Friday, December 10, 2021 Print Edition

Colby Kusinitz elected SGA president

NEWS | PG. 5

Kyle Mitchell, Class of 2025 New York SASH hosts 17th annual Teddy Bear Toss President

SPORTS| PG. 10

FEATURES | PG. 6

The

TANGERINE

VOL. LXXV, ISSUE 8

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021

UCTANGERINE.COM

UC community saddened by lacrosse coach Mike Parnell’s death ◊ MATTHEW BREAULT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Utica College continues to mourn the loss of men’s lacrosse coach and 2002 graduate of Utica College Mike Parnell, who died on Dec. 2 at age 45 due to complications from COVID-19.

2001-2003, before becoming only the second head coach in program history and serving the last 14 seasons as the head coach of the men’s team.

lacrosse world lost a great one and he will be forever missed.”

Coach Mike Parnell /Photo: ucpioneers.com

Parnell was a Watertown native and previously spent time coaching at Jefferson Community College, Colgate University, Brown University and the Chicago Machine of the MLL (Major League Lacrosse) before settling down at Utica College. He and his wife, Catherine, would have celebrated their first wedding anniversary on Dec. 19, according to his obituary online.

about Utica College. He always had a positive attitude and would always try to bring people up when they were down. Utica College and the

During his time as coach of the Pioneers, Parnell compiled an overall record of 98-126 in over 16 seasons. Parnell also helped guide the Pioneers SEE PARNELL PG. 3

Parnell made lasting impacts on many who crossed his path.

Calling hours are from 4 - 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10 at McGrath, Myslinski, Karboski & Nunn Funeral Home in Utica.

Funeral services are private, according to his obituary on the funeral home website.

Justin Patterson, who is an assistant coach for the men’s lacrosse team, said Parnell taught him a lot over the past two and half years and he will be missed by both the lacrosse program and the Utica College community.

Parnell was a longtime member of the Utica College community.

Aside from graduating in 2002, he served as assistant coach for the men’s lacrosse program from

“He made an everlasting impact on his players both on and off the field,” Patterson said. “There is no one that I have met on the Utica campus that cared more

General Education update for Fall 2022

◊ ISABELLA HUDZIAK MANAGING NEWS EDITOR

During a Utica College Faculty Senate meeting earlier this semester, faculty members endorsed a new General Education framework and are currently in the process of finalizing the details for Fall 2022.

The current Core Curriculum is adopting the name General Education as one of the first changes.

“Under a Core Model, at most colleges the word ‘core’ implies that there is a common set of classes all students will take,” Provost and Senior Vice

President of Academic Affairs Todd Pfannestiel said. “Under a General Education model, what you see more so are areas that need to be fulfilled with more choice built in.”

The General Education framework is comprised of seven learning goals that ensure students will graduate with foundational skills, such as oral and written communication, and critical thought about human experience and social institutions.

These seven learning goals include: • Demonstrate

effective

written and communication

oral

• Demonstrate critical thinking and reasoning • Demonstrate proficiency in quantitative reasoning • Demonstrate scientific literacy through evidence-based inquiry •

Appreciate the range of human experiences as represented in the arts, literature, and other forms of cultural expression

• Critically and ethically evaluate past and present implications of social institutions

• Responsibly identify, locate, evaluate, and use information that is relevant to a given issue through information literacy and effective use of technology

The total number of General Education credits will be 37 rather than a cumulative 54.

Students will have an extra 17 credits out of the total 120 required for graduation that can be used to explore new courses and pathways, according to Pfannestiel.

Another addition to the model is that two courses tagged as Diversity, Equity SEE UPDATE PG. 4

STAFF

PAGE 2 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021

Fall 2021 STAFF

@UCTangerine @uc_tangerine @UC_Tangerine

UCTANGERINE.COM

Editor-In-Chief - Matthew Breault Layout Editor - Stephen Clark Managing News Editor - Isabella Hudziak Features Editor - Hollie David Sports Editor - Emily Joss Sports Contributor - Robert Stevens Photographer - Alexandria Leland Special Assignments - Mickale Thompson Tangerine Clerk - Charles Buckley Circulation Manager - Emily Allard Advisor - Mary Christopher

About The Tangerine is published weekly during the academic year by and for Utica College students. To reach a member of the staff, email tangerine@utica.edu or call 315-792-3065.

All material printed in The Tangerine is copyrighted. The Tangerine was first published as the Utica College News on Nov. 6, 1946.

Submission Policy Letters to the editor are welcomed from all members of the Utica College community.

Letters must meet fair and accurate publishing standards and contain no libelous material.

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NEWS

PAGE 3 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021 PARNELL FROM PG. 1 to 48 All-Conference selections and several players into the record books during his tenure.

In a campus-wide email, President Laura Casamento announced Parnell’s passing on Dec. 2 and took time to reflect on his legacy at Utica College.

“Mike was a treasured friend, colleague and mentor,” Casamento said. “He had the deepest love and respect for Utica College, its mission and most of all, its people.”

Utica College Athletic Director Dave Fontaine is another member of the Utica College community that mourns the loss of coach Parnell.

UCTANGERINE.COM

“This is a very sad day for Utica College and our athletic department,” Fontaine said.

“Words can not express how much Mike will be missed. His passing has left a huge void that can only be filled by the memories we created with him.”

Fontaine also added that throughout his many conversations with Parnell

over the years, there was one thing that was always clear.

“Mike loved Utica lacrosse and he loved the players he had the opportunity to coach, both past and present,” Fontaine said. “We will miss our friend and colleague.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, family and close friends.”

Campus Safety Blotter Date Of Incident

Time Of Incident

Short Description

Building

11/24/2021

8:40 AM

Prohibited Item

South Hall

11/24/2021

8:30 AM

AOD Violation

Bell Hall

11/24/2021

9:00 AM

Closing Violations

Boehlert Hall

11/24/2021

8:35 AM

Prohibited Item

South Hall

11/24/2021

8:55 AM

Fire Safety Violation

South Hall

11/24/2021

9:00 AM

Fire Safety Violation

Boehlert Hall

11/24/2021

9:30 AM

Confiscated Item

Boehlert Hall

11/26/2021

10:30 AM

Facilities Issue

Gordon Science Center

11/28/2021

9:45 PM

Odor of Marijuana

South Hall

11/30/2021

5:10 PM

Medical Assist

Clark Athletic Center

12/1/2021

11:50 PM

Quiet Hours Violation

South Hall

12/1/2021

5:27 PM

Motor Vehicle Damage

Parking Lot

12/1/2021

4:00 PM

Pet Violation

Boehlert Hall

12/3/2021

3:45 PM

Pet Policy

Boehlert Hall

12/3/2021

6:06 PM

Medical Assist

Hutton Rec Center (Dome)

12/4/2021

1:30 PM

COVID Mask Policy

Clark Athletic Center

12/4/2021

3:00 PM

Harassment

North Hall

12/4/2021

11:40 PM

Confiscated Items

Boehlert Hall

12/5/2021

1:20 AM

Quiet Hours Violation

North Hall

12/5/2021

3:35 AM

Quiet Hours Violation

Bell Hall

12/5/2021

3:35 AM

Prohibited Item

Bell Hall

12/5/2021

4:30 AM

Suspicious Activity

North Hall

12/5/2021

1:00 AM

Alcohol Violation

Bell Hall

12/5/2021

9:18 PM

Suspicious Activity

Parking Lot

12/7/2021

2:30 PM

Aggressive Behavior

North Hall

NEWS

PAGE 4 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021 UPDATE FROM PG. 1

you’re in and we’re not going to force anybody into the new model. Likewise, students should have the opportunity to explore the new model, work closely with their advisor and success coach to see whether transitioning into that model would work for them.”

and Inclusion at a 300 or 400 level will be required.

“We wanted to be sure that there is much more intentionality in the study of diversity,” Pfannestiel said.

“We want to make sure that all our students are exposed to and learning about diverse cultures [and] diverse peoples.”

The 37 credits will be divided into two sections: Foundations and a General Education minor, according to information provided to The Tangerine.

The Foundations courses will accumulate 19 total credits in Written Communication, Oral Communication, Critical Thinking, Quantitative Reasoning and Scientific Literacy.

Out of the 120 credits required for graduation from Utica College, a liberal arts institution, around 54 of those credits are contained under the Core Curriculum model.

Students must take courses from three components: Basic Skills, General Education and Writing Intensive Courses.

Data collected from faculty members, student engagement surveys and other modes of information gathering sparked the alteration process, according to a Tangerine article from Spring 2021.

The Tangerine asked several faculty members from the college’s three schools to comment about the new General Education model.

However, most did not respond to the request or

UCTANGERINE.COM

The approval of the new General Education model is the first step to solidifying a plan. A new committee will be created to establish the necessary courses and logistics before Fall 2022.

English major Anabella Rossi reads for a class discussion. /Photo: Isabella Hudziak refused to comment.

Several meetings were held during the summer and a tenured faculty General Education task force committee of six met frequently during the past few semesters to discuss possible new models.

One of the immediate differences from the previous model is the lack of a Foreign Language requirement, according to Patricia Swann, a public relations and management professor and member of the General Education task force committee.

“We will still have foreign language, but it will be a choice in the future,” Swann said. “Hopefully, we will have a lot of students that take that up.”

Students will have a minor built into the General Education model and have two options to choose from.

One option is the General Education minor, which will

require students to choose five courses from different areas of knowledge.

However, students will also have the opportunity to choose six courses that hold a theme for a Thematic Pathway minor. Examples of this have not been decided yet, but could include themed pathways about environmental activism or gender studies in literature.

“We are trying to come up with themes that are relevant to [student] life that also teach the learning goals and excite students,” Swann said.

When the new model is established, current students will have the option to switch depending on if it works for them.

“Our current students, if they wish to complete the current core model that they are under, they absolutely will,” Pfannestiel said. “We have a commitment to our current students because we enrolled you here with the model that

This committee will include two faculty members from each school: Arts and Sciences, Business and Justice Studies and Health Professions and Education.

The committee is likely to include members from Career Readiness and Registrar offices to help advise the council, according to Pfannestiel.

English professor Gary Leising was chosen to be the Director of General Education and will be the seventh member on the committee.

Meetings will also discuss how transfer students might fit into the new General Education curriculum and the finer details of necessary groundwork before Fall 2022.

“That issue is high on my agenda for discussion when the general education council is appointed and can begin meeting,” Leising said.

“Even with many questions yet to be answered, this is exciting, and the future of UC’s general education program looks brilliant.”

UC offers incentive to students who receive COVID-19 booster ◊ MATTHEW BREAULT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Utica College is offering an incentive to students who receive their COVID-19 booster shot, according to a campus wide email sent out on Nov. 22.

Due to the rise in COVID-19 cases and the emergence of the new Omicron variant,

President Laura Casamento announced that the college will reward students with a gift card incentive if they choose to receive their COVID-19 booster in efforts to have more students receive their booster.

“As a special added incentive, the College is offering a $50 Amazon gift card to every UC student

who receives the booster,” Casamento said in the email. “Just provide your updated vaccination record to the Student Health Center (health@utica.edu) to receive your gift card. I strongly encourage you to get your COVID booster at your earliest opportunity.”

As of Monday, Dec. 6, there were approximately 148

students who provided proof of receiving their booster shot, according to Utica College Vice President of Emergency Management Shad Crowe.

Crowe also said the number of students who received their booster is expected to increase over the next few months, due to some still being ineligible after SEE BOOSTER PG. 5

NEWS

PAGE 5 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021 BOOSTER FROM PG. 4 receiving their second dose (or first of Johnson & Johnson) in July or August.

As Utica College begins to have more students submitting their updated vaccination records to the Student Health Center, the Utica College Office of Student Affairs has created an official list of students, so when the incentive becomes available, they’ll be able to contact each student.

According to Interim Dean of Students Karen Ferrer-Muniz, the college will be able to provide the incentive in the near future.

“We will start sending emails to students who are in the list to pick their gift card once we receive the gift cards,” FerrerMuniz said. “This will continue into January/February and we will evaluate the incentive timeline after that period based on the turn out and the number of students.”

Dawn DeGironimo, the registered nurse at Utica College, said the best thing people can do to prevent and stop the spread of COVID-19 is to get vaccinated, while adding that Utica College’s decision to provide an incentive to students is “a great idea.”

“Utica College is not the

first one to come up with an incentive, as there are other people doing incentives as well such as Oneida County,” DeGironimo said. “With that being said, Utica College is just following suit with what the community that’s surrounding us is doing. I really do believe the boosters are very important and that this incentive is a great idea.”

Bailey McElwain, a junior wellness and adventure education major and softball player at Utica College, said that the college offering an incentive for the booster should help encourage more students to get it.

UCTANGERINE.COM because some students need more motivation to get the booster shot,” McElwain said.

“I personally would have gotten it no matter what, but I know some people who don’t have the best views on the COVID-19 vaccine. I think this incentive will help push some people in the direction of getting it.”

If you are a student who is interested in receiving their COVID-19 vaccine or booster, the Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) has opened its COVID-19 POD, which is located at the MVHS Burrstone House at 1710 Burrstone Road in New Hartford.

“I think that it’s a good idea

Colby Kusinitz elected SGA president after Hawley resigns ◊ ISABELLA HUDZIAK MANAGING NEWS EDITOR

into what’s happening on campus and what do students need from administration,” SGA Vice President Jaydy Hernandez said. “We will serve as students’ direct line of communication when speaking to administration.”

On Friday, Dec. 3, it was announced through the Morning Mention that Colby Kusinitz was elected as the new Student Government Association president.

Kusinitz’s election came after the resignation of former SGA president Katherine Hawley.

The House of Organizations announced Hawley’s resignation during Thanksgiving break.

“Thank you all so much for your service to this community so far this year,” Hawley said in the email. “I will always continue to be your advocate, you can always reach out to me.”

The SGA Student Senate held a meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 1, where nominations were taken for the presidential spot. Natalie Devine nominated Kusinitz, who ran unopposed.

Kusinitz is a cybersecurity major from Long Island who expects to graduate in 2023.

He is the captain of the Utica College Emergency Medical Service organization and president of the Jewish Student Union.

Other members of the SGA have offered words of support for Kusinitz’s election.

Colby Kusinitz working in the SGA office, Strebel 207. /Photo: Isabella Hudziak He has been involved with the SGA since his sophomore year of college and wants to establish direct connections with fellow members.

“I really have to hear not only what my constituents have to say, and what my senators and class officers want to see done,” Kusinitz said. “I sent an email to all of them asking if they wanted to meet one-onone, and I think I had three to four of them schedule so far to hear what they have to say and address their concerns.”

As president, Kusinitz wants to work closely with the organizations on campus and establish a delegation system within the SGA for clear and effective communication.

“Each member of my E-board has a working relationship with one of the VPs,” Kusinitz said. “So if we have an issue that is in that VP’s area, I can have my E-board member connect to the student with that issue and both of them can go to the vice president or director of the equivalent department.”

Kusinitz said, for example, if a student poses an issue regarding communications, the communications director for the SGA could pair with that student and create that line of discussion with the head of that department.

“I think this is also a great opportunity to bring people who are higher-up more down

“I think Colby has a lot of promise to bring meaningful changes to our college during the spring semester,” said Jordan Conestabile, a political science major and member of the SGA. “He was also very passionate about making sure that everyone’s voices were heard, which was a nice thing to see.”

If students want to schedule a meeting, SGA office hours are posted on the door of Strebel 207, according to Kusinitz.

“If [students] email me, in my footer, I have a link to book an appointment with me,” Kusinitz said. “I am more than willing and I hope students reach out to me, so I can not only hear their concerns, but put them in touch with members of my E-board who specialize in that area.”

FEATURES

PAGE 6 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021

UCTANGERINE.COM

Kyle Mitchell, Class of 2025 President ◊ HOLLIE DAVID FEATURES EDITOR

to try and better the student body and make the college a more inclusive place. His goal is to get them passed in the senate and have people see the importance of helping the college community.

This semester, freshman Kyle Mitchell was voted Utica College’s class of 2025 President and Underclass Senator.

Mitchell always had an interest in politics and started his political career back in high school as a student representative, working his way up to student body president. He held these roles through high school and learned about what it takes to lead.

“After only meeting him a handful of times, I have learned that he has lots of experience in student government positions and he’s ready and willing to get involved in many places on campus,” said Bethany VanBenschoten, assistant director for Leadership Development. “The willingness to serve others and make a difference is one of the basic characteristics of a good leader, and I think so far Kyle is shaping up to be pretty darn great. He’s also ambitious and dependable.”

When he heard about the position as freshman class president, Mitchell said he felt qualified to fill the position and wanted to step up to the role. He wanted to strive to

Besides being class president, Mitchell is also a general member of the student task force committee along with several other committees.

Kyle Mitchell /Photo: Alexandria Leland make the class and school a better place.

“I want to provide Pioneers with a greater sense of community and give them the opportunity to grow and express themselves,” Mitchell said. “I want everyone to have someone they could turn to to help them thrive.”

Mitchell said his goal as president is to connect all aspects of the college community, from students to faculty, and leave a legacy that change is not a bad thing.

Talking to students to find out what issues they want to be brought to light is something important to Mitchell while he holds office. Mitchell

hopes that all people will feel comfortable going to him with any issues or problems they may have and wants all voices in the community to be heard.

“He just sent out a message a couple of weeks ago introducing himself to the class and asking for feedback and input, so it seems as if he has the intention of bringing the voice of his class to his leadership positions,” VanBenschoten said. “He’s got his own good ideas as well, but seems like a true team player who wants to gather everyone’s voices.”

Mitchell is currently drafting legislation regarding adding gender-neutral bathrooms to college amongst other things

He and the other officers from his class are working on fundraising ideas for their class gift when they graduate, along with class bonding activities. More information will be available in the future about these events.

Mitchell is a criminal justice major with minors in both philosophies of law and political science. After Utica College, he plans on going to law school with the dream goal being Harvard law.

In his free time, Mitchell enjoys playing ultimate frisbee as a destresser. He also enjoys cooking as a hobby, going to hockey games, hanging out with friends and keeping up on current events. He enjoys Utica as there is always a lot to do.

“I won’t rest till the job is done,” Mitchell said. “ I’m in it for the people and all voices should be heard. I work for the people.”

A look at Nomadic Voices creator Tabo Bo ◊ MORGAN HINMAN STAFF WRITER Nomadic Voices is a club created by founder and creative director Tabo Bo. He is a senior at Utica College who had a vision for expressing creativity on and off campus.

The idea for Nomadic Voices came into fruition during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Quarantining served as a time for Bo to start writing poetry and express

himself in different creative ways, such as dancing and painting.

He sought out places where he could share his creativity and realized there was a lack of creative outlets for collegeaged students.

“What was my solution?” Bo said. “Well, I created one, and this is where the idea of Nomadic Voices started.”

During the summer, Bo wrote poetry to pass time and show a different form

of creativity, but in order to share his poems with others, he started hosting open mic nights every week. Members would go to a different park in Utica and participate in the open mic nights. Eventually, once the semester started, the Nomadic Voices club was created at Utica College to involve other students and the community in expressing their own creativity.

Bo started the club for creatives who want a safe environment to express their

art. They host open mic nights, karaoke nights, painting sessions, poetry sessions and other creative outlets.

Members ultimately believe that creativity is what brings people together and they want to bring as many people in as possible. Although people are different in their own ways, Nomadic Voices is the place where people are accepting of each other despite these differences.

“One of our goals for this SEE BO PG. 7

FEATURES

PAGE 7 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021 BO FROM PG. 6

of students, faculty and staff consisting of action groups that seek to create an inclusive environment at Utica College.

He received a grant from the DEI student grant program in order to host and plan a performance showcase to provide students and the community to experience the artistic heritage Utica offers.

The Cultural Showcase was hosted on Nov. 6 and held at the recently revitalized Kemble Park.

year is to keep growing our club so that the rest of campus can learn about us,” Bo said. “We want to recruit more creative members who are willing to be open and listen to others.”

In the past, Bo worried about the turnout and participation numbers of performers, but it always worked itself out as more and more people became vulnerable to share their own creativity with the group.

“To me, that is one of the best feelings in the world,” Bo said. “To be able to provide a platform for those who did not want to talk at first, but then for some reason did so. Now I may not know the specific reason as to why each performer did so, but I do appreciate the fact that they did.”

Meghan Jordan, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion project and program manager at Utica College,

UCTANGERINE.COM

Photo: Tabo Bo, taken by @naw_world on Instagram helped Bo’s vision come to fruition at Cultural Showcase last month.

“I love Tabo’s passion for the arts and his desire to bring the college community into the larger community,”

Jordan said. “I love seeing the talented performers who are members of our own college and city.”

Tabo is also an active student member of the DEI Collaborative, a committee

The club invites Utica College students, faculty, staff and surrounding community members to perform poetry, monologues, choreographed dance or music. Nomadic Voices encourages students, especially, to go out into the city and experience Utica’s vibrant arts scene.

Interested students can follow Nomadic Voices on Facebook, Instagram and PioHub. Bo will be posting more updates, content and videos soon.

Students Prepare for Finals

◊ MICKALE THOMPSON SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS REPORTER

In a year filled with various experiences, challenges and changes at Utica College, the 2021 fall academic semester is coming to an end and finals are approaching.

Returning to campus life preCOVID-19 has been on the minds of many. According to sophomore wellness and adventure programming and education major Kaden Colafrancesco, the reaction to the end of the semester has been good because this semester has been better compared to last semester.

“For me, I have only been here at college while COVID has been going on,” Colafrancesco said. “I don’t know what college is really like without COVID. It’s been good returning to classes though, the professors are very understanding of everything

that’s going on and are more than willing to work with you if you have any issues or concerns. It can be hectic at times but I’ve adapted to the conditions and have figured out ways around them which work for me.”

Some students have different methods when approaching finals week.

“When it comes to preparing for finals, I spend several hours studying each day either by myself or with other people,” Colafrancesco said. “I think I do best in a study group [rather] than by myself because they force me to stay focused on what we’re doing. When it comes to taking the final either I feel fine because I know that I’m going to do good or I feel anxious because I don’t feel confident and think that there’s a chance that I’m not going to pass it.”

Approaching the end of

the semester is strategic and requires planning for some.

Senior and first-year graduate occupational therapy major Madealyn Frankovic said the most important thing students should do when approaching the end of the semester is to plan their time wisely and make time for themselves because people sometimes get stressed out from assignments and finals, but taking care of yourself is just as important.

Ending the semester on a high note is just as important as starting off well and for some students, it can have a huge impact.

“Finishing the semester strong is super important because it can either make or break your overall GPA,” Frankovic said.

“If you’re falling behind in a class, final assignments and tests can bring up your grades drastically. On the flip side, if you do well all semester and

tank the last few assignments, it can blow away all the hard work you’ve already done. It’s important to stay motivated right until the very end and when you finish, you’ll feel great about what you’ve accomplished.”

The end of the semester and final can cause many challenges but finding the right balance is important.

“Making time for yourself is so hard during finals week,” Frankovic said. “Oftentimes, people find themselves constantly working in order to do well, but you can only push yourself so much. Taking frequent breaks and rewards are important to finish with a strong mind. Also, burnout is also very hard to deal with.

By this time in the semester, burnout is at its peak. Dealing with burnout can be hard but you have to have a ‘can do it’ mindset. This ‘pain’ is only SEE FINALS PG. 8

FEATURES

PAGE 8 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021

UCTANGERINE.COM

Profile: UC Weightlifting Club

◊ HOLLIE DAVID FEATURES EDITOR

student has does not matter, as long as there is a passion to grow and improve. It is meant to be seen as a judgmentfree zone where athletes help each other to improve at something they love.

Utica College Weightlifting is a new club on campus meant to give students the opportunity to learn about and practice weightlifting in many different forms.

According to the club’s PioHub page, they aim to bring more fitness-related events to the campus as well as host different events related to health promotion, wellness, physical culture and history.

They also want to start educational seminars that teach about strength and conditioning as well as strength/power programming.

The purpose of UC Weightlifting is to bring together different types of athletes in a space where they can help each other grow in all different aspects of the sport. As the club is in its early stages, this semester was mainly used to lay the foundation and do the groundwork for the club’s startup, according to President Kellen Lounsbury.

“The Utica College Weightlifting Club was created to give the students of UC a place to practice, discover and develop their physical and mental strength in a supportive strength athletic-based environment,” according to the UC Weightlifting PioHub page.

“How strength is expressed and understood is subjective, and the exploration of how each student learns to find their version of it is the basis

FINALS FROM PG. 7 temporary and you can and will get through it.”

Professors play a huge part in the academic success of students. During finals, students often turn to more for help.

“I think professors are willing to help students prepare for finals week if students are willing to put in the effort,” Frankovic said.

“If you show your professors that you’re working hard and trying your best they will be more than likely to help you through finals. If you show disinterest in doing well at all, then professors won’t give you their time because you aren’t giving

UC Weightlifting logo, created by President Kellen Lounsbury of what we are about, and doing that in a safe and supportive environment is what the UC Weightlifting Club aims to do.”

Lounsbury said the club has been in the works for a while and the goal was to create a sort of social barbell club where students can meet up, exercise and talk about

them yours. It’s a give and take relationship.”

Professors experienced the challenges of the academic semester as well but persisted alongside students.

“This semester has been a challenge,” Director of Media Relations Christine Leogrande said. “I think that we have all been affected by the pandemic, losing or fearing for the lives of our loved ones, and dealing with the necessary inconveniences of mandates. Some people will use that as an excuse, but others have been deeply and profoundly affected by it.”

the common weightlifting.

interest

of

“If anything, the club is meant to give people a place to go where they can find the strongest versions of themselves in different forms,” Lounsbury said.

UC Weightlifting is open to anyone who wants to join and the level of experience that a

To some professors, the approach to finals varies on the class and students.

“Some students wait too long to prepare,” Leogrande said. “If you study and do your work the entire semester, there is no reason to panic over finals, just review your materials thoroughly. At this point in the semester, a lot of students will come to you with their problems and ‘reasons’ for not completing their work.

At the end of the day, professors need to assess a student’s sincerity and commitment to learning.”

Finals can bring a lot of pressure on students. The

UC Weightlifting also has a few events already in the works such as Doughnuts and Deadlifting and a mock weightlifting meet.

More information on these will become available in the following weeks.

Students interested in the club must join the PioHub page to be recognized as official club members. For more information, UC Weightlifting can be found on PioHub, Instagram @UCWeightlifting and Facebook.

expectation of doing well can hover in someone’s mind, but students often support each other and share tips and advice because they are experiencing the same things.

“My best advice for students preparing for finals is to start as soon as possible so you don’t have to rush your studying,” junior cybersecurity and computer science major Hayden Lohmann said.

“Also, getting away from the dorms can be very beneficial as the noise can’t be controlled all the time like in the day at the library.”

FLASHBACK

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Tenure Granted To Three UC Profs

◊ CHERYL CONNOLLY STAFF WRITER (Originally published on December 10, 1976.)

Faculty members who have been given tenure were announced at this week’s College Council meeting

by William Gotwald of the Faculty Affairs Committee.

John Cormican, assistant professor of English; Anthony Fumara, instructor of medical technology; and Richard Wright, assistant professor and director of occupational therapy were all granted tenure.

In

his

President’s

Report,

Acting President Rankin noted that work on the CORE program is making headway.

He reminded College Council members that the main reason behind revising the CORE program is “to develop a better educational program for students.”

Thus, the school must be careful in deliberations to avoid straying from the specific purpose of revising the CORE program and end up getting involved in a lot of unrelated details, warned Rankin.

The Syracuse University Curriculum Committee passed UC’s Bachelor of Fine

In celebration of The Tangerine’s 75th anniversary, we will highlight past stories in each issue.

Arts Degree. The proposed new major next goes up before the SU Senate then on to the Board of Regents.

Rankin foresees no trouble in having the major passed.

Concerning this year’s financial report, Rankin said, “This year’s budget looks in pretty good shape.”

The UC Curriculum Committee is looking into the possibility of having Air Force ROTC courses taught on campus. The Committee will be meeting with a representative of Syracuse University this week to discuss the matter.

CARTOONS

Cartoon from: Stephen Clark

Cartoon from: Hollie David

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UC women’s swim and dive catches fire heading into winter break November, the Pioneers have collected five wins that came against Cazenovia College, SUNY Delhi, SUNY Cobleskill and Wells College, in which they dominated in all aspects. ”Competing is what you make of it,” sophomore Bailey Simmons said. “For me, I like to see all of the technicalities put together and compete against my times as well as using the other swimmers to push myself. Last season was hard to see improvements since COVID-19 messed with the season as far as practices and meets were concerned.”

Making improvements is one thing every coach preaches

Photo: Alexandria Leland ◊ MATT ROBINSON STAFF WRITER The Pioneers are 6-5 overall and have won five of the last six meets with the lone loss to Roberts Wesleyan College, 135-109, back in October.

Utica College swim and dive head coach Erin Knight is excited to be back as she enters her eleventh season in the position. After having only two meets last season, Knight still believes that the team is ready to compete.

about as there is always room for it. Staying in great shape and having quality endurance while swimming is huge because, as with any race, the one who finishes first wins, so having a great time is necessary.

“We have done a lot of sprinting due to the types of meets thus far, so we will need to work on endurance and fine tuning each swimmer’s race going forward so we can have a successful taper,” Knight said.

The women won’t be back in the pool until Jan. 14, when they travel to Alfred University following the winter break.

“We’ve had five meets so far,” Knight said. ”The first half was a really good start and I’m looking forward to training during the winter break in preparation for championships, which is the end goal for the season.”

Earlier in the season, the women lost four of their first five contests, but that didn’t stop them from getting back and turning those losses into wins.

Since

the

beginning

of

Photo: Alexandria Leland

New York SASH hosts 17th annual Teddy Bear Toss in Utica ◊ EMILY JOSS SPORTS EDITOR The Utica College men’s ice hockey team, in conjunction with local company New York SASH, hosted the 17th annual Teddy Bear Toss during their home game against King’s College on Saturday, Dec. 4.

The No.3 Pioneers went on to defeat the King’s College Monarchs 8-0, in their third shutout of both the season and Teddy Bear Toss history to improve their overall record to 9-2 this season.

Although every game is crucial to the Pioneers this year, as they strive to

maintain such a high national ranking, this game had far less to do with the final score and rather, centered it’s focus around the Teddy Bear Toss and the thousands of kids in the local area that will find joy this holiday season thanks to this tradition.

Just over 16 years ago, Pioneers’ head coach Gary Heenan was out recruiting in North Bay, Ontario when he found a team participating in their own teddy bear toss.

He quickly knew that such an event had to be brought back to the Utica area.

Back home, the event not only stuck, but thrived. In the

first couple years, 400-500 stuffed animals were tossed onto the ice following the first goal, but in the 17 years since, more than 50,000 stuffed animals have reached the ice and arms of local children.

Last year, the tradition looked a little different as the Teddy Bear Toss had to leave the arena and hit the road during the 2020 season. Nonetheless, 3,324 stuffed animals were collected across their four pop-up locations.

The last time the Pioneers played the Teddy Bear Toss in front of a crowd was in 2019, when they defeated SUNY Morrisville 4-1. During

that game, more than 4,000 stuffed toys flew from the stands. Being back in the building this year, the fans were ready to respond in a big way.

In front of a sold out crowd for 10 consecutive years, thousands of teddy bears were collected last weekend.

A final number has not been tallied yet.

“There have been plenty of college teams trying to emulate this, but nobody does it like the city of Utica,” Heenan said in an interview with Jeffrey Kopek on WPNR 90.7 FM. SEE TOSS PG. 11

SPORTS

PAGE 11 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021

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The Teddy Bear Toss /Photo: Jeff Pexton TOSS FROM PG. 10 That may be true, but the event has inspired teams all over the country with an abundance of other collegiate and even professional teams creating their own versions of the tradition. The Pioneers’ Teddy Bear Toss has become so large, in fact, that the 2018 game was featured on the T.V. Show “Inside Edition.”

“We’re thrilled to have it, we’re thrilled to put a smile on some little kids faces and we’re happy to do our small part in that,” Heenan said.

The men on the ice gain the recognition for turning the game into a toy drive every year. Senior forward Eric Holland found the back of the net for this year’s New York SASH Teddy Bear Toss goal, in front of his parents who came from Ontario to see the game.

Heenan admits that none of it could be done without New York SASH and its owner Scot Hayes.

“Scot and his team handle all the logistics, so when those teddy bears fly, they get about 150 people jumping on that ice to get that cleaned up in minutes,” Heenan said

in the same interview with Kopek. “Then Scot’s team takes those stuffed animals and distributes them to a number of different charities in the area.”

These charities include Toys for Tots and Operation Sunshine in the local Utica area.

Throughout the course of the history of the Teddy Bear Toss, the Pioneers have scored a goal in all but one game. Back in 2014, the Pioneers were defeated by future national champion Trinity College.

When this happened, the stuffed animals still reached the ice following the conclusion of the game.

Circumstances like that, however, are few and far between as the Pioneers typically dominate this game.

The team’s overall Teddy Bear Toss record stands at 132-1 and not to mention, they have regularly scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal less than five minutes into the game.

“Our fans are the best in Division 3 and some of the best in all of college hockey,” Heenan said. “I love that our fans are passionate about this tradition.”

Some of the thousands of stuffed animals collected at the 17th annual New York SASH Teddy Bear Toss. /Photo: New York SASH Facebook.

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Remembering Mike Parnell: ‘Live it, love it,’ ‘Great day to be a Pioneer’ ◊ MATTHEW BREAULT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & MATTHEW ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER

In

honor of coach

former players what “Coach Parnell made a lasting impact on the lives of his players and the UC community. He was someone you could go to for advice, a good laugh or to just talk about life. I will always remember and cherish the many lessons coach taught on and off the field.”- John Avery.

Mike Parnell,

members of

The Tangerine

Parnell meant to them. Here is what they had to say:

“My biggest takeaway from coach Parnell was that his main goal at Utica was not to win lacrosse games, that was his second goal. His main goal was to make better men for the community and teach us how to be better sons, brothers and fathers when we get older. He gave me the opportunity to walk on the team as a freshman and I will forever be grateful for that because of how much he taught me to be a better person.”- Josh Bennett.

“The best two hours of my day were on the field with him during practice.

I’m going to miss him.”- Raj Singh

“Coach Parnell had a big influence on me and a lot of my teammates.

He would always have a smile on his face and was always ready to teach me the game of lacrosse, but more importantly how to be a better man.

One thing that will always stick with me that coach Parnell told me was that my game reminded me of his when he played and that pushes me to be the best I can be on and off the field for coach.”Riley Botting

asked current and

Coach Mike Parnell doing what he loved. /Photo: Jeff Pexton

“Coach was a good man who cared about everyone in our locker room like a member of his family. He will be greatly missed.”Dale Wagner

“Coach’s energy lit up the room. He was a great person who only wanted the best for his players. He is going to be missed.” Matthew Robinson

“Coach Parnell taught me everything on how to be a great lacrosse player, but he also taught me how to be an even greater man. I will forever be thankful for the time I had with coach, and to keep his legacy going, we just have to ‘live it, love it’ every single day.”Ethan Brown

“Coach Parnell has had a tremendous impact on both the UC community and every player within the lacrosse program. He was a Pioneer through and through and always pushed us to be better men both on and off the field. It’ll always be a great day to be a Pioneer, thank you for everything.”Francis Tavino

“Coach made coming to the field the best two hours of my day. He gave off the best energy and always wanted the best for his players on and off the field.”- Ryan Washo

“Coach Parnell was a great man and we wanted the best for his players on and off the field. He helped make me the man I am today.”- Zach Shaler