The
TANGERINE
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUE... UC announces preliminary commencement ceremony details, students react NEWS | PG. 4
A conversation with Political Science Professor Daniel Tagliarina
Utica College baseball’s new record holder, Griffin Baur
FEATURES | PG. 8
SPORTS | PG. 12
UC announces establishment of Karl Zimpel ‘75 Endowed Professorship
Photo Courtesy of Alexandria Leland ISABELLA HUDZIAK SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS REPORTER
for her photography. An in-person celebration will be held in the fall to thank Paine for her contribution.
On Wednesday, March 24, President Laura Casamento announced the establishment of the Karl Zimpel ‘75 Endowed Professorship in Cybersecurity, which is the second endowed professorship to exist in Utica College history, followed by the Harold T. Clark Jr. Endowed Professorship created in 2005.
The pledge was made in memory of Paine’s late brother, Karl Zimpel, one of the first computer science students at Utica College and a 1975 graduate.
The endowed professorship, which is a position permanently supported by revenue from an endowment fund, was made possible by a $1 million pledge from Fredericka “Fritzie” Paine, a retired clinical psychologist who has received widespread recognition
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“Ms. Paine hopes to bolster the College’s effort to prepare graduates to address growing national security threats at home and abroad,” Utica College President Laura Casamento said. The establishment of an endowed professorship is one of the highest honors a faculty member can be awarded and will provide more opportunity to recognize and support the scholarly research conducted by faculty.
“Ms. Paine’s vision and generosity will take Utica College to a new level in its ability to recognize and support academic excellence in the cybersecurity program,” said Casamento. “Thank you to our colleagues in advancement, Tim Nelson and George Nehme, for helping facilitate this gift, and of course our deepest thanks to Ms. Paine for her incredible generosity.” The Office of Advancement at Utica College has been working with Ms. Paine and her interest in making a gift to honor her late brother since the summer of 2020. The donation opens several opportunities for the college and the School of Business and Justice Studies as a whole. “An important strategic goal for the School of SEE ZIMPEL PG. 3
Men’s Basketball clinches a playoff spot
Photo Courtesy of Laurel Simer MATTHEW ROBINSON STAFF WRITER The men’s basketball team recently clinched a playoff spot in the Empire 8 Tournament, capping off the team’s success from its 2019 campaign. Utica has been lights out winning the last three games and standing at 7-2. The team started its season with three strong victories including an 82-44 blowout victory against Elmira College. Utica currently sits in third place in the Empire 8, only behind St John Fisher – who holds an undefeated record of 9-0 – and Nazareth College. Now, the team is attempting to close the season on a fourgame winning streak while winning four of its last five games. This season, the Pioneers currently hold an average
of 75.9 points per game which is above the opponent average of 62.1. In fact, Utica is currently above the Empire 8 average in a majority of offensive and defensive statistics this season. “This year has been a year of uncertainty for sure,” Senior Kobe Lufkin said. “As far as staying prepared for the rest of the season, we plan on giving consistent focus on our game plan for each team, along with learning from our past mistakes and growing to become a better team every day.” After coming off a 7058 win over Elmira, the team looks to close out the season, again against Elmira, but this time home at Harold T. Athletic Center. With the playoffs getting underway shortly, the team SEE BASKETBALL PG. 12
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STAFF
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 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.
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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.
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NEWS
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
ZIMPEL FROM PG. 1 Business and Justice Studies is to grow our research capability and activity for faculty members and students,” said Stephanie Nesbitt, the dean of business and justice studies. “Ms. Paine’s gift allows us to support and advance faculty research through an endowed professorship. This will help us grow faculty, faculty-student and student research opportunities.” In order to start implementing the Karl
Zimpel ‘75 Endowed Professorship in Cybersecurity, a team led by Provost Todd Pfannenstiel and Nesbitt will need to start accumulating award criteria and the process for selections. At this time, there have not been any definite timelines for the first award.
Due to COVID-19 precautionary measures, the event to honor Paine has been postponed to the fall semester. However, feelings of gratitude are abundant within the cybersecurity department after the announcement made by President Casamento earlier this week.
“I hope that we can be ready to make announcements about our first award in Fall 2021,” said Nesbitt. “This would coincide nicely with the public celebration honoring Ms. Paine.”
“This extraordinary gift is an affirmation of our cybersecurity programs’ strength as well as a catalyst for our future growth,” said Dr. Austen Givens, an associate professor of cybersecurity.
UCTANGERINE.COM
“The Karl Zimpel endowed professorship will help us to attract more students and pursue new lines of research inquiry.”
analysts is projected to increase 31% through 2029, which is considerably higher than the average occupation outlook.
According to Director of Cybersecurity Programs Leslie Corbo, the money will fund important research in the cybersecurity field. The demand for cybersecurity has been growing due to the shift to remote work during the pandemic and digitization of service. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for information security
“We are beyond thrilled with this endowment,” said Corbo. “We are beyond grateful and honored to receive the Karl Zimpel Endowed Professorship in Cybersecurity and look forward to the wonderful contributions we can make to the field of Cybersecurity thanks to this gift.”
CAMPUS SAFETY BLOTTER Date of Incident
Time of Incident
Incident Description
Incident Location
3/24/2021
10:53 AM
Noise Violation
North Hall
3/24/2021
9:21 AM
Accident Report
3/27/2021
2:00 PM
Medical Assist
Strebel Student Center
3/27/2021
9:27 PM
Odor of Marijuana
Boehlert Hall
3/27/2021
11:45 PM
Odor of Marijuana
North Hall
3/27/2021
11:54 PM
Noise Violation
Parking Lot
3/28/2021
12:58 PM
Fire Alarm
Pioneer Village C
3/28/2021
7:00 PM
Odor of Marijuana
North Hall
3/29/2021
11:59 PM
Odor of Marijuana
Tower Hall
3/30/2021
1:02 AM
Harassment
South Hall
3/30/2021
8:00 AM
Suspicious Person
Parking Lot
PAGE 4
NEWS
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
UC announces preliminary commencement ceremony details, students react
BAILEY HRYB MANAGING EDITOR
The midterm week has come and gone and graduation is within sight for many seniors on campus. On March 15, UC President Laura Casamento released a statement that painted an early picture of what this year’s undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies will possibly look like. For the undergraduate ceremony, plans include multiple in-person ceremonies throughout the day on May 15 and 16, with the student body being divided into groups to accommodate publicgathering restrictions, as well as the forbiddance of guests/spectators. The ceremonies will last roughly 45-60 minutes and all attending students, faculty and staff must provide either a negative COVID-19 test result and/or proof of vaccination. The wearing of masks will be mandatory and social distancing will be enforced. For the graduate ceremony, the statement detailed that the hooding process would be next to impossible due to COVID-19 restrictions, so the ceremony, as a result, will be entirely virtual. The ceremony will be streamed and participants will receive their cap, gown, tassel and hood in the mail prior to the ceremony. It is important to note that the ceremony is at the mercy of the state of the pandemic, so details are preliminary and subject to change.
presence of family.
Photo Courtesy of Utica College These announcements have been met with both praise and criticism. Both students and administrative staff would agree that it is a huge disappointment that students cannot have a normal graduation ceremony. The college, however, seems to have made progress, considering last year’s decision. The desire to walk across the stage is something that students, both in grade school and at the collegiate level, dream of. While this year’s ceremonies differ in the way they are being held, the college has the student’s best interest at the forefront. “We’ve heard from many students that the opportunity to walk across the stage and be handed a diploma is a very meaningful experience,” Senior Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment Management Dr. Jeffrey Gates said. “While the ceremony will be very noticeably different without family and guests and absent so many of the college’s customary traditions, we want to do everything in our power to provide that experience for our graduates.”
The elephant in the room is the fact that the undergraduate ceremony will be held without the presence of guests, which includes friends and family members of the graduating class. It is one thing to be able to walk the stage, but it is an entirely different experience receiving your diploma in front of your loved ones.
“I do not see it as a real commencement ceremony if I am there alone,” - Leah Scalise Senior “I appreciate all the effort the school has put into allowing us to have some sort of commencement ceremony and I respect their work and the final decision,” said Leah Scalise, a senior studying business management. “Unfortunately, in my opinion, this alternative commencement option does not appeal to me. I understand with the current pandemic situation it is difficult to have the ‘normal ceremony,’ but I do not see it as a real commencement ceremony if I am there alone, without my family and friends watching me
and celebrating the moment and overall achievement with me.” While the undergraduate ceremony will be recorded and live-streamed on the College’s website, it does not provide that same experience for parents and students alike to celebrate the achievement together. “It is different to only be able to show your family a video recording, rather than seeing them in the audience,” Scalise continued. “I just can’t imagine going to my graduation alone, and with the duration only lasting about an hour, I just do not find it worth it.” The University of Notre Dame, for example, is offering a similar approach to their commencement ceremony, however, they may permit a limited number of guests per student, depending on the state of the pandemic at the time. Other institutions, like the University of Florida and the University of South Carolina, are following suit. Nonetheless, students are finding it difficult to grasp the idea of attending the ceremony without the
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NEWS
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
Academic classrooms available as study spaces
“I’m excited to be talking about having commencement and I’m super happy that [the college] is trying to plan one, but I just don’t feel that it will be the same without my parents there,” said Amber Jenkins, a senior studying business management. While the details above are what the college has currently implemented for commencement, this plan of action may change in the near future. According to the original statement released by UC, should New York State lift COVID-19 restrictions, the College is willing to allow guests to attend the ceremony inperson as well. Only will the course of the pandemic tell whether or not this ceremony will be somewhat normal or not. “While circumstances this Spring have not turned out as favorably as we – and countless others – had hoped, we will do everything in our power to honor this very special moment in your lives and, to the very best of our ability, offer you the recognition you deserve,” Casamento said. The undergraduate ceremony is currently set to take place on May 15 and May 16 at the Adirondack Bank Center and the graduate ceremony will be streamed beginning at 10 a.m. on June 12. Students are advised to check their UC emails frequently for updates regarding details on the commencement ceremony.
Photo Courtesy of Alexandria Leland HANNAH STEYN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Due to the COVID-19 pandemic limiting the amounts of students allowed in a given space, Utica College has made it possible for students to reserve academic classrooms as study spaces. These newly available study spaces are located in Hubbard Hall, Thurston Hall and the Gannett Library. Hubbard 113, Hubbard 217, Thurston T207 and Library L100 are all now available for student reservations. Reservations can be made here, and students simply need to click on the room they would like to book. This will take them to a timetable, where they can select as many half-hour
slots as they need. Many students, both on and off-campus, regularly make use of study spaces offered by the college. Junior Caroline Castriotta is one such non-residential student. “I find it much easier to focus when I’m not in my own room or my house,” Castriotta said. “The act of going to campus specifically to study means it’s far more likely that I actually get work done because I want to get through the work so I can get home.” Senior Elma Selimovic has a similar thought process and often goes to campus to study. “I find I work best when I’m at school because there are fewer distractions and you’re in the environment to
learn and focus,” Selimovic said. “When other people around you are working, it’s easy to want to work.”
from a classroom to their dorm room or apartment in time for the next class or meeting which is online.”
Selimovic said opening up study rooms that students can reserve is an important step because it’s a great way to ensure that students have the option to get their own space where they can completely focus on their work.
Rogers said that while the library has over 200 seats that are reservable through Navigate, the library’s situation might not fit the needs of all students.
Lisa Rogers, Coordinator of Learning Commons Services, said it’s terrific that students have access to additional study spaces that are reservable. “Many students, both residential and commuter, find it difficult to sequence guaranteed access to the right kind of space as they move throughout their day,” Rogers said. “Sometimes the timing is too tight to get
“Our group seating for more than two people together is limited, people do need to use headphones when doing virtual sessions and reservations are required,” Rogers said. “However, we are open over 100 hours per week, many of our seats have computers, reservations are easy to make and we do try to accommodate specific needs when asked.” Despite being happy with the newly available study spaces, Selimovic still
expressed a desire for more variety in study spaces. “I would love it if UC supplied some outdoor study places, like picnic tables and the like,” Selimovic said. “That way students can take advantage of the good weather that we’ll be getting.” Castriotta mirrored the sentiment, saying that outdoor study spaces with umbrellas are something she would take advantage of if she could. “I’m happy that UC is providing us with more study spaces,” Castriotta said. “But adding some outdoor spaces to study or just hang out would be amazing when it’s a bit warmer.”
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NEWS
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
SGA Elections: Positions open now CHARLES BUCKLEY STAFF WRITER The Student Government Association (SGA) will be holding elections as students graduate from Utica College, leaving many of the positions such as president and chief justice unfilled for the fall semester. Other positions available for the upcoming fall semester include upper and underclass senators, senators-at-large, a graduate senator and class officers for the years of 2022 through 2024. Most of these positions open when a student is graduating. When a student graduates they tend to look back at reasons that they liked being a part of SGA so much and why people should take the opportunity to take these positions. “I started SGA my first semester at UC and have been involved every semester since, while the superstructure is very much still the same; there have been big changes,” said Peter Gaughan, a political science and geoscience major, who is also the current SGA president. “In my four years, we’ve added a Civic Engagement Center, we’ve developed community committees, we’ve discussed highstress issues and we’ve also responded to tragedies and raised funds to overcome them.” SGA is known for not only helping run the student community on campus but they help faculty and staff enforce rules. As president,
Photo Courtesy of Alexandria Leland Gaughan is in charge of running everything that the SGA does, including meetings and events. Gaughan said that SGA is now more active than it was when he started and it’s taken on helping with producing more impactful programs to ensure a fun, safe and overall great community here on the campus. Along with his experiences, Gaughan also stated a reason why people should take this opportunity to be a part of the SGA. “SGA is absolutely an opportunity to take advantage of,” Gaughan said. “It is the best platform to communicate directly to administration and changemaking at a campus-wide level so I strongly urge
anyone with a passion for their community to run for office.”
“SGA is absolutely an opportunity to take advantage of,” - Peter Gaughan SGA President While some students in SGA are graduating this year, some are still here for next semester and are re-registering for their position. “I’m currently serving as the communications director of SGA,” said Kat Hawley, a sophomore and animal behavior major. While serving as the communications director, Hawley said it’s her responsibility to take minutes not only during meetings for the House
of Orgs, but she also has to take minutes for the student senate as well. However, that’s not only the things she does as the communications director as she also helps with reminders and planning, as well as taking on the responsibility of social media. “I send meeting reminders, send official emails and invitations on behalf of SGA and manage the SGA social media accounts,” she said. “I also plan the annual SGA banquet. Most importantly, I have to be available to students to bring concerns to the attention of SGA and appropriate administration.” The Senate also wants people to take a chance at this opportunity and help. The Senate is also looking
for people to join their positions. Chief Justice Joe Quinn has been a member of the senate and SGA for the last four years, his job involves overseeing the Senate and making sure they are doing their jobs, and also continuously updates the Constitution to make it as well written as inclusive as possible. Quinn also says there are some reasons why people should consider this opportunity. “If you have any plans to work in government or law in the future, want to surround yourself with intelligent and driven people and are looking for something that helps on a resume, SGA is for you,” Quinn said. The deadline for position submissions is Monday, April 5.
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FEATURES
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
Student leaders attend Dance Floor Theory Leadership training
ISABELLA HUDZIAK SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS REPORTER
to learn about each other in these breakout rooms as a model to bring back to their respective organizations.
Promptly at 1 p.m. on March 21, Utica College student leaders turned on their Zoom cameras for Dance Floor Theory Leadership Training. Over 15 students attended, representing the Student Government Association, Literature Society, Active Minds and several more campus organizations.
The training focused on how to maneuver spectators to become participants. Krieglstein offered advice on how to slowly build engagement from students who are neutral, starting with a pattern interrupt to kickstart curiosity. From there, student leaders can reel spectators into the group by appealing to their individual identity within the organization.
The three-hour Zoom call was led by nationally recognized public speaker Tom Krieglstein. Krieglstein founded Swift Kick, a company that promotes leadership workshops, during 2004. Over the years, he has worked as a TEDx speaker, trained leaders of famous companies such as Coca Cola and has authored the book “First Year Student To First Year Success.” As student leaders filtered into the call, accompanied by Assistant Director for College Engagement, Jason Francey, and Assistant Director for Leadership Development, Bethany VanBenschoten, Krieglstein had upbeat music playing. He greeted each member by name to establish the atmosphere of the event. Crystal Santiago attended, and was surprised by how engaging it was for students. By adding music to the background, and showing appreciation for the members is just a few things that stuck out to her. Santiago is a dualmajor senior in psychology child-life and childhood
Photo of Tom Krieglstein and special education, and is involved in several organizations on campus. “What I took away from the program was that you could make the organization more engaging by doing simple things,” she said. Attendees of the event were directed to compliment each other through the Zoom chat. Ice-breakers were employed utilizing the poll feature, with questions such as: “Would you rather have more time or more money?” Each time a question was answered, Krieglstein would pull someone into the presenting screen with him to answer. While spotlighting students, Krieglstein would also give a personal answer. He offered personal anecdotes about his life, such as the fact that he
married a few years ago, and some proverbs he felt especially important, such as: “A past mess is a future message.” Throughout the training, several steps were presented following the dance floor analogy. An organization is considered a “dance floor” and student leaders need to invite others to engage. “The more friends, the more fun there is,” said Krieglstein. “A friend group is like a mini-dance floor.” Krieglstein emphasized cultivating connections among group members and recognizing that the pace of engagement varies on several things, including personality type. Each section of information was accompanied by graphics, videos and mini-discussions in breakout rooms. Attendees were encouraged
Krieglstein advised student leaders to practice inclusive behavior. During the Zoom call, celebration of members occurred often with jazz hands or typing in the chat. Another activity involved everyone turning their cameras off and only appearing again to answer a prompt. These activities promoted engagement by allowing participants to reveal facts about themselves. “As a Zoom conference, one thing that I felt was successful was how the program was facilitated and how accommodating the set up was,” said Santiago. “It included things such as allowing the student leaders to talk and ask questions by using the chat box in the conference.” When it was 4 p.m, Francey took center-screen to make an announcement. Student organizations will be allowed to hold inperson events in accordance with last semester’s rules. The rooms used must be sanitized before leaving and attendance must be
tracked through Pioneer Place or PioHub later in the semester. “We are definitely bringing back one big tent outside Strebel,” said Francey. “Tabling and bake sales can continue with policies from last semester. Every product has to be pre-packaged by the company before being sold on campus.” Reservations for Boehlert Conference Room, MacFarlane Auditorium and Donahue Auditorium are open for small events that adhere to social distancing, COVID room occupancies followed and masks mandatory. Strebel Lounge will also be available between Monday and Friday after 5 p.m. Strebel Auditorium will be open after April 5, but priority will be given to the dance team and other performing groups. The process will involve submitting an event to Pioneer Place or PioHub towards the end of the semester, gaining approval from SLCE and having an occupancy limit. Campus Safety may also need to be spoken with before plans are approved. Pioneer Place will be turning off during April and the college will switch to PioHub, which will serve the same purpose. “I know this news is exciting, but I also ask that on top of in person activities you continue to hold some virtual meetings and events,” said Francey. “We have a number of Pioneers who are completely remote and it’s important to keep them involved.”
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FEATURES
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
A conversation with Political Science Professor Daniel Tagliarina
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FEATURES
FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
questioned.
“Empathy really has to be a part of it,” he said. “You need to understand the humanities of other people or you’re never going to get to wanting to change these systems that are persistently unfair.” These are practices he’s been bringing to his Utica College classes since he began in 2016.
“Empathy really has to be a part of it,” - Daniel Tagliarina Professor WHAT IS MEANINGFUL WORK?
Photo of Professor Daniel Tagliarina ALEXANDRIA LELAND HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER UC Political Science Professor Daniel Tagliarina, originally from outside of Cleveland, Ohio started his path to self-advocacy and equality as an outspoken vocal advocate for his friends as a youth. “I had a really strong sense, like a lot of kids, of right and wrong,” Tagliarina said. “I knew from a very young age, probably seven or so, maybe a little earlier, that I wanted to be a lawyer. I barely knew what lawyers were.” By acting innately on his character and channeling Jack McCoy from Law & Order SVU, the waters of power dynamics were
tested by always asking a series of questions, which included those authority figures he thought were wrong. Early in school, he tackled the double standards of dress codes that were coupled with comparing boys to girls, and the different treatment placed upon them solely because of their appearance. With Tagliarinas persistence, he upturned part of the dress code by flipping the burden and scrunching the thought that women couldn’t wear certain things because they would be distracting to men.
political ideas and used this to find where he fits in it all.
Growing up in a predominantly purple state where the music scene swells, Tagliarina was exposed to different
His achievements have sparked extreme pride in his family members. Although they may not understand his specific
While attending Bowling Green State University he found a small learning community within the honors program that learned just for the sake of it, and the political science professors steered him on the path toward a broader inquiry of the law. To Tagliarina’s surprise, graduate school was his next step. “I’m a first-generation college student,” he said. “So grad school was never really on my radar.”
experiences, they have always been there when he needed them. Navigating the unwritten rules and social norms was a different territory, having to turn to friends and mentors for guidance. His acquisition of questions accumulated more than answers appeared over the course of academia. “How can we use rights to limit governmental power? How do we get to a point where people can just be better to one another? How can we use rights to protect individuals? How can we use power to redistribute who has what or who’s in charge of these things where we see persistent inequalities or unfairness?” are things Tagliarina
With the preface that we as a country are failing people and nothing is happening, the human rights approach thinks about the dignity of others. Working with victims and/ or beneficiaries of policies to make better policies can lead to better outcomes, according to Tagliarina. “That sort of thing is really meaningful work, stuff that makes a difference for people’s lives, things that can make people’s lives better,” he said. In the classroom, Tagliarina adds emphasis that it’s got to be more than you need to memorize this information. “The more it can be connected to policy and change and meaningful effects on people, the more meaningful it is for me,” Tagliarina said. SEE TAGLIARINA PG. 9
Professor Tagliarina’s favorite bands TAGLIARINA FROM PG. 8
GOVERNMENT
IT’S YOUR
“It’s your government, it’s
Bringing Human Rights Back
our government, it belongs to all of us,” he said “Unless you understand the way it affects you and how you can go about working with it or pushing for a change you’re not ever going to be in a good position to have the sort of society that you want.” According to Tagliarina, politics are all about power relationships, so self-advocacy is really important. His flashbacks to being mad at school policies and messages from bands he resonates with are coming through again and again.
WHAT IS EQUALITY? “The understanding that everyone matters,” Tagliarina said. “We are all of equal moral worth. We all should have some level of basic respect for each other. If you are in a position of power, you have ethical responsibilities to not abuse that power.”
“If you are in a position of power, you have ethical responsibilities to not abuse that power.” - Daniel Tagliarina Professor
TAGLIARINA’S MISSION Tagliarina’s goal is for students to figure out their political position, thoughts about how society should be structured and to get them to know how they can take those thoughts and actually apply them. “Overwhelmingly, it’s getting students to a place where they have enough information to know where to find more information and giving them the time and space to think for themselves,” Tagliarina said. “The last thing I want is for students to tell me what I think they want me to hear.” A way to start making change is to get involved in state and local government.
It’s not all about national elections, he said. At a smaller level, there is more room for change. If we can start small, the odds of creating a larger scale difference are greater. Making calls and voicing your thoughts to local offices can help make a change. Through teaching one of the greater understandings he found is that the past has a great impact on placing limits on what can happen in the future. This is called path dependency which states that the choices that are made shape what other choices are possible. When he made the choice to become a representative for his elementary school friends, that was one of the first steps to becoming who he is today. “All kids at some point have this whole, ‘that’s unfair,’ and a lot of them kind of get over it, but I don’t think I ever did,” Tagliarina said.
SPORTS
PAGE 10 FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
Women’s lacrosse bouncing back
UCTANGERINE.COM
UC men’s hockey not bothered by week-long pause
ABIN BORIS SPORTS EDITOR
MATTHEW ROBINSON STAFF WRITER After starting the season 0-3, the women’s lacrosse team took care of business earlier this week winning against Castleton University and Sage College. Before the season got canceled in 2020, the team was on a hot streak going 4-0 in the first four games of the season. “We opened up with arguably the toughest three-game schedule in the history of our program,” the team’s head coach Kristin St. Hilaire said. “We played well at times, but those games were certainly highlighted where we need improvement.” A handful of players stood out during the Castleton game with 14 of them scoring a goal, while junior goalie Claire Frier only let up two goals in 26 minutes. Senior Lauren Wolff put up four points on three goals and one assist along with Sophomore Samantha DeCondo. Against Sage College, it
was an absolute blowout with Utica winning 20-2 and putting up 30 shots in the first half. Eleven different players scored, and the defense and goalies did a great job only allowing two goals. Junior midfielder Lexi Scaccia led the way with four goals and five assists. “I am very happy with the way our team has progressed and grown over the course of the spring thus far,” St. Hilaire said. “The team did a tremendous job staying positive and working together against those tough opponents and I believe we are a stronger team because of it.” Starting the season with barely any practice does not help the fact that the first three games were against some tough opponents. Momentum moving forward for the Pioneers, who picked up their first win after dropping the first three games, was something much needed to get the momentum going. Not all games are promised, so every game going down
the road will be a test. “There are a bunch of younger players who have been contributing to the scoring this season. Everyone has been working hard and soon enough we should be getting on a roll,” Sophomore Mackenzie Keane said. Dealing with COVID-19 has been difficult, along with the whole team not being able to practice together for quite some time. Getting practice time can be challenging to find, with fall sports playing during the spring it takes up field time for the spring sports. With the warm weather approaching the team notes that it feels more like lacrosse season. “If we have learned anything from having our season cut short last spring, it’s to never take a single day for granted,” St. Hilaire said. “All we can do is follow all the protocols and guidelines to help ensure we keep ourselves safe and healthy throughout the season.”
PAGE 11 FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
UC baseball matches best start since 2018 MATTHEW BREAULT ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Photo Courtesy of Jeff Pexton
Photo Courtesy of Laurel Simer
SPORTS
The Utica College men’s hockey team was put on pause for a week after the team was put under a COVID-19 protocol that restricted them from preparing the way they normally do. The Pioneers though, came back last weekend and looked as if they were skating together all week as they were able to rip off back-to-back wins against Nazareth and were able to just recently pull off the victory against Neumann to clinch its fifth regularseason title. The captain of the team, Senior Conor Landrigan, helped lead the way with eight points in these last three games helping push the team’s win streak to seven games and close out the season on a high note. Although it may come as a shock to people, this team, as noted earlier, was on a one-week break where they were not allowed to prepare in the way they would have liked to before these final games of the season. Because of this, it made things much more difficult for the team. “It was definitely a difficult time to stay prepared,”
Landrigan said. “Everybody was doing workouts at home, but it was a great time to watch video and try to learn during the break from NHL and personal videos to try and figure out what we can do to improve things.” Another storyline that emerges from these final games is the work done by first-year defensemen Jayson Dobay. Dobay, who comes from the USHL, was able to get the first points of his collegiate career in the two-game set against Nazareth. Dobay, one of the four freshmen that the team’s head coach Gary Heenan recruited, has an incredible skill that helps him find time on powerplay units and top lines. So, for him, It was really good to be able to come away with his first points of the season. “I feel that it took me a few games to adjust to the style of play and to really get comfortable,” he said. “ It was nice to see some pucks start to go our way against Naz and to be able to contribute on the scoresheet, but we have a great group here and the returners on the team have made it easy for the three other freshmen and myself SEE HOCKEY PG. 11
The Utica College baseball team is off to its best start (4-3) since the 2018 season. The start of the Pioneers season has included six of the seven games coming from doubleheaders against Cazenovia, RIT and Houghton. The Pioneers have split each doubleheader in the same fashion, by winning the first game and losing the second. The doubleheader scheduling format continues on for the Pioneers for the team’s next six games as they are scheduled to face Houghton on March 27 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and Elmira on April 2 and April 3 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. After starting the 2020 pandemic-shortened season 1-3, the baseball team is looking forward to a successful 2021 campaign. Matt Leviton, a graduate student who is using his last season of eligibility in the outfield for the Pioneers, said he feels very optimistic about his team and what they’re capable of for this season. “It’s always a great feeling to start off on the right foot, especially in a year like this,” Leviton said. “There are definitely parts of the game we need to continue
HOCKEY FROM PG. 10 to feel comfortable and part of the team which has made the transition from junior to college hockey
Photo Courtesy of ucpioneers.com to improve on, but we have a ton of great guys on our roster this year and I am confident we can make the necessary adjustments to be ready for conference play in the next couple of weeks.”
it. After the first seven games, Battista is currently batting .444 with eight hits and eight RBIs. With his personal success and the Pioneers success, he said the team is capable of great things.
Another member of the Pioneers who is upbeat because of how the season has started is Senior first baseman Joe Battista. Battista, who is a JUCO transfer from SUNY Adirondack, had to wait for his opportunity to play NCAA Division III baseball with the Pioneers. Battista transferred to Utica College for his junior year, but saw limited action because of the shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a whole, I think our team is feeling more confident about our skill and ability to win games more than ever,” Battista said. “We’ve had some great bullpen performances and we have been figuring out ways to generate scoring as well. We’ve had some positives to take away from our games so far, but we also need to clean things up. As the season goes on, I’m very confident that we will be able to sharpen up and be real contenders in the Empire 8.”
After the long wait, Battista finally got his chance and he is making the most of much better.” The Pioneers will now have to wait as other teams in the division are finishing up the season to see
As of March 26, the
who the team might be paired up against in the UCHC tournament. Until then, Utica will continue to try and improve, stay prepared and stay confident in
Pioneers are currently second in the Empire 8 standings. With the next doubleheader scheduled against Houghton, who is currently the first seed, it’s possible that the Pioneers can take sole possession of first place in the Empire 8. “We just have to keep working on things and trying to get better everyday at practice,” Leviton said. “For me personally, at times, it becomes difficult to manage everything, but I have a good relationship with the coaching staff and they know I may have to get my workouts in at different times than the other guys on the team, but they help me work around my schedule.” Now that the team has experienced recent success, the Pioneers are under its ability to continue the team’s season well into the postseason. “The season and playoffs are so short so there’s really
pressure to have its first season over .500 since 2015, when they finished 20-16-1. If the Pioneers continue on its current pace, they are projected to beat their 2015 record and finish the season 21-15. Battista understands the pressure he and the team face to continue their winning ways, but he recognizes that the start they’ve had could help push them ahead. “As a senior hitting cleanup for this team, I’m aware there’s pressure on me to produce offense and I’m happy that I’ve been able to do just that so far,” Battista said. “A good start definitely sets the tone for the rest of the season so myself and the rest of the team will look to continue producing.”
no room for error or stumbling,” Landrigan said. “We need to stay focused and be ready to play.”
SPORTS
PAGE 12 FRIDAY, APRIL 2 2021
UCTANGERINE.COM
Utica College baseball’s new record holder, Griffin Baur NICK MCADAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
break the record, so once the game ended Saturday I knew I had broken them.”
Griffin Baur, a Utica College graduate student and pitcher for the baseball team, is now a record holder of the program with the most career wins with 14 and the most careers starts with 33. The records have beaten accolades set by Mark Dodge for most wins in 1979 and Chris Jeffers for most starts from 2011 to 2014. The baseball team is on a streak to kick off the season. Utica holds a record of 6-3 with defining wins against Wells College by the score of 13-3 and Houghton College this past weekend, winning 13-4. The team’s .667 win percentage is already on pace to perform much better than the team’s 2019 record of 15-24 as, in that season, the Pioneers lost eight of its first 10 games. Baur, as a result, has been a definitive part of the team’s success early on in the season. At the moment, he holds 18 strikeouts, a 1.08 WHIP average, a 3.00 ERA and a 2-0 record. In his career with the team, Baur holds a record of 12-11 with 117 strikeouts. According to the team’s individual records page, BASKETBALL FROM PG. 1
is feeling good about its play heading down the stretch. “We are feeling extremely confident about the rest of our regular season and going into the postseason as well,” Lufkin said. Winning an Empire 8 Championship would be a great accomplishment for
One of his coaches, Zachary Landy, who works closely with the pitchers of the team, always knew of Baur’s raw talent back when he was a first-year player in 2017. Yet, over the course of time, Landy noticed development in Baur’s mental ability toward pitching, which, according to him, brought Baur to the next level.
Photo Courtesy of Laurel Simer Baur currently resides near the top all-time in strikeouts and wins. Baur resides from New York Mills, a village just outside of Utica. It was there where he’s been playing baseball for as long as he can remember. In a sense, the game has become a lifeline for him. He’s come a long way since watching New York Yankees games as a child, accumulating accolades in both little league and high school play. “I’ve thrown two nohitters in my career,” he said. “Those were probably a team that only has two close losses on the season to rivals St. John Fisher and Nazareth College. Utica finished with a record of 18-8 in the 2019 season, capped off with a loss against Fisher that season in the Empire 8 Tournament. “Since the beginning of the season we’ve always felt we are talented enough to win an Empire 8 Cham-
the most exciting moments I’ve had in my career.” Baur had an initial feeling early on in the season that he’d have a good shot at breaking some of the records established over the program’s history. However, it wasn’t until he read a game recap from a few weeks ago that he was even aware of how close he was to become a part of the program’s books. “It’s an awesome feeling knowing that I was able to accomplish these records,” he said. “I knew with a win and the start I would pionship,” Lufkin said. “The goals we have in place have been spoken about in length as a team.” Setting goals as a team at the beginning of a season can be vital for a team’s success down the road. After a great season ended early last year against St. John Fisher in the playoffs, the team is hungry to keep the season going and hopefully
“He has great attention to detail and is constantly asking questions and trying to find new ways to enhance his game,” Landy said. “The biggest thing that he and I have been working on is improving his weekly routine leading up to his start and then his pre-game routine the day of his start. I have thrown some different ways of going about his preparation and believe he has really bought in on all of them leading to his success this season.” Both Baur and Landy attribute much of the team’s success to chemistry and experience. A total of 18 players on the roster are either seniors or graduate reach the Empire 8 Championship. PLAYOFF SCHEDULE • The first round of playoffs will be Tuesday, April 6 • No. 3 hosts No. 6 • No.4 hosts No. 5 • Friday, April 9 – semifinals • No. 1 hosts winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5
students. Landy noted that these players have stepped up to not only apply their respective experience to the field but taking a firm leadership role with the rest of the team as well.
“We are more focused and more experienced this year,” Baur said. “We have a few guys, like myself, who are back for the fifth year. Last year we had a lot of freshmen playing, so part of the struggle was early season jitters for young players. We’re a much better hitting team this year and our pitchers are throwing very well.” The baseball team has one of the more lengthy schedules of all of the sports operating during the spring semester, a part of an ongoing initiative from the athletic department and the Empire 8 to run all collegiate sports at the same time. For Baur, he’ll be looking to add to his bachelor’s degree in accounting with his master’s degree in May in public accountancy. According to Baur, he’ll be looking to join an accounting firm after graduation while pursuing his CPA certification. game • No. 2 hosts winner of the No. 3 vs. No. 6 game • Sunday, April 11– Championship (at Highest Remaining seed) • Semifinal winner 1 vs. Semifinal winner 2 (Highest seed hosts)