The Merciad, Oct. 27, 2004

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More than 100 employers are regis-tered as Mercyhurst gears up to hostthe biggest job fair in Northwestern,Pa. on Thursday, Nov. 4, from 1 p.m.until 4 p.m. in the Mercyhurst AthleticCenter.

The job fair is a way for all Mer-cyhurst, Gannon, Edinboro and Al-legheny students, freshmen through

seniors, to network with possiblefuture employers or seek guidanceabout career or internship options.

Local, regional and national em-ployers will be at the fair.According to Robert Hvezda, Di-

rector of Career Services, this job fairhas a lot to offer students. Out ofall my years here at Mercyhurst, thisis the best job fair ever assembled,said Hvezda.

With the economy the way it i s, weare very fortunate to have the caliber

of these employers who seriouslywant to discuss full-time jobs and in-ternship possibilities with students.

Hvezda also added that all seniorsshould attend the fair.

Seniors should come out no matter what their major. Often times, wellhave students who look at the listregistered companies and dont see ofanything there for them and decid notto go, but they should always comeanyway, dressed professionally, witha resume, and talk to employers,

said Hvezda.They have to understand that

even if it isnt exactly what they arelooking for; a representative mighthave suggestions and can help themnetwork into a job.

Hvezda also stressed the impor-tance of all students attending thejob fair. The job fair is for freshmenthrough seniors. Freshmen and soph-omores should come and network forfuture internships, he said.

The political science national hon-ors society and campus club, Pi Sigma

Alpha, will host a debate between theMercyhurst Young Democrats andthe Mercyhurst Young Republicanson Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 8:30 p.m.at the Taylor Little Theater.

According to Pi Sigma Alpha Presi-dent Kristen Hudak, the event will beopen to all students. Dr. Brian Ripley

will moderate, but all of the politicalscience professors were instrumentalin planning the event.

It will be both fun and informa-tive said Hudak. This is a greatopportunity for students with un-answered questions about the presi-dential candidates and the ongoingcampaigns to get some answers. Theformat is professional, and the ques-tions will be partially provided by thepolitical science faculty and partly bystudents who attend the debate, shecontinued.

Mercyhurst Young Democrats willbe represented by the club co-presi-dents, Albert Veverka and MichaelFoglio, both seniors and politicalscience majors.

Mercyhurst Young Republicans willbe represented by club president J.J.Mikulec, a senior political science,history and intelligence major, andmember Jo Ellen Taylor, a juniorcitizenship education major.

Students attending the debate are

encouraged to wear their My VoteCounts shirts being sold by Pi Sigma

Alpha this month.The back of the shirts read: There

are no red states, there are no bluestates. There is only the UnitedStates.According to the Pi Sigma Alpha

president, this motto speaks to theefforts of both the Young Democrats

and the Young Republicans to worktogether to educate and ignite the po-litical spirit of Mercyhurst Students.

Young Democrats, Young Repub-licans and Pi Sigma Alpha workedtogether to plan the debate party inthe Herman Student Union for thefirst in the series of three presidentialdebates.They also worked together in a co-

operative effort to register studentsto vote, inform students about thecurrent political issues and to bolstersupport for their respective partycandidates. You dont have to be apolitical science major to get excitedabout this race said Hudak.

Pi Sigma Alpha requests that stu-dents do not bring signs or rally gearto the debate.

The Mercyhurst campus wascrowded this past weekend for theannual Parents Weekend festivitiesthat took place all day Friday throughSunday.

Between the athletic events, theactivities at night and the prizes givenaway, the weekend was a big success.

Close to 200 parents registered forthe weekends events, but even morefamilies came to spend the weekend

with their children.

The first event took place at the Taylor Little Theatre. The play,You Cant Take it With You, wasperformed Thursday through Sunday.It is a comedy play with a moral: Do

what you want to do in life.Student Activities Committee also

hosted nightly events for the studentsand their families. Approximately150 people came to see juggler JoshCasey perform on Friday night in thePerforming Arts Center.

Casey is from Ann Arbor, Mich.He was brought in through RubberRoom Productions. SAC has broughtin others from this company, includ-ing the Mind Readers that performedin the past.

Saturday was full of food and

sports. Continental breakfast wasavailable in the Cummings Art Gal-lery for faculty, parents and studentsin the morning. An Italian luncheon

was available in the Egan Hall Caf-eteria as well.

Football and soccer both had victo-ries on Saturday playing at their homefields. Before the football game, se-nior football players and cheerleaders

were honored.Laker football finished ahead of

Indianapolis University 24-21 ina close game. Mens soccer beatRoberts Wesleyan 2-1 for their sixthstraight win.

The dancers and musicians showedtheir talents in a performance on Sat-urday night in the PAC.

Tables and chairs were rented forFamily Bingo on Saturday night in theGreat Room of the Student Union.

There were about $900 worth ofprizes given away to the lucky win-ners.

About 250 people placed chips ontheir bingo cards trying to win prizeslike Halloween candy, gift certificates,movies, CDs, calling cards and schoolsupplies. The prizes were convenientand helpful to the typical collegestudent.

The big prizes included a 19-inchcolor TV, which a mother won. Alsogiven away was a foot spa for mothers

and a leaf blower for fathers. Twoother students won a DVD player anda stereo system.

The previous three years, SACbrought in a hypnotist to entertain thefamilies on Saturday night.

It was nice to see something new.My parents and I have seen the samehypnotist show for three years in arow, said senior Robyn Mast.

Mollie Burns is the one to thankfor the SAC hosted events. She is

the SAC special events chairperson.She and the other SAC members

worked hard to plan the weekend andthey believe that everyone enjoyedthemselves.

People were actually thanking meon their way out, said Burns. She

was happy with the turnout for all ofthe events.

On Sunday, families attended Massin Christ the King Chapel. This wasfollowed by brunch in the cafeteria.

MERCIADVol. 78 No. 5 Mercyhurst College 501 E. 38th St. Erie Pa., 16546 October 27, 2004

TheTHE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MERCYHURST COLLEGE SINCE 1929

IndexNews..................................................1

News.................................................2

News..................................................3

Features............................................4

Features............................................5

Opinion.............................................6

Opinion.............................................7

A & E......................... .......................8

A & E.................................................9

Sports..............................................10

Sports..............................................11

Sports..............................................12

The Merciadis also available

at merciad.mercyhurst.edu

Upcoming Campus Events

Wednesday, Oct. 27

Film: Im Not Scared, 2 p.m. and 8p.m., PAC.

Student debate: 8:30 p.m., TaylorLittle Theatre

Friday, Oct. 29

SAC: Halloween costume party, 10p.m., Student Union.

Visiting Artist Series Performance: Invert, 7:30 p.m., Walker Recital Hall.

Satuday, Oct. 30

SAC and Ambassadors: HauntedGhost Tours, 10 p.m. until 1 a.m.,Student Union.

ARTS &ENTERTAINMENT:

String trio Invert

performs at PAC

PAGE 8

NEWS:

Students react

to accusations

against Garvey

P AGE 2

FEATURES:

The scariest place

to be this

Halloween?

PAGE 5

OPINION:

Halloween stirs

up devilish

feelings

P AGE 6

Mens soccer

unbeaten in

GLIAC

P AGE 12

SPORTS: Mercyhurst hosts job fairLocal, regional and national employers set to attend

Parents weekend festivitiesBy Jaime Myers

Contributing writer

Your choice, your vote

Please see Job Fair Page 2.

Josh Casey performed for parents and students.

Katie McAdams/Photo editor

Students plan debate six days before presidential election

Special to the Merciad

By Jonelle Davis

News editor

Joshua Wilwohl/Layout assistant

Members of the Young Republicans and Young Democrates will debate election issues.

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Over the past three weeks,students reading the Erie Times-News couldnt miss seeing ar-ticles pertaining to MercyhurstPresident Dr. William P. Presi-dent Garvey. Whether it was the original

article on Oct. 10 detailing theaccusations in Chuck Rosenthalsbook, Never Let Me Go, theBoards support of Gar vey, orletters denouncing the article,there was always something tokeep the issue in the news. The Times-News, however,

never reported on studentsreactions to the issue. Many ofthe undergraduates on campus

wanted their voices to be heard,but the forum held Oct. 14 inthe Athletic Center did not giveenough time for all to be heard.

Some students still wish to voice their opinions on thematter causing so much con-troversy.

Elizabeth Mitchell believesthe current situation has notchanged the colleges reputation,but needs to be dealt with in anappropriate manner.

My attitude towards Mercy-hurst or my decision to go herehas not changed one bit, saidMitchell. However, I think thatit is a good idea for the schooland Board of Trustees to con-duct an objective and thoroughinvestigation of the situationbefore continuing to make anymoves. Agreeing with Mitchell, Sam

Romito said, I feel that thearticle was intended to damagePresident Garveys name. And inno way has it affected my com-ing here. This is a good schooland the issue at hand should notchange its atmosphere.

Students around campus pri-marily seem to be taking thesame stance. Still, there are afew that feel the accusations aretroubling, as student MollyStanton put it.

I feel that the issue has caused

outbursts among students, Stan-ton said. Never theless, I believethe issue should be handled seri-ously. It has been handled wellso far, but the Board should getmore student opinion on thematter.

Students thoughts are whatseem to be the most dominatingmatter in the current situation.Taking note of this, Board of

Trustees Chair Marlene Moscosaid during the Oct. 14 the stu-dent forum that students willhave a voice, noting that StudentGovernment President MikeMancinelli would represent thebody during any voting proposedby the Board.

During the Oct. 21 board vote, Mancinelli abstained dueto not being informed enoughin advance about the situation.Nonetheless, Mancinelli reiter-ated that the student body stillhas a voice. We are currentlyin the process of a constituencythat will be submitted to theboard as soon as it is finished,he said.

PAGE 2 THE MERCIAD October 27, 2004

To contact: [email protected]

College administration pushed8 a.m. classes Monday throughFriday to 8:20 a.m. in an effort toaccommodate students needs. The Office of Academic Af-

fairs proposed the idea early lastspring, which college PresidentDr. William P. Garvey later ap-proved.

After researching past classschedules of Mercyhurst, along

with the schedules of other suc-cessful universities, the collegeadministration determined thechange would work well. They also studied classroom

utilization and the meeting andpractice times of student orga-nizations and sports teams.

Some students, however, ques-tion the change. Junior KathrynKirchendorfer says 20 minutesis not a g reat enough difference

to be beneficial . Its pointless,Kirchendorfer said. Why notmake it 8:30?

Associate Vice President ofAcademic Services, BarbaraBehan said the committees firstproposal was for an 8:30 a.m.start. That scenario was ruledout due to concerns of heavy

campus traffic.Most of the staff and admin-

istration start at 8:30, and classesstarting then would greatly in-crease the traffic coming (intothe school), Behan said.

Still, students like sophomoreKaitlyn Huver feel uneasy aboutthe new times. It is going to beconfusing because all the classesstart at different times now, saidHuver.

Kirchendorfer agreed thatstudents may not adjust easilyto the new class times and couldcome late to class.

In regard to the adjustmentBehan said, Im hoping students

wont be seriously impacted bythis.

She said that students willhave to pay attention to thenew schedule. Behan askedthe Registrars Office to place anotice of the time change on allstudent schedules.

The additional 20 minutes

of sleep in the morning excitesmany Mercyhurst students.

Denny Porter loves the idea.As a freshman, Porter hopes thismove is a small step to pushingthe times back even further in thenear future.

Although the Office of Aca-demic Affairs discussed someideas for much later times, theyfelt the 8:20 a.m. start fit best

with the present situation.Behan said Garvey and the ad-

ministration believe the studentswill benefit from the time change.With a motherly smile Behansaid she hopes that students cancatch a few more Zs.

Attention all paranormal in-

vestigators. Do you prefer night-mares instead of sweet dreams?

Are you forever seeking thestrange and unusual?Well then, this is your night-

mare come true. A group ofbrave souls is preparing to tellyou of Mercyhursts frighteningand mysterious past. Mercyhurst

Ambassadors Club, along withSAC, will be putting on a ghoulfest this Halloween eve.This joint event, on Oct. 30,

will include haunted tours givenby members of the Ambassa-dor Club that will feature ghoststories about our college. Ourown self-proclaimed paranormalinvestigator, senior Mike Foglio,

will share his knowledge aboutMercyhurst ghost stories andparanormal happenings withfellow ambassadors, so you mayrest assured that this will be an

evening you will never forget.Weber Hall, Egan Hall and otherfamiliars are all stops in the tour,and for the first time we will takea closer look at their hauntedpasts.

For all those who are not will-ing to take the plunge into theHursts haunted past, SAC willalso offer games and food in theHerrmann Student Union.

If, however, you are feelingbrave-and you will certainly needto be- the ghoulish tour will com-mence promptly at 10 p.m. in theStudent Union and run until thestroke of midnight, provided thatthere are no complications.

Show off your pride to anyghosts who may stray across yourpath by purchasing one of theshirts that will be sold the weekprior to the haunted tour.You may pre-order these badg-

es of courage, because, after all,

if something should happen toyou, wed still appreciate yourpatronage.The shirts are a vibrant jack-

o-lantern orange, and they state

clearly across the front that youare with the Mercyhurst Col-lege Department of ParanormalStudies. On the back youllfind the seal of the college be-ing invaded by one of the many

ghosts that reside on our campus.Along the haunted tour you will

discover many frightening thingsabout the college you love sodearly. Mercyhursts mysteriouspast may well give fuel to yourbad dreams for many nights tocome. However, you may alsohear some rather familiar tales ofthe crypt, such as the famous (orrather infamous) Ring story. Along the way, the more in-

teresting bits of the spookystories will be performed, al-though we cant guaranteethat it will only be the Ambas-sadors who get into the act.So come one, come all. Gather

your courage, take a deep breath,but dont close your eyes, andprepare to delve into the para-normal.

By Jennifer CicconeContributing writer

By Amy LandphairContributing writer

Student reactions

By Joshua Wilwhol

Layout assistant

Garvey accusations, student voicesSenior gift

The Senior Gift SteeringCommittee has announced theclass gift for 2005: a spirit bellin memory of Sister M. DamienMlechick, who died earlier thisyear.

Sister Damien served Mer-cyhurst College for 20 years,answering the phones in thefoyer of Old Main and greetingstudents, faculty and alumni.

She was well-known for herschool spirit. She attended ath-

letic games, ringing her signaturecow bell in support of the Mer-cyhurst sports teams as well asthrowing Holy Water on the iceat hockey games.

She used to be a Times OldNewsie and would ring bells tocollect money.

The Class of 2005 felt that itwould be only fitting if we didsomething to commemorateSister Damien...an avid supporterof students here at the school itsin her memory that were erect-ing this bell, said senior TimKrysiek.

Stephen Zinram, Director ofthe Annual Fund, is adviser tothe Senior Gift Steering Com-mittee.

He said that the Class of 2005wanted their gift to commemo-rate school spirit, not just forathletics, but for every aspectof colleg e campus. The classalso wants to remind people ofthe Mercy spirit as well as SisterDamien and how much she cared

about the school.The bell can be used at convo-

cations, graduations, the lightingof the Christmas tree and peprallies to ring in the Mercyhurstspirit.

The committee is looking at abell that is 26 inches across and

weighs 350 pounds.Plans include a plaque to tell

future classes what Sister Damienmeant to the school.

Senior Thera Gaston hopes for100 percent participation. Itsimportant for the entire seniorclass to give a token of apprecia-tion in remembrance of SisterDamien, said Gaston.

Krysiek also has high expecta-tions for this year. We expect to

raise over $10,000, and we intendto break all the records set by theClass of 2004. So far, within 48hours of fundraising, 46 pledgestotaling $2,640 has been raised.The Class of 2004 holds the re-

cord for having the most donorsraising $9,286, for their seniorgift of The Pavillion.

Seniors can help by eitherdonating money or helping out

with the committee.Committee participation in-

cludes putting together socialevents, helping attain funds andgenerally promoting the SpiritBell, said Gaston.

Donations can be made bycash, check, credit card or a por-

tion of the housing deposit.

Is the Hurst haunted?

Students will get more sleep

Its an opportunity for themto talk to company representa-tives and find out what they need

to be doing while theyre attend-ing Mercyhurst to best preparethemselves to be marketable

when they graduate.Dolores Griswold, career and

job fair coordinator, also addedthat a lot of hard work goes into making this job fair possiblefor students. The job fair is ayear-round project. We reallystart focusing on it in June witha mailing to over 400 employ-ers, said Griswold. We haveto schedule everything: security,food services, maintenance, etc.

The only major problem we

always run into is not havingenough parking, but the job fairis definitely worth walking a littlebit to get to.

Griswold also added that stu-

dents will not be disappointedwith the job fair.

Im really proud of what wedo. Its amazing that a smallcollege like this is getting thesegreat companies to come to itsjob fair, said Griswold.

According to Hvezda, greatcompanies come to Mercyhurstbecause of the quality of the jobfair, and it is important for stu-dents to attend so they continueto come back to Mercyhurst inthe future.

This job fair will be the 13thannual fair held on the Mercy-

hurst campus.Some of the employers include

American Express Financial Ad-visors, Cohen & Company, De-fense Intelligence Agency, Drug

Enforcement Agency, Erie Insur-ance Group, FBI, Hyatt Hotels& Resorts Internal RevenueService, Millcreek CommunityHospital, Nextmedia Operat-ing, Inc., Northrop GrummanMission Systems, PennsylvaniaState Police, Susquehanna HealthSystemand, the U.S. Border Pa-trol, and and U.S. Marine Corps,Officers Program.

Students are reminded that thisis the only job fair held at Mer-cyhurst during the course of theschool year.

Continued from Page 1.

Hurst plans job fair

Laker I n nFall TermGalley Grill

NEW ITEMS:

Tropical Island Oasis

Fruit Smoothies

Strawberry

Banana

Pina Colada

Potato Skins

French Toast

OLD FAVORITES:

Chicken Fingers

Sizzling Salad

Rubys Famous Pizza

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Friday 8:00am-1:00am

Saturday 1:00pm-1:00am

Sunday 5:00pm-1:00am

Laker ExpressNEW ITEMS:

Meals in a Minute

Macaroni and Cheese

Stuffed Shells

Chicken Parm

Penne Pasta w/ Alfredo Sauce

OLD FAVORITES:

Grilled Chicken Salad

Turkey Bagels

Crispy Chicken Salad

Ham and Turkey Subs

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Thursday 11:30-8:00pm

Friday 11:30-3:30pm

Saturday & Sunday Closed

Subconnection

SATURDAY SPECIAL:

Any foot long Sub just $3.25

cash and campus card only!!!!

add $1.00 for a combo!!!!

FEATURES:

Meatball Sub

Baja Chicken

Buffalo Chicken

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Friday 11:30-9:00pm

Saturday 1:00pm-9:00pm

Sunday 5:00pm-9:00pm

Board Equivalency Available:

11:30-8:00pm

By Libbie Johnson

Contributing writer

Seniors choose spirit bell as gift

A spirit bell has been chosen as the Senior gift of 2005.

Sketch by Mandy Gibson

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Celebrations are in the worksfor the closing of the MercyhurstCapital Campaign four years inthe making.

Begun in October 2000, theCapital Campaign Fund Pre-serving the Legacy started witha goal of raising $15 million. The support and interest of

the Mercyhurst community in-creased the goal to $20 million.Four years later, on June 30, thecampaign closed at two and ahalf mil lion dollars more thanexpected at $22.5 million.

It has been an incrediblejourney and an incredible effort

for the college and its trustees,faculty, staff, and administra-tion, said Gary Bukowski, VicePresident of Institutional Ad-

vancement.The campaign came at a dif-

ficult time and fund-raising wasno small task for the Mercyhurstcommunity.The tragedy of Sept. 11, an

economic downturn, and alarm-ing rates of unemployment werejust some of the factors thatcould have been detrimental tothe success of the campaign.

However, in the words of Bu-kowski, Mercyhurst stayed oncourse. Having shepherdedthe campaign from the start,Bukowski says that it was noth-ing short of a phenomenalsuccess.

The campaigns success can beattributed to 95 percent of theMercyhurst Erie community and93 percent at Mercyhurst NorthEast. Mercyhurst Trustees alonecontributed about $9 million.

Mercyhurst faculty, staff, andadministration participated inthe campaign by donating about$585,000.

In addition, students wereinstrumental in the success ofthe campaign by deciding thatMercyhurst Student Govern-

ment would commit $1 millionto the campaign, toward theconstruction of the physical fit-ness center.There are many things on cam-

pus that have been made possibleby the money raised from thecampaign.

One of the colleges largestgoals was to build the AudreyHirt Academic Center. It wouldnot be standing tall on the Eriecampus without the supportof all who contributed to thecampaign.

The Hirt Center provides45,000 square feet of space forMercyhurst students and faculty,including the 244-seat WalkerRecital Hall for lectures, mov-ies, and recitals. With a growingstudent enrollment each year, theHirt Center was a necessity foracademic success on campus.

Other projects made possibleby the campaign have includedrenovations to Old Main, ZurnHall, and Egan Hall.The installation of 430 win-

dows, some with a new lightingfeature, is just one of the projectsin the works right now.Another remarkable achieve-

ment made possible by the cam-paign is the construction of anew state-of-the-art DNA lab

located in Zurn Hall.In addition, on the North

East campus, construction isunderway on the Tom and Mi-chele Ridge Health and SafetyBuilding.

Some benefits of the cam-paign are less tangible, however

very important and worthy ofrecognition.Just ask the students who are

beneficiaries of close to $10million in scholarships and en-dowments.

For some, it is the reason that

they are enrolled at MercyhurstCollege today.

The celebration for this phe-nomenal achievement will be onNov. 6and 7.

It will begin with a dinner on

Saturday night. Then, on Sunday,there will be performances by theMercyhurst Music and DanceDepartments.

Bukowski says, It will be acelebration of the success of the

campaign and a thank-you to allthe people who gave. It wasthe most successful fundraisingeffort in the colleges history and

will forever be remembered forpreserving the legacy.

NewsOctober 27, 2004 THE MERCIAD PAGE 3


Students in the Research/Intelligence Analyst Program

have been finding out what jobinterviews are really like overthe past weeks as organizationshave come to campus to recruitR/IAP students for future em-ployment and internships.

The Office of Career Servicesat Mercyhurst has been working

with the R/IAP program andsetting up recruitment weeks forabout five years now.This year recruiting took place

from Oct. 10 through Oct. 28.Frank Rizzone from Career

Services helps to set up manyof the appointments with thestudents and bring in employers

to interview those looking forjobs and internships.The goal when we first start-

ed was to bring these people into give the students experienceand internships, Rizzone said.Initially it began out of prac-ticality.

The students had many op-portunities to interview for jobsand internships this year duringR/IAP recruiting weeks.About 20 organizations came

to Mercyhurst during the threeweek time span including theInternational Atomic EnergyCommission, Northrop Grum-man Mission Systems, the Na-tional Security Administration,the National Air and Space Intel-ligence Center, The FBI lab, CIAand more.

Since 9/11 there has been anexplosion in government serviceso the demand for intelligenceinterns is great, Rizzone said.

Mercyhurst is one of the fewcolleges in the country that offersa major in intelligence studies.

Government agencies nowlook to Mercyhurst for studentsin this area because their educa-tion is something that most pro-spective employees do not have.Kids can come right out ofMercyhurst and not need anytraining, Rizzone said.

In the R/IAP program theyare required to do one intern-

ship, Rizzone said.These internships add to the

experience that the students haveupon graduation.

Rizzone added that while do-ing their internships, They dosome pretty amazing stuff.

Students in the R/IAP pro-gram are helping these agenciesdo support work, research andbring criminals to justice.

Some students have gone over-seas for research, had work sentto Congress and even beeninvolved with nuclear projectsor research.

Some of the projects thesekids are doing just knock your

socks off, Rizzone said.These internships and job op-

portunities are a big credit to theprogram and Career Services.The interviews are all set up

beforehand and students arenotified of their times.

Career Services helps to puttogether the students resumesand prepare information for theagencies.

We present them with re-sumes, transcripts and lettersof recommendations, Rizzonesaid.

The students dont even haveto worry about bringing them.

Rizzone added that the agen-cies get everything ahead of timeso that they are prepared for theinterviews with the students.

The average student does notsee what goes on in the back-ground here, Rizzone said.

R/IAP recruiting is open toanyone in the program and thisyear somewhere around 400 in-terviews took place for the 254students from 12 states and threecountries. These students are learning

and experiencing the growingworld of intelligence studiesworld wide.

All the different governmentintelligence agencies have differ-ent standards and Mercyhursthelps to bring that together,Rizzone said.

Brooke McNierney, a sopho-more in the program, beganinterviewing for internshipsthis year during the recruiting

weeks.She explained that usually the

night before the interview thereis an information session. Thatgives you time to learn about theagency and develop whateverquestions you would have.

McNierney said that usuallythese sessions last about half anhour and that the length of theinterview can vary.

Basically you get a lot ofquestions about projects youve

done, extra curricular activities,your GPA and what you wouldbe able to add to the company,she said.Although the interviews can be

somewhat scary at first, McNi-erney said, I think that it is anexcellent process.

She added, You get a lot ofopportunities.

A lot of interns end up work-ing for the agency after theygraduate, McNierney said.

McNierney recently got offeredan internship with NorthropGrumman, one of the agenciesshe interviewed with.

Northrop Grumman is a big

agency, she explained. Wework for the part called missionsystems.

We work on contracts andgrants given by governmentagencies and we get to pick fromsix sub categories dealing withintelligence that we can workon, McNierney said.

McNierney will have to waituntil 2006 to complete her in-ternship because of securityclearances within the govern-ment.

We get a top secret securityclearance which is why it takesso long, she said.

Nick Proy, a junior, was alsoone of the many students whointerviews for employment op-portunities during R/IAP re-cruiting.

Proy said, Career Servicessends you an email to tell you

who is coming. If you are in-terested, you can go to CareerServices and sign up for aninterview.

Proy signed up for several in-terviews this year even though hehad already done several duringhis sophomore year as well.

He said that mostly sopho-mores, juniors and seniors go tothe interview but they stronglyrecommend that you go to theinformation sessions freshmanyear.

Proy said of the interviews,They start by asking you ques-tions and you can ask questionsduring and after.

He said that these interviewsare typically one or two people,but some like Northrop Grum-man had a panel of interview-ers.

They ask you questions andyou ask them questions, Proyexplained.

I think that it is very use-ful, Proy said of the recruitingprocess.

For students, most of theseplaces are out of the area and we

would have to travel to them.

He said, It is much easier forthem to come to us.

R/IAP recruiting is meant tobe helpful to the students andgets them employment oppor-tunities that they may not getotherwise. With the growing need for

intelligence and the growingprogram at Mercyhurst, manygovernment agencies find Mercy-hurst to be a valuable resource.

Proy very easily sums the pro-gram up with two words, ViveR/IAP.

Capital campaign celebrated

Katie McAdams/Photo editor

The new DNA lab located in Zurn hall is being put to good use by students.

By Holly Burns

Contributing writer

Intelligence program recruitsBy Jenny AllenContributing writer

Hurst newsbriefs

Students deal with stress Julie Brieger, a psychology intern at the Counseling Center,

confirmed that several types of stress have begun to affect manystudents at Mercyhurst College.

Currently, the Counseling Center is seeing about 60 students,half of whom are being treated for stress. Brieger said thatleading causes of stress right now are relationship issues, fam-ily conflicts, roommate issues, uncertainty in ones future anddepression.

She also mentioned that almost none of the students have in-

cluded the situation concerning Dr. Garvey as a stress factor.Brieger said, If a student doesnt learn how to cope with

stress and find appropriate ways to deal with it, it can lead toother disorders later on.Anxiety disorders and depression are the most common dis-

orders linked to stress.Brieger mentioned stress relief tips, which include talking

with someone, exercise, generally being around other people,and better time management.

Hunter takes leave of absenceTauana Hunter, Chair of the Dance Department at Mercyhurst

College, will be taking a leave of absence in March of 2005.After 11 years in her position, she is planning on traveling toDenmark and Europe to do guest choreography and teaching,renew old acquaintances and bring new information to herstudents.While on her journey, Hunter will attend the BournonvilleBallet Festival in Denmark and then the Royal Ballet Schoolin London.She also expects that this will create new relationships that willprovide more study abroad opportunities.Hunter said, Expanding in an international way is importantbecause Im looking at the colleges directive to expand intomore global learning for the students.This will be the first time in 11 years that the dance department

will have to do without the leadership of Hunter. However, shebelieves that this will be a good opportunity for them.I hope that my absence will open up new opportunism

for growth both with the faculty and with the dance majors.

International club plans eventsThe Mercyhurst International Students Organization (MISO)

meets every Thursday at 8:15 p.m. in the International StudentsCenter to plan events for the international students.

MISO is currently planning events for this term. Some of theevents include a trip to the Falcon Club in Erie for a traditionalPolish meal, a trip to Toronto, designing t-shirts activity and acountry day with food and music. They are also currently work-ing to create a symbol for MISO.

Katarzyna Tarczynska, the president of MISO, is very enthu-siastic about the club.

She wants all of the international students to get involved theorganization will have an impact on the campus.

We want to give the American students an idea of the differ-ences between cultures, show them our traditions and basicallyorganize something for them so we can all have fun together,said Tarczynska.

Stories proviced by Intro to Journalism students

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October 27, 2004 PAGE 4THE MERCIAD

Are you a science major whoneeds an extracurricular? Are youundecided and pondering whatyou want to do as a career?You should try stopping by an

Anthropology Club meeting.Gabe Kenton is the president

of Mercyhursts Anthropologyclub.A senior anthropology major

with an archeology concentra-tion, Kenton has become veryinvolved in the major.

The clubs purpose is to givestudents a feel of anthropologyand the different diversity in it,Kenton said.

Anthropology is the study ofpeople and different cultures,

Kenton said. It is so broad, andit can go in so many differentdirections.

Kenton said that about half ofthe anthropology majors are alsoin the archeology minor.

Archeology involves takingthe geology classes.

Kenton described how luckyMercyhurst students are to havethe anthropology program thatis available to them.

Dr. Adovasio is the headof the archeology and geologydepartments, Kenton said. Hehas really made a lot out of thisprogram at Mercyhurst.

Kenton said that one of theclubs larger activities is to go

to the national meeting for ar-cheology.About 25 students are plan-

ning on going this year. Our clubhas about 30 members in it.

The meeting will be held inSalt Lake City, Kenton contin-ued. We volunteer for about fourhours a day for three days.

He explained the impact ofMercyhurst on this national or-ganization.

We are the biggest volunteer-ing group that goes to the confer-ence, Kenton said. They knowMercyhurst there.

At the meeting, the studentsare able to go to lectures andlearn about the latest research

and theories.The club also is planning a trip

to the Natural History Museumin Pittsburgh.

We try to have a few bigactivites each year, Kentonexplained. We also want to goto the National Museum of the

American Indian, which hasopened recently in WashingtonD.C.

In past years, the club hasgone places, but also stayed near

home.We have gone to lecturesaround Erie and Cleveland in

years past, Kenton said.Also we participate in the

Highway Cleanup on I-90. Nowwe do the cleanup in conjunctionwith the Forensic Science Club,Kenton said.

Its a way that our club can docommunity service.

Kenton said that Mercyhurstsanthropology major is one of thebest in the nation.

Most major universities prob-ably have an archeology depart-

ment, Kenton said.However, he said that Mer-cyhursts program has been

around for some time, and withoutstanding professors like Dr.

Adovasio, it has become knownaround the nation.

Kenton said that one of thebest experiences of his life wasdoing his summer field workduring the summer after hissophomore year.

We were in the Alleghanynational forest in Pennsylvania,Kenton said, working six days a

week for about 10 hours a day.

Even though the work wasdifficult, Kenton said that theexperience was wonderful

To see what it is all about, stopinto one of the meetings. Theclub meets every other week,generally on Thursday eveningsaround 5 p.m. Interested stu-dents can look for signs postedaround campus. Anyone is welcome to join,

whether an anthropology majoror not. It is good to get in-

volved, Kenton said.You can meet upperclassmen

and fellow classmates through

the club. Also you can get toknow the professors and makeconnections.

Try the Anthropology Club for an alternative science

Katie McAdams/ Photo editor

Anthropology students pose in one of the labs in Zurn. For a unique science experience, try visiting them at an Anthropology Club meeting.

Sitting poolside on a beautifulbeach.

Feeling the cool breeze underthe shade of a palm tree.Waking up every morning and

doing what you love.These all seem like things out

of ones wildest dreams, but forone Mercyhurst student it wasa reality.

Mercyhurst senior, Chris KitFraundorf traveled to Bermudathis summer for the internshipof a lifetime.As an HRIM major, it is part

of the curriculum to fulfill two

internships while at the col-lege. After completing an intern-

ship in Chicago two summersago, Fraundorf was lookingforward to a more exciting op-portunity.

I approached the head ofthe HRIM department, Dar-rell Georger, and told him I

was willing to travel anywherein the world to conclude myinternship requirement, recallsFraundorf.

Luckily, Georger went to col-lege with the owner of a beachclub in Bermuda and had notrouble setting Fraundorf up

with an internship.Fraundorf left for Bermuda

shortly after school ended lastyear.

His travels landed him inSouth Hampton, Bermuda,at the Pompano Beach Club,A.K.A. paradise, jokes Fraun-dorf.

Upon arriving he realized the

multitude of roles he was goingto portray during his stay.

I had the opportunity to trymy hand in almost every job of-fered, Fraundorf explained.

During his time there Fraun-dorf worked at the pool bar,boathouse, club restaurant andfront desk.

He also got to try his hand atmaintenance and housekeep-ing.While at the Pompano Beach

Club, Fraundorf used skills thathe learned on campus in theHRIM department.

No matter what job he wasassigned that day, the organiza-tional expertise he acquired inclass came in hand.

Likewise, the situations heencountered in Bermuda havehelped him in his studies atMercyhurst.

Fraundorf said, A person canlearn a lot in a classroom, butfirst hand experience is always

the best way to truly understandhow something works.

Fraundorf enjoyed his time inBermuda so much that he haseven considered returning aftergraduation.

The owner told me when Igraduate to send in a resumeand I shouldnt be surprised if

Im the first they call, explainedFraundorf.I loved it there. Its beauti-

ful and I would go back in aheartbeat.

Its a once in a lifetimechance. Im sure other resorts,clubs and restaurants are all justas exciting, but how many timesin your life will you be paid togo on vacation.

Fraundorf is also lookingforward to a trip in the comingmonths sponsored by the Pro-fessional Convention Manage-ment Association on campus.This year they are heading to

Hawaii.

I remember once I asked one

of my school teachers howwe can get to know our ownculture perfectly.

She answered me, Withtraveling. If you go outside ofyour own culture and becomefamiliar with others culture,you will know your own very

well.Now I realize that she was

right.Since I came to the United

States, I have seen strong dif-ferences in cultures.

I realize how much peopleare different from the Easternpart of the world compareto the Western part of the

world.

I am from Afghanistan, acountry that is located in thecenter of Asia.

It borders Iran, China, Paki-stan and newly independentcountries such as Tajikistan,Uzbekistan and Turkmeni-stan.

Living in Afghanistan iscompletely different from lifein the United States. These differences are not

only economical, but alsocultural.

In my culture, which is aCollectivist culture, people livein groups. They work togetherand live together.

But in the United Statesthere is more emphasis onindividual goals.

Members of this culture value self-independence and

self-fulfillment.

However, 23 years of warkeeps Afghanistan as one ofthe poorest countries in the

world.Afghan people, much like

Americans, want to knowmore.They love to travel and seek

knowledge. The education system in

Afghanistan is different from

here. Students cannot choosetheir college. There is an examination

called the Great Test.All the students are required

to take it. It includes questionsfrom many fields.The field that a student an-

swers the most successfully inis the one that he/she wouldcontinue it for his or her majorand future profession.All the universities and col-

leges have the semester sys-tem.Another large change for me

to adjust to is the weather.I come from a mountainous

country. Although we always have

snow on the top of the moun-tains, we do not see muchsnow during the winter in thecities. We only have it about

twice a winter.Afghanistan has a very mod-erate climate. But, in contrast,the United States has the chilli-est winters.

Having snow week afterweek is something unusual forme, but I like it.

It is very difficult to studyabroad with another languageand live with different kinds ofpeople in a different culture.

However, as an internationalstudent in the MercyhurstCollege community, I feel athome and I enjoy studying inthe United States.

Senior interns in Bermuda Learn about Afghanistanfrom one of your peers

Living in

Afghanistan

is completely

different from

the life in

the United

States.

-Narvan Shorish

Photo courtesy of Chris Fraundorf

Senior Chris Fraundorf spent the summer interning in

Bermuda.

Extension cords and powerstrips have been known to handleheavy loads especially with all oftodays technological devices.They may be able to support

items such as computers, print-ers, flat-screen monitors andCD players, but they cant doeverything.

Different extension cords andpower strips are made to handlespecific tasks.

Some can take care of most ofour home-entertainment needs.

Others manage the high-powerloads required to operate largeappliances.When selecting and using ex-

tension cords and power strips,follow these guidelines:

Make sure the cord bears acertification label from an inde-

pendent testing lab such as UL(Underwriters Laboratories) orETL (Electrical Testing Labo-ratories).This indicates that the product

meets current industry safetystandards.

On extension cords, the labelshould be permanently attachedon the cord near the plug. With power strips and surge

protectors, the testing lab infor-mation should be on the under-

side of the casing.Electrical cords, power strips

and surge protectors must comewith polarized plugs (one bladeis slightly wider the other) orgrounded, three-pronged plugs.

Insert plugs fully when plug-ging them in.

No part of the prongs shouldbe exposed when the cord isin use.

Use heavy-duty extensioncords to handle high-wattage

appliances, such as air condition-ers and freezers.

Outdoor extension cordsshould be specifically designedfor such use to prevent shock. While in use, dont cover an

extension cord with rugs or otherobjects. Heat cannot escape froma covered cord, so it could resultin a fire. Avoid overloading a cord. To

keep this from happening, usea higher-rated one or unplug

and relocate electrical items,especially appliances, to otheroutlets.

Cords should not dangle froma counter or tabletop. They canbe accidentally pulled down ortripped over.

If a cord feels hot to the touch,stop using it immediately anddiscard it. If you have a crackedor worn cord, replace it.

Surge control: Use extension cords and power strips safely

Knight Ridder

Tribune News Service

By Meghan SmithContributing writer

By Narvan ShorishContributing writer

By Jen HelbigFeatures editor

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 27, 2004

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FEATURESTo contact: [email protected]

October 27, 2004 PAGE 5THE MERCIAD

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The scariest place to be this Halloween? Eeeerie, Pa!

Ghost: the disembodied spiritimagined as wandering among orhaunting living persons.Imagined? Many skeptics believe

that all things paranormal arenothing more than the result ofoveractive imaginations.With Halloween just around

the corner, even normal every-day occurrences can take on aspooky aura.American history has a tradi-

tion steeped deep in folklore,and tales of ghostly apparitionsare no exception.

In the spirit of Halloween, hereare a few local stories unique toErie, PA.

First, the Erie cemetery is saidto be haunted. A few locationsare particularly notable.

The first is a mausoleum thatappears blackened, as if it wereburned. There is no name on it, al-

though traces of one can befound among the vampire-likedesigns on the mausoleum.Another area is referred to as

the Witches Circle.It is a group of tombstones

that are arranged in the shapeof a circle. Some of them areburnt black.

Legend has it that when Satancame to collect his loyal follow-

ers, fires from hell left lastingimpressions on the stones.Although workers have repeat-

edly tried to remove the scorchmarks, they do not come off.

Upon closer inspection, it canbe seen that the tomb stoneshave rather strange things writ-

ten on them.People have also reported hear-

ing footsteps and chilling noises

behind them while walking in thiscemetery.The next local attraction is Axe

Murder Hallow.A legends says that a man

chopped up his entire family withan axe because of his suspicionsof his wife and a farm hand.A few years later, a car with a

young couple in it got stuck inthe mud.The boy went for help and told

his girlfriend to stay in the car. Within a few minutes, the girlheard someone outside the carsaying, Get out.

She stepped out in the pour-ing rain and saw her boyfriendhanging by his ankles with his

throat slit.She tried to run for help, but

a figure with an axe in his handgrabbed her. The next attraction is Penn

State Behrend. In the late 1970s,a student named Henry lived on

the third floor of the West wingin Niagara Hall.

He died horribly after freezingto death on a cold winter night.

It is said that he tried to turnon the heater when the doorjammed.

No one heard his screams ashe frantically tried to escape theroom.The next morning his body was

found clinging to the heater inhopes that it would turn on.

Students who stay in thishaunted room have said that oncold nights you can hear Henryshaking the heater and the doorin attempts to escape his frigiddeath.

And, of course, the next storyis the famous legend from Mer-cyhurst College.A woman who was once en-

gaged was told that her formerlover, whom she presumed waskilled in battle, had returned.

Because she believed he wasdead, she had become a nun togive her life to God.

Eagar to rekindle their love, thewoman left the convent, marking

her decision by leaving a ring by astatue of the Virgin Mary.

Soon after she had done this,her lover was killed in a terribleaccident on State Street.

Devastated, the woman lived

out her days in misery and even-tually went insane.

Many years later, a young cou-ple found a ring on the statueof Mary.The girl placed the ring on her

finger, only to learn later thatday that her boyfriend had beenkilled in an accident on StateStreet.

Infuriated and confused, sheran into the chapel of Old Main

and flung the ring in front of thealter, hysterical as to why God

would take her boyfriends life.Some say the ring was locked

away, while others say it has neverbeen found.

All agree, however, that therehave been sightings of a vanish-ing ring in the chapel throughoutthe years.

It is said that bad fortune ordeath will follow anyone whotouches the mysterious ring.

People have also claimed to seethe nuns spirit roam the halls.Whether you believe the legend

or not is up to you but if youever see a ring in Old Main, dont

pick it up!Mercyhurst College is home to

many other legends and ghoststories.

Egan Hall is said to have themost paranormal activity of any

building on campus.Built in 1926, the gothic archi-

tecture and ancient styling per-

sonify the stereotypical horrormovie setting.Because of a fire in Egan

that once killed a girl and badlymauled another, chilling oc-currences such as unexplainedbroken mirrors, cold spots, andapparitions in windows havebeen occurring in the buildingever since.Taylor Little Theater is also

an accepted haunted spot oncampus.

Mercyhurst students haveheard the story of the doomedmaintenance worker that fell tohis death on the pointed spout ofthe fountain below the stairs.When the fountain was turned

on after years of the accident, thewater ran blood red.A few days later, a dance ma-

jor fell from the balcony in atrance and broke her hip on thefountain.While the girl had no recollec-

tion of her plummet or motiveleading up to it, the ghost ofthe maintenance worker wasblamed. With such legends surround-

ing the college, ghost tours ofthe campus will be held thisHalloween. After reviewing the previous

legends, its tempting to askquestions.

Where does fact end and fic-tion begin? Are ghost storiesmerely created tales spun aroundHalloween to enhance the holi-day?

Or does something truly call tous from beyond, enticing us tomake the unknown known?

Natalie Vindivich/ Contributing photographer

You may be suprised by the tales behind the Taylor Little Theater.

If youd like to kick off theHalloween weekend with a visitto Eries dead, come join us.

Dr. Allan Belovarac will host atour on Friday afternoon of theoriginal section of the old ErieCemetery, located at West 26thand Chestnut streets.

Sponsored by the newly-formed History Club, the touris designed to give participantsan overview of the landscapedesign and the types of funeraryart that was characteristic of themid-nineteenth century.

In the course of the tour, Bel-

ovarac will also provide insightsinto some of the early settlersand civic leaders whose lives

and careers made Erie what itis today.

Included will be such notablesas Col. Seth Reed, Eries originalsettler, Daniel Dobbins, who be-

gan construction of the fleet thatwon the Battle of Lake Erie andCol. Strong Vincent, Eries heroat the Battle of Gettysburg. Transportation will be pro-

vided, leaving Garvey Park at3:30 pm.

If youd like to drive yourself,meet Belovarac at the Main Gateto the cemetery, located at 21stand Chestnut at 4 p.m.. The tour should take about

an hour.

If someone asked you aquestion regarding analyticalchemistry would you be ableto give them an informedanswer?The newest chemistry pro-

fessor at Mercyhurst College, Thomas Spudich would beable to offer an informedanswer.

Spudich comes to Mercy-hurst from Penn State-Beh-rend where he taught as as-sistant professor for six years.

He grew up in Crystal Lake,Ill. and completed his bache-

lors degree at Truman StateUniversity.

He then went on to completehis masters degree at North-ern I llinois University.

Mercyhursts reputation forbeing student-centered wasone aspect that attracted himto apply for the position.

I was interested in being at acollege where teaching under-graduates was the number onepriority, said Spudich.

Spudich, along with the oth-er professors of the chemistrydepartment, hope to expandthe classes in the department

and focus more on analyticalchemistry.They hope to focus on analy-

sis techniques that will be nec-essary for preparing the chem-istry majors, as well as appliedforensic science and biologymajors, for the future.Another way the chemistry

professors will attempt to dothis is by coupling teaching

with state of the art researchregarding analytical chemistrythat the student will assist

with.Spudich offers two aspects

of analytical chemistry toMercyhurst.

I am an instrument builder,so I bring some engineeringand design components to thecollege, especially within thechemistry major.

Second, I am an atomic(elemental) spectroscopistinterested in different environ-mental issues, such as lead andmercury content in PresqueIsle Bay.

Spudich explained the newclass would be structured sothe students would have tothink on their own while com-pleting a quantitative analyticallaboratory work during theircareer.

I would also like to con-tinue research on the lead andmercury content in PresqueIsle Bay because they compli-ment research currently beingdone in the chemistry depart-ment, Spudich said.

Spudich is teaching generalchemistry lab, chemistry of lifeI, general chemistry I and IIand chemistry principles.

The courses I am teachingare ones that I have nevertaught. I have a little bit of

lecture material to prepare,said Spudich.

He said that his classes aregoing well and that it is takingsome time to get accustomedto the trimester system.

Spudich and the chemistryfaculty are getting to knoweach other.

The morale is very high with adding a new facultymember. We all get along very

well, Spudich said.

Chemistry department welcomes newestfaculty member Dr. Spudich and his expertiseBy Courtney NicholasContributing writer


Dr. Thomas Spudich is a new face to the Chemistry

department at Mercyhurst, but he is no rookie.

Are you looking for somethingto do other than study for your

finals?As we all know, the Erie winter

is coming soon and the chancesto enjoy the outdoors withoutfrostbite will be few and farbetween. A few weeks ago, Presque

Isle began the first of its wintertransformations. The leaves are beautiful or-

ange, reds, and browns, and theycover the walking path and theground. The beaches are cold and

windy, but theres somethingspecial about walking on them

when the sky and lake are bothgrey and rough.Although Mercyhurst offers a

beautiful campus, it is sometimes

difficult to escape the pressuresof schoolwork and activitiesand just sit back and enjoy thescenery.Whether you are an athlete or

someone who wants to sit in thecar with the heat cranked, I rec-ommend heading up to PresqueIsle before the winter sets in.Although there are too many

leaves on the path to rollerbladewithout falling, biking and walk-ing are perfect alternatives. There are two locations on

the island that rent bicycles incase if you do not have one on

campus.Also, the park has a share the

road policy.Bikers are permitted to ride in

the road if they want to, so if youare annoyed by walkers and dogsand leashes, you can spend timeriding in the road.The bike path stretches around

the entire park for about 13miles, so you can plan on spend-ing awhile on the bike withoutgetting bored of the scenery.Also, there are mile markers on

the paths, so if you only want towalk for a little bit, you will knowwhen to turn around.

After a brisk walk, there arerestaurants and bakeries and amarket on the way back to I-90or along West 12 street. The trip is only a 15 minute

drive, and once you are there, youwill be enticed to wander aroundand explore.

On many weekends in the sum-mer and fall there are organizedevents such as bike races, walksor runs.The island is settling in for the

winter, and swimming is out ofthe picture at this point.

However, if you feel like get-ting out for the day and enjoyingthe weather that Erie has to offer,try taking a drive up to PresqueIsle.Although Mercyhurst provides

the Athletic Center and amplespace to wander around campus,theres nothing else like enjoyinga fall day outside.

Presque Isle offers an outlet for relaxation in Eries backyard


Students should take advantage of what Presque Isle has to

offer. Athletes and poetry writers alike are sure to enjoy.

By Jen HelbigFeatures editor

Eries famous dead come alive

By Dr. BelovaracHistory department

By Natalie Jo VindivichContributing writer

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 27, 2004

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OPINIONPAGE 6 THE MERCIAD October 27, 2004


General William Tecumseh Shermanonce stated years after the Civil War to agroup of cadets that War is Hell. ManyAmericans have heard this comment be-fore, but few people in our generation canactually relate to this statement.As you read this newspaper, sitting in

comfortable surroundings, your onlyimpending worries might range fromfinishing a paper for class tomorrow to

planning out your weekend around yourwork schedule.

The thoughts farthest from your mindare that people across the world are beingkilled, ripped apart from their families,their worlds shattered after yet anotherbombing or insurgency attack. For once,imagine that these atrocities had happened

to you. Your home is in ruins, familymembers dead or missing and althoughyou are the only one to survive, you haveincurred physical and emotion woundsthat will irrevocably never heal. Theburning question racing through your shellshocked mind can only be: Why?What would you tell an Iraqi citizen as

the answer to the simple question Why?You might say Dont worry now; every-thing will be alright in the long run. Ormaybe we can shrug and simply reply,

War is hell.The fact of the matter is that the Ameri-

can people have no significant and justifi-

able response to the question of Why?Could it possibly be because SaddamHussein had weapons of mass destruc-tion? Faced with the resounding evidencethat we haveyetto find these weapons thispossibility has been ruled out.A popular response is that Saddam was

linked with Osama Bin Laden and Al Qa-eda. In case you might have forgotten, the9/11 Commission Report states that thereis no connection between the two.

Maybe it could be that the Iraqi peopleare much better off now than they werebefore. That sounds like a great explana-tion to tell an innocent Iraqi citizen whois lying in a hospital bed recovering frommultiple wounds they suffered during theliberation of Iraq.To the American public, it seems un-

deniably true to state that the world ismuch safer without a dictator like SaddamHussein.

If this is the case, the American peopleshould gear themselves up for spreadingliberty to all countries that are ruled bydictators, where people are being perse-cuted and innocently killed.

From the astounding evidence thatthe war in Iraq is going as smoothly asplanned, why should the American peopleblink an eye when the U.S. military is

spending billions or that more Americansoldiers have been killed after PresidentBush declared Mission Accomplished

in Iraq?It seems to me that a safer worldwithout Saddam Hussein has, in fact, beenfilled with more terrorist activity and arising level of hate and fear aimed at theUnited States. In our attempt to wage awar on terrorism, we are in fact creatingmore terrorists.With the Pentagon banning any news

coverage of returning U.S. soldier coffins,or the lack of footage from the inside ofIraqi hospitals or the images of demol-ished buildings in Baghdad and surround-ing areas, the carnage and chaos that hasoccurred in Iraq is the farthest thing fromthe American psyche.

Im not saying that the news shouldshow clips of mutilated bodies or pry intothe lives of families of injured or killed

soldiers. The point is that these eventsare happening, and what the news mediaportrays to the public is a distorted viewof this reality.We have ultimately become desensitized

to the fact that War is Hell. The warin Iraq is not a game; it is not something Americans can view with detachmentwatching FOX news on their televisionscreens. It is no surprise that the UnitedStates is viewed with disdain by manypeople around the world. When we ca-

sually view the war as just another realitytelevision series (it appears real, but we just

know that its not actuallyhappening) we

invite disgust for our callousness.American citizens are given the chanceto vote for the next President of theUnited States on Nov. 2, a choice thatdirectly impacts the policies and strategiesthe U.S. will pursue not only in Iraq butthe rest of the world.

For those who are still undecided orfor the apathetic voters that believe neithercandidate is the better choice, its time tostep outside of your self-involved livesand get a glimpse of reality.Apathy is a crime against humanity. For

democracy to survive, citizens must beactive participants.

If the United States is promoting de-mocracy, we must first practice what wepreach. It is not unpatriotic to questionthe government or to express your opin-

ion on any issue.Millions of people have fought and diedover the centuries to protect the politicalfreedom American citizens enjoy. Ameri-cans cannot turn a blind eye on the restof the world; we cannot toy with the livesof millions of people because we did notcast a vote this election.The moment has come for a political

check. Next week it is time for Americansto pay their dues.

Dear Madam Malarky,

As a senior, I find time passing by ever so quicklyand yet I seem to be alone after these past three years. All Isee surrounding me is cute little freshmen girls. How wouldyou recommend I go about getting to know a few on a morepersonal level?

Sincerely,

Lonely and LongingDear Lonely and Longing,Now that were all recovering from being sick,

were ready to snuggle down for the winter. Butmore importantly, I give props to this man. It takesan act of great desperation to want to venture intothe likes of freshmen college girls. For it beingnearly impossible to find any age group of womenwithout traveling in packs, the burden falls heavilyon my stressed shoulders. I would whole heartilysuggest you trying a Russian mail order bride before

tackling a freshman girl or two. But that wouldntbe much fun to write about.Having been a freshman girl at one point in my

life, I am going to dive deep into my memory bankto pull out what I found cute about an older male.My first thought is the athletes. Being a little navechild, I thought the athletes were highly soughtafter. They appeared to be ultra-manly with theirbugling muscles. Of course, it didnt hurt to thinkthat most of them were on scholarship, whichleaves them having plenty of money to spendon a devoted girlfriend. Now read closely. Frommy understanding about the lack of a ttendanceat sporting events, it should be fairly easy for youto deceive. Of course, that would be starting therelationship off on a lie. But what does that mat-ter? You would still have a girl clung to your armto satisfy your needs.A second thought is to appear as a smart, sexy

man ready to lend a helping hand unselfishly to apoor female student. If youre not that attractiveto most women, having brains will win a freshmanover. Tutoring a freshman in college writing maybe a boring task, but the benefits will roll right in.

Invite her to your apartment when your room-mates are gone (you having paid them to disap-pear beforehand). Relate a few stories about yourtroubles with college writing and the unfair biasesthe professors have against your magnificent essays.If done successfully, she will be completely in tunefor you. Her advantage to the situation will be brag-ging rights to have hooked up with a senior.

My third thought is to pretend to be gay. Yes,it may be embarrassing for you. Especially thethought of a pink Mercyhurst hoodie that you willbe required to wear. But, the results will be nonethe less rewarding for you. Have you seen how fast

women become best friends with gay men? Betteryet, how they have lusted over them? Personally, Ihave heard many exasperations over Queer Eyefor the Straight Guy. Many women have chanted,Oh if only Kyan Douglas was straight! Its a shamethat hes gay. Once you have this girl longing foryou, make her believe that she turned you straight.Dont forget to add in little gripes about men duringthis process. You will have her reeled in no time.

Hopefully, my bit of advice will help you sniffout the freshman female before another alphasenior takes a hold of the awaiting prey.

Remember to e-mail [email protected]. Or AIM mmalarky04 some questions. Ifmmalarky04 isnt online, just email. Also rememberits completely confidential and theres no invasionof privacy.

Madam Malarky

Ever since the Wicked Witchof the West donned her cape inThe Wizard of Oz and FreddyKruger terrorized Elm Street, Ihave feared Halloween.As Oct. 31 rolls around each

year the day of ghosts, gob-lins and ghouls I cringe whenyoung Trick-or-Treaters ring thedoorbell ready to screech thosehorrifying words: Trick-or-Treat. Last year, the neighborsterrorized me with their rendition

of Jason and tried to provokefear in my eyes as they reared-upthe chainsaw. Although everyoneelse just laughed and I knew thateverything was phony, just thethought of Halloween broughtchills down my spine. Trying to ease myself of the

terror on the streets and constantnagging of the piercing doorbell,I attempted to flip through theTV channels NBC, TBS, CBS, ABC nothing to watch. Itseems that every station focuseson any gruesome Tales of theCrypt or Shocktober imagin-able.As I anxiously wait, the con-

stant irritating screech of the

skull mural hanging on the porchsqueals Happy Halloween asloud as it can. It rambles in apiercing laugh as each witch,goblin, G.I. Joe, Frankenstein,material girl and blood-suckingdemon flaunts by with his or herbag full of candy.As Halloween slowly but surely

reaches its end mark, the frustrat-ing repetition of Happy Hallow-een makes me want to give inand chuck candy at the kids who want it so badly. However, mymom sits on the porch dressed asa witch, literally, and nicely handsout Kit-Kat bars, her favorite, to

the little munchkins. I walk ontothe porch, loathing every secondwhile dressed in civilian clothing,and I am asked by every passingTrick-or-Treater Where is yourcostume?After about 20 minutes, I can

hardly hold myself back fromgiving the Halloween fan a realtaste of the Exorcist sincemy head is almost ready to spinand explode. Then, as I pick upone of the Kit-Kat bars and pre-pare to toss it into a goblins bag,I hear the fire whistle. Time is upyou devils! Victory is mineun-til next year.

Elections in this country arelike juicy steaks to the carnivo-rous media. The media tirelessly covers

presidential elections, and thepublic tends to believe whatthey hear.As most people already know

or realize, the media is not com-pletely unbiased. While the me-dia usually tries to be bipartisan,it doesnt always work out that way. Its one thing to lean toone side or another, but its quiteanother to go out of your way tolabel yourself.This is what many newspapers

in this country are doing. Thetrend of making political en-dorsements is long established. While the First Amendmentguarantees free press, the presshas an obligation to report thenews without deliberately addingpolitical bias.This weekend, the Erie-Times

News endorsed President Bush

and recommended to the publicthat he be re-elected for a sec-ond term. Across the country,newspapers have been endorsingeither Sen. Kerry or PresidentBush. I find something verywrong with this.

While it has been shown thatthese endorsements do little tochange public opinion, its thepoint that counts.The press is supposed to be un-

biased. That is the only way theAmerican people will get the bestand most accurate information.Endorsing a specific candidatelabels your paper as liberal orconservative. If a reader hadsuspicions of the papers political

orientation before, the newspa-per makes it easy to confirm ordisprove the readers theory.As a Democrat, I was instantly

turned off to the Erie-TimesNews when I read their endorse-ment of President Bush. WhileI had already believed the Timesto be a conservative paper, itsendorsement was a very bluntway of proving me correct. Nowthere is no doubt in my mind theErie-Times leans to the right inits views. As a result of this endorse-

ment, I will no longer rely on theErie-Times for my news becauseI feel as if the paper does notrepresent me fairly.

The same thing goes for pa-pers siding with Sen. Kerry.Republican readers may find thisendorsement too blunt and feelalienated by the paper.This feeling of alienation and

insensitivity by newspapers canhave a negative effect.As a Democrat, I will gravitate

towards newspapers that sharemy views, and the same goes fora Republican.The problem is, people will

only hear their side of the story,and biased reporting will shapepolitical ideas and feelings inthis country. If the media wereunbiased, people could have eachside represented fairly without

the influence of the press onyour political opinions.As a citizen, Im tired and dis-

couraged by the news media.I would love for the media to

give me nothing but the honestfacts and keep their political biasunder-wraps.While it is one thing to have

the opinion section of the paperrepresent politics in a more par-tisan manner, it is quite anotherfor the entire paper to endorse acandidate and, in turn, a politicalparty. The media is meant to bean oasis of facts, knowledge, andnews . . . not a tool for furtheringa political agenda.

Politicalendorsementscontradict the

supposedlyunbiasedmedia

By Corrie ThearleContributing writer

By Josh WilwohlLayout assistant

By Allison MooreOpinion editor

Trick-or-treat?Halloween is fun for some, but

for others its a living nightmare

Madam MalarkyHer advice for Mercyhurst this week:Snag a freshman and cure your lonely blues

War is hell and Iraq is no exception

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 27, 2004

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OPINIONOctober 27, 2004 THE MERCIAD PAGE 7


MERCIADKelly Rose Duttine Editor-in-Chief [email protected]

Jonelle Davis News Editor [email protected]

Jen Helbig Features Editor [email protected]

Allison Moore Opinion Editor [email protected]

Ryan Palm Sports Editor [email protected]

Meghan Sullivan A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad@mercyhurst .edu

Katie McAdams Photo Editor [email protected] Jack Production Editor [email protected]

Kristen Piquette Advertising Manager [email protected]

Sarah Dowden Copy Editor [email protected]

Emily Crofoot Graduate Assistant [email protected]

The Merciad is the student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst College. It is

published throughout the school year, with the exception of midterms week

and finals week. Our office is in the Hirt Center, room L114. Our telephone

number is 824-2376.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and

names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters

for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due the

Thursday before publication and may not be longer than 300 words. Submit

letters to box PH 485.

The

Ethical issues such as abor-tion, gay marriage and stem cellresearch are playing a large rolein this election. Both Sen. Kerryand President Bush have per-sonal beliefs and different waysto legislate these sensitive issues.Both men are guided by theirfaith and personal values, buteach one has a different approachand plan for the country.Abortion:

Kerry was born and raised a

Catholic. He believes in a higherbeing and respects the Church.Kerry is against the practice ofabortion personally, but, un-like our president, he refusesto impose his beliefs and faithonto people that do not sharehis views. He believes abortionshould be between the mother,father and the doctor -- not thegovernment.

In his debate, Kerry made itclear he would never appointa Supreme Court justice that

would overturn Roe v. Wade; thepresident made no such promise.

The right to choose was givento women because the courtfelt that a woman has a right toprivacy. The government shouldnot prohibit personal matterssuch as abortion from beingperformed.

Some of you reading thisright now are against abortion.

Theres nothing wrong with that view. However, while its easyfor one to judge, it is unfair todo so. Everyone has a right tomake important choices in theirlife, choices that are only theirown to make. John Kerry un-derstands this.A teenager that was raped and

impregnated by her father shouldhave the option of abortion opento her. How can one judge some-one in this, or a similar situation,unless youve been in it yourself.

The answer is, you cant. JohnKerry cant either. He doesnt

want to reverse progress made inwomens rights. If Roe v. Wadeis ever overturned, it could spur aregression in womens rights andthat would be detrimental to theprogress of this country.

Same-sex Marriage:Both Sen. Kerry and President

Bush believe marriage is definedby a man and a woman. How-ever, while President Bush hasproposed an amendment to theConstitution, Sen. Kerry believesthis is a states issue.A constitutional amendment to

ban gay marriage is nothing buta political tool.

This president uses his religionexcessively in his policy making,

which not only blurs the linebetween church and state, butit is downright dangerous. The

president has singled out thehomosexual population to strikefear in the extremely conserva-tive and religious section of his

voter base. Even Dick Cheneydisagrees with his policy.John Kerry believes that homo-

sexual couples should be permit-ted to commit to civil unions.He believes these couples should

receive the same benefits such ashealth care, insurance, etc. thatmarried heterosexual couples areentitled to.

He doesnt believe gays shouldbe punished for their sexualorientation. President Bush

implied in the debate that gaypeople chose to be homosexual.In my opinion, that is a naive,old-fashioned view. When Sen. Kerry mentioned

Mary Cheney in his answer, he was simply trying to point outthat she was loved very much byher parents despite her sexualorientation, and that she wasnttreated like an outcast. WhileSen. Kerrys remarks were per-ceived to some as crude, I trulybelieve that, while the reference

was unnecessary, it was notmeant to be in poor taste. The reactions from Repub-

licans were extreme and veryhypocritical. These people havebeen singling out gays and les-bians and trying to push harshlegislation on them via the Con-stitution for months, and onereference to Mary Cheney makes

John Kerry the anti-gay enemy.Give me a break.

Stem Cell Research:Stem cell research is quite

possibly the answer to some ofmedicines most haunting myster-ies. With proper funding and fewrestrictions, stem cell researchcould prove to be the solutionto diseases such as diabetes,Parkinsons a nd Alz heimers.

While the President approvedfunding for research involvingadult stem cell research in 2001,he is ignoring the possibilities ofembryonic stem cells. John Kerry has made clear

his position on this issue. Hesupports funding for all typesof stem cell research that willbe done with ethical guidelinesin place.The embryos used for the re-

search come from frozen eggs infertility clinics that will be thrownaway or sit in a freezer for years.

Why would you let these eggs bewasted when they could be used

to make great scientific strides?John Kerry believes in science

and the possibilities of stemcell research, and hes not alone.Nancy Reagan, Ron Reagan Jr.,Michael J. Fox and the Reeve

family all stand behind him.In fact, Dana Reeve decided to

make her first public appearanceafter her husband Christophersdeath at a rally for family friend,

John Kerry. Dana stated she sup-ports John Kerry and his positionon stem cell research.

She also stated that she at-tended the rally because its whatChristopher would have wanted.Dana is continuing Christophers

work by pushing publicly forstem cell funding and policy.

President Bush is ignoring thepossibilities of science and stemcell research. Instead, he is ca-tering to the religious right, andhe is very much in the minoritycompared to the opinions of thiscountry.The Republicans like to scare

the American voter with ideasthat John Kerry will thrive onbig government. They try tosay that the government will havemore of an impact on your every-day life. To me, this is completehypocrisy. At the same time they

are accusing John Kerry and theliberals in Congress of enlargingthe role of the government, theyare conceiving ways to intervenein our personal lives.

If I had to choose betweenincreased government involve-ment in programs such as healthcare or keeping my personalliberties guaranteed to me bypast Supreme Court rulings andthe Constitution, Id rather havemy right to privacy. Or if I hadto choose between losing a tax

cut and finding cures for terriblediseases, I would rather have thecures. The same goes for homo-

sexual couples. Im sure they would rather be accepted insociety rather than singled outby an outrageous constitutionalamendment.When examining these ethical

issues, it is clear that each candi-date has their own beliefs. JohnKerry has a more open, modernand progressive view, whilePresident Bush has a narrower,old-fashioned view.

It is up to the voter to decide

how they view these ethical issuesand take their opinion to the pollson Nov. 2.

President Bush and Sen. Kerryhave vastly different views ofthe role that a set of issues col-lectively know as ethical ormoral issues play in Americanpolicymaking today. PresidentBush has made the promotion oftraditional family a fundamentalpart of his policy platform inthis election. Sen. Kerry, on theother hand, seems less certainof the role that these issues playin American society and, more

importantly, what the role ofthe president is in determiningAmerican policy in these areas.

Abortion:President Bush has made no

secret of the fact that he isagainst abortion. He has not,

despite what the fear mongeringtactics of Planned Parenthoodand other pro-choice groups

would have citizens believe, at-tempted to outlaw abortion norhas he attempted to reverse Roe

v. Wade. The president, like mostother citizens against abortion,recognizes that this policy wouldnot be possible at this time be-cause of the opinions of most

Americans.President Bush has, however,

fought to stop the most brutalabortion practices, most no-tably the procedure known aspartial-birth abortion. With thehelp of both Democrats andRepublicans in Congress, thePresident was able to pass a billbanning this cruel procedure inNovember 2003. As seems tobe a recurring trend, two of the

three Senators who saw fit not toshow up for the vote on the bill

were Sens. Kerry and Edwards.Surely, the bipartisan supportfor this bill shows that there isat least some room where boththose in favor and against abor-tion can compromise for the

greater good of the country.Sen. Kerrys position on abor-

tion is somewhat less clear. As aCatholic, Sen. Kerry claims thathe is personally against abor-

tion, but Sen. Kerry believesthat he cannot force this beliefon someone else and, therefore,cannot support anti-abortionlegislation. Sen. Kerry is clearlytrying to have it both ways andin the process is accomplishingneither. What would have hap-pened if in the 1860s Americanshad said that while they werepersonally opposed to slavery,they could not push this belief

on others?Same-sex Marriage:

The issue of government-sanctioned marriage by homo-sexuals, commonly referred to

as gay marriage, is anotherissue on which President Bushsposition is clear. The president

firmly opposes efforts to makegay marriage legal because hebelieves this to be an assault

on the definition of this mostfundamental of institutions thathas provided stability throughoutthe course of human history.

The president has made it veryclear that this policy is NOTdiscrimination against homo-sexuals and has said that it isnot the governments businessto allow or disallow homosexualrelationships between consentingadults. President Bush helpedto propose an amendment tothe U.S. Constitution that woulddefine marriage as exclusivelybetween a man and a woman. Ido not believe that he did thisout of any inherent angst againsthomosexuals, but rather becauseactivist judges have abandonedtheir constitutionally-mandatedrole of interpreting the law andhave sought to rewrite law toconform to their own personalbeliefs. The President believesthat this should not happen anda Constitutional amendment

would be the best protectionagainst such action. The Presi-dent believes that a state whohas voted against government-sponsored gay marriage shouldnot have to recognize such amarriage from another state.

Gay marriage is another issue where Sen. Kerrys position issomewhat unclear. Sen. Kerryclaims to be against gay mar-riage. He claims to support asort of hybrid model in whichhomosexuals can engage in civilunions, but not in marriages.Sen. Kerrys record does notentirely agree with this posi-tion. Sen. Kerry voted againstthe 1996 Defense of Marriage

Act that Congress passed andwas signed into law by PresidentClinton. The Act sought to

uphold the traditional definitionof marr iage. In this election, thecandidates were asked about this

issue in the final debate. Insteadof debating the issue itself, Sen.Kerry chose instead to take acheap shot at Vice PresidentCheneys daughter, a homosex-

ual. While the Kerry camp hasoften accused the president ofnot admitting that he was wrong,Sen. Kerry did not apologizefor these unfair remarks and hiscampaign manager went so faras to say that the sexual prefer-ence of Cheneys daughter isfair game.

Stem Cell Research:Future therapeutic uses of

embryonic stem cells have gainedprominence both because oftheir immense potential andbecause of the intense advo-

cacy of notable figures such asNancy Reagan, Michael J. Fox

and the late Christopher Reeve.President Bush realizes thatdespite the immense opportu-nity for good that embryonicstem cell research can create for

Americans living with degenera-tive diseases, it presents equallyimportant moral consequencesbecause human embryos can bedestroyed during the process.Based on this information, thepresident decided in 2001 toextend federal funding to thosestem cell lines already in exis-tence on the date of the act, butto none created after that date.

The president believed this to bea balance between the potentialgood of stem cell research andthe moral consequences causedby the destruction of furtherembryos in expanded stem celllines. Sen. Kerry believes inalmost unfettered stem cell re-search. Sen. Kerry brushes asidethe moral arguments and believesprogress to be key on this issue.In perhaps one of the mosttasteless political maneuversin recent memory, Sen. Kerrypreyed upon public sympathy forthe death of Christopher Reeveby using Reeves wife Dana asa campaign prop at a rally lessthan two weeks after the actorpassed away.The views of the two can-

didates on moral and ethicalissues show clear differences.President Bush has committedhimself to defending traditionalfamily values and compromis-ing where possible by seeking toban partial-birth abortion, passa Constitutional amendmenthalting government-sanctionedgay marriage and by taking intoaccount the moral dimensions ofstem cell research. Sen. Kerrysrecord indicates a certain ambi-guity on these issues combined

with a general resistance tocompromise. Sen. Kerry believesabortion to be wrong, but re-fuses to put this conviction intopractice, supports homosexualcivil unions, but voted againstthe Defense of Marriage Act

and proposes stem cell researchalmost without limits. The dif-ferences are clear.

By Allison MooreOpinion editor

By James MikulecContributing writer

The left and right face off:On the left:Government has no right to legislate our personal lives On the right: Government can use morals to affect legislation

This week: ethical issues

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Oct. 27, 2004

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The Merciad, Oct. 27, 2004

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