09.20.2012

The Ithacan Thursday, Sep tember 20 , 20 12

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Volume 80 , Is s u e 4

Asian-American minor program makes progress by candace King Assistant News Editor

positions open. There are four open positions for the class of 2016, one for the class of 2014 and two for the class of 2013. There is also one position open for each of the following: the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance senator, the transfer student senator and the graduate liaison.

There are two students running for the transfer senator position.

Juniors Katelyn Madison and Colin Covitz. Both transferred to the college this year.

Madison said transfer students are often treated as freshmen, so she would work to enrich the transfer experience and have more students transfer to the college.

Colin Covitz, an air force cadet at Cornell's ROTC, transferred to the college from SUNY-Delphi, a move he found was not as simple as he expected.

After nearly two years of debate, an Asian-American minor was officially approved Monday by Marisa Kelly, provost and vice president for educational affairs.

The Committee for Inclusive Education, an on-campus group that promotes crosscultural education, launched a campaign along with the Asian-American Alliance more than a year ago to include a minor program focusing on Asian-American LEWIS said the minor is on track history in the col- to be offered by lege curriculum. next fall.

The movement included photo campaigns and educational workshops to outline the importance of having this program in the curriculum.

Despite this milestone, the process is still not complete. Leslie Lewis, dean of humanities and sciences, said the Asian-American Studies program still needs to be approved by the Humanities and Sciences curriculum committee, the Humanities and Science faculty, the Academic Policies Committee and ultimately the State Education Department.

Lewis said she does not anticipate any obstacles in these final steps. “[It] is moving along through the process, and I foresee no problem,” Lewis said.

If the process goes according to schedule, the minor will be approved for Fall 2013.

Asma Barlas, professor and program director for the Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity, said acquiring an Asian-American studies program has been a goal for the center, but they faced a roadblock because of the lack of professors to teach the program.

“The center is charged with developing an [African, Latino, Asian, Native American] ALANA-focused curriculum, and, so far, it was lacking a minor in Asian-American Studies,” Barlas said. “This is mostly because, until rather recently, there weren't any faculty who were teaching courses in this area, and one needs to have enough courses before one can develop a minor.”

This proposal includes a new faculty hire to solve this problem.

Senior Kristiana Reyes, one of the key members of the movement, said she is pleased with the decision, and as a result, she feels empowered and proud of her identity.

“I felt really empowered that I can actually change things as a woman, as a student, as an Asian-American

See SGA, page 4

See Minor, page 4

photo illustration by emily fuller

Virtual courses become new reality By gerald Doherty Senior writer

A worldwide trend toward online teaching and education give colleges and universities a means of delivering higher education globally to millions of students. Institutions are sharing entire courses with anyone with an Internet connection, leading Ithaca College to readdress how it will utilize online learning in the future.

IC 20/20 has charged the Task Force for Instructional Delivery Models with outlining how the college can offer more online courses

and degrees and also enable students studying abroad or working in internships to take college courses from their computer.

This move represents a deeper engagement by the college with online learning. Five years ago, the college began offering professional development certificates for taking online courses with no academic credit. Now the college is calling to move more, but not all, of the college experience from the classroom to the online forum.

Rob Gearhart, administrative co-chair for the task force and assistant provost for online

learning and extended studies, said while online learning at the college can be beneficial it will only serve to supplement — not replace — traditional higher education.

“We have to do this all within what’s most beneficial to our campus environment,” Gearhart said. “We’re a residential learning campus. We recognize that learning happens in a lot of different places, not only in the classroom.”

Gearhart said the college set out to provide

See Online, page 4

Senate candidates pitch platforms to small audience

by Emily Masters Contributing writer

Candidates for the fall Student Government Association elections presented an array of ideas on how to improve Ithaca College to a small audience at the SGA Platform Presentations at 7 p.m.

Monday in IC Square.

Elections will begin at noon Friday and end at noon Saturday.

The platforms included the eight candidates’ prior experience and their plans if elected. Candidates’ platforms varied, but some included addressing students’ issues with the Wi-Fi service on campus, reducing parking costs, streamlining website issues and making the college tobacco free.

About one sixth of the college community votes in elections, Rob Flaherty, current president of SGA, said, and the turnout in the fall is usually low because fewer people are running than in the spring,

Freshman Elijah Breton presents his platform to students Monday in IC Square. He is running for the class of 2016 senator position in SGA. Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan

when the executive board campaigns. Flaherty also said that they picked IC Square as the location

one two step Dance style brings locals together with a nod to the past, page 13

for the presentations because it is a high-traffic area on campus.

This fall there are 10 senator

Row for gold

Hazy Policy

Former Bombers rower claims gold medal at London Olympics, page 19

Paraphernalia should not be in city tobacco law, page 11

f ind m or e onl ine. www.t heit hacan.org

[ T hurs day Bri ef ing]

2 The It hacan

Th ursday, S eptember 2 0 , 2 0 1 2

Nation&World French cartoon spurs security hike

France stepped up security at some of its embassies after a satirical Parisian weekly published crude caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad on Wednesday. The prime minister said he would block a demonstration by people angry over a movie that was insulting to Islam, as the country plunged into a fierce debate about free speech.

The government defended the right of magazine writer Charlie Hebdo to publish the cartoons, which played off of the U.S.-produced film “The Innocence of Muslims,” and riot police took up positions outside the offices of the magazine, which was firebombed last year after it released an edition that mocked radical Islam.

The movie, which portrays the prophet as a fraud, a womanizer and a child molester, has set off violence in seven countries which has resulted in the deaths of at least 28 people, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya.

The French Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning Wednesday urging French people in the Muslim world to exercise “the greatest vigilance,” by avoiding all public gatherings and “sensitive buildings” such as those representing the West or religious sites.

The tensions surrounding the film are provoking debate in France about the limits of free speech.

Chicago teachers return to class

Students returned to class Wednesday after Chicago teachers voted to suspend their first strike in a quarter century.

Union delegates voted Tuesday night to suspend the walkout after discussing a proposed contract settlement with the nation’s third-largest school district. They said the contract wasn’t perfect but included enough concessions — including new teacher evaluations, recall rights for laid-off teachers and classroom conditions — to go back to work while they prepare to put it to a vote by more than 26,000 teachers and support staff in coming weeks.

Union leaders pointed to concessions by the city on how closely teacher evaluations will be tied to student test scores and to better opportunities for teachers to retain their jobs if schools are closed by budget cuts.

With an average salary of $76,000, Chicago teachers are already among the highest-paid in

the nation. The district’s final proposal included an average 7 percent raise over three years, with additional raises for experience and education.

Congressional parties split in India

India’s ruling Congress party worked to shore up its governing coalition Wednesday after a crucial ally withdrew its support in protest over a raft of new economic reforms that included a rise in fuel prices and lifting restrictions on foreign retailers.

The departure of the Trinamool Congress left the government with only a minority of seats in Parliament, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s party now depends on the support of outside parties to keep power.

Congress leaders watered down the new restrictions on cooking gas subsidies, saying that in Congress-ruled states families should get nine subsidized cylinders a year, up from the limit of six the national government had decided last week.

The West Bengal-based Trinamool Congress demanded the government rescind the decisions. When it didn’t, their party leader Mamata Banerjee announced Tuesday night she was pulling out of the government.

Top officials from Singh’s party said they would meet Thursday to decide what to do, but insisted they were ready if the government was to fall and national elections scheduled.

Israel holds large-scale military drill

The Israeli military conducted its largest snap drill in years Wednesday, as tensions with Iran over its nuclear program rise and civil war in neighboring Syria rages.

Military chief Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz ordered the exercise to test the competence and preparedness of several units in the armed forces, a military statement said. It called the drill in northern and central Israel “part of a routine inspection” that “does not indicate any changes” in the country’s alert levels.

Tens of thousands of soldiers were mobilized for the exercise, including artillery and air force personnel, making the drill unique because of the number of soldiers and senior officers involved, several officials said.

As part of the exercise, troops were dispatched by air from central part of the country to

Dancing in the streets

Hindu devotees dance as they take part in the ‘Ganesh Chaturti’ festival procession Wednesday in Mumbai, India. The 10-day long festival honoring the Hindu god, Ganesh, which began Wednesday will end with the immersion of Ganesh idols in bodies of water Sept. 29.

Rafiq Maqbool/associated press

the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights, captured from neighboring Syria in the 1967 Mideast war, the officials said.

Israeli leaders said they fear Syria’s stockpile weapons and missiles might fall into the hands of anti-Israel militants during the fighting there.

South African miners strike deal

Lonmin Platinum’s 28,000 miners celebrated a wage deal Wednesday that ended a deadly strike.

At Marikana, the scene of the protracted strike by Lonmin miners, thousands gathered and sang the national anthem in piercing heat, holding up umbrellas to block the sun. Workers cheered and laughed as they walked into the Wonderkop stadium in Marikana near the Lonmin mines. Many said they were happy to return to work Thursday and that the strike that saw 45 people killed has ended.

Lonmin agreed to a gross pay of $1,385 to rock drill operators who had been demanding a monthly take-home wage of $1,560. They

also agreed to give all miners a once-off payment of $250 as a bonus for returning to work. A statement from the company said that miners will receive between 11 and 22 percent wage increases.

Zolisa Bodlani, a mine strike leader, said the agreement is noteworthy and that they will return to the mine Thursday.

Space shuttle makes final launch

Space shuttle Endeavour began a journey to its new life as a museum piece Wednesday, heading west on the last ferry flight of its kind and leaving behind its NASA home.

Bolted to the top of a jumbo jet, NASA’s youngest shuttle departed Kennedy Space Center at sunrise Wednesday on the first leg of its flight to California.

Endeavour flew 25 times in space before retiring last year. It logged 123 million miles in orbit and circled Earth more nearly 4,700 times.

SOURCE: Associated Press

corrections

Multimedia

Last week it was reported in “College must disclose book prices sooner” that under the Higher Education Opportunity Act, Title IV financial aid could be pulled for noncompliance with textbook disclosures, but the fine does not apply to the textbook section of the act. It was also reported that textbooks could not be bundled with class materials. However, they are able to be bundled under certain circumstances.

There’s even more multimedia online.

Visit theithacan.org/multimedia.

Copy Editors

Video

Latino/a Heritage Month kicked off this week. Check out a one-woman play, “Brownsville Bred.”

Audio Slideshow

Das Racist played in Emerson Suites on Saturday. See how they pumped up the crowd with hip-hop beats.

Video

This team is undefeated and plans to continue its winning streak. Hear about the season from a senior player.

Got a news tip?

Video

Porchfest, a local music festival, brought a large crowd to Fall Creek and Northside Ithaca. Tune in to see what this event is all about.

News

Check out a reading by professor Fred Wilcox at Buffalo Street Books.

Jessica Afrin, Greg Broslawski, Sara Friedman, Rebecca Hellmich, Gretchen Hohmeyer, Haleigh LaMontagne, Jeremy Li, Desiree Lim, Karina Magee, Shannon Moloney, Erica Pirolli, Robyn Schmitz, Brittany Smith, Rose Vardell, Cassie Walters, Sara Webb, Vicky Wolak, Megan Zart

Subscribe to us: facebook.com/ithacanonline

Accent

Take a look at the vibrant Latin and Salsa dancing Saturday at Lot 10.

Follow us: twitter.com/ithacanonline

Sports

Find out how the field hockey team played at their latest game against Nazareth.

Contact News Editor Elma Gonzalez at egonzal2@ithaca.edu or 274-3207.

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Th ursday, septem be r 20, 2012

The I th a c a n 3

Public Safety increases campus patrol

by Patrick Feeney Staff Writer

Changes to the Office of Public Safety’s patrol methods, including an increase in bike-riding officers and daytime hours for campus security, have led to more coverage of the Ithaca College campus.

Thomas Dunn, investigator for Public Safety, said three officers have been trained to patrol campus on mountain bikes. Security officers who previously would only patrol at night are now patrolling around the clock. Students in residence halls on campus, including the Circle Apartments and Emerson Hall, said they noticed what they believed to be more officers in their areas.

Terri Stewart, director of the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management, said this increased perception at the college is one of the office’s goals.

“I’m actually pretty pleased that the student body is recognizing a higher visibility,” Stewart said. “I think that’s good feedback.”

However, higher visibility does not equate to more presence, Dunn said. The office has not added more vehicles, he said, and new recruits have been minimal, but they have made better use of their resources.

“They used to just work the night shift and they work around the clock now,” Dunn said. “So it’s just a different way to use the resources we have, on our end, in creative ways.”

Dunn also said more officers volunteered to take the bike training program than in previous years.

“The deputy chief has been pushing the bike patrol,” Dunn said, “We held a bike school over the summer and we had three officers graduate from it. They received the additional training on the police mountain bike.”

The bike patrols are not new. Deputy Chief David Dray, assistant director of Public Safety and Emergency Management, said the program has been around for more than a decade, but more officers volunteered to go through training this year.

“We like the philosophy of community-oriented policing,” Dray said. “With someone being on a bike, they’re out there, they’re more visible than being in a cruiser.”

Senior Sophia Cardinali said she has been seeing more Public Safety vehicles on the college’s campus than in previous years.

“I feel as though I see them driving around all the time and walking around campus, especially

by NOREYANA FERNANDO Staff Writer

A Public Safety vehicle drives on Farm Pond Road on its way to the Public Safety office Wednesday afternoon. The Office of Public Safety has extended shifts to increase patrols around campus.

Shawn Steiner/the ithacan

up in the Circles,” Cardinali said.

Junior Meredith Sager said though she hasn’t noticed much change in Public Safety’s behavior on campus, she is surprised by the new bike patrols.

“It was kind of weird,” Sager said. “It’s not like a crime-ridden place where they need a lot of excess cops on bikes patrolling your every move. They’re trying to make it a safe place to be, I guess.”

At Cornell University, campus police have not expanded, but Dave Honan, deputy chief of Cornell’s police, said that campus security has temporarily extended the hours of its staff in the wake of the sexual assaults that occurred Sept. 2.

Stewart said areas where Public Safety’s presence seems higher have probably been subject to more incidents recently.

“Obviously, we’re strategic about our deployment,” Stewart said. “We’re incident-driven. We

look at our data, we try to analyze where problems are and we try to be preventative and get out in front of them.”

According to the Public Safety Log, between Sept. 6 and Sept. 12 there were 49 separate reports made by officers. Of these, 12 took place in the Circle Apartments. Last year, seven took place from Sept. 2 to Sept. 12 in the Circles.

Ron Trunzo, associate director of Residential Life, said despite the increase in reports, there have been no special requests for additional patrol of areas on campus.

“We always have residential assistants who are on duty,” Trunzo said. “We increase duty on weekends just because there tends to be more activity and more things going on late at night.”

Trunzo also said resident assistants are the first responders to policy violations and they will call Public Safety for life-threatening situations or suspicions of drug use.

Group to raise awareness in wake of recent assaults

by Sage Daugherty Contributing writer

The recent sexual assaults in Collegetown have sparked discussions about sexual assault, safety and awareness at Ithaca College.

Students Active for Ending Rape, an organization that seeks to educate students about rape, will run a series of events to raise awareness.

Senior Jesse Maeshiro, co-president of SAFER, said recent events have prompted SAFER to step up its advocacy efforts for victims of sexual violence. On Sept. 2, a sexual assault, an attack and a rape were reported in Collegetown. Since January 2012, there has been one report of rape and two reports of sexual misconduct on Ithaca College’s campus, according to Public Safety logs.

“It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that events like that can occur at different times and in many different circumstances,” Maeshiro said. “By starting to educate others and advocate for this issue, we can start taking steps toward creating a safer community for everyone.”

According to the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault, one in four women will become a victim of sexual assault in college.

Also, on average, 50 percent of college sexual assaults involve alcohol.

County budget is more stable than in past

SAFER was founded by students at Columbia University in 2000 as an organization to teach other students about sexual violence, rape culture and attempts to reform college sexual assault policies. The college’s chapter of SAFER was created four years ago and meets at 7 p.m. Tuesdays in Williams Hall.

Senior Johanna Leister, treasurer of SAFER, said the group is vital to the college campus and works to inform the community about sexual assault as well as safety.

“We are an advocacy organization, so we are just kind of hoping to get the word out there to students and the community and to raise awareness on campus,” Leister said.

The group plans to host several events throughout the year, but the dates for the events have not been announced yet.

Later this month, SAFER is sponsoring a screening of “Welcome to the Party.” The film was a collaborative effort by Deb Beazley, the sexual assault prevention educator and resource coordinator at West Virginia University; Jerry McGonigle, a professor at West Virginia University; and Tom Nicholson, a professor of media, arts and sciences at Ithaca College. The goal of the screening is to better inform the students about

Seniors Gena Mangiaratti and Jesse Maeshiro, co-presidents of Students Active for Ending Rape, lead a meeting Tuesday night in Friends Hall.

Shawn Steiner/the ithacan

the college party scene so they can make a conscious effort to be safe, Maeshiro said.

“IC Sex Behind Closed Doors,” an event taking place later in the semester, will point out the differences between sex and rape, Maeshiro said.

“We’re going to talk about sex versus rape and touch on some issues that are more sensitive and that people aren’t really willing to talk about,” she said.

The Clothesline Project will be held in the spring. Sexual abuse victims will decorate T-shirts, which will be hung on a clothesline on campus.

“It’s basically a vehicle for women who have been affected by

this violence to express their emotions, and also just a way for other people on campus to see the shirts and learn something from the experience,” Maeshiro said.

Nancy Reynolds, program director for the Center for Health Promotion, said there are many campus support systems for victims of sexual assault such as the Hammond Health Center, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Services and the Office of Public Safety.

“The campus has an obligation to maintain a safe environment,” she said.

“We all have an obligation to work together and make sure the campus is a respectful place for everybody.”

Tompkins County has begun its review of the recommended budget for 2013, and county officials say this year’s budget is more stable than those adopted over the past few years.

The budget for next year contrasts with budgets from the past four years, when the allocations for MAREANE said many departthe economy is not ments were as tight now as it tighter and was in past years. limited by unstable national economy.

The departments and offices fundedbythecountybudgetinclude Information Technology Services, the Health Department and the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit. Tompkins County includes nine townships, six villages and the city of Ithaca.

The 2013 recommended budget has an overall spending increase of 0.44 percent compared to 2012.

Funding for highway materials, has increased by 14 percent for next year, and funding for employee training and maintenance has increased by more than 40 percent.

However, funding for some areas decreased, including utilities with a recommended decrease of 5.5 percent, and salaries and wages with a 0.09 percent decrease.

The Tompkins County Administrator Joe Mareane said the 2013 budget has not been this tight since the Great Recession.

“It’s really the product of four years of taking some very bitter medicine,” Mareane said. “Over the past four years, our budgets have been characterized by retrenchment, reducing programs, by shrinking our personnel roster and just trying to find a way to adapt to this new economy of ours.”

City of Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick has commended the recommended 2013 county budget.

“It’s a reasonable level of spending,” Myrick said. “For the first time in years, the county won’t have to cut back drastically.”

However, the budget includes an $18 annual tax increase for homeowners.

The TCAT has started to put together a capital improvement plan for future projects, including plans for a new TCAT office facility and the purchase of new buses.

Mareane said the budget has acknowledged the possible costs.

However, Joe Turcotte, TCAT general manager, said the reported stability in the recommended budget does not reflect in allocations for TCAT, which has received no increase in funding for 2013. TCAT is funded jointly by Tompkins County Cornell University, and the City of Ithaca.

“What we are seeing is a very tight budget,” he said. “We have had our partner contribution at the same level it has been for, I believe, four years now.”

By 2013, he said, they hope to replace eight buses, with the cost of a bus running at $380,000 each.

The recommended budget is set to be adopted in November after its legislation is approved.

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4 The It hacan

SGA works to increase student vote SGA

from page 1

“I’m looking to make a streamline process to transfer into Ithaca College,” Covitz said.

Sophomore Monique Peterkin is running for the position of senior senator because she graduated high school with 60 college credits.

One of her goals as senator FLAHERTY said would be to students will get an change the email with details rules for caon how to vote. tered campus events to make events more affordable. The school policy is that the Office of Conference and Event Services must accommodate all catered events on campus, which is significantly more expensive than outside services, Peterkin said.

There are five freshman candidates for the four open class of 2016 senator positions. Liz Pellegrino, Dominick Recckio, Elijah Breton, Sean Themea, and Attila Mendli all spoke at the platform presentations.

Pellegrino acted as student council president in high school and said she would strive to have freshmen take part in leadership.

Breton was his high school's valedictorian. Breton’s goals, if elected, include having a tobacco-free campus, improving campus Wi-Fi, acquiring free cable in the dorms and lowering parking pass fees.

Thema, who is a Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar, said he would work to donate unused dining hall food to the local food banks. He would also work to “clean up the clutter” of HomerConnect, Sakai and the other sites the school uses, and to improve resident Wi-Fi. Mendli participated in SGA in his high school in Hungary. He said as senator his goals would include getting hand sanitizer in the dining halls, more quality and healthy foods, free bike rentals at dorms and compostable trash bins in dorms.

Recckio, who led his high school SGA for three years, said he would create a freshman advisory board. He also plans to work with the First Year Experience to create more events and encourage all freshmen to volunteer.

Many of the candidates expressed concern over the few people in attendance at the platform presentations.

Courtney Brown, vice president of communications for SGA, said SGA advertised the event using a Facebook group and posters around campus.

“I’m not sure what more we can do,” Brown said.

Flaherty said it is usually difficult to get students to come to events such as these, especially on weeknights.

Students will receive an email with directions on how to vote online. There will also be a voting booth in Campus Center for convenience. Students vote for representatives for their year only, Flaherty said.

Th ursday, September 2 0 , 2 0 1 2

College ventures into online teaching Online from page 1

online learning to attract new populations of students, such as professionals seeking to develop their skills, and to support the existing student body, especially those studying away from campus.

Jack Powers, assistant professor of media, arts and sciences, taught Introduction to Mass Media and Introduction to Media Industries online over the summer, and he previously taught Research Methods online. Powers described teaching via Internet as “a mixed bag” for him so far. He said he is concerned about the loss of personal interaction in a physical classroom.

“There is this part of me that really believes that you can learn just as much in an online course as you can in a person-to-person class, in terms of content and material,” Powers said. “But I think education is more than just content and material. I think it’s also interaction.”

The college’s approach to online teaching differs from a national trend toward Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, which offer online courses for no academic credit, but allow hundreds of thousands of students to interact with class material from courses at colleges and universities nationwide. Examples include Coursera, which was founded in April by two Stanford professors, and edX, which is a collaboration among MIT, Harvard and University of California, Berkeley.

With the increasing number of MOOCs comes a debate over what effect they will have on established colleges and universities. While there is concern that increasing dependence on free MOOCs will affect the value of or even replace a traditional college education, Forbes Magazine writes, the programs would not exist without the participation of the colleges and universities that would be affected.

Ithaca College, however, has chosen to have its virtual classrooms resemble their physical counterparts as closely as possible. Gearhart said the college keeps tuition rates for online courses the same as for on-campus ones and caps the number of students in a class.

“We tend to promote online learning models that are more like our classroom learning models,” Gearhart said. “There’s an expectation that there will be interaction.”

Gearhart said online courses at the college are open to those who are not enrolled in classes at the college, called extramural students. He said online

Jack Powers, assistant professor of media arts, sciences and studies at the college, has taught Introduction to Mass Media, Introduction to Media Industries, and Research Methods online.

Shawn Steiner/the ithacan

learning at the college offers anywhere from one to four credits, depending on the course.

Gearhart said most online courses are intersessional or offered in the winter and summer semesters, but he said about seven online courses are offered during the fall and spring semesters. In January, during the winter semester, 18 undergraduate and three graduate courses were offered online, compared with 43 undergraduate and 10 graduate courses for this year’s summer semester.

Marilyn Dispensa, instructional technology coordinator at the college, said about 17 faculty members and a few staff members are enrolled in an Internet program from the University of Wisconsin to help them become more proficient online teachers.

“The college helped fund the professors here to take that program,” Dispensa said. “Hopefully that will start to create more serious engagement with online teaching.”

Powers said online learning will be a great service to those not privileged enough to afford four years of higher education at a college or university.

One area of trouble for fledgling online education programs has been cheating and plagiarism. In August, students in at least three Coursera classes

doing peer-grading complained of plagiarism, even though no academic credit was offered. This month, edX announced it had contracted with Pearson VUE to offer proctored final exams at 450 locations in 110 countries.

Dispensa said professors use several methods to minimize cheating, including the use of 20-question tests made randomly from a pool of 100 questions. She said instructors can use the Turnitin feature, software that checks for plagiarism, on Sakai to check for plagiarism.

Initial student reaction to the college’s intersessional online courses has been positive.

Sophomore Ethan Shapiro, who took Powers’ online Introduction to Mass Media course, said he liked being able to study at his own pace.

“It almost makes me want to take all my classes online,” Shapiro said. “It’s a great tool.”

Powers said that, while online teaching and education is here forever, it will not fully replace the learning that takes places between students and professors in classrooms.

“I still think there will always be a place for person-to-person communication in an educational setting,” Powers said. “There’s a reason I teach here and not at the University of Phoenix.”

Campus group aims to educate student body Minor from page 1

woman,” Reyes said. “I felt an overwhelming sense of my agency and how powerful I am as an individual.”

Reyes said the proposal’s approval is a testament to the power of collective activism among students.

The minor gained momentum last year, with the support of student organizations and faculty. The Committee for Inclusive Education launched a photo campaign, “We are fighting for an Asian-American Studies program,” to raise awareness on campus.

Through their efforts, they successfully gained the support of the Provost for the minor last semester on March 28.

Though the program is on track to approval, the committee does not plan to stop hosting workshops. In October, they will host a workshop at 7 p.m. in Clark Lounge called “Why Asian-American Studies Matter” as a part of the CSCRE annual discussion series.

“We love putting on the workshops that we put on that talk about intersectionality, that talk about colorblindness, that talk about why it’s important to have these discussions beyond the question of what is diversity,” Kristy Zhen, president of the

AAA and a key proponent of the initiative, said. “Even though this approval has passed, we have no problem putting on programs and continuing these dialogues.”

The Asian-American Studies program is not only targeted to students who identify as Asian-American, it is open to all students who are interested in learning about the history.

Junior Tessa Crisman, member of The Committee of Inclusive Education, said the minor is crosscultural because Asian-American history is American history.

“I definitely have people come up to me after events and ask me, ‘Well, why are you a part of this, you’re white?’” Crisman said. “My response is usually that if you want to call this country a melting pot or if you want to call yourself a global citizen or a U.S. citizen, then this is your history.

U.S. history is not a white history, it’s an ALANA history. Without AsianAmerican Studies, it’s incomplete.”

The CSCRE has offered a Latino/a Studies and an African Diaspora studies minor since 2006. Members of AAA and other students advocated for program because of the lack of AsianAmerican influence on campus and in the curriculum.

Though she will not be able to

Members of the Committee for Inclusive Education have been fighting for an Asian-American Studies minor at Ithaca College for more than a year.

File Photo/The Ithacan

see the program in full effect because she graduates this semester, Zhen said the approval is the right step for the college.

“I’m glad Ithaca College is showing their commitment to diversity by approving this program and bringing us a faculty line who can stay on this campus for a number of years to sustain the program,” Zhen said. “I’m really excited for

the students who will be able to take these classes.”

With the minor on track to implementation, the committee turns their attention to empowering the next generation of voices.

"An important thing is to encourage underclassmen to realize that they are empowered, and they can change things if they put their minds together," Reyes said.

Th ursday, Septem be r 20, 2012

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Student walks to help charity LAUREN MAZZO staff writer

Barrett Keene, a Ph.D. student at Cornell University, is about 2,500 miles into his 3,475 mile journey, walking across America to benefit the Global Orphan Project.

Keene began his walk last January in Miami. He said he hopes to reach his destination, San Francisco, in midNovember. The objective is to raise enough money to fund the purchase of 3,000 school uniforms for orphans in one of 15 different target countries.

This is through a GO Project initiative called GO Threads, Keene said.

Each uniform costs $20 and will give an orphaned or abandoned child the chance to get an education.

So far, Keene has raised more than $34,000, enough to purchase about 1,700 uniforms.

Keene said funding a uniform does much more than just send a child to school.

“It also creates jobs for parents in the same community through the Global Orphan Project, because they can sew those uniforms for a living wage and be able to provide for their own family,” Keene said.

Jake Barreth, director of operations in Haiti for the GO Project and Keene’s college roommate, was the reason Keene became involved.

“Barrett and I have been friends for a long time and we always will, and he'll probably always be a part of the Global Orphan Project,” said Barreth.

Keene said he was inspired to do the walk to help the 145 million orphaned and abandoned children in the world, especially the children he met through the GO Project while visiting Barreth in Haiti.

The I th a c a n 5

Latino association to honor heritage with identity panel

by KRISTEN MANSFIELD STAFF writer

Barrett Keene, Ph.D. student at Cornell University, stands in Utah. He is participating in a 3,475-mile journey to benefit the Global Orphan Project.

COURTESY OF BARRETT KEENE

Throughout his eight-month journey, Keene said, he estimates he has spread awareness of the project to more than 800,000 people through events and organizations.

He went into the journey without any travel or lodging plans, but he said he has found a host church or family every single night.

“You just never know what's going to happen, where you're going to sleep, who you're going to be hanging with, but it's a beautiful, worthwhile adventure,” Keene said.

Kent Esslinger, a sophomore at Cornell, met Keene last year.

Esslinger joined Keene in central Kansas this summer to accompany him for three weeks of his journey.

Esslinger said the generosity he witnessed while walking with Keene was incredible.

“I'd never spent that much time

before in very-small-town America,” he said. “The hospitality we experienced and the open arms we had from people was amazing.”

Keene is more than two-thirds of the way in his journey, but he said he is worried about his last 1,000-mile stretch. He will be walking across the deserts of Utah and Nevada and the Western half of the Rocky Mountains without a walking partner or driver to supply him with water.

Though Keene has had a difficult journey so far, and faces an even more difficult one ahead, he said he has to keep moving forward.

“It’s going to be a growing experience, and a horrible and beautiful experience for me, but those are all the things involved in service, right?”

For the complete version of this story, visit theithacan.org/24867.

Students from different cultures and races are gathering on campus to celebrate September as Latino Heritage Month.

PODER: Latino/a Students Association will be hosting a series of events throughout September and October to honor Latino heritage and introduce fellow students to a culture they may not be exposed to elsewhere.

Its theme this year is “La Mezcla,” which translates to “mixture.”

Senior Melissa Cepeda, president and founder of PODER, said the theme fosters the awareness of cultures.

“Our theme basically represents a mixture of different cultures coming together, which is really what PODER is about,” Cepeda said.

“We’re trying to promote awareness of the different cultures around you.”

This will be PODER’s third year as an official organization on Ithaca College’s campus.

“La Mezcla” will be celebrated with multiple events, including a karaoke night, “Salsa Magic” and an identification panel. The panel, titled “Do You Judge What You Cannot See?” aims to raise awareness about the judgments people make based on sight. The panel will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 in Clark Lounge. Other events planned for the month include Karaoke night at 7 p.m. Oct. 1 in IC Square and "Salsa Magic" at 7 p.m. Oct 15. The “La Mezcla” Banquet was postponed to 7 p.m. Jan. 26 in Emerson Suites.

The panel is organized in a way that allows students to ask volunteers personal questions about race, ethnicity and gender without feeling pressured by what is or isn’t acceptable in traditional classroom conversation.

Volunteers will answer a series of questions while remaining hidden behind a dark curtain in the front of the room and will be given the opportunity to speak with a microphone and a voice-changer, senior Meira Keil, public relations chair for PODER, said.

“I don’t think any panel has been done like this before, so we’re excited to be one of the first groups to try it out,” Keil said.

“And maybe the panelists will feel more comfortable being brutally honest about these topics.”

Christina Golding, community service chair, said while the college hosts events to promote diversity, people can still be apprehensive about joining clubs and groups they are not familiar with.

“Some people feel like you have to be something specific to be a part of something,” Golding said. “But if you’re interested in it, and you want to learn more about it, you can branch out and not be afraid.”

PODER is designed to be different. PODER honors Latino culture but welcomes everyone to learn, Keil said.

“You don’t have to identify yourself as Latino if you want to make new friends, share stories and have a good time,” Keil said. “You just have to come.”

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Alumna fights poverty Vicki Allen ’91, executive director of the Jeremiah Program, spends her time helping single mothers earn a degree to prevent generational poverty. The Jeremiah Program aims to empower single parents by educating them to help them get better jobs with higher wages to fight off poverty. Allen will speak at the African, Latino, Asian and Native American Achievement Awards Banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday in ALLEN said the Emerson Suites. When college helped Allen isn’t working with the her to become program she works at St. who she is today.

Catherine’s University as an associate professor of business administration.

Staff Writer Hayleigh Gowans spoke with Allen about her post-Ithaca College accomplishments and the speech she will give at the banquet.

Hayleigh Gowans: What have you been doing since graduating from Ithaca College?

Vickie Allen: I had a career in sales with several Fortune 500 companies. I’ve gotten my graduate degree from Harvard, I founded and run my own consulting company, and I’ve become a professor in an all-women’s liberal arts college, and I also was the executive director of a national non-profit focused on two-generation poverty eradication. A lot.

HG: How did your experiences at the college help shape who you are today?

VA: First of all, I learned how to shape who I was and what I am at Ithaca. My values were created there. I learned some phenomenal leadership skills. I was an RA, I was a peer career counselor and I was in student justice. So throughout my time at Ithaca I was really presented with opportunities to grow

personally and professionally, which I think really helped me in the next phase of my journey. Ithaca was a building block for me. I had grown up in poverty before Ithaca, and it really gave me not only the knowledge, but the confidence to feel like I was truly a contributor to the organizations that I worked for.

HG: What will you be talking about in your speech at the ALANA Awards Banquet?

VA: I really want to share the lessons I’ve learned along my journey, and also how important relationships that I’d built there had shaped my life. So really a combination between lessons learned and how the relationships that were forged while I was on campus.

HG: How do you hope your speech will impact ALANA students?

VA: I’m hoping that through my journey that the ALANA students will be able to see possibilities for themselves. I also hope that through the service, that I’ve given to both IC and my community, which I’ve lived in, that they will also have an opportunity to see the power that service and philanthropic support can have in areas in which they reside.

HG: What would you consider to be your greatest achievement?

VA: My greatest achievement is the day I realized the power of self-awareness. My greatest achievement was when I realized that when I know myself and who I am and what I stand for, I can be a participant of society in a way that empowers me and others around me.

My career has come with ups and downs, but I wouldn’t trade any of it. Through each and every experience, I have become stronger and more secure in my values and how those values shape and guide my life.

Cycling for life

More than 400 cyclists in the AIDS Ride for Life depart Saturday morning from Stewart Park by Cayuga Lake. The riders could ride 42, 50, 90 or 100 miles around the lake to raise funds for AIDS research. The event concluded in Cass Park the same day.

Durst Breneiser /The Ithacan

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The I th a c a n 9

College & City Biology professor to hold seminar on lab research

Jean Hardwick, professor of biology, will present her research findings during her sabbatical last year in Kenya on Thursday.

In her seminar, titled “Lions, Zebras, and neurons, oh my!” Hardwick will share her experiences in the African savannah and working in the lab of Dr. Ron HARDWICK Har r i s -War r ick at Cornell University. While there, Hardwick studied ion channels in mouse spinal cord neurons.

In addition to her time at the lab, Hardwick spent two weeks in Kenya, where she explored Africa and the challenges and rewards of student efforts to improve the lives of children.

Cornell professor to serve as World Bank economist

Kaushik Basu, professor of economics at Cornell University, was recently appointed as chief economist and senior vice president for development economics of the World Bank.

Basu is the first Indian to hold this position. As the chief economist, BASU he will preside over a staff of 300 economists, researchers and statisticians. As the bank’s vice president, he will also provide his expertise and analytical services to the

bank and development community.

Though he will be on temporary leave, Basu said he plans to maintain contact with his students.

Professor publishes book about European television

Kati Lustyik, assistant professor of media arts, studies and sciences at Ithaca College, has co-published a book about the growing interest in popular television programs in Eastern Europe with two other professors.

The book, “Popular Television in Eastern Europe During and LUSTYIK Since Socialism,” was co-edited by Anikó Imre, associate professor and director of graduate studies at the University of Southern California, and Timothy Havens, associate professor of international television, critical theory and cultural studies at the University of Iowa.

This is the first book to gather perspectives on Eastern European television practices from outside the region.

Professors will discuss education at conference

Linda Hanrahan, associate professor of education, and Elizabeth Bleicher, associate professor of English, will speak at the National Council of Teachers of English 2012 Annual Convention Nov. 15-18 in Las Vegas.

Hanrahan and Bleicher will give a presentation, titled “Igniting Student

Public Safety Incident Log selected entries from Sept. 9 to Sept 12 September 9 MEDICAL ASSIST LOCATION: Terrace Dining Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported a person accidentally cut their wrist while opening a jar. Person declined medical assistance beyond first aid and transported themselves to the hospital. Master Patrol Officer Christopher Teribury.

V&T DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATING LOCATION: L-Lot SUMMARY: Officer arrested a person for DWI. Officer issued a uniform traffic ticket for DWI, BAC greater than .08 percent and possession of a fictitious license for Town of Ithaca Court and a campus summons for speeding. Person was also judicially referred.

Patrol Officer Matthew O’Loughlin.

PROPERTY DAMAGE LOCATION: Danby Road SUMMARY: Officer reported a car and deer MVA. Report was taken. Master Patrol Officer Christopher Teribury.

September 10 MEDICAL ASSIST LOCATION: Emerson Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported a person having an allergic reaction. Person transported to CMC by ambulance. Master Patrol Officer Brad Bates.

V&T LEAVING A SCENE LOCATION: Circle Lot 10 SUMMARY: Caller reported a vehicle struck another vehicle, caused damage and the driver left the scene. Officer issued the driver traffic ticket. Master Patrol Officer Christopher Teribury.

FIRE ALARM ACCIDENTAL LOCATION: College Circle Apartment SUMMARY: Fire alarm activation caused by shower steam. Fire Protection Specialist Mark Swanhart.

September 11 FOUND PROPERTY LOCATION: Terrace Dining Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported finding an epipen and turned it over to Public Safety.

Unknown Owner.

SAFETY HAZARD LOCATION: Lower Campus SUMMARY: Officer reported four bikes chained to handrails. Officer issued warnings. Fire and Building Safety Coordinator Ron Clark.

September 12 SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE LOCATION: Lower Quad SUMMARY: Caller reported lit candles were found unattended in the grass between buildings. The candles were extinguished and a Resident Assistant will collect candles. Patrol Officer Bruce Thomas.

For the complete safety log, go to www.theithacan.org/news.

Key cmc – Cayuga Medical Center DWI – Driving While Intoxicated V&T – Vehicle and Transportation MVA - Motor Vehicle Accident

Interest: Teaching Creatively in an Era of Standards,” about how teachers can continue to engage students within the classroom.

Hanrahan and Bleicher will be accompanied by Melissa Blitzstein, ’08 and Jennifer Bartlett, ’01, who will discuss the importance of encouraging student engagement.

Senior attorney to speak at Constitution celebration

Shayana Kadidal, senior managing attorney of the Guantánamo Global Justice initiative, will give a presentation Sept. 27 to honor Constitution Day. Kadidal will address the influences of the First Amendment on political dynamics within cyberspace.

KADIDAL The event, co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost, politics department, Legal Studies Program and Park Center for Independent Media, is free and open to the public.

Politics faculty to screen Colombian documentary

The politics department and the faculty members of the Latin American studies minor will be sponsoring a screening of a film entitled “Impunity: What kind of war for Colombia?”

The movie, which debuted in 2010, focuses on documenting the efforts toward transitional justice in Colombia. The film will explore the trial against paramilitary armies and

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the connections with the political and economic elites.

John Laun, member of the Colombia Support Network, will speak at the event. He will provide context for the film, along with a question-and-answer period after the movie.

The presentation will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Textor 101.

Drug disposal program launched in Tompkins

The Tompkins County Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal launched its new “Med Return” program Monday.

The program provides Ithaca residents with the opportunity to safely dispose of their unwanted household medication.

Drop-off boxes will be installed over the next few weeks and will be located at secure locations around the county. Medication can be dropped off any time of day.

Cornell donates produce to local families in need

The New York State Agricultural Experiment Station sponsored by Cornell University is tackling community hunger issues this fall by donating 40 bushels of produce to the food pantry at the Center of Concern in Geneva.

Cornell faculty members and students contributed to donations.

SAGES has delivered 13 pickup truck loads of vegetables and melons.

More than 90 percent of the donations have been distributed to families. The leftovers were sent to the Seneca House of Concern.

friday

Shabbat Services will begin at 6 p.m. in Muller Chapel.

Shabbat Dinner will be held at 7 p.m. in Terrace Dining Hall.

IC After Dark Urban Cowboy event will be held at 8 p.m. in Emerson Suites.

SunDAY Catholic Mass will be held at 1 and 8 p.m. in Muller Chapel.

Auditions for Mr. and Ms. Ithaca will be held at noon in Klingenstein Lounge.

Streets Alive! Ithaca, is an event that promotes other forms of transportation, will begin at 1 p.m. on Cayuga Street, which will be closed to all cars.

monday The Writing Intensive Workshop, an event for faculty to help them manage their paper load, will begin at 3 p.m. in Gannett Center Room 316.

Tuesday Up ‘til Dawn will have its birthday bash event at 7 p.m. in Emerson Suites.

Welcome to the Party will be hosted by Students Active For Ending Rape to raise awareness about the group at 7 p.m. in Textor 102.

Opinion

1 0 The It hacan

Th ursday, S Ep tember 2 0 , 2 0 1 2

editorials

Tobacco policy Ignites debate

Proposed local tobacco license law should distinguish between actual tobacco distributors and shops only selling smoking paraphernalia.

T

he City of Ithaca’s proposed local tobacco legislation needs to distinguish between establishments that sell tobacco products versus smoking paraphernalia. Requiring head shops to carry a local license simply because they sell glassware associated with tobacco only serves to limit local artists, not prevent underage tobacco use.

Tobacco dealers are currently only obligated to register with the New York State Department of Tax and Finance, and most cities do not require a specific local permit for the sale of tobacco.

Without a distinction between drugs and paraphernalia, the license requirement would not only strain tobacco retailers, but other shops who are selling glassware and other locally crafted merchandise.

Tobacco is deadly, and aiming to limit underage purchases and more strictly regulate the sale and distribution is a goal Ithaca should be proud of pursuing.

However, the policy doesn’t help solve a public health issue as much as it simply imposes on local businesses.

The proposed policy states that Ithaca will only issue one new permit for every two permits that were revoked or not renewed. The policy also states that there will be a to-be-decided limit on the permits given out each year. Limiting the number of local tobacco licenses allows the city to restrict the number of growing businesses in a still-weak economy.

If a retailer does not actually sell tobacco, there is no reason that shop should be included into a category of “dealer of tobacco products.” There’s no local law restricting the sale or display of wine glasses to discourage underage alcohol purchases, so why should there be a comparable one for tobacco paraphernalia?

By the Book

Faculty need to release textbook information to the bookstore before registration to help improve course affordability for students.

T

he current disregard by some faculty for turning in textbook titles on time takes away from potential interest in a course. It also limits students when registering for classes.

Faculty should make greater efforts to submit textbook information before the start of the registration period. Not only does this give students more opportunity to find the books they need at reasonable prices, but also gives them a better understanding of what a certain class will be about.

Understandably, some professors are not assigned to a course until long after registration. There are also those who inform students early and encourage them to buy used books with ample time.

Not knowing the cost of expensive textbooks is costly for students because they cannot research other purchasing or renting options. Adding a textbook last minute, or changing the textbook after a class starts, may cause a student to drop the course altogether.

Affordability should be the driving force for turning in textbook selections on time.

With registration for the spring semester taking place Nov. 12-16, faculty should take care to submit their textbooks to the bookstore by Nov. 4. Even though the bookstore is not a student’s only option, having the listings available to look at during registration will certainly help in choosing classes.

SNAP JUDGMENT Affordability

Do textbook costs affect your decision to take a course?

Watch more Snap Judgments at theithacan.org.

Meagan Mcginnes Journalism ’14

“It might steer me away from some of my gen ed classes. For my major classes, it wouldn’t affect my decision at all. “ Brendan Duran Chemistry ’14

“I’m basically taking requirements right now, so I would have to take the classes I’m taking.”

Candace Burton Sports Management ’15

“I’m not going to take a class that all of a sudden has a $300 textbook.”

Andrew Hunter Exploratory ’15

“I do secondhand textbooks.

For the most part, you can get them for a whole lot cheaper off of the internet.”

Ian Bliss Media arts and Sciences ’14

comment online.

Now you can be heard in print or on the Web.

Write a letter to the editor at ithacan@ithaca.edu or comment on any story at theithacan.org.

Letters must be 250 words or less, emailed or dropped off by 5 p.m. Monday in Park 269.

The Ithacan Kelsey o’Connor editor in chief lara bonner Managing editor Kelsey FOwler opinion Editor Elma Gonzalez news Editor Tinamarie Craven assistant news editor Candace King assistant news editor kacey deamer online editor Allie Healy accent editor

“I’ve had classes where I’ve had 12 books, and had I known ahead of time I might have rethought taking the class.”

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Opi n ion

Th ursday, Septem be r 20, 2012

The Ith a c a n 1 1

guest commentary

Animal communication book brings buzz I had the pleasure several years ago of being interviewed by a woman named Holly Menino for a book that was just now published titled “Calls Beyond Our Hearing: Unlocking the Secrets of Animal Voices.” In a fascinating attempt to understand how animals communicate, she asked me if I thought there could be a relationship between how children learn to speak and how animals learn to communicate — a tough question with no simple answer.

There has been a long-standing debate regarding if, when and how animals communicate, and more importantly, is it similar to how we communicate? The first task at hand is to operationally define “communication.” One basic notion involves simply the sharing of information between two or more parties, such as raising a hand in thanks. We are communicating unspoken gratitude.

Similarly, anyone who has ever owned a dog or cat would likely insist — I certainly would — that our pets communicate to us all the time: a meow or bark greeting us from a long day, a tilted quizzical look after we pose a question and of course the adored playful gesture. At the same time, we do not communicate solely through sounds and gestures.

We have thousands of words in our head like the ones you are currently comprehending.

The fact is, most literate adults know close to 120,000 words. And yet, words are quite different from other forms of communication in the sense that they are symbolic. Language is defined as “a conventional system of arbitrary symbols.” And herein lies the present debate: Can animals use symbols in a rule-governed system?

As you can guess, both sides will offer you impressive evidence. On one side, a team of scientists at the Language Research Center at Georgia State University has concluded that some Bonobo chimpanzees possess the comprehension skills of a 2-year-old child. Even more convincing, one particular chimpanzee named Panbanisha reportedly shared a secret with an investigator one day involving a fight among her chimp residents.

rachael Hartford

Foreign policies split undecideds

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Skott Freedman, assistant professor of speech-language pathology and audiology, was interviewed for a newly published book that looks at how to understand the ways in which animals communicate.

Courtesy of Skott Freedman

At the same time, renowned language expert Steven Pinker has likened the aforementioned feat to merely training an animal for the circus.

Similarly, Noam Chomsky has offered that some humans can fly some 30 feet in the air — London Olympics anyone? One would be hesitant to dub such an act flying in comparison to an eagle.

Research currently indicates that children begin developing language much earlier than we would think. By just nine months of age, infants can already discriminate native versus non-native sounds in their language and even prefer one musical piece to another. Now this is not to say that animals cannot demonstrate these same abilities, but my question is always the same: Would animals choose to do so without hours and hours of training, rewards and involuntary captivity?

Humans inherently communicate out of a need

to socially share information, and most importantly, we choose to share symbolically in order to avoid confinements of time and space. Animals may indeed communicate, but rarely do so symbolically and for very different reasons. These reasons themselves may hold the answer as to whether symbolic communication is even necessary for other species, and if it is not, that is quite informative on its own.

So the bottom line is, next time your beloved furry friend starts chatting up a storm, take a minute to wonder what’s really going on behind that adorable punim. And if you didn’t catch that last word, what a wonderful opportunity to increase your vocabulary to 120,001.

Skott Freedman is an assistant professor of speech-language pathology and audiology. Email him at sfreedman@ithaca.edu.

guest commentary

Dropping bottled water eases environmental impact

A

s a nation, we pay corporations $16 billion a year to bottle water. Especially in eco-conscious places such as Ithaca, it does not make sense to buy bottled water. Tap water is less expensive, more closely regulated and better for our environment.

Bottled water costs more. At Ithaca College, a 20-fluid ounce bottle of Aquafina water costs $1.75, while 20 fluid ounces of water from the City of Ithaca Water System costs less than a thousandth of a cent. The manufacturers of Dasani and Aquafina, whose products are distributed on campus, both admit their bottled water is nothing more than treated tap water.

Bottled water is less regulated.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the City of Ithaca regularly test and monitor the quality and safety of drinking water. The City publishes an annual Drinking Water Quality Report, which discusses the water treatment process and water quality data. The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates bottled water, leaves corporations basically responsible for testing and monitoring their own water. While they are tested, bottled water plants are “low priority” for inspection.

Bottled water negatively affects our environment. Each year, the amount of oil used to manufacture all of the plastic water bottles used in the U.S. is enough to fuel

Checks & Balances

Sophomore Leonard Slutsky, vice president and co-founder of Take Back the Tap, speaks during the club’s first meeting Tuesday in Campus Center.

Alex Mason/The Ithacan

a million cars. Another fossil fuelintensive process is transporting those bottles to the point of sale.

Moreover, 80 percent of plastic bottles are not recycled correctly, with bottles ending up in landfills or incinerators. Tap water is not transported by truck and does not produce plastic waste.

We need to take a stand against the bottled water companies. One solution is simple — fill a reusable water bottle with tap water. As a college, we should join the growing number of institutions that pass policies preventing on-campus groups from using school funds to buy single-serving bottles of water.

Last year, the college installed water bottle filling stations in the Roy H. Park School of Communications and Egbert Hall. These highly successful and popular stations have made it easier for people to refill their reusable water bottles. As a community, we have saved more than 20,000 plastic bottles with these stations. Therefore, as a sustainable measure, all future college construction plans should include plans to install water filling stations.

The college would not be alone in its attempts at sustainability. Earlier this month, Rochester Institute of Technology implemented a similar bottled water policy as part of its

sustainability initiative. According to a press release, RIT president Bill Destler said, “In a time when we are increasingly mindful of the rising cost of education and are working hard to enhance campus sustainability efforts, this move just makes sense. It is difficult to justify spending university funds on bottled water when the quality of our tap water is so high, and it is free.”

In January, the University of Vermont announced its plan to end sales of bottled water by the end of 2015 and plans to install 75 reusable water bottle filling stations by the end of this year. If the University of Vermont, whose dining program is also administered by Sodexo, can eliminate bottled water, so can we.

A bottled water policy at the college would save the institution money and encourage students, staff and faculty to adopt an even more sustainable lifestyle. We have a choice: to continue contributing to monetary and plastic waste or to demand more cost effective and sustainable policies for a better world.

Take Back the Tap will meet at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Six Mile Creek Room. For more information, email tbtt@ithaca.edu.

Leonard Slutsky is a sophomore integrated marketing communications major and the vice president and cofounder of Ithaca College Take Back the Tap. Email him at lslutsk1@ithaca.edu.

All opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The Ithacan. To write a guest commentary, contact Opinion Editor Kelsey Fowler at 274-3208.

ith the recent storming of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and the killing of four diplomats in the Benghazi consulate attack, including Chris Stevens, U.S. Ambassador to Libya, it’s more important than before to see how foreign policy is translating in the presidential election.

These unexpected events have forced candidates to clarify their overall policies. Barack Obama favors negotiation and multilateral American action, where nations cooperate to solve problems. Mitt Romney favors the “big stick” approach of showing America is not afraid to act alone in response to attacks against U.S. interests.

Obama has been praised and criticized for his “hands off” policies. In the past four years, Obama has earned points for winding down the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also highlights that his administration was the one to kill Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

However, in doing so, he also seriously strained U.S. relations with our already-fickle ally Pakistan by using drones that killed civilians and breaking the sovereign state border during the raid.

While Romney has not gone so far as to advocate for U.S. military involvement in the Syria conflict, he has called for the arming of rebel groups, a policy in direct contrast to Obama’s strategy of coalescing with regional powers to pressure dictators to step down.

Romney needs to be cautious with his statements regarding foreign policy. His recent comments suggest that Obama was apologizing for the Benghazi consulate attacks and was even partly responsible for precipitating the violence, resulting in him being lambasted by his own party.

Naturally, we will see Obama and Romney duke it out over the next couple months as they compete for the independent votes that will hold significant weight in deciding who wins the election. Romney in particular should tread carefully, so as to not alienate the very undecided voters he will desperately need to win over.

A recent study by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs suggests more and more Americans, especially those who are undecided, support policies embraced by the Obama administration. The study found a majority of Americans believe the defense budget should be cut, and we should be more cautious about using military force to deal with rogue nations.

But while many Americans seem to be more supportive of Obama’s foreign policy plans, who is to say they will vote in line with these seemingly secondary issues?

Maybe Romney need not be too concerned with foreign policy after all.

Rachael HartforD is a senior integrated marketing communications major with a minor in politics. Email her at rhartfo1@ithaca.edu.

Divers ion s

1 2 The It hacan

sudoku

the here and now alphabet stew

By Caroline Roe ’13

dormin’ norman

By Alice Blehart ’16

medium

very hard

By Jonathan Schuta ’14

Pearls Before Swine®

Th ursday, September 2 0 , 2 0 1 2

By Stephan Pastis answers to last week’s sudoku

crossword

By United Media

ACROSS 1 -- Braun of rockets 4 Ka-pow!

7 “Red Balloon” painter 11 Writer -- Grey 12 Rollover subj.

13 Prefix for second 14 Soap opera units 16 Likelihood 17 Comb part 18 Dapper 20 Comic-strip prince 21 Robin -- of balladry 23 Ghost’s hello 26 Natural resources 27 Salad fish 28 Picnic take-along 31 Tap 33 Falco or Sedgwick 34 Hay bundle 35 Lamprey 36 Fence crossover 38 Plant crops 41 Dwindles 43 Gee follower

45 Running mate 47 Like some gas (hyph.)

49 Architects’ wings 50 Kind of PC screen 51 Chair 52 Flooring piece 53 Sault -- Marie 54 Possess DOWN 1 Fog or steam 2 Stew ingredient 3 Wren’s residence 4 Contractor’s figure 5 Hippodromes 6 African tribe 7 Muscle cramp 8 Cute beetle 9 Finish 10 Dawn goddess 11 Sweater letter 15 Chicago’s airport 19 Financial official (abbr.)

22 Van -- Waals force

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

She loved Lennon Mare’s tidbit Flamenco shout Dead heat Decent grade Work by Keats Fuel source (2 wds.)

31 Mr. Mineo 32 Implore 34 Divide in two 36 Tin, in chemistry 37 Reveals 38 Scatter 39 Dolphin habitat 40 Grind, as an ax 42 Basilica part 44 In that case (2 wds.)

45 Farm doc 46 New Haven student 48 Lemon drink

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Th ursday, Septem be r 20, 2012

a ccen t

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Hold me clos er

contra dancer

Popular dance style livens up community

Clockwise from top, community members contra dance together Friday at the Bethel Grove Community Center.

Sharon Anderson, of Ithaca, and Ross Geoghegan, of Binghamton, dance together at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School. A traditional contra dance band performs for dancers Friday at the Bethel Grove Community Center.

durst breneiser and shawn steiner/the ithacan

By qina liu senior writer

The full moon and street lamps lit up the wet pavement and cobblestone sidewalk. The summery, mid-60-degree weather spelled promise, drying up the remnants of the afternoon shower. The violins, guitars, flutes and banjos were poised and waiting under the Main Pavilion on The Commons. Almost everything was ready.

Almost.

“Do we have any dancers?” Ted Crane, a Danby, N.Y., resident, said, watching as a group of six college students briskly walked past Center Ithaca and the Main Pavilion.

“We have to pass the taxi,” Crane said, referring to a type of contra dance. “At least two of you come here and dance.”

“Sorry, we just had Thai food,” one of the girls called back.

As an Ithaca contra dancing caller and organizer, this has been Crane’s routine every Monday night during the summer. Some nights would be better than others, attracting an average crowd of 20 to 30 dancers. On a good night Crane might get 40 to 60 dancers.

“There was one summer where the [Ithaca] police told us that they love us because all the people who they didn’t want on The Commons would just leave,” Crane said.

Crane can understand the hesitation of the passersby. Though Crane has been organizing contra dances in Ithaca for more than 30 years, he remembers what it was like to start dancing for the first time.

“The first night, your body fights you for a little while,” he said. “It’s like the caller says, ‘Circle left,’ and your brain says, ‘That way,’ but your body isn’t sure.”

From the sidelines, the dance resembles square dancing, another 17th century English folk dance tradition. Though square dancing requires eight dancers, contra dancing can function with a minimum of six, with dancers facing each other in two parallel lines.

It’s up to the caller to tell them what to do.

“Do-si-do” means circle back to front with someone, while “swing” means holding hands with a partner and spinning round and round in a circle. “Gypsy” means circling around a partner without touching, while “star” means everyone puts their hand over another person’s forearm, linking together in a star-like pattern.

“It’s the sort of thing that, once you get over that hump where you feel silly doing this, people who attend the second dance probably never stop coming,” Crane said.

Harry Norcross, a 60-year-old Auburn, N.Y., resident who drives 30 miles to go to area contra dances, first learned how to contra dance in 1982. While in Bar Harbor, Maine, a mutual friend dragged him and his fiancée to a dance.

“It was difficult,” he said. “You just make a bunch of mistakes and keep wondering why you’re doing this. The weird thing is that you go to another one, and you wonder why you’re here again, and then you realize you’re hooked.”

Though Norcross has since been divorced and only recently started contra dancing again, he said it reminds him of a simpler time when he and his wife would take his kids contra dancing.

“It makes you think of things in the past,” he said. “And even if you don’t think about this past, a long time ago, people would do this in barns. I can almost imagine a whole bunch of tired farmers getting out on a Friday night and dancing in a barn someplace with fiddles and food.”

For Cornell University graduate student Ben Werner, the former publicity chair of the Cornell Contra Dance Club, Norcross’s imaginings were a reality. Werner said he attended his first contra dance when he was a baby.

“There’s a picture of me in a slide sling on my mom’s hip while she’s dancing,” he said.

Though Werner does not remember his first contra dance, he said he would bring a sleeping bag to dances as a child. He would curl up on the floor while his parents danced through the night.

“It’s something that has been really important to me and has become more important to me over the years,” he said.

The CCDC and Crane’s group are two of the three contra dancing groups in Ithaca.

While Crane organizes weekly dances on The Commons during the summer, and at the Bethel Grove Community event every week, the CCDC organizes monthly dances at the Memorial Room in Willard Straight Hall at Cornell.

Werner said CCDC dances have attracted 150 attendees, and the club’s end-of-the-year dance last May brought in 30 new recruits.

“Sometimes people think it looks sort of hokey and they don’t understand why people have so much fun, but after, I often hear people say ‘It’s the best thing ever,’” Werner said.

Like CCDC, Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca, which started as a non-profit affiliate of the Country Dance and Song Society in 2003, holds bigger contra dance events six times per year.

Tom Gudeman, president and one of the founding members of the HFDI, said the reason contra dancing is so popular is because it’s an easy-to-learn folk dance that is very accessible.

“It kind of becomes addictive,” he said. “You look forward to it.”

Contra dancing takes place throughout the U.S. In New York state there are dances in bigger cities like Syracuse, Buffalo and Albany, to smaller communities like Owego or on The Commons in Ithaca.

With the lively Celtic tunes under the shelter of the Main Pavilion on The Commons — calling like a Siren’s song — passersby would slow down as they approached the music. They would then stop and watch.

“This is fantastic!” a woman said to her husband on the sidelines.

“We need one more dancer,” Crane said.

Sixteen-year-old Jonathan Seamon raised his hand. Seamon discovered contra dancing about a year ago when his grandfather told him about a clipping in the newspaper. He had showed up at the Bethel Grove Community Center where he met Crane and a community of contra dancers.

Seamon didn’t know what he was doing.

“At first it’s really disorienting, and people push you in the right direction,” he said.

However, Seamon kept coming back, falling in love with the simplicity of the dance.

Now, on Labor Day, Seamon stands poised with his button-down, long-sleeved shirt and black dress pants. His black hair is combed back.

He stands in front of the Main Pavilion with a group of about nine dancers.

Crane gives the group a quick tutorial, walking them through the patterns he is about to call.

About five minutes later, he turns to the band.

“Alright, guys, you’re on live,” he says.

The band begins to play.

The Cornell Contra Dance Club’s next event will be held from 8 to 11 p.m. Sept. 29 in the Memorial Room in Willard Straight Hall.

[ a cc e ntuate]

1 4 The It hacan

Th ursday, S eptember 2 0 , 2 0 1 2

Behind the Screen Staff Writer Chloe Wilson shares her take on two new fall TV shows, both titled “Beauty and the Beast.”

Who isn’t a sucker for fairy tales?

“Once Upon a Time” was the most popular new drama last season. The high-concept fairy tale drama was a risk for ABC, but it was obviously one that paid off.

As a result of its success, ABC ordered a similar drama titled “Beauty and the Beast.” Next The CW caught on and began developing their own version of “Beauty and the Beast.” #Awkward.

Both shows are premiering this fall, but these shows couldn’t be more different. ABC’s “Beauty and the Beast” is based on Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont’s French fairy tale, while the CW drama is based on an ’80s adaptation in which the “Beauty” is a lawyer named Catherine and the “Beast” is a manlion hybrid that WHEN TO WATCH lives in a secret underground so“Beauty and the ciety of New York Beast” on ABC: To City. So yeah, be announced pretty different.

The funny “Beauty and the thing is, they are Beast” on The both equally meCW: Thursdays at diocre. The CW 8 p.m. beginning adaptation tries Oct. 11. way too hard to be edgy, while the ABC adaptation seems like a half-baked way to capitalize on the success of “Once Upon a Time.”

These shows might get better with time but the pilots fail to provide a strong incentive for tuning in to the next episode. Because the audience already knows the respective beauties and beasts will end up together, audiences will become impatient while watching.

Follow more TV news on Wilson’s blog, “Behind the Screen,” online at www. theithacan.org/blogs.

Rainbow in the dark

Master of ceremonies Himanshu Kumar Suri, also known as Heems, raps as a member of alternative hip-hop group Das Racist, in front of a crowd of about 250 people. The Ithaca College Bureau of Concerts sponsored the show Friday in Emerson Suites.

Shawn Steiner/the ithacan

blog week of

the

Sweet tooth blog gives ideas to bakers all over internet

Kate lets it all hang out

Do you love sweets but always run out of new ideas for things to bake?

The blog “Sweet Tooth” offers fun and creative ideas for bakers everywhere. Blogger Erica’s latest post features a recipe called “My Teeth in Chocolate,” which concocts chocolate teeth.

Just get a teeth mold from a local baking shop, fill it with chocolate and pink candy melts and put it in the freezer.

Sweet Tooth has been featured on baking blogs Food Gawker and Tasty Kitchen. Her treats are definitely designed for you to sink your teeth into!

— Jackie Eisenberg

omg!

celebrity SCOOPS!

Hi-Call gloves shield cold Hands from freezing calls

The iPhone has yet another new accessory. The Italian company hi-Fun created Hi-Call Gloves. They look like ordinary gloves, yet one glove serves as a handy talking device for your digits during those freezing winter phone calls. The thumb is the receiver and the pinky is the microphone, so if you’ve ever pretended to talk on the phone, this invention offers that for real.

It hooks up to the smart phone’s blue-tooth capability with the glove’s own component at the base of the glove — up to 40 feet away. The battery even lasts up to 10 days on standby and 20 hours while talking. That’s pretty handy!

— Jackie Eisenberg

quoteunquote “I don’t have many talents: I’m not a good cook, I can’t clean and I can’t sew. The only thing I can do well is shoot a bow ... which will never come in handy.”

— Actress Jennifer Lawrence discusses her dancing in “Silver Linings Playbook.”

As more and more topless photos of a sunbathing Kate Middleton are released to the public, Queen Elizabeth II, along with Duke William and the aforementioned Duchess, are keeping mum on the controversy. Instead, William tried to make light of the faux pas, telling Closer Magazine, “Girls don’t have the same wardrobe malfunctions as men do; I hope I don’t have any wardrobe malfunctions.”

Though the topless photos have circulated the media, a St. James Palace source told People Magazine, “Their royal highnesses will not allow this story in any way to dampen that heartfelt and genuine enthusiasm.” Is that good PR or what?

— Benjii Maust

A CCEN T

Th ursday, Septem be r 20, 2012

The I th a c a n 1 5

Artful foundations

Local entrepreneurs win retail space to sell eco-friendly merchandise

By Jillian Kaplan staff writer

Entrepreneurial spirit seeps its way through the fibers of handpainted leather boots. The boots, high enough to swallow one’s leg, are just past the recycled rubber handbags. Scattered among racks are shapely, earth-toned dresses spun from local yarn.

The Art and Found, Ithaca’s new sustainable clothing store, is arranged like an art gallery. Co-founders Olivia Royale and Heidi Brown opened the doors to their new space in Center Ithaca during Labor Day weekend.

“Everything in here is sustainable,” Royale said. “So in one way or another it’s friendly to the earth. It’s either made using organic or recycled materials or it’s ethically produced. And most of it’s one-of-a-kind.”

The two artists won the space this summer in Downtown Ithaca Alliance’s Race for Space contest. The DIA awarded The Art and Found and Life’s so Sweet Chocolates — the latter opening in conjunction with Applefest — a year of free retail space on The Commons.

To Brown and Royale, the concepts of art, fashion and sustainability completely mesh together. Throughout the store they’ve posted artists’ biographies alongside products, creating a gallery-like feel to the shop. Both Brown and Royale hope that by instilling a consciousness about where products come from and how they’re made, consumers will make general purchases with a sustainability mindset. “[People should] pay attention to where their clothes are coming from

because our money is really what makes this world go ’round,” Brown said. “If we’re making purchases that harm the environment, then we’re going to harm the environment a lot.

And if we’re making purchases that support the environment and keep it clean, and keep everything organic and earth-friendly, then that’s going to make a big difference.”

Gary Ferguson, executive director of the DIA, said Ithaca is the third community in the U.S. to try the idea of offering a year of free rent as a prize to retailers. He expressed great excitement about Brown and Royale.

“These are two very young entrepreneurs who are aggressive, and I think really talented,” Ferguson said.

“These guys are getting very active right away in trying to work with getting their name out and doing things that will help the community, as well as help themselves.”

The store’s grand opening is Friday, with a fashion show at 5 p.m.

Brown and Royale will have 15 to 20 looks coming out that represent the types of brands and styles they carry.

By holding this event, Brown and Royale are looking forward to receiving input from the community.

Though the artists are from New York, Brown lived in Brooklyn and Royale lived in California before settling into Ithaca about five years ago.

They thought Ithaca embodied the spirit of both places.

“It’s very progressive here,” Royale said. “There’s a lot of artists and young people, so to just find a town that we felt would support our lifestyle, Ithaca really represents that.”

The Art and Found currently

Rainboots, flats, tote bags and other eco-friendly merchandise are on display at The Art and Found, a new boutique on The Commons that won the space this summer in Downtown Ithaca Alliance’s Race for the Space contest.

scott nolasco/the ithacan

has about 20 vendors contributing items to the store, along with Brown and Royale’s own work. Some items are brands, while others are designers contributing individual projects.

Many of the designers are local and make handmade products, which Royale said is great because customers can request something with a particular color or fit.

By carrying sustainable lingerie and beauty products, The Art and Found stands apart from other ecofriendly shops on The Commons.

Brown and Royale are proud to say that everything in the store is not only hand picked, but eco-friendly.

The Art and Found is also currently looking for designers, and Brown said they would love to feature work from interested college students.

“We definitely want to do a lot of outreach with the college students and really get them down onto The Commons and shopping around down here, and get them involved in the whole sustainability culture of Ithaca,” Brown said.

In the future, Brown and Royale want to expand by doing workshops and creating a flea-market vibe. They said they want to encourage people to learn a new trade and to give them the freedom to make art.

“I used to go to the lost and found and find a lot of scrap and random things and make them into jewelry, and so I kind of started just dreaming up this concept,” Royale said. “When you’re lost and not feeling creative anymore, you go to The Art and Found and get inspired.”

IC students’ recent release opens up musical floodgates Less than a year ago, junior K.C. Weston began a band with five other Ithaca College students, like-minded individuals who had one thing in common — they were passionate about creating their own music. Now, with gigs both on and off campus, a loyal local following and a Battle of the Bands victory, Second Dam has released its first EP, “This Guy.” After the band’s Sept. 14 EP release party, where they played to a packed house at the Nines in Collegetown, Staff Writer Cady Lang spoke to lead vocalist Weston and sophomore guitarist Zach Jones about Second Dam’s Ithaca roots, their journey to creating their EP and fanbase.

different rotation; we replaced our drummer with Andrew and took on Schmidt on the violin.

Our first show was in February of this year.

Cady Lang: Who makes up Second Dam?

CL: What has helped you to get this far releasing your own EP?

Zach Jones: I play guitar, K.C. [Weston] is the lead vocals, [sophomore] Brian Schmidt plays violin, [junior] Kayla Sewell plays cello, ukulele and recorder, [sophomore] P.J. Scott plays the bass and [sophomore] Andrew Weir plays the drums.

Out of all of us, only Schmidt is a music major.

K.C. Weston: I think it’s funny because when we mention that we’re a college band, people ask us what we’re studying, and Zach will be like, “Chemistry,” and I’m like, “Communications.”

People seem to be surprised. I think it speaks to the fact that there’s a lot that feeds into each of us as a group.

CL: Does Second Dam write its own music?

What is the songwriting process like?

KW: They are, in essence, a collaboration. Someone will come in with a riff or something that they want to work on. I’ll sit down with Zach, and he’ll help me find chords. We have a skeleton and go from there. Our EP is all original music, and our album will be too. Covers are something we usually reserve for shows — something familiar.

ZJ: A lot of work and long practices.

KW: A lot of work and long practices to an extent, but a lot of truly excellent people who aren’t in the band. People like the ones who helped us record the EP, everyone who comes to our shows.

CL: How did Second Dam develop such a loyal following?

CL: When did Second Dam form?

ZJ: It definitely has a lot to do with Ithaca and its huge music scene: Most people here generally enjoy music. It’s a great place, lots of awesome venues and people love to get out and have the experience of good music and friends.

KW: The group that we’re playing with now started in early January 2012. Zach and I were part of a band that had gone through a

KW: I don’t know why, but I’ll take it! Our very first following was at TC Lounge, at their open mic nights on campus. It was where we got

From left, juniors K.C. Weston and P.J. Scott, members of the band “Second Dam,” perform Friday at the Nines. The show was held in celebration of the band’s first EP, “This Guy.”

durst breneiser/the ithacan

our first audiences. People started telling other people, and then we started playing on The Commons at 21+ clubs like Culture Shock.

Then we won the Battle of the Bands, which gave us the opportunity to open for the Wailers.

CL: How has Ithaca College and the Ithaca community helped Second Dam to succeed?

KW: Ithaca is a great community that let us be what we are. For that, we thank everybody. We really want you to keep coming out to shows. There will never be a point when we don’t play in Ithaca. Whether we really take off or crash, this is home to us.

ZJ: One of the things that keeps us going is seeing the same faces at different shows or having people sing our lyrics back to us — amazing.

CL: Does Second Dam have any plans for the future?

ZJ: We’re planning on­, hopefully, recording an album this semester, which is why we’re launching our Indie Go-Go to help raise funds for that. We’re pretty excited.

Second Dam’s EP “This Guy” is available for download at www.seconddam.bandcamp.com.

A ccen t

1 6 The It hacan

Th ursday, S eptember 2 0 , 2 0 1 2

New character punches out stigmas

thursday

by Robert Rivera staff writer

In the past year, DC Comics has gone to great lengths to better relate to comic book readers from across the cultural spectrum in their new initiative, “The New 52.” Some changes include turning a formerly straight character gay, introducing new heroes from Africa, Asia and Europe, and creating new characters from more diverse religious backgrounds.

This month, DC Comics is launching “Issue Zero” “The Green to all their publications.

Lantern” “Issue Zero” is a prequel to DC Comics each comic that brings up a prevalent, new change.

“Green Lantern” has been among one of the leaders in diversity in comics, as they had a Caucasian, African-American, Irish-American, Chicano and alien represent their protagonist in a 50-year span.

In “Green Lantern, Issue Zero,” this trend continues with the introduction of a new character, Simon Baz, who is an Arab American, born and raised in Dearborn, Mich.

However, his family was ostracized as terrorists in a post-9/11 world.

Despite his anger toward Americans, Baz tries to make a decent living for himself by working at an automobile factory.

However, Baz loses his job when the factory closes down, and he has to resort to grand theft auto to support his family.

When he steals a car that was wired as a bomb, the police believe Baz is a terrorist, and try to run him off the road. In an attempt to lessen the collateral damage, Baz drives the bomb away from the city into the abandoned auto factory, so that he would be the only victim of the bomb blast.

His courage and will to stay alive allow Baz to become the recipient of a Green Lantern power ring, making Baz the new Green Lantern of Earth.

The ring is powered by a person’s will to act and is driven by that person’s conviction and imagination. With the ring on his hand, Baz joins the Green Lantern Corp., which is made up of

Blue Skies, a local blues and jazz duo, will perform at 7 p.m. at Six Mile Creek Vineyard.

Admission is free.

friday Earthdance Festival, a three-day music and dance festival for peace, will feature live music and dance as well as meditation and tai chi at 5 p.m. at Cornell University’s 4-H Acres on Lower Creek Road.

Comic Book Review

“Emergence,” an interactive play about a professor who struggles with agoraphobia, will be performed at the Schwartz Performing Arts Center at Cornell University. Admission is $4.

saturday

Simon Baz, the newest superhero in DC Comics’ “New 52” revival, fights crime as the ring-bearing Green Lantern. His Arab-American descent is a new addition to the notoriously diverse superhero. courtesy of DC Comics

more than 7,000 humans and aliens.

Writer Geoff Johns’ story is not only superb in its content, but it also draws from Johns’ personal experience. Johns is also an Arab American who grew up in Michigan, and he said during a reading at the Arab American National Museum that he and his family understand the racial prejudice that America has fostered toward his ethnic background.

Johns’ story in “Green Lantern, Issue Zero” shows the human struggle toward self-preservation at its finest; Baz is trying to live the American Dream, but because of prejudices he is treated as a second-class citizen. It is the ability to overcome hardships that makes the Green Lantern series enjoyable, but also relatable to those who have been treated unfairly.

Artist Doug Mahnke is able to move the story forward with his vivid and dark depictions of the

nightlife in Dearborn, which contrast with the light that the Green Lantern power ring manifests. Mahnke is also able to show a full range of emotions through the simple, yet elegant, drawings of Baz’s interrogation by the federal agents that complement the depth of Johns’ story.

The only lackluster element to this issue of “Green Lantern” is that it does not move the story along fast enough in comparison to the pace that the series had been taking for the past year.

Baz is among the first of what is hopefully many changes to come to the DC universe. “Green Lantern, Issue Zero” is not just a story made for a comics fan, but a groundbreaking title that promotes a sense of unity and justice for people of any color.

“The Green Lantern Issue Zero” was written

by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Doug Mahnke.

Silky-smooth second album masterfully marks the spot

by Jared Dionne Senior writer

Three years have passed since The xx’s self-titled debut wowed critics and fans alike. The soft-spoken trio had created an album that stuck in listeners’ ears. For their sophomore The xx LP, “Coexist,” the “Coexist” Young Turks group becomes fixOur rating: ated on heartbreak HHH 1/2 while crawling out from the shadows of their debut.

The xx’s debut album chronicled a healthy relationship. But “Coexist” represents the ugly break-up after the affection dies out. Lead singers Oliver Sim and Romy Madley-Croft personify this failed courtship as they trade

Album Review

hot dates

vocals throughout the album, almost as though they are talking to each other.

Songs like “Sunset” explain just how bad this relationship got. Madley-Croft sings, “I always thought it was sad, the way we act like strangers after all that we had,” to which Sim replies, “It is understood that we did all we could.”

“Coexist” loses some of the brooding found on the first album. However, it supplants it with brighter instrumentals. “Coexist” is built with sparse guitar, barely audible vocals, masterful beat production from Jamie Smith and The xx’s most valuable asset — strategic silence, where some of the album’s best moments come in the spaces devoid of sound.

“Missing” is one of the loudest songs the band has ever written, which isn’t saying much. Sim holds nothing back

Song of the Week “Priscilla”

The Rich Thompson Trio, a jazz trio featuring Ithaca native Miles Brown, will perform to celebrate the release of their new album, “Generations,” at 8 p.m. at Carriage House Cafe.

sunday

Streets Alive! Ithaca, a day for Ithaca residents to partake in free ice cream, dancing and more, will take place at 1 p.m. on N. Cayuga Street.

Band kicks sound out the door

by Steven Pirani Contributing writer

Courtesy of Young Turks

vocally while he laments his heart’s unusual beat patterns with the lyric, “My heart is beating in a different way.”

Heavy bass and Madley-Croft’s echoing backing vocals channel the cool musical aesthetic of British ambient-electro prodigy Burial.

While “Coexist” is just a shade below the artistry exhibited on the group’s debut, it is undeniably a more than worthy follow-up album. Fans should enjoy sifting through “Coexist” to find new influences and themes.

Indie rock is everywhere. To many, there may be an eerie sense of déjà vu — another synthesized intro and another cooing male vocalist. Two Door Cinema Club’s sophomore album, “Beacon,” has shining moments, but these instances can’t save it from falling into the indie rock template.

The album opens strong, Two Door Cinema Club with “Next “Beacon” Year.” The song Glassnote showcases the Records band’s chemisOur rating: try, balancing HH solid lyrics with groovy instrumentals. However, as the album progresses, the remaining tracks struggle to deliver the same level of quality.

The most disappointing part of

Album Review

the album is the track, “Beacon.”

It’s a lackluster finale in stark contrast to the grand introduction.

However, the group produces some memorable tunes.

“Someday” exposes an energetic side, with quick guitar and slick bass lines.

“Beacon” is a refreshing diversion. Listeners will take the good with the bad, picking a few favorite tracks and forgetting the rest.

Courtesy of Glassnote records

quickies

Sea Wolf

“The Carpenter”

“La Futura”

The folk rock band released its sophomore album with no inhibitions. The tracks “February Seven” and “Down With the Shine” both offer twangy guitars and banjos to get fans excited.

The 15th studio album from the bearded band comes with their classic raspy vocals and powerful guitars. The song “Over You” is a twist to their notoriously harder sound, while “Flyin’ High” is reminiscent of classic rock.

ZZ Top Universal Republic Records

The Avett Brothers Universal Republic Records

Old World Romance Dangerbird Records

This lovable ballad will touch the hearts of all the indie band’s fans. Frontman Alex Brown Church’s voice stands out beautifully and resonates clearly throughout the album. scan This qr Code with a smartphone to learn more aboUt Assistant Accent Editor Jackie Eisenberg’s pick for the song of the week.

Ithaca Roller Derby, an event hosted by the Ithaca League of Women Rollers, will let roller skaters show off their skills at 6 p.m. at Cass Park Arena.

Tickets are $10, but students get $2 off with an ID.

courtesy of Universal Republic records

courtesy oF Universal REpublic Records

Compiled by jackie eisenberg

A ccen t

Th ursday, Septem be r 20, 2012

The I th a c a n 1 7

Film sinks with over-the-top message [ Uninspiring family flick fails to entertain with boring characters

bY James Hasson

]

valid friday through thursday

cinemapolis The Commons 277-6115

staff writer

Some of the best movies reveal a powerful message through the stories they tell. “Last Ounce of Courage” is not one of those films. It forgoes multi-dimensional characters, a believable setting or even “Last Ounce a slightly interesting of Courage” conflict to send its Rocky message to a specific Mountain target audience.

Pictures “Last Ounce of Our rating: Courage” tells the H story of Mayor Bob Revere (Marshall R. Teague), a war veteran. As he and his family overcome the loss of their son while he was in the army, Bob meets his grandson Christian (Hunter Gomez), who runs into trouble with the school principal after bringing a Bible to class.

Frustrated that he cannot openly practice his religious beliefs, he asks Bob what his father fought and died for. Bob begins a campaign to bring Christianity back into the holiday season. This film wastes it’s time with subplots that are pointless for the most part. Bob’s daughter-in-law Kari’s (Nikki Novak) romance storyline is unoriginal, and there are many characters who use awkward dialogue, such as a trucker who tries to rap Christmas carols.

Overall, the entire cast’s performances are terrible. Teague is unenthusiastic throughout the film.

When Bob stands up to the villain Warren Hammerschmidt (Fred Williamson) during a press conference, he shows no significant tones of anger or defiance. Instead he rattles his lines off blandly.

ticket stub

Bachelorette 5 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 9:20 p.m. and weekends 2:20 p.m., 5 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 9:20 p.m.

Film Review

The Master 3:50 p.m., 6:50 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. and weekends 12:50 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 6:50 p.m. and 9:50 p.m.

Sleepwalk With Me HHH 1/2 5:05 p.m., 7:05 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. and weekends 2:40 p.m., 5:05 p.m., 7:05 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.

Cosmopolis 9:25 p.m. and weekends 2:10 p.m. and 9:25 p.m.

In the film “Last Ounce of Courage,” the son of a fallen soldier attempts to reconnect with his grandfather, who still grieves the loss of his child. The two find a way to come together and make a difference in their community.

Courtesy of Rocky Mountain Pictures

Almost all of the cast plays the same simple, hardworking Christian character trying to stand up for their rights. They all portray these characters with monotone line delivery and expressionless faces.

The only exceptions to this cast are the two primary villains, but even they play as outlandish one-dimensional caricatures. Hammerschmidt is portrayed as a Capitol-Hill crony zealous in his attempts to punish public displays of religious worship. The second villain is Renaldo Boutwell, an eccentric director working on a school play involving a sci-fi Christmas story with alien Wise Men. He is played by one of the

directors, Campbell, who wrote for various hit TV shows, such as “Days of Our Lives,” before making his film debut in “Last Ounce of Courage.”

The film hardly stands as a story because of its limp conflict. The ‘good guys’ seem unstoppable in their practices of freedom of religion in a setting that frowns upon it. And anyone who stands against the idea of placing religious iconography in public places and government buildings is called an easily offended hothead or a fool, but is given little chance for rebuttal.

The characters act as if there is an evil, overarching conspiracy to deprive the people of their rights to practice their religion. But all the movie

depicts is a lone Hammerschmidt sabotaging Bob’s efforts. “Last Ounce of Courage” fails to depict a substantial antagonists. It keeps the story lukewarm and gives the characters few opportunities to fully develop.

“Last Ounce of Courage” disappoints and dulls. It may have a feel-good message about freedom and the courage to stand for your beliefs, but this tiny nugget has to be mined from a red, white and blue tangle of propaganda.

Last Ounce of Courage was directed by Kevin McAfee and Darrel Campbell and written

by Campbell.

Witty writing plays on humor

Novel storyline spotlights drama

By Qina Liu

By Nicole Arocho

Though plagiarism isn’t new to the field of writing, directors and screenwriters Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal’s drama, “The Words,” adds an original spin to a hackneyed concept.

The film begins as author Clay Hammond (Dennis Quaid) reads his fiction novel, “The Words,” on a visit in a New York lecture hall.

“The Words” He tells the story of Rory Jansen CBS Films (Bradley Cooper), a young man who Our rating: moves into a New York City apartHH 1/2 ment with his girlfriend Dora (Zoe Saldana) in hopes of becoming a writer. When Rory and Dora get married, the couple spends their honeymoon in Paris, where Rory purchases a briefcase containing a finished manuscript, unbeknownst to him. When Rory discovers the manuscript inside, he becomes spurred by his ambition to publish his first novel and makes a Faustian deal with himself — to market the manuscript as his own and become a bestselling author.

Though the plot may seem trite and cliché at first, the movie becomes more interesting with the appearance of the old man who wrote the original manuscript (Jeremy Irons). Irons provides some of the most captivating scenes in the film, such as when he confronts Rory about his book, with an excellent mix of sarcasm and bitterness. Irons’ narration of his past life also comes at a pivotal point of the film, holding the audience’s interest just when the film starts to become boring and chock-full of clichés.

Ben Barnes, who plays Irons’ younger self, also gives an excellent performance. Barnes brings sincerity to the writer role that Cooper seems to lack.

For example, in the scenes where Barnes is writing his novel, he types furiously on his typewriter or is

Stand-up comedian Mike Birbiglia directs and stars in “Sleepwalk With Me,” an autobiographical movie based on his one-man Off-Broadway show. The film captivates viewers with its quick, comedic wit and relatable characters.

The movie begins with a monologue by Matt Pandamiglio (Birbiglia) in his car. One night, Pandamiglio meets an agent who gets him gigs in colleges and small bars, “Sleepwalk With Me” which ultimately jumpstarts his IFC Films comedic career.

Our rating: Things get complicated for HHH 1/2 Pandamiglio when his sister Janet (Cristin Milioti) gets married. He realizes he’s terrified of marriage, yet he still proposes to his girlfriend, Abby (Lauren Ambrose). As his wedding approaches, his anxiety skyrockets and turns into a dangerous bout of sleepwalking.

Birbiglia’s sharp humor make his character relatable. Bibiglia and Ambrose’s on-screen chemistry makes their relationship look authentic through their similar back-and-forth humor.

“Sleepwalk With Me” presents a story we can all relate to, such as dealing with insecurity. The movie’s success lies mainly within Bibiglia’s wit. His sleepwalking scenes are hilarious, and the closing monologue is executed perfectly and leaves the audience wanting more.

senior writer

staff writer

film Review

Film Review

From left, Rory (Bradley Cooper) and his wife, Dora (Zoe Saldana), lie in bed together in “The Words.”

Courtesy oF CBS Films

editing. Meanwhile, parallel scenes where Cooper stares blankly at his laptop screen feel flat. Cooper’s performance as Rory is believable, but Barnes’ performance and story resonate more with the viewer.

“The Words” is very artistic, from Klugman and Sternthal’s multi-layered script to Marcelo Zarvos’ music, which provides a beautiful, atmospheric background to the movie. The imagery, including the lush green parks in New York City’s Central Park, is also vibrant and visually stunning.

Like a good novel, “The Words” transports the viewer on a journey through time. The pages of this book jump to life, and Klugman and Sternthal are wonderful storytellers who weave together a charming and romantic drama.

“The Words” was directed and written by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal.

“Sleepwalk With Me” was directed

by Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish and written by Birbiglia, Ira Glass, Joe Birbiglia and Barrish.

Robot & Frank HHH 4:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and weekends 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Moonrise Kingdom 4:45 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and weekends 2:15 p.m. except Saturday, 4:45 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

regal stadium 14 Pyramid Mall 266-7960

Dredd 2:05 p.m.

Dredd 3D 4:40 p.m., 7:20 p.m., 10 p.m.

End of Watch 1:30 p.m., 2:20 p.m., 5 p.m., 7:10 p.m., 7:40 p.m., 10:20 p.m.

House at the end of the street 2:50 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 5:20 p.m., 6:20 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m., 10:25 p.m.

Trouble With the CurvE 1:20 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 6:10 p.m., 6:40 p.m., 8:50 p.m., 9:20 p.m.

Finding Nemo 3d 1:50 p.m., 4:20 p.m., 6:50 p.m., 9:30 p.m.

Resident Evil: Retribution 3D 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 10:30 p.m.

For A Good Time Call ...

2:40 p.m., 5:40 p.m., 7:50 p.m., 10:10 p.m.

The Possession HHH 1:25 p.m., 3:40 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 9:10 p.m.

Lawless HH 1/2 1:35 p.m., 4:15 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:40 p.m.

ParaNorman HHH 1:10 p.m.

The Bourne Legacy 4:10 p.m., 9:50 p.m.

The Campaign HH 1/2 1:15 p.m.

The Dark Knight Rises 1:40 p.m., 5:10 p.m., 8:40 p.m.

our ratings Excellent HHHH Good HHH Fair HH Poor H

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Th ursday, Septem be r 20, 2012

SPORTS

The I th a c a n 1 9

the Golden grad Former Bombers rower Meghan Musnicki ’05 captures Olympic glory

by karly redpath contributing writer

“I really saw her change and improve [her senior year] by developing that confidence.”

Despite the success Musnicki enjoyed as an upperclassman, she said she thought her rowing career was going to end after graduating college.

“I didn’t really graduate college thinking I was going to row beyond it,” Musnicki said. “Had I not had such a good experience at Ithaca, in the later years I probably wouldn’t have decided to try it again.”

Robinson said there weren’t as many doors open for Musnicki in her post-collegiate career as there might have been if she had gone to a Division I school, where students attend to be athletes and academics come after performing in your sport.

Robinson also said Division I rowers train at almost a national team level, training two to three times a day, every day. At a Division III school, rowers usually train once a day 6 days a week with a two-a-day once or twice a week.

“From the being recognized standpoint, and from the coaches recognizing her, it

Everything that Meghan Musnicki ’05 had worked for since her freshman year of college all comes down to this race at Eton Dorney in London: six minutes, just over 200 strokes. Before the most important race of her life, Musnicki calms her nerves by thinking about her teammates, eight women bonded and in sync with her, a team that she wouldn’t want to race without. She thinks of her father, Bill Musnicki, who died of a heart attack her freshman year of college. She thinks of tireless hours of practice and preparation leading up to this moment. She is prepared.

“Australia, the Netherlands, the United States...” the official calls out each nation before the race.

The opening beep finally relieves the tension. The first 10 strokes are an all-out sprint where instinct, muscle memory and adrenaline take over. After a minute of blinding exertion, the U.S. boat pulls forward into the lead.

More than 30,000 spectators cheer loudly for their United States 6:10.59 countries with 250 meters remaining.

Canada 6:12.06 American oars break the water’s plane as the coxswain tests Netherlands 6:13.12 the limits of her vocal chords. The 2012 London Olympics women’s rowing gold medal final results race atmosphere is pandemonium, but it was absolutely a challenge because that’s doesn’t break Musnicki’s rhythm.

Six minutes and 10 seconds after the not the direction they’re looking,” Robinson beep sets things in motion, an air horn sig- said. “They’re looking at the Junior National nals that the U.S. has won. On Aug. 2, after team and the big college programs. They’re years of hard work, Musnicki can finally not looking in the direction of Division III.” Musnicki was first noticed at the 2006 call herself an Olympic gold medalist — a far cry from when she first strapped into an C.R.A.S.H-B. Sprints World Indoor Rowing Championships in Boston, Mass., and pulled erg indoor rowing machine nine years ago.

Musnicki said she felt one of the most a top-25 time of 7:09.80 in 2,000 meters on basic emotions when she realized she had the erg. Her time was so good, in fact, that she was noticed by a coach on the national team. won gold.

Even though Musnicki wasn’t compet“It was pure joy,” she said. “You train for a long time, six, eight years to kind of reach ing as part of a team, she still found the the pinnacle of your sport, which is winning motivation she needed to push herself to an Olympic gold medal, and to be able to an elite standard.

“I love testing my limits,” Musnicki said. achieve that goal is a phenomenal feeling.”

Musnicki started her collegiate career “I love seeing how far I can push myself and at St. Lawrence, where she had originally break through my own physical and mental intended to join the basketball team. Nick barriers and get the most out of myself.”

Musnicki was sent to different developHughes, St. Lawrence’s crew coach, spotted her and asked her if she would like to ment camps where she trained with other try rowing. Though she hadn’t had any idea Olympic prospects. She eventually rose to what rowing was, Musnicki said she fell in the starting rotation and captured gold medals in World Championship competitions in love with the sport.

After completing her novice year at St. 2010 and 2011.

When Musnicki discovered she had Lawrence, Musnicki transferred to Ithaca College, where she finished her collegiate made the U.S. Olympic 8 earlier this year, career with back-to-back national champi- she said she was ecstatic, but at the same time she knew making the boat was only onships in 2004 and 2005. “[Ithaca] introduced me to rowing,” the first step.

“I hadn’t come this far to just make the Musnicki said. “It’s where I really started to enjoy it. Rowing in college here was a boat,” Musnicki said. “We all train so hard to go to the Olympics and win a gold great experience.”

Becky Robinson, who has coached at medal. Making the team was like being Ithaca for the past 18 years, named Musnicki able to check that one thing off the list a captain her senior year, which is something and move on to the next goal that you’re Robinson said really helped her grow into a trying to achieve.”

Since being a rower is now Musnicki’s more comfortable and confident leader.

“Over the course of a year she grew a See musnicki, page 21 lot in that leadership role,” Robinson said.

Gold silver Bronze

Meghan Musnicki ’05 poses with her gold medal from the Olympic Games. At Ithaca College, Musnicki won two national championships with women’s crew.

shawn steiner/the ithacan

Members of the U.S. Olympic 8 celebrate after winning the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games. The U.S. won the 2,000-meter race with a time of 6:10.59.

Armando Franca/associated press, Pool

S ports

2 0 The It hacan

between the lines

Nathan bickell

Pirates fans, there’s hope Until this season, my favorite sports team, the Baltimore Orioles, has left me disappointed. To every sports fan who bemoaned their teams’ lack of success, I have snobbishly held my suffering as superior. Try not experiencing a winning season since 1997. The only other person who could understand my pain is a Pittsburgh Pirates fan.

The plights of the Orioles and Pirates are remarkably similar.

Both teams play in new stadiums that have been far more attractive than the performance of their home squads. Both teams lost hotly contested league championship series — the Orioles in 1997 and the Pirates in 1992 — and since then have not only been unable to make the playoffs, but have also failed to even finish a season with a winning record.

This year, both the Orioles and Pirates started playing winning baseball inexplicably. On Aug. 22, both teams were 10 games above .500 and in positions to take a wild card playoff spot. Since then, the O’s have gotten hot and are battling with the Yankees for the American League Eastern Division title, while the Pirates have gotten cold.

With these two long-suffering franchises on track to end the two longest streaks of losing seasons in North American professional sports this year, I set out to find a Pirates fan at Ithaca College to commiserate in the decades of losing and share hope for the future of our favorite baseball teams. I thought I had found a potential companion in junior Stephanie Zang, a native of Pittsburgh and member of the women’s crew.

Truthfully, I was unable to find a true die-hard Pirates fan at the college. Zang described herself as a fan of Penguins hockey first, followed by Steelers football and then the Pirates.

“I remember in 2009, we won the Super Bowl and the Stanley Cup, so those are big,” she said. “But what have the Pirates done? The die-hard Pirates fans, people with season tickets, are older, and they remember those winning seasons.”

When Zang said this, I realized what a difference five years can make for the college-aged generation of sports fans. I can remember the Orioles in the playoffs in 1996 and 1997. I remember being heartbroken when pitcher Armando Benitez surrendered a home run in the 11th inning that knocked the Orioles out of the playoffs. Why would anyone else my age be a diehard Pirates fan when they have no memories of ever having a good team to cheer for?

I implore my long-suffering brothers in the Pittsburgh area to maintain hope. I can see the promised land of October baseball, and I can say with confidence that the longer the wait, the sweeter the reward will be. nathan bickell is a senior documentary studies major. Contact him at nbickel1@ithaca.edu.

Th ursday, S eptember 2 0 , 2 0 1 2

Seniors revitalize Bombers’ run game

By Christian Araos staff writer

Two nicknames — “Horse Legs” and “Beast Mode” — may be more fitting for comic book characters, but they describe the football team’s two-pronged running attack of senior running backs Jarrett Naiden and Clay Ardoin. Together, these two seniors bring a blend of power and speed to the Bombers’ backfield that could cause headaches for opposing defensive coordinators all season long.

At 6 feet 2 inches tall and 216 pounds, Ardoin, known on the team as “Beast Mode,” is the more powerful runner of the pair.

He relies on running straight The football up and using his speed to get team’s 14-point to the outside. Naiden, aka comeback “Horse Legs,” stands at 5 feet against Union 8 inches, is 186 pounds and matched the largrelies on his agility to make est fourth-quarter defenders miss inside the comeback in tackles. He started the last program history. three games of last season and said he owes his improvement to offseason workouts held at his old high school in Easton, Pa. The Blue and Gold unleashed double trouble on Moravian College at their 24-0 season opening win Sept. 1, where each member of the pair set career highs. Naiden rushed for 118 yards, while Ardoin rushed for 206.

Naiden said he and Ardoin like to wear defenses down with pounding runs until they break down late in the game.

“We like to do our own thing, but we definitely have a thunder and lightning deal going,” Naiden said.

The running backs’ outburst was as methodical as it was explosive. Each runner recorded their longest runs in the fourth quarter. Ardoin followed sophomore right guard Andrew Benvenuto around the left side for an 84-yard run that served as the exclamation point to an emphatic performance.

The run propelled Ardoin over the 200-yard mark, but despite that impressive total, the senior runner said he is refusing to let the dominant performance get to his head.

“It was one game,” Ardoin said. “If you make a good play you put it in the bank and move on. You don’t let it get to your head because if you do you’re setting yourself up for failure.”

Ardoin’s humility comes after he saw limited

stat check

From left, senior running back Jarrett Naiden looks for room during the Bombers’ 27-24 overtime win against Union College on Saturday. Naiden has rushed for 152 yards in two games this season. durst Breneiser/The ithacaN

action last season because of a coach’s decision, despite being the team’s leading rusher in 2010. He said he needed another opportunity to play after last season.

“I’m always ready to play,” Ardoin said. “I’ve been here long enough, and I know the playbook and what’s going on with the team. I just needed my opportunity to get back on the field.

Naiden said he stuck with Ardoin through his struggles last season.

“I just told him to keep working hard and nothing is guaranteed here, so we just kept pushing each

other as much as we could,” Naiden said. “We knew this was our senior year, and we wanted to do the best we could because we knew it would help the team become the best it could be.”

The senior duo found tougher sledding in the Bombers’ second game against Union College on Saturday. The two combined for just 49 rushing yards in the first half and a fumble by Ardoin set up Union’s first touchdown of the afternoon.

For the complete version of this story, visit www. theithacan.org/24775.

Blue and Gold’s freshmen master learning curve By danielle d’avanzo senior writer

It’s the first day of preseason, and a mix of emotions fills the sea of freshmen looking to wear the Ithaca name on the front of their jerseys. Some are feeling nervous, some anxious, others confident, but all are excited to get onto the field and prove themselves.

Every freshman, regardless of sport, must adjust to the collegiate level. The pace is quicker and the opponents are stronger. With 13 freshmen chosen to represent the Bombers this fall, the incoming class has already made an impact — the most notable player being freshman back Joey Dobbins, who became the first Bomber this season to win the Empire 8 Player of the Week award for his game-winning goal against Muhlenberg College on Sept. 9.

Watching the newest members of the men’s soccer team play confidently, it would be hard to believe that nerves were ever present.

Dobbins, along with the other members of his class, was able to overcome those nerves and show he deserved a spot on the team. “[The first practice] was pretty nerve-racking because you look around at the kids and you’re wondering, ‘How good are these kids?’ and ‘Am I going to be able to compete at this level?’” Dobbins said.

From left, freshman midfielder Blair Carney dribbles the ball away from SUNY-Geneseo senior midfielder Alex Stephan in the 1-1 draw Sunday.

Allie healy/the ithacan

“But after halfway through the session, you get comfortable.”

The Bombers have begun the season with an overall record of 2–1–3.

In those six games, at least three freshmen were featured in the starting lineup, while several others came off the bench.

Freshman back Jordan Filipowich and Dobbins have started every game so far for the Bombers. With each practice session and game, Dobbins said, he feels more comfortable playing at the collegiate level.

“I’m much more confident than I was at the beginning of the year,”

Dobbins said. “I was nervous, but being a starter makes me more and more confident, and it keeps helping me improve my game.”

Filipowich said the seniors have also helped the freshmen adjust to the college game through team bonding.

“When our game was postponed against Muhlenberg on Saturday [Sept. 8], we went bowling as a team,” Filipowich said. “I thought that was a great way to have everyone connect a little bit and get to know each other more. We’re all just a big family, and that’s nice to have.”

The South Hill squad has scored six goals this season, three of them by freshmen. In addition to Dobbins’ game-winner against Muhlenberg, freshman midfielder Drew Tallon recorded his first career goal in the Bombers’ matchup against Nichols College on Sept. 2.

Tallon, who has started three games this season, said he enjoys playing at a higher level of competition.

“Just coming in and being able to play with players with your ability is a lot more fun, more enjoyable and more rewarding,” Tallon said.

Filipowich said the freshmen will look to continue making their mark as they gain more experience.

“Everyone that goes on the field now is confident on the ball,” he said.

Everything is being positive, and it’s going uphill.”

Th ursday, Septem be r 20, 2012

S PORTS

The I th a c a n 2 1

musnicki

of newfound fame, including an appearance on the Today Show and a visit to the White from page 19 House on Sept. 14. While Musnicki has enfull time job, she said, training for the joyed the support, she also said sometimes Olympic games with her teammates was the media attention can be exhausting.

“It’s something that I’m not used to at much more intense than her training on the all,” Musnicki said. “But it’s fun because the Cayuga Inlet.

“Leading up to the Olympics, we were sport of rowing doesn’t get a lot of attentraining seven days a week, two, three, four tion. So if there are people who want to talk times a day — not all on the water, but doing to me, I really want to try and talk to them to kind of get the sport out there if it’s going different things,” Musnicki said.

In late July, Musnicki and her teammates to help progress it, for not just for athletes arrived at the Olympic Village. Musnicki right now but for athletes in the future.”

On Sept. 8, Musnicki visited the college’s described the village to be similar to a college campus, but filled with elite athletes. crew and their new boathouse to give them The streets were lined with white dorm-like inspiration for the upcoming season. She buildings six to eight stories high, and every said she was happy to see how far not only country had its own area in the village, with the college’s crew program has progressed over the past few years, but also how far the national flags hanging outside.

Musnicki said the village had one giant sport itself has progressed.

Musnicki andining hall filled swered questions with world-class for the women’s athletes. When she team about what walked around, she her experience was said, she would see like for training and Olympic greats like racing in London at Mo Farah, Ryan the Olympics. She Lochte, Gabby talked about her Douglas and the —U.S. Olympic gold medalist meghan musnicki ’05 teammates in the “Fierce Five” U.S. Olympic 8, what gymnastics team some of her favorand Michael Phelps.

“It was amazing for me to think that ite workouts were during training and the there were thousands of people that are dubstep music she likes to listen to while at the top of their sport all in one place,” she trains.

For sophomore Zoe Rheingold, a curMusnicki said.

After the Olympic Closing Ceremony rent member of the college’s crew, the most on Aug. 12, it was time for the U.S. rowers memorable story Musnicki shared from her to show off their gold medals back home. collegiate career. The Olympic champion Musnicki said the reception coming back had to deal with a coach’s decision before to the states was beyond what she expect- the New York State Championships in her ed. When she returned, her hometown of junior season.

“She had been in the first [varsity] boat Naples, N.Y., held a parade for her.

“It’s a town of about 2,000 people, and I for a while and then actually got moved to swear all 2,000 were out,” Musnicki said. “It the second [varsity] boat, which she wasn’t makes you feel really good and really special very happy about,” Rheingold said. “She that all of those people are behind you and told us that just because you have setbacks doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. She was are supporting you the whole way.”

Musnicki has had to deal with a whirlwind just an average person who just decided

“I hadn’t come this far just to make the boat. We all train so hard to go to the Olympics and win a gold medal.”

Olympic gold medalist Meghan Musnicki ’05 talks with the college’s women’s crew Sept. 8 in the Ward Romer Boathouse. Musnicki talked about what it’s like to compete in an Olympic race. shawn steiner/the ithacan

that she wanted to win and she wanted to work hard, and that if you’re willing to make sacrifices anyone can really do it.”

Rheingold said meeting Musnicki at the start of her first year as a varsity member inspired her and her teammates to set goals for themselves.

“Crew is really tough at times, and I think a lot of people start thinking, ‘This is so hard, why am I doing this?’” Rheingold said. “I think a lot of us can start thinking back to what she said and realize that all our hard work is going to pay off.”

Squad’s young guns step into starting roles BY alex holt senior writer

To say the women’s volleyball team is going through a youth movement would be an understatement.

Nine of the team’s 12 players are underclassmen, and seven of those nine underclassmen are freshmen — five of whom played in the season-opening Bomber Invitational Sept. 7-8.

This year’s Bombers squad is counting on its younger players to provide key contributions at every position and in every aspect of the game, both offensive and defensive.

The team’s starting lineup includes two freshmen, middle blocker Christine Flannery and setter Carly Garone, with libero/setter Dylan Gawinski Stern also seeing extended minutes.

Head Coach Janet Donovan said she usually prefers to avoid rushing new players into matches. However, with so much turnover from last year’s team, not to mention a head injury to sophomore middle blocker Brittany Pietrzykowski in the Bomber Invitational, Donovan had to change that approach this season.

So far, she said she likes what she is seeing from this year’s newcomers.

“Christine and Carly have been a wonderful addition, where they have been able to contribute in the starting lineup right away,” Donovan said. “Usually with the freshmen, you like to wait and get them a little experience before they start. These

three have been thrown in the fire, and they’re doing really well.”

The numbers the Bombers’ newcomers have recorded during the first few weeks of the 2012 season have been impressive. In her first eight games, Garone registered 21 kills, a team-high 190 assists and 33 digs. Flannery had 46 kills, 11 assists and eight blocks while playing in all 30 sets so far this season.

Outside hitter and team co-captain Marissa Weil, who is the only senior on this year’s roster, said she is impressed by Flannery and Garone’s aggressive play.

“Both Carly and Christine have been very good at not being timid or holding back,” Weil said. “They portray leadership on and off the court, regardless of what year they are in school.”

Garone said one of the reasons why she, Flannery and the other freshmen have been able to adapt to the college game so quickly is because the team makes sure its roles are fairly defined. This is a practice that is not as common in the high school game.

“Everyone just kind of knows their role,” Garone said. “We coach ourselves through a lot of things.

We fix ourselves, and we help each other out a lot more.”

Flannery said the defined roles have made it easier to develop a rapport with the rest of her teammates.

“We pick each other up; we’re there for each other,” Flannery said.

Freshman middle blocker Christine Flannery handles a spike during the volleyball team’s practice Tuesday in Ben Light Gymnasium. Flannery has recorded 46 kills, 11 assists and eight blocks and has played in all 30 sets this fall.

Allie Healy/the ithacan

“Even though we’ve just started playing with each other for less than a month, we already know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and how to help each other out.”

For all the youth and inexperience on the team, Donovan said she has tried to downplay the importance of class and age to the team because she doesn’t want her players using their ages as an excuse.

Instead, she wants them to focus on their specific positions. As an example, Donovan mentioned how Garone, who was named Empire 8 Rookie of the Week on Sept. 10, is referred to as a setter, not a freshman. The head coach said she has noticed how Garone has taken charge at such a young age.

While Flannery and Garone have seen more playing time so far

than the other six freshmen on the team, Flannery said that the transition to playing the college game has been easier simply because most of her teammates are making that transition right alongside her.

“We’re all going through it together — it’s more than half the team,” she said. “We’re really young, but we’re all experiencing it and growing as a team.”

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Th ursday, S eptember 2 0 , 2 0 1 2

[The buzzer] Th ursday, Septem be r 20, 2012

Top Tweets The funniest sports commentary via Twitter from this past week.

Faux John Madden @FauxJohnMadden Who knew the Tebow chants may begin in Denver before they would in New York.

Bill Simmons @sportsguy33 RIP to the “Never bet against Peyton Manning on a Monday night” rule. Tremendous run.

I’m giving it a golf clap.

Brian Phillips @runofplay Somehow Steve Young and Trent Dilfer are having an argument on a topic they agree upon... I think.

The Bill Walton Trip @NotBillWalton Matt Ryan looks impressive tonight. The only way the Broncos can stop him is if they somehow convince him that this is a playoff game.

the foul line

Weird news from the wide world of sports

Sports tidbits for the less-than-casual sports fan Assistant Sports Editor Taylor Palmer offers a few sports topics to use at the bar, a party or an awkward lull in conversation.

The I th a c a n 2 3

six degrees of

Brendan Fraser

Captain of the men’s football team, center Nate Hemingway, anchored the line and led the Bombers to a week two win against Union. So what better time for The Ithacan to connect Hemingway to the star of Dudley Do-Right and The Mummy, Brendan Fraser?

—Taylor Palmer Center Nate Hemingway has recovered from a car accident and played a large part in the Bombers’ early season success, leading the line on an offense that is currently scoring more than 25 points per game. Hemingway, who wasn’t heavily recruited, played at Curtis High School in Staten Island, N.Y., on the same team as...

...famed quarterback Tim Tebow. Tebow led the Gators to two national championships over his four-year career and won a Heisman Trophy as a sophomore.

Tebow now plays for the New York Jets, where he backs up…

...quarterback Mark Sanchez. Sanchez has recently started dating “Desperate Housewives” star...

...Dominique Easley.

Easley is a sleeper pick for a first-round draft choice in the 2013 NFL draft. He currently plays for the Florida Gators, the same alma mater as...

...Eva Longoria. The actress hasn’t starred in much since Housewives went off the air.

She has been linked to the romantic comedy “Married and Cheating”, also starring…

...the man who fought the mummy, Brendan Fraser.

The NFL referees have followed suit with other professional sports unions and realized that if they strike and hold out for more cash, they will probably get it. The NFL, a multi-billion dollar industry, decided not to put the entire league on hold and opted to go out and find replacement refs. You’d figure the NFL would have gone straight for the obvious choice, Division I college football referees, but that would have been too easy.

Instead, elementary school teachers and the like were handpicked by the league and given pinstriped polo shirts and control of the fate of the NFL. These replacement refs have been given a lot of flak. One thing is for sure, Kevin Akin is keeping sharp between games.

The head linesman from week one’s game between the Browns and Eagles had some downtime before his Monday night game between the Broncos and Falcons. The ever-diligent Akin chose not to relax, but to stay in referee mode. In between the games, Akin manned the backfield and refereed a middle school game in Bethany, Okla. From working a game with the likes of Michael Vick and Trent Richardson, to running a matchup between a bunch of kids who can’t drive yet. Shoot for the stars, Kev.

—Taylor Palmer

• Following a 13–3 season in 2011, several players and coaches of the New Orleans Saints were implicated and suspended in a bounty system scandal. In an unexpected turn of events, an appeals board overturned the player suspension. The Saints have started 0–2, losing two games that saw the Saints as the favorite. Karma may still exist.

• The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the playoff hunt, looking to end a 20-year playoff drought. The team hasn’t made the playoffs since 1992. The top movie in the box offices in 1992 was “Aladdin,” which raked in $217 million.

• This week, the NHL began its fourth work stoppage since 1992. Commissioner Gary Bettman has led the NHL into a strike once every five years or so. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me four times... I’m not sure who to shame.

• After receiving about 46 hours of airtime a day on ESPN during the preseason, quarterback Tim Tebow has thrown a total of zero passes this season.

2 4 The It hacan

photo finish Captu ri ng th e B ombers at t h ei r be st

Th ursday, September 2 0 , 2 0 1 2

Break on through

From left, Union College senior defensive back Cam Johnson attempts to bring down senior running back Clay Ardoin during the football team’s home opener Saturday at Butterfield Stadium. The Bombers rallied from a 14-point deficit with less than seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and eventually prevailed in overtime by a score of 27-24.

Durst breneiser/the ithacan