December 4, 2020

Volume 89 • Issue 11

FSUgatepost.com

December 4, 2020

The Hilltop Players pass out T-shirts from canceled shows

The Hilltop Players President Jenna Topping and Vice President Alex Surro, both seniors, handed out T-shirts in the Game Room Dec. 3.

Donald Halsing / THE GATEPOST

The Hilltop Players fight to ‘keep theatre alive’

By Robert Johnson Jr. Arts & Feartures Editor

Last spring semester, in fact, this entire year, was supposed to be one to remember for the Hilltop Players.

With productions for “9 to 5” and an original, student-written play in the cards, it was looking to be a phenomenal semester for the theatre-oriented, on-campus organization, filled with song and dance and lots of rehearsals.

Everything was coming up Hilltop. … Well, up until late March, anyway.

Suddenly, both productions were canceled, much to the disappointment of the organization’s executive

board members, and Hilltop had to scrap their plans for the rest of the spring semester.

Senior performances that were supposed to happen, be it in “9 to 5” or “The Love Star,” never happened at all, leading to a mix of emotions from those who, after four years of putting their hearts, souls, and talents into Hilltop, never got to take their final bow in the Dwight Performing Arts Center to rapturous applause.

Instead, those seniors only graduated with thoughts of what could have been.

Danni Umanita, ‘20, described her reaction to the news as “not easy to take in.”

News

“Hilltop works hard for an entire semester for only three nights of perSGA pg. 3 formances,” Umanita said. “To put so much hard work and dedication into EMOTIONAL SUPPORT pg. 3 a show, just to be told it’s not happening, was heartbreaking.”

Hilltop members who remained at Framingham State, though, had to think fast about what they were going to do next in a world where the COVID-19 pandemic reigns over everyone, rendering live theatre too much of a health risk for both audiences and performers alike.

Within months, the Hilltop Players began to greatly increase their social

Opinions

See HILLTOP PLAYERS page 14 GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT pg. 8

Framingham State releases new Title IX regulations

‘BRING BACK MANLY MEN’ pg. 8

Sports

University introduces new conduct hearing guidelines

By Cara McCarthy Associate Editor Framingham State University has introduced a new Title IX policy after the Department of Education released new regulations [Final Rule] in May. The Dean of Students Office sent two emails to the FSU community over the summer addressing the changes.

According to Kim Dexter, executive director of equal opportunity, Title IX, and ADA compliance, one of the most significant changes to the

Title IX regulations released by the Department of Education is a new definition of sexual harassment.

“It [the change in definition] required us to basically start from the ground and write a new policy,” Dexter said. “And one of the biggest shifts was a new definition of sexual harassment.”

The new definition of sexual harassment, outlined by the Department of Education, states the Final Rule uses the Supreme Court’s Davis definition of sexual harassment, which requires the sexual harassment to be “severe and pervasive.”

According to Dexter, the new definition of sexual harassment is different from the University’s original policy, which defined sexual harassment as “severe or pervasive,” which stems from the Supreme Court’s Title VII workplace standard.

Now, in order for a complaint to fall under the Title IX sexual harassment policy, the actions must be both severe and pervasive and have a direct impact on the student that would hinder their learning experience.

See TITLE IX page 4

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL pg. 10

Arts & Features

MAZGAL pg. 11 LGBTQIA+ pg. 12

INSIDE: OP/ED 8 • SPORTS 10 • ARTS & FEATURES 11

NEWS

2 | DECEMBER 4, 2020

Editorial Board

Gatepost Interview

Editor-in-Chief Ashley Wall

Richard Beckwitt

Associate Editors Donald Halsing Cara McCarthy News Editor Leighah Beausoleil Asst. News Editors Dan Fuentes Ashlyn Kelly Arts & Features Editors Brennan Atkins Robert Johnson Jr. Interim Arts & Features Editor Jared Graf Opinions Editor McKenzie Ward Interim Opinions Editor Emily Rosenberg Design Editor Kathleen Moore Photos Editor Caroline Gordon Interim Sports Editor Danielle Achin Staff Writers Maia Almeida Taylor Anderson James Barraford Patrick Brady Steven Bonini Sean Cabot Haley Hadge Branden LaCroix Caroline Lanni Johan Perez Abigail Petrucci Lydia Staber Advisor Dr. Desmond McCarthy Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

Professor of Biology

By Leighah Beausoleil News Editor What is your educational and professional background?

I grew up in Los Angeles, California. went first to , and then I transferred to UC Berkeley, where I graduated. And then I did a Ph.D. at the University of Southern California in marine biology. So, I completed that around 1979. And I worked for a while in Los Angeles. I taught at a number of schools. I taught at Occidental College, California State Los Angeles, and California State Northridge. Kind of a part-time person - I worked for an environmental consulting company, again in Los Angeles, looking at environmental impacts of nuclear power plants and marine ecosystems. And then I took the job here at Framingham State in 1985.

I’ve been here ever since.

Why did you choose to teach at FSU? The offer of a tenure-track position. … I had applied to a number of positions, basically on both coasts. … I was offered a position here. I’d never lived in Massachusetts before. I’d never lived on the East Coast before. It was an adventure to come out here and do something new. In retrospect, it was a wonderful decision. I love the town of Framingham, and I love Framingham State. It’s been a really good place for me to be.

What do you like most about working with students?

My favorite thing to do is teach the research methods class, where we teach students how to do research. That’s what find the ost satis yin . ve been teaching that class pretty much every year that I’ve been here. So, for a long time, and I really enjoy it. My goal is always to engage the students in real research projects that, with any kind of work, will result in a publication in a professional technical journal. It often takes several years’ worth of student projects to get enough information together to write a paper. But in general, when I publish these papers, I have a number of student authors on as well, and that’s the most satisfying thing.

That’s the most fun. And then, as an extension of that, those students who’ve taken that research course, some of the actually find it very interestin and satisfying, and they’ll go on to graduate school and start setting up research programs of their own. I like that a lot.

What is something your students would be surprised to learn about you?

Courtesy of Framingham State I play the guitar in my spare time.

I like to play the guitar. … I’m an old folksy guy. I’ve been playing the guitar since the 1960s - acoustic, blues, Ragtime - that kind of stuff. I’m not terrible. I don’t hate to listen to myself. It’s about as good as it gets.

How has COVID-19 impacted your teaching?

I have been teaching all my classes remotely. I’m living on these Zoom things. And it’s had a big impact. I mean, I’ve been teaching for a long ti e. nd fi ured out how to do it in a classroom with real people. I’m fairly comfortable doing that, and I think I’m fairly good at doing that. Moving to this kind of remote situation has been pretty wrenching, and it’s been very frustrating. Sometimes, it’s just frustration with the technology itself. You know, remembering which buttons to push to make something happen - this is confusing. Remembering how to manipulate the screen, how to share the screen, how to do something that’s just technically frustrating. And then there’s the problem with the fact that the students are not in the same place, and so there is never any real sense of interaction.

It’s not too bad talking one-to-one or one-to-two like this where I can see everybody, and we’re talking kind of back and forth. But in a classroom setting, most of the students have their cameras off, and most of the students are on mute most of the time. And so I talk, I show slides from PowerPoint, and I go through my material. I try to remember to stop and ask for questions periodically, but no one typically responds. I tell a joke, and there’s just dead air, and I feel like I’m howling into the void. It’s very frustrating. In a real classroom, you

can do something stupid and people will laugh, and there’s an energy you get from that, that you just cannot get this way. At the same time, I am continually impressed with just how sincerely the students are trying to learn something under these circumstances. They are actually handling this probably more gracefully than I am, and they are making the effort. … It’s not easy for them, either, and it’s very alienating for them.

And they have technical problems their internet goes down. They’re trying to work out some situation where they don’t have enough peace and quiet to actually do something like this. Essentially, it’s very, very frustrating. And so, I am really impressed with just how well they’re able to pull this off.

What advice do you have for students?

Try to actually get connected somehow. It’s harder than ever for students to eel en a ed. t s di ficult to have a class discussion under the circumstances. t s di ficult to eel connected. ut my advice is to ask questions in class because if you can get up the courage to ask a question in class, half of the class will be thankful because they didn’t know the answer, either, and they were just too intimidated to say something.

So, do that. And if you don’t want to do that, at the very least send an email to your professor - ask a question. We put on these oo o fice hours to which very few people actually go. But I think, then you can interact with someone more one-on-one. It feels almost like a human interaction, and I think it’s a neglected thing that people should take more advantage of.

CONNECT WITH LEIGHAH BEAUSOLEIL lbeausoleil@student.framingham.edu

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DECEMBER 4, 2020 | 3

SGA clarifies funding language in bylaws Group One organizations so they’re able to come,” said Kays.

The motion passed 12 - 0 with two abstentions.

Members of the FSU Counseling Center visited SGA virtually to share the status of the Center and hold a short exercise on mindfulness.

Andrew Lipsky, director of the Counseling Center, gave a basic review of the services at the Center and how they are offered during COVID-19.

The Center still provides multiple services, including individual counseling, urgent care support, family consultation, documentation for support, campus outreach, and posting links to resources on its website and social media.

“It’s a free service, regardless of whether someone has insurance or not,” Lipsky said. “There is no limit to how many sessions a student can have.”

He also shared advice about monitoring one’s mental health during COVID-19, including techniques for coping during a crisis.

Lipsky added the Counseling Center is open during the winter break with reduced staff.

Dennis Pardo, staff counselor at the Center, brought SGA through a

By Johan Perez Staff Writer SGA voted to make multiple edits to the bylaws relating to the funding of organizations during its meeting on Dec 1.

Secretary Lexi Kays proposed several edits to Article IV of the bylaws, “Funding Regulations for Campus Organizations,” which assigns organizations to different groups - from one to five - depending on their current status of operation.

Visibility requirements for all groups have been removed. “We had an issue with the word visibility being used,” said Kays. “Visibility is just an ableist term that we figured would be better off out of the bylaws.”

Kays said their original intent with the visibility requirement is already handled with the other group guidelines, eliminating the need for the original wording.

Organizations will also now be notified when their budget meeting takes place before the end of that academic year’s fall semester.

“It holds us accountable, especially the SATF [Student Activities Trust Fund] treasurer, to schedule the budget meeting and notify the

presentation on mindfulness and a dents with all that you do. guided meditation exercise.

“We’ve never been invited to SGA Pardo presented a picture of a to do this,” he added. “We’re really dog and its owner walking, with the happy to connect with you.” owner’s head clouded with thoughts SGA swore in freshman John and the dog’s head clear and fo- Finkle as a senator by a unanimous cused. vote.

He said to move through life in Beverlie said, “I think he’ll be a a manner similar to the dog. “Let’s great fit. take in that present moment while “It’s really cool we’ve been able we have it.” to add on freshmen to SGA. It’s not “All of us as humans go through something I was expecting to be challenges at some point,” he said. able to do,” said Beverlie.

“It’s not something any of us can get She praised SGA members for away with. It’s a commonality be- their work in her report. “I really tween humans.” appreciate you all being here and After the short meditation and taking the time out of your hectic reflection exercise, Pardo asked lives to come on Zoom and be a part SGA members for their reactions. of our meetings every other TuesSenator Eryca Carrier said, “That day,” she said. was probably one of the better guidBeverlie was happy with SGA’s ed meditations I’ve done. I feel like performance during the pandemic that was really nice and soothing, this year. “I wanted to say, ‘Thank and I think it’s nap time now.” you,’ and I appreciate you all proPresident Olivia Beverlie said she fusely,” she said. has performed this exercise before.

This is the last SGA meeting of “Doing this repeatedly has really the semester, although the Student helped me, especially times when I Affairs Committee will meet on Dec. know I’m struggling and I feel over- 8. whelmed. It’s a nice way to have a little bit of an emotional release over just being stressed.”

Lipsky said, “We certainly appre- CONNECT WITH JOHAN PEREZ ciate the SGA as a support to stu- jperez3@student.framingham.edu

Counseling Center, Campus Ministry offers emotional support virtually

By Steven Bonini Staff Writer Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Counseling Center has closed its doors to oot tra fic and is now takin a new virtual approach to helping students with emotional wellness.

Rupal Bhatt, the assistant director of the Counseling Center, said the Center is operating with clients via teletherapy.

The Center is using a virtual health service called “Telehealth,” which has more protective features than a program like Zoom, Bhatt said.

She added the Counseling Center has put out a virtual flyer specifically to address emotional wellness during COVID-19 and has created resources to address racial trauma.

Bhatt said following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, they knew members of the University community would need assistance.

She said the Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE) had asked the Counseling

Weather

Center to produce a training that addressed racial trauma.

According to Bhatt, the Counseling Center worked with DICE and an outside contractor to create a racial trauma training program.

She said the training addresses issues such as systemic racism and the impact it has on people of color - specifically lack identified people o color - and how racial trauma affects their lives.

She added one of the great resources they have is allowin students to find a therapist of their choice.

“Students have the option to use the Counseling Center staff or to be able to find so eone o ca pus that they can speak to,” she said.

In regard to racial trauma, she said if students would like to contact a therapist of color off campus, they have that option.

Bhatt said as mental health clinicians, they are not encouraged to use social media to communicate with potential clients, but they are using social media to help promote wellness.

“What we have done is decide to set up both Twitter and Instagram accounts, so that we can post information about clinically-relevant topics,” she said. hatt specifically noted durin the presidential election, the Center posted about how to reduce stress and find ways to be proactive.

“We certainly try to have an online presence,” she added.

Bhatt said at the beginning of the semester, the number of students seeking counseling was low.

During the Nov. 18 Board of Trustees meeting, Trustee Brian Herr said the Counseling Center saw approximately 51 students for counseling during the month of August.

By the month of October, the Center saw approximately 130 students for counseling, according to Herr.

Bhatt said one of the reasons students are not seeking counseling is because they prefer face-to-face interaction as opposed to online communication.

“For some people, that [virtual

counseling] isn’t as effective, so they i ht be tryin to find other possibilities off campus,” she said.

“We’re trying to reach as many students who would like our services as possible,” she added.

Bhatt said the top two reasons people seek counseling, not related to the pandemic, are anxiety and depression.

She said during the pandemic, the issue of self-isolation and distancing has become a growing problem.

Bhatt added students on campus struggle particularly with trying to maintain social distance while also wanting to connect with friends.

Most students on campus said they were aware of the Counseling Center, but many said they have not used it personally. Nor do they know anyone who has.

Grace Lugo, a sophomore political science major, said she believes the Counseling Center is a great resource.

She added often, people are more inclined to confide in a stran er than in

See EMOTIONAL SUPPORT page 5

Sunday night Dec. 6 Mostly clear. Low near 25. W winds around 5 mph.

Monday night Dec. 7 Mostly clear. Low near 25. NW winds around 5 mph.

Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov Tuesday night Dec. 8 Wednesday night Dec. 9 Mostly cloudy. Low Partly cloudy. Low near near 25. W winds 30. W winds around 5 around 5 mph. mph.

Monday Dec. 7 Mostly sunny. High near 35. W winds around 10 mph.

Tuesday Dec. 8 Mostly sunny. High near 40. NW winds around 5 mph.

Wednesday Dec. 9 Partly sunny. High near 40. W winds around 6 mph.

Thursday Dec. 10 Mostly sunny. High near 45. W wind around 10 mph.

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

4 | DECEMBER 4, 2020

Title IX continued from page 1

This new definition means if an incident occurs off campus, it may not necessarily fall under FSU’s Title IX sexual harassment policy.

Dexter added while the incident would not necessarily fall under the definition of sexual harassment, “all forms of sexual harassment are prohibited,” and the University would “look at other policies and conduct codes.”

She said despite the new definition of sexual harassment, any complaint filed could still apply to other aspects of the Title IX policy.

“Sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking are all behaviors prohibited under Title IX as stand-alone definitions,” Dexter said.

The email sent by the Dean of Students Office also touched on the new “narrower” definition of sexual harassment under Title IX and added the conduct “must also occur within an education program of activity, and in the United States.”

The email also stated the University’s Policy Against Discrimination, Discriminatory Harassment, and Retaliation, “remains unchanged” and prohibits sex and gender-based harassment.

The University’s email also stated, “Certain behaviors are prohibited under both policies and other behaviors are only prohibited by one policy.”

The new policy, titled the Equal Opportunity, Diversity, and Affirmative Action Plan, was written in collaboration with Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University, and Worcester State University after the Department of Education released its new policies.

All nine state universities that took part in the construction of the plan have the same Title IX policy.

The new Title IX policy also includes significant changes to the student conduct process with regard to Title IX offenses.

The changes come in response to what the Department of Education deemed as “due-process issues” within the education system, according to Dexter.

The due process issues were said to specifically concern how respondents were treated during the conduct process, according to the Final Rule.

The respondent, according to the Equal Opportunity, Diversity, and Affirmative Action Plan, is “an individual who has been reported to be the perpetrator of conduct that could constitute sexual harassment. A respondent is presumed not responsible for the alleged conduct until a determination regarding responsibility is made at the conclusion of the grievance process.”

Director of Community Standards Jay Hurtubise said due to the new regulations from the Department of Education, the University needed to

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NEWS shift from a single-investigator model to a new one to account for the department’s new rules.

Prior to the Title IX changes, Hurtubise said one person would be responsible for the investigation, conducting interviews, and preparing the case to determine if the respondent would be held accountable for the alleged incident.

Hurtubise said the role of deciding responsibility now falls to him in his role as “Decision Maker.”

The decision maker is responsible for moderating the hearing proceedings and deciding if any question asked is inappropriate.

According to the Equal Opportunity, Diversity, and Affirmative Action Plan, The Decision Maker is “trained to participate in the hearing process and private deliberations.

“Decision Makers determine the relevance of proposed questions during hearings, and issue written determinations or responsibility that include all findings, sanctions, and remedies,” according to the plan.

Investigations into Title IX complaints may include interviews of the parties and witnesses, consideration of all relevant documents, and evidence collection - including photos, messages, guest sign-in logs, and more, according to the Equal Opportunity, Diversity, and Affirmative Action Plan.

According to the new regulations,

tubise, is that now all Title IX cases require live cross-examination of parties.

Originally, according to Hurtubise, the parties never met face-to-face.

Instead, they could submit questions to Hurtubise and he would forward those that were relevant to the respective party.

Now, all parties, including witnesses, must be available for questioning and cross-examination. If they are not, any information provided by that person cannot be used in the hearing, according to the new regulations.

“At the University’s discretion, live hearings may be conducted in-person or virtually,” as long as both parties, witnesses, and other participants are able to see and hear the responding party.

Hurtubise said despite the new changes, the student who files the complaint and the student under investigation do not speak directly to each other during the questioning and cross-examination process.

“We want to make sure that protections are in place for all parties involved so we can minimize harm and retraumatization,” he said.

The role of advisors has also changed amid the new regulations.

Hurtubise said prior to the changes, the advisor’s main role was to sit in on the meetings and advise their party as needed. Now, they “play a

“I strongly dislike the new Title IX policy and I believe it does a disservice to survivors of sexual assault as it threatens the rights of student survivors.”

- McKenzie Ward, Student Trustee questions about the complainant’s prior sexual history are allowed in certain circumstances.

“Questions and evidence about the complainant’s sexual predisposition or prior sexual behavior are not relevant unless: such questions and evidence about the complainants’ prior sexual behavior are different to prove that someone other than the respondent committed the conduct alleged by the complainant, or if the questions and evidence concern specific incidents of the complainant’s prior sexual behavior with respect to the respondent and are offered to prove consent,” according to the Equal Opportunity, Diversity, and Affirmative Action Plan.

According to the Equal Opportunity, Diversity, and Affirmative Action Plan, the complainant is “An individual who is alleged to be the victim of conduct that could consititue sexual harassment under this policy. At the time of filing a formal complaint, a complainant must be participating in or attempting to participate in the education program of the University with which the formal complaint is filed.”

One of the most significant changes, according to Dexter and Hur-

more active role.”

Advisors will now be the people asking the parties questions and the University will still assign an advisor to any party who may not be able to get one themselves.

Advisors can be anyone the party feels comfortable with, including attorneys.

The Equal Opportunity, Diversity, and Affirmative Action Plan, similar to the previous plan, still attempts to ensure all cases are resolved within 60 days. However, Hurtibise said, “You’ll notice if you add up the numbers, it’s quite a big longer than 60 [days]. It will generally take a little bit longer for us to process cases using this new model that the new regulations mandate.”

IGNITE President Rachel Spivey said, “The new restrictions created under the Title IX policy changes will silence students more than ever before.

“The stigma surrounding having to report a sexual harassment claim is something that deters many students from reporting these incidents, and with these new guidelines for ‘how’ this harassment occurs, for it to be even considered harassment at all is only going to increase non-re-

porting.

“The thought of having to come face-to-face with your harasser or assaulter is something that could end up bringing back the feelings the victims had during those traumatic events,” she added. “The University has the ability to inform students of these changes and to let them know what their options are, but for now, these new changes are going to deter students from reporting their cases.”

Student Trustee McKenzie Ward said, “I strongly dislike the new Title IX policy and I believe it does a disservice to survivors of sexual assault as it threatens the rights of student survivors.

“While Secretary Betsy DeVos claimed that these new regulations were put into place to protect all students, it only protects perpetrators,” she added. “These new regulations, especially the cross-examination addition, will discourage survivors from speaking out. I hope that President-elect Joe Biden will fix these issues and focus on protecting student survivors.”

After a review and comment period, the Department of Education released a 2,033-page document. The document consisted of 2,007 pages of preamble, in which the department responded to 100,000 to 120,000 comments concerning the document, followed by the 26-page document outlining the new policies, according to Dexter.

Eighteen attorneys general filed injunctions in an attempt to block implementation of the Final Rule.

They were denied by the District Court for the District of Columbia and the new regulations went into effect in August.

Those states, including Massachusetts and Washington D.C., have since sued DeVos to block the regulations and the case is expected to continue into the spring, according to NBC News.

In Massachusetts, a coalition of victims’ rights nonprofits have challenged the legality of the new Title IX regulations and the case will go to a bench trial in Massachusetts federal court.

Dexter said they anticipate more legal challenges to the Final Rule and said they will change their policy as those lawsuits unfold.

“We may see a complete policy overhaul down the line,” she said.

“As we have done in the past, we will respond if there are changes.”

Hurtubise said it’s important that all voices are heard and that the University’s first priority is the safety of its students and combating sexual misconduct.

He added, “At the end of the day, that’s the big piece that we’re all trying to do because we want a safer environment, healthier environment, and more respectful environment on our campuses.”

[Editor’s Note: McKenzie Ward is the Opinions Editor for The Gatepost.]

CONNECT WITH CARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy8@student.framingham.edu

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DECEMBER 4, 2020 | 5

Emotional Support continued from page 3 somebody they’re close to.

“I always thought if I told someone else what I’m going through and stuff - they don’t know me, they don’t know my background or anything - having their advice would be more helpful rather than telling someone that I do know,” said Lugo.

She added leaving feelings bottled up inside leads to “the darker side of things rather than the light.”

Lugo said being a Latina of color, she sympathizes with those who say they are struggling with racial trauma.

“I always remember growing up, people would tell me, ‘Go back to your country. Your mom jumped the border,’” she said.

Lugo said her parents came to this country legally and at the end of the day, “We’re all on stolen land.”

Gina McGovern, a junior early childhood education major and psychology minor, said she has not used the Counseling Center personally, but is pleased to hear that the Center is working hard to communicate with students who may need emotional support.

McGovern said it’s great students have a counseling resource here on campus that’s included in their tuition, as some students may not have health insurance that covers mental health needs.

Anna Sposato, an undeclared freshman, said she isn’t surprised to hear that people are suffering from anxiety or depression right now.

“I feel the same way,” said Sposato.

“And I would expect others to, too, because we’re all limited to certain things that we are used to doing in our lives.”

Sposato said she would recommend the Center to anybody she knows on campus who may be suffering emotionally.

The leaders of Campus Ministry are also offering virtual guidance to students as well as face-to-face meetings by request.

For Catholics, Catholic Chaplain Kristelle Angelli volunteers her time to students.

Angelli said she hosts a Catholic group every Monday via Zoom, and they have continued to study the Bible to help row their aith in these di ficult times.

“We are continuing to provide opportunities for students to gather virtually, to support one another, pray, build relationships, and examine what’s going on in the world in light of their faith,” she said.

Angelli added the virtual platform has allowed her to host guest speakers from around the country who would have otherwise not been able to speak with her group.

She said although there’s been benefits to havin re ote connection, one of the biggest challenges she’s facing is outreach.

“It is hard to grow, both in numbers and in relationship to one another, when we are not able to meet in person,” she said.

“It feels like the relationship-building piece doesn’t work as well virtually,” Angelli added.

“We are all online so much that it can get exhausting to be in front of a screen,” she said. “Our gatherings don’t have the same relaxing, refreshing, and restful dynamic as they did in person.”

Angelli said she prays for our country every day, but said she is disappointed currently with our inability to have civil discourse as a community.

“I think it is important to be able to disagree but still respectfully discuss important issues - to assume the best about another person, even when we disagree,” she said.

In regards to the presidential election, Angelli said, “Too often, we put others in a box and say, ‘If you’re voting for Biden, we can’t be friends,’ or ‘If you’re voting for Trump, we can’t be friends.’ The issues at stake are important, but this behavior closes the door for respectful communication.

“It leads to objectifying the other person,” she added.

Angelli said she believes people need to mutually understand one another before having political, social, or theological discussions.

“It seems that as a nation, we are moving further and further away from that, and our disunity is compounding any problems we may already have had,” she said.

Angelli added some people she has spoken with are suffering from anxiety or depression because of COVID-19 and other issues.

“Life changed so quickly last March, and in such an unexpected way, that in some ways, we are still grieving the loss of the ‘old normal’ and trying to adjust to everything that 2020 has thrown our way,” she said.

The ampus inistry is located on the th floor of the c arthy enter.

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST said. “They’re meeting in an online community, through Zoom or through Facebook Messenger.

“I know there are some people who are struggling with the mental health side of the isolation,” he added.

“Just trying to create communities has been a big change because you can’t just get people together to do something that you would do together [normally],” he said. “You can’t have a game night - you can’t do these types of things.”

Chesnut said having the ability to meet with someone face-to-face and discuss challenges they may be facing in their life has a different feel to it

“We’re trying to reach to as many students who would like our services as possible.”

- Rupal Bhatt, Assistant Director of the Counseling Center “We thought 2020 would look a certain way, so we have to grieve what we lost our plans, our drea s, financial security - and come to terms with uncertainty and our vulnerability as human beings,” she added.

Angelli said she believes COVID-19 is an invitation from God to trust one another.

“God can, and does, bring out good suffering,” she said.

Evangelical Chaplain Thomas Chesnut is available to meet with students both virtually and in person by appointment.

Chesnut said he is happy to lend an ear to students who may need someone to talk to, and that helping people often begins with just listening.

He said a pastor he used to “invest” into his life would say, “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Chesnut said, “It’s just being someone who’s available for people to talk to and come to.”

He added he sympathizes with the students who are facing anxiety and depression right now and is doing the most he can to keep students engaged.

“I’ve connected a couple of different groups of people together,” Chesnut

than just meeting virtually.

“If you’re sitting across the table, even just something as seemingly unimportant as, ‘Hey, can I pray for you?’ and then putting your hand on someone’s shoulder - there’s just something about that, that’s even just comforting on a different level,” he said.

“There’s a humanity to it that just connects us together,” he added.

Chesnut said prayer is just as powerful over Zoom, but there’s a difference in comfort when speaking face-to-face durin these di ficult ti es.

He said he believes people begin seeking religious guidance when they are facing problems beyond their control.

Chesnut recalled the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, and said he remembers going to church the following Sunday.

He added there were far more people in attendance than the week before.

“Whenever there are overwhelming crises like this, I think it makes people ask questions that are outside the realm of their normal thought,” he said.

Christian Fellowship, a Christian organization on campus partnered with the Framingham State Banner Hill Church, has worked closely with Chesnut, and is also offering outreach

to students.

Christian Fellowship President Gabrielle Laurenzano, a senior marketing major, said the group’s main focus is to allow students to come and express their faith in a safe space, as well as building relationships.

Laurenzano added it’s important to have an open community with people who may be struggling with some difficult issues. hey students would definitely feel accepted at Christian Fellowship, knowing that they would have people to walk with them and have people walking alongside them who are also going through those same things,” she said.

Laurenzano said through Christian ellowship, she has experienced first hand building relationships with individuals, adding, “That’s essentially what we’re trying to instill in the culture of the club.”

Senior Mariah Yoder, an out-of-state student who is the marketing coordinator for Christian Fellowship, said once COVID-19 hit their community, connectin beca e di ficult, but she always had the church to check in with. oder said it can be di ficult or those struggling to reach out, but when they have that support, it makes things easier.

“That’s the environment we’re really trying to create and be intentional with,” she said.

“We’re all in this together and want to support each other,” she added.

Rabbi Yakov Lazaros volunteers his time to students and said he can be reached via telephone or email.

Lazaros said people are not attending services right now due to concerns about contracting COVID-19.

He added people are seeking guidance because they are afraid of the virus.

Lazaros encourages everyone to keep faith and he believes COVID-19 will pass.

Religious Leaders’ contact information: Kristelle Angelli, kangelli@framingham.edu (Catholic Chaplain) Thomas (TJ) Chesnut, tchesnut@ framingham.edu (Evangelical Chaplain) For information regarding Rabbi Yakov Lazaros, please contact David Baldwin, associate dean of students, at dbaldwin@framingham.edu.

CONNECT WITH STEVEN BONINI sbonini@student.framingham.edu

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

NEWS

6 | DECEMBER 4, 2020

COVID-19 by the numbers

December 3, 2020

By Donald Halsing Associate Editor

By Leighah Beausoleil News Editor

By Kathleen Moore Design Editor Over 600,000 active COVID-19 cases were reported globally based on data from various sources taken Dec. 3.

Almost 200,000 cases - about a third of all active cases worldwide - were reported in the United States.

Framingham State University administered 890 tests within the past week, and 4,072 tests within the past 30 days, according to the COVID-19 data page on the FSU website.

Five positive tests were returned the week of Dec. 1, according to the page.

The seven-day negative test rate was 99.43%.

One individual was isolated on campus, and five were isolated o ca pus. Six people were quarantined on ca pus, and five were uarantined o campus.

A total of 4,005 negative, and 19 positive results, were returned in the past 30 days. The 30-day negative test rate was 99.53%.

Cumulatively, 3,515 Framingham residents, 5.2%, tested positive for COVID-19. The City of Framingham reported 560 active cases.

There were 460 new infections, 279 new recoveries, and four new deaths reported since Nov. 19. The number of people infected increased by 177, or 5.8%, over the past two weeks.

Just over 54% of those who contracted the virus remain infected. Just under 44% have recovered, and approximately 2.5% have died.

The overall death rate from COVID-19 in Framingham is just over 0.2%.

Cumulatively, 225,787 Massachusetts residents, 3.3%, tested positive for COVID-19. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health estimates

there are 45,390 active cases.

There were 36,269 new infections, 18,051 new recoveries and 181 new deaths since Nov. 19. The number of people infected increased by 18,037, or 9.5%, over the past two weeks.

Almost 60% of those who contracted the virus remain infected. Just under 40% have recovered, and approximately 2.7% have died.

The overall death rate from COVID-19 in Massachusetts is 0.15%.

Cumulatively, 13,900,350 United States residents, 4.2%, tested positive for COVID-19. The New York Times reported that there were 199,988 active cases.

There were 2,401,835 new infections, 931,838 new recoveries, and 22,990 new deaths since Nov. 19. The number of people infected grew by 1,447,007, or 12.6%, over the past two weeks.

Just under 72% of those who con-

tracted the virus remain infected. Approximately 27% of the population has recovered, and 1.4% have died.

The overall death rate from COVID-19 in the United States is 0.08%.

Cumulatively, 64,360,815 people globally, 0.8%, tested positive for COVID-19. The New York Times reported that there were 600,856 active cases.

There were 8,252,505 new infections, 5,281,122 new recoveries, and 143,075 new deaths since Nov. 19.

The number of people infected grew by 2,828,308, or 5%, over the past two weeks.

Just over 60% of those who contracted the virus remain infected. Approximately 39% have recovered, and 1.4% have died.

The overall death rate from COVID-19 globally is 0.02%.

Data sources: Framingham State University City of Framingham Mass. population: U.S. Census Bureau – QuickFacts Massachusetts U.S. and World population: U.S. Census Bureau – U.S. and World Population Clock Mass. data: WCVB Channel 5 Boston, Mass. Dept. of Public Health U.S. data: CDC, New York Times Recovery data: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center World data: WHO, Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center *Calculations for new infections, recoveries, deaths, and infected population size change are made using both data from this week and the previous “COVID-19 by the numbers” published in The Gatepost. This week’s data displays changes over two weeks’ time because no information was collected during Thanksgiving break.

Kathleen Moore / THE GATEPOST

Framingham

Kathleen Moore / THE GATEPOST

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Massachusetts

NEWS

DECEMBER 4, 2020 | 7

Kathleen Moore / THE GATEPOST

United States

Kathleen Moore / THE GATEPOST

World

Kathleen Moore / THE GATEPOST CONNECT WITH DONALD HALSING dhalsing@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH LEIGHAH BEAUSOLEIL lbeausoleil@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH KATHLEEN MOORE kmoore8@student.framingham.edu

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

OP/ED

8 | DECEMBER 4, 2020

O P / ED THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

Who was the President elected to protect?

President Donald J. Trump is allegedly attempting to ensure the safety of his family and close friends after leaving the White House by seeking preemptive pardons for three of his children - Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric - his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani.

The five pardons would absolve these people of any of their alleged federal crimes but still allow them to be persecuted on the state and local level. Some alleged illegal activity includes tax evasion, colluding with Russia during the 2016 election, lying to the FBI, and more, according to the Associated Press.

Some have even alleged that the President may try to pardon himself. Trump said in a June 2018 tweet, “As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to pardon myself.”

This would not be the first time we have seen a president be pardoned for alleged crimes as President Richard Nixon was pardoned by President Gerald R. Ford in 1974 for his alleged illegal activities during the Watergate scandal.

However, it would be the first time in U.S. history a president attempted to grant himself a pardon.

According to the Associated Press, “Advocates and lawyers anticipate a flurry of clemency action from President Donald Trump in the coming weeks that could test the limits of presidential pardon power.”

A presidential pardon would exempt the alleged criminal from being prosecuted at the federal level, or would absolve them of a federal crime for which they were previously convicted.

However, they could still be prosecuted at the state and local levels.

By devoting his final days in the White House to self-preservation, Trump’s actions are representative of what his entire presidency has stood for: himself.

Rather than focusing on the needs of the American people, Trump is instead allegedly focusing his efforts on trying to cover up his family’s proverbial illegal tracks.

The President seems to have forgotten we are in the midst of not only a global pandemic, but a severe economic downturn even though he still has two months left in office.

Over 274,000 individuals have died in the United States from COVID-19 and on

Dec. 3, for the first time, COVID-19 deaths reached over 3,100 in a single day, breaking the highest number of deaths in a single day set last spring, according to the Associated Press.

Yet, all we see from the President’s Twitter account is retweets of articles from unreliable and far-right sources and continued claims of voter fraud.

Now, as United States Attorney General William Barr reveals there is no evidence of fraud that would change the result of the election, Trump has turned his back on his country and once again made a mockery of the democratic process.

Instead of respecting Barr’s findings, Trump attacked Barr and has falsely claimed that his own attorney general did not look into the alleged election fraud thoroughly.

As Trump’s days in office quickly dwindle, he should be using his final weeks as president to rehabilitate his image and address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Americans deserve a president who works toward ensuring a smooth transition of power and is concerned about the safety of the American people.

Instead, Donald Trump is a president who cares more about his image than the lives lost every day to the pandemic.

Trump needs to limit the spread of COVID-19 by enforcing a national mask mandate across the 50 states rather than spending countless days tweeting from golf courses.

What is essential right now is attempting to unite the country. However, it seems Trump wants to leave this country more divided than it was before he took office.

The American people deserve a president who puts citizens first.

Not his friends.

Not his family members.

And especially not himself.

Have an opinion?

Feel free to email it to: gatepost@framingham.edu Opinions should be about 750 words.

Anyone can submit.

We look forward to hearing from you! @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

‘Bring back manly men’

By McKenzie Ward Opinions Editor I always thought I could never love Harry Styles more than I did when I was 11 years old and discovered “What Makes You Beautiful”

by One Direction.

Then I saw the December issue of Vogue.

I was so wrong.

For this issue, Styles was pictured on the front cover in a ruffled, floor-length, baby-blue Gucci dress paired with a navy tuxedo jacket.

Styles is the first-ever solo man to be photographed on the front cover of U.S. Vogue.

My first thought?

“What can’t this man do?”

Candance Owens’ first thought?

That Styles wearing a dress isn’t “manly.”

After attacking arguably one of most famous singers of the 21st century and spreading the idea of toxic masculinity and reinforcing outdated gender norms, Owens was criticized, and rightfully so, for her distasteful and outdated comments.

Candance Owens: it is not Harry Styles wearing a dress that is going to harm society.

But your toxic reinforcement of gender norms will.

Not only did Owens attack Styles on Twitter for his choice in clothing, but in an Instagram story video, Owens stated that Hollywood is satanic and that Harry Styles wearing a dress is essentially a plot established by Russia and China to take over the West.

Sis, it’s a dress.

Not the end of Western civilization.

Owens isn’t the first and she definitely won’t be the last to critique others for what they wear. For some reason, in 2020, people continue to hold onto outdated beliefs about gender norms and continue to think that for a man to be “manly,” they need to wear what society considers to be clothing made for men.

Funny enough: the origin of high heels can be traced back to 15th century Persia, when soldiers would wear them to help secure their feet into the stirrups, according to Teen Vogue.

In Scotland, men wear kilts, which were originally worn into battles.

In ancient Rome, men and women wore togas.

Throughout history, there are instances of men wearing garments other than pants, and Western civilization has yet to collapse.

As a society, we need to push back on the belief that gender determines the kinds of clothes we wear. A man deciding to wear a dress or a skirt does not mean he isn’t a man. Instead, it says he just wants to wear it because it is his choice to do so.

But the root of the issue is not that Candance Owens doesn’t agree with Harry Styles wearing a dress. What Styles decides to wear is up to him and no one else. The root of the issue is that our society continues to confine men to a box by prescribing a set of expectations for how they are supposed to act, dress, and behave.

This way of thinking is harmful as it does not allow men to practice individualism, and these standards can be damaging for men and others.

What Owens and many others fail to realize is that how a man acts or dresses does not determine if they are a man. If he considers himself a man, then he is a man. Other individuals do not have the right to determine how others decide to identify, act, or dress.

As we head into 2021 in just a few weeks, we need to continue to break down gender stereotypes and speak out against those who attempt to reinforce them.

Men: wear that dress or paint your nails if that is what you want to do.

Because despite what Candance Owens thinks, your manhood is not determined by the clothing you wear or how you act.

As Harry Styles taught us in his album, “Fine Line,” “Treat People with Kindness.”

OP/ED

DECEMBER 4, 2020 | 9

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Campus Conversations What worries do you have going into the end of the semester?

By Donald Halsing, Associate Editor

“I think the only worry that I have is about coming back. I’m a senior, so I would really like to finish the year off strong and here with my friends.

I’m actually an RA, so I would like to continue that.”

-Gina Crosby, senior

“My first priority is safety, because I want to make sure I am safe. I want to make sure my friends are safe - being COVID friendly and everything. It’s getting pretty bad right now. After that, probably finals and making sure everything goes smoothly, spending a bit of time studying, and just relaxing.”

“I’m worried that we’re not going to come back in the spring, because that’s a big one for me. I’d much rather be here than at home.”

-Ben Landry, sophomore

“Definitely exams, but mostly the total of my grades. Due to Coronavirus, everybody’s slacking with their grading, so I’m just curious to see how that’s going to add up.”

-Faith Hensley, sophomore

“Finals, and paying - the bill for spring is due December 16th!”

-Alicia Tocman, freshman

“It’s been kind of hard to study because of the online classes. Paying attention, for me personally, it’s been kind of hard because everything is online through Zoom. Sometimes it’s a bit more difficult to ask a question.”

-Gabriel Souza, freshman

-Dan Prefontaine, sophomore

Op/Ed submissions reflect the opinions of their authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of The Gatepost or its staff.

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

10 | DECEMBER 4, 2020

SPORTS

SP O RTS

Women’s basketball season canceled

By Danielle Achin Asst. Sports Editor As the season shifts into winter sports, it was no surprise to the athletes of the Framingham State women’s basketball team hearing their season has been canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Three seniors, Camille Desroches, Abbey Battaini, and Kathy Jaracz, also known as “The Triplets,” were disheartened when their final season o basketball at FSU was taken away.

“It’s kind of slowly starting to hit us now,” Desroches said as she thought about what the team would be doing if they were still playing. he wo en finished last year s season strong, winning the 2019-20 MASCAC Tournament Championship against Worcester State, 66-51.

They were determined to make it to the NCAA Tournament again this year where they fell last season a ainst ass herst in the first round, ending with an overall record of 22-6. arac said, hen they o ficially announced it, I thought about how I’ve been playing for so long, it was sad to see that’s how it ended.”

She is from Chicopee and has been playing basketball since third grade.

“At school they were handing out flyers and was like, want to play basketball,’ so I went home and said I wanted to do it, and started playing,” Jaracz said.

Battaini graduated from Haverhill High School and decided to continue her athletic career at Framingham State.

“I had two older brothers. I played everything they did,” Battaini said.

“But in high school I didn’t branch out to other sports and focused on basketball.” attaini finished her 201 20 season with 11 rebounds, three steals, and scored seven points total.

Desrochers came from Westford Academy and has been playing the sport since she was in the first rade.

(From left) Camille Desroches, Abbey Battaini, and Kathy Jaracz celebrate a victory.

Courtesy of Camille Desroches

“No matter what, we still have that team chemistry on and off the court. We get along really well, and stay in touch.”

- Abbey Battaini, senior women’s basketball player

“Once we come back from winter break, our coaches are anticipating having more formal workouts closer to the spring, but no one really knows what the plan is yet.”

- Camille Desroches, senior women’s basketball player

“My best friends are on the team. All of my greatest moments at Framingham State definitely involved my teammates - Kathy Jaracz, senior women’s basketball player

Courtesy of Camille Desroches

@The Gatepost | FSUgatepost.com

“Both of my older siblings played, so I got started early,” Desrochers said. “I would always tag along to all my sisters’ practices and just be shooting on a different basket.” esrochers ended her final season with 24 assists, 12 steals, and an overall total of 79 points scored.

Although the cancellation of winter sports restricts the athletes from having regularly scheduled practices and team meetups, Battaini said the players’ bond is strong, if not stronger than before.

“No matter what, we still have that team chemistry on and off the court.

We get along really well, and stay in touch,” she said.

Jaracz added, “My best friends are on the team. All of my greatest moents at ra in ha State definitely involved my teammates.”

Desrochers said the team still manages to get together for informal small group workouts at the school gym about three or four times a week.

“Once we come back from winter break, our coaches are anticipating having more formal workouts closer to the spring, but no one really knows what the plan is yet,” she said.

Two sophomores, Flannery O’Connor and Gwendolyn Carpenter, also shared their experiences on the team and playing the sport.

“I was super homesick, and my team is what got me through that,” arpenter said. t definitely ave e a second family - they’re my home away from home.”

O’Connor said, “When you spend so much time with these people, it makes you feel like you’re always at home with them.”

Carpenter is from Ashley Falls and said she has been playing since about the first rade. She finished her reshman season at Framingham State with 60 assists, 21 steals, and scored 84 points.

O’Connor came to Framingham State from Amesbury High School and has also been playing the sport since the first rade. She finished her freshman season with 34 assists, 47 blocks, 20 steals, and a total of 386 points.

The seniors are still dealing with the upsetting news that their basketball careers have ended but are grateful for the time they’ve been able to play.

“If you have an opportunity to play a sport or do something in the arts, do it. Right away you will have a group of friends,” Desrochers said. “I don’t know what I would do without them.”

Jaracz said, “I’m very thankful and proud after these four years I still love the sport like I did when I was little. Staying on a team can be hard, but they made it feel effortless.”

Battaini said, “I’ve never been on a team like Framingham’s. No matter what the situation, I feel like we made it fun, we just feed off each other’s energy.”

CONNECT WITH DANIELLE ACHIN dachin@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

DECEMBER 4, 2020 | 11

ARTS & FEATURES

The collision of data and art - Jessica Bellamy’s Tuesday Talk

By Robert Johnson Jr. Arts & Features Editor

On Dec. 1, students across numerous disciplines attended a Tuesday Talk hosted by the Mazmanian Art Gallery, featuring data equity pioneer, abolitionist, and Adobe Creative Residence alumna, Jessica Bellamy.

Bellamy came to the audience from Louisville, Kentucky - a co-principal investigator at the Root Cause Research Center. She is also a research analyst, a designer, and a community organizer who, in 2015, founded the Grassroots Information Design Studio (GRIDS).

She has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Creative Mornings, and Communication Arts Magazine.

Bellamy began her talk asking a question - “What is data?

“Data is, essentially, facts,” Bellay said, uotin a definition ro ur Data Bodies, an organization. “They’re details, they’re statistics, they’re any type of information that’s collected together for reference or analysis. …

Data can be many different things. It can be digital, personal, interpersonal. It can be collected by us or from us, provided to us from companies, or taken from us by companies.”

She added, “Data can be used to make decisions about us, to tell our stories, or even connect us to something or someone’s service, and it can even criminalize us. Data and how we use it and understand it is vast.”

Afterwards, she put a spotlight on the work of Yeshimabeit Milner, who is a co-founder of Data for Black Lives, an annual conference that happens at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Bellamy said, “She is one of the biggest advocates for getting rid of big data. She is the type of person [to be] working in D.C., working with congressional staff members, talking about data, talking about all of these ways that our lives are being dissolved by data, by math datasets, and how those math datasets determine our risks and worthiness for receiving loans, for getting jobs, for so many points of access that are hidden to us, because companies are able to buy into these data systems, so they can evaluate the people that they’re working with.”

With Milner’s work in mind, the topic of big data policing came up - the process where companies and govern-

mental bodies utilize big data, either to incriminate people, or hold them back ro findin work, obtainin overnment assistance, or make their lives ore di ficult.

She went into the art of “data storytelling” and how it ties into social movements, such as the Black Lives Matter Movement from the past few years, which reached a new peak, this past summer.

“It’s just really important to start thinking about that when we start to talk about data storytelling,” Bellamy said. “Because data, in itself, is complex and storytelling, in itself, is complex. So, these two things together can form information design. It can form data journalism [and all] these different facets of data storytelling.

“We have to be very mindful of how we use it and understand that the data that we use is not without the weight and baggage that it carried for years.

The great thing about data storytelling today is that more folks are using it,” she added.

She said, “Let’s be real - we’re in a time where so many people have been voiceless for so long. Not that those concerns didn’t exist, not that these issues weren’t present prior to this moment, but these compounding crises have made folks more desperate to be heard.

Bellamy mentioned how “now is the time” for data storytelling to be on the rise. She notes that “yesterday was also a good time,” but “now is just as important.”

In this discussion and explanation of the impact of data storytelling, Bellamy made reference, and provided a spotlight to Natasha Iskander, a professor from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and Tamika Lewis, “one of the folks” and a data storyteller for Our Data Bodies with a mission to “dismantle capitalism in all of its various currencies.”

Talking about her own projects, Bellamy informed the audience of her work with the Root Cause Research Center, and how she ended up getting a Creative Residency with Adobe Systems. “[The Root Cause Research Center] is an organization that me and a colleague started earlier in the year,” Bellamy said. “It took us a good chunk of last year to decide the framework of the Root Cause Research Center. We knew we wanted to build an organiza-

tion that had shared power amongst its members. ... We were building that framework so that it could be as equitable and just as possible.”

The mission of the Root Cause Research Center is focused on “unearthing the whole story around issues, around different concerns that are voiced from the community.” As they are a “100% grassroots-led” organization, they work closely with “movement folks,” not only in their city, but around their state and around the country at large.

This explanation of the group also made mention of Josh Poe - an urban planner and community organizer, who is well-known as a data activist in Louisville.

“I have a very non-traditional approach to design and data storytelling, mainly because of my background as a community organizer, as a person who has been workin in this field or a while,” Bellamy said.

She added, “I’m from a historically Black neighborhood in Kentucky - it’s actually the oldest historically Black neighborhood in our state. It’s called Smoketown, and it was one of the few places that Black people were allowed to live after the Civil War. “This is a community that had to build a lot of its own [property], but they did not own any of the property. It was years before a Black person owned a building, outside of, maybe, a residential building in the neighborhood where I grew up. … Folks leaned on each other - people had to, because there really wasn’t any other source other than each other in this space,” Bellamy said.

Bellamy took this time to introduce viewers to her family, as well as some key places in the Smoketown area, providing context for her work for Kentuckians for the Commonwealth.

“We [Kentuckians for the Commonwealth] decided to get together to really try to do something about this issue o entrification in the area a ter the destruction of the Sheppard’s Square residential housing],” Bellamy said.

She added, “We realized that development coming into this neighborhood can be a positive thing, but it’s only a positive thing when residents are able to still re ain and benefit from the changes that are happening in their neighborhood.”

From there, Bellamy and her team began working on a 55-question survey to hand out to residents of the

area and asked them about the things they wanted to see in the neighborhood. With the responses they got, they started taking data with the goal of getting it “into policymaker hands.

“We wanted to create a report that would not just sit on a shelf,” said Bellamy.

With that goal in mind, Bellamy used her graphic design degree talents and got to work, making the data look presentable and appealing to the policymakers she wanted to show it to, despite only having “one weekend” to do it all.

She said, “When we released it, of course we put it in the hands of our initial target audience, which, of course, were the policymakers and the developers. We also put it in the hands of the residents.

“Us creating this report struck up such a buzz within our local newspaper that the council member realized that a lot of what was in the report - at least some sections - were criticisms of hi , specifically. t orced hi to co e to a political forum in our neighborhood,” she added.

She noted how the council member kept deflectin uestions at this oru , stating that he “needed more data” to prove that a specific proble was actually an issue in their neighborhood.

Bellamy said, “There was a point, though, where someone said, ‘Actually, it says right here in the report…’ and everyone was just, like, ‘What?!’

And then, they [the policymakers and council members] opened the report and the whole conversation changed in the room!

“He [the council member] had no ability to refute the depths of these problems, the causes that have been pointed out, these different layers to these issues that people have been dealing with for decades. … I felt that I created a weapon - the whole tide had turned. This is what I wanted to do,” she said.

With this impactful “performance,” Bellamy got noticed by Adobe Systems and got placed under their Creative Residency program in 2017, proving that infographics can be used as “weapons” for the common good.

You can look at more of Bellamy’s works at www.jessicabellamy.com, as well as any work pertaining to the Root Cause Research Center at www. rootcauseresearch.org.

CONNECT WITH ROBERT JOHNSON JR. rjohnson10@student.framingham.edu

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

12 | DECEMBER 4, 2020

ARTS & FEATURES

The walls are the narrative Jeanette Winterson breaks down barriers for LGBTQIA+ community

By Cara McCarthy

Arts & Features Editor Several clubs and organizations sponsored the Written on Identity and Written on the Body: The LGBTQIA+ Story event and hosted author Jeanette Winterson via Zoom Nov. 30.

The talk, hosted by The Journal of Critical Thinking, The Onyx, English Club, Student Union Activities Board (SUAB), and The Gatepost, opened with a personal poem written by the Editor-in-Chief of the Onyx, Olivia Banks, who said she wrote it in response to Winterson’s novel “Written on the Body.”

Winterson was invited to participate in the event by the student leaders who organized it.

Taylor Langmeyer, vice president of The Journal of Critical Thinking and a graduate student in English, introduced English department chair Lisa Eck, who praised Winterson as the author of 19 novels, two short story collections, a volume of critical essays, and a 2012 memoir titled, “Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?

Winterson’s work has been published in 18 countries.

Winterson discussed her decision to name a character after herself in her novel, “Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit.”

This is not an autobiographical character, she said. “I think you should be able to read yoursel as a fiction as well as a fact.”

She added, “If you can do so, you are much freer than if you’re bound by all the other stories that are going to be told about you.”

Winterson also said being adopted and raised by Pentacostal parents was a “good beginning” for her. It “gave me a sense of something much bigger than the size of my own life.”

She added, “Everybody needs that.”

When Winterson was 16, she left her home after falling in love with a woman.

“I was given a choice, which is the kind of choice the church does give you. Either give up the girl, or give up your home,” she said. “And, obviously, you don’t give up the girl. That would be the coward’s way out.”

After leaving her home, she ended up at the University of Oxford, where she studied literature.

“I threw myself out like a wild ball of energy into the world,” she said. “[I] thought that the best way that I could manage my past was to create it in the sense of this business of reading yoursel as a fiction as well as a act.

She said the inspiration for her novel, “Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit,” came from her experience of being

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kicked out of her home for falling in love.

“I realized that I wanted to talk about something that was real to me, because that is the only way to talk about anything at all,” she said. “I wasn’t interested in writing a diary.

“It couldn’t just be my story. It had to be a story that would reach other people. The people who were not crazy kids from northern towns in England, brought up by Pentecostal Evangelists, but one that would go wider,” Winterson added.

She said when she got around to writing “Written on the Body,” she was “fed up with the binary.

“I still am,” Winterson added.

She said she found herself asking why the male/female binary was so important.

From there, she tested the limits in her novel.

“I wondered what would happen if I wrote a book where the narrator wouldn t be identified in that way, she said. “But what’s this person’s name?

Even if they don’t have a name. How old are they? What do they do for a living? Where were they brought up?

Do they have any family? Do they have any friends? Who are they?”

Winterson added, “I thought, ‘If I strip all that out, will I just be left with a cipher? Will it be meaningless? Or will it work?’”

From there, she created the narrator for her novel, “Written on the Body.” The character has no name, is non-gendered, and there is not a lot of information given on their past.

She said from the time the novel was released, she had received letters asking who the narrator is. Those who wrote to her often assume the narrator in the novel is female because Winterson is female or that the novel painted a “bleak picture” of a man because, “You must hate men.”

Winterson called those assumptions, “The stupidest thing ever.”

She added most of the people who wrote these comments to her were men, and she said they were angry.

“When people get angry, it’s because you’ve hit somewhere,” Winterson said.

“I think one of the things that we can expect from literature and from writing is that those nice, straightforward assumptions should be unsettled, so that we have to ask ourselves what it is that is bothering us,” she added.

Winterson also invited the audience to think about the reasons they do or don’t like something by comparing the process o sel reflection to the process of judging art in a gallery.

“When we say, ‘I like something,’ or ‘I don’t like something,’ we’re not

talking about the piece in question - we’re talking about ourselves,” she said.

She said what she likes to do when she gets an idea is to “just test it” as if it’s a science experiment.

“Just throw it at the wall, see if it breaks, see if it holds, and see what happens to the experiment inside it,” Winterson added.

She said, “These things [novels, short stories, poe s, and fil s are containers. They have walls. The walls are the narrative and what goes on inside them is the story.

“This [ideology] goes back to the Greeks. They knew that container, that dramatic situation, would allow us to manage our own situations better,” Winterson added.

She said humans are “uniquely storytelling animals,” and retaining a connection to life puts a person in charge of their story.

She advised the audience to walk around without their headphones on to retain their connection to the world and “see what happens.

“I think it’s that sense of retaining your connection to life which allows you to truly be in charge of the story, rather than let the stories be in charge of you,” Winterson added.

Sara Hughes, a senior English major who moderated the event, asked Winterson how she responds to critics and readers when it comes to her work.

Winterson said, “I don’t read it.

“Your job [as a writer] is not to worry about what happens on the other side of the work,” she said. “Your job is to do the best work that you can, in any discipline. Whatever it is, your job is to do it.”

She said she loves hearing people’s views of her work but added, “I won’t worry about it.”

A panel featuring Director of Inclusive Excellence Initiatives Patricia Birch, English Chair Lisa Eck, and LGBTQIA+ rights advocate Josh Luttrell, followed Winterson’s talk.

Birch shared the initiatives her division has sponsored to support FSU’s LGBTQIA+ community, including JRI ra in ha lass, an a finity roup for young LGBTQIA+ adults of color.

She referenced an article she read earlier that day about actress Laverne Cox, who said someone she was with had been attacked.

“And Laverne Cox said, ‘It doesn’t matter who you are, or how well people know you - these biases continue to happen,’” Birch said.

She added, “That’s why I do the work that I do in the Center for Inclusive Excellence, along with students, staff, as well as a program coordinator, to support our students in bringing

these issues and concerns to light.”

Birch also referenced FSU’s events surrounding National Coming Out Day and Trans Day of Remembrance.

Eck, who has written an article on Winterson’s novel, “Written on the Body,” shared the importance of literature. e read to find ourselves, she said. “But, we also read to encounter others in that intimate space where we can change our minds or where we can get out of ourselves.”

Eck said the conversation of who the genderless narrator is has changed exponentially during the years she has taught “Written on the Body” in her courses.

She said when she first started teaching the novel, her students would debate whether the narrator was male or female, straight or gay, or whether they were transgender by comparing them to common gender roles and stereotypes.

Eck added over time, her students have found less of a reason to debate who the genderless character is.

“It’s a whole menu of gender stereotypes that just fall apart when you press on them,” she said.

Luttrell, who has worked for the Massachusetts Department of Education, talked about the importance of LGBTQIA+ advocacy and education in schools.

“Adding this sort of stuff, [LGBTQIA+ education] to the curriculum and into the environment is really crucial in helping us all grow up to create a better world for us,” he said.

Luttrell also advised anyone who is struggling to come out to talk to someone about it.

“If you yourself are looking to come out, or you know someone who is, you can kind of test the waters by telling some trusted personal friend, a family member, someone who you know will react positively, have your back, and help you through everything,” he said.

Winterson ended her talking by asking the audience to promise to always continue moving forward no matter what happens.

“Hold your head up. Do your best work. e creative. e confident. e clear-eyed. Work to your strengths.

And learn the rest of your lives,” Winterson said. “There’s never going to be a moment where you say, ‘I’ve done enough.’”

[Editor’s note: The Gatepost co-sponsored this event and The Gatepost Editor-in-Chief, Ashley Wall, co-hosted the event.]

CONNECT WITH CARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy8@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

DECEMBER 4, 2020 | 13

Against all odds - Malik Martin’s going places

By Caroline Gordon Editorial Staff Malik Martin, who grew up in East Hartford, Connecticut, the child of Ghanaian parents, started putting fabrics together in preschool.

As president of the Class of 2023, he is majoring in fashion design and retailing. He developed his passion at a young age and pursued his dreams despite the adversity he faced.

As a child, Martin also enjoyed reading and doing homework as education was prioritized in his household.

Martin initially wanted to attend Johnson & Wales University and said he put his fashion dreams on the “backburner.”

He said he still pursued fashion independently “behind the scenes” as his parents were not supportive of his career path.

With the help of a high school teacher who graduated from FSU, his parents eventually encouraged his professional goals.

He said, “I thought, if I was actually going to do it, I am going to do it with all I have.”

Martin felt he was at a disadvantage living in Connecticut as, “It’s hard to be a designer in Connecticut because it’s not as rich in fashion and diversity.”

He said he chose FSU because of the

location and it’s strong fashion program.

“I heard they were the number one fashion department in the whole of New England. It speaks volumes that it’s better than New York. I decided to go to the number one,” said Martin.

He served on the board of directors for The Connecticut Youth Forum, a community outreach program for teenagers, from 2015-20.

The program gave him the opportunity to have dinner and speak with former First Lady Michelle Obama and the Prime Minister of Australia.

“When I interviewed them, I asked them the reason behind some of their decisions, and I tried to apply their advice to my own life,” he said.

Martin said he recognized the significance o the interview as others his age did not have the opportunity.

Another opportunity Martin said he is rate ul or is bein one o the first African American class presidents at FSU. “I feel like I have always been a leader in whatever capacity I am in. I am excited to be president because it gives me a sense of leadership I know I have,” said Martin.

He said with the current racist climate of our country, it is imperative the school represents diversity.

“If students don’t see people who look like them in a position of power,

it shoots down their dreams and aspirations to get those positions,” said Martin.

He discussed the death of George Floyd and how it impacted him.

Martin said, “It was also a call of reckoning for people because a lot of people like to think racism doesn’t exist.”

He said as a Black man, he needs to be extra cautious in public.

He said he does not have the luxury of walking around in public because people could be threatened by him.

“I have been careful walking around since age zero. It’s a tough situation to be in and it’s even tougher to live a life out of one sector of fear just because we still have racism,” said Martin.

Although only a sophomore, Martin has developed his own clothing brand, Imani.

“I wanted something tangible that I could develop over time. I came up with the name Imani because Imani means faith,” he said.

Martin added, “My faith is something that is very important to me and it’s something that has remained solid and grown stronger over the years.

Having faith in whatever situation is something a lot of people can resonate with.”

Martin’s goal is to be the Chief Editin ficer or ritish o ue. e said his choice is ritish o ue because it

is more fashionable than American o ue.

“There is actually a Black guy named Edward Enninful who is the current hie Editin ficer o ritish o ue.

He gets to write and style - what I want to do!” he said.

Martin offered advice to FSU students in the fashion program.

“Be honest with your work. Everyone has the opportunity to learn and everyone is always growing. Also, step outside the box.”

He discussed what he is most grateful for in his life.

“I am thankful to be in the spot I am now because during high school, it was completely horrible.

I had a drinking problem because I did not know how to cope with mental health. definitely push therapy for any and everybody. Just talking to someone is very helpful,” he said.

Martin said he is also grateful to the FSU community.

“I realized if someone truly wants to support me and my craft, they will do it because they want to not because someone asked them to,” he said.

“It wasn’t easy getting here.”

CONNECT WITH CAROLINE GORDON cgordon4@student.framingham.edu

The Winchester brothers tug on our heartstrings one last time

By Cara McCarthy Associate Editor

After 15 years, 15 seasons, and 327 episodes, the show that has been held so near-and-dear to so many people - “Supernatural” - has finally come to a jaw-dropping end.

Jensen Ackles, Jared Padelecki, and Misha Collins - who played the three main characters - announced in March 2019 that the 15th season would be the show’s last. The final episode was scheduled to air in May 2020, but was put on hold until Nove ber due to the 1 pandemic halting filming.

Sam and Dean Winchester - played

by Padelecki and Ackles respectively - spend the entirety of the season facing their toughest foe yet - Chuck, otherwise known as God, and trying to save their world from the apocalypse Chuck has promised.

While the storyline of the series finale may be cliche due to the idea that one can outrun their own destiny, it is the perfect way to wrap up a show about two monster-hunting brothers - as it makes the rest of the show come together.

Throughout the entire series, fans have asked why Sam and Dean were the chosen ones and why were they so special. While several seasons tried to explain, it wasn’t until the

final season we learned the true reason why Sam and Dean were so important.

The simple truth - they were God’s favorites.

The storyline throughout the final season was, for lack of better words, epic. Who doesn’t love watching a good old-fashioned final showdown between the creator of the universe and two of his creations?

We were visited by characters many thought we would never see again: Lucifer, Michael, Eileen, Amara, and the Winchester’s half-brother, Adam.

We were even able to watch Sam and Dean drive around in everyone’s favorite character, Baby - the iconic, fan favorite, 1967 Chevy Impala - one last time, and we still got the laughter amidst all the darkness surrounding the events of the final season.

The acting throughout the final season was just like the rest of the series - phenomenal.

Ackles, Pedelecki, and Collins have been in these roles for 10-plus years, and every season their acting seemed only to get better.

The final season also included real-world scenarios into episodes from jokes about out-going President Donald J. Trump, to the ghost of John Wayne Gacy haunting a small midwestern town.

The show wrapped up so perfectly in that, without giving away the ending, the final scene is Sam and Dean, on the bridge they stood on in the pilot, and their closing lines in the series were the same lines from their first interaction in the entire show.

However, no show that has been around for 15 years is going to make everyone happy.

Sam and Dean, without giving too much away, had ending storylines that were not ideal for many fans.

Not to mention the “Destiel” controversy fans are still arguing about on Twitter.

However, as fans listened to the show’s most recognizable song, “Carry on My Wayward Son,” by Kansas one last time, I think it is accurate to say there was not one fan who didn’t get at least a little emotional.

So many storylines were finally wrapped up, and being able to see where Sam’s and Dean’s lives went after their showdown with Chuck was something the fan base was not expecting.

As the stage lights go out for the last time after 15 years of a devoted and loving fan base, it is impossible to summarize the entire show in one article.

As a fan of the show, I have no problem admitting the series finale left me in tears, whether they were

happy or sad tears, I will leave up to interpretation.

Not every fan may be thrilled with the ending. But, I think every “Supernatural” superfan can agree that no show will ever replace the part the series takes in their hearts.

ADMIT ONE

Grade: ACarry on my wayward Winchesters.

ADMIT ONE

CONNECT WITH CARA MCCARTHY cmccarthy8@student.framingham.edu

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ARTS & FEATURES

Hilltop Players Continued from page 1 media presence - no longer using it to post teasers for their upcoming productions, but, instead, using it as a way to engage with those still involved with the organization.

Seniors Jenna Topping and Alex Surro, the president and vice president of the Hilltop Players, respectively, discussed their feelings regarding the early curtain call for their year.

He added that his cast and crew spent two months preparing for “The Love Star’s” showtime, but he didn’t know what would happen after spring break.

“I remember making a speech on the last day of rehearsal, that we don’t know what’s coming next and that we know that the virus is swirling around, but we just don’t know if this is the last time we’ll be seeing this rehearsal

said that “it’s hard to keep that connection through a screen when we’re all in different locations.”

She added, “We’ve been trying to do movie nights and games and [other events] to get people involved - for some people, they just need to perform, and in this unusual setting, it’s just hard to do that.”

Surro noted that the engagement on their Instagram posts, as well as their

ecutive board o ficers had a eetin with our advisor the morning that we all went home for spring break, and he told us that ‘due to the unknown daners o 1 , we had to cancel all in-person events.

“I was not ready to be done with Hilltop so early. All I could think about was all of the hard work everyone had put in that semester and how I had to tell them it was all canceled,” she add-

“It’s been a little difficult, because we didn’t really know what to do when we were told that we couldn’t do what we normally do, which is [to] perform shows. So, we had to improvise and try to find the best way to keep people engaged and also keep doing what we love to do.”

- Jenna Topping, president of Hilltop players Topping said, “It’s been a little difficult, because we didn t really know what to do when we were told that we couldn’t do what we normally do, which is [to] perform shows. So, we had to i provise and try to find the best way to keep people engaged and also keep doing what we love to do.”

Topping added “it’s just hard” to get people on campus, given the global health crisis, findin it di ficult to be a theatre organization” in these times.

Surro noted that Hilltop “prioritizes safety more than anything,” as they want to avoid the possibility of putting themselves in “danger.”

He said, “As much as we want to get back to rehearsing and back to seeing each other again, it’s just not realistic during this time, unfortunately, which

space - and, unfortunately, it was,” he added.

Surro said, “I knew that I did everything I could to connect with my cast and crew and say that ‘it’s OK if this is the last time,’ because I know that what we created in the last two months will last forever. What we created is too important, too valuable for me to just let it go and forget about it.

“Although we may never perform it on stage, the family it created will last with me forever,” he said.

Topping related to Surro’s sentiments and said that the team for “9 to 5” were “trying to be hopeful” that the virus would pass by quickly, but those hopes were not realistic. This in mind, they “tried to leave it on a good note.

“A huge part of theatre is the per-

meeting attendance, has decreased a fair bit.

He refused to call the phenomenon “catastrophic,” but it was “disheartening” when Hilltop hosted a virtual dance workshop that featured Chaz Wolcott - a New York City-based actor, director, and choreographer who famously made a name for himself in Disney’s “Newsies,” playing the role of Buttons in that musical’s First National our only to have five people show up.

He added, “At the same time, we can’t let that get to us, because it’s not what we’re doing - we’re doing everything we can, in my opinion, to make illtop what it can be in a 1 era. … We’re just doing the best we can in publicizing and creating new events,

“I knew that I did everything I could to connect with my cast and crew and say that ‘it’s OK if this is the last time,’ because I know that what we created in the last two months will last forever. What we created is too important, too valuable for me to just let it go and forget about it.”

- Alex Surro, vice president of Hilltop Players is why we’re trying to do everything we can virtually. … Whatever it is [we need to] do to keep theatre alive in this pandemic.”

The pair also shared their thoughts on the cancellations from an organizational perspective.

Surro said, “My initial thought was [that] I got hit by a ton of bricks, and it felt that nothing was going to go right.”

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formance aspect, and that’s how the audience can be involved,” she added.

“That was really hard [to have that] get taken away, but because we had those strong bonds and that we had the experience we had, we tried to rely on that to get us through and have us be thankful for what we had.”

As far as their mission of spreading the word about the Hilltop Players through social media goes, Topping

virtually, and doing everything in our power to make theatre alive again, because it is so important to us.”

Monique Plante, ‘20, the former president who was present during the cancellation of Hilltop’s planned productions, also spoke on the “devastating” experience.

“I will never forget the day that I heard that we had to cancel all of Hilltop’s events,” Plante said. “Our [ex-

ed.

As with the case with Umanita, Plante was disappointed, but thankful about her senior performance being canceled, stating that “as much as [she’s] sad about not getting to perform my last show, I mostly miss the people in Hilltop. … They will always be my family and one more show would have been a great way to go out, but I’m so grateful for the time I did get with them.”

Topping and Surro are hopeful about the future of Hilltop, ideally in a less world.

“I think it is a big, massive thing to think about,” Surro said. “Taking everything that you’ve learned over the years, everything that you’ve gathered and then leaving it.”

He hopes that, when their time to graduate approaches, underclassmen will be “happy with what [he] and Jenna did for this organization,” at least to the point where those individuals are inspired to “take a stab at it and lead this organization to what it should be.

“We just want to make sure that it illtop stays afloat. e re not tryin to make sure that it’s exactly how we left it, we just want to make sure that it’s stable and able to continue onwards. If I want to graduate in peace, I want to make sure that my hard work didn t o to waste or all flat, because didn’t make an impact,” he added.

You can stay informed about the Hilltop Players on Instagram [@fsu_ hilltopplayers], where they post weekly, themed prompts based around musicals and plays, such as “Wicked” and “Dear Evan Hansen.”

CONNECT WITH ROBERT JOHNSON JR. rjohnson10@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

ACROSS 1. Fabled 51-Down loser 5. Up and about 10. Skipped town 14. Greek H’s 15. Pet parrots’ places 16. Quattro automaker 17. Cleaning cloths 18. Inch along 19. Craving 20. Cycle starter?

21. NBA MVP who plays for Houston?

23. Clever comebacks 25. Before, to a bard 26. Word before “standard” or “star” 27. < 32. Agreed (with) 34. Journalist’s slant 35. Kitchen gadget brand 36. Heavy burden 37. Sauce NYT Cooking described as “a mouthful of bright summer” 38. Work with needles 39. Costa del ___

40. Tennis do-overs 41. Birds in a V 42. Adds some spice to 45. Band bookings 46. Yogi’s pad 47. Elite athlete 50. NBA rookie who plays for Charlotte?

55. ___-ray Disc 56. Volcanic output 57. Alpha’s opposite 58. Twosomes 59. Excellent pair in poker 60. Domain 61. Skin breakout 62. Disavow 63. Peruvian peaks 64. Barely makes do, with “out” DOWN 1. Avis competitor 2. “Pong” company 3. NBA hothead who plays for Chicago?

4. Snaky curve 5. Harmony 6. City districts 7. James who wrote “A Death in the Family” 8. Ship stabilizer 9. Shot with a kick?

10. Sink fixture 11. Skulk 12. Side of a jigsaw puzzle 13. Count calories 21. Blend together 22. Sterile workplaces, briefly 24. Takes one’s turn 27. Children mail them to Santa 28. Has a sandwich 29. NBA “goes by the rules” hoopster who plays for Milwaukee?

30. Line of rotation 31. Musical staff symbol 32. Muralist Orozco 33. Privy to

DECEMBER 4, 2020 | 15

34. “It’s ___ fun” 37. Overabundance 38. Beer barrels 41. Expensively finished 43. “Whatever you want” 44. Moving day vehicle 45. Sparkles 47. < or > 48. All by yourself 49. Tricks 50. Inapt rhyme of “sad” 51. Speed contest 52. Neck and neck 53. Warning sign 54. Enjoy a mystery 58. Actor Daniel ___ Kim

Puzzle solutions are now exclusively online.

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PHOTOS

Favorite Masks!

Photos courtesy of FSU students Spread by Ashley Wall / THE GATEPOST

Photos courtesy of FSU community members. Spread by Ashley Wall/ THE GATEPOST

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