HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUE... Scanga receives the Harold T. Clark Jr. Award
TRiO at Utica College
POV: Historical men’s hockey game
FEATURES | PG. 5
FEATURES | PG. 9
SPORTS | PG. 11
The
TANGERINE
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
The legalization of marijuana and campus life
UCTANGERINE.COM
UC deciding about requiring students to receive COVID-19 vaccine
REBEKAH HEDEEN FEATURES EDITOR
The legalization of possession of marijuana in New York State was passed on March 31 and could have significant effects on the surrounding communities and colleges within. The policies for campus life and the possession of marijuana remain unchanged according to the legislation signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo but are yet to be decided by the individual schools. The signing of this legislation may benefit the state and allow for the taxation of marijuana purchases, but it does not protect individuals from federal law punishments nor from guidelines put in place by universities and like institutions. “The policies of private colleges and universities are not based strictly on state laws, and as such, the recent legislation does not materially affect our Student Code of Conduct, as it pertains both to conduct occurring on and off-campus,” said Shad Crowe, vice president for emergency management. “At this time, we have no specific plans to change our Code of Conduct as it relates to marijuana.”
Photo Courtesy of Alexandria Leland
Photo Courtesy of Alexandria Leland The passing of legislation regarding the legality of marijuana versus the student’s inability to use it due to campus policies could result in some mixed signals. “Marijuana is specifically mentioned in section 15 subset F of the code of conduct as being prohibited to use, possess, manufacture, distribute, or sell on campus,” said Hannah Camfield, junior and current resident assistant. “I personally don’t anticipate this policy changing unless and until federal law changes.”
endorsement, or permitting the use of marihuana on a College campus, in direct contradiction to Federal Law, places students and any institution receiving federal aid at risk of losing access to that aid as well as potentially suffering an immediate suspension of federal work-study programs on campus.”
Camfield went on to say that all inquiries of campus policy can be found on UC’s student conduct website.
According to Crowe, this also means that any student who receives federal funding must follow federal law, regardless of the individual state policy where the school is located. Crowe went on to say that this is the case at institutions where recreational use of marijuana has been approved at the state level for years.
“Utica College students receive grants and aid from the federal government,” Crowe said. “A formal
“A student’s off-campus home or apartment is not under the control of the SEE LEGAL PG. 8
NICK MCADAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF A small but growing list of schools across the United States have made the decision to require students to receive a COVID-19 vaccine including, but not limited to Syracuse University, Cornell University, Rutgers University and Brown University. Right now, Utica College will monitor the vaccine rollout and will make decisions from there. “We are actively monitoring the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine and the corresponding development of guidance and counsel with regard to COVID vaccination policies as they relate to the college’s student immunization requirements,” said Shad Crowe, the vice president for emergency management. With the accessibility to receiving the vaccine increasing, schools
requiring inoculation feel this process is natural in an attempt to get institutions back to normal. Last month, about 240 student employees, faculty and staff received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the Strebel Student Lounge. Since then, multiple vaccinations have been offered to the community between Strebel and the Burrstone House. An updated number of vaccinations was not provided by the college. However, plans to distribute the vaccine a second time were halted after recent news of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine recall. The story, still unfolding, indicates that a total of six women between the ages of 18 and 48 who received the vaccine developed blood clots afterward, though the effects are being labeled as rare by the Food and Drug Administration. The college, in its SEE COVID PG. 4
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STAFF
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
SPRING 2021 STAFF
UCTANGERINE.COM
Editor-In-Chief - Nick McAdam Layout Editor - Stephen Clark Managing Editor - Bailey Hryb Assistant News Editor - Hannah Steyn Features Editor - Rebekah Hedeen Assistant Features Editor - Hope Russo Sports Editor - Abin Boris Assistant Sports Editor - Matt Breault Special Assignments Reporter - Isabella Hudziak General Assignments Reporter - Robert Stevens Photographer - Alexandria Leland Social Media Manager - Alyssa McKenna Cartoonist - Alyssa McKenna YouTube - Brooke Riscica Copy Editor - Gianna Cognetti Tangerine Clerk - Jama Joseph 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.
PAGE 3
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
Episodes 1 and 2 of Minechat on our YouTube
Photo Courtesy of Nick McAdam. The Tangerine has launched a new series on its YouTube called Minechat. The premise of the series talks to students about their significant mental health stories over a game of Minecraft. The Tangerine firmly believes that mental health has become the strongest student-driven initiative at Utica College. This series is an attempt to join those important conversations and give students a comfortable alternative to tell their stories while giving the chance for those in the community to relate to the experiences being shared.
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. Anonymous letters to the editor will not be printed. All letters and editorials must meet the print deadline of 5 p.m. on Mondays. Please send all submissions to tangerine@utica.edu. Takeback requests are a form of censorship and therefore not accepted.
Advertising Information
The Tangerine accepts paid advertisements. Advertising copy is subject to the same professional publishing standards as content. The Tangerine reserves the right to reject advertising that does not meet the standards established, is libelous, is in poor taste or violates discrimination laws. Please direct all inquiries to tanger@utica.edu. The deadline for publication is 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. The opinions and columns expressed in The Tangerine are those of the individual writers and do not represent the views of The Tangerine or Utica College.
News Tips? Opinions? Contact The Tangerine! Tangerine!
TANGER@UTICA.EDU
CAMPUS SAFETY BLOTTER Date of Incident
Time of Incident
Incident Description
Incident Location
4/7/2021
10:30 AM
Suspicious Activity
Pioneer Village A
4/9/2021
8:06 PM
Medical Assist
South Hall
4/11/2021
2:00 AM
Alcohol Violation
Alumni Hall C
4/11/2021
6:30 AM
Alcohol Violation
4/12/2021
4:35 PM
Medical Assist
Strebel Student Center
4/12/2021
7:30 AM
Accident Report
South Hall
4/12/2021
2:36 AM
ESA Pet Policy
South Hall
4/13/2021
7:45 AM
Found Property
4/13/2021
8:09 PM
Trespass
Parking Lot Hutton Rec Center (Dome)
PAGE 4
NEWS
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
Health and Wellness Center reopening for the end of the semester
CHARLES BUCKLEY STAFF WRITER
during our operational hours of 8:30-5:00.”
The Health and Wellness Center at Utica College has been closed since the spring semester of 2020 due to the pandemic. The center has finally reopened its doors, but not completely.
For many students, this is seen as yet another step to returning towards a normal campus life and college life for the fall semester. There was no comment provided as to why the center waited so long to open back up, although reasoning can be connected to the outbreak of the virus.
Currently, the nurse station side of the center is reopened for walk-ins, while counseling sessions are still being handled via Telehealth, Zoom or Google Meet. “We are excited about the reopening of Health Services within the Health and Wellness Center, continuing to ensure student safety while being in a position to offer in-person services (by appointment only),” said Thomas Lane, a counselor and faculty member that works in the center. “Students can walk in to make an appointment COVID FROM PG. 1 partnership with Walgreens Pharmacy, quickly changed course and offered the Pfizer vaccine on April 13. “Please note that the Pfizer vaccine is a two-dose series; we have scheduled a second clinic on May 4 in order to give the second dose to everyone who receives the first dose today,” according to an email from Crowe. Utica College currently has 22 positive cases adding to its total of 125 positives for this semester. This number is higher than the 19 positive cases toward the end of the fall semester last year when the college responded with a number of elements including soft quarantine in residence halls such as North Hall,
However, only the nursing station has opened back up so far. Any student who seeks help from counselors still has to have their sessions remotely for the rest of the semester. Lane hopes this won’t be the case in the fall though. “We are planning on opening Counseling Services in the Health and Wellness Center to inperson sessions in the fall of 2021,” Lane said. “We expect with the vaccine and grab-and-go meals from the dining hall. The most Crowe could offer, as of right now, is that the college will notify all community members of any immediate changes to the policy. He indicated the college respects the decisions of other colleges and universities who are on both sides of the decision. Students are also on both sides of the fence, mainly about the side effects of each vaccination combined with the recent Johnson & Johnson vaccine news. Others indicate that although the side effects were present, that they were still happy to receive the vaccine regardless. “I had flu-like symptoms for about 14 hours but then I felt perfectly fine,” Junior
“I’ve seen counselors over Google Meet. And while it is harder for me to find a place on campus that is confidential and I feel safe taking that call in, it is nice to be able to be in a place where I’m comfortable and to be able to see each other faces (rather than half the face over the mask).”
Photo Courtesy of Charles Buckley rollout to the general public, we will be better able to ensure student and staff safety during the 45-60 minute counseling sessions. We will also continue to offer telehealth sessions for the foreseeable future to increase student accessibility to counseling services.”
pressure and stress they feel during the final month of college as they prepare to finish out the year. Some students have admitted to having great experiences with the telehealth session they got. However, others admit that while it does help, they still long for the way it normally was.
As the year winds down, many students have begun to use the center’s telehealth counseling services as a way to help cope with the
“I’ve used both the physical and mental health sides of the Health and Wellness Center,” Sophomore Katherine Hawley said.
Cora Sawyer said. “Overall, I’m definitely happy I received the vaccine.”
Although the goal for much of the United States, including Utica College, is a slow and safe return to normalcy, students such as Junior Connor Mirasola do not see that happening any time soon. Mirasola believes that student vaccinations will make the community feel much safer being oncampus, but he doesn’t see a return to normalcy until 2022 at the earliest due to the lack of data and accessibility of the vaccine right now.
In a recent Tangerine article, a student indicated that she will not receive the vaccine. Senior MacKenzie Lowden witnessed the side effects of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine that affected her sister. Lowden prefers to wait for more research and trial results to come out about all vaccines, citing that the amount of time between the vaccine rollout and trial periods wasn’t enough. Lowden isn’t alone. A report from NPR showed that one in four Americans do not have plans to receive the vaccine, putting a halt to the desire for herd immunity. Five percent of the country is still undecided.
The controversy of mandated vaccines has put a taint on much of the students’ opinions on it. Until the college makes its final decision, students such as Mirasola will wait to make plans on how to approach his senior year from there.
Hawley stated that the center still gave in-person exams as needed and that she felt totally safe going in for them if she needed them since everyone in the health center followed COVID-19 regulations. “I’ve also had phone consultations with Terri [Sherman] and they were actually super helpful,” Hawley said. “It didn’t require me to schedule out a whole chunk of time to go in and see her which was nice.” Regardless, this wouldn’t be the first time a highereducation institution has required vaccinations for in-person attendance. Utica College is a part of several four-year institutions spread across the country that have required at least one vaccine for in-person enrollment both in the past and present. The next decision is still up in the air for Utica College, though the conversation has started among members of the administration. Moving forward, the college will continue its plans for students to receive a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine in early May while also providing a combination of this vaccine with the Moderna vaccine in the Burrstone House.
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FEATURES
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
Biology Professor Dr. Sara Scanga receives the Harold T. Clark Jr. Award
ALEXANDRIA LELAND HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER
The advice that Scanga has for biology students is to get involved with research their first semester.
Professor of Biology Dr. Sara Scanga is the 2021 recipient of the Harold T. Clark Jr. Award. This accomplishment recognizes Scanga’s productivity in research and continued productivity in the future. Scanga came to Utica College in 2010, and since then has had peer-reviewed journals publish 11 of her papers and has worked with nearly 50 students on research in and out of the classroom. Scanga’s colleague Dr. Jessica Thomas joined the biology department in 2012 and helped write the fivepage letter for Scanga’s nomination. She has helped with a variety of projects such as developed a Biology curriculum and assessment procedure, as well as helped with multiple collaborative research endeavors. “Over the past eight years, I have worked closely with Dr. Scanga in multiple capacities,” Thomas said. “Throughout just about every professional endeavor and interaction I have had with Sara, research is a central thread in her bright vision. It is the backbone that guides her as an effective educator and a leader in her field.” Provost Todd Pfannenstiel met with Scanga and Thomas to announce that Scanga was the recipient of the Harold T. Clark Jr. Award. “When he shared the news, I held back tears because I
“It’s the fun part, so why put it off?” Scanga said. According to Scanga, the research around student retention shows that students are more likely to stay in school when they feel like they have a home.
Photo Courtesy of Christine Leogrande was so happy for her and the recognition that she deserves,” Thomas said. Scanga reflected on the moment she found out Thomas nominated her for the award. “I felt, honestly, just touched and grateful,” Scanga said. She and Thomas have been kindred spirits since they became colleagues in 2012. “She’s a great collaborator,” Scanga reiterated about Thomas.
“I felt, honestly, just touched and grateful,” Dr. Sara Scanga Professor A Serendipitous Opportunity Continues to be A Path of Gratitude When Scanga joined Utica college in 2010, she said she felt as if it was this serendipitous thing she capitalized on. After graduate school, Scanga was living in Syracuse and applied to her current position as a professor of biology.
“Oh my gosh, they teach how I want to teach,” Scanga said. “How lucky is this?” Eleven years later, Scanga continues to feel the gratitude between being the recipient of the Harold T. Clark Jr. award and watching the biology department and its students accomplish amazing things. Scanga’s Teaching Philosophy The mission of the biology department aligns with Scanga’s teaching philosophy which is to learn by doing. “I want (the students) to be engaged and hands-on with science,” Scanga said. “A big part of it is bringing research into the classroom, because I am training people to be scientists, and if they’re not going to end up doing research for a career, that’s fine because having a scientific mindset is good for everyone.”
“What better way to find a home than interacting with your professors outside of class, doing cool research that’s fun and doing stuff that you came to school for?” Scanga said. Experiencing all the scientific research that you can while in school is encouraged among professors. “Dabble in this and that until you find out what you like,” Scanga added. Biology Students Go Above and Beyond A proud moment Scanga felt was when her students designed a research project that ended up being published in the journal Plos One. The research was conducted by the students with mentorship from Scanga. The project was based on the question, “How does artificial sweetener affect plants?” The students went to scientific literature, conducted research and found out that the artificial sweetener does kill some plants. “They took it to the next level,” Scanga said.
UC student Anastasia Shikula remarked on her experience with Scanga. “Dr. Scanga is a very great person,” Shikula said. “She is actually my advisor. When I told her I was having a hard time finding a job on campus my freshman year, she offered me to work in her greenhouse. Then, as my advisor and supervisor, she also offered me to do research with her. She is my advisor, supervisor, research mentor and Botany teacher. And a great support. All in one.” Scanga’s Hope for Biology’s Future Scanga’s hopes for biology’s future is that it becomes more inclusive. “Instead of just saying lip service, that we care about diversity, my hope is that we actually get a diverse set of people at the table and start seeing all the amazing ideas that can come when you have a different background from the dominant background in science right now,” Scanga said. She believes that society will benefit as a whole from including a diverse range of voices in the scientific community. Scanga expressed her frustration on the slow turn toward inclusivity and the discoveries we’re missing out on due to discriminatory actions. “No more waiting (for inclusivity), let’s get this done,” Scanga said.
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FEATURES
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
Professor Jason Denman performs on the Jackson Lunch Hour Series
HANNAH STEYN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Denman said. Denman said when he transferred to the University of California, Davis to be an English major and started thinking about graduate work, he made a clear decision that piano was something that he loved but that he was going to do strictly for himself.
Dr. Jason Denman, an English professor at Utica College, gave a piano performance that aired on WPNR-FM Jackson Lunch Hour Series on Wednesday, April 7. According to Denman, his ventures into piano playing started at around six or seven when his mother, who played the piano herself, tried to teach him. However, after a few months of lessons, they made the mutual decision to quit. A little later in life though, Denman decided to pick music back up again. “When I was in eighth grade, I got really interested in the trumpet,” Denman said. “My dad was a pretty good trumpeter, so he taught me for a while. Very quickly I got just totally immersed in music in ways I hadn’t been before, and I started learning the piano again simultaneously.” Denman said that he eventually dropped the trumpet and focused more on the piano, and despite his mother being a pianist he was fairly self-taught. This meant that when he eventually got an instructor at around 18 years old, he had to change and fix a lot of bad habits. “I would show up with a piece half learned, and I would have added a beat to a critical bar for no reason,” Denman said. “He’d have to fix my counting or my terrible fingering.” Denman said that his experiences with his
Photo Courtesy of UC Youtube instructor were what made him realize that being a musician wasn’t necessarily what he wanted for his future. “You can be so talented and not have a career,” Denman said. “At the time, I was taking lessons from him, he was in his early to mid-30s and I think he wanted to be a performer but ended up as a teacher and I think he felt a little bit stunted. That was kind of a wake-up call for me because the tough thing about music is you have to be insanely talented and insanely dedicated and insanely lucky and that’s pretty brutal.”
“You can be so talented and not have a career.” - Dr. Jason Denman Professor Around this time, Denman was enrolled in a local community college and found himself gravitating toward his English professors. “One of my professors knew I was starting to drift toward being a teacher,
and she just said, ‘Hey I want you to teach my class next week,’ which was not
something they really did there and I did it I was like ok this is what I wanna do’,”
“This decision was also conditioned by the fact that my music teacher sent me to a competition once,” Denman said. “It was a fairly small thing, and I prepared a set of pieces and I won one of them and I was happy about that. SEE DENMAN PG. 7
STUDENTS WANTED To nominate your awesome professors for the prestigious Dr. Virgil Crisafulli Distinguished Teaching Award. This award is given each year to a tenured professor who exemplifies the highest traditions of teaching. Because teaching is our first priority at Utica College, this award has come to be recognized as the College’s finest tribute to a faculty member. You should have received an email this week with information about the Crisafulli Award, a list of eligible faculty members, and the nomination form. Nominations will only be accepted using a completed nomination form.
The deadline for nominations is 5:00 p.m., Friday, April 23rd to the Office of Academic Affairs, 201 DePerno Hall. You may also email them to provost@utica.edu by the deadline.
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FEATURES
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
DENMAN FROM PG. 6 But I also had a complete memory lapse and had stop piece halfway through and just kind of sigh and leave the stage.” Denman said that whenever he performed, he’d feel anxious, but in the classroom, he felt completely at ease and unself-conscious. When it comes to balancing teaching and music, Denman said it’s about taking advantage of little scraps of time. “As human beings, I feel like we should all be as well rounded as we want to be,” Denman said. “If I have 20 minutes to myself and I want to play, I will. You can’t always have long periods too, but if you keep your mind engaged and just give yourself 10 minutes here or an hour there, you’re still you, still using that part of your brain that makes you happy.” “As human beings, I feel like we should all be as well rounded as we want to be.” - Dr. Jason Denman Professor Denman’s WPNR performance ended with a left-hand piece, which has a story behind it. For the last two years, Denman has suffered from tendonitis in his right elbow. He urged fellow musicians to remember that playing an instrument can have a physical toll. “I want to remind anybody who’s in anything - whether it’s a sport or musical instrument – you have to find ways to do it that are healthy,” Denman said. “Find ways to do it that don’t give you repetitive strain conditions.”
UCTANGERINE.COM
Delivery services make supporting local businesses easier
GIANNA COGNETTI COPY EDITOR
The rise in technology and the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many food businesses partnering with delivery services such as Doordash, UberEats and GrubHub. The delivery services make it so people can enjoy restaurant food in the comfort of their own homes, help those without transportation enjoy a meal out, help businesses gain more customers and it also provides jobs for people who want to create their own work schedule. With the food industry struggling during the pandemic’s dining restrictions, people can support local businesses by ordering through delivery services in participating locations. Some may think ordering through such services is damaging to the business because delivery services take a commission from participating businesses in order to be compensated for service. However, this is a small price restaurants pay compared to the loss they may experience without them. First-year student and on campus resident Peter Stanely says he has used UberEats because he did not have transportation at the time and wanted food. A lot of college students enjoy having food delivered because it is a change from their usual cafeteria food, and sometimes it is a way for them to grab a quick meal by themselves without having to physically go
Photo Courtesy of Alexandria Leland alone. “It is pretty easy,” he said. “The only downfall is that sometimes it takes a while to be delivered.” The long delivery time can be the price to pay for not having to leave the house, and some places such as Tony’s Pizza tend to stay true to hiring their own delivery employees. An employee of Tony’s Pizza said that the company has tried using those services in the past, yet it would sometimes get the order wrong and the company would pay the price. “People would complain about their order being wrong,” she said. “We find it best to do it ourselves.” Yet, many like Stanley think the delivery services help restaurants, which is why it is more common to see a lot of restaurants choosing to partner with them. “People who would not normally go to a restaurant can now have their food delivered,” he said.
Delivery services can be beneficial for both customers and businesses. Businesses have a chance at gaining more customers that they would have missed out on if delivery was not an option. People who are simply too busy to get food themselves now have it easy with delivery. This can be anyone from people who can not leave work, parents caring for young children at home, college students who are busy with school work and many more. Junior Gage Fiacco is both an employee and customer for UberEats. He believes delivery services are great for local businesses and even mentions that UberEats raised millions of dollars for businesses during the pandemic. “I find more people order UberEats from local restaurants as opposed to chain restaurants,” he said. Especially with the importance of social distancing and maskwearing, UberEats and similar delivery companies mandate contactless customer delivery. “Everything is non-contact
delivery,” Fiacco said. “I can sit in my car and wait for the food, then I deliver it with no personal contact.” Fiacco explained UberEats also raised $4.5 million through a grant program in order to help struggling restaurants. Restaurants can submit applications in hopes to qualify for a $5,000 grant per location. The grant can assist in operational costs from paying employees, paying rent, paying vendors and more. The restaurants that qualify are small businesses with very few locations and can show proof of financial despair. Not only has UberEats been able to help restaurants, but they also are able to give grants to restaurant employees who have been out of work since the pandemic. Many restaurants laid off servers because they did not need as many as before. This left many, especially those with children struggling. Delivery services can be a great way to gain extra income in such difficult times and they can help businesses now more than ever.
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FEATURES
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
A look at Wellness and Adventure Education during a COVID year
REBEKAH HEDEEN FEATURES EDITOR
The addition of the microphone that the teacher wears around their neck enables the online students to have clear sound quality during class. Additionally, there is a speaker that enables online students to participate during class causing the overall experience to be more enjoyable.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented the Wellness and Adventure Education program with many changes, which were made at large across all aspects of the college to help the school deliver a quality educational experience for online and on-ground students. The large number of students who are studying remotely impacted the formulation of the new and improved wellness and adventure class setup. Timothy Abraham, an assistant professor of wellness and adventure education, explained that the department went through multiple trial and error phases until they finally concluded with their current system. “Many physical education programs are leaning into new and exciting ways of thinking about instruction,” according to an article from KTLA News online. Upon observation of his class, the setup for the LEGAL FROM PG. 1 school to search in any way,” said Aleecia Pease, a construction management major. “However, [for] an off-campus student who brings their marijuana on campus, either in their vehicle noticeably or on their person, the school has every right to reprimand. For on-campus students, the dorms are viable to be searched under suspicion.” Currently, no changes in the Utica College student
Photo Courtesy of Rebekah Hedeen students was quite different from that of a conventional classroom. “The classroom setup for this does not work,” said Abraham, in response to the initial class setup for the program. “Mike [Roberts from IITS] came out to see our class and said, ‘Hh, now I get why this doesn’t work.’” The typical classroom set up for this particular major was either in a regular classroom or outside. Because of the pandemic, many changes in IITS have taken place. The program is a prime example of how handbook have been made but in the event that they were, the idea of safe smoking areas is of great importance. “I think there should be designated smoking spots around campus,” Aleecia Pease said. “It would allow students and faculty to participate safely and most importantly allow students to partake outside of the dorms. I do think that smoking locations should be further removed from
IITS has paired up with various departments at Utica College to deliver a better learning experience. “We have students that are remote that can’t come out and we came up with this cart,” Abraham said. “This is Cart 2.0 with a mobile tripod with an iPad so we have cameras from two different angles. The teacher has a microphone that can reach the end of the gym so that the online students can hear them like they are right next to them. For outside, we got an iPad with a data plan so that the students can still see what is going on.” building entrances in general to help students who suffer from respiratory issues.” If the campus policies were to change at Utica College then implementing smoking stations that are further away from doorways could prove helpful for those that have underlying health conditions or are uncomfortable with secondhand smoke of any kind.
“When we first started we said well, let’s build a mobile classroom,” said Mike Roberts, interim director of technology. “Then we made some changes with the microphone mostly, but also with the addition of the iPad.” An IITS assistant joins every class to work at the portable cart shown above to make sure the students that join via zoom are able to hear and see what is going on in the gym. The assistant will later move to an iPad that is also connected to the Zoom and allows for the online students to observe to a fuller extent what is going on and in return, participate. Prior to IITS’s involvement, “I think the smoking areas will be the same, just like they will be in public areas around New York,” Senior Hayleigh Snyder said. “The smoking areas for marijuana may be closer to the dorms rather than the academic side of campus to prevent students who don’t want to get high to avoid it.” The possibility of institutions, specifically private institutions that receive federal funding, changing their policies
Abraham used a Bluetooth earbud that allowed the online students to participate but it made it difficult for the in-person students to engage in the same conversation that the online students were in. “In comparison to other classes we have only had one paper and one test due,” Junior Katherine Migliori said. “I think this class could be more effective but it is the professor’s first time so he is just working out the kinks.” Because of the relatively new learning conditions caused by the pandemic, students have had to be flexible and understanding but overall, the program seems to have adapted well. “This is a good thing, I don’t see it going away any time soon,” Roberts said. “In the classroom, it was more cut and dry but here, we added the microphone and iPad. The changes [made] just kind of took on its own form, in a good way, and the problems we solved helped get us where we are.”
concerning recreational marijuana use is approaching but until the federal laws concerning this topic are changed, UC plans to remain firm in their current policies. “Utica College is a private institution and there are no plans to alter or change the current student code of conduct as it relates to the possession or use of marijuana on Utica College owned or operated properties,” Crowe said.
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FEATURES
FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
TRiO Student Support Services launches at Utica College
ISABELLA HUDZIAK SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS REPORTER
Hubbard Hall is the home of several Utica College offices that were created to support students. One such office, signified with a distinct TRiO sign beside the glass door, is the TRiO Student Support Services office. The title “TRiO” refers to the three original programs funded under Title IV in the Higher Education Act: Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search and Special Services. The program exists in a multitude of colleges, including university and community campuses, across the United States, the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands. The TRiO programs serve several people: FirstGeneration Students (FGS), low-income students and students who have documented disabilities that impact academic experience. Students whose families’ income is equal to or less than 150% of the poverty level are eligible. The origins of TRiO date back to the 1960s when the Higher Education Act was established. What once started with Upward Bound expanded into Student Support Services and Talent Search. Title IV of the Higher Education Act was funded toward access and retention programs. Despite the historical range of the program, it is fairly new to Utica College. “The aim of the grant is
Photo Courtesy of Susan Johnston to provide greater support for economically and academically disadvantaged students, with a focus on improving retention and graduation rates, as well as assisting first-generation college students,” Director of TRiO Student Support Susan Johnston said. The grant was awarded on Sept. 1, 2020, and is a fiveyear grant, she said. Students who believe they qualify for the program can submit an Interest Form on the Utica College TRiO webpage, schedule a meeting with the TRiO office or send an email to trio@utica.edu. Once the staff has reviewed the application and found there is an available spot the student will be invited to a meeting to talk over future
goals and the commitments TRiO SSS requires. The office promotes individualized support by collaborating with the students involved to create a plan for professional and academic development. The program works in conjunction with other Utica College staff, such as financial aid Counselors, success coaches, faculty academic advisors, career coaches and learning services as needed. “Some basic indicators we look at include successful completion of credits, attendance to classes, meetings and TRiO SSS activities,” Johnston said. “We also look at timely completion of FAFSA and on-time scheduling of classes.”
The TRiO SSS office officially started during the turbulent COVID-19 pandemic. In preparation for the office’s start in February, a shell of the program was established by Project Director Karen R. Ferrer-Muniz, the associate vice president of enrollment management, and Johnston. Once the spring semester kicked into gear, the shell would be fleshed out. “We were able to continue to build on the shell by hiring staff, getting visibility on the website and across campus and enrolling student participants,” Johnston said. “As we are enrolling students into the program there have been some challenges in engaging the students
and having them be really excited about it.” According to Johnston, the first UC participants have adapted as the spring semester has moved along. In the future, the TRiO Student Support Services at Utica College has the mission to empower students. “We want to empower students to be the best version of themselves, encourage them to believe in their goals and aspirations, and to motivate them to complete a degree,” Johnston said. “TRiO SSS promotes student persistence, good academic standing and degree completion.”
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An Hour Abroad: The differences between student support in the U.S. and Finland
SPORTS
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POV: UC Men’s Hockey: How to be on the right and wrong side of history in one night MATTHEW BREAULT ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
ripped a snapshot into the back of the net with 5:09 remaining in the first. The auditorium was in utter shock. The Pioneers needed to regroup quickly, as evident from Head Coach Gary Heenan’s expressions and conversations with his players on the bench.
Boom, he was checked so hard that I was almost certain the plexiglass boards were going to shatter and the color of his jersey would stain the glass. The adrenaline shared among these young men seeped throughout the entire Auditorium.
Sofia Westling and other students in their student organization overalls - Photo Courtesy of Sofia Westling HANNAH STEYN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR On Monday, April 12, Finnish exchange student Sofia Westling gave a presentation on the differences between Finland and the U.S. social security systems via Zoom. This presentation was open to all members of the Utica College community and highlighted some major differences between the two countries’ approaches to social security, but most notable were differences for students. According to Westling, Finland, affectionately called “The Land of a Thousand Lakes” (due to the 180,000 lakes the small country is home to), has one of the most advanced social security systems in the world – a system that
guarantees decent living conditions not only for native Finns but for anyone who calls Finland home. “Our social security system covers the entire population, and is not limited to any specific groups,” Westling said. Senior Audra Williams, who planned to do an exchange semester in Finland prior to COVID-19 making that impossible, said she was surprised how different the systems between the two countries were after seeing the presentation. During her presentation, Westling spoke of the benefits offered to students in Finland by the government. “Through [the government agency] Kela, the government makes
payments to students,” Westling said. “This is to provide economic security to students, and it means that anyone can attend university if they wish to.” Westling said the government provides students with a monthly $300 study grant, provides over $700 a month in government-backed loans and pays about 80% of students’ housing. The average amount of student loans a student in Finland will graduate with is $12,342.62. This is less than half of the average American’s student loan debt, which sits at around $29,000.00. Furthermore, if a student graduates on time, they can be eligible for student loan compensation. This means that Kela will pay back around 40% of your
student loan debt. “Students also have certain medical plans especially for them,” Westling said. “If they pay around $40 per semester, they have unlimited free healthcare for as many visits as they need.” Without the student health benefits, the highest amount a person will pay for a single visit is $24.54, and the cost a patient is charged with is calculated by the ability to pay. Williams said she was shocked by how much assistance was provided to students in Finland. “Given that here in the U.S. we pay for just about everything when it comes to college, it sounds amazing to not pay so much,” Williams said. “The stress that comes with student
loans makes finding a job after graduation one of the main stressors. And if we don’t have jobs right away after college then it’s like our time has failed because we spent so much money on our degrees.” Stacy Phelps, coordinator of international education at Utica College, said that often while the U.S. is an appealing place for international students to attend college, most are shocked at the lack of student benefits and affordable healthcare. “I definitely think the U.S. should do more to support its students,” Phelps said. “Some students don’t have the means to health access and other benefits, so if there was more support it’d help students succeed inside and outside the classroom too.”
The intensity is something I never thought I’d feel stepping out of my gray Honda Civic on a windy, yet shiny Friday evening in early April. The pandemic struck just over a year ago, and now being able to attend a live sporting event just a short time later was a privilege. As I made my way to the front of the Adirondack Bank Center, I noticed small groups of people wearing orange and blue. They rightfully claim their title as the best hockey fans in Division III. For 14 consecutive seasons, the Utica College men’s hockey team led the average Division III hockey attendance. Before the pandemic hit last season, the Pioneers had 57,703 fans and averaged 3,394 during their 17 home games. Only 400 fans got to see the Pioneers during the 2020-2021 season. If you were unaware of the pandemic, the entrance would look like an apocalypse to you. There were 15 men in tight-fit black suits, wearing face masks and face shields, one weapon away from getting prepared for a riot.
Photo Courtesy of Joey Domizio Yet, their jobs were simple. They had no weapons, just an infrared thermometer to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance. Scattered around the Auditorium were 400 people ready for playoff hockey. Each person in attendance was entirely unaware of what was about to go down, though it was bound for something historic. The people in front of me were laughing alongside their family members. A couple of people to my left smiled under their masks as they posed with the ice in the background, trying to post to Instagram and Snapchat before the puck drop. A few rows behind them sat a younger couple crunching on some nachos and sharing chicken tenders like they hadn’t eaten since before the pandemic started. For around 20 minutes, the yellow and purple Elmira jerseys and the white Pioneer jerseys circled both of the team’s respective sides of the ice. Since the arena had fewer people in
it than normal, the sounds being made on the ice were amplified. I shut my eyes for a brief moment to soak in the surrounding environment. Ksssh-ksssh, the sound of the skate blades shedding through the fresh sheet of ice. Tap-tap-tap the sounds the sticks made as the players stickhandled their way to the net. These sounds were something euphoric for hockey fans to hear in person. After both teams left the ice, only two players remained. Seniors Jamie Bucell and Adam Eby stared each other down from across the ice like a classic Western staredown. As the Zambonis were eager to clean the ice, Eby decided to leave first giving Bucell the crown of hockey’s most interesting superstition, “the last player to leave the ice.” In a comical manner, Eby circled back onto the ice after Bucell headed towards the locker room. Soon after the puck was dropped, the eyes in the crowd were glued to the action like a lion ready to
pounce on its prey. In the middle of a line change, the Pioneers tried to start a fast-break down the ice. Fwww-cluck, the saucer pass missed the stick and slid down the ice into the boards for icing. Early on, both teams were aggressive as expected. After a few turnovers on both sides, the hits started becoming more prominent. When a Pioneer tried to cross the offensive blue line; whump right into the boards. The crowd wasn’t happy, but Jeffrey Zero, the backup goaltender on the Elmira bench who was banging on the boards sure was. The Pioneers returned the favor a few moments later by turning a Soaring Eagles player into a screaming eagle. It was a sound heard around Central New York. The Pioneers looked to inflict as much physical and emotional pain on Elmira as possible, but the Soaring Eagles had other things in mind. Elmira first-year forward Chance Gorman was one of those players, as he
The crowd remained relatively quiet until there was 13:43 remaining in the second. The horn went off and Brett Everson, the senior from Mississauga, Ontario, spun and found the back of the net almost effortlessly, for what could be his last time in a Pioneer uniform. The lack of goal scoring would’ve put the average fan to sleep in the third period, but the period was filled with oddity moments including: • The penalty box door wouldn’t shut. • Elmira’s goalie crease needed to be watered down. • Utica’s net was dislodged after a collision. None of those moments led to a goal, so now, it was time for sudden death. Everyone was on the edge of their seats. Hands were held up near chins. Legs were restlessly being tapped on the concrete floor. Everyone’s individual expressions of anxiety were on display for the first two overtime periods. Both teams tried to set the tone early in overtime. Smash, a yellow jersey slams into the boards with SEE POV PG 12
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Softball team off to strong start after twoyear hiatus
MATTHEW ROBINSON STAFF WRITER
Utica College’s softball team has played well so far this season, posting a 7-5 record. The team posted more than 10 runs in each game against SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Sage College, SUNY Canton and Alfred State University. Senior Sara Stransky leads the team with 11 runs, 14 hits and is posting a .412 batting average. Right behind her is Junior Emily Joss with a .441 batting average on nine runs and 15 hits. “It felt great to come back after not playing since 2019,” Head Coach Pat Mineo said. “We have come a long way since we stopped playing and I think that will help us down the road. I am happy with the POV FROM PG. 11 enough force to shake the entire arena. Pop, two players collide at center ice as they’re both slow to get up. After the multiple hits and shots that were taken by both teams, the fatigue began to settle in. When the crowd noticed, they tried to rally the Pioneers by organizing a chant. “Let’s go UC,” the crowd shouted as they gradually got louder and louder, hoping for a Pioneer goal. Yells came from across the entire facility as the Pioneers came ever so close to dismantling the brick wall, otherwise known as Elmira Goaltender Chris Janzen, who finished the
her teammates can pick up her role for now, Paul is looking forward to getting back to the action.
Photo Courtesy of Laurel Simer way our team has been able to play through cancelation during the season.” Games were split last Saturday against Alfred State. Alfred won the first matchup 3-0 and the Pioneers won the second game 9-6. Sophomore Jordyn Conte pitched both games, a total of 13 innings and giving up 9 runs. Conte has played solid this season pitching night with 62 saves and a .984 save percentage. The closest chance for the Pioneers came midway through the second overtime. On a fastbreak, the Pioneers had a two-onone advantage and as the Pioneer made a deke move on the defender, that same Pioneer hit the ice and lost the puck. As soon as the white uniform smacked the ice, the crowd became louder than a one-ton TNT bomb going off attached to an Amazon Echo Studio. The arena filled with boos and general displeasure from those who were likely older than the players on the ice. Some were much louder than others. “Are you even watching
every game and pitching at least 4 innings and posting a 3.23 ERA with 21 strikeouts. “We played well in the first couple of games,” Mineo said. “What we want most is to be the best team and have the best record so that we can get home field advantage.” Junior Kaitlyn Paul was recently injured, which will affect the lineup. Although the fucking game?” an older gentleman yelled, as he stood directly across from me on the opposite side of the arena. “You fucking suck,” another older gentleman shrieked. Besides the Pioneers’ net becoming dislodged once again, due to an Elmira player colliding with Utica College Goaltender Sean Dickson, nothing worth noting happened towards the end of the second overtime. When the horn sounded, I wondered if this would be one of the longest games in NCAA ice hockey history. On March 27, Minnesota Duluth and North Dakota played in a five-overtime classic that lasted 142 minutes and 13 seconds.
“After I broke my leg in my last game, I knew someone would be there to step in and play,” Paul said. “I am also very excited to be able to be back with the team after last season was cut short and be able to get familiar with the freshman.” The upcoming season schedule is loaded with conference play. On April 17, the Pioneers will play home at noon against Nazareth College followed by games against St. John Fisher, Elmira College and Keuka College. With better weather approaching, playing in warm temperatures is something the team is looking forward to.
Although this game between Utica and Elmira wasn’t the longest in NCAA hockey history, it was the longest in both Utica College history and UCHC history. Little did I know that this game would end up being the 4th longest game in NCAA Division III history (105 minutes and 46 seconds of elapsed game time). Just after completing this thought, the Soaring Eagles pushed down ice just under six minutes into the third overtime. Elmira Forward Bailey Krawczyk collected a rebound off of Dickson’s pad and while falling to the ice, ripped a magnificent wrist shot into the back of the net. The once deafening crowd could be heard no more as the sound pressure
“I am excited to see what the rest of the season has in store for us,” Mineo said. “We have talent all around the field, we just have to execute, and we will be successful.” Being out of competition for a long period of time can put a strain on the players physically and mentally. Not every game is guaranteed with COVID, last Sunday a doubleheader was scheduled against Houghton College, but that was postponed to another date down the road due to COVID. “We are molding the pieces together very well at this point in the season, Paul said.” “There are still challenges to overcome while playing, but that won’t get in the way of our end goal, to win an E8 championship.” level instantly dropped to zero decibels. Following the brief silence, the sounds of claps became ever-so prominent. As the Pioneers had their heads down, the fans made sure to applaud their success. The Pioneer season may not have ended the way anyone wanted it to end, but nonetheless, it was still remarkable. For these players, it was a gift to play the sport they love during a global pandemic. To the fans, April 2 will go down in New York state history as the firstday collegiate sports were allowed to have spectators at a limited capacity. This historic hockey game may have been the first, but it certainly won’t be the last.