Issue 6

SUNY Plattsburgh’s independent student newspaper since 1997

FRIDAY, March 26, 2021

CARDINALPOINTSONLINE.COM

VOLUME 104 - ISSUE 6

NGHI TO/Cardinal Points

Employee makes racist comment online

BY MATAEO SMITH Co-News Editor

A SUNY Plattsburgh 2014 alumna, who asked to remain anonymous for safety concerns, discovered a racist reply on Facebook last May, written

by Sports and Wellness Administrative Assistant Rebecca Barnes, validating an initial comment by another user saying, “he needs a good ol fashion lynching.” To the alumna’s dismay, the college’s Facebook page’s response stated the reply was protected by the first amendment supporting the longtime belief of SUNY Plattsburgh’s negligence toward protecting students of color.

Barnes’ reply stated, “LOL 1 less to deal with,” prompting a third user to agree and comment, “Exactly.”

The alumna emailed the president’s office and the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Michelle Cromwell to no avail, which she said disturbed her. She turned to the college’s Facebook page May 31 apprising it of the situation.

She was first met with a default reply saying her message will be addressed during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

She replied with a screenshot of Barnes’ post circled with, “Your help,” written at the top.

The Facebook page thanked her and said the college was

aware of the post.

The alumna checked in the following morning and was met with the same default message assuring she will receive a response during the business hours.

“Her name is still on the website and her phone still connects,” the alumna responds.

“Can you explain why you let racists continue to work there?

It’s so upsetting that year after year, SUNY drops the ball on protecting students.”

She received a reply an hour later again thanking her for reaching out. The page assured her that the employees involved were reminded of the college’s values and how their actions on social media affect

the community.

“It’s important to note that these ideas are protected by the First Amendment,” the page responded. “And although they seem hateful, they are legally protected.”

She proceeded to bring up the 2018 racist snapchat incident, when former SUNY Plattsburgh student Maria Gates sent a photo headlined “Lynching N— tonight,” to remind the college of how Gates was expelled for using a similar phrase on social media.

The alumna received no response.

The racist snapchat incident sparked campus-wide protests culminating in changes to the student Codes of Conduct condemning all kinds of hate speech

after the college stated that Gates’ post did not violate any rules. Black Onyx club advisor Aniyah Carvhalo was among the students who resided in the ACC until 3 a.m. Protesters vowed not to leave until the student conduct manual was revised in order to be sure Gates would have repercussions to her statement.

The incident revived the belief that SUNY Plattsburgh cares little about the safety of its minortity students prompting outrage from the student body. Carvhalo remembers feeling disappointed to see nothing in the student code of conduct Manual against hate speech at the time.

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Learning Center offers resources to students

BY OLIVIA BOUSQUET Co-News Editor

As midterms approach, students may feel overwhelmed with more homework, exams and essays.

The stress of preparing for certain course demands during midterms can leave students feeling uneasy about studying habits or frazzled on where to start when completing assignments. SUNY Plattsburgh’s Claude J. Clark Learning Center offers writing and content tutoring, as well as academic personal trainers to help students succeed.

The Learning Center, located on the first floor of Feinberg Library, currently offers tutoring sessions, but only on Zoom.

However, this allows international and fully remote students to take advantage of their services, as well as on-campus students. The open study hours are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 1

OLGA MUKA/Cardinal Points Bio-med senior Michelle Simmons utilizes the quiet study area in the Learning Center to complete assignments for midterms.

a.m. Tutoring hours are Monday through Thursday from noon to 9 p.m., Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

For students interested in writing tutoring, there are eight tutors available with a diverse range of

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student’s specialties that include art, English, nursing, history, social work and undeclared majors.

Students can bring lab reports, English papers, biology articles and history essays to be reviewed, as well as business memos or speeches.

“It’s a really good skill to be a good writer, to know your own writing process and to really understand that once you leave the university, you’re still going to be doing a lot of writing,” Assistant Director and Writing Specialist Regan

@cardinalpointsnews

Levitte said. “Writing can also help you with your reading and critical thinking skills, things that we know professors preach to us all the time and that’s definitely reinforced by going to writing tutoring.”

Students can also take

@CardPointsNews

advantage of the Learning Center’s Academic Personal Trainers. APTs are trained as tutors, but they help students with creating study schedules, setting academic goals, building good study habits and test taking skills, as well as finding a balance between social and academic life.

There are currently four APT tutors available for students to utilize through Zoom sessions.

“If midterms are approaching and the student is feeling out of balance or not quite sure what direction to go in or there’s just so much that they don’t know what to do first – that’s really common,” Academic Success Advisor Sarah Henley said. “Being able to lay everything out – that can be just overwhelming itself. But to be able to organize and figure out what should happen first, like, when should I spend my time doing this versus that? An APT can help someone.”

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@CardinalPoints

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NEWS

Co-News Editors Olivia Bousquet & Mataeo Smith

Friday, March 26, 2021

March 12 University Police responded to a call in Moffitt Hall after someone reported smelling marijuana.

The student suspect was found in possession of a small amount of cocaine. The student was charged with a misdemeanor and will appear at Plattsburgh City Court.

March 18 A fire alarm was set off in Macdonough Hall from a student smoking marijuana. The student received a judicial referral.

Campus COVID-19 Tracker

ELARA MARTIN/Cardinal Points

Career Fair goes virtual

BY JOHANNA WEEKS Staff Writer

Total number of positive COVID-19 cases over the past 14

89

days:

Number of active COVID-19 cases:

Number of students and employees in quarantine:

Number of COVID-19 tests by the Student Health Center since

45 63 34,942

Aug. 15, 2020:

CP Corrections There are no errors to report this week.

If you see an error in Cardinal Points, email cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

The SUNY Plattsburgh annual spring Career Fair for students was held virtually over Zoom March 24 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. With the virtual set up, students had the opportunity to connect with employers from across the country.

There were 51 companies registered to participate in the fair. They offered a variety of work from nonprofits to business fields.

In addition, students were able to find opportunities for full-time, part-time, internships and seasonal work. Some of the companies attending included: Albany Medical Center, Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth, Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa, Peace Corps and many more. Students can log into Handshake, the career service portal, to see the description of companies that will be attending and

majors that the employers typically hire.

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Career Development Center sent an email to all students encouraging them to sign up. Tobi Hay, the director of the Career Development Center, along with Morgan Pellerin, the assistant director, worked together to organize this event.

“This fair will benefit students in several ways,” Hay said. “It’s an opportunity to talk with employers about job openings, but it’s also a chance to learn about different companies and career fields that students are considering.”

Students can register ahead of time for 30-minute group sessions or 10-minute one-on-one meetings.

They can also wait to register during the event, but the company’s schedule could fill up quickly.

Courtney Tyson, a fourth year psychology major and art and studio minor,

LEARNING Continued from page one “I think overall it could just help one stress level because it hopefully will make them feel more prepared.”

Tutors must check-off an extensive list of requirements before being able to help tutor for a certain course. This means tutors are well informed on a subject and have completed some tutor training. One senior math tutor, Justin Yeaple, has more than 400 hours of tutoring completed at SUNY Plattsburgh. He also found the tutor training courses were beneficial to connecting with students, especially those that do not speak English as their first language.

signed up for two one-onone sessions with Howard Center in Herrington, V.T. “My hope is to get information on what it is like to be in the helping field and if there’s any opportunities that could help me get a job after I graduate this spring,” Tyson said. With the fair being over zoom the fair is available to students who are not on campus, like Tyson.

“I get anxious knowing about campus activities and the spread of COVID. So, it’s nice that I can freely go and attend an event like this even away from campus,” she said.

The career fair is also an opportunity to interact with employers and network.

“Students need practice talking with employers and the more they do it, the easier it becomes,” Hay said. “It’s a networking opportunity. Students may meet someone who doesn’t have the right job open now, but offers to

stay in touch or put them in touch with a colleague at another firm.”

The information and skills that one could learn at the career fair will be useful in upcoming events also presented by the career development center.

On April 6, they will hold an event that focuses on interviewing and networking. Then, they will help finding jobs and internships as well as developing skills to manage career, money, and time will be offered April 21.

Finally, alumni will speak about how to be successful when starting jobs and internships May 4.

According to the Plattsburgh website: “We encourage students to attend our spring event series to get prepared to make the most of this event.”

Email JOHANNA WEEKS

cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

“One the biggest things [about tutoring] is the positive reinforcement,” Yeaple said. “Kind of just having you be like ‘yeah I can actually do this’ and just take a breather. Second would be, tutoring can help you revisit skills that you’re not as good at that the classroom won’t because they kind of expect you to have that knowledge.”

Students can sign up for one-on-one sessions or group sessions. Appointments are made through Cardinal Star, which can be found on the main page of a student’s MyPlattsburgh account. The Learning Center encourages students to utilize the services and resources they have to offer to help students become more successful.

Email OLIVIA BOUSQUET

cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

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Co-News Editors Olivia Bousquet & Mataeo Smith

NEWS

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Friday, March 26, 2021

This Week in Photos: Learning Photos By Olga Muka

The Learning Center offers services for students to utilize during midterm stress.

Provided by Wikimedia Commons

Office Assistant Diane Jennette-Costin (left) works in the Learning Center office.

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Friday, March 26, 2021

Whitney misses senior season

BY JONAS WARD Staff Writer

Hanna Whitney is a selfless and dedicated student athlete working towards a double major and double minor at SUNY Plattsburgh, and is also on the women’s basketball team.

“I chose to be an accounting major because it has been a field that I have been interested in while growing up,” Whitney said.

Whitney has always loved basketball. Before she attended SUNY Plattsburgh, she had experience playing the game. When she was young, her family embraced her passion for the sport.

“I got into basketball at a very young age,” Whitney said. “My family is a basketball family. My mom coached a girls varsity team, and I remember going to the gym with her when I was in elementary school and even before that to help her.”

Due to the pandemic, Whitney’s basketball season has been affected. Whitney was upset about the outcome of her season. She wished there were other options that would allow her to play more.

“The pandemic completely crushed my senior season; we had zero games,” Whitney said. “The feeling that I would not be able to put on a Plattsburgh State Women’s Basketball uniform again was heartbreaking.

It didn’t seem real until the long winter break was happening. Luckily, we were able to have a few practices, so at least we got to play with our teammates before graduation in our gym. Although it wasn’t a great way to end, I wouldn’t trade the last three years for anything.”

For Whitney, teamwork is extremely important. She respects her teammates and they look after each other.

DAKOTA GILBERT/Cardinal Points Hanna Whitney stands in Memorial Hall on the basketball court she used to compete on before the pandemic.

“We take pride in building each other up and helping each other when we can,” Whitney said. “I look up to my team because they are hard working, independent and motivated women. My team looks to me as a person they can trust and look to when they need a helping hand.”

Ben Sarraf, the head of the women’s basketball team, believes Whitney is supportive of her team as a whole.

He said Whitney definitely would have been a great player, if the pandemic hadn’t taken her final season away.

“As a senior, she was well liked and her teammates respected what she had to say,” Sarraf said. “She was definitely viewed as a leader, and I would have leaned on her heavily for leadership had we been able to have a full season.”

Sarraf said Whitney is an incredibly good student

with a great personality. Sarraf believes Whitney would have had a fantastic season if their games were not canceled.

“By the way she carries herself on and off the court, she has the demeanor of someone who has it all figured out,” Sarraf said. “She transformed from a relatively quiet freshman to an incredibly confident senior, who knows exactly who she is and where she is headed. As a coach, this is the type of career and personal arch you wish all of your players to have in their four years at Plattsburgh.”

Email JONAS WARD cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

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Jasmine Piper, Kaitlyn Bjelko and Aidan Tous work on sprinting drills with their pod in the Field House to prepare for the upcoming meet at St. Lawrence March 27.

Track team prepares for upcoming meet at SLU

BY JEREMY GUNDRUM Contributor

With the ongoing pandemic, practice and competition within school athletics has proven to be more difficult. The SUNY Plattsburgh track & field team is one of multiple athletic programs affected by current regulations set in place due to COVID-19. The New York State Department of Health allows college athletics to take place, though there are new rules.

Practices are on limited days and the athletes are only able to practice with their event group. This means that the long distance runners do not practice with the sprinters or throwers, which leads to less interaction among the athletes. Practices also have an hour and a half time limit to ensure there is no overlap with other teams. Team bonding activities have been harder for the athletes on the team to complete because they cannot be altogether.

Despite these circumstances, the team members still run together, all wearing

masks and being as distant as possible during practice. While running, members of the team are able to bond with other teammates by making conversation. Some of the members of the team live together, on and off campus.

The athletes were unsure if there would be a competitive season until there was a team meeting in early March to inform the runners there was a possibility they would compete. There have been tentative meets set in place, such as March 27, April 3 and May 1. There will tentatively be three or four meets at St. Lawrence

University throughout the rest of the semester. A SUNYAC Championship meet is tentatively scheduled for early May. The championship meet will take place at SUNY Cortland.

“It was hard training when there was nothing scheduled, but now there is more hope because of races,” sophomore Josh Herman, a member of the distance team, said. “We just have to keep the cases down. I’ve been enjoying practices and I want them to keep happening.”

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Co-News Editors Olivia Bousquet & Mataeo Smith

NEWS

RACISM

TRACK Continued from page four

Continued from page one Given Barnes’ reply on Facebook, she suggested SUNY Plattsburgh creating a faculty/employee Code of Conduct manual.

“She shouldn’t be able to say that,” Carvhalo said. “Especially if she is in contact with these people all day. You know how uncomfortable that can make a student feel?”

Cardinal Points emailed the president’s office and Cromwell for an interview on Barnes’ Facebook reply.

“Can you briefly describe the specific case you are referring to?” President Alexander Enyedi said via email. “I would appreciate the additional information.

Thanks.”

After clarification, Cardinal Points received no response about its interview inquiry.

“Thanks for the note,” Cromwell wrote via email. “I’m not sure how newsworthy this is, but can speak with you about DIRECT’s response to finding out about it.”

Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Project Coordinator Brittany Varin suggested sending questions via email, so she and Cromwell could answer them in a timely manner given the office’s “hectic week.” After insisting the interview should be in person, Cardinal Points received no response.

“It’s just really disappointing,” the alumna said. “They’re always posting stuff like ‘we stand with our people of color students we stand against racism.’ And it’s like, no, you actually don’t.”

Cardinal Points reached out to Barnes via email for comment to no avail.

“I am feeling good,” freshman Michael Brockway said. “I look forward to running with my teammates.”

Brockway acknowledged that other schools have to keep their COVID-19 cases down as well, expressing concern and doubt that there will be a competitive season. Practices have still been conducted, but are different compared to last year. Before the COVID regulations were put into place, the athletes had access to a variety of weights and foam rollers. The team would practice together as well, and were encouraged to spend time together.

Senior and team captain Arthur Horan said that the team would already be having meets, if not for COVID-19.

“We would meet for practices six days a week, and we would meet with the whole team, not just specific event groups. We don’t see any throwers or Email MATAEO SMITH sprinters now,” Horan said.

With COVID-19 measures in place, cp@cardinalpointsonline.com it has been harder for athletes to get a

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Friday, March 26, 2021

grasp on how the team dynamic would work without the precautionary measures. Horan also said the team used to have access to weights and other equipment. That is no longer the case due to the COVID protocols that the athletic department and college have set in place. The new concept for practices is to have as minimal contact as possible.

Despite the changes, the team is still looking forward to competing and having a competitive season underway. As long as cases stay low and the community stays smart and safe, the competitive season will be here shortly.

The athletes now have something to train for, allowing for practices to have more meaning to them. Track and field practices consist of a warm up, with the members of the team already separated in their event groups. Following the warm up, the captains lead dynamic stretches for the team to get ready for a workout the runners or throwers are doing that day. They are encouraged to run in as small a group as possible.

Email JEREMY GUNDRUM cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

CARDINALPOINTSONLINE.COM

FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

Biden’s debt plan impacts students

BY ALEXA DUMAS Opinions Editor

The newly elected Biden administration has been enacting relief plans to aid the current economic crisis due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the effects of the pandemic. As Americans can now receive stimulus checks under the American Rescue Plan, most forget about students facing an economic crisis as well.

How will they continue to pay for education?

As of Jan. 8, President Joseph Biden asked Congress to pass a plan to immediately cancel $10,000 of federal student loan debt per student. This plan would be included as a part of the COVID-19 relief bill, now known as the American Rescue Plan. Biden’s plan would wipe out debt for about 15 million borrowers nationwide.

Biden aims to raise taxes for large for-profit corporations to pay for the new expanded loan forgiveness programs.

“That is a lot of money in general,” Devon Reuse, freshman broadcast journalism major, said. “There are hundreds of millions of college students. I see it being beneficial for a certain type of demographic. Definitely more people deserve it than others, regarding financial stability.”

Students who attend undergraduate public universities and earn less than $125,000 would be the most impacted by Biden’s plan.

Historically Black universities and other minorityserving colleges would be the most impacted by the

NGHI TO/Cardinal Points

plan. Private universities would not be touched, as well as students attending graduate school.

“I definitely think that it’s good that they’re going for public schools because typically you have a higher percentage of students with financial dependencies going to public schools,” Reuse said.

“I think that it would be good in general to make it less exclusive, but in terms of financial stability. In my perception of kids attending private schools, they usually have more money.

So it would be nice if that

was eliminated too.”

Not only would attending an undergraduate public school help students receive debt forgiveness from the government, but working in a public service field would also allow students to qualify. Working as a public servant, such as being a government employee, teacher, or non-profit employees would qualify for up to $50,000 canceled for up to five years of eligible service.

Democrats in the United States Senate claim that Biden’s plan to relieve $10,000 isn’t enough for students currently facing

financial difficulties due to the pandemic. Senators such as Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bob Menendez of New Jersey, as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, urge Biden to include up to $50,000 in debt relief for students across the country in the COVID relief package.

“Student loan debt is crushing millions of Americans,” Warren said. “President Biden has an opportunity to fix that with a stroke of a pen. This bill helps pave the way to cancel $50,000 in student loan debt.”

Politicians aren’t the only ones noticing that more aid can be allotted to individuals with student loan debt. College students also notice that Biden can give more aid to students currently attending a university.

“So many people are already affected by student debt issues before the pandemic,” Reuse said.

“If we made it so that we were canceling more student loans, there would be less financial hardship for new graduates. I think that if they were to give out more relief, that

would be more beneficial for us in the future.”

As with many financial issues, such as student debt, there is criticism from the opposing side.

The current issue within the bipartisan divide in the United States can be seen in the way that both parties handle finances.

As Democrats seek debt forgiveness first and program reform later, Republicans urge to reform all programs before issuing any money to the American people.

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Artists steal spotlight at Grammy Awards

BY NATALIE ST. DENIS Associate Opinions Editor

SAREEM JABBAR/Cardinal Points

Celebrities like Post Malone, Harry Styles and Cardi B were finally able to gather together for a night of music, masked up of course. The 63rd annual Grammy Awards Ceremony took place March 14. Since 2000, The Grammy’s have been held at The Staples Center located in downtown Los Angeles. This year was no exception, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The host, comedian Trevor Noah, opened the night with a lengthy mention of the rough year it’s been and how the night ahead would provide musical performances that the world missed out on. Per usual, the awards ceremony presented only a handful of awards and focused mainly on the variety of musical performances. Some could argue that the performances lacked diversity.

The night began with Harry Styles’ first ever Grammy’s performance.

Styles performed “Watermelon Sugar,” in a leather jacket and matching black pants. Instead of wearing a shirt, he styled it with a green boa. The no-shirt look was a bold move for his Grammy’s debut, but no one is complaining.

Styles also won best pop performance for his song “Watermelon Sugar.”

Due to the pandemic, performances were held inside the venue on a bigger stage and awards were presented on a smaller stage built outside. This seemed to allow for the performers to have more flashy stage set ups.

Taylor Swift took advantage of this in her performance. A cottage-core setting was clearly evident. The performance began with her laying on a mossy roof of a cottage, which she eventually migrated into. Billie Eilish also had a lavish set. She stood on a car that resembled the illusion of it sinking. It was eerie, dark and foggy as Eilish sang her

hit “Everything I Wanted.”

Megan Thee Stallion took to the stage with a few of her own songs, while Cardi B joined her to perform “WAP.” This rather lengthy performance was certainly flashy. The fact that it was performed later in the night, after most of the kids watching at home had gone to bed, was probably for the best. It wasn’t the most G-rated performance of the night.

Stallion won her first Grammy for her remixed version of “Savage” that featured Beyoncé. Stallion had explained how much she always looked up to Beyoncé. It was heartwarming to see her turn to Queen B and thank her for the constant support as they accepted the award together.

Beyoncé walked away far-from empty handed. In fact, she made history that night. She had nine nominations, which was the most of any artist at the 2021 Grammy’s. She also received her 28th Grammy Award, the most of any female or male artist ever.

The 63rd Grammy Awards Show may have served as a source of musical entertainment for concert-goers who have been missing that thrill. But the Grammy’s took heat from artists on Twitter, which often happens every year leading up to the ceremony. Racial bias has seemed to be an issue. Deserving and talented artists aren’t getting nominated for their work due to racism.

Despite having multiple smash hits this year, The Weeknd wasn’t nominated for any awards.

“The Grammy’s remain corrupt.

You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency,” he tweeted.

Other artists joined The Weeknd in the Grammy’s slander.

Zayn Malik, former One Direction member, commented on the corrupt nomination process.

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Opinions Editor Alexa Dumas

Friday, March 26, 2021

‘The Sparks Brothers’ celebrates duo

BY CAMERON KAERCHER Contributor

Edgar Wright makes films for film geeks. His breakout hit, “Shaun of the Dead” mixed George Romero-inspired zombie gore with his own dry English comedy sensibilities. “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” may have underperformed at the box office, but it is one of the best-edited, funniest video game movies of all time. He may not be well known to the casual filmgoer, but any cinephile’s ears perk up when Edgar Wright is mentioned.

This year, he has given documentary filmmaking a try with “The Sparks Brothers.”

Sparks, the California-born, United Kingdom-cultivated pop duo is made up of Ron and Russel Mael. The keyboard player and vocalist, respectively, have been making music together since 1970. Their public personas are reserved. The brothers have not given many interviews about who they are and where they have come from—until now.

At the start of the film, in a genius visual pun, curtains are pulled back to reveal the Sparks in hopes to get to know them better.

There is a strong friendship between Wright and the Mael’s as the interviews between the three of them are funny and laid back. Wright uses currentday visits to the Mael’s house and their favorite coffee shop, along with older archival footage of concerts and talk show

ZOE NGUYEN/Cardinal Points

appearances. Seeing these two at home, at work and at play is a great detour from the album run-through that gives “The Sparks Brothers’’ its structure.

The pair of musicians have recorded 24 studio albums since 1970; almost one every two years. While the documentary never discloses their secret to time management, Wright tries his hardest to mention each of

these albums. Wright devotes a lot of time and energy into the album that put Sparks on the map, “Kimono My House.”

Wright brings his own vinyl copy of the album on camera as the interviewees marvel at the iconic cover. With the lyrics printed on the back, the brothers reminisce over the intricate lyrics of their lead single, “This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us.”

The stars interviewed for the documentary aren’t just Ron and Russel. The list includes ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic, Steve Jones, Jason Schwartzman and Patton Oswalt. That is only in the first five minutes. Edgar Wright exhausted his contact list to fill this film with celebrities that grew up with Sparks, and mix the interviews with musicians and managers that spent

plenty of time with the brothers in the recording studio. Everyone has nothing but nice things to say about Sparks.

It isn’t to say that the film is propaganda, as they do acknowledge the difficult times the Sparks went through. Their financial failure of “Interior Design” that led to a difficult period when no labels wanted to sign their albums is acknowledged, but not dwelled on.

Their constant and consistent artistic output does not give a lot of opportunity for negative coverage in the documentary.

This is Edgar Wright’s longest film at two hours and 20 minutes, but it flies right by. His work with editor Paul Trewartha creates a phenomenal pace as he cuts to the intricate beats of the Sparks’ music. “Tryouts For The Human Race” is an incredible song on its own, but when it is set to interviewees humming the bassline and miming the drums it becomes artful. Here, Wright and Trewarth remind the audience that music is a participatory experience.

Edgar Wright’s cinematic energy that makes his fictional films so exciting is still present when he is dealing with reality.

“The Sparks Brothers’’ might be a documentary about a band viewers have never heard of, but after watching, viewers won’t stop listening to the Sparks.

Email CAMERON KAERCHER cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

Royal Family divides, reveals racist remarks

BY CARLY NEWTON Staff Writer

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey helped to reveal the true nature of the royal family to the public. Social media went wild after it aired.

In the March 7 interview, accusations of racism and how the royal family handled Markle’s mental health were brought to light. Markle, who is bi-racial, made history when she married Prince Harry in 2018. She became the first American, first divorcee and first woman-of-color to marry into the royal family. The unconventionality of the marriage has continued to make members of the royal family uncomfortable.

In the interview, Markle told Winfrey that she was

aware of concerns over her unborn child’s skin color.

“In those months when I was pregnant, we had the conversation of ‘he won’t be given security, he’s not going to be given a title,’ and also concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born,” Markle said in the interview that aired on CBS. Since Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry, she has endured mistreatment and scrutiny from the press and the royal family. In 2018, Prince Harry and Markle were told by Buckingham Palace that their son, Archie, would not be given a prince title and, therefore, he would not have a royal security detail.

“There’s no explanation,” Markle said, referring to the palace’s decision to not give her son a title at birth.

Markle also admitted to having suicidal thoughts while she was pregnant.

Senior members of the palace didn’t offer her help.

“I went to one of the most senior people to get help,” Markle said. “I share this because there are so many people who are afraid to voice that they need help, and I know how hard it is to not just voice it but to be told no.”

It’s no wonder that Prince Harry and Markle believed it would be in their best interest to leave the royal family and move to the United States after Buckingham Palace treated them terribly.

In response to the allegations made in the interview, Buckingham Palace, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, released a statement.

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Pandemic impacts music students

BY THOMAS BOUCHARD and anxiety are hitting college students due to COVID. Contributor The pandemic put students When COVID-19 hit last in a unique position.

With the social isolation March, neither colleges nor effort to help flatten the students were prepared for COVID-19 curve, colleges prolonged campus cloacross the United States sures. In a span of less than have closed their cama week, everything shut puses.

This has forced studown and everyone’s lives dents to leave campuses, were turned upside down. friends, classes and familMany students are still in iar routines.

While many limbo about their educastudents may be happy tion, financial status and worrying about friends, or to reconnect with family family in the hospital deal- again, some have returned to abusive households or ing with this virus.

Students were forced to others to no home at all.

Emma Cato, a student pivot between on campus majoring in theatre and and remote learning, evacuminoring in music, menate their dorm rooms and tioned that she has been navigate a high risk of expoable to spend more time sure to COVID in traditionalwith her family.

On the othly crowded dorms and classALEXA DUMAS /Cardinal Points er hand, her mental health rooms. Depression, stress

declined. This is due to the long-lasting pandemic situation and numerous measures such as lockdown and stay-at-home orders. There are positives to this situation, but there are also negatives which kind of outweigh the positives.

Students are not ready to remove interpersonal communication, and this might be another reason for mental health decline. Students aim to communicate in person, and the majority of students learn better in person, than online.

There are some exceptions. For example, Caton stated that she felt like she was more productive in schoolwork.

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CARDINAL VOICE

Opinions Editor Alexa Dumas

Friday, March 26, 2021

Editorial

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Stop Asian American hate Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of Asian American and Pacific Islander hate has been on the rise. When the pandemic saw the first cases from Wuhan, China, former President Donald Trump dropped the “corona” suffix from the proper name “coronavirus,” to the racist “Chinese virus.” With Trump’s racist and xenophobic strategies, the United States has seen a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a rise of attacks on women and elderly people of Asian descent in U.S. major cities. Not only have these discriminatory attacks been on the rise recently, but more than 3,700 attacks have been reported since March 2020.

The new activism website, Stop AAPI Hate, is a hub that provides resources for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and tracks violence and harassment in those communities.

The most recent attack on the Asian com-

munity was in Atlanta, where eight people were shot in various spa and massage parlors March 16. Six of the victims were Asian women, even though the assailant, Robert Aron Long, stated that the motive for the shooting was not racially motivated. He visited the spas for massages on occasion to try to combat his sex addiction.

Long stated he shot his victims because he was having “a really bad day.”

No one should kill eight people after having an off day. That is intolerable.

After the Atlanta shooting, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both issued statements regarding harassment toward Asian Americans.

Harris, who is of South Asian descent, expressed that the Trump presidency promoted racist comments.

“For the last year, we’ve had people in positions of incredible power scapegoating Asian Americans,” Harris said.

“People with the biggest pulpits spreading this kind of hate.”

DEBT Continued from page six Senate Republicans could come up with a counterargument to Biden’s proposal. Their main points being that the loan forgiveness is unfair to students who have already paid off their debts, as well as canceling more debt. This could lead to canceling medical and mortgage debt. The new change to debt forgiveness could be the new scare tactic for the Republican party.

“I think it’ll be much harder to do legislatively,” Schumer said. “We have not seen our Republican colleagues jump at this opportunity.”

Biden’s debt plan may scare Republicans, but it could be new

MUSIC Continued from page six

ROYALTY

STUDENTS Continued from page seven On the other hand, Vannessa Kwok, an international student from Hong Kong majoring in music, felt she was less productive and motivated. Kwok and Caton both mentioned that they felt more anxious and depressed. One reason for this could be the long-lasting pandemic situation and onerous measures such as lock-

hope for students struggling financially.

“I think that it’s radical in a very good way, and I think that it’s not radical enough,” Reuse said. “It’s a very good move on his part to be relieving people since there’s no end in sight of COVID. This is the bare minimum of what college students deserve during this time.”

Biden hopes to relieve debt anxiety for students in his first term, which could provide them with a life free of student loans.

“This should be the move,” Reuse said. “This should be the plan to build up our younger generations, and I think that there could be more support. At last, people can get debt relief.”

Email ALEXA DUMAS cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

and Chief Executive Officer of The Recording Academy, spoke in a recorded video about supporting the need for diversity.

The Recording Academy is an organization of musical professionals dedicated to improving the music culture.

These professionals include musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. The Grammy Awards is presented by The Recording Academy every year.

“Tonight I’m here to ask the entire music community to join in, work with us, not against us as we build a new

“F*** the grammys and everyone associated. Unless you shake hands and send gifts, there’s no nomination considerations. Next year I’ll send you a basket of confectionary,” Malik tweeted.

The Grammy’s have long been attacked for not being diverse and inclusive. Toward the conclusion of the ceremony, Harvey Mason Jr., the Interim President Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members,” the statement read.

Buckingham Palace’s stateContinued from page seven ment is an obvious attempt “The whole family is sad- to downplay what the interdened to learn the full extent view revealed. The royal famof how challenging the last few ily has been outed as racists years have been for Harry and and there’s not much they can Meghan. The issues raised, par- say to fix that. The treatment ticularly that of race, are con- that Markle endured over the cerning. While some recollec- course of her relationship with tions may vary, they are taken Prince Harry is proof of that.

Prince Harry also revealed very seriously and will be adin the interview that Prince dressed by the family privately.

John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, urged Biden to issue anti-discriminatory policies to address the constant hate crimes in major U.S. cities.

“One thing that we know he does well is serve as a healer and a person that understands grief,” Yang said. “A person should understand that we must first center ourselves on the victims and their families and make sure that they are taken care of. That’s certainly what our community is hoping for. And then, from there we talk about solutions.”

One thing is clear—standing up to hate is the best way to become an ally for the AAPI community. The Biden administration must pass anti-discriminatory legislation to stop racist attacks on Asian Americans. As a nation, we must stand with the community and denounce all hateful acts of violence to ensure its safety.

Without standing for others, who will stand for you?

Recording Academy that we can all be proud of,” Mason said.

The Grammy’s may be able to put on a decent production for people to watch on a boring Sunday evening, but they need to actually follow through with promises of social change and welcome more diversity and inclusion. The musical performances are entertaining to watch, but there is a dark, desperate need for change hiding behind the flashy ceremony.

Email NATALIE ST. DENIS cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

Charles, his father, had stopped taking his calls after stepping back from the royal duties. Stepping away from the royal family was a move that Prince Harry said he needed to do.

“I took matters into my own hands. I need to do this for my family. This is not a surprise to anybody. It’s really sad that it’s got to this point.

But I got to do something for my own mental health, for my wife’s and for Archie’s as

down and stay-at-home orders.

Neither colleges nor students were prepared for the long-term effect of COVID. The pandemic and lockdown have brought on a sense of fear and anxiety around the world, especially for students. Students are stressing out about issues within their own families and in their education, which has taken a toll on their mental health. There are positives which Caton stated with spending more time with her family, but that is not the case for everyone.

well,” Prince Harry said.

Prince Harry’s willingness to step away from the royal family, for the well-being of his own family, is admirable.

Princess Diana, Harry’s mother, went through similar treatment from the royal family. It is relieving to see that Prince Harry is trying to avoid history repeating itself.

Taken from 100 participants

Editorial Board Editor in Chief Jess Johnson

Managing Editor Alana Penny

Co-News Editor Olivia Bousquet

Co-News Editor Mataeo Smith

Opinions Editor Alexa Dumas

FUSE Editor Alana Penny

Graphics Editor Nghi To

Photo Editor Audrey Lapinski

Multimedia Editor Sareem Jabbar

Associate Opinions Editor Natalie St. Denis

Associate Graphics Editor Sareem Jabbar

Associate FUSE Editor Adeeb Chowdhury

Public Relations Chair Heaven Longo

Web Editor Jason Smith

Faculty Adviser Shawn Murphy Advertising: Maureen Provost

Contact CP: Editorial Board: 518.564.2174 Advertising: 518.564.3173 Fax: 518.564.6397 118 Ward Hall SUNY Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, NY 12901 cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

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Society is not ready to move fully online because students need social interaction with peers and teachers in person to succeed. Removing social interaction has heavily impacted student learning and building.

This pandemic has caught millions of college students at their most pivotal moment in their personal, interpersonal, educational and pre-professional development.

Email THOMAS BOUCHARD cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

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Award Winning

Cardinal Points has received the following awards from the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP): ACP Hall of Fame Inducted in Fall 2010 All American Spring 2018, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2016, five Marks of Distinction Spring 2014, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2012, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2011, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2010, five Marks of Distinction Fall 2009, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2009, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2008, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2005, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2004, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2003, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2002, four Marks of Distinction Pacemaker Recognition Fall 2010, Honorable Mention 2006-2007, Newspaper Finalist

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▪ Friday, March. 26, 2021

FUSE

FUSE Editor Alana Penny

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The Myers Fine Art building staff are responsible for coordinating events, controlling the technical side of concerts and plays and run the museum. COVID has changed the way the staff do their jobs. However, many of them are hopeful next semester will bring some normalcy as more students, faculty and staff get vaccinated.

Myers staff adjust to COVID, plan for future

BY BACH DO Contributor

COVID has not only made a huge impact on SUNY Plattsburgh, but it has completely changed how students do things.

The staff in Myers Fine Arts building (MFA) have also been affected. These are the people who coordinate events, control technology during concerts and keep the museums open across multiple buildings on campus.

“The biggest challenge is how events are planned and executed in the time of COVID,” Dwayne Butchino, music and theater performing arts coordinator said. “Creating events has been difficult, but not impossible.”

With the safety restrictions on social gatherings, traditional performances are not allowed anymore.

In Fall 2020, the Music department put together

a concert called “The Fall 2020 Music Extravaganza” which is currently available on Youtube and the Music Department website.

Butchino said he had to develop new skills to put together the video. “I was pretty happy with the end result,” he proudly shared.

One other challenge for Butchino is advertising.

“Due to the decline in foot traffic on and off campus, I have to rethink our advertising strategies to reach an audience in lockdown with hopes that they would tune in,” Butchino said.

Butchino is hopeful but realistic about the future.

“I think we’ll continue with our current state a bit longer to ensure that everyone stays well while others receive the vaccine,” Butchino said.

“But as the vaccine rolls out at an increasing rate, I’m also hoping that some of the restrictions will be lifted, and that we’ll

eventually get back to live events throughout the campus in the future.”

Tonya Cribb, Director of Plattsburgh State Art Museum, said that due to the lack of volunteer docents who are instrumental in running the Rockwell Kent Gallery, the Art Museum has not been able to open for long periods of time. The number of staff required to fully operate the museum includes 35 volunteers, four students and two student interns, in addition to four professional staff.

“This unusual time has allowed us to pivot and turn our eye toward other important work in the museum.” Cribb said. “For example, we have a vast collection of over 10,000 art objects that have not had a proper inventory since the collection was started, so this has given us an opportunity to address that. Our student staff members have got-

ten some valuable ‘behind the scenes’ experience conducting condition reports, photographing collections, updating our database and conducting research on some of our prestigious collections.”

Cribb hopes the museum will be able to be open more in the near future. Given the fact that the museum exists to ‘preserve, exhibit and interpret,’ Cribb expressed great desire in reopening it in the near future under safety guidelines to support the campus educational mission.

Ben Wright, the technical director of theater, said the biggest challange for him was the interuption COVID caused. Usually, the construction of scenery is very straightforward, but the pandemic created various unforeseen problems.

“We are at a point where we change, mature, and rethink every day. We are in a huge disruption right now,” Wright said.

Wright used to have about five students to help him with scenery, construction, and equipment specialization. However, due to the pandemic, the students are acting through the “ZOOM Theater” in their own rooms so a different method has to be used instead of the traditional.

“I might have to learn with computer drafting, potentially do more lightning and sounds. Our shows are a lot smaller, so I will have to do a lot of re-trainings myself.” Wright said.

Wright also believes that the staff of MFA have done an excellent job in adapting to the pandemic.

“For myself, it has definitely been a challenge.”

Wright shared. “However, before the pandemic, I tried very hard to be professional, and it has made me sacrifice a lot. Working from home is a good opportunity for me to rethink my perspective on

life and work.” Wright also thinks the future has a lot of potential, “We will see. It will be great if it’s back to normal. I think it’s too early to tell but it’s exciting because there is a lot of potential. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, we need to remember that this ‘too shall pass.’”

Wright said in his interview, “Theater, Music, and Art are human oldest forms of expression.”

The pandemic has created endless difficulties for those forms of expression and make our lives very different. However, the students can still showcase their talents with the help from the people behind the scenes, who deserve much more credit and recognition for their endless efforts in helping students’ talents to reach the mass audience.

Email BACH DO cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

Santana focuses on social justice, helping community

BY ADEEB CHOWDHURY Associate FUSE Editor

Miabella Santana’s persistent drive to be an agent of social justice can be summed up in one word that has defined much of her life and work: community. Engaging in thoughtful, earnest conversations with diverse minds from all walks of life. From a young age, this has shaped much of Santana’s approach to what she does.

Though born in the Bronx, Santana attended high school in Manhattan, where she interacted with students from a range of different cultures.

“I had friends from so many different communities,” Santana said. “It really was a different vibe. I met people from so many boroughs of New York and from all across America, and they all had different traditions and ways of life. It was a special experience for me.”

Sports played an enormous role in Santana’s upbringing as well. Growing up in a family that was big on baseball, she started partaking in athletic activities from a young age, particularly softball and swimming.

Her father coached her in tee ball and softball on and off until high school, which was a special part of her relationship with her dad. Sports also provided an opportunity for her to travel to various parts of the country including Puerto Rico, where her

family is from.

“Swimming and softball were really important to me as a kid and taught me so much,” Santana said. “At first, I would dread going to practices, but soon that became where I had the most fun. I got to meet so many people through sports, and it really helped make me who I am.”

Unfortunately, Santana suffered a serious injury to her ankle in senior year, which required surgery. Though she does not actively play sports anymore, she said she will always cherish those activities as a crucial and extraordinary part of her life.

After high school, Santana attended college in Plattsburgh. Though she initially had majored in psychology as a freshman, and she switched to human development and family relations as a sophomore, during her junior year she finally found her calling in gender and women’s studies.

“GWS really opened my eyes,” Santana said. “It made me look and think much deeper about issues in everyday life and what we can be doing to help those who need it. I wish I had found this major sooner — I really fell in love with it immediately.”

Santana emphasized that the conversation-based approach of this major was her favorite aspect. She loves engaging with people with various viewpoints and conversing about issues that matter to them, such as human rights, equality, and progressive social movements.

Associate Professor and Chair of Gender and Women’s Studies Connie Oxford noted that while Santana excelled in constructive discussions in a classroom setting, she went above and beyond that — she manifested those ideas and principles into real, concrete actions.

“Mia is committed to feminist praxis, taking the ideas of feminism and putting them into practice,” Oxford said. “Her work with the Title IX office on campus is one way that she works to bring social justice to campus. She’s done great things here at SUNY Plattsburgh and I know she will continue to do them when she leaves. She’s a shining light for others.”

Santana’s internship with the Title IX office has become vehicle for her interests in combating gender discrimination, abuse and inequality. She had started the internship as a junior, and has since then worked as a violence prevention peer educator.

“During my internship, I worked with my supervisor to host various events on campus, such as events about healthy and unhealthy relationships,” Santana said.

“It’s really important to me that I help teach people about these crucial issues, because there’s still so much work to be done. I’m going to be forever grateful for this opportunity.”

Santana’s supervisor, Violence Prevention Education and Outreach Coordinator Zyaijah Nadler, lauded her energy, charis-

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ma and commitment to what she does.

“Mia has worked as an intern and a peer educator for the Title IX office for the past two years. Each semester she has brought an immense amount of leadership, laughter, light, and style into the office,” Nadler said. “During her time, she has planned and facilitated several events on various topics, engaged fraternity and sorority life in open discussions and greeted individuals coming into the office. Her natural leadership skills, motivation and friendly demeanor allow her to work well with anyone she encounters. While I’m sure we’ll stay in touch beyond her upcoming graduation, she is a true gem that will be missed dearly in our office and we are incredibly proud of her accomplishments thus far.”

Santana has no intention of slowing down her work in helping people after college. In fact, she plans on committing herself to becoming an agent for change.

“I plan on working with a non-profit to help people who have experienced violence,” Santana said. “I enjoy helping people and I want to do my part as much as I can. I don’t want to stress too much about the job I will have because I know that isn’t how life works, but I am grateful every step of the way.”

Email ADEEB CHOWDHURY cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

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FUSE Editor Alana Penny

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Student Art Spotlight

My name is Liz Feeley and I will be graduating this spring from the BFA program with a double concentration in Ceramics and Graphic Design as well as a complement in Printmaking, — that’s a lot! My work has shifted from project to project either on social interactions or imagined worlds based on what I see around me. My passion for gaming has influenced not only my work but process, researching regions, folklore, people, flora and fauna alike, history, mythology, and really any scrap of information I can gather to help create a setting or story where my pieces exist. For me whether creating or viewing a piece, it is about more than escapism or storytelling but connection. A connection to history all over our world, other cultures and species I’ve never heard of prior. Most of all a connection that I’ve seen form between people who view my work and converse together or with me about a finished or in progress piece. Listening to how others build their own world where my works thrive, opening their minds to possibilities and imagination that so many have closed themselves off to. A smile, a laugh, a conversation and a connection. To me, these are the most precious parts of my work and what I hope to achieve.

Liz Feely BFA art major concentrating in ceramics and graphic design with a complement in printmaking

Friday, March 26, 2021

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FUSE Editor Alana Penny

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Friday, March 26, 2021

NGHI TO/Cardinal Points

Weekly Tarot Reading

BY RIVER ASHE Staff Writer

This week’s reading comes from the Enchanted Blossoms Empowerment Oracle by Carla Morrow. This deck uses a traditional tattoo art style to bring these gorgeous cards to life. Each one portrays a dragon with butterfly wings and a flower; the kind of butterfly and the species of flower are unique to each card.

All card meanings have been interpreted from the guidebook sold with the deck.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 Feb. 18) pulled Prosperity, showing the allium flower and the Brazillian swallowtail butterfly dragon. “We tend to think of prosperity as an end goal,” Morrow said. But being prosperous actually means actively building the life you want in the present. This week,

evaluate your surroundings and really ask yourself: are you thriving?

Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20) drew Dignity, showing the dahlia flower and the orion butterfly dragon.

Morrow wrote “to be human is to be born into dignity,” and that is something you would do well to remember this week.

Regardless of your selfesteem, you are worthy of respect and kindness, and so is everyone around you.

Aries (March 21 - April 19) pulled Wisdom, showing the purple iris flower and the common map butterfly dragon.

This week, you are being asked to step out of your comfort zone and experience new things to build on your wealth of experiences. “Understanding doesn’t come from staying safe in your own little bubble and never venturing out into the world,” Morrow firmly stated.

Taurus (April 20 - May

20) drew Courage, showing the mullein flower and the purple-shot copper butterfly dragon. You will face some challenges this week, and you are encouraged to brace yourself and meet them head on. “Courage is the seed of progress,” the guidebook said.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) pulled Love, showing the lilac flower and the veined jay butterfly dragon. This week you are being advised to practice self-love and self-care. Though loving other people is important, you should be your own main priority. “Adore who you are and what you do,” Morrow encouraged.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22) drew Dreams, showing the royal fern flower and the large grass yellow butterfly dragon.

What is it that you want?

Consider your hopes and dreams this week and know that you alone have the power to make them come true. “No one else

can dictate your hopes and aspirations nor determine their validity,” the guidebook advised.

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22) pulled Grace, showing the yellow jasmine flower and the two-tailed pasha butterfly dragon. This card calls for acceptance of yourself, and the idea of simply living life as you make it and as it comes to you. Living in grace is difficult, but rewarding. “Grace is the measure of a life well lived,” Morrow noted.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) drew Passion, showing the bougainvillea flower and the octauius swordtail butterfly dragon. This week, let your passion for whatever you love drive your actions. Whether for an artistic hobby or relaxing recreational activity, letting that passion rule this week will be good for you.

“Follow them down the rabbit hole and enjoy the ride,” the guidebook said.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22)

pulled Elegance, showing the Lily flower and the archduke butterfly dragon. This week, you should stop and notice the beauty in your life.

Whether it is your favorite music or the way your window plant blooms with the sunshine, take a moment to appreciate them. “Small touches can enhance the splendor in your life,” the guidebook pointed out.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) drew Beginnings, showing the daffodil flower and the violet copper butterfly dragon. This is the time to let go of the past and embrace your new future. Who you were does not dictate who you are or who you will become.

“Make today the birth of the person you want to be,” Morrow wrote.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) pulled Truth, showing the bittersweet nightshade flower and the mourning cloak butterfly dragon. The

Literature Club bonds BAKE over, appreciates stories Continued from page twelve

BY CHRISTYN PETTWAY Staff Writer

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Literature Club is an open space for students to share and read short stories with one another. According to the club’s president, Brianna Sierra, a sophomore majoring in communication studies and digital media production, the Literature Club is dedicated to encouraging students to explore their love of reading and writing. The club meets weekly on Thursdays at 5 p.m. to go over the short stories they agreed on the previous week.

This past week, the Literature Club went over “Premium Harmony” by Stephen King from The New Yorker. Sierra read the piece out loud to the club and after everyone gave their thoughts. This is how a normal meeting runs.

Every week there’s a short introduction to greet the club members and any new students who have joined the Zoom meeting that week. The Literature Club is open to any student who wants to check it out. After the introduction, is “the search.” This is where the club members decide what short story they want to discuss for the following week by looking up different suggestions made by anyone in the meeting. Finally, they read the chosen piece for the week. Usually, the short stories are read

by Sierra— but sometimes other members will read the piece, especially if it’s a piece they suggested.

The Literature Club is a team effort. That’s why the club is always looking for new students to join in on Zoom meetings— which usually consist of less than 10 students each week. The club’s members are also looking to give the club a more “book club” feel.

Each semester, the goal is to pick at least one real book to read through and analyze for a set

Some of the baked goods that will be offered vary from treats such as strudels, hot cross buns, banana bread, cakes, as well as a variety of other baked goods. Jonathan Benjamin, a resident of Plattsburgh heard about the news of the campus bakery offering baked goods through a few of his friends and was planning on buying some after hearing about it.

“I think it’s a great idea that the campus is offering this especially since the pandemic shut everything down. It’s different buying these treats from big-name stores because these bakeries are more fresh so I am definitely looking forward to buying from there.”

The program was unable to offer the baked goods last year because the coronavirus breakout shut down all in-person campus activity. Mihaly explained that the proEmail CHRISTYN PETTWAY gram also tries to do a similar service during cp@cardinalpointsonline.com Thanksgiving where they also sell baked goods for the holiday season.

amount of week’s depending on the length of the book. This semester, the Literature Club has yet to start a book, but in the last few meetings they finally came to agreeing on one. This semester the Literature club will be reading “180 Seconds,” a romance novel for young adults by Jessica Park.

Over the remainder of the semester, the club will be taking the book chapter by chapter and discussing what it’s about and how they feel about it.

Many of the club’s members enjoy the club because it’s a safe space to gather and share any opinions one had on the short stories. Sierra says she enjoys the club because it’s “a great outlet for relaxing after a stressful day and reading something enjoyable.”

“I would say my favorite thing about Literature Club is that as an English major who reads a lot of books and discusses them in class for grades, it’s really nice to just read for the sake of reading and talk about the pieces with some friends in a chill environment,” Nina Serafini, a sophomore with a triple English major and secretary of the Literature Club, said.

The club isn’t just looking for new members, but writers as well. Since the club is based around books and short stories to discuss, the Literature Club accepts pieces written by students to read aloud and discuss. Writers have the option to have their work be anonymous or not. Students interested in submitting writing pieces can email Brianna Sierra at bsier002@ plattsburgh.edu and attend the upcoming meeting to hear how readers felt about the piece.

search for truth can hurt, but is ultimately a path you must take. Continuously examine what you hold to be true, so that you will not be blindsided with falsehood. “Your truths will be reevaluated and tested throughout your life,” the guidebook warned.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) drew Faith, showing the passion flower and the gulf fritillary butterfly dragon.

This week, your faith will come into question; you must remain strong. Religious, personal or otherwise, your convictions are what give you the motivation to continue moving on your path. “When all else fails you, be true to yourself, your vision, and your faith,” Morrow said.

Email RIVER ASHE

cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

Christina Bonne-Année, a third-year undergraduate student, is also planning on buying treats from the bakery as well and also expressed her excitement and explained how much she is looking forward to buying some.

“I have a sweet tooth for sure so I was definitely excited to hear that the campus bakery was offering this. It also is nice to have something on campus be open again that I can go to,” Bonne-Annee said. “Since the pandemic shut everything down, it’s been feeling lonely and sad walking around campus so I’m looking at this as the first step to campus coming back to normal.”

Spring Baked Goods are already offered for purchase at their local retail locations. One place that is available is Sanborn Avenue right next to Banks hall. The Spring Baked Goods are already open for shop and orders can also be made for pick up that will be available April 2nd at the Sanborn Avenue location.

Email JEREMY BINNING

cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

Student art spotlight, A10

Campus Dining sells spring baked goods

BY JEREMY BINNING Staff Writer

Spring is just around the corner and with many clubs and activities coming back since the start of the pandemic, the campus bakery is selling baked goods for the upcoming spring season.

“We consider this to be a service to the campus community,” Chris Mihaly, the resident district manager, who oversees offerings, pricing, quality, and logistics for the program said. The event is run by campus dining and the campus bakery and will be available for pickup on April 2nd between noon and 1:00 p.m.

BAKE l A10

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