The Beacon - Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams, Mass. -
Volume 73, Issue 13 www.theonlinebeacon.com Thursday, May 5, 2011
Public Safety outlines plan to arm officers By Andrew Roiter Editor-in-Chief
At a meeting of the Student Government Association Monday night, Public Safety Director Joseph Charon outlined a plan to train and arm existing public safety officers with firearms. “There is no precipitory incident that is driving this discussion,” President Mary Grant said. “This conversation has been going on for years.” Charon added that 9 out of 10 colleges that have a sworn police force with armed officers. The College has been considering this plan since 2008, when the Mass. Department of Higher Education released a report recommending, among other things, 27 ways to improve campus safety. One of these stated, “Sworn campus police officers should be armed and trained in the use of personal or specialized firearms.” The entire report is available at www.mass.edu. There are two open meetings on the topic in Sullivan lounge. The first was earlier today at 8:30 a.m. in Sullivan lounge. The second will be on Monday, May 9 at 3:30 p.m. The Board of Trustees has yet to make a decision. But public safety officers, Grant and other faculty have input. “I think community commentary is very important, and I don’t know where we’re going to be at the end of that period so I’m not
Photo by Dan Sheehan/Beacon staff
Public Safety Director Joe Charon addresses SGA Monday night on the subject. going to offer a judgment about duty to act if a crime is reported viding them with a firearm creates what’s going to happen following to them or if one is being commit- that balance and creates the opportunities to be able to respond that. But the concerns that come ted in front of them. 2. All officers follow a model of to those levels.” forward in these meetings are 3. The MCLA campus is expandvery important. This is a consid- force. Without firearms, campus ered process,” Dean of Students safety officers are left without ac- ing. This will cause Public Safety cess to the highest level of force. to operate outside of the central Charlotte Degen said. Charon discussed four points “Not having that level of force cre- campus area and in the greater that were reasons behind the de- ates a disparity of force between North Adams area more often. “With officers using city streets potential assailants and campus cision. 1. Campus safety officers have a safety officers,” Charon said. “Pro- to gain access to those outside ju-
Commencement approaches By Chris Goodell Senior News Editor
Members of the class of 2011 will say their final goodbyes to the College as commencement takes place on Saturday, May 21 in the Campus Center gymnasium. Guest seating will begin at 9:30 a.m. on a first come, first serve basis, and the commencement ceremony will begin at 11. The class of 2011 leaves behind a legacy that, according to President Mary Grant, is built around their hard work and dedication to making a difference in their community. “This is a powerful class,” Grant said. “I’ve been truly privileged to know a lot of these students very well. I’ve noticed in this class students determined to make a difference.” Dean of Students Charlotte Degen also noted the impact that the class of 2011 has had on the College during their time here. “The class of 2011 is composed of amazing individuals,” Degen said. “These students have a spe-
cial way of investing in and supporting one another.” “They have created and served in programs that touch the lives of youth to encourage their interest in doing well in school,” Degen continued. “They have also worked to preserve the environment. This is the class that led the celebration of 100 years of student governance. To celebrate, they established and raised funds for a scholarship.” According to Grant, these graduates’ determination to make a difference is what makes civic leader Hubie Jones such an appropriate speaker to deliver the keynote address. “Hubie’s work has all been about social justice, civic engagement and making a difference,” Grant said. “Anybody can make a difference. I think that’s the message that Hubie Jones is going to deliver.” Jones is a former professor and dean of Boston University’s school of Social Work and has served as a community leader in Boston for the past several decades. Aside from being the
keynote speaker Jones will also receive an honorary Doctor of Public Service. Also receiving honorary degrees during the commencement ceremony are Berkshire attorney John DeRosa, receiving a doctorate in law; Pittsfield Mayor James Ruberto, receiving a doctorate in public service; and Sister Eunice Tassone, receiving a doctorate in humanities. On Friday, May 20 graduates are invited to attend the baccalaureate ceremony at 3 p.m. in the Church Street Center. At 4:30 graduates who have made reservations can enjoy dinner at the Senior Banquet in the Campus Center gymnasium. Grant said that although she will be sad to see the class of 2011 leave MCLA, she is confident in what their future holds. “I’m so proud of them,” Grant said. “I can’t wait to see what they do next.” “The future belongs to them,” Degen added. “It is now in their good and capable hands.”
risdiction areas they are subjecting themselves to influences within the city limits,” Charon said. “Even outside our jurisdiction, we have a duty to act and help those people.” 4. “There’s a great deal of national attention both from the media and from all aspects of government agencies … that are specifically related to the increase in the number of violence related instances that have happened across the country…those types of things can happen anywhere,” Charon said. “It would make sense that when society’s awareness is heightened, there is an expectation for people to respond to that behavior and put preventative measures in place.” Charon said he was specifically referring to a perceived increase in events such as the Columbine, Virginia Tech and Fort Hood shootings; not to a statistical increase in the rate of violent crime, which according to the FBI Database has been trending downward in Mass. since 1993. (This data is available in an organizable table at www.ucrdatatool.gov.) Although six of the eight public safety officers are already trained in firearm use for positions they hold with other criminal justice groups or institutions, they will receive additional training in MCLA policies regarding firearm use. The plan is to arm officers solely with law enforcement-standard sidearms.
Main Street Stage Closing By Edward McCormick Staff Writer
On Sunday May 22, the final curtain will fall on the Main Street Stage production of Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull”. That Sunday is also the last time the theater group will perform at its 57 Main Street location in North Adams. Main St. Stage lost its location downtown after negotiations between its landlord, Scarafoni Associates, and the owners of Creations and Empire Antiques. The antique store and the theater group vied for the same space. “It ultimately came down to a business decision,” Dave Bond of Scarafoni Associates said. Bond handled negotiations for the 57 Main St. retail space. While the theater group explored options for a three-year lease with the landlord, the owners of the antique store next door expressed the need to either expand or move from downtown according to all parties involved. “If I signed a deal with Main St. Stage, I risked losing two retail
spaces downtown,” Bond said. The owners of the antique shops located at 59 and 61 Main St.-
STAGE continued on page 13 Inside the Beacon: Pg. 5 President Grant addresses the graduates. Pg. 3 Campus Center upgrades. Pg. 10 Vivid Rhythms. Pg. 12 List of graduates.