The Daily Collegian - 4/18/08
By David Humphreys and Frank Godinho
A problem the city of Holyoke faces on a daily basis is its No. 1 ranking of teen births, the Public Health Council's annual "Massachusetts Births 2005" report said.
With 96.8 of every 1000 females between the ages of 15 and 19 giving birth, Holyoke exceeds Chelsea's No. 2 ranking by over 20 births, according to the report.
Though these numbers are down since 1995, they still show an alarming trend in the city's birth rates, which have increased more than any other Massachusetts city since the 2004 report. The big question is: Will Holyoke's rank drop in the 2006 report? The simple answer is no.
"This is not a new thing that Holyoke is No. 1 …what we do this year isn't going to change that," said Amy Leos-Urbel, the director of Student Support Services at Community Adolescent Resource & Education (CARE) Center, Inc. in Holyoke.
According to Leos-Urbel, the high teen birth rate is not a one-year problem, but rather a combined effort over many years to help educate young men and women about parenthood and safer-sex practices.
To help promote teen parenthood education, the CARE Center, one of the institutions in Holyoke dealing with the teen pregnancy problem, offers an alternative day school to teenagers who are either pregnant or have given birth. This program addresses the city's elevated high school dropout rate by giving the teens a chance to get their GED while offering services such as daycare and support groups. In the last three years, more than 85 percent of Care Center participants who have received their GED have gone on to college.
Girls, Inc., another agency serving young women in the city, started in 1982 after the local YWCA shut down. Over the past three years, only two members of the program's 3,000 teens have become pregnant. Girls, Inc. attributes that statistic to its strong focus on a variety of issues that affect female teens, including pregnancy prevention.
"The way that we address teen pregnancy prevention is by a whole host of health education trainings … We do everything from distribute free condoms to having health clinicians come in from Planned Parenthood or the Holyoke Health Center, and they'll do on-site counseling and contraception education with the girls," said Heidi Thomson, the Girls, Inc. director of development and public relations.
According to Thomson, a high school student at Holyoke High School only receives eight hours of health education during their four years. However, at Girls, Inc., in one year, a teen will receive 120 hours of education, primarily related to sex.
The various educational programs used by Girls, Inc. include Preventing Adolescent Pregnancy and Making Proud Choices, which is run by peer leadership programs.
"Each curriculum we use is researched based and scientifically proven to be effective. On a more informal basis, however, our girls [through the peer leadership programs] do street outreach and peer education about the local resources of health education and how to stand up for yourself," said Thomson.
Despite what is being done to educate teens about parenthood, Girls, Inc. and The Care Center are having their funding lowered because Massachusetts has the lowest teen birthrates in three decades. And while this may save money for use in other areas, it doesn't help the city of Holyoke.
According to Thomson, the changes made within government administration ultimately have the strongest impact in the amount of funds available to agencies dealing with teen pregnancy and teen pregnancy prevention. The amount of allocated funds change from year to year based on the personal agenda of whoever is in charge of federal and state funding, she said.
"I think of [the high teen birth rate] as a symptom rather than a cause," said Leos-Urbel, citing Holyoke's high poverty rate and unemployment as two of the top factors contributing to the birth rate.
Heidi Thomson agrees: "I think that you can never look at teen pregnancy in isolation from other social issues. When you put together the socioeconomic challenges that this city has, you're bound to have a breeding ground for other social issues, like teen pregnancy, drug abuse, crime rate, and it's all factored together," she said,
Also, according to Leos-Urbel, ethnicity may possibly play a role in teen pregnancies. "For some Latinos, there isn't a stigma [associated with teen pregnancy]," she said.
According to statistics from the birth report, 73.2 of every 1000 Hispanic teenage females in the state gave birth in 2005, compared to the next highest group, black non-Hispanics, with 36.4 out of 1000.
These numbers are lower than the 2005 national average, which are 81.5 births per 1000 Hispanic teens and 60.9 births per 1000 black non-Hispanic teens, the Child Trends DataBank Web site said.
According to the 2000 census taken by the U.S. Census Bureau, with 41.4 percent of all Holyoke residents reporting Hispanic heritage compared to the statewide average of 6.8 percent, ethnicity may indeed play a significant part in contributing to city's high teen birth rate.
"The main problem may be that teen pregnancy is looked at as a women's issue, when it's not. Girls aren't getting themselves pregnant. Who's educating the boys? It's not happening in schools and it's not happening at home. There's a social lack of responsibility concerning fatherhood," said Thomson.
Whether Holyoke's high teen pregnancy rate is due to the high Latino population, lack of funding or even just a poor health curriculum, its status as the teenage birth capital of Massachusetts won't disappear overnight. It will take work from both adults and teens to combat this problem and help control the runaway pregnancies plaguing the city.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Residents of JQA Meet
The Daily Collegian - 4/7/08
Following the death of a student, University of Massachusetts officials held an informational meeting on Friday in the John Quincy Adams residence hall.
The meeting, which offered students with both facts and resources surrounding the death of sophomore Liam O'Donnelly, was presented by campus leaders including Interim Chancellor Thomas Cole, Dean of Students Jo-Anne Vanin and Police Chief Barbara O'Connor.
"This is one of the unfortunate things about being chancellor," Cole said to students at the meeting. "I wish I could tell you how I feel at this point, after hearing of the death of Liam."
O'Donnelly, 20, from Hingham, Mass., fell to the ground from his room in 1704 John Quincy Adams Tower at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Friday. He was remembered as quiet and reserved by members of his community.
Sam Ameyaw, the resident assistant on the 17th floor, saw O'Donnelly in the men's bathroom the day before his death.
"He was the same Liam… he's a soft-spoken guy, he keeps to himself most of the time… nobody suspected anything," he said.
"I went to [Norfolk County Agricultural] High School with Liam," said UMass junior Marielle Livesey. "He was quiet but he was a nice guy… I liked him a lot."
Chief O'Connor said it didn't seem that alcohol was an issue but is still waiting on a toxicology report from the medical examiner.
She said that because the case is still under investigation, she could not disclose whether there was a note left in O'Donnelly's single room but did say that the door to his room was locked and no foul play is suspected. O'Connor asked anyone with information to call the police.
Dr. Linda Scott, a staff psychologist from Mental Health Services, said there will be another meeting to address O'Donnelly's death within the next few days.
"It is about coming together as a community… this is a very difficult time for everyone," she said.
Following the death of a student, University of Massachusetts officials held an informational meeting on Friday in the John Quincy Adams residence hall.
The meeting, which offered students with both facts and resources surrounding the death of sophomore Liam O'Donnelly, was presented by campus leaders including Interim Chancellor Thomas Cole, Dean of Students Jo-Anne Vanin and Police Chief Barbara O'Connor.
"This is one of the unfortunate things about being chancellor," Cole said to students at the meeting. "I wish I could tell you how I feel at this point, after hearing of the death of Liam."
O'Donnelly, 20, from Hingham, Mass., fell to the ground from his room in 1704 John Quincy Adams Tower at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Friday. He was remembered as quiet and reserved by members of his community.
Sam Ameyaw, the resident assistant on the 17th floor, saw O'Donnelly in the men's bathroom the day before his death.
"He was the same Liam… he's a soft-spoken guy, he keeps to himself most of the time… nobody suspected anything," he said.
"I went to [Norfolk County Agricultural] High School with Liam," said UMass junior Marielle Livesey. "He was quiet but he was a nice guy… I liked him a lot."
Chief O'Connor said it didn't seem that alcohol was an issue but is still waiting on a toxicology report from the medical examiner.
She said that because the case is still under investigation, she could not disclose whether there was a note left in O'Donnelly's single room but did say that the door to his room was locked and no foul play is suspected. O'Connor asked anyone with information to call the police.
Dr. Linda Scott, a staff psychologist from Mental Health Services, said there will be another meeting to address O'Donnelly's death within the next few days.
"It is about coming together as a community… this is a very difficult time for everyone," she said.
"More than words..."
The Daily Collegian - 3/14/08
When Brigid Cunningham woke from her afternoon nap and looked out her window, she might have expected to see students coming from class or from cars in the parking lot.
She didn't expect eight people and a multi-colored sign asking: "Will you be my girlfriend?"
"I was really shocked," she said, at a loss for words.
Cunningham, a freshman political science major, knew she was going on a date with Pasha Hashemzadeh, another freshman she had been casually dating since the end of September, but never expected him to arrive in such a romantic fashion.
Hashemzadeh had been planning this event for around a week, but was initially delayed because of inclement weather. Finally the right day came, and with the sun shining, he stayed inside all day, even skipping a class, just to perfect the hand-cut and -colored letters and buy roses and a bottle of sparkling apple juice.
And even with all of his preparation, he was still anxious. "I wanted to ask her out in a unique way," he said. "I was still really nervous … and 50-50 on if she'd accept."
But he decided to do it anyway. The only thing left? Find sign holders. For that job, Hashemzadeh went to his friends.
"At first they all made fun of me and laughed," he said. "Then they helped me and held the signs."
With roses in hand and friends in tow, Hashemzadeh made his way outside, right below Cunningham's window.
"I didn't think he had that in him. My face was bright red," Cunningham said. "He said, 'What's your answer? What's your answer?' Then I nodded and they ran up."
"I was really excited and I ran into the building, up the stairs and gave her a kiss," Hashemzadeh said.
And though he got the girl, Hashemzadeh still doesn't consider himself a romantic.
"I don't want to do romantic stuff too often," he said. "I don't want to be looked at as a romantic guy."
But Cunningham has other plans for him. "I told him… 'You better keep this up, now!'"
When Brigid Cunningham woke from her afternoon nap and looked out her window, she might have expected to see students coming from class or from cars in the parking lot.
She didn't expect eight people and a multi-colored sign asking: "Will you be my girlfriend?"
"I was really shocked," she said, at a loss for words.
Cunningham, a freshman political science major, knew she was going on a date with Pasha Hashemzadeh, another freshman she had been casually dating since the end of September, but never expected him to arrive in such a romantic fashion.
Hashemzadeh had been planning this event for around a week, but was initially delayed because of inclement weather. Finally the right day came, and with the sun shining, he stayed inside all day, even skipping a class, just to perfect the hand-cut and -colored letters and buy roses and a bottle of sparkling apple juice.
And even with all of his preparation, he was still anxious. "I wanted to ask her out in a unique way," he said. "I was still really nervous … and 50-50 on if she'd accept."
But he decided to do it anyway. The only thing left? Find sign holders. For that job, Hashemzadeh went to his friends.
"At first they all made fun of me and laughed," he said. "Then they helped me and held the signs."
With roses in hand and friends in tow, Hashemzadeh made his way outside, right below Cunningham's window.
"I didn't think he had that in him. My face was bright red," Cunningham said. "He said, 'What's your answer? What's your answer?' Then I nodded and they ran up."
"I was really excited and I ran into the building, up the stairs and gave her a kiss," Hashemzadeh said.
And though he got the girl, Hashemzadeh still doesn't consider himself a romantic.
"I don't want to do romantic stuff too often," he said. "I don't want to be looked at as a romantic guy."
But Cunningham has other plans for him. "I told him… 'You better keep this up, now!'"
"Proving Ground" a sure let-down
The Daily Collegian - 3/3/08
What do a crappy story, bad character models, an unfitting soundtrack and poor features have in common? Ask Neversoft.
In the world of skating games, the "Tony Hawk" series has ruled supreme for the past decade. With all the improvements in the video game industry, Neversoft proves that it, along with its premier game, cannot stand the test of time.
Although Neversoft's latest skate title, "Tony Hawk's Proving Ground," has some (one) redeeming qualities, it is obviously a rehash of previous titles, mostly "Tony Hawk's Project 8." Where "Project 8" succeeded, "Proving Ground" fails miserably.
The story is, generally speaking, the framework for any good game. From Madden to Lost Odyssey to Halo 3, even the thinnest storyline, if it is assembled well, will keep gamers coming back for more. The story of "Proving Ground" falls flat on its face.
Centered around a skater in inner-city Philadelphia, the story follows him (there's still no female character models to choose from) around while going on missions from professionals or completing tasks. Somehow, by doing these (often mundane) things, your character becomes a world-famous skater. Sound familiar? It is exactly the same story as "Project 8," just in a different, bored-looking environment.
The differences between "Proving Ground" and "Project 8" lie in only the surface of the game and exist solely to draw players in, rather than contribute to the overall experience. The three not-so-varying story lines (Rigger, Hardcore and Career) offer some break in the monotony, but not for long.
The big difference between "Proving Ground" and previous titles are the addition of slow-motion tricks. Adding on to the success of "Nail-the-Trick" in "Project 8," are "Nail-the-Grab" and "Nail-the-Manual." Although they show you how to do both, "Nail-the-Manual" has a much steeper learning curve. For the most part, all these gimmicky tricks are completely useless and often hinder the player from racking up the points necessary to clear a level.
While the tricks may not be useful (other than looking cool) at least they don't have the same bugs as the levels do. Full of clipping issues, the level design often detracts significantly from the game experience. Although skating through cars can be fun, the major problems lie when the skater goes right through a half or quarter pipe. These completely amateurish mistakes should never happen from a respected production company.
The mistakes don't just stop with level design; they extend on to another problem (and useless feature): the rigging option. Rigging, or building your own skateable materials, is cool on paper. In practice, it's boring, monotonous and difficult. The worst part, aside from the serious camera problems and awkward controls, is getting your rigging piece stuck somewhere on the map. Whether it is down two stairs or off a ledge, there is almost no way to pick up and move your piece once it's not on the same plane as the character.
The one (partially) redeeming feature of the game is the soundtrack, in particular two songs: "The Pretender" by the Foo Fighters and "Sympathy For The Devil" by the Rolling Stones. Both great songs, both completely out of place. Surrounded by pop-punk and hip-hop, these rock songs stand out like a sore thumb. Or, in the case of "Proving Ground," like gold.
With less than 10 hours of game play, the only reason for a replay is to bump up those Am scores to either Pro or Sick. Even then, it isn't really worth it. Don't buy "Proving Ground," don't borrow it, don't invite your friends to play it and most importantly, don't encourage Neversoft to produce this tired crap any more.
What do a crappy story, bad character models, an unfitting soundtrack and poor features have in common? Ask Neversoft.
In the world of skating games, the "Tony Hawk" series has ruled supreme for the past decade. With all the improvements in the video game industry, Neversoft proves that it, along with its premier game, cannot stand the test of time.
Although Neversoft's latest skate title, "Tony Hawk's Proving Ground," has some (one) redeeming qualities, it is obviously a rehash of previous titles, mostly "Tony Hawk's Project 8." Where "Project 8" succeeded, "Proving Ground" fails miserably.
The story is, generally speaking, the framework for any good game. From Madden to Lost Odyssey to Halo 3, even the thinnest storyline, if it is assembled well, will keep gamers coming back for more. The story of "Proving Ground" falls flat on its face.
Centered around a skater in inner-city Philadelphia, the story follows him (there's still no female character models to choose from) around while going on missions from professionals or completing tasks. Somehow, by doing these (often mundane) things, your character becomes a world-famous skater. Sound familiar? It is exactly the same story as "Project 8," just in a different, bored-looking environment.
The differences between "Proving Ground" and "Project 8" lie in only the surface of the game and exist solely to draw players in, rather than contribute to the overall experience. The three not-so-varying story lines (Rigger, Hardcore and Career) offer some break in the monotony, but not for long.
The big difference between "Proving Ground" and previous titles are the addition of slow-motion tricks. Adding on to the success of "Nail-the-Trick" in "Project 8," are "Nail-the-Grab" and "Nail-the-Manual." Although they show you how to do both, "Nail-the-Manual" has a much steeper learning curve. For the most part, all these gimmicky tricks are completely useless and often hinder the player from racking up the points necessary to clear a level.
While the tricks may not be useful (other than looking cool) at least they don't have the same bugs as the levels do. Full of clipping issues, the level design often detracts significantly from the game experience. Although skating through cars can be fun, the major problems lie when the skater goes right through a half or quarter pipe. These completely amateurish mistakes should never happen from a respected production company.
The mistakes don't just stop with level design; they extend on to another problem (and useless feature): the rigging option. Rigging, or building your own skateable materials, is cool on paper. In practice, it's boring, monotonous and difficult. The worst part, aside from the serious camera problems and awkward controls, is getting your rigging piece stuck somewhere on the map. Whether it is down two stairs or off a ledge, there is almost no way to pick up and move your piece once it's not on the same plane as the character.
The one (partially) redeeming feature of the game is the soundtrack, in particular two songs: "The Pretender" by the Foo Fighters and "Sympathy For The Devil" by the Rolling Stones. Both great songs, both completely out of place. Surrounded by pop-punk and hip-hop, these rock songs stand out like a sore thumb. Or, in the case of "Proving Ground," like gold.
With less than 10 hours of game play, the only reason for a replay is to bump up those Am scores to either Pro or Sick. Even then, it isn't really worth it. Don't buy "Proving Ground," don't borrow it, don't invite your friends to play it and most importantly, don't encourage Neversoft to produce this tired crap any more.
Options for Addicts
The Daily Collegian - 2/8/08
Nestled in the middle of Northampton's downtown and mixed in with the eclectic shops and restaurants is a Mecca for heroin users and crack cocaine addicts - a clean needle exchange.
Daniel, an ex-addict who frequented the exchange, started going there after he became addicted to heroin at age 17.
"They were very kind but worried since I was such a young user," he said. "They gave me knowledge on safe use; it was a positive place to go for questions."
Run by Tapestry Health, the exchange offers drug users a place to get free clean supplies and drop off their dirty syringes.
A variety of supplies are offered to users, including sterile water and saline solutions to mix with drugs, cotton pellets to filter liquid drugs, Bacitracin to help heal puncture marks, little metal cups called "cookers" to replace a dirty spoon as a place to melt solid drugs into liquid, and vitamin C powder to help break down crack and brown heroin without using vinegar or lemon juice.
Judy Margo, the Assistant Director of Prevention Services at the clean needle exchange, said offering these tools doesn't encourage or promote drug use; rather, it helps users make their own decisions.
"I don't think the life of a heroin user is very fun," Margo said. "Our overall philosophy is harm reduction."
In order to reduce harm, Tapestry Health offers program participants workshops on safe injection techniques and overdose prevention as well as HIV, Hepatitis C and sexually-transmitted disease prevention.
Along with these workshops, there is a free anonymous HIV testing program and the staff can refer people to a detoxification facility, although it isn't a requirement for a needle exchange.
"It's a place where people can come in and know they aren't judged," Margo said.
"I think it is positive thing to have in a community filled with this kind of intravenous drug use," Daniel said. "They help people practice safe techniques and how to clean rigs and spoons, how to swab the right way and how to cut down the chance of getting a disease. I really needed them at that point in my life."
The program, which has been open for over 10 years, sees between 600 and 650 individuals a year.
It is one of four clean needle exchanges in the state. The others are in Boston, Cambridge and Provincetown, according to Margo.
"It's really good to have it here. It would be really, really good to have it in [Springfield and Holyoke]," she said, noting that many of the participants travel from these cities to visit the exchange.
Although these non-local drug users often live a long way from the exchange, many return home.
Other users, especially the homeless, may use shelters such as the seasonal Interfaith Cot Shelter, located almost directly across the street from the exchange, Margo said.
Having a shelter so close is convenient for drug users. In 2005, 62 percent of participants in the exchange program reported that they were unemployed and 17 percent reported homelessness.
Wanda Rolon, the director of ServiceNet, Inc.'s Hampshire County Programs Shelter and Housing Division, said there's been a definite increase in the amount of people using Interfaith Cot Shelter, but doesn't think it's directly related to the needle exchange program.
The number of people occupying the seasonal shelter has fluctuated throughout the years, but has risen from 185 in 1997 to 225 in 2006, with the 10-year high reaching 236 in 2004. according to statistics from WHOM???
Since 2004, between 55 percent and 60 percent of the guests at the seasonal shelter reported chronic substance abuse problems, ServiceNet Research and Evaluation Analyst Andrea Miller said. Alcohol was the most prevalent.
The exchange, which Margo said has support from both the mayor and police department, doesn't seem to have a significant impact on drug-related arrests.
Judging from police and Tapestry Health statistics, drug arrests fluctuate even more from year to year than the number of drug users enrolling at the exchange. For instance, in 2004 there were 112 drug arrests compared to 1090 exchanges. In 2005, there were 139 arrests with 1208 exchanges; and in 2006, there were 197 arrests for only 1022 exchanges.
Although the clinic may not have a direct effect on drug-related arrests, Daniel thinks it does encourage more addicts to come to the area - and continue to use.
"[The clinic] in some ways does promote more use among people and will make users flock to this area because they are giving people a clean alternative to dirty use," he said. "Do you understand how much more disease would be around if this place was not in operation?"
In 2003, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney said that more than half of admissions to drug treatment programs in the state were for heroin addiction, three times the national average, according to a Boston Globe article. He also said that since 2000, heroin deaths in Massachusetts had increased 76 percent.
According to the same article, "extremely pure and cheap Colombian heroin, imported directly to Boston, has fueled the regional epidemic, which Romney and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino described as a destabilizing public health and social crisis … 'At $4 a bag, heroin is cheaper than cigarettes,' Menino said."
As for Daniel, he quit cold turkey after years of using.
"I s**t my pants for about four days straight while getting clean [and] my stomach also allowed me to eat nothing," he said. "It was horrible. I stopped because I died in Harco Rooms [low income housing] right in front of my buddy four times in a row using."
Daniel, who is now 24, has a child of his own and still lives in the Pioneer Valley area.
Nestled in the middle of Northampton's downtown and mixed in with the eclectic shops and restaurants is a Mecca for heroin users and crack cocaine addicts - a clean needle exchange.
Daniel, an ex-addict who frequented the exchange, started going there after he became addicted to heroin at age 17.
"They were very kind but worried since I was such a young user," he said. "They gave me knowledge on safe use; it was a positive place to go for questions."
Run by Tapestry Health, the exchange offers drug users a place to get free clean supplies and drop off their dirty syringes.
A variety of supplies are offered to users, including sterile water and saline solutions to mix with drugs, cotton pellets to filter liquid drugs, Bacitracin to help heal puncture marks, little metal cups called "cookers" to replace a dirty spoon as a place to melt solid drugs into liquid, and vitamin C powder to help break down crack and brown heroin without using vinegar or lemon juice.
Judy Margo, the Assistant Director of Prevention Services at the clean needle exchange, said offering these tools doesn't encourage or promote drug use; rather, it helps users make their own decisions.
"I don't think the life of a heroin user is very fun," Margo said. "Our overall philosophy is harm reduction."
In order to reduce harm, Tapestry Health offers program participants workshops on safe injection techniques and overdose prevention as well as HIV, Hepatitis C and sexually-transmitted disease prevention.
Along with these workshops, there is a free anonymous HIV testing program and the staff can refer people to a detoxification facility, although it isn't a requirement for a needle exchange.
"It's a place where people can come in and know they aren't judged," Margo said.
"I think it is positive thing to have in a community filled with this kind of intravenous drug use," Daniel said. "They help people practice safe techniques and how to clean rigs and spoons, how to swab the right way and how to cut down the chance of getting a disease. I really needed them at that point in my life."
The program, which has been open for over 10 years, sees between 600 and 650 individuals a year.
It is one of four clean needle exchanges in the state. The others are in Boston, Cambridge and Provincetown, according to Margo.
"It's really good to have it here. It would be really, really good to have it in [Springfield and Holyoke]," she said, noting that many of the participants travel from these cities to visit the exchange.
Although these non-local drug users often live a long way from the exchange, many return home.
Other users, especially the homeless, may use shelters such as the seasonal Interfaith Cot Shelter, located almost directly across the street from the exchange, Margo said.
Having a shelter so close is convenient for drug users. In 2005, 62 percent of participants in the exchange program reported that they were unemployed and 17 percent reported homelessness.
Wanda Rolon, the director of ServiceNet, Inc.'s Hampshire County Programs Shelter and Housing Division, said there's been a definite increase in the amount of people using Interfaith Cot Shelter, but doesn't think it's directly related to the needle exchange program.
The number of people occupying the seasonal shelter has fluctuated throughout the years, but has risen from 185 in 1997 to 225 in 2006, with the 10-year high reaching 236 in 2004. according to statistics from WHOM???
Since 2004, between 55 percent and 60 percent of the guests at the seasonal shelter reported chronic substance abuse problems, ServiceNet Research and Evaluation Analyst Andrea Miller said. Alcohol was the most prevalent.
The exchange, which Margo said has support from both the mayor and police department, doesn't seem to have a significant impact on drug-related arrests.
Judging from police and Tapestry Health statistics, drug arrests fluctuate even more from year to year than the number of drug users enrolling at the exchange. For instance, in 2004 there were 112 drug arrests compared to 1090 exchanges. In 2005, there were 139 arrests with 1208 exchanges; and in 2006, there were 197 arrests for only 1022 exchanges.
Although the clinic may not have a direct effect on drug-related arrests, Daniel thinks it does encourage more addicts to come to the area - and continue to use.
"[The clinic] in some ways does promote more use among people and will make users flock to this area because they are giving people a clean alternative to dirty use," he said. "Do you understand how much more disease would be around if this place was not in operation?"
In 2003, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney said that more than half of admissions to drug treatment programs in the state were for heroin addiction, three times the national average, according to a Boston Globe article. He also said that since 2000, heroin deaths in Massachusetts had increased 76 percent.
According to the same article, "extremely pure and cheap Colombian heroin, imported directly to Boston, has fueled the regional epidemic, which Romney and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino described as a destabilizing public health and social crisis … 'At $4 a bag, heroin is cheaper than cigarettes,' Menino said."
As for Daniel, he quit cold turkey after years of using.
"I s**t my pants for about four days straight while getting clean [and] my stomach also allowed me to eat nothing," he said. "It was horrible. I stopped because I died in Harco Rooms [low income housing] right in front of my buddy four times in a row using."
Daniel, who is now 24, has a child of his own and still lives in the Pioneer Valley area.
Eight Arrested after Super Bowl in Southwest
The Daily Collegian - 2/5/08
Eight individuals were arrested last night during a post-Super Bowl gathering in the University of Massachusetts Southwest Residential area.
The crowd - consisting of approximately 300 students, according to Ed Blaguszewski, director of the Office of News and Information at UMass - was "largely subdued and peaceful."
"Compared to other events, it was a pretty small crowd," he said.
Students gathered following the New York Giants' 17-14 win over the hometown Patriots at about 10:05 p.m. At approximately 10:40 p.m., University police read a dispersal order, which was followed by the majority of the crowd, said Blaguszewski.
Police officers from the State Police, Amherst Police, and University Police departments arrived on scene before the crowd formed.
At one point, Patriots fans surrounded and threw ice off the ground at a group of singled-out Giants fans. Fights broke out between fans of either teams.
One student was reportedly taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for injuries sustained during a fight.
Police arrested all eight individuals and charged them with disorderly conduct. Police are also filing four charges of resisting arrest, one charge of assault and battery of a police officer, and one charge of interfering with a police horse.
There was no reported property damage.
UMPD was unavailable for comment.
Will McGuinness and Brian Tedder contributed to this report.
Eight individuals were arrested last night during a post-Super Bowl gathering in the University of Massachusetts Southwest Residential area.
The crowd - consisting of approximately 300 students, according to Ed Blaguszewski, director of the Office of News and Information at UMass - was "largely subdued and peaceful."
"Compared to other events, it was a pretty small crowd," he said.
Students gathered following the New York Giants' 17-14 win over the hometown Patriots at about 10:05 p.m. At approximately 10:40 p.m., University police read a dispersal order, which was followed by the majority of the crowd, said Blaguszewski.
Police officers from the State Police, Amherst Police, and University Police departments arrived on scene before the crowd formed.
At one point, Patriots fans surrounded and threw ice off the ground at a group of singled-out Giants fans. Fights broke out between fans of either teams.
One student was reportedly taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for injuries sustained during a fight.
Police arrested all eight individuals and charged them with disorderly conduct. Police are also filing four charges of resisting arrest, one charge of assault and battery of a police officer, and one charge of interfering with a police horse.
There was no reported property damage.
UMPD was unavailable for comment.
Will McGuinness and Brian Tedder contributed to this report.
Older Superstitious, New Music
The Daily Collegian - 1/31/08
The Mars Volta's latest release, "The Bedlam In Goliath," marks their return to perfect chaotic bliss and cements the group as the premiere prog/experimental/psychedelic/Latin rock group.
Sounding like the love child of "De-Loused In The Comatorium" and "Frances The Mute," "Bedlam" combines the best of their earlier days with the experience that comes only with age. And with the number of band members, experience is one thing The Mars Volta doesn't lack.
Led by the falsetto vocals of Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's beautiful nails-on-a-chalkboard guitar riffs are accompanied by, once again, the seminal John Frusciante, from Red Hot Chili Peppers fame.
With their newest release, the odd time signatures and abrupt syncopation that listeners have come to know and love still goes strong, although some riffs are very similar to "De-Loused."
As for the vocals, if you plan on understanding them, the cover insert is a must. Between Zavala and the eight other members, lyrics come out garbled, yet perfect. Everything in "Bedlam" was crafted and molded and put in it's own place for a purpose: to create a story. And oh, is there a story.
According to legend (and an article posted on themarsvolta.com), Rodriguez-Lopez was in a Jerusalem curio shop looking for a gift for Bixler-Zavala. While there, he found a very old Ouija board, aptly named "The Soothsayer."
Originally bought as a novelty gift, the Soothsayer brought eerie coincidences and odd occurrences, and a phenomenal CD along with it.
During their tour with The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Mars Volta started to mess around with The Soothsayer after shows. As they did, they started to get names, such as Goliath, and a story about a man, a woman and her mother - a story about love and curses and murder. And eventually, the board asked the band for a story in return.
The band started to take some phrases and make songs, started to make their newest release, but never gave anything to The Soothsayer. So, Goliath got angry.
Equipment issues plagued the band, the former drummer quit, Bixler Zavala needed surprise foot surgery, the sound engineer quit the project, Rodriguez-Lopez's studio floored.
As the board started to make demands and threats, the surface peeled off to reveal a pre-Aramaic language scrawled over cone shapes.
The Mars Volta made an executive decision and buried the board in an undisclosed place.
Yes, it may be a modern myth or, I daresay a lie, but damn, it makes one hell of an interesting back story.
The album is equally as strange as the story behind it. If you're not sure that you like The Mars Volta, buy it. If you want something different to listen to, buy it. If you're into The Spice Girls, TLC and Hanson, it's time to update your collection. Whatever you decide, buy this album and enjoy it.
This is quite possibly THE album release of the year. It may be way off the mainstream, but "Bedlam" is necessary to start or complete any collection, all while broadening your musical horizons.
The Mars Volta's latest release, "The Bedlam In Goliath," marks their return to perfect chaotic bliss and cements the group as the premiere prog/experimental/psychedelic/Latin rock group.
Sounding like the love child of "De-Loused In The Comatorium" and "Frances The Mute," "Bedlam" combines the best of their earlier days with the experience that comes only with age. And with the number of band members, experience is one thing The Mars Volta doesn't lack.
Led by the falsetto vocals of Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez's beautiful nails-on-a-chalkboard guitar riffs are accompanied by, once again, the seminal John Frusciante, from Red Hot Chili Peppers fame.
With their newest release, the odd time signatures and abrupt syncopation that listeners have come to know and love still goes strong, although some riffs are very similar to "De-Loused."
As for the vocals, if you plan on understanding them, the cover insert is a must. Between Zavala and the eight other members, lyrics come out garbled, yet perfect. Everything in "Bedlam" was crafted and molded and put in it's own place for a purpose: to create a story. And oh, is there a story.
According to legend (and an article posted on themarsvolta.com), Rodriguez-Lopez was in a Jerusalem curio shop looking for a gift for Bixler-Zavala. While there, he found a very old Ouija board, aptly named "The Soothsayer."
Originally bought as a novelty gift, the Soothsayer brought eerie coincidences and odd occurrences, and a phenomenal CD along with it.
During their tour with The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Mars Volta started to mess around with The Soothsayer after shows. As they did, they started to get names, such as Goliath, and a story about a man, a woman and her mother - a story about love and curses and murder. And eventually, the board asked the band for a story in return.
The band started to take some phrases and make songs, started to make their newest release, but never gave anything to The Soothsayer. So, Goliath got angry.
Equipment issues plagued the band, the former drummer quit, Bixler Zavala needed surprise foot surgery, the sound engineer quit the project, Rodriguez-Lopez's studio floored.
As the board started to make demands and threats, the surface peeled off to reveal a pre-Aramaic language scrawled over cone shapes.
The Mars Volta made an executive decision and buried the board in an undisclosed place.
Yes, it may be a modern myth or, I daresay a lie, but damn, it makes one hell of an interesting back story.
The album is equally as strange as the story behind it. If you're not sure that you like The Mars Volta, buy it. If you want something different to listen to, buy it. If you're into The Spice Girls, TLC and Hanson, it's time to update your collection. Whatever you decide, buy this album and enjoy it.
This is quite possibly THE album release of the year. It may be way off the mainstream, but "Bedlam" is necessary to start or complete any collection, all while broadening your musical horizons.
Youth Voters Triple in Florida Primary
The Daily Collegian - 1/31/08
With the results from Tuesday night's vote in Florida already behind the candidates, the youth vote may have played a critical role in the Sunshine state's primary.
According to Florida PIRG, the number of voters in the state between the ages of 18 and 29 has more than tripled for both Democrats and Republicans since 2000.
In 2000, Florida PIRG reported the number of youth Democrats numbering at 38,639 and young Republicans at a further 41,970. In contrast, the group said in 2008 that there were 151,595 Democrats and 134,425 Republicans.
According to The Center for Information and Research on Civil Learning, the number of youth voters - when statistics were available - have increased in all 2008 primaries except in Iowa where the number of youth Republicans dropped by 10,000.
Youth voters, which now equal a quarter of the national electorate, will play a critical role in the 2008 election, Newvotersproject.com reported.
"Since 2003, we've registered more than 600,000 18-30 year olds and made 650,000 personalized, peer to peer contacts to turn young people out to the polls," the Web site said.
"Young people contacted by the Student PIRGs' New Voters Project turned out at a rate 13 percentage points higher than a group of demographically similar individuals who also registered to vote within six months of the election."
With the results from Tuesday night's vote in Florida already behind the candidates, the youth vote may have played a critical role in the Sunshine state's primary.
According to Florida PIRG, the number of voters in the state between the ages of 18 and 29 has more than tripled for both Democrats and Republicans since 2000.
In 2000, Florida PIRG reported the number of youth Democrats numbering at 38,639 and young Republicans at a further 41,970. In contrast, the group said in 2008 that there were 151,595 Democrats and 134,425 Republicans.
According to The Center for Information and Research on Civil Learning, the number of youth voters - when statistics were available - have increased in all 2008 primaries except in Iowa where the number of youth Republicans dropped by 10,000.
Youth voters, which now equal a quarter of the national electorate, will play a critical role in the 2008 election, Newvotersproject.com reported.
"Since 2003, we've registered more than 600,000 18-30 year olds and made 650,000 personalized, peer to peer contacts to turn young people out to the polls," the Web site said.
"Young people contacted by the Student PIRGs' New Voters Project turned out at a rate 13 percentage points higher than a group of demographically similar individuals who also registered to vote within six months of the election."
Catalan Language Taught
The Daily Collegian - 1/30/08
When Andreu Pedró-Garcia walks into his class every afternoon, he is one of only two university instructors in the state teaching the Catalan language.
This class, which was launched at the University of Massachusetts last fall, is an intensive language course. The class currently has 10 students enrolled, and the potential for 20 more. In such an intimate setting, Pedró-Garcia can tailor the lessons to fit the students' needs and help them learn how to communicate effectively.
"I used to live in Barcelona, and everything's in Catalan and I never learned the language," said Ayumi Mizuno, a freshman who took the course last semester. "Now I'm starting to understand what everyone's saying."
Alvaro Acosta, a self-described "language freak," took the course because he comes from Spain and never took the time in the past to learn Catalan.
"It's ironic - I never thought of learning Catalan in the States. I'm really enjoying it," he said.
Catalan is spoken by around eight million people in regions such as Catalonia and Valencia in Spain, the Balearic Islands, Andorra and the Italian island of Sardinia.
Although it is mainly spoken in a small corner of Europe, Catalan has had a troubled past. "The history of Catalan is a history that had to fight against all odds," Pedró-Garcia said.
Under Spanish Head of State Francisco Franco's nationalist regime, "the Catalan language was cruelly persecuted and officially prohibited," Pedró-Garcia said. "Most Catalan writers faced prison, exile, repression or even death."
Since Franco's death in 1975, the language has slowly become more mainstream. It now serves as an important business language in some Spanish cities, such as Barcelona, is broadcast on television and radio shows and is the official language of schools within borders of Catalan-speaking regions.
Currently, Pedró-Garcia is finishing his first semester teaching at UMass and is glad to be sharing his native language and culture with students here. "I'm passionate about the language… [and] I'm for the recuperation of [it]," he said.
A native Catalan speaker from Valencia, Pedró-Garcia studied at the prestigious Jaume I University in Castelló de la Plana for a degree in Translation and Interpreting before studying the teaching of modern languages at various other institutions.
After he earned his post-graduate degree, he taught Spanish at a grammar school in Belfast, N. Ireland and then Catalan and Spanish at the University of Cambridge in England.
Pedró-Garcia came to UMass through the Institut Ramon Llull, a global program founded to promote the learning of the Catalan language and culture in different countries. Currently, there are 19 other universities teaching Catalan in the United States through the Institut Ramon Llull.
While the UMass course has had a slow start, Pedró-Garcia hopes more will still sign up as they learn about the language and the history behind it.
With monetary support from the Catalonian government, a lack of funding for the program shouldn't be a problem. As long as students continue to sign up to learn the native language of tennis pro Rafael Nadal, architect Antoni Gaudí and surrealist Pablo Picasso, Pedró-Garcia will have succeeded in bringing the Catalan language to UMass.
When Andreu Pedró-Garcia walks into his class every afternoon, he is one of only two university instructors in the state teaching the Catalan language.
This class, which was launched at the University of Massachusetts last fall, is an intensive language course. The class currently has 10 students enrolled, and the potential for 20 more. In such an intimate setting, Pedró-Garcia can tailor the lessons to fit the students' needs and help them learn how to communicate effectively.
"I used to live in Barcelona, and everything's in Catalan and I never learned the language," said Ayumi Mizuno, a freshman who took the course last semester. "Now I'm starting to understand what everyone's saying."
Alvaro Acosta, a self-described "language freak," took the course because he comes from Spain and never took the time in the past to learn Catalan.
"It's ironic - I never thought of learning Catalan in the States. I'm really enjoying it," he said.
Catalan is spoken by around eight million people in regions such as Catalonia and Valencia in Spain, the Balearic Islands, Andorra and the Italian island of Sardinia.
Although it is mainly spoken in a small corner of Europe, Catalan has had a troubled past. "The history of Catalan is a history that had to fight against all odds," Pedró-Garcia said.
Under Spanish Head of State Francisco Franco's nationalist regime, "the Catalan language was cruelly persecuted and officially prohibited," Pedró-Garcia said. "Most Catalan writers faced prison, exile, repression or even death."
Since Franco's death in 1975, the language has slowly become more mainstream. It now serves as an important business language in some Spanish cities, such as Barcelona, is broadcast on television and radio shows and is the official language of schools within borders of Catalan-speaking regions.
Currently, Pedró-Garcia is finishing his first semester teaching at UMass and is glad to be sharing his native language and culture with students here. "I'm passionate about the language… [and] I'm for the recuperation of [it]," he said.
A native Catalan speaker from Valencia, Pedró-Garcia studied at the prestigious Jaume I University in Castelló de la Plana for a degree in Translation and Interpreting before studying the teaching of modern languages at various other institutions.
After he earned his post-graduate degree, he taught Spanish at a grammar school in Belfast, N. Ireland and then Catalan and Spanish at the University of Cambridge in England.
Pedró-Garcia came to UMass through the Institut Ramon Llull, a global program founded to promote the learning of the Catalan language and culture in different countries. Currently, there are 19 other universities teaching Catalan in the United States through the Institut Ramon Llull.
While the UMass course has had a slow start, Pedró-Garcia hopes more will still sign up as they learn about the language and the history behind it.
With monetary support from the Catalonian government, a lack of funding for the program shouldn't be a problem. As long as students continue to sign up to learn the native language of tennis pro Rafael Nadal, architect Antoni Gaudí and surrealist Pablo Picasso, Pedró-Garcia will have succeeded in bringing the Catalan language to UMass.
Student Remembered by Peers
The Daily Collegian - 1/28/08
As the new semester starts, friends and family of Jennifer Morganson mourn her loss and prepare to adjust to campus life without her.
Jennifer, a University of Massachusetts senior majoring in Women's Studies, passed away suddenly on Jan. 16 after suffering a brain aneurysm in her Puffton apartment.
She was just 22 years old.
Remembered as beautiful, friendly and giving, Ryan Benedict, a good friend of hers, said Jennifer was "such a great person… she definitely was a bright spot. Every time we got together… she would light up the room when she came in… you met her in five minutes and thought you were best friends."
Gregory Kleciak, another close friend, described Jennifer as "kind of like Mother Theresa meets Heidi Klum; she's beautiful and loved to help people."
Aside from being a ray of light to her friends, Benedict remembers Jennifer as always ready for a challenge, never letting things come easily to her.
As a challenge to herself and a way to help those in need, Jennifer went with Medical Ministry International to the Dominican Republic to help provide support to impoverished women and children.
"Her main goal was to give back to people… someday she was going to change the world," Kara Polesky said.
Polesky, who was one of Jennifer's roommates, described her as hardworking, a girl who brought life and enthusiasm to everything she did.
While Jennifer loved to be with her friends, she didn't earn the nickname "Loose Goose" for nothing: she loved working too.
"She was an energetic, fun, enthusiastic person to work with… she was probably one of the best people that worked here," said Brittany LeBlanc, a weekend supervisor at The Loose Goose Café in Amherst.
Jennifer transferred from Ithaca College to UMass after her freshman year and, to her friends, became a part of the school.
"She loved UMass… It's like she was always here," Polesky said. "She studied so hard… thinking of going back to school without her is devastating."
What started out as a headache after leaving the gym turned into a brain aneurysm. Jennifer was airlifted out of Amherst to UMass Medical, where she passed away, Polesky said.
It was only after Jennifer passed that she was able to give her final gift away - her organs.
To date, five people have received her organs, and several more will be transplanted, Polesky said. "She's continuing to give after leaving us."
And while because of organ donations she will continue to live through the lives of others, her friends still miss her dearly.
"I'll miss so many things," Polesky said. "[Mostly] seeing the happiness she brought to everyone's life."
"She's probably the friendliest person I've ever met… [she] will be missed," Kleciak said.
"Everyone has their own story and there's not one story to describe Jen… She lived life to the fullest [and]… touched so many people's lives… She was such an amazing person," LeBlanc said.
To help Jennifer's memory live on, Benedict said he and the rest of her friends plan on getting together each year to volunteer their time at a charity.
"We could donate all the money in the world, but Jen would want us to help people," he said.
As the new semester starts, friends and family of Jennifer Morganson mourn her loss and prepare to adjust to campus life without her.
Jennifer, a University of Massachusetts senior majoring in Women's Studies, passed away suddenly on Jan. 16 after suffering a brain aneurysm in her Puffton apartment.
She was just 22 years old.
Remembered as beautiful, friendly and giving, Ryan Benedict, a good friend of hers, said Jennifer was "such a great person… she definitely was a bright spot. Every time we got together… she would light up the room when she came in… you met her in five minutes and thought you were best friends."
Gregory Kleciak, another close friend, described Jennifer as "kind of like Mother Theresa meets Heidi Klum; she's beautiful and loved to help people."
Aside from being a ray of light to her friends, Benedict remembers Jennifer as always ready for a challenge, never letting things come easily to her.
As a challenge to herself and a way to help those in need, Jennifer went with Medical Ministry International to the Dominican Republic to help provide support to impoverished women and children.
"Her main goal was to give back to people… someday she was going to change the world," Kara Polesky said.
Polesky, who was one of Jennifer's roommates, described her as hardworking, a girl who brought life and enthusiasm to everything she did.
While Jennifer loved to be with her friends, she didn't earn the nickname "Loose Goose" for nothing: she loved working too.
"She was an energetic, fun, enthusiastic person to work with… she was probably one of the best people that worked here," said Brittany LeBlanc, a weekend supervisor at The Loose Goose Café in Amherst.
Jennifer transferred from Ithaca College to UMass after her freshman year and, to her friends, became a part of the school.
"She loved UMass… It's like she was always here," Polesky said. "She studied so hard… thinking of going back to school without her is devastating."
What started out as a headache after leaving the gym turned into a brain aneurysm. Jennifer was airlifted out of Amherst to UMass Medical, where she passed away, Polesky said.
It was only after Jennifer passed that she was able to give her final gift away - her organs.
To date, five people have received her organs, and several more will be transplanted, Polesky said. "She's continuing to give after leaving us."
And while because of organ donations she will continue to live through the lives of others, her friends still miss her dearly.
"I'll miss so many things," Polesky said. "[Mostly] seeing the happiness she brought to everyone's life."
"She's probably the friendliest person I've ever met… [she] will be missed," Kleciak said.
"Everyone has their own story and there's not one story to describe Jen… She lived life to the fullest [and]… touched so many people's lives… She was such an amazing person," LeBlanc said.
To help Jennifer's memory live on, Benedict said he and the rest of her friends plan on getting together each year to volunteer their time at a charity.
"We could donate all the money in the world, but Jen would want us to help people," he said.
CampusLIVE Creators Revamp Web site
The Daily Collegian - 9/11/07
For one University of Massachusetts student, not getting into the Isenberg School of Management fueled him to start his own national-based Web development company.
Jared Stenquist, the CEO of CampusLIVE, Inc. started work on his Website, then called zoomasslinks.com, during his sophomore year in 2005 to help accommodate the growing need for a central online access point for students.
"I realized everything college students were looking for wasn't readily available for them on a Web page," Stenquist said.
To make the Web site known, Stenquist said he and some friends posted banners on campus. Despite these signs, he said there was mostly verbal advertising, estimating over 95 percent of site users come from word-of-mouth referrals.
"In 2006, I started to see the site was taking off. We had over half of UMass using it daily. I decided to spread out and try it at other schools as well."
When Stenquist started expanding to other New England universities, he got an unfavorable reaction, mostly about using the school names as part of the domain name. At this point he found a single "brand" to put different university sites under: CampusLIVE.
Currently, with nearly 75 percent of the UMass campus using the site, Stenquist said CampusLIVE will be expanding to 20 schools as far away as Florida, Arizona and Colorado.
"We're going to be expanding from those 20…after more success," he said.
Busy running CampusLIVE, Stenquist decided to disenroll at UMass to focus instead on developing and updating his business.
"I left UMass to start a Web development company…because I couldn't get into the business school. I'm hoping after this they will let me in."
Currently based in Hadley, Stenquist owns the business with two other UMass students: Vice President of Marketing Jeff Caffidy, a graduate from ISOM, and Chief Technical Officer Boris Rezin, an enrolled senior.
Working full time, the CampusLIVE staff is planning to launch a new version of the site this Friday.
"This new version really allows [students] to customize everything. It's really their site; it's not what we're deciding they should see."
The new version, which took over a year to complete, will keep all of the features CampusLIVE has become known for, while also adding listings and reviews for all area restaurants and an option to completely customize the page.
Even with the national expansion, Stenquist said the company's main focus is supporting college students.
"We're trying to give them the best possible site. We're trying to be transparent - not a giant company trying to get what they want from students."
For one University of Massachusetts student, not getting into the Isenberg School of Management fueled him to start his own national-based Web development company.
Jared Stenquist, the CEO of CampusLIVE, Inc. started work on his Website, then called zoomasslinks.com, during his sophomore year in 2005 to help accommodate the growing need for a central online access point for students.
"I realized everything college students were looking for wasn't readily available for them on a Web page," Stenquist said.
To make the Web site known, Stenquist said he and some friends posted banners on campus. Despite these signs, he said there was mostly verbal advertising, estimating over 95 percent of site users come from word-of-mouth referrals.
"In 2006, I started to see the site was taking off. We had over half of UMass using it daily. I decided to spread out and try it at other schools as well."
When Stenquist started expanding to other New England universities, he got an unfavorable reaction, mostly about using the school names as part of the domain name. At this point he found a single "brand" to put different university sites under: CampusLIVE.
Currently, with nearly 75 percent of the UMass campus using the site, Stenquist said CampusLIVE will be expanding to 20 schools as far away as Florida, Arizona and Colorado.
"We're going to be expanding from those 20…after more success," he said.
Busy running CampusLIVE, Stenquist decided to disenroll at UMass to focus instead on developing and updating his business.
"I left UMass to start a Web development company…because I couldn't get into the business school. I'm hoping after this they will let me in."
Currently based in Hadley, Stenquist owns the business with two other UMass students: Vice President of Marketing Jeff Caffidy, a graduate from ISOM, and Chief Technical Officer Boris Rezin, an enrolled senior.
Working full time, the CampusLIVE staff is planning to launch a new version of the site this Friday.
"This new version really allows [students] to customize everything. It's really their site; it's not what we're deciding they should see."
The new version, which took over a year to complete, will keep all of the features CampusLIVE has become known for, while also adding listings and reviews for all area restaurants and an option to completely customize the page.
Even with the national expansion, Stenquist said the company's main focus is supporting college students.
"We're trying to give them the best possible site. We're trying to be transparent - not a giant company trying to get what they want from students."
Mixed Opinions on National Rankings
The Daily Collegian - 9/6/07
Students at the University of Massachusetts can't decide whether the Princeton Review's recent report will affect the school's "party hardy" reputation.
Once a top-10 staple on the Review's national party school ranking, UMass has fallen from No. 7 last year to completely off the list in the 2008 edition.
Although being omitted from the list might decrease national
recognition as a party school, freshman Erika Bergenson said it doesn't bother her.
"College is not only supposed to be about alcohol and drugs but about academics," she said. "It's a good thing, a more positive way to be looked at."
Matt Orlando said getting a degree at a school with a partying reputation causes possible employers to focus on the negative rather than the positive.
"Having a reputation as a party school cheapens my degree," he said.
Orlando, who is a sophomore, said he has never seen UMass as an amazing party school and has noticed parties getting progressively calmer during his time here.
Senior Peter Lukasik called the party culture at UMass a "self-perpetuating myth."
"I never though we were anything special as a party school," he said.
While some students may not think UMass is a true party school, others believe the campus is taking measures to crack down on partying and drinking.
"It's a lot harder to party after the school took down Frat Row and the police … and RAs became stricter," said Jason Wang, a senior in Lambda Phi Epsilon.
Wang's fraternity brother Cliff Kwang agreed, saying he has definitely noticed a decrease in partying after the demolition of some fraternity houses, including Lambda Phi Epsilon.
"A lot of kids come to party at school," Kwang said. "UMass is
affordable and still known as a party school … depending on where you are living. Southwest is still crazy [but] cops are cracking down."
Despite increased police presence, sophomore Joe Durell called partying at UMass "off the hook."
"My personal experience is we are Top-10 for sure," he said. "We party pretty hard at UMass."
To help dispel the myth that UMass students party all the time, the Campus and Community Coalition to Reduce High-Risk Drinking has started a social norms campaign.
This campaign is dedicated to educating the student body of the gap between the perceived amount of drinkers and the actual amount of drinkers. The slogan reads, "Two out three UMass students have four or fewer drinks when they party."
Students at the University of Massachusetts can't decide whether the Princeton Review's recent report will affect the school's "party hardy" reputation.
Once a top-10 staple on the Review's national party school ranking, UMass has fallen from No. 7 last year to completely off the list in the 2008 edition.
Although being omitted from the list might decrease national
recognition as a party school, freshman Erika Bergenson said it doesn't bother her.
"College is not only supposed to be about alcohol and drugs but about academics," she said. "It's a good thing, a more positive way to be looked at."
Matt Orlando said getting a degree at a school with a partying reputation causes possible employers to focus on the negative rather than the positive.
"Having a reputation as a party school cheapens my degree," he said.
Orlando, who is a sophomore, said he has never seen UMass as an amazing party school and has noticed parties getting progressively calmer during his time here.
Senior Peter Lukasik called the party culture at UMass a "self-perpetuating myth."
"I never though we were anything special as a party school," he said.
While some students may not think UMass is a true party school, others believe the campus is taking measures to crack down on partying and drinking.
"It's a lot harder to party after the school took down Frat Row and the police … and RAs became stricter," said Jason Wang, a senior in Lambda Phi Epsilon.
Wang's fraternity brother Cliff Kwang agreed, saying he has definitely noticed a decrease in partying after the demolition of some fraternity houses, including Lambda Phi Epsilon.
"A lot of kids come to party at school," Kwang said. "UMass is
affordable and still known as a party school … depending on where you are living. Southwest is still crazy [but] cops are cracking down."
Despite increased police presence, sophomore Joe Durell called partying at UMass "off the hook."
"My personal experience is we are Top-10 for sure," he said. "We party pretty hard at UMass."
To help dispel the myth that UMass students party all the time, the Campus and Community Coalition to Reduce High-Risk Drinking has started a social norms campaign.
This campaign is dedicated to educating the student body of the gap between the perceived amount of drinkers and the actual amount of drinkers. The slogan reads, "Two out three UMass students have four or fewer drinks when they party."
SOM uses Business Model for Healthcare
The Daily Collegian - 5/15/07
Americans are listing health care as the nation's most important problem after the War in Iraq in a recent poll- and a working group at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is doing something about it.
By applying a quality control program first developed in American industry, the UMass working group is seeking to improve the quality of health care and control costs at the same time, according to Soren Bisgaard, interim dean of the Isenberg School of Management.
The quality-control program, called Six Sigma, was born at Motorola, Inc. in 1979, when two engineers, noting that electronic pagers the company manufactured were failing at unacceptable rates, applied statistical techniques to improve the quality of the manufacturing process. Since then, the Six Sigma process has been applied in an array of fields to improve quality and control costs. Bisgaard said he's convinced the process can work well in health care, as well - the field which Americans consistently are listing as their most important concern after the Iraq war.
In fact, a report the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published in 2000 estimated that between 44,000 and 98,000 people die each year in the United States as the result of preventable medical errors. "Even using the lower estimate," the report said, "preventable medical errors in hospitals exceed attributable deaths to such feared threats as motor-vehicle wrecks, breast cancer, and AIDS."
Such errors, the report says, cost the nation between $17 billion and $29 billion per year in additional care to rectify the errors, lost income and household productivity, and disability - not counting a loss of trust in medical systems.
The IOM report recommended tackling these issues with renewed leadership, attention and resources - some of which came together at UMass as Bisgaard hosted a workshop for health care experts focused partly on applying the Six Sigma process in health care settings to improve health care quality while controlling the costs.
"Because of poor quality [there can be] hospital acquired infections…administrative errors…and other quality problems that make health care more expensive and less satisfactory to the customers," said Bisgaard.
Part of the problem, added Selena Kaplan, a registered nurse and graduate student in nursing and public health who assisted in setting up the workshop, "We need to address healthcare quality management on a system level and not as a series of unrelated pieces. When we design a process with the expectation of re-evaluating and changing it as our needs change, we save time and effort in the long run." Such efforts may help reduce not only the concerns Bisgaard raised, but time wasted in handling patient information, and patient wait times.
Bisgaard said that if health care prices continue to rise at the current rate, "health care is going to be too big of a burden to society."
In 2005, total health care spending cost $2 trillion, or $6,700 per person, and made up 16 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), according to the Washington, D.C.-based National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC). At this rate, by 2015, health care expenditures will equal $4 trillion and comprise 20 percent of the GDP, the group said.
The problems and costs will accelerate as the baby boom generation ages and requires more care, Kaplan said.
Bisgaard said that health care experts may be able to improve the quality of care by using new technology and innovative ideas to reduce medication errors and unnecessary medical procedures. One analytical means to do so, he explained, is to follow the five stages the Six Sigma model, to correct quality problems while providing a stable working environment.
The five stages of Six Sigma, he said, are: define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC), a process that he said can provide a solid base for working through a problem, no matter what a company's specialty. He said that Six Sigma only works if there is a focus on a specific issue or problem.
Six Sigma is a fairly new implementation in hospitals and other health care-related industries. In 2002, a Red Cross hospital in the Netherlands started using Six Sigma to solve problems, according to a 2005 article written for Six Sigma Forum Magazine by Bisgaard, Jaap van den Heuvel and Ronald J.M.M. Does.
Results at the hospital from applying the model included shortening the length of stay for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (COPD), creating a standard payment policy to medical suppliers, reducing the number of incorrect invoices by temp agencies and reducing the number of invoice mistakes, decreasing the length of children's stay by allowing parents to "room-in" overnight, and reducing the number of patients on expensive and sometimes-unnecessary intravenous antibiotics by administering such medicines orally, the article said.
Using Six Sigma, the patients received better care while the hospital saved over $400,000 annually.
"We are beginning to see [Six Sigma] really work in health care," Bisgaard said. He sees technical innovation ahead that "can make [health care] more effective, efficient and better." Bisgaard said. One such innovation, he said, is in retail health care.
Retail giants such as Wal-Mart and CVS are installing walk-in clinics in some of their locations, where patients can receive treatment for minor injuries, common illnesses, and the filling of prescriptions, according to MinuteClinic, Inc., a Minneapolis based firm specializing in installing and operating such clinics.
Retail health care availability might "provide a health care that is more efficient and provide low cost service to a broader segment of society," Bisgaard said. "I don't want to judge how well it works…but it is those kind of things [retail health care] we need to experiment with to find more efficient ways…[for] providing health care," he said. "As soon as we start to experiment with various ways of doing it, over time we will figure out better ways of delivering health care."
Bisgaard said that it's important to improve the health care system without a major overhaul, but through changes made directly to the system. Both incremental improvements that gradually refine procedures and breakthrough changes, on the order, for example, of what MinuteClinic proposes "go hand in hand [toward improvements]," Bisgaard said.
Americans appear ready for such change. In a 2003 ABC News poll, 34 percent of Americans said they were dissatisfied with current health care costs, and 59 percent worried about affording health care in the future.
Bisgaard seems convinced that once the quality of health care systems are improved by Six Sigma processes, costly errors will be minimized and the direct cost to patients and society can be lowered. "When you improve the quality, you automatically reduce the cost," he said.
Bisgaard's workshop last Friday at ISOM pulled together campus participants from nursing and public health, management, and medical and medical process specialists from the Pioneer Valley. Participants included his two European co-authors, and others from three universities and eight different health care organizations, he said.
"We expect this to be the first of several workshops where we are going to educate each other about what we can do…in heath care quality."
The United States currently has a publicly and privately-funded mix of health care. While government-funded programs such as Medicare and Medicaid cover older people and many, but not all of the poor, most health care insurance is funded by employers or directly by individual subscribers.
Because prices of health care for individuals are very expensive, many people and families who do not have coverage at the workplace are unable to afford adequate, or any, health care.
According to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau issued in 2006, 15.9 percent of the population had no health care in 2005.
Americans are listing health care as the nation's most important problem after the War in Iraq in a recent poll- and a working group at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is doing something about it.
By applying a quality control program first developed in American industry, the UMass working group is seeking to improve the quality of health care and control costs at the same time, according to Soren Bisgaard, interim dean of the Isenberg School of Management.
The quality-control program, called Six Sigma, was born at Motorola, Inc. in 1979, when two engineers, noting that electronic pagers the company manufactured were failing at unacceptable rates, applied statistical techniques to improve the quality of the manufacturing process. Since then, the Six Sigma process has been applied in an array of fields to improve quality and control costs. Bisgaard said he's convinced the process can work well in health care, as well - the field which Americans consistently are listing as their most important concern after the Iraq war.
In fact, a report the Institute of Medicine (IOM) published in 2000 estimated that between 44,000 and 98,000 people die each year in the United States as the result of preventable medical errors. "Even using the lower estimate," the report said, "preventable medical errors in hospitals exceed attributable deaths to such feared threats as motor-vehicle wrecks, breast cancer, and AIDS."
Such errors, the report says, cost the nation between $17 billion and $29 billion per year in additional care to rectify the errors, lost income and household productivity, and disability - not counting a loss of trust in medical systems.
The IOM report recommended tackling these issues with renewed leadership, attention and resources - some of which came together at UMass as Bisgaard hosted a workshop for health care experts focused partly on applying the Six Sigma process in health care settings to improve health care quality while controlling the costs.
"Because of poor quality [there can be] hospital acquired infections…administrative errors…and other quality problems that make health care more expensive and less satisfactory to the customers," said Bisgaard.
Part of the problem, added Selena Kaplan, a registered nurse and graduate student in nursing and public health who assisted in setting up the workshop, "We need to address healthcare quality management on a system level and not as a series of unrelated pieces. When we design a process with the expectation of re-evaluating and changing it as our needs change, we save time and effort in the long run." Such efforts may help reduce not only the concerns Bisgaard raised, but time wasted in handling patient information, and patient wait times.
Bisgaard said that if health care prices continue to rise at the current rate, "health care is going to be too big of a burden to society."
In 2005, total health care spending cost $2 trillion, or $6,700 per person, and made up 16 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), according to the Washington, D.C.-based National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC). At this rate, by 2015, health care expenditures will equal $4 trillion and comprise 20 percent of the GDP, the group said.
The problems and costs will accelerate as the baby boom generation ages and requires more care, Kaplan said.
Bisgaard said that health care experts may be able to improve the quality of care by using new technology and innovative ideas to reduce medication errors and unnecessary medical procedures. One analytical means to do so, he explained, is to follow the five stages the Six Sigma model, to correct quality problems while providing a stable working environment.
The five stages of Six Sigma, he said, are: define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC), a process that he said can provide a solid base for working through a problem, no matter what a company's specialty. He said that Six Sigma only works if there is a focus on a specific issue or problem.
Six Sigma is a fairly new implementation in hospitals and other health care-related industries. In 2002, a Red Cross hospital in the Netherlands started using Six Sigma to solve problems, according to a 2005 article written for Six Sigma Forum Magazine by Bisgaard, Jaap van den Heuvel and Ronald J.M.M. Does.
Results at the hospital from applying the model included shortening the length of stay for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients (COPD), creating a standard payment policy to medical suppliers, reducing the number of incorrect invoices by temp agencies and reducing the number of invoice mistakes, decreasing the length of children's stay by allowing parents to "room-in" overnight, and reducing the number of patients on expensive and sometimes-unnecessary intravenous antibiotics by administering such medicines orally, the article said.
Using Six Sigma, the patients received better care while the hospital saved over $400,000 annually.
"We are beginning to see [Six Sigma] really work in health care," Bisgaard said. He sees technical innovation ahead that "can make [health care] more effective, efficient and better." Bisgaard said. One such innovation, he said, is in retail health care.
Retail giants such as Wal-Mart and CVS are installing walk-in clinics in some of their locations, where patients can receive treatment for minor injuries, common illnesses, and the filling of prescriptions, according to MinuteClinic, Inc., a Minneapolis based firm specializing in installing and operating such clinics.
Retail health care availability might "provide a health care that is more efficient and provide low cost service to a broader segment of society," Bisgaard said. "I don't want to judge how well it works…but it is those kind of things [retail health care] we need to experiment with to find more efficient ways…[for] providing health care," he said. "As soon as we start to experiment with various ways of doing it, over time we will figure out better ways of delivering health care."
Bisgaard said that it's important to improve the health care system without a major overhaul, but through changes made directly to the system. Both incremental improvements that gradually refine procedures and breakthrough changes, on the order, for example, of what MinuteClinic proposes "go hand in hand [toward improvements]," Bisgaard said.
Americans appear ready for such change. In a 2003 ABC News poll, 34 percent of Americans said they were dissatisfied with current health care costs, and 59 percent worried about affording health care in the future.
Bisgaard seems convinced that once the quality of health care systems are improved by Six Sigma processes, costly errors will be minimized and the direct cost to patients and society can be lowered. "When you improve the quality, you automatically reduce the cost," he said.
Bisgaard's workshop last Friday at ISOM pulled together campus participants from nursing and public health, management, and medical and medical process specialists from the Pioneer Valley. Participants included his two European co-authors, and others from three universities and eight different health care organizations, he said.
"We expect this to be the first of several workshops where we are going to educate each other about what we can do…in heath care quality."
The United States currently has a publicly and privately-funded mix of health care. While government-funded programs such as Medicare and Medicaid cover older people and many, but not all of the poor, most health care insurance is funded by employers or directly by individual subscribers.
Because prices of health care for individuals are very expensive, many people and families who do not have coverage at the workplace are unable to afford adequate, or any, health care.
According to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau issued in 2006, 15.9 percent of the population had no health care in 2005.
Fort Devens Imitates Iraq - ROTC Trains Cadets With Realistic War Scenarios
The Daily Collegian - 5/30/07
"Sir, put the weapon down! You need to put the weapon down!" the soldier commands an Iraqi farmer's son. The father and son, driving back to their farm, were stopped at a roadside checkpoint to have their identification checked and undergo routine questioning. After calling in their IDs, the Iraqis were found to be using stolen military IDs and carrying an improvised explosive device (IED).
This is a routine day of training for the University of Massachusetts' Army ROTC.
The training takes place at Fort Devens in Massachusetts. One weekend a semester the Army ROTC helps train freshmen and sophomores while assessing juniors before their Leadership Development Assessment Course (LDAC). The LDAC is the Army ROTC's way to recognize talent and test leadership skills.
Training consists of different scenarios in each lane, or area, where it takes place. Some scenarios include a civilian presence on the battlefield, raiding a bunker and reacting to an IED. Each scenario lasts around two hours.
One scenario instructed cadets to set up a roadblock similar to what they might see in Iraq. Before actually constructing it, the cadets surveyed the area for good vantage points and planned what course of action to take.
By use of a crude string-and-dirt map, the cadets decided how to set up the barricades - where each person should be and what each person's job is. After they finished, the squad dispersed around the area. Some cadets found covered positions overlooking the road while others set up the checkpoint, using their rucksacks as jersey barriers.
The checkpoint was set up, two lines of rucksacks to stop vehicles and cadets waiting for someone to pass through. Soon, after giving the go-ahead signal, a white van pulled up with two men in it.
Two cadets instructed the driver to take the keys out of the ignition and asked the men - a local farmer and his son - for identification. The driver readily gave up his and instructed his son to do the same. After debating loudly with his father in Arabic, the son finally threw his ID out the window.
While the ID check cleared, the cadets ordered the father and son to exit the vehicle for a routine search. With the father about 20 feet away from the car, the son shouted in Arabic and waved his M16 in the air angrily. The cadets knew to be careful and quickly brought him to the ground and wrestled the gun away from him.
Meanwhile, the father, while being searched for weapons or contraband, chastised the cadets for giving him orders in his own country. After searching, the cadets ended up with a click pen, a cell phone, a standard knife and some papers. Father and son were cleared and free to go to their farm.
A debriefing followed the completion of the scenario. The cadets were given their assesments. These troops are not expected to know everything now, but rather to learn what to do and how to appropriately respond to situations they might encounter on the battlefield.
While troop placement and reaction were well done, the squad had three glaring errors in their approach. First, the setup of the jersey barriers left room for a vehicle to reverse or go forward through the checkpoint. In order to remedy this, the cadets abandoned the double barrier approach for a more secure layout. Now, rucksacks are arranged in three lines with a space for the vehicle to pull in to. Once in the designated space, a vehicle barely has any room to drive forward or backward without ramming into a barrier.
The second problem was in not confiscating the farmer's cell phone and click pen. Those two items, the cadets were told, are often used to set off an IED and should not be within reach of a possible enemy combatant until the vehicle is cleared.
The third error, pointed out by the farmer while being searched, is harder to remedy. The mistake the cadets made was not treating the Iraqi farmer and his son with enough respect. They were instructed to make conversation with civilians and see if everything makes sense in their story. Also, the cadets were told to try and not give orders or force civilians to do anything. By excessively dominating a civilian, a soldier might unintentionally make a once neutral person a hostile threat.
After debriefing, the cadets prepared themselves for another run-through of a checkpoint scenario. They changed the barrier, got into position and waited for the next vehicle to come to the checkpoint.
As the van pulled up, two cadets approached and asked for identification. This time they had a friendly but reserved attitude to the Iraqi farmer and his son. The feeling was reciprocated, and everything seemed to be going fine until the ID check came back. The Iraqi men had tried to pass stolen military IDs as their own.
The cadets politely asked the men to step out of the vehicle for a routine check, not letting them know their ID had been spotted as fake. The farmer and son were brought to separate areas and searched while the cadets searched the van for an IED, papers or anything else illegal or suspicious.
The farmer had nothing on him besides the cell phone, knife and click pen but became angry when restrained and argumentative. The son, once again, refused to give up his weapon and tried to fight the cadets for it. They subdued him, immediately flex-cuffed him and brought him to a holding area. The only thing they had left to do was search the car.
Inside they found everyday items: tools, rucksacks, some clothes, maps and a circular piece of plastic. The maps were taken back, but everything else was left in the van. The training ended and debriefing followed.
Although the cadets fixed their previous errors, they missed one thing this time - the circular piece of plastic. About the size and shape of an old carburetor, this plastic models a mine commonly used as the explosive in an IED. Although this IED was missing a detonator, the men could have been transporting it for an attack at another military base or checkpoint or just as a roadside bomb.
The cadets will learn from their mistake and not make it in the future. Every day, these cadets move closer and closer to being relatively mistake-free or at least learning what their mistakes can lead to. During training, mistakes can be made and remedied.
In two hours, the cadets have learned skills that will stay with them in their every day life and help keep them alive in a combat zone.
"Sir, put the weapon down! You need to put the weapon down!" the soldier commands an Iraqi farmer's son. The father and son, driving back to their farm, were stopped at a roadside checkpoint to have their identification checked and undergo routine questioning. After calling in their IDs, the Iraqis were found to be using stolen military IDs and carrying an improvised explosive device (IED).
This is a routine day of training for the University of Massachusetts' Army ROTC.
The training takes place at Fort Devens in Massachusetts. One weekend a semester the Army ROTC helps train freshmen and sophomores while assessing juniors before their Leadership Development Assessment Course (LDAC). The LDAC is the Army ROTC's way to recognize talent and test leadership skills.
Training consists of different scenarios in each lane, or area, where it takes place. Some scenarios include a civilian presence on the battlefield, raiding a bunker and reacting to an IED. Each scenario lasts around two hours.
One scenario instructed cadets to set up a roadblock similar to what they might see in Iraq. Before actually constructing it, the cadets surveyed the area for good vantage points and planned what course of action to take.
By use of a crude string-and-dirt map, the cadets decided how to set up the barricades - where each person should be and what each person's job is. After they finished, the squad dispersed around the area. Some cadets found covered positions overlooking the road while others set up the checkpoint, using their rucksacks as jersey barriers.
The checkpoint was set up, two lines of rucksacks to stop vehicles and cadets waiting for someone to pass through. Soon, after giving the go-ahead signal, a white van pulled up with two men in it.
Two cadets instructed the driver to take the keys out of the ignition and asked the men - a local farmer and his son - for identification. The driver readily gave up his and instructed his son to do the same. After debating loudly with his father in Arabic, the son finally threw his ID out the window.
While the ID check cleared, the cadets ordered the father and son to exit the vehicle for a routine search. With the father about 20 feet away from the car, the son shouted in Arabic and waved his M16 in the air angrily. The cadets knew to be careful and quickly brought him to the ground and wrestled the gun away from him.
Meanwhile, the father, while being searched for weapons or contraband, chastised the cadets for giving him orders in his own country. After searching, the cadets ended up with a click pen, a cell phone, a standard knife and some papers. Father and son were cleared and free to go to their farm.
A debriefing followed the completion of the scenario. The cadets were given their assesments. These troops are not expected to know everything now, but rather to learn what to do and how to appropriately respond to situations they might encounter on the battlefield.
While troop placement and reaction were well done, the squad had three glaring errors in their approach. First, the setup of the jersey barriers left room for a vehicle to reverse or go forward through the checkpoint. In order to remedy this, the cadets abandoned the double barrier approach for a more secure layout. Now, rucksacks are arranged in three lines with a space for the vehicle to pull in to. Once in the designated space, a vehicle barely has any room to drive forward or backward without ramming into a barrier.
The second problem was in not confiscating the farmer's cell phone and click pen. Those two items, the cadets were told, are often used to set off an IED and should not be within reach of a possible enemy combatant until the vehicle is cleared.
The third error, pointed out by the farmer while being searched, is harder to remedy. The mistake the cadets made was not treating the Iraqi farmer and his son with enough respect. They were instructed to make conversation with civilians and see if everything makes sense in their story. Also, the cadets were told to try and not give orders or force civilians to do anything. By excessively dominating a civilian, a soldier might unintentionally make a once neutral person a hostile threat.
After debriefing, the cadets prepared themselves for another run-through of a checkpoint scenario. They changed the barrier, got into position and waited for the next vehicle to come to the checkpoint.
As the van pulled up, two cadets approached and asked for identification. This time they had a friendly but reserved attitude to the Iraqi farmer and his son. The feeling was reciprocated, and everything seemed to be going fine until the ID check came back. The Iraqi men had tried to pass stolen military IDs as their own.
The cadets politely asked the men to step out of the vehicle for a routine check, not letting them know their ID had been spotted as fake. The farmer and son were brought to separate areas and searched while the cadets searched the van for an IED, papers or anything else illegal or suspicious.
The farmer had nothing on him besides the cell phone, knife and click pen but became angry when restrained and argumentative. The son, once again, refused to give up his weapon and tried to fight the cadets for it. They subdued him, immediately flex-cuffed him and brought him to a holding area. The only thing they had left to do was search the car.
Inside they found everyday items: tools, rucksacks, some clothes, maps and a circular piece of plastic. The maps were taken back, but everything else was left in the van. The training ended and debriefing followed.
Although the cadets fixed their previous errors, they missed one thing this time - the circular piece of plastic. About the size and shape of an old carburetor, this plastic models a mine commonly used as the explosive in an IED. Although this IED was missing a detonator, the men could have been transporting it for an attack at another military base or checkpoint or just as a roadside bomb.
The cadets will learn from their mistake and not make it in the future. Every day, these cadets move closer and closer to being relatively mistake-free or at least learning what their mistakes can lead to. During training, mistakes can be made and remedied.
In two hours, the cadets have learned skills that will stay with them in their every day life and help keep them alive in a combat zone.
More than a View from the Top: New Marriott Center Opens on Top Floor of Campus Center
The Daily Collegian - 4/30/07
A new $6.3 million facility atop the Campus Center of the University of Massachusetts has opened to make hospitality and tourism management students more competitive, the latest evidence of a UMass strategy to increase its national competitiveness by leveraging state funds with private dollars.
The new facility is named the Marriott Center for Hospitality Management after J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott, the late benefactors of their private foundation who awarded $2 million in two separate grants to construct the facility in the space, previously known as the "Top of the Campus." The Marriotts were the founders of the world-wide food service, hotel and hospitality management enterprise that bears their name.
To fund the new facility, the foundation contributed two grants of $1 million each - the first to fund a 200-seat Marriott Dining Room; the second, to help build a state-of-the-art production kitchen and two laboratory-classrooms, according to University officials who held a dedication ceremony last Friday.
The remaining $4.3 million was funded by 20 other beneficiaries including: Mohegan Sun, Ninety-Nine Restaurants, the Massachusetts Lodging Association, the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and Darden Restaurants Foundation.
The new Center now houses all of HTM's food and beverage operations, replacing older facilities that had been split between Chenoweth Laboratory and Skinner Hall. The new kitchen includes some of the most up-to-date culinary equipment, and the classrooms and laboratories contain new equipment, as well.
The result will be a "whole new level of education for students," according to Hospitality and Tourism Management Department Head Rod Warnick.
"We can do things here we would never have been able to in the past," Warnick said.
The Center will be used mainly for Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management classes and events intended to provide students a hands-on working environment. But the Center also can be booked for private events and is open to the public during regular restaurant hours. The Marriott Center also may be used for wedding receptions and conferences.
Serving both lunch and dinner during the week, the students working at the restaurant can expect to see between 40 and 70 customers each semester, according to junior Timothy Gould, who spoke at the dedication. Lunch and dinner prepared by students are served to the public at the facility from Tuesday through Thursday, costs $8 and $10 respectively.
Marriott Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Selection Stephen Bauman, who represented the company at the dedication, said the foundation donated $2 million because it's "invested in educating tomorrow's leaders in hospitality, tourism and management.
"We want technically proficient leaders to perform in our industry, particularly [at] Marriott," Bauman said. He said his company classifies UMass as a "Tier-1" school, to which the company pays "more attention to curriculum, careers and recruiting."
Chancellor John Lombardi called the Center a "remarkable resource for events on campus… [where] students learn how to deal with a high-end facility."
Senator Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst) said, "[UMass students are] now going to have the best kitchen available to actually work in, compared to what they have been working in for a number a years."
Although there was no state funding in building, the Center there is now a commitment to match the generosity of the Marriott Foundation, Rosenberg said.
A new plan by the UMass Board of Trustees and the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education anticipates providing $4 billion in support for public colleges across the state, Rosenberg said.
"Too much capital expenditure is on the back of the students and that is going to change," Rosenberg said of the plan citing that 25 years ago, the state would be paying for most, if not all, expenditures.
"UMass' campus has an enormous need for renewal and the Commonwealth has been AWOL in the support it needs for facilities," Rosenberg added. If the Legislature passes the plan, UMass' Amherst campus will receive $1.1 - $1.2 billion, he said.
A new $6.3 million facility atop the Campus Center of the University of Massachusetts has opened to make hospitality and tourism management students more competitive, the latest evidence of a UMass strategy to increase its national competitiveness by leveraging state funds with private dollars.
The new facility is named the Marriott Center for Hospitality Management after J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott, the late benefactors of their private foundation who awarded $2 million in two separate grants to construct the facility in the space, previously known as the "Top of the Campus." The Marriotts were the founders of the world-wide food service, hotel and hospitality management enterprise that bears their name.
To fund the new facility, the foundation contributed two grants of $1 million each - the first to fund a 200-seat Marriott Dining Room; the second, to help build a state-of-the-art production kitchen and two laboratory-classrooms, according to University officials who held a dedication ceremony last Friday.
The remaining $4.3 million was funded by 20 other beneficiaries including: Mohegan Sun, Ninety-Nine Restaurants, the Massachusetts Lodging Association, the Massachusetts Restaurant Association and Darden Restaurants Foundation.
The new Center now houses all of HTM's food and beverage operations, replacing older facilities that had been split between Chenoweth Laboratory and Skinner Hall. The new kitchen includes some of the most up-to-date culinary equipment, and the classrooms and laboratories contain new equipment, as well.
The result will be a "whole new level of education for students," according to Hospitality and Tourism Management Department Head Rod Warnick.
"We can do things here we would never have been able to in the past," Warnick said.
The Center will be used mainly for Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management classes and events intended to provide students a hands-on working environment. But the Center also can be booked for private events and is open to the public during regular restaurant hours. The Marriott Center also may be used for wedding receptions and conferences.
Serving both lunch and dinner during the week, the students working at the restaurant can expect to see between 40 and 70 customers each semester, according to junior Timothy Gould, who spoke at the dedication. Lunch and dinner prepared by students are served to the public at the facility from Tuesday through Thursday, costs $8 and $10 respectively.
Marriott Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Selection Stephen Bauman, who represented the company at the dedication, said the foundation donated $2 million because it's "invested in educating tomorrow's leaders in hospitality, tourism and management.
"We want technically proficient leaders to perform in our industry, particularly [at] Marriott," Bauman said. He said his company classifies UMass as a "Tier-1" school, to which the company pays "more attention to curriculum, careers and recruiting."
Chancellor John Lombardi called the Center a "remarkable resource for events on campus… [where] students learn how to deal with a high-end facility."
Senator Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst) said, "[UMass students are] now going to have the best kitchen available to actually work in, compared to what they have been working in for a number a years."
Although there was no state funding in building, the Center there is now a commitment to match the generosity of the Marriott Foundation, Rosenberg said.
A new plan by the UMass Board of Trustees and the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education anticipates providing $4 billion in support for public colleges across the state, Rosenberg said.
"Too much capital expenditure is on the back of the students and that is going to change," Rosenberg said of the plan citing that 25 years ago, the state would be paying for most, if not all, expenditures.
"UMass' campus has an enormous need for renewal and the Commonwealth has been AWOL in the support it needs for facilities," Rosenberg added. If the Legislature passes the plan, UMass' Amherst campus will receive $1.1 - $1.2 billion, he said.
UMass Remembers Virginia Tech Victims
The Daily Collegian - 4/20/07
A vigil sponsored by several campus organizations took place Thursday last night to support members of the University of Massachusetts community in wake of the Monday and remember the victims of Monday's shooting at Virginia Tech.
The vigil, organized by the Religious Affairs Committee and , the Center for Student Development and Campus Life started at 6 p.m. on Thursday night in Campus Centerauditorium and drew in a crowd of approximately 600 people.
Chris Clark, chairperson of the Religious Affairs committee and a campus minister at the Newman Center, said that it is important for a group experiencing shock and grief to be able to gather in a safe space and process what they are going through.
Greg Callanan, a senior, said that although he was only able to stay for part of the vigil, it is important to support Virginia Tech.
"People join Facebook and other groups that are types of non-active support," Callanan said. "Giving a little bit of your time in a vigil is active support for a cause. It is important to come together as a college campus and community."
Callanan, who was driving through Virginia when he found out about the shooting, wondered how this could possibly happen to anybody.
"It could happen anywhere," Callanan addedhe said.
"Whenever you have an event of this magnitude, it raises fear, paranoia and uncertainty… these are all normal experiences for people to feel at a time like this," said Dr. Jen Lexington, a therapist at UMass Mental Health Services. (MHS), said.
Senior Katie Poulin, said that she is glad the campus can come together to show their support for the people from Virginia Tech and their support for each other.
"Having support is something we need to do as a college community. I know people from Virginia who were missing the support that we have here at UMass," senior Katherine Harris said.
The vigil featured various campus speakers, a moment of silence, a reading of the names of those known to be deceased and an emotional song by the UMass Chamber Choir to close the event.
Genevieve Feldman, a sophomore, said that it was a great honor to attend a vigil like this and see the community connecting this way. Feldman, who grew up near Blacksburg, VA Va. said that she went to the vigil because she wanted to show support to the friends she has in the area and those going through a hard time, as well as showingto show her respect for the Blacksburg community.
John Baillieul, a junior, thought that although the vigil was well done, he expected more people and said that it was "under attended."
Clark said that the groups responsible for the vigil were not looking for a high turnout but rather, only looking to help anyone who needed support at this point in time.
"The vigil was an important and crucial moment," Clark said.. "We need to be conscious of our need to create meaning around this event. Virginia Tech is showing us what a helpful response will be on our part.," Clark said."
"People are emotionally distraught now but these emotions will fade over time," Dr. Lexington said. To help in this support, MHS offers various counseling services and campus support forums.
Dr. Lexington also said that, depending on student support and response, a group opportunity could possibly be available to support those on campus in a smaller setting.
"We need to seize the moment, appreciate the day and love one another well.," Clark continued. "That kind of attention to each other is part of UMass life already. UMass has so much to be proud of," Clark continued."
Clark said that today the UMass campus is celebrating Hokie Hope Day to help support Virginia Tech. UMass students can take part in showing their support by wearing Virginia Tech's colors: orange and maroon.
The shooting at Virginia Tech took place on Monday at the Blacksburg, VA campus and ended with the death of 33 people, including the gunman.
The gunman, Cho Seung-hui initially killed 2 people in West Ambler Johnston Hall, a dormitory, at 7:15 a.m. Two hours later, Cho entered Norris Hall and killed 30 other people before committed suicide.
A vigil sponsored by several campus organizations took place Thursday last night to support members of the University of Massachusetts community in wake of the Monday and remember the victims of Monday's shooting at Virginia Tech.
The vigil, organized by the Religious Affairs Committee and , the Center for Student Development and Campus Life started at 6 p.m. on Thursday night in Campus Centerauditorium and drew in a crowd of approximately 600 people.
Chris Clark, chairperson of the Religious Affairs committee and a campus minister at the Newman Center, said that it is important for a group experiencing shock and grief to be able to gather in a safe space and process what they are going through.
Greg Callanan, a senior, said that although he was only able to stay for part of the vigil, it is important to support Virginia Tech.
"People join Facebook and other groups that are types of non-active support," Callanan said. "Giving a little bit of your time in a vigil is active support for a cause. It is important to come together as a college campus and community."
Callanan, who was driving through Virginia when he found out about the shooting, wondered how this could possibly happen to anybody.
"It could happen anywhere," Callanan addedhe said.
"Whenever you have an event of this magnitude, it raises fear, paranoia and uncertainty… these are all normal experiences for people to feel at a time like this," said Dr. Jen Lexington, a therapist at UMass Mental Health Services. (MHS), said.
Senior Katie Poulin, said that she is glad the campus can come together to show their support for the people from Virginia Tech and their support for each other.
"Having support is something we need to do as a college community. I know people from Virginia who were missing the support that we have here at UMass," senior Katherine Harris said.
The vigil featured various campus speakers, a moment of silence, a reading of the names of those known to be deceased and an emotional song by the UMass Chamber Choir to close the event.
Genevieve Feldman, a sophomore, said that it was a great honor to attend a vigil like this and see the community connecting this way. Feldman, who grew up near Blacksburg, VA Va. said that she went to the vigil because she wanted to show support to the friends she has in the area and those going through a hard time, as well as showingto show her respect for the Blacksburg community.
John Baillieul, a junior, thought that although the vigil was well done, he expected more people and said that it was "under attended."
Clark said that the groups responsible for the vigil were not looking for a high turnout but rather, only looking to help anyone who needed support at this point in time.
"The vigil was an important and crucial moment," Clark said.. "We need to be conscious of our need to create meaning around this event. Virginia Tech is showing us what a helpful response will be on our part.," Clark said."
"People are emotionally distraught now but these emotions will fade over time," Dr. Lexington said. To help in this support, MHS offers various counseling services and campus support forums.
Dr. Lexington also said that, depending on student support and response, a group opportunity could possibly be available to support those on campus in a smaller setting.
"We need to seize the moment, appreciate the day and love one another well.," Clark continued. "That kind of attention to each other is part of UMass life already. UMass has so much to be proud of," Clark continued."
Clark said that today the UMass campus is celebrating Hokie Hope Day to help support Virginia Tech. UMass students can take part in showing their support by wearing Virginia Tech's colors: orange and maroon.
The shooting at Virginia Tech took place on Monday at the Blacksburg, VA campus and ended with the death of 33 people, including the gunman.
The gunman, Cho Seung-hui initially killed 2 people in West Ambler Johnston Hall, a dormitory, at 7:15 a.m. Two hours later, Cho entered Norris Hall and killed 30 other people before committed suicide.
Barnes and Noble Features Local Author
The Daily Collegian - 4/9/07
Barnes & Noble has selected a book by a local author for its May online book club.
The store will use Kris Holloway's first book, "Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali," in its online book club featuring author-led discussions. Holloway said that during the discussions she will talk about such issues as international service, women's health, children's health, international development and cross-cultural friendship and relations.
Holloway, who currently lives in Northampton, said she wrote "Monique and the Mango Rains" as a memoir about a midwife she met while volunteering with the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa, told through the eyes of a westerner.
The midwife, Monique Dembele, served as the primary healthcare worker for a village of 1,400 people.
"Monique worked in a place where the life-time risk of a woman dying during childbirth or pregnancy is one in 12, one of the highest maternal death rates in the world," said Holloway. "She was completely committed to her work and was delivering these babies safely with no electricity, no running water and no medical equipment," she said.
Monique, who died in 1998 during childbirth, motivated Holloway to tell the world about her.
"I had to find out how this wonderful friend and fabulous midwife could herself die in childbirth with her baby. That was the impetus to write the book," she said.
Holloway said the creation of "Monique and the Mango Rains" lasted five years from start to finish.
"It took two and a half years to get an agent, one year to sell the idea and one year to actually write it. It's like the little engine that could," Holloway explained.
Research for "Monique and the Mango Rains" involved collecting letters, journals, recordings or anything Holloway and her husband John Bidwell gathered during their Peace Corps trip, Holloway said on moniquemangorains.com, the book's Web site. After getting this initial research, Holloway and Bidwell went on a return trip to Mali to visit Monique's clinic and gather her prenatal records and conduct more interviews.
A percentage of the proceeds go towards Cabinet de Soins Monique, or "Clinique Monique" for short - a healthcare clinic for families dedicated to Monique, which began in 2004 by Monique's cousin.
According to moniquemangorains.com, for her next project, Holloway said: "I'd love to do more work in Mali and write about other aspects of the people and of life there. I'd also like to write about other great women who are too humble to write their own stories.
"If I can meet this really fabulous woman and write a book about her, how many other women are out there that we can learn from and get to know?" Holloway said.
Last Thursday night, Holloway read an excerpt from and spoke about "Monique and the Mango Rains" in the Isenberg School of Management building.
Barnes & Noble has selected a book by a local author for its May online book club.
The store will use Kris Holloway's first book, "Monique and the Mango Rains: Two Years with a Midwife in Mali," in its online book club featuring author-led discussions. Holloway said that during the discussions she will talk about such issues as international service, women's health, children's health, international development and cross-cultural friendship and relations.
Holloway, who currently lives in Northampton, said she wrote "Monique and the Mango Rains" as a memoir about a midwife she met while volunteering with the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa, told through the eyes of a westerner.
The midwife, Monique Dembele, served as the primary healthcare worker for a village of 1,400 people.
"Monique worked in a place where the life-time risk of a woman dying during childbirth or pregnancy is one in 12, one of the highest maternal death rates in the world," said Holloway. "She was completely committed to her work and was delivering these babies safely with no electricity, no running water and no medical equipment," she said.
Monique, who died in 1998 during childbirth, motivated Holloway to tell the world about her.
"I had to find out how this wonderful friend and fabulous midwife could herself die in childbirth with her baby. That was the impetus to write the book," she said.
Holloway said the creation of "Monique and the Mango Rains" lasted five years from start to finish.
"It took two and a half years to get an agent, one year to sell the idea and one year to actually write it. It's like the little engine that could," Holloway explained.
Research for "Monique and the Mango Rains" involved collecting letters, journals, recordings or anything Holloway and her husband John Bidwell gathered during their Peace Corps trip, Holloway said on moniquemangorains.com, the book's Web site. After getting this initial research, Holloway and Bidwell went on a return trip to Mali to visit Monique's clinic and gather her prenatal records and conduct more interviews.
A percentage of the proceeds go towards Cabinet de Soins Monique, or "Clinique Monique" for short - a healthcare clinic for families dedicated to Monique, which began in 2004 by Monique's cousin.
According to moniquemangorains.com, for her next project, Holloway said: "I'd love to do more work in Mali and write about other aspects of the people and of life there. I'd also like to write about other great women who are too humble to write their own stories.
"If I can meet this really fabulous woman and write a book about her, how many other women are out there that we can learn from and get to know?" Holloway said.
Last Thursday night, Holloway read an excerpt from and spoke about "Monique and the Mango Rains" in the Isenberg School of Management building.
Raging Grannies Hold Anti-war Rally in Greenfield
The Daily Collegian - 4/4/07
The Raging Grannies, a local group advocating peace and government reform, staged a rally to support five members of the group who were arrested while protesting the war in Iraq yesterday.
The protest, which was held in front of the Greenfield District courthouse, included the Raging Grannies and two dozen of their supporters, many adorned with colorful signs, clothes and buttons, and used the power of words and song to protest the war in Iraq.
Singing homemade protest lyrics to melodies of traditional music, the Grannies focused mainly on criticizing President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq, and also sang about what their group is and why they protest.
"We're the Raging Grannies," they sang, "and we're here to make a stand against the raging killing in Afghanistan."
Linda Sarage, a Grannies supporter, said "the Raging Grannies is a wonderful outlet for the rage against a government not listening to its people and against Constitutional violation. People listen to the Grannies."
"The Raging Grannies are here to do anything we can to expose the lies of the Bush administration and to end this war," said Paki Wieland, another member of the group who was previously arrested. "Today's rally is one consequence of our act of civil disobedience [at the Army recruitment station]."
Ellen Graves, a former Vietnam protester and civil rights worker, says being part of the group helps her keep her sense of humor when dealing with such serious issues.
The arrests took place on Nov. 15, 2006 following a sit-in and protest at the Greenfield U.S. Army Recruiting station and charged the five Grannies with trespassing in a government building.
Just before 4 p.m. on Nov. 15, members of the Raging Grannies entered the station with a basket of oatmeal raisin cookies and voiced their opinions on the war in Iraq, Sgt. First Class Stanley Farley said.
Wieland said they went to station because, "we believe the recruiter's job is to fill the ranks of soldiers who are being sent to Iraq to kill and be killed for war profiteering, not for any noble cause."
When asked to leave, the Grannies refused and eventually surrounded the recruiting station, Farley said.
"They were very polite, but we were still conducting business. After asking them to leave twice, we called the Greenfield police and closed the office for the day. When the Greenfield police got here, they still refused to leave and were arrested," said Farley.
The Raging Grannies were found not guilty of the charges at the Greenfield District courthouse yesterday, Wieland said.
"I believe this is a victory for justice," Wieland said of the sentence. "It was a necessity to trespass and protest a greater evil, the War."
The Raging Grannies, a local group advocating peace and government reform, staged a rally to support five members of the group who were arrested while protesting the war in Iraq yesterday.
The protest, which was held in front of the Greenfield District courthouse, included the Raging Grannies and two dozen of their supporters, many adorned with colorful signs, clothes and buttons, and used the power of words and song to protest the war in Iraq.
Singing homemade protest lyrics to melodies of traditional music, the Grannies focused mainly on criticizing President George W. Bush and the war in Iraq, and also sang about what their group is and why they protest.
"We're the Raging Grannies," they sang, "and we're here to make a stand against the raging killing in Afghanistan."
Linda Sarage, a Grannies supporter, said "the Raging Grannies is a wonderful outlet for the rage against a government not listening to its people and against Constitutional violation. People listen to the Grannies."
"The Raging Grannies are here to do anything we can to expose the lies of the Bush administration and to end this war," said Paki Wieland, another member of the group who was previously arrested. "Today's rally is one consequence of our act of civil disobedience [at the Army recruitment station]."
Ellen Graves, a former Vietnam protester and civil rights worker, says being part of the group helps her keep her sense of humor when dealing with such serious issues.
The arrests took place on Nov. 15, 2006 following a sit-in and protest at the Greenfield U.S. Army Recruiting station and charged the five Grannies with trespassing in a government building.
Just before 4 p.m. on Nov. 15, members of the Raging Grannies entered the station with a basket of oatmeal raisin cookies and voiced their opinions on the war in Iraq, Sgt. First Class Stanley Farley said.
Wieland said they went to station because, "we believe the recruiter's job is to fill the ranks of soldiers who are being sent to Iraq to kill and be killed for war profiteering, not for any noble cause."
When asked to leave, the Grannies refused and eventually surrounded the recruiting station, Farley said.
"They were very polite, but we were still conducting business. After asking them to leave twice, we called the Greenfield police and closed the office for the day. When the Greenfield police got here, they still refused to leave and were arrested," said Farley.
The Raging Grannies were found not guilty of the charges at the Greenfield District courthouse yesterday, Wieland said.
"I believe this is a victory for justice," Wieland said of the sentence. "It was a necessity to trespass and protest a greater evil, the War."
UMass Student Competes for Cash in Spike TV Photo Contest
The Daily Collegian - 4/2/07
No stranger to risqué photographs of its undergrads, The University of Massachusetts has had one student pose for Playboy earlier this year and now has a contestant in Spike TV's Bracket Babes competition.
Candice Valetutti, a sophomore psychology major and education minor, found an ad for the Spike TV contest on facebook.com promoting college women to submit their pictures for a chance to win $5,000.
Although Valetutti said she did not take the first picture too seriously, when Spike TV emailed her back and told her to take another picture of herself in jeans and a white t-shirt, she scrambled to get a good one and hoped this would qualify her to be a finalist.
"I was so surprised when they called me to tell me I was a finalist…they wanted me to go to my own photo shoot with my own stylist and photographer," said Valetutti.
The photo shoot, which took place on President's Day, was an eight-hour adventure of trying on "crazy clothes" and seeing which pictures worked and which ones did not.
"When I showed my family the pictures, my brother wished me luck, my grandma cried and said that I was going to be a porn star and my father said that I looked 'nice'," said the UMass sophomore.
The UMass campus is also very supportive to Valetutti. "This guy I never met held a door open for me and told me that he voted for me and wished me luck," she said.
Besides the casual greeting and good luck wishes, Candice's friends have started a facebook.com group for her, made "Bracket Babe" chants and have even dubbed themselves "Candice-a-teers."
Candice, who has done modeling in the past, is no stranger to the camera. Some of her experiences include a walk-on role in Spiderman 3, one of the concert-goers in the film Music and Lyrics and modeling in fashion shows and magazines.
Even with all of this background, Valetutti still considers herself "one of the guys" and enjoys tailgating at Giants games, playing Guitar Hero and racing her Mazda RX8 in a predominantly male club.
"Because most of the people in the club are men over 50, when I first started going to the club, I was looked at kind of strangely. After they saw that I respect my car and everyone in the club, I fit in a little bit better," she said.
The winner of the Bracket Babes contest will take part in a New York City press conference, get another photo shoot and receive $5,000.
If she wins, Valetutti plans to give $1,000 to Jessie's House, a group that is part of the Boltwood Project. Jessie's House helps people in-between housing get back on their feet. Valetutti said "We go there and play with, teach and role model for the children living in Jessie's House. It's so rewarding."
Valetutti also said that she might consider modeling more in the future but, as of right now, wants to be a kindergarten teacher.
"It's so nice to have all of my friend's support. With over 650 people in the Facebook group…it's awesome."
Online voting for Bracket Babes ends in a week but Candice's division ends Monday evening. Voting can be done at spiketv.com.
No stranger to risqué photographs of its undergrads, The University of Massachusetts has had one student pose for Playboy earlier this year and now has a contestant in Spike TV's Bracket Babes competition.
Candice Valetutti, a sophomore psychology major and education minor, found an ad for the Spike TV contest on facebook.com promoting college women to submit their pictures for a chance to win $5,000.
Although Valetutti said she did not take the first picture too seriously, when Spike TV emailed her back and told her to take another picture of herself in jeans and a white t-shirt, she scrambled to get a good one and hoped this would qualify her to be a finalist.
"I was so surprised when they called me to tell me I was a finalist…they wanted me to go to my own photo shoot with my own stylist and photographer," said Valetutti.
The photo shoot, which took place on President's Day, was an eight-hour adventure of trying on "crazy clothes" and seeing which pictures worked and which ones did not.
"When I showed my family the pictures, my brother wished me luck, my grandma cried and said that I was going to be a porn star and my father said that I looked 'nice'," said the UMass sophomore.
The UMass campus is also very supportive to Valetutti. "This guy I never met held a door open for me and told me that he voted for me and wished me luck," she said.
Besides the casual greeting and good luck wishes, Candice's friends have started a facebook.com group for her, made "Bracket Babe" chants and have even dubbed themselves "Candice-a-teers."
Candice, who has done modeling in the past, is no stranger to the camera. Some of her experiences include a walk-on role in Spiderman 3, one of the concert-goers in the film Music and Lyrics and modeling in fashion shows and magazines.
Even with all of this background, Valetutti still considers herself "one of the guys" and enjoys tailgating at Giants games, playing Guitar Hero and racing her Mazda RX8 in a predominantly male club.
"Because most of the people in the club are men over 50, when I first started going to the club, I was looked at kind of strangely. After they saw that I respect my car and everyone in the club, I fit in a little bit better," she said.
The winner of the Bracket Babes contest will take part in a New York City press conference, get another photo shoot and receive $5,000.
If she wins, Valetutti plans to give $1,000 to Jessie's House, a group that is part of the Boltwood Project. Jessie's House helps people in-between housing get back on their feet. Valetutti said "We go there and play with, teach and role model for the children living in Jessie's House. It's so rewarding."
Valetutti also said that she might consider modeling more in the future but, as of right now, wants to be a kindergarten teacher.
"It's so nice to have all of my friend's support. With over 650 people in the Facebook group…it's awesome."
Online voting for Bracket Babes ends in a week but Candice's division ends Monday evening. Voting can be done at spiketv.com.
SGA Election Stirred by Accusations
The Daily Collegian - 3/30/07
Ruth Thompson, candidate for the trustee position of the Student Government Association (SGA), claims that offensive remarks she is accused of making were taken out of context.
Varun Vuppala, a University of Massachusetts junior and reported friend of Thompson, wrote a Facebook.com note regarding Thompson's remarks.
"1) Black people cannot be racist. 2) To be homophobic means you want to kill gay people. 3) I would not feel comfortable sitting next to a lesbian, for fear that she would hit on me," the Facebook note paraphrased Thompson as saying.
"The statements that I made in the SGA office were taken vastly out of context," Thompson said in a written statement yesterday. She continued by saying that focusing on internalized oppressions in society was the main point during the discussion in which these comments took place.
"I - like most everyone - have internalized racism (internal
racism that exists WITHIN the Black community), internalized homophobia, and internalized sexism," Thompson said. "It is clear to people who know me that there is nothing that I care about more than challenging these oppressions."
"I fully understand that this conversation [took place] just after a recent hate crime on February 28…this assault was inspired by an extremely violent form of homophobia, and in fact, one of my misconstrued comments was that homophobia means 'killing gay people.'" Thompson continued by saying that she used this example to help show the different levels of homophobic behavior.
"I know that to say that 'homophobia means only to kill someone you think is gay' is like saying 'you can only be racist if you kill or want to kill someone because of their race.' Both of these statements are quite obviously absurd and if anyone interpreted my comments in that way that is a matter of their interpretation, not my beliefs," she said in the statement.
"Oppression is oppression and it should not separate [the different groups on campus]," Thompson stated. "We as marginalized groups should be addressing the issues of oppression as a whole, but this takes hard work and dialog, which is exactly what I am and have been committed to, and this is exactly why I was participating in the discussion in the SGA in the first place."
Thompson's comments were "insulting and frustrating," said Jaimie Corliss, SGA Secretary of the Registry. "Ruth genuinely tries to work on many social issues, but has some work to do herself, much like the rest of us."
The note, published on Facebook early Tuesday morning, was made to "allow the voters to see some of the things that Ruth has said and allow them to decide," Vuppala wrote.
David Humphreys can be reached at dhumphre@student.umass.edu.
Go to DailyCollegian.com to view Ruth Thompson's complete statement regarding the allegations.
Ruth Thompson, candidate for the trustee position of the Student Government Association (SGA), claims that offensive remarks she is accused of making were taken out of context.
Varun Vuppala, a University of Massachusetts junior and reported friend of Thompson, wrote a Facebook.com note regarding Thompson's remarks.
"1) Black people cannot be racist. 2) To be homophobic means you want to kill gay people. 3) I would not feel comfortable sitting next to a lesbian, for fear that she would hit on me," the Facebook note paraphrased Thompson as saying.
"The statements that I made in the SGA office were taken vastly out of context," Thompson said in a written statement yesterday. She continued by saying that focusing on internalized oppressions in society was the main point during the discussion in which these comments took place.
"I - like most everyone - have internalized racism (internal
racism that exists WITHIN the Black community), internalized homophobia, and internalized sexism," Thompson said. "It is clear to people who know me that there is nothing that I care about more than challenging these oppressions."
"I fully understand that this conversation [took place] just after a recent hate crime on February 28…this assault was inspired by an extremely violent form of homophobia, and in fact, one of my misconstrued comments was that homophobia means 'killing gay people.'" Thompson continued by saying that she used this example to help show the different levels of homophobic behavior.
"I know that to say that 'homophobia means only to kill someone you think is gay' is like saying 'you can only be racist if you kill or want to kill someone because of their race.' Both of these statements are quite obviously absurd and if anyone interpreted my comments in that way that is a matter of their interpretation, not my beliefs," she said in the statement.
"Oppression is oppression and it should not separate [the different groups on campus]," Thompson stated. "We as marginalized groups should be addressing the issues of oppression as a whole, but this takes hard work and dialog, which is exactly what I am and have been committed to, and this is exactly why I was participating in the discussion in the SGA in the first place."
Thompson's comments were "insulting and frustrating," said Jaimie Corliss, SGA Secretary of the Registry. "Ruth genuinely tries to work on many social issues, but has some work to do herself, much like the rest of us."
The note, published on Facebook early Tuesday morning, was made to "allow the voters to see some of the things that Ruth has said and allow them to decide," Vuppala wrote.
David Humphreys can be reached at dhumphre@student.umass.edu.
Go to DailyCollegian.com to view Ruth Thompson's complete statement regarding the allegations.
UMass Board of Trustees Approves $46 Million Allocation
The Daily Collegian - 3/16/07
The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees approved a plan Wednesday to allocate $46 million to existing and new campus projects.
According to the UMass Web site, the funding from UMass' five-year capital plan is allocated to five different projects:
• $24 million for a new building near Hasbrouck Hall. In the new building there will be a 500-seat auditorium, classrooms, and swing space. Swing space is extra rooms for offices and some classes, said UMass Director of News and Information Ed Blaguszewski.
• $10.3 million update of 35-year-old electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems in Lederle Graduate Research Center.
• $6.7 million to move Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences from Stockbridge, Hatch, French, and Fernald halls. Academic space in South College will also be moved due to safety concerns and to "provide adequate accommodations in other buildings," according to the Web site.
• $2.7 million to upgrade and replace electrical service in the Campus Center, in order to keep up with current building codes.
• $2.5 million to replace the electrical room in the Campus Center garage.
• $2.5 million increase in elevator and plumbing repairs to Du Bois library, raising the total amount to $5 million.
The money for these repairs and the new building come from a variety of sources. According to Ed Blaguszewski Director of News and Information, there is a pool of money set aside for various campus purposes. A large part of this money is dedicated to auxiliary building upgrades and becomes available to projects as they are moved up on the priority list.
This money comes from the five-year capital plan. Approved last August, this plan includes a $2.14 billion budget from 2007-2011. The capital plan addresses the issue of "the campus' deferred maintenance backlog and growing inventory of obsolete space" in order to "maintain UMass Amherst's standing [as] a leading public research University," said a summary of the UMass capital plan.
Because this money does not cover all of the expenses, more funding is needed. One source of this extra funding, Section 10 money, is made up of borrowed bonds to be repaid over time, said Blaguszewski.
"When you make a list of things to do … you make an estimate of the costs you need. Any updates to these projects need to be re-approved by the Board of Trustees," Blaguszewski said.
The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees approved a plan Wednesday to allocate $46 million to existing and new campus projects.
According to the UMass Web site, the funding from UMass' five-year capital plan is allocated to five different projects:
• $24 million for a new building near Hasbrouck Hall. In the new building there will be a 500-seat auditorium, classrooms, and swing space. Swing space is extra rooms for offices and some classes, said UMass Director of News and Information Ed Blaguszewski.
• $10.3 million update of 35-year-old electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems in Lederle Graduate Research Center.
• $6.7 million to move Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences from Stockbridge, Hatch, French, and Fernald halls. Academic space in South College will also be moved due to safety concerns and to "provide adequate accommodations in other buildings," according to the Web site.
• $2.7 million to upgrade and replace electrical service in the Campus Center, in order to keep up with current building codes.
• $2.5 million to replace the electrical room in the Campus Center garage.
• $2.5 million increase in elevator and plumbing repairs to Du Bois library, raising the total amount to $5 million.
The money for these repairs and the new building come from a variety of sources. According to Ed Blaguszewski Director of News and Information, there is a pool of money set aside for various campus purposes. A large part of this money is dedicated to auxiliary building upgrades and becomes available to projects as they are moved up on the priority list.
This money comes from the five-year capital plan. Approved last August, this plan includes a $2.14 billion budget from 2007-2011. The capital plan addresses the issue of "the campus' deferred maintenance backlog and growing inventory of obsolete space" in order to "maintain UMass Amherst's standing [as] a leading public research University," said a summary of the UMass capital plan.
Because this money does not cover all of the expenses, more funding is needed. One source of this extra funding, Section 10 money, is made up of borrowed bonds to be repaid over time, said Blaguszewski.
"When you make a list of things to do … you make an estimate of the costs you need. Any updates to these projects need to be re-approved by the Board of Trustees," Blaguszewski said.
Nickelback Rocks DCU Center
The Daily Collegian - 3/14/07
Walking out of Worcester's DCU center, the ringing in my ears drown out the noise of traffic, the smell of sulfur still lingers in my nose and my pulse beats to the tempo of "Animals." Nickelback's Winter '07 tour was a phenomenal display of what the right bands and the right atmosphere can do to make a concert truly great.
As the opening act, Breaking Benjamin started strong enough to almost steal the entire show. Somehow melding insanely pounding guitar licks with thumping bass and the deep shouting vocals of lead singer Benjamin Burnley, Breaking Benjamin pulled off a live show veteran performers would have been proud of. Although about a quarter of the crowd was missing, most everyone in the stadium was getting into the heavy bass riffs and crashing cymbals.
At one point, four songs into their set, Three Days Grace singer Adam Gontier joined Burnley on stage. The crowd ate up every minute of this and demanded Three Days Grace. Fortunately for them, Breaking Benjamin was not done yet. Turning out another handful of thunderous songs and ending with "So Cold," Breaking Benjamin set the tone for the rest of the concert. It would rock hard.
As the last chord, somehow sustained for an inordinate amount of time, resonated long after Breaking Benjamin exited, the house lights came up. The live hard rock was replaced over the speakers by much a mellower ZZ Top number, the once teeming mass became a well organized pack of polo clad college students, children adorned in newly purchased Nickelback shirts and nine-to-five parents wearing leather pants and vests. They went to buy snow cones and hotdogs and beer and wait for the next set to come on.
And come on they did. Three Days Grace rocked even louder than Breaking Benjamin. Playing songs more familiar with the crowd, Gontier urged the crowd to get out of their chairs and "get those devil horns in the air." Although they had a great start, the energy and excitement waned about half way through; the listeners lost focus and become anxious for Nickelback. Toward the end of their set, as the audience really started to fill in, Three Days Grace picked up where they had started from and ended with a couple great numbers, redeeming themselves, before exiting the stage.
After Three Days Grace, the drastic change in demeanor of the audience did not happen. Although there were subtle differences, the air still buzzed with anticipation of the main act and the crowd accepted that they did not have to be themselves anymore. Nickelback was tonight's drug of choice and the audience was frenzied.
Boom. Out of nowhere a cannon blast echoed through the arena, causing the entire audience to simultaneously flinch and clap. With ringing still in our ears, another cannon shot boomed, a curtain fell and the heavy opening riff of "Animals" ripped though the air. Halfway though the song, lead singer Chad Kroeger stopped and introduced, to thunderous applause, Nickelback.
Although the show was billed as promoting "All the Right Reasons," Nickelback's new album, the set of songs resembled a greatest hits CD or even what might be played at a reunion tour. By playing all the highlights of their career,
Nickelback urged the crowd to sing every verse and chorus. The band fed on the crowd's response.
And, if the song choice was not enough, the pyrotechnics were amazing. Using towering flames, fireworks and sparklers, Nickelback impressed even the cynics in the audience. The ambience of their set, rough and dangerous, fit perfectly with the Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace lead-up.
At one point, all of Nickelback, except drummer Daniel Adair, left the stage. Adair's drum set was brought to the stage-front for one of the more spectacular drum solos I have ever seen. Starting slow, a lot of the audience sat in their seats to rest legs tired from standing for the past hour. As he warmed up, Adair incorporated stick spins and louder bass thumps into his routine. Soon he was using both ends of his drum sticks to create a high intensity roll effect. With the audience getting impatient, Adair slowed the speed and started juggling his sticks while still playing with both ends. Slowly the tempo crept up past dizzying and into the upper stratosphere. The audience stood shouting and cheering, impressed with his percussive prowess. When the solo ended, the crowd erupted into applause.
After their last song, Nickelback left the stage to a massive amount of applause. The applause, though, did not go away. Instead, it crescendoed into an avalanche of sound, rivaling even Nickelback's deafening bass. The crowd demanded more music and more music they would get. Nickelback walked back onstage and blasted out two more numbers, ending with their new "Rockstar." The audience erupted at the final chord, cheering for more as Kroeger wished everyone a good night.
I was left in awe. Images of the last blast of fireworks danced around my seared retinas. Smoke hung 15 feet deep in the air. I was out of breath and impressed at Nickelback's tenacious intensity. I tried to shake the stuffy bells out of my ears and pushed my way outside to a crisp night.
As the opening act, Breaking Benjamin started strong enough to almost steal the entire show. Somehow melding insanely pounding guitar licks with thumping bass and the deep shouting vocals of lead singer Benjamin Burnley, Breaking Benjamin pulled off a live show veteran performers would have been proud of. Although about a quarter of the crowd was missing, most everyone in the stadium was getting into the heavy bass riffs and crashing cymbals.
At one point, four songs into their set, Three Days Grace singer Adam Gontier joined Burnley on stage. The crowd ate up every minute of this and demanded Three Days Grace. Fortunately for them, Breaking Benjamin was not done yet. Turning out another handful of thunderous songs and ending with "So Cold," Breaking Benjamin set the tone for the rest of the concert. It would rock hard.
As the last chord, somehow sustained for an inordinate amount of time, resonated long after Breaking Benjamin exited, the house lights came up. The live hard rock was replaced over the speakers by much a mellower ZZ Top number, the once teeming mass became a well organized pack of polo clad college students, children adorned in newly purchased Nickelback shirts and nine-to-five parents wearing leather pants and vests. They went to buy snow cones and hotdogs and beer and wait for the next set to come on.
And come on they did. Three Days Grace rocked even louder than Breaking Benjamin. Playing songs more familiar with the crowd, Gontier urged the crowd to get out of their chairs and "get those devil horns in the air." Although they had a great start, the energy and excitement waned about half way through; the listeners lost focus and become anxious for Nickelback. Toward the end of their set, as the audience really started to fill in, Three Days Grace picked up where they had started from and ended with a couple great numbers, redeeming themselves, before exiting the stage.
After Three Days Grace, the drastic change in demeanor of the audience did not happen. Although there were subtle differences, the air still buzzed with anticipation of the main act and the crowd accepted that they did not have to be themselves anymore. Nickelback was tonight's drug of choice and the audience was frenzied.
Boom. Out of nowhere a cannon blast echoed through the arena, causing the entire audience to simultaneously flinch and clap. With ringing still in our ears, another cannon shot boomed, a curtain fell and the heavy opening riff of "Animals" ripped though the air. Halfway though the song, lead singer Chad Kroeger stopped and introduced, to thunderous applause, Nickelback.
Although the show was billed as promoting "All the Right Reasons," Nickelback's new album, the set of songs resembled a greatest hits CD or even what might be played at a reunion tour. By playing all the highlights of their career,
Nickelback urged the crowd to sing every verse and chorus. The band fed on the crowd's response.
And, if the song choice was not enough, the pyrotechnics were amazing. Using towering flames, fireworks and sparklers, Nickelback impressed even the cynics in the audience. The ambience of their set, rough and dangerous, fit perfectly with the Breaking Benjamin and Three Days Grace lead-up.
At one point, all of Nickelback, except drummer Daniel Adair, left the stage. Adair's drum set was brought to the stage-front for one of the more spectacular drum solos I have ever seen. Starting slow, a lot of the audience sat in their seats to rest legs tired from standing for the past hour. As he warmed up, Adair incorporated stick spins and louder bass thumps into his routine. Soon he was using both ends of his drum sticks to create a high intensity roll effect. With the audience getting impatient, Adair slowed the speed and started juggling his sticks while still playing with both ends. Slowly the tempo crept up past dizzying and into the upper stratosphere. The audience stood shouting and cheering, impressed with his percussive prowess. When the solo ended, the crowd erupted into applause.
After their last song, Nickelback left the stage to a massive amount of applause. The applause, though, did not go away. Instead, it crescendoed into an avalanche of sound, rivaling even Nickelback's deafening bass. The crowd demanded more music and more music they would get. Nickelback walked back onstage and blasted out two more numbers, ending with their new "Rockstar." The audience erupted at the final chord, cheering for more as Kroeger wished everyone a good night.
I was left in awe. Images of the last blast of fireworks danced around my seared retinas. Smoke hung 15 feet deep in the air. I was out of breath and impressed at Nickelback's tenacious intensity. I tried to shake the stuffy bells out of my ears and pushed my way outside to a crisp night.
Students Start New Fraternity on Campus
The Daily Collegian - 3/7/07
When freshman Kevin Bolduc started a new semester at the University of Massachusetts, he did not know he would be a founding father of an internationally recognized fraternity.
Bolduc, the recruitment chair for Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike), thought that being a founding father is "such a unique and interesting" experience. "It is a great opportunity to benefit the UMass community and to enhance [his]…leadership skills."
Pike, founded in 1896 at the University of Virginia, has initiated over 215,000 members to over 200 chapters and "upholds one of the largest average chapter…size of any international fraternity," according to the Pi Kappa Alpha handbook.
Freshman Brian DiNardo, also a founding father, said that Pike wants to have a part in helping UMass. "We don't want UMass to be here for us, we want to be here for UMass," he said.
DiNardo emphasized the importance of strong recruitment for Pike. "[Recruitment] is such a huge thing," he said. "We need to have men completely committed to bettering the Amherst community and our fraternity."
Recruitment, up to this point done by Pike consultants Vince Drieling and Christian Barajas but now run by Bolduc, consists of recommendations and a two-step interview process.
Recommendations can be from anyone such as faculty, athletics coaches, bosses or RAs, said Drieling and Barajas. These recommendations help show the two consultants if the candidate is "the right man" for the fraternity.
The first interview, the most formal, revolves around introducing the fraternity to the prospective member while Drieling and Barajas determine whether or not the candidate represents Pike's values. Known as SLAG to its members, these values stand for "Scholars, Leaders, Athletes and Gentlemen" according to the Pike handbook.
After the first interview, if Drieling and Barajas are satisfied with the man's "values" they will invite him back to talk more about the fraternity and eventually give him a bid to join.
According to Barajas, Pike, although having only been on campus since the start of the spring semester, has been "successful due to everyone on campus trying to build a stronger Greek community."
Drieling also noted that their success was helped in part by the supportive "Greek community…and [Student Affairs] administration." The Student Affairs office, which Drieling said is unfairly seen to be "anti-fraternity by most UMass students," was welcoming and excited for Pike's return to campus.
Though once a recognized chapter on the UMass campus, Pike has been inactive since 2000 due to a "diminishing membership," Michael Wiseman, the director of the Office of Fraternities and Sororities, said Monday.
Although Pike does not have a house yet, the members are not too concerned for the time being. "A frat is a lot more than a house…we have a lot of goals to fulfill before we get a house," commented Sam Boyd, Pike pledge education chair.
According to Drieling, it is easier to focus on recruiting the "best men on campus" and "all aspects of [fraternity] operations" without the responsibility of a house.
Wiseman said that the new fraternity shows that "there is still an interest…in Greek life" and that Pike is "off to a good start."
Bolduc is excited about the new opportunity to help found Pi Kappa Alpha. "Everybody is cheering us on," he said. "We have the support of all the other fraternities on campus."
When freshman Kevin Bolduc started a new semester at the University of Massachusetts, he did not know he would be a founding father of an internationally recognized fraternity.
Bolduc, the recruitment chair for Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike), thought that being a founding father is "such a unique and interesting" experience. "It is a great opportunity to benefit the UMass community and to enhance [his]…leadership skills."
Pike, founded in 1896 at the University of Virginia, has initiated over 215,000 members to over 200 chapters and "upholds one of the largest average chapter…size of any international fraternity," according to the Pi Kappa Alpha handbook.
Freshman Brian DiNardo, also a founding father, said that Pike wants to have a part in helping UMass. "We don't want UMass to be here for us, we want to be here for UMass," he said.
DiNardo emphasized the importance of strong recruitment for Pike. "[Recruitment] is such a huge thing," he said. "We need to have men completely committed to bettering the Amherst community and our fraternity."
Recruitment, up to this point done by Pike consultants Vince Drieling and Christian Barajas but now run by Bolduc, consists of recommendations and a two-step interview process.
Recommendations can be from anyone such as faculty, athletics coaches, bosses or RAs, said Drieling and Barajas. These recommendations help show the two consultants if the candidate is "the right man" for the fraternity.
The first interview, the most formal, revolves around introducing the fraternity to the prospective member while Drieling and Barajas determine whether or not the candidate represents Pike's values. Known as SLAG to its members, these values stand for "Scholars, Leaders, Athletes and Gentlemen" according to the Pike handbook.
After the first interview, if Drieling and Barajas are satisfied with the man's "values" they will invite him back to talk more about the fraternity and eventually give him a bid to join.
According to Barajas, Pike, although having only been on campus since the start of the spring semester, has been "successful due to everyone on campus trying to build a stronger Greek community."
Drieling also noted that their success was helped in part by the supportive "Greek community…and [Student Affairs] administration." The Student Affairs office, which Drieling said is unfairly seen to be "anti-fraternity by most UMass students," was welcoming and excited for Pike's return to campus.
Though once a recognized chapter on the UMass campus, Pike has been inactive since 2000 due to a "diminishing membership," Michael Wiseman, the director of the Office of Fraternities and Sororities, said Monday.
Although Pike does not have a house yet, the members are not too concerned for the time being. "A frat is a lot more than a house…we have a lot of goals to fulfill before we get a house," commented Sam Boyd, Pike pledge education chair.
According to Drieling, it is easier to focus on recruiting the "best men on campus" and "all aspects of [fraternity] operations" without the responsibility of a house.
Wiseman said that the new fraternity shows that "there is still an interest…in Greek life" and that Pike is "off to a good start."
Bolduc is excited about the new opportunity to help found Pi Kappa Alpha. "Everybody is cheering us on," he said. "We have the support of all the other fraternities on campus."
Foriegn Film Brings Orwell to Mind
The Daily Collegian - 3/5/07
As post-Oscar buzz starts to fade away, the entertainment industry returns to normalcy while the usual lull of decent films commences. This lull gives the average person a chance to catch up on any Oscar-nominated or -awarded film that they have not yet seen.
Although most Academy Award-winning films have large turnouts and nationwide openings, many other films go unrecognized or underappreciated. While some winners, like "The Departed," get almost all of the press's attention, many other recipients had only limited nationwide viewings and were not as warmly accepted by the press. For example, the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year went to a relatively unknown film, "The Lives of Others."
Written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, "Lives" is a tour-de-force debut chronicling the relationship between an East German secret service agent and the possibly subversive playwright under his surveillance. At almost every bend in the film, a character must decide his or her fate. They react by doing what they believe to be the right action at the moment and are forced to bare the consequences of their choice. With fear, mistrust and deception running rampant, "Lives" forces the characters to push their limits and holds them there, creating a taut and suspenseful thriller.
Following a strict, almost Orwellian tradition, "Lives" can be seen as the 1984 of this generation. Containing strong political commentary which subtly shows the effects a socialist society can have on a person's mind and their thought process. The strong sense of paranoia in "Lives" makes the viewer wonder who is really in control.
The raw emotions of the characters are handed to the viewer without any regard or care, driving the film forward and never asking for forgiveness. The feelings conveyed in the film are uniquely tangible and completely accurate, making the film more interactive than an amusement park ride.
Exceptionally well written and directed, the script is utilitarian. There is no scene or line of dialogue that is unnecessary for the development of the characters or plot. Every scene shows exactly what the character is feeling and going through while still leaving just enough up to the viewer's mind.
In the fashion of a true socialist government, everything in "Lives" serves a function and is vital to the film as a whole. Everything fits perfectly together in a completely logical parable of society. The only thing unsure at the end of the film is where has Henckle von Donnersmarck been and why aren't there more filmmakers like him?
While every film has ups, it also must have downs. The downside to "Lives" is that it is only 137 minutes. "Lives" keeps up such intensity throughout the whole film that when the credits start to roll, the tenseness snaps and leaves nothing else behind. That final effect coincides perfectly with a central message in Lives: everything eventually changes, though not always for the best.
"The Lives of Others," a German-language film, is currently being optioned by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack to be remade in English, Daily Variety said last Thursday.
"Lives" is a powerhouse film of extraordinary importance and will remain relevant to society for years to come. While some people might be drawn away from it due to subtitles, they are missing one of the most significant films recent years. Lives has become a defining film of this decade: emotional, unrelenting and smart. It deserves every vote it received for its Oscar.
Although most Academy Award-winning films have large turnouts and nationwide openings, many other films go unrecognized or underappreciated. While some winners, like "The Departed," get almost all of the press's attention, many other recipients had only limited nationwide viewings and were not as warmly accepted by the press. For example, the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year went to a relatively unknown film, "The Lives of Others."
Written and directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, "Lives" is a tour-de-force debut chronicling the relationship between an East German secret service agent and the possibly subversive playwright under his surveillance. At almost every bend in the film, a character must decide his or her fate. They react by doing what they believe to be the right action at the moment and are forced to bare the consequences of their choice. With fear, mistrust and deception running rampant, "Lives" forces the characters to push their limits and holds them there, creating a taut and suspenseful thriller.
Following a strict, almost Orwellian tradition, "Lives" can be seen as the 1984 of this generation. Containing strong political commentary which subtly shows the effects a socialist society can have on a person's mind and their thought process. The strong sense of paranoia in "Lives" makes the viewer wonder who is really in control.
The raw emotions of the characters are handed to the viewer without any regard or care, driving the film forward and never asking for forgiveness. The feelings conveyed in the film are uniquely tangible and completely accurate, making the film more interactive than an amusement park ride.
Exceptionally well written and directed, the script is utilitarian. There is no scene or line of dialogue that is unnecessary for the development of the characters or plot. Every scene shows exactly what the character is feeling and going through while still leaving just enough up to the viewer's mind.
In the fashion of a true socialist government, everything in "Lives" serves a function and is vital to the film as a whole. Everything fits perfectly together in a completely logical parable of society. The only thing unsure at the end of the film is where has Henckle von Donnersmarck been and why aren't there more filmmakers like him?
While every film has ups, it also must have downs. The downside to "Lives" is that it is only 137 minutes. "Lives" keeps up such intensity throughout the whole film that when the credits start to roll, the tenseness snaps and leaves nothing else behind. That final effect coincides perfectly with a central message in Lives: everything eventually changes, though not always for the best.
"The Lives of Others," a German-language film, is currently being optioned by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack to be remade in English, Daily Variety said last Thursday.
"Lives" is a powerhouse film of extraordinary importance and will remain relevant to society for years to come. While some people might be drawn away from it due to subtitles, they are missing one of the most significant films recent years. Lives has become a defining film of this decade: emotional, unrelenting and smart. It deserves every vote it received for its Oscar.
Students React to Changes in UMass Housing Policy
The Daily Collegian - 2/23/07
As the deadline for housing selection approaches, many returning students at the University of Massachusetts are noticing a change in the application process. Due to a Housing Assignment Office (HAO) policy implemented earlier this year, the same room reservations - once a campus commonplace - are no longer available to returning students.
According to the HAO Room Selection Bulletin for Fall 2007, only 1000 students opted to keep the same room. Many students, even if they do not decide to follow through with the reservation, would still like the option to be kept open.
A Facebook.com group, "Same Room Reservation Petition", is designed to lobby for the "Student's right to reserve their housing assignment." This group claims that students should "stick up for [their] ability to stay in [their] current assignment."
Nate Pitcher, founder of the group, wrote on the group's wall that he "has a feeling that if students were consulted in these new changes, the same room reservation would have been kept in place, and the new room selection system would be used."
Junior Sean McNair, one of the officers for the Facebook group, commented that "it's not about how many students use the feature - it's about how many students want the security of it."
Some students, including McNair, are upset and confused by this new housing policy and are concerned about their current housing situation. McNair is worried about his future residence in the North apartments, saying, "Students need ample notice in order to make preparations for the possibility of losing housing."
Jenna Patla, a sophomore who wanted to "pull" a friend into her room next semester is upset by the HAO's decision to put an end to same room reservations. She believes that the issue should have been addressed sooner so students could make prior arrangements.
But some HAO staff members believe the changes in the housing policy will benefit the on-campus housing situation. Jean Ahlstrand MacKimmie believes the cancellation of this housing policy to be a "positive change."
Citing the fact that many first year and Residential Academic Progams (RAP) students would not be able to return to their rooms while many other students are being displaced due to the increase in Epoch housing, MacKimmie said that this change "makes the housing process fair" by allowing an equal chance for each student to live where they want.
In response to student outcry about the issue, MacKimmie commented that "people are surprised by change." She said the decision to stop the same room reservation has been part of the residence hall contract for this entire academic year.
"While Student Affairs always makes an effort to get student input, I'm not sure why the Housing Assignments Office couldn't do the same before they created this policy," said McNair.
The HAO Bulletin reads: "the residence hall contract was amended in July 2006 to eliminate same room selection from the room selection process. All students will have an opportunity to participate in [the housing selection] and that the students [Room Selection] Priority will be used to determine their appointment times and selection order." Priority will be used in all housing requests, including single room assignments and the North Apartments.
The upcoming housing selection dates can be found on the HAO website.
As the deadline for housing selection approaches, many returning students at the University of Massachusetts are noticing a change in the application process. Due to a Housing Assignment Office (HAO) policy implemented earlier this year, the same room reservations - once a campus commonplace - are no longer available to returning students.
According to the HAO Room Selection Bulletin for Fall 2007, only 1000 students opted to keep the same room. Many students, even if they do not decide to follow through with the reservation, would still like the option to be kept open.
A Facebook.com group, "Same Room Reservation Petition", is designed to lobby for the "Student's right to reserve their housing assignment." This group claims that students should "stick up for [their] ability to stay in [their] current assignment."
Nate Pitcher, founder of the group, wrote on the group's wall that he "has a feeling that if students were consulted in these new changes, the same room reservation would have been kept in place, and the new room selection system would be used."
Junior Sean McNair, one of the officers for the Facebook group, commented that "it's not about how many students use the feature - it's about how many students want the security of it."
Some students, including McNair, are upset and confused by this new housing policy and are concerned about their current housing situation. McNair is worried about his future residence in the North apartments, saying, "Students need ample notice in order to make preparations for the possibility of losing housing."
Jenna Patla, a sophomore who wanted to "pull" a friend into her room next semester is upset by the HAO's decision to put an end to same room reservations. She believes that the issue should have been addressed sooner so students could make prior arrangements.
But some HAO staff members believe the changes in the housing policy will benefit the on-campus housing situation. Jean Ahlstrand MacKimmie believes the cancellation of this housing policy to be a "positive change."
Citing the fact that many first year and Residential Academic Progams (RAP) students would not be able to return to their rooms while many other students are being displaced due to the increase in Epoch housing, MacKimmie said that this change "makes the housing process fair" by allowing an equal chance for each student to live where they want.
In response to student outcry about the issue, MacKimmie commented that "people are surprised by change." She said the decision to stop the same room reservation has been part of the residence hall contract for this entire academic year.
"While Student Affairs always makes an effort to get student input, I'm not sure why the Housing Assignments Office couldn't do the same before they created this policy," said McNair.
The HAO Bulletin reads: "the residence hall contract was amended in July 2006 to eliminate same room selection from the room selection process. All students will have an opportunity to participate in [the housing selection] and that the students [Room Selection] Priority will be used to determine their appointment times and selection order." Priority will be used in all housing requests, including single room assignments and the North Apartments.
The upcoming housing selection dates can be found on the HAO website.
Former UMass president, Lederle, dead at 94
The Daily Collegian - 2/16/07
Former University of Massachusetts president John W. Lederle, 94, passed away earlier this week. Lederle, who expanded UMass'' once small agricultural campus into the major research university it is known today, died on Feb. 13, 2007.Monday.
Lederle''s term as president of UMass brought the addition of almost 50 new buildings, tripled student enrollment, and quadrupled operating budget and faculty positions.,
""The entire University of Massachusetts community is saddened to learn of the death of former UMass President John W. Lederle. His leadership…brought growth and expansion to… [UMass] Amherst. The university''s current strength as a national educational and research leader is a tribute to his commitment to the University of Massachusetts decades ago,"" said current UMass president Jack M. Wilson. Wilson is quoted as saying by a press release from the UMass Amherst Office of News & Information.
Included in the programs started during Lederle''s tenure are overseas programs in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, and England, the Committee for the Collegiate Education of Black Students, the Polymer Research Institute, and collaboration among the five colleges, according to a press release issued by the UMass News Office.. Also included in his legacy to the campus are a public radio station and the university press.
Always a man of education, Lederle earned his bachelor''s, master''s, law degree, and doctorate at the University of Michigan. Following his success as a student, he worked at Brown University as an assistant dean and professor of political science from 1941 to- 1944. Upon returning to the University of Michigan in 1944, Lederle occupied many different academic roles. In 1960, Lederle was inaugurated president of the University of Massachusetts.UMass.
During his time at UMass, among his many accomplishments, Lederle received honorary doctorates from Boston University, Northeastern University, Holy Cross College, Lowell State College, Hokkaido University in Japan, and Amherst College.
Not solely involved in the UMass campus, betweenBetween 1958 and 1986, Lederle also served as a member of various committees and boards. Included in his civic career, Lederle served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Clarke School for the Deaf, a member of the executive committee of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, member of the Board of Trustees of Hampshire College chairman of the Advisory Commission of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, and chairman of the National Conference of Directors of Bureaus of Government Research.
In 2005, Lederle reflected that he was very proud of gaining an increase in state funding for UMass during his term as its president.
""Our progress in the 1960s meant going to the governor and the legislature year after year with larger and larger budget requests for construction and facility expansion, not only in Amherst, but later in Boston and the UMass medical school in Worcester. Once, the Senate president in my presence remarked, I hope facetiously, that I had taken more money out of the state treasury than any other man in history,"" Lederle was quoted as saying inby the press release.
The Lederle Graduate Research Center, dedicated to him in 1983, best represents the monumental changes Lederle brought with him in 1960 to the UMass campus. His commitment to excellence and education can still be seen anywhere on campus today.
Former University of Massachusetts president John W. Lederle, 94, passed away earlier this week. Lederle, who expanded UMass'' once small agricultural campus into the major research university it is known today, died on Feb. 13, 2007.Monday.
Lederle''s term as president of UMass brought the addition of almost 50 new buildings, tripled student enrollment, and quadrupled operating budget and faculty positions.,
""The entire University of Massachusetts community is saddened to learn of the death of former UMass President John W. Lederle. His leadership…brought growth and expansion to… [UMass] Amherst. The university''s current strength as a national educational and research leader is a tribute to his commitment to the University of Massachusetts decades ago,"" said current UMass president Jack M. Wilson. Wilson is quoted as saying by a press release from the UMass Amherst Office of News & Information.
Included in the programs started during Lederle''s tenure are overseas programs in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, and England, the Committee for the Collegiate Education of Black Students, the Polymer Research Institute, and collaboration among the five colleges, according to a press release issued by the UMass News Office.. Also included in his legacy to the campus are a public radio station and the university press.
Always a man of education, Lederle earned his bachelor''s, master''s, law degree, and doctorate at the University of Michigan. Following his success as a student, he worked at Brown University as an assistant dean and professor of political science from 1941 to- 1944. Upon returning to the University of Michigan in 1944, Lederle occupied many different academic roles. In 1960, Lederle was inaugurated president of the University of Massachusetts.UMass.
During his time at UMass, among his many accomplishments, Lederle received honorary doctorates from Boston University, Northeastern University, Holy Cross College, Lowell State College, Hokkaido University in Japan, and Amherst College.
Not solely involved in the UMass campus, betweenBetween 1958 and 1986, Lederle also served as a member of various committees and boards. Included in his civic career, Lederle served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Clarke School for the Deaf, a member of the executive committee of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, member of the Board of Trustees of Hampshire College chairman of the Advisory Commission of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, and chairman of the National Conference of Directors of Bureaus of Government Research.
In 2005, Lederle reflected that he was very proud of gaining an increase in state funding for UMass during his term as its president.
""Our progress in the 1960s meant going to the governor and the legislature year after year with larger and larger budget requests for construction and facility expansion, not only in Amherst, but later in Boston and the UMass medical school in Worcester. Once, the Senate president in my presence remarked, I hope facetiously, that I had taken more money out of the state treasury than any other man in history,"" Lederle was quoted as saying inby the press release.
The Lederle Graduate Research Center, dedicated to him in 1983, best represents the monumental changes Lederle brought with him in 1960 to the UMass campus. His commitment to excellence and education can still be seen anywhere on campus today.
Grad Students Burglarized at Totman Gym
The Daily Collegian - 2/13/07
Nearly $3,000 worth of stolen goods has taught one student from the University of Massachusetts the importance of keeping his property under lock and key.
Bin Chen, 30, a graduate student in the Computer Science Department became a victim of theft while swimming laps in the pool inside Totman Recreational Facility. After finishing his swim, Chen found that his keys were missing from his locker. In addition his laptop, iPod and his wallet with at least $60 were stolen from his car. The suspect not only made away with the electronics and money but charged $425 on a credit card at Wal-Mart.
Deputy Chief Patrick Archbald of the UMass Police Department commented that while locker break-ins are common, this specific case is "unusual." Because there was no damage done to the car, Archbald said the perpetrators must have used the remote attached to Chen's keys to gain access to the vehicle.
"This circumstance is the first that I have heard of in which someone was able to access a [car] remote and use it to get into a car," said Archbald.
Another student victimized in the robbery lost his laptop valued at $2,000 during the incident. The student, who asked to remain anonymous, is also a part of the Computer Science Graduate Program and said that his "every day life depends on [his laptop]."
"The loss makes my life very inconvenient," he said.
The car break-in, occurring somewhere between the hours 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 5, left Chen feeling "very angry" and upset that something like this could happen.
Although car break-ins in the Totman parking lot are rare, noted Archbald, they do happen occasionally.
One police campaign, designed to help stop thefts like this from happening, is called "Like it, Lock it, Keep it."
"This plan is a collaborative effort between UMPD and Residence Life," said Archbald. He also noted that students should take extra time to secure their belongings, or they run the risk losing them.
According to Chen, this is not the first time valuables have been stolen from a locker at Totman. Earlier this school year, Chen mentioned that his friend lost a wallet and a cell phone, and another person lost their wallet in the locker room.
David Humphreys can be reached at dhumphre@student.umass.edu.
Bin Chen, 30, a graduate student in the Computer Science Department became a victim of theft while swimming laps in the pool inside Totman Recreational Facility. After finishing his swim, Chen found that his keys were missing from his locker. In addition his laptop, iPod and his wallet with at least $60 were stolen from his car. The suspect not only made away with the electronics and money but charged $425 on a credit card at Wal-Mart.
Deputy Chief Patrick Archbald of the UMass Police Department commented that while locker break-ins are common, this specific case is "unusual." Because there was no damage done to the car, Archbald said the perpetrators must have used the remote attached to Chen's keys to gain access to the vehicle.
"This circumstance is the first that I have heard of in which someone was able to access a [car] remote and use it to get into a car," said Archbald.
Another student victimized in the robbery lost his laptop valued at $2,000 during the incident. The student, who asked to remain anonymous, is also a part of the Computer Science Graduate Program and said that his "every day life depends on [his laptop]."
"The loss makes my life very inconvenient," he said.
The car break-in, occurring somewhere between the hours 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 5, left Chen feeling "very angry" and upset that something like this could happen.
Although car break-ins in the Totman parking lot are rare, noted Archbald, they do happen occasionally.
One police campaign, designed to help stop thefts like this from happening, is called "Like it, Lock it, Keep it."
"This plan is a collaborative effort between UMPD and Residence Life," said Archbald. He also noted that students should take extra time to secure their belongings, or they run the risk losing them.
According to Chen, this is not the first time valuables have been stolen from a locker at Totman. Earlier this school year, Chen mentioned that his friend lost a wallet and a cell phone, and another person lost their wallet in the locker room.
David Humphreys can be reached at dhumphre@student.umass.edu.
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