Issue 8, Fall 2014 - The Quadrangle

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THE Vol.93 Issue 8

Q

UADRANGLE A Student Publication of Manhattan College Since 1924

Oct. 14, 2014

www.mcquad.org

As Planned, Printing Limits Take Effect Brendan Rogers Staff Writer

Upgrades that track student printing are put in place to make students aware of how much they print. Photo by James O’Connor.

MC to Install Historic Stained Glass Windows in Campus Chapel Anthony Capote & Cara Ledwidge Staff Writer & Senior Writer Manhattan College will soon be the recipient of ten historic stained glass windows that each detail a different story of the life and works of St. John Baptiste De La Salle. The windows will be installed in the Chapel of De La Salle and his Brothers. The windows, originally created for St. Joseph Novitiate in Pocantico Hills, New York, have changed hands only once since their construction in the early 20th century. In 1930, the novitiate changed location to Barrytown, NY where the windows have spent most of their existence. According to the college, the windows were built by Manzuet et fils, a father-son duo, whose stained glass works are featured in many great venues in France including the Notre Dame. Their depictions of the patron saint of educators are considered to be both beautiful and influential. “We have had several stained glass artisans look at the windows and they have all told us to a person that these are very high quality windows,” Andy Ryan, vice president of facilities, said. In 1974, the novitiate was purchased by the Unification Church and the present owners have kept the Barrytown windows intact since their acquisition. However, according to the ‘Christian Brothers Conference,’ a Lasallian publication by the Brothers, the Unification Theology Seminary plans to use the space as college for Unitarian theologians. Because the facility does not need the windows, but the college was interested in their importance to the Christian Brothers and their Catholic faith, they contacted the Christian Brothers regarding the future of the windows. Manhattan College was then selected by the Signum Fidei Society, a group of

These are the chapel windows that will be replaced around September of next year. Photo by James O’Connor. laypersons who are dedicated to the adManhattan College students should be vancement of De La Salle Brothers of the aware that the installation of the windows Christian Schools, as the new benefactors will not have a great impact on the daily of the Barrytown windows. functions of the chapel. “Manhattan College is the quintessen“We may close off a certain section of tial Lasallian school,” James Casey of the the chapel and leave the rest in use,” said Signum Fidei Society said. Ryan. The college is about a year away from However, while life within the chapel seeing the windows in the chapel. should remain normal, Ryan did mention “The target [installation] date is prob- a possible closure of the stairways to the ably in September of 2015,” Ryan said, cit- bridge that leads to Draddy Gymnasium, ing the great deal of work that remains to Horan and Lee Hall. be done. “We will probably lose one of the ap“We haven’t started removing the win- proaches up to Draddy at a time,” Ryan dows from where they are yet,” he said. said. “They won’t be working both sides at Once the windows have been removed the same time. That’s almost a certainty.” from their current location upstate, they Although the college will be receivwill be taken to a stained glass specialist ing new windows, the Barrytown facility to be re-cut and re-sized to fit the existing will have their windows replaced by the space in the chapel. Christian Brothers. “They have reached an Ryan said, “they [the windows] are al- agreement,” Thomas Mauriello, vice presimost 16 feet high by almost six feet wide, dent for college advancement, said. so we have to alter the size of the winMauriello expressed his excitement for dows.” the Barrytown window project. Ryan went on to predict “about a six to “This is the most exciting project of my eight month process” in these repairs be- career,” he said. “For me, the most powContinued on Page 2 fore installation can begin.

A newly-developed program intended to raise awareness of the environmental impact of student printing on-campus was implemented earlier this month, say directors of Manhattan College’s Information Technology Services. “In spring of 2013, IT was approached by the sustainability committee who asked if there was a technological solution to limit printing,” Director of ITS Jake Holmquist said. “We tested different technologies and found something that was cost effective.” After receiving the sustainability committee’s request, Holmquist said ITS began tracking student printing habits so that they could report the habits to the committee. “We implemented a system a year ago to collect data,” Holmquist said. “Halfway through the semester we presented our findings to the sustainability committee.” After reviewing the data, Holmquist said, the committee proposed setting a 1000 page per semester limit on printing. “From our findings, less than 10 percent of students used over 1000 pages per semester,” Holmquist said. Once the limit was established and technology needed to manage it was installed a few weeks ago, students attempting to print from school computers were prompted to input their email and password and confirm their print order. They were also given a number of prints remaining for the semester. Many students expressed confusion about the new system, citing uncertainty about what happens when the 1000 page limit is reached, whether or not they have to pay for prints and why the system was implemented in the first place. Students, teachers and staff said they think better communication could have made for a smoother transition to the new system. “I just assumed you only had 1000 pages you could print per semester,” fourthyear student Alex Benator said. “I just saw a page count when I went to print. Otherwise, I had not heard of anything.” “A lot of students told me it just sprung out of nowhere. A lot of them are concerned that they’re going to get charged,” O’Malley Library clerk Diane Cocurullo said. “Practically everyone felt this came out of the blue and they should have been better informed.” According to Richard Musal, senior assistant director of client services and operations for ITS and O’Malley Library Executive Director William Walters, the 1000 page per semester limit is the standard limit initially given to all students, but additional prints can be added as many times as needed throughout the semester at no cost to students. “I’m happy to report no one will have to pay for extra prints,” Walters said. “We don’t want to limit printing and we don’t want to make money off of students. We just want people to be conscious of their printing.” “When people have 250 remaining prints, they will get an email… directing students to a survey” about what they print Continued on Page 2


news MC to Install Historic Stained Glass Windows in Campus Chapel

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Oct. 14, 2014

Continued From Page 1

erful thing is usually scholarships, but this one impacts faith. It helps all of our students intellectually, philosophically, theologically, and will bring us closer.” Mauriello also detailed the fundraising process. “An entire window could be fundraised for $100,000, a half-window could be fundraised for $50,000 and a quarterwindow could be sponsored for $25,000,” he said. The fundraising process spanned from May or June until completion in September. He also said that any donation over $100 would receive a plaque that will be placed within the chapel once the windows are fully installed. Mauriello goes to many different fundraising events with Manhattan College alumni and said that when he speaks with them about the windows, “Everyone seems really excited,” he said. Mauriello believes the addition of the windows could improve the chapel for the greater community. “Many couples choose to get married here,” Mauriello said, and now with the addition of the windows, he said, “they will add so much to the space.” He also said that with the addition of the student commons, couples will have the opportunity to have their receptions in the commons after their ceremony in the chapel that will be adorned with the new

The college expects the new windows to add another dimension to the chapel. Photo by James O’Connor. windows. The windows will affect many members of the college community, particularly chaplain Fr. George Hill, who spends much of his time in the chapel with students throughout the year. “The room has been used for so many different things, and in some ways it pre-

vents it from becoming a spiritual central space, but with the windows coming in, it will be more conducive for quiet and relaxation,” Hill said. “We can meditate on them as windows, as in the early Church, people did not read and write and so churches have stations as a catechetical thing,” he said.

Hill described the artwork and atmosphere of the chapel as it is now as “a more Congregationalist style church, but now with these images, the windows will add a new dimension to the chapel” that it has not had before. “The church deserves some new windows,” he said.

Brooklyn College Professor As Planned, Printing Limits Lectures on Gentrification Take Effect and Changing Cities Madeleine Schwartz Staff Writer

Sharon Zukin, Ph.D. and professor at Brooklyn College spoke about her research on gentrification in cities in a presentation entitled ‘New York Shopping Streets: Globalization and Gentrification in a Changing City.’ Zukin focused on one question for her research: what is a local shopping street? She and about a dozen research partners have studied six cities around the world for about 10 years to answer this question. These cities include New York, Toronto, Amsterdam, Berlin, Tokyo and Shanghai. “The shopping streets are economic spaces, social spaces, and they’re cultural spaces. To understand how they work and what they mean, you really have to go into all the different ways that they function: economically, socially, and culturally,” Zukin said. Focusing primarily on the New York research, Zukin discussed two shopping streets that she has intensely studied: Orchard Street on the Lower East Side and Fulton Street in Bedford Stuyvesant. Each case study was six blocks long and the area was surveyed top to bottom. Zukin and her associates took note of every store on every block and what was sold in each to get a better understanding of what cultures and atmospheres the streets possessed. To stay true to her word, Zukin did indeed examine how these streets function and how these functions have changed over time. It turns out that both areas have one main thing in common. Orchard Street and Fulton Street are both centers of heavy gentrification. This means that wealthier

people are moving in and therefore changing which stores and attractions open up and are successful. These shopping streets are also prime examples of diversification and culture mixing. Different ethnicities, religions and languages all come together on these streets. The well-known term “meltingpot” that is synonymous with New York City is tangible here. Alije Koci, a junior commuter who lives on the Upper West Side, has firsthand experience living among this mix of cultures and people. “There is so much diversity in the city,” she says, “Anywhere you go, there is always a mixture of different races and people. That’s what makes the city unique.” Zukin further made her talk relatable to her audience by discussing how students also play a role in how cities change. A word defined in the lecture which was especially poignant to students in the audience was ‘studentrification.’ Using that suffix, which means to become, Zukin created a word to describe how the economic culture of an area impacts where students choose to live in the city. Students cannot afford to live in the most expensive parts of town and when they are priced out of those sections, cheaper areas experience studentrification. Dominika Wrozynski, Ph.D. and assistant professor of English, attended the talk and agreed that for students living in New York, the topic was relevant. “The two streets she focused on, Orchard and Fulton, are just a subway ride away. So even if someone was not familiar with her[ Zukin’s] examples, he or she could actually go and observe her research in action,” Wrozynski said.

Stacks of wasted printed paper like these have accumulated in the library. Photo by James O’Connor. Continued From Page 1 and why, Walters said. “Once they fill out the survey their printing limit will be refilled automatically [at no cost].” Musal also said that the system’s preliminary objective is to be environmentally conscious and help reduce the school’s carbon footprint. “While it seems like an inconvenience, the main goal here is to impress upon people the… environment and ‘do we need

to use this paper? Do we need to use this printer?’” Musal said. While the number of pages printed per student will now be tracked, Holmquist said that students were still free to print as usual. “There’s no content filtering on the printers,” Holmquist said. “We want to make it as free and accessible as possible.”


news

Letter to

the Editor

Dear MC Students, First and foremost, I would like to thank the 1,015 of you that signed my petition to get food service and meal swipes back in Leo Cafeteria. I also would like to thank those who did not get a chance to sign but supported the cause. It is also fine that students respectfully declined to sign or were against the petition. You were respectful in doing so. Well, those first few sentences address the entire MC Student Body. Now on to the results of the petition. Unfortunately, the MC Administration decided that we will not get food service and meal swipes back in Leo. The MC Administration stated the reason was that the college could not afford either one of my two proposals. My two proposals were as follows: • Reopen the Leo Cafeteria, and turn it into a grab and go place with staff to work the cash register. We would have meal swipes available from 11 AM through 1 PM weekdays. I requested the Leo Café provide food service for breakfast and lunch from 9 AM to 2 PM weekdays with payment options of cash, credit/debit card, on campus Dining Dollars, and Jasper Dining Dollars (money that can be used on and off campus). • Leave the Leo Cafeteria as it currently is with the following exception: allow one meal swipe to be used on the vending machine with sandwiches, yogurt, and other items from 11 AM to 1 PM weekdays. The MC Administration has promised us the following items in Leo Café (date is TBD as of press time): • napkins • cups • hot coffee and cereal Thanks again to those of you who supported the petition. The MC Administration heard our voice they just decided not to listen to it. Let’s Go Jaspers, Shane Holmes

The

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Quadrangle www.mcquad.org

Vol. 93 Issue 8 Oct. 14, 2014

Natalie E. Sullivan Editor-in-Chief Michelle DePinho Managing Editor/News Editor Michael Peyko Asst. News Editor Claire Leaden Managing Editor/Features Editor Kieran Rock Asst. Features Editor Natalie Heinitz Op/Ed Editor/Production Editor Maya Astabie Asst. Op/Ed Editor Lauren Carr Arts & Entertainment Editor Kelly Burns Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor/ Production Editor Chris Cirillo Sports Editor Jonathan Reyes Asst. Sports Editor Jaclyn Marr Asst. Sports Editor Sean McIntyre Social Media Editor James O’Connor Photography Editor Sean Sonnemann Web Editor John Abbatangelo Sam Martin Editorial Cartoonists Daniel Molina Distribution Editor Joe Cutbirth, Ph.D. Faculty Adviser The Quadrangle is a news organization run by the students of Manhattan College. The staff of The Quadrangle meets every Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in room 412 of the Student Commons. Contact The Quadrangle at thequad@manhattan.edu The opinions expressed in The Quadrangle are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board, the College or the student body.


opinions & editorials The Hannah Graham Chronicle: Why it Matters

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Oct. 14, 2014

Amy Cardoza Staff Writer On Sept. 13, 18-year-old sophomore Hannah Graham disappeared after going out one night in Charlottesville, Va. She was a student at the University of Virginia where she did well in academics and participated in sports. She was at a party that night and was later recorded wandering alone to a pub, mall, gas station, restaurant and eventually a bar. Then she vanished. A suspect, thirty-two-year-old Jesse Matthews, was arrested this week in relation to the disappearance. He was seen with Hannah the night of her disappearance, and now it seems he has a record of previous sexual assault. Fox News then reported that he was accused of two previous assaults this year, but both accusations never resulted in an actual charge against Matthews. The Virginia State Police have now released that there may be a possible DNArelated connection between Matthews and the disappearance of 20-year-old Morgan Harrington, who disappeared in 2009 after attending a concert in Charlottesville. Her body was later found in January of 2010. This adds a chilling aspect to the possible whereabouts of Hannah Graham. Where is she, and will she be found alive? Hannah Graham’s disappearance is creating more questions at this point than it has answered. Why were Matthews’ previous sexual assault allegations dropped and not investigated? Why was she walking around Charlottesville alone at night? Why does she appear lost and confused, when witnesses say at the party she first attended, she only had one drink, and she was also very familiar with the area? In an interview with CNN, her high school softball coach says she was “the kind of child that was going to change the world. This is a kid, who was pre-med. Again, as a junior in high school she took the SATs and scored so high she never had to take them again. This is not the typical child that would be in this situation” (Craig Maniglia to CNN). Of course the most important question is simply: Where is she now? Hannah Graham’s case should serve as a warning to all college students. Although we think we are; we are not invincible, and we should always be careful. The sad thing is that most students really don’t even know who Hannah Graham is, let alone are able to learn from her. Every student I asked for comment on Hannah Graham either responded “Who?” or “Should I know her?” This proves that most people either don’t care or just aren’t informed.

Hannah Graham, a student at the University of Virginia, has been missing for almost a month. Photo courtesy of Creative Commons. It’s hard to learn from other’s mistakes so as not to repeat them when you don’t even know that large-scale cases such as Hannah Graham’s are even going on. History has a way of repeating itself, and it’s often because people don’t learn from the mistakes of others. On the subject of public safety at Manhattan College, freshman John Martelotti, said, “I feel security guards on this campus are more strict during the daytime than they are at night. Public safety needs to be improved. The blue lights near Kelly Commons are out of order, which I feel is very dangerous for students walking back from Leo late at night. I also feel it takes public safety longer than they should to email us about incidents that occur on and off campus and there is no reason I should have to scan my ID at two in the afternoon when I’m rushing and trying to get to class, and they should start to scan at night just like the bridge does. There

needs to be more blue lights installed and I feel there should be security walking around campus.” The unsafe atmosphere that pervades the side of campus near Overlook Manor and Jasper's Deli is further advanced by the numerous public safety emails that roll in from time to time about shots fired and public indecency. And these are only the incidences that the college informs us about. Most students I talked to expressed that they feel a lot safer on campus than off campus and that public safety has a few flaws. I personally feel safe in amongst a decent group of people, but I would never wander around the Kelly Commons alone at night. I wouldn’t even walk to Jasper Deli by myself in the daytime. My friends and I have all personally had instances where we all have felt unsafe walking offcampus at night. However, campus security does its best to help students feel safe,

and everyone I have asked agreed that they haven’t felt nearly as threatened while on campus. Hannah Graham shows that even if you are familiar with an area, bad things can still happen. The main point that we should learn from Hannah is to never travel alone. Hannah was vulnerable not only because she was intoxicated, but also because she was by herself. She became an easy target and someone took advantage of it. Although what happened to Hannah Graham occurred over 300 miles away in Virginia, it poses a tragic example of the vulnerability of college students, especially young women. From one young college female to another, watch what you drink, travel in groups and always be aware of your surroundings. We aren’t as invincible as we think we are. Just remember that, so a tragedy like Hannah Graham’s doesn’t happen closer to home.

Syrian Aid Hidden in 2015 Federal Budget Erik Eyler Staff Writer

On Thursday Sept. 18, 2014, the Senate passed an important bill regarding the annual budget with an overwhelming 78 to 22 vote. This bill will provide funding to the government for the 2015 fiscal year and prevent a shutdown akin to the controversial shutdown that occurred in October of last year. Each fiscal year, Congress must agree to a budget resolution or else all federal non-exempt services will be suspended until a resolution is passed. Although the cooperation between the Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate raises hope for future cooperation, a piece of legislation included in the budget

that flew largely under the radar is the inclusion of funding to arm and train the Free Syrian Army until Dec. 11. The Free Syrian Army is one of the few moderate rebel groups left in the region that are in opposition of both Assad and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. The issue that many party members have with the addition of this particular piece of legislation is that the issue of Syrian intervention should be put to a separate vote and not tucked away in a vote on the annual budget. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, a Republican, criticized intervention in an Associated Press article saying, “Intervention that destabilizes the Middle East is a mistake. And yet, here we are again, wading into a civil war.” Kelly Cousins, a senior peace studies

major, gives her insight, “I don’t feel in any way comfortable enough saying what the United States should definitively be doing in regards to ISIS, but I can say that from my perspective as a peace studies major, becoming more involved militarily has had bad consequences in the past. Trying to go into the Middle East (because I do feel that all of the countries there are deeply interconnected, and to affect one would be to involve them all to some degree) and alter attitudes and lifestyles is not our place nor in our power.” By including the funding of the Free Syrian Army in budgetary legislation, it changes the conversation regarding intervention in Syria from “Should the United States aid Syria in its civil war?” to “How much aid should the United States give to Syria in its civil war?” Although this is an

effective way for pro-intervention Congress members to pass legislation, the ethical side of hiding military support to Syria in a federal government spending bill, which includes reforms to civil service pensions and Medicare, remains to be seen. Maggie Kavanagh, a junior peace studies major here at MC, says “[I] agree that aid is needed in the area, but that more focus is needed domestically with the possibility of ISIS members with US and UK passports." Tensions in Syria and Iraq, as well as the rest of the Middle East, should definitely be monitored moving forward, but the United States needs more effective and credible means of deciding on and dealing with those tensions.


opinions & editorials

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Manhattan College offers tangible and intangible investments after graduation. Photo courtesy of The Quadrangle archives.

Manhattan College: Beyond ROI Maya Astabie Asst. Op/Ed Editor This year, Manhattan College ranked 15th in Payscale’s 2014 College Return on Investment (ROI) Report. Undergraduates graduate knowing that their Manhattan College education has set them up with the tools they need to land a job and make a good living. But, what do you get from a Manhattan College beyond ROI? Beyond ROI, undergraduates should also truly value the intangibles about college. You learn life lessons and make memories. Ultimately, what you learn and take away from college is something that cannot be numerically measured. While there are countless things that students receive as a result of attending Manhattan College, here is a list of a few things that students can expect to leave with when they graduate from Manhattan College. New Perspectives Weather you gain a new perspective

from a class discussion, from experiences you have while living in New York City or from studying abroad, you are bound to leave having gained new perspectives that will open your eyes to a wealth of new ideas. Specifically because of Manhattan College’s unique location in New York City, students are exposed to people of every background. Furthermore, we have many chances to put ourselves in other people’s shoes with volunteer opportunities such as L.O.V.E. trips. In the long run, being exposed to ideas, even ones that may upset you, will help you to better understand the world, mature and become more tolerant. College is the time to broaden your horizons and Manhattan College is the perfect place to do so. Confidence You will gain confidence here. Throughout the four years, you will find success and you will sometimes fail. Some of these experiences will be in the classroom but many will be outside of it. With each experience, you will learn more about yourself and you will grow more comfort-

able with who you are. And, as a consequence, your confidence will grow. Manhattan College is a conducive environment for this growth. Because our campus is located in New York City, one of the most diverse centers of culture in the world, you can explore and learn as much as you want. And, being that we are a small, Lasallian college, we have a very personal support system that includes professors, friends and administrators. With this support system, I feel freer to be myself and venture out on my own and experience the city because I know that even though New York City can sometimes be overwhelming, I have a home here at Manhattan College. After pouring yourself into your schoolwork for four years you will feel an unimaginable sense of accomplishment and the confidence you have gained will follow you wherever life takes you. Friends and Memories Manhattan College is the type of college where you can’t go anywhere on campus without seeing at least a couple people

that you know. But, more importantly, Manhattan College is they type of place where everyone can find their niche. Campus culture is very laid back and it easy to find like-minded people who eventually become your friends. Class discussion, clubs and organizations and a vibrant social scene all encourage students to meet others. Once you find a solid group of friends, the memories you make together are the type you will remember for years to come. Manhattan College should be so much more than just a return on your investment, not all things are measured in money; college should be something that makes you a better person. With all this being said, you get out of college what you put into it. If you attend lectures, meet friends and in general get out of your comfort zone you will have made a holistic investment in yourself that will have far-reaching benefits beyond the amount of money you stand to make.


features

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Oct. 14, 2014

MINORS

Theater minors can put their studies to use as members of the MC Players. Photo by James O’Connor

Theater Lauren Carr A&E Editor Students who have an interest in theater, or for those that are looking for more exposure to the theater industry need to look no further than the MC theater minor. The theater minor introduces students to the historical, analytical and an overall knowledge of the arts. The minor was introduced in 2010 and has since continued

to grow. The theater minor has short videos available on the Manhattan College website that gives students an inside look of what the classes are like. These are videos put together by the students and show what the acting and dance classes, lectures and other theater classes offered within the minor. “In the history of the college we have never had anything like this,” Dr. Mark Pottinger said. “The minor is safe choice for many students because they can still

Music

stay in their major and not feel as though they are throwing everything away to be an actor or to be a director. The most fascinating thing about this is that when you look at who has this minor we have students who have majors in the School of Arts, Business, Engineering and School of Education so we pretty much have them from every school.” For students who show an interest but are still on the fence about wanting to declare, take some notes from senior Olivia Blasi who is a theater minor and is now starting to plan out her life after college. “Declaring a theater minor was one of the best decisions I've made in my college career,” Blasi said. “The classes I've taken for the minor have inspired my career aspirations for after I graduate.” Blasi is currently applying to grad schools and focusing on schools that offer MFAs in playwriting or an MA in English. Internship opportunities as well as connections to the theater are endless since MC is a school in New York City.

Claire Leaden

Managing/Features Editor The music minor at Manhattan started in 2004, within a joint-program with Mount St. Vincent College that offered the first “fine arts” minors at MC: music and art history. The colleges severed their partnership in 2006, but today there are 31 students minoring in music whose majors span across the five different academic schools. “We have engineers, business, science, education as well as School of Arts students in music,” Mark Pottinger, chair of the Visual & Performing Arts department, where the music minor is located said. In order to pursue a music minor, students must take three credits of general music history, with either the course MUSC 150: Roots: Music or MUSC 216: Introduction to World Music; three credits of music performance, choosing between MUSC 208: Piano Skills and Techniques or MUSC: 209: Guitar Skills and Techniques; three credits of music theory, fulfilled by MUSC 220: Fundamentals of Music Theory; and six credits of MUSC 300 or 400 level courses. “We do offer electives within the minors that allow the students to take courses that coincide with their interests,” Potting-

Staff Writer As a college centered in the Lasallian Catholic tradition, it is no surprise that a minor in Catholic Studies has established itself on campus. Created in 2012, the minor is focused on allowing students to understand Catholic culture through various learning experiences inside the classroom and out. Similar to other minors on campus, the Catholic Studies minor requires 15 in-

Environ Stud Michelle DePinho News/Managing Editor When junior Delaney Higgins spent last summer growing and caring for produce in the college’s rooftop garden internship, she knew she wanted to pursue an environmental studies minor. “That just kind of kick started me into the whole environmental studies minor thing,” she said. The environmental studies minor is a small but growing group of students interested in the politics, science and social implications of the environment. Only two classes – Environmental Politics and a science course – are required, while the rest of the courses are left up to the student to choose. Students can select from classes in religion, science, philosophy and English to fulfill the minor. “It’s truly interdisciplinary in that it transcends even some of the usual boundaries between the sciences and the social sciences and humanities,” Jeffrey Myers, Ph.D. and director of the minor, said. That aspect of the minor draws in students, like Higgins, from a variety of academic backgrounds. “I wasn’t really thinking about getting a minor in environmental studies,” senior Lydia Wehrli said of her choice to participate in the minor. As a biology major, she said the environmentally

Photo by James O’Connor er said. “We have independent studies, special topics classes, internships, all so they can get the practical experience to see how to work in the course of the job.” Pottinger also said that some courses within the music minor have dual-roles to make the minor easier for students to complete. For example, the MUSC 150 course is a core requirement for the School of Arts, but also is a class that counts toward the minor. Introduction to World Music is a music course that counts as a global/non-

western too. The department has also added an element that allows students to receive one credit for participating in one of the school’s music extra-curriculars, including the orchestra, singers and jazz band. The one credit includes 10 lessons with a professional musician as well. Students can do this for three semesters in order to receive another three credits toward the minor. After a year of disinterest with engineering, sophomore William Garandeau

switched to become a communication major and music minor. “I always had a deep interest in music, and then I talked to Thom [Gencarelli— head of communication departmen] about my different options,” Garandeau said. “We talked about how I could transfer to a different school specifically for audio engineering or stay and do a minor in music, and I liked it here so I ended up doing that. I’m doing a major in comm with the minor in music and so far I like it a lot better.

terdisciplinary credits in subjects such as religion, art, music, history, literature and philosophy. “[The minor] is a good place for students to think creatively about the way that religion functions in everyday life,” Dr. Natalia Imperatori-Lee, the program coordinator, said. Imperatori-Lee shared her thoughts on the misconceptions about the minor as well as the benefit of studying Catholic Studies. “I think many students do not understand the complexity and variety of Catholicism.” While the minor is small with only

about five students declared, it is still new growing in the hopes of expanding to a major someday in the distant future. Since Manhattan requires all students to take three religion classes, one being a 200 level class in Catholicism, “Most students are on their way to a Catholic Studies minor,” Dr. Imperatori-Lee said. The program's influence is not limited solely to the classroom. Courses such as Lois Harr's Urban America and Catholic Social Teaching encourage students to put religious theory into practice as the class is community service based.

“People take the class wanting to do good in their community which is important particularly in a Lasallian school that places emphasis on faith, service and community,” Harr said. In the spring 2015 semester, the department will be sponsoring an event focused on nuns who aid people escaping human trafficking. Additionally, the department sponsors dorm chats in which faculty and students meet in a residence hall to discuss topics or classes in Catholic studies as well as issues related to the religion.

Catholic Studies

Jessica Risolo

A Look at Manha Offered Exclu


S ONLY

attan’s Programs usively as Minors

features

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Medieval Studies

Lindsey Burns Staff Writer

A relatively new minor offered at Manhattan College, medieval studies has its roots spread throughout the entire School of Arts. When it officially became a minor in Fall 2010, most of the required courses had actually been offered for years before that. “Most of the minor’s courses have been offered for much longer,” Dr. Jennifer Edwards, the program coordinator, said. “In fact, the minor began in recognition of the existing richness of medieval offerings across many departments in the school.” As a historian of the European Middle Ages, Dr. Edwards exhibits an enthusiasm focused classes have fit in well with what she is for the time period, and wishes to share this enthusiasm with her students. studying from a scientific standpoint. “I wanted to increase the critical enBoth Higgins and Wehrli also attended the climate march held last month with their environ- gagement with medieval literature, art, history, philosophy, religious studies and mental studies class. “It shows how much the climate effects every- languages in the School and on campus,” one and it was nice that our professor worked that Edwards said. There is still a modern importance to into our lesson plan so that it was like we were a part medieval studies, as much of today’s culof history,” Higgins said. Higgins and some fellow environmental studies ture revolves around ideas that started durminors also worked on the campus rooftop garden last summer in an internship that focused on practical skills and outreach. She is also working on getting an urban farmers’ club assembled on campus that can care for the garden year-round. Kieran Rock Myers said this outreach is just a part of what environmental studies minors are doing. Some reAsst. Features Editor cent graduates have made this environmental activism their full time jobs. Manhattan College was once a “We have graduated a number of students in the school only for men. In 1973, MC acminor,” he said. “A couple of students are workcepted its first female undergraduates ing in environmental fields either as activists or for and women now comprise almost half non-profit organizations.” One of these organizaof the full-time student body, according tions is Groundwork Hudson Valley, the group that to the MC website. organizes the same farmers market the interns sold Our campus has seen the change produce at. since 1973. Women, and further womIn the meantime, Myers is working on getting an en’s studies, are now a centerpiece to the environmental studies major approved. MC community. Originally “a cluster,” “Right now, it’s provisional,” he said. “I can’t Women and Gender Studies became a promise that it’s going to happen, but if we’re able to minor at Manhattan College within the get approval then we are going to attempt to launch last 8 year, according to Bridget Chalk, an environmental studies major.” Ph.D. director of the minor on campus.

nmental dies

Jennifer Edwards, program coordinator of Medieval Studies, teaching a Medieval Europe course ing the Middle Ages. PHIL 315. The remaining course can be “Crucial movements and institutions chosen from the above “core” list or from a began during the Middle Ages such as the more extensive list in the course catalog. University, the Church, the papacy, the naInterest in the minor will have to intion and even the notion of an individual crease in order for Medieval Studies to ex‘self,’” Dr. Edwards said. pand to a major. In order to minor in Medieval Stud“I wish medieval studies was a major,” ies, students must take 15 credits, three of John Evans, an English major and prospecwhich much come from the course LLRN tive Medieval Studies minor, said. “I have 107: Medieval Origins of Western Culture. seen an enthusiasm for the Middle Ages in After that, students can choose nine credits my peers that I have seldom seen before from a list of courses, which create a “me- and would ardently desire to see that pasdieval ‘core’ experience,” according to Dr. sion satisfied by a full medieval studies Edwards. These courses include: ART 321, major.” ENGL 342, HIST 304, RELS 245, and

Women & Gender Studies

“I think this interdisciplinary minor is important because it facilitates aware-

ness of the ways in which gender, ostensibly something ‘natural’ is constructed, enforced and performed in our world,” Chalk said. Some of the classes students who choose to partake in the Women and Gender Studies minor will take include, a religion course: Sexuality and the Sacred, English courses: Literature by Women or Gender and Literature, sociology course: Codes of Gender and history course: European Women to 1500. “The ultimate goal of a Women and Gender Studies student, I would think, is to gain and put to use knowledge of ways in which narrowly conceived ideas about gender and sexuality have been used historically and, perhaps even more crucially, continue to be used today, as modes of oppression,” Chalk said. Chalk says she thinks the number of

current Women and Gender studies minors is too low. “One issue is that once students begin to be interested in ideas concerning gender and women in society, they are more advanced in coursework, and don’t have room in their electives.” Due to this, Chalk is working to spread the awareness of the minor to freshman and sophomore students, and not focusing on establishing a Women and Gender Studies major in the immediate future. Another reason for this is that college majors have become “narrowly vocational and so we are more focused now on building the minor in curricular terms and spreading awareness of important issues like campus sexual assault, workplace discrimination, and the problems of gender in urban space among our students,” Chalk said.

in communications (concentrating in PR) with the Digital Media Art minor. “I knew that Digital Media Art would be a great minor for a couple of reasons. Most jobs within the PR field require a creative mind and its also important to have an understanding of visual communications, which is definitely what the minor gives me.” Sophomore Andrew Fontaine is also connecting the minor to his major, which is psychology. “Being a psychology major, I think that it helps me to view art and create art as a reflection of emotions and the mind,” Fontaine said. Fontaine plans to implement the minor as an exploration of his love of art. Pottinger hopes to expand the minor program to a major. “Art history was a minor first, and that’s what we hope to do with Digital Media Art.” The minor moved with the visual and performing arts department in the fall of 2009, and two Mac labs were established, a graphic lab and a sound lab. Revans has also seen the skills she has picked up in minor allow her to help out the clubs she has been involved with on

campus. “I’m now the Editor-in-Chief of Manhattan Magazine, but was originally their Production Editor—InDesign lady. I also originally helped out PRSSA by making posters and am now VP.” Senior Gianluca Derossi says that the Digital Media Arts minor allows him to follow his love of drawing while still benefiting his marketing major. “It is important to use your electives on classes that allow you to express yourself. College is tough, but taking classes you thoroughly enjoy can help ease the load,” Derossi said. Whether it is explored as a hobby, compliment a major, or used to help clubs on campus, the minor in Digital Media Arts has many facets that can give MC students practical skills. Skills that Pottinger said will help in the real world. “We have had students who have majored in business and minored in digital media and have gone off to have careers that relied on the skills they learned in the minor. So, what got them through the door was their major, but what secured the job was the minor.”

Digital Media Art

Kieran Rock Asst. Features Editor In 2006, Manhattan College began offering a minor in Digital Media Art. The minor has students from all the schools on campus, “we have 34 students in Digital Media Art,” Mark Pottinger, head of the visual and performing arts department, said. Students who choose to minor in Digital Media Art take a variety of art classes focused on drawing, editing, and working with creative digital mediums. Senior Alexa Revans pairs her major

Art courtesy of Andrew Fontaine


Features

8

The Freshman Files

Oct. 14, 2014

Where Are They Now? Brendan Hefner

The Common Cold Ally Hutzler Staff Writer

Walking into my doctor’s office in August for my yearly physical I was in perfect health and ready to be shipped off to Manhattan College. So when my physician handed me a pack of Kleenex and warned me about college breeding as many germs as a Kindergarten classroom, I shrugged it off. Except now I find it almost impossible to walk around campus or sit in class without hearing a sniffle, a cough or the rustling of a throat lozenger being torn open. We are all used to being sick. But being sick in college is a whole other story. First off, we live with another, sometimes two other, human beings. At first they will be completely understanding towards your situation. “I would definitely warm up soup, maybe get her some chocolate and medicine,” freshman Katie Tucker said of what she would do if a roommate fell sick. But soon enough your roommate will lose any and all energy to help you, fearing that they will get sick themselves, which they obviously will. The next thing you know they will be wearing gloves and spraying disinfectant every time they walk into the room. “I don’t deal with sickness. My advice is to sleep at a friends until the room is cleaned and relatively germ free,” freshman Kevin Young said. Eventually, your symptoms will be so bad that no one will want to ride the elevator with you. “I am totally convinced that when I had a cold a couple of weeks ago that people purposefully avoided getting into the elevator with me or sitting next to me on the subway,” freshman John Fisher said. So what do you do when you are in bed, buried underneath a pile of tissues and deprived of our mom’s chicken noodle soup? Some of us cuddle up with our laptops and binge-watch our favorite show. “Whenever I am not feeling well I watch Netflix, especially ‘Blue Mountain State’ – it’s like alternative medicine,” Fisher said. “‘House’ is definitely the show to watch. It’s about doctors and medicine, what else is more fitting for the situation?” Young said. While the more obvious and beneficial solution would be to see a doctor, some of us are scared or intimidated to get help from areas on campus. “A few weeks ago I had a cold. Insistent on not going to the nurse, I tried to self-diagnose myself. After scrolling through four pages of WebMD and calling my mom in a panic of my recent diagnosis of Cytomegalovirus, I realized that next time I’ll just go to health services,” freshman Molly Flores said. Whatever you come down with this season, whether it’s strep throat or an ear infection, try your best to get over it fast. Remember, these are the best four years of our lives, but they are also the most exhausting. Overload on Emergence-C, drink lots of tea and get some extra sleep.

MC Alum Brendan Hefner is putting his communication degree to use at ESPN. Photo courtesy of Brendan Hefner.

Kyleigh Panetta Staff Writer

Brendan Hefner graduated in May 2014 from Manhattan College with a bachelor’s degree is communication and a minor in digital media arts, and is now working as a production assistant at ESPN. During his time at MC, Brendan interned with the New York Mets in his junior year and NBC Sports during the winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia when he was a senior. “My internships allowed me to work for major companies and get real world experience by working on big projects while being treated as an employee,” Hefner said. “It took me out of the classroom and put me in a simulated post-grad working position, while still giving me the opportunity to learn and develop skills I’d need for working after graduation.” Dr. Michael Grabowski, associate professor for the communication department, had Hefner for many classes at MC. The first time Grabowski saw Hefner he was, “the typical 19-year-old, sitting in the back of the room, baseball cap over his eyes.” “But as he realized what he wanted to do he became more and more focused and more upfront about wanting to be involved in production as much as he could,” Grabowski said. “He was very motivated to network and become integrated into professional production communities. He had the skill that I think is probably the most important in production and that is that he would show

up,” he said. “I had some great professors that prepared me very well for what to expect while working in the real world and what steps to take to get jobs following graduation,” Hefner said. Hefner has been working at ESPN as a production assistant since he graduated. Hefner said that being immediately employed after graduating from MC has put him in a secure position to pay back his student loans and transition smoothly into living on his own. “I got the job by applying online and going though an extremely rigorous interviewing process. But, the long difficult process was very worth it in the end,” Hefner said. Michael Georges, senior at MC, has known Hefner since they attended high school together at LaSalle Academy in Providence, Rhode Island. In regards to Hefner’s job at ESPN, Georges said, “It's been his dream job since high school, not even kidding. He could name every mascot from every major D1 conference.” “He can't believe it—that everything fell in place. Especially with the formation of the SEC network, how could he not love it? He’s happy where he is for sure,” Georges said. As for his work schedule, Hefner said that ESPN is not the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job and his schedule is far from consistent. “ESPN’s motto is ‘Serving Sports Fans. Anywhere. Anytime.’ and it couldn’t be truer,” Hefner said.According to Hefner, ESPN’s motto essentially means that

there are countless people working around the clock to make sure that sports fans have constant updates, game coverage and content. Since Hefner has been at ESPN he has worked on and covered college football, specifically the South East Conference, and will most likely work on college basketball after football season ends. “I'm involved in the process of first coming up with the idea of a story or segment, and then I work with that idea all the way though, including filming and editing our projects, that are then put on the air,” Hefner said. In regards to future goals, Hefner wants to become a producer and eventually produce his own sports television program “I don’t have much to compare it to, but I’m really enjoying working for ESPN and all my co-workers are very happy, so it seems like a place I’d like to stay for as long as I can,” Hefner said. According to Hefner, the best part about working at ESPN is being able to see the content he produced on television when he gets home. “It’s great working for a network like ESPN, which is broadcasted internationally, because my friends and family who are spread out all over the country can see the shows I've worked on and content I've produced no matter where they are.” Hefner’s advice to MC students is, “Work hard, take risks and never ever doubt yourself or think you can’t achieve something you want bad enough.” “Go after something you think is unattainable, you might just end up with your dream job.”

foreseeable future or even a hint of commitment.” Dr. Kerry Cronin, professor of philosophy at Boston College, offers a standing extra credit assignment to those students of hers who will brave the college-dating scene, according to an article in “The Boston Globe” published in May 2014. The rules: the student must extend the invitation face to face, pay for the date, and no alcohol, kissing, or sex can be involved. Manhattan College sophomore Education majors Klaudia Maslowska and Diana Boyadjian both say they would be up for the challenge. “I think that would be awesome, actually,” Maslowska said. “Going on a date with someone gives you a chance to find out more about them as a person. Hanging out could be you and them, or anyone could join. It’s less personal.” “Hanging out is probably watching a movie in a dorm room,” Boyadjian weighs in. “When I think of a date, that would be more like going out to a restaurant or the movies or somewhere and it’s just the two of you.” If college-aged students know they are

missing out, what is stopping them from dating? Christopher Pecorini, a junior Civil Engineering major, thinks technology has something to do with this. “Since everyone texts and uses social media, they want instant gratification. They don’t want to take the time to go on a date to see if someone likes them, they want to hang out with them to see if they’re interested first,” Pecorini said. In a survey that published via Facebook and Twitter, 77.14 percent of Manhattan College students say they would prefer going on a date rather than hanging out with someone they’re interested in being in a relationship with. Despite the overwhelming acknowledgement that hookup culture has put a generally negative air about courting in college, only 30.56 percent of students say they have asked someone on a date before. When asked if they wished dating were ‘a thing’ again, the results were unanimous. So the question remains: if 100 percent of students want to bring back dating, what are they waiting for?

The Courting Conundrum

Kayli McTague Staff Writer

United States Census data reports the average age that male and female Americans decide to tie the knot is 28 years old and 27 years old, respectively. These numbers mean that most college freshmen can expect to be married less than ten years from the time they start school. For current Jaspers, the matrimonial clock may already be ticking. Statistically speaking, nuptials may be knocking, but in a society that has accepted a so-called “hookup culture” as the norm, a wedding is the furthest thing from any college student’s mind. In an era where “hanging out” has been accepted as standard for getting to know someone you might be interested in, going on a real-life date seems old-fashioned. “Dating as we know it has gone the way of dinosaurs, eight-track players, and stirrup pants,” Andrea Lavinthal, wrote in the 2005 book “The Hookup Handbook.” “Hooking up is what happens between two people who don’t necessarily have any


Arts & Entertainment

9

Student Author Spotlight: John Evans Anthony Capote & Meghan Sackman Staff Writers Watching John Evans work may be the most cathartic and equally enthralling experience of one’s life. He sits with his laptop balanced on out-stretched legs. With headphones in his ears, Evans feels his way along the Braille-etched letters of his keyboard. John's head swirls about, facing various objects in the room. Evans, of course, cannot see the words he is typing or even the objects he faces. And yet somehow, one gets the sense that even before speaking a word to him or making him aware of one’s presence, he knows you are there. The sophomore at Manhattan College is known by many on campus as the kind, sweet-hearted blind student that seems to always have enough good spirits to spread around. However, John Evans is much more than that. He is a musician, short story writer and poet. As a poet, Evans is set to release his new collection, "The Late Emperor of the Sky," within the next few weeks. This is the third literary work he has released and the second book of poems. “My writing is very visual, because I still think and dream in sight,” Evans said about how his blindness has affected his poetry. While it may seem easy to compare Evans to other famous blind poets of history, he feels he has a different style. “Homer and, of course, Milton are characterized by their blindness as using a lot of sounds in their poetry, where I feel I overcompensate with the images in my poetry,” Evans said Evans is certainly not wrong. The imagery in his poems, namely “Afghanistan” where Evans offers intense images of war and carnage, creates a vivid portrait of his subjects. “I would consider myself more of a painter of images than a poet,” Evans said. The wide spectrum of topics that his poetry covers ranges from lost love and death to the question of divine existence. When asked to describe his own poetry, Evans recalled his verses as, "flashes of utter excitement and beauty," which is a perfect description of his writing. "The Late Emperor of the Sky" captivates readers and forces them to feel as Evans feels the writing process. Evans sight loss at the age of six is far from a defining characteristic of his personality or his status as an artist. "I conjure images not with my eyes but

with my heart, with my soul," Evans said regarding the intense images in his poems. Evans' ambition and perseverance are enough to inspire anyone. One of Evans' editors, Samantha Moe shared how Evans speaks at schools to motivate people who are also discovering the challenges of blindness. "He has a perseverance that I could only achieve through drinking large amounts of coffee; conversation fuels him," Moe said. The now musician, prose writer, poet and painter, Evans has succeeded in impressing us even further. Evans has a system for how he edits his works. First he writes a few pieces and decides to send them to his first editor, Moe. “[Moe] will help trim down the text, get rid of unnecessary lines, fix some grammatical errors and give me literature that would feed my creative inspiration,” Evans said of his primary editor. “It is at this point that I know I am writing a book and that I cannot stop midsentence in a poem, that I have to keep going.” Evans then sends his work to a second editor in Boston who illustrates and publishes the collection. Originally, the Writing Center located in Miguel Hall was going to sell "The Late Emperor of the Sky" for $10 per copy in their office. Unfortunately, however, the office of the provost has denied the Writing Center the ability to sell copies as a result of their “not-for-profit status” on campus. “I loved the idea, we’re the Writing Center and we want to promote student work,” said Sujey Batista, the coordinator of the Writing Center. Fortunately for Evans, this is not the first obstacle he has ever encountered and he is determined to find a solution. Evans and the school are currently in negotiations on this matter. Evans' ambitious plans include an effort to get his work traditionally published in the near future.

John Evans’ latest book cover. Photo courtesy of John Evans.

Student author, John Evans. Photo courtesy of John Evans.

Chelsea Handler Makes a Strong Netflix Debut Lauren Carr A&E Editor

It is a well known fact that Chelsea Handler likes to push the boundaries just see how far she can actually take it. In her latest stand-up special, “Uganda Be Kidding Me,” based off her New York Times best-seller, she does exactly that. It is an uncensored Handler at her absolute best while also reminding you that its probably a good thing you are not like her. This stand-up special is streaming only on Netflix as part of Handler’s seven-year deal with the popular website. This special is the first of many comedy specials that will ultimately lead up to her talk show that will debut in 2016. Handler has made headlines in the cur-

rent months regarding her thoughts about the E! network and how they were handling her show. She has come out in statements to say that she no longer wants to talk about the Kardashians and any Bieber romance. Instead, she was ready to try a new avenue of comedy which is comedy only on an online platform. No censors, no comments, just pure Handler. In her first stand-up special for Netflix, Handler talks about her trip to Uganda, her motley crew of travel buddies, her time in the Bahamas, her family, how her assistant is her baby sitter and how one time she flew her two dogs on a private jet from California to Canada. The stories are ones that can only happen and be told through Handler herself. The fans who only know Handler from her show on E! are in for a surprise when

they see the comedian on her new special. While some may be familiar with her overthe-top crass humor in her books, she takes that humor to a whole new level during her live show. The stand-up special involves words that will make you cringe and a decent amount of nudity that will make you blush. Handler labels herself as a 39-year-old child and she lives up to that description in her stories. The standout part of the special is when she talks about how her assistant actually labels everything in her house because she doesn't want Handler to be confused and make any mistakes. Handler recalls how all of this started after a party at her house where she allegedly put food in the microwave, never turned it on and somehow left her iPhone charging in the microwave. She makes no apologies for those actions, how-

ever, she knew things got really bad when she found out that same night she gave her dog Chunk bangs. Too many vodkas for Handler equals laugh out loud stories for audiences. This stand-up special is completely different from the network show that made her famous. In a way this special, along with her entire Netflix deal, is the official Handler rebranding. For fans of the comic you will appreciate this completely uncensored version of Handler. For people who have never seen her stand-up outside of her cable show, this is going to be a lot to take in. The one thing that Handler does is make no apologies and she definitely will not be apologizing for leaving E! and starting a new era in her career.


arts & entertainment

10

Oct. 14, 2014

Women’s Soccer Ties Against Siena Jaclyn Marr

Asst. Sports Editor After a tough overtime loss to the Monmouth Hawks on Oct. 8, the Manhattan women’s soccer team (1-2-2 MAAC, 6-5-2) was able to fight back and earn a tie against Siena (2-1-3 MAAC, 5-5-5) on Saturday afternoon. The Jaspers have now played its second straight overtime game and fourth in the last six games. Manhattan’s game against the Hawks ended in heartbreak as Monmouth’s Erica Murphy scored the game-winner with 24 seconds left in the first overtime period. The defending MAAC champions had their third-straight victory with a 2-1 win over Manhattan. Senior Aislinn McIlvenny assisted on Manhattan’s goal as she gave the ball to junior Sam Washuk, who was wide open and placed it into the back of the net. Manhattan went into halftime with the 1-0 lead, even though they were outshot 18-3. The Hawks got its goal about 15 minutes into the second half. Junior Kristen Skonieczny finished the game with an outstanding performance. The goalkeeper had a season-high 12 saves in the game. McIlvenny had her second assist on the season and has been involved in 10 of the team’s 13 goals this season. Washuk scored her third goal of the season. The Jaspers’ game against Siena had a different storyline. About two minutes into the game, the Saints found the net and took a 1-0 lead. Siena continued strong offensively with 10 shots in the first half, compared to Manhattan’s three.

Sam Washuk is second on the team in goals scored with three. Photo by James O'Connor. Manhattan took over in the second half with nine shots and a goal to tie the game by junior Emily Ude with about nine minutes left in regulation. Ude earned her first goal of the season. McIlvenny assisted and tallied her third of the season, a team high. Manhattan had two major chances to take the lead by freshman Emily Center

and sophomore Lauren Barton. However, both were stopped by Siena goaltender Taylor Booth, who finished the game with six saves. Skonieczny had three saves before getting injured in the second half. Freshman Becca Vitale came in relief of Skonieczny and had two saves. Siena led the overtime periods with six

shots over Manhattan’s two, despite both teams having good chances to score. They also finished with a 20-15 advantage in shots over the Jaspers. In the end, neither team found the net again and it finished in a 1-1 draw.

This Week In Sports On Oct. 8, women’s soccer lost in overtime to Monmouth, 1-2, at Gaelic Park. The Hawks scored the game-winning goal in the final minute of the first overtime. Volleyball defeated Fairleigh Dickinson in three sets and men’s soccer lost on the road to Monmouth, 0-1. On Oct. 10, the men’s cross country team finished fifth out of 100 teams in the Metropolitan Collegiate Championships. The women’s cross country team finished eighth out of 12 teams. On Oct. 11, the volleyball team defeated Niagara in Draddy Gymnasium in four sets. Women’s soccer tied Siena, 1-1 on the road, and men’s soccer fell to Siena at Gaelic Park, 0-1. As of noon on Oct. 12, the volleyball team (4-3 MAAC, 11-8) is fourth out of 10 teams in the MAAC. Men’s soccer (0-3 MAAC, 1-7-1) is last out of 11 teams in the MAAC. Women’s soccer )1-2-2 MAAC, 6-5-2) is seventh out of 11 teams in the MAAC.

of the Week Jade Gray: She nearly had a triple-double with nine kills, 43 kills and 12 digs as she led the Jaspers to a victory against Niagara. Milena Stoicev: The senior finished ninth out of 109 runners in the 5K at the Metropolitan Collegiate Championship to help her team finish fifth.


sports

11

Draddy Gymnasium: Imperfectly Perfect Anthony Capote Staff Writer

Few Jaspers have forgotten the intensity that rattled Draddy Gymnasium in the final regular season game of the men’s basketball season when a missed layup by the Gaels won Manhattan College the game in overtime against the school’s biggest inconference rival. Why, then, did the Manhattan College community, after a win that propelled the Jaspers to a MAAC championship and their first tournament berth in a decade, encounter such a rude awakening the next day? It may have had something to do with the article that Matt Jones of Fox Sports wrote about Draddy that night. “To say it looks like a high school gymnasium would be somewhat of an insult to most of our nation’s high school facilities,” Jones wrote on the state of the college’s part recreational center-part athletic arena. It’s worth noting that Jones used his negative critiques of Draddy as a transition to discuss the game, the team and the Sixth Borough as one of the most exciting environments he had experienced all of last season. But still, that one hurt. For most students, Draddy is a part of life here at Manhattan and an embodiment of the spirit of the school. “I like the fact that it looks a little bit rustic and vintage,” said senior Chris Gomez, who transferred to Manhattan from Iona. “Part of the reason I left Iona was because when I came to Manhattan, I could feel the history. I could feel the tradition when I walked in.” Despite the overall positivity of the Matt Jones article, the Manhattan College administration has been jolted into action, and Manhattan College students have encountered many new policies surrounding the Draddy facilities. Students, for example, can no longer play recreationally on the center court, on which the Jaspers play their games and conduct practices. Students have also been asked, in the light of the new Student Commons, not to use the fitness center and weight room in Draddy, which are now reserved for student athletes. “That’s not a new policy,” assured Amanda McEntire, the assistant athletic director for facilities and event management,

Draddy's lack of space has contributed to its electric atmosphere as students pack in for a men's basketball game. Photo courtesy of gojaspers.com. when asked about the new gym guidelines. “We started [closing the middle court] last year - namely to protect the court's surface and playing condition throughout the basketball season,” McEntire wrote in an emailed statement. McEntire, who is also the women’s tennis coach, said that when she first arrived to campus in 2012, the center court became dirty and unsafe for collegiate play. So in response, they closed the center court off from non-athlete students. However, this policy has only recently been widely enforced and well known by students. “We're always trying to keep the facility clean and safe,” said McEntire. These are the policy changes and improvements that need, and are going to be made to the facilities. The sports information department declined access to interview any other mem-

bers of the administration or head coaches. “Draddy is probably—from the outside—one of the worst [facilities] in the MAAC,” sophomore Mary Donnelly, an outside hitter for the Manhattan volleyball team, said. “I am very fond of Draddy, and I think it has it’s own kind of character. Amanda Critelli, a freshman defensive specialist for the Manhattan volleyball team agreed, even though she mentioned a leak in the roof of the gymnasium that needed to be fixed. Both ladies were pleased with the new policies that allow student-athletes privilege over the facilities. “I think it’s good that the athletes have their own gym to work out in since we don’t have many privileges,” Critelli said, citing the fact the volleyball players do not even have their own locker rooms in the gym.

In regards to future upgrades to the facilities, McEntire discussed such plans as the addition of seat backs to the larger bleachers in Draddy. Andy Ryan, the vice president of facilities, has also mentioned future upgrades to Draddy as “part of a larger Master Plan for the College.” “What ends up being part of the Master Plan is still unclear,” Ryan said, who did not discard the idea of a “new Draddy.” The improvements to our athletic facilities as a result of increased media attention seems, at least for now, to be an integral part of Manhattan College’s future. Donnelly and Critelli are unsure of what these upgrades entail but certainly are excited for them. “We hope they continue to make improvements for all of the athletes.”


sports

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Gray Has Career Performance in a Jasper Victory Daniel Ynfante Staff Writer

On a day where setter Jade Gray had the best performance of her collegiate career, it was only fitting that the match ended with a kill from her part to give the Jaspers a four set victory at home against the Niagara Purple Eagles—24-26, 25-22, 25-11, 25-17. “I think I definitely had a big role that I had to fill the shoes of,” Gray said about having to start in place of Teodora Peric. “I’m not used to starting so it was definitely a little nerve-wracking, but I was like, ‘my team is counting on me and I’ve got to go in ready to go’.” Gray seamlessly filled in for Peric with an outstanding match, falling one kill shy of a triple-double with nine kills, 43 assists and 12 digs. From the first set it was apparent Gray was up for the challenge of replacing Peric when she notched a pair of kills that gave Manhattan the lead at 5-4 and then at 6-5. The rest of the first set was closely contested with no team leading by more than four. With the score tied at 21, the Purple Eagles went on a 3-1 spurt that gave them set point at 24-22. The Jaspers fought off set point and tied it at 24, forcing Niagara to call a timeout. After the timeout, the Purple Eagles recuperated and scored the next two points to win the first set 26-24. “I think we had to play a little more defense in the first set,” Manhattan head coach Mark Jones said about what went wrong with the team in the first set. “I think that’s what was really important.” The second set was as competitive as the first, with the biggest lead going to Manhattan at 18-14. Just like the first set, the second set was tied at 21. Manhattan called a timeout and bounced back with four of the next five points, three of which were assisted by the player of the game Gray, to win the set 2522 and tie the match at one. The third set seemed to have belonged to another game, as Manhattan dominated from start to finish. Manhattan got off to a quick 9-0 lead and never looked back. The Jaspers held the Purple Eagles to just 11 points, winning the third set 25-11. Of the 25 points, 18 came via kills and the team hit an incredible .567. The fourth set went back to the pace the first two sets were played at, with neither team pulling away from each other from the start. Manhattan led at 9-8 and then the Jaspers built a hefty lead after a Marissa Behrens kill ignited an 11-4 run which gave Manhattan its biggest lead of the set at 2012. However, Niagara came storming back with five consecutive points to cut the lead to 20-17. Unfortunately for the Purple Eagles, those would be the final points they scored on the day. The Jaspers closed out the game with five straight points of their own, capped off with a kill from Gray, to win the fourth set 25-17 and win the match 3-1. Manhattan rebounded after losing the first set to win three sets in a row, something Gray believes was due to the team’s chemistry, energy and ability to gain a

As of noon on Oct. 12, the volleyball team has won three games in a row. Photo by Kevin Fuhrmann..

Malia McGuinness led the team with 17 kills and 23 digs. Photo by Kevin Fuhrmann. flow. “Once we get into a flow, we just keep going and that helped a lot,” Gray said. Malia McGuinness registered a double-double leading the Jaspers in kills and digs with 17 and 23 respectively, but it was Gray who had the game of her life, filling up the box score with two service aces, career highs in assists and kills, and falling one dig short of her career high 13 digs. “I think Jade had a great game,” Jones

said regarding Gray’s performance. “I think she really focused on what she needed to do. She set a really good offense and hitters responded to that.” The win marks Manhattan’s third consecutive victory after going through a stretch where the team lost four in a row. “I think we’ve been working on blocking, which is really crucial for us right now,” Jones said about what he believes is part of the reason why the team has turned

it around “That [blocking] has to be a continued theme and not to give up so many points in a row has to be another theme.” To see a recap from Sunday’s game, log on to mcquad.org/category/sports.


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