Penmen Press Volume XXIX Issue II

The

The Penmen Press | 1

Penmen Press

Writing SNHU’s Story

SETA ANNEX SHUTTLE IS A SNHUDENT’S WORST NIGHTMARE Volume XXIX

CLUB SPOTLIGHT: RADIO SNHU Issue 2

September 14, 2022

SPORTS LOOKING TO START STRONG penmenpress.com

MEET THE

STAFF Co-Editor-in-Chief

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Chris Tutt

Taylor Posik

Business Manager

Events Manager

Marketing Manager

Online Manager

NEws Editor

A&E/Opinion Editor

Lifestyle Editor

Sports Editor

Now Hiring!

Now Hiring!

Katelyn Ditto

Copy Editor

Allison Beaumont

Now Hiring!

Emily Blais

Lillie Nelson

Layout Editor

Christopher Kelly

Ryan Barrett

Adam Dufault

Faculty Adviser Jon Boroshok

The Penmen Press | 3

LETTERS FROM THE

EDITORS

SETA Annex Shuttle Is A SNHUdent’s Worst Nightmare The Penmen Press With the beginning of the new school year, many students are eager to be back in the classroom.

One selling point that SNHU has over other universities is how most classes are within close proximity of each other.

Many college students map out their schedules to maximize the amount of sleep that they get in a given night; this usually means waking up five minutes before a class starts and sprinting over to Robert Frost. However, the Communication department has moved primarily to the School of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics (SETA) Annex, putting a wrench into students’ plans.

It takes approximately 20 minutes to walk from the Green Space to the Annex. Given that there is a 15-minute block between classes, it is physically impossible to walk to the Annex for class. In addition, there are only three blue lights on Victory Lane. If something were to happen between these lights, students wouldn’t be able to access them.

Despite these challenges, students without access to a vehicle have been forced to walk. Several students have reported being verbally harassed by people in passing cars during this strenuous trip.

In an attempt to shorten the commute to the Annex, SNHU has adopted a shuttle service. The shuttle leaves periodically from

between the SETA building and the Hospitality Center on the main campus. While this can be beneficial, the shuttle has created confusion and concerns for students who just want to get to their classes on time.

The SNHU community has received many emails stating changes to the times in which the shuttle departs and returns.

These complications pose a greater question: what will it take for SNHU to ensure that their students are getting the most out of their education?

Professors urge their students to get to class in a timely manner;

however, students no longer have control over when they will get to class. This problem falls on the university, which has failed to provide the SNHU community with a viable solution.

The SNHU community should prioritize student attendance to ensure that students get to class on time, whether that be by solidifying a schedule for the shuttle to the Annex or moving classes out of the Annex and onto the main campus. SNHU needs to find a solution, and find it fast, or they will only be failing the student body who commits so much to them.

Students stepping out of the shuttle outside the SETA Annex.

(Image courtesy: Taylor Posik)

4 | News

News

The Penmen Press | 5

The Impacts of the Stark Hall Demolition Taylor Posik Co-Editor-in-Chief The Stark Hall demolition project is set to begin on September 19. It will start with the asbestos abasement, which will last for two weeks with minimal impact. Demolition will follow on October 11 and is estimated to be completed by October 24.

From October 11 to October 24, walkways surrounding the area will be closed from 8am-4pm on specified days. This includes the walkway between Stark Hall and the Green Center, as well as the path leading up to Kingston.

“Our Kingston residence will have the benefit of a birds-eye view. [They can] expect minimal impacts at the southern end of the building, near Exeter. Power and all other utilities will not be impacted. The [demolition] will be relatively quick. [The] noisiest few days will be a pneumatic hammer used to break apart the slab,” said Lawrence Yassanye, Assistant Director of Capital Projects.

A safety plan will proceed to mitigate the impact on surrounding areas. The SNHU community can expect further communication from Facilities/Capital, and Public Safety will also provide communication regarding the plan and specific timing of events. “[These] main walkway...will be affected for pedestrians, but will be controlled daily with dust, etc. The most impactful ‘phase’ of the project will be after the building structure comes down when they need to demolish/remove the concrete slab,” said Capitol Project Manager Alex Regnery. “This will cause some noise and disruption for a few days. Again, this will be carefully assessed ahead of time for timing (days and time of day) and having [the] least impact on the surrounding area.”

Regnery also noted that the greatest impact regarding campus disruption, noise, and dust levels will last for approximately two weeks.

However, the demolition schedule is set to work around Homecoming on Friday, October 14.

Past projects, such as the demolition of the West Side apartments initially located near Kingston and New Castle, had minimal disruption to students, according to Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Initiatives, Heather Lorenz. She also made a point to state that Academic Affairs are ready to hear feedback regarding the demolition. “[There is] no immediate plan for the site after the building comes down, other than a landscaped/seeded lawn space,” said Regnery.

“Our thought right now is to make it a really nice green space for students that can do whatever they want on it,” Lorenz said. Students (residing in Kingston) are encouraged to reach out to Lorenz with suggestions for the use of the space. She can be reached at h.lorenz@snhu.edu.

Stark Hall, prepped for construction. (Image courtesy: Felicia Johns)

6 | A&E and Opinion

A&E & Opinion

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Club Spotlight: Radio SNHU Chris Tutt Co-Editor-in-Chief Radio SNHU is the hub for all things music and radio on campus.

Their office is located on the left wing of the Student Center, near The Last Chapter Pub. The organization is best known for hosting Karaoke Night and Name That Tune. From radio shows and podcasts to DJing at events, the opportunities are endless for campus students.

Matthew Majchrzak (‘24) makes the most of his time in Radio SNHU and looks forward to weekly meetings and events.

“I run a radio show with my buddy, Marcus, normally once a week. We haven’t got it going yet [for this school

year], but once we do, we’ll be back with the normal schedule,” said Majchrzak. “It’s music-based and is called, ‘Through the Decades.’”

Majchrzak also pointed out the creative freedom that the club provides its members.

“It’s a great time, and you can do anything you want, from a podcast to a music show, within guidelines,” said Majchrzak. “The community is great and is super friendly. It’s not a hard commitment; if you want to do a show once a month or show up and help with events, I’m sure we’d be more than happy to take the extra set of hands.”

This year is especially important

for all clubs on campus, and Radio SNHU provides amenities that can be inclusive for all students.

“I’m looking forward to the club expanding and getting back into the show again,” said Majchrzak. “It’s an outlet. It’s a time to hang out with a buddy of mine, share our music interests with other people, and blow off some steam for a couple [of] hours.”

Radio SNHU meetings are held every Tuesday in Robert Frost room 314 at 3:30pm. Students can also follow Radio SNHU for the latest updates on events, meetings, and more on Instagram @ official_radiosnhu.

The Radio SNHU booth. (Image courtesy: Emily Blais)

8 | A&E and Opinion

Why Calorie Information Has Been Removed Across SNHU Menu Boards Yona Voss-Andreae Staff Writer Since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, restaurants across the nation have been required to post calorie information on menus.

However, with the leadership of SNHU’s dietitian Kristen Chulada, Dine SNHU opted to approach labeling with caution. While Dine SNHU still follows FDA guidelines, is this the right decision for the wellbeing of the community?

Enacted at the beginning of last year, these measures limit students’ access to calorie information. Menu boards do not display calories. A pamphlet displayed to the right of the dining hall’s main entrance titled ‘Health and Wellness Guide’ contains information to an extent; however, many items served are unlisted.

“What I have seen is that diet culture is running rampant, especially on college campuses,” said Chulada.

“Eating disorders are increasing, people’s concerns with body image, dieting, and weight loss.”

‘Bite U,” an app for mobile phones, displays nutrition facts for most of Dine SNHU’s offerings; however, the

information provided is vague and hidden behind lengthy, cumbersome navigation menus. The nutrition facts section is often outdated and fails to deliver relevant information.

“Calorie information is still available on our Bite app; you can go on and look for calorie information that way if you are trying to make a choice based on calories,” said Chulada. “I recognize that some people aren’t triggered in that way about...calorie information and they are able to look at it and want to use it in a way that’s healthy for them; but the majority of people aren’t at that place, and they are using it for dieting reasons and dieting is one of the leading causes for eating disorders.”

By removing calorie postings from menu boards, Chulada aims to create a more accommodating environment for those struggling with their relationship to food. However, the lack of easily obtainable health information for the majority of individuals can have a negative effect, especially when people are trying to make healthier decisions.

“Originally the FDA put [calorie labeling] laws in place because there was an obesity epidemic...and that there were health concerns, but we have seen, even with these laws in place and with the calorie information available, there is still people struggling with health and weight, and calorie information was not as useful as the FDA thought it would be,” said Chulada.

A review conducted by experts at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that, at least in a cafeteria setting, calorie labeling has a measurable effect on the choices people make. Food vendors have also been influenced to display less caloric variations on their existing menus.

“When you are at your home and someone is telling [you] automatically how many calories are in my food right before I eat it, that can be really challenging for some people and sway them to second guess the food choices they are making,” said Chulada. “I wanted to take the calories away from the ‘in your face’ when making your food decision.”

Salad bar at the SNHU Dining Hall. (Image courtesy: Taylor Posik)

The Penmen Press | 9

More Than One Transition: Gender, Sexuality, and Freedom of Identity at SNHU Cedric-Luamara Atlas Staff Writer With new students joining SNHU, many are getting their first taste of adult independence. The transition from high school to college is often remembered fondly. Students spark connections, gain choices in their education, try different clothing styles, and experiment with who they want to be.

Yet, how much do students change the moment they gain independence?

Does their self-expression reflect previous expectations? Or do they have the freedom they need to finally be themselves?

“At home in the beach town where I lived, there were only two categories of who you could be— beachy girl or a skater boy; there wasn’t anything in between. You would often be treated off for not conforming to one way or another,” said Macaroni Weiss (’24).

Many students are stuck in a box due to the expectations of their families, school system, employers, or societal norms. Unable to explore the possibilities for themselves, the LGBTQ+ youth have been forced to mask (i.e. hide, or reshape) themselves in order to survive in a world that isn’t as accepting, or educated, of the battles faced.

“I’ve learned that most of my life I’ve masked, or conformed, to make people comfortable, ignoring my own boundaries because they don’t make sense to people,” said Weiss. “Now that I’m on campus, I’ve started to dress much differently. [I was able] to find and become friends with people who understand gender and sexuality the way I do; it’s incredible. It feels like I finally have friends who are friends with me, not with the idea of me.”

Meanwhile, SNHU has provided a supportive and non-judgmental

environment for students to experiment with what makes them happy.

“I’ve been able to express my gender so much more than at home, [and] because I was constantly at work, [it] limited my attire,” said Taylor Snow (’26).

Many students have expressed how much more they have learned about the LGBTQ+ community before coming onto campus. Allies can come forward to support their peers, and students can educate each other on their preferred pronouns and self-identified labels, as well as issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community.

“The biggest aspect of my selfexploration journey has been evolving and getting more comfortable with my appearance,” said Snow. “My queer

friends have helped me evolve the most since arriving on campus.”

Students can talk about queer history, or their experiences with homophobia/transphobia, without worrying that the mention of such issues will make them a target. Education about the LGBTQ+ community can become normalized within the oncampus community, allowing students who’ve already gone through their selfexploration journey to learn more about terms and labels that could apply to them.

Finally, they can learn that labels don’t define them, and simply embrace who they are.

“I am more able to experiment without being questioned by my family,” said Snow.

LGBTQ+ flags. (Image courtesy: Cedric-Luamara Atlas)

10 | Lifestyle

Lifestyle

The Penmen Press | 11

Normalcy Returns to SNHU After COVID Lillian Nelson Lifestyle Editor SNHU students have varying college experiences during the pandemic. Last year, staff and students were subject to COVID testing and the mask mandate, affecting campus nightlife and activities.

With COVID under control and minimal to no restrictions, students may be wondering what to do with the newfound freedom.

(Student) employees and campus organizations, like CAPE and The Pub, witnessed both COVID and post-COVID standards and lifestyles. CAPE President Nicholas Gaston (‘23) compared student engagement last semester to now.

“Students were tired of wearing a mask all day and following COVID-19 guidelines, which made our attendance plummet,” said Gaston.

Gaston also mentioned the energy on campus last year. “When students came back to school last year, there was a lot of confusion and frustration. The students expected to be back at the norm of pre-COVID and be able to continue where we left off. That just wasn’t the case. This created a lot of strain between the students and faculty, which in turn made it difficult to have good retention at events and meetings.”

The first Big Money Bingo of the ‘22-’23 school year, held on August 31, had a high attendance. While not being the 350-400 student attendance during the previous school year, Gaston had this to say about the first post-COVID Big Money Bingo.

“The first Big Money Bingo [attendance] did not compare to last year’s first Big Money Bingo.

I believe this year we had close to 200 students [in attendance],” Gaston said.

Bingo isn’t the only campus function returning to normal; The Last Chapter Pub (The Pub) is open and hosting events. The Pub sees foot traffic throughout the day and is often packed at night and on special events. Most recently, The Pub had Karaoke Night on Monday, August 29, hosted by Radio SNHU and CAPE. A second Karaoke Night was also hosted in The Pub on Thursday, September 1.

Pub employees, Justin Kaminski (’23) of event operations, and Jill Houghton (‘25) talked about working at The Pub during the mask mandate as well as now. They both worked during the Thursday event and witnessed the newfound energy on campus. “The energy was up; there wasn’t a time where anybody wasn’t singing,” Houghton said.

“There’s a huge influx in freshmen,” said Kaminski.

The Pub’s capacity allows for 297 guests. Chairs and tables were removed to follow social distancing regulations, limiting The Pub’s capacity last semester. Students

were allowed to remove their masks to eat and drink, but not to socialize.

Both Houghton and Kaminski said that students respected the mandate, having only one instance of asking a student to leave for not complying with the mask policy.

However, Kaminski mentioned the difficulty with singers removing their masks.

COVID made it difficult for students to interact and enjoy each other’s company. With the new school year, and students can enjoy the new normal and enjoy the post covid college experience.

Upcoming events for students to participate in include Weekly Bingo on Wednesdays at The Pub from 8 to 9 pm. Big Money Bingo will be held every first Wednesday of the month in the Upper Dining Hall at 9 pm. Karaoke will be held on Thursdays from 8 to 11 pm at The Pub. Students can view upcoming social events on MySNHU, under the SNHU Events Calendar in the right bar of the homepage.

Thursday night karaoke at The Last Chapter Pub. (Image courtesy: Taylor Posik)

12 | Lifestyle

Student Center Services and Organizations Felicia Johns Staff Writer The Student Center holds a variety of services that allow students to participate on campus.

Below is what SNHU’s Student Center has to offer.

The Last Chapter Pub The Last Chapter Pub (The Pub) is well-known as the “heart” of SNHU’s Student Center. It’s located in the South Wing of the Student Center, near The Cupboard. Many events, such as Karaoke Night, are held there.

The Pub has a FREE Menu that serves many options, from Classic Lays Chips to Veggie Straws.

They also provide food that starts at $1 off of their Hot Food Menu.

Students can buy a corn dog for $1, or a pepperoni pizza for $8.

The Pub’s Alcohol Menu has a variety of affordable drinks to choose from. They also have a Drafts Menu, ranging from Bud Light to Seadog Blueberry, all starting at $1. “[My] favorite place in the Student Center is [The Last Chapter Pub], since it is a place to do your homework, and it has events”, said Christine DeStefano (‘23).

The Pub is open Monday to Wednesday from 9am-10pm for their “dry hours,” as well as Thursday to Friday from 9am-11pm for their “wet hours,” during which they serve alcoholic beverages for those at the age of 21.

On Saturdays, The Pub is open from 10am-11pm, with their “wet hours” beginning at 8pm. Sunday hours are 10am-10pm.

The Office of Student Involvement and Club Resource Center

The Office of Student Involvement is known for assisting in club and organization functions, as well as hosting large campus events, such as the Involvement Fair.

Student Involvement’s office also offers limited office assistant work-study positions to help with planning these events.

They distribute The Penmen Weekly digitally for students to know when events are happening.

Students can also find all upcoming events through their SNHUticket website.

The Club Resource Center is the hub for students to discover new clubs and discover upcoming campus events. They were located next to Penmen Place by the main entrance of the Student Center; however, this year they have moved to the Office of Student Involvement in suite 106.

Copies Plus Copies Plus assists students and campus organizations by appointment with promotional products and office supplies.

They provide flyers, posters, and laminations.

Copies Plus is in short supply of helium and is unable to fulfill balloon orders at this time.

“I’ve been working here since I was a freshman; I love the atmosphere and people that I work with. [I can] see all of the Student Center and people walking by” said Copies Plus Manager, Rachyl Cushman (‘23).

Copies Plus is open Monday to Thursday from 8am-7pm and Fridays from 8am-5pm.

Inter-Greek Council The Inter-Greek Council (IGC) is both a sorority and a fraternity. It consists of Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Delta Phi, Phi Omega Psi, and Theta Phi Alpha.

The IGC holds many events, from their yearly Penny Wars and the Greek Week Lip Syncs, to the Greek Olympics.

General member meetings occur every Tuesday at 3:30pm in the Green Center, room 102A. Coordinate of Activities Programming Events (CAPE) The Coordinate of Activities Programming Events (CAPE) plans out major events for students on campus. They host Major Concerts, karaoke, Big Money Bingo, and more.

At CAPE general member meetings, they plan out events and how members can get involved.

CAPE holds its general member meetings bi-weekly on Mondays at 6pm in the Last Chapter Pub. Student Government Association (SGA) The Student Government Association (SGA) constitutes the best interests of the community by taking students’ proposals and concerns, along with communicating with the administration for SNHU’s student-peers.

SGA has a total of 24 senators and 6 executive board members.

SGA manages the Penmen Pride point system that SNHU students can use to earn prizes at the end of the semester. Points can

The Penmen Press | 13

be earned by attending sponsored general meetings and events, serving on a variety of university committees, assisting CAPE with their weekly Bingo, and planning events for the student body.

The SGA is also open to hearing feedback to improve the SNHU community for the better.

The SGA meets every Tuesday in the Green Center, room 102A at 5pm.

Radio SNHU Radio SNHU is a student-driven radio station that hosts podcast services and DJs campus events.

The organization provides creative freedom and allows students to thrive in their passions.

They are well-known for their Karaoke Nights held in The Last Chapter Pub, along with Name

That Tune.

“One thing I like about being part of the radio club is playing music I like,” says club member Tyler Stinson (‘25) Radio SNHU has bi-weekly general meetings every Tuesday at 3:30pm in Robert Frost Hall, room 314.

The Student Center is any student’s home base, ranging from services to clubs.

Concierge desk, located in the Student Center (Image courtesy: Felicia Johns)

14 | Sports

Sports

The Penmen Press | 15

Sports Looking to Start Strong Adam Dufault Sports Editor Following its most prolific year in school history, the SNHU athletics program is looking to maintain its momentum across all sports. All teams collectively did well enough to earn SNHU’s first-ever NE-10 Presidents’ Cup in 2021-2022.

The NE-10 Presidents’ Cup is an award given to a school that exemplifies athletic excellence performed by its entire athletic program. Despite lacking multiple sports that most NE-10 schools have in their program and coming off a year without organized practice due to COVID, SNHU managed to pull away with the most prestigious award given in the conference.

With the start of the 2022-2023 school year underway, the following teams have begun their fall season: men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey, volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, and women’s tennis.

SNHU Director of Athletics, Anthony Fallacaro, discussed what winning the Presidents’ Cup meant for the program and how last season’s success can carry into the 2022-2023 school year.

“It’s amazing because I think it was one of those things that…I almost always reserved myself to think, ‘maybe that’s something we can’t achieve because we don’t have football; we don’t have men’s track and field; we don’t have swimming; we don’t have diving,” said Fallacaro.

“For us to really win this thing meant we had to be that much better.”

Fallacaro touched upon select sports with promising seasons ahead, taking the statistics of recent years into consideration.

“Our soccer programs look strong again. We were nationally ranked last year. We’re off to a good start in our conference,” said Fallacaro.

“Track winning the championship [last season] after being a new program

a few years ago is just an incredible achievement.”

Prior to the season, the NE-10 conducted a coaches’ poll for preseason power rankings. Men’s soccer was voted at third; women’s soccer at second; women’s volleyball at seventh; field hockey at seventh; and women’s tennis at third, according to SNHU Penmen.

Fallacaro continued to discuss how the university’s recent addition of an E-Sports team has impacted campus.

“With COVID…we had to postpone the opening of the arena, but that’s been just a huge thing for us, it’s grown unbelievably…. The arena is just packed. It’s constantly filled with people using it,” said Fallacaro.

“We were really good right away; we recruited some really good players.”

On top of what looks to be a

promising future for the E-Sports program, fall sports have been off to a great start at SNHU. Men’s soccer has begun their season 2-0; women’s soccer has started 2-0; women’s volleyball has begun 6-2; and both men’s and women’s cross country opened their season by placing first at the Shacklette Invitational, according to SNHU Penmen.

With last year serving as a refresher course on how to move forward, athletes at SNHU have some adjustments to make. Now that the school has a year under its belt since COVID broke out, campus life is starting to feel normal again. “[I’m] super happy to be back and to see everybody on campus,” said Fallacaro. “It’s so rewarding seeing all the athletes come back, seeing all the fans at games…. It’s like college again.”

Larkin Field. (Image courtesy: Maggie Breton)

16 | Sports