SUNY Plattsburgh’s independent student newspaper since 1997
VOLUME 105 - ISSUE 8
FRIDAY, NOV. 12, 2021
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SUNY Platsburgh students hold posters at the Black Lives Matter mural inauguration for Black Solidarity Day Nov. 1 in the Angell College Center.
Black Lives Matter mural inaugurated in ACC BY SYDNEY HAKES Staff Writer
A new mural celebrating the Black Lives Matter movement was unveiled in Angell College center Nov. 1, the same day as Black Solidarity Day. The mural is about a year in the making, started by artist and former Student Association Coordinator of the Arts Rickell Larose. The mural hangs above the steps in the lobby of the ACC, calling the attention of anyone descending the stairs.
The current coordinator of the arts, Pilar Balader-Herrero, along with the SA and Black Onyx, hosted the inaugural event. At the inauguration, students and community members of all ages sat on those same steps. Attention was drawn from the art above them to the speakers taking the podium before them. The unveiling event began below the mural at 7 p.m. with SUNY Plattsburgh President Alexander Enyedi saying a few words. “This mural is a permanent reminder of a shared commitment
to the students and community. We need to recognize Black voices and take the opportunity to connect, reflect and improve our conversations. It might make some unnecessarily uncomfortable,” Enyedi said. “But let’s take actions moving forward to disturb the comfortable.” Angelina Rodriquez, president of Black Onyx, quickly gave a synopsis of Black Solidarity Day when she took the podium. Created in 1969 by activist, playwright and historian Carlos E. Russell, it exercises a day-long moratorium from
shopping or participating in the economic and social foundations of a country that has a history of oppression. “Students and staff have come together as a community,” Rodriguez said. “We are actively engaging in a conversation about oppression, and we must continue until the oppression ends.” Closing out the inauguration was Ohemaa Owusu-Poku, SA coordinator for student affairs and diversity. She began by listing off the names of those “who have died
and suffered for the cause.” That they do not die in vain if there is a chance to learn from oppressive events and come together as a community. Most importantly, she said, is to take the time to understand the people around us. Owusu-Poku, like many other speakers at the inauguration, was afflicted with emotions when she spoke. Often pausing, she spoke with an urgency and necessity.
Platts and Clinton launch programs BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA
Contributor
The SUNY Plattsburgh website announced the launch of the dual admissions program in collaboration with Clinton Community College Oct. 27. The agreement represents a partnership between the two institutions that hopes to provide better educational opportunities for students of Clinton County. Starting in the upcoming spring semester, the program would allow students applying to Clinton Community College to indicate interest in progressing to SUNY Plattsburgh upon completion of their associate’s degree. The colleges plan to configure their data management systems to safely transfer student information between the two institutions, effectively bypassing barriers such as applications, transcripts and fees. Rehnuma Wahab, vice president of student enrollment and success, said: “Because Plattsburgh is inclusive, and we want to get better and better at inclusion. These barriers are legacy barriers that really work against minoritized and marginalized students
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SUNY Plattsbrugh President Alexander Enyedi and Clinton Community College Administrator in Charge and Vice President for Academic Affairs John Kowal smile with the new program. — students who are traditionally not given that much access, from the very beginning, from high school, to a four-year degree.” Throughout the duration of their studies at Clinton Community College, students will be paired with advisers and transfer counselors from both in-
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stitutions to monitor their progress and prepare them for a seamless transition to SUNY Plattsburgh. By introducing the dual admissions program, both of the institutions aim to boost enrollment and graduation rates, as well as retain students, especially after the COVID-19 pandem-
ic brought those numbers down. Studies show that every additional step in the process makes students at two-year colleges less likely to transfer to a four-year college. Students at local high schools are expected to be more inclined to enroll at Clinton Community College if there is a guaranteed path-
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way to a four-year degree, and subsequently decide to enroll at SUNY Plattsburgh due to the convenience the program provides. “We are making it so easy for the students to come through this process,” Head of Admissions Carrie Woodward said. “If other four-year schools haven’t gone the extra mile to make it as easy to transfer to their institutions, then I think it just opens the doors to SUNY Plattsburgh. We are just breaking down even more barriers to make that as seamless as we possibly can.” Woodward expects that in two years, PSU would see a number of new students who had graduated from Clinton Community College — including more adults that sought to return to school or change their profession, which would benefit the local community. Dr. John Kowal, head of admissions at Clinton Community College, hopes the partnership will add to the value that both SUNY Plattsburgh and Clinton Community College bring to the area by providing better opportunities for education, sports, recreation and cultural events. PROGRAM l A2
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Festival of lights celebrated BY KATIE KALLAMNI Staff Writer
Starting Nov. 11, the SUNY Plattsburgh Theater Department will present Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.” This new and modern interpretation of the classic play features translations into Spanish
by playwright Nilo Cruz and celebrates the fictional town of Grover’s Corners as a multilingual and multicultural community of today. This performance of “Our Town” will be presented in the Hartman Theatre inside the John Myers Building. It will also feature cameos by members of the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir and Fuerza, the Black and Latinx Student Union. FESTIVAL l A2
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