Long Overdue - Curry College

Clamping
Down on Loko
page 5
Truckin’
Along
page 8
The Student Voice of Curry College
November 2010
Long Overdue
College examines how to
improve Levin Library
By Andrew Blom
Courtesy of Curry/Brian Winchester
Shining on
The Black Box
Curry students performed
in the Black Box Theatre
Nov. 13-15. Above, Erin
McCarthy and Andrew
Devine star in “Variations
on the Death of Trotsky.”
In the show “Words,
Words, Words,” from
left, Scott Medeiros, Ida
Peralta and Allen Yannone
monkey around on stage.
Questions of Substance and Style
Penalties for drugs and
underage drinking
confound some students
By Alexandra McGinnis
Alcohol and marijuana are perpetually present on
most college campuses in America. Curry College is
no exception.
But while every college has rules and regulations
pertaining to illegal substances, a number of Curry
students say they are confused and increasingly
frustrated by how the college deals with violations.
Earlier this semester, a second-year freshman
was given a one-year interim suspension for
having 42 grams, or approximately 1.5 ounces, of
marijuana and a few beers in his dorm room. It
was his sixth offense, according to Public Safety
Chief Brian Greeley, but there’s no question that
the college punishes students more severely for
possessing marijuana than it does for possessing
alcohol while under the legal drinking age.
Typically, a student will merely get documented—
or “written up”—by a Resident Assistant for
underage alcohol consumption or possession. This
entails a meeting with a Residence Director and the
mandatory completion of a three-hour online alcohol
education course. Rarely will an RA call Public
Safety to search a student’s room in this event,
said Erica Humphrey, director of student judicial
affairs, the office responsible for all disciplinary
actions taken against students.
In contrast, when an RA becomes aware that a
student is using or is in possession of marijuana in
his or her dorm room, Public Safety is immediately
called to search the entire room, Humphrey said.
Possession of marijuana is against the law in
Massachusetts, as is underage possession of alcohol.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
“When students come into the library, what do they have
to work with in terms of computers and databases?” asks
Professor David Miller, interim head librarian at Curry.
It’s a good question, and the college has sought outside
assistance to answer it.
On Nov. 5, two collegiate information officers were brought
to campus to help Curry figure out how the Levin Library, and
its technological resources, can better serve students today and
into the future.
Dawn Thistle, executive director of information technology
and media services at Assumption College in Worcester, and
Arthur Downing, chief information officer at Baruch College
in New York City, were brought in as part of a self-study at
Curry to determine what role the campus library should play
in the college’s long-term strategic plan.
“The topic of technology has all of these dimensions,” says
Miller. “Web presence, actual resources, teaching and space.
It could potentially have impact on all these areas. It’s not just
going to be about how many more computers to buy.”
The self-study also aims to help the college identify the
type of skills needed in a full-time permanent library director.
Miller has served as interim director for the past three years
and says he won’t apply for the permanent position. A search
will begin next semester.
To be sure, the Levin Library is in need of updating. According
to Professor Brian Duchaney, a senior lecturer in the English
Department, a whole new library may be the only solution. “As
we moved to the 21st century, the role of the library in society
changed,” he says. “We need to reflect these changes in our
mission to students. The library is a gathering spot, for study,
recreation or something else. This is why many libraries are
adding cafes. Make people want to spend time in the library.”
The changing role of the library, in terms of a “gathering
spot,” can already be seen at neighboring colleges such as
Bridgewater State University, which features a state-of-the-art,
four-floor library with more than a dozen classrooms, updated
books and even a Starbucks cafe.
As for future plans for Levin Library, a change in the
number of physical books is expected, Miller says. “Currently,
we have over 51,000 electronic books available and 100,000
books, videos and material in the academic resource center,
and almost 39,000 electronic journals,” he says. “I don’t see
print disappearing at all in terms of what we buy, but we buy
more electronic than we used to as we look at what’s really
useful.”
However, not everyone is happy about a potential move
away from ink on paper. “Not everyone reads online,” says
Duchaney. “Yes, we’re making the move to technology. But
when we read online, it’s a different experience. There’s
something passionate about sitting with a book...the smell,
texture and appearance.”
After receiving recommendations from Thistle and
Downing, Miller says, the college will revise its internal draft
report on potential changes to the library. From there, it’s
anyone’s guess what will come of the Levin Library.
Says Miller, “It’s hard to tell yet just what direction that
will take.”
2
THE CURRIER TIMES
NOVEMBER 2010
Campus Life
Creating
A Buzz
Student starts petition
to bring Dunkin’
Donuts to Curry
By Molly McCarthy
Need a pick-me-up before class? Would
a Dunkin’ Donuts iced coffee do the trick?
Curry College junior Matt Lahey sure
thinks so.
Earlier this semester, Lahey, right, created
a Facebook fan page/petition to bring a
Dunkin’ Donuts franchise to campus. Since
the online petition was launched in October,
it has earned 229 members.
“I’ve observed that there are many other schools that
have off-campus vendors on campus,” says Lahey. “Also,
I’ve noticed that a lot of our students enjoy Dunkin’
Donuts. I, myself, love it!”
A nursing major, Lahey says many of his classmates
often have to wake up very early in the morning to attend
clinicals at area hospitals, and that the campus cafés don’t
open until after they leave campus. The Dining Marketplace
in the Student Center opens at 7:30 a.m. Monday through
Friday, and at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Hafer
Snack Bar, Kennedy Snack Bar, and the Smart Market
Café (located in the Academic and Performance Center)
open at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday.
As a result, early-risers are left to find their caffeine fix
after leaving Curry. Currently, there are
20 Dunkin’ Donuts located within a 15mile radius of the Curry campus.
Curry and Sodexo Campus Services,
the dining services provider, have been
partnered since 1997. Any effort to bring
a Dunkin’ Donuts onto campus would have
to involve Sodexo, which isn’t without
precedent. Westfield State University has a Dunkin’
Donuts on campus, and Assumption College in Worcester
is in the process of getting a Dunkin’ Donuts. Both colleges
contract with Sodexo for their food services.
According to Le Provocateur, Assumption College’s
student newspaper, the idea for a Dunkin’ Donuts
on campus came after the college received requests
from both students and staff members.
When it came time for Assumption’s
food services contract to go out for
rebidding, in 2009, Sodexo’s bid
included a provision to arrange an oncampus Dunkin’ Donuts. Assumption
accepted Sodexo’s bid last spring.
Lahey says he spoke about his petition with David
Potash, the college’s chief academic officer, during a
“Deans in Jeans” meeting in the North Campus Residence
Hall this fall. He says Potash later told him the idea was
forwarded to Maryellen Kiley, dean of students.
Dining Services General Manager Keith Meal referred
questions from the CT to Kiley. The dean of students did
not respond to repeated requests for an interview.
Off Campus T-van Hits the Road
By Craig Dudley
You spoke, and they listened. With its debut Nov. 8,
Curry finally has a daily shuttle that goes off campus
and into Boston.
Managed by Curry’s Public Safety department,
the T-van departs the Student Center every hour on
weekdays starting at 5:30 a.m., and sets to return 30
minutes after departure. The van drops off and picks
up Curry students at the Mattapan red line T-station
before returning back to campus for the next trip. The
final T-van of the day leaves Mattapan at 7 p.m.
The T-van is currently operating on a trial basis
until the end of the semester, according to Allison
Coutts, director of the Student Center and Student
Services. Based on usage by students, faculty and
staff, the college will determine future travel times
and schedules. No weekend service is currently
offered.
The T-vans are white, 12-passenger vehicles and
will be driven by a team of three non-students who
were hired specifically for the task.
Despite the new access to Boston, some students
are concerned about traveling through Mattapan,
which has a reputation for crime. “I, personally,
won’t ever take it because it’s in Mattapan,” said
Sky Champagne, a freshman graphic design student
who needs to use public transportation to get home.
“Public safety told me themselves how bad of a
station [Mattapan] is. If it were at Quincy Adams
[station], I know I’d use it.”
For that reason, Curry arranged for the T-van to
drop off and pick up students at an area outside the
Transit Police Station in Mattapan.
“I’m glad they arranged for us to be picked up and
dropped off at the transit police office at the station,
When Art Meets Science
Check out the exhibit of professional art in
the Student Center gallery (also known as the
quiet study room, on the second floor of the
Student Center). The works, up until Dec. 9,
explore the different ways in which art and
science intersect.
The new T-van will drop off and pick up passengers outside
of the Transit Police Station in Mattapan.
because the area does have a bad reputation. It shows
that they’re at least acknowledging student concerns,”
says Justin Liebert, a junior graphic design student
who works in Student Affairs, the office that put the
plan together.
For a list of scheduled departure times and general
information, go to MyCurry portal and click on the
T-van image.
NOVEMBER 2010
THE CURRIER TIMES
3
Students Suspended for Gun on Campus
By Nick Ironside
Two criminal justice students were placed on
interim suspension for one year after trying to bring
a rifle into South Campus Residence Hall on Oct. 21.
The college’s administration and Public Safety office
opted not to notify students, faculty and staff of the
incident, neither during the weapons investigation nor
shortly thereafter, because they didn’t want to cause
“undue alarm” to the Curry community, according to
Fran Jackson, director of communications at Curry.
Dean of Students Maryellen Kiley said both students
could petition for reinstatement after they serve their
yearlong suspensions, and will have to go through the
normal admissions process. Kiley said the students
could also apply for on-campus residential housing,
and that the requests would be evaluated through the
application process.
Because the students were not arrested, The Currier
Times has opted not to name them.
The college has a policy that bans guns on campus.
“Students found in possession of firearms and/or
weapons will be immediately removed from housing
and their status as a student may also be in jeopardy,”
the policy states. However, bringing a gun onto a college
campus is also against state law. Even for those who
are licensed by the state to carry a gun, Massachusetts
law prohibits carrying a firearm “in any buildings or on
the grounds of…any college or university without the
written authorization of the board or officer in charge
of such.”
Public Safety Chief Brian Greeley said the Milton
Police Department was notified of the incident
the evening of Oct. 21 and that the department’s
“We believe that we have no more
fundamental obligation than to
provide a safe campus within which
living and learning can occur.”
— Fran Jackson,
director of communications
investigation was ongoing. However, Milton Deputy
Chief Charles Paris said his office didn’t learn of the
incident until Nov. 4, two weeks later. Paris said the
student who owned the gun would “probably” be
charged for breaking the state gun law, which carries
a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment for up to one
year, or both.
Jackson later clarified that the rifle was turned over
to State Police the day after the incident, on Oct. 22.
“College officials will be meeting in the very near
term with the appropriate individuals at the Milton
Police Department to establish mutually determined
notification and communication protocols,” Jackson
said.
Citing the ongoing investigation by Milton police,
Jackson, Kiley and Greeley declined to speak to certain
details of the incident.
The two students were spotted by a Residential Life
staff member while trying to sneak a rifle that was in
a locked case into their shared suite. The Residential
Life staff member alerted Public Safety, which sent
officers to the scene. Curry’s Public Safety officers do
not carry firearms of any kind. According to Greeley,
the Milton Police Department was not called onto
campus for assistance because “it was deemed this
was not a threat to public safety.” The rifle did not get
inside the residence hall, Greeley said.
Greeley said the two students were brought to the
Public Safety office, at which point officers returned
to the South Campus Residence Hall to inspect the
students’ suite. No additional guns or ammunition
were found in the room, Greeley said.
The two students were ordered to leave campus that
evening and asked to return the following morning,
at which time they learned of their one-year interim
suspension, Greeley said.
“We believe that we have no more fundamental
obligation than to provide a safe campus within which
living and learning can occur,” Jackson said. “It’s
an obligation that we take very seriously. Our initial
and ongoing concern is, of course, the safety of our
students.
“We commend our Residence Life and Public Safety
staff for their prompt and effective handling of this
matter,” she added.
While Jackson praised Public Safety and Residential
Life, she did say that the college would likely handle
a similar situation differently in the future. “We will
probably consider a simple e-mail notification” to alert
students and faculty to the incident and the college’s
reaction to it, she said. The college sent an e-mail
message about the gun on campus to the entire Curry
community on Friday, Nov. 12.
Recycling Is
Just Garbage
By Sebastian Humbert
Most people would not think that
throwing a plastic bottle in the garbage
is the first step toward recycling. But at
Curry College, it is.
“Curry says they recycle, but I don’t
know,” said Joey Howar, a sophomore
management major and transfer student
from Florida, just after throwing a soda
can in a garbage bin on campus. “Where
are the recycling bins?”
Although it may not be obvious, Curry
actually recycles a lot.
The college’s recycling is managed
off site by E.L. Harvey & Sons Inc. in
Westborough, Mass. All of the trash
generated on campus eventually ends
up in one of two trash dumpsters, both
located behind the Student Center. One
bin is reserved for trash generated by the
cafeteria, managed by Sodexo, while the
other bin contains trash from the academic
buildings, administration offices and
residence halls. Both dumpsters are
taken to E.L. Harvey’s facility, where
workers manually separate the various
recyclable materials
from a conveyer belt
filled with waste.
Things that can’t be
recycled, such as food
waste, is incinerated
to produce electricity.
“I wouldn’t say it’s
the only way or the
best way [to recycle];
it just happens to
work for us,” said
Robert G. O’Connell,
director of Buildings
and
Grounds
at
The contents of all garbage cans at Curry, such as the one above, are taken to E.L. Harvey & Sons Inc. in WestCurry.
“It’s incredible,” borough and are separated by hand into different categories of waste—plastic, paper and glass, for example.
he added. “There are
shipped nationally or internationally.
He also noted that a common problem
literally 10 people or so and they are
Although setting up dedicated faced by places that use the multiple bin
all sorting different product,” from a recycling bins for paper, plastic and system of recycling is that it can easily
conveyer belt. “You get to the end and trash throughout campus would create become contaminated. If someone uses a
there is nothing left.”
more awareness among the student body paper bin for something that is not paper,
After the recyclables are sorted, about the importance of recycling and the whole bin becomes contaminated and
O’Connell explained, the separated protecting the environment, O’Connell needs to be thrown away as regular trash,
materials—a group of plastic or paper, said the current system is simply more he said.
for example—are put in barrels, sold and affordable.
At Curry, our trash is our recycling.
Worth a Thousand Words...And Up to $10
The weather is getting cold, the
days are getting shorter, and finals are
around the corner. It’s time to find your
happy place!
The Currier Times wants to know
what brings you joy here on campus,
and we’re willing to pay to find out.
Send us your best photograph that
captures what makes you most happy
at Curry. But keep it clean! Open to
students, faculty and staff alike, the top
three pictures will be published in the
December edition of the CT.
Judged by a panel of CT staffers
and a few professors, the top picture
taker will win $10 in cash. Second- and
third-place finishers get $5 each.
Entries should be e-mailed as
attachments to the CT at curriertimes@
post03.curry.edu. To be considered,
submissions
must
include
the
photographer’s name, affiliation at
Curry (Class of 2012, for example), and
contact info, including a phone number.
Sam Zapora
Although it’s invisible to most,
much of Curry’s waste is recycled
4
THE CURRIER TIMES
NOVEMBER 2010
Admission and Justice for All
Curry signs deal for
Massasoit Community
College CJ graduates
Sebastian Humbert
By Sebastian Humbert
Parking Pains
The ins and outs of parking
your car at Curry College
By Erin Powers
Having a car on campus is a privilege for upperclassmen.
However, with the privilege comes some fine print. If you
want to keep your car at Curry College, you must follow the
ever-changing parking guidelines.
When navigating through the approximately 1,350
parking spots at Curry, it’s important to pay attention to the
colored circles on the signs so you can avoid getting ticketed.
Tickets can range from $50 to $200, if parked in a handicap
spot. Those who find a ticket on their windshield have seven
days to appeal it online. Otherwise, the amount gets tacked
onto a student’s financial account.
“Wherever you leave your car, keep it there and use the
shuttle,” said Public Safety Chief Brian Greeley. This will
make things easier and free up many spots around campus,
he said.
Because Curry is a private college not bound to state
open record laws, public safety declined to say how many
parking tickets it hands out each year, or how much money
is brought in through parking fines.
Curry offers five different types of parking stickers;
Northside and Southside resident stickers cost $250. There
are also commuter, faculty and continuing education stickers.
According to Greeley, the goal is to get students to keep their
cars in designated parking areas and to use the shuttle and
escorts to get around campus. That doesn’t sit particularly
well with some students who paid for the ability to bring
their cars onto campus.
“I basically paid $250 to get a parking spot at Curry, but
I can’t use my car to get to class. So, what’s the point?” said
Brendan Trippany, a junior who owns a Southside parking
pass.
According to Greeley, the parking situation at Curry is
actually better than what it was in the past. He said first-year
students used to park their cars on the roads surrounding the
college. Since it is illegal to park curbside in Milton, the
town fined students and some lost privileges at Curry.
A lot of spots are opening up now that students can only
park in certain lots after 6:30 p.m. Also, freshman residents
are not allowed to have vehicles on campus.
“When kids with resident stickers park wherever they
want, it makes it hard for commuters to find a spot,” said
junior commuter Dan Macdonald.
There are a lot of little things a student might not know
about parking at Curry. For example, if you need to park in
front of your dorm to unload some things, you must let a public
safety officer know first. This rule was put into place after an
undergraduate left her car in front of her dorm with her hazards
on all night, Greeley said. She was unpacking and ended up
falling asleep before moving her car. Another “fun fact” is
that Curry College parking stickers are actually considered
cheap compared to other schools. A student parking pass at
Northeastern University, for example, costs approximately
$1,500. A student pass at Lasell College in Newton, a school
that is of comparable size to Curry, costs $500.
“We want students to follow the rules,” said Greeley. “If
they have any questions, they can call 2222 and public safety
will be happy to assist them.”
Criminal justice students from Curry College and
Massasoit Community College are about to get to
know each other a lot better.
Thanks to a new agreement starting this spring
between the two colleges, any student who graduates
from Massasoit, located in Brockton, with an
associate’s degree in criminal justice will receive
automatic admission to Curry’s bachelor’s of arts
program in criminal justice.
Curry President Kenneth Quigley and Massasoit
President Charles Wall signed the agreement Oct.
18. “We are fully committed to serving our region’s
community college graduates and providing talented
Massasoit criminal justice graduates access to a Curry
College education and degree,” Quigley said in a
press release.
The agreement includes a $6,500 Curry
scholarship, per semester, for students who graduate
from Massasoit’s criminal justice program with a 3.0
GPA or higher.
Massasoit is the largest local public community
college in the area, “and we are offering a small
liberal arts college with a sports program,” said Peter
C. Hainer, chairman of the sociology and criminal
justice department at Curry. He explained that
playing sports at larger state schools, another option
for some graduates of Massasoit, was very difficult
due to their competitive nature. Class sizes at state
schools also tend to be larger and less personal than
they are at Curry.
“The general point,” said Hainer, “is that we are
in a competitive environment. We are competing for
students. We hope it will open up a door for more
students from there to come here.”
However, increasing enrollment at Curry is not a
focus of the program. It “is sort of a consequence,”
explained David Potash, dean of academic affairs.
The program’s success will be measured by “students
going forward and meeting long-term educational
and professional aims,” Potash said. The evaluation
process of that success will be continual. “You never
finish it,” he added.
Both Hainer and Potash disregarded the notion
that Curry’s criminal justice program is shrinking.
Generally, CJ is a “hot major,” said Potash.
Currently, there are 170 undergraduates in the
criminal justice program, Hainer said, explaining
that enrollment is cyclical and has been “pretty
consistent.”
Said Hainer, “By the end of his year, we will be
close to having 245” criminal justice students.
Something is
Bruin at Curry
Senior nursing student
Julie Davis was recently
named to the Boston
Bruins Ice Girls team. In
addition to performing at
home games, Davis will
help out at area fundraising events on behalf of
the Bruins.
NOVEMBER 2010
THE CURRIER TIMES
5
Questions of Substance and Style
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“We use alcohol as an educational process, so students
will usually get several chances before being removed
from housing,” she said. “We are much more lenient in
situations concerning alcohol than marijuana,” Humphrey
later added.
When it comes to marijuana, the college employs a tiered
system of punishment. A first offense merits probation. The
second is removal from housing, while the third typically
carries an expulsion from the college, Greeley explained.
However, the exact amount of drugs a student is caught
with, and the specific circumstances—such as whether a
student was found with other drug paraphernalia or possibly
dealing—are also taken into account. A Curry student was
expelled in the spring of 2009 after police found more than
a half pound of marijuana in his car, along with a scale
and $900 in cash. He was later charged with possession of
marijuana with intent to distribute.
Two years ago, Massachusetts decriminalized small
amounts of marijuana possession. Those caught with one
ounce or less would receive only a fine, much in the same
way one would for jaywalking, rather than arrested and
go through the court system. Both Humphrey and Greeley
said the decriminalization law has had little to no impact
on drug use or prevention on campus.
“It’s stupid that, theoretically, a 20-year-old who was
caught with two grams of weed would be in a huge
amount of trouble on campus but not off campus,” said
Chase Hansen, a 19-year-old freshman. “A 20-year-old
caught with alcohol would be in much more trouble if
caught off campus, as opposed to on campus. Where’s the
logic in that?”
According to Curry’s annual Security Report, a
document that colleges receiving federal funding must
compile and make publicly available, there were a total of
882 documented liquor law violations on campus in 2007,
2008 and 2009. In comparison, only 93 instances of drug
law violations were documented during the same period.
It’s possible that the threat of harsher punishments is
responsible for the disparate numbers. However, it’s also
possible that alcohol-related incidents are simply easier to
recognize and respond to due to the ill behavior of students
who have had too much to drink.
Curry offers a number of educational alcohol
awareness programs organized by RA’s, and the college
LETTERS TO THE
CURRIER TIMES
Hey, Good Lookin’
I just picked up a copy of The Currier Times (or,
CT)—it looks great! I’m showing it around to everyone
here. Everyone is impressed.
David Miller, Curry professor and librarian
Where Did All
the Pages Go?
As a proud Curry alumni and former editor-in-chief of
The Currier Times, I felt I had to write to you expressing
my concerns of the transformation of what once used to
be a bi-weekly student-run newspaper.
When I was a student at Curry, The Currier Times
produced 8-12 pages. My senior year I made the decision
that eight pages weren’t enough to report all of the news
and other happenings, along with placing multiple
ads. Students actually looked forward to reading the
newspaper every two weeks.
I realize I may be the only editor-in-chief at least in the
last six years to produce 12-page issues, but now that the CT
is only monthly, how can eight pages possibly be enough,
let alone that difficult to lay out? I had small staffs, but that
didn’t matter as writers took on multiple assignments.
Students need to take on leadership roles, especially any
veteran writers who have already served on the staff. The
freshmen and other rookies are beginning their journeys
makes available additional informational resources.
However, there are practically no educational programs
concerning marijuana, or any other type of drug. Emilie
Clucas, Curry’s alcohol wellness educator, did not
respond to requests for an interview.
When asked if students should be accordingly educated
about marijuana usage, given that the college punishes
possession far more severely than it does underage
alcohol consumption, a hesitant Humphrey offered a
simple answer: “Yes.”
“We are much more lenient in
situations concerning alcohol
than marijuana.”
— Erica Humphrey,
director of student judicial affairs
Loko Fueling Anxieties
Colleges, states wrestle with how to regulate legal
malt alcoholic beverage linked to campus incidents
By Ana Bottary
If you or someone you
know is a fan of the new,
hit alcoholic beverage Four
Loko, you might want to
read this before either of
you pick up another one.
There are not many
college students who will
stick up their noses to a
store-bought mixed drink
that is high in alcohol
percentage, masked with
a familiar flavor and under
$3. However, Four Loko—
better known as “blackout
in a can”—carries a number
of health risks, which has
led colleges, states and even
the federal government to
explore banning the drink
altogether.
“It can actually mask
some of the signs of alcohol
poisoning,” said Emilie
Clucas, head of alcohol awareness at Curry. “Its
effect on your heart…it is equivalent to pressing the
gas and the break in a car at the same time.”
Four Loko’s 23.5-ounce can is designed in a multicolored camouflage label. The beverage contains
12 percent alcohol and is a blend of malt liquor and
energy drink. In short, you’re getting a mixture that is
equivalent to six beers and a lot of caffeine.
“I feel like Superman,” Curry senior Ryan
Gagnon said about the feeling he gets after throwing
back a Four Loko.
Central Washington University in Washington
state, Ramapo College in New Jersey, the University
of Rhode Island, and all of Michigan’s state colleges
and universities have recently banned Four Loko
from their campuses. The beverage has been linked to
numerous incidents in which students needed medical
attention. According to a recent study by Wake Forest
University, college students who combine alcohol
and caffeine suffer more alcohol-related injuries than
do students who only consume alcohol.
and hopefully eager to learn and step up to the plate.
I think I can speak on behalf of all past editors, saying
being in charge of running the CT was the greatest learning
experience I had at Curry College. I not only evolved as a
student, but as a person and as a leader. It was literally like
having another part-time job on my plate.
I want to end this letter on a positive note, though. I do
admire the new design and love the usage of large photos.
The features on the student-athletes and men’s soccer
team were great to see. It’s very encouraging to see strong
writing, something that has lacked in years past.
Amanda Bruno, Class of 2009
Caffeine and alcohol are both diuretics that
cause dehydration. Dehydration causes the body
difficulty to process alcohol and can lead to a worse
hangover. Four Loko has been associated with
“the increase in aggression and people getting into
fights,” said Clucas.
Gagnon said he hasn’t suffered any particularly
unusual negative affects from drinking Four Loko.
“I drink responsibly,” he said. “It’s not like I’m
going out of control with it, but I know some people
who, for the first couple times drinking them, ended
up crying about something.”
According to Clucas, one of the best ways to
help a friend is to stress the risks associated with
the beverage, before an incident occurs. “This
message will have a better impact coming from
a friend,” Clucas said, adding that her office is
always a resource for someone who needs help,
knows someone who needs help, or wants to learn
how to better help a friend in need. Meetings can
be confidential, she said, and would not carry any
disciplinary consequences.
CT NOTE: Printing of The Currier Times is supported
financially from student activity fees. That printing
budget enables CT to publish six times throughout the
academic year.
Send Us Your Thoughts
Letters to The Currier Times can be sent by e-mail to
[email protected]. Letters for publication
must include the author’s name. The CT reserves the right
to edit letters down for space reasons.
6
THE CURRIER TIMES
NOVEMBER 2010
Vantage Points
Fairness in Love and Sports
ERIN POWERS
The new women’s volleyball team at Curry was not
started simply because students enjoy the sport. The
team was also put together as a result of the federal
Title IX law, which requires equality of opportunities
between men and women in collegiate sports.
The law goes further than just equality, though.
It states that representation of female athletes, on a
percentage basis, should mirror that of the student
population: If 60 percent of students at a college are
female, for example, then 60 percent of the athletes
on campus should be female.
This law is no joke, and Quinnipiac University in
Connecticut found that out the hard way after being
sued by members of its women’s volleyball team
as well as the coach. The problem arose when the
university threatened to cut the volleyball team for
budgetary reasons. The plan was to replace the team
with a competitive cheerleading squad, which didn’t
sit too well with the volleyball ladies.
In July, U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill ruled
that “competitive cheerleading had not developed
enough to be considered a college sport for Title IX
purposes.” Quinnipiac responded by bringing back
the women’s volleyball team and even started talking
about adding women’s golf and rugby teams.
There are seven men’s teams at Curry: football,
soccer, basketball, hockey, baseball, lacrosse and tennis.
Now, with volleyball, there are seven for women, as
well: soccer, cross country, tennis, basketball, lacrosse
and softball. However, the men’s football team has
something like 80 players on it, making the numbers
a little uneven when compared to any women’s squad.
The baseball, hockey and men’s soccer teams similarly
have a large number of guys on their rosters.
Recently, the college made the decision to manage
and operate the Ulin ice rink in Milton, where the
hockey team has long played its home games. This
made me wonder: Why only a men’s ice hockey team?
Adding a women’s squad would certainly even out
the number of male and female athletic opportunities
at Curry. After all, that’s the reason for Title IX’s
existence: equality of opportunity.
I have heard from several girls on campus who
played ice hockey in high school but had to put the
skates away when they came to Curry. I, myself,
played the sport at Duxbury High School and would
be very interested in getting back out there, playing at
a competitive and organized level.
Although the number of sports teams at Curry is now
equal between the sexes, adding a women’s hockey
squad would go a long way in evening out the numbers
of male and female athletes at the college. Giving
women equal opportunity to be involved in competitive
collegiate sports isn’t only fair. It’s also the law.
Erin Powers is a junior communication major.
We All Suffer From Hateful Speech
MICHAEL MILLER
By now everyone knows about the racist and antiSemitic vandalism that occurred on our campus the
last week of October. What you may not know is that
there have been other incidents, admittedly not as
public, directed toward individual students.
So what is the big deal? This is just kids being
kids, right? Or maybe they were just alcohol-induced
pranks or disagreements between roommates. The
great majority of us are not Jewish or a person of
color, and if you aren’t one of the individual students
specifically targeted, who cares?
Well, we all need to care. Hate crimes, and this is
what these were, affect all of us. Speech or action
that diminishes one individual or group demeans
all of us. And let’s not kid ourselves; the swastika,
while seen by many as an anti-Semitic symbol, is
used by neo-Nazis and white supremacists. These
individuals are anti-feminist, anti-Christian, and
call for the overthrow of our government. So to the
people of color, Jews and gays who are threatened by
such groups, add women, Christians, and those who
support our country. Do you see yourself now?
So what do we do? Everyone—students, faculty
and staff—have to speak out. To that end, the faculty
unanimously approved a resolution condemning
the incidents, recognizing the need for expanded
education about the destructive nature of hate crimes,
calling on the administration to promptly inform the
community when such incidents occur, and asking all
of us to treat each other with respect.
What can you do? If you see someone participating
in hate speech, say something. Let them know it
is definitely not OK. If they persist or if you see
evidence of a hate crime or hate speech but don’t see
who did it, let an RA, faculty member or a member
of the administration know. In all situations, treat
people with dignity and respect. The only way to
make this stop is for all of us to collectively say
we don’t approve of this behavior and won’t let it
happen.
I often use the Hebrew expression L’shalom, which
means “to peace,” as an ending to an e-mail or letter
because we should always be moving in the direction
of peace. That is what I hope we can do now. We are
better than the recent actions. Let’s show everyone
that is the case. L’shalom.
Michael Miller is an associate professor in the
Management Department at Curry and is faculty
advisor to Hillel, the student Jewish group.
THE CURRIER TIMES
Reporters
Andrew Blom, Craig Dudley,
Sebastian Humbert, Nick Ironside,
Brendan Lonek, Alexandra
McGinnis, Erin Powers,
Zack Weiss and Sam Zapora
Contributing Writers
Ana Bottary, Molly McCarthy,
Tim McCarthy and Danielle Roy
Contributing Designer
Andrea Melchiorri
Faculty Advisor
Professor Jeff Lemberg
The Currier Times is a student-written
and produced print publication
that publishes monthly throughout the
academic year. Reporters are registered
students of the News/Multimedia
Journalism Practicum course, with
other students contributing to the Times.
The Currier Times is printed by
MassWeb Printing Co. in Auburn,
Mass. To contact the Times, e-mail:
[email protected].
AMY O’HARA
Since graduating from Curry in 2000, Amy O’Hara made
history by becoming the first female sergeant in Revere
Police Department history. O’Hara was also a contestant
on Season 11 of “Survivor: Guatemala” and made it to
the eighth elimination. This former professional women’s
football player talks about her dedication, determination
and how she achieved her goals.
CT: You’ve done so much already in life. Is there
anything else you would want to do?
O’Hara: I love my job. I’m a fourth generation police
officer, so really my goal is to obtain rank every time
I can. I’ve been a sergeant since 2002 and I’ve taken
several exams, but there haven’t been any other openings.
My goal is to get promoted as much as I can: lieutenant,
captain, maybe even chief someday.
CT: Is having three generations before you in law
enforcement what helped steer you to become a police
officer?
O’Hara: Most definitely. My father was a state trooper and
I have great grandfathers and great uncles that belonged to
the Revere Police Department, so there’s no doubt that’s
why I’m in this job, because of my family history.
CT: Being the first female sergeant, do or did people treat
you differently?
O’Hara: Not really. I work with a great bunch of people,
both men and women, and I really didn’t have too many
problems.
CT: What about after “Survivor”? Did people treat you
any differently after your time there?
O’Hara: It’s funny, when I worked out on the street I
would go to people’s house to arrest them for serious crimes
and they’d say to me, “Hey, weren’t you on ‘Survivor?’”
They didn’t even care that they were going to be placed
under arrest; all they wanted to do was talk to me about
“Survivor.” And I still get it today. I still get fan mail from,
like, Australia, and they will send it to the police station.
CT: With an impressive resume like yours, what advice
can you give to Curry students?
O’Hara: Set goals. You can do whatever you want in
life. I’ve proven it. Everything I’ve ever wanted to do
I’ve done. Curry is a great school and students there
should just set their goals high and just do whatever they
want to do. Go for it. And setbacks sometimes are a good
thing. It just makes you stronger to go further.
Written and condensed by Danielle Roy.
NOVEMBER 2010
THE CURRIER TIMES
7
Back to
School
Dennis Void, 26,
finishes off his college
football playing career
Dennis Void Jr. has come a long way since his days
growing up in Harlem, N.Y. Literally.
A high school football standout at Mount St.
Michael Academy in the Bronx, Void was named
First Team All-City and All-State, a member of
the state coaches association’s Golden 50 Team,
and was ranked among the top running backs in
the nation. He was showered with the kind of
scholarship opportunities that most kids only
dream about. Following his senior season, in the
fall of 2002, Void chose to attend the University
of Alabama, the Crimson Tide, but had to attend
a prep school for a year to help bolster his grades
and earn an SAT score that would actually enable
him to play.
Although he had so many exceptional
accomplishments on the gridiron, Void had long
struggled in the classroom. “Just being lazy and not
studying for the SAT the way I should have,” he says.
Void never did make it to Tuscaloosa. Instead,
football and life took him to Maine, California,
Pennsylvania and Nevada before landing this fall in
Milton, Mass. At the age of 26, Void is finally at the
end of a long and oftentimes painful college football
career.
After graduating from Mount St. Michael, Void took
his talents to Bridgton Academy, an all-male postgraduate school in Bridgton, Maine. His success on the
field continued, as did the tough times in the classroom.
He was still unable to gain athletic eligibility by the
NCAA Clearinghouse due to low SAT scores. That
same year, Void became a father to a baby boy.
With the clocking ticking on his college playing
career, and a new son in his life, Void plowed on.
He discovered Chabot Junior College in Hayward,
Calif., through his first cousin, Steve Johnson, who
accompanied him on the team. Johnson would go on
to play at the University of Kentucky and is currently
Courtesy of Curry Athletics
By De’Jon Berment
At age 26, Dennis Void, who led the Colonels in rushing this season with 588 yards, has finally
played his final college football game. Void’s journey to Curry has been long and trying.
a wide receiver with the Buffalo Bills.
During his 2004 season at Chabot Junior College,
Void accumulated more than 1,000 all-purpose yards and
helped lead the team to the conference championship.
He also received more Division I scholarships after the
season. To this day, Void still holds the Chabot record
for most yards per carry, at 8.4.
From California, the traveled act would land in
Pittsburgh, Pa. Void played for Duquesne University
in 2006 and 2007, but was limited to just three games
each year due to an ankle fracture and, later, a lower
abdominal injury. He ended his Duquesne career with
just 68 carries, 206 yards and two touchdowns.
In search of another opportunity, Void found one at
the University of Nevada. It was short lived. Void tore
his ACL during spring football, leaving him on the
sidelines the entire season.
Milling about and with one year left of college
playing eligibility, Void says he decided to reach out to
Curry Head Coach Skip Bandini via phone and ask for
one last chance to play ball. Void had good references,
as Bandini is close friends with the head football coach
at Bridgton Academy, Rick Marcella. Bandini actually
went to school there himself and played alongside
Marcella.
According to Bandini, Void more than lived up to
the hype. Given his experience and overall maturity,
Bandini says Void was able to quickly adjust to the
Colonels’ offense. In 10 games this past season, the
5-foot-10, 220-pound Void ran for 588 yards and
three touchdowns, caught for 138 yards and two
touchdowns, and was named All-Division Second
Team. The Colonials finished the year with a 6-4
record (4-3 in conference play), winning their final
three games.
“As a player, he has great work ethic,” says Bandini.
“He keeps a lunchbox mentality, bringing hard work,
no matter what the circumstances. And as a person, he
understands his roles and responsibilities being older
and having a kid. He’s been around.”
With his college career finally coming to an end,
Void says he hopes to still find ways to put on the pads
and play. But it’s no longer his top priority.
“It is a sport that I love and will continue to play
until I can no longer, regardless of age,” Void says.
“The ultimate goal is to receive my degree.”
Sophomores Return to Lead Lady Colonels
Women’s basketball
team enters the season
young and united
Three sophomores, all nursing majors, will
be among the leaders of this year’s women’s
basketball team. All three will bring certain
intangibles to the court.
Hailey Rafferty, Julia Scrubb and Carolyn
Houston are coming off strong freshmen seasons
in which each received conference player of the
week honors at one point or another. Rafferty, from
Worcester, Mass., co-led the team in scoring and
led the team in rebounding last year, with 9.8 points
per game and 6.1 rebounds as a guard/forward.
Scrubb, from Stowe, Vt., averaged 9.6 points and
4.5 rebounds per game as a power forward, while
Houston, from Melrose, N.Y., was and remains
the Colonels’ defensive stopper. She average 5.7
points and 4.5 rebounds per game, and was second
on the team in steals with 46 in 24 games played.
Zachary Weiss
By Zachary Weiss
us far during the season,” says Rafferty.
“We do everything. We all live together
and eat together.”
The team has become really close this
year,” echoes Houston, “and that helps…
chemistry.”
The players said the team did a great
job jelling toward the end of last season
and return all but one player. The Colonels
finished last year with a record of 9-16, 4-9
in The Commonwealth Coast Conference.
That has led many to underestimate this
year’s Lady Colonels; they’re ranked 10th
in a TCCC coaches’ preseason poll.
“One of the goals for this year is to
make the playoffs,” Rafferty says.
That journey starts with a tournament
at Curry College Nov. 19 and 20 that will feature
UMass-Dartmouth, St. Joseph’s and Mount
Ida. It’s the first time the college has hosted a
women’s basketball tournament in its new gym.
That’s all well and good, according to the
sophomore trio, but at the end of the weekend,
“We want that championship,” says Rafferty.
Hailey Rafferty, left, and Julia Scrubb (along with Carolyn
Houston, not pictured) hope to lead the Lady Colonels to the
TCCC postseason this year.
Either Rafferty or Scrubb led the Lady Colonels in
scoring in 11 of the team’s final 13 games last season.
According to the trio, their growing friendship away
from basketball will hopefully translate into success this
year. “Since we’re all friends off the court, that will take
8
THE CURRIER TIMES
NOVEMBER 2010
Sports
Back to
School
page 7
Ready for the Long Haul
Junior Payden Benning
leads hockey team in
defense of conference title
Courtesy of Curry Athletics; truck photo courtesy of Payden Benning
By Tim McCarthy
Junior Payden Benning, who spends his summers hauling oil equipment throughout Canada for his father’s
business, will captain this year’s hockey team as it
looks to return to the NCAA Division III tournament.
Left, the first truck Benning learned to drive.
Roughly 1,900 miles from Boston, a massive
18-wheel truck comes to a noisy halt in Midwestern
Canada. It’s been 12 long, tiring days of transporting
oil-drilling equipment, and the driver finally gets two
days off to enjoy his summer. Most drivers would take
that time to relax. But not this one, Payden Benning,
captain of the Curry College men’s hockey team.
Benning uses his time off to hit the gym and ice to
prepare to lead the Colonels in defense of their ECAC
Northeast Championship. Benning, 22, has been
driving trucks for his family’s business for the past
three years, and has had to balance his time between
work and hockey each summer in the small town
of Estevan, Canada. Benning says his dad, “made
me be a stickler working for what I got.”
So far, it’s paid off pretty well. Benning, a
junior, is not just the leading point scorer from
last year’s championship team, with 19 goals
and 16 assists in 27 games played, but he’s also
a member of last year’s ECAC Northeast AllAcademic squad. The Colonels are looking to
build upon last year’s trip to the NCAA Division
3 tournament—they eventually lost to Elmira
College—with 20 returning players. Curry
entered the season ranked No. 18 in the country for
Division III, but has stumbled a bit thus far. The team
lost to Neumann University, 5-3, to open the season and
tied Elmira, 4-4, Nov. 13.
“We’re going to be a team to be reckoned with, but
we don’t take anybody lightly,” Benning says.
Benning, a winger, was named captain at the end of last
season, winning the vote of every returning and graduating
player, says Curry Coach Rob Davies. According to
Davies, a good captain is self-motivated, possesses a
strong work ethic, and treats people with respect and in
return receives it. Benning is a “tough-skinned, hardworking kid,” says Davies. “He represents the team well.”
Benning arrived at Curry after three seasons playing
Canadian junior hockey for the Estevan Bruins. There,
he was discovered by former Curry hockey coach Bob
Roche. Benning says he liked Curry’s “nice neat campus”
and close proximity to Boston, having grown up in a small
Canadian town. After a weekend visit, he committed to
Curry and Coach Davies in the ride back to Logan airport.
For now, Benning and Co. are focused on the present.
Davies says this year’s squad will be leaning on its
strong junior class, depth at the forward position, and
highlighting its “speed on the blue line and up front.”
“In college, speed can be an intimidating factor,”
says Davies.
Just ask Curry’s truck driving hockey captain.
Men’s Basketball Team Picked as TCCC Preseason No. 1
By Nick Ironside
After all the votes were in and counted, the Curry
men’s basketball team received 14 first-place votes
in The Commonwealth Coast Conference coaches’
preseason poll. The Colonels enter the year the No. 1
team in the conference.
Curry made a strong run through last season’s playoffs,
losing to Gordon College 56-54 in the TCCC championship
game. The team finished last year with a mediocre record of
15-14, but dominated conference play to the tune of a 10-3
record (7-0 at home). The Colonels will open their 2010-11
season at home Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. against Babson
College. They then travel to Brandeis University for a fourteam tourney, Nov. 19 and 20.
Junior guard Jarrell Jackson of Brockton paves the
way for Curry this season. Jackson averaged 17.6 points
per game last season, second best on the team. Christian
Bonadies, one of three seniors on this Colonels squad,
is a big presence inside at 6-foot-7. He had 30 blocks
last season. Bonadies, along with senior guard Michael
Worrick, played in all 29 games last year.
The Colonels open conference play Jan. 8 at 3 p.m.
against Western New England College, here in the Curry
gymnasium.