The Griffin Volume LXXXVI, Number 1

Features

Opinion

Lockport Native gives back in big way

sports

Asmundson Plays with Failure is not an 4 option 6 Sabres

www.CanisiusGriffin .com

Volume LXXXVI, Number 1

9

September 11, 2015

Into a Brighter Future

By Jesse P.R. Prieto News Editor

& CJ Gates

Editor-in-Chief

On the afternoon of Wednesday 5 Sept., Canisius President and former Griffin editor John J. Hurley, fresh off a new fiveyear contract extension from the Canisius Board of Trustees, stood before the board, faculty, and students to give the community direction towards what looks to be a bright future. The hallowed halls of Canisius College have stood strong for 145 years, and the current administration believes it can maintain these walls for a century more. Following several financially turbulent years, featuring cuts to both budgets and faculty, Canisius is once again on solid financial ground.

Since 2010, the College has been operating under a policy of crisis management. As Hurley stated at last year’s convocation, “we determined that, while we had not managed the financial aid process well, we were experiencing a fundamental downward shift in our undergraduate enrollment patterns.” The light at the end of the tunnel looks to be much brighter. As such, the administration believes it is time to step out of crisis mode and into a refocused place of growth, though Hurley was quick to point out the College would not simply pursue growth for growth’s sake.

In 2009, the College’s endowment, which was largely propped up by real estate, was hit hard as the Great Recession tore through the global economy.

While the United States faced a loss of 8.4 million jobs, Canisius lost nearly 50 percent of its col-

lege-wide endowment, which dipped down to $57 million in spring of 2009 before it began to steadily climb to the $108 million dollar mark that Hurley announced on Wednesday. The college’s commitment to austerity, shuffling both offices and personnel, and gathering support from alumni and friends has led to the recent turnaround in the endowment’s fortune. Though the road has been rocky and not without controversy, Canisius continues to show signs of triumph as it weathers this storm.

Not only has the endowment gone up, but student retention numbers have also seen an increase as well which, despite freshman enrollment being smaller than expected, has led to an overall undergraduate enrollment that was above expectations, according to Hurley.

Additionally, Hurley touted the fact the college finished with its first operating surplus in several years last year and pointed to additional consolidations of the Offices of Financial Aid, Student Accounts and Student Records into one streamlined office known as Student Records and Financial Services Center.

Back in 2013, Hurley openly expressed the College’s budget deficit, lower-than-needed enrollment, and an overall decline in higher education enrollment nationwide. It was a rallying cry, for the community as a whole to continue pressing through in unity as the administration toyed with numbers and future expectations. Despite aggressive recruitment targeting both graduate and undergraduate students coupled with austerity measures, the 2013 academic year saw the

college fall short - far short. With an 80% student retention from 2012 to 2013 alone, the College saw a further loss of $2.6 million in revenue on top of the already bloated deficit.

By the same time the following year, campus was straught with change. Faculty was cut, department budgets were downsized, and students bore yet another rise in tuition. 2013 was not without controversy - witnessing a political battle between President Hurley and then-Student President Brock Wilkinson over the presence of a student representative of the budget committee. Tension between the community and administration was further stretched as wave after wave of disappointing slogans, flyers, and letter campaigns were released. The retirement of “Where leaders are made” and subsequent release of “Go Exploring” in 2012 and “Discover” in 2013 was seen as a detrimental blow to tradition as Canisius continued its soul-searching “walk-about.” Canisius seemed to have rid itself of growing pains as Canisius dropped the five hundred thousand dollar outsourced campaign, and turned inward to reshape its identity.

By the end of 2014 the Career Center, Tutoring Center, Campus Programming Leadership Development, and Residence Life were rehashed into the Griff Center for Academic Engagement and Student Life, creating a more streamlined and economically efficient cohort of student-needs outlets. Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and Student Affairs all shifted, maneuvering around the redrawn bureaucratic lines.

Studio fit for ESPN

By Dominic Chamberlain Sports Editor

You can tell a good television production from a bad one.

When you watched last night’s NFL season opener between the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers you saw a professional sports broadcast at the highest production level possible. But when you watch your local High School football team on local access television, you get half of the production the folks at NBC put on last night, if that.

Along at the top of the sports production world is ESPN, they are after all the worldwide leader in sports. If you need proof just watch any broadcast they put on the air. Everything from their weekly Monday Night Football broadcasts to their NBA coverage and even down to the Little

Since 1933

League World Series is top notch television.

Over the summer, Canisius got a studio fit for those types of broadcasts.

Take a trip into Science Hall and walk down past the plant wall to the room filled with monitors, computers and boards with flashing lights and

Studio fit for a King

buttons. If you turn around and walk back to the plant wall and look to the right of the bay of computers, you will see a room with a big green wall and three robotic cameras. All of this is now available to Canisius and its students to put on those high quality broadcasts. see ESPN @9

Photo: Dominic Chamberlain

Canisius College, Buffalo, N.Y.

The hallowed halls of Canisius College.

The rebalancing of budgets, repositioning of staff, and the overall reshaping of campus seems to be showing signs of progress. In 2013 the endowment had regained much of its lost strength with $94,479,000 in total. By the end of the 2014 fall semester another $10 million had been added in net value puting the college over its much needed hundred million dollar mark. Having only been in office one year, Vice President for Business and Finance Marco Benedetti achieved remarkable growth by tapping into willing donor base and, more importantly, creating a more diverse balance of assets in the endowment’s portfolio. This year, President Hurley proudly announced

that the College’s growth has continued at a sustainable rate and is now at $108 million in net value.

Despite all hardships, Canisius has risen in the rankings placing 451 in 2010 and rising to 435 nation wide according to US News “America’s Best Colleges” in 2015. Financial footing is strong, and Canisius is on pace to maintain a balanced budget; “We are in the best position we have been in, in the last five years,” said Hurley.

Much like the rest of Buffalo, Canisius has put its past behind it and is now marching forward to a brighter future. prietoj@canisius.edu gates3@canisius.edu

Rustbelt Renaissance in the Harbor

By Nathan Ress & Malachite Karpie Jones Editor-in-Chief

From bartenders to Bylsma, the Canalside hype is real and only just getting started.

Far past the bustling realms of Elmwood and Hertel, a new visitor destination has emerged seemingly out of the rubble at the foot of the downtown corridor. The Erie Canal Harbor, or Canalside as it’s becoming locally known, is wrapping up its first full summer with complete attractions following a massive $52 million renovation haul that began in 2012. When construction was finalized this past spring, it didn’t take long for Buffalonians and tourists alike to flock to the Queen City’s new gem. Complete with several Buffalo-oriented businesses, new restaurant experiences, and massive green space beside the Skyway for concerts and festivals, Canalside will have hosted over one thousand events and seen over one million faces visit their attractions by the time 2015 comes to a close.

Canalside has become so much more than a couple water-

front restaurants and mom-pop shops in such a short period of time. Built in 1825 as the western terminus of the Erie Canal, it served as a hub of commercial prominence until its steady decline in the 1920s. Fast forward to 2005, the Erie Canal Harbor is little more than a massive parking lot and collection of debris from the Memorial Auditorium’s demolition. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo and local business figures have recognized the area’s potential for economic growth in Western New York. Ten years and $52 million later, the Erie County Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) has completed their initial renovation of the 12.5 acre Inner and Outer Harbor Kathy Hilliman, an experienced sailor with the familyowned-and-operated Spirit of Buffalo, spoke highly of the Harbor’s new changes and influx of clientele it has brought to Buffalo’s premier tour vessel.

“It’s been wonderful, our business is easily the best it’s ever been. The three years of renovation and waiting were absolutely see Harbor @ 3 Design 2015 Annie Niland

2 NEWS

11 September 2015

Five chairs at the table; Four seats filled.

By Rob Creenan Griffin Reporter & Justing Smith Assistant News Editor

This past Tuesday marked the reconvening of Canisius College’s Undergraduate Student Association, and with only eight days into the semester Senate was presented with a full plate of mainstage issues. With a new E-Board in power, this academic ye ar marks the second consecutive term in which all executive positions have been reshuffled, renamed, and in one case rendered unattended. In addition to an address by Canisius College President and former Griffin editor John J. Hurley, USA’s fledgling administration notified the student Senate of a larger-than-projected budget amounting to several hundreds of thousands of dollars, and discussed a wide range of topics - arguably the most important of which was the vacant position of Vice President of Student Organizations (VPSO).

At the top of this week’s agenda and of primary concern for this USA Administration, was to fill the position of VPSO: an empty seat following Vance Stinson’s resignation. Although Senate rules dictated that the Senate appoint the new VPSO on that Tuesday meeting, the group, after some healthy debate, voted to table the issue to next week by a vote of seven to zero with eight absten-

tions. The tabling was, as USA President Kubiak argued during the meeting, to give club leaders a chance to learn about the VPSO situation and have a chance to voice their opinion. This can ostensibly be done at Saturday’s Club Summit.

“If you don’t involve someone who should logically be involved,” said Kubiak, “it leads to trouble.”

Kubiak said that although VPSO is appointed and therefore club leaders can’t have a direct vote in the matter, giving them an opportunity to weighin on the issue is “risk aversion.” This does, however, mean that there will be no VPSO present at Saturday’s Club Summit.

Following the adjourning of the meeting, President Kubiak and Executive Vice President Elias “Fenoose” Ayoub spoke in more detail about specific plans regarding the VPSO situation and the Club Summit. “[The Club Summit is] not specifically about gaining info,” said President Kubiak.

Rather, Kubiak reiterated that the week between last Senate meeting and the next, and specifically the club summit, will be an opportunity to get club leaders informed on the issue and the candidates. “[It’s about] not disregarding them,” said EVP Ayoub in reference to club leaders.

President Kubiak said that club leaders, or anyone else, can show up to Tuesday’s Senate meeting and allow their voices to

be heard prior to the appointment.

In total, there are five candidates running for VPSO, which The Griffin had a chance to speak to about their respective platforms and reasons for running.

Shai Fears: A freshman, Fears is majoring in health and wellness, but is thinking about switching to psychology. He wants to be part of a lot of things on campus, since he was very active in high school.

Fears was president of many clubs, and was also the class president. Fears enjoys participating in the school and he feels he’s qualified based on the high school experience that he had, as well as his personality. Fears was told when he was young that he has leadership qualities.

It’s not about the title for him, it’s about being engaged with different organizations. Fears also wants to understand the campus population and how they react to certain things.

Annie Niland: A sophomore digital media arts major with one year of senate experience, Niland ran for the position last year against Vance. She feels she can bring a lot to the position and adjust as needed for the job. She is also involved with Student Programming Board and the Griffin.

Katie Parker: A sophomore, political science major on the pre-law track involved with mock trial and Phi Alpha Delta, Parker feels that she can bring a fresh set of eyes to the position. She’s been eager to be part of Senate for her

two years here and thinks this is a great opportunity.

She had similar experiences like this in programs before and feels she has the drive. Stinson has talked to her at length over what to do for the job.

Samantha Sellers: Sellers has no Senate experience, but she is a sophomore political science major with minors in business and psychology.

Sellers is involved with many clubs on campus as she’s trying to figure them all out. Sellers feels she can bring a new look to the position and hopes to get a lot of experience from it. If she doesn’t get it, Sellers is hopeful to get experience now for next year.

Darby Ratliff: A senior english, creative writing, and political science major with an economics minor; Ratliff is also on E-Boards for Quadrangle, Sigma Tau Delta, the Di Gamma Honor Society, and is the Opinion Editor for The Griffin. She also works for campus ministry, admissions, and the tutoring center. Ratliff thinks she’s qualified because she has a lot of experience with club leaders in the past, she’s fully embraced the club culture, and wants to improve upon it. If appointed, she will resign spots in various clubs and restructure her schedule to make sure she has time for USA executive board.

***

Tabling the issue of VPSO for next week student leaders pressed further into other matters, including Little Theater’s budget, which adminis-

tration will not provide additional funding to this semester; the issue of using 320 Graphics as a primary clothing supplier; a potential $150,000 Griffin statue to be constructed using $100,000 in student tax dollars and $50,000 from a Board of Trustee member; club budgets, which were passed unanimously; and a possible plan to bring back vintage Canisius sweatshirts from Senator Jeffrey Spencer and Jack McGuire. President Hurley made a brief appearance to give a prelude to his state-of-thecollege-address and offer an ear to student opinion directly.

President Hurley, who is currently in his 6th year, revealed that he has had his contract extended through 2020 by the Board of Trustees. Going from there, he talked about the Vision Project and how to keep Canisius relevant in a changing world. Hurley said that although it is difficult to predict exactly how the world will change, Canisius must still try to stay ahead of the curve.

“We’re big on tradition, but we still have to evolve,” said Hurley.

Hurley discussed the Vision Project more specifically as well, saying he hoped to use the input from students and faculty to create a new vision statement for the college.

Furthermore, President Hurley does not want to stop with just that statement, but hopes to create an “ongoing dialogue” regarding Canisius’ role moving into the future.

Hurley said that he wants

to redefine what it means to be a student-centered university. “[We have to] get back to the basics and get rid of all the frills and amenities,” said President Hurley.

Hurley also spoke at length about how Canisius strives for social justice, referencing the murdered Jesuits from the University of Central America whom he commemorated with his recent trip to El Salvador, and rhetorically asked if there were any “risky things” Canisius should be doing in that regard.

In the same vein, Hurley questioned, “What is to become of our Catholic and Jesuit identity?”

After his prepared remarks, Hurley took several questions, a few of which generated notable responses. He talked about how the college has to get “a lot more serious” about environmental sustainability and said he is “aware” of pushback from various departments regarding recycling related initiatives. Questioning also led Hurley to the discussion of two separate $35 million projects. One of which was the second and third floors of Science Hall, which he optimistically hopes to start in the spring of 2017. The other was a project to push for the repaving of Main Street, which Hurley said would need federal backing. smith322@canisius.edu creenanr@canisius.edu

Main floor opens to mixed reviews

By Felicity Werner Griffin Reporter

Starting last spring, the renovations happening in Canisius’ Bouwhuis Library have resulted in many new and exciting changes meant to modernize its appearance and aid students in their collaborative and individual learning efforts. These changes include a new group lounge, referred to as the Philip C. ’48 & Josephine Lombardo Collaborative Learning Center, which features booths, group study tables, and even media-scape units which allow groups of students to each contribute using state-of-the-art collaborative technology to make multi-media class presentations. Updated

technology is also present in each of the library’s new group study and instruction classrooms which are climate controlled as well as (relatively) soundproof.

Included in the new furniture and layout of the library are six tables for the desktop computers, each of which feature a handicap accessible, American Disability Association compliant, end which is able to raise and lower with the push of a button. Other changes include improved sight lines throughout, less cluttered furniture layout, a layer of fresh paint over existing photo murals, and updated lighting fixtures, carpeting and ceiling. In addition to the new look of the service desk, there is now also a special ser-

View of the new desktops in the Library Photo Credit: Jehad Ahmed

vice room where a student can be taken for one-onone help with software or other questions where computer demonstrations would be needed. Areas other than the main floor of the library have also seen changes, such as the new carpeting in the stairwell and about 15 tables worth of study space added to the quiet floor.

All of the renovations are donor driven, thanks to about four million dollars in gifts and pledges so far, including the one million from the estate of the late Philip C. Lombardo ’48 and Josephine Lombardo (for the Learning center).

In addition to all the renovations so far students can still expect even more to come in the near future.

Anticipated changes include the updating of two of the group study rooms on the main floor, an addition bookshelf in the Collaborative Learning Center, updated bathrooms on all three floors, and the expansion of Tim Hortons.

Students can also look forward to the appearance of what Matt Kochan, Public Service Supervisor of the library refers to as “cabanas.” These will appear among the tables of desktop computers and will include an interesting sort of

New Library Seating

half-open study area with seating and tables.

Student opinions on the changes are varied, but those who have voiced disapproval have mentioned a lot of the same things. Many feel that the color scheme is unsightly, or the layout is too sterile and formal. Students often comment that it appears as if there are fewer computers present, although this is just an illusion since the same amount of desktops are now just more spaced out. The new arrangement of the desktops puts off some students who claim that this results in a loss of privacy, and creates an appearance of underutilized space. One student com-

Photo Credit: Jehad Ahmed

mented, “There seems to be a loss of the library’s character and casual atmosphere; everything is so academic now. This used to be a cool hangout space but now it feels like groups are restricted only to the study rooms.”

The library has also received a large amount of complaints involving the unreliable wireless internet (slow speed and random connection loss), but it promises to have this problem resolved as soon as possible.

The new library renovations are a sign of things to come and things that have been left behind.

Sophomore Claire Hart explained that the library

“really speaks to the modern times because it's full of things instead of books.”

She went on, saying, “It makes me sad that libraries aren't for books anymore they are for tables and laptops.” Student’s appeal to tradition and legacy is not uncommon on the grounds of Canisius College. Despite discrete reservations, the community as a whole is overjoyed by the generous donation of alumni and administrational focus on the importance of infrastructure. wernerf@canisius.edu

NEWS 3

11 September 2015

"I visited Canalside two, three years ago when some of the changes were starting to happen. So quickly it’s gone from gravel and nothing, to coming back this year in the summertime to an enormous transformation, it’s unrecognizable." -Dan Bylsma Harbor: continued from front

well worth it.”

Brought down to the Erie Canal Harbor in May of 2009, The Spirit of Buffalo leads multiple themed tours down the Buffalo River and is one of several water-oriented attractions offered. A number of pedal boats and canoes can be rented by children and adults alike, with bigger features including the Buffalo River History Tours.

Furthermore, the US Brig Niagara, a historical brigade that set sail in 1813, is set to be welcomed to the Harbor for public tours this Saturday and Sunday.

Food and drink are of course a main feature in Canalside’s latest upheaval, with the crown jewel being HARBORCENTER’s premier fan dining experience, the 716 Bar and Grill. 716 bartender Phil Merrilees of Clarence offered us a glimpse of what makes this Buffalosports themed eatery such a hot commodity among

the recent changes.

“716 has become a sort of focal point for visitors, allowing people to come check us out and then branch out to see everything the Harbor and downtown has to offer. The whole One Buffalo concept has really caught on with people, at any given night during the season we can get an unforgettable atmosphere in here. Whether it was the University at Buffalo Bulls game against WVU, the Sabres clinching Jack (Eichel) in the draft lottery, or those Bills games against Green Bay and the Oakland heartbreaker, we’ve had a lot to make some noise about from a fan perspective.”

Merrilees explained that 716 was an addition to a smaller HARBORCENTER plan that began with investment by the Pegula family. Bills and Sabres owner Terry Pegula was approached by his wife Kim who suggested more retail and various attractions be added to the

facility in order to create a more complete visitor experience for visitors who were already drawn in by the two NHL regulation sized ice rinks and Marriot hotel. Alongside 716, a new Tim Horton’s and several local, unique businesses such as Red Siren, Modern Nostalgia, and Fowler’s Chocolates were added in the HARBORCENTER, which will house the Canisius College Golden Griffins ice hockey team for the second straight season.

“College kids are usually from all over the place,” Merrilees continues, “so we offer all the major sports channels on each table’s individual television, NHL Center Ice, NBA League Pass, MLB TV. So say you’re a kid from Chicago going to Canisius, you can come to 716 and catch every single Bulls or Bears or Cubs game you want.”

Local business personnel aren’t the only ones noticing Buffalo’s renaissance in their backyard. Walking

down Washington Street between the HARBORCENTER Wednesday afternoon, Buffalo Sabres Head Coach Dan Bylsma caught up with The Griffin to weigh in on the newfound prosperity down at Canalside.

“I visited Canalside two, three years ago when some of the changes were starting to happen. So quickly it’s gone from gravel and nothing, to coming back this year in the summertime to an enormous transformation, it’s unrecognizable. Every night I’ve been down here this summer and it seems like there’s something different going on each time.

One night we had both a concert at First Niagara, and then a Bison’s baseball game, and there were easily over thirty thousand people down here enjoying everything there is to offer.”

Between the past summer’s free Thursday shows, different daily themed events, and dozens of interactive services like

horse-drawn carriage rides or Buffalo Pedal Tours, the scene downtown on any night is like nothing anyone from Buffalo has seen in decades. Businesses too are starting to notice a new flock of tourists with the Marriot hotel conveniently perched aside the Skyway. Bylsma also took note of the Golden Griffins who are readying themselves for another season; once again sharing the HARBORCENTER ice with the Buffalo Sabres.

“I didn’t get a chance to see Canisius’ old place, but it’s awesome that they get a chance to play in such a great facility. I look forward to the chance of catching a few games this season and seeing it packed with 2,000 people.

All that noise, I know it’d be an awesome atmosphere.”

The changes that have inspired so many Buffalonians to believe in the city’s Rustbelt Renaissance at Canalside this past summer are neither

slowing down nor ceasing.

In 2007, the ECHDC was contracted with the New York Power Authority to receive an annual tranche of $3.5 million for the next fifty years. Many of this summer’s feature attractions are still available well into October, with ice skating and other frozen activities planned to keep interest high during Buffalo’s storied winters.

Now that more progress is inevitable, it’s a better time than ever to fish out that CRAM pass, jump on the metro, and spend an afternoon seeing just a fraction of what Canalside has to offer. ressn@canisius.edu karpiejm@canisius.edu

WANT TO BED DOWN IN THE GRIFFIN NEST? Email: prietoj@canisius.edu or gates3@canisius.edu

11 September 2015

ifestyle 74 LFEATURES

Canisius senior raises $8,500 for disabled veterans

By Kyle Ferrara Features Editor

Nobody expected the petite blonde girl to actually excel with a gun in her hand, but Ashley Butcher, 21, a Canisius senior and dual major in marketing and finance, shattered expectations.

“I think when she first started shooting [at 14], people thought it was cute, but nobody asked her to be good at it,” her father, John Butcher, said.

She is not just good. She’s better than most. In 2013, she won second place in B class at the Northeast Regional Championship.

Butcher’s shooting abilities gave her plenty of notoriety, and at 17, she decided to use it for good. She combined her passion for shooting and her respect for the men and women who protect her freedoms to create a skeet shooting fundraiser called Clays for Heroes.

Held at Rochester Brooks International Skeet & Trap Club on 1 Aug., this year’s fourth annual event raised $8,500, $5,500 more than in its first year, 2012. 141 shooters attended, compared to 76 the first year. Not even her father expected the event to develop so quickly.

“I knew she had a lot of drive, but I didn’t think she would grow at this pace. She’s just been nose to the grindstone and made it happen,” he said.

Clays for Heroes invites members of the shooting community to take part in a day of skeet shooting, eating, and honoring wounded heroes. Adult participants pay $60 to take

part in the event, juniors—under 21-years old—pay $40. Butcher raises additional funds by recruiting sponsors either for the full day, a $500 contribution, or for each individual shooting station, a $100 contribution. Groups may also contribute $100 or $500 of merchandise in lieu of a check.

For the third year in a row, Butcher donated the proceeds to Honored American Veterans Afield, or HAVA, an organization that services between 1,100-1,300 terminally wounded veterans every year. It seeks “to raise awareness and assist disabled veterans with the healing process through active participation in outdoor sports,” including hunting among other shooting activities.

In Clays for Heroes first year, Butcher worked with a different organization, which she asked to not name in this story. Because that organization would not agree to take money raised through gun-centric outdoor activity, Butcher sought a new foundation to benefit. A mutual friend introduced her to HAVA’s outreach manager, Heath Gunns, who is thrilled by the now three year partnership between Clays for Heroes and HAVA. In their three years working together, Butcher’s Clays for Heroes has raised more than $20,000 for HAVA. Butcher especially appreciates that HAVA runs at 85 percent efficiency, meaning that 85 percent of donated funds directly impacts its mission. What makes the pairing even better for her, though, is the passionate belief in the therapeutic healing of outdoor shooting

Clockwise, from top left: Heath Gunns; L.E.E.K. Executive Steve Macdonald; Ashley Butcher; and Cookie Butcher, Ashley's mother.

sports which she and Gunns share.

“You get a kid whose legs don’t work out in the field hunting, and you see that smile on his face. That’s what it’s all about,” Gunns says.

“The smile. You see the guys patting each other on the back and the camaraderie they’ve built just meeting each other that morning. They get to do things they thought they’d never be able to do post-injury.”

But HAVA’s mission goes even beyond the sports and the sense of fraternity. Gunns and everyone else who is part of the organization will do whatever it takes.

“If he needs his toenails clipped, we do it,” Gunns says. “If he needs his ass wiped, we do it. We help them redefine normal.”

Gunns recounts the story of a veteran named Gary, who could not be reached for permission to use his last name. Now 46, he served 19 deployments of six months each as an OH-6 Little Bird pilot in Iraq. That is 144 months flying around in a single-engine helicopter used mainly for personnel transport, escort and attack missions, and observations.

After nine-and-a-half years of deployment time, Gary would have gotten out of the military unscathed, except for a five-dollar part failure. The failure caused his helicopter to crash and left him paralyzed from the nipples down. With his wife’s help, Gary joined Gunns and three other disabled veterans on a

Ashley Butcher ready to shoot at Rochester Brooks International Skeet and Trap Club.

Imuse Itamah's hip-hop saga

By UT Etim

Assistant Features Editor

Prior to the end of the summer break, one of our own, Imuse "Musmah" Itamah, Class of '17, released his EP, a prelude to his mixtape which will be out next year. This EP features four tracks; Sadé, Californication, Mississauga and Maitama in that order. The EP was produced by David Angel while the cover art pieces were by Daryll "Kwvku" Otten.

I had the opportunity to listen to all four tracks and I have to say that it is different and lovely overall.

Be it at home, in solitude, or in a crowd one can easily vibe to it. The EP gives a fresh perspective to hip-hop with the infusion of African percussion instruments.

In Sadé, Musmah finds out that his girlfriend has been unfaithful and as a result sets off to Mississauga to even the score. There he meets Sadé. As he and Sadé hookup, he tries to convince her to keep their arrangement a secret as he is still in a standing relationship. In Californication, Musmah realizes that he has grown attached to her and even calls for her, trying to convince her to become his girlfriend. We can infer that he has possibly ended his previous relationship. He asks her several times to become his girlfriend as he doesn't wish to settle for "no" as a final response.

In Mississauga, Sadé finally agrees and the song talks about both he and Sadé getting high and making love.

Finally Maitama, titled after a district in Nigeria's capital city Abuja., talks about Musmah chilling with his boys downtown wildin', drawing from the experiences of the past weekend and his childhood spent in both Abuja and Kaduna (a state as well as city in Nigeria).

The album art for Itamah's debut EP

Since the moment I got the link to this EP, I have to admit I have been dancing or at the very least tap my feet to. Grab a bottle of wine or hard liquor as the case may be, a juicebox for those of you who are underage, find a comfortable position, and listen intently, and let the rhythm take you away. If you love a blend of Drake, The Weeknd and Nigeria's very own Davido and Wizkid, this EP is for you. It's available on soundcloud for all those interested in listening to it and further understand the vibes and emotions that punctuate the EP, because it is worth every second. Just search for Musmah Itamah. etimi@my.canisius.edu

four-day shooting trip in the air above Montana. From a helicopter, the veterans learned to shoot at targets that were 13,000-14,000 feet away. Gary was a natural. The trip made him feel normal again. Towards the end of the experience, Gary’s teary-eyed wife looked at Gunns and thanked him.

“He doesn’t ever get to do real guy shit with real guys anymore,” she said of her husband.

It may not be the most refined phraseology, but this idea of “real guy shit,” is at the heart Butcher’s and Gunns’ passion. It is the message that no matter what happened to them, veterans are regular people.

“The unfortunate, common portrayal is that they’re all messed up,” Gunns said.

They’re not. They’re just like you and me. They have a life that they want to lead, but then they answered a call.”

Butcher will begin planning next year’s event in earnest this October, 10 months in advance. She also is becoming more involved in the mission. Through LEEK Hunting and Mountain Preserve, another partner organization of HAVA and one that also services disabled veterans, she and her family will accompany a group of 15 veterans on a hunting trip in Oswayo, Pennsylvania the weekend of 26 Sept. @TGNFerrara ferrak@canisius.edu

Would you like to see your creative writing or poetry in print?

Submit your work to ferrarak@ my.canisius. edu or harb12@ my.canisius. edu

FEATURES Lifestyle 85

11 September 2015

Better Days for Buffalo's music scene

By Janelle Harb

Features Layout Editor

The Goo Goo Dolls triumphantly return to Buffalo on 12 Sept. making a special appearance at the Music is Art festival, which was founded by band member Robby Takac.

The all-day event features over one hundred local bands, solo artists, and dancers, as well as a special appearance by the Goo Goo Dolls. Takac started the organization in 2003 to bring attention and support to local artists and to encourage the communal creation of music to touch local lives. The Music is Arts festival has humble beginnings in a small parking lot in Allentown, but it has grown into a mainstay event in Delaware Park, attracting over 20,000 people. Each year it brings more attention to Buffalo’s rising music scene.

Buffalo’s music scene is often lost among its more popular features: chicken wings, the Erie Canal, fetal position-inducing winter weather. But the Goo Goo Dolls headline a group of musical acts, born and bred in Western New York, that have achieved national recognition. The now duo, featuring Takac and John Rzeznik, met while exploring the local music scene and eventually came to form their own successful alternative rock band of their own, sharing the stage with a variety of band mates.

Although the band originally formed as a trio in 1986, their first bout of national success struck in 1998 when their first hit

single, “Name,” launched them onto TV and into national recognition. Their popularity rose to its peak towards the end of that year with career-making songs like “Slide,” “Iris,” and a cover of “Give A Little Bit” rapidly climbing the charts and remaining there through the majority of the

early 2000s. In 2005, the now Christmas anthem “Better Days” rekindled the band’s popularity, and they again were selling out arenas. The latter half of the 2000s brought strife amongst the band members, as well as a few less popular yet still loved albums.

Today, the band is busy touring and writ-

ing another new album, as well as investing more time into philanthropy. Throughout the band’s history, Takac and Rzeznik have helped institutions such as the Food Bank of Western New York, Light of Day, and VH1’s Save the Music Foundation.

The Goo Goo Dolls are not the only band that has come from our home of Buffalo, New York, many other bands and musicians also hail from the area such as, Cute Is What We Aim For, Every Time I Die, and Brian McKnight have gained national recognition, awards, and legions of fans. Without the influence of Buffalo, New York bands like the Goo Goo Dolls would not have formed. The Music Is Art festival shows the importance of giving back to the community that bore you. With supporters like Takac, local bands are given this incredible opportunity, and the community benefits through the enjoyment and appreciation of music. The Music is Art organization also involves a program that accepts new or used instruments that they then refurbish to donate them to local students and schools. In this way, children are taught to appreciate and love something as invaluable as music. In today’s world, music and the arts are being severely cut from children’s lives due to school budget cuts and tough times. It is through this organization that a child is given the chance to discover music, and change their life forever. harb12@my.canisius.edu

A fresh perspective: New Student Orientation Week

By Melanie Nguyen Features Contributer

With a name and reputation recognized all around Western New York, a degree from Canisius College is surely desirable alongside its plethora of opportunities for personal growth, and the chance to make memories and friendships that last a lifetime.

After a long history of producing professionals in various fields, it holds a reputation for helping many of its graduates attend post-graduate institutions.

Countless Canisius graduates are successfully attending post-graduate professional programs in fields such as medicine, pharmacy, law, as well as programs with other colleges and universities such as the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City; undoubtedly adding to the appeal for many prospective students and freshmen to attend Canisius.

Several students who were interviewed shared their first impressions on the first part of their college career: McKenna, a Psychology major working towards her Honours degree while juggling her Pre-Law designation, says that she was greeted by countless opportuni-

Photo by Jahad Ahmed

ties and activities on campus as well as a helpful undergraduate system. After an insightful orientation week, she was exposed to countless clubs and organizations such as Phi Sigma Sigma, the token sorority on campus, as well as C-Block which appears at every sporting event on campus. Her fondest memory of her time at Canisius so far was attending the "Best of Buffalo" event held earlier in the semester. Serving as a small expo of the many flavours of Buffalo, the event promoted local gems from around Buffalo for students from out of town to be better acquainted with the culture here. Luckily for her, Canisius

hosts an abundance of events with the complimentary nourishment.

Kristen, a freshman majoring in biology, is also making use of the resources available to her and is currently enrolled in the pre-medical designation that boasts a rate of acceptance of 86 percent over five years through the school's Health Science Advisory Recommendation Committee.

As a student also interested in other aspects of college besides academia, Kristen also expressed interest in the female social sorority and possibly attending sporting events with C-Block. After only a week at Canisius, she "felt very welcomed and at

home right away." With another four years ahead of her, Canisius will surely feel like a second home.

The fashion merchandising major coupled with a dual major in marketing would be a strong combination for Taylor, another freshman, especially with their joint program with the Fashion Institute of Technology. She came to Canisius for the program, but has more opportunities which give her other reasons to stay.

With programs and committees dedicated to helping Canisius students reach their goals after graduation, many freshmen are able to seize opportunities to expand their horizons and have their dreams fulfilled. While also holding strong positions on academic excellence and achievement, Canisius caters to all aspects of college life including countless social events, sports events, and numerous other interests. In addition to boasting over 100 student run clubs and organizations, and a myriad of possibilities for self discovery and growth, Canisius College starts all their freshmen off with as many doors open as they can seize. Carpe Diem! nguyen27@canisius.edu

6

5 Opinion

11 September 2015

View from the Griffin’s Nest

Failure is not an option

Canisius President and former Griffin editor, John J. Hurley hearteningly highlighted this fact as part of his 2015 Convocation on Wednesday, smiling as he quoted Apollo 13, before stating that he’d hate to hear another line in the same context: “Houston, we have a problem.” At this point, he’s hesitant to say that the College has emerged from its troubles, especially in the currently ambiguous environment of higher education, but he gleefully announced that Canisius College is “stronger than it has been in the past five years.” This paper finds that while the not all chapters in the book of Hurley’s presidency have been positive, they’ve been a necessary part of the story he’s writing.

Aside from (finally) revealing the pronunciation of our recently renovated library’s name (BOWHICE), which was perhaps the most exciting part of the President’s address, it’s good to hear that the College emerged from the 2014-2015 fiscal year,with a surplus, and this paper finds that this seems like a step in the right direction. Furthermore, the consolidation and creation of the Griff Center for Academic Engagement has certainly paid off.

While some were skeptical, given that it seemed all problems were being routed into one office, Assistant Vice President and Director of the Griff Center Annie Dobies’ efforts were effective in raising our

retention rate, which has certainly been a point of contention, leading to rationalization of the creation of the new Student Records and Financial Services Center in Bagen Hall.

Hurley cited a major explanation for these retention efforts was that students were sick of being shuffled from office to office. It appears to be a simple solution, reducing some of our budget expenses with combining and cross-training of staff while providing one-stop shops in different areas for students.

Additionally, the President’s remarks noted the importance of Vice President for Enrollment Kathleen Davis’ efforts, as we reached our overall enrollment target for undergraduates, falling short by only a few freshmen but making it up through a surplus of transfers and the retention of upperclassmen.

Choosing a small class size, we’re allowing our programs to become more selection, and while this, at first glance, appears to be an excuse for an inability to recruit enough students, Hurley says that we’re, of course, open to a larger number of matriculating students, and we’re looking to expand our reputation within Western New York and increase marketing in other regions, such as the rest of the state, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and others. This paper finds that this expansion is an important step in the future of the college.

Our reputation in Western New York

is not enough to carry us into the future and other nearby states provide an equidistant market as the rest of the state, particularly Rochester (in comparison to Erie) and Syracuse (a similar distance exists between Buffalo and Cleveland). Furthermore, Hurley’s harking of the “new” Buffalo as a key to our success is indicative of recognition of Canisius on a larger stage, one that we have always acknowledged without necessarily appreciating it.

The clarification of his comments last year regarding the core curriculum gave the five-year President a pleasant humility not always seen by his students, without presenting him in a negative or embarrassed light. He stated that he didn’t wish to reduce the number of core courses, which was an oft found misconstruction of 2014 address; rather, he articulated the critical task of the Core Curriculum Committee to ensure that the courses approved to fulfill the requirements of the Core are aligned with our learning goals.

This paper finds such a proposition more agreeable than the mentioned misinterpretation and looks forward to seeing new ways of assessing such courses--hopefully, leading to an improvement in the course evaluations and how seriously they’re taken with both tenured and untenured faculty members.

Perhaps most importantly, the Class of ‘78 alumnus augmented

many of his plans for the future of the College by adding his wish for many to be involved in the different processes. He quelled science faculty concerns by saying that they would be able to have input on the science-related facilities planned for Science Hall. He also articulated the fact that many would be involved in the overhaul of the Canisius website, into which the new marketing campaign (not explicitly explained) will be integrated. Hurley vehemently expressed that he wanted all to be proud of the way that the College is portrayed. One of the largest (and easiest) projects for students to become involved in is the Vision Project, rolled out in August, in which all members of the community can input their vision of Canisius in the future. The fact that this is open to the whole campus and all of its members marks a stride in the state of relations between administration and students, putting their feelings of disconnection with the College’s higher-ups back onto them. There’s a challenge to be faced, sitting on the front page of MyCanisius, and, as his contract was renewed for the next five years, it’ll be interesting to see what Hurley makes of the 20/20 Vision he and the whole Canisius population conceives. This paper hopes to see a more convincing “Mission Accomplished” stamped across the final pages of his presidency, whenever those days come.

Don’t get it? Google it. Then do it.

Branwyn Wilkinson Opinion Contributor

It’s an invasion! They’re everywhere! Presidential candidates, that is. I’m sure you’ve noticed it too. Every time you turn on the news, scroll through Facebook, or check Twitter, someone has something to say about one of the candidates.

And how have you been reacting to this flood of political news and opinions? Do you view it as an annoyance? Can you not wait until all the fuss is over? I’m sure we all feel that way to a certain extent. Politics are annoying, and we’ve never had to care in the past.

Except... now we do.

For most of us undergraduates, this is the first presidential election in which we’ll have a voice. Yet, many of us aren’t planning to speak up. According to the U.S. Census, citizens between the ages of 18 and 24 represent the lowest voting rate of any age demographic.

But, that’s not for lack of po-

Jeffrey M. Spencer II Opinion Contributor

It’s the big, blue elephant in the room. Or, at least, the corner. The intersection where East Delavan and Main Street intersect is smothered by a blank blue wall, overlooked by an expanse of parking. The effect on the sidewalk below is cold and uninviting. Empty spaces like this discourage pedestrian activity, dragging down the intersection’s value.

Ask yourself, do you ever choose to stand or walk on the that side of the intersection? Surely, few upperclass-

litical opinions. Young adults have plenty to say about our country and how it’s run. The problem is that voting can be a hassle. It takes time out of already busy days. Many college students have to deal with absentee ballots. Maybe you haven’t registered to vote yet, and don’t know where to go to do that. Maybe you don’t know how to apply for one of these absentee ballots. All these can be deterrents to exercising our legal right to have a say in our government.

But they’re pretty outdated deterrents, wouldn’t you say? We can look up anything on Google, including any questions about voting. Residents of New York State can even register to vote online.

And technology has also made it easier to form a political opinion.

Like I said before, social media recently seems to always be blowing up with news of the latest presidential debate. Though that’s not to say that taking the time to tune into the actual debates and doing additional

research is no longer important.

Social media is just one more tool that can help you form your political opinion. Plus, it’s one that you already use everyday!

So let’s use these resources to take a stand! Our next president will determine what taxes we pay, what wars we fight, how our country will treat the environment, and how our rights are upheld. These could affect the funds you have available to pay off your student loans, or put a deposit on your first house. They could determine whether a member of your family decides to fight for our country, or even how much your younger sibling has to pay for college.

And of course our next president won’t be making such impactful decisions alone. One of the great things about the U.S. is that we get a say in all levels of our government.

Our votes create a government that will best serve the greatest number of citizens. But the only way to make sure you’re among the best served

citizens is to vote.

Voting is your right, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t exercise it. Your opinions are important.

Young adults might make-up the lowest voting demographic by age, but we are among the most affected by our government’s decisions. So why let someone else decide who will represent you?

Do some research. Register to vote if you haven’t already. Presidential primaries are coming up, as are local elections. You’ve had opinions about our government and country for years; now you finally have the opportunity to voice them. We have the power to elect representatives whose views complement our own. Voting al lows our government do what it was designed to: Serve America’s citizens. In other words, serve you.

It’s your right. Vote.

men ever do as they make their way towards the equally desolate West Delavan corridor. I don’t blame them.

It’s a shame; the intersection has enormous potential. A transit station alone makes it worthy of consideration for intentional development, especially in a city with only eight such terminals. The elegant Forest Lawn gate certainly makes a desirable neighbor. Across the street, the Koessler Athletic Center’s front barricade stands as a monument to an era where fear of the city drove us to build barriers rather than

connections. I think it’s time we reverse that.

Why not make it a mural?

Whether it be opened up to a local artist or given to some visionary Canisius students, the wall can be remade into a canvas that interacts with and encourages pedestrian activity. It would represent a modest step towards restoring a completely dead intersection into a display of art experienced by both pedestrians and commuters. Perhaps the college could use it as a marketing display.

Some may raise concerns about rampant graffiti artists ruining the

piece. But then why is the completely blank surface left alone today? And even if someone did ruin it, I’m sure we could start a queue of students eager to project their ideas onto the wall next. Perhaps a student club could form around the project.

It is far from a complete solution. The problem is the wall itself.

Long term, the college needs to think about redevelopment of this parcel entirely. But for now, we need a “right sized” project that can happen quickly. Perhaps this is a ghastly idea and teams of nefarious hooligans would indeed plaster obsceni-

wilkin14@canisius.edu @w_b97windy

The wall problem

Founded in DCCVII B.C., The Griffin is the student newspaper of Canisius College.

2001 Main Street Buffalo, NY 14208-1098 Phone: (716) 888-7835 Email: griffin@canisius.edu www.canisiusgriffin.com CJ Gates, Editor in Chief Alec Metro, Business Manager ...

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Letters to the Editor The Griffin gladly accepts letters to the editor. Letters should be addressed to ratliffd@my.canisius.edu.

Notes from Underground The Underground questions why students only received half a waffle at Thursdays in the Quad, given our supposed budget surplus.

However, its complaint is calmed by the fact that there was ice cream. The Underground has simple needs.

The Underground, though not present at the Griffin Welcome Rally, heard that Canisius President and former editor John J. Hurley has a hard time clapping on beat. Reluctantly, it admits its empathy. Rhythm is not its strong suit.

The Underground saw you zipline through the Quad, Dr. Mangione. Way to be student-centered.

The Underground applauds the efforts of those behind the flags of remembrance in the Quad and hopes to see others do so as well. After all, you should always follow the Under-

ties all over our wall. But at the very least, let’s start a conversation about this deserted, but still important corridor.

spence25@canisius.edu @Jeffraedo

Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinions of The Griffin. All other columns, letters, artwork and advertisements represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of The Griffin’s position. The opinions expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of Canisius College or its student body. Articles and Letters to the Editor must be typewritten and should not exceed 300 words in length. The deadline for Letter submission is 5 p.m. Tuesday of the week of publication. Letters must pertain to an article recently published in The Griffin. Letters must include the writer’s full name, class year and email address. No pseudonyms are permitted. Letters are published at the discretion of the Editorial Board and are subject to editing and condensation. Send to griffin@canisius.edu.

Opinion 6

11 September 2015

Remembering 9/11...Almost Darby Ratliff Opinion Editor

It’s been 14 years. For most of us, it’s our John Fitzgerald Kennedy assassination, our Pearl Harbor. The Class of 2019 might be one of the first to see it as history rather than memory, being that many of them were four-or fiveyear-olds on September 11, 2001.

To me, that’s crazy, even though I was only a mere seven-year-old myself, but I’ll always remember that day. I have my own 9/11 traditions: the “Isaac and Ishmael” episode of The West Wing and an issue of The Amazing SpiderMan, both centering around the crisis and what it meant for the United States, but what does it really mean to Americans, especially those our age, now?

In 2011, the Pew Research Center said that 97 percent of those who were eight or older on September 11th remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing on that day. Only 95 percent of Americans said the same thing about JFK and below that the killing of Osama bin Laden reaches 81 percent. Granted, this window just narrowly misses some of my class, the oldest currently at Canisius. However, we’re part of the largest generation--the Millennials--that sees 9/11 as the

most polarizing event in our lives, and we’ve grown up in this post9/11 culture, though we can hail back to days when it was easier to get through airport security and the War on Terror wasn’t on the news. We’re on the crux of transition: when the current freshman class graduates, the entering class likely won’t even remember 9/11, some of whom won’t have been born yet.

My little sister told me last year, when I asked, that her teacher sort of explained what happened on 9/11 and showed them “The Falling Man,” a photograph portrayed a man who jumped out of one of the World Trade Center buildings to escape as it fell. It’s this sort of portrayal that concerns me because, as much of a tragedy as that day was, the acts of humanity, kindness, and patriotism shown that day shouldn’t be forgotten. In 2002, according to Pew Research Center, 34 percent of people said that they believed that terrorists had less of a chance launching a successful attack, indicating that Americans had more faith in the government (and its people) to prevent such attacks, given the bravery and nationalism shown the previous year. About 39 percent thought the odds wouldn’t have changed, and 22 percent

said that there was a greater chance. However, that number dropped to 29 percent in 2013, with 34 percent saying there was a higher possibility and 36 percent who said it hadn’t changed.

Sure, it’s a small indication, the percent change was minor over the 11 years between the two surveys, but it’s still an indicator that things are in flux, that patriotism is decreasing once again.

Yet, we got the man behind the attacks, and while al Qaeda and ISIS are still at large, our country has proven its security time and again. Don’t we at least owe it some respect on 9/11, thankful that we don’t have a repeat?

Don’t we owe it an increase in faith rather than the inverse?

I should say now (and perhaps should have earlier) that I had a cousin on the 61st floor of the second tower; in the days following the attack, I wore my first American flag pin and began to understand the story of our nation. Our country is skeptical. I listened to a number of people complain about airport security on my way back from Denver over Labor Day weekend, and yes, it has become strict, but at least it’s done for a reason.

I certainly don’t agree with racial profiling, nor do I believe that all rights should be forfeit

for the sake of security. Good things come in moderation, and extremes are what brought the tragedy upon us in the first place.

However, I do think we should cut this country some slack, at least today, because our government has to live with the fact that 14 years ago, there were a number of attacks on our nation, costing us too many American lives.

I think we should also cut each other some slack, especially living in New York state and with many of those around us coming from the city in which the Twin Towers fell.

I also think we should keep in mind those whose lives are not so secure, especially in the Middle East. Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and many others are countries whose peoples are not necessarily fans of the United States and our involvement in their affairs. In that episode of The West Wing I mentioned earlier, a high school student asks the Deputy White House Communications Director, “What do you call a society that has to just live every day with the idea that the pizza place you’re eating in can just blow up without any warning?,” to which he responds, “Israel.” We take a lot for granted, and I think we should be thankful that our nation and government comes to-

7 gether to protect and support us in the wake of tragedy.

I was sitting in the second row of my second grade classroom when the announcement came on to turn on the television. Within the next few hours, I walked home, found out that my impending trip to Disney was cancelled, and learned that my cousin had made it out of New York City, driven to Florida by a friend’s parent. Within the next 14 years, I would meet a number of people whose lives were affected by the tragedy, would hear stories not unlike my own, and it certainly wasn’t until I was older that I understood what it meant to be an American, but retroactively, 9/11 became a clear beacon of patriotism in a nation that regularly criticized its representatives and governments. Nearly all Americans benchmark 9/11 as one of the biggest events in their lives, and we’re just about to hit the point where it’s only going to be history with those born in 2002 and onwards. So today, at the very least, walk through the Quad every chance you get, and respect the symbols of those we’ve lost. ratliffd@canisius.edu @darby_ratliff

Australia: An uncomfortable cousin of the United States Nathan Baumgartner Opinion Contributor

Australia, ever since gaining complete autonomy from the United Kingdom on 01 January 1901 under the auspices that it govern itself as the Commonwealth of Australia, has exponentially become prevalent in the culture of the United States. The country is often viewed as unique in many ways, not the least of which is its distinctive Britishinfluenced accent; nowadays, however, it has become clear that Australia follows behind our footsteps on a plethora of social issues: on 26 August 2015, according to Education Reporter Eryk Bagshaw with the Sydney Morning Herald, the Education Minister of the State of New South Wales issued a memo to all principals of New South Wales telling them not to screen the film Gayby Baby due to fears that the film would impact “the delivery of planned lessons.” The film Gayby Baby, an Australian film produced over the course of three-and-a-half years and finally released on 29 April 2015 on HotDocs, chronicles the lives of four Australian children whose parents are either gay men or women, and consequently analyzes their progress growing up as a “gayby” in Australia, a slang term used extensively in Australia which refers to children who are raised by same-sex parents. The decision to ban any showing of this documentary-style film has garnered support and criticism, effectively creating a bipolar society in Australia: something also mirrored within the United States.

It seems that everyone with a pulse knows that on 26 June 2015

the Supreme Court of the United States effectively legalized samesex marriages in all 50 states, from more left-leaning states like New York to more right-leaning states whose legislatures had no sign of enacting such a measure. As a result, one can arguably say that this Supreme Court ruling has made an already bipolar society more evident: people nowadays are, for the most part, categorized into two overwhelmingly broad fields: they either support this act or they don’t. As a stipulation, the Supreme Court did not make it mandatory for any private institution to hold same-sex marriages.

What does become mandatory, however, is the state to recognize unquestioningly any marriages held in that state, so long as they go through the process of obtaining a marriage license. Essentially, this means anyone participating in civil service must grant a marriage license to anyone, regardless of their religious beliefs, as long as they meet basic requirements (usually an age restriction), which vary from state to state. The Supreme Court has no longer made marrying someone of the opposite sex a requirement to obtain a marriage license, clear and simple.

The fact that I’m talking about this nearly three months later shows that not everyone has gotten on board with this idea. Enter two people, Kim Davis and Penny Sharpe, both of whom have brought different attention to difficulties experienced by same-sex people in the United States and Australia, respectively.

Ms. Davis has gained quite a notoriety in the media of the United States as her role as county clerk of Rowan County in Kentucky,

which, according to the United States Census Bureau, enjoys an estimated 2014 population of 23,655 people over 279.80 square miles of land. Before 26 June 2015, Ms. Davis led a relatively unknown life as an average county clerk. But then her religious beliefs, for the lack of a better term, got in the way of how she handled her duties as the county clerk of Rowan County: attracting widespread support and even more widespread criticism, Ms. Davis effectively gained celebrity status, making the quaint Rowan County a battlefield on the issue of same-sex marriage. Her unwillingness to grant same-sex couples marriage license shows the extent to which people are wishing to promulgate their religious values at the expense of legal precedents established at what they perceive infringe upon religious freedoms.

According to the National Association of Counties, within the Commonwealth of Kentucky county clerks are not all elected, but Rowan County stands out in that regard: Ms. Davis was elected to her position, garnering ire from LGBT sympathizers who elected her into office. According to Ms. Davis’ website (www. rowancountyclerk.com), she mentions that her duties include “general categories of clerical duties of the fiscal court.” Nowhere does this entitle her to effectively repeal a federal judicial ruling: she does not have the capability to effectively assume the role of a legislature.

In the United States, there exist multiple social cleavages. These noticeable differences, need it be across race or religion (which, more often than not, tend to be complementary social

cleavages), make it difficult for people to naturally unite themselves. Enter a civil society, where citizens become linked through common interests and collective activity. Ms. Davis and other intolerant people throughout the United States begin to threaten the stability provided through our civil society. And unfortunately, things do not improve for Australia in that regard: Aborigines, or descendants of native peoples to Australia before Dutch and British explorers charted the continental nation, have historically experienced ill-treatment from those of Caucasian descent.

In recent years, immigration trends from nearby Southeast Asia and elsewhere in the world have renewed xenophobic remarks among Anglo-Australians, especially in bigger cities like Sydney, which happens to be located in New South Wales. Penny Sharpe is a politician belonging to the New South Wales Legislative Council, and she also has made history by being the first lesbian to serve in the New South Wales parliament. In response to the Education Minister’s banning of the screening of Gayby Baby by remarking, “I am normal. My kids are normal. Being gay or lesbian or bisexual or transgender or intersex is normal.”

Deriving from the stylistics of Ms. Sharpe, I can say with utmost certainty that deviating from a heteronormative upbringing is normal. Having feelings for someone of the same sex is normal. Expressing yourself in a way which does not conventionally match one’s sex at birth is normal.

What is not normal is the belief that cisgender, heterosexual men are inherently good. Being open-

ly gay now, I know firsthand the difficulties faced by individuals like Ms. Sharpe from the hands of manipulative, unaccountable people like Ms. Davis. These difficulties are naturally uncalled for: throughout life, we all meet people with differences all too incomprehensible. It can be easy, if not soothing, to stray away from those people. But what that says about a person simply overpowers any words I can say on the matter: it’s disgusting, inconsiderate, and, at the end of the day, downright unnecessary. That’s why I encourage each and every single one of you to look at Ms. Davis’ case more intensively: she could be facing jail time and stiff fines for refusing to grant marriage licenses under “God’s authority” for nearly three months.

An intolerant society is not accepted by most Americans. It’s a simple fact. And I applaud institutions and people like SCOTUS and Ms. Sharpe for showing that not every person acts like Ms. Davis. As a citizen of the United States looking to live abroad longterm, it’s simply soothing to see a more tolerant atmosphere take place, both here and abroad. Perhaps, maybe just perhaps, this atmosphere will simply become more tolerant. I’m personally disappointed that Ms. Davis will have to go to jail, but let’s make this lesson serve as a lesson: just because someone is different from you physically, emotionally, sexually, what have you, does not make him/her/them worse or better than you.

baumgarn@canisius.edu @NijNijBaum

Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinions of The Griffin. All other columns, letters, artwork and advertisements represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of The Griffin’s position. The opinions expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of Canisius College or its student body. Articles and Letters to the Editor must be typewritten and should not exceed 300 words in length. The deadline for Letter submission is 5 p.m. Tuesday of the week of publication. Letters must pertain to an article recently published in The Griffin. Letters must include the writer’s full name, class year and email address. No pseudonyms are permitted. Letters are published at the discretion of the Editorial Board and are subject to editing and condensation. Send to griffin@canisius.edu.

8 SPORTS

11 September 2015

Griffs enter road trip searching for victories Women’s soccer

Photo Credit: Abigail Hines

The Griffs celebrate their win against the NJIT Highlanders.

By Robert Janish

Senior Sports Writer

It has been a rough go of it so far for first-year coach Todd Clark and his squad, earning only two wins in seven contests, along with three losses and a couple matches that ended in ties as well.

Despite sending a very powerful message with a 16-1 win over Hampton to kick off the year, the team has not had much luck against some of their local rivals, getting shutout 2-0 against the Buffalo Bulls and tying 1-1 with St. Bonaventure Bonnies.

Even though the team has only a couple wins, they are about to head on the road for a couple weeks and have some momentum after winning 1-0 against the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders at the Demske Sports Complex last Sunday, and earned their first home win of the 2015 season.

The 2015 women’s soccer season has seen players step up and provide some offense, such as senior Brittany Krause and sophomore Taylor Kugler, who share the team lead in goals scored with four each, totaling eight of the Griffs 19 goals so far in the young season.

While they are the best offensive players on the team at this very moment, there are also many other players who have been able to make an impact and also be a consis-

tent presence in the starting lineup as well.

Players such as Ronja Gustaffson, Callie Good and Hannah Chesney are among those who have started each game in which they play and have also helped their team in the best ways that they can.

While their goal totals may not be the same as their teammates, they are playing a very significant role on the team and have the same amount of credit in helping their team, as they try to win games.

However, with every offensive and defensive player that’s a part of this team, none are as important and make as much of a difference in a game than the goalkeeper. After three years of playing the backup role on the team, senior Kailee De Franks is finally getting her chance in the starting spot and has handled it well thus far.

Compiling a 2-3-2 record and starting every game this season, De Franks has allowed 10 goals, along with making 39 saves, and also posting a 1.37 goals against average, which is a very impressive number and really shows the talent she possesses in net. With the upcoming road stand, which begins today in Cleveland, De Franks and the rest of the Griffs will look to play some of the best soccer they can play, especially with their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule beginning on the road next week as well.

Starting today, women’s soccer will

take their season on the road for a significant period of time, beginning with a matchup against Cleveland State Vikings.

Then the Griffs will travel to Robert Morris for a matchup with the Colonials on Sunday. Then, the all-important MAAC schedule will begin against the Manhattan Jaspers next Friday, September 19th, and travel to Monmouth a week later to face the Hawks to conclude the stretch of road games before returning home September 30th against the Marist Red Foxes.

Last season, the Griffs matchups against some of these opponents did not go as planned. The Griffs did earn victories over their MAAC rivals the Jaspers and the Hawks at home, with scores of 3-0 and 3-2, respectively. However, playing against the Vikings and Colonials did not yield the same results as the Griffs were shutout in both games against those teams last season.

While the Griffs are indeed hoping for similar, wining, results when facing their first two MAAC opponents of 2015.

For every team, it’s usually a very tough task to play a significant number of games in a row, away from the home crowd that cheers them on to victory. However, it’s stretches of games on the road, such as the one this team’s about to embark on, that can help to both grow and strengthen a team’s bond and overall chemistry.

This stretch of four consecutive road

games will also be very significant in determining the direction of the Griffs as they begin the all-important conference play.

While head coach Todd Clark is in the midst of his first season as the head coach of the Griffs, He also has the challenge of being in charge of a brand new team and in a brand new conference as well. A four game road stand is a rather tough task for any coach in any sport.

However, it can also be a great benefit as well because it can bring a team closer together and help them grow chemistry and ability to work together on the field during games, which can also help lead to more victories as well.

Tonight a pivotal portion of the team’s schedule begins and the hope for turning around the Griffs season starts as well. Coach Clark can also hope to make his first season at Canisius as successful as he can and help to improve his squad and make them a more overall productive unit on the field. It would also help to earn some very important victories the rest of the way and as a result, earn good seeding in the playoffs as well. @robertjanish janishr@canisius.edu

men’s soccer

Promising Griffs slow out of the gate

By Aaron Rispoli

Assit. Sports Editor

The sun beats down onto Demske field during a warm summer practice.

The Canisius soccer team toils away under the watchful eye of Coach Dermot McGrane who is entering into his fifth year as head coach at Canisius. The Italian import, senior midfielder Nicoló Baudo, takes a touch and strikes for net, his shot on goal parried away by the impenetrable goalkeeper Andrew Coughlin. The Genovese bellows out a few choice words in both English and Italian. His coach follows suit, incensed, and quite rogue. After another rotation, Baudo receives his chance at redemption. “Have a go,” implored McGrane. One touch placed ever so delicately sends the ball into the top left corner of the net. Bellissimo, stupendo, magnifico. The Griffs would love to see more goals like that in the 2015 campaign.

After beating New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) 1-0 in their home opener at Demske field, the Griffs have since loss three straight to start the 2015 season. “The biggest thing for us right now is to capitalize on all the chances that we’ve had. We can’t keep missing open goals and expect to win games,” said McGrane. The Griffs have not had trouble creating chances as they have averaged 14.75 shots per game–the second-highest total in the MAAC behind Siena with 16.50 shots per game. The Griffs seem to be lacking the impetus that will propel the team to the next level, only scoring three goals in four games, all from penalties.

Nicoló Baudo looks to be a major part of the offense for the

Perhaps the team is having difficulties adjusting to the loss of their star forward, Asani Samuels, who has since made the move to professional soccer. Trying to fill the void left by Samuels will be sophomore forward Mathew Santos, who has moved into a starting role with the Griffs and believes that they have the pieces to contend this season. “Asani (Samuels) was a big loss. He was a big presence in the box. His speed also made him very dangerous. But we’re still a very strong team and we have a lot of players who can contribute this season,” Santos said.

Griffs.

Photo Credit: Tom Wolf

Although this team is comprised of a few new faces, the core of the team remains the same. The Griffs are led by a triumvirate of senior captains: defensemen Ryan Schroen and Alex De Carolis along with the starting goalkeeper, Andrew Coughlin. A strong back line remains the strength for Canisius this season, which their MAAC and subsequently their NCAA tournament aspirations are contingent on. The Griff ’s defensive prowess comes as no surprise, however. The 2014 squad only conceded 16 goals in 18 games and they return much of the same defense.

For Schroen, it all starts in the back with the keeper. “It’s amazing having Coughlin,” Schroen said with the glee of a proud teammate. “Having a good goalkeeper is something I’ve always loved. It gives us a lot of confidence and a lot of security in the back. Coughlin is doing amazing and it’s awesome to have him playing for us.” The Baldwinsvile, NY native gave up less than one goal per game last season, while sporting an .805 save percentage. This season, Coughlin’s efforts have been blighted by the lack of goal support. Despite matching his career high in saves over the weekend, the Griffs fell to San Francisco and Saint Mary’s by a score of 2-0 and 1-0, respectively. “Talent wise, this is one of the best teams I’ve ever played for,” Coughlin commented. “It’s a little frustrating not getting the goals we need but it’s still early and we’re still all getting on the same page. It’s tough when you’re not playing with all 11 guys due to injuries but we’re making the necessary adjustments and we’ll be ready.”

For now, the Griffs return to action today against Bryant, a team they beat last season in overtime by a score of 3-2.

The third goal, the deadly dagger in the 103rd minute by no other than Nicoló Baudo. Bellissimo, stupendo, magnifico. @ArranneGernardo paigeria@canisius.edu

Sports 9

11 September 2015 ESPN3

Enough is enough with sport culture

New studio attracts students

By Aaron Rispoli

Assit. Sports Editor

Allow me to pose a few questions: Why do athletes insist on putting themselves in the headlines for all of the wrong reasons? Why do male athletes, in particular, insist on a culture of misogyny? Is it a matter of entitlement, liken it to the pride of a lion. One must exemplify his manliness with crude acts, crass comments and unwarranted candor.

Is masculinity firmly rooted in a culture predicated on incessant “Hey what’s up” texts and the amount of alcoholic beverages one can consume before utter despair sets in?

I am an athlete, yes. I am a male, yes. And, for what it’s worth, I am a heterosexual male. And yet, I find myself to be one of the only male athletes keenly aware of the inexorable transition that male athletes are undergoing from respectable, law-abiding citizens to social pariahs. Allow me to spew some facts for you, from studies conducted from the Benedict/Crosset study. A three year study shows that while male student-athletes comprise 3.3 percent of the population and of that 3.3 percent, white male student-athletes represent 19 percent of sexual assault perpetrators and 35 percent of domestic violence perpetrators. 20 percent of college football recruits in the Top 25 Division I teams have criminal records. A college rapist has raped, on average, seven times before they are caught.

“Enough is Enough,” is a law that was passed by New York State on July, 7th 2015. It is a law that requires all colleges, both public and private, to reform their guidelines concerning sexual assault. It also requires colleges to adopt a uniform definition of consent, because, evidently, people need even more clarity. Allow me to implore all of my fellow male athletes to engage in consensual sex, only. Consensual sex is when both parties agree on the act of sex, with no surprises (akin to Fifty Shades of Grey). Both parties are allowed to withdraw from the act at any time.

I am not asserting that athletes all athletes are bad individuals, most are not, but asserting that a few are. I am asserting that a culture that delicately strokes the egos of athletes directly contributes to their conduct on those late Friday nights. This is a call to all male athletes, to reverse this growing trend, to spurn those athletes who choose to abuse their position rather than use it to reach the very apogee of community. I am an athlete and for once, I would like to be proud of it. @ArranneGernardo paigeria@canisius.edu

The new studio in Science Hall capable of producing content for ESPN3.

ESPN: continued from back

First we need to clear the air on something; this is not an ESPN studio. This studio is more of a classroom for Canisius that is capable of putting on ESPN quality broadcasts, which it will through a deal with ESPN3.

This will include the graphics you are accustom to seeing on ESPN broadcasts, as well as the capability to make the same camera shots you see on those broadcasts. However you won’t see professional cameramen or producers at these games; these games will be put on by Canisius students.

This semester there is one class responsible for putting on the broadcasts; JRN 359 taught by Sam Hallett. Hallett comes from the University of Maine where he worked in the production of football, soccer, basketball, hockey, softball, and baseball games for the school. Here at Canisius, in addition to teaching the class, Hallett is the Director of Digital Media for the Athletic Communications Department. It’s safe to say Canisius found a guy who knows his stuff to help run our state of the art studio.

“I think they did it right,” Hallett said in reference to the studio. “There were no corners cut.

When they went to do this, they got the specs from ESPN3 and they put in a system and speced out exactly what they asked for.”

The studio contains top of the line technology; everything from three play replay, a Ross Carbonite switcher, and Hitachi cameras. If you don’t know what those are you’ll have to trust me when I tell you that they are good.

“It’s all state of the art,” said Hallett. “It’s top

Photo Credit: Dom Chamberlain

of the line. It’s what you’ll see at any station you go to; I mean we could do an NBA game out of our room if we wanted to.”

Obviously the Buffalo Braves left for California many years ago so if we wanted to do an NBA game we will have to wait until Terry Pegula decides to buy another sports franchise. For now the class will focus on putting on ESPN3 productions of our Volleyball team, Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams, and the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams once they start their seasons.

Since these productions will be run by students, the studio will need to attract students and it already has. Last year’s class that produced Canisius’ sports games had about 15 students in it. The class now has 25 students and most of which are not journalism majors. Most students are in sports management and are taking the class purely out of the interest in sports and tying ESPN3’s name to the class seems to be a major selling point.

“There are seven freshman journalism majors who tell me that they will be part of the sports broadcast & journalism concentration, which is being offered for the first time beginning this fall,” said Catherine Foster who is the director of the journalism program here at Canisius. “And I’m in contact with a dozen or so high school students from throughout the area who are asking for information, and to come shadow students, so there is clearly a lot of interest in this new academic program.”

Having potential students be interested in our journalism program that was up in

the air around this time last year is great for the longevity of the program. Although this studio and new equipment is here to help teach students about sports production, the students won’t be the only people benefiting from the gear.

The Athletic Communications department will also be using the new equipment and studio to make their jobs that much easier as described by Athletic Multimedia Graduate Assistant Ben Woody. “Personally things are going to work much better for me,” said Woody. “Last year I used to oversee all of the web-streaming for most of our sports.

I was always solving problems and trouble shooting and running around figuring things out on top of shooting and producing feature video content and documentaries. This (new studio and equipment) will allow me to really focus on producing more, well rounded, athletic video content and documentaries.”

All of this means that students and fans of Canisius athletics will be receiving athletic content like they never have before. Better productions for live events, documentaries that will compare to things you see on ESPN’s 30 for 30, and a whole bunch of sports related shows are in the talks including recap shows as well as interviews with players.

It’s an exciting time for Canisius athletics as a whole as the school year starts up again. Teams will be excited to get back into the swing of the season and fans should be excited to watch those teams like they never have before. And since Canisius seems to be churning out prospective professional athletes with Keegan Asmundson getting a chance with the Sabres in the Prospect Challenge this weekend and former basketball player Chris Manhertz signing with the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad, it seems like professionals in the sports production field could be next.

“These students will be able to take first hand skills and experiences that they learn in our studio into the real world,” said Woody.

“This really makes Canisius unique from a whole new standpoint in that sense. Students will want to come here for this, and employers will want to hire them because of this. It’s a win win.”

@Dom_Chambo chambe17@canisius.edu

Asmundson to play in Sabres Prospect Challenge

By Marshall Haim Sports Reporter

Keegan Asmundson finished his senior year with the Griffs hockey team last season with a loss in the Atlantic Hockey semifinals to the eventual tournament champion, the Rochester Institute of Technology. He led the Golden Griffins to their third consecutive trip to the semifinals, but his hockey career didn’t end there. Asmundson will be donning the Buffalo Sabres sweater when the first-ever Prospects Challenge begins this upcoming weekend.

The Prospects Challenge, a 3-team round robin tournament, will begin Saturday and conclude on Monday. The tournament will feature two games at First Niagara Center, while the other game will take place at HARBORCENTER. Prospects from the Sabres will play prospects representing the Boston Bruins and the New Jersey Devils.

He was invited to play with the Sabres for the tournament and will be one of three goaltenders on the team along with C.J. Motte and Andrey Makarov.

Out of the three goaltenders, Asmundson is surprisingly the oldest, at age 25, and when comparing stats from last season with the other two, he was visibly the better goaltender.

He ended his senior year at Canisius with a record of 13-8-4 and had a Griffs all-time season and conference best in goals against average of 1.96. His save percentage was also the best in Griffs ice hockey history with .930.

On top of the record setting statistics from last season, Asmundson was named the Atlantic Hockey Conference’s Goaltender of the Month twice and Goaltender of the Week four times. He was also given All-Atlantic Hockey Second Team honors, the first Griffin goalie to receive the honor since 2004-05.

The only player that can really be compared with Asmundson is Motte. The 6’0”, 23-year old, started all of Ferris State’s 40 games last season and finished

with an 18-20-2 record. He finished the season with a goals against average of 2.07 and a save percentage of .922. He also added four games in net for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League (AHL), going 1-2-1, with a goals against average of 2.49 and a save percentage of .917.

After the 2013-14 season, Motte was a member of the Top 10 in the Hobey Baker Award voting. The award is handed out to the best collegiate hockey player every year. In his four seasons of playing at Ferris State, he ranks as number one in their school’s history for wins (66), goals against average (2.13), and save percentage (.926).

Andrey Makarov is the youngest representative for the Sabres goaltenders in the tournament at the age of 22, but he does have experience playing in the NHL. He played one game last season with the Sabres on April 4, getting credit for the loss against the New York Islanders. In addition with the one game with the Sabres, Makarov played 39 games for the Sabres’ AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. He allowed an average of 2.91 goals a game and had a save percentage of .905.

Asmundson currently has a contract with the South Carolina Stingrays of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). The 6’5” goaltender from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, played three games with the Stingrays, earning a 2-1 record. He allowed an average of 1.67 goals per game and had a save percentage of .925.

This past April, the Stingrays loaned Asmundson to the Hershey Bears, another member of the AHL. He dressed for four of their games, including two during their playoff run, but never saw action.

“It continues to reinforce the process that begins with recruiting and ends with graduation, that you can go the highest level of pro hockey going through Canisius,” Griffs Head Coach Dave Smith said about how much it means for Asmundson to be invited to the tournament at the highest stage

of professional hockey. “We were able to develop him and take a high quality athlete and a high quality person and shape him to be ready for pro hockey.”

Asmundson left very big shoes to fill at Canisius as he holds career records at Canisius for goals against average (2.08) and save percentage (.930). This upcoming season, the Griffs as a whole will be quite young, but especially at the goaltender position. The Griffs will dress sophomore Reilly Turner and freshman Simon Holfey between the pipes.

“I think we’ve had a stretch of four or five goalies now that have been continuing to break each others records,” Smith said about the goaltender situation he’s had to deal with in the past.

“Keegan wasn’t going to have the longevity of his career, but he put it all into one season. I think he’s passed along to the younger guys, his attitude and his ability to keep an even keel and not get too high or too low with any situation.”

Turner played 13 games last season for the Griffs, starting all but two of his appearances.

Holfey never got the opportunity to be a teammate of Asmundson’s, but with the statistics and the records that Asmundson has accumulated, he has left an everlasting impact on the program.

Asmundson has three chances to play, Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at First Niagara Center, Sunday 7:00 p.m. at HARBORCENTER, and Monday also at 7:00 p.m. back in First Niagara Center.

While there is no guarantee Asmundson will start a game it’s safe to say the Sabres will at least want to give him a shot in net.

haimm@my.canisius.edu

Griffin sports coverage on pages 8 and 9

Volume LXXXVI, Number 1

www.CanisiusGriffin .com

11 September 2015

the pope might never see the griffin, but the griffin is going to see the pope!

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