girls mothers’ about how they can learn how to talk to their daughters about body image and eating disorders. Leshinsky said her discussion was meant to be interactive, so she gave handouts to the mothers to promote discussion and feedback.
“We are all indundated with media messages that we need to be a certain size and weight to be loveable,” Leshinsky said. She said the mothers need to re-examine their beliefs about their own bodies in order to talk to their daughters about positive body image. Mothers need to be role models for their daughters. Leshinsky also spoke about healthy eating and how to eat inexpensively, but healthy, without going to fast food restaurants. Leshinksy said one of the things she got out of the event was seeing the mothers learning about how to speak to their daughters about healthy body image. “I think it’s tremendously courageous that there were 41 mothers there,” Leshinsky said. “My heart was just bursting open. It was wonderful.”
friday, may 4, 2012
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news@cardinalpointsonline.com
CP News
news editor elizabeth reff
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Students give green reviews on campus Students conduct interviews about campus sustainability By Elizabeth Reff news editor
turn off their lights, computers, printers and copiers when they’re not using them. Also, About 20 different offices on their use of Federal Environcampus were recently reviewed mental Protection Agency cerabout sustainabilityby 22 stu- tified electronic appliances. dents . The fourth area they looked Assistant professor of Earth at was what the different officand Environmental Sciences es do to encourage and motiCurt Gervich teaches environ- vate people in those offices to mental sustainability, a course participate in sustainabilitythat includes “green office re- oriented behaviors. views” as a semester long proj“Do they have signs up enect. couraging people to recycle and In this project, students would shut off their lights?” Gervich pair into twos and assaid. “Do they bring sess the strengths and “It is interest- speakers in to talk weaknesses of each ofabout how they can ing to learn fice by interviewing change their purmembers of the campus about the dif- chasing and concommunity about the ferent things sumption and endecisions they make reergy habits?” you can do garding sustainability Gervich said at to help the issues the end, they alenvironment.” located points for Gervich said the students were allowed to Leslie Appling, each of those difPSUC student choose which offices they ferent behaviors. If would visit and assess. they were recycling They looked at four difmetal, paper, cardferent areas of resource use and board, glass, batteries, etc., they consumption. would receive a point for each of First they looked at whether the type of products they were offices are recycling or reusing recycling. paper products and toner car“For every behavior that we intridges for printers and copiers. quired about, we allocated a point Also, whether it’s recycling cans, value and then we totaled up the bottles, metal, batteries, card- points of all the departments,” Gerboard and other recyclable items. vich said. “The total point value that Next, the students focused on the department could get 100.” office purchasing habits. They The results of the offices looked at how much new mate- were placed into three groups: rial is purchased compared to higher, moderate and needs recycled material, specifically improvement. The higher persearching for waste and overcon- forming offices included the sumption. president’s office, InternationGervich said, the students al Student Services, the Study also looked at energy consump- Abroad office, the registrar and tion, such as whether offices the library computer lab.
Cardinal Points/Rob Schulz
According to the environmental sustainability class’s green office reviews, the president’s office received the most points. These reviews assessed the levels of sustainability in multiple offices around campus. The moderate performing offices include Chartwells, the Center for Diversity Pluralism Inclusion, the Spanish Language office, the center for Earth Environmental Science and the Latin American Studies office. PSUC student Leslie Appling said this was the first time PSUC has ever done green office interviews. These interviews will continue to take place every spring semester when this class is offered, so students will
be able to keep assessing the offices as well as comparing scores with previous years. “Each year there will be a different group of students who will go back and do the same survey,” Gervich said. “We’ll expand the number of offices, so eventually we hope that every office on campus is participating, and that we can track improvement in every office.” She also said the class decided not to publish the exact
number of points, and that they would not reveal the offices that ranked in the lowest section. The points ranged from 30 to the high 70s, Gervich said. Appling said their goal is to try and increase the points of each office. This will eventually lead to a more sustainable campus. “It is interesting to learn about the different things you can do to help the environment,” Appling said.
Student Association Soundoff A message from the Plattsburgh State Student Association
CLUB RECOGNITION PACKETS: Fall 2012 Club Recognition Packets are due by Friday, May 4th at 4:30p.m. Failure to hand it in, will result in clubs not being able to take part in the Involvement Fair LC EXTENDED HOURS: Learning Center is open 24 hours during Finals week! WHITE WATER RAFTING: Trips committee is going on a White Water Rafting trip on May 5th, tickets cost 40 dollars at the ACC desk. The bus leaves at 6:45 am and returns at 6:30 pm. Everything is included. MEMORIAL: Kent State/Jackson State Memorial is on May 3rd. SCAVENGER HUNT: Come win huge prices at our Scavenger Hunt this Saturday, April 28th hosted by the Novelties Committee. WIN AN IPAD3: SA PR Board is hosting a month long social media contest using Twitter and Facebook. For more information, visit the Plattsburgh.edu/SA, the Facebook fan page (@plattsburghSA) or contact Joel Collado at jcoll006@plattsburgh.edu Follow Plattsburgh’s Student Association @PlattsburghSA and make sure to “Like” the Facebook page! Thank you for all the support and have a great weekend, Student Association
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CP Opinions
opinions editor ian tully
opinions@cardinalpointsonline.com
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friday, may 4, 2012
- compiled by Rob Schulz
What would you rather spend the fitness center fee on? Molly Caner Junior Biology
“Food. Taco Bell/McDonald’s.”
Justin Rushlow Junior Criminal Justice
“I would use it for gas money and food.”
Chris Berglund Senior Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management
“The gym is the only thing I would spend it on.”
Maximillian Fogel Junior Anthropology
“I wish I could just save that money.”
Gary Tibbs Freshman Accounting
“Towards better food.”
Disposable fliers Humanity makes don’t help causes tabling successful Graphic Design/Amanda Fruehauf
By Alex Huebner associate online editor
I have a routine between 11 and 2 p.m. in the ACC. If I have a hoodie, that usually goes up. I push my hair behind my ears to make it super obvious that I’m wearing ear buds. I steel my gaze forward. And I ignore all those damn kids who are tabling. The whole thing reminds me of walking by poor little puppies, hoping for someone to adopt Huebner them. To them, I’m the biggest a—hole. But, you know, haters gonna hate. My main reason that I dislike tabling is that I have an anxiety disorder which makes talking to people I don’t know very difficult. So when a random frat boy comes up to me to ask me to donate to some fund, my throat does this weird squeeze that makes it hard to breathe. My lack of breathing, and thus talking, makes said frat boy get annoyed with me because I’m flapping my mouth open in a rather accurate, but unintentional, portrayal of a fish. Honestly, I get so freaked out by these people that I’ve actually taken the stairs near the tabling area and walked all the way to the doors near Tim Horton’s just to leave the building without being bothered. I know I’m not the only person with similar communication problems, so this leads to the tabling efforts being less than effective. On the flip side, I used to film Cardinal Points’ fascinating manon-the-street videos, What’s the Buzz? and Roving Reporter. Filming these videos included dragging around a camera around inside the ACC, and asking students their views on certain questions. I used to go straight to the people
tabling. Every time they refused to answer. So, I know that stating it aloud will make me sound petty but honestly, if you’re not going to give me the time of day, I’m not doing you any favors. My other reason for disliking tabling is that, as mentioned before, I believe it’s pretty ineffective. College students tend be incredibly apathetic. I mean, just look at the recent Student Association special election results. Most of us just want to get to the Downer or to class and the last thing we want to do is be stopped by some random girl handing you a quarter sheet. Those sheets are so silly. Personally, I take one so I don’t appear rude and stuff it in my purse. The other day, one fell out of my purse. It was for an event that a group held in October. These simple pieces of paper suffer a similar fate by other members of the campus community. After a tabling session is finished, you’ll find them scattered on the floor, floating around in the breeze outside or simply thrown away. In a world where social networking is used to promote even the silliest of pages, it’s beyond easy to get the word out. I mean, if I and several thousand others can be convinced to like a Facebook page for a cause called “My couch pulls out, but I don’t” you can get a couple hundred people to like or subscribe to your cause/group’s page. So cut down on the paper waste, quit with the pushy people and find a better outlet for your cause. Maybe I’ll be less of a curmudgeon to you guys. Oh, and say hi to the Cardinal Points ad team that will be tabling this Friday because Lord knows I won’t.
Romney’s stances change constantly By Ian Tully opinions editor
There are many different facets to Mitt Romney. He is a husband, a father, a wealthy businessman, a former Massachusetts governor and a politician who wants to be president of the United States. He was the last candidate left standing after a hardfought Republican primary season, and now, having all but secured his party’s presidential nomination, Romney seeks to focus his attention on his incumbent adversary, Barack Obama. Media outlets have devoted a large quantity of coverage to documenting, analyzing and judging the performance and personality of the United States’ first black president, and they have done relatively the same regarding Romney. I write that they’ve done relatively the same, because
they have taken pains to appear objective in their coverage of the GOP hopeful at the expense of actually providing empirical analysis of this man. At face value, Romney is a serviceable candidate with the image and fortune of a well-groomed American millionaire. This is the only facet of Mitt Romney that he and his political advisers believe a voter should pay attention to. Further examination reveals he is a salesman who subscribes to the theory that if a candidate spends enough money, that candidate deserves to be president. While I, nor anyone else really, can write definitively about the true nature of Mitt Romney as a person, as a candidate he is a fraud, a farce and symbolic of everything that is wrong with the U.S. political process. Currently, the strategy of the Romney camp has been
By Ian Tully opinions editor
Tabling is effective for the simple reason that it is being performed. When enterprising individuals, be they group representatives, Greeklife members or student politicians, want to get their message out to the campus community they are able to do so at a long row of tables in the main lobby of the Angell College Center. Whether it is the promotion of an event, fundraising for a cause or establishing Tully familiarity with the campus community, tabling is useful. It is the necessary footwork any organization needs to perform to garner support. Social media may have us convinced that the creation of a Facebook page will get people to notice, research and attend an event, but this is not the case. Plenty of successful Facebook promotions have gone right down the drain when the crowds of people who said they would attend an event completely blew off the commitment they made three weeks prior with the click of a button. Some may argue that a stranger walking up and handing you a leaflet, keychain, or flying disc to entice you to support their cause is pretentious, but I would say it is social. Sometimes, if done right, it is even friendly. It is humanity knocking on your door, without the actual annoyance of someone disturbing your repose by knocking on your door. When hopeful individuals approach me outside Campus Express, I hear them out even when I know there is no chance I will do what they are trying to get me to do. I listen to their sell. They aren’t telemarketers calling at dinner. They are fellow students that believe in something enough to try to get oth-
to concentrate their resources on highlighting specifically what President Obama has not done, and what potential President Romney will do. Obama, both as a senator and as the president, supported abortion rights. When Romney ran for Senate against Ted Kennedy in 1994, he told Massachusetts voters that he had changed from being against abortion rights to being for them due to the death of a family member from complications stemming from an illegal abortion. Now, as he runs for the highest office in the land, he is once again against abortion rights, but this time he made no mention of Ann Keenan, the family member whose death Salon.com reported was the reason for his position change. This is not his only glaring inconsistency. In 2002 he supported embryonic stem cell research, saying the sci-
ers to help them out. I acknowledge that I do not know all the comings and goings of our campus, and if a person is eloquent, charismatic, or gosh darn cute enough to convince me to go to something, I allow myself to be convinced. Tabling is not effective for everyone, but, for those with open minds that are not bothered by a little extra conversation, interaction and contemplation, it can be. Of course, choice bits of information such as “free food,” “a moon bounce” and “cash prizes” help to make up my mind, but when someone is making the effort to take time out of their day to stump for something, the absolute least I can do is hear them out. It’s more personal than watching television commercials, looking at obnoxiously-oversized product endorsements or looking at the detestable advertising printed on urinal cake nets. And unlike the other forms of advertising and promotion that I just named, a real, live person can usually realize when you are just not interested. To me, it is the same thing as avoiding the human cashier at a grocery store in favor of the electronic, do-it-yourself checkout. You could go out and seek out information about the things you like on your own, or a person with an invested interest in making sure you return could do it for you. When I am approached by someone trying to get me to go to their pig roast, mixer, or themed dinner, it makes me feel approachable. It makes me feel as though I look like I have nothing to do in my day, which I usually don’t, and that I am looking for something fun to do, which I usually am. It isn’t hard to ignore someone whose tabling, but it isn’t hard to listen either.
ence could potentially treat his wife’s multiple sclerosis, as well as many other degenerative diseases. In 2005, however, this position had changed to vowing to press for legislation that would criminalize stem cell research. In 2006, as governor of Massachusetts he signed into law a mandate that required residents of the state to purchase health insurance. Now, he chooses to distance himself from that individual mandate, now more commonly known as Obamacare. In 1994, he supported campaign spending limits and taxing political contributions, but in 2007 he vowed to repeal the McCain Feingold campaign finance reform law that restricted certain campaign contributions. The list goes on, and his inconsistency is the only thing that’s remained con-
sistent. He is a salesman candidate looking to sell whatever view is in style. Romney not only is he obviously pandering to socially conservative demographics, but he is doing so poorly, because it doesn’t seem anyone is convinced. Lastly, the private sector experience this man boasts is the same experience that literally every respecting person despises. As a venture capitalist at Bain capital, he bought struggling companies with borrowed money. Then, he looted those companies for bonuses, fired their employees and declared them bankrupt. He is a puppet whose strings are pulled by this country’s wealthiest interests, and he is looking to secure the largest leveraged buyout of his career this November. The United States is not a company. Don’t let it be bought like one.
friday, may 4, 2012
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CP Opinions
opinions@cardinalpointsonline.com
opinions editor ian tully
Silent campuses make productive students After reading this editorial, close your eyes and take thirty seconds to listen to the world around you. What do you hear? Depending on where you are, you might hear footsteps, maybe a door closing or a phone ringing, all the usual sounds of a bustling campus. Now, start walking and try to find silence. Try to find somewhere on campus with as little sound as possible. Where do you think you can find this quiet place? Feinberg Library? Unfortunately, for a building designed for quiet reading, the patrons of Feinberg are often less than silent, especially when gathering for group activities. Even the study carrels, with their thin walls providing little soundproofing, become amplifiers for conversations taking place in the next room over. The study lounges in the dorm halls can provide the silence needed for late-night studying, but often at the expense of personal comfort. Low ceilings, tight walls and limited ventilation in many of the lounges only add to the stress of studying. Also, while a certain level of silence is expected in the lounges, the same cannot be
Editorial
Cartoon/Roger Ackley
expected of people walking outside of them. We’re not saying students should wander the halls in silence for fear of disturbing a random study session. This is not a call for a silent campus, for as much as there needs to be quiet places for students to study, there needs to be places on campus for students to unwind and talk with friends without fear of keeping their voices down. Yet with finals week approaching, it’s even more important to keep that distinction in mind and work to en-
PSUC referral mandates suicide group attendance Earlier this semester, an R.A. contacted local police after receiving information that I may be in danger of taking my own life. After being interviewed and pressured by the police, I was transferred to CVPH by ambulance and admitted to undergo psychological evaluation. It was on a Sunday night, a few minutes before midnight, and I was paranoid about missing my Monday classes, but I had no idea the multitude of problems I would soon encounter. I was alone in an ambulance. I was told to change my clothes, and they took away my shoes, cell phone, wallet, necklace and everything in between. I sat visibly shaken and traumatized in a room with four white walls. I would wait there until the morning to be seen by a professional. When a nurse asked what I needed to calm down, I asked for art supplies. I was allowed one crayon, and was given some sort of anti- anxiety medicine. After being released, I felt lower then I had when I was originally admitted, and still, nothing would prepare me for the events that would unfold later in the week. My roommate went to the mailbox and found a letter addressed to me. I rarely check mail myself, and was alarmed by the notice I was reading. I read this late on Wednesday, and found that I read it just in time. According to this letter, which I certainly would not have read without the luck of my roommate, I had a meeting scheduled at 11 a.m. the following day with the dean of students in accordance with college policy, because I displayed suicidal behaviors. That was not the alarming part. I had figured, because I have been a dedicated student and member of the Plattsburgh Community for several years, they wanted to inquire about my general wellness. They skipped that part, and instead threatened me with a “Judicial violation which will be adjudicated through the campus judicial system which could result in suspension from SUNY Plattsburgh.” What? I just got out of the hospital, and the school is threatening
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sure there are areas of silence on campus for the students who need them. As construction works to redesign the campus over the next decade, the opportunity remains for silence to be created at the official level. A number of renovations could be drawn into the new designs to improve study space privacy. While the administration at Feinberg should be commended for working to implement increased privacy in their renovation plans, efforts should be made to ensure that improving the privacy of the carrels is a
bullet point goal for a future phase of the library renovation plans. Promoting the carrels as a place of quiet seclusion when a conversation can be held through the walls between them indicates a serious need for increased soundproofing. Study lounges across campus could also be redesigned to make for quieter, more comfortable retreats. As plans are laid out for campus-wide dorm hall renovations, attention could be given toward the placement and design of the study lounges. Rather than facing them toward the center of the building, leaving them as unventilated hot boxes, they could be placed facing outward with a window to provide sunshine and fresh air for warm weather study sessions. Yet even the most sunlit study lounge or quiet carrel is made useless by enough outside noise. No number of quick fixes can solve the problem of silence on campus without a student commitment toward common courtesy. So the next time you’re in the library or walking past the study lounge, take a moment to listen to your surroundings. Is it fairly quiet? Let’s work to keep it that way.
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Cardinal Points The Students’ Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Ben Rowe Managing Editor Matthew Hamilton News Editor Elizabeth Reff Associate News Editor Yessenia Funes Associate News Editor Stanley Blow III Fuse Editor Gabrielle Bilik Associate Fuse Editor Kaitlyn Affuso Sports Editor Ja’pheth Toulson Associate Sports Editor Ricky St. Clair Opinions Editor Ian Tully Photo Editor Gregg Twergo Associate Photo Editor Rob Schulz Art Director Amanda Fruehauf Online Editor Paul Stern Associate Online Editor Alexandrea Huebner Advertising Manager Patrick Nolan Business Manager Maureen Provost Faculty Adviser Shawn Murphy
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me with suspension if I do not show up for a meeting about something that is not campus-related? I was angry, bitter even. But it got worse. The next letter was a follow up to the meeting I was required to have with the dean. This next letter, the standard letter that all students receive who have exhibited suicidal behaviors, induced my rage in unfathomable ways. People who exhibit behaviors need help. Not this: “It is expected, and required, that as a participant in the Life-Line Suicide Assessment Program, you will voluntarily engage in the assessments…” and, “Please be aware that if you fail to make and keep your initial appointment within the time frame allotted, or if you fail to complete the program as detailed above, you will be referred to my office by University Police for a judicial violation, which in all likelihood will lead to your suspension from college.” What? It is required that I voluntarily engage or I will be suspended? Is this how they would treat me if I had some other disease, such as cancer? My guess is no. I was treated as another possible threat to the school, another possible lawsuit that the school did not want to deal with. So how do they deal with it before it happens? Any person exhibiting suicidal behaviors will receive insensitive and threatening letters from his or her school board. Any person who reveals suicidal thoughts may be suspended if he or she does not show up for a meeting on time. Is this a joke? Is this the way they promote reporting ourselves and our friends? What message is this school sending their students by the letters that follow up incidents like these with? I once thought the Plattsburgh State system had my back, but I can now see it has only ever watched out for itself. Amy Greenberg Junior, PSUC
Dispose of needles properly By Bailey Henzerling staff writer
During the month of April there were various hypodermic needles found in the parking lots and grassy patches at Plattsburgh State. That is terrifying. One of the most potentially hazardous methods of taking drugs is through intravenous injection, whether it is for medical use or straight drugabuse, there are extreme risks involved. It is irresponsible for those who used those needles to leave them behind. Just one prick from a contaminated needle can ruin a person’s life. There are places to return needles after they have been used. The Health Center on campus has a designated receptacle for people to take their used hypodermics, so there is no excuse for leaving them on the ground of a campus that workers and community members
labor so diligently to maintain. Why did the culprit(s) throw their dirty needles on the ground instead of walking them over to the Health Center which is across the street from the parking lot where some of them were found? The needles found on campus were allegedly insulin needles, but I think this judgment was prematurely stated and do not believe there was any way to prove what the needles were used for, especially without test results from a credible lab to indicate so. Doctors and medical officials typically educate those with diabetes so they understand the risks involved with using injections, and are generally more cautious about disposing their used needles. Drug addicts are not usually as considerate. There is no way to tell what the needles were used for or who they were from, but the circumstances of what happened are questionable and they need
to be further investigated. No matter what the needles were used for, it’s disgusting that they were discarded on the ground and the public was subjected to dealing with another person’s trash. The teachers and students who discovered the used needles and took the time to call University Police to prevent anyone from being harmed should be commended. Whether the needles were used for drug-abuse or insulin use, it won’t make a difference. What happened is done. Pick up your garbage Plattsburgh: show some more respect to the community, especially if it could be fatally harmful.
Cardinal Points, Plattsburgh State Media, Inc., is owned and operated independently by the students at Plattsburgh State and is published every Friday. Funding comes solely from advertising and a yearly block subscription sold to the PSUC Student Association. Editorials are written by the editors of Cardinal Points and are approved by a majority vote of the editorial board. Editorials do not necessarily represent the opinions of PSUC or of all editors on the editorial board. Letters to the editor are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Cardinal Points or its editors. Submit all letters to the editor to the address indicated above, the Cardinal Points mailbox at the ACC main desk or to the Cardinal Points email. Letters should be no more than 500 words, signed with a full name and must include a valid phone number for verification of authorship. Cardinal Points reserves the right to edit for libel, length, content and grammar. All letters must be submitted by 5 p.m. Tuesday, prior to publication. The State of New York exercises no editorial control over content printed in Cardinal Points.
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CP News
news editor elizabeth reff
news@cardinalpointsonline.com
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friday, may 4, 2012
GENERAL: Beyond Border Action Plan discussed From Page One gross domestic product loss to Canada, adding up to $16 billion a year. Because the border issue has to be dealt with, O’Donohue said two initiations went underway in December 2011 — the Beyond Border Action Plan and the Regulatory Cooperation Council Action Plan. The Beyond Border Action Plan puts a perimeter out overseas. Its goal is to address and relieve security threats before they reach U.S. or Canadian shores using pretravel screening. For instance, screening a plane in France before it leaves to the United States or Canada, so it will not have to be screened again upon arrival. Cargo entering Canada or the United States also will not be rescreened when entering the other country. It will be screened only once in the first country it enters. This allows trust to build between the two countries, O’Donohue said. This plan also will work to facilitate trade by focusing investment on infrastructure, O’Donohue said, such as fast lanes, speed lanes, better designed border ports and more law enforcement sharing. According to dhs.gov, the United States and Canada wants to ensure their border crossings have the capacity to support the volume of traffic essential to economic growth and job development on both sides of the border. This border provides 500,000 jobs in New York, O’Donohue said. New England, alone, has imported $18 billion from Quebec, exporting $7 billion. Nearly $1 million in goods and services crosses
Cardinal Points/Ben Rowe
U.S. Consul General to Quebec City Peter O’Donohue visited Plattsburgh State Tuesday to discuss U.S.-Canada relations and the Beyond Border Action Plan. the border every minute, according to dhs.gov, as well as 300,000 people everyday. O’Donohue said the United States and Canada have the largest trade relationship in the world. The Beyond Border Action Plan will help support the trade. Besides facilitating trade, the plan will allow Canada and the United States to know who enters and leaves the border. There will be less focus on members of NEXUS, which allows pre-screened travelers to speed the processing by U.S. and Canadian officials at designated border ports. O’Donohue said this will allow more focus on the unknown. Now, the Regulatory Cooperation Council Action Plan will coordinate and simplify interaction
between the border. This plan will smooth regulation differences between countries, O’Donohue said. However, he did mention some Canadians worry they will have to change their standards for American standards. The plan is a road map to make the border smarter and more efficient, he said. According to an online format of the plan linked to rutgers.edu, the United States’ and Canada’s regulations will seek more alignment in the next two years. Agriculture and food, transportation, health and personal care products, and the environment are among the many items to be regulated similarly. “This is not just a deal — but a big deal,” O’Donohue said.
LOAN: ‘Students are paying too much out of pocket’ From Page One
anyways,” he said. “They’re (students) having trouble He doesn’t take out loans finding jobs after they gradbecause he said he doesn’t uate.” want get caught up in payPSUC student Marissa ing someone back, but he Blaszczyk said she thinks thinks the interest rates it is horrible that the govshould stay the same. ernment wants to increase “Businesses get out of the interest rate because way too much,” he said. not all college graduates According to The New get a job right after. In York Times article “Two addition, students may Parties Find a Way end up dropping to Agree, and Disout and choose an agree, on Student unskilled job as a Loan Rates,” Demcareer, said PSUC ocrats also offered student Katrina the idea to end tax Ducharme. subsidies for oil “If it (interest and gas comparate increase) does nies. happen, it’ll hurt Moravec Moravec said the person who’s low student loan inter- taking out the loans,” est rates are a high prior- Ducharme said. ity. If the Prevention and If the interest rates inPublic Health fund and tax crease, the average stuloopholes are important dent will pay $5,000 more enough, Moravec said the over the life of a loan. government should find the Moravec said increasfunding for them, too. ingly more students are “I think students are pay- depending on loans than ing too much out of pocket, grants. Martin Drollette is
one of them. He said he has a couple loans. Even though he has only one semester left, he said not a lot of people would like to pay more money for the same thing. While a student’s education will remain the same, he or she will have to pay more for it. PSUC student Meghan Fangmann said she believes the presidential election may be the cause of the proposal because this is the time Americans are figuring out who to vote for. Blaszczyk said, “Parties want to look good.” Because of the elections, Moravec said he is optimistic about the proposal. “Republicans don’t want to upset the students,” he said. “They are actually very supportive of this, which was surprising. If they (Republicans) also appear to be student-friendly, they (students) won’t go and vote for Obama.”
O’Donohue said another exciting development is Plan Nord, which focuses on northern Quebec. While Chinese, Indian and European investors have already gotten involved, few American investors have. The program has estimated to cost $80 billion over 20 years. The area encompasses twothirds of Quebec and inhabits 150,000 people, O’Donohue said. The plan incorporates mine development because of the area’s thriving natural resources, including nickel, cobalt, platinum, iron, uranium and diamond. According to plannord.gouv.qc.ca/ english, an informative website about the plan, the plan would ultimately bring in $8.24 billion in investments and create 11,000
jobs during construction, with 4,000 jobs a year once the plans are in motion. Quebec is also big on hydroelectric power, O’Donohue said. With the development of the northern area, there is potential for added hydroelectric power. He said this would be power sold for cheap to New England. “We’re a model entity on terms of the green front,” O’Donohue said. Canada is proud of its “clean and green” energy, he said. Just in Quebec, there are biotechnology, energy production and environmental technology businesses that look to collaborate with Americans, he said. According to the informative website, the plan will focus on renewable energy sources and wind power, as well. This power would support the mine development and villages in the northern territory. The required investment is estimated at $25 billion. The Charest government, which has been in power for the last nine years, views this plan as its legacy, O’Donohue said. Even with recent student protests in Montreal over student tuition increases, no one has tried to undercut the plan. “It looks like it’s going to happen, and that’s a lot of money,” O’Donohue said. With the United States’ weak economy and dollar, he said the relationship between the United States and Canada has decreased since 2003. While Quebec used to cover 83 percent of American imports, it now covers only 64 percent. However, O’Donohue said Quebec is looking for American investors to take part in its new projects.
SCHOOL: Good learning experience From Page One
George Still, the assessment and data manager for education, health and human services, said Project CONNECT has two objectives. Still said the first objective is to take over for 21st Century, the afterschool program that has been in place in the district, because its funding is set to run out this summer. CONNECT will begin next semester. According to Project CONNECT’s proposal, the budget structure of the program will not be very different than that of 21st Century’s. For one child, it will cost $40 per week. Two children will cost $25 per week each, and for each additional child after two will cost $12.50 per week. Associate Dean of Education, Health and Human Services Denise Simard said that contrary to how it appears in the proposal, the program is not a “drop-in program.” When parents sign their children up for the program, they would be signing them up for a full year of program courses. The second objective, Still said, is to create and augment relationships with the Plattsburgh community. He said PSUC has had a good relationship with the Plattsburgh City School District that the Project CONNECT team hopes to strengthen. Dean of Education, Health and Human Services Michael Morgan said he feels this program will deepen the partnership
with the local schools and community. Morgan said Project CONNECT will be a good learning experience for both the elementary school students in the program and the teacher education candidates. “This is a win-win project,” he said. Simard wrote in an email that it is important to allow PSUC students the opportunity to get experience with actual students within the first few years of their college careers, which can be difficult to do. “The after-care program provides a venue for Plattsburgh State to give back to the community in which it is situated and creates a sustainable means for providing enrichment experiences for students,” Simard said. According to the proposal, PSUC students will be trained in the different fields by instructors. The teacher candidates from PSUC will go through the different sections of the curriculum and will be split into two groups. The first group, early field experience, will be made up of younger college students in childhood education, adolescent, literacy and special education programs. The second group will be graduate teacher candidate mentors. According to the proposal, “It also will provide participants with access to the expertise of education faculty and the excitement and passion of teacher candidates who are committed to a student-focused curriculum.” Morgan said, “Our teacher education candidates care about children and about inspiring their learning.”
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Section
B
DOWN BUT NOT OUT
Cardinal Points/Gregg Twergo
Brett McClelland (left) and the lacrosse team were bounced by Geneseo Wednesday in a 7-5 loss. Samantha Capobianco (middle) will look to help softball to its second SUNYAC championship appearance in three years. Tyler Greene (right) will take the field with baseball in a matchup with No. 1 Cortland.
With Lax out, two teams remain in SUNYAC playoffs SEASON BREAKDOWN
SEASON BREAKDOWN
SEASON BREAKDOWN
Lacrosse finished the regular season with an 116-0 record. The Cards’ longest streak was a fivegame winning streak at the end of the season.
Softball finished the regular season with an 27-8 record. The Lady Cards’ longest streak was a sevengame winning streak at the end of the season.
Baseball finished the regular season with an 2015 record. The Cards’ longest streak was a sevengame winning streak at the end of the season.
With 35 goals (second in the SUNYAC) Joe Kramer helped lead the Cards to the playoffs and was named to the 2012 All-SUNYAC Second Team.
Ashley Marshall was credited with 19 of the Lady Cards’ 27 wins in 17 starts and 28 appearances. Her 1.39 ERA ranked her second in the SUNYAC.
In his first season as a starter, Damian Tyler was a model of consistency for the offensively troubled Cards. He finished with a .339 average and 23 RBIs.
The team was bounced in the first round SUNYACs by Geneseo, a team that had beat the Cards just four days earlier.
The Lady Cards kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-1 victory over Brockport Thursday afternoon. They will play Geneseo today.
Despite shooting for the third seed, PSUC received the fourth seed and will play No. 1 Cortland tomorrow. The Cards are 1-2 against Cortland this season.
Record MVP
Playoff play
Lax downed by Geneseo; ‘have a lot left to build on’ By Willie Santana staff writer
After losing home field advantage to Geneseo on Saturday, Plattsburgh State’s playoff run ended with a 7-5 loss to Geneseo Wednesday in the SUNYAC semifinals. Although PSUC never trailed until the third quarter, a goal by the Blue Knight’s John Wettack in the third with 13:04, left would prove to be enough for the win. The Cardinals were not able to respond and were shut out in the
third and fourth quarters. “It was unfortunate that they came away with the win,” PSUC head coach Ryan Cavanagh said. “Our guys played their hearts out.” After the Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the first period, Geneseo responded with a goal to tie the game, but PSUC responded with two goals to end the first up 3-1. When Geneseo scored two goals within the first four minutes of the second, Joe Kramer responded to put See LAX, B4
Record MVP
Playoff play
Record MVP
Playoff play
Cards ready for Red Dragons By Matthew Hamilton managing editor
Mike Mulvihill’s run to the SUNYAC playoffs started three years ago, when he first tried out for the Plattsburgh State baseball team. After being rejected, playing summer ball, then making a return to fall tryouts in 2011, Mulvihill made the team and has since put together a season few expected — and he’s had fun doing it. In a way, Mulvihill’s journey to the SUNYAC playoffs is a microcosm of the same one his team, the fourth seed, took this year. Now PSUC (22-15, 9-9 SUNYAC) has to hope it can put together an unexpected run like Mulvihill’s.
Cardinal Points/Gregg Twergo
Plattsburgh State’s Casey Brighton (in white) slides safely into second base against Canton Tuesday. The Cardinals will play Cortland today. “There’s no pressure on us. We’re the fourth seed. We’re not supposed to win,” PSUC head coach Kris Doorey said. “In all honesty we’re not supposed to win. That’s why they do it that way.”
The Cardinals enter today’s game 10 wins behind their opponent, No. 1 Cortland (32-7-1, 16-2), a team that had wrapped up the top spot well before the Cards knew they were in.
Though PSUC is an underdog, it does have a place to draw confidence from. The Cards upended Cortland 2-0 as part of a doubleheader in late March. The win marked the second and only other time the Red Dragons would lose to another SUNAYC opponent. It was also the second-tolast time Cortland would lose, the final loss of the season coming against St. John Fisher in a non-conference game. Since April 6, the Red Dragons have cruised to a 15-game winning streak. During that time, Cortland has played in only one onerun game and two two-run games, outscoring their opponents 137-33.
See BASEBALL, B4
Softball squeaks by Brockport in round one, faces Geneseo today By Josh Silverberg staff writer
The Plattsburgh State softball team began its SUNYAC playoff run by defeating Brockport in the first round by a score of 3-1. The next opponent PSUC will play is Geneseo, which the team faced earlier in the year at home. The matchup ended in a tough doubleheader as Geneseo fell
short to the Lady Cardinals in the 5-4 win. During the game, however, PSUC blew a 4-1 lead allowing Geneseo to come back. Game two told a different story after the Blue Knights lit up pitcher Ashley Marshall for 10 hits and eight runs, both the most she has given up in a game all season. Marshall will be looking to avenge herself Friday. “I’ll just go into the game with
Win or lose, the Lady Cards have a furry friend who will be excited to see them return home. See page B4
the mindset that we’re the better team and we’re going to win the game,” Marshall said. Vengeance led the Lady Cards to a win against Brockport yes-
terday, a team that beat them one of two games with a 2-0 victory. “We wanted revenge for splitting with them, so yes we wouldn’t have wanted anything more then to kick them out,” first baseman Brianna Clarke said. Megan Price had a big game hitting a homerun and also bringing in the game winning run with a RBI single in the sixth after Brockport tied it up in the top of
the inning. The team has seven hits for the game. “We played well and we all hit, but we just didn’t get the hits when we needed,” Clarke said. “So tomorrow hopefully we will score even more runs.” Ashley Marshall, who has been dominant all season, didn’t stop in the playoffs going all seven innings See SOFTBALL, B2
B2
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CP Sports
sports editor ja’pheth toulson
sports@cardinalpointsonline.com
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friday, may 4, 2012
Jump Start Softball Friday vs Geneseo 11 a.m. (at Cortland)
Tennis Friday at Bard College 4 p.m. Saturday at New Paltz 8 a.m.
Baseball Friday at Cortland 12 p.m. Saturday at Cortland TBA
Track and Field Friday at Oneonta Saturday at Oneonta
Lacrosse School Cortland Geneseo Plattsburgh Oneonta Oswego Brockport Potsdam
Record 17-0 6-7 11-7 5-10 8-6 5-10 5-8
SUNYAC 6-0 5-1 4-2 3-3 1-5 1-5 1-5
Record 35-6 28-8 22-17 20-19 25-14 16-23 16-16-1 14-26 12-24 12-23
SUNYAC 17-1 14-4 12-6 10-8 9-9 8-10 7-11 6-12 5-13 2-16
Record 32-7-1 24-15 17-19 21-15 20-20 18-21 11-20
SUNYAC 16-2 10-8 9-9 9-9 8-10 6-12 5-13
Softball Lacrosse Goals Cardinal Points/Gregg Twergo
Plattsburgh State outfielders (left to right) Dana Mandery, Katie McNally and Megan Price meet at center field between innings during senior weekend against Union College April 28. PSUC swept the double header, outscoring the Dutchwomen 19-3. With a win Thursday, the Lady Cardinals are riding a five-game winning streak into today.
School Player Oneonta Jim van de Veerdonk 35 Brockport Jesse Elliot 35 Plattsburgh Joey Kramer 35 Cortland Mike Tota 34 Cortland Cody Consul 28
Assists
12
School Geneseo Cortland Oswego Potsdam Potsdam
The number of consecutive Plattsburgh State lacrosse losses to rival Geneseo since 2003.
Player Steven Cregan 32 Greg Wright 30 Cody Hoose 28 Jared Flath 21 Rob Kunz 19
Kris Doorey, head baseball coach (on entering the SUNYAC tournament as the underdog against No. 1 seed Cortland)
Softball Batting Average Player Kyrstin Lekki .461 Sami Brown .431 Lorraine Stoddard .410 Abby Martin .408 Lucia Meola .406
ERA
School Cortland Buffalo Brockport Cortland Cortland
Player Meaghan Kohler 60 Kyrstin Lekki 39 Emily Dumas 37 Abby Martin 33 Lorraine Stoddard 32
Batting Average
School Player Oneonta Chris Miles 175 Oswego Ian O’ Brien 158 Plattsburgh Gordie Gehring 156 Cortland Mike Kaminski 138 Potsdam Mike Quinlan 134
School Buffalo Potsdam Cortland Cortland Cortland
RBI
Baseball
Saves
“There’s no pressure on us. We’re the fourth seed. We’re not supposed to win.”
School Player Plattsburgh Ashley Marshall 1.39 Cortland Lyndsay Rowell 2.18 Geneseo Mary Bostick 3.18 New Paltz Amber Carozza 3.27 Oswego Ashley Snyder 3.71
School Cortland New Paltz Cortland Oneonta Cortland
Player John Adornetto .398 Jake Cameron .372 Max Rosing .371 Kevin Knack .357 Matt June .354
ERA School Cortland Cortland New Paltz Cortland Brockport
Oneonta Oswego New Paltz New Paltz Brockport
Baseball School Cortland Brockport Oneonta Plattsburgh Oswego Fredonia New Paltz
Lacrosse Player Ray Angelucci 1.06 Aaron Schudult 1.35 Chris Chimar 1.84 Mike Hughes 2.35 James Bardenett 2.45
May 2
Geneseo 7, PSUC 5
Softball April 28
RBI School
School Cortland Plattsburgh Geneseo Buffalo State Brockport Oswego Fredonia New Paltz Oneonta Potsdam
PSUC 8, Potsdam 0 PSUC 13, Potsdam 0
Player
Matt Salvatore 20 Mike Stark 19 Jimmy Briggs 18 Thomas Pinnola 17 Jake Coleman 17
April 29
PSUC 11, Union 0 PSUC 8, Union 3
May 3
PSUC 3, Brockport 1
Baseball April 28
Lacrosse Goals
Player Joey Kramer Tim Lawrence Nick Travers22
35 29
Assists Player Tim Lawrence Nick Travers James Read
16 13 12
Saves
Cardinal Points/Rob Schulz
Dana Mandery connects with the ball during the first game of a doubleheader against Union College April 29. Plattsburgh State won both games.
SOFTBALL: Defense strong in win over Brockport Thursday From Page One without walking a batter and striking out nine. She allowed two hits and a run. Her pitching record improved to 20-3. Head coach Stephanie Zweig said the team did what they were supposed to do, and feels the team came up clutch when they had to. “Defense was great for us today,” Zweig said. “Ashley threw extremely well, and we hit the ball well all day, and got the runs when needed.” Brockport pitcher Jean Farrell kept them in the game, allowing three runs
Middle of the night fire alarms make me feel
Stefanie Braun track and field
Amy McCasland track and field
Andrew Favro track and field Megan Price softball
156 13
Softball Batting Average
and three strikeouts. Zweig said the team will be fine if it relaxes and not get ahead of itself. “Right now we’re just taking it one game at a time, and that will be the key to our success in the tournament.” The game is today at 11:00 A.M. in Cortland.
Email sports@cardinal pointsonline.com with your story ideas
Player Gordie Gehring Chris Guzzetta
Player Brianna Clarke Brittany Marshall Allison Smiddy
ERA
Geneseo 16, PSUC 10
Player Ashley Marshall Heather Loughran
.361 .321 .276
1.39 3.57
RBI
May 1
PSUC 7, Canton 2
May 2
Player Allison Smiddy Brianna Clarke Megan Price
27 25 14
Baseball
PSUC 19, Canton 6 PSUC 4, Canton 2
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Batting Average Player Damien Tyler Kris Cauchon Jon Handy
Scan this code with your smartphone
.336 .310 .267
ERA Player Kyle Kelly Tyler Greene Bobby Piser
3.09 3.77 5.51
RBI Player Damien Tyler Mike Mulvihill Pat Shaughnessy
22 21 14
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Dumbest thing I ever did?
The class I have the best chance to fail
With a SUNYAC championship
Alert
Fall down the stairs twice on the same day
Advanced nutrition
I’ll have my triple crown
Angry
I don’t know
Any math class
I’ll be really excited
Scared as hell
Kicked out of the mall for using foam swords
Spanish
Annoyed
Trip over nothing
Math ’cause I suck at it
I would rub it in the seniors’ face I want to beat Cortland
friday, may 4, 2012
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CP Sports
sports@cardinalpointsonline.com
sports editor ja’pheth toulson
▪ B3
Durability leads Florkiewicz to productivity Ricky St. Clair associate sports editor
In the second game of a doubleheader against Oneonta State on April 6, the Plattsburgh State softball team experienced something it hadn’t witnessed since the conclusion of the 2009 regular season. Erin Florkiewicz, a senior catcher from Warwick, N.Y., wasn’t behind the plate for the first time after starting 96 consecutive games. The streak began in Florkiewicz’s first game as a sophomore and was snapped after a lineup change was made by head coach Stephanie Zweig. After four years in a Lady Cardinals uniform, she has started an unprecedented 132 of 142 games she’s appeared in. Florkiewicz is no stranger to the physical exhaustion her body has endured after nearly 125 games behind home plate. Upon entering her first year of intercollegiate softball at PSUC, she had already experienced ACL reconstruction surgery while a student at Warwick Valley High School. The experience made her understand the importance of taking care of her body. “I do a lot of preseason workouts to make sure that I stay strong,” Florkiewicz said. “Playing every day does play a toll, but I stay on top of it with ice baths and everything I can do to stay healthy.” Zweig credits Florkiewicz’s durability to the caution she takes off the softball field. “Her body has definitely taken a lot of wear and tear, but she works really hard to keep it in the best shape that she can,” Zweig said. “Nobody as strong as her has played for us, so if anybody would be durable enough for that role, it would be her.” Everyone on the PSUC softball team understands the catcher’s role as the anchor of the infield.
Cardinal Points/Gregg Twergo
Erin Florkiewicz had started 96 consecutive games before she did not appear to start the game against Oneonta April 6. Florkiewicz has played in 142 games during her career, 132 of which were starts. However, Zweig’s intent for Florkiewicz coming out of high school was to get her playing time at shortstop. With just one hit shy of reaching 100 in her career, it’s evident the positional change paid dividends. “Coach talked to me about kind of being the captain behind the plate and needing someone to step up,” Florkiewicz said. “She gave me an article titled ‘Captain of the Ship,’ which was all about catchers and their leadership role on the team. Ever since I read that article, I’ve thought about different ways I could help lead my team the way they deserve to be led.” The senior captain currently leads the team in on-base percentage at .468 and is tied with teammate Brianna Clarke for home runs at five.
Clarke, who has started in all 34 games this year, is honored to have a slugger like Florkiewicz in the lineup on a consistent basis. “She’s a great asset in our everyday lineup,” Clarke said. “Erin is an important contributor at the plate, too. She’s a proven leader for sure.” Despite 11 homers and 69 RBIs in four seasons with the program, Florkiewicz considers herself a proven contact hitter. “I get up to the plate thinking about a quality at-bat,” Florkiewicz said. “I want to make the pitcher throw as many pitches as she can, and I just wait for her to make a mistake.” After her junior campaign, she was named to the NCFA AllAmerican Scholar Athlete list, received honors on the SUNYAC All Academic and Commissioner list,
and was awarded the prestigious 2010-2011 Chancellor Scholar Athlete Award. “She definitely deserves everything that she has received in terms of accolades, Zweig said. “She carriers that passion she has everywhere she goes.” In her final year of eligibility, Florkiewicz would like nothing more than to conclude her senior year with a solid run in the 2012 SUNYAC playoffs later this month. “It would be so important for our team to come out on top with a (conference) championship,” Florkiewicz said. “We’ve had a great run the last three years, and our team is built up as strong as it’s ever been. I think this year we are in a perfect position to be successful.” Florkiewicz credits her twin brothers for the success she’s
earned as a member of the Lady Cards and as a student at the university. “They’ve pushed me my whole life,” Florkiewicz said. “There has always been that positive competitive nature between us and they’re a big part of why I’m successful on the softball field.” The senior catcher dubbed her four-year experience in Plattsburgh as “life changing.” “The people that I’ve met here and the person I’ve grown into because of those people, I know I’m going to be successful in life because of them,” Florkiewicz said. “Everyone on our team has mutual respect for one another, and I think that really shows on the field.”
Track and field performs well at RPI, Penn Relays, set for SUNYACs By Zach Ripple staff writer
The Plattsburgh State track and field team finished their regular season last weekend at the Capital District Classic hosted by RPI and the Penn Relays in Philadelphia. Leading the way was the men’s short-distance team, featuring Josh Garren, Brian Drollette and Nate Williams. The trio slotted in the second, third and fourth spots in the 200-meter dash, with Garren leading the three with a time of 22.04 seconds. Drollette took third with a time of 22.34 seconds, and Williams placed fourth by finishing in 22.45 seconds. Both Garren and Drollette’s times set new personal records, something Drollette said is the goal each week, no matter
who the competition is. “Sometimes we compete against a lot of big schools, a lot of Division I schools, so winning a race is sometimes out of the question,” Drollette said. “A lot of times I just run to lower my times and qualify for different championships.” Garren also took second in the 400, finishing in 50.66 seconds, just behind Cobleskill’s Javant’e Coley. Garren and Williams also competed in the 100. Williams placed third with a time of 11.22 Garren placed sixth, one spot ahead of teammate Ryan Barcomb. For the Lady Cardinals, Joanne TeRiele and Amy McCasland rebounded from their performances in Cortland to capture individual wins last weekend. For TeRiele, her win in the 400-meter hurdles followed a disappointing showing where she was disquali-
fied due to a false start in the previous meet. TeRiele won the event with a time 1:04:67. Although she was glad to win, TeRiele took more from the event than just winning. “It was more about continuing to improve my time and getting back to where I need to be, not false starting,” TeRiele said. “You definitely get a good feeling when you’re done with your race and you have a good time and your coach is right there at the finish line telling you that he’s proud of you, it definitely motivates you even more.” TeRiele also took second place in the 100 hurdles for the second-straight meet, but she insists she still isn’t a 100-meter hurdler. “I don’t expect to place second or anything like that in the 100-hurdles at SUNYACs,” TeRiele said. “I don’t even practice them in prac-
tice either, so it was kind of a surprise again I guess.” McCasland, who made it to the NCAA Championships during the indoor season, took first-place in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:17.14. This win came after she didn’t finish the event at her last meet due to a calf spasm, which she described as not serious. McCasland said she is looking forward to the increased level of competition at this weekend’s SUNYAC Championships. “I haven’t had a lot of competition yet, but I’m really hoping this weekend that there’s girls I can run with,” McCasland said. “I ran the whole race by myself.” At the Penn Relays, Stefanie Braun and Kelley Driscoll were Plattsburgh’s lone representatives. The duo took on Division I competition. Braun, who was the other represen-
tative at the indoor NCAA Championships, placed 25th in the 5,000-meter run, while Driscoll placed 17th in the 10,000-meter run. With the regular season now in the rearview mirror, the Cards are looking to show their skills this weekend at the SUNYAC Championships hosted by Oneonta State. Several athletes expressed both excitement and nervousness over the upcoming championships, especially seniors who are competing for the last time. “It’s more nerve-racking because a lot of times you’re placed pretty high up in the meet and you’re expected to do really well,” McCasland said. “I’m a little more nervous, but it’s a good nervous I guess.” TeRiele is confident in her abilities, but she still sees a lot of room for improvement moving forward.
Joanne TeRiele
Pat Shaughnessy
Following her last meet that ended in a disqualification, Teriele rebounded with a win in the 400-meter hurdles. She finished in a time of 1:46. She took second in the 100 and is looking to build on her success heading into the SUNYAC finals.
With the two-game sweep against Canton, the captain is coming off a productive game. He went 3-for-5 and five RBIs. He also scored two runs. Shaughnessy’s three-run bomb made him the team’s all-time home run leader with 11.
“I hope I’m not at my best yet. I’m trying to improve and I’m hoping I peak at the right time,” TeRiele said. “We’re trying to think beyond SUNYACs, maybe even beyond ECACs.” For the Cardinals competing this week, TeRiele has high expectations for herself and as well as for her teammates. “They’re all great runners and great athletes, and they should do well,” TeRiele said. “With the things that we’re in at SUNYACs, we’ll do very well at them.” Drollette said he is excited and ready for the SUNYAC Championships, something he said is what the team has been working toward all season. “I’ve never been more ready for SUNYACs,” Drollette said. “As a team, we’re going to do a lot of great things this week.”
B4
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sports editor ja’pheth toulson
CP Sports
sports@cardinalpointsonline.com
friday, may, 4, 2012
Dog finds spot on softball team By Ja’Pheth Toulson sports editor
Cardinal Points/Rob Schulz
Bobby Piser starts to pitch toward home plate during Plattsburgh State’s 11-9 victory over Brockport April 14. The Cards start the SUNYAC playoffs today.
BASEBALL: Cards riding five-game winning streak From Page One
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the count may lead to the need for fastballs later in However, those super-he- the at bat, which if left in ro-like numbers aren’t what the wrong spot, could be the Cards are solely focus- mashed by the SUNYAC’s team batting average leading on. “I think the biggest thing, ers (.343). “If you give an inch, especially for all the younger guys … is Cortland is not they’re going to take it a superhuman,” reliever Bri- mile,” Burns said. If that does happen, Dooan Burns said. “They’re in the same league as us. They rey said his pitchers will can be beaten and they have be on a short leash. He said his staff needs to be ready been beaten.” Despite losing and be- to go at any time because ing outscored 25-1 in the the coaching staff will not other two games in March, be worrying about pitch counts like it does Mulvihill said the during the regular team won’t be season. thinking about Win or lose, the the losses because Cards will get a once playoff time chance to play at comes, it’s a new least one more season. game because of PSUC’s offense the tournament’s has come to life in Mulvihill double elimination the last 12 games as the team has scored fewer format. For Mulvihill, it isn’t necthan five runs just four times. Doorey said that in essarily about who his team facing a Cortland staff that has and hasn’t beaten. It’s leads the SUNYAC with 2.24 about continuing to have ERA, the Cards will need fun and staying relaxed like to be patient at the plate the team has during its fiveand decrease the size of game winning streak. the strike zone. PSUC has “This is my first year walked 88 times this sea- playing college baseball,” son, the fewest in the SU- he said. “The guys on this NYAC. team are very committed, On the mound, Burns they work very hard and it’s said the staff needs to fo- been a pleasure playing this cus on getting first pitch year, but we’re not done yet. strikes. Getting behind in We’re gonna keep going.”
In his first season as a Lady Cardinal, you can catch him chewing the softball team’s discarded seed shells, checking on teammates, huddling with his squad to listen to the game plan and forever holding a smile that the grumpiest of people can’t ignore. “He was born a Cardinal,” head coach Stephanie Zweig said. Henry, the two-year-old Golden Retriever, is owned by Zweig. Before practice, he eagerly waits for her car door to open, wagging his tail before sprinting into Cardinal Park for some softball action. “We love Henry because he’s such a mush ball,” third baseman Samantha Capobianco said. Zweig hopes Henry will soon learn how to retrieve balls and bring them back onto the infield, so the team won’t have to. But fetching isn’t the only potential Henry holds. Zweig described Henry as a softball player. The big, slow and uncoordinated right hander would play
Cardinal Points/Rob Schulz
Henry, softball head coach Stephanie Zweig’s Golden Retriever, has found a place among the Lady Cards. best at first base, where he could easily trot to the pitcher to comfort her when in a jam. “I couldn’t see him being able to get to the ball anywhere else,” Zweig said. Zweig said that as a player, Henry would hold a .290 batting average, a large number of RBIs and enough hits to put runners in scoring position. His weak ankle would lead to low base stealing, but what Henry lacks in speed, he makes up with dedication. “If I was to pick somebody to put in there with the heart and drive to do it,
it would definitely be Henry,” Zweig said. Those statistics don’t fool Henry’s teammate Ashley Marshall, SUNYAC strikeout leader. “He’s a great dog, but I’ll be afraid to pitch to him,” Marshall said. Henry also knows how to clown around. Zweig said the dog has a tendency to not react when the ball comes his way. But one day as the ball approached Henry in the outfield, Zweig shouted to get his attention only to find him “doing his business.” His antics helped catcher Samantha Tenney improve
her play during a game. “I was a little bit frustrated,” Tenney said. “I kept missing the ball and I looked into left field and saw Henry dropping little presents for us. It made me smile, and I remembered to take a step back, calm down and get back in there.” When Zweig addresses those mental problems after the game, Henry continues to support his teammates. This time though, he makes sure he is in the middle of the huddle. “Win or lost, he’ll be there to comfort us at the end of the day,” Zweig said. Off the field is no different. When the Lady Cards visit Zweig to watch movies, Henry cuddles alongside them. During community service events, Henry is always bringing smiles to people’s faces. “He likes to be around everybody and make people feel special,” Zweig said. Zweig is hoping Henry remains a big part of Cardinal softball. “He would never hurt a fly,” Zweig said. “Maybe a squirrel, but that’s about it.”
Cardinal Points/Gregg Twergo
Plattsburgh State’s Mike Santisteban faces off against a Brockport player during the Cardinals’ 10-9 doubleovertime victory April 21. PSUC was bounced from the SUNYAC playoffs by Geneseo Wednesday.
LAX: Five make All-SUNYAC second team From Page One the Cards back up one. Yet, Geneseo would respond with two more goals to tie the game at 5-5, and Joe Kramer’s goal would be the last time the Cards responded. The Blue Knights took the lead in the third and added an insurance goal in the fourth. This is only the second time this season that PSUC has been held scoreless for the second half. Coming into the
game, PSUC was second in the conference with a 10.76 goals-per-game average. “Hats off to them for playing well defensively,” Cavanagh said. Cavanagh said the Cards also did a good job defensively, limiting the Knights to one goal in the third and fourth quarters. He said there were just a few plays that went Geneseo’s way. “In that game, it could have went either way,” he said. Although the Cards lost to Geneseo on Saturday, Cavanagh said the game was a confidence booster because even though the Cards played poorly they were able to compete with Geneseo. “We felt that if we came
out and executed our game plan, and played the way we usually play, we were going to give ourselves a chance to win, which I think we did,” he said. Long Stick Midfielder Ryan Phillips said playing against each other on Saturday benefited both teams. “That helped us because we kind of had a feel for them already,” Phillips said. Home field advantage was also a factor because PSUC was 5-1 at home and had started its five-game winning streak at home before losing to Geneseo on Saturday. Four of Geneseo’s six wins this season were at home. Cavanagh said the Cards had to travel to Geneseo
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Friday. After the game, the Cards had to head back from Geneseo late Saturday night and travel again to Geneseo on Tuesday, while only practicing on Monday. “I don’t think that was a difference maker but I am sure it did not help,” he said. Phillips said traveling was not a big factor because they were able to get good sleep before the game. He said PSUC was able to make up for lost practice. “It gave us more time to prepare for that team,” he said. PSUC will be losing three seniors, who are Tucker Glass, Danny Caufield and Mike Santisteban. “It’s a tough pill to swallow with it being the last game of the season , but at the same time , we think the guys have a lot left to build on for next year,” he said. Phillips agreed. “I feel that the young talent we have will hopefully be able to fill in those shoes and come out next season like we ended this season, by coming out strong,” he said. Tim Lawrence, Joe Kramer, Nick Travers, Charlie Dullea and Ryan Phillips were all named to the AllSUNYAC second team. All five players will be returning for next season. It was the first time in the Cards history that five players were named to the All-SUNYAC second team.
friday, may 4, 2012
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fuse@cardinalpointsonline.com
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The story behind a story
fuse editor gabrielle bilik
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Spilling long kept secret brings relief Cardinal Points/Gregg Twergo
Seven of Nancy Kress’ books can be found in Plattsburgh State’s Feinberg Library. However, Marc Spicer’s “Saviors Among Us: Situation Critical” and Myfanwy Collins’ newly released “Echolocation” are not available on campus. All three authors are PSUC alumni.
From students to published authors, three PSUC alumni describe the paths that led to their success By Kaitlyn Affuso associate fuse editor
For many, receiving negative feedback and criticism can be discouraging. For Plattsburgh State alumna ‘91 and published author Myfanwy Collins, they have the opposite effect. “When someone tells me I can’t do something, I work 10 times harder to prove them wrong,” she said. Criticism in her college years better prepared her for the rejection she was bound to face in the real world, she said. Collins reads a variety of feedback from readers, but she said it is the negative feedback and rejection that motivates her the most. Collins, who already has one published novel, “Echolocation,” released on March 6, 2012, said she loves writing and plans to continue doing it, even though it is hard work. Collins has been writing for more than 20 years. Writing in college was a helpful beginning for her, she said. She said sharing her writing in classes and receiving feedback from peers and professors helped her to be a stronger writer. This motivation led her to write her next book which is in the works and should be published next year. However, while the feedback motivated Collins to strive toward more achievements, she said time is the most complicated factor of them all. She said a passionate writer cannot allow the obstacles to hold them back from their work. “No one can make you give up writing except you,” she said. PSUC alum ‘96 Marc Spicer began his writing career in high school, when he and a few friends got together and wrote comic books for fun. Although he graduated from his comic book phase, Spicer is still inspired by superheroes. Spicer’s novel, “Saviors Among Us: Situation Critical” is a science fiction novel about a superhero, embodying Spicer’s passion for the fantasy world. “What has always fascinated me about superheroes is their call of duty to do what’s right, no matter what the circumstances,” Spicer said. “I always looked up to them as role models when I was young.” As it turned out, Spicer shares that
passion with readers as well as a local until she was on maternity leave, metal band. After “Saviors Among Us: pregnant with her second child, that Situation Critical” was published in she began writing. ’09 and 200 copies were sold without Because she lived in a rural area any promotions or advertising, Spic- with not many people around, her er collaborated with Knatty Zeff, of husband would take the family’s only Malone and published a new version car to work, leaving Kress to spend of the book. much of her time at home. This version includes Spicer’s origi“I was going kind of nuts,” Kress nal story but offers an accompanying said, “so while the baby was napping, I CD in the back of the book featuring started to write.” Knatty Zeff’s single named after his Since then, she’s written 30 pieces novel. The reinvented package was of literature. She started out with advertised as “Rock and Read.” All short stories because she said they proceeds were donated to the Make a are easier to finish. Wish Foundation. Like Collins, Kress said her bigA hint of PSUC can be detected gest challenge was finding the time at the start of this novel, to write while still when a scene takes place in teaching and rais“You can get into an underground tunnel on ing her children. a fictional campus Spicer She grew a pasa state where the created in Massena, N.Y. actual world sort of sion for writing and The tunnel was inspired quit her job in 1990 fades away around in order to become by the one on campus that you, and the only runs between Adirondack a full-time writer. world that you’re Hall and Algonquin Dining “It’s rewarding Hall. to have people enaware of is the world Already interested in the joy the things you of your fiction, and subject, Spicer’s passion for write, but the most that’s a wonderful (rewarding thing) science-fiction was further feeling.” nourished while attending is when you’re acPSUC alumna Nancy Thomas Morrissey’s introtually working on Kress duction to science fiction them,” Kress said. class that he was enrolled “You can get into a in the spring of 1992. He state where the acsaid that before he took this course, tual world sort of fades away around his idea of science fiction writing was you, and the only world that you’re very shallow. aware of is the world of your fiction, “He (Morrissey) brought out all and that’s a wonderful feeling.” sorts of wonderful pieces … it really However, that wonderful feeling opened my eyes to how rich, how viv- can be beaten down by rejection, id and how much fun this genre can which Kress said she learned after be,” he said. “I always had a passion receiving it when she first started for science fiction as far as movies … out. but not as literature.” “You have to have a pretty thick Spicer is still in the process of writ- skin to keep going … but it happens to ing the sequel to “Saviors Among Us: everybody,” she said. Situation Critical,” though he had to Despite the rejection and unprescrap the original plotline because he dictable pay of the career, Kress realized it was a clone of a cartoon his presses onward and said she loves it. son watched. Her most important piece of adAlthough he had to start over, he vice, one she follows herself, is to just said he plans to maintain the original write. She said good writers just do it. theme of the novel: trust building. A writer’s ability to do that sets those Unlike Collins and Spicer, who who are simply talented writers apart both graduated with English de- from those that make careers of their grees, class of ’69 alumna Nancy talents. Kress’s writing career began differ“Just do it,” she said. “You don’t ently. An elementary education ma- wait for inspiration. You don’t wait jor, she was hired as a fourth grade until you’re in the mood. You sit teacher after graduation. It wasn’t down, and you do it.”
Stanley Blow III associate news editor
I can’t take it anymore. I have been carrying around a huge secret for all of my adolescent life. It lives deep in the bottom of my gut, waiting to burst out in a drunken blur and successfully bring life as I know it to a crashing halt. I guess I may be overreacting. Deep down, I’ve known I was gay since I was in the sixth grade. Back when boys were first discovering girls, I found myself having recurring dreams of making out with my best friend, a boy, and I wasn’t quite sure why. At the time, I thought it was unnatural and there was something extremely wrong with me, so I learned to just push it down and ignore it. I lived like that for a long time. During that time, I found myself in a relationship with my friend’s sister. Of course I had convinced myself I was straight and that my past dreams had been a strange phase. So I jumped at the chance to date her, which meant sitting awkwardly in her living room while she dropped obvious hints that she wanted me to take my pants off. Needless to say, our relationship didn’t last very long. I had absolutely no interest in showing her the least bit of affection — at least not the affection she wanted. In fact, the first time she tried to kiss me, I backed away and said I wasn’t ready for anything like that. After we broke up, I started to realize why I wasn’t really interested in her. I was beginning to accept the inevitable fact that I wasn’t like all the other boys. By the time I entered my health class in 10th grade, I was convinced I wasn’t straight. I didn’t quite know what I was,
but I knew I wasn’t straight. My health teacher helped me figure out who I am. To this day, I remember one day in class she said, “Statistics show that approximately one in every 10 students identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.” She pointed out that because our class had 20 people, there were most likely two people in our class who identified as gay. She stressed that those two students were completely normal and could live happy lives. She said they shouldn’t be afraid to be themselves. I took those words to heart. It was during that class that I really started to accept myself, but I still had a long way to go. Since then, I have been fighting a never-ending battle with depression and paranoia — one that sometimes keeps me up at night. I feel the major roadblock that stands between me and finding the courage to practically shout this from a rooftop is my family. My family is the one group of people whose opinions of me matters the most. I fear what they’ll think, especially if they read this before I can tell them. I guess they’ll most likely understand. I hope. At this point in my life, I’ve come to terms with myself, but I’ve been searching for that one way to get this weight off my shoulders and break my news to the world. At the moment, I’ve told only two people, but I need to tell more before I burst at the seams.
“Sex and the SUNY” is a sex/relationship column that represents solely the opinion of the author.
Cardinal Points welcomes and hopes for submissions from people with diverse perspectives and life experience.
We would like columns to be written by both men and women, and discuss issues surrounding heterosexual, homosexual and/or bisexual relationships and sex. Submissions should be 600 words and should be emailed to:
fuse@cardinalpointsonline.com. Cardinal Points reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and content.
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CP Fuse
fuse editor gabrielle bilik
fuse@cardinalpointsonline.com
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friday, may 4, 2012
Open Spaces Workouts for any fitness level offered at one gym By Kaitlyn Affuso associate fuse editor
warm months each year so she is able to run outside and not on the treadmill. She said she is in Getting bored while running better shape during the summer in rhythm on the treadmill at the because she runs more often. gym and staring at a television Though she prefers to run screen? With spring approach- alone, Gagnon said she will turn ing, Plattsburgh State students it into a group activity and run can take their workouts outside with her sister or a friend if she’s by utilizing the outdoor fitness bored as long as they keep the options that nature offers. same pace. The nice weather allows She said she and her friends people to continue their exer- enjoy night-blading which is cises outside in a different at- when they go rollerblading at mosphere and a more sociable night together. Gagnon said they manner, Laurence Soroka, asso- prefer the evenings because the ciate professor and chair of the temperatures are cooler. She expeditionary studies depart- also said the activity fosters to ment, said. having good conversation while Outdoor activities are appro- doing it. priate for all levels of fitness, So“Your legs get an amazing roka said. For instance, canoeing workout, but it doesn’t feel like and kayaking skills can range it,” she said. “You just kind of enfrom beginner to expert; how- joy the nice weather.” ever, it works the paddler’s musShe suggests any activity in cles a great deal. Not only is it a the sand for a great work out fitness activity, to enjoy with but is suitable friends. Runto do indepenning on the dently or with “I think the neat thing beach, or playfriends, he said. about (outdoor sports) ing volleyball in The North the sand both is that they really Country presare accessible as an work the body’s ents a variety of muscles more activity for people options in addithan on solid tion to boating. who are (beginners) to land. Rock climbG a g n o n advanced.” ing, hiking and Laurence Soroka, expedi- thinks horseswimming are tionary studies department shoes is a great other activities and often overchair PSUC students looked activity. participate in. She said it is a However, with fun, leisurely outdoor activity comes an add- game to play with a group of ed element of danger, Soroka people and gives the arms a warns. He said the biggest dan- good workout. gers to people participating in PSUC student Brian Fletcher these activities are those they said he loves spending his time are unaware of. doing different outdoor activi“You need to know what you ties and doesn’t understand how don’t know,” Soroka said. others are able to pass up the Recently the sporadic bouts of great weather by staying inwarm weather divided by weeks doors so much. of freezing cold have caused the “All I ever do with my life is I water temperatures in the area run, I rock climb, I hike,” Fletchto remain very low, he said. With er said. the water currently around 40 He describes his love of the degrees, someone could die outdoors as a healthy addiction, within roughly 15 minutes if especially running. To add varithey fell in. ety to his favorite activities, he Even though water sports are said he’ll enter races. associated with the warmer “You’re surrounded by all months, Soroka said back-coun- types of people, and just the try snowshoeing and skiing are competition is a good feeling,” still a possibility on the high he said. peaks until June or July. DependPSUC student Nick Casparing on the conditions of the pre- ian said he bikes more than vious winter, the opportunity anything. Having three bikes stands for continuing some win- at school with him, he usually ter sports. takes numerous bike rides a day. “Those activities can be seriCasparian and Fletcher often ous physical challenges, they can ride their bikes together and also be fun or they can be mellow with other friends. too,” he said. “I think the neat “We need to spend time outthing about (outdoor sports) is side physically to be OK menthat they really are accessible tally,” Fletcher said. “There’s as an activity for people who are been times where I’ve been in(beginners) to advanced.” jured from running, and I will PSUC student and Aerobics just get depressed because I and Fitness Association of won’t be able to run with the America approved trainer Kayla team and won’t be able to just Gagnon said she is eager for the get that feeling.” By Stanley Blow III associate news editor
Every now and then, people need to get back to their roots. Having grown up in a small town in rural Vt. (not Burlington), I developed a taste early on for restaurants that serve large quantities of greasy comfort foods, like chicken-fried steak and corned beef hash. These kinds of restaurants, I feel, will always be a guilty pleasure for me. I have fond memories spending the night with my grandmother and going out for a special brunch the next morning, just the two of us. I miss the food, the atmosphere and the quality service one can only find in these smaller restaurants. How surprised I was to find a restaurant that fits this description here in Plattsburgh. Plattsburgh Homestead Restaurant is the perfect place to go if you want an inexpensive meal that will fill you up.
When I entered the restaurant, I noticed I brought down the average age by about 30 years or so. One can definitely tell this restaurant is the place for the over-60 age group, but that is OK by me. It makes for good eavesdropping. Upon looking at the menu, it didn’t take me long at all to decide that even though it was about 6 p.m. on a Friday night, I had to order breakfast. I had a little trouble deciding between an omelet, ham or some corned beef hash. I was extra hungry, so I decided to get all three. The wait for the food was relatively short, and when my server brought out the two monstrous dishes, I felt my stomach sink a little. Why did I order so much? When she placed the food in front of me, I remembered why I love these kinds of restaurants. My omelet — which was filled with ham, mushrooms and cheese — was so stuffed with filling that it was oozing out the corners. These people really know how to
Cardinal Points/Rob Schulz
Plattsburgh State student Chelsea Varin gives Ali Kellman’s LED hoop a try. Kellman and Varin are active within Plattsburgh’s hula hoop community. Varin is pursuing instructor certification online.
HULA: ‘Anyone can pick up a hoop’ from page eight That move is called “The Vortex,” and she said it took her two days of steady practice to get it down. Once she did, she said she was excited to show her friends and family the payoff of her hard work. Varin also has a complicated move that she was proud to accomplish, a move that involves rotating the hoop around the shoulder. “Once you get to know the hoop and know how the hoop moves around you, it’s so fun to get a move down,” Varin said. But both agree that although nabbing a difficult move is satisfying, there is no serious competition among hoopers. “The hula community is very accepting,” Varin said. “It’s so non-judgmental.” The hula community Varin described consists of anyone who comes out to hoop with others. The teachers of a group, or “hoop mamas” mentor new hoopers and provide them with some of their hoops to get them started. Some members of Plattsburgh’s hula community can be found on the Facebook page Varin started, “Plattsburgh Hoop Mamas.” There are three levels of expertise in hooping, seeding, budding and blooming. But Varin stressed that all members learn from one another. And even though she and Kellman have mastered some tough moves, they too only just started about a year ago, after seeing others hooping outside. Varin was the first to pursue it and soon Kellman joined. Also to join them was their friend, Gabrielle Beckenstein. Like Varin and Kellman, Beckenstein enjoyed hula hooping as a child and she said she also enjoys doing it to de-stress. “It’s therapeutic just to get your body moving in a way,” Beckenstein said. “I used to dance as well, so I don’t really dance anymore so it’s like I’m dancing with a hoop. It’s fun.” Though the three of them agree hooping is a great form of expression, they disagree on one integral component of the sport. What goes inside the tube that comprises the hoop, affects the way it moves around the body. Varin prefers nothing in the hoop. “I like the weightlessness of the hoop I feel like I can maneuver it quicker and faster and I like how much more responsive it is to body,” she said. Kellman said she owns some hoops with water that she she wants to get a workout in. When she first started hooping she used water-filled hoops because the extra weight makes them move slower. “As you get better it’s more of a challenge to use the
make an omelet, or so I thought. Now, I’m not saying the omelet was terrible, but the eggs were not seasoned at all. They could have been much better with a pinch of salt or pepper. However, the fillings made up for this shortcoming. Next, I ate both slices of ham that came with my meal. It’s pretty hard to mess up ham, so it was average. It was slightly browned on both sides and didn’t have too much fat. Overall, it was a good slice of ham. Before continuing, I should mention that I am what one would call a “hash snob” — and I’m not talking about the drug slang. I basically love anything that contains meat and potatoes of any kind, especially if it is diced
empty hoops because they go faster,” she said.” She also said some of her hoops have beads in them, simply because the sound is fun. Beckenstein prefers empty hoops, but also owns and uses a bead-filled hoop occasionally. The hoop with the beads is a hand-me down from Kellman’s childhood. She gave it to Beckenstein after Beckenstein showed interest in the hoop’s small size. Beckenstein occasionally uses water-filled hoops, but not for too long because she said excessive use can cause bruising. Beckenstein and Kellman are happy to hoop when they can find the time, but Varin is beginning to branch out and flex her muscles as a “hoop mama.” After experiencing hooping for herself, and realizing how many of her peers enjoyed the activity as well, Varin decided she wanted to share the activity with more people. She said she gave away some of her hoops this past summer while she was visiting Oregon to begin the process. She also recently led two hula hooping classes with the “Biggest Loser of the North Country” contestants in Plattsburgh. “I gave them a test run of what one of my classes would be, and it was really successful,” she said. She is currently working on obtaining her instructor certification online. She said there are various hula organizations by which credentials can be obtained. Costs are around $350 and they provide instructional videos. “I can do them at my own leisure,” she said. “There is a written exam for one of them and others are more instructional and you take what you want from it and you go your own way.” Varin said she is leaning more toward the instructional video option. She has arranged to teach some classes at the U.S. Oval in mid-May and also spoke to the campus’ Fitness Center Group Exercise Director, Tracy Corey about possibly incorporating hula classes into the schedule. She said Corey seemed enthusiastic, but since Varin is graduating the discussion was halted because they would need to find another instructor. Corey did not respond to Cardinal Points in time to confirm or deny if the fitness center is pursuing any plans to add such classes to the schedule. Until then, students can still checkout the “Plattsburgh Hoop Mamas” Facebook page to see when Varin and other members of the community meet. Varin said participant turnout varies, but that anyone is welcome to join. “Anyone can pick up a hoop and do it,” Varin said. “It’s definitely more about how you connect with your mind and body than athletic ability.”
small and fried together. However, it is a pet peeve of mine when corned beef hash is undercooked or overcooked, and I must say, this restaurant knows its hash. It was fully cooked, but not to the point where it was crunchy and too brown. It was perfectly done so it didn’t crunch when bitten into, but it wasn’t like eating
spiced, raw hamburg either. It was just right. If you can stand being surrounded by the over-60 crowd and slightly tasteless eggs, I would recommend at least trying this downhome cooking. It is inexpensive and filling. If you get what I got, I can almost guarantee you won’t go away hungry.
friday, may 4, 2012
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fuse@cardinalpointsonline.com
CP Fuse
fuse editor gabrielle bilik
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— compiled by Rob Schulz
If you were to write a book, what would it be about? Lyndsey Tolman Sophomore Communications Disorders
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When new career opportunities bring Tom and Violet from San Francisco to Michigan,their relationship encounters some real-world hurdles. “The Five-Year Engagement” comically highlights the ups and downs of their move, but the ending is easy to guess from the beginning.
Predictable plot ruins funny story By Jennifer Franke staff writer
“The Five-Year Engagement” shares the story of Tom (Jason Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt) and their, you guessed it, five-year engagement. To start with, the movie had a predictable story line from the very beginning: two soul mates fell in love over a year’s time and decided to get married, but their engagement lasted a long time and was filled with struggles. While starting the wedding plans, Violet received a great job opportunity from the University of Michigan’s psychology program. It sounds great, but it all went downhill from there. Tom, a chef in San Francisco, was happy to move with Violet so that she could pursue her dreams because “he could cook anywhere.” This turned out to be true, but he definitely wasn’t happy. Moving all the way from San Francisco to Michigan was a big change for Tom, seeing as how he had to watch his career slowly slip away. But Violet seemed happier than ever so he covered up his unhappiness. At first, the engagement was only supposed to be put off for two years while the couple remained in Michigan for that time. But sure enough, Violet receives an even bigger opportunity to stay in Michigan for a few more years to enhance her career. Tom agrees to this but eventually gets out of control and completely loses his whole identity. When Tom ends up in the hospital, the couple decides to split up because neither of them is happy. But back to being predictable, I’m sure you can sense what will happen at the end.
The supporting cast consists of Violet’s sister, Alison Brie (Suzie) and Chris Pratt (Alex), Tom’s best friend. Suzie and Alex found out they were pregnant and, sure enough, within a week, they got married. They try to guide the two soul mates to stick together because they know they are right for each other. The rest of the cast is mainly both sides of the families who show up in and out of random scenes, mainly concerning death and Violet’s colleagues at the University of Michigan. The movie highlights many conflicts couples struggle with, such as cheating, communication and honesty, just to name a few. These make the story line a bit more interesting but not enough to sit through for two hours. Throughout the movie, Tom’s attempt to make Violet happy is quite amusing and you can’t help but to laugh at his funny, likeable character. The theme of this movie is about sacrificing everything for the person you love and the consequences that brings. Although this movie does contain a good amount of laughter, the funniest scenes were the ones shown in the previews, which was a letdown. When it comes to the overall movie, there were just way too many scenes that switched back and forth, which made the movie hard to follow. The movie could’ve had great potential, but it seemed that the director (Nicholas Stoller) squashed a bunch of information into the scenes. There was too much going on. “The Five-Year Engagement” shows struggles that an everyday couple could relate to which makes it easy for the viewer to watch and understand, but the
All shows are all ages unless otherwise noted. All times are the official show times. If you have a band that would like to be listed, contact fuse editor Gabrielle Bilik at fuse@ cardinalpointsonline.com.
May 6 M. Ward with Lee Ranaldo Band (of Sonic Youth) — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 7 p.m., Show: 7:30 p.m., $22/25 802-652-0777
May 4 First Friday with DJ Precious, DJ Llu and Jane Boxall — Showcase Lounge, Burlington, Vt., Door: 7:30 p.m., Show: 8 p.m., $5/10, Ages 18+ 802-652-0777
Colin Hay (of Men at Work) with Chris Trapper — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 7 p.m., Show: 8 p.m., $22/25 802652-0777
Schoolboy Q with Ab-Soul — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 8 p.m., Show: 8:30 p.m., $14/16 802-652-0777
May 7 Dark Star Orchestra — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 8 p.m., Show: 9 p.m., $22/25 802652-0777
May 5 Barefoot Truth — Showcase Lounge, Burlington, Vt., Door: 8 p.m., Show: 8:30 p.m., $12/15, 802-652-077
May 8 Dark Star Orchestra — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 8 p.m., Show: 9 p.m., $22/25 802652-0777
“A children’s book.”
Caroline Edinger Freshman Spanish
”The life of a butterfly.” Christopher Sanders Senior History
“Something about history.”
Rebecca Duquett Freshman Music Photo Provided
Jason Segel also co-wrote “The Five-Year Engagement,” with its director, Nicholas Stoller. Despite attempts to market the film by stressing producer Judd Apatow’s “Bridesmaids” connection, it came in fifth at the box office over it’s opening weekend. predictable movie doesn’t bring anything special to the table. It is similar to every other romantic comedy out there. May 9 Neon Trees — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 7 p.m., Show: 7:30 p.m., $15/17 802-6520777
May 11 Twiddle with Lucid and The Bumping Jones — Showcase Lounge, Burlington, Vt., Door: 8 p.m., Show: 8:30 p.m., $12/14, 802-652-0777 May 12 Lotus Land: A Tribute to Rush — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 7:30 p.m., Show: 8 p.m., $15/18 802-652-0777 May 13 William Beckett (formerly of The Academy Is…) with Cara Salimando and Bombardier to Pilot — Showcase Lounge, Burlington, Vt., Door: 7 p.m., Show: 7:30 p.m., $12/14, 802652-0777 May 15 Steve Kimock with Bernie Worrell, Wally Ingram and
“An autobiography.” Andy Hess — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 7:30 p.m., Show: 8 p.m., $23/25 802-6520777 May 16 Whitechapel with Miss May I, After the Burial, Within the Ruins and The Plot In You — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 6 p.m., Show: 6:30 p.m., $16/19 802-652-0777 May 17 The Bouncing Souls with The Menzingers, The Holy Mess and Luther — Showcase Lounge, Burlington, Vt., Door: 7 p.m., Show: 7:30 p.m., $16/18, 802-652-0777 May 18 The Psychic Paramount — Showcase Lounge, Burlington, Vt., Door: 8 p.m., Show: 8:30 p.m., $10/12, 802-652-0777 Hug Your Farmer: A Tribute To Levon Helm — Higher Ground, Burlington, Vt., Door: 8:30 p.m., Show: 9 p.m., $25 802652-0777
Amy Douglas Sophomore Nursing
“How to truly find happiness.”
Vol 86, Issue 11
Cardinal Points/ Gregg Twergo
Shake what your ‘mama’ gave you
Plattsburgh ‘hoop mamas’ bring back classic pastime By Gabrielle Bilik fuse editor
After a stressful day, Plattsburgh State student Chelsea Varin copes by reaching for something many haven’t given a whirl since childhood — the hula hoop. “I think it’s a way to escape. I love closing my eyes and being within the hoop,” Varin said. Varin said she enjoys hooping to music when she is stressed, and she’s not the only one. The American Council on Exercise published a study conducted by the University of Wisconsin,
La Crosse and named hooping a highly effective form of exercise. The study concluded that when hula hoopers use weighted hoops, hoops filled with water, their workout is comparable to kickboxing and boot camp. Celebrities such as actress Marisa Tomei and Shaquille O’neal have publicly shared their passions for the hoop and now groups of PSUC students can be seen hooping around town. On this particular occasion Varin and several of her friends are hooping outside of one of their homes on Broad Street.
Despite the chill of the evening air, the group of eight is laughing and twirling without complaint. Collectively they have a large pile of colorful homemade hula hoops scattered on the lawn. Among them is Ali Kellman, a friend of Varin’s who is also rekindling her childhood passion for hooping. Her hoop is large, with multicolored light emitting diodes (LEDs) that flash as the hoop oscillates around her body. As she gyrates, her limbs dictate the hoop’s movements so smoothly, that during the few
instances when she breaks momentum, it is unexpected for the hoop to unhinge and inevitably fall to the grass. The hoops are responsive to whatever knee-jerk pulsation the hoopers deliver that they maintain a continuous orbit around the individual, demonstrating what Varin meant by “being in the hoop.” In one movement Kellman had the hoop moving fluidly up and down her body with only her hands maintaining contact with it. See HULA, B6