The New Paltz Oracle, Volume 83 Issue12

NEW PALTZ ORACLEoracle.newpaltz.eduVolume 83, Issue XII Thursday, February 9, 2012

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

THE

SAME STORYLibrary Hours Not Extended Despite

Occupy Protests Last Semester

STORY ON PAGE 3EDITORIAL PAGE 9

HOSTAGE SITUATION

SEE STORY ON PAGE 7

Deyo Hall resident holds students at sword point University Police Chief ‘surprised’ by campus incident Suspect pepper sprayed and tazed Curious residents ‘overwhelmed’

Andrew Wyrich EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Julie MansmannMANAGING EDITOR_________________

John Brandi NEWS EDITOR

Katherine Speller FEATURES EDITOR

Zan StrumfeldARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR

Cat Tacopina SPORTS EDITOR

_________________

Samantha Schwartz

Robin Weinstein PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS

Julie GundersenCARTOONIST

_________________

Jaleesa Baulkman

Suzy Berkowitz

Kelsey Damrad

Zach Higgins

Maria Jayne

Katie Kocijanski

Clarissa Moses

Carolyn Quimby

COPY EDITORS

Pete ViolaASSISTANT COPY EDITOR_________________

Sara FederbushWEB CHIEF

Mark Dellas MULTIMEDIA CHIEF _________________

Patrick MartzBUSINESS MANAGER

Kathryn SmithDISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Felice Bernabo, Nicole Brinkley, Andrew Carden, Jimmy Corrao, Beth Curran, Dean Engle, Nick Fodera, Faith Gimzek, Elexis

Goldberg, Maeve Halliday, Ryan Patrick Hanrahan, Ricardo Her-nandez, Sarah Hurd, Mathew John, Brian Kearney, Angela Matua, Jessica Mingoia, Jack Sommer, Pete Spengeman, David Spiegel, Emily Sussell, Chris Thurston, Pete Thompson, Olivia Wells

STAFF

Incident: DrugsDate: 2/06/12Location: LNPPO’s Responded to an odor of marijuana;; call unfounded.

Incident: DrugsDate: 2/07/12Location: MOHONK/RT.32 S

M/N/S arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana.

University Police BlotterDisclaimer: This is only a partial listing. For all incidents,

please visit the University Police Department.

SUNY New Paltz University Police DepartmentEmergencies: 845-257-2222

About The New Paltz OracleThe New Paltz Oracle

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photographs and illustrations are assigned to the pool of staff and contributors.

Volume 83

Issue XIIIndex

Five Day Forecast

Thursday, February 9 Sunny

High: 45 Low: 26

Friday, February 10 Sunny

High: 46 Low: 29

Saturday, February 11 Snow

High: 32 Low: 18

Sunday, February 12 Mostly Cloudy

High: 26 Low: 17

Monday, February 13 Mostly Sunny

High: 40 Low: 26

NEW PALTZ ORACLETHE

NEWS

THE GUNK

EDITORIAL

COLUMN - JULIE MANSMANN

SPORTS

THE DEEP END

FEATURES PG. 2B A&E PG. 5B SPORTS PG. 13

FOLLOW THE ORACLE

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WANT TO LISTEN TO WHAT YOU’VE READ IN THIS ISSUE? TUNE IN!

The New Paltz Oracle 3oracle.newpaltz.eduNEWS

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Before the Occupy Library move-ment, the library hours were reduced due to budget cuts from the state, according to a petition circulated by “students with a common goal.”

Friday hours prior to the cut were 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and then were reduced four hours to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday hours prior to the cut

were 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and then were reduced four hours to 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday hours went unchanged

from 1 to 11:30 p.m. The occupation on Dec. 9, 2011

and subsequent petition efforts only saw the restoration, but not the exten-sion of the normal operating hours. Gwenwald said the cuts targeted hours in which the fewest number of people had utilized their services. She recalled a situation where there were four employees to four people

“What kind of need is this serv-ing?” she said. “If [students] are not over here working, [it’s] a waste of valuable resources for a campus that is struggling. If [they’re] not working

with the collection, not terribly pro-ductive.”

2,000 per day, but on Saturday, “it’s a lot fewer.” Despite this, she called the occu-

pation movement an “effective and respectful action.” Gwenwald said she was impressed with the depth of the conversation and she described students as calm and respectful. Overall, she called the dialogue be-tween administrators and students “very productive.” Torsney shared this sentiment and

said the students who took part in the Occupy movement were more con-cerned for their fellow peers, whom might not have access to academic resources. “[I’m] impressed with students in

[the] Occupy group, [they were] not for themselves, but other students working two to three jobs, [or] living off campus without computer access,” she said. “[They were] advocating for other students, and had a deep sense of community. The outcome from the meeting was quite good.”Torsney said those involved were

respectful. She said after the library

closed they stayed until about 11:30 p.m. to midnight, and the movement used no additional resources, like se-curity. Still, many said that the move-

ment changed the course of the con-versation. Macaluso said the dialogue provides an outlet to give feedback for the library’s progress. “Outlets where we might tell peo-

ple effectively and now often news, services and programs and events,” he said. “New means to interact with people, Occupy has taken steps to-wards introducing us to students in a new way.” As for the Occupy movement on

campus, member Ashley Drzymala said they still have requests geared toward the administration.

hours, more study space, more com-puter and Internet access etc.,” she

with the upcoming library renova-tions that, surprisingly, most students do not realize are happening this

of the library for at least a year, and that’s only if construction goes as ‘planned.’”

By John Brandi News Editor | [email protected]

The Sojourner Truth Library hours were reinstated, going against the demands of the Occupy movement calling for an extension.

As on-going renovations begin to limit space and resources at the Sojourner Truth Library (STL), administrators and library faulty are considering alternative campus “satellite” locations to serve student needs. A meeting between administrative of-

renovation and subsequent loss of space was held on Monday, Jan. 30. “[We] recapped the conversation before

break with possible study space in midst of renovation, [the library] won’t be closed, but a lot of moving around,” said Interim

some place on campus, a satellite, [a] place to work [with] computers, wireless and printers, [a] space for both individual and group study.” Potential candidates for consideration

Torsney said, were the Student Union, Coykendall Science Building and the Lec-ture Center. However, she said no matter which alternative is chosen, resources like paper, printers and wiring would still be a top concern. Torsney cited the Student Association survey of library use would help decide the state of the facility and how many students would need accom-modation.Still, Torsney said the renovation will

be done in phases under the direction of Interim Dean of the Library William Con-nors. Meanwhile, Library Outreach Coordina-

tor Morgan Gwenwald insisted that ser-vices, like the Inter-Library Loan system, will continue despite the renovation. She

-tive space to continue operations are both

Despite the temporary relocation, Coordinator for Distant Learning Stephan Macaluso said the library, once completed would be more responsive to the needs of the campus community. “A library that’s going to be open [and]

responsive to students and faculty, a real show piece,” he said. “[It’s going to have] more group study, more neutral lighting [and] a place to be logged in.”He said the new design is going to allow

students a place to be contemplative, and the end result will be a “functional and beautiful” library space.

- John Brandi

Library Faces

RenovationsOccupy Demands Not Met

PHOTO BY ROBIN WEINSTEIN

The 52nd student senate discussed digital SEIs, evaluation forms for advising and their goals list during their second general meeting of the semester. Vice President of Academic Affairs

and Governance Ayanna Thomas said the digital SEIs that debuted last se-mester had a higher response rate than SEIs administered in classrooms. Thomas asked the legislative body

for feedback to improve the digital SEIs for this semester. Some members of the student senate suggested the digital SEIs be posted during a differ-ent time period. To increase the student response rate, Sen. Esthephanie Peralta suggested that there be an incentive for

such as Hawk Dollars or gift cards. Sen. Wendy Cohen said that withhold-ing grades until students complete their digital SEIs could also increase re-sponse rates. After discussing the digital SEIs,

Thomas discussed with the legislative body plans to create an evaluation form, similar to SEIs, for students to evaluate

faculty advisors. Sen. Kaychell Eng-lish said there should be head advisors in each department since many faculty advisors are also professors and have a tight schedule. Cohen said peer advis-ing within a department would be ben-

“In the department you could have three or four seniors who have been through the whole run-around... [advis-ing other students].”Thomas said since there isn’t a clear

description of advising on this campus, she hopes to create a uniform document to clarify faculty advisor’s roles and re-sponsibilities. The document could be inserted into the Academic Advising Handbook or the Faculty Handbook. During his senate report, Sen. Jona-

than Espinosa said that in a few weeks a printing system will be installed in the Student Union (SU). The printer

next to the campus bookstore. During her senate report, Cohen

read a statement to the legislative body to shed light on an incident that oc-curred Tuesday morning in Deyo Hall.

for taking an unknown hallucinogen and “arrested for second-degree kid-napping, unlawful imprisonment and assault.” She also said the student was Tasered and pepper-sprayed by campus police. “These incidents are most upsetting

because they can be handled in a way that can reduce the possible harm,” she said. Cohen said if students were aware

of a law passed in 2011, which granted “amnesty to anyone who called help for himself/herself or for a friend during a drug overdose,” this incident and the criminal charges brought against the student could have been avoided. Cohen also mentioned that SUNY

keeping students informed about this incident and other incidents affecting community safety.”The student senate went over their

goal list for the semester. A few of the goals on their list are extending SU hours, adding majors to degree title and extending campus escort hours.The next senate meeting will take

place Feb. 14 in room SU 418.

Senate Hears Reports From Members

The New Paltz Oracle4 oracle.newpaltz.edu NEWS


NEWS BRIEFS NATIONAL

Washington state lawmakers voted to approve gay marriage Wednesday, set-ting the stage for the state to become the seventh in the nation to allow same-

sex couples to wed.

The case of a third-grade teacher accused of feeding children his own semen in bi-

-national headlines.

THE SAME-SEX SEVEN

THE SORRY SLAYERA Missouri teenager who had described the slaying of a young neighbor girl as

apology Wednesday to the girl’s family and was sentenced to a potential lifetime

in prison.

UNDOCUMENTED DRILLINGFederal policing of oil and natural gas drill-ing on public lands is lax and inconsistent, with only 6 percent of violations resulting in

-crats said in a report Wednesday.

IS THIS LINE MOVING?A new passenger screening program to make check-in more convenient for cer-tain travelers is being expanded to 28 more major U.S. airports, the government said Wednesday. There will be no cost to eligi-ble passengers, who would no longer have to remove their shoes and belts before they

GOP SLAMS BIRTH CONTROLRepublicans vowed Wednesday to reverse President Barack Obama’s new policy on birth control, lambasting the rule that reli-gious schools and hospitals must provide contraceptive coverage for their employ-ees as an “unambiguous attack on reli-

gious freedom in our country.”

A FOUL TASTE

Compiled from the AP Newswire

By Jaleesa Baulkman Copy Editor | [email protected]

The legislative body heard senate reports from its members, discussed digital SEIs and reviewed their goals list. PHOTO BY ROBIN WEINSTEIN



NEWS BRIEFS WORLD

The European Union will impose harsher

Wednesday, as Russia tried to broker talks between the vice president and the opposi-tion to calm violence. Activists reported at least 50 killed in the regime’s siege of the

restive city of Homs.

Demonstrators hurled stones at the convoy carrying Senegal’s aging president to the regional capital of Thies, where he held a campaign rally Wednesday, according to witnesses and a private radio station.

EU SET ON SANCTIONS

AN ANCIENT PUNISHMENT

PROTECT THE PAST When neighbors in the hills east of Mexico City saw backhoes ripping up pre-Hispanic relics for a highway, they did something unexpected in a country where building projects often bulldoze through ruins: They launched protests to stop the digging.

SARKOZY SHARES SENTIMENTS French President Nicolas Sarkozy put his reputation as a stalwart friend of Israel on the line Wednesday, warning that military action was no way to deal with nuclear-minded Iran at a dinner hosted by France’s main Jewish group — and his likely presi-dential election rival in the audience.

THE FINAL FRONTIER, REVISED

the Antarctic ice, Russian experts drilled

gigantic freshwater lake, an achievement the mission chief likened to placing a man

on the moon.

LABOR LEADER IN TROUBLE-

liminary charges against former Labor -

ence peddling” after becaming ensnared in a scandal involving the fortunes of the

L’Oreal heiress.

Compiled from the AP Newswire

The New Paltz Transition Group launched

Coykendall Science Building Auditorium. “Transitioning is about everyone know-

ing their neighbors and people doing what their grandparents did when things were fru-gal,” said Daniel Lipson assistant professor of political science and international relations and an active member of the transition move-ment.

The group’s primary goal is to inform the community about the rapid depletion of fos-sil fuels and to develop ways to decrease their increasing disappearance.

The group is calling on community mem-bers to change their lifestyle by becoming

simple changes such as the town growing their own food, using public transportation or car-pooling, sharing expensive household prod-ucts and bartering.

Lipson said one of the biggest challenges in this movement is getting as many commu-nity members involved as possible.

“This movement is about getting the po-

everyone involved,” Lipson said. “The vil-lage government is completely on board but the challenge is to get residents other than the usual suspects on board.”

Various towns in the Hudson Valley faced the same concern while planning their kickoff

event, Lipson said. During a conference in November, com-

munity members discussed the movement and the ways they could possibly create a suc-cessful kickoff event, which would draw in as many people as possible. The villages de-cided on a movie screening addressing fossil fuel issues and proposing solutions. Each town

would convey the best message for their com-munity, according to the event.

Translation 1.0,” highlighting the theme of bringing the local community together and building an interdependent infrastructure. The

have already made great strides in transition-ing to a lower energy future.

-tive, [“In Transition 1.0”] focused on grabbing the viewer with local solutions,” Lipson said.

changing the way they supply food, the way they travel, run their government, use energy and build and manage their economy.

Various community members attended this event and joined together in a discussion

emcee Ariana Basco said this movement is about making a lifestyle change.

During the event, Basco spoke about what the transition movement represented.

“The transition movement is like putting all the puzzle pieces together to get everyone to see that big picture,” Basco said.

New Paltz Transition Group. Following this event, there will be more general interest meet-ings, discussion sessions and training sessions.

Dates and more information will be posted on facebook.com/newpaltztransition as well as groups.google.com/group/newpaltztransition.

Campus Launches Transition Group By Clarissa Moses Copy Editor | [email protected]

An audience gathers for The New Paltz Transition Group. PHOTO BY ROBIN WEINSTEIN

SUNY New Paltz Rises In The Rankings

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine has recently ranked SUNY New Paltz among the top 100 best values in the nation for public four-year institutions delivering high quality education at an affordable price.

New Paltz ranked 55 out of 672 public edu-cational institutions, placing it in the top 92nd percentile. This accomplishment speaks volumes, as it validates the reputation New Paltz strives to uphold.

“As a public university, we’ve been a com-parative bargain,” L. David Eaton, vice president for Enrollment Management, said. “The cost fac-tor has always been there but it’s been very com-petitive because there are lots of public univer-sities. We have good students with good GPA’s, good retention and graduation rates and high rates for transfer students. Quality indicators tip us in

our favor.”

Kiplinger’s in 2000, and their ranking has risen over time, according to Eaton.

“Kiplinger’s works at value. They estimate -

stitutions from there,” Eaton said. The real concern is whether the ranking will

affect prospective students’ decisions to choose this school. Lisa Smith, 46, admits, though a rank-ing in Kiplinger’s is impressive, it wouldn’t have been what sealed the deal for her daughter.

wouldn’t have been her main reason for choos-ing it,” Smith said. “There’s always room for im-provement, but I do think [New Paltz] is up there.”

Danielle Esposito, a fourth-year elementary education major and Smith’s daughter, said a dif-ferent ranking helped spread the word about New Paltz the year she applied.

“I know when I came here, they were ranked

“hottest small state school” and everyone wanted to come here,” Esposito said. “I feel like ratings matter for state schools.”

As far as accuracy is concerned, Esposito agrees that New Paltz deserved this ranking.

she said. “We have great staff and for the most part, they’re there for us. So I understand why New Paltz was rated.”

The majority of Kiplinger’s readers may be

and students, but a ranking of this stature can only affect New Paltz positively in the year to come. Eaton said it proves that New Paltz’s accomplish-ments are more than just talk.

“It’s easy for colleges and universities to make things up about themselves and call them-selves valuable,” Eaton said. “Value based on what? This is concrete proof. As cost continues to rise, and it will, our job is to keep it sensible. This

By Suzy BerkowitzCopy Editor | [email protected]

The New Paltz Oracle 6 oracle.newpaltz.edu NEWS


By Clarissa Moses Copy Editor | [email protected]

RHSA Reforms Constitutional Amendments

On Monday, Jan. 30, the Residence Hall Student Asso-ciation (RHSA) held an Associate Council meeting in Eso-pus Hall, where Associate Council Representatives voted on amendments to the RHSA Constitution which would reform the election process to be more swift and effective. RHSA President Ranysha Ware, a third-year computer

science major, said the old election process was lengthy and time consuming. The changes will allow the procedure to move faster and promote fairness. The current RHSA Executive board (E-board) compiled

a series of amendments over winter break for the Residence Hall Governments to consider. “In the past it has been Associate Council members and

Hall Government members who presented amendments.

is presenting,” Ware said.

ate council representative for Esopus Hall, said the Associ-ate Council Representatives of each hall were handed the amendment proposals last week and given the opportunity to speak with their Hall Government E-board members to decide which amendments they will vote to pass or block. “The amends would make us focus more on the candi-

dates rather than on the time spent electing them,” Khalil said.The RHSA E-board conducted the voting process and it

included a recap of each amendment, a question and answer

session, a discussion session and a close-eyed vote. During the question and answer and discussion sessions, the halls raised concerns about the amendments to the RHSA E-board. Ware said E- board elections are approaching in a few

weeks and will be going on throughout the semester and the

RHSA thought it was pertinent to reform the election process before the elections began in order to prevent extremely late nights for the candidates and the voters. “Before we can have elections we want to amend the pro-

cess,” Ware said.The proposed amendments involved two different sec-

tions of the RHSA Constitution which were Article Five,

Ten, (AC Meetings) Section Four: Voting Procedure for Elections. The amendments focused on establishing time constraints

to help speed up the election process. All of the amendments, except the fourth amendment, involving a pros/cons list and a list of expectations for the candidate, were passed.Though many of the amendments were voted on and

lot of debate. The proposed amendment involved only two representatives from every hall being able to participate in question and answer sessions. Ultimately the amendment was passed. Ware said these amendments were formulated to ensure

the health of students voting and those running for positions. “There is no reason students need to be up at 3 a.m.

electing a new E-board member,” Ware said. “In the grand scheme of life, elections aren’t that important.”

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New York Times reporter Andy Lehren was interviewed by President Donald Christian on his life and career on Wednesday, Feb. 8. This semester’s Ottaway Professor has won a Polk award, a Peabody, two duPont-Columbia batons and Edward R. Murrow investiga-tive awards, several Emmys and a Daniel Pearl Investigative Award. His class focuses on investigative and enterprise reporting techniques.

PHOTO BY SUZY BERKOWITZ

Lehren Visits Campus ’’’’’The amends would make us

focus more on the candidates

rather than on the time spent

electing them

LATINA KHALIL



’’’’’If anyone moved or approached [or] knocked on the door, his roommate said [Doughty] would probably snap and threaten their lives with the sword he had in possession

STEVE CANDELA

By Andrew Wyrich Editor-in-Chief | [email protected]

Sword-Weilding Student SubduedAn 18-year-old SUNY New Paltz student

faces kidnapping and assault charges after hold-ing students hostage in Deyo Hall with a sword, police said.

eral students in a suite-style residence hall by brandishing a katana-style sword early Tuesday morning before authorities were able to appre-hend him, police said. “I’m certainly surprised something like this

gatkin said. “These kinds of things are rare on campuses.” After police entered the common room,

Doughty retreated into his bedroom with two other students, Dugatkin said.

in his own room when the incident occurred, but said he was in constant contact with those who were inside the bedroom and did not enter in an effort to keep the situation from getting worse.

knocked on the door, his roommate said

Candela said. After a short while, a student from in-

side the bedroom disarmed Doughty

and exited holding the two-foot sword. After some persuasion, Doughty exited the

er and pepper spray to subdue him, Dugatkin said. Candela said Doughty was “clearly some-

where else” during the encounter with the of-

ing out of his usual charac-ter. “It was

pretty scary w a t c h i n g

s t r u g g l i n g to get him handcuffed, as Isaac had no idea what was going on and was freaking out. He wasn’t in his mind...He is not

said. Dugatkin said it was too early to be certain

lucinogenic drugs while he was holding stu-

he was not in a right state of mind.

writing major and self-described best friend of

Doughty, said he had been on a “bad trip” for 48 hours prior to the encounter and was acting out of fear, not maliciousness. “He was just really, really afraid,” Men-

driski said. “He’d showed signs of suspicion

authorities. He didn’t understand what he was doing, and the

days of his life had been noth-ing but fear, pain and con-fusion.” S t u d e n t s

across the hall from the suite said commo-tion and yell-ing could be heard from the

hallway as well as Doughty punching doors and walls. Deanna Baker, a third-year psychology ma-

jor and Deyo resident, said she was concerned about the well-being of Doughty, but uneasy

Baker said. “On one hand there’s a kid getting Tasered in my hallway, and I wanted to make sure he was alright. On the other hand he had a

huge knife and might be tripping balls.”

students that desire it. In lieu of the incident, Dugatkin said no

physical changes will be made to policies re-

through metal detectors, it is next to impos-

said. “Students should say something if they see something.” In SUNY New Paltz’s Student Handbook,

Deyo Hall Complex Director Shannon Calderon declined to comment on the incident, and Director of Residence Life Corinna Caracci could not be reached for comment.In a campus-wide email issued on Feb. 7,

SUNY New Paltz President Donald Christian said Doughty has been banned from campus

judicial action. Doughty was charged with kidnapping,

menacing, criminal possession of a weapon and assault in the second degree and was sent to Ul-ster County jail on $25,000 bail.

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The New Paltz Oracle 8 oracle.newpaltz.edu NEWS


Last month, two SUNY New Paltz professors visited the Middle Eastern nation of Oman to study its society, culture and educational system in hopes of bringing what they learned back to New Paltz.

The trip was part of the “Educators to Oman” program and was sponsored by the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson

mission is to raise public awareness of the issues that “unite and divide nations, people and major faith communities.”

Lewis Brownstein, professor of political science, and Ilgu Ozler, assistant professor of political science, were among the 10 educators who stayed in Oman from Jan. 3 to the 13 as a part of the “Educators to Oman.”

The purpose of this program was to learn more about Oman and then come back and “raise the country’s visibility in the Mid-Hudson Valley,” Brownstein said.

An upcoming conference sponsored by SUNY New Paltz, Center for Middle Eastern Dialogue and WAC-MHV should take place later this semester, Brownstein said.

This conference will allow them to bring what they learned about Oman to the area by teaching about Oman through public events.

Ozler said that there would also be an Omani quartet playing at the conference.

During their stay in Oman, they spent 10 days in meetings learning about their society, history and educational system. They met with the ministry of education and higher education and at-tended meetings that were held in Sutan Qaboos University, Ma-zoon University College and the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.

“We had exchanges about the possibility of perhaps creating a more long term relation with Omani universities,” said Ozler. “Our goal is to have a cultural understanding and exchange about Oman.”

A few of the things Brownstein said he learned about Oman which he didn’t know before was that men and women are treated equally, their standard of living is high and they have access to free education.

Brownstein and Ozler said they also learned about the ethnic and racial make-up of the region.

Ozler said the ratio of people of Indian and Bengali descent who reside in the sultanate of Oman to Omanis are about 2-to-1 and are called expatriates. They can’t apply for citizenship until they have continuance in a country for 20 years. Until they are citizens, they can’t exercise the same rights as Omanis such as having an education at an Omani school or owning land.

“If an Omani woman was married to an expatriate, their chil-dren would not be considered Omani since citizenship is through the father,” said Ozler.

However, she said that all different religions exist peace-fully.

impressed with the degree of warmth shown.“I was impressed with the interactions [I had] with the peo-

ple [I] met,” said Brownstein. “[Oman] was remarkably warm and welcoming.”

He said that while he was walking on the main thoroughfare, he witnessed a car accident between two residents of Oman. Both of the drivers got out of their cars, walked towards each other and shook hands. They got back in their cars to take them off the road, got out of their cars to talk some more, shook hands and then departed.

Brownstein said this behavior was typical in Oman.

the trip to Oman was a good introduction to the Arab world. She said that she expected the country to be more chaotic and disor-derly, and was surprised when it was the opposite.

“In developing countries…it’s less orderly than, let’s say, a more developed country,” she said. “I was thinking that in the capital city there would be more noise…you expect more chaos in the city than you do in New Paltz.”

She said Muscat was more like New Paltz as far as peace and quiet are concerned.

The current Sultan of Oman, Qaboos bin Said Al Said, took over in the 1970s and built the country from scratch.

“What we have seen was very positive, but I wouldn’t say it was an unbiased exposure,” said Ozler. “Because I know that when someone visits your home you want to clean up and show them the best of it.”

By Jaleesa Baulkamn Copy Editor | [email protected]

New Paltz Professors Visit The Middle East

Scholarship Program Accepting ApplicantsBy Faith GimzekStaff Writer | [email protected]

Students attending an academic conference during the current or summer semester may apply for travel expense funding as part of the David Lavallee Student Travel Fund until Friday, Feb. 24, according to Interim Provost Cheryl Torsney.

The awards are named in honor of the school’s provost from 1999 to 2009. Its creation was a campus-wide initiative in 2009 to help students cover the costs of traveling to academic conferences to present, exhibit or perform their scholarly work.

“Student research, along with studying abroad, internships and other work outside of the classroom, really changes students’ lives,” Torsney said.

funding in 2010, and about 50 students applied the following year. Recipients must be third or fourth-year undergraduate or graduate students with a minimum 3.0 GPA, and can receive up to $400.

Torsney, who also serves as the vice president of academic affairs, called upon faculty and staff to donate toward the fund. Ideally, she said, the fund would be an endowment that generates annual interest, but currently its existence depends solely on donations made through the SUNY New Paltz Foundation.

“There is a real problem, because it’s such a small amount

in the grand scheme of things,” Torsney said. “So in my last call to faculty and students for accepting applications for the fund, I reminded people that this is not an endowed fund, donations need to be made.”

Torsney said, attending a professional conference can be a

Dr. Maureen Morrow, a biology professor and director of the school’s Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Program (RSCAP), said she donates to the fund because “it’s important for students to have that opportunity” to attend an academic conference.

“The Student Association gives money, but not much,” she said. “This award gives a greater number of students the opportunity.”

Morrow said one of the problems with funding through the RSCAP is that the money comes from the state, so it is attached with restrictions. The Lavallee funding comes from private

“There are students who have graduated, and there’s a conference one month after they graduate,” she said. “New York state funds don’t cover them unless they’re currently enrolled. So, it’s a bridge for recent alumni, and there’s other

Accommodations and conference registration fees, students will sometimes apply for multiple awards and still

have to pay for expenses out of their own pockets, Morrow said.“It’s always tough. There’s never enough money to go

around,” she said.Helen Gutfreund, a fourth-year art education major, is

She will be giving two presentations at the National Art Education Association Convention in Manhattan March 1-4.

“I think my attendance at this conference will provide me with invaluable artist and teacher experiences and resources as

Gutfreund said although the NAEA provides substantial discounts for registration and accommodations for students, it will still be expensive to attend. Aside from applying for the Lavallee award, she has already received an Academic Year Undergraduate Research Experience award through RSCAP and may also apply for funding through the Student Association.

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to present my

whether I receive the funding or not,” she said. “But being reimbursed for hotel accommodations and travel expenses in

wouldn’t have otherwise had.”

at newpaltz.edu/acadaff/dlstf.html.

The GUNK

FAIRWEATHER FRIENDSFirst full-length album fi nished by

Story on page 5B

The GUNK Thursday, FEBRUARY 9, 2012

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA SCHWARTZ

The GUNK

The New Paltz Oracle2B oracle.newpaltz.edu


FEATURESR.E.A.L. Beauty RevealedA cliché phrase commonly used for

-

-pus that promoted beauty in all shapes and

on campus that occasionally put on pro--

whose sole purpose is to empower women, especially those “who are shunned by soci-

their appearance and know that they are

Amy Kesselman, a professor in the --

three years for companies like Just Be You

she noticed the media promotes a certain type of beauty.

they should look a certain way and act a cer-tain way, but in reality women come in all

-

Kesselman said women’s representa-

thinner now than they were in the past.-

commercials and put on fashion shows. -

-

at 9 p.m.

NEW STUDENT ORGANIZATION AIMS TO EMPOWER ALL WOMENBy Jaleesa Baulkman

[email protected]

-

Good Deeds By Earthgoods

SUNY New Paltz students come together an-

nually to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther

King Jr. as a speaker, revolutionary and as a man.

Keepin’ It R.E.A.L (Reclaiming Equality and

Liberation), this year’s annual forum in Dr. King‘s

honor held on Monday, Feb. 7, invited students to

celebrate the memory and legacy of the civil rights

international relations major said.

The goal of the forum was to recognize Dr.

more mainstream image and to look at his civil

and humanitarian messages critically and analyti-

cally, Young said. She also said that she hoped

conversations started by the event would inspire

students to adopt Dr. King’s spiritual energy and

promote future action.

for the rights of the oppressed and challenging the

systems of oppression, but we too often pigeon

Young said Dr. King’s identity has been sani-

tized by the national holiday that honors him, but

further study of the man can help the public see his

multiple complexities.

Petra Vega, a third-year Women’s Studies ma-

jor, attended the event and said she gained a new

appreciation for Dr. King. She said that while most

people recall the memorable speeches, there’s lit-

tle known about him beyond that.

“Dr. King was more complex than some peo-

Associate Professor of Communication Stud-

the keynote speaker. He gave a presentation about

the lesser known image of Dr. King. A writer and

commentator at Black Agenda Report and the cre-

major Jonathan Espinosa, both familiar with his

writing and some of his past presentations on Dr.

King.

assassinated through the media’s sanitizing tactics.

He said his goal was to convey the parts of Dr.

King’s politics that have been suppressed and ig-

nored by mainstream media, in order to create the

“King is the most known and least understood

now in control of his own political enemies, con-

tinues to be weaponized against us as a means of

blunting radical critiques of the past and present,

but more so to prevent us from engaging in the

kind of future movement-building for which King

The event also reintroduced an essay contest

for students to enter with their thoughts on the

criminal justice system’s effect on African men.

The forum also featured a performance by Ur-

ban Lyrics and an original play about Dr. King by

New Day Ensemble.

Students Celebrate Civil Rights FigureKEEPIN’ IT R.E.A.L. EVENT HONORS LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING

The New Paltz Oracle 3Boracle.newpaltz.eduF!"#$%!&

Thursday, February 9 , 2012

By Katherine SpellerFeatures Editor | [email protected]

The students behind The Fugitive, a new literary publication on campus,

joined together to create a new platform

for featuring creative work.

Andrew Steiner, a fourth-year mu-

sic major, Steven Siegelski, a third-year

English major and Taylor Steinberg,

a third-year English major, said they

formed The Fugitive to encourage stu-dents to break away from more conven-

tional writing and experiment with their

craft.

“The local and campus literary

magazines do not encourage experi-

said. “We want people to be unhindered

by convention, whether that means

tackling uncomfortable subjects in

unpleasant ways, reinventing form or

looking to the digital culture for inspi-

A website is currently in develop-

ment for students to submit their writ-

ing, art or multimedia work as well as

to post recordings of themselves recit-

ing their own works.

The creators have started network-

ing via Facebook in a group called

members, Steinberg said they are using

Facebook as a networking tool to mine for good writing outside the Hudson

Valley. The group is currently accepting

lishing of the magazine planned for dis-

Through the Internet group, the

staff of The Fugitive is hoping to en-courage further literary discussion,

though they will not be accepting those

posts for submission, Steiner said.

The goal for the print version of

The Fugitive is 100 pages, though more submissions for the online version will

be accepted.

Members of the staff said it de-

form poetry submissions are accepted.

They do not have a set ratio for choos-

ing shorter and longer pieces or verse

and prose pieces.

The staff is not working formally

with any professors nor do they have

any plans to do so. At this point, only

informal conversations are being held.

“We do plan to request submissions

from professors. As to whether they

deem our publication worthy of their

said.

Students can submit up to three po-

ems and one short story each. The staff

encourages simultaneous submissions

of writer’s work as well.

The deadline to submit to The Fugitive is Thursday, March 1 to [email protected].

SUNY New Paltz Harbors ‘The Fugitive’NEW ON-CAMPUS LITERARY MAGAZINE ENCOURAGES EXPERIMENTATION

By Katie KocijanskiCopy Editor | [email protected]

King is the most known and least understood

historical Jesus Christ...DR. JARED BALL ’King is the most known

’King is the most known

’’historical Jesus Christ...’historical Jesus Christ...’King is the most known

’King is the most known and least understood

’and least understood

’’’’’King is the most known



’King is the most known and least understood




’’’’’’

Muggles have a chance to grab their

-

-

dance is held on the night of the Yule and all

-

-

-

be wearing dresses like high school or more

and there will be salad platters, empanadas,

-

Since this is a dance, the focus is the mu-

-

-

ter in mind, but there will also be other rock

-

pearance on campus and he hopes to impress

-

-

-

-

-

to our organization, and to encourage them to

[email protected].

The New Paltz Oracle4B oracle.newpaltz.edu F!"#$%!&

The Last good Book I Read: ‘The Fault In our stars’ by john Green

AMAZON.COM

By Katherine [email protected].

Students Have A Ball For A Cause CLUB KICKS OFF SEMESTER WITH EVENT TO BENEFIT THE NATIONAL HUMANE SOCIETY

FLICKR.COM

By Maria Jayne [email protected]

unwarranted;; the saccharine Nicholas

Sparks approach (small southern town

-

and Augustus Waters, another teenage

favorite author, who has become a re-

cluse in Amsterdam, to discover what

through in his observations of the

mentioned character at Hazel’s cancer

need to be long-winded and descriptive

characters’ diagnoses and instead al-

lows the constant presence of Hazel’s

realistic balance between life and ill-

the stories of the characters living with

-

tions about fate, strength and what sort


ARTS ENTERTAINMENT&

Creating The Years on the Boat wasn’t exactly smooth sail-ing, but after almost two years, local New Paltz band Fairweather

On board are three musicians: Adir Cohen (vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano, bass), Jed Kosiner (drums, percussion, vocals)

“Honestly, the entire process of making this album was worlds -

less, it was one of the most liberating experiences during which I learned a great deal about myself, music and the overall recording

complete this record and I was amazed at the level of excitement

The album title, The Years on the Boat, represents the time period in Cohen’s life when he was writing songs in the comfort of

-ing Cohen’s high school career and others were written while he

The band, who recently welcomed Geoff Diamond, began -

of his songs with Kosiner’s accompaniment, but when the two started working together, as Kosiner described, “something just

Friend to Fairweather Friends, which Cohen said gave their songs -

ferent musical backgrounds, they admit it has brought a new and

“Adir comes from an indie, alternative rock background and

Songs were recorded over and over, and sometimes months were

with several producers, went on tour promoting demos and even

Cohen took a break in Europe and Israel, but when he re-turned, he and Kosiner began working with Christopher Daly of

-

is worlds beyond what I ever thought it could be in terms of qual-

Although The Years on the Boat took a while to complete, the members of the band said they wouldn’t have preferred it any other

“There have been over 10 estimated release dates, all of

and rushing it would have made it something else all together,

Facebook or at fairweatherfriends.com

By Suzy BerkowitzCopy Editor | [email protected]

The New Paltz Oracle5Boracle.newpaltz.edu

The Years on the Boat

Rough Seas Make Better SailorsFAIRWEATHER FRIENDS RELEASE ALBUM AFTER TWO YEARS OF PRODUCTION

The New Paltz Oracle6B oracle.newpaltz.edu A!"# $ E%"&!"'(%)&%"


Benefactors and BeatsNEW MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS

Paltz through a new music scholarship program. Gary and Janaki Patrik’s mutual love for music led

partment and the establishment of the Gary and Janaki

“We are extremely pleased to be able to directly

the School of Fine and Performing Arts, said. “[The

dents majoring in music.”

said that while students can receive “a great education

jors face unanticipated additional costs — including instrument repair and maintenance and applied lesson

lege.”

be considered, including leaderships skills, grades, performance ability [and] ensemble participation.”

demic year.

Paltz music community “makes this gift especially

Gary Patrik, a retired mathematician and actuary, has played the trumpet since before graduate school.

phonic band and currently plays in a few jazz chamber ensembles.

“We have been blessed in our lives and are in a position to help others,” Gary Patrik said.

The Patriks said the endowment will help students during this hard economic time by funding “private lessons and anything else they need to play music.”

Gary and Janaki Patrik decided to donate to the

portunity to play and learn music.”

nity band in high school and have been playing music together since their wedding 45 years ago.

By Carolyn [email protected]

Liking a New Kind of ‘LOST’NEW FAIRY TALE TELEVISION SERIES CHARMS VIEWERS

characters like Sawyer read on the island.

But dammit. This show is good. Really good.

tale character you can think of lives in an enchanted story

the real world where they are unaware they were once fairy

the only one who can save all the characters from their hell.

really hoping it won’t be six

By Zan [email protected]

Once Upon a Time

Created by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz

IMDB.COM


Something Out of NothingNEW ALBUM RELEASE WILL PUT YOUR HEAD IN THE CLOUDS

MUSICIAN OF THE WEEK:RICKY DEMETRO

Cloud Nothings have appeared from the ether to strike

excitement and spastic dance moves into anyone with the

gall to call modern rock “dead.”

A mix of earnest Weezer-style slack rock and emphatic

power-pop hooks in full Oasis mode punctuates refreshingly

non-trendy shrieks from a disenchanted Cleveland garage

band. Attack on Memory (Released Jan. 24;; Carpark Re-cords) dazzles cynics with heartfelt honesty, explosive sonic

craft work and a surprisingly fresh and vibrant take on sim-

The album immediately strikes the listener with the

band’s instrumental skill and precision while maintaining a

tasteful technical precision rarely seen in a blue-collar punk

band since the days of The Strokes, the two guitarists harmo-

nize colorful, suspended power chords, often overshadow-

ing twisting, minimal lead guitar melodies which leave the

listener confused after tricky repetitions.

TJ Duke’s bass rumbles with tight, insistent grooves

that accelerate the band into a frenetic urgency, while Jay-

son Gerycz bashes the drum into ear-rattling beats primi-

tive enough to excite the mood of every song with dynamic

range. Dylan Baldi leads the band with raspy surf melodies,

naturally transitioning into enraged screams, which repeat-

edly chant satisfying hooks evocative of the dark side of

youthful, innocent insecurity. Cloud Nothings rock with a

unity rarely seen in a music scene currently dominated by

one-man bands and vanity projects.

Attack on Memory shines the brightest in its tremen-dously enjoyable mix of catchy pop melodies and complex

art rock themes. Producer Steve Albini stays true to a repu-

Day Real Estate’s sloppily enlightened madness mixed with

the recently washed-out, charismatic haze of the Wavves

Most valuable is the group’s ability to mix progressive

elements into quick catchy structures for emotional effect

and sonic exploration while remaining accessible, fun and

unique. Cloud Nothings refuse to spoon-feed brain dead foot

tappers sugar-coated pop melodies or pander to the sneer-

ing non-commercial rockist elite, crafting an elegant balance

that is sure to satisfy both sides.

Cloud Nothings have created a rare album inviting mul-

tiple listeners with a fresh sound able to sate any music en-

less” and “Cut You.” Attack on Memory is a fantastic album, leaving listeners eager for this great new band’s next release.

By Isaac BergerContributing Writer | [email protected]

YEAR: FourthMAJOR: EnglishHOMETOWN: Brooklyn, N.Y.Brooklyn, N.Y.Brooklyn, N.Y.

DO WANT TO BE...YOU

Contact Zan Stumfeld at [email protected]

MUSICIAN OF THE WEEK?

CHECK OUT RICKY DEMETROPERFORMING BY

SCANNING THIS CODE WITH ANY SMARTPHONE!

WHAT IS YOUR INSTRUMENT OF CHOICE?

WHO HAVE YOU BEEN LISTENING TO LATELY?

Guitar and vocals. I started play-ing guitar at 14. I wanted to play saxophone but my mom wouldn’t get it for me. So she bought me a guitar. I started writing songs at 15.

Neil Young’s After the Gold Rush.

A!"# $ E%"&!"'(%)&%"The New Paltz Oracle7Boracle.newpaltz.edu

WHAT ARE YOU INVOLVED WITH MUSICALLY ON CAMPUS?I have a loose band going but nothing concrete. I play a show every now and then. I would like to play more shows.

WHAT’S YOUR PLAN FOR THE FUTURE?Hopefully to be able to make music for a living.

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES?

Radiohead. The Beatles. Wilco.

ANY ADVICE FOR ASPIRING MUSICIANS?Practice with a metronome.

Cloud NothingsAttack on MemoryAttack on MemoryAttack on MemoryAttack on MemoryAttack on Memory

THENJUNDERGROUND.COM

Have an opinion? Want to write your own review about whatever the hell you want? As long as it is something released within a month or two, A&E Editor Zan Strumfeld is interested to hear what you have to say. Send your review along to her email at [email protected].

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TANYA CRANE. CAPTION BY SAMANTHA SCHWARTZ

This Week in

Major: BFA Metals and Jewelry

Year: Fourth

“Everything in!uences me. Most of all my

husband, Matt, who is a proli"c artist and musi-

cian. His dedication to his art and his instruments

(drums and percussion) is very inspiring. As far

as visual artists, I think I have been mostly moved

by Jessica Calderwood (an enamel artist) and my

professor Jamie Bennett’s enamel work.”

You can "nd more of Tanya’s work for sale on Feb. 9 in

the Lecture Center South Lobby from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

TANYA CRANE

tHe Deep ENDThe New Paltz Oracle8B oracle.newpaltz.edu THE DEEP END

The lack of additional hours being added to the library this semester has us at The New Paltz Oracle troubled.

Last semester, students rallied to-gether in support of the institution of additional library operation hours to So-journer Truth Library to bring SUNY New Paltz up to par with other SUNY campuses. In response to the student oc-cupation, library administrators brought the reduced hours back to their previous state.

We at The New Paltz Oracle believe the library’s restoration of hours was a step in the right direction, but fell short of truly adhering to the requests of the stu-dents they are intending to serve.

Looking at signage in the library you would think the opposite, however the hours are not an extension, but rather a restoration to the status quo of pre-occu-pation hours. Not only is this a slap-in-the-face to the respectful protests the stu-dents involved meticulously planned, but it shows that budget considerations have

truly taken precedence over student needs and desires.

With the new renovations planned for the library, including an “open and

“group study,” is it not fair to ask that students opinions and voices be heard to incorporate that into the larger plan?

The students who occupied the li-

were lauded for their respectful manner in which they voiced their opinion, and even SUNY New Paltz’s top adminis-trators have admitted that the hours be-ing extended was not a farfetched idea. Interim Provost Cheryl Torsney said the addition of hours, especially on Sunday mornings, was not an “unreasonable” re-quest.

If one of the campuses top admin-istrators agrees with the idea of more library hours and students clearly and calmly voiced their views with a respect-

-nize this and act on the opinions of those

they are obligated to serve. We understand that the economic cli-

mate is not favorable and any cost-cutting measures are deserving of discussion, but short-changing students who wish to spend their time studying to further their academic endeavors seems like penny-pinching rather than a well-thought out budget reduction. If SUNY New Paltz is striving to become a “gem” of the SUNY system, it seems foolish for us to have one of the lowest amount of library op-erating hours compared to other schools. If we are boasting that our school is an academic beacon, how can we justify our gym hours being more assessable than our library ones?

At the end of last semester, the li-brary’s hours were restored in time for

administrators. However, with the reno-vations currently about to engulf the li-brary, some students are worried about potential access.

While there won’t be any closings,

“satellite locations” are being explored that would serve students’ needs, such as computer access or printing ability. We hope that in the midst of the confusion and construction, we do not lose sight of the message the student’s Occupy move-ment attempted to instill.

If there are absolutely no options to extend hours in the midst of the library already lowering their ability to serve stu-dents, it would bee hove administration to seriously take into account the respect-ful demands of the students they are paid to serve.

Editorials represent the views of the majority of the editorial board. Col-umns, op-eds and letters, excluding editorials, are solely those of the writ-ers and do not necessarily represent the views of The New Paltz Oracle, its staff members, the campus and university or the Town or Village of New Paltz.

The New Paltz Oracle 9 oracle.newpaltz.eduOPINION


LIBRARY DOORS WON’TBUDGE

CARTOON BY JULIE GUNDERSEN


When the people around you ask

why you are still here on a daily basis,

it can get a little unnerving.

No, I have no proof that the gen-

eral population hates me other than my

paranoid “rationalizations” that no one

could stand being around a humorless

control freak who twitches on a regular

basis. These people are asking me this

off-putting question because, actually,

I wasn’t going to be here in New Paltz

for the next few months.

I should be a “real” person right

now, crying about my unemployment

my student loans. I should be at home

on Long Island, wondering how much

longer I could actually stand living in a

suburban wasteland that has nothing to

offer 20-something-year-olds. I should

have bills.

I was supposed to be a December

graduate.

I shouldn’t be so whiny about the

whole thing, I know. I am getting my

degree perfectly on time in four full

years over the course of eight neat se-

mesters. My spring semester schedule

ishing my degree and the general edu-

cation curriculum.

But being the ever-regretful being

that I am, I can’t help but feel that I re-

ally shouldn’t still be here. I am the one

who chose my May graduation date,

and I can’t help but think that I might

have chosen wrong.

Last semester, I decided to take

on an internship in business, outside

of my journalistic areas of interest, for

the sake of networking for future jobs

that would allow me to live somewhere

other than my mother’s basement. I

learned a whole lot about corporate

America, and that I shouldn’t aban-

don my newspaper dreams so quickly.

I loved the people I worked with and

I gained a lot of useful advertising

knowledge, so it was well worth my

time.

Taking on this internship meant I

had to be working in Manhattan three

days a week. Simple subtraction would

indicate that I had only left two days

for classes. I also happen to be com-

pletely insane and chose to maintain

my position as editor-in-chief of this

classes I needed to get my diploma

commuting, caffeine-induced newspa-

per production and sorting through ad

sales data.

That’s why I am still here.

If I wasn’t still here, I could have

applied for a reporting job at a local

newspaper I interned for last summer

— a job that the man who would have

been my boss was highly recommend-

ing me for to his editor. If I wasn’t still

here, I could have applied for an adver-

tising job at my last internship where,

by the way, all departments sponsor

company “beer cart.” If I wasn’t still

here, I would have saved a whole

bunch of money in tuition dollars.

Should have, could have, would

have...I wish my brain would stop

sometimes. Instead, I should be think-

ing about all that I am gaining by still

being here.

For the next four months, I don’t

have to worry about bills. I get to learn

from an award-winning journalist who

is teaching a class here for one semes-

ter only. I also got to enroll in classes

I wanted to take that don’t fall into my

major plan. I still see some of the best

friends I have ever had every week, be-

cause we haven’t moved away to other

cities or states yet. And last but cer-

tainly not least, I will continue to write,

read and laugh with the wonderful Edi-

torial board of The New Paltz Oracle

as I contribute to 11 more issues.

A lot of things could have been if

I didn’t make the choices I made last

fall. But I had so many experiences

that were worthwhile, and I am going

to have more here in New Paltz this

spring. Yes, the seemingly missed job

opportunities gone by still hurt to think

about. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be.

I am trying to have faith that every-

thing is going to be OK. Yeah, I said it:

faith.

In the words of Rachel Freeman:

who even am I anymore?

10 oracle.newpaltz.edu OPINION The New Paltz Oracle

JULIE MANSMANN Managing Editor

[email protected]

JULIE MANSMANN [email protected]

COLUMN

CARTOONDo you like to draw? Do you want to express your opinions about anything?

Submit your original cartoons to

The New Paltz Oracle!

to Managing Editor Julie Mansmann by 5 p.m. on Wednesdays at

[email protected].

The New Paltz Oracle 11 oracle.newpaltz.eduSPORTS


The New Paltz Women’s Swim team has made a splash in the SUNYAC conference with a current 9-3 overall record, despite saying goodbye to a gifted grad-uating class in 2011. The success of the season so far has made them the team to beat in the conference, es-pecially after besting last year’s Conference-winning SUNY Geneseo with a meet score of 182-150.

Head Coach Scott Whitbeck said he hadn’t initial-ly thought the team would do as well as they had last season, but knew his team could rise to the challenge.

“I did not expect this team to perform as well as they did, especially after graduating six really good seniors,” Whitbeck said. “Having a loss like that can either be detrimental or bolstering to a team.”

While the team has seen success as a whole, they have gained success based on individual performance as well. Third-year swimmers Yuka Suzuka and Carly Marshall earned SUNYAC swimmer of the week nods earlier in the season.

Both Suzuka and Marshall said the accomplish-ment has a positive effect on people to compete harder,

but also adds on pressure when it comes to game time.“I struggle dealing with pressure nearly every meet

but I continually remind myself that I’m not the only one that has pressure on them on the team,” Marshall said. “It’s a team effort and we all absorb the pressure.”

Marshall said she owes her success to the positive attitude that she’s maintained all season.

“A negative attitude will affect the way you per-form,” Marshall said.

Suzuka also said the key to swimming well is to be positive during the meets and to not go into any event with a negative outlook. She said the success of the season will add onto the pressure of the SUNYAC championships to take place over the next few days.

“I always feel the pressure and to take away the pressure I slap my face really hard to pump up and get excited,” Suzuka said.

Whitbeck said he has been impressed by both Mar-shall and Suzuka’s contributions during the season, and believes they will be key come tournament time.

“I’m looking for them to become big contributors in their upcoming meet,” Whitbeck said.

The team’s 9-3 record is made even more impres-

sive considering they walk into tournaments with a disadvantage. The Hawks do not have a diving squad to compete against conference rivals, which puts them at an immediate handicap.

“You need to have a 10 ½ ft. pool to practice and compete with a diving section, and our pool is only 10 ft.,” Whitbeck said. “This usually handicaps us by 40 points during meets.”

Despite the disadvantage, Whitbeck said he is an-ticipating the SUNYAC Tournament with a positive outlook and high expectations.

“I expect to go out there and compete for the cham-pionship,” Whitbeck said. “I expect an entire team ef-fort, and everyone competing at their best.”

The New Paltz Women’s Swim team is currently 9-3 going into the SUNYAC Championships. PHOTO BY ROBIN WEINSTEIN

THE NEW PALTZ ORACLESPORTSSWIMSUCCESS

By Kaycia SailsmanStaff Writer | [email protected]

THE HAWKS COMPETE FORTHE SUNYAC TITLE FROM

FEB. 9-11IN BUFFALO, N.Y.

With the spring 2012 season fast approaching, the

SUNY New Paltz Lacrosse team welcomes Liz Student

as its new head coach. Student is the second head coach in

program history since being reinstated in 2008.

After a search that began midway through the fall

2011 semester, an announcement made by Nphawks on Dec. 21 said Student would become the coach after for-

mer Head Coach Heather Semelmacher was offered the

head coach position at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College

in California. Previously, Student was an assistant coach

for University of Redlands in California.

terviewing process, we were really impressed by her body

of work, not only as an assistant coach, but as a student

athlete as well,” Director of Athletics Stuart Robinson

said. “She also brings a great energy and attitude to the

program, which is something we always look for.”

Student, who grew up in Ithaca, N.Y., picked up play-

ing lacrosse as a kid after watching her brother play.

“I thought he was the coolest, so I wanted to do what-

ever he did,” Student said. “Lacrosse is a sport where if

you’re fast and athletic, you excel, and it was also some-

thing new for me to do. It was the fun, new exciting sport

for me to do that I was good at.”

Growing up, Student was also a soccer player and

played the sport year-round. When it came time to decide

which college she would attend, there was a debate as to

whether she would choose soccer or lacrosse or possibly

both while at school.

“Lacrosse was something I was always passionate

about and it always made me happy,” Student said. “I

always knew that I wanted to be a coach and had been

coaching ever since I was in middle school.”

Student played as a defender for Nazareth College

and was on the 2005 and 2006 championship teams. Stu-

dent also garnered numerous individual accolades, in-

all-star in 2006.

dent said she will also stress the importance of the work

the team does in the classrooms. Student’s father is a sta-

tistics and biometry professor at Cornell University.

“My parents understood that I loved being athletic

and playing sports and they supported me,” Student said.

“However, they also harped on academics being very im-

portant. I knew growing up that not doing well in school

meant not going to practice. When it comes down to it,

academics are what’s most important for the girls on the

team.”

In spring 2010, the Hawks had their best record to

looking to take the program to the next level this season,

and second-year defender Maggie Rose Melito said she

was impressed upon meeting Student, who she believes

will help the team reach their goals.

“I love her already,” Melito said. “I think she’s going

to have us play a smarter, more structured kind of lacrosse.

came into this knowing exactly what she was doing.”

For Student, coming into such a young program is

something she’s always dreamed of doing.

“I’ve always wanted to develop a newer program,”

ing pains, but we’re going to turn the corner and have a

great season.”

The New Paltz Oracle12 oracle.newpaltz.edu SPORTS

By Cat Tacopina Sports Editor | [email protected]

Student Steps Up

Fourth-year Men’s Volleyball player

Mike Van Tyne was recently named by the

United Volleyball Conference (UVC) as its

year.

Van Tyne, co-captain since his junior

in Elmira, N.Y. in a tournament where the

test to see where we are as a team,” Van Tyne

said.

-

petition early on, Van Tyne said he doesn’t see

the accolade as an individual achievement.

player as an accomplishment for me person-

ally,” Van Tyne said. “I look at it as I had so

break-out year for volleyball.

A native of Rochester, N.Y., Van Tyne

said he planted the seed for his success when

the jump to volleyball.

said. “No, really. I didn’t even know where the

lines were on the court.”

The summer before his senior year, Van

Tyne participated in every major volleyball

team was the seventh seed when they went to

said.

Van Tyne worked tirelessly his senior

Volleyball.

instruction has made me so much better,” Van

Tyne said.

drilled their skills in preparation for the com-

for practice twice a day,” Van Tyne said.

Van Tyne also said the team’s practices

are very physical and labor intensive.

didn’t come as a shock to Men’s Head Coach

a player the past four years.

“From my point of view there is no sur-

players on our volleyball team and with the

most experience, he really is a natural choice.”

wins.

into anticipation for the season, Van Tyne said.

“I feel like it’s just the start for me and the

and we are only six into it.”

-

ference, Van Tyne said. To host the UVC con-

and there were times I wanted to quit,” Van

am today.”

over, Van Tyne said, but overall the outcome

is worth it.

I at least want to coach,” Van Tyne said. “It’s

they were before.”

Van Tyne plans to move his talents to

will also participate in the Teach for America

else’s, I want to be there to watch it.”

The New Paltz Oracle 13 oracle.newpaltz.eduSPORTS

By Kelsey DamradCopy Editor | [email protected]

It’s Van Tyne to Shine for 2012

With the playoffs right around the corner, the New Paltz Men’s Basketball team currently holds an overall record of 8-13 with a 5-9 SUNYAC record. They are currently the No. 7 seed in the conference.

Head Coach Mike Rejniak said his team still has its best basketball ahead of them. He credited fourth-year player Harris Wichard and third-year players Matt Devine and Nick Taldi for stepping up this season. Rejniak also said third-year Shalik Jen-

Lis-Simmons have taken the team to new heights.

“When we play united basketball, we become a

While this is the goal for every team in the con-ference, Rejniak believes that his team’s daily im-provement will lead them to play their best basketball at the right time and ultimately bring home the title.

With the regular season nearing its end, Rejniak said every game is critical in order to reach the play-offs.

-jniak said. “Each team is vying for a position in the

With the team currently sitting in seventh place,

SUNY Cortland, who currently holds a record of 14-6 overall, with a 9-4 SUNYAC record.

SUNY Oswego and Cortland, the road will not be easy, but wins against higher-ranked opponents could boost their stock come tournament time.

The Hawks most recent win was against SUNY Brockport, with the win before that being against SUNY Potsdam. That win ended with a last second

Siergiej commented on his game-winner saying

he hit.Siergiej said the win against Potsdam shifts the

momentum in the Hawks’ favor.

keep this momentum going for the rest of our sched-ule and hopefully it will keep building in the play-

The Hawks lost their two most recent contests against SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Brockport, but look to get back on the winning path for the remain-ing part of their schedule.

With the tournament commencing on Feb. 21, Re-jniak said the goal for the rest of the season is simple.

The New Paltz Oracle14oracle.newpaltz.edu SPORTS


Men’s Basketball Shoots to the GoalBy Zach Higgins

Copy Editor | [email protected]

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The New Paltz Men’s Basketball team is on the hunt for a playoff berth. PHOTO BY ROBIN WEINSTEIN

The New Paltz Oracle 15oracle.newpaltz.eduSPORTS


[email protected]

HYTHM

LUESHIRTS

&

LUESHIRTSLUESHIRTS

The Rangers have been having a great season so far, but there’s still a long way to go before anyone can say just how good of a team they really are.

That isn’t to say they aren’t one of the best teams in the NHL this season. They’re just as tough as any other team, they have the best goalie this season in Henrik Lundqvist and they’re a team that really cares about how well they play. It was almost scary to hear there are players on the team who don’t sleep the night after they’ve lost a game be-cause they’re so upset with themselves. But we all know their schedule from here on out is brutal, maybe one of the hardest faced post-lockout.

Let’s look at this week. They lost to the Devils yesterday, they’ll go up against Tampa on Thursday, Philadel-

ton on Sunday. That is not easy, not even for the team who currently sits

Conference. Their easiest game doesn’t come for another couple of weeks when they see Columbus.

However, let’s not forget the Rang-ers always rise to the competition. This season, the Blueshirts seem to start the

shaky, but all they need is for Lundqvist to make some key saves and they’re

minutes off great hasn’t been much of a problem, but that will have to change now that they’re in the latter half with a

utes of a hockey game can be so critical, and changing momentum during a game

lenge, Martin Biron will still have to play the X amount of games Tortorella wants him to play. Biron’s an excep-tional No. 2 goalie who is having a re-ally good season. He’s easily capable

ton and coming out on top. Tortorella

knows this too. Biron’s played a total of 13 games so far and a golden number would be to have him play a little over 20 games, probably in the 22-24 range. The Rangers may easily have a play-off spot, but the most important thing for them this season is to get them as far into the playoffs as possible, which means no matter how good he is, Lun-dqvist is going to need all the rest he can get.

More important for the Rangers to focus on if they want to stay in the

that Godforsaken, horrible, awful power play. They’re 27 in the league in power play goals;; I don’t know why they aren’t 30.

It’s sad to watch them during those two minutes of having a one-man advan-tage. It isn’t an issue of not having good enough offensive players to score goals,

to do so. All they do is pass the puck and take too much time to look fancy, and as a result they can’t get a good shot on

goal. The opposing team doesn’t even need to cover the point-player because they know they’re never going to take a shot, let alone a good enough one.

Michael Del Zotto stepped up to the plate this season as a player, but he needs to start doing what the Ranger scouts wanted him to do when he was drafted in 2008. He’s a power play guy who can pose a threat at the point. He can make some dumb mistakes, but he showed

to run a power play. If they work with

a difference maker on the power play. If they could also drill it into Gaborik and Richards’ heads to shoot, this power play shouldn’t be so problematic.

There’s a lot of work the Rangers need to do in the next couple of months. It’s a hard schedule that will produce some really grueling contests, but the Rangers will have to keep up the play they’ve maintained this season to assure them a nice, long run during the post season.

Skating to the Finish Line

Murphy Meets [email protected]@hawkmail.newpaltz.eduandrew.wyrich63@[email protected]

As spring training is now less than a month away, the focus of fans and media attention will slowly begin to narrow to-ward team status matters rather than the Hot

intriguing question the Mets will have to

cally, where should Daniel Murphy bat in the lineup?

The Mets offense, which — if almost every conceivable thing goes right — could become an average-to-above average asset, will have to be run on a delicate balance.

Reyes from last year’s lineup, the Mets will be searching for any kind of offensive out-put, leaving Murphy and his .397 OBP last year as one of the Mets most important fac-tors for the team to have any semblance of a strong season.

Murphy has hit in multiple positions of the batting order over the course of his

Mets career. The question remains, however, where he should bat heading into the 2012 season.

idea of ‘Murph’ starting off the game as a leadoff hitter — which would maximize his on base skills — it does not seem likely the Mets or Terry Collins will want one of their all-around better hitters at the top of the line-up rather than in the heart of it. If Andres Torres will indeed be the lineup’s leadoff hit-ter, Murphy will likely be slotted into three possible positions.

Murphy could potentially hit second in the order, third in the order or possibly lower towards the sixth or seventh spot.

As the team’s No. 2 hitter, Murphy’s ability to hit doubles and singles to move a leadoff hitter over would be ideal. Before his season ended on a double play attempt last year, Murph had nine doubles and was boasting 41 hits over his 49 games played.

to move a runner over regardless of the cost, Murphy’s ability to drive the ball eliminates

double-play possibilities for the other team. On an ideal squad, Murphy would be a strong option to hit second.

However, the Mets will need to maxi-mize their best hitters if they intend to be

strong case as a second-in-the-order threat, his ability to get on base and drive in runners might be best suited for hitting third, given the Mets current offensive weapons.

Think about it. By having Murphy hit

spot, where his average dropped drastically compared to hitting in the fourth spot, would

stretches the lineup out, instead of having the top of the lineup vastly out produce the bottom half.

the No. 3 spot? It would depend on Torres and Thole/Tejada to be viable top-of-the-order talent. Tejada in particular has shown

above-average defender. Last season Tejada

had a .360 OBP over the 93 games he played in, and if that continues he could easily be a No.2 hitter.

Torres has risen many question marks since his arrival in orange and blue, not for his character or drive, but simply if he has what it takes to be a leadoff hitter — espe-cially for a team that has been accustomed to

years. As of now, Torres could go either way. Last season, Torres did not have an inspiring average (.221) or on base percentage (.312)

strong showing with a .268 average and .343 on base percentage.

Murph is able to produce as a middle of the order hitter. If that combination is success-ful, Murphy should slide down into the No.3 slot and allow the rest of the lineup to stag-

That being said, Murphy is much more likely to be hitting second come Opening Day, despite pressure on Duda and Bay to contribute to the offense.

SPORTSTHE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

WOMEN’S SWIMMING BRINGS SUCCESSFUL SEASON TO SUNYACS: PAGE 11Mike Van Tyne

Starts Season Strong PAGE 13

Liz Student JoinsCoaching Staff

PAGE 12

WHAT’S INSIDE JUMPING IN

PHOTO BY ROBIN WEINSTEINTOP PHOTO BY ROBIN WEINSTEIN

BOTTOM PHOTO COURTESY OF STOCKTON PHOTOS

The New Paltz Oracle, Volume 83 Issue12

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