February 3, 2023

Volume 91 • Issue 14

A midday melody

February 3, 2023

FSUgatepost.com

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST

(Left) Hinge’s guitarist Dan VanHassel and percussionist Matt Sharrock play at the Midday Performance Feb. 2, along with bandmates Keith Kirchoff on piano and Philipp Stäudlin on the saxophone. The group performed “Clockworks” by Swedish metal band Meshuggah and “Gay Guerrilla” by Composer Julius Eastman.

New start for Entrepreneur & Innovation Center

By Naidelly Coelho Asst. News Editor Christimara Garcia, Director of the Entrepreneur Innovation Center, has been recently hired to lead FSU’s Entrepreneur & Innovation Center (EIC).

Garcia started her new position Jan. 17, reopening the EIC, which has been closed since the summer.

She said she plans to continue the work of her successor, Mark Hardie, who left in June.

Garcia said one of her most significant goals for the center is to have students return to the EIC in order to gain further knowledge about entrepreneurship opportunities.

She said she wants the EIC to be an

innovation hub where all stakeholders in this innovation environment can connect.

The EIC’s plan is to be a place for innovators and entrepreneurs to come together to exchange ideas and put the students in between those conversations and see how they think and work together, said John Palabiyik, chair of the Management and Business & Information Technology Department and coordinator of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program.

The EIC is currently partnering with four businesses, but they hope that will increase to more than 50 next semester, he said.

Garcia said she wants the whole MetroWest community to enjoy this

State Street stargazing

By Ryan O’Connell Arts & Features Editor Employees of the Christa McAuliffe center hosted a stargazing event in the O’Connor parking lot Jan. 27, giving the community a chance to see Jupiter and the moon in sharp detail.

The event, which is hosted once a month by the staff of the Christa McAuliffe Center, is open to individuals of any age or residence, and gives them a chance to use high-powered telescopes and learn about the celestial bodies.

Suzanne Wright, assistant director of the Christa McAuliffe Center, said she began working at the center five years ago in an internship position. She said she began by creating museum exhibits,

and continued working with the McAuliffe Center into her current position.

Wright said community stargazing events have been held once a month for almost a year, and allow members of the public to observe astronomy firsthand for free.

She added stargazing was also a great way to continue teaching while the McAuliffe Center is undergoing renovation.

“Look at the moon, Jupiter, other astronomical objects we have in the night sky. Ask us questions about the universe,” she said. “It’s a way that we can offer programming to the members of our public and our campus community without having to go inside.”

Wright said the McAuliffe Center

News

opportunity.

She said she values the connection Framingham State has with the Framingham community, which can facilitate connecting entrepreneurs to the EIC. Opportunities for internships are also available at the EIC, Garcia said.

With an internship, students will Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST see firsthand how innovation works. SGA pg. 3 Students will be given projects that they will work on with different com- DONATIONS pg. 4-5 panies, Palabiyik said.

He said, “At FSU, we have students, juniors and even sophomores that started their own business. … It’s not a high tech business, but it’s a business.” SPEAK UP - IT’S WORTH IT pg. 7

Opinions

See ENTREPRENEURSHIP page 5 KIWIBOT SPARKS FLY pg. 8

Sports staff enjoyed seeing people of all ages getting to see the moon in detail for what may be their first time, and how the event was easy to prepare with a high benefit to the community. “It’s just so much fun. It’s always a really positive event,” she added.

She said stargazing events were a great gateway to Science, Technology, Adam Levine / THE GATEPOST Engineering, and Math (STEM) for all members of the community.

ICE HOCKEY pg. 9 “It’s a way that we can spread the love of science, astronomy, and STEM to our youngest learners. But also we can serve our campus community offering internships and learning experiences for our students and our faculty,” ROLLING THE DICE AT FSU pg. 12 she said.

See STARGAZING page 11 ‘M3GAN’ - A RIDICULOUS ROMP pg. 13

Arts & Features

INSIDE: OP/ED 7 • SPORTS 9 • ARTS & FEATURES 11

NEWS

2 | FEBRUARY 3, 2023

Editorial Board

Gatepost Interview Lauren O’Neill

Editor-in-Chief Leighah Beausoleil

Associate Director of Career Services and Employer Relations

Associate Editor Emily Rosenberg News Editors Sophia Harris Branden LaCroix

By Raena Doty Editorial Staff

Asst. News Editor Naidelly Coelho Opinions Editor McKenzie Ward Interim Sports Editor Adam Levine Arts & Features Editors Ryan O’Connell Asst. Arts & Features Editor Raena Doty Design & Photo Editor Maddison Behringer Asst. Photos Editor Zachary Sorel Adrien Gobin Staff Writers Owen Glancy Mark Haskell Jack McLaughlin Izayah Morgan Kate Norrish Carly Paul Wenchell Pierre Ryan Schreiber Lainey Morrison Advisor Desmond McCarthy

TH E GA N T PE

E

O

Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

What is your educational and professional background?

I graduated from Worcester State in 2013 with a bachelor’s in history. When I was at Worcester State, I did some research with the alumni relations office.

In addition , I was in AmeriCorps Vista with the Center for Civic Engagement, so that was really great.

I got to work with the Worcester Public Schools to do some research on the partnership between Worcester State’s education department and the Worcester Public Schools that have practicum and pre-practicum placements for our students. And then I went to Brown University for my master of public affairs, and I was there for two years. I worked at an organization called Bottom Line and I was in the Worcester office. There was an opening at oly ross - one of my Bottom Line students actually told me about it. It felt like a natural transition, so I was an assistant director at oly ross in their areer evelopment enter for almost five years. I loved it. I loved the students I worked with, and then when this position became available as associate director of career development at Framingham, it felt like a really natural shift upward.

How did you get involved in this line of work?

I remember when I was in college finding it difficult to navigate through all the resources that were available, and I think if I would have searched those out a bit more, I would have been better off.

But I really liked the fact that Bottom Line was available to students to serve as a resource that kind of encompassed everything - so the financial piece, the career piece, the academic piece, and the life piece. ne of my favorite things is kind of seeing those “aha!” moments with students. So you have a student come in your office, they’re not uite sure where to start - I like to first demystify that idea that career development needs to be this big scary thing. I like to tell students, “You don’t need to come @T plan. We areSThere to support in with any HEGATEPO you - that’s what we do.” And then when they figure out what their passions are and what they’re interested in those moments are always really special - to see that connection with students.

Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST What do you want the FSU community to know about your role here?

We are a lot more than just career advising and working on resum s. The career advisors who work in this office are really dedicated to meeting students where they’re at. For example, we offer a job and internship fair that’s happening on March 30. We are actively working to engage employers who are interested in Framingham State students and trying to make sure that the employers we’re bringing on campus meet the needs and the interests of the students of Framingham. I want people to know that, again, we’re not just a one-stop shop that people will have a transactional interaction with and then they’re gone.

We want to be able to work with students throughout their time here, and that includes building relationships and getting to know what their interests are.

What do you want the students to know about this opportunity?

It goes back to what I want everybody to know about us. We’re here to support you - no matter what your goals are.

We just implemented a resource called the Strong Interest Inventory, and it is designed to assess a person’s interests and compare your responses to people who actually work within certain occupations, and it compares your responses to theirs to find commonality. I would also say we have different GroupMe channels for industries that students are interested in. So if you sign up for a GroupMe, it could be for arts communication media; it could be for government, international affairs, law. We kind of covered all the industries in these GroupMe channels. Students will be provided information like that to their phone because I’m sending information through that all the time and they can check out Instagram to learn more.

CONNECT WITH RAENA DOTY rdoty@student.framingham.edu

@

T TH EGATEPOS

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

Police Logs Tuesday, Jan 31 14:19 Arrest Framingham District Court Call assignment complete

Tuesday, Jan. 31 13:51 Suspicious Activity McCarthy Center Call assignment complete

Tuesday, Jan. 31 12:19 Prisoner Transport Framingham Police Department Call assignment complete

Wednesday Feb. 1 10:52 Follow-Up Investigation 100 State Street Assingment complete

NEWS

FEBRUARY 3, 2023 | 3

SGA advisor announces resignation

By Sophia Harris News Editor The members of SGA said their goodbyes to advisor Leah Mudd, addressed funding requests and discussed University closure policy at their Jan. 31 meeting.

Mudd delivered a teary goodbye to SGA at her last meeting.

She said, “I’ve really appreciated working with each and every single one of you.”

Mudd added, “I have really, really, really very much enjoyed all of my time at Framingham State. I really love being a Ram and I have loved being a part of the fRAMily.”

Mudd said she will be heading back home to Kentucky.

She said Gina Pacitto, student involvement administrative manager, will take over as advisor.

Paul James Pharmer, president of the Ski and Snowboard Club, attended the meeting in order to request $1,300 for a trip to Wachusett Mountain.

He said the funds will cover lift tickets for the day for members of the group.

The request was passed unopposed.

Student Trustee McKenzie Ward raised concerns about snow removal in parking lots and the University’s school closure policy.

She said as a commuter, she found it “inconsiderate” for the University to wait until after 3:00 p.m. to cancel 4:30 p.m. classes.

Ward said this forced her to stay on campus until 6:30 p.m. when the roads were salted and she could ensure she got home safely.

She said the McCarthy Parking Lot was “barely plowed” and the sidewalks “were not cleared off,” adding the sidewalks were also not salted.

Ward said not only was the late closure inconsiderate to students, but not canceling school because of the snow was “inconsiderate to our staff, too, who are stuck teaching classes or because their office didn’t close like some of the other offices on campus.”

President Dara Barros said in regard to moving her car in order for snow removal to take place, when asking University Police where to move her car, she felt “invalidated.”

Barros added, “ o officer should make me cry to the point that the officer did.” he said police officers who work at a University should be listening to students’ needs.

“So just like in general, you are working at a state university that is supposed to be catering to students,” Barros said.

he said she has since filed a complaint against the officer as well as the dispatcher who was working that day.

Barros announced the resignation of Erin Gemme and will be assuming their position as diversity and inclusion officer.

Mudd announced the relaunching of the program Sustainable Solutions.

She said this program will take place from February to April and will be available to students who are preparing for their job search.

She said the program has different components such as resumé critiques, mock interviews, an employer panel, and a career fair.

Mudd said once this program is completed, students who participated will receive a $100 Macy’s gift card for professional wear.

She said the application for this program is on Ramlink.

Mudd said a change has been made to the name of student jobs recently.

She said jobs that fall under common leadership positions such as RAMs peer leader, orientation leaders, tour guides, and SEALs peer health educators will all fall under the new title of Rams peer leaders.

Mudd said applications are open for these positions as well as resident assistant positions.

Evelyn Campbell, outreach and events coordinator, said SGA and FSAB are cosponsoring Drag Bingo, which will take place on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Dwight Hall Performing Arts Center.

Yumi Park-Huntington, chair of the Arts & Ideas Series, attended the SGA meeting to advocate for the need for student submissions to Arts & Ideas.

Additionally, she wanted to highlight two events Arts & Ideas will be hosting along with many other events this semester.

Daryl Christopher, an artist and designer, will be hosting the first event, a humanity, design, and happiness workshop on Feb. 23 at 4:30 p.m. in the McCarthy Center Alumni Room.

Park-Huntington said a book discussion will be held on March 8 at 10:30 a.m. with Barbara Amaya, the author of “Nobody’s Girl,” in the McCarthy Center Alumni Room.

The “U-Rock” award was presented from Barros to Senator Liv West.

Barros said, “I really want to give it to Liv because you have been doing an amazing job being a senator on SGA and also showing interest more and more every day.”

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu

Weather

Former SGA Advisor Leah Mudd.

Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST

Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST SGA President Dara Barros crowning Senator Liv West for the “U-Rock” award.

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

Sunday night Feb. 5 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. SW wind around 15 mph.

Monday night Feb. 6 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. E wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday night Feb. 7 Cloudy, with a low around 40. SW wind around 20 mph.

Wednesday night Feb. 8 Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. W wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday Feb. 6 Partly sunny, with a high near 45. W wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday Feb. 7 Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45. S wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday Feb. 8 Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. W wind around 20 mph.

Thursday Feb. 9 Partly sunny, with a high near 50. SW wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

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

NEWS

4 | FEBRUARY 3, 2023

S hol da cha t e o ts a success

By Ryan Schreiber Staff Writer During the holiday season, a number of Framingham State departments organized charity drives in order to benefit students in need and the local community.

Joining the effort was the Rams Resource Center (RRC), Center for Student Experience and Career Development, the Henry Whittemore Library, and University Police.

Starting off the season of giving, the RRC held an event Nov. 16 during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week to introduce students to its space.

The RRC is located under West Hall, on the ground level, and is accessible from Maynard Lot. The RRC conducted a food drive Nov. 16 for which students, faculty members, or staff could donate canned goods or non-perishable items. The donation boxes were placed next to the information table as well as in the RRC. Students were encouraged to donate meal swipes during the event using a code on flyers posted in the RRC and at the information table in

Framingham State staff put the Toys for Tots donations into a University Police Cruiser. the McCarthy Center lobby.

The RRC hosted an FSU coat share that allowed students to leave a coat or take a coat. This was placed so students who weren’t able to afford a coat

Courtesy of University Police (Left) Stg. Harry Singh and Library Dean Millie González with Toys for Tots donations at Stuff-a-Cruiser.

“It’s really important to give to people who have less and if you have it donate it.”

- Olivia Florestal A Sophomore Psychology Major @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

could take one to stay warm.

The coat rack appeared in the McCarthy Center lobby on Dec. 5. At the end of the day, there were over 17 coats left on the rack.

A sign next to the coat rack stated its purpose is to “provide basic needs to community members experiencing basic needs insecurity.”

Laura Abreu, a junior elementary education major, said, “I think it’s very helpful. Not everyone has the economic means or they don’t have the resources to go out and get a coat or might not be able to afford a coat.”

Another charitable event was the 8th Annual Giving Tree.

“The Giving Tree is an annual event that the FSU faculty and staff participate in that gives holiday gifts to children in need,” said Kayleigh MacMaster, finance manager for the enter for Student Experience and Career Development.

MacMaster said, “We sign up through the MetroWest United Way, which puts on the Hope for the Holidays program each year. They provide us a list of children and their gift requests that we then distribute out to the FSU community.”

MacMaster sent out an email mid-November to staff and faculty informing them about the event.

According to the email, all gifts were due Dec. 2 and they were gifted to each child that each participant sponsored.

“FSU committed to sponsoring 75 children,” Novac said.

This event was in partnership with United Way. “United Way sent us a list of children they had to be sponsored.

Although, there were many more that other community members [besides FSU] were able to sponsor through United Way,” Novac said.

According to the organization’s website, United Way is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals, families, and children in need throughout the Greater Boston area.

Each child made a list of three items that they wanted. Among the items requested were toys, clothes, winter jackets, and household items, Novac said.

Courtesy of University Police

After all the gifts were brought to the Center for Student Experience and Career Development, MacMaster said, “I actually loaded my car up about four times to get all of the gifts to United Way down the road in Framingham. They are always so thankful and shocked to see the outpouring of support from FSU.” Grace Swanson, a senior fashion design and retailing major, said, “I think they’re really good for the community and it’s a great way to give kids that are in families that are in hard situations the ability to still have Christmas joy.”

Another charitable event was a partnership between the Henry Whittemore Library and the University Police Department, which joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve in their holiday giving campaign, Toys for Tots.

Toys for Tots is a charity open to donations of toys for children in need during the holiday season.

Beginning Nov. 11, donation boxes were placed in the University Police lobby and the library lobby for the community to donate toys.

“Two hundred plus toys were donated,” said Sergeant Harry Singh.

The library has been conducting toy drives for the past three years starting in November 2020. In 2021, the library partnered with Wayside Youth and Family Support Network, González said.

On Dec. 8, The Stuff-A-Cruiser event took place at which the FSU police collected the toys from the station lobby as well as the library.

Millie González, dean of the library, and many other library staff helped the police load toys into the back of a cruiser.

Singh said, “Thanks to the FSU community, both donation boxes were overflowing with toys.”

On the University Police’s Twitter account, photos were posted of the event thanking the community for the huge amount of toys they collected.

“With your generosity and support,

See DONATIONS page 5

NEWS

FEBRUARY 3, 2023 | 5

Entrepreneurship Continued from page 1 Senior Joshua Kole, a business management major with a concentration in entrepreneurship, said he has really high hopes for the EIC. Kole said he would like to work alongside entrepreneurs “and just kind of understand more about my concentration and what I would want to do because that is a huge goal of mine.”

He said this opportunity was very last minute because the center just reopened at the beginning of January.

EIC has a podcasting station that is open to students interested in this area of entertainment, Garcia said.

Palabiyik said, “We have a YouTube studio over there. If there’s anybody who wants to be a YouTuber, there’s a chance over there - they can go and start as an influencer. That was one of the things we wanted to create for the students.”

He emphasized that Garcia is a great addition to the team. “She has international experience, and can bring us international business. That’s what we want to bring in.”

As quoted on FSU’s website, Patricia Thomas, dean of the College of Business said Garcia “brings a wealth

Courtesy of Framingham State of knowledge and research on business innovation to share with our entrepreneurs and the many business interns who work alongside them.”

Garcia has worked with over 100 different entrepreneurs and has launched a BIPOC Entrepreneurship program before, according to FSU’s website.

She said she feels very special to be a Brazilian woman in this position and

represent and inspire her community.

Garcia said she plans to reach out to faculty and staff and invite them to stop by the office to see the center’s progress.

Students are welcome to stop by and ask any type of questions related to innovation and entrepreneurship, she said.

“My ultimate goal is to bring people

back to the center,” Garcia said.

If you would like to reach out to arcia, her ffice is located in the I at 860 Worcester Rd. and her email is cgarcia3@framingham.edu.

CONNECT WITH NAIDELLY COELHO ncoelho3@student.framingham.edu

Courtesy of Framingham State

Donations Continued from page 4 we gathered well over 200 toys!”

Singh said he dropped off the toys with other campus police agencies, along with their collections, at the distribution center located in Boston on Dec. 9.

González said she enjoys working with University Police on the Toys for Tots drive. “We were happy to work on it together and give back to the community.”

Altagracia Garcia Padilla, a senior biology major, said, “They’re very helpful because I am someone who’s in a very low-income family. Toy drives were the only reason why my little sister could get toys for Christmas.”

MacKenzie Wahl, a junior elementary education major, said, “I think that toy charity drives are great. A lot of people can’t afford gifts for their children for Christmas, and with those,

they can get toys.”

Dyanna Johnson, a freshman sociology major, said, “I think donation drives are really good to gift the people who are in need. If you have too much of something that you’re not using every day, give it to someone who needs it. I feel like these are really useful especially at FSU - because there are a lot of college students that are pretty much broke - me being one - that need help.”

Olivia Florestal, a sophomore psychology major, said, “It’s really important to give to people who have less and if you have it - donate it.”

Matthew Mori, a senior psychology major, said, “It’s great that we give back to people who are less fortunate.

And the more drives we do, the better because it better serves underserved communities.”

Ray Dufresne, a junior English major, said, “It’s nice to see people get ac-

tive in helping those who might need a little support. Times are tough right now and not everyone is as privileged as others, so it’s nice to see people give a helping hand rather than judgment.”

Kristen Hurlburt, a senior food and nutrition major, said, “I think involvement with the community is important. ids in need definitely need help.

Everyone deserves a nice Christmas.”

Flannery O’Connor, a senior health and wellness major, said, “It’s a great way to help people in need. I think that we are doing a great job on campus trying to promote them and trying to get as many people as involved as we can.”

April Swain, a junior biology major, said, “I think it’s really cool that people can go out of their way to do nice things for others and it shows that there’s still a lot of good people in the world.”

Singh said the University Police Department will participate in another

fundraiser this semester. In ay, “ fficers and dispatchers will participate in the Dana Farber Drop It Challenge. All funds raised benefit cancer research and patient care.”

The Dana Farber: Drop It Challenge is a pledge to lose weight to raise money for cancer awareness.

President Nancy Niemi said, “I think that our participation in such events is wonderful.

“I am so glad that we have a university community that is willing to contribute to the needs of others,” she added. “That said, we need to make sure we are always working to create solutions to the issues of need - like hunger and poverty. So, yes, we need to keep contributing and participating, even as we think about more permanent solutions.”

CONNECT WITH RYAN SCHREIBER rschreiber@student.framingham.edu

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OP/ED

O P / ED THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

Speak up - it’s worth it During SGA’s Jan. 17 meeting, SGA President Dara Barros announced Residence Life will be removing names from the Residence Halls’ dorm closing documents.

This document is used by Residence Life when students go away for an extended period of time, including Thanksgiving, winter, spring, and summer breaks.

Following Thanksgiving break, SGA received a message in its Concern Box that the closing documents were deadnaming people.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, “deadnaming” occurs when someone calls a person by a name they no longer use. Often, this person has changed their legal name because they are transgender.

Calling someone by their deadname can be both “stressful” and “traumatic,” according to the clinic.

Framingham State gives students the option to fill out a form on my.framingham.edu to provide their “preferred name.” Not all transgender individuals are able to legally change their name, so this option allows them the chance to inform the school of the name they go by.

Residence Life has had a system in place for students to input their preferred names for some time. However, these names were not being used on the dorm closing document.

Stephanie Crane, associate director of Residence Life, said students are given the option to provide their preferred name when filling out the housing application.

She said Residence Life needs to use legal names when it comes to the Residence Hall License Agreement and the Desk Roster, but in non-legal documents, such as personalized emails and door name tags, preferred names can be used.

Crane added Residence Life does not automatically take names from the my.framingham.edu system because some students only want to use their preferred names in the residence halls and they are able to change their preferred names in the housing application at any time.

Now, in ddition to this system, students do not have to worry about their deadnames being

posted on their doors for school breaks.

This is exactly how student concerns should be addressed.

Students were heard and changes were made.

The Gatepost would like to take this opportunity to thank Residence Life for listening to the concern Barros brought to them and coming up with a protocol to follow that makes the residence halls a more welcoming environment for everyone.

These are students’ homes.

They deserve to feel safe and embraced in a place they will spend the majority of their college careers.

We would also like to thank Barros and SGA for taking this concern to the right people and advocating for this change to take place.

SGA meetings have always been a safe and comfortable space for students to bring issues they wish to be addressed. Additionally, the Concern Box is the perfect way to encourage more students to be open about problems at this University that bother or upset them.

This is the perfect example of why speaking up on this campus is worth it and how the community will be there to support you.

Advocating for yourself and your peers can make a major difference in your college experience.

No matter how small your concern, others may be feeling the same way.

It took one person to drop a note into the Concern Box to bring about a change that benefited and helped so many other students. In addition, all future students at FSU will not have to experience this same emotional distress because the change was made and it’s here to stay.

Go to SGA meetings.

Drop a note in the Concern Box. Talk to administrators and attend Administrators’ Forums.

Speak to your Gatepost peers or write a Letter-to-the-Editor.

We hear you.

Your concerns matter.

Have an opinion?

Feel free to email it to: gatepost@framingham.edu Opinions should be about 500 words.

Anyone can submit.

We look forward to hearing from you!

FEBRUARY 3, 2023 | 7

An unethical solution

By McKenzie Ward Opinions Editor In Massachusetts a new bill has been introduced that would allow incarcerated individuals to donate organs and bone marrow in exchange for a reduced prison sentence.

The Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Program would allow eligible incarcerated individuals held by the Massachusetts Department of Corrections to gain not less than 60 but not more than a 365 day reduction in the length of their committed sentence, according to the proposed bill.

The legislation was filed by State Representatives Carlos González and Judith A. García.

Rep. González said he was inspired in part by a close friend who is currently on dialysis as he awaits a kidney transplant, according to Boston.com.

When I first read the bill, I was mortified and angry.

While Mass.gov reports that there are more than 100,000 individuals living in the United States and around 5,000 living in Massachusetts who are currently awaiting life-saving organ transplants, this bill is wildly unethical.

When Rep. García announced the bill on Twitter through an infographic, it stated there is currently “no path for organ or bone marrow donation for incarcerated folks” in Massachusetts, even for relatives. Rep. García also stated this law would “restore bodily autonomy” to those who are incarcerated by allowing them to donate their organs.

I disagree.

Bodily autonomy is about having the ability to make choices for yourself. But bodily autonomy is also about not being coerced into making these decisions which is what the bill does.

Michael Cox, executive director of the prison abolition organization, Black and Pink Massachusetts, told Boston.com that earning credit-based early release is extremely difficult to do as the demand for applicable programming is much higher than what is available.

Thus, this program preys on the desperation of incarcerated individuals to gain their freedom and escape a painful and traumatic situation.

Rather than creating a program which allows incarcerated people to donate parts of their body in exchange for freedom, our politicians should be examining other ways that those who are serving time can reduce their sentences.

This could include presumptive parole which would mean incarcerated individuals are released upon first becoming eligible for parole unless the parole board finds explicit reasons not to release them, according to Prison Policy Initiative. Just recently, state Rep. David M. Rogers has for the second time petitioned for the adoption of a bill that would establish presumptive parole in Massachusetts.

Not only is the Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Program unethical, but it may violate the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 which is a federal law that prohibits the selling and buying of human organs in the United States.

This act also includes a criminal prohibition against the exchange of organs for transplantation for valuable consideration. Valuable consideration refers to the sufficient price paid by a party in exchange for a contract or sale, according to Cornell Law School. Valuable consideration is not limited to merely financial exchange but can include other acts.

Arguably, the donation of an organ or bone marrow in exchange for a reduction in a prison sentence may be interpreted as valuable consideration as the incarcerated person who is donating an organ or bone marrow is being rewarded for doing so.

If Rep. González wants to increase the number of people who are organ donors or who donate bone marrow, he can propose a bill that does not prey on the desperation of incarcerated individuals.

No one should have to trade a kidney or a piece of their liver for freedom.

The Gatepost Editorial reflects the opinions of the newspaper’s Editorial Board. Signed Op/Eds reflect the opinions of individual writers.

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8 | FEBRUARY 3, 2023

OP/ED

Campus Conversations What is your all-time favorite movie?

By Raena Doty, Editorial Staff

“Probably ‘The Dark Knight.’ … I really like how Heath Ledger did a good job with the Joker. He’s amazing, I’ve watched that at least seven or eight times.”

-Jo Mark, freshman

“‘The Lion King’ … because that was the first movie I watched when I first came to this country, and I’ve loved it ever since.”

-Anderson Larosiliere, junior

“All time favorite movie is ‘Good Will Hunting’ … because Robin Williams is fantastic in it.”

-Michael Champagne, sophomore

“‘Truth or Dare.’ … It was the first horror movie I saw with a good plot line.”

-Ellie Lima, freshman

“The new ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ movie. It just came out and I love it so much. … I think it reminds me of my childhood. It’s a very good comfort movie.”

-Ray Webber, sophomore

“There’s a lot of them, but a movie I keep coming back to is ‘My Cousin Vinny.’ … It’s funny and serious at the same time. You know, it’s like they’re on trial for murder but they make it humorous at the same time.”

-Nicholas Rodriguez, sophomore

Lainey’s Comics: Kiwibot Sparks Fly

Lainey Morrison / THE GATEPOST

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SPORTS

FEBRUARY 3, 2023 | 9

SP O RTS

Ice hockey struggles against Salem State in away matchup

By Adam Levine Interim Sports Editor The Framingham State Rams lost to the Salem State Vikings 7-2 in an away matchup Jan. 28.

Salem recorded 47 shots on goal and won 84 faceoffs, while Framingham recorded 33 shots on goal and won 33 faceoffs.

The Vikings started the game by scoring two goals within the first 5 minutes of the game and took an early 2-0 lead. ver the next 5 minutes, two different Salem players each received minor penalty calls and spent 2 minutes in the penalty box. Framingham was not able to score off of either power play.

In the 1 th minute of the first period, the Rams’ forward, Jerry Ducket, committed a minor slashing penalty and was sent to the penalty box for 2 minutes.

Ducket’s penalty gave Salem a power play, which they used to score their third goal of the game in the final minute of the first period.

The first period ended with alem leading by a score of 3-0.

Salem won the opening faceoff of

SALEM STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

the second period and scored a goal 8 seconds later. The Vikings took a 4-0 lead in the opening seconds of the second period.

A minute after the Vikings’ fourth goal, the Rams’ forward, Matt Irwin, received a minor penalty call. Framingham’s defense stopped the Vikings from scoring off of the power play.

At 5 into the second period, the Rams’ forward, Ashton Collazo, received a penalty for roughing, which sent him to the penalty box for 2 minutes.

Just over a minute later, Salem was able to score off of the power play.

They took a lead of 5-0 with 1 minutes left to play in the second period.

Collazo got out of the penalty box and scored less than a minute later.

Collazo was assisted by his teammate, fellow forward Joey Lizzote.

After the game, Collazo said, “After the goal, we had very good zone time and pressure, and we just couldn’t get a bounce and that energy fizzled out.”

In the 17th minute of the second period, two of Framingham’s players and one of Salem’s players were all awarded penalties.

The second period ended with no

score from either side. Salem entered the third period maintaining their 5-1 lead over the Rams.

After 2:17 of the third period passed, Collazo received his second penalty of the game.

After 4:42 of the third period passed, the Vikings scored their sixth goal of the game. Salem took a 6-1 lead with 15 minutes remaining in the game.

Salem maintained their 6-1 lead for another 2 minutes of play. Salem’s Ryan Barrett received a minor penalty call, which sent him to the penalty box for 2 minutes.

The Rams’ forward, John Baker, scored 30 seconds into the power play.

Baker was assisted by teammates defender Partick Colgan and defender Luca Olivo.

Over the next 7 minutes, two of Framingham’s players and one of Salem’s players all received minor penalties. Neither team scored off of the power plays. ith 5 seconds remaining in the game, alem scored the final goal, finishing with a 7-2 victory over Framingham.

As of presstime, the Rams lost to UMass Dartmouth, Feb. 2, and now

hold a conference record of 3-10-1 and an overall record of 5-1 -1.

The ams have five games remaining in their season.

Collazo said, “People should be excited about FSU hockey.

“We have a lot of talent, young and old, and we are only improving year to year. I think we have a special opportunity this year to do something the school has not seen in a long time if we are able to make the playoffs,” added Collazo.

Colgan, who led the Rams in shooting by recording six shots, said, “I try to lead by example and if I don’t perform well on the ice that night, it isn’t for lack of effort.

“We’re in a place now that each game becomes more important as we’re getting closer to playoffs and I think that the game against Salem showed we have a lot of learning still to do,” added olgan.

Framingham will travel to Fitchburg State for another conference matchup Feb. 4.

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7 2

Players set up for a faceoff during game aginst Salem State Jan. 28.

Adam Levine /THE GATEPOST Rams’ player celebratng a goal during game against Salem State Jan. 28.

Adam Levine /THE GATEPOST

Adam Levine /THE GATEPOST Rams’ players attack the Vikings’ net during game against Salem State Jan. 28.

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SPORTS

Men’s basketball succumbs to Westfield State comeback

Women’s basketball loses Westfield State matchup

By Adam Levine Interim Sports Editor

By Adam Levine Interim Sports Editor

The ramingham tate ams lost to the estfield tate wls by a score of -5 eb. 1. ramingham’s Juran Ligonde led all players with scoring, recording 2 points. Ligonde also recorded 15 rebounds before fouling out in the second half.

“Points don’t matter if we don’t win the game. hat’s important is winning the game,” said Ligonde.

The game began with two lead changes and two tied scores before the first scoring run occurred.

Just minutes into the game, the score was tied - . ramingham pieced together an -0 scoring run, with four different players scoring. estfield fought back and outscored the ams over the next minutes. ith remaining in the first half, the game was tied 1 -1 . ith remaining in the first half, ramingham led with a score of 1 -1 .

Ligonde made a layup to send the ams on another scoring run. ver the next minutes, the ams outscored the wls -1. ramimgham extended their lead to 2 -1 . estfield responded by outscoring the ams 10-2. The score was back within 1 point, with ramingham leading 0-2 .

In the remaining 1 0 of the first half, ramingham was able to extend their lead to points. ramingham led by a score of - 1 going into the second half.

The second half continued with more back-and-forth scoring as both teams kept the score close. ramingham led by points with 15 5 remaining in the second half, but estfield continued to return the baskets. estfield strung together a -0 scoring run that gave them a 5- lead over ramingham.

After more back-and-forth scoring, the score was tied 50-50 with 05 remaining in the game.

The wls launched a 10-1 scoring run and secured a steady lead over the ams. The wls led by a score of 1-52. ith 2 remaining in the game, Ligonde made a free throw, but estfield continued to outscore the ams.

A minute later, Ligonde fouled out with his fifth foul of the game and was sent to the bench. estfield outscored ramingham - to close out the game and captured a -5 victory over the ams.

After the loss, ramingham ead oach onald orris Jr. said, “I know we did a good job defensively in the first half. “ ffensively, we had some passes that were a little soft and got deflected, helping them get out into the lane a little bit,” orris added. ramingham dropped to a conference record of 1- and an overall record of -1 . orris said, “ e’re going to keep working hard - keep fighting - that’s the biggest thing.” ramingham will travel to itchburg tate for another conference matchup eb. .

The ramingham tate ams lost to the estfield tate wls by a score of 2eb. 1. ramingham outscored estfield -1 in the paint, but estfield’s 0 -point field goal shooting secured them the win.

The wls scored unanswered points to start the game.

The ams’ elsey elle scored a layup, followed by a free throw from teammate Jenna Tavanese to put ramingham on the scoreboard. estfield scored another unanswered points and held an early 10-point lead over the ams.

The ams’ atty aidul and elle combined for unanswered points, which cut estfield’s lead to 1 -11. ith 5 remaining in the first uarter, estfield outscored the ams 10-1 over the next 2 minutes and controlled a 2 -1 lead. ramingham closed the gap with a 5-0 scoring run. estfield closed out the first uarter, outscoring ramingham -2 and held a 0-20 lead.

The wls continued their dominance into the second uarter. ramingham was able to prevent any major scoring runs for the wls, but estfield steadily outscored the ams. ith 2 2 remaining in the second uarter, estfield held their largest lead of the game at 1 points. After their strong offensive performance, the wls held a 50- 1 lead over the ams.

The ams’ rystalee ernandez’s free throw sparked an 11-0 scoring run to close out the first half. estfield led 50- 2 at the end of the first half. ramingham continued their scoring run and piled on another unanswered points 2 minutes into the second half, which cut their deficit to 2 points. ith 55 remaining in the third uarter, estfield led 5 -52. ith 50 remaining in the third uarter, ramingham’s elle scored a layup and launched an -0 scoring run for ramingham. ith 1 2 remaining in the third uarter, ramingham led for the first time in the game by a score of 0-5 . estfield scored unanswered points to close out the uarter and led 5- 0.

The ams climbed back within points before estfield broke away again. estfield outscored the ams 10-2 and extended their lead to 11 points. ramingham outscored the wls 10- in the remaining 5 minutes of the game, but estfield held their lead and secured an 2- victory. ramingham’s elle was perfect from the field on 11 attempts. he scored 2 points and recorded 11 rebounds. elle said, “I’m not really concerned about my stats - just upset that we lost. “ e just need to come together and work as a team,” she added. ramingham’s aidul scored 1 points and recorded 20 rebounds in the game. aidul said, “ e were playing better as a team in the second half. It was just getting warmed up to the game that was a little bit difficult for us. “ e just need to get better each practice that we have,” aidul added. ramingham dropped to a conference record of 5- and an overall record of 1 -5. ramingham will travel to itchburg tate for another conference matchup eb. .

Adrien Gobin /THE GATEPOST (Left) Bryan Thompson, Juran Ligonde, and JD Okafor huddle during game against fi l

Adrien Gobin /THE GATEPOST Gwendolyn Carpenter lining up for a free throw during game against fi l

WESTFIELD STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

68 57 CONNECT WITH ADAM LEVINE alevine5@student.framingham.edu

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WESTFIELD STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

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ARTS & FEATURES

FEBRUARY 3, 2023 | 11

ARTS & FEATURES

State Street stargazing Continued from page 1 Wright added, “Our goal is really just to open our doors to anybody who’s interested in learning more about STEM and provide a venue for them to do that.”

Justine Greenwood, the communications and media coordinator of the McAuliffe Center, began as an intern and slowly transitioned into a full time position. Greenwood is responsible for managing the center’s graphics and website, as well as helping with stargazing nights.

She said stargazing nights have always been fun for her and had good turnouts, adding that they’re a great way to get people introduced to the McAuliffe Center. She added the center usually collaborates with another group at these events, like their partnership with the Framingham Public Library for space week.

Greenwood said the best part of stargazing is “the eureka moment.”

“My favorite part is when - it had just happened - one of the little kids looks into the telescope and goes ‘Wow!’ That’s the best part,” she said.

Greenwood said stargazing helps people who might not otherwise have the outlet to see and access information on astronomy, and “makes it real for them.”

“It’s such a foreign subject to people sometimes, so it’s nice to get peo-

Ryan O’Connell / THE GATEPOST Members of the Framingham community at the stargazing event with Suzanne Wright calibrating the telescope Jan. 27. ple here to actually experience it for themselves,” she added.

She said she facilitates other events for the McAuliffe Center too, and enjoys the diversity of her job.

“Sometimes I’m making a mess and sometimes I’m strictly coding on a website,” she said.

Greenwood said she hopes to see people come back after attending events with them. She said it’s fun, educational, and a good way to get to

know people who are interested in the same things.

“You can have that little moment that you get excited about something, and there’s no judgment at all,” she said.

Tyler Pare, a freshman Earth science major and stargazing intern at the McAuliffe Center, said he loves studying the universe and stargazing.

Pare added he was in his fourth month as the stargazing intern, and

has always been amazed by space, as well as “our position in the universe.”

He said his favorite aspect of stargazing was helping people to see the moon in sharper detail. “Oftentimes it’s the first time seeing it through a telescope,” he said. “So the reactions are just amazing.”

ASL major, said, “A lot of my friends talked about how they really liked it last year and so I was interested to see it and I wanted to experience what they enjoyed.”

Mike Salvati, the founder of Mike’s Music, said he’s been working with colleges and universities to host events like this since he was a sophomore in college, and his company has offered traveling-casino services for 20 years now.

He said his favorite part of the night was “just seeing everybody come over and start playing and just smiles on their faces - and getting a chance to learn.”

Celia Marchese, a senior elementary education major and the traditions coordinator for FSAB, said traditions like Casino Night are very important to FSU. She said FSAB has been hosting Casino Night at least since her freshman year, and students come to expect annual traditions like this. amantha tafinski, off-campus events coordinator for FSAB, said the timing of the event is also important.

“These events definitely benefit the community, especially in January. I feel like a lot of the students in the past have had a really hard time connecting, especially first years and second years. So this is a really great opportunity and you’re all learning together - you’re either winning or losing money together - so you’re building that bond to maybe grab Snapchats, phone numbers, things like that,” she said.

Thompson said FSAB is a good organization for students to join if they want to get involved in the school, as it can provide experience, connections, and a lot of good fun through events like Casino Night and the upcoming Drag Bingo.

“Honestly, it makes lifetime bonds with the people in the club, the people you work with,” he said. “Every college has a campus activities board in some way or another. You meet these people, you exchange ideas.”

CONNECT WITH RYAN O’CONNELL

roconnell1@student.framingham.edu

Rolling the dice at FSU FSAB hosts Casino Night

By Raena Doty Asst. Arts & Features Editor Poker tables, roulette wheels, and decks of cards adorned the McCarthy Forum on Feb. 1 when Framingham State Activities Board (FSAB) hosted Casino Night, giving students the opportunity to play traditional gambling games.

Starting at 6 p.m., the event gave students the chance to play games like roulette, blackjack, and poker in a school-sanctioned space. FSAB worked with a company called Mike’s Music to create a beginner-friendly space for gambling. The games did not accept real money, but rather paper slips designed to look like money.

Andrew Thompson, senior hospitality major and vice president of FSAB, said he believes events like Casino Night are good ways for students to connect with the community and gain new experiences.

“I think that it really gives students an opportunity to - I don’t want to plug gambling in the best way - but it’s giving them different experiences

to things,” he said. “It gives students and people of the community a way to come in and be able to have a fun time with their friends - be able to meet new people.

“To this day, all the time, there’s these two girls that didn’t know each other, and now all the time I see them hanging out constantly. That’s an experience I’ve seen where people have made friendships at nights like Casino Night,” he said.

Many attendees agreed the best part of the event was the community and experience offered.

Audley Brown, a freshman finance major, said, “I came here tonight because I was interested in gambling and I wanted to practice proper gambling and I feel like this will be a great place for me to practice safe gambling without real money.”

He joked his favorite part of the night was winning $500 at blackjack and then immediately losing the money, but then corrected and said his favorite part of the night was actually learning to play poker.

Gwendolyn Schutt, a sophomore

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12 | FEBRUARY 3, 2023

ARTS & FEATURES

Only 7,983 miles to Framingham State Satish Penmatsa shares his journey to professorship

By Ryan O’Connell Arts & Features Editor Twenty years ago, Satish Penmatsa was finishing his master’s degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and working as a research assistant for their computer science department - while he knew nearly no one in America.

Penmatsa, , came from India to the nited tates - with no close family or friends - to study computer science. e was competing for financial aid, which he said was rare for international students. espite the culture shock of American universities and his lack of connections, he continued exploring his passions for computer science, networking, game design, teaching, and research.

Today, he has contributed to over 0 research publications, is recognized as an outstanding researcher by the nited tates itizenship and Immigration ervices, and holds an award labeling him the “ ost utstanding raduate tudent” from one of his alma maters.

Penmatsa is a computer science professor and the chair of the department, about to celebrate 10 years with Framingham State University next summer. espite his accomplishments in professorship, Penmatsa’s journey to ramingham was anything but a straight shot. rowing up in India, Penmatsa said he originally wanted to become an engineer, viewing his uncles - who were already in the industry - as role models. “ y dad always used to give them as an example. omeday you have to be like them.’ o that’s when I decided that, , I want to be an engineer,’” he said. e added that his interest in computer science was initially directed by the rising popularity of technology, which coerced him to study it rather than engineering at an undergraduate level.

Penmatsa said he attended Andhra niversity, which was close to his home, while studying for his bachelor’s degree, and spent a lot of time hanging out with friends, watching movies, and waiting to study until it was absolutely necessary.

“Looking back, maybe I should have spent more time studying .

Things would have maybe been better - I don’t know. But then it worked out, I got a good percentage, a good PA,” he said.

Penmatsa decided to enroll for graduate study in the nited tates after hearing testimonials from friends and relatives that the programs were of good uality and led to good opportunities. o he began to study for the and T L exams in his third year of undergraduate. e said he wasn’t satisfied with his

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initial score on the , but applied to schools with it anyway - and was accepted to the niversity of Louisiana at Lafayette. owever, he would soon transfer to T an Antonio, and said he was much more likely to successfully study computer science and receive financial aid

resulted in a couple of publications in my first year itself,” he said.

“That motivated me to pursue further research, and then to my Ph. .,” he added. “I love being with fellow students, and I love the classroom environment.”

Becoming a graduate student in

“After your second year in Ph.D., you have to complete an exam, a comprehensive exam.

That is one of the toughest exams in any school, maybe. So I studied really hard during my second year, and I passed.”

- Satish Penmatsa, Computer Science Professor

Courtesy of Satish Penmatsa

“He was very helpful, supportive, polite. I know that the students would often go to him for questions and he was never judgemental.”

- Michael Reeves, Senior Computer Science Major at the new school.

As Penmatsa began at T an Antonio, he said he originally didn’t have any interest in teaching or research. e added it was a research assistant position at the university which introduced him to the world of academia. “ uring that time I was able to get some work done in the area of parallel and distributed computing, and that

America also came with a lot of new challenges, he said. “ ou don’t know anyone, right ou rely on some friends - you call them, ask for some suggestions. eah, it was hard,” he said. “The college life here is uite different from back home, so we had to get used to that.”

Penmatsa said he initially planned to become a software engineer after earning his master’s degree, but in-

stead continued into a Ph. . program to allow him to continue his research.

“After your second year in Ph. ., you have to complete an exam, a comprehensive exam. That is one of the toughest exams in any school, maybe. o I studied really hard during my second year, and I passed,” he said.

Penmatsa said he got an offer to teach immediately out of school from outhern Arkansas niversity in 200 , and also taught at the niversity of aryland astern hore from 2010 to 201 . ince becoming a professor at ramingham tate, Penmatsa said he has enjoyed teaching programming courses, involving high-level coding languages like , Java, and Python. e said he enjoys teaching programming due to the impact it has on how students think. “ oming up with a programming solution for a problem needs a student to think step by step. Because once you are good with programming, learning other computer science subjects will be relatively easy,” he said. “ nce you gain that skill of logical thinking and reasoning, it will help you in any other course,” he added. ichael eeves, a senior computer science major, said Penmatsa has always been a supportive figure in the omputer cience epartment.

“I actually met him on my orientation day,” he said. “But I didn’t have a class with him until a year later, I think. “ e was very helpful, supportive, polite. I know that the students would often go to him for uestions and he was never judgemental,” he said. “ e’s a great guy. I wish him all the best, because he’s the head of computer science starting last semester.” avid eil, a computer science professor, said Penmatsa has always been a dedicated and focused member of the department. eil said being the department chair is not easy, but expects Penmatsa to do well in the role. “ e seems to take it cheerfully,” eil said.

Penmatsa said he enjoys working with students of different comfort levels in programming, and likes to strike a balance when teaching. “This variety of students that I see interests me,” he said. e added he believes he has a chance to motivate as a professor, and hopes to discover more strategies on helping students of different ability levels benefit from his courses. “ ere, at ramingham tate, I love my position, I love teaching students here,” Penmatsa said. “I’m loving implementing my skills in teaching these different types of students.”

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ARTS & FEATURES

FEBRUARY 3, 2023 | 13

‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ is a true tour de force

By Owen Glancy Staff Writer “The Banshees of Inisherin” may seem like a very simple film when viewed from the outside. The audience thinks, “Two friends parting can’t be that dramatic or interesting, right ” hile you would be forgiven for thinking as such, this film is far deeper and more dramatic than its simple premise promises.

The rolling green hills and steep cliffs of the island of Inisherin dominate every scene, giving the audience a strange sense of familiarity with the island. rom the dimly lit pub to the busy port area, everything is shot beautifully. Inisherin’s beaches and cliffs are given special attention in relation to the cinematography, making them look eerie and imposing. inematographer Ben avis does an excellent job at highlighting shadows. The best example of this comes from late in the film where the central characters P draic illeabh in and olm oherty are having their final conversation on the beach. The almost overpowering brightness of the sun combined with the camera’s position behind the characters creates a beautiful shot of the two men’s silhouettes staring at the empty beach.

These pretty shots are only the tip of the iceberg. irector and writer artin c onagh uses the very effective techni ue of implementing a

simple story with complex characters.

This allows the film to be digestible yet remain engaging because of the multilayered characters.

The central duo is incredibly well written and acted. P draic olin arrell and olm Brenan leeson both come across as sympathetic and human. ven before we see olm cut P draic out of his life seemingly out of nowhere, we can still feel their years of friendship. The way P draic hangs around olm’s house and discusses his concern for his friend with the bartender of the local pub tells us all we need to know about their relationship without ever needing to directly spell it out. arrell’s character is who we spend much of the film with, and it’s arguably his strongest performance. e expresses the slow change from subtle loneliness to intense depression easily. leeson’s character, on the other hand, has a more complex shift in emotions throughout the film. is gained sense of freedom from splitting away from P draic, yet the loneliness that accompanies it is so well portrayed.

P draic’s sister also plays a crucial role in the story as a straight woman that keeps P draic grounded and sane. erry ondon’s performance is stellar and just as good as the leading men. Barry eoghan is also in the film, playing the rebellious son of the island’s local police officer. hile his

performance is good, it does feel like we’ve seen it before, especially in how eoghan is typecast.

As the story progresses, things begin to get more and more intense. rom police brutality to bodily harm, it becomes increasingly difficult to predict what will happen. This gives the film an added sense of tension that will have you screaming at the film’s characters not to make any rash decisions.

The greatest aspect of the story is in how there is no clear right or wrong side of this argument. ome people will relate to the desperation and loneliness felt by P draic, while others will relate to the desire for self-improvement and hopelessness felt by olm.

I personally agree with olm, and felt that P draic was in the wrong, but I never felt disconnected from P draic, even if I didn’t agree with his increasingly dangerous and ignorant methods of trying to reconnect with olm. espite how close this film comes, not everything is perfect. The one major hiccup is in how eoghan’s character exits the film. is character is killed off in a shockingly grim and sudden way. It felt like his character arc hadn’t ended yet and that he still had room to do more in the story. ven with this minor hiccup, “The Banshees of Inisherin” is undeniably a massive win for film. It shows what cinema can be like with an excellent

cast, perfect direction, brilliant cinematography, and genius writing. This film truly is a masterpiece that only rarely releases, and you should do yourself a favor and see it as soon as possible.

Rating: A+ An emotional masterclass in film

Courtesy of IMDb

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‘M3GAN’ - a ridiculous romp

By Jack McLaughlin Staff Writer January is typically the month in which film studios put out forgettable or downright awful movies after the hot releases at the end of a year. “ A ” breaks this norm by being a wildly enjoyable watch. emma Allison illiams is a tech wiz working for a toy company in charge of making the hottest new toys.

A secret project of hers is A ,a lifelike doll that uses artificial intelligence to become a strong companion with whomever its owner is. ady iolet c raw is emma’s niece and after a family tragedy is now living with her and is gifted A to prove to her boss that the doll can be a huge success for their company. owever, things go awry once A grows more protective of ady and progressively becomes more violent in the process. “ A ” is the lighthearted start to this year that you will want to seek out. This horror flick is a pretty ridiculous concept, and it’s fully aware of that.

Its lighthearted tone stays consistent throughout. othing is supposed to be taken seriously, and the film does an excellent job perfecting that tone. hile the story of a doll becoming

sentient with murderous intentions is not a wholly original idea, its modernization is executed in a way that helps you forget how done to death this story is.

The film has messages on the over-reliance on technology that is currently plaguing us, and this works to help modernize this story to be more relevant for younger viewers who can see this idea personified through a killer doll.

The performances are serviceable.

The leads don’t stick out. owever, there are supporting roles that will keep you anticipating their next overthe-top moment. onny hieng’s performance as emma’s boss perfectly embodies the ridiculous tone. is scenes are so campy that at times you may find yourself uestioning if the film is a comedy skit. or a horror film, it’s pretty tame in terms of its violence. There are few kills, and the ones that are here don’t go as far as you would expect, which is fine considering it targets a younger audience. ithout this key component, some of the movie can feel less like a horror movie and more like a parody of one, which has the risk of being distracting but manages to make it a smaller issue.

The titular character is a fun villain

for this story. er progressive descent into becoming a vicious threat is incredibly fun to witness. espite her performance being mostly comedic, she still manages to be sort of unsettling in a few moments but none of them stick out uite like her funnier ones.

The big downside to the tone is the lack of tension in any of the scenes. ost of the time you can’t wait to see what A ends up doing to her victims and those se uences are usually pretty funny.

A true standout moment is when A is chasing a kid through the woods who was bullying ady. The way they made her movement was so strange and left the theater cracking up as she grew closer to her victim with this bizarre mobility.

In any other movie, this would have been played out as an intense and dramatic se uence that would have left you terrified in your seat. ere it’s one of the best scenes of the movie just because of how amusing it was.

This movie wasn’t trying to be groundbreaking or to completely redefine the horror genre. “ A ” is more interested in giving audiences a good time with an eerie concept that offers plenty of well-earned laughs. hile everything else about this film is standard and at points forgettable, the core of this movie is its ab-

surdity and that is what will stay with you long after watching it.

Rating: B The best start to 2023 that we could ask for

Courtesy of IMDb

CONNECT WITH JACK MCLAUGHLIN

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ARTS & FEATURES

Pixel 7 Pro - a great phone for the Android experience

By Mark Haskell Staff Writer Google, one of the many brands that provide cell phones to its clientele, has been creating more and more gadgets lately.

The most recent addition to the Pixel lineup is the Google Pixel 7 and the 7 Pro. I was given the 7 Pro for Christmas and now, two months later, I am still impressed by the phone.

It has distinct traits that I have never seen before in a phone, such as an unusually long-lasting battery, the ability to translate different languages live while having conversations, improved camera quality and features, and improved performance, among other fascinating aspects that I have yet to explore.

The Google Pixel 7 and the 7 Pro were both released to stores worldwide Oct. 13, 2022, where the price range was between $599 to $1,099 depending on the model that you purchase and the amount of storage it has.

Some of the other features the phone has includes scratch-resistant cover glass and a higher maximum brightness. It can go up to 1,000 nits in high dynamic range and can go up to 1,500 nits in standard definition 1,500 nits is considered peak brightness to the phone.

Another feature I prefer in the Pixel 7 Pro is that it has a full 24 hours more battery life than the previous model, with a function called Extreme Battery Saver. This function gives the phone a long-lasting boost until one can access a charger.

The Pixel 6 did not have the face unlock function, which I am pleased to have on this model, alongside a new processor and camera features.

The Pixel 2 XL was the first Pixel phone I was given during my sophomore year of high school and it was a powerful phone for 2017. This model came with a better camera for the time and features that I could easily navigate while testing a new phone.

It came with a fingerprint sensor on the back while the 7 comes with one that is under the screen. The 7 Pro has a faster processor for 2022, while the 2 XL is discontinued and came with a processor that would be considered slow today.

The pros of these two Pixel phones, the 2 XL and the 7 Pro, are that they have very good cameras that produce amazing quality photos and these two phones possess long lasting batteries. I concede that they have different quantities within their batteries in milliamp hours.

A significant negative with the 2 XL is that it no longer receives software updates, while the 7 Pro is still receiv-

ing new features.

I will forever remain an Android user because it is an ecosystem that I prefer more than iOS. It is less complicated to navigate than iOS, has more features than iOS, and performs much better than iOS in my opinion.

If you are looking for a new phone, at any time in the year, I would have you perhaps consider the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

CONNECT WITH MARK HASKELL

Rating: A A great selection in the Android lineup

mhaskell@student.framingham.edu

Courtesy of Forbes

‘Employee of the Month’ - this review contains scenes

By Ryan O’Connell Arts & Features Editor A recent unnamed trend in the indie-horror game genre is defined by its low-poly, monster-focused design, and spearheaded by one publisher Puppet Combo.

The publisher’s success with these popular retro themes has led to a diverse catalog from Puppet Combo. Of course, that’s assuming you consider the same search-and-escape style objectives with a different creature of the week chasing you diverse.

While Puppet Combo is undoubtedly fulfilling a niche in the market, their repetitive design philosophy has made horror genre games with PlayStation 2-style graphics something to flinch at.

Low-poly styles are now more synonymous with the amaetur game designer, the nostalgia-drunk hobbyist, or the mass-producing publisher rather than the respected developer.

All thanks to Puppet Combo and a few other frankly uninspired games.

It is because of this learned bias that “Employee of the Month” left me very, very impressed.

Despite it appearing as an incredibly cliche recycle of what works - a scary monster, retro graphics, a grocery store - there’s something different about it.

It’s funny.

Developed by Projeckt Skeleton

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

and released September 2022, you play as an employee of The Month - a convenience store chain - who agreed to pick up the night shift. Although defined as an atmospheric survival-horror game on its store page, it’s really more of a horror comedy.

You’re thrown immediately into the high stakes action of attending to an empty store, and given a list of tasks to keep you busy: restock the DVDs and the toilet paper, and mop up a spill.

Players are quickly encouraged to familiarize themselves with a wide array of stocked items in the store, such as “Zebra Cigarettes + Filters,” a cigarette brand that will kill you in three puffs, or “Biccys,” fine biscuits farmed from Arbalanjialarotanda, New Mexico, Japan.

All of the items littering the store have a little slice of absurdist humor attached to them, encouraging players to give everything they encounter careful assessment in fear of missing a great joke.

Those great jokes are always dry and tongue-in-cheek, although somehow very refreshing.

They’re jokes that couldn’t be told anywhere but in your head - every delivery relying on your inner voice and it starts before even getting to the title screen. On launching the game: “WARNING: This game contains scenes.”

Not only is this curveball effective-

ly timed, written, and communicated - it’s also an indicator of just what type of humor you’re getting into.

But it seems like anybody could write a good meta joke these days, right? Better get back to work.

After finishing your tasks, you’re called by the boss - he left another list he forgot to tell you about. Put some ice cubes in the sink, watch the employee training video, and deliver some milk to the endless void of static behind a false bottom in one of the coolers. Just like any other first job.

The power cuts as soon as you pick up the third list. Better go turn that back on.

Was that padlocked door always open?

Not only does the hilarious writing of “Employee of the Month” take the center stage, but it also does so while maintaining strong horror and adventure elements. This means that even the most horror-adverse players could still end up enjoying “Employee of the Month.”

There are legitimately startling moments, but by the first hour of playtime, it was hard not to be drawn in more by the personality of The Month than its monsters.

The story, while well-constructed, is clouded. It’s a struggle to collect all the pieces of in-game lore on the first playthrough, which detracted from the impact it had on me.

It’s hard to name something about

this game I didn’t like - it’s of a good length, has competent audio design, a fine stylized look, and a functional story. Not only that, but it has great level design, puzzles, Easter eggs, and a heap of phenomenal writing.

Some might say the most important part of a game is how it looks, or even how it plays. I’d say the most important part is if it can make you feel something. And there’s no better feeling than laughing.

Rating: A ond A genuine diam in the rough

Courtesy of Steam

CONNECT WITH RYAN O’CONNELL

roconnell1@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

Puzzles

40. Odd duck 42. *Geographic region for the Aleutian Islands 47. Rocking horse rider 48. Go green, maybe?

49. That, in Spanish 50. Round object 51. iComfort mattress maker 53. Rent-a-car company 54. Travel company headquartered in Chicago, and an apt description of the starred clues’ answers 60. Positioned in the middle 61. Spanish term of endearment 62. “I deserve some pity!”

63. Watch covertly

ACROSS 1. “The ___ is your oyster” 6. Arose 12. Clip artist?

13. Comedian Nancherla 14. *Cultural ethos represented by the word “aloha” 16. Fancy party 17. Lugged 18. Frying liquid 19. “How’s it goin’?”

22. In the manner of 23. STEM branch: Abbr.

26. *Like Archie and Lilibet MountbattenWindsor, nationalitywise 30. “Don’t worry about it” 31. Sound from a pig 32. Lady who has won 13 Grammys 34. Overwhelm 37. Extinct bird 38. Short concession speech

DOWN 1. East Coast convenience store chain 2. “Hot Right Now” singer Rita 3. Slugger’s stat 4. Floral garland 5. “Aw, shucks” 6. Building with a moat 7. Seems 8. Netflix miniseries about a young mother who finds work cleaning houses 9. Screw up 10. College, to Brits 11. Touch gently 12. Going big 14. Stuff that’s brushed 15. Linguist Chomsky 16. Hunk of goo 19. Sloth, e.g.

20. Employs 21. “What a relief!”

23. Makes room, in a way 24. Check an ID 25. Digging 27. You often raise your glass for one 28. “Drop Dead Gorgeous” actress Amy 29. 2023 Cricket World Cup host 32. Basic point 33. ___ gobi (potato and cauliflower dish)

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35. Teeny arachnid 36. Informative TV ads 39. Middle-of-the-night hour 41. Popular period tracking app 43. Digital game inspired by Mastermind 44. “At Last” singer James 45. Jenner of “KUWTK” Puzzle solutions are now 46. Six-pack makeup exclusively online.

51. Commotion 52. Goals 53. Unidentified author, for short 54. Worker who calls strikes?

55. Opposite of paleo 56. Words that might precede a legal name change 57. “Let ’er ___!”

58. Produce, like an egg 59. “If you ask me ...”

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

PHOTOS

16| FEBRUARY 3, 2023

Spread and Photos by Design and Photos Editor Maddison Behringer

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Sophomore Gwendolyn Schutt showing off her poker chips at FSAB’s Casino Night Feb. 1.

14 Two students playing poker at FSAB’s Casino Night Feb. 1.

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18 Students learning how to play black jack during FSAB’s Casino Night Feb. 1.

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26 Junior Olivia Heafey celebrating their win at the roulette table during FSAB’s Casino Night Feb. 1.

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@The Gatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Students learning how to play three card poker at FSAB’s Casino Night Feb. 1.

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