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VOLUME LXXX ISSUE II

‘FREEDOM OF SPEECH?’ Oswego State named a top 10 “Worst School for Free Speech” by activist group Ryan Deffenbaugh Editor-in-Chief rdeffenbaugh@oswegonian.com Oswego State was named a top 10 “Worst College for Free Speech in 2013” by the Foundation for Individual Rights through a Huffington Post article in December. The list, which also included Harvard University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Syracuse University last year, ranked mostly public colleges and universities, but also included private universities that promise students free speech. “The State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY Oswego) earns its rightful place on this list for nonsensically suspending a student who asked rival hockey coaches for their thoughts about his school’s coach in order to complete a class assignment,” FIRE president Greg Lukianoff wrote in the article. Oswego State President Deborah Stanley said she was disappointed to hear about the ranking, adding that the student suspension FIRE referred to took place in 2012 and was an “isolated incident.” “It’s such a misrepresentation of who we are and what we stand for,” Stanley said.

CONTENT

Alex Myers situation The event described in the list happened in October 2012. Oswego State journalism student Alex Myers, who was at Oswego State through an exchange program from Australia, was suspended over an email he had sent as part of a class assignment. “Put simply, the Alex Myers case was one of the worst cases of campus censorship and punishment of student expression that we saw in 2013,” Azhar Majeed, director of FIRE’s Individual Rights Education Program, said in an email. Myers contacted three hockey coaches in the Central New York area to ask questions for a feature on men’s hockey coach Ed Gosek. He identified himself by saying, “My name is Alex Myers, I work for the Office of Public Affairs at SUNY Oswego.” Myers was actually an intern at the time for the Public Affairs office, but the email was for a class and not within his duties as a public affairs intern. Myers asked the coaches three questions related to their interaction with Gosek, and then signed off by asking the coaches to “Be as forthcoming as you like, what you say about Mr. Gosek does not have to be positive.” Myers would later say to an offended coach that he was trying to make it clear he wasn’t writing a “puff piece.”

See SPEECH, A5

Calendar...........................C2 Classified..........................C7 Crossword.........................C6 Contact Info......................A2 Laker Review.....................C1 News.................................A1 Opinion............................B5 Sports...............................B1 Sudoku.............................C6

Campus committees hunt for student involvement Stephen Borgna Contributing Writer news@oswegonian.com While Oswego State has 31 standing committees with reserved seats for students, many struggle for student participation. The committees cover a wide range of topics on campus, from student safety to even a committee on committees. This trend comes despite the committees’ value for student participation. Nobody gets turned away. Even if a committee doesn’t have anymore student seats

available, students eager to participate can often find a way to get involved. “I’m always interested in talking to students,” said Joan Carroll, associate professor of accounting and chair of the Faculty Assembly at Oswego State. “I will always try to help students get matchedup and work with student associations to find the right match.” Not only do committees value student participation, professors say students can gain valuable experience being a member. However, involvement is still lacking. Oswego State faculty active in university

committees say there are several reasons for low student membership. According to John Kane, professor of economics and a member of the Committee of Learning and Teaching at Oswego State, it’s often hard for students to attend meetings. “Students have a lot of classes going on, times are usually inconvenient,” Kane said. Carroll said that there is “no benefit in assessing blame” on students for not being more involved in school committees, pointing out that Student Association of-

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ten appoints students to various seats. According to Carroll, there should be more information available to students— another reason why there’s no need for assessing blame. “Students often aren’t aware of their opportunity to participate,” Carroll said. “There are not very good mechanisms to get information out there,” Kane said. John Shaffer, director of ARTswego, Oswego State’s performing arts program,

See COMMITTEES, A4

Oswegonian.com PRESS BOX EATS

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Video: Check out what students have to say about Oswego State being named one of the worst schools for free speech.

Arnold Hager, 42, was arrested on Feb. 8 at 7:10 p.m. at 192 E. Second St. for criminal possession of a weapon. Hager was released on an appearance ticket. Emilie Slight, 23, was arrested on Feb. 8 at 4:15 p.m. at 169 W. Second St. for petit larceny. Slight was released on an appearance ticket. Jason Stevens, 32, was arrested on Feb. 7 at 8:09 p.m. at 169 W. Second St. for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Stevens was released on an appearance ticket.

Video: Find out the specials local restaurants will have available for Valentine’s Day dinner.

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Gregg Holliday, 24, was arrested on Feb. 7 at 10:35 a.m. at 102 Murray St. for criminal contempt, harassment and criminal mischief.

Discover more about Stone’s Homemade Candies, located on West Bridge Street.

Patricia Sweeting, 42, was arrested on Feb. 7 at 12:15 a.m. at 169 W. Second St. for criminal tampering. Sweeting was arrested earlier on Feb. 6 at 11:01 p.m. at 91 W. Bridge St. for driving while intoxicated. Richard Davis, 22, was arrested on Feb. 6 at 8:10 p.m. at 555 South State St. in Syracuse for grand larceny. Davis was transported to the Oswego Police Department and was held for arraignment. Molly Fournier, 22, was arrested on Feb. 6 at 4:20 p.m. at 169 W. Second St. for criminal possession of marijuana and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Forunier was released on an appearance ticket.

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WEEKEND WEATHER Forecast by Andrew Janiszeski | Graphics by Devon Nitz

Friday

Saturday

Shawn Moore, 36, was arrested on Feb. 6 at 2:16 p.m. at the corner of West Second Street and West Bridge Street on the execution of a bench warrant. Alissa Miller, 25, was arrested on Feb. 6 at 1:09 a.m. at 246 Route 104 for petit larceny. Miller was released on an appearance ticket. Frank Bristol, 43, was arrested on Feb. 6 at 12:59 p.m. at 169 W. Second St. for criminal contempt.

High: 30

Low: 20

Sunday

Joshua Haskins, 25, was arrested on Feb. 6 at 10:56 a.m. at 169 W. Second St. for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Darlene Manning, 43, was arrested on Feb. 6 at 10:54 a.m. at 169 W. Second St. for petit larceny. Todd Chappell, 46, was arrested on Feb. 6 at 10:20 a.m. at 169 W. Second St. for assault.

Cover illustration by David Owens

High: 20

Low: 2

High: 25

Low: 12

A major East Coast storm will be in the process of pulling away from the Northeast later on Friday and in its wake, colder air and leftover snow showers will filter back across the region. Most of the accumulating snow will be during the morning and early afternoon hours on Friday with any snow showers for the rest of the weekend leading to minor accumulation. Temperatures for this weekend will be seasonably cold with gusty winds, especially on Saturday. Wind chills will be in the single digits, creating yet another frigid weekend for the Oswego area. As we head toward next week, the cold and snow will slowly lose its grip as warmer air begins to make a return toward the middle of next week.

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NEWS Requirements to live in The Village change QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Oswego State produces some of the finest student journalists in the country. The school should be judged based on the achievements of our alumni, not by an isolated incident by a group with an agenda.”

- Lou Borrelli ‘77 board member of Oswego College Fund

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Townhouse-style living suites will allow more students to experience

The Agenda

Our weekly list of what to do in Oswego

Chloé Larson | The Oswegonian

Attend men’s ice hockey vs. SUNY Brockport on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center Ice Area.

The Village currently houses roughly 350 juniors and seniors in 4-person and 6-person townhouse style units. Come fall, some sophomores will be able to move in.

Chloé Larson Contributing Writer news@oswegonian.com Expect to see a new set of rules when submitting housing preferences for the fall 2014 semester. Oswego State’s campus is expecting to see a few changes next year, including reduced eligibility requirements for living in The Village. Currently, about 350 juniors and seniors reside in The Village. These townhouses are appealing to many students as they feature many of the assets of living off-campus, all while re-

New requirements to live in The Village ● Currently 350 juniors and seniors reside in The Village ● Students who currently have 42 credits previously was 45 ● Students who enrolled as freshmen must have lived on campus for at least three regular academic semesers previously was four semesters

maining a part of the campus environment. The requirements for living in The Village have been changed to allow more students to apply to live in the townhouses. “The requirements to live in The Village are very detailed and specific, but they were determined to ensure that The Village community will be comprised of students who have already had the opportunity to be immersed in the SUNY Oswego on-campus experience as a result of living in our residence halls,” Marie Driscoll, associate director of residence life and housing, said. Driscoll explained that students who wish to reside in The Village “must have at least junior status or the equivalent of having earned 57 credits and have lived on-campus at Oswego State for a certain minimum number of regular semesters, depending on their enrollment designation (as a freshman or transfer student), ” which remains the same as previously. The changes of The Village’s eligibility requirements depend on the semesters that a student must have lived on-campus. “Students who first enrolled as freshmen must have lived on campus at SUNY Oswego for at least three regular academic semesters before moving into The Village,” Driscoll said. The previous requirement for students who

entered as freshmen was four semesters of oncampus living. The requirements for transfer students have been reduced from the previous two semesters of on-campus living, to just one regular academic semester. Those interested in applying to live in The Village for the upcoming year are in luck. “In order to potentially have 57 credits at the time of move-in, students applying to live in The Village for an upcoming semester must have at least 42 earned credits in order to be eligible,” Driscoll said. This has been reduced from the previous 45 credits. “Students who were planning to live [in The Village] next year may have slightly more students with whom to compete,” Driscoll said. “However, their lottery number and, therefore, priority for choosing a room will be established according to their class year as calculated by the Registrar’s Office. This is determined by earned credits and progress toward degree.” Students who currently live in The Village who wish to return are not affected by the new requirements, so their ability to choose to return to The Village for next year is unchanged, as they have already met the old eligibility requirements.

New CVS policy already exists in Oswego County pharmacies CVS Pharmacy has announced that it will no longer sell tobacco products in any of its 7,600 stores by Oct. 1. This change, according to Forbes. com, will result in the loss of $2 billion from the $125 billion annual revenue, a drop of 1.6 percent. While the pharmacy’s decision made national headlines, pharmacies in Oswego County have been forgoing the sale of cigarettes for several years. In a letter to the editor on Syracuse.com, Abby Jenkins, program coordinator of the tobacco free network of Oswego County, stated that “the overwhelming majority of independently owned pharmacies in Oswego County already don’t sell tobacco.” Her stance on tobacco sales in pharmacy is summed up in the letter: “No doctor would prescribe tobacco, so

why would a pharmacy sell it?” Jenkins expressed her excitement over the CVS ban on tobacco products. She said that the CVS ban on tobacco is “one more piece of the puzzle” and a “step in the right direction” to better health. She believes that smokers will be able to go into a CVS to better their health without the surrounding temptations of tobacco. To her, it shows that more people are banding together to fight the issue of tobacco abuse. However, as she said in her letter to the editor, CVS is not the first pharmacy to not sell tobacco. Independently-owned pharmacies Medicine Shoppe and Hargraves Pharmacy in Fulton do not sell tobacco products. Zach Merry, a pharmacist from Medicine Shoppe, said his store is “not a proper place to sell tobacco products” because they sell medication and ways to quit tobacco addiction. Robert Lanzafame, a pharmacist at

Hargraves Pharmacy, said the store stopped selling tobacco in 1972 because “customers were not helping their health.” He believes a pharmacy should not be selling those kinds of products. “I’m impartial to the ban since most drugstores don’t sell at state minimum prices,” Ryan Wisniewski, a smoker who lives in Oswego County said. “But it should help CVS’ image now that they’ve stopped selling a harmful product.” It is clear that the lives and habits of smokers may not be changed since some had already preferred not to shop at CVS for tobacco. Nevertheless, the deeds of CVS have not gone unnoticed and many independent pharmacies in Oswego County have already offered a tobacco free-environment. If this change in CVS’ policies will cause more pharmacies to follow suit and more smokers to quit, only time will tell.

The Student Association Sentate met for their second official meeting on Tuesday. They added two new senators and had a total of 18 members present, one of the highest turnouts all year. The senate began the meeting by quickly approving the minutes from the last meeting and the agenda for the day. The Pre-Health Club spoke to the senate about some of the programs they would like to do this semester. The club is newly formed and has no budget, so they are hoping a senator can help them write a bill to ask SA for funding. President of Oswego State’s synchronized ice skating team, Brittany Hoffmann, spoke to the senate about a bill asking for upwards of $7,000 to send the 17 members of the team to Colorado Springs, Colo. for their sport’s national tournament. President Anthony Smith spoke to the senate about the appointment of a new justice for the courts of SA. Ryan O’Grady introduced himself to the senate and was appointed to the rules and judiciary committee for confirmation. Smith pointed out that some senators were not dressing up in professional attire on a weekly basis and asked them to make sure they do unless told otherwise. Typically, senators wear business attire with an

occasional casual-attire day. Smith said he would be meeting with President of Oswego State Deborah Stanley and would hopefully be discussing the use of the New Diggs web applet for off-campus living. He will also be searching for an advisor for SA. Francisco Perez, the vice president of SA, handed out new binders with SA information to the new senators from last week. He also told the senators that senate dinners would be starting next week and he would be holding his committee chair meetings on Mondays at 5 p.m. Director of Finance Hassan Al-Shareffi went over the monetary amounts in each account for the senators. The senate promotions fund has $1,000 in it, while the SA contingency fund has $2,000 in it. The organizational contingency fund had $5,605.74 and the joint organizational programming fund had $2,500 prior to the meeting. Al-Shareffi said he would be sending information out to presidents and treasurers to go over how they will submit their budgets. He said the program for budget submission has been delayed due to technical difficulties out of his control. He has been working on forming a search committee for someone to take over his job in June. Al-Shareffi said that an email

was sent out to business and accounting majors who are good candidates for the job. Applications for the position are now open until March 5. The rules and judiciary committee did not have quorum to hold an official meeting but talked about submitting senator hours on LakerLife. The finance committee went over a joint bill between WTOP and The Oswegonian, a bill from the men’s club ice hockey team, the synchronized ice skating team bill and a bill from the Red Cross Club. The involvement committee went over ideas for “meet your senator” posters and a senate-organization mixer. This would give clubs the opportunity to promote their events, but the committee wants clubs to rent table space from SA. The committee said the money would go toward refreshments at the event. Special orders were brought to the floor beginning with a joint bill between The Oswegonian and WTOP. The bill asks SA for funding to send five members to a journalism convention in San Diego for the last weekend of February. Several senators showed support of the bill which would provide $1,742 for the organizations to use toward the trip. The bill passed 14-0-3. The next bill was for the Oswego State club ice hockey team. They asked for additional

Brandon Reise Contributing Writer news@oswegonian.com

Go see the theater performance of “Christmas Mourn” on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Lab Theatre in Tyler Hall.

Check out women’s ice hockey vs. Utica College on Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Campus Center Ice Area.

See an artist talk by James Downer, an animator/ filmmaker, illustrator, designer and professor on Monday at 7 p.m. in Campus Center Room 132. Attend the screening of “Quick Brown Fox” on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in North Gallery in Tyler Hall.

Go see the theater performance of “El Bufalo de la Noche,” or “The Night Buffalo” on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Campus Center Room 132. Check out a concert by American composer Samuel Barber on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Sheldon Hall Ballroom.

See the lecture “Change and Tradition in the Education of Indian Women,” by Dr. Cristina Dragomir on Thursday at 6 p.m. in Campus Center Room 132.

funding to send them to their playoff tournament. The club would be attending the event with or without the funding so they were just asking for the help that SA could provide in any way. The bill was amended to give the club $250 from the original amount over $4,000. The bill passed 14-1-2. The Red Cross Club’s bill asked for funding to send its members to Washington D.C. this March. The club had used most of their budget to book their hotel last semester and was asking for $2,000. They will be going to the Red Cross headquarters and will return with a disaster kit presentation for students scheduled for March 12. The bill was amended to give the club $400 to cover gas costs. The bill passed unanimously with 17 “yes” votes. For general orders, the Ice Effect’s synchronized ice skating team bill requesting funding for their trip to nationals would prove to be the most debated bill of the night. For almost an hour, the senators argued over what amount they should provide to the club. The finance committee suggested $1,000. Several senators disagreed with this amount and felt it was too little. Hoffmann reminded the senators that each member of her club already pays upwards of $500 out of pocket at the beginning of the season and that the club asked for more funds in their

budget than they were awarded. They also had to spend a majority of the out of pocket money to purchase new uniforms, which is why they are in this current situation. Al-Shareffi reminded the senators that SA is there to help subsidize costs, not to pay full amounts. He told the senate that any amount helps in the long run. The senators discussed transferring funds out of one of the SA accounts to the organization fund in order to provide more money to Hoffmann and her team. The $1,000 amendment was passed 9-3-5. A new amendment was proposed changing the amount to $2,500. This was failed 4-9-2. Finally, a new amendment was passed by a vote of 12-2-3, which gave the Oswego State Ice Effects $1,500. The bill was then passed 14-1-2. The last bill that was presented would extend the deadline of signature retrieving for candidates running for SA president and vice president. There were a lack of candidates who submitted signatures, so in order to hold an election instead of searching for someone to run, they decided to extend the deadline. The bill was passed unanimously by general consent. The SA Senate meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Lanigan 102 and all meetings are open to the public.

NEWS

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Health Center prepares for influenza During peak season for virus students should take precautions JoAnn Delauter Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com With blasts of lake-effect snow and winds that force students to pull their hoods up, the start of the spring semester has left most students with the fear of getting sick. In fact, it is this season in particular that has made getting tissues, taking naps and eating more soup second nature: flu season. Whether it is the chill of winter or the stress of the new semester, flu season has hit Oswego State. Between the start of December to the end of May, flu season has

a healthy lifestyle. It is recommended that people get at least eight hours of sleep every night in order to reboot their immune system. College students have the most difficulty finding these eight hours of sleep, which is why bodies are more susceptible to illnesses like the flu. In order to stay healthier moderate amounts of exercise and eating right can give you more energy and help your body fight off any illness. It is commonly seen at the health center that although students seem to have flu-like symptoms, they do not have the flu. A headache, cough and runny nose can be symptoms of a common cold but

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

marked itself on the calendar for most hospitals and doctor ’s offices. It is important for people to know the facts in order to prevent the flu, how to diagnose it and how to treat it. Students at Oswego State are not the only ones who are at the battlefront for fighting flu season. According to Liz Burns, director of Student Health Services and nurse practitioner, the Mary Walker Health Center had its banner year by immunizing 1,100 students last October for the flu. “What they say about the flu vaccine, is that it is not 100 percent protected, but it can lessen the degree of the flu if you get it,” Burns said. “What is also good to do is to keep germs contained. This can be done by coughing into your sleeve, avoid touching your face and eyes and washing your hands frequently to the timing of two ‘Happy Birthdays’.” Practicing these routines can increase the chance of not getting the flu. Although one can never be 100 percent protected, it is important to keep germs contained. “With all my friends getting sick, I really should start carrying around a little bottle of Purell,” freshman Ben Laine said. Like most illnesses, the best way to prevent getting the flu is to try to maintain

can be easily mistaken or lead to a secondary infection like the flu. Flu symptoms include a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a cough or sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, headaches and/or body aches, fatigue, chills and/or nausea, and vomiting or diarrhea. “There are certain viruses that can mimic the flu but if someone has the flu they are a lot sicker and it requires more care, more of missing school and only

can be truly determined by a nasal fringil swab,” Burns said. When diagnosed with the flu, it is important to know your body, take care of it and respect it. With prescription medication and a combination of rest and nutrition, there are ways to treat the flu. By being prepared for the unpredictable weather of winter and taking care of your health as a main priority, getting over the flu will be a lot faster than avoiding the needs of your own body. “I definitely got sick over the stress of transitioning into the new semester,” freshman Sam Schneller, who recently got over the flu, said. “I went to the Health Center took my prescriptions and within a few days I was better.” There are unlimited reminders and information about the health services Oswego has to offer on campus. According to Burns, Mary Walker Health Center, on average, treats 8,000 to 10,000 student cases per year. This is supported by a mandatory health fee, which paid as part of the college bill that includes counseling, lifestyle services and health. The Center offers care with nurse practitioners, a cold clinic where students can receive decongestants and Ibuprofen free of charge. The health center offers walk-ins from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Monday through Friday. Appointments are needed for a visit throughout the day. Mary Walker promotes healthy habits and their services through word of mouth and signage, but mainly through Lifestyles and their “Toilet Talk” fliers and their red wagon runs. Despite the cold weather and the stress of the spring semester, it is important to protect yourself against the flu and stay healthy. For more information about Student Health Services or Mary Walker Health Center, please visit the health center.

Samuel Barber featuring

Julia Broxholm

Sheldon Hall Ballroom

Host: Todd Graber | Pre-concert Talk 7 PM

oswego.edu/arts

Symptoms

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

Despite discovery of asbestos, new parking lot will open in fall

A high amount of the silicate material asbestos was discovered behind the walls in parts of Snygg Hall and has caused a minor delay in its demolition. A few years ago, consultants spent a significant amount of time surveying Snygg Hall for building materials containing asbestos, according to Eric Foertch, director of Environmental Health and Safety at Oswego State. “The readily-accessible areas are easy to test, but inspecting areas behind walls can be challenging,” Foertch said. “Although they followed state regulations for inspections, it is not practical to sample behind every wall. Decisions are made based on original building designs and field observations.” Acting Associate Vice President for Facilities Services Mitch Fields said that there are multiple kinds of asbestos in the building. “There is friable, which means it is loose and can become airborne and then there is non-friable, which is like in some of the building material, like say the mastic, which they put the floor tiles down with, or some of the old nine-by-nine floor tiles; they were constructed with asbestos in them,” Fields said. According to the National Cancer Institute, asbestos is a group of minerals that occur naturally in the environment as bundles of fibers that can be separated into thin, durable threads. These fibers were heavily used in parts of building construction because of its resistance to heat, fire, and chemicals and do not conduct electricity. Fields said workers expected finding asbestos on the inside of Snygg Hall. However, when they started taking the outside bricks off, there was a waterproofing membrane that contained asbestos. Though it is impregnated, Fields said it was not very dangerous and probably is not in the majority of the building. Fields said that asbestos is probably also in Snygg Hall’s pipe insulation and

Celebrating

Wednesday, February 19 • 7:30 PM

Snygg Hall demolition still on track Luke Parsnow Asst. News Editor lparsnow@oswegonian.com

present

if disturbed, can become airborne, which is when it becomes a real threat to human health and safety. “After being exposed with a long gestation period, the fibers themselves have little hooks on them and you can never really get them out of your lungs, and that would cause asbestosis,” Fields said. Asbestos is not in any building on campus that was built after 1975, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency banned installation of asbestos pipe insulation and block

Unfortunately, finding more asbestos behind the brick has added time to the demolition, but it is imperative we perform this job safely and in compliance with all New York state regulations. In the end, it will be worth it.” - Eric Foertch, director of Environmental Health and Safety at Oswego State insulation on facility components. Removing asbestos from buildings is a complex and timely process. The daily building perimeter air-sampling results since the removal started in November have been negative for asbestos. “Asbestos abatement is taken very seriously on campus,” Foertch said. “Unfortunately, finding more asbestos behind the brick has added time to the demolition, but it is imperative we perform this job safely and in compliance with all New York state regulations. In the end, it will be worth it.” Every time the campus does a building renovation, the facilities department has to subscribe to the State of New York Industrial

Code Rule 56, which states that “a survey or inspection is required prior to any building or structure demolition, remodeling, renovation, or repair if construction of the building commenced prior to 1974.” Fields said that this regulation is a very perspective methodology on how asbestos needs to be removed in a safe manner. “Basically, what they do is create an envelope with sheets all over and they tape it up tight and they put a big fan in there, which makes the room under negative pressure,” Fields said. “Then they will treat the asbestos so that it will not become airborne and then they will suck it up and dispose of it properly. It’s pretty heavily regulated by the department of labor. Everyone has the Tyvek suits on with the breathers and you have to be licensed and certified.” While this process has held up the demolition of Snygg Hall, the construction of the parking lot is still expected to be completed on time. “The timeline for this work was always projected to extend into the summer of 2014 and I don’t believe anyone expected that new parking would be available until the fall of 2014,” said Casey Raymond, chair of the Oswego State Science Planning Committee, who played a big role in moving departments out of Snygg and into the new Shineman Science Center. Fields also said the reconstruction process of the parking lot will take approximately 8-12 weeks and Snygg Hall should be down no later than mid-June. This spring, the renovation of Tyler Hall will get underway and construction workers will face the same challenge with removing asbestos from the building, which will be the first task to ensure safety of the following renovation crew. “We work really, really hard on removing asbestos, and actually it is a university policy that any time we do construction, we remove it entirely,” Fields said. “So eventually, we will get to the point where we don’t have any.”

Oswego State committees have seats for students; some open still COMMITTEES from COVER also cites the lack of information as an issue when it comes to student involvement. “The problem is, each individual committee doesn’t have an effective means of getting that information out to the whole student body,” Shaffer said. Shaffer said he would welcome any centralized system that regularly posted committee spots. While a committee on committees exists, the purpose of this committee is to make recommendations to the president on committee membership, review committee missions and issue rewards and recognitions for committee service, according to the school’s website. While lack of information and schedule conflicts are preventing students from getting involved with committees, Shaffer said that student desire to become involved is not. “Many students are interested in what we do, in the performances we present,” Shaffer said. “The problem is that participating in formal committees involves attending meetings that can sometimes be lengthy (and conflict with schedules). There is a fairly high rate of attrition as a result of that. However, we have several students that participate with us to varying capacities. Still, committees are often the hardest thing to recruit for and retain involvement.”

All three faculty members said that students who wish to become involved on committees should directly contact committee members. The Student Association and The Compass are also resources. While many committees at Oswego State lack student involvement, there are some committees that have a satisfying amount of student members. According to Michael Flaherty, director of Auxiliary Services and chair of the Public Ceremonies Committee at Oswego State, the Auxiliary Services Board has almost full student membership. According to Flaherty, there are 18 total seats on the board, with nine available to students. Eight of those student seats are currently filled. The Intercollegiate Athletic Board also has strong student membership. According to Mark Humbert, director of Financial Aid and a member of the Intercollegiate Athletic Board at Oswego State, all five of the board’s student seats are occupied. Humbert said that the board has consistently seen most or all of its student seats occupied each year, which he attributes to making time for students. “We work around the student’s schedule,” Humbert said. “Students can identify on a calendar when they’re available.” Students interested in a committee can contact a committee member for more information. Contact information is available on Oswego.edu on the standing committees page.

Committees with seats for students ● Auxiliary Services 9

● Intercollegiate Athletic Board 5

● Services to Students with Disabilities 1

● Intramurals and Recreation Student Adivsory Council 1

● Student Conduct Committee 3

● Judicial Advisory Panel 1

● Students Health Advisory Committee 1

● Oswego Reading Initiative 2

● Transfer Advisory Council 2

● Parking Committee 5

● Administrative Appeals Board 1

● Personal Safety Committee at least 6

● Alcohol and Ohter Drugs Committee 1

● at least half female

● ARTSwego 5

● 1/3 from Student Association

● Campus Concept Committee 4

● 1/3 from faculty

● Committee on Learning and Teaching 2

● 1/3 selected by president

● Faculty Assembly and Facuty Assembly Council 4

NEWS

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

FIRE calls Oswego State among worst of 2013 following controversy Stanley argues ranking, calls Myers ‘isolated incident,’ not indicative of school’s attitude toward freedom of speech SPEECH from COVER The next night, Myers received a letter from Stanley, dated Oct. 18, stating that he was suspended and that by 6 p.m. he would have to remove himself and his belongings from campus. Myers was charged under the student code of conduct for using campus resources to “defame, harass, intimidate or threaten another individual.” Shortly after receiving the letter from Stanley, Myers was allowed to stay on campus for an extended period. Myers filed an appeal and eventually the charges of disruptive behavior were dropped and Myers was only charged with misrepresenting himself in the email, for which he had to complete an educational assignment and write an apology letter to Gosek.

For more content check us out online at oswegonian.com FIRE also intervened in that time, writing a letter to Stanley after Myers had contacted them. “The Myers case does not compare favorably with most other cases in which FIRE has intervened,” Majeed said. “While we are sadly accustomed to seeing universities censor or punish students and faculty for constitutionally protected speech, we were taken aback by SUNY Oswego’s overreaction and overstepping in this matter. It was simply baffling to see a college student suspended and ordered to vacate his campus residence solely because of a sincere email he had sent pursuant to a class assignment.” Myers told The Oswegonian following the incident that the experience had “tarnished journalism” for him and that his graduation would be delayed as a result of being failed at his internship. Stanley said in an interview Tuesday that there are changes the school has made since the incident. “I think our policies needed a brush up,” Stanley said. “I think we were using a process that we felt was appropriate. I do think that we reacted pretty quickly, and that we abridged that policy very quickly so that it would not harm the students.” The committee In an email to students in the wake of the Myers controversy, Stanley said the school was “in the process of assessing our practices and clarifying guidelines. Moving forward, we have assigned this matter to a group of faculty, students and staff to propose how that might be done.” While interpreted by many as a committee on free speech, Stanley said the committee actually focused on issues related to the judicial system. “We didn’t want those things to happen,” Stanley said, referring to the Myers situation. “But they would have happened if

the policy just went through the way it was. So we had to make those changes to it.” The committee, which was chaired by Associate Dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Brad Korbesmeyer, began meeting in spring 2013 and eventually made recommendations for wording changes to the code of student conduct. The changes were reviewed by the President’s Council and then with SUNY legal counsel and instituted in the 2013-2014 online Student Handbook. Julie Blissert, the director of public affairs for Oswego State, said the changes came too late to be included in the print edition, but will be there next year. The changes were made to provision No. 42, which declares when interim suspension can be used by the school. Stanley described the previous policy as “too broad.” The changes mostly clarified who can be involved in the decision to use an interim suspension and the reasons such a suspension can be levied. “Interim suspensions still exist and they exist for a good purpose,” Stanley said. “And that is to prevent any additional harm.” Isolated incident? Majeed said the FIRE ranking was based solely on the incident that happened with Myers, as no further review of the school’s policy factored into the Huffington Post article. Stanley considers the list a “sound bite” that will be forgotten by the time the next list rolls around. “There have been really notable schools that held that ranking for, again, isolated incidents,” Stanley said. “Really if you look at some of the incidents, they don’t cause harm and they were not intentional in a certain way. But I don’t think it lasts that long.” Lou Borrelli, a 1977 graduate and chief development officer of nimbleTV, as well as a board member of the Oswego College Foundation, said he wished the list had considered factors beyond the Myers situation. “Oswego State produces some of the finest student journalists in the country,” Borrelli said. “The school should be judged based on the achievements of our alumni, not by an isolated incident by a group with an agenda.” Communication professor John Kares Smith, who wrote a letter to Stanley defending Myers at the time of his suspension, said the ranking was “really kind of scary,” but also questioned the organization’s use of the incident. “If this is the only incident in recent years,” Kares Smith said. “To come off near the bottom off one incident, I would think that there would have to be other schools.” A further review of the school’s policy and history, Blissert said, would have revealed a different attitude toward free speech. “Whenever there is demonstrations on campus or protests, President Stanley has said ‘send them punch and cookies,’ and if it’s in cold weather, make sure they’re all warm,” Blissert said. “In my experience,

The Myers case does not compare favorably with most other cases in which FIRE has intervened.” - Azhar Majeed, director of FIRE’s Individual Rights Education Program

we’re often more than welcoming of people expressing their opinions.” ‘Red light’ While FIRE did not review Oswego State’s policies for the Huffington Post rating, the organization does release an annual “Spotlight on Speech Codes” study, which examines speech code of conducts at universities around the country and rates them on how much they allow for free speech. The schools are given ratings of either red, yellow or green. A red light ranking means the school has at least one policy that prohibits free speech, a yellow means the school has one policy that could be interpreted as prohibiting free speech and a green means the school’s policies do not threaten expression. Along with six other SUNYs and 58.6 percent of the campuses studied overall, Oswego State received a red light rating. Oswego State received its ranking from a policy on racial/ethnic harassment in the faculty and staff handbook. The rules state that Oswego State “prohibits any form of behavior that singles out an individual or group for the purpose of undermining their racial, cultural and religious heritage.” The school also has four policies that are ranked by FIRE as yellow: two in the Residence Hall Handbook, one in the Student Handbook and one in the student code of conduct. FIRE has a database of its findings on its website. Protests and demonstrations Alex Lykins, a senior human development and global international studies major, said the attention brought to Oswego State was bittersweet. “It’s good that there is attention being drawn to it, because it has definitely been a problem,” said Lykins, who was a founding member of Freedom of Speech Friday and took part in Occupy Oswego. “It’s obviously bitter, because I don’t want to be a part of an institution that’s rated as a worst college for free speech in the United States. No one wants that title.” Lykins said he experienced varied reactions from administration, police and students, to his efforts to encourage free speech, beginning with Free Speech Friday. “It started as kind of a joke―like so what if we just walked into the middle of the Quad with a megaphone and opened it up as a forum for free speech,” Lykins said. With faculty support, the first Free Speech Friday was held in September 2011. “It was about us going out there and making people comfortable to exercise their freedom of speech rights,” Lykins said. In November, Lykins was notified by Campus Life that amplified sound was not allowed in the Quad area, where the event was being held. Lykins said he was told that the noise created was disruptive to the students in the library. “It’s really all about the disruption that amplification can create,” said Kathleen Evans, interim director of Campus Life, about the rule. “As a public institution, but also an educational institution I think the idea of giving students the right to express themselves is very important, and for us to engage in civil conversation about different opinions and views, but it’s important that we create a situation where we are not disrupting what I would call educationally-

Photo provided by Rebecca Burch Students using amplified sound in the Academic Quad for Freedom of Speech Fridays. The weekly event existed until 2011 when a rule regarding amplified sound was enforced.

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

We have a good, strong track record and reputation as a school that allows for all kinds of activities and dissent. We often make room for dissenters.” - Deborah Stanley, Oswego State president

purposeful activities.” Lykins said the group complied after they were told about the amplified sound rule, and decided to continue the demonstrations by shouting and performing. The attendance of the events eventually wound down, Lykins said, and Freedom of Speech Friday ended by Spring 2012. Lykins said they accomplished what they wanted, which was to make students consider their right to free speech. Lykins said he received mixed reactions from students, some who told them they were against the noise and the event’s purpose, and others who supported the message. Lykins was also involved in Occupy Oswego, which he said was fully respected by University Police and administration. “We never faced any problems,” Lykins said. “We had nothing but goodwill from the administration. Deborah Stanley actually bought us snacks. She supported that whole-heartedly. We had [UP] come by and they were more concerned with our safety.” UP Chief John Rossi said officers have yearly training on how to handle protests or demonstrations. “We are bound by what the State University has, which is a public order policy, and spells out the time, place and manner of when and where a student can protest and we assist them with their protesting and make sure there are no people against the protest who are going to be causing disturbances,” Rossi said. Rossi said as long as protestors are demonstrating safely and not violating a building’s fire code, UP will not have any problems. He added that he has not seen many protests or demonstrations in his time on campus, describing them as “usually on a smaller scale.” “There really hasn’t been a lot of issues that have been protested here and that says something about our institution. Back in the ‘70s there were some real, serious protests here and it was like that all around the country,” Rossi said. “We’ve never seen a

wave like that.” Kares Smith also said the campus hasn’t protested often in his 40 years as a a professor. “This has been, overall, a pretty conservative campus,” Kares Smith said. “This is not a campus where students often have gotten all up in the air about things.” Lykins said it can be frustrating to see students take this attitude, as he often struggles to get students to even come to events that are of interest to them. “At this point in time, I don’t know what happened, and why everyone is so complacent,” Lykins said. “Liking something on Facebook, it’s not the same thing.” Moving forward

Lukianoff concluded his Huffington Post column by saying there is still time for the colleges listed to “do the right thing.” Majeed explained what FIRE’s leaders believe Oswego State should do. “SUNY Oswego could improve its public perception by making clear to its students, faculty, alumni, and concerned citizens that it mishandled the Alex Myers case, and that it should never have subjected him to an unconstitutional punishment over speech protected by the First Amendment,” Majeed said. “It would also be helpful for the university to make clear that it will be mindful of First Amendment rights in the future and will not unconstitutionally investigate or punish protected student or faculty expression.” Stanley said she does not believe the school’s reputation will be affected by the ranking, and that it will not affect the school’s decision-making going forward. “I hope that that’s not what spurs us forward,” Stanley said. “We have a good, strong track record and reputation as a school that allows for all kinds of activities and dissent. We often make room for dissenters. We try to accommodate them on campus. This goes back many, many years. Free speech is a hallmark of this institution, not something that we would do in response to FIRE.”

NEWS

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

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OVERTIME

David Armelino | The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Oswego State dropped in final home dual Lakers honor two seniors before meet, fall 40-8 to nationally-ranked Red Dragons after promising start on Senior Day

Seamus Lyman | The Oswegonian

Junior Quamaine Thomas tries to pin down his Red Dragon opponent. Thomas earned a 6-4 win less than a minute into overtime.

Junior captain Scott Bova battles for positioning with a SUNY Cortland wrestler. Bova lost his match in a close 6-5 decision.

Seamus Lyman News Editor slyman@oswegonian.com Oswego State’s wrestling team fell to SUNY Cortland on Saturday in its final home dual meet of the season, 40-8. The Red Dragons (13-3) went into Max Ziel Gymnasium ranked fifth in the nation according to the NCAA national rankings. The Lakers (3-9) came in after a dominating win over Alfred State on Feb. 4. Oswego State’s James Ronca, wrestling in the 125-pound weight class, looked like he had the upper hand throughout his match, before losing by pin fall to Cortland’s Paul Fields 5:44 into the match. Ronca was winning 8-6 before the pin

in the third period. Cortland gained a 6-0 advantage in the meet after Fields’ win. Quamaine Thomas wrestled for the Lakers in the 133-pound weight class against the Red Dragons’ Troy Feniger. The first period ended without a score, but Thomas was able to score an escape to put points on the board in the second period. Feniger took Thomas down and scored two back points, giving him a 4-1 lead. Thomas turned Feniger for two back points of his own and gained a point for riding time to send the match into overtime. With one minute to take down his opponent, Thomas quickly took down his opponent and won, making the overall meet score 6-3. Thomas said he knew how important

it was for him to win his match, saying that he “was not going to give up a point for my team” in the third period of the match. He said he told himself “I have to get this take down, I want to finish this match.” The Red Dragons’ Tony Battista would tech fall Tomas Garcia at 141-pounds, 4:30 into the match giving his team an 11-3 lead. Abubakarr Sow would come out with a tech fall of his own for the Lakers 4:13 into the match. Oswego State only trailed by three with Cortland’s lead cut down to 11-8. Two pins and a forfeit for a total of six straight losses for the Lakers would seal the win for the Red Dragons.

OSWEGO STATE WINNERS

Abubakarr Sow

Quamaine Thomas

15-0

6-4

See WRESTLING, B3

Veteran coach preaches winning, camaraderie above all else Bruno uses defensive roots, passion for game to lead inexperienced young women’s basketball team through adversity Paul A. Esden Jr. Contributing Writer sports@oswegonian.com

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Tracy Bruno (center) talks to her players in a team huddle during the Lakers’ game against SUNY Cortland.

UPCOMING MATCHES * green indicates home games

Basketball has been in Oswego State women’s basketball coach Tracy Bruno’s life since she was in fourth grade. What is a sport to some was love at first sight for Bruno. As soon as opportunities to compete in organized basketball became available, she took full advantage and never looked back. But basketball was not always an option for Bruno, who also played volleyball and softball growing up. While the future Laker coach always liked softball and volleyball, basketball was her true passion. Bruno decided early on that she wanted to put her full concentration on basketball. After a stellar career in high school, she earned the opportunity to play at a Saginaw Valley State University, a Division II school, and went on to have a great career.

For five years, she was on the women’s basketball team and was the captain for two years. During her career, she was chosen to play in all-conference, all-defensive, and all-academic teams. She was also a member of a team that made it all the way to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Bruno said she hoped her playing time would help her secure a coaching job and, thanks to her coach at Saginaw, she did not have to wait long. She received her first coaching opportunity when Alpena Community College in Michigan came calling her senior year. “I was finishing up my senior year and one of the community colleges in Northern Michigan was looking for a coach,” Bruno said. “She (the head coach at Alpena Community College) happened to reach out to my coach and she talked to me a little bit, and obviously at that point I was willing to move and do whatever it took to get employed.”

As Coach Bruno began to rise up the coaching ranks, she began to build upon her unique coaching style predicated on tough gritty defense. “I am philosophically defensiveminded, and without a question it started as a player,” Bruno said. “I loved to play defense. We used to play a fast-paced, in-your-face defensive style. We’re out in the passing lanes trying to disrupt what teams did, and that fueled my defensive passion.” Bruno said she has also learned the value of defense from a coaching standpoint as well. “We play a lot of games, 25 to be exact, over a 19-week period, and we are all human. Anyone can have a cold shooting night while, on the other hand, defensively you need to bring your effort, footwork and be in the right place,” Bruno said. “It is about playing as a team…”

See BRUNO, B2

Women’s Basketball

Men’s Hockey

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Ice Hockey

Friday, Feb. 14

Saturday, Feb. 15

Sunday, Feb. 16

6 p.m.

vs.

7 p.m.

4 p.m.

vs.

4 p.m.

Blue Line Oswego State

SCOREBOARD Women’s Hockey Friday, Feb. 7

3 0

Men’s Hockey Friday, Feb. 7

9 2

Wrestling Saturday, Feb. 8

8 40

Women’s Basketball

Everyone has just come together so well... Everyone has grown as players, all of us. -Freshman Kendall Appelbaum on the chemistry of the women’s hockey team

Zach Gewelb Sports Editor zgewelb@oswegonian.com The Oswego State men’s basketball team used a strong offensive performance from Daniel Ross and stifling team defense to secure a 60-41 victory over SUNY Cortland on Senior Night at Max Ziel Gymnasium on Saturday. The win improves the Lakers’ record to 14-7 (8-6 SUNYAC) and gives the team a boost in the conference standings, while the Red Dragons fall to 12-9 (7-7 SUNYAC) on the season. Ross, the Lakers’ lone senior, paced Oswego State’s offense with 26 points, including 15 points on 60 percent shooting in the first half. Ross’ 15 points in the half nearly matched Cortland’s total offensive output – 16 points – in the opening period. The Red Dragons’ trouble can be credited to the Lakers’ strong defensive play. Oswego State was active on defense and wreaked havoc in the passing lanes, forcing five first half turnovers. The Lakers held Cortland to just 21.4 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes of play and built a nine-point lead by halftime. The squad’s defensive performance is reminiscent of its 78-49 win against

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Senior guard Daniel Ross goes head-to-head with a Red Dragon defender in Oswego State’s 19-point victory on Senior Night. The Lakers won 60-41.

SUNY Potsdam earlier this season, when the Lakers held the Bears to just 16 firsthalf points Oswego State continued to attack in the second half and kept a big lead intact for the duration of the final 20 minutes. After a quiet first half, sophomore Elijah McLaurin attacked the rim and went to the free-throw line six times en route to an eight-point half. The guard finished the game with 11 points, second on the team behind Ross, and added four assists. Sophomore guard Kyle Covley also had a strong second half, recording five points and four assists in just 13 minutes. Covley finished with eight points and five assists on the night.

Men’s Basketball Sunday, Feb. 8

do with the rest of their lives is a pretty cool thing to be a part of.” During the middle of this season, the team was searching for its identity and trying to put the pieces together. Bruno said she asked the team to think about what passion is and what each player was passionate about in an effort to make her players think about why they play the game. This discussion led to a new team motto: “Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose,” which comes from the television show “Friday Night Lights.” Junior forward Lexi Gillard explained what the motto means to her and her teammates and the impact it has. “It means that if we have a clear mind and passion for each other and what we are doing and, we can never really lose, regardless of what’s on the scoreboard,” Gillard said.

ROAD RECAPS Men’s Hockey Oswego State grabbed a pair of SUNYAC victories last weekend at Morrisville State to move up to third in the conference standings. After a strong middle period led the Lakers to a 9-2 win on Friday, it took a late rally for men’s ice hockey to earn a 5-3 win on Saturday. Senior captain David Titanic scored three goals, while juniors Nick Rivait and Mike Montagna each added five assists.

Swimming & Diving

The Lakers earned two big conference wins to hold on to third place in the ECAC West at SUNY Cortland last weekend, 3-0 and 2-0 respectively. Sophomore Tori Trovato pitched both shutouts for Oswego State saving all 16 shots she faced on Friday and all 15 on Saturday. Five different players scored the team’s five goals throughout the weekend. Seniors Olivia Boersen, Melissa Seamont, Chelsea Hunt and Leslie Jarvis each had two points over the course of the series.

Oswego State continued to play sound team defense and held Cortland to just one double-digit scorer, T.J. Hefele, who finished with 10. Lamard Herron added nine for the Red Dragons and Kevin McMahon finished with 10 rebounds in the loss. Ross, though not as dominant as he was in the first half, added 11 secondhalf points. He finished the night with 26 points while knocking down nine of his 17 shots from the field. Ross also had an efficient game from beyond the arc, sinking four of five three-point shots. The Lakers continued to build their lead in the second half, going up by as much as 24 points with just over a minute remaining. Cortland scored six of the

game’s final seven points, but there was not enough time to mount a comeback, as Oswego State secured the 60-41 win. The Lakers are set for a road trip this weekend, as they will take on two SUNYAC opponents. Oswego State is traveling to Potsdam for a Friday night game against the Bears before Saturday’s showdown with SUNY Plattsburgh. The Lakers will return to Oswego for their final home game of the season on Feb. 18 on Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day when they will host The College at Brockport. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. The squad will complete its season four days later when the Lakers look for another victory against Cortland.

Coach aims to keep spirits high amid rough season

Oswego State

Women’s Hockey

Oswego State uses sound offense, suffocating defense en route to 19-point home victory

The men’s swimming and diving team took second out of four teams, while the women took third out of five at the Geneseo Invitational last weekend. Each team had one first-place finish. Senior Andrew Minnick won the 200-yard freestyle event and sophomore Emily Karszes took the top spot in the women’s 200-yard IM.

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Lakers win big on Senior Night

Sunday, Feb. 8

Quote of the Week

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Tracy Bruno watches her team during Oswego State’s Senior Night game against the Red Dragons.

BRUNO, from B1 “Those things sometimes are easier to hang your hat on; those types of things that you can count on game in and game out.” Bruno pushes her players hard defensively in part because of her competitive nature and drive for success. “I think I’m in an incredibly competitive person,” Bruno said. “I think if you’d have the opportunity to interview my family, they would tell you that it doesn’t matter if its Scrabble or Yahtzee or whatever it is.” While winning is priority number one for Bruno, she said there is more to coaching than winning. “Secondary to (winning) is having the

opportunity to work with my players obviously on the court but being a part of what they’d do in their development and where they go from here,” Bruno said. Bruno said that despite no longer playing, her passion remains at an all-time high because she is a part of the game she loves and is watching her student-athletes grow and develop. “Getting older, and not really having the opportunity to play myself anymore, and old knees and all that good stuff, it’s a competitive outlet for me, which I really enjoy,” Bruno said. “Especially being around 18 to 21-yearold student athletes who are not only developing their basketball careers, but also developing where and what they want to

We have a great collection of players and I love them to death. They’re great, just an incredible group. - Head coach Tracy Bruno “As long as we keep striving to be better and stick together as a team, we can’t ever really lose.” The Oswego State women’s basketball team is a tight-knit group that loves and admires its coach for her perseverance and ability to push the squad forward through tough times. “She hasn’t given up on us and as much stress as we’ve put her through, she still manages to come up with a game

plan for the next opportunity we have to get better,” Gillard said. “I would say her best quality is her ability to get through the tough times and see our potential as not only individuals, but as a team.” Bruno said her No. 1 goal for her players is to leave Oswego State with a diploma in their hands and forge bonds with teammates that cannot be broken. “What I want them to walk away with after their time here is a degree, first and foremost,” Bruno said. “But even more importantly, I want them to walk away from our program saying, ‘no matter what win, lose, or draw, that was a great experience that I developed friendships with people that I will have friendships with the rest of my life, that I know I have people in the coaching staff that will always be there for me and that they have somehow, whether as a basketball player or as a person, have grown in some way as a part of their participation with the Oswego State women’s basketball program.’” Bruno said she considers herself lucky enough to stay in touch with players who have graduated, which proves how strong the bond between a player and coach can be. “If you’re in coaching long enough, those types of things are happening,” Bruno said. “I’d be lying if I didn’t say winning was important, but I think a very close second to that is simply the relationships and whether it’s your staff, with colleagues, coaches across the league and certainly that very special one with the players that you coach. It goes a long way.” Bruno will look to help her team finish a rough 2013-14 season strong. The Lakers have gone 6-15 (2-12 SUNYAC) this season and have four games remaining on their schedule. Oswego State will don its home uniform just once more this season when the squad hosts Brockport on Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day on Tuesday night. Opening tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Max Ziel Gymnasium.

SPORTS

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Lakers lose overtime thriller Oswego State falters late, falls to Red Dragons 72-66 despite strong effort on both ends

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Sophomore Heather Hebert drives between two SUNY Cortland defenders and rises up for a layup in Oswego State’s 72-66 overtime loss to the Red Dragons.

David Armelino Staff Writer darmelin@oswegonian.com Senior Night for the Oswego State women’s basketball team lived up to the hype on Saturday night, but the Lakers dropped an overtime thriller to SUNY Cortland, 72-66. Oswego State’s Brittany Pachard, Lauren Nunziato, Paula Egleston and Jenn Robbins each played well despite the loss. The game went back and forth with several lead changes. Oswego State started the game out strong, taking a 10-4 lead in the opening minutes, but Cortland went on a run of its own, eventually gaining a five-point advantage midway through the first half. Toward the end of the first half, Nunziato and Robbins each found their rhythms, nailing several tough shots from behind the arc to give the Oswego State a 35-29 halftime advantage over the Red Dragons.

The second half featured more of the same back and forth play that was present throughout the first half. The intensity increased as the game continued, as players would become visibly excited over big plays, and get noticeably more frustrated over mistakes they made. The drama reached its peak at the end of the game with Cortland clinging to a two-point lead with only a minute remaining in the game. Alison Nunziato then hit a clutch two-point shot to tie the game. However, Cortland answered right back to reclaim the lead once again. Oswego State had a chance to win the game in regulation after Lauren Nunziato hit a lay up to tie the game. Cortland then turned the ball over after a traveling violation, leaving Oswego State with nine seconds and a chance to steal the victory. Heather Hebert got the ball down low, but was unable to get a shot off in time, sending the game into overtime.

Cortland took over late in the extra period. The Red Dragons’ three-point shooters were too much for Oswego State to overcome, as the Lakers were unable to mount a last-minute comeback.

The Lakers may not have come out with the win, but Senior Night proved to be a great game with a lot of emotion displayed by the players. Oswego State head coach Tracy Bruno thought the energy in Max Ziel Gymnasium was a fitting scene for Senior Day. “It’s what we’ve been looking for,” Bruno said. “Putting forth 40 minutes of effort, not just defensively, but that emotional intensity, you know sort of being present in the game for the entire time, and I thought that without question we did that.” The game was the penultimate time that the Lakers’ four seniors will play in front of the Oswego State faithful at home. Lauren Nunziato, Robbins, Egleston and Pichard will have one home game left in their careers. Bruno said their contributions to the team and the community will be missed. “They’re huge losses,” Bruno said. “From a basketball standpoint, it’s our leading scorer, our leading three-point shooter, one of our better rebounders and one of our smarter players. “We lose them for leadership on the floor and in the classroom and the things that they do for us as an entire athletic department.” The Lakers play once more at home this season on Feb. 18 against The College at Brockport. They will hit the road this weekend, when the squad will take on SUNY Potsdam (5-15, 3-10 SUNYAC) on Friday before traveling to SUNY Plattsburgh to take on the Cardinals (164, 11-2 SUNYAC).

23.25:

Daniel Ross has averaged 23.25 points per game over the men’s basketball team’s past four contests, of which the Lakers have won three of four.

88:

The women’s hockey team has outshot its opponents by 88 (153-65) over its last four games. The Lakers are on a four-game winning streak and have not lost since getting swept by Elmira in late January.

18:

The men’s hockey team has scored 18 goals during its three-game winning streak, which averages out to six goals per game.

Mike Montagna, junior forward on the men’s hockey team, has assisted on one-third of the Lakers’ 18 goals during the team’s three-game winning streak. He leads the team with six assists during that span.

13:

Jenn Robbins has been on a tear for the women’s basketball team, having scored in double figures in 13 consecutive games. She has scored at least 10 points in 20 of the Lakers’ 21 games.

Athletes of the Week

Sow, Thomas secure victories despite Lakers’ loss WRESTLING, from B1

Seamus Lyman | The Oswegonian Sophomore Abubakarr Sow attempts to keep his opponent down during the Lakers’ dual meet against the Red Dragons. He won his match 15-0.

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Junior captain Scott Bova wrestled in the 184-pound weight class for the Lakers, but lost to Brian Bulger in a 6-5 decision. While Bova held off his opponent for most of the match, a couple of big double-leg takedowns allowed Bulger to score points. The match was tied going into the third period, but a locked hands violation gave Bulger the lead. With seconds left in the match, Bova attempted to take Bulger down and appeared to have the control needed to be awarded points, but the referee saw it differently and Bova lost the match. This ultimately did not have any bearing on the end result of the dual meet, as Oswego State was already down 25-8 before Bova’s match against Bulger. Oswego State captain Branden Jones wrestled in the 285-pound weight class against Lance Moore and was pinned 1:22 into the match. Jones weighed in at around 195 pounds that day, but has stepped up to fill the role of heavyweight for the team due to injury. “I was confident, but he’s very good,” Jones said of his opponent. “I’m going to go 285 [for the rest of the season] and see what I can do, maybe knock some people out.” The Lakers go on to participate in the Wesleyan Quad on Feb. 16 in Middletown, Conn. before attending NCAA Northeast Regionals the first weekend in March.

TORI TROVATO

Women’s Ice Hockey Sophomore, Fulton, N.Y. Trovato was a huge part of the Lakers’ impressive weekend at Cortland, earning two shutouts. The Lakers dominated the Red Dragons on Friday with a 3-0 win as Trovato stopped 16 shots. On Saturday, the Lakers were victorious again, 2-0, as Trovato saved 15 shots. The sophomore now has a team-high four shutouts and improved to 5-2-0 on the season. She has allowed just 0.85 goals per game in seven appearances, which leads the team.

MATT WAGENHAUSER Track and Field Junior, Greenlawn, N.Y.

Wagenhauser had an incredible performance this weekend at the Golden Eagle Invitational at Brockport. He started off by taking first in the men’s 500-meter dash, setting a new meet record. His time also qualified him for ECACs. The junior finished the day off in the men’s 4x400-meter relay team. The relay took first place at the invitational with a time which broke both the meet and school records.

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Freshman makes impact

Women’s Hockey Standings

Men’s Hockey Standings

* Conference Standings Only

Appelbaum impresses with solid play as rookie season nears end

David Armelino | The Oswegonian Freshman Kendall Appelbaum (left) battles a teammate on the ice during practice this week.

Maximilian E. Principe Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com Despite being a freshman, Kendall Appelbaum has already established herself as one of the most tenacious players on the Oswego State women’s hockey team. She has performed well in her first season with the Lakers, having recorded with 11 points so far this season, making her the leading freshman scorer. Appelbaum first laced up the skates when she was 3-years-old in her home town of Eden, just south of Buffalo under the influence of her father and uncles. Her dad played and Appelbaum said she wanted to follow in his footsteps Applebaum grew up playing for the Nichols School in Buffalo, the same team that produced teammate Bridget Smith, a junior goaltender for the Lakers. Appelbaum also played on a travel team, the Buffalo Bisons, which contributed to Oswego State’s roster with senior defender Chelsea Hunt and freshman Ashley Lyman.

Since Appelbaum knew she wanted to play hockey since she was younger, she knew she wanted to keep playing in college. “Pretty early, as a freshman I was considering it since most girls on my team went on to play college hockey,” Appelbaum said. But Appelbaum did not want to go to her father’s alma mater, Lake Forest College, and wanted to go on her own journey, which brought her to Oswego State. “I just liked it a lot better here,” Appelbaum said of her new home. “It’s a better team, a better atmosphere and has a really cool rink.” Appelbaum is an impact player for the Lakers. She has a team-high five power play goals on offense and also embraces the dirty work required for a defender, especially in the physical ECAC West conference. “I love being a defender and protecting my goalie, but I also love getting gritty and putting the puck in the net,” Appelbaum said. Apart from being a strong offensive force on the team this year, it is her versatility and ability to adapt to a different position that

has earned her more time on the ice despite a crowded Oswego State bench. “She (head coach Diane Dillon) has been throwing me back and forth because I have been successful on both (sides of the ice),” Appelbaum said. “Earlier in practice, I was at D, when last game I played forward throughout the entire game.” The 5-foot-9-inch right-handed defender and forward has been a wrecking ball throughout the season, playing with a physical presence in the defensive zone that rivals her offensive prowess. Appelbaum was hesitant to talk about herself, but was quick to acknowledge her teammates and the chemistry they have formed as the main reason for her success. “I think that everyone has become super comfortable together,” Appelbaum said. “Everyone has just come together so well. Even with the injuries and the switching up of the lines, everyone has adapted so well. Everyone has grown as players, all of us.” Off the ice, Applebaum takes part in much more laid-back activities as an art major. However, she is not sure if she will continue down that path. “I don’t know what yet, I’m taking all geneds now but I love photography,” Appelbaum said. “I was taking drawing and all that but I don’t really like that stuff so I’ll probably minor in photography.” Appelbaum spends most of time on the ice and training in an effort to become a better player and help the team reach its championship aspirations. “I want to get faster and stronger, both mentally and physically,” Appelbaum said. “I want to bring the team success and maybe bring home a national championship.” Appelbaum said the dream of a championship is not too far off considering the recent success of the team and the continuing improvement of the younger players on the roster. Applebaum also hinted that she wants to become a captain before her time at Oswego State is up, although she knows the responsibility and the honor are not easily bestowed. However, with her work ethic and skills on the ice, Appelbaum may be on the fast track to becoming a leader for the young Oswego State team.

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NEXT GAME

SATURDAY

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Campus Recreation Sports Report

Photo rpvided by Campus Recreation A student poses with a championship T-shirt and prize in the Campus Center Café area.

Adam Rupczyk Contributing Writer sports@oswegonian.com Campus Recreation is off and running with another exciting week of special events and intramural sports. On Feb. 14, from 10 p.m. to midnight in the Campus Center Ice Arena, there will be a Valentine’s Open Skate. Admission for the event is $1, skate rentals are $2 and Auxiliary Services will provide free refreshments. The intramural racquetball tournament is on Saturday at 1 p.m. Register at the Laker Hall racquetball courts from 12:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Saturday. Registration divisions include women’s singles, men’s singles and open doubles. To cap this week off, students and staff will have the chance to create their own no-sew fleece blankets on Feb. 20 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Campus Center Food Court. The online registration deadline is Monday, Feb. 17 and the program is limited to the first 30 participants. On Saturday, Feb. 8, a champion was crowned in the 10th annual Campus Recreation No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em tournament. At the end of the day, the 30-person field was topped by Kevin Kania, who received a $50 campus bookstore gift card. Austin Mcgrath came in second place and all the participants enjoyed food and refreshments, which were provided by Auxiliary Services. Also on Saturday, Feb. 8 was the Campus Recreation ski and snowboarding trip to Bristol Mountain Ski Resort in Canandaigua, N.Y. From first-timers to seasoned slope artists, the 76 students and staff who took part in the event deemed the trip a huge success.

Winterfest ’14, sponsored by Residence Life & Housing and Campus Recreation, was held on Sunday, Feb. 9 outside of Funnelle Hall. The day consisted of many events, including human sled races, toboggan building, snow sculptures and crafts. The Winterfest Altland Alpine Course winners were Kristina Dimartino in the women’s division and John Ashley in the men’s division. The Build Your Own Toboggan Race winners were Katie Walther and Max Raichelson. In intramural sports, basketball and broomball highlighted the week’s action. In the basketball tournament, Lee Hall Legends lived up to their No. 1 seed with an 82-27 win over Dunk Drivers. The No. 2 ranked Jellyfish and thirdseeded Goons also had double-digit victories. Other teams with early victories were Hustlin Homies, Below the Rim, Win or Lose We Always B….., Phoenix and Optimus Prime. In the Broomball co-rec division, Eskimo Family kept its record perfect with a 6-1 win over Ice Ice Baby. Chris Timmons scored three goals in the win. Good Sauce moved its record to 1-1 with a 5-0 win over Average Joe’s. The game was highlighted with five goals from Maximilian Principe. Rounding out the undefeated teams in the co-rec division are Crimson Panthers, Dotties Fun Nuggets, The Master Debaters and Multiple Scorgasms. In the men’s division, three teams remain unbeaten. The Icebrawlers edged Win or Lose We Always B….. 4-1 behind three goals from Tyler Wilcha. Derp Dynasty beat the Rolltiders 2-1, and Snipe Chirp Cele has yet allow a goal through its first two games. The indoor soccer league began on Sunday, Feb. 9 with early wins for A.C. Top Dogs, Dotties Army, GoalDiggers and Ghafari Guts. For more information on all Campus Recreation schedules visit oswego.edu/campusrec or call (315) 312-3114.

OPINION LOVIN’ ON A BUDGET

B?5 Photo provided by Getty Images

OPINION

VOLUME LXXX ISSUE II • www.oswegonian.com

Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press... -First Amendment

THE OSWEGONIAN The independent student newspaper of Oswego State since 1935

GUIDELINES

We want your thoughts on our coverage, campus and local issues, or anything regarding the Oswego State community. E-mail all letters as Word attachments to opinion@oswegonian.com or mail submissions to 139A Campus Center, Oswego N.Y. 13126 All writers must provide their real name, address, academic year, major and phone number (which will not be published). Members of organizations should include their title if their letter addresses an issue pertaining to the organization. For publication, letters should be 250 words or less and submitted by the Tuesday prior to the desired publication date. The Oswegonian reserves the right to edit and reject letters and cannot guarantee that all letters will be published. Opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not always reflect those of The Oswegonian.

SPORTS LAKERS WIN BIG

ON SENIOR NIGHT

David Armelino | The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

STAFF EDITORIAL

TEST FREE SPEECH ON CAMPUS Oswego State has managed to land its name in the news a few times in the last few months, mostly through lists. Most pressing of all lists, Oswego State was named as a top ten worst school for free speech in 2013 by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education in a Huffington Post article. The ranking, as noted in this week’s “Freedom of Speech?” article, stems from the school’s treatment of Alex Myers in November 2012. The Oswegonian editorial board has already expressed its viewpoint on the matter in an editorial the week the story occurred, so rehashing those beliefs is unnecessary. We view it as an extremely unfortunate incident where the school undoubtedly overstepped its bounds. More difficult, though, is the idea of using the incident as a barometer for how free speech is treated on campus. The incident still carries

frightening implications for what could happen to other students if they were to overstep their bounds and land in judicial’s sights. On the other hand, we’d like to view the university as a whole, not by its worst moment. Aside from the incident with Myers, it’s hard to point to any events where the school has willfully denied a student free speech rights. On the contrary, martial arts protestors in September 2013 were allowed to peacefully demonstrate in the Quad and two years earlier, Occupy Oswego was carried out in the Quad with the full support of the school and University Police. Could the school do more to present itself as a facilitator of free speech? Absolutely. They currently have a red ranking, indicating laws that interfere with free speech or expression, on FIRE’s yearly report. Seeing a green ranking would be a great sign for the school.

What was also striking in the conversations following FIRE’s ranking was the opinion from many students and staff that Oswego State students generally are not active in protests, demonstrations or other activities that would take advantage of First Amendment rights. Student Association struggles to meet quorum, student slots on campus committees are left empty and other student forum events are generally low attended. Before students take to Twitter or Facebook to call out the school for not respecting free speech, they should ask themselves if they do too. The school will have to spend the next couple of years rebuilding its reputation to prove that Oswego State is a university that has strong respect for free speech. Perhaps it will. The question is whether students will test the university along the way.

IN THE OFFICE

Farewell Mr. November: fans lament What do you think about Oswego State being named as one of the worst schools for freedom of speech? “I think there are a lot of restrictions on it. I know for sure you can’t protest in the Quad after the Occupy WallStreet incident on campus.” Victoria Diana sophomore, broadcasting and mass communications

“I always feel like I can express my views. I don’t really feel like I’m limited or anything like that.”

Seamus Lyman News Editor slyman@oswegonian.com One of baseball’s all-time greats announced that the 2014 season will be his last in Major League Baseball. Derek Jeter, an idol to many and one heck of a ball player, will not play America’s pastime come 2015. While this came to no surprise to most, except analyst Jack Curry who tweeted about his amazement, it was not expected to come so soon. Jeter’s time was coming. It was getting to the point where some people only cared to think about the injury that plagued Jeter and not Mr. November. While I think this is a good time for Jeter to make the decision, people need to give him the respect he deserves. When a majority of the fans

from your rival team think you deserve to be in the hall of fame, then you know you’re doing something right. Jeter has arguably been the image of the MLB arguably since he came into the league almost 20 years ago. Jeter will long be remembered as the greatest shortstop in the history of baseball. I could say that title will last him forever, but as time carries on, we may see a new shortstop come along to do bigger and better things than the captain. Jeter becomes a free agent after this season so his retirement is only fitting. It would be tough for a now-39 soon to be 40-year-old baseball player to competitively ask for a new contract without degrading the status he has built since day one. While Jeter did miss most of last season, except for 17 games, due to his ankle injury from the playoffs in 2012, he batted .316 in his last full season (2012). He also recorded 216 hits, the second highest of his career. He has also been free of any suggestions that he used steroids except for a silly statement from Skip Bayless and bitter Red Sox fans. If Jeter’s 3,316 hits don’t impress you, then maybe some of his postseason statistics will. Jeter isn’t called Mr. November for no reason. He has 200 hits in the postseason, currently the all-time record with his former teammate Bernie Williams in second with 128 hits.

Jeter currently ranks 10th for all-time hits, just three behind Paul Molitar and 103 behind Carl Yastrzemski. If Jeter can pull off another 200-plus hit season he would easily pull into the top five in hits all-time. The 13-time all-star has five Gold Gloves and Silver Slugger awards. There should be and will be no question as to whether or not the Yankees’ captain will be voted into Cooperstown when his name lands on the ballot in 2020. If anything, he has the best shot at passing Tom Seaver with the highest voting percentage at 98.84 percent. Seaver landed on 425 out of a possible 430 ballots in 1992. Greg Maddux was voted in just a few weeks ago with 555 votes out of a possible 571. If anything, before we get to remembering Jeter for his past and looking toward his life as a hall of famer, we need to enjoy the year ahead of us with “The Captain.” The Yankees are looking to return to the powerhouse they are used to being in 2014 and, hopefully, with the long-awaited return of Jeter, a World Series run is here. Twenty years ago, Jeter played for the Albany-Colonie Yankees in my hometown of Albany. This was just a year before he was called up for his major league debut in 1995. Now, in a few short weeks, the 2014 MLB season will be under way and it’s sure to be quite a ride. Who better to captain it than Jeter? Here’s to one heck of a season.

day you were born, why can’t you spend a day celebrating love? So Feb. 14 is a great day to think about love, whether you’re in a relationship or not. Sure, there’s the stereotype of the lonely single who perpetually spends the day staying inside and drinking themselves stupid, or the person who goes to the bars in order to pick off the few members of said perpetually lonely stereotype who decide to drink their problems away in public. And there’s also the person who refuses to admit to themselves that they are indeed lonely and decides to plaster their friends’ social media news feeds with defiant posts about how “it’s just an ordinary day.” It’s the perpetuation of these stereotypes that makes Valentine’s Day a bad holiday. There’s an unwritten and unspoken pressure to enforce the above cliches, which leads to an air of unearned superiority in those who are in relationships over those who are not. But here’s the thing: just because you’re in a romantic relationship doesn’t mean it’s a good or healthy one. The idea that one’s social

value is defined by his or her number of sexual partners over the years or whether they’re in a relationship is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard. The people who buy into the societal pressure set themselves up for a world of undue hurt and despair (and, in some cases, psychological trauma). Take it from someone who’s been there: I’ve almost driven myself insane over many pretty faces in the past, only to later realize that they weren’t worth the effort and the headache and the potential madness. It wasn’t until last semester, when I was studying at an international university in Japan, that I began to see love in a much different (and far more healthy) light. To draw from Erich Fromm’s “The Art of Loving,” one of the most important elements of “true love” is the ability for both individuals to completely see themselves in their partner (as if they were looking in a proverbial mirror) and yet still be able to recognize the other person as a separate individual. This can’t happen in the wake of a one-night stand, and it can’t be cultivated without a deep sense of self-love. Furthermore, it can’t happen without abandoning the idea of “falling” in love in favor of “loving” as a conscious and habitual action. In the end, the lesson to be learned here is this: Valentine’s Day is intended to be a celebration not of sex or being in a relationship, but of the beauty and power that is at the core of love as a virtue.

Imani Cruz freshman, journalism

“I didn’t know that but quite frankly I haven’t tried to voice my opinions publicly.” Kaylee Adler senior, psychology and history major

“I’m not really surprised at all.” Nick Staiano graduate student, accounting major

“I love this campus, so it’s shocking to hear considering everything we get to do here.” Heidi Buanno senior, cinema and screen studies major

See web exclusive Opinion articles at www.oswegonian.com/opinion

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

Tom Kline Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

Valentine’s Day is both a great and terrible holiday. I say “great” in that it serves as an opportunity to think about the concept of love, which is in no way a bad thing. I know there are people out there who argue, “you should celebrate love every day, not just one day of the year,” but that’s a bit too jaded for my tastes. As a student of semiotics (the study of representation and meaning, to those who haven’t taken a David Vampola class), I can appreciate the idea behind devoting a single day out of the year to contemplate and celebrate the various kinds of love in one’s life, whether they’re romantic or not. If you can celebrate the anniversary of the

Tip of the hat... ◊...to Michael Sam for the courage it took him to come out this past week. ◊...to those who sent their mothers flowers. ◊...to those boiling snow on west campus, respect the creativitiy.

◊...if you broke up with your significant other to save yourself some Valentine’s money. ◊...to the great west campus drought of 2014. ◊...to Snygg. This is getting awkward.

Wag of the finger...

OPINION

Baby, it’s cold outside Controversy-laden Winter Olympics distract from talented athletes Maximilian E. Principe Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Last week when my editor asked me to write about the Olympics, I jumped at the chance. It’s not just the Olympics in general, but my favorite of the two: the Winter Olympics. Big air, larger ice surfaces and fresh “pow” as far as the eye can see! As I sat in my house on Friday night watching the opening ceremony and contemplating what angle I would write this piece from, I kept noticing how most of the talk in the room was about what had already gone wrong. My brain started turning: this could be a great story. I mean, after all, we don’t even need to come up with material on the Russians —they do it themselves. Hell, I’m surprised Vladimir Putin even showed up to the opening ceremony with his shirt on. (If I were him, I would have sat in my throne wearing a golden banana hammock and the pelt of the tiger I hunted earlier that morning) So where do we begin? Oh yes, there is the whole homophobia thing going on. Bravo to the rest of the world though, as countries like Canada produced commercials for the games that included with an overtly gay doubles luge team just lugeing it up. Nevertheless, the iron fist of Siberia would not have any of those shenanigans in the Motherland. On the day of the opening ceremony, Russia arrested four gay rights activists in St. Petersburg. The homophobia of this year’s games is not all the media has been reporting about, however. In the days leading up to the games, I heard as many reports on the conditions the press was living in than the athletes’ preparations and trial runs themselves. Reporters and journalists were uploading pictures of bees still in the honey, missing lights and toilet paper, and let’s not forget the shirtless portraits of Putin riding various mammals adorning the hotel rooms that came to a cost of about $2 million. Effective spending, right? I won-

der if I could find one of those on eBay. With all the media reports, I almost found myself slipping into the anti-Russia propaganda. I wanted to point and laugh at how the infrastructure wasn’t finished and how preposterous a culture not my own was to me. I know that sounds terrible, but you all did it too. But I said almost slipped. I was so close, and then something else came on the TV screen. A mountain covered in fresh powdery snow and athletes, skiers and snowboarders getting ready to do what they have been training to do for much more than four years—for their whole life. This is when it hit me, and I’m happy it did. The Olympic Games are not about

Choose to focus and cheer for our athletes to win, not just for themselves, but for our country. Cheer for the athletes who have lost, for they left everything they had out on the mountain, the track, or the ice.” sub-par hotel rooms, xenophobia or shirtless Russian presidents, although that last one is kind of inevitable. They are instead about the beauty of sport and a celebration of different cultures and countries coming together to compete with and against one another. It wasn’t the athletes who were complaining about the conditions. Sure some of them poked fun at the fact that the men’s and women’s bathrooms were not even separated by a wall, but are there to do what they have been dreaming of for years: to compete at the highest level they can, and to hopefully feel the sweet embrace of their country’s flag draped around their shoulders while they stand on the highest tier of the podium with a smile

almost as bright as their medal. We, the audience, almost lost sight of the true meaning of these games because of biased reporters who like to focus on anything other than their job, apparently. Sure the hotel rooms are not the best, but man up and just be happy that you get to witness firsthand the emotional rollercoaster that is the 22nd Winter Olympic Games. Pay no attention to their reports. Instead, focus on how that snow is gently falling right before Olympic gold medalist Devin Logan drops in or how that ice is glass just before the puck drops. Choose to focus and cheer for our athletes to win, not just for themselves, but for our country. Cheer for the athletes who have lost, for they left everything they had out on the mountain, the track, or the ice. Cheer for the fact that the world is still a good and accepting enough place that 88 countries and over 2,800 athletes can come together in one setting and partake in the majesty of sport. And last but not least, at the top of your lungs cheer for the stars and stripes. USA! USA! USA! Sure we may not agree with everything that Russia and Vladimir Putin have said and done, but the rest of the world are still guests in their country, so they need to obey their laws. And hey, who knows, maybe the camaraderie of the world can eventually change Putin’s outlook on a few things. After all, do you believe in miracles?

By now most people have heard of Coca-Cola’s “America is beautiful” commercial because of the controversy behind it. If you have not, it is a commercial that aired during the Super Bowl where a few young girls of different cultural backgrounds sing the patriotic song “America the beautiful” in their different languages. This commercial has had a wide range of reactions. Some say it is a beautiful commercial, others argue that the people represented in the commercial are not American, and some are offended that their ethnicity was not represented in the commercial. The rest of Americans have not seen the commercial or do not care about it. After all, it is just a commercial. I am one of the people who thought the ad was beautiful, but I do not think there

should be such hype behind this commercial. Coca-Cola posted the ad on YouTube with the description, “The only thing more beautiful than this country are the people who live here.” What is the big deal? It was just a group of young girls singing. Why can’t we as the diverse culture we are just watch the commercial and enjoy it? America is a big melting pot; there are people here from all over the world who speak languages other than English. I accept the diversity around me, so I enjoyed the commercial. There are many bilingual people here in America, so it was clever of Coca-Cola to have this nationalistic song sung in languages other than English, including Spanish, Hebrew, Mandarin and a few others. Myself being bilingual may be one of the reasons I find the commercial more entertaining than others. There is no official language in the United States, so the argument “speak English, this is America” is not at all a valid argument. Coca-Cola tried to incor-

Last semester, Oswego State introduced the Oswego Graduation Return on Investment (ROI), a policy that promises a $300 refund to students who graduate in four years or less. The refund falls under a larger umbrella of promises the college has proudly made as a “commitment to excellence and educational value,” but I can’t help but think that this new policy, unlike the others, was an unwise promise to make. When I first read about the new refund, I was struck by how overtly the policy neglects students who enter college not knowing what to do with their lives. Traditionally, college is supposed to be the place where they figure this out, but any genuine exploration is exactly what the ROI seems to discourage.

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

We all know it’s both unrealistic and unfair to ask incoming freshmen, most of whom have only just graduated high school, to decide on what career they would like to pursue. Yet the timeline of decision-making for which the ROI provides an incentive to follow is clear: choose once, choose quickly, and from then on, keep your head down and push forward. As I near the conclusion of my fourth year of college, it’s clear to me that I won’t be getting the $300 refund. I’m not bitter about this though. If I had remained on the rails on which I started, I never would have indulged my curiosity of whether I’m any good at science, and I most certainly would not be on course to go to medical school. And that would be a shame. It’s disheartening to think that the Oswego State would rather I had stuck it out with my first major and never looked up to see whether I was on the right course. It’s even worse to imagine someone who will look back on an unfulfilling career with regrets about a fateful decision he was pressured into at eighteen. Yet it is not only those like me that are snubbed by this policy. Students who have to choose between taking out loans and working while going to school for more than the traditional four years are encouraged by the ROI to pick the former option. This buries graduates under piles of debt, sure to generate interest payments that alone will dwarf the $300 refund.

Spring semester means better semester Mitchell Petrella Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com “The third time is the charm” tends to be accurate. Because Oswego State has semesters and not trimesters, we will have to settle for “second time is the charm.” As we move away from the fall semester, the spring semester can make us feel better about ourselves. By this time in your college career, you have already met some people via clubs, sororities, fraternities, sports and classes. In the fall semester for freshmen, you may have only known a few people on campus because of orientation or you have friends from high school attending. For upperclassmen in the fall, you may know more people but probably have not seen them since finals week in May and have some catching up to do. With the spring semester, it can be easier to meet up with them and have more mutual friends. Another good thing about the spring semester is that a vast majority of students and staff avoided most of the oh-so-loveable Oswego weather. Sure we have to come back from a six-week break to some bad weather, but it can only last for so long. The transition from fall to winter is pretty ugly compared to the transition from winter to spring. Instead of going from shorts to sweats, it’s the other way around. Any outdoor activities have a better playing area. That flag football pickup game is much better in a dry field compared to a cold slush pit. Sure we get the occasional snowfall in late March, but the good news is that the weather generally gets better. On the academic side, everyone has a tighter grasp on what classes curve, how to make their schedule so they can participate in other events and maybe take part in the chaos that is the add/drop period. Obviously, all classes do not have the same workload, but you can generally expect the same amount of

Victoria de la Concha Contributing Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

porate many different types of Americans into their commercial, and I am certain that they were successful. People criticize this ad by calling it un-American. I think the commercial was a good representation of America. The people who live here are Americans, no matter what languages they speak or how they vary in appearance. There is no way Coca-Cola could have represented all the ethnicities in America, because, realistically, commercials are fairly short. There is no way anyone could possibly represent all the diversity in America in just one 60-second commercial. There is too much unnecessary attention being paid do behind this commercial. It portrayed America as it is: a mix of ethnicities and languages, and I liked that. There shouldn’t be any negativity directed at this commercial for showing the truth. People need to take a look around. America is full of diversity. So get over it. It was just a commercial.

Graduation Return on Investment sends wrong message Kimberlyn Bailey Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

Steven Radford | The Oswegonian

work every year, unless you decided to take more upper division classes or a class that meets once a week. That textbook you had for an introductory class in the fall can be sold for some quick cash. If you took a winter session class, your mind is better prepared for college material versus coming off a summer break where you kept away from academics because you wanted to relax. Finding a job on campus can be tough in the fall because you are trying to figure out your schedule and you may not have any prior experience. In the spring, you have a semester under your belt and can relay your information to others in the form of a tour guide for the admissions office or a tutor for the learning center. Even if you have experience, you may still want to inquire about multiple jobs, so the fall semester can be a scouting period and a chance to make connections for your network. Last but not least, the lakeside atmosphere is much better in the spring than in the fall. With the bad weather, there always has to be a bright spot, literally. You can go down to the lake later in the evening and enjoy the sunset as the days get longer. Even the Flat Rocks provide a stress-relieving experience before and during finals week. Rudy’s is another place to relax and enjoy some seafood beside the lake while watching the sunset. Sorry, fall semester. The spring semester has you beat. Your experience may vary, but overall, there is much more to enjoy once that snow melts and the temperature warms up.

Love does cost a thing

“America is Beautiful” quickly turns ugly Saoni Alvarado Contributing Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 14 2014

Oswego State seems intent on a marketing degree as a low-priced, quality education––a smart move at a time when people are questioning the value of a college degree in a poor job market. But if Oswego State was really committed to keeping up with the times, the ROI would not have undermined the growing number of people that choose to work while attending college part-time. I do think it is a good idea to provide a financial incentive to graduate. I don’t think,

Yet the timeline of decision-making for which the ROI provides an incentive to follow is clear: choose once, choose quickly, and from then on, keep your head down and push forward.” however, that it makes sense to reward this achievement only when it is done fast. We shouldn’t urge students to sprint through college. Why not just reduce the refund and reward every graduate, even if the paths to their degree had some detours and hurdles?

The turkeys have been gobbled, the pine trees have been unadorned and the confetti was washed out of our hair on New Year’s Day. The holidays over the break undoubtedly left college students with fuller stomachs, but emptier wallets. Nonetheless, we packed our bags with excitement. Excitement for what, you say? To see our school friends, take new classes, and party to our heart’s content—without parents frowning over our shoulders! However, just like any other initial hurrah, after the first week we were left wondering, “When is the next holiday?” For many, the answer of Valentine’s Day left them groaning, rolling their eyes, or even projectile vomiting. Perhaps the last statement was an exaggeration, but rarely do I ever find people responding positively to this lovey-dovey holiday. Why is this? “Why should we express our love on this one day of the year? That’s so shallow.” “Valentine’s Day is such a corporate holiday. Everything is so commercialized.” “I’m single and have no Valentine.” Do you know what these answers are? Excuses. Well, except for the last one— sorry friend, better luck next year. Otherwise, those words are just clever jargon for masking the truth: the college student who opposes celebrating Valentine’s Day is, in the simplest of terms – being cheap. Please, spare us the typical lines and just fess up: you do not want to spend any money on this lousy holiday because you are a broke (or stingy) college student. However, Valentine’s Day is not too expensive for a college student, and here is why. First and foremost, it seems to me that the issue here is not only the money, but also the effort. Just like any other holiday, Valentine’s Day requires a decent amount of preparation. The college student must brainstorm as to what their Valentine may enjoy and then figure out how to make it possible. This may involve putting down the PS4 controller or stop binge-watching Netflix for a moment to collect your thoughts. Effort actually does not cost a penny. Now that the college student has an idea in his or her head as to what to do, a hole

in the plan might surface: lack of funds. The college student may grimace as he or she fumbles through an empty wallet. In this moment, reflect on what you spent your money on in the past weeks. Does the list go something like this: beer, Sub Shop, useless online shopping, pizza, liquor, milk for your mac and cheese, calzones, cappuccinos, D-Bus fares and more beer? That’s what I thought. Had you been more aware of your spending sprees you could skip the hippy excuses and afford Valentine’s Day. Instead of your upset girlfriend (or boyfriend—hey, they’re sensitive too) telling you this, I am —but because I’m such a pal, I’ll also tell you how to avoid this lecture, even on a low budget. What you need is some creativity. The romance begins with a piece of blank paper. Simply fold it in half to make a card, decorate, fill with inside jokes and words of love, and voila! A customized, instant and priceless gift. Bonus points if you take the time to write a love poem inside. In fact, even if you are not the next Shakespeare, funny love poems are usually just as good. Really, the idea is to use whatever talents you possess to give your Valentine a wonderful (and free) gift. Are you a talented singer and guitar player? I guarantee if you perform “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz, your date will be in the palm of your hand for the rest of the day. If you’re tone deaf and musically impaired, why not hire your musician friend to perform for you and your date? I bet they’ll do it for $5 (seriously, college kids are broke). Or if you’re really feeling cheesy, make mock coupons that your Valentine can cash in whenever they want. For example, write on them: “Good for one home-cooked dinner,” (I hope your date likes ramen noodles) or, “Watch any show of your choice, even if it’s the one about rich hillbillies.” The possibilities are endless. In short, Valentine’s Day is what you make of it. If you want to break the bank and go all out for your Valentine, I tip my hat to you. However, if you’re the average college student on a tight budget, it is effort that is more significant than money. If your Valentine does not have enough sense to appreciate that, then perhaps it’s time for a different Valentine.

INSIDE

‘The Monuments Men’ inconsistent plot

COVER: Bombay Bicycle C5 Rising Student Artists: ‘4 Guys in a Booth’s last semester Club explores new sounds

FRIDAY Feb. 14, 2014

Laker Review The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Feb. 7, 2014

Events Calendar Friday, Feb. 14 through Friday, Feb. 21

Penfield loves you Celebration Date: Friday, Feb. 14 Time: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Lobby, Penfield Library Wear Red Day Date: Friday, Feb. 14 Time: 12:30-1 p.m. Location: Room 131, The Point PERFORMANCE: CHRISTMAS MOURN Date: Saturday, Feb. 15 Time: 7:30-10 p.m. Location: Lab Theatre, Tyler Hall Planetarium Show Date: Sunday, Feb. 16 Time: 7-8 p.m. Location: Shineman Center, second floor International COffee Hour Date: Monday, Feb. 17 Time: 3-4:30 p.m. Location: Room 255, Campus Center Talk: Artist James Downer Date: Monday, Feb. 17 Time: 7-8:30 p.m. Location: Auditorium, Campus Center

Laker Review

Broken Bells comeback album falls flat Ryan Deffenbaugh Editor-in-Chief laker@oswegonian.com

Four years can feel like a decades’ worth of time in the music world, something especially true for indie supergroup Broken Bells. When the duo, comprised of Shins’ frontman James Mercer and mega-producer Brian Burton, or Danger Mouse, came together for its self-titled debut album, Mercer was fresh off a split with the original Shins band members and Burton was one of the hottest producers in any genre. Four years later, the roles have shifted. Mercer in that time released the criticallyacclaimed “Port of Morrow” with the new collaborators of the Shins, while Burton, most notable for his work

with Cee Lo Green as Gnarls Barkley and with The Black Keys, produced the mostly unmemorable “Rome” with composer Daniele Luppi and “Little Broken Hearts” with Norah Jones. Named “producer of the decade” not long ago by Rolling Stone, Burton was slumping. So it’s perhaps not surprising that the only memorable aspect of the 12-song album are Mercer’s melodies. Mercer’s lyrics and voice, which occasionally moves into falsetto, carry the album. Very few listeners will hear “Holding On for Life,” the album’s lead single and strongest song, and not attempt their own falsetto take at the chorus. But beyond a few catchy tracks, “After The Disco” has little to offer. The production, a modern take on disco, obviously, doesn’t put much emphasis on the modern part. The songs serve more

as a reference to the time and genre than they do provide any fresh perspective. It’s hard not to wonder why Burton and Mercer felt the need to expose us to their take on a mostly forgettable genre. But it’s not all doom and gloom. The production, while sometimes a garble of synths and snare drums, has a few bass lines that catch. The album at times sounds comparable to Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories” in its retro sensibilities. But while Daft Punk pulled off retro dance music packed with memorable hooks and varying intensity, “After The Disco” falls flat. Many of its songs are fine as background music, but don’t hold up to further inspection. Broken Bells’ debut was a scatter-brained effort that allowed for Mercer and Burton to explore a wide range of sounds and genres, all showing their top-notch musical

abilities and creativity. “After The Disco” is far more focused than the debut, but often to its own detriment. The pair often seem to be straining to keep it disco. There are times when the duo’s abilities shine through, however, and they certainly make the album worth a listen. On “Lazy Wonderland” Mercer crafts a melody and lyrics that would stand up against some of the Shins’ best work. Strings have become a staple of Burton’s work, and they come out on “The Remains of Rock & Roll,” the album’s final track. But by the time they roll around, it feels less like a grand finale and more like a final stab at making something notable out of the album. Fans looking for more “Port of Morrow” will leave wishing Mercer had dedicated this time to another Shins album, while fans of Burton have to be concerned as Burton slumps toward the highly- anticipated Gnarls Barkley reunion.

Open Skate Date:Tuesday, Feb. 18 Time: 12-2 p.m. Tickets: $2 for skate rental Location: Arena, Campus Center Movie: “QUick Brown fox” Date: Tuesday, Feb. 18 Time: 7-8:15 p.m. Location: North Gallery, Tyler Hall MOVIE: “THE NIGHT BUFFALO” Date: Wednesday, Feb. 19 Time: 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. Location: Auditorium, Campus Center CONCERT: CELEBRATING SAMUEL BARBER Date: Wednesday, Feb. 19 Time: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Location: Ballroom, Sheldon Hall Art SHow: Zink SHirts Date: Friday, Feb. 21 Time: 7-8 p.m. Location: 19 E Cayuga St, Oswego, NY

Cover image provided by musicfeeds.com.au

Photo provided by rollingstone.com Featuring The Shins frontman James Mercer and Brian Burton aka Danger Mouse, “After The Disco” ends up disappointing devoted fans of the group.

Laker Review

Clooney, company not so monumental

eAndrew Kowal nStaff Writer -laker@oswegonian.com e

e , y “The Monuments Men” is a .badly paced, old man version of r“Saving Private Ryan,” and not tjust because Matt Damon is in it feither. Both of these World War II flicks are based around the equestion: “What is a man’s life eworth?” While “The Monuments &Men” is not a gritty, gut-wrenchting slugfest, enough of its scenes tare reminiscent of “Ryan” that it dwill make viewers wish they were -watching that movie instead. f A war film does not need to be a mosaic of non-stop explosions, tdirt, blood and gruff male bondging. Neither does the artistic herietage of Western Europe make the emovie inherently less interesting -than a young private’s life would. dWhat makes “The Monuments sMen” forgettable is the plodding, erratic nature of its plot. To loosely summarize, it follows the “Monuments Men,” a specially commissioned squad of elderly art academics, who must follow the Allied forces as they march into the heart of Germany from 194445. Along the way, they try to save art and architecture from destruction. The ensemble of leads is split into four geographically separate pairs and they spend the film ping-ponging between white subtitles, to a pattern that the audience cannot intuitively follow. Somehow, this traveling eats up the screen time, with an occasional interesting sequence thrown in here and there. The vague, largely unseen art hunting is strung together on heartfelt voice-overs about why culture is worth fighting and dying for, as much as life, or freedom. The “Ryan” déjà vu takes hold early, after the “Dirty Dozen” style recruitment montage takes our heroes into the quiet back door of the Normandy landings. The most reminiscent moment takes place in a barn at night, where Lt. Frank Stokes (George Clooney, “Gravity”) gives his squid a stirring pep-talk to remind it what their mission is all about. The men share toasts and grin at each other in the darkness. This reflective scene comes barely one act into the movie, kills whatever momentum had been build-

Photo provided by impawards.com Though packed with an ensemble cast, “The Monuments Men” fails to deliver

ing, and most of all, feels unearned. They haven’t faced any real hardships of war or saved art yet and Clooney delivers this buttery, warm soliloquy without so much as a ruffle in his salt-andpepper comb-over. In fact, Cate Blanchett’s (“The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug”) character has already dodged more bullets than the entire male cast combined, and she isn’t complaining about it. It is the first of many scenes that show emotional camaraderie, but without serving up the tension to make the audience realize a war is going on. Later, we get a flash-forward of whitehaired Stokes visiting a church in Belgium with his grandson, and the “Ryan” vibe comes full circle.

To be fair, the cast is excellent, but the material Clooney wrote fails them. In particular, Bill Murray feels under-utilized, and despite his top billing, John Goodman outweighs him in comic contribution to the film. There are plenty of clever scenes, but they never rise to exceptional. Any humor or tense, dangerous moments are washed out by schmaltzy sentimentality and sometimes even a kind of mellow, patriotic chest-beating tone. All that is left is a mediocre drama with good historical anecdotes. The film is based on a real group of men, and knowing that this unusual story actually happened is the most rewarding part of the film.

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Laker Review

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Bombay Bicycle Club reinvents its sound one more timeR Ronel Puello Asst. A&E Editor rpuello@oswegonian.com

After years of exploring and constantly trying to redefine its sound with each successive album, English indie pop-rock quartet Bombay Bicycle Club has finally found its musical niche. The band has forgone the hohum guitar melodies and opted for samples of ethereal-sounding world music, carefully layered over electronically-tinged pop psychedelia to create a sincerely fun pop album. Written during lead singer Jack Steadman’s journeys through India, Japan, the Netherlands and Turkey, “So Long, See You Tomorrow” is refreshing in that it displays a wider range of experimentation with electronic instruments, in contrast to the group’s previous, often forgettable and easilydismissed sound. What is most

interesting about the album is it exudes a euphoric brand of upbeat playfulness, while simultaneously touting the band’s newly-discovered musical focus and maturity. “So Long, See You Tomorrow” is an album that proves you can have earnest songwriting and still have music that moves and inspires people,

So Long, See You Tomorrow’ is an album that proves you can have earnest songwriting and still have music that moves and inspires people.” without coming off as corny. The first track, “Overdone” is the best on the album, channeling the psychedelic musical excess of groups like Animal Collective

and The Who. “Luna” is a vast, expansive track that is the best example of the “more is more” attitude of this album, also featuring upbeat vocals by Rae Morris. The band’s extensive use of syncopated drum loops and chopped up vocal samples send the album veering into a sound that is reminiscent of hip-hop in certain spots, namely in “Home By Now.” Steadman’s extensive global travels come blaringly to the forefront on “Feel,” with a rather incessant Bollywood soundtrack sample and kitschy guitar hooks that slowly infect your brain until you hate yourself for toe-tapping along. “Carry Me” is the album’s most danceable song and the song that’s begging to be remixed by a big name DJ in festival tents this summer. But there is some fat that needs to be trimmed. “Eyes Off You” is a meandering piano ballad that stops the album’s momentum dead. “It’s Alright Now” is a disappointing track

Photo provided by popmatters.com Inspired by the lead singer’s international travels, ‘So Long, See You Tomorrow’ combines world music melodies and electric indie-pop sensibilites.

in that it falls into the trap of being mediocre and saccharine; sounding like a bad imitation of a Bastille song. “Whenever, Wherever” is jumble of sounds that would happily find its place as filler for Urban Outfitters instore playlist. “So Long, See You Tomorrow” is by no means a perfect album, and it does not try to be. No one can hold Bombay Bicycle

Club’s honesty and enthusiasm against the band when it comes to making music. The band has always found ways to constantly adapt musically and challenge its listeners, and will continue to do so. As hokey and phonedin as it sounds, “So Long, See You Tomorrow” is an ode to unabashedly wearing your heart on your sleeve and is entirely admirable for that.

‘The Lego Movie’ surprises, delights audiences of all ages

Photo by thelegomovie.com Boasting a star-studded cast featuring Will Arnett, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, and Morgan Freeman, “The Lego Movie” is a marvel of modern animation.

Travis Clark Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com “Everything Is Awesome”. It’s a song that will stay in your head long after the end credits roll on what is probably the first truly good movie to come out of 2014. It’s also a great way to define the film itself. Everything is undoubtedly awesome in “The LEGO Movie,” something that was sure to be a hit among kids, but nobody could have predicted it would be this good.

The movie follows Emmet Brickowski (voiced by Chris Pratt, “Her”), an ordinary LEGO figure in a land full of them. But when Emmet is deemed “the Special” and thought to be the savior of LEGOkind, he must find courage within himself that he never thought he had. Sounds like a typical “Hero’s Journey” in LEGO form, right? In a lot of ways it is. But the film is much more than

just a bunch of LEGOs. It has a lot to say about a lot of things. The aforementioned “Everything Is Awesome” song is just one example, as its satirizing people’s desire to jump on the bandwagon of the next big hit single. Even the LEGOs themselves are a metaphor for people lacking originality, they’re all just the same yellow-colored bricks following a set of instructions when they probably don’t quite know why. Overall, the movie is about people finding what makes them unique – what makes them “special.”

Who knew a LEGO movie could have so much social commentary? That’s what makes the movie itself special. If you stripped away the surprising amount of social commentary you’d still have a truly entertaining spectacle that people of all ages can enjoy. But an unexpected twist at the end changes everything and adds so much more to it. Some might say it’s too random. And at first it is. You’re having a grand time with these fantastic LEGO characters and then the story takes a sharp curve. But it’s unique and special in its own right, and

that’s what the movie is all about. Speaking of characters, these are some highly enjoyable characters and the film garners an impressive assortment of voice actors. To truly appreciate the scope of the voice cast, here’s a brief rundown: Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Will Ferrell,S Will Arnett, Charlie Day, ChanningN Tatum and Jonah Hill. And it’s nots that these are just random actors to grab an extra buck. They really embody their LEGO counterparts.a Why wouldn’t you want MorganW Freeman as a powerful wizard? Ora Liam Neeson as a corrupt cop? Andn Will Arnett does his best Batmangrowl impression. That’s right, Bat-B man is a main character. In fact, youg get to see most of the Justice LeagueR “The LEGO Movie” is a fan-r tastic way to start off 2014 and aa film that will satisfy all, from kidsf to seniors. If you walk in expecting just an entertaining kids film,w well, you’ll get it. But you’ll alsos walk out with so much more. Not to over exaggerate its impact, butg just know that it’s more than onei probably expects, with equal partss heart and humor. You’ll be singinga “Everything Is Awesome” for somep time now. But then again, everyoneI e will be.

Laker Review

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Rising Student Artists: ‘4 Guys in a Booth’s farewell season good at it.” Chris Walters, also a senior, was originally one of the four hosts of the show, but Rosenbarker took over his role when he returned home to Binghamton to figure out where he wanted to go in life. Walters returned to Oswego State and 4GB as one of the producers of the show. Rosenbarker said he became involved after hearing Mongiello talk about the show. Once the show became more popular,

David Armelino | The Oswegonian The radio show, hosted by graduating seniors Adam Rosenbarker, Allen Wengert, Brian Camporese, and John Mongiello, has entered its eighth and final season.

Seamus Lyman News Editor slyman@oswegonian.com

Four Oswego State students are sending their voices over the WNYO airwaves for the last time as they enter their eighth and final season. The show is “Four Guys in a Booth.” The guys are John Mongiello, Allen Wengert, Adam Rosenbarker and Brian Camporese. The four seniors will be airing the third episode of their farewell season Monday at 9 p.m. The show started in 2010 when Mongiello wanted his own show on the student-run station. “The reason I came to Oswego was because I wanted to get involved in the radio and TV and stuff,” Mongiello said. “I joined and I got the spot and originally I played music for two weeks and I didn’t like it because I couldn’t express myself that much.”

Mongiello was walking to the Campus Center with Wengert and producer Chris Walters when he asked them to come on the air with him. They hit it off and kept the idea rolling from there. As for where the name came from, Mongiello said that the credit goes to once-host and producer, Walters. “We couldn’t decide a name for the show, we wanted it to be catchy and something we could brand and then Chris said simply, in his simplistic style, ‘Why don’t we just call it four guys in a booth?’” Mongiello said. “That’s what it was at the time, just the four of us and then the name stuck and here we are.” Wengert said that the group began holding the show on a weekly basis and eventually took the show to a two-hour time slot the following semester. This ultimately led to the group becom-

ing the No. 1 show on WNYO. Camporese said the chemistry between the hosts helped take the show off the ground.

there was the opportunity to add the education major to the show. Despite the show being called 4 Guys in a Booth, the team ex-

“When we had a really good time on the show we just decided that we were just going to do this every week and plan it out,” Camporese said. “We really got

pands to as many as seven or nine members in the studio. Adam Shear has been the executive producer of the show since he joined in season three.

David Armelino | The Oswegonian

“In my sophomore year I was asked by John to join the show,” Shear said. “I’d originally pitched to him freshman year, during the show’s second season, the idea that the show should become a podcast on iTunes.” Shear runs the show’s social media and meets with hosts to select content that goes on the air. He gets the hosts to talk if they have not been talking for a while. Shear edits the show down after each episode and puts it on iTunes. The broadcasting major from Long Island even has his own segment titled “Shear Genius” in which he reads off news headlines during the show, sometimes making it a game for the hosts to try and guess which headline came from The Onion. Tyler Baker-Carr is also a producer on the show and has been involved since the very first season. He helps organize the show and is more of a background help for the hosts. While it’s been a long ride, all of those involved are excited for the final season. “It is sad,” Baker-Carr said. “We’re all very close and we’re probably going to have an emotional ending that’s for sure. It’s going to be a roller coaster ride, but it’ll be a good roller coaster ride.” “It’s going to feel weird when it ends,” Shear said. “Adding that he is enjoying the ride as he “always enjoys the show, week in and week out.” Mongiello expects there to be crying once the final season begins to set in after spring break. Wengert said reality is starting to settle with him sooner though. “Looking forward to it [the eighth season]. It was really exciting, we have a lot of exciting stuff planned for this season,” Wengert said. “At the same time, now that it’s started, now that we’re in our second episode it’s starting to hit us that it’s the last season. The group said there are big plans for the current season. Mongiello said the crew has a 4GB Olympics to coincide with the Sochi Olympics and plan on having guests who played big roles in the past. They have a bunch of plans that will surprise people. “We’re going to go out with a bang,” Mongiello said. “We have a legacy to cement.”

Laker Review

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Comics & Games

Cre ati ve Writing

I’m casually desperate and indefinitely different Born to be a failure and an outclassed outcast I lead the parade for the doubled-crossed Trapped in the pages of a notebook feeling homesick Writing “Paint me in your favorite lipstick” I’ll call you out then call it quits Half past midnight and when I’m thinking out loud Telling myself I’m not as desperate as I sound I’m tying my tongue in knots to keep quiet But I think about you the most

Crossword Puzzle

Devon Nitz | The Oswegonian

when I’m silent I’ll waste my breath pretending you’re worth my time Just another boy out up past curfew With nothing left to do Sailing sinking ships with an anchor around my neck Sketching up blue prints for the end of the world The note I left you read “My I love you was a lie” Cross my fingers, I’ll see you dead Before you ever get to tell me I’m in over my head. -Chad Rios

Down

David Owens | The Oswegonian

Across

1. Emporium 5. Moreover 8. Citi Field predecessor 12. Double-reed instrument 13. Bolted 14. Rendered fat 15. Singer Reba _____ 17. Fruit drinks 18. Naps 20. Mean 23. Take a breath 27. “The Matrix” hero 28. Memory loss 29. Great ______ 31. Compass pt. 32. Uproars 33. Dublin’s country 35. Actress Sandra _____ 36. Assault 37. Wait on 40. Farm vehicle 42. Bangkok native 45. Unlocked again 49. Car 50. Precious stone 51. Identical 52. Singer ____ Martin 53. Curvy turn 54. Rotated

Puzzle provided by boatloadpuzzles.com

1. Pop’s partner 2. CBS rival 3. Future fish 4. Nervous 5. Tested 6. Rower’s needs 7. Former (hyph.) 8. Cut

9. Possessed 24. 10. Browning’s before 25. 11. Public notices 26. 16. Metal container 28. 19. Columnist ___ Landers 30. 20. Calcutta’s country 31. 21. Comes closer 34. 22. Pitches 37.

Stage whisper Flax product Comforted Furthermore Ecstasy Make bigger ____ conditioner Small particles

For this week’s crossword answers go to:

Oswegonian.com/lreview

38. Apex 39. Ringlet 41. Mediocre grades 42. Little bit 43. Shade 44. ____ for words 46. Siesta 47. Aussie 48. Lion’s home

Newly built 1 & 2 bedroom apts. Free lawn care, garbage/ snow removal. On premises washer/dryer. Partial or all utilities. 342-6764 www.mbrancatoproperties. com. 3 bedroom house. Great location. Washer/ dryer included. All new Appliances. Very clean 591-8521 1-4 bedroom apartments available. Call or text Aaron 315-374-7541. 2 bedroom west-side apartment. $375 pp includes all utilities. New Kitchen countertops, washer/dryer. Brad 5322105. 1 and 2 bedroom apartments. Off-street parking. Heat and hot water Included. On bus route. 184 W. 4th St. 343-0830. Upstairs 2 bedroom apartment. Off-street parking. Available June 1st. Wall-toWall carpeting. Tub and shower. On bus route. 314 W. 3rd St. 343-0830.

lassifieds

Contact:Selena Ferguson

classifieds@oswegonian.com

Phone: 315.312.3600 1 bedroom apartments. Various locations. Call or text Aaron 315-374-7541. 3-4 bedroom 2000 square foot loft-style apartment. Fantastic river view Washer/ dryer. $275 pp. Contact Sean at 529-2975. 5 bedroom, 2 bath house. $300 pp. Great location. Washer/dryer. Brad 532-2105. 1,2,3 & 4 bedroom (2014-2015). Clean, wellmaintained. Off-street parking Snow/garbage removal. Responsible landlord. A must see! 24-hour maintenance. On bus route. 315-5295678. Gorgeous 4 bedroom house. New Kitchen, dishwasher, washer/ dryer. Great location. $350 pp. Brad 5322105. 3-8 bedroom. Available June 1, 2014. 315-532-1338

Housing 2014-2015! Luxury 4 bedroom apartments includes EVERYTHING! Student Discount Card, Wi-Fi, and cable, washer, dryer, dishwasher, free parking, garbage and snow removal, fitness center, movie theater, recreation hall, game room, semester care package, free food, and so much more! Walking distance from campus! Premier Living Suites! Call 315PREMIER or 315-773-6437! E-mail info@plsuites.com Visit www.PLSuites.com! Affordable off-campus housing. Great locations. 1-8 bedroom houses. Starting At $340/month pp. Utilities included optional. 315-591-2735. www.oswegostudenthousing.com www.dunsmoorstudenthousing.com 2, 3, & 4 bedroom units availabile. Long-time Family Housing. Clean, Efficient, many upgrades. All Utilities, free W/D, lawn, & snow included. KJ-Housing.com 315-529-0512 (Mike) 315-236-2027 (John). Available 2014-15, 4 bedroom houses. West-side. Free washer/dryer, off-street parking, rent includes snow, garbage, lawn care and water. Lease and security. Call 529-1015.

Horoscopes Aries (Mar. 21 - Apr. 19): Cancer (June 22 - July 22): Your stars are unaligned right now. You may feel off kilter until next Friday, but things can get better. Someone in your life wants to tell you something, so try and get them to talk and see what is going on with them.

Taurus (Apr. 20 - May 20): There’s not much to say about you right now. You are going through a tough time and that is going to carry over into most of your year. Try and find the positives in life and things will start to turn around for sure.

Gemini (May 21 - June 21): You’re a stud. You are always being looked at with respect, now it’s time to act like it. You need to step up to the plate and own up to your actions. If you make a mistake, embrace it. If you do something good, take the reward. Don’t drop the ball on this one.

With Cupid’s veil of love falling on you this week, things might be a bit confusing. Pick a clear path and make sure you follow it. You’re going to get through to the next level with a new romantic companion. Make sure you tread lightly on this new territory, because it could be the beginning of a new chapter in your life .

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22): Do not be afraid to hold back this week. Give it your all and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. You have been working hard for something, but you need just one more push to take it over the edge.

Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sep. 22): It’s time to take things to the next level. Things are going to start to spice up for you and that person you’ve been thinking about all week. Make your

FRIDAY, Feb. 14, 2014

Sudoku

CLASSIFIEDS

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

Difficulty: Hard

Solution to this week’s Sudoku puzzle

Variety of houses. 2-4 bedroom houses. All large bedrooms. All new Appliances. Washer/dryer included. Great location. Responsible landlord. Off-street parking. 591-8521. 1-5 Bedroom quality college housing available for the 2014-2015 year. Utilities included, off-street parking, garbage and snow removal, flat Screen TVs, discounts at local businesses and lawn care! Call 315-773-6437! Check out furlongproperties.com !

> > >

1,2,3 & 4 bedroom (20142015). Clean, well-maintained. Off-street parking Snow/ garbage removal. Responsible landlord. A must see! 24-hour maintenance. On bus route. 315-529-5678.

1 to 4 bedroom Apartments/Houses. Off-street parking, trash, and snow. Removal. 24-hour maintenance. Averyrentalproperties.com (315) 343-5005.

BY Seamus Lyman move with confidence, young padawan, and may the force be with you.

Libra (Sep. 23 - Oct. 23): Valentine’s Day has not been so great to you in years past. This year is going to be the same. February is not your month, you may feel the urge to make something happen, but try not to. Lay low for now and wait to see how things will pan out.

Scorpio (Oct. 24 - Nov. 21):

You have been searching for a specific something for a while now. It is finally coming into your possession this week. You may not be completely prepared for what you find, but try to let things happen naturally. Stop for a minute and think about how this new thing will affect you. It will ultimately change

ON THIS DATE

your life for the better in the long run.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21):

Keep being you. You’re doing a great job and it’s past time you are recognized for it. Be ready to put in some hard work and accomplish something truly great this week. You’re a brilliant star shining bright in the solar system of life and absolutely nothing can change that.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19):

You’re going to get the chance to be mischievous this week. You will have the opportunity to do someone wrong and be able to laugh at their pain. The choice ultimately comes down to you, but be wary of the consequences.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18):

You’ve been having some great ideas this week, but people have

been shooting you down. Give them a chance to think it over and they will eventually come to your side, as always. Be wary of letting it go to your head.

Pisces (Feb. 19 - Mar. 20):

You should consider your actions this past couple of weeks. It’s about time you owned up and started admitting to your mistakes and wrongdoings. This will only make your relationships stronger.

1849 – In New York City, James K. Polk becomes the first serving President to have his photograph taken. 1912 – Arizona is admitted as the 48th U.S. state. 1942 – American businessman and politician Michael Bloomberg, is born. 2005 – Youtube is launched, eventually becoming the largest video sharing website in the world.

STEP 1 ENDS 2/16/14

DAYS to PAY!

3 MORE

Village Room Selection

LIVE ON-CAMPUS

AND

KEEP CALM

1: log into myOswego.oswego.edu 2: log into myHousing.oswego.edu

3: log into myHousing.oswego.edu NEW!

www.oswego.edu/reslife/thevillage/faq

Revised for 2014–2015 The Village townhouse community is for students of at least junior status who have lived on campus at Oswego for a significant portion of their undergraduate experience. Please refer to our website for complete details:

VILLAGE ELIGIBILITY

Choose from available townhouses (according to lottery) ..... Feb.18 – March 5

STEP

Submit housing preferences (including requesting and confirming housemates) • Current Village residents who are requesting other current Village residents ...................................................... Feb. 4 – 19 • All others participating in Village Room Selection .............. Feb. 20 – 23

STEP

Accept terms of housing agreement(s) & pay $100 Housing Deposit ......................................................Feb. 3 – 16, 2014

STEP

www.oswego.edu/reslife/housing_assignments/village_housing_selection

ROOM SELECTION

VILLAGE