Wednesday, December 2, 2009La Roche College • 9000 Babcock Boulevard • Pittsburgh, PA 15237 Vol. 14, Issue 3

This publication reflects the views, attitudes, interests, and tastes of the writers, editors and contributors to The Courier.It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration, faculty and staff of La Roche College.

see H1N1 hits campus, page 3

Imagine you get an envelope in the mail. It’s not Publishers Clearing

House offering you a million bucks. Neither is it a letter from Grandma, nor that bill that you’ve been dreading. It’s a notice announcing that one of your classes, perhaps the very one you needed or wanted, is now cancelled. La Roche’s policy of cancelling classes with less than seven students is now in full force, a potential problem for both students and faculty. According to Dr. Howard Ishiyama, the vice president for academic affairs, the class minimum is not new. “Seven has been off and on the minimum number for years. The difference this year from last, however, is that we will be enforcing minimum class sizes more stringently,” he said in an e-mail. “Department chairs will look at all courses with fewer than seven students and cancel low-enrolled courses as appropriate,” he said. “However, if there are no

by Rebecca Jeskey

by Susan Snow

Class cancelledAdministration looks to cancel small classes

other alternatives to running a course, we will absolutely run the course with fewer than seven students.” Even so, the minimum number of students per class is an issue for all departments, especially for the majors that don’t have many students. Sister Rita Yeasted, the department chair for the English department, said the enforcement affected the offerings for English majors. “We offered fewer classes this semester. The comp [English composition] classes were full or overfull -- it’s the major classes that are the problem.” Dr. Joshua Forrest, the history and political science department chair, said the change has caused difficulties in his department as well. “On the positive side, I understand the logic from the administration’s point of view. It apparently saves money somehow to have larger classes,” he said. “On the other hand, it has produced a number of other difficulties, such as being able to offer a lesser diversity, a narrower spectrum of history classes.” In addition, Forrest said the history department revised the requirements for new history majors, but it still will be a challenge to get the

On November 3, Student Life Division reported that La Roche College had its first confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus.

The e-mail stated that two resident students were treated by their primary care physicians and recovered at home. Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Colleen Ruefle reported that there have been more cases since then. “I don’t have a confirmed number anymore. It was originally two people. Once the first e-mail went out, I had a couple responses back,” Ruefle said. She added that residents, commuters, faculty and staff have reported having the H1N1 virus within the past month. “It has affected everybody,” she said. Ruefle stated that the college does not expect a doctor’s notice to verify a student or staff member’s recovery. “We’re not asking people for that,” she said. “We’re asking people to self-isolate, to be sensitive to their impact on the community at large, and to be responsible about that.” For residents who become ill and cannot go home, Ruefle said that they must report to their resident assistance or directly to residence life. She added that the school offers assistance. “If they would like, we can move them, or we can move their roommates,” she said. “We can move the sick person and self-isolate them in a room, or some people have

H1N1 hits campus

The LRC web radio station is now back on the air after a semester of technical issues.

The station, known as the Electric Bean, began the semester off the air due to server problems. The Electric Bean is now back on the air since earlier this month, broadcasting a large catalog of diverse music throughout the day. It now also offers students a chance to start their own show. “Our goal and mission is to have a topic for any interest,” said senior Ryan Lalle, who is in charge of the station’s marketing. He is also the host of Hardline Sports Talk, a sports show that follows a variety of local sports, from the high school to theprofessional level. Mike J. McAllister, the general manager of the station and the host of his self-titled Radio Programme, talked further about the benefits of hosting a show on the Electric Bean. “It’s a great thing to be part of. It gives you a chance to let your voice be heard.” Lalle agreed, saying that a radio show gives the host a variety of practical experience, from the technical aspects of running the

by Alan Zahorsky

Radio-active

Freshman Stephen Michal assists the group “Pork Chop Express” as they present their ideas to their client, Positive Space, for the Graphic

and Communication Design senior seminar class on November 16.

© RJ Thompson

Positive Space

show, preparing the topics and actually performing the show itself. With the combination of server problems and changing semesters, the station’s original programming schedule is sparse at the moment. The rebuilding process is going well, according to McAllister. The managers hope to have a new roster filled for January. Despite the relative stability of the station now, technical problems can still happen, forcing McAllister and Lalle to adapt. Earlier in November, a set of partitions that improve sound quality for the original shows were installed. However, the managers noticed that the main computer, responsible for the music and every other operation, was disconnected from the soundboard. The station, on-line for less than two weeks, was playing dead air again. McAllister and Lalle managed to find a workaround by broadcasting through the backup computer, but this temporary fix interfered with original programming for the week. Problems like this could still interfere with the station in the future. McAllister, when asked about his goals for the station this year, said that he wants to add a webcam for video streaming, so that the Electric Bean could also double as a web TV station. He also wants to build a catalog of on-demand programming on Youtube from the station’s archives.

LRC radio is back on the air

see Class cancelled, page 5

see Radio-active, page 5

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OpinionThe La Roche Courier < December 2, 2009

•ThebambooclocksthatSGAdonated are now in the College Center Square, by the bookstore, and by the chapel.

•SGAwisheseveryoneasafeandhappy holiday season!

by Catelyn Hillegass Student Government Association

Publications Representative

SGA Corner

The debate over health care in the United States is nothing new. In fact, the debate has been coming into and out of focus since the

early 1900s. According to http://pbs.org, the United States lagged behind European counties “in finding value in insuring against the costs of sickness” in the early 1900s. In the 1940s, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to pass an economic bill of rights, which included the right to adequate medical care. After Roosevelt’s death, President Harry S. Truman, his successor, tried to establish a national health care system. His idea was labeled “a communist plot.” President Lyndon. B. Johnson established Medicare during the 1960s. During the 1970s, however, there was a great shift in medical technology and rapid inflation. As a result, the cost of health care rose. During the 1990s, health care costs rose at double the rate of inflation, and 16 percent of Americans had no health insurance. The Clinton Administration attempted to reform the health care system and failed due to a lack of congressional support. Now, in the 21st century, the cost of health care continues to go up and Medicare appears unsustainable. The government has undoubtedly dropped the ball on health care. Roosevelt’s social security programs, established in the 1930s, seem to have worked for decades. What we, as a nation, have failed to realize is that people are living longer now. Therefore, people are drawing more money from the social security piggy bank than they would have when the system was first put in place. Additionally, the money used for government programs, such as Medicaid and Medicare, draw from the allotted pool of money. The problem with that is that those programs were not anticipated when Roosevelt’s social security programs were established. Consequently, we have depleted our social security system due to our lack of foresight. The vast majority of Americans, if not a full 100 percent, agree that we need to improve the way the

nation goes about acquiring medical care. Many conservatives, such as the Libertarian Party, believe that Americans would benefit most from booting the government out of healthcare. Some conservatives support the idea of tax-free medical savings accounts. This idea is similar to any other savings account. Everyone would be responsible for putting money into an account which is reserved for medical expenses. When individuals need money to pay medical bills, they

by Steve Keller

Free market does not provide efficient health care

withdraw money from the account. The Libertarian Party would also like to see a deregulation of the health care industry. According to http://lp.org, the Libertarian Party wants to see the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) replaced with free-market alternatives. I believe in the free market. I feel that the free market can often create solutions that the government cannot. However, the free market has proven itself unable to provide cheap, efficient medical care for the past century. President Obama’s health care plan shares attributes with Canada’s single-payer system. The plan is actually, despite the outcry in the conservative community, in absolute harmony with the US Constitution. It may not be perfect, but it is certainly better than allowing 15.7 million Americans, the number of uninsured in 2004, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, to have no or limited access to medical care. The group Physicians for A National Health Program describes a single-payer system as “a system in which a single public or quasi-public agency organizes health financing, but delivery of care remains largely private.” Simply put, the funding for healthcare is handled by the federal government, but the doctors still have the freedom to practice medicine as they deem most appropriate for their patients. The Preamble to the Constitution states: “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” The phrase which I feel completely justifies a national health care program is “promote the general welfare.” It is the purpose of the government, as stated in the preamble to the Constitution, to further the well-being of its people. How does one promote well-being better than by organizing a means by which people can access affordable medical care? Joseph McCarthy and the threat of communism is dead. The existence of a national health care system does not mean that anyone is taking away America’s guns, houses, jobs, pets, food, right to free speech, elections or freedom by any other name. A study conducted by the Congressional Research Service reveals a lot of disconcerting information about how the US health care measures up internationally. The study compares the United States to other countries with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The OECD consists of 30 countries, which are considered the world’s most economically advanced. The study reports that the United States spends “more than twice as much on health care as the

average OECD country. Health care spending comprised 15.3 percent of the US gross domestic product (GDP) in 2004, compared with an average of 8.9 percent for the average OECD country.” Furthermore, the study indicates that the United States has below-average life expectancy and mortality rates despite having an abundance of medical technology. One issue that opponents of the single-payer system often cite is the waiting times for surgeries. The United States does have a shorter waiting period for elective surgery. On the other hand, it is important to note that the there is no waiting time for emergency procedures. The study revealed that although the United States does not have long waiting times for elective surgeries, Americans found it difficult to make same-day doctor’s appointments when sick and had the most difficulty finding a doctor on nights and weekends. Furthermore, the study showed that Americans are more likely to not go to the doctor when they’re sick because of the cost of care. Additionally, the United States has fewer hospital admissions when compared with the average OECD country, but a larger volume of major surgeries. The study shows that health administration and insurance costs $465 per person in the United States. That number is seven times the median of the OECD countries. Some people claim that the reason our health care system is so expensive is because of administrative waste. According to Physicians for a National Health Program, administrative waste accounts for 31 percent of US health spending. In Canada’s single-payer system, on the other hand, administrative costs are only 16.7 percent of the total cost of care. The government is not the most effective entity. Due to the tangled web of bureaucracy, government programs often consume vast amounts of money and accomplish relatively little. Conversely, let’s not forget that our vast nation has a fairly well-developed system of roads, bridges, airports and other infrastructure. We also have a relatively inexpensive, efficient postal service, a public school system and a military that, though spread thin, has proven itself quite reliable. The members of Congress need to set aside partisan politics, if only for a moment, put their heads together, and find an efficient means of providing its constituents with access to quality, affordable health care. Despite the inefficiency of the government, we are not incompetent. We have developed a number of great public institutions without trampling anyone’s rights. Health care can be another one of those great institutions. We have many international models from which we can devise an efficient, effective medical program. Nevertheless, there is the potential for innovation, which is essential to capitalism, to cease due to a lack of competition. The government needs to ensure that research continues to be an important part of the medical community. My greatest fear, however, is that the United States will take this opportunity to improve the quality of life within the United States and make better use of our assets and screw it up due to greed and incompetence.

© http://altergroup.com

The members of Congress need to set aside partisan politics, if only for a moment, put their heads together, and find an efficient means of providing its constituents with access to quality, affordable health care.

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continued from page 1

After two years in the making, the new Sustainable Interdis-ciplinary Studies (SIS) minor

is now part of the course selections catalogue at La Roche College. English Professor Dr. Joshua Bellin, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Sociology department Dr. Azlan Tajuddin, and Nicole Bieak Kreidler, assistant professor and chair of the interior design department came together to create SIS. “One of the things that’s nice about it is that it sort of came from throughout the faculty. People in different programs, different disciplines were all interested in sort of being involved in the creation of this,” Bellin said. “One of the charges that was laid upon the faculty when the administration started talking about greening the campus was, well, we can’t green the physical grounds without greening the curriculum.” As Bellin said, there is a green movement developing on campus. To create a more eco-friendly campus, the college now has clubs and organizations like GreenLRC and the EcoCouncil. Along with these clubs, the school now makes use of recycled paper and green cleaning products in the restrooms. “It came from the fact that lots of schools are adopting, or already have adopted, major or minor programs schools in the Pittsburgh area and nationwide,” Bellin stated. “We thought there was a need from appealing to our constituency perspective, but also there have been a lot of faculty initiatives and student initiatives on this campus, and administrative initiatives for that matter, that suggest that we are moving in greener directions.” In fact, according to the proposal issued to establish the program, an August 2008 Society for College and University Planning (SCUP) Trends in Higher Education report states that 13 percent of incoming students select schools solely on sustainability concerns.

Degrees go greenCollege creates new sustainable minor

by Maggie Kelly

A survey of current La Roche students created by Dr. Azlan Tajuddin showed a similar interest level in sustainability. Of the 120 students surveyed, most agreed that sustainability and environmental issues were important and should be discussed. Those polled also agreed that a sustainability minor program should be offered. Survey participants were a random sampling of a diverse group of majors. Results showed that various students have a general interest in a sustainability program. “It’s a way to get students to connect their major area of focus with sustainability,” Tajuddin said. Part of the program’s attractiveness is that it is relevant and accessible to all majors. Those who wish to pursue the minor do not necessarily have to be in a specific minor, such as science, in order to reap the benefits of SIS. “The way we designed it, and this was partly to make a distinctive program, but it was also because we felt this was consistent with our mission,” Bellin said. “It focuses on environmental justice issues as one of the key aspects of the program. And in that sense, it adopts more of an ethical, philosophical, sociological approach to environmental issues, rather than a hard science approach.” Students interested in this minor program can look forward to a selection of sociology, literature, design and ethics courses. As of now, the program is light on science and heavier on environmental justice and ethics. As part of the 21 credit course load, students are required to complete papers and projects that are practical applications of what is learned within the minor. “One of the things that we really hope that students will be doing is finding ways that they can work on projects that pertain directly to our campus,” Bellin explained. “For example, studying energy usage on our campus and ways to reduce it, or taking a look at greenhouse gas emissions on our campus and doing some research into that area, discovering where our greatest sources of greenhouse gases are, and working on developing plans for greenhouse gas reduction.” He added, “If we, as we keep saying, and I believe we should strive for this, we want to be the best college for the world, if we want to do that, then we have to be thinking about the physical world, the environment that we inhabit as part of that plant process, as becoming a really positive force for the world.”

© http://cia.gov

recommended that the sick person stay in the room, and we can move the healthy roommates.” Along with this, she said, residence life can provide masks and deliver meals to dorm rooms. “Most of the people who have had it have been really too sick to do anything,” she explained. “That’s why they weren’t moving, or they weren’t going into the cafeteria. They’ve been staying in bed or going home if they can.” To control the spread of the H1N1 virus on campus, Ruefle said that the college has taken several precautions. She said, “We’re trying to remind people of healthy things they should be doing, like washing their hands. We added santizers around campus, especially in areas with high-touch things like computer labs, libraries, the fitness center, exercise rooms, and following what the health department is recommending.” According to Ruefle, one recommendation is to educate people on the virus. “We had a couple workshops on H1N1, and we’re still trying to get the vaccine. We have placed an order. Passavant [Hospital] ordered additional ones for us, but they haven’t even received theirs yet,” she said. Ruefle added that the Pennsylvania Health Department contacted the school, and the target date for the vaccine is December 3.

H1N1 hits campus

Foreword: One of La Roche’s best attributes is its international student population. Although we all have access to international students, we seldom know much about where they come from. This article attempts to provide students with a brief overview of one of the many origins of our international students.

The Office of International Student Services indicates that La Roche is home to 24

students from Saudi Arabia. Three of those students are in La Roche’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program, 16 are in various undergraduate programs and five are in graduate programs. According to http://cia.gov, the country of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 by Abd al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman al Saud (Ibn Saud). Saudi Arabia is a monarchy and its current king is Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz (Abdallah), the son of the founder. Situated in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia borders Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Oman. Saudi Arabia has an arid climate, and it doesn’t rain very often in the majority of the country. However, pockets in the extreme northern and southern parts of the country that experience more frequent rainfall. The temperature in Saudi Arabia fluctuates often. According to http://worldtravels.com, the hottest temperatures are over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The coldest temperatures, on the other hand, sink below freezing. Freshman Abdul Rahman Sami, who lives in the city of Jeddah on the western coast of Saudi Arabia, said that he has never seen snow before. “I’m excited to see snow, but afterwards, I know I’ll be tired of it,” he said.

by Steve Keller Saudi Arabia’s population is over 28 million, and the capital Riyadh is located in the center of the country. Saudi Arabia is almost exclusively Muslim, and its official language is Arabic. Saudi Arabia is very important in the Muslim religion. It is home to the two holiest sites in Islam, the shrines in the city of Mecca and Medina. “Most Muslims try to go to Mecca at least once in their lives,” said recent graduate of the ESL program, May Alsuwayni. Additionally, the Muslim Prophet Mohammed was born in Saudi Arabia. There are some major differences between everyday life in the US and Saudi Arabia. For example, women are not able to drive and have to wear a veil, called a hijab. Sophomore Hattan Alotaibi said that one of the biggest differences between Saudi Arabia and the US is that religion classes are part of the curriculum in Saudi Arabian high schools. The economy is largely based on petroleum. Saudi Arabia possesses 20 percent of the world’s oil reserves. Oil accounts for 90 percent of Saudi Arabia’s export earnings, 80 percent of its budget revenues and 45 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP). Sophomore Omar al Suwaidan said that he has been at La Roche for one year. “I came here for the quality of education,” he said. “If you have a degree from the United States, it looks very good.” The legal system in Saudi Arabia is governed according to Islamic law, called Sharia. Basic law is another aspect of the country’s legal system; it outlines what the king’s rights and responsibilities are. To promote political participation, King Abdallah established 179 municipal councils. Elections were held to determine who half of the council members would be and King Abdallah appointed the other half. Saudi Arabia has a consultative council called the Majlis al-shura. It consists of 150 members and a chairman who the monarch appoints for four-year terms.

Our international communityA closer look at Saudi Arabia

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Included in every student’s tuition is $50 worth of print credits for every semester, but some students

are more likely to run out of credits than others. Terri Ballard, the director of information technology, said the prices are based on the cost to make different kinds of printing available. She added that Student Government Association (SGA) Design and Technology Representative Matthew Whetsell proposed an idea for flexible print credits. According to Whetsell, his plan would give students the option to have more print credits, less credits, or accept the $50 the school gives each student at the beginning of every semester. “I found a lot of my friends don’t even use their print credits,” Whetsell said. “There seems to be a great extreme between those who use them and those who don’t, and this reinforces the idea that one plan does not fit all.” Ballard said she supports Whetsell’s proposal. “I kind of like the idea of a flexible print credit plan.” She said she is currently helping Whetsell make contacts to see if the idea can become possible. Kelsey Landis, an interior design major, said, “I think it would be easier on the students if they had the opportunity up front to be offered more print credits.” She added that it’s easy to quickly spend her print credits, because projects that are larger than 11x17 cost a dollar to print. “We also print a lot of things in color, for our boards, as well as other things, which eats through our print credits rather quickly,” the interior design major said. Landis, who is in her third year of a five-year program, added that she has had to go to Office Max and Kinko’s to print projects. “Depending on the size of the project, I can spend anywhere from $15 to $50.” Like Landis, senior Krish Mohan, a graphic design major, said that he also resorts to printing services such as Kinko’s. Another alternative, he said, is to use his friend’s credits when his own run out. “Freshmen and sophomores run through their credits pretty quickly,” Mohan said. “Upperclassmen figure out how to print in their room a little bit better, so usually their credits will last the whole semester.” Whetsell, a graphic design major, said to avoid using all his print credits, he resorts to his own personal printers for projects that require 8x11 paper. Landis reported that she does this as well. Even though they use their own printers, both students said ink cartridges and paper add to their expenses.

by Dan Pasqua

Credits running out fastStudents realize the cost of printing on campus

You’re driving and hear the familiar jingle or buzzing of your phone that indicates someone has sent you a text message. You’ve got another mile

before the next stop sign or traffic light and five miles to your destination. Do you answer? In light of a time when instant gratification now takes on an entirely new form, most people not only pick up the phone to read the text message, but they probably respond immediately after. Such views have made their impact on the open road, however. According to http://www.pennlive.com, cell phone-related auto accidents have increased from 43 percent in Pennsylvania from 2005 to 2008. In all, 2008 saw cell phones cause 241 car accidents in western Pennsylvania alone. The distractions cell phones cause to drivers aren’t just of physical nature. Psychology Professor Dr. Janet Gates said, “You are more mentally impaired when you operate a cell phone, text messaging especially, while driving than you are from drinking alcohol.” Gates added that having a conversation with someone

by Angela WellsShould texting while driving be legal?

who is not in the vehicle with you is dangerous because that person cannot see the road with you. Texting while driving would become illegal under a bill that passed the state Senate on July 2 by a 44-3 vote. The bill would make texting while driving a secondary offense, and drivers would have to pay a $100 fine only if a motorist is cited for another violation. The bill now goes to the House for consideration. If it becomes law, Pennsylvania will join 10 other states that have prohibited text-messaging while driving for all classes of drivers. Some students have mixed reviews about the no texting while driving rule. Lauren Ford, a senior, said, “It might seem like the safe move [to pass the law], but it just isn’t logical. If a no texting while driving law is passed, then so should be no smoking while driving and no eating while driving laws.” Junior Catelyn Bahr reported that she only texts while driving under certain circumstances. “I only text when I’m running late and I need to tell someone, and only if I’m at a red light. If anything, I’d rather just call the person, even though that’s pretty unsafe too.”

© Angela Wells

© Rebecca Jeskey

Spreading holiday cheer, maintenance assembles the Christmas tree in the College Center Square on November 23.

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current majors their classes in under the old requirements, due to class minimums. “I take the administration at their word that it’s necessary, that it’s something we have to do. We’re doing it.” We’ll grapple [with it],” he said. As to why administration is implementing the policy, Ishiyama explained, “There are two reasons for enforcing class minimums. Pedagogically, it is very difficult to run a class with low enrollments. What if one or two people are sick that day? A lesson plan that includes class discussion or group projects may become impossible to facilitate.” He added, “The second reason is a business reason. We have too many courses running with very, very few numbers. Many classes have run with 4 or even 3 students in them. We absolutely must remain a college with small class sizes, that is essential to who we are as an institution, but we just need to use some good business sense when managing class sizes.” English Professor Dr. Linda Jordan Platt said, “I think every college, in the current economic climate, has to use resources very carefully, and I’m glad that the academic affairs office is thinking of that in regard to the schedule. However, it is important to understand that some classes with low enrollment must run in order for us to serve students well. Learning cannot suffer because of economics.” English major Caitlin Bahr said she knows first-hand how class cancellation can throw a wrench in a student’s plans. She said, “I had three classes cancelled over the summer. It was really stressful, because I need these classes to graduate in the time I want to. You plan your life around what classes you’re going to take.” Angela Wells, another English major, reported: “I’ve been in several courses in my time at La Roche which have held seven or fewer students. If all of those courses had been cancelled, not only would I fail to qualify for student-teaching in January, and then graduation in May, but I’d be at a sufficient loss in my academic advancement and personal growth, as it was those very courses which provided me with the most true knowledge and applicable experiences.” History student Steven Pambacas said that he’s had trouble with cancelled classes, and that it’s been hard on history majors that intend to teach. “Planning on graduating in May has become a challenge because of cancellations and confusion within the history and education department,” he said. “And I know there are others with my goals that I have talked to with the same problems.” Both Forrest and Yeasted said the class minimum also affects the teachers, since they have to teach a specific number of classes per year. If one of their classes is cancelled, Forrest said, “It poses certain dilemmas about ‘then what?’ For them to get a full load of teaching courses, they might have to teach an extra course in the next semester, and I think that’s a little bit unfair. What I’m mentioning, it’s not entirely hypothetical. Things like that are happening already.” Ishiyama did offer some assurance for students. He said, “This semester, we will be looking at course registrations immediately following the close of registration. We will be working with department chairs to identify what courses will absolutely need to run below minimum levels.”

Class cancelled

“It’s pretty ambitious, but doable,” McAllister said. Lalle is concentrating on getting listenership back to previous levels. He also hopes for more live broadcasts from around campus. His chief goal for his show is to broadcast live from a La Roche basketball game this spring. In the end, McAllister and Lalle said that the station offers an experience. “It’s a positive to let your voice be heard, whether it’s through sports, art, music,” Lalle said. McAllister, whose show’s topics cover movies, politics and pop culture, said that one of his favorite shows came from an unlikely source. He was ill-prepared for the night’s show, but one of his guests brought a Slinky into the studio. “We somehow managed to make a 20 minute segment talking about Slinkies,” he said. “It was fun and spontaneous, but it ended up being a really good show.” The new schedule, once it is complete, can be found on the Electric Bean’s Facebook page, along with a link to listen to the station. In the meantime, those who wish to start their own show can contact Mike J. McAllister for more information.

Radio-activecontinued from page 1

© Alan Zahorsky

Goodbyes are never easycontinued from page 1

To the left: Ryan Lalle in the Electric Bean’s office in Bold Hall.

The Courier regretfully says goodbye to three of its staff members graduating this December: Stephanie Jones, Steve Keller, and Sue Snow. Working on a newspaper can sometimes be a stressful, hectic job. There are deadlines. There are last-minute assignments. Having staff members who are hard-working, dedicated, and above all, people you actually enjoy working with, makes the process so much easier. This is exactly what Stephanie, Steve and Sue were: people who were talented, motivated, and fun to work with.

Stephanie spent countless hours designing the Courier. Without her, there wouldn’t have been a student newspaper. Her talent and dedication enabled us to release a finished product we were all proud of. For three days out of the month, we had long layout days that stretched into late hours of the night. At that point, all of us, including Stephanie, were cross-eyed, tired, and bordering on insanity after sitting in front of a computer for hours on end. And yet she never complained.

With Steve’s editorials, he was a major voice in the Courier. Thanks to him, our paper commented on important issues in the world today. Steve offered our readers insight and informed them. We never had to assign him articles, because he always came to meetings prepared with interesting, good ideas.

It was impossible to ever expect anything but the best from Sue. She’s talented, she’s smart, and like Stephanie and Steve, she never whined about doing work. Even between being a mom, producing Outside the Box, and working around a challenging school schedule, Sue’s contributions were always valuable and never done half-heartedly.

Stephanie, Steve, and Sue: Goodbye and good luck. Even though we secretly wish you fail so that we can keep you here with the Courier, you all are extremely talented, and we know that your hard work will pay off in your future.

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SportsThe La Roche Courier < December 2, 2009

The 2011-2012 academic year will mark the first season of an official La Roche College men’s

lacrosse team. Anthony Stamatopoulos, La Roche’s newly appointed head coach, gathered with interested students and held a discussion concerning lacrosse as a sport, what it means to La Roche College, and how those in attendance can have an impact on the program. Stamatopoulos, a Maryland native, began by describing his history with lacrosse and the city of Pittsburgh. “I grew up playing, and I played while in college,” he said.“I moved to Pittsburgh about four and a half years ago and took two jobs. I got the coaching job at Carnegie Mellon and started the program there, and I worked for the Department of Energy doing energy efficiency research.” After working for several years at Carnegie Mellon, Stamatopoulos said, a job opening at Robert Morris University became the appropriate step forward as a coach. “About three years ago, my good friends up at Robert Morris, which is a Division I team, asked me for years and years, ‘Why don’t you come up and work with me?’ and I kept saying, ‘No, no, no, it’s a little too far,”’ Stamatopoulos said. “But ultimately the decision was right, and the time was right, so I made the jump and I’ve been there for the last couple years.” Stamatopoulos added that the next step forward was to become a head coach, and the opportunity presented itself with the La Roche College men’s lacrosse team. “I was looking for jobs to make the jump to head coach right about the time that this came out, so I applied,” Stamatopoulos said. “I love Pittsburgh. I’ve been here for about four and a half years, and I wanted to try and stay here in the ‘Burgh. And it all worked out, and I’m very excited.”

by Joe Ziegler

LRC plans for men’s lacrosse team

Jim Crockett Sr., owner of Jim Crockett Promotions, was a member of the National Wrestling

Alliance (NWA). The NWA was a group of wrestling promoters who shared wrestling talent and controlled smaller wrestling promotions around the country. While promoting boxing, globetrotters’ events, circus events, among many other forms of entertainment, Crockett Sr. began promoting professional wrestling in 1933 in the Mid-Atlantic region of the country. When their father died, David and Jim Crockett Jr. acquired the business. David controlled the overall company, while Jim Jr. ran the wrestling business. In 1971, Crockett partnered with media mogul Ted Turner, and together they brought Georgia Championship Wrestling, one of Crockett’s bigger promotions, to Turner’s Turner Broadcasting Superstation (TBS). It was the first time professional wrestling aired on cable television, and gave Crockett’s w r e s t l i n g promotion a rise to the national scene. The show aired on Saturday nights from the primetime 6:05 p.m. to 8:05 p.m. Turner used it to boost his other shows’ ratings, hoping people would tune in before the wrestling started and keep watching after. Crockett had the vision of the wrestling supershow years before Vince McMahon’s “WrestleMania.” In 1983, Crockett promoted the first “Super Bowl” of professional wrestling: “Starrcade” in Greensboro, North Carolina. The attendance and traffic actually shut down a few highways in the area. On the recently released “Rise and Fall of WCW” DVD, Crockett reminisced on his former company. “There’s a feeling I go back to when the police get on the TV and say, ‘Don’t come to Greensboro. It’s sold out, don’t come,’” he said. “A wrestling match shut down a town. That’s a tremendous feeling of accomplishment.” Jim Crockett Promotions grew at an extremely rapid pace and eventually too fast. The Crockett brothers tried to expand quicker than they should have, and the bills finally caught up with them. In 1988, Turner bought Jim Crockett Promotions and renamed it World Championship Wrestling (WCW). After several unsuccessful attempts

by Brian Fischer

The greatest professional wrestling promotion

He added, “Enough about me. We’ll have plenty of time to talk. Why don’t we go around the room, and you guys introduce yourselves?” After a quick sound off of the prospects, requiring them to state their name, year, major and previous lacrosse experience, it became evident that the majority of the interested students had little or no prior lacrosse experience. “The good thing is that we have a great student to teacher ratio here, so we’ll be able to work on the fundamentals,” Stamatopoulos said. “Once you start playing, you’re going to love it. It’s an addictive sport. There’s contact, it’s fast, and any size guy can play.” “My door is an open door, and my phone is an open phone. I’ll be available to you guys,” he said. “It will be a lot of work and practices, and waiting for about a year. What you guys make of it, how much time and energy you put into it, is how good you’ll get.” Stamatopoulos told the soon-to-be lacrosse players that they will drive the program. “Basically, I’m going to need some help from you. Ultimately, we’re going to need a commitment from you guys. Obviously, we will be taking this pretty seriously, especially me,” he said. Stamatopoulos discussed what he expected of his players. He said, “I’m kind of old school on some things. I’m really big on team etiquette and how you conduct yourselves, even though it may be a club at the start [until the inaugural season in fall semester 2010], I want us to start incorporating them. It’s the little things that will make us successful.” As for the sport on La Roche’s campus, Stamatopoulos said, “Ultimately we hope this [the men’s lacrosse program] is something that initially prospers and continues to grow and be very successful.”

at finding a creative director for the company, Eric Bischoff finally became the executive producer and turned the wrestling world upside down. When Bischoff signed Hulk Hogan, who made the jump from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to WCW, the beginning of greatness was born. Bischoff tried to make WCW different than the WWE in every way possible. For one, WWE Raw was a taped show aired on Monday nights. Bischoff was granted primetime on Turner Network Television (TNT) Monday nights from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. In 1995, WCW Monday Nitro debuted on TNT and became the first-ever live professional wrestling show. Giving away results from WWE’s taped show on several occasions, Bischoff took some major heat. He apologized years later for the incidents and admitted that he was obsessed with beating WWE. Aside from the few negative acts, Bischoff carried out numerous

ingenious acts as well. For the first time ever, Hulk Hogan turned heel, the name for a bad guy in the wrestling business. He started the New World Order (NWO), a group that grew in numbers every

week to combat the heroes of WCW. Along with the brilliant storylines, Bischoff also created the Cruiserweight division in WCW, bringing in talent from all over the world. Wrestling superstars from Japan and Mexico would clash with talent from America, giving the fans the most diverse style of matches anywhere in the world. With these and many other ideas credited to Bischoff, WCW Nitro beat WWE RAW in TV ratings from June of 1996 to April of 1998, holding a few hours of the most popular show on television every week. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. In 2001, McMahon purchased WCW after Bischoff left and the creativity died. Nonetheless, traditional wrestling fans will never forget WCW. The company took professional wrestling and sports entertainment to new standards, and remnants still remain today. Former professional wrestler Michael Hayes concluded the DVD. “The audience would have never enjoyed as much great product as they have, had it not been for Monday Night Nitro. They were successful,” he said. In short, WCW will never die.

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“A wrestling match shut down a town. That’s a

tremendous feeling of accomplishment.”

Editor-in Chief: Rebecca Jeskey

Managing Editor:

Maggie Kelly

Sports Editor: Joseph Ziegler

Lead Designer: Stephanie Jones

Advisor:

Ed Stankowski

Contributing Staff:

Brian FischerCatelyn Hillegass

Steve KellerMike J. McAllister

Dan PasquaTara SmithSusan Snow

RJ ThompsonAngela Wells

Alan Zahorsky

Happy Holidays from the C ourier

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www.larochecourier.com 7

EntertainmentThe La Roche Courier < December 2, 2009

Since the 1980s, Joel and Ethan Coen have been among the most respected filmmakers in

the industry. 1991’s Barton Fink was the first film to unanimously win the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival. The 1996 black comedy “Fargo” won Best Original Screenplay, and 2007’s “No Country for Old Men” won Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director and Best Picture. Conquering the film noir genre, black humor and slapstick, they prove to be incredibly diverse. Their latest, “A Serious Man,” is a very entertaining black comedy. It’s the summer of 1967, and physics Professor Larry Gopnik’s life

by Mike J. McAllisterCoen brothers seriously impress with latest film

has gone downhill. He receives threats from the parents of a failing student, his children steal money from him, and his wife wants to leave him for another man. Finally, his eligibility for tenure may be on the line. In days coming closer to his son’s bar mitzvah, Larry seeks help from three local rabbis, hoping to find a solution to his many problems. Like most of the Coens’ films, the script is fantastic and filled with quirky characters, the score by Carter Burwell is wonderful, and the cinematography is beautiful. This film is a modernized version of the story of Job in the Bible: a religious man being put to the test.

However, it suffers where “No Country for Old Men” did: a lack of an ending. The Coens seem to love to put their characters through misery and not give much hope to the audience. They want to rebel against the typical Hollywood Ending. But the audiences want more answers than the Coens tend to give. On the upside, the lack of an ending here doesn’t hurt the rest of the film as badly as it did for “No Country for Old Men.” With all of its pathos, the film certainly isn’t a complete downer. The film is packed with the dark cynical humor that the Coens are so good at, so you cannot help but laugh.

Disclaimer: Advice will not work across the board for everyone, even though it can be helpful in gaining perspective on a problem. The following is meant to entertain and inform, but not to be taken as the only solution to the given problem. Talking to a counselor is something that there is no substitute for.

Dear Maggie: I’m a freshman, and I think my roommate is a thief. Lately, my clothes, my iPod, and even things as silly as spare toothbrushes are missing. Sometimes I even see him stealing fruit from the cafeteria. He’s a nice enough kid, and I don’t want to see him get into any trouble, but I also don’t want him to steal any more of my belongings. Why is he stealing? What should I do? Is it kleptomania?- Klepto’s Companion

Dear Klepto’s Companion: This certainly is a major problem. Psychology Professor Dr. Barbara Herrington suggests installing some sort of surveillance camera, if possible, or even staging an intervention. “You could set traps, and catch him red-handed,” Herrington said. However, Herrington added that your roomie is probably not a kleptomaniac. “If he’s a kleptomaniac, that’s long in his personal history,” she said. “If it is something new, it may be a cry for help.” It is nice that you have such concern for your roommate, but it’s best for you to act before he takes everything but the bathroom sink, even if it results in calling the authorities.

Dear Maggie:by Maggie Kelly

LRC graduate sings at Bold Acoustic Series

Katie Zeak, a 2009 graduate, returned to La Roche College to perform for the Bold Acoustic Series on November 5. Zeak sang a wide variety of music: One Republic’s hit “Apologize,” Rufus Wainwright’s “Hallelujah,” and “Poker Face”

by Lady Gaga. “Probably my favorite song to perform that night was Lady Gaga’s “‘Poker Face,’” Zeak said, “because I love taking songs that are normally performed one way and turning them into something more raw and acoustic.”

© Tara Smith

© http://filmcrusade.com

Interested in writing, layout,

or photography?The La Roche Courier needs

writers for news articles, feature stories, sports

coverage, and entertainment. Photographers, illustrators,

and page designers are always wanted.

If you are interested in joining our staff, please contact editor Rebecca

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by Tara Smith

www.larochecourier.com8

What was your favorite holiday present?

“It was the very first Transformer I ever got.”

– Andrew Pfeuffer, senior

“My Playstation 3.” – Drew Brashear,

undecided freshman

“A new bike.” – Julia Flaherty,

professional writing senior

“The joy of being with my family.”

– Dee Markus, career counselor

“A gold chain and a matching gold bracelet.”

– Anthony Schluep, marketing and business management,

sports marketing concentration

“A beautiful painting of Amram Ebgi.”

– Dr. Sacuedo Schwarz, adjunct professor of ESL and Spanish

“The original Playstation when it first came out.”

– Matthew Ogilvie, marketing senior