~~ -* A Day in the life of a Deadhead, Page 16 | Take a spin on the wheel of pottery, Page 18 : ~The Defender December 11, 2002 St. Michael’s College Student Newspaper Volume XXTX, Issue 10 SMC professor visits White House, jail during Thanksgiving Protest lands Siplon in police custody in D.C. By Stefan Botchev Staff Writer St. Michael’s professor Patricia Siplon was handcuffed for four hours and sat in the back of a police car after being arrest- ed at an AIDS protest in front of _._ the White House in Washington, 53 D.C.,on Nov. 26.. Y : Siplon, an assistant professor of political science, and about one thousand other activists demanded better funding and policies for AIDS treatment in the United States and abroad. “There were 35 of us to do civil disobedience and risk to get arrested,” Siplon said. “We were lying in front of the White House. It is illegal to protest at the WEEKLY WEATHER - Courtesy of weather.com Wed....36/26 ....Cloudy Thu ....39/25 ....Cloudy Fri P/C Sat......34/21 ....Cloudy Sun ....31/18 ......Snow FEGUICS poe eonneeceee Outdoors: cio 4c42 _ Health & Fitness ....14 20 2 ATS EES FS Columns 22.45068.290 Calendar. oc... ee SPOFtS wreeccsossserererneeee 2A # Photo by Cate Westberg Political science professor Patricia Siplon lectures to her Power, Health and Politics class. Siplon, along with a theusand other activists, were arrested during a Thanksgiving Day protest outside the White House. fence.” Paul Davis, director of the Health GAP Coalition, was also arrested. He said the protesters were chained together on the ground when park police came to See PROTEST, Page 6 Benefits, options await ‘separated’ By Josh Kessler News Editor Forty-five St, Michael’s employees will leave the college beginning in January after sign- ing up for a Voluntary Separation Program offered by the college in an attempt to cut over half a mil- lion dollars from the salaries budget. Every St. Michael’s employ- ee was asked in September to consider the program, which offered money and health care benefits in exchange for leaving the college. Departing employees will receive a payout equal to two weeks for each year of their serv- ice to the college for up to 52 weeks. For example, someone employed by the college for the past five years will receive 10 employees weeks of pay up front. They will also receive a lump sum of 15 percent of their annual salary. Medical benefits were a major part of the offer, especially for employees at least 57 years old with 15 years of experience at St. Michael’s. Those employees will be covered by medical insur- ance until they become Medicare eligible at age 65. All other employees will be medically covered at the current employee rate for 18 months. The school’s initial goal was to cut $550,000 from its $31.85 million annual salary budget. With 45 employees leaving, near- ly $1.4 million will be saved, Human Resources Director Mike New said. However, he said some of that money will be used See PROGRAM, Page 5 _ land. Professor named state Teacher of the Year Among 46 finalists for national awards By Josh Kessler News Editor Adrie Kusserow, an assistant professor of -sociology and anthropology, was named Vermont’s Teacher of the Year on Nov. 21 by the Carnegie Found- ation for the Advancement of Teaching and The Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Kusserow joined 45 other undergraduate professors from around the country as nominees for four national awards, which were won by professors from California, Indiana and Mary- _ Kusserow- is the third St. Michael’s professor to win Vermont Teacher of the Year since the individual state awards began in 1985. Biology professor Daniel Bean won the award in 1994 and history professor Francis Nicosia was awarded in 2000. Vermont has had a profes- sor named Teacher of the Year every year since 1998, and 11 times since 1990. Just Grazing Since the national awards began in 1996, no St. Michael’s professor has won. After more than 400 nomi- nations were made, the four win- ning professors received awards for Outstanding Community College Professor, Outstanding Baccalaureate College Professor, Outstanding Master’s University and College Professor and Out- standing Doctoral and Research University Professor. In order to be nominated, a teacher needs to display an abili- ty to impact and become involved with students, con- tribute to education in their insti- tution, community and profes- sion, gain support from col- leagues and former students and have a scholarly approach to teaching and learning. ~~ Teacher of the Year awards were handed out in 45 states and Washington, D.C., this year. Only Delaware, Hawaii, Nevada, Rhode Island and Wyoming did not have teachers receive an award. Kusserow took this semester off from teaching after giving birth to her second child, but she will return to St. Michael’s in the Spring. ee Photo by Cate Westberg Students pick through the salad bar in the Green Mountain Dining Room in Alliot. Students responding to a recent food survey asked for healthier food and quicker meals. Of the 271 respondants, the majority were females and/or underclassmen. ‘‘We want to find out what the stu- dents are truly thinking,” said Hank Strashnick, the general manager of Sodexho Food Services. See the story on Page 3. News The Defender * Wednesday, December 11,.2002 * Issue Number 10 St. Michael’s College Security Log Excerpts from the Nov. 23-Dec. 5 security reports. Courtesy of the St. Michael’s College Office of Security. Saturday, Nov. 23 12:19 a.m. Fire alarm at Linnehan Hall 2:28 a.m. Noise complaint at Hamel Hall 3:16 a.m. Drunkenness at Ryan Hall 7:27 p.m. Safety incident at Ethan Allen Apartments . 10:52 p.m. Noise complaint at 400s Townhouses 11:19 p.m. Vandalism at Alumni Hall 11:46 p.m. Drunkenness at Ryan Hall Sunday, Nov. 24 12:03 a.m. Drunkenness at Joyce Hall 12:04 a.m. Noise complaint along College Parkway 12:13 a.m. Noise complaint at 300s Townhouses 12:42 a.m. Disorderly conduct at 300s Townhouses - 12:54 a.m. Drunkenness at Lyons Hall 1:00 a.m. Noise complaint at Ethan Allen Apartments 2:18 a.m. Disorderly conduct in the Quad 2:37 a.m. Vandalism at Ryan Hall © 6:01 a.m. Vandalism at Purtill Hall Monday, Nov. 25 12:36 a.m. Odor violation at Ryan Hall 3:09 a.m. Suspicious persons at Hamel Hail 5:16 a.m. Suspicious persons at Klein Center 6:56 p.m. Power outage at Founders Hall Defender Staff Executive Editor Skye M. Donovan ’03 sdonovan@smcvt.edu Deceased SMC student remembered a decade later Tuesday, Nov. 26 12:47 p.m. Odor violation at Ryan Hall 2:50 p.m. Theft at Durick Library 11:15 p.m. Suspicious persons along College Parkway Wednesday, Nov. 27 No notable activity Thursday, Nov. 28 1:44 a.m. Vandalism at Trono House 5:24 a.m. Suspicious persons on North Campus Friday, Nov. 29 2:59 a.m. Vandalism at Linnehan Hall 3:08 a.m. Vandalism at Linnehan Hall 3:16 a.m. Vandalism at Purtill Hall 3:21 a.m. Vandalism at Purtill Hall Saturday, Nov. 30 7:37 p-m. Suspicious persons at Holcomb Observatory 11:31 p.m. Safety incident at Joyce Hall Sunday, Dec. 1 5:32 p.m. Motor vehicle assistance at Founders Hall 7:00 p.m. Odor violation at Joyce Hall Monday, Dec. 2 11:12 a.m. Suspicious persons at Lyons Hall 1:07 p.m. Suspicious persons at 400s Townhouses 4:49 p.m. Theft at Joyce Hall §:53 p.m. Suspicious persons along College Parkway 8:53 p.m. Odor violation at Joyce Hall Tuesday, Dec. 3 12:18 a.m. Vehicle stop at 400s Townhouses 12:35 a.m. Suspicious persons along Campus Road 12:48 a.m. Suspicious persons at Linnehan Hall 1:21 a.m. Alcohol violation on North Campus 8:23 p.m. Odor violation at Ryan Hall 10:17 p.m. Motor vehicle accident on Campus Road — Wednesday, Dec. 4 8:07 a.m. Towed vehicle at Founders Hall 4:22 p.m. Suspicious persons at Alliot Student Center 7:42 p.m. Towed vehicle at Ryan Hall 8:21 p.m. Towed vehicle at Alliot rotunda 8:44 p.m. Towed vehicle at Alliot rotunda 9:37 p.m. Motor vehicle assistance at Klein Center Thursday, Dec. 5 ce 7:51 a.m. Suspicious persons at St. Edmund’s Hall — Fun Fact At her current pace, senior Liz LeFebvre - last week’s Northeast-10 -Conference Player of the Week - would become the only St. Michael’s College women’s basketball player with 1,500 points, 900 rebounds and 150 blocked shots during a career since the program was established for the 1974-75 season. Her team is also on pace for a -500 record for the first time since Liz was a seventh-grad- Managing Editor Julie Cunningham ’03 News Editor Josh Kessler °03 Features Editor Joe Simpson °03 Photo Editors Luke Hudak °03 Cate Westberg *04 Sports Editor Greg Smith °04 A&E Editor Sarah Filippi ’03 Columns Editor Jay London ’03 Outdoors Editor Nick LaCour ’03 Health Editor Justine Orzel ’03 Calendar Editor Alex Abrami ’04 Ad Manager Dan Piano ’03 The Defender office is in Bergeron 114 and can be reached at 654-2421, by mail at P.O. Box 275, St. Michael’s College, Winooski Park, Vt., 05439, or by e-mail at defend- er@smcvt.edu. It is printed Georgia, Vt. Ltn | weekly by the B.D. Press in | | | / | = Photo by Luke Hudak A plaque dedicated to Tammi Stokes sits beneath this tree outside McCarthy Arts Center. Stokes was an 18-year-old sophomore at St. Michael’s when she was killed 10 years ago in an automobile accident. By Christine Johnson Staff Writer A plaque sits in the ground beneath a tree outside the McCarthy Arts Center dedicated to Tammi Stokes, a student who died 10 years ago this month. After completing her first semester exams in December 1992, Stokes set off on the trip home with her parents and sister to Yarmouth, Maine, on Dec. 18. However, Stokes made it no fur- ther than Piermont, N.H. With her father driving, Stokes briefly removed her seat- belt to speak with her sister around the same time their car collided with a tractor-trailer. Stokes, 18, was the only passen- ger in the car to die. The other three passengers sustained injuries. After Stokes’ death, a plaque dedication ceremony took place and her parents received an hon- orary diploma during graduation in May 1993. Dorothy Williams, the director of Multicultural Student Affairs at the time, was a close friend of Stokes and was instrumental in getting the plaque dedicated. “T think of her as an angel,” Williams said. “She touched everyone’s life she met and was a truly beautiful person.” ° Vice President of Student Affairs Mike Samara said he still remembers the night he received a phone call reporting the news of Stokes’ death. “Tt was a shocking tragedy,” Samara said. “Tammi’s death was a terrible shock to the communi- ty, as is any death in those cir- cumstances.” Stokes was involved with many extracurricular activies on campus. She was a disc jockey for WWPY and served in the stu- dent government. She was also active in the Diversity Coalition, a group that serves to educate and promote awareness of issues such as gender, race, religion and eth- nicity, according to _ the Multicultural Student Affairs Web site. “She was a real human being,” Williams said. “She could see beyond ... the issues of black and white. Stokes worked ... to get these messages across,” Williams said. er (1993-94). 9/27— WeBeBop 9/28- Trinity 10/S— Biltmore Grill’s First Theme Night pes cs ean i ns fe se en ng Stokes stood up for many of the rights and ideas that are cur- rently expressed by Multicultural Student Affairs and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Society, Williams said. Every person has a story, and Williams said Stokes’ is one of (OF EQUAL OR LESSER VALUE) With the purchase of 1 lunch or dinner meal. Please let server know before ordering, I Applicable on J uesdays only! Located at 115 St. Paul Street across from City Hall Park. 1 the many that will live on for as long as the school exists. “The plaque speaks for itself and beyond,” Williams said. Stefan Botchev contributed to this article. "! <9 thé Defénller * Wednesday: Devertber TY? 2002 * Issue Nuthber 10 News Academic calendar changes proposed; January vote St. Patrick's Day creates main obstacle for SMC By Andrea-Sarada Spengler Staff Writer During the Student Association meeting on Novy. 19, Provost Jan Sheeran emphasized two major issues regarding proposed changes to the academic calendar for the school years between 2003-04 and 2010-11. Changes include having Commencement fall on a day other than Mother’s Day and making St. Patrick’s Day occur during spring break. While Sheeran said both were issues dis- cussed annually among her and a committee of administrators, faculty, staff and students, her main objective was to get school out of session on St. Patrick’s Day. “A lot of students seem to think that get- ting drunk is a nifty way to celebrate,” Sheeran said. “This results in destructive and insulting behavior.” She said more and more colleges approach this problem by not having classes that day. “Since this is a group thing, we figured that if students go home, this is less likely to happen,” Sheeran said. Last week, Sheeran released a revised proposal for the 2003-04 through 2005-06 school years in which each fall semester has 70 class days and exams end no later than Dec. 19. The second semester — which would include 71 class days — would begin no earlier than Jan. 12, Comparing the 2002-03 and 2003-04 school years 2002-03 (69 class days) Aug. 31 - Sept. 2 Sept. 3 Oct. 12-15 Nov. 27 - Dec. 1 Dec. 13 Dec. 21 2002-03 (70 class days) 22 days Jan. 13 Feb. 22 - March 2 April 18 - 21 April 29 May6 — May 11 (Sunday) Note: This is the proposed 2003-04 academic calendar, which has not yet been approved by President vanderHeyden and the Cabinet. If a President's Day break is scheduled into the 2003-04 calendar on Feb. 14-17, classes will begin Jan. 12. spring break would occur the week of St. Patrick’s Day and Commencement would take place a week after Mother’s Day. However, spring break and Easter vacation would run together in 2004-05 and create a two-week vacation in the middle of the semester. During that semester, students would have class every day for the first seven weeks instead of getting two days off for FALL SEMESTER Orientation First Day of Class Fall Recess Thanksgiving Break Last Day of Class Last Day of Exams SPRING SEMESTER Winter Break First Day of Class Spring Break Easter Break Last Day of Class Last Day of Exams Commencement President’s Day in mid-February. Some students see no reason for a calendar change. “I’m not too excited about it,” sophomore Tara Feeley said. “T could definitely live with the way it is.” While looking at calendar changes, the committee dealt with other issues such as consistently having at least 70 class days per See CHANGES, Page 6 Students want healthier foods, faster meals at Alliot, survey says By Gavin Faretra Staff Writer Feedback from an October survey regarding food at the Green Mountain Dining Room in the Alliot Student Center has helped initiate changes which will allow students to grab a quicker meal. The results also revealed the desire for more healthy food options among stu- dents, especially females. An overall response of 271 students — with 66 percent of the responses coming from women — illustrated men are more satisfied with the food than women are in the Dining Room, said Hank Strashnick, the general manager of Sodexho Food Services. “Overall, the women said that something was missing from the menu,” Strashnick said. “They want a more healthy and less fried-food diet.” Strashnick was responsible for e-mailing the survey to stu- dents earlier this semester in an attempt to provide the kitchen staff with feedback regarding the daily food selection. He said the survey was available online so students could provide input without the pressure of friends telling them what to think. “We want to find out what the students are truly thinking,” Strashnick said. Seventy two percent of the responses were from first-year students and sophomores, which Strashnick expected since many juniors and seniors either live off campus or in townhouses, which have working kitchens. One problem that Strashnick has to deal with when putting together a menu is the college itself. “The students aren’t the buyer; the college is the buyer,” Strashnick said. He said he has to propose changes to either Director of Purchasing and Auxiliary Services Dave Coseo or Vice President of Student Affairs Mike Samara depending on what changes he wants to make. While some students desire change, many are happy with some things the way they are. Respondents highly rated the appearance of the staff, the quan- tity of food relative to price and the speed of service. Even Strashnick points out the speed of service wasn’t always what it could be. The amount of students coming in at lunchtime on Tuesday and Thursday is so heavy that the speed of service has suffered, Strashnick said. On some days, staff shortages leave certain amenities unavailable, such as Chef’s Corner, which offers a variety of international food. In response, the rotation of the kitchen staff was changed. Stations that require more than one person now have that extra body. “Students that have class at 1 p.m. and come in at 12:30 p.m. to eat need to do this quickly,” Strashnick said. “This is precious time, and if we can knock time down from five minutes to four minutes, this is an improvement.” Junior Mat Santos is one of the students who hits the Dining Room during lunchtime. “Sometimes I just like to stop off and grab a quick lunch in between classes,” Santos said. “But it gets so crowded I just don’t have time.” The number of students eat ing in the Dining Room is so heavy at times that Strashnick is considering asking Registrar John Sheehey to reorganize a few class times. “One school changed two classes (and affected) about 80 people,’ Strashnick said. “It solved the entire problem.” A big problem revealed in the survey was the lack of variety on the menu. Students com- plained that there aren’t enough selections from day to day. “IT think they should offer some more food that is just not simple sugars,” first-year student 2003-04 (70 class days) Aug. 28 - 31 Sept. 1 Oct. 11 - 14 Nov. 26 - 30 Dec. 12 Dec. 19 2003-04 (71 class days) 23 days Jan. 14 March 13 - 21 April 9-12 April 30 May 7 May 13 (Thursday) like Student teachers, M.O.V.E. might feel negative affect By Katie Barry Staff Writer The proposed changes to the academic calendar for the school years from 2003-04 through 2010-11 could negatively affect some student programs despite the positive intentions. St. Michael’s students are always on campus for St. Patrick’s Day since spring break falls at the end of February. However, the proposed calendar for the next nine years has spring break scheduled for mid- March in order to send students home for the March 17 holiday. The calendar changes will be voted on by President Marc vanderHeyden and the school’s cabinet in January. “T’ve been talking about this for years,” Vice President of Student Affairs Mike Samara said. He said neighboring schools the University of Vermont Plattsburgh State University routinely schedule their spring breaks during St. Patrick’s Day to avoid the drinking and van- dalism that often accompany the holiday. and Samara said St. Patrick’s Day creates many problems for the school, including lia- bility issues for the college and health and safety issues for the students and Residence Life staff. He said Residence Life hires extra security, doubles its staff duty sched- ule and works with the START team and See AFFECT, Page 5 Photo by Cate Westberg Students are asking for healthier alternatives to foods such as french fries, grilled cheese and hot dogs at the Green Mountain Dining Room in Alliot Student Center. Jaime Deacon said, “like really awesome healthy dishes that con- tain good protein and iron for us hard-working college students.” Strashnick is looking for a happy medium for the students. It’s important to make everyone happy, he said, not just the major- ity who like the basic offerings. “We want to provide a bal- ance for students,” Strashnick said. Students have to realize, “Realistically we can only pro- vide so many options,” he said. “The kitchen can do all it can to speed up service and fix the menu to please the students,” Strashnick said, but the menu may not be the problem. The tastes of the students themselves might be the problem, he said. “We have to look at the fact that there may not be anything wrong with the food, but that people change,” Strashnick said. Regarding the basic and generic foods, he said, “Students just don’t want to eat chicken patties anymore, because they have had them for the past two, three, even four years.” The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002°* Issue Number 10 News Student Association plans budget surplus solution Finance Committee meets with clubs to discuss intentions for excess money By Brian Clifford Staff Writer The Student Association Finance Committee met with all student clubs this week as part of a regulation process intended to prevent an excessive budget sur- plus this spring. In these 10-minute meetings, the Finance Committee reviewed first semester events held by the clubs and let them know how much money they have left for the remainder of the year. They also reviewed the schedule of events planned for next semester in order to determine how much money clubs plan on spending. The motivation behind these meetings is to avoid amassing a large budget surplus, said S.A. Secretary of Finance Andrew Karlowicz. S.A. officials said last year’s budget surplus ran between $20,000 and $30,000. Large budget surpluses often go unused because the S.A. has no access to those funds. Instead, the money goes into a general fund controlled by the S.A.’s E-Board, which provides a cushion that is used to pay for deficits if clubs go over their budget. Karlowicz said he dislikes the fact that the annual $190 Student Activity Fee, a sum each student pays to fund S.A. budget allocations, could accumulate and remain in the general fund for many years. “This money should be used Special Events Hilltop E-Board Defender Fire & Rescue MLK Jr. Society .............. Political Science Coffeehouse Alianza Rugby (Men) Peace and Justice Amnesty Diversity .............. ec by us, not people 10 years down the road,” Karlowicz said. S.A. President Matt Mona- han said he is confident these meetings will help the clubs man- age their finances in such a way that will prevent a surplus com- parable to last year’s. “The problem (last year) was that too much money was given out to clubs and organizations without enough guidance,” Monahan said. Monahan said he dislikes the prospect of a large surplus because he thinks surplus money should be spent to help the stu- dents who provided it. He said he does not think it is fair for the E- Board to decide where this S.A. formulates plan for 1% donation of budget to charity By William Witcher Staff Writer Student Association Pres- ident Matt Monahan recently proposed an amendment to the St. Michael’s Constitution to help improve the S.A.’s involvement with charities and non-profit organizations. At the Dec. 10 meeting the S.A. voted on whether to pass an amendment allowing the S.A. to give one percent of its annual budget to charity. As of press time, the vote had not yet occurred. If passed, the S.A. would set a minimum dollar amount to donate to a charity which they feel has motivations coinciding with those of the col- lege. The amendment included the St. Michael’s Charity Grant, which outlines the actions and guidelines the S.A. will follow regarding donations to charity or non-profit organizations. “There is such a large amount of money in the S.A. account that some should be donated to charity and to individ- uals who are in need,” Monahan said. The amendment’ .was designed to benefit any charity or organization deemed worthy by the S.A., who will then decide which charities will get the fund- ing. The amendment states that at the S.A.’s first meeting of every academic year, three different charities will be presented to the Executive Board. The Executive Board will then decide which charity or organization will receive the grant, donated on behalf of the “Students of St. Michael’s College.” S.A. Vice President Tim Ross said the S.A. already con- tributes money to different chari- ties throughout the year, but the amendment will set a precedent Original 2002-03 budgets for student clubs and organizations $51,840.00 31,680.00 28,800.00 18,720.00 17,904.00 16,800.00 14,400.00 11,520.00 11,184.00 5,760.00 oe w++++-4,800,00 money goes. Monahan criticized last year’s E-Board for spending sur- plus funds on “non-necessity items,” such as the leather chairs for the S.A. office. “If they have money, they should spend it,” Monahan said. “And don’t spend it on leather chairs or T-shirts.” Senior Shaun Bryer is the club representative for Hilltop, which publishes an annual year- book. Hilltop is now over budget because of problems receiving advertisement funds that provide the publication with $5,000 annu- ally. Bryer said he hopes these meetings will help the Finance further allocation of funds set forth 1 by the: Free the Planet A-Team Founder's Society Computer Science Alliot Governing Board Snowboard Athletics Sleepless Knights Education Freeride .......... Pe as Guitar Club Class of 2006 OIG Playing .................. VARS H ERAN ERR e eee en renee Rieke 000 TOTAL... $851 Committee develop a good sense of what each club should receive this spring during the budget real- location process so any club deficits could be eliminated. “A bill is a bill and it needs to be paid,” Bryer said. Political Science Club repre- sentative Tim Rodes said he likes the idea of the budget planning meetings, but that they will not have a serious impact on his club since he said he feels his club will stay on budget. “We weren’t as active first semester,” Rodes said. ““We did- n’t spend as much money as we planned, but we have a lot of con- crete plans for next semester that should make up for that.” Track Club representative Dave Balint said he is concerned with the motivation behind these meetings. He said he does not know exactly what to expect, and he is unsure about what the Finance Committee plans to achieve by these meetings. “If they’re completely hon- est about it I think it’s a good thing,” Balint said. “It would be | bad if they try to put pressure on clubs to not spend as much money as they were initially given.” Ei eee Section 4: At the first Student Association, meeting of the year the eu Bad present three and only three separate charities or organizations who they wish to receive the grant. There will be discussion and explanation on all three organizatio and a vote will be made before the mene is adjourned. - : Section 5: The money will be donated to the approved charity or (ona in the name of the “Students of St. Michael’s College.” That particular organization can receive the grant the fotlowing year if the Student Association votes in favor of it. Note: The amendment was voted upon at Tuesday night's Student Association meeting. Be on the lookout for an E-mail from the Defender reporting the results. for the S.A. to donate a sum of money at the beginning of each year. There is currently a set dollar amount for charities, but the plan is to make the average sum around $3,500. “It’s not a lot of money com- pared to money we donate to our clubs, but it’s a great gesture from the students at St. Michael’s,” Ross said. Monahan said he is confi- dent the S.A. members will pass the amendment. “It would be very disap- pointing for the student body to not give at least one percent of their annual budget to a deserving charity every year,” Monahan said. ‘ The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 > News AFFECT: Short vacations would leave little time for service trips Continued from Page 3 local police to curb problems from drunk students every St. Patrick’s Day. “Our general sense was enough is enough,” Samara said. Samara said he did not believe students would stay at school during spring break solely in order to party with friends on St. Patrick’s Day. However, moving spring break would create problems for M.O.V.E. The group offers its extended service trips over the recess, and in the past it has ben- efited from the fact that other schools were in session during St. Michael’s spring break. M.O.V.E. might have to compete with other college groups for reservations at service sites, M.O.V.E. Assistant Director Steve Garbarino said. A previous version of the proposed academic calendar changes had spring semester starting as early as Jan. 6, raising concerns that M.O.V.E. members would not be able to go on win- ter extended service trips. In an updated version of the proposed changes, which. was reléaséd last week, spring semes- ter would not begin until a week and a half into January, allowing time for the trips to take place. “That’s really all I need for the winter trips,” M.O.V.E. Director Ann Giombetti said. The Curriculum § and Educational Policy Committee, which is comprised of students and faculty, raised concerns with some of the academic dimen- sions of the new calendar. In a report to the Faculty Assembly, the committee expressed its con- cern that the new schedule creat- ed an unreasonably long academ- ic stretch before spring break. The report said student teachers would lose their spring break if the new break did not coincide with spring breaks at local public schools. Schools in Chittenden County generally have their spring break during the last week of February. In the past, a February spring break at St. Michael’s has given faculty the opportunity to spend the week with their children. The schedule changes work out better for other campus groups. Athletic Director Geri Knortz said a March spring break would help the sports teams. “We could go south and train for the week in a warmer climate,” she said. “We’d have very few conflicts.” It’s possible the current ver- sion of the new academic calen- dar won’t be the last one. The proposed calendar has changed many times this year as people keep giving feedback, Provost Jan Sheeran said. Nothing will be firmly set until January. PROGRAM: 45 employees will leave the school between January and May to pursue jobs, retirement Continued from Page 1 to fill the vacant positions. “We certainly met or exceed- ed our expectations,” New said. He said 40 staff members and five faculty members signed up for the program. Staff members will be employed by the college until Jan. 3 while faculty will have until Commencement on May 11. “T told them it’s gotta make sense to them personally, not because they’re afraid to lose their job,” New said. He said he hoped the instant money will benefit employees and that some employees might consider career changes or retirement. “T just hope they all took it for the right reasons, not because they re afraid something’s gonna happen here; because it’s not,” he said. The department hardest hit was the physical plant, where 23 employees chose to leave the col- lege, including a dozen custodi- ans. Mae Harrington, the associ- ate director of the physical plant for facilities, said she is unsure how many custodial vacancies she will be refilling. Bette Grenon, an assistant for the Graduate Theology Program and Religious Studies, _has worked at the school for 15°” years and falls into the 57/15 cat- egory. She said the offer of healthcare coverage was the main selling point. “That was one of the biggest drawing points for me accepting this,” Grenon said. “The fact (was) that I was thinking I'd be retiring within the next couple of years, and when this opportunity came it was too good to pass up.” Mary Alice Irish, a staff nurse at health services for almost 23 years, is in the 57/15 category and decided to accept the program for the same reason as Grenon. “I fall into the magic age group, and I’ve been here for enough years until Medicare,” Irish said. “That was an offer I just couldn’t refuse.” Michael Sudduth, an associ- ate professor of philosophy, has been employed by St. Michael’s since 1997. After receiving tenure last year, he was granted an academic leave of absence this semester to complete his book on arguments for the existence of God. “My decision not to return to St. Michael’s at the end of my leave of absence was not tied to the decision of whether to accept the VSP,” Sudduth said. “I had already decided for other reasons to voluntarily separate. The deci- sion came about the same time the VSP information came to me. Good timing, I suppose.” Many employees were happy the school came forward with such a program as this instead of laying people off, and many appreciated the benefits of the program. “T think it was wonderful for the staff to have that opportuni- ty,” Irish said. “It was certainly wonderful for people in my age group.” She said the program could also help younger people by giving them money up front, which would afford them the time and flexibility to pursue another job they’re interested in, not just the first available posi- tion they find. “In general, I think it is a good’ thing *to~have a severance package for employees of the institution,” Sudduth said. “Of course, it is important not to give the impression that we’re trying to motivate people to leave. The college needs to make sure that packages like the VSP are pre- sented in the most positive light. That’s not always easy.” Grenon was happy the school offered the program to every employee, but she was par- ticularly pleased that older employees were offered better benefits. “Yes, it’s benefiting the peo- ple closer to retirement,” Grenon said. “That’s the way it should be; we’ ve been here longer. Some of them that are leaving that are younger are telling me they know they have 18 months of medical coverage so it gives them just the right amount of leeway to find another job.” Grenon echoed Irish’s sentiments by pointing out employees can now seek out the “right job,” not just a job that will help pay the rent. “There aren’t many times in your life you’re going to have that chance,” Grenon said. Jessica Peck, a _ graphic designer in print services, has been employed by St. Michael’s for 14 months, and a number of factors influenced her decision to sign up for the program. She commutes an hour from her home in Stowe, and she said she’d like to be drawing, but her only options at St. Michael’s involve using computers. She said she’ll make more money doing freelance work from home, creating anything from business cards to brochures. However, she won’t completely cut ties with St. Photo by Josh Kessler Mary Alice Irish, a staff nurse in health services, chats with first-year student Leilani Courtney, a work-study student in health services. Irish, who has spent nearly 23 years at the college, joined 44 other employees in signing up for the Voluntary Separation Program, which offered employees benefits in exchange for leaving the college. Michael’s. She said she might continue to do work on a free- lance basis for the school. “I enjoyed the people here,” Peck said. As for her future, Grenon said one of her friends got her a part time summer job at the infor- mation gallery booth down at the Waterfront in Burlington. “T have a friend who’s been waiting for me for many years to retire?’ Grenon said: “It’s going to be a lot of fun. I'll have to wear shorts and sandals.” She said she might do temporary work as well or decide to devote her time to volunteer work near her home in the Champlain Islands. “Who knows, I may decide to take on a whole new career,” she said. Jim Sears, an application systems programmer in Information Technology, has worked at St. Michael’s for 17 years and is planning a career change after he leaves. “I might be looking to change,” Sears said. “Right now I'd say I'd be looking for some- thing else.” Sears said he’s going to miss working at St. Michael’s, but he’s going to enjoy his free time while in between jobs. “T’m gonna take it easy,” he said. “Within the next three months I’m gonna be looking for something to do.” Unlike Grenon and Sears, Irish is seeking to continue her current career elsewhere. “T love what I do, and I love nursing, and I hope to continue in the nursing field,” Irish said. She said she’d like to continue with health care at the college level, possibly at the University of Vermont, or work at a communi- ty health clinic or walk-in clinic. Sudduth appears ready to resume his career near his home in Connecticut, but he’s making sure to leave free time for fun. He said his plan is to, “Write, contin- ue teaching here in Connecticut, work on restoring our historic home and, as time permits, keep my fingers warm on the fretboard of my Fender Stratocaster gui- Voluntary Separation Program break down Forty-five employees are leav- ing from six departments: mw Physical Plant (23) w Academic Affairs (12) & Information Technology (4) m@ Admissions & Marketing (2) w Auxiliary Services (2) m Student Life (2) Among the 12 employees in academic affairs, five are fac- ulty members: @ Kristina Lewis, associate psychology professor @ Lance Richbourg, fine arts professor m@ Andrew Simon, French instructor m Michael Sudduth, associate philosophy professor m Carl Zeno, philosophy pro- fessor ” tars. While Irish accepted the pro- gram to benefit the lives of her- self and her husband, she is any- thing but looking forward to leaving the St. Michael’s commu- nity. “T like the people I work for, and that is the students,” Irish said. “I’ve met a number of just quality young people here. I have learned a tremendous amount and continue to learn, and I work with great people.” She said she also enjoys feeling school pride at events both on and off campus. “IT was at Cairns Arena for a high school hockey game and | ran into a couple St. Michael’s students ... and it’s always nice to have young people who will recognize you and say hello. I have a very good feeling about the St. Michael’s community as a whole.” Susan Jacques, director of Health Services, said it would be hard to replace Irish, and she’d miss her caring nature and sense of humor. “She’s a hard act to follow,” Jacques said. However, she understood Irish’s reasons for leaving. “IT wasn’t surprised because it was a great offer for her,” she said. “Mostly, I guess I had a mixed reaction — sad for us but happy for her.” Overall, New has _ been pleased with the results of the Voluntary Separation Program and that employees won’t be sub- ject to layoffs. “Tt avoided us doing some- thing really ugly,” New said. “I think so far it’s been a success. In a year we'll have to sit around and discuss whether it was a suc- cess.” 6 The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 : News This Week in History Dec. 11, 1946: UNICEF - The United Nations International Children’s Emercency Fund - is founded after World War II to help children in war-torn countries. Dec. 12, 1901: Italian Guglielmo Marconi sends the first radio trans- mission across the Atlantic Ocean from Cornwall, England, to Newfoundland, Canada. Dec. 13, 1642: Dutch nagivator Abel Tasman discovers New Zealand a few weeks after discovering an island southeast of Australia which is now known as Tasmania. Singing away the winter blues Dec. 14, 1799: George Washington, the first president of the United States, dies of acute laryngitis in Mount Vernon, Va., at the age of 67. Dec. 15, 1961: Former Nazi officer Adolf Eichmann, who organized the Holocaust for Adolf Hitler, is sentenced to hang by an Israeli war crimes tribunal! in Tel Aviv. Dec. 16, 1811 and 1920: In 18114, an earthquake estimated at 8.6 on the Richter scale hits near New Madrid, Mo., and is felt on the east coast. The shock is so powerful that the Mississippi River even momentarily reverses flow. In 1920, 200,000 people die after an 8.5. magnitude earthquake nails the Gansu province of midwestern China. Dec. 17, 1903: At 10:35 a.m., Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight of a self-propelled aircraft in history near Kitty Hawk, _ N.C. The aircraft travels 120 feet in 12 seconds. Se ae Photo by Luke Hudak The St. Michael’s Chorale and Chamber Singers perform carols in the Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel on Dec. 6. The students sang during the ““Ceremony of Lessons and Carols” with professor Nathaniel Lew directing. Nearly one thousand people attended to hear the Singers, the Concert Winds and Hearing Voices. CHANGES: 141-day calendar in the works Continued from Page 3 semester. There were only 69 this semester. “A minimum of 70 days is reflective of state expectations,” Sheeran said. “Since we are a pri- vate college, we are not required to meet these expectations, but we still attempt to do so.” Sophomore Nick Karlowicz said he would like as little class time as possible, “But I’m still in favor of a change,” he said, “mainly because I like the idea of having spring break at the same time that other schools do.” Sheeran. said the proposed changes to the academic calendar would help the school accom- plish all of its objectives regard- ing semester length and vacation changes. However, she admitted that the calendar will need further polishing. Many students and faculty members feel the same way. After Sheeran fielded questions at the meeting, an informal poll revealed 17 students were in favor of the proposed changes and 22 opposed them. Although the S.A. decided not to support the proposed cal- endar changes, S.A. President Matt Monahan said he was in favor of a change. However, he did not think the proposed changes were adequate... .. “This is basically a package deal for a ten-year period,” Monahan said. “For some years it just doesn’t work out at all.” For example, the 2004-05 academic year has only four class days between spring break and Easter Vacation, a scheduling quirk Monahan disliked. Another concern voiced mainly by faculty was the spring semester would start about a week earlier than it does now. “T need the extra time after Christmas to prepare and get ready for the next semester,” English professor Elizabeth Inness-Brown said. Sheeran said she was aware of those problems, but there were ways to address them. She said the committee would stick to the plan of the new model but change it accordingly for the years the plan does not work. _ “We will get rid of the things that are not academically sound,” Sheeran said. She said she would continue to listen to concerns and do as much modifying as neces- sary. Monahan was confident that a satisfactory calendar would be achieved. “Once those changes are made,” Monahan said, “I think it'll be a great calendar.” PROTEST: Civil disobedience sends strong message to students Continued from Page 1 arrest them. “We and 300 organizations in the United States and around the world want President Bush to increase the budget for AIDS treatment before his trip to Africa in mid-January,” Davis said. Siplon decided to attend the protest after spending six months in Tanzania, Africa, where she worked with 12 HIV-positive women. Two died after Siplon returned to the United States. “That was the reason for me to break the law,” Siplon said. “In five to 10 years every other widow that I worked with is going to be dead.” After being arrested, Siplon and the other activists had to pay a fee of $50 per person and plead guilty in order to be released the months after Andrew Simon, an instructor of modern languages at St. Michael’s, was arrested and held for two days in jail during a September protest. He said he thinks protesting can call atten- tion to important issues. “If you do something like that, you want to underline the gravity of the situation and per- haps get media coverage,” Simon said. “The only way to stop a war in Iraq is with people on the streets, and particularly Americans.” Civil disobedience can influence students if performed by professors who function as role models, said Buff Lindau, director of Public Relations at St. Michael’s, “Modeling civil disobedi- ence may be one of the most a teacher pro- P wertul lessons students,” Lindau said. special policy about arrested pro- fessors in civil disobedience. “The college believes in the right of professors to engage in civil disobedience while ackno- wledging that the professor is acting as an individual, not as an agent of the college,” Lindau said. Siplon made a strong state- ment and left an unforgettable impression in the eyes of many of her students that admire her for her courage. “She did what she had to do in order to make a difference,” said sophomore Kimberly Junior, one of Siplon’s students in Power, Politics and Health, Senior Julie Franzini, anoth- er of Siplon’s students, said she is proud that her professor stands up for what she believes in and functions as a role model for the students. 2003 VERMONT PUB POET LAUREATE COMPETITION The 2003 Vermont Pub Poet Laureate Competition. honors. tthens)--~ Universal Poet,” Rabbie Burns. Entries are limited to poems com- posed in the Standard Rabbie verse form (AAABAB) employed by the Ploughman Poet. Entries may be of any length. Subject matter is the choice of the poet, but Burns himself claimed that, “I put myself on a regimen of admiring a fine woman” to prepare to pen a poem. The company of Scots whiskey also prompted his pen. Entries should can be e-mailed to vpb@pshift.com or mailed to the brewery at 144 College St., Burlington, Vt., 05401. Ranting, raving Rabbie Burns, the common man’s poet and the muse of “guid Scotch drink,” was born on January 25th, 1759. 2003 marks his 244th birthday. Readings by the authors and the selection of the 2003 Vermont Pub Poet Laureate will take place at the Vermont Pub & Brewery’s 14th Annual Burns Night Dinner, Wednesday, January 22, 2003. : F q ————————————O Sl C4 aac eyreri The Defender * ec a e Ci) f Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 7 CD .vaebecur Opinion Editorial Condom sense When it comes to birth contro], most St. Michael’s organizations do what they can to help students within the Catholic mission statement of the college, but end up being all talk and no action. Because St. Michael’s is a Catholic institution, birth control literature is available to students on campus, but no actual methods are dispensed. Most Catholic colleges and universities still function within the Catholic doctrine, which disapproves of sex before marriage and prohibits the use of artificial birth control. St. Michael's follows the trend of most of the nation’s other 230 Catholic institutions by providing students with gynecological exams and testing for sexually transmitted diseases, but no pregnancy or contraceptive options. According to Catholics for a Free Choice, of the 230 Catholic colleges, only 13 provide coniraceptives to their stu- dents. Some Catholic institutions are beginning to enter the 21St century. Catholic University of America offers pregnan- cy testing in addition to STD testing. Notre Dame prescribes birth control pills medically. St. Michael’s has responded well to other changing social issues by creating a women’s center and an Ally group on campus. The Student Association campaigns vigorously for worldwide AIDS prevention, and employees at Student Health Services provide information and referrals to students. Why recognize some issues and ignore others? It was- n't so long ago that AIDS was referred to as “‘the gay plague.” Obviously, Catholic organizations have moved beyond that stereotype and have become active in AIDS education and treatment. The school is clearly aware of the new concerns facing college students, so why not take the extra step toward a truly informed and active Catholic institution? St. Michael’s does everything but actually distribute condoms, effectively stating that unwanted pregnancy isn’t a {serious health issue. Because’ the Catholic Church objects to sex before marriage, its logic! solutic: would be abstinence. However, St. Michael’s offers STD tesiing, so the institution is aware that students are sexuaily active and exposed to possi- ble health risks. Prospective students at a Catholic college would not expect birth control to be available on campus, but they wouldn’t expect a gay-straight alliance, either. St. Michael’s is a socially conscious institution and this is one of the hurdles it faces as it continues to evoive as a contemporary liberal arts college. . In the school’s attempt to embrace ethnic and reli- gious diversity, its Catholic character has changed. But St. Michael’s doesn’t have to choose between being a Catholic college or a liberal arts college. The Society of St. Edmund is still a strong presence, but so are political and social activists working toward real change. A Catholic college should offer faith and guidance under Catholic principles to those who seek it. A liberal arts college should provide its. students with knowledge of and the opportunity to improve the world. St. Michael’s students should be onsidered responsible enough to have birth control available whereever they choose to live without it undermining their :ommitment to Catholicism. Skye Donovan, Executive Editor The Defender Mission Statement As the editorial staff of The Defender, the student-run newspaper of St. Michael's College, we strive to accurately, pro- fessionally and ethically report the news affecting the lives of students in the community. The decisions we make with regard to content and style are our own, and are influenced only by our goal of both informing and entertaining our readers. We believe in the freedom of expression. We encourage our _ readers to express their views at any time. The Defender publishes letters to the editor in response to articles that we have printed in the paper and issues on campus. The Defender does not publish anonymous letters. Letters will be edited only for grammar, spelline and good taste. The Defender Staff By Chris Gillon Columbia Daily Spectator (Columbia U.) NEW YORK - Seventy-six undergraduate students at Yale University filed formal charges against Yale President Richard Levin Thursday, claiming he vio- ' lated’ univérsity bylaws in his treatment of students, particular- ly those exercising their freedom of speech right. If Levin is convicted by the University Tribunal, he could face suspension or expulsion, a press release by the Undergrad- uate Organizing Committee states. A letter, which was submit- ted with the charges, states, “the seriousness of (an expulsion) matches the seriousness with which we take these issues.” The letter cites the ongoing labor strife, which has left almost four thousand Yale workers with- out renewed contracts as of yet. The press release argues that Levin has violated bylaws requir- ing administrators to “preserve mutual respect and charitable relations within the Yale commu- nity.” d Yale freshman Thomas Frampton said Levin has done exactly the opposite, saying his inactions with regards to work- ers’ rights and students’ rights have led to a crisis on campus. _ “We've approached him at - open forums,” Frampton said. “We’ve tried informal sit-downs with him where students felt dis- respected or shutdown.” Another charge states that Levin has misrepresented univer- sity policy to the student body. Frampton said he and other stu- dents were leafleting near the Woolsey Rotunda on campus and were harassed by police. “Repeatedly, President Levin was asked why it hap- pened,” Frampton said. According to Frampton, Levin said leafleting is not allowed in that area, which prompted him and others to research Yale policies. “Nowhere it says leafleting is (prohibited),” Frampton said. Photo by Josh Burlette Back Row: (From left) Photo editor Cate Westberg, Arts & Entertainment editor Sarah Filippi, exec- utive editor Skye Donovan, managing editor Julie Cunningham, Features editor Joe Simpson, News editor Josh Kessler, Outdoors editor Nick LaCour and Columns editor Jay London. Front Row: (From left) Adviser Paul Beique, Sports editor Greg Smith, Calendar editor Alex Abrami and photo editor Luke Hudak. (Not pictured) Health & Fitness editor Justine Orzel and advertising manager Dan Piano. Yale students try to expel school president The third and fourth charges listed claim Levin has violated Yale’s Freedom of Expression Policy, stifling free speech through the use of university police. “There’s a lot of students that feel marginalized and intimi- dated,” Frampton said. “Yale spokesman Tom Violante declined to comment. The letter from the students says that the charges are not a personal attack on Levin. “We are asking nothing more than that as University President you will be held to the same stan- dards as you would hold your own undergraduates,” the letter states. The next step, Frampton said, is unclear. He said an inves- tigator will most likely investi- gate the complaints to try to informally resolve the problem. If it is not resolved, it will go to trial before the University Tribunal, he said. — U-Wire Court case could censor student journalists in 3 states By Jessica Majkowski Northern Star (Northern Illinois U.) DEKALB, Ill. — College stu- dents in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin might lose the right to freedom of the press next month. The future of college news- papers in the three states rests on the outcome of the case Hosty v. Carter. “(The case) has gotten a lot of publicity nationally, and I think that’s a good thing,” said Jim Killam, president of the Illinois College Press Association and adviser for the Northern Star. The case is the result of an incident at Governors State . University in Illinois two years ago when’ Dean Patricia Carter halted the printing of GSU’s newspaper, the Innovator. She called the Innovator’s printer and told him not to print any issues of the paper until an administrator had approved them. Some of the stories and edi- torials printed in the Innovator had criticized the GSU adminis- tration. In 2001, student journalists Margaret Hosty, Jeni Porche and Steven Barba are suing GSU. They said Carter violated their First Amendment right to free- dom of the press. The case has gone to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. If the court rules in favor of GSU, college students in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin will lose their freedom of the press. “It goes beyond newspa- pers,” Killam said. The ruling could affect any kind of free expression on col- lege campuses, Killam said. He said he hopes the court rules in favor of the students. “(The students) don’t have any legal representation, but they have someone who’s going to argue for their case,” Killam said. Killam said attorney Richard Goehler will argue on the stu- dents’ behalf. Goehler previously filed a brief on a similar college censorship case, Kincaid v. Gibson. The court ruled in favor of college press freedom in that case. Killam said if the court does not rule in favor of the students, they likely will appeal. — U-Wire Alichael ni bs The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 9 Features CAMPUS SPEAKS What is the worst holiday gift you've ever received? **A Pats jersey.” Greg Serve, ‘05 “A fire truck when I _ was ae Brendan Waight “Velour pants from _ my grandmother.” Julie McGloin, ’05 “My old car. It had more rust than paint.” Dave Moody ’04 “A pair of dress socks.” Matt DeLuca, ’05 “When I was 15, I got a knitted sweater with a bunny on it.” Felicia Sullivan, ’06 Photo by Cate Westberg Senior Anne-Marie Chistolini spends time by the hut outside of St. Edmunds collecting donations. Habitat for Humanity Students raise money to build affordable housing By Nicole Amato Staff Writer At 11 p.m. on a Thursday, the sky was filled with clouds and the ground was damp. According to the Weather Channel it was 36 degrees out- side. While most students were warm in their dorm rooms, one slept outside of St. Edmund’s hall in a small wooden hut. Junior Judy Eaton was one of the students who slept out- doors to raise money for Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit, non- denominational Christian organi- zation that builds houses for those who cannot afford them. The fundraiser, called “Raise the Roof for Habitat,” also pro- moted awareness of the need for affordable housing. Sponsored by M.O.V.E., the program was a part of Hunger and Homelessness Week. M.O.V.E.’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity sponsored the activity. Ann Giombetti, one of the directors of M.O.V.E., has organ- ized this fundraiser for about five years. Throughout the week, stu- ‘The thoughts of helping others keeps you warm.’ Sophomore Ben Stafford dents signed up for time slots of at least one hour to spend in the hut. During the day, passers by made donations at the shack. This was Eaton’s second year participating in the fundrais- er. She originally volunteered as a community service requirement her first year at St. Michael’s and decided to participate again this year because she enjoyed the experience. Eaton said her experience was interesting. “Every once in a while I would wake up and forget where I was,” she said. “It was weird to think that I was sleeping out there while everyone else was com- fortable sleeping in their beds in the dorms.” Despite the cold, Eaton slept soundly. She used a zero degree sleeping bag and was dressed for the weather, an advantage a homeless person might not have. “A homeless person would most likely only have some blan- kets and any scrap of clothing they could find,” Eaton said. She said that if it got too cold, she had the option of going inside. Sophomore Ben Stafford is a Core team member for Habitat for Humanity in M.O.V.E. and helped organize the program. Stafford said he checked in on people at different times of the day during the program. Stafford said that the temperature varied and droped below freezing at times. “The thoughts of helping others keeps you warm,” Stafford said. Sophomore Brian Fischer is also a member of the Core team and helped organize the fund- raiser. He found the experience to be rewarding and said he had an incentive to do his best. “You know that all you would be losing was money for those who need it,” Fischer said. Some students were given the opportunity to participate in See HABITAT, Page 10 NOW ACCEPTING KNIGHT CARDS 951-9000 10 03) Pa aint’ ‘ =" ee A & 7 evar Guo Ti wedmsosC .vsoeonDeov’! AOD awk ag) 30 7 The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 HOROSCOPES ARIES: (March 21-April 19) Don’t get involved in risky business. If you leave yourself open for someone to take advantage of you, they will. Tis the Christmas season, yet some people only recognize it as a good time to rip oth- ers off. TAURUS: (April 20-May 20) With the end of the term coming up fast, your mind is on other things, namely how you can waste time over vacation. Keep your mind sharp at least until finals are over and grades are in. GEMINI: (May 21-June 20) : You’re going to get a gift this year, either for Christmas or New Year’s, that you have no idea what to do with. Politely accept it, then “donate” it to the closest sucker. CANCER: (June 21-July 22) Money never goes as far as you want it to. Make sure you’ ve covered the important people on your Christmas list before you realize you’re out of money and only have small, cheesy gifts for those you would only consider acquaintances. LEO: (July 23-Aug 22) Given to emotional fits of one extreme or the other, you are a likely candidate for holiday stress. Make yourself a priority. The last thing you want is to blow up in someone’s face or break down and cry in the middle of a family gathering, right? VIRGO: (Aug 23-Sept 22) You may wish to avoid big holiday parties this year. It’s assured that something bad will go down, and you don’t want to be in the middle of it. You’ve already had enough embarrassing moments to last a lifetime. LIBRA: (Sept 23-Oct 22) Someone has done something to you lately to put your self — esteem in the gutter. Arrange an esteem-altering event for that person. Let’s not call it revenge, but an independent act of righting a wrong. SCORPIO: (Oct 23-Nov 21) The end of this year will be very good to you. You’ll get lots of attention, people will comment positively about you and you'll feel great. Once the year changes, though, forget about it! Life will return to normal. You’re not that special. SAGITTARIUS: (Nov 22-Dec 21) You constantly think of things to do to improve your quality of life. The only things you need to get by you already have, so don’t put too much emphasis on bettering what is already a good life. CAPRICORN: (Dec 22-Jan 19) Next year is a big year for you and you know it. Get by on what you know is good about yourself. If that doesn’t work, try reading a personal empowerment book. They must work, even a lit- tle, if they sell so many copies. AQUARIUS: (Jan 20-Feb 18) People call you selfish behind your back. Prove them wrong by sharing selflessly with what you have. No one likes to be called a Scrooge so close to the holidays. PISCES: (Feb 19-March 20) Think positively, allowing others to feed off your optimism. It can only raise people’s opinions about you and get you better gifts for Christmas. Features Photo by Cate Westberg Sophomore Matt O’Neil, one of St. Michael’s favorite new musicians. Sophomore musician debuts at St. Michael’s Solo guitarist Matt O’Neil impresses community with covers and original music By Hirohide Hino Staff Writer On Sept. 6, sophomore Matthew O’Neil stood in front of the library performing music for his peers. He is now one of the most well-known musicians at St. Michael’s. O’Neil, hailing from Essex Junction and majoring in music, started playing guitar and singing original songs when he was 15. “311 is the band that made me start to get interested in singing and playing guitar,” O’Neil said. Once he leaves his guitar behind, O’Neil is no different than other college students who like to hang out and have a good time. O’ Neil took his first step as a college musician at the MLK Talent Show last year. He didn’t plan to join the show but his friend encouraged him to per- form. “T was kind of hesitant play- ing my song in front of people. I just closed my eyes and played,” O’Neil said. O’Neil didn’t win any prizes ‘Remember his name, because one day he could become a star.’ Sophomore Matthew J. Schibley at the show, but said he experi- enced the joy of performing in front of a crowd. “I wasn’t really expecting anything. I mean, I just enjoyed going up and_ performing,” O’Neil said. O’Neil got his next chance to enthuse the crowds with his music at an event set up by WWPYV in September. “Tt was a big event to kick off the year and let new students know about the station,” said senior Matt Reno, WWPYV sta- tion manager. “We had two acts: Matt O’Neil and Absolute Zero. The people who showed up seemed to enjoy themselves.” Reno selected O’ Neil to per- form for the event. “This past summer he was a DJ at WWPV. I was listening to his show one night and he was playing his guitar and singing. He was really good, so when it came time to pick musicians for our first concert, I thought of him,” Reno said. Sophomore Matthew J. Schibley is one of O’Neil’s biggest fans. “His presence on stage is unlike anything I have heard or seen before. I think he is best in the coffee house type of set-up where he is a little more person- able with the audience. But he has the talent to be on a huge stage with a giant audience, and still he manages to bring the house down every time,” Schibley said. O’Neil said he got the idea for his songs from personal expe- rience. He wrote songs about girls and about relationships he has been in. One of the songs that became popular on campus is “Pink top.” “Tt was actually the middle of this summer. It was inspired by a girl who I eventually started dating. I wrote this up then thought it’s really really good,” O’Neil said. O’Neil also plays a lot of cover songs, such as “Say It Ain’t So” by Weezer and “Wish You Were Here” by Incubus during his performances. He said Weezer is one of his favorite bands and influences his music style a lot. O’Neil used to be the lead singer of a band during high school. However, he has been performing as a solo guitarist since he came to St. Michael’s. He is interested in performing in a band again. “T’ve been asked by several people if I’m interested in start- ing a group to work on my solo stuff,” O’Neil said. “The songs could be more full if they had more installments in them.” O’Neil said he has the dream of being a major musician one day. To get a recording contract, record his music and perform for the rest of his life would make his life complete he said, but he understands it’s not easy. “T love to really work hard for my dream, but I don’t want to end up on the street either. I don’t want to end up down on Church Street playing to a bunch of peo- ple who just toss a quarter in my guitar case, so I’m studying to be a music teacher,” O’Neil said. O’Neil’s musical talent, however, keeps fans dreaming. “Remember his name,” Schibley said, “because one day he could become a star.” HABITAT: Funds raised for Habitat for Humanity Continued from Page 9 “Raise the Roof for Habitat” for extra class points. Sophomore Rachel Lamothe said she wanted to participate to earn extra points for her Introduction to American Politics class. Although she did not have time to participate she said she would like to next year. She said she feels it is a good cause. “There are a lot of homeless people in this area and they need help,” Lamothe said. Fischer said this year’s fundraiser was a success. “T'm not exactly sure how many people signed up, but it was a good amount,” he said. “People seemed willing to donate money.” Approximately $300 was raised this year, Giombetti said, which is similar to the amounts made in the past. If the total is close to an _ even figure, Giombetti said M.O.V.E. would round out the donation. The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 Christmas Comedy Ways To Confuse Santa Claus m While he’s in the house, go find his sleigh and write him a speeding ticket. m Keep an angry bull in your living room. If you think a bull goes crazy when he sees a little red cape, wait until he sees that big, red Santa suit. m Build an army of mean- looking snowmen on the roof, holding signs that say “We hate Christmas” and “Go away Santa.” gm While he’s in the house, find the sleigh and sit in it. As soon as he comes back and sees you, tell him that he shouldn’t have missed that last payment and take off. = Leave a plate filled with cookies and a glass of milk out with a note that says, | “For The Tooth Fairy.” Leave another plate out with half of a stale cookie and a few drops of skim milk in a dirty glass with a note that says, “For Santa.” m Take everything out of your house as if it’s just been robbed. When Santa arrives, show up dressed like a policeman and say, “Well, well. They always return to the scene of the crime.” @ While he’s in the house, cover the top of the chimney with barbed wire. . gw Leave lots of hunting tro- phies and guns out where Santa’s sure to see them. Go outside, yell, “Ooh! Look! A deer! And he’s got a red nose!” and fire a gun. gw Paint hoof-prints all over your face and clothes. While he’s in the house, go out on the reof. When he comes back up, act like you’ve been trampled. Threaten to sue. m Instead of ornaments, decorate your tree with Easter eggs. Dress up like the Easter Bunny. Wait for Santa to come and then say, “This neighborhood ain’t big enough for the both of us.” Jokes obtained at: www.theholidayspot.com www.goofydave.com www.people.cornell.edu A New Twist on an Old Tradition One particular Christ- mas season a long time ago, Santa was getting ready for his annual trip, but there were problems everywhere. Four of his elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not produce the toys as fast as the regular ones. Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule. Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her mom was coming to visit. This stressed Santa even more. When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where. More stress. Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the - boards cracked and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys. Needless to say Santa wasn’t in the best mood. Just then the doorbell rang and Santa went to the door expecting another prob- lem. He opened the door and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree, there just to cheer Santa up. The angel said, very cheerfully, “Merry Christmas Santa. Isn’t it just a lovely day? | have a beautiful tree for you. Isn’t it just a lovely tree? Where would you like me to stick it?” Thus began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree. When Santa Runs Out Of Prozac ms Dear Santa, I’ve written you for three years now ask- ing for a fire truck. Please, | really, really want a fire truck this year! Love, Joey Dear Joey, Let me make it up to you. Christmas Eve, while you sleep, I’m gonna torch your house. You'll have more fire trucks than you'll know what to do with. Santa sm Dear Santa, | wud like a kool toy space ranjur for Xmas. lv ben a good boy all yeer. YeR FReND, BiLLy Dear Billy, : Nice spelling. You’re on your way to being a career lawn- care specialist. How about | send you a book so you can learn to read and write? I’m - giving your older brother the space ranger, at least he can spell! Santa Features 11 Universes presents ‘Slanguage’. By Cate Westberg Photo Editor There was no curtain to be drawn or deep-throated announc- er’s voice to explain where the exits were. Thursday night’s show simply consisted of five cool cats spitting the spoken word. Indio Melendez, Flaco Navaja, Gamal Chasten, Steven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz delivered Thursday’s performance of “Slanguage” to a sold — out crowd of Vermonters — young and old — at Burlington’s FlynnSpace. As the cast made their way into the room and onto the one- tier stage, one spotlight lit up what was the most important focal point — the five faces. The cast assembled in a line and used speakers as seats and began drumming out a beat to model their words after. Then they spoke. The opening scene was a subway ride and it was the occa- sional subway noise rattling from the speaker and Melendez’s voice in a megaphone saying, “please stand clear of the closing doors,” that gave the audience the orien- tation that they needed. The cast went on to spit the spoken word to a hand-kept beat of the small vignettes of life. Life in the inner city, life in the projects, life on the streets and life anywhere there is injustice. “Slanguage” is a production of the New York Theatre Workshop and the UniverseCity Theater Network. Universes is an ensemble of writers and per- formers who fuse poetry, theater, jazz, hip-hop, politics and Spanish boleros to create a mov- ing and challenging performance. Under the direction of Jo Bonney, “Slanguage” is a work of storytelling, rhythm, poetry, music, song and dance. The per- formances showed a bit of slang at a glance and the language of today, some of yesterday and how this language is changing tomorrow. Photos by Cate Westberg Members of the “Slanguage” cast pose for a picture with: Tyronne Walker, Director of Multicultural Student Affairs Kyle Dodson, Louis Ruiz, Kimoi Seale and Melissa Danforth of St. Michael’s. “Slanguage” was per- formed on Dec. 5-7 at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts. “Slanguage” uses a combination of poetry, theater, jazz, hip-hop, politics, down home blues, Dr. Seuss and Spanish boleros in it’s theatrical works. Slanguage terms Bling Bling/Jiggy Jiggy Well to do. Shiny jewel- ry, nice clothing Dap/Pound: A_ hand greeting Gat: Gun Homeslice, Homeskillet: Your friend Low down on the down- low: Gather information discreetly | You feel that?: To like something You Buggin: You're mistaken HTTP:77JOURNALISM.SMCVT.EDU/ECHO YOU SHOULD READ THE ECHO HTTP:7 /JOURNALISM.SMCVT.EDU/ECHO 12 \.. The Defender’* Wednesday, December 11; 2002 * Issite' Number 10 Outdoors Vermont offers more than just sk By Luke Whyte Staff Writer Senior Mark Oldmixon wraps himself up to face the cold and heads to the mountains once or twice a week, except instead of skis he carries a pair of light- weight axes. Oldmixon is an ice climber. Ice climbing is just one of many outdoor winter activities in Vermont about which many St. Michael’s students know very lit- tle. “You’re basically just using your body to pull yourself up a pillar of ice,” Oldmixon said. The concept is similar to rock climbing, and uses a lot of the same muscles, except instead of using your fingers and toes to climb; you use special axes and crampons to work your way up a wall of ice. “Tt’s such a rush,” Oldmixon said. “The adrenaline, the isola- tion, it’s just a way to get away and not have to think about things like classes.” However; he cau- tioned how dangerous the sport can be around people who are not trained. “The danger aspect is always on the back of my mind,” Oldmixon said: “You never know who could be above you.” Oldmixon is one of many stu- dents on campus who have found a way to enjoy the winter through activities other than skiing or snowboarding. There are a lot of students who don’t ride or ski left sitting in their dorm rooms all winter with nothing to do. From sledding to pond hockey, there are so many opportunities in the Vermont wilderness for students to enjoy. “Students don’t take advan- tage of these activities enough,” said Todd Wright, the director of St. Michael’s = Wilderness Program. The Wilderness Program runs a variety of outdoor programs all winter, including ‘You get going wicked fast. Though the spot can get really crowded with local children after a fresh snowfall, it is worth checking out for anyone who enjoys the thrill of riding downhill on a piece of molded plastic.’ sophomore Nicholas Towne several snowshoeing trips to Mount Mansfield and Mount Abraham, ice climbing training, Nordic skiing and backcountry touring in the Adirondacks. Students can sign up for these programs and many others at the Wilderness Program office in Alliot Hall. For students who wish to cre- ate their own winter adventure, the Wilderness Program also offers equipment rentals for everything from snowshoes to cross-country skis. Sophomore Eamonn Farring- ton has only skied once in his life, but has been playing hockey since he was four years old. At college he plays on a local men’s team, with games every Sunday night at the Cairns Arena in South Burlington. However, Farrington said there is nothing he enjoys more than a pick-up game of pond hockey. “To just go out in nature and feel the cold wind blowing against you while you play is awesome,” Farrington said. Pond hockey has its dangers, too, Farrington said. “Most people don’t wear as much protection, and there are a lot of painful shin shots in pond 3 SS % ‘ % Phy $3 oe RE ling and s Avoid hibernation nowboarding for winter fun Ay és Photo by Mark Mosgeller Senior Ryan Case navigates a sketchy section while backcountry snowshoeing in the Smuggler’s Notch region. hockey,” Farrington said. Finding a pond to play on in the Burlington area can be a chal- lenge. Some local secluded places include the pond on the loop trail behind the 300s town- houses and one at the Ethan Allen homestead. The city of Burlington also provides small, in-ground, out- door rinks at three of its parks; Callahan, Battery and Roosevelt. For those who enjoy a little more speed there is always the thrill of snowmobiling. “Tt is really fun,” said sopho- more Ashley George, who goes snowmobiling with her dad over winter break at their camp in New Hampshire. “Contrary to popular belief I think it is really physically drain- ing,” George said. She said the intense concentration and bal- ance necessary to ride can take a lot out of you. Photo by Cate Westberg Senior Mark Cernosia, winner of the St. Michael’s Snowboard Club Jib Fest, lays waste to a metal rail. Not only is snowmobiling tir- ing, it can be very dangerous at high speeds. “A girl I was snowmobiling with broke both her legs going over the handlebars,’ George said. “There were three of us, going around a hill and she was leading, when another snowmobiler came around from the other direction and they crashed head on.” Accidents are rare though, and many states require riders to take a safety course before they can register their sled. To really get into snowmobil- ing in Vermont you have to move away from Burlington. There is an extensive trail system estab- lished in the Northeast Kingdom. To ride on your own you'll need to purchase a Trail Maintenance Assessment/Trail Pass, available at most snowmobile clubs and registered businesses for $40-45 for residents and $70-75 for non- residents. Killington, Stowe and Okemo also offer guided tours. For more information about snowmobiling in Vermont visit www.snowmobilevt.com. So what about students who can’t skate, can’t afford to snow- mobile and aren’t too fond of the idea of ice climbing? Well, there’s always sledding, and the Burlington Country Club is a popular local sledding spot. “Tt’s really steep,” said sopho- more Nicholas Towne. “You get going wicked fast.” “Though the spot can get real- ly crowded with local children after a fresh snowfall, it is worth checking out for anyone who enjoys the thrill of riding down- hill on a piece of molded plastic,” Towne said. So get out of that dorm roo: and enjoy the winter wonderland. BUY RECYCLED. ere vs ANB SAVE. When you buy products made from recycled materials, recycling keeps working. To find out more, call 1-800-2-RECYCLE or visit www.environmentaldefense.org e ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE finding the ways that work The Defender. * Wednesday, December-11, 2002\* Issue-Number-10 13 Outdoors Skateboarding’s winter oasis Talent skatepark in South Burlington offers the premiere indoor skate eID! in Vermont By Will Graham Staff Writer Winter has already hit us hard this year with arctic cold and snow. For skateboarders, winter can turn fun skate spots into icy death zones. Skateparks are often shut down in winter due to snow-covered ramps. Now there’s an alternative to icy concrete and frozen ramps. Talent skatepark in South Burlington is an indoor skatepark that provides respite for skate- boarders from the dreaded winter. It provides a place for people of all ages to come and skateboard in a warm arena, safe from the ~ cold. Talent also offers a full- sized shop that sells all the neces- sary skateboarding and snow- boarding equipment. Matt Gibney, a UVM skater, found it convenient to have a shop and skatepark in the same place. “T broke my board there once and I still wanted to skate, so I just bought another one, set it up and kept skating,” Gibney said. Talent offers a skatepark to a wide range of skateboarders. They have funboxes, ramps and rails built at different sizes to fit each skater’s abilities. Talent provides a 5-foot halfpipe as well as a 2-foot micropipe. Some obstacles are steeper than others, providing various levels of diffi- culty. Hanna and David Wood estab- lished Talent in December, 2001. David had been building skateparks in New England as well as working for Eastern Boarder, a chain of five skate and snowboard shops in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Hanna was affliated with B-Side board shop in Burlington until she realized what Burlington really needed — an indoor skatepark. “I was concerned for the kids that couldn’t afford to go snow- boarding and had no place to skateboard during the winter, Hanna said. “Plus I wanted to keep them out of trouble.” Ryan Edwards feeble grinds one of Talent’s many rails. All photos by Cate Westberg Ryan Edwards, 22, of Burlington crooked grinds one of the ledges at Talent. Since its opening, Talent has also held various events for skateboarders. They premiered the movie, “Dogtown and Z- Boys,” inside the skatepark, and the newest skate videos are also shown in the park as they are released. Professional’ skateboard teams have also put on demonstrations at Talent. Teams such as Circa, Osiris, Zoo York and Five Borough have come to display their skateboarding skills and tricks. Shaun White, a 16-year-old professional snowboarder and semi-pro skateboarder, has also come to Talent to show kids what he can do on a skateboard. Every Thursday night Talent has an “old guy session,” where only skateboarders over 18 are allowed to skate. Every Saturday morning, there is a beginners- only session. This splits up the abilities of the skaters, resulting in fewer accidents. Lessons are also available through reserva- tion. Talent is currently offering a college discount card. The card provides a 20 percent discount off everything in the store and a What’s the best way to get to Healthy Living? ‘Should I take Lime Kiln to Airport, hop on White | and slide'down Williston Road? ~ Should I fly down 89? M Be shoal id take thelletpeki route and ccuise up Darchen? There are many different roads... Is there really only one true path? Answer these questions and more... at your next adventure to HEALTHY LIVINGI = YOUR ONE-STOP NATURAL FOODS MARKET NATURAL GROCERIES * ORGANIC PRODUCE * BULK GOODS WANES * LOCAL BEERS * FROZEN FOODS * BODY CARE HOMEOPATHICS * VITES & HERBS * YOGA SUPPLIES OUR BEAUTIFUL ORGANIC CAFE * SERVING BRUNCH ON SUNDAY lower skate session rate. They also have a Web site, www.talent- park.com, where news, rates and more information is available. Senior Donovan Raftery fre- quents Talent during the winter. “The set up they have is really fun and it’s nice to be able to skate indoors when it’s cold out- side,” Raftery said. He tries to fit skateboarding into his busy class schedule and realizes how convenient Talent is in the winter for skateboarding. No matter what age or skill level, Talent is a haven for skate- boarders throughout the year. A young skateboarder performs a blunt stall on the coping of the wood- en bowl as a group of his friends look on. RATES & HOURS Mon - Fri: 12 pm - 9 pm Session 1: 12 pm - 3 pm Session 2: 3 pm - 6 pm Session 3: 6 pm - 9 pm Thurs. night - ‘Old Guy Session’ Sat. & Holidays: 10 am - 9 pm Session 1: 10 am - 12 pm (beginner's only) Session 2: 12 pm - 3 pm Session 3:3 pm - 6 pm Session 4: 6 pm - 9 pm Sun: 12 -6 Session 1: 12 pm - 3 pm Session 2: 3 pm - 6 pm Single Session: Weekdays- $10 Weekends/ holidays: $12 Beginner’s Session: $7 | Monthly Membership: $75 Yearly: $500 For more information check the Web site or call 864-2069 The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 Health & Fitness College upholds mission statement and teachings of the Catholic Church Based on the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church, St. Michael’s is not at liberty to distribute condoms or any other form of birth control By Lauren Hurley Staff Writer A National College Health Risk Behavior Study showed 86 percent of college students nationwide are sexually active and only 30 percent used a con- dom the last time they had inter- course. Most college campuses encourage students to practice safe sex and pass out condoms and other forms of birth control. St. Michael’s is a Catholic col- lege based on the traditional teachings of the church and there- fore these kinds of services are not offered to the student body. “As a Roman Catholic institu- tion, we do not prescribe or give out contraceptives,” Susan Jacques, director of Health Services at St. Michael’s said. “We refer students who desire prescription contraceptives to other health care providers.” Although distributing condoms and prescribing birth control is not allowed, health services does offer pregnancy testing and per- sonal counseling for women and couples. Health services also offers STD testing and treatment for women and men as well as gynecological exams, including PAP smears to screen women for cervical cancer. “We also offer education to stu- dents on an individual basis regarding STDs when appropri- ate,” Jacques said. She said they have also offered group program- ming on issues such as safer sex. Some students on campus dis- agree with the school’s policies. “Tf anything, I think they should be able to give away condoms,” junior Lindsey Nickerson said. “I think the Catholic tradition of no birth control is outdated and dan- gerous.” Sophomore Holly Brandl echoes Nickerson’s feelings. “We pay almost $30,000 to come here,” she said. “They can at least offer us protection.” While .some believe St. Michael’s should distribute con- doms, others understand and accept the college’s policies. “T don’t think that they should offer the pill and the morning- By Maureen Cacioppo after-pill, but I do think that they should have condoms,” junior Liz Connors said. “TI also under- stand that this is a Catholic col- lege and that isn’t appropriate here.” Senior Steve McCormack does not mind the campus policy regarding condoms and _ birth control. “I think it’s no big deal, those items are easily available in the area.” On February 10, 1992 former St. Michael’s College President Dr. Paul Reiss issued a response to The Defender and The Devil’s Advocate student newspapers that were in favor of installing condom vending machines on campus. “The college seeks rather to do what it can through its policies to teach other values concerning the meaning of sexual intercourse,” he said. “It would undermine the Christian values of human digni- ty, love and respect for others.” Rev. Marcel Rainville, S.S.E., agrees with what Dr. Reiss said 10 years ago. “T think that our mission state- ment (“To contribute ... to the advancement of human culture in light of the Catholic faith’), cre- ates an institutional identity that calls on a college department - like Health Services - to be self- regulatory,” Rainville said. “T think that when you have a guiding principle, you make the tules for yourself,” he said. “On a personal note, I feel that as a Catholic college, we must always hold to the higher standards of the Christian Gospel.” Other Catholic colleges, such as St. Anselm’s in Manchester, N.H., do not distribute condoms or other forms of birth control. “Tt’s a tough issue to deal with on a Catholic college campus,” said Dr. Connie Richards, direc- tor of St. Anselm’s Health Services. “Because of the Catholic tradition we are not allowed to distribute birth control or condoms.” Richards, along with other staff members at St. Anselm’s Health Services, are not allowed to refer students anywhere except to an OB/GYN doctor for services. “A lot of students go to the local Planned Parenthood,” Richards said. “We do talk about condoms in terms of the church not condemning them, but if kids are going to have sex we want them to know safe ways of going about it.” Non-Catholic colleges have an easier time dealing with safe sex and birth control issues. “We offer a full range of serv- ‘ices by giving full exams, selling the birth control pill, the morning after pill and condoms,” said Mary Ransom of UVM’s Women’s Health Clinic. “Full time students receive these serv- ices at no charge except the cost of the contraceptives.” “There are no limitations on what we do, except we do not offer abortions or IJUD’s (intrauterine device, a form of birth control placed in a woman’s uterus),” she said. ; No boys allowed Curves gym caters to women only ~ cuit. Ten machines make up the circuit with chest- Staff Writer Spring break is just around the corner and many college students are trying to figure out the best way to get in shape. Instead of crash diets that are unhealthy and dangerous, Curves gym is spreading the word about a unique fitness pro- gram for women of all ages. Curves gym claims to have perfected a pro- gram which is safe, effective and empowering. Said to be the world’s largest fitness fran- chise by Guinness World Records, Curves has designed a different exer- cise program that makes it fun and easy to increase metabolism, burn calories and tone major muscle groups. With 53,000 gyms around the country and 1.3 million members, Curves seems to hold the secret to permanent results. The Curves facilities hardly resemble a standard gym. Curves implements the Quickfit system, which uses hydraulic resistance to prevent jerking and straining of joints instead of changing weight stacks for each muscle group. Helping you to achieve your fit- ness goals, different stations are set up around what Curves calls a cir- back, abs-back, bicep-triceps and leg extension machines. With music playing, an automated voice alerts members that it’s time to move onto the next station. The closest Curves location to campus is on Vermont 15 in Essex Junction. This facility sees both female St. Michael’s students and staff. “Having it so close,to campus I can get a good workout and be back in an hour,” member Jennie Cernosia, director of Student Activities, said. Women of all ages are joining Curves for all dif- ferent reasons. “Because only women belong, I never feel out of place,” Kathy Winton, a member of Curves, said. Many women agree the level of intimidation from men is greatly diminished at a gym like Curves. “It’s a real different dynamic being all women, and also has a comfort level,’ Curves employee Kathy Kutt said. A few male students said they would like to see a Curves for men. “T think it would be a good idea for a men’s gym,” sophomore Edward Burke said. “Guys are not all the same.” The atmosphere at Curves promotes high energy and members say there’s no com- petition to impress anyone else. “There is not a spandex in the bunch,” Cernosia said. The word on Curves seems to be spreading faster than the calories being burned off. “A great workout in 30 minutes while relieving stress? I'd look into it,” junior Molly Lydon said. ; Despite less equipment than a regular gym, Curves is helping women to get fit while promoting the habit of regular exercise. Curves offers special discounts on membership, which change monthly. The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 15 Health & Fitness Grief support group on campus lends its ears to students who have lost a loved one Students have an opportunity to share thoughts, poems in intimate setting By Katie Mazurek Staff Writer Death will affect everyone at some point in their lives. Having the right people to turn to can make the grieving process more bearable, especially during the holidays. If the death of a loved one occurs while at school, finding someone to talk to is not impossi- ble. St. Michael’s offers a grief support group open to any one who is mourning over the loss of a loved one. The group, led by Joanne Nelson of Campus Ministry and Kate Maynard of the Student Resource Center, provides an outlet for those who are grieving to share their stories and feelings with others who have lost some- one. The meetings are announced via e-mail and take place every other Wednesday from 4:45 to 6 p.m. in the student lounge in Alliot. People can come for the whole meeting or at any time dur- ing it. It is open to all students, faculty and staff. “We leave our titles at the door,” Nelson said. “We are there to support one another.” Generally there are about eight people who attend the meeting, although the group has seen up to 11 people. It is not a club; you “You can go when you want and you don’t feel pressured to say anything. Everything that happens stays between the people there and everyone is really supportive.’ Sophomore Meghan Manley can come and go as you please for however long, or as many times as you would like, Nelson said. “We are not grief counselors. I like to stress that,” Nelson said. “We are there to listen.” The meeting follows a set plan, but is always open to change as the meeting progress- es. Soft lighting makes the mood more intimate and there is a can- dle lighting ceremony. A big candle is surrounded by smaller candles. Everyone is invited to light smaller candles for those they have lost from the bigger candle. Following the candle ceremo- ny there is an activity of some sort. “We do something physical for the grief,’ Nelson said. “At the last meeting we made flower wreaths and placed them at the alter made in St. Ed’s for the Day of the Dead Celebration, in remembrance.” Following the activity the group talks about the common stages of grief; shock, denial, anger, guilt and acceptance. Grievers do not go through these stages in any particular order, Nelson said. She said it’s impor- tant for people to know these stages will happen. There is also an open session where people can talk, share their experiences, read poems and sto- ries or just listen. “Sometimes people just come in and cry, others will choose to read a poem,” Nelson said. After the open session is a closing and the group departs. Sophomore Meghan Manley went to the first meeting this year. She lost someone very close to her last year. Manley did not attend any of the sessions last year because she did not know about it then. However, she knew Nelson and this year she invited Manley to attend a meeting. “The group is a good thing to have available,’ Manley said. “You can go when you want and you don’t feel pressured to say anything. Everything that hap- Photo by Joe Simpson Joanne Nelson of Campus Ministry is one of the founders of the grief sup- port group, which meets every other Wednesday in Alliot Hall. pens stays between the people there and everyone is really sup- portive.” While she’s only been to one meeting, Manley said she would encourage someone who lost a loved one to talk to Nelson one on one at the very least. The Rev. Marcel Rainville, S.S.E., said while he has not been to a meeting yet, there could not be a better time to have this group up and running. “This is an extremely valuable service that Joanne and Kate are heading. I can’t remember a time where so many students were dealing with the death of a par- Rainville said. “This (group) is an important contribu- tion to a specific need on cam- pus.” The objective of the grief sup- port group is to let people know they are not alone, Nelson said. “We want to give the people the time they need to get through a very difficult time,” she said. “We don’t want this to be a crutch, but an empowerment.” ent,” Happy Holidays - Recipes for the Season Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread www.allrecipes.com Ingredients : 3 cups white sugar 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree 1 cup vegetable oil 2/3 cup water 4 eggs 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 cup miniature semisweet choco- late chips 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (option- al) Directions : 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 1 pound size coffee cans, or three 9x5 inch loaf pans. 2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill cans 1/2 to 3/4 full. 3. Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. - Cool on wire racks before remov- ing from cans or pans. Mint Surpise Cookies from the kitchen of Justine Orzel Sift: 3 cups sifted flour | teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt Cream: 1 cup butter (1/2 shortening may be used) Add gradually: 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, creaming well Add: 2 eggs, unbeaten 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 tablespoon water Blend in: Dry ingredients gradually; mix thoroughly. Cover. Chill at least 2 hours. When chilled, enclose 1/2 Andes mint in about | /2 tea- spoon dough Place: On ungreased baking sheet, about 2" apart. Bake: 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes You may dip the top of each cookie into chopped walnuts before baking. Popcorn balls www.allrecipes.com Ingredients : 5 quarts popped popcorn 3/4 cup light corn syrup 1/4 cup margarine 2 teaspoons cold water 2 5/8 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 cup marshmallows Directions : 1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confection- ers’ sugar and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully com- bine the hot mixture with the pop- corn, coating each kernel. 2. Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls. Gingerbread Pancakes www.allrecipes.com Ingredients : 3 cups all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons baking powder 3 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves 6 tablespoons ground hazelnuts 3 cups milk 6 egg whites 6 tablespoons dark molasses 6 tablespoons vegetable oil Directions : 1. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa, gin- ger, cinnamon and cloves; stir in hazelnuts. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl whisk together milk, egg whites and molasses. 3. Make a well in the dry ingredi- ents and pour wet ingredients into it. Sur just enough to moisten; bat- ter will be lumpy. 4. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approxi- mately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. Buckeyes from the kitchen of Justine Orzel Ingredients : 8 oz. jar peanut butter, creamy | box confectionary sugar 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 sticks margarine or butter, soft- ened 2 cups Rice Krispies paraffin (about 1/3 stick) Directions : Cream margarine or butter to blend. Add peanut butter. Blend. Add confectionary sugar until blended. Str in Rice Knispies. Chill. Form into balls. Chill. Stick each ball with a toothpick and dip into melted chips and paraffin. Candy Canes from the kitchen of Justine Orzel Directions : Preheat oven to 375. Mix | cup softened shortening (2 sticks butter), 1 cup sifted confec- tionary sugar and | egg. Add | tea- spoon vanilla extract. Blend. Sift 2 1/2 cups flour and | teaspoon salt. Add gradually. Divide dough in half. To one half of the dough add about 1/2 teaspoon of red food coloring and combine thor- oughly unt! dough becomes a Christmas Pink color. Roll about 1 teaspoon (about 4 inches) of each color and then twist together (rope like) on wax paper. Shape into a candy cane, place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake about 9 minutes. Keep your health in mind during the holiday season. Cookies are a treat, but remember: everything in moderation. 16 The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 Arts & Entertainment Artist gives sculptures to St. Michael’s Photos by Sarah Filippi Top left, a woman sits in the parking lot as she anxiously awaits show time. Top right, a group of four fans stop mingling for a moment to have their photo taken. Bottom center, an excited crowd waits in line during a snowstorm in Albany, N.Y. A day in the life of a Deadhead By Sarah Filippi A&E Editor It was snowing hard in Albany, N.Y., on Nov. 11 as a crowd of more than 10,000 gath- ered in parking lots around the Pepsi Arena. The Other Ones, the remaining members of the Grateful Dead, were playing at 7:30 p.m. New and old fans waited in a line that seemed to last forever, as others walked around with a fin- ger in the air trying to find that one person with an extra ticket. The city street is filled with thou- sands of people as police officers sit behind a wooden barricade. No one is fighting or pushing to get in and everyone begins to scream, not out of fear, but out of sheer excitement. The Pepsi Arena, formerly the Knickerbocker Arena, is one of the Dead’s most famed venues. Fans know it for the incredible shows the Dead performed there and the friendly security the arena provides. At 7:45 p.m. the lights went down and the crowd roared inside the arena. It is freezing in Albany, yet guitarist Bob Weir is wearing his traditional shorts and a T-shirt. The rest of the band is dressed more conservatively. The first notes roll off Jimmy Herring’s guitar strings and are reminiscent of Jerry Garcia. Herring is a new addition to the band, coming from Phil and Friends, bassist Phil Lesh’s band, as did keyboardist Rob Barraco. Another addition, key- boardist Jeff Chimenti, came from Weir’s band, Ratdog. A very appropriate “Cold Rain and Snow” began the evening, showcasing Barraco’s soft vocals. _ Albany's setlist m Seti Cold Rain and Snow Estimated Prophet> Crazy Fingers> Good Lovin’> The Eleven> Little Red Rooster> Casey Jones @ Setil Scarlet Begonias> Fire on the Mountain> Uncle John’s Band> Lost Sailor> St. of _Circumstance> Drums> Space> Terrapin Station> Stella Blue Instrumental @ Encore One More Saturday Night “Estimated Prophet” came next, giving Bob Weir a chance to display his legendary vocals and guitar beat strung to another Barraco treat, “Crazy Fingers.” An onslaught of musical mayhem followed. “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad” jammed into “The Eleven” and “Good Lovin’,” then back into “The Eleven.” This was a dis- play of the band’s constant com- mitment to exploring new realms. A few more songs followed and the first set ended with “Casey Jones.” During intermis- sion former Dead lyricist Robert Hunter sang and played acoustic guitar. The second set opened with a “Dark Star” tease. The infa- mous “Scarlet/Fire” combo came next, with drummer Mickey Hart singing lead in “Fire on the Mountain.” It is a much different sound from the traditional ver- sion with a much faster tempo. Herring played high guitar licks as they went into “Uncle John’s Band.” Weir sang, “This must be Heaven,” as they broke into “Lost Sailor,” which then streamed into “St. of Circum- stance” and the whole musical assault ended with a Hart and Bill Kreutzmann drum duet. The ability of this band to improvise, individualize and connect each and every song is phenomenal. “Terrapin Station” is kind of a Dead anthem. Lesh sang it sweetly and softly as Herring and Weir’s intertwined guitars backed him. An all-instrumental “Stella Blue” finished the concert with Herring playing slide guitar. The band left the stage and the crowd howled as small lighter flames flickered all around the darkness of the arena. The band returned and thanked the fans. The encore was an energy packed “One More Saturday Night.” The crowd poured out onto the same street where the whole experience began four hours before. Contagious screams were heard throughout the mass for a good two minutes. The crowd began to part ways and their voices were drowned out by small yells of, “Veggie burritos, $2.” By Christine Johnson Staff Writer Thomas S. Beale has been chosen as the artist-in-residence this year and will be giving two of his sculptures to St. Michael’s at a reception in January. An artist-in-residence posi- tion enables the artist to use an open studio on campus along with free room and board in exchange for one or two pieces of artwork. Travis Gray, Chair of the Art Committee, gathered with other members of the committee to decide who would be this year’s artist-in-residence. “Thomas Beale is a local artist and we are lucky to have him,” Gray said. In the past artists from around the country have been chosen to capitalize on this opportunity. These artists usually use their studio time during the summer. The Sloane building provides the studio space for the — artists. Eung Ho Park, from Brooklyn, N.Y., is a former artist- in-residence who gave the school the spoon art in Alliot Dining Hall. Jonathan Weinberg of Connecticut and Jessica Dunne of California have also con- tributed their artwork to St. Michael’s. Weinberg donated the triptych, the three pieces near the doors between the serving area and the dining room in Alliot, and Dunne contributed the oil paintings of North Campus that are at the exit doors of the cafete- ria. Current renovations of Sloane, prohibited Beale to work in this studio. Beale lives in Burlington Bibum of the We: Phish Live Phish, Vol. 13 10/31/94 Glens Falls, N.Y. For many Phish fans, this album is seen as the band’s best live performance. This may be due to the band’s complete performance of the Beatle’s ‘White Album’ at this show. It is truly memorable. Recommended Listenings: The Divided Sky Slave Reba Antelope Dear Prudence ‘This piece is a sense of organic but made by hands. It is not something that exists in the world, so it is not technically real.’ Artist-in-residence Thomas Beale and uses the studio at Fort Ethan Allen, where he created his most recent sculpture, which he is donating to St. Michael’s. Beale’s sculpture is made up of different wood he found in Vermont, branches he cut down and freshwater mussel shells. It is circular, resembling a large wooden bowl, with the mussel shells placed in the center. “T had this idea in mind for a while,” Beale said. “It invokes water in a way and reminds me of a reflecting pool.” Beale does not have a certain style of art that he practices. He said for this piece he was work- ing on an idea that portrayed a sense of being natural and a sense of life. “This piece is a sense of organic but made by hands,” Beale said. “It is not something that exists in the world, so it is not technically real.” Beale, a graduate of the University of Vermont, com- posed the piece through a grant from the NEA, the National Endowment for the Arts. He said he plans to work in Japan for six months following his time as artist—in-residence. rae anton all creat The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * a , ' y t moe 4 seg epres ef retvacert tn a : Tearety ort Issue Number 10 17 Arts & Entertainment Anti-tobacco organization promotes awareness through free local punk-rock tour Club. ness about tobacco. All shows are free. Each show will include demonstration exposing the truth about tobacco and the tobacco industry. Upcoming shows are Dec. 14 at the Dana Rec. Center in Rutland and Dec. 21 at the Brattleboro Boys and Girls’ Photos by Cate Westberg From top left clockwise: Zach Farmer of Delila curls up on stage after an exhausting set;The Spitvalves— a skacore band from Orlando, Fla.; Drew Paley of The Static Age; Mikey X of Fight Back drains his yocals on one of the band’s emotional songs; Spencer Crispe of My Revenge sprays water on eager fans; Jess Peabody of Last Nights Surrender displays her talent at the band’s first show; a group of local teens takes a break between sets as band members set up their equipment. The OVX Tour kicked off at the Annex in Burlington on Nov. 23. Other bands on the bill included Blind Luck Music and Nationwide Panic. OVX Information Our Voices Xposed is a Vermont-based organization dedicated to raising aware- | Funky jazz-fusion is brought to Burlington Turkey Bouillon Mafia brings improvisational sound to Club Metronome Jan. 9 By Jean-Luc LaDouceur Staff Writer A quartet of Burlington locals set out to charge the local music scene two years ago. Turkey Bouillon Mafia knew it wanted to put a band together, but were looking for the pieces. “We got (our start) two years ago when our guitarist Bennie Yurco moved up here from Jersey,” keyboard player and vocalist Adam King said. The other members of the band, drummer Owen Price and bassist .Bobby Yoo were picked up from ‘It’s like a combo of half crazy, in-your- face funky rock, and half instrumental power jazz rock.’ Keyboardist and vocalist Adam King an existing band. When talking about their first show at Valencia, King said, “We booked a gig a month and a half in the future, and then wrote songs for it.” The band has three original members remaining, while the search for a bassist has been a revolving door. The bands regu- lar bassist, Chris Deangalis, is finishing music school in Connecticut. While the band likes to have a few bassists ready for any particular show, it com- monly uses Pay May of the Grateful Dead cover band Liquid Dead. It’s tough to classify the type of music Turkey Bouillon Mafia plays. “It’s like a combo of half crazy in-your-face funky rock, and half instrumental power jazz rock,” King said. “It’s loud and danceable.” Yurco described their music as “very experimental. Funky jazz fusion with a rock pace.” Despite very little promo- tion, “We always get at least 100 people to come out. It’s a very rowdy and ready to get drunk crowd,” King said. Turkey Bouillon Mafia played at St. Michael’s for an Earth Day event last year. Senior Katie Greenie was in charge of scheduling the band. “We knew they were a pretty popular band, plus they’re local,” Greenie said. Turkey Bullion Mafia plans to have recordings ready for its Jan. 9 show at Club Metronome. “We did some recording last spring, and we’re just trying to get the money together to pack- age it,” King said. “It will prob- ably be five bucks to get into the show and five for the CD.” After that, CD prices will be $10 at most. Re ~ 18 The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 Arts & Entertainment Senior Ashley Newton carefully throws a mug. This mug will later have a handle and be one in a set of five. Each student is expected to complete at least 30 well-struc- tured pots in a range of categories, including vases, bottles, bowls, plates, covered jars and handled mugs. You can't be a perfectionist, that’s what I learned. If you Life Students get their hands dirty at Frog Hollow Photos and text by Cate Westberg mess around with a piece too much, it gets ruined.’ Ashley Newton, St. Michael’s senior he scent of earthy clay “This class is all about the greets visitors at the time spent, says Ayers, “the door of the Frog more time you spend, the more Hollow Craft School in creative you'll be able to be.” Burlington and lingers in their If the three hours aren’t hair until their next shower. By enough, students always have 225 cope tat z bottle of Keri the opportunity to attend one of Ly eS ee eb oe the many open studio sessions hands back to life after a day of offered at Frog Hollow. The MONDE: Bor the students = open studio sessions are offer- Jeremy Ayers Ceramics I Wheel end during the week. Most stu- Throwing class, these sights and dents opt for taking the extra open pee ee ade few hours a week to perfect their ether a student is a novice F . Bett nal Whail pieces. St. Michael’s sophomore Th ore \, Pee per Jessica Rotkiewicz says she rowing is a class des S i abr ® Tene - _ spends about four hours a week an introduction to the practice of at open studio, while senior preparing, centering, forming, Ashley Reweke spends six trimming, glazing and firing of Wheel Throwing nnn with ieces of clav > Teal ; © pieces of clay. At the beginning a chunk of earth and ends with a f each class, Ayers demon- j . aie i y Se collectible piece that can be strates one new technique for the placed on a table. For many, the day and then sets students free perfect piece is an unatainable to experiment for themselves. goal, but if'is the process of In this class, form and accuracy learning and growing that makes aren't an issue. It is creativity z y =". ‘Y that final piece that much more and the skills learned that will ; valuable. get you an A. ’ rw tr fo at ei Val % 4 - af P S48 The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 19 Arts & Entertainment Junior Jessica Rotkiewicz works the outer lip of what is soon - to be another mug for her collection. Rotkiewicz had always been interested in taking a pottery class and final- ly took Wheel Throwing this semester as a “fun” class. She thought the class was going to be very frustrating, and to an extent it was. Besides the one class for three hours a week, Rotkiewicz puts in an additional four hours a week outside of class. Samples of glazes and clay tools hang along the wall for students to use on their pieces. Combinations can be mixed together or students can make their own. Rotikiewicz says she has 9 a new appreciation for pieces of pottery she sees in stores or around her home. “Jeremy is extremely talented and does everything with such ease,” Newton says. Ayers starts every class with a demonstration of techniques for that day. \ “There are some glazes that just don’t get along with each other,” Newton says. “They just hate each other and they run.” Glazing isn’t always the easy part. ag" ABOVE: After an intense process of wedging, throwing, bisquing, sand- ing and glazing, pieces are stacked in one of the three kilns in Frog Hollow Studio for a final firing. The tempture for firing can range from 1,500 degrees during a low fire, to 1,700 degrees during a high fire. Firing a piece is roughly an eight-hour process where the piece is being fired for two hours and cooling for the remaining six. It is this last firing that has students nervous because each time a piece is fired, it tends to shrink a little more. LEFT: Senior Kelli Dinger uses one of the many sculpting tools to trim one of her pieces. Classmate Ashley Newton says that in pottery, per- fection is impossible. “If you mess around with a piece too much it gets ruined,” Newton says. ~~, 20 - The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 Columns A new GM, a new era The Advice Guru Only 28, Sox’s Epstein best choice as GM Two weeks ago, the Boston Red Sox named 28-year-old Theo Epstein general manager, making him the youngest general manager in the history of the sport. Putting a professional base- ball team in the hands of some- one younger than most of its players is a high-risk gamble. Assuming that a general manager will change the fortune of a team that hasn’t won a world champi- onship in soon-to-be 85 years is the riskiest bet you can take. I like the idea of Theo Epstein as the general manager of the Sox. He’s from Boston — Brookline, Mass., to be exact — which is a huge plus before he makes his first move. You really have to be from New England to realize how incredibly serious the Red Sox are taken. They transcend the sport they play, and millions of people live vicariously through them every year. Former Red Sox pitcher and current Vermont resident Bill “Spaceman” Lee once said, “Baseball is not a life or death issue. But the Red Sox are.” At least Theo Epstein will know what he’s getting into: I also like this move because, if nothing else, it’s something radically different from years of championship drought. Gone are the days of former GM Dan Duquette and former owner John Harrington. Before -we talk more about Theo Epstein, we should address his predecessor, Dan Duquette. The Red Sox realized they weren't getting any closer to a world championship — with Duquette, and the new owners changed that. On the surface, Dan Duquette seems to be one of the most unlikable public figures in recent memory. At times, it was as though Dan Duquette would go out of his way to become hated. the low end theory By Jay London Columns Editor Probably not, but it was just unfathomable for one person to be so surly and rude to his employees and everyone around him. He had an uncanny ability to alienate the fans, the media, the coaching staff and the players all at once. My favorite Dan Duquette memory is his response to the media when asked why the Red Sox finished in second place behind the New York Yankees for Former Red Sox pitcher and current Vermont resident Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee once said, *“‘Baseball is not a life or death issue. But the Red Sox are.” a record four straight years. He replied that, although they always finished the season in sec- ond, they actually spent more actual “days” in first place than the Yankees, which apparently is supposed to mean something. So, for this reason alone, Theo Epstein is a refreshing change and alternative to the old regime. He is a new face in anew era. Gone will be the pencil- pushing, 60-year-old baseball lifer with the keen eye for the game. Like it or not, the new faces behind the scenes in all sports will be the younger, com- puter-savvy heir-apparents with new and creative ways to attract players, sell tickets and most important, make money. Oops. I meant to say “win” on that last one. Freudian slip. Theo Epstein personifies this image. Seven years out of col- lege, and this guy can already write on his resume that he’s worked for the San Diego Padres, Baltimore Orioles and now as the GM of the Boston Red Sox. The best thing on my resume is that I write for The Defender. Epstein has the ability to do good things for the Red Sox over the next few years, but to think that the lack of a good general manager is the reason the Sox haven’t won in so long is ludi- crous. Epstein will have the ability to recreate the Sox in whatever image he sees fit, but it’s the players themselves who win the games. If Epstein can do what Duquette never could — motivate his players to play at a level they’re capabale of playing — only then will he and the team be successful. I have total confidence in Theo Epstein’s ability to put a solid ballclub on the field. I have confidence in his-ability to select players with optimal talent and ability. I do question whether he can do what Dan Duquette was never able to do — actually get the play- ers to play as well as they claim they can. Columns editor Jay London, Class of 2003, writes The Low Required reading for anyone who knows a kid. If there’s a child you care about, anywhere in your life, then you should care about our public schools. For a free booklet that contains ways you can help improve education in America, call 1-800-96-PROMISE. Love problems? Car trouble? Have a question? Each week, the Defender’s resident advice expert, The Advice Guru, has the answers. Advice Guru, I realize that I am a decent looking guy. Despite the fact that I am short, I would say that ’'m incredibly charming. Which leads me to my problem. Although I possess all the tangible and intangible qualities to land myself a girlfriend, I have a hard time harnessing all my qualities. Plus, I’m so shy that every time I see a girl, I freeze up and can’t even talk to her. 'm like a deer in headlights. My friends tell me that Pm scared, and I need to get over it. They also say that I just have no initiative or desire to really find a girlfriend. I really need some help. 'm very scared and also very nerv- ous. Please give me some advice. — Timid in the 200s Timid, Your problems stem from a lack of confidence. It seems as though you're pretty sure of yourself when girls aren't around...When:: you’re in - their. presence, don’t lose your “incredible charm.” If you are as handsome and as charming as you claim to be, then there should be no problem. Don’t be scared, and try to be strong enough to overcome your nervousness. Just be your- self, and everything else will fol- low. Advice Guru, This past Saturday, I went to the annual Winter Formal here at St. Michael’s. I was looking around and I couldn’t help but notice the gorgeous women and handsome men dressed up. What really caught my eye was the style of clothes many of the peo- ple were wearing. I noticed many people dress- ing in a style reminiscent of the early 1980s. I saw long, flowing dresses and bright tuxedos. I started laughing and showed my friends, but they said the ’80s are coming back. I was very shocked and secretly hoping that this awful time period would not haunt us again. Are the styles of the ’80s really coming back? Should I prepare to crimp my hair and roll my jeans again? — Cindy Lauper Cindy, I think that you are safe for now. The Advice Guru’s fashion sense tells him that the majority ~~ of looks of the 1980s will stay dormant for now. Occasionally, a style from the 1980s will make a guest appearance at a special function or event, like the St. Michael’s Winter Formal, for example. . Then again, some. outfits just never go out of style. Ever: And: they may have been what you » witnessed this past Saturday Words to live by “There’s two kinds of dumb. A fellow that strips runs through the snow and barks at the moon. ' | there’s the fellow that does the same thing, except i back yard. First one don’t matter too much, the you’re kind of forced to have to deal with.” — — Chelcie Ross (as George), Hoosiers WWPYV 88.7 Can Ariss show of the week Name: The Tapers Section Time: Mondays from 5 to 8 DJs: Katie Cultrera & Pat Ormiston Featuring: Jam bands, jam bands and more jam bands Distinct Style: We love and play anyone that allows legal taping at their shows. Why You Should Listen: “Get ready to hear one live, show every, |.» week!” " - . Py Pha Sis cas Dae 3 od Hedisdesd jervbs: The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 2f* Columns Sports: The year in review Defender editors give their thoughts on the past year in sports To mark the semester’s last issue, columns editor Jay London, sports editor Greg Smith and photo editor Luke Hudak partici- pated in a round-table discussion where they touched on a variety of sports topics over the past year. Topic 1: Red Sox name Theo Epstein new general manager, making him the youngest gen- eral manager in major league baseball. JL: As I said in my column, I like the move. There was no one else out there, so you might as well take a chance. As long as he has some older people around him to help him out, [’'m sure the Sox will have no problem finishing in second place again next year. LH: I don’t think it takes a 50 - year — old to realize that the Sox need more depth in their rotation. It’s a good move for the Sox, who claim to be committed to win- ning, but have done little even since the end of the Yawkey era to prove so. GS: I liked Mike Port, but I'm tolerant. Time will show how Epstein will do. Dealing Pedro for some prospects when his con- tract is up would be a good start. Topic 2: A recent study indi- cates that over the past 20years, the number of bowling leagues across the U.S. has decreased by 50 percent, but the amount of 300 — bowled games has increased eightfold. LH: When you think about bowling, there’s no doubt it is the most dynamic and exciting sport out there. Unfortunately, only a few people are aware of this fact, so league attendance has dimin- ished. However, for those who are enlightened about the joys of bowling, they understand the depth of this mysterious and beautiful game, so that’s why the level of players is constantly ris- ing. GS: I hate bowling. The last time I went a girl beat me and I haven’t played since. The only good thing about the sport is the shoes. JL: Greg Smith says, “I hate bowling.” This coming from a guy whose favorite athlete is a bike rider. I think it’s entirely possible that the lanes are greased. Bowling is one of my favorite sports, so I’m more dis- appointed by the struggling leagues. It’s better than golfing. Topic 3: St. Michael’s winter sports, basketball, hockey and swimming, are all off to strug- _ gling starts. Photo by Josh Kessler Not even Jay London can prevent Luke Hudak from getting his hands on Greg Smith during the discussion. GS: I don’t know what to say, but I have good feelings for the new year. Watch out. The women’s basketball team will be making -headlines come tourney time... JL: We have sports teams? Just kidding, but that’s my point. Here’s another question: If a team wins a championship, but there’s no one there to see it, did they still win the championship? If more people came out to the games, I’m sure it would do noth- ing but help out all the teams. LH: Greg, I wish you weren’t a liar. You were just saying last week that you saw a lot of poten- tial in our women’s hockey team, but after a couple of losses this past weekend, you ran from them like O.J. from the LAPD. It all comes down to dedication. If all our teams had the dedication of women’s field hockey, we might see a few more banners hanging in Ross. Topic 4: Arizona junior tight end Justin Levasseur was arrested on felony drug traf- ficking charges after he was stopped in Illinois with 87 pounds of marijuana. JL: That is a lot of pot. No doubt about that. I barely weigh 87 pounds. There’s not too much you can say in terms of an excuse for that, either. LH: You know, those Division I athletes really have it tough. I mean, yeah, these “students” may get full scholarship, free room and board and living expenses, but when work-study is not an option, how are they going to make a buck? It’s too bad that society can force our best and brightest into a life of crime. GS: There’s got to be a Nate Newton or Damon Stoudamire joke somewhere in there. I don’t know, sounds like he was going to one hell of a party. Topic 5: Intramural Sports: Glorified pickup games or the last stop before the pros? LH: To me, I don’t know if it gets any better than a bunch of half-naked men running around playing with balls. And honestly, I think some of the basketball teams could take on _ the Cleveland Cavaliers. GS: I’m a huge fan of intramu- rals. It gives scrawny geeks like me a chance to showcase our tal- ents. How great was the intramu- ral racquetball tournament? Classic. JL: Intramural sports have been without a doubt the most fun and exciting part of my four years at St. Mike’s. You get to play your heart out in every game, but still don’t have to go to practice or anything. And those champi- onship T-shirts are very sharp. Topic 6: Did the New England Patriots make the right deci- sion to keep Tom Brady and deal Drew Bledsoe to the Bills? JL: Drew Bledsoe is the better quarterback, but keeping Tom Brady was the right move. Even though they struggled earlier this year, the team has really come together since Brady’s been the quarterback. I love Drew Bledsoe, but keeping Brady was the right choice. LH: When you look at them, it’s obvious that Tom Brady is the better — looking man. He’s younger and seems like he’s find- DEFENDER AWARDS Jay, Greg and Luke give their top choices for the year end awards: MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: LH: Saku Koivu, Montreal Canadiens JL: Barry Bonds, Sam Francisco Giants GS: Lance Armstrong, cycling FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: LH: Serena Williams, tennis JL: Trish Stratus, World Wrestling Entertainment GS: Serena Williams, tennis WORST ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: LH: Ken Griffey Jr., Cincinnati Reds JL: Vin Baker, Boston Celtics G: Patrick Ewing, Orlando Magic TEAM OF THE YEAR: LH: U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team JL: New England Patriots GS: Miami Hurricanes WORST TEAM OF THE YEAR: _LH: U.S. Men’s National Basketball Team JL: Kansas City Royals GS: Memphis Grizzlies. _ THE “I STINK BUT I TRY REALLY HARD” AWARD: ___ LH: Jose Cortez, San Francisco 49ers/Washington — Redskins JL: Patrick Ewing, Orlando Magic GS: Frank Castillo, Boston Red Sox THE “I STINK AND | DON'T TRY HARD” AWARD: LH: Kordell Stewart, Pittsburgh Steelers JL: Vin Baker, Boston Celtics GS: Theo Fleury, Calgary Flames WWE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: LH: Stephanie McMahon JL: Booker T GS: “Canadien Crippler” Chris Benoit BEST LOOKING MALE ATHLETE: LH: Rick Fox, Los Angeles Lakers JL: Rodney Rodgers, New Jersey Nets GS: Oscar De La Hoya, boxing BEST LOOKING FEMALE ATHLETE: LH: Janette Lee, billiards JL: Serena Williams, tennis GS: Tara Dakides, professional snowboarder ST. MICHAEL’S COLLEGE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: LH: Betsy Turcot, field hockey JL: Liz LeFebvre, women’s basketball GS: Ben Smith, men’s basketball ing the end zone much more often this year. Even though I believe Bledsoe to be the better quarterback, Brady’s style is per- fect for Coach Bill Belichick’s offense. GS: Bledsoe is a great quarter- back, but Brady was the right choice. The Patriots are a team of destiny and there is no one | would rather have at the helm than Tom Brady. Is there any- thing better than the throwback Tom Brady jersey? I don’t think so. 22 The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 THURSDAY December 12 Music Boys of the Lough: This band has brought Celtic music to the international scene for 30 years. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on the Flynn’s MainStage. Adult tickets range from $24 to $29. Student tickets range from $19 to $24. 863-5966. Charles Feelgood: Doors open at 9 p.m. at Club Metronome in Burlington. Tickets are $11.. 21+. 865-4563. FRIDAY December 13 Music Dark Star Orchestra: This Grateful Dead cover band formed in Chicago in 1997. Doors open at 8 p.m. at Higher Ground. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 the day of the show. 18+. 654-8888. Theater “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever:” Written by Barbara Robinson, this play is about one woman’s struggle to put together a Christmas pageant with a cast of misbehaved kids. The Seattle Times calls it “One of the best Christmas stories ever — and certainly one of the funniest.” The play begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Essex Memorial Hall. Tickets are $8. 863-5966. Calendar » setter” Ne Photo courtesy of the Flynn Center Boys of the Lough will be performing at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12 at the Flynn’s MainStage. For information call 863-5966. SATURDAY December 14 Music 2002 Vermont Pops: Richard Kaufman conducts the Vermont Symphony Orchestra with actress Nanette Fabray. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. on the Flynn’s MainStage. Adult Tickets range from $10 to $40. Student tickets are $6. 863-5966. Theater “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever:” The play begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Essex Memorial Hall. Tickets are $8. 863-5966. Art Gallery Exhibit: ‘Seasoned Greetings: Burlington artist Lynn Imperatore’s work will be on display in the Amy E. Tarrant gallery located in the FlynnSpace every Saturday until Jan. 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. SUNDAY December 15 Music Olivier Messiaen’s ‘“Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jesus:’’ Pianist Paula Ennis of the Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble will perform some of Messiaen’s seldom heard music. The show begins at 7 p.m. at the FlynnSpace. Tickets are $18 for adults and $9 for students. 863- 5966. Theater “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever:” There are two perform- ances: 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Essex Memorial Hall. Tickets are $8. 863-5966. Film Review Black Crowes singer appearing at Higher Ground Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes will perform on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at Higher Ground. Robinson will sing songs from his solo album, “The New Earth Mud.” Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 the day of the show. This is an 18+ show. For infor- mation call Higher Ground at 654-8888. Looking Ahead... THURSDAY December 19 Music Holiday Ho Down: The Chrome Cowboys present a night of Holiday fun. Local musicians will sing holiday songs. Some musicians scheduled to appear include: Alice and Julie Austin of Zola Turn and Queen Tangerine, The Billionaires, Blowtorch, Gabby and Burrette Douglas of The Cush and many more. Doors open at 7 p.m. at Higher Ground. Tickets are $6 at the door. Nonsmoking. 18+. 654-8888. FRIDAY December 20 Music Latin Quarter Dance Party with DJ Hector “El Salsero” Cabeo: Cabeo is one of Vermiont’s top Latin DJs. He will be giving free salsa and merengue lessons at 8 p.m. Doors open at 8 p.m. at Higher Ground. Tickets are $6 at the door. 18+. 654-8888. New Bond film is like many of its predecessors ‘Die Another Day’ doesn't stray far from the usual formula, and script is just OK By Alex Abrami Calendar Editor Pierce Brosnan still carries a strong presence as 007, but the plot to “Die Another Day” has some holes. The film is loaded with action-packed scenes, cool gadg- ets, an evil madman looking to take over the world and of course, “Bond girls.” Fans will enjoy this aspect of the film, since the producers have stuck with this winning blueprint that has worked for 19 other Bond films in a 40-year span. Brosnan makes his fourth appearance as James Bond and his performance in the past seven years has been spectacular. Brosnan took over the role after Timothy Dalton, who did a horri- ble job portraying 007. In fact, Brosnan was set to play the role of Bond during Dalton’s era, but contract issues on his hit televi- sion show “Remington Steele” held him back. The film opens — as all Bond films do — with a breathtaking sequence. As usual, Bond pulls off the impossible as he races on a hovercraft tank, destroying everything in his path. However, something goes wrong and the North Korean government cap- tures Bond. Bond is beaten and drugged for information. This sequence is puzzling and unlike a usual Bond film. Rarely does the audience get a glimpse at a helpless and weakened Bond. The sad part is Bond doesn’t even escape. He is traded for Zao (Rick Yune), a Korean. Zao was being held captive by the British government for murder. MI6 boss, M (Judi Dench), and the rest of the British government think Bond has leaked vital infor- mation, so they keep Bond locked up. However, Bond insists there was an insider who tipped off the Koreans, which led to his capture. The movie then takes a nice turn, as Bond escapes from his “hospital bed cell” ready to find this insider and Zao. From here, Bond makes stops in Cuba, England and Iceland in search of his answers. Along the way, he meets Jinx (Halle Berry), an 40 years and 20 Bond films The ’60s “Dr. No” “From Russia with Love” “Goldfinger” “Thunderball” “You Only Live Twice” “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” | The ’70s “Diamonds are Forever” “Live and Let Die” “The Man with the Golden Gun” “The Spy Who Loved Me” “Moonraker” American agent also in search of Zao. Jinx makes her grand entrance a la Ursula Andress from the very first Bond film, “Dr. No.” She prances out of the Cuban waters wearing a bikini with a belt strapped around her side that holds her knife. Toby Stephens plays Gustav Graves, an over-the-top Englishman who claims to never sleep. Bond’s fencing turned sword fight with Graves proves The ’80s “For Your Eyes Only” “Octopussy” “A View to a Kill” “The Living Daylights” “Licence to Kill” _ The '90s/’00s “Goldeneye” “Tomorrow Never Dies” “The World is Not Enough” “Die Another Day” to be one of the highlights of the film. Neither of them gives up as they tear though a prestigious fencing club in England. Madonna, who sings the title song of the film, plays a small role as a fencing instructor. Her funniest line is perhaps the corni- est in the film. Just before Bond and Graves start their battle she says, “I don’t like cock fights.” Sexual puns like Madonna’s have always been a part of the Bond films. Jinx and Bond have the most of these lines. Their chemistry makes the film much — more entertaining. Granted, the lines are silly and would proba- bly be ridiculed in any other movie. But the puns are a part of Bond. ; The overconfident and sly Bond has delighted audiences for 40 years now. From Sean Connery and Roger Moore to Brosnan, they have created the character of Bond into something great. Audiences will leave the the- ater satisfied. People come to see this movie for the action, the new gadgets and the new car among other things. Although some Bond films have also had quality plots, it’s not a necessity. “Die Another Day” doesn’t have a great script or plot, but the film still provides what every Bond fan wants. This is the last film review for the Fall Semester. The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 23 Sports First-Year Undecided Athlete of the Week: Mike Keating, Basketball Home: St. Paul, Minn. High school: Cretin- | Started playing: In first- Favorite high school memory: Making the state semifinals my junior Vhy SMC: Small school Derham Hall High School. and good education. _In your free time: I watch TV and hang out with Hoopsters receive NE-10 honors _ Favorite TV show: _ Tacos. friends. Hopes for the season: _ Make the NCAA tourna- ment. Plans for after graduation: Start a family. Favorite movie: “Braveheart.” “Seinfeld.” Favorite food: LeFebvre and Keating recognized for outstanding play By Greg Smith Sports Editor Senior forward Liz LeFebyre was named Northeast- 10 Player of the Week and Mike Keating was named Freshman of the Week. LeFebvre had back-to-back double-doubles last week. She averaged 22.5 points and 14 rebounds. LeFebvre had 28 points and 13 rebounds in a win against Assumption, followed by a 17-point, 15-rebound perform- ance against Bryant. Keating played well in a pair. of losses for the Purple Knights. He averaged 24.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals. Keating notched game highs of 24 points with six rebounds and three steals against Assumption and followed with 25 points, five rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks against Bryant. Intramural ice hockey gets financial boost Student Association grants $3,500 to second-year program By Brad St. Martin Staff Writer The St. Michael’s Student Association recently granted the intramural ice hockey program $3,500, making it possible for the program to grow and facilitate the demands of the players. The intramural ice hockey program started last February “after the varsity season ended. Of the 50 students who participated, each had to pay $50 to enter the league, covering the costs of ice time, referee fees and a score- keeper. : With the $3,500 grant from the S.A. there will be no cost for students to participate in the league this year. However, stu- dents are required to purchase their own equipment and they must get a ride to the rink, locat- ed off-campus at Cairns Arena in South Burlington. “Last year it cost $2,344 just for the intramural hockey ice time,” men’s hockey coach and ‘Intramurals gives students the opportu- nity for ice time, which will in turn better the skills of these players.’ Lou DiMasi, men’s hockey coach and intramural hockey league commissioner league commissioner Lou DiMasi said. “Each game cost the league approximately $235 dollars, $140 per hour for ice time and $95 for two referees and a timer. This grant will cover all of these expenses,” DiMasi said. “If a stronger demand for hockey develops from the stu- dents, then maybe one day we will have a rink on campus,” DiMasi said. “We pay over $70,000 per year on men’s and women’s hockey, having a rink on campus might save money.” The program is expecting between 80 and 100 students to participate this year, said senior Luke Hudak, the league presi- dent. “There is a demand for hock- ey and it gives those students who couldn’t make varsity an opportunity to play hockey,” Hudak said. St. Michael’s varsity hockey only has 18 spots for players and over 50 students try out each year. “Intramurals gives students the opportunity for ice time, which will in turn better the skills of these players,” DiMasi said. “This will only strengthen the hockey program here at St. Mike’s.” The league is open to all stu- dents, it is coed and players of any talent can play. “Tt is different playing with the guys,” said sophomore Meg Lyons, who plays for the women’s varsity team. “The league was so much fun and I look forward to playing again this year.” According to Lyons, five members from the women’s var- sity team participated last year, all of whom plan on returning. Lyons also plans on trying to per- suade some younger players to come out for the season. Varsity players, both men and women, are allowed to par- ticipate after their season has ended. “T think it is great,” S.A. member Andrew Falzone said. “Tt gives students a chance to do something outside of class.” Anyone wishing to play intra- mural hockey can contact President Luke Hudak at x2192 or via e-mail at I|hudak@smcvt.edu. Re Home, sweet home Nothing beats New England sports In preparing to write my final column, I could not help but reflect on how fortunate we are to live in New England. We have the greatest sports teams and every season of every year we are treated to the best of what’s around. To all the students from New York, New — Jersey, Penn- sylvania and beyond, I’m sorry, but New England sports are the best. From. GREG Fenway and SMITH the Fleet- Sports Center to Gill- Epiror ette Stadium, there is no place in the world I would rather be than right here. And there are no teams better than the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots and Revolution. That’s right, even our Major League Soccer team kicks ass. New Englanders pride them- selves on working hard and that is exactly what our sports teams do. We expect the best from our teams, the players and the man- agement. Everyone from the groundskeepers to ticketsellers are held responsible. It is this attitude that makes us great. There is so much tradition in New England sports. The greats include “Larry Legend,” a lean Roger Clemens, Cam Neely and “Teddy Ballgame.” The ’60s, °70s and °80s were glorious times for the Celtics, undoubted- ly the most storied franchise in NBA history. The year 1986 was the pinnacle for sports in New England, with three teams reach- ing the finals. Soon enough though, things became worse than a nor’easter for the region and problems piled up higher than February snow. Buckner didn’t get his glove down. The Rocket joined the enemy. Bird, Parrish and McHale retired and as Rick Pitino reminded us, “They’re not walking through that door any- time soon, and if they do they’ll be old and gray.” Things were dismal in New England. The Sox flourished early, then broke our hearts by Labor Day. Through it all, New England stood by its teams. We're tough. We boo our superstars and take a lot of heat from the rest of the country. They kid us about our “wicked good chowdah,: lobstahs and Nomah.” They are all jealous. They’re jealous because New England sports teams are back There are no teams better than the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, Patriots and Revolution. That’s right, even our Major League Soccer team kicks ass. and better than ever. The Patriots are the defend- ing World Champions and once again have themselves in a posi- tion to make a postseason run. Bill Belichick is a _ genius. College students clad in Tom Brady and Troy Brown jerseys throw around the pigskin on Sundays before retreating inside to watch the home team play. The agonizing days of 4-12 sea- sons and the Pete Carroll era are distant memories. The Red Sox finished with 90 wins and didn’t make the playoffs. It was hardly what I would call a bad year. Derek Lowe’s no-hitter, Pedro’s change-up and Johnny Damon’s ridiculous catches were all high- lights. One more solid starter could make the difference. The Celtics, coming off a season where they made it to the conference finals, look strong again. The acquisition of Vin Baker was terrible, but he’s a hometown boy, so Pll cut him some slack. Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker are quickly becoming the best duo in the NBA (sorry Los Angeles). These aren’t the ‘hey-days of the Boston Garden, but this team gives fans something to be excit- ed about. The Bruins. Oh, the Bruins. How can you not like this squad? They’re exciting, tough and they score goals. With Sergei Samsonov returning and Joe Thornton playing at an MVP-cal- iber, nothing will stop the B’s. PJ. Stock is the definition of what New Englanders look for in a player. He is a no-nonsense, hard-working player who can beat you down. What’s better than that? This is the year. Pll take Waltah, Trot, Troy and Berard, you can have your overpaid superstars. So, what else is there to say? New England sports teams are winning, people are happy and there is no place Id rather be. tm. 24 The Defender * Wednesday, December 11, 2002 * Issue Number 10 Scoreboard Swimming 12/7 SMC men 156 St. Rose 84 SMC women 61 St. Rose 115 1/18 vs. Keene State, 1 p.m. Men’s Basketball (2-4, 0-4 Northeast-10) 12/7 SMC 77 Bryant 89 12/14 at St. Rose, 6 p.m. Women’s Basketball (3-3, 1-3 Northeast-10) 12/7 SMC 71 Bryant 73 12/14 at St. Rose, 4 p.m. Men’s Hockey (1-4, 0-4 ECAC East) 12/7: SMC 0 Amherst 8 12/27-12/28 38th Codfish Bowl Tournament, Boston, Mass. Women’s Hockey (0-7, 0-6 ECAC East) 12/7 SMC 4 Southern Maine 6 1/10 at RIT, 7 p.m. For up-to-date scores, call the SMC sports hot line (802) 654-2SMC Sports Men’s basketball struggles to get back on track Team hopes io gain confidence after LAU four straight By Sean Piana Staff Writer The St. Michael’s men’s bas- ketball team started out hot, win- ning its first two games in the Doc Jacobs Classic, only to lose the next four games, including a heartbreaker at home _ to Assumption. The team is now 2- 4 and has yet to earn a win in the Northeast-10 conference. It is important for the team to win the next game for its confi- dence more than its record in the conference, senior captain Adam Johnson said. The main problem in the last four losses has been the consis- tency of play throughout the game. The team has started off slow, only to play very well in the second half. Coach Tom O’Shea said this is due in part to the fact that the team is young. “We need to not come out — slow, like the last couple of games,” junior Justin Tardio said. Johnson agreed with his teammate. “We need the same intensity in the first 20 minutes than the last twenty minutes to be success- ful,” Johnson said. St. Michael’s is also missing the strong inside presence of jun- ior Delbert Randall, who is injured. The team has struggled Photo by Luke Hudak St. Michael’s junior Ben Smith (30) admires his three-pointer against Assumption. The Purple Knights lost to the Greyhounds, 69-66, at the Ross Sports Center on Dec. 4. inside, which was very clear against Assumption. O’Shea said the team needs to improve its defense. Opposing teams are shooting a high field goal percentage and St. Michael’s must work on executing the fun- damentals, such as boxing out correctly and not allowing ball — Men’s swimming team defeats St. Rose, 156-84 Photos by Luke Hudak Above: St. Michael’s first-year student Chris Cochran dives in at the meet against St. Rose on Dec. 7. Right: Sophomore Jennifer Vaschak prepares to jump. The women’s team lost while the men defeated St. Rose. St. Michael’s weekend in review: It was a difficult weekend for St. Michael’s athletics, with men’s swimming being the lone victor. Men’s swimming The men were able to defeat St. Rose 156-84. Senior Jeff Hechenbleikner, junior Adam Forrest and first-years Tom Wu and Chris Cochran led St. Michael’s. Men’s hockey The men’s hockey team dropped a pair of games, losing to Hamilton, 6-4, and Amherst, 8-0. Juniors Justin Quenneville and Ian Morse each had a goal and an assist against Hamilton. Women’s hockey The women’s hockey team continued its slide by losing twice to Southern Maine. After losing 8-0 on Friday, the Knights played a great game on Saturday, penetration, O’Shea said. The coach would also like to see more of an inside game, not- ing that in their two wins, they got the ball inside and got to the free-throw line. Johnson stressed that this is a young team that has lost a few tough games. but came up just short in a 6-4 defeat. Men’s basketball The men’s team failed to notch its first Northeast-10 win when it was beaten 89-77 by Bryant. First-year Mike Keating and junior Ben Smith led the Knights with 25 and 16 points, respectively. Women’s basketball In the biggest heartbreaker of the weekend, the women lost “We have great team chem- istry and have a great feel for each other on the court,” Johnson said. “We play unselfishly trying to do what it takes to win basket- ball games and we’re still in the beginning of the season.” Junior guard Jared Chandler knows everyone needs to step up their play, for the team to do well. “T will do my best to do - whatever it takes to help the team win and be successful,” Chandler said. One bright spot for the Purple Knights is the contribu- tion of first-year student Mike Keating. He has had several strong games, including a 25- point performance during an 1 89- 77 loss to Bryant. “Mike clearly understands the level of intensity and focus needed to play at the collegiate level,” O’Shea said. “He com- petes every day in practice and games.” The team believes if it keeps working hard in practice and playing with confidence in games, then the losses will turn into wins down the line. “We certainly have the