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Volume 108 No. 04Wednesday, September 21, 2011 Central Connecticut State University
AWAR D-W INNING CENTR A LR ECOR DER.COM
FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT: www.centralrecorder.com
Miller Explains Purpose of University ‘Report Card’
kaSSonDRa GRanatathe Recorder
President Jack Miller recently created a CCSU report card in an attempt to grade the progress made on goals in the University’s 2005 strategic plan.
The report card, distributed to administrators and faculty in a speech before the start of this academic term, evaluates each goal and assigns a letter grade to draw attention to each area of focus.
“It’s a grade of the institution’s progress, not any department or person in particular,” Miller said. “If there was anyone to put blame on for the University’s progress, it would be me.”
Miller said the mission of CCSU is to produce broadly educated, culturally and globally aware students who will continue to spread their knowledge after graduation. The report card,
kenny baRto | the RecoRDeR
Blue Devils One Step Ahead of Seahawks
Jonathan Stankiewiczthe Recorder
Dr. David Cappella, a recently tenured CCSU English professor, is in his 42nd year teaching. He has been frustrated for years by the advent of websites such as ratemyprofessor.com, “RMP,” because he feels it is “self-selective evaluation.”
“I was teaching at Rhode Island College when it fi rst came out,” said Cappella, “and all the professors were talking about it. I have real problems with it; it’s not real. You either love the person or you hate the person, it’s not a true evaluation.”
Cappella feels as though websites like RMP hinder the art of teaching. “If you start playing to the crowd and I started teaching according to what students want, students wouldn’t learn anything and I wouldn’t be a good teacher.
Rate My Professor: A Professor’s Perspective
REPORTCARD| COnT. On 3
he believes, will help realign faculty and staff in pursuit of this mission.
Miller’s report card contains four different areas of focus: International Education, Workforce and State Economic Development, Community Engagement and Interdisciplinary Studies and Cross-Curricular Initiatives.
Under each element, there are objectives listing the University’s goals with a letter grade reviewing their success so far.
“I thought since we’ve been at these goals for five years, it’s time to do something more formal,” Miller said.
Miller sat down at the end of the summer and reviewed each objective, personally assigning a letter grade to each goal and referred it to the executive
It’s like a ball player or anybody that’s an artist trying to cater to the crowd. Th en you lose authenticity. And you lose reality. You lose yourself. I won’t do that,” Cappella said.
Most students today know that RMP, currently owned by MTV, is the largest online professor rating source with more than 6,500 schools and over 10 million comments from colleges in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. Students can “like” it on Facebook, “follow” it on Twitt er, and even download the app to their iPhones.
Students are able to rate professors on several dimensions: “easiness,” “helpfulness,” “clarity,” and their own interest in the class. Th e lowest score is 0, the highest 5. Th e easiness category is not included in the scoring.
“Th e Overall Quality rating is the average of a teacher’s
helpfulness and clarity ratings, and is what determines the type of ‘smiley face’ that the teacher receives,” says RMP.
Responses can be anonymous, as they usually are, but students have the option of registering an account.
Today, over 1,200 CCSU professors are rated on RMP with an average professor rating of 3.25.
“Th e professors that I know here that are good are damn good! Th ere are some damn good teachers in this school,” Cappella said.
“Th ere are also some people that are on cruise control and the students know who they are. So that’s got nothing to do with Rate My Professor. Th e students really know who’s good.”
However, Cappella later mentioned that part of his problem with RMP is that students are the
RATE| COnT. On 4
NEWS2THE RECORDERWednesday, September 21, 2011
The RecorderStudent Center1615 Stanley StreetNew Britain, CT 06050
T 860.832.3744editor@centralrecorder.comcentralrecorder.comtwitter.com/therecorder
Editor-in-ChiefNicholas [email protected]
Managing EditorMatt [email protected]
Art DirectorAshley E. Lang
News EditorsJonathan Stankiewicz, AssistantKassondra Granata, AssistantJustin Muszynski, [email protected]
Entertainment EditorDanny [email protected]
Upgrade EditorKat Boushee
Sports EditorBrittany [email protected]
Photo EditorKenny [email protected]
Copy EditorMaxine EichenSara M. Berry, Assistant
Staff WritersNick Rosa
AboutThe Recorder is a
student-produced publication of Central Connecticut State University and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of CCSU’s administrators, faculty or students. The Recorder articles, photographs and graphics are property of The Recorder and may not be reproduced or published without the written permission from the Editor-in-Chief. T he pu r pose of T he R ecorder is to approach and def ine issues of i mpor tance to t he st udents of Centra l Con necticut State Un iversit y.
Sta f f meetings for T he R ecorder a re held on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. in t he Blue and W h ite Room in t he st udent center and on T hu rsday at 4:30 p.m. in t he R ecorder of f ice.
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Credit Card Convenience Fee to Take Effect in October
Jonathan Stankiewiczthe Recorder
“All is well as per the info desk when I asked them earlier this week,” said Tom Klecha, CCSU ResNet Systems Specialist.
The new laptop rental program didn’t have a problem the past two weeks, until I came along.
Last Thursday, I decided to rent one of the new laptops so we could take pictures of it and see how it worked. Well, we got the pictures taken and everything was fine. Turning it back on and searching the web I landed on a flash game site, Armorgames.com. The rest is history.
The touchpad on the thin client stopped working. It seemed like it froze, like it knew it was me, the guy reviewing it for the paper. At first, I didn’t think anything of it. I restarted the laptop a couple of times. Nothing. Not moving. I tried shutting it off and leaving it alone for awhile. Still nothing. Panic. I turned it off and tried to forget about it.
Later, the Recorder team was having its normal Thursday meetings in the office and a staff member wanted to see it and turned it on. I was hoping it would work. But nothing. We decided to pass it around. Maybe I pressed something? Maybe I broke it?
No one could figure it out. Defeat. I made an executive decision to return the laptop after the meeting, making sure I didn’t get charged the $500 cost of the laptop.
A representative at the Student Center’s info desk understood my dilemma and reiterated that this was the first problem. “I know,”
Correction: 20 Under 20
New Laptop Rental Program Needs One Last Thing: Students
I said. “I’m the first problem.” I wasn’t charged. Relief. I was offered another laptop, but I didn’t need it.
Other than me being the first problem, the Wyse X90cw mobile thin client is a dream. At 11.6” the widescreen LED backlit screen is a great size for writing up a paper or just searching the web.
Wyse stresses mobility in their X class and they deliver with a client that weighs just over three pounds using Microsoft® Windows® Embedded Standard 2009 operating system.
Don’t worry about mobility slowing the client down. Putting in a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor I was able to tweet, go on Facebook, and send e-mails at the same time with no problems whatsoever.
The 6-cell Li-Ion battery lasts 6 to 8 hours depending on how much you use it, but I believe it. I had Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer and Blackboard, and the battery stayed strong.
The client has all the amenities a normal laptop has with three USB 2.0 ports, a built-in 1.3 pixel webcam, a jack for headphones an even a jack for a microphone for recording. And just like other laptops the client can get a little hot when you are really using it, with a temperature range of 50 to 104 degrees.
Saving is also easy as students have their M: drives available to save items via the Citrix server; students are also welcome to use their own flash drives. Just remember to not save anything on the desktop because once it’s restarted or shut off the client is erased.
On the desktop, once it’s turned
on, the client has a walkthrough PDF file that will help students figure out how to get on the Citrix server and access their M: drive. Accessing usual applications such as Microsoft’s Word and Excel programs is just as easy. The steps are easy to follow and include pictures just in case you don’t like reading.
So far the Student Center hasn’t seen the attention that maybe these laptops deserve.
“We did kind of a soft opening last week, so we only advertised in the building here. And I would say it was underwhelming,” chuckled Student Center Director Otis Mamed. The soft opening included posters around the center and a small sign on the info desk telling students that there laptops for rent.
The first week, there were only
four times that the computers were taken out.
“It’s not a lot,” Mamed said. “We’ve talked with a lot of students who were very excited about the possibility of borrowing, but a lot of people haven’t decided that they have the need for them.”
Now the University’s information technology department and Mamed are just looking for rental volume. Since last week, the laptops have been taken out 21 times, two overnight and the rest just during the day and evening, said Mamed.
“We’ve talked with a lot of students who were very excited about the possibility of borrowing, but a lot of people haven’t decided that they have the need for them.”
The need will come. The clients deserve it.
JuStin muSzynSkithe Recorder
The much talked about credit card convenience fee that was approved this past spring by the CSUS Board of Trustees will begin on October 1st.
Any credit card that is used to pay for a student’s tuition will be subject to a non-refundable 2.5 percent fee.
According to Betsy Fangiullo of the Bursar’s Office, the fee is implemented by the credit card company and it’s important to remember this is not just a CCSU fee, but is customary practice with credit cards.
“These funds will be deposited in to the University’s general operating account,” said Fangiullo. “Fees charged to vendors for accepting credit cards are standard in the industry.”
Also something to note, is that the new fee is only on the portion that is processed with a credit card. For example, if a loan covers most of your tuition and the remainder that the student has to pay is $100, they are charged 2.5 percent of that.
This is not something exclusive to CCSU. All the CSU schools will charge the same fee and schools like UCONN, the University of Hartford, and Sacred Heart already have a similar fee in place.
Fangiullo says there are other
options that the Bursar’s Office will accept including electronic checks, cash, checks or money orders. However, credit cards will no longer be accepted in person online will be the only way to use them.
“Due to PCI compliance regulations, we are not able to accept them in person,” said Fangiullo.
Visa cards will no longer be accepted due to certain restrictions. Visa stipulates that if a convenience fee is charged to the cardholder, the vendor must also implement this fee to all payment methods, which CCSU has chosen not to do, thus discontinuing the ability to pay with Visa.
It’s also important to remember that debit cards are not exempt from this new fee.
“Debit card transactions will also only be accepted online and will be processed as a credit card transaction subject to the same 2.5 percent convenience fee,” said Fangiullo.
Fangiullo also says the Bursar’s Office is not trying to catch students off guard with this fee and they are taking the necessary steps to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“We are sending out postcards and electronic messages and have information posted on our website,” said Fangiullo.
In last week’s issue, we published a story on the New Britain Museum Of American Art which had the following issues:
‘Nestled nine miles away from the CCSU campus sits the New Britain Museum of American Art...’ should have read as:
Nestled three miles, about nine minutes, away from the CCSU campus sits the New Britain Museum of American Art.
The other problem was an omitted fact about admission for CCSU students.
What should have been said was that CCSU students gain free admission to the museum. Instead the article wrote that it costs eight dollars to get in. While this is true for student of other colleges, this doesn’t apply to Central students, who are our main audience.
These errors should have been caught and they were not. I take full responsibility if this was misleading and caused any confusion.
As an editorial board, led by my example, will do our best to catch such errors. On behalf of the Recorder I appreciate your patience as we continue to learn and grow as journalists.
Of course, we all thank you for reading. It is because you are reading and giving us feedback that we strive to bring you a product week after week.
As the Editor-in-Chief of this publication I am always available to contact. I encourage students to reach out to me so that we may bring you a better weekly paper.
Sincerely,
Nicholas [email protected]
kenny baRto i the RecoRDeR
New Britain Museum Of American Art
Rachael bentleySpecial to the Recorder
Many students make the trip to the Center for International Exploration Center, pick up a few pamphlets and ask questions about the programs available each year, but fewer and fewer students are actually making the trip overseas.
The biggest culprit is the assumption that the CIE programs are too expensive for most students, and that getting a scholarship is no easy task.
“What is most frustrating is that the application is basically a 300-word essay and people will not take advantage of how easy it is,” said Michelle Harris, CIE Study Abroad Advisor.
She explained that funding both long- and short-term studies
Scholarships Can Bring Adventure Within Student Reach
SaRa m. beRRythe Recorder
Last year, CCSU was home to over 300 international students. Horace Hamilton is one of them.
Hamilton, 33, has been studying in the US for four years.
He came to this country from Jamaica in 2007 to study computers at Capital Community College in Hartford. At Capital, he earned his Associate’s Degree in computer information systems.
Growing up in Jamaica, Hamilton said he wasn’t a good student. “That was because I didn’t study… I never really liked school.” But after graduating from high school and working different jobs for several years, including one as a trophy engraver, he realized that he needed an education to get a better job.
“I applied for college back home in Jamaica and I applied here also, because I had a cousin [who] went to Capital at the time, and I told her I wanted to start college, and she said ‘why don’t you apply here?’ So I was like ‘Alright, I’ll apply for college in my home town, in my home country, and apply for college here.’”
“To go to college in my country, you have to have at least five subjects, and at the time, I had three and I was doing three more,” Hamilton said. After taking a placement test for college in Jamaica, they told him that he didn’t have enough subjects, even though he was in the process of completing them.
“I had applied for college here,
President Miller Explains ‘Report Card’REPORTCARD | COnT. FROM 1
International Student Profile: Horace Hamilton
committee for feedback.Each element has an array of
different grades, ranging from A to D, based on the achievements that CCSU has made by working towards their goal.
“I don’t think there was any goal or objective that we didn’t put any effort towards working on,” Miller said. “As you can see, there are no F’s.”
Miller determined the grades through observations and data. He compared the difference between the starting position and the current position concerning each goal.
“What I did was I looked at the data, looked through the Noel-Levitz surveys from the teacher’s and student’s voice, and I placed a grade,” Miller said.
The data for each objective is measured through reports, numerical data, and a variety of surveys such as the Noel-Levitz surveys from students, faculty, and
employees.Miller said the purpose of the
report card was to bring attention to campus issues.
“Mainly it’s just a way to get people to look at it,” Miller said.”It’s not a grade of anyone, it’s a way to get people’s attention, and it worked.”
In the objective of increasing diversity of students, faculty and staff, Miller assigned the grade of ‘A.’
“We definitely deserved the grade we received,” said Leah Skinner, assistant director of admissions. “We have been making a lot more efforts towards diversity in admissions.”
Skinner, who is also the coordinator of diversity recruitment, has been developing programs in order to admit students that come from a different ethnic background.
“We have been bringing in students of other ethnicities onto campus for a tour for a half a day,”
Skinner said. “In that tour we show them the campus, eat in the cafeteria amongst other things, giving them the real feel of campus.”
Skinner also initiates high school visiting programs along with presenting scholarships that range from $500 to full tuition.
Larry Hall, the director of recruitment and admissions was also satisfied with the grade that the department received.
“Like [Skinner] said, we have been working very hard to push past the goal and make CCSU a diverse campus.” Hall said.
According to Miller, the report card received mainly positive feedback. He is contemplating repeating this formality when the time comes to reevaluate their objectives.
“We’ll examine the goals like we do every year but maybe we’ll find another way to present it. We might do it like the report card or we might find another way,” Miller said.
3THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / NEWS
and I got an acceptance letter… so I just moved all my focus from the University in my home country and put everything here, and that was it. That was the beginning.”
After graduating from Capital in 2009, Hamilton transferred to CCSU for a bachelors’ degree in networking technology. Like Hamilton, more international students at CCSU are enrolled in the Carol A. Ammon School of Arts & Sciences
The biggest difference between the US and Jamaica, Hamilton said, is opportunity. “There’s a lot more opportunity here. There’s opportunity in Jamaica too, but because it’s such a small country, the market isn’t as wide as here and there’s a lot of people [competing] for just that one job, whereas here there’s a lot more opportunity to branch off into something different.”
Education is also different in the US than it is in Jamaica. In Jamaica, classes are not broken down into semesters, and Hamilton finds the semester schedule to be easier, as you only have to know what you have learned in a semester, rather than an entire year. He also said that there are very few multiple choice exams, and “your answers have to be written in essay-type [format], so that makes it a lot harder.”
I got my first computer in 2000, and I knew nothing about it,” Hamilton recalled. “I remember turning it on and looking at the blue screen for a couple of days,” until a computer-savvy friend could help set it up. “Every day I just sat
in front of it and pressed buttons,” he said, until he figured it out. That is where his interest in computers came from.
When choosing a major, he decided that he was going to get his degree in whatever subject he got the best grades in, and that happened to be IT. In addition to his degree in computer information systems and being a networking technology major, Hamilton also works in CCSU’s IT department. When he finishes college, Hamilton hopes to continue working with computers. “I’d definitely like to own my own computer firm, whether it be hardware or software issues or networking issues.”
One of the hardest things about coming to the US for Hamilton was being away from his family, including his sister and four brothers.
The other most difficult thing was the difference in language. “It was really hard to learn to speak the language. Even now, I have to pause to make sure I get what I want to say correct in my head before I actually say it.” In Jamaica, they speak a form of broken English known as Patois (pronounced pat-wa). “A lot of the words we say is not grammatically correct, so I have to be constantly fixing words in my head before I actually say them.” In the Jamaican version of English, the same word can be spelled different ways, and several words may have the same meaning.
Hamilton also found the American way of interacting to be a bit troublesome. “I’m from a different place where we’re used
to saying ‘good morning, good evening,’ stuff like that. I could be in the same house as my cousin or my aunt, and they just walk past me without saying anything, and that really bothered me. I’m getting used to it now,” he said.
Another difference between the US and Jamaica is the sense of time. Hamilton remembers a job that he had in his home country where “I could come in late and just tell my boss that I’d just stay an extra half hour and make that time up, and he was fine with that. But I come here, and if I’m late, it’s a different story.”
Hamilton is not a fan of the seasons. “Last week it was like 90 degrees and today it’s freezing. I
really… I don’t want to say I hate the snow, but… I hate the cold.” An average day in Jamaica is usually near 88 degrees all year, but with less humidity.
“I would recommend to anybody to get your college degree… It’s not [just] about what you learn, it’s [also] about how you apply yourself,” Hamilton said, stressing that college is as much about the experience as it is about the education.
Since he’s been in the US, Hamilton has traveled to New York, Florida, Alabama, and Maryland. “I liked Maryland. It’s not as fast-paced as New York and it’s definitely not as cold as Connecticut.”
abroad is within everyone’s reach. Many of the short-term trips give scholarships ranging from 400 to 1000 dollars, depending on the program. Non-traditional trips, going to locations like Cuba, tend to get more scholarship funding.
Semester-long trips to partner universities can also be just as affordable. Harris explained that students could take part in a program where they would pay their tuition and housing straight to CCSU, only leaving the flight cost and extra spending money for the student. “Your scholarship and financial aid go right with you,” she added, making it even easier for students who may already get financial aid.
CCSU alumna Jessica English took advantage of the program’s availability for her journalism major with a short term trip called
“From The BBC to Page Three Girls”, which went to England during spring break in 2010.
“My experience travelling with CCSU was priceless, but I think that CIE could do a better job with getting the word out there that there are scholarships available. Because so many students are in a financial crunch all ready, they may see traveling abroad as something that’s completely out of reach, but it’s not.”
With 22 partner universities and language programs costing around $2000 a semester, it is easy to see why Harris wants to get the word out to all CCSU Students. “We have so many opportunities and I wish we could shout to the University and say ‘It’s so easy to do this!’”
Brochures can be found at the CIE spelling out that the benefits
of studying abroad are vast and varied. These benefits include earning credits toward a degree, experiencing a different culture, becoming more independent and getting an upper hand when it comes to applying for a job.
Kevin Leaver is an international business major and works in Residence Life as a student assistant. He recently applied for a job in Beijing, China as an accounts assistant for a company that consults in all industries. He has studied and lived in China on two different occasions.
When Leaver was 13 he lived in China for a year, and later he went back for a summer to take part in an intense Chinese language program to help him become more fluent. He knows firsthand how traveling and
studying around the world can help give students an edge in the job industry.
“The scary reality is that you are not just competing with your fellow peers, or even your fellow American students anymore. You’re competing with students from all over the world”, Leaver said.
He admitted that he was one of those students who believed that studying abroad with CCSU would be overly expensive, but upon finding out the costs of some of the programs, he quickly started reading the 2012 Program book to see what was available.
“Studying abroad can help give you the edge you need to stand out from everyone else,” he said. “The fact that its so affordable is even more reason to take advantage whiles you can.”
An excerpt from the ‘University Report Card’
Horace Hamilton. SaRa m. beRRy i the RecoRDeR
4 THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / NEWS
Divided Students Speak Out About SGA ProposalJuStin muSzynSki
the Recorder
In a move that has drawn mixed emotions from students, Student Government Association Senator Ryan Baldassario put a motion forward that, if passed, would change the way CCSU students are represented on the SGA Senate.
The motion would remove two representative positions from both residents and commuters and add four at-large senators in their place, creating a total of ten at-large senators, 14 commuter representatives, and six resident representatives.
While some students prefer the current 2-to-1 ratio in favor of commuter representatives, others felt that it should be more evenly balanced. Calvin McFarlane, a commuter, likes the idea of more balance, saying no one student’s views should be more important than any others.
“I don’t like the idea of anyone having more say, it should be more even,” said McFarlane. “I would definitely vote for that motion to be passed, if residents and commuters have two different points of
views they should both be heard.”Others disagreed, saying as long as the
CCSU is mostly comprised of commuters, then this should also stay true in the SGA.
“It should stay the way it is now and still reflect the CCSU population,” said Prachi Desai, also a commuter. “I would vote against that motion, it’s setup the way it is now for a reason.”
Resident student Rachel Smithson disagrees. She said representation should not be one-sided, no matter how many more commuters attend the University.
“It doesn’t matter how many commuters there are at the school, this is something that should have happened a while ago,” said Smithson. “Everyone should be a part of the school, especially residents. We’re the ones who live here every day.”
The idea behind the motion is that there are more CCSU residents who want to participate in the SGA Senate. The solution to this, as proposed by Baldassario’s motion, would be to open up more seats that are available to whoever chooses to be involved.
Historically, campus residents tend to fit that description.
Richard Estrada, a resident, says the exact opposite should be true. He said that if commuters aren’t showing as much initiative as residents, then taking positions away from them is not going to help at all.
“When you think about it, we all pay fees and a tuition. If commuters aren’t getting involved enough, this isn’t a solution,” said Estrada. “Just because someone lives here it doesn’t mean they don’t have just as much right to this school as everybody.”
While at-large senators represent both commuters and residents, some students find that the positions are often heavily dominated by residents. Ian Gordon, a commuter, feels that not only may this be true, it can also be used as an advantage to support ideas that may only be felt by residents.
“It should be kept the way it is,” Gordon said. “I see it totally possible that if there were a majority within [the SGA Senate] then that could be used to their advantage.”
Most students seemed to either be for or against this motion, but a third opinion was expressed by one student who said this isn’t an issue and shouldn’t be made into one. Andrew Walsh, currently a commuter who
used to reside on campus, says all students would mostly have the same views whether they live here or not.
“A student is a student, they’ll have the same concerns as everyone else,” said Walsh. It’s like making false parties out of nothing, I will not vote for or against this because I believe not a single thing would change if this were passed. Come talk to me when they’re trying to get non-students on the SGA, then we’ll have something to worry about.”
Samantha D’Amato, a commuter, couldn’t disagree more.
“I do believe that if there were more residential students on the board then they might favor themselves over the commuters because I don’t think that the students really take into consideration that there are many more students that commute rather than live on campus,” said D’Amato. “They will probably favor themselves because they are the students that are on campus 24-seven.”
With such divided views, one can’t help but wonder what the outcome will be when it comes time to vote. If the motion passes, it will be brought to referendum in the special elections in early October.
individuals rating professors.“Students have told me, ‘I’ve heard about
you from my roommate and I trust my roommate because she has good judgment. The other kid that said something about you, well, he’s an idiot anyway and no one listens to him.’ Those are the kids that go on Rate My Professor, generally speaking. They are the ones that go on and say ‘Cappella threw a book at me. He made me cry.’ Jesus. Get a life!”
In 2008, the study “An Empirical Test Of The Validity Of Student Evaluations Of Teaching Made On RateMyProfessors.com” argued that there are similarities between RMP and IDEA, a student evaluation system that is run by a nonprofit group affiliated with Kansas State University. The analysis was conducted by Michael E. Sonntag, who formerly taught at Lander University, and by two current Lander psychology professors, Jonathan F. Bassett and Timothy Snyder.
“The IDEA Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve colleges and universities committed to improving learning, teaching, and leadership performance,” according to The IDEA Center’s website.
IDEA has a ‘Student’s Rating Of Instruction’ service that tailors each report to each specific teacher and helps to look at instruction in terms of learning outcomes.
This is intended to give the power to teachers rather than students.
In an April 2008 article in the trade magazine Inside Higher ED, Scott Jaschik presented the results of a study in which RMP ratings were compared with IDEA ratings for 126 professors at Lander University in South Carolina.
“The study rankings on the ease of courses were consistent in both systems and correlated with grades,” Jaschik wrote, “professors’ rankings for ‘clarity’ and ‘helpfulness’ on RateMyProfessors.com correlated with overall rankings for course excellence on IDEA, and the similarities were such that, the journal article says, they offer ‘preliminary support for the validity of the evaluations on RateMyProfessors.com.’”
“There are two ways to read the results: One is to say that [RMP] is as good as an educationally devised system and the other would be to say that the latter is as poor as the former,” Jaschik said in summarizing the work of one of the study’s researchers.
“Either way...it should give pause to critics to know that the students’ Web site ‘does correlate with a respected tool,’” Jaschik said.
Cappella has found this to be true in his many years of teaching. He feels that through his generation’s coddling of their children, they have made them less self-sufficient and less proficient critical thinkers.
“I worry about them very much; they’re not dumb, they’re ignorant,” Cappella said. “In providing for their kids, they protected their kids from the world.”
Cappella continued, “When [students] get a ‘D’ they start bitching about the teacher. Instead, they should go home and say, ‘What was the assignment? Why did I get the D?’ Go to the professor and say, ‘I got a D, show me how to do better, to get it up to a C or B.’”
Dr. Jean Twenge of San Diego State University, an expert on the millennial generation, “Generation Me,” argues that “Generation Me’s expectations are highly optimistic: they expect to go to college, to make a lot of money, and perhaps even to be famous.”
Twenge’s book Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled--and More Miserable Than Ever Before, voices a concern that many parents are dealing with today. Twenge says that she herself is a part of “Generation Me.”
“Our high expectations, combined with an increasingly competitive world, have led to a darker flip side where we blame other people for our problems and sink into anxiety and depression,” Twenge said.
Cappella agrees with that sentiment.“Just because you pay for a course to sit
in a classroom chair doesn’t mean you’re entitled to get a good grade,” said Cappella.
“That’s the privilege of sitting there. It’s a privilege listening to me talk about my field. As it is for every other professor on campus.”
Often when students feel that professors are poor educators, Cappella supposes, it is because the professors have mentally ‘checked out’ of the profession, and are, as he terms them, “walking zombies.”
Cappella does not ever want to be a teacher who is just going through the motions.
“I said a long time ago that if I got really old and didn’t care about teaching then I’d walk out the classroom door and I will,” Capella said. “Fortunately, I’ve still got the fire in the belly. You have to have the fire in the belly to teach on any level.”
Far from being a “walking zombie” of a professor, “Cappy” knows how to keep his class laughing and engaged. Recently, he asked his students why he can’t get a “chili pepper,” an option offered on RMP that marks a professor as physically attractive.
Dr. Cappella referenced a past student who has just published her first novel, which she began writing in his class four years earlier. “We have a wonderful job,” Dr. Cappella said with a smile.
“I’m at the age now where there are certain things that don’t bother me in the world, that I am trying to simplify my life and make it spiritually meaningful. And so I don’t bother.”
RATE| COnT. FROM 1
42 Years Doesn’t Give You An Exemption On ‘Ratemyprofessor.com’
CIE Enrollment Numbers Down After Record Highs in 2008-2009Danny contReRaS
the Recorder
The Center for International Education is a department of CCSU where students can begin the process to study abroad. The CIE offers two types of study abroad programs: 1) semesters abroad, in which a student can go to another country to study for an academic semester, or a whole year, and 2) courses abroad, in which students can go to a country for a couple of weeks and satisfy requirements for classes.
The CCSU CIE spearheaded the International Education Resources in Connecticut website, hosted by the George R. Muirhead Center for International Education, in which participating universities shared statistics about their International Education enrollments. Collaborating universities are the other three CSUS schools, UConn, Trinity College, UHart, Saint Joseph College and Rensselaer Hartford.
Among the participating universities, CCSU has the second largest enrollment number with 479 students enrolled in the years of 2010-2011, coming in second to UConn who reported 981 students enrolled in their program. Coming in behind CCSU are Trinity College (360) and UHart (215). However, the statistics
found on the IERC website do not include private providers, and the numbers may in fact be higher than those stated.
The CIE takes care of advising students when they plan their study abroad trips. In a format which is similar to the Center for Advising and Career Exploration (CACE), Melissa Pierce, the CIE Long-term Study Abroad Advisor, explained that “for the most part what happens is, let’s say a student wants to go to our partner University outside of London, which the University of Hertfordshire, a student would come to me and I would give them a form which says here’s the courses that you’d be taking and the ones that would translate to courses here as CCSU credits. They would speak with advisors in the courses of their majors, and they would recommend choosing about eight classes abroad, and hope they got those eight classes and once they get there, the student is really working with my counterpart abroad.”
Despite the availability of scholarships, studying abroad can seem expensive for some students. Between 2009-2010 the amount of students who studied abroad from CCSU dropped to 424 after registering a record high 525 in 2008-2009.
Pierce said, “I think what happened is that the numbers dropped when the financial crisis was really going on in the
country. I think that really had a lot to do with that. We’ve actually increased our financial aid that we’re able to give students. We’re offering more scholarships to students that weren’t available before. It was mainly financial reasons that year.”
In addition to CIE, students can also get private help in order to study abroad. The different economic situations of students can influence where they choose to go when they study abroad. “If you’re talking about a partner university, in most cases you pay tuition and fees to CCSU for the semester abroad. If you have scholarships and financial aid, you pay that to the Bursar’s Office for that semester. Otherwise, we have an extensive list of scholarship opportunities that students can apply for all of our short courses, except for our noncredit ones. You can apply to the CIE scholarship which can go up to 1,000 dollars,” added Pierce.
Even if the economic situation is different per student, every CCSU student is discouraged from taking up jobs in their host country. “Because it is a learning experience, and most schools censor that, students are not encouraged to work abroad. International students work abroad here (at CCSU) but that’s pretty much it,” said Pierce.
According to the CIE, the most
popular programs in their catalogue are the UK, Spain and Italy. Spain and Italy have language schools while the schools in the UK offer a larger variety of subjects to learn from.
“UK schools (are popular) just because they are in English. Some of our students feel safe going there; like going home away from home,” explained Pierce.
The CIE encourages students to keep themselves updated with international news in order to avoid trouble, Pierce stated. “We have protocol to remove our students from any possibly dangerous situation. In the case of Japan, our University was pretty removed from the affected area. Some students came in worried about the whole situation, but we explained the protocol in order to reassure them that it was safe to travel.” With recent events such as the Tohoku Earthquake and Civil Wars erupting in the Middle East, many students feel unsafe when travelling abroad.
“I hope the incoming freshmen come into our office to look for information; I hope they come to the International Study Abroad Fair on September 27th, and to also check out our freshmen-only trips. They are very, very good,” said an emphatic Pierce, welcoming the new Class of 2015.
5THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011
OPINION6
EDITOR’S COLUMN
Roadside Politics
nicholaS pRochthe Recorder
“A little to the left. Too far. Your left. That’s not left.”
Sweat is beading down both of our foreheads. I, standing in my khaki pants and button down shirt, have now become a dictator from the other side of my car.
The person I’m yelling instructions to is clad in dark blue scrubs and a yellow reflective work vest. We’re standing in the sun in the parking lot of Hebrew High School of New England.
The glass and steel box that is a jeep wrangler is a statement of simplicity in a vehicle. The only thing they didn’t skimp on was the door locking mechanisms.
Over an hour earlier, I was late for teaching my second class at HHNE. I decidedly put my cell phone in the glove box, so I would not be one of those administrators whose phone rings after they expect you to not have one on you.
In the process of putting my phone in the glove box, something that I don’t ever do, my subconscious was overly concerned with getting to my class on time. It also may have also gotten confused about what my hands were doing.
The usual process of getting out of a vehicle is as follows. Park. Turn the car off. Take the keys out of the ignition. Put said keys in your pocket or bag. Lock the doors. Shut the doors. Walk away.
Somewhere in that process I got distracted, possibly by the aggravating schedule in which I keep or just at the simple fact that I threw my brain a curveball by reaching for the glove box. Sorry for adding an extra step and throwing us so far off course!
As I walked away from the car I realized I didn’t have my keys in my pocket. I also remember that I had locked my trunk the previous night when I went to the movies.
THE RECORDERWednesday, September 21, 2011
EDITORIAL
Newspapers provide More ThaN FuN aNd GaMesWe learned in last Wednesday’s SGA
Senate meeting that not everyone picks up a newspaper on a daily basis. It shows.
Representatives on the student-elected legislative body debated for an extended period of time on the merits of CCSU’s New York Times readership program.
The program has been in place for several years, providing daily copies of the nation’s newspaper of record to students free of charge and at a 75-percent discount to funding partners. The program is funded primarily by student activity fees through a joint initiative by the SGA and other campus organizations.
The action started off innocently enough as Senator Chris Kyle reached out to senators for assistance with the program. There were no takers, but the damage was done: minutes
later, an impromptu debate about the merits of the New York Times was in full swing.
Some senators suggested the number of newspapers provided through the program be reduced because there were too many copies of the New York Times left over at the end of the day. This observation is disingenuous, if not patently false. Not a single member of this media organization can recall an occasion when the Times can be found after lunchtime.
Perhaps our senators are unable to distinguish between the newspaper in question and another, more colorful newspaper sitting on the same shelf (of which many copies are often available at the end of each day)?
Many senators condemned the availability of newspapers in the student
center, saying that the program is simply another opportunity for students to engage in spontaneous paper maché projects and the creation of fashionable newspaper hats.
Luckily, one senator corrected that assertion and said the New York Times isn’t the newspaper of choice for arts and crafts, it’s the Recorder. Phew.
In the senator’s defense, he said “no offense” and glanced in our general direction. No offense taken, but the senate isn’t getting off that easy; the debate that took place around this issue was out of control.
While an exception can be made for those that attempted to push the dialogue forward, too many used incorrect assumptions and unreliable observations as grounds to denounce the program. This points to a greater problem we have
noticed in the student population at large: a fundamental inability to leverage data and critical thinking to participate in thoughtful discourse and pragmatic problem solving.
After our years at this university, we will all expected to be able to join in these efforts. Those who do not will be left behind in many aspects of society. Let’s not waste our years here stuck in mindless debate.
In this case, we cannot help but criticize those that would end a program that can serve to improve these conditions. Daily newspaper readership has been linked to educational development time and time again. Picking up one of these bastions of current events and information could help develop invaluable critical thinking skills in both the student body and our student government legislative body.
GunaRSo nGuyenSpecial to the Recorder
Up until this summer, it had been close to 6 years since I had last set foot on the CCSU campus, six years since boredom and listlessness had driven me to don a United States Coast Guard uniform, less than two years since I had quit wearing the Army one to avoid a second tour in Iraq. You never truly quit wearing a uniform, and I’m mildly resentful of that fact.
“It’s never the place, it’s the person,” a wiser head than mine had once said, and I’m inclined to agree.
The campus has had little change, that I can tell, but I’ve never been the most observant of individuals. Whole marriages have dissolved next door to me, worlds turn and shake and disappear and presidential administrations change when I’m not paying attention, not exactly an uncommon occurrence.
Hot steam still vents from the grate between Copernicus and Memorial, lending a curiously industrial feel to the otherwise idyllic atmosphere the administration tries to portray.
People are still playing Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon in the student center, occasionally punctuated loudly with talk of Dungeons and Dragons and anime, though perhaps in differing ratios as the years progress. There was more Magic than Pokemon in the old days.
The administration runs a bit more smoothly, perhaps, but largely I find that the old maxim about people and places holds true.
SPEAK YOUR MIND!
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My trunk is always unlocked, but I thought it would be foolish to let it sit unlocked in the Loews’ parking lot in Plainville for several hours.
I told myself I would deal with my car afterwards. So here we are, back to the parking lot with the burly man from the American Automotive Association, or AAA (Triple-A).
As he worked to get the door open for me, I stood there and thought about how ridiculous it was that this was even happening. It also occurred to me that this is just another example of what we should be doing as a country.
AAA was founded in 1902. It got its start because of a demand for service and repair on the roads. It was because of the fact that roads and streets were literally damaging cars. The association was formed as a club. This club would take care of its members and help them get to their destinations safely. They provided, and still do, maps, road side services, driver training and the list goes on.
What struck me was the fact that we did this without waiting for the government to do so. The painful stretch of time that we now call the ‘Obama Administration’ has turned us into dependent lumps. We are waiting to be saved. There was once a time when Americans would take it upon themselves to fix a problem.
Because of AAA, and their vast amounts of members behind them, the departments of transportations around the country had to listen to the voice of the motorist. It’s time we did that with politics. We may have been founded on this basis, but we certainly have lost it.
“You’re really close. Just a little to the left.”Click.“You got it!”At this point, this service agent and I were
now jubilant and yelling. It may have taken a half hour, but victories like this make you really appreciate a system that works.
Positive Repetition Or Perpetual Boredom?
Four weeks into a school schedule and already I find myself slipping into old habits like a well worn jacket. My nerves are raw and exposed, enough caffeine saturates my system to kill several small rodents, and there are days when there is literally no one I don’t hate.
Central is reliable and boring. It lacks in the heavy drama of sports related mishaps and administrative debacles that seem to characterize other schools, like a boring parent taken for granted. The few that do occur here seem muted, grayed out and dull in comparison, or perhaps, once again, I’m just not paying attention.
Little seems to have really changed in the six years I’ve been gone, save for the cost, and a few faces and that’s largely a comfort.
One of the ladies who works behind the counter at the grille recognized me, despite the plethora of follicular growth I’ve cultivated. It was a strange and surreal moment, especially given that I half-remembered her face, too. The one person who recognized me is the person who keeps me supplied with caffeine and calories.
“Yeah, I went and joined the Coast Guard for four years,” I told her, shocked that anyone would recognize me.
“Wow, it’s been a long time.”It has been a long time. Nothing
important has really changed, and I have the sneaking suspicion that Central will be here in perpetuity, long after the apocalypse of your choice will end us all.
Well, almost nothing has changed. How the hell do I get into the parking lot behind Copernicus now?
7THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / OPINION
matthew clybuRnthe Recorder
As a political science major and perennial observer of student government, I tend to watch events unfold at the SGA’s weekly meetings from a public policy perspective. Typically the events are trivial in the grand scheme of things, but a recent proposal to change the way students are represented on the body has provided a great opportunity for discussion and analysis.
For those that haven’t followed the debate, SGA Senator Ryan Baldassario submitted a motion two weeks ago that, if passed, would remove two commuter and two resident senator positions from the representative body. In place of the lost seats, the Senate would add four at-large positions to the roster.
Supporters of the proposal believe that the change will increase competition in SGA elections and provide more opportunities for students that want to get involved. I think the problems run a bit deeper than these benefits will address.
It’s hard to ignore the relatively low level of participation by students from this constituency. Generally speaking, students who reside on campus are present, and thus more engaged, more involved and often better represented in student government.
The current SGA Constitution was drafted to protect commuter students from resident senator overrepresentation by ensuring a larger number of commuters through a fixed number of seats (and a current fixed ratio of 2:1). As it currently exists, the SGA Constitution guarantees 16 commuter seats, eight resident seats, six at-large seats and four seats reserved for incoming freshmen.
This protection can only be maintained if enough commuters run for office to fill the seats; last year, not enough did. Meanwhile, several residents lost election bids for the resident and at-large seats . The fundamental question: should engaged students seeking involvement be turned away from student government because they are ‘unfortunate’ enough to live on campus?
The answer is no. It is a travesty that more commuters choose not to get involved on campus, but that point is essentially moot when open seats prevent new voices from being heard in senate proceedings.
We’ve now arrived at the point in
SGA: Take Notethis column where I make an outlandish proposal that will never see the light of day. The SGA Senate ought to do away with the arbitrary constituencies they’ve created and either establish new (yet, still arbitrary) constituencies or establish an open seating system.
Why does the SGA Senate pit commuters against residents during elections? This question has no logical answer. Students could just as easily choose representatives based on class year, school (Arts & Scienes, Business, etc.), or hair color. Even better, the Senate could be composed of all at-large seats. This would all but guarantee the high level of competition supporters claim to seek and simultaneously ensure that the most engaged students seeking involvement are elected.
It’s no secret that participation in campus activities is higher for residents than commuters. Supporters have said that an open election would produce a resident-dominated senate, and that is true. So what?
Representation should not be split up and weighted more heavily to those that tend not to use the funding SGA controls, representation should be split evenly among those that produce those funds to begin with. In this case, those represented should be anyone that pays student activities fees each semester.
The current allocation of arbitrary constituencies do as much to protect commuters as they would to protect people graduating in 2015, or political science majors, or anyone with blond hair under some other system. All fee-paying students should be equally represented as long as involvement in fee-funded activities remains voluntary.
We’ve now arrived at the point in this column where I temper my extreme proposal for pragmatic purposes. The suggestion I’ve made will not pass, as members of the SGA seek to pass this motion in time for a referendum in early October.
That said, the motion on the table is a step in the right direction. More at-large seats allow for a system closer to the proposal I’ve suggested.
As this issue hits newsstands, the SGA Senate will be hours away from passing the motion and sending it to a student-wide vote. When it does, voters would be wise to vote in favor of the plan and help move us toward a more equitable system of representation.
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mFrom the SGA
If you are interested in running in the Student Government Elections, you can now pick up a campaign packet in the SGA and SALD offices. These packets, which include campaign guidelines, are due on Friday, September 23th in the SALD office. Open positions include: 8 Commuters representatives, 4 Freshmen representatives, 1 At-large representative, Senior Class President, and Board of Regents representative. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel to contact the Student Government Association at [email protected].
THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / UPGR ADE8
REVIEWS
Southern nick RoSathe Recorder
The original Straw Dogs starring a young Dustin Hoffman did not need a remake just like Wes Craven’s Last House on the Left didn’t need one either. Of course, Hollywood green lit another violent movie remake with no motive whatsoever.
The 2011 remake stars James Marsden as David Sumner and Kate Bosworth as Amy Sumner-- a young couple fixing up the old home of Amy’s late father in the deep American South. The remake cam be described as a film with brutal violence, rape, intense action, and purposelessness; irrelevant in all scenarios, and entertaining none-the-less.
David, an L.A. screenwriter, and Amy Sumner, a television actress, are the perfect sweet Hollywood couple. They return to Amy’s rural Mississippi hometown to perform the aforementioned task, where they are met with hostility and considered outsiders. You can feel the tension of the couple not fitting in from the very beginning.
The plot foreshadows trouble from its genesis. The couple hires Amy’s ex-boyfriend, Charlie (Alexander Skarsgard from True Blood), who is introduced as a charming man who says his please and thank yous, but we all know there is something deep hiding underneath that charming smile. They also hire some old high school friends who are
Danny contReRaSthe Recorder
Anthrax holds a dear place in the hearts of fans of thrash metal because they’re the lesser-known pioneers of the genre. The NYC quintet started out playing at bars trying to match their speedy Huntington counterparts, Slayer, while emulating the complex compositions of Metallica and Megadeth. But, they held something that their other pioneers of thrash did not: relentlessness. Yes, Anthrax had more raw power than any other of the Big Four; their earlier stuff mimicking closely the German act Kreator. This raw power pushed them forth as one of the main exponents of thrash in the United States.
Fast forward to 2011—nine albums and an eight-year break later— and the band returns to the scene with returning vocalist Joey Belladonna and the aptly titled Worship Music, an album best described as some of the best music they have composed. However, it cannot break away from feeling a little too dated or formulaic. Except for a handful of songs, the music is truly vintage Anthrax; they haven’t added much to their arsenal. But it wouldn’t be fair to say that they haven’t experimented. In fact, Worship Music, is one of their most experimental albums. The amount of fetching choruses is massive, but not overwhelming. Additionally, their quick musicianship departs from their style as they, ironically enough, have been influenced by Metallica’s longer songs and technical death metal breakdowns.
‘Worship the World’ begins with a symphonic intro that does not add anything to the album and should be skipped from the get go. It is because the second song is so explosive that it does need a crappy intro. ‘Hell on Earth’ begins deceivingly fast. Blast-beats and machine distorted guitars present you with an option of joining the fight on
kaSSonDRa GRanatathe Recorder
Kristen Chenoweth is one of the goddesses of theatre.
Growing up with a theatre background, I’d constantly watch videos of her, listen to her singing and be in awe of her talent.
Chenoweth is famously known for being Glinda in Wicked, a “popular” Broadway show where she displayed enormous ability and caught the attention of many young aspiring Broadway stars. Chenoweth has also appeared on Glee, a well-liked musical series, as April, where she also shined as a musical star.
Her newly released album, Some Lessons Learned, is definitely not what would be expected from the Broadway starlet. First off, the album is country, and not being a country fan, I was a little thrown off. It’s not easily expected for Chenoweth to be able to be “country” after seeing her as a theater aficionado for such a long time.
The album contains songs by Diane Warren, Dolly Parton and Lady Antebellum’s Hilary Scott, along with two other songs that Chenoweth co-writes.
The first song, “I Was Here” has a thick country twang with an inspirational twist. Chenoweth states she wants to make a difference in the world and leave her mark. The song continues on of her expressing her ambitions to remind the world of her existence, when a group of children start to sing the chorus with her, giving the song a Kids Bop kind of feel, which is usually a bad sign.
Chenoweth continues down the album with a song called “What Would Dolly Do?”, clearly a reference to the Southern Queen herself, Dolly Parton. The song is fun and comical, and has a bit of spunk and thick country flare. In the chorus, Chenoweth states, “WW Double D,” shortening the
Kristin ChenowethSome Lessons Learned
SonySeptember 13
AnthraxWorship MusicMegaforce
September 13
music title, which also makes me question if she was planning to add to the comedic aim by referring Dolly’s chest size.
The song “Change” gave me a taste of what Chenoweth is really about. It sounds more theatrical than the rest and is a piano piece. The song is very sad and honestly could make anyone cry. It refers to a person being unhappy in their relationship, and how even though she’ll “die a bit every day,” she knows she’ll be better off.
Her album was very much about love being lost, falling from love. A few songs were fun, but the majority of the others had a lot to do with heartaches and breakup, which can be a little overwhelming and a tad depressing for the listeners to tune into.
The last song, “Lessons Learned” was a good way to end the album. The song unfolds the ending to the story and explains that despite the heartache and regrets, there were “lessons learned.” The song has a very victorious feel to it, with loud trumpets that indicate that one has, or is about to, make a large step in life.
If listeners are expecting Chenoweth’s Broadway, orchestral talent to burst out of the album, they will be disappointed. Some Lessons Learned can make an audience shy away from Chenoweth. Although it is respected that she attempted to step out of the box, her true talent is still inside where she should have stayed.
Earth or running away and dying as a result of the shockwave from the highly explosive fight. This metaphor quickly fades into a more adapted and cultivated sound that feels a bit too much unlike Anthrax. Yet, it attracts you because Frank Bello plays some acid jazz like bass grooves that hypnotize you. And while you’re hypnotized Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano hit you in the back of the head with their guitar-work. Without giving you time to get up, it is Joey Belladona who kicks you while you’re down with his powerful vocals: “The kids have gone wild in the streets. I’m backing the havoc they wreak. It’s time for the fall, so say we all. Starter of anything, ender of everything.” It truly brings you back into the 80s where everything was chaotic.
Some of the following songs go mainly unnoticed. For example, ‘The Devil You Know’ and ‘Fight ‘Em Til You Can’t’, have that thrash metal feel but not the intensity expected from Anthrax and though they do a good job of creating the atmosphere of thrash and chaos, it sounds too much like Dragonforce and this can be blamed on Belladona’s vocals that creates this conundrum. His voice is powerful but too harmonic for this genre, and while Metallica can get away with it because they have longer songs, individualistically, Anthrax do not have the ability to do this. It is important to note the break down in ‘The Devil You Know’ as one of the better songs in the album to head band to because it goes right into a solo.
Then comes the best 4 songs of the album interconnected by two hymns: ‘I’m Alive’, ‘In the End’, ‘The Giant’ and ‘Judas Priest.’ They bring back that feeling from Venom’s Black Metal. It is atmospheric and catalyzing because it showcases their talents. Sure, it is not up to par to Dream Theater prog rock, but it resembles it very well. Symphony X did the Odyssey and worked well, the 24 minute song, that brings you back to Ancient times. Anthrax brings you to a battlefield of modern warfare. They’re slower songs that pick up every now and then but the intensity channeled is amazing. They do not let go of it from the very beginning, even the 30 second hymns feel like Hell on Earth. It is almost as if they said: “The Day of Reckoning is here; lets avenge those who have died. Bring. God. Down!” And though there is no anti-religion sentiment in the song, the antiestablishment feel channeled in them leaves it open for interpretation.
The last couple of songs are forgettable and it’s sad, because the ones that led to it were very good and worked amazingly. 7 good songs out of 14 is not bad, but not necessarily the best comeback after an eight year break from the scene. But I have faith they’ll pull themselves together and produce something very much akin to their earlier releases. Metallica did it and grew up in the process, so Anthrax should have no problem.photo i kRiStin-chenoweth.com
stereotyped as ‘Southern white trash’. They only seem to care about beer, beer, beer, women, more beer and the glorified high school football days.
James Woods returns to the acting scene with the role of a drunk old high school football coach who thinks he is above the law. It’s definitely one of the the scariest roles I’ve seen Woods play, and he did a good job.
From the beginning, the roles of good and evil are established. This can be seen by the way Amy is looked at by Charlie and his gang of hoodlums, and the way Wood’s character is played from the beginning. Basically, it follows the horror film paradigm of Amy is the southern belle of the town, and now all grown up, everyone wants a piece.
Bosworth had a good role, but the way Rod Lurie, the film’s director, used her in the film as bait, or a trophy wife, is something I would like to see changed. Marsden performed well as a man trying to live a peaceful life, get his work and avoid confrontation. Some of his scenes stood out and the emotion he put into the role enticed me, showing us that to protect a home and a family every man has a breaking point.
Charlie, the goons and Wood’s characters show the inhuman nature of man. Lurie even stepped it up to show the ‘southern stereotype.’ In Hollywood, whenever a movie is set in the Deep South you get uneducated, extreme drunk, southerners who think high school
football is life, and backwoods violence is not frowned upon. Obviously a stereotype, but definitely overdone.
The movie is pure adrenaline and has many heart pounding sequences, especially
the finale of havoc brought down on the Sumner’s household. Charlie and the boys wreak lots of terror, and some scenes are difficult to watch. No one wants to see a character like Bosworth, or any woman for
9THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / UPGR ADE
Danny contReRaSthe Recorder
Good American shows are hard to come by nowadays. We make shows but they’re usually American versions of imports like The Office, Wilfred, etc. Rarely do we see a show that can appeal to the introverted and the normal. But Community manages to do it so well, it boggles my mind.
The show has a simple premise: a lawyer is disbarred after the law firm finds out that he lied about going to Columbia University and must go to college again in order to practice law. Played by Joel McHale (The Soup on E!), Jeff Winger goes to Greendale Community College in order to get his credits and takes a Spanish class. He then joins a study group with many dysfunctional students and the comedy ensues from there.
The characters are all very relatable. Jeff is a self absorbed lawyer who is smart, handsome and a complete jerk willing to manipulate anyone who stands in the way of his goal. Brita is a little-too-late hippie who believes everyone must be given the chance to prove they’re nice people, but is hypocritical as she is usually the first one to judge, well, everyone. Troy and Abed (yes, you cannot separate them,) are a couple of movie nerds who are to each other what photosynthesis is to plants and humans. They’re both eachother’s best friend, but also their biggest enemies. But this bromance drives the series, as they usually have a perspective of everyone that brings the best qualities of the characters’ personality. Annie is a recent high school graduate who has a lot of issues (possibly found on the DSMIV,) and has a hard time trusting anyone. She is always willing to put her interests in front of others. Shirley is a Christian, single mother of two who is trying to make a better life for her and her kids.
Then there’s Pierce (played by Chevy Chase), an arrogant, dastardly
Netflix It: Community
anti-image of Jeff Winger. While Jeff is doing everything he can to get his life together, Pierce just wants to destroy the paradigms of people. He is cunning, deceitful and manipulative. He is a racist, chauvinist and horny old man. But behind his tough exterior lies an amorphous personality who wishes to be accepted. His character has the capacity to make anyone cry because Pierce is everyone in the group. He is the guy who no one likes but cannot keep away because he brings both the best and worst out of the people in the group.
Minor characters in the first season include the Dean and Senor Chang (played by Ken Jeong.) The Dean has a crush on Jeff, and secretly wishes for acceptance within Jeff ’s group, while Senor Chang is a Spanish professor who is just plain mean. They add so much comedy into the series they became major characters in the latter season.
The episode that defined the show was “Modern Warfare.” It was the 1st part of the season finale in which a plasma TV was raffled to the winners of a paintball tourney. Everyone is fighting for the TV, forging alliances and “killing” each other, destroying the school in the process. It was the most hilarious episode because the writing team truly got creative. The show is so contemporary that it was almost painful to watch the other episodes. Allowing a silly plot into a season finale gave them a chance to explore the characters without being too serious.
Community is overall one of the best series to have been produced in recent years. It borrows heavily from shows like 30 Rock and the Office in terms of comedy. It’s smart, and powerful. Community, most of all, remains completely relatable to everyone. Because we all know that somewhere on the CCSU campus we have a Jeff, Brita, Troy and Abed, Shirley, Pierce and Annie. And that is why you should Netflix It.
photo i StephenkinG.com
Under the DomeBy Stephen King
Rachael bentleySpecial to the Recorder
Sometimes sleep can be overrated, can’t it?
if you enjoy reading books that keep you up until four in the morning because you can’t put them down, then Stephen king’s under the Dome is right up your alley.
this book tells the story of a town called chester mill, approximately the size of central’s campus, that gets cut off from the rest of the world by a massive invisible dome. this was a concept sure to catch many people’s attention.
king admitted in the author’s notes that when he started to first write under the Dome back in 1976 he “crept away from it with his tail between his legs” because he felt he could not do the story justice. after digging the manuscript back up in 2007, it is clear that king was more than able to do the story line justice.
this novel, and novel is a stretch considering how large it is, proved to me how dangerous it is when you find a book that almost forces you to turn its pages. king is easily one of the most suspenseful writers that i have ever read. he is also well known for the amount of research he does on various topics in his works, which is apparent when reading this book.
he did an excellent job on the character development, with over 20 individuals whom the story wraps itself around. you find yourself becoming attached to certain characters and can’t
Bookmark It!
help but feel truly sorry for them and their situation,even though you know the story isn’t real.
however, the greatest part about this novel is the message that he is sending. the whole time i read this story i couldn’t help but wonder, “what if this happened to my town?” would the same terrible things happen to us? would we let it happen?
those were the thoughts that kept me awake at four in the morning. i dread what i’ll be like when this book becomes a miniseries on Showtime.
that matter, get raped multiple times in the matter of five minutes.
The lack of motive in the film really hurt its rating and being over exaggerated in how southerners live and the extreme violence
was a bit much. The action and intensity were there, no doubt about it, but overused; not my cup of tea. But, hey, they made the movie for the right reasons, people these days love action packed super violent films
that are realistic, violence that adds to its intensity. The thing that was pleasing was the cinematography and the way camera angles captured the reality of the characters and scenes.
If you are a movie lover of exploitative violence then this is for you, but if not, and like films for purpose and to get you thinking, I’d pass on these dogs.
photoSi ScReen GemS
Discomfort.
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Old-Fashioned Treasure-Hunting Meets New Technology
kat bouSheethe Recorder
If pirates had GPS devices back in the day, they probably wouldn’t have been such grumpy people. Treasure hunting, better known as geocaching, is an engaging and enjoyable activity that can be done with little or no cost.
Geocaching basically requires that you have a GPS device (iPhones count!) and access to the Internet. Visit geocaching.com or download the geocaching application for your smartphone and you are ready to go.
Your phone or GPS device will allow you to search within the geocaching database to find local geocaches, and let you use a map or compass feature to track them down.
At this point in this article you may be wondering what a geocache actually is. A geocache is a box or container of some sort that has been hidden by another geocacher. Contents of a geocache vary greatly, but most contain a logbook for those who find it to record their username and the date of their find.
Depending on the size of the cache, there may also be goodies in it. If you find a cache with prizes in it, it is typical to replace everything you take with something of greater or equal value.
On the geocaching website or in the application information is available on the size of the cache and the difficulty rating. Pay close attention to the difficulty rating your first few times out. It can be frustrating to go out hunting and end up empty-handed.
According to the geocaching website, there are over 1.5 million active geocaches and over 5 million geocachers worldwide. There are many geocaches in Connecticut and it is an awesome experience every time you find one.
Things to be aware of include: checking cache size, hints, and Muggles. Checking the cache size is extremely helpful because if you are looking for a cache assuming it is the size of a shoebox, but the one hidden is a nano cache, it will be difficult to find.
Nano caches are very small and often come in containers shaped like other things,
SaRah boGueSSpecial to the Recorder
Th e stressful life of a college student deserves a litt le treat, but only some know where to fi nd it.
It’s at “A Litt le Something Bakery,” located under 7 miles from the CCSU campus that one can escape the craziness of campus life, and enjoy a great variety of baked goods, whether it be an assortment of cookies, cupcakes, muffi ns, tarts, bars, bread, or so much more.
Th is litt le bakery in the quaint area of Park Street in West Hartford is the new hit place by Greater Hartford Real Estate Blog and My West Hartford Life and has so much to off er to a wide variety of visitors.
Upon entering, two large cases of scrumptious delectable items att ract the eye. One of the cases beholds a large array of muffi ns, scones, tea breads, 7-layer bars, brownies, and raspberry bars; specifi cally, raspberry and blueberry muffi ns and pumpkin, chocolate zucchini, and apple sauce cakes. Th e other case beholds cupcakes upon cupcakes with fl avors consisting of strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, chocolate banana cupcakes, red velvet cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes with
chocolate butt er cream, coconut cupcakes with vanilla butt er cream and many other delectable fl avors.
Peanut butt er, chocolate chip, and M & M cookies are also available in a smaller case. A couple specialties that this hot business off ers are apple cider dirt bombs that have an apple cider donut batt er with apple fi lling in the middle and cinnamon sugar on the outside, and cake truffl es which are bite sized balls made of crumbled cake mixed with butt er cream frosting and are covered in premium chocolate with fl avors galore.
Diff erent sizes of cakes are also off ered with a variety of cakes, frostings, and fi llings for either a small get together or a big party. Dessert trays of cookie and bar platt ers along with muffi ns, cupcakes, scones, and almond clusters by the dozen are available upon request.
Prices are reasonable with muffi ns priced at $1.65 each, croissants, danishes, and cinnamon rolls priced at $3.25 each, pie prices ranging from $12.95 to $15.95 each, brownies and bars priced between $2.25 and $2.75 each, and cupcakes priced at $1.95 each. For all baked goods sold and baked goods by the half dozen and dozen, one must visit the store.
One can get two cupcakes, a
A Little Something BakeryContinuing fr om last semester, this weekly segment features ideas of fun things to do that are
$20 or less and under 20 miles fr om CCSU.
20 Under 20:
kat bouSheethe Recorder
Paying for food with your Blue Chip card can mean more than just on-campus dining. There are quite a few off-campus restaurants that provide several appetizing options.
Chains such as Blimpie, Chili’s and Domino’s all take the Blue Chip card, as does Dunkin’ Donuts. However, there are also many unique local places to choose from.
Cheng’s Kitchen is great for Chinese food. Although Cheng’s is located farther off campus than most of the other food options, it is worth the extra drive.
Roma’s has good food with huge portions. Of note is their lasagna, which takes up most of a good-sized plate and costs only $9.99. Their menu is fairly typical bar-fare, but it tastes good and is priced reasonably.
Elmer’s and Tom’s Pizza at the Bar also both have food menus in addition to drinks. Though, if you’re looking for pizza, salads or grinders, the place to go is Tony’s Central Pizza. Located near Dunkin Donuts on the DiLoreto side of campus, Tony’s has delicious food and helpful staff.
If you are in that area and you aren’t in the mood for typical American food, try The House of Kabob. They are a fairly consistently tasty choice. The Underground
such as the handy containers shaped like bolts or rocks.
When you get close to the cache at hand, it pays to look at the hint that the creator of the cache left for you. The hint helps lead you to the cache and can range from “it is in the tree” to a more cryptic hint that requires further analysis.
Always beware of Muggles while hunting for treasure. Muggles are what geocachers call those who aren’t geocaching. It can be detrimental for the safety of a cache to have a Muggle see you retrieve one.
Once you get more into treasure-hunting there are other fun aspects involved. Trackables are an enjoyable game within the game. They are usually metal tags that look like dog tags and have a code printed on them. A treasure-seeker will take it from the cache he or she discovers it in and bring the trackable home.
The trackable can be logged on your geocaching profile and you can see in which cache it started. Trackables can be listed as collectible or non-collectible. This is fairly straight-forward: if it is collectible you can keep it but if it is a non-collectible trackable you should put it into the next cache you find, log it there on the site and allow it to continue it’s journey.
After you’ve mastered the art of finding caches, it is time for you to make your own. Directions and containers can be found on the geocaching site, but it is a pretty open-ended task. It takes ingenuity and creativity, but it is incredibly rewarding to check on your little cache and to see a filled up logbook.
For those adventurers that like to make a difference, consider attending or throwing a “Cache In Trash Out” event. These are clean-up events that are often staged at local parks. Geocaching.com has a list of events and it can be searched to see what is in your area.
Going treasure-hunting is a fun and rewarding experience that makes hiking more enjoyable. “Go somewhere, do something” is the geocaching mantra, and it certainly shows. This is a great way to get out of the house and feel like there is a purpose to your walk or hike.
apple cider dirt bomb, and a M&M cookie for under $5. Now what college student can’t aff ord that?
Needless to say “A Litt le Something Bakery” off ers a welcoming atmosphere with a soft color pink plastered on the
walls and most of the decorations, seating, magazines, and let’s not forget the sweet, fabulous indulgences that one can’t resist.
Whether it be taking a study break or spending the aft ernoon in the quaint West Hartford area,
“A Litt le Something Bakery” has something delicious for everyone.
For hours, location, and an in-depth menu, its’ website www.alitt lesomethingbakery.com can help an potential customer looking to satisfy their sweet tooth.
Exploring Off-Campus Dining Might Pay Off
Deli is across the way from The House of Kabob and they provide sandwiches to satisfy even the most particular of eaters.
If you feel like venturing into Newington, try stopping in Market Square to eat at Wings Over Newington or Goldburgers. Wings, of course, features both chicken wings and boneless wings in a multitude of sauces.
Goldburgers has numerous burgers, including some made with chicken, sausage patties and vegetarian burgers. They also have great fries, a grilled cheese sandwich and hotdogs.
If you happen to be in a time crunch or you are just feeling particularly lazy, you obviously don’t have to leave campus to eat. Besides Memorial Hall’s cafeteria, you could always pop over to the newly renovated library and grab a snack or pre-packaged sandwich at Jazzman’s Cafe.
If you want a meal in the student center, head over to Devil’s Den, where you can get a 20 percent discount for using your Blue Chip card at one of the little shops there.
There are numerous places around campus for good food, so don’t feel restricted to eating on campus for every meal. Trying some of the places around our area definitely pays off with some great finds, and most of the places have better hours than our on-campus options, especially late-nights and weekends.
10 THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / UPGR ADE
11THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / UPGR ADE
P, B & J Leave You Feeling SatisfiedDanny contReRaS
the Recorder
Indie rock can be described as background music for just about anything. People like it because it’s serene, meaningful and catchy. The experimentation from the bands that perform in the genre attracts me for its complex yet laid back attitude to life they get so much inspiration from.
When I went to the Peter, Bjorn and John concert this past Saturday at Toad’s Place, New Haven I wouldn’t have described myself as their biggest fan. I rarely ever had any exposure to them aside from listening to the band in videogames, with friends or in the background of a Sundance movie.
Yet, when I left Toad’s a new found love for them opened in my heart. They performed terrifically, to summarize. For those who don’t know, Peter, Bjorn and John are a Swedish band who sing all their songs in English and grew to fame when their song ‘Young Folks’ became a number one hit in Europe and America before it made its way to the FIFA 07 soundtrack, where it got more exposure.
Touring the States for their latest album, Gimme Some, and aptly naming their tour ‘All You Can Eat’, they began their set with a slow, yet electric song, ‘Tomorrow Has to Wait.’ The song started with some hypnotizing tom play before the bass kicked in completely dragging you in, anxiously making you wait for Peter’s guitar and vocal. But once he begins to sing, it’s not the verse that gets you into the atmosphere of the concert; no, it was the line, “it’s the time of your life, so tomorrow has to wait,” sending chills down my spine, the goose bumps erupted into colors of joy that synchronized with the stage lights. It was truly the time of my life. From that moment on, I didn’t want the concert to end.
When the song ended, Peter introduced the band. And we needed the introduction; they are rarely ever seen. But they’re presence was unmistakable. Peter wore a grey suit and white shirt; Bjorn wore a black suit, akin to John Lennon’s Abbey Road suit but in black; and John dressed in all black behind the drums, his beard giving truly glistening in the stage lights. John stood up at the end of every song, taking credit for everything. His self absorbed personality never took away from the show as he stood out as the most comical out of the group.
They followed with ‘Dig a Little Deeper.’ A simple song whose chorus consists of: “Oh, oh. Whoa, oh.” Peter encouraged the audience to sing along, which we did in unison. He ate the microphone every time he recited the line, truly taking us away from everything. All art has been is contemporary, dig a little deeper; they encouraged us to part ways with the chains of the real world.
By now we all became their sheep as they herded us from the real world into the fantasy of their music. Ironic? No, because the realization of a new world turned us back to human. ‘Young Folks’ played and we lost it. We laughed, danced and jumped as Peter whistled away, John drummed into our brain waves, and Bjorn concentrated on every note of his bass. “And we don’t care about the young folks talkin’ ‘bout the young style and we don’t care about the old folks talkin’ ‘bout the old style too […] we care ‘bout is talking, talking only me and you.” He sang to every one of us. Yes, individually. Because, honestly, there is too much for us to care about to truly remember them this awesome evening.
As if to connect with us, they began ‘May Seem Macabre’, because beauty is in the eye of the beholder and our introverted-ness is what makes us individuals. “May seem macabre, but it’s beautiful.” That which is
considered weird, is what holds the real gifts to the world. Oh, did we learn a lot in this concert.
The night did not finish just yet. It continued on with a beautiful rendition of ‘Paris 2004.’ Harmonica in hand, the blues were brought to the concert. He joined the crowd with the instrument in hand. He interacted with us, made fun of water for making his throat hurt, saying “I should’ve drank whiskey. I knew the blues were a-coming,” To cheers from the crowd.
The concert ended sometime soon after the song. They played ‘Second Chance’
last. It wasn’t the best closing song, but it truly encapsulated the whole night. “It’s a fraction of the whole, but it’s hard to control.” And that defined our life, with one line. Peter, Bjorn and John did something that sometimes is hard to find in any kind of band. Give us individuality. Because, my interpretations of the song were very different from my friends. And while Lady Gaga has monsters who see the same thing in her songs, PBJ allowed us to translate their words into anything within the realms of impossibility. Anything was truly attainable that night.
photo i mySpace.com/peteRbJoRnanDJohn
‘Drive’ Isn’t What You Want, It’s What You Need
nicholaS pRochthe Recorder
Trailers to films often don’t tell us anything about what we are about to see when we actually get into the theater. What I was expecting to see this past weekend from Ryan Gosling in Drive wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, but that’s not to say I was disappointed.
If you’ve seen the trailers for Drive, you may be under the impression that this is a movie about a get-away driver. You’re probably expecting to see several chase scenes and an action packed
two hours in your local movie theater establishment. You’re not.
You’re going to see a very well developed Ryan Gosling, far from the heartthrob he played in The Notebook. His character development is shown, not told throughout the movie. His performance carries this film to another level.
After you leave the theater, you should always reflect on the skills that the actors you just watched employed. Do you think you can be awkward? Do you think you can be under spoken? Think again. It takes a special person to be able to solely talk with their eyes. That is
what Ryan Gosling does.His character doesn’t have a
name. It’s just ‘Driver’ in the credits. The whole film I was waiting to see if anyone said his name, but they don’t. This isn’t distracting in any way, but it’s worth noting how much this builds his character’s image on screen.
Couple Gosling’s effort with that of his supporting cast, which are equally strong, and you get a clinic as to what drama can really be.
There was a point in the film when I had to take out my phone (I’m sorry AMC movies for breaking your one rule) and check
to make sure that Tarantino didn’t have his hands in this production in any way. It turns out he didn’t, of course, but it was shockingly similar to Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.
Drive was actually directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. I haven’t seen his other works, which include Valhalla Rising and Bronson, but I will certainly check them out.
Some small glitches and errors in videography do exist. The editing feels a little outdated, but this could be due to the fact that this is a fairly low budget film. At $13 million, when comparing it to the $60 million that Disney just
spent to re-release The Lion King in 3-D, the sky is the limit as far as profit percentages are concerned.
If you’re looking to see an action-packed two hours of driving scenes, you’re mistaken. If you want that, you should probably wait to see the next Transporter. You’ll be teased with driving at times, but that just adds to how special the few driving scenes are. We’ve been given a gift by Refn, Gosling and the rest of the crew. They took a standard and overused genre and turned it on its head for the first time in a long time. Don’t miss this one, it’s going to be talked about for a long time.
photo i Film DiStRict
12 THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / SPORTS
SPORTS BEGINS ON BACK PAGE
Learning To Defend MyselfbRittany buRke
the Recorder
Last week I tweeted about taking my first RECentral class of the semester, cycling with Ken DeStefanis. Like a good twitter user, I hash tagged key words, one being CCSU. In response I got a tweet from CCSUToday saying “keep up the good work, way to be healthy,” because that’s what RECentral is all about, being active and staying healthy.
The fitness component of RECentral is fairly new compared to other things like club sports and intramural sports. However, it’s growing with each semester, so much so that the classes now occupy four different rooms in two buildings.
There are classes for everyone, including cycling, zumba, yoga, core training or even introduction to cycling. It’s vital to know that you don’t have to be fit to take these classes, or even an expert in these fields. There is a level for everyone.
“Our RECentral slogan is, ‘our business is play,’ and for our fitness classes, our fitness slogan is, and I think it’s very important for people to understand, ‘everybody has their own fitness level, find yours,’ and we provide that opportunity,” said DeStefanis.
RECentral’s slogan says it all. Last semester I walked into the Kaiser dance studio never having taken a yoga class, unless you count the one hour sessions at dance camp, which I didn’t, and I ended up falling in love with Ta’rin’ii’s teaching style.
For me, this semester is all about cycling. I got the schedule for the fitness classes after doing an article on club sports and that night my roommate and I set a goal to lose 16 pounds by April. I want to get into better shape for a wedding I have to be in at the end of that month and she is just willing to work out with me like a good roommate.
We sat down with the class list, picked ones we could attend and then posted the schedule on our door so we wouldn’t forget. In the end we decided to take cycling and self-defense. Not all fitness classes are directly fitness related, self-defense not only stretches you out and makes you work up a sweat, but it also teaches you useful skills.
I’ve only taken one class with the self-defense RECentral fitness instructor,
Michelle, but I’ve already learned things that I could use to protect myself if need be.
Everyone takes the class for different reasons, personally I am taking it because as a female sports reporter I’ve had to deal with some inappropriate people in the past and I just want to make sure I am prepared. However, my reason is different than my roommate, sitting on the yoga mat next to me, or the girls that sat to our left.
Walking into Davidson 123 I wasn’t sure what to expect. Like my previous yoga experience I had only taken self-defense classes through my dance studio as workshops, but it was nothing noteworthy, but my lack of skill and intensity didn’t matter.
The instructor was aware that most people were beginners, just like my two instructors for cycling had been.
The class, which had been primarily girls, began with stretching and quickly moved into kicks. I learned there are two different kind of kicks, a high kick and a kick to the midsection with a flexed foot using the ball of the foot. Both versions are extremely useful, but let’s be honest, any female is going to attempt option two against a male attacker, because as Michelle pointed out, it’s easier to get them in the “you know where.”
The best part of the class was learning how to correctly punch. Yes, as we all hit the bags we looked like girls, and I’ll be the first to admit I have no upper body intensity, but where else are you encouraged to hit something as hard as you possibly could?
Another useful tip? Punch with your pointer and middle finger knuckles as a way to avoid breaking your hand.
We also did partnering work, which pitted me against my roommate. We learned the weakest part of the hand is the thumb, and how to get out of someone’s grip, gain control and possibly injure someone’s elbow.
Each week at 4:30 p.m. on Mondays Michelle will teach different karate-based techniques, but she’s not the only one. Classes are taught Monday through Friday at multiple times throughout the day, and the schedule can be found through RECentral.
Lessons From ESPNbRittany buRke
the Recorder
Sometimes it’s hard to believe that the campus headquarters for the world-wide leader in sports is located in Bristol, Conn., less than a half an hour from our own CCSU campus, but low and behold ESPN happens to be just 10.39 miles away.
Some of the best programming in sports happens practically at the doorstep of CCSU, which is why representatives from ESPN made the short 18 minute trek from their own facilities to CCSU last Wednesday, Sept. 14, to talk to students about what it takes to become a team member in one of the most lucrative sports media businesses.
The representatives, led by Joe Franco, manager of university recruiting, spoke mostly about what they did for the company, focusing on what college students needed to do to be able compete with the thousands of other applicants internationally.
While ESPN may be located in Bristol, Franco wasn’t hesitant in reminding the students that people of all ages and experience levels are vying for the same lucrative positions as they are, so it is vital to put your greatest and most unique information on your resume.
The hiring managers at ESPN get thousands upon thousands of applicants each year and according to Franco they only spend 27 seconds glancing over each one … that’s it. After that initial 27 seconds they make a decision of whether or not to spend more time looking it over or just to toss it, this is why Franco preached to the crowd of students in Torp Theater to apply for their own skill set, rule of thumb is not to apply for something they’re not capable of. It is always important to be confident and definite of what you can do, according to the panel.
“The kiss of death,” Franco said to the audience, “saying, ‘I’ll do anything.’” That one phrase can make you sound desperate said Franco, which immediately would turn any employer off.
The most powerful part of the panel’s presentation was a short video clip, which was just snippets of major moments in the history of sports, accompanied by real people proclaiming what teams they loved
and followed religiously. The combination was enough to give any sports fan chills, and it was just a reminder to why so many people yearn to work for them.
Who wouldn’t want to turn their passion into their career?
“We don’t hire employees at ESPN, we bring on new family, because that is what we are,” said Franco.
Guidelines for Applying
to ESPN:
*Keep resumes to just ONE page
*What to include:
1. Education
2. Experience or Related Experience
a. internships
b. shadowing
3. Social Media Skills, which ones are you proficient in?
4. Related Technical Skills (If you’re looking for a production position)
5. Leadership, mentoring & volunteerism
6. Computer Skills
8:00 p.m.7:00 p.m.TBA7:00 p.m.TBA7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.TBA2:00 p.m.2:00 p.m.7:00 p.m.TBA7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.TBATBA7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.TBA4:30 p.m.7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.
vs. Yale@ Niagaravs. Armyvs. UMBCvs. Hartford@ Bryant*vs. Sacred Heart*@ Michigan State@ Brown@ Northwestermvs. La Salle@ Massachusettesvs. St. Francis (Pa.)*vs. Robert Morris*@ Mount St. Mary’s *@ Wagner*vs. Bryant*@ Sacred Heart*vs. Monmouthvs. Fairleigh Dickinson*@ St. Francis (N.Y.)*@ Long Island*@ Quinnipiac*vs. Quinnipiac*
Nov. 11Nov. 14Nov.19Nov. 22Nov. 26Dec. 1Dec. 3Dec. 7Dec. 10Dec. 17Dec. 22Dec. 26Jan. 5Jan. 7Jan. 12Jan. 14Jan. 19Jan. 21Jan. 26Jan. 28Feb. 2Feb. 4Feb. 8Feb. 11
2011-2012 Men’s Basketball ScheduleAn interception thrown by
Jespersen right before the half led to the Seahawks getting points on the board while a fumble, also made by Jespersen, at the start of the third ,helped Wagner quickly tie the game at 14 all.
“They were all self conflicted errors early,” said Jespersen. “It shouldn’t have been as close as it was. We got a lot to work on this week, we can’t keep turning the ball over like that. Two turnovers is two turnovers too many, we cut that down it’s not as close of a ball game.”
Wagner not only had the game all tied up, but the team also has a star running back, Dominique Williams, who managed to run all over the CCSU defense. Williams was a player that McInerney had his eye on going into Saturday’s game. With 142-yards the Blue Devils defense held him to fewer yardages than his first game, but McInerney was still disappointed with his final total.
“He had a 142 [yards], he’s a great player and I was not pleased with our run defense,” said McInerney. “I’ll sit here and tell you that I thought we could hold him to 110 and that would be a win … he’s a great player I’ve said arguably all along he’s the best running back in the league, and I give him a lot of respect … [the yardage is] less than the 184 he got against St. Francis so it was good enough to win today, but we’ve got to get better on our run defense.”
Both teams swapped touchdowns and found themselves
tied at 21 rather than 14 before CCSU’s Denzell Jones caught a pass from Jespersen, running the ball 36-yards before finding the end zone.
In true CCSU fashion, the fans could never count on the game being won. On a march down field the Blue Devils defense managed to put a halt to the Seahawks and force the team to settle on a 41-yard field goal, leaving them four shy of the tie.
Soon enough the Seahawks had the ball in their possession once again, although this time the Blue Devils forced the team into a fourth and eight situation. With the time clock under the four minute mark Wagner went for the down.
The ball was snapped and at 2:19, CCSU Blue Devil Chris Linares ran the route intended for the Wagner receiver and picked off Nick Doscher, essentially ending the game.
Once again CCSU brought a game down to the wire, and once again the team proved why they are known as the team to beat.
“We came in here thinking we were going to win the game,” said Jespersen. “We didn’t win it in the fashion that we’d like to, but we won none the less. Our heart rates were all up it was a nail biter toward the end … if we start saying we’re relieved to get out with a win then we’re not the guys to hunt down anymore.”
The Blue Devils are back at home for the next two weeks, facing Monmouth on Sept. 24 at 12 p.m. and Sacred Heart on Oct. 1, for CCSU homecoming.
FOOTBALL I COnT. FROM 16
13THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / SPORTS
XCountry Finishes Sixth on the Road
nick RoSathe Recorder
The Blue Devils finished sixth this past weekend out of 14 teams at the Monmouth Invitational. The team scored a total of 145 points, while junior Craig Hunt won the invite in 26:21.0.
John Krell, who was awarded the title of Northeast Conference Athlete of the Week two weeks ago at the Blue Devil Invitational, finished with another strong performance coming in third at Monmouth. He posted a time of 26:31.8, a mere 10 seconds behind Hunt.
Other performances included senior Ben Lazarus finishing 40th with a time of 28:06.1. Close behind was freshman Patrick Hubbell with a time of 28:21.01, who was just six places behind Lazarus in 46th. The final Blue Devil to cross the line was senior Mike Waterbury finishing 63rd with a time of 28:52.1.
The meet was held in
Holmdel, NJ, which is where the 2011 NEC Championships are going to be held in late October.
East Stroudsburg University won the invitational with the lowest score of 63 followed closely in second was Sacred Heart with 73 points. Finishing third was Mount Saint Mary’s with 127 points, fourth place went to the host, Monmouth with 133 points, and Saint Francis (NY) finished with 137 points, just before the Blue Devils. CCSU was sixth followed by Wagner and Quinnipiac. Other conference teams that competed in the meet were Farleigh Dickinson, Robert Morris, and Bryant.
The Blue Devils will be back in action next Saturday when it hosts the Ted Owen Invitational at Stanley Quarter Park. The team will look to win for the second year in a row after defeating Northeastern last year by one point.
Blue Devils Beat Out The SaintsSOCCER I COnT. FROM 16and allowing only two counter-attacks from the Saints, who just created tame crosses.
Neither troubled the Blue Devils’ number one goalkeeper, Nikola Deiter. In minute 41, Siena’s Barone picked up a loose ball in the midfield and took a wild shot against Deiter. The uncontrolled effort did not trouble the goalkeeper and flew away from the crossbar.
The CCSU domination then culminated in a goal two minutes later when Cipriano took the ball from a Siena defender, and shot it high. The ball curled down in the last second and put itself out of reach of the Sina netminder, giving the Blue Devils a 2-0 lead over the Saints. The first half ended soon
thereafter.The second half started just as
the first one ended with CCSU dominating the ball completely and keeping possession. The Blue Devils could not, however, prevent a midfield miscommunication six minutes in.
The Saints cut the Blue Devils’ lead in half when Barone capitalized on a mistake between center-back Jewel Robinson and holding midfielder Danica Foglio, and put her effort past Deiter who could do nothing about the goal. Siena kept pressuring after making it 2-1, but could not come up with anything.
The Saints paid severely in minute 68 when attacking midfielder Leanne Hollister picked up a loose ball in Siena’s final third
and move down the right flank, crossing it to midfield maestro Kelley, who extended her right foot to put it past Ettinger; giving the Blue Devils a 3-1 lead.
CCSU played the rest of the game by possessing the ball in the back and making long runs. The Saints did not have an inch of spirit left as they chased the ball for the whole game but five minutes for each of the four goals scored.
The Blue Devils extend their winning streak to two games in a row, drawing two of the previous games, and keep a record of 2-2-2. The team opens its NEC campaign next week, away at Sacred Heart, then take on last season’s champions, Saint Francis, when they return home on Oct. 7 at Willowbrook Park.
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8:00 p.m.7:00 p.m.TBA7:00 p.m.TBA7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.TBA2:00 p.m.2:00 p.m.7:00 p.m.TBA7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.TBATBA7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.TBA4:30 p.m.7:00 p.m.3:30 p.m.
The Blue Devils defeated the Saints this past weekend.
THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / SPORTS 14
bRittany buRkethe Recorder
On multiple occasions I have been approached and asked why the CCSU athletics department doesn’t provide students with transportation to reasonably distanced away games.
Th e latest occurrence of this happening was on Saturday as I stood on the outside of Wagner’s football fi eld waiting for the game to start. I was tweeted by a friend asking me whether or not I thought providing transportation to the games was a good idea.
What is my answer to this question? Yes, the idea of gett ing buses of CCSU students to games to cheer on the Blue Devil athletes is a great thing, but it is not possible and worth the money that the school would have to pay.
A single bus to one game would cost hundreds of dollars, not to mention the student tickets that have to be purchased. With all this money being spent there’s two things that need to be asked, who is paying for all of this and would there actually be participation?
Th ese trips certainly wouldn’t be free, and no student likes to hear that they have to pay more money, whether it is our student activity fund or just buying the tickets from the student center, so already there is a fault.
Th e second question to ask is, would there be students to fi ll the buses? In all honesty, I don’t think so.
Before we worry about the student crowd at away games we have to try and fi ll the student sections at all home games, and this goes beyond just football. I believe that for the idea of bus trips to games to gain ground, students have to prove there is school spirit at games other than homecoming. Th ey need to show up to basketball games, soccer and even the spring sports games.
School pride needs to begin inward before it can branch out to our competitors. Take advantage of the free games at Arute Field and on the CCSU campus before complaining about not being able to see away games.
If you want to see the games that badly then hop in a car and drive to the games, like other major schools expect their students to do, or listen to the audio streams online.
One of the tweets I received accused the Division I athletics department of treating CCSU as if it was a Division III school, which isn’t true.
Th e school gives the students opportunities to listen and follow away games, but take one look at the amount of participation in the stands CCSU has compared to other D-I schools.
CCSU is on its way to building more pride among the Blue Devil community, but it’s not quite there yet. Students need to fi ll the home stands before talks about overfl owing a rival’s stands with blue are ever thought about seriously.
We Need More Blue In Our Own
Stands First
COLUMN
Danny contReRaSthe Recorder
Th e Central Connecticut Blue Devils women’s soccer team defeated the Albany Great Danes 3-2 in overtime following the completion of Britt any Jackson’s hat-trick.
“Content wise a win is always good. We didn’t feel too good aft er the Holy Cross game, and we came back against Syracuse, and we had a lead and gave it up; but to tie it up in the last minute gave us the confi dence for today’s game,” said Head Coach Mick D’Arcy.
Jackson scored twice in the fi rst half before the Great Danes equalized in the second half with goals from Aubrey Vangorder and Shayla Bergeron.
“We were all pumped for the game and aft er we scored the fi rst two goals it gave us confi dence,” said Jackson. “But aft er they scored their two goals we just needed to keep our composure. And it paid off .”
Following the end of regulation time, and with just a minute remaining of the fi rst half of overtime, Jackson completed her hat trick and won the game for the Blue Devils with the rule of golden goal applied.
Th e match started with an amorphous CCSU midfi eld, losing possession in the midfi eld. It was Jewel Robinson, the standout star in the backline, who kept the team composed and on the ground with some spectacular defending. Rosie Maguire dropped back a couple of times to provide an extra woman on the defense as the Great Danes kept pushing on from the middle to the Blue Devils’ fi nal third.
However as the game wore on, CCSU started to sett le in, and begun some wonderful runs down the left , right and center to unsett le the Albany backline. Th e Great Danes’
Women’s Soccer Beats Albany in Over Time
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keeper, Dani Britt , was tested and defeated on 13 minutes when Julie Lavoie played Jackson on the right with an incisive through pass that latched on to Jackson who put it past Britt . Th e white-and-blue striped Blue Devils were ahead and imposing themselves on the Great Danes, who could not respond to the possession style Head Coach D’Arcy employed against them.
Th ree minutes later, on 16 minutes, Jackson braced the game with another goal. Th is time it was Maguire at the heart of the action as she played Jackson down the center of the fi eld, into the fi nal third of the Great Danes with a perfectly loft ed high ball, which Jackson fi nished coolly.
Britt should’ve done bett er with this eff ort as Jackson’s ball slipped off her hands and rolled behind the goal line.
Th e intensity never let go from the Blue Devils and Robinson returned to her fullback ways sprinting down the center, past three players, but her speed disallowed her teammates to catch on and a cross to Maguire went out wide.
Th e Great Danes never gave up and continued to press on the midfi eld, and actually won a couple of batt les but could not create chances for their lone striker, Chelsea DeVerna.
Th e fi rst half soon ended with the Blue Devils leading 2-0.
Th e second half started in similar fashion to the fi rst one, and CCSU paid the price as they allowed Albany back into the game. At 53 minutes, Aubrey VanGorder found some space aft er a misplaced pass by CCSU’s Nikola Deiter, rebounded off an Albany forward and to VanGorder, who capitalized and cut the lead in half.
Th e minutes passed and the CCSU looked to extent its lead, which almost happened
when Maguire saw her shot blocked by Britt .Albany kept pressing on wholeheartedly
in the CCSU fi nal third, and it paid off when a solo eff ort by Shayla Bergeron cut down the left fl ank and took her shot just off the left post.
Deiter managed to get her hand on it but could not prevent it from going in, tying the score 2-2 with just twenty minutes to go.
Th e game fi nished in regulation time at 2-2.
“It’s a young team and we live off our emotions a litt le bit, and you could tell that at 2-1 we were a litt le ratt led, and aft er they scored the second goal it was game on for them. Th ey were a team that looked out of it in the fi rst half, and they were very much back into and we needed to fi nd ourselves again,” said D’Arcy.
Th e Blue Devils came close to fi nishing Albany off early in overtime but Allison Kelley’s shot was saved by Britt who could only defl ect it for a corner.
On the other end, Bergeron tried doing the same, but it was saved by Deiter, who had become a wall. Her performance started off a counter att ack that was picked up by Danica Foglio who threaded a run down the center with a perfectly weighted through pass for Jackson, who fi nished it even bett er and won the match with the completion of her hat trick.
“It was a great one for all of us. We’ve got stuck a couple of times; going into overtime, we’ve ended our last two in a draw. We got sick of the ties and we stepped it up and we kept the intensity up,” said hat-trick hero Jackson soon aft er the game ended.
Th e Blue Devils will go on a three-game road stint before returning to home play on Oct. 7 against St. Francis (PA). Th e game will be held at 7 p.m. at Willowbrook park.
Rosie Maguire and Britt any Jackson celebrate CCSU’s fi rst goal against Albany. Th e duo received weekly NEC honors for their performances.
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THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / SPORTS 15
A Game in Photos: Blue Devils Victorious in Staten Island
kenny baRto i the RecoRDeR
CCSU Off to Fast Start in
Conference Play
THE RECORDER / Wednesday, September 21, 2011 / SPORTS 16
Blue Devils Triumph Over SaintsDanny contReRaS
the Recorder
The Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils soccer team beat the Siena Saints 3-1 after two first half goals from Rosie Maguire and Jill Cipriano, and a second half goal from Allison Kelley.
Siena pegged one back early in the second half to make the game 2-1 courtesy of Ashleigh Barone.
The Siena Saints presented the last non-Northeast Conference challenge to the Blue Devil squad, which begins its NEC games next week. Coming off an overtime win against Albany this Friday, CCSU went into the game with high morale.
Much of the early minutes of the game were fought in the midfield with Siena’s stubborn defense keeping the CCSU forwards at bay. Siena could not however, keep control of the ball long enough and relinquished possession in the midfield too often, giving the
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SOCCER | COnT. On 13
kenny baRto i the RecoRDeR
Central midfielders chances to put together passes; these never came to fruition and no chances were created.
The game turned lively in minute 16 when Siena was awarded a foul just outside the tenth yard. Their box-to-box midfielder, Gabby Racines took the resulting free-kick and curled her effort wide of the post by just by mere inches.
Four minutes later, CCSU responded with an amazing goal scored by Maguire with the help of Julie Lavoie.
The Blue Devils winger picked the ball down the left flank, and dribbled passed two defenders before she crossed it to Maguire, who took the shot, which the Siena keeper, Laura Ettinger, stopped but did not catch. The rebound came back to Maguire who coolly finished and put the Blue Devils ahead.
The game was controlled by CCSU after the goal; keeping 60 percent of possession in the process,
28-24 Victory Over Wagner Gives CCSU 1-0 NEC Record
bRittany buRkethe Recorder
Keeping a game close isn’t anything new for Head Coach Jeff McInerney and his football team. Whether it’s maintaining an early lead, coming back late in the fourth, or even in overtime, chances are McInerney has seen it on the field and coached his team through it. Saturday’s away game against Wagner College was no different, with the Blue Devils topping the Seahawks 28-24.
In its opening Northeast Conference game the Blue Devils traveled to Staten Island for the second road game in as many weeks. Last week’s game saw CCSU falling to the nationally ranked James Madison University football team, while the Seahawks dropped a game to Richmond. Both teams entered the game looking to improve its records to 2-1 overall. While this was CCSU’s first game of conference play, it was Wagner’s second with a win over St. Francis (PA) already under its wings.
“Any time I win on the road in the
NEC I’m happy, and you got to be a road warrior,” said McInerney. “We just came off the bus, we played down at JMU, 16 hours [away], [Wagner] probably had the same deal we did but they got to stay at home and we had to travel again, and that’s an advantage [for them]…”
The opening kickoff helped get the game’s momentum in favor of CCSU immediately. The Blue Devils might have deferred possession until after the half, but a forced fumble had the ball in the hands of Gunnar Jespersen on the opening kick return.
A handoff to Brian Fowler put CCSU on the board with over 10 minutes to still play in the quarter. Midway through the second, Jespersen found the end zone on two-yard rush following a set of big downs made by Fowler. All signs pointed to CCSU taking a substantial lead going into the half, but the momentum quickly swung back into Wagner’s favor.
Devan Baker caught a screen pass that went 73 yards to the house with 12:51 remaining in the third quarter.
Jillian Cipriano sent this kick past the Siena goal keeper in the 43rd minute to put CCSU ahead 2-0. Julie Lavoie dribbles against a defender during the second half on Sunday.
FOOTBALL | COnT. On 12
kenny baRto i the RecoRDeR
