Penmen Press Volume XXVIII Issue XII

Volume XXVIII

Issue 7

MArch 4, 2022

penmenpress.com

THE

PENMEN PRESS Writing SNHU’s Story

04

08

11

Mask Mandate and Booster Requirement Lifted

Looking Ahead at Women’s Lacrosse

The Future for Snow Days at SNHU

2 | News

MEET THE

STAFF Co-Editor-in-Chief Sofia Barassi

Co-Editor-in-Chief Stefan Karlberg

Business Manager

Events Manager

photo Manager

Online Manager

Senior Copy Editor

NEws Editor Taylor Posik

Devin Pouliot

Lifestyle Editor

Sports co-Editor

Sports co-Editor

Opinion Editor

Layout Editor

Faculty Adviser

Julie Armstrong

Ryan Barrett

Now Hiring!

Orlagh Skafas

Bailey Arnold-Fuchs

Adam Dufault

Christopher Kelly

Jack Drolet

Chris Tutt

Jon Boroshok

media Manager Hannah Black

A&E Editor

Joshua DiNapoli

The Penmen Press | 3

THINGS TO

KNOW

e Southern New Hampshire University Penmen Press is a news publication produced by Southern New Hampshire University students and funded largely by the Student Government Association of the University. It is our responsibility to inform the SNHU community about events on and around campus. e Penmen Press will print any material found to be factual and in good taste by the editorial sta of the paper. e views published do not necessarily reect the views of Southern New Hampshire University. e Penmen Press is published monthly during the academic year and is printed on campus by Copies Plus. To contact the newspaper, please email us at penmenpress@snhu.edu

4 | News

News

The Penmen Press | 5

Mask Mandate and Booster Requirement Lifted Taylor Posik News Editor An email sent out Wednesday, February 23, by Executive Vice President of Campus Transformation, Donald Brezinski states that the mask mandate and booster requirement are to be lifted beginning Thursday, February 24.

Unvaccinated individuals will still be required to wear masks in public spaces. Faculty and staff can still require the use of masks in classrooms and workspaces.

Vaccinated individuals that have been exposed to a positive case will not be required to quarantine but will be recommended to monitor for symptoms and wear a mask for ten days after exposure.

In addition, the booster shot will no longer be required, but “strongly encouraged,” according to the email. Individuals that have already received their boosters are encouraged to upload proof of

vaccination to CoVerified.

“Our main priority, as always, is the overall health, safety, and wellbeing of our students and employees; we also understand that an organization mandating health decisions should not be taken lightly and should be reserved for the most severe situations that threaten our community,” said Brezinski in the email.

There will also be mandatory testing during the week of March 14, following spring break. The surveillance testing program will continue, where 25% of the student population will be randomly selected to get tested. Testing can be done in the Academic Center (ACC) in room 201 from 9am to 3pm, Monday through Thursday.

Students that have tested positive within the last 90 days will be exempt from participating in

the SNHU surveillance testing program.

Student residents will also be allowed to have up to two guests per resident per room beginning February 24. However, external guests will remain restricted from residence halls.

“With cases rapidly declining locally and nationally, there is less imminent threat to the SNHU community. We will continue to monitor the science, the emergence of variants, and ongoing CDC studies that may indicate the need for an additional vaccination,” said Brezinski in the email.

Policies are subject to change due to the pandemic’s evolving trends.

Those looking to receive their vaccine can visit vaccines.nh.gov to find nearby clinics. Additionally, students can email covid19@snhu. edu with any questions or concerns.

Mask requirement sign (image courtesy: Taylor Posik)

6 | News

Changes to the Dining Center Taylor Posik News Editor The SNHU Dining Center made some operational changes that have been noticed by students.

Prior to this semester, the extra room to the dining hall was closed due to COVID restrictions.

However, it is now available for use.

It will be open Monday through Friday during lunch hours, as well as Monday through Thursday at dinnertime.

The purpose of the extra room is to provide space for an influx of students during busy dining periods. Clubs, organizations, and sports teams can also use the room for meetings and campus events.

“Back in September…we were struggling for staff. We were just reopening after almost two years of being closed as a full operation. At that point, we did leave [it] closed because [we] didn’t have cleaners,” said Sodexo General Manager, Dan VanAvery.

“If [students] feel like it’s crowded and it’s not unlocked, they should be able to ask somebody, but it should always be unlocked,” said Sue Elsass, Associate Dean of Student Affairs.

Another recognized change as of early February was the transition from cardboard to-go boxes to plates and green reusable to-go containers.

Anyone dining out has the option to buy a to-go container for a one-time fee of $6, which can be paid with cash, card, Penmen Cash, or meal plan. The replacement fee for lost or damaged containers is the same price.

Customers can return their to-go containers to be washed. Drop-off bins are located at the cash registers, where a cashier will provide a token to exchange for a new container.

“It’s about being sustainable.

Kind of doing what we used to do….

We want people back to using plates.

We want people back to using green containers,” said VanAvery. Every station has green containers, and food boats remain available for togo items.

“Unfortunately, at the pasta

station, we’re still [going to] be using the black containers because it’s the only thing that holds the heat in that station. We can’t use the paper; we have to use that plastic. We’re still [going to] look for another option,” said VanAvery. Bowls will soon follow plates; however, utensils will not be used until the fall semester due to COVID. Other changes that have been made include the selections being offered. Meals are now on a rotating schedule, which provides customers

with the opportunity to try different choices.

Suggestions to improve the Dining Center can be commented on the website at dinesnhu. s o d e x o m y w a y. c o m / c o n t a c t / feedback, emailed to VanAvery at daniel.vanavery@sodexo.com, submitted using the GET app, or noted by scanning the QR codes located in the dining hall.

“We’re open to hear from students what it is they’re looking for,” said Elsass.

Dining Center green container instructions (image courtesy: Sodexo General Manager Dan VanAvery)

The Penmen Press | 7

SNHU Spring Involvement Fair to Follow Spring Break Taylor Posik News Editor SNHU’s Spring Involvement Fair is set to take place during the two weeks following spring break in the Student Center.

The Involvement Fair, typically held in the Banquet Hall during the spring semester, was previously rescheduled from January 19 due to ongoing COVID testing the week inperson classes resumed.

However, instead of all the organizations being clumped in one room, there will instead be a series of mini Involvement Fairs. Clubs and organizations will be assigned a date for them to host a booth.

“What I’ve noticed is high traffic time in those morning hours where people stop in before class or in between classes, so my plan is to have all the clubs who are interested in participating to have a table in the Student Center during those high traffic hours,” said Nicole Gregory, Assistant Director of the Office of Student Involvement.

There will be a total of 15

organizations participating in the Involvement Fair, with one club participating virtually. The majority will have tables in the Student Center.

“My intent is to group the clubs by interest; [we] have a lot of multicultural and spiritual organizations, so I’d prefer to have them here at the same time,” said Gregory. There will be a total of three groups, which include academic-based clubs, social-based clubs, and club sports. In addition to recognized organizations, some offices are interested in joining the Involvement Fair.

In years past, organizations were required to participate in the Involvement Fair. However, due to the ongoing conditions of the world, the requirement has been relaxed.

For clubs and organizations to remain valid, they must have at least seven students on their roster.

However, Gregory said, “I think that the past two years have been really… difficult on our student [organizations] to maintain interest. No one was really

into the virtual stuff last year and this year with our on-again, off-again COVID restrictions, so I think that I am not going to say to any club over the summer, ‘you’re no longer a club.’

I want to work with everyone in the fall to figure out what they need to be successful.”

Involvement fairs in the future may also look different. While the traditional Fall Involvement Fair will remain as is, the Spring Involvement Fair could be organized in a series of mini Involvement Fairs such as this year.

“I hope…that clubs are able to just get some information about their organizations out there in a way that’s not overwhelming. I am an SNHU [alumni], and I loved the Involvement Fair as a student, but it was overwhelming to see every single club, so I’m hoping by dividing them up into smaller groups [it will be] a little bit more of an intimate setting… [and] attract some new people,” said Gregory.

Fall Student Involvement Fair (image courtesy: Taylor Posik)

8 | Sports

Sports

The Penmen Press | 9

Looking Ahead at Women’s Lacrosse Adam Dufault Sports Co-Editor The women’s lacrosse team at SNHU looks to begin their season against a non-conference opponent, Roberts Wesleyan College, on March 6 at Penmen Stadium.

In the NE10 Preseason Coaches Poll, the women’s lacrosse team was ranked 10th, according to Penmen Athletics.

Defender Sydney Todd (‘23) from Pelham, NH, is looking forward to the team getting back on track after a year and a half of uncertainty.

“I’m most looking forward to a fresh start since this is the most normal season we have had since before COVID…. We had a successful season of fall ball and have had a great preseason so far,” said Todd.

Nearly two years following her freshman year that was cut short, Todd has noticed some changes to the team, including some of the

names on the roster.

“We are looking like an entirely new team this year which is exciting to see,” said Todd. “Overall, we have nine new girls on the team this year, five of them are freshmen.

We also have a brand new coaching staff which is super exciting.”

Midfielder Courtney Cronin (‘23) acknowledges the team’s changes since the last “normal” season and is prepared to get the season started.

“I am most excited to see how much our team has grown since last year. With a new coach and nine new players, our team has already felt so much stronger,” said Cronin.

“Being a junior, I am personally working on becoming more of a leader for the younger players on my team.”

With all of the interference that the pandemic has brought into the lives of college athletes, one might think getting back out on the field

would be more tiring than usual.

“Some practices are definitely very tiring, but I don’t think it’s necessarily different from having some time off; I think that it is more about how hard we are all working to get better,” said Cronin.

The team is doing anything they can to stay ready for a season that they hope to be a rebound from the last, and look forward to making any necessary improvements.

“Practices have been great. I think we’ve brought great, positive energy onto the field each day. We were also at a bit of an advantage by coming back to school so early this semester, as we were able to start practicing earlier than most teams,” said Todd.

With a significantly new coaching staff and roster, SNHU women’s lacrosse looks to turn heads and do what needs to be done to achieve the season of victory that they desire.

Women’s lacrosse embracing during a game (image courtesy: Jim Stankiewicz)

10 | Sports

SNHU Women’s Basketball Star Reaches Major Milestone Chris Tutt Sports Co-Editor There are many accomplishments that can be obtained in the game of basketball, especially at the college level. However, there are few individual accomplishments as prestigious as scoring 1000 points.

On February 5, captain Gyanna Russell (‘22) did just that.

The graduate student out of East Hampton, Connecticut emphasizes that reaching this milestone could not have been done without the help of the people around her.

“My past and current teammates are the reason I reached this milestone,” said Russell. “I would not have been able to score if they didn’t pass me the ball and give me the confidence I needed. [My coaches] continuously pushed me to be the best player I could be and that got me to this point in my career.”

She could have gotten caught up in the moment while reaching

a milestone such as this one, but to Russell, it was no distraction to the game at hand.

“I was more concerned about the game than the 1000th point because Assumption is a huge rival of ours,” said Russell. “I knew it would just make this milestone much better if it came with a win so I tried to not think about scoring and focused on what’s going to get us to our desired outcome.”

Russell had reached this milestone once in high school, but when going into college, reaching it again seemed to be more of a dream.

“It was always a goal of mine and I knew I was good enough of a player to get it,” said Russell. “I had reached it in high school and always thought that it would be so cool to do it in both.”

With a win in the books, Russell was finally able to take in the moment

and celebrate with those close to her.

“Winning the game and scoring my 1000th point made the postgame celebrations with my family, friends, and team...so much better,” said Russell.

According to the NE10 Preseason Coaches Poll, SNHU was ranked as the fourth best team in the NE10 Northeast Division; they didn’t receive any votes for first place. With the leadership of Russell, the Penmen were able to end the season as NE10 regular season champions.

“We are definitely shocking the NE10,” said Russell. “I don’t think anyone expected us to come back as strong as we have.”

The Penmen’s NE10 Championship run begins on Friday, February 25. After such a strong showing during the regular season, the Penmen remain determined to get that ring.

Gyanna Russell (‘22) dribbles down the court (image courtesy: Jack Drolet)

The Penmen Press | 11

Opinion

12 | Lifestyle

The Future for Snow Days at SNHU Matthew Pendleton Staff Writer Snow days no more? That’s the big question being asked by the student body after the recent passing of the blizzard from a few weeks ago.

While the snowfall certainly had an impact on campus, it took until a second snowstorm to reassure students that snow days would still occur. Or would they?

According to Cara Procek, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs and coordinator of snow days, they would not. “The plan going forward that was discussed and settled on over the summer is: because we’ve developed such sophistication around things like RingCentral…the preference isn’t going to be to have snow days, but to instead have remote days.”

This decision was likely not met with a lot of enthusiasm by the student community, especially since snow days have so much nostalgia associated with them. With the possibility of RingCentral days taking the place of traditional snow day, the central question is: what benefits do snow days have for our community?

Several students were interviewed to explain the different aspects of snow days that benefited their mental

health.

“I have this immediate excitement of being able to do what I want, and there’s an opportunity to do so many things, which can inspire you to do more without all that pressure of daily routine,” said Autumn Cohen (‘23). “I think the thought of having a day off and being able to do what you want with it and not have to stress with online school is very beneficial to schools and their communities.”

Cohen was not the only one to hold these beliefs, as Robert Ulasewich (‘24) was in agreement.

“I do think snow days matter, they offer a chance to both students and teachers to recoup and live the parts of their lives not devoted to learning or teaching,” said Ulasewich.

Many students are also concerned about personal availability. “I think that snow days still matter. The idea of being constantly available to others is something that digital spaces and programs like RingCentral have made it worse, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Katja Sieling (‘22). “Having a day to just step away from everything and focus on getting caught up, or even just resting is an important thing”

After hearing just a few of these concerns, it’s safe to assume that the consensus among students was that mental health and snow days were directly correlated. In that case, if RingCentral remote days were set to replace snow days, were these fears taken into account?

In response, Procek said that student concerns were what directly led to our first and only snow day so far.

“This was a student thing. We were very concerned about the students. In the past two years there’s a lot that’s been beyond all our control about some of the things we’ve had to do in the place of things that would be considered traditionally normal.

This was one small thing that we could do, and so we did,” said Procek.

While snow days may gradually disappear, this isn’t to say that SNHU won’t have at least a few more until the practice becomes obsolete.

While the news of their fading may be disappointing, the SNHU community can rest easy knowing that student health (both physical and mental) are of the top priority to those making these snow day decisions.

Hampton in winter (image courtesy: Matt Pendleton)

The Penmen Press | 13

ARt and entertainment

14 | A&E and Opinion

SNHU Students’ Media Interests Logan Mock Staff Writer With the temperature dropping and the snow rising, people at SNHU are finding themselves inside more and more. With this extended time spent inside, people are spending more of it listening to their favorite tunes and watching their favorite movies.

There’s a wide variety of genre interests all across the campus, like Emily Stevens (‘25), who said she has been spending her time listening to alternative rock bands like Paramore and Fallout Boy. She has also been watching many Disney and Marvel movies, such as “Thor: Ragnarok,” and “Tangled.”

Other students have been enjoying more modern music. Emma Eramo (‘24) has been listening to

Marina and the Diamonds, while Kearsten Imbody (‘24) has been listening to “a lot of Taylor Swift.”

Imbody has also been rewatching the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” movies, adaptations of the classic fantasy novels of the same name by J.R.R. Tolkien. Eramo has not been watching many shows or movies but instead has spent much of her time watching YouTube videos like Lockpicking Lawyer.

The YouTube channel follows the Lockpicking Lawyer as he shows all the ways that popular locks are actually easily breakable.

Other students have an interest in reality shows, like “Ink Master,” a show Nadiya Abdi (‘25) describes as “Gordon Ramsay with tattoos.” “Ink

Master” pits ten expert tattoo artists in head-to-head competitions and challenges with only one winner.

Abdi has also been listening to “Charlie’s Inferno” by That Handsome Devil.

Another TV show that people have been watching, such as Cooper Lewis (‘25), is “Peaky Blinders.” The show follows the lives of gangsters in early 1900s England as they deal with a changing world and rival gangs. Lewis has also been listening to classic rock songs, mostly Creedence Clearwater Revival.

When weather warms and students spend more time outside, time will tell whether these media habits will continue or evolve with the change of the seasons.

Watching “Peaky Blinders” in the Student Center (image source: Jack Drolet)