October 25, 2024

Volume 93 • Issue 6

Pumpkin poses

October 25, 2024

FSUgatepost.com

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST (Left) Jabrianna Gonzalez, Ashley Caputo, and Tara Brown posing with their pumpkins during Art Club’s “Pumpkin Painting” event Thursday, Oct. 4.

$9,488 in damages caused by library fire

By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor A fire in the Henry Whittemore Library on Oct. 9 caused $9,488 in damages, according to Millie Gonzalez, library dean.

Gonzalez said that up to 50 books were singed or damaged. Eight books were damaged beyond repair.

After consulting with her colleagues at other libraries, Gonzalez contracted with BELFOR, a disaster restoration company, to clean the damaged books and remove the smell of smoke from the lower mezzanine level.

According to the BELFOR website, their mission is to “deliver proactive support and turnkey solutions for cli-

ents across all industries.”

Gonzalez said a technician from BELFOR came to the library during the week of Oct. 14 to assess the damages.

She said, “[The technician] noticed things that I didn’t notice. A couple of things he pointed out were several books that were damaged and that were singed.

“There was also smoke in the air that he could smell, and there’s also smoke that’s permeating the books.

Then when they sprayed the fire extinguisher, that chemical was throughout the whole area.”

Gonzalez said Facilities staff completed an initial cleanup of the affected area following the incident.

According to Gonzalez, the money

to pay for the repairs and cleanup will come from the Facilities Office’s annual budget.

On Oct. 22, BELFOR returned to the library to begin “cleaning the air, just to really remove any smoke residue, and then you’ll have cleaners that will essentially take out all the books and clean them individually,” said Gonzalez.

BELFOR completed the clean up on Oct. 23 and the area is ready to be used, according to Gonzalez.

She said the books which were damaged beyond repair were discarded and the acquisitions librarian will evaluate if they should replace the specific titles.

News DINING pg. 4 TEXTBOOKS pg. 5

Opinions NEIL GAIMAN pg. 6 LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE pg. 7

Sports

See LIBRARY FIRE Page 3

Guest poet Stephanie Burt reads for Alan Feldman Week of Poetry

By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez

Arts & Features Editor

Arts & Ideas and the English Department hosted a poetry reading on Oct. 21 at the Heineman Ecumenical Center, starting off the Alan Feldman Week of Poetry. This year’s guest poet was Stephanie Burt.

English Professor Rachel Trousdale thanked everyone for coming to the event. She said while poetry reading is always good regardless, it’s better to have people in the room to hear it.

“Like a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there, it’s still art, but it’s not art being adequately valued,” she said.

Trousdale introduced Burt as “the Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Professor of English at Harvard University.”

She said it is difficult to count how many books Burt has written because she’s not sure whether to include the poetry books, critical analysis books, and edited collections in the same count. The Arts & Ideas schedule of events brochure says she has nine published books.

Trousdale met Burt shortly before starting graduate school, and Burt was very welcoming, she added.

“I was like, if all the people in graduate school are like this, I’m gonna have the best time. All the people in graduate school were not like this, but Steph-

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST VOLLEYBALL pg. 8 anie was,” she added.

She said Burt is a generous “sharer FIELD HOCKEY pg. 9 of ideas who wants to bring everybody into the conversation.”

Before reading any poems, Burt started off by telling everyone about Trousdale’s full-length book of poetry coming out soon. She asked for the preorder link to be put in the Zoom chat.

The first poem she read is by Trousdale and is called “Carboniferous.”

She asked if there were any Swifties in the audience. Despite only finding one, she chose a poem which has origins from Taylor Swift.

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST

Arts & Features

BRAVER ANGELS pg. 10 See ALAN FELDMAN Page 11 THE STITCH pg. 14

INSIDE: OP/ED 6 • SPORTS 8 • ARTS & FEATURES 10

NEWS

2 | OCTOBER 25, 2024

Gatepost Interview Giuliano Espino

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Sophia Harris Associate Editors Maddison Behringer Ryan O’Connell Copy Editor Emma Lyons

Professor, Political Science, Law & Global Studies

News Editor Dylan Pichnarcik Asst. News Editors Kaitlin Carman Adam Harrison Opinions Editor Izayah Morgan Sports Editor Sophia Oppedisano Asst. Sports Editors Riley Crowell Izabela Gage Arts & Features Editors Raena Hunter Doty

Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez

Asst. Arts & Features Editors Owen Glancy Bella Omar Photos & Design Editors Adrien Gobin Alexis Schlesinger Asst. Photos & Design Editor Meghan Spargo Illustrations Editor Ben Hurney Asst. Illustrations Editors David Abe Emily Monaco Staff Writers Jesse Burchill Sarah Daponde Liv Dunleavy Bella Grimaldi Paul Harrington Christy Howland Taylor Kimmell Dan Lima Antonio Machado Daniel Meade Spencer Pearson Anthony Pintado Emma Schor Anthony Sims Kyra Tolley Michael Trueswell Staff Photographers Meg Dame Oné Green Travis Plummer Staff Illustrators Ronnie Chiu-Lin Charlotte Fabrizi Marcus Falcão Advisor Desmond McCarthy

@

TH E G A T E

O

Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks N PE

are very motivated, too. I love working one-on-one with students. Everything about Framingham State, I love.

By Bella Grimaldi Staff Writer

@T HEGATEPOST

What is your academic and professional background?

I’ve basically spent my entire adult life in academia. I went to Framingham State as an undergrad doing political science, did my master’s at Northeastern and I found such an incredible advisor that I stayed there for my Ph.D. working in political science. My two fields are international relations and public policy. I examined the role of international forces in shaping domestic politics. Then while I was doing my Ph.D. at Northeastern, I completed the circle of life and I came back to Framingham State, working part time as a visiting lecturer in the political science department. And now I am in a newly tenure-track position.

What brought you to Framingham State?

I went to Framingham State as an undergraduate because I come from a working-class background - like many students here do. So costs were a big thing to me. And I had known for a long time that I wanted to do my Ph.D., and so I thought, I’m going to get the most bang for my buck by diving into my studies at Framingham State. Also, I live in Natick, so I was literally riding my bike to school every day, and I was working full time at GameStop. When I went to Framingham State, I realized there’s a major benefit to going to these smaller liberal arts institutions where the faculty are super dedicated, and I had such great mentors here.

They really set me up for success. I’m forever in debt to them. When I got reached out to about a visiting lecturer position, I had never been so excited in my life. I remember getting that email and screaming, “I’m doing it finally!” because I always wanted to be a professor. I was so happy about that.

I’ve just had such an amazing time here as a visiting lecturer. While I was finishing my Ph.D., a spot opened at Framingham [State]. I was like, “This is the job I want.” I was looking between working at Framingham State as a professor or working as a pharmaceutical policy analyst and lobbyist. Obviously, I took a very substantial, six-figure pay cut to come and teach here, but I just absolutely love it. It’s so rewarding.

The faculty are great and the students

What are some of your hobbies?

I’m still very much into the lifting space. But the big one is that I’m an internationally recognized professional trading card game player. I’m a big anime nerd, and my favorite anime is “One Piece.” And then I found out they were coming out with a card game based on “One Piece.” And I was all in. And I actually supported my family doing that while I was doing my Ph.D. I had a crazy ride where I ended up becoming the number one in the world on my specific deck of choice.

And I was topping regionals in Canada, getting like 20 grand in pricing for regionals and stuff like that. I even got my invite to Nationals, and flew out to L.A. to play trading card games, and I ended up topping nationals as well. I’m still very much in the competitive card game space.

How has getting your doctorate affected your classes or teaching style?

I was teaching at Framingham State while I was doing my doctorate. I think a lot of faculty express struggle with how to synthesize their research and their teaching. And I think the fact that I started teaching while I was doing my research helped me see the overlap between the two. So, if I’m researching something, I love to insert it into my classes. I’m a big drug policy guy, for instance. I use a lot of drug policy examples in my teaching. That’s kind of like an obvious one - teach the things you research and research the things you teach. And, there’s that reinforcing overlap there. My favorite thing is to hire students as research assistants. I have students come up to me all the time saying, “Dr. Espino, I love the class. And I want to keep working with you in a more advanced capacity.”

Whenever I have a student that wants to take that opportunity, I am always just so happy to give it to them, and that is the most rewarding component of the job by far. I’ve done a lot of drug policy research with students and doing conferences with them, and getting them as co-authors on potential papers. And actually, right now, I just got funding to hire a couple of my favorite students from my international

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST relations class. We’re going to be doing a research project for a conference presentation, and eventual publication on, of all things, the role of Taylor Swift in international relations.

What advice would you offer students at Framingham State?

If you go all in at Framingham State, you can get just as good, if not better, results than you could if you went to a school like Northeastern, for instance.

To be completely honest, when I was teaching at Northeastern and I was teaching at Framingham State, there was no difference between my classes. It was the same thing. Back when I was a Framingham State student, I felt that, because of financial things, I was constrained in the school I was going to, and I felt like I’m not getting the full college experience of going to a school like a party school or something like that. But if you put in the work, the faculty will recognize it, and they will do everything in their power to keep building you up beyond what you thought was possible. So if you give it your all, you will get it all in return.

CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu

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100 State Street McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101 Phone: (508) 626-4605 Fax: (508) 626-4097 gatepost@framingham.edu @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Monday, Oct. 21 11:44 Motor Vehicle Accident/Crash, Salem End Road Report Taken

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OCTOBER 25, 2024 | 3

Library fire Continued from Page 1 She said some of the books damaged beyond repair included a portion of the library’s print indexes which librarians “were going to remove anyway. They were covered in the spray so we just took advantage of the situation” and discarded the indexes.

She said during her 18-year tenure at Framingham State, she has not seen a fire in the library.

At the time of the fire, Gonzalez said she was in her office and initially thought “it was just another regular fire alarm due to someone vaping in the stalls.”

Gonzalez said during the evacuation, she noticed “there was a distinct heavy odor.” She said once she was out of the library, she “knew it was something a bit more serious when, number one, the smoke, but they were telling us to move away from the entrance.

“That’s when I heard University Police talking about there being a fire.”

Gonzalez said, “We were very lucky because I mentioned there were some books that were singed and the fact that none of them caught fire … was significant because I think it could have been a whole lot more serious.

“I just thank God that the students who were in the classroom were able to leave and it wasn’t something more serious.”

According to a fire report from Framingham Fire Department (FFD) filed on Oct. 9 and written by Lieutenant Luke Moro, FFD arrived at Framingham State at 12:05 p.m.

Moro’s report said the Engine One company found an electrical odor as soon as they entered the building.

According to the report, the Engine One Company proceeded to the lower mezzanine where they found Officer Aric Emond of the Framingham State University Police Department (FSUPD) with a “dry chem[ical] extinguisher. He reported that he found a ceiling-mounted fluorescent light on fire and put it out with the extinguisher.”

Moro’s report said the responding officers “found no visible fire, but there was charring on the ceiling, melted plastic on the bookshelf below the light fixture, and a light smoke condition.”

According to Moro’s report, additional FFD fire companies used fans to ventilate the building.

Ryan O’Connell / THE GATEPOST A section of the lower mezzanine closed off in the Henry Whittemore Library.

“We were very lucky because I mentioned there were some books that were singed and the fact that none of them caught fire … was significant because I think it could have been a whole lot more serious.”

- Millie Gonzalez Dean of the Henry Whittemore Library

The companies used meters to confirm the building was safe to occupy, according to the report.

According to a report filed with the FSUPD on Oct. 9, written by Emond, FSUPD dispatchers notified Meg Nowak Borrego, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, about the fire at 12:12 p.m. Nowak Borrego sent a notification about the fire via email to the campus community at 12:34 p.m.

According to Emond’s report, the library was cleared for occupancy at 12:40 p.m. FFD left campus at 12:43 p.m. 38 minutes after their arrival.

Kirsten Hoey, campus visit experience manager in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, said a regularly scheduled tour was set to depart during the time the library was closed.

“Normally as a part of the tour route, we go into the library, but with the fire, we had to take an alternate route. We still wanted to mention the library and the services they provide.”

Hoey added before the tour departed, she instructed the tour guides to “go out and get a scope of the situation and see what was going on in that area.

So we didn’t interrupt things.

“We just planned accordingly and took an alternate route while still discussing the library.”

Senior Gabriella Florio, a circulation desk attendant, said since the fire, the library has been “a bit unorganized because when books are placed on hold that were in that section, we couldn’t fulfill the hold, and we couldn’t cancel the hold, either.

She added, “The same thing happened for the books that were checked back in from that section. We couldn’t put them back, so we just had books accruing.”

Junior Lauren Martinek expressed concern about fire safety on campus “considering it’s the second fire” this semester.

Martinek said they were surprised to see “a video of people laughing at the fire instead of calling the police.”

Junior Zen Crosby said it was “sad” books were lost in the fire, but added the response from the University “makes me feel like this institution is a well-oiled machine and gets things done when they want to.”

CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu

Illustrations in the News Section by Marcus Falcão / THE GATEPOST

Weather

Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov

Sunday night Oct. 27 Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. Northwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday night Oct. 28 Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Calm wind.

Tuesday night Oct. 29 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday night Oct. 30 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Southwest wind around 10 mph.

Monday Oct. 28 Sunny, with a high near 50. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday Oct. 29 Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday Oct. 30 Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Oct. 31 Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Southwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

4 | OCTOBER 25, 2024

NEWS

Marianne McGowan wins $3,000 on ‘Jeopardy!’

By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor Professor Marianne McGowan came in second place in “Jeopardy!” winning $3,000.

McGowan said she traveled to Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California in June for the taping of the show. The episode McGowan appeared on premiered on Sept. 27.

McGowan said her experience on the show was positive and she enjoyed meeting fellow contestants and “Jeopardy!” staff.

McGowan said appearing on “Jeopardy!” is something she has wanted to do for a while.

“I used to watch ‘Jeopardy!’ a lot more than I do now. I auditioned a while ago and I kind of thought, ‘They’re not going to call me,’ but then I got called and I had to kind of get interested again.

“So I kind of thought, ‘OK - I might as well do it,’ and my kids are really pushing me to do it,” she said.

According to McGowan, in order to get on “Jeopardy!”, she took a test on their website. She did well on the test and was invited to participate in two auditions. McGowan then received a call in February during which she was

invited to appear on the show.

McGowan flew to California in June to tape the episode in which she would appear. She said every contestant has to commit to two days of filming in case the show needs to be refilmed or

ner,” she said.

She said she has not received her money yet, but is expecting to soon.

McGowan said she is unsure what she will spend the money on. “I had to pay my own way out there. … I’m going

Courtesy of Marianne McGowan if you move on to a second round.

McGowan came in second place on the episode she appeared in, and left the show with $3,000 in prize money. “The only person who really walks away with a lot of money is the win-

to come out with some money, but not a huge amount.”

McGowan said they record one week’s worth of episodes per day.

McGowan said that the filming process was “much more relaxed then I

thought it would be.”

She added, “Everybody just got along - well, at least everyone in my group. I think they put us at ease right away, which I thought was great. … We were just chatting with each other, and we kind of bonded.”

McGowan said the first round “had so many categories I really felt like I didn’t know.”

She added that pressing the buzzer in time was also difficult. “There’s a balance between what you know and how quick you are to buzz in.”

On Sept. 27, McGowan hosted a watch party with her family and friends, which she said was fun.

McGowan has worked at Framingham State since 2014 as a tutor at the Center for Academic Success and Achievement. She has also taught in the first-year writing program for four years.

Prior to working at FSU, McGowan was a journalist for the Associated Press for 15 years.

McGowan has a bachelor’s degree in classics from Brown University and a master’s of education degree from Framingham State.

CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu

Dining Services provides allergen-friendly options

By Christy Howland Staff Writer Framingham State Dining Services provides several allergen-friendly food options such as Simple Servings and Simple Zone to allow students with dietary restrictions to eat on campus.

Simple Servings is an allergen-friendly food station located in the Dining Commons that designs its meals to be safe for students with the top nine allergens.

Simple Zone is a keycard access allergen-safe room, provided to ensure students with severe allergies and dietary needs have a safe food option in the dining hall.

According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), as of 2023, 11% of all college-aged students have at least one food allergy.

In a 2023 study conducted by the NLM, only 66% (789) of U.S. colleges have an allergy-friendly food station in their dining halls. The study also showed only 59% (705) of U.S. colleges have available ingredient information for their menus.

The most common food allergies are shellfish, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, wheat, gluten, soy, and sesame, but more than 170 foods have been reported as an allergy, according to the NLM. FSU Dietitian Leah Forristall said, “Allergy protocols have always been a priority for FSU Dining and while I have only been working here at FSU for about four years, it is evident that food safety is a top priority.

“Our allergy and food safety protocols are mandated through Sodexo, and in some instances the state of Massachusetts. Sodexo as a company has high standards and expectations when it comes to safety and having protocols in place to hold us accountable for that.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

“As the prevalence of food allergies and dietary restrictions in general is on the rise, we’re constantly striving to improve our offerings and any protocols that can help enhance our programs,” she said.

Forristall said many students with allergies will keep that information private, but she typically sees 20-30 students per year for accommodations regarding medical conditions or allergies.

“Accommodations typically depend on what the food allergy is and tend to be specific to the individual student.

Many students don’t need accommodations beyond Simple Servings or Simple Zone.

“Often, though, we have students who maybe have allergies beyond the top nine, an extensive list of food allergies, or they’re simply more particular about what they eat. For those students, they typically work directly with me to receive custom meals on a regular or as-needed basis,” she said.

Senior Caitlin Halin said, “I’ve been talking to the dietitian since my sophomore year, and they gave me special meals based on my allergies and tolerances, so I always have something available I can eat.”

Simple Zone is a nut-free and gluten-free pantry located in the Dining Commons that does require key-card access. The key card helps ensure the space remains clean and unsafe food isn’t brought in, said Forristall.

“For students to gain access, they must have a dietary restriction that prevents them from consuming peanuts, tree nuts, or gluten.

“Students can gain access by emailing me to request a meeting. A waiver needs to be signed that ensures any student with access understands the rules of that area.

“We currently have about 40 people with access to Simple Zone, including

faculty and staff that dine with us and require access,” she said.

Senior Kaitlin Carman said, “They have Simple Servings, which I think is really helpful. It makes it a lot easier and more accessible to be able to get food that’s gluten-free or free from cross-contamination.

“They have a dedicated staff that work there and try their best. They also have a special allergen-friendly room that you have to get a key card to access.

“They have a really awesome selection of gluten-free, dairy-free, wheatfree food, all kinds of stuff - I think students need to know more about that,” Carman said.

Dining Services has a variety of protocols in place to prevent cross-contamination and many protocols to help create a safe dining experience, said Forristall.

Freshman Carmen Rios said, “I love that they have the new symbols for all of the options. I’m glad that there’s clarification on that. Getting jump scared by tree nuts and then having to run for my EpiPen is never fun.”

Senior Avery Barnes said, “People who have allergies, it feels super-inclusive for them. I think they’re doing a really great job with that.

“It shows them what ingredients are in each of the foods, and then it shows if you have an allergy to those ingredients, you will be aware of it,” said Barnes.

Junior Lillian Paul said, “They could list a couple of the more weird allergy possibilities like onion allergies and fruit allergies, but other than that, I think they do a pretty good job.”

Forristall said, “One of my personal goals is to continue growing the variety of allergy-friendly options and not only ensuring that students have a safe meal, but a meal that they want to eat.

“We understand that people have

food preferences and different pallets, and may not enjoy what is being served that day. This is part of the reason I highly encourage students with food allergies to disclose their allergies and set up a meeting with me,” she said.

Some students had suggestions about what FSU Dining could do to improve its allergy-friendly offerings.

Senior Jabriana Gonzalez said, “I feel like the allergy-safe places don’t have that many options as regular students do, to be honest. It doesn’t seem as big, either.”

Halin said, “I’d like to see more creative dishes. The main line has chicken alfredo - if they could do something like that.”

Senior Raena Doty said, “I appreciate that they have a space for allergy inclusion and for people who have dietary needs. The Simple Servings station is really great.

“However, the hours are not always the best. They don’t have breakfast as early as the main line on weekends and it’s kind of your only option if you’re allergic to anything and you’re highly sensitive to anything that may be around other stations,” said Doty.

“I would love to see more allergy options on the go. They have Rams on the Run in Sandella’s and on the weekends in the dining hall.

“I think that would be a really great option for anyone who maybe can’t eat during regular hours or doesn’t want to eat in the Dining Hall,” she said.

[Editor’s Note: Kaitlin Carman is an Asst. News Editor and Raena Doty is an Arts & Features Editor for The Gatepost.]

CONNECT WITH CHRISTY HOWLAND chowland2@student.framingham.edu

NEWS

OCTOBER 25, 2024 | 5

FSU leads $1.98 million initiative to create DEI-centered open-source textbooks

By Kaitlin Carman Asst. News Editor Framingham State University has secured a $1.98 million Remixing Open Textbooks through an Equity Lens (ROTEL) grant from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to develop open-source materials tailored for diverse student populations.

Millie Gonzalez, Whittemore Library dean and ROTEL grant co-author said, “The project centers equity and inclusion. The textbooks read differently than traditional textbooks. Students will be encouraged to provide feedback, and can see their community reflected in the material. … OER fulfills a critical gap within the textbook marketplace.”

She added, “Students will not need to choose whether to spend their money on buying a textbook or paying a bill.”

These 100% grant-funded textbooks and supplementary resources, including practice exams, videos, and question-and-answer banks, will replace their costly commercial counterparts.

In a press release, Gonzalez said, “We believe that underrepresented students will achieve higher academic outcomes if they have access to free, culturally relevant course materials that reflect their experiences.”

She said, “FSU is the lead fiscal agent of the ROTEL grant and is among the six institutions that make up ROTEL.” The other schools that are part of ROTEL include Fitchburg State University, Holyoke Community College, Northern Essex Community College, Salem State University, and Springfield Technical Community College.

Currently, over 30 OER textbooks have been produced, revised, and adopted by faculty nationwide.

Although ROTEL is currently in its fourth and final year, “We continue to add to the catalog,” Gonzalez said.

FSU is also the lead fiscal agent for a second grant through the Career and AI Readiness while Remixing Open Textbooks through an Equity Lens (CA-ROTEL) project, which was also co-written by Gonzalez.

As AI is becoming more prevalent, a large focus of CA-ROTEL is teaching students how to utilize AI both responsibly and ethically.

“We want to prepare students for the future and AI is a gamechanger,” said Gonzalez in a press release.

For the CA-ROTEL initiative, the University is partnering with two other institutions - UMass Lowell and Northern Essex Community College - to “produce open textbooks and corresponding ancillary materials for 17 high-enrollment general education courses,” according to the grant.

“The project goals are to eliminate textbook costs for students in high-enrollment general education and career and professional courses; improve student learning outcomes, particularly for students from underserved communities; and create a sustainable model of OER development, publishing, and revision,” according to the grant.

“The preliminary reports on the new OER textbooks that are being used in the classroom are very positive,” according to Gonzalez in a press release.

Courtesy of Framingham State “Not only are students engaged with the materials, but the DFW (Drop, Fail, Withdraw) rates are lower than comparable classrooms. We are also learning about a number of colleges beyond the partnership that are taking advantage of the free resources,” she added.

Gonzalez believes “It is important that FSU is leading OER creation among public higher education institutions. It shows that we care about our students, their financial constraints, and their education.”

In a press release from the HealeyDriscoll Administration, Education

port and resources. It is a win-win for everyone,” said Gonzalez.

Iris Godes, vice president of strategic enrollment management, said, “Once we have a significant number of courses using no- or very low-cost course materials, this may have a positive impact on enrollment. … Any opportunity to reduce the cost of attending college will be helpful and may encourage more students to enroll.

“If on average a course uses OER over a textbook that costs $100, that is significant savings for students - especially when that could be multiplied over several courses,” said Godes.

“It is important that FSU is leading OER creation among public higher education institutions. It shows that we care about our students, their financial constraints, and their education.”

- Millie Gonzalez Dean of the Henry Whittemore Library Secretary Patrick Tutwiler said, “Making college affordable and accessible is central to higher education equity.”

Massachusetts programs such as MassReconnect and MassEducate, which make community college tuition and fee-free, has “clearly lifted a barrier for many students who had college dreams but had not been shown an affordable path to achieving them,” according to Tutwiler.

Now, with FSU’s involvement with the ROTEL partnership and the grant funding from the DOE, accessing higher education and required resources which reflect the diversity of student populations is even more attainable, according to Gonzalez.

“If the impact is that our students are more engaged and doing better in their classes and that our faculty are excited to work on innovative, inclusive projects that improve their pedagogy, then higher education institutions should support the implementation of OER with financial sup-

She added, aside “from potential cost savings, the other component of this new grant that I am very excited about is its focus on creating free course materials that will intentionally embed DEI, accessibility, and career and generative AI technology readiness into the texts and ancillary materials.

“This approach will improve the success of our students and their preparation for the future as well as being more inclusive so many students can relate better to the content. This is a great message to prospective students,” said Godes.

Scholarly Communications Librarian Rebecca Dowgiert said the ROTEL steering team “wants to provide stipends and training to help faculty at these schools update and edit existing OER or create their own [new ones] from scratch, with equity and inclusion being centered.

“It wasn’t just, ‘Make it a good textbook and up-to-date textbook.’ It was,

‘Make it a textbook where our diverse students will see themselves in it’ whether it’s images, descriptions or case studies,” added Dowgiert.

She said faculty will be using them to teach courses, collect data, and see if the implementation of OER resources will improve students’ academic performances and outcomes - whether or not students prefer these textbooks and get better grades.

Freshman Audrey Ziegler said, “I think it’s great. It’s a really good opportunity for low-income students to be able to have access to things that they may not have had access to before. … It eliminates needing to get assistance for that kind of stuff.”

Amanda Shotten, ’22, said, “It’s an amazing opportunity for current and future FSU students and it better represents the diversity of the campus community.”

She said, “As someone who had to work full-time to support myself while pursuing a college education, having some textbooks available to me for free would have significantly reduced the stress and financial burden at the start of each semester when I needed to buy books.

“If I had that opportunity, it would have allowed me to focus more on my education and less on needing to work extra hours to cover those costs,” she added.

Junior Mustafa Elgazouli said it will positively impact his undergraduate experience. “I can put all my focus on learning instead of sharing my focus on how I’m going to [finance] what I need to help me learn. It’s a huge stress reliever because I can just focus on school rather than how to make money so I can go to school.”

He said, “Over 30% of students of color struggle financially when it comes to college - going to school and being able to pay for [what] they need to succeed. That relieves so much stress on … not just students, but their families as well.”

Elgazouli added, “We’re all family.

No matter [your] income or family you come from, Framingham State can find a way to supply those needs so we can all come and have an equal opportunity.”

CONNECT WITH KAITLIN CARMAN kcarman@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

Illustrations in the Opinions Section by Ronnie Chiu-Lin / The Gatepost

6 | OCTOBER 25, 2024

OP/ED

Neil Gaiman is not as feminist as his books claim

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

On July 3, many news resources, such as Rolling Stone and Business Insider, released a story stating that author Neil Gaiman, who wrote books such as “Coraline,” and “American Gods,” had allegedly sexually assaulted two women - a 23-yearold nanny of his child named Scarlet in 2022, and an at the time 20-year-old fan in 2003, who is using the name K, according to Rolling Stone.

Scarlet said while she was in a consensual relationship with Gaiman that included “cuddling” and “making out,” she was also subjected to “rough and degrading sex,” which at one point caused her to lose consciousness, according to The New Zealand Herald.

K claims that after meeting Gaiman at a book signing, she entered a relationship with him, and was eventually forced to have sex, despite having an infection that made it painful for her, according to The New Zealand Herald.

Soon after, two other women came forward. One claimed that Gaiman allowed her and her children to live on his property in exchange for sex. She later signed a non-disclosure agreement for a $275,000 payment to cope with the trauma of the relationship.

The second woman said he forced her into “aggressive, unwanted” physical contact “out of the blue” in 1986, when they were both in their 20s, according to Tortoise.

I write this as someone who has a battered copy of “The Graveyard Book” I bought when I was 10 and “Sandman” comics with my favorite scenes bookmarked on my bookshelves.

These women should be believed, and what they say happened, which includes rape, is disgusting. It should not be disregarded by anyone, fans especially, and should tarnish Gaiman’s career.

Although there has been speculation on the credibility of the original publication of this information, as Tortoise has published controversial views on trans lives that go against Gaiman’s support of transgender people, that is an incredibly dangerous assumption to put stock in, especially since I could not find a history of the news site publishing fake news or untrue accusations.

The upcoming adaptation of his children’s novel “The Graveyard Book” by Disney has been postponed as a result, according to The Boston Globe, a decision that I strongly agree with, though I feel the accusation is enough to cancel production altogether.

He has also offered to step back from the production of season three of “Good Omens,” which was initially a novel he wrote with author Terry Pratchett. I am a bit more hesitant of this decision, as I suspect he will still receive income when and if the new episodes are released.

Shortly after the accusations, leaks for season two of “The Sandman,” based on his comic series, were released, showing that filming is well underway. A statement has not been released regarding how the accusations will affect production of the show.

Initially, I’ll admit that I was confused about these reports, as many of Gaiman’s works have an anti-assault, pro-women leaning. However, upon rereading, I noticed that many of these scenes are extremely uncomfortable, and less feminist than I had previously believed.

For example, “The Sandman” comic series contains a plot line where a woman is sent to Hell for refusing a sexual relationship with the main character. Ten thousand years later, he “fixes it,” by having her reincarnated. Said character’s other partners are shown to either be rescued by him as a start of the relationship, or are revealed to be terrible people after breaking up with him.

I have also found that in TV adaptations of his works that he has taken part in, when a character’s gender is changed, it is often to their detriment - most obviously with a side character in “The Sandman.” Lucien The Librarian is changed from a shy, gentle, complex man, to a simplified “strong female character” trope.

Due to the news about what happened to these women, I have made the decision to no longer purchase books, comics, or merchandise related to Neil Gaiman’s works. I will also not be watching his TV shows or movies on streaming services, or talking about his works on social media beyond information about the assault case.

However, I will continue to enjoy the books, comics, and DVDs of his works that I already own. I recommend you do the same.

I wish Gaiman’s victims well, and hope they receive justice for what happened to them.

Inquire about the ballot questions!

Election Day is fast approaching.

Voters on Nov. 5 will determine whether Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, or a third-party representative will be the next President of the United States.

And although there is a lot of fervor about the election, it is easy to feel underwhelmed when casting a vote for a presidential candidate in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts historically votes Democratic in the presidential election. In fact, the last time Massachusetts voted for a Republican presidential candidate was 40 years ago in the 1984 election.

And since 1992, the state has voted Democratic by significant margins.

In Massachusetts, the Democratic vote surpassed the Republican vote by 18% in 1992, 33% in 1996, and figures ranging from 27% to 33% between election years 2000 and 2020, according to 270towin.com.

The trend of Massachusetts voting Democratic can make the weight of your vote feel much less significant, even if you align with the Democratic party’s values. This, coupled with the fact Massachusetts is not a battleground state, can result in disinterest in voting or a begrudging compliance.

However, Election Day decides much more than who becomes president.

In Massachusetts, the 2024 ballot includes five questions that will have a significant impact on daily life.

Question 5 in particular has been heavily debated as it is relevant to everyone who enjoys dining at restaurants or has current or previous experience as a server.

Question 5, as outlined by the State Attorney General, will: “Gradually increase the minimum hourly wage an employer must pay a tipped worker, over the course of five years,” to the state’s minimum wage.

According to the explanation on the ballot, “Under the proposed law, if an employer pays its workers an hourly wage that is at least the state minimum wage, the employer would be permitted to administer a ‘tip pool’ that combines all the tips given by customers to tipped workers and distributes them among all the workers, including non-tipped workers.”

A yes vote could be argued as a vote for a more equitable workplace, where tips are shared with everyone who had a part in the dining experience. It might also affect tipping culture, reducing the amount customers spend on tips.

However, it may also raise the cost of eating at a restaurant, as business owners will need to pay servers the minimum wage. This increased cost might be reflected in service fees or higher menu prices.

A no vote would cause no change to the current minimum wage for servers. This could be argued as a better option for servers. Under the new model, they stand to make much less from tips as they will be shared with other staff members.

At the same time, a no vote would leave behind the people who make restaurants run in the first place.

The people behind the server who facilitate

the dining experience are those who make the dining experience possible in the first place. As it stands, there is no way for patrons to tip the other employees of the restaurant who all contribute to their dining experience - aside from, of course, your “compliments to the chef.”

Not to mention those who make sure the environment of the dining experience is clean and sanitary such as dishwashers, maintainers, and bussers.

Have you ever tried to eat at a restaurant without clean dishes?

Advocates of a no vote on Question 5 say it punishes hard-working servers by limiting the amount they can make through tips.

However, under the current model, some servers may feel pressured to put up with inappropriate behavior, such as verbal or sexual harassment, in order to secure tips - which are a significant portion of their income.

There are also concerns that a yes vote will disproportionately punish small businesses, as they may not be able to afford to pay full minimum wage. Many small businesses, however, already employ servers under the table, circumventing this difficulty.

It is true that restaurants already have slim profit margins and a yes vote on Question 5 may further restrict them.

However, consider that the Massachusetts Restaurant Association donated over $530,000 in opposition of Question 5. Opposition for Question 5 received over $1.5 million in funding as a whole.

That’s a lot of money that could have been used instead to help support waitstaff instead of campaigning against raising their minimum wage.

Another important point is that a yes vote on Question 5 may cause difficulty for career servers who rely on tips to earn a living wage.

It can be expected that career servers would earn a little less than they do now, but tips are unlikely to disappear. Customers will still tip, and sometimes in large amounts for good service.

It just won’t be a silent expectation as it is now.

The Gatepost Editorial Board itself could not come to a majority opinion on whether to endorse Question 5.

Because the Editorial Board was evenly split, we decided to focus on the importance of conducting your own research in order to make your own decisions when it comes to voting on these ballot questions.

They will impact you directly, and if you think they won’t, speak to a server in your life and listen to what they think about Question 5 before you make a decision.

There are merits to both a yes and a no vote on Question 5.

The important thing is that you consider all options, and do not make a choice blindly.

Do not enter the polling place Nov. 5 with a one-sentence understanding of Question 5 - or any of the five ballot questions, for that matter.

Read up on the issues. Consider all angles.

Make an informed choice.

The Gatepost Editorial reflects the opinions of the newspaper’s Editorial Board. Signed Op/Eds reflect the opinions of individual writers. @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

By Kate Norrish Staff Writer

OP/ED

OCTOBER 25, 2024 | 7

Language experience and exposure

By Emma Schor Staff Writer Let’s be honest here, who actually remembers the foreign language you learned throughout middle school and high school?

If your answer is no, then that is not your fault.

This is because foreign languages like Italian, Spanish, French, and German aren’t taught to students at a specific age - children should start enhancing their language development before they are officially students.

In my junior year of high school, there was a foreign exchange student from Spain. When she was 5 years old, she started learning languages like French, English, and German. She had been fluent in four languages by the age of 16, while I was still learning my second and third languages.

In the United States we start learning foreign languages between 12-14 years old, while other countries start learning between 3-5 years old. And we continue to wonder why people don’t remember what they have learned in school.

It’s not just foreign language - it’s American Sign Language (ASL) as well.

Use it or lose it. That goes for any concept.

It is also the experience and exposure. I have studied ASL for five years and Italian for seven years. I definitely have a higher fluency level in ASL

compared to Italian.

If I had learned Italian at a younger age, maybe my skills would’ve gone to better use.

However, when a language like ASL is taught and used by babies, people tend to give it the name “Baby Sign Language.” It’s not a different language because it’s being taught to babies. It’s still American Sign Language.

It is its own language.

Deaf people have their own culture, which is enhanced by this language.

A baby may learn to sign words like “more,” “please,” “food,” and “milk,” but these shouldn’t fall under the “Baby Sign Language” umbrella these are just basic vocabulary words that are easy for babies to remember.

It’s all about proper experience and exposure.

From day one of my ASL class, the teacher had been using ASL with no sort of vocals. If a student didn’t understand, the vocabulary would be on the SmartBoard, and the teacher would point so we would all be on the same page. I didn’t have that same experience with Italian.

As much as I loved my Italian teachers, they all spoke strictly English. My friend from Spain mentioned how her language teachers have been speaking

in anything but their native language.

For example, there wouldn’t be any sort of Spanish in the French classroom. I wish America had the same concept.

The only thing I remember from my many years of Italian is how to conjugate specific verbs. That may not help me if I would like to have a conver-

sation with someone in Italy. But because of my ASL skills, I am able to interact and converse with Deaf people with ease.

American Sign Language is one of the most ridiculed languages in the United States. It is just like any other

language, however, it’s not one that requires vocals. The facial expressions and gestures are key elements within this language.

There should be a mutual understanding between each language - no one should be making fun of it just because it is different.

And it’s not just Spain that begins learning languages at ages 3-5. It is in every country except the United States.

We need to step up our game.

Over 30% of Americans studied a foreign language just because it was mandated by their school. They wouldn’t retain any of this information.

This is the same for the other 70% of Americans.

Even though 70% wanted to learn a new language, it became difficult for them to remember anything. This is because of the American education system.

We need to discover what is right for the students and develop proper educational skills. We don’t need exchange students claiming that our schools’ curriculums and lessons are “too easy.”

It is a necessity for students to be exposed to new material in order to actually retain it.

Otherwise, it is all a waste.

Campus Conversations

By Izayah Morgan, Opinions Editor and Alexis Schlesinger, Editorial Staff

“What is your biggest fear?”

“Feeling unsatisfied with my life.”

“Running out of time.”

“Spiders are a really big fear of mine.”

- Ryan Vickey, junior

- Ellarose Utterback, sophomore

- Isabel De Souza, freshman

“Not being as successful as I envisioned for myself.”

“My biggest fear would be not accomplishing my goals.”

“I would say not living up to my potential.”

- Christian Taylor, junior

- Annie Bertrand, freshman

- Angel De Leon, freshman

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

Illustrations in the Sports Section by Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST

8 | OCTOBER 25, 2024

Volleyball’s resilient win over MCLA fuels ambition

By Izabela Gage Asst. Sports Editor

The Rams defeated the MCLA Trailblazers 3-1 in an intense home game Oct. 22. They now have an overall record of 9-12 and have evened out their conference record to 2-2.

The Trailblazers put the first point of the action-packed game on the board, but the Rams earned three points right after, including a service ace by sophomore Anneli DiVirgilio.

MCLA gained possession of the ball and tallied two points before sophomore Natalie Reynolds countered with three back-to-back kills, all of which were assisted by junior Captain Stella Bailey.

After a few attack errors from both teams, the Rams were up 11-7, and sophomore Jamie Moniz reinforced the deficit with her first kill of the game, assisted by Bailey.

The Trailblazers tallied four points, bringing the score to 13-10, before freshman Madysen Cedrone added a kill and Reynolds added a block to the score.

Reynolds dominated defensively with four more kills, keeping Framingham’s lead at 19-12.

The Rams won the set 25-17, including a kill from freshman Hope Verhoeven, a kill from freshman Sarah Medeiros, a service ace by junior Captain Carly Beaulieu, and a block by Moniz.

MCLA started the second set earning 3 points, but Framingham came back with two kills from Reynolds and a kill from Medeiros - all assisted by Bailey.

Bailey earned a service ace before

the Trailblazers tallied four points, taking the lead 9-6.

Reynolds responded with her eleventh kill of the game, but MCLA took back control and put 6 more points on the board.

Reynolds once again came back with aggression, earning another kill. This started the comeback for the Rams, as they earned 3 more points, including a service ace by Reynolds and a kill by Verhoeven.

Service errors went backand-forth for the next few points, bringing the score to 17-12 before Verhoeven made another kill and Beaulieu tallied a service ace.

The Rams kept their composure in the deficit, and evened out the score out to 18-18 with 4 back-to-back points.

Sophomore Jaimee Lowe tallied a service ace with Reynolds earning three more kills before the end of the set, with sophomore Emma Dobbins contributing a kill for the last point.

Tensions stayed high in the third set, with Framingham earning points from kills by DiVirgilio, Reynolds, Medeiros, and Verhoeven.

The score remained tied until the Trailblazers took a 3-point lead, 15-12.

Attack errors by MCLA worked in

Framingham’s favor, helping them keep up with the pace of the game.

Three kills from Reynolds and one from Beaulieu broke the deficit, and the Rams gained control at 25-24.

MCLA won the set 27-25 with two kills and a service ace.

The Trailblazers stayed aggressive, taking the lead of the fourth set 4-1. The Rams fought to catch up, and evened the score to 4-4, including a kill from Dobbins.

Unfortunately, MCLA controlled the game with a 6-point deficit.

Framingham did not relent, with Dobbins, Reynolds, and Moniz contributing one kill each to help bring the score to 12-10.

The Trailblazers gained possession of the ball, and earned 5 points off attack errors by the Rams.

Five kills by Verhoeven, two kills by Reynolds, and a service ace by Dobbins supported the Rams’ comeback, and they successfully brought the score to 23-22.

A final kill and final block from Medeiros, assisted by Moniz, finished the set 26-24.

Reynolds tallied 26 kills in 55 attempts, earning a .382 hitting percentage.

Reynolds was recognized by a Division III database as a top attacker of

the week Oct. 23, earning fourth place among all Division III players nationwide. She started in four games and recorded a .355 hitting percentage with a total of 65 kills in 141 total attempts.

Reynolds said, “We are determined to play more games with the same intensity we had against MCLA and we are excited for our next conference matchup.”

Cedrone said, “On and off the court, we strive for excellence through communication, energy, consistency, and giving 110% for every point.

“It’s critical that we execute during the times we need it most, and last night was a great example of getting the job done in a high-pressure scenario,” she added.

Reynolds said, “We are working on having the mindset that we can and will get to every ball, and will hopefully continue to improve on this heading into more conference play.”

DiVirgilio said, “When we play good teams, they are going to make good plays. We need to stay resilient and fight as hard as we can to stay on top.”

She added the team is building on the momentum and learning from their losses to “finish the season strong.”

Most recently, the Rams shut out the New England College Pilgrims 3-0 Oct. 24.

The Rams head to Worcester State for a MASCAC matchup against the Lancers Oct. 30.

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu

Women’s soccer keeps spirits high despite losses

By Izabela Gage Asst. Sports Editor

The Rams lost on their home turf in a conference matchup to the Worcester State University Lancers 1-0 Oct. 18. This loss brings their overall record to 2-12-1 and their conference record to 1-3-1.

The Rams started on the field aggressively - with freshman Hailey Ring charging from the center line and taking her first shot on goal less than 20

Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST Hailey Ring dribbling the ball in loss against Worcester State Oct. 18.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

seconds in.

Ring’s determination remained high as she took another shot on goal 30 seconds later, which was saved by the Lancers’ goalkeeper Ella Gumienny.

Worcester tried to find the back of the net twice, but goalkeeper Madison Magone stopped the ball both times.

The Rams gained possession of the ball, and junior Grayson Tellier attempted to net the first goal of the game, but it was stopped by Gumienny.

Magone stopped the Lancers’ next four shots on goal, but unfortunately, 6 minutes later, they netted their first and only goal of the game.

Senior Cathryn Cooney responded with aggression from the center line and tried to find an opportunity on net less than a minute later.

Before the end of the first half, Worcester attempted four more shots, three of which were on goal.

Ring ended the first half with one last shot on goal, which Gumienny managed to save. The half ended with Worcester in the lead 1-0.

The Lancers started the second with a shot, but it was blocked by the Rams.

Freshman Beyonce Gray countered with a shot of her own, but it flew high above the goalpost.

Tellier attempted two goals on two

back-to-back corner kicks, but both were unable to reach the goal crease.

Worcester came back with another four shots on goal, one being wide and the other three being saved by Magone.

Senior Hailey Baker ended the game with the last shot, which was saved by Gumienny.

Tellier said, “We are trying to have more offensive opportunities and finish out the year strong. We just want to continue working hard and make it to the playoffs.”

Ring said, “We have been able to keep possession for longer periods of time, which ultimately helps the game flow.

“This is something we have been working on, but a lot of us are new to the team and we are still figuring that out,” she added.

Most recently, Framingham fell to the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors 9-0 Oct. 23.

According to Ring, the team is “working on consistency, playing the ball to feet, working hard, and keeping our head in the game - even in the setting of many losses.”

She said they have been focusing on teamwork because “once you begin to mesh with your team and get to know how they play, you begin to make smart decisions about what moves you

need to make in order to create easier passing and easier runs off the ball.”

She said they are planning on going further, so they are playing hard. “We don’t really have an option but to give it our best.”

Tellier said, “Since the beginning of the season, we have all found our own voices and have gotten close with one another. I think being this close as a team has helped us work together and not give up.

She noted the importance of the team using their positive attitude “to help lift each other up and be ready for the last few games of the season.”

Ring said, “Keeping our energy up and playing for the person next to you - it’s about playing for each other because after all, we are all in this together.”

Tellier said, “We are trying to stay composed and play our game and just have fun.”

The Rams travel to Massachusetts Maritime Academy for conference play Oct. 26.

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu

SPORTS

OCTOBER 25, 2024 | 9

Cross country builds momentum toward MASCAC Championships

By Riley Crowell Asst. Sports Editor

the women’s invitational was standout sophomore Kate Buban with a time of 24:05 on the 6K course and an 11th place overall finish.

Buban said, “I thought it went really well. I think that I ran one of my best times ever in my cross country career.”

Her time of 24:05 ranks her 2nd all-time on the Framingham women’s cross country 6K leaderboard, but she said, “I think number one is definitely achievable.”

Buban is a frequent frontrunner for the Rams. This marked the third time that she has been the team’s top finisher this season.

Johnson said, “She comes in every day ready to work. She wholeheartedly

The Framingham State University men’s and women’s cross country teams competed at the Western New England University Invitational Oct. 19.

Among the 17 men’s teams, Framingham placed 7th. Among the 14 women’s teams, Framingham placed 5th.

Head Coach Mark Johnson said, “In general, it went as well as it could have, on both the men’s and women’s side. … Just all in all, a great day for Rams running.”

Leading the way for the Rams in the men’s invitational was fleet-footed freshman Aaron Corlette with a time of 28:00 on the 8K course and an 18th place overall finish.

Johnson said Corlette’s success is no surprise. “He comes in every day ready to run. We start practice at 4:30 and he’s here every day by 4 with the trainers to get stretched out.”

Corlette’s performance in the Western New England University Invitational earned him MASCAC men’s cross country Rookie of the Week honors Oct. 22.

Johnson said, “He’s been putting in all the time and the effort. He is a force to be reckoned with in the MASCAC. I cannot wait to see where he goes over the next couple of weeks and years.”

Leading the way for Framingham in

trusts the process. She’s been coming in, logging the miles, and putting in the time.”

Freshman Grace Avery finished third for the Rams and 21st overall, clocking a time of 25:05.

Avery said, “Personally, I think that the race went really well!”

Avery’s performance at the Western New England University Invitational earned her MASCAC women’s cross country Rookie of the Week honors Oct. 22.

Avery said, “I think that keeping a strong mentality has definitely contributed to my success this season. I believe that maintaining a good mentality and continuing to work hard will

help improve my time each race.”

This is the third time being named Rookie of the Week this season for Avery, who said being recognized by her conference never gets old. “It is definitely just as cool as the first time being named Rookie of the Week!”

Cross country will travel to Fitchburg State University to compete in the MASCAC Championships Nov. 2.

Buban said, “I feel strong [about the MASCAC Championships]. … It’s all about placement, not necessarily about time. So as long as I’m placing in the top 10, I’ll be happy.”

Avery said, “I am feeling super confident going into the MASCAC Championships. As far as running goes, the training won’t change. It’s all about keeping the mental toughness heading into an important race.”

Johnson said, “I cannot wait for MASCACs just to see us race again. … It’s just been an incredible journey this season. The team vibe has been the best that I’ve seen.

“I think that both sides have been putting in the time and effort needed to succeed and peak at the right point of the season,” he added.

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH RILEY CROWELL rcrowell@student.framingham.edu

Field hockey collects win in matchup against WestConn

By Taylor Kimmell Staff Writer

By Daniel Meade Staff Writer The Rams collected a win against the Western Connecticut State University Wolves Oct. 22.

The game started badly for Framingham, as the Wolves put the ball in the net with just 34 seconds elapsed in the first quarter.

Western Connecticut made another attempt on goal about 2 minutes in but was shut down by freshman goaltender Rowan Whittaker.

Following Whittaker’s impressive save, the Rams brought the ball back down the field. Junior Natalia Roehr scored Framingham’s first goal with an assist from Mikayla Malmquist 4 minutes into the game.

“I’m so happy that I got a goal today! I really think it set the momentum for the game moving forward. …

We wanted to score more. We got hungry for more,” Roehr said.

The Wolves fought back with a goal scored off a penalty corner not a minute later.

Freshman Finley Hogan tallied the Rams’ second point on a breakaway off a pass from Malmquist.

The first shot of the second quarter came from the Wolves around the 21-minute mark, but the effort was blocked by Whittaker.

Whittaker made three more saves back-to-back, each within 10 seconds of the last.

Framingham State returned the favor with shots from Roehr and soph-

omore Maddie Bailey, followed by a corner and five more shots - one from senior Captain Kaylee Beck, three from Hogan, and one from graduate student Captain Angelina Serra.

The Rams kicked off the third quarter with a corner against the Wolves and a shot by senior Julie Hadley, which was deflected by the Wolves’ goalie, Gracie Bomboy.

Framingham earned another corner about 9 minutes later, which resulted in a goal from Serra on an assist from Hadley. This brought the score to 3-2 for the Rams.

Western Connecticut attempted to tie up the game with two more shots on goal, but were unsuccessful.

These advances by the Wolves reAdrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST sulted in a stroke penalty against the Rams, during which Whittaker deflect- The Rams defending a penalty corner in win against WestConn Oct. 22. ed the shot from Western Connectifinal buzzer sounded throughout the Unfortunately, the team was unsuccut’s Miah Ruiz, keeping the lead for complex - the scoreboard lighting up cessful in their effort to prevail over FSU. to display their 3-2 victory. the Plymouth State Panthers Oct. 24.

“Strokes put a lot of pressure on the This was a corner-heavy game for These games brought FSU’s overall goalkeeper, especially when your team the Rams. They defended against 8 in record to 6-9, and their conference reis up by one and you want to keep the total, clearing 7. cord to 3-4. lead,” said Whittaker.

Hadley said that when faced with a The Rams host the Bridgewater From then on, the Rams kept pace corner penalty, defenders need to lock State Bears for a conference matchup with the Wolves, shutting down any in, approaching the ball as quickly as this Saturday, Oct. 26. attempts to score and running down possible. This helps them get the ball the clock for a win. outside of the circle and back into ofDuring the last quarter, FramingStats sourced from fsurams.com fensive play. ham State shut down two more corHogan said the team will use the and MASCAC.com ners. Whittaker remained a force to be momentum from this win. reckoned with, refusing to let any of “We’re just going to try to keep gothe Wolves’ shots find the back of the ing forward as a team and keep our CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL net. good energy up into the last few weeks tkimmell@student.framingham.edu FSU persisted, even as Western of our season,” she said.

Connecticut pulled their goalie off the The Rams won their game Oct. 19 field in exchange for an additional field against the Salem State Vikings in a CONNECT WITH DANIEL MEADE player for the last 1:30 of the game. conference matchup, improving their dmeade2@student.framingham.edu The Rams held their own until the conference record.

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

10 | OCTOBER 25, 2024

Unmarked illustrations in Arts & Features Section by Charlotte Fabrizi / THE GATEPOST

Braver Angels works

toward depolarization with FSU

By Raena Hunter Doty Arts & Features Editor The Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE) hosted a two-part Diversity Dialogues series about voting. The second event, titled “Civil Discourse in a Divided Society: Defining Respectful Debate,” took place in the CIE Oct. 17.

The event was moderated by representatives from a group called Braver Angels, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping people depolarize conversations when speaking to someone with another political affiliation.

Jerome Burke, CIE director, said, “In today’s increasingly polarized world, the ability to engage in civilized discussion is more critical than ever.”

He said Braver Angels was founded in 2016 and “brings together conservatives, liberals, and independents through structured workshops, debates, and discussions aimed at fostering mutual understanding.”

Daphne Burt, the Braver Angels state coordinator for Massachusetts, said, “We’re not here to solve the problem of whatever the problem is.

We’re here to help us learn how to speak with truth in our hearts and listen with open hearts to someone with whom we disagree.”

Burt said she joined Braver Angels during the 2020 presidential election.

Lisa Mair, a Braver Angels Massachusetts state tech lead and ambassador and a Framingham State alum who received her master’s in food science and nutrition in 1992, led the event alongside Burt.

“Braver Angels hooked me by inviting me and anyone else to sign a pledge not to say anything nasty about the people voting for the other guy,” she said.

She added at this point in time, criticism was a primary motivator for people to vote and involve themselves in politics, and this was causing the two sides of the political spectrum to get further and further apart.

Mair added because many people were told not to talk about religion or politics growing up, they never learned how to talk about religion and politics, and “that has not served us well.”

She said she ran for the state senate in 2022 after growing concerned about the national trend of polarization, which is when she was introduced to Braver Angels.

Burt and Mair asked people in the room if anyone felt any tension during conversations about politics, and most people raised their hands to indicate that they had. They asked if anyone avoided talking about politics because of this, which was met with mixed reactions - some people indicating yes, some no, and some in

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between.

Burt said, “We are committed to continuing to talk about [politics] because we need to understand each other. The only way I’m going to understand why somebody who’s [Republican] votes in a certain way is to ask her.”

She said polarization is not an issue of what one believes, but rather

steps to take to help with depolarizing one’s own views after recognizing that they exist.

Burt said, “One of the things Braver Angels says is you can say what you want about the candidates, but we try not to transfer those feelings to the people who vote for them.”

Mair said people should reject stereotypes about people from the other

“If you’re talking to somebody and you’re portraying your thoughts about the other side, pretend that person is there listening to you.

Would they feel that you portrayed them positively, that you were fair?” she asked.

Burt and Mair asked attendees to do an activity where they read two sample opinions about the state of

“We are committed to continuing to talk about [politics] because we need to understand each other. The only way I’m going to understand why somebody who’s [Republican] votes in a certain way is to ask her.”

- Daphne Burt Braver Angels State Coordinator for Massachusetts

how they convey this and how they think about people who disagree with that belief.

She added depolarization “does not mean that you can’t have a strong opinion about something, because that’s awesome. One of the things that we learn to do is share those opinions in a way that doesn’t knock somebody over.”

Burt and Mair explained that at Braver Angels conferences, everyone will wear a lanyard indicating their political affiliation - left-leaning people wear blue lanyards, right-leaning people will wear red lanyards, and others, such as third-party voters, independents, or moderates, will wear yellow lanyards.

Mair said, “The really cool thing is that we can do this and [go to] these gatherings and conferences and everything and fully know that we are safe and we can accept each other and we’re not going to attack each other.”

Burt and Mair invited everyone in the room to personally reflect on one way in which polarization has affected their lives. Answers ranged from feeling dismissed in conversations about politics to not speaking with family members for extended periods of time.

They distributed a short quiz for participants to take, asking questions indicating how polarized their thoughts are, such as, “Do you assign good motives to your side and bad motives to theirs?” and “Do you focus on the most extreme view of those on the other side?” Answers were, “Often,” “Sometimes,” and “Never.”

Burt and Mair recommended a few

side of the political spectrum and recognize that “their political views and motivations are a lot more complicated than the rhetoric that gets thrown around about them.”

She said, “There are no such thing as bad people, but there are people who make really bad decisions.”

Burt added, “You can believe that a viewpoint is completely wrong without believing that somebody who holds it is completely stupid. Distinguish between policies and core values.”

They added advice for depolarizing one’s own thoughts can also be applied to like-minded people, and it’s important to be aware that polarization can happen among people who think in similar ways.

Burt and Mair shifted toward strategies for depolarizing conversations with people who may not be like-minded.

Burt recommended people avoid applying pejorative labels to people who don’t agree with you and lumping everyone into a single group of people by saying “‘they all,’ or its equivalent, ‘the Democrats’ or ‘the Republicans.’

“These are classic stereotyping phrases,” she added. “First of all, we’re usually wrong, but secondly we depersonalize them, put them in a box, and are unfair to them.”

Mair added it’s important to recognize that supporters of a politician may have complicated views of said politician and be critical of them despite their support.

Mair said another good habit to practice is to “pretend there’s an eavesdropper.

police in the country, one written from a conservative point of view and the other from a liberal point of view. Attendees identified which one they disagreed with more, then found something in that sample that they agreed with.

Burt said there are “two key principles” to communicating well with people who have very different opinions from one’s own.

Mair said the first is to “aim for understanding them - going into the conversation like, ‘I want to understand you, I’m not going to change your mind.’”

She added the second is to summarize the other person’s points back to them in a way that they feel accurately represents their point of view.

Burt added, “I have three degrees … and one of the things that we learn in school is how to argue with a point.

Whatever it is, we learn how to look at it and question it. That’s not a bad thing. However, I found … that when someone else is speaking, I’m thinking in the back of my mind, ‘How do I counter that?’”

She said Braver Angels has helped her to grow from that mindset so she actually listens and learns instead of finding ways to refute an argument.

To wrap up, Burt recommended people visit braverangels.org for more resources on the organization and how to depolarize political conversations.

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ARTS & FEATURES

OCTOBER 25, 2024 | 11

Alan Feldman Continued from Page 1 When the track list for a new album came out with a song titled “The Albatross,” Burt hoped it would be about a poem by Charles Baudelaire.

She explained Baudelaire’s poem “is about being an artist who wants lots of attention for being an artist, but kind of sucking at daily life.”

When the actual song came out, it was not about Baudelaire’s poem. “So I figured if we need the poem about Taylor Swift and Charles Baudelaire’s Albatross, I would have to write it,”

packs,” she added. The poem lets the lovers have their happy ending, thanks to the travel backpack.

She also wanted to take that myth’s straight romance and make it gay, she said. “Because sometimes I find things I like that aren’t gay, and I try to make them gay.”

Burt asked if there were any X-Men fans in the audience. Then she asked those fans for their favorite, and got Wolverine.

While looking for a poem she wrote about Wolverine, she said she had sent a book full of X-Men poems to

The Q&A section began with a question about how Burt’s work has been influenced by her trans background, and how it had changed as Burt’s identity did.

Burt shared some of her personal background. She’s a binary trans woman who uses she/her pronouns, she said.

She has anxiety, likes durian, and is a mom, an X-Men fan, and white, she added.

“It is very important for people who are white to own whiteness and to notice whiteness, so that people

“It is very important for people who are white to own whiteness and to notice whiteness, so that people who are not white don’t have to go around asking everybody who’s white to notice their whiteness, and can do other things that are maybe more fun.”

- Stephanie Burt Harvard Professor of English

she said. She named the poem after one of the subcategories of albatrosses called the guillemont, she added.

The bird can be found crossing the Atlantic, similarly to how Swift herself does, she said. It’s also worth noting Burt has taught a course on Taylor Swift at Harvard.

One time Burt read a certain poem in front of an audience with many British and Irish people, and they didn’t know what a T-shirt cannon was, she said.

She asked a member of the audience to explain it. After a quick explanation of what it is and where they’re usually used, she said the poem is titled “T-shirt cannon.”

The narrator is one of these cannons, and “it’s about watching your kids grow up and go off to college,” she added.

After reading that poem she asked if anyone has heard of Paul Muldoon, an Irish poet known for his “out of control” rhymes and elaborate sentences.

“When the poems don’t work, you’re just, like, ‘what was that?’ And when they do work you’re like, ‘oh, oh, OH!’” Burt said.

While thinking about his poetry in Ireland, she saw someone with a giant travel backpack walking up the street, she said.

She said she thought, “She couldn’t look back if she tried.”

Burt then connected this idea to the story of Orpheus. In the myth, he had lost his wife forever because he looked back as they tried to escape the underworld.

“If only he had one of these back-

her publisher.

“They were like, ‘We love this but there’s too many X-Men.’ And they were right - which is itself an X-Men reference,” Burt said.

One of her Wolverine poems is about how it feels to be an older trans person, she said. “This one is about the weirdness of being a queer elder, a

who are not white don’t have to go around asking everybody who’s white to notice their whiteness, and can do other things that are maybe more fun,” she said.

These characteristics are more than just demographics - they are a part of everything she writes, “even the durian,” Burt added.

She said her most recent book, “We Are Mermaids,” is her happiest one, and it’s about the LGBTQ+ community finding each other.

Another member of the audience asked if Burt could share her writing process.

Her poems usually start from a phrase she thinks sounds good, but sometimes she has an idea in her head that takes months or years before becoming that phrase, she said.

If she waited until the right time or circumstances, she’d never get anything written, Burt said. She carries a notebook with her, and starts many more poems than she finishes, she added.

A motivation that often gets her to start or finish a poem is the sense that someone will want to read it once it’s done, she said. It could be someone she knows, or just an editor paying her, she added.

She said as she’s grown as a writer, her work has felt more collaborative, especially her next book where she’s collaborating with writer and podcaster Mary Hampson.

Collaborations, commissions, or any feeling that someone is going to care about the work once she’s done with it helps her, she added.

Someone from Zoom asked who Burt’s favorite poets are other than Trousdale.

While she doesn’t like being asked to name her favorite living American poets, it would be Terrance Hayes and Laura Kasischke, she said. One emerging poet she likes is Rosa Alcalá, and Burt is also fond of Angie Estes’ work, she added.

From outside of America Burt strongly recommends Jenny Born-

“This one is about the weirdness of being a queer elder, a trans elder, where you’re like the oldest trans person you know, which isn’t literally true for me, but it was for a while.”

- Stephanie Burt Harvard Professor of English

trans elder, where you’re like the oldest trans person you know, which isn’t literally true for me, but it was for a while,” she explained.

The poem is spoken by parenthesis, the punctuation mark that looks the most like a single Wolverine claw, she added. It’s also about Logan serving as a mentor to Kitty Pryde in their 1984 miniseries, she said, noting how everyone definitely got the reference.

Some of the other poems read but not discussed in great detail were about quotation marks, the strange fruit rambutan, “love with comic books,” snow, and Hawkeye.

She thought her poetry was obviously LGBTQ+ and represented how she couldn’t get to be her gender until she was an adult, she said. However, when her first book came out in 1999, no one else seemingly noticed, she added.

Her reception has changed since then, similarly to how the way people look at her has changed since she came out, she said.

What she considers to be her saddest book, “Belmont,” was written when she was trying to be a dad, she said. “There were a lot of square-peg round-hole situations,” she added.

holdt from New Zealand. “It’s just like a very normal person who’s wiser than any other normal person you’ve ever met,” she said.

As the event wrapped up, Burt wanted to thank the people behind the scenes who set up and clean up spaces such as the Ecumenical Center.

Copies of her books were available to buy at the event.

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ARTS & FEATURES

12 | OCTOBER 25, 2024

Spooky

‘Hubie Halloween’

By Emma Schor Staff Writer “Hubie Halloween” directed by Steven Brill is a comedy/horror film that was released in 2020. The movie features Adam Sandler in the lead role as Hubie Dubois, a character who is both quirky and kind-hearted.

Hubie is a man who genuinely cares about his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, but he often finds himself the subject of jokes and ridicule from the local residents.

The story revolves around Hubie’s mission to ensure that everyone is safe while celebrating Halloween, making sure that no one gets themselves into trouble. His efforts to keep the streets secure are met with challenges, including various pranks that the townsfolk play on him. These pranks add to the comedic elements of the film while also highlighting Hubie’s resilience and dedication to his community.

Sandler’s portrayal of Hubie is marked by a mix of endearment and silliness. He brings life to the character in a way that makes viewers both laugh and root for him. The film also features a talented supporting cast, including Kevin James, Julie Bowen, and Maya Rudolph, who contribute to the overall charm and humor. Each character adds their unique flavor to the film, making the interactions fun and engaging.

“Hubie Halloween” has a playful spirit and captures the essence of Halloween with its festive decorations and spooky elements. For fans of Adam Sandler’s style of comedy, this film delivers a blend of humor that is enjoyable and entertaining.

The combination of laughs, Halloween vibes, and a bit of mystery creates a fun atmosphere, making it a great choice for those looking to celebrate the Halloween season with a smile.

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‘Mononoke’

By Owen Glancy Asst. Arts & Features Editor Horror and anime are two concepts that historically have trouble fitting together. For whatever reason, Japanese animators have always had trouble translating that feeling of terror into the medium of animation. While not for a lack of trying, it’s very rarely worth actually seeing a horror anime all the way through to the end.

“Mononoke” is the rare exception to this rule. Not to be confused with Studio Ghibli’s “Princess Mononoke,” “Mononoke” is a show that follows the Kusuriuri - or medicine seller - as he travels Japan in its Edo and Meiji eras fighting off evil spirits called mononoke.

This premise doesn’t seem scary at first, but it’s in the artstyle and writing where the scares come into play. The entire show has a classic Japanese art aesthetic, mimicking the prints and wood art that was made famous in the Edo era the series is mostly set during. This is not only beautiful to see in motion, but also uncanny as every character moves and talks in ways that are just slightly “off,” adding to the sense of dread that permeates every episode.

The mononoke themselves are terrifying from the zashiki-warashi, to the nue, to the bakeneko, the classic Japanese folklore spirits are given haunting make-overs that both preserve and update their original depictions.

What ties everything together is the episodic nature of the series, with the 12 episodes spanning four entirely separate story arcs tied together solely by the Kusuriuri. Every single tale is a tragic one, with few characters ever having a truly happy ending, even the Kusuriuri himself.

This bleak outlook only adds to the terror of “Mononoke.”

If you’ve ever wanted to try more unconventional horror media that’s guaranteed to disturb, now is a better time than ever to watch “Mononoke.”

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‘The Thing’ (1982) ‘Luigi’s Mansion’

By Jesse Burchill Staff Writer

By Paul Harrington Staff Writer

Debuting in theaters in 1982, John Imagine winning a contest you Carpenter’s “The Thing” received didn’t enter and it turns out the mixed-to-negative reviews upon prize is a mansion - that is haunted? release, but now has been properly Well that’s a day in the life of Lureappraised as a classic horror film, igi! and for very good reason.

“Luigi’s Mansion” makes me hapThe film focuses heavily on the py because we FINALLY get a game themes of isolation, paranoia, and centered around Luigi! Sure it’s also being hunted by an effectively invis- a spooky game, but in this houseible enemy. All of these elements are hold, we love Luigi. elevated greatly by the film’s setting Up until the launch of the game, - the middle of Antarctica.

Luigi had just been known as the litIt’s here, at a US research base, tle brother. that a team of scientists, led by RJ I like to think Luigi represents MacReady (Kurt Russell), find them- all of us little brothers who had to selves under siege by a shapeshift- pick player two when playing a viding alien that’s already caused the eo game. He’s like the piece of bread destruction of a nearby Norwegian nobody wants to take. base.

And to see my green, mustached, This alien, the titular Thing, is a plumbing ghost-buster get the spotparticularly nasty beast, as it can as- light brings joy to my heart. similate and perfectly replicate the The game involves both a story appearance and personality of any about brothers being separated and life form it encounters - humans in- a plumber learning how to use a vaccluded. uum. Talk about a career change!

The end result is friends turning As a kid this game used to horrion friends, multiple gruesome as- fy me and challenge me. As an adult, similations, a metric load of flame- this game serves as a source of nosthrower action, and an ambigu- talgia for one of my favorite characous-at-best ending. No character can ters. reliably trust another, and everyone Though I have not played this knows that the Thing can strike at game in awhile, I know the plot of any moment that suits it. Where is the game like my life depends on it. it? Who is it? The characters don’t “Luigi’s Mansion” is more than know for sure most of the time, and just a silly kid’s game. It’s a love letneither will the audience. ter to all the little brothers like myAll of the above is accompanied by self out there. some of the greatest practical effects So if there’s something strange ever made for the silver screen, cour- and it aint no good, let’s just hope tesy of Hollywood makeup legends Luigi picks up the phone!

Rob Bottin and Stan Winston. You’ll believe that these characters are ac- CONNECT WITH PAUL HARRINGTON tually facing off against the Thing’s pharrington@student.framingham.edu various horrifying imitations.

“The Thing” is a masterpiece in psychological horror and the power that isolation and paranoia can hold over a group of former friends. It’ll make you look over your shoulder constantly this winter as the cold sets in and the nights grow long.

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ARTS & FEATURES

OCTOBER 25, 2024 | 13

suggestions ‘Casper’

‘Carrie’ (1976)

‘Bob’s Burgers’: Season 6 Episode 3 ‘The Hauntening’

‘Case 39’

By Emily Monaco Staff Writer

By Spencer Pearson Staff Writer

By Liv Dunleavy Staff Writer

By Oné Green Staff Photographer

During Halloween one of the staples in my household was watching “Casper,” a movie based on the comic series originally released in 1949.

The premise of the original comic was just that Casper was a ghost boy trying to make friends but every time he would scare them away. It was innocent and just a silly little comic.

The movie released in 1995 builds on the comic but expands more on Casper’s character. We get to learn about what he was like when he was alive and how he became a ghost.

For a family movie, it gets pretty deep and talks about themes of losing a loved one, adapting to changes during adolescence, and the importance of family.

The story focuses on the Harveys - Kat, and her father James - who have been moving every year. Dr. James Harvey’s been in search of his deceased wife since her passing and became a therapist to ghosts.

The family ends up moving to an old mansion, where Casper appears.

As you could have guessed, when they first meet, they’re terrified. Kat, who was a non-believer, finally admits that ghosts are real.

This film is wholesome and has a lot of depth for a family film, especially a comedy. The cast is quite impressive. The film features Christina Ricci as Kat and Bill Pullman as Dr. James Harvey - who was also in “A League of Their Own” - even Clint Eastwood makes a cameo.

I would recommend this film to anybody who wants to watch a Halloween movie that’s innocent and playful but contains a lot of depth and care when writing characters that you can connect with.

The classic horror film “Carrie” was released in November 1976 and directed by Brian De Palma. It was based on the Stephen King novel with the same name.

It tells the story of a shy teenager named Carrie, who struggles with being bullied in school and an overbearing, hyper-religious mother.

While in school, she also learns that she has telekinesis.

Carrie ends up getting invited to the senior prom by Tommy Ross, where her bullies pour pig blood on her in front of the entire school after she wins prom queen. She then uses her telekinetic powers to set the school ablaze as well as kill almost all of the attendees.

The lighting of many scenes contributes to the horror aspect of the movie. Many of the settings are very dark, such as Carrie’s house, which adds to her house - and by extension, her mother - being a scary, evil place.

While the scoring can sound a little goofy at times, such as during their gym class, this makes the really tense music - for example during the ballot counting and Carrie’s return home after prom - just that much more terrifying.

Furthermore, there are several parts of the movie that are slowed down, most notably when Carrie wins prom queen and she makes her way toward the stage, officially gets crowned, and then the pigs’ blood gets dumped on her. This helps add suspense to the movie as it reaches the climax.

Almost 50 years later, this movie still holds up as a classic horror movie. While some parts of the movie are slightly dated, it is certainly worth a revisit.

Fiending for some funny laid back content this Halloween? Look no further, as “Bob’s Burgers” has everything you need and more. With tons of Halloween-focused episodes, you’re sure to find one that suits your fancy.

Out of all of the themed episodes, my favorite scary story is season 6, episode 3, “The Hauntening.” I find this particular episode to have a great balance of comedy and creepiness.

Another spooky season has arrived, and this time the Belchers are on a mission to finally scare Louise by setting up a homemade haunted house.

The illusion of safety and comedy leaves you lightheartedly giggling until you genuinely get jumpscared, something unusual for a “Bob’s Burgers” episode.

It makes great use of the family’s dynamics, and does not have much interaction with side characters compared to other Halloween episodes, which I actually prefer because I love the Belchers by themselves.

What makes this particular episode the most special, though, is the addition of another banger by the show’s fictional boy group Boyz 4 Now, “I Love You So Much (It’s Scary).” This scary song is a genuine earworm that I actually don’t mind being stuck with.

I swear every time the show includes a song they produce it like it is going on the radio! I have this song on repeat all Halloween season.

If you are a “Bob’s Burgers” enjoyer and haven’t binge watched earlier seasons in a while, I highly recommend watching the Halloween episodes marathon-style.

As we near the end of this spooky month, I would like to recommend a horror movie which I would consider an “oldie but a goodie.” Released in 2009, “Case 39” follows Emily Jenkins (Renée Zellweger), a thorough and hardworking social worker, taking on her 39th case.

Emily looks into the case of 10-year-old Lilith (Jodelle Ferland), soon discovering that her parents have been plotting her murder. Emily successfully removes Lilith from her dangerous situation unscathed and assumes custody until she is able to find her a foster home.

Everything feels peaceful, until Emily starts having strange encounters. The closer she gets to Lilith, the more horrendous the experience.

Emily is tormented and unaware of the cause, leading viewers to wonder if she’ll ever make it out of her nightmare with Lilith alive.

The thriller is about two hours long, but you don’t realize it because you are at the edge of your seat for every minute. It is free to watch on Pluto TV and you can watch it on Paramount+ if you have a subscription. I’d say this movie is a mustwatch. I’ve watched it a number of times and still consider it a horror film capable of giving me chills. The CGI isn’t too bad for a film made 15 years ago and the horror doesn’t rely too much on it.

It is rated R for violence, gore, mild profanity, smoking, and drug use. Scenes can get a bit intense, but if you enjoy suspense, jump-scares, and disturbing images, this is the perfect movie to end the spooky season.

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14 | OCTOBER 25, 2024

Shining a light on Filipino Fashion

By Bella Omar Asst. Arts & Features Editor Unbeknownst to most, Filipino Americans make up the third largest Asian-American group in the country. In light of October being Filipino American History Month, here are two of my favorite emerging Filipino fashion brands that you should consider for your closet.

Bago (@bago.la on Instagram): The Tagalog word “bago” has several meanings including “new” and “change,” and this LA-based brand is embodying that by utilizing traditional Filipino textiles and techniques to create modern, wearable art that pays homage to the community’s heritage.

Brandon Comer founded the brand in 2021 to “build upon the legacies of those who came before us and serve as balikbayan (a way to return home) to our heritage.”

Beautiful cotton neutral toned T-shirts, hoodies and dresses - rang-

ARTS & FEATURES ing in price from $15 to $265 - almost all showcase pieces of hand-woven Pinilian and Binakol textiles. The complex weaving technique gives them a three-dimensional quality, traditionally used to showcase nature inspired motifs.

These weaves, which are indigenous to Ilokanos and Itnegs communities of the Philippines are all ethically sourced by partnering with ANTHILL Fabrics, an organization that works directly with weavers.

This provides the weavers compensation more than 10 times the national average to ensure fair wages.

Each product page on Bago’s website has a detailed description of its origin, makeup, and design - my personal favorite piece, the HERITAGE Hooded Pullover Jacket in Lilim Charcoal features a Habi (diamond patterned) Pinilian brocade textile hood, antique brass buttons, and angled welt pockets.

Abakada (@abkdco on Instagram): This Filipino streetwear brand was founded in Chicago in 2018 by co-founder Arvin Boyon with the

intention of educating more people on Filipino culture - the name “Abakada” is the Tagalog alphabet, leaning into that theme.

R e laxed fitting graph-

Baybayin text, Philippine eagle illustrations, and the “+63” country code.

Faded dye-jobs and ultra wide hoodies give the classic pieces an elevated look - making this brand a true phenomenon in the very saturated cultural streetwear space.

In true rising star fashion, the brand just announced its first major collaboration with Toyota to release merchandise for Complex’s Family Style Food Festival. This project features an-

ime-style Toyota motif hoodies in a heavyweight fabric in the tried and true Abakada fit. As this is Toyota’s first collaboration with a Filipino streetwear brand, Abakada is paving the way for other pinoy-owned brands to step into the spotlight.

Marcus Falcão / THE GATEPOST ic T-shirts and lounge co-ords represent the community by featuring

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When sarcasm meets snikt

By Emma Schor Staff Writer Recently I watched “Deadpool & Wolverine,” directed by Shawn Levy, which was released on July 26. I haven’t watched many Marvel movies before, but I will say that this was a fantastic film.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is about Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) learning that the Time Variance Authority (TVA) is set to destroy his home.

He ends up working with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), who is from another universe, to try and stop them.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” became so popular so fast it broke records for opening with $444 million globally - grossing over $1.3 billion in the global box office, making it the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.

Right off the bat, we see Deadpool being his usual, funny-self. Before I was even 20 minutes into the movie, I was already laughing at almost everything.

Deadpool has always been snarky and sarcastic, which captures the audience’s attention right from the beginning.

Not only was this movie extremely funny, but there were also some great connections, film techniques, and phrases that tied this movie together. I was able to understand what was happening without having seen other Deadpool movies.

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A detail that I noticed was within any fight sequences, if Deadpool got hit, it was only his blood that was on the camera lens. No other characters had their blood hitting the lens.

This is because the story is told from Deadpool’s point of view.

There is also wonderful character development. The audience can see each character grow throughout the beginning, middle, and end of the film.

Near the beginning of the film, Wolverine is seen doubting himself while having a conversation with Deadpool.

Deadpool mentions how “Wolverine is a hero in my world.”

And Wolverine says “He’s not a hero of mine.”

Each hero is always doubted, not only by themselves, but by others as well. There are multiple snarky comments placed throughout the movie that verbally attack both Deadpool and Wolverine.

But each hero grows. They use those doubtful comments as forms of motivation.

Along with the comedy and character development, there is also so much attention to detail - not just Deadpool’s blood on the camera lens.

There were appearances from other comic book characters, as well as Stan Lee, which immediately grabs the attention from long time fans.

Another example is The Void, where villains like Cassandra Nova live, and

it was shaped like a giant version of Ant-Man. This is a connection to another film - there were plenty of those.

There were connections to “X-Men,” “Ant-Man,” “Pinocchio,” and Disney movies in general. This allows the audience to make their own connections and fully understand exactly what’s going on.

Finally, there is the catchy soundtrack which consists of wellknown songs. Examples include “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC, “Careless Whisper” by George Michael, “Ashes” by Celine Dion, and more. It felt great to hear songs that I knew within a movie I hadn’t seen before.

Also, how can you go wrong with Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds?

They’ve become the most popular conversation topic when this movie is mentioned.

These actors have chemistry both on and off screen. There are multiple videos on the internet of the two of them in interviews. Within these interviews, they are acting witty toward each other, while also showing their true friendship.

I feel as if their friendship played an essential role within this film - it made it easier for the actors to work together, no matter the scene.

There may have been a different outcome with this movie if the characters didn’t have enough chemistry.

This movie was already fantastic, but

David Abe / THE GATEPOST I feel as if it was the chemistry that really brought it together.

The various aspects of character development, chemistry, filming techniques, and connections really made this movie and brought everything together.

Rating: A+ You can never go wrong with a little chaos and claws!

CONNECT WITH EMMA SCHOR

eschor@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

Puzzles

42. Word before “jungle” or “legend” 43. Apt rhyme for dry, in humor 44. “When r u getting here?”

45. As well 46. How one might feel after leg day at the gym 48. Pipe cleaner brand 50. Annoying person 53. Cattle sound 54. Booting from office 56. Make a typo, say 57. Resistance unit 58. Stuffed animal with a squeaker, maybe 59. Part of LGBTQ+ 60. Knot again?

62. “Eureka!”

63. They’re depicted in a family tree 65. Alluring scent 66. Road goo 67. “... but maybe I’m wrong” 68. Defective car 69. Messy room 70. Oracles

ACROSS 1. Org. concerned with NIL policies for student athletes 5. Devote, as time 10. Travel document 14. Phone downloads 15. Hawk’s home 16. ___ odds (50-50 chance) 17. *Danger of an extremely hot day?

20. Rolled deli order 21. Voiced 22. “That’s cheating!”

25. “Break a leg” and “break bread” 29. Trireme propeller 30. Small spacecraft 34. Short rest 35. Surprised, slangily 37. Totally dominate 38. Work by 10-Down 40. Two, for a Bactrian camel 41. “What ___ I Made For?” (Billie Eilish song)

OCTOBER 25, 2024 | 15

27. Actress Rooney or Kate 28. Stretch of time 31. Motorized features in a car 32. *Question for a hitting coach?

33. Polluted 36. Grand Ole ___ 39. Experts 46. Lacking ethics Puzzle solutions are now 47. Stick together exclusively online.

48. “Obviously!”

49. Multimedia artist Yoko 51. Speaker 52. Undercover meetings?

54. Pacific, for one 55. Greek sandwiches 61. Texter’s “The way I see it ...”

64. Bauxite, e.g.

DOWN 1. Bother repeatedly 2. Skill for an EMT 3. Gorilla, e.g.

4. Modernist sculptor Ruth 5. Largest hot desert in the world 6. “Not a ___ out of you!”

7. Significant period of time 8. Little complaints 9. Attention to ___ 10 “Aida” composer Giuseppe 11. “___ had it!”

12. Setting for “The Little Mermaid” 13. “Fire” or “carpenter” insect 18. Mischievously playful 19. Place to lay low 22. Snack, with “on” 23. Island home to the Aloha Tower 24. *“Which person gave you that gift, Mr. Hanks?”

26. *Result of a slow day at the pet store?

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

PHOTOS

HALLOWEEN

16 | OCTOBER 25, 2024

HUES

Spread by Photos & Design Editor Adrien Gobin and Asst. Photos & Design Editor Meghan Spargo

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST Leah Hall at the Pumpkin Painting on Oct. 24.

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Students at the Pumpkin Painting event on Oct. 24.

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST Chris Alano at the Pumpkin Painting event on Oct. 24.

Meghan Spargo / THE GATEPOST President Paige Rainville chatting with students at the Pumpkin Painting event on Oct. 24.

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST A student admires their handywork at the Pumpkin Painting event Oct. 24.

@The Gatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Meghan Spargo / THE GATEPOST (Left) Tina Nguyen and Austin Shia at the Pumpkin Painting event on Oct. 24.