THE Volume 94, Issue 3
Q
UADRANGLE A Student Publication of Manhattan College Since 1924
September 13, 2016
15 Years Later MC Never Forgets
www.mcquad.org
Lasallian Volunteers Keep Tradition Alive Anthony DePinho Staff Writer
Remembering 9/11
Ally Hutzler/The Quadrangle
Student Government Holds First Assembly Meeting of the Year Jack Melanson Asst. Editor
Revamping Locke’s Loft, creating more fun activities on campus, making life for commuting students easier and more enjoyable and even potentially placing an Au Bon Pain on campus. These were just a few of the key discussion points at the first Student Government Assembly meeting which took place in the Raymond W. Kelly Student Commons this past Tuesday, Sep. 7. “The first meeting went great and I’m looking forward to a great year.” said Student Body President Dorian Persaud. The first item on the meeting’s agenda was Gourmet Dining. “We have a lot of really exciting things going on,” said Assistant General Manager of the Food Service Management Team, Brian Conway. “We are really pushing for an Au Bon Pain around January.” Conway added that Au Bon Pain, if placed on campus, would be located by Cafe 1853. Other tasks that Gourmet Dining and Student Government have been working on include reforming the new commuter meal plan and making food more appealing to all students. Commuter meal plans “Will mirror dining dollars that we already have here,” said Conway. “Incorporated in these meal plans is swipes to Locke’s Loft which includes discounted costs.” Specifically, the commuter meal plans include two options. The first allows three meal swipes at Locke’s Loft and $330 Dining Dollars per semester, while option two allows five meal swipes and $550 Dining Dollars.
Micheala Bishop, who leads the Commuter Student Association, placed an extra emphasis on commuter students to take advantage of these new opportunities. “Get as many students involved as possible so that we can expand it.” Bishop said. Persaud mentioned that students are signing up, but like Bishop, he hopes that these programs continue to grow and become more successful. “We’ve had students signing up,” said Persaud. “We plan on strengthening the commuter meal plan, but it’s a great start.” Conway also shared that new chefs were hired at Locke’s loft, Cafe 1853’s menu was improved and options for vegans have been updated. The meeting rolled on and shifted its focus from Gourmet Dining to discussing Student Government’s current committees and associations. The committees and associations included; Social Life Committee and the Lasallian Action Committee lead by Allison Ready. Budgets Allocation Committee lead lead by Matt Mattera. Club Oversight Committee lead by Kaitlyn Griman. Resident Student Association lead by Olivia Siller. Neighborhood Relations Committee lead by Ryan Quattromani. And lastly, as stated before, the Commuter Student Association lead by Micheala Bishop. Each committee or association discussed their plans for the semester, which included bringing some new activities and ideas to campus, as well as continuing with some traditions.
Ryan Quattromani, a veteran of the group, mentioned some of the work that Student Government did last year to bridge the gap between the surrounding community and Manhattan College. The biggest of these activities was a community luncheon that created a space for students, staff and the community to come together and discuss how to mend Manhattan College’s relationship with residents of Riverdale. “I’m hoping to do that again this year.” Quattromani said. Bishop also discussed more legislative plans to change the culture for commuter students. “I want commuter students to safely take metro trips to school together,” said Bishop. “ I also want more than just one commuter appreciation day, I’d like to have more, small little commuter appreciation days.” Persaud, like Bishop, seems to be highly invested with adjusting the life for commuters here at Manhattan College. “I also have been in contact with the lead developer of the MC Glance application, Micheal Fulton, as they try to implement new features,” said Persaud. “ It would be awesome to see if the application could allow you [commuter students] access into residence halls.” Allison Ready, in charge of social life on campus such as Spring Fest and Manhattan Madness, emphasized she wanted students to be active and come to more Student Government meetings. “Bring your guys’ opinions, and the student bodies’ opinions,” said Ready. “ We could do so much more.” The next Student Government meeting will be held Sep. 21.
For Lindsey Pamlayne, walking through the Manhattan College campus is more than just a visit to her alma mater. It’s a return to the place that started a deep personal love for the Lasallian mission, that continued after graduation through the Lasallian Volunteers Program. “I had planned to be a Lasallian Volunteer from my freshman year on,” Pamlayne said. “Right off the bat I kind of knew that this Lasallian charism, I was sold.” The Lasallian Volunteers (LV) Program is a post-graduate volunteer program for adults who want to continue to serve in the Lasallian tradition. Volunteers live together in communities and serve in a wide range of capacities, with a focus on education and social work. According to their website, LV’s currently serve in 13 states across the country. Pamlayne, an MC class of 2015 graduate, spent her first year in the program at St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, teaching in the school and also getting involved in after-school programming. This year, her volunteer assignment is at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn as a teacher and a campus minister. “I spend a lot of time with high school students, affirming what I would consider my vocation, which is something I definitely discovered at Manhattan. It’s who I am, it’s what I like, it’s what I do,” Pamlayne said. Pamlayne suggested that the being assigned in different states and across several disciplines as a volunteer is meant to pose a personal challenge to each LV in the program. “The idea is to challenge you to grow, and a big part of that is to get you out of your comfort zone… You come to the program with who you are, and then in a very Lasallian way, the program meets you where you are” Pamlanye said. “You come in with your specific gifts, talents, and abilities – whatever it is God gave you – and then the program says ‘Ok, this is what you do best, and this is where you can be challenged to be even better.’” Mr. Andrew Weingarten, Director of Residence Life, served as an LV in Wisconsin for two years in a Lasallian school and an after-school educational center. A graduate of La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he mirrored Pamlayne’s sentiments in regard to this challenge when reflecting on his time as an LV. “The schools and ministries served by LVs genuinely need the LVs and rely on them to complete high-level, professional work as teachers and administrators. They are often schools that don’t have many resources so the LVs have to wear many hats and serve in many roles,” Mr. Weingarten said via email. Continued on page 5