Monday, March 26, 2012 La Roche College • 9000 Babcock Boulevard • Pittsburgh, PA 15237 • 412.847.2505
How “Green” is LRC? O
Vol. 16, Issue 5
The Future of the SGA Presidential Race by laura pitchford
By Kurt Hackimer
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or many students at La Roche College, the extent of La Roche College’s movement towards a greener campus begins and ends with the little stickers in the bathroom telling students to turn off the lights when they leave. However, several La Roche officials take the environment into consideration with every major project the school undergoes. “We are constantly researching ways to make the school more energy efficient,” Dr. Joshua Bellin, an English professor at La Roche, said. The “we” Bellin is referring to is the La Roche College Eco Council, which is a group of faculty members, including Bellin and Dr. Howard Ishiyama, who dedicate a great deal of their time to researching everything from the most energy
efficient lighting structures to monitoring the school’s nitrogen emissions. In 2008, La Roche students, faculty, and staff introduced and signed the La Roche Green Pact. People who signed the pact agreed to address environmental issues by promoting energy efficiency, purchasing environmentally friendly products, and recycling. According to both Bellin and Jessica Zoccola, who is the president of Green LRC, La Roche’s student group devoted to environmental consciousness, most of the goals listed on the Green Pact have been accomplished. Bellin and Zoccola both championed La Roche’s efforts in making the dining area as eco-friendly as possible. Cafeteria trays are made out of recycled plastic, the Redhawk Café uses compostable boxes and silverware, and there are recycling see Green, page 4
n February 28, 2012 the La Roche College Student Government Association (SGA) voted to suspend the bylaw that requires all SGA Presidential candidates to have previously served on the SGA board. This suspension occurred last year during SGA elections under the leadership of 2010-2011 SGA President Matthew Whetsell and Vice President Catelyn O’Connor. Concern arose over lack of enthusiasm and interest in running for the 2011-2012 president position among the 2010-2011 board and action had to be taken to ensure a future for SGA. “The bylaw wasn’t a problem,” says Matt, “the lack of interest in the presidency was.” SGA’s decision to resuspend the bylaws for this election season did not come without heated debates during the meeting and bitter, metallic tastes in the mouth following the close 5 to 4 vote. “Although the President and Vice President this year
fulfilled their requirements to the best of their ability, I feel that having a year’s worth of knowledge is very crucial for this position,” says SanDee Cordon, current SGA secretary. “The position of the Student Government President is that of prestige and high quality leadership. By serving a term on the board, you are able to see what the ins and outs are in order to make your next year’s board stronger and more efficient.” The current SGA President, Ross Greico, and his Executive Vice President, Jeff Dailey, had not served on SGA previously and won last year’s election due to the bylaw suspension. Ross said that he “supports the bylaw suspension… it promotes competition at election time as well as encourages students to get involved.” But was the suspension necessary? David Day, faculty advisor to SGA, pointed out that last year’s suspension was necessary. “Last year there were [zero] candidates for President from within SGA,” says David. “Obviously, the rule needed to be suspend-
ed last year or there would be no president.” Without a president, there would be no SGA. “The reason so many of the members voted to suspend the rule was to see competition within the election,” says Jeff Dailey, current Executive Vice President. Nicholas Yund, current SGA board member and 2012 presidential nominee, said that two things bothered him regarding the vote: the delayed timing, as students not currently serving on the board had received presidential packets, and the lack of participation from the board in the coming election. “I knew no one else was interested in the position. If I voted to end the suspension, I basically would have voted myself into office.” Because of these factors, Nick and his running mate, Nina Ciccotelli, chose to abstain from the vote. “We would be running with no opposition, and that is hardly democratic.” Regardless of the comsee SGA, page 4
A professor of language: Myrna Schwarz by shay badolato
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hirty-nine countries are represented within the La Roche College student body. According to the school’s website, La Roche offers a “comprehensive communicative program in English as a Second Language (ESL) for non-native speakers of English.” Myrna Schwarz, a La Roche College professor of English as a Second Language (ESL) and Spanish, shares her cultural background and stresses the importance of language. “Everybody should know a second, third, or fourth language, that would be great; but at least a second language, very important, Schwarz said.
“I’m a Mexican-Jew,” the professor said. Her family came from Spain, and that’s where her “Jewishness” derives from, she said. Her family eventually ended up in Mexico. Religion is an important aspect to Schawarz’s life; she sees the color purple as a symbol of her faith. She wears purple daily, decorates her office with purple accents, and types her E-mails in a shade of purple. “First, It’s a sign of spirituality,” Schwarz said. “I also have always connected to God and so I am his daughter. I am the daughter of a king.” Schwartz moved from Texas to Pittsburgh six years ago, after she secured a partsee Language, page 2
©shay badolato
Myrna Schwarz is a La Roche College professor in English as a Second Language and Spanish.
This publication reflects the views, attitudes, interests, and tastes of the writers, editors and contributors to The Courier. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration, faculty and staff of La Roche College.
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Dear Yebba, I am having trouble with one of my professors. Even though I do my work the way he asks, I still get bad grades but my friends in the class do fine. How do I get him to stop picking on me? Sincerely, Singled Out Student
Dear Singled, You can always drop the class. If you run from problems though, you will make a habit of it. The best way to handle a situation is clear communication. Lori Ahrend, head of the La Roche College counseling department, suggests going directly to the professor if you feel comfortable enough to do so. In order to get the most out of a meeting with your professor you will need to prepare: know what you want to discuss and be specific about what you would like to come about from the meeting. The most important part of this is for you to remain calm and professional. The use of “I” statements is key here, otherwise you will come off as argumentative. A good start would be “I didn’t do so well on my last paper, would you mind discussing what I did wrong so that I can improve?” If you are still struggling, ask your friends in the class to help or get a tutor. However, if you do find that the problem is the professor and not you, there is a chain of command that you can follow. Find out who your professor’s supervisor is and take the matter directly to your professor’s superior. Above all, remain calm. Good luck, Yebba
Penn State Altoona: Ivyside Juried Gallery Exhibition by Kelsa Harten
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enn State Altoona is hosting its annual Ivyside Juried Gallery Exhibition for the 20112012 artist selections in the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts. Each year, Penn State Altoona hosts its Ivyside Juried Gallery Exhibition. The Theatre and Gallery Manager, Eleanor Hart (Noel) Feeley, facilitates all of the administration and programming for the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts. “The event is a yearlong art exhibition that features ten to twelve artists,” Feeley said. She also added that faculty members select the artists based on a variety of application requirements. There are two art galleries dedicated to the exhibition, the Sheetz and McLanahan Galleries. In each of the galleries, a selected artist’s work is displayed for about six weeks. There is also a formal reception held for each artist on his or her opening day in the Titelman Study of the Center. For the time period between January 12, 2012 and February 19, 2012, two very different artists are on display. Works by Tess Barbato are currently displayed in the McLanahan Gallery. She received her associates degree in Art from Suffolk Community College. She then continued her education at Plymouth State University where she received her Bachelors of Fine Art. Barbato’s works of art that are displayed in the gallery focus mainly on food items, hands, and objects of nature. By zooming in on her selected objects, she was
able to focus on the value and texture differences that aren’t usually noticed. “I have always been fascinated by what makes one thing different from another, and through my work I have been able to explore these differences,” Barbato said. “For the viewer, my work highlights the importance of the individual, while also highlighting the need for multiples.” In the Sheetz Gallery, the works of Taehee Kim are on display. She received her BFA from Hanyang University (South Korea) and her MFA from Louisiana State University. She is now an assistant professor at Sam Houston State University in Texas. To create her works of art, Kim uses many scientific methods and technology. These include optic and electronic microscopy as well as LCD touch screens, and are used to explore the natural beauty, richness, and complexity of organic forms. “My belief is that art and science are ultimately one. One does not exist without the other; improvements in one reflect improvements in the other,” Kim said. “I investigate a medium and examine symbolic structures to express concepts of transcendence and spirituality in Buddhism.” Currently, the works of Melissa Wilkinson and Denise Bookwalter are on display in the galleries. Their exhibitions will remain in the galleries until April 1, 2012. The galleries are open for public viewing Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They are also open before and after all performances in the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts.
Language continued from page 1 time position at La Roche College in the ESL department. “When I was in Texas I looked online to see what colleges offered ESl and I contacted every single one of them and I was very blessed that they needed somebody [at La Roche], and I got hired,” said the assistant director for the ESL program. According to Laroche.edu, international students follow the mission to “create an international community of scholars from the region, the nation and around the world. Liberal and professional education experiences are integrated into a way of life that empowers men and women to become life-
long learners, achieve success in their chosen careers and promote justice and peace in a constantly changing global society.” Professor Schwarz said she is very good at languages and that the knowledge of knowing them is beneficial. “I love languages and learning about different cultures,” said Schwarz. She likes to take recipes from the different cultures and incorporate them into her diet. She is close to her students who often recommend various dishes. “My students always love me, especially my international students; some of them call me mom.”
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Dear Yebba, I feel like stress in my life just escalates. I have a hard time relaxing enough to focus on what I need to get done and then by not getting it done, I stress out more. My friends are getting angry because I never want to hang out anymore, but I feel like going out will set me back even further. HELP! -Tightly wound spring of nerves
Dear Nerves, There’s a little thing in life called time management. This nifty little tool allows you to fit the things that you need to do in with the things that you want to do. Get to know, love it, make it your best friend because it will be carrying you through life. What is the key to this magic trick? Lori Ahrend, the head of La Roche’s counseling department, meets with stressed-out students all the time. Her advice? Make sure you keep up with your work, rather than putting it off until the last minute. Lori says that many students try to put off eating and sleeping to incorporate their to-do list, but that is a definite don’t. “Those are important,” says Lori. Her main suggestion is to make a list of goals that you want to accomplish each day and use a planner to keep track of everything that needs done. In order to make sure you don’t drive yourself crazy staring at your homework, space the work out with some fun. “Weight what will take more time,” says Lori, “and plan accordingly.” Getting your life organized is like bunking your beds… there is so much more room for activities! Best Wishes, Yebba
©Shay Badolato
La Roche College students spend quility time with the therapy dogs in CC Square on February 28, 2012.
Editor-in-Chief Shay Badolato Kurt Hackimer Entertainment Editor Sammi Deem Contributing Writers Laura Pitchford Kelsa Harten Tariq Shabaz Advisor Ed Stankowski
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Green
www.larochecourier.com
continued from page 1
bins next to nearly every trashcan on campus. La Roche has also requisitioned the services of a company to assist in recycling compost. During the renovation of the Wright Library this past summer, the library was outfitted with recycled furniture, energy efficient lighting, and bathroom lights that automatically dim whenever they are not in use. When asked about retrofitting other portions of the campus, Bellin noted that, while extraneous modifications to the existing facilities is not fiscally possible, any improvements made to the campus will be done with the environment in mind. One of the key components to the upcoming capital campaign is to renovate the A.J. Palumbo Science Center. Part of this effort will be to install new windows. More grandiose propositions have been made by the Eco Council including an outdoor pavilion that could be used as a classroom.
A greenhouse that would replace the tar roof atop the academic building, a “living roof ” as Bellin called it, was also proposed. However, Bellin said that, after consulting with the interior design department, the project is probably not structurally feasible. Despite La Roche’s efforts to make this school environmentally friendly and educate support for organizations such as Green LRC remain remarkably low. “A lot of people don’t care [about the environment],” Zoccola said. “I’ll ask my friends about it and they’re just not interested.” Bellin suggests that this is perhaps partially due to lack of advertisement and the fact that the majority of the changes within the school, such as the cafeteria trays, have been relatively discreet. If anyone is interested in joining Green LRC, feel free to contact the Center for Student Development for information.
SGA continued from page 1
petition it may provide, Dailey’s concern is this: “This past year we struggled with a lot of projects because our board was so young… you may have one person who is really dedicated and has seen… the responsibilities the president has, and on the other hand you have an outsider who has no idea what is going on and the club could potentially be taking a step back instead of moving forward.” The future of SGA rests in the hands of a potential vote to make this bylaw suspension permanent. Fear not students of La Roche. Either way, you are in good hands. “There are election requirements that have been put into place to ensure that students who are running, whether
they have served on the board before or not, are still made aware of how the board functions and what it might be like to serve on the board as president or vice president,” says Paulette Beadling, also a faculty advisor to SGA. There may be students out there with the potential to successfully run SGA without the experience required by the bylaws prior to the extended suspension. There may also the potential for students who had served on the board to still fail, regardless of the experience that they possess. The choice between these two concerns rest in the hands of La Roche’s student body in the coming election.
WHATS HOT
WHATS NOT
Timberland Boots
Ugg Boots
Phil Avolio’s Landscaping
Everybody else’s landscaping
La Roche Flag Football
The NFL
Chase Rowe
Clint Hurdle
Russ “La Roche’s #1 Fan”
Every other sports fan
Wiz Khalifa
Mac Miller
Girls texting smiley faces
Guys texting smiley faces
Liking country year round
Liking country only when there’s a concert by Tariq Shabaz
Interested in writing, layout, or photography? The La Roche Courier needs writers for news articles, feature stories, sports coverage, and entertainment. Photographers, illustrators, and page designers are always wanted. If you are interested in joining our staff, please contact our editors: Shay.Badolato@stu.laroche.edu and Kurt.Hackimer@stu.laroche.edu
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2012 Pirates Season Preview By Kurt Hackimer
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pringtime is the best time of the year. The cold winter chill has subsided and has been replaced by warm sunshine and the pleasant springtime breeze. But, most importantly, springtime means the beginning of Pirates season. While last season marked the 19th straight losing season for the Pirates, the longest such streak in the history of American professional sports, the arrival of spring brings new hope to the beleaguered Buccos as they hope to avoid having their losing streak reach its second decade. So close, but yet so far. The city was abuzz last season as the Pirates entered the All Star Break with a winning record and the lead in the NL Central for the first time since 1992. The Pirates were battling at the top of their division when, on July 26th, the season took a turn for the worse. In a grueling 19-inning game against the Atlanta Braves, umpire Jerry Meals made one of the worst calls in baseball history whenever he called Braves infielder Julio Lugo “safe” on a play at home plate when Lugo was clearly out. Afterwards, the league and Meals both admitted that the call was incorrect. But that loss marked the turning point in the Pirates’ impressive season. Following that heartbreaking loss, the Pirates went 19-42 for the duration of the season, including a 10game losing streak from July 29th to August 7th, finishing with a 7290 record and completing the most dramatic collapse of any divisionleading team at the All Star Break in league history. So what happened? Quite simply, the pitching staff, whose stellar performance had buoyed the Pirates below average offense through the first half of the season, fell apart. Kevin Correia, who represented the Pirates’ pitching staff in the All Star Game, went 0-4 with an 8.41 ERA in the month of August. Paul Maholm (0-4; 6.75) and Jeff Karstens (2-3; 7.46) did not fare much better. Taking the next step. Despite the Pirates disappointing collapse in 2011, there is still very much to be excited about within the Bucs dugout.
Most importantly, the front office has continued its commitment to winning by opening their wallets and spending money on actual Major League players. The Pirates signed All Star center fielder Andrew McCutchen to a 6-year $51.5 million contract; it was a landmark achievement for the Pirates organization. By signing McCutchen, who figures to be the only legitimate star to emerge from the Pirates’ system since Barry Bonds left in 1992, the Pirates have proven that they are serious about contending sooner rather than later. “We are now well beyond the talent-accumulation phase,” Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington said during an interview with ESPN. com’s Jayson Stark. “We’re into the championship, Major League teambuilding phase.” While the long suffering Pirates fan base has certainly heard that line before, it appears as if principal owner Frank Coonelly, Huntington, and the rest of the Pirates’ brass are prepared to back up their statement. Shortly before the signing of McCutchen, the Pirates traded for belabored New York Yankees starting pitcher A.J. Burnett. The Pirates were able to stand strong in negotiations with the Yankees and will only have to pay $13 million of the $31 million remaining on Burnett’s two-year contract. While Burnett was a mediocre 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA in 2011, the signing is a feather in the cap for the Pirates front office, who were reportedly turned down by starting pitchers Edwin Jackson and Roy Oswalt after offering each of them large contracts. Also, this offseason saw the additions of veteran catcher Rod Barajas, shortstop Clint Barmes, third baseman Casey McGehee, former All Star Nate McLouth, and former Baltimore Orioles ace Erik Bedard. These players will replace Paul Maholm, Ryan Doumit, Ronny Cedeño, and Chris Snyder, who all left the team through free agency this offseason. So, is this the year? While it is exciting that the Pirates are putting together pieces at a Major League level, a lot would need to go right for this to be the season that the Pirates break their hideous losing streak. Spring Training started off with a remarkably sour note as the newly acquired A.J. Burnett injured himself after a ball deflected off of his bat
during a bunting drill and broke his orbital bone. He will presumably be out for at least the first month of the season. While no other bizarre injuries have yet occurred as the Pirates prepare their team in Bradenton, FL, there are still many questions about the 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates: Which Pirates pitching staff is the real Pirates pitching staff? Through the first four months of the regular season, the Pirates statistically had one of the best pitching staffs in baseball. Through the last two, they had one of the worst. One of these has to be the real Pirates pitching staff. The new additions will undoubtedly boost the quality of the starting rotation. But, with Bedard’s reputation for being fragile and with Burnett already missing the first month of the season due to injury, one has to wonder about their durability. While the bullpen, anchored by stud closer Joel Hanrahan, should not be a tremendous issue, the starting rotation remains a mystery.
Was Pedro Alvarez’s pitiful 2011 campaign an aberration? Alvarez, the Pirates’ highly touted first round draft pick in 2008, was flat out awful last season. He batted a measly .191 while only knocking in 19 RBI in 71 games, as he bounced from the Major Leagues to AAA. In the summer of 2010, Alvarez was promoted to the Major Leagues and tore through big league pitchers with voracity, hitting 16 HRs and knocking in 64 RBI in just 95 games with the ball club. In order for the Pirates to succeed this season, Alvarez must make strides towards returning to his 2010 form and add some power to the middle of the batting order. While he will be given every opportunity to succeed with the Pirates, their trading for Casey McGehee this winter signifies that their patience for Alvarez may be diminishing. Will the Pirates resign Neil Walker? Jose Tabata signed a 6-year contract last season. This offseason, Andrew McCutchen has done the same. So where does that leave the other promising young bat in the Pirates’ lineup, second baseman Neil Walker? Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors. com writes that “A five-year, $27MM deal beginning with the 2013 season could be fair for Walker.” Walker lacks the speed, pizazz, and upside
Pirates pitcher Charlie Morton throws a strike past Daniel Descalso of the St. Louis Cardinals. of both Tabata and McCutchen, but he has been a solid player through his first two Major League seasons. The Pirates will have to determine whether or not they think he will maintain his consistency if they are going to offer him a large contract. For the first time in several years, the Pirates are going into the regular season without any significant holes to fill. If the pitching staff can perform like the first half of last season and they can find some power from Alvarez, McGehee, Barmes, and/or Garrett Jones in the middle of the lineup, the Pirates may have a chance in an NL Central division that lost both Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols this offseason. My prediction for this season is that the Pirates will go 77-85. The combination of their new pitching staff, developing lineup, and the diminished NL Central should be good for 5 more wins for the Buccos. However, while this year might not be the year, better days are around the corner. With Andrew McCutchen patrolling center field for the next half-dozen years and the trio of young pitchers, Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, and Luis Heredia, all due to arrive by 2015, the Pirates days of woe could be coming to an end. After all, it has to end sometime… …right?
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