Scribe Issue 3 2011-2012

NEWS

The Scribe University of Bridgeport Bridgeport, CT

The world's population on the rise p. 2

KNIGHT LIFE

Has marriage lost its value? p. 8

inReview

Toxicology expert discusses long-term effects of the Gulf Oil Spill JILLIAN ANDERSON Staff Writer On November 9, Sandra Wise, Director of the Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology at the University of Southern Maine, came to lecture at the University of Bridgeport on her research team’s findings on the impact of the Gulf Oil spill on whale species and the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.

The lecture was open to the public as part of UB’s Biology Department Lecture Series on the Sciences.

The 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill is the largest oil spill near American shores in the history of the United States of America, as Wise pointed out. The environmental tragedy began on April 20, 2010, when an explosion occurred aboard the Deepwater Horizon, an offshore drilling platform owned by British Petroleum (BP). With 126 people aboard, the rig exploded and caught fire, injuring 17 people and killing 11 others. Millions of gallons of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico for three months after the explosion, leading

Low Funding in a High Focused Program RACHELLE JEANTY Staff Writer/ Photographer Drake's album "Take Care" is released p. 16

SPORTS

Editorial on Penn States's Joe Paterno p. 23

Issue 3 November 2011

The University of Bridgeport is known for its variety of majors; unique to only UB is the martial arts program. This program started up about 6 years ago when an instructor named Dr. Kim decided to create Martial Arts Major. With the many pluses that the UB martial arts program produces, there are a few flaws that are troubling some of the martial art students.

Being the only school in America with this major, the students involved in this program have the hopes of being bodyguards, involved in law enforcement, owning and running their own dojo or becoming movie stunt doubles.

“Because this is the highest institution for martial arts in America that makes the students here the leaders of Martial Arts in America,” Martial Arts Major Continues on page 4

Gulf Oil Spill cleanup || Photo courtesy of OceanLeadership.org

to extensive death rates at all levels of the ecosystem.

In an effort to clean up the oil spilled into the ocean and to prevent it from washing up onto American beaches, BP began treating the oil with Corexit, a dispersant Continues on page 3

What Grinds My Grears about Teachers page 15 Visit thescribeonline.com to see What Grinds UB professors' gears about students

News UB layoffs off several administrative personnel CHRIS HOGAN Managing News Editor Recently, there was talk around campus about the possibility of recent layoffs happening. There were several rumors about as many as 50 staff members that had lost their job due to the budget cuts but that number turned out to be false.

According to President Neil Salonen, only nine administrative faculty members received the notification on November 5 and 6 regarding the matter. He said that the layoffs were made due in regards to a few factors.

“For us, it had to do with [the number of] international graduate students and if they heard that there are no jobs here [in the NYC region], then [the process will] slow down a little bit [when deciding to come to UB],” Salonen said.

“We had a small dip in enrollment, which meant to me that we should reduce expenses.”

This round of layoffs, which didn’t include

fulltime and adjunct professors, was the first that occurred since the end of 2008, when 13 administrative staff members received the pink slip. Salonen would not state the identity of the people who were affected by this or the specific department they worked in.

“I am not causal about it [layoffs] and I try to do other things first but for me, students [always] come first, faculty second and staff is clearly third,” he said. “I don’t cut anything related to students and if anything increase something like financial aid and faculty who teach the students.”

UB, who experienced a 6.8 percentage decline this fall semester in enrollment, is not the only local university feeling the effect, which has led to some changes. According to a recent story written by Connecticut Post, institutions such as Southern Connecticut State University

(3.6 % drop off) Fairfield University (3.7 %), and Housatonic Community College (3.6 %) all experienced the drop off in admission.

On the flipside, Lambeck wrote that three UB graduate programs saw a double digit boost which comprised in biomedical engineering, human nutrition and counseling.

Salonen said that the research funds for the professors were not interfered with and that most received raises this year. Currently after the nine layoffs, there are now 286 administrative staff workers and 484 (364 part time and 120 fulltime) faculty members at UB. “I will always protect the services that it will take to offer students and the support will give to faculty” he said. “This is a minor adjustment in order to maintain rock solid financial help [for the students].”

The Truth About 7 Billion KAITLIN O’CONNELL Staff Writer As the world’s population hit seven billion two weeks ago on October 31, concerns have arose about overpopulation and how it will affect the Earth in upcoming years. Debates have recently started up again about overpopulation with the main concerns being the environment and poverty; but has the world really become overpopulated?

CNN and the United Nations reported the seven billionth inhabitant was born in Manila, Philippines. Danica May Camacho was greeted into the world with cheers and a score of flashing cameras. She arrived two minutes before midnight on Sunday the 30th, but doctors still say it was close enough to count for a Monday birthday and the celebration commenced. UN officials presented the child with a cake as well as good wishes towards her life. The UN named a Bosnian child, Adnan Mevic the Earth’s six billionth inhabitant on Oct. 12, 1999.

However, with the birth of Danica comes a warning from Dr. Eric Tayag a member of the Philippine’s Department of Health stating that, "We should really focus on the question of whether there will be food, clean water, shelter, education and a decent life for every child."

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Top: Photo Courtesy of Communications. uwo.ca || Illustrated by Scott Woods Bottom: Photo of Danica May Comacho || Courtesy of tibetsun.com

The same concern that most people are sharing is how will we be able to not become overpopulated? Even with China’s one child policy the population is still over 1.3 billion people as well as its close neighbor, India with 1.17 billion. When thinking about China, its one-child policy has boosted its economy, so if China’s population declines then its economy will too.

This is true for only some countries, India is the world’s second most populous country and yet it still suffers from vast poverty (over 2/3 of the population). This may be because it is not as technologically advanced or have many natural resources, but this fact is still true for most countries with high populations.

It’s hard not to concern the general population with the United Nations estimating that by 2050 there will be 9.3 billion people on Earth.

All of this is hard to comprehend for some, but the truth of the matter is that we should begin to take notice. Now we have more people in the world to feed, house and to keep healthy. The population continues to grow and the truth of the matter is the world is just not big enough and we are running out of room.

NEWS

November 2011

Toxicology long-term effects on the Gulf Oil Spill Continued from page 1

used to break up oil. Normally, oil and water don’t mix; however, when treated with dispersants like Corexit, the oil is dispersed through all layers of ocean water, much of it sinking all the way down to the ocean floor where it comes into contact with deep water marine life, including mammals like the Sperm whales that were studied by Wise’s research team.

According to website for the Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, their research seeks to “understand how toxic a chemical is to a marine species and amphibians in an effort to understand how environmental pollutants might be endangering them,” and focuses on “damage to DNA, since this type of

damage can interfere with the ability of these species to reproduce and the ability of their offspring to survive.”

Since sperm whales are at the top of the food chain in the Gulf of Mexico, the health of the species is being studied by the Wise team because it indicates the health of the ecosystem as a whole, from the bottom, all the way up to the top of the food chain. These mammals are studied as a way to indicate the health of the whole marine ecosystem and the effects of the environmental contamination caused by the widespread use of Corexit, which contains chromium and nickel.

In humans, high levels of nickel and chro-

mium have been known to cause cancer. This fact instigates fears of consuming seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, as consumers fear contamination by eating fish that are part of this toxic ecosystem.

The Wise research team has spent the last two summers collecting data in the Gulf of Mexico and will continue this research for at least the next three years, pending funding for the project. Wise mentioned during the lecture that the effects of this oil spill will take years to come to light, so just because oil floating on the ocean surface is no longer easily seen does not mean that the oil is not there or that the tragedy is over.

Earthquake Rocks Turkey KAITLIN O’CONNELL Staff Writer At least 600 people have died from a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Turkey on October 23rd. It was the most powerful earthquake to hit the country in 10 years. Almost 2,000 buildings and homes were leveled during the quake, leaving at least 4,100 people injured and thousands more that are now homeless and without jobs. When the earthquake began, thousands fled to the streets screaming and taking out their cell phones to call relatives and loved ones, screaming, and trying to rescue the trapped and injured in the rubble. The hardest hit area was Ercis, an eastern city that has a population of 75,000 that lies close to the Iranian border; it also lies on one of Turkey’s most earthquake prone zones. The city of Van, about 55 miles south of Ercis, also sustaied substantial damage, including its airport being so damaged

that flights arriving had to be diverted.

Around 1,275 rescue teams from 38 provinces have been sent to the region to help with the search and rescue efforts as well as to help and keep the peace since several inmates escaped from Van’s prison after it collapsed. But Van and Ecris’ main goals were to get as many people that were trapped in the rubble out alive.

Already some 231 people have been found alive and rescued even as temperatures hit the freezing mark at night. Two teenagers were pulled out of the rubble alive after more than 100 hours after the disaster. This shed some hope for life; even a mother and her child were saved from a collapsed building.

President Obama recently stated, "We stand shoulder to shoulder with our Turkish ally in this difficult time, and are ready to assist." Even

Turkey Earthquake Disaster || Courtesy of news.malaysia.msn.com

though rescue teams have stopped their search for the trapped or dead, relief teams still occupy the city helping remove rubble and making sure that people are healthy and have the means to food as well as fresh water. Since the earthquake has been grouped in the same category as the quakes in Haiti, Japan, Chile and Taiwan, it will take months if not years for the country to stabilize itself again.

An overview of the SGA and SPB Buget CHRIS HOGAN Managing News Editor One area of campus life that UB students may not be fully aware of is the yearly budget that is used by the Student Government Association [SGA] and Student Programming Board [SPB]. Each semester, a portion of money is given out to both organizations in order to maintain successful resources.

According to Colleen Powers, Director of Campus Activities, SGA receives 65 percent of the budget while SPB obtains 35 percent

and it all depends on the total student enrollment for each semester. This semester there was about $120,000 to work with and an estimated $200,000 for the year between both organizations. The spring semester will bring a different amount operate with.

“Since enrollment is historically less in the spring semester, SGA and SPB conservatively estimated about $200,000 as their annual operating budget when planning for the year,”

Powers said. “We won't have an exact spring budget amount until all spring 2011 traditional, full-time; undergraduates have enrolled for that semester.”

Every year each student is charged a Student Activity Fee of $90 which makes up for around 25 percent or $144,000 of the operating expenses for events and meetings....

To read the rest of this article, vistit our website.

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NEWS

November 2011

Cultures unite at third annual “Island Vibes” event SHANIQUA KING Fashion Editor On November 5, all the Caribbean cultures united as one as the third annual Island Vibes Cultural showcase shed a positive light on the UB community. It brought a togetherness of Caribbean population on campus to set a platform on the different aspects of the West Indian heritage that you don’t normally see on an everyday basis. The night was filled with lots of energy, vibrancy and enlightenment. It sent a central message to the audience; that the Caribbean is surrounded with talented, intelligent and beautiful people, was the ultimate goal of that night’s event.

The audience was greeted with a live performance by a Calypso steel band that set the mood throughout the show, because it symbolized the togetherness of the Caribbean. The night was filled with high energy performances and highlights included: FLOH (Future Leaders of Hip Hop), United We Step, the grace and elegance of Haitian dance pieces

Island Vibes || Photos courtesy of Rachelle Jeanty

by Soraya Louis and Pamela Piard and poetry reading from Francis Nunez. The performances were not the only thing that got the crowd going during that night.

The fashions that were seen on stage featured various designers from New York, Connecticut and other parts of the United States that added a little bit of glamour to the evening. The designs by the Fabric Twinz featured lots of shimmery, glamorous and sophisticated pieces from their collection including the full leather skirts and beautiful evening gowns that were pleasing to the eye. There were also beautiful maxi dresses with beautiful draping details from the Tyaire B collection to gorgeous lace dresses in the D Diamond collection. They even appealed to little children in the Caribbean Splash collection.

The Island Vibes event, sponsored by CSA (Caribbean Student Association), Purple Light Charity Club and SPB (Student Programming Board) was truly a teaching, entertaining and wonderful night of enjoyment for the audience.

Low Funding in a High Focused Program Continued from page 1

Chris Van Meighem said. Deciding to declare this major, student decide that, yes, it is a risky major yet they are creating a legacy for the martial arts program at UB for years to come.

Students in the UB program are winning at National Collegiate martial arts tournament every year. UB has now been involved in the tournament since the beginning of the program.

Two weeks ago Chris Van Mieghem came back with the third place trophy at the M.I.T. Taekwondo tournament. During these tournaments, they participate in sparring, breaking (boards, concrete and marble) and forms called Poomse, either solo or in teams according to height, age, rank and weight.

The students have to come up with the majority of the money for the tournaments.

Some simply can’t afford paying such an amount which puts a burden on those who want to compete. They are already charged an additional fee

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for being part of the program. Even for the apparel, the students need to produce the money out of their own pockets. To compete there is certain equipment they need or they can’t compete (for example: shin and elbow guards) yet the students are responsible for buying these items.

Many students on campus have sports scholarships, yet the students are being told about possible martial arts scholarships. The program is still up and coming, up as a program but funding is important for the students.

As being one of the only schools in the world with this program and the hype about it being the only program like itself in the country, some students feel like they should receive more appreciation towards the program with funding from the school. There will be success-

UB Martial Arts || Photo courtesy of bridgeport.edu

ful people who will come out of the program, doing great things because these students had been trained to do so.

“It’s not just for competition either; it’s for ourselves so that we can prove ourselves to our teachers, to our friends,” Martial Arts Student Primo Delgado said. “We can help everyone else advance and we would help ourselves advance mentally, physically and also spiritually.”

November 2011

The Scribe Established 1930

Letter from

Consultant Andrew Woolford

the Editor

Editor in Chief Althea Benloss Managing News Editor Chris Hogan Chief Copy Editor Cheyenne Owen Sports Editor Joshua Ryan Fashion Editor Shaniqua King Opinion Editor Cassie Tucker Entertainment Editor Denise Gotay He Said, She Said Colton Young Cassie Tucker Design & Layout Editor Cam Jones Web Editor Esteban Manco Art Director Michael Lawson Chief Photographer Rich Lubrano Staff Photographers Rachelle Jeanty Roseborn Cudjoe

Readers, Can you believe it’s already November? Thanksgiving is around the corner and that means many students will be packing their bags and going home for a well-deserved relaxing break at home. Some may be going on vacation away from home and others may be staying on campus and enjoy their mini-vacation with friends.

Whatever you decide to do during the Thanksgiving holiday, just remember to be thankful! As much as I enjoy the grand ol’ turkey and the other preparations my family goes through to ensure a happy and filling Thanksgiving, I can never forget to be thankful.

As students alone, we should be thankful for the opportunity of obtaining a college education and the doors that will open in our future! I’m especially thankful for how far I’ve come. I have just one more semester and then I’ll be graduating.

It seemed so far away freshman year, but before I know it, I’ll be receiving my diploma.

What are YOU thankful for?

Enjoy Issue 3 (and the content on our website) and have a safe Thanksgiving!

Althea Benloss Editor-in-Chief Op-Ed Disclaimer: The Scribe neither endorses nor is responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, advice or statement made. The Scribe will not be liable for any loss, damage or hurt feelings caused by a reader’s reliance on information obtained from the advice column(s). It is the responsibility of the reader to evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, opinion, advice or other content available through The Scribe. Please seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate, regarding the evaluation of any specific information, opinion, advice or other content.

The Scribe Editorial Copyright Statement and Policy: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in the newspaper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Scribe or official policies of The Scribe To submit articles, story ideas, illustrations or photographs, please send an e-mail of interest to TheScribeUB@gmail.com, describing the article you would like to have published. After receiving expressed interest, please save the complete article in DOC format and send as an attachment. Please include full name and contact information (telephone number and e-mail address—to be used by editors only). Be aware that submission does not guarantee publication and all submissions are subject to editing.

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Schine Hall

Knight Life

A relic of the past, a symbol of hope for the future

JOSHUA RYAN Sports Editor The University of Bridgeport (UB) has made tremendous strides in recovering from its economic downturn in the early 90s, as evidenced by the rise in enrollment and recent renovations of Cooper and Chaffee Hall.

However, one building on the campus stands as a reminder of all the turmoil the University underwent: Isaac E. Schine Hall, right across the street from the Arnold Bernhard Center (ABC).

Closed down since 1992, the 10 floor building stands in stark contrast to the liveliness of the rest of the campus. As one walks up the building, they can notice the blue graffiti on the bricks on the right side. The white pain on the panels has begun to chip off. The iron doors at the front and back of the building have rusted, and many of the windows have been boarded up. Structural flaws within the building have prevented it from being used.

The name of the building came from Isaac E. Schine, who was one of the founders of the Junior College of Connecticut in 1927, and served on the board of trustees through it becoming UB in 1947. He also served on the board of directors at the Bridgeport Hospital.

Construction on the building started in January of 1969, but not without controversy. Students protested the building of Schine Hall, by organizing a sit-in at Cortright Hall, much as they had done during the building of Bruel and Rennell halls.

This did not stop or delay construction, and it was eventually completed in February 1971.

The building was dedicated in honor of Schine a year later.

The building was originally designed as a co-educational hall, housing both upperclassmen and graduate students.

It was designed to house 500 students, and

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it featured game rooms, student lounges, and a private rooftop.

George Estrada, Vice President of Facilities, said the building design was different from other dormitories on the campus at the time, in that a typical floor featured three separate wings for students.

“The construction of that building is what they called pods,” he said. “There are three pods that can operate independently from one another.”

During the building’s 21 years, it was considered an active place on campus. Mark Gereb, an ’85 graduate of UB, said he lived in Schine Hall for three years and loved it.

“It was quite a place in those days,” Gereb said via a Facebook message. “In 83-84, it was a well-known place for fire alarms at all times.”

Gereb said he acted as a president of the dormitory in his senior year, and ran a snack bar in the basement of Schine Hall, called Isaac’s Place.

The university ran into many troubles in the late 1980s which led to a radical drop in enroll-

Schine Hall || Photo courtesy of Roseborn Cudjoe

ment. According to a December 24, 1991 article from the New York Times, enrollment had dropped from 9,100 students in 1969 to 3,800 students for the 1991 fall semester, including only 1,300 fulltime undergraduates.

Estrada said it forced the university to make many tough decisions.

“One of those decisions was to close both the Arnold Bernhard Center and Schine [Hall],” he said.

The Arnold Bernhard Center was reopened several years later, because of it served important academic functions.

Schine Hall was not seen as important, because at the time, the university had many other residential halls: Warner (now the Health Sciences Center) Hall, Cooper Hall, Chaffee Hall, North and South Halls, Bodine Hall, and Barnum and Seeley Halls.

Estrada said that they hope to begin planning for Schine Hall’s reactivation within the next five years, provided enrollment increases enough to create the need for more housing. The renovation would cost around $25 million, far more than renovations to Cooper and Chaffee Hall, in part because of the building’s size.

He also said that the plan is to bring it back as a student dormitory, but in the model of suite-style apartments, which would feature three to four bedrooms around a living area, private bathrooms, and a small kitchen area in each apartment.

Estrada believes Schine Hall represents a symbol of opportunity to come for the university.

“That building will be the legacy of incredible growth the university has undertaken in the last 10 years,” he said.

Gereb hopes the dormitory will be reopened soon.

“I would love to see my old home,” he said.

KNIGHT LIFE

October 2011

Gospel Café Night

An event that displayed talents of all kinds unto the Lord

MCKENZIE PARENT Staff Writer On November 3, kids, parents and UB students filled the Private Dining Room in the Student Center. What was happening was the Gospel Café, hosted by the UB Gospel Choir.

There were a lot of acts consisting of dancing, rapping, singing and poetry reading. The Private Dining room was decorated with dim lighting and lush colors that induceda calm, relaxing atmosphere.

Also, the servers were very professional and the performers made Gospel Café an unforgettable night.

Cece Geter, the event’s host, opened the evening, speaking eloquently and with a soothing tone that made sitting through the program easy. She was very polite and she made sure everything went smoothly. Every performance was great; there were performances by the UB Praise Team, UB Gospel Choir, Chris Singleton, Jasmine Liz, Kontrell, Tim Law, Cory, Khori, Crasea Jenin, Shawn Terrell, Bishop J.C. White and Michael Jean. The audience was accepting to every message that was being presented by each performer. For example, Kontrall, a singer, had everybody standing and clapping to his

Gospel Caf'e || Photos courtesy of Rachelle Jeanty

song and Tim Law had most of the audience singing the song “Brighter Day,” by Kirk Franklin along with him.

The event was so good that when it was over the drummers, guitarist and pianist kept playing which caused some people from the audience to dance and praise the Lord. Chris Singleton, one of the performers, made the crowd smile

and clap when he used “There Goes My Baby” by Usher and turned it into “There Goes my Chicken.”

Apart of the song went, “there goes my chicken; you smell so good, mouth waters just looking at you…” It was a nice rendition by Singleton. Not only the singing was good, but so was the rapping.

For instance, the crowd liked Christopher Woods rap songs so much that they were standing and putting their hands in the air. Another performance that was an eye catcher was Khori’s dancing. Her skilled and diligent dancing left the audience speechless.

All of these performances paired with the great atmosphere proved to be one of the greatest event held on the UB Campus. Let’s just say, the audience did not waste their money or time coming to the Gospel Café.

Organization of the Week KAITLIN O’CONNELL Staff Writer VFW Stands for- Veterans of Foreign Wars Established- May 28th 1936 by the United States Congress About VFW- The organization has been an instrumental voice in establishing the GI bill for the 20th century, as well as advocators that fight for the compensation for Vietnam veterans that were exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans that have since been diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. In 2008 the VFW won a long battle to pass the GI Bill of the 21st century, which was passed. It has also became the first veterans

organization to contribute to building the new Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, which opened in November 2010.

Why it’s important- Since the VFW consists of 2.1 million members and contributes over 11 million hours of volunteerism in the community. They participate in National Volunteer Week and Make A Difference Day. They also provide $2.5 million in college scholarships and saving bonds for students every year.

For More Information- Visit VFW.org

Photo Courtesy of VFW.org

For more information on scholarships please visit vfw.org/community/programs

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KNIGHT LIFE

November 2011

Date A Greek Auction

An Event hosted by Chi Upsilon Sigma & Lambda Sigma Upsilon

DEVIKA HUDSON Staff Writer On November 3, six Greek members were auctioned off to the students of UB and open public of any nearby colleges. Jesus Adams Martinez and Alex Loki Fabian (Lambda Sigma Upsilon Inc.), Fleur Achiepo and Arianna Horner (Sigma Gamma Rho Inc.), Yesinia Dessis (Chi Upsilon Sigma Inc.) and Taylor Dressman (Omega Psi Phi Inc.) represented each sorority/ fraternity in efforts of raising money towards both organizations.

Almost a twist from the regular Ice Cream Parlor event, Date A Greek was more in efforts to help contribute to Chi Upsilon Sigma Inc. I have A Dream foundation and Lambda Sigma

Upsilon donation to the AIDS organization.

Located in the Student Center and hosted

by Flor Montero (Chi Upsilon Sigma Inc.) and Rene De Leo (Lambda Sigma Upsilon Inc.). “ Since Greek life is growing so much, CUS and LSU came together to host an auction that consist of members from the organizations on and off campus,” Flor Montero said for reasoning of event.

Each starting bid began at five dollars, without a specific limit. The highest three bidders won the chance to take their Greek member on a date to Applebees.

Arianna Horner was the highest individual

auction off, bought by Junior Daemion Evans for fifty dollars.

“It was a great turnout, being allowed to bid for not only a good cause, but also creating a memory as freshman with your friends,” Jovanna Romero said after bidding on Taylor Dressman for thirty dollars.

The event ended with each sorority and fraternity presenting their creativity of strolling, as a form of celebrating their proudness of being a part of such a distinctive bond amongst each other.

The Value of Marriage: Then and Now DENISE GOTAY Entertainment Editor Over the past decades, the view of marriage has been sifting. With a high divorce rate, instead of “death to us part” more newlyweds figure if the marriage can’t last, the answer to their dilemma is a divorce. It is true that marriages in the 1950s lasted a lot longer, but back then divorces were considered a taboo subject.

The 1950s The motives behind marriages of the 1950s consists of the fact that people were expected to start off their lives right after High School.

The roles of the husband and wife were simply generic – the husband, being the bread winner of the family, was expected to work and financially support the family while the wife had the stay at home duties of taking care of the children along with cleaning and cooking. Typically, it

was custom for girls as young as 19 and boys as young as 21 to get married.

Back then, the divorce rates were 23 percent. Of course that did not mean all marriages in the 50s were happy. People in the 1940s and 1950s believed that divorces were regarded as

Marriage rings || Photo courtesy of marriageafterinfidelity.net

a deviant behavior and a public acknowledgement of failure.

The Present In today’s marriage, both spouses have to work in order to financially support their family.

The average age for people to get married are as young as 27 for men and as young as 25 for women. The motives of marriage have changed since most parents do expect their children to go to college right after high school rather than marry.

The divorce rate is 50 percent which causes some people to wonder if today’s society takes marriage seriously. Along with a high divorce rate, there has been a growth of single parent families as well, since the society’s views on divorce aren’t as strict with it as before.

Message from a UB Student

Collecting donations for a grieving mother and family

Kyle Jean Baptiste was a local second grader at New Beginnings Family Academy in Bridgeport, CT. Kyle's home caught fire on October 25th and resulted in his sad and untimely death. Now, his mother is struggling to start over in not only finding a new home but also replacing the things that were stolen from her home, after it was temporarily vacated as she grieved her son.

Donations are being taken on behalf of his mother and his family in order to help life the financial burden of not only a funeral but of paying for a new home as well. If anyone would like to donate to help support the family, please email me at shamaarb@bridgeport.edu. Any kind of donation is welcomed. If you can not give monetarily, a simple card, note, letter, etc would still be greatly be appreciated by the family during this difficult time.

ALL DONATIONS ARE WELCOMED!!! Please help me help them.

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KNIGHT LIFE

November 2011

Spotlight on... Kenisha Dennis RASHADA COTON Staff Writer Kenisha Dennis is currently a junior at the University of Bridgeport and is a Mass Communication Major with a concentration in Public Relations and minors in Human Services and Counseling. She is involved in many programs on and off campus. She is a leader, a team player and a role model for young women and wants to be successful, working hard to be all that she can be.

So what makes Kenisha Dennis unique?

Dennis said that her mother has been an influential leader in her life and set a huge example for her.

“I enjoyed being set apart from most females.

Being able to hold my own academically, personally and emotionally is something that most young ladies my age struggle with, and it’s a blessing to be set apart from the crowd,” Dennis said. “Being different meant a lot to me; it felt powerful and certain respect people had for me, and the respect I had for myself felt amazing.

Dennis admits to having her “goofy side” which consists of being a crafty, dancer, actress, songwriter, hairstylist, a woman of many trades and being able to “whip up a few meals.”

“I have a way with words not only on paper, but my charismatic and sassy personality. I’m uniquely created inside and out thanks to the guy above!” Dennis said.

She said that she views herself as a leader because “a leader has to also know how to be a great follower.”

Dennis participates in several organizations on and off campus. She is the current Vice President of The Beta Iota Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., an intern for INROADS, a nonprofit organization for college students, Liturgical Saints Dance Ministry at Presbyterian

Church of St. Albans, and Youth Leader and Reside on the Usher Board and Deacon Board at The Presbyterian Church of St. Albans. These positions allow her to set a good example for people everywhere, including students she may interact with on campus.

“Women in my family are strong and dominant in their workforce. Being able to reach the UB campus mentally through thought provoking programs brought to you by Beta Iota chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., I would say I am a leader.” “Being gracious and paying homage for those that laid the platform, I am forever grateful,” she said.

Having passion and drive, one day Dennis’ dream job is to be an influential role model, overall development so they can have what she had growing up: positive and influential role models guiding them throughout their life, mainly for inner city youth.

Dennis has a message to all the young girls who are ambitious and struggling.

“Definitely say put God first; the rest will come. Don’t be in a rush; enjoy the process before you can seek reward. The journey is tough, but at the end of the tunnel it’s such a greater light. Follow your heart and don’t let anyone tell you, you can’t.

Stay humble because there is something so much greater and bigger than us,” Dennis said. “Overall stay focused; be patient, do what you love and it’s okay to fail. It’s God’s way of making you confront your challenges and channeling it into growth. Be blessed.”

Junior Kensiha Dennis || Photo courtesy of Alexy Thornton

Love reading? Write poetry? Enjoy Literature on a whole? Join the UB Lit Club!

Meetings are every 1st and 3rd Mondays in Dana Hall 236 at 12:30. Be sure to join UB Lit Club on Facebook.

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Fashion New York Fashion Week finds new home SHANIQUA KING Fashion Editor

The fashion world was stunned by the news that New York Fashion will be moving to a new location. After two years at its current location, Lincoln Center, New York Fashion Week (NYFW) will potentially move to a new location by mid 2015. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on November 1 at a press conference that NYFW will move to its new location at the Hudson Yard called the “Cultural Shed.” It will be located on 26 acres on the West Side of Manhattan.

Bloomberg stated to WWD (Women’s Wear Daily) that the current home of NYFW has outgrown its current space. “Fashion Week has grown so much. It’s outgrown Lincoln Center already. It certainly outgrew Bryant Park a long time ago. The fashion industry is part of our diversification plan…It’s an enormous industry that creates a lot of jobs….We need to make sure that we have the venues for these kinds of events and the Cultural Shed is one of those buildings that would be built to be able to handle that along with other events.”

The plan was originally developed to move

Fashion Week to Hudson Yard in 2006 by chief executive officer Steve Kolb and fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg (who is the president) of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America).

The estimated $15 billion project will not only be the home of NYFW, but it will create an art center for fashion, retail and the arts. It will house office building space, a 150-room hotel and 14 acres of public space according to WWD. There is potential that it will hold future theater performances, traveling exhibitions and community events according to the Wall Street Journal online website. Coach is the first retailer is sign to the new developed site. The site will create a 51 story 600,000 square feet building. Coach Headquarters will hold 1600 of their employees in one central location. There have been several rumors buzzing that the high end retail store

Fashion week at Lincoln Center || Photo courtesy of chanceplus1.com

Nordstrom will be opening their first retail store at the Hudson Yard.

The beginning stages of the project is said to begin in 2013. The future of Fashion Week will be a new and exciting experience for many fashion enthusiasts alike as the development continues as NYFW moves to the Hudson Yard.

No Matter Where You Go – Get There in a Blazer CASSIE TUCKER Opinion Editor/Columnist

I will be the first to tell you that it is not my favorite time of year. As the weather gets colder, my mood steadily decreases [I don’t have good cold tolerance!] and I hate having to organize layers in my closet. Most of the time I just throw on a hoodie or loose-fitted cardigan and call it a day but sometimes I want to look like I actually tried to dress myself fashionably in the morning, and the blazer really picks up the slack. Not only does the blazer keep you warm as an excellent layering piece, but it also serves as one of the most versatile items of clothing you could buy.

The blazer can be found in a variety of colors and fabrics, which mirrors the amount of occasions it is appropriate to be worn in! A grey blazer can be paired with casual work pants for business casual attire. A black blazer can be

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paired with a short skirt and a dressy blouse for a girl’s night out or dancing the night away at the club. Dress scholarly with a blazer, by wearing a v-neck underneath and a pair of your favorite jeans.

The blazer doesn’t even stop there [it’s the wardrobe piece that keeps on going and going]!

The blazer can be dressed up or dressed down; it is up to you to pair it with your individual style and dress code preferences. It is without saying that the blazer can be worn by a vast array of women – from the office executive to the college student – it’s the universal piece of clothing in the language of fashion. It’s all up to you how you want to wear it, and it’s a great way to look stylish without spending your life savings.

[Believe me, as a college student, I know how important it is to save money while still looking

Girl in blazer || Photo courtesy of thechicfashionsta

good].

So what to wear for the fashionista on a budget? The blazer will get you where you need to go. Any objections? I didn’t think so.

FASHION

November 2011

DEVIKA HUDSON Staff Writer As a woman, we have become so used to guys dressing the same, with the constant baggy pants, oversized t-shirts and latest pairs of sneakers, that when one guy does not dress similar we want to know why. Are they a fashion major? Do they purposely not want to dress like everyone else?

We questioned where their style came about and why they dress specifically different from a majority of guys. Our trendsetter this week, specifically stands out amongst the crowd with his outfit choices, by creating his distinctive style of male options.

Name: Timothy McClure Year: Sophomore Major: Graphic Design Hometown: West Haven, Connecticut Heritage: African- American What is your inspiration when shopping for new clothes?

I try to find clothing that is specifically different and out of the ordinary.

It might not necessarily go together to the public eye, but I try to mix and match textures and patterns that I find interesting.

Do you go for the latest trends or try to create your own?

I never try to go for the latest trends, but focus more on creating my own.

To me, certain colors look good together, but not to others. It is just a way of making outfits more personal for myself.

What is one piece of clothing that you feel you cannot go without wearing everyday?

Well, it isn’t a piece of clothing, but a certain accessory that I fell in love with. Once I saw Maxwell sporting the ring, I had to get it. It is a threefinger ring that is metal. I have to either wear that everyday or the other gold one similar to it. It is just something I cannot go without.

Does the trends of fellow UB students influence your type of dressing at all?

The trends of the fellow UB students do not have any type of effect on my type of style, except the people that come from New York City. Their style is usually different than what I am used to back at home, so I begin to feed off some of their styles, but not everything. I pick and choose the things that I like about New York style of dressing.

What is your favorite place to shop?

My favorite place to shop is Forever 21-Men, because it offers reasonable priced clothing and provide plenty of the vintage materials, that other stores lacks at.

What is a basic outfit that you can wear as an everyday outfit?

An everyday outfit for me would be a jean button up, matched with a gray hoodie, harem pants, and green polka dot Doc Martin boots. By wearing this, I feel my most casual.

The winner of The Scribe's Fashion Contest

Timothy McClure is wearing a H&M green v-neck, a blazer from FOREVER21MEN, pants and belt from URBANOUTFITTERS, leather boots from KOHLS, and hat from MACYS. || Photos courtesy of Roseborn Cudjoe

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FASHION

November 2011

D.I.Y.

T-shirt Scarf or Necklace

KAITLIN O’CONNELL Staff Writer Materials: T-shirt (preferably soft cotton so it is easy to stretch, and try to make it a large or XL t shirt); Scissors (any kind); A ruler (optional).

Step 1- Lay shirt on a flat surface and begin to cut at the armpit of the shirt and continue to cut until the top half of the shirt is separated from the bottom. Then, cut the hem of the shirt from off the bottom as well.

Step 2- Now cut the body of the shirt horizontally, you can use a ruler or not if you wish, I did

so here, hut you can eye it as well.

Step 3- Once all of the strips are cut, pull the fabric to make the strips as long as you want them.

Step 4- Stack the loops on top of one another so that the seams are in the same spot. Make sure to leave out one or two loops for step 5.

Step 5- Now take one of the loops that you put aside and wrap it around of the seams so that it no longer shows VIOLA! You now have a new and trendy necklace or scarf (depending on the thickness and length). Don’t worry if this takes a few tries to get right. If you want you can also add beads or even braid a section of the loops to make it even more unique!

GOOD LUCK! And get creative!

HUNKACROMBIE AND PINCH Sponsered by The Scribe Advertise with us! Send to: ScribeAds@gmail.com Classifieds ScribeClassy@gmail.com

Photoed Dan Walsh || Photos Credit Jorge Rodriges Editied by Cam Jones

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Express Your Scribe Imminent One You are independent and strong. Beautiful.

But not by the measures of the men that have the word at the tip of their tongue.

But by the measure of the maker and possibly by the men who have it tucked away And only use it on certain occasions for certain worthy women.

But most assuredly by the measures of the reflection who stares back And asks why don’t they see my worth?

Worthless are the empty words that are thrown at me in attempt to somehow Swoon me into their bedroom.

I dodge them But one hits me. It may be empty but it’s heavy.

And it hurt. Lies aren’t lightweight and wait, why don’t they see my worth?

Call me Queen not “Queenie”. And you be a king And one day our love will sing.

Respect me because I am a daughter, I am a granddaughter, I am a sister, I am a niece, I’ll be an aunt, and one day I’ll be a mother.

Respect me because I respect myself.

And even on the days that you don’t I still will.

Sydney Brown Scribe Poet

College Party life “Man-Kind” Don't trust a man by his words, but by his actions Judge not his actions, but by his accomplishments Their greatest success comes from their greatest failure It was written in the book of life that they too should be forgiven Trust not the words in his head, but the ones in his heart What a man is capable of doing has no limits, but the materials that he bring forth to build The message is self proclaimed, man would have to fight or die and is only when he dies, sometimes his true works be reveal In museums or monument that are seen and known today People will remember them by their determination to inspired And when their families and friends go to say their good byes They all show respect and honor to the once hard working man Chantal McKenzie Contributing Poet

Need a stress reliever, Homework have become a home wrecker; Our mind is about to blow, The rhythm of our swagger is losing its flow; Last day of the week, “hmmm” what do I seek?

So dark outside but party rooms is opening there lights, Boys fresh, girls dressing right cause it’s a party night; Party so hard but dancing at your best, So many movements going on, do you really want a contest?

Eleven o’clock, twelve o’clock, one ‘clock, girls still dancing hardcore, Boys say, “Pon de floor, any weh, pon de floor, any weh pone de floor…”

No teachers, no grades, just let the party fade, Can’t stop the D.J. unless you want a raid; Having a time of your life, I just call it a college party life.

McKenzie Parent Staff Writer

To read more poetry or to submit your own creative works, visit our website at www.TheScribeOnline.com!

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Entertainment Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries: New kids on the Divorce Block DENISE GOTAY & SHANICE DRAKES Entertainment Editor & Staff Writer After spending twelve million dollars on a wedding, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries are officially on the never-ending growing list of celebrity divorces. These newly divorcees are the new kids on the divorce block, lasting only 72 days. Here are other celebrity marriages that fell short of their wedding bliss.

10. Nicky Hilton & Todd Meister – 3 months 9. Nicolas Cage & Lisa Marie Presley – 3 months

8. Ernest Borgnine & Ethel merman – 1 month 7. Drew Barrymore & Jeremy Thomas – 1 month 6. Eddie Murphy & Tracey Edmonds – 2 weeks 5. Ali Landry & Mario Lopez – 2 weeks 4. Dennis Rodman & Carmen Electra – 9 days 3. Dennis Hopper & Michelle Phillips – 8 days 2. Britney Spears & Jason Alexander – 55 hours 1. Zsa Zsa Gabor & Felipe de Alba – 24 hours

The Bijou Theatre: Bringing it back to Life

Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian || Photo courtesy of starcelebritys.com

DENISE GOTAY Entertainment Editor After being vacant for over 15 years, The Bijou Theatre has finally opened its doors back to the Bridgeport community.

Located in 227 Fairfield Ave, this 102 year old Theatre had been empty for unknown reasons by the previous owner of the building.

Lynn Julian, Christine Brown, and Kathy Reynolds, the theatre’s new owners, wanted to bring the past back to life by bringing the theater’s energy to Bridgeport.

By breathing life into the theatre, Julian wants people to “feel part of something bigger”

and to make “enlighten, engage, creative conversations.”

“This city of Bridgeport is on the verge of human evolution,” said Julian.

The theatre will not only show case independent films and cultural art performances but also a lively convention of film, theatre, art, comedy and music.

The house can seat up to 202, (94 stadium sand 108 cabarets). The stage itself is equipped with lights and sound system. The theatre has an old fashioned concession stand and will feature

a full dinner service at the cabaret tables in the near future.

Julian, Brown and Reynolds are also interested in collaborating with University of Bridgeport to arranged UB events to enrich students.

Student discount movie tickets are eight dollars and the owners want the university community to be involved with the theatre.

Being the United State’s oldest still operating movie theatres, Julian, Brown and Reynolds promises theatre goers will be entertained as soon as they walk through the doors.

Celebrity News: Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber COLTON YOUNG & DESTINY DEJESUS Staff Writers Rihanna Taking Over Rihanna becomes the seventh artist in history to bank 11 number 1 hits with “We Found Love.” The only women who have more Number Ones are Mariah Carey, the Supremes, and Madonna. Rihanna is currently tied with Whitney Houston.

However, Rihanna makes history, by doing so in the shortest period of time. Chronologically, Rihanna’s number ones are : SOS, Umbrella, Take a Bow, Disturbia, Live your Life, Rude Boy, Love the Way You Lie, Only Girl (in the World), Whats my Name, S&M and We Found Love.

“The Marriage Counselor,” which is considerably ironic, since she filed for divorced 72 days after her wedding!

However, before she films for the Perry film in Atlanta, GA, she is spending time in Australia for the Kardashian collection, which may be just what she needs.

Apparently, soon to be ex-husband Kris Humphries was blindsided by the news, because he wanted to work on the marriage, while Kim decided to call it quits.

All of Kim’s siblings are being extremely supportive of her, Khloe saying, “Kim, we love you more than anything.”

Million Dollar Wedding Down the Drain!

According to PopSugarRush, Kim Kardashian will soon be in a Tyler Perry film called

Justin Bieber, the “Baby Daddy”?

Aside from Bieber promoting his new Christmas-themed album, he was recently hit

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with accusations from a 20 year old woman, claiming she had Bieber’s baby in July.

According to Star magazine, Mariah Yeater, claimed a paternity suit filed Monday in L.A..

Yeater claimed that at a concert in October, she and Bieber had sexual relations where he lost his virginity and impregnated her.

The only solution to this controversy is a paternity test. If Bieber agrees to take part, this 3 month old child will be of no inconvenience to him and his career.

"So I’m going to ignore the rumors ... and focus on what is real; an opportunity to help by doing what I love. Judge me on the music! Love yall!" states Bieber on Twitter.

ENTERTAINMENT

November 2011

Movie review: “A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas” JOSHUA RYAN Sports Editor There are some movies that change your life. Others will be so memorable and wonderful that they’ll stay with you for the rest of your life.

A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas is NOT one of those movies. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth watching.

The third movie in the Harold and Kumar series, this one obviously deals with the holidays. Harold is preparing to host his wife Maria’s family over for Christmas, while his friend Kumar is living in a dump of an apartment, having been recently dumped by his girlfriend, Vanessa, for being irresponsible and caring more about pot than her.

Things really begin when Kumar receives a package for Harold, and he has to deliver it to his house. Quickly, things turn to chaos, and it rolls from there.

The film features appearances from Thomas Lennon (Reno 911) as Harold’s new friend,

Amir Blumenfeld (CollegeHumor) as Kumar’s new friend, and Danny Trejo as Maria’s belligerent father.

I enjoyed the movie, but not as much as the previous two Harold and Kumar movies. The jokes were somewhat less funny, a little grosser.

Something else that didn’t work in its favor was the use of 3D, as implied in the title. The 3D seem contrived, was annoying to watch, and took away from the film as a whole.

Still, the film did feature plenty of highlights, including the return of Neil Patrick Harris, somehow surviving the events of the second film, and a waffle-making robot called WaffleBot. I can’t say this is a great film, but if you’re looking for a decent comedy, you could do worse.

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas Photo courtesy of Moviepostershop.com

2.5 out of 5 stars

The Scribe wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving What grinds my gears…about Teachers Compiled by Denise Gotay

“They give too much homework. More homework than usual.” – Taylor Stevens, Senior

When it comes to college, it’s bad enough students have to stress over mid-terms and finals.

It’s even worse when students have to stress over their professors. Read on to see what these students had to say about their professors.

“When professors treat college students like they’re still in high school without college privileges.” – Colton Young, Junior “Slides instead of real teaching.” – Rachelle Jeanty, Freshman

“When they act like you don’t have other classes.” – Shanice Drakes, Sophomore “When they don’t thoroughly explain the procedures.” – Cheyenne Owen, Sophomore

Peter Griffin from “Family Guy” Photo courtesy of Fox.com

Want more of "What Grinds My Gears"?

Visit www.TheScribeOnline.com to see the rest of the quotes and leave comments!

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inReview

Drake drops his second studio album “Take Care” JORDON WARMINGTON Staff Writer Just as Drake promised, after a yearlong break he has dropped his second studio album, titled “Take Care” on November 15. The Canadian actor turned rapper and now singer has gained even more popularity since his debut album “Thank Me Later” came out, releasing a handful of tracks beforehand building a major buzz.

Although the album is very dark and takes some deep turns into an extremely emotional and heartbroken Drake, he still manages to show off his cool soulful side. The album features Rick Ross, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Lil’ Wayne, The Weeknd, Andre 3000 and the legendary Stevie Wonder.

The Weeknd, an up and coming Canadian singer that Drake has taken a huge liking to, is featured more than anyone on the album doing either background vocals or actually singing on the records. Stevie Wonder has no vocals on the album but he does bring out his harmonica, an instrument that he is known quite well for.

Two singles that became very popular over the summer were “Headlines,” the album’s first single and “Marvin’s Room,” the summer smash. Unlike the version that was released in the summer “Marvin’s Room” does not end reg-

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Drake's brand new album "Take Care" || Photo courtesy of Nois3.co

ularly. It adds a secret interlude featuring up and coming rapper Kendrick Lamar, who is going on tour with Drake in 2012. On his song “Doing It Wrong” he touches on the topic of this generation not truly understanding what love is about.

"We live in a generation of not being in love, and not being together/But we sure make it feel

like we're together, cause we're scared to see each other with somebody else."

The album’s production is flawless. Noah “40” Shebib, Drake’s close friend and main producer shows off his skills and amazing talents on almost all of the tracks on the album.

T-Minus, a very soul filled producer, known for hit songs such as “Moment 4 Life” by Nicki Minaj produced four songs on the album. Just Blaze, the legendary producer known for his work with Roc-a-Fella records, produced the track “Lord Knows” featuring Rick Ross. The song starts off with a sample and then turns into a mind-blowing flamboyant instrumental. In an interview with stereogum.com, Drake says “It was so amazing because it was a gospel sample and the gospel group didn’t want to clear the sample, so we had a choir come in and re-sing the music.”

Many rappers’ sophomore albums usually make or break their careers, “Take Care” shows that Drake isn’t paying any attention to that.

While there is more singing than rapping on the album, Drake proves that his skills aren’t going anywhere. Even though people will continue talking down him, Drake will still rise up and succeed.

inREVIEW

November 2011

Childish Gambino strongly delivers JORDON WARMINGTON Staff Writer Some may know of Donald Glover, former writer for NBC comedy “30 Rock” and star of the popular television show “Community” on NBC. Some may know him by his alias rapper, singer and songwriter, Childish Gambino. His rapping skills have recently landed a record deal with, an independent label, Glassnote Records, in which he dropped his most recent album, “CAMP” on November 15th. Although this will be his debut album to many people he previously released three studio albums and many EPs, making this technically his fourth album.

“CAMP” is many things, fusing rap into just about every genre, showing more versatility than many of the rappers out. The album is mainly about Glover’s story growing up and the difficulties he had reaching his success.

“Everyone hated me, I’m more Hip-Hop than you’ll ever be,” he raps on his track “Sunrise” showing how his status, place and relationship in Hip Hop. One of Glover’s issues that he raps about in

his albums is the fact that he got bullied as a child. Even though he is an African American, others of the same race picked on him because he spoke properly or dressed in a certain way, an issue within the African-American community that many children growing up now are dealing with. He advocates against bullying and tells everyone to be who they want to be and do not let anyone try to change them.

There are no features on Childish Gambino’s album, an extremely rare case for many new artists in the current music scene. The lead single for his album, “Bonfire” is a very unique sounding track, very reminiscent to the lead single of his latest EP “Freaks and Geeks.”

On the track “You See Me,” Childish Gambino Gambino puts his rapping skills hiphopfiend.org to the test in a lyrical minefield

showing how amazing he truly is. One of the many things Glover enjoys talking about is Tumblr, the micro blogging site in which you can post texts, pictures, quotes, audio and more.

Although the album is mainly about his downfalls, it is very uplifting. In a world filled with barely any real instruments used in music anymore Donald Glover and his production team bring that essence back. Many celebrities attempt to crossover from acting to music or from music to acting and are very unsuccessful. Not only has Childish Gambino managed to crossover but he has put out one of the strongest and || Photo courtesy of best debut albums in a very long time.

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” doesn’t bring spark gamers wish to see HARI SINGH Staff Writer

After coming out with a very successful game, Infinity Ward has once again produced an amazing game, “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.” Starting exactly where “Modern Warfare 2” left off, “Modern Warfare 3” goes to India where the two main characters Soap, who is on the verge of dying, and Captain Price that are trying to uncover and kill a Russian terrorist named Vladimir Makarov and both protagonist are blacklisted as terrorists in the United States.

The story not only takes place in India, it gives players an idea of what is happening during this World War 3 scenario all over the world from New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Russia, Africa, and the Himalayas. You play as other squads all over the world, mainly because the game wants to gives video gamers an idea of what’s happening, instead of being focused about Soap and Price.

Instead of just being focused of the campaign itself, there are many other modes in Modern Warfare 3. Special Ops being one of them puts you on any map of your choosing and

fight for your live as waves of enemies attack.

Being placed in the map there are benefits along the way that give players crates filled with weapons, equipment, perks, and air support.

Then there's multiplayer, where gamers from all over the world compete to level up in ranks to get better perks, weapons, and equipment. The improved graphics in this game can compare to “Gears of War 3” as the level of detail is just stupendous.

However, the overall package really did not bring the spark that gamers wanted to really see.

The gameplay is the same in the Modern Warfare games, nothing is added in the engine itself.

It feels like a continual play of Modern Warfare 2.5. The game also comes with a subscription fee when gamers join Call of Duty Elite, which basically is a “perk” for those that purchase it. It gives gamers the ability to make clans, meet new people, look at maps in multiplayer

to see what hotspots players choose to go to, see yours or other players’ video gameplay and post it up on YouTube. The two things that players will get frustrated about is fact that there's a $60 fee for the subscription, and players that don't pay for the subscription won't get the extra value that the hardcore players paid for.

Players who love the Modern Warfare series will still find a satisfying ending to the game.

It's just the fact that the creators could have done something with the gameplay and Call Of Duty Elite. The gameplay is the same, they could have added something with melee combat with some quick time events. The Call of Duty Elite subscription could of added more than what they put, they could of added a deal that if gamers pay for the fee, players can get a discount on the next map packs.

Gameplay: 7.5 Graphics: 9 Campaign: 8.5 Overall: 7.5

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” || Courtesy of digitaltrends.com

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Opinion Friend or Foe? Some Friends Just Need a Serious Attitude Adjustment!

BY COLTON YOUNG & CASSIE TUCKER

HE SAID Everyone has friends that are not so perfect. Do you have that one friend whose attitude needs a little adjustment? I know I do. Fortunately with age and experience, you learn in life to deal with these problems.

I have a friend who always has something negative to say. No matter the subject, this person is not positive. She points out your flaws and does not always offer constructive criticism.

What it takes to end this type of relationship is to slowly remove yourself from that person because you do not want to let that negativity rub off on you. And no one needs extra negativity in their life.

Do you have a friend who is happy one minute and the next minute they are in a bad mood and continuously alternating? I have had those friends as well and there is nothing more annoying! Thank goodness none of my current friends are like that!

Once, a friend of mine was showing the symptoms of bipolarity. She would be in a very enthusiastic mood one day, then they next time I saw her she had a melancholy, dismal attitude. It turns out she was addicted to marijuana (which would explain the cheerful moods), and was expelled from school because she was caught!

Friends like this will eventually eliminate themselves, almost always. To prevent future conflict, if you have anyone that you truly care about, confront and consult the person about their personality “problem.”

I know that sounds a little harsh, but no one

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on Earth is perfect so take your time to go to your friend as a “true friend.” Say to that friend, “I would like to talk to you as a concerned friend because I love you. You have been very moody lately, and I was wondering if you would like to talk about any problems that you’re having that I don’t already know about. And if you do not care to talk, then you know I am available!”

I know it sounds corny, but it really helps.

Say this genuinely and with a positive attitude.

Mark my words: either the person will change or leave your friendship, which is a win for you either way.

By letting the friend know, he/she will actually understand that they are disturbing their friendships with their negativity and make a conscious change. You will know that if the person does not care to make any adjustments, then he/she does not care about you as a friend and maybe you guys shouldn’t be friends.

Maybe if I would have talked to my marijuana addict ex-friend, she would have changed and not gotten expelled from school.

SHE SAID I can be the first to say we all have our “off” days. The days when my bad mood strikes is usually when I avoid speaking or interacting with other people as much as I can, because I know I can (and will) take out my anger and frustration on anyone who steps in my general

direction. I guess you could say the fact that I avoid confrontation constitutes me as a good friend, since I know how to pick my battles and avoid rubbing my friends the wrong way (no one likes a Debbie Downer)! I have to admit, maybe some friends of mine should consider following my lead! We all have experienced it before: the friend who has the most unpredictable mood swings (consider it a bi-polar friendship). She is set off by the littlest of occurrences, and you never know what will make her mad or upset.

She is either at an all-time high or all-time low (never in between!), and she will take out her bad mood on the closest people to her (ahem, her friends)! You’ve gotten yourself into quite the sticky friendship situation, and it’s time to break the cycle!

It is more about focusing on your attitude rather than dwelling on your unstable friend (stay with me here). If you attempt to (for lack of a better phrase) be the bigger person in the situation and ignore your friend when she initiates confrontation, it may cause your friend to change her ways. No one likes to be ignored, especially a friend who needs someone to complain to! If you simply ignore the behavior it is bound to go away, and if she doesn’t take the hint that her unsteady personality changes are considered a friendship foul then you don’t have much of a friendly understanding do you? I suggest just burying the hatchet if she doesn’t learn to show you respect as a friend. Friendship is all about respect, and if you don’t have any respect you don’t have much of anything.

OPINION

November 2011

What Are You Waiting For?

Every day I have a friend who comes to me in confidence, hoping to get some really good advice. One, I think what really grinds my gears is that no matter how much you tell a person a great way out or a logical answer to their situation, none of my friends take my advice. Then the problem gets worst and they say, "I wish I would've listen to you Mali." What can I say but that I told you so! My question is what are you waiting for? If you want a change why wait?

There are plenty of things in my life that are not perfect; I'm away from my son most of the year because he lives in Boston; I don't get along with his mom; I don't have a real job; I'm 24 and I'm still in undergrad; I feel alone. It gets hard knowing who is really around to be a friend or just a spectator. Do you know what I say? I say so what! I'm working hard to be a better man.

It’s all about having a plan. Life has never

been easy and I know I don't want to go back to the dark place where I used to be. So throughout the last 3 years I had to see how I can make my negative to a positive. I had to understand that I’m not a bad dad just because I’m in school trying to get education to better support my son; I don't have to be best friends with my co-parent but I have to be a man and support her because she is raising my son and doing the best that she can without the help of my presence (my money doesn't count), and as for my friends and loneliness I have to remember that I’m blessed because once all of the extra people in my life faded away I have been able to work harder and focus on my goals for the future. I want to encourage you all as my readers to stop waiting on the right answer or the right time, and take the incentive to change your situation, because at the end of the day all you have is you!

Spiritual Teachings for Everyday Life Strength

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:31

Quotes from the Bible – Christianity

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” – Philippians 4:13

“The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.” – Exodus 15:1-3

Psalms 130:7 “O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.”

Peace and Bowties Preacher Dude, Malakhi RL Eason

RACHELLE JEANTY Columnist / Photographer

After midterms, good or negative, we all need to remember there is still much work to do in such little time; we all need the strength to finish strong.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

Listen y’all: I love y’all so much, and remember when you’re reading my column keep on your mature hates because I revealed my heart to you, and I trust that you will spread the love that I have for you throughout campus. I LOVE Y’ALL, and even if I don't know you I love you with the love of GOD.

Quotes from the Qu’ran – Islam “…like that which you did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord ! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness” – Surat Al-Baqarah 2:286 “…Allah will Establish in strength those who believe, with the word that stands firm, in this world.” – Surat ‘Ibrahim 14:27

“Allah is the one who created you from weakness, then made after weakness strength, then made after strength weakness and white hair.

He creates what He wills, and He is knowing, the Competent. – SuratAr-Rum 30:54 Miscellaneous (Courtesy of thinkexist.com) “Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength.” – Anonymous “If God sends us on strong paths, we are provided strong shoes.” – CorrieTenBoom “when I dare to be powerful- to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid” – AudreLorde

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OPINION

November 2011

Looking for advice? Belle Vie is all knowing Dear Belle Vie, I have been feeling really down and out on myself lately. I am smart, I get extremely good grades here at UB. But, there is just one thing that is wrong with me and it's my anger issues.

I have a very short temper and I tend to take them out on everything and anyone. I freak out at the littlest things. The people I take it out on the most is my mother(who I will do anything for), my boyfriend and my friends, even if they haven't done anything to me. I have no idea where it comes from and I do not mean it when I take it out on them. I always apologize after but I end up doing it again weeks later. I feel really bad about it. How can I calm down and enjoy life? I am too young to deal with stress and anger like this. I do not want my hot temper to push the people that I love the most out of my life. What should I do?

Best Regards: A Stressed out Hot-Head

Dear A Stressed Out Hothead, The last kind of advice I want to give you is to tell you to go to a therapist who may right after your first session, place you on some pills to help release stress and anger. Instead, I will take another approach, because the type of anger you have described to me I feel is one that you are is annoyed with the world. You feel that everything you do has little to no significance because those around you don’t appreciate what you have to offer them. Maybe you are also annoyed at yourself for not doing things you should have done. Usually, personal neglect or just not accepting and appreciating who you are as a person can cause angry outbursts.

I want you to look at yourself in the mirror once a day and say, “Me, this is me staring straight back and no matter how annoyed I may get over the littlest things I can control my anger and instead express it in a productive way.” I can tell you are a very empowered individual, but don’t confuse that power with anger. Do positive things with that hostility you always walk around with; shape it into a tool to further progress your professional skills. How can you do that? When one expresses their anger they have a direct bluntness in their choice of words that

bothers the person you are speaking to directly.

How can this work in your favor? You can develop that bluntness into honesty, but keep that directness to help in your public speaking or maybe if you have to do a presentation.

A big part of a professional career is having a good attitude in all that you do, so again, when you are in that moment and the anger just won’t stop flowing out of your body, think to yourself, “would anyone take me seriously if I have no consideration for the people I’m talking to?” Be the better you, that person that you can be proud of and be happy living as every day of your life.

I know you are not happy about how your anger is making things difficult for you in your life, but that can be fixed with a little hard work and some support from your family, friends and your boyfriend.

P.S. Turn your anger into a tool.

Sincerely, Belle Vie To submit a letter for advice visit our website (View the drop-down box under “Opinion”)

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All letters will be anonymous. (see Op.Ed Disclaimer page 5.)

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OPINION

November 2011

College freedom isn’t so free

Guest Overnight Passes for Dorm Halls transform into ‘Plan-Your-Life-out-a-week-inAdvance’ Passes

CASSIE TUCKER Opinion Editor/Columnist I truly pride myself as someone who goes about their business without much to complain or fight about. I do my school work, I work, I wake up at the crack of dawn to go to my internship in New York City twice a week and I dedicate the rest of my time to The Scribe. Because of this schedule, I have merely no personal time for myself or for my friends.

The moments when I do find the time to hang out with my best friend (who goes to school at Sacred Heart University down the road – talk about convenient!) I jump at the opportunity, which I believe I more than deserve. I need to preserve somewhat of a social life in order to stay sane, but this may be easier said than done according to the new Guest Overnight Policy

set forth this semester (like I didn’t have enough to deal with)!

The new policy involves filling out a request form for an overnight guest (including their identification information) and getting it approved by your Residence Hall Director at least 24 hours prior to your guest’s arrival.

Sounds simple enough, but things get a bit hazy when you are not allowed to get the request form signed over the weekend. With my busy schedule, there is no room for spontaneity. I am hardly in my room let alone on campus because of my job as well as my internship, therefore I shouldn’t have to stress out about planning my friend’s stay in advance (let alone worrying about whether or not the RD has approved

the request form). I understand these rules and regulations are set into place for the safety and greater good for all students living on campus, yet maybe for once my voice being heard will help bring to light the hectic lives of some students and how planning anything in advance is simply unrealistic. We have enough to worry about regarding mid-terms, finals and don’t forget papers, so getting a form signed to have somewhat of a social life is not on top of the average student’s priority list. So to all those students out there who are struggling to find some sense of a social life – you are not alone. There are other studious young adults among you that are finding it even harder to have a taste of the true college experience.

The Positives and Negatives of the Single Life while in college NATALIA WONG Staff Writer Some feel that being single for too long means something has to be done to change that. Women are often looked at as a figure that needs a relationship in order to truly be happy.

Just how long is too long? A year or maybe two without a relationship can weigh on your conscience. The positive of a relationship is the security of knowing that you can always turn to your partner. The negative of not having a relationship is the emotional strain of trying to make things work out. Where does college come into play in all of this? Well, a college or a university is a place where the positives and negatives get all jumbled because we have single people that love the single life and on the other hand, we have the people that are glued to each other at the hip that, we, single people, get jealous of. The aspect of two people being together, especially if the couple is together for a long time is what single people miss. Like the saying goes, “Can’t live with ‘em and can’t live without ‘em.” I think it’s safe to say this statement refers to both single people and those in a relationship.

Positive The top answer for the benefits of being single and in college is you can walk around campus checking out all the disgustingly hot

guys without a guilty conscience. The staring contests, the low down of what you are doing after the party and the constant bumping into someone you have the biggest crush on is too exciting.

The whole social gossip of being single is fun and gives students time to clear their heads of hard work. Basically, the single life is the way to be; no checking in to see where you are and what you are doing. You have the option as a single person to talk and get to know anyone you find interesting. There are no worries of “how do I end the relationship,” no depression of being unhappy with your significant other and certainly no one to argue with.

Negative A huge negative about being single in college is definitely having no one to cuddle with during the holidays. Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that make you feel so alone that you start to think “what the hell is wrong with me?” On Thanksgiving, we like to feed each other turkey and mashed potatoes while sharing the experience with our families close by.

Sometimes it’s nice not having to worry about looking cute or what that person thinks of me.

Stop stressing! Then, there is Christmas, the time for giving and we think “I would love to

get something nice for him/her.” The whole aspect of being single or in a relationship is complicated and confuses the mind in the process of knowing what it wants.

In relationships doing spontaneous things like going to art shows, concerts and food tastings are fun. However, without that security of a relationship we are stuck doing things that would be spontaneous with our best friends that turns out to be something not as memorable as we would like it to be. Would college be more memorable in a relationship? Giving this question a second thought I came up with, it really depends on the person. Those of us that love partying and drinking, the random, hot mess moments are the ones we experience with friends and the ones we remember forever. If you are in a relationship it’s always nice to tell others your experiences that you shared and those experiences are things that you can both laugh and enjoy together.

Male and Female symbols || Courtesy of www. hercampus.com

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Sports

Women’s Basketball eager to start new season CHRIS HOGAN Managing News Editor Coming off a 17-14 overall last season and a third place conference finish, the 2011-2012 UB women’s basketball team is looking to take the next step forward with more talent and a tighter knit unit on the court.

This year’s squad will have a total of five newcomers including two transfers and three freshman as well as five returning seniors to lead the pack. Second year head coach Stephanie Del Preore has a lot of high expectations this season for her team.

“Our goal is to continue to improve on every practice and game and with five new kids, they picked up on our system rather quickly, which really helps us out,” Del Preore said. “[We want to] continue to build our team chemistry, which right now is pretty good.”

Some of the key returning players are senior guards Elinor Avny and Edna Marant, who averaged 11.2 and 8.1 points per game respectively. Also senior forward Julia Colley, who was second on the Purple Knights in rebounding a

year ago with 5.7 per game will help up front with her strong defense abilities.

Del Perore believes that this will be the year that Avny will have her breakout season.

“She is a senior leader, is relentless by working very hard and has a great 3 point shot but she is starting to add other aspects of her game,” Del Perore said. “Her passing and leadership skills have really improved 100 percent.”

Of the new additions to the squad, two players freshman guard Jenna Hoffman and junior forward/center Tanisha Carter are expected to be important contributors. Hoffman will help and try to replace Elsebeth Birman, who transferred to University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. She will help in several areas of the game with her quickness, strong play off the dribble and passing ability. Carter who, transferred from Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, CT, will provide athleticism, a strong presence on the court and defensive capabilities.

“We have a really fast paced team and we will be looking to run transition most of the time,” Marant said. “[By] Playing help defense and by being so fast [as a team] it will help us out [in order to be successful this season].”

The Purple Knights will play a total of 26 games this season 15 of which, will be at home in Harvey Hubbell Gym. According to Del Perore, some of the tougher East Coast Conference teams this year will include C.W. Post and St. Thomas Aquinas College, while mentioning the ECC will be a lot stronger this year with arrival of the University of District of Columbia to the conference.

“We will be a very big talking team and will work hard on every shot and never give up,” senior guard Marie Biondi said. “As long as we are here [as a group] and know what to do while enjoying the game, we know what will pay off in the end [for us].”

Joe Paterno: Not a martyr JOSHUA RYAN Sports Editor In the hours following Penn State football coach Joe Paterno’s firing by the Penn State Board of Trustees because of his inaction regarding former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky’s multiple molestations of young boys, something surreal happened.

Thousands of Penn State students organized outside of Paterno’s house and one of the major buildings on the campus, Old Main, to….show support for Joe Paterno.

Now granted, a vigil was held for Sandusky’s victims a couple of days later.

But the first impulse of most of the students upon hearing this news was to support the coach. A coach, who regardless of what was going through his head, did not do nearly enough to prevent the actions of a pedophile who terrorized young, innocent children for years.

And yet, chants of “Joe Paterno” rang throughout that night, as if they were oblivious to what was really going on. Either that or they had their priorities severely messed up.

Paterno had a profound impact on the Penn State campus for 60 years, and he established many emotional ties there. But at the end of the

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day, he was a football coach, and it seemed like that’s what took precedence, which is sad.

No one is dismissing all the good Paterno did. However, the moment he chose not to report Sandusky to the police removed any connection it had to football.

There’s no way Paterno could have remained at Penn State, or coached another game. There’s no rational explanation he could give as to why he didn’t call the police after finding out what Sandusky did.

Paterno is not the only one who deserves blame. Former Penn State Vice President Tim Curley and Athletic Director Gary Schultz swept Sandusky’s actions under the rug. Penn State President Graham Spanier aided in the cover-up as well.

But, Paterno is not a martyr. He is not a scapegoat. He is a man whose actions or lack thereof, led to grave consequences for countless victims of Sandusky.

Unless his mind is truly feeble, he knew what he was doing, and he has to live. He doesn’t deserve hero worship, because when he was really

Joe Paterno || Photo courtesy of eurweb.com.jpg

needed, he failed miserably.

For that, he deserves little to nothing.

SPORTS

November 2011

Designed by Mike Mehl

Men’s Basketball Preview

Purple Knights look to build as the push for a ECC championship

ISAIAH RHODES Sports Writer The University of Bridgeport’s men’s basketball team will start a new season with a new team, and a new coaching staff.

There are only four players that remain from last year’s team, and that poses many questions: How will this team mesh? Who will fill what role? How will this team deal with adversity when it presents itself?

Purple Knights Coach Mike Ruane also has two new coaches to the system as well: assistant coach Kranthi Senadhi and Denny Mortimer.

Abdul Smith, a former Bridgeport player, has joined the staff as well. Ruane said a lot of questions still have to be answered about his team.

“We are still figuring this team out honestly,” Ruane said. “It is still early. It’s going to be a process.”

Some returners to the system include Eion Lewis, Sandy Tanner and Omari Howard. Ruane says he will look to the veterans to provide guidance “I pretty much knew what coach wanted so it makes it a lot easier” Lewis said. “It also makes it easier to help other guys learn the offense and the defense to know what he wants which makes everybody’s job that much easier.”

There are a few new players that will be asked to play big roles right away with the turnover in the program, but Ruane said they still have things to work on.

“We are still trying to figure it out right now,” Ruane said. “Offensively we are much stronger than we are defensively, but we are emphasizing defense and chemistry with everyone being on the same page.”

The team begins an important seven game road trip on November 19 against Bentley.

“This road trip will test our toughness and how much we stick together” Lewis said, “It will be a little adversity, but we have to fight through that” With new pieces and a wait and see approach, Ruane said this team will have to learn on the fly, but can they? “ We need to show improvement with everyone being on the same page, ball movement and taking good shots, defensive concepts and helping each other out” Ruane said. “The overall goal is to be in a position where we can win the conference championship, make the NCAA tournament and win that NCAA tournament; I wouldn’t be surprised if it all comes together.”

UB Men's Basketball Team practicing on the court || Photo courtesy of Rich Lubrano

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SPORTS

November 2011

Sports Schedule Home Games = Bold

Nov. 12 Mass.-Lowell L, 108-105 UB Men's Basketball Classic Nov. 13 Southern Conn. St. 4:00 PM UB Men's Basketball Classic Nov. 19 at Bentley 2:00 PM Nov. 22 at Post 7:00 PM Women’s Volleyball: Nov. 11 vs. NYIT @ Dowling W, 3-1ECC Semi- Nov. 26 at Goldey-Beacom 6:00 PM finals Nov. 12 at Dowling L, 3-0 Final ECC Finals @ Men’s Swimming: Nov 11, 2011 at College of St. Rose W 122-109 Dowling @ RPI Pool Nov 12, 2011 Purple & White Meet White 18,349 Women’s Basketball: Purple 17, 927 Intersquad Meet Nov. 12 at Adelphi L, 72-67 Nov 18, 2011 at Assumption w/WPI 3:00 pm Nov. 13 Pace 6:00 PM Nov 19, 2011 vs. USMMA Invitational @ Kings Nov. 16 Caldwell 5:00 PM Point, NY 11:00 am Nov. 19 at Merrimack 3:00 PM Nov. 23 Post 2:00 PM Women’s swimming: Nov 11, 2011 at College of St. Rose L 136-92 @ Men’s Basketball: Nov. 4 at Fairfield L, 97-70 Exhibition Webster RPI Pool Nov 12, 2011 at Purple & White Meet White Bank Arena @ Harbor Yard Women’s Soccer: Nov. 13 Mass.-Lowell T, 1-1 Final - PK Away NCAA DII Championship Second RoundUML Advance 3-2 on PKs

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18,349 Purple 17, 927 Nov 18, 2011 at Assumption w/WPI 3:00 pm Nov 19, 2011 vs. USMMA Invitational @ Kings Point, NY 11:00 AM

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